October 2, 2024 update: Updated the whole chapter. Also added one more music to the final scene taken from the Zombie Land Saga Original Soundtrack.
Chapter summary: Grappling with the fact they were brought back to life to enact a crazy, ludicrous plan concocted by an equally quirky manager, Sakura and Kakyoin learn more details of the plan, who their groupmates are, and what the manager will do to... wake them up and make them conscious again like he had done to them. A whole day worth of crazy events shall transpire against their will which kickstarts their second, bizarre life as a big group of zombies living and working to 'save' Saga Prefecture.
If someone told Kakyoin that he would be revived as a zombie after dying at the age of 17, he would give them a confused and horrified look before dismissing it. Especially so if it's done in an unexpected way or they get satisfaction in making someone feel uncomfortable. Well whether he believed them or not, they had the last laugh because that's exactly what's happening this morning. And it's all thanks to the work of an eccentric man who espoused his goal of 'saving' Saga Prefecture.
Just when I thought my life was out of the ordinary already… Here comes me as a living corpse who fortunately didn't hunger for brains, sitting together with Sakura in this basement. Which looked like a dungeon for some reason. Kakyoin internally sighed.
When he was with the Crusaders (the group was originally unnamed, and would've stayed that way if Polnareff didn't decide to name the group "Stardust Crusaders", coined after Jotaro's Stand. Aside from his brief complaint, no one objected and the name stuck for the most part), he would take a bath, adjust his hair, clothing and any personal belongings he took on the journey, eat breakfast, have a chat with his friends, and set off to their next location. It was a mundane activity compared to the group's arduous fights against many enemy Stand Users, always hounding them no matter where they go, but if he's being honest, it was as close to being "normal" as far as being a Stand User can get.
However, him sitting next to his newest companion in a dimly lit basement containing a jail cell for some reason which accentuates the eerie atmosphere and twelve zombies roaming around emitting inhuman groans may be the icing on the cake over the bizarre sights he thought he already got used to seeing.
Never mind the fact that he and Sakura are alive… as zombies, fully conscious and in control of their bodies unlike the twelve.
If he's being honest again, as much as he does not want to imagine it, it's probably better if he stays dead if only to avoid this absurd scenario.
Staring at the back of the chalkboard with nervous eyes, Sakura is trying her best to process that this is her very first day as a living undead. Looking at the kimono woman, the little girl, the blonde man struggling to walk properly, a boy who looks like a lady striding around with limbs stretched out sideways, and the raven-haired woman inspecting the chalkboard, Sakura was this close to admitting that she may had seen it all.
Meanwhile, Kakyoin turned around to see Avdol, the braided man and the Frankenstein-looking girl clutching the bars while moaning creepily. Raising an eyebrow, he remembered hearing from Jotaro that Avdol and Joseph visited him in the police station, where he let himself be imprisoned after his Stand, or "evil spirit" as he called it before learning what it actually is, manifested. Avdol would force him out of his cell using Magician's Red, and only that as Joseph instructed.
Taking note of the blonde woman holding out her arms forward, the long-haired cowboy with one arm raised and a man with zipper motifs prancing next to a girl covered in bandages while clutching his left shoulder, Kakyoin resisted the urge to shake his head. Their groaning and mindless trudging is getting to him now, making him almost use Hierophant Green to tie them all up in one place.
Trying to get his mind off of them, he turns to Sakura and strikes up a conversation. "So… did you get a good sleep last night?"
Turning to him, Sakura shakes her head. "No. I was wide awake because I tried in vain to remember anything. Other than that, the fact that I came back to life as a zombie is what kept me up the whole night."
"Well, good thing we're zombies because we might not need any sleep," Kakyoin yawned despite his words. "Otherwise, you would be deprived of any energy."
"I don't think that's a good habit to be having."
A door swinging open snaps their attention to it and the man who brought them back to life as he enters. Named Kotaro Tatsumi, he walked near the chalkboard with a greeting to start the day. Once he stood at attention with his arms plopped on his waist, he exclaimed, "Goooood morning, ladies and gentlemeeeeen!"
Ignoring the mindless zombies, he set his shaded eyes on the two awakened zombies currently sitting in the center of tumbled or moved fourteen chairs. When he sees they weren't returning the greeting, he walked up to them before bending closer to their faces for their discomfort, and repeating louder, "I SAID GOOOOOOOD MORNIIIING!"
"G-G-Good morning!" Sakura stuttered back, getting nervous from Kotaro getting so close and shouting right to her ear.
"Good morning." Kakyoin greeted calmly, looking unfazed.
"A correct response!" Kotaro exclaimed, "You two will be working with your respective teams, so a little respect is required for cooperation. If you don't have any respect, then no one will acknowledge you, just like the others."
"…They're still acting like the zombies they actually are. When… do they start acting normal like us?" Kakyoin pointed out the obviously not yet conscious zombies.
"Trust me. They will be sooner or later," he said. Feeling something fuzzy rubbing his leg, he looks down to see it was the zombie poodle the two saw last night.
"Ah. Hey there, Romero. Good job wrangling the girls and guys in today." He complimented the dog before dropping a piece of dried squid from his breast pocket onto the floor. The dog smiled at the treat reward before digging in.
カブッ!
Whether their imaginations are kicking in or he can transform somehow, Romero suddenly looks like a big scary dog as he eats the squid with ferocious intensity. Sakura shrieked and tried to scoop away on her seat while Kakyoin is unnerved by his appearance.
N-Note to self! Do not feed dried squid to dogs, especially zombie ones, by yourself! She thought as a precaution.
"And so here we are," continued Kotaro as he returned to his original position. "Let's work hard to get you all to cooperate together to turn these zombie girls into idols, and have the zombie guys protect you rotten girls… starting today!"
With the exception of Sakura and Kakyoin, none of the zombies listened naturally, so they continued prancing around.
Wondering if thid is the time he will reveal more details about his plan to "save" Saga, Kakyoin takes the opportunity to ask him, "Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure. Ask away." Kotaro permitted, pointing his hand like a gun.
"Will you explain on how you're gonna turn Sakura and the girls idols, while also having me, Avdol and the rest to protect them from enemies, all in an effort to… save Saga?"
"And why am I chosen as an idol?" Sakura added.
"As for your question Kakyoin-kun, yes, I'll explain more. And as for you Sakura-chan… it's to 「save」 Saga."
"…By ｢being an idol｣?"
"That's right," he nodded with utmost seriousness. "In this day and age, regional idols are becoming a thing of the past, but because of that, the 「competition」 has died out as well. You'll capitalize on that to save Saga which is itself on the verge of becoming a 「thing」 of the past. And boom."
Flipping the chalkboard over to show something written on the other side, Kotaro confidently declares, "We call it the ｢Zombie Land Saga Project｣, baby!"
Noticing something odd about the board, Kakyoin points it out. "…The chalkboard is upside-down."
