Perfectly Balanced [BI-WEEKLY UPDATES]

Chapter Fourteen: Danger Needs Convincing

14. Danger Needs Convincing

12-3-2022

A/N: Sorry for the delayed release! Been super busy for the past week!

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In the modern world, there was once a group of students and their professor. They were alive and well, joining their teacher on an expedition to investigate an area with sulfuric acid. However, the man leading the group needed to fix his shoelace. He knelt on the ground to do so and froze. Confused, the students called out to him, asking what was wrong. But he never replied.

He was completely still.

"...And he died. Beneath where he had knelt down, the hydrogen sulfide had accumulated. This is an actual accident that happened," said Senku, with the expression on his face showing no sign of remorse or mercy.

You sighed. "If Mother Nature were to do so, she would kill every human being on this planet."

"This is regardless of speed or strength, lioness," the scientist added, as you saw how Kohaku reacted to the story. You knew she was going to go head-on to get the sulfuric acid, so this was a huge warning for her.

"So, what are we going to do?! I have to save my sister, Ruri!" cried Kohaku.

"Isn't that obvious?! We're gonna make gas masks!" Senku replied.

"Of course we are..." you nervously laughed.

So you, Senku, Chrome, and Kaseki got to work, creating different masks with varying sizes to fit each of your faces. Senku finished his first, using leather for the base, and bamboo sticks as the filters. He would then give it to you, Chrome, and Kaseki to use as an example to follow from.

As you were finishing yours up, the scientist had begun to go to who-knows-where, so you had decided to follow him when yours was done.

"May the scientist's assistant ask where her partner is going?" You questioned him as he stopped at a little clearing nearby.

"Of course, you'd follow me, (Y/N)," he replied with a soft chuckle.

You stood beside him as the sun slowly set, changing the sky's color from a warm, yellow and pink color, to a cold, dark indigo. "I know why you left. There's something on your mind. So, Mr. Sciencer, tell me what it is."

The boy smirked. "Straight to the point, I see. You don't hold back, huh, slowpoke?

"I can't be holding back now if I want an honest answer from you," you told him.

He then sighed. "If I were to ask you to stay behind for the sake of science, would you?"

You knew where Senku was going with this. You firmly answered his question, "You already know my answer. I told you before, I'm not leaving your side... What were you expecting? Me to say 'yes' and watch you get the sulfuric acid on your own?"

"I was hoping you'd change your answer. I don't know how much I can withstand, because it's not like we can afford to go with trial and error here," he stated with a nervous smile on his face. "Here, error equals death."

He was right, and you understood. The sulfur lake was rightfully beautiful on its own, but one little mistake can cause its beauty to melt away into an ugly mess. The stakes for this mission were high.

"I know that it does, however..." you looked at him, your (E/C) eyes meeting his, "I don't want to lose you again. Whether it was against Tsukasa or this, I don't want to lose you to either of those things. I know that you want to protect me, and I have no doubt in my mind that you will try to make Chrome stay as well."