Senku and the team were hard at work, trying to figure out a way to successfully infiltrate Tsukasa's Empire. And without spilling any blood.
"There has to be something big enough to scare them," Kohaku spoke aloud.
Before another word could be spoken by anyone else, Suika popped up in the middle of the group. She looked worried and out of breath. "It's Chrome, you guys! He's alive!" In her arms, she held Yae's hawk, whose leg was injured.
"You saw him?" Kohaku was relieved.
"You went on another dangerous mission?" Kaseki said.
However, the former chief was pleased to hear the news, quickly forgetting that a young girl spying on the enemy by herself isn't safe. "Well done, Suika!" He took Yae's hawk from her arms. "I'm surprised this little guy managed to make it out."
"I saw him in the woods on my way back." Suika explained. "The place is full of guards, though." She sucked in a deep breath, trying steady beating heart.
"Thanks, Suika. I'll be sure to take him home to rest and heal."
Magma's voice roared. "We can take 'em! All we have to do is bash their heads in!" He laughed.
Ginro gulped. "Sounds like a recipe for disaster."
"And another thing." Suika quickly pointed out. "They have Yae, too!" Everyone looked to Senku, but the calm and collected scientist remained calm.
"Yae will be alright. Tsukasa would be stupid to hurt even a single strand of hair on her head. Our Yae is smart and dependable. I'm sure she has a plan of her own." He crossed his arms and shook his head, a smirk tugging at his lips. "I don't know about bashing heads, but a head-on approach doesn't seem like a bad idea." The others gaped at him. "We'll use our giant mecha to smash right into them."
Kaseki took a confident step forward. "Does that mean..."
Senku turned to him. "That's right. We're going to upgrade our steam gorilla into a full-blown tank!"

Asagiri Gen's brow twitched. "And just how exactly will you be making this?"
"We'll give our tank armor plaiting, making it capable smashing the enemy away."
"Will you cover it with iron then?" The lioness asked.
"No way. That'd make it way too heavy. It needs to be able to move at ramming speed."
Asagiri Gen nodded in agreement. "Exactly. So what will we be using?"
Senku looked at him and said, "Kami!"
While leaving everyone else confused, the mentalist should have known better. "Right. Of course. Paper." He paused. "HUUUH? PAPER?"

With some help from the other villagers, supplies were quickly gathered to make their new and improved giant mecha.
Ruri handed Senku a bundle of plants. "Are you sure all of this will work? All these plants?"
He nodded to the young priestess. "Just about any. We'll even take this bundle of grass."
"And then what?" She asked, curious.
Senku was more than happy to explain. "We boil them in sodium hydroxide."
"And then what, Senku?" Suika stood on her tip-toes and looked down at the boiling plants.
"Then we rinse it, press it, and dry it."

Within an hour, Senku and his Kingdom of science had their stacks and rows of paper.
Asagiri Gen quickly snatched one. "Oh, wow! Just like the real thing. I never knew it was so easy."
Kaseki huffed. "A shame we wasted all those pelts, though." His words went unheard when Magma jammed his fist through a sheet of paper. "How is this flimsy junk going to do us any good?" He was obviously annoyed.
Kohaku also shared her concerns. "I have to agree, Senku. How is this going to help fortify our car?"
"No doubting just yet." Senku grabbed some paper and a few other pieces of material and got to work.
"Are you making a Japanese paper door?" Asagiri Gen leaned over to watch the scientist get to work.
"Ten billion percent correct!" He stood from his crouched position and raised his creation. "And done! Paper shield acquired!"

