"I have an idea that will retrieve the clue and take care of dinner too" I said with a smirk.
After surveying the landscape, I realized we could use the crocodiles' keen senses against them. I lead Deku behind some bushes and outlined my strategy. He readily agreed, and we spent the next hour gathering supplies. When ready, we took our positions on opposite sides of the riverbank where the crocodiles lay basking. I perched sturdily on a tree that stood just 5 feet from the pack of crocodiles. Deku took up position on the opposite side of the river, hiding himself in some thick bushes that were quite close to the fearsome reptiles. He gathered his crude tools around him and looked to me for the signal, waiting patiently.
I began dropping stones that I had collected earlier at measured intervals so as to create ripples in the otherwise glassy surface of the water. As the stones hit the water, expanding rings disturbed the stillness and immediately caught the attention of the alert predators.
It didn't take long for the first crocodile to start moving toward my diversion. Soon half the crocodiles were searching for the source directly below me. I knew a situation would arise when I wouldn't be able to lure all the crocodiles with just the ripples. That's why I had a second bag with me. Reaching into my bag, I grasped a small wriggling fish and flung it out into the fray. The instant it hit the water, the reaction was explosive. The crocodiles thrashed wildly, churning the water into a froth in their frenzy to secure the prize. Their powerful tails whipped back and forth as they jostled for position, gaping maws snapping shut around empty water.
The fish had the intended effect, acting like a magnet to draw the remaining crocodiles under my tree. I signaled Deku by dropping the biggest fish I had. He quickly but quietly took off and began tearing at the vines trapping our box of 2nd clue. I had clearly instructed him to remain silent. I continued dropping fish occasionally, doing my best to keep the crocodiles busy while he works on the box.
Suddenly, a big chunk of vine dropped in the water near Deku. Everything seemed to still. Some of the crocodiles turned their heads at the disturbance but they did not investigate further, their empty stomachs and the tantalizing hope of free food rooting them in place.
"What are you doing fucking asshole?" I whispered harshly to Deku, my heart pounding. He looked up at me with an apologetic expression and mouthed the word "Sorry." I tossed another fish into the water, trying to distract the crocodiles as Deku continued sawing at the vines with his makeshift nail. I knew the vines were thick, but severing them was our backup plan in case the box was too rooted in place. I also knew the snapping vines would make noise, which could guide the predators straight towards their new, tender, chewy meat - Deku.
Another fish plopped into the swamp and I had all the focus of the crocodiles. Deku worked rigorously on the vines, his crude blade scraping against the fibrous plants. We needed to move quickly before the crocodiles lost interest in their small fishy snacks and turned their attention back to the exposed, vulnerable boy in the tree.
When I was explaining the plan to Deku, I had instructed him to look for a branch and forge a makeshift nail out of it by whittling one tip into a sharp, sturdy point. I told him to also carry a heavy but small rock that could be used as a hammer. Although Deku was already equipped with a blade to cut away vines (as an emergency tool. Honestly, who carries that much load) but I insisted that he take the extra precaution of carrying those crude tools as well in case of any surprises that would require something more heavy-duty than his blade. His quirk was too risky in this situation as it would make too much noise and could break our box. We had to be extremely careful. One miscalculated step and we'd be done for.
Suddenly, he yelped and fell on the vines. I saw his legs got tangled and two massive crocodiles slithered towards him with alarming speed. Deku struggled in vain against the vines, desperation and fear etched on his face. The crocodiles drew nearer, eyes cold and reptilian, jaws gaping to reveal rows of jagged teeth. "Fuck" I thought, my heart dropping into my stomach. Deku was in real danger now.
"Run Deku." I shouted urgently, though I knew it was futile with his legs trapped. "We will come back for the box later" I shouted, desperate to distract them. I hurled tree branches at the crocodiles, trying to halt their relentless advance. But they were undeterred, focused solely on their helpless prey.
I saw Deku, holding the box, struggling fiercely to free himself as the predators swiftly closed in. Deku froze, overwhelmed by their massive size and lightning speed. In a last ditch effort, I jumped right in front of Deku, and with explosive power, blasted the crocodiles directly in their eyes, when they crawled out of the water. The crocodiles were momentarily blinded by my attack, thrashing their heads and knocking themselves back into the water in pain and confusion. I took advantage of the momentary distraction, moving with adrenaline-fueled speed. I grabbed the blade from Deku and waved it wildly to severe the vines trapping him. The two crocodiles recovered and advanced on us again. I saw the other crocodiles following in pursuit just behind them. We had to act fast.
Realizing the blade was ineffective against the thick vines, I quickly changed tactics. I blasted small explosions around Deku's legs to sever the vines trapping him. I snatched the box from him.
"Deku, smash the lotus now" I shouted, backing away slowly as the angry crocodiles crept slowly towards me. Meanwhile, Deku soared high in the air above the lotus patch, winding up his arm for his signature move.
"DETRIOT SMAAAAASH!" he bellowed as he descended rapidly. His clenched fist impacted the water with earth-shattering force, obliterating the lotus flowers and sending shock-waves rippling outward. The crocodiles near the bank were flung sideways onto land, while those nearer to Deku were flipped violently onto their undersides, left stranded and disoriented.
As expected, they began retreating en masse into the murky depths, as it is a sign of a greater predator entering their territory. I lost my footing on the muddy bank from the impact, only to feel a crocodile's powerful tail viciously slap on my ankle. Searing pain shot through my leg as I crawled away in terror but then I watched all the crocodiles retreating into the river, away from where Deku landed the blow.
Deku emerged from the churning water, soaked thoroughly from his explosive entry. His eyes widened with alarm when he saw me clutching my leg awkwardly. He quickened his pace to reach me and then crouched next to me, his green eyes filled with concern.
