InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Coyote Tricks: Outfoxed ❯ A Meeting in the Woods ( Chapter 1 )

Title: Coyote Tricks - Out Foxed

Genre(s): Crossover primarily Inuyasha.

Rating: Over-all, NC-17 for Lemon and Yaoi content; this chapter PG.

Codes: OC, Lemon, Yaoi.

Pairings: Shippo (Adult)/Kit (OC)/Caitlin (OC), Shippo/Kit, References to Sesshomaru/Rin and Shippo/OC

Summary: A much older Shippo travels with Sesshomaru to a spirit conference in America where he meets a friend that rekindles his youth.

Comments: This story is a `prequel' to the story `Coyote Tricks'. It is not necessary or even recommended that you read that story first. I liked the character Kit so much that I decided to flesh him and his relationship with Shippo out and this is the result. Much of the inspiration for the Spirit Peak Resort is drawn from Mercedes Lackey's Bedlam's Bard series. If elves can run a casino in Las Vegas, why not a Colorado Ski Resort? I found mixed indications on Ms. Lackey's feelings regarding fan fictions of her work so I limited the overt use of her world and mentioned none of her characters directly, although I'm quite certain Kit and FX would get along nicely. Fans will also notice a reference to YYH's Dark Tournament story line tossed in for background flavor.

Disclaimers: I own Kit Coyote, Spirit Singer, Caitlin, Mishi and Erin. And oh yes, I guess the squirrel is mine too. All other characters are the property of their respective creators. Shippo, Sesshomaru, Jaken, Inuyasha and Kagome belong to Rumiko Takahashi. The terms Underhill, Elfhame and mentions of elves in the story are based on the works Mercedes Lackey. I don't own them; I'm just borrowing them for a while. There is no profit made from this work. Nor is there any profit to be made from suing me, although you are welcome to my debts.

Archive: Yes, as long as all comments and disclaimers are intact and you tell me where. I can be contacted at dreamerman90-fanfic@yahoo.com.

Notes: Words in `single parentheses' indicate internal thoughts; words in [brackets] indicate things said in Japanese.

Chapter I: A Meeting in the Woods

The sunlight rained down gaily on the trail through an opening in the canopy above. Any human naturist would have loved to be in such a pristine forest setting. Or that would be until he noticed the unnatural silver color of the tree bark or the humanoid shapes of the butterfly winged creatures flittering through the tree branches. Amidst this unnatural beauty sat a perfectly ordinary coyote on a bed of moss by the trailside. Sandy colored fur adorned his body except for patches of white on his chest and the tip of his tail. His ears perked up at a giggling sound coming from a group of the butterfly winged pixies and what appeared to be a grin appeared on his muzzle. Standing up he stretched and then crouched and tail wagging rapidly let out a loud yip at the pixies. The giggling grew louder and mixed with joyful shrieks as the coyote leapt into their midst. The coyote and the pixies leapt and flew around the forest trees playing an elaborate game of tag. Whenever the coyote managed to `tag' one of the pixies with his nose, he would turn and run until one of the pixies would manage to tag him. This continued for several minutes until suddenly the coyote stopped, ears alert, looking down the path. One of the pixies, surprised by the sudden stop flew right into the back of his head and somersaulted over to land face down on his nose. She stood up and proceeded to complain loudly in chittering pixie speech at the coyote, which stared at her cross-eyed until launching her back into the air with a toss of his snout. He then turned his attention back to the trail.

Down the trail stepped a tall man dressed in elaborate kimono of a feudal Japanese nobleman. His hair was waist length and white. He had golden eyes, his fingers ended in long clawed nails and he had a perfect crescent moon shaped mark on his forehead. Across his chest and shoulders was some sort of (apparently) decorative armor. But the most unusual aspect about him was what appeared to be a long furry white boa that was draped over his left shoulder. If one looked closely you could see that one end of the boa disappeared into the folds of the kimono and the boa itself seemed to move in ways not accounted for by the wind or the owner's own movements.

Behind this man came a large two-headed dragon that he led by a harness and reigns. Atop the dragon sat decidedly modern luggage and belongings seem out of place with the owner's appearance. Walking beside the dragon was short creature carrying a staff 3 times his height. He appeared to be a large toad also dressed in the clothing of a court vassal and walking upright. His staff had the miniature heads of a woman and an old man at its top.

A handsome young man with reddish brown hair, wearing a t-shirt of a Japanese J-Pop group and a sandy colored tail sticking out through a hole in his jeans came last. His gait was unusual at first glance until one noticed that his feet were those of a canine instead of human.

The coyote silently watched this unlikely group stroll by. The pixie still complaining at the coyote drifted into their path and the tall man reached out in a blur of speed and grabbed the pixie out of the air. The startle pixie let a tiny `eep' sound.

[What is it?] the other man asked.

[A sprite, an annoying pest], the first answered.

[Please let it go, Lord Sesshomaru. I'm sure it means no harm]

Sesshomaru considered the tiny creature in his claws for a moment, so easily crushed with but a flick of his wrist.

[Very well,] he said and let the pixie go.

