Chapter 5: The home of the dead
After I accepted their resolve, I walked to the door, and prepared to head on out with the rest of the group. There'd probably be some more after the shout done by Kohta, but we'd deal with them.
"Alright, everyone ready to roll?" Probably could've asked that before I went to the door, but eh, fuck it.
The rest of the kids, and Shizuka, looked determined, and I already knew their answers the moment I turned to them. Saeko was the most energetic of them all, and I was partly looking forward to the day she earned my bite. Which was an actual thing and wasn't me spewing shit out of my mouth.
"Actually, time out. What are you going to be in this. Are you taking the roll of leader or Alpha?" Hmm, I had to think about that for a moment. Did I want to lead? I looked back to Saya, and shook my head.
"Last time I was a leader I ended up betrayed and cursed. I'll Leave it up to Takashi. As for my role in the group? I'll fight with you all, that's obvious. But I won't fight all of your battles. You all need to prove yourselves to me after all. I'll step in if it looks like any of you might be bitten, but I won't hold your hands through this. Like I said earlier, this is a crucible. You can't become warriors if you don't put your life on the line."
I still had no idea where this shit was coming from, but I was on a roll. The rest of the group must've thought so too, since they all nodded, and I saw Takashi look like a weight was attached to him, which it kind of was.
"Why me? Even with your curse, you're stronger then all of us, so why me?" I looked at Takashi, and hummed.
"Strength isn't everything. A leader needs more then to be able to beat down any opposition their people may face. You've got the courage, but I want to see if you have the other traits. Just remember, you won't be alone in this. You have a team, people you've fought against death with, trust them and take their input when you feel lost. A leader is never alone, they just need to listen." I wasn't sure why that last line felt personal, but I could think on it later.
That got Takashi, and I saw him nod. Rei and Saeko put their hands on his shoulder, and he looked around the rest of the room. Kohta gave him a thumbs up, Saya huffed, folded her hands under her tits and nodded at him, and Shizuka smiled. He had a good group, all he needed was to listen and he'd be set. He looked back to me, and I saw him smile as he nodded. I smiled back, and got ready.
I turned back to the door, extended my claws again, and opened it. Just like earlier, a few zombie's tried to get in, but I fanned my claws out, and impaled the closest 3, pushing them back. There seemed to be 20 zombies around, at the very least, so after I pushed the corpses back, I cut down the closest zombies, and made way for the group to come out.
Takashi and Saeko took the front, and Rei flanked the sides with Kohta. I broke off and stood by Saya and Shizuka. I watched as Takashi bashed a pair of zombies, and as Saeko sent another zombie flying. They were good front line fighters for children. Rei impaled a corpse with her new impromptu spear, and Kohta headshot more Zombies. We found more nails in the house, so he had a good stack of ammo.
They finished off the zombies, and we started to move. I watched as Takashi took center, Rei and Saeko flanked his sides, and Kohta was by Saya's side as I was by Shizuka's. The group was quiet for a bit, but then someone started making light conversation, and so the rest of us did too. Despite the literal apocalypse, they were all taking it rather well. We went a good while just making our way home, avoiding a massive 'fuck you' horde as we did, and I watched them all dispatch zombies without me NEEDING to help. I still did of course, I did have skills to upgrade after all.
"Hey Zaka, you said the undead existed way before this whole thing. What'd you mean by that." And then the group looked at me from Saya's question. I didn't even have to think for that question.
"Vampires had their thralls, that's in your legends. Those thralls could then make vassals. A thrall would be a weaker vamp. A vassal would pretty much be a smarter zombie. Vassals could then make subjects, which would basically be a zombie. Even though I say that, they weren't contagious... Well, until a noble house decided 'if we can mass turn humans into subjects, our army would have the perfect fodder.' So they worked on it, and then boom. Zombies. The first time there was an army made of zombie subjects, the Werewolves were caught unprepared.
We lost some, and some of the members that were turned based off the wolf bite succumbed to it. It was after that whole thing that the Noblesse was called in. That noble house was eradicated, the research destroyed, and every zombie hunted down before they were sealed away to spread later. And before anyone asks, this is something different. If it was the variant made by the vamps, then they'd be more organized. Subjects were hardwired to take orders, not wander around ending the world. Hell, they even had a very limited amount of intelligence. They wouldn't be fooled by throwing a rock the opposite way, they'd take a bit to figure out where it came from, and go that way. Whatever this is, it's either made by humans, or some convoluted natural disaster."
They all took in my explanation, and I saw Saya frown. Her giga brain seemed to be going a mile a minute, and the rest of the group re-focused on making our way home. Saya was eventually broken out of her thoughts when we came across another horde, there were maybe 50 of them, probably a little more, and they were all in our way. They weren't packed like a bunch of sardines, but they would be too close to safely sneak passed them.
