Neo Soul King Yhwach

[Third Person Pov]

Vince couldn't wait for the officer to pull his head out of his ass and do something. He had to convince Marcus himself.

"Hey, Marcus! Think about what you're doing. If you kill him, you'll just end up getting more jail time. That's not what you want, right?" challenged Vince.

Marcus just grunted. "After all the shit they put on me, I'm going to be in prison for life, anyway! I don't give a fuck what happens."

"Even still, the guards aren't going to make it any easier on you, once they hear that you killed a man. Neither are your fellow inmates. And no offense to the guard, but I don't trust him to de-escalate the situation in a manner that guarantees your safety. So, the choice is yours. Do you want any ounce of respect from the people you're going to be spending the rest of your life with, or do you want to just be seen as a cold-blooded killer for the rest of your days?" asked Vince. Truth be told, he didn't know if his appeal to Marcus would work. Marcus didn't seem like he cared what others thought about him.

However, Marcus must have had a change of heart as he saw the guard aim his shotgun at him because he decided to stop choking Jerry. Jerry lurched forward gasping for air, while Marcus just stared down the guard menacingly.

"Jerry, are you okay?" asked Danny.

"D-do I look....-fucking okay? I almost got choked to death by...-this asshole!" stated Jerry.

"Maybe next time you'll stop fucking complaining and just shut the fuck up when you're told," replied Marcus unapologetically.

"Alright, Crabtree! That's enough. Just sit down and don't try anything or next time there will be a problem!" yelled the guard.

Marcus wanted to say something more, but he decided not to push his luck and just sat back down.

"That was a close call," said Justin.

"Yeah, that's what happens when you help people, White Collar." retorted Danny.

"You didn't help with shit. Vince was the wordsmith," responded Justin.

Danny was about to reply before the trio heard a scream outside. The three of them along with the police officer looked out the window. They saw a person jump on top of another person and start devouring them. There was something off about the aggressor. For one, they seemed to have pallid skin and two, they were literally cannibalizing people in plain sight.

What the fuck is that?

"Did you see that?" asked Justin.

"I saw it," confirmed Danny.

"Get this bus moving!" yelled Jerry. "Hey, bus driver! We need to get the fuck out of here!"

"We're safe inside the bus. Nothing is going to happen." said the officer.

"Fuck that! Hey, bus driver. Get this thing moving." demanded Danny.

Seeing the carnage, the bus driver immediately decided to make a break for it, much to the chagrin of the prisoners.

"What the fuck? Did he just bail on us?" asked Justin.

"Hey, Bennett! Wait up!" shouted the officer, who started to make a move towards the front of the bus.

"Hey, you can't leave us here!" shouted Vince.

"What? You're prisoners. I can't just let you go." responded the officer.

"Look, man. There's a situation going around and you might need our help. Your 'friend' just abandoned you to the wolves, and you don't have the first clue about what is going on out there. If anything happens to us, that's on you." stated Justin. "We can help each other and we'll all make it."

The officer looked at each of the 5 prisoners, before looking at the chain links that were confining them to their seats along with their handcuffs.

"Fine. Wait here." said the officer, before he grabbed the keys to the cuffs from the front of the bus. Reaching down, he unlocked the chain link cuffs for Jerry and Marcus, and then for Danny, Vince, and Justin. As the 5 men got up and moved towards the aisle, the officer held his shotgun close to him. He definitely did not trust any of these men at all. Still, he unlocked the handcuffs for each of the 5 prisoners.

"Alright, now that we're free, we should get the fuck out of here," stated Danny.

"Where would we go?" asked Jerry.

"Who cares? Any place far away from this joint is good enough for me," added Marcus.

"Here, we can go out through the back. Y'all head in front of me. Don't try anything, alright?" warned the officer. Vince couldn't speak for anyone else, but he personally wasn't going to try anything. After all, the officer had made a risky decision to free him and his fellow prisoners, so he wasn't about to reward it by betraying him.

