The return I'm noticing a lot lately is that of spring. My yard just kind of exploded into life, and I was NOT prepared for it. The grass and weeds have popped up in their aggressive manner, forcing me to recognize that while my yard is small-ish, it's not as small as it would need to be in order for me to easily start converting the lawn to moss. It's going to be a massive undertaking, and given how expensive everything is at the moment, it's going to take a lot of money too. I'm already exhausted, to the point where I'm kind of looking forward to winter again.
Yeah, you're not that lucky, girl. Of course, this is something she acknowledges as she approaches that precarious mountainside shack where Hakudoushi hangs out all the time. When she flies in the doorway, she's surprised to see Hakudoushi suspended in the center of a visible barrier, his eyes closed and looking like he's taking a real nice nap. Kagura turns to Kohaku, who is sitting on the floor by the door silently, asking him what Hakudoushi is up to now. Kohaku remains tight-lipped, and Kagura turns away again, mumbling the supposition that it's useless asking him anyway.
She DOES get a response from Hakudoushi, however, who has noticed her just getting in and is casting her a suspicious glare, demanding to know where she's been. Kagura remarks upon how Hakudoushi is awake after all, but he will not be diverted; he firmly tells her to provide an answer. After a pregnant pause, Kagura says she was taking a break, given how exhausting it is being with him every moment of the day.
He just has time to scoff at her maximally offensive answer.
From the swirl of light in the barrier, there swells another bubble from the inside wall, expanding toward a very unconcerned Hakudoushi. But when a sparkle of light emerges again, and something from that sparkle shoots straight toward his chest, his expression turns shocked. Kagura and Kohaku watch from the sidelines, gaping.
Just as ominous as I thought.
Both Kagura and Kohaku look rather disturbed by this sudden explosion of Naraku's gore in the barrier, the former stuttering Naraku's name is horror. Hakudoushi looks as if he's losing consciousness due to the sparking arrow that's embedded itself in his chest, and drops to the floor of the hut, the barrier dissipating around him and Naraku. Naraku's pieces, knitting together, continue to hover in the air, and when his head is at least whole again, he considers how KAGOME was the one who fired the arrow that was imbued with KIKYOU'S power. His thoughts turn to how the barrier of the now half-conscious Hakudoushi lying on the floor is what connected him to this world, and if Kagome had fired the arrow just a moment earlier, he would not have been able to return. Not sure I get how that's supposed to work, but it's magic, so meh. Naraku smirks about the luck still on his side, when he should REALLY be smirking about how the publishers/editors of this story are making too much money to let his crusty ass die.
Narrow sky transition panel! Back at the grave site of Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru's father, Inuyasha kneels next to Housenki's giant diamond skull, holding up his hand and telling the old fossil that he'll be taking the Shikon shard glittering in his palm. Housenki tells him he can do what he likes, regretfully talking about how he couldn't protect the fragment, how he didn't think evil would come all the way here to get it. He reiterates that he wasn't able to stop the conflict swirling around the Shikon no Tama, with the implication that maybe SOMEONE ELSE can.
But Inuyasha bluntly states that the conflict WON'T stop, Miroku and Sango looking somberly on as he adds that it won't as long as the jewel is still around anyway.
That just sounds EXHAUSTING, bro.
He's fifteen, though, and so full of energy that he vows without hesitation to keep fighting until he finishes off Naraku and those seeking the jewel stop. He's just projected his flagging ambitions to use the Shikon no Tama himself into more productive channels, good for him. Housenki scoffs about Inuyasha refusing to run or "protect the fragments" like he himself wanted, acknowledging his desire to stand and fight. No sure how this goal is incompatible with protecting the Shikon shards, but okay. Housenki suggests that they should all get on back to their own world, because if they dawdle any longer, the gate will close.
Myouga has appeared on a mildly surprised Kagome's shoulder again to yip at Inuyasha and company to hurry and follow Sesshoumaru, who has already collected Jaken and is flying off.
I think the young folk nowadays call it "cringe".
