On a Piping Run III
I rub the bridge of my nose at that terrible joke before I feel another tackle, though this one is a lot more friendly and ends in a ferocious hug.
"Silvester! You're okay we-... What happened to your eyes? They're so pretty! Are they new cosplay contact lenses? Do you have an extra pair with you?!" A short slightly chubby woman with a mix of faded blue and green dyed hair with a greyish blue pair of eyes wearing a chipper expression and an old Enclaves and Explorers shirt and a pair of jeans. Bombards me with several rapid fire questions.
"I'll explain that later, where's Minnie and your other roommate, what's her name? Minx was it?" I ask trying and failing to pry her death grip hug off of me.
"Don't mention that bitch's name here ever again!" I hear Minnie shout from the living room.
I head inside dragging Miveh along with me to see a thin and short woman with tan skin, black hair, and deep brown eyes, scowling on the couch, where she is curled up and furiously eating a mango.
"And what happened to the bitch who shant be named?" I ask plopping down on the couch as Miveh finally let's me go to start packing her and Axcel's things.
Axcel goes back to the door and stands guard after making himself a peanut butter sandwich. While two concerningly chonky cats waddle over to me and plop on one leg each. Staring at me until I start petting them. The smaller one, at least in comparison to the other is an orange tabby who is at least twice the width of Diva is Puddy.
While the other, who is at least 3 maybe 4 Divas in width is a spotted black and white cat called Little Man.
After finishing her mango, Minnie finally speaks up, "That bitch snuck out in the middle of the night taking my keys, her cat, and over half of our damned food!" Minnie rants throwing her mango pit away.
"Wow... Kinda glad she left though, now I don't have to worry about bringing her back to the camp I set up." I sigh in relief as the cats pur contently on my lap.
"Camp?" Minnie asks.
"Yeah, I got a place set up at the dorms..." I continue explaining everything that has happened up until this point as the three listen.
"So you're saying... When I called you a zombie bastard... I wasn't wrong?" Axcel says nodding in deep thought causing me to laugh.
"Only partially, I'm still alive and got a pulse. I've got Chanen and Kully in my car down below. We should probably head down with your stuff before they either drive off or bust in guns blazing." I say grabbing the most precious cargo of all, the cats and we head down stairs and to their vehicles where I see Chanen and Kully talking in the car.
Once the cats are safely set in Miveh's car I go over and ask them to help us get the rest of the usable stuff from their apartment. Loading it between mine and Miveh's car, leaving room in Axcel's truck for our run to Hydrodynamic's warehouse.
Once done loading everything, Chanen sighs, "Whew, glad that went off without a hitch." She says before a deep roar fills the air and we all turn to see a strangely buff zombie, which is nearly twice my size and that seems to be covered in a bony, misshapen and deformed cancerous growth-like structure similar to plate armor or an exoskeleton.
"Axcel... I think that ate your zombies..." I say.
We all turn to glare at Chanen, "I'll own it... This one is on me..." She says pulling up the shotgun and taking aim before pulling the trigger as that thing slowly lumbers into the parking lot.
*Bang*
The sound of the gunshot echoes through the parking lot as we see several pellets embed themselves into the bony plates covering that things body, as those that didn't left small groves before being ricocheted away from it's body as it continues lumbering towards us not slowed in the slightest.
"Guys, I think it's best if we get in the cars and leave." Minnie suggests, getting into Miveh's car and starting to roll up the window before stopping after realizing no one is hopping into the car, "Do you guys have a death wish or something?"
"Nah, we should definitely try and fight it. We could probably take it with these." Axcel says rummaging in the bed of his truck before pulling out a goddamn claymore which he hefts onto his shoulder before handing me a long sword.
"Dude! Where do you get this shit?!" I exclaim in shock.
"What? I go to conventions," Axcel shrugs before asking, "So, what's the plan?"
Everyone turns to me while that zombie is angrily shuffling towards us.
"Alright... I'll try and keep that thing's attention since I don't have to worry about being infected. You try and slash away at it's back when you get an opening. And Chanen, try and shoot any spots we can cut the plates off of... Everyone else, get the cars running and prepare to drive away if things go south." I say laying out my plan.
"Uh, you sure it's a good idea for me to drive your car?" Kully asks in concern, "You remember that I'm legally blind, right?"
"God no, you're driving Axcel's truck and Miveh will drive my car." I say before running off to take a swing at that boned behemoth before they can protest.
The first strike was slightly off-kilter since I've never used this sword before, but it still strikes true and leaves a gash in the things forearm that was deeper and longer than the pellet blast from the shotgun.
I have to dive to avoid the swing of its arms though as its reach is much farther than I expected even if it is slowed down by all its weight.