Heroes in the dark chapter 28
Tokoyami dared not look behind him for fear of locking eyes with the sinister man. But he could feel the sensation of being watched the entire time. Upon reaching the door to his room, he fumbled with his keycard. Perhaps he was being a bit too obvious, but his rushed actions got him to where he needed to be and he slipped into the murky depths of his room, closing the door hastily behind him. With a shaky breath, he pushed his back against the cold steel door, struggling to control his frayed nerves. Dark Shadow poked his consciousness, concerned. But it went ignored for the moment. He had to wait, just to be sure.
The sound of footsteps slowly making their way down the hall could be faintly heard with Tokoyami's head pressed up to the barrier. Overhaul hadn't made any indication that he was going to follow, but there was nothing that could stop him if he wanted to. The sounds grew nearer, and when they reached his door they stopped. Tokoyami held his breath, but he had little doubt that the yakuza knew he was there.
A muffled sound, like a knowing smirk, could be heard on the other side. And then the steps continued until they disappeared in the distant tunnels.
Tokoyami slid down along the door until he was sitting in a heap of black cloth on the ground, his energy leaving him. For the little bit that this door offered in comfort, he was aware that it meant nothing to the rest of them. It was certain that other members held access to his room. And if Overhaul wanted, well, with a devastating quirk to rival Shigaraki's such a thing was hardly an obstacle to get around. Physically, he was easily within reach and at their mercy. And mentally… Tokoyami had just had his first exposure to that. He's playing mind games with us.
Dark Shadow was silent before responding. Bring me out.
Tokoyami hesitated, uncertain if this was truly the time and place for such a thing. But he relented, if only because he longed for the physical presence of someone he could trust, averse as he was to admitting it. Such a thing proved increasingly difficult to come across, after all.
Dark Shadow appeared in a misty, uncomfortable haze, blending in with the darkness of the surrounding room. His form spluttered and expanded, feeding off the lack of light and the waves of emotions coming off of his master. His fears were manifesting, deepening, becoming something that couldn't be ignored any longer. Tokoyami felt panic rising in his chest again, as though he wouldn't be allowed even a moment of rest. It was all too much. And yet it was exactly that mentality that exasperated his problems.
Tokoyami quickly turned on the light switch next to the door, reaching up with desperate hands as though it were the only thing that could vanquish his fears. A flood of light poured down from the ceiling, and when he looked back around his quirk was just as it should be. Small and meek, hovering slightly above the ground with his claws held in front of him and his slanted yellow eyes shaped with worry. "S-sorry," Dark Shadow hissed. He was struck once again with the thought that despite everything they've been through – or perhaps because of it? – their balance of stability was a precarious one, ever fluctuating and prone to mishap. He wished he had a way to improve on the issues they'd been getting through. Usually there was no end to how much training could be accomplished, but this place was hardly the best for such a thing.
Nevertheless, Tokoyami found it within him to relax. That may not have been a good idea, but he couldn't stand how drained he was becoming. How long was he expected to be here, again? "No, don't fret. It was not your fault."
The avian quirk tilted his head to the side. "Does that make it your fault?"
Yes
"No!" Tokoyami said, a bit too loudly. "We weren't—" He sighed in weary exasperation. "I was not prepared to wade through the darkness that this place holds. That much is certain now. I have only myself to blame for inserting ourselves into a place we knew was sure to be hostile. And then I foolishly let it get the best of me. I let him get the best of me."
Dark Shadow let out a troubled rumble. "It could've been worse."
"Unfortunately, that's a horribly low bar. This is only my first day in this treacherous place. Perhaps this is selfish of me after everything that's happened… but I don't want to die here, Dark Shadow. And just now that felt like such a real possibility."
"They're not gonna do that to us though, right?"
"You're right. They could do something worse. I think that much has been made pretty clear." Tokoyami rose unsteadily to his feet, leaning on the door for support, and began walking back to his bed. He collapsed onto it, willing the soft fabrics to take him away from all the chaos that seemed to always surround him. He didn't even want to think about the heavy threats that the yakuza boss had so easily given him, but at the same time he couldn't stop them from plaguing his thoughts like a disease. And at the heart of it all, he couldn't decide which was worse – losing his quirk, or losing to his quirk.