"Huh?" Looking at the board, he sees it is upside down, and so too are the words. He quickly flips the board again before turning it around so it's now displaying the name properly. "There. Happy now?" Kotaro replied, trying not to feel indignant.
"I am." Despite the bizarre situation he's in, Kakyoin never hesitates to crack a smile.
"W-Wait a second please!" The two look at Sakura having concern and anxiousness written on her face. "I… I don't remember anything from when I was alive. So asking me to be an idol or to save Saga is…"
"No need to worry," interjected Kotaro. "You ain't alone 'cause the others have some baggage too."
Kakyoin raises an eyebrow. "Does that include the zombie guys and Avdol?"
"Who else Kakyoin-kun? In fact, those three over there have even more baggage than the rest of the rotting zombies and you two," he pointed to the man with zipper decorations, a guy who looks like a lady and the crawling man. Trust me when I say that. Their pasts are too haunting enough that I feel an ounce of pity on the three."
His statement makes the two curious as to how they have more baggage than them. As for Kakyoin, he could wonder how having no friends due to his belief that everyone would never understand him because he has Hierophant Green be considered less baggage or on par to these three.
Speaking of which, it's about time the two learn who these twelve zombies are. Spurred by this thought, Sakura asks, "Uh, and they are…?"
"Curious?" Kotaro teased.
"Of course we are," Kakyoin replied, folding his arms as he waits for their introductions. "In fact, this girl has bitten Sakura thirteen times since this morning. I had to remove her from Sakura's body also exactly thirteen times." Sakura lifted up her arm to show the long-haired, creepy woman, the same one they encountered last night, biting her arm.
"They're…｢legends｣."
"Legends?" The two parroted in unison.
"That's right. ｢Legends｣." Kotaro repeated. Holding a dried squid in his hand for the woman, who let go of Sakura's arm when she saw it and hungrily bite it, he says more, "They're the legendary girls and boys I have chosen and revived to save Saga. And together with you two, they will form two ultimate teams!"
Kotaro kickstarts the introduction of these so-called legends by pointing dramatically to the blonde-haired girl first. "She conquered all of Kyushu at the turn of the century as the second-in-command of the 「Dorami」 biker gang! Cower before the 「Legendary Kamikaze Squad Leader」, SAKI NIKAIDO! ! ! !"
She's a member of a biker gang huh? Kakyoin looked at the girl curiously, and warily, after hearing her title. He's not intimidated though.
…I-I hope I don't get on her bad side! As for Sakura, she felt immediately nervous when she heard she was a biker gang member.
Pointing to the puffy haired girl still gripping the bars next, Kotaro shouts, "This girl single-handedly gave rise to the 「idol boom」 of the 1980s! The 「Legendary Showa-period Idol」… JUNKO KONNO! ! !"
Kakyoin's eyes widen when he hears Junko's name. Junko Konno? The idol who perished when the plane she's in crashed on its way to Saga? Looking over at the white-haired girl still holding the bars, Kakyoin did not expect she's the one and the same. While he may not know her well, he did hear about her and her tragic death.
Pointing next to the woman in the kimono, Kotaro states, "From the turbulent time spanning the death of the shogunate into the 「Meiji era」 , the 「Legendary Courtesan」 known only as… YUGIRI! ! !"
Shogunate? Meiji era? Sakura is in surprised, and in awe over what this Yugiri accomplished. and that Kotaro managed to revive someone from the Meiji period. By that point, her body would have withered until she's nothing but bones.
Heck, she and Kakyoin would have withered to bones too given many years have passed after their deaths.
Turning to the twin-tailed kid with an exposed heart, Kotaro continues, "After her debut on a long-running period drama, she left her mark on every network in the nation's 「prime-time shows」! 「Legendary Child Actress Prodigy」… LILY HOSHIKAWA! ! !"
So even a young kid has died. Kakyoin solemnly thought, believing she got it worse than him due to having died so young than him or Sakura.
Child actress prodigy? Wow. She must be really good for someone so young to earn that title. Such a shame she died too young … Sakura both complemented and expressed pity, sharing Kakyoin's feelings about her dying so young.
Pointing two fingers at the short-haired girl, the suited man reveals, "After the year 2000 when all the major idol groups were at war, she was the implacable center for the number-one group 「Iron Frill」! 「Legendary Heisei-period Idol」… AI MIZUNO! ! ! !"
Turning to the Heisei-period idol, Sakura has a feeling she recognizes that girl. Wait… Isn't she…?
"｢The Legendary TAE YAMADA｣! ! !" He lastly introduced the final zombie girl, without adding anything worth detailing. "Aaaaaaaand they will be joining you Sakura-chan on your-"
"W-Wait a second, just a second!" Sakura stops him after realizing the last zombie girl got a simplistic and anti-climactic introduction compared to the previous five. "That last one…"
"｢The Legendary TAE YAMADA｣!" Kotaro repeated.
Unconvinced due to how abrupt he introduced her, Sakura says, "I'm sorry, I don't think I heard you. The legendary…"
"…｢TAE YAMADA｣!" He repeated thrice, without elaborating more.
"Uhhh, isn't there… Anything else?"
"DOES THERE HAVE TO BEEE?!" Kotaro shouted as he zoomed his face close to hers again, looking irritated.
Shrieking when he unexpectedly gets close to her again, Sakura says, "B-B-But what's her legend about-"
"WHO SAYS A LEGEND HAS TO BE ABOUT ANYTHING?! ?!
"Then isn't she just a normal zom-"
"WHAT MAKES YOU LEGENDARY THEN?! GO ON, TELL THEM! OR IS IT THAT YOU'RE NOT A LEGENDARY ONE, HUH?! YOU DUMBASS ZOMBIIIIIIIIIIE! ! ! ! !"
"THAT'S ENOUGH! ! !"
Kakyoin's voice cut through Kotaro's words loud enough to stop him from pestering Sakura. The two turn to see him glaring at Kotaro for intruding on her private space, his obnoxiously shouting and mocking Sakura. With folded arms, he said, "Don't try to add more discomfort to her. She has a lot to deal with on top of it, so please… Stop insulting her."
After staring at him with a blank look, Kotaro concedes with a shoulder shrug, seemingly not regretting screaming at Sakura, stating, "Alright, if you insist."
Touched by Kakyoin's intervention for her, she says, "Hey, you didn't need to stand up for me. What if he shouts at you next?"
"Then I'll stand my ground. You don't exactly look confident the whole time, so I had to. I was concerned." He replied earnestly. "And also, I don't want to go deaf thanks to Tatsumi-san."
Giggling at the last part, Sakura smiles and says, "Yeah, I can understand. Well, thanks for topping him, Kakyoin."
"AAAAAANYWAY! Back on the topic in haaaaand!" Kotaro yelled abruptly. "Now that I introduced you two to the girls, it's about time for the zombie guys to be introduced! Pay attention this time Kakyoin-kun! It's important to know who you will be working with!"
