I AM ALIVE!
I am so sorry about the long wait in an update (like a year), but that was because I totally forgot where I was going with this story and had huge writer block. I have now finally overcome that! I know where this plot is, and I know what OC's will be coming it!
Yes I am still using the OC's reader submitted over a year ago. As of now I will not be taking more OC's, but if you are interested please pm me and we can talk. Also, readers who had submitted OC's, if your OC is used in a chapter and introduced to the story line then I will pm you! If I don't pm you right away it is because I have planned a spot for each OC, and some will come later in the story.
Thank you all so much for being patient with me, and I hope you enjoy this chapter and the more to come!
Also, thank you for telling me about Tsukusa being dead and me accidently bringing him back to life. I meant to put Nikaidou, so I will have to go back and edit chapter two.
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In The Flesh
Chapter 3
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Four days.
Ninety six hours.
Twenty five minutes.
Thirty six seconds.
That's how long they were in the van, Nikaidou driving now at a steady pace. Utau had managed to remove the bullet from Amu's shoulder when they made a quick pit stop three days ago, stitch and tending to the wound. Kairi was doing better with his grief now, finally dismissing any anger and blame he place onto Ami. It wasn't fair to blame the fourteen year old, and it defiantly wasn't easy on her either. The past four days Ami never left Amu's side, always holding onto Amu's hand as if Amu was about to disappear from the world.
Ikuto constantly worried for Amu, guilty for accidently shooting her, but he helped with gathering supplies when they made pit stops. Nagihiko stayed by Rima's side, brushing away the petite girl's fears, and reassuring her that she was going to make it through this. Kukai was just silent, along with Tadase and Yaya. Yaya hadn't even spoken a word since the attack four days ago, and Utau reassured that the girl was still in shock. They all were. It wasn't exactly easy to accept the fact that the world was infected with people who ate other people and a bite turned you into one of them.
Amu herself wasn't really processing everything, and that was mainly because the memory of her mother haunted her. Something had been wrong with Midori in those final moments, and Amu knew that. She knew her mother, she knew her mother didn't keep secrets but Amu saw the knowing and the regret in her mother's eyes. What the hell had been going on with her mother, Amu would never know- and that alone haunted Amu. Never truly knowing the reasoning behind her mother's words. All Midori had done was shove her eldest daughter into the car with supplies and Ami, directing to get away and to keep the two of them alive. Like hell Amu would let Amu die.
"Don't move yet Amu-chan." Ami whispered, watching her elder sister struggle to sit up. Instead of arguing, Amu waved her hand in dismissal.
"I'm fine Ami, just a little sore." Amu gave her sister a reassuring smile. "I can move more now, and besides, I need to get use to moving my arm again."
Ami sighed but nodded, "Are you feeling okay? Better than yesterday?"
"I'm fine Ami." Amu reassured, glancing a look at Ikuto. "We really need to work on your aim Ikuto."
Ikuto scowled, "My aim is just fine. It was you who turned into the bullet."
Amu chuckled with a roll of her eyes, "If you say so. Your aim is still pretty much nonexistent."
Kukai laughed, leaving it Amu to lighten up mood in the depressing van. Utau rolled her own eyes at the two's playful batter, but was happy nothing less that the two were now talking. Amu had been pretty pissed about being shot by Ikuto, and yelled at him the first chance she had. Utau was sure everyone's eyes were ringing.
"Nikaidou -san, where the hell are we going?" Amu asked, slowly shuffling to stand on her feet to look out the window.
They had been out of the city for three days, and were now in the country side of Seiyo- or at least right outside of Seiyo. There were no buildings in sight, just hills and grass and cars that were flipped occasionally. That sight wasn't exactly heartwarming to Amu. Besides that, it was pretty empty of life out here, but Amu was sure there were things lurking in these hills. After all, the hills have eyes.
"It's hard to say. I know there is a gas station along this way, and from there we will go where the road takes us." Nikaidou replied.
Amu frowned, "That plan is gonna get us all killed. We can't just drive with blind faith, that's how we are going to end up in a deadly predicament. We don't need any more casualties on our hands."
"The girl's right." Nobuko said, a frown also etched onto her lips. "We can no longer just drive, we need a plan."
"The most rational places would be a farm, a ranch- but then almost everyone with a brain would head over there. It would be a blood shed among people who fight for that safety." Amu huffed.
"You sure do know a lot." Kukai muttered.
