A/N: I actually pre-wrote this and chapter 3, because I have to cram today and tomorrow for my AP History test on Friday, and then my SATs on Saturday. Wish me luck!

Here's where the episode 147ness begins. So, enjoy!

Chapter 2: Tsubaki's Curse

This isn't happening...this isn't happening!

Kagome shut and then opened her eyes, still seeing Kikyou's face reflected back in the water. She took deep breaths, willing all of this to be a dream, but the rough wood of the bucket digging into her palms told her that it was no dream or hallucination.

I…I'm Kikyou…but how? Why did this happen?

Remembering a flash of pink light and the ache through her body, she sighed in defeat. So that's what happened. Kikyou's purity arrow and the time tree in the clearing somehow sent my soul back here…

"Onee-sama?" the girl at her side asked, and Kagome looked down at her, fitting the pieces together.

This girl…it must be Kaede, fifty years ago… "Kaede?" she asked, the name sounding weird on her lips without adding '-sama' to the end of it.

"Yes, Kikyou onee-sama?" she asked, perking up. She clearly liked and looked up to her sister, though by the way she looked, Kagome guessed that they were about ten years apart.

"I…I think it was the early morning getting to me." Kagome then noticed that her voice sounded different…Kikyou's voice. The only thing left of herself was her consciousness, it seemed.

Kagome looked down at Kikyou's reflection, her face set in puzzlement, and wondered, So, what am I to do? How do I get back, in my own body? Will I be able to do that? Am I going to be stuck like this forever?

Kaede tugged on Kikyou's white sleeve. "Kikyou onee-sama, we're going to be late. We told the villagers yesterday that we'd take care of the youkai near their village, and you said a miko was waiting for us."

Glancing back at Kaede, Kagome remembered what the young girl had said before. They obviously haven't met Inuyasha yet. I can't just tell her what's happened, it would frighten her. And everyone would think that Kikyou went mad if I told them…

She made up her mind. I'll just have to pretend to be Kikyou, for now, at least. Until a solution presents itself.

"You're right, Kaede." Kagome told her, Kikyou's voice once more coming from her mouth. "I'm sorry that I acted weird all of a sudden, I hit my head when I collapsed, that's all."

"You're better now, Onee-sama?" Kaede asked, looking up at her sister with concern.

Kagome picked up Kikyou's bow and arrows, slinging the quiver over her shoulder. "Yes, I am well now, Kaede. Now, we need to leave. After all, you said we were expected, right?" Kagome wanted to smile at the little girl, but it just didn't seem like a very Kikyou thing to do. And she had to act the part perfectly so no one would suspect.

I am Kikyou now, how would Kikyou react?

As they walked out of the hut, Kagome saw that it was early, a little after sunrise at least. The village they were in was clearly not the village that she was used to; it was another, smaller one as it appeared. As soon as she stepped outside, Kagome suddenly felt many youkai in the field near the village, without even trying.

This is Kikyou's power, it seems…Kagome's mind raced, knowing the youkai were getting closer and she had to do something before they attacked the village.

"Kaede!" Kagome cried, running towards the feeling of jyaki, the large red pants flapping behind her, since she wasn't used to walking in them. "You should stay behind, it's dangerous!" She didn't feel like Kaede's sister; that was Kikyou. It felt more like what she felt about Shippou, not wanting to see her hurt.

"Onee-sama!" Kaede yelled, running after Kagome as she slowed down as she saw someone else, much more disturbing than the youkai. A woman, a miko, as Kagome knew her, stood in the field with a naginata, her long black hair unbound over her dark blue miko-style outfit.

Tsubaki? Kagome's mind raced, knowing that Kikyou's face was set slightly in shock. Was this the miko we were supposed to meet? But then she was slowly calmed down as she remembered, and made it appear that she thought nothing wrong. That's right…Kikyou and her were friends…sort of. There's nothing to be afraid of her now, is there?

Kaede raced to catch up. "Onee-sama! Kikyou onee-sama!"

