Beyond the Barrier: Zombie Town One-shots

Culture Shock

(It's been forever since I updated BtB, and this is a really short one-shot to come back with but hey, it's something! And I actually have a few other ideas for upcoming BtB stories! All but one of which involve Bonzo... But I'm sure you're not surprised by that. If you didn't know, I've decided Friday is Bonzo Day. So here's a Bonzo Day entry~

If you're following my other one-shot collection Limelight and you like Zephyr and Alonzo, and having your heart ripped out by angsty fics, please go and read Tattooed Mistakes! Chapter 2 should be coming this weekend! And Kokinu09 has just released a trailer AMV for it on her YouTube, Kreatable23!!! She's also done trailers for Another Way and Limelight and they all turned out amazing so go check them out ^^)

Addison was having two birthday parties that year. One with her family and one with her friends – to save Zed and the others from the verbal (and possibly even physical) abuse her less-than-accepting relatives might threaten them with. Plus, the zombies were still steadily easing themselves into the humans' society and this could be another learning experience.

Everything was going well until Missy was about to bring the cake over. Amongst all the chatter and laughter, Zed, Eliza and Bonzo's heads all snapped up at the sound of a click and a fire lighting. A tiny fire, but unmistakably a fire. Addison and Bree hardly noticed it but the three zombies whipped round to look at Missy, who was holding a lighter.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, what is going on?" Zed pushed his chair back, despite not being anywhere near flame, with one hand held up in front of him and the other firmly around Bonzo's arm before he could run off. Bonzo was shaking, staring at the lighter and hissing softly, "What are you doing?"

Missy glanced from Zed to Addison for an explanation. Addison and Bree looked at each other in confusion for a split second then both seemed to realise their mistake at the same time. Bree reached out to rub Bonzo's other arm soothingly while Missy flicked the lighter off. She was still a little lost as to what the problem was.

"Sorry! This is just... what we do on birthdays," Addison said, getting various responses. Zed squinted and mouthed 'what?', Eliza leaned back in her seat with her eyebrows raised and Bonzo stared at her in shock, "We light the candles, make a wish then blow them out."

Zed looked over at the cake and the multiple candles sticking out of it, then slowly turned back to Addison, "Humans set their birthday cakes on fire?"

Addison's shoulders sagged and she rolled her eyes, "Oh, come on, we don't set the whole cake on fire. It's just candles!"

"Why?"

"To make a wish!"

"Why do you need fire to make a wish?" Eliza asked and Addison stuttered.

"I don't know!" she threw up her hands, "I think it's something about blowing them all out on the first try makes it come true...? It's a tradition, OK?"

Eliza let out a short, humourless laugh, "And humans think we're the weird ones..."

"Zon ziga. Zongro." I don't like this. This is bad.

"It's just a few candles, Bon-Bon..." Bree told him gently, "She's gonna blow 'em out right away!"

"Greh, goreez?" Bonzo frowned.

"Yeah, what is the point?"

Addison dropped her head into her hands and groaned. Missy awkwardly put the lighter down and waited to see whether or not she'd still be needing it. Sitting up again, Addison placed her hands on the table in front of her, "OK. We don't have to do the candles. It's fine."

"No," Zed insisted, "Come on, if this is what humans do, and if it's really only for a couple seconds, then go ahead."

"Zrayn..." Wait...

"Bonzo. If the girls say it's cool, then it's cool. Don't you trust your girlfriend?"

"... Za..." he mumbled and Bree patted his arm again.

Addison didn't have the heart to tell them they were meant to sing while the candles were lit, meaning it would be a little more than just a couple of seconds. Or, more accurately, she couldn't be bothered to draw this out any longer. It just seemed unnecessary at this point. Besides, it looked like Bree was doing a good enough job keeping Bonzo calm, and Zed and Eliza were content to simply shuffle slightly further away.

At least the rest of the party had gone well.