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The humid night of the feudal summer was serenaded by the song of the crickets. A gentle breeze swayed the long strands of hay and rustled the leaves of a grand old parasol tree.

Awoken by a soft tremor, he opened his eyes.

Shippo lay still, not giving away his state of awake. He remained curled next to Kagome, feeling her silent sobs against his side.

Blinking, the little fox demon surveyed his surroundings. The moon's soft glow unveiled Miroku and Sango sleeping on the other side of their campsite, Kirara standing watch between them. Inuyasha was nowhere to been seen.

This scenario had replayed too often for Shippo not to make the connection — the tremor likely stemmed from something Inuyasha had done, or more aptly, failed to do once again.

A faint smell of salt reached his nose, and sleep eluded him thereafter.

***

By the time the sun was at its zenith, Kagome, the cause of Shippo's restless night, was back to her cheerful self. However, the young fox demon noticed that the salty scent had lingered until dawn.

The girl of the future looked tired. The usual glow in her chocolate eyes was dim. When she spotted Shippo, she managed to summon a small smile.

"Shippo-chan, would you mind catching some fish while we gather kindling?" Kagome asked, dusting soil off her hands as she turned to the small redhead.

"But we had fish yesterday! Can't we just eat candy instead?" Shippo retorted with a pout.

Kagome chuckled in response.

Shippo was well aware his proposal would be rebuffed, but he tried anyway. If only to see her smile.

***

The tranquil forest creek was perfect for catching small fish. Unfortunately for Shippo, the fish were elusive and fast. His small hands grasped another collection of twigs and moss while the prey darted back into the stream.

The clouds gave way to the sun, and the midday sun shone hot. After more than an hour of fishing, his meager haul was a tiddler and an eel. Overcome with frustration, he cried out.

"Damn you, Inuyasha! You should be here, taking care of Kagome!" He hurled the mossy twigs back into the river, watching as they floated downstream. He looked at his small hands, too tiny to catch any larger fish. "I wish I was big enough to care for her myself. Then she wouldn't need any stupid dogs."

With a sigh, his hands dropped.

***

"Ku ku ku kuu."

Within his fortress, Naraku casually surveyed his enemies through the looking glass, held aloft by his minion, Kanna.

"It's been some time since I last extended my greetings to the Inutachi," he said, his lips curling into an unsettling grin. "How thoughtless of me." His voice dripped with malevolent pleasure as he spoke to no one in particular, fondling the Shikon Jewel in his slender fingers. His toxic claw gently sliced through the orb as if it were made of pudding. A small fragment was cut away from the jewel, pitch black, tainted by his malevolent aura.

"What a shame should his wish go unheard."

***

Disheartened and ready to abandon his fishing efforts, Shippo began to retrieve his clothes from the creek's bank where he had left them, hoping to avoid soaking them. A low grumble emanated from his chest as he glanced at his paltry catch. He could only hope Kagome wouldn't think of him as a complete failure—though he was already convinced he was.

As Shippo reached for his vest, a sudden, sharp pain flared at the back of his neck. Instinctively, he swatted at the area, crushing the culprit beneath his palm. It fell to the ground — a large, purple-yellow insect with oversized red eyes. It twitched its legs a few times before growing still.

"Naraku’s insect?" Shippo pondered, rubbing his aching neck. He sniffed the air, searching for further signs of Naraku. Although nothing seemed amiss, a relentlessly ominous feeling settled in his gut. "Something's wrong. I need to tell the others."

He made a return to the camp, but after just a few steps, he collapsed to the ground. It felt like the ground beneath had given away and he was swallowed by a bog-hole.

A scorching, pulsating pain coursed through his every limb, muscle, and vein. An agonizing fire seemed to spawn within his neck.

Overwhelmed by the excruciating pain engulfing him, he let out a terrified scream.

***

The moment Kagome heard the scream, she instinctively dropped her kindling. Sango and Miroku were nowhere in sight, but she was certain the scream was Shippo's. The little kitsune was in danger. Without hesitation, she sprinted toward the creek where Shippo was supposed to be fishing.

As she ran, she retrieved her bow and arrows, determined to waste no time in seeking help or reinforcements. Shippo's scream had been blood-curdling; she needed to act fast.

