Chapter Text
The next few days were hectic as Taiju wouldn’t stop making small comments to Senku about their friend’s cuddling escapades. Senku tried to ignore it after Taiju refused to take the logical explanation.
They found that Kohaku was an exceptionally good hunter and an even better fighter. She had to be while in the sea, so it made sense it would translate to land as well. She was able to keep up with Taiju in scouting trips and was excellent in helping Senku with the occasional science experiment. She had yet to sprout fins, so they figured it was long term, or until she made the decision to return to the sea, though Senku almost asked a time or two if they could find her trigger. For science…
One day while out collecting revival fluid, they realized they had finally collected enough to bring back Yuzuriha. Taiju was over the moon, as was Kohaku as she had never met a human girl before.
Before they could revive her, however, they were attacked by a group of lions. Not even the resident lioness stood a chance against so many, though now she knew what Senku was comparing her to. She wasn’t sure if she was insulted or flattered, but that was a problem for later. Their escape attempt was futile, and the revival fluid for their friend had to be sacrificed so they could continue on. They had to make the quick decision to bring back Tsukasa. His reputation before the petrification was that of godlike abilities and strength. At the time, it was the right call.
The lions were swiftly dispatched. Senku was definitely immediately hesitant at his presence, but kept it to himself, though Kohaku could feel a shift in the air as well. She kept putting herself between Senku and Tsukasa. Senku didn’t understand it, but after Taiju, Kohaku was the next best bet to take down a man like him. Taiju was just excited there was someone new, as he was a much more social person than his other companions.
A short amount of time passed before Tsukasa showed his true colors. Senku began calculating what could be done to remedy the situation.
After some quick trickery, they set Tsukasa off long enough to bring out the secret stash of revival fluid Senku had hidden from everyone to have Yuzuriha join them. They brought Yuzuriha back, but it quickly proved to be a small issue. She, while incredibly brilliant, was not as physically gifted as Taiju and Kohaku, and therefore became a liability, much like how Senku was. Try as they might, she ended up stuck between a rock and an ultimatum.
Senku was at a loss when Yuzuriha was held captive by their friend turned enemy. Taiju and Kohaku had gone off to collect kindling so they could respond to a smoke signal they saw in the distance. They didn’t think Tsukasa would catch up as fast as he did, but an accidental setting off of gun powder gave their location away. He knew they wouldn’t get back in time, and sacrificed himself for Yuzuriha’s sake. She’d only been awake for a few hours and already so much had happened. He silently apologized for potentially scarring her.
After Taiju set off some more gunpowder as a distraction, retrieved Senku’s body, and made their escape, Kohaku could feel something wrong in her body. It was like the moment he had been struck with the spear, a switch had flipped, setting something into motion.
She had never really felt any emotion as strong as whatever she was feeling now. She felt… useless. Helpless. She couldn’t protect her friend when it mattered most. She was angry that he was gone, upset she couldn’t save him. She wanted to cry and scream, but all she could do was run.
Eventually they stopped. They’d put enough distance between them, and Tsukasa halted his hunt for the time being, believing Senku to be dead for good. Taiju was crying and trying to get Senku to respond to him, while Yuzuriha racked her brain for the answer.
Kohaku felt light headed. What could she do? Could she do anything at all?
A short amount of time passed yet it felt like a brand new 3,700 years. Yuzuriha remembered Senku’s habit of cracking his neck, and upon checking, found a leftover bit of stone. When she remembered how a bit of revival fluid helped heal her foot, they poured the remaining revival fluid onto the spot on his neck and waited with bated breath.
Another long minute passed before the stone cracked and Senku took his first breath of new life.
Taiju hugged him so hard Senku thought he might die again, and while Yuzuriha wanted to hug him too, she refrained.
Once Senku had had a moment, congratulating his friends on noticing his weird little habit slash clue, he looked over at Kohaku and smirked at her.
“Were you worried, Lioness?” he asked, holding out his hand, beckoning her to their circle.
Kohaku’s head was swimming. She had gone from not being able to save him to seeing him come back to life before her very eyes. She tried to reach out to Senku, but she missed his hand. She was under such duress she didn’t think she could stand anymore.
“Kohaku!” Senku shouted, getting up and trying to run to her. Yuzuriha tried to keep him in place, he had just been dead after all, but he had more important things going on.
She collapsed to the ground. She could see the three of them surrounding her before her eyes closed. Distantly, she heard someone call her name.
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She awoke after what felt like years later. She was at… the beach?
She sat up and looked around. It wasn’t the beach; it was a river. It was a brilliant blue and quietly ran through the open area she was in. A little frog landed in her lap for a moment before diving back into the water. She felt the smooth stones beneath her hands, picking one up to investigate.
“Oh, good, you’re awake.” Senku approached her.