If there was any danger in Tsubaki, which she couldn't help but suspect from what she had heard about it, Kagome didn't want Kaede to get caught up in it. It was hers (technically Kikyou's) and Tsubaki's fight. "Don't come any closer, Kaede!" Kagome told her, seeing the girl stop instantly a few yards away.

Kaede looked at the woman who was standing near her sister, seeming to recognize her, and asked, "That person…isn't she…a miko named Tsubaki-sama?"

Tsubaki came closer, glancing at Kaede. She looked different than Kagome had seen her. Her hair was black, and she seemed less bent on revenge. Still, there was a gleam in that miko's eyes that sent shivers up her spine. "So, that child is Kikyou-dono's younger sister, huh?"

Kagome was about to reply, when suddenly, the sky grew dark and purple with the jyaki above them. She stepped back a bit, usually when there was this big of jyaki, it meant that Inuyasha was there to protect her when things got bad. What? Am I supposed to fight all this alone?

Tsubaki, rather than alarmed, seemed pleased. "Isn't this good, Kikyou-dono?" she seemed to have noticed Kagome's uneasiness when she said, "I should be enough to handle things here. Stand aside with your little sister."

Hearing Tsubaki, the miko that had tried to kill her and her friends fifty years later, talk to her as if she was a coward, made Kagome's blood boil. It didn't matter that she was worried that Inuyasha wasn't there to protect her, she was angry now. Who does she think I am! If I am Kikyou, then I should be able to do better than her! Smirking to herself, Kagome said, "Don't worry."

Tsubaki turned to her, with amused eyes. "That is so typical of you. Even if your sister is present at this battle, her little heart won't break, you think?"

Kagome wasn't worried about Kaede. When she was an old woman, she stood up to far worse than this. Kagome knew that Tsubaki's "worries" were only to try and discredit her. Just as I thought, Kikyou and Tsubaki aren't friends. They're rivals, it seems.

Suddenly, from the purple cloud above them, came several screeching youkai. Kagome had never seen so many before, and she gripped her bow, feeling a bit frightened. She would have to fight this battle alone, but she would do it. She coulddo it. After all, she was Kikyou now.

Kagome heard Kaede scream from behind her "Youkai!" Kagome turned, Kikyou's hair swinging behind her as she saw the girl hide behind a rock for safety.

One youkai growled and came close to Kaede, and purity arrow was all she needed to turn it to dust. That's right…I have Kikyou's power now…Kagome reminded herself, suddenly becoming much more confident. She saw another youkai, and proceeded to finish it in the same way as the first, fighting the urge to have a confident smirk at her amazingly increased abilities.

Tsubaki was also fighting the youkai, blue light from the blade of her naginata turning them to dust as well. The rival miko found another way to subtly taunt her. "You really are a cold woman."

Kagome found herself back to back with Tsubaki, feeling more cautious then comforted since she knew her true nature. "No, not a woman. A peerless miko, maybe?"

What's she doing? Kagome wondered, keeping her bow ready in case more youkai came by. Why is she saying these things now? She's obviously up to something…

Another arrow from Kagome finished off the last of the youkai, falling to pieces to the ground as it was killed. She couldn't help the small smile come on her face. I did it!

A second passed after the fight was over, allowing Kagome to catch her breath, before Tsubaki came closer to inspect the fallen youkai. "It seems that they weren't as strong as we thought." she commented dryly.

"Indeed." Kagome replied, lowering the smile keeping her voice as stoic and Kikyou sounding as possible.

As Kaede ran from her hiding spot to Kagome, Tsubaki turned her back on them. "Let us go back to the village for now. I'm sure they will be glad to hear that their youkai troubles are over."

As Tsubaki led the way back to the village, Kagome and Kaede followed, Kagome still feeling uneasy about her, knowing she was up to something.

They were walking towards the village, but Kagome turned back for a moment, to look upon where they had slain the youkai. My first fight as Kikyou...But I wonder how many more I will have?


