EmberSunblaze: Happy Halloween Everyone! Boy...this ws a scary chapter to write! I just wanted to give you all a warning that there is A LOT GOING ON in this chapter, with many sequences happening at the exact same time. So I apologize if any of this battle gets a little confusing to read. I do hope you all enjoy this chapter!
Just a heads-up, at a certain point in this chapter I will start referring to the girls using their last names.
Chapter 17: The Final Showdown
The cavern vibrated with the battle cry of Deku as he lunged forward to go against the strange dark hair teen, with multiple red tentacles protruding from his body. Along with his screaming, he firmly held his palms against his ears, hoping to block out any note of Siren's quirk. "I can't let myself get caught, not again! Not when Uraraka and the others have fought so hard already!"
His mind was reeling, still deeply in shock from waking up from a trance and finding himself in a strange cavern with no recognition at all of why or how long he had been controlled. Even worse, it wasn't just him. At least four of his other male classmates were currently under the influence of this unusual quirk.
"Somehow I've got to snap them out of it." He keyed in on the pink haired woman, eyes narrowing. "If what Uraraka said is true, then she's the key to freeing them!" He narrowed in on Kai, who was dashing towards him with four tentacles shooting outwards. "But first, I've got to get past him!"
Deku picked up his pace, his quirk boosting his speed as he charged forward to meet the deadly appendages. "There's a lot I still don't understand…like what the villain's goal is… or what horrible things we've been made to do…" His mind flashed to Uraraka's broken and bloodied body and an anger like he's never felt before flared through him, fueling him forward with a boost of untapped energy. "All I know for sure it is…"
With massive force the tentacles shot at him, each attempting to wrap around the hero. But in the young hero's power-fueled state, he dodged with an ease and swiftness that left his adversary dumbfounded. "That if you're one of the ones responsible for all this…." He bounded over each one, looking very much like a blur. Before Kai knew it, an enraged Deku was suddenly looming over him, green eyes glowing eerily and without a hint of mercy in their depths. It was at that moment, Kai felt an emotion he hadn't felt in a very long time….
Fear
"YOU'RE GOING TO PAY!" Deku bellowed, bringing his leg crashing into Kai in an immensely powerful sidekick. The force was enough to send the teen flying and crashing right into a broad stalagmite. There he sat, completely knocked out and tentacles sprawled limply across the stone floor.
"Kai!" Siren cried out, horrified that her loyal guard had been taken down by just one hit from this boy. "How? Where did this power come from?" She cringed away, taking a fearful step back as Deku suddenly turned her way, seething glowing glare now focused on her.
"WHAT ARE YOU GUYS WAITING FOR!?" She screamed, panic overtaking her. "GET HIM!" With their leader's cries of distress ringing in their ears, Kirishima and the others unceremoniously threw their captives to the ground and dashed forward to stop Deku from reaching Siren.
Pinky instantly pulled herself up, ready to help. She quickly turned to her comrades. "Earphone Jack?"
"Go on ahead! Quick!" Earphone Jack replied. With Kaminari no longer holding her down, she was able to move up to her hands and knees, but the rest of her muscles were still trying to get mobile again. "Get Siren!"
"Wait, Pinky!" Creati called out, the beautiful heroine was also trying to support herself. She unzipped her jacket, revealing her nude skin as her brows creased in pain and concentration. "Please….I beg you…Take these to Midoriya!" The exposed skin glowed, but faltered as the poor girl was on her last legs of quirk use. "Please…" She begged, closing her eyes tightly as she forced her body to cooperate. "Just one more…PLUS ULTRA!" As she screamed their school's catchphrase, a heavy duty set of black noise canceling headphones plopped out of her chest.
Pinky caught them in her hand, already using the acid from her feet to zip after the boys. "Thank you Creati! I promise I won't let your efforts go to waste!" She zoomed past Uravity, who still sat crouched on the ground, supporting her injured arm. Their eyes met and her friend nodded, urging her forward. With Uravity's encouragement, Pinky easily caught up with the boys who had begun to surround Deku.
The hero was majorly handicapped with both hands up against his head in an attempt to block out noise. "Not for long! " Pinky sprinted past a startled Mineta, skidding to a halt next to Deku. "ACID VEIL!" She cried, throwing out walls of acid with one hand to keep the boys at bay. She then turned to Deku, twirling the headsets in front of him. "Got you a present, Lover Boy!" She teased, quickly plopping them over his ears. He gave a grateful thumbs up.
With both arms now free, he whipped out his blackwhip quirk, using it lasso all the boys together in a tight-knit group. As they struggled to free themselves, Deku ran behind a sturdy-looking stalagmite that stretched up to the roof of the cavern, dragging them along. He circled it once, entangling them against the stone structure. Dark Shadow rose angrily from Tokoyami, charging at Deku in an attempt to free his partner. Still holding on to the whips, Deku jumped up and slammed his foot down on Dark Shadows head. The avian beast whimpered, retreating back to Tokoyami.
While Midoriya subdued the boys, Pinky took off, her goal set on someone else. "Let him take care of the guys…" She halted, glaring up at the throne ahead of her where Siren stood. The villainess no longer held a confident air about her as she warily watched her plan fall before. "I've got bigger fish to fry."
The villainess gave a vicious snarl, kicking the wooden throne to come tumbling down on Pinky. The heroine didn't flinch, merely holding up one hand to diminish the structure with a well shot ball of acid. Siren gaped, livid that her last means of defense was destroyed. She took a hesitant step back, pupils darting to a point behind her.
"Don't you even think about leaving, " Pinky warned, baring her teeth. "Not when this show's just getting started!" Acid leaked from her hands as they balled into fists at her side. "Didn't I say I was going to melt the wrinkles off that ugly face of yours!"
Siren turned, dashing away from the heroine's wrath. Pinky shot after her, using her acid to hurtle forward until she was right on top of the fleeing villainess. Siren turned just in time to see Pinky's acid in-fused fist slam into the side of her face. "PLUS ULTRA, BITCH!"
A screech of utmost misery echoed in the cavern. Siren fell to her knees, clutching the side of her face as steam rose from beneath her fingers. Her pink hair fell, further covering the damage. Only one icy, blue eye was seen burning with a fury at the defilement bestowed upon her beauty.
"Stop whining, that acid isn't strong enough to melt through your face." Pinky explained coldly, unmoved by Siren's anguished cries. "But it will scar…just a little reminder of what happens when you screw around with the lives of others."
"WHAT DO YOU DO TO HER!?" A voice roared from behind, startling the heroine.
Pinky whipped around and suddenly felt herself being airborne as a red tentacle circled around her waist and lifted her up. Earphone Jack and Creati were also each entangled in a tentacle, struggling feebly. An enraged Kai stood below her, awake and seething at his beloved Siren's condition.
