It had been several minutes following the ordeal of Hisashi's death. Takashi had settled down against the wall drinking a bottle of water from the storage room. In the meantime, Rei had asked to use his phone which he accepted. Currently, she was trying to contact her father but from his enhanced senses, he could tell that Rei's father was having trouble on his end.
Takashi finished his bottle and tossed it aside before getting up to assess their situation. It has been two hours since the school outbreak started. The afternoon settling in.
Looking at the cityscape, he noticed even more smoke and fire than before. This prefecture was gone into chaos. Turning around to focus on the barricade, the undead had already dispersed and spread across the rooftop.
It would be safe to traverse for now...
"Takashi..." Rei called him. He glanced at her, noticing the worried expression on her face.
"My dad couldn't hear me." She whimpered.
"Then it must be the same over where he is," Takashi concluded. "He will be fine so long as he doesn't forget his training."
Rei looked at him confused at the wording. Immediately, she shook her head and nodded at his statement. "Yes. You're right."
"It seems like most of them had scattered. It's safe to go." Takashi armed himself and removed the tap from the fortified tables and chairs. Rei behind him looked to see if any of their former classmates noticed them but surprisingly they didn't. Some were looking in their direction but weren't moving.
"Odd, earlier they were charging at us. They are looking at us but aren't approaching." Rei commented as Takashi moved the last bits of defense away.
"It could be something we are not noticing. Maybe dull senses? Or they are now using intellect." Takashi thought aloud.
Looking back at his companion, he gave the all-clear to proceed. "Stay close, we will approach them one or two at a time. Try not to overexert yourself. There will be more when we go downstairs." Takashi made his way to the scattered horde. Once they reached the bottom of the stairs, both he and Rei made work of the undead.
Takashi made sure to take most of the workload as he could do so without exhaustion.
Most of the infected were slow. Only capable of walking briskly to catch their prey. Few though, the ones with athletic builds were capable of some form of jog. It was unsteady but enough to cover a distance and dangerous to deal with in groups.
After several minutes, they made it to the stairway into the main building, going back to where they came from.
"Hey wait." Takashi stops his descent any further looking back at Rei. Her body was somewhat worked from the previous battles against the undead but unharmed.
"What is it?"
"What's the plan? I mean after we leave this place?"
"Looking for our parents would be the first thing to do. Then find a place to shelter through this disease."
"Do you think your parents are okay?" Rei asks with concern. She noticed he hadn't made much of a reaction when trying to reach his parents.
"My mom should be fine assuming there wasn't any trouble at the elementary school she works. My dad...I think he is gone..." Takashi said with stoicism, Rei assumed to not dwell too much on the thought.
"Oh Takashi, I am sorry." Her hands covered her mouth. She reached a hand to his shoulder.
"It was inevitable...he was a bit before me coming to school. Mom intended to drop him off at the local hospital. But his symptoms... He was inflicted with this disease." Takashi says impassively before walking away. The discussion is forcibly cut.
"If we find anyone else, let's help them," Takashi suggested with Rei nodding, sympathetic to his pain.
Upon reaching the next floor below. Takashi stopped suddenly, he heard something. Rei halted just behind him.
"What is it?"
Snap. Snap. Snap.
"A nail gun. There are other survivors. Let's go." Takashi ushered before sprinting in the direction of the sound, Rei following close behind.
One after another the undead came but Takashi disposed of them with ease. His bat was doing well so far, he needed to make his swings count.
Snap. Snap.
It was getting closer, they were getting closer.
"Oh no, I am out! Takagi!" He recognized the voice. Takashi pushed with all the speed he could muster.
"Get away! Get away! No!" Saya! No, he wouldn't fail her.
Taking a sharp right, Takashi saw the scene. A small group of undead surrounded two of his classmates. One of them was Saya and another was Hirano. Hirano was fetching into his pocket and reloading the nail gun. Saya was by the trophy stand tossing golden statues at the single undead approaching her, tears leaking from her eyes. Panic reached her mind, she was desperate.
Desperation breeds irrational actions...
Takashi gripped his bat and charged with speed Hirano couldn't process.
