Back at her house, Umeka had kept a calendar. She'd been too young when she first woke up to think about time. To think of the importance of tracking certain aspects of her life but as she got older she realized timing was everything; she needed to know when to plant certain crops, when the bears would be preparing to hibernate, when the deer would be mating. Her calendar had a simple beginning, she marked the days of her cycle when they began and how long they lasted. It had been a start but they were inconsistent, sometimes months between, sometimes ten days, and others two. So instead she began compiling information. She would write down the first frost and the first snow. She'd keep track of the days it rained, when she saw the first young fawn stumbling in the woods, and the constellations moving through the sky. Over the years she was able to form a sort of almanac, based on the seasons and the trends through the years. She hadn't bothered with the months, after all, the constellations were in different seasons now so it stood to reason that the months wouldn't match up anymore.

"Umeka!" Kohaku screamed through the trees.

Umeka blinked free from her thoughts. She'd been perched in a tree, waiting for a deer to pass the clearing. Something that wouldn't happen now that Kohaku's powerful voice was ripping through the leaves.

Umeka turned and looked over her shoulder back to the clearing where the Science lab was, where Kohaku's voice had come from. Before she could move she saw a blur of blue shooting over the branches. Umeka jolted as Kohaku landed, crouched in front of her on the branch.

"Uh...yes?" Umeka sputtered, voice cracking from her long silence.

"I need your help with the battle team training," Kohaku was staring at her, big blue eyes locked on fiercely. She was confident and assertive, not rude but it always made Umeka nervous.

"Right...now?" Umeka blinked, sitting up from where she'd been leaning against the tree trunk.

"Yeah," Kohaku said shortly, reaching to hold Umeka's wrist, "come on."

Umeka sighed shortly, it wasn't like she'd be getting a deer now that Kohaku had leaped through the trees screaming for her. Still, she wasn't excited to go back to the town. There were so many different people. All with different needs, thoughts, personalities. It was hard to keep track of so even though she'd been there for weeks now she tried to avoid it as much as she could. She didn't have long to worry though. Kohaku pulled her to her feet and leaped, hand still grasping around Umeka's wrist, pulling her along as she hopped from tree to tree.

Umeka stumbled after her, barely catching her footing before Kohaku launched off again. By the time they landed in the clearing Umeka felt dizzy and doubled over, bracing her hands on her knees and breathing deeply through her nose.

"Are you all right, Umeka?" Kinro's gentle voice asked somewhere beyond her.

She groaned back.

She felt a hand on her back briefly.

"Ginro!" Kinro shouted as the hand vanished, "Keep your hands to yourself!"

"Whaaat!?" Ginro whined with a false cuteness in his voice, "I was just trying to help!"

Umeka stood back up as Kohaku punched Ginro on the back of his head. She shut her eyes as Ginro moaned about the pain; it would be a long evening.

It wasn't hard to keep Umeka's home clean. It was so high up off the ground even tree-climbing animals didn't come up to rest in it. The worst Tukasa had dealt with so far was a series of bird nests that had been easy enough to relocate outside. He left everything else in its place, as much as he sometimes wanted to look through her things for clues.

Deep down he knew she was with Senku's group. If she'd gone on her own she wouldn't have left so much at the house. Even if she was afraid of him she would have risked a run-in with him and taken something. He frowned, jumping down from the hole in the house floor rather than climbing the ladder, and immediately began his run to their base. He still maintained the secret of her home from the others. He'd brought a few things back, very slowly so it would go unnoticed by the majority of his group. Of course, not everyone he woke was foolish.

As he walked past the guards Hokutozai approached him. He sighed, softly enough she couldn't hear.

"How was your secret hike?" she said, smiling softly as she spoke, hands folding neatly behind her back.

"Secret hike?" he repeated.

She flustered, a blush spreading on her cheeks, "Well you always...you know you go off on your own and don't let anyone come so. Secret hike."

He forced himself to smile, watching how the comfort washed over her, "It was fine. Thanks."

He walked quickly, trying to get past her. Hoping she would assume he had business to attend to.