Over on Kirara, Miroku asks Sango what's wrong, because she's looking pretty depressed. Sango responds that it's what Inuyasha said about how the fighting won't stop as long as the Shikon no Tama exists, but she trails in her assessment of what it would mean if the jewel disappeared. Miroku completes her statement on her concern about her brother Kohaku's situation. She doesn't respond, but her thoughts dwell on how Kohaku's life is dependent on the Shikon shard in his body, and his life goes when the that Shikon fragment, and the jewel as a whole, goes away. There are always casualties.
Meanwhile, Sesshoumaru is lost in his own thoughts - he's convinced that Naraku is still alive, though his barrier was broken and his body smashed all to pieces. The only question Sesshoumaru has is where the bastard's heart is.
For real, though, Hakudoushi recalls another arrow just like it before that could break his barrier too. The most recent one is lying on the floor, and while Naraku regards it, he asserts that the only one who can put that much intensity in an arrow, Kikyou, is alive. That's because no one is allowed to just DIE in this story, no matter how much they're fucked up. Hakudoushi asks Naraku point blank why the old man hasn't gone to kill her yet, and it's unclear if Naraku answers aloud or in his head. Either way, he can't locate her, and wonders if this is because Kikyou is hiding herself deeply or something. What, like in the Earth's core? Naraku doesn't elaborate, but he is no convinced that Kikyou isn't fully recovered yet, and his next step should be to flush her out and finish her off right away.
Would be nice if someone had the same idea about you, dude.
Kagura and Kohaku are outside, both brooding under the moon. Kagura is thinking there can be no doubt that Naraku's and Hakudoushi's heart have to be with Hakudoushi's other half, the baby. Kohaku is thinking more specifically on how neither Naraku or Hakudoushi died, and questions if it's just because they're youkai, what he has to do in order to destroy Naraku.
I thought it was useless talking to him?
Kohaku hesitantly tells Kagura he doesn't know, silently thinking back on that baby, and how he had been trying to carry it out of the castle before he was compelled to kill everyone in the vicinity. He DOES speak up to ask what Kagura would do if she knew where this infant was. Kagura reminds him that she's always saying that eventually the Shikon shard in his body will be removed and he'll drop dead. Wow, what a joy YOU must be to be around, girl... She tells Kohaku that the only way he can be saved is to kill Naraku.
Sweatdropping, Kohaku is in cautious disbelief about the ability to kill Naraku, and the implication that it can be done if the baby is found. He also gives Kagura a strange look, acknowledging that she's trying to betray Naraku. While he's clearly STARTING to see her as a potential ally, he says again that he doesn't know anything. He's still dedicated to not letting anyone find out his secret that he's remembered everything and that he's after Naraku's life. Kohaku is convinced that if he continues to follow orders and be an obedient puppet, he'll eventually meet that infant again. Until that point, he's determined to take any directive Naraku gives him.
Better hope you aren't asked to do anything else horrible, because you don't have the plausible deniability of brainwashing anymore, pal.
Inside the precarious shack, Naraku is sitting with a finally fully healed Hakudoushi, who has gotten some trousers on again, at least. He tells Hakudoushi to draw out Kikyou, and to do it however he likes. There's a moment when Naraku considers who Hakudoushi can take with him, but it's not a long one to settle on one name.
Does he KNOW???
So, what do I think of this chapter overall? Naraku's smug attitude is becoming increasingly frustrating for me, the satisfaction of seeing him get his ass beat overtaken by his resumed scheming at the end. Not that I expected him to be chastened at all by his near defeat, but his conclusion that he's got luck on his side is especially infuriating knowing that we're only still dealing with him because of capitalism. But, it's nothing if not realistic for the WORST people to believe that their actions are condoned by Providence just because no one has been able to stop them yet.
Kohaku's making a very DANGEROUS calculation here. As I said above, he's already been asked to do a ton of fucked-up shit, but so far he's remained relatively innocent of doing the actions himself because he was under Naraku's control. Now he's fully consenting to follow orders, with complete consciousness and free will, no matter what those are. I don't doubt he knows that he's going to be killing more people - the question is whether he thinks the lives he's going to willingly take are worth Naraku's extinction, and how many are too many before he has to give it up.
It's doubtful that this was ever meant to last long, but then again, this comic has a very strong tendency to drag out situations for the purposes of maintaining an income. XD
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