Dr. STONE: 4D Science Chapter 4 - Future Plans
After several hours of seemingly endless digging, the anticipation was mounting. Monolithic stone pillars, which looked to be forming some sort of tomb, had been unearthed. This could just be due to this area being the village's dedicated cemetery, or it could hold greater significance. Was this truly the founder's final resting place? Can Byakuya's petrified body be found here? The team kept digging all night. Little by little, they got closer to uncovering the truth. Will humanity ever create a functioning time machine?
"HEY, GUYS! OVER HERE!" Shouts Taiju in adulation. "I THINK I FOUND SOMETHING. SENKU! COME LOOK!"
Everyone stopped mid-dig and looked in his direction.
"This better not be another false alarm, Taiju. Like another boulder that looks uspiciously-say like a face," warns Gen.
"Yeah. Take this seriously, man. We can't keep stopping our search for every little thing." Chrome added.
"Well, it is rather late. And in this dead of night, it's entirely possible your mind is playing tricks on you. Seeing what you wish to see, out of sheer desperation," Xeno added.
"Would it kill you guys to be even a little positive?" Kohaku scolded.
"No, really! This time I found a person. Like, for real!"
"Lemme see, ya big oaf." Senku pushes Taiju out of the way to get a better look, and suddenly goes quiet.
"What do you think, Senku? He's really old looking with a beard and stuff, but doesn't he kinda look like your dad?"
Finally! After what felt like days of waiting, to Senku, they hit pay dirt. Hidden deep within the tomb, lay the petrified body of his adoptive father. For just a brief moment, Senku's eyes gleamed, full of emotion.
"Yeah." Senku sniffs, holding back the tears threatening to spill from his eyes. "Hey, ya geezer. Long time no see."
Everyone's faces lit up instantly.
"Hah! I knew we'd find him. All it took was a little faith and perseverance." Kohaku chimes in.
"What?! You mean it's really him? For eal-ray?" Gen asks in disbelief.
"Astounding! Now, we have it—definitive proof that humanity will one day develop a fully functioning time machine." Xeno smirked in satisfaction.
"Ha-ha! This calls for a celebration. My treat!" offered Ryusui.
"This is so incredible! Senku's dad is still alive. He must be so happy." Suika is beside herself with emotion.
"BADASS!" Chrome is ecstatic. "I'll go and prepare the revival fluid." He declares, making a mad dash to the village lab.
"How funsies! A father-son reunion after thousands of years—talk about awesome! This future Science is super freaky, but also fantastic." Chelsea chimed in.
"Yeah. Ten billion points to you, big oaf. Now we just need a way to dig him out completely. The space is too tight for shovels." Senku says nonchalantly whilst picking his ear in his usual fashion, seemingly having regained his composure. Next thing he knew, Taiju and Kohaku jump in there and start scooping out the dirt by hand.
"Eriously-say?! You're just gonna dig him out with your bare hands?" Gen winces at the thought of their fingernails getting wrecked.
"Guess that's one way to do it," Senku states, as a sweat drop forms at his temple from their frenzied display.
"The human adept at mental manipulation makes a fair point. To unearth a statue of adult male stature in such a manner is most unwise. Bodily harm is surely inevitable," argued Why-man, who hung at Senku's hip.
"Ha, don't underestimate the power team. They know what they're doing. Excellent work you two! I've got ten million drago with your names on it," Ryusui declares, snapping his fingers.
"HUH!? That's an azy-cray amount! Even for you, Ryusui."
"Ha-ha! That's gotta be the worst joke I've ever heard. Of course a momentous occasion like this is priceless. Am I wrong?"
"Keep your money, Ryusui. I'm not doing this for some kinda reward. NOW, DON'T YOU WORRY MR. ISHIGAMI! WE'LL GET YOU OUT OF THERE IN NO TIME, FLAT!" Taiju shouts with ferocity.
"That's right! You just leave this to us, Senku," Kohaku agrees. "Meanwhile, prepare yourself. It's time for a long awaited reunion."
"Tch, heh, heh. You two are so dependable, it's almost scary." Senku can't help but chuckle.
In a matter of minutes, Byakuya's statue was fully freed from the Earth and could see the light of day once more. Rather than wait around for Chrome to get back with the revival fluid, Taiju opted to carry Byakuya back to the village lab.
"Alright, I got him. LET'S GO!" Taiju bolts for the lab with Byakuya's body hoisted over his shoulder, shouting like a mad man. "HYAAHH!"
