Kirishima
While Bakugou and Todoroki were busy taking their final exam, we were stuck doing the annual dorm room cleaning. My punching bag had finally given way and I had to throw it out, which meant it was a pretty sad day...
As I was dragging it out towards the trash, Iida nearly ran into me.
"And what might that be, Kirishima?"
"Just hauling my busted punching bag off to the garbage," I answered, smiling back, gasping for breath. The punching bag's stand was dented past the point of usefulness.
"How on earth did your equipment end up that way?"
"Got a little too fired up during training, I guess?" I answered.
"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that you train in your own room!" Iida asked.
"These muscles don't lie, dude! And there's nothing more trustworthy than good ol fashioned hard work."
"What a shame, though. No more training for you now that your equipment is broken, right?"
"Not to worry! You can buy anything online, so I'll have another one before you know it." I was starting to struggle so Iida set his box down, ran over and grabbed one end of the heavy load.
"Allow me to assist."
"Eh? You mean it? Weren't you in the middle of something?"
"My task can wait, and this is far more efficient."
"I can grab the other side," said Koda, who I'd just noticed. He slung the litter over his shoulder and gripped part of the stand.
"Dang, you really don't gotta! But thanks?" I smiled at him.
"No reason not to help each other out," said Koda.
"How is your cleaning effort coming along, Kirishima?" Iida asked.
"I wish I could say 'just dandy, but I ain't so great about sweating the small stuff. Not like Bakugou, who's scrubbed every little nook and cranny."
"AH, despite what one might assume Bakugou does have an eye for detail," Iida added. "When he and Midoriya were under house arrest, he was sure to clean every corner of our home away from home."
We walked out into the winter air, and continued to chat; our breath was visible, we saw the local cat, discussed training, studies, Mr. Aizawa's moods, dinner…
"Hmm?" Said Koda, and we caught sight of Tokoyami up ahead, carrying a large paper bag.
"The usual garbage spot is full," he told us. "I believe this is our garbage's new destination." He showed up s a map on his phone; it looked to be at the edge of the woods, not far away."
"We're lucky we ran into you," Iida nodded.
We headed towards the dump with Dark Shadow supporting part of the bag. Power Loader appeared nearby, sitting on a bench drinking canned coffee.
We said hello; he waved awkwardly before heading back to staff lodgings.
"Why dine outside today when it's so chilly?" Iida wondered.
"Change of pace, maybe? T wake himself up?" I suggested.
"Have you three felt small earthquakes at night recently?" Asked Tokoyami. Koda nodded, but Iida and I looked at each other and shrugged.
"I have not. Perhaps because I make a point of going to sleep early every night?"
"Same here. After training, it's a quick bath, then snoozeville," I sighed.
Tokoyami looked confused. "I see….how odd. I've been checking my phone for any reports of earthquakes but I haven't seen any."
"Maybe just your imagination, dude?" I suggested.
"That was my thought at first, but my imagination can't be responsible for nearly twenty instances."
Iida turned to Koda.
"Jiro said that she hears a strange noise during each little earthquake. Like something's breaking somewhere, or maybe scraping go grinding."
"What on earth could it be?" Iida wondered.
Before we could figure it out, a jangling and rattling joined us from behind.
"Garbage run?" Asked Shoji, holding a number of cardboard boxes. We began walking together and asked him about the earthquakes.
"I was wondering about that too. The noises are too faint to pinpoint, though.
"I can't claim to know. What's going on, but we ought to inform Aizawa sensei posthaste, once we're finished out here," I told them. We finally reached the backup trash spot near the woods and placed the punching bag near the edge of the pile. Shoji and Tokoyami disposed of theirs.
As Tokoyami chatted with Koda, his paper bag fell over and its contents spilled out, including his clothing, a tapestry and a crystal ball. Though the ground was fairly flat it had a slight slope and the ball began to be carried away.
"Ah, my Dark Knight Crystal!" Cried Tokoyami, but it had already rolled into the nearby woods. As he rushed off in pursuit Iida tilted his head and asked, "That looked to me like na ordinary crystal ball, sos what exactly was dark or night like about it?"
I shook my head. "It's cuz, y'know?"
"I know what, exactly?
"There's a time in a kids life where he's just gotta give names to stuff."
"You think he's ok?" Asked Koda, glancing towards the forest.
"I guess he couldn't find it right away?" Suggested Shoji.
We crossed the tree line, hoping to help him search, but we couldn't see him.
Iida shouted "Tokoyami!"
"Over here!" We followed his voice through the trees and found him staring at a spot on the ground.
"What's the matter?" Iida asked.
