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“Mom dad?” Suika asked,
“Hey, sweetheart,” A voice Suika knew as her mother said. It was rough and hoarse but it was her mother.
Suika could only see a blur of what was her parents laying down. One of the other villages held her back.
“Where are you going?” Suika started to cry. “Everyone in the village keeps saying you’re leaving,”
“Are they now?” Her mother’s voice tried to comfort her. “That’s strange,”
“To some better place… What does that mean mom?”
“It’s a nice place Suika dear. A place where me and your father can relax,” Suika’s mother explained.
“Can you take me?”
“No sweety. I can’t, but could you get me some sunflowers from the field? They’ll remind me and your father of you,”
“Yeah… yeah! I can do that! Just don’t leave yet, ok?” Suika rushed out of her hut to go to the field. Tripping a bit along the way but she finally could make out the shape of the sunflower. Suika’s face lit up as she picked them. They were bright yellow. Like her mother’s hair.
“If mom wants me to get these for her to remember me by, I'll pick 100 of them,” Suika exaggerated.
Suika happily picked the sunflowers to her heart’s content. It was for her mom. Suika had at least 16 in her small hands before heading back to the village. Suika rushed past the people that were around the hut.
“Mommy! Mommy! I brought you the flowers you wanted!” Suika went to grab her mother’s hand. Suika pulled back and dropped the flowers. Her mother’s once warm hands felt colder. “Mom? Mommy!?? Daddy, what's wrong with Mommy?!!” Sukia shook her father but he was even colder than her mom.
“Dad…?”
A pair of warm arms wrapped around Suika and pulled her into a hug. It was strange, the person was crying…
“It’s okay Suika, they had to leave early,” Kohaku tried to explain.
“But… but I didn’t give them their flowers yet,” The 3 year old pointed out. “Was I too late?”
Kohaku’s hug only got tighter. “You did Suika. You made it,”
How incredibly lonely she was after that.
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Later she’d meet Senkuu and Gen. Senkuu was the first to not ask why she wore her watermelon mask and Gen would often teach her small tricks.’
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Suika held her drawing in her hands as she ran to Gen and Senkuu.
“Oh, there you are~,” Gen sang.
“Look! Look! Look what I made,” Suika cheered, holding up the paper to show the two. A few drawn sunflowers on the paper along with a sun in the left corner. “Namari let me finger paint with him,”
“Oh really? That’s good Suika-chan,” Gen replied “but you need to eat now. Let’s get you cleaned up and we can eat ok?”
Suika nodded. She was hungry after all.
“Ok, have to fun you two,” Senkuu spoke turning to leave when Gen grabbed the back of his tunic’s collar.
“And where do you think you are going, Senkuu-chan?” Gen asked.
“Back to work,” Senkuu bluntly stated.
“Oh no, you don’t. I haven’t seen you eat much of anything all day so you are joining us,” Gen stated giving a small tug.
“You’re not going to let go unless I join you huh?” Senkuu groaned
“Pretty much,” Gen smirked.
“Fine,” Senkuu gave up and followed Suika and Gen back to Gen’s hut.
Gen got some water and washed off Suika's hands of the ink. Senkuuu placed the fish near the heater and waited a bit for it to cook. Suika sat down at the table with Senkuu and Gen. Normally she’d eat with the other kids but this was fun too.
“How was your half-day Suika-chan?” Gen asked
“It was fun,” Suika yawned stretching up her arms “But I am ready to get back to work tomorrow,”
“Who you have so much nergy-eay always surprises me Suika-chan,” Gen replied.
“She’s not lazy like you,” Senkuu jeered
“Ude-ray!” Gen called back
“Keep complaining and I will overcook your fish,” Senkuu taunted.
“Don’t you dare Senkuu-chan!” Gen retorted.
Gen scrambled to get his fish away from Senkuu and Senkuu kept his face away. Suika couldn’t help but laugh. Seeing the two Suika came to think of older family members as being just like children. Everyone in the village has been like her family since her parents' passing. She was Glad Senkuu and Gen were now part of her family.
