AN: Welcome back to the continuation of this story! Sorry for taking so long, but as my fellow authors can attest, you have to follow your muse. The reception for this is amazing. So thank you very much. I am very glad that all of you liked that I killed Rei and hope you are looking forward to seeing what I have planned to slime ball Shido.
Onwards to the Story!
"Talking"
'Thinking'
"Electronic Talking"
Chapter 2: Escape the School of the Dead.
[Halls of Fujimi Academy]
"Alright everyone, remember, stay quiet, stay close, don't let those fuckers get hold of you, and aim for their head. If we see any survivors we do what we can to help them but if they refuse to see reason and accept our guidelines, they're on their own. Above all, if we see anyone sacrifice someone else for their own survivor, they die." Takashi said in a hushed tone getting nods from everyone, even though the thought of leaving or killing people behind bothered Kohta and Shizuka, but they understood that times have changed. "Let's go, the equipment shed is a fair ways away, and likely crawling with these freaks."
With that, Takashi and Saeko take point and kills any and all zombies in their path, with the Kohta bringing up the rear ready to use his nail gun as a last resort. While running silently through the school, they see even more of their classmates and schoolmates being eaten alive, however, what catches their attention as they heard barking off in the distance.
"Hold up guys," Saya says. "Did you hear that?"
"Yeah... and I don't like it..." Saeko said seriously.
"I have a bad feeling about this..." Takashi said even more worried. Seeing everyone looking at him for an explanation he sighed. "Before Igou died, he said it was just like the video games and movies. In them, there were zombified dogs, crows, mutated monsters with 6-foot tongues, and unstoppable 7-foot giants."
Kohta was getting scared now. "Y-you mean to tell us that you believe that we should not only be worried about undead humans but animals as well?"
"T-that was just in the movies though right...? It can't happen here... I mean it was possible then the news would be all over it blaming some pharmaceutical company for the creation of this virus." Shizuka said trembling.
"For now let's be extra careful. If you see anything like in the movies, kill it or run." Takashi said taking command again, trying to calm everyone down.
Unfortunately for them, Takashi was right about the storage shed was crawling with a lot of zombies, an easy 50 of them, so they hid behind a wall while Saya started thinking up a plan.
'There has to be something we can do to get to that shed... they're too many for Takashi and Miss Busujima kill even if Hirano uses the nails to help. Even then it would attract even more of them... if only we had something to get their attention.' The pinkette thought while looking around and in her back from the classroom, she and Kohta got the nail gun and drill from. Finding a spare battery for the forgotten drill she smiled.
"Takashi!" She said above a whisper to get his attention, when she did, she handed the battery to him. "Throw that as far as you can, try to hit something that will make even more noise so we can get to the shed without getting any of us killed."
He grinned and took the battery. "Good work. I knew you'd think of something, you're the smartest one here." he said earning a blush from his childhood friend at the praise, not realizing she had a crush on him, making Saeko jealous at the scene.
'Get it together, I know there is obviously history between them, and they seem to have known each other for a long time, but I don't know the extent of their relationship, not to mention he just killed the girl that was cheating on him recently. He's going to need time to get over that.' Saeko thought to herself, calming down her jealousy.
Kohta too was slightly jealous but knew he didn't stand a chance with the rich pinkette, especially since he knows that she and Komuro have been friends since they were little kids. Not to mention that both of them were athletic and he was just a fat gun otaku, even if his family had its fair share of wealth as jewelers and fashion designers.
Takashi, with battery in hand, was looking around to find something to hit far enough out of the way that he could enact Saya's plan. What he found was a metal trash can near the locker rooms. "Alright everyone, get ready. We won't have very long since the shed is usually always locked. Miss Busujima and I will stand guard, Miss Shizuka, Saya, I want you to grab as much as you can stuff into two duffel bags. Kohta, you're on cover fire, but only in an emergency, this is going to attract even more than just those 50 zombies in front of us."
That earned nervous nods as they could only hope he was wrong about the dogs and so was he. So, taking a deep breath, he tossed it as hard he could for maximum noise, and once the battery made contact, all the undead in the area stumbled to the source of the noise, and unfortunately, that included zombie dogs.
They all cursed Hisashi for jinxing them, they quickly made their way to the shed. Thankfully others apparently had the same idea since the door was already open, the lock lay on the ground busted open, some duffel bags already partly filled with bats, hockey sticks, golf clubs, and field hockey sticks, all things they could use to bash some skulls. The girls got to work filling 2 bags as quickly, and quietly as they could. Unfortunately, it seemed that the zombie dogs retain their sense of smell and noticed the group, and started stalking towards them.
