Coyote Tricks: Fox Child

If you have not read the disclaimers in the first chapter please do so before proceeding. This chapter is rated PG for violence.

Foxes to the Fore

The new room was finished and furnished with children’s toys and decorations. All Toshiro and Yuki could get out of Shippo about who it was for was a name, Hanako.

As the day of Kit’s impending return drew near, Shippo became increasingly agitated. The Sunset Clan had always kept a discrete watch on the Sunset Shrine, Grandfather Higurashi would have been surprised to learn how many of his regular visitors before Kagome’s spirit powers started manifesting were Foxes in disguise. Now however the watch was stepped up to 24 hours with Shippo himself participating in many of them.

The sun had set on the Sunset Shrine as two foxes moved almost silently through the woods on the Shrine hillside. The older Fox with a flick of his five tails sat and nodded at the young single tailed Fox. With a puff a smoke, both Foxes transformed into their humanoid forms.

“Very Good Yoshi,” Shippo said. “Your tracking skills are getting better but I can still hear you a mile away.”
“I’m sorry, Elder. I will try harder to move silently.” The young demon said earnestly. It wasn’t often that a young member of the clan was coached by the Clan Leader himself; even if it was only because the older Fox wanted to be here when his ‘friend’ returned.

Shippo did a quick look up the hill and sampled the scents on the night air, assuring himself that everything was still quiet at the Shrine then turned back to his young student.
“Alright, let’s see your human form.”
Yoshi put a leaf on his head and with a puff changed. The brown hair turned black and pointed ears became human rounded. Yoshi was quite proud of the effort he had put into his human illusion, even to creating a skateboard with Fox Magic to complete the 10 year old skater punk image. He looked expectantly at Shippo then frowned as he followed the elder’s expression. Turning around he saw that his tail was still visible.
“I’m sorry, Elder. I guess I need to work harder on my invisibility too. I get excited.”
“That’s alright; a lot of young Kitsune have trouble with keeping their tail hidden even at your age. Can I assume you use those awful baggy pants as a back up?”
“Yes, Elder.” Yoshi said with a grin.

Shippo suddenly jerked and reached into his pocket for the cell phone inside.
‘Thank goodness for the vibrate mode,’ Shippo thought, ‘or else I would never be able to move quietly either.’
Yoshi watched as Shippo answered the call and saw the elder Fox’s expression harden as he talked.
“Where? The East Warehouse? Yes. Do you think it is the same one? No, Kurama is out of pocket. Alright, I’ll meet you there.”
Shippo hung up and looked at the young Fox again.
“I have to go there is trouble.”
“Can I come?!” Yoshi said, tail wagging, and then realizing his improper tone, corrected, “I mean can I help, Elder?”
“No,” Shippo said suppressing a grin at the youth’s eagerness. “I need you here to watch the Shrine. It’s important someone be here to help Coyote-Kun when he returns.”
“I understand, Elder.” Yoshi said in a disappointed tone
‘Ah, pups. So anxious to grow up.’

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The sign by the gate read

Ninja Foods, Inc.
East Tokyo Distribution Center

The guard came out of his shack to meet the car pulling up. The rear window rolled down to reveal Shippo.
“Anything new?”
“No, Elder,” the guard said bowing. “The demon is currently held up in warehouse 3. Per your instructions, we have not attempted to enter. We have erected an illusion of normality around the grounds so the Humans shouldn’t interfere.”
“Good, how many hurt?”
“Three, Sanji was killed in the first attack. The rest are in the infirmary. It destroyed the ramen packaging facility and wrecked a semi-truck before going in the warehouse. We’ve heard some smashing around inside but it hasn’t tried to come out.”
“And you are sure of the description, you gave me?” Shippo asked.
“Yes sir, black wings and lots of tentacles.”

“That’s him,” Toshiro said from behind the wheel. “What do you think he is doing, Father?”
“Waiting for us.”

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Yoshi knew he wasn’t supposed to be on the Shrine grounds proper but the court was clear. His Kitsune ears heard the sounds the TV playing in the living room of the house and the rest of the rooms were dark. There was still enough street noise to cover his skate board so he decided to skate around the courtyard a bit. He was just cutting a slow circle around the God Tree when the voice startled him.
“You’re not supposed to be skating here you know.”
He looked up to see Souta Higurashi, Kagome’s younger brother walking towards him.
“Oh, sorry,” Yoshi said thinking quickly. “I didn’t think anyone would mind and I don’t like skating by the street in the dark.”
“That’s alright,” Souta said grinning. “Just don’t let Grandpa see you or he’ll chase you off with a broom. I’m Souta, I live here.”
“Hi, I’m Yoshi.”
“That’s a nice skateboard; think you could show me how to ride it?”
“Sure!”

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Two Foxes leapt up and grabbed the tentacle, moving to strike another Kitsune, with their fangs and held on for dear life as the tentacle flailed wildly trying to dislodge them. After a moment they were flung free one after the other to be slammed into the wall with a yelp.

The entire warehouse was filled with flying tentacles, leaping Foxes and battling Kitsunes. One of the Kitsunes fell back to where Shippo had stopped to assess the situation.
"Shippo, he seems to have an endless supply of tentacles and eyes in the back of his head. We can't get close to him."
"Yes, I can see."
"He seems to have something for Toshiro though."

Shippo watched as his son was battling and dodging the largest number to tentacles. The Hanyou was whirling dervish of blazing swords and spell scrolls. He was holding his own to, though largely due to the distractions provided by the other Kitsunes.

"I think our opponent needs more to think about." Shippo said pulling something out of his coat pocket. He threw it at the monster and yelled.
"Fox Magic!"

The tiny figure grew into a giant robot. Fans of the Robotech series would have recognized it as a Valkyrie Battleoid.
"What is it with you and toys?" The Kitsune next to Shippo asked.
Shippo just grinned as he focused on his creation.

The robot joined the battle locking arms with the demon and drawing many of the tentacles. The Kitsunes were able to break through to bite and claw at the monsters ankles drawing ichor from the wounds but the monsters wings still protected the vulnerable spots.

Toshiro leapt into the fray with a loud cry, sword blazing with spirit energy to a deep gash in the wing and the monster's chest behind it.

The demon roared and its own demon energy flared in anger and pain. The wings spread outward and a flare of dark energy shot forth. Shippo's robot disappeared in blinding flash. The Foxes and Kitsunes were scattered.

Tentacles flew out and pinned Shippo and Toshiro to the ground before they could recover. The few remaining Kitsunes able to move rushed to their leader's aid but the monster just brushed them aside.

"Bwahahahaha! I have you now!" The Demon said turning its attention on Toshiro.
"Time to die, Fox Boy!"
"Toshiro!" Shippo yelled.

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Stardreamer: (BAM) Ouch!
Foxfur: Another cliffhanger!
Stardreamer: Sorry but what did you think?
Foxfur: I like that Yoshi and Souta made friends but what about Toshiro?
Stardreamer: Find out next chapter, Homecoming and Revelations.