Jayr POV - The Walking Dead Universe, Earth, Geia, King ty - 2010

  After leaving Rick alone in that room, I joined Man and his son Duane and started to help them prepare dinner in silence, which was a simple soup of ed beans.

  As Duane and I started to prepare the table and Man was about to fill the ptes with the simple soup we cooked, Rick walked dowairs and stared at us for a few moments before he started to slowly walk toward the room, a former living room that Man and Duaurned into a bedroom by impovising a bed by ying a couple of mattresses on the floor and ents, "This pce… It's Fred and dy Drake's."

  Man gives me the dle and the pte in his hands and looks at Rick as moves and looks around the improvised bedroom and says, "Never met them."

  Rick moves around the improvised bed, toward one of the covered windows and decres with fidence, "I've been here. This is their pce." making Man calmly ent, "It was empty whe here."

  Rick goes to peel the bs on the windows back but before he even touch it, Man stops him by saying, "Don't do that. They'll see the light. There's more of them out there than usual."

  After saying that, Man walks back to the table while enting, "I never should have fired that gun today. The sound draws them, and now they're all over the street. Stupid… using a gun… It all happened so fast… I didn't think."

  At the same time, I simply finish preparing everyone's pte and take my seat waiting for Man and Rick to take theirs.

  As Man sits, Rick walks closer to the table and accuses him, "You shot that man today." making Man mogly ent with a smirk, "Man?" followed by Duane who quietily mutters, "No man…"

  Hearing that, Man quickly focuses on his son and forces him to correct himself, "What the hell was that out of your mouth just now?"

  I also chuckle and add, "Be careful, if a grammar nazi heard you he or she would have scolded and mocked you until the end of times..."

  Duane realizing his mistake quickly mutters, "Sorry..." before he corrects himself, "It wasn't a man." but Rick ighe grammar mistake of the kid and focuses on what happened by repeating, "You shot him. In this street, out front, a man."

  At this point, Man expins, "Mate... For him, you need gsses. It was a walker."

  Rick is clearly fused by that affirmation and Man points at the empty chair and says, "Sit down, before you fall down." I pce the pte in front of the empty seat and say, "Here. Eat. You'll need energy to fully recover."

  Rick sits but just as we are about to start eating Duaops us by saying, "Daddy… Blessing… " which makes Man realize that he fot about it, and with a wry smile he says, "Yeah."

  At this point, Man holds his son's left hand while Duane offers me his right one and I calmly hold it while Rick my ht hand, but Rick hesitates to hold it, at least until Duane looks at him with a deadly set of puppy eyes making him yield as he holds both mine and Man's hands.

  Once we all are hodling hands, Man looks at both, Rid me, as he prays, "Father, we thank thee for this food… Thy blessings… We ask you to watch over us in these crazy days. Amen." followed by Duane and me as we repeat, ""Amen.""

  After that, we start eating and Man focuses on Rid asks, "Hey, mister, do you even know what is going on?" which makes Rick reply betweees, "I woke up today. In a hospital. Came home, that's all I know."

  Man and Duane look at each other before they look back at me as I roll my eyes and mouth the words "I told you so," after that, Man focuses ba Rid asks, "But you know about the dead people, right?"

  After taking another bite, Rick replies, "Yeah, I saw a lot of that. Out on the loading dock, hauling trucks." but Man quickly corrects him, "No… Not the ohey put down… The ohey didn't. The walkers. Like the one I shot today. Cause he would have ripped into you. Try to eat you, take him some flesh at least. But I guess if this is the first you're hearing, I know how it must sound…"

  Hearing that, Rick looks at Man and asks, "They're out there now, ireet?" making Man nod and expin, "Yeah. They're even more active after dark sometimes. Maybe it's the cool air or… Hell, maybe it's just me firing up that gun today. But we'll be fine as long as we stay quiet. Probably wander off by m."

  After saying that, Man warns Rick, "Well, listen… Ohing I do know… Don't you get bit! We saw your bandage and that's ere afraid of. Bites kill you. The fever… burns you out. But then after a while… You e back." followed by Duane who timidly ents while looking at his pte with a sad expression likely remembering his mother, "Seen it happen…"

  Shortly after that, Man looks at me and suddenly says, "You know, doc? If I didn't see you in a I would still doubt about your decration of being a doctor... I mean look at you! You are over 6.5 feet tall and your body is so fit that it is almost unreal and that crazy dark blue hair. In addition to that you like you are barely in your 20s... Sorry if I offend you but you don't look like a doctor at all... You give more the impression of someone who kill with his bare hands than someone who save lives with those same hands."

  Hearing that, both Rid Duane look at me with a gaze full of curiosity, even more so Rick as he truly focuses on me for the first time, as Man with his attitude caught most of his attention at first.

