ZRP-2 Chapter 6: Scattered

(Sam)
"You don't have to sound so thrilled Eve."

*Marcus*
"Hmm, well it may do if we both talk to them. I can tell that the vote for letting us stay won't be an issue, but convincing them to fight with us......that may be the hard part."

(James)
"It wouldn't be worth it if it was easy, would it?"

*Marcus*
"No, no I guess not."

"Sorry." She shrugged. "I'd rather explore you then a house to be blunt."

"Nothing is ever easy. If it is, it's a trap." Hibiki said.

(Sam)
=I rolled my eyes and walked out of the room=
"Keep that attitude up Eve and this thing we have is going to get stale fast."

(James)
"Or fate's smiling on us. Either way.....lets go in."
=With that, we walked into the main room of the church, with the large,towering ceiling, huge,painted windows, and all the other......trimmings that befit a church. And it was packed with people=

"Shall we find ourselves a seat?"

Eve looked taken back. "Oh..." She rolled back over so she was facing the wall.
"I...I'm sorry...I didn't mean to be pushy...or too...wanting."

Hibiki nodded. "Yeah...." She chuckled. "Never thought you'd lead me to church."

(Sam)
=I stopped by the door=
"Eve.....look, I enjoy what we have. But you ever hear the expression "too much of a good thing?" I feel like if we did it as often as you demand it, it would lose its meaning. It won't be special anymore."

(James)
"Heh, yeah. I was planning on it actually...."
=We grabbed a seat in an open bench, and waited for things to start=

Eve looked crestfallen...at herself.
"I...I'm sorry...I just don...don't want to et go sometimes...I want it to never end...that feeling that you're the only one there, the only one I'll be with. I'm happy...but I keep...forgetting...your happiness counts too."
She hurried after Sam, hugging her arm. "You're happiness always counts."

Hibiki sat beside James. "Good."

(Sam)
"Thanks Eve. That means a lot."

(James)
=As we sat down, Clara went up to the altar, or at least.....where it would have been. She spoke first, telling everyone why they were here, about the vote to let us stay. Others came up, either to say why they were for it, or why they were against it. When it finally came down to the show of hands......the majority voted for us to stay=
"Okay, that's one down....."

Eve kissed Sam's arm, as she was a bit tired. "I'm trying..."

Hibiki frowned. "One down...but things can change. We have to be on our guard."

(Sam)
"Thanks Eve. All I ask."

(James)
"And yet we also have to trust these people. Fun times."
=As the discussion was about to begin, Clara motioned for both Marcus and I to step forward with her. Marcus went first=

*Marcus*
"Ladies. Gentlemen. Old friends. You all know who I am, what kind of person I was. The kind of person I still am. You know I'd never try to take advantage of you, or put you in harms way. But now......now, times have changed. The man you see with me.....he and his friends managed to do something I'm sure some thought impossible. Something we both will try and ask of you all. To fight against the Shepherds. Not to hide behind our walls and repel their attacks, but to go out there and bring the fight to them."
=There was a murmur among the people in the room, surprised by this proposal. One of them stood up, a middle aged man, bald save for some stubble=

*Bald Man*
"And why should we agree to fight with you? This isn't our fight, our war. Why should we risk everything we have here for a fools hope?"

(James)
"It's anything but a fools hope sir. We've fought the Shepherds on multiple occasions, and we've won. We beat them back, we killed them. Hell, we crippled them in parts. It's not a lost cause. And it's better than waiting for the next attack, day after day."

Eve smiled softly. "All I ask...is you be patient with me as I...figure out how to do things right."

*Bald Man*
"And what if attacking them provokes them? What if by helping you, we paint a target on our backs?"

*Marcus*
"Phil, the target is already there. Hell it's always been. Everyone here knows that it was just a matter of time before they decided to attack this place, the only thing keeping them from trying was that they didn't view you as that important. Now they do."

*Phil*
"And that's all thanks to you. Because you dragged them to our front door!"

(James)
"So you're saying that you would rather have let them come for you in a few weeks, or a few months? Because at the end of the day, no matter what, they would have come for you. It was never a matter of if, just when."
=I stopped, realizing I wasn't helping by yelling=

"Look. I knowing a lot to ask of you. We're already asking a lot with you letting us live here. So I won't hold it against anyone here if you say you won't fight with us. But I know exactly what I'm going to be doing in the future. I'm going to fight. Because its the right thing to do, if I want to raise my family in safety."
=That seemed to have the desired effect. People traded glances, exchanged quiet words. But I cold tell not all of them were convinced. And I was fine with that. Clara replaced us, and called for a show of hands. I was surprised then when it ended in a tie=

*Clara*
=She blinked, clearly surprised=
"Okay then......so, vote on whether or not we fight, ends in a tie."

