Chapter Text
THE ACE OF PENTACLES
“Watering this seed has the potential to be very rewarding - for anything that is grown on this energy is meant to be stable, secure, and give a good yield.”
Senku, as Kohaku has come to learn, is prone to sporadic fits of sadism that manifest in times of increasing peril. Usually, this is fine since he knows better than to involve her in his heartless machinations. Lest he wants her foot up his ass, that is.
However, it appears as if the gun pointed at his back has made him forget this key component of their relationship. It shouldn’t, she reasons, because this is not the first time they’ve both toed the line between life and death. Really, it’s not even the second or third either.
So then, what makes this time different?
Is it because they’re fighting on someone else’s territory, so far away from home? Or because the enemy seems to be just that little bit smarter. Not that it’s even a competition, it’s just what they do to try and survive. That brain sitting in Senku’s head has gotten them this far, relatively unharmed and depetrified, so she’s at a liberty to trust in him.
That’s what she tells herself at least. Sometimes, it’s better to just let the happenings of man wash over her. Leave the barbs and bitter words in the hands of others. When they say go, that’s when she lunges. Gen calls her an attack dog and she responds by gnashing her teeth together. Revelling in the way the click-clack sends him running.
Alas, her deranged sort of disposition has no effect on Senku anymore; he just laughs in her face for all of five seconds before snapping back into seriousness like a too taught rope. Though, if she really didn’t want to do something, Kohaku knows Senku wouldn’t push. Not beyond his usual methods (read: bribery, begging, gaslighting, threats of vague inconvenience, etc)
Perhaps this is why she agreed to go to this suspiciously clandestine meeting deep in the woods. It’s not the worst errand she’s ever been sent on, not by a long shot, and yet–
“Seriously, what the hell is this group?” she manages to grind out. Beside her, Yuzuriha laughs nervously while the bastard of a sea captain waggles his eyebrows in such a way that warrants a tug on his ear. And well, if he desires it, then who is Kohaku to deny him.
While she’s gleefully obliging Ryusui’s wish of being defeated in petty combat, Yuzuriha hums like it’s nothing new. To her, it probably isn’t, considering her two best friends. “I’m not sure either,” she says with a frown.
“There must be some thought behind Senku’s assembly of such a beautifully efficient trio, yes?” Ryusui responds, wiping a tear from his eye and nursing his injured lobe. “We all bring unique skills to help with the negotiation-”
“Is the coastal air telling you how to win the enemy over?” Kohaku snipes because honestly, she can’t help herself.
Neither, it turns out, can Ryusui. “At least I know what English is.”
“It’s okay, Kohaku-kun, I was only two marks over the passing threshold on my last English exam. It’s a shame we can’t class it as a dead language anymore. Damn that western tenacity.”
Whatever any of that means.
“Not to worry, Francois tutored me in the language when I was a boy, I’ll be fine with doing the translation in their absence. Yuzuriha, you just focus on looking as non-threatening as you can.”
“Hmm, I think Yuzuriha could beat you in a fight, captain,” Kohaku snorts.
Yuzuriha, dead serious, flatly adds, “I could.”
As if to physically swat the notion away, Ryusui waves his hand. “I have no doubts, however, Kohaku is our lovely delinquent of the day. We have to keep it nice and balanced or the Americans will run a mile.”
If they’re so easily scared then how formidable can these Americans really be?
She spends the remaining trek pondering and pontificating that very thing. Until they arrive at the designated clearing where Kohaku posts herself against one of those ludicrously tall trees. Arms crossed, chin lowered, sword at her hip. Ready as she can be for another maelstrom of bullets and false platitudes.
Ryusui’s face splits into a haughty sort of grin that beckons the arrival of their enemy. There’s three of them, as promised, two gangly looking men and a girl who looks to be about Kohaku’s age. She seems to be leading the other two, standing tall, brilliant pink hair curled around one of her fingers, almost disinterested in what’s going on.
Then, words start flying about and Kohaku completely loses the thread of the conversation. Sounds she never even thought a mouth could make, stretched into sentences that would be more fitting within a hex of some sort. It’s like all the duplicity of Gen’s vernacular multiplied by ten billion. And somehow, Yuzuriha and Ryusui nod along like it all makes sense.
