Chapter Ten: Gary. The Ugly Cute Guy Likes Cucumbers

Here is Chapter Ten of Evils: The Other Four.

The Ugly Cute Guy Likes Cucumbers
Hana brought me to the other Rengō Kuni in California. I don't know how - I don't want to know how. I just want to find someone who can help.

Hana knocked on a door and entered. "Sari?"

A girl with shoulder-lengh brown hair and mismatched eyes stood up. "Hana. And who's this?"

"This is Gary of Something," Hana said, then she looked at me. "Gary, Sari is a Rengō kuni for Omoikane, god of knowledge. Any chance you can find out which god Gary is allied with?"

Sari looked at me. "Pauchi Kamuy, an evil Ainu spirit associated with insanity. Hana, are you sure this Gary of Something of Pauchi Kamuy can be trusted?"

"Positive," Hana said with conviction. "Just because I'm a Rengō kuni of Amaterasu doesn't mean I'll ever kill someone because she made food from her body, and just because Gary's a Rengō kuni of Pauchi Kamuy doesn't mean he'll wipe out villages with dancing."

"Um... what?"

Hana ignored me and continued talking to Sari. "He and I are searching for a girl who went missing. And we needed three for good luck..."

"And you needed me for the three," Sari guessed. "Do you at least have any leads as to where you should look?"

Our silence was answer enough.

"Fine. I'll check." Her mismatched eyes started glowing as she stared right passed us. When they got back to normal, she spoke. "You can't find the girl by searching for her. But you can find her by doing a certain deed. Cucumbers will be involved... Kappas, of course! There is one who can help you, who has no legs and is currently in China. A quest will be necessary."

And then she collapsed.

"It'll take Sari a few hours to recover from a vision like that," Hana said. "When she wakes up, we head to China."

A few minutes later, I was outside. I saw some plants - cucumbers - on the ground. Remembering what Sari said, I picked them up. That's when he came.

A little creature with a dent full of water in his head. It was very wrinkly and had creepy eyes, but otherwise looked pretty cute. It nudged my arm a little. The arm with the cucumbers.

"Is this what you want?" I asked, giving it a cucumber. He happily chomped it up. "There you go, little guy." I thought for a moment before adding, "I'll call you Kyūri." I have no idea how I knew the Japanese word for cucumber, but there it was.

I started going back inside, but Kyūri followed me. I guess he'll be staying for awhile.

Hana saw me walking in. "Oh, cool, a kappa."

"Japanese monster-thing," I guessed. "Are they dangerous?"

"Not really," Hana said. "They have some power, but are powerless without the seawater in their heads. Plus, they're really loyal to anyone who gives them cucumbers."

"That explains a lot. Is it alright if he comes with us to China?"

"Um... sure, I guess."