"Kacchan, what happened? Where are you hurt?" he asked, his eyes scanning my leg intently. I could tell he was itching to examine it more closely.
"Is this the way you work quietly? Can't you comprehend a simply task of staying silent? Fuck Head. What if I had our roles reversed? You would've ruined that as well by falling into the river and being the ultimate lunch of those blood thirsty predators. I gave you one simple job to do and somehow you managed to screw it up. As usual. What would've happened if I hadn't thought of our next step? Forget about the clue, forget about becoming a hero, this would have been our last day on this earth. Stupid Deku. You were supposed to be the Nerd. Right?" I said, my pitch increasing with each sentence. Deku just kept his head bowed and kept repeating "I'm sorry Kacchan." "I know" "I'm very sorry" like a broken record.
"What the hell happened there? Why did you screamed like a little girl? When you were supposed to stay silent?" I asked, feeling exhausted after that tyrant. He didn't reply.
"Speak up. Damn it" I said furiously.
"I mistook a snake for a vine and nearly cut it, until it suddenly struck at me. Startled, I yelped and released my grip, allowing the snake to slither away before it could bite." he said.
Oh god. He had almost been bitten by a venomous snake before nearly becoming lunch for the crocodiles. And here I was, lecturing him when he couldn't be blamed for his instinctive reaction. My heart sank as I understood that my vicious verbal assault had been undeserved and cruel, especially considering his near brush with death. I felt a pang of guilt for the hurtful things I had said when he was likely still shaken. I realized that he was trembling slightly. I am not sure if it is from scalding water he came out of or the near death experience or a mixture of both.
"Tch. Anyways. We need to get to a safe place first." I said, getting my voice back in control. I huffed lightly to mask the pain. "Go grab the dinner from that tree and meet me at the other side."
Deku simply nodded, standing up and giving me a hand. I ignored it and stood up on my own. I winced slightly as I put weight on my ankle, pain shooting up my leg. He must have noticed, because his brows furrowed worriedly. Still, he didn't argue, using his Full Cowl to zip through the trees and retrieve our meal.
Meanwhile, I gritted my teeth, setting off explosions in my palm to propel myself to the other side of the river. When Deku arrived, he realized it was my ankle from the way I had landed. Though concern still shone in his eyes, he stayed focused as we started walking towards the massive oak where we had hidden our bags earlier.
When we finally reached the sprawling oak marked by us, Deku fetched both our bags without needing to be prompted, which I was very grateful for, as the throbbing has spread in my entire leg. I sank down beside the thick tree trunk, the rough bark pressing into my back. I kicked off my shoes and stretched my injured ankle out in front of me. A small, purplish bruise had blossomed on my ankle, throbbing with a regular beat. Deku silently dried himself off with a towel and then passed me his pain reliever spray and a cup ramen, both of which I accepted gratefully.
"How many cups do you actually have?" I asked, keeping my tone casual to lessen the tension between us. "Give me yours. I will heat them up."
"I have four more cups. You can have one more, I don't mind." he replied.
"Why do you have so many cups in the first place?" I asked, puzzled. "Were you planning of spending entire week here?" I said, as I pulled out the single pack of biscuits that I had brought along and handed them to him.
"Did you bring just 1 pack for 2 days assignment" he asked, clearly surprised by my lack of preparation.
I simply shrugged in response."I just wanted to complete the assignment as quickly as possible," I explained. "I don't want to stay here any longer than necessary." I caught the brief look of hurt flash across his face at my words. He is overthinking again, I thought with an internal eye roll. Yes, it's true that I loathe him, but I really meant what I said. I simply wanted to finish this assignment as efficiently as possible and score higher marks, not prolong our time together. Of course, having to work with Deku only amplified my hatred towards him. However, after yesterday's harrowing events where I panicked at the thought of scratching myself to death in isolation, I'm not quite as opposed to his company anymore. But I didn't clarify any of this to him. He can think whatever he wants; I can't control his mind or feelings.
Eager to change the subject, I said briskly "Speaking of assignment, let's see what's in that box. Bring it over here." His face brightened even with the exhaustion heavy on his shoulders. I knew this was his cue to start rambling excitedly about the details.
"Oh, yeah sure! I actually checked the exterior of the box when I was working on it earlier. This one is not exactly the same as the previous one. You know, it was not just the vines trapping it. This box actually had roots growing out of it too. It surely is the work of Kamui Woods sensei. His quirk is so cool. He used his Quirk to sprout roots from the wooden box itself, anchoring it in place within the vines' grip. This box is lot more sturdy than the previous one. And take a look at the lock Kacchan. It's not just a simple latch. It's a multi-step latch - you have to slide this lever, then turn that dial, and finally flip up this hinged cover to unlock it. The lever and dial both have carved grooves that fit together perfectly, almost like puzzle pieces. Even if an animal was strong enough to budge the lid, the latch keeps it firmly closed. The craftsmanship is incredible! Kamui Woods sensei incorporated all these interlocking parts to make it nearly impossible to force open. But the locking mechanism also allows it to be opened by someone who knows the right steps. It's really clever how he designed it to be secure against creatures tampering with it, while still accessible for the right person. This is so amazing."
I didn't interrupt him this time to let him know that I am sorry too - that I was feeling guilty for not listening to him earlier.
"Anyway, Open the box already. We have a clue to focus on." I said, once he was finished. Though sometimes I wonder how he can talk so long without coming up for air, this time I was grateful for his verbose monologue. His nonstop chattering seemed to calm his frazzled nerves; he had stopped trembling and was no longer in a panicked state. A spark of excitement had returned to his eyes at the prospect of solving our next clue, just like a baby gets excited over a candy.
"You're right, Kacchan. Lets open it" he agreed.
"I am always right." I replied with a scowl.