Angel: To the reviews I got about Sumi last chapter, she is shown and stated to be less mature than Senku. So her getting mad over him and a love potion is something in character for her lol. Let's not forget that she is meant to be the complete opposite of him, and therefore, she can be a bit absent minded sometimes. Especially when it came to Senku's feelings, she didn't even realize he liked her until he told her to her face. Or that he meant her when he was talking about his type in The Age of Energy episode. Plus if she knows Senku, she wouldn't know she was the person to at least open Senku's eyes to romance. And also...she's not even a real person! Lol, let's not get too carried away here.
Sumi was still in disbelief as Ryusui and Francois led the two to the restaurant. This is really happening?! A first date? I didn't think it'd be happening this soon! I mean, yeah, we're boyfriend and girlfriend, but I thought it'd be at least another few days! And this is actually serious! Her whole face was red as she glanced up at Senku, who kept his eyes forward. Obviously, he wasn't as fazed as she was right about now.
"We're not even dressed properly," Sumi frowned a bit while trying to keep calm.
"Pfft, and you think I look any better?" Senku gave her a small smirk. "We're both in rags. I think that's good enough, don't you think?"
"I figured after the photo-taking, you wouldn't want to wear anything fancy," Ryusui gave a small smirk from up front as they came to a stop.
"Master Ryusui is correct. You should only enjoy your time with each other," Francois said reassuringly as Ryusui moved away the curtain. There was a single table in the center, surrounded by candle light, and with a small bouquet of flowers in the center. Near the single table was the prep area as Sumi's eyes widened.
"Candles and flowers?" Senku gave a small chuckle. "A bit overdone, but completely logical."
"Ha ha!" Ryusui then stood behind them, gently pushing them inside. "Well don't let me ruin your fun! Francois will take good care of you. Enjoy, you two!" He then walked out and the two sat across from each other.
"I didn't think he'd be so prepared for this all of a sudden..." Sumi murmured while Francois bowed between them, already dressed to prepare their food.
"Master Ryusui has been a fan of you two. If I recall, he was one of the first people to be informed of your relationship. I will be happy to serve you. Tonight's menu is foie gras with boar and some wine," They informed the two.
"Should've known he wouldn't hold out," Senku snickered while crossing his arms, Francois pouring wine into some clay cups. Francois held up their knives and prepared their food in seconds. The butler then placed the trays in front of them and pulled out a violin that neither of them were sure how they got their hands on it. They began playing and Sumi tried to keep herself from laughing.
"I'm so sorry, Francois," She waved a hand, the other covering her mouth. "It's just that-"
"It's ten billion percent cliché for a first date," Senku interrupted and Sumi kicked his leg a little for being blunt. "If anything, I'd prefer just star-gazing like we used to do when we were little."
Sumi dropped her laughter and Francois stopped playing. "No harm done. I suspected this would happen. So I brought out the record player," They pulled it in from outside, alarming them both. Francois played Lillian's song and Sumi gave a small smile. The two then began to eat while listening to the music.
The two didn't talk much, since they knew everything about each other, and she also didn't know what to say. "Being lovestruck for me for thousands of years, you already know everything there is to me, as creepy as that sounds," Senku smirked while glancing up at her.
"Ahh!" She yelled in shock with white eyes. "I just know you because we've known each other for over 3,700 years! Is it really that creepy?" She whined at him.
"Yeah! Hella creepy!" He exclaimed with a look of mischief. He leaned back while digging his pinky. She blushed in embarrassment at him.
"Senku...!" She then huffed, pouting at him. "You're such a tease!"
"And you weren't before I even found out you were into me? Keeping your feelings a secret from me for that long, and making me think it was someone else?" He pointed out with a playful smirk, earning a small laugh.
"...Do you...do you really think it'll last?" She wondered and he blinked at her as she looked timid. "What if we...end up breaking it off? Would we still be friends or would it just be really awkward?" She pressed her forefingers together as she genuinely didn't know. And he could break it off any time he wanted to since he was still learning...and love was something he always deemed unnecessarily needed.
He chuckled while closing his eyes, getting her attention. "One thing I know in trouble-prone relationships...is that the chemistry between one another is crucial. So I wouldn't question it when I've never had a dull moment with you being in my life, Sumi. Both as my science partner and as my girlfriend."
Her heart skipped a beat as she opened her mouth in shock, that he'd never get tired of her. She then smiled softly at him. "Well, I'll try not to make things like that...anymore," She winced since they did recently have their first disagreement. "I know that this is still all very new to you, so I won't push anything major in our relationship unless we're ready to talk about it." She ate a piece of boar and smiled.
"Huh..." He murmured in thought looking at her. "On that note, what would you do if another woman takes the same liking to me as you? I've already experienced the scenario with you even before this all got started."
She tilted her head in thought, humming. She then had her answer a few seconds later. "Honestly, I wouldn't love it at all. But I also know that because it's you, I wouldn't have to worry. You always tell me not to, anyway. Besides, you're not even the type to cheat. You wouldn't even bat an eye if other women flirt with you."
"Heh," He gave her a small grin. "Ten billion points, Sumi."
She let out a chuckle while sipping her wine. "If anything, I would just have to speak to this hypothetical woman and explain what's going on between us." She then blinked in realization of what he said, giving a sly smile. "You said you've already experienced it? Like...with Tsukasa?"
"It's not important," He dismissed while eating the foie gras.
"Come on, Sen," She raised a playful eyebrow at him. "I watched you get married to Ruri and you ended it after like 3 minutes. Were you honestly bothered with Tsukasa just because he loved me?"
"Forget it," He looked away and she gave a small smile knowingly.
"Kay," She replied casually and then had another bite. "Senku, thank you for tonight. For reassuring me about my question, I mean."
He shot her a genuine smile, his cheeks slightly pink. "Don't worry about it, Sumi."
They continued talking and eating as they enjoyed their time together.
People were hard at work trying to continue the construction of the ship. "Alright!" Chrome smiled while looking to the side. "Looks like they'll have the ship in shape in no time!"
"Yeah, that's what I was thinking too, but..." Kaseki started off, getting the attention of Chrome, Sumi, and Senku. "Some parts are too short, some misaligned, some sticking out," They walked over to see him attempting to put a part to a section of the hull. "And now, on top of all that, the hull's starting to wore! I fix one side, and the other one falls apart! I don't know what to do," He dropped the plank he was holding in dismay. "I'm sorry, guys!"
