Chapter 14: Shippo Unleashed

No sooner had Shippo walked beyond the clearing and he immediately wanted to go back. What could he do on his own? No, if he didn't do it, who would? He could do this. He had to do this.

'I am strong enough to handle this.' He said again and again. 'I have got to be strong.'

Gradually the shrine loomed higher in the distance until its silhoeutte gave way to details. Soon Shippo could see the walls looming high above him.

Every passing moment he was afraid a Spider Head would appear and devour him. He walked one foot forward at a time on shaking legs. His heart was beating. He was sweating cold. Finally he stopped before the wall.

Wait a minute, Shippo didn't have to do this. He could just go back and say the bag was already gone. Yeah, nobody would have to know. But then… then Shippo would know. No he had to do this. The others were counting on him and he'd been nothing but an annoying kid until now.

He set a hand to the wall and began to climb. It probably only took a few seconds for him to get up to the top but it seemed to take hours. Every moment he thought for sure he'd catch a hand on a web, or see a spider head peering down on him.

Yet when he got over the top and landed on the other side lightly he found the shrine empty. As if nothing had ever been here at all. For a moment he wondered if he was only dreaming, or if he had imagined the whole thing. The webs were all gone and so were the spider heads.

But he knew that he had not imagined it. Inuyaha and Kagome had seen it to. Which meant that they were still around here somewhere.

Shippo slunk slowly across the courtyard, keeping to the shadows as best he could. Getting to the main building he sidled along the wall until he reached the door in. It was open. He had the feeling that something was very wrong. He also felt that once he looked around this corner he would have to do something about it.

For a moment he wrestled with himself. Finally he forced himself on and peered around the corner. There was the old priest, free from spider webs with a smile on his face. He was kneeling over Kagome's bag, rifling through it.

Then he laughed, a wicked laugh devoid of the kindness it had held before. He drew out the sacred jewel shards and looked at them greedily. The priests neck began to lengthen and his body took on an insectoid quality.

Everything clicked. The priest had lured them here. He'd pretended the place was a refuge. And then he had played dead while the spiderheads drove them away. And now he had the bag. The priest had planned everything right from the start!

Shippo had to stop him!
His insticts demanded he slink off, run away, and tell Inuyasha. But Inuyasha wasn't here. Shippo had to stand on his own. 'Foxfire!' cried Shippo.

The priest cried out in pain as an inferno of blue flame consumed him. It wouldn't hold him long, but his grip loosened on the jewel shards and the bottle fell from his hand. Shippo surged out and caught it in mid air before legging his way out of the building as quickly as he could.

'Miserable creature!' roared the priest as he rushed after him. 'You won't get away!'

In a flash the priest had leaped over Shippo and was looming over him. But Shippo unleashed his top, slamming the priest into the ground with a crash. Leaping over Shippo recalled his top and leaped over the wall.

Landing on the ground Shippo knew at once that he couldn't let the Jewel Shards fall into the priests hands. Kagome could always find them later. He opened the bottle and dug a ditch in the ground before pouring the jewels into them and covering them up. Then the priest was nearly on him and he had to run for his life.

He ducked and weaved and fled but suddenly felt the priest grip him. He was forced down and the priest grabbed the bottle. Then his eyes narrowed. 'Wretched little fox! Where is the sacred jewel shard?!'

'Hidden where you'll never find them.' boasted Shippo.

'Oh really?' asked the priest 'Then I suppose I don't have much incentive not to devour you whole!'

'Wait!' said Shippo 'I'll lead you to where I left them! Just don't kill me!'

'Now see,' said the priest 'that seems a more ameable decision. Now march.'

Shippo led him. He walked slowly to give himself time to think. He could run, but that wouldn't do any good. The priest was faster than him. His tricks weren't any good now, not when the priest was expecting it. Even if he gave the priest the jewel shards he would only kill Shippo.

He had to do something.

But what?

He came to the ditch and uncovered it.

