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“I may be taken by you, and only you,” Whyman lowered himself to Senkuu and the other two. “This body is yours to destroy. To kill,” Whyman robotic’s voice spoke. “You speak of creation out of this world,” Whyman paused for a second. “It excites me. Probability is near zero percent but enough for one alone to wager everything on your kind,” Whyman floated to Kohaku, and Kohaku raised her arms up to catch it. “Is that acceptable?” Whyman questioned.
“You hear that Xeno?” Senkuu asked.
“Yeah, we hear you Senkuu,” Xeno’s voice replied in his headset.
“No way this is real,” Kohaku said, but she was smiling all the while.
“Not much of a fight huh?” Stan put his gun back in his holster.
“So is that it?” Kohaku asked, still holding the Medusa.
“Yeah, we won,” Senkuu smiled.
“We won?” Kohaku asked again.
“Well shit,” Stan grinned. “We won,”
“Well the mission is complete,” Xeno stated. “Good job guys,”
Xeno was supposed to turn off the line but he left it to play. The three heard the cheers from everyone in and out of the control room. “You’re clear to come home, you guys,” Xeno said over the cheers. “It seems everyone else feels the same,”
“No use in wasting time then?” Senkuu hummed.
“Let’s go home,” Kohaku’s smile only grew, as she put her hand out.
“Sounds good to me,” Stan rolled his eyes but put his hand in, on ontop of Kohaku’s.
Senkuu lightly shrugged and put his hand in.
“ Whyman abandoned its plan to be a parasite to earth and vanished to the depths of space. They would never again unleash the petri-beam.
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And as our trophy was a single piece of futuristic tech.
Senkuu, Kohaku, and Stan got back in the capsule with Ryusui. No words needed to be said. Ryusui just put his hand up and Senkuu high-fived him in return.
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“Years of work…,” Kohaku looked up at the glass part of the roof of the capsule. “All for this little thing?” Kohaku held the pod the Medusa in. “All that science… I swear it just started as a bunch of rocks and now-,” Kohaku started to tear up.
“It still is,” Senkuu commented. “You know if Taiju was here, He’d call it the power of science,” He laughed.
“Aww shut up,” Kohaku whipped her eyes. “Plus the little guy is kind of cut now,”
“The thing tries to turn us to stone and you’re calling it cute?” Stan added.
“Ignoring youuuu,” Kohaku sang. “Hey, Ryusui hand me that marker,”
“Oh here,” Ryusui pushed the marker to Kohaku.
Kohaku turned her back for a second
“You know I can still hear?” The Medusa asked.
“Just a bit moreeeee and,” Kohaku hummed. “Kohaku turned around and showed off her drawing.
“I think this what your kind calls embarrassing,” Whyman added, now with a bunny face drawn on him.
“Pftt,” Ryusui held in a laugh.
“I am a mechanical parasite. This is not my purpose,” Whyman added.
“Ehhh shut it,” Stan continued to chew the tobacco in his mouth.
“Wait! You said you’re a mechanical parasite right? Then who created you in the first place? Who made you?” Kohaku questioned.
“Unknown,” Whyman replied with no emotion to his voice.
“Hah, right,” Kohaku sighed.
“Does your kind comethend who or what created you? Do you possess complete knowledge of your origin?” Whyman responded.
“That is one hell of a comeback,” Ryusui pointed out.
“Come to think about that…what is life as we know it?” Kohaku added.
“Survival is the primary objective of all life forms,” Whyman continued. “Inquiry why do you dislike being petrified? Why is the promise of life rejected? Why?”
“Cuz it doesn’t get me excited,” Senkuu replied bluntly.
“Haha there's nothing fun about being frozen in stone you know!” Ryusui snapped his fingers.
“My mind fades in an instant,” Kohaku stated, ust floating.
“Incomprehensible,” Whyman scoffed. “An advantageous decision for any given organism, so why?”
“You’re one to talk” Senkuu put his hands on his hips. “Outta all the Whymen, you’re the only one who stayed cuz my idea hyped you up,” Senkuu smirked. “It’s got nothing to do with survival, asking why to all the unknowns is what gets us excited. Abnormal or not we’re ten billion percent guaranteed to have that weird urge! One painstaking steady step at a time. That's how our science rolls. Over the eras before our time and throughout the ages to come,”
“That’s Senkuu for you,” Kohaku sighed. “Another long science rant,” She teased.