We looked to Takashi, and waited for him to decide what to do. We were taking a shortcut, but with this horde in the way, we might have to take longer route. I could deal with them, yeah, but the horde wasn't breathing down our necks or had us cornered. I'd keep the girls safe, but unless the horde ran towards them and only them, I wouldn't take it down.
Takashi seemed to finish his thinking, and turned to Kohta. "Hirano, how many nails do you have left?" Kohta checked his mag, and the box in his pocket, and started to count.
"I've got 17 rounds left. I can't hit a collateral since the nails won't pierce through their skulls, so I can only take out that many before I run out. Should I engage?"
Takashi rubbed his chin, then shook his head. "Not immediately. If THEY look like they'll grab us you can fire. We're getting close to our goal, but we might need your help in case there are any of THEM there." Kohta nodded, and I hummed at that. He was taking my advice.
"Rei, do you think there's enough space for you to safely work with?" We were in an alley, maybe 6 people could comfortably walk side by side, so his question was a good one. Rei's 'spear' could end up hitting a wall or get trapped if she hit the wrong thing.
Rei looked around, and shook her head. "It's too tight. I won't have enough room to really move." I snickered.
"That's what she said." I watched as Rei blinked, and then went red.
"I-I didn't mean it like that!" I laughed, and then remembered the fucking horde in front of us.
"Just great. Look what you did you mutt!" I'd let that slide, not before I ruffled her hair though, much to her protest, but it kinda was my fault. Takashi sighed, and he and Saeko got ready. Though Takashi and Saeko did have a blush on their face.
"Don't be afraid to let me know if you need help kid. I'll back you up since this was my fault." Takashi nodded at me, and looked at Rei and Kohta.
"Rei, watch for any stragglers, Hirano, remember to back us up if were about to get grabbed." Rei nodded and Kohta saluted. With that, he and Saeko ran in. I watched them, and made sure that we weren't going to get boxed in from our sides or behind. Then I heard Shizuka and almost bit my tongue.
"It was a sex joke! Naughty Silver." I didn't know if I should react to her getting it a minute later, or that she got it in the first place. I just decided to sigh and rub her head.
"Yes Shizuka, it was a sex joke. You're right." She looked way too proud and not at all embarrassed to have gotten that. Saya was blushing up a storm, and Kohta and Rei were embarrassed. That didn't keep them from doing their best, and I watched as Takashi and Saeko thinned the herd of zombies. Kohta had to help Takashi once, but that was all. Saeko did great at sending them flying or beating their heads in. Actually.
"How the fuck are you kids sending adult bodies flying with a bokken and a bat? The fuck?" I saw Saya open her mouth, then shut it as she thought on it.
"You know what... I'm not going to think on how much force we'd need to do that, or how much THEY need to weigh for that to happen." Smart. Just don't question the weirdness. HOTD was always inconsistent with itself. 1 second there's 5 zombies on screen, then next second there's 100. Shit like that. That hasn't happened to us yet, so I wasn't sure if it would still happen.
Kohta and Rei didn't think on that, and Shizuka was too happy having her head rubbed to join in. Another few minutes, and the horde was cleared, and we were ready to move forwards. Our house would normally be an hour away now, but the shortcut should get us there a half hour early.
Takashi and Saeko met back up with us, and we walked on. Conversation came easy to us, and we talked. Kohta even asked me a good question. "Excuse me, but earlier, you mentioned 'aura' what exactly is that Mr. Zaka?"
"Yeah, you did mention that. From the lore, there's never a mention of this 'aura' thing. So what is that Zaka?" Not sure why she had to comment on that, but ok Saya.
"Aura... Think of it like an outward expression of power. With aura, we could do things like send beams of our claws outwards, make it coat us like armor, and the best of us could even make constructs. Back in the day, a researcher was able to make fully functioning aura bows that we could give to our soldiers for a limited time... Or until they broke. It was either or."
"Does that mean I could make guns!?" 3 guesses who said that, the first 2 don't count.
"Yeah. If you really worked on it, you probably could. Aura manipulation was always that weird part of our abilities that had no end. It was just limited to our own imagination and how well we could control it." The rest of the group seemed interested in that, and I thought I saw a thought bubble forming above Kohta's head... (I'll ignore that for now.)
Saeko was probably fantasizing making swords of aura to cut down her enemies, Takashi and Rei seemed to be thinking of something along those lines, Shizuka was zoned out as usual, and Saya seemed to be really thinking of the applications of that.