Without thinking, Tokoyami unraveled his arm from the folds of his cloak and turned on the lamp sitting on the bedside table. With yet more light filling the room, and on top of how distracted he was, he didn't even notice when his quirk dissipated its physical form and went back into him. It was only when disgruntled protests poked his inner thoughts did Tokoyami rouse himself enough to summon the quirk once again. "I fear you ask too much of me, Dark Shadow. One can only hold their composure for so long before they are faced with their shortcomings. Don't take it too personally."
"All I want is your cooperation," the quirk grumbled darkly, flitting slowly and without urgency around the well-lit room.
So does Overhaul. Tokoyami heard a clatter as something dropped to the floor. He decisively ignored it, for that was not his problem. The yakuza could easily replace whatever became broken. He had to wonder if that included him. "No, Shigaraki wouldn't stand for that."
"It's not ideal for anyone, but that guy isn't here right now. Just admit we're at risk no matter what happens!" the quirk cawed.
"I know. I know. It's hardly much comfort, but unfortunately it was the best that I could think of. Nobody outside of the League and these yakuza even realize I'm here. I find it ever more difficult to hold out hope for anything better than that. And in this place? All I have is Toga and Twice. This is not a reassuring thought."
Something else fell to the ground. Whatever Dark Shadow was doing, it wasn't out of malicious intent. He wanted Tokoyami's attention.
But still he didn't budge from his position, merely listening as his quirk sulked about the room letting out his frustrations in the easiest way possible. Had the lights not been on, the quirk would've certainly gotten away with more damage. But between the both of them, this would have to suffice. He can't imagine that was enough to get them in trouble. No, the only true misstep they've made thus far was chancing upon the little girl.
Dark Shadow stopped what he was doing, honing in on Tokoyami's thoughts. "We're going back for her, aren't we?"
Tokoyami finally did rouse himself at that, propping himself up with one arm. "What choice do we have? I can't just leave her like that. And I have no intention of doing so, either. Whatever's happening, she deserves better. I can hardly bear to stand alongside Overhaul for a few minutes, let alone for however long she's been in this insufferable underground. I dread to know what horrors someone so small has been through."
"…Just don't forget to look after yourself, too."
"That takes less priority. I'm fine and she's very clearly not. That's why I need to act, even if it means agreeing to things that are most foul. It's the least I can do if I'm to be caught up in this maelstrom of villainy."
Dark Shadow scoffed. "You say that as though you think you'll have no help in all this."
"I don't know. I hesitate to call upon Toga and Twice for any sort of assistance, even if they're sworn to see me through this. I don't know the first thing about Eri, why she's here, or what's happening to her." Tokoyami remembered how Overhaul had mentioned an appointment with her, possibly a regular occurrence, and shuddered to think what the connotations behind that were. What could be happening right now, he wondered. "But above everything, I need to ensure that she gets back into the capable hands of the heroes. I don't know what I'd do if I fought to free her from this place, only for her to become a tool of the League of Villains as I am."
"You're not alone in this!"
"…You're right. Perhaps I should enlist their help after all. I can figure out the rest once I have a better grasp of the situation and these people. But just… not now. I don't think I want to show my beak outside this room for a while, lest I encounter something overwhelmingly unpleasant. And right now, such an encounter seems all too likely. I know there's things I should be doing. But just. Maybe not today."
Dark Shadow growled something incomprehensible as Tokoyami rested his head back onto the pillows. He solemnly thought of what the future of this place would bring him. As it stood, the most certain thing at the moment was the fact that he would be seeing Overhaul again, sooner rather than later. It was already agreed upon, more than his worries regarding the little girl locked away or the yet to be determined relationship with the League members. No matter how he disliked it, hoping desperately to avoid it, there was no way to deny that this yakuza Overhaul had him firmly within his grasp. And he'd attained it easily, too. That was perhaps the most frustrating thing of all. One conversation later, and he felt utterly helpless to openly oppose such a force. Tokoyami thought he still had his pride as a hero, but it seemed as though that had been quick to waver before someone who commanded significantly more authority.