Amu glanced back at him, "I watched a lot of horror films back in my home town. I was voted most likely to survive the zombie apocalypse."
"You're good with a gun." Yaya finally spoke.
Amu smiled ruefully, "Papa use to take me to the shooting ring back in my home town before Ami was born. Learned at young age how to hunt and survive."
"Come to think of it, you never really speak about your home town." Utau says, earning nods from all around her. Ami also glanced at Amu with curious eyes, not remember the town she was born in.
Amu chuckled and sat back down, leaning against the van's leather seats. "Well to start off, my home town is Daishōji, on the rural side. Mama and Papa lived with my grandparents at the time on the ranch, and I grew up learning to tend to that very ranch. Papa taught me how to hunt game in the woods around the ranch. I went to school in the urban area, which only had a population a six hundred- not very many people.
"Amu, how far is your home town from Seiyo exactly?" Nikaidou asks, driving a bit slower.
Amu shrugged, "It depends on where we are at now."
"Meda." Nikaidou replied.
"That's only two towns away from Daishōji actually." Amu said surprised. "Are you planning on going to the Hinamori ranch? I can give you directions once we get to Tasawa."
Kairi grumbled, "And who called my ranch idea stupid?"
Ikuto rolled his eyes, "It didn't seem rational at the time you brought it up."
"But when Amu brings it up, you're all for it." Kairi snapped.
"Will both of you just shut the hell up?" Utau hissed, glaring at the two fighting males.
"Before we head to Daishōji, we are going to be making a pit stop at a gas station. Everyone know the drill?" Noboku asks, earning a round of agreements.
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The world is such a strange place. We live and we die, but now we live, we die, and we come back to take others into death. The world was surely odd. Mio Sumieda knew this. She seen more of this world than most, and discovered the rare beauties and the dangerous things this world had to offer. The seventeen year old was naturally scared when the break out first happened in the town of Seiyo. Of course once she got out of her momentary shock, she grabbed the gun her father sent her when she first moved to Japan from Europe. She always carried it around, even if it was illegal to do so, it just made her feel like her father was with her.
Seiyo, that was Mio's destination to surprise an old friend, but then the next thing she knew was the epidemic broke out of the infected. Mio then lost contact with her parents and friends back in Europe, and she had to assume the worse. In her grief a man with dirty blonde hair and green eyes found her. His name was Cyrus West, an eighteen year old man, who came to her aid when she nearly was bitten. Apparently he was very good with a sword, even better with a gun- but that was Mio's specialty.
"Where exactly are we going Cyrus?" Mio asked the man walking besides her. He was quite, hardly spoken at all, but Mio couldn't blame him. He probably lost someone dear to him as well. When he didn't answer, Mio sighed and ran a hand through her long strands of ebony hair. Her long sleeved t-shirt was pushed up past her elbows as her blue-grey eyes were on high alert.
"Gas station less than half a mile up. We are getting ourselves supplies Mio." Cyrus briefly informed the younger girl, walking towards the distant outline of a gas station.
It wasn't difficult to break into the building, though Cyrus was distinctively careful about making sudden loud sounds. If there were actually any infected around, a loud crash would surely draw their attentions, and that was the last this he and Mio needed to deal with at the moment. Mio had easily set off, grabbed a bag and begun to ransack the gas station, grabbing candy bars, waters and other beverages. Cyrus was busy on scouting, making sure they were alone in the market, but a van suddenly screeched to a halt in front of a pump.
"Mio, we got company!" Cyrus barked, getting ready for a fight.
A man with blue hair was the first one out of the back of the van, helping a woman with pink hair down- who had her arm in a sling. A woman with blonde pig tails and a man with spikey brown hair were out next. Followed by a man with blonde hair and ruby eyes.
"They aren't enemies." Mio whispered. "They are other survivors."
"We trust no one Mio." Cyrus grunted. "Did you finish gathering the supplies yet?"
Mio nodded with a sigh, "Yeah let's get out of here."
A man with long midnight purple hair stepped out of the van, and that alone caught Mio's attention. She didn't have to see his face to know who he was; she'd recognize the hair anywhere in Europe, and in Japan.
"Nagihiko." The name fell from Mio's lips in a whisper, but Cyrus heard it nothing less. Sighing, Cyrus knew the girl wasn't about to leave after finding someone she knew, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to part ways with her and be alone just yet.
