Chapter seventeen: The destiny of youkai

Once again, Kaede found her small hut crowded as seven people gathered around a steaming tea pot. She served another cup and passed it around.

"Hah Hah, we were only having some fun with those ningen. We weren't going to hurt them or anything!" said Hideki, he had a bright, bubbling laughter that cheered whoever listened to it.

"It was nothing but an inoffensive joke, really, though we didn't know there were exterminators in this village, but it would have been really fun to play with you a little," Karumi said in a jovial tone. It seemed mischievous behavior was a common characteristic in all kitsune.

"What are you saying? We could have hurt you!" Inuyasha said but their guest laughed some more at this.

"Do you really think you could have defeated four kitsune together? Your head's a little big, don't you think Inuyasha-san?" Shigoru snickered.

"You never know…" Inuyasha retorted.

"We thought we wouldn't find you again, Shippo," Kagami spoke. "After word spread that the thunder brothers had killed your father, we feared they had harmed you as well, but I always believed you were alive."

Shippo who couldn't help becoming mute every time he saw Kagami's pretty face, nodded and lowered his eyes to his tea.

"So, how did you, good ningen, come to find our dear Shippo?"

Inuyasha growled at Karumi. Did they have to use the word 'ningen' so often? It's not that it was such a big deal for him any more, but once, Inuyasha could have finished them all with a single slash from Tessaiga and their early 'little joke' would have turned way nastier.

"It was Inuyasha. He and Kagome found him after his father was killed, and he avenged his death as well," answered Kaede as she finally kneeled next to Sango.

"Is that so?" Karumi asked as she eyed Inuyasha, as if she found hard to believe that he had accomplished such a deed.

"Yes! That's so." Inuyasha answered, daring her to express her incredulity.

"Then we owe you, Inuyasha, and this Kagome as well. Who is she by the way?" Hideki asked.

For a moment, Sango wondered what would Inuyasha answer, She's the reincarnation of my first true love? She's the love of my life? She's a girl from the future that set me free from the Goshinboku and then abandoned me?

"She's a miko, but she's not around here anymore… It's a long story," he said dryly.

Well, that was a much better answer, Sango thought.

"Shippo-kun, you've been very quiet, don't you have anything to say?" Kaede asked.

Shippo looked at the new faces around him and spoke with a sheepish smile, "It feels strange… I thought I didn't have any family left. So I guess I'm happy."

"You guess?" asked Kagami.

"Eh… yeah, I mean, I thought I wouldn't find another kitsune again… as I said, it feels strange."

"And soon that will be true, in no time you won't be able to find any kitsune or any other youkai," Karumi declared.

Sango arched an eyebrow. "Why do you say that?"

Karumi looked at her with a puzzled expression, as if the answer were obvious. "You guys exterminate youkai for a living, right?"

"Just the evil ones," Sango cleared, diplomatically.

"Yeah, whatever, well, what have you exterminated recently?"

"Well," Inuyasha counted with his fingers. "Some worms, a couple of weasels, three bears, a giant crab, more worms I think…"

"Anyone with human form?" asked Shigoru.

"Not really since… since…" Inuyasha turned to Sango to ask for assistance. Sango's tilted her head trying to recall one, but it was fruitless.

"It's true, we haven't seen any high youkai but you, not even Sesshoumaru or Koga…" she reflected and wondered what had been of that little girl that used to tag along him.

"Why's that uncle Shigoru? Where are they all?"

"We're leaving this world, Shippo."

"What? Why?" Sango asked.

"Youkai time is over, this realm is no longer fit for us. Ningen are changing, they're becoming feistier and more war thirsty. We've realized they'll end up making this a world impossible for our kind to live in. Only the mindless, lesser youkai, incapable of understanding what's going on, or perhaps some exceptions, will remain here, but we won't stay to suffer their destiny."

"And where are you going?" Shippo asked with anxiety. He just had found them, he didn't want them to leave.

"There are other realms beyond this, realms that ningen will never be able to reach, and when the Shikon no Tama was finally gone…"

"You know about the Tama?" asked Sango, surprised.

"Almost every youkai did, and we all felt its dismissal, though we don't know how it happened. So, as I was saying, when it was gone, its dissipated energy created a portal to another dimension where, before, only the highest, most powerful of our kind had access to, and that's where we're heading. My family and I decided to stay a bit longer than the others because we had the hope to find you, Shippo, and now that you're here, we can all go."

"What? You want to take Shippo with you? But… but you can't!" Sango said, bewildered. Shippo opened his mouth, but closed it again. Inuyasha just crossed his arms and Kaede put a hand under her chin.

"Sango-san, you have to understand that he can't stay here. What would become of him in a world where he doesn't belong? Where there's no one else like him?"

Inuyasha flinched at those words. He knew exactly how Shippo would feel, and he wouldn't want that for him. The kid was already suffering the consequences of being different. Inuyasha felt so shaken that he even forgot to brag about how it was him who finally put an end to the tama powers, making his ultimate sacrifice by asking for a pure wish; becoming human in order to save another person. Kagome.

"He would not be alone! We love him! We've been taking care of him, right Shippo?" retorted Sango.

"I… Y-yes… b--"

"But for how long? You'll only live for a few decades and then he'll be alone for centuries! He doesn't belong with you, he's not a human cub and you won't know how to raise him now that hard times are coming for him. Soon, he will experience his first transformation into his full youkai form, and you won't know how to help him or control him. He could even kill one of you or the whole village accidentally and then what would happen?" Karumi explained. Shippo's eyes widened in fear and a grasp left his lips.

Sango went cold at her words and looked at the young kitsune who was wearing the clothes that she had made with so much love. She was a taijiya, she knew very well about first transformations, but Shippo would never hurt them. It was impossible.

"No… no, he wouldn't… I know he wouldn't."

"You don't know what you're talking about," Kagami said with a hard gaze, as if she herself had already experienced it.

"But—"

"Sango, you can't decide over this. This is Shippo's choice alone," said Kaede and then she looked at Shippo, who kept his eyes lowered.

"So, Shippo, what do you decide? Will you come with us?" Shigoru asked, but Shippo just rubbed his hands together with nervousness.

"I... I…"

"Shippo? Will you stay?" Sango insisted.

"Come on! Give the poor kid a break! How can he make such a decision with all of you over his back? Just let him think for a while!" Inuyasha yelled. Shippo looked at him, grateful.

"I think Inuyasha's right, we have to let him ponder the situation and we all will have to accept it, whatever it turns to be," Kaede said and then she put her hand on Shippo's shoulder. "But no matter your decision, we'll always love you. Don't feel pressured."

He nodded, his eyes still lowered.

Shigoru sighed and shrugged his arms. "I'll tell you what to do, Shippo. We'll come back tomorrow at midday and wait for you near that clearing where there's that small shrine. If you don't show up, then we'll understand your decision, and we'll respect it, but I don't think you'll see us again."

"W-why?"

"The portal will not remain open forever, and eventually it will close. We don't know when, but we can't risk to be left behind."

"I… I understand, excuse me." Shippo raised and left the hut. No one saw him for the rest of that day.

A/N: Sorry for the delay. This story is not being abandoned at all. Never. I will post a new one A.S.A.P.