When Kaori came to, back in control of her body and standing inside The Nucleus once more, she had an odd sensation inside of her; like the memory was of her own experiences.
Not only did she feel the same emotions of that version, but she had the sudden knowledge of knowing how to fight exactly as the old version did. Unite? She repeated the words inside her mind. "Why does that feel like my memory? Like that was me who died like that?"
"Deja vu?" Persephone giggled, removing her hand from the top of the woman's head. "That version of you is dead, her soul diseased and unable to live another life. You? Your body was killed, but your soul was not diseased, so you're here to continue her legacy. You are her and she is you. To be the best version of yourself, you must know her memories. A natural gift is just another version's hard work."
Kaori was speechless, but she also had a new sense of confidence overcome her. "Before you send me back, I have a question," she began, as Persephone started to walk away, slowly fading from sight.
"Hm?" She stopped, turning to look at her.
She cleared her throat, "how can I get more memories?"
The goddess smiled at her curiosity, "I want you to cure the apocalypse. Every 20...eradications, will provide you a shard. Every 4 is a memory essence that I'll help you see. Every essence and level up appear as a small black dot, starting on the back of your wrists; Essence on your right arm, levels on your left...." Persephone tried to make her face softer, "mortals aren't great at remembering such important things."
Kaori didn't know if she should be offended or not, "thank you," she simply replied.
Then the darkness of the Nucleus disappeared, and she was once again back in the dimmed hall of the spaceship. The 7 zombies from before she meditated were closer and more visible, but still just far enough away to give her time to get her bearings straight.
With her new founded knowledge, she rose to her feet, her dagger at the ready, and she charged in. She didn't see the Raptor from her memories, and she was thankful, but she knew she needed to make quick work of these ones before more showed up.
She began to hate herself for ringing the zombie's dinner bell.
Kaori made contact with the first zombie; A quick stab through the side of the head.
Then the second was just as easy, the blade slipping out of the skull of the first like butter before repeating itself with the second.
Then the 3rd...
The 4th...
Her adrenaline was rising with each kill, and a sense of revenge was filling her.
5... the sounds of her dagger squishing into each easier and easier as the blade was getting wetter and wetter in rotten blood.
6...
Only one more!
The 7th was a much taller man, and she was unable to reach his skull effectively without the high chance of being hurt, so she instead aimed for underneath his boney jaw, cleaned of flesh.
Kaori took a leap at him to knock him down, feet landing on his midsection like she was getting onto a skateboard, simultaneously jamming her blade into his skull from underneath his chin.
Success!
She stepped off his body while wiping her dagger clean against its clothes. "Just like a video game," she smirked.
Except, it was followed by immediate retching and projectile vomiting; Her stomach didn't receive the memory the same way her mind did apparently.
"I thought it'd be a bit easier," she let out a weak laugh as she wiped her mouth with her sleeve, keeping her knife wielded. Why couldn't Persephone put me in a world like other reincarnation stories? A reverse-harem where I was the only woman in a land of buff, samurais fighting for my hand? But noooo, she just had to put me somewhere that resembled swarms of fucking paparazzi and crazed fans. Kaori began to rant to herself, as she finally closed the small gap between her and the entrance to what appeared to be a large dining room and living room mix.
The captain and their crew's personal space separate to the rest of the other elites that bought a ticket to 'safety.'
But then she remembered; every 20 kills is a shard. She turned back to look at the last zombie she killed just as its head began to twitch violently.
Kaori's nose scrunched in disgust as she watched something emerge from its mouth and begin darting towards her.
It wasn't until it was a few feet from her that she was able to make out what it was. A chocolate chip cookie, like the popcorn pieces, 6 inches tall including its ghost-like legs and chocolate chip feet.
"You just came out of-"
"Shut up and eat me!" The cookie shouted, "I sense something coming!" It jumped up as it finished its sentence, forcing Kaori to quickly catch it. "Hurry! I'm clean of any diseases despite of where I came from!"
She still had to do a quick look over before she indulged though. The thought of eating a cookie once covered in zombie guts made her want to empty her newly emptied stomach again.
The ex-streamer took a breath of bravery, before instantly stuffing her face, the little screams of the cookie echoing around her teeth and down her throat, before finally stopping after a couple chews.
A wave of shivers went down her spine. Delicious!
Then she twisted herself back around and entered the dark, empty room.
Across from her, on the other side of the large room, she could see a bright red, lit up neon sign hanging from the ceiling with the image of a small ship on it. It also had an arrow pointing down a different hallway. Escape ships?
She hastily darted towards the hall, dodging an oddly decorated room of random chairs and tables with magazines and books scattered about.
As well as plates of food that were served but never touched.
Kaori knew she didn't know how to fly a ship, but she was going to have to try.