Terror Infinity Side B

Chapter 4 - 1, H.O.T.D

In the minibus driven by Shizuka Marikawa, we drove from the school infested with undead and into the city infested with the undead. Aqua, Hikari, Misaki, the main character and background characters of H.O.T.D and I all gazed out the window to have a look at the city that was burning down and infested with THEM who now had full reign over the city.

Hikari: Hey, Misaki. How did you survive back there in the school? Also, where are the other New Players?

Hikari and I had just finished explaining our story as to how we survived that hell hole of a school and met up with the main characters of H.O.T.D. We did mention that we saved a somewhat important character that was supposed to die the first chapter in the manga. Aqua hearing us gave us both a look, but quickly went back to smoking, but she did that she said that we shoud refrain from unnecessary changing the plot if it isn't necessary. As she explained it, such actions will change the plot and more then likely increase the difficulty of the mission. And she was right. There were more than one instance were the plot changed and made things harder for us.

1. Originally, back when Saya Takagi was backed into a corner in the school she was supposed to use the electric drill she had on hand to kill the undead that was about to kill her, yet when I arrived that didn't happen. The electric power of the drill was dead, and I, having some kind of bad premonition beforehand, ran towards Saya and barley saved her life with the help of Saeko Bushimiya.

I remember that while we in the office, Saya went over her tools and said in an annoyed tone that the power drill was working just fine earlier, but now it was dead and not turning back on no matter what she tried. This meant that God tampered with her weapon to make her more likely to die, almost leaving us with one dead Main character and at negative 100 points.

2. Secondly, although I can't be certain, the number of THEM in and outside the school by far exceeded the total possible number of students enrolled in school and adults teaching classes. Aqua mentioned getting over 120 points while waiting for us outside by the bus as she was clearing out zombies. And when you add the number of THEM my group took out ( Don't know how many Misaki killed if any ), but there was no way that the school had so many students. Hell, there were still a good army of them left back at the school. And the fact that every undead we came across was wearing a school uniform, it meant God added more, no, Spawned more of THEM to get in our way!

3. All the students who were following Mr. Shidou ended up dead and all the survivors that we saved inside the school came out unharmed and reached the minibus. It wasn't directly related to us players, but the difficulty of the mission got many of the background character, who would have made more then one appearance (Like the two sluts and the guy who was angry at Takashi for some unknown reason) all died.

From this incident I've learned that changing the plot successfully like saving Hisashi could lead to acquiring more points and whatever "Rank Rewards" were, but comes at the heavy price of God screwing with us and the mission's difficulty. Now, back to before after giving are side of the story, Misaki answered Hikari's question as if it wasn't important, but was a little angry.

Misaki: Those guys, fuck, they all died! Why should I care about them?

Hikari: They... Really died then? Weren't you five a team? How did you survive.

Misaki: Team? Like hell and why would I lie? I only went with them because I was going in the same direction as them, that's all. I was skeptical of all this mission and Got stuff, so I went towards the front entrance, and they thinking that we were a group followed me.

Shin: Then what happened?

Misaki: They died. We were attacked by THEM on the first floor and they were all bitten. I'm good at fighting and know enough about zombies movies not to unnecessarily allow them to touch or bite you, so I survived. They just didn't. Then from there, I accepted the reality of my situation and like Aqua there, I began to hunt down THEM whenever I could for points. I killed sixty-three of them so far and made 3 points.

Sixty-three!

Well, someone here was having even more fun then I was while pretending to be a zombie hunter. And he did it alone at that as well. That is impressive, but it was also that level of simple thinking that led him to chewing more then he could handle, which in the end led to the army of THEM to chaste him around the school till he met up with the rest of us.

Hikari: Hey guys, do you think they were turned into... one of THEM?

Hikari's question that no one was thinking about, no one was purposely thinking about left us silent. It was Aqua, who having finished her third cigarette who answered her.

Aqua: Oh yeah, they were definitely turned. Shot them in the head myself after they wandered out of the school and to the school grounds after they were turned. Additionally, I didn't lose any points since they were confimed dead by God and could no longer be saved.

Shin: ...

Hikari: ...

Misaki: ...