“Almost as bad as Xeno,” Stan snickered.
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“I may be taken by you, and only you. You speak of creation out of this world,” Whyman paused for a second. “It excites me. Probability is near zero percent but enough for one alone to wager everything on your kind. Is that acceptable?” Whyman questioned.
“You hear that Xeno?” Senkuu’s voice asked.
“Yeah, we hear you Senkuu,” Xeno’s voice replied in his headset.
Gen looked around and saw everyone just as on edge as he was. Was it over? Had they won?
“No way this is real,” Kohaku's cheerful voice sang.
“Not much of a fight huh?” Stan replied
“So is that it?” Kohaku asked.
“Yeah, we won,” Senkuu cheered.
The room went up in cheers from everyone in the control room and above! Yuzuriha and Taiju pulled Gen into a hug of celebration. Gen smiled along with them.
“They did it!” Yuzuriha shouted.
“They really did it!” Taiju was starting to tear up.
“We won?” Kohaku asked once more.
“Say it,” Xeno mouthed.
“Well shit,” Stan grinned. “We won,”
Gen saw Xeno’s smile grow.
“Well the mission is complete,” Xeno stated. “Good job guys,”
Xeno was supposed to turn off the line but he left it to play. The cheers from everyone in and out of the control room were being played to them. . “You’re clear to come home, you guys,” Xeno said over the cheers. “It seems everyone else feels the same,”
“No use in wasting time then?” Senkuu hummed.
“Hurry back you guys!” Chrome screamed.
They’re safe… and they're coming back.
Gen felt the familiar feeling of warm return to his face. That feeling you get when tears were forming. The feeling of something getting caught in his throat, tingles around his face, and blurred vision. The mission was a success.
Aww shit-.
Gen felt the tears rest on his eyelashes.
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Senkuu held up his two fingers to his face as he calculated the angle and time they had to leave to reach Japan.
“48 minutes and 34 seconds,” Senkuu put down his fingers. “Set your watches for 10 minutes after. With the gravitational pull and the fact we’re going to be basically crashing into the sea, That should keep us petrified long enough so we don’t burn up in reentry and don’t crack on impact,” Senkuu adjusted his watch.
“Got yeah,” The crew adjusted their watch.
“Looks like we’re going to need your help again, Whyman,” Senkuu snickered.
“Insane,” Whyman replied.
“Call it what you want,” Senkuu replied. “Ryusui, Stan, get down the rockets and make sure everything is alright,”
“Ha on it!”
“Whatever,”
“Kohaku-,” Senkuu turned.
Kohaku was still looking out the window at the earth above. She had completely zoned out in favor of the earth above.
“I’m in space,” She mumbled.
“Well of course,” Senkuu was confused by the obvious statement.
“No, not like that… I mean I'm up here with the stars,” Kohaku said, still in awe. “Back in the village, one of the 100 tales was that all the stars were once people we’ve lost still looking at us. Me and Ruri even picked out a star one night and said it was our mom,”
“But why would Byakuya…?”
“The rest of the tale goes that one day a man made it to space but he was no star. He was alive and from up there he could see all that passed looking at him,”
Senkuu looked out the window too.
“I’m going to space!” Senkuu proclaimed in front of his class.
Of course back then he was just a kid with no idea of how he was going to do that.
“Of course, first I need to figure out how to do that,” Senkuu grinned. “I need to study it all! Everything!”
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“Byakuya!” Senkuu pushed open the front door.
“Ahhh Senkuu!? What is it?” His father looked up in a panic.
“I’m going to space!”
“Wha?”
“Don’t say I’m too young,” Senkuu huffed. “I’m going and not one is going to stop me cuz-,” Senkuu stopped when his father pulled him into a hug.
Senkuu dropped his shoulders and stood there confused for a second.
“I know you can, Senkuu,” His father whispered back. “You’re going to make it to space. If there’s anyone who can, it’s you,”
Senkuu took a second to take in his fathers words. He could do it.