"Hey, it's not your fault, Kaseki," Ukyo offered with a small smile.
"Yeah, it's just something we expected. No one's blaming you for any of this," Sumi smiled too, her hands behind her back.
"Oh, you're so good to me!" Kaseki cried out while turning to them. "I might fall for you!"
"Uhh," Sumi gave a large sweat-drop. "Okay then. Honestly, I recommend you don't..." She already had a whole group of men who would drop at her feet to do anything she asked of them...
"Not really what I was trying to accomplish," Ukyo sweated a bit awkwardly. "But...even in our time, ship-building on this scale required expertise and very advanced techniques."
"Eh, that's not the issue," Senku corrected the white-haired man. "We could just keep at it and learn from our mistakes like always. I mean, the Kingdom of Science is practically built on trial and error."
"How many years would that even take?" Magma wondered as they looked up ahead.
"Hopefully less than it takes Why-Man to make a move," Ukyo spoke up nervously.
"Uh-huh..." Senku had a shadow over his eyes as he realized that Why-Man could make an attack at anytime that he wanted. Which just made making the ship a lot harder on them. "Neither me or Sumi never accounted for that part. We no longer have infinite time with the Why-Man clock ticking. Change of plans." They all gasped as they saw him look towards the ground nervously. "Let's ditch the giant ship. It'll be a smaller boat with a limited crew."
They all gave sounds of shock, Sumi looking at him with wide eyes. "What? Senku..." She frowned in worry at him.
"What do you mean by a limited crew?!" Chrome exclaimed in protest. "Most of us won't be able to go then!"
"Yeah, and I'm getting on that ship," Yo stated in determination.
Kaseki let out a whine while stroking the side of it. "Do I really have to give up on all my work? But I love my sweet little shippy-boo..." He cried out, a single tear down his eye. Everyone was surrounding Senku and Sumi while complaining.
"Hang on, hang on," Sumi waved her hands rapidly to calm them down. She then stood in front of Senku, hands on her hips. "Are we really gonna do that to everyone? We need all the people we can get to make this journey, and you know that. I'm sure we can pull this off, Senku," She pointed a finger at his chest.
"Then you wanna tell me how we'll do it?" He looked at her seriously and she blinked, biting her lip silently. She didn't have an immediate answer.
"We can't just give up, either," She argued back gently, gesturing to the ship. "Yeah, we have Why-Man to consider, but the task we set out for making this ship isn't gonna be an easy one. Do you really want something to happen and the smaller amount of people all bite it because we didn't have enough on our side?"
He sighed from her question, closing his eyes. "We can't exactly wait around and have him strike us either. Who'd save humanity then, because we're sure as hell not prepared to face him right now," He pointed out and she closed her eyes too with a small knowing grunt.
"Give up?" Ryusui asked behind the group. "That's something we want? From my big beautiful scale sailing ship?"
"Ryusui," He stood in front of his uncle, hands behind his back. "I'm tired of your greediness. You need to learn when it's time to give up on things." The little boy just looked away with a frown on his face. He didn't seem so interested in doing that. Francois then held out an envelope on a tray.
"As per your uncle's orders, I'm afraid your allowance going forward will only be one million yen," They explained, to the shock of the maids nearby.
"Only?"
"Give up, huh?" Ryusui held the money in his hand and then had a shadow over his eyes. He then gave a smirk. "Sorry, I don't know the meaning of those words. I'll get what I want!" He looked up with conviction in his eyes. "All I need to do is keep fighting for it! Am I wrong?"
He then typed at a computer, surrounded by people and technology. "If I don't have enough money, then I'll just invest! My presence alone is enough to create growth in financial markets! People trust the Nanami reputation," He was on the stock market. "So from a risk assessment standpoint, every trade I make is a smart one, whether I'm selling options or underwriting security!"
He then bought a bunch of clothes, trained at the gym, won prize money, and played video games with his friends. The trio went over to the VR Center to have a good time, only to be stopped by an employee there. "Sorry. You need to be 13 or older to try VR, kids."
This didn't faze Ryusui at all, while his friends were disappointed. And so, he had a race track built for him, to the shock of his friends. He had a gleeful grin on his face. As he grew older, he learned to make do with what he had, always pushing things further to get what he wanted. He laughed while holding some wine near a beach.
A man growled while slamming a fist onto the table. People were dining, though had heard about what Ryusui had done. "That Ryusui! Who the hell does he think he is?!"
"He's far too self-indulgent!"
"He's a stain on the Nanami Conglomerate's good name!"
"What are your thoughts on Ryusui, Francois?" One of the people turned to them standing nearby.
"I'm in no position to comment on the matter," Francois replied in a professional manner.
"Come now. Be frank with us."
It took them a few seconds to respond. "Master Ryusui is not self-indulgent." Everyone gasped in shock from what they said. "When it comes to deep desire, it's a simple task to convince oneself that the want is hardly a need. It's easier to give up before getting hurt. But Master Ryusui doesn't lie to himself. When he wants something, he proclaims as such and works for it. I at the very least, would not call that self-indulgent." Francois stepped up with food, peeking into Ryusui's workshop. They blinked in shock at the sight. "His greed...equals...justice."
Ryusui was building a model sailboat, sweating as he had been working for hours. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with his wrist. Francois placed down the food nearby.
"You have access to real ships, so why would you spend all night on that?" The butler wondered while looking up.
"Ha," He laughed, looking at his model. "Don't get me wrong, those ships are okay. But they're filled to the brim with modern technology. I prefer a more traditional beauty. There's no rhyme or reason to my desires, I simply want what I want. Remember, I'm the greediest man in the world!" Francois stared at him, getting inspired by what he wanted in life. "I've designed a 1:48-scale mega yacht," He then snapped his fingers. "All I need now is trustworthy people who can take this model and use it to bring my ship to life!"
Ryusui narrowed his eyes a bit up ahead. "People worthy of teaming up with me." And the people he believed to be such, were Senku and Sumi themselves. They were still having a calm discussion about what they should do. He stepped up behind them. "I'm going to make us a model of our vessel."
Everyone gasped in shock at this.
"Then we'll blow it up to scale. Kaseki can reference my model to rework what we've already got started." The two didn't respond or turn back. "I think we can pull it off. Right, Senku, Mimi, or am I wrong?"