Aqua: Don't be like that you guys. It was their own fault for disregarding my words as nonsense and went out on their own. And as for their fate of becoming one of THEM, I told them from the start to suicide if they weren't prepared for a worse fate then death in God's little game to fuck with us. I certainly won't mourn them and you shouldn't either. We... each of us are responsible for our own survival here. Nether the weak or the strong will be protected here. There is only survival.

Shin: ...

Misaki: ...

Hikari: ... Hey, how about we all introduce each other now?

The one who spoke up in this awkward situation was Hikari. Hikari was just as tired, maybe the most emotionally weak here, being a middle school girl and all (Like age matters when the world has entered into the apocalypse), yet she still tried to get rid of this foul mood.

Shin: What do you mean introduce ourselves?

Hikari: Well, we only now know each others names, but that's it. I don't know and didn't care to know more about everyone when I first arrived here, but now... I wouldn't mind knowing at the very least how you lived your lives in the real world and how you came to be here.

Misaki: Why now? It isn't like we aren't still in danger. It could always wait till we reach this Shizuka ladies friends place.

Hikari: Yeah, but we might not all make it there and... If you or any of us die we will never know. I mean, even now we don't know the names of the others that didn't make it here or what they did in life. Isn't that... Isn't just too sad?

Hikari is right.

The fat man, the two adults and the only other newbie women besides Hikari. We didn't know their names nor what they did for a living. They died here and if we ever get the chance to escape this place alive, we won't even be able to tell their family, friends and love ones that they are dead or what they did before they died. I no longer have a family to speak of, but... Like Hikari said that is incredibly sad. To die and be forgotten. That is definitely one of my greatest fears and a fear that most humans have.

Shin: Then let me start off. My name is Shin. Seventeen years old. I am a second year high school student who is about, or was about to move on to the third year. My hobbies include reading manga, watch anime, reading light novels and-

Hikari: So you are an otaku? We all already knew that, so lets move on. Wasting our time like this... Gross.

This-this girl is so... that is why middle school girls are the worst. Cells phones and the latest gossips are their bibles, and everything else, especially otaku culture is blasphemy to them. And why was I just rushed off like that? Wasn't I your ally just now by starting up this discussion by going first?

Die!!!

After I and my character summary were cut short, Misaki went ahead with his turn.

Misaki: My name is Misaki. Nineteen as of last month. I was about to graduate high school and I am a former biker gang leader. That is were I learned to fight, both in school and in a gang. My parents aren't worth mentioning, but I have a younger sister that I care about very much. Along with fighting, I am knowledgeable about bikes and other vehicles, and I am capable of simple repairs, but not at the professional level yet. I-I was just studying for college entrance exams on my computer and that damn message from God appeared, and on a whim... I chose YES.

Hikari: So you can both fight and fix cars? That is a reliable skill set for these kinds of missions I am guessing. Right, Aqua?

Aqua: Of course. Fighting aside, the ability to fix cars and bikes will become a great asset. If we are in a post apocalyptic world like H.O.T.D, if this bus or another vehicle breaks down then such skills will especially come in handy. I bet you even know how to hot wire vehicles as well?

Misaki: Is that something I should even admit?

Hikari: We will be counting on you, Misaki.

Misaki: Ye-yeah.

Misaki looked away embarrassed. He probably isn't used to being praised, especially by two beautiful girls like Hikari and Aqua. And by the way, wasn't his treatment just know too good? Having knowledge about manga and anime should be far more valuable than a bit of automobile knowledge. What is with this difference, Hikari? Whatever, and anyways, next up was Aqua. I was very curious about her and how she ended up here, but she didn't say much.

Aqua: Aqua isn't my real name, as it doesn't make sense to name a red head girl that, but that name is good enough for this world so call me as such. My parents have already passed away and I have no siblings or any other family to speak of. During my school years it discovered that I had a talent for swimming and I was good enough to win a few meets and was told to even prepare for the Olympics, but I had gotten into an accident and lost my shot at the gold medal. Luckily, the injury was recoverable, but unluckily it wasn't the kind that healed instantly, much less jumping into a chlorine pool and be expected to swim like I used to.

Shin: It was that bad?

Aqua: It was. It took a whole year for the large burn marks on my back to heal and then I had to go through rehab for another year and since I was in bed a lot an my muscles became weaker. By the time I was fully recovered, I had graduated high school and missed the Olympics. I could have trained for the next one four years later, but it wasn't like I loved swimming that much, so I never tried. Then I drifted for a while and then a friend introduced me to the the army.

