Hello, dear readers. I'm FarXs, and this is my first story. I apologize in advance for any grammatical or syntactic errors, as English is not my native language. I've chosen to write stories in English for several reasons: Firstly, I have a vivid imagination and enjoy writing. Secondly, my love for Dr. Stone inspired me to give it a try. Lastly, writing in English allows me to practice and improve my language skills.
As you may have noticed, this is an OC (original character) story. Rest assured, I am not a fan of Gary Stus either, so I'll do my best to prevent Joe from becoming all-powerful and will focus on developing his character.
With that said, I hope you enjoy this story.
Italic text = Thougths
Italic and underlined text = Languages other than japanese.
July 10th, 5739.
Senku Ishigami was grappling with the aftermath of the worst week of his life. Just a few days earlier, he had been brutally murdered by Tsukasa, and he couldn't escape the memory of that moment whenever he closed his eyes. Each day, without fail, he found himself wondering how and where things had gone so wrong.
After all, his goal had been to rebuild civilization. His job wasn't and wouldn't be to inquire into the past of every petrified human to decide if they had a place in the new world. That notion seemed abhorrent to him—such behavior was reminiscent of someone with a God complex, someone diametrically opposed to his vision of the world. Who was he to judge who should be restored and who should be left behind?
For that very reason, no matter how hard he tried, Senku couldn't comprehend his executioner's point of view. Condemning individuals for the sins of others—didn't that make him the very type of person he had sworn to oppose? Perhaps Tsukasa was aware of the hypocrisy in his actions, which is why he zealously pursued his vision, seeking solace in the belief that once his mission on Earth was complete, only one obstacle would remain to true peace. If he, burdened by countless sins committed in the pursuit of a world free from the old one's greed and decadence, were the sole survivor, cutting those undesirable traits would become much simpler.
Senku halted his line of thought; debating Tsukasa's motives for hours wouldn't yield a satisfactory answer. He cleared his mind and refocused on why he found himself in the forest.
Chrome had embarked on an exploration to a nearby cave after his late-night conversation with Senku, during which he entrusted knowledge of the ancient world to his friend and apprentice. Aspiring to be a true scientist, Senku knew the importance of contingency plans in a changed world where any misstep could set back civilization for millennia.
Meanwhile, Kohaku was on her daily journey to care for her ailing sister in Ishigami Village. This left Senku facing a predicament he had encountered only a few times before; creating any new invention required resources and labor, both of which were currently lacking. With time on his hands and no other recourse, he opted to take a walk in the forest, hoping to clear his mind and gain a fresh perspective.
His thoughts drifted again, this time to Taiju and Yuzuriha. He felt deep concern for their safety and well-being. Though he believed Tsukasa wouldn't harm them, his henchmen might pose a threat. He questioned whether separating from them had been the right choice.
Lost in his thoughts, isolated from reality, he stumbled over a large, unusually hard mound of leaves and plants. "Is that a foot?" he wondered to himself, noticing the oddity of the obstruction as he brushed soil and leaves from his clothing. Hastily, he cleared away the plant matter and revealed a petrified body—another human from his era, another victim of the catastrophe that had befallen the Earth on that fateful day.
It took him several minutes that felt like hours to ponder how that unfortunate person had ended up there in the forest, perfectly concealed beneath layers of leaves and roots. He realized that if he had been less observant, he might never have noticed, and the man would have remained forgotten forever.
When he finished uncovering the body, he noticed the position in which the man had ended up: his left arm covering his eyes, and his face slightly arched to the right, undoubtedly in the last moments of consciousness, trying to shield himself from the strange green light that had struck the planet.
His throat grew dry, his hands became sweaty, and his breathing erratic as he cursed himself for reacting this way. It was inevitable, given that the last stranger he had revived had mercilessly killed him. Doubts began to assail his mind.
Would it be like last time? Would reviving this person lead to his death once again?
His irrational side screamed at him to run and forget about the stranger; he had to survive at all costs, as death this time would be permanent. His rational side, more thoughtful, advised him to think things through, as he would need all the help he could get in his war against Tsukasa.