"Is she-" Hokutozai spoke, her voice catching in her throat, Tsukasa froze but didn't turn around. He felt a heat rise in his stomach. An anger he didn't know he could feel so easily. It felt shameful, a primalness he'd spent learning to control for so long. "Is she out there?"

"No," he said shortly, then he walked faster. A clear sign he didn't want to talk with her any longer. He didn't want to discuss Umeka with any of them. Not until he could get her back.

"So what do you need me to do?" Umeka asked, stomach still tumbling from her trip with Kohaku.

"Shoot at them," Kohaku said shortly.

"Oka-wait what," Umeka blinked, hands moving to knock an arrow without thinking about it.

Ginro jumped behind his brother, "Yeah what are you talking about?!"

Kohaku sighed, folding her arms across her chest, "Look. Realistically they're going to have other weapons, right? We've got the spears and the katanas now, but I'm sure they have something long range too. It would be dumb not to."

Umeka nodded, "I don't remember seeing an archer with them when I was there but...I wasn't looking for one."

"So Umeka is going to help us. She'll shoot at you. You'll deflect it."

Umeka looked at Kinro who tried to hold strong, his mouth pressed into a hard line. His eyebrows, furrowing painfully behind his glasses, made it clear he was worried. She thought that was pretty smart, she'd never shot at a person before but she was certain they wouldn't be able to deflect her shots. Ginro however was now openly sobbing, snot flowing from his nose so fluidly that Umeka felt her stomach turn again.

"You aren't actually going to do it are you, Ume?" Ginro cried, reaching for her.

She took a step back, "Uh well…" she glanced at Kohaku.

Kohaku's expression went flat, grabbing Ginro by his collar and dragging him back, "She's going to. You've gotta learn."

Umeka sighed, turning and pacing away from them.

"Uh...where are you going?" Kinro called.

"Further," Umeka shouted over her shoulder, "The further I am the longer you have to track the arrow and knock it down. And the slower the arrow will be by the time it gets to you."

When she turned Kohaku had taken a place to the side, in the middle of herself and the brothers, "It's more realistic that way too. It's not like their archers are going to be close to you."

Umeka took a deep breath, raising her bow. She wondered if Kohaku would know if she cheated it. She didn't want to aim at the boys, she'd never shot an arrow at a human before. Even the one time she'd tried to threaten Tsukasa she felt like she was going to throw up.

"Oh," Kohaku said suddenly, as though she was reading Umeka's thoughts, "and make sure you really aim for them. They aren't going to learn if they aren't really in danger."

Umeka swallowed dryly, "Isn't that dangerous…?"

"Of course it is but," Kohaku frowned, a small crack in her well-crafted armor, a brief moment where Umeka could sense her concern for her friends, "better to be in a little danger here where they're safe than in the battle with Tsukasa."

Umeka nodded, pulling back on the string, "Kinro. Ready?"

Kinro stiffened, holding his sword out in front of him, "Yes."

She took a deep breath and tracked the outside of his shoulder, hoping if she hit him it would be just a bad scratch. She let the arrow go and heard it whistle through the air. It wobbled awkwardly, poorly launched by the badly repaired bow. She'd have to ask Senku for help again.

Kinro moved so swiftly she could barely track it. By the time she could tell what was going on again Kinro was standing in a lunge, the sword swung forward, and the arrow in pieces at his feet.

"Ah!" she shouted without thinking.

Kohaku huffed in satisfaction, a small proud smile on her face.

"Kinro!" Ginro cried, launching himself onto Kinro's back and hugging him around the neck so hard Kinro choked and grabbed at his brother's arm.

"My arrow!" Umeka cried out, frowning. She looked at Kohaku expectantly. "I didn't think about them breaking them! I can't lose that many arrows for training!"

Kohaku blinked, looking at the arrow and back at Umeka, "Well we can just make more…?"

"I know I can make more but it takes-"

"I said," Kohaku cut her off, smiling gently, " we can make more. We have a storehouse of arrows in the village for hunting. We can replace whatever you lose from there. When you're hunting too. Did no one tell you about them?"

