Act 7: Hanging Together
It's been a couple hours since that incident earlier, with the other guys from Fujimi Academy. Part of me feels a pang of guilt for thinking so, but things have been looking a bit brighter for us since they left. It feels even more fucked up to say this, but I still can't help but feel that it's good riddance. They were all a nuisance... Takagi especially. In fact, just Takagi leaving would've been good. That self-righteousness of hers seemed to make her want to pick a fight with everyone she encountered that wasn't supposed to already be her friend. Keeping Marikawa-sensei, and especially Busujima-senpai would've helped raise our chances of survival exponentially. But now that that's brought up, the actual concept of survival hasn't brought up for a while. Maybe except for Kurokami, but the way he expresses his worry sounds like the words of a rather mad-sounding hypochondriac. I swear, he made some kind of reference, if not him just outright quotation a zombie movie. Thus, people are inclined to ignore his worries until he piped down.
Yep, this is the life.
For now, the practical definition of survival has been put aside. What has been the focus of our group since the others left, was our studies. Mr. Shido's seemingly done his best to try and replicate some form of a normal life while he drove the minibus. It's amazing to see the dedication he has to us as a teacher. At first it seemed a bit silly to me that he wanted his students to recollect yesterday morning's studies, but it sorta just clicked and made sense over time. I mean, we're all just... teenagers, I guess. We're not used to this sort of stress, pressure, and whatnot about the end of the world, and the undead... so it gives us a nice distraction, for now. Certainly a nice change of pace from yesterday's hell and back run that I had to go through.
Damn, I still get shivers looking back on that.
But anyway, everyone is socializing a bit better, and the others were even nice enough to fill me in on what the lesson plan's been, since I'm not from Class 3-A. For the first time since before the disaster began, I was actually feeling some sort of emotion that paralleled happiness. I don't think it's supposed to be possible to be happy during this horrific ordeal, but I feel like I'm somewhere close. Best of all, it got me closer to Fumiko of all things. Under the guise of trying to learn a lesson plan from the one who knew Shido's teachings the best, I moved up a couple rows to try and talk to her. Hey, I'm feeling some sort of weird happiness right now, so I felt like I might as well make some sort of gutsy move.
My mind wanders towards a short conversation I had with Yamada earlier about how I didn't care much for distractions. He even tried to envy me for being able to be distracted and catch myself up in things that didn't have to do with survival, but then I dismissed him saying distractions were cheap... As much as I get this constant nagging feeling in the back of my mind, I know that I at least feel thankful to some degree that I don't lose myself to this insanity, and was able to indulge in distractions with the others. I feel hypocritical now, and am almost feeling guilty for it. Almost.
"Shio-kun? Did you get all of that?"
I find my thoughts being interrupted as I glance up to see Fumiko, staring at me intently. Not the way I'd like, more so that she was just quizically examining me. She must be getting tired of me spacing out. With how many times Fumiko just drags me back into the real world, it's sort of her unofficial job by now.
"You didn't get a single thing I said, did you?"
I feel like I'm in deep shit in that moment. I nervously scratch the back of my head, trying to recollect everything she told me before I started spacing out. As she watches me, Fumiko sighs, shaking her head. The girl placed a hand on her forehead, trying to collect her thoughts.
"Hey, don't blame me... There have been times where you just assumed that I know certain things right off the bat. I didn't start in Class 3-A, remember? Your curriculum is a bit.. different."
I raise up my hands, kinda defensively. Fumiko's face softens a bit, though I could tell she still looked pretty skeptical. And I'll be honest, I know that her skepticism wasn't misplaced; there are some parts of her "lesson plan" that I could barely even recall, though maybe I could bluff her with what I could remember.
"You were talking about genealogy, and the structure behind how we inherit certain traits from our parents through certain Genotypes, right? Like eye color."
Fumiko shakes her head again, a look of disappointment on her face. She didn't seem to be genuinely upset, though at least a bit frustrated.
"Phenotypes, Toshio... phenotypes. What you just said, genotypes are... well, what we inherit from our parents, yes, but they don't always go into our personal appearance. Stuff like our eye color, or traits you can visually see, those are Phenotypes."
"Close enough, right? Some genotypes get used as phenotypes, and that determines what we look like anyway?"
