Call me crazy, but I don't think that's much of a mystery. Sure, he said he was fine at the end of the last chapter, but the desolate expression didn't exactly match up, and we all know there's a tendency to deny strong emotions in that kid. I guess the question is if he really knows the extent to which he's NOT actually okay. Being a teenager is rough at the best of times, having to deal with all these hormones and emotions flooding you at the most inconvenient moments, but the massive grief and trauma that Inuyasha's just been saddled with? His stoic BROTHER would have a bit difficulty with that one.
If he didn't have his own emotional difficulties impending, of course.
I'd say the collapse of an entire mountain is already a pretty bad thing in and of itself, but if you're close enough to have heard rumors about it, give it time.
No, seriously, just like a half-second more time. As if in response, in the very next panel a black writhing mass has appeared in the sky, and the men who were speaking to one another gape up at it with foreboding. A close-up reveals it is precisely what you'd expect: wriggling minor youkai, snakelike, eyeballs, small dragons, the whole nine yards. Almost comically, the men continue to stand with their slack jaws, making vaguely fearful noises, but not really bothering to move out of the way as the mass of youkai comes down and buzzes them. They and their livestock in the background are stripped of all their flesh, and they're reduced to skeletons, collapsing to the ground.
Oh the tragedy of being a random villager in a fantasy horror comic.
That's right, you guessed it, Miroku all but confirms that this is indeed the work of the youkai that escaped from behind the barrier at Mt. Hakurei. Inuyasha silently complains about how much this sucks, that he's TRYING to track down Naraku, but now things are worse than ever. Being perpetually behind the curve here DOES seem to be costing innocents their lives, I guess. On top of this, Inuyasha's got Kikyou's life, or lack thereof, on his mind as a sort of background grief radiation.
Kagome observes him silently, and how he appears to be in pretty much constant pain since they discovered Kikyou's broken bow. Apparently they pretty much immediately left behind Mt. Hakurei in search of the fleeing Naraku, but Kagome is wondering now if this is really what's best for Inuyasha. Pursuing revenge on the dude who killed his ex-girlfriend not once, but twice? How could that be anything but GOOD for his mental health, honestly? Nah, Kagome is more concerned that maybe Inuyasha's REAL desire is to continue his search for Kikyou, rather.
Buddy, you don't know how right you are.
One of the group asks if this nameless priest came from the Mt. Hakurei direction, and he answers in the affirmative, saying he's been on a pilgrimage to many different places, in some sort of vague training. He sits on a wood pile against the wall of a house, telling them that he'd heard about Mt. Hakurei's collapse, and that the evil inside had headed south. After an encouraging affirmation from Miroku, the priest confirms that it was just as the MIKO he met had said. This obviously grabs the shit out of Inuyasha's attention, and Kagome's too, for that matter.
The priest says that about two days before, he'd seen an injured miko washed up on the bank of a river on the other side of the mountain. Or what was left of it, I suppose. This old guy's eyes seem to be getting more and more distant and non-expressive as he reveals that this miko said a youkai called Naraku did this to her, and she had to go after that guy. Inuyasha sweatdrops, having put together these incredibly suspicious pieces of the puzzle that picture Kikyou as very much alive. Kagome is sweating somewhat too, having come to the same conclusion, but she's appearing just a tad more wary.
But then the priest adds that the miko might have died by this point, since her injuries WERE pretty bad. Inuyasha's expression becomes even more alarmed at this, but a blessing for him to get going is almost immediately heard. Miroku glances out of his periphery at Kagome, a little wary, while Inuyasha says her name in uncertainty. Sango also calls to Kagome, her look more sympathetic than anything. Kagome insists, however, telling Inuyasha that this is no time to be indecisive. Inuyasha looks down and off to the side, agreeing, and apologizing.
Well, there he goes...
Shippou jumps on Kagome's shoulder to ask her if she's REALLY okay with this, as if he should have any kind of horse in this race. Kagome mopes that it can't be helped. Meanwhile, Inuyasha silently apologizes to Kagome again, acknowledging that he can't move on unless he can determine if Kikyou is alive or dead. Rather lucid for a guy who's a bit iffy on his own emotions.
The narrow transition panels shift between star-studded to a lightening clouded sky, and we're brought to the crew minus Inuyasha striding along through a meadow. Sango reveals from the back of the line that Inuyasha didn't come back the night before after all, and Miroku, from the front suggests that they continue on their way anyway. Probz assuming that Inuyasha can easily sniff out where they went and catch up.
The gang pauses and turns when they hear hoof-beats behind them.
So much for continuing on your way.
That dude at the front of party states with authority that there's been a lot of strange things happening in the area lately, and they have orders to take all suspicious outsiders to the castle. This jack-booted fascist demands that they come along, and Miroku seems somewhat compliant. Sango whispers to him from the WRONG side of her hand, asking what they'll do, expressing some reluctance to just knocking these guys around, as easily as that might be. Miroku tells her not to say it like Inuyasha; just because he's not here doesn't mean of you needs to take on his manner of speech, lol! Miroku leans closer to her and says that these look like ordinary HUMAN fascists, and asserts that they can get away whenever they want.
So, it looks as though they're letting themselves get led away - one of the men commands someone to get the rope, which is somewhat more alarming a situation than I thought Miroku was walking them all into. Or, most of them. Shippou and Kirara are hiding nearby in the tall grass while Kagome gazes back at them and has her wrists bound. Shippou silently stutters that this is serious, then turns to Kirara and says they have to call Inuyasha back here.
