Chapter 5-The Unmasking
No, I do not own Inuyasha.
Recap: Inuyasha met the in-laws, and all is not rosy. Kagome got him a surprise gift as Shippo becomes more of a problem. What happens now? Read on!
"No, keep them closed," Kagome instructed Inuyasha later.
She had a special gift just for him, and Inuyasha was quite eager to know what it was. Everyone else but him and Sango had gotten their customary gifts already, and it was annoying him terribly. She grinned as he fumed, leading him along the edge of the sunlit fields to a secluded spot to give it to him. Her hanyou ears twitched as she grinned, knowing he really wanted to see it. So much so he was willing to let her be out here after hearing Kouga was about. She was safe enough with him, Inuyasha had decided. She didn't comment on the fact that she was quite capable of handling Kouga on her own.
"Come on! I want to see, wench. Everyone else got something and didn't have to wait," he complained, sniffing-and getting a fond swat for it. He could hear a crackle of paper in the bag, odd smells...he really wanted to see, damn it. Inuyasha loved getting presents and he secretly treasured them all, even the little ones like a hankie she'd given him. Tokens of her care and affection, every one. But this was apparently a big present! So he impatiently let himself be led and sat down in the grass.
"Oh, alright. Open," she told him, and he did, to see a pair of brightly wrapped somethings had been set in front of him. Eagerly, he opened them, claws making short work of the wrapping as it was shredded and tossed behind him like a child at Christmas.
But he frowned. It was...a big red box of the hard stuff she called plastic, with three round pieces of thin wood. He peered at them as they were run through clawed hands. Hoops, modern circular ones in different sizes. Her mother had ones like this for her sewing. He tapped the box with a claw, peering at the unfamiliar catches and wondering. Hoops wouldn't do him much good now, he hadn't anything to sew with. Inuyasha was too shy and embarrassed to ask for what he'd need from the castle staff.
"Open it. Go on, it's for you," Kagome said encouragingly, looking very pleased with herself. He did after fumbling a moment-and stared silently.
Clever little shelves were stacked inside that opened with the lid. Shelves filled with a rainbow of fine threads, needles, various scissors and all the tools of fine embroidery. Better than his old set, and such colors...Inuyasha was so quiet as he examined them that she got worried, smile fading as she watched.
"Well, you lost yours in the quake, and I thought you might want a new one. Do you like it? The saleswoman said that someone who did really good work used those things...you've been working so hard lately, I thought you ought to have something nice. So you could relax." When he looked up, she blinked at his thrilled expression.
"You got me a new sewing box. Just for me. I...thanks," he said gruffly, deeply touched. She'd remembered, and had gone to a great deal of trouble just for him. When he kissed her, she was sure it was worth it.
But Shippo, they scented-was approaching. Inuyasha looked nearly panicked. Kagome bagged it for him, not about to give the kit ammunition to tease Inuyasha with. It annoyed her that she had to, that she didn't trust Shippo not to mock something that was so dear to him. Inuyasha deserved to be able to enjoy it without that worry from someone they'd taken care of for so long.
He made a face as the kit bounded up and demanded to know what was going on. They ignored him, to his outrage, noting he was told to stay near the village where it was safe with Kouga loose. Soon enough, they headed back. Something would have to be done about the kitsune, though. Soon. This had gone past tiresome when he misled Sango, now he simply disobeyed all the time.
Kagome did relent enough to take the kit with her as she grabbed a quick bath with Sango, not least because otherwise he'd pester Inuyasha until he knew what Kagome had given him. Like old times, to cheer him up when he said he felt left out lately, that it was why he misbehaved. She hoped it might snap him out of his being a brat. A little attention to show him they still cared. That decision...would change many things.
Sango grinned to herself as she shook out the gifts Kagome had gotten her later. Two beautiful sheer nightgowns like nothing she'd ever seen before. Kagome called it a belated bridal shower present, calling it a custom of her time...and Sango completely approved. Kagome had kept things simple, figuring it would only make her uncomfortable to wear any complicated lingerie. She showed Sango how to adjust the spaghetti straps on the pale peach colored nightgown and they both giggled as she changed to see how it would look.