"Make them pay, Kai!" Siren hissed, getting to her feet. Though her hair still covered the wound, hints of swollen red blotches still managed to peek through. "Do whatever you want to them! I want to hear the screams of those worthless bitches!"
"Oh…I will…" Kai promised sinisterly, turning to face Deku who was glaring in their direction, his hands already full with keeping his classmates binded by his Blackwhips. "But if that guy comes at me, I don't know how long I can hold him off. We'll need reinforcements." Siren nodded, dashing off to a tunnel that lay behind where the throne had once stood.
With Siren safely away, Kai took out his phone. Tapping the screen, his finger quietly flicked through a long list of song titles, melodies he had memorized by heart and seemed almost embedded into his soul. He grinned, finding the song he was looking for.
"You heard that ladies? I just got permission to do exactly as I please with you three." He placed little white earbuds into each ear, a hollow grin spreading across his face. His thumb tapped down, hitting the PLAY button. Music blared through his ears and he instantly hunched over, his back muscles twitching as the base of his red tentacles bulged outward, expanding to twice their normal size.
"What's going on?" Earphone Jack called down, watching the transformation in horrified disbelief.
"Isn't it obvious?" Creati murmured, expression tense and painstrickened as the tentacle tightened itself around her thin frame. "The music….it's hers!" She grimaced, head falling against the blubbery appendage. "Her voice…it's giving him more strength!"
"Damn it!" Pinky growled, looking down as Kai's tentacle's continued to grow, his maniac laughter filling the cavern.
He looked up at them, eyes blaring red as he bellowed. "It's about to get a lot more wild in here!" Both his legs changed into tentacles, completing his transformation. "You annoying, female teenage pieces of trash! You're always causing trouble, always ruining everything!" With inhuman speed, he slithered across the cavern floor, using the suckers of his tentacles to scamper up a towering stalagmite. "Let this be a lesson to you! Stop sticking your two-faced faces where they don't belong!"
"Woahhh!" All three girls screamed, feeling painful whiplash effects as he pulled them along, climbing higher and higher up to the cavern ceiling. There he attached himself to a hanging stalactite, hanging the girls down below him. From this position he could bear witness to their writhing bodies, their faces twisting in agony. The thought thrilled him.
"What's wrong? Not having fun? How about this?!" He sneered, his voice becoming lower and more demonic the more he listened to Siren's song. "How does it feel to have these things all over your skin?" The tips of his tentacles began crawling up their bodies, touching and feeling any bare skin it could find, much to the girl's discomfort. "You girls used to mock me, labeling me a beast and a pervert because of these atrocities!" One tentacle wrapped around Pinky's mouth while another one squeezed at Creati's chest, each girl fruitlessly struggling against their tight hold. "Guess what….YOU WERE RIGHT!" He bellowed, berserk laughter pouring out of the possessed villain.
Down below, Deku and Uravity watched the proceedings with mounting frustration. Both Deku's hands were full with keeping the rest of his mind controlled classmates at bay, his muscles straining as each boy struggled violently to get let loose from the dark whips. Uravity stood next to him, clutching her broken arm and feeling helpless. She craned her neck upwards and could see the long tentacles swinging the girls around, Kai's laughter filling the air. "I can't just stand here!"
She wasn't the only one feeling useless. Deku shook with anger, but knew that if he released his Blackwhip to help, they would be in even more trouble. "What should I do? Think Deku! Think!" He glanced upwards, watching the tentacles holding his classmates swinging carelessly through the air. It felt disorientating, seeing everything going on around him, but hearing nothing of it. " There has to be a way to save them…but how?"
Deku blinked, glancing down to see a familiar hand touching his arm. He turned and was met with Uravity's intense eyes fixed on him, wordlessly sending him a message. Deku's eyes widened as understanding almost instantly took hold. "Uraraka, no! You're already past your limit…" But despite his internal protest, deep down he knew they had no choice. He grimaced, nodding his head. Without hesitating, Uravity dashed towards the enraged boys, quickly touching each one of them with her uninjured hand.
Deku retracted his whips and the captives immediately started to float upwards, much to their shock. He then dashed off, heading straight towards Kai and the girls and trusting Uraraka to keep the boys suspended long enough for him to return. "I'm sorry, Uraraka!" He thought bitterly, pushing his legs forward as quickly as he could . "You've already done so much, just hold out a little bit longer!"
The deranged Kai noticed the hero approached, red eyes narrowing. "You…You're the one who started this…"
"Leave them alone!" Deku yelled, charging up. He leapt against the cavern wall, using it to propel against a stalagmite and then back to the wall again to boost himself upwards. "Let's end this quickly with one hit, just like before! " He thought, taking a final leap off the wall straight towards the tentacle-quirked teen.
"I don't think so!" Kai roared, spitting out a clod of black ink. Caught off guard by the attack and unable to dodge, the black substance hit Deku square in the face, instantly blinding him. Immediately, a red tentacle shot down, pinning the teen against the wall.
"Damn it!" Deku cursed, now both deaf and blinded as he struggled to free himself from the mighty grip of the tentacle.
Back below, the tortured cries of her comrades were lost to Uravity, who's sole concentration was keeping the mind-controlled boys afloat. Despite her pressuring Deku to let her help, she knew her strength was slipping. She tried focusing upwards, watching as her red-eyed classmates hovered over her, snarling out in protest. "Please…please…hold out…just a little bit longer." She begged, feeling the pink glow of her quirk growing fader, the edges of her vision blurring together. "It's no use…." She realized, feeling the world spinning, her senses growing weaker. "Please…someone….anyone….help…us!"
Siren cringed, leaning against the cool tunnel wall as she took a break from her running. The cold was a welcome relief to the burning that consumed her face. She slammed her hand against the rock wall, uncontrollable rage pulsing through her system at what she had just gone through. The shock…the humiliation…just how….how could this have happened!?
"No one has ever broken through my song!" Siren fretted, ruining her perfect pedicure as her nails raked across the stone. "How could some girl barely past puberty break him out?" Of course, no one had ever tried that sort of method before either. Could it have just been a random fluke? There was no telling. It was baffling and showed another flaw in her quirk. Flaws were something Siren detested.
"With one free, it could only be a matter of time before the rest followed. If so, even with reinforcements, would we be able to hold them off? Would they have a way to hold off my song in the same way that green haired brat did?" There were too many possibilities, too many mistakes that could be made. Was it even worth it?
A thought struck Siren, a dark one. One that she didn't particularly care for. She faced the dark tunnel, mulling over the consequences of such a thought. "Starting over would be a pain….but so would going to prison." Slowly, her feet changed direction, moving towards a narrow side tunnel. "I'm sorry, Kai…but I'm not ready to lose just yet."
"Running away, Siren?" A hollow, echoing voice wheezed from the shadows.