After what seemed like an eternity, Senku sat down on the ground, clenching his fists. "Relax, there's no human on this rock who can compare to Tsukasa in strength," he told himself, feeling a bit calmer. "There's no way your life is in danger." He laughed nervously, "You have this guy's life in your hands, and unlike him, you have all the time in the world to think it over."
He stood up and decided to return to Chrome's hut; this was something that needed careful consideration and thought. After all, he had left the last vial of liquid back in the hut. He would come back for it at some point.
Several hours had passed since that incident. Senku, Chrome, and Kohaku were gathered around a campfire, having dinner and discussing their day.
"I found a bunch of cool rocks in that cave, Senku. You must see them; you'll love them," Chrome said while holding a piece of meat. Kohaku simply shook her head, never understanding her friend's fascination with rocks; to her, they were just meaningless stones.
"Today, I found something interesting in the forest," Senku announced. Kohaku raised an eyebrow in interest. Senku rarely talked about anything other than science, so she quickly paid attention, and even Chrome stopped eating, his expression changing to one of excitement.
"I found another person from my time, or at least his petrified body under a pile of leaves and plants. What do you think about that?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Chrome responded, startling them both with a determined expression on his face. "I don't know how, but we have to help him. You said Tsukasa would come, and if that's true, any help is needed, right?"
"He's right. Besides, if he turns out to be dangerous, I can take care of him," Kohaku said, as Senku raised his gaze to meet her eyes directly. "Have you ever killed another person?" he asked, sighing and gently tapping her forehead. "If everything goes well, we won't have to resort to that extreme."
Senku held up a bottle from one of the pouches on his clothes to show it to his companions. "Chrome, you mentioned not knowing how we can help him." Chrome nodded as he examined the small container with curiosity.
"This bottle is the answer to the petrification problem; with this, humanity can be revived," he explained, looking at them with seriousness. "The only problem, a significant one actually, is that I only have this small bottle left, and I can't make more."
Kohaku understood the reason for Senku's hesitation. That container held what might be the last hope for the hundreds of petrified humans. Was it worth sacrificing hundreds or even thousands of people for just one?
"And so, what?!" Chrome exclaimed, breaking the silence and jolting his friends out of their stupor. "Between saving one person and saving none, I'd prefer the first option! Besides, I'm sure we can do more of whatever is in that bottle."
Senku chuckled, grateful for his friend's reminder of their goal. How could he revive all of humanity if he wasn't willing to do it for this person? Kohaku smiled, noticing the change in Senku's demeanor. She raised her thumb in Chrome's direction, and he responded with a small smile.
"Alright, let's do it. After all, science is exciting."
After a couple of hours of walking, the three members of the scientific kingdom arrived at the clearing where Senku had discovered the petrified human.
"We're almost there," he explained to his companions. "Just make sure to cover him well. I've had enough of naked idiots."
Kohaku rolled her eyes playfully, imagining Senku in such a situation. After a while, having dressed the stranger in the village's clothing, the two villagers stepped back to give the scientist space. They were excited and immensely curious to see how the miraculous liquid worked.
A cacophony of cracking stone echoed through the forest, showing that the petrification was being reversed.
"Welcome back to the world of the living." The stranger didn't respond but instead took a deep breath, the first in millennia to fill his lungs.
"What?"
For the trio, those words sounded strange and unintelligible. Chrome and Kohaku hadn't heard anyone speak in that way before. It was both fascinating and terrifying. Senku quickly figured out that the man was speaking in a different language than their own. It was a significant problem.
"He's a sorcerer! A wizard! Get away from him! I'll kill him!" The only female member of the quartet exclaimed hysterically as she charged at the stranger at full speed. Senku quickly placed his foot in her path, and the ground shook with a resounding noise.
"What are you doing, lioness? Calm down. He's not a wizard. Haven't I made it clear that magic doesn't exist? He's just someone who doesn't speak our language. Nothing to worry about," he replied as he scratched his ear.
"Not a wizard? That sounded completely like a spell."
The small argument between the two was interrupted by a cough from the stranger. "It's rude to call someone an idiot when you don't know them, grass head. And no, I'm not a wizard." He scratched his head while muttering to himself in a defeated tone, "My Hogwarts letter never arrived."
The man had walked over to Chrome and positioned himself beside him to see the duo's expressions of disbelief. "It seems like I'm the only one with common sense here," he said with a slight snort. "A wizard. Can you believe it?"
