A/N: Thanks to everyone who left a review for me! I really appreciate hearing from you guys, and even though I sound redundant, I must repeat it again: Your reviews fuel my inspiration! So write up! ^_^ And without further adieu, here comes the next chapter. Please enjoy the read~
The world seemed to come to a stop for the duo. Takashi's jaw hung open at the sight of his mother, unharmed and alive. Well, she was beaten down, worn-out, and in actuality, half-alive, but the relief was overwhelming all the same. She had almost died right in front of his own eyes. He was certain that afterwards, if he'd discovered it was her, he would be devastated, and utterly ruined.
Inuyasha set her on the ground and disappeared in a blur once more, and Takashi ran for her, collapsing to his knees and immediately pulling her in a tight hug. "Mom!" He exclaimed in slight disbelief, "you're alright!"
"It was all thanks to that... man in red. I thought I was done for sure!" She was wholly relieved, and could finally stop worrying for his well-being, as mothers often did. "But..." She added as an after thought under her breath, "did you see his ears...? Is he even human...?" She didn't want to sound like an ingrate, but still...
"He's actually half human, apparently..." He whispered back, picturing Inuyasha growling at him and flexing his claws if he heard it before shaking his head to clear the image. Now was not the time. "But never mind that! Let's get you some place safe first!"
He ushered her to the car that they had hijacked, vaguely wondering what his mother would think of him for stealing a car, swiftly opening the door to unceremoniously shove her inside, much to her chagrin.
"You can't just lock me in the car and keep on fighting!" Takashi's mother continually offered resistance as she protested, but Takashi silenced her with a semi-exasperated stare.
"You almost just got killed, and we've been fighting like this for quite some time. We can handle it. Besides, we need you well-rested too. You look like you haven't slept properly. Just do what Alice does, and help Kohta with the ammo."
Her jaw neared dropped open so quickly that it unhinged. Oh the nerve of him! He's saying I look old, and you're reducing me to... she trailed off in her thoughts when a cheerful greeting reached her ears.
"Hi! I'm Alice!" came the demure voice that went along with an adorable grade-school girl look. Pink tresses framed her face, the enthusiastic and innocent look seeming a bit out of place for their current situation.
... a helpless school girl... she completed the thought internally. Alice was no older than the other children she taught at Shintoko 3rd Elementary School, thus, it made her glad that Alice was alright. She was a mother, so above all, she understood the need for one's children to be well. In such a setting, 'well,' would have to be loosely defined... But a different matter presented itself when she wondered if Alice's parents were even alive anymore.
She was about to introduce herself out of courtesy when a male's voice reached her ears, and she watched the interaction, eyes zeroing in on the person's legs in the middle of the car, watching with dread, now plastered on her face.
"Ammo, Alice! I need more ammo now!" He ordered like a drill sergeant, leaving no room for argument.
With one fluid motion, Alice grabbed precisely the one that Kohta needed, just as his hand came down reaching for it, as if they had rehearsed it. In a bizarre manner, it resembled passing on a baton at a track and field competition. The exchange was flawless. Takashi's mother fought a cringe at the realization that Alice had been swept into all of this, and did not flinch or hesitate when asked to provide ammunition. Truly, the world had gone to waste!
She craned her neck around the front seat to catch a glimpse of the fighting ragtag group, and was astonished to find that Takashi's boasts had been accurate. Hordes of 'them' were decimated already, and half the members only watching. Perhaps they were trying to garner more information, and discuss tactics. Takashi swung his baseball bat with alarming accuracy and ruthlessness, while various were shot down by Kohta's precise aim. Somewhere in her mind, she would have to question Takashi on the matter for his excessive violence. Saeko and Rei were still a bit of a blur, their weapons gleaming dangerously. Some were flitting out of her line of vision, and an occasional red blur zipped past. She could've sworn she'd heard it, but a short, sinister laugh was heard from the sniper in the car, and the girl with the long sword was grinning through it all, face flushed a light roseate hue. Of course, she reassured herself that she was only imagining things and thus dismissed it. Who could possibly enjoy killing?
Not a few moments later, every one of 'them' lay dead and motionless once more, and she immediately wrenched open the door, nearly running head long into Saya in her haste to escape. She was finally out of harm's way!
