Anyone else miss Shippo I miss Shippo XD

Chapter 21 Pack Mates and Old Friends

Demon world

Sesshomaru insisted on getting to the tournament early, so as to not have to be surrounded by the rabble of lesser demons that was sure to be there, so as Sesshomaru, Rin and Kurama arrived at the stadium, there were few others there.

"Yusuke should be here somewhere if you would like to catch up with him before the place gets too busy." Kurama said.

"We'll fine him," Rin said with a smile.

Kurama smiled and waved as he left.

Rin tucked Sesshomaru's tail a little tighter around her as she shivered in the early morning chill. "So, where to, Love?"

"Yusuke is this way." Sesshomaru led her into the stadium. After walking through the halls for a few minutes they entered the lowest level of the arena; seats stretched to each side and up around them and a number of large screens were ahead.

Wide eyed Rin tried to take it all in, there weren't a lot of demons around but there was a number of them finding seats and lining up to get registered.

"Did you two finally tie the knot?" Yusuke approached them and crossed his arms over his chest, sporting a small grin.

"Yes," Rin playfully swatted his shoulder, "and you missed my wedding."

"Hey I was busy, it's not my fault demon world is crazy right now."

"Yes, it is your fault," Rin smiled. "So you will just have to come visit our den when this is all settled."

"Yeah, yeah whatever." Yusuke shrugged. "Are you sure you don't want to sign up, Sesshomaru?"

"I have no wish to rule demon world."

"What makes you think you would win, grandpa?" Yusuke's expression was obviously provoking.

Sesshomaru glared and Rin giggled.

"Who do you think will win, Yusuke?" She asked. "Are you confident that you will defeat Lord Yomi and Lord Makuro?"

"Na, I don't know who will win those friends of Raizen's are pretty strong so there are going to be a lot of good fights; even if I don't win this is going to be fun. Besides I don't know that I want to rule demon world ether." Yusuke shrugged. "By the way there was a fox demon looking for you the other day. He came to the western castle looking for Rin but I didn't know where you guys were so I told him you would be here for the tournament, he's probably around here somewhere."

"A fox demon? Other then Kurama looking for me?" Rin asked not wanting to hope too much. "What was his name?"

"Shippo I think is what he said. He was a red fox."

Rin was practically bouncing with hope to see her old friend, and only just kept herself from reaching out with her spirit energy to look for him. Purifying spirit energy in a room full of demons already reared up for a fight, not a good move. In steed she turned to Sesshomaru. "Can I go look for him?"

Sesshomaru nodded and Rin gave him a big smile and kissed him on the cheek before running off.

"You're really going to let her go off like that in this crowd?" Yusuke was dumfounded watching Rin leave, Sesshomaru had been so protective and possessive before.

"She can defend herself if needed and she has my mark, between the two she is as safe as if she was with me." Sesshomaru went back to surveying the growing crowd.

"Ok… So what do you think so far?" Yusuke turned to also look a growing horde of demons.

"There are three types of demons here: the weak who are seeking power; the strong seeking to prove themselves; and then those who do not need to prove or defend what they know they already have."

"And what type am I?" Yusuke asked.

Sesshomaru looked down from the corner of his eye at the boy that was his many times great grandson. "The blood of the great dog demons of the West should never be underestimated. You are young and you may yet reach a level to rival that of your ancestors, but for now you are still trying to prove yourself."

"Hmm… strong but trying to prove myself. I can live with that." Yusuke grinned up at Sesshomaru. "And who knew, that was almost a compliment coming from you."

Sesshomaru moved to stand right in front of Yusuke.

Yusuke for his part had finally noticed that the two people that normally kept Sesshomaru from killing him were both absent. He would not, however, retreat and so stood his ground first out of stubbornness then shock at what Sesshomaru did next.

Sesshomaru leaned forward and briefly rubbed his right cheek against Yusuke's and gave a quick lick to the frozen boy's cheek bone. Sesshomaru straitened and almost smirked at the stricken, speechless face of his pack mate.

Rin slowed to a fast walk soon after leaving Sesshomaru and Yusuke, concentrating on the invisible energies around her rather then the faces. She didn't know what five hundred years would do to Shippo's appearance, not that it had done much to Sesshomaru but he was far older the her friend, so she did not trust her eye's as much as her knowledge of him and his power.

Rin wandered down the line of demons waiting to register for the tournament, then out side. She almost decided to go back and find Sesshomaru when an unmistakable energy tickled at her scenes. Looking around she saw a ball of blue fire under a tree at the edge of the clearing around the stadium, and ran to it, she looked up into the branches to see green eyes and a wide grin waiting for her.

"Shippo!" Rin said reaching up a hand to him, instead of coming down, however, Shippo grasped her hand and easily pulled her up among the branches. Settling herself next to him and giving him a nonchalant smile said, "So how have you been?

"Good, and just so we're clear you have stopped going through the well now right?"

"Yeah I have." Rin gave a sad smile. "Anyway, keeping out of trouble?"

"But of course." Shippo flashed his cheeky grin that Rin remembered so well.

"I don't believe that for a minute." Rin said rolling her eyes.

"Well, enough at least. It doesn't hurt that I have old friends in high places, though."

"Like who?" Rin loved listening to Shippo's stories, she always had even when they were little and the stories mostly exaggerated to make her friend look better then he deserved.

Shippo leaned back against the trunk of the tree and folded his hands behind his head. "Well let's see, Sesshomaru of course, he got me out of a few tight spots over the years."

"Really? I'm glad."

"Yeah well I'm sure it was only ever for your sake, and I tried not to call on him if I could help it but he always helped if I asked."

"He never told me." Rin said deciding that she would have to thank him properly later.

"He was always fairly close by, you know for like a century after you left that final time. I don't think he liked that you were gone so he stuck close to the well. But you know thinking back he really missed you, but when you went through the well and were with him again he kept you close for what a year, then married you off? That just seems weird." Shippo looked at Rin hoping for answers.

Rin for her part turned bright red and unconsciously started to rub the crescent moon on her wrist. Shippo noticed and grabbed her left hand, eyes wide, then started laughing uncontrollably.

"Shippo!" Rin called worriedly as her friend actually fell out of the tree. She leapt out off the branch to make sure he wasn't hurt.

Shippo stretched out in the grass to catch his breath. "Oh that explains so much." He relaxed into the grass with a big smile on his face. "I wonder how long he was planning to keep you all to himself."

"I don't think he decided till Lord Yomi asked for me."

Shippo sat up strait, staring, "Lord Yomi? Lord Yomi wanted you for his mate?"

"Yes I did."

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