Fake It

Circa 2006-2007?

Summary: To avoid the keen gaze of her protector, this crafty fox has decided to hide in plain sight. After all, how hard is it to pretend to be a child in order to win a lady's hand in the end? [Shippo x Kagome]

Genre: General ?

Rating: T-M?

Warning: Shippo is an adult fox demon in this piece. It is an AU-verse.

A soft, blissful sigh fell from his mouth as he stared deeply into the green fire flickering in his hand. The illusion twisted and turned, but the image he had created showed through as clear as day. And such a lovely image it was, too, since he could think of no other that could compare to his lady's beauty. No other woman that could ever hold a flame to the roaring fire that symbolized just how beautiful his lady was.

His fingers reached out, slipping into the fire with ease. He tried desperately for a moment to touch her the image of her face, to feel her satin skin beneath his fingertips once more. However, the illusion was unforgiving and did not bring him the satisfaction that he wanted, as the image did nothing more than slip around his touch. Another sigh left his lips when he ran his fingers softly across the side of the illusion, trying to imagine her skin truly there, but it was not enough for his heart to ease its longing.

Leaning his head against the trunk of the large, ancient tree at his back, he allowed the green fire to shimmer into nothingness. His hand fisted, claws digging into his hand in hopes that the slight pain would shift his mind away from the lady that his heart pleaded for. The sharp tips of his claws easily pressed into the palm of his hand, blood swelling soon afterward to fill his hand as long as he allowed the claws to remain within his flesh. He found soon after that his heart did not release its want, even when he dug his claws a little deeper until he was almost touching the bone, and he chuckled at his situation.

It was almost humorous what his heart yearned for—a human woman.

To think that he, a fox demon that had recently gained his seventh tail, would ever yearn for a human woman. He was a creature that appreciated all beauty, no matter the race, but he had always thought that the day he found love such as this would be with a beautiful female demon of his kind. He had never thought that one day a human woman would cross his path and pluck his heart from his chest without ever realizing that she had done so. Despite his confusion at his heart's decision, though, he was not one to complain, because his lady was more beautiful than any female fox he had ever seen.

Allowing his eyes to slip closed; he knew that he could not deny what his heart wanted. He could never deny what his instincts screamed at him to do, and now they screamed for him to place claim to the human that had spun him into her web. However, the more time that passed, he knew that that would not be such an easy task with the protector she had gained. His heart demanded that he woo his lady and make her his mate before the dawn, but he knew that with such a being standing at her side, it could never be so simple.

After all, not even he was foolish enough to go into battle with the youngest son of the Inu no Taisho. His heart might plead for his lady, but he would not go running into battle with a half-demon he knew carried a deadly weapon. Some might be foolish enough, but he was not, considering he had recognized the half-demon upon first glance. Inuyasha. The dog demon that wielded his father's mighty Tetsusaiga, a sword that had been designed to kill a hundred demons in one swing, protected his lady. No, he would not be foolish enough to challenge such an opponent to battle when he knew he could outsmart him.

Yes, he sighed. His fingers finally released the harsh hold on his palm, the claws retracting as his mind swirled with possibilities. He knew that he could not run into battle with the half-demon, nor could he wish to win his lady's heart with the dog sniffing about. He had noticed the change in stance the dog had performed, gifting him with the knowledge that the other demon had caught his scent on the wind, and most likely pinpointed his presence along with it. So, he would have to outsmart the dog, which he realized should not be too hard, since he often heard that the intelligence of the Inu no Taisho was gifted only to his eldest son. And he would do it brilliantly, claiming his lady's heart before the blasted half-demon was given the chance to realize he had stolen it from beneath his nose.

Besides, the dog did not need worry about it much longer. He would cherish it, treasure it in a way that the dog never could whether his lady wished it or not. After all, he knew of Inuyasha, and he knew that the dog had a mate and pup running around somewhere. He frowned at this thought, since he could not think of the reason the half-demon would leave his mate and pup behind in order to protect his lady—unless, of course, his elder brother ordered it of him. The fox snickered at the idea, because he knew that the half-demon respected his brother, not nearly as much as he had respected his father, but respected him nonetheless.

