Blessed by gods by summerbirdy

Ebisu

I blame my Japanese phrasebook and r0o for this. R0o for getting my plunnie repellant disactivated and phrasebook for giving me ideas.

My thanks and admiration to Shadow, who betaed. And I still think you work as lightning.

And I own nothing. Shichifukujin (seven gods of good fortune) belongs to themselves and IY to Takahashi-sensei.

Ebisu

A dark haired girl in bright colored kimono leaned over the rail of boat, sporting a rather greenish look on her face. Next to her sat equally dark haired man, holding her shoulders to prevent her from falling into the sea. The man was wearing a purple monk's robe, and next to his feet were his staff and the girl's chosen weapon.

“For a girl that's used to riding through air on a giant cat, you sure get seasick easily, Sango.” the man teased quietly.

“Oh, shut your mouth, Miroku.” Sango answered weakly. ”I really don't want to hit you right now.”

Miroku took the hint and continued holding Sango's shoulders quietly. A raven haired girl sat on the opposite side of boat with a silver haired man. She looked the at the pair in front of her with mirth in her blue eyes, but also sympathy for the sea sick girl.

The silver haired man wearing a white kimono moved bit closer to her and quietly asked, “Is it just me, Kagome, or has the monk kept his hands from the usual routes?”

The girl giggled and looked fondly at her intended mate. “No, you're right, Sesshoumaru. But it's because he respects that Sango's already feeling ill. Besides, he knows not to cause any unnecessary movement in a boat like this.”

“Hn.”

The tachi was currently taking a lift on a local fishermen's boat to reach other side of the large bay faster. The boat was smallish, enough space to the tachi and four fishermen. The sea was peaceful and wind was blowing with enough force to fill the sails, but not enough to make big waves. To poor Sango, even this was too much.

Sango could have ridden Kirara to the other side, just like Rin and Shippo, who were sent with Ah-Un and Jaken to fly across the bay, but they had battled with three big oni just that morning and Kirara was exhausted. She was now laying on Kagome's lap, soundly sleeping.

InuYasha was sitting at the bow. He still didn't like the idea of Sesshoumaru joining the tachi, even if it had happened few months ago. He liked Kagome and his brother's “engagement” even less, but the happiness radiating from girl's face was enough for him to swallow all harsh words and be civil. To his amazement, Sesshoumaru did the same. But however civil they were, when he could, he sat as far from his brother as he could.

The boat ride didn't take too long and soon they were at the rocky point that was their destination. They got off of the boat, and Kagome heartily thanked the fishermen for their work and co-operation. Then she said something that made the men's hearts swell and light their faces with happiness.