"WAIT, YOU BIG OAF! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU GOING?" Senku shouts after him.
"C'mon. There's no time to lose!" said Kohaku.
Next thing he knew, he was also being hoisted into the air. Kohaku had slung him over her shoulder and darted after Taiju.
"Hey, wait for us!" Everyone who was left behind starts running after them, as well.
"THE HELL, LIONESS?! PUT ME DOWN!" Senku flails about, both in surprise and in trying to get out of her grasp.
"Not a chance, Senku. Can't you see how happy Taiju is for you? Well, I am too." He stops resisting upon hearing this.
"You've done so much for all of us over the years. From improving our quality of life with science, to saving humanity from petrification. And there's no sign of you slowing down. I know you'll continue to follow the arduous path of science, one painstaking step at a time—to keep pushing us forward into the future. But for just this moment, let us do something for you in return. Let us reunite you with your father as soon as possible, because no one deserves it more than you, Senku."
"Tch! Okay, I get it. No need to get all emotional and teary eyed."
"Hah! If anyone's getting emotional, it's you Senku. You finally get to see your father again. 'This is exhilarating. Get excited!'"
"Tch, heh, heh. You're stealing my lines now, Lioness?"
"Hmm, it seemed fitting. And I'm not a lioness!"
…
Back at the village lab, it's now daybreak as everyone begins to gather for the big moment. Taiju was the first to arrive, and had set Byakuya's statue down in the middle of the clearing. Kohaku arrived shortly after with Senku in tow, whom she finally let down and dusted off, like a mother trying to make her child look presentable—which was ironic, considering she was covered in dirt from digging barehanded. Meanwhile, Chrome is busy at work, mixing together a dose of revival fluid inside the lab. Yuzuriha and Ruri also arrived, having prepared an outfit for Byakuya to wear.
"Taiju! Is it true? Did you really find Senku's dad?" Yuzuriha is breathless, clutching some clothes tightly to her chest.
"See for yourself." Taiju gestures toward Byakuya's figure, wearing an enormous grin.
Yuzuriha gasps in disbelief. "No way," she says with a tearful smile.
"I can't believe it. Father and son will finally be reunited after thousands of years apart. Science never ceases to amaze me." Ruri is moved to tears.
"I know! Isn't it incredible?!" Kohaku agrees with her sister.
Minutes later, Byakuya's statue is fully dressed and everyone else has arrived just in time to witness the reunion between father and son.
"You guys are way too ick-quay. Couldn't you give us normal folk a chance to catch up? Like, for eal-ray." Gen is gasping for air, about to keel over from exhaustion.
"Are we too late?" Ryusui questions, out of breath.
"I've got it! I've got the revival fluid!" Chrome emerges from the lab, triumphantly holding up a vial of said fluid, freshly mixed, in hand.
"Ah, hah, hah! No, you're just in time." Kohaku answered, unable to contain her joy.
"Here, Senku. You do the honors." Chrome says, handing over the vial of revival fluid.
Senku takes the vial and does a sweeping glance of all his friends. All eyes were plastered on him, and everyone had a dopey grin on their faces.
"C'mon, what are you waiting for? The anticipation is killing me." Chelsea is as blunt as always.
"Tch, heh, heh! How is it you all seem more eager for this than I am," Senku questioned.
"Agreed. The emotion exuded by all is substantial in it's amount for the revival of one human. I find it most bewildering," Why-man added.
"It's like I was saying before. We're all just so happy for you, Senku." Kohaku spoke up.
"That's exactly right," Ryusui agreed.
"What sort of friends would we be if we couldn't appreciate and share in one of the most joyous moments of your life?" Gen added.
Taiju just smiles widely in agreement as Yuzuriha nods with tears in her eyes. Chrome is holding out a fist in determination, while Ruri clasps her hands together, also on the brink of tears. Xeno is standing by with a smirk and Suika is already crying, wiping a tear from her eye.
"Go on, Senku," Kohaku encouraged, with a radiant smile.
Without further ado, Senku splashes the revival fluid over Byakuya and steps back, waiting for the de-petrification sequence to initiate. Seconds pass, and everyone is waiting with bated breath, until finally the telling sound of cracking stone rings through their ears. From one moment to the next, Byakuya emerges from the stone. He's grizzled and gray—with white hair and a lengthy beard. A man once in his forties is now easily in his seventies. He opens his eyes, which immediately land on his son.
"S-Senku? I must be dreaming." That is his first impression.