"Zaka... How strong WERE you back then?" I had to think on that. What was Muzaka like in his prime? Hmm...
"I could probably sink Japan in an hour in my prime. Maybe less. I'm not sure how long it'd take for me to get back to that level of power, but with all these walking bags of energy, I'll definitely get back there eventually." They all froze when I said that. Though Shizuka just looked at me in wonder... I ignored whatever fantasy she was cooking up, and just shrugged. "If you don't want the world shaking answers, don't ask the world shaking questions.
They were quiet for a bit, but I think Saeko was getting horny if the way she gripped her bokken and the blush on her cheeks was any indication. We kept going, and came up on another group of zombies, but I wanted to handle them. They would be enough to rank up my Werewolf Strength. The group nodded, and I extended my claws as I ran towards them. I cut into them like a knife through butter, and after I was done, I got the rank up.
[Status]
Werewolf Strength stage 1/4 - 121/150 - 153/150
Requirements met. Proceeding to unlock stage 2/4...
Stage 2/4 unlocked. Werewolf Strength updating...
Update complete.
Werewolf Strength stage 2/4 - Addition, Sonic Howl unlocked. Physical parameter's updating...
Update complete.
Strength - D+
Dexterity - D-
Next stage. 2/4 - 153/750
With that done, I felt a rush of power and knowledge surge through me, and I saw tufts of fur start to grow on my wrists. Kind of like Vasto Lorde Ichigo. I shook my head out of those thoughts, and checked for any other changes. I saw my claws looked sharper, and I could see my toenails turned into claws too. (Good thing I never wore shoes.) I felt stronger, and I was maybe a bit faster, but other then that, I didn't know what else changed.
I rejoined the group after I was done checking myself out, and I saw them look questioningly at me.
"Silver, you have fur again!" Shizuka reached towards my wrists, and felt my fur. "It's just like when your a doggie!" I sighed at that.
(I don't know how this woman still sees me as a dog.) Shizuka aside, the rest of the kids looked at me as we started walking, and Rei seemed interested in something.
"Mr. Maccillian, you said you can maybe get our parents scents. How can you do that with all of THEM everywhere? You said THEIR stench was everywhere, so how can you find our parents scents?" Saya focused in on that question.
"She's right. Actually, how are you even standing their scent? If you have a sense of smell even a small bit greater then a dog's, how're you able to smell anything without the scent of THEM assaulting you?' I hummed at that.
"Werewolves can block out most scents and focus in on others. We're hunters first and foremost. If we lost a trail because of something like rain, that'd make sense. But it's almost impossible to hide from our nose in other ways. My senses are still a bit shit from my curse, but I should still be able to block out the zombie stench to find your parents."
Rei visibly relaxed at that, and I could see her smile. Rei was a little different from the anime. She wasn't overly bitchy or subject to mood swings like a metronome, but she had justifiable worries and fears. Though she was as attached to Takashi as she usually was in the series. Now that I thought about it, Saya wasn't as prideful. She didn't even treat Kohta as badly as she did in the series. (Maybe because she knows she'd be dead without him?) I shrugged at that thought, and we kept going. At one point, I shifted back, and let Shizuka ride on my back. Saya joined her, and I sent a sorry look to Kohta. (I'll give him a ride next time.)
We kept going, and another 20 minutes and 2 more fights later, we made it home. The kids stared at our home, and at Rika's Humvee, and we made our way in. Rei ran in, and twirled as she reached the steps.
"This place is amazing! You live here Sensei?!" Shizuka smiled, and hopped off my back as she walked around the house.
"Yup. Rika let me stay with her a long time ago, and I've lived with her ever since." The rest of the kids were looking around, and I shifted back.
"Speaking of Rika, let's give her a call. She wanted to know when we got here after all." Shizuka gasped, and fished out her phone. She started calling her, and I heard Rika pick up.
~Shizuka? Or is it Silver?~
"It's me Rika! We're all safe and at home. Are you doing ok?" I heard Rika sigh in relief, and they started talking. The girls broke off to shower, and I left with the guys.
"Alright Kohta, Rika's stash is up here. I know she's got a shotgun and a pair of rifles in there, so try not to nerd out too much, ya got it?" At the mention of the guns, Kohta grinned like a loon and I was a little worried for the zombies that got in his way. From there, things went close to how they went in the series. We opened the locker, Kohta went fucking mental with the guns, Takashi pointed the fucking shotgun at him, and I laughed. I helped the boys load the guns, and from there, I heard the girls get out of the bath, and I had a thought.
"I didn't lock the wine cabinet..." The guys looked at me for a moment, and I could see them wonder why I would say that. "I like to think out loud. And Shizuka likes to drink wine sometimes after she showers... She's a lightweight... A VERY lightweight." Now that was true. I didn't even need to use anime knowledge for that. I finished helping the guys load the guns, and made my way to the wine cabinet, but I was too late.
