{A/N: A quick notice I want to say, I know most people will probally want me to get straight into the Stone world but, I want to take a few chapters to build up the character's relationships and to show Zoe's growth. Stick with it for a bit please.}
Walking into the unfamiliar house, Zoe felt a flicker of awkwardness she rarely experienced. Byakuya, however, harboured no such reservations as he pushed open the door confidently, calling out to the only other occupant.
"Senku! Come downstairs. I want to show you something."
From upstairs came a childish groan, followed by the scraping of objects against wooden flooring and the soft padding of footsteps. Senku's feet fell lightly upon the carpeted stairs as he heeded his father's call.
"What is it, Dad? I was busy..." His voice trailed off as his gaze fell upon the familiar girl standing beside his father. Confusion bloomed across his expression. "Dad, what's going on? Why is Zoe here? Better yet how is Zoe here?"
Chuckling, Byakuya placed his hands on the little girl's shoulders, attempting to push her forward. He winced in surprise when she barely moved a centimetre, her small frame somehow anchored to the floor with unexpected solidity. Recovering quickly, he stepped behind her instead and patted her shoulders while silently nursing his wounded pride.
"This, Senku," he announced with theatrical flourish, "is your new sister! Say hello to Zoe Sage Ishigami, the latest addition to our little family."
Senku blanched, his gaze darting between the ever-serious little girl and his grinning father.
"Dad, stop teasing her. Jokes like this aren't nice." His voice carried a note of genuine concern.
Still chuckling, Byakuya approached his son, his smile widening impossibly further. "Don't worry, Senku, this is no joke. I've officially adopted her. Zoe is your sister now."
Senku's brain seemed to short-circuit as he looked rapidly between his father and the girl, then back again. "Wait, wait, wait—are you serious? Why?"
Feigning shock, Zoe stepped closer to him, moving to his side and patting his shoulder with deliberate gentleness.
"Don't worry too much about that, little brother," she said, her voice carrying a hint of amusement. "Just know that your dad wanted you to have a responsible older sibling to look up to." She ruffled his hair with an affectionate gesture before stepping back, her eyes gleaming with subtle humour.
Breaking into surprised chuckles, Senku descended the remaining stairs and approached her. Looking up at the slightly taller girl, he extended his hand for a formal shake, which she accepted with matching solemnity.
"Well, big sister," he said, his scientific curiosity already evident in his assessing gaze, "you better not let me down. I was told you're meant to be someone to look up to."
"This is going to be fun, little bro," Zoe replied, a rare smile tugging at her lips. "How about you show me what you're working on upstairs?"
Senku's face lit up with enthusiasm. He turned and started back up the stairs, waving for her to follow. "Come on then, let's see if you can keep up."
As the children disappeared upstairs, a contented smile spread across Byakuya's face. His shoulders relaxed, mind at ease after witnessing how naturally they interacted. The gamble he'd taken—bringing this extraordinary child into their home—already seemed to be paying off.
Moving deeper into the house, he headed toward the kitchen, mentally calculating what nutritious meal he could prepare for the two young geniuses now working upstairs. His smile faltered momentarily as he remembered an important task. Quickly, he diverted to the spare room, hastily clearing out boxes and assembling a bed for his new daughter.
After setting up the basics of her room, he returned to the kitchen and spent several minutes cooking before calling upstairs: "Senku! Zoe! Dinner's ready! Come down while it's hot."
Upstairs, the two children looked up from their books simultaneously, identical sighs escaping their lips before they headed downstairs. Senku placed his book on the desk, expecting Zoe to do the same, but she carried hers with her as they descended. In the kitchen, she placed the book carefully on the table before moving to help Byakuya serve the meal.
"Zoe," Byakuya said, handing her plates to arrange on the table, "I've cleared out a room for you down the hall to the right. Sorry if it's a bit sparse—we can get more furnishings tomorrow."
Smiling at his thoughtfulness, she accepted his kindness with a nod before they all sat down to enjoy the meal together. For the first time in her memory—both in this life and her previous one—Zoe felt something approaching contentment as she sat with her new family.
Later, after helping clean up, she found her way to her new room. Falling onto the freshly made bed with uncharacteristic abandon, she felt a smile split her face as exhaustion finally caught up with her.
