I had no idea that a comic on the pre-Miaka story existed! I actually found the story line on a free web encyclopedia.
Volume OneThe series begins with basic introductions; including a short history of The Four Gods of Heaven and Earth. Then the story moves on to cover Takiko, the heroine, as she tries to go to school, take the responsibilites of her household and nurse her dying mother. We also learn about why Takiko hates her father and how it all comes into play when her mother eventually dies. Takiko is angry and alone, since she had also just been rejected by the man she loves, and is furious at her father. So as she attempts to destroy the book her father had just completed, Takiko is sucked into it's pages and so begins the adventures of Genbu no Miko. Takiko, who is severely underdressed for the winter atmosphere, wanders the mountains of the new world as she tries to figure out where she is, and runs into a woman tied up and left for the demons. Takiko attemps to Phend the demons off, but the woman has to eventually help her; in exchange for the woman's help Takiko takes the woman to an inn and attemps to nurse her back to health.
However, we soon discover that the 'woman' is actually a man with the ability to change into a woman because of his seishi symbol, Uruki. The man's name is Rimudo, and is a wanted murderer slash an exhiled prince who is being tracked down by his own father. Before much progress can be made, a bounty hunter arrives and chases after Rimudo - and as he incorrectly assumed that Takiko was Rimudo's woman, he also tries to harm the miko. However, Rimudo uses the last of his powers, as he is still ill, to protect her and the two are cornered and ready to meet their maker as the army arrives and prepares to blast them into oblivion. Takiko would have none of that and blinds everyone with a powerful silver light, during which disturbances Rimudo escapes with Souren, his adopted brother who also acts as his bodyguard, and leaves Takiko alone. The bounty hunter, Chamuka, aka Tomite, makes Takiko his prisoner in order to lure Rimudo out.
Meanwhile, Rimudo's mind strays far from the strange girl he met in the mountains and saving her from the peverted bounty hunter as he and Souren try to sneak into enemies, Kutou, territory as they continue to run from Rimudo's father. Somehow, when Rimudo was showing off as he fought some bandits they just happened to run into; some higher ups in the Kutou armies saw the scene and allowed Rimudo, who has now dubbed himself as 'Taki', to join their groupies. Back to Takiko. The trap doesn't work, since both the bait and the prey didn't part on very good terms, but Tomite's mother, Boraate, arrives on the scene and discovers that Takiko is Genbu no Miko. Thrilled because the Miko had arrived, Boraate takes Takiko back to their village and allows her to stay with them. But, the happy times don't last for long because soon thereafter the Kutou armies attack the village in search for Takiko and kill the whole lot of them, or close to it. During the raid Boraate is shot by an arrow when she shields Takiko. Tomite gets mad and blames Rimudo who was just innocently riding his horse past the scene and the two start to brawl using their seishi powers of ice and wind. Of course, it is here when they realise that the other is a seishi. Souren distracts Tomite by attacking him with some kind of bomb and Uruki runs off. Tomite, however, decides to go back to his mother instead of chasing after the two. Boraate is only mildly injured compared to some of the others who survived the attack and Takiko begins to feel extremely guilty about the entire situation. As she begins to really think about taking the position of Genbu no Miko when Rimudo arrives and tries to discourage her; Takiko doesn't relent and declares that she is now and forevermore, Genbu no Miko.
The scene is shifted to some hideous old woman, who is floating in the air rambling on to herself about how she won't let Takiko gather the seven stars of Genbu. Takiko and Tomite, who is unsucessfuly trying to flirt with Takiko, are back in play as they are now leaving the village to start their journey to find the other seishi.
Volume TwoTomite and Takiko are traveling happily along the wilderness when they suddenly come to a village. No more sleeping outdoors! Says Takiko. Food! Tomite replies. As they walk through the town however, they discover only drama! Apparently, somehow a house is on fire and the unprepared villagers just watch it burn claiming that the fire is too out of control to put it out.