Shizuka was standing there in her towel, the girls were in the clothes they wore in the episode they got here, and I saw them all down a glass. As soon as Shizuka saw me, she came my way, after gently putting down the glass, and jumped at me. "Silveeer! Give me some love! Now!" She latched onto me like a koala, and pressed herself against me. I just stood there stunned. Shizuka would hug me like a pillow after she got drunk, sure, but that was in wolf form. This was both sudden and stimulating. Shizuka saw that I wasn't moving, pouted, and just decided to add an oil rig onto the fire. She kissed me, tongue and all.
I heard the girls gasp, but at that point, I was working on reflex. I held her by her ass, and kissed her back for a few moments, hearing and feeling her moan into my mouth as I claimed hers as mine. And then, after who knew how long, we broke off the kiss. Shizuka turned into a giggling mess, and then promptly knocked out as she put her head on my shoulder. I was still stunned, and Shizuka's position with her bare pussy against my dick didn't help my state either!
I stood there for a bit longer, and somehow shook off my stunned state, and started thinking straight again. "I should've locked the goddamn cabinet when I had the chance." The other girls were stunned, Rei was looking flushed, and I think I saw her look up to where the boys where, while Saya was peeking at us through her hands. Though I think I saw Saeko staring at my crotch and lick her lips, but I wasn't about to open that can of worms right now. "I'll just go put her to bed, nothing to see here."
So I walked away, and didn't mention anything else. I was thanking whatever gods there were that the towel was still on, and quickly made my way to Shizuka's room. I gently laid her back in bed, and walked out of her room before she could latch onto me. I was NOT about to suffer from a touchy Shizuka when she started to make me horny. I could feel protective of her when she wasn't pretty much naked with her tongue in my mouth and pressed against my crotch.
When I made it back to the livingroom, it was to Saeko in her apron and thong, and I almost banged my head against the wall. I saw it earlier, of course, but I was too focused on Shizuka to really notice. She saw me look at her, and I saw her smirk. "You put on quite a show. Should I fear for my lips as well?"
I snorted at that. "Don't think I didn't catch you look. Besides, I can already tell what type you are." She raised a brow at that. She hummed as she went to the fridge, giving me a view of her figure as she did, and spoke as she looked through it.
"And what type am I exactly?"
"You're a switch." That gave her pause, and I saw her tilt her head as she turned to look at me.
"I'm unfamiliar with the term. What's a switch?" Huh, didn't expect that.
"You could be a sadist or a masochist depending on the mood. I don't really mind the S side of you, Werewolves can take a lot of pain and I could heal from damn near anything back in the day." I saw her eyes gain a glint of arousal at the 'heal from damn near anything' bit, and I knew she wanted to be a Werewolf even more now. I ignored the part of me that liked the idea of seeing what she'd do, and shook my head.
"The more I learn, the more I want to earn your bite even more now." The way she licked her lips and looked at me sent both a good and scary chill down my spine. I had to get out! So I coughed into my hand, and looked away.
"I'll go to the forest and get us something fresh to eat for dinner. I'll be back in a while... Yeah... A while." And I got up and ran. I ignored the light laughter coming from Saeko and shifted as I made my way out to the closest roof and ran. The forest was a half hour away for me before I ranked up, so I'd get there sooner now. But other then using it as an excuse to get away and work out the horny, I wanted to rank up my senses, and it was big enough to do that. I'd just have to pray for forgiveness from the squirrel god for what I was about to do.
(Forgive me little one's. This is something I must do.) Thinking of that reference helped cool me down, but I'd need to hunt anyway.
{Saeko's general then current POV}
Excitement. Ever since the apocalypse begun, that's what I felt the most. I knew I was a monster, what else would I be? I loved to cause pain, to make whoever stood in front of me break, so I couldn't call myself human.
Containing my more violent instincts and desires was a difficult thing. Acting a way our society saw as proper was ever so slowly grating on me, but I could never let myself give in. I had to be Saeko Busujima, the calm, composed and compassionate highschool senior and captain of the kendo club.
The kendo club did help me vent any frustrations I had, but it was never enough. I could be kind to those around me, I could maybe care about those I met, but it was never enough for me.
But now?
This apocalypse, was perfect for me. I would thrive in it, I just knew that from the moment I slew the first of THEM. I could relish in the end of the world. I could embrace my sadistic tendencies and face no repercussions for it. I could be myself. I could be a monster and let all my frustrations free.
The first few hours of fighting THEM were the most liberating hours I've felt in years. I didn't even mind the group I was with.
