The Water Sprite

A New Beginning

But Mo Yuan was still angry, though it had eased.  Never in all his life had he ever come across a child so outrageously naughty, but he honestly didn't believe she knew or even understood the mayhem she had caused.  Not even the day she had let off the fireworks in The Celestial Heavens armoury.  That time, she had only wanted to see the pretty lights.  She had been much younger then, so he could hardly demand punishment.  Even now, she was still too young, but this time, he would ensure that it never happened again.

"I have already made up my mind Zhe Yan, I will not have that girl on my Mountain, she is too disruptive and her antics and lack of care is just too dangerous, she almost killed my birds." he said with finality and a very hard look at his old friend who was as much at a loss as the girls parents.

"Mo Yuan, we are truly sorry, but you're the only one we know of that can help her." Zhe Yan pleaded harder, but a sudden flare of light that flickered though Mo Yuans eyes had him sitting up a little straighter.

"Well that is not entirely true Zhe Yan." he said with a small smile, which he knew meant Mo Yuan had an idea, and his ideas were always good.

"Who, I will visit him myself." Zhe Yan said moving in closer, as if he were about to hear a secret of great importance.

Chuckling, Mo Yuan had given it some thought, but how it would work would entirely rest on the child.  "As you are aware, your Grove holds a special rock pool with its own Water Sprite, one the child has already had the pleasure of talking to." he said with a sparkle in his eye.

Looking back at him confused, Zhe Yan had no idea what he was talking about.   "Water Sprite?" he asked which instantly gained him a round of laughter.

"I didn't tell you did I." Mo Yuan said as the memory of their first meeting came back to him.  She had made such a big impression on him, he was actually looking forward to what he had planned.

"As I mentioned before, I had met her, but from behind the cascade of water.   She could only hear me, not see me, so she automatically assumed I was a Water Sprite." he said which also gained him a round of laughter.

"The greatest God ever to walk the Realms was demoted to a Water Sprite?" Zhe Yan asked stunned.  If anyone could mistake him for a Water Sprite it would have to be Xiao Wu, he thought to himself laughing.

"Indeed.  She certainly has a way of unintentionally creating mayhem as well as offending others.  But she is delightful, because her mischief is unintentional.  She just doesn't think.  Therefore, I propose to teach her as a Water Sprite.  You merely have to bring her to the Grove once a week, ensure she finds her way to my rock pool and I will take it from there." he said with a wide smile.

Zhe Yan thought about Mo Yuans proposal and the more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea.  Not only had he in effect agreed to teach her, but she would be safe enough in his Grove and so would he.  He would not have to worry about her causing anymore chaos on his mountain, upsetting his Disciples or killing his birds.  He actually thought the idea was brilliant.

"Alright, I agree, and I know her father will too.  When shall we start?" he asked happy that something was being done for her, because they had all done their best and failed miserably.

"This afternoon.  The sooner we start, the sooner that girl is brought under control." he replied.

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 Finally free of her father, Bai Qian ran through the grove once again crying from yet another spanking, only this time, Bai Yi, her older brother spanked her too.  And all because she rang the stupid bell.  It was just so unfair, she thought to herself as she once again kicked at the trees and threw harmless spark spells.  

Stumbling about the Grove, she did not notice that she was being purposely led back to the rock pool by a magic she could not feel.  Slowly but steadily Mo Yuan drew her footsteps closer until she stumbled into the clearing crying and still throwing spark spells which he noticed immediately.

Flopping down on the edge of the rock pool, she had yet to notice where she was, she was so upset she hadn't even noticed the small flower that was floating on the water.

Throwing her harmless spells at the water, Mo Yuan chided her softly.

"Not only do you carelessly throw rocks, you also aim to hurt my lotus?" he asked softly which immediately had the girl looking back at the cascade.  Suddenly her tear filled eyes lit up brightly.

"Water Sprite, you came back!" she suddenly smiled.  Then dragging both hands across her face to wipe away her tears she looked down at the little Lotus flower that was floating in the water.

Chuckling softly, Mo Yuan watched as the child smiled down at the flower bobbing aimlessly about in the water, before dipping in her hand to make the flower move.

"I'm sorry, I didn't notice it." she said softly as the Lotus swayed unevenly before her.   "You are very pretty." she said softly down at it. 

This pleased Mo Yuan, because it meant the child did have a kind heart, one that he would grow.

"That is because you did not pay attention.  The Lotus is much like you." he said keeping his tone soft and gentle.

"Like me?" she asked, thinking the Sprite was also calling her pretty but wanting to hear it.

"The Lotus flower is rare for its ability to grow strong and beautiful even though it starts its life in muddy waters." he said softly, which she understood to mean she was beautiful even though she was naughty. 

Feeling as if she were once again being told off, her lower lip dropped.  "Water Sprite, are you going to be mean to me too?" she asked in a small voice.  

Once again pleased that she had grasped the analogy quickly, Mo Yuan knew then, he would be able to teach and guide her.   After all, if she wanted a man who would listen to her every word and bow to her every whim, then she would have to be the kind of woman that a man would want to listen to, a woman who he would want to bow to.  And because she was obviously very bright, he would have a lot of fun with her in the process, he thought to himself.

"Child, the Lotus is merely a reflection of your own heart.  Take care of it, and it will also take care of you." he said.  Then his his surprise, not only did her bottom lip rise into a sweet smile, but she swung her small body around, then dipping her feet into the water, she gently splashed the water while Mo Yuan watched as she moved the Lotus gently.

She had never had anything to look after before, and to think the Water Sprite was going to let her care for it, was actually very exciting.  Suddenly she had something to play with that wouldn't get her into trouble.

"I'm going to give it a name." she said suddenly laughing as she took in the pretty little white Lotus that had yet to gain its colours.

"Zhong Hua. (Bell Flower) because it is shaped like one that I saw last night" she said suddenly squealing with laughter,  which instantly had Mo Yuan roaring with laughter along with her, not just for her reference to the Bell of Kunlun,  but because the Bell Flower was synonymous with Obedience!