Miroku's Bedtime Stories
Chapter 4
The Foolish Monk who tried to Tame a River
(AN: I forgot to write a disclaimer!-looking around nervously for big successful lawyer types -Phew! Okay, I don't own any characters in Inuyasha. If I did, Miroku would be wearing something else. He's has too nice of a body to wear that loose robe. How about black leather? Millions of fangirls screaming "YES!" Yes, Chiki, I want a Shippou-chan too. But, my husband said no more pets. I already have 3 dogs and 2 cats. None of them talk, however.)
"Long ago," began Miroku.
"Why do stories always start out that way?" asked Shippou, interrupting.
"Because they happened long ago," said Miroku patiently.
"Oh," said Shippou.
Kagome giggled.
"Gomen, Shippou-chan," she apologized when he pouted.
"Long ago, a houshi wanted to cross a great river to get back to his shrine. But it was too deep. He searched and searched, but could not find a place to ford safely.
He thought then he might find a raft or someone with a boat to take him across. But, it was the spring rains and no one would risk it, the water was too high.
He was desperate to get back, as it was time for the matsuri to commence.
So, he decided to invoke his limited power over nature, and cause the waters to recede until he could wade across.'"
"Which river was it?" asked Shippou. Kagome slapped his hands when he reached for another piece of candy in her backpack. He pouted and she gave in.
"The Kohaku River," replied Miroku. "The most beautiful of all the river spirits lives there."
Sango looked away.
"It's spirit was offended by the lack of patience shown by the houshi, so as he waded across, the river spirit spoke to him.
'Houshi-dono, why does thou fight with me? If thee had only asked in a respectful way, I, the mighty water dragon spirit of the Kohaku would have granted you passage upon my noble back.'
'I did not think to ask thee,' the houshi admitted, now ashamed of his impatience and unwarranted use of his powers.
'Now,' uttered the spirit of the might Kohaku, 'I must punish thee for offending me.'
The houshi bowed, graciously accepting his fate.
'But, I will be kind,' said the great water dragon spirit, 'as it was your eagerness to appease the spirit of your sacred ancestors that caused you to offend me.'
Suddenly, the houshi found himself transformed into a giant salamander. 'Now thou shall be my attendant and serve me faithfully all my days,' uttered the great water dragon spirit."
"So," asked Shippou, "was the houshi sad because he wasn't a man anymore?"
"No," answered Miroku, "because he still served one he loved and had been shown mercy in spite of his intemperance and impatience." Kagome grinned at Miroku, "You made that up again, didn't you?"
"It has elements of truth," he hedged, smiling back at her.
"The best lies always do," smirked Inuyasha.
"There's a difference between lies and entertaining stories," said Sango, interjecting for the first time.
Miroku smiled at her. "So there is, Lady Sango. Arigatoo."
Kagome yawned and ran her fingers through her hair.
"I don't know about the rest of you, but I intend to take full advantage of this nice comfortable bed." She rolled onto her side and was asleep in minutes. Shippou had also. Inuyasha's head lolled forward on his neck, signaling he was also sleeping.
Miroku stretched out his arms over his head, looking at the ceiling.
"Are you asleep, houshi-sama?" Sango's voice asked quietly.
"No," he whispered. He rose and went over to sit by the edge of her futon.
"Is something wrong, Lady Sango?" he asked her in hushed tones.
"It's not necessary," she said quietly.
"What is not necessary?" he asked her, puzzled.
"To try to remind me of my brother, Kohaku."
"I only meant to honor his memory," said Miroku softly.
"I know," she said, "But then, he's not really dead, is he?"
Her voice choked on the question.
"I'm so sorry to have caused you any pain," he said in a tight voice.
"You haven't," she said gently.
"But I have," he protested.
"No, Miroku," she said, putting her fingers to his lips to silence him, "you only meant to be kind."
He gasped at the light touch. And she had called him by name. He felt heat rising to his face and to the place her fingertips had lightly brushed. It was practically a kiss.
He swallowed dryly and turned his head away.
"You're very forgiving, my Lady Sango," he whispered.
He rose and went back to his own bed.