Startled, Siren shrieked, "Who's there!?" She whirled around, trying to locate the intruder. The only response she got was the same slow wheezing sound and the deliberate shuffling of feet. The villainess felt the hair on the back of her neck rise, unease filling her. "Show yourself!"
"I've…been…looking for you…" The voice answered, close enough for Siren to turn fearfully towards the darkened shadows of the hidden side tunnel. There she saw a flicker of movement and instinctively retreated backwards. That's when the voice called out again, its echoes filling the cavern. "Scared…Siren? I thought…you enjoyed…a good show?"
"Scared!" The villainess scoffed, swiveling around angrily. "Please! These are my tunnels! I'm the queen! The idol! Don't think you and your little group of highschoolers can get the best of me!" She raked her nails up, teeth bared as she snarled. "This isn't over! Not by a long shot!"
"Oh…but..it is Siren." The voice answered darkly. "A queen isn't a queen…without her army…and where's your army, Siren?"
These words sent a shiver through Siren, her hand rising to cover the scarred part of her face as the pain flared up. She stood her ground, shaking with rage as she called out to the darkness. "I know the game you're trying to play! I know you're just the invisible girl trying to scare me! It won't work!"
"Oh really?" The voice answered. Siren whipped around, the sound coming from right behind her. There, behind a narrow stalagmite, a shadowy figure peeped out to stare at her. "Tell me Siren….do I look…invisible to you?"
Siren covered her mouth in a silent scream, falling to her knees and backing away as the horrifying figure revealed itself to her. The figure was draped in a mixture of blood and mud, the horrible substance oozing down its hunched body. It walked with an obvious limp, almost dragging one leg as it moved. The worst part was its face. Where the mouth and eyes were supposed to be were just dark, eerie holes, devoid of all life. They seemed to stare at Siren in a mocking way, giving her the creeps as the figure slowly crept forward. Siren raised her hands up, crying out in panic. "Stay back! Don't you dare come near me!"
"What's wrong?" The figure asked, head tilting to the side. "Afraid…. to look at the consequences…. of your actions?" She swept her arms up, the black hole curving into a haunting smile. "How under your reign….people have gotten hurt…" She took a step forward, blood dripping onto the ground that lay between her and Siren. "...Your boy soldiers have been hurt…." The villainess shook with fear, scrambling backwards to get away from the vile creature. But with a sudden burst of speed, the figure lunged forward, grabbing ahold of Siren's long pink hair and pulling her towards her as she continued. "...The only one who gets any satisfaction is you, Siren!"
The villainess wanted to scream, wanted to run, but found she was frozen in place. Unable to look away from the ghostly gaze loomed down on her. "Look into my eyes, Siren." Invisible Girl demanded, her voice, just like her eyes, were cold and empty of any sympathy. "And tell me….are you satisfied now?"
A loud, haunting scream sounded through the dark tunnels, with an ominous silence following.
"Uh?"
Kirishima, along with Kaminari, Tokoyami, and Mineta, studied their current surroundings with confusion. The red head scratched at his head, perturbed. "Uh, guys where are we?"
"Dude! Forget that!" Kaminari cried, flailing his arms as he unintentionally did a somersault. "Why are we floating?"
"This is a most peculiar situation." Tokoyami commented calmly, not one to panic.
"Does anyone else feel like they've been hit by a sledgehammer?" Mineta complained, rubbing his bruised face. "Or is it just me?"
"Hey!" Kirishima exclaimed, pointing towards the ground. "There's Uraraka! Oi! Can you get us down?" But the brunette simply stared, her expression a mix of shock and uncertainty.
"Maybe she didn't hear you?" Dark Shadow questioned, popping out from Tokoyami.
"Can we please get down?" Kaminari groaned, now floating upside down hopelessly. "I think I'm going to hurl…" Suddenly, without warning, the pink glow surrounding them disappeared and gravity once again took a hold of their bodies.
Kirishima fell on his feet, using his hardening quirk on his legs to soften the impact. Tokoyami landed gracefully next to him, while Dark Shadow caught both a screaming Kaminari and Mineta before they hit the ground. Instantly their attention turned to a severely weakened Uraraka, bent over and breathing heavily.
A concerned Kirishima crouched down next to her. "Uraraka? What's happened? You're hurt!"
Her head shot up, eyes blazing. "Forget about me! Deku and the girls need your help! NOW!"
"Deku?" Kaminari repeated, joining his friend. "He's here too?"
The blonde paused, as did the others as the screaming reached their ears, along with the crazed laughter of Kai. Kirishima stood up, skin hardening as they all took their first look at the monstrous teen on the far side of the cavern, his long red tentacles holding their female classmates captive. It was a nightmare none of them had been prepared to wake up to.
"Wha…what is that thing?!" Kaminari questioned, fists clenching with antsy energy.
"Something dark….very dark." Tokoyami murmured with a glare at their new foe. "And dangerous."
Mineta's small body clutched fearfully at Dark Shadow's head, pointing a trembling finger towards the villain. "I….I….I've had a dream about this once! BUT IT WAS A LOT LESS TERRIFYING!"
"Dude, no one wants to hear about one of your wet dreams!" Kaminari snapped.
"Agreed." Tokoyami said with a disgusted nod.
"ENOUGH!" Kirishima growled, taking charge. "It doesn't matter what it is! All that matters is that we stop it and save our friends! Let's go!" He charged forward, with the others following close behind. As they drew near, the hardening hero glanced up, spotting Ashido, Jiro, and Yaoyorozu. "I see them!"
"And there's Deku!" Tokoyami added, with a nod towards their friend.
"Dude! They're so high up!" Kaminari pointed out. "How are we supposed to get up there?"
"WITH A BOOST!" Dark Shadow gleefully answered, grabbing Kirishima and Kaminari around their waist and lifting them up. Mineta's scream filled the air as he clung tightly to Kaminari's back as he too was forced upwards.
The monstrous Kai glared hatefully down at the new intruders. "What the hell are brats doing disobeying your leader?!" He shot a red tentacle down at them.
"I have no idea what you're blabbering about!" Kirishima bellowed back as Dark Shadow threw him up. The red teen clung to the tentacle, his hardened nails digging into its rubbery flesh. "But I don't follow anyone who hurts my friends!" Kai let out a frustrated roar, thrashing his tentacle against hanging stalactites. Kirishima was knocked off, plummeting downwards until Dark Shadow caught him.
"Thanks!" Kirishima said, shaking debris out of his hair.
"That thing's coming back!" Kaminari warned.
"We're screwed!" Mineta wailed.
"HOLD ON!" Dark Shadow bellowed, doing a loop-de-loop to dodge the persistent tentacle. His passengers' screams vibrated through the air.
"Dark Shadow! " Kirishima growled, clinging to the dark demon. " Can you drop us off on the tentacles holding the girls while you distract them?" Dark Shadow nodded, putting on a burst of speed.
