Return to the airport

"This is jeep Beta from the cinema team. I'm closing in on the main airport checkpoint. Please don't blow us up. Over." The driver said while pressing a button on his radio. The fenced-out area before the airport becoming larger by the second, along with piles of burnt corpses...

The sky was also starting to dim by now, as the sun decided it was time to free dive into the sea.

"Roger that Beta. Welcome back. Over." The radio answers.

"So, what are the chances they'll leave me alone now?" I 'ask' as I fold my arms.

"I'd reckon about the same chance of them undead freaks acting civilized." The driver chuckles.

(Yea, seems about right…)

And a few minutes later, we finally were by the gate…

(Home sweet home huh...)

"Alright you two, free ride's over." And the driver speaks up as we enter the camp, stopping the vehicle a little further down.

(Not going to argue with that, with how you've been staring at Saeko...)

And as I exit the jeep with all my equipment...

"Hmm? Hey Naier, is that Saya waiting a bit down the road?" Saeko speaks up, pointing at the road ahead of us. And sure enough, a twin-tailed pinkette was waiting by the road, arms folded and glancing around.

"Uhh, don't think a lot of people here have pink twintails soo..." I responded as I tilt my head.

"Aight, thanks for the ride." I add as I tap on the jeep's roof and back off. The jeep then starts driving off. Only to stop a few seconds later, in front of the pinkette…

(...Really now?)

I hold myself back from chuckling as I start heading towards the jeep's new stop point...

"He's relentless, I'll give him that…" I whisper as I keep walking.

"If only he used all that energy for something more productive." Saeko adds while walking next to me.

And, as we closed in...

"I said I'm waiting for somebody. Go away you damn idiot." The piknette hisses with an annoyed expression.

"Aww come on girl, you don't have to be so hostile~" The driver, who was with his left arm and head out of the jeep responds with a chuckle.

(...That's Saya alright. Uhh, I 'would' like to joke about how she's goofing off with another guy. But with Saeko next to me? It's going to backfire worse than a rusty shotgun held by low-grade duct tape...)

"Hmm, I even have my own welcoming party? Well, I'm moved." I speak up as I walk up next to the jeep. Saya turns to look at me, annoyed frown still on her face.

"Naier!" And her face instantly lights up. Only to turn into pout again the moment she saw Saeko.

"Huh?..." The driver then also turns to look at me, having the frown of a fat kid that got interrupted while eating its favorite giga chocolate…

"See you met Saya…" I add as I turn to look at the driver…

"Oh! Man you know her? Perfect~ Hook me up!" The driver chuckles as glances at Saya's, lower half.

"Eww!" Was all Saya responded with as she trotted up to me, grabbed my hand, and turned to walk away while dragging me along...

The driver just stared at me as I turned to wave at him.

"Oh come on! Both?!" I heard the driver cry out from behind…

(Weird flex me, but ok…)

Other than that, I kept silent as Saya kept dragging me along, Saeko casually walking next to me…

"By the way, Saeko. Your father wants to speak to you as soon as possible." Saya then speaks up as she stops dragging me and turns to look at both of us.

"I see, thank you for informing me. I will go get changed and head to him then." Saeko replies with a slight bow. She then starts to walk away, only to turn towards me a few steps later.

"Naier, I hope you do not mind, but I will hold on to your jacket for a bit longer." She adds with a smile before turning to walk again, and...

(Huh? did she just smirk at Saya as she turned around, or I'm seeing crap?...)

Turning to glance at Saya, I found that her expression was even poutier than before…

(Nope, she did smirk at her alright...)

"So, uhhh, any new commands from our dear fatass general?" I ask, essentially, trying to create a subject…

"I haven't seen him. He's probably with my papa at the airport." Saya lets out a small sigh as she turns to me.

"An aircraft carrier arrived there while you were away. And they seem to be preparing to flip the light switch on this place as well…" She adds as she folds her arms.

"Hmm? They managed to activate the dam?" I ask back, and Saya just nods.

"Niiccee. Now I'll have a way to charge the laptop…" I chuckle as I also fold my arms.

"Ughh, come on you nerd, is that the only thing that you can think of? Sims is not that fun anyway…" Saya groans as she rolls her eyes.

"Ohh yes, me agrees with that. That's why I went shopping. You won't believe the discounts. They're to, kill for…" I retort as I bring my bag in front and open it, then pull a random video game case out of the bag. Saya's eyebrows turning into a straight line as she disapprovingly stared at the case.