Senku glanced back with a smirk. "You're right. We can. As long as we've got an absolute fanatic, who can make a 1:48-scale model that's up to snuff. We're talking ten billion percent accuracy here, got it?"
"And no shortcuts either," Sumi waved a finger with a small smile, and then gave him an annoyed look. "And I thought you decided to drop that stupid nickname a long time ago."
"I kinda like it," Senku grinned playfully at her. "Mimi~"
"No! No, do not call me that!" She snarled with sharp teeth and white eyes, groaning. He just chuckled in response at her antics. Ryusui smirked at the two. "Come up with a better nickname if you really want me to have one from you," She reached up to flick one of his forelocks.
"Who do you think you're dealing with? I'll make you a ship that's truly worth getting excited about," He declared to the two scientists.
Gen then popped up between the two as they smiled. He was looking a bit hesitant himself. "Is this a good move? He could turn around and demand a ten billion drago fee!" He whispered in warning, Sumi raising a brow at him.
"Ha ha!" Ryusui snapped his fingers as he had heard the mentalist. "There's no need. Not since I won't have to give up on what I want!"
Suika looked relieved while smiling. "For some reason, it feels like it's gonna work. With these three teaming up, I'm not worried at all!" The little girl watched Sumi and Senku walk right past her. They were then followed by Ryusui, their clothes flying around. "They can do whatever they put their minds to!"
"I never give up on anything! Because greed equals justice!" Ryusui declared as the sun shined down on them.
Kaseki looked over the blueprints. Ryusui, Gen, Ukyo, Sumi, and Senku were gathered around a table behind him. "There!" Minami planted down something and he looked up to see her setting up her camera.
"What are you to, Minami?" The craftsman asked her in confusion.
"I wanted to chronicle the construction of the ship from start to finish!" She revealed cheerfully, as the group had a small model of the hull in front of them. "Cool, huh?" She then started taking pictures. "It's the Kingdom of Science's photo journal!"
"We need a cargo hatch for sure," Ryusui stated as they looked it over. "I've moved it just below the mast."
"Good call!" Ukyo complimented as he could already imagine it functioning. "With that positioning, we can attach a pulley to the boom to make raising and lowering cargo a cinch!"
Gen gave a small smile, hands in his sleeves. "They don't call you the sailing king for nothing, I guess. You've got real world experience."
"And in the space we gain as a result, I'm thinking we build an on-board casino!" Ryusui suggested happily, to the irritation of Senku.
"We do not need that!" The green-haired scientist had white eyes and a snarl from his face. The black-haired scientist then popped up on the right.
"He just wants more money from it..." Sumi murmured knowingly, her eyes closed. Minami then took a picture of Ukyo, Gen, Ryusui, and Kaseki.
"First we gotta take apart Ryusui's model bit by bit," Senku explained as he and Sumi did so together. "Then we gotta copy each part at full scale."
"Doing every part like this is gonna be hell, but we need to. Just like in the good old days," She had a small amused smile on her face.
Suika used a small pantograph nearby. "This is such a weird tool, I love it! Just draw a picture, and it draws the same thing with the pencil on the other end, five times bigger!" She cried out in awe of the tool.
"Uh-huh," Chrome murmured while examining the paper. "I think it's actually about twice as big, but either way, it's nowhere near the size we'll need for a real boat..." With how small it was, they'd have to guess the proportions of their lumber in order to even get close. And that was a lot of time-crunching math they didn't have time to pull off.
"Don't worry about it," Senku smiled while holding a piece of the model in his hand. "We'll use a 48 times pantograph for the real thing. But that'll take crazy brute force."
"Luckily for us, we know just the man for the job," Sumi smiled while glancing over to Suika and Chrome. Minami took a picture as Suika was drawing Senku himself.
"What brute force?" Gen couldn't help but wonder. "We're talking about drawing, yeah?"
Minami was using the hot air balloon for this next photo, because on the ground was a large piece of paper and a larger pantograph. "It's huge!" Chrome exclaimed in disbelief.
"This must be about 50 kilograms," Taiju looked up with a grin as he was the one using it. "But it's no problem for me!"
"I see, yes, brute force, got it," Gen murmured in sheepish realization. Ukyo turned to Sumi and Senku.
"I wonder if this is how they made the Nazca Lines. If we can do it, then so could they!" He said optimistically to the two.
"Well, those were created between 500 BC and 500 AD by making depressions or shallow incisions into a desert floor, removing anything that got exposed," Sumi gave a small smile towards Taiju, hands on her hips. "Most lines were made on the ground by a shallow trench, having depth between 10 and 15 cm."
"All I know is that this'll give us full-sized blueprints. And let us modify the parts we've already got. It's how they used to build ships back in the day," Senku gave a small smile. Minami snapped a picture of the larger picture of Senku.
Chrome gasped as Senku, Sumi, and Ryusui had came up with a road map, and it was already halfway done. "Check out how much we've done! We're already halfway through the roadmap for the ship!" He exclaimed in excitement.
"Perfect," Kohaku smiled happily at the paper. "What else do we need?"
"More time, duh," Senku answered with a small frown, shocking the others. "There's the body of the ship, but there's also our giant steel engines. We're in this for the long haul."
"Yeah," Sumi sighed with a hand on her face. "And considering we have Why-Man to consider, we're on crunch time. We don't know what he'll do next or when he'll do it, but thanks to him, we're not on an infinite timeline anymore like we were before. Hopefully he doesn't do anything to hinder construction..."
"Aw, man," Ginro gave an exhausted look just thinking about it. "How many months is all this gonna take?"
"Heh," Ryusui scoffed while crossing his arms. "We just need to be a little patient. And on the off seasons, we can do some winter sports!" Minami was in the corner, documenting the road map for the ship.
"This'll be more of an epic than a journal," She murmured to herself, though she sounded pleased.
"Ha ha!" Ryusui snowboarded down a snowy hill, followed by Yo, Gen, Senku, and Sumi. All of them had winter clothes on.
"Ryusui wasn't lying, huh?" Gen called out with a small smile. "It's just like he said!"
"Can't work in the snow anyway, so why not?" Yo gave a small grin.
"Glad we've got tons of carbon. These skis and snowboards are great! Hope they catch on," Senku gave a small smile.