Takashi swung his bat downward, the undead body crumpled into the ground with the amount of force he exerted. However, despite his adrenaline state, he managed to dodge the incoming drill from Saya. He grasp her hands and stopped them from pushing the drill further into his eye.
"Saya! It's me!" Takashi shouted, shaking the panicked girl slightly. This made her stop.
"Takashi..." She whimpered slightly.
"I am here. Don't worry, you did well getting this far." Takashi reassured her, looking at the second student, he smiled at the young man.
"Thanks for looking out for her." Takashi finished his thanks abruptly to see Hirano smiling nervously but not realizing the undead just mere inches behind.
Letting go of Saya, Takashi aimed his bat, and javelin and threw it at the undead, the bat went through the head causing the skull to burst open.
Realizing it wasn't over, Takashi grabbed the drill from Saya with little effort and ran towards the last two undead, suddenly he felt the presence of a figure beside him. In his peripheral, it was a woman of similar age to Rei. She equipped herself with a kendo practice sword.
"I will take the left." She said instantly. Takashi nodded, triggering the drill in his hands and going for the undead's eye, the drill spun and blood sprayed as it twirled through tissue, organ, and bone. Instantly, the undead was killed.
Looking to his left, his new ally had just defeated her foe.
She was a gorgeous woman with a long uniform skirt, contrary to the norm short skirts worn by the female population. Her long purple hair and sharp eyes added beauty to her being. However, Takashi noticed it immediately the moment she made eye contact with him.
She was different... something was behind the beauty and laying in unspeakable darkness.
They were similar. That's all he needed to know for now.
"Thank you for the assistance." Takashi walks back to a shocked Saya giving her the drill he borrowed, then picking up the bat.
Rei had just run into the small area. Her breathing was challenged and sweat came down her head.
"Takashi! Are you alright? Takagi?! Are you okay?" Rei walked to pick up the girl seeing the shocked girl.
"Busujima-san!" The purple-haired girl looked to see two familiar faces Takashi.
He recognized the school nurse, Shizuka Morikawa, and his teacher Kyoko Hayashi. The former recognizes the young man.
"Komuro! You're okay." She walked forward to assess the teen. Takashi nods. "It's good to see you too. How are you?"
The teacher merely chuckled somberly. "My fellow teachers and students are being killed and turning into those monsters. I am well as I can be."
"All the same, it's good to see friendly faces." Takashi walked towards the doors and close them, hopefully delaying any interest of the undead in their now bigger group.
"Let's start with introductions, I am Saeko Busujima. Third year."
"Takashi Komuro, second year."
"Kohta Hirano, also a second year."
"Rei Miyamoto, a second year too. Busujima-san, I saw your performance last year, it was amazing." Rei praised the swordswomen.
"Why the hell are you acting friendly?" Saya is cut at the moment.
"But we..."
"She is the same age as you, Miyamoto! Don't be so goddamn respectful!" Saya cried in frustration. The others were paused at the outburst.
Takashi noticed the signs early on. She was breaking, and the reality of the situation was starting to weigh down on her. Her world was upside down.
Walking without a word. The group looked at Takashi except for Saya who was ranting on and on before stopping to look at the mirror of her bloody face and uniform. That blood came from Takashi's attempt of protecting her.
She was stalled. Her breath hitched in her throat. Takashi finally came behind her, resting a hand on her shoulder.
She turned around to see him. He looked at her with empathy. He understood and related to her pain. The dream was one such place where he broke down and never recovered.
"Takashi...it's..." Saya fell into the embrace of her childhood friend. Takashi held her the same as he did with Rei. Instead of grief being the prime emotion, it was despair.
He held her, not minding eyes on him. His friend cried into his bloodied uniform. Begging the nightmare would just stop. As much as he wanted that as well, the reality was that this was going to be their new normal.
It took several minutes to calm down Saya and when did so, the group of 7 made their way to the teacher's office.
Takashi settled a spot against the wall, making sure his back was covered against a strong surface. One of his many habits from the dream.
