Chapter Text
With Tsukasa’s OP strength, removing Taiju and Yuzuriha’s statues from their camphor tree prison was a sinch! Now came the tricky part. Senku wanted to avoid any accidents during the revival process. Such examples included Taiju waking first and crushing Yuzuriha’s statue by mistake, or them waking at the same time and having a massive freak-out. If the crafts-club member was revived first, they could wriggle her out of the Big Oaf’s protective grip before moving onto said oaf. Tsukasa was there on standby, and Canis Lupus was watching from her seat farther away.
Alright, time to get this civilized shit show on the road.
There was a nagging part in the back of Senku’s mind telling him the revival fluid wouldn’t work. That the formula he’d spent months perfecting only worked on the swallows, that he’d need to spend even longer reworking it for people. What if the statues broke completely before it worked, or the Nital just melted them? But no, that was crazy. The worst thing that could happen was that it didn’t work, and Senku would just have to try again. And he would try over and over again to get these two back. “Lay them on their sides,” he told Tsukasa, and the older boy obeyed. With no ceremony whatsoever, the scientist uncorked the jar and poured the Nital on Yuzuriha’s back.
At first nothing happened. Then the first sharp crack created a cascade across the girl’s body. Then the stone shell fell away and Ogawa Yuzuriha breathed for the first time in millenia. Senku didn’t even bother to hide his manic grin. It had worked!
“Wh-what’s going on?” Yuzuriha asked tiredly. Then her eyes widened as they fell on Taiju’s frozen face. “T-Taiju?!”
“Morning, Craftsclub.”
The girl finally looked up. “Senku? And a… dog?”
“Arf arf!”
“Yeah, yeah, I’ll introduce you in a second,” Senku snarked. “But first, can you get out alright, Yuzuriha?”
“I… I think so.” It took some wriggling, but Yuzuriha did eventually slip free of Taiju’s petrified chokehold. It was only when she stood on shaky legs that everyone noticed a more blatant problem… or at least Yuzuriha and Tsukasa saw it as a problem. Senku had more important things to worry about than nudity, and Canis Lupus, by definition, was always nude. “WHAAAAAA!” Of course, that didn’t stop Yuzuriha from freaking out and scrambling to cover herself, or Tsukasa from offering his cloak to her. “Oh, thank you,” the former craft’s club member said, wrapping herself tight in the borrowed lion pelt.
…Interesting. Something about seeing her in Tsukasa’s pelt felt… irritating. Senku quickly shook off the feeling, as illogical as it was confusing. “The chivalry’s cute and all,” he commented with his pinkie jammed into his ear, “but we’ve got more important things to worry about right now. Besides, there’s no one around to give a damn whether or not our butts are showing.”
“It’s good to see you too, Senku,” Yuzuriha sighed.
“You say that like you’re used to this,” Tsukasa commented.
“It is possible to get used to Senku. It just takes some time.”
“Arf!”
“Oh!” Yuzuriha’s attention was drawn to the large white wolf waiting patiently in front of her for pets. “And who’s this good baby?” she cooed while giving the requested pets.
“Canis Lupus,” Senku said at the same time that Tsukasa answered “Shiranui”.
“Erm….”
“Alright,” Senku interjected. “Time for the Big Oaf!” The scientist uncorked another bottle of Nital and dumped it out all over his stone friend. Just like with Yuzuriha, the rock split from under the fluid first, then the chain reaction cascaded over the rest of the body. Unlike with the Craftsclub member, however, while the stone shell fell away, Taiju was flexing and screaming as he broke free. Senku preemptively covered his ears, as did Yuzuriha.
“RAAAAAAAAH! I’M FINALLY FREE! I CAN MOVE MY BODY AGAIN!” Canis Lupus pawed at her ears and whimpered. Meanwhile, poor Tsukasa looked like he’d gone deaf for a second. “AHHHH! SENKUUUUU! YOU’RE ALIVE TOO!” The Big Oaf suddenly launched himself at Senku, and the scientist barely brought his foot up in time to defend himself.
“Don’t you DARE hug me while you’re buck-naked! Hands off! I’m not joking!”
“I see we’re reinventing the “double-standard” already,” he heard Tsukasa mutter behind a smirk. Yuzuriha giggled at that. Senku laughed too, eventually giving in and letting the Big Oaf hug him. It was worth a little discomfort to see his best friends again.