The 5 prisoners got out of the bus along with the officer, who said "Alright, let me go see if I can find Bennett. Just follow me."

"Dammit! Who cares about that guy? He left us for dead. Fuck him! We should go our own way." disagreed Marcus.

"Crabtree, I won't hear any more lip from you! This is the plan and this is what we're doing!" said the officer.

"Guys, let's just listen to what he says." soothed Justin. Crabtree merely glared at the officer but opted to follow his lead rather than start another argument. The 6 of them moved up the highway past abandoned cars and people running for their lives. Screams could be heard from all around and chaos had seemed to find a nice welcoming point on this highway. The group happened on a woman who seemed to be face down in the grass. The officer immediately went to go help the woman.

"Ma'am, are you ok?" asked the officer as he turned the woman around. The woman lurched forward before the officer could react and bit him in the neck.

"Jesus Christ!" yelled Danny. The officer managed to push the woman back and shoot her in the head, before staggering away a few feet and collapsing. Vince immediately went to grab the shotgun that had fallen down next to him.

"Is the officer alright?" asked Jerry. Vince looked at the officer's body, but he was as lifeless as could be.

"No, he fucking bought it!" shouted Vince.

"Good. Forget his stupid ass plan. Let's get off this highway and find a nice safe place where we can start to gather supplies. This is survival of the fittest now." said Marcus.

"I think getting out of this area is the way to go. This highway is a death trap." agreed Vince.

The 5 prisoners rushed off the highway as free men but with a heavy price.

[Scene Break, 1 day after the fall of the St. John Dairy, Location: The Motor Inn]

Ben walked outside his room nervously, anticipating the big day that was in store for him. Today, he was going to learn how to not suck with a gun in his hands. Hopefully, he would actually be able to shoot a gun with the intent of harming a walker. If he didn't, that was the end of him.

I need to show the group that I belong. I'm the only one that hasn't done that yet.

Ever since he joined the group, Ben felt like a bystander, watching everyone else pull their weight. He hadn't even been at the dairy farm when everything went down. While the others were fighting for their lives, he was safe back at the motor inn, clueless about the horrors they faced. Lee had filled him in afterward—the St. Johns were cannibals, and Travis had been butchered.

Ben winced at the thought. What had he done during all that? Nothing. He didn't stand guard or help save anyone. He just sat there, useless, waiting for the others to come back.

I still haven't done anything to prove myself. The thought gnawed at him.

Ben watched as Mark finished setting up the cans while Lilly ordered him to go into a firing position. Ben got that down pretty handy. Well, at least where should he put his feet in the correct position? That was a relief. He could put his feet shoulder-width apart, hold his arms out, and aim his gun.

Anyone could do that. Ben needed to be able to do more. He just had to.

"Okay, take the ammo from your pocket and reload your pistol. Make sure the safety is on. We don't want any accidents." Lilly commanded.

Ben took the ammo out of his pocket. Well, he tried to, but he was shaking. Whether it was from fear, stress, or anticipation, he didn't know. He fumbled around with the ammo before he finally was able to grab it and hoist it out. Sighing in relief, he started to bring the ammo toward the empty clip, but his hands were sweating profusely.

Ben watched in horror as he dropped the ammo and it clattered to the ground. He quickly picked it back up and looked around to see if anyone had caught his gaffe. he froze in terror when he saw that Yhwach, Lilly, and Mark were looking directly at him. It felt like they were staring into his soul.

That just made his hands sweat even more. It made him want to go back to the motel and hide in his room just so no one would have to deal with the shame of laying eyes on such a mentally challenged individual.

No, that won't do. Have some confidence, Ben.

Confidence. Something in short supply for Ben these days. Even more than supplies or basic necessities such as food, water, and shelter. Confidence wasn't something that could easily be scavenged. Yet, it was something that could easily be destroyed.