Rei was filling up water bottles for the group. Saeko cleaned the blood off her wooden Bokken. Saya was cleaning her face. Shizuka made checks with her medkit to see if anything was misplaced. Kyoko merely sat in despair.
Kohta waited by Saya's side, making sure she was okay. Takashi smiled at the teen's compassion. He is thankful for protecting his friend.
"Komuro." Hayashi-Sensei drew his attention. The other's listening but not interfering.
"Yes, Hayashi-Sensei?"
"I... Teshima, he... I don't blame you anymore..." She expressed, making eye contact with him. From the running of her makeup, he could tell his teacher had been crying.
"When you killed him...I couldn't believe it. One of my students capable of such an act..." Hayashi was about to say more but Takashi cut in.
"You don't need to explain yourself. It was a terrible situation. You reacted as a normal person would to a killing. I am sorry for your loss. He must have meant much to you." Takashi gave his condolence. Kyoko nodded somberly. Tears leaving her eyes...
"Yes...he means so much to me..." She shakily wipes her eyes with her fingers. Takashi got away from his spot and reached for a nearby tissue box on one of his former teacher's desks. He handed the box to the woman.
"If it's any peace of mind...he won't harm anyone else." He says with sincerity.
"Thank you..." She accepts the box and uses the tissues.
Takashi nods before returning to his spot. For the next few minutes, those around him went into mindless chatter that he didn't pay much attention to. It wasn't until Rei handed him the water and turned on the television that she spoke up.
"Guys..."
All of them looked at the television...it was the news.
In a short span, his fears became more and more real...
He had hoped this to be an epidemic only staying in Japan at the very most. However, it turns out that the whole world was experiencing this pandemic. Nowhere was safe.
Many other first-world countries were losing control. The dead had come back and killed and turned those they come across into their ranks.
The whole world had gone to hell...
The group fell into a discussion regarding the disease. Takashi didn't pay any mind to them, his mind trying to understand why did this happen.
Unlike in the present, the scourge that plagued Yharnam was due to prying efforts of the surface and the widespread of the "miracle blood" through transfusion.
The closest thing that this current pandemic reminded Takashi of were the undead Giants of the chalice dungeons and the one Reborn.
Shivers went down his spine thinking of confronting any of his old foes. It was not going to be easy, the weapons of the modern day were technologically advanced but they will never be enchanted hunter weapons of the dream.
As the discussions came to an end, the plan was simple; Escape the school by taking the sports bus in the parking. Following this, they would go and search each other's families as normal and find a place to hold out until the pandemic had slowed down.
Takashi was on board with it. He had no doubts about worrying for his mother and accepted that his father was not alive as himself anymore.
"Are we all ready?" Takashi asks stepping in front of the group. They call held their main instruments of support for this makeshift group be it weapons or supplies.
They were ready for now. Takashi led the charge outside of the teacher's office.
Since they were on the higher floors, they made their way through the staircase.
"There is a lot of them surrounding the vehicles. The noise would attract them as well. We need to be quick." Saya states and Takashi nods.
During their time at the lounge, Saya had informed them of their lack of vision but reliance on hearing. This made sense to Takashi due to his observation of the undead.
With this confirmed information, he used it to his advantage. Over his time in the dream, he learned to mask his steps even when running despite the load he was carrying. A skill proved useful indeed for this situation.
"Ah!" A scream stop their movements as they saw another survivor group surrounded by the dead. Takashi remembered the boy who was the main defender, Takuzo.
"Noami stay back!" Takuzo felt his body scared. It wasn't every day your friends killed another and came back as flesh-eating monsters.
He was about to swing when a body came down the stairway. It was fast, in an instant, the group of undead students was either killed or thrown off the stairs and to their second deaths.
"You alright?" Takuzo recognized him.
"Takashi? What the fuck happened to you?! Is that your blood?!" Takuzo looked at the blood-coated teenager. Takashi shook his head.
"It's not my blood. Are any of you bitten?"
"No, we're not," Noami states still shaken by the former hunter's appearance. She continues...
"Are you?"
"You can body-check me if you need assurance but no, I am not bitten," Takashi answers straightfaced.