"It's not a dream, geezer." Senku assured him, hands on his hips in his typical casual manner. "Welcome to the year 5757. You have a nice nap?"
"What was that? This isn't a dream... Senku... Is that really you?"
"Yep. Sure is."
"Senku!" Byakuya launches himself forward, wrapping Senku in a tight hug around the shoulders.
Unable to restrain his emotions a moment longer, he returns the hug, placing his hands on his father's back. "Hey, dad." he greets softly, with a slight catch in his throat.
Byakuya laughs, and gets choked up. "Never thought I'd be hearing you say those words again." He pulls away, maintaining a grasp on Senku's shoulders. "You really did it! Didn't you son? You brought humanity back from the stone."
"Tch, get real, old man. Was there ever any doubt?"
"Ah, hah, hah! No, of course not. I never doubted you for a second. Hell, you even managed to bring me back, too. I don't have a clue as to how, but I'm so glad you did."
"Well, the answer to that is right here," Senku declares, pulling Why-man's pill shaped capsule from his hip. "Meet the source of humanity's downfall, Why-man."
"Huh? You mean all of humanity was petrified by this little do-dad?"
"I alone cannot be accredited for that which you presume. Only to the second wave, in that regard, was I integral."
"Whoa! It talks!" Byakuya said in alarm. "Well, sort of. That was a little tough to follow. So, what exactly is this thing? And why did it target humanity? And did I hear that right? There was a second wave? I have so many questions."
"I may, for accuracy's sake, more properly be referred to as an artificial lifeform. One which is, by nature, parasitic. Our objective, although detrimental to your kind, was not malicious in intent. Your subpar species was simply insufficient to fulfill the role wherein our longevity and mass production can be assured."
"Ha! Subpar? You say that, but it looks like humanity came out on top in the end. And to think, my very own son was responsible. How do you like them apples?" Byakuya directed a smug grin at Why-man, full of pride.
"Agreed. Senku is perhaps the only exception to this assessment."
"Tch, heh, heh. I can't take all the credit. You also played a monumental role from behind the scenes. All my efforts would've been dead in the water if not for the platinum you gathered. Must've taken you over twenty years to gather that much."
"So, it came in handy, huh? I'm glad. Now then, let me get a good look at you. I know I must be ancient by now, but you've grown as well. You're not the same, cocky, teenaged kid I remember. Just how old are you, now?"
"Chronologically, I'm a good three thousand seven hundred fifty years old. Tch, heh, heh... But biologically, I'm roughly twenty-seven years old now."
"Twenty-seven? Incredible! I can't wait to see how much you've accomplished in twelve years."
"Uh, so sorry to intrude upon this ouching-tay reunion. But, might I suggest we place the tour of dear Senku's greatest hits on hold, while we all get better acquainted," Gen proposes.
"Oh, how rude of me. Senku, please, introduce your friends."
"Sure. That's Asagiri Gen. Political ambassador to the U.S. and resident con-man."
"Hey! I resent being called a con-man."
"That's Nanami Ryusui, head of the Nanami conglomerate, and the living manifestation of greed."
"Ha-ha, you're not wrong!"
"She's Chelsea Childe, a world-class geographer with no filter to speak of."
"It's true. I just can't help myself."
"You already know Dr. Xeno."
"Byakuya." He gave a simple nod in greeting.
"Dr. Xeno, of course."
"What, no dig at his expense?" Gen whines. "So not air-fay!"
"And then…"
"Mr. Ishigami! Remember me?" Taiju interrupts enthusiastically.
"Oh, of course. Taiju! Good to see you, son."
"And you remember Ogawa Yuzuriha, right?"
"It's a pleasure to see you again, sir," she greets warmly.
"Yuzuriha, dear. The pleasure's all mine. I'm so glad you two remained Senku's friends all these years."
"Uh-huh! And get this, Mr. Ishigami. Yuzuriha and I have been married for over a whole year now. Can you believe it?"
"Really!? Well, my congratulations to you both. But, uh... just between us, is there any chance that Senku's got someone he's looking to settle down with?" Byakuya asked in a hushed voice.
"Um...well, you know Senku. Scientific progress is always his number one priority. So, I wouldn't hold out too much hope on that, I'm afraid," Yuzuriha confessed.
"No, I guess I shouldn't hold my breath." Tears of sorrow stream down Byakuya's face.
"Hey, old man. Next, I want you to meet some pivotal players in humanity's rescue. Introducing the rookie science brigade."
"Hello. I'm Suika. It's an honor to meet the village founder." Suika bows deeply.
