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Rustling leaves. A billowing breeze. Nearby laughter, spoken words, and all the sounds that come with human interaction. Insects chirping and birds singing and animals chasing each other around the forest.
A deep breath.
The world was different.
But it still wasn’t any less overwhelming.
Ukyo smiles and sighs.
I should be used to this by now.
He hears distant barking and a child’s voice, and tenses more from the steady crescendo of their approach than any sense of danger. By the time he musters the fortitude to fight his way through every sound that vied for his attention, a small white puppy and a little girl wearing a watermelon rind on her head burst into his hiding spot.
The puppy spots him and, almost immediately, Ukyo has an armful of furry animal.
“Woah, hey there,” he sits forward, smiling even as the puppy smeared her dirty paws against his yellow cloak, and scratches her behind the ears. “What are you doing out here?”
“Chalk! Don’t jump on people!” The little girl darts forward, stopping in front of him and waving her hands in panic, “I’m so sorry, Mister, she keeps wanting to play with everyone, she’s never seen this many people before—”
“Slow down, it’s okay,” he says, smiling gently. “I don’t mind. She’s very energetic.”
“Mmhmm!” The girl’s cheer returns. “Her name is Chalk, and mine is Suika!” She pauses and tilts her head, “What are you doing out here all alone?”
Ukyo opens his mouth. Closes it. Tries again, “I’m Ukyo. And… I was just trying to find a quiet place for a few moments.”
“A quiet place?” She asks, then gasps. “Oh no, did Suika interrupt you?” She purposely lowers her voice and covers her mouth.
“No, no, it’s fine,” he reassures her, setting Chalk back to the ground and pushing himself to his feet. “It wasn’t very quiet here in the first place.”
“You’re… that person who can hear very well, right?” Suika asks. “Is it always loud?”
“Not always,” he turns toward the direction of the village, readjusting his hat. “It’s more… there’s always noises, no matter where you go. It isn’t very easy to find a place that’s away from them. How about we head back to the others?”
Suika nods, a thoughtful frown on her face as she and Chalk trot alongside him.
“Do you think Senku could make you something for it? He made me these glasses, you know!” She points to the lenses in her helmet, and he notices bright brown eyes beyond. “He can make all kinds of things, and Chrome can find anything you need! I bet they could help!”
“Ah, it’s fine,” he shakes his head, hoping his expression can placate her. “I’m used to it, really. I don’t want to bother them.”
Her shoulders drop, signalling her dulled enthusiasm. “But… it’s not right you’re having trouble when you don’t have to.”
The frown she wears makes him hesitate. “I… I guess it wouldn’t hurt to ask.”
She brightens and darts ahead, Chalk barking at her heels. Ukyo laughs lightly.
I really can’t say no to kids, can I?
“You experience sensory overload with that hearing of yours,” Senku sighs in disappointment. Ukyo can’t tell if it’s because he didn’t come sooner, or because Senku hadn’t figured it out all the quicker. “Did you use anything before?”
“Headphones, from time to time,” Ukyo shrugs, looking away. “It isn’t that important, though, so there’s no hurry.”
Senku hums and crosses his arms, “Don’t underestimate me. If something as simple as this increases your productivity, we can get it done.” He turns around matter-of-factly, the picture of confidence. “Chrome! New project!”
“No, really, it can wait if you’re busy—!”
“No time like the present,” Senku grins over his shoulder, disappearing into the lab and responding to Chrome’s excited questions as if he were a seasoned teacher.
Ukyo watches him go. A smile twitches at the corners of his lips.
“See! Suika knew they could help!” Suika claps her hands and twirls on her feet, Chalk running in a circle around her. “Don’t worry, Ukyo! Senku will take care of it!”
“Thank you, Suika,” he pats her helmet and smiles. “What do you want to do while we wait, then?”