  It is clear that Man's i behind this ge of subject is to distract his son from thinking about the ret loss of his te mother and seeing no harm in that, I humor him by telling them a little more about myself, "No offehere. I was trained by my grandfather since I was very young. He is a soldier of secret special forces in Greece who went through many, many wars and battles when he was active aaught me everything he knew. So the impression of me being able to kill with my bare hands is actually accurate as I am a master of Pankration, an a Greek martial art that is basically the precursor of Mixed Martial Arts. In addition to that, I also profitly use all kinds of ons. From modern ones like guns and rifles to more cssical ones like bows, swords, spears, and so on. That is the main reason I calmly travel alone in this kind of situation. The walkers aren't actually a threat to me."

  Hearing that, both Man and Rick beore wary while Duas out an impressed, "Wow..." but I don't care about that and calmly tinue, "But I always wao save lives more than taking them and that is why I studied very hard to bee a doctor. I don't want to appear boastful, but I'm very smart too, and thanks to that I was able to skip many grades and graduate from UCL Medical School before I even reached my 20s. I'm now almost 22and I have been able to help and save many patients before all this happened. In fact, I was in America preparing to take part in the HIMSS Global Health ference & Exhibition to reveal the result of my research for a cure for cer when all this happened."

  At this point, Man almost fets about the walkers outside as he barely tains the tone of his voice as he excims, "Wait! What!? Wait a minute! Are you saying that you found a cure for freaking cer?"

  He isn't the only ounned as both Rid Duane also look at me with eyes wide open while scratg my cheek a little embarassed while thinking, 'Well... maybe I got too into aoo far with my bragging... Oh well, it isn't like I 't actually cure cer. After all, I learned how to do it from the Asklepios Imerológio (Diary of Asclepius) among many other things, so I'm ily lying... maybe taking credit for someone else work sidering that Asclepius in my universe is the ohat found the cure... Oh well, to calm my sce I will find a cure for the virus that is causing this mess.'

  After that revetion, we tiing quietly as the noises outside calm the an, Rick, and Duane.

  In addition, I don't add anything to the information that Man has already given to Rick as I don't want to overwhelm him with too much shog information like the virus, that everyone is ied, and so on, since he just woke up and is still rec from a a.

  Even more so, siheir rea would likely attire the walker outside and I don't want to deal with the horde yet, especially not in front of Duane and Man sidering that the body of Man's wife and Duane's mom is also out there.

  After dinner, we all move to the living/bedroom where Man and Duane lie on the bed while Rick is lying on a mattress on the floor with his back resting on the coud I'm calmly sitting on the floor with my back leaning against the wall.

  We are all in sileo not disturb the kid who is about to fall asleep at any moment now.

  As Duaarts to sleep o his father and after a few minutes of silence, Man, uo hold back his curiosity, asks, "Carl… He your son? You… You said his oday…" making Rick reply, "He's a little youhan your boy."

  Hearing that, Man asks, "And he's with his mother?" which makes Rick pause for a few moments before he says, "I hope so."

  After that, Duahat clearly still not fully asleep calls out, "Dad?" making Maly caress his head while replying, "Yeah?"

  Then Duane sleepily asks, "Did you ask him?" which makes Man snicker a little bit before he turns to Rid asks, "Yunshot… We got a little bet going. My boy says you're a… bank robber…"

  Hearing that Rick smirks a little before he replies, "Yeah… That's me. Deadly as Dillinger. Kapow. Sheriff's deputy." this makes Man nod as he aowledges with, "Aha."

  Suddenly a car arm outside starts going off which makes Duane wake up in panid immediately Man starts to calm him down, "Hey, it's ok, daddy's here. It's nothing. One of them must've bumped a car…"

  Hearing that, Rick asks, "You sure?" making Man reply, "Happened once before. Went off a few minutes."

  At this point, Man grabs his gun as up as he mutters, "Get the light, Duane." before he walks toward the window as Duane and Rick turn off the lights.

  Man moves the cloth c the window a little and looks outside while whispering, "It's the blue one, dowreet. Same one as st time. I think we're ok."

  After saying that, he gives space so that Rick also look ahe se outside, he asks while whispering back, "That noise… Will it bring more of them?" making Man reply, "Nothing to do about it now. Just have to wait 'em out till m."

  At this point, Duane also walks over to the window and takes a look, until he suddenly gasps and mutters, "She's here." making Man quickly order, "Don't look. Get away from the windows. I said go! e on!"