Seeing the sparse grove of trees that marked the creek's location, she knew the bank was close.

"Shippo-chan!" She called, scanning the ground with her eyes. There was no response, and she withdrew an arrow from her quiver, preparing for a confrontation.

With her bowstring taut and an arrow nocked, she studied the creek bank, ready to unleash a purifying shot on any foe that appeared.

"Shippo-chan! Are you there?" She called out again, more forcefully this time.

A movement in the corner of her eye caught her attention, and she swiftly aimed her arrow toward it. A slender figure arose from the foliage, groaning audibly. The sun blinded her momentarily, forcing her to squint against the backlight.

The figure took a few shaky steps, but Kagome couldn't identify it.

"Stop!" She ordered the unknown creature. Her fingers tingled against the feathered shaft of her arrow. She could sense it—the shard.

The creature froze at her command and looked straight at her. It was a young demon, around the same age as Inuyasha. His long red hair burned like a fierce flame against the sun, and his emerald eyes contrasted starkly against his ivory skin.

"Kagome?" The young man's voice was coarse.

Tension mounting, Kagome demanded, "Who are you? What have you done to my friend!"

The young fox demon wobbled closer to Kagome, seemingly oblivious to his transformation.

"Kagome-chan?" He inhaled deeply, unable to recognize his own voice. "It's me, Shippo."

Shippo placed a hand on his throat and coughed in an attempt to clear his voice, but the effort did nothing to alleviate the roughness of his new tone.

"Something's wrong..." Shippo began, then stopped abruptly, clutching his throat in shock.

Maintaining her distance, Kagome suspiciously eyed the young man claiming to be Shippo. The idea was absurd. It must be a malevolent trick, she thought. However... Kagome relaxed her grip on the bow slightly. The man's aura was strikingly similar to Shippo's, and his clothing bore a resemblance as well. The attire seemed strained and torn, as if he had suddenly outgrown them.

"Don't come any closer!" She warned the demon, even though she was hesitant to aim her arrow at him. But there was no denying the fact that he was in possession of a shard.

The young man barely heeded her warning as he was too distraught staring at his hands. Previously small palms had grown large and wide, sprouting lean, long fingers tipped with razor-sharp claws. His arm, once a skinny twig, now showcased toned muscles. Soft fur and paws had been replaced with more humanoid limbs. The formerly petite body had stretched to a stature of a grown man and morphed into a well-defined muscular torso. Fine ginger hair, a trademark of post-puberty, now covered his arms and legs.

"Kagome," he said solemnly, not in a threatening manner but with evident concern. "Naraku did something to me. I... I..."

When his chest began to rapidly fall and rise in an onset of panic, Kagome finally lowered her weapon. A surge of concern washed over her. Even if he wasn't who he claimed to be, she sensed no malice from him. He appeared genuinely shaken and in need of help.

"Okay. Fine. You need to come with me," Kagome instructed, attempting to keep her voice steady in case this was some sort of trick. Kitsune demons were known for their pranks, particularly on gullible humans. Perhaps this was a prank that had gone wrong, with a lower-level demon coming into contact with the Shikon Jewel. It had happened before. Not everyone who used the jewel was evil.

The man looked at her with relief.

***

Upon reaching the campsite, the young man immediately migrated towards the stump Shippo typically used as 'his spot'. Realizing that the stump was now too small for his transformed body, he whined in disappointment and reluctantly settled on the ground next to it. He rested his arms on the now comparatively diminutive seat with a sense of longing.

As Kagome was stowing her equipment away, her seasoned travelling companion, Sango, approached with an air of curiosity.

"Kagome-chan! Where is everyone?" She cast her gaze over the man on the ground who was examining his fingers as if he'd never seen them before. In a softer voice, she pointed towards him and asked, "Who's your new friend over there?"

Kagome gestured for Sango to follow her away from "Shippo".

"He insists he's Shippo. That Naraku somehow transformed him into his full demon form. I sense a shard within him, and it seems like he's unaware of its presence. Either that or he's an exceptional liar."