“Antastic-fay,” she grumbles, earning a perplexed sort of glance from the girl. Just what she needs, perfect. Instead of trying to follow the gibberish being spouted, Kohaku elects to instead deliberate the most efficient method of murdering both Senku and Gen when she gets back.
Considering Ryusui’s smug expression as he chunters, she thinks he might just end up being next on her developing shit list. Not that she needs a reason to deck him square in the face. And what better way to assert dominance than a fight to the death with one’s own ally?
However, before she can truly act on any of those so-called homicidal tendencies, an intense rustling in the nearby brush grabs her attention. The absolute applesauce of a conversation stalls to a silence as Kohaku unsheathes her sword.
When a figure emerges from the treeline, Kohaku finds her shit list has gained yet another member.
A Minami Hokutozai Interview
- AMERICA EDITION -
Q: First impressions?
KOHAKU: No. Absolutely not. You can’t be here!
MINAMI: I said I was going to take a more proactive approach to my journalism, especially after I missed out on all the fun at Treasure Island.
RYUSUI: I like it! Good for you!
KOHAKU: You, shut your face– and you, do you think we had so much fun? I had to wear something pink and cute-
MINAMI: Exactly why I should have been there. Preferably with a camera.
YUZURIHA: We also got petrified quite a lot but what does that matter in the grand scheme of things, really?
KOHAKU: That was the only damn reprieve I had, thanks.
MINAMI: Shut up and let me introduce myself to today’s interviewee.
RYUSUI: Ah, of course! This is the lovely lady Luna and her uh, friends, Max and Carlos.
LUNA: Um. What is this?
YUZURIHA: Something you’re going to have to get used to I'm afraid.
MAX: Aren’t we on different sides? Why are you hounding Miss Luna?
MINAMI: Journalism transcends petty human grievances. Now, Luna-chan, who were you before the world ended?
LUNA: Oh- OH! Wait, I love this. I feel famous, and also severely unprepared. You couldn’t give a girl some warning.
MINAMI: Spontaneity breeds authenticity, Luna-chan! Tell me who you were, who you are, who you're going to be. What makes you Luna, all your likes and dislikes, those idiosyncrasies and nasty habits. I want to know it all. How you survived 3700 years and came out stronger for it. What did you think about, if anything?
RYUSUI: Eloquently put! It all circles back to desire, you see?
LUNA: I think so?
CARLOS: Miss Luna, I’m glad you’re so smart because I’ve completely lost the thread of this conversation.
KOHAKU: Seriously, how is this not gibberish? How are you two comprehending this like, at all?
YUZURIHA: You honestly get used to it after about a year of lessons and several all day binges of old American sitcoms. Neither of which exist anymore, so…
RYUSUI: I’m sure Francois would be willing to teach you!
KOHAKU: See you’re talking like I can read and write in our own language. Which I can’t by the way. I’m sure you were all there when Ginro got a better mark than me in that test Gen made.
RYUSUI: You threatened the entire village into silence so no, I don’t recall that actually.
MINAMI: Can you stop crashing my interview?
KOHAKU: You were the one who crashed our information trade! Which was the whole point of any of this, mind you.
YUZURIHA: Oh hey! Yeah, what was it you needed to pass onto us, Luna-chan?
LUNA: Ah, Dr. Xeno wanted to formally invite you to an official summit in three days time. A really elegant one! Like the one being held over here back when the petrification first happened. I think he said your scientist should know about it.
CARLOS: Yeah, your Dr. Miyazaki dude!
MAX: I really thought he was the Ghibli guy…
MINAMI: Christ.
RYUSUI: How exciting! Will there be wine? Music? A stage for ballroom? A live orchestra?
LUNA: Dude, what kind of tax bracket were you living in? Actually, what kind of situation do you currently think we’re living in?
KOHAKU: Not sure what you're saying, Ryusui, but by the look on everyone’s faces it's dumb as hell. Please be normal for two seconds
MINAMI: This is what happens when you take a guy with an already enormous ego and stick him with a scientist who bends to every desire for nothing but the love of the game.
LUNA: Oh we have a guy like that. He asks for a plane and wham! Plane within a week. I ask for hair dye? Stanley gets another ak-47 or whatever. Literally how does that work?!
YUZURIHA: Hehe! Sen- Ah. Dr. Miyazaki isn’t that bad. He treats all his minions equally, see? He’s actually making ice cream tonight at Homura-chan’s request.