  Duane runs back to the bed and starts to cry and Man quickly moves over and starts to fort him, "e on, quiet. Shh, shh…"

  Meanwhile, Rick walks towards the door and looks out the peephole as Man uses a pillow to muffle the sounds of Duane's cry as he says, "It's ok, here. Cry into the pillow. you remember? Shh…"

  As Rick tio stare into the peephole, the doorknob starts to tur and right as the walker outside, very likely the body of Man's wife and Duane's mother is trying to open the door but it doesn't open si's shut.

  After that, Rick slowly retreats and sits an as he expins, "She, uh… She died iher room, on that bed… Nothin' I do about it here… That fever, man… Her skin gave off heat like a furnace… Should have put her down, I should have put her down, I know that, but… You know what… I just didn't have it in me… She's the mother of my child."

  After he said that they looked at the doorknob as it tio tur and right.

  While they are staring at the door with clear apprension in their eyes, I take advantage of this moment of calm to finally digest my situation, 'So... I'm in the Walking Dead Universe... While I know and have seen a good part of the TV series... I started to skim through it during the 5th or 6th season and pletely let it go when Glenn was killed by Negan. For sure this isn't one of my favorite universes overall, but at least, I arrived at the start of the series making it easier for me to navigate around.'

  At this point, I start to think about my current status, 'My most important priority is finding the other Champion and finding out what kind of person he or she is... but different from the st Random Battle, this time I'm not in hurry. After all, even if I'm trapped in this universe for a whole year, thanks to my Digimon Ination, I'll still be able to stay and spend time with my family at the same time. Just like right now, at this very moment, with my other body, I'm also cuddling Seiji to sleep while watg Toy Story with Galen and Kharna. Since I won't lose anything by spending some more time here, the least I do I try to help the people of this universe by finding a cure for the virus, and creating a safe and good unity for everyone.'

  ing to that clusion, I start to pn my course of a, 'First, I have to ehat Man and Duane will leave this pce, and to do that, I have to take care of the body of Man's wife and Duane's mother. After that, I guess I could follow Rick's group and ge some things here and there until we reach the CDce there I'll gather everything they have on this virus and try to e up with a cure... Ah! I have also to ehe safety of Hershel's family... After that... I don't know... maybe I'll wing it wheime es...'

  While I'm thinking, that, the walkers outside start to disperse, and in response, Man, Rick, and Duane finally rex and fall asleep.

  I take advantage of this moment to walk to the bathroom, close the door and quickly write and send a message to Crateris, Bidi, V-mon, Wormmon, and Patamon about the current situation, I also inform them that they rex as I won't heir help unless I actually enter the Champion.

  The reason I'm doing this is because just like the st Random Battle, I 't actually enter my Soulbouory until the end of the Random Battle and at most only use it as a ste space or to summon my allies.

  After doing that, I return to the living room/bedroom and lie ba the wall, y eyes, and calmly wait for the m to e.

  The m we all slowly walk out of the house staring at a catious Rick who is armed with a baseball bat as he once again asks, "Are we sure… they're dead? I have to ask, just one more time."

  In response, Man, who is following after him replies, "They're dead. Except for something in the brain. That's why it's gotta be the head." but then he looks at me and says, "But maybe, doc over here tell us something more?"

  Hearing that I nod and firm as we tio walk on the walkway, "From what I've been able to gather from my previous enter... Yes, they are pletely dead. They do not breathe, their heart doesn't beat, and all the ans also aren't actually active, the only reason why they move is because the "thing" in the brain as Man called it, has reactivated the hindbrain, more specifically the brainstem and cerebellum which causes them tain sensory input and movement. They simply a a mindless, animal instind aggression to feed, and will kill and devour any living or retly deceased beings that are still fresh. They have no sense of self or trol. You are basically hitting an already dead body that while it may be upsetting for some, in the end, there is nothing morally wrong with that if you treat the body with the respect it deserves after you put it down, and that only if it doesn't endanger you or the others."

  While I'm expining that, one of them that is lying up against the fence post suddenly notices our presend gets up and starts walking towards Rick, who after listening to my expnation, doesn't hesitate to use the bat and smashes it on the head of the walker several times before he let go the bat and falls to the ground holding his wound.

  Seeing that, Man immediately asks, "You alright?" making Rick slowly reply, "Need a moment."

  In response, I snort and say, "I told you to not do it and to be careful as the wound would still hurt you for some more time even if it has mostly healed... but no, you had to do it." making Rick wearily reply as he slowly stands up, "Yeah, yeah... I'm going to listen to the doc the ime..."

  Hearing that, I shake my head and grab the bat that Rick let go from the ground before I walk closer to the walker and calmly swing down turning the head into a messy pulp, shog Man who asks, "What the hell was that!?"