“So mean Senkuu chan,” Gen was able to get his and Suika’s fish away from Senkuu and handed Suika her fish.
“Whatever mentalist,” Senkuu snickered.
“Thank you for the food!” All three said at once.
The three of them ate and laughed together. Senkuu geeked out about the phone that seemed so long ago. Suika recalled how much hard work that was when she was younger. If only she knew.
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Being in the village felt so simple to Suika. All her friends and family were there and she would enjoy playing with the other children. Suika tucked her knees into her chest.
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“Oh look at me I’m so smart,” Namari tried to copy Senkuu’s voice.
“Hmph! I want a cola,” Suika tried to copy Gen’s voice.
It was Halloween. She and Namari had painted the pattern of the depetrification scar of Senkuu and Gen. Namari’s scar was Senkuu’s and Suika was Gen’s.
“Hey Suika what are you doi-,” Gen’s voice started.
Suika turned around to see Gen standing there, a bit confused. Suika was going to say something until Gen’s face lit up.
“Aww is Namari chan, and Suika chan playing dress-up?” Gen chuckled.
“Gen! Look at my cool scar,” Suika excitedly showed Gen her painted scar.
“You two did such a good job,” Gen praised them both. “I almost thought you were me and Senkuu for a second,”
Suika and Namari turned to each other to silently say “Did you hear that?”. They both seemed to have a sudden idea.
“Ohhh Gen let us draw on you too!” Namari beamed.
“I would love to but-,”
“Please,” The two kids pleaded.
It took Gen a second but- “Ok but only for a bit,” Gen caved.
“Yay!”
Suika got the little pot of ink off to the side and brought it to Namari. Namari dipped their brush into the pot and started to draw based on what Gen described to him. Three jagged lines over his face. When Namari was done, Gen looked at his reflection in the still stream.
“Who’s scar is that?” Suika asked.
“Do you remember the story I told you about?” Gen asked.
“Ohh are you that Tsukasa guy?” Namari asked.
“Yup! Tsukasa’s chan scar looks kind of good on me too,” Gen smirked.
“Come join ussss,” Suika pulled on Gen’s sleeve.
“Okay okay,” Gen was dragged back to the clearing.
“No, get back to work, mentalist!” Namari ordered.
“But Senkuu chan,” Suika whined.
“Oh no, it’s Tsukasa!” Namari pointed at Gen.
“Haha, I shall make a new world,” Gen laughed with a much deeper voice.
“No way!” Suika and Namari shouted
The two kids grabbed a handful of flowers and grass and started to throw it at Gen.
“Oh nooo, I’ve been defeated,” Gen dramatically fell to the ground.
“What the hell is going on-?”
Suika looked behind her and found Senkuu seeming to be a bit worried.
“Oh..., hello Senkuu chan,” Gen hesitated.
“What are you doing…,” Senkuu asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Oh we’re playing dress-up,” Namari replied.
“See look, I am Gen, Namari is you and Gen is Tsukasa,” Sukia excitedly explained. “Right now we’re defeating G- Tsukasa,”
“Oh, are you now?” Senkuu got an evil grin on his face.
“Oh- o crap,” Gen muttered.
“Let me join in,” Senkuu snickered.
“Yay!” Suika cheered.
Senkuu, Suika, and Namari started to throw more flowers at Gen
“Aughh hey!” Gen covered his eyes as the onslaught of flowers and grass came.
“Power of science,” Namari cried.
“Ha totally,” Senkuu agreed.
“Hey no, it’s not!” Gen squirmed.
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Suika hided her face in her knees. The memories made her happy. She always enjoyed going through them like movies. The only thing Suika was starting to worry about was the once full of live faces of her family and friends turned into the frozen stone faces in her memories.
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“Hmmm, Suika chan?” Gen asked. “Is there something you want?”
“Ohhh yeah!” Suika snapped back to reality. “Hey Dad, can me and Papa go make flower crowns?” Suika asked.