Ikuto was the first person to notice the other two people inside the gas station, and immediately he was on defense. Amu, feeling Ikuto's body muscles tense up, looked up at the gas station to see and blonde male and an ebony haired female looking back at them. The girl was staring behind Amu, at Nagihiko. A frown married Amu's face, especially when the man pointed a gun at Ikuto when he raised his weapons.
"Ikuto." Amu snapped. "You can't shoot them!"
"He's pointed his gun first." Ikuto grunted.
"Cyrus!" The girl cried, grabbing the man's arm. Amu watched as she forced the man to put the gun down, but his calculating look never left his face. He kept a good eye on them, and the same thing with Ikuto and Kukai- the two watched the man, Cyrus, with wary eyes.
"We come in peace!" The girl yelled, holding her hands up in surrender. "My name is Mio Sumieda and the man besides me is Cyrus West. He's not very good at socializing."
Amu nodded, forcing Ikuto to put his own weapon down, "My name is Amu Hinamori, the youngest is my sister Ami. This idiot next to me with the blue hair is Ikuto Tsukiyomi and his sister is the blonde with pig tails- Utau Hoshina."
"The singer?" Mio wondered aloud.
"Yes." Utau snapped. "Even I have to fight to survive."
Amu sweat dropped, "She's a little on edge. The man besides her is Kukai Soma is Tadase Hotori and the other man is-"
"Nagihiko Fujisaki." Mio said with a smile looking at Nagihiko.
"You know her Nagi?" Amu asked in surprise, looking back at her purple haired friend.
Nagihiko stared at Mio for a second before nodding, "We met while I was in Europe when I was younger. I was in the same dance class as her. Mio, what are you doing over here?"
Mio sighed, "I left Europe to learn dance over here. I was on my way to see you in Seiyo as a surprise when the Infection hit. Barely made it out because of Cyrus here. Without him I'd be dead a long time ago."
Nagihiko nodded, "I'm glad to see you're alive. Where are you both headed off too now?"
"East." Cyrus answered.
"We are headed towards Daishōji to take refugee." Nagihiko offered. "You both can join us if you'd like."
Ikuto and Kukai both turned to glare at Nagihiko fiercely. "You know you have to discuss inviting people on our trip. They are strangers! They could kill us in our sleep!"
Amu nodded in agreement, but she trusted Nagihiko's instincts. Plus they were also survivors, the more the merrier. "Let them come."
"Amu!" Ikuto yelled.
"We need to stick together. We can't leave them stranded at a gas station in the middle of nowhere!" Amu hissed.
"Thank you for the offer." Mio smiled and bowed. "We'll accept."
Amu nodded but Ikuto took command, "They get all you can carry and put it into the car and get your asses in."
Amu sighed, but continued to go into the gas station's store, behind the cash register and hitting the button for gas at the tank Nikaidou had parked at. Then yelled out, "Nikaidou you're good to go!"
With that Amu began helping the others grab supplies. Utau grabbed bags of chips, candy bars –basically anything she could grab. Amu was on First Aid, grabbing multiple first aid kits while Ikuto grabbed fluids. Nagihiko and Tadase helped with food and liquids, and Kukai also helped by grabbing clothing and toothbrushes- even gum and mints.
That's when a scream came.
"What the hell was that?" Kukai asked, looking at Mio and Cyrus.
"We checked the whole place. It was clear." Cyrus defended.
Out of know where the back door of the gas station swung open with a loud bang. In came running a girl, crying and asking for help. She looked around Ami's age, and it broke Amu's heart. The first thing everyone notice was how she fell to the ground, then began to convulse.
"Everyone out now!" Ikuto yelled, rushing everyone out of the door as the girl began to stand up and snarl.
"Fuck." Kukai mumbled, looking to the right as a group of infected began to swarm.
Amu was already with Utau at the car, tossing the supplies in and grabbing their own weapons. Just because she had a sling didn't mean Amu was completely useless. Together the girls shot at the Infected that got to close to their proximity, covering their friend's asses.
"Hurry up and get in the god damn van now!" Utau yelled, shooting an Infected in the head right between the eyes.
In a rush, Mio and Cyrus got into the van with Nagihiko and Tadase. Kukai swiftly grabbed Utau while Ikuto grabbed Amu, both jumping into the van with both females just as Nikaidou punched the gas. Barely leaving time for Kairi and Yaya to close the van doors as the female Infected from before jumped out at them.
"Now you see why we have people stay in the van Ami." Amu said, hissing in pain.
"You okay?" Tadase asked Amu.
Amu nodded, looking down at her arm. "It just really hurts."