"Uh-huh!" Gen looked up happily at the thought of earning more money. "They're both for sale, so fingers crossed they'll sell well! Seasonal events are worth it for the drago!"
"Well, selling or not, this is amazing!" Sumi cried out as she appeared between the mentalist and her boyfriend. Kohaku then zipped past her and Gen so fast it almost caused her skirt to fly up. "Ahh!" She moved down her clothes, looking at the blonde in surprise.
"Why is sliding down a hill so much fun?!" Kohaku asked gleefully with a blush over her face. Minami took a picture, and there was a strange blur next to Ryusui.
Minami then popped up holding the camera sheepishly. "Oh, that's not a smudge. It's actually Kohaku moving so fast she looks like a ghost!" She replied in a sheepish tone. She was the fastest one in the village, so it made sense trying to get a picture of her in movement wasn't easy...
Senku was explaining something to Yuzuriha while pouring something into a beaker. "And with a dash of bay leaves, we get some nice vanilla essence to work with for baking," He smiled a little as Sumi came in with herbs of her own.
"Is that really what you gotta do to make chocolate?" The brunette recoiled back in shock.
"Grinding up red peas into a powder gets us pretty damn close to that cacao flavor," He informed while holding up some. "Add some nuts for bitterness, and a little vanilla essence, and we've got chocolate substitute!"
Sumi's eyes shined at the chocolate in front of her. Gen and Kohaku were peeking in while Ginro came up behind them. "Any chocolate for me, ladies?" He asked curiously, thinking that he had a lot of admirers.
"Ah, we're doing Valentine's Day," Gen smiled in realization.
"Valentine's Day?" Kohaku asked him in confusion.
"Take a look," He whispered in her ear as Ryusui and Mirai were approaching with boxes on a tray. "Events like this are important too. Think of the drago we'll make! I mean, it's for morale."
"We've got chocolate!" Yo blushed at the chocolate in his hands. Chrome had a bite, and a picture was taken.
"Holy crap! This is bad!" Chrome's eyes shined from the taste.
"Any chocolate for me?" Ginro pointed to himself a bit desperately.
"Isn't this Sumi and Senku's first Valentine's Day as a couple~?" Gen teased while stepping away from the lab, getting their attention. "Let's leave the couple along to hug and kiss or some gifts, whatever they had planned! Bye bye~" He pushed Kohaku and Ginro away from the lab and they blinked in confusion.
"What is he thinking about this time?" Senku deadpanned towards him as they continued making chocolate together.
"...You know, I did actually have a gift," She rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. She dug into one of her pouches and he looked at her with a knowing smile. She pulled out a neatly wrapped box. "Happy Valentine's Day, Sen." He took the gift and began unwrapping it.
"Knowing you, it's something I don't have already. Did you work in secret with Gen like when you came up with the idea for the observatory?" He cackled a bit.
She had a small smile on her face. "No. But you can put it wherever you want." His eyes widened in shock at the gift. It was a sketched picture of Byukaya, Senku, and Sumi eating ramen together just like they used to in the past. It was framed as well thanks to Yuzuriha. Her arms were folded behind her backside, smiling. "I know that we never talked about giving each other gifts for Valentine's Day, but I wanted you to have this for our first one, you know? At least make it something to remember."
Once he got over his shock, he chuckled, giving her an amused look. "Byukaya's stupid face as a gift? I can't believe you thought I even think of him that much," He said to her playfully.
"Sure, admit that all you want," She returned the look, smiling a little.
He then put the box down on the table. "Yeah, yeah. To tell you the truth, I actually feel a bit crappy!" He laughed, tears flying from his eyes. "You put in all that extra time I didn't know you had, while I didn't get you a damn thing! But now that you're my girlfriend, I feel like an absolute jerk right about now!"
She gave an awkward look towards him laughing but then got over it. "It's okay, Senku." He blinked, seeing her happy smile. "Not all couples even embrace the holiday anyway. I have enough already thanks to you. I have a medical lab, a cotton candy land with a statue of my grandma, a song from Lillian, a boyfriend. That's really all I need right now."
"Is that so?" He picked at his ear with his pinky with an amused smile. "So you're telling me I provide more than what you want already? Heh, hearing that is so cringy and cute that I could almost cry, but I won't."
She blushed while playing with her bangs, looking away. "Well, yeah, that's what I'm saying...anyway, I just hope that you'll grow to like it. Gifts aren't really something to worry about from me when you already do things for science that help me out."
"Hmm," He gave her a small smirk, leaning closer to her face. "There is something I could give you, actually." She blinked and then her face got red. "I'm sure you'd want this at least for the holiday," He leaned forward and connected her lips with hers. She closed her eyes, both of her hands on his forearms. Both of them were slightly blushing, feeling warmth on their cheeks. Senku decided to try something out and moved his lips away before going back in for another one. He did this again and again, each kiss lingering for as long as he wanted. Her stomach churned as they continued kissing and then she pulled away with wide eyes a few minutes later. She lightly touched her lips with two fingers, her face really red.
"Wow...I wasn't expecting you to do that," She murmured and then giggled. "I'll happily accept that as my gift from you." He gave her a small smile to see that she didn't hate it.
"Just letting this thing take its course," He replied casually to her.
"Oh, Sumi!" Ryusui called from outside and she blinked. They both looked from the lab to see a mountain of gifts in front of them, alarming the two. "Special delivery!" He gestured to it and she stepped out in shock.
"Huh?! All of that is for me?!" Her eyes bulged out as it was a semi-big pile in front of her.
"What the hell? Did everyone send you chocolate?" Senku murmured as they stared at it. Then they started falling and the pile fell over Sumi, causing her to get buried in it, to the shock of the others.
"Ack!" Her legs were hanging over from the side while the rest of it was covered by all the boxes. She then sat up, some boxes falling off her as she rubbed the back of her head. "Heh heh...you know, there's no point in making chocolate if it's all gonna be given to me..."
"I guess all of those guys from the Tsukasa Empire all thought of the same idea today..." Gen gave an awkward look.
"You wanna share any of that with me?" Ginro popped up next to her.
"Ha! Brings me back to all of those ridiculous love letters she used to get in school," Senku cackled with his hands on his hips, looking at the pile. "But she does have a point. Why make it if it's all gonna be given back to us?"
