A Tale of Two Heroes

Summary: Izuku had always wanted to be a knight, but an accident in his childhood ruined his dreams. Years later, the knight he idolized offered him a legendary sword with a power called One For All that could change his destiny. Is he the hero from the prophecy, or is it his childhood friend that he hasn't seen since the accident? With a group of friends, together they embark on a quest that will change the kingdom forever.

I owe my lovely girlfriend so much for all her help with this. I bounce all my ideas off of her, and she makes them better. She also keeps me sane even though I write so slow that it drives me crazy. On top of that, she also drew the logo.

My beta, oxlabyrinthxo, is amazing too. She pointed out that Eyes Open by Taylor Swift fits perfectly with this prologue, and I totally agree.

Also, finally, I've edited this chapter to make Izuku seem more his age. Other than a few of his mannerisms, nothing has changed.

Please enjoy! I have worked very hard on this series.

Prologue – The Mysterious Boy in The Forest

"Read me the book about Sir Yagi again, mom!"

Midoriya Inko chuckled fondly at her son, looking over to see him already dressed in his nighttime tunic and clambering into bed. Once he was situated, Izuku beamed up at her expectantly. His unruly green hair was already tousled from a long day, but he didn't look the least bit tired.

"You've been alive for twelve cycles of the seasons already, almost thirteen. Aren't you getting tired of me reading you to sleep?" She tackled him in a hug, and he smiled.

"No, never! I love the stories you read me. I want to be just like the Symbol of Peace when I grow up!" Izuku insisted.

Inko's smile fell slightly, but she tried not to let her son see it. She swore to herself that she would support his dreams no matter what. Knights in the Kingdom of Musutafu were usually chosen from nobility, and the Midoriya family was anything but that.

After Izuku's father died, Inko did everything she could to support them both with the money she made from the apothecary she owned. She was the only healer in the remote village of Chikamori, and her small shop was a staple to everyone. She had a steady business, and they lived comfortably, but she had earned every scrap of gold she had from tireless hard work and not her social position.

Izuku had seen her helping others so tirelessly and was inspired to do the same. It wouldn't be easy for him to achieve his dream of being a hero, but it was possible. Several knights in the past had started by helping their communities without an official knighthood, working their way into the king's favor through strength and virtuous deeds for the kingdom. Sir Yagi Toshinori, the most famous of all knights, was one of them. He was born a commoner, just like Izuku.

However, their current king, Todoroki Enji, was known for being far less progressive than his father, the king that knighted Sir Yagi and gave him the title 'Symbol of Peace.' The previous king believed that those who worked hard to serve the kingdom without the use of magic were worthy of raising their rank in society. Enji, though he shared his father's distrust of magic, was not so inviting to social change.

Inko worried about Izuku's life under King Enji's rule, but she couldn't bear to squash his dreams.

"I saw a scribe in the marketplace today selling books," she said. "I thought you might like it. It's called the Book of Heroes. He wrote a whole collection of popular songs all about heroes and legends and people just like Sir Yagi!"

Izuku's eyes widened. "There are more people like him?"

Inko laughed and unwrapped her arms from around her son. "Of course there are, silly," she said, kissing his head.

Izuku watched her with rapt attention as she walked over to the satchel she had taken with her to the marketplace earlier that day. She rifled around inside before pulling out a small book, held together by a pattern of string on one side, and handing it to Izuku. The hand-drawn illustration on the cover was of a heavily-armored knight on horseback, his sword held high in the air, ready to strike against his opponent.

"What is that thing he's fighting?" Izuku asked, pointing.

He studied the picture of the giant creature, its strange wings unlike any he'd ever seen. It was covered in scales like a lizard, but it was larger than a horse, towering over the knight next to him. The beast's eyes seemed to have an evil glow, looking into Izuku's very soul, and its maw hung wide open, revealing rows of sharp fangs. It was terrifying to behold. Izuku knew that it was one of the monsters that the king was always sending his knights to fight, but he wasn't sure what they were called.

"That's a dragon, honey," Inko said. "They're giant creatures who breathe fire. They fly around stealing the kingdom's gold to keep in their giant hoards of treasure high up in their mountain caves. But they're magical in nature, so if you ever see one, make sure that you run or hide and leave it to the professionals."

"I'm not afraid!" Izuku insisted, puffing out his chest. The high-pitched sound only served to remind his mother of how young and vulnerable he was. "Never fear! Sir Midoriya is here!"

