Disclaimer: I do not own any rights whatsoever to any characters in the Inu-yasha or Yu Yu Hakusho realms. I am however laying claim to the fairytale told below.

Hello again!

I just couldn't leave this alone. Ever since I wrote the scene in which Kurama asks Sessho-maru to tell him a bedtime story I've been toying with the idea of making up a story for Kurama to tell. So….here it is! Ta da! I've included the scene from the story just to refresh everyone's memory. That and, I just like it.

Belonging

Epilogue

A Demon's Bedtime Story

"I thought you were going to stay with me." Kurama couldn't hold back the smile for more than a few seconds, but he enjoyed the flush on the inu lord's cheeks for that short amount of time.

"You are not a child, Kurama."

"So a bedtime story is out of the question?"

"Have you heard the one about the troublesome kitsune who got into trouble wherever he went because his curiosity was worse than a neko's?"

"No, afraid not. But I've heard the one about the pompous inu who was haunted by a love-sick toad."

"No doubt it had a tragic ending."

Kurama chuckled and reveled in his victory at getting Sessho-maru to blush for a second time. This is fun. I hope he stays to play some more. It seems like forever since we've talked like this. Things have been so tense between us lately.

"Why don't you stay and let me tell you the story. Then you can judge for yourself."

Two pair of golden eyes met in a silent debate.

Stay with me.

This is what I want, isn't it?

We're getting along so well right now.

To know more about Kurama?

Don't spoil it. Stay.

Those eyes. Is he truly asking me to stay?

Please, Sessho-maru.

Sessho-maru turned his back on the kitsune and took a step towards the open door. He reached out for the handle and gave it a small push, closing it. He turned around to see Kurama smiling at him mischievously as he made his way back to the chair he had just vacated. Once he was comfortable, he gestured with his clawed hand in a sweeping motion.

"Alright, Kurama. Tell me a story."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Once upon a time----"

"Once upon a time?"

"Yes."

"Hmph. Very cliché."

"Ok. How about…..In a galaxy far far away…"

"What's a 'galaxy'?"

"Wow. This place really is behind the times."

"Just skip to the end where the toad dies."

"Who says he dies? Perhaps he lives."

"He dies."

Kurama exhaled in frustration, blowing his bangs up creating a flurry of white. He eyed the inu sitting next to him who had the smallest of smiles on his face.

"Long long ago in a distant land-----"

"How long ago?"

The kitsune blinked a few times.

"'Long ago' is very vague."

Kurama narrowed his eyes at Sessho-maru.

"One hundred years."

"And where is this land?"

Kurama fought the urge to yell and instead he spoke through clenched teeth.

"To the east. Across a vast ocean."

"Very well. Continue."

Kurama inclined his head and when he lifted his head again he had a sweet smile on his face.

"So……"

One hundred years ago in a land far far away located in the east over a vast ocean….there lived a prince of unsurpassed beauty. But for all his beauty---

"What does he look like?"

Kurama's open mouth closed and morphed into a vulpine smile that could mean nothing but trouble. He looked Sessho-maru up and down a few times then continued his story.

He was tall, with a lean, muscular build. His skin was pale like alabaster and his white hair was long and finer than any silk. He had piercing blue-grey eyes the color of storm clouds that seemed to flash from their own lightning. But for all his beauty, he was alone. Although his beauty garnered him many admirers, none could get close enough to the prince for his demeanor was cold and arrogant. He thought everyone beneath him and so he treated everyone with disdain. It was rumored that even his skin was cold to the touch.

Kurama paused and looked at Sessho-maru expectantly, but the inu didn't seem to have any further commentary on his story.

As the prince was wandering through a dense forest trying to---

"Why would a prince be wandering aimlessly through a forest? Doesn't he have duties to attend to?"

"I don't know, Sessho-maru. Why do you wander?"

"I do not wander. I have a purpose. I am maintaining my territory and checking on neighboring demons, keeping myself informed."

"Ah, I see. Well this prince also had a purpose…."

He was escaping the oppressive heat of the day by seeking shade and a nice cool pond.

"He sounds lazy."

And so….it wasn't long until the prince found the desired cool pond and so he quickly stripped and waded in, his body immediately cooling.

"Careless."

"Shut up. I'm telling the story here."

Suddenly there was a splashing noise and the prince turned to see a small creature washing its face on the edge of the pond, paying him no attention.

"Go away," the prince said and he made a dismissive shooing gesture. The creature, who hadn't been aware of anyone nearby cried out in surprise and jumped back to see a blurry figure standing in the middle of the pond.