"Us?" Chrome glanced at him in confusion.
"He means that technically by giving it to her, he gets it too," Kohaku giggled a little.
All the men then popped up, holding out roses. Sumi flinched as by the time she was done receiving them, it was a mountain of flowers in front of her. "This is so embarrassing…" She sweat-dropped at this.
In the months that had passed, Minami had a photo lab now. "All of these photos are just of us messing around," Chrome had a small smile on his face as he, Kinro, and Francois looked at them.
"I had to get a sense of everyday life too," Minami gave a happy smile. "Any good reporter would," She then looked down sadly at all the photos. "Who knows what'll happen? This year could very well be our last one..." They all stared at her in confusion and she realized she said this out loud. "Oh, sorry, don't mind me, I'll just keep snapping pics in the meantime! Gotta document everything! Feel free to add your own captions too!"
"Oh, yeah!" Gen exclaimed in realization as the photo was of kids learning, with delicate handwriting on top. "This reminds me of those sticker booth photos!"
"Think this cute handwriting is Mirai's?" Yuzuriha smiled while pointing at the photo.
"It's mine." Gen, Yo, and Yuzuriha looked up in shock at the red-faced Nikki drawing a caption. Yo then earned a knee-kick in the stomach and his eyes bulged in pain.
Senku smiled while picking up a photo. "Putting captions on our photos, huh? Not a bad idea..." The photo in particular he was holding was himself, Kaseki, and Sumi building something using the furnace.
Kaseki looked up at the two. "This is some tough work! But if it'll transform our crappy level one iron into sturdy steel that can take a beating and live to tell the tale, that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make!" He declared to them.
"Better be sturdy, or our massive engines will explode!"
"Yeah, and then we'd be screwed," Sumi giggled a little.
"We used a three-meter tall furnace," Senku explained at rapid speed while writing the caption. "Burning charcoal stops the iron ore of oxygen, so pure iron settles at the bottom..."
"Isn't that caption a little bit long? No one will see the picture underneath!" Gen protested nervously as Senku continued talking. Sumi blinked and then chuckled in amusement as she herself found it adorable. Although hopefully she could get another copy of that photo...
Minami stood in front of the science team near the water wheel.
"That reminds me that we're past due for leveling up our crafting equipment," Senku looked at the lathe in front of him.
"What was that thing again? A lathe? What are you doing with it this time?" Kaseki wondered curiously to the duo.
"We're using it to make a level 2 lathe!" Senku looked up eagerly and Chrome turned around.
"The amount of stuff we can do with that will be insane!" Sumi had a manic grin on her face.
"And what are you gonna do with a level 2 lathe?" Chrome wondered to the duo of them.
"We'll use it to make a level 3 lathe!" He answered again and the brunet flinched in shock.
"And then we'll be unstoppable!" Sumi responded with a mad scientist laugh, rubbing her hands.
"Okay, I think I can see where this is going...and Sumi, you're starting to terrify me," Chrome had blue lines over his forehead staring at her.
"On the other hand, I'm getting excited with her like this," Senku gave her a small smirk as she was still laughing. Minami took the pictures of them crafting it. "It's a long hard road with no shortcuts, but we need manufacturing tech," He narrowed his eyes a bit.
"Senku's team is pouring in blood, sweat and tears into their work," Kinro stated as he and Ginro were holding butterfly nets. "Is this really the time for us to be out here hunting bugs?"
Yo jumped in front of them with a laugh. "A stag beetle!" Minami got that photo as well.
"We aren't looking for those," Nikki reminded him, Ryusui standing nearby. "We want wild silk moths, remember? Those are the original source of silk."
"Since we're going out to sea, we're gonna be working in the water a lot. I want swimsuits!" He smirked, and this got Ginro's attention quick.
Chrome was blindfolded while walking along the sand, holding a stick. Yuzuriha and Ruri were sitting in front of watermelons. "So this is a silk swimsuit," Ruri stood up wearing one. "It feels so nice and soft on my skin."
Kinro and Ginro were eyeing her. "Yeah? Feels that good, huh, on the skin? Can I try touching it, you know, for science?" The blond just wanted to be a sleaze, though. And Sumi would've been out there with one on if it wasn't for her discomfort with nudity.
Kohaku laughed while swimming in rapid speed behind them. And once again, when the photo was taken, no one could even see her body in the background. "There it is. Again," Minami murmured knowingly, tears on her cheeks.
"With the limited tech available, I guess Kohaku will always be like a spirit haunting our photos..." Gen remarked with his eyes white in disbelief.
Minami planted a photo on the wall, having several of them hung up in front of her.
Senku chuckled at the sight in front of everyone. "To think this beauty only took a year. We finished quicker than I expected!" The ship was finally completed as Sumi hummed happily, hands on her hips.
"It certainly is a grand sight, huh?" She asked with a small smile. "And thankfully, all the hard work we put in paid off for this amazing ship!"
Taiju let out a laugh. "You need some new material, cause I've heard you guys say that before!" He told them playfully.
"I'm glad Why-Man was kind enough to leave us alone," Ukyo spoke up next.
"Who knows?" Chrome glanced at the duo. "Maybe he's waiting for us to make the first move."
"Ha!" Ryusui snapped his fingers. "That'd be perfect, because we're about to go and look for him! We'll scour the world in our new sailboat!"
"Yeah..." Minami had a sad look on her face. "Almost time to set sail, for those going." She then hid it and looked towards everyone, so as not to ruin the mood. "Alright, everyone! Gather around for a photo now that the ship's done! I want everyone in the shot with the boat in the background!"
"Just how many pictures does one reporter need?" Senku gave her a playful smile. "You've already got a ton."
"Well, she said it was her life's work, and she loves her camera. She can take as many as she wants," Sumi encouraged with a small grin.
"But a lot of us are parting ways!" Minami suddenly exclaimed as she couldn't hold it in anymore. "Some are shipping out, and some staying behind." He and Sumi gasped at what she said as her face was hidden behind the camera. "This past year may have been the last one we all got to spend together. We may never see each other again..." She then stood up, revealing that she was crying. "So at least let me take a picture!"
Gen gasped at her face and then frowned sadly, knowing what was going on. Of course...Minami was in charge of selecting who was revived. She probably knows every single person by name...
