Much ado about Robin Hood
In which a simple story for Shippo ends up far more than Kagome ever bargained for. Who knew that a tale of one legendary thief would attract another legendary fox thief?
The small kitsune lazed languidly upon his surrogate mother's lap as she tended to the groups meal. He watched as she swiftly stripped a rabbit of it's flesh, chopping the strips into chunks before placing them into her strange pot that she called a 'camping stove'.
"Kagome?" he asked as he shifted around to become even more comfortable.
"Hm?" she replied as she dug into the yellow bag searching for a packet of beef flavoring
"Do you know any stories? One's with foxes?" Shippo asked as he sniffed the air. Kagome always told the best stories, ones that he had never heard before. Special stories.
Why just last week she had told him the tale of a girl named a strange and long foreign name Cind- something. And what a story that had been! Full of magic!
Imagine mice that turned to horses and a pumpkin that turned into a carriage! He didn't know quite what a 'ball gown' was but he imagined it must be like a beautiful 12 layer kimono that only the wealthiest of women wore.
Kagome paused in her search, turning the boy's question over in her mind.
"A story with foxes?" She repeated as she found the seasoning and sprinkled a bit into her pot.
Well there was one, if she took the cartoon version into consideration she mused. Afterall, Disney's Robin Hood had been portrayed by a fox. She supposed there was no harm in fudging the truth a little if it made Shippo happy.
"Well there is the tale of Robin Hood." Kagome smiled down at the kit.
"Loben Hoodo?" Shippo butchered the English name.
Kagome corrected him, "Close, Robin Hood. His name is foreign."
"Robin Hoodo?" Shippo tried to pronounce the strange name before demanding, "Is he a fox?"
Kagome smiled and ruffled his hair before pronouncing grandly, "Why yes, a very famous fox demon. He is the most loved thief of all time. Robin Hood: the fox who stole from the rich to give to the poor."
Shippo had only ever heard of one great fox thief, the great Yoko Kurama. Needless to say his interest was captured.
"Once upon a time in another land…" she began the story that would come to have unspeakable repercussions for her in the near future.
Why Robin Hood was a red fox, just like him! Needless to say Shippo had a new hero and favorite story.
/ A week later/
Kagome grinned as she touched down on the bottom of the bone eaters well; she'd been gone from the feudal era for four days. Lugging herself up the side of the well she smiled at the small boy who was waiting for her.
She never thought that the boy would grow so attached to the story she had told him- even recruiting a reluctant Miroku and Kirara to play the roles of Friar Tuck and Little John respectively. She herself was Maid Mariam and Inuyasha was both the evil Prince John and Sherrif of Nottingham depending on the kit's whim.
Inuyasha for his part was getting very sick of Shippo popping out of nowhere and throwing sticks at him.
Giving the boy a large smile she called out to him, "Can you guess what I've got behind my back, Shippo-chan?"
Green eyes sparkled as the kit bounced eagerly, "A present? Is it ninja food?"
"Something I think you'll like even better!" she stated as she pulled an odd shaped piece of cloth from behind her back.
"It's a hat like Robin Hood-sama's." Kagome explained.
Shippo squealed in delight as he hugged Kagome's neck before allowing her to place the strangely shaped hat upon his head. There was even a bright red feather unlike any he'd ever seen before poked into the cap!
That night as he curled up next to Kagome he gingerly took off his new hat. Inspecting his treasure he realized something: Kagome's scent was all over his hat. His eyes widened in realization. She had made this hat just for him!
Cloth was expensive the little kit knew and for his surrogate mother to have spent money just to sew him this cap meant the world to him.
/
Yoko Kurama watched as the young Kitsune played with human offspring. He had been passing the village when he had taken in the scent of a fox kit; fearing that a member of his species might be in danger the thief observed the village from the forest branches.
The kit appeared to be explaining the game he wanted to play much to the befuddlement of his human companions. Seeing that the kit seemed to be in no danger Yoko turned to leave when he heard the kitsune raise his voice in frustration "The greatest Kitsune thief to have ever lived!"
What was this? A tribute to him? He felt his chest puff out in pride as listened in guilty pleasure. The kit tried to communicate a story to his playmates who were completely clueless. After a few moments of frustration the child gave up but motioned for the other children to wait a moment.
The kit dashed off and returned a few moments later pulling on a woman's hands, eagerly leading her to the other children.
