Shippo yelped like a newborn pup, as he tried to dodge the incoming strike from Sesshomaru's whip. "She wanted you to…EEP!" a loud swish sounded right next to his ears, he wasn't sure if it was luck or if it was the Lord missing on purpose. If he ever believed in Karma now would be the time as the eery light green whip flashed around. The Lord of the West's face showing a smile…it was nothing like what Rin said. 'Lord Sesshomaru's smile is very sweet, and if he laughs Rin really believes she can fly from happiness. Only he doesn't show it to often, Rin wishes he would smile and laugh more…' Rin's voice sounded in the unfortunate Kitsune's head, and he grumbled as he hit another tree "the smile is sweet she says. He's not as heartless as he appears she says. Who are you kidding Rin?" the Kitsune's mumbles reached the ears of a certain Inu-youkai who was stalking towards him. Sesshomaru was NOT pleased by the sour sarcastic tone of Shippo's voice. "Kitsune, this one is curious how many tails you have that you dare to judge this one's mate?" That simple question sent a shiver down Shippo's spine. Sesshomaru smirked as again he scented fear.
"Rin cajoled you into this didn't she? You are completely innocent" Shippo not noticing the sarcastic, mocking edge to the Lord's voice nodded vigorously "Hai. Rin did"
"You must be quite close to her. Calling her by name. This one supposes he should call you Sir now?" This time the sarcasm was so obvious even a baby would notice.
"No milord, Rin-sama let me call he by name" Shippo went down on his knees, pressing his chin to the ground and turned his head to the side in the deepest form of Inu apologies. Shippo figured he might as well, after all Kagome always said "When in Rome, do what the Romans do."
Sesshomaru looked at the Kitsune following the Inu traditions of apologizing, it greatly irked him that a KITSUNE was doing something that was impossible to get Rin to do. She adamantly refused to learn Inu courtesy, insisting on doing a Kowtow or a deep bow both of which human gestures. She did however learn the Inu language…So maybe he should cut her some slack, a human twisting her tongue and working her throat to speak Inu was no easy task. Sesshomaru could respect that, but he could not respect a fox boldly displaying Inu rituals/customs. Had the fox no pride? Was the Kitsune way of doing things so barbaric that they had to imitate the Inu? It disgusted him that Shippo was so willing to let go of the way his ancestors did things. It didn't matter what kind of Youkai they were, the stuff their ancestors taught had always deeply ingrained into each succeeding generation, each type of Youkai had their own distinct "culture" just like each ethnic group of humans were distinct. Sesshomaru took great pride in Inu traditions and language, since he was the ruler of the West, he took it upon himself to safeguard these traditions. The West was one of the last places where Inu-youkai thrived as a civilization and a specie. He will NOT tolerate the Kitsune make light of their ways.
Shippo, felt wave after wave of anger come from the Lord of the West. Not knowing what to do, he whimpered in the Human tongue "I'm truly sorry my lord" before tilting he head further as a sign of submission. In his mind he prayed to every Kami he could think of that following Inu ways would spare him a more painful date with the Lord's precious whip. He knew that the West was dominated by Inu-youkai, it's mountainous terrain provided one of the last safe places for the kind. Inu-youkai were a powerful specie, however they were small in numbers and each succeeding generation provided less pure-bred Youkai. Shippo thought that following Kagome's advise in this time made sense. 'He won't kill me right? I'm not an Inuyoukai, but by following their ways, I'm showing that I respect Lord Sesshomaru, and all of his kind. I'm showing that I've learnt their culture and never want it to die out. That should be honourable enough to impress Lord Sesshomaru…right?' Shippo squeezed his eyes shut, subconsciously praying to every Kami he knows.
Sesshomaru watched motionlessly as the Kitsune in front of him prostrated himself according to Inu customs, and prayed to Kami to be spared a "date with the whip." The Western Lord was certain by now, that the Kitsune was either mocking his kind, to a complete fool. 'Had the fox really forgotten that his kind were not the only Youkai with sensitive ears? This one will not stand around as another mocks the culture of his kind.' He originally planned on just whipping the fox for corrupting Rin's mind and leading her into mischief, but now he had to add another offence, ridiculing his culture and his kind. Sesshomaru could hear the fear in the Shippo's voice, but at this point he did not care. 'This one has been to lenient with this fox. First he has the gall to corrupt my Rin, then to mock Inu-youkai in general' He decided that he might as well talk to the fox again, if only to stop the string of prayers the Kitsune was muttering.
"You know our ways, do you?" Sesshomaru's tone sent a chill running down Shippo's spine 'Lord Sesshomaru always judges fairly. She says. Well, Guess whose going to have to take a beating for the pretty lady now?" Thought Shippo bitterly. He felt so stupid now, he had believed Rin. Believed that the "Ice Prince" was just a front for enemies, advisors and anyone else who sought to use Sesshomaru for their own gain. To deter them, and protect himself. But Shippo now thought that Rin was delusional…in fact all the people in the palace who looked up to the Lord and said he was "fair" and "just" in all things, were. Unbeknownst to him, that last sentence he thought he had in fact said out loud. Shippo was too caught up in his own misery to realize that he had just bitterly commented on Rin.
'This one needs to talk to Rin after this, what does that fox mean by him taking a beating for a pretty lady? How dare he say Rin is delusional!' Sesshomaru on the other hand was much better at keeping his thoughts to himself, in the same dangerously mocking tone, he said to Shippo. "This one admires the effort you put into learning this one's culture. For your efforts in that, and corrupting Rin, you shall be sentenced to servitude for half a year, in the Kitchen."
"BUT MY LORD THIS SHIPPO CANNOT COOK!
"This one knows which is why your duties shall be keeping bees and harvesting the honey.'
WHAT!
"This one has been in need of a beekeeper for a long time. Since you like honey so much and went through so much trouble as to douse this one in it, this Sesshomaru believes are the best pick for the position"
"WHAT?!"
"This one does not repeat himself. Now this one has to go inform the housekeeper and the cook about our new Beekeeper, so please excuse me. Since gathering honey is so easy for you this one is expecting you to deliver a jar to the kitchen by dinner time. You may now head to the gardens, have fun." With that Sesshomaru transformed into a light orb and flew back to the palace, intent on finding out what exactly was causing all the weird sensations running through his body.
Shippo sighed and spoke to a little bird on a branch "I guess I should be happy huh? I didn't get poisoned or whipped as badly as I thought. But now I'm a servant! Can you believe it? I'm a Kitsune! A Kitsune should not be a KITCHEN SERVANT! A Kitsune should NOT BE A BEEKEEPER! Foxes and Bees never got along well!" The bird on the branch chirped and tweeted happily. Flapping its wings as it hopped along the branch. To Shippo it seemed to be laughing at him. Shippo sighed again, as he tried to get up finding he can't. Inu-youkai poison was not a normal kind of poison, their bodies produced it naturally and so it was nearly scentless except a sharp citrus that was easy to miss. It had different effects all depending on the will of the wielder, wondering if he had indeed been poisoned Shippo bent and sniffed at his tail. It did have a twinge and felt paralyzed…another sigh escaped him. All this pain all for the rare sight of the Lord of the West anything BUT immaculate, and polished, to see him show some thing other than the ice-cold mask of indifference. Normally people would think it wasn't worth the pain. But Shippo found that he can't stop laughing as he remembered the look on both Rin and Sesshomaru's faces, the look on the old housekeeper's face. Despite the pain he was in and the fact he can't move, Shippo still had to say it was a good day of pranking. Now he only hoped Rin can get off easier…no…scratch that he hoped Rin would join him in Kitchen duty.