Senku would have much preferred a bloodless resolution. Victory wasn't certain in these conditions. He was a scientist, not a tactician.

But potentially losing Kohaku wasn't an option. Senku wasn't willing to surrender a single one of his precious friends. He'd have to trust in their abilities to pull this battle to victory.

And he still had the poison dart. Merely getting Tsukasa alone out of the battle could turn the tides in their favor. As the giant surged forward with the rest of his warriors, Senku took aim with his hollow reed and shot.

The short distance left him confident and his dart did fly true.

But just as Tsukasa had with the crossbow bolt all those months ago, he snatched the dart out of the air.

Ah, right.

Idiot.

Kinrou and Ginrou leaped in front of Senku, brandishing their spears. But if Kohaku couldn't defeat Tsukasa, even Kinrou and Ginrou together didn't stand much of a chance.

"Ukyo, wasn't it?" Senku asked, stepping backward, "If you are on our side after all, I think now is a good time to start shooting!"

Ukyo already had an arrow prepared and was aiming at Tsukasa.

"I – I don't want to kill him," Ukyo said.

"Then aim for his legs!" Kinrou shouted.

Ukyo nodded and fired. As before, Tsukasa's speed was so great he avoided the arrow, but Ukyo was no ordinary man himself. Quick as he could breathe, he drew another arrow from his quiver and shot again, then a third.

By that time, Tsukasa had reached the two spear men and engaged them.

But he had a nasty leg wound to show for it, the hot red blood steaming in the cold air. Tsukasa didn't pause to pull the arrow out of his thigh. Senku wondered if it would even slow him down. Ukyo was taking aim for another shot around Kinrou and Ginrou, clearly confident he wouldn't hit them. But even all three together didn't mean certain victory.

"Well, I think it's about time we make like leaves and get the hell out of here," Gen said, grabbing Senku by his sleeve and pulling hard.

"Right," Senku said, "If the others have to focus on protecting us, they won't be able to fight their best."

"Definitely what I was worried about too, Senku," Gen replied sarcastically, "Now come on!"

–

Tsukasa saw the two fleeing the battlefield before his troops could reach them.

"Homura!" He shouted.

She'd know what he meant.

The acrobat was far more lithe than he was and slipped between the enemy lines easily. These weeks of spying had trained her tracking well, too. She wouldn't lose them.

"Homura!" Hyoga shouted before she could take off into the woods.

A slick trail of red blood marred the fur neckline of Hyoga's cloak. He'd been injured in their previous battle.

Homura looked back at him. She looked to the forest, where Gen and Senku were still visible retreating. Then back to her soul-mate.

Her decision was obvious, even before she sprinted back into the battle.

Damn it!

Tsukasa wanted to scream, but he couldn't truly fault her. Anyone would protect their own soul-mate over working for someone else's.

Then Tsukasa would need to end this little fight quickly.

The black-haired spear man was the greater threat of the two in front of him. He'd need dispatched first. Tsukasa didn't have time to fight carefully. He threw himself forward, trusting in his own body to shrug off any injuries the blond spear man or Ukyo could inflict.

Ukyo, the traitor, was a coward as well. He wouldn't aim anywhere that was imminently likely to end Tsukasa's life.

Kinrou nearly collapsed under the onslaught. Tsukasa was ridiculously quick and had the strength to back up his moves.

The shining spear head he'd been gifted to give him courage fell heavily into the grasses as Tsukasa's own spear sliced through the rope holding it together.

No matter. Kinrou would fight with the stick as a blunt weapon.

Ginrou could be cowardly, but he loved his brother.

Fear for Kinrou's life drove him forward, closer, in frenzy, stabbing at Tsukasa's arms and connecting.

Ukyo had let off another shot – with Tsukasa's focus completely on Kinrou, he hadn't been able to dodge it. It sunk into the back of his calf.

But it would take an army to stop Tsukasa.

He'd gotten through the black-haired spear man's defenses and pierced him through the gut. The other fell quickly the same way.

"No!" Ukyo shouted.

Tsukasa didn't even bother with him. He'd stay to tend to the two injured. That was why Tsukasa hadn't gone ahead and killed them. The battle still raged around him, but no one stepped up to stop Tsukasa, too involved in their own fights.

Senku and Gen were long since gone.

But where would they head to? The village, to set up a last stand? They might simply hide in the forest and Tsukasa doubted he'd find them if they did.

But Senku wouldn't do that. The outcome of this battle was uncertain. To Senku, leaving it the way it was would be the same as abandoning his friends.

So... that was it.

They'd be going back to the miracle cave in order to use the nitric acid to make gunpowder. It was beyond doubting.

Senku, Tsukasa smiled to himself, you can be very smart and very stupid.

–

"Why – please tell me – are we going back to the Tsukasa Empire?" Gen shouted.