Kinro was standing off to the side, assorting the weapons they would use against Tsukasa.
"Hey, Kinro, come over for a sec."
"Hmm?" He pushed up his glasses and walked steadily over. "What do you need?"
Senku pointed over at a tree. "Try putting a dent in that tree with your spear."
He shrugged. "Okay." Kinro was more than happy to comply and cut a large chunk of the tree off. "You may not be aware of this, Senku. But a spear wielder can pierce even through wooden shields. "I can't imagine your paper shields putting up much a fight against Tsukasa and his Empire."
Even Ginro made it a point to put his two senses in. "I have to agree with big bro."
Senku chuckled. "This will make for a perfect test, then. Are you ready?" He asked Kinro.
"Ready for what?"
"I want you to hit me with everything you've got."
"This is risky, Senku."
"It's not a real test unless you give it our all. Okay? Those are the rules, and rules are rules, right?"
Kinro steadied himself into a fighting position. "If you insist. I won't hold back!" He definitely gave it his all, putting a giant dent in the shield and shattering his spear.

The others gaped in surprise. Shocked that Senku was still standing, not to mention, still breathing.
"What?" Asagiri Gen shrieked. "How did a mere paper screen..." He was at a loss for words.
"Hold up." Said Kohaku. "It appears our winner isn't capable of answering."
"He's shaking." Said Suika.
"I blocked the stab but not the impact." Ginro was no stranger to his brother's blows.
"That wasn't just ordinary paste you brushed over the shield, is it?" The mentalist had an idea of where this was going.
Hearing this made Senku laugh. "Bingo! Ten billion points! I used unhardened plastic. From back when we made phones."
"So, in other words..." Asagiri Gen was putting all the pieces together.
"Combining thin, flexible paper with this plastic, yields the rebirth of carbon fiber reinforced polymers!"
"Carbon!" Asagiri Gen flipped. No one else may have known, but the mentalist wasn't completely clueless.

The young scientist seemed stupidly satisfied with his more-than-easy creation. "That's right. It's lightweight but tough as heck. Top grade in both mobility and defense. This ultimate material was used for formula one racers and even rocket ships!"
Kohaku took up Senku's shield and gave it a pleasing look. "This could really work then. A tank armored with those shields. We could smash right in and save Chrome!"

Yae wandered the grounds of Tsukasa's Empire. The tough and gruff men and women she was surrounded by did not remind her of the pure and kind-hearted souls Tsukasa spoke of reviving. Quite the opposite.
A loud crack came from over where Chrome was held captive, and she rushed over. The ground beneath the two guards gave way, but other than that, Chrome was left unharmed. Yae looked at her feet. Traps. She thought. I better be careful where I walk from here on out.
She walked by the guards who were still recovering from their near death, and knelt before Chrome, her fingers wrapping around the wooden bars.
"Are you holding up, Chrome?" Yae asked.
"I'm fine. Don't worry about me. How are you doing?"
Yae shook her head. "I'm the one running around freely. You don't have to concern yourself with how I'm doing." She spoke quietly.
Chrome gripped the wooden bars and leaned in. "There are traps everywhere. Be careful!"
She nodded. "I gathered that. Thank you, though. I'll try to find a way to free us both. I'm going to talk with Tsukasa again."
"Don't bother. That guy is a maniac."

This time Yae hung her head. A pang of deep guilt clenching her chest. Chrome had no idea who Tsukasa was to her. Or what he has done to try and protect her in the past. "Chrome," she began. "I know Tsukasa. He won't hurt me. Or you. If he's smart, he won't. I bet you anything he wants us to comply with him."
Chrome snorted. "Fat chance in that ever happening."
Yae smiled a little. Her friend was right. "Chrome, I know you have a plan swirling around inside your head right now about a means of escape. I do too. If we don't lose our shit, I believe we can get through this."
Chrome smirked. "Keeping a level head is something I'm good at. I'm a scientist, after all!"
Yae laughed. "You're right." She stood, brushing the dirt off her knees. "I'll see you again as soon as I can." Chrome nodded and watched her leave.

While on her way to see Tsukasa, a voice said. "And who might you be, Dear?" A slightly older blonde female called out to Yae from above. She was resting in a den filled with furs. Yae said nothing. The blonde sighed and rolled over on to her back, looking up at the sky. "It's not so bad here. The men do all the hard work, and us woman—most of us—do the simple things, like cooking or cleaning. Or if you're like me, you sit around most of the time. Observing is what I do best." She craned her neck to look at Yae.

