InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Mistaken Identity ❯ Mistaken Identity ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: I've never owned anything, and unfortunately that's not changing now! T_T

Author's Note: I got this idea while talking to my friend Sango-chan. We were talking about shape-shifting Shippo, and this idea sorta struck me.

Yea? ^_^;;

Oh- a note. This fic is "poorly written" because it is entirely in Shippo's point of view. And come on, it's not like he's going to go all out in the grammar department, you know? ^_~ Just trying to make it sound like him. . .

Well, either way- please enjoy! ^_^

~*~

* In Shippo's PoV *

So there I was this morning, just minding my own business, playing with Kirara in a patch of clovers under the bright blue summer sky when-

"INU-YASAHAAAAAA!" screeches Kagome from a ways away, "SIIIIIIIIIIIIT!"

I wince as the earth shakes beneath me, even though Kagome-chan and Inu-Yasha are not in sight.

Sighing, I nodded to Kirara, who also seems to understand what was going on. "Let's go. . ."

Standing up and dusting off my pants, I walk lazily over to the beginning of the forest and hide behind a log, waiting for my arguing parents to come over. As I bided my time, I can't help but wonder what Inu-Yasha had done to my poor mommy now.

"YOU BITCH!" the hanyou screams at her as they stomped into the clearing, Kagome a few feet in front of Inu-Yasha. Her hands are clenched at her side, and her eyes squeezed shut. Daddy seemes just as pissed. His golden eyes are alight with a fire that I'd only ever seen when he was truly mad. His claws are buried in his palms and his face is muddy- probably from being "sat" so many times.

"Don't you DARE speak to me that way, you ungrateful ASS!" Kagome-chan cries through her grinding teeth. "I HATE YOU! I hate you so much, you make my skin crawl!"

"I HATE YOU MORE!" Inu-Yasha retaliates, his face burning red with anger. "YOU MAKE ME WANT TO THROW UP!"

"So- I really DO disgust you that much!"

"WHEN YOU ACT LIKE THIS- YES!"

Mommy and Daddy glare at each other for a few more moments until-

Uh oh.

I can smell the salty water begin to well up in the corners of Kagome's eyes.

From the look on Inu-Yasha's face, I'd say he can too.

"Ka- Kagome, don't cry-! I-!" the hanyou stammers, reaching out slightly as if to touch her.

"DON'T COME NEAR ME!" Kagome roars, backing away as crystalline water began to fall down her cheeks. There were a few seconds where all I could hear was my mommy's deep breaths. Then she continues.

"I am. . . so sick," she hisses, looking determinedly away from Inu-Yasha, "of being pushed around by you. You call me NAMES, DON'T APPRECIATE ME, you- you-"

She glares so menacingly at Inu-Yasha that he took a step back in surprise.

"YOU-! I HATE YOU SO MUCH! I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN! EVER!" she yells before turning on her heal and running away at top speed.

"Kagome-!" Inu-Yasha reaches after her, but his voice was lost in a sudden wind. "Dammit. . ."

I growled from where I sat.

`Why does daddy always make mommy cry!?' I mentally bellow. `Does he LIKE seeing her tears?!

I don't care if it earns me a lump on the head- I'm gonna go get him!'

Racing over to Inu-Yasha, I kicked him continuously in the shins. Not that it really matters to him. . . In fact, it wasn't until my 312th kick that he actually acknowledges me.

If you call acknowledging picking me up by my tail upside down.

And I do.

"What are you doing, runt?" daddy growls down at me as I glared at him.

"Why do you make mommy cry, you meanie?!"

"Wha-?! She is NOT your mother and I am NOT a meanie!"

"Yes, you are!" I protest, tears filling my eyes.

Sometimes daddy is a total jerk!

"Mommy said she hates you! Now we'll never see her again because she's run away!"

"That is not true. . ." Inu-Yasha snarls as he drops me on my head. "Stupid wrench couldn't survive two minutes in this world without me- I mean- us- I mean- - -!"

I look oddly up at him while rubbing my new bump. "What's that supposed to mean? That mommy's weak?!"

