Episode 1 Season 2

Overview
Tiaguh and his party encounters a violent group of thugs...

Previously on The Walking Hiro...
"Smoke grena-"

"REM! DARKY!"

BLAM

"Oh, no no no, Rem, hang in there!"

"I can still remember my name..."

"Rem..."

BANG

Present Day
Tiaguh looks at the rain outside. It's pouring.

The roof won't stop pitter-pattering.

Tia looks to his right. Right beside him is Darky, looking outside.

[Tia]: Hey Darky.

[Darky]: Hey.

[Tia]: What's outside?

[Darky]: Ground. Sky. Zombies. Usual stuff.

[Darky]: Why did you save me?

[Tia]: I told you... I thought you were in danger more.

[Darky]: You couldn't have saved both of us. Why me?

[Tia]: My mind didn't think about which of you I liked more. I just snapped and saved the first person I saw.

[Darky]: I don't wanna talk anymore.

[Tia]: Okay.

Tiaguh looks to the front of the bus.

Xemeal is focusing on the road, K0wasu chatting with him on the seat behind.

Schyrox chills, watching the conversation there.

Catz and Horizon have an in depth discussion about ACOG scopes.

Ayson and Woomy argue about the best Shrek movie, which looks like it's about to turn into a fist fight.

Gacotron has her puppy on her lap, mumbling to him.

Tiaguh sighs, and looks back down at his Auto CZ that he picked.

[Tia]: What an apocalypse.

Tiaguh stares back up to the roof.

Listening to the rain again, he gets pretty tired.

Tiaguh gets bored of the bus ceiling, and he feels darky's head on his shoulder

[Tia]: What're you doing?

[Darky]: The window isn't a good pillow. It's always cold and solid. I like to think you're the opposite.

Tiaguh changes expressions, to a dad face, the kind of face you make when you think:

"Life is great."

Tiaguh puts his arm around Darky, and slowly falls asleep.

An unknown amount of time later
[Xemeal]: We're here.

[ Potato head Schyrox]: What? How far are we?

[Xemeal]: Doesn't matter. There are weird thugs blocking our way.

Catz, Horizon, and Darky freeze.

Darky shakes Tiaguh awake quickly.

[Darky]: Wake up, wake up!

Schyrox goes out to the outside of the bus.

[Schyrox]: They're not zombies, they're people.

Ayson gulps.

[Thug]: HEY YOU THERE! HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE YOU GOT WITH YOU?

"Just me and another guy. The driver." Schyrox lies.

[Thug]: Come out.

[Schyrox]: Okay.

[Schyrox]: What do you want?

Schyrox made mistake of coming closer.

Drop your weapons. On your knees. Hands where I can see them."

Schyrox's instincts kick in.

He peeks back to see the bus, to make sure everything is safe.

He suddenly gets knocked straight in the stomach.

[Schyrox]: OOF!

Xemeal yawns, then jolts up to see Schyrox clutching his body.

[Xemeal]: Hide. Guys, hide.

Xemeal grabs a Glock at aims it at the door.

K0wasu shudders.

[Thug]: Step out, driver! Oh wait what the f-

BANG

Xemeal puts his gun on the dashboard. One of the thugs grabs Schyrox.

[Darky]: Xemeal... Do something.

[Xemeal]: Whatta you expect me to do?

[Darky]: I dunno. Run them over?

[Xemeal]: But Schyrox-

[Darky]: He's limber, right?

[Xemeal]: You're really thinking about running Schy over?

[Darky]: Don't tell me you're disagreeing.

Darky climbs up to the top emergency exit of the bus.

[Tia]: Darky what are you doing?

Tiaguh grabs her leg, but she tugs away.

[Tia]: DARKY!

The thug holding Schyrox hostage gets popped in the forehead.

The thugs start firing at the bus, which really makes Xemeal step on the gas.

[Xemeal]: SORRY SCHY!

Schyrox stares directly at Xemeal.

[Schyrox]: You piece of-

Schyrox jumps on the hood, and he hits the windscreen.

[Xemeal]: Oh, fudge.

The bus stops, and one of the thugs has a shotgun trained on Xemeal.

[Thug]: Don't move.

[Xemeal]: Don't you dare.

[Thug]: I'm going to shoot you okay?

[???]: Try it.

KABOOM

The man holding the shotgun is blown into oblivion.

[Xemeal]: Wait, I'm alive?

A masked soldier comes out holding a rocket launcher.(edited)

[Xemeal]: Who is...

Xemeal puts his hands down.

[Schyrox]: Is that..

Schyrox gets off of the bus hood.

[Schyrox]: CANDY!

Candy rips his mask right off and looks up at the dents he made.

His one hand is carrying the rocket launcher, his other hand is severed, but bandaged.

Tiaguh exits the bus and stops in front of candy.

[Tia]: Candy!

[Candy]: Where is that bas- (Candy, no swearing allowed)?

[Tia]: What?

[Candy]: Scout. Where is he?

[Tia]: He is... No longer..

[Candy]: How did it happen?

[Tia]: He got bit. I killed him.

[Candy]: You should have let him die.

[Tia]: I don't do that, candy.

[Candy]: So? He left me to die. I have one hand, and I still can't walk with efficiency.

[Tia]: I don't do that, man. I have sympathy.

[Tia]: He didn't deserve to turn. He should have a quick death.

[Tia]: How did you survive the bite?

[Candy]: Some scientists showed me how I could still avoid getting infected.

[Tia]: There's a cure?

[Candy]: No, I amputated my hand before the parasite got to me.