Ben finally put the ammo into his gun and aimed. He made sure his elbows were straight and his arms weren't locked. Time seemed to slow down as he waited for the order to fire. The next few seconds would be crucial to the confidence he so desperately sought.

"When you're ready, fire at the bottle!" ordered Lilly.

Ben took a deep breath and fired. Almost immediately, the recoil of the gun caused him to drop it. His hands felt like they had just been caught in a doorway. The bullet fired wildly and didn't even go anywhere near his target.

Ben wanted to die. That was fucking embarrassing. Ben gulped when he saw Lilly coming towards him. Once Lilly walked behind Ben, he got into his stance once more.

"Listen, keep your feet shoulder-width apart. They're too close." Lilly stated.

"Right," whispered Ben who did as Lilly instructed. His feet were correct the first time, so why was he messing up now? It was just so frustrating. 

Ben aimed at the target and made sure it was dead center in his crosshair before he fired. Once again, the gun recoiled back into him, so he ended up sending the bullet upward above the bottle. Trying to regain his balance, he looked back at Lilly who just stared at him. A small frown was starting to appear on her face.

Ben immediately directed his attention back towards the range. The bottle still stood there, mocking him for not being able to end its life. He made sure his feet were in the correct positions before aiming his gun. The weapon slightly shook, since Ben was shaking.

"Make sure you have a firm grip on the butt of the gun. Keep your base steady, so the recoil doesn't back you up." Lilly said.

Ben made sure to heed Lilly's information and fired once more. The bullet whizzed to the right and probably landed in the ground somewhere.

3 Shots and no hits.

"Ben, tell me. Do you have any type of medical knowledge?" asked Lilly.

"Uhm, no. I told Katjaa that I don't even like seeing blood." Ben replied.

"Well, you better learn how to handle a gun and fast. The bandits are going to be coming here pretty soon. Now that the St. Johns are gone, we might be the only other group in the area. Do you want what happened to your friend to happen here?" whispered Lilly.

"No!" screamed Ben. Everyone looked at them in confusion, but Lilly waved them off.

"Then I suggest you start hitting the target," Lilly said.

Meanwhile, Yhwach has been watching Ben practice his mind drifted back to the memories he had just obtained from Frank, Felix, his goons, and quite recently Travis. His tactical mind urging him to make corresponding plans now that one of his what-if scenarios has occurred... Lee Everett becoming the leader of this group.

Even if Lee was a temporary leader, He knew he needed to add additional plans for potential situations. 

Thus Yhwach meticulously analyzed each moment since he had arrived in this world, from initially being less knowledgeable than a kid-like duck to now having a more comprehensive outlook enough to judge what plans would work efficiently in this apocalyptic world. 

Yet Yhwach narrowed his eyes with dissatisfaction when he came to the conclusion he still didn't know enough even after assimilating the memories and will of people he had selectively shared soul fragments with. 

From that boy Glenn to the recent addition. His dissatisfaction grew more when he realized he still hadn't figured out what had caused this outbreak to happen in the first place. Was it a supernatural entity similar to Shinigamis or was it caused by the foolishness of mortals trying to tamper with death? nonetheless, it's a foolishness he could understand very well. 

But Just as the dissatisfaction came so did the cold nature of Yhwach. Immediately calming it down and not letting it settle on his mind more than a mere thought. 

A thought he immediately dissected to better allocate his plans. 

Lee Everett... Yhwach Thought with narrowed eyes. Just as he suspected this man was truly intriguing. 

Yhwach's Intuitions suggested that there was something more to him than he let out... It almost reminded him of that orange-haired boy Ichigo. Fate...

Yhwach mused knowingly yet didn't immediately cling to it knowing he needed to observe for longer. he didn't want to repeat the same mistake that cost him his life.

[Timeskip: A Week After The Fall of St. John Dairy.]

Lee was busy eating his lunch with Yhwach, and Clementine beside him. A lot had happened in the week since the fall of the St. John Dairy.