"Don't fall." He advised, quickly releasing Kirishima as he darted away to do the same for Kaminari and Mineta.
Kirishima clung to the twisting and thrashing appendage, spotting Ashido wrapped up at the very end. The tentacle covered her mouth, leaving her speechless. But as her golden gaze met his, it sparked with unmistakable joy that made Kirishima's heart skip a beat. "Hold on! I'm coming!" He called out, slowly crawling his way towards her, struggling not to be thrown off.
Once he was close enough, the first thing he did was slash at the tentacle blocking her mouth. As the flesh tore away, Ashido gasped, coughing as she was once again able to breathe properly.
"So gross!" She exclaimed, tongue sticking out in disgust. "I swear I'll never be able to eat Takoyaki again!"
"You're thinking of food at a time like this?" Kirishima joked, relieved to see her in one piece.
"No." She replied, with her signature grin. "I was thinking…that I'm glad you're finally here."
Kirishima returned the smile, eyes flashing earnestly. "Let's get you out of here!" With ease, his hardened hands slashed through the tentacle's muscles. As its hold on her loosened, he gripped her hand, dragging her backwards.
"Get on my back!" He told her, digging his nails into the tentacle's flesh as it thrashed about, angry at the pain inflicted on it and its escaped prey.
"How will we get down?" Ashido yelled into his ear, her arm tightening around his neck.
Kirishima clenched his mouth, mulling over that thought. "This may get a bit bumpy…do you trust me?" He felt her grip around his neck tighten, and a moment passed before she answered.
"I do." She whispered quietly, but surely. He nodded determinedly.
"Then hang on!" Kirishima called out, watching as the tentacle thrashed close to the nearest stalagmite. Pushing himself off, he hardened himself and raked his hands against the stone structure. He felt Ashido pushing into his back, muffling her screams and he braced himself, digging his claws in deeper to slow the speed of their fall. "Come on! Just a little more!" he growled, desperate to get her down safely.
They landed with a dull thud, his hardened legs once again helping to soften the impact. He felt Ashido slide off him and to the ground with a relieved sigh. Kirishima scratched the back of his neck guiltily. "Yeah…guess that was a bit too rough. My bad!"
Ashido grinned weakly. "Don't worry, after everything I've been through today that wasn't bad at all!"
"Yeah…about that." Kirishima began, scratching at his chin embarrassedly. "You wouldn't mind filling me in? Cause I'm pretty much clueless here!"
It was now Ashido's turn to look uneasy. She turned her back to him, loudly exclaiming. "Uhhh…Oh look! It's the others! Let's go!" Shrugging, Kirishima quickly followed the pink heroine.
"What kind of nightmare did I get dragged into?" Kaminari fretted, clinging to dear life to Dark Shadow as he zig zagged through the air, dodging the pursuing tentacle. Kirishima had just been dropped off and now they were approaching the tentacle holding Jiro. "I just wanted to have a fun day at the beach! Is that so much to ask….." The world suddenly slowed down as he briefly caught a glimpse of Jiro glancing down as they swiftly passed. It was then that Kaminari spied what were unmistakable tears in her eyes.
"Jiro…" He whispered, all his troubles melting away as a fire simmered within him. He raised one hand, yelling out. "Hang in there, Jiro! We're coming!"
"We are?!" Mineta wailed, using his pop offs to cling to his back.
"You are!" Dark Shadow answered, releasing them onto the thrashing tentacle. Instantly, both boys fell to their hands and knees, clinging on tightly. Mineta immediately stuck two of his Pop Offs on the blubber, safely securing himself. Kaminari lunged forward, grabbing a hold of Mineta's back, much to his annoyance.
"Hey! Hands off! That's a "girl's only!" zone!"
"You're one to talk!" Kaminari snapped back, "Aren't you always sticking yourself to someone's back whenever there's trouble!"
"You're too heavy!" Mineta protested.
"You're too pervy!" Kaminari immaturely countered.
"Ahem?"
Both boys glanced up and saw Jiro watching them with a deadpan expression. Kaminari knocked Mineta's head down, shooting her his most heroic grin, along with a thumbs up. "Jiro! Your saviors have arrived!"
"YOU'RE NOT SAVIORS IF THIS IS YOUR FAULT I'M IN THIS MESS TO BEGIN WITH!" Jiro yelled, causing both boys to cringe.
Kaminari scratched his chin with a finger, feeling uneasy. "Uhhhh, is this about the volleyball thing? Because I'm not really sure how that relates to…." He waved his hand to the deranged Kai hanging above them. "...this?"
Jiro simply shook her head, red rimmed eyes fuming. "Whatever! Just hurry and get these things off of me!" She demanded, lifting up her Pop-Off trapped earjacks.
"That's your cue!" The blonde said, pushing Mineta forward.
"Uh…sure thing…" Mineta replied, laughing nervously as he reluctantly used his Pop-offs to crawl towards Jiro. The pervy teen could feel her watching his movements with the attention of a panther ready to strike. "Oh why! Why did it have to be me!" Mineta cried, shaking with fear at the prospect of freeing a female who most likely wanted him dead. Instead of a kiss of gratitude, all he could picture was a long drop to the bottom of the cavern, ending with his demise.
"So…I was wondering…" Mineta began, reaching down to take off the Pop-offs on each of her earjacks with shaking hands. "You wouldn't happen to be still mad about the earlier incident…involving…you know…a picture…" He asked, giving a nervous chuckle.
In answer, Jiro used her newly freed earjacks to stab into Mineta's side and giving him a painful shock that left him shrieking. Then with a powerful push, she shoved him back, hitting Kaminari's face. "You two get down, now!" Jiro demanded, raising her ear jacks up.
Kaminari pushed Mineta away, quickly reaching out towards Jiro. "No, Jiro! Wait!"
But Jiro had already stabbed her ear jacks into the tentacle, activating her quirk and sending powerful vibrations throughout the long appendage. Kaminari and Mineta cringed, tightening their holds as the limb thrashed out in obvious pain. Still it clung on, unwilling to release its prey.
Kaminari grimaced, the tremors and the thrashing making it hard to cling on. "Damn if only I could use my quirk!" But he knew it was useless to even think about. The electricity would just travel through, electrocuting not only the enemy but his allies as well. "But I've got to help! I can't just sit here!" Determinedly, he crawled his way down the tentacle.
"What in the world are you doing!?" Mineta cried out, befuddled by his friend's actions. In answer, Kaminari took a deep breath and lunged forward towards Jiro.
Jiro stared, shocked as Kaminari gripped the tentacle twisted around her body and frantically tried pulling at it. "Are you an idiot!?" she snapped, her angry tone unable to mask her fear. "You're going to fall!"
"Well you're going to be crushed!" Kaminari countered, straining to move the suckers. "So I really don't have a choice here!" He gave a yelp as Kai's voice suddenly boomed out over them.