"We are leaving the school, if you want to come with us, now's the chance." Takashi offers to which Takuzo and Noami nod. For once on this shitty day, the lovers were filled with some hope.
"The party of seven is now a party of eleven." Comments Hirano as he looks at the new additions, only to be elbowed by an annoyed Saya. Takashi chuckles at the scene.
Eventually, all stood on the stairway leading to the base level. Just outside was the parking lot. Even without his trained hearing, Takashi knew the lobby was filled with his former classmates. The group was just huddled by the top steps.
"Saya, you said that they are blind completely?" Takashi asks his friend.
"Yes, they may be blind but their hearing isn't disabled. A suitable noise distraction can lead them away for a while."
"Alright, I am going down," Takashi answers to the shock of the new additions and some of his group.
"Kuromo/Takashi!" Rei, Saya, and Hayashi-Sensei whispered in shock. Before they could speak, Takashi glares at them with a finger to his lips. Glancing at the undead, they didn't notice. Breathing in, he looked past the women to Takuzo who had been keeping a lookout on the second floor. The teen shook his head, letting Takashi know, they are in the clear for now.
"Loud noises draw them." Takashi glares fiercely. The women looked shamed but Rei spoke up.
"Takashi, why are you doing this? You must be tired from how much you have been doing!" She growls, this earns some looks from the others.
"You will end up like Hisashi if you keep this up," Rei warns, she was an athlete, she wasn't a stranger to muscle fatigue let alone mental fatigue. Those were factors that determine physical performance. However, from the way she saw Takashi move since he joined her and Hisashi, he was moving at an incredibly fast pace. He was going to burn out sooner or later.
"Rei..." Takashi says with a stoic look.
"Let me do this, you need to slow down." She begs him.
"I am sorry but no." Takashi declines before walking away.
"Just tell me why?" Rei mutters, she was desperate to understand. Not expecting an answer so soon...
"I promised Hisashi to look after you." Takashi finishes before going down to the lobby. The others were tense after the short dialogue, some more confused than the others.
Seako looked with curiosity, an ever-so-small smile on her face. She looked at Takashi with great interest. Watching him descend the stairs, she gripped her Bokken tightly.
However, her expressions didn't go unnoticed by other people. The nurse looked with suspicion and concern. However, due to the situation, she refused to speak her mind...
Takashi reach the last step and walked silently to the center of the lobby. More than two dozen of his classmates lurked and walked aimlessly around him.
Despite this, Takashi noticed something off... Even though their bodies went in their directions. For the undead who had him in his presence, their pupils looked directly at him.
Takashi was starting to question Saya's theory but shook his head. Grabbing a nearby blood-soaked shoe, he aimed it at a distant locker.
Thud.
"Raugh..."
The horde moaned simultaneously as they approached the sound. Even with their eyes focusing on Takashi. His nerves chilled but he steeled himself. Signaling the group to make their escape outside, most made it down without trouble. However...
Clang...
Takashi and co looked in horror at the last person nocking his weapon, a metal anatomy hanger, against the steel railing. Takashi turned to his group, and with a loud shout, he let them all know that it was now dangerous.
"RUN!"
Rei and Saeko got to work as they cleared any undead in the lobby. Kohta aimed at his sights to kill some of the dead coming in. Takuzo, Noami, and their group followed after the leading fighters with Kyoko and Shizuka following along.
"Why the hell did you shout aloud?! We would have made it past them with little problem!" Saya chastised Takashi who turned to her.
"Their hearing is enhanced. Plus the echo would have reached them. Now come on! We need to get to the bus!" Takashi demanded as Saya ran past him to fall in line with the others.
Takashi turned to assess the situation quickly, and Rei and Saeko handled the sides. Takuzo and the male survivors dealt with the stragglers and Kohta was hesitating with five undead approaching.
Takashi narrowed his eyes and dashed past the others reading his bat, bringing it over his shoulder. In one move he swung to the left and bashed open the brains of the once-approaching zombies.
Kohta looked in surprise once again at the insane feet. Takashi swung his bat to the ground to knock off the blood.