Of all the people to be his soul-mate, why did it have to be you?

"We're going to make gunpowder and turn the tide of the battle in our favor!" Senku shouted back, a grin breaking his face ear to ear.

"Gunpowder?" Gen asked, "I know you're some kind of genius scientist, but how are we going to make gunpowder?"

"I've got the other ingredients prepared," Senku said, "We just need the nitric acid – what Tsukasa was calling miracle fluid. There's only one place we can get that right now – the cave of miracles."

"Why not just run?" Gen asked, "You know, away?"

Senku shook his head, "The enemy base is completely deserted. We won't encounter anyone."

"This is still idiotic!" Gen shouted.

"Then I'm afraid you don't know me very well yet," Senku said, smirking.

Unbearable. Gen's soul-mate was unbearable!

They ran out of breath soon and had to slow down. It didn't seem anyone was following them, so they had time for a quick breath. Both were in terrible shape, bending over and holding their knees.

"I am Senku Ishigami," Senku said through heavy breathing, "I've got all of human history's scientific achievements stored here in my brain. Together with everyone else in the Kingdom of Science, we're going to revive the whole world."

"You're certainly ambitious, I'll give you that," Gen said, "But completely mad."

Senku smiled at him, "You must be twice as mad, then."

"Being your soul-mate?" Gen huffed, "Yeah, I guess I am.."

Senku laughed.

It had a feverishness in its sound that, for some reason, Gen liked quite a lot.

"Hey," Gen said, moving close to him as Senku straightened his posture.

"Yeah?" Senku asked, turning to face him.

Quick and quietly, Gen pressed his lips against Senku's.

It was silent. For a moment, there wasn't even the sound of breathing. Then a slight rustle of moving fabric. And the movement of soft lips. The faintest touch of a hand against the back of his neck, feather light. And then Senku couldn't hold his breath any more.

Sweetness. There wasn't a taste, really. It was only a feeling. Yet it reminded Senku of the cotton candy they'd made to perfect the wire-spinning machine. Playful and light in that same way.

Gen smirked, copying Senku's favorite expression.

Everything had been pure madness since breaking out of the stone. But if nothing else, Senku looked like he'd be a lot of fun to mess with.

Gen turned and resumed moving ahead, towards Tsukasa's Empire and the cave of miracles.

"Hey," Senku called.

But there wasn't really time for that. Senku hurried after him.

–

Kohaku staggered to her feet. Chrome had wrapped her injuries well. He was getting good at this. If he hadn't been so focused on science, her sister's soul-mate might have made a good medicine man.

"Kohaku," Chrome warned, "You're still injured! They don't go away just because you stop the bleeding!"

"I can still fight," She said.

And she proved it, slashing down the nearest enemy soldier. The villager he'd been engaging with gave her a grateful look and moved on to another fight.

Tsukasa was gone. He was chasing after Gen and Senku, most likely. Tsukasa had been the greatest threat by far. The battle wasn't won yet, but Kohaku knew she could get them there.

"Kinrou, Ginrou!" She shouted at them, "Get up! We've got work to do!"

–

"What use is gunpowder going to be, anyway?" Gen asked, "Are you making a bomb?"

"Not quite," Senku said, "I'm re-purposing my hollow reed from earlier. It'll only work once before cracking, but I can use it as a kind of primitive cannon."

"A gun," Gen said, understanding.

Impressive.

"More or less," Senku said, "The gunpowder will propel the ammunition fast enough even Tsukasa won't be able to catch or dodge it."

"What are you firing?" Gen asked.

"Well..." Senku said, picking his ear, "Haven't figured that part out yet. See if you can find any stones around here, about this big?"

Senku held up the end of the reed he was working on.

God, he was so annoying, Gen thought. If only there had been time to thread his fingers through Senku's hair.

–

Kohaku, Kinrou, and Ginrou returning to battle was enough. They'd won. Tsukasa's army was completely defeated. Few had even had a chance to flee and the rest were being rounded up as prisoners.

How they were supposed to feed this many mouths all winter was anyone's guess... but Kohaku would let Senku figure that out.

"We won," Chrome said, amazed, "A total victory. Too much for Tsukasa's army to rise again. This is a complete victory! It's totally bad!"

"You sure like that word," Ginrou muttered.

"If this is a total victory," Kohaku asked, "Then where the hell is Senku?"

Ah, thought the rest.

Crap.

–

The three stood in a triangle, staring each other down, the distance just great enough for the gun to go off before Tsukasa could reach them.

"It'll go straight through you," Senku said, holding the modified reed over his shoulder, as if it were an RPG launcher. There would be blow back out the back end, so he didn't want it against himself.

"Finally going to kill me, then?" Tsukasa asked.

"Well," Gen said, "We can't be sure you'll die, just from one little old gunshot."

