Chapter Text
3rd Person's POV:
Working on the hardened swallows, the entirety of his focus on them. This was nothing new, to an extent. Senku's projects have always engrossed him, the only difference this time is merely what was being tested. Occasionally, his gaze shifted. The itchiness of his binder is like an ugly Christmas sweater begging to be taken off. It was hot, and his chest tightened, the wind being knocked out of him as if he ran a marathon. Damn, he's been wearing it for too long. He couldn't think for a moment longer. His best friend, Taiju, burst through the door, declaring he would tell his crush that he likes her today.
Of course, Senku couldn't care even one millimeter. Yet, he spoke quietly, his breathing constricted, saying that he'll “cheer [Taiju] on until his vocal cords snap.” Pff, as if.
Senku watches as Taiju goes outside, just about to confess to his soon-to-be-girlfriend, Yuzuriha. At least, that was the plan. Senku looked up, a great green light appearing over the horizon.
It hit him.
He felt his body turning to stone, and saw other bodies around him doing the same.
First thing he could think was; count. Make sure you know the time and date. The season, preferably. I would hope that, if I ever wake up, it would be in spring.
The second thought of his? Well, at least I don't feel the damn binder anymore.
________________________________
1.. 2.. 3.. 4.. 5.. 6.. 7.. 8.. 9.. 10..
117,354,893,870 seconds.
Get up, me. Get up.
1.. 2.. 3..
Crack.
Did he hear that correctly? Come on, get up.
Qrrk.
After a bit, Senku's able to see. A little later, and he can move. He takes notes of his surroundings, and decides to keep track of where he had woken up. That cave must be how I was able to break out of the stone. Now, what day is it?
Some mental math later, he grabs a stone and carves the date in it. April 1st, 5738 AD.
He studies the things around him. Monkeys judging him, lots of wilderness, and the severe lack of humans. He also sees how naked he is.. and the assets that come with it. Despite the fact that he's alone, he feels a wave of dysphoria wash over him. He swiftly grabs vines and leaves, covering himself. He embarks on his journey to get shelter, clothes, and a good enough source of food. Not too long after his treacherous journey of making clothes, he finds Taiju's statue and puts him under the cave.
You better wake up, you big oaf.. please. He wiped his eyes, forcing away the tears prickling his face.
He starts to build, making himself a treehouse in the forest. It's hard, considering he's pretty physically weak.
I can't move these things even 1 millimeter. Shit, these stupid girly arms.
It's lonely, but he knows he'll make it through this.
________________________________
6 months later, he's finally received help in the form of endless stamina; Taiju. He helped collect food, water, and other additional things. When Taiju was finished stomping some berries to make alcohol, the two were done for the day. He and Senku sat around a fire, both exhausted; Senku from staying up two days in a row, trying to figure out revival fluid; and Taiju from the amount of physical work he's been doing non-stop for the last two days. They sat in silence, both of them seemingly in thought. Out of nowhere, Taiju speaks, mouth full of food.
“Y'know, Senku, if we can't find the cure for the stone or whatever, then we could think of something else.. Like following that Adam and Eve story we learned in world religions class!”
Senku choked on his water. He was flabbergasted, and that was clear. He quickly composed himself.
“The one where they made the entire world with just a male and a female? That's 10 billion percent impossible, you big oaf. There'd be a bunch of incest in the world. Which, sure, everyone may be related in some way, but not that close.”
“If everyone's related, then we can try it! Then the world can come back!”
“It's.. it's not just that. There's a few problems. One, there's no way a healthy birth can happen. Two, have you even thought about how we'd have to do that?”
“Oh, right.. I don't think I thought that through.”
“Three, I don't think my mental health could remain intact after going through all of that, even if all the previous things weren't a problem. I hate the way my body looks, remember?”
“You do?!” Taiju yells in surprise. He was confused, and very, very concerned.
“Of course, you big oaf! It comes as part of the package of dysphoria for me. It doesn't work the same for all trans people, but to me, anything I find remotely feminine about myself, like my voice, my body, or my hair, I really don't like. Think as though you have a pair of shoes, but each shoe is on the wrong foot. It's uncomfortable.”
“I remember when I did that while we were on our way to go test a rocket! It sucks!”
Taiju then got up and left, to Senku’s perplexion.