Hikari: The army?

Aqua: I know right, but... It wasn't that bad. A little structure when you are feeling lost isn't a bad thing. Anyways, a few years later and at the age of twenty-one I was apart of a JSDF navel unit. I was so good in water infiltration missions that I got the nickname Aqua by my coworkers, which was the very same nickname that I had in school as unbelievable as it was. Now this next part is pathetic. After becoming the ace of my unit, I finally realized that I had a real talent for swimming and that I really did like swimming, so I began to think that if I went back to training for the Olympics and did my best I could have gone there. Maybe even winning the gold medal. I was just that good... Okay, maybe not win, but with my skills I could have imagined that I placed at the very least. Once those thoughts consumed me... Well, you can imagine how I ended up here since God only sends those messages to those who have thought about honestly killing themselves at least once.

Hikari: ...

Misaki: ...

Shin: ... So your a good swimmer, huh.

Aqua: Hahaha, thanks for trying to turn the mood around, but you don't have to. After coming to this world I realized that I want to live no matter what after all, so you can relax.

Shin: No, I-I wasn't thinking that deeply really. I just don't know how to swim, so I was jealous. That's all.

Aqua: Then, if you can survive this, no three missions then I will teach you to swim. In God's world where we all return to we have our own rooms and they can be modified as we like. In mine I have a pool, so I can teach you to swim... In bathing suits of course.

Shin: Please do!

Misaki: Allow me to join you as well. I am not the best swimmer and a professional one like you would be the best teacher for me.

Hikari: ... Morons.

Lastly, (After looking at Misaki and I like we were trash on the road side) Hikari began her introduction as the one who brought up the subject.

Hikari: My name is Hikari as you all know. Sixteen years old. What you might not know is that I am also a genius with computers and an amazing hacker. Internationally wanted at that.

Shin: Why are you wanted?

I didn't want to believe what I was hearing, but Hikari's seriousness conveyed that she was telling the truth, yet... How does a middle school girl, or anyone for that matter end up as a hacker?

Hikari: A large multi-billion dollar company wronged a lot of families with their newly developed drug... Including my own.

Aqua: And so you got back at them?

Hikari: I was always told that I was good with computers and I couldn't forgive that company for what they did, so I went to work. Then six months later after studying and practicing my skills, I hacked into the company's servers and ruined them all within the span of five minutes. Before they realized that they were being attacked all of their classified files were released for the public to see. Weeks later and a law suit here, a subpoena there and the company went under.

Misaki: What did they do to you that you had to destroy them like that?

Hikari: ...I rather not say. Then from there I got overconfident, overconfident in my skills. I thought myself an actual god that I was able to control lives like I did and deliver justice, so I did similar things to other bad companie. I was successful for three whole years till the authorities caught wind of me and were close to tracking me down. Fearing how my parents would fare if their daughter were to be sent to jail, or killed by one of the organizations of the very dangerous people I have destroyed if they came after me or my family... I quickly became depressed and one day I saw that message on my computer. I clicked YES and here I am.

Shin: Well, haven't you lead an interesting life.

Hikari: More like a self destructive life if you ask me. I played around with the lives of others for revenge against people who I felt should be punished and sent them into jail cells, now look where I am. I want to go home and see my parents even now, but I can't help but think that this world is my punishment. It has to be... This world is hell and I don't even have the ability to protect myself. Truly, truly the worst but most deserving punishment from god.

No one said anything after hearing Hikari's story. I can't imagine how a fresh into middle school girl could have been pushed by anything to become a wanted criminal with a crime spree lasting over three years. It might have been really true that each and everyone one of us truly did wished to die at one point or another. Aqua and Hikari were obviously, but I sensed that Misaki was hiding something as well and just didn't bring it up. I was the same. Events of my past and my lack of motivation for the dull future ahead of me led me to click YES like everyone of them.

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We were all confused and tired, both physically and mentally from the events of the day and from the burdens of our past, but the day was still not over yet. Not for God who rules this world or the characters of H.O.T.D, and us four who were forced to follow after them. The story moved forward without anyone's permission as the minibus stopped right by a tunnel. Rei Miyamoto and Mr. Shidou had just gotten into a fierce argument. It looked like once more, the plot steady moved into the future.

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Authors Note:

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Proofread by Deltoren.