"Hirano, shoot closest to you. Don't worry about ones at a distance. We will take care of it. Just make sure they don't reach the others." Takashi gestured to Rei and Saeko who nodded.
Kohta got his bearings and nodded. "Right, thanks for the support."
"Don't mention it," Takashi says before starting his charge through the horde. He made sure to deal with as many as he could but some would slip past him and he needed to trust the others to deal with it.
Once he made it to the school bus, he killed any who surrounded it and his comrades come in one by one. Shizuka already manned the driver's seat with Kyoko acting as the passenger behind. Together they worked to start the bus making even more noise.
"Saeko, Rei, get in!" Takashi yelled at the athletes. Both of them nodded and went inside.
"Help!" Takashi looked back, it was Takuzo. He was getting surrounded by the undead. Saya was struggling to hold Noami back.
Gritting his teeth, he mustered all his strength and power into his footwork. He dashed past Kohta and the girls.
He shouted, getting some of them to look in his direction before killing the dead around Takuzo.
"Are you bit?" Takashi asks looking around. His body senses multiple dangers that he couldn't get to look at his rescued classmate.
"No."
"Then hurry up to the bus!" Takashi yelled as Takuzo got up and sprinted with the girls and Kohta following along. Takashi followed suit and dealt with any incoming threats. However, his stamina was reaching a point.
"Stop! Hold the door!" Takashi looked behind him to see a few more classmates and Shido, another teacher. Takashi took a breath in and held his ground.
The noise from the collective moans from the undead plus the roaring bus brought more unwelcomed company.
A few girls and guys passed him. All that was left was Shido and another student. Takashi heard a yelp mid-kill before another agonizing scream. It was the kid, his face bloodied, and holding it.
Shido ran past him not glancing at him. Takashi felt his anger spike.
"Takashi!" Rei shouted.
"Hurry up/let's go!" Saya and Kohta called.
"Komuro!" The adults and Saeko followed.
He didn't listen. Forcing his body to act fast. He dashed and blitzed past many undead. He shouted at the top of his lungs for his body to burn. While he carried the experience of the dream and some adaptations, he was nowhere near his peak.
Pushing his body to the limit. He saw the kid on the ground. Once he approached him, he saw the damage, glass was embedded in his face and he had a broken nose. Takashi stopped before him.
"Help me! It hurts!"
"I got you, hang on!" Takashi did a fireman carry for the injured teen and sprinted back to the van with even more effort to dodge and weave, not bothering to attack unless they got too close.
Luckily, Rei held the door for him, he was inside in a moment. Takashi felt his knees tire, soon he settled down the injured teen on a nearby seat however at this moment Shizuka shouted.
"Hold on everyone!" She pressed the gas and the bus charged straight ahead. Ramming and running through the horde and the school gates.
Takashi, fatigued beyond belief, couldn't keep his balance and fell back hitting the ground. Before falling back more, he grabbed a nearby seat and pulled himself, struggling to breathe.
He had a smile on his face, they were safe for the time being...
"Hic..." A short sob interrupted his relief. Looking to the other side, he saw Takuzo consulting Noami. Both were crying, but not from joy, but sadness.
Blinking, he looked to see if anyone from his classmates' group was on the bus. No girls or guys... Just those two...
Takashi scanned the bus, but nothing...
Gritting his teeth, he slammed the wall with no force. "Again... Fucking hell..." Takashi cursed, they had causalities. His friends eyed him in surprise, worry, and a little bit of fear.
Saya for the most part was the soberest of the recent event. Due to her being not an active fighter, she didn't have to worry about being overwhelmingly fatigued. Before and after she got on the bus, she kept watch on those around her, naturally it fell on Takashi a few times.
Those few times made it look so surreal...
Takashi was never a combatant as far as she knows him. A little athletic due to recreational baseball but nothing else. So seeing him kill several dozen of their classmates in the parking space alone had made her wonder in concern. Not just from the physical demand but from the mental as well. He was stoic except for the few moments where he played the rescuer with occasional shouting. He looked as if this was a meaningless stroll through the park. Then seeing him move with such speed and skill, her eyes had trouble tracking him. It was puzzling. Saya stared at her childhood friend as he scanned the bus and reluctantly leaned back into the seat wallowing in anger.
