Philosophical Science: Love and Logic

27 | Reunified

The army of Science processed down through the forest. Lively and weary, they left the battlefield and were returning to camp. The forest was alive again. Birds resumed their chatter and other various creatures snooped from the branches, some sharp calls bidding their disturbers riddance. The peace in the forest and fighting made them giddy, but they continued on orderly, aware that they were still in the woods, still in a war that could stretch on through many more slopes and ridges, but for now, they held their heads high. Each step forward was a step onward.

They could see the tips of their tents now. They still composedly continued toward them, in no hurry to hurry their pace. The camp, however, had noticed them first. Suika, fast on her little legs, announced everyone by their names, followed by more and more people resounding their arrival. They broke their pace and rushed their final steps into the camp. Kohaku swept Suika up. They were surrounded by congrats and questions on the battle and how it went. Nikki and Ukyo had tagged along. People also went to greet them. A few walked beside Ukyo to help him to a medical tent. The rest of the evening was passed by talk and rest. The soldiers had returned. It was only an armistice, but it did not matter then. The battle was over.

After an exhausting day of captivity, scam calls, gorilla warfare, and talking with nearly a village, you were ready to go pitch your own tent and finally attempt to rest. You walked briskly to a large tree with your little energy left and gathered several sticks and a skin from the pile leaned against the trunk. You again chose a spot away from all the noises. Like back at Ishigami Village, no matter how close you were to your people, you liked your cabin's little distance. Like way back before all this, you liked your distance away from all the distractions of other people at school, all the senseless noises they made. Shut safely in your library, hidden meticulously behind shelves and beanbags, you could pay attention to what was in front of you: a book heavy with an endless stream of words and lectures, winding around diagrams and pictograms, leading to a secure future in a closed lab enclosed by your own diagrams, what made sense.

"Hey Y/N," the snapping of twigs and branches parted revealed Senku, "I thought you'd be back here. Come to my tent. It's already made. You look terrible."

"Surely not terrible," you mumbled blithely.

"You're pale. With dark circles. I almost mistook you for a panda among the trees."

"Well, I assure you all my tent poles are still here."

"Only two of them are bamboo."

"The only pandas are in whatever's China now."

The two of you bantered back and forth all the way back to camp. When you reached his tent, he lifted the flap and let you inside first. "I also wanted to talk with you after such a big day. I haven't really seen you since you left with the phone."

You settled inside. "Besides seeing a bunch of rocks and boulders in there, you didn't miss much. To be honest, since then, it's felt like all one big day."

"Bet." He tucked in beside you. It was cramped. "No different for me. And then tomorrow we'll be excavating earth for a rock."

You groaned, "This is excruciating."

He laughed then winked, "Don't worry. You'll have a blast."

"I'm too tired to analyze that potentially awful pun."

He laughed again.

"Excellent work once again. Good job on the negotiations."

He turned his head to face you and smiled.

"I'm glad you were there to do it. I never knew he had a sister. Then again, I didn't really know him either. TV-watching wasn't really my strong suit."