I knew OF Rei Miyamoto, she had been held back, not by her own accord since she was said to be a straight A student, but it was never said why. Seeing her hatred for Shidou, it gave me an inkling. However her competence with a 'spear' was interesting to me.
Saya Takagi was another person I knew of. The Takagi name and estate was quite big after all. She was a known genius, and hearing her explain her thoughts and what she knew of this situation, I understood her label was well earned.
Then there was Marikawa-sensei. I had brought other students to her infirmary before, so I knew of her, and the woman was a strange adult. Her nonchalance and general airheaded nature, even through the apocalypse, was a sort of... A fresh breath of air. The woman's figure did make me feel a small bit self conscious of my own however.
Then there were the members I didn't know.
Takashi Komuro. A second year that seemed to have history with Rei, and from what I've seen so far, has Saya's interest. Though I was sure he didn't know of that part. He became our leader even before it was left to him, and I was fine with following him. He was able to hold his own on the front lines, and he seemed to know his way around a bat.
Then there was Kohta Hirano... Perhaps the strangest human I've met. If this was before the apocalypse, I wouldn't have batted an eye at the boy. But the moment he got a 'gun' in his hands, he shifted. He became a form of dangerous that was similar to me. It was interesting to see. He became focused and his aim with that makeshift gun of his was VERY impressive. If he could control himself and act that way on a regular basis, he'd be a better soldier then some in the actual profession.
And then there was Mr. Silver. 'Maccillian Silver Zaka.' An honest to god Werewolf. A monster. Someone that could cut through THEM with a flick of his claws and ignore being bitten into or having chunks of his flesh ripped from his body. Even when he first appeared, I understood he was dangerous. I would've been foolish to not assume so.
We were making our way towards the bus, and we all heard this HOWL. And I felt goosebumps forming on my skin and even felt my hair stand on end. That howl was something I instinctively understood. It came from a predator. A hunter. A monster. And I loved the sound of it. For once, I knew I was in a position of prey, and I reveled in it. When Marikawa-sensei called his name, I was a little caught off guard. I could remember thinking, 'This woman, this ditzy nurse, owns a WOLF?' It was such a difficult image to put together that I just couldn't see it.
Then I saw him. A wolf tearing THEM apart. Ripping heads off and throwing THEM as if they were nothing. I'd never seen a wolf that wasn't through a screen or in an enclosure, but the first time I saw him tear through THEM, I understood what it meant to be a predator and prey.
After we had gotten onto the bus, and I had time to properly see him, I saw the gleaming light of intelligence in his eyes. The scars on his chest and body spoke of battle, and the way he seemed fine even after fighting through dozens of THEM, was a bit suspicious to me. I was pretty sure I saw some of his wounds heal on the spot. I even wondered if animals weren't able to be changed, but then when that point was brought up, I just stared in wonder and even more suspicion after he not only unlocked Marikawa-sensei's phone, showed her the time when asked, but used the text to speech feature to RESPOND.
I understood he was a predator. But I was starting to have an inkling that he was more. I had already disabused the notion of certain things being impossible after the apocalypse began. There were stories of Werewolves, I had even read some, but I'd never thought they were real. Those thoughts only came after meeting the wolf that could understand and talk back.
Learning there was a kill on sight order for wolves in japan surprised me, but it added some sustenance to my thoughts. I had to put them out of mind while we made our way towards our current base, but earlier this morning just gave me confirmation. To be fair, seeing a handsome man with his muscles on full display did send a thought through my mind, but it was drowned out when I realized who and what exactly I was seeing first thing in the morning.
There was his story, and my thoughts revolved around what I learned. I could live as a monster. A creature of myth and live for battle and die in it. To 'charge into hell with your pack' and live and die for them. I was raised to have and show honor in battle. And being a Werewolf resonated with my teachings. That was when I decided it. I would live and prove myself worthy. I would live and prove I had the right to become a Werewolf, and fight until the day I died.
And if I would get to stay by the side of a man who had the power to claim the seat of and reigned as king, then I would do so. It was just a plus that said man was not only attractive, but would be capable of appeasing me. I wasn't sure how to feel about Marikawa-sensei kissing him and his response, or his interest in Rika Minami, but I found myself more interested in the idea of hurting him as we ravaged the other. That thought seemed like it would stay in my mind for a long time coming.
(Saeko current POV}
(Hmm? Seems like even a king has his weaknesses.) I couldn't help the laugh coming from my lips, it was just ridiculous. This mighty Werewolf king was weak to being teased by a schoolgirl. (Maybe a fetish? I'll need to find out how he reacts to this later... I wonder what he'll bring us?)