The jewel shards gleamed brightly. And Shippo had an idea. Before the priest could move Shippo grabbed the jewels and swallowed them whole. They were sharp on his mouth and he nearly gagged.

He felt them enter his body and heard the priest cry out in anger.

Then Shippo felt power coursing through him. He felt his arms and legs lengthening and realized he was growing taller. His hair grew out from his head and he found himself filled with confidence. A lot of confidence.

'You little rascal!' roared the priest 'Do you really believe a pitiful fox demon like yourself could take me, even with the sacred jewel shards! Minions! Destroy him!'

Shippo smiled as the spiderheads rushed at him with their swords. They came at him but he leaped over them, backflipping into the air to land on the tree above. 'Looking for me, lazy lob?'

The spiderheads spat their web, what else were they going to do? Shippo surged away, laughing. The kind of power he felt right now was wonderful. It was better than anything he'd ever felt before. More and more web was poured at him, but he moved and dodged with absolute ease.

They seemed to be moving in slow motion.

It was fun. But Shippo got sick of it eventually and landed on one knee. Scooping up a stone he threw it and knocked in the head of a spiderhead. They rushed at him but he darted away and did the same. Now this was a great game. One by one the creatures began to fail, and soon Shippo began to sing as he killed them with pebbles:

Poor old web spinners, sitting in trees,

Poor old spider heads, can't catch me,

Corpse spinners, corpse spinners everywhere you see,

Yet one stone throw, and all rince free,

There were a great many other verses after this, none of them very good and some even worse. It was absolute nonsense, made up on the spot. Yet it did the job. The spider heads became infuriated and rushed at him from all sides. Soon they began to shoot their webs, not at him, but at the trees. Shippo realized they were trying to hem him in. Cute.

He played alone. Rushing forward he stopped at a tree which had been covered in webs. He ducked under and sword blow and fled to find another way barred. The spider heads were all around him now and the priest was gloating.

'Now you're stuck, you little fox!' roared the priest 'I'll take great delight in devouring you alive, piece by piece as I search for the sacred jewel shards!'

'No, please!' cried Shippo in mock fright. 'Anything but that! I'll give you the jewel shards and- kidding! FOXFIRE!'

Shippo had always been very talented at foxfire. It was a power his father had been proud of. But he'd been young. His power wasn't fully developed. Now he was older, stronger, in full form. And the fire that burst from his shot outward, not defensive, but offensive.

It consumed the spiderheads. It consumed the webs. It consumed the wall. And then it burned. It burned and burned as the spiderheads screamed and screamed. And Shippo smiled.

Finally it was over. The spider heads were all just ashes. Shippo smiled and walked through the wall to retrieve Kagome's bag, before walking back through the woods with it slung over his back. As he walked he began to whistle.

Kagome awoke to find herself lying on the ground just before dawn. Looking to her side she saw Nazuna sitting with her arms wrapped around her legs. The girl looked up. 'You awake. The half demon is above.'

Kagome stood up and looked at Inuyasha sitting on the tree. He was looking out at the horizon. 'Inuyasha you jerk! You hit me!'

'You were about to wander off into certain death.' said Inuyasha.

'Where is Shippo?' asked Kagome.

'I don't know.' said Inuyasha 'I sent him to go get your jewel shards and told him to get back here as quick as possible. He might have been captured though.'

'If he has then it's your fault!' snapped Kagome 'You sent in a little kid to do your dirty work while you stayed back here!'

'Shippo had the best skill set for it.' said Inuyasha 'He was the smallest. And only one person should have gone back. I'll try to save him once the sun comes up.'

'He wouldn't need saving if you hadn't sent the kid off on his own.' said Kagome.

At that moment several things happened. First the sun rose over the horizon and Inuyasha's hair became white as his fangs regrew and he took on his true form. And then, into the clearing, walked the most handsome boy that Kagome had ever seen. He had long orange hair, tied into a ponytail and he oozed youthful exuberance. He walked with a confident strut, and he wore a blue shirt with a yellow vest, and blue pants. He smiled, and tossed Kagome her bag.

