Fushigi Yuugi: Genbu's Play
Written by: HolyUp Chacha
Brief notes: I'm borrowing the characters that Watase Yuu originally created. Many thanks go to Udi Hoh, Chris Coyle, Jason Bere, Jarred Miller, Heather Solomon and anyone else involved with the creation or clarification behind Genbu's shichiseishi. Without them, the Genbu would be but a forgotten chapter within the pages of the Four Gods Heaven and Earth.
Yes, this fic is written in the style of a screen play. Sorta. And, yes, it comes complete with 'background music', so to speak.
Himiko-den's theme song: Pure Snow
Serial Experiments Lain theme song: Duvet
Episode 1: The Legend Begins to Move

Begin...

[ The scene starts off with a large house. {{Intro the song Duvet}} A man leaves the house and walks to his car, a briefcase in hand. The camera swings about to show a dark haired girl standing at a window. Her hand presses against the glass, a sad expression on her face. The man gets in his car and we see it drive away. ]

[ The camera switches to inside the house and is trained on the girl, watching her father drive away. {{ Duvet still plays }} The camera follows the girl as she drops her hand {{Exaggerated slowness to further the song.}} She then turns from the window, her head bowed and walks through a sparce looking living room. The camera follows, circling her as she walks, starting at her feet and swinging up to end on her face. By then, she should be standing before a large doorway. {{ Duvet Ends }} ]

[ She enters the room. It's a large study with books stacked to the ceiling in places. There are no sounds other than the sounds of footsteps on a hardwood floor. The young woman pauses at a desk cluttered with books, papers and folders. The room is dark, lit by a single lamp in the background. ]

Takiko: [ The girls's voice is soft, a whisper. ] "A-nou. Otousama." [The girl sighs and steps closer with a glance over her shoulder to the open door. She walks back to the door to close it. The room grows dimmer with the lack of light from the hallway. She approaches the desk again and begins to straighten out a few papers. ]

Sound: B---ump.

Takiko: [ The young woman widens her eyes and looks around for the source of the sound. ] ".....?" [ She sees nothing and hesitantly goes back to straightening the desk. ]

Sound: Bum--p. Th--ud.

Takiko: [ The young woman turns as the room suddenly rumbles and shakes. ] "What? An earthquake?" [ The room silences again. ] "Ah.. The books have all fallen over. What's this?" [ The fallen books have a red one on top. She picks up the book and opens it carefully.] "Shijin tenchi no sho."

[ The girl sits down to read over the first page. Taiitsukun's voice is the narration as Takiko reads. ]

Taiitsukun: "This is the story of a girl who gathered the Seven Seishi of Genbu, and acquired the power to make every wish come true. The story itself is an incantation. Whoever finishes the book shall receive this power. As soon as the page is turned, the story will become the truth and begin..."

Takiko: "Genbu? What? Ah!"

[ A green glow explodes from the book and envelops the young woman. She screams and disappears. The book lands on the floor and closes. ]

[ The green light dies and Takiko is laying on her side in an alley. Her eyes open and she sits up, looking frightened. ]

Takiko: "Anou. Where am I? What happened? The book. It glowed green and then-"

[ {{ Start playing Pure Snow}} ]

Soldiers: "There!" "That light came from the alley."

[ Sounds of running can be heard and a rattling of armor. Men in scaled armor and blue feathers on their helmets run into the alley. The young woman stands up and backs against the wall. ]

Soldier 1: "Huh?"

Soldier 2: "What weird clothes."

Soldier 1: "She must be a sorceress! Capture her!"

[ An arrow suddenly embeds in one of the soldier's arms and he cries out. The young woman screams and turns to run. {{Pure Snow reaches the first place that the tempo speeds up}} She finds herself, suddenly, facing a tall man with long, stone grey hair. She lifts a hand to her mouth which is open in surprise to scream again. ]

Hikitsu: "Watch it!"

[ The soldier who'd been hit stumbles after his companion who's lunged after the young woman, sword poised to strike her down. The grey haired man lifts his right hand while his left grabs the young woman by the arm and yanks her against his chest. A serpent of ice stretches out from the man's hand and latches onto the arm of the attacking soldier. The soldier's arm immediatly is coated in ice while his arrowed companion stops in his tracks. ]

Tomite: "Leave."

[ A shorter, dark haired young man in a tall blue hat steps out from behind the grey haired man. A bow is strung in his hands, an arrow ready to loose. ]

Hikitsu: "Kutou soldiers are not welcome here."

[ The ice snake breaks off from the soldier's arm and he stumbles back to his injured partner who pulls the broken shaft of the dark haired youth's arrow from his arm. Both run away, supporting each other. ]

[ {{ Second swell of music}} Hikitsu looks down at the woman pressed against his chest and releases her with a widened eye. We see now that his hair was covering an eyepatch. The young woman stumbles back, her arms tucked in against her front, her hands made into frightened fists at her chest. ]

Tomite: [ The dark haired young man stares at the young woman and her clothes. ] "Her clothes.. That light.. You think she's the one, aniki?"

Hikitsu: [ The stone haired man stares at the young woman's face silently, then nods to the other young man. ] "There's no doubt."