"My dark Night - erm, the crystal stopped rolling here, but the ground seems soft."
"Soft? How so?"
Iida moved towards him and sure enough the first step confirmed it. Not only was the ground soft, but it collapsed under us, crumbling apart and swallowing us down.
"Hey ,hey! Wake up!" "
"Is that you, Dark Shadow?"
I tried to lift myself up, but groaned against the pain shooting across my back. I'd been flattened. Then I saw how dark it was. What the heck?
Right ,of course. The ground collapsed. Some sort f cave-in?
Iida shot up and said, "Is everyone ok?"
I'd hardened just in time to avoid being crushed; I burst out of the rocks ad yelled "Phew, thought I was a dead man!"
Tokoyami and Shoji opened their eyes. I began to examine our surroundings.
An arch-shaped stone ceiling, the hole plugged by rocks during the cave-in. It was hard to tell how deep it was. This hollowed out space must have been responsible.
"Hey hey, check this out!" We followed Tokoyami and Dark Shadow to investigate.
"What could that e?"
Our eyes had begun to adjust to the dark but a string of red lights seemed to burn faintly, leading down a passage like a trail of bloodstains. Not everything abut this space, it seemed, was entirely natural.
It was a brand, tall passageway. Large enough for an SUV to drive through, but despite the lights the darkness was overwhelming and we couldn't see an end to the passage. But we could at least see a number of offshoot tunnels, each as large as this one.
"I never imagined a cave structure existed beneath UA," Iida murmured. I gasped. "Maybe it's a new school facility?"
"That could explain it," said Shoji.
"If they'rve been constructing this facility," said Tokoyami, "that would also explain the minor earthquakes Shoji and Jiro have heard."
"Yes, in all likelihood," Iida replied. That felt relieving.
"Let's explore then! Yelped Dark Shadow.
"No," I shook my head. "As of this moment we're victims of an accident. WE ought to escape as soon as possible and - ah, Tokoyami! Is your phone working?"
"No, I have no signal."
"Then we have no choice but to break free by our own power."
"Guess so," said Shoji.
"Let's freaking do this!" I shouted.
"Indeed," added Tokoyami.
"Ah, break free? What's the harm in exploring?" Whined Dark Shadow.
"If this is a fairly new facility, they'll probably schedule a visit for the class soon enough. Be patient," said Tokoyami.
Iida stared back at the ceiling.
"WE have two potential means of escape. One: Somehow remove the rocks that plugged the hole…"
"Or follow these paths nd hope one of them leads aboveground?" Suggested Shoji.
"Makes sense," I said. "If someone's building this place they've gotta have a way out and in."
"Yes, but we are without a proper map and there's no telling how expansive these caves really are," Iida replied.
"S'why we gotta explore!" Said Dark Shadow.
CLANG CLANG CLANG!
We all spun around towards the noise. Something small was moving towards us. AS it approached, the full form of a toy monkey with cymbals came into. view. We exchanged glances.
"The heck?" I asked. I hardened one hand and lifted it. Nothing happened. Just a toy?
"This little dude definitely wasn't chilling over here a minute ago, right?" I asked.
"Maybe it was just too dark for us to notice it," said Shoji.
"Why would such a contraption be here in the first place?" Iida wondered.
The monkey sprang to life and began smashing the cymbals together.
"Whoa!" I yelped and dropped the toy. We all flinched and tried not to freak out - then - the monkey's head spun around - and a powerful beam shot from its mouth.
We narrowly avoided its attack - and it began firing off more beams!
"What's up with this?"I yelled.
'Obviously I cannot explain it!" Iida shot back, using speed to put some distance.
"Get it, dark shadow!" Shouted Tokoyami!"
"Aye aye!" It dived towards the monkey.- but one close-up beam hit it through the eyes nd it shank back.
me and Shoji both tried, but even though I rested it's blasts the monkey scampered off. Shoji hurled ab older at it, but even then half of it was still there.
'Urse urse urse "
"Nurse? How brazen, to request medical assistance from us at this point!" Iida cried.
"I believe it's saying 'curse'. Like the sort involving voodoo dolls," said Tokoyami.
Curse. Far more sinister….
Curse….curse…
This toy's creator has imbued it with malice, and ill will. We all gulped.
"Curse….destroy…."
We dropped it and ran - and it kept chasing us.
"W-what now?" I shouted.
"Don't ask me!" Iida shot back.
We ran for it, deeper int other tunnels - countless openings -
"Any thoughts yet, Iida?" Asked Kirishima.
"First we remove ourselves from its range, then wait for an opening - and"
'Iida, op ahead!"
An entire swarm of to y monsters flying at us from the other direction - all firing!