A/N Hello everyone, I am back. As I mention last week I'm a bit behind on moving my outline notes into chapter format due to the fiasco at work. (That person no longer works there now, unfortunately.) This chapter was actually cut it half. Normally I try to stick with a two-week update schedule and knew I was running late. So I wanted to atleast give you all something until the next update. I wanted to be really excited for this chapter as the concept was something I had early on when working with this story. And in the process of moving it from notes to chapter, I could never get the "feel" I had when I first thought of it. So that scene was writing a few times and until it felt "bearable" I guess.
But nevertheless, I hope you all enjoy Chapter 30 and will see you next time. Hopefully in two weeks Friday.
Chapter 30
Present Day, 1885
The group of five rode for awhile looking for herbal medicine. It was a repetitive task checking if they found the correct plant or not, carefully steering their horses when near a flower bed.
"What the hell are we looking for again pipsqueak?"
Morgana raised an eyebrow at the detested name but let it be.
"Chaminle if you see any, ginger root or ginseng is preferred. She's probably looking to make that smelly medical paste again."
"If its to help make Ren feel better, I will diligently look for it," Yusuke commented.
Makoto was focus on looking at the ground to find the required herb. She felt responsible that he was hurt, seeing that he took a bullet meant for her. Even after he used his spare time to train her in bounty missions, only to freeze like a deer in the crosshairs. Makoto brushed against her sidearm feeling her father's revolver. She couldn't falter.
"Hey, I think I found a patch," Ann yelled waving them over. Morgana kneeled down to inspect the flower patch.
"This is it." He grabs the plant ripping it from the ground and pulling the roots underneath it. Pulling out a spare cloth, Mona wraps the roots and carefully stores it. "We'll need a few more of those, then on to the next item."
"I'll be with you in a moment. I got to go and relieve myself."
"Ryuji, we didn't need to know that!" Ann scolded.
"What!? I've been holding it forever. I'll just be over there." The blonde gunslinger walked further away from the group shaking their heads.
Finding a nice quiet spot by a tree, he unbuttons his pants in relief.
"Finally." He started a short whistle when he notices the sunlight behind him overcast oddly.
"What the…." Pulling the pants up, he turned around only to find a large bear standing on its hind legs. Roaring at him loudly Ryuji breaks into a limp run away from the beast.
"RUN! BEAR! ITS A FUCKING BEAR!"
"Oh shit!" Morgana jumps quickly on Mercurious motioning the stead to ride like hell. The others follow except Ann who tried to buy time with shooting the Bear. Ryuji hopped on Kidd from the back grabbing the reins in pursuit. The aggressive bear continues to chase them as they fled as fast as they could. Eventually, the large animal gave up its chase allowing the remaining thieves to catch their breath.
"I think we're good for now, though I'm not quite sure where we are?" Turning behind her, Makoto looks at the blonde hair young man trying to calm his heartbeat, pants still dishevel. "You okay there?"
"I might need new undergarments."
"That's gross…" Mona mentions to him.
"It appears there's a town nearby up there, should we explore," Yusuke said.
"Wouldn't hurt, we might find some medicine." Makoto nudges her horse forward as the others slowly fell in line. The five strolled into a town that seemed empty and desolate. No one was in sight, no noise could be heard from stores. Ann had a cold shiver run down her spine though it was still partly sunny and day.
"Where are we?"
Morgana focused on the entry sign that was in poor condition. "Welcome to Mementos," he read.
"Mementos?" Makoto repeated.
"I've heard of this place before, but only in stories. Didn't think it existed but it was suppose to be a bustling rich town…what happen?" The younger Amamiya brother had remember hearing rumors of a town that would bring you riches. He wanted to take Ren but he was very occupied for awhile.
"Hello! Anybody here!?" Ryuji yelled.
"What the hell are you doing," Mona fired back.
"Wakin up the residents, its midday."
"The only thing you'll wake up are the shadows….." A mysterious voice came from a run-down store. They stood idling in the doorway, thinly pale with sunken eyes.
"Shadows?" The only shadows Makoto saw were from the sun's casting.
"How bizarre." Yusuke observed the details of the abandon town. Buildings suffering from fires, broken windows. He could see what look to be scratches embedded into the structure.
"Something attack this town, but I doubt an animal could've caused this much destruction."
Mona turned back to the stranger, "Mind telling us where'd everyone go? What happen?"
"The shadows, the shadows always come. The shadows are coming….." They repeated over and over.
"Come on Morgana I don't think they'll be much help." Makoto had steered him away from the mumbling resident. The group searches the rundown buildings, coming up empty. Nothing but foul dead bodies in a mass grave.
"How horrible," Ann comments on the scene. Ryuji walked behind her capping his refill canister from the town's Well.
"What a shame….."
"From the looks of the surrounding structure there must've been a large fight" Makoto had taken a closer look.
"Probably looking for the grail." The young Amamiya brother continues to stare at the pile.
"Grail?" Ann asked.
"It was a tip I heard at a bar a few years ago. They said Mementos was built on top of a massive treasure site, buried here long ago from some former sea captain. He was looking to settle out here away from everyone. They said out of all the treasure and coin a gold grail was the main prize, enough riches for a king. Seems the townsfolk fought to try to find it."
