A Stronger Demon
-x-
That's all I've ever wanted to be, a stronger demon. I wanted to become stronger, so I wouldn't have to see the weary faces on my comrades as they fought alongside me. I wanted to prove my role in the pack, and have everyone be able to rely on me as much I had relied on them all this time.
This is why I, Shippo, left to train.
At first, Inuyasha couldn't understand why I needed to leave and train. Naraku was dead, the jewel was gone forever and any demon that came our way would easily be destroyed by us. But I had refused to let him break through my resolve. I needed to do this. And as calmly as I could, I tried to explain to Inuyasha.
"You're stronger than me Inuyasha, by miles… And I want to one day catch up to you."
I knew I had shocked him, but it was the truth. I turned around and faced the half demon I considered my father figure and smiled brightly at him before heading off on my journey. I had already said my goodbyes to everyone but Inuyasha, and I knew his would've been the hardest to make. Inuyasha and I spent almost every day together after he had come back from rescuing Kagome and I knew he would be lonely; Miroku and Sango we already expecting a baby, and settling happily into their marriage life. I knew he missed Kagome more than anyone of us. I could see the sad glimmer in his eyes whenever he watched Miroku rub Sango's growing belly so happily. He wanted his life to be with Kagome and for a while I was mad.
I was mad at his stupidity. I teased him about it, as I always did with such things. He finally realized he truly loved Kagome and only Kagome only to be torn apart from her at the very instant. But this was the man I called my father, I had chosen him, so what did that say about me? Was his stupidity rubbing off on me?
Oh gosh, I had hoped not.
But nonetheless, I set off to train, to become a stronger demon that both Inuyasha and my late father would become proud of.
-x-
I had just come back from another fox demon exam, having been promoted; I raced home to show Inuyasha. I knew he would still tell me I was a weak and tiny fox demon, but I could always see past his words.
He would be proud of me.
That alone, made this training all the worthwhile.
I had floated past Miroku and Sango's house, and saw Miroku playing with his twin daughters. I chuckled; who would've known the lecher would be such a great father?
Sango had already given birth to their third child, a little boy. At this rate, they'll be able to re-populate Sango's village in no time. I remember making a silent wish on her belly, hoping the baby would not be influenced by Miroku's womanizing. Let us all pray….
Three years had gone and past and no sign from Kagome. As I flew over the well, I missed her terribly. I had longed for some of her ninja food and candies. I missed the way she used to sit Inuyasha and the way she would smile so tenderly. Fighting off my sadness, I went on to finding Inuyasha.
-x-
It was an average day.
I lay on my bed, rudely awoken by Inuyasha's snoring. Feeling my annoyance flare with my eyebrow twitching, I longed for the days where he never slept. I covered my ears to block his snore, but it didn't help. He just began to snore louder. I kicked my blankets off and began to shake his shoulder.
"Inuyasha….Inuyasha. INUYASHA!"
I wished I hadn't done that…
Because the next thing I knew Inuyasha had rolled over me and I had to suffer his weight upon me. I thought my life was over until Rin came in to wake us up. Oh sureee! Wake up to the sound of Rin entering our hut. And of course my day would continue to get worse as Inuyasha ate all the fish I caught for breakfast, only leaving the tiniest one for me.
I wondered why I had even bothered coming back to this doofus.
I stormed out of the hut and left to Keade's place, to help her out with something before I ended up trapping Inuyasha in a pit somewhere way off where no would find him….
And it was today, the day I had longed for Kagome to "Sit" Inuyasha to the seventh layer of hell…
That she would return.
Inuyasha raced off past me, and I became worried. What had just come over Inuyasha? I sniffed the air, and my heart thumped rapidly.
"Kagome's back!" I cried and tears filled my eyes.
Yes! She came back to sit Inuyasha for me!
I dropped what I was doing; leaving Keade confused as left her hut. I raced off to Miroku and Sango's hut to inform them, no doubt Inuyasha didn't. I watched them drop everything they were doing and quickly head to the bone's eater well with me.
And indeed, there she was. Nestled in Inuyasha's arms.
"Kagome!" I cried and quickly raced off to hug her.
-x-
Everyone wanted to become stronger. Inuyasha had battled with the demon within him to become a stronger half demon. I wanted to become a stronger demon. Miroku and Sango wanted to become stronger spouses for one another, and stronger provider for their children. Kagome, a stronger Miko.
Sango is now at her fifth child, and Miroku is rejoicing. He loves his children so much. He's over protective of his little girls, mainly the twins seeing as they had inherited his lechery. Sango, Inuyasha, Kagome and I almost died of laughter when we watched his twin girls sway the little boys of the village to do their bidding.
Rin, now a beautiful young lady that had all the villagers swoon at the sight of her and her kindness, would soon be leaving to join Sesshomaru. She said she loved living with all of us, but that she owed her life to Sesshomaru and that her place was with him. Also, after blossoming into a mature young lady, Sesshomaru had begun courting her. It was always plain to see that the demon lord has a soft spot for the human girl, so it came to no surprise to us.
Kohaku comes and visited often with Kilala, and he and I often did some sparring together. He has grown much taller now, his brown hair barely contained in his pony tail. He's often stuck babysitting for Sango and Miroku whenever they need to leave the village for a short time to do some demon exterminations or for some "alone time".
Poor fella.
Inuyasha and Kagome had, too, begun their own family. Though theirs came to an alarming surprise to them. Inuyasha's face was priceless! He could only turn and look at Kagome with wide eyes, his mouth opening and closing without words coming out. And Kagome's face was pure red; obviously, she didn't realize that my sense of smell would be able to detect the change in her scent. Or the mating mark she tried so hard to hide on her neck. That, and that her hut wasn't too far off from mine and anyone close by could hear their sounds of love making… I'm so glad Miroku and Sango let me crash at their place on those nights.
And of course, Inuyasha being Inuyasha accused her of it being all her fault.
Stupid Inuyasha got sat so many times it stopped being funny to me.
But if you could only see Kagome waddling around everywhere! And poor Inuyasha is up to his wits end trying to convince the stubborn pregnant Kagome to stay in bed and take it easy. I always knew women's hormones sway easier when they're baring children, but Kagome's left some craters in the village from sitting Inuyasha so many times.
And me?
Inuyasha could finally stop calling me runt; I had (FINALLY) grown tall. I was a few inches short of his height, and the length of my hair rivaled that of his. I grew lean from all my years of training and sparring, and it was always a close call when Inuyasha and I sparred. But one day I will beat him….
Thanks to my years of training with Inuyasha, (not really that guy is too reckless to teach me anything properly), I had picked up a sword of my own. Totosai had forged it from one of my own fangs, which hurt like hell! It took forever to grow back.
I have my own hut, my own sword and can rely on myself to get myself out of any situation. I can proudly say I have become a stronger demon.
But this isn't where my story ends.
I still have many years ahead of me, and many more strong demons to best. More techniques to develop and more fox magic to learn. And of course, I have a sibling on the way that I have to protect. This is only the begin to my story.
-x-
