Stargate SG-1: Celestial Legend

By ANBU Kakashi

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Warning(s): J/D slash.

Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate SG-1.

Summery: SG-1 meets a heavenly maiden -- and it is the cause of some amazing reactions...

Links: w w w.imorca.nu/tennyoweb/about.htm

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"On P2L-XR5, the village is very Oriental in culture, and it seems that they heavily believe in their version of the tenn'yo legend-"

Ah, yes, one Danny Jackson's pre-mission lectures.

Most of the time, they were quite boring to Jack O'Neill; he often dozed off, and Major Carter had to poke him with her pencil to keep him awake.

For some reason however, he was wide awake for this; and there was something about that word, tenn'yo...

"Doctor," General Hammond asked, looking apologetic. "What is the 'tenn'yo legend'?"

Daniel blinked, not quite comprehending. "Oh! Uh - well - that-" he pushed his slipping glasses back up his nose. "Well - it's a Japanese legend. You see, tenn'yo means 'heavenly maiden,' which is basically an angel.

"Now, there are hundreds of variations of the legend from all over the world, but the basic Japanese premise is that a fisherman sees a group of angels bathing in a lake in the forest. After watching them for a time, he sees their celestial robes. The fisherman takes one of the robes, hides it, and settles in the bushes to wait.

"One by one, the maidens put on their robes and fly up to heaven - except for one, since the fisherman took hers. She spots the fisherman and asks him if he knows where her robes are. He responds that he doesn't know - but she knows that he's lying.

"When she demands that he returns her robes to her, he replies saying that he will - provided she gives him something in return." Daniel shrugged. "This is usually where the legends deviate. In one, he gives her back the hagoromo, and she dances for him before going back to heaven. In others, he forces her to be his wife, and to bear his children-" (Sam made a strangling noise at this) "And in still others she falls in love with him, and decides to forget about the robes.

"One of the most common endings is for the tenn'yo to hear her children singing nursery rhymes that give the location to her hagoromo. She finds it, puts it on, and returns to heaven."

There was a silence. Finally, Jack broke it, saying "Heavy."

Daniel made an indelicate noise. "Yes. I can't say I like some of the versions." He gave one of his peculiar smiles. "But I rather like the one where she dances. There's a play about it; it's reputed to be very romantic."

Teal'c caught the dropped ball. "What is the village's version of this legend, DanielJackson?"

Daniel snapped back to reality. "Their version is that a tenn'yo came down to the planet, and voluntarily married one of the men there. She then told them about Tsuku-yomi, her god, and the god of the moon. They decided to make him their god as well, and she became their priestess. She's still there; alive and well, along with her husband. Apparently," here the archeologist's voice took on a wry tone. "The both of them look the same as they did eight thousand years ago."

"Sarcophagus," Jack put forward.

"Most likely."

"Do you know anything about 'Tsuku-yomi' Teal'c?" Hammond asked.

"Indeed, GeneralHammond. Tsuku-yomi was a queen Goa'uld that did not hunger for domination like the others. Instead, she preferred to be worshipped by her people, and played the role of a benevolent god to perfection. She preferred a voluntary male host so as to command more respect. Egeria is rumored to be her only descendent."

"It makes sense," Carter said, eyes lighting up. "Egeria's attitude was possibly passed on to her by Tsuku-yomi!"

"Then maybe these guys won't be so bad," Jack mused.

"Maybe not Jack," Daniel responded. "The sarcophagus doesn't exactly promote kindness."

There were shudders all around as they all remembered Daniel's former addiction.

"The risks seem small enough," General Hammond said. "You people have a go; and be careful."

The meeting was over. In two hours, they would be leaving for P2L-XR5.

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"Chevron five encoded..."

"Anything we should make sure of Danny?" Jack asked. "Like say, warrior bonds? Or, that we shouldn't wear the color green? Kinda hard to do, since that's the color of our field uniforms."

Daniel glared. "There isn't any need to be insulting, Jack. If you don't want to go, than I'll tell General Hammond, and hitch a ride with SG-8."

"No way, you'd get put over a spit and eaten; how'd I explain that to Doc Frasier?"

"That would be your problem wouldn't it?"

The two began arguing spitefully.

Sam could only sigh. Where had the days gone when the Colonel and Doctor had managed to verbally spar, and not tear each other apart?

Wherever Colonel O'Neill's sanity went.

She wasn't blind, and she'd read the psychological evaluations. Jack was starting to wobble, to teeter.

Sooner or later, he was going to fall. The only question was, would he come out with his sanity intact?

Fortunately, with funding the way it was, they wouldn't lose the Colonel until he went on rampage.

"Chevron seven locked!"

Jack and Daniel jumped, having been so caught up in their scrapping that they had forgotten where they were.

"SG-1, you have a go."

Jack gave General Hammond a jaunty wave before practically bolting for the 'gate. Rolling their eyes, his team followed.

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"Well, that was different!"

Jack was right, Daniel thought. Instead of being freezing cold, the wormhole had been...nice. Warm. Soft, even. Kind of like when you swim in a heated pool. "Nice change, though I don't want to think about the after-effects," he noted.

Jack looked at Sam. "There a reason Carter? Evil radiation, perhaps?"

She looked perplexed. Join the club. "I don't know, sir. I'll have to run tests back at the SGC."

"Maybe the natives can tell us." Daniel got some strange looks. "Well, they could."

"Daniel," Jack said gently. "This one of the after-effects you were talking about?"

Daniel scooped come dirt from the ground and flung it at him. Jack ducked and retaliated by crossing to him and flipping him over one shoulder. Ignoring his indignant squawk, Jack began catching up with Sam and Teal'c (they had left after the first dirt clod was thrown).

"Put me down," Daniel growled.

"Would you hate me if I said, 'no'?"

"Yes."

"Ah, how times change..."

Getting his feet back on firm ground, Daniel rescued his glasses from slipping off his nose. "What do you mean 'how times change'?"

"I'll explain it when you're older."

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He heard the soft splashing of water, and a woman's voice singing.

Curious, he drew closer, hiding in the trees, to see her.

Her hair was white as snow, and her large eyes were dark and timeless. She resembled a sixteen-year old in body, although she was far more beautiful than any adolescent.

Then, he saw the robe.

It was made of feathers, the same white as the woman's hair. It hung on the branch of a tree, the wind playing with the sleeves...