The Empty City

Ch. 2- Click, Click, Motherfucker

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto and TV Tokyo. The Last of Us and all associated characters and creations are owned by Naughty Dog.

xXx Beta'd by: Hananotsuki Hime & 420Luver xXx

Keeping as quiet as he could, Iruka carefully entered the dilapidated produce shop through the broken bay window, keeping careful to avoid stepping on the smashed glass littering the floor. His well-worn brown Force 10 size 9 boots allowed only the slightest of noises as he maneuvered around the dirty floor. Outside, the green and white striped tattered and ripped awning flapped weakly in the wind. The rusted metal skeleton peaked out between the rips.

Ignoring the empty khaki metal shelves lying destroyed on the cold checkerboard tiled floor stained with smears of old black blood, Iruka knew better than to examine them for sustenance. Futile searching would reveal what he already knew: the entire shop was desolate, having been stripped in the early years. Bypassing the corroded shelves and walking towards the back, he found what he was looking for. In the back of the shop were old wooden produce crates and sections were gardening tools were kept.

Iruka shoved the crates aside and searched the ground intently. The chances that he would find anything were slim, but he would try. As it would turn out, luck was with him. Tucked away and nearly completely hidden were a set of handheld trowels, shovels, and other necessary gardening items.

Grasping the package, he pulled out his army knife and freed them from the annoying plastic casing. Impressed with the impeccable state the tools were in, Iruka quickly tucked them away into his backpack. "Tools, check." He smiled, pleased with his find. Of course he hadn't thought of a location for his garden, but he'd cross that bridge when he came to it.

The man continued his search, entering into another section of the store; this one surprisingly still had quite a few items. Bags of coal and cooking utensils sat untouched. What it was doing in a produce shop, Iruka didn't know, but he wasn't about to complain. He browsed the sections, searching for anything that might be slightly helpful. Finding some lighter fluid containers, he took a few bottles. They could come in handy.

He left the store, glancing around and looking at the surrounding buildings and nearby houses. It would do him good to get the layout of the blocks around the library but it would also give him an opportunity for some exploring. Keeping an eye out for danger, Iruka trekked over to one of the old apartment buildings he'd spied.

xXx

Kakashi watched the man curiously. Out on a routine inspection, he spied the brunet, Iruka, sneaking out of the library. From his position atop of a dilapidated building, he crouched, making sure he couldn't be spotted. The shorter man stopped and gazed around, ice axe in hand before he took off jogging.

"What's he still doing here? I told him to leave…" He frowned, irritated. Having a stranger around bothered his wolf-dogs. It wasn't often he met other survivors, but it was an annoyance. Besides trying to kill him or his dogs, they often intruded on his traps and security measures, fucking everything up. They didn't last long, as this area was pretty badly populated by the Infected. As much as he guarded and protected the city, the Infected kept finding ways. He warned them to be cautious, but no one ever listened. Glaring at the brunet, he shook his head. Despite not knowing anything about him, he was going to protect his home and his canines. It was too risky to trust survivors.

"He should have listened." A dangerous smile slid onto his face as his grey eye darkened. Clicking his tongue, he called forth one of the wolf dogs. This one was a mix between an Artic Wolf and another he didn't know. She had a narrow chest and beautiful slanted blue eyes that exhibited intelligence.

Soft white fur decorated her body, shifting to a light gray near her paws. Sharp ears stood up attentively as the wolf dog appraised Kakashi. The hybrid got to her feet and lazily made her way to Kakashi, butting him with his snout and huffing.

"Let's see if we can scare him away." Kakashi smirked. The shorter man wouldn't stand a chance.

Reaching out, he patted the canine on her head. Sharing a stare with the hybrid, he drew back his hand. The wolf dog barked once and immediately took off, paws scratching on the concrete floor. In a matter of minutes, he watched the white bullet race out of the building and head towards the brunet. Making sure to stay hidden, the canine stopped a few feet away and secretly followed the other man. Kakashi sat back to watch from the shadows.

xXx

Glancing up at the sun high in the sky, Iruka shielded his eyes. He then turned to look at the tall skyscrapers of the city, trying to discern a position from the apartment building he was nearing. He hadn't been in a city in a long time and he doubted that it was rational to go blindly into one of the seemingly empty buildings.

"Then again, I'm not getting anywhere standing here." He reasoned, rubbing his nose. "It's now or never."

