Fushigi Ke'nak
Castellan@angelfire.com
Jennile-chan@juno.com
https://www.angelfire.com/wa2/thehelix
Disclaimer: The Castellan and Jennile-chan do not own any of the characters, but we did come up with the story. Watase Yuu and Paramount own Fushigi Yuugi and Star Trek, respectively.
Chapter 2
Worf's face began to turn a pale shade of green. The rest of the crew crowded around him and stared at the distraught Security Chief.Riker, who never gave up a chance to insult Worf, started to laugh.
"I've never *gasp* seen Worf look *gasp* so, so *gasp* GREEN!!!" He fell to the grass laughing and landed on top of one of the little girls. A shriek pierced the air as Riker jumped up and ran to stand behind the captain. Everyone turned to the girl, Worf was forgotten, and stared again at the sight in front of them. The little girl began glowing a bright purple and a sphere was forming around her figure. The other Nyan-nyan's looked on as the little girl vanished.
"What did you do?!" Picard turned around and glared at the commander. Riker ran, cowering behind Troi and shook his head.
"I only fell on her..."
"FELL ON HER!!" Everyone jumped as a deep voice cracked through the air.
"Nyan-Nyan! Bring them to me at once!" Immediately the little girls, who were once again smiling, guided the group away. This time, Worf didn't object to being pushed. The scenery changed suddenly and waterfalls and ponds were scattered across the landscape.
"I can't believe this!" Crusher sighed as she bent down to pick a little pink flower. "Everything is so beautiful." Worf looked about and he could feel that incredible peace again. This land reminded him of someplace that he had been before. He just couldn't remember where. The waterfalls offered the correct environment to meditate and the surrounding hills and valleys were adequate for training. There was also a deep peace that permeated everything within perception. A peace that penetrates the soul and calms the ...
"Who are you?"
"AAAHHHH!" Everyone scrambled and tripped over each other as the deep voice again cracked through the air. An elderly, ugly, little woman appeared in front of them and glanced disgustingly down at the fallen group.
"Stop it! The last thing I need is a bunch of weaklings! Now get up!" Everyone stood at the old lady's command and Worf chastised himself for the second time within ten minutes. He couldn't understand why he kept losing his composure. He was almost acting like the rest of them!
"What are you doing here and who gave you permission to squish one of my nyan-nyan's?" She glared at the group, who wasn't looking at her.
"Look at me when I ask a question!" she roared and everyone lifted their heads. Crusher nudged Picard, "Go on, Captain. Tell her!"
"Why do I have to?" he was having a hard time looking straight at the ugly woman before him. Picard was the lover of beauty and art. His quarters were filled with rare paintings and sculpture. Even imagining what this woman looked like was making him feel faint.
"Because you're the Captain!" she hissed back at him.
"Oh right, umm," he turned his attention to a tree that was right behind the woman's head. If he could focus on the tree, then maybe he could get through this without an embarrassing situation occurring.
"Madame, I am Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise and this is my crew. We have landed in your land by accident and are searching for a crewmate. His name is Data. Do you know where he is?"
"No I do not. How did you reach this land?"
"We found a book called..." he looked at Worf for help.
"Universe of the Four Gods" Worf supplied.
"Yes, well, we had found this book and began to read its contents when..."
"Who read it?" The old woman jerked her head up and scanned the group.
"I did, Madame." She floated to where Worf stood and stared into his eyes. They stared at each other for a long time before the woman "humphed" and nodded her head.
"Yes, I see. Nyan-nyan!" One of the little girls let go of Riker materialized beside her.
"Take them in and be sure that they are comfortable." she turned back to the group "I will speak to you later. Follow." she vanished and the nyan-nyan began to push them towards the top of a hill. Troi looked at the little girl and sighed.
"Where are you taking us now?"
"There! There! There!"
"Where?!" Crusher yelled, but stopped when before them stood an enormous temple. After they had "freshened up", which consisted of a small meal and a bath, they congregated in a large room with pink silk pillows lying on the floor. No one said anything, the shock of what was happening was suddenly crashing down on each member.
