After several days of traveling, we finally arrived at the southern islands. As we docked just outside the lagoon around the islands, it looked liked tropical paradise. The place was beautiful, but it was honestly giving me a lot of Dead Island vibes given the situation. Double checking the map twice to ensure we were safe, I told everyone we were going ashore.
'Really hope that shit doesn't start here...', I thought, 'I want a short break, just a day is all I fucking want!'
Taking boats to the largest island in the chain, everyone was super excited to have a break from the boat. Pitching tents, putting swimming gear on, tossing out towels, and jumping into the water everyone wanted to take some time off from hectic life we had been living for a while now. Verifying that there weren't any dangerous predators in the area before people went further out, I plopped down with some sweet tea to relax.
"Ahem!!", Saya and Yuriko said getting my attention, "I believe you have a responsibility to do. The oil isn't going to spread itself you, haha."
Glancing to my right, it was pretty obvious that my lovers wanted to sunbathe again. As it appeared they didn't want to put it on themselves, I got up and I walked over to them. Taking a seat in between the mother and daughter pair, I read the label quickly before getting started. Unhooking their tops, I applied the oil evenly over their whole back. Adding a brief massage into the mix, the two of them struggled not to moan in front of the families. Kneading out the knots in their shoulders and lower backs, they were really struggling to keep quiet.
"You...you don't need to massage us...too...", Saya meekly protested, "What did...we do?"
"I will do what I want here, your just along for the ride.", I chuckled as I cracked their backs, "Consider it payback for trying to give me an order like I am your butler."
Letting out a sigh, Yuriko gave me an appreciative smile and a kiss while holding her top up. I might enjoy the bountiful cleavage my lovers had, it did admittedly take it's toll on the women. Having vast tracks of land dangling in front of them puts stress on their backs and shoulders. I had offered many times to hold them up for them, but they never accept the offer for some reason, a real disappointment. Applying the oil on the rest of the women in my group next I gave them a similar treatment so they could relax more, once that was done I took Honoka and Saito out to play in the water. Making sure they had floaties on, I took them out and swam around while dragging them behind me.
"Mom, look at me!!", Saito laughed with a big grin.
"This is a lot of fun!!", Honoka giggled darting around like jet ski.
"Listen to your father and have fun.", Kikyo and Saori replied with soft smiles.
Getting close to the reef, told them to wait there while I dove down to get them some sea shells. Bringing them back up a few handfuls of shells, they gasped looking at all the shapes and colors. Noticing a tiger shark enter the lagoon, I turned to look at it using a bit of my Intimidation Skill to send it back out to deep water. Watching the shark shoot off like a scared mouse, the kids said it was really cool to see.
After a while the kids got tired so I took them back in, and got them settled on a beach towel with water and ice cream. Thanking me for the snack, their mothers seemed very happy to see I was doing my part as their father. Once I was sure they were settled, I said I was going to do some diving on the reef. Telling me to have fun, it was clear they had no intention of going into the water just yet to get the food they wanted. Taking a net and spear with me, I walked out into the water and shot off to the reef for some spear fishing.
Diving on the reef was actually quite refreshing, it was nice to have peaceful silence as the only noise I heard was the ocean current. Spearing several lobsters, shrimp, fish, and other food I started to harvest some mollusks when I noticed a reef shark swim by to check me out. Curious to see if I could mentally incapacitate it, I rubbed his snout and watched the shark go limp like a dog enjoying a good scratch. Chuckling to myself I let it be and continued to gather food for my group. Spending a good few hours on the bottom, I managed to fill my net with the bounty of the sea. I made sure to leave plenty of creatures alone so the ecosystem could repopulate, and continue to feed the new residence.
Swimming back to the island, I noticed that many of the men and women had managed to catch quite a bounty with nets and reels. Even the Masters were having fun trying to catch fish with their bare hands off in the distance. It was apparent that Hayato and Kensei were making it a competition to see who could catch the most. Seeing my family waiting for me on the beach, I swam up to shore and walked out of the water with a smile as I shook the water off my head. Showing them the haul of seafood I got on the reef, they laughed and told me I was too much.
"Did you actually leave anything left for the people here?", Rei laughed, "You know it's not a competition right? There is no prize for catching the most."
"I know you like to show off, but this is ridiculous.", Saeko said with a smile, "There a reason you caught so much? I don't think all of us can eat that much."
"I doubt it will be just us as others aren't having luck catching food, better to be prepared than not.", I chuckled, "Anyways you complain now, but you won't be when you have full stomachs tonight."
"Oh my.", Shizuka and Rika giggled with a wink, "Is that a promise?"
"I swear, you two never stop.", Yuko sighed, "Can't you be serious? There are children with us."