The other was a soft pink, and she carefully put it away. Miroku would be thrilled. They'd been working hard on getting her pregnant, since both of them so wanted a baby. By now, she had expected to be pregnant, they'd been wed for over a month already. If not for Shippo-she'd missed many opportunities thanks to him. Kagome had confirmed it for her though, her nose could distinguish when a woman was with child long before it was obvious to the woman herself. She was not with child yet. But this-ahhh. This could only help.
It would definitely make her lecher take note.
"I'm so glad you like them, Sango! I worried, but-well, I couldn't resist getting those when I saw some things for me," Kagome confided.
"Can I see?" She'd nodded and was showing her, explaining the stockings she'd bought when a young voice made them jump.
"What's that stuff?" the kitsune peeked into the door of her hut.
"Shippo!" Sango grabbed her kimono and pulled it on over her rather revealing clothes as Kagome stuffed hers away into the bag. They were not appropriate for a boy child to see.
"What do you want?" Kagome asked sharply. First he followed when he was told not to, and now he was here when asked to stay away. The kit pouted and came in.
"I just wanted to see what you were doing. You never used to hide the things you brought from your world, Kagome! This makes two things now!" he answered, climbing up to sit on the wooden floor by the firepit. His tail twitched as he looked up at them innocently.
"Well, we're rather busy right now, Shippo. Ok?" Kagome tried.
"With what? Why'd you have to dress like that, Sango? Luring in Miroku?" Sango's eyes went hard at the comments.
"Haven't you figured out not to talk like that yet? It's rude!" she demanded.
"Well...I'm just teasing. I'm only a kid," he grumbled, eyes flicking away in annoyance. But something hit Kagome as he spoke, he'd used that excuse for years-and she realized it was all it was...
"Oh? Shippo, we've looked after you for almost four years. You were-what? Five or six when Inuyasha and I took you in? That would make you nearly ten, old enough to know better by now!" she sighed. The kitsune looked very nervous for a moment, wincing as Kagome's eyes fixed on him. She wasn't a teenager now, but a woman used to judging disputes brought to her. The difference was obvious to him.
"Uh..." Shippo gulped.
"Weren't you...?" she asked, looking at him closely.
"I was...ten. You didn't ask...and-I needed your help. So I kinda let you think that so you'd take me in. We grow late in my family," he admitted.
Sango stiffened. Kagome gaped, her ears flat. An eight year old was one thing, a small child. But-they'd bathed with Shippo-when he was...both women turned beet red. He'd bathed with them this morning after breakfast!! Both of them! They'd even shooed their husbands off, like old times...and Miroku had playfully tried to spy, even. Not that Inuyasha thought it was overly funny. But Shippo, he was much too old to be doing that with them!
"You're thirteen? Thirteen years old??" Kagome managed.
"Uh-w-well...eh...sort of?" he answered, and wriggled uncomfortably. The tajiya's mouth worked-but nothing came out as he confessed. Her lips snapped shut and thinned, eyes narrowing. The kitsune's eyes were huge in terror at her expression. He didn't know what she was going to do, and decided retreat was in order.
She caught him as he tried to flee.
"Pervert! Ingrate! Filthy little lying scum!!"
"OW!" he yelled.
"Sango, let go! Maybe it doesn't mean-"
"Kitsune children age at human rates until they reach adulthood, Kagome! It means he's as old as a human boy at that age!" A moment's silence.
"INUYASHA!" Kagome screamed, and Sango yelled for Miroku.
When they heard what Shippo admitted and put it all together-they sent the women outside. This was a men's matter and they would attend to it, as Sango explained to Kagome when she drew the hanyou with her out the door. Kirara meowed as she curled up on Sango's shoulder protectively, sensing her fury.
"Shippo, we need to have a little discussion about the difference between other men's wives and women you get to have bathe you," Miroku said grimly, and shut the doorflap.
"How dare you treat them like that, you fucking runt bastard!?" Inuyasha snarled-and there were a lot of high pitched screams.