Thinking over his plot, the fox knew that he had already thought up the perfect way to get the dog out of the way for a while. A smirk crossed his features, as he thought of how easily his lady would fall into his loving arms once he managed to separate them. Afterward he would make sure that no wrong ever came to her, that she had everything she ever wanted, because his heart shrieked with the very idea of his lady becoming upset with him. He would not be able to bare it, of that he was sure, because a fox demon never let go of his greatest treasure.

Green eyes gleamed in the canopy of the trees, watching the dog demon watching beneath him without a clue as to his hiding place. They were easy to fool, and for that he was glad at this moment. However, his eyes never left the demon's form, waiting for the perfect opportunity to get what he wanted from him.

Now!

The dog demon barked in surprise when the illusion unfolded before him, awakening in the form of his worst fear. The demon appeared ready to fight until a strikingly familiar demon with long, tamed silver hair rose from the colored mist. The illusion's golden eyes glared down at him with no emotion, before lifting a single hand striped at the wrist with magenta. A green mist began to spew from the tips of the illusion's claws, and the dog demon began to shake uncontrollably, unable to peer through the illusion to the truth beyond. Instead, the dog demon screamed when the illusion suddenly swung his hand, a whip flying from the end of his claws to rapidly strike the dog demon's body.

Dropping from the trees, the fox allowed his magic to dissipate until the illusion returned to its original form: a thin, broken tree branch that if looked at with the correct angle appeared to be a small man. The fox snickered as he knelt at the dog demon's side, since he had been easy to cast into the realm of unconsciousness. He felt no emotion as he slipped his hand into the pouch at the dog demon's side, glad that a messenger had passed by so soon. He had no time to waste in the goal for his lady's heart, because each day passed meant another day when some young fool might come to stand in his way.

Pulling the long scroll free from the pouch, he popped open the seal using his claw. He had made sure to keep his scent masked, not wishing to leave a trace of it behind on the scroll. His eyes skimmed over the contents, finding it to be from the demon that had risen from his illusion, Sesshoumaru, to his half-brother, Inuyasha. He found nothing interesting, though he was puzzled at Sesshoumaru's wish to know his lady's health—Kagome! his heart screamed when he read her name—since it was obviously her that the demon lord wished to know of. He had not seen Inuyasha protecting another in the estate.

Carefully, while his heart rejoiced at knowing another piece of his lady's tempting puzzle, he cast his hand over the seal Sesshoumaru had left at the bottom. Green fire caressed it gently, leaving no trace that it had been there, but taking with it an imprint of the seal. He gazed into the fire to make sure the illusion had done its duty correctly, before nodding silently to himself. Afterward, he resealed the scroll, uncaring whether the half-demon noticed the small change or not, and stuffed it back into the pouch at the dog demon's side.

Rising, he brushed his hand over the vest he wore. A grin blossomed onto his face, as he thought of how wonderful it would be to finally capture his lady. His heart melted at the thought, as her name washed through his mind like a gentle breeze, wishing for nothing else in the world. However, though he knew that the time was almost at hand, he knew that he would have to get inside the estate without the half-demon's knowledge still. He was not a fool who thought he could win such a beauty by simply giving her his cocky grin and telling her he wanted her. No, she would need to be wooed, and the only way to do that quickly was to know her better than herself. To do that, he would need to find a way inside in a way that would not rise suspicion from the half-demon, and not bring his sword crashing upon him before the time to take her heart was right.

Having already had these thoughts, the fox disappeared into the foliage. He knew the perfect person to help him, and she owed him a favor or two. Besides, who would be able to turn away a love-struck fool that only wished to take a stab in the dark at winning the most beautiful woman's heart?

"Rin," he called out.

The young woman jumped, turning her head toward the sound. She gave a soft sigh when she realized who it was, before shaking her head. "Must you scare me all the time, Shippo?" she scowled.

Shippo stepped from the entrance, his hand trailing on the cold stone. "I have come to speak with Tsubaki," he stated. "I believe it is time that she pays me a little of what she owes me."