MINAMI: You can say threat.
RYUSUI: Ah but it was a very mild threat which counts as a request for her.
LUNA: Ice cream. Here? Now? You’re having ice cream?
MINAMI: Wanna join? Only if you agree to a more official interview since this went off the rails. Or on the rails. Depends which train you were on.
YUZURIHA: And no shooting allowed! I can’t believe I have to say that but seriously. Those guns of yours hurt one of my best friend’s—
RYUSUI: Senku? It was the tree branch that got him. You got my foot though.
MINAMI: Shut up nobody asked.
YUZURIHA: I’m not an idiot, Luna-chan. You’ve been picking at that dress this whole time and quite frankly, you’re dressed like a target. I know fashion design, I can gather the purpose behind those clashing colours, okay? Scientists like Xeno, with their clean hands – they like to stay in their ivory tower and deal with their problems nice and quick. With elegance, as you say. So if you're really just joining us for ice cream, you won’t mind changing into something warmer.
KOHAKU: I have no clue what you just said but holy shit.
MINAMI: No way you got a C+ in English, that was an entire monologue. Gimme the dish!
YUZURIHA: Seriously! I flunked my final exam so bad! My teacher told me to stop speaking in riddles like some bridge troll, I was so mortified I asked to go to the bathroom and didn’t come back.
LUNA: That was so cool, please let me have ice cream with you.
MAX: MISS LUNA!?
LUNA: Tell the doctor I’ll stay with the Junior Science League til the summit. Oh, and tell him to take Stanley out for dinner tonight instead of letting him, uh, tree climb. Kay?
CARLOS: Are you sure this is okay?
RYUSUI: She’s in safe hands with us, I give you my word. Whether the reverse is true remains to be seen, however. But what’s life without a little risk, HAHA!
KOHAKU: Oh, we’re leaving? And we’re bringing the pink girl with us? What the hell, sure.
MINAMI: Wait did you just call us the Junior Science League???
THE KNIGHT OF CUPS
“He appears as a messenger – and with him, he carries an invitation or an arrival of something or someone which will benefit you.”
Luna’s already 13 steps into the walk with the representatives from the Junior Science League when she realises she’s just done the stone world equivalent of getting into a white van at the promise of candy. She pauses, halting the journey, blinks a few times and then promptly starts tearing her hair out.
Apparently spending a few thousand years as a glorified Pompeii victim has completely obliterated her concept of stranger danger. Seriously. She had heard the word ice cream and basically offered her organs for trafficking on a golden platter. Then for good measure, she had sent her backup packing.
“Are you okay, Luna-chan?” Yuzuriha asks because she’s nice. Which means nothing really because Ted Bundy was also described that way before he went on a murder spree so. There’s no police to call for help here either; the closest they’ve got is probably Stanley and Luna would really rather not.
It’s fine, she tells herself, it’s fine because she’s cool, calm, collected and insanely capable to boot. These kids can certainly try and get the jump on her but Luna has a yellow belt in Jiu-jitsu up her sleeve, there’s no doubt she’d fuck them up good and proper if they decide to get radgie.
“And here’s home!” The loud pirate cosplayer announces, throwing his arms out to encapsulate what looks like an entire damn battleship. “The mighty Peresus!”
The image of winning any sort of fight disintegrates before her very eyes like calligraphy paper in a house fire. Cool, awesome, amazing. Peaceful negotiations it is lest she ends up as one of those freaky mascot things that get tied to the front of a ship.
“It’s called a figurehead, the freaky mascot thing that goes on the bow of a ship, that is.” The Captain interjects and either this guy has the ability to read her mind or she said all of that out loud like an absolute idiot. “It’s the second option, my lady, and if anyone’s being the figurehead of our ship it’ll be Yo.”
The scary blonde with a katana says something in that garbled version of Japanese that Luna can’t entirely make out. She knows perhaps the barest bones of the language from her days as a fujoshi. Days which will remain in the bygone modern era alongside lead pipes and capitalism. Hopefully.
In any case, the words coming out of that girl's mouth are garbled to the point where even Luna’s American ears can pick up on its absurdity. It’s definitely interesting, a cute little mystery wrapped up in the sort of elegant bow Dr. Xeno takes great pleasure in tearing apart. Though if that were to happen, she thinks Yuzuriha would take even greater pleasure in tearing Luna apart.