You know, so he can knock the human fascists around a bit. It's appropriate when HE says it.
Narrow sky transition panel! Outside a building decorated with at least two flags, a man is kneeling on the ground, surrounded by the same sorts of castle guards that came to grab Miroku, Sango, and Kagome. He asks for forgiveness, trembling, insisting that he couldn't possibly be a suspect. The shadowy figure of a woman behind a screen at the top of the porch, holding something in her arms, tells the guards to execute the begging man.
Human yes. Monsters? Also yes.
An old man sitting on his knees with his chest and arms bound asks in horror if they're all to be killed, just as Miroku, Sango, and Kagome arrive at the back of an actual queue. That's right, they seem to be waiting in line to die. Kagome can only bring herself to mutter how awful this is, staring in horror, while Miroku just comments on how alarming he finds this. He looks somewhat irritated, but doesn't appear to have the level of outrage, or action, he really should in this situation.
Fuck you dude, you are like the WORST kind of liberal.
Suddenly, the woman behind the screen sees Kagome and notes that she's here. One of her lackeys grabs the end of the rope tied around Kagome's chest and demands that she come over, per Okugata-sama's orders. Kagome's concern spikes, wondering why it's just her, and just WHAT is going on here. Meanwhile, the woman behind the screen, Okugata-sama I presume, turns and says she has no use for any of the others they rounded up, issuing another order for them to be killed. Miroku, Sango, and all the other "unimportants" are surrounded by thug guards with the intent to do their fascist duty while Kagome calls back to Miroku and Sango in distress. Hey Miroku, you can get out of this any time you want, remember?
Meanwhile, Shippou's flying around in the sky on Kirara, shouting out to Inuyasha, asking in frustration where the fuck the guy is. I don't know, maybe try around Mt. Hakurei's remains, like the old priest said? Seems better than flying around at random. Shippou spots a dark writhing cloud above him and after his initial confusion, screams in alarm when the knot of minor youkai comes right at his and Kirara's faces. Don't get turned to bones, you two!
Back at the castle, Kagome is thrown onto the floor inside. The Okugata-sama woman holding her bundle is sitting on the slightly raised platform at the back of the room, commenting on Kagome coming, as though it was her choice.
Kagome makes a questioning noise, but it's not at Okugata-sama. She's caught sight of a familiar figure against the wall nearby. It's the priest that told them about the injured miko on the riverbank next to Mt. Hakurei's remains. Kagome sweatdrops at the man, who tips right over and falls on his face, his body starting to foam up.
Kagura steps out of the shadows, complaining about how much trouble she had to go through for this act. Recoiling, Kagome utters Kagura's name in horror, looking back down at the frothing priest body in alarm and trailing in reference to it. Kagura mistakes this for confusion, and says it should be obvious to Kagome that she manipulated the dead priest with her corpse-dance technique. Kagome immediately comes to a realization about what it means that the story about Kikyou being alive means, but trails in that too. Luckily, we can also put together the pieces ourselves.
Okugata-sama tells Kagome that help will not be coming for her, asserting that the priest and youkai-exterminator will be killed by the palace guards, demonstrating a SHOCKING lack of information about Miroku and Sango's capabilities. Or, at least it SEEMS like all of this is coming from Okugata-sama at first. Kagome notices that it's actually NOT the woman who's talking right now.
So, what did I think of this chapter overall? This chapter is both VERY interesting and not interesting ENOUGH simultaneously. Our opening gives us a look at the deadly aftermath of the collapse of Mt. Hakurei, where entire villages are getting wiped out by roving minor youkai, which would naturally have the strong effect of raising a lot of fear in surrounding surviving communities. With all that going on, there's a certain amount of sense to be made out of the events that take place later - one community in particular being ordered to round up and even kill on command any "suspicious" travelers. Fascist regimes often manufacture widespread fear and use it as a tool to justify cruelty and genocide, as we well know. This is one of the (many) ways how relatively ordinary people, like regular castle guards, find themselves caught up in the banality of evil, and committing atrocities all in the name of their great leader who will deliver them from the horrors of the world by eliminating the threats they alone can identify. This may be a VERY small example of such a thing, but it does follow some of the logic you might expect in these circumstances.
However, this is only really being used to set up the baby up there to take advantage of Kagome in her emotional distress over Inuyasha and Kikyou. It's more of a backdrop for the character drama than a message in and of itself, which is a shame. There is some glimmer of brilliance in how we're led into this community that has granted unquestioning obedience to "Okugata-sama" no matter what she asks in exchange for some semblance of security, but it's being wasted on some pretty petty shit in comparison, so I'm a tad disappointed here.
Also, I have no idea if it was intended as a joke, but that opening scene had me laughing pretty hard. RT may as well had the villagers saying in unison "oh, fuck me" right before their ends, it had that much of a comedic bent to it. And I'm sorry, but this is reaching Game of Thrones levels of unsustainability in all of this shit going down. There is so much pollution produced from Naraku funking up the place, so many people dying from youkai attacks, that I'm starting to wonder who the fuck is left to grow food, where they get water, etc.
Shockingly, Inuyasha NEVER addresses these questions. But, you know, at least we can have a laugh in this weirdly over-the-top apocalyptic mass-death scenario.
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