The pixie flew over to the other young man and made more pixie noises that sounded grateful, and then lightly tapped him on the head before she flew off. Hardly noticed was a tiny chiming sound as she did this like a little bell jingling. She flew over to the coyote and making apologetic sounds tapped him on the head also. She then flew off into the trees.

The odd group on the path started up again and the coyote proceeded to pace them through the woods. Presently they all came out into an open clearing. The coyote followed them cautiously slipping close enough to the red haired young man to curiously sniff at his tail. The young man looked down at him and bending down offered his hand to sniff. The coyote sniffed it and wagged his tail as the young man petted him.

[Hump] grumped the toad creature, [Not very punctual these Americans, I'm sure this is the meeting place but there is no sign of our escort. They have no right to insult Lord Sesshomaru like this!]

[Quiet Jaken,] the tall man said in a quiet reserved voice, [our escort joined us some time ago.] He looked back at the coyote.

The coyote meet his gaze and his ears laid back. "Oh oh, I think I've been made," he thought.

There was a shimmering of shadows and where the coyote had stood before another handsome young man stood. He had shoulder length sandy blonde hair and a similarly colored tail. He also had a pair of coyote ears atop his head that moved in a manner that can only imply that they were naturally part of him. His nude body was quickly covered in clothing that seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

He bowed to the three new arrivals and said to the man with the boa, "Lord Sesshomaru, I bring you greetings on behalf of my mentor Spirit Singer."

The three bowed in return.

Then the coyote eared young man straightened and a huge grin broke out on his face. Sticking his hand out to Lord Sesshomaru, he said, "I'm Kit, the council asked me to meet you and see to your needs before the conference."

Sesshomaru looked at the hand before him like it was some unpleasant form of insect. Kit's ears drooped a little and he quickly withdrew the offending hand.

"Yes," Sesshomaru replied in tone that suggested he was doing Kit a favor to even acknowledge his presence, "This one is this Sesshomaru's servant Jaken," indicating the toad creature.

[Humph, a lowly hanyou], Jaken said and then switched to English continued, "You had better show more respect, playing tricks like that on someone of Lord Sesshomaru's stature."

Kit was unsure what the little toad's first comment was but he was sure it wasn't complimentary. He flattened his ears again and said, "My apologies, no insult was intended."

Sesshomaru's expression remained neutral and then, almost as an afterthought, he indicated his other companion, "and that is Shippo."

The Kitsune smiled at Kit and tipped his head in greeting.

"Ahh…very well then, if we follow this trail, Kit said indicating a side path, "it will lead us to the gateway," Kit said.

The group set off down the indicated trail. Kit soon found he had to limit his pace as Sesshomaru refused to go any faster than his own pace. He eventually slowed to allow the demon lord to take the lead. As he passed Jaken, he stumbled and grabbed the little demon's staff to keep from falling on him. He leapt away as Jaken screamed at him.

"Clumsy oaf! Be more careful around your betters!"

Kit continued to fall back until he fell in beside Shippo behind the others.

"Don't mind Sesshomaru and Jaken, they are rude to everybody." Shippo said. "It doesn't help that you're a hanyou either."

"Hanyou?" Kit asked.

"You know a half-demon"

"Oh." Kit replied. He had expected that, Spirit Singer warned him that the occasional prejudice he encountered because of his parentage was minor compared to what it was like in Japanese culture. Particularly among the older spirits like Sesshomaru, the great Dog Demon and Lord of the Western Lands. He had argued with his mentor that given this attitude perhaps it was best if someone else met the demon lord.

Spirit Singer had laughed. "My son, this is not the first spirit conference Sesshomaru has attended, he knows the feelings of the People on this and by sending you to meet him, we will remind him up front that his bigotry will not be tolerated while he is our guest. Remember that you are the son of Coyote, one of the great spirits of the People. Sending you to greet him is a great honor whether he acknowledges it or not."

"Did I say something wrong?" Shippo asked bringing Kit back to the here and now.

"No," Kit answered linking his hands behind his head and looking up at the sky. "I was just remembering something. So it doesn't bother you, talking with a half-breed?"

"Oh of course not," Shippo grinned. "Lord Sesshomaru's brother Inuyasha is a hanyou. He and Lady Kagome took me in after my parents died."

"I see, so you're not with his lordship?"

"No, I'm here to talk with Lord Spirit Singer. They say he is a master of portals and gateways."

"Yes he is, the People call folks like him great shamans. The Fair folk call them bards. They have the power not just to manipulate gateways but create them as well."

"That is what I heard. I wanted to ask him about a certain well and something else…"

Shippo's voice trailed off as something on Jaken's staff caught his attention. There was a small piece of paper taped to it. Squinting he could just make out the text.

FROG LEGS

HALF PRICE

A huge grin broke out on his face as he stifled a laugh.

"Ok," Kit grinned and held out his hand "I'm pleased to meet you Shippo."

"I'm pleased to meet you again, Kit." Shippo said shaking his hand happily

"Again?"

"Oh never mind that," Shippo said with a little smile, "you just remind me of someone I knew once."

Kit shrugged and let it go.