Hello people, and welcome back to Highschool of the Dead: Resurrection. Ghosts, and zombies, and vengeance, oh my!
As the Ghosts drove by, leaving a trail of dead zombies in their wake...none other than Itachi was following them. Once the group stopped and got out of the car to look at the dead zombies...arrows pierced the heads of several of their number before the others caught on.
"Ambush!" A Ghost yelled before an arrow pierced his head, then the others fell as well. Itachi then marched up to them to claim his arrows, and their weapons, ammo, and even some armor pieces before he walked back to base as some zombies arrived to feast on the dead Ghosts.
Saeko then woke up to hear the shower running, and was logically puzzled by it. She then stretched, got dressed and went out into the living room before hearing the water turn off. When she went to Itachi's side of the house, she saw him drying his hair with a towel...as well as his entire body, as bare as the day he was born. He then lowered the towel and turned to see her...which let her everything his underwear used to cover, which was admittedly quite a vision.
"Seen enough?" Itachi teased.
"I thought you had taken a shower last night." Saeko said seriously.
"Yeah, I lied. I actually went out scouting...and I did some hunting of my own." Itachi said before getting back to drying his hair.
"How irresponsible can you get? The Ghosts are looking for you, and you're just throwing fuel into the fire. Did you ever think about what that would mean for the rest of us?" Saeko asked.
"All the more reason to get rid of them. And who knows? We might wind up getting this whole city to ourselves, nevermind one neighborhood." Itachi said and Saeko kept staring at him.
"If you keep this up, you'll be no better than the Ghosts." She said.
"Oh I'm already a Ghost...and so are all of you last I checked." Itachi said.
"You know what I mean." Saeko said, and Itachi threw the towel away.
"Well, just like Takashi...they're not in my league, and I think I've proven that quite nicely." He said.
"That you have...but Takashi has bested you in quite a few ways before you even met him, and I've known you more than long enough to know that." Saeko said.
"I sincerely doubt that, but I suppose that'll be proven soon." Itachi said casually.
"I can hear the mockery in your voice, but I hope you hear the honesty in mine." Saeko said.
"That's conviction; honesty is my thing." Itachi said seriously.
"A distinction without a difference." Saeko said.
"True..." Itachi said.
"Also, aren't you concerned about going outside with wet hair?" Saeko asked.
"What's the difference? Summer's approaching, and so is my birthday by the way." Itachi said.
"Well...Happy almost-Birthday." Saeko said.
"Thank you very much. Anyway, you may not like me, and I can't say I like you either, but at least we're honest about it, which believe it, is far better than the alternative." Itachi said.
"For once, I agree with you. Nevertheless, if you threaten this group, you'll be treated as such." Saeko said.
"Even with the information I've given you up to this point, and the new info I've acquired just now?" Itachi asked and Saeko went silent.
"O.k...you have my attention." She said.
"Well, I'm not saying it now, so unless you have more wisdom to share, or you just want to keep eyeballing me, which...I can't say I blame you for; countless girls have looked me over..." Itachi trailed off before Saeko left. "I'll take that as an I'm done..."
"A shopping mall?" Rei asked.
"Yep. Caught a glimpse of it on the way back from my...hunt." Itachi said as Saya looked over the map.
"He's right, there's one in the middle of the city." She said.
"That's...Ghost territory, and I don't think they'll be happy to see us." Kohta said.
"Not to mention the place is probably picked clean, or God forbid a Ghost stronghold." Rei said.
"And the fact that we've been going after them doesn't help either." Saya said.
"To be fair, each case was self-defense." Itachi said.
"Except for that hunting trip you went on." Saeko said.
"It's called a preemptive strike." Itachi deadpanned.
"And that sniper who shot at us?" Saeko asked.
"Maybe he or she was among them." Itachi said.
"For your sale, I hope so." Saeko said.
"Anyway...I also found an apartment that turned out to be abandoned. Maybe we can set up there for a while." Itachi said.
"Maybe..." Takashi trailed off.
"I got my hands on the Ghosts' stuff by the way." Itachi said.
"Yeah, yeah, we know. It's not much, but thanks." Saya said.
"Is Corporal Toriyama able to be transported?" Kohta asked.
"He should be, but we should still keep him covered while he rests." Shizuka said.
"Alright, some of us check out the mall, while the rest of us look in on the corporal." Takashi said.
"You guys check out the mall, I'll stay with him." Kohta said.