The girls huddled together, Sango craning her neck over Kagome's head to scrutinize the unfamiliar man. The resemblance to Shippo was striking. Had she not known better, she might have guessed they were close relatives. Sango sensed nothing malevolent about him either. Yet, something else caught her attention and caused a blush to stain her cheeks. She quickly pulled her head back, much like a turtle retreating into its shell, to continue their discussion.

"Let's wait for the others to arrive before deciding what to do. If you think you can handle him, I'll search for Shippo's tracks as a precaution, in case this man is lying. Kirara will stay with you for added safety."

At Sango's suggestion, Kagome nodded and began to move away, only for Sango to pull her back in.

"While I'm gone, get him some clothes for decency's sake. I got more than an eyeful of him just now.”

The grave nature of their situation momentarily eased as the girls exchanged smirks. Kagome was reassured, knowing she could always rely on the older woman’s rational and swift decision-making.

***

Kagome brought the man, Shippo, she explored the idea in her head, to a hut Sango and Miroku used in Kaede's village. Even though Miroku was perpetually clad in monk robes, he also had a collection of civilian clothes. Kagome suspected they were for disguise purposes or perhaps for his surreptitious observations of women. Keeping these thoughts to herself, she followed Sango's instructions and started rummaging through a dimly lit closet.

"You need some new clothes at the very least," she said, her fingers skimming through different types of robes and kimonos until she found a modest pair of hakama and haori. This should suffice. Thankfully, they weren't too extravagant. The gods only knew what sort of outlandish costumes might be hidden in the depths of this closet.

"We can get you shoes from the local cobbler if you'd like a pai..."

Her words trailed off, choked by surprise as her lips formed a shocked 'O'. Unbeknownst to her, Shippo had taken matters into his own hands and already discarded his clothes.

For Shippo, this was far from strange. He'd spent considerable time naked around Kagome, enjoying hot springs and frolicking in fresh streams. The woman seemed to have an affinity for bathing. He had even playfully suggested once that she might be secretly a mermaid rather than a priestess.

However, Shippo seemed to overlook that his form was no longer that of a small boy. Or perhaps he hadn't forgotten, but until this point, he had neglected to consider that Kagome might perceive him as anything other than a child. But he wasn't a child, not mentally. Despite his juvenile behavior, he was many times her age and much more mature than that inu youkai who was actually older than him. He enjoyed the sympathy and treats that came with acting like a child, but he was not foolish.

During the brief moment it took Kagome to tear her gaze away from him, she had seen enough to leave a detailed image imprinted in her mind. The muscular body that men in her era would spend years in the gym for. The slender, powerful hips that many women would undoubtedly bite down their lips for. The nest of ginger curls doing little to hide the attribute that separated men from boys. And this man was certainly no boy. The image still as clear behind her tightly closed eyelids, vivid as if she was still staring at it. So long and thick a shaft it was practically vulgar.

"Oh, god, Kagome! I'm sorry! I totally forgot that I'm... Ah..." His voice floated towards her, filled with remorse.

"I didn't mean to startle you. Please, Kagome." Shippo's voice grew more rueful. It was clear that Kagome was frightened, seeing him as a stranger.

"I am Shippo. You have nothing to fear. Kagome-chan..."

The young woman handed the clothes to him, crooking her hand behind her back, not daring to turn back around.

"Just... Put them on. Please," she implored; her eyes still tightly shut as a precaution. She felt the clothes being taken from her hands, allowing her to relax her tensed shoulders slightly.

"You've always been so kind, Kagome," Shippo began to reminisce, aiming to provide her with some comfort. "I remember when we first met. I was horrible to you and Inuyasha, tricking you in my desperation to avenge my parents. I thought the ends would justify the means. But you forgave me. Even when I put you in danger, you accepted me into your life. For that, I'm eternally grateful. Even though... Inuyasha did deserve those statues on him."

Seeing that Kagome was listening and had relaxed her defensive posture, he unconsciously moved closer to her.

"Traveling with you has been the best time of my life. I've experienced so much, more than even the most seasoned, older demons can claim. I know for a fact there's no other being in my day and age who has tasted Pockys or Ramune." His light-hearted tone gradually shifted to something more solemn and hoarse, even as he continued to discuss such trivial things.

"My favorite treats are rock candy. Just like yours."