“May you have Ebisu's rod on your boat”

 ~~~

The tachi climbed the rocky pathway towards shore and forest where the kids, the toad demon and the dragon were waiting for them. They were not far from the shore when Kagome noticed a rather wealthy looking man sitting on the rocks by the sea. He was rather round and dressed in very expensive looking clothes. Kagome faintly remembered seeing that kind of clothing in her history book, mostly on members of imperial court. The man was holding a fishing rod, and had obviously been there quite some time, if the pile of fish next to him was any clue.

Something about the man's appearance tickled Kagome's mind. There was something that made her think she should know this man. But she had never met members of an imperial court, had she? She kept walking, occasionally taking a glance towards the man and digging in her brain for the answer. She was so focused on her thoughts that she didn't notice rocks in her way and, being ever so clumsy, she tripped over them. Luckily, Sesshoumaru was there to catch her before she could hurt herself.

“Watch where you're going, woman” InuYasha shouted from behind.

Kagome smiled her thanks to her intended mate and straightened herself. She took a look in the man's direction.

“Sorry, I was thinking about how I know that man over there.” she said softly, pointing to the man.

The whole group stopped and looked at the man. He was sitting on large rock, fishing, and didn't seem to be troubled by their presence. He had a pointed, folded hat on his head, dark beard and he seemed to smiling widely for some unknown reason.

“Hello there!” Miroku shouted. “It seems you have had a decent catch. Would you mind selling a few to hungry travelers?”

The man kept sitting in his place, not moving a muscle.

“Hey! Old man!” InuYasha shouted rudely. “Did you not hear? Are you deaf or something?”

“Sit boy!”

InuYasha crashed to the rocks below him, cursing. “Wench! What did you do that for?”

“Be polite, hanyou.” Sesshoumaru answered. “You and your rude ways. No wonder...”

Whatever he was going to say was forever lost when Kagome elbowed him in the ribs. Not that it hurt, but he knew there would be some serious lack of attention later if he continued. And lack of attention meant one very frustrated dog demon, which usually led to more bickering with his brother and then even more ignoring and certainly no quality time with his chosen one. Oh yes, been there done that, never again.

“You're whipped.” InuYasha muttered quietly, but dropped the subject when Miroku hit his head with his staff and Kagome glared him angrily.

Then she turned her eyes back to the man, who was still fishing with a peaceful aura around him. It was like he had not heard the commotion. The man really behaved like a deaf one.

That was when it all seemed to click. It all fit perfectly. Kagome's eyes widened with awe. Sesshoumaru noticed this and silently nudged Kagome's elbow to get her attention.

“What is it, love?”

Kagome turned her blue eyes to her mate-to-be. She wouldn't say a word about what she discovered, but it didn't seem to matter. Sesshoumaru had seen that look on other faces many times in his long life. He knew then who this man was.

Kagome touched purple comb in her hair gently and took it out. It was gift from Sesshoumaru, but somehow it felt right, what she wanted to do with it.

“Do you mind?” she asked softly, worry in her eyes.

Sesshoumaru took hold of her hand, closed her fingers around the comb and pushed girl slightly towards the man.

“Go.”

The others watched in awe and wonder at the interaction between taiyoukai and Kagome. And were even more confused when Kagome walked slowly towards the man. She walked around him to face him and slowly knelt in front of him. The others saw the man's head snap up, like he was surprised to see her there.

Kagome bowed down and offered her comb to the happy looking man.

“Ebisu-sama, please guard the way of those fishermen, bring food to their table and prosperity to their family.”

She bowed again, and started rising to join the tachi again, when soft voice stopped her. The voice seemed gentle, yet awfully strong.

“My child, you wish nothing for yourself?” Ebisu-sama. For the man was indeed the god of fishermen and merchants.His lips were not moving, but the voice couldn't have been anyone else's. “You wish happiness to those you've hardly met, yet want nothing to yourself?”

Kagome lifted her head and met the eyes of this silent god.

“What would I need?” she asked quietly. “I already have so much: Friends, love and family.”

“And what of this quest of yours?” The god's voice asked. “Would you not want it to be over?”

Kagome laughed happily. The same laugh that managed to brighten her friends and sway the heart of her beloved taiyoukai.

“It will be over soon. Just watch us.”

The god then started laughing. He laughed in the loud, happy way that comes from the stomach. It was the laugh that makes you want to laugh too. Ebisu-sama laughed a long while, until he felt a pull from his rod. He then proceeded to pull a fish from the water. It was largest fish Kagome had ever seen and it took her awhile to recognize it as red sea bream, a fish that her mother used for festive foods back in the future.

Ebisu then rose to his slightly crippled feet, gave Kagome a kiss on her forehead and vanished into thin air with his fish, leaving behind red sea bream, an awed Kagome and the stunned tachi. The last thing Kagome heard was soft voice that drifted softly to her ears.

“Be blessed, my child. You and your family”

~~~

Later that evening, when they had reunited with rest of the tachi, the fish was roasting over the fire and everyone was gathered together peacefully (and after Miroku had earned a hand print to his face), Kagome told them a story of Ebisu, the god of all fishermen and merchants.

~~~

A/N Ebisu is indeed one of the seven gods of good fortune, shichifukujin. He's also the only one that is fully of Japanese origin, instead of Indian or Chinese. He is the protector of fishermen, farmers and merchants, god of good luck. He's recognised by wealthy looking clothes, a pointed, folded hat, fishing rod, freshly caught fish (usually sea bream, tai, as it is the symbol of good luck), a plump figure and wide grin on his face.

Shichifukujin are Buddihst deities of origin, but you can also see some shinto beliefs wrapped in them.