"So will me and Alice. We need to continue her training, and two heads are better than one." Saya said.
"Alright, let's go then." Takashi said before they grabbed their stuff and left.
When they reached the place Itachi guided them to...and hid the bus in an alleyway, they checked out the apartment building itself...and the decor and defenses spoke for itself.
"Wow...this place is even better than my first apartment." Itachi said as he looked around.
"No kidding. It's bigger, has more rooms, and even has walls in the front yard." Saya said.
"And I'll bet the neighboring apartments aren't much worse." Rei said.
"This must be a luxury home neighborhood, for rich people." Kohta said.
"And now it's ours." Itachi said.
"But...we're going back to our old neighborhood right? I don't want to keep changing homes like this." Alice said.
"Well, look on the bright side, we chose to leave; no one forced us this time." Kohta said.
"That is true..." Alice breathed out, then Takashi and Shizuka brought Masato in.
"Help us get the corporal to a bed." Takashi said, and Kohta helped the pair out before Rei opened a door to a bedroom, and then they helped Masato lay down before regrouping.
"Now, I would advise that we check out the other apartments before the mall." Saeko said.
"Right, all of us cramped into one space isn't very tasteful." Rei said, and with that, they left Kohta, Saya, Shizuka, and Alice behind to check out the neighborhood.
Each apartment was just as fancy as the first. Metal decorations, paintings on the walls, lawns in the backyards, even rooms full of gigantic couches and glass walls that showed the entire outside world.
"Wow..." Takashi whispered as the group looked around.
"Would you like this place, or should me and Itachi have it?" Saeko asked.
"I'm having my own place; there's plenty to go around." Itachi said.
"Right." Saeko said.
"Rei?" Takashi asked.
"I'll take it." Rei said.
"Me too." Takashi said, and Itachi huffed.
"Why did you just laugh?" Rei asked.
"Why do you think? He asked what you thought, you said yes, and he agreed. That can be taken the wrong way." Itachi said.
"Don't be ridiculous. Takashi was just asking how I feel about it; if our positions were reversed, I'd agree to stay here if he liked the place too. That's what boyfriends, and girlfriends for that matter, are supposed to do." Rei said seriously.
"Whatever you say..." Itachi breathed out.
"Enough! Let's go see what other homes are available then meet back here." Saeko said and Itachi followed her outside while Takashi and Rei look around separately...then met back in the living room.
"Find anything good?" Takashi asked as he sat on the couch with Rei snuggling into him.
"Did I find anything good...? I found no less than eight rooms, including some of the biggest bath tubs I've ever seen, and a kitchen full of pots, pans, a functional microwave, stove, and even a Chinese wok." Rei said.
"Great, now we can cook instead of eating that preserved crap." Takashi said.
"The really sad thing is most of it is supposed to be cooked, especially boiled." Rei said.
"Good God almighty..." Takashi said.
"What about you?" Rei asked.
"Well, I found a huge-ass bedroom, plus rooms meant for changing, and storing clothes, and I think other personal items. Plus a few kids rooms." Takashi said.
"Wow...we hit the jackpot didn't we?" Rei asked.
"Yes...we did." Takashi said, and the two then sat there holding each other, and basking in each other's presence. Rei then sighed.
"Takashi...? Next time we clean ourselves, I'd like to shower with you...together." She said.
"O...k...I guess so. I meant, we've seen each other naked, so I guess it's alright." Takashi said.
"Also...you know Miss Shizuka found birth control pills? And...I'm taking them." Rei asked.
"Really? You're serious about us doing it aren't you?" Takashi said.
"Very much so, but until they kick in, I'm not against you touching me, like you've been doing, which by the way...I enjoy very much." Rei said.
"Want me to do it now?" Takashi asked.
"No...now isn't the time, but when that time comes...give me everything you have. I'll even walk you through it if I have to." Rei said.
"Alright, but for now, we have a mall to explore...once Saeko and Itachi get back." Takashi said.
While Saeko checked out another apartment not far from where the others live, Itachi went up to the roof, and looked over the city with his binoculars. Eventually, Saeko caught up to him, and looked at where he was looking.
"What do you see?" Saeko asked.
"There's a daycare center not far from here...and it's full of zombies." Itachi said.
"I thought this was Ghost territory." Saeko said.
"Looks like this Green Zone isn't a clean zone afterall. What do you say we go get rid of them?" Itachi asked.