"Let me see." Utau said.
"I'm okay." Amu argued.
Utau gave her a look that said she wasn't taking no for an answer, then moved close to Amu and helped the pinkette take off the sling. Red stained the white bandages around Amu's shoulder and Utau winced. That didn't feel good, so as carefully as she could Utau unwrapped Amu's bandages and was greeted with a horrible sight. The bullet wound was all swollen with puss. It was disgusting.
"She has an infection." Utau concluded. "I need the antibiotics and peroxide."
Ikuto rummaged through the first aid kits Amu had expertly grabbed. "We got a small bottle of penicillin, some cream type of shit, Neosporin and rubbing alcohol."
Utau motioned for Ikuto to pass her the kit before rummaging through it herself. "This penicillin isn't enough."
"Why does she need penicillin?" Yaya asked curiously.
Ami was besides Amu, holding her hand tightly. It worried her that her older sister was in so much pain and had an infection at a time like this.
"Penicillin is an antibody that fights off infections." Utau concluded. "This bottle doesn't have enough. We need to make a stop at a pharmacy if Amu is going to live."
"The closest town is Tasawa." Amu whispered.
Cyrus made a noise of protest, "It's over run by Infected. Going into that town is basically like a death with. Especially by car, you'll drawl too much attention."
"We don't have a choice!" Ikuto snapped. "She can't die!"
"We'll be better off letting her die than going on a suicide mission!" Cyrus argued back.
Kukai glared, "We let you come with us, so you'll have to deal with it man! If you don't like it then you and the girl can get off this van and go fuck yourself!"
"Fine, we will!" Cyrus grunted. "Mio."
"We're safer here." Mio whispered. "Please, let's help them."
Cyrus stared at Mio long and hard before grunting and slumping against the wall in defeat. Utau was proceeding her treatment, using the rubbing alcohol to clean her hands first before using a cotton ball and gently dabbed at Amu's bullet wound.
"Shit." Amu moaned, biting her lip.
"You'll be okay." Utau whispered. "Nikaidou, you heard that right."
Nikaidou nodded, "I'll drive a few miles away from Tasawa's town border. From there a group of us will have to enter town by foot and infiltrate the town. After they return we take the back roads to Daishōji."
"The group will be me, Kukai, and Nagihiko." Ikuto says.
"Why not me?" Utau asked.
"You need to nurse Amu." Ikuto replied.
"You don't even know what you're looking for." Utau argued as she applied antibiotic cream onto the wound. "Plus Rima or Kairi can care for Amu while I'm out."
"You can count me in your suicide mission." Cyrus offered.
Amu yelped and Utau yelled a sorry as she rebadged Amu's wound. "Then it's settled. Me, Ikuto, Kukai, Cyrus and Nagihiko will be going into Tasawa and locate a pharmacy. We are to grab penicillin and whatever other medications we can while we are there."
"We have a time limit of twenty four hours to do this." Ikuto added. "If we aren't back and you are found by Infected then you get the hell out of here and go too Daishōji yourselves."
Amu protested, "Maybe you shouldn't go-"
"We aren't about to let you die Amu!" Ikuto exclaimed, kneeling in front of her and grabbing her chin. "I'm not letting you die."
Nikaidou put the car into park, "We have reached a few miles from the Tasawa's border."
"That was a short drive." Yaya said.
"Meda and Tasawa aren't that far apart. Time passes by faster when making a plan." Nikaidou explained.
"How much is a few miles?" Nagihiko asked.
"Six miles. Don't want to be too close nor too far." Nikaidou quipped.
"Ikuto." Amu whispered. "Don't shoot anyone else okay. Only Infected."
Ikuto rolled his eyes and kissed her gently, "I promise to come back."
"Are you two dating?" Ami whispered to her elder sister.
Amu smiled and shrugged, "I don't think so, not yet at least."
With that the group of five exited the van with weapons and bags with them, heading towards the infected town that was only six miles away.
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I know I have taken forever to update this story, but here is chapter three! It was shorter than what I'd like but I know what I want to happen in this story so upcoming chapters should be a little longer.
Please leave me a review on your thoughts! I'll be happy to reach 34 reviews!
The OC's in this chapters are not mine:
Mio Sumieda belongs to KokoKaga
Cyrus West belongs to Pika-Thunder
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Also check out some of my other stories!
If you like Vampire Knight then go check out my Shugo Chara and Vampire Knight crossover: Crimson Hearts