Well, now we get to see the interesting part of the story. The hilarity begins. I only aim to please.

And yeah, I'm going to change my name.
-Randall Flagg2000 (that's the new version)

(1)

Miroku crept through the campsite, searching for Shippo. He was probably somewhere within the vicinity, unless he was sleepwalking (which he never did). In other words, it would be easy to find him.

As expected, Miroku found the little kitsune sleeping on top of Kagome. He was curled up in a little ball, stomach down, his tail draped over his back like a blanket. Miroku smiled. This was going to be easier then he thought.

"Shippo, are you awake?" Miroku asked. Shippo rolled over and his tongue lolled out.

"Shippo, please wake up!" Miroku said, a bit louder.

"No Daddy, I don't want to go hunting. The last time I did, I burned down a hut with my fox fire." Shippo muttered in his sleep.

Miroku sighed. The boy wasn't waking up. It seemed he would have to resort to drastic measures. Miroku promptly leaned over and whispered "Candy."

The effect was instantaneous. Shippo sat bolt upright and yelled "Where, where?" in a frantic tone. Miroku had a good laugh at that. When Shippo saw who it was, he was deeply disappointed.

"Oh it's you Miroku. What do you want?"

"I need your help with something Shippo." Miroku began. "You remember how… distressed Sango was earlier?"

Shippo nodded his head rapidly, as only a child could. "Yep, I remember! She was saying how she hated you, and was sick of you and how you were a thoughtless, perverted, sack of-"

"I don't think you need to say anymore Shippo." Miroku said, his voice growing impatient. "I just needed your help with something."

Shippo raised a brow. "What do you mean?"

"Well," Miroku poked his fingers together, "I feel terrible about how Sango was crying, so I came up with a solution to… my ways. I'm going to come up with a way to… take care of my daily routines without being noticed. This is where you come in."

Shippo narrowed his eyes a bit, something he rarely did. "So you want me to help you with this? No way Miroku! Inuyasha hits me enough and I don't want Sango starting in on me too!"

"Oh please Shippo, I would really appreciate it if you would help me with this! You don't know how much it would mean to me!" Miroku pleaded.

"Forget it Miroku! I am not helping you live out your perverted fantasies!" Shippo shouted.

Miroku reached into the pocket of his robe and brought out a Hershey's chocolate bar. The moment he saw it, Shippo's eyes grew wide and began to glaze over. To others it would simply be regarded as a sweet treat, but to Shippo it was a small slice of heaven. For him, this bar of brown, sugary, creamy goodness was worth more then all the gold in the world.

Miroku slowly moved the chocolate to the side and Shippo's head followed it robotically, that expression of glazed happiness on his face. Miroku moved it again and Shippo followed it. Everywhere Miroku moved the chocolate Shippo's head would swivel in the direction of it.

"See the chocolate Shippo? I got it from Kagome's bag. I'll let you have it if you promise to help me." Miroku cooed. It was like shooting fish in a barrel.

(2)

Shippo was torn in two directions. On one hand, he wanted the chocolate badly. He could practically taste the creamy, rich chocolate in his mouth already. And anyway, helping Miroku out with his so called solution might not be so bad. It was after all, nice to help people.

On the other hand, Shippo knew what he was doing was wrong. Miroku had always been perverted from day one, and it was enough that he felt on any beautiful woman he saw. But to carry out his perverted acts in secret? That was a new all time low! Shippo may have been but a child, but he was more then smart enough to tell right from wrong.

Help Miroku, take the chocolate, help Miroku, take the chocolate, he was so confused! Both choices were so tempting, so delicious and delectable. No, no, he was giving in. He wouldn't allow himself to be so weak.

"Alright, alright I'll help you!" Shippo screamed at last. Miroku smiled and put the Hershey bar back in his robes. Shippo jumped at him, but Miroku caught him by his tail in one hand.

"Let me go! I want that chocolate!" Shippo whined.