"No. . ." daddy huffs, sitting down and crossing his legs, looking up at the sky. "It means. . ."

I look slyly over at him, muffling my giggles with a hand.

"What's so funny?!" he snaps, tearing his eyes away from the clouds.

"You're in love with mommy, daddy! That's what's funny!"

Inu-Yasha glows bright red and hits me over the head once more.

"Don't call me daddy. I'm not your father," he mutters before getting up and stomping away.

I grin as he leaves, dissipate the pain in my noggin.

"He didn't deny it," I smile at Kirara as she walks over and begins to lick my wounds. "Did he?"

Kirara shakes her head.

"Yep," I whisper to myself as I lean back against the soft clover, "Daddy loves mommy." I just hope he hasn't screwed it up.

*

Now it's night time. It got late very quickly, what with Kagome gone. It's a pretty full moon night, though, with lots of fireflies, so I guess it's okay.

But it would be a million bazillion times better if mommy were here.

All the same, I try to act content as I watch the stars with Sango-chan and Miroku-chan, waiting for the fire to get hot enough to cook. Daddy just sits in a tree. He has been since he left the clover patch, I wager. He's waiting for mommy to come back.

I hope she does soon.

I miss her.

And I can't sleep unless she's near by.

Sango-chan suddenly sighs, dragging me from my thoughts. "I wonder what Inu-Yasha did now. . ."

"It must have been something bad, if Kagome-sama still hasn't returned," Miroku groans as he sat up and stretched, lazily poking the fire with a twig. "Maybe it had something to do with Kikyo?"

I frown slightly at the name.

I don't like Kikyo much. She is keeping mommy and daddy apart, after all- and she keeps trying to drag daddy down to Hell. I don't ever want to go to Hell. I expect Inu-Yasha feels the same way, but even if he does, he claims that he needs to go there with Kikyo.

I don't think mommy will let him, though. Kagome loves daddy too much. I know so, `cause he's all she talks about when she and me and Sango-chan go down to the hot springs together. She made me promise not to tell daddy, though. She says that if I did, she'd have to go away. I could smell sadness in her. I think she's just afraid of rejection. I wonder. . .

If she knew daddy felt the same. . .

Would she still have to go?

I don't know. . .

But I'm not going to risk it.

Not ever having mommy around is a scary thought.

"You really think it was Kikyo?" Sango whispers to Miroku, as if trying to be unheard by the hanyou in the tree.

Hoshi-chan nods. "By his actions, lack of enthusiasm, cold stare-"

"I CAN HEAR YOU, YOU KNOW!" daddy suddenly barks, annoyed, as he chucks a branch down at Miroku and knocks him out. "SHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTH!"

"Inu-Yasha!" Sango calls back, "watch your language!"

"Feh," Inu-Yasha growls, returning his gaze to the moon.

My mind wanders as Sango turns to care for Miroku.

Daddy looks so. . . cool, as Kagome would put it, silhouetted against the moon like that. It's a secret, so don't tell anyone but. . . When I grow up, I hope I'm just like Inu-Yasha.

I want him to be proud of me.

. . . I wish he was now.

But I'm just a runt. I could never impress daddy.

"HENTAI!" Sango-chan screams, grabbing my attention once more

I turn to look with interest and find that Miroku has a large, red hand print on his cheek. "My lady," he says smoothly, "I was unconscious! I didn't realize my hand had gotten so close to your-"

Sango slaps him again. "SHUT UP!"

"As you wish," Miroku grins wryly, now adorned with identical marks on each cheek.

I hear daddy laugh quietly up in his tree-

But I couldn't smell any amusement in his scent.

He is worried about mommy.

I am too.

*

Dinner was pretty silent.

No Kagome smiling or making jokes or `sit'ing Inu-Yasha made it very dull.

Daddy didn't even eat.

I tried to, but the food got stuck in my throat when I thought about where mommy might be or the kind of danger she might be in.

"Shippo?" Sango asks quietly, patting my back, "are you okay?" I sort of grunt in reply, glancing at Inu-Yasha out of the corner of my eye.

Miroku sighs. "We should be getting some sleep. We'll look for Kagome-sama in the morning- it's too late now."

