Hey, yes I know. After almost a year I am updating this story again.
I could make a lot of excuses and say that I've been too busy and that life works in mysterious ways, but no. It's not my style, you know?
To be honest, I lost interest in writing, until I rewatched the anime and re-read the manga, then I remembered why the hell I wrote this in the first place. I don't promise to publish once a week religiously, but I have promised myself to finish Joe's story properly.
So without further boring chatter I bring you the third chapter, hoping you enjoy it and leave your comment or add the story to favorites (it's not mandatory you know, but I would still be excited to know that there are people out there who like what I do)
Disclaimer: I'm the true creator of Dr. Stone, but I'll say I'm not so I won't have to answer why Ibara didn't die in the most horrible way possible. (Joking, or maybe not?)
August 12th, 5739.
"C'mon, easy now. One step at a time. It is not like everyone else will starve if you miss this shot", murmured a figure hidden behind some bushes.
The silhouette held a makeshift spear in hand, trying not to alert its prey. A significant-sized stag was a few meters away, feeding carelessly.
The strange being had been tracking the animal for an hour, hoping to catch it off guard to claim its prize.
"A bit closer and we'll dine like kings tonight. I will not let Kohaku lecture me again for letting that stupid boar get away!" he whispered.
His mind wandered back to that morning. The day before, they had returned to the village with the iron sand needed to kickstart the path to modern medicine. So, it was his turn to hunt for food, and being a complete novice, Joe was accompanied by his blonde companion.
What was supposed to be a peaceful day turned into a nightmare. His inexperience and arrogance turned what was supposed to be a sure hunt into a day without food. He still could remember his companion's fury, his own self-anger.
Shaking his head silently, he tried to focus on the task at hand. He slowly and firmly raised his arm, gently inhaling and holding his breath. He arched his body to gather all the momentum needed to finish the animal in one strike.
Seconds later, a heavy thud signaled it was time to release the air from his lungs. Meters away, the once imposing specimen lay defeated on the ground, the same spear piercing through its side.
"Thanks for your sacrifice, big guy. Me and my friends will live another day thanks to you," he murmured, breaking the silence as he bent down to collect his prize.
On the other side of the forest, a man was deep in thought under the shade of the hut.
It had been the fifth day since Senku attempted to melt the iron sand in the clearing's furnace. Another day where failure accompanied the scientist, unable to achieve the necessary heat degrees to start the smelting process.
No matter how many times the five of them blew into it, or how hard they blew, or how many times one of them passed out from lack of air, the chemical process seemed elusive and distant.
While his companions didn't express it, he knew it was only a matter of time before they lost hope in the project, dooming Kohaku's sister's life and condemning Senku to death. It was only a matter of time before Tsukasa stumbled upon the village and took it for himself.
It was clear they would need all the help they could get, which could only be obtained from the village. What wasn't so obvious was how to get that help. Neither he nor Joe could enter the village due to being outsiders, Kohaku's condition was peculiar and not fully understood yet; for the same reason, she wasn't fit for the task. That left Chrome and Suika as the only alternatives.
He quickly dismissed his self-proclaimed apprentice, recalling how he was ridiculed by that pair of guards during their first interaction. Clenching his fist, he turned his thoughts to the little girl, who was an outcast in the village. Scratching his head, he quietly cursed every village inhabitant for being a group of irrational idiots.
He scanned for the newest member of the scientific kingdom, feeling all anger and worries dissipate completely. There she was, playing carelessly with her pet, oblivious to the troubles that surrounded her new home.
He felt determination return to his body; no matter how, he would ensure the villagers cooperated in rebuilding civilization.
His thoughts were interrupted by the barking of the dog; Joe had returned and surprisingly managed to catch something. It seemed that idiot could be useful when he wanted. He decided to stop worrying; during dinner, he would discuss the problem with his companions, optimistic about solving it.
Humanity's greatest virtue wasn't just its intelligence but cooperation.
Joe grinned toothily at Kohaku, who just rolled her eyes. That outsider could be arrogant sometimes, but he had proven his worth. She would knock some sense into him another time.
He turned his gaze to Senku. "Rough day, huh?" he asked. "You could follow my advice and build a machine that pumps air on its own," he added with a shrug, which seemed ridiculous considering he still had the animal on his back.
Senku smiled, glancing at the other members. "I have a better idea."
The next morning brought a complete change in the mood of the scientific kingdom; the iron smelting problem seemed to have been forgotten. With Suika's help, the group could devise a bait enticing enough to win the village's support.
According to Senku's plan, Suika would embark on a reconnaissance mission throughout the village, while the rest of the group would prepare more tools for the laborers they would surely obtain.
"Do you think something happened to her?" Joe asked with concern.
