DEad Ja Vu


"Rei!" Takashi shouted. The door to the classroom slid open, and crashed into it's frame, disturbing the whole class. Rei turned in her chair, causing her chest to bounce to the side. Her dirty blond hair swung around, two unkempt strands poking upwards on either side. Honey brown eyes stared at Takashi, and the teen boy flinched, remembering all the times in the past those same eyes had stared at him lovingly…

"Takashi?" Rei replied, confusion evident in her voice.

"Come on, we have to go," Takashi said forcefully. He strode through the classroom, ignoring the teachers lame stuttering. Kids in the class were muttering about the delinquents latest actions. Takashi certainly looked the part. He may have had his school uniform on, but he was breaching far too many dress codes. His school jacket hung open, flapping behind him purposefully, revealing a simple, but eye catching red shirt.

"Oi, loser," one of the boys in the class stated, standing up in his chair. He was a big guy, with a head of blond hair that couldn't have been natural. Takashi didn't know his name, but had a vague idea that the guy was in the football club. He was pretty popular too, known for sticking up for those in trouble.

Takashi ignored him though, and strode towards Rei, but the boy stood in his way.

"Stop playing delinquent and disturbing the class," the boy said, putting an arm out into Takashi's chest. "We're trying to study, and the teachers trying to teach."

"I don't have time for this," Takashi growled, and in a swift movement, he swung his right fist out in a powerful hook. The boy fell to the ground in a heap, clutching his bleeding face.

"Takashi, what the fuck!" Rei shouted, standing up in her seat. The rest of the class looked similarly displeased. It was only to be expected, Takashi was the delinquent after all.

Takashi was used to the behaviour though. It has been months since Red had broken up with him. Months since he had been in this slump. Ignoring the whispers and stares had become second nature for him.

He strode forwards purposefully, students parting away nervously from him, and when he arrived at Rei's desk, raised his hand. In one smooth motion, he slapped her across the face, leaving a bright red mark, shaming her face.

"We're getting out of here," Takashi said simply, grabbing her wrist and pulling her up. A firm hand on his shoulder stopped Takashi midway however, and he turned around to face his best friend. His once best friend.

"What's going on Takashi?" Hisashi asked, his eyes firm. Hisashi was a black belt in karate. Takashi has been on the losing end many times in the past when they had mock fought. Takashi knew he had no chance of winning this fight. He decided that he'd have to waste precious time trying to convince Hisashi verbally.

"There's been an attack on the school. The sports teachers were killed at the front gate," Takashi said in a low murmur so that the rest of the class wouldn't overhear. Takashi didn't want to create a panic. Not yet. He only wanted his friends to survive. Not the rest of these assholes.

"Are you serious?" Hisashi asked, his eyes widened in surprise.

"Have I ever not been serious?" Takashi replied.

They hadn't been best friends for since middle school for nothing. Hisashi simply nodded his head in agreement.

"Come on sweetie, lets get going," Hisashi said softly to Rei. Takashi winced as he heard the term of endearment. It may have been months since the breakup, but the wounds were still as open in his heart as before.

The three of them left the shell shocked classroom together. The hallways were deserted, but Takashi knew they wouldn't be like that for much longer. He knew what he had seen. He hadn't been mistaken.

Zombies.

"Takashi, this way," Hisashi called, and he turned around to see his friend heading in a different direction.

"Where are you going?" Takashi asked.

"Our lockers," Hisashi replied. "If what you're saying is true we're going to need weapons."

Takashi stared at Hisashi in stunned silence, before raising a single fist upwards. With a smile, Hisashi raised his own fist and the two bumped them together.

"Yeah, that's the Hisashi I know," Takashi said, grinning.

"Lets fuck some shit up," Hisashi replied, grinning back.

"What's up with that? You're friends again already?" Rei said, confused.

"No one asked you, bitch," Takashi said, his grin fading.

It seemed that, although Takashi had forgiven his best friend, he has still yet to forgive Rei.

Hisashi just shook his head, grabbed Rei's hand and gave it a comforting squeeze.

"Come on, let's go."