Dramatically pointing his fingers again, he begins introducing Kakyoin's teammates starting with Avdol hugging the wall next to the cage. "An Egyptian fortune teller and friend of Kakyoin, he is one member of the group who ventured towards Egypt to ｢kill an evil vampire｣ in order to save a member's own mother! The ｢Legendary Fortune Teller｣… MUHAMMAD AVDOL! ! ! ! "
Avdol… Never thought that I would say this as a zombie but… it's good to see you again. Kakyoin smiled at the groaning undead Egyptian, glad that someone he knew was present.
Evil… vampire? Sakura can feel her spine shivering just from thinking about it. What kind of journey did Kakyoin and Avdol embark on to reach this vampire? And did they really encounter this vampire? Or do vampires exist?
Two fingers are pointed to the man in a white suit next as Kotaro shouts, "A member and capo of the infamous Italian mafia called ｢Passione｣ , he and his team have betrayed the boss in order to usurp him and reform the organization from within! ｢Legendary Caporegime｣… BRUNO BUCCIARATI! ! ! !"
Wh-Wh-WHAT?! A-A m-member of a M-M-M-MAFIA!? Screaming internally, Sakura is shocked to learn Kotaro has revived a member of a mafia, much less a high-ranking member. If she's hoping not to make Saki angry, then she better hope Bucciarati does not look at her with killer eyes lest she positively melt under his glare.
While Kakyoin isn't outwardly as surprised as she is, he is wary that a gangster is recruited like the biker girl.
Pointing dramatically again to the messy-haired boy standing with his arms spread wide and head tilted up, Kotaro reveals, "Another member of Passione working under Bucciarati, this kid will not hesitate to follow his leader's command to accomplish his team's goals, even if it means ｢betraying the boss｣! He's the ｢Legendary Soldato｣… NARANCIA GHIRGA! ! ! ! "
Oh, he's affiliated with Bucciarati-san? Kakyoin thought. Although he seemed young like him, he could tell Narancia was not someone to be trifled with if Bucciarati was willing to betray his boss, not to mention being part of a mafia.
…W-Wait, Narancia-san's a boy? I thought he was a girl! On the other hand, Sakura is surprised to learn his real gender. His outfit, thin build, and androgynous voice have led her to believe he's a girl. Other than that, she better hope Narancia doesn't look at her the wrong way too.
Pointing towards the man lying on the ground with his head turned one side and limbs spread out a little, Kotaro exclaims, "An equestrian currently afflicted with a mild paraplegia who is not around these parts alongside his friend and the planter man, having such a disability will not deter this man from participating a transcontinental horse race in order to ｢walk｣ again! The ｢Legendary Jockey｣… JOHNNY JOESTAR ! ! ! !"
Kakyoin perks up when he hears Johnny's last name. "Huh? Wait a second. Did I hear you right? Is his last name… ｢Joestar｣?" He asked Kotaro.
"Yup. You heard me. Johnny Joestar." Kotaro reaffirmed.
"…Really? He's a Joestar? Could it be, is he… a lost relative?" He asked more, wondering what Johnny's connection to the two Joestars he knows.
"Nope, he isn't. I'm aware you were affiliated with two ｢JoJos｣ Kakyoin-kun, but despite that moniker and his same last name, Johnny's not related to them, believe me."
Blinking twice in puzzlement, he asks yet again, "Then, who is he? And why is he called-"
"If you want to know why he's a Joestar in spite of being unrelated to the Joestars you know, let me just say he's… ｢not from around here｣. That goes too for his friend and the planter man. And no, I don't mean they're from a faraway country or city. If you're still confused, which you likely are, hold that thought for now 'cause I'll tell you in a day or two. Is that clear?"
"…Ooookay?" He dropped the subject, curiosity and confusion still etched on his face. He's wondering who exactly is Johnny Joestar and what Kotaro meant when he and the two as-of-yet-introduced zombies are not around here.
As for Sakura, she is surprised to learn he's paraplegic; now she sees it makes sense why he is crawling instead of walking. She did see him having trouble standing up properly, so he's experiencing lingering effects of his paraplegia. So that's why he has trouble standing up. He must be impressive if he was willing to join a horse race in spite of his condition.
"Moving on!" Kotaro directed the two next to the long-haired blonde man still raising a hand like he's catching or holding something. "A dear friend of Johnny and a participant to the race, he is an executioner for the Kingdom of Naples who participated in the race to win amnesty for a child in death row, and also an expert of the mysterious ｢Spin｣ technique! ｢Legendary Executioner｣… GYRO ZEPPELI! ! ! ! !"
E-Executioner…? Warily looking over Gyro, Sakura marks him as the fourth person she hopes not to get on the wrong side or else she'll die the second time.
As for Kakyoin, he's naturally curious about Gyro, referred to as Johnny's friend. Gyro Zeppeli… Hmm, his last name… Have I heard his name before? Probably from Joestar-san's mouth when he and Avdol recounted his own adventure from his youth and how they came to know DIO. …And what's this about the Spin?
"And last but not the least…!" He lastly points to the man in a jumpsuit lying on his back near a seat. His introduction is thankfully not anti-climactic unlike Tae's. "Hired by a family patriarch as a secret plant appraiser and fruit grower, he helped two acquaintances of the patriarch's family to recover a ｢mysterious fruit｣ capable of healing one body part but in exchange of turning the other part to stone! ｢Legendary Plant Appraiser｣… RAI MAMEZUKU! ! ! ! !"
Plant appraiser? Oh, guess the vines on his jumpsuit and grape decoration on his hat aren't there for show. Kakyoin mused.
"Aaaaaaaaaand there you have it! These are the zombie guys you will work with, Kakyoin-kun!" Kotaro declared bombastically. "You're part of a team of Stand Users who will guard the up-and-coming zombie idols and fight against enemies that will threaten the girls and Saga!"
"…Stand Users huh?" Turning to his soon-to-be teammates, Kakyoin already knew what to say about his team. "I must admit. This is an interesting and most bizarre group I ended up in. But in a good way. If what you said about them aside Avdol is true… then I'm willing to work with them and do as you instructed me. Sure beats being a walking, living corpse who can only do nothing but prowl around with no purpose." Except for Magician's Red, he's curious about what Stands Bucciarati, Narancia, Johnny, Gyro and Rai have. Since Kotaro knows they have Stands and possibly the enemy Stands said to be making trouble in Saga, then he shall follow his bidding and do his best to work together with them. The circumstance behind is founded on an absurd, insane reasoning, but he chose to accept it and make no fuss of it. Chalk it up to the nature of him being a Stand User one would like, but he already made up his decision.
Now if only they snap out from their mindless states, he can work with them sooner than later.
"Bizarre is right, but I assure you, your group will be the best bodyguard group there ever is!" Kotaro confidently agreed.
"Kotaro-san, Kakyoin, can you two explain to me about Stands already? I think this is the perfect time to explain it, right?"
