I don't own Fushigi Yuugi or Star Trek: Deep Space 9. This is like a prequel to Together Again. This is basically how Tasuki and Chichiri admitted their feelings for each other and a small preview of the third part of this story, which is Gods of the Wormhole. Way to much time on my hands, no da. Hope you like it. Everqueen

DEEP SPACE 9-

Jake and Nog sat above the prominade and watched the activity below them. Feet swinging, the two friends passed the time just observing the going ons of the station. Nothing exciting had happened on the station in about four long months and the two friends were starting to feel the boredom. Nog leaned against the railing and groaned "I'm so bored."

Jake just nodded when he felt the hair on the back of his neck stick up and he sat up straighter right as a red light flashed in the space below them. When his vision cleared he saw two figures sprawled out on the floor in a tangled heap. Security personel were quick to the draw and had their phasers aimed at the two, but it was not really necessary.

The one on the bottom gave the redhead on top of him a shove, the latter falling to the floor and a man with sky blue hair that clung to his face, wet, leaned over his companion, calling softly to him. Nog heard the words "Tasuki, Tasuki wake up, no da" although Jake did not. "Tasuki? What a weird name."

Jake didn't look at his friend as he spoke, his eyes still rivited on the scene below him. "Tasuki, is that what he said?" "Yep. He said 'Tasuki, Tasuki wake up, ya know."

"Weird indeed."

Tasuki and Chichiri were walking down a path going no where in particular. As was customary, Tasuki was whining about always walking, but Chichiri paid him no mind. He had once told the bandit that he was free to return home, but the bandit had growled at him and said he would stay. Later they had talked more openly about it around the campfire and both admitted they would rather travel together for now, cause their continued company felt right after all that had happened. Tasuki admitted to whining just to annoy Chichiri. Chichiri had informed him that as long as he kept whining, Chichiri would keep throwing things at him. The arrangement suited the two greatly.

Truth be told, Chichiri was glad to have Tasuki's company. He felt incomplete and lonely without the brash bandit beside him. The time he had travelled alone before the false Suzako priestess had come had not been a good time for him and he was glad to once again have his fellow Seishi at his side. He had the feeling that Tasuki felt the same.

Chichiri gave a start when Tasuki touched his arm. "What, no da?"

Tasuki pointed towards a small lake through the clearing. "Didn't you say you wanted a bath?" Chiri smiled slightly and nodded, changing his direction to head towards the small lake. "This also seems to be a good spot to camp for the night, as well, no da."

Camp was quickly established and Chichiri enjoyed a relaxing swim before drying off and preparing supper. Tasuki was crouched near the water's edge while he cooked, regarding the water with obvious distrust. "The water is not deep near the shore Tasuki, you can go in without a problem if you want to bath."

The redheaded warrior turned to the monk. "I don't like water, but I am beginning to stink." With grim determination, he quickly stripped (don't be hentai... yet rofl) and walked into waist depth water to clean up. While Chichiri wasn't looking, he began to play a bit, splashing a little and smiling childishly to himself.

The monk heard the splashing and smiled, even with his lack of knowing how to swim, Tasuki did enjoy water that he could play in. He kept his back turned to give the bandit privacy but came to realize a few minutes later that the splashing had abruptly stopped. "Tasuki, are you done yet? Supper is almost done."

When no answer greeted him, he turned questioningly towards the water to find the surface smooth other then tiny ripples. He had taken only two questioning steps towards the water when Tasuki's head emerged from near the lake's center. "CHICHIRI" The bandit went back under almost immediately, but the worry and fear in his voice had been real and the monk dove into the water, leaving his tools of the trade behind (you know, his three items).

He had just reached the center of the lake when Tasuki surfaced 5 feet from him and he swam to the panicking bandit and grabbed him under the arms. "How did you get this far out, no da?"

"Something grabbed me."

Chichiri barely had time to give Tasuki a disbelieving look when something wrapped around his ankles and pulled him and Tasuki both under water. The water was murky, so they couldn't see what was grabbing them and only cause Chiri had been holding onto Tasuki in the first place did he know where the bandit was.

Thrashing did no good and Chichiri was quickly running out of air when he did the one thing that he was very unskilled at and used his powers without a channeling source and teleported him and his friend out of the water.

The redlight faded to find him and Tasuki in a heap on a cold metallic floor. With barely a thought, he shoved his friend off of him, only to hear the bandit hit the floor in a thump, no sound coming from him. In his worry for his friend, he gave no thought to his surroundings but crouched over his friend. "Tasuki, Tasuki. Wake up, no da."

Barely a few seconds passed when a hand touched his shoulder and he looked up into a young male's face. One who was wearing a blue suit of some type that was pretty form fitting. The man was talking in a foreign language, one Chichiri couldn't understand and he found himself growling slightly when the man moved to touch Tasuki.

The surprise was evident on the man's face and he looked over Chiri's shoulder and almost immediately hands were on his shoulder, pulling him roughly away from his friend. He cried out in anguish as he was pulled from his celestial brother. "Tasuki. What are you doing to him."

The man didn't reply towards Chichiri but spoke quietly to one of the others around him and immediately reached into a pocket and pulled out a small device which he pressed to the side of Tasuki's neck. A soft hiss sounded and the bandit's eyelashes started to flutter.

The man sat back on his heels and smiled at the bandit who gazed at the man in confusion which quickly turned to anger when he saw Chichiri being restrained.

The man seemed to read the situation quickly and said something to the one holding Chichiri back, and the monk was quickly released and he rushed to his friend, kneeling beside him again.

"Tasuki. Are you alright, no da?"

"Hai, I think so. I got one hell of a headache though." He glanced at the man and then around the strange area they were in. Chichiri took this time to glance around too and his eyes grew wide as the two stood together and stepped closer to each other. Tasuki leaned close as a colored man approached them, wearing a red uniform, one that resembled that of the blue one the man wore, the one who had healed Tasuki. "Chiri, I don't think we are in Konan anymore."