A Distant Promise – Drabble # 10
"Five!" Kagome gasped.
Five sleek brown tails swished proudly under her inspection, almost seeming to have a life of their own, as Shippo stood before his adoptive mother for the first time in over four-hundred years. It felt very good to remove the concealment spells, in front of someone he knew he could trust.
To one side, a similar gasp of surprise emanated from Mrs. Higurashi. To think, she had invited a kitsune into her home! A real fox-spirit, just like all the stories said. The older woman had always believed her daughter's tales of magic in the feudal era, but she had never hoped to meet up with the very same fox-kit that Kagome had cared for.
"If it has been five hundred years," pondered the shrine-maiden, "Shouldn't you have six tails? One for each century?"
A pained look passed over Shippo's face, but it was gone again so quickly that Kagome was not sure she had seen it. "It hasn't been – that's why I didn't come sooner," the boy with the rust-colored hair answered, seeming to feel this merited an apology. "I'm sorry, Kagome."
Ever the positive one, Kagome cheerfully smiled back. "Well, I was always bad at math… And it was hard to tell exactly what year it was, in the past." Reaching out for one of his tails, she stroked the fur as though she had ordained him the new household-pet, but the other tails immediately coiled around her arms, holding her hands still.
After a short period of reminiscence, the kitsune explained how he accidentally learned of her presence. Apparently, they had Inuyasha to thank for this meeting. Shippo had failed to check on the shrine in a number of years, believing she had not yet appeared, planning to watch more carefully when close to five hundred years had elapsed. But then, vacationing at a distant hot-springs resort, he had encountered Inuyasha. The shock of recognizing his human form and simultaneously realizing that Inuyasha had aged years had sent Shippo into a fit of panic. He had arrived on her doorstep, the next day.
At mention of Inuyasha's name, Kagome perked up immediately. "You've seen Inuyasha? You know where he is?"
"Yes," replied the fox-demon uneasily, tucking his tails behind him in a swirl. "Did something happen between the two of you? He seemed … different."
Slipping into an old, familiar role, Kagome attempted to comfort her fox-kit, although he was no longer small and in need of reassurances. "It's okay," she said firmly, "We had an argument, that's all."
On this note, Mrs. Higurashi quietly slipped out to refill their teapot, while Kagome's words hung thickly overhead, weighing on her conscience. Had she just lied to Shippo? For the life of her, she could not figure out why. Perhaps she was the one who needed reassurance. But hearing the words did not make them real. Her relationship with Inuyasha was falling apart, and she knew it. Otherwise, he would never have abandoned the shrine.
"Did he…" She strained not to look too interested. "Did he say anything to you?"
Shippo shook his head, a secret knowledge hiding behind his eyes that had never been there before. She didn't like the way he looked at her anymore, she decided. Once, she had been brave and strong, and he had admired the example she set, following where she led. Now, the childlike adoration was gone, replaced with a wealth of experience. She shuddered slightly to imagine what the intervening years had been like for him. She asked.
Laughter was her only reply. "I like the modern era more," he answered evasively. "So many opportunities for mischief and subterfuge these days, the way everything runs according to a strict, clockwork schedule. And society is more complex, with more rules to break."
His smile was radiant. Her heart clenched anxiously, wondering why he hadn't answered her question. Scooting nearer to his side, she changed the subject, asking politely if she might touch his tail – tails! – again. This time, he allowed it, ceding to her request with surly dignity.
"Hn," he snorted, the sound sparking a faint wisp of memory in her mind. It reminded her of someone, but whom, she could not say.