Hearing Sakura's question born from mounting curiosity and slight impatience pushing her to bring it up, Kakyoin and Kotaro turned to the redhead. Remembering that he was about to explain what Stands are yesterday until Kotaro forces him to save it for tomorrow, he guesses now's the right time to explain.
"Fine. Have your way, Kakyoin-kun."
After getting Kotaro's permission, he begins explaining what's the deal of Stands.
"To give you a clear answer, ｢Stands｣ are physical manifestations of a person's life energy that is psychically projected in any form. They represent one's fighting spirit, desire, or passion and gifts one with extraordinary abilities. They're called Stands because they appear standing next to their user, ready to act under their command. Those who have Stands are called ｢Stand Users｣ and each individual user has different types, forms, and abilities based on a user's psyche."
Listening intently, Sakura is amazed. To think such a phenomenon exists that can give one unique powers based on their psyche… Musing over his explanation, she took note of the fact that Stands appear near their user when they're called…
"Kakyoin, when we first encountered the zombies last night, a humanoid figure appeared in front of you and fired emeralds against them," she reminded him. "Could that be your Stand?"
"Yes. Hierophant Green is my St-"
!
He didn't finish his reply when he realized the implication behind Sakura's words. He's not alone here as Kotaro, despite his eyes obscured behind his sunglasses, does have a hint of surprise on his face.
"…Wait. What did you just say, Sakura?" Kakyoin asked with eyes wide as he double-checked her statement.
"About the figure I saw last night… Was it your Stand?" She obliged.
Believing he may have misheard her, Kakyoin summons Hierophant Green before asking, "Can you see my Stand ｢hovering｣ near me?"
"Ah! Yes! I can ｢see｣ it! The Stand from last night!"
There is silence between the three aside from the groans of twelve zombies prowling about and the sound of a Stand dispersing. It would be three seconds before Kakyoin and Kotaro broke the silence with a surprised "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?"
"Whawawawawawawa-!? W-W-What's wrong?"
"SAKURA-CHAAAAAAN! DID YOU… DID YOU JUST…!?" Kotaro zoomed close to her face for the third time as he's having a breakdown of some sort.
"Did you really see my Stand!?" Kakyoin inquired with an equally shocked expression, standing up and joining Kotaro in moving close to her, albeit not too much.
Almost freaking out as to why they're so shocked but seeing they're waiting for her answer, she nods affirmatively. "Y-Yes. I-I did see your Stand, Kakyoin."
The two remained in that stance for three seconds before they backed off once seeing she's telling the truth. Calling Hierophant Green back, Kakyoin stood up straight and rubbed his chin, still in disbelief and processing Sakura had seen Hierophant Green. "I can't believe this… How can you see my Stand, Sakura? You obviously don't have one, so how in the world can you see it?"
"Um… Am I supposed not to be seeing it normally?"
"You weren't supposed to," Kotaro replied, pushing his shades after calming himself down. "Only Stand Users can see other Stands. If you don't have one, you can't see them at all."
"Really?" Sakura is a little surprised, now sharing their perplexed state over her being able to see Stands. "But if that is true, then why can I see them?"
"Who knows? It is puzzling to be sure, but…" Shrugging first, Kakyoin had thought of the implication and may have realized the reason why. "Perhaps… You have the ｢potential｣…" He told her.
"…The potential?"
"The potential to ｢gain｣ a Stand," he added. "There's so much I don't know about Stands in general but whether you will gain one or not… We'll have to wait and see," Remembering that Kotaro knows about Stands, he turns to him and asks, "If I'm curious Tatsumi-san, can you see my Stand?"
"No, I can't," he stated simply. "I don't have a Stand like I told you last night so obviously I can't see them. As for how Sakura-chan can see your Stand, even I'm curious if she can potentially summon her own… BUT!" Suddenly pointing one finger to Sakura, Kotaro tells her, "I must remind you, Number One, that you're an idol first and foremost, so whether you think you can summon a Stand or not, that's irrelevant when you and the zombie idols are about to have a stimulating performance ｢tonight｣!"
"Well, I admit I- W-W-Wait. Performance…?" Sakura repeated in surprise.
"And tonight?" Kakyoin added.
"That's right! Your first appearance as an idol iiiiiiisssss…! TONIIIIIIGHT! ! ! ! !" Kotaro announced, grandiosity and confidence lacing his voice that isn't shared by Kakyoin and especially Sakura.
"…"
"…"
"WHAAAAAAT!?"
A crowd filled with heavy metal fans are waiting outside the Geils Live House, all present to eagerly hear their favored music genre inside and scream their lungs out. Among the crowd, one tall guy with a lanky frame and a short chubby guy are present, both wanting nothing more than to hear the sound of metal scream in the dead of night.
Their attention was diverted when their ears heard a vehicle hitting the brakes on the asphalt. They turn to the black van parked at the red carpet and watch as two tall men wearing a suit and green uniform, the latter having a skeptical look, exit the van from the front seats. The sunglass-wearing man opens the sliding door where seven girls step out. What's odd about them is that except for the red-haired one, they act lethargic or unfocused, more so in their gaits. None of them make a comment or fuss about it however.
To make sure the girls and Kakyoin aren't outed as zombies, Kotaro put them all in makeup, expertly so because Sakura and the girls look so pretty and, Kakyon's case, handsome and indistinguishable from before they died. This is something the two conscious zombies are amazed of and would have complimented Kotaro if it weren't for the even more ridiculous situation he put Sakura and the mindless girls in.
While the zombie girls in disguise follow Kotaro, including the reluctant and anxious-as-hell Sakura, Kakyoin takes his time to look at the crowd, noticing the stares perpetuating from them as they wonder why seven girls are here in a venue dedicated for the heavy metal music. Some of them, mostly female, look at him with indifference though some seem to admire him for his looks.
This is not gonna end well… Kakyoin shakes his head before following Kotaro and Sakura inside.
On the venue's main stage, the metal band rouses the hardcore fans of their head banging music, earning them cheers and shouts over the song crashing to their ears. Meanwhile, in the backstage of the venue, Sakura looks at a poster she's holding in her trembling hands. Remarking the rock-inspired art isn't idol-like at all, she's questioning what Kotaro is thinking on choosing this venue to be first ever performance and debut of Death Musume (Name Pending).
Speaking of Kotaro, he is currently facing the brunt of a one-sided argument from Kakyoin over his decisions tonight.
"Look, I'm telling you! This is crazy!" Kakyoin insisted. "Their 'first performance' is guaranteed to be a disaster!"
"I assure you, Cherry Boy," Kotaro remains unmoved, calling him by his nickname as a way of concealing his identity. "I have everything under control here. I know what I am doing is seen as absolutely crazy in your own view, but please know that I have a specific ｢reason｣ for choosing the girls' first ever performance here."
"If you have everything under control here, then look at the other girls!" He pointed to the roaming zombies in disguise, all of whom are wearing their "stage performance" outfit including Sakura which are actually just casual clothes chosen at a last minute. "Related to my first point, them being unawakened spells disaster for their upcoming performance, don't you think!?"
