An Unlikely Partnership~Tododeku

19~ Who Do We Save?

Bakugou screamed. Kirishima was being dragged under the water, his hands trying to reach for any type of purchase on the ice but to no avail. More hands came to drag him under.

Zumishi grimaced and turned Bakugou away, restraining him from running after Kirishima. 

Standing there, shocked, Todoroki lifted a trembling hand to hold up two objects. A bow and a sheath of arrows. 

Zumishi glanced over, "I  know I'm a villain and all, but... I don't want to take over the world... I just want him to come back..."

Todoroki nodded. "We have to figure out what we're going to do with these to carry on with the mission. Without it, we're still stuck."

Bakugou took the items from Todoroki and studied them. The bow was sleek and black, with gold in the engraved lines. The handle seemed to be solid gold and was moulded to a general hand shape. The string seemed like something spun with pure strands of moonlight which shine. Bakugou pulled the string back and let it fly back in place, a soft twang echoing faintly.

The arrows themselves were light, with gold tips and a black arrow shaft. Even with the metal tips, it still felt like air. The feathers were white and flecked with gold specks, something that seemed like it belonged to royalty.

Todoroki raised an eyebrow. "So... What are we going to do with it exactly...?"

"Well we're going to- We're going to... Uhh... I don't know..." Bakugou facepalmed.

Zumishi groaned in annoyance and stared out into the exapnse of water. "Uhm- It's a long shot, but remember when the riddle said look into the blue or whatever?"

Todoroki turned and nodded.

"Well, isn't the ceiling blue?"

Bakugou looked up. Indeed, the ceiling was blue. "Oh come on! How did we not notice that earlier?"

"There's got to be something on the ceiling that we have to shoot. Just find it."

Todoroki nodded, freezing the water over. "Just in case what we shoot falls into the water."

Bakugou walked around the area, scrutinising every square inch of the ceiling. "Guys! I think I found something!"

It was a circle, around two centimeters in diameter and gold. There were some little patterns that seemed worn away.

"So.. Who here is good at archery?"

There was a silence, Todoroki and Zumishi looking at each other with strange faces. 

Todoroki sighed. "I'll try it..."

"That's over a two hundred meter shot... If you can hit that, I'd be impressed." Bakugou eyed the distance as Zumishi raised an eyebrow to his calculations.

(Ahem- SAO Reference... Todoroki has turned into Sinon now-)

The bow was drawn back as an arrow was steadied, the tip gleaming and bright, focused on that one point. Todoroki breathed in. Out. In. Out. He closed his eyes and let the arrow fly.

Twisting in the air, it pushed forwards, turning into a blue. The trio waitied with baited breaths as it flew, hoping it would hit its target. And it did. The arrow sunk into rock and a deep rumbling occured from under their feet.

They screamed as the floor below them gave way and opened up, letting them fall through into an unknown destination.

Bakugou sat up, immediately noticing the scroll in the golden case sitting in the middle of the room. "Hey... Todoroki... Look."

Todoroki sat up too, peering at the case. Zumishi also went to join them. There was a little golden latch that was already undone, the door open ever so slightly. 

Todoroki nodded and Zumishi pulled the door open with a shaky hand. The scroll itself was small with yellowing paper that crinkled delicately under her fingers. When she opened it, there were a few words written on it.

The final stage you have come to,

Where power granted lets you start anew.

Two people out of three you shall save,

One of you shall have to suffer and be brave.

Good luck with choosing who comes back,

Choose the best options with traits you lack.

When you are ready make it heard,

Kcabmehtgnirb.

Bakugou smiled slightly at the trigger word. "So... Who are we going to leave behind?"

Todoroki's face fell. They could only save two people out of the three that had died. It wouldn't be possible to save them all.

Zumishi looked at them guiltily. "If..." Her head hung low. "If... I hadn't been evil and all that, you guys wouldn't have lost your friends... I now realise that everyone has a time for everything... You guys should bring your friends back..."

Bakugou placed his hand on her shoulder. "No. We're saving your guy. He seems pretty important to you, and if that is what is very important to you, then we'll do it."

She looked up with tears in her eyes and whispered something that was barely audible, "Are.. you sure?"

Bakugou nodded and so did Todoroki. Zumishi enveloped them in a hug and muttered out thank you's that would fill an entire planet with greatfulness.

Todoroki sighed. "I've made my choice. We're bringing Kirishima back."

Bakugou opened his mouth to speak, but was silenced by Todoroki who held his hand up. "Kcabmehtgnirb, Zumishi, Bakugou."

Bakugou and Zumishi both leapt forwards to stop him, but the heterochromatic boy just gave them a pained smile before a flash of white appeared in their eyes, transporting them away from the Maze of Mystery and back to where everything started.

It wasn't an easy decision. Tears welled in Todoroki's eyes at the thought of never having had the chance to say goodbye, and all the possible years he could've spent with his friend. But it would never happen.

Their relationship was as broken and as shattered as glass.

A/n- THANK YOU FOR READING THIS CHAPTER! There are two more chapters left and then an epilogue and we'll be done! Thank you so much for coming along so far with this book!