I decided to stop thinking about that, and focus more on lunch. It'd be 11AM soon, and even with some of the wine, I was getting a little hungry. The others would probably get hungry as well, so I didn't see why I shouldn't prepare something for us to eat. So I started humming and getting to work. And a few minutes after I did, I heard the TV turn on behind me, and checked to see who it was.
"Ah, hello Saya." She splayed herself over the couch, and turned to me when she heard me say her name... Though she did look at me strangely again.
"Are you really going to wear that? We have 3 men in this house..." I watched her face get red as she went down that trail of thought, and I grinned.
"Oh we do don't we. What do you think of them Saya? Especially that little... Show. We got earlier?" Her face got even redder, if that was even possible, and I saw and her splutter.
"D-D-Don't bring that up! Pervert! Voyeur!" I laughed at that. Oh, she wanted to go that route?
"Oh? Wasn't someone peeking through her hands? Or did I imagine that?" I could swear there was steam pouring through her ears. (Oh this is wonderful. Should I push a little more?) I grinned at that thought. And before she could respond, I went in. "Maybe we should let Mr. Silver know about how you like to watch."
Seeing her go red from the neck up was adorable and amazing to see. I watched as she pointed her finger at me, trying to form words and failing, and then she fell back into the couch... Ah... I think she passed out... With a trail of blood leaking from her nose? (Maybe I went a little too far... Oh well.) I shrugged my shoulders, grabbed a napkin, and plugged her leaky nostril.
I checked the TV, and seeing the state of the world and our current situation, I hummed. (It's strange. The world is ending, and we don't seem as bad as we could be. We have hope, the means to survive, and plans. Maybe this will be fun.) And with that, I went back to the kitchen.
Marikawa-sensei... (Technically this is Minami's home.) Minami's fridge had an ok variety of food, and there was enough for me to make lunch for everyone. It'd depend on how much food Mr. Silver came back with. (Eh, they'll accept whatever I'm able to make for them... Will Marikawa-sensei sleep through lunch? Thoughts for later.) I went to making lunch, and I heard Rei and Komuro speaking at the stairs. I couldn't make out what was being said, but I didn't mind.
Saya was still knocked out on the couch, Marikawa-sensei was probably still asleep, Hirano was probably still playing with the guns, so aside from Mr. Silver, we were all here. I didn't count Minami considering she hadn't actually joined the group, and because she was stationed at the airport. I thought of our plans from here, and I was curious about something. (Mr. Silver said the Takagi estate seemed to be fine, so does that mean they're secure with a workforce? Or did they secure their compound some other way? We'll be checking tomorrow, but it's still an interesting subject to think about.)
"W-w-what're you wearing Busujima?!" Hmm? I looked to the speaker, and saw Komuro blushing and looking away from me. I blinked at him, and then remembered what exactly I was wearing.
"Sorry, I didn't have much in the way of spare clothes. It didn't help that Minami didn't have much that fit me." Which was true, I was taller then the woman, not by much, but it still made her clothes a bit uncomfortable on me.
"I-It's fine! I just wasn't expecting it is all!" Fair. I shrugged at that and went back to cooking. "... Busujima... What do you think about Sir. Zaka? The chance to be Werewolves specifically." I hummed at his question.
"Personally? I believe it's perfect for me. I was raised with the Bushido code. Do you know of it?" I saw him think for a moment, then nod. "Living and dying in combat is something I've eventually come to dream about. My family come from a line of Samurai, and so that idea, to die in battle, has passed itself through my very blood. And Mr. Silver's offer, the chance to follow family through battle and war, even if it results in us diving towards hell itself, is a dream come true to me. It may have taken the end of the world as we know it, but I can see my dream come true if I prove myself. And I WILL prove myself... What about you Komuro?"
He was silent as I spoke, and when I turned to him, I saw him thinking about it. This was an opportunity blessed by the heaven's itself after all. The amount of luck it would take for us to run into what we are being led to believe is the LAST Werewolf, would probably be enough for us all to buy a lottery ticket and all get a winning ticket if this was pre-apocalypse.
"I think, I think this is the only way for us to survive. The news is showing us that whatever this is, it's destroyed life as we've known it, and may very well now years if not decades later. This might be the difference of surviving and winning. I don't mind becoming a Werewolf, even though that thought still sounds strange to me, it's something a part of me thinks is the coolest thing I've ever heard. The only thing I'm really worried about is proving myself. Even though a part of me thinks its cool, there's another part of me that feels like I don't deserve it."
I flinched at that. Even if I didn't voice it, I felt similar. Yes, riding into hell with friends and family by my side would be my dream come true, but the part of me that thought I was too much of a monster to prove worthy, had those same doubts.