"Hey! Hey! Hey! No, no, no!"
The three turn to Tae chewing an earpiece, believing it to be food. A staff member attempts to stop her from chewing it more as he says, "You can't go gnawing on that! It costs lots of money!" Once he gets it off of her, the staff leaves the room to clean the saliva off. Tae blankly stares at him, somewhat disappointed, before she continues her mindless prowling.
"See my point there?" Kakyoin said with arms crossed.
"I agree! Tae-chan's gonna bite someone in that state!" Sakura concurred, standing up to look at Kotaro with pleading eyes, silently begging him to change his mind to stop this madness.
"…"
"…"
"…So! What do you think of the special makeup skills I learned in Hollywood? Nobody noticed that there are zombies here~" Kotaro stated proudly with a smile, purposely switching the urgent topic to the makeup put on Sakura, Kakyoin and the zombie girls. The two didn't like he dodge the main concern.
"That's not the real issue here!"
Turning to look at her reflection in irritation, her pouting face softens as she, admittedly, liked Kotaro's work putting on their disguise. "Although, it's impressive."
"Yeah, I agree. You must have done some trial and error until your skills are perfected, to the point we look like a human." Kakyoin admitted too, leaning to the mirror to see his reflection.
"I hope you're not bothered that a guy like you has to use makeup. Obviously can't let everyone know you're a zombie, right?" Kotaro replied.
"I do not mind at all if it means keeping our identities secret." He shrugged, looking at his hands and back to his face shown in the mirror. Hmm, I wonder if I should add something to my face? Maybe lipstick? Would I look good with lipstick on, I wonder?
At this moment, the lead singer of the band let out a scream through a megaphone, riling up the cheering audience. The scream is loud enough it can be heard beyond the stage through the walls, reaching the backstage. Tae continues prowling until she hears the scream and accompanying rock music. She stops for a moment to listen while groaning…
…before she started headbanging.
Surprised over her sudden act, Sakura stammers in her speech to convey her bewilderment, "W-W-What!? What, what, what is this!? What's going on?!"
As she and Kakyoin stare at the black-haired zombie headbanging in shock, Yugiri and Ai next imitate Tae, freaking out the two more. "W-What the hell?" Kakyoin spluttered out.
Junko, Lily and Saki follow suit, and therefore create a group of headbanging zombies. Naturally, the two couldn't be more at a loss.
"No, no, no!" Acting in panic, Sakura borrowed six dried squids from Kotaro's breast pocket (who remains impassive) and stuffs it in their mouths to make them stop. While Sakura struggles to calm Tae down when she puts up little resistance, Kakyoin asks what just became of them.
"Let's just say a little ｢stimulation｣ is needed to make them conscious. That is exactly what I did when you two weren't woken up then," answered Kotaro. "This is also the reason why I choose this specific venue in order to wake the girls up from their unconscious states."
…I better not ask what I did while I was still a mindless zombie. He kept in mind, feeling a bit undignified when imagining what his actions were like before he "woke" up. A thought came to him when remembering the zombie guys, and his up-and-coming groupmates, that were left in the mansion. "Wait, if you want the girls to wake up, what about Avdol and the other Stand Users back in the mansion? They need to be… stimulated, you know?"
Smiling or possibly smirking, he answers, "Oh trust me, Cherry Boy. I already thought ahead and employed the deed even before we left for this venue."
Back in the mansion, Romero is keeping watch as the undead Stand Users swing their heads and upper bodies up and down, like a diehard heavy metal fan, in response to the rock music coming from a boombox. The dog barks approvingly, continuing watching the "stimulating experience" of the seven.
"If you don't have any more questions, then I would like to announce that Sakura and the girls got this on the bag!" Kotaro declared confidently, not minding or probably dense over the ridiculous situation the two are in, no thanks to him.
"No I don't! That should be obvious!" Sakura quickly remarks after she manages to calm Tae down, leaving her happily chewing a dried squid to face Kotaro nervously.
"You must not have common sense if you think these six zombies 'got this in the bag' like you said," Kakyoin shakes his head, more or less agreeing with Sakura and pretty much siding with her the entire time. "Though as much as I like to make you stop this madness from delving further, I guess it's… too late for that, huh?" He let out exasperatedly, having a feeling they're well past the point of no return.
"…I don't get it. What are you two so worried about?" Kotaro sincerely asked. Kakyoin has to calm himself down before he puts his fist to Kotaro's face over his indifference as he feels his patience almost at its limit.
"What am I- How can I do anything but worry!?" Sakura shared his reaction, having enough of his apparent denseness as she walked up to him. "Me and Kakyoin here are the only ones that are awake and it's really obvious the others are zombies! And isn't a performance the kind of thing you gotta do a bunch of practice for?! What exactly are you expecting me to do?!"
Two hands laid on her shoulders stop Sakura from getting more riled up. "…Just trust your instincts." Kotaro said simply, confidence still present on him.
"…Tae-chan might bite somebody." She recalled her earlier statement.
"A little biting never hurt anybody!" He responded with a goofy smile.
"Are you stupid?" Kakyoin interjected annoyingly.
"LISTEN UP!"
The two flinched when he shouted. For some reason, they are geared up to listen to what he had to say for some reason. "Nobody in that crowd is expecting a damn thing from you all. That goes for me and Kakyoin, too. Not even a little bit." Kotaro stated.
"Then-"
"…And that's why!" Sakura swallows what she's about to say when Kotaro has something more to say to her. "That's why you have to blow their expectations away! You will turn Saga… no. You will turn the entire ｢world｣ on its head!"
"…We will?" Sakura softly muttered.
A staff member enters briefly to tell them that they're on before leaving to prepare. "Death Musume (Name Pending), you're up!"
"Have some faith. You can do this." Kotaro finished with a reassuring smile, displaying confidence not only to Sakura, but to the unconscious zombie girls. Kakyoin stared at him with mouth agape, looking astonished over his absolute confidence in his plan to save Saga through reviving the girls as zombies and making them idols.
His speech just now… Even in the face of absurd and insurmountable odds, Kotaro is confident in his plan to save Saga. Even though Sakura and the girls are unexpectedly thrust in their first ever performance as an idol group without practice, Kotaro holds absolute faith in them to succeed as part of his project. Kakyoin thought, feeling somewhat roused up by the man in shades' resolve. While having to team up with other undead Stand Users to fight against a common enemy is manageable, him reviving zombie girls to form an idol group may sound insane but, combined with his actions, desires and his speech, I can't help… but feel…
"Kotaro-san…" Sakura seems to share Kakyoin's thoughts, seemingly roused up by Kotaro's daring speech…
…
…
"…I can't do it." But she reaffirmed her stance with narrowed eyes staring into his own covered by sunglasses.