The first week that I'm a leader. And what a week it's been.

As Yhwach finished his meal, he quietly observed the group. His thoughts ran cold, calculated, and far removed from the mundane surroundings of the motor inn. The food—whatever it was—barely registered to him. His senses were more attuned to the undercurrents within the group, each individual's strengths and weaknesses, and how they could be manipulated or guided for his greater purpose.

Lee, on the other hand, had finished his meal as well. Yhwach noticed him starting to rise and decided this would be an opportune moment to engage him. With his piercing gaze fixed on Lee, he spoke.

"What's on the agenda for today?" Yhwach asked, his tone free of the warmth or camaraderie that might accompany such a question. It was purely functional as if he were assessing whether today's tasks would align with his broader objectives.

Lee, still in the process of standing, looked down at Yhwach. He paused, clearly gathering his thoughts before answering, "Well, we've done a lot of good things already. We went back to see if the station wagon was still there. It was not."

Yhwach hummed softly, his mind already working through potential implications. The group was relying on scavenging. It was unsustainable. He had known it from the moment he arrived. There would need to be a stronger structure and a clearer strategy beyond surviving day-to-day. But he said nothing yet, allowing Lee to continue.

"We've also been stepping up the training for everyone in case we get attacked by the bandits." Lee's voice grew a bit more tense at the mention of the bandits, but Yhwach didn't miss a beat. He merely hummed in acknowledgment, a deep sound of acknowledgment. Training—necessary, yet insufficient. These people needed more than drills and hope. They needed a deeper understanding of what was truly at stake, and who among them was truly a threat or an ally.

Pushing aside the group's internal problems, Yhwach begins to analyze the threat level of these so-called bandits. Likely disorganized. Desperate, and unskilled. Still, a potential nuisance that needed to be dealt with.

"Lilly's been focusing on trying to get Jolene to crack since she woke up a few days ago," Lee continued, casting a glance toward Yhwach as if gauging his reaction.

At the mention of Jolene, Yhwach's mind shifted. Jolene—the woman who had rambled about her daughter. It wasn't her that interested him, but the context. The bandits she might lead them to, and more importantly, the psychological toll she was taking on the group. Yhwach's sharp eyes glanced at Lee, sensing the weight of leadership resting heavier on him than Lee perhaps realized.

Both Lilly and Lee had differing approaches on how they wanted to extract information from Jolene, but neither had succeeded thus far. Yhwach's eyes darkened momentarily as he recalled the small, almost irrelevant detail: Jolene's fixation on Clementine. It was clear to him that the woman had broken mentally. Yet, she held valuable knowledge about the bandits. A tool, if wielded correctly.

Yhwach's mind churned with possibilities. Lilly's brute force tactics hadn't worked, and Lee's softer approach, while commendable, was clearly no better. Jolene was fragile—mentally fractured. She wouldn't respond to the usual methods. It would take someone like Yhwach, someone who could break through her delusions without hesitation, to get what they needed.

The idea of imprinting a fragment of his soul onto her crossed his mind. It was a tempting option. By doing so, he could sift through her memories, extracting the information they needed without the need for interrogation. A clean, swift solution. However, there were risks. If anyone in the group became suspicious of his actions, it could lead to accusations of betrayal or worse. They already knew little about him, and if they believed he was working with the bandits or had some darker agenda, it could make him a target.

No, the potential fallout wasn't worth it. Yhwach had to maintain his position in the group. Being seen as an outsider would disrupt his plans. He was not a bandit or a traitor, merely a man forced to sustain himself—to ensure he didn't regress into the state of senseless infant he had once been.

As Yhwach mused over this, he became aware of Lee's eyes on him. The man was waiting for a response, clearly noticing the prolonged silence.

"I think I'll go speak to her today," Lee said, breaking the silence that had fallen between them. "You and Lilly haven't made much progress, and maybe she'll talk to me considering my relationship with... y'know."

