The Archer (Dr. Stone X OC)

Chapter 5

-Arisa POV-

Yuzuriha and Taiju went into the hot spring, while Senku and I collected the materials we needed.
And the next morning, we were ready to make gunpowder.
"We have the three materials we need to make gunpowder" said Senku with a smile.

"We have them already?" asked Taiju.
"All we need to do now is mix it" said Senku. "It's time for our happy gunpowder cooking session!"

Senku made the gunpowder.
"Finally, pound it until it's packed solid" said Senku.
"Pound it, huh?!" said Taiju who picked up a big rock... "Leave the heavy lifting to me!"

"Are you sure that's a good idea? You might be strong enough to make it spark and go boom!" said Yuzuriha.
"Nah, you won't get any sparks by hitting stone with stone" said Senku.
"Are you sure, Senku?" I asked.

He thought about it and realised there was metal in these stones...
Taiju hit it and the black powder began to spark...
It went off, but we were far enough just in time...

But there was a large smoke screen...
"No problem! Our gunpowder cooking was a huge success!" said Senku.
"I had no idea gunpowder was so powerful" said Yuzuriha.

"Yeah, there've been plenty of accidents where students were experimenting with it and got their limbs blown off. It can easily be lethal"
"We're going to attack Tsukasa with this?" asked Yuzuriha.

"No, we're going to make a deal" said Senku. "Tsukasa isn't a mindless killer. Taiju, remember what he said when you went at him? In other words, in the right circumstances, we can negotiate with him. As long as we have a gunpowder weapon, we have leverage"
I looked at the woods and saw... smoke?

"Senku" I whispered. "Look"
"A smoke signal" said Senku.
"Tsukasa?" asked Yuzuriha.

"No, he's in the other direction" I said. "Besides, Tsukasa has no reason to reveal his location"
"What is it then? A forest fire?" asked Taiju.
"It's too well-timed to be a coincidence" said Senku. "It was clearly raised in response to our smoke"

"You mean..." began Yuzuriha.
"Yeah, this is exhilarating" said Senku. "There's someone else in this stone world"
"We have to finish putting out the fire" said Yuzuriha.

"No, hang on" said Senku. "As far as they know, that explosion could have been from a volcano. We need to signal them even more before they leave"
"I see" said Taiju.
"But if Tsukasa is after us..." began Yuzuriha.

"We'll be doing him the courtesy of letting him know where we are" said Senku.
"Senku, you'll have to decide quickly" I said.
"Light it!" he shouted. "Fire the smoke signal!"

3 explosions were heard and the smoke was thick.
"We're running out of gunpowder" said Senku. "Throw in anything that'll burn!"
We all ran for some wood.

I grabbed as many branches as I could.
When I looked up, I saw 3 more smoke signals.
I smiled, there were other people...

I heard some branches snap behind me and I raised my bow and arrow.
"Show yourself" I said.
A girl walked out and I lowered my bow.

"Who are you?" I whispered.
"Are you the one who light that fire?" she asked and I nodded.
"My friends and I did that" I said. "I can't believe there are other people here..."

"My name is Kohaku" she said and lowered her blades.
"Arisa" I introduced myself.
I looked at the mountain and saw Senku and Tsukasa.

'Guess perfect vision comes in handy now'
"Oh no" I whispered. "I'm sorry, stay here, please. I need to save my brother"
I began to ran, as fast as I could...
But... I was too late...

Tsukasa slashed the back of Senku's neck and I screamed.
I pulled back the string of my bow and fired an arrow right at Tsukasa's heart.
But he caught it of course...

I kneeled next to Senku's body and I screamed...
'This can't be happening... I'm not losing my brother...'
"Senku! Senku, please! Wake up!" I screamed, I was crying.

I touched his shoulders, no reaction...
"No, please" I said. "Don't leave me! Senku, please, wake up!"
"Answer, please!" shouted Taiju. "No! This is wrong! It can't be! You can't die here, Senku!"

"He didn't suffer" said Tsukasa and I glared at him. "I suggest that, as his friends and family, you give him a proper farewell"
I shot another arrow at him, which he caught.

"You killed my brother" I said with a trembling voice. "How could you?"
"Arisa" said Taiju. He looked at me and gave Senku's body to me.
I held it carefully, his eyes were dead...