"I am sorry," said the creature. "I didn't see you there. Some berry juice accidentally got in my eyes and I was washing it out. Oh it burns!"

And the creature put its head into the pond once again, splashing about, desperately trying to free his eyes of the burning juice. Finally he stopped and looked up, blinking his large yellow eyes several times bringing the world back into focus. That's when he saw the prince and he gasped in wonder.

"You're….you're beautiful. Are you real?"

"Yes, I am, now go away, you toad."

The creature cringed at the prince's harsh words and disappeared into the bushes.

"So this does have a happy ending."

Kurama rolled his eyes and sighed before continuing.

Alone once again the prince continued his leisurely swim in the pond right up to the point when his skin would start to prune. He found a rare sunny spot and sunbathed long enough to dry his skin and then dressed and left without further incident. But just as he was about to emerge from the shady forest he suddenly found himself falling to the ground because something had a hold of his ankles.

"Please don't leave! Stay here with me and let me gaze upon your beauty!"

The prince looked behind him and saw the creature from the pond desperately clutching his ankles as if for dear life, tears streaming down his cheeks. The prince growled as he sat up and swatted at the offending creature.

"Swatted?"

"You've got a problem with my word choice?"

"A prince does not swat."

"What if he's a sissy?"

Kurama enjoyed the image of Sessho-maru sitting there with his mouth open and no words coming out. Gotcha!

"As I was saying…."

The frightened creature scurried back a few paces and the prince stood up, trying to brush the grass and dirt and brambles from his clothing.

"Oh, let me help you!"

But as the small creature brushed the prince's clothes he left muddy streaks wherever he touched.

"You fool! Look what you've done!"

"Oh gracious me! I'm sorry, I'm sorry. But I can wash that right out! Wait here just a moment!"

And the panicked creature scurried away into the bushes with the sounds of his fretting echoing through the forest. The prince huffed and looked down at his ruined clothes. He couldn't possibly be seen in his current condition, but he didn't want to wait and see what the horrible little creature would do to him next, so he headed off back to the pond to clean his clothes properly.

But the pond was exactly where the creature had gone and at the appearance of the prince he gushed and ran up to him with a sloshing bucket of water.

"Oh good! I was worried how I was going to carry this heavy bucket so far! Let me just----ahh!"

And with that exclamation the helpful creature tripped, sending the bucket of water straight at the prince who found himself completely drenched.

The creature looked up and cringed at the sight of the angry prince glaring down at him, his hair and clothes hanging limply and dripping.

"I'm sorry. I tripped. Here, let me help----"

"Stay away from me, you foul little toad! You'll only make things worse!"

And so the prince turned on his heels and stomped through the forest, deciding it was better to be seen wet and dirty than to stay with the toad any longer. But the creature wasn't to be deterred and he followed at the prince's heels, begging to be allowed to help him.

"Go away! Leave me be!"

"But I just want to help you! Here! I have a blanket you can dry off with!"

The prince turned around to see the small creature reach into his cloak and magically pull out what appeared to be a thick green blanket.

"Here! Catch!"

Before the prince could react the blanket caught him full on and he went flailing to the ground with a muted thud.

"Oh my! Are you alright?"

The prince sat up and pushed the heavy blanket from his face. It smelled like dirt and was oddly heavy. As he looked down to examine the blanket realization sunk in and he looked up at the creature who was staring at him in wide-eyed horror.

"Fool! This is a moss blanket! It won't dry----why do you look at me like that? Have I finally scared you enough to leave me alone? Good! Be gone!"

The prince stood up and tossed the blanket into the bushes and continued his hurried retreat from the forest.

"No, wait! Stop!"

But the prince ignored the creature's pleading and he emerged from the forest and headed for the palace. But as he made his way through the palace gardens a few of the ladies-in-waiting saw him and ran away screaming in terror. The prince ignored them and continued his fast pace to his rooms, hoping to not be seen by anyone else in such an embarrassing state, but was soon halted by several guards brandishing swords.

"Stop creature!"

"I am no creature you fools! Get out of my way!"

"Take another step and we'll be forced to kill you."

"I am the prince! Now get out of my way or I'll have you all beheaded!"

The guards looked shocked, then amused.

"Hahahaha! It is you who are the fool! Our prince is beautiful beyond compare. You are a mere toad and belong in the forest where no one will have to look upon your ugly face! No be gone!"