They arrived at their lockers, just as the loudspeaker blared to life. As the ominous words of the headmaster played around them, they scavenged their lockers for anything they might need.

Takashi grabbed the baseball bat out of his locker. He already had his wallet, house keys and mobile on him, even if that was against school rules. Hisashi and Rei didn't on the other hand. Rei had no sort of weapon in her locker, so Hisashi smashed the head of a steel capped broom for her, crafting quite the vicious spear.

"What have you got Hisashi?" Takashi asked. Hisashi grimaced as he turned around.

"Nothing, other than a pocket knife. We were having locker inspections next week, so I had to get rid of my nunchucks."

"Shit," Takashi muttered softly. His swear went unnoticed however, for at that moment, the Headmaster began screaming over the intercom. The three students winced as they heard his horrific cries of pain, as the sounds of splattering and cracking echoed around them.

"We need to go, now," Hisashi said.

"Where to?" Rei asked, nervously fidgeting with her makeshift spear.

"The roof," Hisashi said, and when he caught Takashi's eye, he nodded in agreement. "We can hole up there until help arrives."

They made their way to the nearest stairwell, only to surprised by a shambling body of a student. Chunks of skin were torn out of the student's shoulder, and his uniform was soaked in blood, and what looked like other vile, bodily fluids.

"I'll hold him," Hisashi cried, leaping forwards. "You stab him Rei."

Hisashi did just so. He slipped behind the student, and wrapped his arms around his neck in a headlock.

No one expected the student to twist his head backwards, bones snapping frighteningly. Before Hisashi could let go, the student bit down, and with sharp, powerful jaws, tore into Hisashi's shoulder. Blood splattered outwards onto the ground in an ominous trail all the way to Takashi's feet.

Takashi stared at Hisashi, and in that moment, he knew. His best friend was dead.


"Oh for fucks sake," I groaned, rolling out of bed. I felt sick. Not like fever sick, but physically ill in the gut. The dream had been so realistic. I could still smell the foul scent of the… zombie, as it bit into Hisashi.

I made my way to the bathroom and flipped the toilet seat open before slumping down in front of it. I would wait until either I threw up, or my stomach settled down.

I smirked, remembering the last time I had been looking like this. It had been Hisashi's sixteenth birthday, and we had each snuck a bottle of liquor from our parents. A six pack of mixers, a bottle of vodka and a bottle of sake later, we were pretty fucked. Somehow, we'd broken into the school, gone swimming the in the pool, ransacked Shido's office, and then stumbled to the bathroom to empty our insides. We'd spent the last hours of night in opposing toilet stalls, drunkenly singing happy birthday to each other.

We'd passed out sometime through the night. The morning bell for classes woke us up. We splashed our face with water, flushed the toilets, straightened out clothes, and were on time for our first period of the day.

By now I was no longer feeling sick, the realism of the nightmare having been replaced with happier memories. I pulled myself up and slammed the toilet seat down.

I missed Hisashi. It had been a strange nightmare, but it hadn't necessarily been a bad one. I'd become friends again with Hisashi.

I sighed and stepped into the shower. School was in twenty minute's time. That wouldn't have meant anything to me a fortnight ago, but since I'd begun studying with Saya… well, I couldn't let her down after all the work she's put into me. Besides, we have a test today. If I miss it…

To put it simply, zombies would be the least of my problems compared to Saya.

I glanced at the time. I swore when I realised I was going to be late for school. Only one thing to do then.

"Yo, Dad, can I borrow the keys to the bike?" I asked as I slid into the kitchen, grabbing a piece of toast that just happened to pop out of the toaster. "Thanks Mum," I said, as she attempted to grab the piece back from me.

My dad glanced at my mum, who returned him an icy glare.

"Of course you can't Takashi," Dad said sternly, "You're underage, and you've already been caught once. Don't ask such stupid questions."

Mum nodded her head proudly, before turning back to the toaster to put a new piece in. As he back was turned, Dad caught my eye.

"The keys are in the garage," Dad whispered at me, winking at me.