Rather than hearing his voice, Kagome could now feel it, closer to her neck. The more he spoke, the softer his voice became. An odd sensation engulfed them, akin to swimming in deep water where the bottom is unseen. Now, she felt as if she were diving through this water, unable to discern up from down. It was a feeling of immobilizing fear, albeit intermingled with a spark of curiosity that kept her riveted in suspense. The same curiosity that emboldened people to tightrope walk over a perilous drop.

"You might be confused by my appearance now, but I'm not a stranger. And you, Kagome, are not a stranger to me."

He let the clothes fall to the ground, his thoughts clouded by an unfamiliar yet instinctive fog that had little interest in dressing.

'She smells different. So wonderful.'

"When you were ten years old, your cat, Buyo, was still a kitten and climbed a tree by your shrine. You were so worried, you climbed up to rescue Buyo. You didn't know that cats can handle themselves, and Buyo hopped down unscathed. You weren't so fortunate. You twisted your wrist and scratched your chest."

Shippo had moved so close that he was practically pressing Kagome against the closet. He heard her breath hitch when he gently rested his hands on her arms.

His insides had transitioned from a simmer to a rolling boil within the span of a few sentences, during the movement of couple inches. He felt heady, intoxicated by her scent in the confines of the small room.

"You can still see the scar." He murmured, taking a deep inhalation of her hair. Fear. He could smell fear.

"Under your breast." He whispered into her neck, resisting the urge to bite her there. He refrained, knowing he would shatter the cobweb thin trust he'd just began to build.

The fear she felt wasn't the type experienced in the face of an enemy or when roused from a nightmare. It was more akin to the fear of leaping from a significant height into a lake or the anxious anticipation of being found during hide-and-seek.

She was sure it had to be him. It had to be Shippo. Even if, by some unlikely chance, Naraku or someone else had seen the scar, they wouldn't know its origin. She hadn't told that story to Inuyasha or anyone else in their group. And no one besides their small party knew she was a time-traveler or could name candies from the future. This had to be Shippo, but not the Shippo she knew. This was an adult Shippo. As her fear of being deceived by an enemy subsided, another, more terrifying sensation arose. It intensified when his large, pointed fingers tightened around her wrists, and it rendered her motionless when his breath tickled the fine hairs on her neck.

They stood in silence, at an impasse, neither willing to move.

Shippo was consumed by a powerful desire to press his hips into her supple flesh. The thought was tempting, yet simultaneously impossible to act upon without risking sending her running away in fear.

Another, more potent and overwhelming thought was to turn her around, lift her onto his lap, tear her expensive uniform into shreds, and ravage her right there. Loop his finger through those ridiculously scanty underpants and move them to the side. Slid his engorged throbbing cock into her… By the smell of her, she was not unexpectant of that prospect herself.

As increasingly explicit thoughts entered Shippo's mind with varying intensity, he found a newfound sympathy for Miroku. Since Shippo hadn't yet experienced the true force of adult hormones, he couldn't have imagined the influence they exerted over logical thinking. But standing there, looking down on his rock-hard cock, he understood why men overwhelmed by lust sometimes acted like raving drunkards. Disregarding what was decent, appropriate, or sane.

He knew he had to handle this situation immediately, before Kagome might inadvertently let out a small moan or shift her rear in contact with his heated flesh that would propel them past the point of no return.

He closed his eyes and took one last inhale of her hair, capturing her natural scent mixed with tropical fruits. Then, he released his hold on her hands, quickly gathered the clothes from the floor, and retreated to the nearest shrub.

Kagome remained propped against the closet, frozen in place, as she heard the door of the small house open and close. A gentle breeze drifting in from outside felt like a bucket of icy water dousing her entire body. She hadn't even realized how much hotter the room had become compared to the outdoor air. She shivered and let out a moan.

What the hell had just happened!?

***

The now-grown fox demon stood in the heart of the Inyasha forest. His hakama and haori loosely hanging on his unexpectedly developed frame and his bangs obscuring the look on his face.

He peered down on his hardened flesh. This had never happened to him before, the slowly burning fire of need setting his manhood into concretion.

