40 Iriomote-jima, Okinawa

"Tomori! Konoe!"

I yelled out from the tip of my lungs, hoping that my voice had reached their ears, farther at the back end of the forest. All of the trees that had been easily bypassed was now preventing my trail, blocking each of my hasty steps. The sediment rocks began absorbing the ground, creating random of puddles clustered like stars—as if someone was pushing me away from the frightened kids.

The scent of the gushing freshwater, emanated by the deafening waterfall, indicating that I was already nearby. Despite from my rigorous jog, my mind was surprisingly calm.

I slashed the dangling vines sprouted everywhere towards my track. The forest had further engulfed by massive amount of weeds and trees akin to a jungle. However, the abundant reserves of diverse plants are just enveloped in a specific radius, just around our vicinity.

After my endless sprint, I finally arrived at my destination—but the children was nowhere to be seen.

"Am I too late? Hello?! Konoe? Tomori? Itsuki? Where the hell are you guys" I scratch my head from their sudden disappearance.

Just when I had decided to give up and search the vast wilderness for more, a cry of a young girl resounded from my breech, just behind the roaring waterfalls. Although the azure waves crashed down was thunderous as it is, it had never stopped the audible screech inside.

"Are you there? Please don't be dead…or undead." Looking down, I saw multiple footprints spread in a sort of panic; tiny enough to be running in pairs.

"The children!" After my quick judgement from the little details left on the mud, I sprung towards the side of the cascade. Much to my surprise, a cave had been thoroughly hidden amongst the crashing water.

"Delivery….for Konoe…and friends?" I called out once more, this time whispering due to echoes of the enclosed cave.

There was not much to see further inside the cavern. Although the stony land was slippery and wet, the man-made road built with strenuous concrete had guided me slowly onward.

A flicker of light could be seen blazing extensively. It had made me guess that the zombies might've been wandering around even in this tunnel, but the idea was too far-fetched to be widely accepted.

Just as I readied my wooden branch, which I am currently wielding as a weapon, 4 familiar figures welcomed my presence.

"Fleur! You're alright." Konoe rushes happily to my side. It had almost felt like I was Santa Clause for brief moment, as I loosen up my battle stance and gave away the 3 pouches I've stored along the journey.

"Hohoho~ I've brought you goodies."

I merrily distributed the bag made of leaves to the two oldest kids, and left one bag for myself. Konoe soon guided me on the campfire, which had been the one glimmering from the ingress of the cave.

"Where did you find these?" Konoe asks as she unravels the present filled with vegetables and fruits gathered from the outside.

"I had found a bountiful land at the eye of the forest. However, I haven't seen the likes of them. They must've been scared from my elegant presence—or maybe they…were cleanly taken care of."

I vaguely realised that the infected had soon dispersed after our bloody war. Even so, what we can see was none other than a small quantity of villagers residing their town. Who would have believe that the city's population only composes for about 25 adult's more-or-less? It was foolish enough for me to think this way.

"We'll be staying here for tonight. We'll move by sunrise. 'Til then, we should probably get some rest"

I sat down with the comfort of the bonfire, which brought me warmth from the shivering breeze. The air is humid, colder than the usual rain especially that we're inside a cave near the continuous stream. Itsuki and his brother are presently fast asleep. While Konoe and her sister were wide awake, keeping watch.

"Nee chan...fruits…delicious…" Tomori commented, as she grubs one of the freshly picked apples with her adorable little teeth.

"No no no, Tomori-chan. Atode tabemasu"

"Eeeh~"

Konoe attempts to retrieve the apple from her sister's hands. Their minor discord had made Tomori weep, which made the cave livelier with her soft and shrieky wails.

"Tomoriiii, don't cry. Here, you can have mine"

I offered my fruit to the hopeless little girl, famished for something sweet on the top of her salivary glands. As soon as the apple landed onto her hand, her eyes sparkles with glutton, like a kid receiving her favourite happy meal.

Konoe gave me a dejected look, and rested her head on the palm of her hand.

"She had been spoiled enough" She retorted, and even eyeing for the apple that I gave.

"A kid like you needs to grow"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

She crosses her arms and pouted at my comment, seemingly dissatisfied from my logic. Anyhow, I paid it no mind and carried on with my usual routine—and watched this cutesy daisy pumpkin eating her *coughs* munching her quick and healthy snack.

She was the very image of an angel itself, who had fallen down to guide the humans and anomalies in this twisted world. Her cuteness herself could save the whole sinners to their merry paths, and become one with the Holy Grail. But how fortunate I was to be included with the few chosen ones to be able to witness this…god sent image of purity and divine.

"You were saying?" Konoe disrupts my confidential religion upon worshiping my goddess. I bickered her a smile, and soon sat on the parched boulder right beside the campfire.

We stared silently on the crisping coal ignited at the heart of the cavern. Its embers flared like fireworks across the sky, sizzling to its last dust. The only tune that we could hear were the soothing sounds of the crashing waves from the distant entrance, and the brittle woods brunt into smokes.

"Fleur-san, how did you end up wandering here in our island?"

"OH, THAT REMINDS ME OF SOMETHING" I gently slam my fist on the palm of my hand, and foolishly forgotten the name from the isle where I am residing in.

"Where am I anyway?" Yeah, a complete idiot who had been swayed by the tangible goddess in front of my eyes; blessed, I would even argue. Despite my 'honest' mistakes, I've never regretted my actions up until now.

"I don't even know whether you're hopeless or amazing. We're in Iriomote-jima waterfall and mangrove forest, Okinawa, Japan." Konoe hauls an 'I do not know this girl' sigh, seemingly relentless from my nonsense's.

"J-J-J-Japan?! Agh" Even though I'm inside the country of Japan, I was nowhere near the residents of Tokyo; where Dr. Turner's laboratory resides.

Dejected, I rested my body to the side and sorrowfully accepted my defeat. I was not in a good shape to anticipate further negative vibes, so I might as well use this time to harness my strength. Besides, I am responsible to lead these stray kids to the nearest shelter, where protection is guaranteed. I cannot risk to move around under the eyes of Turner, especially when he has all of my friends confined. Moreover, according to the words of Pura, Dione and Venice are still alive hiding from the obvious sight.

"Tokyo? Is there anything that you needed to do?"

Konoe shuffles her way to my side and gently caress my shoulder.

"Is there anything that we can help you with? You did saved our lives." Her worried look greeted my eyes, as I turned around and heeded her query.

"No…there is nothing. I'm sorry"

"But we're special. We're…"

"You're still in high school. Kids. We need you guys to survive, not to play around with some reanimated neighbour that you knew while smacking left and right, decapitating their necks."

"YOU'RE JUST A LITTLE BIT OLDER!!! "

"You're not suited for this"

"WHAT MAKES YOU DIFFERENT THAN THE REST OF US?!"

"BECAUSE! Because…

Because I didn't want to lose you too. I am no better than Venice, nor a captain like Paul. Pura had died because of me. And the necklace entrusted me had been stolen out from my hands. Tell me…if a chance had unfortunately appeared and I was required…to save you both…to save each and every one of you out of despair—and failed, am I still fit to call myself as a hero? I'm sorry"

"…."

No words has been thrown afterwards from our strife. It was ended as it is, and left a bitter taste for each sides. If we have known that this conflict had ever happened, then it was unlikely for us to converse this far. However, deep down in our soul, our silent hearts had been connected, and a bond has been forged. Although the dispute had yet to be changed, our kind thoughts remained the same.

"That's why we're here"

A young man's voice reverberates the cave. The four-eye lad, I mean glasses boy, er…Itsuki rises from his wake.

"You're awake?"

I asked.