Did he change? If so, was this what he meant? She wasn't the only one who thought about it as well. Rei also thought the same but didn't say anything, and that said something about her loud personality.
Saeko looked with keen interest while Kohta merely eyed Takashi with suspicion. Kyoko occasionally looked back from the road to see her students. She hated that she wasn't of any help to them, especially young Takashi. She noticed he did most of the work of clearing the horde as best as he could.
Shizuka glanced through the rearview mirror, eyeing the teen with interests similar to the swordswoman.
Shido and his class were just glad to be safe, all of them resting from the run of their lives. Some of them eye the exhausted Takashi.
Takuzo and Noami had settled down but held each other in a dreadful situation.
The injured kid was moaning in pain laying in his seat.
Overall, the situation could have been worse...
Buzz, buzz, buzz...
Aside from the sound of the road driving on, a phone vibration can be heard. Takashi sluggishly pulled out his cell...
His eyes focused on the caller ID.
Mom
Takashi immediately opened his cell phone.
"Mom! Are you okay?!" He asks with invigorated concern. Sitting up and leaning forward, he desperately tried to listen...
"Takashi...it's me. I am okay, are you?" Her voice was tired but even still it was her.
Takashi breathes in relief. "Yea...I am alright. The whole world is in a pretty shitty place."
"Yes, it is... Are you still in school?"
"No... I and several others escaped through the school bus."
"That's good...what's your plan?"
"We are going to look for our parents and find a safe place to hold out."
"A safe place...nowhere in our neighborhood is safe...is Saya with you?"
"Yes, she is."
"Go to her house Takashi... It is fortified, and it can protect you and your friends from the horde. I will meet you there."
"Okay...but wait, what happened to dad? Did he..."
"I already dealt with him Takashi, he didn't suffer long." She tells him with a broken tone, her voice hiccups in the end.
"I see...thanks, mom." Takashi felt tears fall from his face.
"I love you Takashi."
"I love you too mom."
Meanwhile...
In her bloody hands was the cell phone that connected to her son. She felt tears leave her cheek as she said these last words.
"I will see you at Saya's house. Don't get bit Takashi, and remember, fear the old blood." She hangs up, pocketing the cell into her long skirt.
Looking at the carnage before her, she understood that the infection would kill the average person and reanimate them... For her though and her kind, they gave her something far worse...
Bringing up her other hand, it held the intestines of her elementary students. She ate them with glee as if it were an addiction. Her once-white and normal teeth had become yellow and serrated. She bites down as blood juices out of the organ.
The whole room that was once filled with children and co-teachers alike settled in a bloodbath.
Blood smeared all objects, walls, and corners.
"Takashi..." Hiromi whispered, she knew that she was far gone. She only hope that she would die before coming across her son, but if that didn't happen, she would welcome a death well deserved from her dear boy. Hours ago, she woke up with her consciousness aware but altered, it was a familiar feeling, though this time there was no escaping its cravings. Once she changed clothes and bathed, she drove to the elementary school, not suspicious or assuming in the eyes of her students or colleagues.
As the children came in and school started, the hunger was stronger, eventually, after recess when she smelled a familiar dead scent. A boy sat in the back, he looked sick and pale. It triggered her innate desire to hunt, the child didn't stand a chance. It wasn't until after the death of her first victim that she smelled the others. If the school had a few more who were infected, she would hunt them, but it didn't mean the others were safe...
In a matter of seconds, she killed her entire class, in minutes she hunted the other teachers and staff, and within an hour the school was a bloodbath.
The whole time, she bathed in blood and consumed their meat. It smelled and tasted wonderful. It was until the late afternoon that she came to her senses. Looking at her phone she saw the countless missed calls
As she waited, small blood plasma left the bodies and smears, they floated and entered her body as if the skin were permeable. She felt herself becoming stronger, faster, younger, and hungrier.
For Hiromi experienced beasthood complete...
Next Chapter: Echoes of the Dead