"I know, right? It's stupid, magic doesn't exist," the scientist replied, shaking his head, only to realize almost immediately that the stranger was standing beside him, laughing.
"Wait, what?"
Senku moved away from the still bewildered Kohaku, intrigued to find out what was going on. "Make up your mind. Do you speak Japanese or not? And another question, who the hell are you, and how did you end up in this forest?"
The stranger stopped laughing and scratched his head with indifference. "A tough crowd, huh?" he said, pointing at Senku. "I speak Japanese, and that's pretty obvious, right?"
Leaving the surprised Chrome behind, he approached the other two. "As for answering the other question, I have no clue at all. I was on vacation when that stupid green light appeared."
Senku nodded. Everything had been very sudden, so it was not surprising that some people were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
"That answers a lot of my questions. What about what you said when you woke up? It sounds like one of the Western languages, but I'm not sure which one. Is it English? Maybe German?"
The stranger tilted his head, looking confused yet oddly calm, as if being in a completely strange place was not a new experience for him. "That?" he said. "I just blurted out the first thing that came to mind when I woke up. But apparently, I said it in English. I guess it sounded strange to you," he added, scratching the back of his neck.
The scientist began to evaluate his options in his head. The newly revived individual had a strange personality, sometimes immature and carefree. Nonetheless, he quickly decided that he was harmless; after all, in the worst-case scenario, it would be a three-on-one confrontation.
Perhaps this stranger could be an interesting addition to his kingdom.
Senku approached confidently and extended his hand for a handshake with the stranger, slightly tilting his head to look him in the eye due to the height difference. "I'm Senku. That one over there is Chrome, and the one we call 'lioness' is Kohaku," he said while pointing to his companions.
"Lioness, huh?" The stranger wriggled his eyebrows suggestively. "That's kinky. I've had my adventures with plenty of crazy girls, but I've never given them a nickname like that."
He intentionally ignored the look of astonishment and the slight blush that appeared on the girl's cheeks, as well as Senku's expression of disbelief, approaching and putting an arm around his shoulder. "You must have some big balls to go around calling your girl that in front of her little brother," the stranger said with a broad smile. "I like you. I'm Joe. Where are we, and what happened?"
Senku sighed internally. Kohaku was going to kill that idiot, and maybe him too for reviving him. It was truly remarkable how not even 5 minutes had passed, and he was already starting to regret his decision. Nevertheless, he signaled the stranger to follow the group.
They had already completed their task, and staying in the forest was inefficient. It was time to return to the cabin, and on the way, the group answered all their new companion's questions.
"Are you telling me you were killed? And then you came back to life? That's fucking awesome! Except for that part where your neck ended up broken, I guess."
Senku clenched his fist slightly to avoid alarming anyone. That situation still bothered him, but getting angry about the past was futile. However, Kohaku noticed his subtle gesture with some concern. "Shit happens. So, what do you say? Will you join my kingdom and fight for science?"
Joe responded with a sardonic smile. "You ask as if I had other options. Accept your offer or refuse and go it alone. You tempt me, you really do. But first tell me something, are there cookies?"
Senku returned the smile; he had found another Taiju, just what he needed. "We'll reinvent them," he said.
Joe nodded and chuckled, but his laughter didn't last long when he noticed the expression on Senku's face—a look that promised hard work without pay or vacations. He found himself wondering if it was too late to run and become a hermit in the mountains. Swallowing nervously, he approached Kohaku and asked if Senku was always like this.
Kohaku shrugged and then gave the new addition to the scientific kingdom a supportive and empathetic pat on the back. "You'll get used to it," she added, as Chrome picked up the empty flask.
"Am I going to die, right?" Joe muttered to himself, defeated. A sinister, malevolent laugh echoed through the night, startling both animals and humans alike, as three distinct groans went unnoticed.
July 24th, 5739.
"I told you, not every black rock is iron sand, idiot! That's clearly a volcanic rock, real interesting but useless to the plan, just like you!" Senku screamed, annoyed at the newest addition to the scientific kingdom and his tendency to bring the wrong rocks every single time.
"This is a river Senku. Don't push your luck," he threatened, bringing a finger to his neck to simulate cutting it.