"It's not on our way, and we should let the others know about it." Saeko said.
"Alright...let's let them know." Itachi said.
"Or we could tell them what else can be done." Saeko said seriously.
"Fine..." Itachi groaned before looking into the city again before Saeko pointed another way.
"I see the mall right there, and a handful of shops between here and there." She said.
"O.k...let's go break the news." Itachi said before putting his binoculars away and following her outside.
"The place is as nice as the others by the way." Saeko said.
"I figured as much." Itachi said.
"...and while we're dealing with the day care..." Saeko trailed off.
"We can loot more places." Rei said.
"And kick more ass in the process. Alright, let's go." Takashi said.
"We'll meet you back here when you're done." Saeko said, and the four went outside, and split up, with Saeko following Itachi to the day care. On the way, Saeko threw trash and rubble to catch the zombies' attention, and Itachi threw his chimes to do the same, and each one took turns slaughtering zombies in droves on the way to the day care.
When they finally got there, they scoped the place out, and saw a handful of zombies in every area outside, Itachi then put one arrow after another through the heads of every zombie in one group, then went for another group before he ran out of arrows. Saeko then charged in to finish them off as Itachi went to retrieve his arrows, and finish off another group.
They then rushed into the day care itself, and rampaged through every zombie in the area before going out through the backdoor and wiping out the zombies there in the usual manner. They then stumbled upon a group of zombie children...and Saeko had a minor flashback to the first time she rampaged through a horde of zombies, and had an existential crisis about her secret bloodlust. Her thoughts were interrupted when Itachi was approached by one...then kicked it's face in.
"Bite the dust pipsqueak." He snapped before loosing arrows into the faces of the other children, as well as some leftover adults. He then watched the last one child shuffle towards him, huffed in amusement, walked over to it, let it try to lunge and him, then grabbed it by the throat. He then walked over to an arrow, pulled it out of the head it was lodged in, then jammed it into the top of the head of the zombie he was holding. He then threw the zombie child away, retrieved his arrows and walked back inside without even glancing at his horrified companion.
When she finally composed herself, she looked around the rooms of the day care, like Itachi was, then carried the few miscellaneous items they found back to their apartment. Itachi then sat down and deflated while clearly feeling as light-hearted as ever
"Don't get too comfortable; we need to meet up with the other two later on." Saeko said.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I just want to rest for a bit." Itachi said...and Saeko took a moment to think, as well as sigh multiple times.
"Hey...Itachi? Doesn't it bother you those kids were zombies?" She asked.
"Why would it? A zombie's a zombie." Itachi said.
"I know but...well, I talked to Takashi...and he said we have some things in common, and I can't help but think he's right." Saeko said.
"O.k. let's pretend I believe you, what made you bring that up?" Itachi asked.
"The way you handled those kids...it honestly scares me." Saeko said.
"Lady...you're not a zombie, and they can't even feel fear, or anything, in the first place." Itachi said.
"I meant that the way you go about it scares me. I encountered a horde of zombies myself, when me an Takashi were alone." Saeko said.
"That must have been fun." Itachi said.
"And that's something we do not have in common: I'm not proud of what I am...at all, yet I can't get enough of it." Saeko said.
"O.k...you're going to have to make alot more sense than that..." Itachi said.
"When I ran through that horde of zombies...I was having the time of my life, like you said, but then...I encountered some children, and I just...locked up..." Saeko said.
"What's your point? That it's too hard for you to go all the way?" Itachi asked.
"No! It's too easy..." Saeko breathed out before sighing. "When I was young, as in, before I reached my teens...I was ambushed, by a man who wanted to...do things to me. At first, I was scared, shaky...I even felt disgusting, but then I noticed an opening in his defenses, and then I took advantage. I struck him over and over with the practice sword I had with me...and it was the same thing with these zombies. I felt the same bliss from destroying them you do..." The whole time she spoke, Itachi just stared at her, and when she finished...he started laughing.
Saeko's horror immediately turned into outrage; she just told him her darkest, most personal secret, and here he was treating it like a joke. Itachi's laughter then got even harder as he covered his face with his hand...and Saeko got an urge to slice it off of his body. Itachi then uncovered his flushed face, and caught his breath.
"I'm sorry but...you have to admit that's ironic. He tried to use you for his pleasure, then you used him...for your pleasure! Oh...this is so sweet it can not be good for my teeth..." Itachi groaned...before Saeko left and slammed the door on the way out.