(James)
"What does that mean then?"

*Clara*
"It means we'll hold a vote on this again, in one week. Give people time to actually thinks this."

(James)
"Oh.....okay."
=I noticed that Phil was scowling the whole time. Somehow that made me feel giddy. The meeting ended, and everyone left, except me. I kinda wanted to stay in the church for a few minutes=

As it drew the a close, Hibiki, who remained mercifully quiet the entire time, stayed with James.
"So. That went well."

(James)
"Hey, take your victories where you can get them right? At least we get to stay."
=Still, staying put didn't feel right. Not yet anyway=

"So......we seem to be in here rather late, don't we?"

(Sam)
=So we explored, Eve and I. We started from the bottom of the house, in the basement. It was.....well, creepy. Especially with night falling, and it was just dark. All this junk everywhere, no idea what was around the next corner=

Eve stayed close to Sam, holding her arm.
"It's creepy..." she said.

"We are." Hibiki agreed.

(Sam)
"Pray for now porcelain dolls."
=I grabbed one of James' glow sticks, so we weren't entirely in the dark=

(James)
"Heh, it's strange. Kinda always imagined that we'd get married here. Not a big fancy church, just something simple, like this. The amazing stuff wold have come later."

"Can I pray for a new bow? Bastards took my old one..." she said miserably.

Hibiki looked at him. "I never saw myself married, James...so..." she touched his arm. "That room in the hotel...was the best ever."

(James)
=Smiling, I raised my hand to meet hers=
"Well, either way guess it all worked out for the best, didn't it?

(Sam)
"Maybe they have a compound bow down here."

"Maybe..." Eve said softly.

"Yep...I got the best husband in the world...and a ceremony I was fine with."

(James)
=Chuckling, I squeezed her hand while I looked down the aisle at.....well, nothing=
"So, we have a week to convince people to helpis fight. Should be fun."

(Sam)
=I decided to check onee of the boxes, and wha do you think I found? A fucking doll, with those glass eyes. I swear tofu king god, it was staring right into my soul=
"Eve if you put this in our room I will kill you."

Eve blinked. "I'm mean. Not cruel." she stated.

Hibiki squeezed back, then let go. "Meet you at home. Ok?" She smiled encouragingly. "I just...need to do something."

(Sam)
=I put the doll back in the box and kept walking=
"Yeah well, ya never know. I mean, I think Halloween is coming up."

(James)
"Okay, see you there."
=Giving her a kiss, I walked away and headed for the house. On the way out, I saw Book heading for the church=

"Padre. If you were hoping to attend the meeting, you're a bit late."

(Book)
"Sadly no, I am not here to attend a meeting. No, it's just.....I've always felt more comfortable in a church. I feel closer to Him here than anywhere else."

(James)
"Ah, I understand. Well, I wish you good luck in that pursuit, and have a good night."
=If he was annoyed by my jibe over him finding God, he didn't show it. He just smiled, shook his head, and walked inside. Then I went home, hoping Hibiki would be behind me=

"I'd rather be on your good side and like. Convince you to dress in a really sexy outfit, Sam. Uh, I'd rather play the doll joke on mommy and daddy." She giggled.

Kissing back, Hibiki set off to find Book.

(Sam)
"Considering the fact that your mom has a sword and James would just shot something, lets not and say we did."

(Book)
=I was surprised when I walked in through the doors to see Hibiki=
"Evening Hibiki. I just passed James, looks like he was heading for.....home, I suppose is as good a name as any."

"I need to talk to you Padre." She said. "Please."

Eve paused. "Right. Uh...so...was that a no to a sexy costume...?"

(Sam)
"Hey if you can find me a slutty nurse or cat girl or police officer uniform by Halloween, then I will wear that damned thing and dance my ass off for you."

(James)
=I got home, back inside and went up to my room. I checked the drawers, and found that there was a lot of clothes inside. Some of them probably my size. I opened another drawer and found out that it belonged to the wife, unless the husband happened to keep a giant purple dildo on top of rolled up stockings. Oh yeah, this was an interesting place=

(Book)
=I blinked, clearly surprised=
"Talk? Why? What's on your mind?"

"Can we sit?" Hibiki started off. "I...really need to get some things off my chest."

Eve looked at Sam. "Challenge accepted. What would you want me to wear?"

(Book)
=Nodding, I walked with her into the main room and sat us both down on a bench=
"What is it that troubles you?"

