CHAPTER 1: A fateful encounter, a tragic loss, a battle fought
Talk/Talking out loud
All-might or Dragon talk
Thoughts or thinking
Dragon thoughts or thinking
What is a quirk? It is a mutation in the human anatomy that enables a person to develop powers and ability's beyond regular human means. Where did these "quirks" come from? No one really knows. Years of research have yielded uncertain results. No two quirks were exactly alike. Ranging from super strength to pyrokinesis, from transformation to alterations of human's physique, sometimes, a combination of a few molded into one.
Our story begins with a four-year-old boy, enjoying a nice leisurely drive up the side of Mt Fuji. While his father and mother in the front seats are enjoying the scenery and talking casually, he was more interested in the comic book that was currently in his small little hands.
"Izuku honey, why don't you put down the comic and enjoy the view? Its not often we get to take a vacation and see the sites like this" said the boy's mother as she turned to look at her son, tucking a lock of dark green hair behind her ear.
The boy looks up with his dark green eyes giving her the most adorable puppy dog look, his black hair with green tips flowing from the wind blowing slightly through the cracked window "but mom I'm almost done All-Might is about unleash a Smash and defeat the villain!" he says rather excitedly lifting up the comic book page so his mother could see.
"Ha-ha Inko why don't you let the boy finish his comic, were almost to the camping site anyways, well set up camp and then we can go for a nice adventurous walk what do you say Izuku sound like a deal? Chided the boys father looking at him through the rear-view mirror. His curly black hair and toothy smile promised a load of mischief once they settled down.
"Yea that'll be awesome dad!" the young boy exclaimed bouncing excitedly and rising his hand and doing an arm pump.
"Ok Izuku settle -" Inko was never able to finish the sentence as a she felt a massive tremor echo throughout the mountain, as she turned to see on her right there was a massive avalanche heading straight for them, fear griped her heart as she turned to look at her husband all jovial and happiness left her eyes. "Hisashi! Step on it hurry!"
Hisashi looked away from his wife with a hard-determinant focus entering his eyes, a lick of flame coming out of his mouth as breathed out. Floored the gas pedal in an attempt to out run the avalanche. "Hold on!" he yelled as they rapidly sped up
Izuku in the back seat was crying and screaming the entire time, unsure of what was going to happen, made the mistake of looking directly at the avalanche, as it slammed into their vehicle launching them off the side of the guardrail down into the dark dense forest below and all any of them knew was darkness.
Time skip a few hours later
Pain, a lot of excruciating pain is all Izuku felt as he begun to awaken, eyes blurry, dried blood caked over his face as he struggled to move. "M-mom? D-dad? A-are you guys there? He cried out quietly. Only to be responded with silence, greeted only by the sounds of hard breathing and hot hair blowing unto his face which smelled a lot like raw meat. Looking over he unleashes a quiet and startled cry, for right next to him was a giant lizard like face with rows of sharp deadly teeth.
Trembling he dared not try and move, staring at the massive creature with wide eyes, fear encroaching his heart stopping his breath. As the lizard face moved back was when Izuku finally let out the breath he'd been holding, hearing the massive thud of foot steps walking around to the other side of the car that he realized was flipped over on its back.
"What a strange looking carriage" Izuku heard it speak, in a weird mix of growling and speech, feeling the car move slightly back and forth as the lizard-faced creature poked the car. Izuku turned to the lizard surprised to hear it speak. Izuku finally found his voice
"I-it's called a car we use it to travel" he shakily informed the creature not knowing where his courage to speak came from, summed it to curiosity. "D-do you think you can flip it over?"
The large lizard began to laugh heartily amused at the actions of this tiny hatchling which jumped at the sound "You have courage young hatchling" the lizard face responded flipping the car over back to its proper position. You are rather fortunate, I saw this… Car? Fall from above hitting several trees and disturbing my sleep as it landed near me you are very lucky to be alive" said the lizard.
Izuku was shocked to say the least, part of him thought he was dreaming, another part thought he had gone crazy. He struggled to take off his seat belt, and open the door finding that moving his arms were difficult till he finally succeed stepping out of the car. Only to see his father laying not 7 feet away from him. "Dad!" he screamed and rushed over dropping to the floor using his hands to try and wake him.