I grinned, and ran off to the garage, my backpack slung over my shoulders, and a piece of toast in my mouth. I grabbed one of the helmets lying around. Sure, I was riding underage, but that didn't mean I was going to be an idiot and risk my life just to look cool.

I found the bike keys after a moment of searching and mounted the bike. It was nothing amazing, just a Derbi Senda, made for cross city driving, but in a city, that was all you needed. I revved the engine once before taking off, speeding out of the driveway. I pushed the bike to the speed limits of the city, weaving in between the cars when I had the chance.

Still, no matter how fast or recklessly I drove, I was still running short on time. By the time I got to school, parked illegally behind the bike shed, and made it to the class room, the school bell had just gone off.

"Made it!" I declared, stepping into the empty classroom.

…empty?

"The exam," I muttered. Exams weren't held in classrooms, they were held in the gymnasium, so all students could take them at the same time, under the same testing conditions.

I sprinted down the hallways and jumped down the stairs, leaping from floor to floor in one long jump. I slammed the gymnasium door open, just in time to see the biology teacher announce the start of the exam. A bright head of pink hair caught my eye, and spotted Saya staring. She rolled her eyes at my late entrance, but seemed pleased to see me nonetheless.

"Ah, Takashi," a teacher said softly, and I turned around to apologize.

"I'm terribly sorry for my lateness," I said, bowing my head. "I will sit down and take the exam now."

"I'm afraid that won't be possible, Takashi," the teacher said, his voice sly. I whipped my head up to realise who I was talking to. It was Shido. The bastard was looking at me smugly.

"The exam has already started, Takashi. There can be no exceptions allowed in a such testing conditions. I'm so sorry," Shido said, not sounding sorry at all.

"But-"

"But nothing, Takashi. Maybe this will teach you not play delinquent anymore, hm?"

"Bastard," I muttered under my breath. The sly git was still sore about the time Hisashi and I had vandalised his office.

I glanced around the testing room. Saya had still not started her exam, and was instead staring at me, confused.

"Sorry," I mouthed at her, before shouldering my backpack and storming out of the gymnasium.

I was furious. Saya had spent the last two weeks helping me study, specifically for this exam, and one teacher with a stupid grudge had ruined everything. We only drew on some of his stuff, it wasn't even that bad.

Actually, it was pretty bad. The alcohol had made us do some weird things.

I was sullenly walking away from the gymnasium when I heard the doors burst open once more.

"I hate that bastard!" Rei shouted as she stormed down the hallway. She was so mad she walked right past without even recognising me.

"Wait, Rei!" Hisashi shouted, following her from the testing room. Hisashi, unlike Rei, stopped when he saw me.


Takashi stared at Hisashi in stunned silence, before raising a single fist upwards. With a smile, Hisashi raised his own fist and the two bumped them together.

"Yeah, that's the Hisashi I know," Takashi said, grinning.

"Lets fuck some shit up," Hisashi replied, grinning back.


My dream flashed through my mind, and at that moment, all I wanted was my friendship with Hisashi back.

"I've gotta go," Hisashi said, his gray eyes tired, and then he was gone, chasing after Rei.

"Yeah, that's fine!" I shouted after him as he chased Rei. "Don't tell me anything. It's not like we were ever friends before!"

I felt embarrassed immediately. My outburst had sounded awfully childish, especially to me.


Takashi stared at Hisashi, and in that moment, he knew. His best friend was dead.


I sighed, as I usually did, whenever I thought about that stupid dream. It had been so much like the last one, with the stupid piece of paper.

What a joke. It hadn't even been Saya's paper.

But still, it had saved me in a weird way. I now had a reason to come to school; to study in with Saya.

I kicked myself. There was no point thinking about this. I now had two hours to kill, thanks to Shido.

It was a good thing I'd brought the Derbi Senda to school.

Five minutes later I was revving the bike's engine. I sped out of the school, purposely squealing the tires loudly as I drove past the gymnasium windows. I rode down the long hill, decorated with cherry blossoms, until I hit the main road.

I rode for a long while, letting the mindless, numbing act of driving clean my mind. I only pulled over when my stomach, complaining about being fed only a sole piece of toast, directed me towards the nearest fast food restaurant.