Inko frowned, crossing her arms against her chest. "Midoriya Izuku, what have I told you? What is the most important thing for you to remember?"

Izuku looked guiltily back up at her. "I must wait until a master trains me. Otherwise, it will be too dangerous," he recited, already used to saying the words.

"Good boy," Inko said, relaxing once again with a smile. "Now, do you want me to read you a bedtime story from this book or not?"

"Yes, please!" Izuku exclaimed, scooting over to make room for her next to him on the bed.

Inko slid in next to him, smoothing down the creases in her jade green kimono before opening the book to the first page. "Oh, I know this story!" she said, pleasantly surprised. "This is a prophecy, a prediction of the future, told long before I was born."

Izuku's eyes were wide with anticipation. Inko looked at the short couple of sentences and decided to make the story longer by adding her own flair to the words.

"One day," she began dramatically, "a boy from a village just like this one will become the Chosen One."

"Chosen by who?" Izuku asked immediately, unable to contain himself.

"No one knows," Inko admitted. She looked thoughtful. "The king, perhaps."

Izuku was satisfied with that. "Go on."

"This youngling will be born just a common boy with nothing but a dream for justice to prevail in the land," Inko said.

"Like Sir Yagi!" Izuku interrupted again excitedly.

"Yes, just like Sir Yagi," Inko agreed. "This young boy will work hard to be noticed by the king. His unwavering sense of morality and strength will shine, even in the darkest of times. They say that he is the one who will bring peace to the land at last."

"How will he do that?" Izuku asked, his mouth hanging open in wonder.

"They say that there are three tasks he must complete before he brings peace," Inko answered, gesturing theatrically. "First, he will slay a dragon, stabbing it right in the heart!"

Izuku looked at the drawing on the cover of the book once again, the dragon looking even more menacing than before. "Whoa," he whispered. "That must be hard."

"Very hard," Inko agreed. "Dragons are cruel, greedy, and prideful. And because of their hard scales, they are almost impossible for a normal person to kill. No one knows how this young man will manage to defeat it. But he will!"

"And then?" Izuku prompted enthusiastically.

"Second, the Chosen One will destroy a group of monsters threatening the kingdom," Inko said. "No one knows who those monsters will be, but the king tells us that anyone who uses magic is a monster, and this chosen knight will come and defend the land from all of them one day."

"All of them?" Izuku asked skeptically. "That's a lot!"

"I know!" Inko exclaimed. "The Chosen One will be that amazing!"

"Whoa!" Izuku said in awe. "Then what?"

"Third," Inko continued, turning the page, "they say he will 'cleanse a great evil.'"

"What does that mean?" Izuku asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"Some say that means he will rid a greater demon of dark magic," Inko explained, "but that seems impossible. No one in the whole kingdom knows how to restore a demon to what it once was. Most blades can't even defeat them."

Izuku remembered demons from a previous story that his mother had read to him about Sir Yagi. Before Izuku had even been born, the Symbol of Peace had won in a legendary battle against a demon named Stain, who many called the 'Knight Killer.'

Demons were all creatures that were once human, but they went against the wise orders of the king and got involved with dark magic. Magic, especially that of the dark arts, was known to corrupt people. Over time, if someone kept using their power for malicious purposes, their bodies would inevitably begin to deteriorate, and they would slowly become disfigured and lose their sanity. Izuku had listened to that story in absolute horror, vowing never to involve himself with magic like that and end up a monster.

"But here, now's the best part of the story." Inko turned the book so that Izuku could look at the cover again. "You see this sword?" she asked, pointing at the weapon in the knight's hands.

Izuku looked at it closely. The drawing wasn't very detailed, just a black and white sketch, but he could tell that it was a shortsword. The only thing of note about it was a symbol etched into the blade, but the picture was so small that Izuku couldn't see it clearly. Otherwise, it looked ordinary to him.

"This is no commonplace sword," Inko insisted after she saw the look on his face. "It is the sword of legend that only the Chosen One can use."

"That's so cool!" Izuku lit up in wide-eyed amazement. "How does the hero get it?"

She turned back to the first page of the book and pointed to the same symbol drawn again above the words of the prophecy. Izuku stared curiously at the picture now that he could finally see it in detail. The emblem was a simple outline of a sword in front of a shield. One half of the blade was black, and the other was white. The shield was also black and white, but the colors were reversed.