Suika was supposed to arrive shortly before noon to discuss the next phase of the plan. Her absence worried the rest of her companions.
"I don't know," Senku replied.
"Lower that spear, idiot! Be reasonable. Do you really think someone from her own village would harm her?" he added agitatedly while preventing Joe from assaulting the village.
Kohaku looked at him strangely. Didn't he remember the conversation they had when they returned from the riverbank?
Senku swallowed. He had forgotten that small detail due to the excitement of being so close to solving the problem. Trying to show confidence, he wondered if humanity, after 3700 years, had gone mad.
"Who are we waiting for?" asked a strange voice for the quartet.
Standing next to them was the most extravagant being Senku and Joe had ever laid eyes on since the petrification.
The strange human was dressed in a purple tunic with black details, layered over a cream garment and a white shirt. He had black and white hair and bore a scar like the young pair's. With a sarcastic expression, he clasped his hands and asked again.
"Are we all seeing the same thing?" Joe asked incredulously.
The rest of his companions had the same expression, one of utter bewilderment. Quickly, Senku snapped out of his stupor to scrutinize the individual.
Noticing the scar, he cursed to himself. Tsukasa was smarter than he thought.
Joe took the spear, pointing it upwards, while Kohaku murmured something with Kinro and Ginro.
"Didn't your pension cover a full dye job, grandma?" he asked, scratching an ear with feigned disinterest.
Senku let out the biggest groan of his life, looking at his companion with an expression that seemed to ask if he was the biggest idiot to walk the earth.
"Seriously?! Is that the best you could come up with?!" he exclaimed, slapping his forehead hard, causing a thud that echoed through the clearing.
The stranger laughed at the strange interaction between the two. It seemed like he was lucky and had found the goal of his dangerous mission.
"I'm surrounded by idiots," Senku grumbled.
"I was thinking of calling him domino head, but that would be too predictable, don't you think? Plus, I managed to distract him enough," he smiled broadly, pointing at the three village warriors pouncing on the newcomer.
Kohaku raised her spear, stopping just at the stranger's throat, who stopped laughing to meet the most threatening expression he had ever seen in his life.
Swallowing hard, he turned his gaze to Senku, praying that he would stop the Amazon who was about to kill him.
"Lioness, leave him. I need him alive."
The stranger felt relieved and dusted himself off. Clearing his throat, he changed his expression to a predatory smile. "A pleasure to finally meet you, Senku-chan. I've heard a lot about you."
Senku swallowed deeply. His suspicions had been correct; one of Tsukasa's men knew he was still alive. It was only a matter of time before hell broke loose over the village. Maintaining his false calm expression, he locked eyes with the enemy.
"What's one of Tsukasa's men doing so far from home?" he asked, smiling.
The outsider returned the smile, silently approving of the man he was sent to find, feeling the cards of destiny begin to reveal themselves and he, as a good opportunist, would only wait for the right moment to play the right hand.
What was a magician if not an expert in deception and manipulation?
Chrome was bewildered. If that stranger was with Tsukasa, why was he still conversing with Joe and Senku as if they were old friends catching up?
He was about to intervene in the conversation, but stopped when he felt his sleeve being tugged down. Turning his head, he noticed a small hand resting on the fabric of his clothing. Suika had returned from her mission and was watching the strange scene unfold with curiosity.
"For the last time, androgynous penguin, I told you I have no idea who you are!" Joe growled in frustration.
Senku let out another groan of irritation, beginning to wonder if death was better than listening to another word from the pair of idiots in front of him.
"For goodness' sake, first grandma and now penguin?! I'm Gen Asagiri! Asagiri!" he repeated. "You know. Gen Asagiri from the ten o'clock program."
His desperation grew as he saw no recognition from the other man, "The greatest magician and mentalist of all time? The most handsome man in Japan?"
Joe rubbed his chin. Gen interpreted the gesture as one of recognition.
"Isn't Houdini the greatest of all time? You are quite presumptuous. Besides, you are fucking ugly," he continued, noting the stranger beginning to show signs of annoyance on his face. "If you're the most beautiful in Japan, then I must be the most attractive in the universe. I mean, have you seen these eyes or these muscles?"
He gestured to himself with a self-satisfied smile. "Girls line up just to talk to me," he concluded, spreading his arms.
"No, they don't," Kohaku broke the silence, hitting her forehead with embarrassment.
Gen was not going to stand idly by. He was determined to defend his well-earned titles. He would humiliate that arrogant bastard with his immense skill as a mentalist. He would make him eat every one of his words.
He snapped his fingers inside his sleeves and walked towards his opponent but was halted by Senku's loud voice.
"¿Would the dumbass duo please behave? There's work to be done," he added with his characteristic smile.