…not convinced. At all. Even Kakyoin is doubtful. Silence reigns for a few seconds, letting Sakura's words sink into Kotaro's head…
…
…
…
"OKAAAAY! IT'S A GOOOO! GO, GO, GO, GO, GO, GO, GO, GO, GOOOOOOO!" He clapped his hands with utmost conviction, willing to see Death Musume get on stage
On the stage, Death Musume (Name Pending), consisting of Sakura as Number One, Saki as Number Two, Ai as Number Three, Junko as Number Four, Yugiri as Number Five, Lily as Number Six and lastly, Tae as Number Zero, stood, or prowled around in the case of six, in front of the indifferent metal music-obsessed audience, who are all wondering why seven girls are doing here when heavy metal music is the theme here. They're so indifferent that they, again, paid no heed to the six's odd movements. To them, they care more about heavy metal music, not seven cute girls in casual attire and likely performing with pop music typical for the idol genre.
Feeling her nerves whacked to its limit, Sakura tries to maintain her composure as she announces, "U-Um, well, good evening… W-W-W-We are D-Death Musume!"
"Just spit it out girlie! You better not make fun of death metal!" The chubby man shouted annoyingly.
"And what are idols doing here anyway?" His lanky friend asked, questioning their presence.
"R-Right! Y-You can all call me N-Number One!" She introduced themselves, using their codenames as per Kotaro's request.
"I don't care! Just start already!"
"It's just gonna be crap, anyway!"
The crowd starts murmuring and booing "I-I'm sorry!" They're so mad! What do I do? What do I do?! She thought in panic. Kakyoin, please…! Help me!
Behind the stage wing and curtains, Kakyoin and Kotaro are watching the anxious Sakura and the girls minding their business. The former has a sympathetic look directed at her, and though he can't see much of the audience, he can tell from the indignant murmurs that they're not interested in the soon-to-be idol girls at all.
"I told you this is gonna be a disaster," Kakyoin told Kotaro, sounding exasperated and like he's begging him even if it's pointless at this stage. "Are you really sure you know what you're doing?"
"I am . Stop worrying anymore, Cherry Boy," Kotaro remained rooted in his decision. "I only need to wait for the ｢cue｣…"
"…The cue?" He parroted. This is the first time he's watching an idol group performance, or what can be constituted as a 'performance', but he believes it's gonna involve singing and dancing. He knows that's how idol shows typically go based on what he heard or watched Junko sing a few times when he was young so he has to admit, he's wondering where this will lead, even if it'll lead into a disaster.
Concurrently, as Sakura dreads the worse, she notices Tae staring at the audience, specifically the lanky and chubby duo. She began groaning again…
before she jumped off the stage, toward the duo with a roar.
"UAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!"
I knew it! A surprised expression is present on her face as Sakura watches Tae land on a chubby guy, who is astonished she dared to perform a stage dive when their performance hasn't even started yet. As Tae shouts ferociously, seemingly with intent of biting him, Sakura gets off stage and pulls Tae to prevent the situation from escalating further.
"Tae-chan! C-Cut it out!"
As she pulls Tae back to the stage while the audience looks at the long-haired woman in shock, Sakura feels utterly defeated, feeling pessimistic that things are going to be bad. I just knew it! She thought in despair.
While the two remarks on Tae's brutal move, Kakyoin puts his hand on his face, having guessed what Tae is gonna do after seeing she's eyeing at the audience. I knew it… He thought in discontentment.
As the two rightfully feared this performance would end in absolute failure, Saki stopped her prowling when she kicked a megaphone lying on the floor. The sound it makes seems to have the audience's attention. All the while, Sakura is dismayed at such a huge mess she's in.
"Eh?" Then Sakura notices the audience's eyes are trained on the group. And that is when Kotaro sees the "cue"…
"MUSIC, COME ONNNN!"
BGM: Youkoso Saga e
The speakers began playing a heavy metal piece of music, surprising the audience, the metal duo, Sakura and Kakyoin, the latter two almost getting deafened by how loud it is.
W-W-What…? What is this…?! What's going on!? Sakura thought in panic, her ears ravaged by strumming guitars and pounding drums.
"RAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHHHH!"
Saki suddenly yelled through the megaphone, obscuring Sakura's startled panicked scream. If that's enough surprise for one night, the once indifferent audience started cheering, if only because the music being played fits their preferred genre and theme of the venue.
After recovering from getting deaf, Kakyoin has a look of bewilderment or surprise on his face as he listens to the instrumental music. "W-What…? What's going on here? This… music…" Eyeing Saki as she continues screaming, Kakyoin wonders how Kotaro had prepared this kind of music to be used for the concert. He must have known the venue was gonna be filled with metal fans so he must prepare it in advance. As for how he got it if he hasn't borrowed it from other bands… "Tatsumi-san, did you… compose this music?" He asks the manager.
"…Being a manager of an idol group, it's appropriate to have one composer for the girls to sing," Kotaro explained, a smug smile evident on his face. "If there's no composer, obviously you have no music."
"I see… I'm surprised you composed this music." Kakyoin seemed impressed by Kotaro's work. "Well, the genre does not fit an idol group but…" He turned back to see how the girls were doing… only to be flabbergasted again when the girls sans Sakura and Saki start headbanging aggressively.
"W-What in blazes?!" He exclaimed over the sight.
Amidst the cheering audience, headbanging zombies, loud rock music and Saki still screaming through the megaphone, Sakura can feel her sanity draining so fast. It doesn't matter how hard she tries to control herself, the overall sheer insanity is getting to her. Her first performance, taking place in Geils Live House filled with heavy metal fans and backed up by the same genre for her debut performance, and the unawakened zombies having no care for the world as they head bang vigorously, is really overwhelming her. So much so that she's facing down as she's at her limit, more than ready to let it all out to the world…
"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGHHH!"
Finally, Sakura screams her lungs out, surprising Kakyoin once more due to the ferocity and unexpectedness of it all. "S-Sakura!?"
Back to the audience, the metalhead duo notice something about the girls, including Sakura, as they headbang alongside screaming Saki. "What… What is this? What are they doing…?" The chubby fan muttered to his friend.
Looking closely, the two see that their headbanging looks so over-the-top, which isn't possible unless you really want to strain your neck and spine just to achieve it. Not that they cared though, as they continue to enjoy the sheer hardcore concert of the supposed cute idols put out with much vigor.
… Huh? This feeling… Where have I…?
Sakura realized something as she let her body instinctively respond to the music. Her vision getting bathed with colorful stage lights shining down on the girls, a flash of memory appeared in her head depicting her among the audience cheering for an idol group up on the stage, shined by colorful stage lights too.
Just like how it appeared quickly, it disappeared before she can think about it, not that it matters as she's still performing, or in this case, screaming her lungs out, riling the audience to their limit including the lanky and chubby duo as Death Musume (Name Pending) continues performing aggressively.
"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!"
Number One last dives to the audience on her back as the climax is reached, the thrill of performance overriding her sense of reason.