They are even prepared to let the little girl, who is stuck inside the burning house, die. The mother screams in horror and cries as they hold her back. However, Tomite is feeling heroic and freezes the entire structure with his powers, saving the girl. The townspeople are angered by this, since it was discovered that Tomite is a seishi, and try to chase Takiko and Tomite out of the town. But in return for saving her - the little girl, Darte, and her mother, Maijin, sneak Takiko and Tomite into their own home. There, many things happen such as Tomite hitting on Takiko and getting smacked, Takiko finally getting a weapon and the father of the girl trying to chase them out.
At this time, Rimudo is living it up with the Kutou army and his new friends, who are also skilled assassins, Shigi and Hein. Since they are all highly skilled they have been given a special mission to kill the Genbu no Miko and the seishi. Rimudo is placed in a tough spot but rides along anyway. As they track down the priestess, they see a man hunting in the forest. But what do you know, it's Darte's father! They pay him much in gold and he gives up the location of the group. Rimudo, being eager to show off, leaves his assistants behind and runs off to warn Takiko and Tomite. Chaos erupt. Rimudo kidnapps Takiko to save her, Tomite is attacked by Hien, Takiko runs away from Rimudo after getting to safety to help Tomite and Shigi attacks the family that had sheltered the Genbu no Miko. Takiko arrives back on scene, though, and fights Shigi one on one, and isn't doing too bad either until Tomite freaks out and distracts her. They are both caught off guard as Shigi and Hien go for the final attack, when 'woosh!' wind blows by and stops them in their tracks. It is Uruki, in disguise so as to not been recognized by his little friends, and she has saved the day!
However, Hien is just a tad bit upset because Uruki has amputated his arm in his attempt to play hero and moves to attack the wind seishi just as Uruki was hit by an assassins' arrow. Uruki is wounded and is on the ground in pain, so Takiko breaks out in a burst of power and blinding silver light to save him from Hien. The groupies run away at this time and Uruki, while not being grateful at all, flies off to get treated by Soruen and returns to his buddies back in Kutou. Tomite and Takiko leave the village in search for Hatsui and arrive at a run down temple in the middle of the woods. There they discover a woman named Phen who puts them up for the night.
However, Phen is plotting to kill them because it is also her mission to destroy the Genbu no Miko and seishi. To do this, she tries to turn Hatsui, who is hiding in a metal basket, against them so he will kill his comrades with his needles. Meanwhile, Tomite is dead drunk and Takiko is talking to Rimudo, who has gone solo because Hein has lost his arm. They share a moment before Phen arrives and tricks Takiko (and Rimudo who goes after her) into falling into a cave like room where Hatsui is. The seishi then tries to kill his comrades but wavers when Takiko talks to him some. In the meantime, Phen tries to chop off Tomite's head but the ice seishi regains his senses, shoots her with his arrows and chases her to where Hatsui is. Phen arrives in the cave and continues to encourage Hatsui to destroy Takiko and Rimudo.
Takiko stops this and in the end gets Hatsui to join their group. Phen pounts before making her escape, only to be killed by Haagasu, the assassin who shot Uruki. Uruki and Haagasu have it out but it's over when Haagasu reveals his ability to replicate the powers of his opponents. Souren arrives after Uruki falls and they all escape to safety. While there is downtime, Uruki and Tomite are treated while hiding near a lake. Takiko gets upset however, because Hatsui doesn't want to go on the journey with them and runs off on her own. Souren follows her and tells her about Rimudo's past and his destiny as the crown prince - and why his father wants him dead. Rimudo appears on scene and is angry because Takiko and the other seishi now know about him, and goes off to sulk. Takiko follows him and the two end up riding a boat on the lake.
While on the boat though, they are attacked by Kutou's armies once again but are saved by Hatsui, who has determined that he will stay with the group. Takiko, in concern for the others, falls out of the boat and almost drowns; when Rimudo jumps in after her and rescues her. Rimudo and Souren then go off on their own because they don't want to put the other seishi or Takiko in any more danger by being near them.
posted @ 11:47 PM