  I calmly look at them and say, "Rule #2 to survive the walkers. Double Tap. In those moments when you're not sure the undead are really dead dead, don't get all stingy and deliver one more blow to ensure your kill and to protect yourself and the ainst walkers pying possum."

  While Rid Maill stunned by what I just said, Duane nods and ents, "I see! When Mister took down that walker the head was still mostly fine so it could have just been momentarely shaken by the impad gotten up again ter..."

  Hearing that Rid Man also realize that as Rients, "That's true... and sihe... walker do not breath to being with it is easy to mistake them as truly dead is one doesn't ehat the brain is destroyed..."

  At the same time, Man looks at me and asks, "Wait! If that is the Rule #2... what is the Rule #1?"

  In response a smirk forms on my face as I seriously reply, "Rule #1 to survive the walker. Cardio. Walkers aren't fast. To escape, it's more important to be able to run lohan faster. Cardio allows for so much clutd being fit is healthy for dealing with many, many problems that your body will have to face. This world is brutal and to survive you o run, hide, a. Short and long term. A mid-distance recreation runner out pace a horde of walkers for 10-20km while only taking in moderate amounts of water, this is an essential skill. Also, people uimate how tiring some melee bat is, cardio helps you here the most assuming you will regurly o be ready to fight for 5-10 mi a time possibly several times a day."

  Hearing that, both Rid Man only nod in silence while Duaters, "So I have to run more..."

  After that, Rick recovers and we follow him to his home and follow after him as he enters his home and decres with vi, "They're alive. My wife and son. At least they were when they left."

  Hearing that Man asks, "How you know? By the look of this pce…"

  As he is saying that, I take a look around and ihe pce is quite messy, but from what I see not from a walker's activity but from a human's.

  At the same time, Rick expins his reasons, "I fouy drawers in the bedroom. They packed some clothes. Not a lot. But enough to travel." making Man suggest, "You know anybody could've broken in here and stolen clothes, right?"

  But Rick calmly rebuts, "You see the framed photos on the walls? her do I. Some random thief took those too, you think?" after saying that, he opens a nerbay cupboard and looking inside he says, "My photo albums, family pictures, all gone."

  Hearing that Man remeber something and chuckles, "Right... Photo albums…" before he sits down on a nearby chair and starts to sob, "My wife… Same thing… Here I am, pag survival gear, she's grabbing photo albums…"

  At this point, Man chokes a little as memories of his te wife e to his mind, and Riderstanding what he is going through stands in sileo give him some time.

  After a few seds, Duane who is unfortable with the silence walks closer to his father and decres, "They're in Atnta, I'll bet." making Man excim, "That's right."

  Hearing that, a hopeful Rick asks, "Why there?" making Man expin, "Refugee settle. Huge. When they said it before the broadcast stopped. Military prote, food, shelter… They told people to go there. Said to be safest." followed by Duane who adds, "Plus they got that disease pce."

  At this point, I expin, "The ter for Disease trol also known as CDC. I heard that they were w on how to solve this thing. It is my maiination. While I don't know how far their research has gone or if there is any progress at all, there is also the possibility that they may have given up on finding a cure sidering the current state of the world. But even with that, the CDC has state-of-the-art pieces of equipment that will surely help me in searg for a cure even if I'm w alone."

  Hearing that, Rick walks into what I think was the kit, opens another cupbrabs a set of keys, and leads us out of the house where he takes a nearby car and drives us toward the Police Station.

  On our way there we enter a few more walkers, and to not attract them, I get out of the car and easily take care of them by carefully and lightly using the baseball bat as a on I don't want to break it ee a soni with a simple swing which makes me pin in my mind, 'Oh my Goddess... I already miss the Digital World... I have to treat everything in this world as if it is made of paper, a little pressure, and everything crumbles. Luckily I'm already way too used to trolling my power... but it is still somewhat annoying as I got used to the much more "solid" and durable Digital World.'

  After some time we reach our destination and all ehe sheriff's office, and following Rick, we walk into the locker room where Rick turns on the shower.

  Seeing that Man ents, "Gas and light have been down for maybe a month." but Rick expins, "Station got its own propane system." before he uses his hand to test the water and with a smile Rick says, "Pilot's still on."

  Hearing that Man looks back at his son and smile then we all decide to enjoy a nice, hot shower.

  Rick shaves his beard off uhe shower as we all they all get ed up.

  Man joyfully excims, "Oh, my Lord." followed by Duane who is basically dang uhe water as he sings, "Hot water?! Hot Water?"

  Hearing that Man looks at his son and ughting he asks, "Hahaha! That feels goht?"

  I also calmly enjoy the hot shower even if personally I still prefer doing cold ones but that doesn't mean that I find hot ones unpleasant.

  Odyin