ZRP-2 Chapter 7: Mutation

"You want to force them to become allies?" James asked, a little shocked. Cooper shook his head. "No....well, I don't. But Clara thinks it would be best since having new friends, and new people to help fight, would give people something to rekindle some hope."

Sam was content to stay like that, laying with Eve in the bed. If there wasn't a need for food or water, it would have been enough for her.

Eve happily relaxed. "I love you."

Hibiki sighed. "Risky Cooper. But even a little hope is good."

"I love you too," Sam said, holding Eve as close as she could.

Cooper sighed. "Yeah well it's not my plan, but I can't deny the benefits. Look you know one of them James, that means you have the best shot at convincing them to agree." James shuffled in place, a little uncomfortable. "I'll try....but I'm not sure if I can convince Ella to join us. She's never done anything she didn't want to." Cooper nodded, knowing what James meant. "Still, all the same it's worth a shot," Cooper said. He stepped back as James, who briefly nodded, walked to the door and entered the office.

Eve happily snuggled into Sam's close embrace.

Hibiki frowned and entered first, sitting on the sheriff's desk.

"Hibiki, you come with me. If I'm going to do this I might as well get introductions out of the way as well," James said. He saw Marcus and Clara in the back, but they made no move to talk to James. It seemed clear that Cooper was meant to explain things to them.

"So, I heard James and your mom leave. Wonder how much alone time that gives us?"

Hihiki waited.

Eve blushed. "Enough time I would think...why?"

"I don't know. Might give us some time to play," Sam said.

Walking to the cells, James saw Ella and her friends still in the same cell. Ella saw him, and immediately went to the bars, a smile on her face. "Glad that I can get visitors. This going to be a conjugal visit?" she teased, to which he grinned. "Sadly no. How you doing?" James asked. Ella snorted, leaning back from the bars and arms folded. "Good enough, though I'm kinda getting hungry. Please tell me I get some food soon." He chuckled a bit, and nodded. "Yeah I'll see if I can get you all food, but listen; the people in charge here want to make you an offer." She cocked a brow, corner of her mouth twitching upwards. "Oh, do they now? What do they want?" Sighing, Jason leaned against the bars. "They want to know if you'll work with us. Honestly....I'd love to have you with us Ella, it's been too long since I've seen someone from before the outbreak."

Eve's hands settled onto Sam's belt. "Plenty of time." She giggled. "Can we?"

Hibiki watched calmly, arms crossed.

Ella noticed Hibiki staring, the way she held herself. "Hey James, who's she?" Ella asked, indicating Hibiki. He blushed when he realized who she meant. "Well uh....that's my wife, Hibiki Ikezawa. Hibiki this is my friend, Ella Birnhardt."

"I don't know....we said we were slowing down," Sam said.

Eve shimpered. "Just...one more? I promise to be a good girl..."

Hibiki came over. "Konnichiwa." She greeted in her otyer language. "I'd love to say James has spoken highly of you, but l...he never menrioned you. So. Ella? Who are you to my husband?" She asked calmly. Her voice of curious, not harsh of territorial. She was just...curious.

Kristy Killings wrote:

Kristy heard a crash, followed by a loud curse, before Mark crashed into the room,
"Zeds downstairs, I killed the screamer before it brought more, but I broke a window, they're gonna come in through the front,"
Kristy jumped up, "Out of the back then," She ordered to Mark, Jack and Dave, "Don't shoot unless you have to,". As the group fled, there was another sound of shattering glass and a scream,
"Shit, run!" Kristy ordered again, hitting the safety on her rifle and picking up her own pace.

Ashley stayed low, avoiding the walkers in the street, which were being drawn away by a screamer. She wanted to help, knowing what, who she assumed were survivors, were going to face, but she didn't have the firepower, or the skill. She saw chalk on the wall, a pattern in the shape of a bird, and she recognised it as a symbol she and Adam had used to find each other,
Shit, she thought, I forgot the chalk, pausing briefly, she checked her bag for the small stick of white chalk, and drew her own bird next to the old one.

"Fuck!" Kristy heard behind her as Dave tripped and sprawled on the floor, followed by several gunshots. She glanced over in time to see a walker sink its teeth into his throat as he screamed, cutting it off halfway with a sickening gurgle. With one man dead, Kristy doubled her pace so that she wouldn't meet the same end, the noise of Dave drowning in his own blood stuck in her mind. Thankfully, a large number of the walkers had focused on the more readily available meal that Dave had quickly become, giving the remaining three a chance to slip away.

Ashley checked around the corner for walkers before running across the street, which was unusually empty. She'd heard a gunshot echo somewhere, which she assumed was the reason the walkers had cleared off. She was, at least partly, thankful for that, but she knew whoever had fired shots was in trouble. Pushing the thought to the back of her mind, she entered a house, quietly, opening the door slowly to check the adjoining room.