The addition of Taiju and Yuzuriha to their ranks was just the boost they needed. The former craft-club president seemed to thrive, even with the limited materials they had. She was weaving everything from blankets to fishing nets at inhuman speeds. Meanwhile, Taiju’s strength meant that tasks involving heavy lifting were getting done twice if not three times as fast. With the Big Oaf chopping wood and foraging for mushrooms and wildgreens, that left Tsukasa more time to hunt and patrol with Canis Lupus, which meant a wider variety of game. And of course when the aptly named Power Team worked together- such as right now, when they were running through the surf with Yuzuriha’s fishing net held out between them- they were an unstoppable force.
That afternoon, the party of four gorged themselves on smoked fish until they could eat no more. It was by far the fullest Senku had felt since waking up in this Post-Apocalyptic nightmare. “Alright, pop quiz!” the scientist announced to his friends, who were also in various states of “food coma”. “For a scientific civilization, what’s the first most important thing we need? Correct answer will get you 10 billion points!”
“Maybe… iron?” Tsukasa answered.
“Iron’s good, but we’re still a ways away from that.”
“Ooh, farming!” Yuzuriha suggested.
“Closer! In fact this thing we need segways right into that.”
“Arf arf!” Added Canis Lupus.
“It’s not “dogs” either, but good guess.”
“SMARTPHONES!”
Everyone, even the Wolf, stared blankly at Taiju.
“Yeah, sure, smartphones!” Senku said in his best sarcastic voice. “I’d kill for a smartphone right about now. Let’s make one of those!”
“Really?!”
“OF COURSE NOT, DON’T BE SUCH AN IDIOT!”
It was, as one could see, a pretty chill atmosphere.
Now that surviving each day had gotten infinitely easier, now it was time for quality of life improvements. Senku went on to explain the importance of calcium carbonite, and suddenly everyone’s lives began to revolve around shells. Collecting them, smashing them, mixing them into mortar, then mixing them into lye for soap. Tsukasa had even started using them for fertilizer, taking a couple clippings from the wild grape vines in order to grow them in the clearing. Slowly but surely, their little campground was starting to look like a proper place to live.
The question came unexpectedly one evening, just before the sun set. Taiju and Tsukasa were still out (hopefully they’d be back before curfew), leaving Senku, Yuzuriha, and Canis Lupus by the fire. “So why “Canis Lupus”?”
Senku looked over to Yuzuriha, who was looking back at him expectantly. “Because that’s the name science gave her and the rest of her species,” he answered. The Wolf in question nudged his hand. He stroked the fur of her back in reply.
“...That’s the nerdiest response I think I could’ve gotten.”
“Were you expecting anything less?”
“Of course not,” Yuzuriha said with a laugh. “So then why does Tsukasa call her “Shiranui”?”
How the hell should he know? Now that he thought of it, the name didn’t really make any sense. Sure, “Shira” by itself would’ve been fitting with the Wolf’s white coat, but “Shiranui” was something else entirely. As far as he knew, it was the name of an optical atmospheric phenomenon in which ancient Japanese sailors supposedly saw ghostly fire on the water’s horizon.
“Yeah, I’ve been wondering that too!” Taiju had returned with a basket of shells and had apparently decided to insert himself into the conversation. “It’s a pretty cool name, but where does it come from? An anime or something?”
Highly unlikely, Senku thought. Tsukasa doesn’t really seem like the Secret-Otaku type.
“I guess you’ll just have to ask Tsukasa.”
“Ask me what?” The Meathead himself had come back as well, a fairly large stag slung over his shoulder. Senku pretended not to feel relieved seeing him back before Canis Lupus’s curfew.
“Oh! We were wondering about your name for the Wolf!” Taiju answered. “Why “Shiranui”?!”
Tsukasa sat down, dropping the stag in his lap to butcher, before humming. “It’s from an old legend that I heard a long time ago. I was visiting a shrine with… well, it doesn’t matter. It’s just some fancy myth the shrine keeper probably came up with to promote interest in the site.”
“Oooh, I wanna hear the story!” proclaimed Yuzuriha.
“Me too!” Agreed Taiju.
Senku wasn’t all that interested in fairy-tales for tourists, but clearly he was outvoted. “It’d better be a good one,” was all he said on the matter.
Tsukasa, rather suddenly thrust into the spotlight, cleared his throat. “Alright, let’s see….” And so, while his hands worked on prepping the stag, the Strongest Primate began his tale.
