I Will Survive

The stars shown brilliantly and a gentle wind blew rocking the branches of the trees near by. Shippo hummed quietly as his fox feet quickly padded across the wooden floor on the outside of the large inn that they were staying at. Stopping at a sliding door, he gently pulled it open to see Miroku just finishing changing into a robe for the night. "Hi Miroku!"

The man turned around and gave Shippo a soft smile. "Why hello there Shippo."

"I just came by here to thank you for getting us a place to stay for the night." Crossing his arms across his chest, Shippo continued; his voice somewhat darker then before. "I was getting really tired of sleeping in the woods all the time. Especially after I found that slug on my foot…"

Miroku placed a hand over his mouth trying to hide his smile. "Ah yes…I remember that. Well no worries Shippo! This place needs a cleansing!" He suddenly grew serious. "I sense a strong demonic aura lurking around this place."

"Really?"

After a quick glance around to make sure nobody was listening, Miroku knelt down and whispered in Shippos ear. "Well don't tell anybody, but actually, no. This place is fine."

Shippos shoulders drooped and his eyes narrowed. "Oh really? You don't say…" Then mumbling under his breath he added, "I can't believe I actually fell for that…"

Miroku stood up laughing as Shippo turned around to leave. "Oh, real quick Shippo, have you seen Sango anywhere?"

Pausing the small fox brought a hand up to scratch his head as he thought. "Umm…I think she's already asleep."

A devilish smirk formed on Mirokus face and he rubbed his hands together in thought. "Good good…that's just perfect."

"Oh, have you seen Kagome?"

Miroku blinked as he snapped out of his daze. "Yeah, she's just two rooms down."

"Thanks!" Then turning around Shippo closed the screen door and ran down the wooden floor; carefully counting how many doors went by. When he got to the second one away from Mirokus he stopped; his small hands reaching out for the edge to pull it open.

Some angry shouting from the room however caused him to freeze; his hand hovering a mere inch away from the door. Inuyasha and Kagome were fighting again…and by the sounds of it, this one was really ugly. After quietly considering what to do he decided to pull the screen door open and he quickly regretted doing so.

The two of them were no longer facing each other; Kagome looking absolutely devastated and Inuyasha looking just plain pissed. Moving slowly into the room Shippo spoke gently; his eyes fixed on Kagome. "…Kagome…are you okay?"

Kagome just sniffled and she dabbed at her eyes with a sleeve. Inuyasha however stood up and angrily stomped over to where Shippo was standing. Picking him up by his tail he gave him an angry glare. "Bug off Shippo! This doesn't have anything to do with you!" Then pulling his arm way back, Inuyasha flung the fox outside of the room.

Shippo screamed as he whizzed though the air. Loosing altitude he screamed again though that one was quickly muffled as he landed face first on a hill. Then rolling like a tire he sped down the hillside and rolled for a while more into a forest before finally coming to a stop.

Spitting out a clump of grass and dirt he glanced around at his new surroundings. He sat in a large clearing of the forest and right in front of him a large lake sat perfectly still, the full moon reflecting off of its glassy surface. A few bunnies, deer, foxes and other wildlife were lounging about, with absolutely no thoughts of attacking each other.

Standing up Shippo walked over to the waters edge staring out at his reflection; a sad look etched on his face. Then sniffling he rubbed at his eyes feeling himself about to cry. "Why does Inuyasha always have to be so mean?" Then sniffling again a few tears trickled down his cheeks. "N-no! I won't cry. I…I…"

Sighing he stared back at the water. He then began to sing softly to his reflection. "At first I was afraid. I was petrified…" He closed his eyes and a picture of Kagome appeared in his mind. "Kept thinking I could never live without you by my side." The picture changed to Inuyasha and he stood up; singing a bit more confidently. "But then I spent so many nights, thinking how you did me wrong."

Some of the bunnies, upon hearing Shippo start to sing pulled out a mini conga drum from their fur and rapidity banged on it, their fuzzy little heads swaying from side to side with the beat. Two deer then walked over in front of Shippo; two giant leaves hanging out of their mouths and with them they created a type of screen in front of him.