Rin tipped her head, "Tsubaki-sama is not here at the moment, Shippo. She went into the forest to take care of a few demons that had come to close. I wanted to go with her, but she told me that they were wolves and I was not ready to face my fears."

Shippo nodded, smiling a bit in affection, "I see." He understood, since the old witch had saved Rin from death when she came across her. He had heard from Tsubaki that the demon lord, Sesshoumaru, had come when he smelled her blood, but had walked away when he saw Tsubaki. Ever since, Rin had stood at Tsubaki's side, softening the witch in her old age, though she constantly denied that she was soft at all—unless, of course, another was speaking of her appearance.

"But," Rin continued smiling, joggling a large pot, "Tsubaki-sama should be back in a short amount of time if you wish to wait."

"Thanks, I think I will," he grinned. He moved into the cavern, watching as his friend returned to her task of obviously moving several pots from one area to another. He allowed her to continue on her own, knowing that she would not wish for his help. "So, what exactly are you doing? If I remember correctly, the last time I came, you were doing the same thing."

Rin nodded, "Tsubaki-sama said that with the coming of the new moon she needs to prepare a few things. They're potions that I am not advanced enough to make on my own, but Tsubaki-sama said that this year I will be helping her. And I was so delighted that she was going to let me that I decided we would need more space. So, I'm moving the pots that we won't need and I'm going to clean the area we'll use once I'm done."

"Ah," Shippo nodded.

Rin turned to him, "What brings you here, Shippo?"

Shippo smiled in bliss when he thought of the reason he had come. His plan was full proof, he knew that, because there was no way the half-demon would be able to penetrate Tsubaki's spells, no matter how good his nose was. He might know his scent now, but once he had Tsubaki's help, the half-demon would not know which way was up. "I have come to ask Tsubaki if she can make me a few things," he replied.

"Oh?" Rin blinked. She would not pry on the reason he needed them, but she did wish to know the reason her friend was resorting to her lady's help. He had been brought up by his father to rely on his own skill and magic, and it was not often that he asked Tsubaki of anything.

Shippo chuckled, knowing what she was going to ask before she asked it. So, his green eyes twinkled when she returned to her work when he began to speak, her mouth closing. "I have found myself in a position that I am unused to. Tsubaki will be able to help me deal with the rings that I must jump through in order to get what I want."

"May I ask what you want?" Rin asked.

Shippo lifted his hand, allowing the green fire to flicker into existence above his palm. The illusion twisted and turned, darkening and softening in all the right places, until finally her face and a bit of her shoulders could be seen. His lady was as beautiful in the fire as when he had first seen her, and desperately he wished that he could just touch her. "This," he told her softly. "This is what I want."

"Oh," Rin smiled sweetly. Apparently she understood completely, because she sighed blissfully at the thoughts running through her head. "Shippo, that is so romantic! I'm so happy for you!"

Shippo grinned, though as he closed his fist over the fire in his hand, he decided not to tell her of his plan. She would think him deceitful and cruel to worm his way into a woman's heart the way he was about to try. Rin might not be like many humans, but she did not understand that as a fox it was in his nature to be deceitful. It was in his nature to trick others and elude the problems thrust upon him. He could not deny his nature, no matter how much Rin might tell him that one, whether demon or human, did not pursue a woman in such a way.

"What is her name?" Rin asked. Her smile had brightened to the point that it rivaled the sun, as she thought of the happiness Shippo must feel. She had known that one day he would find love and she was happy that she had gotten to see the day, since she knew that he would outlive her by many years. It was a joyous day, even though she was a bit unsure as to why Shippo would need her lady's help when he was in love. He should not need anything that Tsubaki had unless he had something terrible standing in his way of getting his woman.

"Kagome," Shippo sighed. A small tugged at his lips, and he wanted to taste her name again and again. It was delightful to finally have a reason to allow her name to pass his lips, to stretch out into the world through his voice. However, he wished that he was standing before his lady, holding her delicate hand, and whispering her name in her ear as he won her over. Her name was as beautiful as her face, her body, and he wanted to ravish her simply because he knew her name.

Rin blinked, "Such a pretty name."

"Yes, it's as beautiful as she is," he replied.

"It's a rather strange name, though, don't you think?"

