Episode 15 – Sono Kozue ga Sasu Fuukei (Landscape Framed by Kozue)

Miki is walking down the halls of Ohtori Academy. He stops short as he sees Kozue talking and laughing with a male student. Suddenly, she looks and sees Miki watching her.

Student: What's wrong?
Kozue: ...It's nothing. So, about Toshiko... In the end it looks like she went to Atsushi's place again yesterday. So, she shouldn't have been so stubborn about it in the first place, right?

She pulls the student closer.

Kozue: And then...

She whispers in his ear, laughing softly. Miki starts walking away. Kozue watches him as he is approached by his piano teacher.

Teacher: Miki... Are you going to your piano lesson?
Miki: Yes.
Teacher: I have high expectations for you. Work hard.
Miki: Yes. And are you feeling better now?
Teacher: I've caused you problems, haven't I?
Miki: Not at all.
Teacher: Actually, speaking of problems, I need to talk to you, Miki.

He and Miki turn away. Kozue notices this.

Student: What's wrong?

She pushes him away from her.

Student: Hey...

She watches darkly as Miki talks with the teacher.

Title card: Landscape Framed by Kozue

Touga is sitting catatonically in his room, listening to sad music. Nanami opens the door.

Nanami: Big brother, have you stayed home from school again today? At the very least, you could come to dinner on time...

Touga doesn't respond. Nanami closes the door.

Nanami: (thinking) Big brother... Don't worry, big brother. I'll take care of the Student Council.

Mamiya: Student Council... The Student Council members... With their spirits, we might forge a sword powerful enough to defeat Tenjou Utena. That is what my black rose tells me.

Mikage and Mamiya are standing around the glass cube with the black rose inside, surrounded by darkness.

Mikage: However, they have all been defeated in duels. They are weak-hearted people.
Mamiya: There aren't many people who can fully control their hearts. I'm sure it's particularly difficult for people of such a young age. It would be far better to let their spirit swords be received by someone else. That way, a stronger duelist can be born.
Mikage: I understand. For the sake of making you the Rose Bride, I'll consider it. However, drawing their spirit swords requires a hand that can capture their hearts.

Kozue sits languidly beside a pool in Ohtori Academy, taking fistfuls of water and releasing them back into the pool. Two other girls walk up to her.

Girl 1: Kozue! Hey, Kozue, you've changed boyfriends again!
Kozue: I haven't changed boyfriends, I've added one.
Girl 2: Oh, the things you say! You lucky girl!
Kozue: Work at it yourself, you two.
Girl 1: Then would you introduce us to your brother?
Kozue: Okay, but...it seems there's a girl he likes these days.

Miki stands outside Utena and Anthy's dormitory. He starts to ring the doorbell, but stops.

Miki: Calm down, Miki. "Himemiya-san, will you please play the piano with me tomorrow?" Okay...
Utena: Hey, Miki!

Miki is caught by surprise and turns around to face Utena, standing behind him.

Miki: I was just passing by! I wasn't doing anything suspicious! Um... what am I saying?

He laughs nervously. Utena smiles.

Utena and Miki go into hers and Anthy's room.

Utena: Himemiya! Miki's here!
Miki: ...Don't think I'm here just to visit Himemiya in particular! I just happened to be passing by!
Anthy: Hello!

Miki, Anthy and Utena are sitting at the table. Chu Chu is lying on top of it, acting sick.

Miki: Um...
Anthy: Yes?
Miki: Um... Chuu Chuu is really cute, isn't he?
Utena: It's not Chuu Chuu, it's Chu Chu. It it was Chuu Chuu, it would sound too mouse-like.
Anthy: Oh, but I like Chuu Chuu as well.
Miki: Himemiya-san, you like Chuu Chuu too?
Anthy: I like it.
Miki: I like it too! (blushing) I guess we have something in common.

(long pause)

Miki: Sorry. I'm saying strange things, aren't I? Um...
Anthy: Yes?
Utena: (thinking) Come on! You can do it!
Miki: Himemiya-san, if it's all right with you, would you play the piano with me tomorrow after school? I would like to introduce you to my piano teacher. I'm certain that if he listened to you play, he'd be quite impressed. So...please?

The piano teacher runs down several flights of steps in a panic, dropping sheet music as he goes. Kozue is standing at the top of the steps, watching him.

Kozue: You wanted to talk to me?
Juri: The incident last week with the teacher falling down the stairs was not an accident. Rumor has it that he was pushed. According to him, he wasn't certain whether or not it was an accident. However, just last night, he got a phone call saying that the next time, it won't be a slight accident.
Kozue: How brilliant, Arisugawa-sempai. You seem to know everything.
Juri: There are some things I don't know. For example, why you hate this man so...
Kozue: Because he's always...
Juri: Always...
Kozue: I will never forgive anyone who disgraces Miki.