"Can't be sure I won't die, either," Tsukasa said.

He was covered in blood. He'd removed the arrows, but hadn't patched his wounds or even stopped the bleeding. Slashes and stab wound on his arm and shoulders were so numerous that blood dripped down off his fingers, forming a puddle in the dry dirt.

He was a truly terrifying visage, looking like something out of a horror story. If he took too much more punishment, he really would die. It was incredible he'd run all this way in the state he was in. Two fights with Kohaku, the village's best warrior, then a three-on-one with Kinrou, Ginrou, and Ukyo. Tsukasa was hardly a normal man. He was almost more like a monster.

Senku breathed out. He thought. It was all he ever did, really.

The time for making deals was passed. Tsukasa clearly wasn't interested in any of that anymore.

This wasn't just about Senku. It was about everyone. About the future of science. And Gen, whom he'd hardly gotten to know, stood by his side.

In truth, this was something Senku had decided long ago. If it ever truly came down to it and Tsukasa wouldn't give up on his version of the future...

Senku would kill him.

Please, Tsukasa. There wasn't another way anymore. So Senku thought, as he always did. Please.

Tsukasa took one step forward.

Swiftly, Senku lit the shot. Tsukasa leaped forward in response, straight into the bullet. Maybe he thought he could reach Senku before it went off. The shot hit instantly, striking Tsukasa in the chest and pushing right through him.

Senku could feel a splinter in his neck from the broken reed.

Tsukasa fell down on his face. He hadn't even been able to brace himself with his arms. It wasn't a pleasant image.

"This doesn't feel like victory," Senku said sadly.

Gen walked closer, examining Tsukasa's body laying flat and perfectly still in the dirt.

"You had to do it," Gen said, his voice softly reassuring, "There wasn't any other -"

"Gen!" Senku shouted.

Tsukasa wasn't dead. He'd held onto the poison-tipped dart all this time and had dug it into Gen's calf when Gen walked close enough.

Senku grabbed Gen's shoulders and hauled him back, the two falling over.

"Hold still," Senku said, ripping out the dart immediately.

Senku spat on a piece of cloth and started furiously scraping the wound.

"We need to get as much of it out as we can," Senku said, "You're light weight, Gen. The planned dosage is for Tsukasa's brutes – damn it!"

"...will I live?" Gen asked.

"Yes," Senku said, "I wouldn't risk a dosage high enough to kill even a child. But this is going to hurt. Bad, really bad, Gen."

"Nightshade, isn't it," Gen said, "I know... because its my favorite flower."

Only a minute passed. Gen's leg twitched uncontrollably.

"I can... definitely feel it," Gen said, laughing nervously, "You're lucky we haven't connected yet, Senku, or you might be feeling this too."

Senku kept working on cleaning the wound. He'd gotten most of it, but the darts were long. They pierced deep into the skin. He couldn't get every bit of poison out without ripping up Gen's leg.

Why'd he have to make them so well? Why'd he have to fire at Tsukasa, who could even grab a crossbow bolt out of midair? How had Senku been so stupid? Damn it!

"Senku," Gen shouted, eyes wide, "Tsukasa – he's -"

Senku could feel the shadow falling over him, hear Tsukasa standing slowly.

"Are you even human?" Senku asked quietly, turning around.

Tsukasa was holding a hand over the wound in his chest. Blood was pouring out between his fingers and even leaking through Tsukasa's lips. The shot must have pierced a lung. That he could have enough to blood in his body to still remain conscious. Enough determination to keep moving through what must be agony.

Senku rushed to his feet, crouching next to Gen and lifting the mentalist's arm over his shoulder. But Gen already couldn't walk and was starting to convulse. Senku dragged his soul-mate backwards, away from the looming mass that was Tsukasa. But Tsukasa walked forward.

"Do you know what drives me, Senku?" Tsukasa asked, his voice serene.

"Anger?" Senku asked, "Maybe something primal, like instinct."

He was trying to buy time.

Tsukasa shook his head.

"No," He said, "It's you, Senku. I've loved you since we first met. Before I even got to know you, before I realized your traits fit my tattoo perfectly. You're my foil. My opposite, in so many way. But in so many ways, we're the same, Senku."

"We're not similar in the slightest," Senku said, struggling more and more with Gen, whose uncontrollable shaking was become more and more difficult to drag.

"Neither of us," Tsukasa said, "Ever give up when we should. I keep underestimating you, again and again. But you won't win. Because you make the same mistake, Senku."

Tsukasa's foot snagged on the uneven ground as he stepped forward, falling onto Senku. His reaction times were clearly slowed, but he knocked Senku flat all the same. Gen lost consciousness, his convulsions stopping for the moment. Thank goodness, thought Senku. He didn't want Gen to feel the Belladonna's effects one more moment.