It took a moment, but Yae soon realized who this woman was. "Are you Hokutozai Minami? You were a reporter."
The blonde was pleasantly surprised and flipped back over on her belly. She raised herself to her hands and knees and peered down at Yae. "You're from the old world! Where are your markings?"
Yae dodged the question. That was private. And now that that was on her mind, she thought back to that day Senku "examined" her. She hadn't yet remembered who she was. "I remember seeing you on the television, that's all."
"And wasn't I great?" Minami smiled big.

Yae slowly tore her gaze away from the once reporter and made her way to Tsukasa's throne. There he was speaking with Hyoga.
"Coal is simple enough to obtain. Even if it is of low quality." Tsukasa said. "Gunpowder is the biggest scientific threat. But after that, we should try and be wary of them coming after us with steam-powered vehicles." Tsukasa glanced over Hyoga's shoulder to look at Yae.
"Steam engines?" Hyoga almost laughed. "In the stone world?"
Yae stood next to Hyoga. The top of her head barely reached his shoulder, but his height didn't intimidate her. "Senku is a master of creation. With science on his side, there is little he can't make." She shot Hyoga a dirty glance.
Tsukasa grinned. "Yae is right. Sooner or later, yes. If I know Senku, he can do it."
"Hmm. Yes, of course." Hyoga managed. With Yae standing there, there was little he could say. And he doubted Tsukasa would take kindly to throwing her out by force. His goal was to win her over. So no matter how much he wanted to throw her in a cage, he followed Tsukasa's orders. You two are nothing but bait! He thought.
"You may leave us, Hyoga. I wish to speak with Yae alone."
"Alright," Hyoga clenched his jaw tight, obviously annoyed at her presence. But he left, obeying Tsukasa's orders like a good little soldier.

A moment passed before a word was spoken.
"Senku's sentimentality is his greatest flaw. Surely you know this?" He said to Yae.
She nodded once. "But he is also very cunning and will work his way around your cruel intentions."
"Cruel?" Tsukasa chuckled. "You think I am cruel?"
"And stupid." She added.
"Bold words for someone surrounded by enemies."
"Are you my enemy, Tsukasa?"
The leader of the Empire cocked his head to the side, wondering what she meant by that. "Can I confide in you about something?" Yae stayed silent. "You're one of the few people I trust. Hyoga is hungry for blood. I want my Empire to grow. And those with me want the same. I want peace just as much as you and Senku, but reviving everyone is a mistake. Do you really want those vile people to return to this pure world? It was corrupted, before all this."
Yae crossed her arms. "Are those mean and scary looking men standing outside are what you call pure." She scoffed. "Give me a fucking break!"
"They are necessary for the cause."

Yae took a step forward. Every muscle in her body was tense for what she was about to say next. "Can I also confide in you about something?" She didn't wait. "I love Senku. He is my partner in life. And if you hurt him, I will never forgive you!"
Tsukasa clenched his fists. "You have slept with, then?"
Yae nodded. "As I said, he is my partner."
Tsukasa fought the urge to sink into his throne. He remained strong and kept his outer appearance calm and collected, even though he was burning up on the inside. "Need I remind you that the strong survive."
Yae raised one brow and furrowed the other. "What the hell does that mean? You also have to be smart. Brains and brawn's have to work together." She thought of Taiju and Senku and how great of a team they made. "Sooner or later, you will realize your mistake. I came here hoping to talk some sense into you."
"Funny," said Tsukasa. "I was hoping for the same."
Yae turned her back on him. "I'm not angry with you, Tsukasa. I'm disappointed." And she left him there to sit on his throne alone, her words fueling his ambitions.

Author's Note:
Hmm. What to say. My writing has been on hiatus at the moment. I'm working on other projects. I'm not even writing in my original stories (besides taking notes). I hope all of you are doing well. And thanks to everyone who has left a review thus far. It means a lot to me!