My Carnation - Dr.Stone FanFiction - 1215

f o r s y t h i a

𝒜𝓃𝓉𝒾𝒸𝒾𝓅𝒶𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃

-

Gen, Chrome and Magma departed without an issue. Homura was stalled for long enough that according to Senku when I met up with him, he claimed he almost had her as his prisoner.
I... I didn't really believe him.
Because Homura had such a way of movement, none of the others were able to capture her fast enough before she got away to follow the others. Because of this little mishap, Senku gathered Kohaku and Kinro and took off after her carrying the other cell phone. With that, he'd communicate with Gen and they'd capture Homura in between them.
I watched as he left, the villagers surrounding me. I was out in front, and even though I had faith in them, I couldn't smile after them. In that moment, it settled in that I was the only person from the modern world left in the village.
I jumped slightly as Ruri's father pressed a hand to my shoulder, "Rina, you should head back to the village where it's safe. I'll send an escort with you."
"Oh, no, it's alright. Maybe I should stay here for the time being?" I thought aloud, but it didn't seem necessary.
The old chief shook his head, "It's better for you to be in the village. If any of Tsukasa's men come, they'll probably approach here first."
I narrowed my eyes slightly as he called out for someone to walk me to the village. It was an odd feeling, something doing the opposite of what he thought it was doing. He was saying I needed to go where it was safe, calling me an escort... When I looked at the woman who'd walk me, and the others taking their looks, and the smile the chief gave me, I realized.
They were all looking down on me. Apparently, word got out that I was the weak one with the sickness.

For the first time, I felt a ridiculous amount of bubbling anger inside of me. I had struggled, I had suffered, and now that I was working to get better they were all still treating me like I was as broken as the day I got here!
Needless to say, when Kohaku got back, I was going to be having a firm talking to with her. I'm sure she didn't go around telling everyone about me like that, but who's to say Ginro didn't? Maybe I should just punch him instead. I may be weak, but I bet I could still make his nose bleed if I swung hard enough.
"Rina?" I perked up as the elderly woman poked her head through the door, "There you are, all cooped up. Would you like to do some more sewing? It's very therapeutic."
My shoulders slumped, "I don't need to do therapeutic things." I replied, "I'm perfectly fine."
She blinked, and then silently walked into the hut and sat down a few feet away from me, "Rina, you had the wandering sickness, right? That's how you ended up here?"
I frowned, "How did you find out? How did everyone in the village?"
"Well... mostly Ginro..."
I knew it!
"But," She continued, "It was also from mine and other elders intuition. Didn't Kohaku tell you that several other villagers have had the same sickness?"
"She said it was rare."
She nodded, "That is true, but even rare is common with so little people." She exclaimed, "You see, my son had wandering sickness. He wandered into the sea and drowned, unprovoked."
My eyes widened, and she smiled despite how horrifying that would have been, "I-I'm so sorry." I stuttered out.
"You see, some of the villagers may be worried for you, and want to watch you so you don't hurt yourself in the same way. But, many of us wish to help you. If I had the chance to sit with my son and teach him something that could have given him peace of mind, maybe he would have been happier. I know, you don't need it. But, accept the worry our people are giving you as signs they care deeply about your life."
I blinked, my eyes burned for a moment. I really just wanted Gen to come back, but... being in the village like this wasn't so bad.
The elder was right, and so if just to pass the time...
"Alright. Let's do some more sewing." I smiled, and she smiled right back, far more brighter than I could ever manage.