Episode 4

Umeko's New Skin

Kagome

"Don't be so grumpy Inuyasha." Kagome rolled her eyes and she stroked the fire. They'd made camp just outside the village because they had been no one that would let them stay in their homes. Apparently rumors had spread through the villages of strangers with terrible abilities, but that had been all that the elder woman would tell them.

"I'm not bein' grumpy." The dog demon huffed, arms crossed and perpetual scowl in place. There had been no luck with the jewel lately and he was starting to get restless.

Miroku, settling himself down for sleep, gave them a smile. "He'll get better once we find a shard, Kagome. Don't worry."

He'd better she thought and stood. She could only put up with this attitude from him for so long before she got the urge to shout Sit Boy until he'd formed a small crater in the ground. Inuyasha scowled up at her as she pulled her bad over her shoulder and looked toward the stream not far off.

"Where do ya think you're goin'?" he asked. Kagome arched a brow at him.

"Thanks to you, I haven't had a descent bath in a week. I have to make due with rivers."

"Good." He shot back glaring at the fire. "You were startin' to stink anyway."

Her jaw dropped, but she didn't bother to yell at him with the others falling asleep around them. Instead she settled for a soft humph and stomped away. He'd start feeling bad when she refused to talk to him. He always did.

Kagome dropped her backpack against a large rock by the stream, far enough that she wouldn't be spotted by the lecherous Miroku, but should she cry out, Inuyasha would hear it. In this ancient world of demons and monsters, a girl could never be too careful.

Then again maybe she should have tried a little harder.

"So this is the one." Then voice that came from the shadows was soft and feminine. Kagome whipped around to face the intruder, her hand going for the bow she'd left by the fire. There was a sultry laugh and suddenly, she couldn't move. Not a single muscle. When she tried to scream for Inuyasha and the others, her jaws would not part for her.

She was paralyzed.

"Oh, don't fret precious. I'm not going to kill you." A woman stepped from the shadows and titled her head, "Not yet anyway."

Kagome swallowed her fear, pleased to know she retained at least that function. This was not a woman, she realized as the creature neared her. Her ears were pointed, like Sesshomaru's, and when she smiled it was with fangs. Her eyes, also were inhuman, a blue so vivid it was not possible. Her claw-tipped fingers trailed lightly across Kagome's cheek and she breathed her in. Her pupils narrowed suddenly and she let out a soft animal noise of what Kagome assumed was pleasure.

"But you are not like the others, are you?" The demon titled her head in curiosity. Her free hand went out to her side where, to Kagome's terror appeared a gigantic black and red wolf. It pressed it's head against the demon's palm then gave a great yawn, blood-stained tongue curling around two rows of sharp teeth. The sight was disturbing and Kagome might have whimpered if the demon bitch hadn't frozen her vocal cords.

"You have power." She said, her smiled turned wide and cruel. "Will I have it too?"

What was she talking about? In fact, what was she doing here? The demon obviously knew who Kagome was, but she hadn't so much as mentioned the jewel shards, which seemed to be the focus of most demons.

But then, Kagome sensed it. The power of Naraku rolled off of her like thick tar. This was one of his many incarnations, it seemed. Had she come to kill them, then? Would she start with Kagome? She'd said not yet, but what did that mean? Was this really how she would die, unable to even scream?

The demon leaned in close and stroked her clawed fingers down Kagome's hair. She would have given anything to even flinch away from the disgusting contact.

"You're a pretty thing." She murmured. "And my master tells me the dog cares for you. Would he know the difference? Would he recognize me through your eyes?"

Again, Kagome was lost. If nothing else, this demon was insane. (More so than normal) There was an aura about her that made Kagome nervous. This creature just wasn't…right. As the demon moved behind Kagome, her eyes fell on the great wolf.

Its eyes were red, the color of blood, in fact. As he stared up at her, Kagome realized there was intelligence in them. He was more than just a demonic wolf. There was a man in those eyes.

"Now don't worry, pretty girl." The demon woman said with a soft giggle, "It'll hurt, but you won't care for long. I'll make sure your death is a quick one, kay?"

A single tear trailed down Kagome's cheek, its path followed by the hellish eyes of the wolf, then the world exploded in to blinding pain, and she couldn't focus on any one thing any longer. It was as if her body were being hollowed out, her skin stretched and filled with a new presence. Something cold and evil.

The demon was invading her body, and she couldn't even move.

Her heart beat so hard against her ribs that it hurt, but it was nothing compared to what the demon was doing to her. Letting her eyes fall closed, she wished that she could at least loose consciousness to save her from the agony.

"This isn't like the other one, Jei." The demon said suddenly, her voice strained. "Why is this so hard?"

Who was this terrible creature talking to?! More importantly, when would this torture end?

"Her soul is so large, it takes up so much room." The demon was complaining. Another agonizing wave of pain and Kagome felt the demon slip a bit farther into her body, shoving aside everything in her way. The world wavered, but her hope died when she remained conscious still. She felt nauseous. If she became sick, would the demon allow her to open her mouth for the vomit? Would she allow her to drown in it?