Shippo turned his head, his green eyes piercing through the dim light to find the witch pacing toward them. Tsubaki's shinigami slithered at her feet, the snake's pointed head rising from the ground to gaze at him with its haunting black eyes. However, Shippo merely growled toward the creature, since the beast was no match for him when his keen eyes could see through its invisibility. That never stopped the creature from giving him the look that told him Tsubaki did not appreciate being in his debt, but dealt with him anyway. "I would appreciate it if you do not speak ill of my lady," he snorted at her.

"Oh do excuse me," Tsubaki scowled. "I did not mean to offend you in any such way, Shippo-sama."

Shippo scowled at the witch, "I am here so that you may repay a bit of what you owe me, Tsubaki. I suggest you hold your tongue, or I might keep you within my debt for the next few hundred years. That is, if you live that long."

Tsubaki snorted, "You know very well I shall live that long. But, please, do come with me. I am sure that whatever it is you want, you do not want to be said in front of my ward."

"At least you've gotten that much right," Shippo replied in a chipped tone. The witch owed him, but that did not mean that he enjoyed being within her company. He liked Rin, she was a sweet and innocent girl, but Tsubaki had been jaded and turned dark over the years. She was the type to rely on herself, and try to find the easiest way of getting out of something she owed to someone else. However, the witch would not get out of paying him quite so easily, he would make sure of it.

Tsubaki led him away from his friend, deeper into the cave until they were out of Rin's hearing range. The girl would know not to interfere in the conversation or time they spent together alone. However, once they were far enough, Tsubaki turned to the fox demon standing behind her. "I believe this is far enough," her shinigami slithered up to rest about her shoulders, "so you may begin telling me how I might repay what I owe you."

"My lady is protected by the House of the Moon," Shippo began. "Her current protector is Inuyasha, and he has already caught my scent. I cannot risk trying to win her hand until I have managed to bypass the dog and find the right moment to get him to leave her side."

"And what is it you want from me?" Tsubaki asked.

"I want you to give me something that will alter my scent and aura," Shippo stated. "I can deal with the shape-shifting, but I need something that will make me smell and appear utterly like a child until I choose to return to my own form. Do you think you can do that, Tsubaki?"

Tsubaki chuckled, "Think I can do it? I know I can do it. However, it depends on how much of my debt will be erased before I decide whether I will help you or not."

"Consider this, Tsubaki," Shippo snapped, "if you do a good enough job, I will never ask anything of you again. However, if your magic should fail, I will come to you and your debt to me will be getting rid of the half-demon. I will not want him killed, but I will want him gone long enough that I can woo my lady."

Tsubaki tipped her head to one side. "I suppose," she said after a moment, "that we have a deal, Shippo-sama."

Nimble fingers caressed the delicate flower situated before them, memorizing the softness and curves that made it unique. They lingered for some time, as if wishing that the feel of the flower could remain at the tips forever. However, the moment came to a halt when the hand the fingers were attached to began to move away. The ends curled inward, desperate to forget and move on, but the flower remained, taunting and beautiful as it gently moved with the breeze.

The woman stepped back, her head turning to gaze down the length of the garden. She had told them not to go to such lengths, that she would be happy with a small field of flowers nearby, but they had insisted and done as they wished. She supposed that she should expect this from the dog demon and his half-demon brother. Her father had gained their trust, her mother had created a pact, and now they viewed her as their lonely pack member that needed companionship because her brother had gone off to train and grow. And though she had grown with at least the elder in the shadows watching her, she wished that there were times they would listen to reason.

Her hands twisted together, as she tucked one sleeve of her kimono over the other. The delicate stitching moved like silk, flowed like water, but she paid no mind to the expensive piece of work as she gazed along the large patch of flowers. Truly it was a maze that she could get lost in now, since they had insisted on doubling its size to make her happy. A sigh left her mouth at the thought, because though the gesture had been appreciated, she wished that they would not assume she needed such things to make her happy.

She was happy just because she knew they were there. The half-demon remaining at her side even though he had a mate and pup to return to, while the dog demon hid away in the shadows when he was able to escape his responsibilities. They were all she needed to be happy, because to her, they were family. And they would keep her happy even if they were not there, though she knew that their instincts would keep them close until they were positive she was safe.