She hums and puts a finger to her chin. “Have you been introduced to everyone, yet? I bet they would like to meet you!” Then she covers her mouth and lowers her voice again. “Or, we could go play with Chalk somewhere if it’s too loud…”
He shakes his head and smiles, “We can go greet everyone.You don’t have to worry about me, Suika. I know how to deal with it.”
She doesn’t smile back, but she nods her head and looks to Chalk, “Who should we visit first?”
Chalk barks and points her nose toward a path, where Ukyo can hear the sounds of wood on wood and voices barking commands. “Who is up there?”
“Kohaku and the others train up there!” Suika nods and starts walking. “Suika watches them sometimes! Kohaku’s the strongest! Kinro is really cool, too. Ginro is kinda brave, even if he isn’t that strong.”
“You seem to know everyone.”
She tosses her hands above her head. “The Great Detective Suika knows everyone in the village!”
He laughs and follows her as she runs off to catch up with Chalk.
Kohaku—the blond woman Suika had pointed out—was fast on her feet and delivered quick but powerful strikes. He could tell from the start she didn’t hold much back for this training match. Her opponent, Kinro—glasses threatening to fall from his face as he tried to keep up—was having difficulty blocking and dodging her attacks.
Ginro stands back, clutching his spear in his hands and swallowing as he watches the battle. Their approach distracts him, however, and his expression fills with sudden cheer. “Ah! Suika brought someone with her!”
Kohaku and Kinro pause together, and all eyes turn to the duo. Ukyo shifts slightly under the attention, but Kinro turns away and Kohaku’s eyes veer to Suika instead.
“Suika!” She smiles, genuinely happy to see the little girl.
“Kohaku!” Suika replies, lifting her arms. Kohaku picks her up and twirls her around with a laugh.
Ukyo smiles and stands back, waiting for Suika to point over to him, “That’s Ukyo! I’m showing him around!”
“Ukyo,” her sharp eyes look him over. “You’re the old world warrior, right?”
“Warrior?” Suika chimes, frowning questioningly at him.
Ukyo shakes his head, “I wouldn’t wall myself a warrior.
“I saw your skill with that bow, though,” Kohaku nods to the weapon on his back, and he reflexively lifts his hand to brush against the wood. “You’re as much a warrior as the rest of us.”
“Hey, if you’re a warrior, you should spar with Kohaku!” Ginro darts forward, a sly and shaky voice accompanying the words. “I bet that would be interesting! Right, Kinro?”
“You just want to stall your match,” Kinro adjusts his glasses, and Ginro glares at him.
“No—No way! I genuinely want to see what the new guy can do!” He gestures wildly. Kohaku rolls her eyes, but glances at him.
Ukyo’s smile gets slightly thinner, “I’d rather not. I’m not currently at my best. Besides, I couldn’t keep him from his training.”
Ginro looks betrayed. Kinro crosses his arms and nods approvingly, and Kohaku smirks.
“You’re kind of interesting,” she remarks, setting Suika back on her feet. “If you won’t spar, maybe show me some of that old world training you have, sometime.”
“I’ll… see what I can do.”
She nods and turns around, “Well, back to it, boys!”
Kinro accepts his resuming match with a straight face, if a nervous twitch, but Ginro groans and flops to the ground.
“I’m doomed.”
They leave as the sparring resumes, and Ukyo thinks they’re an entertaining bunch.
“Oh? Suika-chan and Ukyo-chan!” Gen gives them an amicable smile and wave. Suika bounds up, and Gen gives her a pat on the head. Ukyo blinks, and somehow, the magician pulls a flower out from behind her ear.
“It’s so pretty!” Suika cheers, taking it carefully. She moves to show it to Chalk, who attempts to play with it.
“It’s certainly been a while, Ukyo-chan. I do not believe we’ve been allowed a proper conversation yet.” Gen nods invitingly, but Ukyo can hear the inflections of his voice. Gen’s eyes are reading him carefully.
He doesn’t take offense to it. That was simply how Gen was with people.
Instead, he gives a careful smile, “I’m glad you’re doing alright, Gen.”
