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It had been so long, too long.
The great vastness of nothingness was too much for you. Every second. No, minute? Hour? At this point, time was just a construct. Was time even real? Were you dead?
If you were dead, was this your hell? Or your salvation? You couldn’t see anything, hear anything, but your consciousness was there: loud and clear. All your memories, any that you could remember, replayed across your mind like a rerun of your favorite show. Which was it again? It felt like so long since you’ve last watched anything. Music was a faraway extravagance, and food?
Fuck, it had been so long since you’ve had anything. Your body, as it was right now, had no cravings for anything; you didn’t feel anything. But ramen sounded so good right now. A bowl from that one local spot a couple blocks from where you lived would be divine. You remember the older couple that owned the place, a sweet couple who always gave you a bit more noodles and a bit more broth whenever you showed up.
I wonder if—
Was that…a sound? Your body was still under complete darkness, but you swear you heard-
More cracks start resounding, and a wave of nausea overcame you then. It felt like your body was being pushed out of this nothingness. It was a rush, a shimmer of light, then you forced your eyes to open.
It was blurry at first. Coming from darkness, the light was too bright for you. You could only hear soft murmurs – there’s people at least – and the swaying of branches.
“Hey, focus on me, alright?” That voice. God, how it sounded so familiar. Your eyes fluttered about, first taking in all that green. When did the city expand its greenery? You let your eyes drift just a few seconds more before you narrow in on the voice.
You could cry really, it felt like it was so long since you’ve seen anyone; heard anyone. And the first voice you hear, the first person you see, it was him.
Those wispy bangs that frame his face almost too perfectly; you were always somewhat jealous that he could have such perfect hair, despite how…whimsical and gravity-defying it was. The air of security and confidence in his stance, like he was on top of the world; and maybe he was.
And his eyes, so clear with determination. Something that had never changed, “Senku.” Your voice was hoarse, a lengthy amount of time of unuse. The smallest glimmer shined in his eyes, not that you noticed as you started searching around, a band of unfamiliar faces peering around him. And that’s when noise filled your ears.
A childhood friend, same as Taiju and Yuzuhira, who all but cried upon seeing you awaken again. Had it really been 3,700 years since you’ve last seen each other? Japan had changed so much, but Senku made sure to keep humanity moving, to breeze through many eras of civilization.
Before you could think about the state of the world or your own mental state, the waft of something familiar filled your senses. There in front of you was a bowl of ramen. “Eat up! Might not be as good as the one back in the day, but we’ll get there soon enough.”
That’s all there was to it. Senku put you to work after finishing that bowl, but you’ve never been happier. He was the same Senku, the same person who always concocted ideas and turned them into reality. In this Stone World, you knew that he would be the guy that can return civilization to what it once was.
“Like a video game. You’re basically getting your stats up and expanding your world so that you can get to the main boss, yeah?”
Chrome and Kohaku looked utterly confused at your words, “Vi-dee-oh? Ga-me?” All the while, Senku only laughed while he stood next to you. Now was a good a time as ever, and handed you a mound of blocks. “Klotski, invented around the 20th century, exact origins are skewed, but mechanics are the same as those apps.”
Your face brightened as you took the blocks from him. You’ve played this game before on your phone, when you had one. While not an actual video game, this was a best second. “And he made more! Senku was so excited to make sure you had something to play with while in this Stone World,” Taiju immediately moved next to you, excitement in his voice as you slowly started moving the pieces, “We gotta show you everything!”
“So this was the recious-pay friend Dear Senku was so worried about, hm? You must be so happy, right Senku?”
He looked at you then. Not analyzing, just looked. Then he turned right back around and started heading towards his lab. “Taiju was right, there’s more games if you want to take a look.” He glanced back at you, his smile eerily wide, “I’ll give them to you if you help me with my experiments heh.”
You immediately scurried after him. You both never did see Gen’s thoughtful face as you caught up to Senku. Hmm, how interesting!
And Senku would never admit it, why would he?
You were his friend around the same time Taiju came into the picture. You loved games; consoles, arcade games, anything you can get your hands on. He hated it. Not you playing any games, never. It was how you’d always make him play—
“Too bad you haven't invented DDR yet. I feel like Kohaku would be strangely good at it.” He handed you some electric wiring and a set of tools and you found yourself shifting some pieces to place.
It was intuitive, just you two. He’d remember all those time you two would be stuck at his home, going along with his experiments. You’d help assemble the pieces, it was easy for you. “It’s basically like Tetris, right? Fit the pieces together and Bam! We got this…whatever you said it was.” Then you’d drag him to the arcades, making him play all those games until the place closed.
But that was years ago. Thousands of years ago. So much has changed.
You breathed a soft hum, “You’ve been busy huh? Rebuilding the whole world like we’re doing a Minecraft speed run?”
The soft chatter continued, mainly you talking and him listening. It was familiar. Like the world wasn’t petrified thousands of years ago. As if you two were back in his room, tinkering with things kids your age didn’t really tinker with.
He would never admit that his shoulders felt just a bit lighter hearing you again, seeing you again. He’d never admit that the drone of your voice lulled him into a comfortable space. Not out loud of course.
With a shake of his head, Senku got up from the seat next to yours. You paid him no mind as you continued tinkering away. He walked to one corner of the lab and picked up a small box.
“Also, you’re gonna have to catch me up with all that’s happened. I’ve missed a couple of years, and I – oh? What’s this?”
With a thud, the box landed in front of you. “Go look inside. Like I said, Taiju wasn’t wrong.”
Your eyes lit up as you started scavenging the box. There were so many wooden games, even games made with sand. “Senku, you did not just figure out how to make the Snake Game in the Stone World. This is amazing!” You took out the little game, unable to wrap your head around how Senku was able to do it, just that it was there. “You didn’t have to make so many, you know. I’d have been happy with just the blocks. Why’d you do it?”
Why?
Senku let out a soft chuckle. “No reason.” His eyes caught yours for a brief moment. Your smile so bright, it could possibly outshine the sun. Games were your lifeline in a way; a way to escape reality for just a little bit. He hated being dragged into playing so many strenuous games. But he enjoyed the moments when you’d come to his house just to show him a game that recently came out. The excitement in your eyes as you explained the mechanics as you quickly clicked ‘Two-Player Mode’, always having him be the first one to share this tidbit of your life with.
His heart may have accelerated just a millisecond quicker, but he’d chalk that up to innovation. That science was advancing thanks to the games he’d spent time making being used – by you.
You shifted in your seat then. Your smile unwavering. “Come sit for a bit then. Have a go at this first.”
And he did.
And you laughed at him for being a novice as his game. But it felt familiar, and he felt just a tad bit lighter because of that.