And there Senkuu stood. He was in space looking out at the stars on the moon. The moment hadn’t really hit him yet. He had made it. Not only had he made it on his own, he did it with friends, and restarted from nothing… Only now…
“Heh really?” Senkuu asked. “You think- you think Byukuya is out there?” Senkuu asked so casually but the way Kohaku looked at him. She knew.
“Yea,” Kohaku hummed. “It doesn’t seem real does it?”
“No,”
“Well- It’s over,” Kohakuu stretched. “We won,”
“And only in 10 years,” Senkuu reminded.
“How could I forget,” Kohaku smiled at the memories. “After all of this, then what?”
“We still have a hell of a lot more to do,” Senkuu pointed out.
“You know what I mean,” Kohaku nudged Senkuu. “It seems like the past few years have been working up to this moment and now what?”
“Kuku,” Senkuu lightly laughed. “Why are you asking? It’s it obvious? We do it all over again. Just maybe without the war this time,”
Of course, he was going to be fine.
Xeno proudly smiled. That was his husband after all.
“Come on Stan!” Xeno yelled, rushing through the bushes. “We’re going to be late!” The small boy yells pulling Stan along by the wrist.
“Where are we going exactly?” Stan asked.
“To watch the Nasa launch of course!” Xeno replied like it was so obvious.
Stan should have really known. Xeno had told him plenty of time about this launch. Xeno pushed past the bushes and branches to make it to the perfect spot.
“Ok, we made it!” Xeno cheered.
They were on a cliff that was overlooking a bunch of people below. Xeno could see the metal rocket sit on the launch pad with its nose pointed up to the sky.
“Xeno, why didn’t we just go where everyone else is?” Stan asked, brushing off his shirt.
“I wanted a better view,” He answered his friend. “You don’t get to see this every day you know, but once I get into Nasa I’ll be the one helping with rocket take-offs,”
How young they both were back then.
“Ok, what are they launching today?” Stan asked as he sat down, his legs over the cliff's edge.
“Just a rover this time but still,” Xeno’s eyes were glued on the rocket. “That amount of planning and aerospace science that went into that rocket alone is elegant won’t you say?”
“Littertal rocket science?” Stan teased.
Normally Xeno would lightly push him for making that joke but Xeno laughed along.
“Yes, Stan, literal rocket science,” Xeno sat down next to his friend.
The crowd below started to cheer. The rocket was getting ready to blast off. Xeno’s attention was fully on the rocket. A loud countdown could be heard over the speakers. A big gust of wind almost knocked Stan and Xeno back. The shuttle started to make its way off the ground. Xeno had his arms in front of his face trying to block the wind. When the wind eased Xeno looked up at the shuttle already so high up. It was touching the clouds and fading in with the sky.
“One day, I’m going to be part of that. Just you watch,” Xeno told Stan.
“You nerd,” Stan bumped Xeno’s shoulders. “But I guess, I did promise I would stay by your side,”
What a strange feeling.
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The capsule crashed into the water and the impact shook the three of them a bit. Ryusui turned his head and saw the blue of the water against the window,
“Welcome home,” He snapped.
Kohaku took a deep breath “Ahhh earth!”
“Careful, Until Tsukasa and Magma come to get us, we only have so much oxygen,” Senkuu reminded.
“Oh right,” Kohaku put her hands over her mouth.
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Everyone waited by the shore waiting for the others to return with the crew. The last part of the mission.
“There they are!” Ruri pointed out to the sea.
No one could yet see anyone coming but the moment swept them up and started to cheer. The closer the crew got the cheers only grew louder. Kohaku waved to her sister and friends on the shore.
“Hey everyone!” Ryusui cupped his hands and put them to his mouth and shouted.
The boat docked the shore as the crew got out.
“Oh Kohaku!” Amaryllis hugged her girlfriend. “Thank god you’re safe,” Amaryllis tightly embraced her.
“Awww admit, you missed me,” Ryusui teased his brother Sai.
“As if… I was enjoying the peace,” Sai clapped between words.
“It is nice to have you back,” Tsukasa joined. “I doubt your trip make you desire any less strong,”
“Of course not!” Ryusui snapped. “I just realized how much is how there for me to desire,”
“Hello Stanely,” Xeno greeted Stan with a small smile, and hands behind his back.
“You jerk,” Stan held Xeno’s face and pulled him closer. “Don’t act like you weren’t worried for me,” Stan kissed his husband.