"First, your jokes are as lame as always. Second, are you for real?..." She groans as she kept looking at the case.

"You risked your life, for a bunch of video games?…" She adds as she turns to stare at me.

"Yyyyyes." I respond flatly.

"Why are you so, stupid? Stupid..." Saya shakes her head as she brings her hand to her forehead.

"Aww, and here I was excited that we could play together. I even got two controllers for some co-op…." I respond as I lower my head and act all disheartened, pulling the two controllers from the bag as I let out a huge sigh. Saya stared at me for a few seconds...

"Uhh, w, well. Since you went through all that trouble. I guess I could, do you a favor…" Saya retorts as she glances away, folding her arms under her chest.

"And force you to do something you don't like? I just can't bring myself to torture you like that." I dramatically shake my head as I close my bag.

"Well Saeko did seem quite interested in one, maybe I can…"

"AAaaarh! Fine fine, stop! J, just shut up! I do want to play with you! Ok you dumb idiot!?…" Saya exclaims as she stomps her foot on the floor, turning to stare at me with a blush.

"Perfect, why didn't you just say so~" I respond as I do a complete three-sixty on my mood, closing my bag and passing it over my shoulder again.

"Soo, uhh, can I go and leave all this crap now?" I ask right back as I tap my shield.

"...Why are you asking me?" Saya asks back as she pouts…

"...Because you still have my keys…" I reply flatly.

" O, oh. R, right…" She mumbles as she lowers her head slightly, then, after searching her pockets for a few seconds, she pulls the keys out of her jacket's pocket and hands them over to me. All the while, she was intently staring at them, even after she gave them to me.

"Is something wrong?" I ask as I pocket the keys.

"N, nothing! Come on, move it!" Saya blurts out as she turns to walk towards the main building at a quick pace…

(Hummm, my minus ten perception tells me she's hiding something.)

And with that, I started following Saya towards the main building...

Upon reaching it, we started going up the stairs. And, well…

(Oh, panty shot. Oh, panty shot. Oh, panty shot. Oh, panty shot. Oh, panty shot. Oh, panty shot. Blue and white stripes. Is that a bear face? Nope, it looks more like a cat. Or is it a parrot? Hmm might be a mouse.)

Yea, Saya was ahead of me, and she was wearing her 'normal' school skirt. Which plainly speaking, was way too damn short for stairs…

(Our school had a lot of stairs, Saya's school skirt is supposed to be the normal school skirt. No wonder Shido worked there...)

And, after finally reaching the floor with our rooms, we headed straight to my room.

"Can they bring electricity back right about now?..." I chuckle as I open the door, and…

"AAAAAHH!" Saya essentially slaps me out of the way and enters the room by herself, slamming the door shut behind her …

(...Uhhh, what just happened?…)

After a couple of seconds of blankly blinking at my door. The door to Saeko's room opens up, said purple-haired samurai walking out, dressed in a white kimono.

With a quick glance around, she then turned to look at me. While I was still standing next to my door, arm extended with my keys still in hand…

"Did something happen Naier?" Saeko asks as she tilts her head...

"I think Saya is leveling her screaming ghost lady skills…" I responded as I kept staring at the door.

"S, shut up! It's just! Just shut up! It's nothing! Don't come inside yet!" Saya shouts through the closed door...

I turn to look at Saeko as I shrug, who just brought her hand to her mouth as she giggled.

"Going to see your father?" I ask as I keep looking at Saeko.

"Yes." She responds as she turns to close her door.

"Won't hold you then." I add as I nod.

(The last thing I need is capiten Silver fang on my ass.)

"You can wait in my room if you want." She adds as she stops closing the door..

"Nahh, I don't think the 'refurbishing' will take that long." I responded with a slight shrug.

"S, shut up!" The angry pinkette shouted again.

With a last chuckle, Sakeo closes her door, bows at me, and turns to leave.

(...Shame, I didn't even manage to get a glimpse of 'what' made Saya freak out. I could open the door. But I don't want to deal with the aftershock of such an action right now. As long as I don't find some faceless bald dude's underwear under my bed.)

I shake my head as I groan.

(Then again, I'm not one to speak…)

With that thought, I fold my arms, and walk to the wall opposite of my door, then lean my back against it, and start waiting for Saya to finish whatever she was doing in there…

-A few minutes later…-

'Yawn-'...

(Uhhh, she sure is taking her time. What the hell did she do there…)

And just as I finished that thought, the door opened. Saya behind the door, looking like she just tackled an angry bear...