Gen tried to slip away. There was no way he would work for his target, especially if he wore such a chilling and sinister smile.
"Where do ya' think yer going, cowboy?" Joe asked condescendingly imitating his grandpa's southern accent, grabbing the enemy's spy by the arm.
"You heard Doctor Evil. You must work if you do not want to end up impaled by Kohaku's spear like some fucked up kebab.
Gen swallowed hard. "She wouldn't do that. Would she?" noticing the Machiavellian gleam in his captor's eyes he insisted helplessly "Right?"
Hours later. The food was ready and set up in front of the village's suspension bridge. The group eagerly awaited the villagers, understanding the importance of the moment. It was the first contact of the two outsiders with the village, one that would define the future of the scientific kingdom.
Kinro and Ginro, the sibling guards, looked with suspicion and unease (or at least one of them did) at the makeshift cart in front of them. They had known the group for over a week and still found themselves surprised by the strange constructions they made.
"What are you up to now?" exclaimed the elder of the two with a deep voice. "You better not threaten the peace of the village, or I'll have to deal with you myself."
Joe rolled his eyes with disinterest at the lack of courtesy. Was it so difficult to greet acquaintances in a traditional manner?
"Good afternoon to you too, Kinro. Don't they teach you manners in the village?" he added, noticing the raised eyebrow of the brunette. "Anyway, it's a fine afternoon for committing villainous acts with devastating results for your village, don't you think?"
The mentioned guard frowned dangerously. This outsider was quite odd and unpredictable. Observing the stupid grin on the young man's face, he decided to let it go. It was probably another one of his jokes, otherwise Kohaku would have already taken care of him.
The fact that Senku had gifted him a golden spear didn't cloud his judgment, no matter how his brother whined it did.
"Something smells really good," interjected the younger brother, noticing the aroma starting to fill the air.
Senku smiled; it would only be a matter of time before they took the bait. Soon he would have his free labor, and in a few hours, the iron would be ready, advancing the scientific plan a step further.
"Ginro my man, glad to see a fellow hardworking man, how's job going?" he inquired as he fist-bumped the mentioned guard.
The young blonde man grinned; Joe was the outsider he got along with best. They shared an incredible talent to annoy Kinro without getting killed in the process.
"You know. I have to guard a bridge that no one passes except village folks."
Kinro growled. He would have expected Ginro to stop complaining after his first year on guard, but apparently the little bastard loved making his life miserable.
"Here you go," Joe interrupted the brunette's internal monologue, handing each one a plate with the ramen prepared by Senku, "The house treats this time."
He stepped away to join the rest of the group when he noticed a group of people approaching from the village. The moment had arrived.
Thanks to Suika, they had learned of the rumors circulating in the village about Senku. Many were far-fetched and absurd. Some portrayed Senku and Joe as demons disguised as men with the sole aim of destroying everything in his path. Others believed Senku was the lost son of their village's founder, seeking his rightful place as the leader.
Regardless, as the afternoon progressed, the curious villagers began to approach guided by the aroma and instinctual hunger it stirred in their bodies.
Kohaku saw that a large part of the group of newcomers consisted of some of the youngest members of the village. She also noticed one member standing out from the rest. With an unusually white mane and a thick beard, he stood out in the small group.
Blinking again, as if expecting her mind to have played a trick on her, she looked back at that individual. There was no doubt, one of her sister's personal guards had gone with the crowd.
Kohaku held back the curse she was about to utter. Her father was aware of Senku's existence but had chosen not to act, perhaps guided by the innate affection he felt for his daughter or by gathering more information about the strange outsider living in the woods. She wondered if, tired of waiting, he had ordered Jasper to leave his post to deal with the threat.
Hiding her concern, Kohaku casually approached Senku, who was with Chrome and Joe serving the food to the villagers.
She tapped his shoulder and whispered in his ear.
"I think we should postpone the plan until tomorrow. My father has sent one of his best men here to find out what you're up to," she concluded, pointing toward the man in question.
Senku nodded slightly, understanding the situation at once. If he took advantage of the villagers while one of the leader's trusted men was present, he could say goodbye to his plan and even his own life. He would play the benevolent foreigner if it guaranteed victory against Tsukasa. He needed the village as much as they needed him. He just hoped Ruri could hold on a little longer.
"Joe, don't mention anything about the work plan," he said in a muffled voice, pointing with his eyes towards the target. "We have a small unforeseen situation."
His companion nodded with a thumbs-up as he moved away to serve the impatient line forming at the front of the cart.
"Serve me first, outsider," spoke the middle-aged man gruffly, staring harshly at the young man. "It's my duty to protect the village, but rest assured, if something happens to me, the consequences will be terrible," he concluded, taking a sip.