I shrug my shoulders, trying to defend myself. A few moments pass, and Fumiko didn't really look like she bought it. All I can see is a (seemingly) sarcastic look of exhasperation on her face. I can't tell whether or not I said something wrong, but the scrunched-up look on her face still kinda brought a smile on my face. She's either genuinely frustrated trying to teach me, or she has too much pride to lose this conversation just yet.
To be honest, even though I was bugging her, it's always still kinda cute just teasing her, even if my confusion on the subject matter is genuine.
With a huff, and the adjustment of her glasses, Fumiko eventually nodded her head.
"Yes, I guess so. You are close, but knowing the difference is still necessary. Still, it looks like you're at least learning..."
Perhaps I should feel bad that she resigned, but it's not my fault that she happens to give in, easily. At least to me, anyway. And somehow, her admitting me being right for a change seemed like a sweet victory. Even if I initially fucked up the definitions of phenotypes and genotypes.
Heh, like I'd ever need this knowledge at a later time. Judging by the way the world was going around me, just learning this stuff was a mere peaceful distraction.
Up at the front of the bus, I see Tsunoda and Mr. Shido having some sort of heated discussion. Kurokami was also there, looking like he was waiting to interject for whatever reason. With Miku not embracing Tsunoda to distract him and Kurokami putting about his usual paranoid face, I could tell that the two must've been talking to the teacher about something a bit more serious than the lesson plans.
I look over at Fumiko, who was doing about a somewhat concerned look. Not wanting to make eye contact with her, I instead try to immerse myself in a thing called reality, glancing over through the windows to take a peek at the outside world.
Surely enough, it's still just as crappy as I remember it. Refugees are still walking alongside the huge convoy of traffic. Everything got so crowded at one point that the police basically just made half of the people fleeing the apocalypse (including us) take one hell of a detour so that the police could probably regulate the flow of people a bit easier. I know by now that our current agenda is that we need to get to Onbetsu Bridge to get to the eastern part of downtown. I can hope that based on the authorities herding us there, there's an effort to evacuate. But because of this damn detour, I wouldn't be surprised being stuck in here for days. I shake my head, trying to distract myself again. The truth hurts, but I know I have to at least accept it sooner or later.
I try to take further note of my surroundings, and from what I could tell, I was able to occasionally see brief glimpses of men in whole uniform and helmets, brandishing rifles and stuff. I guess it shouldn't be a surprise to me in hindsight, though the fact that shit has gotten so bad that the guys from the SDF and military have to intervene is still worrying. I can only hope that that means they're gonna get this under control now.
At least the cars were moving faster, just a bit more than what they have been for the past couple hours. The cars actually have a little breathing room around them, so I guess it helps ease the worry of constantly ramming bumpers with cars behind and ahead of us. If this all lasts, it might just stave off the longer route we need to take.
Somehow I could feel Fumiko's eyes watching me as I looked outside the window. I knew it because when someone's being watched by another person, there's this weird sense of pressure weighing on their shoulders.
"Toshio? Is something wrong?"
Well, lots of things. Just how wrong certain things seem... are varying in my mind at the moment. I wave a hand at her, dismissing her worries. Quick to avoid a conversation that would probably crush her apparent blissful ignorance to the end of the world around us, I look for something else that could occupy my mind. I notice that Tsunoda, Kurokami, and Mr. Shido are still talking to each other, so I feel that's as interesting and good a lead as any.
"I just wanna see what's bugging those guys up there, I'll be back."
Fumiko herself looked towards the front of the bus also, and she seemed curious as well. I guess that was the green light for me to go ahead and see what was up.
As I approach the the debate up ahead, I start to get a more clear glimpse at what the fuss was about. The exchange between those three was hardly small-talk, or some scientific seminar on genotypes. All I really needed to hear was the tones of voice being used in the conversation. Frankly I'm surprised they haven't gotten the whole bus's attention.
"I don't like this, Shido. Not one bit. Are we just abandoning our safety then?"
"Now, now. It isn't always wise to object to the leader's decisions... However, your concern is noted. I can assure you, Kurokami-kun, Maruyama-kun, that this is the right decision, for all of us."
I listened in, and I started to get a clearer picture of what was being discussed. Frankly, I know that the whole 'ignorance is bliss' deal is good and all, but from what I manage to hear from Kurokami and Tsunoda, I feel a bit relieved but possibly afraid that those two are attempting to use their heads now, for whatever purpose. In the stead of Shido's response, Kurokami shook his head rather spastically, while Tsunoda just had a tense look of discomfort on his face. By contrast, Mr. Shido seemed to look as calm as ever while he was driving the bus. However, what's most surprising to me was the fact that there now seems to be some disagreement on Shido's decisions. There used to be unanimous agreement every time he said something. Kurokami meekly scratches his head, unsure of himself.
