Chapter 136: Hostages

Hostages (人質, Hitojichi) is the 136th chapter of the Kekkaishi Manga written and illustrated by Yellow Tanabe.

Summary
Misao tries to use her power on the steel bars of her cell, but fails. Using her former gag, Misao makes a bow tie for her rope companion (which she names Nawata) and slips it through the bars, sending it off to find something useful. Nawata returns shortly with even more rope, which Misao shapes into a humanoid form and uses to bend the bars apart. Misao escapes the cell and explores her prison, finding a chamber with several marked papers on the wall.

It is raining steadily at Night Troop Headquarters, which Yukimasa suspects is due to the Amaarashi babies, most of which escaped but may still be nearby. He tells Masamori that there is little change in the boxes, and that they've found 20 so far. Hakota is searching for others, but the search is made difficult by the weather. Masamori states that boxes are merely tools with a spell on them, but they haven't found a way to break the spell. Fumiya explains that while it is possible to seal the spell on the boxes, they can't because hostages have been taken. Other spells they've tried had no effect, meaning that the box's spell is either especially strong or unique. He theorizes that only the original spellcaster can remove the box lid.

Meanwhile, as Misao watches, her captor, the Elder Kakushino twin, enters through a tunnel beneath the paper. She recognizes him as the one who pulled her into the box, and hides as he passes by. He uses one of his numbered sheets to transport an Ayakashi to yet another box at Night Troop Headquarters.

At Karasumori, Okuni's subordinates analyze the box with a mysterious dance. Miki Hatori volunteers to search for any other boxes, and calls Masamori to inform him that Karasumori also has boxes. Masamori tells her they haven't found the two children, but hopes the kids can take care of themselves.

The elder Kakushino returns to his chamber, which Misao is still hiding outside of. He mentions the possibility of killing his hostage, which alarms Misao into trying to find another escape route. During her search, she finds Akira, bound and gagged, in another cell. Misao frees him and prepares to deal with their captor.

Characters (in order of appearance)

 * Misao
 * Nawata
 * Fumiya Somegi
 * Ito Orihara
 * Masamori Sumimura
 * Yukimasa
 * Hakota
 * Elder Kakushino
 * Okuni's Subordinates
 * Yoshimori Sumimura
 * Tokine Yukimura
 * Hakubi
 * Miki Hatori
 * Higurashi

Minor Ayakashi

 * Multi-Head Ayakashi