"Shit... ladies, maybe pick up the pace... the dogs have noticed us and it won't be long before they notify the rest of the zombies." Takashi just loud enough for the girls to hear, who also cursed, but nodded and finished up their assigned duty.
"We're done. Let's get out of here." Shizuka said hastily.
Says nodded, handing Takashi another metal bat to toss to attempt to draw the dogs off of them. Upon taking the bat from her, their fingers touched, causing both to blush, however, they shock it off and the group's leader threw the new bat at the group of zombies, nailing one in the head before clanking on the group, drawing the attention of the dogs once again. Seeing their chance, the group made a break for it while Shizuka and Saya carried the bags. They'd arm themselves when they weren't surrounded by an increasing number of zombies and 2 undead dogs.
A minute later they were far enough away that they could catch their breath for a moment. "Damn that Igou... he had to say it. We'll need to keep an eye on the skies now too because if there are undead dogs, crows will be turned to by eating infected meat. I just hope we don't run into those tongue monsters you mentioned." Saya said quietly.
"Yeah, you're right. Looks like we'll be relying on you to take care of any airborne threatens us Kohta." Takashi said with a sigh earning a determined nod from the overweight teen. "Anyway, pic your weapons guys. Once you do we'll make our way to the bus. Looks like we have to outfit maybe... 7 or 8 other people, so we can't be giving out weapons willy-nilly."
"Before we head to the bus, where should we go? We should have a clear destination in mind." Saeko said folding her arms under her bust.
"She's right... we can't go off half-cocked." Saya said taking hold of a field hockey stick and giving it a few practice swings.
"Well... how about we search for our families while stopping at stores for supplies..." Shizuka said in her usual airhead tone, picking up a 9 iron golf club and admiring it.
Kohta picked up a regular hockey stick and thought about how he could sharpen it to make it more effective. "There's 1 problem with stopping for supplies at stores along the way. Well, 2 if you want to get technical: 1 is obvious, we need to watch out for the undead. 2: right now, the city is likely in panic mode, which means looting and hysteria. Miss Busujima said as much with the 'less civil people out there.' Aside from that, I have no problem with searching for your families. Mine are out of the country on business."
"Same with my father, I can only pray he's alright. My mother died when I was very young." Saeko said hugging herself.
"My mom's a school teacher at another school, so I hope she's alright... I haven't seen or heard from my dad in years." Takashi said wringing his bat, getting pissed at the thought of his father.
"Tch... if I know my family they'll turn our estate into a fortress and barrack the area around it with highway dividers, highway wires, you name it." Saya said clearly annoyed, but if they looked closely, they'd see her with a smile knowing her family was the most like to be safe. "What about you Miss Shizuka?"
"Oh! I don't have any family, but I have a girlfriend who works in the military. I'm sure she wouldn't mind if we used her place as a rest stop on our journey. We may even be able to appease Kohta, she's a big gun nut too, I've seen her store guns in lockers in the bedroom." The busty blonde said excitedly.
"Alright, we'll head there first. Probably the safest option on our way to Saya's place. What's the area? Ya know in case something happens that we get separated." Takashi said starting to feel better now that they had a plan.
"Umm... I think it's on the other side of Onbetsu Bridge in an apartment complex, along the river." She said, sounding a little unsure
'Great... well at least we have a general destination.' The baseball player thought.
"In any case. We've sat around long enough. We need to get to that bus and get out of here. Hopefully, we find some survivors on our way." Saeko said taking control as second in command.
Elsewhere in the school, a sleazy, well-dressed teacher with slicked-back black hair, beading yellow eyes, wearing square-framed glasses, was leading a group of students through the school, discreetly injuring the weaker or defiant ones to draw the zombies attention away from the main group, all the while telling the rest of them that the sacrificed student chose to stay behind to give them a chance to escape. His name was Koichi Shido, son of a prominent politician, Ichirou Shido, and he used his father's influence to his advantage, even within the school.
His group was also heading for the bus, however, they weren't picking up survivors on the way. No, most of the group agreed to use the weak as zombie deterrents. Only those with similar mindsets were allowed to join their group. It was a group of bullies, jocks, popular people who thought they were the center of the universe, such as cheerleaders and whatnot.
'Hmm... I'm not sure if we're going to make it... especially with these zombified dogs wandering around. Damn that Umbrella Corporation... I know they are to blame somehow.' Shido thought looking around.