"...are you sure, Shido-sensei?"
"There are many... risks involved in staying here, being herded by the authorities with other refugees in such mass numbers. How can we escape if there comes another unfortuitous... situation like what happened in Fujimi Academy? That should prove to be a valid example of what happens when a panicked herd can come into complete chaos."
He responds without hesitation. Mr. Shido looks over his shoulder from the driver's seat, and the first thing I see from him is a rather serious glare. I can't quite grasp its meaning, though I can't tell if it's a threat, or just a warning to how seemingly severe the scenario at hand must be. He presumably intended that glare for Tsunoda and Kurokami, though he apparently noticed me first. At that realization, his features soften a bit as he composes himself. For a minute he appears to staring at me, as if I had something to say. For some reason I didn't feel well enough to say anything in protest of either party. After a moment, Shido averts his gaze as he looks over at the other two guys, who don't really seem to notice me at all.
"This doesn't seem right though. There's police and military guys everywhere, so why the hell won't we be staying here?"
Tsunoda attempts to give off another argumentative line. Shido merely shakes his head, looking somewhat disappointed.
"The people here are getting restless. They're desperate to leave and get to Onbetsu Bridge. And the authorities seem to do a mediocre job in instilling a sense of security in these masses. Think about it. How can we rely on the authorities to protect us, if they can't maintain a decisive hold on the civil disturbances, let alone those caused by the monsters we flee from? These large, panicked masses will slowly become a threat to us as well, if they're not careful. There was a rather barbaric free-for-all in your own school, no less. What do you propose we do if those creatures set their sights on all these refugees, hmm?"
Shido waits for a few minutes, to allow all that information to sink in. He then decisively shakes his head and shrugs, feeling he's finally gotten his point into his students' heads.
"At the very least, wouldn't you say there is a distinct advantage in a smaller, more organized group, Maruyama-kun? Sometimes it is of course much more practical to rely on our own superior intuition instead of being weighed down by this chaff around us."
I found his use of the word "chaff" to be fairly odd, though nobody seemed to take note of that. Tsunoda froze for a moment, as if trying to think of a sort of comeback or retort to Shido's rather well-made argument, but he ended up looking like he came up a bit short. Kurokami didn't seem to pay much attention to what just happened, as he instead took the opportunity to notice that I exist. He let off a small grin and gave me gave a rather sheepish wave in my direction. At least the guy's being friendly. Shido redirected his attention back to me, now taking a bit more interest in my presence.
"Ah, Ozaki-kun. Perhaps it would give us some insight if we had a fourth opinion. Tell me, what are your thoughts on this?"
I don't really like being dragged into debates, though I guess I should have seen it coming since I was just observing them not too far away. Anyway, my mind tries to go over what to say. Sure, both arguments seem logical, I guess... Then again I don't even know if I've heard the whole story; all I know is that Shido apparently wants to leave this flow of refugees, to go do something else... whatever the hell it is. I suppose understandably so, the other two are currently arguing that staying here with everyone is safer.
After a couple moments of me being in the hot-seat, I finally come to a conclusion. I feel inclined to agree with Shido, for a number of reasons. For starters, if we stay, we're likely gonna still be here for possibly several days with how many people there are here, and the authorities lack of effective organization. And memories of Fujimi Academy, seeing them assaulting an unsuspecting high school just gives me a sense of unease. I'd hate to actually be here in case that happens again to these poor souls all around us. Second, I get this weird impression from Mr. Shido... that he is not someone you really want to disagree with. Just a gut-feeling. Lastly, I feel as though I should probably get as much into this guy's good graces as I can, because frankly, I'm still the new-guy here. I'm not sure if Shido trusts me as much as his other students, because after all, he's been around everyone on this bus for a little over a year now. And if I'm feeling just a little bit optimistic, getting in his good graces probably might mean getting closer to Fumiko's good graces too. It might sound selfish, but at least the last bit is only a mere part of my motivation.
"I think Shido-sensei has a point... We're probably as susceptible to danger here as much as anywhere else... plus, I know that if this place goes into chaos, we'll have these hundreds, maybe even thousands of people all panicking at once. It was bad enough we had to see that in Fujimi Academy... it was a complete and utter hell... I think it's better if we could stay as a smaller group, for now. We can wait for things to simmer down before things with all these masses get out of hand."
