Living Dead:
Sometimes, you can do both.

They were free ...

The darkness faded away, and it was slowly replaced by light. A light that started as a tiny little point, that swelled to fill her whole being.

Ritsu was surrounded by bright, white, light. She was warm, she was comfortable, and she was safe. She'd done it ... she'd gotten those she cared about most rescued. She could relax now, and just drift into the light ...

Ritsu opened her eyes, blinking at the bright morning sun. She was propped up in her bed. It was large and comfortable ... having been built to American proportions.

Knock, knock, knock!

The door swung open, and three people stepped into her room. A tall, dark man in pixellated green camoflage wearing a respirator and a holstered gun entered first, standing in one corner. And then a very tall blonde woman, and a dark-haired woman of normal height entered after him.

"Good morning, Ritsu. I hope that you are well in being, and full of energy," the tall woman said in slow, thickly-accented, Japanese.

"Futsuu," Ritsu replied. "Anata wa dou desu ka?"

The tall woman looked perplexed, but the woman next to her giggled. She turned to the tall woman and said something to her, before looking back at Ritsu.

"Now, now, Rii-chan," the woman, an interpreter named Aya, said. "You musn't be rude to Doctor McKenna. She's still practicing her Japanese."

"Ah!" Ritsu replied. "Warukatta!" She then looked up at the doctor. "Makoto ni moushiwake gozaimasen!"

Aya immediately put her hand to her mouth, trying her hardest not to laugh.

"I will not ask you to ... fall upon your sword, Ritsu," Doctor McKenna replied, before she laughed. Ritsu was amazed that such a large woman could have such a girlish laugh. "I do watch ... samurai movies."

"Ah," Ritsu said. "Sumimasen ... Boku no eigo da'me desu. I will try ... ganbarimasu."

"No need, silly," Aya said. "That's why I'm here, Rii-chan."

"I know," Ritsu replied. "But ... but, I was told to ... exercise my brain."

Doctor McKenna seemed to light up at the word 'brain.'

"Head cloth," she said. "May I please see inside?"

"Hai," Ritsu replied. She knew what Doctor McKenna wanted. She turned to Aya. "Can I please have a mirror?"

Aya frowned at her. She'd been the second or third person Ritsu saw after the surgery.

"It's fine, I wanna see," Ritsu said. Aya took the mirror off the table, holding it up for Ritsu.

"Can you see okay?"

Ritsu nodded, and Aya said something to Doctor McKenna.

"Hold still," the tall woman said, carefully undoing Ritsu's bandana. Ritsu bit her lip, as her forehead glinted in the light. Her hair was short and feathery, and she could make out the scars from where the jockey attacked her. As Doctor McKenna gently turned Ritsu's head, Ritsu saw her newest scar, a small, straight line.

"You are ... healing well," Doctor McKenna said. The last few ... Ritsu couldn't even remember ... were a blur. There were concerned doctors saying things like subdural hematoma, skull fracture, and lucky to be alive. And then there was a surgery, which she didn't remember, and a whole bunch of things after that, which she didn't remember either.

"Domo," Ritsu said.

Doctor McKenna smiled and turned to Aya, saying some things in English.

"Rii-chan," Aya said, turning back to Ritsu. "Doctor McKenna would like to ask you some questions. I mean, if you're feeling up to it?"

"Sure," Ritsu said, putting her bandana back on, and then leaning back, clasping her hands behind her head.

"Nandemo shitsumon sureba ii," she added. It was a thing that was a part of her world now. Americans asking her questions. Americans asking her to do things.

"Ritsu," Doctor McKenna said. "Did you know that you are infected?"

"Hai," Ritsu replied. That was a shock ... all of them, herself, Mio, Mugi, and Yui, were what were called Carriers. The tall American doctor, and the petite Japanese translator too. The only one in the room that she knew wasn't a carrier of the Green Flu was the American Marine in his respirator.

"Do you also know that you cannot go back to Japan?"