It was perhaps the strangest dressed human he had ever laid eyes upon. For a moment he wondered if the woman was Kitsune but the scent on the wind dispelled the notion swiftly. But to his amazement the woman was also a Miko- her very scent revealing her true nature. He cast a nervous glance to the kit that seemed more than content to snuggle into the Miko's lap while the woman ran her fingers through the boy's tail.
/
"Tell them the story of Robin Hood!" Shippo demanded for that would be the only way for his playmates to understand Robin Hood and how to play it!
Sighing Kagome supposed she had time, Inuyasha was off in the forest training, Sango was doing provisions shopping, and Miroku-sama was procuring a place for them to sleep tonight via exorcism of the wealthiest home in the village no doubt.
And so she regaled the tale of brave Sir Robin Hood once more to her eager kit and his newfound playmates. Though this time she moderated the story a bit changing a few cultural differences such as King to Daimyo so that the story a bit more Japanese friendly to the human children.
Where there had been about five human children to start with by the time Kagome ended the tale there at least a dozen gathered at her feet enraptured by her story. And unknown to the Miko another listener was listening in rapt attention.
/
"Oi, Oyabun!" one of his minions, a bull demon, called out as he looked to his leader in confusion as he dutifully fulfilled his task of placing five bronze Mon in small pouches. He had done thirty of these strange bags so far.
"What are we doing this for?" Bull asked as he fumbled with tying the pouches closed with twine. Honestly they should have chosen someone who didn't have hooves for this job, but he wasn't about to voice his complaints aloud.
Yoko Kurama did not know the answer to that himself. But for some reason the Miko's tale of a Kitsune named 'Loben Hood' who had stolen from the wealthy to give to the poor had disturbed him. More than he cared to admit.
The fact that a human Miko spoke with such reverence for a not only a thief; but a demonic thief much like himself. He wasn't sure what to think.
What could have been this Loben Hood's motive to give what he stole to the poor humans that lived near him?
Why did the other not simply keep his treasure and hoard it for himself? What could possibly be gained by aiding humans? Perhaps to court the Lady?
But no, if that were the case Loben Hood should have gifted the Lady with riches such as splendid kimono and combs, certainly not the entirety of destitute humans.
Perhaps this Loben Hood was simply a stupid fool.
It irked him that there was another Kitsune thief out there, apparently more infamous than himself!
~!~/ that night/
He had ordered his men to sneak about the village leaving one of the bags of coins in each of the human dwellings.
"Why are we doing this task? Why do we not simply kill the humans?" Bull asked as his hooves clopped softly in the dirt.
"You fool! Oyabun is clearly testing our worth as thieves!" a grizzled lizard demon with one eye declared venomously, "What is our worth if we cannot even sneak about a human village without their notice?! Humans with their dull senses?! How could you dream Oyabun would allow us into a youkai settlement or even a castle if we cannot do the bare minimum!? Fools!"
The minions dropped their head in shame, it was true that they had caused their Oyabun to fail in his last grand mission of stealing an enchanted scroll. It would make sense that the kitsune would punish them with retraining in the most humiliating manner.
A bear asked, "But then, why are we giving the humans money?"
"Of what use is human currency to a demon as great as our Oyabun? And did you think there would be anything of value in that human settlement?" The lizard hissed, "Now shut up and get a move on!"
Yoko Kurama crept to the foot of the futon where the kit slept with the miko. A most unusual sight.
Bringing himself back to his senses Yoko placed the largest amount next to the kit and woman.
In hindsight the great thief realized he should have left a calling card as to who had left the coins.
~!~!~!
"Kagome! Kagome!" Shippo shook his sleeping mother in excitement. She merely groaned before cracking an eye open to look at him.
"What is it Shippo-chan?" She blinked blearily, wishing Shippo would stop bouncing on her.
"Get up! Come see!" he pulled excitedly at her hand urging her to sit up.
"Look! Look! Robin Hood! Look at what Robin Hood has brought!" Shippo exclaimed as he pointed to a small bag placed near the head of the futon.
"R-robin Hood?" Kagome asked in a disbelieving tone as she picked up the tiny pouch.
Kagome gasped as a single gold coin slid out of the bag into the palm of her hand. What in the world?
Well this little plot bunny hit me with a baseball bat when I happened upon Disney's Robin Hood on TV.
No clue where to take this, so please feel free to give me suggestions. But remember Yoko thinks Robin Hood is an actual person, not a story and is thus trying to compete with him. Give me suggestions on how Yoko can scheme to be even greater than Robin Hood!