(James)
=Closing the door, I sat on the bed, leaning back into the pillows=

(Sam)
"Honestly, I'm not sure. Nothing? Or would you prefer I strip you to of a costume of your choice?"

Hibiki looked at her knees. "I want to kill the Shepherds. Shoot their legs and arms, leave them near a flare, and let the walkers descend upon them. I want them to suffer as badly as they've caused others to suffer...and I can't stop this hatred." She looked up. "What am I supposed to do?"

Eve stopped and looked at Sam. "R...really?"

(Book)
"It's natural, in times of war to feel such things when you fight on the front lines. When you've seen the horrors of war, watched friends die at the hands of those you fight. You're not the first, nor will you be the last, to feel such hatred towards the Shepherds. But what you do when you feel such emotions, whether or not you let them control you, will always be your choice."
=Leaning back into the pew, I folded my hands in my lap=

"What does your heart tell you is right, Hibiki? Does it tell you to indulge your hate?"

(Sam)
"Well I already licked your breasts clean, so.....yeah. Lets see how far we can take this."

"It tells me to purge those fuckers in a righteous fire so my children can grow up without fear of fanatics breaking the walls down." She answered softly.

Eve's eyes widened. "Deal." She breathed out softly.

(Book)
"And are you comfortable with the consequences? How you could be seen by those you love?"
=I rested a hand on her shoulder=

(Sam)
"Cool. Now, on t the search."

"No padre. I'm not. I'd be a monster to my husband, and God only knows what Eve would think." She sad.

Eve continued.

She would find a catgirl or slutty nurse costume for Sam, and then find herself something.
She swore it.

(Book)
"Then perhaps you have your answer. Hibiki, how we treat our enemies, even the worst of them. The monsters......it's what separates us from them. You don't have to love them, or let them live. But you can simply treat them with some respect as they die."

"Thank you Book." She smiled. "I needed that off my chest."

Eve glanced in a room. "Uh...storage. Wonder what they got around here."

(Sam)
"Who knows. But looks locked, so unless you have a key...."

(Book)
"It's what I'm here for Hibiki. Please, any time you need to speak, just come by. I'll probably be here."

Eve kicks the door once. She pauses, then kicks nearer to the lock. Nothing.
She takes her knife out and slips it into the crack and starts working, and pops the door open.
"There."

"Thanks, padre."

Hibiki left.

(Sam)
=I checked what was inside. Nothing much except boxes filled with tools, some dangerous in the hands of toddlers=
"Huh, didn't think they'd have this in the basement."

(Book)
=Alone in the church, I went up to the altar to kneel, and pray. Crossing myself and holding my crucifix before me, I prayed for many things. Above all, I prayed for James and Hibiki. They didn't need any more conflict in their lives=

(James)
=I wondered how long it would be before Hibiki came back. I wasn't worried, she could handle herself. But I hated being apart from her=

Hibiki walked in soon after James wondered.
"Hey."

Eve nodded. "Least we can build stuff..." she said.

(James)
=Smiling, I looked up at her=
"Hey. You okay?"

(Sam)
"Yeah. Maybe we can build a treehouse."

"Really?" She asked excitedly. "A treehouse?"

Hibiki nodded. "I needed stuff off my chest." She sat on his lap, resting her head on his shoulder. "I needed to talk is all."

(James)
"Did it work?"
=I stroked her hair while I held her close=

(Sam)
"Yeah. Always wanted one as a kid. Didn't you?"

"I wanted a treehouse...I wanted many things." She grinned. "Now I just want you in a police outfit stripping me." She teased.

Hibiki sighed. "We'll see James...we'll see."

(Sam)
"Never too late to grab that childhood dream Eve."

(James)
"And us? Are we still good?"

"We are." Hibiki promised.

"True..." She hugged Sam. "I'd love a treehouse."

(Sam)
"Cool."
=And then we continued to look around=

(James)
"Okay."
=As I stroked her hair, I kissed the space just before her ear and whispered=

"So, night is still young. Any plans for this evening?"

"None. Was gonna ask if you wanted to do something." Hibiki replied.

Eve glanced into the laundry room. "Nothing..." she sighed. "I'm bored."

(James)
"Well, we could grab something to eat."
=I noted that as I spoke, my hands drifted to the hem of her shirt=

(Sam)
"Wanna check the attic?"

"No...I hate attics." Eve said.

"Right. You really want to eat?" She asked.

(Sam)
"What, you don't like the attics?"

(James)
"Maybe just a bit. I mean I am sorta hungry. You?"

"Attics is where my old dad kept his...equipment." She didn't elaborate.

Hibiki nodded. "A bit...but that hand there has other ideas, doesn't it?"