"Sakura…" Kakyoin muttered her name, thinking this is one night he would not forget…
The chorus of sweet and alluring tweets ring in the cool morning air as a pair of redheads sit on a bench in the mansion's terrace. The events of last night have passed by in a blink of an eye, and before the two knew it, it's morning. The two try passing the time by reminiscing about last night's events, specifically the Death Musume (Name Pending)'s first on-stage "performance".
While Romero sat down on the floor near three singing birds below them, Sakura had a downcast expression on her, feeling under the weather despite the performance last night not ending in a disaster surprisingly. Kakyoin, with arms crossed, looks up at the sky, absent-mindedly admiring the nice weather this morning. Compared to Sakura, he isn't in as low spirits as her.
"I knew this wouldn't work…" He heard Sakura say, her sights angled low to match her expression. Whether she wants to say it quietly or not, she doesn't seem to care. "There's no way… There's no way I can be an idol singer. Last night's events prove that."
Not liking seeing her so dispirited, Kakyoin turns to her and says something to encourage her. "Hey, look. I know there's a slight chance your first ever concert might end up in disaster, or with six of the girls going berserk to ravage the crowded audience, but surprisingly… It almost went off without a hitch. Just almost, and a bit crazy too. And as I'm embarrassed to say it to you, you got quite a killer scream."
He didn't notice her form shaking as she continued looking down, literally and figuratively, before he continued. "Sure the venue and music genre didn't fit what I expect an idol like you to sing, but considering you became so eager and went with the flow when the 'performance' kicked into high gear, perhaps you have what it takes to be an idol given enough practice. So cheer up, Sakura. It's not like you've committed the most heinous crime and are sentenced to life imprisonment or execution."
When it seems like Sakura is about to explode in a flurry of emotions, possibly in a fit of anger and frustration… She sighs deeply. She didn't have it in her to react badly to Kakyoin cheering her up, especially when the "performance" didn't actually go horribly. For the most part.
When the zombie girls are about to go down the stage and ravage the audience after the ear-popping performance, Kakyoin steps in and ties them up quickly using Hierophant Green before they have the chance. He, Sakura and Kotaro (after much forcing and coercing) would pull them to the backstage, and then outside into their van.
"Yeah. Guess you're right," Sakura earnestly agreed, before looking up to the sky. "It's actually not bad. Sure it had gone crazy like you said, but nothing too bad fortunately happened. In fact, it might be a blessing in disguise for me, because when I screamed all my stress out, to the point my lungs were burning, I… had a flash of memory."
"You did?" He asked with widened eyes.
She nods. "Yes. It's very brief but… I see myself cheering for a five-member idol group performing on the stage alongside the audience, shined by lights and all."
"Anything else?"
"…No. That's it." She replied. Thinking back to that brief memory, Sakura wonders how important it is and why it triggered during last night's concert.
"…Idols, huh? Maybe you must have admired them if you're cheering them on." Kakyoin suggested.
"Hmm, now that you said it… I feel happy and… elated to be cheering for them. Least that's what I thought my feelings were when remembering it." Sakura pondered, tapping her chin.
"Then that means you have a thing for pop idols, even wanting to become one. It's only my speculation, but perhaps the reason Tatsumi-san wants you to be an idol is because of that: You have a desire to sing and dance your heart out to the audience."
"…That could be true. But who knows? I still can't remember everything." She reminded him, letting out a sigh again.
"But it's a start. It might take a long time for you to recover your memories but I'm sure you will 「remember」 who you are," Kakyoin assured further, putting a hand on her shoulder to comfort her more while smiling. "And remember this Sakura. You have me 「by your side」." He may have known her only for a day at most but after learning what Kotaro wants for both of them, having to settle with his new lease on life as a Stand-using zombie bodyguard for a fledgling zombie idol group and contending with Sakura's amnesia, Kakyoin has no obligation to come back home or meet with either Jotaro or Polnareff as he chooses to accept his new undead life. Also, as much as it pains him, he does not want anyone he knows to see him somehow alive as a zombie, nearly thirty years after his death.
Sakura feels the same way as him but feels more troubled and conflicted than him regarding being thrust into the spotlight not long after she is woken up, having to accept she is now a zombie and has amnesia. As such, she appreciates any form of encouragement even if the one who empathizes with her problems is someone she barely knew for one day. Returning his smile, Sakura nods happily and says, "I'm glad to hear you say that. Thank you for sticking by my side, Kakyoin."
"It's my pleasure." Kakyoin nodded, glad he was successful in lifting her spirits up.
Before they can enjoy the peaceful morning and nice morning weather more (unaware of feathers lying on the floor, on the same spot the birds that were with Romero were standing), screams, shouts and panicked, angry words are heard accompanied by crashing objects, coming from the room near them. Kakyoin and Sakura rush back inside to see what the ruckus is. Stepping inside the living room, they see Tae standing in the center, staring blankly on something.
"Tae-chan?" Sakura calls out to her in confusion.
"HEEELP! ! ! !"
!?
BGM: Good Morning Saga (Zombie Land Saga Original Soundtrack)
Hearing a coherent human voice not their own, they follow Tae's line of sight and either gasped or flinched in shock upon seeing Ai huddling up near the fireplace, Junko hugging the wall with her back, and Lily doing the same next to a door, all with fearful expressions. Aside from them, there's Avdol standing near Ai, seemingly ready to summon his Stand evidenced by his hand gesture and battle stance, Johnny kneeling near Lily and curiously having one finger aimed at Tae with a ferocious look like he's holding a gun, and Narancia glared hard at Tae while swinging a switchblade around to prevent her from going after Junko.
"W-What is this…?" Ai questioned.
"Somebody, please, do something!" Junko pleaded, gulping in fear.
"I-I'm s-s-scared!" Lily started as her outside heart beat rapidly.
"That woman… What is wrong with her?" Avdol inquired sternly.
"You better stay back unless you want to get shot!" Johnny warned.
"What he said! I'm not one for a rude awakening, puttana!" Narancia exclaimed.
The fact that they're speaking and acting normally clues Sakura and Kakyoin to one conclusion: they've been awakened, all thanks to the stimulation last night. Another round of groans are heard coming from their right, and they see Saki, Yugiri, Bucciarati, Gyro and Mamezuku waking up due to the noise.
"What is going on…? What is all this commotion?" Yugiri asked.
"Maaaaaan, that was a goooood nap." Saki lets out a big yawn while stretching her arms.
"Agreed. I feel refreshed, like I have worn brand-new clothes after a bath," Gyro nonchalantly concurred.
"Something seems… off." Bucciarati noted while rubbing his eyes.
"Looks like it. I don't think I'm in a villa I always go to when winter comes." Mamezuku pointed out his observation of the room unfamiliar to him.
At this moment, Mamezuku notices Sakura and Kakyoin standing in the doorway, followed by Bucciarati, Gyro, Saki, Yugiri, Ai, Avdol, Junko, Johnny, Lily and Narancia. All of them have questioning looks as they stare at the two with wary and inquisitive eyes.
Noticing their sickly appearances, Avdol asks, "Kakyoin, what's wrong with your and that girl's eyes and skin?"
