Steps to survival

Chapter 29 : Ishigamikai?

I hope we can...

Wait.

"But...sulfa drugs absolutely slaughter pneumococcus bacteria. Which means that we won! With the power of humanity's science!" He victoriously clenched his fist, I smiled over my shoulder, to Kohaku who was still supporting me.

"Now that we know what it is, we have the upper hand. All that's left Is to pump her full of more sulfa drugs," he faced my direction, now standing and pointing the jug of sulfa drugs at the ex-chief.

"Enough of your trickery!" The man yelled and lunged forward to punch Senku in the face. Kohaku was quick enough to stop her dad, while Senku ducked to the floor. My legs shook lightly so I grabbed onto the wall nearby to keep myself upright. I believed it was no longer the fact that I was in pain, it was probably the anxiety that began piling up.

"Father, this is nothing like the fraudulent sorcery that you know," the chief ceased his fists and stared at her with bulging eyes.

"It's science. The culmination of human wisdom. And I believe in it. I trust and believe in Koiru and Senku, too," she stared him down.

Science isn't really something you need to believe in, but you go girl!

"That's right! So do I!" Chrome pointed his thumb at himself. The other members of the Kingdom of Science found themselves nodding along with him.

"Not entirely sure why, but I kind of do, too," Kaseki confirmed. I grinned at them all, it seems as though we've all come together.

*time skip*

Her blonde, shining hair swayed in the small blow of the wind. She stood staring out at the rolling blades of grass. The sun shone onto her face and spread out her arms as if she was morning for a hug. Ruri looked in her element, we all gazed at her happily, all meaning Kohaku, Chrome, Suika, and her father. I was dazed but felt happy for the girl.

"R-Ruri," her father stuttered out, tears clouded in his eyes and he fell to the ground in front of me. Ruri soon approached him and said some words of comfort and something else that I couldn't hear. They both glanced at Senku and me separately.

"I can't even remember how many years it's been since I've left the village or been able to run!" She smiled sickly sweet and sped off in a not so quick run. I heard small gasps.

"I know that rambunctiousness. It must've actually run in the family all along," Kaseki says and I hold back my laughter. I mean, Kohaku is extremely boisterous.

Soon enough, we all made it back to the village, not after the small family and guards cracked a few more tears of joy.

"Everyone!" The former chief bellowed to catch everyone's stare. Mine landed straight to Senku, his arm was being held up by the ex-chief like someone was pulling on a cats leg. I snicker to myself and I catch him glare at me for a few seconds. He looked so awkward, I grinned at him as he just stared into the crowd.

"As of now, this man known as Senku is pronounced as new village chief of Ishigamikai Village!"

My eyes grow wide and dart from the floor and to Kokuyo, who still held onto Senku firmly. My eyes snap onto Senku's as we stare at each other for what felt forever. Ishigamikai? That mine and Senku's name's mixed together. Koiru Kai, Ishigami Senku. My first name his last name.

I shot him a 'what the hell is happening' face, he shrugs. I feel my legs started to move until I was standing in front of him.

"That's right," Ruri crept upon us and I peeped over his shoulder.

"I know of you both. I have for a long, long time. Since I was a child" Alright, not going to lie, I love this girl unconditionally, but she's starting to creep me out. Senku's mouth dropped open, I just continued to stare curiously at the blonde.

"Your full names are; Ishigami Senku and Koiru Kai."

Ruri ushered us both, most of the Kingdom of Science in tow into a nearby building and proceeded to explain the whole ordeal. At first, I couldn't wrap my brain around it. So, my mom's not alive? Apparently, Senku's dad got onto Earth with a bunch of other people after staying in a space shuttle, well that's what I deduced happened. According to Ruri, my mom was the first-ever person to have broke out of the stone, she lived out a full life with them.

Apart of me felt happy that she could live a long, full life, but another felt in despair that I would never see my mom again. I couldn't stand it.

"Thank you. Everything is starting to make sense to me. If every last person on the planet was turned into stone, then who could've founded this village in the first place?" He leaned closer to her face.

"Also, why do you, Kohaku and some of the others clearly have foreign blood in you? Now, all thanks to you, those mysteries have been solved," I heard Kohaku and Chrome gasp.

"Sorry, but no?" Kohaku crossed her arms as Chrome stroked his chin, clearly in thought. "I don't see how any mysteries have been solved."

"Yeah, and I don't get how Senku happens to have the same name as the village," Chrome squinted. Are they really that clueless? Senku's father obviously survived. "Plus, Ruri, somehow you knew about Koiru and Senku?"

Hold on, I'm pretty sure that if they descended from the same group of people, doesn't make them all related somehow? Gross. A throaty chuckle brought me out of my thoughts.

"I bet that we probably come up in your priestess mythology, don't we?"

"You do," Ruri responded with zero hesitation.

"When you say 'mythology', do you mean like Momotaro and the gorilla?" Chrome asked.

"Yeah. No wonder you guys know about folk tales and giant animals you would never see before."

"Yeah. Ruri taught us about lots of stuff. The priestess passes down knowledge to the next generation through stories, known as the hundred tales," she introduced this new knowledge to us.

Just what in the actual hell is going on?