"I am pushing!" the demon snapped and sank further still into Kagome.

Please, just let it end. Kagome thought, It hurts. It hurts so much.

Umeko

The final shove was like falling through gel. The reborn priestess had been far more difficult to slit on than the fisherman. Her soul was everywhere. Shining from every space that I did not fill. The good part, though, was that this body would last much longer than any other human's.

Which meant I now had time to play.

I could feel the girl weeping deep in the mind of this body, where I'd shoved her for safe keeping. She feared for her friends and wished that she'd given her mother and someone called Souta a proper good bye. She also regretted that she'd never really tried to win Inuyasha's affection. She mourned that her death would mean she could no longer be by his side.

It was all very touching.

"Don't worry, precious." I murmured, knowing she could hear me (she was still very conscious within this body) "I'll give him your regards."

As if on que the dog demon burst through the bushes, sword draw and held aloft. His eyes moved from me to the wolf near the stream and I froze.

Moment of truth.

"I thought I smelled Naraku stench." He sneered toward Jei as the beast's hackles rose. "Why don't you show me your true form and we can settle this like real demons. Unless you're scared that is."

Jei huffed, rolling his eyes and glanced at me.

I will not be far. Should you need me, I will know.

I nodded slightly as he burst into movement and disappeared into the trees. Inuyasha looked shocked a moment, his enormous blade dropping slightly. "HEY!"

I caught his arm when he moved to follow and shook my head, putting on what I hoped was a frightened face. "No. It's gone for now. Please, just stay with me?"

At first he looked baffled, then flustered, but I knew he would listen as he sheathed his sword. (Was he compensating for something?) Awkwardly, his arm went around me and I dropped my head against his shoulder.

The girl screamed that I was not her inside my head. She begged that he realize this and kill me. She was willing to die for the safety of her friends.

I found that honorable, but inwardly laughed at her desperation.

"Did it hurt you?" The demon was asking. I pulled from my thoughts and sniffled, shaking my head. This close, I realized that I'd been right. The demon was a handsome thing, with his silver hair and golden eyes. I let my hands flatten against his chest, feeling the hard planes of his body beneath them.

Why not have a little fun while I could with such a creature.

He stiffened when I pressed against him, taking a deep breath of his animal scent. One hand skimmed down to his abdomen while the other circled his waist.

"Kagome?" he questioned, gently pulling away from me to search his woman's eyes. They would look no different than normal, but still, I tensed slightly just in case. When he only looked at me, I knew however, that my disguise was working.

"I'm sorry." I said with her voice, "It just scared me. Was it really Naraku?"

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed and snapped to the line of trees. "They never run away like that." He said, almost to himself. "Why would it just run away?"

"I think I need to lie down." I said to distract him, pleased when it worked. Keeping a firm hold on me for support, he nodded, and led me toward their camp.

The others were sleeping when we arrived. All so vulnerable. If I'd wanted I could have killed them all as the dreamt, but I was far too cruel a being for that. I wanted them conscious when I killed them. I wanted to look into their eyes as I showed them the pieces of themselves.

Inuyasha waited for me to sit before following suit, he was such a sweet thing to this girl, in his own way. I knew of her love for him, but was Naraku right? Did the half-breed love her as well? It was time to find out.

Again he froze when I neared him, crawling up his body to straddle his legs. Inuyasha's mouth bobbed a few time as she searched for what to say and I let out a soft giggle.

"Hush." I murmured against his cheek, "You'll wake the others."

"Kagome…"

He claws curled into the dirt at his sides and I pulled back to smile at him. His expression was one of total bewilderment and when I leaned forward to kiss him, he bulked, eyes snapping wide open.

I liked the sensation of brushing lips against his, though I would have rathered my own. The tingles of feeling were spectacular. What would it feel like to do other things, I wondered? My knowledge of physical pleasures was limited, but I was willing to try them all now if I could.

Inuyasha took hold of my upper arms and pushed me back enough to search my eyes again. "What are you doing?" he asked in a strained voice.

"Don't you like me?" I asked, making her face pout for him. The demon didn't know how to respond to that while inside, the real Kagome was shrieking.

See! He's knows something is wrong! He knows it's not really me! He'll kill you. He'll stop you.

"Whoa!" My head snapped around to find the monk wide-eyed and starring at us. Sango, the demon-hunter, had clasped her hands over the tiny fox demon's eyes though he protested.

"What the hell is going on?" she hissed, starring at us in disbelief.

"This isn't what it looks like." Inuyasha insisted, trying to push me off, but I only grinned. My arms went around his back to the small satchel of Sango's hand-held weaponry. My grip closed on what I hoped was something sharp and for them I laughed.

"I should hope not." Sango said, shaking her head. The monk however narrowed his eyes. He stared at me in a way that made my borrowed skin crawl.

"Kagome was attacked and then she-"

"Inuyasha," Miroku said slowly, "That is not Kagome."

I felt a little rushed in this chapter, but it's only because I want to hurry up and get to Sesshy. He's coming soon.

Anyway, what did you think? Questions, comments, flames?