Long, long ago, a tiny hamlet known as Kamiki lay nestled within a grove of proud and beautiful cherry blossoms. Each and every tree around the quiet burg was honored as a god. However, the village was not without its dark secrets.
“Let me guess,” Senku interrupted. “The trees were actually carnivorous and demanded human sacrifices.”
Tsukasa handled the interruption with grace, because why the hell wouldn’t he? “That’s actually not a bad premise. Perhaps once we finish with my story, we can workshop yours.”
The scientist grumbled, but waved his hand for Tsukasa to continue.
To satiate the appetite of Orochi, a fearsome cave-dwelling beast, a young maiden was offered as a sacrifice at the annual festival. With a body like a mountain and eight heads mounted on necks the size of tree trunks, its blood red eyes were said to curse anyone who gazed into them. No one dared to disobey the horrific beast, and thus for 99 years did the tradition of sacrifice hold strong.
“Why is it always maidens that are sacrificed,” Yuzuriha commented somewhat bitterly. “Why can’t it be the other way around for once? Let the ladies save the men from being eaten by the big scary monsters!”
“Keh, we’ll add that into my carnivorous tree story!”
“GUYS!” Taiju shouted. “I wanna hear how the story goes! So shush!”
“…You do see the irony-.”
“SHHHHHH!”
Tsukasa giggled at the trio’s antics before carrying on.
When the night of the sacrifice drew near, a wolf began to appear outside the village. With a coat as brilliant as the driven snow, this wolf was dubbed Shiranui. The wolf kept a watchful eye on anyone who ventured outside the village, and would make a habit of patrolling the streets at night. Assuming the wolf to be a familiar of Orochi, the village’s warrior Nagi sought to chase Shiranui away. Time after time he challenged the wolf, but each attempt was thwarted by Shiranui’s swift movements.
Finally, the night of the accursed festival was upon them. A white-plumed arrow heralded the coming sacrifice. Piercing the night sky, the arrow sank its shaft squarely into the home of Nami, the village’s most beautiful maiden. Nagi, harboring a secret love for Nami, was enraged by this sign. Determined to put an end to Orochi once and for all, Nagi traveled to the beast’s cave in place of his beloved.
The Moon Cave, a place as dark as evil itself, served as Orochi’s home. As Nagi stood bravely at the entrance, the beast appeared, eyes glowing crimson upon eight thrashing necks. Orochi stood tall before him, anxious for another sacrifice. But Nagi was not without a plan; he had disguised himself as the sacrificial maiden, and brought with him an enormous barrel of sake. He offered the beast the sake, proclaiming it as a gift from the village to celebrate 100 years of Orochi’s rule. Orochi, its ego stoked, greedily consumed the liquor, and one by one, its heads drooped down in a drunken stupor. Seeing his opportunity, Nagi leapt into action, swinging his blade valiantly. On and on he sliced at Orochi’s necks, well into the moonless night… but Orochi’s hide was like steel. The blade left nary a scratch.
Soon enough, Orochi awoke, enraged by Nagi’s deceit. Nagi, his energy long spent, dropped to his knees as the beast reared its heads to strike. He knew he was staring death in the face.
“NOOOOOO!” Taiju exclaimed.
It was then that the Wolf appeared.
“YAAAAAAAY!”
Alas, it was Shiranui, white coat shining brilliantly in the darkness of the cave. As if to protect Nagi, it stood its ground before Orochi. Baring claws and fangs, Shiranui leapt towards Orochi, who itself readied its fangs for battle. The two beasts struggled wildly, thrashing in the darkness.
Mysterious and terrifying, the spectacle continued, and Nagi saw things that he had no explanation for. Shiranui summoned divine wind to counter the flames one of Orochi’s heads spewed forth. When another head rushed forward, intent on attacking the wolf’s unguarded rear, a mighty tree sprouted upward to stop the blow. Whenever a head roared out in frustration, the remaining sake was guided into its agape maw, further intoxicating the beast.
With the gods seemingly on the Wolf’s side, Shiranui fought gallantly to gain the upper hand. However, Orochi, protected by a mystical power, was not easily bested. Shiranui, covered in gashes and poisoned by the beast’s venom, majestic coat dyed crimson, stood exhausted before the mighty Orochi. The great beast saw a chance to strike what would be the final blow. But Shiranui, refusing to give in, used the last of its strength to gaze heavenward and unleash a mighty howl. Suddenly, the black clouds overhead dissipated, giving way to the silver light of the moon. The light from above glinted off Nagi’s sword as a beacon of hope.
