There's a technique to stealing, I mean, borrowing things from Tent. First, you have to see if he is in a good mood. You start by asking him about the weather or maybe how's the zombie situation going. Next you survey his surrounding to make sure when you borrow anything, there aren't any noticeable witnesses. Next you ask him if he had his meals. If he says no, well, that usually means he was busy the entire day and you should get him some food. If he eats it, then it's easier to steal, I mean, borrow his stuff. If he doesn't respond to the food you brought him, abort any mission, he is in a bad mood.
Tent is…Wait, I haven't told you who is Tent right?
Let me introduce you. Tent is…the dude with the soothing voice.
What? Why I took so long to write about him? It's not his turn, that's why. So, the dude with the soothing voice, is Tent. Tent well, is Tent. We don't really talk, I mean, he doesn't really talk to me much unless I asked him questions to which he will reply with short answers.
The first time we met, he already asked if I am dead and threatened to blow me off by embedding bombs into me. The next time we met, he asked me to jump into his arms but immediately chucked me away, well I can't blame him for the second time since he was attempting to kill a monster which was trying to kill us.
When we got back to the settlement, without another word, he left again with Uncle Pob to another building which looked like some headquarter. The rest of the table dinner members were back gathering at the same table, laughing and cheering and drinking. There was an bon-fire nearby.
I looked up the sky to see it filled with stars. Big stars. Maybe one day I could just stare at it all night long.
"He stinks of zombie guts, eww," Sze Sze giggled as she came closer to me, took a whiff and backed off. Everyone else laughed.
"What do you expect when a Purple Pup blows up on him?" Limo said, so the thing which climbed and attempted to eat me was called a Purple Pup, "Lucky Tent got to him first or else he'll be acid puddle," Limo added. So I almost became an acid puddle.
"I heard you were naughty and ran off by yourself Touya-chan, shouldn't have done that, see, Bear Bear agrees too," Sze Sze giggles as she makes her Teddy nod along. Nova came up from being and puts her arm on Sze Sze's shoulder. They are both more or less the same height, still slightly shorter than me.
"I….yeah, I shouldn't have done that..I…," I stuttered, Limo gave me a whack on the back. One of these days, I think I will eventually start to cough up blood from Limo's whacking.
"Don't mind. What's passed, passed, you want more food kiddo?" No. I need to stop feeling like a pile of rotten egg or sewage, whichever smells worse.
"No thanks Limo, I don't think I have the appetite to eat anything else," which was true. Who has the appetite to eat after seeing zombie heads blow off and zombie guts fly all over? Nope. Maybe only Limo because his stomach growled really loud,"Uhhh," he made the noise. Another tip, when Limo makes that sound, he needs to eat.
"Hey Limo, why don't I take him to the sleeping quarters? The kid should rest after what's he been through today," Nova said, "Sze Sze and I are about to head to our quarters as well, we could drop him off to his," Nova offered, dark chocolate eyes staring to me. Why am I feeling shy all of suddenly? I'm the dude yo. Limo laughed out loud again.
"OK! Take him, I need food anyway. Since he's tagged by Doc, his wrist bar should work, I'll see ya when I see ya kiddo, nightie nights! Yo twin, give me a beer!" Limo went back to his food pretty quick; the twin brothers happily start chugging down beer with him. So I am stuck with two pretty sisters. Ok, I should calm down.
"I wanted to hold your hands but you really stink right now so maybe next time. Let's go Touya-chan?" Sze Sze says cutely, her head bend to a side. Yup, her ponytail made her look very cute and young. The tight outfit similar to those Japanese high school one added to her youth. Nova started walking alongside Sze Sze while I tag along behind.
The settlement I was in was pretty spacious and in the center of it was a big mansion like building, fortified with sand bags and every other protective barrier you could imagine. I guess they do take their defense very seriously here. We walked by guards on duty who did nothing to stop me, probably because Nova and Sze Sze were walking with me but that didn't stop them from staring at me suspiciously.
