Steps to survival

Chapter 40 : Spartan Crafts Club

"Mother of-"

"What is that?"

Kinro, Ginro, Suika, Gen, Kohaku and Senku froze in place as they watched the wooden, oversized contraption in front of them with shock and wonder while I approached, not being so shell shocked, staring up at it. "Ha-ha I know I'm awesome, but this blade of something is really something special! It would've never worked without this, my super iron cutting tool. Pretty cool, eh?" Kaseki held up what looked like a saw and an axe combined.

"So what do you think? Isn't my new invention amazing? This is payback for when you got me good with that magnet!" Chrome gushed.

"You realise we want you to be more shocked!"

"A water wheel," both Senku and I said in sync, grinning at each other when Kaseki and Chrome doubled over in shock. "Man, of course, you already know what it is!" The others muttered to themselves and Kaseki rambled on about naming it. "Now, don't think we're not shocked by it, Chrome. I can't believe that you built this thing without even knowing what it is," an ear-splitting smile appeared on his face.

"Listen, you guys, this is a way bigger deal than an automatic cotton candy machine. There's something else that's gonna be a whole lot easier. Remember that generator Kinro and Ginro had to work so hard to spin?" A look of realisation hit Gen right in the face.

"Oh, yeah! Right!" Senku urged everyone quickly to start transporting the generator piece by piece and rebuild it so that it connected well to the water wheel, Senku getting hyped up as the sun began to grow dark, everyone sweating with fatigue and gathered around as the teen excitedly grabbed to cords as the machine began at a steady pace.

"Now that we have gears and a water wheel, the age of manual labour has officially ended." I could basically see the way everyone's tense shoulders slumped in relief. "With an infinite machine that requires no fuel... We're finally harnessing the incredible power of nature!" We all gasped in joy as hydroelectric energy sparked up, glowing in the serene air surrounding them, the glow of the light incredibly enticing. Like a new age was rising as the rest of them started bouncing up and down in excitement and I teasingly smiled at Kinro as he fought to keep a smile erupting onto his face.

"Say goodbye to relying on manpower and hello to the age of energy!"

"So what is this thing?" Kohaku asks.

"A hydroelectric generator," I replied for her, my eyes still latched to it, taking in every moving part.

"Hydroelectric?" Kinro adjusts his glasses.

"Generator..." Ginro mumbled.

"This is on another evel-lay. You realise that?"

"Don't look at me for this one. You can thank Chrome and old man Kaseki. They built this gigantic water wheel on their own..." I began to become uninterested and glanced around to see that both Suika and Kohaku had disappeared off somewhere, after telling an overly excited Chrome that you were going to go find them, he gave you a knowing smirk and let you wander off. I wandered for god knows how long, still following that path back down to the Village only to be deterred by an obvious trail of little flower petals. Who knows what they were doing there because I couldn't see any flowers in the nearby area.

I immediately caught on that this was definitely deliberate and that the two girls were trying to isolate you for whatever reason, meanwhile back where the Koiru had left the boys behind, Senku was experiencing somewhat of the same problem. "So let me make an educated guess, you're feeling that desperate and frustrated that you decided to send the two of us off together to find some scientific ingredients that we definitely don't need?" Senku drawled out, although sounding bored, Gen, Ginro, Chrome and Kaseki knew that he didn't mind this at all. In any case, he wanted to, he didn't seem to have the time to get her alone and talk to her.

Ever since he had declared their relationship he had begun to notice things more than he did before, just the little things. Perhaps the way her fair freckled skin glowed gently when the sun hit her face, how bright her brown eyes reflected in the light to look a sweet honey colour. Or even the way her hair swayed as she walked or the way- he got knocked directly out of his thoughts by Ginro clinging to his arm and dragging him away with the other three not far behind.

"Aww, were you daydreaming?" Chrome squealed happily and Senku scowled at the high pitch.

"Oh, man. He's whipped," Gen snickered and a sudden glint in his eyes made Senku's stomach drop. "I suppose it's understandable, she is pretty much what every guy wants in a girl, she's quite kind and funny, dare I say she's pretty gorgeous-"

"Shut it," Senku Groaned with a roll of his eyes when the boys raised an eyebrow at him. "I mean, not that she's not pretty it's just you keep-" he began to ramble, shaking a laugh from the others.

"What'd I tell you? Whipped. And is definitely jealous," Gen tilted his head as they guided him through the overgrowths of the forest, Senku becoming aware and recognising his surroundings, a brief memory flashed behind his eyes. It was him chasing you after you decided to flick water from the river into his face and he chased after you like a lovesick elementary school kid, a light smirk grew on his lips as Kohaku and Suika skipped into sight. The two girls dashed over to them, blushing madly.

"Okay, now do us a favour and give the girl some damn affection so we don't have to watch you drool at her like the love-stricken teenager you are," Kohaku pushed him forwards, almost tripping him in the process. "Alright, alright! I get it I'm going! And who are you calling a-" he cut his sentence short to see that the group were already nearly out of sight and sighed, tipping his head back in annoyance. He approached where he thought the river would be, coming to a short clearing into trees and hearing the rushing water of a stream relieved him.

His breath immediately caught in his throat, there you were, half facing him but your attire was incredibly different, instead of the messily made dress he had gifted you with when you revived. You were adorned in a light brownish-red coloured dress that had a low neckline and was pretty similar to Kohaku's, youre expression although looking grumpy that you were forced into doing something secretive and dragged into the woodland was angelic. Senku admired the was the light bounced off of the front off and around your hair, making it seem lighter than it was.

You dug your nails into your arms nervously and your expression lightened as you sighed, looking around, wondering why you were there in the first place, having not been told. Senku decided to sneak up on you, right as he got within touching distance, he grabbed you by your shoulders and false pushing you into the water, hearing you gasp as he pulled you back into his chest caused him to cackle. "You asshole!" She slapped the hand he had on her torso in feigned anger.