"Enough with this nonsense!" He roared, rearing the tentacle upwards so that Kaminari had to tighten his hold just to stay on. Mineta's small body was dangled in the air, only being saved by his securely attached Pop-Offs. "You dare to turn your backs against the great one? The Voice that gives us strength? Our savior? OUR WORLD!"
"I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT!" Mineta cried, panicked tears raining down like waterfalls. Kaminari was just as clueless, straining just to keep a hold on the slippery skin of the tentacle.
"You traitors can die!" Kai bellowed, red eyes burning with rage. "Fall into hell with the rest of these scums!" With that, the tentacle began to untwine itself, with Jiro slipping from its hold.
"Ahhh!" Jiro screamed, feeling herself beginning to fall.
"JIRO!" Kaminari cried, reaching out to grab her. But he felt her thin fingers slip through his grasp as his own body was lunged forward by the whip-like motion of the tentacle. Both their screams mingled together as they fell.
"COMING THROUGH!" A voice called out. Dark Shadow swooped under them wrapping them both in a tight bear hug against his chest and swooshing out of the way of an attacking tentacle. Kaminari and Jiro blinked, stupefied that were still alive and also embarrassed to be squished this close to each other.
"Well that was… terrifying." Kaminari admitted, grinning despite himself. Jiro didn't reply, heart still beating too fast for comfort. Unable to move his limbs, he nudged her with his head, brows furrowed in concern. "Hey, you okay?"Jiro felt her face redden at the contact and she averted her gaze.
Before she could answer, Mineta's suddenly sprung up from over Dark Shadow's shoulder. "YOU'RE TELLING ME!" he wailed, suddenly springing up from behind Kaminari's shoulder, pale and with terrified tears leaking everywhere.
"I didn't know you were back there." Kaminar replied, surprised at the sudden appearance of his buddy. Mineta glared, pointing up at the towering mass of wiggling tentacles above them.
"Did you think I was going to let you leave me up there alone with THAT THING!?"
"Speaking of which…" Kaminari turned to Jiro. "Uhh I know this may sound weird…but I have no idea what's exactly going on here.…I mean that's usually the norm for me but this goes WAY BEYOND what even I'm used to!"
Jiro sighed, glancing up towards Kai. "All you need to know is that he's who we have to take out. Him and his phone."
"His phone?" Kaminari questioned, brow raised. Jiro nodded.
"If any of those songs on his phone gets leaked out, we're pretty much dead." She didn't go into further details, but her tone left no room for doubt.
As Dark Shadow led the rescue for the captive girls, Tokoyami stayed below helping his fellow comrade.
"Midoriya, do not despair. Help is here." The dark hero assured the struggling teen as he climbed his way up towards him. But his friend continued to strain against the tentacle suctioning him to the stone wall, his voice screaming out angrily. That was when Tokoyami took note of the pair of headphones covering his head.
"Hmmm, odd." Tokoyami commented, not remembering Midoriya wearing those on the beach. He reached over, taking them off. "Midoriya?"
"Tokoyami?" Midoriya questioned, voice hoarse. He strained to open his eyes, but hissed at the burning sensation of the dark ink. "How did you…." He trailed off, instead asking. "Is there a woman around with long pink hair?"
Tokoyami glanced around, bird eyes narrowed. "Negative."
"We should be fine then…at least for now." Midoriya replied, still sounding uneasy.
"I wouldn't go that far." Tokoyami commented, shadows encasing his hands. He slashed at the tentacle strapping down Midoriya. "We still have this vile creature to deal with."
Midoriya slid to the ground, landing in a crouch. He immediately used his free hands to rub at the horrid ink covering his eyes. "Trust me, the woman is the one we have to be scared of."
"Here." Tokoyami said, handing him the dark cloak he still wore over his swimwear. Midoriya took it, nodded gratefully. As he cleaned his face, Tokoyami asked, "Based on your intel, I assume you have knowledge of how we came about this unusual predicament."
"I have an idea." Midoriya replied, squinting as he slowly regained his eyesight. "But there's a lot that's still a mystery to me too." He glanced upwards, frowning at the mass of tentacles flailing about and Dark Shadow's form dodging between them. "The ones who have all the answers….are up there."
Tokoyami followed his gaze. "Hopefully Dark Shadow and the rest can free them soon."
"The other boys are free too?"
The bird boy nodded, suddenly looking tense. "Be wary, Midorya. Dark Shadow is descending!" Sure enough, his demonic partner soon landed, holding against him a surprise package.
"Yaoyorozu!" Midoriya exclaimed happily, as Dark Shadow gently lowered her down. The heroine stumbled slightly as her feet met the ground. Dark Shadow's claw shot out, catching her.
"Thank you." She said, smiling weakly as she gratefully patted his beak, much to his delight. He then shot back up into the air, continuing his mission. She tried to approach the two boys, but stumbled once again to the ground, giving a cry of pain.. Instantly, the two boys rushed forward to assist her.
"Yaoyorozu, are you unwell?" Tokoyami inquired, throwing her arm over his shoulder as he helped support her. The girl cringed painfully, clutching at her chest.
"I'm…fine." She answered wearily, trying to right herself up. "I've just…overused my quirk." She shivered and Midoriya draped her with Tokoyami's cloak.
"Just rest now. " Midoriya kindly assured her. "We're going to get you all out of here." Just as he spoke, a loud voice suddenly called out to them.
"Oi! Two heroes coming through!" Kirishima yelled, waving a hand up in greeting as both him and Ashido joined the group. Upon seeing Tokoyami supporting Yaoyorozu, Ashido instantly ran to check on her while Kirishima turned to Midoriya, asking. "Any signs of Kaminari or Mineta?"
Before Midoriya could answer, there came a shriek from above as Dark Shadow once again began to descend. But this time, he had not one, but seven tentacles now after him, all trying to reclaim the prizes that were stolen. "RUN!" he roared out, "NOW!"
As one the group began running, with Ashido leading the way. "Come on! The exit tunnel is this way!"
"NO ONE IS LEAVING!" Kai's voice rang out, loud and echoing across the whole cavern. Raising his tentacles up, he whirled them in a fast circular motion. Creating a whirlwind of pure muscle that smashed against the hundreds of hanging stalactites across the cavern ceiling. The group halted in their tracks, covering themselves as the rocks fell from above.
"DARK SHADOW!" Tokoyami roared out. His partner instantly took heed, dropping his load consisting of Kaminari, Jiro, and Mineta. He then hovered over the group, spreading his body wide and protecting them from the falling debris.
As the dark apparition stood over them, Kaminari paused near the edge of the covering, glancing at their enemy who was now descending the walls to the cavern floor. Obviously, seeking to stop them from escaping. He glanced at Jiro who was huddled together with Ashido, their hands clasped together fearfully. Both of them battle worn and exhausted.