Takashi and Rei meanwhile were on their way back from looting the stores on the way, then dropped off the stuffed in the bottom floor of their apartment for later use. They then left, and saw Saeko leaning against the wall of her apartment building.
"Saeko? Where's-" Saeko cuts Rei off.
"He's at the top...and I'm not coming with you." She said.
"Are you o.k.?" Takashi asked.
"No! I'm not o.k.! Itachi seriously crossed a line, and I'm done with him...at least for now." Saeko said.
"What happened?" Rei asked, and Saeko deflated.
"With all due respect...it's between me and Takashi, please go see Itachi and get him to come with you." She said.
"O.k...see you." Rei said before going inside.
"I told him..." Saeko said.
"What?" Takashi asked.
"I told him...about my incident." Saeko said.
"Oh...that..." Takashi said.
"How could he...? I tell him the most personal thing about me...and he laughed at me! He wasn't even sympathetic; he's just impressed that I had it in me to flip the script like that." Saeko said.
"Wow...just...wow..." Takashi groaned.
"So until I get myself together, I'm not looking after him anymore. I don't trust myself to not do something I'll regret." Saeko said.
"I get it. We'll be back as soon as we can, and if possible, I'll make Itachi apologize." Takashi said.
"Take your time on both accounts..." Saeko said.
Rei then went to Itachi, who was still lounging on the couch.
"Hey." She said.
"Hey, did you know Saeko is-" She cuts Itachi off.
"Whatever it is, I don't want to know. All I do know is you really hurt her feelings, and she's actually refusing to come with us." She said.
"Figures..." Itachi groaned.
"When we get back, you owe her an apology." Rei said.
"Oh I'm sorry alright..." Itachi said.
"I meant look her in the face and take whatever you said or did back...like a normal person would." Rei said, and Itachi stared at her.
"Let's just go get some more stuff." He deadpanned before following her downstairs, and then Takashi led them to the mall.
When the finally got there, they encountered a group of zombies wandering by the entrance.
"Alright Rei, let's see what you can do baby." Takashi said before Rei charged at the zombies and got to work hacking them down. Heads went flying, faces were impaled, zombies were knocked into each other, or their knees were slashed before Rei stabbed or sliced through their faces, and necks through sliced halfway through from the back. When the massacre was over, Takashi gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, and groped her butt while Itachi wasn't looking, before the trio went inside, and Takashi's turn came when they saw some zombies approach the entrance, only to get their heads smashed in one by one with Takashi's metal bat.
"O.k...let's look around." Rei said before the group split up and looked through the gigantic shopping center. Takashi covered the area the led outside, and looked over the supplies there, but found mostly gardening supplies. Rei covered the back end, but the places she saw, the places were frozen foods were stored, were mostly empty, which did not surprise her. She then went to where Itachi was supposed to be, and saw him stalk a zombie...before shooting an arrow that pierced it's back, and pinned it to the wall.
"Bullseye..." He breathed out before loosing more arrows into it's torso...and ignoring it's head.
"Itachi! Just kill it!" Rei yelled, but Itachi walked over to it and retrieved his arrows, before repeating the process all over again. Rei then marched over to the zombie as Itachi went to get his arrows again, then she stabbed it in the face.
"The hell did you do that for? I was enjoying myself." Itachi said.
"No you were being an asshole!" Rei snapped.
"Oh like I've never heard that before..." Itachi breathed out.
"What is wrong with you?! Killing these things isn't supposed to be fun!" Rei said seriously.
"Why? It's all they're good for." Itachi said.
"Does anything matter to you? Does anyone matter to you, or are you some...dead-inside rogue who wants to watch the world burn?" Rei asked.
"A question like that coming to me over a single zombie...interesting." Itachi said.
"My point is you don't get to treat people like they don't matter just because you can do something they can't, well guess what? We can do plenty of things you can't, or won't do." Rei said.
"What do you want? A medal and a cookie?" Itachi asked.
"I want you to start giving a fuck! These things might be dead, but they were still people, and they don't deserve to be treated like shit!" Rei snapped.
"They might as well be shit, and not just because they stink." Itachi said.
"Well, what if one of us became a zombie?" Rei asked.
"I'd shoot you just the same." Itachi said simply, and Rei's eyes widened.
"Do you even hear yourself...? Do you know how heartless you sound?!" She asked seriously.
"Oh for God's sakes, don't you think you've dragged this out long enough?" Itachi asked.