Sango nods once in agreement, glaring at Miroku when he tries to scoot closer to her.

I sigh and cover my ears as Sango and Miroku begin to "fight". Why are their fights always so civil compared to mommy and daddy's? Maybe because Sango has no sit command? Maybe because Miroku always makes his affections clear?

Or maybe they just love each other more?

I kinda hope not. . .

Because that would mean Kagome-chan and Inu-Yasha don't love each other very much. Their fights are always worse.

I amuse myself for a while by filling in Miroku and Sango's voices in my mind, since my fingers are blocking out their real words.

`I love you so much,' I think as Sango opens her mouth to scream. `No wait- I want to bare your child too! Hurry up and ask me- like you do every other breathing woman we come across!'

`My dear Sango,' I invent for Miroku as he counters whatever it was Sango-chan threw at him, `I love you too. Let's go elope right now!'

This game grows quickly dull, though, as after that there isn't much to say. But it didn't matter as it turns out, because just then the argument ended.

It would have been a more convincing ending to my game if they had kissed. Instead, Miroku got knocked out by Sango's boomerang.

I wonder what he said to deserve that.

After that, Sango rolled over and fell quickly asleep. Miroku doesn't wake back up. Considering I can hear him breathing- therefore knowing he is alive- I decide that he went straight from unconsciousness to slumber.

I sigh in the quiet and look up at daddy again. He is still waiting for mommy to come back.

After a few moments of thought I get up silently and pad over to the tree, trying to climb up too. I get about half way up, proud of my progress, when the smooth bark suddenly causes me to loose my grip.

"Woa!" I begin to cry, afraid that I am going to tumble to the hard ground- when I feel a clawed hand grab my tail.

"Shut up," Inu-Yasha grunts as he pulls me up with ease and sits me on a branch near his. "You'll wake up the other idiots."

"Thank you," I breathe, trying to still my heart.

"What? That little slip scared you?" Daddy smirked, a rude chuckle escaping him. "You're such a weakling, Shippo. So useless."

I frown at him, trying to hide my hurt feelings. "I am NOT useless!"

"Feh."

I feel a tear slide down my cheek, but I wipe it away quickly. I can't take it anymore. "This is why mommy hates you, you know!"

Daddy froze, his eyes narrowing slightly in pain.

". . . Does she really hate me?" he whispers a moment later, sadness clouding his scent and amber eyes.

I don't say anything, crossing my arms and looking away in annoyance. And so we sit in silence, my heart still sore from daddy's insults.

I don't want to answer.

Doesn't he know how much it hurt me to be smacked around by him? But I bet it doesn't hurt me as much as it hurts Kagome-chan.

Balancing as best as I can, I toddle over to the trunk of the tree and slide down the smooth bark, all the way to the ground.

"Shippo?"

I look up at Inu-Yasha, who once again has his gaze on the golden moon.

"What is it, daddy?"

"I. . . I don't hate Kagome. You know that, right?"

"I do. But you have a stupid way of showing it."

He doesn't disagree.

I am about to lay down, when he speaks again.

"And I'm not your father. Don't call me daddy."

"Okay, daddy," I reply- half because I want to, half to tick him off. "Goodnight."

*

But it isn't a good night. I haven't even laid there for five minutes and I already find myself tossing and turning.

I can't sleep without mommy.

I need her scent and lullabies.

I sit up, frustrated.

`Curse it, daddy,' I think, standing and glanring at Inu-Yasha, who is still silent in his tree. `You still haven't tried to bring her back?!'

Sighing quietly, I realize how stupid I was to hope he would.

He may love mommy- a lot, I'm pretty sure- but he's too much of a certain to act on those feelings. And Kagome-chan is way too shy. They both need the other to act first.

And it was looking like, until they admitted these feelings, we may all be separated for a long time.

I need my sleep! I miss my mommy! I want her back now!

But if daddy is too stupid to get her back for me- I'll have to do it myself!

. . .

How though?!

Stomping quietly over to a log and sitting down, I rest my head in my hands, thinking hard.

I know mommy loves me.

