-Remembering Saruwatari-

Chapter 10: The Curse of Amoco

After leaving our spot in the plains, the ten of us (Including me, Prentiss, and Saruwatari) trekked through the plains and towards Amoco. Bankotsu figured we had a bit of time to stock up on supplies, and then we would walk on directly to Yamatomo. I twirled my hair around my finger, nervous about the idea, but Prentiss agreed. Since she had a connection to Moraga (who was a mind-reader), I figured that her judgment was as good as anyone's. So, without protest, we traveled to get provisions; and nothing more.

Well, that was the original plan before we got caught up in The Curse.

We had just walked into Amoco when I shivered involuntarily. Prentiss went solemnly silent and Saruwatari was clinging onto my shoulder tightly. We had all stopped at the entrance of the village, but Bankotsu and the others had continued ahead. When they noticed we were not traveling behind them, they turned back towards us.

"Masato, Prentiss, hurry up." Bankotsu goaded. "We can't stay here forever."

"This place is frightening." I cooed softly. Prentiss nodded.

"Why?" Jakotsu inquired.

It was only because there were no people around. There were no sounds, no signs, and no mark of human occupation anywhere. Smoke wasn't coming from a chimney, fieldworkers were not tending the fields, and animals weren't even present! Bankotsu and the others just kept walking.

"Why are you still walking?" I asked angrily. "Don't you realize what a strange place this is? There are no people or animals! There's nothing growing in the fields, and there's not even a bird flying over this place! What's wrong with you?!"

"Calm down. This place might be a bit strange, but hey." Bankotsu smirked. "Free stuff."

I muttered under my breath, saying curses that would make even the foulest yokai blush. Following behind Bankotsu and the others, they started to raid the houses and toss things out we would need for our trip. Some salted meats, grains, wood, a pot (which I didn't think we really needed), and three bottles of sake. Like we couldn't get all this stuff at Yamatomo. I crossed my arms across my chest, looking around nervously. I felt a presence following us, and Prentiss and Saruwatari felt the presence, too. When Bankotsu and Jakotsu finished raiding one house, they hurriedly moved on to another. Moving slowly behind them, I felt a hand on my shoulder. Gasping, I turned with my hand on the hilt of Saru. Saruwatari screeched as Prentiss let go of me and ran. I looked backwards slowly and saw a large black figure standing above me with violet eyes. He seemed to be melting in the sunlight.

"Masato, run from it!" Prentiss called out.

"Help…" The figure took in a deep breath. "…me."

We sat in the shade of a house, watching the shadow morph into a tall worn out villager. I gasped and almost fainted, my eyes starting to roll to the back of my head. The villager grabbed my arm and shook me so that my eyes focused on him again. Saruwatari and Prentiss were calmer now, but they still huddled close to me, Prentiss grabbing at the cloth covering my chest and pulling herself onto my lap. She had left her alabaster pot on the ground.

"Who are you?" Suikotsu asked.

"I am Kai, the village doctor." Suikotsu growled at this, and Kai backed up against the wall and covered his head. "I-I-I've been living here for ten years! I-I-I cannot go out into the sun, o-or I turn into th-th-that monster!"

"So, like a curse." Renkotsu implied.

"Yes; it is called The Curse of Amoco. We were all once human. We lived a yokai named Kage who gave us food and supplies to build the village. One day, we ran out of food and possessions to donate to him. He placed us under a curse where we turned into shadows in the day and humans in the night."

I nodded, putting my fingers to my chin. I looked over Kai. He was skin and flesh, but only in the shadows. Before, he was that…thing. I sighed and leaned back until my head hit the wall. Prentiss took up her pot and opened it, a black smog covering Kai from head to toe. He seemed relieved, like he had just been doused with ice cold water. Prentiss stood up as I followed, Bankotsu and the others standing behind us.

"Masato, don't we have to leave?" Jakotsu asked.

"…" I sighed, turning sideways to face him. Prentiss turned her head slightly. "We've gotten caught up in this. We have no choice but to help them."

"Whatever, do as you'd like. I'm going to intercept that army in Yamatomo." Bankotsu stated while walking off.

"Aw, really? And I thought it would be a real good challenge for you if you could defeat that powerful yokai that placed the curse on these people." Bankotsu stopped walking. "But, hey, you want to leave. Go ahead; I'll take all the credit for defeating it."

"No way!" Bankotsu stated. He came up besides me and cockily smirked. "What's our pay when we're finished?