"I'm sorry I- Oh, Saya, dear, you're alright!" Takashi's mother pulled the pink-haired girl into a tight hug, their chests pressed together as the younger struggled a bit in the embrace. Saya didn't know the Takashi's 'that' well, but it was a welcome change to have someone else 'care' or 'fuss' over her once in a while, aside from her parents. She didn't think too hard on the matter, for fear of remembering her departure from them, and the state they were in.
"Y-Yeah..." Saya offered, adding mentally that it may be possible to suffocate from her grip as well, until she was saved when the target shifted to Rei, allowing her a short moment of reprieve to try and catch her breath once more.
"Rei!" She gripped the other in a similar bear hug and Saya fought heroically to keep the triumphant grin off her face.
"Ms. Komuro!" Rei exclaimed, immediately dropping the make-shift spear in an attempt to help free her arms. She was more experienced in receiving her hugs, so she knew to drop everything and free up some space for herself so as to allow for mobility. In this way, the introductions were quickly finished, and each one that Takashi's mother came in contact with, whether she knew them previously or not, received the near bone-crushing hug from her. This was highly amusing for Saeko, Kagome and Sango, when Inuyasha still didn't feel a whole lot, but gave a wondering look to her sudden strength.
"So mom, what happened to you?" Takashi inquired, "what brought you out here so far from school?"
A shiver came unbidden as Takashi's mother closed her eyes. "There were so many of 'them'..." She trailed off at the memory. "And so many of the children were... reanimated." She said carefully. Her eyes opened here as she said this, and locked onto the person closest to her: Kagome. "I tried to help them, but I too nearly got bitten. It was thanks to one of the gym teachers that I was able to flee the place. I just ran as far as I could and hid in an abandoned house." She explained, voice trembling now.
Kagome had kneeled beside her, and pulled her in a gentle embrace, guiding her head to rest on the crook of her neck. "I hate to sound blunt, but were you able to gather information on them?" She prompted, trying to gain leverage, and direct the conversation elsewhere.
"They can climb..." She recalled, remembering them crawling up stairs after tripping, or scaling the walls. "I know they are clumsy on stairs since they can't really see, and they can climb on the walls a bit, but that's all I know..."
Kagome nodded in thanks, just about to straighten when warm hands latched around her waist, stopping her movements. She wasn't finished yet, apparently.
"There will also be a plane that is gathering survivors at a school, and should be coming by the end of the week. All the people are gathered there, but there will only be one plane to rescue them. They will not come again, so we must go there." She supplied.
"They are all in one place!?" Saya asked incredulously. "Isn't that dangerous!?"
The others nodded in agreement, and Saeko spoke up. "How do people know it is safe there? And where will the survivors be taken?" She inquired solemnly.
"I'm sorry, I don't know the details, but that was what I managed to found out." Takashi's mom said sheepishly.
"No, it's good enough." Kagome asserted, slicing in right away, "let's split up here, and bring some of you to safety first. It'll be quicker and easier to travel anyways. That way, we can keep checking on people without having to worry for handling a large group." She said calmly, and surprisingly they all agreed.
"So, Sango and Miroku, can you please stay with Alice, Marikawa, Saya and Kohta. And Sango, please do... keep him in check..." She trailed off and Miroku swallowed thickly, paling at the thought.
"Understood." Sango replied in an overly cheery tone, much to Miroku's chagrin.
"Everyone here knows where the others live, correct?" Kagome asked, a round of nodding greeting her. "Good. Then Inuyasha, please accompany them to the school, and report back to me, unless, the conditions are not stable, then stay there and protect them until it is, do you understand?"
A low growl emanated from him as he voiced his disapproval for leaving Kagome, but she cast him a stern gaze and he eventually relented with a scoff and a 'fine!'
Takashi, Rei, Saeko and Kagome bid them good luck, of which they returned, watching their figures retreat down the way they came before disappearing down the slope of the hill.
"So..." Saeko rounded on Takashi and Kagome with a mischievous glint in her eyes after a short moment of silence, "it's just us now." She voiced in a lilting tone, sending a shiver up Kagome's spine.
"U-Uh, Saeko, what are you-" Takashi took a step back from her intent gaze. He watched her azure blue eyes lock onto Kagome's and felt the heat rise to his face, several 'interesting' thoughts racing through his head.
"Let the fun begin..." Saeko purred.
A/N: And that's it for this time! :) Thanks for reading, and as was the case prior to this chapter, I request several reviews before I post the next chapter! :) See you next time~