It was a long while before sleep took him.
Chapter 4
The Foolish Monk who tried to Tame a River
(AN: I forgot to write a disclaimer!-looking around nervously for big successful lawyer types -Phew! Okay, I don't own any characters in Inuyasha. If I did, Miroku would be wearing something else. He's has too nice of a body to wear that loose robe. How about black leather? Millions of fangirls screaming "YES!" Yes, Chiki, I want a Shippou-chan too. But, my husband said no more pets. I already have 3 dogs and 2 cats. None of them talk, however.)
"Long ago," began Miroku.
"Why do stories always start out that way?" asked Shippou, interrupting.
"Because they happened long ago," said Miroku patiently.
"Oh," said Shippou.
Kagome giggled.
"Gomen, Shippou-chan," she apologized when he pouted.
"Long ago, a houshi wanted to cross a great river to get back to his shrine. But it was too deep. He searched and searched, but could not find a place to ford safely.
He thought then he might find a raft or someone with a boat to take him across. But, it was the spring rains and no one would risk it, the water was too high.
He was desperate to get back, as it was time for the matsuri to commence.
So, he decided to invoke his limited power over nature, and cause the waters to recede until he could wade across.'"
"Which river was it?" asked Shippou. Kagome slapped his hands when he reached for another piece of candy in her backpack. He pouted and she gave in.
"The Kohaku River," replied Miroku. "The most beautiful of all the river spirits lives there."
Sango looked away.
"It's spirit was offended by the lack of patience shown by the houshi, so as he waded across, the river spirit spoke to him.
'Houshi-dono, why does thou fight with me? If thee had only asked in a respectful way, I, the mighty water dragon spirit of the Kohaku would have granted you passage upon my noble back.'
'I did not think to ask thee,' the houshi admitted, now ashamed of his impatience and unwarranted use of his powers.
'Now,' uttered the spirit of the might Kohaku, 'I must punish thee for offending me.'
The houshi bowed, graciously accepting his fate.
'But, I will be kind,' said the great water dragon spirit, 'as it was your eagerness to appease the spirit of your sacred ancestors that caused you to offend me.'
Suddenly, the houshi found himself transformed into a giant salamander. 'Now thou shall be my attendant and serve me faithfully all my days,' uttered the great water dragon spirit."
"So," asked Shippou, "was the houshi sad because he wasn't a man anymore?"
"No," answered Miroku, "because he still served one he loved and had been shown mercy in spite of his intemperance and impatience." Kagome grinned at Miroku, "You made that up again, didn't you?"
"It has elements of truth," he hedged, smiling back at her.
"The best lies always do," smirked Inuyasha.
"There's a difference between lies and entertaining stories," said Sango, interjecting for the first time.
Miroku smiled at her. "So there is, Lady Sango. Arigatoo."
Kagome yawned and ran her fingers through her hair.
"I don't know about the rest of you, but I intend to take full advantage of this nice comfortable bed." She rolled onto her side and was asleep in minutes. Shippou had also. Inuyasha's head lolled forward on his neck, signaling he was also sleeping.
Miroku stretched out his arms over his head, looking at the ceiling.
"Are you asleep, houshi-sama?" Sango's voice asked quietly.
"No," he whispered. He rose and went over to sit by the edge of her futon.
"Is something wrong, Lady Sango?" he asked her in hushed tones.
"It's not necessary," she said quietly.
"What is not necessary?" he asked her, puzzled.
"To try to remind me of my brother, Kohaku."
"I only meant to honor his memory," said Miroku softly.
"I know," she said, "But then, he's not really dead, is he?"
Her voice choked on the question.
"I'm so sorry to have caused you any pain," he said in a tight voice.
"You haven't," she said gently.
"But I have," he protested.
"No, Miroku," she said, putting her fingers to his lips to silence him, "you only meant to be kind."
He gasped at the light touch. And she had called him by name. He felt heat rising to his face and to the place her fingertips had lightly brushed. It was practically a kiss.
He swallowed dryly and turned his head away.
"You're very forgiving, my Lady Sango," he whispered.
He rose and went back to his own bed.
It was a long while before sleep took him.