InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Coyote Tricks: Outfoxed ❯ Bloodlines ( Chapter 9 )

This chapter is rated PG for Mirokuness. Please read all warnings and disclaimers in the first chapter if you have not already done so.

Chapter IX: Bloodlines

They found a note on the cabin door when they got back with an appointment for Shippo to see Spirit Singer in the morning. They fixed a quick dinner and then rounded up Caitlin to go into town to hit the nightspots.

Shippo awoke the next morning wrapped around Kit's body again having decided last night that there was no point in him using the couch any longer. He rose on his elbow for a minute to admire the youth peacefully sleeping beside him. He smiled as he remembered the last few days. He had not felt this alive since that fateful day 50 years ago and this young Hanyou was to thank for that.

As he lay there he also thought that he could not let this youngster get away with showing up a five tailed Kitsune in the art of practical joking. He was considering what to do about that when he noticed the time. He quickly rose, dressed and grabbed a pop tart on the way out the door.

He arrived for his appointment 15 minutes early. Spirit Singer met him at the door and shook his hand.

"Good morning," he said showing Shippo to a chair. "I trust my protégé is keeping you entertained."

Shippo gave him a knowing smile, "Oh yes, he has been wonderful Master Spirit Singer."

"Please, just Singer, I have someone I'd like you to meet. He is one of your fellow countrymen, who just happened to be traveling in the country."

A young man on the other side of the office rose to greet Shippo.

Shippo did a double take, "Miroku?" he said.

The young man paused and said, "No, I'm Kaemon, Kaemon Taijiya. Lord Miroku was my ancestor though."

"Kaemon is the archivist for the Midoriko temple," Singer said "and the leading authority on the Jewel of Four Souls."

Shippo remembered the temple that Miroku and Sango established after they had married and settled down with Kohaku to rebuild the Sango's home village. But he hadn't visited there in at least a century.

"I must say it is a great honor to meet you, Shippo-sama," Kaemon said. "It is not everyday you get to meet a living legend out of your own history."

"You flatter me Kaemon-Kun" Shippo said in reply. "The resemblance to your ancestor is uncanny, you look just like him."

"Oh surely not," Kaemon said. "The temple records say that Lord Miroku was a man of such surpassing handsomeness that wherever he traveled young maidens would throw themselves at his feet and beg to bear his children."

Shippo snorted, "Really?"

"Yes, of course he was a man of such dignity and virtue that he spurned these advances. He never laid a hand on a woman until he met his true love, the lady Sango."

"Ah who was it that recorded this history?" Shippo asked.

"Why Lord Miroku himself started the temple archives with his history of the Quest of Lord Inuyasha and Lady Kagome for the Jewel of Four Souls."

"I thought so," Shippo said with a grin.

"Well" Singer interrupted obviously clueless, "Lets get down to business shall we? When I first received your inquiries concerning the Bone Eaters well and its history I contacted Kaemon since he is the foremost authority on the history of the Shikon jewel, with the possible exception of yourself of course."

"Yes," Kaemon leapt in excitedly, "the histories say very little about the well other than it was the means that Lady Kagome traveled back and forth to her mysterious homeland and that the local villagers tossed the bones of the demons slain by Lady Kikiyo and her predecessors in the well. The fact that those bones would quickly disappear in the well is very interesting."

"I think that there is some force at work in that well before the time rift occurred that helps explain what happened there" Singer said. "In order to understand what that force is, I will need to examine the well. Since the conference is done, I suggest we fly with you back to Japan. We can examine the well and compare notes with Kaemon's archives. It will also make a good training opportunity for Kit. Does this sound acceptable?"

"Yes certainly," Kaemon said.

"I agree," Shippo added. "Kagome will be turning 15 soon so the sooner the better."

"Well then that's settled for now," Singer said. "Shippo would you tell Kit to meet us for breakfast in the morning at the lodge at 8:00, we can iron out our travel arrangements then."

"Alright then," Kaemon said. "I must be going to another appointment, so I will meet you in the morning." He stood and gave another deep bow to Shippo, "Once again it is a great honor to meet you Lord Shippo."

Shippo returned the bow and Kaemon picked up his things and left.

Shippo turned and started to say something to Singer when they heard a minor shriek from Singer's secretary outside followed by the distinctive sound of a hand slapping a face. A large grin broke out on Shippo's face.

"Something funny?" Singer asked.

"Yes," Shippo said with a shake of his head. "Something the Monk who raised Lord Miroku said to Inuyasha once. Loosely translated it was `The bloodline of Miroku is to be feared'."

"Anyway Master Singer," he continued holding up the charm Kit had given him the other day. "I understand the person who makes these excellent charms is here on the resort?"

"Why yes, would you me to introduce you to her?"

"If you could be so kind, I have a special request I would like to see if she can fulfill."

"I'm sure she will be happy to accommodate you, we aim to please all our guests here."

-

Author's Notes: This story has achieved its goal of providing the origin of Kit Coyote and beginnings of his relationship with Shippo. This chapter is setting the stage for my next project, Coyote Tricks: The Bone Eaters Well which is in development and I should start publishing soon. Coyote Tricks is evolving from the first story to explain Akane's hammer and next story to examine the Bone Eaters Well and beyond that into an original storyline of its own I will start posting future stories in the Cross over section. Kit has already crossed into Ranma and Yu Yu Hakushu will in all likelihood be involved in the next story after the Bone Eaters Well story so that seems a more appropriate place for it.

The next chapter is just the cherry on top for this story, find out what Shippo favor has for the charm maker to fulfill.