Facing a rather tall structure, Iruka guessed it had been a hotel. A gaping hole in the entrance revealed a once fancy lobby and several old couches with coffee tables. Piles of bricks surrounded the hole, along with chunks of plaster and wood. Iruka stepped through the hole, cautiously stepping on the dirty bricks that shifted beneath his feet. He looked up at the moldy ceiling and was surprised to see a huge portion of the second floor slanting down and crashing into the lobby. Seeing the extensive damage, Iruka ruled out staying for long as an option.

He gingerly stepping onto the angled ground, testing before fully putting his weight on it. Thick pieces of old rotted wood groaned and crunched under his feet as he moved, causing him to quicken in pace. Reaching the second floor, he moved onto the dryer portions and listened. A slight trickle of water could be heard. Interested, Iruka followed the noise.

He entered a hallway with old brown doors that all were ajar and barely hanging on. Newspapers and coke cans littered the floor, along with old suitcases and dirt. Peeking into the room to his right, he found an ancient mattress that was flipped on its side and torn open. A small bedside table was in a corner, along with a dresser and a closet. Old bloodstains were smeared along the gray cushion; the stuffing was nearly entirely pulled out by a huge chewed hole in the side. The vacant iron bed frame exposed a small medical kit hidden underneath, almost invisible due to the amount of dirt layered on top.

Iruka strode over to the bed frame and reached for the box. Opening it up, he was only slightly disappointed to find several bandages and a sewing kit. Any medicinal items were long gone. Tucking them away in his back pack he continued on his way, moving on to the next room.

Finding nothing of interest, he returned to the hallway, soon reaching the third floor from a set of old wooden stairs. This level had more rooms and a bigger hallway space. The brunet cautiously stepped into one of the new rooms. This one had a broken TV on top of a long dresser, two beds and a door leading to a bathroom.

Murky sunlight peeked through the grimy window that was boarded up and cracked. Walking in, he sauntered over to the boarded window and peered out. The window gave a better view of the surrounding buildings with the library in the background. Outside the window were fire escape stairs and platforms. Appreciating the view briefly, Iruka resumed his exploring. With a grimace he noticed that it had gotten darker as he ventured further into the hotel. He brought out his flashlight from a side pocket on his pack and switched it on, wincing as a bright disk of light exploded into view.

The beam of light fell on various items as he walked on, sporadically moving around with each step he took. Iruka hummed quietly to himself as he scrutinized, making note of everything he saw. Each room, while mostly in the same state of decay, offered a glimpse of someone's past, of a story that had more than likely ended terribly. Despite the tragedy, it was a decent past time to piece together a short story using only a person's belongings.

Arriving at another area, Iruka was baffled to see a huge chunk of wall had been busted outward, exposing the adjacent edifice. Iruka analyzed the gaping hole, poking the dangling pieces of plaster and strips of yellowed wallpaper that decorated the edges.

Metal rods from the building's interior stuck out, bent in odd, jagged shapes. Sunlight filtered by clouds leaked into the room, falling on the moth eaten and stained carpet. Plants had taken root in the molded mattress and grew plentifully, almost vibrant in the dull quarters. Gingerly peering through the hole, Iruka frowned at the drop below. He was several stories high. If he were to fall, he'd land on top of some rusted dumpsters in a narrow alleyway and more than likely break a few bones.

The roof of the neighboring apartment building was a few feet away, easily accessible. Debating, Iruka looked behind him and turned back to the hole. "On the one hand, it's a completely stupid idea and not to mention childish, but on the other it saves me time…" He hummed mischievously to himself, rocking back on his heels. His flashlight was shuffled back into its pocket and his backpack secured tightly. "Not going to live forever anyway!" He backed up, took a running start, and leapt through the huge opening.

He landed clean on his feet on and dropped down to roll off the extra momentum, all the while coating himself with dust. Laughing quietly, he stood and dusted himself off with a few pats. Iruka glanced back up at the opening, he noticed more holes climbing up the building, as if something had been bursting through the wall. "Bursting, or shoving something out…" He shivered. There was only one thing that could do that and Iruka had no intentions of ever seeing or going near it. Adjusting his backpack straps, he trudged over to the hatch leading down into the building.

Carefully lowering himself down, he scowled as he was swamped with the reek of mildew and rot. The cool air felt moist and sticky to his exposed skin. As he hopped off the ladder, Iruka brought out his flashlight again. This area of the building was darker than the previous one; the unnatural darkness left him uneasy. Knowing he was on the highest floor and that it could give at any moment, Iruka hurried along, watching each step and keeping his ears tuned for the slightest sound out of the ordinary. He strode down a corridor, watching as the brass numbers on the doors descended.

Upon hearing a light clicking noise, the man froze, his body tensing up. Please don't let that be a Clicker….He thought beseechingly, feeling his heart take up a staccato beat.