"I think that you've got alot coming-" Rei stopped talking when they heard a vehicle pull up outside.
"Ghosts..." Itachi said before running off in the opposite direction, then Rei took cover. She the nheard the distinctive sound of Takashi's AA-12 shooting one shell at a time...but it was on the other side of the mall, and the Ghosts were chattering on her side of the mall. She then saw a handful of them enter the store then got back down. She then tried to sneak past them...but wound up running into one, who then grabbed her, slammed her into a cabinet, then into a smaller cabinet and began choking her. Rei then pulled a bayonet, stabbed him in the elbow, then in the neck. The man's screams alerted the other Ghosts, and they saw Rei rush out the door...minus her naginata.
"Get that bitch!" A Ghost yelled before they both rushed after her. Rei then ran into a group of zombies around the corner, and went back where she came from...right into the two Ghosts who first punched her in the gut, then threw her into a pile of fertilizer bags, then pinned her under a metal support.
"Leave her; the zombies can have her." The other Ghost said before they walked away...then Rei saw a group of zombies approach and frantically tried to free herself. She then heard a pair of AA-12 shots, and Takashi showed up as the two Ghost dropped dead.
"Rei!" Takashi exclaimed before he helped Rei get free, then pointed his AA-12 at the zombies before unleashing a barrage of shells into the horde which made short work of them as always. He then crouched down to Rei's level before he held her close.
"I'm o.k..." Rei breathed out as she snuggled into Takashi's chest while he shifted against her in turn. They then heard clapping...which came from Itachi, who was slowly walking up to them.
"Why are you clapping?" Takashi asked.
"Because I enjoyed the show." Itachi said simply.
"You mean you watched the whole thing?!" Rei asked.
"Not the whole thing...but I saw enough." Itachi said.
"She almost died you shithead! You could've saved her!" Takashi snapped.
"Why would I bother? You were all over this." Itachi said, and Takashi growled.
"Oh that is it!" He snapped before charging at Itachi...who raised an eyebrow before side-stepping a haymaker punch, then kicking Takashi own, making Rei gasp.
"You want to fight me? Really?" Itachi asked while snickering.
"I'm going to kick your ass!" Takashi yelled before charging at Itachi again, and then Itachi sweep-kicked Takashi's feet out from under him, then raised an eyebrow as Takashi hit the ground.
"Just curious, is this you kicking my ass? Because it looks like you trying to fight the ground instead of me." Itachi said.
"Oh fuck you!" Takashi snarled before charging at Itachi again, and each of his punches were deflected before Itachi grabbed his arm, then flipped Takashi unto his back.
"Do you need to stop and rest or something?" Itachi asked.
"After I break my foot off in your ass, maybe...!" Takashi said before throwing an uppercut to Itachi's jaw before getting kicked into the wall.
"O.k. this is getting kind of sad..." Itachi said before crossing his arms.
"Shut the fuck up!" Takashi yelled before jumping at Itachi, only for his kick to get side-stepped, then he stumbled along the ground.
"Takashi stop! Itachi is way out of your league!" Rei yelled, and Itachi snickered.
"That's exactly what I told Saeko...and I was right." He said, before Takashi sprung up, and backfisted Itachi in the face hard enough to knock Itachi back, lose his balance, and fall down...only for him to push himself off the ground, onto his feet, and rub his face while glaring at Takashi.
"Oh shit..." Takashi groaned before Itachi charged at him, then Takashi put an arm up to block one punch, then Itachi grabbed his arm, lowered it, then punched him in the face, backfisted him, then punched Takashi several times in the gut, then shoved him to the ground.
"Takashi!" Rei yelled before rushing over to him, and checking on him as Itachi stood there with a hand on his hip.
"Well that wasn't much of a fight...kind of boring actually." He said before walking away.
"Go to hell...!" Takashi growled, then Itachi stopped, sighed and looked over his shoulder at Takashi and Rei.
"You really think you have something to prove...don't you?" He asked.
"Damn straight! I've had it with your uncaring behavior, and now you're going to get what you deserve!" Takashi snarled, and Itachi huffed before walking off.
"Says the guy who fought his better and lost...miserably." He said.
Well...Itachi did it now, he's pissed off half the group. What will the others think, and what does Itachi's future in the group look like for that matter. These will be answered later, so Rate, Review, and Share as this arc closes in the next chapter. Stay tuned.