And he had never been so thankful of his interest in track and field until right now.
Speed was everything against the walkers, of course — or perhaps in this case they could be known as runners. A rather dry joke, his conscious would reflect with a bitter scowl. Your endurance truly meant something in this universe; some, he had noted, were much more sedentary, but most could sprint and keep up no matter how fast your fear kept you running. Adrenaline was not everything, he had also noticed, observing those who weren’t so lucky get taken in an instant. It only took one stumble, one setback and you were done for good.
In the distance, her red hair was noticeable immediately. He had been out of sight, as always, resting and watching for signs of activity before deciding what to do next. She still had a chance, he realized, which was what propelled his next decision. The girl appeared to be small, probably about 15 or 16 based on her height. Thin and petite… yes. The numbers seemed to work in his favor. With this affirmation, he took off after them.
It was only one beast and Rei had the element of surprise on his side. He certainly felt strangely heroic today, as it was certainly not in his nature to follow after these things whatsoever. His long strides allowed him to catch up rather quickly, of which he proudly proclaimed, “I’ll save you, Miss!” Or at least he would try. The walker turned in his direction with a snarly scream, but Rei was already running past it, leaping from it’s bite with an easy jump before scooping up the girl. He leaned a bit upon the impact but regained his footing, holding her like a blushing bride. Though still in a moment of panic, he could not help the smug tone his voice adopted because, hey, he’d swept her from the literal jaws of death.
As he looked down, he was shocked to discover a face engraved in his memories. That red burst of hair had definitely been familiar, but had he really expected to be holding onto one Gou Matsuoka, the manager of the swim club and a remaining part of the life he had long abandoned?!
Of course not. The calculations had not been enough for something so ludicrous.
"G-Gou-san!" He stuttered, unable to comprehend exactly what has happened and nearly dropping her in the process. Gou, like this?! In this place? It just didn’t make sense. A separate explanation came to fruition, then: was she perhaps an impostor of some kind? If this were the case, it would prove the theory that this place was somehow supernatural in nature, in which copies could be created that resemble the faces and—
But there was still a walker hot on their heels; his questions and calculations would have to be discarded. Or, well, put on hold - there would always be time for calculations later. His priority refocused to the girl in his arms. "I-I’m not sure exactly why you’re here, Gou-san!" He continued, his voice only slightly fatigued by the run thus far,
"B-but I will, I will do my best to keep you safe at this time!"