"Should I ask.."

"No!" Saya grumbles back loudly…

"Ok…" I respond with a slight shrug as I walk up to the door, and then enter the room. Which looked completely normal.

(Huh, nothing is…wait a minute…)

The laptop Saya had with her from her room was on my desk. And my bed looked a bit 'used'. As if somebody was rolling around on the blankets, and then tried to straighten it, but didn't know how to do so correctly. Say like, a rich kid that probably never bothered to do her bed before?…

(...Ehh, let's leave her to think that she got away with it. Since she tried so hard.)

I then walk up to the wardrobe next to the bed and open it. Inside it were several sets of black clothes, along with the stuff I looted from the S.A.T van on our initial trip from the overrun extraction outpost to here.

I then take off my earbud, mic, shield, Scar-H, helmet, and vest. And place them next to all the stuff I looted.

(I'll need more space if I keep stocking up on crap like that. Can I increase the storage size of this thing? Maybe an upgrade or two? Wooden planks and stone axes anybody?)

"What are you staring at?" Saya asks as she folds her arms.

"The nonexistent space in my wardrobe." I responded.

"Then stop gathering useless stuff?" Saya retorts.

"How is any of this useless?" I ask back with a chuckle as I close the wardrobe.

"Do you really need a second set of arm and leg guards? And three more belts? Nine different-sized ammo pouches? Three combat knives?...Handcuffs?" Saya keeps her arms folded as she keeps speaking with a slight frown…

(...Ok, now she's asking for it.)

"Saya…" I take a deep breath as I turn to her.

"...Were you searching my wardrobe?" I ask flatly.

"O, of course I was not you idiot! I could see all that stuff from where I was standing!" Saya responds as her eyes go wide for a few seconds, before she frowns even more than before, leaning her body towards me as she narrows her eyes.

"...Saya. The knives and belts were inside a drawer." I retort.

"Yea, so what?" She huffs back.

"Which I didn't open." I continue.

"Uhh, well I. I, I saw them anyway!" Saya answers back as she glances away...

"And count them?" I ask as I smirk slightly.

"Y, yes!" Saya responds as she nods.

"I'm a genius! I have very good eyesight!" She blurts out right after.

"Uhh, how does one conne…"

"It just does! Now stop asking stupid questions! Stupid!" Saya cuts me off as she stomps her food on the floor, turning to look at me with puffed-up cheeks.

(Damn, she really doesn't want to admit that she's been sticking her nose in my stuff huh?)

"Alright, alright~" I chuckle as I head to the desk that the laptop was on, then leave my bag and turn around.

"Hum, about time you stopped being stupid…" Saya mumbles as she silently comes along with me.

(…Hmmm?)

"Oh and one last thing." I smirk slightly as I raise my finger.

"What, I told you I didn't…"

"You missed a corner." I chuckle as I point at the lower corner of the bed, the cover sticking out from under the mattress…

Saya quickly darts her head to the bed, takes one big step towards the bed, then quickly stops.

"I, I didn't make your bed stupid, why would I have made your bed. Hum!" Saya replied as she huffed, closing her eyes and turning her head slightly towards the ceiling.

(Damn, the princess mode is strong in this one.)

I shake my head and turn to the laptop.

"How much battery does this thing have left?" I ask…

"Not enough..." Saya answers with a slight pout on her face.

"Hmm, don't they have electricity in the comms tower?" I ask back.

"Umm, well, ahhh…." And Saya's bravado instantly fades...

"Ogot...theble…" She whispers as she keeps glancing about.

"You got the blue?" I tilt my head as I turn to her with a slight frown.

"I forgot the cable!" She barks back with a deep blush on her face.

"And they won't let anybody in the tower unless they are 'on a mission.'" She continues as she keeps looking away.

"Oh well, guess that can wait till we get some actual electricity in the building then." I shrug as I look out the window, towards the road to the side of the building. Where a lot of tents were set up, 'civilians' crammed up all around. All the while soldiers with big carts were moving in rows, handing out what I think were rations.

"Is it just me, or there seem to be more refugees down there?…" I ask as I tilt my head. Saya trots up to me to also look out the window.

"There, are?..." She asks as she keeps looking down.

"I'm pretty damn sure that place was not 'that' cluttered last time I saw it from up here…" I responded as I tilt my head…

"You think the carrier that just arrived had refuges on it?" Saya asks as she glances at me.

