Disclaimers: I do not own Inu-Yasha and Co. It is the respective property of Rumiko Takahashi.

What Fate Decides... Part 18:

Who is she?!? Kagome could only stare at the girl standing before her. They could pass for twins, but this girl had a more serious disposition than Kagome could ever muster.

"You're not demon..." she said with hint of surprise tinging her voice, betraying her expression.

"I have an explaination for that, and also for my resemblence to you. I'll explain, if you let me?" Kagome replied quickly and picked herself up from the ground.

"Speak..."

"Well, it all began when..."

* * *

"Hmm...you spoke truth. I felt no lie in your words..."

Kagome could only sigh in relief and turned her attention back to the young girl. "By the way, what is your name?''

"Kikyo," she stated firmly. "Now, I'd like to know yours."

Kagome flushed in embarassment. "I'm sorry... that was completely rude of me. My name's Kagome Higurashi. Kagome will do. It won't matter after today if you forget my name, I'll probably end up moving to another village anyway - it will be less suspicious than staying here . Though, I can safely say now that it was nice meeting you - after the air was cleared over the misunderstanding."

"Twins..."

" Twins?" Kagome questioned.

"You see when I was born, I wasn't quite born alone...I had twin sister, but she had been dead- a still birth in other words." She paused for a moment. "I could say that my parents had been mistaken, but the body had mysteriously gone missing before they could tell anyone of the child's survival and decided against it later. You could always say that your adopted parents revealed the truth to you and you decided to seek out your real family...it isn't exactly a lie, it is possible that I may be one of your ancestors, though it is an unusual idea for one to get one's mind around... for some reason, I can't help but feel right for doing this..."

Kagome blinked in surprise. Kikyo's expression had remained so passive during the entire propostion. She didn't know what to make of it.

She looked up to see Inu-yasha bounding toward them.

Kikyo readied her bow, but Kagome placed a hand up to her stop. "He's the one I mentioned before."

"The half-demon you raised," Kikyo said quietly as she lowered her weapon.

He landed infront of the two women, not quite sure what to make of the situation. They smelled similar, but there was enough of a difference so that he could tell Kagome apart from the other, not to mention minor physical differences.

Kagome stepped forward. "Inu-Yasha, do you remember when I told you I wasn't from around here?"

He nodded his head carefully, but then spoke, "But has that got to with anything or explaining what's going on?"

She exhaled slowly. Time to give him the whole story, making it her second time explaining it today.

* * *

"Is that why you ---?" he began, but Kagome cut him off.

"Yes, that is part of the reason, but that can be discussed later - in private," she said carefully. Her personal dealings with Inu-Yasha were no one's business.

"All will be taken care of in regards to the villagers. I'll give them the same story I gave to you earlier. You'll stop by later today in order to confirm the story for the villagers and then life should be peaceful - no questions asked. I'll be off now," Kikyo said quickly, giving a slight bow before she left.

"We better not disappoint..." Kagome murmured softly after she left. She briskly walked past Inu-Yasha toward the hut.

He followed after. He would let her get away with avoiding the converstion this one time, but he wouldn't let it happen again...

To be continued...