If you somehow ignored the sound of two young adults arguing like children, the day was calm, perfect for swimming and searching for minerals in the riverbed—minerals that would be used in an ambitious and revolutionary plan to bring modern medicine back to the stone world.
In preparation for the day, Kohaku had politely (and at spear-point) requested her father to collect the necessary hot spring water for her sister's treatment.
Joe, annoyed at Senku's 'work ethics'—which were a euphemism because the scientist was sitting on a big rock watching Joe and Kohaku pick rocks at the riverbed—threw sand at the green-haired man. "Care to tell me why the fuck you aren't picking rocks like us?!"
Senku dusted himself off and got up. "You bastard, don't you know sand is coarse, rough, and it gets everywhere?! For that, you deserve to work a few hours more than the rest."
Kohaku rolled her eyes for the umpteenth time that day. It seemed like the men of 3700 years ago were all children. Taking a glance at Chrome, who couldn't stop laughing at the interaction, she revised her thought. All men seemed to be carefree children.
Ditching the work, Joe climbed the rock and sat down to rest for a bit. "Hey, professor, have you noticed that Chrome and Kohaku have weird-ass names? What kind of a shitty father names his children after metals and rocks?"
Chrome stopped laughing to address the question. "Do names have meanings?"
Joe looked incredulously at Chrome, thinking that Senku was an idiot for not answering all the boy's questions during their conversation about the modern world. On the other hand, it was comforting to see Chrome's face of pure innocence, as if he were a child asking why the grass was green.
"In theory, names should mean something, Chrome. Or at least they should have an origin. Unless you're named Senku. When that shit happens, it's time to hate God for eternity."
The scientist ignored the low blow and started picking up sand.
Chrome turned to look at the pair with eyes that betrayed his excitement. "What does my name mean?"
"Chromium," they both replied.
"Your name literally means Chromium, a metal," Senku explained with indifference. "Which is strange considering that your culture barely knows metals," he added.
Joe's eyes widened as if they were plates. The fact that the village was in the Stone Age at the level of the earliest human ancestors, yet named one of its members after a metal that was clearly unknown to them, was strange, confusing, and too convenient. He couldn't think of anything to explain such a situation—nothing except a crazy idea: perhaps someone else from his time had awakened on their own, aiming to transmit humanity's collective knowledge.
"What if Senku wasn't the first to wake up on his own?" he murmured to himself as his throat dried up. "Had humanity already failed in its first attempt to rebuild civilization?"
Senku, noticing Joe's contemplative expression, raised an eyebrow. It seemed that Joe suspected the same as him. There was much more to the origin of the village than met the eye. Which was nothing but excellent news, due to Senku's curious nature as he was eager to discover the secrets of that strange tribe.
After all, he would not fail in his task.
Meanwhile, Chrome, unaware of his comrades' serious thoughts, just smiled and walked quickly to stand at the same height as the blonde in the group.
"How cool! Did you hear that, Kohaku?! I'm a metal!"
Kohaku smiled back at her friend's antics, but deep down, she felt concerned after noticing the expressions on the faces of the two revived individuals.
Joe raised his hand triumphantly as he found a fistful of the black iron sand. "Oh, Kohaku, if you're wondering what your name means, it's amber—a pretty jewel, just like the woman who bears the name. It's a shame you're pining over Sherlock over there, because I would love to be with you for eternity, you know?" He said, wiggling his brows suggestively but casually, as if he was discussing the weather, pointing with his finger at Senku.
The girl blushed heavily, her face turning as red as a ripe tomato. But this momentary blush quickly turned to a disgusted expression when she processed Joe's intentions. She picked up a big rock and walked slowly towards Joe, clearly intending harm.
"Surely it was good to know you, man," Chrome wisely said as he ran for cover.
Joe did what any sensible creature would do when faced with a dangerous predator seeking blood—he ran as fast as he could, with Kohaku hot on his heels, still holding the big rock.
Senku just facepalmed and groaned. It seemed Kohaku did have feelings for him. "Senseless lioness, I told you love was going to complicate things," he thought to himself, deciding to postpone the awkward matter for later, preferably much later.
"Hey! Easy!" Joe said, still running and almost tripping over a bunch of plants at the riverbank while dodging the rock. "Calm down, you crazy woman. I'm sure Senku already knew. I'll help you; I promise. Just don't throw that thing again."