Guided by his sword, Nagi, who had been taking shelter in the shadows, stood proudly to face his adversary. Channeling all his remaining strength, he leapt ferociously toward Orochi, blade poised high. The golden sword danced in his hands like a puppet on a string, and one by one, Orochi’s fearsome heads separated from their owner. Orochi’s broken body collapsed in a lake of its own blood, and in that instant, the curse that plagued the villagers was lifted.
As the battle subsided, the sun shone brilliantly in the sky.
However, Shiranui had at last succumbed to Orochi’s venom and struggled to breathe.
“Does the dog die?” Senku asked suddenly.
“Why, Senku,” said Tsukasa with a teasing smile. “I didn’t think you cared for what happened in fairy-tales.”
“Just answer the question, Meathead: does the dog die?”
The older teen’s smile turned sad as the story continued.
Nagi lifted the Wolf into his arms and returned to Kamiki. When they reached the village, Shiranui was no longer moving. The village elder gently stroked the Wolf’s head. In response, Shiranui let out a hoarse and pitiful bark… then closed its eyes and drifted off as if into slumber.
“Tch. Figures,” Senku muttered as Taiju and Yuzuriha sobbed at the death, one much more loudly than the other. And Senku definitely did not run his hand through their own Wolf’s pelt in reassurance, thank you very much!
Thanks to Shiranui’s noble sacrifice and Nagi’s bold actions, peace was at last restored to Kamiki Village. Nagi’s sword was renamed Tsukuyomi and placed within the Moon Cave. To this day it rests there, guarding the world against Orochi’s lingering malice. As for the Wolf, Shiranui was enshrined beneath one of Kamiki’s guardian trees, where it has been worshiped and prayed to ever since.
“Shiranui’s shine was beautiful,” Tsukasa admitted. “Nestled right below the biggest cherry blossom I had ever seen. The statue was so… life-like, as if the wolf would pounce forth any second. I wonder if it’s still there….”
“If it was just plain stone, probably not. Not without someone taking care of it.” Senku said.
“But… we were stone,” said Yuzuriha. “And we survived for thousands of years without anyone taking care of us.”
“Yeah, you’re right!” Taiju instantly agreed. “Maybe we can go see Shiranui’s shrine together! We can thank him for sending us our own Shiranui!”
Tsukasa put his hands up, long since done butchering the stag. “Slow down there Taiju. I don’t even remember where the shrine is.”
Senku was barely tuned into the conversation; Yuzuriha’s comment had him theorizing and questioning.
Why stone? It could’ve been any material. Iron, titanium, you name it, so why stone? And what exactly is that stone comprised of that makes it so durable? There have been broken statues, sure, but those are far less common than one might expect, given all the environmental factors. Building collapses, earthquakes, tsunamis, hell, Japan should’ve even seen some volcanic activity in the past several centuries. And yet the ratio of shattered to whole remains on the low side. If the attack that petrified us was meant to kill us, it would’ve been easier to just do that! So why did the attack preserve us instead?
Was it even an attack?
“Arf!”
Right, he’d stopped petting the Wolf. Senku quickly resumed the motion and Canis Lupus settled down again.
“Oh hey, Senku!” Taiju said. “What was that fourth thing? You said there were four things we could do with the shells, but you only told us about three.”
“Right, I did…. That fourth thing? Let’s hope it’s something that we never have to use.”
“Hmm. Let us hope not,” Tsukasa agreed, already catching onto what the scientist wasn’t sharing.
Later that night, Senku’s dreams were haunted by stone swallows and red-eyed snakes.
“Senku?” Tsukasa stuck his head into the lab shed. Sure enough, there was Senku, sifting through a bag of powdered shells. “Can we talk?”
The scientist in question looked up from whatever experiment he was working on. “Shoot.”
“Well, actually, it’s not so much “talking” as it is I want to… show you something.”
Senku raised an eyebrow. “Do I get to know what this “something” is?”
“Once we get there, yes.”
Tsukasa got a suspicious squint, and suddenly he was doubting this whole idea. “Fine,” Senku said with a dismissive wave. “I need a break from this project anyway, and watching those two pine for each other is not my idea of a “break”.”