"Don't bother hatchling, his light left him a while ago" the large lizard said sympathetically stepping gently and slowly as to not startle the small boy.
"N-no not my dad, pleas mister lizard I need your" Izuku began to say as he turned only to stop, finally taking in the creature massive in size, for this wasn't just a lizard, it had a big bulky body, four bulky and thick legs supporting it, wings and scales a blaring shining red even in darkness. "Y-you're a dragon" Izuku muttered in quiet awe
Snorting in amusement the dragon bowed his head in confirmation "You may call me Igneel" he said as he casually scratched his belly with a hind leg "That man before you is beyond saving, you know him?
"He's my F-father" Izuku said through tears in his eyes realizing his dad was not breathing, then he remembered, his mother. "Whe-where is my mom?" he whispered fearing the worst
"She lives, if barely, she lays over by that tree she tried to reach you but then she saw me and passed out" Igneel muttered as he began to lick his scales similar to how a cat bathe itself. How does a dragon get so dirty in his sleep? he absently wondered to himself a thought for another time. Izuku began to run to his mother hoping to at least hear her voice for a small bit of comfort only to be stopped by a torrent of flames. "Do not touch her you foolish boy! If you do you may just kill her!" scolded the dragon
Izuku turned to him with a pleading look in his eyes "Can you save her? Mr. Igneel? She's my mom. I-I don't want to be alone" he began to cry out in desperation he would do anything at this point for just a small sliver of hope.
Igneel looked at Izuku with a steely gaze "I can but I will not do it for free, I am a not just any dragon I am the king of dragons! You dare ask me of a favor after disturbing my slumber!? Insolent boy! I have interacted with you out of amusement nothing more!" he yelled unleashing a roaring out flame into the air from his powerful mouth.
Desperation began to set in Izuku knowing the fact that someone could save his mother, all he needed to do was convince Igneel. He said he wouldn't do it for free but. "what do you want, in exchange for saving my moms life" Izuku said as he stood glaring back at the dragon
Igneel laughed in amusement this was why he loved humans, so unpredictable and so willing to do almost anything for their beliefs. "Simple child, I want you, to fight me" Igneel said and the second he did the young boy ran at him and struck him as hard as he could with his small little fist.
Izuku didn't know why, but the second he found out he could save his mother if he fought Igneel he ran. Not away, but towards the massive dragon, wailing and throwing randomly sloppy punches. He was doing all he could to topple this massive beast, but it wasn't enough. Struggling through tears and pain as his knuckles bled from hitting the hardened scales, he suddenly found himself blown back just from Igneel blowing hot air at him. Not willing to give up, he turned and looked at his father lying on the floor, when an idea struck him.
Taking in a deep breath reaching deep inside himself to look for that "hot" feeling his dad always talked about when Izuku asked him about his quirk. Using all his feelings, the frustration the sadness, and the strong inherent desire to save his mother, he let loose his own small torrent of flames from his mouth as he breathed out, hitting Igneel in his face. Lest to say it didn't do much.
Igneel being caught off guard by the tenacious display looked in amazement, a human, a young small hatchling at that, had breathed fire, to attack a fire dragon. He looked at the boy in wonder ad wondered how? Only fire dragons had the ability to breath fir but this boy did it like it was second nature to him. Granted it was a weak and pitiful flame but that didn't matter, it was the fact he could do it.
Yet even if he couldn't Igneel would've been still impressed, yes, he had asked the boy to fight but the look in his eyes, he held not an ounce of regret or fear in taking him on. He willingly accepted the challenge in fervent endeavor, even if he knew he couldn't do much. As he watched the boy breath in ready to unleash another flame Igneel had made his decision.
"That is enough, hatchling." he said as he raised a claw and pushed Izuku to the ground and pining him there. "You have impressed me. I will save your mother. But in return you will tell me how you breathed fire. Stay here and do not move"
Izuku didn't dare move, he couldn't in fear that if he did Igneel would change his mind. He watched in fascination as Igneel stepped towards his mother. He saw him inhale and watched as a golden yellow flame spewed from the dragon's mouth. Startled and about to cry out he stopped as he saw something miraculous. His mother's wounds were beginning to disappear.