There. I said it. To be honest, I had looked over pros and cons to this plan of his in my mind, but frankly I just tried to sound appealing and state only what was good. Sure enough, it looks like that's all that Mr. Shido needed to hear. Satisfied, he waved his hand towards Kurokami and Tsunoda, dismissing the both of them. With a shrug of their shoulders, they nonchalantly walked back over to their seats, looking as if they didn't feel too heartened by their opinions anyway. With a sigh, I decide to go back over to seat myself again. However, that notion was interrupted as I start to hear what sounds like someone clapping their hands lightly behind me.
"I appreciate your assistance in that predicament, Ozaki-kun. I have heard much about you from Kawamura-san, and it indeed appears that her trust in you is not misplaced."
The moment people hear a phrase that sounds something along the lines of, 'I have heard much about you, from X' that almost always seems like bait for that person to ask, 'What did they say about me?' And I guess it still works. I look further down the bus, and see Fumiko busily chatting with Momo about something. At least if I'm talking to Mr. Shido about her, she's adequately distracted enough not to sneak up on me, or eavesdrop in on our conversation.
"So... what did she say about me?"
Shido chuckles a bit, as if he was expecting that reply out of me. Predictable...
"Well, she does note you're a very trustworthy, respectable person. As well as you being rather loyal and dedicated to your goals. And I must say, if you truly went through what you did just to find Kawamura-san throughout that horrific ordeal at the Academy, then that truly speaks volumes of how admirable your character is, Ozaki-kun."
I feel inclined to say that possessing an admirable character isn't the best choice of words to describe me. But I certainly don't mind the praise, and it does make me feel better about my choices to some degree. I simply nod my head in response.
"Thank you, Shido-sensei."
I don't know whether or not he was done talking, but I feel like I've heard enough for now. I walk off back towards where the rest of my peers were sitting around in.
Around the area, I could see little conversations and activities going about... looks like Yuuki was talking to Tsunoda and Yamada, though the latter seemed... adequately creeped out by her. Yamada seems like a pretty straight-laced guy, so I could imagine anything that comes out of Yuuki's mouth would be a bit of a shocker for him. The sight is pretty amusing in itself, and I can't help but hold back a chuckle.
I look back at the front of the bus and see that Shido has managed to find an exit to get out of this thick rut of traffic. As the bus started to move slightly faster (but probably faster than it had been going all day), Mr. Shido was halted by a man dressed in police uniform. But he didn't seem much of a hindrance, as Shido stopped to say some things to him, and the officer let us go. I wonder what Shido said to him... I guess it didn't matter, anyway.
Glancing at the column of seats opposite Yuuki and co's own, I see that Kurokami is by himself. I see him writing or sketching something on a note pad, though he doesn't look too into whatever he's doing. I might as well chat with him. I actually look forward to probably making new friends on this bus, outside of just talking with Fumiko. Everyone seems like a nice enough crowd, anyway...
I take a seat in the row right in front of him.
"Hey, Kurokami."
The dark-haired guy looks up from his note pad, acknowledging my presence.
"Oh, hey Ozaki..."
He nonchalantly lowers his focus back on the note pad. Quite honestly, this was the first time I directly looked into his eyes at a close distance, and the fact that his pupils seem a bit more dilated than most normal human eyes was... unnerving, to say the least. It doesn't really give him much of a good vibe... I wonder if the others on the bus have noticed.
The silence is uncomfortable, and I feel that this conversation could get pretty wooden, pretty fast.
"So, what are you writing on that pad? Anything interesting?"
Kurokami glanced back up and gave me a rather quizzical look. He squinted a bit as he leaned forward, as if trying to gauge the intent of my question. Never thought that such a simple query would result in this odd gesture.
"I'm making a list of things... things we'll probably need down the road. Since Mr. Shido won't listen to me and Tsunoda, perhaps we can make the best of this situation since we're going out... somewhere."
I raised my brow. What the hell is he listing, and what did Kurokami have in mind? What was there to make the best of? And for that matter, it also raises the question of just where the hell Shido planned on driving this bus. For now, I suppose my brain can only handle so much, so I'll get my answer to the questions one by one...
"Here, can I see that list of yours?"