Kagome winced, but made no move to interfere. When Shippo let go of a subtle magic under an illusion breaking ofuda...yep. Adolescence. Kagome and Inuyasha both smelled it, a change from a child's smell. He just was still small sized, not more than a hand span taller then when he'd first met them. He had indeed been lying to them all.
Shippo screamed for Kaede in desperation. She and Michiko came running and heard what happened...just as the kitsune was flung out of the door by Miroku. Shippo was told he was never to come into his home again as he sprawled in the dirt. Kaede, as village Priestess, stepped in and led them all into her hut past gossiping villagers, carrying the kitsune, currently unable to move thanks to the monk and hanyou 'discussing things' with him.
Alright, they'd given him a solid beating.
It wasn't the modern era, such matters were handled differently. At nearly thirteen, he was nearly an adult by their standards. For the first time-they treated him as such. There were ugly words for what he'd done, a boy near puberty sneaking a bath with grown women. Particularly one of Kagome's rank, and one of Sango's standing. Dishonoring them. Offering insult.
He was actually fortunate they didn't kill him. Shippo knew it. The kitsune wanted to die, though. Although he was deeply grateful it was Inuyasha and Miroku-not Sesshomaru-who'd punished him. The Lord had no lingering affection to make him stay his hand, and would have killed him without a second thought. He'd consider the matter settled by Kagome's mate at least, even if he'd likely say it was too lenient. Something Shippo fervently thanked everything and everything for.
They sat, and both Miroku and Inuyasha glared at the kit. Neither woman with them would look at the kitsune as he lay on his stomach. There would be no sitting for him for awhile.
"Shippo. Why?" Kaede asked the little youkai.
Kitsune were notorious tricksters, yes, masters of illusion...but this! He still acted as a young child for no reason she could see. At his age, well, there was no excuse for what he'd done. Although, perhaps they should have realized. He had a number of forms under his control, and he had mastered several magics she would have thought a child would never manage. Kaede had just fondly assumed him to be a gifted little one. They all had. Suddenly, it didn't seem that way...he was apparently just a bit above average in talent for his age and species.
"Because...i-if they knew..." he sniffed.
"We wouldn't let you see us undressed anymore?" Sango snarled finally.
"No! Because...you all changed everything! You'd make me leave!" he wailed.
"Leave?" Kagome looked confused.
"So-it was all just to let us do the work to take care of you? You lazy little-" Kagome grabbed Inuyasha's arm as he yelled and went to hit him again. She wanted to hear this.
"I was just fixing things! Making it like it was, when everything was good and we were all together! You all messed everything up! I was trying to fix it!" the kit peered pleadingly at them as he spoke, seeing only anger and justifiable senses of betrayal.
Michiko was outraged-because she too had allowed the kit to bathe with her. He didn't like washing up with Kaede, likely because she was younger and he wanted to ogle her. She said as much, slapping him and huffing off, back stiff with righteous fury and offended dignity.
"Shippo, chil-no. You are not a child anymore," at that from Kaede, he wilted. "You've been deliberately trying to manipulate us all to-have things as they were. I warned you that was never going to happen. Things change, and you have to accept that."
"That's why you thought I'd bring Kagome back here and mouthed off," Inuyasha scowled.
"It explains why you made me think Miroku was chasing women when he wasn't. So you could see us fight like we used to. For your amusement," Sango noted. At that-Shippo shook his head. She ignored his denials, in no mood to hear it.
"And why you were so rotten to Sesshomaru. To drive me away from him. You wanted me to go after Inuyasha, and probably would've tried to get me to sit him or something if I had. Not to help me be happy-but to have things as you liked. I can't understand how you could be so selfish," Kagome agreed. Shippo winced at the pained expression she wore.
"It explains all of it. To try and make things like when we hunted Naraku. Those were not good times, Shippo. Not for us," Miroku finished with a sigh.
"But...I wasn't! I didn't want to hurt anybody! Honest! I was happy, we were a family. I just...wanted it back is all," he said sadly. Looks were exchanged. They were, really. How could they not be after so much? But...that didn't mean you got to use your family. It was pretty clear how they all felt. The bonds they had were different now, and not least because of his actions.