"Okay let me rephrase what I meant. After you've helped me for awhile, I'll give you the chocolate." Miroku said with a grin that not even the shrewdest of businessmen could manage.

Shippo began to cry from frustration. "You're not being fair Miroku! You promised!"

Miroku's smile deepened. "You don't have to agree to this you know. I can just let this chocolate melt in the hot sun." he said a bit too pleasantly.

Shippo looked at him horrified. "You wouldn't! You wouldn't do such a thing!" Shippo exclaimed.

"Would you like to see if I wouldn't?" Miroku said his voice still pleasant and calm.

Shippo lowered his head in shame and defeat. Miroku had won, it was clear. There were times when he wished Kagome had never introduced them to modern food. Without another word he submitted and said "Fine. How do you want me to help you?"

Miroku set Shippo down, reached into his robes again and took out a small glass vial. Inside of it were two small shikon jewel fragments. He had gotten them out of Kagome's backpack earlier while she was sleeping.

"This," Miroku said holding up the jewels to the fox kit's face, "is the first part of it. I'm going to temporarily give these to you."

"Why?" Shippo asked, intrigued by this new turn.

"I want you to transform me into something that can't be noticed." Miroku said.

(3)

"You can't be serious Miroku! Fox demons can transform themselves and other objects, but we can't transform other living creatures!"

"Maybe not, but I have a theory." He held up the jewel fragments as if he were a professor giving a lecture on some rare form of animal fossil. "I think if I give these jewels to you, at least temporarily, your power will be enhanced enough for you to concentrate your fox magic into other things." Now it was time to move in for the kill. "When you were still trying to avenge the death of your father, wouldn't you have wanted these anyways?"

He had hit Shippo where it counted. Shippo slowly reached out and took the vial. With a sigh, he opened it and held the shards in his hand. Surprisingly he didn't feel any different then before.

"Try your fox fire Shippo. I want to see what happens." Miroku said. Shippo nodded.

Shippo held up his hand in the air. He felt hot blue flames beginning to cover his hand. Then he thrust his hand outward and cried "Fox fire!" He still didn't feel any different.

Miroku's eyes widened as he saw what happened next. Out of Shippo's tiny hand came not a small jet of fire, but a massive, blazing wave of blue flame. It came pouring out in a continuous wave, lighting up the sky. Some birds, startled by the roar of the blast, flew into the sky cawing loudly.

As the wave disappeared into the horizon, Shippo almost fainted. So this was his power with the two jewel fragments. It was amazing, to say the least. They weren't kidding when they said the shikon no tama granted incredible powers to demons. No wonder so many desired it!

Miroku smiled down at the boy. "Nice work Shippo! Simply incredible! I'm very proud!" Miroku spoke as if Shippo were his own son. "Can you try to transform something else for me now?"

Shippo smiled proudly. "I'll try!" he said, his voice confident to the point of being cocky. Shippo placed a leaf upon a small rock and held it there. He had to concentrate to do this. Using all of his willpower, Shippo sent his magic into the rock.

And much to his surprise, the rock transformed into a peach.

Miroku was smiling the whole time. So his theory was correct then. Now he could fix this whole problem. It would be cakewalk.

"That's good enough for now Shippo. We'll wait until tomorrow for my transformation." Miroku said.

Shippo smiled. He may have been doing the wrong thing, but at least he would eventually get the chocolate he so much desired. He quickly put the jewel shards back in the vial and gave it to Miroku. He went back to his position on Kagome, laid down, and fell asleep on the spot.

After returning the fragments to Kagome's overly large backpack, Miroku took his usual resting spot against a tree and closed his eyes. Tomorrow was going to be an eventful day.

END OF CHAPTER TWO

WARNING, WARNING! It should be made known that this Monday I am going on a vacation with my family to the St. Thomas Virgin Islands. I will not be back until the week after this coming week. I hope your enjoying my story and I will get back to work on it when I can. If I'm lucky, I can squeeze in one more update before I leave. I bid you adieu!
-Randall Flagg2000