"Well, lets get this going." Everyone jerked as the old lady materialized and sat on one of the pillows next to a large mirror.
"I am called Taiitsu-kun. You have entered the book and are now on my mountain. I am the creator of this world and of the four gods. Now, who are you?" The group turned their heads to Picard who cleared his throat, "We are looking for our crewmate who..."
"Oh, yes. The one called Data. He is in the land of Koutou. That is unimportant." she shifted her gaze at Worf." Tell me about yourself. How were you able to enter the book."
"Well, I..."
"That is not what we are here to discuss. We are here to..."
"You are here to discuss what I want to discuss!" The old woman yelled at the captain who shrunk further into his pillow. "Now, tell me everything." Worf then told her about the missing crewman and the reading of the book and up until the part where the nyan-nyan appeared. He finished and Taiitsu-kun turned to the mirror at her side.
"I see. I think it would be beneficial if you heard the story of the Suzaku no miko."
"Suzaku no miko?" Worf asked and Picard looked at Troi who shook her head. She had never heard of a "Suzaku no miko."
"It will be explained as you watch. Now watch and quite interrupting!" They looked at the mirror and images began to appear. It looked like a junior high school classroom. A girl with buns was sleeping on her desk....
Several hours later, the images disappeared from the screen and Taiitsu-kun turned to the group. Everyone continued to stare at the mirror in disbelief, except for Riker.
"Wake up you fool!"
"Wah!" Riker jerked up and looked about. "Oh, is it over? What happened after she met Tasuki?" He glanced around and everyone glared at the bleary-eyed commander. "Eh, never mind."
"Madame, is there a connection with this Suzaku and us that you have failed to mention?"
"My, my. Aren't we perceptive. Is he always like this?" Picard nodded and glanced at Worf, "Yes, and Madame I suggest you answer him."
"Hmmm, well, your friend is not in any danger. He is safe in Kutou, and you will be reunited at once. There is a problem though..." Worf nodded, "We must call Suzaku to defeat an evil that threatens our time. And to do this we must reunite all of the Suzaku Seishi."
"What? You have to be joking!" Crusher threw up her hands and turned to Worf. "They're dead. Killed. Dug a grave and forever mourned! There is no way that we could bring them together! And another thing, how many times, exactly, is this Suzaku going to let people summon him? I mean you saw how many times Miaka did and now we have too! Why can't he just go and solve the problem himself? Why does he need us and can someone tell me who actually came up with this myth in the first place? There are just too many inconsistencies and..."
"SILENCE!" Crusher yelped and quickly sat back on her pillow.
The old woman glared at her a moment longer until Crusher wasn't sure if maybe *she* had come up with the particular myth. The old woman eventually turned away and resumed.
"The dead seishi will not be hard to find. They are all here. It's the two that are living that will be problems. As you saw, Tasuki and Chichiri survived at the end. Tasuki has continued his old ways and Chichiri has continued to wander. I cannot help or other wise hint as to where exactly they are." She turned to Crusher, "Yes, that's another problem isn't it?" Crusher wilted into her pillow and wished for once that Wesley was here to take the blame. "That is for you to find out. I can, however provide a guide and helper. Yuiren!"
"Hai! Sensei." A girl of medium height and light brown hair floated into the room. Her clothes were identical to the nyan-nyan's except there were tiny bells attached to her clothing. Geordi turned his head to look at the newcomer and froze. He had never seen anyone so beautiful. Her hair glistened and tiny bells were interwoven in the strands. She smiled at the group and her violet eyes offered a warm welcome.
"Yuiren, come here child. I have an important task for you. The time has come for you to leave and act on your training."
"But, wait a minute here!" Troi stood and pointed, disbelieving at the girl who just appeared. "She died, didn't she?"
"Yes, she died! But she was chosen at her birth to be trained under me and when she died she came here. Is that okay with you?" Troi nodded meekly and sat back down. Taiitsu-kun turned to Worf. "You will be the new Suzaku no miko."Silence fell over the room. Everyone turned slowly toward the ever-calm commander.
