Chapter 24

Tsuki sat on a piece of rock as he watched the other zombies working. It's been months since he saw Alphonse.

He had finally admitted his feelings for the annoying zombie during the latters absence.

Tsuki: 'I miss him....I even miss those damn washing sessions! Anyway, I wonder if the blood he took from me in the car is enough...'

A zombie single-handedly carrying a big piece of rock distracted him. Alphonse had kept to his word. Not three days had passed before he had sent the first zombie. A continuous stream of zombies had continued to come since then; sometimes in groups or alone. But the numbers had dwindled recently.

Tsuki: 'He's finally running out of my blood. Maybe I'll get to see him soon..But what the hell did he say to those zombies?! They all look scared when they look at me and some nearly prastrate themselves before me when I pass by! It's annoying! They are even scared to talk to me!'

The zombie being stared felt cold as he remembered what the alpha zombie had done when one of the zombie in his group had been cocky and had disrespected the small zombie currently pouting at him. The memory still haunted him. He gave a big bow with his head lowered before practically running away with his big rock.

Veyn who was coming to check on Tsuki saw this the scene and smirked. Tsuki looked close to exploding.

"Veyn!" Tsuki exclaimed while marching toward him, "why are those, zombies avoiding me?! I didn't do anything and they are treating me like the plague!"

Veyn cleared his throat and bullshitted his way out of this situation, "Alphonse just told them that you were the chief here, so they don't want to be disrespectful towards you in case you kick them out. Turns out that zombie have pack mentality. Well most, at least. There always has to have a few odd ones."

The latters face illuminated and he stood up straighter, "I see. The chief huh... Well that's good! I am going to talk to them and reassure them then! See you later Veyn!"

Veyn watched dumbfoundedly as the small zombie chased after the zombie that ran away,".....he really believed me?! His gullibility still surprises me. No wonder Alphonse likes teasing him. It's too much fun."

Veyn ran his hand through his hair as he thought back on the real reason the zombies were so scared.

[Start of Memory]

Veyn had cornered a random zombie one night after making sure that Tsuki was asleep. The zombie that had been cornered was a small one with big squirrel eyes.

Being stared at by such eyes filled with fear had made Veyn feel a little guilty so he had cleared his throat and said, "I am not going to hurt you so don't look at me like that! I just want to ask you something."

He was weak against small animals and small zombies, so sue him. The small zombie had relaxed a little after hearing that.

"Wh..wha..what question?" He had stuttered out.

Veyn: 'Zombies can stutter....?'

Veyn: "Ahem. Why are you all avoiding Tsuki and look at him with fright."

The small zombie had tensed up again and had started trembling a little. He had looked like his eyes would be tearing up if his body was still capable of it.

Veyn had waited patiently for the other zombie to take his courage to open his mouth.

Veyn: 'Damnit Alphonse! What did you do to traumatise them so much. I know that you are capable of the worst but this the first time I have seen them so scared.'

The small zombie had finally opened his mouth, "It was hor..horri...horrible! That zombie was ea..ea..eaa...eaten alive!"

Veyn's body had frozen for a moment before he had asked for clarification.

Stuttering zombie: "Th..at...at zombie was arr...arro..arrogant. When the alpha zom...zom..zombie had finished ex..plai...plaining why he had changed us and what we were, he gave us a war..war..warning about not touching the one called Tsuki and respecting him. But th...that foo...fool took that as a challenge! I ca..can...can't repeat what he said, it's too horrible, but he implied that he would do those horrible things to Tsu..Tsuki and that the Alpha zombie can't do any..anything about it! Turned out he was dead wrong. Th...tha...that alpha zombie is not normal and is very cruel. He just ga..gave him a smile and the next second, that arrogant zombie was on the ground. We cou..couldn't even see him move! He tied that arro...arrogant zombie spread-eagle on the ground and started to cut him up in thin pieces while he was still alive, all while nonchalantly saying, ' "it's good that one of you is dumb. I was trying to determine whether zombies could be eaten too. Now, look carefully at what awaits you when you think that you are more important than you are. Never forget that you are the way you are now because of me. Overstep your boundaries and I will hurt you for years if I must. I'll kill you if I feel merciful, though, I wouldn't bet on that." ' He th..then proceeded to eat that zombie even while the latter was screaming at him to stop! He ate pie…pieces by pieces slowly and even of…offered some to the two that are always with him. Being ea..eaa..eaten while you can see it but unable to feel anything....horrible. Absolutely horrible! He even grilled so..so..some of the meat like barbecue. The screams, the smell... We weren't allowed to leave and we were fo..forced to watch till the end. It to..too.took hours before he had all the meat stripped and finally ended that zombie’s life by bre..breaking his head. He then ca..cas..casually threw the carcass in the fire with which he was grilling the meat."

Veyn had to take some time to process all this before he had sighed, "thank you for telling me. You may go back to your work now. Forget about it all. Alphonse may be scary but he is also fair."

With that said, he had turned around to walk away before he had suddenly stopped, "oh! Before I forget." He had turned his head and fixed the small zombie with a stare void of any feelings, making the latter freeze with fear, "what you just told me shall never reach Tsuki's ears. Understood?"

The stuttering zombie had nodded desperately. He had stood petrified as the latter gave him a warm smile before continuing to walk away.

The stuttering zombie had quickly ran away as soon as he was out of sight and had only stopped when he had found a hidden hole in which he had squeezed himself into.

Stuttering zombie: 'So, it is true that birds of the same feathers flock together..I just discovered something frightening. They are all the same....Are they even able to feel anything or are they just that good at imitating emotions?’

[End of Memory]