Senku gave a small smile and while Sumi was the more emotional one...she oddly didn't feel the same as Minami here. "Come on, the hell are you talking about?" He spoke up to her. "That wasn't our last year. We're ten billion percent solving the mystery of the petrification. And we're ten billion percent making it back from the other side of the world."
"Minami..." Sumi slowly stepped up to the blonde, who had tears streaming down her cheeks. "Of course we'll return. I know it'll be hard to see us go, and we don't know how long this trip will last...but think about all the photos you'll get to take once we figure out the petrification!" She held Minami's hands with a bright smile. "And I promise I'll take up the photography overseas for you. You can handle the photography for the human development team!"
"Thanks, Sumi!" Minami hugged her tightly with a smile, the woman feeling like she was getting the life squeezed out of her.
"Oh, okay, um...you're choking me...!" She wheezed out and the blonde released her sheepishly.
"Oh, sorry!"
"We want hugs too!" Tsukasa's men cried out from behind and Sumi looked at them all with a sweat-drop.
"We'll miss our village sweetheart so much!" Another one shouted sadly.
"Let us enjoy our time with you one last time!" A third one yelled as they were all sobbing.
"Hey, what the hell?!" Senku shouted as a chibi head, having white eyes. "Not sorry to tell you guys, she's taken!"
"This is not how I wanted that to go..." Sumi rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly.
"Okay, fine, but I still want a picture!" Minami waved her hands rapidly. "So everyone get in the frame. Although I guess it won't be everyone since I have to take the darn thing..."
"I suspected this might happen!" Francois spoke up and bowed, standing next to a machine connected to the camera. "So I commissioned an automatic camera timer for such an occasion!" They revealed, to the utter shock of Minami.
"That's what you had me make that doohickey for!" Kaseki exclaimed in realization. "I wondered what it was!"
"I'm starting to think Francois can see the future..." Chrome murmured a bit on edge.
"Wow, the old bamboo tube fountain trick," Senku deadpanned while looking on. "You couldn't get a more primitive timer if you tried."
"Well, it'll do the job, even if it isn't the most effective," Sumi gave a sheepish smile.
"Aw, who cares?" Chrome popped up in front of the two. "It's gonna work!"
Magma and Yo pushed each other in front of them. "Alright, quit shoving!"
"Whoa, whoa, personal space over here!" Sumi waved her hands and moved them away, sighing. "If we're gonna do this photo, we'll do it right!" She placed her hands on her hips as she stepped forward, turning around to guide everyone.
"Okay, here we go!" Minami announced once everyone was positioned. "Everyone smile!" The whole Kingdom of Science stood in front of the giant ship behind them.
The ship then started to move away from shore, Senku, Sumi, and Suika standing nearby. Suika was sitting on Sumi's shoulders as they all looked up. It then went backwards into the water. "Whoo-hoo! I've never been so happy!" Kaseki cried out while hugging the front of the ship. "We busted our butts putting this thing together and it's finally done! In all my years as a craftsman, this is by far the biggest project I've seen to completion! And dare I say my finest work!"
"The science vessel Perseus!" Suika smiled as she admired it. "That name is just so powerful!"
"Perseus was a hero from Greek mythology, if I'm not mistaken," Ukyo commented with his arms crossed. "He defeated Medusa, who could turn people into stone."
"Well, damn!" Chrome smiled next to him. "So not only is the name cool, it's fitting! Considering we're about to set sail, and find out whoever turned humanity to stone and capture 'em! Petrification beam and all! That's why we spent an entire year building this puppy. It's time for action!"
"That's right," Senku gave a small smirk. "We had a whole year to prepare for this moment, so I hope everyone's ready for what's next. Today's the long-awaited day when the Kingdom of Science splits into two teams. The world exploration team, to search for the truth. And the humanity development team that'll stay behind."
"We'll all have our own important jobs to do on land and sea," Sumi gave them a small smile, and like she promised, she had a camera around her neck. "So it's gonna be a journey for all of us."
Ryusui smacked a scroll in his hand, already on the ship as he laughed. "As captain of this vessel, I've prepared a list of my desired crewmates! Though I'd take each and every one of you with me if I could!"
"Great idea!" Senku called out with white eyes, annoyed. "Except then all of humanity would go extinct if the ship sank!"
"Even if you could, we'd then be at the same point we'd be at before with the humanity development team!" Sumi shouted up at him, having the same expression as her boyfriend.
"That is true," Gen turned to them in agreement.
"And isn't there a maximum capacity?" Minami wondered next before the ramp was put down.
"Needless to say, this is an unprecedented and extremely dangerous mission. We may never return, and I can't guarantee your lives! So even if I call your name, you're free to stay behind if you like! That is a choice each of you has to make!"
"Come on," Chrome grinned confidently at him. "I feel insulted hearing that."
Ginro shook in fear amongst the crowd. Okay, so I just have to not be on the list. Heh, no problem.
Senku cackled at Ryusui. "That was a real noble speech you gave, but enough with the BS! Just tell us who you need and if they don't wanna come, we'll find some way to trick 'em into getting on board! Once on the ship, they're ten billion percent stuck with us, whether they like it or not!"
Sumi sweated nervously at him as Gen popped up, equally as mischievous as the green-haired scientist. "Ah, yes, my specialty! Just leave the dirty work to me! Not that I plan to go, but I do love a ruse!"
"You two are unbelievable," Sumi murmured at them while backing away a bit.
"Ha. You could, Gen. There's no doubt in my mind. In fact, you could convince every person here...well, except maybe Sumi. I've heard your tactics on her don't work at all." Gen grumbled and Sumi smiled proudly, her arms crossed. "But if we're stuck out there with a crewmate who's less than willing, them getting themselves killed is one thing. But endangering the whole ship is another, or am I wrong? As I read these names, only those who are truly prepared to go should step foot on our science vessel Perseus!" He then unrolled the scroll. "First up, we need our engineers to keep the ship running! Senku, Mimi, Kaseki, and Chrome!"
"Again with that god-awful nickname!" She shouted in anger, gritting her teeth. Nevertheless, she sighed as she stepped on with Kaseki and Chrome. She turned back to wave at the people, Tsukasa's men all shedding tears.
"What the heck?!" Chrome flinched in shock to see Senku already on the boat, looking at a piece of paper. "How is Senku already on board?!"