Normally Senkuu would just give a okay and let Suika go play but both Senkuu and Gen were looking at her kind of strange. Senkuu’s one confused face started to mold into something between stone faces and the pair's normal faces.
“Ahh wait! I meant Senkuu! Senkuu can me ana pa- Gen! Go make flower crowns,” Suika flustered, getting more and more embarrassed.
“Pfft,” Gen’s expression changed. “Dearrrrr~ can I can Suika to go make flower crowns,” Gen played along with a bit of a blush on his face.
“What? Gen, we aren’t married!” Senkuu pointed out, Suika remembered Senkuu got flustered but forgot what he looked like.
“Hey, don’t yell in front of our kid,” Gen scolded.
“Gen why you…,” Senkuu clenched his teeth.
Gen placed a small kiss on Senkuu’s forehead “Okkk love you byeeee~,” Gen sang before taking Suika and heading out of the lab.
Suika was just as flustered. She had just called Senkuu and Gen her parents. Sure she’d called Kohaku mom before but she was basically at that point. They would just laugh it off. Gen was still giggling about it but Suika was just purely embarrassed and almost thought of just going back to work.
“Suika chan are you alright?” Gen asked through his giggling.
“I- I’m sorry!” Suika squeaked.
“What? No no it’s fine Suika chan. It was cute seeing Senkuu chan get so flustered. Did you see his face?”
“Uhhh yeah. It was kind of funny the way he froze,” Suika was starting to join in.
“Gen, we aren’t married,” Gen intimidated Senkuu’s voice. “It was so perfect,” Gen smiled.
Suika felt a warm feeling in her chest.
“Could’ve convinced me you two were married,” Suika smiled.
“Well me and Senkuu chan aren’t planning on it but It was nice seeing him react to me calling him dear,” Gen’s smile softened.
Suika and Gen walked in silence for a bit until they reached the flower field. Suika was so lucky for her glasses in moments like that. All the bright flowers in the warm spring sun. It was beautiful. Even after seeing it at least 2o times Suika’s breath was still taken away. Suika spotted the sunflowers and pulled on Gen’s overcoat sleeve to get his attention.
“We should get Sunflowers. I want to make this for Kohaku,” Suika explained.
“That’s sweet Suika chan. I’m sure she’ll love it,” Gen replied.
Suika and Gen headed to the sunflowers. Making sure to get the fully bloomed sunflowers. They picked a few before sitting down and getting started.
“So Suika, the trick with sunflower, flower crowns is to either cut off more of the stem or you can be really ancy fay with the design,” Gen explained.
“Ohhh like what?” Suika looked up at Gen.
Well,” Gen took two of the sunflowers and started weaving them together. Suika watched as Gen was able to be delicate with the stem but still shaping it the way he wanted.
“Woah cool!” Suika’s eyes sparkled. “I want to try!”
Suika took her sunflowers and tried to do what Gen did, but it did not at all look like Gen.
“Whaaa?!” Suika pouted it.
“Here let me help,”
Suika and Gen sat there weaving flowers together. Suika got excited as the flower crown was coming together. It was so cute with all the sunflowers showing.
“Hey Suika,” Gen spoke.
“Hmm?”
“Do you think of me and Senkuu like your parents?” Gen asked.
Maybe Suika would’ve been embarrassed a few weeks ago but... “Yeah, I do the same with Kohaku too,” Suika honestly replied. “Suika knows you aren’t really… but I like the feeling of having a family. I get all warm inside,”
“Ahhhh I see then,”
“I don’t want to make you uncomfortable or anything but-,” Suika started to ramble.
“No Suika chan, It’s fine. It’s kind of sweet,” Gen patted Suika’s watermelon hat.
Suika held back tears as she hugged Gen.
“Thanks, Gen,” Suika took handfuls of Gen’s coat, tearing up a bit.
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Suika started to cry a bit. It all felt so unreal now. Suika sat on the boat going to India. It was getting late, but she couldn’t sleep.