"You've left a trail of hurt," Tsukasa said, propping himself up over Senku, the weight of him heavy on Senku's chest,

"So many hurt people, all to get away from me. Your village friends might well be dead by now."

Senku swallowed heavily.

"Doubt it," He said, "Those idiots don't go down easy either."

Tsukasa laughed, spraying blood over Senku's face. Senku winced.

"We could have been so great together," Tsukasa said, "We would have ruled this Stone World. We still can."

"I'd never abandon science," Senku said, "Give up, because you've lost."

Tsukasa laughed again, as if it were the funniest thing he'd ever heard. It was a wild laughter that seemed unfitting for someone so stoic.

"Here you are, cowering underneath me, and you still think you've won!"

Tsukasa threaded his blood-covered fingers through Senku's hair and made a fist. It hurt.

"That hurts," He said out loud, remembering their conversation all those months ago, outside of Tsukasa's lean-to.

"Stay still then," Tsukasa said.

He leaned down and kissed Senku. The second kiss Senku had in his life. It wasn't the sweet softness, the coy playfulness from Gen.

It was hungry and aggressive. It was cruel. A foul, metallic bloody bitterness filled his mouth. Senku tried to turn his head away from it, but Tsukasa's fist held him tightly. He pushed against Tsukasa's chest with his hands, but Tsukasa didn't move an inch. He was so heavy, Senku doubted he could have moved him if Tsukasa had been unconscious.

There was no winning in an honest battle, so Senku needed to fight a dishonest one. He reached up to Tsukasa's face, feeling over it until he found Tsukasa's eyes. Then he pressed his thumbs into them as hard as he could.

Tsukasa broke the kiss, yelping in pain, leaning far back to get away from Senku's fingers. Senku immediately started trying to pull his body free from Tsukasa's weight, pushing backwards against the ground.

But Tsukasa wasn't harmed, only annoyed and moved faster than Senku could. He grabbed Senku's hands and lifted them together, pinning them against the ground above Senku's head.

His blood-covered hands shouldn't be allowed to touch the zero mark on Senku's wrist.

Tsukasa only needed one hand to pin down both of Senku's. He threaded the other into Senku's hair, as before, to hold his head still.

"I need you to understand me," Tsukasa said, "To connect with me. Then you'll get it, Senku. About... everything..."

Tsukasa shuddered suddenly, then his hands released Senku all at once and he fell heavily to the side.

Gen had regained consciousness. His body still shaking, his hands hardly working at all, he'd searched the grass for the dart.

Some poison still remained on its tip, embedded into the curved grooves used to carry it.

Gen could hardly force his fingers closed around it. The poison was still working through him.

Who would have thought that having a soul-mate could be so much trouble? Gen stabbed the dart into the back of Tsukasa's neck, pushing into it with all his weight. His full force attack was enough to knock Tsukasa off of Senku.

"You..." Tsukasa said, looking up from the grass, staring at Gen through narrowed eyes.

"Gen!" Senku shouted.

Gen fell to his knees. It had taken nearly all the effort his had in his body to fight through the poison for that one attack. It hurt every muscle in his body.

But it was enough. Tsukasa lifted his head from the ground for only a moment, then let it fall again. The injuries, the blood loss, the exhaustion, the poison. All together, they had finally worked to suppress Tsukasa's indomitable spirit.

"Senku! Gen!" Someone shouted.

Then a lot of someones. The kingdom of science had arrived. Tsukasa hadn't lied about the injuries. There was hardly a person among them not covered in wounds and hasty bandaging.

"Is he dead?" Kohaku asked.

"I haven't the slightest," Senku said.

–

There was a lot of work to do. Lots of injuries to treat first. Senku, Gen, Chrome, and Ruri set up a hospital in the village.

At least they had a lot more manpower now. The Empire of Might had surrendered and joined the Kingdom of Science. They were a lot more mouths to feed, but they brought in more food too. The advent of food preservation made surviving winter far more likely.

While Taiju worked the ground, Yuzuriha was hard at work making proper clothes for everyone. Gen at last had his kimono and shawl and felt a lot more at home. He and Senku were madly busy. There was so much science to get done, so many injuries to treat, they hardly had any time to themselves.

But watching Senku work told the mentalist more about him than a million inane quizzes ever could.

He'd been through a lot of trauma, but at last, Gen felt happy. And optimistic, too, about the future. They would revive technology after technology. Gen didn't understand all of it, but he believed every word Senku said.

Kohaku took over as the more or less 'army leader' making sure none of their new recruits got into any trouble. Hyoga and Homura aroused her suspicion, but for now, she was content to watch carefully.

Kinrou and Ginrou – and Kinrou's new soul-mate, Ukyo, - had a new job they worked in shifts.

Guarding the only prisoner left over from the battle who had not been trusted to convert in full honesty.

Tsukasa had lived.