I parked the bike outside (legally this time) and stepped in, ordering a regular meal. I sat by the window of the restaurant, staring out towards the other side of the street.

There were sports shops detailing the other side of the road, ranging from martial arts to baseball stores. I stared at them, for a lack of nothing else to do, as I began eating.

The food wasn't foreign to me. I used to visit this restaurant with Hisashi after school every day. Collectively, we'd even tried everything that was on the menu.

I sighed as I finished off my food. I didn't want my friendship with Hisashi to die. It was stupid, and it sounded clingy, but I missed him.

I continued to stare aimlessly at the window, at the sports shops on the other side of the road. There was a store that specialised in karate protective gear. They had punching gloves, knee pads, helmets and even shoulder pads.

An idea started to form. It wasn't a complicated one, but it was expensive. I pulled out my wallet and checked my funds. I had enough. Just. Probably.

I made my way across the street to the karate store and checked out their gear. They had a lot, ranging from cheap shit which looked like it'd do more damage then protection, to stuff more expensive than the Derbi Senda.

That really wasn't saying much, but the point was made.

I walked out of the store five minutes later, my wallet bare. I flipped my legs over the Derbi Senda, and rode off, revving the engine as I left the parking lot.

I arrived back at school at the same time the exams ended. Students were piling out of the gymnasium, chatting about the questions they has just answered. I avoided the first floor, and ran up the metal staircase on the side of the building. The same one I had spent so much of my time moping.

I didn't know where Hisashi might be, but I had a pretty good idea. Whenever he was worried about something, he'd go to the roof. I therefore continued up the metal staircase, hoping to reach him before the mass of students would arrive for lunch.

I was in luck. Hisashi was at the top of the roof, beside where the fire hose was. he was leaning against the railings, slumped over, and I couldn't help but think that he must have looked like what I looked like all that time.

"Hisashi!" I called, and he turned around, surprised to see me.

"Takashi? What are you doing here?"

Suddenly, I realised just what I was doing. It was pretty weird. Really weird actually. Guys don't usually give other guys gifts. It just felt weird.

Still, I'd spent the remains of my cash on this. I wasn't about to let it go to waste.

"I got this for you," I said, pulling a plastic bag out of my backpack. He raised an eyebrow, obviously still confused, and warily took the package from me. With slow, deliberate movements, he withdrew the contents.

"Shoulder pads?" Hisashi asked strangely, holding the twin, bowl shaped shells up.


"What have you got Hisashi?" Takashi asked. Hisashi grinned as he turned around.

"Nothing, other than a pocket knife. But I do have these shoulder pads you gave me." Hisashi seemed overly happy about that fact.

"Can you please not look so happy about that," Takashi muttered, "You're still defenceless."

"And I can still kick your ass any day," Hisashi replied as he rolled the sleeves of his shirt back and slipped the protective shells on. "There we go, that feels good," Hisashi said, waving his shoulder around.

"Idiot," Takashi muttered softly, trying to hide a smile. His swear went unnoticed however, for at that moment, the Headmaster began screaming over the intercom. The three students winced as they heard his horrific cries of pain, as the sounds of splattering and cracking echoed around them.

"We need to go, now," Hisashi said.

"Where to?" Rei asked, nervously fidgeting with her makeshift spear.

"The roof," Hisashi said, and when he caught Takashi's eye, he nodded in agreement. "We can hole up there until help arrives."

They made their way to the nearest stairwell, only to surprised by a shambling body of a student. Chunks of skin were torn out of the student's shoulder, and his uniform was soaked in blood, and what looked like other vile, bodily fluids.

"I'll hold him," Hisashi cried, leaping forwards. "You stab him Rei."

Hisashi did just so. He slipped behind the student, and wrapped his arms around his neck in a headlock.

No one expected the student to twist his head backwards, bones snapping frighteningly. Before Hisashi could let go, the student, with sharp, powerful jaws bit down upon his shoulder.

"What the fuck's wrong with you," Hisashi growled, staring at the abomination as it tried to gnaw through the tough shoulder pads. He then raised his arm into the air, and bracing his right arm with his left, smashed his elbow into the student's forehead.