"I don't think you'd know him, but... My bestfriend. And Rei's at the time boyfriend... His name was Hisashi Igou. I failed him. We were friends for years, and when he and Rei got together... I was jealous. I don't want to get into that too much... But his last wish was to die human. Not as one of THEM... And I failed him. I was too caught up thinking about how the world as we knew it was over, to give him his wish... He changed, and I had to put him down... But I failed him before that... If I was just a bit faster in responding earlier, I could've stopped him from being bit... I could've saved him... And I couldn't. I failed him twice. I don't know if I deserve this chance."
Ah... (He's wearing his guilt on his sleeve... What should I say to that?) I wasn't exactly the best at comforting people, despite my actions otherwise, so I wasn't sure how to respond. So I thought about it. How would I respond to that. I stirred the pot in silence, and eventually came up with a response.
"Was there anything else he asked of you? Or anything you believe he'd want you to do?" He looked at me, and I saw his eyes flicker towards the stairs, the stairs that Miyamoto had gone up after Mr. Silver had left.
"Rei. To watch over and protect her. To see her through all this... That. That's what I know he'd want." I see. I nodded at that, and continued stirring.
"Then fulfill that wish. Fulfill it and go beyond it. Be there for Miyamoto and don't fail her or anyone ever again. You're worried you don't deserve this chance? Then use your actions and prove it to us, and yourself, that you do. Actions speak louder then words, so let them speak for you. Not your doubts." I'm not sure who those words meant more too. Him or myself... But those words resonated with myself as well... (Practice what you preach... It seems like I'll have to live with that saying as well.)
I saw Komuro nod, and I could see the way he took my words. He seemed to brand them into his mind, and he nodded. His shoulders seemed to relax, as if a burden was lifted from his shoulders, and he smiled at me.
"Thank you Busujima. That... I needed to hear that." I smiled back at him, and nodded.
"Feel free to call me Saeko, Komuro."
"Then call me Takashi. I'm looking forward to working with you Saeko." I grinned at him, and finished preparing lunch.
"By the way... Rei seemed embarrassed about something that happened earlier, and I wondered if you knew what happened?" I couldn't help the mischievous grin that split my face.
"Maybe you should ask Saya about that when she wakes up." He looked a little confused about that, but nodded nonetheless. (Oh her reaction will be glorious.)
{Maccillian's POV 2 hours later}
I was free of the horny by now, and after a small massacre of squirrel and a pair of boars, I got my rank up.
[Status]
Werewolf Senses stage 1/4 - 5/30 - 37/30
Requirements met. Proceeding to unlock stage 2/4...
Stage 2/4 unlocked. Werewolf Senses updating...
Update complete.
Werewolf Senses stage 2/4 - Senses empowered. Physical parameter's updating...
Update complete.
Strength - C-
Dexterity - D
Vitality - D
Next stage 2/4 - 37/75
After that, I knew how strong I was, I could lift a tank easily now, though it'd tire me out if I did it for too long, how far I could sense, and how to thoroughly shift through scents. Rain and cleaning would still fuck with me, but it was easier to separate the smell of the zombies and actual people. I was proud of my gains, and I was bringing back a pair of boars for dinner. I already bled them, so I didn't need to worry about getting my coat dirty. Though it magically got cleaned somehow, so it didn't matter if it got dirty in the first place.
I was running back as I carried them, and checked the watch I stole from the last house, and saw I spent a whole 2 hours hunting. "Wonder if Shizuka is still asleep? Probably... What the fuck do I do about that? Shizuka's hot and sexy as fuck, but how do I deal with the rabbit and his jackhammer? Then there's Rika... And maybe even Saeko... I'm fucked either way... Why couldn't this be a normal zombie apocalypse? Why do I have lady issues during the end of the world?" I had no fucking clue how to handle this. I couldn't even get drunk and let drunk me make a either stupid or genius decision. (Maybe being Muzaka and everything he had was a bad idea...)
I didn't even know if I should go the harem route. Hell, I didn't even know if I COULD go the harem route. (Didn't Saeko get jealous of Rei in the series? How the fuck am I going to deal with a jealous sexy samurai Werewolf? I could probably heal getting my dick cut off, BUT I DON'T WANT TO TEST THAT!)
I kept running despite my internal debate, and found myself at home before I knew it. Kohta saw me coming, and waved at me. I waved back, and landed on the balcony. "Hey soldier, how're things looking?"
"Things have been going good. THEY haven't gathered around for long, and the worst of them just leave when something further away grab their attention." I nodded at that, and we both walked in.
"I miss anything while I was out?" He tilted his head, and hummed.