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Suika cried as she ran away from the gunfire. Her watermelon had fallen off and she was scrambling to get the rival fluid, the blurry outline of Senkuu. A rock tripped her and she hit the ground. She could barely see but she could feel her knee was bleeding. Suika could see a burry figure laying on the ground. The hair looked like Senkuu but the clothes didn’t. Senkuu’s tunic was light brown, not red.
“Suika,” Senkuu’s voice groaned.
That was Senkuu's voice.. Senkuu crawled closer to Senkuu.
“Senkuu... Are you ok?” Suika asked, too scared to look anywhere else besides his face.
“You’re the only one who can get to the base of the tower,” Senkuu explained.
“But Senkuu you’re hurt..,” Suika mumbled.
“Hey… I’ll be ok,” Senkuu tried to sound normal. “But you want to be useful right?”
Suika held her tears back. If she even tried to talk she knew she’d cry so she nodded. Suika jumped up the walls to the base of the tower and sat under it. She reached her arm up to the sky. It was her second time turning to stone but for how long? She didn’t know.
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Crack!
The sudden sound woke Suika up. The fragments around her body shooting off of her. Sukia looked around and where she was. There were a lot of bushes and greenery. When Suika looked up she could see the tower above her. Suka squinted to look around her.
“It finally happened?” Suika asked herself. “It finally happened!” Suika cheered.
They had won! That means they won and everyone was ok.
“Hey everyone! Suika’s out of the stone! Senkuu I’m out!” Suika jumped out of the bushes. “Gen! Kohaku!”
Suika looked around her friends but no one responded to her. She looked a bit more before her foot hit a stone. Suika looked down at her feet. There was Senkuu. Still frozen in stone in the same position he was in when Suika last saw him.
“Hold on... Did no one else break out?”
Suika recalled her mission. She was supposed to get away with Francois and hide but they both fail.
“R- right. That’s what happened. Suika failed and got caught..,” Suika pouted. “And everything seemed really really bad,” Suika sighed. “But now Suika can be useful! I’ll be the one to revive everyone!” Suika started to skip. “How long has everyone been waiting? How long has it been since that huge Petri beam zapped us? One? Two years? All I got to do is just the revival fluid and-,” And Suika tripped on another rock, knocking her out of her dreamy state. “But wait, where is the revival fluid?”
Suika got the glass she could from her glasses and used to see. Senkuu didn’t have any on him and neither did anyone else. It was getting dark and Suika had spent all day looking for something that wasn’t there. She solemnly sat on rocks and just took a second to think.
Grrbllll
Suika groaned. She was no hungry but she had no idea where to get food. Suika headed back to where Ginro and Francois where to look if there was anything else in the glass pots. There was a few pieces of beef jerky in one and Suika took that one and climbed up a tree. It had gotten harder and much tougher to eat but Suika didn’t have much else to eat. She was so hungry and she knew the food wouldn’t last her long.
“Suika is going to starve to death…,’ The reality started to hit Suika. “Suika is going to die… all alone,” Suika couldn’t hold it in any longer. Her tears wheeled up and Suika let them fall.
“W- ah- wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!” Suika cried to the sky. “ Wake up already! Make us some good food Francois. Tell Suika what to do Senkuu. Give Suika a hug Kohaku!” Suika shouted to whatever animal heard her. “I- I don’t want to be all alone,”
When those words left her lips it reminded her of the stories Gen used to tell her and the other kids. The story of how Senkuu lived in a seemingly new world.
“I am a human” Were the words that stuck with Suika.
“N- no, Senkuu was able to do it all on his own,” Suika whipped away her tears. “He didn’t even know how anyone else could be woken up, but this time Suika knows for sure! I need to find everyone’s statue because maybe someone was carrying revival fluid. Suika will bring them together again! No matter how long it takes,”
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Suika poured what felt like the 100th attempt on Senkuu. Every time she tried a new batch her heart wished it would be right and maybe Senkuu would wake up. Suika waited for a few sounds but nothing.
“Dang it!” Suika shouted she was about to throw the clay pot on the ground when-.