As if summoned by her thoughts of treachery, Yuzuriha appears at Luna’s side and links their arms together. “I’ll get you something cuter to wear, Luna-chan. I made my magnum opus of a dress last month and Kohaku-chan refuses to wear it.”
“You made the dress? Like, by yourself?”
Yuzuriha nods. “With nothing but hemp and a dream.”
“I might be falling in love with you a little bit actually.”
“Oh yeah?” The possible woman of Luna’s dreams grins. However, before she can say much more, a small guy dressed in yellow appears with a look of utter exasperation she’s only ever seen on her old lecturers. He opens his mouth, casts her a sideways glance and says something Luna can only imagine begins with a ‘who.’
“This is Luna! She came willingly!” The not-magic pirate says convincingly in English.
“Did she?” The guy asks, looking at Yuzuriha
“She did,” confirms the excited reporter, who Luna thinks is called Minami.
“Uhh-huh,” he drawls, continuing to appraise Luna like a counterfeit gemstone. “Well in that case, rotten luck. This place is a nightmare ruled by some guy who’s currently off skipping in a barley field.”
Okay then that’s cool.
“I thought he was meant to be making ice cream for Homura-chan?” Yuzuriha asks.
“My bad. He’s probably running for his life through a barley field then.”
What follows can only be described as an awkward silence bolstered by an intense conversation exclusively held through various glances and glares. Luna knows it’s most likely about her presence as an outsider who is, objectively, as suspicious as an unmarked package in a hotel lobby. Best not to prod lest it detonate, right?
So then, asking questions is probably not the best option. She doesn’t want to seem like she’s fishing for information to extort. But good fucking hell in a handbasket, she has so many. Barley field? Running for his life? What??
“Ukyo, please behave. We have a guest,” maybe Minami sighs, snatching his little yellow hat off his head and placing it atop Luna’s. “She’s not a spy, she just wants ice cream.”
“She’s dressed like a spy,” Ukyo points out with a raised eyebrow and Luna feels herself wince because yeah, she totally is. That was kinda the whole plan which Luna hopes is no longer going ahead because she doesn’t want to rid the world of whatever whimsical soul is running this particular show. Dr. X would probably benefit from skipping through some fields, she thinks sourly.
The Captain hums. “Technically Yuzuriha threatened her out of being a spy.”
“And she joined us because..?
“I wanted ice cream to be honest,” Luna finally admits and it feels liberating and mortifying all in one.
Ukyo considers this seriously. “You followed a group of strangers because they promised you ice cream?” Ah man. “How did you make it to adulthood?”
“Persistence, spite, nepotism and a world wide petrification event,” Luna responds just as earnestly.
“Yeah, you’re going to fit right in with us.”
My darling Diary,
I don’t know what to do.
The people on this boat are undeniably real in a way that I can’t really ignore anymore. I know Nikki’s favourite colour is pink, Yuzuriha is good at playing the drums, Homura has a sweet tooth, Chrome wakes up at 6am everyday without fail, Tsukasa can benchpress Yo and Ryusui at once and–
The plan was to end the life of their leader.
This I do know.
I haven’t run into the supposed Dr. Miyazaki yet but I have met Senku. Covered head to toe in grain and a half healed cut across his cheek, he gave me half a glance and decided to put me to work. His words are sharp but his hands are gentle. It struck me then, the realisation that there is no Dr. Miyazaki at all.
The leader of this Junior Science League is a boy my own age who is looked to for guidance at every corner. Put on a pedestal much to his own discomfort. I can’t even imagine it. He handles it well, I’ll give him that.
I’ve been paranoid, looking at the treeline and jumping at every sort of sound. It must make me look crazy but none of these people know what I do. Stanley doesn’t miss a shot, Stanley will shoot at Dr. Xeno’s beck and all, Stanley could kill them all. He will.
But I don’t want that to happen. I can’t let that happen.
Back before the world ended, I may have been a shitty facsimile of a med student but I can’t just sit back and let life slip through my fingers. No matter what happens at that scientific summit tomorrow, I’ll see to it that everyone makes it out alive.
Because I’m cool and capable and a damn doctor, oath and all.
I’ll do that geezer Hippocrates proud, just watch.