"Don't worry about them Touya-chan, they are just curious of who you are. Usually new faces don't get to enter the headquarter building until they are ranked," Sze Sze told me casually. We reached the first door which was sealed tight. Nova and Sze Sze casually scanned their wrist at a detector. Sze Sze pointed for me to mimic her which I did. I held out my wrist and let the detector run through my wrist.
There was nothing on my wrist though but after a few seconds, I was given the green light to enter. I guess I was indeed tagged. The inside of the headquarter was different from the outside. Where outside, it was more like a camping, out in the wilderness and rugged, the inside of this building was pristine and…clean.
I followed Nova and Sze Sze to the second sealed door, actually there were many other sealed doors but they stopped at sealed door number…never mind and did the whole wrist swing again. We stepped in to this small room. When the second door sealed us, I there were actually music. You know that jingle music you hear when you take a lift at some fancy hotels? That.
After a few moments, the door opened and I followed both girls out. We walked through a dimly lit hallway until we reached like a reception desk.
"ROSIE!" Sze Sze squealed the moment she saw the person by the desk. Wow, another beautiful lady, with umm, very voluptuous figure. She stood up and leaned against the desk to hug Sze Sze. Her clothes barely hiding a lot of her umm…skin.
"My darling! Welcome back," Huh?
Well, I huh-ed because her voice was very….deep.
"Her name was Ross before, she became a Rosie recently," Nova whispered to me as we waited for the hugs and squeals to finish. Oh…
"I heard there's a new face, you the new face huh? Hello, I'm Rosie," Rosie greeted, hands on the hips and posing, flaunting off everything that she is. I swallowed and bowed to show my respect, "Urgh, poor thing you smell like rotten eggs,"
Ok, exploded purple pup smells like rotten eggs, decided.
"Yeah, we know so we are trying to get this kid cleaned up. Can you please issue him a key so we could get him on his way and we continue to gossip please? I learned something about that cute soldier you like from barrack 2," Sze Sze said excitedly. Rosie eagerly grabbed a portable machine and asked me to show my wrist and scanned it again. I think there will be a lot scanning from now on.
"Ok kid, assigned you a room. You'll share room, 212. Now girl, spill the gossip," Rosie turned her attention to Sze Sze and Nova who gave me weird looks. Nova patted me on the back again. Why's everyone patting me on the back?
"Good luck and good night. See you girls, I'm off," Nova wished me luck and then to the girls and then left of the reception for her room. Sze Sze waved her off and waved me too.
"Good night Touya-chan, hope to see you alive again tomorrow, sweet dreams. Did you do this on purpose Rosie-chan?" Sze Sze turned to Rosie who shook her head.
"Nope, you know I wish I could abuse the room assigning system but nah, the computer does the work and he gets 212, it's down the right honey, follow the numbers," Rosie said as if I was not there listening, "continue with the gossip please," Rosie totally went on with Sze Sze who didn't give me two hoots anyore.
I turned to the right and true enough, the hallway were littered with room with numbers assigned on the door. I walked further down the hall way.
Room 212.
I stopped in front of the door and naturally I scanned my wrist by the door. It took two second for the door to chime and unlock automatically.
Maybe I should have knocked. You know the superstitious thing you do like knocking on the door before you enter any hotel room? One it was a courteous manner to warn any ghost or spirit which might be in there that you are going in and two, there were always a possibility that another guest is still in there. Either way, knocking is good manners.
I forgot my manners.
What was standing in front of me was a figure. I wished it was a ghost.
A butt naked figure, not a ghost, with his muscled back turned against me.
I guess he heard the door unlocking a little too late.
When he turned to me, I think I felt my blood leaving my face or rushing to my face, I don't know which.
It was the dude with soothing voice.
Have I told you his name was Tent? Wait, I think I have.
Shit.
He was my new roommate.
Note to self, I have to ask where Tent got his pen, I mean scavenge for it, the ink's super quick dry and smells fruity. How is it he got a fruity smelling quick drying ink pen, I don't know. It was strawberry, cute.
Signing off,
Touya369