The guards began to advance on the shocked prince and so he turned and ran away back to the forest and didn't stop until he reached the pond. There he collapsed and gasped in horror as he saw his reflection in the still water. He was covered in mud and grass and his face had a green tint to it from being exposed to the moss. His hair was now matted and tangled with small branches and leaves from his hurried escape from the forest.

"I truly am hideous."

The prince splashed the water to banish the image and began to cry.

At this point Sessho-maru cleared his throat and Kurama paused his narration.

"Yes, Sessho-maru?"

"I cannot allow this to proceed any further."

"Excuse me?"

"The guards didn't heed their prince?"

"They couldn't recognize him."

"And the prince ran away without a fight?"

"Well….he is a sissy."

Sessho-maru glared at the smiling kitsune who was obviously proud of his story and enjoying himself immensely.

"Hmph. Just get to the part where the toad dies."

Kurama inclined his head and chuckled.

"As you wish."

The prince was too busy lamenting his fate to notice the quiet approach of the small creature he'd been trying to escape. The creature put a small hand on the prince's shaking shoulder.

"I still think you are beautiful."

The prince looked up at the sincere creature, unbelieving of what he was hearing. He didn't understand how anyone, even someone as ugly as the toad, could find him beautiful.

"You do?"

"Yes."

Suddenly the prince understood what true friendship was. No one had ever truly been his friend before. They were only reacting to his looks and power. But this simple toad accepted him without beauty or power.

"Will you…stay with me?"

"Of course. That's all I wanted to begin with."

The prince stood up and smiled down at his newfound friend.

"Let's go, toad."

"Yes, my lord."

And the pair slowly disappeared into the darkness of the forest.

Kurama looked at Sessho-maru and waited for the inu's reaction. But several minutes passed and still he hadn't said a word. He just stared at Kurama as if looking for an answer, but Kurama didn't know what the question was.

"Sessh---"

"You're not very good at telling stories."

"What? Why not?"

"The prince was a sissy and then decides to live in dirt with the toad?"

"Sure. He finally found a true friend."

"No, he found some psychotic toad who no doubt molested him in his sleep."

"Sessho-maru! What kind of bedtime stories have you heard!"

Kurama saw the rosy cheeks of the inu lord and he smiled triumphantly. This is more fun than I could have ever imagined!

"I demand that you change the ending."

Kurama crossed his arms over his chest looking like a petulant child.

"No."

"Kurama, I cannot accept such an ending."

"Why? Just because the toad doesn't die?"

"Yes. And the fact that the prince was a sissy. And the absurd notion that some mud and sticks---"

"Don't forget the green skin."

"…..would keep people from recognizing their own prince. And you didn't even describe what this toad looked like. And your idea of a setting was vague at---"

"Well excuse me!"

Kurama slammed his fists down onto the mattress and glared at the inu lord.

"I never claimed to be a Christopher Moore or Sooyeon Won or Befanini or….or…RedKitsuneFlames! So back off!"

Sessho-maru's brow furrowed and his lips pressed together momentarily before he decided to show his ignorance and ask his question.

"A 'who' or a 'what'? Is this Red Flames creature a relative of yours?"

"Expand your horizons! Open a book!"

"Perhaps I should leave." Sessho-maru stood up and reached out, letting his knuckles caress Kurama's cheek and smiling at the warmness and rosy hue that resulted from his touch. "You've taken this story too personally and you're getting worked up when you should be resting."

Sessho-maru turned away and made his way to the door.

"Sessho-maru, wait."

The inu looked back to Kurama from the open doorway an eyebrow arched in question.

"Tomorrow it's your turn to tell me a story. I believe you mentioned a troublesome kitsune?"

Sessho-maru's lips curved into a smile.

"So I did."

And they lived happily ever after……

Ok, so I had SO MUCH FUN writing this! And yes it's definitely my homage to Princess Bride. That is one of the best, most quotable movies ever! I've watched it at least twenty times (Inconceivable!).

About the authors mentioned above:

Christopher Moore is my new favorite author. My cousin and I are reading all his books. I just finished Lamb and fell in love. It was funny, witty, and poignant. Oh! Just love it!

Sooyeon Won writes the series Let Dai. This is one of the few series I read that I'd be willing to do some pretty BAD things to keep reading. It's beautiful and funny and gritty and violent and heartbreaking. It's a wonderful study into human nature.

And then there are my shameless plugs for Befanini and RedKitsuneFlames: two of my favs on There are so many wonderful writers out there (feel free to check out my Favorites for some recommendations!) but these two have a special place on my bookcase.

May you all find happy endings!