He felt helpless and inept. A need, beyond his understanding, called for satisfaction, and all he could do was stand there, observing his rampant condition. It was related to the urge to mate. The reason why stags battled each other in spring, why stray cats wailed into the night, and why the libertine monk constantly sought women to "bear his child". A primal, carnal need to reproduce.

Before this day, Shippo had always thought this urge was driven by a logical desire to continue one's lineage, a recognition of one's mortality and the yearning to procreate. But it was not linked to logic. It was deeper, more potent than reason.

He knew she had triggered it. And he knew she was the only one who could alleviate his condition, but he was too confused and fearful to ask for such relief. It was up to him to coax his own body into submission.

He ungracefully took a grasp of his shaft and hissed at the contact. He had held his member countless of times before. While bathing or easing himself of the need to urinate. But this was something all together different. This contact was decadent where other times it had been practical.

He squeezed down hard on the strained flesh. It made him throb.

An involuntary groan escaped his lips.

It wasn't enough, not even close.

His hips buckled, thrusted against the circle of fingers, emulating something that was beyond his artless imagination. He groaned again.

'Shit,' he cursed in his mind.

He'd willingly endure any physical pain over this unfamiliar torment he didn't know how to satiate. This was worse than the agony inflicted by Naraku's insects. This was a willful pain. Anything debased about it was of his own doing, this volatile desire.

'Fuck,' he cussed again and thrusted more violently against his own hand.

***

Shippo returned to camp, now sober and filled with remorse for his earlier behavior towards Kagome. He sought the priestess, fearing reprimands for his prior wanton actions, but it was a confrontation that had to be faced.

But it wasn't the future girl he first came by. It was the half-demon canine who lazed about the huts their companions currently occupied.

"What the fuck," Inuyasha huffed, his hand instinctively reaching for the handle of Tessaiga.

The half-demon had spotted the unfamiliar figure approaching the village, and a disconcerting unease took hold of his senses. This stranger smelled of Shippo, Kagome, and the monk for reasons yet unknown to him. The future girl, at that time, was still unaware of her companions' return.

"Who the hell are you?" Inuyasha growled, the threat of violence evident in his question.

Shippo halted, overwhelmed by a confusing blend of emotions.

He recognized Inuyasha but could see none of their other friends around. Inuyasha was clearly on the offense, not recognizing who he was. Thus, it was evident that the half-demon hadn't seen Kagome yet and possibly hadn't learned of Shippo's earlier indiscretions. Still, something within the transformed fox demon provoked confrontation rather than calmly explaining his transformation.

From day one, Shippo had clashed with the hanyou. There was something about Inuyasha that he had instantly disliked: his arrogance, lack of reason, foul smell, bad temper, and most of all — his treatment of Kagome. As if she was merely an expendable tool, a shard detector, and nothing more. Yet, Inuyasha strung her along with crumbs of hope, crushing them by visiting the lifeless imitator.

Whether intentional or not, Inuyasha had conjured the salty fragrance of sorrow Shippo had detected on countless nights. She hurt for him.

"You should know, Inuyasha. It hasn't been that long since we last saw each other," Shippo retorted mockingly, lifting his chin up proudly and bearing his teeth in a wide, unpleasant smile.

"Oh, you must be confused by my appearance," he sneered, raising his arms to display his new form.

"I dunno how ya know me, but I sure as hell don't know ya!" Inuyasha spat, tightening his grip on his sword, readying himself for a fight.

"Is there something wrong with your nose then, Inuyasha?" The fox demon taunted, smirking when Inuyasha unsheathed his sword. He had caused her pain, and he was about to pay for it.

"I'm not scared of your toothpick, dog-brain."

Inuyasha barely had time to register the insult when Shippo, using his full demonic speed, appeared next to him and kicked the sword from his grasp.

The red-haired man, standing slightly taller than his dog demon companion, grabbed Inuyasha by his suikan and snarled in his ear. "Oh, how I've waited for this."

The next thing Inuyasha knew, he was flying in the opposite direction of his sword, feeling a sting in his jaw.

"You fuck," he growled, rubbing his sore chin as he nimbly landed on his feet, regaining his balance in the dirt.

This guy was strong. Very, very strong. And he was moving at a speed that Inuyasha struggled to track.

