Chapter 2: Unpleasant Reunion

"Who the hell are you?" Bakugo asked with an angry tone.

"I'm not going to tell you, unless you are worthy enough", said the mysterious woman and stepped forward her heels clopping against the stone floor.

"I'll show you I'm worthy by killing you!" Bakugo grinned and took a battle stance.

"That's not a nice thing to say to a lady", the woman said, "but I accept your challenge."

She stepped back into shadows and disappeared.

"Where did she go?" Kirishima asked looking around the room. "Can she become invisible or something?"

"It's an opinion. Let's be careful", Yaoyorozu said. Kirishima nodded.

"Show yourself so I can beat the shit out of you!" Bakugo demanded ready to attack.

They heard bright laugh that came everywhere around them. Yaoyorozu made a staff to defend herself. Kirishima used hardening just in time when the woman pounced from behind him and stroke him in the back.

"Kirishima!" Yaoyorozu shouted.

"I'm okay, only my shirt took damage!" Kirishima said, stumbling forward.

"Hard skin, huh?" the woman noted. "How boring. Now I can't cut you."

Bakugo let out a powerful explosion right at the woman but she stepped out of his range. The woman had an irritated expression while covering her face from the bright light that came from the blast.

"Bakugo, be careful with your explosions because they'll limit our vision", Yaoyorozu warned.

"Shut the hell up! I know what I'm doing!" Bakugo shouted angrily.

"Yeah, this is a bit too small room for big explosions", Kirishima added nervously, when small pieces of stone fell from the ceiling.

Bakugo wiped the smoke away but the woman had vanished again. How did she do that? It must be her Quirk. Bakugo wasn't quite sure what it was though.

Suddenly the woman tried to stab him in the back but Bakugo dodged and did a counter attack, making her fall from the impact. The boy attacked again without delay, directing a blow right to the woman's head when she lifted her dagger, cutting Bakugo's palm. He instantly pulled back his hand and looked at it. The wound wasn't deep so it didn't hurt much.

When the woman was getting up, Kirishima quickly kicked one of the daggers off her grip. He was going to grab her but the woman rolled backwards doing an elegant move as she got up.

"You really are stubborn ones", the woman started. "I think I'll let you know my name. I'm called Shadow Maiden. Now we must end our little play." Shadow Maiden took the only torch in the room and put out the flame and the whole room got really dark. A little light came from the hallway but not enough to see every corner of the room.

"I'm pretty sure she can hide in shadows", Yaoyorozu mentioned, creating a flash bang. "Cover your eyes!"

Kirishima and Bakugo did like was told as Yaoyorozu threw the flash bang. For a short moment the whole room was bright and they could see Shadow Maiden a few steps away from them.

"You little-", the woman started, dazzled from the bright light when Bakugo let out a powerful burst at her. Shadow Maiden flew back from the force screaming and hit the wall. She coughed and got back up even though it seemed wearisome.

"You…" Shadow Maiden gasped with a very poisonous tone. "I'll let you go this time but next time I will make you suffer!"

"That won't happen because I kill you before that", Bakugo grinned, small explosions dancing on his palm.

Shadow Maiden laughed coldly as she blend into the shadows and disappeared.

"Glad that's over", Kirishima said after a moment and relaxed. "Good job Bakugo and Yaoyorozu!"

"You too", Yaoyorozu smiled. "We should keep going before someone finds us here."


It had been a while since Todoroki came to. He felt tired and couldn't tell what was around him. He knew he was lying on something cold and hard. When Todoroki opened his eyes, he saw a bright light shining above him so he closed his eyes. It was like he was in trance.

Suddenly there was a huge noise, like a metal door was slammed against something hard. Todoroki's mind became clear in that instant and he tried to get up but his hands and legs were tied up. The bright light came from a large lamp above him.

"When will she come here?" frustrated voice asked and Todoroki tried to see who was talking. The voice belonged to a tall, slim man who had dark brown and spiky hair that was pointing backwards. He wore a sleeveless shirt and trousers.

"She'll get here later", answered another man with a plain tone.

Todoroki swallowed. He recognized that voice. Dabi walked in his long coat next to the unknown man towards Todoroki.

"Oh, he's awake", Dabi noted as he came closer.

Todoroki didn't have a slightest idea what was going on and the fact that he couldn't move was really bad. The room he was in was some kind of laboratory. There were many different tools everywhere. Metallic desks, shelves full of empty botles, and many lockers on the walls. He looked around trying to find something that would help him get free but then he saw Tokoyami close to him, pinned down on a table like Todoroki. He was unconscious.

"Tokoyami!" Todoroki shouted out loud and Tokoyami startled awake.

"What?!" Tokoyami asked confused and blinked.

"I don't know but we have to get out of here!" Todoroki stated with a serious tone.

"Why are you in such a hurry, Todoroki?" Dabi asked without any expression.

Todoroki used his ice side to attack the two villains and created a huge ice wall between them and himself. "Tokoyami, try to get free!" he said to his companion.

