𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒊𝒓𝒍 𝑰 𝑪𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝑵𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝑯𝒂𝒗𝒆 [𝕘𝕚𝕪𝕦𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕠] (KNY)

𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝟥𝟥: 𝐼𝓁𝓁𝓃𝑒𝓈𝓈

Author POV: 

Shinobu ran faster than she'd ever run in her life. 

As soon as Sabito had told her to come, she'd bolted out the door, Kanae following close behind. Sabito was still desperately trying to tell her things, but she only replied, "Explain on the way."

Kanae was yelling orders at the Kakushi, and she shouted at Shinobu, "Take a medical kit. Go with Sabito, as fast as you can. I'll gather supplies with the Kakushi. I'll be right behind you. Just get there and give whoever needs immediant attention."

Shinobu nodded briskly at her, and they split up, Kanae slowing her speed to match the Kakushi's and running back to the mansion to get equipment. Meanwhile, Shinobu grabbed a small emergency kit a fumbling Kakushi offered her and sprinted forwards in no specific direction, only hoping Sabito could catch up with her. 

Without slowing her speed, she turned to Sabito, and was suprised to find he was right beside her, running just as fast even though he'd already run the whole way to the mansion to deliver the news. "Tell me what happened."

"Me and Giyu went to a tourist vacation village. For a holiday." Sabito said, sounding only ever so slightly out of breath. It was clear he had had training in speed and stamina as he evenly distributed his breath in order not to run out. "But when we went there, the whole village was empty. Silent. No-one out on the streets."

"Alright." I nodded to show I was listening as I leaped across tree branches and over rooftops, Sabito close behind her. 

"So we started knocking on doors. I was still knocking with no response when Giyu suddenly ran to me." Sabito said. "He told me how he'd knocked on a door, and a little girl opened it. He said the girl told him the whole village had some disease, and that her parents were coughing blood. Giyu told her he'd get help, but the girl refused to let him leave. She grabbed his arm and tried to lock him inside her house, saying she was afraid if he left then he would tell the newspapers about the illness."

"I see. So the whole village kept it a secret from the public." I sighed. This was not uncommon, especially for vacation villages that were blind tourist traps. They never wanted the health department to shut them down. But if blood was being coughed up, the whole village in lockdown... clearly this was serious. 

"Giyu tried to leave, but the girl grabbed his arm and bit it." Sabito winced. My step faltered, and I almost tripped. 

"This girl was infected by the virus?" I quickened my step. 

"We thought so. Apparently she was healthier than her parents, but her parents were horribly sick. Of course she could talk, and move, but Giyu mentioned she vomited sometimes." Sabito clarified. "Although she'd been staying in the house and taking care of her parents, presumably."

"Isolated in a confined space with contaminated people... not good." I muttered, running through the medical risks in my head. She could easily have the virus, but depending on the particle, it could be less effective on her for age reasons. Or gene, blood reasons, even?

"Anyway, she bit Giyu. Obviously he shook her off and got out of that house, locking her in. She didn't come chasing after him. The lockdown must be serious, or at least terrifying enough for the girl to stay inside." Sabito said. "Then he ran to me and told me what I just told you."

"I see. Where is he now?" I asked.

"I told him to hide and lie down." Sabito thought for a moment, then muttered, "I also told him to take any medicine he had."

"WHAT?" I almost lost my momentum again. That could end disastrously. Many medicines contained viruses of another kind, designed specifically to battle enemy diseases. It could trigger something in the original illness, worsen his conditions. 

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I don't know anything about medicine. I just thought, well some would be better than none." Sabito winced. 

"Alright, alright." I sighed, trying to keep my cool. "How close are we to the village?"

Sabito took a quick glance at our surroundings. "Very. Look over at that fork in the road. After we take the left, it's just down the road."

"Got it." I sped up even more, even though there was a slight ache in my legs after running so far for so long. 

I saw the village very soon. It was a flower-filled place, with many cute wooden cottages and trees. But as soon as me and Sabito landed heavily on the road, I noticed the eerie atmosphere. 

Just as he'd said,  there was no-one about. The entire street was silent and empty. 

I turned to Sabito, slightly panting for breath as I clutched the medical kit with white knuckles. "Where is he?"

He was already searching, looking behind the many berry bushes. "He should be somewhere in the foliage. I told him to hide. He could be lying behind a bush. He's somewhere on this road, I know for sure."

"Got it." I immediantly started rustling through the bushes, keeping a lookout for a red haori. 

Suddenly, I heard Sabito shout out. "I found him."

A/N: chapter came earlier than expected heh