"And, I'm the bad scientist and resource king, Chrome. Oh, and this is my wife, Ruri."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Ishigami." Ruri bowed.
"She was the village priestess. Her job was to pass down the Hundred Tales, and I gotta say, that was an ingenious idea. It's thanks to your stories that I decided to collect all kinds of minerals and herbs to experiment with."
"The Hundred Tales? So, you mean to say that you're descendants of the last astronauts?"
"Sure are!"
Byakuya took a closer look at the former priestess. "Yes, I see it. You're practically the spitting image of Lillian. And you? You remind me so much of Connie," he said looking at Chrome.
"And you…" he directed his attention to Suika, and froze. "Yui?"
"Yui?" Suika questioned, quite perplexed.
"Oh, pardon me. It's just you look so much like my daughter, Yuika. You said your name was Suika? So you're an aspiring scientist? How old are you? Thirteen? Fourteen?"
"Actually, I'm twenty-five, sir," she answered bashfully.
"Twenty-five? Seriously? What's your secret? You think it can shave a few years off of my age?" he asked jokingly.
"I'd venture to say it's a ramification of petrification. You see, we've found that the effects of de-petrification are far beyond the healing capabilities of even 21st century medicine, as cells revert to their most optimal state during the phase change from stone to living cells. Hence, through this reversion of cells to prior states of homeostasis, it's feasible that the senility of cells may be stalled indefinitely with perpetual use of the petrification ray. However, such an approach to longevity is not without its pitfalls. One such example is that continuous cell division creates a ceiling for the level of restoration that petrification may offer. Once chromosomal telomeres have begun to deteriorate, DNA is beyond repair." Xeno explained in a long-winded speech, without even batting an eye.
"Huh?" Nearly everyone questioned.
"Can't you explain things more simply for us non-scientists?" Gen complained.
"I think I get it. Something about how petrification makes your body good as new, but it's got a limit. That right? " questioned Chrome.
"That's about the gist of it. But he's basically saying that if you petrify me over and over, it could stop me from aging any further," Byakuya explained.
"What?!" Nearly everyone shouted in unison.
"For eal-ray? And wait, you mean you actually understood all that?!" Gen asked Byakuya in surprise.
"Ha-ha, impressive! I'd expect no less from a former astronaut and the man who fathered our very own resident genius," voiced Ryusui.
"Yeah, except he didn't father me. I'm adopted," Senku corrected.
"And you! Why couldn't you just say that from the start?" Gen accused Dr. Xeno.
"I believe my phrasing was quite elegant and concise."
"So, wait a minute... is what he said actually true? Can petrification really stall the clock? Freaky! Sounds like a plastic surgeon's worst nightmare," remarked Chelsea.
"Well, it's not entirely outside the realm of possibility," Senku admitted, putting his hands on his hips. "We already know that de-petrification can heal fatal injuries, revive the brain dead, and even bring people back from the dead, so why not add a sort of fountain of youth effect to the list."
"I can confirm that this is, without a doubt, within the scope of my abilities," agreed Why-man.
"That's seriously some bad shit! Why haven't we tried it out with old man Kaseki?"
"Well, utilizing the petri-beam in such a way would constitute daily use and diamonds aren't exactly easy to come by. Repeated use of the petri-beam for something as trivial as youth and vanity isn't worth wasting precious resources," Senku explained while picking his ear and averting his eyes.
"Oh," Chrome replied, becoming crestfallen.
Kohaku noticed that despite Senku's words, his lack of eye contact said he was holding something back, and she had a sneaking suspicion she knew exactly what that was.
"Well, enough theorizing. Now that everyone's acquainted, I say we all make our way to Tokyo for that celebratory banquet I promised. I'll tell Francois to serve up a feast like never before," Ryusui suggested.
Everyone became animated and eager for a well-earned meal after the long night of endless digging.
"Yeah, and then after we eat, we can show your dad the lab and all our bad inventions," offered Chrome.
"Oh, but wait. We forgot about…" Suika began to say, stopping when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"It's alright," Kohaku whispered in her ear, reassuringly.
"But Kohaku…" she pleaded.
"This is Senku's moment and seeing him happy is enough for me."
Meanwhile, everyone was lively with excitement and about to leave the clearing when Senku called everyone's attention.
"Hold it! We're not done with introductions."
"Hmm?" Ryusui pondered. "Oh, my sincerest apologies. How could I forget about a beautiful lady like that? I'm ashamed to call myself a man."