"Somehow, the hero will be chosen to wield the sword because of their true sense of justice. This symbol here shows that this sword isn't only for shows of strength. The shield is there to show that this weapon is meant to protect others as well," she explained. "It's a very important sword! Without it, they say that our land won't be saved, and we can't have peace!"

Izuku was shocked. "Where is the hero? Did they find the sword yet?"

"No one knows, sweetie," Inko said, deflating a little. "The Chosen One could already be alive, or he could be born many, many seasons from now. No one is sure who it will be yet."

"I want to meet them," Izuku said dreamily.

"Maybe one day," Inko said with a little smile. "But before that, it's past your bedtime, mister." She got up to put the book away on the shelf.

"Mom," Izuku asked in a quiet voice while her back was turned. "Do you think… it could even be me?"

Inko paused, thinking carefully about what she should say, but then she turned and smiled. "It's possible," she admitted softly. "But… but no matter what you do, I'm sure you're going to help people and make the world a better place, okay? You don't have to be some legendary hero to make a good impact on others, you understand?"

Izuku squirmed happily, nodding. He would work hard, he swore to himself, just like the hero in the story. He would make his dreams come true. He would make the world a just and peaceful place.

"But… good little heroes-in-training go to bed on time," Inko chided playfully. "We'll have to read the next story tomorrow."

"Awh," Izuku whined, deflating a little, but he didn't complain too much.

Inko pulled the covers higher over him and kissed his head again. "Good night, honey. Sleep well."

"Night, mom," Izuku said, his eyes drifting closed.

His mom carefully closed the circular door to his bedroom.

A moment passed, and all was still. Then, once he was sure that the coast was clear, Izuku's eyes shot open.

He quietly slid out of bed. After grabbing a pair of trousers and shoving them on, he hastily buttoned himself up to look decent. He grabbed his extra pair of red shoes and opened the latch of his circular window, pushing the lower half up and out to allow himself space to crawl.

Quiet as a mouse, his small feet landed softly on the grass of the backyard. He clumsily shoved on a pair of shoes before tiptoeing around the mushroom-shaped house, toward the forest that began right at the edge of his mother's garden.

His mom had warned him several times about the Beast's Forest. She said that, especially at night, it was dangerous and full of magical creatures who would just love to eat a little boy like him whole or spirit him away so that he never saw her again. Izuku paid her no mind, though. He had been with her in the forest during the day several times, gathering herbs and other ingredients for her potions. Izuku knew it like the back of his hand, and he had never seen a magical creature in the area before. He doubted he ever would.

Once he was safely veiled from prying eyes by the cover of the trees, he found the rock that marked where he had hidden his wooden toy sword and grabbed it eagerly. He couldn't wait to continue practicing his sword skills. His mother said that he was too young to be an apprentice to a master, and he promised that he would never go out looking for danger, but that didn't mean he had to sit around and do nothing to prepare, right?

Izuku ran around and swung the wooden weapon clumsily, pretending to be in a great battle. He didn't have much skill yet, but admittedly, he'd never seen a fight in person before. He'd only heard of what they were like from the stories his mother read to him, and even those weren't very detailed about technique.

He was glad that no one was there to see him stumble around, pretending to be a hero. It was much easier to practice in secret so that the other kids wouldn't tease him any more than they already did for wanting to become a knight. He would train every night and every day if he could. He would do whatever it took to become better.

The moon rose higher in the sky, but Izuku kept swinging. His arm hurt, and sweat poured down his face, but he never stopped. His face scrunched in concentration. Sir Yagi would never give up, and neither would he.

"The hell are you doing? You look like an idiot," came a voice from the shadows.

Izuku jumped in surprise, instinctively hiding the toy behind his back. "Uh… uh… this isn't what it looks like!" he shouted.

"So you aren't an idiot waving around a weapon you clearly have no business using?" A smug-looking boy his age crawled into the view of the moonlight, down on all fours like a cautious animal.

"I… well…" Izuku blushed. "It's just a toy…"

"Yeah, a toy weapon," the boy said, standing up and crossing his arms as if he had finally decided that Izuku wasn't a threat. "Didn't your parents ever teach you never to swing a sword that way? Are all people in this part of the forest as useless as you?"

"But I just…" Izuku looked crestfallen. "No one will teach me. They say I'm too young, and I'm not of noble birth, so…"

"Noble… birth?" the boy asked. "What's that?"