That didn't really come out as a question, so much as it did a warning. I instinctively took the list from Kurokami's hands before he could manage a reply, but he didn't really seem to mind anyway. As I read the first few , I noticed that Kurokami's handwriting was... fairly erratic. The kanji looks like it was hastily scrawled, but at least readable.
Canned and Dry Foods
Water
Bleach
Matches
First-Aid and Medical Tools
Flashlights
Crowbar
Radio...
I keep reading, and notice that he's got one hell of a list. It's a seemingly random assortment of things, though it takes me a moment to realize where he's to be going with all this.
"What is all this?"
"It's a list of survival stuff we'll need... I ain't gonna be too comfortable living the rest of my life in this bus until we've at least got the essentials. Haven't you read any zombie survival shit? What you don't know, can eat you."
I find myself cringing at the sound of the word zombie. I recall back during my brief time hanging around Morita, and his apparent dislike for the word. I guess I've been subconciously eliminating that word out of my own head, calling those undead guys just... them this whole time. Yet, 'them' seems like another movie cliche entirely.
I shake the thought from my head. This isn't a time to think about old friends. Anyway, I look at the list again, now making sense out of these words.
"So... you're getting ready to prepare, I guess? What makes you think Shido would be so... willing to run around to get this stuff? I dunno what he's got in mind, but it'll take some time, plus Shido's already given me the impression that we're avoiding all these undead as much as we can anyway."
"Okay then, we'll just live on this bus without food for the next week. I'm sure everything will be fine and dandy."
The icy sarcasm stung a bit, but Kurokami did have a valid point. I know that I haven't eaten a thing all day today, and yesterday since the attack began at the academy. I was rushing to class and never got to eat breakfast then... And I'm pretty sure nobody brought anything on this bus, let alone some food. Maybe we've all somehow been able to ignore simple hunger... but now that he mentions it, I'm now afraid that I'll immediately react with a growling stomach, or sudden pains due to not thinking about it earlier. Distraction of the mind is a fickle thing. Damn you, Kurokami.
"So... I guess you're really into zombies and stuff, huh?"
I do my best to try and make some small-talk with him, and maybe just to instinctively avert any feelings of hunger. Kurokami glanced back at me as he takes back his note pad.
"Oh... well, I guess so. Maybe I just like movies and video games in general, though zombie ones I've always liked too. But... I guess even the most basic geeky person has looked up something on how to survive an apocalypse. Zombie apocalypse, robot apocalypse, nuclear apocalypse, and the like... haven't you at least been curious of something weird like that before? Games and stuff can do that to you."
Huh. So Kurokami is one of those people. Not that I can particularly blame him, I've been curious myself. But I'm not really obsessed enough to be an Otaku for it, and I always thought thought that it was just baseless hypothesis on how to deal with a fictional situation. Heh, and look at us now. How fictional did this turn out?
"Besides, I already watched enough monster movies to know how all this shit works out, so I'm sure everyone here will be alright. After we lose the first victim of course, then we all have to learn from his or her stupidity and become stronger for it."
I couldn't tell whether or not he was joking on that last bit... and to be quite honest, that was a little unnerving. The thought him thinking of this as just a big movie or video game doesn't seem rational. I guess I'll just give Kurokami the benefit of the doubt and believe he's making a good-hearted jab at movies and not insinuating anything serious. If anything, the list looks serious enough that it's actually got a bunch of useful things all over it for our real-life survival.
Kurokami keeps looking over that list. He now had some sort of new idea and instantly began writing it down. I can't read the emotions on this face this time, as his head was down and his thick dark hair obscures his face. It still left me hanging on whether or not his earlier joke was serious. I decide to keep moving the conversation.
"Well, okay then... you plan on showing that to Shido-sensei eventually? I don't know if he has any pit-stops in mind... then again, I still have no idea what he actually has in mind anyway."
"Maybe you should've asked him that before you readily agreed leaving the refugee trafficking."
That stung pretty badly. I have no idea what Tsunoda thinks still, but it's obvious that Kurokami evidently... disapproves of my backing of Shido. I decide to try and think of my own appropriate comeback to defend myself.
"Well, we'd be staying there for maybe a few more days, and I doubt the cops were handing out free food to thousands of people at once. We could've starved. At least this way we have the option to scavenge or something. Plus, if we stayed there, we wouldn't get to put to use that list of yours now, would we?"