The martial artist found himself looking at the two in question. Taiju and Yuzuriha were sitting together by the fire, each working on their own project, yet giving each other yearning looks when the other wasn’t looking. “Agreed.”
“So is this mystery thing far? Canis Lupus won’t like it if we cut it this close to curfew.”
Tsukasa shook his head, then knelt down. “Not if I carry you.”
It was hard to describe the look on Senku’s face. Somewhere between grimace and blush. “Dude, you’re not giving me a piggy back ride.”
“I could always opt for bridal style-.”
Tsukasa barely managed to contain a chuckle as the scientist scrambled onto his back. “Giddy up, Pack Mule!”
And so, with Senku secure on his back, Tsukasa took off. The forest passed by them in a blur, and all he could think of was the warmth coming off the red-eyed boy. Senku held on to him tightly as he ran, and the martial artist felt something akin to the joy and warmth he’d felt when Mirai was still in his life. Like he was wanted, needed. Of course, there was more to this feeling, he’d come to realize; something that made his heart skip a beat or two whenever he felt Senku’s eyes in him.
This was part of what Tsukasa wanted to show him, now that he’d plucked up the courage to.
“We’re here!” Tsukasa skidded to a halt and let Senku take in the view before them. He could tell the scientist was making the same face he did when he first discovered this place. The geometric mountain before them had once been a building, Tsukasa believed. Somehow it had retained the better part of its shape over the passing centuries. But that was not the most beautiful thing about the plateau. No, that honor went to the colossal sakura tree that sat at the mountain’s peak. A massive root system weaved its way down the mountain face, dipping into caves and crevices and keeping the tree in its chosen place. In that moment the winds blew through its branches, and the boys were caught in a shower of pink petals. “Isn’t it beautiful, Senku.”
“It’s something alright,” Senku answered breathlessly.
“It’d make a good place to put a settlement, don’t you think? We could reinforce the caves with mortar, and all the sakura fruit would be a good source of food.”
“Keh! Some fair points! Too bad Sakuranbo are sour as hell.”
It was Tsukasa’s turn to smirk. “You’d be surprised.”
Senku barely had time to grab onto his shoulders before the martial artist was on the move again. This time his direction was up, scrambling over root and rock alike until he had reached the sakura tree itself. And then he was climbing higher, into the branches and petals. Tsukasa found the wide, flat-ish branch he’d chosen before, and crouched down so Senku could climb down off of him. The scientist, however, had him in a death grip. “You’re fucking crazy if you think I’m trusting this hunk of wood! Do you know how high we are?!”
“It’s perfectly safe, I can assure you.”
“Just bring me back down!”
Tsukasa rested a hand on Senku’s. “You don’t have to trust the tree, just trust me. I promise you won’t fall.”
That seemed to convince him. Senku slid down from his back on shaking legs, then sat with those legs dangling over the branch’s edge. “Okay. Okay, this is fine.”
“I told you,” Tuskasa said, standing up again. “Now, about those “sour” cherries.”
“Where are you going?!”
“Just over here!” Just as he said, Tsukasa took three steps to where he was just under one of the hanging sakura fruits, a cherry as big as his head with a lovely peach color. With a twist of the stem and a gentle pull, the fruit came free, and the martial artist soon found a seat next to Senku. “Give it a try.”
Senku, the sceptical man that he was, hesitantly looked over the fruit before taking it. “Looks more like a peach than a Sakuranbo. Did they hybridize?” The scientist finally took a bite. “Oh shit,” he cursed with his mouth full. As the fruit was subsequently devoured, Tsukasa thought his friend might’ve said something along the lines of “how is this so fucking good”. He laughed as he got up to pick his own Sakuranbo to eat.
By the time both teens had had their fill of the sweet fruit, the sun at their backs was hanging low in the sky. It cast the sakura tree’s shadow so far it was touching the sea miles away from them. “Gotta hand it to you, Meathead,” Senku said. “You found a hell of a starting place for this civilization game.”
“I’m glad you approve,” Tsukasa hummed.
“Hella romantic too.”
The martial artist nearly choked on his own spit.
“Maybe if we bring that Big Oaf here he’ll finally finish confessing to Yuzuriha,” the red-eyed boy continued. “That dinky old school-yard camphor tree doesn’t hold a candle to this colossus!”