"Won't be surprised if it did, especially if they used helicopters to evacuate people. It would be a very safe midpoint. Plus they could easily dispatch civilians with needed professions from there, like doctors, engineers, electricians. I know the military is supposed to have people of said professions, but I don't think they'd be enough for the amount of personnel they really need right now…" I lean on the desk as I speak.

"Well, it doesn't concern us. And I do believe that everybody needs to do their part in this. Sitting on your ass and demanding things will get you so far before you get a boot in your face." Saya retorts as she turns away from the window and heads to the bed then sits on its side.

"True that." I respond as I also turn around, walk past the bed, and to the wardrobe.

"Where are you going?" Saya asks as she turns her upper body around to face me.

"Uhh, I'm thinking of taking that hot bath your mother mentioned." I answer as I open the wardrobe and take a new set of clothes.

"...Ahh, about, that…." Saya mumbles as she glances away.

"Umm, I think, that was a one-time thing…" She continues.

"...Say what now?" I ask as I arch an eyebrow.

"Ever since that day, the water has remained cold. I asked my Mama about it. She told me they don't have the water heaters hooked on the generator grid all of the time. Something about deterring people from spending too much water. As bringing back water lines is more complex than electricity. They have to restart the water recycling center, and the water reclamation center, along with the pumps. Plus make sure the water is safe to drink, like for example if a corpse gets stuck in a pipe and keeps polluting the water..." Saya responds.

"Hmm. Did you know all that? Marked me impressed." I chuckle as I take off the rest of my headgear.

"O, of course I do, I'm…."

"A genius." I cut her off with a slight smirk. Saya just sticks out her tongue at me.

"Even though it was my mama that told me all that…" She whispers as she glances away.

(...She knows I can hear her, right?...)

"Welp, cold water it is then. As the alternative is walking around in the clothes I used to clear a cinema full of corpses." I groan with a slight sigh as I start walking towards the bathroom.

"W, wait. N, now?" Saya asks as her eyes go slightly wide.

"Uhh, yes?" I responded.

"Does it have to be right now?" Saya asks again as she pouts. Slightly puffing up her cheeks as she turns to look away.

"You want to cuddle with somebody who's covered in blood?..." I ask as I chuckle.

"O, of course not you idiot!" Saya shouts back as she glances at me.

"So you're saying that I should 'not' be wearing clothes?" I respond as I smirk at her.

"AAA! I, I didn't say that either! Pervert!" Saya yelps as a heavy blush starts to creep on her face.

"Soo, can I…"

"Saya? This is your father, I need you by the airport as soon as possible." And before I could finish speaking, her radio came alive…

(Really? What's with the timing? He has a camera installed in here or something?)

"Wha...oh come on!" Saya turns to look at the radio in her jacket's pocket before stomping her foot on the floor while still sitting on the bed…

"Why does this always happen to me…" She whines as she picks her radio. And after taking a deep breath.

"Ok Papa, I'm coming…" She continues with a calm tone.

"Good." The radio replies flatly.

And, a few rather awkward seconds of silence.

"I, I should get going…." Saya jumps to her feet, and walks around the bed to head towards the exit.

(...Hmm, I just got a retarded idea…)

"Saya." Right as she passes by me, I call out to her.

"What, I got to h…"

Yet as she turned around and before she could finish her sentence, I put my hand under her chin to align her face to mine, then locked lips with her…

Saya stood completely still, like a deer staring at headlights. Even after I backed off from her, she didn't move. Ok, like a deer at headlights might be the wrong equivalent. As she just stood there with her eyes closed. Her head leaning forward…

And after a few seconds, she slowly opened her eyes…

"M, more…" She mumbled as she kept staring at me.

"Don't get greedy now." I respond as I pat her head.

Saya pouts slightly as she keeps staring at me. But other than that, she didn't react.

"It's not fair. Saeko gets to have you for the whole day. All I get is a stupid kiss…" She mumbles as she grabs my shirt with both hands.

"True, but Saeko didn't get, this~" I respond as I bring my hands to her sides, and squeeze.

(Damn, this is addicting...)

Saya yelps as starts wiggling about.

"H, Hey! No groping!" She squeaks as she throws a couple of quick slaps on my chest, before retaliating by jabbing my own sides. And well, since I was not wearing my vest…

(Oh shi!)

I grab both her arms, bring them behind her back and I wrap my arms around her, essentially immobilizing her. Saya squirmed for a couple of seconds, before finally giving up and resting her head on my chest.

