Rebirth [Ukyo Saionji x Reader]

4

** I have successfully finished my research paper and moved out (I didn't break anything for once!) I just wanted to thank you all so much for the support! Ukyo is a pretty niche character, I don't see many stories with him, so I'm trying my absolute best to make this a good story!

Also, this is a slightly shorter chapter. It holds a pretty big moment and I want that to be the focal point of this chapter and not shift to something new. 

Please enjoy!

--

The sky was dark with small specks of light dancing within, and the moon hung in a slim crescent. The stars shone brightly against the black sky, illuminating them perfectly. There was little to no light pollution in the stone world, you'd never seen so many stars light up the night. Small grey clouds were scattered amongst the atmosphere, thinking to yourself it might rain in the next few days. You dawned your usual shirt and pants, although opting for a longer sleeved shirt that Yuzuriha had given you. Fall was approaching quickly, you were revived on the cusp of summer and autumn so cool nights were ones you had become familiar with. You didn't carry the staff you had the latter day, tonight you gripped a wooden spear with uncertainty. 

The darkness nighttime gave brought along an anxiety that was foreign and you couldn't help but feel jumpy. You no longer had the luxury of closing the door behind you, locking it, and being safe. You were exposed to the elements of nature, weather, and whatever animals happened to cross your path. Vulnerability was something you didn't quite fancy in this stone world. The path you walked to the edge of camp was a stretch, now wishing you had left earlier so you wouldn't have to walk in the darkness. But you continued onward, having memorized the path in your mind, knowing you would get to your destination soon enough. 

A crunch of leaves and sticks caught your attention a few meters away to your side. You froze and held your spear a bit tighter, looking for any sign of movement in the distance but the darkness hid it too well. Inhaling deeply, you quieted the gears turning in your mind from the sound. 'Probably just a bunny,' you thought to yourself. Before you decided to continue on, a loud crash emitted through the night air. The sickly sound of pure stone being ripped apart made your breath hitch in your throat. However, your deathly curiosity got the better of you. Quietly making your way over to the source of the sound, to which your brain screamed to turn tail and run. 

Too headstrong to listen to your intuition, you peaked through the branches of the nearest tree of the sound. Your eyes widened at the sight, paralyzed in place from the scene before you. Tsukasa stood over a, now, destroyed statue; his knuckles white from the fist he held beside him and his eyes cast downward at the sin he had committed. The statue was of an older man, one of the many pieces that scattered the ground being his head and face. Although chips and dings covered the man's face, his expression was unwavering. Fear. The expression matched the crime committed, but you knew it was from the mysterious incident 3700 years ago.

Tears pricked in your eyes, seeing the terror the statuesque gentleman held brought about a wave of emotions. It clicked in your mind instantly - this man would never see another day. He would never enjoy the sunlight hitting his skin again, the feeling of someone's touch, nor would he able to see anyone he held dear. The action struck a chord in you, you felt a sense of mourning for the stranger of a man. The deed Tsukasa committed was heinous, an unforgivable act that made you sick to your stomach. You wanted to confront the young man, but you kept your distance in fear of the same outcome happening to yourself.

Taking a step back from the branches, you turned away but the image was permanently etched into your mind. The thought already haunting you as you slowly walked away, feeling a sense of guilt for not taking action. But you couldn't, you were no match for "The Strongest Primate High Schooler." No one measured up to the beast of a young man whom deemed himself the leader of this stone world. The fight was over before it could even begin.