"Mr. Shido, we're going to get out of here won't we?" Asked the school slut. Her name was Yuuki Miku, and everyone knew that's she's slept with just about every male teacher and male student that had any popularity or political influence. She wasn't afraid to use sexuality or her experience to get what she wants. She's even tried to seduce Takashi once but failed miserably since he was hung up on that Rei Miyamoto.
"Of course we will. We just need to make it to the bus. If we're lucky someone will have the same idea and grabbed the key from the office. If not, I can get us in and hotwire it." He replied with an innocent smile while caressing her face, in which she leaned into the touch.
10 minutes of fighting and/or evading the living dead, depending on which group it was, they all were converging on the bus, Takashi's group smashing zombies left and right, even though Kohta was starting to get exhausted from all the exercise he was getting, which was the most physical activity he'd gone through, while Shido's group was doing dirty, underhanded methods.
Takashi noticed Shido and Yuuki right away and scowled. 'Just great... Mr. Shido, the one who has the power to hold someone back a grade. I have no doubt he is the one that made that cheating whore redo a year. And of course the school slut is with him. Can't I catch a break?'
Saya also noticed Yuuki and wanted to bash her skull in. 'Of course, she'd survive. I'm not that lucky. She better not try to seduce Takashi again...'
Saeko took notice of the dark emotions on her team's faces but couldn't figure out why until she saw the second group approaching, but paid no mind since she had no issues with the group approaching them.
Once at the bus, Takashi looked at the school nurse pointedly, who immediately understood what he wanted and unlocked the bus, climbed inside, set her weapon down next to her, and started up the bus. Meanwhile, Yuuki had a lustful smirk when she saw that Rei wasn't with Takashi's group, meaning she was killed by these zombies, and therefore she could make her move on her prize once again providing Saya or Saeko didn't get in her way, the latter being the most dangerous... especially to her health.
While Takashi and Saeko were fighting off the undead while waiting for everyone to arrive and get on, both of them kept a watchful eye over the other group. "Saeko, I don't trust them. They don't have a single weapon between them, and they don't seem all that stealthy..." Takashi started as he bashed in another two brains.
"...Means they've been sacrificing others to get here..." Saeko nodded finishing her leader's sentence killing three more zombies. The thought angered both of them and those of their group that could overhear the conversation.
It was then that Takashi noticed that once of them tripped and fell, and the other didn't even look back except for Shido.
"Oh dear... you poor thing." Shido said snidely...
"Mr. Shido, please help me up. I think I've sprained my ankle." The student whined in pain.
The slimy teacher just kneed the boy in the face, breaking the kid's nose and causing him to scream in pain, drawing the attention of every zombie in the area before grinning. "This work is changing, and this is no place for weak and clumsy. Only the smart, strong, and cunning will survive." As he casually walked towards the bus with an evil grin.
Takashi growls, making the president of the kendo club back up as she continued to fend off the undead knowing he was about to unleash hell. "Hurry and get on, we're getting out of here!" She shouts out to the students.
The black-haired teenager stops Shido by pointing his bat at him. "Not you. We saw what you did. Sacrificing that kid just because he fell?"
"And what of it? It's not the first time I've done it since this has started, and it won't be the last. We cannot be worried about the sick, feeble, and/or injured anymore. Its survival of the fittest now." The teacher replied as if he's done nothing wrong.
"That's where you're wrong. Now is time to appreciate life, and help those that need it while fighting to stay alive. If we don't, we'll only be helping whatever this is spread and risking the human race's extinction." Takashi said in a low but angry tone.
"It's called triage Mr. Komuro. The selection of who is fit to live and those too weak to survive." Shido replied only to get hit in the face with Takashi's titanium bat, breaking his glasses and nose.
"And how many students and co-workers have you sacrificed so far? How many of those on the bus have followed your twisted example?" He asked ready to swing again.
"You son of bitch! You broke my nose and glasses!" Shido growled. "And to answer your question. 20 people who been eaten alive so my group could be here now and every one of them has added to that number."
Takashi growled, gnashing his teeth together, before he swings his bat and hitting behind the kneecap causing excruciating pain for the adult on the ground, then hit his arms until they break, before reading the bat to turn his brains into mush only to be stopped by Saeko.
"Stop, as much as I would love to see you kill him, we have to go, we're not equipped to handle those days, and with the noise this asshole is making, they will be here soon." She said holding the boy's arm.