Kohaku stopped, giving Joe the impression that he was in the clear. Dumbly, he added with a toothy smile, "With the help of Dr. Love here, you'll have a bunch of mini-Senkus running around your village in no time."
Joe couldn't see the rock that hit him. While it was not as big as the first one Kohaku threw, it knocked him forcefully onto his back, splashing water in all directions. Kohaku just smiled and started making her way to finish him off.
But it seemed that God took pity on the idiot and sent him an angel to bail his ass out.
"Are you okay?" asked an odd and high-pitched voice, and a small hand took Joe's to help him up.
The newcomer was a little girl with a lacquered watermelon helmet with a couple of holes for her eyes.
"Thank you, God! From now on, I'll be your prophet and will spread your word for a world filled with girls for me," said Joe as he got up, smiling and ruffling the watermelon with gratefulness.
Kohaku ran to him and smacked his head. "I wasn't going to kill you, you idiot." Then she looked at the strange girl and completely forgot about Joe and his nonsense.
"Suika!? What are you doing out here?"
"I followed you to help, Kohaku. I want to be useful. Can I?" she asked, making the cutest face she could manage, considering she had a watermelon covering half of her face.
"Why couldn't you?" Joe responded with a reassuring smile, pointing at Senku and Chrome who took advantage and took a not well-earned rest. "How about you go with those two slackers and put them to collaborate with you?"
Suika looked up at him with tears in her eyes. It was the first time someone wanted her help and didn't ask about her problem or why she wore that helmet. She couldn't understand how this young man, who was almost twice her height, asked for her help and didn't push her away like almost everyone else in the village.
Noticing the concern on the strange man's face, she tried to hold back her tears and showed him a big smile.
"I'll do it! Trust Suika!"
With a little jump, she performed an almost impossible move and completely entered her watermelon, floating freely in the small stream towards the pair of young men who were still resting peacefully.
She would later come to know that there were people out there who didn't care about her eyesight problem. She had found friends, at least.
Joe approached Kohaku. "Think about my proposition about you and Senku, okay?"
"Maybe later."
Joe was dumbfounded. He had expected a rock to the head, a refusal from Kohaku, or even being ignored, but never confirmation. Putting aside his surprise, he asked another question.
"Hey, that girl. Is she your little sister? I mean, it makes sense that you got mad at finding her here considering her condition."
Kohaku looked at him with confusion and surprise. Joe was somewhat perceptive, as despite not being blood sisters, Kohaku protected and cared for Suika whenever she could.
"No, Suika is not my sister. It's just that I care about her. Her parents died a few years ago in a famine, you know? And since that day, everyone in the village looks out for her."
She replied, recalling a certain selfish and arrogant individual. "Well, almost everyone."
"I see, that's why you were so surprised that I sent her to fetch those two idiots. Surely, almost no one in your village wants her help and sees her as a burden rather than what she really is. Isn't that, right?"
Kohaku nodded sadly while paying attention to the little girl, who was helping Senku and Chrome.
"And the fact that she has an eye problem only worsens that indifference," Joe murmured.
An uncomfortable silence invaded the pair as they delved into their own thoughts. After a few minutes, Joe broke the silence.
"That girl is very brave, you know?" he said while turning to look at Kohaku. "The easiest thing for her would be to stop trying and live off your village's charity. But she doesn't seek the easy way; she has the courage and determination to keep going, enduring indifference and resentment, hoping that someone, even if it's just one person, sees her worth."
Kohaku smiled as she nodded.
"That's why I thought she was your little sister. After all, you and she look much more alike beyond having blonde hair and blue eyes."
"Who knows? Maybe little Suika will end up saving our asses someday. Don't you think?" he added, smiling from ear to ear.
Author's Note as of May 14th, 2024:
If you've read this before, you'll notice that the story no longer has three chapters. I've decided to merge chapters one and two to match the word count of the third (now second) chapter. I've also added new elements for you to discover *wink*
I hope you enjoy the updated version. If you found the first chapter lacking, please give it a second chance and keep reading.
Lastly, feel free to leave a review and share your thoughts.
See ya at the next update, don't forget to drink water.