Once Tsukasa recovered from his poorly disguised coughing fit, he asked the question they all probably had. “Why hasn’t he yet? Surely Taiju must see that Yuzuriha is just as interested in him.”
“You’d be surprised just how much flies over that moron’s head,” Senk answered with a dry laugh. “You know, I asked him about that the other day. He seems to think it wouldn’t be fair to her. I guess I can see why: on the incredibly off chance that Yuzuriha rejects him, where does that leave her? There’s nowhere else to go in this world, and her only other compatible options are you and me.”
“I… suppose that makes sense.”
Nowhere else to go, and no other options.
Tsukasa took a breath, then faced his friend. “Senku.”
The scientist looked back. “Yeah?”
“I….”
It’s just five words, Shishio. You can say five words!
But as those five words caught in his throat, Tsukasa realized that maybe, just maybe, Taiju had the right idea. Now wasn’t the right time for these words. So maybe, for now, a different sentiment would suffice. “I think if we’d met before all this, you would’ve been my first friend.”
Senku grimaced. “Wow. I did not realize what a sap you were.”
Tsukasa laughed. “It just felt like something I should say. I’m trying to be more open, as you know.”
“Yeah, yeah, you’re working through your character arc, congratulations.” The scientist turned in his seat, swinging his legs to the other side of the branch, towards the sunset. “I’m sure you could’ve found better friends than me,” he added nearly inaudibly.
A nice sentiment, Tsukasa thought. But I don’t think I could’ve found one better than you.
“It’s getting late,” the martial artist said as he turned himself towards the West. “Shiranui will be upset if we’re not back soon.”
“Ah, let her be mad. We’re big kids! Skipping curfew is, like, a right of passage!” Senku stretched, cracking his neck and raising his arms up high. “Besides….” At the end of the stretch, the scientist’s head was propped on Tsukasa’s shoulder. The older boy’s breath caught in his throat. “It’s been ages since I got to actually see the sun set.”
“Hmm,” was all Tsukasa could manage, face on fire. He didn’t dare move and risk Senku pulling away. There were worse places to be trapped, he supposed, than next to a friend atop a giant cherry blossom, watching the sunset. Tsukasa glanced down at that green mess of hair, and couldn’t help a smile.
Sometimes he wished he could be as pragmatic as Senku. Maybe then he wouldn’t feel so foolish for falling in love with his first friend.
Amaterasu heard the call of… something.
Her humans were safe and secure, so the Sun Goddess felt confident in leaving them to their own devices for a while. She followed the call deep into the wood, over hills and across streams. When Amaterasu finally reached her supposed destination, the sun was hanging low. In its near absence, the other stars were beginning to light the growing night sky, and one incomplete constellation was shining brightest. Ah, so this is who had called her. With a flick of her tail the missing star was added, and another familiar face came down from the heavens. Unlike the calm and regal Yomigami, Tachigami took the form of a small rat. But her size was not to be fooled by, for the Brush God wielded a great sword nearly thrice her size.
“Mother Amaterasu. It warms my heart to see you alive and walking the earth once more. I, Tachigami, Master of the Power Slash technique, pledge my blade to your cause. May it serve you well, just as it once did centuries ago.
[Power Slash acquired]
“Ah, but Great Mother, beware. Rumors of your return have not reached just my ears alone. The Darkness now hunts you… and your young wards.”
Once Tachigami faded away, Amaterasu raced back to the camp with all haste. The sun had all but disappeared now. The Brush God’s eerie warning echoed in her mind, and she couldn’t help but fear the worst. And yet, when she finally came bursting through the foliage into the clearing, the Sun Goddess found all was well. Her wards around the perimeter were still intact, and Yuzuriha and Taiju were sitting together contently by the fire.
“Hey Shiranui!” The loud boy greeted as Amaterasu approached. “Check this out: Yuzuriha’s almost finished with her mystery project!”
“Not just almost. It’s done!” Yuzuriha declared with a smile.
“What is that? A flag?”
“What do you think, Shiranui?” The girl held up the tapestry for the Sun Goddess to see. A crude piece of leather with several darker patches sewn into it. One of the patches looked… vaguely phallic? On the suspiciously shaped patch was a lighter stitching which she suspected was made to look like her. “It’s a flag for our new Kingdom of Science! This thing here is called a rocket ship, and those were kinda like boats that could bring people up into space. And that’s you riding the rocket ship, because we couldn’t have done all of this without you!”