Those words seem like they hit the spot. Already Kurokami is a bit caught off-guard, and he struggles for a way to retort. Oddly enough, me talking back to him looked like it was enough to slightly intimidate him. His dilated eyes erratically looked back and forth at me and his own list, as if trying to manage an answer. Eventually, I suppose that dark-hair's mind came to some sort of conclusion as he nodded his head.
"Uh huh. Touche."
Hmm. So I guess that's that then. It's strange how Kurokami seems to make anything he does rather dramatic. I'm a little surprised that he gave up so soon, but given how my input on the earlier situation between Mr. Shido, Tsunoda, and Kurokami, the latter must not be entirely good at keeping up arguments.
I watch as Kurokami wordlessly goes up to the front of the bus and takes his list over to Shido. I'm personally not expecting Shido to take the note as seriously as Kurokami does, but it's something to consider. Not paying their conversation any note, I look outside the windows of our bus.
It's getting dark again. The sun was past set, and what little light that's now shining through the horizon is slowly fading. Soon enough, all we'd have is just the moonlight and maybe some odd lamp post still working that'll give us any sort of direction in this darkness.
Looking back, it was a rather hectic and dramatic day in the bus, and I guess I shouldn't expect anything less than that. We're facing the possible end of the world after all, and we're simply doing our best to cope with it. Maybe it was worth it that those other guys left us, since they're dealing with the situation their own way. I can only hope that those bastards will manage to survive in this environment, God knowing what the odds of that are... except Saya, that bitch...
I start to focus less on the recent events and more on what I see now. Looking at Tokonosu City so desolate, dark, and dreary is an unreal experience, to be honest.
There goes the old ramen shop I used to eat at with Morita, Fumiko, and everyone else I knew.
And there's the arcade I used to go to during weekends. They even had a batting cage out back that was real nice... wouldn't have made it to where I am now in baseball without it.
Now I see that... sports shop I was just at a few days ago with Fumiko and Momo... the place I... I had that nightmare.
God damn it. Looking at the city never made me feel so nostalgic, but looking at its dark dreariness, the occasional bloodstain, broken in windows, and sometimes even a corpse next to all these places I went at was simply depressing. And even more nauseating, I couldn't tell whether not those were corpses, or just more of them... lying in wait, or sleeping, or something. Do the undead even sleep?
What a fucking stupid question to ask at a time like this.
My mind zigzagged back and forth between wondering what to focus my mind on, but no matter what I did I just seemed to be focusing on either different questions, dwelling on depressing points, or simply just making my head hurt for reasons I can't even being to think about yet.
Thankfully, I feel something not right in the real world, breaking me out of that mental clusterfuck... the bus actually slowed to a halt. And Shido wasn't slowing down to make a turn, he parked the bus where it now stood. Now I'm wondering whether or not I should be thankful for this getting me out of my weird state-of-mind.
I look up and see Mr. Shido out of the driver's seat, walking towards us all. A numerous many of us looked somewhat puzzled, except Kurokami, who had a rather confident, optimistic look on his face. Oh shit, don't tell me Shido actually agreed with that guy's plan and we're doing it now of all times...
"Attention, class..."
He's addressing us as a class still, huh? I guess it fits with him still treating us as such and making us go over genealogy earlier.
"I know that many of you must be rather worried of our predicament. As the situation stands, it has come to my attention that we currently lack the proper supplies and materials essential for our survival, here on this moving haven of ours... food, water, and whatever necessary tools we may need on our way."
Great way to tell everyone you forgot eating is necessary to live, Sensei.
"...And it appears that Kurokami-kun has graciously come up with a detailed list of what will most definitely aid us in our coming days as we brace for these storms. So then, it appears that at this moment, we'll be conducting a bit of our own little hunting and gathering operation. If you'll look outside our windows, you'll see we're in the vicinity of a small, outdoor mall. We shall be scavenging what's left of this desolate place, so that it may find newfound use among our group."
I look around me and see everyone's interest is genuinely piqued, as they all look forward towards Shido with their undivided attention. Especially Fumiko and Momo. I guess I shouldn't be surprised on that note.
"So then... I would appreciate if I could get some volunteers to partake in this event. Think of it as a... bit of an exercise that can promote synergy among our ranks."
Kurokami raises his hand after Shido's declaration, as if to become the first volunteer. The look on the dark-hair's face was almost comical, a mix between bravado, and at the same time a bit paranoid. No doubt wondering about the fact that this might be a particularly dangerous mission he just brought up.