Umeka flushed, feeling stupid for pouting over an arrow so quickly. Her clear embarrassment made Kohaku smile more. A soft comforting smile that was a little surprising on such a tough person's face but no less sincere.

"Have you been making all your own arrows this whole time?" she asked gently.

Umeka pressed her lips together, muttering, "yes."

She looked down, kicking at the dirt. Awkwardly glancing at Kohaku who smiled again when they made eye contact, "Well that's okay. I'm glad you know about them now."

Umeka could feel her ears burning, "Can we keep going?"

"Sure! Ginro!"

Ginro screamed, "wait no Kinro can do it because he's cool don't make me."

Umeka pulled an arrow back, glancing at Kohaku who nodded solemnly, "Sorry, Ginro!"

The arrow ripped through the air, catching an airstream and spinning faster at its screaming blond target who ducked to the ground instead of deflecting it with his blade. The arrow continued until it buried itself in a tree. Ginro turned to see it, pointed, and screamed, "That could be me!"

"YES!" Kohaku and Kinro screamed back at him.

"It could be if you don't learn to block it!" Kohaku yelled, rushing at him and punching him again.

Umeka knocked another arrow. As Ginro and Kohaku argued she locked eyes with Kinro. She glanced at Ginro, then back to Kinro. Then glanced between them again. Kinro nodded solemnly and she let the arrow go.

Ginro's body moved on instinct, flicking his wrist out as his sword sliced through the air deflecting the arrow into the dirt in front of his brother's feet. He took a hard breath and looked between the arrow and her, "HEY!"

She glanced away, pursing her lips out. Kohaku laughed, "See! You can do it!"

Ginro cried once more. Somehow still having tears to shed, "You're all so mean!"

Umeka smiled, listening to Kinro and Kohaku laugh. They spent the rest of their afternoon practicing until all of her arrows were broken over the field, "I can go to the storehouse and get more if that would help?"

Kohaku smiled, "Sure, it's to the right by the other bridge. If you can't find it, ask anyone."

Umeka nodded, dropping her bow to the dirt and she hurried off.

"I don't understand what I'm looking at, Senku," Kaseki frowned at him. Glancing at the wood on the ground in front of him.

"Heh," Senku smirked, "It is weird, isn't it?"

"Well yeah! Why would you tie two bows together facing each other?!"

Senku grinned, looking back over his plans, it had been a few days of math but he was sure he'd gotten it right. Or at least, he'd gotten the math close enough that Kaseki's craftsmanship can get it the rest of the way, "It's a type of bow called a cable-back bow. This particular design is based on the Penobscot bow. The Penobscots were a tribe of Native Americans. It came about around 1900, the original crossbow which...means nothing to you but. The smaller bow on the front braces the chord making it so the string only gains three pounds per inch of draw without any hand shock where the arrow is loosed."

Kaseki blinked up at him.

"She can shoot better just from these small changes to the design. I'd bet someone like Umeka could triple her haul from hunting," Senku nodded, "These bows are also famous for shooting some crazy arrows, as long as the shooter's arms. It's an insane upgrade for her."

"Well!" Kaseki clapped his hands, "I don't really understand but maybe I will when it's done. If it'll keep her from getting her arm cut then it's worth it!"

Senku smirked and turned back to his paperwork while Kaseki set to work. He'd tried to get Umeka to wait. He wanted to give her the new bow before she went out hunting again. Her wound was healing well and in all honesty, it probably wasn't that bad in the first place but it was still unnerving. She'd stayed in for a few days, admitting that her arm did hurt too bad to pull back the bow for any extended period of time. This morning though she'd shaken him awake before the sun had even cracked over the horizon whispering that she needed to go hunting but wanted his help to repair the bowstring. He'd tried to convince her to wait, though he didn't want to admit his plans for her new bow. She'd seemed fidgety and nervous and it was clear his help or not she was going out and hunting.