Joe only offered a calm smile and a gesture that seemed to indicate he should enjoy the meal, wondering if the drama was common in the village.
"That's all I could find out, Kokuyo," he paused to recall the events of the afternoon. "Apparently, the outsiders don't plan to poison the village with their witchcraft. Their goal seems to be making connections and nothing else."
He glanced at the village under the moonlight.
"Now that we've ruled out a threat, we'd do well to concentrate all our efforts on preparing for the great battle ahead."
The leader nodded uninterestedly; his mind occupied by his little Ruri. He wondered if it was worth engaging in another major battle when her condition was only worsening. What kind of father was he to condemn her to marriage in her state?
Forcing himself to put on a false expression of confidence, he instructed his trusted advisor to continue with the preparations. Deep down, he hoped the sorcerers could cure his daughter.
The leader continued thinking, unaware that in the scientific kingdom, three men ended a conversation that would change Japan's destiny.
The moon was at its highest point, illuminating the clearing with its white light. The three silhouettes sat around a campfire in profound silence, repeating the conversation that had taken place just minutes ago.
"That's a lot to process. Are you sure, Gen?" Joe asked softly, avoiding alerting the sleeping Chrome nearby.
"Yes, I saw it with my own eyes. Tsukasa is amassing an army, and no matter what he says about Senku's condition, he'll attack the village as soon as he knows of his existence," he repeated ominously, staring deeply into the fire, which seemed to dance harmoniously under the night sky.
Senku sighed, his mind working on a way to gain the village's total cooperation as he turned to meet Gen's expectant gaze, who knew the question the scientist would inevitably ask.
"How much time do we have, mentalist? Are you sure Taiju and Yuzuriha are, okay?"
Gen smiled, congratulating himself for guessing the question.
"They're fine. Tsukasa values them for their unique abilities, and it helps that few in his retinue can compare to them."
Taking a deep breath, he continued. "Regarding the exact time, I'll be honest with you, I don't know myself. It could be tomorrow or next month, but if it makes you feel better, I will probably end up being with the vanguard of the invasion. That should buy you at least a few hours to prepare."
Senku nodded as he surveyed his surroundings, noticing that Joe was trying to understand why the mentalist was helping them.
"You know, I came here expecting to find an idealistic and arrogant idiot who matched Tsukasa's description," Gen interrupted the new silence that had settled in.
He looked up at the starry night sky, a small smile forming on his face. His companions followed suit, staying silent so the former enemy agent could finish his monologue.
"I never expected to be so wrong in my judgment. Unlike Tsukasa, your companions don't fear you or seek something in return. They seem to follow you blindly and trust you. If they have complaints, they're not afraid to voice them, and you change your plans if necessary. And that's not all; despite possessing knowledge spanning millions of years of technology, you prefer to gain people's support through peaceful and diplomatic means."
"Otherwise, it wouldn't be interesting," Senku smiled.
"Does that mean you're on our side?" Joe asked, getting to the point.
Gen looked at him indecisively. He didn't even know the answer to that question himself; for now, he would lie to get out of the predicament. He would have plenty of time to think about where his loyalties lay.
"I'm a selfish person, little Joe. I see for my own good, and as such, I'll always be with the side I consider the winner. For now, take my warning as a gesture of goodwill for feeding me, and for not killing me, of course."
"Yeah, sure. That won't save you from working tomorrow," Senku snorted. "Not letting the entire village lynch you for being a spy is a good response to your gesture Don't you think?" he concluded, giving his characteristic smile.
Gen trembled slightly and swallowed, realizing he wouldn't escape work no matter what he said.
"After all, I'm a magnanimous and peaceful leader," Senku added sarcastically as he got up and headed to Chrome's hut. "I suggest you get some sleep; there's much to do tomorrow."
Joe chuckled softly as he saw the defeated expression of the white-black haired young adult. It was refreshing not to be subjected to Senku's enslaving tendencies for once. His thoughts turned back to their earlier discussion. He would convince Gen to join the group eventually. For now, he needed to prepare along with the others for the impending conflict.
The next morning began the process of smelting iron. The sky was clear and not a single cloud could be seen.
"So, do we need a lightning storm to create a magnet, right?" Joe asked dubiously, leaning back with his arms behind his head.
Senku looked at his companion with irritation; he had explained the process several times. Even Kohaku, who lacked advanced scientific knowledge, had understood the process.
"What part of creating a magnet don't you understand? Unless you have an electric generator to replace the lightning, there's no other way to get what we want. So, stop complaining and go get a mold for the connector, or I'll use you as a lightning rod," he concluded, giving him a threatening look, challenging the young man to contradict his order.
"And surely the stupid storm will just appear out of nowhere," muttered Joe as he walked away from the area.