Tiger and Bunny Tell a Bedtime Story

Wrote half of this when I couldn't sleep-can you say 'authentic'? Enjoi!

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~~~T&B~~~

Barnaby has stayed over at the Kaburagi's for Spring Break, however Kaede has a test the day right after Spring Break ends. She requests a bedtime story to fall asleep. Enter our dear heroes…

"I've thought of a much better way to end this story" Kotetsu starts excitedly.

"Have you?" asks Barnaby cynically. This story had run a bit long and his patience was wearing thin, as was Kaede's.

"Yep, you bet."

"Does it involve falling asleep anytime soon?"

"Hey!"

"That's what you're supposed to do after a good bedtime story right?" Barnaby added smoothly.

"I guess so, but you have to be awake to hear it first!"

"Fine, shoot. But how will the story end if the two samurai don't die honorably on the field of battle?"

"Well, first they have to rescue the princess from the highest tower before-"

"Wait, when were you going to tell me that there was going to be a princess in this story?"

"Right after you mowed over my robot penguin idea!"

"Why would you mechanize a penguin!?"

"Two words, Bunny-chan. Laser. Beams."

"Hey!" whined a smaller, feminine voice. "I can't sleep to the sound of a loud argument! Dad, have some harmony with Barnaby and make it sound cool!"

"Kaeeeede!" pouted Kotetsu

"No buts! I have a big test tomorrow and I need a good story to sleep! Come on, pretty please?"

"Alright pumpkin, alright. Storyteller huddle, Bunny!"

"Right."

The two of them whispered under crossed arms, with subsequent tearing of paper, folding and rustling while the small girl craned her neck to hear.

"Okay!" gushed Kotetsu as they both turned around.

"Once there was a special, magical…princess of the woods…" enthused Kotetsu. Kaede smiled in spite of herself at the characture of her in his story. Kotetsu topped it off with one of her decorative tiaras from her dresser on top of her head. Both of them giggled, an especially rare moment in the Kaburagi household.

"She sang a beautiful song every day" continued Barnaby "to the old tiger, and the lucky rabbit." The blonde hero produced an origami rabbit and tiger from behind his back, setting both of the animals onto her blanket.

"And as long as she sang to the old tiger, her magic let him keep happy, keep hope for, and keep skill with the clever rabbit. They would go off into the woods as a pair, doing good deeds for the whole kingdom."spun Kotetsu with both of the dolls, miming 'good deeds' with her teddy bears and lamps until Kaede starting laughing again. "The kingdom liked their good deeds so much, all of them asked the old tiger and the lucky rabbit to stay in the middle of the forest to be closer to all the animals of the wood" said Kotetsu, bringing both animals on top of the foot of her bed at the near center of the room.

"And so both of them agreed," said Barnaby, "looking to bring happiness to the entire kingdom. But the old tiger was….sad."

Kaede looked at Barnaby suddenly.

"But why? Why was he sad? He had all the fun deeds to do and his lucky rabbit…" asked Kaede earnestly. Barnaby smiled.

"The middle of the forest was too far to hear the beautiful song of the magical princess. Her song gave the old tiger great power," Kotetsu grinned halfheartedly at his partners' inadvertent praise, "but being away from her made the old tiger feel lost."

Kaede was silent as she took in the meaning of the story.

"Even with the help of his lucky rabbit" smirked Barnaby. Kotetsu looked downcast, and picked up the story with a sudden vigor, needing the catharsis.

"The old tiger would go for as long as he could without the princess' song" said Kotetsu "but it was too much for him to handle, because…" Kotetsu leant over and picked up the origami rabbit carefully in both hands, "…one day, his god friend the lucky rabbit fell sick. The old tiger couldn't even remember the last time he was so scared."

Kotetsu kept looking at the small paper rabbit as he kept talking, while Barnaby's eyes pulled into concern.

"The old tiger was so scared for his friend that he forgot about the magic song of the princess."

Kaede looked as though she were about to say something.

"But lucky rabbit's luck was so good, that he remembered the song of the princess and reminded the old tiger. The tiger came back to the princess right away, where she sang her magic song for him." Kotetsu kissed Kaede's cheek with the tiger origami animal. Kaede's eyes lit up and she squeezed them shut in a giggle.

"And once he did that, the old tiger came back with the princess' magic to the sickly rabbit, who was healed right away, with the old tiger's power" finished Barnaby, looking adamantly into Kotetsu's eyes. Kotetsu smiled back, and ended the story slowly, holding a dozing Kaede in a close hug and a kiss to her head:

"And so the old tiger vowed to visit the magical princess every full moon, just to hear her beautiful song…..

The End."