Zombie Apocalypse AU: When Yamato's five-member entourage didn't return to the shelter on time, they were all assumed to be dead.

1

Hikari slammed the piece of paper on Taichi's table, startling the older Yagami slightly.

"Hika, what the—?"

"You said we'd need solid evidence that Yamato and the others have survived before we can send a rescue team out there, right?" she demanded.

"Well, yeah, but we've been through this a—"

She slammed a hand on the table again. "Oniichan, you're not even looking at this!"

"Okay, it's a map, I can see that," said Taichi, glancing at the piece of paper. "And I can tell, without even looking, that it's the same one that you've been shoving under my nose for the past few months."

Hikari took a steadying breath before sitting down on the chair opposite Taichi. "Yes, it's the same map—" (Here, Taichi's arched his eyebrows) "—but you heard what Koushiro said last week. There had been sightings of them, and come on, you heard that distress call last Tuesday!"

Taichi groaned and began to massage the bridge of his nose – a good sign, really – before leaning back against his chair. He was silent for a few moments, his brown eyes meeting hers, and when he finally spoke, Hikari could tell that he'd put a lot of thoughts behind his words.

"Okay. Okay. Let's say that they did make that distress call," Taichi began slowly, "and let's say that those sightings really were of them – we still have to think realistically. They could've moved from those areas long ago, and they could be on the move at this very moment. I can't just send out the rescue team to the spot where they were last seen, Hika, they might not be there anymore."

"You think I don't know that?" Hikari snapped back. "I've been listening to the radio and I've been watching the skies, all right, and I know what I heard these past few days. It's them, they're signalling us – they've been doing so every day, in fact, at noon, 6 PM, and midnight, since last Tuesday."

Her brother frowned, and stared at her. "How… Are you sure it's them?"

Hikari had been meaning to let Taichi listen to those calls days ago, but her brother had been busy helping the new refugees from the south. And quite frankly, she had been busy in the infirmary herself – she had missed the last four or so distress calls that Yamato and the others made, but thanks to Iori, she managed to listen to the recordings later on.

"I'm positive it's them," she said, now fumbling with her little pouch. She took out the old cassette player and pushed it towards Taichi. "Listen to this. Iori recorded them for me – it's them, Oniican. I'm positive."

Reluctantly, Taichi reached for the device and peered inside it. The cassette within had been labelled simply as July 31st 20— in Iori's neat handwriting.

"Well…if it's them…"

Taichi's throat worked around a few swallows. Then, with a sigh, he pressed the play button.

At first, nothing but the sound of static noise filled the small room, but then—

"…This transmission is f– anyone able to respond. We're – uh – we are five survivors loca – d near the Rainbow Bridge—"

Hikari watched as a cascade of emotions passed over Taichi's face upon hearing his best friend's voice. The skeptical look vanished almost at once, and was replaced by a look of disbelief. Hikari sat there watching her brother – she didn't need to listen to the tape, because she'd almost memorized it already. She knew all the pauses that Yamato made in the distress call ("…limited food supplies since we left – makeshift shelter near the – cery store," Yamato was saying), and knew the message well enough to be able to repeat it by heart if anyone asked her to.

So she merely watched as Taichi listened to the tape. He now had the look of extreme concentration on his face, and managed to remain patiently silent as Yamato informed rather desperately that one of them was injured. Taichi was still calm when Yamato told them that the injured person was Sora. In fact, Taichi didn't utter a single word until Yamato concluded the tape with, "—repeat, we are still alive. Send help if – it's – nother ti— unti—more of us—tomorrow. Godspeed."

To Hikari's surprise, Taichi actually snorted the moment the tape reached its end. "Godspeed, really?" he said, a small smile now tugging at his lips.

"Difficult times can change a person," Hikari said pointedly. "You, of all people, should know that."

"No. I mean – yes – it's just…" Taichi trailed off, and let out a shuddering breath. "Did he mention Rainbow Bridge?"

"Yes, he did. As far as I know, they're still there," she said, now fishing out more tapes from her little pouch and placing it on the table. "Yamato, Takeru, Joe-senpai and Miyako took turns recording these messages. As of yesterday, Joe-senpai left the others for the clinic north-east of Rainbow Bridge."

Frowning, Taichi reached for the tape labelled with yesterday's date and quickly inserted it into the cassette player. "He went alone?"

Hikari nodded as Taichi pressed the play button. This time around, Miyako's voice filled the room.

("Cap'n Inoue here. D—suke, if you're l–stening, ha, you're totally n—going to bel— me. Anyway – today's a bleak day, because Joe senp— had to – g— alone because – running low, and Sora-san—")

"Any word from him yet?"

"Well, Takeru did promise to update us – well, I mean, anyone who is listening to these calls – about Joe-senpai today at noon."

Taichi's eyes darted towards the clock on the wall. It was eight fifteen in the morning.

"Why must our equipments break down at such an inconvenient time?" Taichi groaned.

"Koushiro-san is still hard at work, Oniichan," Hikari said gently. "He's tried to send back a reply to Yamato and the others, but they showed no signs of ever receiving it."

"Very well," said Taichi, standing up and striding towards the door, holding the cassette player firmly in his hand. "I'll talk to dad. We'll get them here today."

He paused at the door. "Thank you, Hikari-chan."

Giving Hikari a tight smile, the older Yagami left the room.

END (?)

A/N: This was something I posted on tumblr a long time ago. I know it's all very vague, but I did that deliberately. :D

Basically the Yagamis are sort of in charge of the shelter for the survivors and Yamato and the others were with them but then they went out to look for supplies and other survivors, but then they didn't return.