'Shit,' the half-demon thought. If that fucker decided to stop playing and get serious, Inuyasha would be in trouble. Especially without his sword. Despite his often brash exterior, Inuyasha was not a complete idiot. He knew a fox demon wouldn't be a match for him unless aided by something.

'Where the fuck is the jewel detector when you need one.'

***

Kagome and Sango were jolted from their conversation as a thunderous crash, followed by a piercing howl of pain, echoed through the village. The panicked squawks of birds filled the air as they fled their peaceful perches in droves.

Neither woman spoke. Both dashed out of Sango's hut, seizing whatever weapons they could quickly grab.

Another violent crash and a slew of curses guided them to the commotion.

Kagome arrived at the scene just after Sango. They found Inuyasha, bloodied and beaten, sprawled on the ground beside a partially demolished hut. Shippo stood in the opposite direction, his face contorted with madness and elation. He seemed oblivious to the two women as he clenched his fists, appearing ready to launch another attack in Inuyasha's direction.

"NO! STOP IT!" Kagome screamed, rushing towards Shippo while Sango hurried to aid Inuyasha.

Her desperate plea seemed to jerk Shippo back to his senses, and he relaxed from his poised stance.

"What are you doing?!" Kagome demanded, grabbing hold of Shippo's haori – as though she could truly restrain him if he decided to make mincemeat out of Inuyasha.

Shippo watched as Sango bent over Inuyasha to assess the damage he'd sustained. His triumphant exhilaration faded, replaced by remorse as he studied the expressions on the two women's faces. Kagome looked angry, sad, and afraid; it was not just noticeable, but potent in the air.

His chest tightened. Had he become no better than that idiot, causing everyone to worry? He gently placed his hand on Kagome's arm, not gripping or squeezing, just resting it lightly there.

"Kagome..." He tried to apologize, but the words caught in his throat when the young woman shot him a piercing glare.

A long groan broke their silent standoff. They watched as Inuyasha sat up, with Sango's help, holding his head and spitting out blood and gravel.

"Fuck," he coughed, wiping blood off his chin. "Where'd that motherfucker go?" He blustered, attempting to rise, groaning at the pain from his bruised flesh and possibly broken ribs.

As soon as he was on his feet, he spotted his assailant standing beside Kagome, holding her hand. His wounded pride forced him to ignore his pain as he lunged towards Shippo, only to be held back by Sango.

"What the fuck is that assbreath with the shard doing with Kagome?" Inuyasha snarled, struggling to shake off Sango's grip. Shippo, taken aback by his words, pulled Kagome behind him, baring his teeth at Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha, stop it!" Sango ordered sternly, gripping his arms in a vice-like hold.

"Enough!" She declared, shooting Shippo a stern look that quenched his fighting spirit.

"Well, at least he seems to be back into his good spirits." Kagome noted sourly and looked at the man in the fire rat robes. This was the first time she had seen him since his latest visit to a certain other priestess.

Inuyasha tried to meet Kagome's gaze, but one of his eyes was beginning to swell shut.

"Explain this to me," he dictated to no one in particular. Seeing that the half-demon was still alive, Kagome's concern eased. She wasn't in the mood to soothe his wounds, neither physical nor emotional.

"Sango, if you will," Kagome requested, turning her back on Inuyasha. She grabbed Shippo's arm, dragging him away from the scene. t would do all of them good to cool down a little while not in the direct line of sight of each other.

As Shippo was led away, he stuck out his tongue at Inuyasha in a cheeky farewell. The barrage of curses they left under would have made even the most seasoned sailor blush.

***

Once they'd trekked a suitable distance from the village, Kagome led them off the small path in Inuyasha no Mori, nearly slamming Shippo against a tree.

"Now," she warned him, taking a deep breath. "What the hell was that?" She huffed. Her coarse language momentarily stunned Shippo. "What kind of idiotic masculine urge drove you to attack Inuyasha like that?"

"I-" Shippo attempted to defend himself, but Kagome was not having any of it. She needed to let off steam. The events of the past days - the Shikon shard, Shippo's feud with Inuyasha, Inuyasha prancing around wooing dead soul-sucking abominations, him being practically pummeled into a minute stake, and Shippo's sudden transformation into a very attractive grown man - were all too much. Too many changes, too quickly. Her mind was a whirlpool of confusion. While Inuyasha likely deserved a beating for several reasons, this was not the way.

