"Where…..Where am I?" Takiko got up and looked around her. There were old Asian-style buildings covered with white snow. It was such a beautiful scene! "It looks like…ancient China?!?" Suddenly feeling the intense cold, Takiko walked into the town she saw up ahead. People stared at her, and Takiko realized she was wearing her school uniform, and that made her stand out from everyone else. "What happened?" she thought. "Why am I here? I remember the book Otosan was reading, and a light…"
"Hey you! Where are you from? Aren't you a pretty thing?" Takiko turned to see a group of men starting to surround her. Frightened, she ran away, screaming for help. She crashed right into a man with long dark hair and deep brown eyes. "Are these guys bothering you?" he asked.
"Stay out of the way, we saw her first."
"I don't believe this young lady wants to be going with you, so leave her before you're sorry."
"Ha!" laughed one of the men. "What can a runt like you do to all of us!?"
"RUNT!? Now you'll be VERY sorry!" The handsome man smiled and pushed Takiko behind him. A green light shone on his forehead. "Cow!?" Takiko read.
The man with the Cow sign was an excellent martial artist. With a few short kicks and punches, he had the first two punks unconscious. Afraid, the others started to run away, but the man with the Cow sign lifted his hand. "You don't think I'll let you get away, do you?" Ice appeared below the bandits, and they all fell to the ground. Takiko was shocked. "Magic….?"
The man with the Cow sign laughed. "That'll teach you to pick on innocent girls!" He turned to Takiko. "Are you alright?" Takiko blushed and nodded. She couldn't believe how good-looking he was.
"My name is Iname. What's yours?"
"I'm…Okuda Takiko." She stuttered.
"Takiko, eh? Where did you come from? Aren't you cold? Why don't you come in here and warm up." He pointed to a tavern, and Takiko followed him inside.
"Iname!" an attractive woman with long black hair waved to Iname from a table. "Finally you returned! Oh! Who's this?" she looked at Takiko.
"Her name's Takiko. I found her outside being attacked by some guys."
The woman looked at Takiko closely. "What interesting clothes you have on! Where are you from?" She turned to Iname. "You don't think….?"
"The legend. That's what I thought of immediately when I rescued her."
"What legend?" Takiko asked.
"There has been a legend passed on through the people of Hokkan for thousands of years. It says that one day, when Hokkan country is in need of a miracle, a girl from another world will appear to save the country by becoming Genbu no Miko."
"Genbu no Miko…?" Takiko remembered the word Genbu from her father's speech before.
"Yes, Genbu no Miko. Our Priestess who will call our Tortoise God, Genbu, to receive three wishes and save us."
Three wishes!? Takiko thought. It's just like the book said…
"To do so, Genbu no Miko must gather her Shichiseishi."
"Shichiseishi? Seven Star Warriors?"
"Yes, and I, Iname, am one of the Genbu Seishi. So is my companion, Uruki." He nodded towards the woman. Uruki stood up and showed Takiko her calf. A green sign that read "Woman" glowed. Iname continued. "This legend has always been believed to be just a folk tale, but with the sudden appearance of three of the Seishi, the emperor and the rest of our people have been expecting our Miko. As ridiculous as the legend may seem, it is our only hope now." He looked sad for a moment, but shook his head again. "One of our neighboring countries, Kutou, has been gathering its troops to invade us. Their army is three times the size of ours, and we seem to be going into a losing battle. The only thing that has kept the people's hopes alive was the appearance of us Seishi and the prayer for our Miko's arrival. With your odd clothes, you must be from another world!"
"Well, I'm not sure exactly. This is definitely not a place that exists anywhere in my world, but I just got here, and I'm very confused."
Iname laughed. "That's good enough proof for me. Let's go see the emperor."
Uruki's eyes widened. "The Emperor won't see common people!"
Iname's face hardened. "He will if he cares for this country. Besides, we're not common, we're Genbu Seishi. He'll let us in, I know it." He took off his coat and wrapped it around Takiko. "Hokkan is a cold country. You'll need it."
Takiko blushed. "Arigatou. What about you?"
"I'm a man, I can handle it."
Uruki winked at Takiko. "So he thinks." she whispered.
Iname dropped money on the table. "Let's go!"
******
Einosuke had searched the entire house, but still could not find Takiko. He returned to the den to find Shijin Tenchi Sho wide open. He turned it over to look at the cover, and was shocked to see that the cover now read:
Four Gods, Sky and Earth:
Japanese translation by Okuda Einosuke
"It couldn't be…" He started reading aloud, shocked to see that the ancient Chinese script turned into Japanese as he spoke. "Genbu no Miko and her Seishi, Iname and Uruki, appeared before the emperor's castle."