“What happened?” She tried to stand and found that she couldn’t.
She looked down in shock to find that she had returned to her original form. She splashed her tail a bit as a test. It was indeed real. But how did it happen?
“Not sure. You just seemed really overwhelmed and then there was a flash of blue light that wrapped itself around your legs and then… tail.” He gestured to her as if it wasn’t already obvious to her.
“I don’t understand—wait, how can you understand me still?” She threw a hand over her mouth in confusion.
“Not sure about that one either. I was kind of expecting you to be speaking in your mother tongue when you woke up, so this is a surprise. Then again, you were able to speak to me while you were still a mermaid after you kissed me,” he looked away for a brief second. “How’s your tail feel? You were out of the water a little longer than we meant for you to be.”
“It’s fine,” she flipped it again just before sinking herself further into the water, “just needs to recharge a bit I guess.” The water felt silky against her scales. It was different from the salt water she was used to, but in a good way.
“That’s good. What happened anyway?” He took a seat across from her on a giant river rock.
“I…” she started to think about what had happened, “I guess I was just really upset?”
“Upset about what?” Senku asked, raising an eyebrow.
“About what!? Senku, you were killed! I left for a few minutes and then you were dead! And I wasn’t there to stop it! Why wouldn’t I be upset!? And then you just came back to life like it was no big deal? You just casually asked me why I was worried? Of course I was worried! How was I supposed to remain calm!!?”
She didn’t realize she had begun shouting and talking with her arms, splashing the water around her, but she had and she instantly shrunk into herself and under the water a little further. She sighed, accidentally blowing bubbles in the water.
Senku looked at her, arms crossed and a bit unsure what to say. He didn’t realize she cared that much. But he supposed that maybe she had never really had any close friends. She did say she lived alone, away from most of her kind. But also, maybe he was stupid. It made sense she would care that much, Taiju had been an inconsolable mess. Granted, they’d known each other for years, but Kohaku had become something of a fourth member of their group over the past few months.
He began thinking about the situation of turning back into a mermaid. Perhaps moments of ridiculously heighted emotions caused her to turn. But then why hadn’t the attacking lions done it before? Was this occasion truly because he had temporarily died? He felt a little honored that his life seemed so important to her, but also, weren’t lions circling you as a meal just a bit more pressing? Maybe the situation for the lions wasn’t as bad because there seemed to be a way out. Bringing someone back from the dead usually isn’t an option.
“I suppose it makes sense you wouldn’t stay calm. I mean Taiju clearly lost it. But he isn’t going to turn into a fish on me about it.” He waved his hand nonchalantly.
“Yeah. Hey, how’d you get me here anyway? I noticed that Taiju and Yuzuriha don’t seem to be here.” She began looking around just in case she had missed them.
“I carried you, actually,” he said sheepishly, but didn’t break eye contact, “we’re not too far from where I woke up. Taiju and Yuzuriha are joining the Tsukasa Empire as spies while I play dead and you play wild lioness.”
“Well, I’m definitely not a lioness right now,” she crossed her arms, “or ever! Anyway… what do we do next?”
“Well, remember how we saw smoke just before Tsukasa snapped? We’re going to head in that direction to see what other people might be there.” He took off his booties and stood up.
“Okay. But how do you expect me to get there? I’m a salt water kind of girl, you know.”
“I know,” Senku said, wading into the water and approaching Kohaku.
“What are you doing?” She asked, apprehensive.
“Nothing,” he said as he gathered the hem of his robe and leaned towards her, “except this.”
With his free hand he grabbed her chin and tilted her face towards him, his lips crashing into hers.
She was shocked at first, but it quickly registered what he was doing, and she pushed into the kiss.
After a moment that was too brief for her liking, he parted with her. Her eyes lingered on his as she felt hazy; she looked down to his lips, wanting to be kissed again. She started to lean forward again when her lower half began to vibrate. She had had this sensation before and glanced down just in time for her tail to part and turn back into legs.
“I figured that would happen,” Senku said, finally letting her face go as he went back to his space on the rock. She tried to hide her disappointment. “Here, you might want these once you dry off.” He tossed her the clothing from before.
She stood up, shocking Senku yet again as he looked away. Normally, this wouldn't bother the scientist. The human body was just flesh and hair, but it also wasn’t everyday a cute girl stood in front of you nearly naked without a care in the world. She was like Eve before the apple in that way; no shame. He admired it.
She shimmied into her clothes and this time managed to properly twirl, having full control of her feet, though the hide wasn’t exactly meant for that. She shrugged to herself. Maybe one day. Yuzuriha would have to help her construct a new skirt once they crossed paths again.
“Well, let’s get going then!” She said, placing her hands on her hips in a pose of determination.
“Get excited, Lioness. We’re going to look for more humans!”