Yhwach's gaze refocused on Lee. For a moment, he almost allowed his mind to drift again, contemplating the futility of Lee's approach. But then, he recognized the opportunity it presented.

"That could be a solution," Yhwach responded smoothly, "I'll come with you, just in case she does anything... unpredictable."

Lee gave a slight chuckle, though it was more of a nervous reflex than genuine humor. "You're that worried about m—" He stopped abruptly, noticing Yhwach's eyes, dark and unamused, fixed on him. The joke, whatever it had been, quickly died in Lee's throat.

Yhwach didn't blink, his expression didn't change. "This isn't about worry. It is about control. Ensure the situation doesn't spiral beyond our grasp."

Lee hesitated for a moment, clearly reconsidering his earlier flippancy. "Right... makes sense," he muttered, standing a little straighter.

Indeed, there was one person who clearly showed a dislike for Lee. Their relationship had never been the same since Lee chose to save Larry in the meat locker about a week ago. Sure, Kenny had never been Lee's best friend. But there was always a mutual respect between the pair.

Now, he would be lucky if Kenny actually talked to him in a decent manner. Clearly, the man was reeling from a decision that he saw as the ultimate betrayal. It didn't help that he was stubborn and willing to hold a grudge.

I know what it's like for everyone to think you're a bad guy. I don't even think Lilly and Larry know that Kenny was the one pushing for him to be killed. All anyone knows is that Larry had a heart attack and Carley and I saved his life. I should keep it that way.

Just another secret that Lee had to hold close to his chest. It would fit right in with the fact that nobody knew Lee was a convicted murderer besides a few people and the fact that Clementine didn't know her parents were dead besides a few people.

Of course, the one person that Lee had told about what really happened at the meat locker was Yhwach. He didn't want there to be any secrets between them and, truth be told, he didn't know how to try and reconcile with the man on his own.

"Lee," Yhwach said, "I know that you and Kenny aren't seeing eye to eye right now. But he will come around. There's too much history between you two for him not to recognize how crucial you are to his family's safety." He paused, letting the weight of his words settle in. "Even if he doesn't want a personal relationship with you, he must at least respect you as a leader."

Lee looked up, a hint of uncertainty flickering in his eyes. "Jugram, Kenny's been working on that RV ever since we got back. He swears that he's almost done with it, and he hasn't kept it a secret that he wants to leave the motor inn. I think we should move on too, but I know not everyone is going to agree with going to the coast." His voice dropped to a whisper, laden with concern. "What if he just takes off with his family and leaves us stranded here?"

A smirk tugged at the corners of Yhwach's lips, a brief flash of amusement at the thought. "He won't," he replied.

"How can you guarantee that?" Lee pressed, a hint of desperation creeping into his voice.

Yhwach leaned back slightly, assessing Lee's anxious expression. "I can't. What I can guarantee is that you're going to drive yourself crazy thinking of every possible hypothetical. You're already doing a fine job as a leader, so trust that he won't leave without making an announcement."

Lee opened his mouth as if to argue but quickly shut it, contemplating Yhwach's words. The weight of his responsibilities was beginning to settle more heavily on him, and the last thing he needed was to be consumed by paranoia over Kenny's intentions.

"Just focus on what you can control," Yhwach continued, "Address the group, consolidate your power. Show them that you are the leader they need right now, and Kenny will have no choice but to recognize your position. After all, a leader must inspire loyalty, not just fear."

Lee took a deep breath, nodding slowly as he absorbed Yhwach's advice. "You're right. I can't let my fears dictate my actions."

"Good," Yhwach said, his tone returning to its typical coldness. "Now, let's prepare for the task ahead. Jolene is still a priority. We need to extract the necessary information before our situation deteriorates further."

Lee nodded and the pair of them walked up the stairs. While Clementine stayed on the ground floor, the two men went up to the balcony. Lee saw that Larry was currently on watch and gave him a nod. Larry gave him a nod back.