"Right", Tokoyami understood. "Dark Shadow!"

"Ayo!" The yellow eyed shadow tore off the metal shackles that were keeping him chained. The shackles snapped like sticks. Tokoyami stood up and quickly jumped down from the table.

"Release Todoroki!" Tokoyami ordered and Dark Shadow did like was told. Todoroki got free as easily as Tokoyami and he quickly slid off the table.

The ice wall that was separating Todoroki and Tokoyami from the villains shattered and wave of blue flames spread in.

"You're not going to try to escape right?" Dabi asked as he came through the hole he made.

"Where are we?" Tokoyami asked calmly. Dark Shadow was ready to protect him from villains' attacks.

"Somewhere", Dabi answered scratching his head. "You don't need to know."

"Then we have to find out it ourselves", Todoroki said watching the villains closely.

"Sorry, not gonna happen", unknown villain said casually and marched towards Todoroki.

Todoroki used his ice and attacked him. The villain dodged it and ran fast at Todoroki. He made an ice wall to protect himself but the man's hand turned into a drill bit and crushed the wall like it was nothing. Todoroki startled and got out of the way just in time before the drill bit would hit his face.

"Hey, don't kill them, Mole ", Dabi said to the other villain.

"I'm not gonna kill them, just make them unable to move. It should be fine", man called Mole said grinning as Todoroki took some distance from the man.

"Todoroki", Tokoyami said silently. "We have to run. I can't fight well because of that man's flames."

"I know", Todoroki noted. "There's only one escape route so I'm going to push them away with my ice. That drill guy is a problem so I'm counting on you with it."

Tokoyami nodded in reply. They had to move fast. Todoroki took first step and covered half of the room with ice, freezing Dabi so he couldn't move but Mole made his way through with his drill bit hands.

"That won't work on me!" Mole shouted and laughed loudly.

The man attacked Todoroki and Tokoyami as they ran across the room to the exit. Dark Shadow stroke Mole into the wall before he reached them. Tokoyami and Todoroki didn't wait and see what happened to him because there was no time to waste.

They got on a passage with stairs leading up. Todoroki closed up the doorway with a thick ice barrier as they ran up the stairs. He was starting to shiver from overusing his right side.

"That should hold them back for a moment at least", Todoroki said as he stabilized his body temperature with his left side.

"I agree", Tokoyami stated. "Let us make haste."

"Yeah", Todoroki nodded.

They ran for a while and the stairs went on and on.

"How long does this last?" Todoroki panted frustrated. It felt like they got nowhere.

"I don't know", Tokoyami shook his head. "Wait. I think I see the end of the stairs."

He was right. They could see a metal door ahead. Todoroki and Tokoyami rushed at it and Todoroki grabbed the handle and threw it open. Luckily it wasn't locked.

On the other side was a room that had few metallic tables and wooden desks. There were paper piles everywhere, on the desks and even on the dark floor. Chandelier was hanging from the roof and gave a gentle light.

"What is this place?" Todoroki wondered as they made their way through the room, dodging a couple of tall paper piles in the way.

"We should get outside and find out", Tokoyami said looking around. "There haven't been any windows so I can't even tell if it's day or night."

"That's true", Todoroki agreed when the door before them opened. Toga came in and halted when she saw them. They stared at each other for a moment.

"What the-" Toga blinked confused. "You shouldn't be here if I'm right."

Todoroki didn't answer but attacked with ice. Toga shrieked and ran out of the way but Dark Shadow grabbed her and lifted high up.

"Hey!" Toga shouted swinging her legs pointlessly, unable to do anything.

Tokoyami heard footsteps coming from behind. "They are coming."

"Throw her in and I'll block their way", Todoroki told and Dark Shadow threw Toga through the door that led to the laboratory. Todoroki froze the door in that instant. They turned around and went through the exit where Toga had just came from.

Behind the door was a spiral staircase made from smooth stone leading up and down.

"Let's go up", Todoroki suggested. Tokoyami nodded. Stairs leading up most likely led outside if they happened to be underground. Or so Todoroki thought because there were no windows on their way forward.

"I hope we don't run into any more villains", Tokoyami said concerned.

"This sure is strange", Todoroki stated. "How did we end up here?"

"It's better to think about it when we know we are safe somewhere", Tokoyami noted.

All of a sudden stairs below them turned into a slide. Todoroki and Tokoyami fell over and started to slide down.

"What now!?" Todoroki gasped in frustration.

They slid at high speed down. Dabi, Mole and Toga were waiting for them at the metal door.

"Hello again", Dabi greeted them with a sarcastic smile. Toga smiled and Mole seemed angry.

"Well, this is a situation", Tokoyami stated.

Todoroki used his right side once again and made a wall to stop them from sliding any further.

"And now we are stuck", Todoroki said.

"It seems we have no other choice than to fight", Tokoyami said determined.

"We just rush through like we did in that other room", Todoroki closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Dark Shadow was ready to break through the ice wall.

"Ready?" Todoroki asked and Tokoyami nodded. "Go!"

Chapter 2: END