Ella chuckled a bit, stepping up to the bars and giving Hibiki an appraising look. "I'm assuming Jason already told you how he and I were....well, a thing isn't the right word. If I know him, he'll have spilled the beans on how I prefer girls over boys, so there's one answer for you; no risk of me stealing him at all. As for who I am, I'm an old high school friend of his. We used to go out, but it wasn't serious or anything; we were friends who looked out for each other."

"Nah," Sam said. "Your mom and dad could walk back in before you know it."

Hibiki smiled. "Well. No worry about him. But I'll ask you to stay away from my daughter and my daughter's girlfriend." She sighed softly to herself. "And...if you two looked out for each other, I guess I can trust you to help look after this idiot. I mean, only he can go through hell too many damn times"

"Hey!" James quickly said, sulking a bit. It made Ella laugh, the look on his face coupled with his reaction. "Wow, not that many people can get him looking like that. Kudos to you Hibiki," she said, grinning. "And don't worry.....Eve's a bit young and if she's already in a relationship, I won't go near her or her girlfriend."

"Then we have nothing to worry about." Hibiki said. "And...I can get him to look like a lot of things." She bumped James' shoulder playfully.

Dear god it made him blush as red as a beetroot. James looked away from both of them, and Ella burst out laughing. "Damn, you really are whipped aren't you James?" she said, and he blushed even more.

"He isn't. I just know the tricks." Hibiki smirked.

Eve whimpered. "Please?"

"Know any that might work on the same gender?" Ella asked, her eyes full of mischief.

Sighing, Sam decided she might as well indulge the girl. Flipping Eve so that she was laying back on Sam's chest, she dipped hand beneath the waistband of Eve's pants. "Oh alright," she whispered in the girls ear.

"Be yourself. Know them well enough. And always. Always. Use the power of perversion l." Hibiki winked.

Eve gasped lightly, then let out a soft moan. "You might owe me some new pants."

Chuckling, Sam lightly nipped at the girls earlobe as her hand continued moving around. "Promises promises," she said.

"Okay, moving on..." James said rather sternly. "Ella, look the people here would like to know if you'd be willing to stay and help us. I can promise you'd have a place to stay, and food to eat." Ella didn't really bother thinking about it, already having been on the move non-stop for months. "I'm good....but Aiden and Estel will have to give you their response, I don't speak for them." Aiden simply gave a grunt of approval, while Estel stood next to Ella. "Sure, sounds like fun," she said.

Eve whinpered slightly at the nip. "You know how to make me almost regret it."

Hibiki nodded. "Any place with open doors and windows are free. Pick a place and settle in."

"Great," Ella said. "Please tell me there's something close by you James? I'd rather be close to the people I know." He nodded slightly. "Yeah, there's a place with room. I'll tell Marcus and Clara the good news, and they'll get you out of there." He walked away, and Ella moved a bit closer to Hibiki. "So, now that he's away.....want to have some girl talk?" she asked.

Hibiki leaned against the bars.
"Sure."

"Cool," she said, grinning. "So, what brought you two together?" she asked.

"Well...we met in the woods. I was travelling with my kid...adopted kid...and then we ended up...just falling in love I guess." She blushed. "Guess hell can't stop love." Hibiki put a hand on her stomach. "I'm pregnant. It's James'."

Ella's eyes widened a little, though she still smiled warmly. "Damn....guess he did have it in him. I'm happy for you...both of you."

"Thanks Ella." She looked...happy. "I hope it's a boy actually...I wanna name him Jamie."

"Jamie?" Ella asked, looking in James direction. "Seems a bit like naming your kid after your husband, doesn't it?"

"Yeah well...I like the name." Hibiki giggled.

"Alright then," Ella said, never once her grin fading. She remembered Eve, the way she called James daddy.... "I take it Eve is the girl you adopted?"

"Yes." Hibiki smiled softer. "I found her shortly after the outbreak...she's my baby." Hibiki looked at Ella. "She's now James' kid...and he's a great father."

"I'd imagine so," Ella said as she cast a glance James' way. "He was always a kind person.....it was what made me so....attracted I guess is one way to look at it. Don't worry, it's not in that kind of way. But he was a really good person. Hell if I was into guys I'd do him on the spot just to say 'I got one of the good ones.' But....that honor goes to you." She looked at Hibiki again. "I know he'll do everything in his power to be the man you deserve....and the father that baby needs."

"I'd say do me so you can say you got one of the good girls, but I'm taken." Hibiki teased. "Thanks Ella."

Her grin faltered a bit. "Don't even joke.....look, I'm not saying I wouldn't cover you in whip cream and lick it all off, but you're my best friends wife, and possibly the best thing that's happened to him in a while. I won't be the asshole that takes it away from him," she said, serious now.

Hibiki booped Ella's nose.
"Its a joke. Stop being so serious. And stop tempting me." She sighed. "You're a good friend."

"I know," Ella said, smiling again. James walked back over, a key in hand. "Okay," he said, unlocked the cell. "You three are free of the cell, and welcomed into the town." Then he pulled Ella into a hug. "Really glad to have you back Ella. It's really been too long." She wrapped her arms around him, tightening the hug. "Same here James.....same here."