Upon seeing his volunteering, I see Fumiko, Momo, and Yuuki all clapping their hands in response. Shido smiled at the gesture and started clapping himself. The girls' awe that was typically directed towards Shido whenever he was about to say some impassioned words was temporarily directed towards Kurokami, so I guess they were commending him on his bravery or some shit. The fact he still looked nervous as ever was almost comical.
Then I see Fumiko stopping in the middle of her clapping, and looking over her shoulder to see me. She looks me in the eyes for a couple seconds, this little glint in her own. I think I knew that she was expecting me to do the same as Kurokami and volunteer for this little operation of ours.
I stand up without thought. Maybe not the best move...
Everyone's attention now is focused on me, as the girls all applaud and make me feel like some kind of celebrity for five seconds. To be honest, it felt good enough to have Fumiko give me that look she sometimes gives Shido that it almost seemed worth volunteering myself. Almost.
"Ah, Ozaki-kun, you too, eh? Well then, I feel I can trust you to this group's welfare in bringing back what we need... It's brave of you to do so, almost as brave as your previous exploits upon trying to find us..."
Now Shido was using a bit more flattery to try and soften me a bit more. This might've worked earlier, though this time it felt short. The only thing that kinda boosted my ego a bit was the girls' own approval for my situation, and even then I knew the feeling would soon dissipate.
Somewhat satisfied as the clapping died down, Mr. Shido went off to the only two remaining guys in the bus, Yamada and Tsunoda, both of them looking like they were not enthusiastic at all to go on with this.
"I suppose one more man will do. Well then, would either of you two gentlemen also volunteer? It would be quite unbecoming for us if you made one of the ladies go out there to do this dirty work."
The girls probably feel flattered at that line, thinking Mr. Shido was a gentleman. I probably feel a bit pissed because he inadvertantly told me and Kurokami we're essentially doing his own dirty work. I'm not sure whether that slip-of-the-tongue was intentional or not, but it makes me feel uneasy.
Looking back at the two guys, the first-year and the third-year were both trying to gesture towards the other, almost comically trying to get the other to go in their stead. Yamada seems like a timid guy from looks alone, though it's kinda funny knowing Tsunoda's probably the biggest guy here, and looked the toughest. Then again, toughness didn't seem to work anything for him when Miyamoto jabbed that staff-thing of hers into his stomach, and he was nearly passed out on the ground from pain. If I ever piss him off, I should probably take note of his weak point.
Eventually, Tsunoda gets fed up with trying to argue with Yamada and shoves him, quickly standing up after that. His face looked like it was very agitated, and he seemed more like he was acting out of frustration than making any definitive choice.
"Fine, if you're too much of a pussy to go, then I'll go. I'm saving your ass, now. Happy?"
Shido doesn't pay any heed towards Tsunoda insulting Yamada, as he clasps his hands together in satisfaction.
"Well then, I suppose this makes you our heroes, now. Going off into the unknown, gathering our supplies, so we live to thrive another day. It seems not unlike and Epic tale about to unfold, no?"
Those remaining to stay on the bus clapped their hands again, even Yamada, as they were probably thankful it wasn't them going out. Still, when I looked at most everyone's faces, I could tell there was some genuine optimism and even concern over our well-beings. I wonder what that's supposed to spell out for us going outside.
Shido gestured towards us to follow him. There's no going back now, so I oblige, leading the two behind me. We were now right at the front, and when I saw the bus doors open, I felt this distinct chilly breeze walking in, as if further heralding this is not a good idea. I look over my shoulder back towards Kurokami and Tsunoda. The former still looked as jittery as ever, and the latter just seemed disgruntled about his disposition. Further back, I look towards everyone else seated back in the bus. Fumiko was still looking at me.
As if noting the apparent anxiety that must be riddled all over my face, Fumiko smiled and mouthed something unintelligible. I dunno what she said from where I was standing, but... I just wanted to think that she was saying, I believe in you.
If anything, those would probably be the magic words of encouragement to get me through this.
My happy thoughts are interrupted when I feel a sharp kick to my back, and I stumble out of the bus, onto the outside's pavement. I manage to land on my feet without problem, but I bitterly look at the son of a bitch who kicked me out. Tsunoda's glare awaited me, with that same damn look of annoyance on his face. Grumbling something under his breath, he walks out of the bus, with Kurokami following right behind him.
"The fuck was that for?"