"Fine." He says, getting her to let go. As she does, he delivers one last blow to the slime ball writhing in pain by grinding his foot into the teacher's balls before turning to get on the bus. "That's for holding Rei back a year when she had straight A's and for using your father's influence to sleep with staff and students alike. I hope they eat you alive and leave nothing left to turn."
Closing the door behind him, everyone but Saeko and Takashi, watch in horror as Shido was ripped apart and eaten alive by zombies and zombified dogs. Yuuki immediately changed her mind about seducing the monster in human skin. It was the baseball player that broke the silence and spoke in an emotionless tone. "Miss Shizuka, get us out of here."
The busty nurse nodded and drove over the undead and through the front gate, already accepting that creatures in front of the group weren't humans anymore, while Shido's former group kept their distance from the baseball player since they were terrified of him and what they just witnessed.
Saya slowly approached her crush, extending her hand to comfort him, especially since she heard what he said about his dead ex-girlfriend. "Takashi... are you ok?"
He sighed, turning his back to the heiress of the Takagi family. "I just broke one of our rules Saya... I left a man to die at the hands of those things... and I don't even regret it. I actually watched in satisfaction as he was eaten alive. I'm a horrible person."
"No, you're not. He sacrificed so many students and teachers, and probably would have continued to do so. Not to mention he more than likely would have created a divide between our group and his." Saya said softly.
"She right you know, if you were a horrible person, you wouldn't be feeling tormented over the fact that you don't regret leaving him for dead. Or is that you regret not being about to kill him yourself?" Saeko asked sternly.
Before Takashi could answer, a carrot-top boy stood up and stomped over. "Of course he does! He's nothing but a murderer! We've all heard that he's killed someone before and I'd be willing to bet he killed both Igou and Miyamoto to save his own skin."
Takashi growled and clenched his bat tightly in his hand, ready to beat the living snot out of the bastard but the pink-haired genius spoke up, defending her friend. "Shut up Tsunoda! Igou was already turned when Komuro was forced to bash his skull in, and Miyamoto was bitten by Igou and asked him to kill her so she wouldn't be a danger to anyone else!"
Yuuki smirked. "Oh don't give me that Takagi, everyone knew that she was Igou's little slut for a week before she decided to finally break it off with this fool. I wouldn't be surprised if she used this monster's short temper to get him to kill her so she could remain with Igou where ever he turned and bit her."
Takashi stood there shaking, his hair covering his eyes, his back still turned to the majority of the bus occupants and spoke in an eerily calm voice. "You know what, I did kill Rei after she told me about her cheating on me, I hit her once and saw her serene face, then proceeded to her face into a bloody pulp. Not to mention the loudmouth was right, I did want to kill that sleazeball myself because then I would have felt better than leaving him to the undead with the possibility of him being a problem for someone else when he's a zombie himself." Then he turned around with a deathly serious look on his face. "And I'll do the same to any of you who think sacrificing another's life in order to save yourself or the group is alright. As I told that bastard before Miss Busujima pulled me away, things have changed, human life is even more precious with the outbreak. Those that disagree are free to get off the bus when we get into town.
However, if you decide to stay, you will be required to pick up a weapon and do your fair share. No one is going to babysit you or act as your bodyguard. And what would happen if you get separated from the group and surrounded by them? Would you rather just cower and hide in an attempt to save your life, out would you rather take as many of them down with you?"
Everyone aside from the original group was scared, not only by Takashi admitting he killed his ex but by the fact that he said he'd kill them as well if they continued to sacrifice lives to save themselves. They weren't even bothered at the thought of being alone out there in the horde of zombies. Being in the presence of this murderer was terrifying. They all were thinking they take their chances with the undead in the streets, not realizing that it wouldn't just be the undead they had to worry about.
"And before you consider leaving, you may want to consider that not everyone is going to accept this. There are going to be people who will take advantage of the chaos and start riots, looting, even raping and killing for the fun of it, knowing full well that law enforcement will be forced on other things. What those things maybe? I have no idea." Saya said smugly, knowing full well what the self-absorbed idiots were thinking. "So, if you're alright with that kind of risk... by all means, get off the bus when we reach the city."
"Oh, what do you know Takagi? You'll likely be rescued by your father and his forces, and kept safe in that fortress-like mansion." Tsunoda yelled, trying not to sound disturbed by her comment.
"I highly doubt that... Right now he's probably working on securing places like the Power Station, Water Treatment Plants, not to mention setting up a defensive parameter around the estate to the refugees they are likely going to take in." She replied with a shrug. "I'm likely the last thing on his mind and Mom is helping him even if she is likely worried about me."