She brings me stuff and hugs me and lets me sleep with her and bathe with her.

But this was one of those things that couldn't be fixed with her love for me, or my love for her.

This was daddy and mommy's problem, so it had to be fixed with their love.

But how was I gonna get them to admit that love?!

They weren't even speaking!

Heck, I don't even know where Kagome-chan is so they COULD talk!

I sigh as a light wind blows through the clearing where we are camped. A leaf dances past my nose and I pluck it out of the air before it blows into the starry night.

A leaf. . .

This gives me an idea.

I grin to myself as I hurry in the direction mommy stomped off earlier.

If Inu-Yasha wouldn't admit his love for mommy, I'd do it for him!

And she'd never know it was me.

*

After searching and sniffing and hunting and a little more sniffing, I finally find mommy: She is sleeping on a little pile of pine needles in a small clearing, deep in a coniferous forest. A tiny but deep lake glistens in the moonlight to her right, creating the illusion of Kagome herself glowing in heavenly silver light.

I bet if daddy were here, he'd think she looked very pretty like that.

I bet he'd kiss her.

And I bet she'd kiss him back.

. . .

Too bad he isn't here. . .

Mommy moans in her sleep, stretching out slightly on the soft needles. One of her hands is behind her head, and the other is resting lazily on her stomach. Her long ebony hair is fanned out around her and glistens in the starlight.

I can't believe daddy would ever tell her that she's ugly. But he has. I saw her crying about it a few moons ago.

*I* think she's a very pretty vixen. Secretly, I think daddy does too.

But why can't Inu-Yasha tell her himself?

Maybe he will after I complete this. . .

I smile to myself.

Time to put part one of my genius plan to action.

Placing the leaf on top of my head, I concentrate my magic on what I wanted to shape shift in to. Or, in this case, who I wanted to shape shift in to. And when I open my eyes, I find I'm much taller, have long, silky silver hair and straight, sharp claws. Sure, I still have my fox-tail, but you can't see it underneath my new red haori.

Speaking of this stupid haori- it's very itchy. How does daddy stand it?!

I shake my head in exasperation.

He really is dumb. . .

Mommy rolls over in her sleep- and I can see a tear glisten in her eye.

"Inu-Yasha. . ." she whispers in her slumber, that liquid crystal slipping down her cheek.

Even in her sleep, daddy manages to make her cry.

I wonder if he knows that.

I take a step closer, now slightly nervous. What if this doesn't work. . .?

No wait- I can't be nervous. I'm Inu-Yasha. Inu-Yasha is never nervous.

Swallowing, I walk over to Kagome's make-shift bed and sit next to it, watching her sleep with my now-golden eyes.

I can't believe I am actually going to do this.

Daddy BETTER be happy.

Because I'm probably never gonna forgive myself. . .

I swallow again.

Here goes. . .

Leaning forward, I kiss Kagome gently on the lips, but just enough to wake her up.

Oh gods.

I'm the worst little boy in the world!

I'M KISSING MY MOTHER LIKE- LIKE-

Like a LOVER!

Like INU-YASHA!

Mommy subconsciously deepens the kiss, slowly opening her eyes.

As she does so, I almost leap back, forgetting briefly that I'm wearing Inu-Yasha's body.

She gasps. "Inu-Yasha. . ."

I say nothing for a moment, biting my bottom lip with my almost-canine teeth. I feel terrible- and as if I'm doing the right thing- all at the same time.

`If I do this correctly,' I remind myself, `it'll get mommy and daddy together. Don't screw up!'

"You. . . you followed. . ."

I nod in response, trying to hide my blush.

She glows brightly red. "Wha- why-?!"

I look away.

"I'm sorry Kagome," I apologize for daddy, marveling a bit at how deep my voice now is. "I didn't mean what I said in the clover patch."

She just gawks up at me, as if unable to process my words.

"You. . . you kissed me. . ."

Now, if I were actually Inu-Yasha, I'd have probably made some smart-aleky remark to this like `Noo. . . you THINK?' But- being smarter then daddy- I respond in the correct way.

Or at least. . . the marginally correct way.

