InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ I'm Sorry ❯ Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own, didn't create, but I sure do love it.

Author's Note: This chapter is for those who only `stand and wait'. I/K will return (literally) in the next chapter.

 

Chapter 8

 

 

Waking as the sun was just rising, Shippo looked at Kagome's empty futon sadly. Even though she had only been gone for one night, he was already missing the girl who had become like his second mother. Getting up, he grabbed a piece of fruit from a basket full of them next to the wall, but before he could even take a bite, Myoga spoke up from the collar of his shirt.

 

“Good morning, young Shippo. Would you like to take a walk this morning? Lady Kagome has asked me to speak with you, and I would like to begin as soon as possible,” the tiny flea-demon said.

 

“What kind of things did you want to talk about,” he asked? Even as he spoke, he was headed out the door of Kaede's hut. “Where to now, Myoga, do you want to stay in the village, or head out to the forest?”

 

“Perhaps it would be best if we went into the forest, to the well, I think,” the flea demon replied.

 

“Okay,” said the little kitsune, scampering down the trail towards the well at a very respectable pace.

 

Hopping up to the top of the low wall surrounding the Bone Eaters Well, Myoga began, “Shippo, Lady Kagome has asked me to talk with you about a number of topics, and I would like to begin with magic. Specifically, Kitsune magic, and just what you can do, and what kinds of things you have been told that you will be able to do.”

 

“Huh? What do you mean? You know what I can do, don't you?” Shippo asked, with a puzzled look on his little face.

 

“Yes, Shippo, I do know what you can do, but that is not the same thing as you knowing what you can do.” Myoga explained, which only confused the kit even more.

 

“That's stupid, it doesn't make any sense!” Shippo said.

 

Sighing, Myoga held on to his slipping patience, and said, “Shippo, please describe to me what you can do with your `foxfire'.

 

“Okaaay. I can use it to start campfires, light torches, and I've been trying to use it to make plants grow faster,” Shippo said, his tone sounding as if he was humoring a madman.

 

“I see, and have you used it to create a shield to protect against physical or magical attacks,” Myoga asked, trying to encourage the little kitsune, so that he would be more cooperative.

 

“Shield? I didn't know that foxfire could act as a shield!” he said excitedly.

 

“Of course, didn't your father's spirit use foxfire to protect both you and Kagome from Hiten's attack? Surely, you realized that if your father's spirit could use foxfire to create a shield, that you could do it as well?” Myoga just looked a bit disappointedly at Shippo, as Shippo shook his head `No'.

 

“Very well, what different forms can you assume? And for how long can you maintain them?” He asked.

 

“Umm, I can become a pink bubble, which can float, and carry a lot of weight. I can hold that shape for about 15 minutes now. I can also become a mouse, although I am still pretty big for a normal mouse. That shape I can hold for over an hour. I can also become anyone I have seen, or know well, for at least 10 minutes. I used to still have my tail, but I've figured out how to fix that problem at last. I can become a bow, so that Kagome can shoot her arrows. That's really hard, but it has been useful a couple of times, so I don't mind. And I just recently figured out how to become a big seagull, big enough so that Kagome can ride on my back! I think that's about all I can do with shape changing. Oh, yeah! I almost forgot! I can become a fox, of course! I can keep that shape for as long as I want.” Shippo recited, becoming more excited and proud, as he realized that he could actually do quite a bit, for someone as young as he was.

 

“I see, that is impressive for a kit so young as you. What other magic can you summon; Illusions? Healing? Shapechanging others? Any form of combat magic?” Myoga asked hopefully.

 

Shippo just shook his head again, this time his eyes were very wide, clearly he had no idea that any of the things that Myoga had asked about were even possible to a kitsune like himself.

 

Timidly, he asked, “Can you teach me how to do those things, Myoga?”

 

Sighing, the elderly flea demon said, “Not really, I am not a kitsune. What I can do is try to help you figure out for yourself how to do some of these things, and help you get stronger and better with what you already know how to accomplish. Perhaps, in time, we can find someone to teach you new skills. However, for right now, I think we will begin with mastering and improving your skill with `foxfire' as it is basis for all of your magic.”

 

“Really, why is that? I thought it was, just, well, fire. How come it's the `basis' for all my magic?” Shippo asked, quite puzzled by something that he considered so simple.

 

“If I understand kitsune magic correctly, `foxfire' is the active manifestation of your youki, or demonic aura. This means that it has a relatively limited range, but that results can be quite remarkable. It can burn or not, as you wish. It can shield or heal or harm, depending upon your intent. Because it is your youki, with effort and practice, you can control it very precisely.”

 

Shippo continued to sit and stare at Myoga for several minutes, trying to digest everything he had just heard. Finally, he shook himself and said, “Okay, where do we start?”

 

Myoga simply said, “First, we need to see how far you can send your foxfire, and then how long you can maintain foxfire blasts and shields. After that, we will start on some of the simple illusions that you can already perform, with an eye towards getting faster at casting them, and then maintaining them longer. Alright?”

 

At Shippo's eager nod, Myoga said, “Then let us began.”

 

For the next three hours, Myoga put Shippo through a grueling test of his magic, allowing only very short breaks for rest. Finally, he called a halt to the session, and the two of them returned to Kaede's hut for something to eat. To everyone's surprise, Shippo fell asleep almost before he had finished eating his lunch. Myoga explained what they had been doing all morning, saying that Lady Kagome had requested his assistance with training Shippo to use his demonic and magical abilities.

 

The humans listened in silence to the little flea demon describe what had occurred during the morning; finally, Miroku spoke up, “Do you believe that Shippo can learn enough to actually help during a fight? Isn't he still far too young for that?”

 

To his surprise, Sango answered him. “You might be surprised, houshi-sama, youkai grow up quite fast in the first couple of years.”

 

“Indeed. Although Shippo is not yet three years old, he is quite capable of helping out. Both in a fight and out of one, he could be very helpful. The real question is will he want to,” Myoga replied, in turn.

 

“Lady Kagome has asked for my help in teaching Shippo to use his youkai powers more effectively, but she is also concerned about his education in other areas as well. She informed me that she will be looking for some materials to begin teaching him how to read and write while she is visiting her time. More than that, I believe you must speak to her to find out.” Myoga said to them.

 

“I see,” said the young monk, nodding his head in understanding. “Perhaps Lady Sango and I can help you with Shippo. Between her knowledge of youkai, and my small skill with magic, I believe that we could be of some assistance to you, if you would like.”

 

Myoga bounced up and down a couple times, and said “Lord Miroku, Lady Sango! Your assistance would be of great help.” Coughing, he continued, “In all honesty, sometimes Shippo can be a bit too, how shall I put this, energetic, for me to handle.”

 

Both Miroku and Sango laughed at this, and the three continued to discuss some things to do with Shippo, when his magic training continued on the next day. After about an hour or so, Sango excused herself and taking Kirara, she left Miroku and Myoga still working out some of the more esoteric exercises for Shippo.

 

Over the next three days, a routine developed. In the mornings, after breakfast, Myoga, Miroku, Sango and Shippo would leave the village, going into the forest to a large clearing about a mile away from the village. There, they would continue Shippo's training until lunchtime, returning to Kaede's to eat. Shippo would then nap for most of the afternoon, waking shortly before dinner.

 

The humans spent the afternoon working on their weapons, practice fighting, and occasionally talking about what Inuyasha and Kagome might be doing, 500 years in the future.

 

Finally, late on the fourth day, Inuyasha and Kagome returned to Kaede's village.