Bite To Death

"Hello, Namimori!" Takeshi cheers into the microphone, glad for the soundproof recording booth as the construction work outside is painfully loud despite being almost nine in the evening.

He usually goes to school and then to help run his dad's 'Takesushi' restaurant but now he comes here for the job. A good point about taking the late segment is that kids normally slept at this time, so they didn't put a ban on language for him, unlike the five other talk hosts.

"So, it's two weeks in, and obviously the radio tower is back up thanks to our resident genius Irie Shoichi." Takeshi pauses then, staring down at the script he's supposed to read word for word.

They only chose him because he's well know among the high schoolers to be cheerful. The DC girl who passed over the job summary said that people needed a genuinely happy voice to carry them through, not some rehearsed banter.

Rehearsed banter? Well there's none of that, but Takeshi was told not to deviate from the script by a very muscled high schooler who already had a beard, the threat very clear.

He smiles. If they wanted a puppet, they picked the wrong guy.

"I'd like to ask –rhetorically, because the phone lines aren't working yet- has anyone seen our mysterious Chairman Hibari?" Takeshi smiles wider and joyfully waves at the frowning DC trying to open the locked door to the sound booth.

"I still haven't thanked him for helping me and my dad," Takeshi chuckles. "Imagine this; our fearless leader, all scowly and cute – did I say cute? I meant terrifying. So he's hopping around the rooftops during the outbreak, swooping down and picking off infected. Now, my dad and I were cornered in a pile up of cars and a group of about thirteen zombies."

Takeshi pauses. "Yeah, that's right. Thirteen of them –a number you don't see these days because of the Patrollers- and while dad had his sword, my baseball bat (may it rest in peace) had been bitten in half."

Takeshi leans closer to the microphone. "So I'm facing six of those infected with no weapon, and I honestly see no way out with my back against an over turned car." A chuckle escapes him. "So what did I do? Well, I summoned a demon of course."

"Yes, you heard that right – I screamed for Hibari. And not three seconds later, he drops onto the zombies and they go down with that satisfying crunch." Takeshi leans back. "I timed him, actually: seven seconds, for the whole thirteen."

"And then he tells me I'm late for school, before flying away." Takeshi leans his elbows on the table, vaguely aware that the DC member has stopped trying to come in. He glances around in curiosity but they're nowhere Takeshi can see.

"I'm sure most of you have heard some rendition of the rescue by friends, or even faced Hibari's berating yourself." Takeshi tilts his head to the side, fiddling with the script a bit. "It's a bit odd, that story. Why would he always tell us that we're late for school?"

"It's good that I'm not a cat, because I got a bit curious. So I cornered a few people and weaselled some information out of them." Takeshi pauses for suspense.

"Did you know that Hibari tracked down every single one of the high school's students? Did you know that he deliberately pointed them at the school in his usual method of communication? Did you know that every one he saw turned to the school and just ran?"

"Did you know that every single one survived?" Takeshi sounds out slowly.

"I'm not saying that we students didn't have to fight for our lives out there, nor am I glossing over any loss of family and friends, but God we are privileged to have Hibari care for us."

Takeshi drops his voice and leans into the microphone, his eyes far away. "I keep thinking: what if he didn't care? What if he just protected the ones smart enough to run for the school? Or even just stayed in his home and didn't bother at all with anyone?"

"I don't know your reasons, Hibari. Nor do I particularly care for them. I'm just grateful that my dad and I survived." Takeshi flops back into the chair and grins with sharp teeth, declaring loudly and cheerfully, "Which is why, as soon as I find you, I'm going to give you a great big hug and millions of kisses!" he laughs.

"I wouldn't mind giving head either."

The DC guy reappears with three others and a chainsaw, the machine roaring as it cuts through the door and the chair Takeshi put under the handle before he even began recording.

"Well, gotta go now, the DC got through the door," Takeshi says as a goodbye, jumping out of the seat. "Hopefully Hibari comes to deal with me himself - I'll keep you folks posted."