Chapter 22: Twist of Fate

Megumi was walking back, after having already brought Natsuno back to his house.

"And where do you think you're going?"

She turned and saw Connor. "Well..."

She was confused, "None of your business. Why aren't you scared? Didn't you..."

He completed the sentence for her, "Know that you died? Yes. But, I've seen vampires before. Though they were far more ill-tempered."

"So...you're not suprised or scare?!"

"Hmph."

Megumi began continuing to her destination, but was once again stopped by Connor. "One last thing...You know Kaori Tanaka?"

"Don't tell me she has her eyes on him!"

Connor simply chuckled. "For one, she can never even think about doing that - hell, she even gave him your postcard. Second," he then pulled out the charm Kaori got for her. She covered her mouth and gasped, while her eyes started tearing up. "Kaori got this for you as a birthday present; For fulfilling your dream of leaving for the city."

"Kaori...you got that for me? I never realized you cared that much."

Megumi took it, put it around her neck, and stuck it into her dress.

"But...what about...Yuuki?"

"There is another way."

Ikumi, the self-proclaimed village shaman, was extremely superstitious. She stated to the other elders that Kanemasa was infected with bad luck.

She was currently tending to a frightened couple, who came to her.

Ikumi was praying in front of her indoor bonfire.

Ikumi, "At the beginning of this year, I dreamed...that there were jet-black clouds floating above Yamairi. That's how I knew...that something bad would definitely happen in Yamairi."

Man, "I-It's true that all three residents died and Yamairi was wiped out."

"I grew restless so I offered a special prayer...that nothing bad should happen. And then, a gecko appeared during the prayer! Not just once! Twice! It's Kanemasa...Direction wise, it wasn't good to build a house like that on the Kanemasa land. More bad things will happen!"

The couple turned their heads toward each other and nodded.

Man, "It's a widespread rumor that you have psychic power. Could you please write up amulet so that nothing bad will happen to us?"

Ikumi, "It can't be helped, I guess." She then handed them a paper amulet to them. "Put this on the front door or a window."

Man, "Oh! Thank you very much!"

"3,000 yen per amulet."

Ozaki Clinic:

Kiyomi, "Yasumori Construction is now down to one...Tokujiro is all alone."

Satoko, "Since Setsuko was getting better, I thought she might be cured."

Ritsuko, "Don't you think...the doctor was acting kind of strange?"

Yuki, "Acting kind of strange?"

"Up until now, when his patients died, you could see how frustrated he was. But today, he looked calm, as if he had come to his senses...No...maybe not...Rather, it seemed that he was possessed by something."

The phone rang, Ritsuko was the one who answered again.

"Hello. This is Ozaki Clinic. Oh, it's you, Towada..."

The X-ray technician was quitting in fear, like everyone else.

Ritsuko immediately thought back to what she saw the other night.

"No...What am I thinking? What Towada is scared of is the epidemic."

Yuki, "So Towada is quitting?"

"Yeah."

Satoko, "I think it's just natural."

Kiyomi, "Yeah, since he works in the admin section, he probably doesn't know as much about how to deal with an epidemic as we nurses do."

Another room,

Takae was sweeping the hall.

"Kyouko! Kyouko! You could at least help me clean!"

Kyouko came halfway through the door.

"I am very sorry, Mother."

"Oh? You're meek today."

"Yes. I heard something wonderful."

"What is it?"

"You know about it, don't you? Sotoba's very first convenience store on the national road..."

"What's wonderful about it? It went out of business. It was a mistake to build something out of place like that in the village."

"I heard that the doctor at Kanemasa will open up a clinic there."

"Wha...What did you say?!"

"Hah!"

Living room,

Kyouko, "Ahahahaha! That was fun, she almost had a fit! It's thanks to you. Thanks for the interesting story."

Tatsumi was in the room, holding a glass.

"Sure! Glad you could get a kick out of it."

Creole:

The usuals—Mr. Yuuki, Hirosawa, Masaki Tashiro—and the owner and runner, Hasegawa, were discussing what was causing all the deaths in Sotoba recently. Connor was in the same place, trying to enjoy his meal, but was distracted by them.

Mr. Yuuki, "Epidemic?"

Hirosawa, "From the death toll, that's the only conclusion I can come up with. It's abnormal for many children to die like this, too. Also, I'm concerned about the strange movings."

"Strange movings?"