Crack!
Suika turns back around to look at Senkuu’s statue husk.
“Senkuu?” She asked.
She couldn’t believe it- It had been so long but there. She could see Senkuu’s eye.
“That’s you right? Do you recognize me Senkuu?” Suika questioned.
“Yeah, I do. Hey there Suika,” Senkuu smiled.
Senkuu sat up from where he was resting. Suika wanted to say something but didn’t have the words. All she could do was pull Senkuu in for a hug and let out all her worry. Her tears dripped onto Senkuu’s shoulder.
“H-h how long..?” Suika mumbled.
“7 years,” Senkuu replied. “You did a good job Suika,” Senkuu patted the younger teen’s head.
“I tried so many times…,” Suika sobbed “I-I missed you all s- so much,”
“You did good,”
“T- thank you,” Suika tried to get a hold of herself.
“Hey Suika,” Senkuu spoke. “I’m sorry,”
“I forgive you…,” Suika whispered, hugging tighter. “I’m just so glad you’re awake,”
“I’m so proud of you Suika,” Senkuu hugged Suika back.
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Months had passed since then. Suika had everyone back again. Her family was with her again.
Even so… there were some nights where Suika would cry at night. Scared it was a dream. A dream too good to be true. She could feel the boat’s floor and smell the ocean outside but it didn’t feel real yet. Suika whipped the tears from her eyes with her shirt. She was longer a child. She knew that.
Suika stood up from where she was leaning. She walked out of her room on the ship.
But even so.
Suika walked along the hallway. The wood of the floor of the ship on her feet kept her grounded.
Knock Knock.
Gen stretched as he yawned.
“Already tired mentalist?” Senkuu teased, even though he was already laying in their bedroll.
“Pleaseeee. I think that was enough excitement for the day Senkuu chan,” Gen replied, taking off his overcoat and tie to put aside.
“What are you? An old man” Senkuu continued to tease.
“Ude ray!” Gen cried.
“Isn’t your birthday coming up soon. 23 years old If I’m right?”
“And yet I’m just as handsome as the day I was revived,” Gen remarked.
“I won’t argue with that,” Senkuu shrugged.
“Aww, how sweet,” Gen playfully rolled his eyes. “5 years together and you still don’t know how to flirt,”
“Hey-,” Senkuu started.
Knock Knock.
Senkuu and Gen looked over at the door.
“Huh? Who could that be?” Gen asked.
“I got it,” Senkuu got up out of the bedroll and walked over to the door.
Senkuu opened the door expecting to see Chrome or maybe Ryusui but neither were at the door. Instead, Suika stood there with her hand behind her back and puffy eyes.
“Suika?” Senkuu asked. “Is something wrong?”
“Oh no! Everything is fine… I just wanted to hear a story,” Suika confessed, looking down at her feet. “Childish huh?”
It was still a bit weird seeing Suika look so grown up. She had matured so much but at the same time, it was still Suika.
“Not really,” Senkuu replied. “It’s been proven to help deal with anxieties and relaxing,”
“Ohh?” Suika looked up at Senkuu.
“Oh yeah, I would always force my old man to read to me when I was younger,” Senkuu recalled. “He’d tease me about it but he always read the textbooks I asked him too,”
“That was the founder of the village right?” Suika asked.
“Yeah, My old man was something,” Senkuu replied.
“... Do you miss him?”
That caught Senkuu off guard. No one had asked him that before. “Well of course I do. Not a day goes by where I don’t,” Senkuu confessed.
“W- was it scary being alone without your family when you woke up?” Suika questioned.
Oh so this is what this is about.
“Definitely, I was worried about everyone and wanting to see them again and luckily for me it worked out,” Senkuu answered.
“Does it feel real?” Suika mumbled as tears started to form in her eyes. “Everything still doesn’t feel real yet,”
“At first it didn’t but I took it a day at a time,” Senkuu explained. “Everytime you feel like it’s not real try say outloud five things you can see,”
“Ahh umm okay… I- I can see you, the floor, my hair, my melon mask, and the walls,”
“Ok, what can you feel?”