Once Igneel had finished he turned to Izuku and breathed that same golden flame, healing and restoring Izuku giving him more strength. It felt so warm, so gentle and not hot at all, it was a very pleasant feeling. Filling Izuku with hope and safety, he almost fell asleep right then and there before the feeling suddenly stopped.
"A fire dragons second greatest ability, the hearth fire. Its able to negate almost all but the gravest of wounds never imagined id use it on humans" Igneel said as he collapsed on the ground, "I've slept for all these years and just doing this much leaves me weekend? I woke up too early" he thought to himself and speaking outload while turning to the boy "Now then before you run to your mother, tell me has it come to be that you can breathe fire?"
Izuku having to repress the urge to run to his mother, knew he needed to explain to Igneel what he wanted to know. "Its my quirk" he answered timidly "About fifty or eighty years ago they started to appear. Kind of like super powers my I guess I got it from my dad" looking up at the dragon as he said this. "No one knows why though, they call it a mutation?"
"Humans never had these kinds of abilities before sure some had possessed the capacity for magic, but it was rare and his breath as similar as it is wasn't magic. Is this the result of the war so long ago?" Igneel pondered in silence, he needed information =, he should probably find the other dragons if they still breath but first. "Tell me your name, Hatchling"
Izuku looked at the dragon questioningly but answered nevertheless "My name is Izuku... Izuku Midoriya"
"Izuku Midoriya? Such an odd name but its suits you. As one of the last of my kind and as payment for me saving and healing you mother I ask you to inherit my power. So that the legacy of dragons can continue" Igneel not one for delay had decided to just say it why beat around the bush? Hesitating is not the way of a dragon
Izuku looked up at the dragon like he had a second head his four-year-old mind didn't comprehend what was said "inherit his power? What does that even mean?" he thought so he decided to ask while tilting his head and putting a figure to his chin "What does…Inherit mean?" out loud.
"It means to pass on, I need you to take it. After you do so I will leave this place and find a new bed in which to rest and live out my days. In essence you will be a dragon in all but body." Igneel explained patiently while reaching up to his chest and pointing to his hart. "Right here, in my chest lies a dragon lacrima. It is the source of our power, I am going to need you to eat it"
"W-w-wait! Why me!? I'm just a kid!" Izuku yelled out in confusion jumping away in astonishment
"That is precisely why, because it is you. You who possess the qualities of a fire dragon, the unshakable will, heart and tenacity. Eating a lacrima and inheriting a dragon's power is no small feat and should not be taken lightly. It will change you in unexpected ways, the stronger you become the more dragon like you will seem when calling on this power. You may do whatever it is you wish, save people, kill them, rule over humanity as its completely ruler you will go unchallenged!" Igneel ranted excitedly the thought of a successor excites him and that it was a human, maybe his dream will come true after all though not exactly how he wanted.
"So, you're saying I could be a hero? Like All-Might?" Izuku asked in awe his eyes growing wide. The boy idolized him the world's greatest hero
"If you so wished it yes" Igneel pondered what this All-Might was but he sounded powerful.
Izuku with determined eyes looked up at the dragon and gave his answer "I-I will"
Reaching inside his chest Igneel pulled out a red gem glowing brightly in the center of it was a bright yellow flame and placed it in Izuku's out stretched hand "Be warned I can not teach you how to use this power. When you eat it you will fall unconscious as the power merges with your body so it will come as naturally as you do breathing, I will take you to one of your human city's before taking leave and disappearing. Are you ready?"
As he looked down to the small gem in his hands, he didn't even need to hesitate Igneel had saved his mother. He would need to repay him somehow. He promptly took the gem and swallowed the gem whole, before collapsing on the damp forest floor.
That night the world felt the tremor of a mighty roar letting it know that The Red Dragons legacy had been born
A/N Holy shit, when I started writing this I didn't think Id change up a lot I debated so much at the beginning on how I would throw this together but I think it went rather smoothly. Dialog is going to be the hardest part for me but I think I did ok here. RxR I really need to knw what you guys think and where my flaws are. I am open to suggestions so feel free to leave a review or pm me im always reading fanfiction so ill see it but I may or maynot respond right way well ig that's it Thnks everyone!