"It's not every day a stud walks out of the ocean with your dinner.", Rika shrugged, "Excuse me for being nice to him, I assume that his cooking is good so I am looking forward to the meal."
"Yeah right...", Pucca stated, "That wasn't what you were meaning."
"I don't know what you mean.", Shizuka giggled.
"I would take both really.", Daiyu admitted.
"That's a good girl!", Rika laughed.
"Daiyu, please don't encourage them.", Sayo sighed, "Just focus on the food for now."
Taking some of the vegetables that we got from the villages, I started to make our meal. Starting a nice, hot fire I got to work preparing for dinner. Offering to help me Saori, Kikyo, Namiyo, and Kyoko wanted to give me a hand instead of watching. I told them to plant their butts on the sand and let me do the cooking for once as a thank you for all they do.
"It's been awhile since you cooked anything.", Mikoto said licking her lips, "The last meal you made for me was Steak Gorgonzola."
"Oh, you have had his cooking before?", Yoko inquired, "How good is it?"
"He makes really good breakfasts.", Saeko advised, "When I would spend the night, I would wake up to him making breakfast with a nice hot cup of tea for me. The first time I had his cooking after a night of fun, I knew he was the man I wanted to stay with."
"So eventually once we make a place to live, should we expect that level of service?", Daiyu asked me with a smirk, "I really want to have some more of your homemade pizza and sushi!!"
"I am making some sushi right now.", I told her.
"You make sushi?!", Maya gasped, "Where did you learn to do that!"
Getting the rice prepped for sushi making, my family watched me carefully. Starting with some fresh sashimi, I cut them very thinly and sprinkled some finely ground sea salt on it before serving it to them with soy sauce and wasabi. Watching them them kick back and enjoy the appetizer, I prepared some rice balls for the kids with shrimp and clams in them so they could have something to munch on. Gratefully accepting them from me, they quickly went from kids to chipmunks as they stuffed their faces.
Fileting the fish for sushi and cooking, I got my Wok nice and hot then started to make fried seafood rice. While ingredients were cooking in the Wok, I got the Sushi made for us along with a spicy crab meat salad...which was mainly for me. Serving them the sushi, the women complimented my sushi skills saying it was even better than the stuff they got at the actual sushi places they frequented in Tokyo. Getting the fried seafood rice plated along with perfectly seared fish, squid, octopus, and shellfish everyone looked very pleased with my cooking.
"So good!!", Shizuka shouted kicking her legs around wildly, "This is the best homecooked meal I have ever had!!"
"Agreed, you should cook more often for us.", Rika added.
"That something you'd like to do? Kikyo, Namiyo, and I could help you.", Saori offered.
A few moments after saying that the others started to offer their assistance to me. I believed they had other things on their minds than just cooking in the kitchen, which I wouldn't say no too if presented with it. Drawn in by the smell, Miu came over for something to eat with her grandfather. By now the old man had a good idea that something was going on between Miu and I. He made a point of not being too far away from her whenever I was present, which in some places was a bit awkward. Why just two days ago several of us were taking inventory when he came barreling into the room. Thinking we were doing something, he was threatening to fight me when he realized there was twelve people in the room with us. It was a mix of men and women so it wasn't like we were going to be able to do anything, but he jumped the gun on us.
"Can we have something to eat?", Hayato asked looking me in the eyes, "Your cooking smells quite good."
"Yes, I figured you'd come over here.", I chuckled sliding over two bowls, "I used some of the pork that was going to go bad in a few days to make pork cutlet rice bowls for you."
"Oh?", he said, "I won't be bribed with food for my granddaughter, you hear me!"
"If you were bribed that easily, I would think less of you.", I retorted, "Respect is earned, not bought."
"As long as you understand that.", he said grabbing the bowls in a flash.
'Not like you could stop me if you wanted too. I won't kill you, but I will make you look like a fool.', I thought hiding the thoughts behind my Poker Face.
Taking the lid off the first bowl, the scent hit his nose and sent a shiver down his spine. Gulping loudly he looked at the gleaming pork, egg, and rice looking up at him. Taking a bite, he immediately slammed his fist into the sand causing the ground to shake a bit. Giving Miu a plate of food, she thanked me with a stealthy wink.
"While it won't win you any points with me...your cooking is very good, and should be commended.", he said, "I am looking forward to the second-"
Looking over to where the second bowl should have been, he frantically looked around for the other one. Finding it in Shigure's hand he realized that Tōchūmaru, Shigure's pet mouse, had snatched it when he wasn't looking. Giving him a shrug, it looked like he wasn't that worried about the consequences.
"He gave that to me!", Hayato told them.
"You left it unattended.", Shigure retorted with a straight face, "You shouldn't let good food go to waste, I am ensuring it is enjoyed."