Miki walks into his and Kozue's bedroom, carrying a tray with two milkshakes. He looks at Kozue, lying in her bed.

Miki: I made some milkshakes. Do you want one?
Kozue: Why would I drink something so sweet?

Miki picks up his and drinks it in one gulp.

Inside the music room at Ohtori Academy, Miki is playing "The Sunlit Garden". Utena watches from the doorway. Miki looks to his right, where Anthy comes in with the second part. Utena looks in the hallway, where Kozue is watching them play from another doorway into the room. She walks over to her.

Utena: So, you're Kozue-chan. I've heard about you from Miki. Wow, you really are twins. If you dressed up as a guy, I could never tell you apart from Miki.
Kozue: I am nothing at all like Miki. (pause) That girl with the glasses...what was her name again?
Utena: You mean Himemiya Anthy? What about her?

Utena looks with surprise at Kozue's face, dark and jealous.

The elevator up to the Student Council area starts to move.

Nanami: If the egg's shell does not break, the chick will die without being born. The chamber of freedom and the cage of freedom...without showing the vastness of the skies, they cherish the chick. Break the world's cage!
Juri, Miki, Nanami: For the revolution of the world!

Juri, Miki and Nanami sit at a table.

Nanami: What is it? Any complaints?
Juri: None here.
Miki: None here.
Nanami: From now on, I will act as my brother's proxy. I do have the qualifications. Any complaints?
Juri: None here.
Miki: None here.
Juri: Except...
Nanami: Except?
Juri: We don't seem to get letters from the Ends of the World these days.

Akio: So, there's a boy who likes Anthy?
Utena: Are you concerned?
Akio: Well, she is my sister.

Akio and Utena are sitting in Akio's office.

Akio: However, if she is enjoying her school life, then I'm relieved. I'm glad my sister has good friends like you.
Utena: Akio-san, you really think about your sister a lot, don't you?
Akio: Do I?
Utena: I probably wouldn't understand, since I don't have any siblings myself, but what does it mean for a girl to have an older brother?

Akio puts a slide on the table.

Utena: What's this?

She holds the slide up to her eye.

Utena: The moon?
Akio: Normally it's something useless, and of little concern. But, every now and then, you look up at it and feel a certain degree of comfort.

Miki is sitting at the piano in the music room, looking at his stopwatch.

Miki: Himemiya-san's not here yet? I must have arrived a little early...

Miki has fallen asleep at the piano. Kozue stands behind him, watching. She walks over to him, and flashes back to when they used to play the piano and drink milkshakes together.

Suddenly, Kozue looks up, and sees Anthy standing in the doorway.

Kozue: You saw?

Anthy is silent.

Kozue: Well, don't you want to say something?
Anthy: Say something?

Miki clicks his stopwatch, and wakes up.

Miki: Himemiya-san.
Anthy: Sorry. I also went to check on the greenhouse.
Miki: That's all right. I'm just happy you came...

Kozue stares at Anthy with envy.

Kozue stands at the window in Nemuro Memorial Hall.

Kozue: I have an interview appointment today.
Person: We've been expecting you. Enter.

Kozue sits in the elevator.

Kozue: I'm Kaoru Kozue, seventh grade, class B.
Mikage: (over intercom) Please begin.

The elevator shakes slightly and starts to move down. Kozue clasps a pile of sheet music to her chest as she speaks.

Kozue: Miki is my twin brother. Since we were very little, he's treated me very fondly. Lately, even though he pretends there's nothing wrong, if something happens to sully me, he acts outwardly as if everything's okay. But in his heart, he's hurt, and he obsesses over me. That's why I purposely go out with people I know Miki will hate. But...
Mikage: (over intercom) Deeper. Go deeper.
Kozue: But Miki's attention is gradually going toward another woman. It's going away from me!

The elevator stops. Mikage stands behind her.

Mikage: I understand. I guess you have no choice but to revolutionize the world. The way before you has been prepared.

Mikage stands next to a coffin drawer on the wall. Kozue's sheet music is in a pile on the floor of the elevator.

A pair of hands plays "The Sunlit Garden" in the music room. Miki walks down the hall. Once he gets close to the room, he hears the song. He looks in the doorway and is surprised to see Kozue at the piano. He walks over to the piano.

Miki: Kozue?

Kozue stops dead in her playing and stands up. She puts one hand on Miki's cheek.