[Takagi Estate]
At the same time, on grounds of the Takagi Estate two figures stood still facing each other while everyone was running around fortifying defenses and communications. One of them was a gorgeous woman with purple hair and purple eyes, wearing a stunning red dress that exposed much of her cleavage and legs and red heels. This was Saya's mother, Yuriko Takagi.
The other was an American Agent in japan on a lead for someone he's been searching for ages. He was currently under the employ of the Takagi family while searching for his quarry. He had light brown hair, blueish grey eyes, wearing a brown leather jacket, with a tight dark blue t-shirt underneath, and blue jeans with a belt that had one holster for his gun on his right leg and a combat knife hidden under his jacket. This was Leon S. Kennedy.
"Agent Kennedy, I know you are here to search for Ms. Wong, but right now I need you to go out there and find my daughter, and bring her home safely. If she is with a group, which I assume she will be, bring them here with her. Do this and my husband and I will personally help you find who you are looking for." Yuriko said calmly and professionally while handing him a photo. "As a frontal payment, we took this off an airport security camera. It was taken 3 hours ago..."
"...an hour before the virus was released." Leon mused aloud, taking the photo before looking serious. "Alright, Mrs. Takagi. I'll find your daughter and bring her and her friends back here safe in sound. Do you have long-range radios or some way for me to keep in contact with you in case I require backup as well as a recent photo of your daughter and any of her friends?"
"Yes of course." She said as she fished out a recent photo, one taken just a month ago. It was of Saya and Takashi at the start of the year. Poor Saya had a massive blush on her face while looking off the side trying to hide from the young man. "This her and her childhood friend Takashi. He's a baseball player last I heard and he wouldn't let anything happen to her. Although he does have one wicked temper, he killed a rapist in the park who he caught in the act."
"I like him already. But are you sure he'll be with her?" He asked as he was handed a long-range radio and a GPS unit so he could find his way through the city.
"I know he is, even if he was in love with another girl, he is highly protective over my daughter. He wouldn't leave her side in an event like this. Call it mother's intuition. Not to mention while my daughter tries to deny it, she has a big crush on him." The purple-haired mother said with conviction.
"Alright. I'll be off once I grab a few more weapons and needed ammunition. Do you have any idea where they would be heading?" The US. Agent said as he left for the storage shed while thinking. 'Just great, I'll have to deal with a couple of lovesick teenagers. Something tells me that by the time I find them those two will be all over each other.'
Yuriko shook her head no. "I haven't a clue. If I had to guess Saya, Takashi and whoever else they save along the way will likely be looking for their families, which will eventually lead them here, however..."
"I get it, you want the reassurance. I'll do my best to find and lead them here." He said having grabbed a shotgun with 20 rounds, and 60 extra rounds for his pistol and left out the front gate.
[Back on the bus with Takashi and crew]
"Saya, I'm sure your mom is taking extra measures to make sure you make it home safely." Takashi said softly pulling her into a hug.
"Thanks, Takashi..." Saya said quietly as she buried herself into the hug, as she really needed the reassurance right now.
"Whatever..." Tsunoda grumbled. "I still think we should have held up in the school and wait for help to come."
"Oh really? How did you plan on doing that? When we found you, not one of you had a weapon, the cafeteria was likely overrun by them not to mention the water fountains were covered in blood and guts." Saeko asked with her arms crossed under her bust, ignoring the affectionate display between the pair. Seeing no response from the asshole she huffed and sat down.
'Well, it seems Komuro is moving on quickly... Should have known it'd be that rich snob that scoops him up.' Yuuki thought bitterly to herself as she sat in the back, waiting to get off at the first opportunity. 'Oh well, better her than me. I wouldn't want to be with someone with such a short temper or who is willing to kill so readily.'
After that little alteration, it was a quiet drive. Everyone watched out the window seeing all the same chaos and carnage, the only thing that was different was what the original group had predicted. Rioting, looting, and they wouldn't put it past the gangs and whatnot were out there killing and raping women and children. They could only hope that their families were safe.
AN: And that's it! I figure it's a good spot to stop. Yeah, it's slightly shorter than usual but really, if I went any farther we'd end into city scenes and I want save that for the next chapter. I've introduced Leon and mentioned Ada while implicated that she was the one that released the virus. Also, I want to say that Takashi is NOT moving on yet, he is just being a good friend and comforting the only friend he has left in the world.
My question for you people: Who should accompany Takashi when he gets off the bus for supplies? Saya or Saeko?