*******************
Waking the later, Zoe's eyes immediately searched for a clock to check the time. '11:30 PM,' she noted with surprise. 'I slept in far longer than usual. Four hours of sleep? That's considerably more than normal.'
It was something she had noticed since her reincarnation—her need for sleep had gradually lessened, her mind constantly sharpening and her body growing stronger with each passing day. She performed a series of stretches, more from habit than necessity, before unpacking her few belongings.
She arranged her books meticulously on the floor, then pulled out a broken-down flip phone from a side pocket of her backpack. 'I should acquire a new phone,' she thought pragmatically. 'That means I need to secure some funds.'
She rejected the idea of asking Byakuya for money immediately, the concept somehow distasteful to her independent nature. Instead, she assessed her options based on her unusual abilities: 'I'm exceptionally intelligent, physically fast, and disproportionately strong. I could likely win some underground fighting matches for quick cash. Once I accumulate sufficient capital, I can leverage it through strategic stock market investments to fund my projects.'
Satisfied with her nascent plan, she connected a makeshift power supply to the wall socket. It sparked briefly before stabilizing, bringing her scrappy phone to life.
She navigated through various modified apps to a bootleg internet browser she had reconfigured to work on the outdated device. Her coding skills weren't yet as refined as she wanted, but she could effectively modify existing software.
She spent the next three hours researching underground fighting circuits in the area, eventually registering herself for a match scheduled for the following day that offered a modest cash prize.
Turning off the phone, she carefully removed the homemade power supply from the wall, tapping it cautiously to check its temperature. She placed it prongs-up after feeling the heat radiate from the connection points.
'This process is inefficient,' she thought critically. 'I need to develop an algorithm that can filter internet content more precisely for my needs.' She reached for her phone again but stopped mid-motion. 'This device is inadequate for complex tasks. I'll need to acquire a basic laptop once I've secured some funds.'
Instead, she turned to the stack of books on the floor. Opening the first volume, she immersed herself in its contents, a blissful smile playing across her features as she absorbed knowledge at her extraordinary pace.
Hours later, she closed the final book and returned it to her bag. Her stomach growled, prompting her to check the time. '6:30 AM,' she noted. 'I should prepare breakfast for the family before heading to the library.'
Without hesitation, Zoe made her way to the kitchen and began examining the contents of the cabinets. She carefully selected ingredients that didn't appear to be reserved for specific meals, and with efficient movements, prepared a nutritious breakfast for her new family.
She plated two servings of egg and bacon muffins, placing them in the microwave to keep warm. After jotting a brief note and attaching it to the microwave door, she grabbed her backpack and headed out.
Rubbing sleep from his eyes, Byakuya heard early morning activity from downstairs as he emerged from his bedroom. The sound of the front door closing sent him hurrying to the stairs, but halfway down he noticed a note attached to the microwave. Retrieving it quickly, he read:
'I've made breakfast for you two. It's in the microwave. I've gone to the library to find more books.'
A smile spread across his face as he crumpled the note and tossed it into the bin. Opening the microwave door, he was greeted by an enticing aroma that made his mouth water instantly. He eagerly retrieved the larger dish and some utensils before settling at the table to enjoy his new daughter's cooking.
Meanwhile, Zoe walked through the crisp morning air toward one of the many libraries scattered throughout the area. A flash of white caught her attention as it moved through the trees nearby. Turning sharply, she easily identified the form of a young child wearing a martial arts Gi.
Her curiosity piqued, she broke into a light jog, following the child through the deserted streets. The trail led to an older dojo hidden within a narrow side street. She watched as the child removed their shoes at the entrance before stepping inside.
With a smile playing at her lips, Zoe followed, her footsteps utterly silent against the ground. She found herself at the threshold of an open training room where an elderly man was instructing a small group of students of varying ages. She knocked lightly on the doorframe, immediately drawing the attention of everyone present.
The elderly instructor gestured for his students to continue their exercises before approaching her with measured steps.
"Hello there, little miss," he said, his voice carrying the calm authority of decades of practice. "Are you lost?"