Turning away from the flowers, she decided that it was time to go back inside. No doubt her protector would be looking for her already and ready to yell his head off once he found her. She almost giggled at the thought, even as she breathed in the fragrant surrounding her. With her eyes closed, blocking out the world, her ears opened up to the sounds of the night a bit more. She knew she never would have heard it with her eyes open, but she quickly snapped them open and glanced around when she heard the soft groan.

Her eyes caught sight of a bundle of fur between the flowers. Her sapphire orbs widened, and she stepped closer in concern. She remained wary, knowing that it could be a trap, but she raised her hand to her mouth as she watched. Then, as the bundle of fur shifted, she gasped and dropped down beside it. She was no fool, she knew that it was a demon, but the size of the bundle told her that it was nothing more than a child and could not do her much harm.

She lifted the little bundle of fur into her arms, and shifted it until the tail fell away from the little demon's face. There was a cut across his cheek and he appeared weak, and her heart instantly went out to the small creature as she cradled him against her chest. "Oh dear," she said softly, holding the little demon closer. He was beginning to shiver and she knew that that was never a good sign. "Please be alright."

"What's it ya got there?"

She snapped her attention to the half-demon standing behind her, trying to return her heart rate to a normal pace. "Inuyasha," she said softly, anger clearly laced underneath the words. "How many times must I tell you…?"

Inuyasha straightened, a scowl on his face. His puppy-dog ears flattened against his head and he narrowed his eyes at the demon she held to her body. "Hey, wench! What the hell are ya doin' holding that kit like that? Its mother is probably around here somewhere and yer just gonna get yerself hurt holdin' it. What the hell are ya thinkin' doing a stupid thing like that, huh?"

"Don't change the subject," she replied.

He crossed his arms over his chest, refusing to answer the question she had issued. His ears remained flat against his head, knowing that at any moment she could grab ahold of one and yank. Only his mate was allowed to do that, yet the little wench seemed to think she could take every liberty with his body. "Yer the one changing the subject," he said. "I asked ya a question before you snapped at me."

Her attention returned to the demon she held almost instantly, and she quickly stood. Worry raced through her mind, and she batted her eyes at Inuyasha. "I think he's hurt, Inuyasha. You have to help to let me help him!" she said.

Inuyasha shook his head, "Ngh uh. Sesshoumaru'll kick my ass if I let you keep that thing, Kagome. Especially if it's got a mother around here somewhere that'll want it back." His nose twitched, taking in the scent of the kit that his current ward held. He found nothing odd about it, but there was something about the way that face was structured that made him pause in thought.

She turned large eyes toward him, and whimpered, "Oh, please, Inuyasha. You cannot let this poor creature die simply because you would not allow me to take him inside to allow Izumi-sama the chance to heal him."

Inuyasha closed his eyes and shook his head, "Ngh uh!"

"Please!"

"No!"

"Inuyasha!" she cried. "How can you be so heartless and cruel? Would you allow me or Kikyo to die such a death?"

"No!" he snapped his golden eyes open to glare at her.

"Then please!"

"Agh, all right!" he hollered. "But if that thing bites ya, it's yer own fault, ya got that! And you make sure to tell that bastard brother of mine that, too! I'm not going to be chased around because yer so stupid!"

"Kagome-chan, look!" the fox-child yelled excitedly. He grinned when the woman turned toward him, a smile on her face, and felt himself nearly melt inside. His plan had worked so well, and he was right underneath the dog's nose. He almost snickered, a grin wanting to cross his child appearance, but he reigned in the need to do so.

Kagome giggled, looking at the crooked flower crown that he had managed to make. However, her smile brightened a bit at his pleased grin, and she reached out to take the crown from between his fingers. He let her, still smiling, and she fixed it, before placing it on top of his head. "It's very good, Shouhei-kun," she told him. "And now you look just like the little prince you are."

