The Archer (Dr. Stone X OC)

Chapter 12

-Kohaku POV-

While they were making the gas masks, Arisa was gone again.
"Where does she always run off to?" I asked Senku.
"She's looking at the statues" he explained and I frowned. "Her best friend, is probably still petrified. She wants to find him"

"Her best friend?" I asked.
"Yeah, the one who taught her how to shoot that bow and arrow" he said. "I don't know him personally. But they're pretty close"
"She must miss him" I said and he nodded.

"Yeah" he said. "She won't give up until she finds him. No matter how long it takes"
'I wonder what this person is like, to have Arisa's full devotion'
When Arisa came back, she looked a bit sad.
'Ah, I get it. He's very special to her'

-Arisa POV-

When the gasmasks were done, Chrome and Senku were ready to get the sulfuric acid.
"You better get back alive, Senku" I said. "Or I'll feed your body to the pigs"
"Don't worry, Ari" said Senku and ruffled my hair. "We'll come back"

"I hate it when you do that" I said and slapped his hand away. "Braiding isn't easy, you know"
"I know" he said and smiled. "That's why I do it"
"Ass" I smiled.

~

They came back...
"We made it past the biggest hurdle!" shouted Chrome.
"Then at last, we can make the drug to save Ruri?" asked Kohaku.

"Have some patience" said Chrome. "Didn't you see that crazy roadmap to the cure-all drug?"
"That incredibly long one?" said Kohaku.
"It's not that bad" said Senku. "We have just about everything we need now. We have all the necessary materials. Now it's just a matter of lighting up all the dark spots on the roadmap, one by one. Let's plow through it today. Time for mad chemical cooking! It's gonna be exhilarating!"

They made a lot of dangerous potions...
"We're more or less down to three items" said Senku. "Acetic anhydride, sodium bicarbonate, and anilin"
"It all sounds like some kind of spell" said Suika.

"We can't make any of it without alcohol" said Senku. "Put another way, if we just get some alcohol... we'll have the ultimate cure-all, sulfa drugs"
"Let's start making alcohol, then!" shouted Chrome.
"It's going to be a bit of a pain" said Senku. "We can use all the help we can get"

"Alcohol?" said Kaseki. "What are you talking about? If you win the Grand Bout tomorrow, the villagers will give you more than you can ever finish"
"Wait, the Grand Bout is tomorrow?" said Chrome.
"The timing is too perfect" said Senku.

"Yeah, if Kinro or Ginro wins, we'll have alcohol, and we can give Ruri the cure-all drug!" said Chrome.
"Yeah" said Senku. "We're going to win the Grand Bout, even if it kills us"

~

"You're participating in the Grand Bout?!" I shouted to Senku.
"I signed him up!" said Ginro. "Senku's over fourteen and unmarried, after all!"
"Yeah, there's no rule that says you have to be a villager" said Senku and he bumped fists with Ginro.

"Since when have Senku and Ginro been so close?" asked Suika.
"Their skeevy sides brought them together" I said.
"But, Senku, you aren't a very capable fighter" said Kohaku.

"I don't plan on winning" said Senku. "I just want to tire them out"
"Plus, if we go up against each other, we can forfeit the match!" said Ginro. "We move up without breaking a sweat! The more contestants on our side, the better! Right?!"

"You're rigging the game" said Kinro. "You're way too underhanded, Ginro. Either way, even with worthy goals, rules are rules. I'm not going to lose on purpose to rig the game"
"Of course, of course!" said Ginro and Senku at the same time.

'They really are snakes...'
"You look like the best bet to win against Magma anyway, Kinro" said Senku. "Save your energy and make it to the top"
"You don't need to cheat, Kinro" said Ginro. "We're just going to be all like 'Mercy!'. Got a problem with that?"

"Neither of you look very righteous" said Kinro. "Kohaku! What about you? Are you fine with tarnishing the game by rigging it?"
"Well, I mean..." said Kohaku. "If it improves Ruri's chances of surviving, even just a little..."