"Him?! Worf as miko!" Riker fell backwards on his pillow and rolled on his side, clutching at his stomach, laughing.
"Silence!!" Taiitsu-kun threw out her arm and a Nyan-Nyan floated over and with a very happy smile and hit Riker on the head. Silence again consumed the room.Picard cleared his throat "Um, isn't a miko a priestess?"
"Yes"
"Oh, okay, well you know I just thought that there might be a slight problem in that area. Worf is male. That might be difficult to notice..."
"Of course I noticed!" Taiitsu-kun floated to where Worf continued to sit calmly. "You shall be miko. Suzaku is blind to gender. The Phoenix is both man and woman and will not be concerned whether you are male of female. Since you are the one who read the incantation, you shall be miko." Taiitsu-kun stopped and regarded the chosen miko. He was definitely a refreshing change from the previous one. Miaka was very sweet, a little too sweet, but she didn't quite qualify when it came to intelligence. This one looked promising. He continued to sit and regard the old woman with a look that his fellow crewmembers knew too well. Worf was thinking and when he made a decision it would be the right one. They also knew that his decision would determine whether they became involved or not. Slowly, Worf stood and saluted the old woman.
"I shall undertake this mission. Our own time must be saved and I shall do whatever it takes to secure that safety. Tell me what I must do."
Tomo applied the finishing touches to his make-up and smiled at himself in his hand mirror. Life was definitely looking up. Ever since he came out of seclusion after the Miaka incident his life had been miserable. He was no longer allowed to act and for some reason everyone avoided him. The only place where he was accepted was the palace and ever since the death of the old emperor, things were just, well, boring. Now, though, they have had a special guest and Tomo was able to do what he loved most, act. The newcomer seemed very interested in their history and last night, they had finished telling him about the Seiryuu no miko.
"That is a very interesting story. Can this miko come back and summon the god again?" asked the pale newcomer.
"No. She is forever sealed into her own world after that last encounter with Tenkou." Miboshi gazed unblinkingly at their guest as he had for the past three days. A story that Soi could have told in three sentences took Miboshi three days to finish. The android didn't mind and contributed to the length of time by asking countless questions. He found the story intriguing and, besides, he had nothing else to do until he was found. Soi strode in and deposited some books and scrolls on the little table that sat between the two.
"Here they are. Every history book and peasant account is now in this room." She sighed and turned around to leave them.
Now the stranger wanted to read everything from who paid their contributions to the weather of the harvest of his lord's year 39. Well, as long as it kept him from looking at her he could have every book in the whole place. Soi shuddered as she made her way back to the library. Those eyes were worse then Miboshi's.
"That should keep him busy for awhile."
"Muttering to yourself again, Soi?" Amiboshi didn't stop from placing more books into a basket as Soi walked to the window and gazed out at the rain.
"Data is a fast reader, you know. He'll want more books and more scrolls soon so get busy and fill that other basket up! OW!"
"And you'll get another book in the head if you don't stop talking to me like that! I don't see what he wants with all of this stuff anyway. And did you notice how he hasn't eaten anything for weeks? He hasn't eaten or drunk anything and he still lives! Ugh! When will this rain stop!"
Tomo hummed a little as he went to see how the newcomer was doing. Maybe he will want to see another performance. Things were definitely looking up! A guard was running down the corridor and stopped and bowed in front of him.
"Tomo-sama, there are strangers at the gate who say that they are looking for the one called Data. Shall I let them pass?"
Strangers. More strangers and more strangers meant a larger audience!
"Yes, let them in! And give them the best room in the palace. I shall inform Data of their arrival." Tomo walked quickly towards Data's apartments, cackling as he went.
The small group followed the guard into a large room that was decorated with lavish draperies and rugs.
"Well, they definitely know how to decorate!" Riker fell into a chair that sat below a wood framed window. "I wonder if Data will actually want to return to the Enterprise after the time he has spent here. His thing, you know!"
Worf glanced over at his commander and cringed at the man's inability to keep decorum. A Klingon was trained since he was old enough to stand that one did not sit in front of his superiors until he was told to. He was disrupted from his thoughts as cackling laughter came nearer.