"Didn't. . . didn't you want me too?"

And before she can answer, I bound away, thanking the gods for daddy's speed.

"Wait! Inu-Yasha!" I hear her call after me, getting up quickly and trying to run after.

Perfect.

`Sorry mommy,' I think, racing back towards the tree where daddy still sits, waiting, `but I'm gonna need to steal your form for a minute, too.'

Part two of my plan is about to begin.

*

As I emerge into the camp's clearing, I am already in Kagome's form-

Only I have a fox tail.

`Shit,' I curse silently to myself. `I forgot about that. . .'

But wait. . .

Grabbing the sweater that mommy had left on top of her big, yellow back pack, I tie it around my waist. This would fix two problems: One, my tail, by hiding it. And the second, my scent. I still smelt like myself, after all- but if I wear a piece of mommy's clothing, my aroma will be hidden a bit, mixed with her own. God, I really am a genius!

Walking over to the tree and looking up at Inu-Yasha, I wait for him to notice me. I had approached stealthier then the real Kagome-chan, so it may take him a minute to sense-

"Kagome?"

I jump slightly as I gaze up into daddy's golden eyes, tears glistening in my own. Good thing I had taught myself how to cry. . .It was my secret weapon, crying. When daddy deserved it, I could get him `sat' by mommy for pretending to sob. But now I was using it for the good of Inu-Yasha.

It felt kinda weird.

But not was weird as kissing mommy.

Or being mommy, for that matter, while not trying to tease Inu-Yasha.

"Inu-Yasha. . ." I whimper back. "Come down. . ."

He does so instantly.

I find it much easier to act like mommy as opposed to daddy.

But whatever.

The hard part is still to come.

"Inu-Yasha. . ." I whisper, gently running a finger up and down his cheek.

Gods- NOW I WAS GOING TO KISS MY DADDY!

I think I'll crawl under a rock and DIE from disgust after I do this-

Unless this plan works, that is.

Then I'll have to bask in glory for a while- - -

and THEN crawl under a rock and die.

"I'm so sorry. . ." I whisper convincingly, chewing my bottom lip lightly.

"No- I am. I was-"

There was a crunching sound from behind me.

Crap! Mommy could run faster then I thought she could!

Giving Inu-Yasha a quick, fearful look, I turned around and dashs into the woods. `Ah well. At least I didn't have to kiss him, too!'

"Kagome!" he cried after me.

But mommy answers instead.

"What do you think you're doing?!" she cries, her eyes glistening in the moon light as she stomps into the clearing, blocking daddy's path. "You kiss me, and then you run off?!"

". . . What?! What are you TALKING about?!" Inu-Yasha fights back, bewildered. "Qhy did you run awa- KISS YOU?! I never-!"

"I think the real question here is what are YOU talking about?!" mommy glares.

"Kiss you?!" daddy repeats stupidly.

His brain is working slower then usual. . .

I groan silently from my hiding spot underneath some twigs, back in my own body. It figured. . . After all my hard work. After kissing my mommy and almost having to kiss my daddy like- like a LOVER. And after my sleepless night-

All I had done was make things worse.

"Yes, kiss me! You KISSED ME!" Kagome-chan shoots at him, prodding him painfully in the chest with each syllable. "Do you DENY it?!"

"Why would I deny kissing you?! If I had- I'd be bragging!" Inu-Yasha snarls half-heartedly, looking away from her.

"Like sh- - - wha. . . ?Bra- bragging?!" mommy chokes out, grabbing his haori and gripping it angrily; causing Inu-Yasha to look sadly back at her. "Why?! Because you were able to crush my dreams and feelings with one fake show of affection?! LIKE YOU DID?!"

"No! Because I've always wanted to kiss you!"

Daddy looks away again, very red in the face, as I glance up from the spot on the ground I had been staring at in embarrassment. Could my plan still work?

Maybe daddy isn't totally stupid. . .

Kagome simply stares at him, at a total loss for words.

"R- - really?" she whispers finally.

"Yeah. . . But-" he continues suddenly, glaring at her, "why did you run away?!"

Check that. He's still stupid.