Some of them were broken now.
"We still had that, Shippo. It was just different now. If you'd been honest...I cannot forgive you for what you did to my wife," Miroku looked away. Not one of them looked at him. Kaede said he could stay with her still, but he knew that the people who loved him-that he loved-were hurt and disappointed. They felt used.
"Sorry," he pouted, falling back on what had worked before. But they didn't accept a half-hearted sounding attempt to apologize. Inuyasha was the one who answered.
"I'd say you can fend for yourself now, and have a place since Kaede says you can stay with her," he said, putting an arm around Kagome. Her eyes were bright as she rested her head on his shoulder and closed them. No. Four years ago...he'd said the kit could stay with them until he had those things...no.
They were telling him-it was over. Really over.
Shippo looked at them all...Sango and Miroku holding hands, Inuyasha cradling Kagome-and saw too late they were no longer four young warriors traveling on a quest and flirting and arguing. They were two young married couples now, and he had succeeded in driving them all away. There was no place for him with them. Not now.
He had indeed tried to stay as he had been for too long, and in so doing they'd grown up and left him behind, moved on. Shippo had known it couldn't last forever, he'd hit a growth spurt, but he had clung to the seeming, to what he'd known since he was a new orphaned kit. The worst part was that Sango and Kagome would not forgive the bathing thing.
He could deal with almost anything but the fact that they believed he was ogling them.
Sure, he liked looking at mortal women-but to his credit, he never viewed Sango or Kagome that way. He thought no more of bathing with them than he would kitsune kindred. That really had been innocent, even if he wasn't believed. But now he paid the price for Michiko, when it wasn't as innocent. For all of his pranks and tricks over the years. Now, he was branded as both a liar and a pervert, one who'd betrayed their trust. Not a happy combination. Shippo now had to face the terrible consequences for his decisions.
When he went around the village later, the disapproval was palpable. All of them had assumed he was only an orphan child, harmless...but he had acted shamefully to the tajiya and the hanyou-not to mention the village miko! Lied to all of them as well. He heard the whispers, and it nearly killed him.
It wasn't easy to leave childhood. Especially when you're drop-kicked out of it and all but completely disowned in the process.
That night, Shippo wept, and not from the bruises. Sesshomaru had failed to locate Kouga now...not least because of the word that had reached him. They were needed at the Keep. A Dokueki had been sighted moving towards their territory. The next day, the Inu took their leave of the village, but he didn't show up. In all honesty, none of them wanted to see him. Later, yes, but not now.
When he ran away...it wasn't entirely unexpected. Sango and Miroku, hunting Kouga with Kaede, weren't in the village to look for him. Michiko-young, prideful, and still smarting from the way he'd acted...let him go and said nothing.
So the Inu traveled back home at speed...watched from a distance by a young kitsune, his bundle on his back. He didn't know where he was going, only that he felt he had to leave.
"Now now, runt...I wouldn't be wasting time expecting them to save you. Seems they've got other things on their minds the way they're moving. We've got something to settle between us, you and I." He froze at the voice behind him. Kouga.
"Oh no," he managed. Shippo was on his own this time. The Gorashi was extended, the blades gleaming.
The weakest prey was always taken first...
Author's notes- Well! I said Shippo fans would not be pleased!
Since I do like to explain my reasoning at times, here's my take on Shippo for this story. It's been three years, almost four since the Jewel quest began in this alternate timeline. In the anime, he honestly has a lot of abilities for someone as young as he is. Shape changing, foxfire, all manner of stuff. Kitsune in Japanese lore are tricksters, as far as I can find. The 'heart-scar' ep of the anime also alludes to this habit. Why not have him lie to look harmless and play for sympathy and indulgence when he ran across Kagome and Inuyasha the first time? Besides, I find him whiny and annoying. Sorry Shippo fans, no offense intended.
But you get some lovely angst from it. Does he die? Now...as always, you'll have to wait and see! Thanks for reading as always!- Namiyo