Back at the village, Kaede and Kagome gathered their things, following Tsubaki to the edge of the village as the headman thanked them. "Thank you, great mikos." The village headman bowed his bald head. "I am so grateful that you have saved us."

Kagome bowed her head in return. "It was nothing." Kaede followed suit, yet Tsubaki did not.

"Take this as thanks, mikos." The village leader handed Tsubaki a small bag of coins, and it didn't escape Kagome's notice that Tsubaki seemed happy that it had been handed to her.

"We shall be nearby if you need us." Kagome told them, knowing it was what Kikyou would say, before she, Kaede, and Tsubaki, left the village. They traveled in silence until the path split in two directions. Kagome didn't need to ask which way as Kaede walked to the path they would take.

Even though Kagome knew what Tsubaki was, she bowed in farewell with Kaede to her anyway when it came time to part. As they turned to leave, Kagome heard Tsubaki ask her something. "Aren't you going to accept their reward?"

Kagome glanced back to her. When she was with Inuyasha, and they needed money to stay, perhaps she would have accepted money for slaying youkai. But Kagme knew that Kikyou had a home to return to, so there was no point in it. "No, you can have it, if you want."

"I see. Thanks, anyway." Tsubaki replied. After Kagome had gone a little way further, Tsubaki called her attention one more time. "Kikyou-dono, As a fellow traveling miko, I have a word of advice."

Kagome stopped and turned back, interested in Tsubaki's so called "advice". The look in Tsubaki's eyes gave Kagome a bad feeling. This is it…

"A miko must abandon her human heart in order to achieve power." Tsubaki told her, obviously on the verge of grinning. "In the case of a woman, this applies to love as well."

That word hit Kagome like a ton of bricks. Love? What did love have to do with anything? She loved Inuyasha, but it had never—She expelled a breath trying to steady herself. Calm down, I am Kikyou…how would Kikyou react? Turning back, Kagome faced Tsubaki, an almost glare in her dark eyes. "'Love', you say?" An uncontrollable Kikyou-like smirk came across her face as Kagome continued, "You think I would?"

Kagome caught the red flash in Tsubaki's eyes, remembering all too well what that was. Her blood ran cold. A curse!

"Don't forget, you must extinguish love. You must never hold a man dear." continued Tsubaki, "If such a man were to appear, you would suffer an untimely death."

Kikyou would brush it off… Kagome thought, suspecting that her shared soul in the current situation gave her an advantage in knowing how Kikyou thought. "I'll remember that." Kagome said with a slight, almost amused smile on Kikyou's face, and then turned back on the path, leading Kaede away from the dangerous Tsubaki.

Once they had gotten far enough away, Kagome knew she had to voice her thoughts. "She's a cunning one. Tsubaki, that is."

"Huh?" Kaede looked back at her as they walked on, confused.

Kagome replied, appearing not at all alarmed, as Kikyou should, though inside, she was worried. "She placed a curse on me."

Now Kaede looked concerned. "A curse?"

Kagome didn't want to worry Kaede. "Don't worry. It's nothing to be afraid of." Kagome knew, what would come next, though the irony of the statement was sickening. "Would I actually fall in love?"

You do, Kikyou. Kagome remembered. You fall in love with Inuyasha…and Naraku tricks you both into thinking the other betrayed another, and then you die!

Though she masked her feelings for Kaede, Kagome began to panic. If I don't do something, then I will…

Then, Kagome was hit with a wonderful idea. Wait…I want to find a way to get back, but suppose I don't…Suppose Inuyasha comes and falls in love with me, thinking I'm Kikyou… then maybe…

I could save them!


A/N: It's so weird, trying to get Kagome to say Kikyou's lines unflinchingly, so not every line is going to be canon. I'm going to try to keep it as close to the original as possible, since I just love that episode, but sometimes, I have to admit, Kagome does not equal Kikyou, so I have to change a line or two.