"This isn't a time to get all romantic and shit. We've got work to do."
I feel myself clench a fist, though it quickly waned when I realized how futile getting into a fight with him would be. Especially now of all times. I decide to focus my mind back on the shit that we're actually supposed to do.
"Kurokami, where do you think we're gonna find this stuff on your list?"
The dark-haired guy looked through and through his list, trying to find a place to start. Then he looks all around him, noting the different establishments that were scattered around nearby. The chillingly dark night sky was only offset by our bus's headlights, and some lamp posts that still were functioning and lighting up some streets and ways.
"Well, it's an outdoor mall, so I imagine we'll find everything we need here from food to flashlights and stuff... considering people haven't already scavenged and picked this place clean."
Wait, what?
"So you're telling me there's possibly nothing here for us?"
Kurokami places a hand on his chin, as if trying to think like a detective on this whole matter. The fact he actually needs to stop to think worries me.
"Only if people were as smart as us, then maybe. But when shit like zombie apocalypses happen, people lose their cool under pressure. It's like people are a bunch of animals: spook one in a herd, you spook the whole herd... movies and shit aren't so different in that regard. And we've still got our cool, if I say so myself. So... I dunno if we're gonna be kickass zombie hunters any time soon, but we're at least gonna be survivors of this shit. And that's good enough for me."
I take that information with a grain of salt. There goes Fumiko's words of encouragement...
"Are you ladies gonna stand over there all night, or what? Move your ass!"
Tsunoda was just a couple octaves short of yelling, something I want to punch him in the face really fucking hard for. If there are any zombies lying around, then his yelling is like a dinner bell to signal them to eat us alive...
I hear the snapping of fingers behind us, and look back towards Shido who was still at the bus doors.
"I would recommend that you move with haste. Time's a wasting... as they say."
With that, Shido closes the bus's doors. I can still see several of the passengers still looking at us through the windows. I'm wondering how they're all taking the fact that we're essentially kicked out for a time to scavenge for supplies in the dark with no weapons or ways to defend ourselves whatsoever.
I take one last glance a particular window, to see Fumiko waving at me. I end up instinctively waving back.
"It's amazing how much you kiss your girl's ass, Ozaki."
I quickly turn around and see Tsunoda, once again being antagonistic towards me. I wanted to really hit him, for a number of reasons at this point, but I didn't want to start anything, not when we had legitimately important things to do.
"What's your problem, anyway?"
The blonde third-year kept moving along, his facial expression looking like it was simmering down. He looked less annoyed now, and a much more solemn, grim expression took place.
"If we die Ozaki, this is your fault, and Kurokami's too."
"What?"
"You convinced Shido to leave all the police and everyone behind, so now we're just alone again. And Kurokami comes up with a scheme to get us supplies, possibly in a pretty fucking dangerous position."
Great, now Tsunoda hates me. Just what I needed, someone other than Takagi-bitch to hate me.
"So what does that make us now, enemies?"
"I dunno about all that, but... if you keep this shit up, I think we'll be pretty fucking close to that."
I feel some odd light smack at the back of my head, and I immediately presume it's Tsunoda. However, I hear the same sound again, and that guy's now cursing under his breath in pain.
"Both of you are idiots. You know that, right?"
Kurokami shook his head, trying to go over things.
"If this kept up, this'd be the part of the movie where the two guys can't get their shit together, and then zombies come in and eat one of you, causing the other much grief they let the other person die on a sad note. And I hate cliches, so I'm not about to let this happen to you guys. Get your act together, and come on. We've got stuff to do."
And thus, the dark-hair headed off towards the nearest little grocery mart, presumably to start scavenging for food.
Tsunoda and I wordlessly glance over at each other and nod. With a sigh, I briefly extend my arm to shake his hand. He immediately complies, and we head off to follow Kurokami.
I think I might've made my fair share of enemies today... one of them's gone now, and there's still one more right next to me... one's already too many. But I guess I'm thankful some movie-nut over here is able to keep us from ripping each other's throats out, and getting us focused on a single goal. It's better if we focus on the peril of undead apocalypse, than focus on the peril of getting on each other's nerves.
The blonde takes one more look at me, his icy disposition having cooled down a bit.
"You've got my back, Ozaki?"
"You bet."
Huh. Trust, mistrust, a bunch of shit going on this night... I guess that old man in glasses from World History was right:
"We must all hang together, or assuredly we will all hang separately."