Since Larry had told Lee he wouldn't reveal his secret, there seemed to be a lot of mutual respect between them. The most surprising thing was that Larry had not ONCE bad-mouthed Lee or been excessively rude since that day. Of course, you probably shouldn't be rude to a guy who saved your life, but Lee wouldn't have been surprised if Larry just didn't care.

I got Larry to respect me. That might have been the hardest thing to do as a leader.

The pair caught up to Lilly who was currently guarding Jolene.

"Is she awake?" asked Yhwach.

"Yeah, she's no worse for wear. Still, she hasn't said anything to my knowledge. Did you want to interrogate her?" asked Lilly.

"Yeah, I just don't know exactly how I want to play this. Jugram's going to be coming in with me." Lee stated.

"Try intimidating her or beating her up a little. Being nice hasn't gotten us anything and it probably just means she thinks we're pushovers. She's not going to give us anything until she either respects us or fears us." said Lilly.

"Oh, come on, Lilly. We don't need to be barbarians. A little kindness never hurt anyone. It might take longer than choosing to assault her, but it can give us results. People will help you if they feel that you want to help them." Lee retorted.

"Being a nice guy isn't going to do anything. She tried to ATTACK us or did you not remember how Kenny said he found her? She's not our fucking friend. She's someone that we can use to keep our home safe. And once that goal is accomplished, we don't need her anymore." Lilly declared.

"We saw what Jolene went through. Considering her daughter, and possibly Jolene herself, were hurt badly by the bandits, I doubt anything you're doing is even registering in her brain. She's already felt the maximum amount of pain that a mother could feel." explained Lee.

Both of them make good points, but my presence may cause a stark difference in how Jolene responds. I can technically be considered a fair man—though fairness is often a matter of perspective. but Lee hasn't gotten anything out of her. Lilly has at least gotten her to say something, albeit not the one we need. The question remains: if I apply the pressure, will she finally break and reveal what we need, Or will she simply shut down?

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What/Who does [M] (Yhwach) do/Become?

A) Good Cop

B) Bad Cop

C) Kill Her (Extracting Information Via Soul Fragment)

D) Leave

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Relationships [M] (Lee Everett):

Yhwach: 14/15

The two of you are as thick as thieves. He has your back and you have his. Nothing more really needs to be said.

Clementine: 13/15

She thinks of you as her guardian angel and loves to hang out with you when you have time. Since you've become a leader, she has decided not to bother you as much, but she still likes you.

Kenny: 4/15

The one guy who dislikes you in the group. He has been petty, rude, and generally bored when conversing with you. As far as he's concerned, you made him out to be a villain when he had perfectly good reasoning for wanting to kill Larry in the meat locker and he just can't let that go for some reason.

Katjaa: 13/15

She appreciates everything you've done for her family. Right now, she wishes you and her husband got along better.

Duck: 12/15

You're like Harvey Dent to him. One moment, you can be calm, warm, and compassionate and the next you can be vicious and brutal. He knows that you're just trying to fight the bad guys off.

Carley: 13/15

She's probably your second closest adult friend after Yhwach in the group and the two of you generally joke around with each other. She hopes you will tell the group about your past.

Doug: 12/15

He considers you the second closest person to him in the group. The person he is closest to is obviously Carley.

Lilly: 11/15

She has to admit that you've been a pretty good leader for the group. While she still has dreams of one day leading her own group, she'll defer to you for most decisions. Still, her cold and pragmatic nature can come into conflict with you at times.

Larry: 10/15

The most surprising development yet. Larry actually respects you and doesn't really talk shit about anymore like he once did. You don't know what you did to deserve this besides saving his life, but you're not going to complain.

Mark: 11/15

He thinks you're a good leader and he respects you for sure. In the shuffle, he's a bit forgotten but is willing to help anyone out if they need it.

Ben: 9/15

Honestly, you're probably one of the only people that he's comfortable around, but he doesn't really know you that well.

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