"What you did was just... I know you guys don't have the best track record, but-" Kagome was cut short.

Shippo twirled her against a tree, and before he could regain control, found himself exploring Kagome's mouth with his own.

Adulthood was confusing. One moment he yearned to express his strength through violence, the next he was rendered weak by a woman - and he enjoyed every bit of it.

A harsh slap sounded grotesquely loud in the quiet forest. The force behind it hadn't been much, but the sharp clap abruptly shattered the silence.

"How dare you..." Kagome panted, venom in her eyes, but her words were breathy and soft.

And her scent.

A man with even a smidgen of decency would leave a woman alone, especially after receiving a smack and a deathly glare.

But her scent was intoxicating, like a bed of flowers after a long-awaited rainfall. Alive, vibrant, and in full bloom.

His gaze slid to her lips, still moist, trembling. Her chest heaved, a blush creeping up the collar of her school uniform to her neck and cheeks. Her body was alive with pulsating blood.

He could feel the primitive response of his own body echoing hers. His blood roared in his ears.

No wonder human males were conflicted by the 'mixed signals of women', as Miroku had once explained after he was resoundingly rejected.

So Shippo wasn't deterred by Kagome's reaction. He tilted his head down again and stole another sample of those succulent plump lips.

This time she let out a soft moan, listing her head back for better access. When she tried to slap him again, Shippo caught her hand mid-air and held it hostage in his own. Pushing her firmer against the bark of the tree, enjoying the soft feel of her body.

Kagome gasped when she felt him. Her small cry was muffled by Shippo's eager mouth, but she managed to free herself.

"No. Stop!" She swallowed down his taste and pushed his body away.

"I am... I'm not..." The young woman stuttered over her words.

"I can't do this..." She breathed. "I... Inuyasha and I..."

A surge of anger cut through his desire. Shippo clenched his jaw in frustration, fighting the urge to punch the tree beside him.

"He's no better. He's been running..." He didn't want to say it. "...who knows where, without informing any of us. Making you worry."

Why was it so wrong for her to act on desires that Inuyasha himself frequently indulged in?

"I'm not like that," Kagome asserted demurely, looking into the kitsune's impossibly green eyes. "I don't want to do this out of spite."

Shippo nuzzled her neck and stroked her silky black hair. "Then don't," he murmured, planting a kiss on her pulse. "Do it for you."

Kagome squeezed her eyes shut and bit her bottom lip, attempting to suppress the goosebumps spreading along her arms in response to his feathery caresses.

"This... doesn't feel right," she sighed. "It feels unnatural. You're almost like a..."

How exactly does one transition from an adoptive child to a lover in a matter of a day? It was an insane thought, too depraved to be questioned aloud. The mere acknowledgment of such an Oedipal-like situation unsettled her, let alone actively participating in it.

"Kagome," he groaned, the uncomfortable hardness in his loins making coherent thought a challenge but all the more crucial if he hoped to alleviate his discomfort.

"I know I said I'm no stranger to you. That I'm the same Shippo as I've always been, but... I'm not," he softly explained, suckling the skin on her throat.

"These feelings I have..." He unconsciously ground his hips against her, eliciting a delightful gasp and another waft of her arousing scent mixed with the forest.

"I feel... like a man." Shippo didn't know how to better explain it. He lazily pulled at the tail of her school uniform scarf, gently sliding the red cloth down.

"I am a man," he nearly growled, deftly unbuttoning her uniform shirt. Kagome was almost impressed with the nimbleness and ease of his movements, as though he'd had ample practice undressing seifukus on young women.

In actuality Shippo was intimately acquainted with her futuristic outfits. He'd seen her undress countless times, admiring the craftsmanship of her clothes. In the future, they had sewing machines that enabled such precise needlework. Sometimes, he'd even helped her wash, button, and fold her clothes when they were soiled by demon blood and gore. He knew how to navigate them.

The idea was tempting, Kagome had to admit. She wasn't the type of woman to have a casual fling with a stranger, nor the type to entertain the idea of "friends with benefits". Yet with Shippo, it was a strange blend of both, a 'best of both worlds' scenario.