His grin widened, as he said, "Really?" It was not difficult to play this role, Shippo decided. It was rather easy in fact, though he often found the half-demon gazing at him in suspicion. He supposed that he might have acted a bit more lovesick than he should, or maybe he had seemed to grow attached to her too fast because of the time, but he did not care. He was sitting next to her, delighting in her scent, and his heart soared with each smile that she sent his way.

"Of course!" Kagome exclaimed. "Right now you're even more handsome than Inuyasha—"

"Hey!" the half-demon shouted from his spot. He refused to play that stupid game of linking flowers together, though Kagome often tried to stick a bunch of them on his head. His eyes narrowed, because after that one time when she managed to lace his entire head with the things and Sesshoumaru showed up, there was no way in hell he was letting her near him with those things again.

Unless, of course, she brought a bunch to him with the wish of putting them in Sesshoumaru's hair. He would be more than willing to help her hold him down, though he was sure that she could probably just bat her eyelashes and make Sesshoumaru sit down for the punishment. Inuyasha sighed, because he doubted that Kagome would ever wish to do such a thing to Sesshoumaru. Unfortunately, she was just not that cruel—despite the fact she had done it to him.

"—or his brother!" Kagome continued, despite Inuyasha's protest. She heard him grumble something about Sesshoumaru being his half-brother, but continued to pay him no mind. "I think that you're going to grow up to be the most handsome fox demon in the land, Shouhei-kun. And you're going to have many girls eating out of the palm of your hand."

The smile that swept across his face was one of child innocence, but the one that flashed within his mind was cunning. If only she knew. Because if she did, he had no doubt that she would be eating out of the palm of his hand. And she would be his mate, if only he could get that blasted dog to leave for a few moments longer than he normally did. But, of course, Shippo already had in mind a plan for that, and it would not be long before the dog learned that Kagome's heart belonged to him, no matter how hard he tried to protect her.

Yes, because he could not live without his sweet, beautiful maiden. His precious Kagome. The jewel that shined with such a radiant light that he would be the luckiest demon alive to capture her. Shippo knew that more than anything in the world, and he anticipated the capture as much as the chase.

Inuyasha crossed his arms in annoyance, his eyes flickering from Kagome to Shouhei. Grumbling, he said, "The kid's got a lot of work ahead of him if he wants that to happen, Kagome. I doubt he could even get a toad to eat outta his hand with his crappy magic."

Shippo scowled, almost wishing that he had not played that role. However, he needed the dog to think of him as less than a threat, so he supposed that he could deal with the taunting for the moment. Especially when he noticed that Kagome was glaring at the half-demon, a deep scowl set on her face. When he watched her grab a hold of his puppy-dog ear and yank, he decided that he could play the role of the little fox demon that could not do magic well a bit more. After all, he got to watch Kagome—his heart swooned with her very name moving through his mind—beat upon the dog to his hearts content.

Oh, and how he loved to watch her beat Inuyasha. If only he could be the one doing it, sweeping his sweet maiden up into his arms and racing away with her afterward. Perhaps earning a deep, passionate kiss in return for showing the half-demon his place when it came to her, too.

Shippo's eyes glittered a bit while he watched her tug on Inuyasha's ear, wishing that he could show her how much he loved when she did that. She was protecting him, dotting on him, and he wished for only a moment that she was doing it for the real him. Not Shouhei, but Shippo. Not the kit, but the full-grown fox demon that wished only for her affection. He knew that now was not the time to show her his true self, though, so he pushed down the desire and continued to wait.

His time would come.

Kagome reached out, smoothing down the white hair of the kit at her feet. His pitch black eyes glanced up at her, happiness clear in the depths, and she was glad that Inuyasha's words had not affected him. "Don't listen to anything Inuyasha says," she told him. "He's just jealous that you'll have all the girls to yourself, and he's got to go back to his mate. So, there's no reason for you to think any of that stuff he says is true, Shouhei-kun."

Shippo nodded, agreeing with her words. The dog was an idiot.

"Now, why don't we go get something to eat?" Kagome asked, rising from her position on the ground. She listened to Shouhei's enthusiastic response, before reaching down to pick the little fox demon up in her arms. Kagome giggled a bit when she felt him grip the front of her kimono, before turning her attention away from him. "Don't get left behind, Inuyasha!"