"I still don't know what's going on… " Kaminari thought sombrely, glancing down at his hands. "But Jiro said that dude had to go down. " A rueful grin spread across his face. "And that's really all I need to know."
"Hey, everyone!" Kaminari yelled out, over the falling rocks. "You all go on ahead and take cover, quick!" He jutted his thumb out towards Kai descending the wall. "I'm going to take that guy down with my electricity!"
"On your own?" Kirishima question in concern.
"You're insane!" Mineta cried, cowering behind Midoriya. "Let's just bolt out of here and quick!"
"LET HIM DO IT!" Jiro yelled out, glaring at Mineta. "Escaping right now is impossible anyway. Besides, if anyone has the power to freeze him in his tracks." She added, meeting Kaminari's shocked gaze. "Chargebolt can."
Kaminari nodded, confidence surging within from her praise. "Leave it to me!" He ran out, calling out to Dark Shadow. "Protect them for me, buddy!"
"As always." Dark Shadow answered, resuming his regular pose as the last rocks fell.
"Come on!" Kirishima yelled, pointing towards a nearby stalagmite. "You heard him! We need to clear some distance before he attacks. Let's take cover there for now!" As the others ran, Midoriya separated himself from the group, calling out.
"I'll be back! I need to grab Uraraka!" With a burst of speed he sprinted across the cavern, gaze hunting for the heroine. He paused, breath catching as he spotted her lone figure laying across the floor of the cavern.
"Uraraka!" Midoriya yelled out, rushing to her side. He found her unconscious but still breathing. "She must have passed out after the other's woke up." He observed, crouching down beside her. She stirred and he felt his heart leap hopefully in his chest. "It's okay, it's just me." He murmured, gently brushing aside her hair.
Knowing that there wasn't much time, as carefully as he could, Midoriya lifted her up. He cradled her against his chest, trying to be considerate of her broken arm. Even so, the heroine whimpered at his touch, face scrunching up in pain. He felt his grip tighten, her cries feeling like a punch to the gut. "I'm sorry, Uraraka." He whispered, holding her close. "I'll get you out of here soon. I promise!"
With that said, he sprinted back towards where the group stood huddled close together near the entrance to the tunnels. From the side, he caught sight of Kaminari darting in the opposite direction to block off their pursuer. "Good luck, Kaminari." Midoriya thought, urging his teammate on. "Remember, we have your back!"
Kaminari was going to need all the luck he could get, at least that's what the blonde thought as he stood alone facing off against this bizarre eight-legged foe. With Kai down at ground level and up close the guy really looked like a lunatic on the edge. The lanky teen hovered in the air, his arms, legs, and the tentacles growing at his side keeping him afloat so that he seemed even more threatening. His red eyes glowered down at the lone hero with a twisted sneer that sent chills down his opponent's spine.
"I guess bravado wears off when you're alone, eh?" Kaminari muttered, mouth twitching as nervous perspiration dripped down his skin. He gulped, attempting to steady his nerves. "But I'm not really alone right? The others are just behind me. It's just like Jiro said, I just have to stop him in his tracks!" He pumped his fist determinedly, getting into a fighting stance. "No big deal!"
"Out of my way, traitor!" Kai snarled, towering over Kaminari. He whipped one tentacle down and Kaminari yelped as it slammed into his chest and knocked him to the ground. "You're nothing but a pathetic excuse of man! Choosing to forsake the Voice for those filthy heathens!"
"Dude…I seriously have no idea what in the world you're talking about…" Kaminari gasped out, clutching at the tentacle that wrapped around his chest and neck. "I'll admit I can be a bit pathetic…I won't lie about that…but…" He struggled upwards, golden eyes glaring at Kai. "No way in hell am I a traitor!" Kaminari grabbed the tentacle, activating his quirk and sending millions of volts of electricity up the length of the appendage. "And I'm not letting you get to my friends!"
A distance away, Dark Shadow rose over the group, spreading his dark body wide to shield them as the cavern instantly became consumed in dangerous thundering sparks. "Stay close and don't move!" he warned, cringing as his body took in the damaging bolts.
"We're counting on you." Tokoyami replied, nodding solemnly to his partner as everyone huddled together. Midoriya sat with Uraraka cradled in his lap. Kirishima had hardened his body and stood hunched over Ashido and Yaoyorozu as extra protection. Jiro was crouched near Tokoyami, ready to spring if something happened. Mineta laid face down on the ground, hands covering his head as he quivered in terror.
Back with the battle, Kai bellowed in pain as bolts of electricity shot through his body. His tentacles convulsed, whipping in different directions as they lost control of themselves. Kaminari clung on to the tentacle he was holding, even as it struggled to pull away. "Don't think so dude!" he growled, smiling ruefully. "You're not getting away! Not until you give up!"
"GIVE UP?" Kai spoke, fighting through the torment. "After everything you all ruined!" Below him, the glass of his phone burst into a million pieces, scattering to the ground as the screen went black. "You want me to surrender….AFTER WHAT YOU DID TO SIREN!" His head whipped up, red eyes filled with burning rage. "YOU CAN ALL JUST GO TO HELL!"
With all the strength he could muster, Kai reared back his arm tentacle, whipping it forward and slamming it against a nearby hanging stalactite. The rock cracked and crumbled down over Kaminari. The hero barely had time to glance up, when a stone came crashing down, knocking against the side of his head. The tentacle fell from his grasp as he tumbled on his side, head dripping blood.
"KAMINARI!" Jiro cried out, watching the sequence from behind Dark Shadow's protection. She ran out, ignoring her friend's protests, and skidded down next to Kaminari. Turning him over, she quickly assessed his wound, heart pounding worriedly. "Come on! Wake up you idiot!" She begged, an undeniable fear overwhelming her.
Her hand moved aside the blond bangs covering the gash over his forehead. Slowly his eyes opened, revealing undilated, unfocused pupils. He lifted his hand, giving her a thumbs up as he weakly replied. "I'm…okay…"
Jiro gave a relieved smile. "You dummy…you went and short-circuited yourself." A twitch of a tentacle in her side vision made that smile disappear as she glowered at the villain still moving, despite the powerful attack.
Kai stood on shaking legs that had converted back to their true form. His arms still hung at his side as overly large tentacles, dragging uselessly across the stone floor. Whether they were too burned out to move or unwilling after going through so much agony was anyone's guess. The tentacles growing from his side twitched and attempted to lift, but failed, crashing each time back to the ground. It was like his body was giving out signals that Kai's Siren controlled mind was refusing to listen to as he slowly inched his way towards the two heroes.
Jiro moved Kaminari's injured head to her chest, arms wrapping around him protectively. "Leave us alone Kai!" she called, her ear jacks raised and posed like a cobra ready to strike. "It's over for you! You're way too outnumbered!"
