Partners in Crime

Chapter 2

I stared him in the face, eyes hard and refusing to back down. Tsukasa looked surprised, though his face quickly morphed into one of anger and resignation. He walked away, and I continued to sit on the rock, staring out at the sea. I'm going to revive everyone; my job isn't to play judge and jury. I sighed, standing and starting the trek back to the hut. This is going to be hard, especially since now I know what Tsukasa's motives are. I cant let him know how we revived him, or anyone, and that I plan to make gunpowder.

So of course, that is what happened. Taiju opened his mouth and blurted out the truth. Damn it, now that he knows, he no longer needs me. He'll ten billion percent try to kill me, or get me to give up science and join him. I groaned internally; I don't need these problems on top of everything else. My fingers traced over the 'C' on my wrist. Over the past weeks, the mark had gone from a stormy grey to almost pitch black. Ever since the forest, where I had frozen and felt everything my soulmate had been feeling, more emotions had begun trickling in, worry, stress, exhaustion, and overall sadness. Out of pity, but mostly because I didn't want to continue feeling counterproductive feelings, I decided to send some happier emotions down our connection, and because of that, the bond only got stronger, the mark darker. I rubbed the mark, wanting it to return back to the dull grey. I sat down, turning my back to everyone and working on a project.

"Hello Senku." Tsukasa, I thought, not bothering to turn around. But I also heard another, daintier voice, quietly gasping for breath. I stiffened, slyly looking out of the corner of my eyes, finding Yuzuriha in the man's clutches, spear tip being held to her throat, hard enough to leave a thin trail of blood trailing down her neck and staining her dress. I quietly growled, standing and turning around.

"What do you want Tsukasa?" I asked. Let her go.

"My conditions are simple. Join me, or you can walk away if you promise to give up your dream of science." the primate said. I looked at him, and noticed that the hand holding his primitive spear was trembling subtly. I looked up at him.

"You won't kill Yuzuriha. And I refuse to join you, or give up science." I said defiantly, buying for time. That blockhead will be here any minute now... there he is.

"Yuzuriha!" I knew it. The soul-mark let Taiju know that his other half was in pain, and in danger.

Tsukasa sighed, and once Taiju got close enough, the primate shoved Yuzuriha into her soulmate's arm. Taiju tightened his arms around the girl as Tsukasa stepped closer. But he walked past the pair, instead walking past me and whispering:

"If you will not give up science or join me, then I guess you have chosen death." my eyes widened, but I didn't have anytime to react. I felt myself falling, and I heard Taiju scream my name, but it was like I was hearing it all underwater; I tried to stay awake but I lost all connection to my senses.