She wrapped her hands around his neck. His muscles and bundles of tendons felt hard and strong. She stroked the hairline at the back of his neck, feeling the shard just beneath his warm skin.

No matter how she rationalized it, she knew she couldn't go through with this. The thought of being with Shippo was... impossible.

She rose to her tiptoes and planted a kiss on his collarbone. 'This can't happen.'

Before she could muster her priestess energy to purify and remove the shard, Shippo tightly gripped her arms and pulled them down.

"I know this is because of the shard," he admitted, his intense gaze making Kagome flinch slightly.

"I know my transformation is because of the Shikon no Tama," he confessed, feeling regretful. He had wished it could have been something permanent, something he could hold onto.

Kagome crossed her arms over her chest, blushing and looking away from him.

"I know you'll return me to my previous form. I accept that. But before you do..." He sighed wistfully, a hint of a smile in his voice. "I want you for this moment."

He knew that once he'd naturally aged into adulthood, Kagome would no longer... So, this was their one and only chance.

He kissed her again, and Kagome began to struggle for breath, attempting one last time to push him away.

"B-but!" She drew in a sharp breath. "This will change everything between us! We can't go back to the way we used to be after..."

Shippo chuckled and discarded his clothes, advancing his own desires to the shock of the woman before him.

"Once the shard is gone, I will remember nothing of this," he reassured her, lifting her onto his hips. Neither truly knew if it was true or not, but it was the only consolation he could offer.

"B-b-but..." She tried in vain, her mind practically swimming already in a sea of carnal delights.

Lord knew he was gorgeous. That broad chest, rippling muscles, incredibly hard back and buttocks, she noted as she wrapped her legs around him. He was sin incarnate.

He continued his skillful maneuvers, reducing the human girl to a puddle of desire. Wet trails of kisses traced along her neck and chest, his hands trembling on her hips.

"I've never known anything as wonderful as your body," his hoarse confession stroked her womanly pride, which had been bruised many times by an inconsiderate half-dog demon. So, she didn't pull away when she felt Shippo's fingers on the hem of her underwear.

There was no shame or guilt, not when he so gently brushed all those feelings away with his hands, mouth, and words.

This was an opportunity for Shippo to fulfill his earlier fantasies. He carefully nudged aside the small strip of fabric that barred their union, one soaked with her delicate heat. He positioned his hardened member against her bared flesh.

He didn't ask for admittance. He knew she had desired him from the moment he had touched her. And there was a certain masculine compulsion to dominate. She was his to claim.

He didn't need guidance in something that was instinctual for a man. The act wasn't unfamiliar to him in the sense that he had studied the many animals of the forest. Plus, he accompanied a monk who tended to overshare.

He entered her. A sharp pain pierced her from within, soon to be replaced by warmth and a strange new sensation.

"Ah!" She cried out.

It was unlike anything she had imagined. To merge with another living being, to breathe their breath and pulsate in synchrony. It was beautiful, even if painful.

Shippo whispered into her ear and continued to move rhythmically between her legs.

Thin coat of perspiration formed on the surface of his skin as he struggled to keep her in the most comfortable position considering their surroundings, keep her pleasured while trying to control himself from getting lost into his own desire completely. It took great efforts to master the proper speed and depth of penetration so that he wasn't being too rough with her.

But when her nails dug themselves into the flesh of his back, he abandoned reason and succumbed to his urges. He pounded her mercilessly against the tree, until she wailed and convulsed around him. Sweet release swept both of them away to a faraway place neither had previously been to.

Spent and entwined, they held onto to each other against the tree. Until Shippo gave an mischievous grin and pulled Kagome down with him on the mattress of soil and moss.

***

The remainder of the day was spent in the forest stream. They frolicked in the water, chased one another and splashed playfully. They cuddled, shared kisses, and periodically retreated to the bank for languid lovemaking. Again and again, they coupled like starved beasts. Shippo ensured no part of her body lacked attention or caresses until the sun set and rose again. Then, all of their shared moments turned into mere memories.

***

Kagome rotated her small jar of shards in her hands, holding it up to the light, causing the purple fragments of jewel to glow in a transparent shade of aster.