Xeno pulled back from the kiss. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I saw you only a few days ago,” Xeno ran his thumb over Stan’s cheek. “You sound ridiculous,”
Gen looked around in the crowd.
“Excuse, Sorry, coming through,” Gen pushed back a few people.
“Mentalist?” a voice called.
Senkuu turned his head and there were the same red eyes Gen knew so well. Gen could help but just start running to Senkuu.
“Wait Gen I’m not-,” Senkuu started but was cut off when Gen basically crashed into him and knocked them back a few steps.. “Used to gravity yet,” Senkuu groaned.”How old would I sound if I said I think you popped my back mentalist?”
“Pretty ld oay~,” Gen sang. Gen pulled him himself away from the hug and touched his lips to Senkuu’s.
“I’m home,”
“Welcome back Senkuu chan,” Gen rested his forehead on Senkuu’s.
“Told you everything would be fine,” Senkuu chuckled.
“Never doubted you,” Gen hummed.
“Yeah yeah that’s ten billion percent too sappy, enough,” Senkuu cracked his neck.
“You said you’d play the role of the needy boyfriend when you got back,” Gen reminded Senkuu.
“Well I’d have to be your boyfriend…,” Senkuu took a second. “ I guess the mission is over isn’t it?”
“Sayyyy it~,” Gen hummed.
“Why? I already know your answer,” Senkuu blushed.
“Don’t tell me Senkuu chan is embarrassed,” Gen held up his overcoat to his mouth to hide his smile.
Senkuu sighed. “You’re my boyfriend,”
“That was more of a statement than a question,” Gen scoffed.
“And I had asked?”
“You don’t have a romantic bone in your body do you?” Gen sighed.
“And yet, here we are,” Senkuu grinned, running his hand through the white part of Gen’s hair.
“Ok everyone line up!” Minami called. “As the stone world’s first reporter~ I want to be the one to capture this moment,” She squealed .
“Took you two long enough,” Ryusui joined the two in the frame.
“He has a point Oho,” Kaskei huffed, joining in the frame as well.
“Oh oh what cool pose should I do?” Ginro thought out loud.
“Nothing too over the top please,” Kinro sighed.
“But that’s no funnnnn~,” Chelsea groaned.
“Yay pictures!” Suika added.
Everyone lined up in rows front shortest to tallest and posed for the picture.
“Ok everyone gets ready!” Minami put the camera on a timer and ran to join the others in her spot.
“1! 2! 3!”
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Gen’s eyes fluttered open to the sound of Senkuu’s voice, all groggy from just waking up.
“Hey wake up Mentalist,” Senkuu shook Gen.
“Noooo,” Gen whined, moving closer to Senkuu. “Five more minutesssss,” Gen wrapped his arm around Senkuu.
“You say that now but if I let you sleep any longer you wouldn’t wake up all day,” Senkuu replied all snarky. “And I got a call to get on today Mentalist,”
“You say that but you aren’t pushing me offfff!~” Gen sang.
“Oh haha,” Senkuu sarcastically laughed. “Get up or I will tell Yuzuirha you want to help teach today,”
“You won’t,” Gen glared.
“Try me,” Senkuu replied.
“Fineeee,” Gen groaned, sitting up in their bed. “I’ll make breakfast, just go pick some coffee, please. After last time I do not trust you enough to let you come at least 100 feet into the kitchen,”
“Accident!” Senkuu protested from the closest.
“You managed to burn and undercook the pancakes,” Gen reminded him.
“All part of trial and error,” Senkuu teased.
“Sure dear, just don’t mess with my breakfast,” Gen played along from the kitchen.
“So needy,” Senkuu said before walking out the door.
“Jerk,” Gen said to himself as he reached for the pancake mix in the cupboards . Gen looked down and saw the photo framed on the kitchen counter. I was from the day Senkuu, Stan, Kohaku, and Ryusui got back from space. Looking at the photo brought back memories of that beach too. Even the message at the bottom. How many years ago had it been at that point? Gen looked at the ruby red ring on his finger.
“And to think, he used to be so embarrassed just calling me his boyfriend,” Gen rolled his eyes. Gen reached for the picture frame. “The kingdom of science,” Gen read the message out loud.