Miki: Kozue?

She brings her face close to Miki's. He pulls away.

Miki: What are you doing?!

He notices the Black Rose Signet on her finger.

Miki: That ring!
Kozue: Isn't it nice? It matches yours. And here is one of the roses that bloom at the ends of the world!

She pulls her hand away from her chest to reveal a black rose. Miki grabs his chest and doubles over in pain, then his head flies back.

Mikage: (voice) This is your new power. You should take it without hesitation.

A sword comes out of Miki's chest.

Utena and Wakaba are walking down the hall when they see a group of people crowded around a wall.

Utena: What's this?
Wakaba: It's the finals schedule! No matter how hard you wish, what will come, will come... Oh no! English and math are on the same day!

Utena suddenly notices a note taped to the wall beside the schedule.

Note: To the one engaged – I shall wait for you at the duel arena this evening.

C-ko starts a skit behind a stained glass window that Utena and Wakaba are in front of.

C-ko: Extra extra extra!
C-ko: (train attendant) We have hot coffee, sandwiches, and cold beer available.

C-ko rushes past, carrying a toy train and making train sounds.

C-ko: (train attendant) We have hot coffee, sandwiches, and cold beer available.
C-ko: (passenger) Wait a minute, I'm supposed to be the only one on this car.

C-ko rushes past, carrying a toy train and making train sounds.

C-ko: (train attendant) We have hot coffee, sandwiches, and cold beer available.
C-ko: (passenger) Shut up! I don't want anything to drink! I don't want anything to eat!
Utena: Then ignore her.
C-ko: (passenger) Excuse me, a coffee and sandwich...

Utena opens the doors to the duel arena and climbs the stairs.

The duel arena is lined with rows of identical school desks, each with a milkshake on top of them. Kozue, in a duelist outfit, turns to face Utena amongst the desks.

Utena: Kozue-chan?

Kozue: I swear by this black rose, that I shall win this duel, and bring death to the Rose Bride!
Utena: Let me guess... Because of that black rose?
Anthy: That could be.
Kozue: Now then, Tenjou Utena, draw your sword! Otherwise, the Rose Bride will be mine!

She brandishes her sword at Utena.

Utena: That stance... It's the same style as Miki's.

Anthy summons the Sword of Dios. Utena pulls it out of her chest.

Utena: ...the power to revolutionize the world!

The bells near the duel arena ring. Utena and Kozue duel with much fervor.

Utena: Get a grip! You've lost yourself!
Kozue: I will kill Anthy!

Kozue breaks away from Utena's block and takes a swipe at her rose, but narrowly misses. Anthy starts drinking the milkshakes on the desks.

Kozue: Disappear, all of you! Except for Miki and me, all other things are ugly!

Kozue slashes the Sword of Dios out of Utena's hand.

Utena: Her sword...what power!

Kozue: This is Miki's brilliance! (brandishing her sword) It ends now!
Anthy: Utena-sama!

Kozue takes a swipe at Utena again. She flips backwards and dodges it, the grabs her sword. Anthy touches the end of it, charming the sword. Utena summons the Power of Dios and charges Kozue, slicing her rose. The petals fly in the air as Kozue screams. The bells ring again as the desks form four squares around Kozue. She falls onto one of the red silhouettes on the ground. Her Black Rose Signet shatters. Utena and Anthy look at her.

Utena: Brother, huh?

In the music room, Miki comes back to consciousness and stands up.

Miki: Kozue...

The coffin Mikage had taken the Black Rose Signet from falls backwards through the wall and is consumed by flames. Mikage stands next to where the coffin had been.

Mikage: Failure... But this was only the first. There are other Student Council members.

Miki: What happened to that Black Rose Signet?

Miki and Kozue are in their bedroom. Kozue is lying in her bed, and Miki is sitting on the edge of his.

Kozue: What's a Rose Signet?
Miki: Never mind.
Kozue: Did I really collapse from anemia?
Miki: Yes. Take it easy, and get some sleep.

Miki kisses Kozue on the cheek.

Kozue: Hey, would you make me a milkshake?
Miki: Sure.

Utena is looking at the moon through the window in her room, and remembers Akio's words.

Utena: "It's there, to be sure, and usually is something useless and of little concern, but every now and then you look up at it and feel a certain degree of comfort", hmm?

The elevator opens in Akio's office. Anthy sets her glasses on the table. Akio is sitting on the couch.

Akio: Come here, Anthy.

She turns around and walks towards him. The lights in the room go out.

Akio: Tonight, I'll comfort you, too.

To be continued...