"Where is my portion?", Kensei demanded walking over and taking a seat next to Hayato, "You took my daughter as your women, now I am here to collect on my-"
Seeing a small dust storm come barreling over towards us, I saw a hand appear and smack him hard enough that it sounded like gunshot. Yelping he turned to face his wife who wasn't happy to see him bumming off us. Telling him that she had prepared plenty of food, he said he wanted to try my cooking. Since I was his son-in-law, it apparently entitled him to free meals. His daughter and wife just glared at him like he was a pain in the ass. Refusing to budge, his wife grabbed him by the collar and yeeted him back to where she had been cooking. Ordering her pupils to tie him to a tree, I watched her crack her knuckles as she went over to deal with him. Turning my attention to the other people, I wanted to see how they were making out.
Souichiro was being treated to a full on buffet by Aya, who had really gone overboard for him. Seeing all the food before him, I could tell he realized that he was going to have stomach problems from the quantity of food. Chiaki had made Bob and herself a normal meal, a sight it seemed reminded Bob of fond memories from before all this shit. Arashi, Takashi, and Hisashi were also being treated to a normal meal by their partners who seemed to not have quite have the best home cooking skills as some of their food was burnt. Kenichi was having food shoved into his mouth from all the girls around him. Jeong and Kohta were being hand fed by their lovers as a thank you for their hard work.
"Yo, you think you could spare some food?", Nathan asked as he and others approached, "Kind of burnt the crap out of mine."
"More like you don't know how to cook.", Cammy jabbed.
"Alright fine, I am sorry I made it a brick.", he sighed, "Cooking isn't my strong suit, exploration and adventuring is."
"You could have told us that before we trusted you with cooking.", Ada complained, "It took me two hours to get that fish!"
"If that is how you cook, I'd hate to see what you eat on the road.", Ryu laughed.
"Hey, I eat well...ramen noodles, local cuisine, and insects count as well.", Nathan said before realizing it wasn't always that good.
"We were hoping you might consider sharing some.", Ken apologized.
"Please and thank you.", Claire, Jane, and Chun-Li stated giving me apologetic smiles.
"What am I running here, a soup kitchen?", I groaned, "Alright take a seat."
Several pounds of meat, eggs, rice, and seasonings later everyone was flopped out on the ground. Groaning they said my cooking was too good, and that it forced them to overeat. Shaking my head at them I finished my meal, and put some green tea on for everyone. Washing the dishes, I got them put away before taking a seat around the fire I made earlier. Tossing more wood on for us, Nathan sighed as he kicked back.
"So what's the ultimate goal after joining your buddy in Russia?", Nathan asked taking a sip of tea, "I mean I assume staying on a continent not is too risky now with all the dead rushing around like idiots."
"Yes, I am curious what you think now that the situation has changed.", Chun-Li agreed, "It would appear that Umbrella has truly lost control of the undead now. Is it really worth going there now to take them over?"
"Yes...the grunts are out of their control, not the big boys.", I told them, "That beast I fought in Tokyo isn't likely to be taken over, it still retains part of its intelligence so it won't be led around the nose by the Demons."
"That is pretty good point.", Yuko said, "We haven't seen any of them, but that one..."
"I am fairly certain that Umbrella will cut their losses, and push their more powerful creations into production to combat the hordes. As it stands now, they can't hold out long at their bases. They weren't designed to take the beating like they will see from the hordes, it's almost certain that they will consolidate their forces at strategic bases. Ones in Asia will likely be evacuated because the hordes are too large for any military to really stop at this point.", I stated honestly, "Even if the US, Russia, and China banded together to fight the roaming hordes now...I doubt they could eliminate a single, large horde."
Talking about our departure plans tomorrow, events were unfolding on the Yam Islands.
---Yam Islands---
Traversing the rough seas, the Umbrella Repair Team arrived at the old Umbrella base that had been abandoned for over a decade. Docking at the pier, the crew disembarked and made their way to the facility. Walking in a tight group, the team was very on edge as someone in the top brass had told them an old experiment might still be living here.
"Anything on thermal or infrared?", the commander of the group asked.
"Nothing sir, no signs of life anywhere.", his team replied.
"We need to head to the power station first, stay close and stay frosty!", he ordered.
Escorting the maintenance team to the power station, they got to work repairing the tidal power system the island used to generate power. Looking at the state of the machines it looked like something rather large had tried to destroy the equipment. Chalking it up to a bear, the maintenance team replaced several cables, fuses, and switches before the power came back online. As the lights and power was restored, the room became illuminated revealing bloody hand prints and skeletal corpses around the room. Shrieking, several of the engineers almost fainted from fright.
"Calm down, these skeletons are over a decade old. No one has been coming out here since Umbrella left. Anything left behind would have died in that time period or drown in the surf.", the commander assured them, "Let's get communications up next."