******
"I'm freezing!" a chattering Iname said under his frozen breath.
Uruki giggled. "That's what you get for playing a gentleman."
"What do you mean PLAYING a gentleman? I AM a gentleman! Aren't I, Takiko?"
"Oh, yes…" Takiko stuttered, finding herself blushing again. What's with me? she thought.I'm not falling for this guy, am I?
"Look! There it is!" Uruki pointed up, and for the first time, Takiko noticed the enormous palace in front of her covered with pure white snow. "It's beautiful…" Takiko remarked.
"Halt! Who goes there?" a soldier shouted.
"We have come to see His Highness. We are two Genbu Seishi, and we have at last found Genbu no Miko."
"Genbu no Miko!?!" The soldier looked happy for a moment, but he turned stern again. "That's just a legend. Please move along now."
Iname looked frustrated. "Certainly you know of the three Genbu Seishi that have been found! I thought one was even staying here!" He was quiet for a moment, and then he lifted his hand. Ice sprayed on the wall and the Cow character appeared on his head.
The soldier's eyes widened. "It is true! Follow me!"
******
Einosuke continued. "Genbu no Miko and her two Seishi were led through the vast courtyard. Genbu no Miko couldn't help but feel they were being followed. She turned around to see a man aiming a bow and arrow at them."
******
"Look out!" Takiko pushed Iname down, who fell on Uruki, who in turn knocked down the soldier.
The man's arrow flew through the air and pierced a beast's head. Takiko realized the animal had been about to attack her group.
The man reached for Takiko's hand and helped her up. "There was no need to push everyone down, I could have killed it with you standing there."
Takiko looked up into his deep brown eyes and found herself blushing again. He was pretty young, about 16 by Takiko's guess. "Oh..gomen. I thought…"
He laughed. "I was aiming for you? I help the damsels in distress, not kill them." He smiled. "I'm Chen Emtato, Hokkan's best archer."
"I'm Okuda Takiko."
"A…little…help, please?" Takiko looked down and saw Iname, Uruki, and the soldier were in a pile on the floor still. "I'm so sorry!" Takiko exclaimed as she and Emtato helped the rest up.
"Now shall we continue to the Emperor?" Iname asked, upset that he had not sensed the danger. He turned around and noticed Emtato was still following them. "What do you want!?"
"I overheard at the gate that this young lady," he nodded towards Takiko, "is Genbu no Miko."
Iname got even more upset. "What business is it of yours, Kid?"
Emtato turned around and lifted his shirt to show a green character reading "Emptiness" on the left side of his back. "My Genbu Seishi name is Tomite."
Iname's face reddened at the fact that he had been rude to another Genbu Seishi. Uruki laughed. "Think before you act, Iname!" She turned to Tomite. "I'm Uruki, and this clod is Iname. We're also Genbu Seishi."
Tomite bowed. "Pleased to meet you." He turned to the soldier. "I can lead them now, Solider." He took Takiko's arm in his. "Follow me."
"Little rich kid…thinks he's so refined." Iname mumbled.
"Pardon me?" Tomite asked.
Iname let out a fake laugh. "Nothing!"
******
"Your Highness!" Tomite bowed before the emperor, a middle-aged man with a kind face.
"Yes, Tomite? Who are these people?"
"The other two Genbu Seishi that were found, and a young lady who may be Genbu no Miko."
"Genbu no Miko!?" He looked at Iname. "Rise, Young Lady."
"YOUNG LADY!?!" Iname ran up to the emperor. "Do I look like a female to you!?"
The emperor was taken aback. "Yes…"
Iname sighed. "I AM A MAN!"
Tomite signaled Iname to come closer. He whispered to him, "Don't be rude to His Majesty."
"He started it!" Iname whined as he sulked off to the corner.
Takiko giggled and stood up. "I am the girl Tomite spoke of, Your Highness." She removed Iname's coat to reveal her school uniform.
The court broke out into gasps and whispers. Takiko turned to see that Tomite was staring at her as well, but he blushed and turned away immediately when he saw that Takiko had noticed.
The emperor nodded. "You are indeed from another world. Will you take on the daunting task of becoming the Genbu no Miko? Will you find the Genbu Shichiseishi and call Genbu? Will you save Hokkan?"
Takiko looked at Iname, Uruki, and Tomite's encouraging faces. By calling Genbu, she thought, I can have three wishes. I could wish for true friends….Plus, it seems the only way to get home.
"I'll do it! I'll become Genbu no Miko!"
To be continued…