[Tia]: We could have saved a lot of people if we knew that earlier.

[Candy]: That's a shame.

[Tia]: Candy, get in. We have some new friends as well.

[Candy]: Where is Rem? She sleeping in again? Wow.

[Tia]: Actually..

[Candy]: WAKE UP SLEEPY HEAD! Come on Rem!

Everyone awkwardly stares at candy.

[Candy]: Don't tell me..

[Candy]: Tia... What happened?

Darky gets up.

[Darky]: We were both in trouble. Tiaguh put his life on the line to save both of us, but he couldn't get both of us in time.

Candy suddenly looks angry. Very angry.

He stares into Tiaguh's eyes, looking right down on him.

He then flops down onto a seat and covers his face in his palms.

Xemeal starts up the bus in silence.

Tiaguh sits down in silence.

The whole ride is silence.

Schyrox perks up.

"So what's next?"

"Candy, who are these scientists?"

"Well they had a place. It was big, full of people. Populated."

"Who are these thug guys?"

"I dunno, but they probably were the people who invaded our camp yesterday."

"Anyway. Go down this path and the base is right there."

"Okay... Who are these guys??"

The bus stops abruptly.

"STAND DOWN. DO NOT DRIVE FORWARD OR BACKWARD."

Xemeal takes his hands off the wheel.

"Candy, get out and talk to them."

Some soldiers hop off their post.

"Candy! You're back.

"Yeh, I brought my old friends with me."

"Great... Hey you in the driver's seat!"

"Chyah, it's Xemeal."

"Drive into the underground lot there. We'll see you then."

"Kay."

The bus turns and goes down into a basement of some sort, like a Walmart parking lot for military vehicles.

"Alright, how many people you got with you?"

"Me, Schyrox, Catz, Horizon, Darky, Candy, Woomy, Ayson, Gaco, and Pup. A doggo."

"Fair amount, Xemeal. Now let's see here.."

"Follow that guy in the mask and armor. He has procedures."

"Okay."

"Hi, my name is DespondentCommando."

"What kind of parents call you that?"

"You didn't type it in in the username bar like I did?"

"You're speaking like we're in a damn video game."

"No, you are."

"Get out of the car. I have a shock baton."

"No."

Despondent stares right at him, then holsters his baton.

"Okay. Park your magic school bus and go single file line in there."

"I hate you already."

"Ditto."

Xemeal parks the bus and gestures everyone to come out.

"Drop your weapons there, we'll disinfect."

"Don't make a dent on my Ruger."

"I won't."

In the room there is just white metal walls.

"Alright everyone, take your clothes off."

"Say what?"

"I'm kidding."

"Thank god."

"So now just stand still. Don't move, the disinfectant will get your whole body."

"I don't like this guy."

"I don't like this PLACE."

"Okay, every pest on your body is now gone."

"Except Xemeal..."

"Forgive me if I accidentally shoot you in the head when we get out."

"I'll break your Glock in half."

Xemeal grunts and drags himself out of the cleaning chamber.

"Now you guys are all clean. My colleague Literiot will lead you through everything."

"Hey guys. Don't misbehave, okay?"

"The only loose cannon here is your buddy Despondent."

"So, Literiot. What are your parents like then? Also on drugs?"

"Actually, they both were executed."

"joemamalol."

"Give him some respect."

"Okay."

"It's alright. Now we want to know why you're here."

"Candy told us we could get shelter and some answers here."

"We do take refugees, but only temporarily. We have many, many people coming in and we can't get everyone."

"a."

"Alright, now go upstairs. There are a few things you should know."

"Alright, see ya later apricot."

"Literiot."

"Apricot."

"joemamalol."

The group goes up the stairs with their supplies and finds a large lab full of people walking around, some wounded, some hungry, etcetera.

"Odd place."

"Hey, you guys new?"

"Yeah. Who are you?"

"Brody, in the flesh! Literiot sent you up?"

"Yep, he did. What's this place like?"

"It's a lab turned into a camp. A bunch of survivors come here to seek shelter. Unfortunately, not for forever."

"Why's that?"

"It's a zombie apocalypse. We can't take everyone, and we have to sustain ourselves, too."

"Right."

"You guys will have to leave tomorrow morning. We don't have much bedding or food for you."

"It's okay. We can manage."

Candy shrugs. "Sort of."

"How's the hand doing?"

"Doesn't hurt. Annoying when I have to fire a rifle."

"Hope you do better."

"And same for you."

Tiaguh looks around and slides down to sit.

"Oh my God this is unbearable."

Darky casually slides down beside him.

"Crowded. I know."

"I prefer our bus... I like it."

"Where's the bus even from?"

"We were actually held up in a school a while ago. Rem decided to stand up and get us out."

"Scout was the only one who had a license, but now it doesn't matter anymore."

"The past is the past."

Darky leans on him again.

"I am kinda glad you saved me."

"Really."

"Rem tastes better anyway." Darky giggles.

Tiaguh pets Darky and goes to candy.

"We leave tomorrow, right?"

"Yes."

"What do we do after then?"

"Find a better and farther place like you guys said, right?"

"Of course. Things get out of order when you deal with so much action."

"Definitely. You had to pick between Rem and Darky. Simp."

"I'm not a simp."

"The person writing this is."

"Wait, what?"

"Yeah, the person writing this."

"Writing... This?"

"What do you mean, "writing this"?"

"Nevermind. It's fine man."

Trivia
-Do not ship Tia and Darky together. You will face consequences if you do.