"I'm coming, wench!"

Shippo sighed in bliss, trying not to make a show of pressing his face into the smooth mounds of flesh beneath his face. Kagome's arms tightened around him, obviously not wishing for him to fall, and he was greeted with the feel of her firm breasts. He was forced to push down his desire to throw away his plan, transform back into his true form, and take his beautiful little human at that moment. Shippo found it was the hardest thing to do in the world, but he was positive that he would have his mate in the end.

However, he sighed again when Kagome pressed him closer once more. It appeared that she did not intend to make the task easy for him.

Shippo glanced behind him very quickly, his eyes briefly looking through the hall to make sure he was not being followed. He cursed his over active imagination once more, because he found nothing, and returned his eyes to the hallway before him. Shippo could not wait any longer; he had to get rid of that stupid dog now. He had to, if only to speak with his beautiful Kagome once, only once, in his true form.

He had to allow her to see Shippo, not Shouhei. He had to talk with her, try to woo her, but he needed to do it as Shippo. Yes, she doted on who she believed was Shouhei, but he wanted her to dote on him. He wanted her to see him, not the illusion of a child he had created to be close to her—to take in her beauty and live. And he wanted it all now, which meant he needed to move fast and make sure that the stupid half-demon was not within range.

Shaking his head, Shippo stretched his arm out a bit more, continuing to search for the room that he knew was close by. The green fire within his hand illuminated the hall, allowing him to see the small details that he might have missed in the darkness. He knew he did not really need it, but as he stretched the fire out further, he halted when he noticed a servant standing not far ahead of him. The servant did not notice him, the human unable to truly notice the faint glow of green within the hall, and Shippo placed his hand over it when the human walked by him. He followed the servant with his eyes, before moving on when the human was far enough away.

After passing a few more doors, he finally found the one he wanted with a small smirk. This was an excellent step in getting his sweet maiden, and he was going to make sure that everything went as planned. So, he stretched out his small hand and placed it onto the door, searching with his fox magic to make sure that there was no trap waiting for him. He found none, and pushed the door open with ease, allowing the wooden structure to slide to the side. Then he stepped into the room, and slid the door shut once more behind him.

The tiny room smelled highly of the dog, he noted. At that fact he pressed down his scent a little more, knowing that the dog's strong nose would pick up his scent if it even barely clung to something. When he was positive he would not leave a trace, he moved further into the room, coming upon the desk strewn with scrolls. Each one smelled of another dog, and Shippo instantly realized that it must be the smell of Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha's brother. And that information caused him to chuckle under his breath, disbelieving the half-demon would be stupid enough to leave all these important scrolls lying around.

Finding the one with the strongest scent clinging to it, along with the scent of the messenger that probably carried it, Shippo snapped open the seal with ease. He glanced through the writing, briefly noting that Sesshoumaru wished to have an update on Kagome's well being. The dog was very keen on keeping her safe apparently, and Shippo scowled only lightly, because he would be the one to keep her safe as soon as she became his mate.

The green fire blossomed within his hand once more, brighter and filled with more magic. He blanked out the scroll, allowing the fire to lick over the words and burn them away. Then he reached out for another scroll, opened it and found the words that he wanted. His hand cast over the words, allowing the fire to lick over them, drinking in the ink and the structure. After that was done, he put his hand onto the original scroll, and allowed the ink and writing to leak into the paper. Sesshoumaru's writing went down with ease, and Shippo continued the process until he had created the scroll that he wanted Sesshoumaru to send.

His final touch was added at the bottom, in the exact place that he had seen it upon another scroll. He did not need to look for the symbol, having already stolen it when he ambushed that messenger dog. And it went down exactly as the fire had memorized it, burning into the paper and appearing to be an exact copy of what he had seen.

A smirk appeared on his face, because he had expected it to be harder, which was the reason he had stolen the symbol in the first place. However, it seemed that the half-demon did not care whether he got rid of important documents that could easily be used against him. So, though Shippo sighed at having taken one step too many in order to capture his maiden's heart, he was glad that this step had been so simple. It was so easy to accomplish, and Shippo left the room feeling quite happy and pleased.