My eyes adjust to the darkness of the gymnasium. Pained moans begin to fill the air, and the slow shuffling of feet seems to direct itself towards me.

Are those…

…Zombies?

Zombies.

Zombies…

I’m done.

I’m just…done.

Ghosts aren’t a big deal. I can handle them. Demons? Sure, no problem, unless they’re some sort of devil chicken. I wouldn’t want to deal with one of those.

But zombies are officially where I draw the line.

It’s not that I’m scared of them. Far from it. But they’re…incredibly creepy. They latch on to you like they’re an undead molester. You could say I’m more grossed out by them than anything.

I’m not dealing with this.

I turn around and briskly make my way to the exit. Zombies are slow, so it’s not like they can catch up with me. No need to run. But right before leaving the gym, I turn around and point my NAVI at the zombies, taking a picture of the incoming horde.

[SHUTTER SFX, SCREEN FLASHES WHITE]

That should do it.

Time to get out of here.

*Scene transition*

[CRASH!! SFX]

Once I’ve made my way through the doors, I topple one of the nearby lockers on the side and push it in front of the doorway. Since the doors open towards this side, this should at least buy me some time.

I look down towards my phone, and decide to send a text message, attaching the picture I just took to it.

It was better to ask “specialists” to deal with things like these.

I don’t think Pit or any of the others were in there. I’m getting out of here.

--SEVERAL SCENES AND EVENTS LATER—

Tch! No matter where we turn, those zombies are blocking our way! This is bad!

Both sides of the hallway we’re in are completely blocked.

Grabbing Palutena’s hand, I lead her down a flight of stairs. We’re near the entrance hall!

But the entrance is completely blocked by them.

I grip Pal’s hand tighter with my right, and pull the kendo stick I had tied on my back with my left. There’s no other option. I have to fight my way through.

Maybe I can cause a distraction this way. Have them focus on me, while she gets out of here…

But then I remember we simply can’t exit the school grounds.

Still, if I can buy some time for her…maybe…

…Dwelling on these things is pointless. I push the dark thoughts I’m having to the back of my mind.

All I can do is focus on the enemy in front of me.

[Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! SFX]

What’s that?

It sounded like something metallic hitting the floor…

Wait, there’s definitely something. Black aerosol cans which I easily recognize as belonging brand of deodorant cologne said to attract women in droves. But what are they doing here?

???: “Light it up!”

I instantly recognize that female voice. Oh.

Oh.

Link: “Haaah!!”

I embrace Palutena and trip her with my foot, making her lose balance. I jump on top of her. In this situation, it’d only be natural to try and use my body as a shield.

The sound of a bottle shattering was followed by the world around us becoming a red-hot inferno.

I could hear the deafening sound of the aerosol cans tossed across the hall bursting with explosive force, like makeshift fragmentation grenades.

And along with that…

[TWACK! SFX]

…the sound of bone shattering bone…

[POOF! POOF! POOF! SFX]

…and the sounds of B.B. Guns firing.

I get off Palutena and quickly scramble to get up on my feet, offering my hand to help her get off. I try my best to say “sorry” with my eyes.

Palutena: “Geez…aren’t you a forceful boy, Link?”

She says that with a giggle. Doesn’t seem she’s too upset over what I just did.

I turn back to what has now become a battlefield.

Chris, Leon, Jill…you guys came. Friends I met during a collaborative program with Capcom School.

Chris: “Yo, Link! It’s been ages, man! When was the last time we saw each other? Last season?”

The guy in front of me has a club band around his (oddly large) bicep, with the letters B.S.A.A. emblazoned on it.

‘BB Survival Airsoft Association’. The name of Chris’ club.

By the way, there’s just one ‘B’ in the acronym because B.B.S.A.A. just doesn’t roll off the tongue as well, according to Chris. I wouldn’t know.

I nod at Chris, and crack a smile. I point at the club band.

Chris: “Oh, this? Well, since we heard from you there were zombies here, we made it a club activity to come here and…gimme a sec.”

Chris turns around, and his right fist connects with a nearby shambling zombie.

Sometimes I wonder how this guy has so much upper body strength and hits so hard. Does he work out by punching boulders or something? I think I heard a rumor about him doing that.

Chris: “…anyways, we’re on official club business. We’re the SURVIVAL Airsoft Association, after all.”

I see Leon and Jill firing at the now-thinning zombie horde with B.B. Guns. Guess zombies must be a lot more fragile than I thought, to taken out by such weapons.

There’s another person with them. He seems more interested in taking pictures of the mayhem than anything else.

Chris: “Ah. I think you don’t know him. That’s Frank. Frank West. From the Capcom School Newspaper.”

My expression must have reflected how puzzled I was at the presence of this newcomer, because Chris caught up immediately.

Chris: “He heard there was a scoop here, and said he wanted to come with us. He’s covered the Student Council Elections, you know?”

I don’t really see the connection between Elections and this situation…

But once I see him thwack a couple of zombies with a baseball bat, I shrug. He seems pretty handy to have around in this situation, for some reason.