"Yeah, yeah, shut your trap already. Lioness, front and center."
"Huh? Lioness?" Byakuya wondered aloud.
Kohaku stepped forward, straightened her posture, and gave a considerable bow.
"It's an honor to meet the village founder. My name is…"
"Tch, heh, heh. Why so prim and proper all of a sudden? It doesn't suit you one millimeter."
Kohaku was taken aback and froze in place for a quick moment before snapping out of it.
"It's called being courteous. Something you clearly know nothing about," she retorted snidely, becoming less rigid.
"Yeah, well what you call courtesy, I call being disingenuous. Maybe try acting like your usual, wild, and unruly self—ya know, just like your hair."
Everyone was stunned silent by Senku's rude comment—everyone except for Kohaku, who gave him a disgruntled frown.
"What's your problem? Are you trying to make me look bad in front of your father? Did you save my introduction for last, just so you can humiliate me?"
"Oh? I didn't know making a good impression was so important to you. Why might that be?"
"Hah! Wouldn't you like to know? But fine, I'll play along," she replied, taking on a more relaxed posture and untying her ponytail, thus freeing her tangled mess of a mane, before trudging off.
"Why do you think Senku decided to pick a fight with Kohaku?" Suika whispered to Chrome.
"Dunno. All I know is he's lucky Kohaku never hits him. If that were me, she would've given me a serious beating," he whispered back.
Kohaku walked over to a nearby tree and scaled it effortlessly. She then leapt from a high branch, performing several acrobatic tumbles in the air, before landing soundly on the ground and drawing her blade. With a single slash, she felled the tree in a tremendous display of power, before sheathing her sword and tying up her hair once more.
"I am an elite warrior. The strongest and fastest that Ishigami Village has to offer, and I am not someone to be taken lightly," she declared with a smug smirk, crossing her arms and puffing out her chest.
"There's the lioness I know," said Senku with a smug smile of satisfaction.
"I-I see..." Byakuya was practically speechless. "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Lioness."
Kohaku's face fell into an intense frown, as Senku broke out in hysterical laughter, doubling over from how hard he was laughing.
"That's not my name," she grumbled. "You see what you've done by calling me that stupid nickname, bastard?!"
"Tch, heh, heh. Phew!" He fought to control his laughter, wiping a tear from his eye, before standing at her side and turning to his father. "Old man, I want you to meet Kohaku. I can genuinely say that she is my most trusted ally. Someone without whom none of this would've been possible."
Kohaku, who had just been incredibly peeved at Senku, suddenly became shocked and flattered, blushing in response to his words.
"When I needed allies to form a Kingdom of Science, Kohaku was there to lend a hand. And although we got off to a rocky start, we've been on more adventures together than I can count. Hell, we event went to the moon together," he confessed, surprising Byakuya, as well as everyone else there. Senku's never sang anyone's praises like this before.
"So, Lioness. There's something I wanna ask you," he said, making direct eye-contact with her. "Since the old man isn't getting any younger and could keel over any minute... wanna get married?"
"WHAT?!" Everyone shouted in unison as they were left with their jaws on the ground. Did Senku just say what they thought he said? —Impossible! There's no way he just proposed—everyone yelled in their minds.
After a solid minute of silence, Senku was getting tired of waiting. "If the answer is no, just say so. I don't have all day."
That snarky remark was enough to snap Kohaku out of her shock. "Hah! Alright, fine. I'll marry you... but under one condition—you don't divorce me after the first three minutes," she said with a knowing look, recalling the events of his previous marriage to Ruri.
"Tch, heh, heh. Fair! I promise... I'll wait at least ten minutes," he joked, causing Kohaku to shove his shoulder playfully, not wanting to hurt her future husband.
"Just for that, I'm the only one allowed to ask for a divorce, scumbag," she narrowed her eyes at him.
"Done deal. So, now it's official."
"Yep. No backing out now, Senku," she warned.
"Wouldn't dream of it, Lioness. This is just the beginning of a new adventure, so get excited!" He declared boldly, in front of everyone.
"THEY'RE ENGAGED NOW!" Everyone shouted in unison, again. That was, without a doubt, a historic day.
To be continued...
A/N: NEW FANFIC! Eeeehhh... I'm super excited about this one. *w*
This is going to be a mini-series about the events immediately after the manga—only about three chapters.
I've been sitting on this idea for a while and am beyond eager to release this story into the world. X3
Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed. You can expect updates really soon. Catch you in the next chapter!