There’s a pause, and then Gen’s voice becomes a lot more pleasant, “I have to say the same. You are quite surprising, Ukyo-chan.”
“Suika is helping him meet everyone!” Suika chimes in, flower still neat between her hands and held out of Chalk’s reach. “Chalk is helping!”
“Oh? How kind of you, Suika-chan! I do hope you can bring him to your big dinner tonight as well.”
Gen holds out a hand. Ukyo hesitates.
“It would be a pleasure to have you around,” Gen says, genuinely.
Ukyo sighs and returns the handshake. “I’ll do my best to be there.”
“I look forward to it!” Gen cheerily replies. He lets go and turns away. “Now, I can’t be interrupting your trip around the kingdom. I think Kaseki-chan is with Yuzuriha-chan, Suika-chan.”
Suika nods her head enthusiastically, “We’ll go see them next! Chalk, lets go!”
She bounds off into the village, and Gen takes his leave with a wave.
Ukyo follows Suika. In the palm of his hand is a small white flower. The ones that always blossom around spring.
He holds it carefully. Gen was more interesting than he first thought.
Kaseki and Yuzuriha are honestly somewhat scary with the way they seem to finish each other’s thoughts without even saying them aloud.
They pour over designs on paper, absorbed and concentrated in a way Ukyo only really knew when he had his arrow notched and aimed.
Taiju is the one that greets them with a wide smile, “Suika! Ukyo! And Chalk!” He picks up the little puppy with his booming laughter, and Chalk licks his face.
Chalk basks in the attention and Taiju scratches her behind the ears, “What are you two here for?”
“Just visiting,” Ukyo answers, and Suika giggles at him. “How are you all?”
“We’re great!” Taiju boasts as he sets Chalk down and lets her rush back to Suika. “Yuzuriha and Kaseki are really excited to work on crafting together.” Taiju glances back at the short woman and elderly man speaking over their papers, eyes fond, “She hasn’t been this excited in a while.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” he replies, and his smile feels much more natural than it usually does. “I guess we shouldn’t bother them, then.”
Yuzuriha squeals and starts rushing around, gathering supplies.
Suika tilts her head and frowns, “Suika somehow doesn’t think we could if we tried.”
Ukyo follows Taiju’s lead and laughs at the comment, giving Suika a pat on the head, “We can meet them at dinner, later.”
She smiles, happy and excited, and—despite the echoes still ringing in his ears—Ukyo thinks he likes this place.
He likes laughing with people he can call friends.
They poke their heads inside the lab, and as soon as Senku and Chrome spot them, a pair of headphones are shoved into Ukyo’s hands.
“Here they are,” Senku presents, smirking as Chrome smiles proudly behind him. They’re sturdy, foam padding on the earmuffs, and Senku’s signature mark on the left side.
“They’re supposed to go on your head, you know.”
He looks up, and when he spots Senku’s amused expression and raised eyebrow, he can’t stop the laugh that bubbles to the surface.
He inhales, and—hat squishing under the band—slides them over his ears.
Instantly, he can feel his shoulders relax. His mind gets quieter and the distant, far-reaching noises of the world silence to what he thinks could be called normal.
It isn’t completely silent, but it’s perfect.
The held breath rushes out of him, and he looks around at the trio of people that had decided he was worth helping.
“Thank you,” he says. “They’re perfect.”
Chrome grins and holds up his fist, “It’s no problem, man!”
Ukyo smiles, and hesitates a moment less this time before returning the fist bump.
“Thank us by working your ass off,” Senku pokes a finger at him, grin still in place. “And maybe there will be a plate for you at dinner.”
“Have to earn the meal?” Ukyo says back, and he can hear his own voice now. Listen to it, and he feels lighter. “That’s only fair.”
Even with the headphones, however, Ukyo doesn’t miss Suika whispering to her puppy.
“I think we did a good thing today, Chalk.”
Chalk barks back, and Ukyo smiles.
All of this, he thinks, I owe to them.