New Dawn Chapter: 0111

Mai wrapped her arms around his neck, and they left her quarters together. Tysone walked with purpose. His conversation with Mai had been more therapeutic than he initially thought. Mai also had a bit of pep to her step, though that may have been because she was being carried.

"Where to, your highness?" Tysone teased.

"The living room, obviously! We have a party to organize." Her lips quivered slightly. She looked cute.

"Oh, we do?" He smiled at her.

She blushed slightly and looked away. "Obviously."

Miku, Saya and Alice sat together at a table. Zeke slept at their feet, and Marin and Yui sat nearby. They were chatting away while Saeko watched over the stove and made a meal. Takashi, Shizuka and the other members were off on their own business. Tysone walked towards the table and placed Mai down.

Naturally, that caught more than a few glances. Tysone didn't care, but he was aware of Miku's stare and Saya's glare. Shizuka merely sighed, her smile a tad strained but otherwise genuine. Saeko, who happened to turn around just in time to catch Tysone carrying Mai, merely gave a small chuckle.

"Someone's feeling better." Saeko remarked, her voice a gentle melody. "Did our fearless leader here play doctor?"

"Doctor?" Mai rolled her eyes, but a smile graced her lips. She couldn't hide the relief she felt from being carried by him, however. "He just talked me out of my bad mood. I've been acting like a spoiled brat." She looked up at Tysone. "I guess his blunt honesty has its perks sometimes."

Tysone grinned, his arms still around her. "What can I say? I have the uncanny ability to turn frowns upside down." He wiggled his eyebrows at Saya, who simply rolled her eyes at him. Miku, on the other hand, let her eyes wander over him. It wasn't a particularly lascivious look. Merely appreciative.

Saya cleared her throat. "Well, I suppose we should be thanking him, then. Your moping was starting to grate on everyone's nerves."

"Saya, come on, I wasn't that bad." Mai protested.

"Alright, folks." Tysone stood up. Mai already missed his steady hand around her shoulder. "It's about time we did something about our collective gloom and doom." He looked at Mai, and then back at them, a mischievous grin on his face. "Mai and I were just thinking, what do we need to lift the morale around here?"

"An army of well-trained soldiers with automatic weapons?" Miku offered.

"Close, Miku, close, but that's a bit extreme for our little community."

"A well-trained army with spears and bows." Alice offered, smiling cheekily.

"Too archaic for my taste." He then turned his attention to the others, a twinkle in his eye. "Any guesses?"

"Ty-kun..." Shizuka spoke, a hint of exasperation in her voice. "Can we please get to the point? My stomach is about to eat itself."

"A bit of patience, my lovely Sensei. We need to do a bit of brainstorming here."

Saya huffed, crossing her arms. "A well-stocked armory, state of the art technology, and a few nukes for backup. That should lift everyone's spirits." Her voice was thick with sarcasm.

Tysone laughed. "That's more like a nightmare for me. But no. What we need is something much simpler, something that brings us all together."

"A common enemy?" Miku offered.

"More of an enemy we have to deal with all the time," Tysone replied. "But I'm not talking about them." He paused dramatically, a smile playing on his lips. "I'm talking about a good ol' fashioned party. Mai, my dear friend, is going to sing for us."

"A party? Costumes?" Marin perked up, her eyes bright. "I'm so down for that!" The young cosplayer clapped her hands, her enthusiasm contagious.

Saya, however, wasn't as easily swayed. She leaned forward, a skeptical look on her face. "And how is this supposed to work? Are we all going to prance around like it's some sort of holiday? The dead are walking outside, and you want us to have a costume party? That's just morbid."

"Come on, Saya. Lighten up." Takashi joined in, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Tysone has a point. Morale is at an all-time low. A party could do us some good."

Saeko nodded. "It would be a welcome break from all the doom and gloom." She agreed, a hint of longing in her voice. "It's been a while since we've had a reason to celebrate."

Saya huffed, but the corner of her mouth twitched, betraying her amusement. "Fine. But don't expect me to sing."

Mai grinned, a mischievous glint in her eye. "I'll sing enough for the both of us." She teased, her voice lighter than it had been in days.

"To be honest, we just need you to dress sexy. The morale will be through the roof." He wiggled his eyebrows at the pinkette. "At least, mine will be."

Saya's face turned beet red. "Idiot!"