Perking up when hearing they are being asked, Sakura stutters for a response. "H-Huh? Uh, w-well…"
Before she can answer, Kakyoin puts his hand on her shoulder, letting her know he will be the one to speak. Walking a few steps forward so he is in the center and holding Tae by her arm, he says, "Avdol, everyone, please calm down and try not to panic on what I'm going to say. We are all in a mansion in Saga Prefecture which shall be our residence starting this day, operated by a man named Kotaro Tatsumi. If you're wondering why Sakura, Tae-san and I have green skin and red eyes, we're not the only ones here because, well…" He takes a deep breath before revealing to them, "Let's just say everyone in this very room have ｢died｣ at some point… but came back to life as ｢zombies｣."
Their reactions are expected when they hear his answer despite his plea that they do not panic. While Saki, Yugiri, Avdol, Gyro, Bucciarati, and Mamezuku looked shocked, but didn't express it in an overreacting manner, the same couldn't be said for Ai, Junko, Lily, Johnny and Narancia.
"W-WHAT!? Zombies?!" Ai shouted in disbelief.
"I…d-died…?" Junko stuttered.
"ARE YOU MESSING WITH ME RIGHT NOW?!" Narancia exclaimed, redirecting his glare to him.
"You're just joking with us, right?" Johnny concurred, reaiming his finger and glare at Kakyoin. "That's a far-fetched claim if I ever heard one."
"No, I think he's right," replied Lily, staring at her hand first before she looked at her heart beating out of her chest for some reason. "I have weird-colored skin and my heart is outside. Maybe… He's not lying."
Following her assertion, everyone begins calming down before any uproar erupted again (less so for Ai, Junko, Johnny, and Narancia) as they process what Kakyoin told them.
"This is… surprising." Avdol admitted, checking his discolored arms. Of all things he woke up to, it's certainly not learning that he and everyone are zombies. Turning to Kakyoin, a friend he never thought he would see again, he asks, "Can you tell us about this Kotaro Tatsumi, Kakyoin? Maybe he can shed more light on our situation."
"We will! But first, before we can continue, I want to say…"
Sakura stopped Kakyoin from replying before she walked to the center of the room and took a deep breath…
Then releasing it all in one, loud big greeting to unofficially welcome her and Kakyoin's zombie mates.
"GOOOOOD MOOOOORNIIIIIIIIIIING EVERYYYYBOOOOOOODYYYYYYYYYYYYY!"
Her greeting is so loud it can be heard outside the mansion's walls, almost obscuring the sound of a flying bird's cry.
And thus, that one greeting starts the bizarre adventures of Sakura, Kakyoin and their fellow zombie idol singers and Stand Users to save Saga Prefecture.
To be continued
Onomatopoeia:
カブッ (Kabu) - Hard or intense biting
HELLLOOOOOOOOOOO EVEEEEEERYYYYYBOOOOOODDYYYYYYYY!
...
*clears throat* Excuse my enthusiastic shout. I was just excited to start a fanfic starring the ｢LEGENDARY｣ zombie girls of Zombie Land Saga and the ｢FABULOUS｣ zombie guys or JoBros and a Joestar of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. Ever since I watched Zombie Land Saga to sate my curiosity, it became one of my favorite anime of all time thanks to its characters, awesome music, interesting plot and mysteries, funny moments and the idol premise. Before I watched the anime though, I was growing uninterested in watching anime and reading manga until I decided to give JoJo a try just to, like Zombie Land Saga, sate my curiosity and because of the memes I'm seeing...
...And that's where it propelled JoJo to become my most favorite manga and anime series of all time thanks to its characters, unique artstyle, intricate plots, immense fabulousness, creative and insane fights and, most of all, the bizarre adventures that occur across the eight parts. And there's no sign that the series is stopping anytime soon as a ninth part, tentatively titled JOJOLANDS, is announced by Hirohiko Araki, the mangaka of JoJo and the Stone Ocean anime is on its way to be released in December. This is a good year to be a JoJo fan.
I would like to add anything related to JoJo due to my admiration for it but it's gonna take a long time so let's cut to the chase, shall we?
Living Things is a JoJo and ZLS crossover where Kakyoin and Sakura are resurrected as zombies along with others by the man in shades named Kotaro Tatsumi through the girls becoming idols to bring joy to the populace and attention to the prefecture and the guys using their Stands to protect it against enemy Stands. My desire to write a brand new fanfic that isn't Sonic and Touhou led me to think up on my favorite anime where I then had the idea of having dead JoJo characters such as Kakyoin be revived as zombies.
AlsoIjustwantmyJoBrosandoneJoJotoliveagainaftertheirtragicdeaths.
In the initial process of choosing which JoJo character I'm gonna put in the fanfic, I originally intended for Kakyoin, Bucciarati, Narancia, Johnny and Gyro to be the ones who got revived. But after thinking clearly on the content of the fanfic and which characters deserve a second chance in life, I eventually included Avdol and Rai because I find them cool and likable.
As for how Avdol got revived despite being disintegrated completely and Johnny, Gyro and Rai getting to the original universe? You'll have to find out. I'm estimating that I'm gonna reveal how the three were transported to the original universe near the middle or end of the story, with hints as early as the next chapter.
Andalsobecausethey'remyfavoritesandIhavethepowerofimaginationatmyfingertips.
One more thing related for the JoJo side of the fanfic is that this takes place after Made in Heaven but located in the original universe. I believed that because Pucci didn't complete the reset when he's killed, his vision of "Heaven" didn't come to fruition and as such, the universe reverts back to the original or resets again to a new universe resembling the original. I admit, it's interesting writing the fanfic when this takes place after Pucci failed to remake the entire universe in DIO's image. While the implications aren't important and only plays a minor role in the story, I want to put it here so that you may understand...if you've read or watched Parts 1-6 beforehand.
And if it's not obvious in the summary or the first paragraph of the chapter, there are and will be SPOILERS concerning the events of JoJo and revived characters, including the Part 7 and 8 characters. Not sure how much but just reading the summary and first chapter should clue you that you're in spoiler territory.
Going over to the ZLS side, I'm planning this fanfic to be based on the first season's episodes. Some of the episodes will be different as I inject JoJo fanfare to the mix and I'm planning to completely come up with some new chapters unrelated to the anime. And as for you all wondering if I'm including the second season, it's obvious I'm gonna include it since some pieces of info in chapters I am planning in my head have references to what was revealed in the second season. With that in mind, don't worry about me excluding the second season of ZLS.
One last thing. This fanfic is gonna be cross-posted between and Archive of Our Own but because I'm not invited and signed up to the latter site until at least next week, I'm not writing its second chapter yet. I want readers from both sites to experience my take on Zombie Land Saga and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure crossover.
I believe I said everything about what this fanfic is all about. There are some things I like to put in the author's notes but I'm gonna save it until the next chapter and the next one after. And with that, I bid you all adieu.
Stay safe, everyone!