"I, don't want to go…" She whispers with her eyes half-closed.

"Not much we can do about that, unless you want to stay in a tent packed with unwashed survivors." I respond as I chuckle.

"Aaaa, ugh! Did you have to say that!"Saya groans as she grimaces.

"I'm giving you motivation." I chuckle as I let her go.

"Then do it in a more romantic way! Stupid..." She huffs as she folds her arms.

"Sorry, that skill has no levels." I respond as I smirk.

"Idiot…" Saya mumbled.

"Just remember to leave my key this time around ahh?" I chuckle as I turn to walk towards the bathroom.

"Why, afraid I might creep up on you while you sleep?" Saya asks as she smirks at me.

"On the contrary, I might have to creep up in 'your' room while you sleep, if you have my keys." I respond as I open the bathroom door.

"Hum, pervert…" Saya huffs as she pulls my keys from her pocket, but keeps looking at them instead of leaving them.

"Or, is that what you want? Me to creep up on you, while you're sleeping, half-naked?" I smirk once more as I look at her.

"W, wipe that perverted smirk from your face! Pervert!" She yelps as she tosses me the keys.

"Not unless you stop blushing like you're fantasizing about what I just said." I chuckle as I grab the keys mid-air, then turn to enter the bathroom…

"S, STUPID!" Saya barks out as I close the bathroom door behind me.

(Well she didn't deny it…)

-30 minutes later-

You know what's worse than running out of hot water?

Not having it in the first place.

"Hoooo damn, I hate, cold water…" I grumble as I finish dressing up, my old clothes neatly folded on the counter next to the sink…

"Ok, let's get before I turn into an icicle." I clap my hands a couple of times as I exit the bathroom. And get greeted by an empty room.

"Soooo, now what?" I fold my arms as I look around the room, my eyes stopping on the laptop.

"Hmm, you think we might be lucky? I didn't actually try to open it." I ask myself as I walk up to it and press the power button.

"Niope…" I then pick the charging cable, and put it in a socket….

"Uhhh, double niope…." I sigh as I pull the cable out again. Then turn to look out the window.

"Welp, I don't feel like sleeping sooo, let's go outside I guess?" I nod to myself as I turn to head towards the exit, grabbing and wearing my headgear and keys in the process.

"And why do I keep speaking to myself?" I ask myself as I exit my room, then turn to lock it.

After throwing a glance at the doors that led to Saeko's and Saya's rooms respectively. I turned to leave the floor through the stairs...

"Still, what to do? Not exactly big on outings..." I whisper as I put my hands in my pockets...

I then reached the relatively crowded bottom floor. And then, I exited the building.

(You know, let's go to the airport. I've never seen an aircraft carrier up close.)

I nod to myself, and turn to walk towards the bridge that connects the mainland with the airport…

On my way there, I passed next to the tents I saw from my room, the civilian camp.

(Hmm, I was right, there are more people in civilian clothing sitting about now. More food to give to a bunch of squatters that do nothing all day eh?...)

I shake my head as I keep going.

(Hah, I really did turn out to be quite an ass huh? I'd rather let them starve if they don't contribute? Good thing for them I'm not the one to decide who gets food then…)

With that thought, I turn to look at the sky, the constant buzzing of helicopters flying overhead.

(And I'm pretty sure I'm seeing more helicopters flying about. Probably the ones from the aircraft carrier?)

And, as if to seal the deal of the carrier's presence, I saw a single jet take off from the direction of the airport. Which then flew off towards the main city to the right.

(...Uhh, wait, is it really a good idea to launch jets from here? We're bound to get a big ass horde that the flamethrower guards won't be able to deal with if we keep making this much noise. Not that the helis are any less quiet though...)

With a casual pace, I kept moving. Until I finally reached the bridge…

And, after getting on it, in the distance, I saw a single jeep parked on the side. A person with his head and arm out of the driver's window. Next to the driver's door, a woman.

(...Tell me that's the driver that brought us here hitting on somebody again…)

I chuckle as I focus on the woman.

Long blond hair tied to their end with a red ribbon, excessively large chest, a white top, and a black long skirt, all the while she was hugging a bag...

(...)

I blink a couple of times before picking up the pace, making a beeline towards the woman.

(You, gotta be pulling my leg...)

And as I closed in to the jeep...

"Shizuka right? Just hop on the passenger's seat and I'll get you there in no time. Pretty women get a free ride~" The jeep's driver chimes as he smirks at Shizuka…

"Umm, I'm just, a little lost…" Shizuka answers with a worried expression on her face.