"Couldn't he, you know, care a bit more?" Minami looked up awkwardly while Taiju was standing next to her. "Or like pretend to be emotional?"
Taiju bust out laughing as they watched Senku pull Sumi onto the boat. "It's just how he is."
"Yuzuriha!"
"Wow, really?" She gave a small smile. "I count as an engineer?"
"For the sails! On radar and sonar, Ukyo! Our cook Francois!" They bowed once their name was called. "Next up, any true voyage via sailboat will take a metric ton of brute force. The power team!" Yo, Taiju, Nikki, and Kohaku all charged up the ramp.
"Guys, he didn't call your names yet!"
"Ha," Magma chuckled while walking up with Mantle. "You know, I could just stay behind and take over the village."
"Aw yeah!" Mantle agreed from behind. "You would have no competition, but you've never been one to settle for small goals when a greater opportunity is presented!"
Senku let out a chuckle while looking at the list with Sumi. "It'd be quicker to say who's not coming. Anyone written down we don't think will jump at the chance?" He let out a soft cackle as Sumi shook her head slowly.
"Kinro!"
"Very well, then," He stepped onto the ramp, having waited patiently.
"How in character," Gen commented from the crowd, his hands in his sleeves near his chin. "Unlike half of the other people up there, Kinro waited to hear his name."
He then landed onto the ship. "The rules are the rules."
Ginro gasped as his name wasn't called. "Uh...I-I mean, this is great! If he was gonna call me, he would've done it with Kinro, so...I'm safe! Ha ha. It's probably because he's so strong," He looked away with a big grin. "Meanwhile, I'm so you know...whatever it is you'd call me."
"And Ginro!" Ryusui called out, in which Ginro responded with by breaking into tears.
"NO WAY! SAILING ACROSS THE PLANET IS A DEATH SENTENCE! I'M NOT GETTING ON BOARD, NEVER!" He wailed up to Ryusui. Sumi raised a brow at him while glancing over to Ryusui, her hands clasped on the rim.
"Ginro, I don't know why you're freaking out so much. No one's forcing you to come along. Didn't you hear me? I want willing crewmembers. If you're unsure, stay," Ryusui reminded Ginro, Senku having a small smirk.
"The development team has important work to do too," He informed, and the crowd murmured amongst themselves.
"Really?"
"I think I'll stay behind too, then..."
"Yup! I've made a checklist after conferring with Senku about what we need for humanity! Minami!" She tossed the blonde a scroll with a small smile. "I know you guys can do this!"
"Please don't go, Sumi!" A man cried out and she looked up ahead with a straight face.
"What if you die out there?"
"Stay here with us!"
"Mm," She dragged her hand down her face in disbelief at their behavior.
"How long are they gonna keep this up?" Senku deadpanned at the crowd of men.
"I know the ship needs the power team and our best fighters are a part of it...but that worries me," Kohaku spoke up in concern, a man glancing at her. "Hyoga and Homura are still in jail. With all of the kingdom's mightiest warriors far from home, if those two were to break out of their cells somehow...they'd take over all of Japan."
However, Hyoga and Homura were actually in a prison right nearby. "Seriously?!" Yo exclaimed in shock as everyone looked at them with wide eyes. "They're coming with us?!"
Senku chuckled a bit as Sumi crossed her arms with a deep frown. "So we have a moving prison, big whoop. As long as they're supervised, it's fine."
"And everyone on board is okay with this?" Chrome asked with unease.
"Doubt it, but there's no choice. They're simply too strong to risk leaving behind with the others..." Ukyo agreed, since god forbid they attack their friends while they were away.
"Bringing them is dicey for sure," Senku stepped up closer. "But there may come a time when we need to play every last card in our hand to survive. If worst comes to worst..." He eyed Hyoga specifically, who didn't look up, and neither did Homura.
Sumi let out a grunt, putting a hand on her whip. "If we are gonna supervise them, we're picking people who aren't gonna freakin' fall asleep OR set them free just for their own selfish gain!" She glared specifically at Mantle and Yo, who backed away in fear.
"Scary Sumi's back again..." Ukyo murmured at the woman.
"Don't be silly," Senku pinched her right cheek, earning a whine. "Don't get carried away here. You're primarily on the science team, remember?"
"Senku...!" She pushed him away, rubbing her cheek. "I'm just being realistic."
"More like stubborn," He deadpanned, looking a bit annoyed. "I know you wanna protect everyone, but be reasonable. You haven't won a single fight against either of them. Don't make me regret taking you, Sumi."
"He's just trying to protect his girlfriend~" Chrome sung a little behind the two.
"Whatever," Senku rolled his eyes.
"I don't need protection," Sumi huffed while glancing back at the prisoners, hands on her hips. Hyoga opened his eyes as they made eye contact and she narrowed her eyes at him. "I just think we have to cover our bases here. That's all."
"And we have. So stop worrying," Senku placed a hand on her shoulder to move her away from them. She grunted in defeat at him.
Gen then clapped with a small smile. "Well, I suppose that's everyone that Ryusui wrote down. Let's give our friends a nice send-off!"
"Don't be ridiculous," Ryusui spoke up, still holding his list. "The last one on my list is you, Gen."
"Eriously-say?!" Gen shouted up at him, sweating nervously. "Surely you don't need me, you must've misspoken. I've got the strength of a house-cat at best."
"There's no telling what kind of enemy we'll run into out there," Senku gave the mentalist a big smirk. "And I don't wanna end up in a situation where your skills could've saved our lives."
"Yeah! It's helped us a lot of times, remember?" Sumi smiled brightly at him. "Besides, it'd be less fun without you, Gen!"
Gen looked away awkwardly, gritting his teeth in defeat. Senku did make a good point, and what Sumi said did make him a little happy. "Fine, fine..." He stepped onto the ramp. "I suppose if Why-Man does choose to attack, he could just as easily pick Japan as his target," He landed in front of the two scientists. "And with that in mind, I might be safer siding with the Kingdom of Science. I must admit, it's worked for me so far. Not that I care who comes out on top, as long as I stand to profit."
"Senku, Sumi..." Kohaku looked up, her hair blowing a bit as she had a small smile. "I think I've finally figured out our mentalist friend. That wicked façade he puts on is just his way of saving face. Heh! But it's still a pain in the neck."
