Frankle The Archeologist! The Cave And Its Mysteries.

Alice sweats too.

Alice "I don't know… There could be a creepy monster or something in there…"

She says nervously before a lightbulb appears above her head as she gets an idea.

Alice "Wait! If there is a creepy monster in there, that means I'd get a chance to see Fullsky and Watchdog fight in person! And they'd have to protect me!"

She invisions Fullsky and Watchdog holding her in their arms with longing looks.

Fullsky "Are you alright?"

She focuses on her lips.

Fullsky "Alice…"

Alice giggles and holds herself while blushing and jumping excitedly.

Alice "Ehehehe! Okay!"

She points at them with a cat smile.

Alice "We can go!"

Kitaro "If you say so."

The group all collects and moves into the cave. As they walk in the dark, a couple of them pull out flashlights as Chizuru and Sugawara hold each other and look around in fear. 

Hikigaya "Did you bring a flashlight?"

He asks Shiori as they lead the way. She smirks before lifting her hand and igniting fire from it creating a hand torch to light the way.

Shiori "Don't need one."

Hikigaya "Woah.."

He says, impressed by her technique.

Hikigaya "You're so cool, Shiori."

He says with a warm smile. Shiori is surprised by his words before blushing and looking away embarrassed as the flame on her hand turns from a normal orange to a soft pink color. Suiyoubi looks around with a smile on her face as Hisana and Touma walk beside her.

Suiyoubi "I miss exploring caves. I used to explore some back home when I was a child."

She says happily as Mormo turns and looks at her with a blank, unimpressed stare. 

Mormo "You really are a freak, you know that?"

Suiyoubi "Oh yeah!"

She claps her hands together vertically in front of her before sliding them into a horizontal position. 

Suiyoubi "May the 8 Eyes Light the Way."

She says before lifting her hands apart and creating a small purple orb of glowing light. She lifts it with a smile as the others get impressed looks. 

Suiyoubi "I forgot most of you don't have night vision so I made this to help light the way."

She lightly lifts her hand as the purple orb floats above them gleaming light to help light up the cave. 

Lucy "Magic powers sure do seem to come in handy."

Alice "W-whatever! When I unlock my powers, they're gonna be so much cooler than that!"

Mormo "Don't get your hopes up."

He says casually while looking away.

Sugawara "H-how far do we plan on going? I'm not really seeing anything here, maybe we should just go back."

Hikigaya "Well we aren't really looking for anything. It's just a fun adventure."

Shiori "Yeah. Besides, we haven't nearly been in here long enough to have all the ghosts attach themselves to us and haunt us."

She says with an evil look as Sugawara gets a horrified look.

Suiyoubi "Well actually, hauntings don't occur based on time spent in one location. Ghosts or Wandering Souls kind of just choose where to go and when. They'd have to really like you to attach to you."

Mormo "Yeah, thanks for that history lesson."

Suddenly, a sound of something hitting the ground hard sounds throughout the cave causing the whole group to stop and stand in silence.

Chizuru "W-what was that?"

Ryuji "Sounded like a large rock falling down."

Haru "Average cave things, right?"

Suddenly, a little head pops out from around a corner, only it peers at them from high up and looking upside down, almost as if it's hanging completely sideways. The whole group stiffens up at the sight of this face. 

Hikigaya "What the..?"

Alice "Ah! A monster! Fullsky, protect me!"

She shouts with a blush and smug smile before jumping up expecting Shiori to catch her but she just steps back, letting Alice hit the ground.

Shiori "I don't think so."

She says as the face then smiles widely.

Stranger "Hey, I knows y'all! You're them Super Helpers people!"

They get a mix of confused and concerned looks.

Kitaro "That's definitely not creepy.."

Chizuru "Y-you've heard of us?"

Stranger "Why, of course! The bats told me yous were comin'. Now, come a little closer, would ya?"

They hesitate and look at each other, silently debating who should approach the stranger. They all look at Touma who sweat nervously.

Touma "Why are you looking at me?.."

Hikigaya "Don't worry big guy. I'll come with you."

He says confidently but still feeling nervous. They approach the hanging face.

Stranger "That's right. Come closer."

He says as they cautiously approach. Once they get in deep enough, they look around the corner and up towards the face. Their cautious and defensive postures instantly relax to a more casual stance as all fears and anxieties fall away. 