Suddenly, vociferous barking jolted him out of his rigid position. Iruka whipped around, the beam of his light sweeping the hall. It sounds so close...Is that man back? Unsettled, Iruka withdrew his ice axe. Hearing nothing now but his steady breathing and his thundering heartbeat, Iruka decided to quit while he still could.

Turning around, he found his path blocked by an elegant white wolf dog with blue eyes. It watched him intently, its azure orbs shining in the onslaught of light from Iruka. The teacher stepped back, keeping his gaze on the canine.

"Hey boy" He tried, "good boy…" Iruka raised his hands up, trying to convey non-threatening behavior. Being mauled by a dog wasn't on his list of priorities. He held onto the flashlight and ice axe as he put his hands up. The canine hybrid barked at him loudly, pawing at the ground. Iruka frowned and dropped his hands. "What is it?"

"Craaaeeeeaaa…..Kkkraaaggg….krruuukkk"

The distinct croaking noise floated up into his ears. Iruka paled immediately and his heart stuttered. It was as if the Gods had decided to fuck with him.

"A Clicker…oh shit.."

The dog hybrid barked sharply again, now advancing towards the still brunet.

"Nononono, shhhh, shhhh!" Iruka panicked, praying with all his might that the Clicker hadn't heard.

The wolf dog licked his chops and unexpectedly took off, hauling down the rickety stairs at the end of the hallway. Shining the light with a now shaking hand, Iruka held his breath as he moved down the hall, following the dog. He had dealt with Clickers before and they were pure, terrifying hell. His hand tightened and loosened around the axe handle nervously, the adrenaline in his system making him twitchy as he waited to confirm the noise. His heart pounded in his ears as goosebumps rose on his arms. He tightened the scarf around his neck, almost to the point of choking himself.

The telltale croaking came again, sounding distant. Mentally planning his escape, Iruka's lean stomach growled loudly, accompanied by a familiar ache. Christ, not now! He quickly jogged down the steps, doing everything in his power to remain silent on the squeaky wood.

"Graaahhh…..grrrruuuuhhhh.."

Iruka nearly groaned out loud, hating himself at the moment. Not only was there a Clicker stalking about, but also a Runner. He had lived a short and unfulfilled life. Reaching the lower floor, he was startled to see the dog sitting in the middle of the hallway, his tail wagging and his teeth bared at the teacher.

Why is he here? The brunet wondered anxiously, feeling his fingers brush against crusty paint and broken plaster as he moved down, touching the wall for security. And where is his master? He halted as the dog jumped to his feet and began to bark wildly, huge bays that echoed in the hallway. As if on cue, he heard the Clicker shriek in agitation and begin racing towards them. It was on the floor above him. The Runner screeched and jerked, following the Clicker as they both came straight for Iruka.

Still paralyzed and panicking, Iruka watched the dog wag his tail and take off. Chocolate eyes widened as he realized what the dog had done. He had alerted the Infected that Iruka was here, purposefully drawing them! Adrenaline mixed in with a strong survival instinct floored the smaller man, allowing him to finally move.

Running as fast as he could, Iruka darted down the rotted wooden stairs, his heart racing as he heard the Infected give chase. Pushing his fear to the side, he analyzed his position. If he were to engage the Clicker and Runner while in the building, chances were he'd be dead before he knew it. While the Runner presented a slight challenge, the Clicker was by far the more deadly one. He had seen what they could do with their powerful and fatal jaws, having nearly been killed by some. Practically breaking his ankle as he did a sharp turn into another hallway, he tripped as something caught his foot.

Letting out a sharp cry of surprise, he fell hard, skidding a few feet. Before he could even scramble to get up, the Runner fell onto him, teeth snapping and nails scratching. Using the length of the ice pick to hold back the Infected's jaw, Iruka grunted as he tried to shove the Runner off of him. He heard the sound of his flashlight falling and breaking but paid it no mind. Managing to free part of his body, the brunet twisted to the side, jabbing the head of the pick into the Runner and piercing through its vulnerable throat and into the base of its head. Some vile substance began to leak out profusely, soaking into Iruka's shirt and running down the handle.

Still fighting but increasingly sluggishly, the Runner dug his nails into Iruka's arm, ripping his skin. Yelling out, Iruka thrust the heavy body away from him, clambering to his feet. The heavy Runner fell to the floor, finally stopping any movement. Looking up, Iruka nearly fell from the strength that left his legs. Standing a few feet away twitching wildly and breathing heavily, was a Clicker.