"You've gotta take the good and the bad, Kohaku," Sumi smiled as well, a hand on her hip. "After all, I could do without the teasing from him about me and Senku, and that's why I wrote his name last. But he's still a really good friend when it counts."
"Aww, Mire-chan!" Gen smiled widely at her. "So you do care!"
"Eh, to an extent," She looked away and he pouted at Sumi.
The sails fell down as the ship started to move, Ryusui laughing. "Set sail! To uncharted waters, to the mysteries of our stone world, and beyond!"
The crowd that stayed behind all cheered while waving. "You can do it!"
"You all better come back, you hear me!" Minami called out as Chrome clenched a fist.
"Okay, we're gonna take down the mastermind behind everything and steal the beam tech while we're at it!" He exclaimed in determination. Sumi was leaning back as well, waving to everyone with a beaming smile.
"Aw man, and that'll make us heroes, right? I'm glad I came!" Yo piped up behind them.
"It's hard to believe they're really gone," Ruri gave a small smile, though Ginro gave a malicious grin, as he was planning something...
"It's weird to think that not everyone Ryusui wanted came," Chrome stated to Kohaku on the deck.
"It was inevitable. They knew how dangerous this would be," Kohaku informed the brunet. Kinro was quiet as he thought about his brother. They still had their parents, but to be separated from his only sibling for the first time...
"Ginro..." He murmured in thought. "That worm. Heh, it's no surprise. That's the kind of man he is, always has been."
Ginro panted while swan-diving into the water. "What the?!" Minami exclaimed as the others looked over the edge.
"Ginro just dove in!"
He swam as fast as he could towards the ship. "Wait for me! Kinro! Senku! Ryusui! Sumi! Guys! No matter how risky this journey may be, I still wanna fight! For all of us! For the sake of the entire world!" Tears were in his eyes. "So hold on a sec and let me get on board. I wanna go!"
"Ginro..." Ruri murmured happily at him.
Are you guys all seeing this? Yeah, go ahead, take a few pictures while you're at it! Ginro thought while looking back. Preserve this moment, that's my dramatic change of heart's playing! I'm a man of the water, so I'm sure! At this distance, the waves are covering up my voice! Not even Ukyo can hear me!
He then imagined his return, looking all muscular. "Damn it. I couldn't catch up, even though I really, really wanted to."
Ruri and Minami then gushed at him, blushes on their faces. "I admire your courage and manly muscles!" Ruri exclaimed, both of their hands clasped.
"Unlike those scaredy cats who chose to stay behind, you're a hero!" Minami complimented in awe.
Obviously, I never wanna go on a dangerous mission if I can help it. But I also want people to think I'm brave! He imagined himself as the village chief, surrounded by both Minami and Ruri all over him. "I'll get my cake, and eat it too!" He had a big evil grin on his face while continuing to swim.
"Hey, Ukyo," Senku said into one of the speakers. "Will you do Sumi and I a favor and keep the radar pointed towards land?" The two looked towards their right, Kinro looking at them curiously.
"Huh?" Ukyo wondered, as he was just as confused as Kinro. "Why?"
"Just a hunch," Senku responded as the radar pointed back towards land.
"And if our hunch is right, we should be expecting something coming our way any minute now," Sumi agreed, a hand on her hip.
"Senku, Sumi, you guys aren't doing that because...no, of course not," He looked away, as it couldn't possibly he who he was thinking of.
Ukyo noticed the radar moving and gasped. "Something's approaching from the shore."
"Is it the big bad Why-Man?!" Taiju exclaimed in concern.
"Why the heck would it be?" Senku retorted, causing his friend to recoil back in embarrassment. "He just said it's coming from back the way we came."
"I wouldn't worry about him just yet," Sumi patted Taiju on the back. "If he wants us to make a move, I doubt he'd strike first."
"I think someone's chasing us to get on the ship!" Ukyo informed as Senku, Sumi, and Kinro looked back.
"It can't be..." Kinro murmured as Taiju jumped into the water.
Sumi pulled out her whip, stepping up to where he jumped off. "Huh. He's actually stepping up." She said with a knowing smile. Taiju quickly swam up to Ginro, shocking him.
"How the hell?!" Ginro shouted and once they got back to the ship, Sumi used her whip to pull them up.
"Gotta admit, you deserve some props, Ginro," Senku complimented while Sumi held out towels for them.
"Damn right," Ryusui agreed with a small smile.
"Ha! I misjudged you," Kohaku replied as they all stared.
"Yeah, me too!" Nikki gave a bright smile. "I always had you pegged as a pathetic scaredy-cat slimeball!"
"I never saw this coming in a billion years. Uly-tray," Gen had an amused look on his face.
"I believed in you...Ginro..." Kinro praised, shaking while trying not to cry.
"Ginro! Ginro! Ginro! Ginro!" They all chanted, though the blond's happy expression seemed a little forced, as his intentions weren't exactly pure.
"Oh...you know me, I just couldn't get enough of that science..." He murmured at them. "And now I'm scientifically screwed!" He cried a little watching them.
"Hey, now you won't be missing him the whole time, Kinro!" Chrome said cheerfully.
"I never said I missed him," Kinro retorted back, even though he was lying.
"So, what's our course?" Kohaku wondered curiously, since going across the planet would make sense. "Is it non-stop, straight to the other side of the world?"
"Nope," Senku corrected the blonde. "Our first destination is...the Treasure Island."
"It's at least a day trip to get to, since we're not too far from it," Sumi smiled at the crew. Everyone gasped in surprise from the name and the type of land they'd be heading to.
"An island?" Chrome asked them first.
"Where is it?" Kohaku questioned the duo next.
"And...what for?" Magma wondered, since he couldn't tell just by the name why they were even going.
"Why, for the god-tier item that'll help us rescue all of humanity, of course," Senku started off as Sumi turned around.
"Thanks to some intel we got before we left, we know that this island has what we're looking for," She smiled while holding up a finger.
"It's on the island my dad, Sumi's mom, and their team washed up on...we're headed to the place where the astronauts who avoided the petrification lived out their lives...and where the spaceship Soyuz sleeps. The place...where the 100 Tales began."
And right now, it was waiting for them to discover...
Angel: I know Senku said something about making the chocolate that I left out, but that's because I cannot spell out the name to know what it is. Nor is it in the subbed version either unfortunately, and I can't find the phrase anywhere. So if anyone knows what it was I heard, please tell me!