Watadamashi-hen Part 2 (綿騙し編 其の弐 Watadamashi-hen Sononi, Cotton-Deceiving Chapter Part 2) is the fifth chapter of Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Gou and the second chapter in Watadamashi-hen.
Summary[]
At Angel Mort, Keiichi thanks Shion for saving him from those delinquents. He wonders what was up with the villagers acting so weird, and Shion explains that for the longest time, Hinamizawa’s villagers have had a sense of unity. Anyone’s enemy becomes everyone’s enemy. Those bonds of unity stemmed from the dam project started ten years ago, which was cancelled thanks to their combined efforts. Shion leaves to go to work and Keiichi says he owes her one, still calling her Mion.
Keiichi goes to the Furude Shrine to assist with festival preparations. Shion gives Keiichi some barley tea to help him cool off, and as he drinks it Mion appears holding two cups herself and screams in annoyance. Keiichi nervously looks between the two girls, realizing that Mion and Shion are truly separate people. Keiichi asks if back then, it was Mion who claimed to be Shion the first time he went to Angel Mort, and if it was also Mion who brought him the bento and saved him from those delinquents. Mion gets flustered as Shion giggles.
Tomitake and Miyo Takano arrive and Mion introduces them to Keiichi. Ooishi also shows up, with Mion getting shocked and a shadow falling over her face when he appears. Ooishi hopes things won’t get too complicated for this year’s Watanagashi, and Keiichi asks what he means when Mion suddenly asks him to go for a snack. They start to leave when Takano wonders aloud who will die and disappear this year, distracting Keiichi. Mion tells him to ignore her, never turning to look at him, but Keiichi stays behind.
Takano tells Keiichi about Oyashiro-sama's curse and the yearly deaths and disappearances that have occurred ever since the dam war ended, and speculates that there has to be a human force behind them. Keiichi yells that can't be true but then remembers the menacing air the villagers had when Shion gathered them earlier. Takano leaves Keiichi wondering if the villagers could really be planning the curse.
The festival begins. The club plays stall games and then goes to watch Rika’s ritual dance. During the dance, Shion appears and motions for Keiichi to come with her. They meet Tomitake and Takano in front of the ritual storehouse in the woods, where Takano plans to break inside and see what lies within. Keiichi and Shion follow as Tomitake stands guard. Inside the storehouse is a statue of Oyashiro-sama and many strange tools. Takano educates them about Hinamizawa’s past, their demon ancestors, and the purpose of the original Watanagashi. Takano is ecstatic as she goes on about the watanagashi being a ritual to tear out people's organs, and Keiichi imagines Rika doing the same thing during her ritual dance and gets creeped out.
Keiichi absentmindedly bumps into the Oyashiro-sama statue, causing its head to fall off. Takano giggles since he might be punished for that, and Tomitake enters the hall upon hearing the noise. They fix the head, which seems to have already been split in half before it fell. Keiichi puts it back atop the statue and sees a slot in the neck area, wondering if that was there to begin with.
The group leaves, and Shion tells Keiichi that if the curse passes then those four might be the victims because they trespassed in the storehouse. After Shion leaves, Keiichi ponders this as a pair of arms grab onto him from behind.
Characters[]
- Keiichi Maebara
- Shion Sonozaki
- Mion Sonozaki
- Miyo Takano
- Jirou Tomitake
- Kuraudo Ooishi
- Satoko Houjou
- Rena Ryuugu
- Rika Furude
Gallery[]
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