"Over?" Kai rasped, his voice charred and hoarse from the attack. "Don't….make…me laugh…" He coughed, almost stumbling over his own tentacles. "Siren…she'll be here…with reinforcements…"
"Kai! That's enough!" Jiro yelled, completely fed up with this guy's annoying obsession. She felt the presence of Tokoyami, Ashido, Kirishima, and Dark Shadow join her. Yaoyorozu and Midoriya hovered a safe distance away, still clutching Uraraka. "Look around! Everyone is free from her control! Isn't it obvious!?" She shot out her ear jack, halting it inches from his stunned face. "Siren isn't coming back." Jiro finished, her tone dark and filled with loathing. "It's over, Kai. Both of you…have lost."
The teen stood there, taking in the finality of the heroine's words. "No…" he uttered, tears springing to his red rimmed eyes. "No…" The earbuds, that long ago had grown silent, fell to the ground. "NOOOOO!" He roared, his arms transforming into thrashing tentacles, much to the heroes' shock.
The group drew into defensive stances, wary of what the unstable teen was capable of. "This guy is nuts!" Jiro growled, hunched over Kaminari to shield him with her body. "How does he still have the strength to stand, let alone fight!?" .
"Soooo pretty!" Idiotic Kaminari mumbled, no regard at all for the danger they were in. Jiro reddened, but didn't have time to mull over the strange interaction as a crazed, bloodthirsty Kai reared up over the group, tentacles waving menacingly at his side. Dark Shadow gave a warning hiss, as the group stared at Kai's tentacles once again raised him up to tower before them.
"Over? " He seethed, glowering down at the group of young heroes. "It's not over…TILL I SAY IT'S OVER!" He snarled, tentacles rearing up to slam down on top of them.
The tentacle was unexpectedly halted by the sudden appearance of a white binding cloth lassoing around and yanking it down with a loud thud. Kai whipped around and found a dark, shaggy haired man with yards of the same material loosely wrapped around his neck.
"It's over." Erasure Head announced, as a swarm of sailors converged from behind and instantly surrounded the young villain with weapons pointed right at him.
"AIZAWA SENSEI!" The group of heroes exclaimed in unison, jubilant to see their pro-hero teacher.
Kai scowled, glaring at the intruders. "Who the hell are you guys?!"
"You're looking at the top notch crew of the Oki Mariner." Came the commanding response of Captain Selkie, marching to the front of the line to confront the assaulter. "Protectors of the coast and sea, we don't take kindly to anyone who disrupts that fragile peace." He stomped on one of the tentacles, causing Kai to grimace in pain. "So I suggest you cooperate and come with us, young man."
"I'm not going anywhere…" Kai hissed back, spatting at the Captain's feet. "Not without Siren!"
"Now, now, no need to be rude to the Captain." Midnight's sultry voice rang out, as she appeared next to Erasure Head. "How about we all relax and just take a quick break?" She blew a kiss at Kai, a pink dusty material blowing into his face. Immediately, his eyelids began drooping. And without much effort at all, the exhausted teen fell to the ground in a deep slumber.
"Alright men! Strap this villain down and get him back on the ship! Locked up tight!" Captain Selkie ordered as his crew got to work on securing Kai.
"WE'RE SAVED!" Mineta yelled, now crying happy tears as he joyfully leapt towards Midnight Sensei. The much awaited embrace was halted by Erasure Head's binding cloth tightly wrapping around the young teen's body. Ignoring him, both U.A. teachers turned to address their other pupils.
"Before we start, are there any injuries we need to know about?" Aizawa Sensei asked, noting the unconscious form of Uraraka and a bleeding, brain-fried Kaminari. Excluding Kaminari, most of the boys looked tired, but unharmed. The girls were a different story, each one looking completely exhausted and sporting several injuries. But before he could comment, Ashido quickly spoke up.
"Sir! Before that, you and the Captain have to find Siren!" She urgently explained, pointing a finger towards the tunnel she had escaped into. "She's the one in charge! We can't let her get away!"
Midnight met the Captain's gaze. "You heard her! Can you send a group? Noticeably one consisting of older men or women?"
"Will do!" The Captain Selkie nodded to his young first-mate sidekick, Sirius. "Sirius, lead a group down those tunnels! Quickly!"
"Ai! Ai! Sir!" Sirius replied with a salute.
Yaoyorozu forced herself next to Ashido, adding worriedly. "Sir, it's not just Siren. Hagakure is also lost somewhere in the tunnels, possibly injured."
Erasure Head and Midnight exchanged worried glances as Sirius replied. "No need to worry! We'll also keep a look out for your friend!"
"That's the thing…" Midnight began with a deep frown.
"She's invisible." Erasure Head finished soberly.
Sirius faltered, turning to her Captain for support. The Captain ruffled his beard in thought. "For now, focus on finding the villainess." He turned to the group of heroes, adding quickly. "We'll send for dogs from the coast and see if we can get these tunnels sniffed out. We still have to locate those missing teens after all."
"Did any of you all have luck finding their location?" Erasure Head asked, turning to his class as Sirius departed.
"I'm afraid not." Yaoyorozu answered, looking crestfallen. "Under the…" Her eyes darted briefly towards the puzzled boys. "...circumstances…it was rather difficult to get a layout of the tunnels. Invisible Girl was tasked with trying to locate them but…" She trailed off solemnly as Ashido placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
Sensing this discussion swerving in a delicate direction, Midnight intervened, placing arms around each girl. "Let's just get you all back to the surface. Everything can be explained there while we get the medics to look at you."
"A wise call." Captain Selkie agreed, sternly observing his crew lock Kia's tentacles together in metal chains. "You all take care of your students. My crew and I can begin searching the tunnels for the teens."
"THERE'S NO NEED FOR THAT!" A booming voice called out from the tunnels. Everyone turned, gaping as a disgruntled Bakugo emerged from the darkness, leading with him a large group of teenage boys. He paused at the entrance, jabbing his thumb over his shoulder at the captives. "I got them right here."
"Bakugo! You're here too?" Kirishima exclaimed, shocked. Before he could answer, the captive who Hagakure had spoken to, Daisuke, pushed himself to the front of the group, narrowed eyes quickly studying the cavern and the heroes gathered.
"Where's Invisible Girl?" He demanded, pointing a finger at Ashido and Yaoyorozu. "You're her friends right? Did she make it back? Is she safe?" The two girls blinked, taken aback.
Yaoyorozu stepped forward, shaking as she replied. "We are. Tell us…how do you know about Invisible Girl? Did you speak with her?"
Daisuke nodded tersely. "She found the cavern where we were being kept. She told us her and her friends were here to save us and that she was going to find an escape route back to the surface. She…." He faltered, fist shaking angrily at his side. "She left, promising she would come back but…then…" He pointed an accusing finger at Bakugo, bellowing out, "BUT THEN THIS GUY HAD TO RUIN EVERYTHING!"
"WHAT YOU SAY?!" Bakugo snapped, seething at the outburst.
