Soo… been playing/watching let's plays of Plague inc and I've gotta say, that game gave me so many ideas for this fic. Yeah… so ummm… Thanks for all of you guys who've favourated and followed this story and for all those who've read it so far! I hope you enjoy!

I don't believe in fate, just coincidences. Like when two people fall in love, it wasn't fate that brought them together, they just happened to be at the right place in the right time. It's all just a coincidence. Like how it was a coincidence that the formula for the zombie potion didn't work out right. I find it funny though, how some coincidences just seem too convenient. Maybe it's magic, but certainly not fate.

Kiku's POV

It never ceased to amaze me how many different people you can meet in dire circumstances. I once met a French man and his niece who were running away from a "dangerous place" and it surprised me how the child was so calm about her circumstances. She actually seemed to be happy, not in the least bit scared and I could only marvel at the tenacity of the current youth. However, this also made me contemplate the many young lives lost to this disaster because of their unstoppable drive. I sighed and wondered what happened to those two, it had been about a year since I saw them. I gazed out the window, lost in my thoughts when something moving caught my eyes.

Upon first glance, it looked like it could be one of the undead but its movements proved it to be otherwise. I walked downstairs, my eyes never leaving the figure and wondered who would be smart enough to be walking in the streets out in broad daylight. I reached the front door of my shelter - which actually used to be one of the many gift shops in the area – and was about to open the door when I saw another moving figure. Tattered clothes, sagging skin, it walked up to the red hooded figure that froze. I watched the figure cautiously back away from the monster and trip on a fallen pole, sending him crashing down. At first, I felt no sympathy for the person for I thought that he had brought this upon himself. However, when I saw the face of a child, this idea changed.

I yanked the door open and started running to the child at full speed, knowing that if I slowed down, he would die. I unsheathed my sword and wasted no time in cutting the threat down. The monster dropped dead in front of us, blood splattering everywhere, face divided into two. I heard a muffled gasp and looked to see the boy covering his mouth, plain terror in his eyes. I moved towards him and saw him flinch, his eyes glancing over to my bloodied sword. I sighed and sheathed it, knowing how unhealthy it was for the blade but if it was going to let me gain the trust of the child then it was worth the inconvenience. I kneeled down to him and lent him my hand, "Are you okay?"

The boy gave a small nod and gripped my outstretched hand. I pulled him up and noted how tall he was. It never ceased to amaze me how western children were so tall! He straightened his ruffled jacket and gazed at me with wary eyes, noting the unusual violet colour. His eyes started shifting around and at first I thought that my presence was uncomfortable for him but I later realized that he was looking for something.

"Did you drop something?"

I saw how his cheeks reddened at my question and how he quickly turned his back to me. "Yeah," he said slightly nodding. I wondered what he could have dropped considering how embarrassed he had become but I knew that there was also no time to be wondering and searching for something possibly useless. As I was about to note this to him, I saw him bend down and pick up something from the ground. He turned around, eyes sparkling and a relieved smile on his face.

"Did you find it?"

He nodded and ran up to me, clutching something white in his hands. I wanted to ask about it but decided that idle chatter should be done in safety and told him that we should head back to my shelter.

Once inside I told the boy to feel at home as much as possible and headed upstairs, he silently followed. We stood in silence for a couple of minutes before he awkwardly broke it.

"U-uum… Thank y-you for… saving me."

I nodded my head and proceeded to softly interrogate the frail boy. "What were you doing out there? What you did was very dangerous."

He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out and he shifted around, unsure where to start. I smiled and gestured towards a couch in the corner that I had hardly ever used since my occupation. The boy shyly sat down and I next to him. Once again he opened his mouth and said, "I was looking for my brother."

I cocked my head sideways and wondered at this, it wasn't unusual for people to be searching for loved ones in all this but for a teenage boy like him to go by himself, I was surprised he got this far. "How does your brother look like? I may have seen him around here once."

"Well, he has bright blue eyes, glasses like mine and short blonde hair."

I thought hard about this but no one in particular came up to mind, I had seen many people come and go from this area so I wasn't sure which person he was talking about. "I'm sorry but I've met so many people that I don't think that description would give us many leads."

The boy gave a sad smile and I felt sorry for him, the cruel situation had parted him from someone important and he may never see him again. I gave him an encouraging smile and said, "Maybe we could find him if you told me his name?"

He looked up at me, hopeful and what he told me next surprised me.

