Oneshot Origins!

Thank the Flare (OZ)

Mario's POV:

I had just finished attaching the new axel I got from Micheal on to my truck and it seems to be working alright. Look in the back to see if my companion was okay. He was fine, considering they made him run all the way to their base while we were in the golf cart. As I was getting in the driver's side, I saw a bright light reflect in the rear view mirror. I looked closer and saw that it was a flare rising into the sky. I turn around just in time to see the flare reach it's peak and start to come back down. It seemed to be coming from a tall building that was in the middle of construction when this whole thing went down. I wasted no time in calculating how far away it was, knowing this flare was fired by someone I've helped before. Once I figured out the best route to get to the building I jump into the drivers seat and step on the gas.

Once I got to the building I saw just how in disrepair it was. It was practically collapsing. The building looked like it was going to be some sort of office building and had about ten floors. I got out of my truck and went to get Buddy, when I heard gunshots. I looked at the building trying to pinpoint where they were coming from and I spotted flashing on the third to top floor. I'm getting out the necessary tools and weapons when I hear an... engine? I look to the entrance of the parking lot and see a motorcycle pull up with two people on it. I knew anyone could see the flare for miles, but I didn't think that anyone would really go to one. On the motorcycle I see Xylo driving it and that military guy, Nick, was already getting off the bike once it stopped. I just had to ask, "What are you guys doing here?"

"Well, we were wondering wha-" Xylo started, but then Nick intervened pretty rudely.

"And why would you need to know that?" He looked pretty beat up and seemed tired, so I tried a different approach.

"Xylo, what are you doing here?" I directed my attention to said actor.

"Well, we were wondering what that flare was all about and we came to check it out. I mean it isn't exactly common to see people shooting flares, especially when that can attract zombies." he told me while Nick was just observing the building.

"The real question is, why are you here?" Nick turned to me and made it sound like he was accusing me of something.

I decide that it may just be quicker to explain than argue. "Usually when I meet people that I'm friendly with, I'll give them a flare gun so that if they ever need help I will know that and know where they are. So if your done playing detective, are you gonna help, or are you gonna stand and watch?" I added that on the end then went to the back of my truck to grab my dog and a few more magazines. I saw Nick's face was a bit embarrassed and Xylo just sighed before agreeing to help and Nick, begrudgingly, agrees to help as well. We started to climb the building floor by floor, taking out any zombies we encounter. As we make our way up the half constructed building, the sound of the undead gets louder, and the gunshots get more frantic and are ricocheting off of metal and other objects. 

Once we reach the floor that I predicted that the person in need would be on, we saw that an entire hoard had made it's way up the building thus far. The few feet in front of us was clear of zombies and a medieval-style axe was laying on the ground, but the rest of the floor was packed with zombies. Xylo, Nick, and I started to chip away at the hoard and at one point over all the gunshots I hear a meow from the top of a pile of metal cylinders. I look at the top and see Milo scared out of his wits with his fur standing up. I had already had a clue of who we're rescuing from the giant battle axe, but this pretty much confirmed it. "Come on down kitty, it's alright." I coax him down and he rubs against my leg before just following me. We start to reach the end of the wall of zombies which was at the opposite side of where we were originally at, when I feel a small but sharp gust of wind go by my ear and I immediately recognize that it's a bullet. There's finally enough space at this point for me to see who was being attacked and it was none other than the Danish cat lady, Nicoline. And she was the one to almost shoot my head off. But when I see the predicament she's in, I almost immediately forget about her almost killing me.