Thick, weeping red sores ran along its body, peeking out where its clothes had torn. The skin was a sickly gray color, fading towards white as it traveled up its body, following the roots of infection. Jagged, and rotten yellow teeth gleamed from its exposed mouth, salivating. Right above its mouth were the trademark multicolored fungal plates that sprouted with the Clicker stage of infection. The fungus grew from the brain, breaching the skull and taking over the entire head, growing into the skin and transforming it into more fungal growth. This took away a Clicker's sight, forcing them to use a crude form of echolocation to move about, signaled by their clicking and growling noises.

Iruka could tell it had once been a woman. The ragged gray tank top had once been a snug high brand garment and the ripped and frayed jeans still hugged her body comfortably. Her breasts were showing, now mottled with crusted fungus. Her hands were clawed and disfigured, thick and veiny with light fungal fuzz growing in patches. She swayed as she stood there, seemingly frozen. Slow clicks rang out as she jerked her head, turning to stare at Iruka with her eyeless visage.

Her arms suddenly flailed erratically and she let out an ear piercing shriek as she ran at Iruka, darting forward. The decayed mouth howled and the clicking increased in intensity, becoming frantic.

Breaking from his stupor, Iruka yelped and braced himself, knowing Clickers could outrun humans easily so running was not an option. He steadied his stance, positioning his arms to best defend his neck. Clickers mostly went for the soft tissue of the exposed neck, tearing through the vital area with their sharp teeth.

The Infected creature rammed into him, slamming the brunet into the wall. Grunting, Iruka could feel his heart almost bursting out of his chest as the Clicker's hot breath neared his ear. Terrified, Iruka grabbed onto the disfigured jaw and twisted the teeth away from him, fighting the creature bravely. Using the wall behind him as leverage, he shoved himself forward, thrusting the Clicker away.

He didn't see the Clicker's clawed arm swing by his face as it fell away, dragging its broken nails across his nose and cheeks. A stinging pain erupted on his face only to be ignored as he moved away. Blood dripped from the wound on his face, seeming to rile the Infected up. Reinvigorated, the infected creature attacked again, her arms reaching for Iruka.

Iruka ducked to the side, trying to be a silent as possible. His gasping breath was tough to control with the amount of adrenaline and fear keeping him going. He knew that those in the third stage of infection were blind and relied heavily on sound. He prayed that they just couldn't smell too. He racked his mind, trying to come up with a way to die not. Clickers were dealt with by guns, but since the psychology teacher didn't carry arms on him, he was SOL. The only other way to kill a Clicker was to cut its neck or decapitate it.

Now armed with a plan, Iruka drew out a knife from his vest pocket, still trying to be quiet. The Clicker had its back turned to him, clicking madly as it tried to find him. It jerked to the side when it heard the tinkering sound of a glass bottle rolling on the floor.

As soon as his foot brushed the beer bottle and set it rolling, Iruka knew he was fucked. Caught off guard, the Infected whirled around and launched itself at him, screeching loudly. They fell to the ground, Iruka's fingers digging into the fungal plates as he desperately tried to shove the disgusting face away from his neck. His fingers sunk into the foamy face as the jaws snapped closer and closer to his neck. Iruka found himself feeling a sense of déjà vu, this time with a Clicker instead of a Runner.

"Fuck!" Iruka cried, his arms buckling under the Infected's supernatural strength. He threw an arm out, trying to find a weapon. His fingers brushed the rough surface of a brick. Latching on to it, he brought it up and slammed it into her head, stunning the creature. The moment of reprieve allowed Iruka to jam his knife into the exposed neck. Gurgling and moaning, the Clicker twitched stilled, falling partially to the side.

Allowing his head to fall back in exhaustion, Iruka gasped for clean air and groaned, thanking every known deity for his luck. He wanted to leave and go home to his room in the library. He had no more strength to deal with anymore Infected. Gathering his breath, he kicked off the Clicker's heavy body and laid on the floor for a while, trying to calm his racing heart. The brunet then sat up, wincing at the sore muscles that protested his movements. He wasn't built for one-on-one combat with the Infected; stealth was more of his forte. The man stood and let out a small yelp at the sharp pain that ran across his face when he reached up to rub his nose, as was his habit.

With a huff, he shoved aside his fatigue and slid the knife back into his pocket. Briefly running a hand through his hair, Iruka focused. He needed to leave, fast. He didn't know how much racket the Clicker and Runner had caused, but it wouldn't be smart to stick around to see what else had been drawn.

