Mar 9, 2008

Summary: Blackbird Volume 1, Chap 4 and 5

I don't know where to get scans from beyond chapter 3. So here's a summary of the last two chapters of volume 1.

Chapter 4:
Enter Kazunoha, a beautiful young man with blond hair that makes him stand out. Actually, we met him briefly at the end of chapter 3. He is a magic fox youkai (I'm not quite sure why he is called a "kitsune" -- perhaps a Kitsune is something specific.) He puts on a super cheery attitude and bothers Masao about eating lunch together. Kyou, in his teacher get-up (suit+tie+glasses), interrupts Kazunoha saying that Misao has to come with him because she has supplemental classes. Apparently she failed a test. Kyou and Kazunoha argue about who Misao belongs to until Misao gets angry and declares, yet again, that she has no intention of marrying a youkai. Kazunoha counters that she needs the protection of a strong youkai to keep lesser youkai from devouring her. She explains that Kyo protects her. Kyou counters Kazunoha, saying that Kazunoha is not the successor of his clan because he has an older brother. Kazunoha counters Kyou back saying that Kyou, too, isn't the successor of his clan. Rather, he asserts, both of them are seeking to marry Misao to become their clan's successor. Misao laments not knowing this about Kyou and dwells on some of her lost memories of Kyou. She thinks that they are precious memories and wonders whether it would be wrong for her to marry Kyou so he can be successor. After all, she has found her first love again.

Some time later (perhaps the next day), Misao spots a lost child on a bench crying out for his mother. Misao goes to help the child, only to discover that it's a small youkai. The little youkai claws at her inner upper thigh drawing blood. Misao wishes strongly that Kyo was there to protect her and calls out for him in her mind. Kazunoha enters the scene, kills the youkai, and then offers to heal Misao's wound. He tells her the scent of her blood drives Youkai into frenzy -- her blood makes them feel hungry and sinful. He continues on saying, "Even if we hug and kiss you, we will want your blood because it gives us power. We youkai have no self control." As he says this, Misao thinks back to the times that Kyo has licked her wounds. Kazunoha warns Misao to be careful.

Back in class, Misao's wounds are making a bloody mess. Kyou notices and is less than pleased. He heals her wounds and then scolds Misao for not calling him when the attack happened. Later in the day Misao is grumbling about being scolded when Kazunoha drops in to see what's going on. He says that it seems that she and Kyo are very close. Misao explains that she and Kyou are childhood friends. Kazunoha asks Misao if she thinks that it's a coincidence that Kyou lived next to her as child seeing as how she is the "Flower Bride."

Later in the day, Misao is at a store picking up some pre-packaged dinner when Kyou and Tarou run into her. Tarou invites Misao over to Kyou's place for dinner. Misao tries to get out of it but ends up eating dinner at Kyou's anyway. After eating, Misao tries to promptly leave. Kyou tries to be a good host and offers her leftover and asks her to stay a little longer for desserts (pears). Misao declines again and turns to leave. Kyou then grabs her wrist and pulls her close to embrace her. It's a sincere embrace full of love and worry. "Misao" he whispers into her ear. Misao blushes furiously and thinks back to Kazunoha's question about whether Kyou living next door when they were children was a coincidence. Misao, then pushes Kyou away and then starts crying about her potentially shattered memory. Kyou then says that since they were separated 10-years ago, he knew that they would meet again. He asks if she even remembers a little bit about him. Misao says thinking about the past has become difficult because she doubts his intentions. And off she goes home. Meanwhile, Kazunoha is at home thinking about how he would like the obstacle between him and Misao to disappear.

Chapter 5

Misao is spacing out in the class thinking about her past with Kyou and what Kazunoha said to her about coincidence. Kyou suspects Kazunoha has said something to Misao and gives Kazunoha a bunch of menacing looks. It's lunch and Kazunoha pulls his cheery routine again, trying to get Misao to eat lunch with him. Misao explains to Kazunoha that Kyou is not like the other youkai and protects her because he wants to. Kazunoha, then gets impatient and turns on Misao. Kyou jumps into save Misao and gets a worrisome cut across his chest. The fight gets too raucous for school, so Kyou and Kazunoha take their fight elsewhere. Misao returns to class and wonders how the fight is going.

On her way home, Misao is a little worried about Kyou. She passes by his house and sees him landing on his roof. He looks okay, but then he collapses. Misao rushes in to see what has happens. Kyou is laying injured in a pool of blood on his back patio. Misao asks what was he cut with and about Tarou's whereabouts. Kyou says that Tarou is out. Misao, worried, bites herself in order to draw blood, thinking that giving her blood will help Kyou. Kyou vehemently refuses. He suddenly sits up and slaps her hand away. He lays back down, looking tired but happy. Misao asks how she can help and wonders if he's going to die. Kyou explains that he can't die because there would be no meaning if he died (if he dies, there will be nobody to protect Misao, so she would soon die too.) He then passes out. Misao is shocked. She grabs his hand, which is now cold. She then starts to panic and memories of her childhood parting with Kyou come back to her. She calls out "Kyou-chan left," and then kisses him. Nothing happens, then she really starts freaking out, crying screaming, "open your eyes," to Kyou. Kyou then suddenly awakens, flips himself and Misao around, such that he's now on top. Misao is shocked. Kyou says "more," and then leans in for one prolonged kiss. Misao and Kyou are getting into a "good mood" when Tarou bursts into the room with secret medicine for Kyou. He says the medicine will restore Kyou to normal overnight -- and then Tarou opens his eyes and notices that he's walked into something he should not have and then promptly leaves the scene. Kyou says to Misao, "Shall we continue." The mood is broken and Misao is pissed that Kyou's life was not in any danger. Kyou reminds her that he is a strong youkai and then says that it's a good thing that Misao gained some more of her memories. He's happy that she called him Kyou-chan. He continues saying that he was happy about the kiss, because he knows that Misao would kiss only some someone she likes very much. (Misao tries to deny it, saying she was doing CPR). Back to seriousness, Kyou tells Misao that the youkai of Japan will eventually attack her in masse and that she has to be prepared for that future quickly.

There's thunder in the distance. As the scene closes, Kyou is offering Misao his hand. Misao thinks, "Long ago I would not let this hand go." "A storm is coming," Kyou says.

End of Volume 1