Takiko: "........." [ The young woman takes a step back and crumples to the ground in a faint. ]

[ Eyecatch one: SD Takiko bounces into the frame and throws herself at Tomite. She clings to his arm and grins while he blushes with a scowl on his face. ]

[ Commercial for Fushigi Yuugi: Genbu Chapter merchadise goes here. ]

[ Eyecatch two: SD Uruki and SD Hikitsu run into the frame. Uruki grabs Takiko's arm; Hikitsu grabs Tomite's arm. The two sei try to pull Takiko and Tomite apart. The entire group ends up in a dog pile with Tomite on the bottom and looking surly. ]

[ Commercial break over! ]

[ The scene begins with Takiko's scrunched up face peeking out from under a pile of furs. She opens her eyes slowly and blinks several times. The camera switches to show the world from her perspective. The world is blurry and she has to open and close her eyes several times. ]

Takiko thinks: Where am I? I don't remember-- [ Takiko makes a quiet groan. Her hand snakes out from under the furs to touch to her head. Her vision has cleared and the camera is now angling down at her. ] Did I hit my head?

Tomite: [ Calls out. ] "Aniki, she's awake."

[ The camera adjusts itself, now, and angles around from the back of the room to expose everything. Tomite is sitting cross legged beside the 'bed' that Takiko lays covered in. He's restringing his bow. ]

Tomite: You hit your head when you fainted.

[ Tomite looks up from his bow and stares at Takiko's face for a few minutes. She stares back without saying anything. ]

Takiko thinks: I remember now. I was reading that book and the ground shook. I remember a green light and then--

[ Takiko finally looks away from Tomite. She's blushing. She turns her face to stare at the ceiling again. Tomite goes back to his bow. ]

Takiko thinks: And then I was saved from those strange men by that boy and an older man. Where am I? Is this some kind of dream?

[ Hikitsu enters the tent. Takiko shivers from the cold, snowy air that swirls inside with the sei. ]

Hikitsu: "How is she?"

Tomite: "Awake. Her head hurts."

Takiko: [ Blushing ] "It's fine."

[ Takiko pushes the furs back and sits up. She smoothes her hair back from her face and then smoothes them over her kimono. She looks at Hikitsu and she looks surprised. ]

Takiko: "You're young!"

[ Tomite smirks and sets aside his bow. He looks at Takiko. ]

Tomite thinks: She's a strange girl. She looks too frail to be our Miko-sama. Aniki is certain she is. This better not be a waste of time.

Hikitsu: [ With a straight face and bland voice ] "I am only a few years older than Tomite."

Takiko: [ Blushing ] "Your hair..."

[ Takiko looks at Tomite. She meets his gaze and looks down at her lap. Her blush gets darker. Tomite looks away at his bow. Hikitsu stares down at Takiko. ]

Takiko: "I'm sorry." [ She climbs to her feet and bows to Hikitsu and then Tomite. ] "Forgive me. It was presumptious and rash of me." [ Takiko looks around the tent and bites on her bottom lip. ] "Where am I? Who are you both?"

Hikitsu: "You are in Hokkan, Miko-sama. We are your sei. I am Hikitsu and he is Tomite. We will protect you until you summon Genbuseikun. If you are ready to travel, we must go and search out the rest of your sei."

[ Takiko stares at Hikitsu. She looks at Tomite. She laughs uneasily. ]

Takiko: "Is this a joke? Are you friends of Suzuno-chan's? Did she think up this joke to cheer me up? Suzuno-chan?" [ Takiko begins to call for her friend. Her voice becomes panicked. ] "Suzuno! Come out! It was a good joke. See how I'm laughing?" [ Takiko laughs; she sounds hysterical. ]

Tomite: [ Jumps to his feet. ] "Aniki!"

Hikitsu: [ Calm and reaching for Takiko ] "Miko-sama, this isn't a joke."

Takiko: [ Backs away from Hikitsu, towards the tent flap ] "No! Suzuno! You're carrying this joke too far! Make them stop, please, Suzuno!"

[ Takiko's hysterical giggling has turned to frantic sobs. She backs up until she reaches the tent flap, then darts through it before Hikitsu can catch her. ]

Tomite: Shit! She's running away!

[ The camera follows Takiko as she runs across the ground. The world around is her is a barren, frozen wasteland with a half a foot of snow covering it. She heads for a small, forested area. Tears stream down her face as she runs. She trips over a rock and hits the ground with a bounce as she reaches the entrance to the forest. She lays there, crying quietly in the snow. ]

[ Tomite appears on the scene, now. He runs up, looking out of breath and stops a few feet from the downed Takiko. He stares at her for a few minutes while she cries. This gives Hikitsu time to catch up with Tomite and Takiko. Hikitsu looks at Takiko and then Tomite. He puts his hand on Tomite's shoulder. ]

Hikitsu: "Otouto."

Tomite: [ Scowling ] "Damn it."

[ Tomite steps towards Takiko. He leans over and picks her up. She's craddled in his arms like a doll. She cries into his shoulder. Tomite, with his back to Hikitsu, lets the scowl go. He gazes down at the girl in his arms. His expression is softer and sympathetic. ]

Hikitsu: "Come, otouto. Let's get her out of the cold. She needs rest; we'll travel at dawn tomorrow."

Tomite: [ Neutral voice ] "Yes, aniki."

[ Tomite turns around, the scowl back on his face. The two walk back to the tent. {{ Cue closing music: Oh Angel.}} The scenes that follow are the closing credits with the images of Takiko reading the red book, Takiko against Hikitsu's chest while he fights with the soldiers, Takiko blushing as she looks at Tomite, Takiko running towards the forest. And, finally, the credits end with the last image: Takiko asleep with tears on her cheeks, her head against Tomite's chest. {{ Closing music ends. }} ]