Hikigaya "Oh. Don't worry guys, it's just some old dude tied up."

The group all get looks of disappointment and disbelief. 

Everyone "What?"

They look at the old man hanging upside down from a mix of ropes tied to rock formations in the cave. 

Stranger "That's right! What else did you think I was? AND WHO YOU CALLIN' OLD??"

He shouts at Hikigaya.

Haru "Well, considering you were just hanging upside down making a creepy face in a dark cave, you could've been a whole host of other things."

Lucy "What are you doing here anyway?"

Stranger "Well, about five years ago, I came down here explorin' for somethin', not sure what. I can't seem to remember, but once my life line broke, I tried following it back out but eventually fell down that there hole and got all tangled up!"

Shiori "Wait, you've been down here for five years?!"

She asks, as shocked as the rest of the group is. 

Stranger "That's right! Yuehhehehe!"

He laughs strangely.

Mormo "Wait a minute."

He says with a surprised look on his face before turning to look at the man.

Mormo "Frankle?"

Stranger "What's that? Who said my name?"

He looks around rapidly as Mormo jumps on Suiyoubi's head.

Mormo "Frankle! It's me, Mormo!"

Frankle "Oh? Is that yee old King of the Ghouls I hear? Now why in the cosmos are you in that bear body? Yuehehehe!"

He asks before laughing strangely again. Mormo droops a bit. 

Mormo "Don't remind me…"

It flips to Frankle now standing, freed from the ropes as the others all stare at him in confusion. He rubs his back as the others start to ask questions.

Suiyoubi "Mormo, how do you know this man?"

Mormo "His name's Frankle. He's an archeologist who traverses the Universe in search of ancient artifacts before they fall into the wrong hands."

Frankle cracks his back and stretches.

Frankle "That's right! And boy was I something back in the day before this old body decided to quit on me."

Mormo "True, you're nothing like you used to be. You're even starting to look like the average citizen back in Cemetari!"

Frankle "Take a look at yourself! I could beat you with a single kick!"

They laugh together as the group stares in disbelief and disappointment.

Alice "Yeah but that doesn't explain how you know him."

Mormo turns and looks at her with an upset look.

Mormo "Believe it or not, I am actually the King of Ghouls. But before that, back in my soldier days, I came across an explorer looking for his next big adventure."

Frankle "Old Mormo here was probably expecting his next meal but boy was he mistaken!"

Mormo "We scrapped for days only to end up as best friends. Man those were the times."

They both get a bit nostalgic as Lucy leans over to Hisana and whispers.

Lucy "I don't think I'm buying any of this.."

Hisana "I know! It's kinda hard to imagine a dirty old man and a stuffed teddy bear as young, strapping men."

Lucy sweats at her response.

Lucy "That's not what I meant…"

Hikigaya then throws his arms up and behind his head with a sigh.

Hikigaya "Well whatever. This isn't creepy anymore so I'm going back home."

Sugawara "Any excuse to get out of this cave…"

He says nervously before following Hikigaya as the entire group does the same. Mormo sits on Frankle's shoulder as they walk out together.

Kitaro "Please don't tell me he's gonna stay with us the rest of the trip…"

Frankle "Don't worry that little head of yours. I got a place to stay of my own. A little beach house overlooking the ocean blue not far from here."

He says with a relaxed tone as Shiori and Hikigaya stiffen up at his words.

Frankle "Nah, I'm just kiddin' y'all! I know that's y'alls place but don't worry about me. I'll be alright."

They both sigh in relief as Frankle laughs a bit.

Mormo "You said you were down here for five years?"

Frankle "That's right. I was lookin' for my next big find!"

Mormo "What was it?"

Frankle thinks for a moment, rubbing his chin with his hand.

Frankle "Well that be the problem there, I don't seem to remember what I was lookin' for. Ah well, must not've been a big deal then."

He says with a hearty laugh.

Mormo "You old moron."

He says with a smile. Back in the cave, even deeper and in the sucking darkness, behind a thick wall of stone and rocks lies a large empty room stay for a single pedestal in the center. There, a crest of bright metal and luminous crystals in the shape of two hands wrapped around said crystal in the center lies and waits to be found.