In the distance, he heard a dog bark.

xXx

Once back in the safety and comfort of his room, Iruka dropped heavily onto his makeshift bed and heave a sigh. Calloused fingers reached up and gently touched his face, feeling the torn tissue from his wound. It didn't feel too deep. He traced the length, digits brushing across the dried blood and crusted platelets. It ran from cheek to cheek, right over his nose. He was lucky it hadn't gotten his eyes.

It had been a while since he last fought a Clicker and he had forgotten how taxing it had been. It was too close for comfort how easily he had almost died. Opening his eyes, his stared up at the ceiling, looking up at the decaying and bumpy plaster. His mind wandered to the moment before he was attacked. The dog had been there, drawing their attention by barking. The last time he had seen that dog was right at the man's side, obeying his commands. His chocolate brown eyes narrowed darkly. Had he sent his dog out to sic the Infected on him?

Pissed, Iruka sat up, his exhaustion forgotten. How dare that man try to get rid of him in such a low and vile way! He had told him he was just passing by, giving the man no reason at all to try and run him out of town.

"I didn't expect him to roll out the red carpet, but hell, I could have died! …unless that's what he wants. Maybe he's one of the psycho territorial survivors that don't care who they kill as long as they get to kill…" Iruka cursed aloud, his eyes wandering around the room. Maybe it would be best to get his things and leave while he still could. His eyes landed on the book he had been flipping through in the morning and he frowned. "No, I made my choice and I'm staying. I'm not about to run because the big bad bully decided to pick on me." Stubbornly, he reinforced his decision and scoffed. "He thinks he can scare me away? What an ass."

He rifled through his pack, searching for the kit he picked up earlier. Snatching up one of the water bottles inside, he took a sip and made a face at the earthy taste. He would need to rig something up to catch rain soon, preferably before he ran out of water. Picking up one of the pieces of dried meat, he gnawed on it as he removed the kit and opened it up. It was important that he dressed his wound quickly, before it was exposed to any spores. He hadn't gotten infected yet and was dead set on that never changing.

Iruka grabbed few more things before he headed out the door, closing it behind him. The teacher was met with a dark hallway, ominous creaking sounds popping up all around him. As silently as possible, he trekked down the hall, looking for the bathrooms. After a few minutes of careful searching, he found the woman's restroom and entered cautiously, making sure the small lavatory was Infected free. The used-to-be-white-but-are-now-gray tiles peeked up at him from a layer of mossy growth and filth. The doors of the stalls clung for dear life as the rusted metal hinges barely held them up. A large rectangular window ran the length of the wall next to the stalls, high up near the ceiling, allowing for beams of sunlight to fall in and light up the dank room.

Locking himself in, the weary man set down his supplies on the small rusted sink and peered into the dingy and smudged mirror. Tired brown eyes stared back before his gaze fell onto his newest injury. The long wound was relatively small, just deep enough to know it would scar. It followed a line right below his eyes, bisecting his face.

Setting to work, Iruka expertly cleaned and sanitized the cut. He put a few butterfly stitches were the red lips of the slice were far apart and needed to be forced together. Small tears of blood welled up and fell, running down to the tip of his nose. The brunet wiped them away brusquely. Dabbing on some cream to help heal the cut faster, Iruka winced at the burn. Finally finishing up, he bandaged the rest of the wound and proceeded to clean the gouges on his arms. Once satisfied with his work, Iruka capped the ointments and tucked his supplies back into the box. Back aching and bone tired, he left the unsettling lavatory and trudged back to his room, his stomach grumbling. Ignoring his stomach's cry of hunger, Iruka entered his quarters and secured the door, placing his items back where he had gotten them from.

Before settling down to take a nap, he stripped. Iruka unraveled his red scarf, setting it on the couch's armrest. He tugged his shirt up, pulling the well-worn and frayed material over his head, revealing a thin, tan body. Once off, he brought it to his nose and sniffed it, cringing at the smell. He hadn't bathed in a long time, and while it was quite common to smell of perspiration, Iruka yearned for the days when he could shower whenever and easily clean his clothes with a laundry machine. He was going to have to find a source of clean-ish water to wash his clothes and bathe, as well as some for drinking, but he'd had enough adventuring for one day and needed to conserve his waning energy.

Briskly he popped open his jeans and he kicked them off, yanking back on his boxers that had begun to slide down. The cool air of the room caused him to shiver. Clad only in his boxers and a rugged gray undershirt, Iruka tucked himself into the couch, wrapping the thin blanket around his body and quickly falling asleep, dreaming of wolves and dangerous grey eyes.

A/N: Zombie killin'. Always badass. Also, Kakashi's an asshole. Carry on.