“Arf arf!” It was a cute sentiment. Crude, but meaningful.
It interested Amaterasu how these humans had once been advanced enough to travel the stars, just as the Moon Tribe once had. And thinking of the Moon Tribe brought her mind to a certain old friend of hers. Where had that prophet gone to? It had been his words that sent the Sun Goddess on her mission to help the Counting Boy, but what had he been doing all this time? Was the prophet even still around?
Speaking of where people were….
Amaterasu felt the dread roll in her stomach.
The sun had set.
And Senku and Tsukasa were not here.
“We’ve officially missed the curfew,” Tsukasa stated as they made their way back to camp.
“Oh no! It’s gonna get dark!” Senku put on his best mocking voice for that one. “Big deal, camp isn’t that far now. What, are you afraid of the dark?”
“More wary of what lies in it.”
The scientist scoffed. “Yeah, as if anything on continental Japan is gonna be scarier than the Strongest Primate High-Schooler.”
Neither of them talked about the way they had grabbed each other’s hand when the sun disappeared. Or about how they both started walking a bit faster. Or how both teens were eyeing the shadows more carefully now.
Suddenly, Tsukasa stopped. “What-?” He shushed Senku instantly, eyes darting around. Then Senku started to hear it too. Rustling, and not from the wind jostling the trees. Something was moving about in the darkness. Multiple somethings.
“Who’s there?” Tsukasa demanded. “If you’re human, we mean you no harm. I know you’re probably scared, confused… but we can help you!”
At first there was no answer. Then Senku started hearing murmurs from all directions.
“So they are humans? I thought they had gone extinct.”
“There are two of them. Which one do you think is the One?”
“The big one, obviously! Stands to reason that accursed line would beget warriors like him.”
“What do we do with the shrimp then? He’s too thin to make a meal out of.”
When the laughing started up, Tsukasa shoved Senku behind him, rotating constantly in search of the threat. Finally, the deadlock broke with the sound of snapping twigs. Both boys turned… and couldn’t understand what they were seeing. Big, lanky, and green, with what appeared to be a single small horn sprouting from the top of its head. The way the green creature stood was more monkey-like than human, and a paper mask with katakana written on it completely obscured its face. In one of its bony hands it gripped a crude bamboo flute. The creature held out its other hand to them. “Son of Nagi,” it spoke with a raspy voice. “Our Master requests an audience. You will come with us.”
Son of Nagi, Senku thought. Wasn’t Nagi that one guy from Tsukasa’s Shiranui story? The story never mentioned a son. Are they talking about…?
“I refuse,” Tsukasa bluntly put, already coming to the same conclusion as Senku.
A chorus of cackles sounded from all sides.
It was difficult to tell with the mask, but Senku swore the green creature was grinning. “We had hoped you would.” It raised its flute to where its lips should be, and a shrill note filled their ears. The forest around them exploded with activity as more and more creatures emerged from the thicket. More green creatures with flutes, but also some colored red and purple, and wielding shamisan and large paper kites. Senku and Tsukasa circled, backs to each other, as the spectacle continued. The scientist’s eyes darted around desperately, hoping to spot some escape route, but they were completely surrounded.
Dammit! The one time we don’t follow the Wolf’s stupid curfew, and this happens! Wait… the Wolf!
Senku brought his fingers to his lips and produced his own shrill whistle. All was quiet for a few moments… then the creature congregation laughed wickedly.
“What was that supposed to do?! Scare us?! Ha!”
“So what do we do with the skinny one?”
“We only really need the Son of Nagi, but I’m sure we’ll find some use for the spare!”
“Like I said, too thin for eating. Unless we fatten him up first!”
“He’s got a pretty face on him! I say we doll him up and have some fun!”
“You will not touch him,” Tsukasa growled, pulling Senku closer.
“AEIIIIIIII!”
One of the green creatures crumpled to the ground as a blur of white and red came bursting onto the scene. More screams filled the air as the blur sliced through them like warm butter. Whenever a body dropped, it vanished in a tiny explosion of… flowers? Senku’s brain couldn’t process anything, not even after all the creatures were downed and then it was just him, Tsukasa… and the figure with the sword that had apparently saved them. The night fell quiet again, and the figure turned to face them.
“Congratulations, mes jeunes amis! You’ve just been saved by Waka, the Gods’ gift to man!”