He wondered when she was going to come back, pausing to glance around the clearing in case she'd slipped up without him noticing. She'd been doing better in general. For all his annoying comments she seemed comfortable with Gen and often at night when they all ate dinner she found her way to his side or otherwise receded to where the dogs stayed under the observatory claiming she had to go and feed them. She'd gotten friendly with the old couple but beyond them, she seemed nervous around the villagers. He didn't want to force anything so he didn't even allow himself to comment on her slow adjustment. It wasn't any of his business anyway. He wouldn't have drawn up the plans for the bow if it wouldn't serve them all. A more advanced weapon would be better for hunting and the worst-case scenario of the coming conflict with Tsukasa.

"Uh, Senku?"

Senku blinked, looking down at Kaseki and the now beautifully finished bow. A grin broke across Senku's face, "You sure are fast for an old man!"

"Ha!" Kaseki laughed, though it was gruff and harsh, annoyed at having it pointed out but knowing he was indeed old, "Is this what you wanted?"

"Yeah, it's perfect now, here," he tossed another paper to Kaseki, "Take this, she'll need some better arrows for this too." Then he turned and hurried off toward the village.

"Wait where are you going?"

"Well we need Umeka if we're going to test your work, don't we gramps?"

"Feh!" Kaseki shouted after him and Senku scanned the faces that he passed on his way into the village.

Every village clearing was full of children and the elderly spinning baskets and baskets of gold. It reminded Umeka of a fairytale. Like the town had to make a beautiful rope for a king. Even though it was overcast the gold glittered beautifully as she walked by, carefully picking her footing over the thin threads.

Despite the beauty and the complete absurdity of the amount of gold, they had no one looked happy. Instead, they grumbled, twisting their fingers across the threads.

"Hey!" A little boy shouted, yanking the threads back from a girl beside him and making her gasp as the metal slid through her fingers.

"Ow! That hurt!" she yelled at him, raising a hand to smack him on the arm.

"Wait!" Suika yelled out, holding her hands up to them both, "I know it's hard but we've gotta keep working! Senku is relying on us…!"

"But it's hard!"

"Yeah! My fingers hurt!"

Suika hung her head, "Well...I know...but…"

"Have you guys ever heard of a work song?" Umeka spoke before she could catch herself. The whole group turned to look at her. She flushed, feet stumbling back without thought, "Uhm...sorry...for listening in I-"

"What's a…'song'?" The little boy asked eyebrow arched suspiciously.

She felt her jaw fall open in shock. She couldn't believe they hadn't come up with music in all their time since the Green Light. Then again, they didn't seem to have any art, beyond the beautiful weapons like Kohaku's old shield. Even their clothing was simple, with rough edges and a narrow color pallet. She took a deep breath.

"Uh...have you ever like uh…" she blinked, then she whistled a little tune. The first one that occurred to her; the theme from Pokemon.

Now the group gapped at her, "You can make that noise! Like a bird!"

She smiled softly, "Well everyone can do that, you just have to learn but...like a bird! Yeah! Bird's sing! And their songs tell other birds different things! A work song is like that. It helps pass the time and keep everyone on track so you don't snatch things or hurt each other. It might help with tedious work."

The kids seemed to vibrate with excitement. Overjoyed at the idea of anything that would lessen the burden of their work. Umeka turned, looking around. She spotted a jar by a doorway and wandered over. It was empty so she picked it up and carried it to the center of the circle. She plopped down, setting the jar between her legs, mouth down, she patted on the pot, satisfied with the hollow thunk that echoed inside.

She glanced around at the eager faces watching her, then shut her eyes and took a deep breath, patting on the drum, "So I'll play this," she said, tapping out the simple rhythm, and sing a line. And every time I finish I want you...to say 'yes, yes,' okay? I can teach you more once we have that, okay?"

She heard echoes of yes, and she began playing the old Soran song her grandfather traveled to Hokkaido to learn. She shut her eyes, ignoring the boring stares of the villagers. The jar didn't make for a very beautiful sounding drum, and her voice trembled nervously knowing she was being so closely observed but for a moment, with her eyes shut as she played she could almost feel her grandfather's over hers as he taught her the song when she was small and in her shaking voice she heard her mother and her grandmother singing along with the voices of the villagers all around her.