________________________________
Senku noticed that, after the sleep-deprived talk with Taiju about how to.. “fix the world,” Taiju started complimenting him with masculine terms a lot more often. Senku knew what he was doing, but it still gave him a nice feeling inside. Those compliments would happen intermittently, over the course of a long, grueling six months. In that time, they were attempting to figure out revival fluid.
“So basically, you're telling me that there are things even science can't explain.” Taiju said as Senku put yet another statue on the shelf. Their first subject just so happened to be a swallow.
“..Truth is, it never quite stands up to the scientific method. Science is often a slow process.” The smaller man replied. He had faith in it.
Weeks upon weeks later, the two have been taking trial and error to the extreme. Time after time of mess ups and failed experiments. That is, until one faithful day.
“Listen up, big oaf..” Senku started. He started pouring some revival fluid on the petrified bird. “It's not that there are things science can't explain.”
“Lesson one: it's not that there are things science can't explain. Not in the least.”
One crack. Slow, at first. Crack!
“There are rules behind everything that happens.”
Then it becomes quicker. Brk. Crk!
“Science is just the name for the steady, pain in the ass effort that goes into finding out what they are.”
Senku grins as Taiju gasps. There's nothing science can't explain. Not in the slightest.
The stones fall free from the stretching animal. It didn't even waste a moment, soaring into the sky upon being freed, flying high up in the air. It roamed in circles as if in thanks to the two teens.
________________________________
A while later, the two had finally gained enough revival fluid to revive the love of Taiju's life, Yuzuriha. Right before they were about to pour it on her, Taiju yelled something and practically poked Senku's eyes out.
“She's naked! We have to get clothes on her first!”
“The whole world was turned to stone, and it's only us two! No one gives a crap if you're buck naked!”
“We're both boys!” Taiju picks Yuzuriha's statue up as he speaks. “We'll bring her back and revive her there!”
Sigh. Good he sees me as a boy. It's ten billion percent annoying for this, though.
Taiju knows that if Senku truly didn't care, he would've poured the revival fluid on Yuzuriha anyway. He didn't, though. They start walking back towards their temporary home, and Taiju's gripping onto the statue as if his life depends on it. It kind of does. Then, suddenly, a lion lunges in front of them, pinning them to the spot. They try to back up, and see they're caged in by other lions.
Bolt. Senku's subconscious tells him. Which he does, with Taiju following suit. The brunette tosses the statue to the blond, trying to cover him from the lions.
“Just go, Senku! You're the smart one! If you die, we have no chance at saving the world!”
“You idiot! If I'm the brains, then you're the brawn! The world needs both of us to get it up and running again! Don't try to be the hero and run!”
It takes a few moments. Taiju finally relents, and quickly comes up with an idea. He runs towards an individual he saw while picking berries and plants; the Strongest Primate High Schooler, Shishiou Tsukasa. Senku gets what Taiju's saying as soon as he speaks. He quickly uses the revival fluid, and faces towards the lions along with Taiju.
Nothing happens for a moment. There's a silent tension, one that's filled with hope. Despite his atheism, the scientist prays it's actually going to work on a human being.
That's when they hear the crack. Then, they feel a piercing gaze staring at their backs.
“What's the situation?”
A deep voice. One that sends shivers down Senku's spine, and his mind into a frenzy. They just woke up someone who they know is stronger than them. Anything could happen.
Breathe in, breathe out.
“You have lions from your nine o'clock to your two. Do you think you can handle them?”
There is no hesitation in his voice. Not even a hint of nervousness. That is, until the tall man had broken from the stone and lunged at one of the hungry beasts.
Eight and a half damn seconds. Eight and a half seconds for the guy to knock out and kill the terrifying monster. No.. the lion isn't the monster anymore. The one that just killed the king of the jungle, the one currently asking for a knife to continue the circle of life is. He's the beast. The monster. A damn brute. He could snap both Taiju and Senku in half with just his pinkie if he wanted to. Who is he, really? Senku needs to prepare for anything. Don't trust this man. Not even a minute amount, don't trust him. That's what Senku's instincts were telling him. He'd trust his gut and play it safe, but for now, this is who would help them with food. Be cordial, but don't put faith in someone you don't know. It's illogical.