Me: Chapter 23! Wow… Mid you know what that means…

Mid: Oh…yeah…

Rose: What? What does it mean?

Me: It means the story is almost over.

Mid:

Rose: =O Oh no!

Me: No, no don't worry it ends in a good way.

Rose: Oh…ok…

Mid: Sighs- Anyways, on with chapter 23.

Chapter 23

The next few days were terrible. Who knew that the simplest of foods like soft bread would be so hard to eat. I am serious… it took me at least 3 minutes to take at least 3 bites. I kept on trying to shove the whole thing into my mouth at once, before I finally just started taking bites again. Plus, I still can't walk normally. After three days, I was able to stand on my own. Another two days and I am able to walk funny, A.K.A waddle. Shirako found most of it hilarious until of course I fell flat on my face. During all of this she would ask me questions about my past and I would answer her truthfully, and I would ask her similar questions. Within five days we knew all there was to know about each other.

"Midnight how long exactly is it going to take for you to be able to walk normally?" I looked at her from our spot on a hillside. We had been peacefully watching birds and other animals until she asked me that question.

"Hm…I don't know. I hope soon though." I watched as she went back to staring at the clouds. I stayed silent because I knew she had something more to say. Eventually she turned back towards me, smiling.

"Say Midnight?"

"Hmm?"

"Once you get the ability to walk again….what are you going to do?"

"I'm not sure really…I've been cursed for so long, I never really gave it much thought on what I would do once I was back to normal."

"Really? You mean you never even gave it one thought that one day you would be human again?" I shook my head at her and I could tell she was surprised.

"It was kind of hard to think about it, since I had no idea back then why I was cursed in the first place. I guess all my mother wanted me to do was to save the woman I loved from dying…even if it meant getting hurt in the process."

"Well….i still think how she went about it was completely wrong." I chuckled and stared at the sky.

"Believe it or not, I have never actually done this before in my life." I heard her gasp.

"Say what? You mean you never took the time to just watch the clouds drift by and to watch animals play?"

"Nope. I never had the time when I was human or when I was a cat demon." She huffed loudly and I laughed.

"It isn't funny Midnight! This was my favorite pass time with Nashiro before we went into training." I sat up and looked at her.

"I'm not laughing at the fact this was your favorite thing to do Shirako, I am laughing because I'm really realizing how much I've missed out growing up."

"You know, one day I would really love to see all those places you've been to." I could tell she was hinting to me to bring her there, but I'm not sure I really wanted her to see all those painful places in the past.

"I'll tell you what…if you can get me walking normally again, I will personally see to it that you see those places." She squealed and tackled me to the ground in a hug.

Things proceeded quickly after that. She had me walking before the end of the month, and like I had promised her, I took her to my past places. I showed her the village I grew up in and surprisingly the village headmen recognized me, and I found out his father was the only one in the village back then that didn't think I was a demon of some sort. I showed her where the old western samurai army was located, and of course the place I was cursed. I showed her, from afar, Inutaisho's castle. The burnt mansion where Inutaisho died and Izayoi gave birth to Inuyasha. Then of course I brought her to where we lived on the outskirts of the village with Inuyasha. I brought her to the area where I led the cat demons for fifty years. Although she wouldn't admit it outright, I could tell Shirako was having the time of her life. She even got to see my Sunset. I was happy that he could recognize me even in this form. Then I showed her all the places I went when I was traveling with Inuyasha and his group of friends. And to make it our final stop, I introduced her to them. Inuyasha most likely still could not believe I was the cat demon the entire time. Later that night, I knew it was the right moment to ask. I could tell now I wanted to spend the rest of my life with Shirako. At the moment, she was getting all giddy because Inuyasha and Kagome were expecting their first child, and I believe Inuyasha said Kagome was about five months along at the moment. Shirako came back over by me with a sigh of contentment.

"You are so lucky, Kagome. Does it feel weird?"

"Not really. Only when it kicks harder than expected." I put my hand gently on her shoulder, and she turned to me her face full of curiosity.

"Yes?" I could see her surprise when she saw how calm I most likely looked.

"Shirako, will you be my wife?" Her eyes widened to the size of saucers and I heard the other two women in the hut squeal with delight. Just as I was starting to think I made the wrong decision in asking her right now, a smile broke across her face and she hugged me.

"Of course I'll marry you, you big lug!" I returned the hug deeply with my eyes scrunched.

"I'll make the preparations!"

"I'll get the sake!"

"Miroku, you will not!" At the moment I didn't care what the others were doing, to me all that matter was Shirako. We got married a few months later and I didn't mention that it was on the very day, years ago, that I had lost Tamsin. But alas, I guess I everyone needs to let go of a horrible memory and replace it with something so much better. Not to mention Shirako has given me so much more than Tamsin ever did. I will admit, when Shirako told me she was pregnant those were the most stressful nine months in my entire life. But when she gave birth to a baby girl, I was delighted. We named her Aiko. She had her mothers' purple eyes and my black hair. A few years later, Shirako blessed me with a boy whom I named after my father. Azzuen II, he looked just like me. He had black hair, blue eyes, and he even received the diamond on his forehead. As the years went on, I trained Azzuen II how to fight and be a samurai and Shirako taught Aiko how to be a priestess. As our children grew older, so did we. I didn't start feeling my age until after Shirako died. When Shirako died she was 87 years old and I was still alive at 88 years old. Azzuen II and Aiko both stayed around after her death to make sure I was alright.

I had lived longer than expected and I was still going. I passed my time by helping out the villagers take care of the injured. A lot of the villagers when I had first arrived here were already gone, so the ones now occupying it were their children and grandchildren. Many of the adults here now, I had given them rides upon my back as a cat demon. Nashiro had long since passed, about three years before Shirako did. He had fought many wars, and I had fought some alongside him. I had truly lived my life to the fullest. I was 91 when it ended. I remember the last dinner I had with my two kids and their kids, my grandchildren.

"Father, are you ok?" I nodded while slowly eating the stew.

"I'm fine. Just feeling my age is all." Azzuen II nodded at me and went back to making sure his son was eating correctly. Once they were all in bed, I changed into the outfit I wore when Shirako and I got married. It was a simple blue color that matched the diamond on my forehead. Walking outside the hut, I went straight to Shirako's grave and sighed. Lying down, I closed my eyes slowly and slept.

I woke up in the most beautiful of places I have ever seen in my life. A field of flowers was around me along with butterflies, birds, and all sorts of animals.

"Midnight." I turned around and there was Shirako, once again young like when we first met. Looking at my hands I saw that I too was young again. Standing up, I walked over to her with a smile.

"Till death do us part…" I repeated my vow to her on our wedding day and she smiled at me. Leaning down I kissed her fully upon the lips. I had lived life to the fullest. I had married the woman I love, had a couple of kids, fought a few battles, got some grandkids, and even lived longer than to be expected. But now, I was truly happy. I was in heaven.

Me: Ok that's the end of the story

Rose: I can't believe it's over…

Me: Me too…

Rose: Where's Midnight? –Looks around.—

Me: Oh, he's probably off sulking somewhere because he can no longer talk about his life anymore.

Rose: Oh…So that is the official end?

Me: Well he died in that last bit, and he was in heaven…so yeah that is the official end.

Rose: Oh…

Me: Ok reviewers, you know what to do! And Midnight says good bye as well since he isn't here to say it!