Lea watched as Arisu moved efficiently, her movements precise and caring. She felt a wave of gratitude wash over her. "Thank you, Arisu. I don’t know what I would have done without you and Kazuichi. And pardon my late introductions. I’m Natsuki Lea..." She trailed off.

Fidgeting, she kept glancing at the door to the bathroom. Although she wasn’t in her usual self for the past couple of weeks, she knew that she had acted rather rudely to her saviors... especially to Kazuichi whom she had mercilessly bitten.

’I should say sorry... but how?’ She contemplated, closing her eyes as she felt slightly embarrassed.

Arisu smiled as she filled a basin with warm water. She could smell her emotions from a mile away but she didn’t pry too much into her thoughts. "Don’t worry about that. Kazuichi is not someone who holds grudges. A simple sorry would suffice."

"Wha- Arisu, are you telepathic?" She asked, befuddled. Her face then scrunched up as she tried to remove all the remaining thoughts in her mind.

"No, but I have a keen sense of smell. I cannot read your mind, but I can sense emotions, down to the minutest of its details." She briefly explained in response.

As Arisu began to wash the dirt and grime from Lea’s skin gently, she chatted warmly to keep Lea’s mind off the discomfort. "So, tell me a bit about yourself. Where were you before all this happened?"

Lea hesitated for a moment, then began to speak. "As someone who thrived in isolation, I soloed the outskirts, hunting down zombies that came my way and surviving. It was repetitive, mundane even, but I managed. Then, the West Yamanashi Stronghold captured me and... at first I thought we were captured to aid the stronghold... but they had other plans."

Hesitating, Lea continued to narrate her backstory, taking up the time of her bath while Arisu intently listened and empathized with her.

Arisu’s expression shifted from curiosity to mild anger. "I’m sorry... I shouldn’t have asked. But don’t worry, Kazuichi is a good guy. He was the one who saved me in the past, you know. I hope you won’t doubt our sincerity." She continued.

With tears welling up in her eyes, Lea sniffled as she nodded her head. "Thank you. It was... awful. But now, I feel like I have a chance to start over. Once again, thank you so much for saving me, for bringing me back."

Reassuringly, Arisu held Lea’s hand. She didn’t speak another word. Her expression was more than enough to relay her sentiments.

From outside the bathroom, Kazuichi could actually hear their muffled conversation, and he couldn’t help but ask if they were both alright. "Is everything all right? Do you two need anything?" He asked.

"We’re doing well," Arisu replied as Lea nodded her head for the second time. "Lea’s just getting cleaned up. She’ll feel much better after this."

Kazuichi nodded as he continued to sort out their belongings, his expression softening. "Good. I’ll go see about getting some fresh clothes for her."

"Thank you, Kazuichi," Lea said, her voice sincere. "I appreciate it."

Arisu continued her gentle ministrations, the warm water and soap gradually revealing Lea’s true appearance beneath the layers of dirt and grime.

"You’re doing great," Arisu said encouragingly. "Almost done. How are you feeling now?"

"Better," Lea admitted. "Much better. Thank you, Arisu. I can’t remember the last time someone took care of me like this."

Another smile appeared on Arisu’s face as her expression softened. It felt as if she was taking care of her own little sister, more than anything.

With the washing complete, Arisu helped Lea into the shower, guiding her through washing her hair and rinsing off. The hot water and soap worked wonders, and Lea felt the tension and stress of the past weeks melt away.

Once they were done, Arisu wrapped Lea in a soft towel and helped her back to the main room, where Kazuichi had laid out a set of clean clothes. "Here you go," he said, gesturing to the clothes. "They should fit you well enough."

Lea took the clothes with a grateful smile. "Thank you, Kazuichi. And um... thank you for saving me... I’m sorry for biting you." She pursed her lips, figuring out that this was the best time to bring up her apology— better late than never.

Kazuichi waved off her thanks. "It’s the least we can do. Get dressed, and then we can talk more about what comes next."

As Lea dressed in the fresh clothes, she felt a renewed sense of hope and determination. She was no longer alone. She had allies who cared about her and who were willing to fight alongside her. It was a feeling she hadn’t experienced in a long time. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Once she was dressed, she rejoined Kazuichi and Arisu at the table. Arisu poured a cup of tea for each of them, the warm aroma filling the room. They sat together, the atmosphere comfortable and relaxed.

"So, Lea," Kazuichi began, "we need to know more about the experiments you mentioned. What exactly were they trying to do to you?"

Lea took a deep breath, her expression serious. "They were trying to enhance my abilities as a Bulwark Hybrid. They wanted to make me stronger, and more resilient. They called it the Kodoku Experiment. They pitted me against other Hybrids, trying to see who would come out on top."

Kazuichi frowned, anger flashing in his eyes. "Those bastards." He growled. Then again, he knew that his anger was unfounded since the West Yamanashi Stronghold had already fallen in the hands of the Gigantic Omega Zombie.

"In any case, we’ll be glad to have you on our stronghold. It’s not every day Arisu and I get to meet someone stronger than us. You’ll fit in just fine." Kazuichi had no idea how he was able to speak in front of her without losing his composure— it was probably because he prioritized consoling her more than anything else.

—

As they sat together, sharing their stories and planning their next moves, a sense of camaraderie and hope filled the room. They were a team now, despite their differences and everything that happened the day prior.

Lea felt a warmth in her heart, a feeling she had almost forgotten. She was no longer alone, no longer just a survivor. She was part of something bigger, something she deemed was worthwhile.

"Thank you," Lea said softly, looking at Kazuichi and Arisu. "For everything. I won’t let you down." She purposefully uttered.