"Takagi passed out for some reason just after you left. Busujima cooked us lunch, and Marikawa-sensei is still sleeping. Miyamoto and Komuro spoke about something, but I'm not sure what. Other then that, we've mostly been relaxing and I've been on lookout." Huh?
(The fuck happened with Saya?) Shaking that off. "Since no one's freaking out, I'll assume she's fine?" He nodded, and I decided to let it pass. We made it to the livingroom, and I saw Saya, still in the clothes from the episode, Rei, same and Takashi on the same couch. Saeko was sitting on the other couch, and they were all looking at the TV. Though they turned to me and Kohta when they saw us, and then the boars.
"... I don't know how to cook boar." I snorted at Saeko, and walked over to the kitchen. I saw Kohta go to Saeko's couch, and sit on the opposite end.
"I'll work on it so don't worry about it. Anyway, Saya, I heard you passed out. You ok cub?" I didn't see it, but I heard her splutter.
"O-Of course I'm ok you mutt! And why am I 'cub' but you call Saeko 'samurai' so why do I get cub?!" I set the first boar down on the floor, and extended my claws out to start skinning it.
"Easy. Saeko is a samurai, she's got a sword and everything. I call you cub because you shout at everything like a little tiger. It's adorable. It doesn't help you that you've got the tooth and everything." I started separating the hide and the good meat from the boar as I said that, and I heard Saya splutter again after I was done.
"That's not fair! And I am NOT a cub! And I don't shout at everything!" I stopped gutting the boar, and turned to her. The rest of the kids were too.
"Cub... Those last statements all ended in exclamation points." I watched her shake her fist in my direction, and we all laughed. I shook my head and got back to gutting the boar, and we all made conversation. It was after I finished gutting the first boar, that I heard someone coming downstairs. Since the kids were all here, I knew it was Shizuka, so I turned in her direction, and paused. (Goddammit.)
"Morniiiiiing everyone..." There she was, completely fucking naked. Kohta passed out with a bloody nose, Takashi had his eyes shielded by Rei, Saeko just looked amused, Saya was frozen, and I was just blinking. Then Shizuka saw me, and she came my way. "Silveeer! Pillow!" Ah fuck. I shifted, and let her wrap me up in a hug. Feeling her nipples press against my fur, and her breath against my ear derailed any thoughts I had. I turned into a body pillow, and I just let it happen.
I saw the girls all look at me, with some level of either amusement or embarrassment, and sighed. I was going to have a long day.
[Omake - All the belly rubs. Rei's POV during the first group bath]
It was time. The girls and I were in the bath, and we managed to drag Silver in with us. Well, we just asked Marikawa-sensei if he could come with, and she dragged him in for us.
Even though his fur was caked in blood, and his claws, and fangs... Basically his whole body, he looked cute. Which was weird to me. (What part of that is cute? Am I more of a dog person then I thought?) I had no idea.
That aside, it was time to pay Silver back for agreeing with me and trying to kill Shidou. "I wonder how fluffy or silky we could make his fur?" That was I had to say. Marikawa-sensei squealed, and we went to work. I grabbed some shampoo, Marikawa-sensei grabbed... Soap? I ignored that, and went to work. Silver was in between us, and I dropped shampoo onto his fur.
When I put my hands on it, I felt it was already soft, and I was jealous. "How? How are you so soft? My hair would be a mess if I got all that blood in it, this is beyond unfair!" I may have started to ruffle his fur a bit to get that across, and when I did, I felt my annoyance melt away. It was like I was touching a high quality fur coat... (I wonder why I would have THAT feeling?) Thought aside, I went back to cleaning him.
Marikawa-sensei and I enjoyed playing with his fur, and Silver didn't mind it. I think he was even amused! We played with his fur, and with him, and I felt my worries about the day, the apocalypse, and everything else melt away.
"Nothing beats playing with a dog... This is the best thing in the world."
"Right! Silver's the best pillow in the world! "
(This woman! She gets to sleep with this?!) She must've had the best luck in the world. I took out my frustration at Marikawa-sensei's luck on Silver, and gave him as many belly rubs as possible. His fur, even the fur around his scars, was just so soothing... I wanted a pillow of the stuff, I'd probably wake up like I slept for days if I did.
[Status]
Name - Maccillian Silver Zaka
Age - 19(?)
Strength - C-
Dexterity - D
Vitality - D
Intelligence - E
Wisdom - E+
Charisma - D+
Luck - E-
Werewolf Strength stage 2/4 - 153/750
Regeneration stage 1/4 - 18/200
Werewolf Senses stage 2/4 - 37/75
Wolf King's Wisdom stage 0/1 - 2/50 - 5/50
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