"Okay, okay. I think I can get some costumes ready. Give me an hour." Marin stood up, a new sense of purpose in her step. The gyaru was now ready to go to her zone of expertise.

"I'll help." Yui offered, following her friend out of the room. The others soon dispersed, each finding a task to prepare for the evening's festivities. Saeko and Shizuka focused on cooking a meal that was as much a treat as the supplies allowed. "Miku, Alice, go spread the word. Whoever doesn't join in on the festivities is gay."

"What is gay?" Alice tilted her head. Zeke merely barked, seemingly looking at Tysone with disapproval.

"Nevermind that." Mai waved them away. "Just let everyone know that there'll be food and music tonight." She smiled, her eyes sparkling. "And tell them to come dressed to party."

"Roger that!" Miku saluted, taking Alice by the hand. The young girl smiled, excited about the prospect of a party, and they headed out together, their footsteps echoing with the excitement of children at a carnival. Zeke ran after them. He'd be useful to sniff out anyone who wanted to avoid the festivities.

Mai turned to look at Tysone, a playful smile on her lips. "And as for us, let's get started on the decorations." She pointed towards a closet at the end of the hall. "There should be some streamers and fairy lights in there."

"Ah, so you want some of my muscle, huh?" Tysone teased, flexing an arm dramatically.

"Your muscles, yes, you're a good pack mule when you're not killing zombies." Mai shot back, a laugh bubbling in her throat. "We need this place to look like a real party."

"Your wish is my command, your highness." Tysone gave a mock bow before heading to the closet. He emerged a moment later with an armful of streamers, balloons, and a string of fairy lights. To be honest, he didn't even remember having this stuff. 

Must've been thrown there when moving from one place to another. 

… 

A few hours later, the mansion's living room was unrecognizable.

Fairy lights were strung across the ceiling, casting a warm, magical glow that softened the hard edges of their fortified reality. 

Streamers in faded but cheerful colors crisscrossed the walls. 

The long table, usually covered in maps and ammo casings, was now laden with food. 

Music, from an old record player Kohta had miraculously managed to get working, filled the space with crackling, nostalgic tunes.

Marin and Yui had outdone themselves. Takashi was clad in a surprisingly well-fitted, classic zombie-slayer outfit reminiscent of a video game hero, a leather jacket over a simple tee. 

Kohta, beaming, wore a full tactical vest and gear that looked even more professional than his usual attire. Rei was dressed as a graceful kunoichi, her spear looking even more menacing with the aesthetic. 

Shizuka wore a classic, if slightly more revealing, nurse's uniform.

Saeko, elegant as ever, wore a simple but beautiful dark purple yukata, her bokken resting against the wall, looking more like an accessory than a weapon. Miku had opted for a playful gothic lolita dress, a stark contrast to her usual school uniform, while Mai wore a simple, elegant black dress that highlighted her figure without being ostentatious. 

Alice was an adorable little witch, complete with a pointy hat and a toy wand, with Zeke sporting a tiny matching cape.

Then there was Saya. Tysone had to do a double-take. Marin had somehow convinced her to wear a form-fitting, sleek, cyberpunk-inspired outfit. Black and neon-pink accents, tactical-looking but undeniably stylish, with goggles pushed up on her forehead. It made her look less like a tsundere genius and more like a futuristic hacker-assassin. She looked incredible, and the way she studiously avoided looking at Tysone told him she knew it.

Tysone himself wore what Marin had described as "The Final Boss." A long, dark, high-collared coat over a simple black shirt and tactical pants. It was simple, intimidating, and surprisingly comfortable.

He moved through the party, a cup in hand, observing his makeshift family. 

The new survivors, dressed in whatever cobbled-together costumes Marin could find, were slowly starting to relax, their conversations quiet but less fearful. Tanaka, the salaryman, was actually smiling as he spoke with Kenji. Officer Nakaoka was in a deep, animated conversation with Kohta, who was passionately explaining the specs of his rifle.

'They're a good match, actually.'

His eyes swept all over the room. 

This was good. This was necessary.

Eventually, the music from the record player faded. Tysone stepped into the center of the room.

Author's Note:

If you're enjoying the story and want to read ahead or support my work, you can check out my P@treon at P@treon.com/LordCampione. But don't worry—all chapters will eventually be public. Just being here and reading means the world to me. Thank you for your time and support.