Cagaster of an Insect Cage one shots

Swimming

3rd pov

Most of the people in city 5 have no idea how to swim. Why would they need to, they live in a desert. They're more likely to get caught in a sandstorm or hurricane than a body of water big enough to actually run the risk of killing them. The military know different, if they're over the age of 35 or so, teaching every one of their soldiers how to swim as soon as they can, using a small lake under their base. The Exterminators are a different odd, with half knowing how and the other half having no clue. Sometimes while hunting, it's possible to find caves with large areas of lakes or the ground will give and dump you into a huge lake.

Kidow knows how to swim, his father forcing him to learn at the age of about 9, tossing him into a lake and calmly calling instructions, keeping all his people from offering any assistance as the boy flounders, inhaling water several times before finally getting the hang of it. He doesn't like water, will take showers and such, but there's not often when he has to put his swimming skills to use. He's out with Jin, Illie and Ms.Mario having come with them, though the presence of civilians means some military must come as well, Qasim, Hida and Aisha all in another car.

They're all being quick, with Ms.Mario wanting a certain item and Illie just curious, the parameter the military group and Kidow have to patrol is big, so they move quickly, alert for any sudden changes or sounds that will let them know something is heading their way. Nothing happens the first few stops, then they decide to take a break by some old ruins, though none of them are certain if these are ruins of a small city from 30+ years ago or if they've existed for longer than that, but they offer shelter from the sun and bugs, so they take it.

Jin hands out sandwiches, Ms.Mario having made them, all of them taking the chance to eat and hydrate. No point in bringing protection if the protection isn't going to be the very best, Jin says at one point. The others roll their eyes, but they get what he means, even if he didn't word it the best way. They're packing up, getting ready to get into the cars, when the sound of wings fills the air. Not wanting to be discovered, they duck under a nearby area, pillars holding the roof up barely, rocks and dirt crumbling around them. Qasim realizes what it means, urgently shoving at his two teammates even as he yells at the Exterminator "The damn roof is going to come down!"

Kidow starts moving the others, shoving them and forcing them back up every time they fall, feeling the ground shake as the roof hits the ground behind them, a glance back shows cracks, meaning there might be more space under the floor. He goes to hurry them again, only for Illie to trip and fall, forcing him to stop and pull her up, before picking her up, roughly throwing her forward. She hits the ground hard, even as the ground under his feet gives, rocks and other debris raining down around him. He turns, a tad surprised to find water, but braces himself, inhaling deeply and diving in, swimming towards the surface as soon as possible. He inhales deeply as he reaches the surface, coughing a bit, before looking up.

"Hey, Exterminator, are you dead?"

"No, I'm alive. How's everyone up there?"

"Accounted for and ok. We have no way to get you back up here without some trouble, anything down there?"

A quick look around shows no exits, though the water has to be getting in somewhere, there's no guarantee he can fit through or even hold his breath long enough for that.

"Nothing."

"We'll figure something out, so keep yourself floating."

Kidow doesn't respond, just relaxes and starts to float on the surface, kicking his feet just the slightest bit to keep him in view of the hole. It's almost soothing, just floating along. Nothing to bother him or ruin it at the moment. He opens an eye when he hears a clatter, before the other flies open in shock as well. A pillar is falling, heading straight for him. He turns and starts to swim away, but there's not much room and he lets out a startled yelp as his legs are caught by the pillar, the impact hurts, but it's dragging him under in moments, a deep inhale the last he gets before he's pulled under. The surface isn't that far, the water barely even 10 feet deep, but it's more than enough to drown him.