"You heard me!" Daisuke fumed coming face to face with the blonde hero. "We all heard the explosions and the fighting! We know it was you she was battling! How else did she get covered in blood!?"
Bakuogo seethed, forehead practically banging against Daisuke as he angrily countered
"And I already told you…I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE HELL YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!"
The two high strung teenagers growled, both looking very similar to two savage dogs ready to tear at each other's throats. The rest of the abducted boys looked on wearily. Judging by their exasperated looks, this was not the first time the two boys had banged heads during their short time together.
The unexpected arrival of a livid Ashido separated the two, as she pulled Daisuke aside and took his place confronting Bakugo. "WHAT…." She yanked on his injured arm, angrily pointing to the bloodied, light blue cloth binding his shoulder wound. Fabric that had belonged to Hagakure's jacket. "...DID YOU DO TO HER!?" She demanded with angry tears.
Any rage Bakugo felt quickly mellowed at his classmate's emotional outburst. He scowled, turning away as he bitterly repeated. "I already told you all…I don't know!" He spat the words out like poison, clearly feeling uncomfortable with this whole situation.
"Uh, Ashido, let's cool down for a sec?" Kirishima kindly suggested, placing a hand on her shoulder as he came to his buddy's defense. "Bakugo may be a little rough around the edges but he wouldn't hurt Hagakure!"
In response, Ashido roughly elbowed his hand away as Yaoyorozu furiously came to Ashido's side. All composure forgotten as the girl laid bare all their grievances over this hellish experience. "None of you can say anything! Not after everything you've done!" She shook her head, fists trembling with rage. "You all have no idea! No idea at all of what we've been through! Of…WHAT YOU PUT US THROUGH!" She screamed out, stunning the listening boys.
"What we put you through?" A stricken Kirishima repeated, turning to Ashido. "What does she mean…?" It was then that he finally took notice of the shredded sleeves of her jacket, still oozing blood as if someone had ripped right through to her flesh. Similar puncture wounds showed on her bare midsection. He looked down at his own hands, which were smeared with a fresh coating of blue blood from the tentacles he had slashed. With a sinking feeling of dread, he realized that mixed in with the blue was the unmistakable red of human blood. He looked up at Ashido, eyes wide with terror. "How did I….Ashido don't tell me I…"
She turned away, yellow eyes downcast and filled with sorrow. The rest of the boys cast perplexed glances at each other, uneasiness rippling through them as they also began to connect the dots.
"Were we…naughty?" Dark Shadow asked, sounding unusually timid as he voiced their fearful suspicions.
"No…that can't be…" Kirishima muttered, unable to grasp how that could have happened.
"It's true." Midoriya's firm voice spoke from where he stood near the teachers, still protectively holding an unconscious Uraraka. "I know it's hard to believe, tough to even imagine, but for a while all of us guys were under the control of a Siren-like quirk. It made us berserk, doing things we would never normally do." He shot a guilty look down at the girl in his arms, adding sadly. "It…even made me hurt her."
The whole group fell silent, too stunned and disheartened to speak. Sensing that it was time to intervene, Erasurehead and Midnight stepped forward.
"Alright everyone, enough already." Erasure Head barked, surveying the despondent group. "Let's focus on getting you all out of here."
"NO!" Yaoyorozu shrieked, shaking her head stubbornly. "I'm not leaving! Not until we find Invisible Girl! I was the one who ordered her to go off alone!" She clasped her hands together, passionately crying out, "I just can't leave, not when I'm the one responsible! It's my fault that she's alone… and lost…and possibly…." Her voice quivered and she shook her head, grievous tears rolling down her cheeks. Midnight rushed forward, embracing the poor girl as she openly sobbed.
Captain Selkie leaned towards Erasure Head, tone low as he suggested, "I'll go ahead and get this lot back to the surface." He motioned towards the group of confused and slightly fearful highschoolers. "I think your class might need a moment…" He paused, whiskers twitching.
"Everyone quiet!" He suddenly barked, making clicking sounds with his mouth. Yaoyorozu muffled her sobs, tearfully looking up from over Midnight's shoulder as the rest of the class froze and listened. A faint tapping sound could be heard, coming from the back tunnel that Sirius had disappeared into.
"Morse code?" Erasure Head guessed. The Captain nodded grimly.
"Sirius is on her way back with the villainess….and your friend." The girls gasped, while the boys, including the abducted highschoolers, looked jubilant.
A few moments later they emerged from the tunnel, both Sirius and Hagakure supporting an unconscious Siren between them. The villainess looked a mess, with a face scarred and bruised from what seemed like a powerful punch. Her long luxurious pink hair that used to flow like a waterfall down her back, had been very roughly pulled up and wrapped around her mouth, halting any noise from escaping.
Sirius pulled the brunt of the load, with an injured Hagakure barely able to hang on. Though the girl had wiped away most of the muck that had covered her in the tunnel, remnants of blood still lingered across her body, making her quite visible to the waiting crowd. She lifted her head, immediately seeking out her comrades. She spotted Yaoyorozu and Ashido, along with Jiro crouching on the ground beside them, still alive and okay.
"I….got her." Hagakure proudly announced to them, her strength finally giving out as she swayed to the side.
"TORU!" All three girls called out worriedly. Luckily, Bakugo was quick to react and, being the closest, he managed to catch her before she hit the ground. The girls made to move but Erasure Head held up an arm, halting them.
"No, let the medics handle her from here." He advised firmly, but gently as the Captain and his crew ran ahead to both secure Siren and evaluate the injured Hagakure. "We don't know the extent of her injuries, so it's best if we don't move her around too much."
The girls obediently obeyed, watching warily from afar as the crew bent down over their friend as Bakugo held her. The hot-tempered hero seemed displeased, but was careful as he lowered her down, his palm supporting her head. He felt her turn towards him, and though invisible, he could feel her gaze resting on him.
"What?" He asked gruffly, feeling unnerved by the girl he had possibly fought…or even tried to kill.
"Are you…Bakugo again? She asked, voice so low he hardly heard. A shadow seemed to fall over him at the question. He frowned, then slowly nodded in answer. Once again, though he wasn't able to see, he could almost sense the smile she shot at him.
"I'm glad." She replied, before letting herself fall into unconsciousness.
"After the arrival of Hagakure and Siren ," Midoriya's solemn voice narrated. " The only thing left was to evacuate everyone back to the surface. Captain Selkie's crew were thankfully able to locate an escapte tunnel that made its way to the coast. It was from there we were all separated. Uraraka and the rest of the girls were led away to the hospital. Myself, along with my classmates, and the abducted highschoolers were grouped together to get further evaluated by both the police and a medical crew. None of us spoke much….I think no one knew what to say…it was clear the same thoughts were consuming everyone's mind…making us fret and ceaselessly worry…."
"What have we done?"