When the deer removed the giant leaves Shippo was wearing a puffy curly dark brown wig, a loose shiny gold shirt, tan pants, and at least three inch high platform shoes. "And I grew strong, and I learned how to get along." Thousands of fireflies gathered overhead and used their light to make a type of spotlight on Shippo who had turned around from the lake and was walking foreword with exaggerated steps. "And so you're back, from outer space! I just walked in to find you here with that sad look upon your face."

Stopping walking he stood in place and he swung his tiny hips around in a slow circle, one of his hands extending out in front of him; every finger down but the index. "I should have changed that stupid lock, I should have made you leave your key." He quickly swirled his head over to one side; the curls of the wig bouncing with the movement. "If I had known for just one second you'd be back to bother me!"

The foxes in the clearing stood up and ran around Shippo in a slightly wide circle their tails held high and swooshing from side side gracefully and perfectly synchronized with each other. Shippo bobbed his head and he walked around in the circle. "Go on now, go! Walk out the door!" The foxes spun around in a quick twirl as they continued to run forming the circle. "Just turn around now, 'cause you're not welcome anymore. Weren't you the one who tried to hurt me with goodbye?"

The foxes broke out of the circle and moved over to a side where they formed a line. They then began to stomp the ground with their paws, their heads swaying and their tails swooshing around. Shippo walked over and pulled himself on top of a deers head his hands balled into fists and twirling around each other. "Did you think I'd crumble? Did you think I'd lay down and die?" Jumping off the deers head he slid down to his back then flipped himself off its small tail. "Oh no, not I! I will survive!"

Landing on the ground Shippo began to disco dance with the remainder of the bunnies who weren't banging on their mini conga drums. "Oh as long as I know how to love, I know I will stay alive!" The fireflies above changed their formation to form a giant heart. "I've got all my life to live. I've got all my love to give!" Shippo and all the bunnies clapped their hands together and they spun around in a circle; their asses swaying back and forth. "And I'll survive! I will survive, hey hey!"

Three rings then formed around Shippo, the closest being bunnies, then deer, then the largest one, the one on the outside, made of foxes. The foxes and the bunnies then began to run foreword while the deer ran the other way. Every once in a while they would jump, twirl around, bob their heads, or change directions. Shippo who was in the middle of it all was stepping from side to side. "It took all the strength I had not to fall apart." The heart that the fireflies made then broke into several pieces. "Kept trying hard to mend the pieces of my broken heart. And I spent oh so many nights, just feeling sorry for myself."

The foxes, deer and bunnies stopped running and they flopped on their backs; their legs stretching up into the air doing running motions and bending their knees once in a while. Shippo was stepping foreword but as soon as the foot touched the ground he pulled it back giving the appearance of him walking in place. His head was held up high and his hands were placed by his sides. "I used to cry but now I hold my head up high! And you see me, somebody new. I'm not that chained up little person still in love with you." Then placing one hand on his chest over his heart he continued. "And so you felt like dropping in, and just expected me to be free! And now I'm saving all my loving for someone who's loving me!"

The animals got back up on their feet and after quickly shaking to get the loose grass off they ran off to a side and sat down rolling across the floor. Shippo ran and slid on his knees before laying down on his stomach, also rolling. "Go on now, no! Walk out the door! Just turn around now, 'cause you're not welcome anymore." Then laying on his stomach, he bent his knees, bringing his feet up to his ass. "Weren't you the one who tried to break me with goodbye? Did you think I'd crumble? Did you think I'd lay down and die?"

Standing up Shippo walked over and stood in front of the rolling animals. "Oh no, not I! I will survive! Oh as long as I know how to love I know I will stay alive." Moving in front of the lake he swung his hips around as he stared at his reflection. "I've got all my life to live, I've got all my love to give. And I'll survive, I will survive!" Ripping off his wig he tossed it into the water where it sunk and disappeared. He then ripped off his clothing and those too disappeared. The bunnies stopped banging on their conga drums and all of the animals stood up; the fireflies scattering.

Looking around Shippo stared at the animals. "Okay…at least that wasn't weird or anything…" Then walking towards the hill he mumbled "Thank god Inuyasha or anybody else wasn't here…they'd laugh at me for the rest of their lives." Shippo shuddered at the thought.

When he was just a few feet up the hill, he turned around and looked back down at the lake. All of the animals were walking away and everything was still again, making it seem like just another ordinary night in the world.

I Will Survive, The End