Zoe studied him silently, noting the definition of his muscles and the precise control evident in his every movement. 'He's quite skilled,' she assessed. 'I could learn useful techniques from him.'
"No, I'm not lost," she replied evenly. "I'm interested in learning martial arts. I noticed one of your students and followed them here."
The old man chuckled, stroking his beard as he appraised her with experienced eyes. "Very well, little miss. Come in and introduce yourself. You may join this first lesson for free so we can assess your aptitude."
With a small smile, Zoe entered the training room and introduced herself to the group. She placed her backpack by the doorway and observed the students carefully before mimicking their stances with uncanny precision.
The instructor raised an eyebrow, circling her to make minor adjustments to her posture. "Would you like me to demonstrate the correct form?" he asked, recognizing her preference for visual learning over verbal instruction.
The old man nodded and struck a pose, his Gi snapping audibly from the speed and precision of his movements. Zoe's eyes captured every detail—the exact angle of his limbs, the distribution of his weight, the tension in specific muscle groups. She mentally recreated the stance before perfectly mirroring it, making subtle adjustments to compensate for her smaller frame.
Shock flashed across the instructor's face before he moved into a short series of complex movements. Zoe watched intently, her enhanced perception recording each motion in perfect detail. Using her extraordinary muscle control, she replicated the sequence flawlessly, improving it slightly to better suit her physiology.
The old man's jaw dropped in astonishment. "Tell me honestly, little Zoe, have you ever studied martial arts before?"
"No," she replied simply. "But I have an exceptional memory and perfect muscle control."
Bursting into hearty laughter, the old man doubled over with mirth. When he recovered, he jumped to his feet with surprising agility for his age. "Little miss, how much time do you have today? Could you stay so I might show you more of my craft?"
Zoe considered the question, mentally calculating the library's opening hours against her internal clock. "I have approximately six hours available. Is that sufficient?"
"More than enough for one as talented as you," the old man replied, his eyes alight with excitement. He quickly dismissed his other students before taking position in the centre of the room.
"Watch closely, Zoe. I'll only demonstrate these sequences once," he instructed. "Afterward, we'll work to develop your muscle memory."
Smiling slightly, Zoe assumed a ready stance as the instructor began demonstrating multiple katas and techniques, naming each move as he executed it. She memorized his every motion, mentally adjusting each technique to better suit her unique physique and strength.
After nearly an hour of continuous demonstration, the elderly instructor stopped, sweat pouring down his forehead as he sat down to catch his breath.
"Your turn, Zoe," he said between deep breaths. "Show me if my intuition about you was correct."
Taking centre position, Zoe began replicating his entire sequence with flawless precision. By the end of her demonstration, not a single drop of sweat marred her brow, and her breathing remained as steady as if she'd been sitting quietly reading a book.
The old man stared in disbelief, completely baffled by this child's extraordinary talent. His stunned expression dissolved into delighted laughter as he rose to his feet and approached her. Standing opposite her, he smiled broadly before assuming a fighting stance.
Zoe smirked in response, dropping into her own stance, muscles tensing subtly as she prepared herself. Even as she embraced the challenge, she remained mindful of the need to restrain her abnormal strength.
"You're truly incredible, Zoe," the instructor said, genuine amazement in his voice. "You've mastered in one hour what takes most students years to perfect. I'll make you a deal—if you impress me sufficiently in this sparring session, I'll call in some favours so you can learn from masters of different fighting disciplines."
"I accept your challenge, sensei," Zoe replied with a hint of feigned arrogance. "I'll make sure to restrain myself so you don't get hurt. I'll need those recommendations, after all."
With that, she lunged forward, starting with the most basic punch he had demonstrated. The old man laughed with genuine joy as he blocked her attack and countered with his own. Zoe absorbed a few hits, adjusting her posture subtly with each exchange, her mind calculating and refining her technique with each passing second.
As the sparring continued, a rare feeling of excitement coursed through her veins. Her blood pumped faster as she worked with ruthless efficiency to perfect her form and expand her combat capabilities. For the first time since her rebirth, Zoe felt the thrill of discovering something genuinely new to master—a challenge worthy of her extraordinary abilities.
{A/N: Stones?}