"Run away?! From what? Your pretend kiss?!"

"No! I was trying to apologize for being such an ass- and you ran out!"

"I did NOT- wait. . ."

She looks him up and down slowly. "You actually admit. . . you were acting like an ass?"

Inu-Yasha nods solemnly. "I shouldn't have blown up your washing-machine-ma-bob and tried to blame your cat, okay!? I was wrong. . . and I apologize."

Kagome loosens her grip on his kimono.

"I'm. . . I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have sat you as often as I did."

"I know."

"Don't push it."

". . . Sorry."

They stand in silence for a moment- - - and then daddy picks mommy up bridal style, leaping into his tree with her. She gasps at the sudden high and hugs him tightly around the neck.

"Don't worry," I hear him murmur softly into her ear, "I've got you."

Kagome-chan nods and blushes, relaxing in his arms.

I quietly sneak out of my hiding spot in the woods and lay down next to Kirara, watching Kagome-chan and Inu-Yasha up in the branches. Mommy and daddy sat quietly for a long time, simply watching the stars.

And then-

"Kagome?"

"Yes, Inu-Yasha?"

"Can I . . . can I kiss you?"

I almost laugh at daddy's sudden timidness.

Mommy smiles at him, rubbing a finger up and down his cheek much like I had in her form. "I would love it if you did. . ."

I closed my eyes as their lips touch. Gross. But at least they are together.

And- finally- I feel myself began to drift off to sleep as Kagome's scent wafted through the summer night air. However, before I totally drifted off into dream land, I hear my parents whisper to each other:

"I love you, Kagome."

"I love you too, Inu-Yasha."

Ha.

I did it.

*

I am rudely awakened the next morning by daddy, BEFORE the sun has even completely risen.

"What are you doing?!" I groan angrily, rubbing my tired eyes as Inu-Yasha looks me up and down; holding me by my tail. "What IS it?!"

"It was you, wasn't it, runt?"

I stare dryly up at him, trying to mask my surprise. "What are you TALKING about?"

"It was you- looking like Kagome- that first time. You're still wearing the sweater."

I gulp as I look towards my waist.

It *is* still there. Crap.

"Then," daddy continues calmly, "you ran into the woods when you heard the real Kagome coming. Isn't that right?"

I say nothing, looking away as I dangle helplessly.

"Just like that one time in that fucking shack- you decided to look like Kagome to play with my emotions!" His voice is quickly revealing that he is thoroughly pissed off. Double crap.

"I did not!" I squeak back, unable to take his anger anymore. "I didn't mean to play with your emotions! I just wanted you and mommy to make up! So I- I-"

"You. . . you took my form and kissed her," daddy says slowly, dropping me on my head as he fills in the blanks himself, "and then. . . you took her form and. . ."

He glares at me as I rub my new bump.

"So what?" I glare back. "The `mistaken identity' trick got you two together, didn't it?! You love mommy and she loves you and now you both know it! You should be thanking me!"

Daddy opens his mouth to throw me a cold retort, but then closes it without saying anything.

"You really did all that. . . just so we'd. . .?"

I nod.

His glare softens.

And then he laughs, leaning back on his arms. "Keh. Pretty clever, runt. . . pretty clever."

. . . Huh?!

Doing a double take, I glance up at him in shock. He. . . he is proud of me. I can smell it.

I made him proud.

"You think so?" I beam, face growing a little pink. Inu-Yasha just smirks down at me.

But it is a nice smirk.

"Yeah. I do. Just don't tell Kagome what you did!"

I nod solemnly, and Inu-Yasha ruffles my hair."You're okay, runt," he chuckles as he does so. "You're okay."

"Thank you, daddy," I bubble, enjoying the warm happiness bolting though my small body.

He rolls his eyes and gets up, walking off to find some breakfast without another word.

I sit there and hug myself for a while longer, though, joy coursing through me like. . . like. . .

Like sugar.

Mommy and daddy are together.

Daddy is proud of me.

He had even let me call him daddy.

And I can smell that mommy has that brown `chalk-a-late' stuff in her bag!

Life is good.

~*~

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Ja ne!