"Hey did you see that?" Ryuji said startled.
"I didn't see anything." The artist confirmed.
"Me either. Ryuji are you alright?" His fellow female companion looks at him worriedly.
"I'm telling you SOMETHING's there!" Ryuji yelled. He was feeling dizzy when he saw something at the corner of his eye.
"It's best you calm down." Yusuke calmly put his hand on the blonde's shoulder.
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" He pushes Yusuke out the way feeling surround by more odd shapes.
"What the HELL is your problem blondie."
"There's more of them…..what is going on?" he mumbles to himself. He takes his repeater off his shoulder aiming it at the shadows in a warning.
"WHOA! Watch where you aim that thing." Morgana yelled jumping out the way.
"Get away from me!" Ryuji swung his gun towards Morgana, who block the first few strikes, pushing the confused Theif away.
"Get hold of yourself!"
"Argh!" Running at full speed he tackles Mona to the ground. Being the larger man he gains the advantage and strangles the young man.
"Ryuji get off of him! Let Morgana go!." Ann tried to grab him attempting to force him away.
Morgana was desperately trying to claw at the older man, anything to get the older man off.
"Enough!" Makoto took a broken wooden slab and struck it against Ryuji's head knocking him out.
"What…what the hell happen." Morgana coughed. He greedily inhales the air around him.
"I don't know, one second he was drinking water from the Well the next he swore he saw he was seeing things." Ann said. She was checking on a small head wound starting to form on the gunslinger's head.
".…..shadow's, I wonder." The brown hair women walked over to the Well in question, a rope laid nearby tied to a bucket. Pulling up the bucket of water, she pours the content on the dirt. The water had a slight green tinge to it as if it was mixed with something.
"Did anyone else drink from the water here?"
"No, I'm good." Morgana got back on his feet.
"I am quite alright myself," Yusuke said.
Ann shook her head in a no motion.
"I think I know what went wrong with the townspeople." She points to the puddle on the ground. "See the discoloration, this water must've been poisoned. Its probably causes the people to go mad and kill each other out of fear."
"That would be a logical conclusion."
"All the digging around here must've caused the water supply to become unsafe, especially from outside sources. I don't think we'll find anything else around here. Let's take Ryuji and get out of here," Makoto suggested. This was no place for the living anymore.
Night had fallen as the group of five steers far away from the town known as Mementos. A small fire lit up the dark stary night around them.
"Ugh, my head." The feisty thief said finally waking up from his nap. "What happened?"
"The water you drank from the Well was bad, made you go even attack poor Morgana." Ann explained to Ryuji.
"I don't remember this."
"You were hallucinating," Makoto explained.
"Halluci-what?"
"Hallucinating, I read it in a book. You were seeing things that weren't really there." she added.
"Oh, hey look I'm really sorry about that Morgana. You alright?"
"I'm fine. My throat itches though. I wish I can get a drink."
"It's probably wise not to drink any nearby water supplies," Yusuke said.
"We should wait till the morning, it's too late to travel now."
"Lady Ann is right, I can make due," Morgana said.
Ryuji was stretching out the best he could, but the bump on his head bothers him the most.
"Dammit, my head is killing me." He muttered.
Sheepishly Makoto looked guilty over the fact, "Sorry that would be my fault. We couldn't really get you off of Morgana, so I may have taken a piece of wood to hit you."
"Geez!"
"I'm sorry! Though it would probably be best to throw out your water container, we don't want a repeat."
"I understand, what a hell of a day." Ryuji rubbed his head once more.
"Surprising for someone who can't remember half of it."'
"What was that Yusuke!"
"Nothing. Goodnight." The artist fell back on his bedroll dotting off to sleep.
"Those two I swear." Makoto shook her head at the bickering companions.
"Staying up late? " Morgana had plumped down next to her on the ground.
"Yeah. Have the horses been feed?"
"Just some spare Oates." He replied back to her.
"Thank you, Morgana." The younger brother was sitting in thought as if debating if said thoughts should be voiced.
"You know, my bother's not mad at you being shot in your place," He expressed.
"Huh?"
"You've had a look of guilt on your face since we left."
"His wound could've' been a fatal one if he let it sit for too long. Something he wouldn't have gotten if I was more careful." She looked down in thought.
".…That's just Ren, he rather take the punches instead of others." He curled his knees up to his chin, wrapping his arms around himself. "Though I was a bit scared when he passed out. He's always pushing himself. I remember him being shot before years ago and it's just as scary. I don't wanna experience a moment he doesn't get back up." Boss and Futaba were like family, but he knew Ren for most of his life.
Makoto could understand the younger siblings' concernsns. Sae has convicted and locked up dangerous criminals all seeking revenge, "I know the feeling, but were' helping him get better" she said. "He'll always have you to watch his back."
"Yeah.
The two keep watch over the remaining thieves as the fire crackled around them keeping the cold at bay.
A/N So the first half is done I was suppose to be longer but I was taking so much time rewriting this portion that I wasn't working with the flow I wanted. So I split the chapter apart. I hope you all enjoy.
Feel free to review. Till next time.