The Archer (Dr. Stone X OC)

Chapter 4

-Arisa POV-

I was on the lookout while Taiju revived Yuzuriha.
"I told you we're in a hurry, you big oaf!" shouted Senku and he poured the revival fluid over Yuzuriha.
"You just dumped it all over her!" shouted Taiju. "Couldn't you be a bite more, like... you know!"

But nothing happened.
"Wait, nothing's happening! Is this all right?!" freaked Taiju. "No, it's all right, Yuzuriha! But is this all right?!"
"It takes time for the reaction to happen" said Senku. "This is a kind of cryostasis. It's like a protective coat made from trace metals in the body. Some mysterious mechanism causes those elements to phase-shift, maintaining a petrified state"

"That's complicated!" said Taiju.
"You just like explaining difficult things to people who don't even understand what you're saying, don't you?" I sighed.
"It's just a hypothesis, based on a whole year of painstaking experiments" said Senku. "The point is, if even one part of it gets nital on it and breaks down... it creates a cascade effect that travels across the entire body"

Yuzuriha's statue began to crack...
Taiju caught her before she fell on the ground.
"Yuzuriha, can you hear me? Yuzuriha!" said Taiju.

"Taiju?" said Yuzuriha.
"I'm sorry, I made you wait for 3700 years..." said Taiju.
I smiled, but I was also a little bit jealous...

"I have no idea what's going on. I just woke up" said Yuzuriha. "But yeah... I think I know what's going on. You saved me, didn't you? Wow... thanks"
"It wasn't me" said Taiju. "It was all thanks to Senku. Senku spent a whole year working on the revival fluid"

"Sorry to barge in on your reunion chat, but make up your mind before Tsukasa gets back" said Senku. "We only have two options. Choose one. Plan A: Taiju, Yuzuriha and Arisa, you three run away right now, and live somewhere far away. Plan B: we fight together to stop Tsukasa's murder spree, using the weapons of civilization"

"The answer's obvious!" shouted Taiju. "We're going to fight by your side! Don't underestimate us, Senku!"
"Yeah! I have no idea what's going on, but I'll help too!" said Yuzuriha.
"Seriously" I sighed. "We're family, family sticks together, you dumbass. Did you really think I'd let you face that asshole alone?"

"I'm not trying to be nice or anything" said Senku. "It just seemed logical to give you three a chance to flee"
"If Tsukasa really is killing people. I'll..." began Taiju.
"Calling it killing people is really a matter of perspective" it was Tsukasa... "I'm culling them... for the benefit of the new world"

'He's not even trying to hide it...'
He dropped pieces of the statues...
I was ready to use the crossbow...

"Senku, if things go bad, take care of Yuzuriha for me" said Taiju. "I'm going to stop Tsukasa!"
He ran forward...
"You idiot!" I shouted and grabbed the crossbow, I shot between Taiju and Tsukasa, it should hit his shoulder...

But... he spined and grabbed the arrow mid-air...
He kicked Taiju who was forced back, but remained standing.
I grabbed my bow and arrows and lined one up.

"Nice shot, Arisa. And you, Taiju you're the first person who's managed to remain standing after receiving my kick" said Tsukasa to Taiju. "Yes... and even more interestingly, it wasn't that you failed to attack me just now, but that you refused to. Why?"

"I don't hit people!" shouted Taiju. "You can hit me or kick me all you want, but stop destroying the statues! Killing people is bad!"
I lowered my bow in disbelief.
'Is he serious?'

"Taiju, let me get this straight" said Tsukasa. "You'll let me keep hitting you and never fight back, therefore, don't destroy the statues. Is that right?"
"That's right!" shouted Taiju.
"I don't understand" said Tsukasa. "There's no deal being made here. If you insist on getting in my way..."

"I don't care how many times you attack me! I won't stop trying to stop you!" shouted Taiju.
"That girl who was just revived..." said Tsukasa. "What if I told you I'd kill her?"
Taiju stepped in front of Yuzuriha, but he soon fainted...

"So that did hurt him" I said.
"He's bleeding like mad" said Senku. "We'll have to let him sleep for a few days"
"Yes, let's not fight among ourselves" said Tsukasa. "You protect Yuzuriha instead of worrying about statues of people you don't know. And I'll do what I need to do"
He walked away.