“M-My clothes, my hair on my face, th- the floor, and it’s kind of cold,”
“Three things you can hear?”
“Yo-ou, the wind, the floor on my feet,” Suika was able to get out.
“Two things you can smell?”
“Sea salt, and.. and the wax of the candles,”
“One thing you can taste?”
“Francois’s cooking,” Suika's mouth was forming a smile. “Thank you Senkuu,” Suika hugged Senkuu.
Senkuu let the teen calm her breathing. Senkuu patted the head of Suika trying to comfort her. Senkuu was admitly not the best at comforting. Suika let go of Senkuu and whipped away her tears.
“Now, what story did you want to hear?” Senkuu stepped out into the hall with Suika and closed the door behind him.
“The one where you woke up for the first time,” Suika replied.
“Again?”Senkuu asked. “Didn’t Gen tell you that one already?”
“Yeah… but I wanted to hear it again,” Suika answered as they walked to her room.
“Sure,” Senkuu replied.
“Thank you,” Suika mumbled a thank you.
“Don’t worry about it,” The two went into Suika’s room.
Suika laid down in her bedroll and Senkuu sat next to her.
“April 1st 5738…,”
“And the big oaf wanted to wake up Tsukasa. We didn’t have much of a chance if we didn’t but still,” Senkuu remarked.
Senkuu looked over at Suika. She was sound asleep. Her eyes were still a bit puffy but it had mostly gone down. Senkuu sighed. He knew how hard it was to be alone in the stone world with no one else. Even so, Suika was able to pull it off. He wasn’t lying when he said he was proud of Suika.
“Good night Suika,”
“Gen was laying under the sheets and looking up at the ceiling. Tracing the lines of the wood with his eyes. The door creaked open and in stepped Senkuu.
“Suika asleep?” Gen asked, as few words as possible.
“Yeah,” Senkuu yawned. “Must’ve been tired too. I just got the part about Tsukasa and she passed right out,” Senkuu rumbled the dark circle under his eyes.
“Look at you being a good dad,” Gen grinned.
“Not letting that go huh?” Senkuu got into bed with Gen.
“Oh never,” Gen snickered.
“I hate you,” Senkuu mumbled.
“Sure you do,” Gen sarcastically replied.
“Calling me a liar mentalist?” Senkuu raised an eyebrow.
“Whaaaaat~? I would never,” Gen sang.
“Silver tongued mentalist,”
“Know it all scientist,”
Senkuu grabbed Gen’s hand under the cover and drifted off to sleep. Gen’s eyelids got heavier but he wanted to stay awake just a bit longer. Gen ran his thumb over Senkuu’s hand.
I’ve changed huh? Be so vulnerable around someone like this. It’s nice.
“Looks like we managed to pull it off,”
“It was do or die after all,” Senkuu replied.
Their lips brushed as they talked. Senkuu tilted his face slightly. Gen pulled him closer before there was no space between the two’s lips. It had been years, but the kiss felt as natural as ever. Gen resting one of his hands on Senkuu’s face and the other on his chest. Senkuu had his arm around Gen’s waist. The two of them pulled away for air. Gen was catching his breath when he noticed two heads peaking in on them behind Senkuu and quickly tensed up.
Senkuu looked behind him and there was Suika and Chelsea trying to hide behind a bush but their hair gave them away.
“Suika, Chelsea,” Senkuu grumbled, a bit embarrassed.
“S- Sorry!” Suika squeaked. “I didn’t mean to,”
“I knew you two were married!” Chelsea called out in English.
“We aren’t married,” Senkuu corrected.
“Awww I lost the beat with Luna,” Chelsea sighed.
All this domesticity would have made the old world Gen cringe. Maybe say how he didn’t need that romantic shit. Even after everything, Gen wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. With everyone he loved.
What was going to happen next? Gen didn’t know. He doubts that anyone did at this point. It was both comforting and a little scary.
“Good night Senkuu,”