Dark Shadow vanished from the physical world yet again as Tokoyami wrapped himself up in his troubled thoughts. Only this time he went without a fuss, decisively lying dormant within his mind and waiting it out for whenever it was that he'd be needed again. Tokoyami failed to take notice of his absence on the outside, although the feeling of the familiar ball of darkness residing permanently inside him was something that never completely faltered. And it was like this that Tokoyami drifted in and out of fretful sleep, his stress and exhaustion inevitably getting the better of him. Throughout the next few hours, he would awaken a handful of times to the sound of knocking on his door, sometimes accompanied by a voice, but they would all end up ignored and unanswered. It was one thing to muster up the courage to open the door, but what was he supposed to do after that? Whatever lied on the other side couldn't possibly be pleasant. It was just a bit too much for one day.
But soon enough, after enough time had passed, even sleep offered no security to him. And within the confines of the room he was beginning to encounter a familiar problem that had been a construct of his sanity before. The boredom that came with this feeling of nothingness. He accomplished nothing by lying here, staring at the empty wall with listless, negative thoughts filling his head. It was counterintuitive, and yet he was at a loss. Was there truly any alternative that would be better? Of course there was, but he didn't think he would be ready to challenge those ideals.
Another knock on the door, more persistent than the others, as though the person on the other side was annoyed by his lack of response. Tokoyami didn't blame them. I suppose it would be quite frustrating, but I shouldn't have to make that my issue. There's other things that take precedence over that.
Like reliving the fears in your head over and over? How pathetic.
Tokoyami clenched his teeth in frustration. I thought you were being awfully quiet. How long were you waiting to say that?
How long have you been lying here?
"Tokoyami~ If you hole up in there any longer I'm gonna have to drag you out by the tailfeathers!"
Tokoyami did nothing to conceal the lengthy sigh that escaped him. I should've known that Toga of all people would come after me like this. She's a bit harder to ignore…
He got himself off the comfort of the bed, unready and unwilling to see what awaits him but understanding that he had an obligation to uphold.
"Toga, hang on he might be sleeping. It might not be good to bother him like that. You have to pound harder! Like this!" A resounding thud came from the door, and Tokoyami quickened his pace to reach the door before another could be made. He wasn't entirely happy with the duo that greeted him upon opening the door, but it was far from the worst he had to expect. Toga had a smirk poorly concealed behind her hands, and Twice had his fist reeled back like he was ready to unleash another devastating knock.
"What do you two want?" Tokoyami snapped, unable to keep the edge out of his voice.
Twice dropped his hand quickly. "Ah! Well. You see. It was getting rather late and I was getting a bit worried. And I hadn't seen you since earlier when… So let's get some dinner, you dirty bastard!"
Dirty. "Y-yes, I suppose that's fine. But do you think you can give me some time to get ready?"
"Whaaaat! I didn't think you'd actually agree," Toga said, her eyes glimmering hungrily.
"Now, now. That's why you should have more faith in him. He's our companion, after all! He'll definitely stab us in the back the first chance he gets!"
Tokoyami flinched at that comment, something that he was sure didn't go unnoticed by Toga. "Right, well give me ten minutes and I'll be back out."
"Ugh, I guess that's fine."
"You better not leave us hanging!"
Tokoyami closed the door on the faces of the eager villains. The last words Overhaul had thrown at him in disgust had stuck with him, the comment about filth being intolerable in this place. It made him wonder how he viewed the other new recruits who were waiting on him at this very moment. Already it seemed that he was being held to a greater expectation, even if that wasn't intentional. Regardless, these were the only people in this whole place that knew him. It hardly mattered what Overhaul thought of them now.
Do you trust them?
Of course I don't. But right now I don't see how I have any choice.