"Yeah. A student was suddenly absent one day. At a later date, someone who claims to be the student's close relative calls in and says that they moved. There've already been eight cases like that."

"Eight cases!"

Connor, "They're probably dead."

Hirosawa, "Maybe they've noticed the epidemic and ran away."

Tashiro, "That's why we called Toshio here." Connor nearly choked. "In any event, he's a doctor, so..."

Ozaki entered the café, smoking another cigarette.

"Hey! Looks like the regulars are here, huh?" He then took a seat.

Tashiro, "What the heck? You look terrible."

"Leave me alone. I was born with this face.—Hasegawa, some coffee. Strong."

Hasegawa, "Okay."

Tashiro, "Are you in some sort of a situation where you can't afford to sleep?"

Ozaki, "Huh?" He turned to the other guys, "What did you wanna talk to me about?"

"Ah...well...how should I put it...Many people have been dying lately, right?"

"Yeah."

"Couldn't it be an epidemic?"

The doctor was silent.

"I-If you're keeping it a secret for a reason, we'll cooperate. We'll keep this to ourselves."

"It's not an epidemic. An epidemic is caused by an existing infectious disease as defined by the Infectious Disease Prevention Law."

"Then, could it be a new type? That'd be terrible."

Ozaki started drinking his coffee, and spoke when he took a breath.

"I can't say anything right now. I can't speak carelessly, so..."

"But, Toshio!"

Ozaki finished his coffee, and started to leave.

"Well...If someone in my family dies, I'd have them cremated."

Outside,

"This is fine. For now, let them think that it's an epidemic. Either way, we don't have much time left."

Ikumi's house:

Ikumi, "Okiagari. The people at Kanemasa are okiagari."

Ikumi's daughter, Tamae, was certain that her mother was starting to go crazy.

"What? What're you saying, Mom?"

"Although the Kanemasa people, and the sword, Soul Edge are the roots of all evils, Muroi from the temple, Dr. Ozaki...the big shots in this village are doing nothing about it! I have no choice. I'm the only one who knows their true identity. I have to act in order to save the village!"

Tamae was starting to show that she was worried.

"Stop it! People mock not just you, but me, too, since you're always saying weird stuff! I...I..." She lay herself on the floor, crying.

Outside, Tira was listening to them. "This woman might be a real problem."

Ikumi, "She's just like that man. I was forced to marry a man who was, timid, stupid, arrogant, and mediocre. I felt neither happiness nor honor in my life. The two sons I had, died within a few years after birth. The only one left was an ugly daughter who doesn't have a shred of cleverness, just like her father. When my husband. Who was like a hindrance to me, died, my life as a woman was already over. However, it's different now. I will save the village!"

In town:

Ikumi was thrown out of Ookawa's shop.

"Wh-What'd you do that for?!"

Old man Ookawa, "Don't ever come back!" Then he slid the doors shut.

"Don't you get it?! Your uncle died because the okiagari at Kanemasa attacked him!"

Two drunkards inside were joking around.

"Okiagari, huh?"

"Is it okay, old man, to knock down a regular customer like that?"

Ookawa, "Regular? Customer? Has that stingy old hag ever bought a drop of alcohol?! If she bums from you guys and talks nonsense, that's a nuisance!"

Someone else in the shop, dressed like a bucaneer, spoke out.

"Ah! Those two have drank themselves drunk! Their judgment is impaired, mate."

Ikumi stomped, enraged, on the doors.

"You bastard! Don't make light of me!"

Atsushi arrived(Ikumi's bad behavior was the only thing he and his father ever saw eye-to-eye).

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?!"

She turned to him. "It's none of your business."

Atsushi kicked, barely missing her face, but alarming her enough for her to lose her balance.

"You kicked the store door just now, didn't you?!"

His father yelled through the door, "Atsushi! Ignore her!"

"Tsk!" He then grabbed the water bucket, and threw it at her, as she ran away.

"Beat it already! Or you'll end up having to drink your fill of this!"

"D-Don't!"

"Here!"

"Damn you all! Just wait and see! I'll make them realize who's right soon!"

Meanwhile, Mountain pass hideout:

Masao, who was able to retract his Nightmare armor, was being informed of Ikumi by Tira.

Tira, "She seems to know about the existence of the okiagari."

Masao, "See to it that Kanemasa takes care of it. It must be done quickly...and quietly."

Things are starting to get real. Another thing, That stranger in the Ookawa shop is Cervantes.

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