After a long break I've returned, along with a new chapter. Yay, for those that care…

Soft and Subtle

By Squishy

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Chapter 2
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"Ohmygod Ohmygod Ohmygod…" Kagome squeaked as she tried holding her hand in front of her. It was little more than a translucent blob connected to a thinner translucent blob that no doubt connected to the translucent blob that was now her…body. She sighed and slumped in her place. "I'll wake up, I know I will." Suddenly, her body barged into the room and gave Kagome a surprised glance.

"I thought you'd be gone by now." The girl stated, using Kagome's own lips.

"What…Who are you? Why…" Kagome floated closer to her body, and the girl took a step back, using Kagome's leg.

"My name is Kikyou. I've been waiting for an opportunity like this." The girl smiled faintly, dreamily. Kagome couldn't help but notice how cold her own face had grown. "Don't worry, your chance will come in a hundred years or so." The girl, Kikyou, changed clothes and left again. Kagome didn't protest. What the hell had she done to deserve this? And while she was at it, she might as well wonder what was going on. Was she now some wandering spirit without a home? Was she invisible to the real world? Was she dead? Kagome paled—if that were possible—at that last thought.

"Yes, yes, and…no." answered a voice that seemed to take up the entire room. Knowing my luck it probably does, and will find a way to make life worse, Kagome thought bitterly. "Well aren't ya even gonna say Hi?" The voice was directly in front of her now, but she couldn't see anything.

"Um…hi?" she offered weakly. As if she were going to be friendly. Her last run-in with a spirit had been disastrous at best.

"Oh that's not very convincing," the voice chided as it moved in a complete circle around her not-quite-solid form.

"What are you, my kindergarten teacher?" Kagome ground out between clenched teeth, and tried to continue with her panicked wondering. What if I were to take my body back? Surprised the thought hadn't occurred to her before, Kagome slapped her hand against her forehead.

"I missed my golden opportunity!" she cried out in frustration. She could just picture the look of surprise on Kikyou's face when Kagome the Triumphant reclaimed what was rightfully hers.

"I must say, your logic is very…fascinating." The voice was now standing before her, a tall, handsome man with arms crossed and tail swishing mischievously. "Would you like your body back?" he asked as if it were the most natural thing in the world to be speaking to a floating blob about re-inhabiting a body.

"Of course not…" Kagome replied dryly.

"Oh. Okay then." The guy dematerialized. "Later." It took Kagome a few seconds to realize that he had gone.

"Wait!" she cried in desperation. "I was kidding for god's sake! Come back!"

"Yes?" He was now standing beneath her, peering up innocently. Kagome tried to kick him in the head, but it merely passed on through.

"You saw up my nightshirt, didn't you?!"

"You're a blob," the man responded flatly. "How the hell could I see up a blob's nightshirt?"

"Hm…You've got a point, there." Kagome floated down to his eye level. "So, when am I expected to wake up?" The guy laughed heartily, then smirked at her.

"You're new at this, aren't ya?" He waved his hand dismissively. "Don't worry, in a few hundred years you should have this down."

"WHAT?!" Kagome shrieked. She would've pulled her hair out…if she had any.

"Kidding. Just kidding." The guy laughed as if it really was funny.

"It wasn't funny…Anyway, how am I supposed to get my body back?"

"First, you'll need a temporary form." The man snapped his fingers in an annoyingly exaggerated way, and Kagome tumbled to the ground in an undignified, naked heap.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" she screamed, curling in on herself. "I'm naked! Ohmygod!"

"Oops." The guy snapped his fingers again, hastily this time, and Kagome was fully clad in a strange, flowing, black…thing. She stood slowly, in awe of how the fabric gracefully followed her every movement.

"Feels like heaven…" she commented absently, twisting around to see the back.

"Hell, actually." The guy corrected her offhandedly, as if he got that all the time.

"Huh?" Kagome responded intelligently. She took in his clothing, which included flowing black pants and an armor-like top. "Hm…so you're from…hell?"

"Very good." He smiled, showing off glinting fangs. Kagome gasped.

"You're Satan!" she exclaimed, pointing wildly in his direction. He smirked, his eyes gleaming an unnatural red.

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It feels good to get another chapter out. Believe it or not, I am not the quitting type, and I will not give up until this story is complete. Helpful reviews are…well…helpful, and I do appreciate it, but again, reviews aren't necessary. Just loved. Oh, and I want to announce that this chapter was quickly gone over by my beta-reader/editor narcoleptic shishkabob. She is really a very good editor, and pointed out my misuse of the 'if' form of 'to be'…Yeah, that stuff is confusing, but she seems to get it, so thanks a lot to miss shishkabob.