'I'm back.' he said.

'You…' said Kagome 'What do you mean you're back? Who are you?'

'Oh right,' said the boy 'the changes. I'm Shippo.'

'Shippo you idiot!' snapped Inuyasha 'You didn't eat those sacred jewel shards did you?!'

'And what if I did?!' snapped Shippo 'Maybe they don't work so well for humans and half demons, but I'm pureblooded demon unlike some people!'

'Why you-' Inuyasha began 'Nevermind, I don't even care.'

'Wait so you swallowed the sacred jewels?' asked Kagome. 'Why?'

'I got cornered by the spiderheads.' said Shippo 'It was either that or give it to them.' He looked up to Nazuna 'Oh, I'm sorry, I tried to save the priest. But he is dead.'

'My poor master…' said Nazuna.

'He crushed a whole bunch of spiderheads before he went out.' said Shippo 'They had to kill him directly so they didn't have any time to feast on him.' He walked toward her. 'I avenged him, don't worry.'

Then she wrapped an arm around Nazuna and brought her into a kiss. The kiss was passionate and the formerly grieving girl resisted only a minute before returning it. Kagome stared in shock as a full blown makeout session almost began.

'Shouldn't you, um…' began Kagome. 'Take he out on a date or something before-'

Shippo broke the kiss. 'Nice, I've been wanting to do that since I met you. We'll have to continue this later.'

'I…' Nazuna was blushing furious. 'I mean, I was never aware demons could be so-'

'You're a bit young for this aren't you?!' said Kagome.

'I'm fifty two, actually.' said Shippo 'I guess I decided to grow up.'

'Okay, yeah, great, fine whatever!' snapped Inuyasha 'Can we get back to the boat now?'

They escorted Nazuna back along the river toward the village. Eventually she stepped off the boat and turned to them. 'This is far enough. The village is close by.'

'Okay,' said Kagome 'take care of yourself.'

'Oh and Shippo,' said Nazuna 'I uh… I appreciate your help. I'll try to remember my master's teachings. I'll try to remember that all demons aren't all bad. Not many, but some.'

'Don't kid yourself.' said Inuyasha 'Everyone is equally bad. They just have different ways of showing it.'

'I won't forget you!' called Nazuna 'You'll always be in my prayers Shippo!'

'No need for that!' called Shippo back 'I'll come visit you some time!'

As they sailed onward Kagome couldn't stop from staring at Shippo. The boy he had become was such a contrast to what he was. He was leaning back in his seat, one leg crossed over the other with a piece of wheat in his mouth. His eyes were closed as he took in the sunlight.

'So did you guys know the priest was secretly evil?' asked Shippo suddenly.

'Really?' asked Inuyasha.

'Yeah,' said Shippo 'a spider head in human form planning to take the sacred jewel shards. Kind of wasting his time if you ask me. If he hadn't lucked out and hit us during the time of the new moon you'd have crushed him in about twelve seconds.'

'So how did you kill him?' asked Inuyasha.

'I burned him alive.' said Shippo.

He was so different. Completely different. Suddenly Shippo looked up to Kagome. 'Look if you want me to get to you before Nazuna I'm willing, but-'

'What are you talking about?!' cried Kagome. 'I'm just… uh… taken aback!'

'Yeah, I know I'm the kami's gift to women.' said Shippo 'Which is why I was making the offer.'

This was going to take some serious getting used to.

Authors Note:

Well here we have the next chapter in record time. I find these chapters are easier to write when something actually changes in them. The past few chapters have mostly been villain of the week things, so nothing changed in them.

Also I'm going to argue that Shippo's new personality is actually consistent with his personality as a child. Even as a young fox demon it is a recoccuring basis for filler episodes that he finds a love interest of the week who he finds love with and never mentions again. I've always theorized that when he gets older, Shippo is going to have more one night stands than zeus.

He also enjoys mocking people. It's just that in canon he limits himself to mocking Inuyasha as an easy target.

Also did I just make Shippo a badass?