I had made my way to back to my house. Or our... bunkhouse? Small hotel. Whatever, it had a bunch of different people living in it. I open the door and go to the basement, then dump everything but the bow on the bed. Then sit on the bed and look at it for a second.

Letting go, James and Ella made room for Estel and Aiden to get out of the cell. The former stretched her arms a bit, twisting her neck around; there was an audible popping sound as her neck went from side to side. "Whoo!" she exclaimed, a smile crossing her lips. "Sure feels good getting out of there. So, what do you want us to do first?" To answer that, Clara walked over. "Well if you're feeling up to it, we could use some more people to help out with the harvest." Clara was referring to the small crop of vegetables that had been planted. With the cold coming, they needed to get the food picked and ready for pickling.

"Wow, really? Farming is the first thing you've got us doing? Can't I do patrol work or something?" Estel asked. Clara simply towered over the younger girl, an almost dark look in her eyes. "You can always make sure the cells stay secure kiddo. You wanted out, and this is the price." Ella pitched in, though in a less dominating manner. "Estel, come on. We're the guests, and if we want to stay here we've gotta earn some goodwill. Besides, hard labor would suit you; not like you've been trying to keep those nails well manicured." Estel immediately curled up her fingers, less out of anger and more so that no one would see that she had been biting her nails.

(Andrew)

=I hadn't done much since the previous venture to the town, besides carrying a look of pure, unadulterated shock. And it took quite a bit these days to shock me. I didn't go over to see my sister, who'd not like the look on my face. But, after awhile, I decided to go over to where they were keeping the new arrivals.=

Well...might as well keep myself busy. Better than moping.

=I came in to spot a familiar figure, with the new arrivals. Of course, I slightly overheard the conversation about the place needing work for the harvest. Being a farm boy, I was used to it.=

Ehh...sorry to eavesdrop, people. But I could easily give you a hand.

=I gave a grin of pride=

I lived and worked on a farm for nearly all my life. I could easily assist you.

Clara turned to look at Andrew. "Well I appreciate the offer, but you're needed elsewhere; we could use you on patrol duty, especially if we've got runners to contend with. I'd rather not risk them breaking through our defenses." While Clara gave Andrew her request, James, gestured for both Hibiki and Ella to join him, to speak privately. "Okay," he whispered, "first thing's first.....Ella, you remember my brother Michael?" Ella's grin was quickly replaced with a very, very dark look. "Yeah, I remember that son of a bitch. What about him?"

"Well....he's alive. And with the Shepherds." Ella actually snarled, slamming her fist against the wall. It drew some looks, but she didn't care. "Fucking hell, of course the dickless little rat is alive......guessing you saw him?" she asked, to which James actually grinned. "Saw him? Fought him, beat him, cut his cheek wide open." Ella actually thumped James on the shoulder. "Good for you, about time he got a few scars of his own."

Hibiki sighed.
"If you are gonna fist something, don't fist the wall." Hibiki scowled. "That bastard touched my daughter. If James doesn't get to him, I will."

Ella's dark look broke, and she quickly chuckled. "Wow, you really know the way to my heart don't you Hibiki.....and yeah, I'm good with both of you having first pickings with that asshole. Like James, he was one of the few that knew I was gay, but unlike his brother, Michael actively made fun of me over it. Spread a bunch of rumors and shit around our school." James grunted in the affirmative. "Even with the two of us going out, people were calling her words like 'whore,' 'slut,' and even 'dyke.' Wanted to cave his head in but.....could never prove anything."

(Andrew)

=I nodded curtly=

Can't blame a guy for trying. But I'll keep my eyes open on patrol for ya.

=I give Clara a two fingered salute and head out, whistling Johnny Cash's 'I Walk The Line'=

Hibiki put a hand on Ella's shoulder.
"You both will get your chances."

"Good," Ella said, looking up along Hibiki's pale arm up to the rest of her body. To be fair, it had been a while.....two years in fact, since she was last with anyone. If Hibiki wasn't already in a relationship with James, she'd proposition the woman for some private time in that jail cell, playout a fantasy. As it was though, she just nodded her thanks and moved out of reach. "So, where are these crops?" she asked, and Clara motioned for Ella, and her friends, to follow. James followed, holding onto Hibiki's hand, since he himself wanted to see these crops.

Hibiki gripped James' hand.
"Ella's nice. Glad to know I'm the only crazy you associate with." Hibiki teased her husband.

He chuckled a bit, slowing down so he kept pace with her. "Yeah well, they say that the crazy ones give the best sex," he said, before quickly moving out of arms reach.

Hibiki chased, kissing him. "Then I better go give Ella a good time. She deserves the best, right?" She teased.

"Oh don't even think about it," James said, grinning a bit. "Besides, you're spoken for, she won't even try it.....I hope. It's been two years, so a lot might have changed."

Hibiki smiled. "She didn't yet. I'm all yours." She kissed his cheek. "So relax."