(...I'm About to End This Man's Whole Career...)

"Shizuka, are you bothering strangers again?" I speak up as I stop next to her, the driver's smirk turning into a frown before turning to look at me. And, the moment he 'did' look at me…

A few seconds of silence...

"No God! No God please no! No! No! Nooooooooooo!" And the driver starts shouting as he retreats back into his car, and starts punching the car's horn, with his head...

"Ummm, are you alright? Sir? I am sorry. Umm I'm, uuuu…." Shizuka just kept staring at the man during his mental breakdown, apparently thinking that she was the reason he was freaking out.

(She just completely ignored me. Didn't she?)

"...Now look at what you did…" I add as I keep looking at the freaking out driver.

"I'm, I'm sor…" Shizuka responds as she turns to look at me…

And silence, again. Well, other than the occasional horn beep from the headbutting driver...

"Serpflufier!" Shizuka exclaims as she pretty much forgets about the lamenting driver and skips towards me.

(Oh shit! Stranger danger!)

I quickly step aside, while leaving my leg and arm stretched out, causing Shizuka to trip, and fall on my arm.

"Awawawaa!" The moment she started to fall, she closed her eyes and started to widely flail her arms.

Without spending too much time holding her. Because, let's be real. That chest is way too friggin heavy. I lift Shizuka back up and 'stabilize' her next to me.

"Muuu! Why did you do that!" Shizuka whines with a pout. Bringing both hands over her chest as she leaned towards me.

"You'd have flattened me otherwise." I responded.

"Hey! I'm not that heavy!" Shizuka shouts as she frowns even more.

"God please tell me you don't have even MORE hot girls on your list!" The driver exclaimed as he turned to look at me through the jeep's window, the look of total defeat on his face.

"Uhh..." I respond by bringing up my hand, and start counting on my fingers, only to stop, and start counting again. The driver just lets out a very loud groan, retreats back into his jeep, and drives off…

"...Well, that was weird." I sigh as I fold my arms.

"When did you even get here?" I ask as I turn towards the school's nurse, who was staring at me with a wide smile.

"Umm, a little while ago, with a very big ship!" She responds as she spreads her arms.

"The others?" I ask again.

"Oh they are all here! They're talking with Saya and her Dad! Come on! They will be so happy to see you!" Shizuka exclaims again as she grabs my arm and starts pulling me…

(Ohh yea, I'm sure they will. Especially Takashi and Re...Huh? Wait...)

"Wait, they are talking with Saya?" I ask.

"Mhm!" Shizuka nods excitedly.

"Then why are you so surprised to see me?" I ask again.

"Uhh, well. Just because!" Was what I got for an answer…

"Actually, why are you even here and not with the group in the first place?" I ask, yet again.

"Ohh, well. I.." Her cheery attitude quickly takes a nosedive as she stops walking.

"I thought I saw Rika, a friend of mine that was supposed to be stationed here. But, it turned out the person just looked like her, and by the time I caught up to them, I was lost…" She continues.

"Aaanyway! At least we found you three! Umm, Miss Busujima is still with you, right?" She asks as she turns to me with a rather forced smile.

"Yes, she's with her father right now. And, Rika 'is' here." I add as I tilt my head. Shizuka just keeps staring at me with a blank expression.

"Huh?" Was her response.

"I already met her actually. And I got to say, you got to teach her how to 'not' provocatively pick on people…." I add.

"R, rika is here?" Shizuka asks as she keeps staring at me.

"Uh, yea I just s…"

"Rika is here!" And my sentence got interrupted as Shizuka quickly hugged me and started jumping in place.

(Ohholishit!)

I quickly broke off from her hold by grabbing both her arms and removing them from my neck, then leaned my upper body back.

"Oi! Take it easy!" I shouted as I shook my head.

"But she's here! Rika's here! She's alive!" Shizuka just kept jumping in place like a little kid as she yelled happily.

"Yes, so let's calm down and exit the building in an orderly fashion." I responded. Shizuka, much to my surprise, stops jumping and tilts her head with a confused expression.

"...But, we're not in a building…" She responds.

(So she 'was' listening. Color me impressed.)

"Yes, but we really need to get going…" I add.

"Oh right! Come on!" Shizuka exclaims as she starts dragging me again…

(Uhh, didn't she just tell me that she was lost? Where the hell is she dragging me off to?..)