Ritsu closed her eyes for a moment.

"H-Hai," she replied. As she understood it, Americans picked them up, so they became the Americans' problem. Someday, maybe, they'd be allowed back. But that day was a long way off.

"Okay," Doctor McKenna said.

"The doctor that was here yesterday," Aya said, translating as Doctor McKenna spoke, "he showed you several cards. Do you remember what was on them?"

Ritsu frowned, trying to think back. It was hard to visualize the cards, and she made a frustrated noise.

Way back, she'd been told to imagine her mind as a cabinet full of folders. She'd then been told that, following the injury to her brain, and the surgery, that it'd be like someone had upended the cabinet, and then went out of their way to mix up all the folders. It would take time for her brain to get back what had been lost.

"Shirimasen," she said, exhaling. "Moushiwake arimasen."

"That's not true, Ritsu. It will take time," Doctor McKenna replied, smiling. She then wrote something on the clipboard she carried with her.

"May I ask question, kudasai?" Ritsu said, mentally cursing her poor English.

"Sure," Doctor McKenna replied. "We are here for you, Ritsu."

"Domo," Ritsu said, trying a smile. "When do I see friends?"

"Soon," Doctor McKenna replied. "This would be good opportunity to tell me about them."

Where to begin, Ritsu thought. Her memories of the month they spent in zombie hell were full of holes. But she remembered one thing very clearly. Seeing Yui standing over her, with a shattered Les Paul in her hands. Three things, actually. That Mio and Mugi came back for her, and that they all carried her to that helicopter.

"We were once a band," she replied, looking to Aya. She suddenly didn't feel like talking like a five year old to the American. "Mio-chan played bass ... and she sang. Mugi played keyboard and opened lots of doors for us ... that we wouldn't have had otherwise. Yui was our backup singer and ... lead guitarist. Some say she's a secret genius. I was the drummer.

"There were others, who we lost along the way ... but I guess that's true for everybody now."

Ritsu stared straight ahead.

"It was so hard," she said. "Fighting the zombies ... I ... think we all took turns tempting fate. But ... no matter ... no matter what, it was ... was always the four of us. We ... got through it together ... we ... we are family."

Doctor McKenna wrote some things on her clipboard, and then said some things to Aya.

"Rii-chan," Aya said. "Doctor McKenna tells me that you four created quite a buzz among the Marines that picked you up. They'd been asked by the JSDF to pick up four Japanese Survivors. They weren't expecting four ragged schoolgirls with guns. You're probably the four best-known Survivors on Okinawa right now."

"Heh," Ritsu replied. "A better reason for a fan-club than Mio-chan's panties, I guess ... do not translate ... oh geez," she said, seeing the American woman starting to blush.

"So funny, Ritsu," Doctor McKenna said. "So, what will you do now?"

Ritsu thought about that one, and felt her body settle into the bed. Thinking took a lot more energy than it used to. That too, was normal, the doctors said.

"I don't know," she replied. "Mio-chan can't sing anymore," she added, sighing. She remembered when Mio came to visit, some time after the surgery. Her voice was still raspy and weak.

"Mugi hasn't heard anything from her family," she continued. "But she's ... staying with us anyway." That meant she had no money.

"Yui can sing ... but I dunno if she can play any guitar but Gitah." Never mind that the rest of their instruments were still in zombie-infested Japan.

"And me," she added, reaching for the glass of water at the side of her bed. She started to pick it up, but before she could get it off the tray, it slipped from her grasp.

Crash!

Ritsu waved her hand helplessly. There was physical therapy to go along with everything else ... it wasn't something Ritsu was looking forward to.

"Gonna be ... long time before I can play ... the drums again. So, I dunno what ... we're gonna do."

"That's an honest answer," Doctor McKenna said. "I appreciate that. Thank you very much, Ritsu."

Ritsu nodded, closing her eyes.

"We think you've had enough for the morning, Rii-chan," Aya said. "You just get your rest now. Gonna have a busy afternoon!"

