Ch.2 – Tsukiko

A girl with long midnight blue hair and deep brown eyes sits on a tree limb watching a boy play with fire below her. "Watch this Mamma!" He exclaims as he picks up a ball of flames out of the middle of their campfire. "Isn't this amazing!" He squeals in delight.

"Shippo, with the way you're acting you wouldn't think that you're actually really old." Kagome laughs at her son's antics.

"But Momma! You love my child-like nature!" The boy looks up at her to reveal long, auburn hair tied back, green eyes set aglow by the fire light and a pair of fangs beard in a sly grin. "If I didn't keep up with my playful nature you would become bored and wouldn't smile as often. I love it when you smile Momma."

"Well you certainly make me smile when we remember the old times we used to have." She sighs. "I miss everyone."

"Momma! Stop getting all depressed! Maybe I should find you a mate… he would keep you busy!"

"Hey! I told you no!" Kagome skillfully drops down out of the tree. "I don't want another male chasing after me and I don't want events of the past to repeat. I'm doing just fine on my own. Besides, I have you to keep me company. And you haven't found any potential mates either."

"You're the only woman for me Momma. Handling one lady is enough."

"So what do you want to do today? There haven't been any good opponents recently. I think we should move."

"Again? We always move somewhere new when you're bored. We just moved last month. This is why I think you should get a mate Momma. You need to settle down."

"Well can you think of a better way to spend our days then traveling through Makai? We could go back to the Nigenkai I suppose… We should probably visit my family."

"I know! I saw a poster in the village that I thought looked interesting so I took it with me!" He pulls a small poster out of nowhere. "It says that there's going to be a tournament. Two-man teams are to compete until the victory team remains and they will be given riches, a small army, title and a place in the youkai courts to do as they please. Can we go?! Please please please!?"

"Does it say anything else… like a location?" Kagome slowly walks over to her kit.

"Um… The host is the new Lord of the East…. So it should be at his place… or near it…. Um…. Oh no…."

"What is it sweetie?"

"It says that this tournament is only for males." Shippo looks a bit downcast.

"Well it doesn't say that their checking you to make sure that you're male. And besides, I've beaten all of Sesshomaru's men. And I can hold my ground against Sesshomaru himself for quite a good amount of time. He counts me as his equal. We should probably go over there soon and check on Rin."

"Why don't you just cast an illusion Momma? Then we could compete as a team and maybe we'll actually have a few good fights before we win!"

"I suppose it's worth a shot. But you won't be able to call me Momma while we're there. You'd have to call me something else. So let's come up with a name for me."

"You have to cast your illusion so I can see!"

"Oh alright." A light blue shimmer surrounds Kagome for a few minutes. When it vanishes standing in Kagome's place is a male midnight kitsune. Long midnight blue hair with silver highlights pulled back, black eyes with a dark red glint to them, a pair of soft ears and a silky tail to match. Kagome spins slowly for Shippo to see her new self. "So what do you think?"

"Well… you need a new outfit; a hot new outfit that'll have everyone drooling. And you're going to have to fix your voice as well." Shippo walks around her as he points out the flaws.

"Ok." Her outfit changes to leather pants and a black tank top to show off a muscled but lean figure. Her voice drops to a sinfully deep and seductive purr. "How about now?"

"Hold it." Shippo steps closer and attaches a couple chains to her pants, sliding one around her waist and putting a collar around her neck. "There. Now you're perfect. I'd be careful Momma. I think even the males will swoon for you."

"I still need a name kit." A spiked bracelet appears on her left wrist as an identical band appears on her upper right arm.

"Well you are a midnight kitsune so… how about… Tsukiko?"

"That sounds lovely." She smirks. "Let's go Shippo." She takes off into the woods.

"I caught you Mo- … Tsukiko!" The fox kit laughs as he appears beside her. "I'll race you there! Loser buys dinner!"

"You're on!"

TSUKIKO 月子 f Japanese
From Japanese (tsuki) "moon" and (ko) "child".