"Alfred. His name is Alfred Jones."

I bit my lip, unsure of how to continue. After all, his brother kind of did start this entire predicament in the first place.

"I heard he was working on a project around here?" The boy must have felt my hesitance as he pressed on with questions.

"He told me that he would come back soon but he never did. Could you have possibly met him?"

I sighed and decided that it was no use hiding such information from him so, I continued cautiously, "Hai. I met him; we were working on the same project together."

His eyes brightened and again, he pounded me with questions. "Really? Could you possibly be Mr. Honda? My brother was very excited about this project and working with you too you know! I wonder if it was successful since he never really told me what it was about but I'm sure that he did okay! Do you know where he could have gone?"

I paused before answering his questions, unsure of how I should break the news to him, "Hai. I am indeed Kiku Honda and your brother was a really interesting man to work with. Our project was a formula that can make a human that can stimulate the effects of being a zombie. However," I paused. "The formula worked but had many… defects but your brother was very determined to release it anyways and so, this entire thing started. I don't know where he ran off to after the disaster of the launching ceremony but I think he might be feeling guilt and he might be out there looking for you."

I glanced back at the boy, worrying about how this information had affected him but he didn't seem too surprised about what I had told him. He had an almost exasperated smile on his face and quietly said, "That's just like my brother. You know I'd figured that he'd cause something like this but really, he has no boundaries."

He chuckled a bit before continuing to stare at the floor. I felt bad so decided to change the subject and asked him, "Well, now you know who I am, why not give me your name?"

The boy looked up at me and gave an apologetic smile, "Sorry that was rude of me! My name is Matthew, Matthew Williams."

This puzzled me and I couldn't help to ask him about it. "I don't mean to be rude but why is your last name different from your brother's?"

"Oh. No, it's okay. My parents separated when I was younger and I was taken by my father to live up in Canada. My mother insisted that Alfred take her last name since she didn't want to remember my dad. I did hear though that he fought with my mother about it, that and having me live with dad. Though, a couple of years ago, I decided to move in with Alfred since we hardly saw each other when we were younger and it was fun! That is, while it lasted."

"I'm sorry to hear that." There was another moment of silence and again I felt bad for making him think about his brother. While I was thinking of different subjects to talk to him about that didn't include his brother or the weather, I remembered the white ball of fluff that he picked up a while back. "Matthew-kun?"

"Hmm?" The boy said seemingly somewhat surprised to hear his name.

"What was it that you found a while ago?"

"Oh, this?" Matthew said, lifting up a fluffy, white bear and I couldn't deny how cute it looked. No wonder he couldn't leave it behind, it's adorable.

Matthew laughed and I must have been pulling a face. "He's cute isn't he? My dad gave him to me as a present when I was really little and up to now, I couldn't seem to leave him behind."

So it was something important from his childhood. It must be nice to have something you cherish so much.

"What is his name?"

"Mmmm… I think his name was Kumajiro? My brother named it but I never really knew what it meant."

"I see." I made him think about his brother again.

"He's supposed to remember your name and talk to you but I think he's defective."

"How so?"

"He never seems to be able to detect my name."

"I see would you like me to try?"

He hesitantly handed me over the bear and started saying how he was doubtful it would work for me but after rattling on, I supposed he decided that it would be alright to let me try. I held the fluffy bear up to my face and said, "Hello Kumajiro-kun, my name is Kiku."

After a while of nothing but silence, I was about to hand the bear back to Matthew when I heard in a soft mechanical voice, "Hi Kiku! Let's be friends!"

"Hey how come it worked for you?" I heard Matthew exclaim and I only laughed at his expression. Talking like this was a nice break from everything and I felt something inside my heart pull as I handed the bear back to Matthew. Is this how it feels like to have a little brother? If so, Alfred is a really lucky man.

I ruffled Matthew's hair and the boy seemed surprised at this action but he didn't reject it. "I will definitely help you find your brother." I didn't know what made me say it but it was out my mouth before I could stop it. For a long time I was alone and I thought I would always be. Indeed I've met many people but they've all come and gone. But now, I am determined to protect this child no matter what. I bid him a good night and together, we waited for the sun to rise.

Okay! Whew! That was a long one! It took me a while but it's finally finished! Okay, sorry for the terrible ending but I will make up for it with a good continuation! So don't worry folks! Again, a review is always appreciated so see you guys next time!