Tap, tap, SMACK, tap.

Tap, tap, SMACK, tap.

Tap, tap, SMACK, tap.

Ritsu tapped on her lunch tray, feeling more pleased with herself than she'd been in a while.

Tap, tap, SMACK, tap.

It wasn't much. It was the basic 4/4 time signature beat she'd first learned when she was a kid beating on anything that'd annoy her mother. Only it was something that evaded the grasp of post-surgery Ritsu for a frustratingly long time.

She could do it now. Her foot even twitched at the right time! Still, it'd be a while before she'd dare try it with sticks. There was still a wet spot on the carpet to remind her of her newfound clumsiness.

Knock, knock, knock!

Ritsu blushed, glancing at her empty plates stacked carelessly on one side of her bed.

"Just a moment please?" She said. Her English wasn't as good as Mugi's, so she could only hope that they understood her. She put the tray aside, trying to get everything back onto it.

Crash!

That didn't work out so well.

"The hell with this," she said, feeling her cheeks burn. "C-come back later?"

"Are you sure, Rii ... tsu-san?" That was Aya, and the sudden honorific set Ritsu's senses tingling. "There are some important visitors here for you."

That made it even worse!

"I-It's kindof ... a mess in here right now!"

There was a noise behind the door, and it almost sounded like laughter.

"I'm sorry, Ritsu-san," Aya said, after a moment. "It's just that I'm sure they'll understand."

"Ugh, fine," Ritsu said, still blushing. "Come in."

The door swung open and Aya stepped in, putting her hand to her mouth when she saw what'd happened to the remains of Ritsu's lunch. Behind her, not one, but two Marines entered the room. Neither of them were wearing respirators.

"I-I didn't know it was that bad, I'm sorry, Rii-chan," Aya said, hurrying over to Ritsu's bedside. The petite woman quickly piled the plates onto the lunch tray, and set it aside.

"Just a ... little accident," Ritsu replied. "Who ... are these ... guests?" She mentally kicked herself. The word-finding was also an after-effect of her injury and surgery.

Aya smiled. "I think you should see for yourself." The interpreter stood up.

"Girls, you can come in now!"

A tall girl with long black hair and gray eyes stepped into the room. Her expression, and Ritsu's, became identical expressions of joy.

"Mio!"

"Ritsu!"

"Mio-chan!"

"Ritsuuu!"

"Mio-chaaaaan!"

"Ritsu!" Mio said. She was at Ritsu's side in an instant. "I ... you ... we ... y-you're looking better than I expected!"

"Hey, it's me," Ritsu replied. "How could you ... expect any different ... ow!"

The Marines lunged, but a look from Ritsu and Aya stopped them.

"Hey now, Mio," Ritsu said. "The Americans paid ... good money to fix my head."

Mio blushed, hard, while looking at her hand.

"I-I'm sorry!"

"Hey ... it's okay ... I've actually missed that," Ritsu replied. A tall blonde was next to enter the room. There was a bit of a blush on her face, and Ritsu knew she'd just seen everything that happened.

"Hiya Mugi," she said, waving her over. "It's been a long time!"

"It has, Ricchan," Mugi replied, waving. "We've been worried about you."

"Hiya, Ricchan," a third voice called out. Ritsu looked up, and saw a girl with brown hair, tied back into a short ponytail with a yellow ribbon.

"U ... Yui!" Ritsu said, catching herself just in time. "Yui!"

Yui shuffled inside, glancing at the Marines.

"Ooh! Tall!"

Ritsu grinned, her momentary sense of worry dissipating. Yui and Mugi also came over to Ritsu's bedside. Yui wore a top with cutoff sleeves, and Ritsu's eyebrow went up.

"Yui," she said, frowning. "What's that on your arm?"

"A tattoo, Ricchan," Yui replied. "Some Americans suggested it to me!"