The skull caved in, and the insides were crushed. The student went limp and fell to the floor. Hisashi gracefully stepped to the side, letting the body fall past him.

"Yeah buddy," Hisashi said proudly, holding his fist out towards Takashi. Takashi rolled his eyes, but held his fist out nonetheless.

"Not bad," he admitted as they pounded their fists together.

"Who'd have known I'd have needed these shoulder pads so badly," Hisashi said, grinning.


I blinked rapidly, the bright sunlight hurting his eyes. I was standing on the roof, it was midday, the sun was high in the sky, and Hisashi looked like he had just said something to me.

"Shoulder pads?" Hisashi asked again, staring at me in speculation.

"Er, yeah," I replied lamely.

"How'd you know I needed shoulder pads!" Hisashi said in disbelief, before his shocked face broke into a smile.

I couldn't exactly tell him about the dreams without sounding like a mental case, so I simply shrugged my shoulders.

"Thanks buddy," Hisashi said, sliding the shoulder pads back into the plastic bag. We were silent as we both stood on the roof. The slowly growing sound of students could be heard as they made their way to the roof.

"So, uh," I said awkardly.

"Yeah, um," Hisashi replied, scratching the back of his head.

"Do ya…" I said, scratching at my chest.

"Yeah, fast food for dinner?" He said, averting his eyes.

"You're on," I replied glancing up at the sky, and suddenly, all the earlier awkwardness was gone.

We both stared at each other, and smirked.

The overly manly silent bonding time was then rudely interrupted by a high pitched call.

"Komura, you idiot!" Saya called as she made her way towards us. I swallowed nervously. She didn't look overly happy. In fact, she looked downright furious. Every angry step she took caused her pink twin tails to swing around her head, making her look rather adorable. Kind of like an enraged kitten.

"I'm sorry Saya," I apologised meekly as she approached. "I tried as hard as I could-"

"Shut up. We're going to the library now. Grab your bag and let's go," Saya snapped, interrupting me.

"Eh? What?" I asked suddenly.

"I'm going to force you to study your ass off so that when next exam comes around, you get such a good score there's nothing that bastard Shido can do about it," Saya said, her voice furious.

"Wait, you're not angry at me?" I said suddenly, realising what she was saying.

"What do you think?" Saya asked, folding her hands below her chest. It didn't help that it caused her chest to rise up, and it was incredibly easy and alluring to stare down the neck of her top and into the creamy skin of her breasts.

I averted my eyes, and turned away in an effort to hide my blush.

"Er, what did you ask again?" I asked, scratching my cheek. Saya blinked twice, her amber eyes flickering out of view momentarily.

"You're an idiot," she said simply. I would have replied, but a soft chuckling interrupted us. I glanced behind me to see that Hisashi had a hand over his mouth, and was struggling not to laugh.

"Oi, try harder not laughing next time," I growled at him.

"Sorry," he said, not sounding sorry at all. "I am glad you two are still such good friends however, especially after…"

"Especially after Komura's girlfriend dumped him for his best friend," Saya snapped, staring at Hisashi.

"Ah, yeah. After that," Hisashi said lamely.

"Whatever," Saya said dismissively, "come on Komura, let's go."

I turned back to Hisashi quickly.

"Sorry about that," I said.

"Don't worry about it," Hisashi said, embarrased, "I deserved it anyway."

"We good?" I asked.

In response Hisashi raised a fist towards my chest. I grinned and raised my own fist. We tapped them together, relishing the soft, resounding thud the impact made.

"We good." Hisashi smiled.


And next chapter done. I feel FAR more comfortable with this chap than the first. I feel it shows more of what this story will be like.

Thank you to my reviewers. It appears that honey really was the talk of the day ;) And on that note, during breakfast I was arguing with a friend today about whether it's called tomato sauce or ketchup. The argument was getting pretty heated, until one of our friends reminded us that it doesn't matter what you call it, if we put it on our cereal, that's pretty gross.

Moral of the story, don't put red stuff on your cereal.

Cheers

-Council