I was going to be good and restrict my “ahead” reading of manga titles to Negima! and Ah! My Goddess. However, it has long been on my mind to start reading xxxHOLiC. Today, I noticed that there were still five months to go until Volume 9 is released by Del Rey. While I will most certainly be purchasing this (assuming the Lord hasn’t removed me from the planet, taken my job, etc.), I decided that five months was too long to wait. And so, I am “cheating” and reading ahead. Heh!Heh!Heh!

So, here’s the first half of the volume. I’ll most likely post thoughts on the 2nd-half later in the week. Oh, thanks to eXeXeX HOLIC for the scans.

Chapter 97

Summary: Watanuki tells Himawari-chan his first dream of the new year and she tells hers to him. The only thing is, hers had a nightmare in it that she’s being pursued by something bad. Watanuki gives her some Madeleine’s (French cookies in the shape of a shell) for listening to his dream. He notices the odd “smoke” as he gives her the bag, but is distracted by her saying goodbye.

Meanwhile, Watanuki discovers that he’s having to do some work with Doumeki since he volunteered to take Himawari-chan’s place to help the Student Council. As expected, Doumeki has some of the Madeleine’s that he received from Himawari-chan, which does not please Watanuki at all. Doumeki ends up telling him his own dream which featured his grandfather.

On his way home, Watanuki becomes aware that he is being followed by something. Looking up, he discovers that a giant, large spirit creature is almost upon him.

Thoughts: Again, we get the sinister hints about Himawari-chan, which have been hinted at since the beginning. I really wonder what there is about her that seems to cause so many bad events to happen and cause Yuuko-san to give warnings about her from time to time.

Chapter 098

Summary: While being pursued by the giant spirit creature, Watanuki is captured. However, someone on horseback rides up and fires an arrow at the creature, dispelling it. That person is Doumeki!

Thoughts: Not much to say here because not a lot happens.

Chapter 099

Summary: Watanuki finds himself lying on the street with Yuuko-san sitting on top of him. It turns out that everything he saw was in fact a premonition and not an actual event. Only the arrow shot remains. He learns from Yuuko-san that he purchased Himawari-chan’s nightmare when he gave her those cookies. Since she gave Doumeki cookies, Doumeki’s dream of his grandfather was also purchased by Watanuki, meaning the man on the horse was Doumeki’s grandfather.

As Yuuko-san and Watanuki continue to talk, he confesses that while he wouldn’t normally buy a nightmare, he would if it were Himawari-chan’s. Yuuko-san wants to know why and what it is about Himawari-chan that Watanuki likes so much. She further queries him on why he dislikes Doumeki-kun so much. Watanuki’s answers aren’t much, so Yuuko-san lets it drop, stating that they’ll have to find someone to buy the arrow from the dream.

Thoughts: Again, Yuuko-san challenges Watanuki’s feelings for Himawari-chan. I really look forward to seeing where that storyline goes. To be honest, I’m hoping that eventually Watanuki will shift from Himawari-chan to the Zashiki-Warashi. I don’t know if that’s even possible, but it might be once Watanuki finishes his transformation. And it was interesting to see Doumeki’s grandfather.

Chapter 100

Summary: Using the arrow as a guide, Yuuko-san and Watanuki cross into another world where they meet the dream maker, Yumekai. He really wants to buy the arrow from Watanuki’s dream and after some negotiation, gives Watanuki several good dreams (in the form of floating balloons on a string) in exchange.

Thoughts: Not a lot to say here. This is another one of those “educate Watanuki” chapters where Watanuki gets to meet yet another member of the spirit world. It will be interesting to see what happens with the dreams Watanuki acquired.

Chapter 101

Summary: Before Watanuki and Yuuko-san leave the realm where Yumekai is, Watanuki learns learns that Yumekai is going to the Kitsune’s Oden shop. As such, Watanuki decides to give one of the dream balloons back to Yumekai to give to the Kitsune’s young son, who’d aided him earlier. This act surprises Yumekai, who’s not expecting a human to thank a fox spirit. Watanuki is a little confused by the Yumekai’s reaction and wonders if he’d done something wrong. Yuuko-san assures him that he was being given the highest of praise.

Returning to spend the night at Yuuko-san’s place, Watanuki is visited by Doumeki’s grandfather. It is here that Doumeki’s given name is revealed. Doumeki’s grandfather asks if Doumeki is difficult for Watanuki to deal with. Unlike his answer to Yuuko-san, Watanuki gives an honest, heart-felt answer. Before leaving, Doumeki shows Watanuki a shocking photo.

Thoughts: Glad to see Watanuki do something nice for the Kitsune’s son. This marks the 2nd gift he’s given the lad and I hope we can see him and his father again in the future.

Watanuki meeting Doumeki’s grandfather again was most interesting. The fact that he actually gave an honest answer on their relationship was neat.

Chapter 102

Summary: Watanuki discovers that his meeting with Doumeki-kun’s grandfather was in fact one of the dreams that he’d received from Yumekai. The picture Watanuki had been shown was of a young Doumeki in a girl’s kimono, which was done to strengthen him. Watanuki decides he will use this against Doumeki, but as usual, Doumeki isn’t phased by this and Watanuki’s chance to gloat is gone.

Thoughts: Nothing really to say about this chapter.

And now, a picture of my favorite — Zashiki-Warashi along with Ame-Warashi and Yuuko-san. I really hope we get more Zashiki-Warashi soon.