"I ... okay," Ritsu smiled. It was a pained smile, because it was a tattoo of a teacup and a pair of cat ears with the words "Azu-nyan ... Gone But Never Forgotten" written around them. She glanced at Mugi, and saw that her hair was up in a bun, but it was a small bun. She'd clearly had it cut.

"Man," she said. "You all look ... different. Well ... excepting Mio-chan here."

"I'm trying new styles too, Ritsu," Mio replied.

"Well ... like what?"

"I ... um ... well," Mio said.

"Mio-chan's totally lying," Yui said. "Mio-chan is still Mio-chan!"

"Y-you don't have to be so blunt about it!"

"God," Ritsu said, feeling her eyes start to water. "I've really missed ... you guys. M-man, is it ... hot in here, or what?"

"We've missed you too, Ricchan," Mugi said. "W-we were worried th-that ... you'd never come back."

"They can't ... keep me here forever," Ritsu replied, as the others sat on her bed, surrounding her. Mio sat closest of all, practically leaning against Ritsu. Ritsu smiled, leaning back against Mio.

She opened her eyes, still feeling the warmth of her friends ... her family flowing into her. Across from them, stood the two American Marines, the American doctor, and their translator. Behind them, was the machinery of an American military base.

Ritsu laughed, as she considered what her friends had to offer their new hosts.

A singer, who couldn't sing.

A guitarist, who couldn't play the guitar.

An heiress, who had no money.

A drummer, who couldn't play the drums.

That was Houkago Tea Time ... strangers in a strange land. A strange land that was now their home, for they could never go back. A strange land where the only way forward ... was to begin anew.

"We're going to be just fine," she said, trying to exude confidence she didn't yet feel. Her hand stole into Mio's, and Mio squeezed her hand tightly enough to hurt. They exchanged glances with Mugi and Yui, who nodded and smiled. Together, they all looked ahead, beyond their American hosts, and beyond Ritsu's hospital room. The zombies were behind them. What lay ahead of them ... that was another story entirely ...

Author's Notes:
- This is the end of Left 4 Moe! As you can see, everybody is fine (except for everyone who died.)
- Okay, they're not fine. They're alive, certainly ... but fine might be a strong word to use to describe them.
- Unless you actually prefer the way the story ended as of the finale chapter, in which case, that was the ending and this is a "Happy ending" bonus.
- If you've made it all the way to the end of this story, thank you very much for reading!
- The untranslated Japanese is intentional. This is to emphasize the "Stranger in a strange land" thing the girls have going now.
- Okay, fine. Ritsu is taking the piss a bit with her American doctor. The doctor would've used the word "ogenki" (i.e. are you in high spirits) in asking how Ritsu was doing; which is what you're usually supposed to do. If you are being polite and formal, the usual way to reply would be "Genki desu." (i.e. yes, I am in high spirits and full of energy.) Ritsu replies with a word that translates, roughly, as "normal." She then apologizes in the most ridiculously formal way possible.
- That's all the Japanese translation you're getting. There's no joke anywhere in the rest of Ritsu's Japanese.
- To put the whole "tall American" thing into perspective: Doctor McKenna isn't any taller than about 5'-7", the same height that Yui's voice actress, Aki Toyosaki is (which is a couple inches higher than the average for a white American woman.) Ritsu is 5'-0" and change, which makes her shorter than the average height of a Japanese woman, which is 5'-2".
- It was my intention, right from the start of the story, for them to end up in the American military base on Okinawa. I'd also intended, from the start, for the story to be a deconstruction of Yui. Yui was supposed to be right there when Nodoka and Ui died. She was going to be the one forced to leave Azusa behind ... and she was going to die at the end.
- Only Ritsu stole the show, so Left 4 Moe instead became a story about "How much is Ritsu willing to go through for her friends."
- I will likely go back and revise the first few chapters again for pacing, at some point.
- My next K-ON! project: A college-era AU where the girls must get the band back together!
- Thanks for reading! Leave reviews!