Izuku looked up in surprise, finally registering the strange appearance of the other boy for the first time. He was unlike anyone that Izuku had ever seen in his village before. His spiky hair was a bright golden color, and his eyes were blood red. He looked unnatural, almost ethereal in the dark forest. Even his clothes were odd, his garish orange tunic covered in tribal triangular patterns.

Izuku half wondered if he was a ghost or a creature of the forest sent to trick him.

"You… you're not from around here, are you?" Izuku asked. He was sure that was the only logical explanation. He must be an outsider.

The boy snorted a laugh of derision. "Of course I'm not. I'm here for my Trial of Strength."

"Your… what?" Izuku asked, fascinated.

"You really don't know anything, huh? It's a rite of passage in my tribe. We're taken into the forest to find our way back home, and we're not allowed back until we're strong. I was born only thirteen cycles of the seasons ago, so I'm the youngest to ever qualify," the blonde said with pride.

"Whoa, that's amazing!" Izuku exclaimed, moved that he was in the presence of such an extraordinary person. He stepped closer eagerly, remembering his manners. "It's nice to meet you! I'm Midoriya Izuku!" He bowed, lowering his head politely.

The boy seemed confused by the gesture, staring at Izuku like he was unsure of what kind of crazy movement he was about to make next. "Bakugou Katsuki," he replied cautiously.

"Bakugou Katsuki," Izuku repeated, trying to remember it. "What do I call you? Bakugou? Kat… Kat… how about Kacchan?"

Katsuki was thrown off guard by the sudden nickname. "You… you must be joking!" he yelled, looking away. "D-don't act like we're friends!"

Izuku frowned. "Oh? I'm sorry." Then, his face brightened once again. "Do you want to be?"

"Be what?" Katsuki grumbled.

"My friend," Izuku replied simply. Katsuki looked back up and eyed him up and down, taking in the fluffy green hair, skin covered in freckles, and earnest sunshine smile.

"I… I…" Katsuki struggled for words. "I… I don't have to put up with this! I don't know why I'm talking to you, anyway." He twirled around and walked away. Izuku followed him.

"Wait!" he cried. "You're strong, right? Could you teach me how to fight? I want to be a hero, just like Sir Yagi."

Katsuki halted in place, causing Izuku to crash into his back. Izuku jumped back in surprise, expecting Katsuki to be angry, but instead, he saw Katsuki frowning at him curiously.

"Someone like you likes Yagi Toshinori?" he asked.

"Of course. He's amazing! I want to be just like him," Izuku said enthusiastically.

"They sing songs about him even down here?" Katsuki asked in awe, eyes sparkling. "I had no idea. He's really famous everywhere, isn't he? A true hero!"

"Yes, he is!" Izuku agreed, happy that they were finally on the same wavelength. "He saves everyone, no matter what."

"He wins, no matter what!" Katsuki shot back. "I want to be just like him too. Do you seriously expect to learn how to fight like him by throwing around that toy sword?"

"Maybe if you teach me," Izuku said hopefully. "It's already pretty late, but I can come back tomorrow. I can meet you here any night – every night."

"What makes you think I would do that?" Katsuki scoffed. "What's in it for me?

"I…" Izuku's mind raced. He didn't want to say goodbye to the first friend he'd made in years, the fascinating and captivating child who could teach him so much about the world he longed to see. "You're new to the area, right? I could teach you the best ways to find food and the best local herbs for medicine. My mother is an herbalist."

Katsuki looked skeptical. "What is an er… erbalist?" he asked.

"She makes potions and salves to cure sickness." He paused when Katsuki still looked puzzled. "Uh… she makes things to eat, and it heals you."

Katsuki was startled. "Is she a forest witch?"

Izuku giggled. "No, no. Some plants help with wounds and sickness. I just know which ones can help you."

Katsuki relaxed. "Oh, that's what er- herbalist means," he said. "In my tribe, that's just called common sense."

"Hey!" Izuku yelled, puffing out his cheeks childishly and pretending to be offended. "It's not so easy! Some plants around here look very similar, you know!"

Katsuki thought a moment. Izuku did too. Then he had an idea.

"Do you remember that time Sir Yagi went to the swamp near Seijin village, and he was almost poisoned to death when he accidentally ate the wrong fruit?" Izuku asked.

Katsuki laughed, suddenly and derisively. "That's not what happened, stupid."

Izuku frowned. His mom had read that story to him countless times. He had even read it aloud to her on several occasions as well. There's no way that he could have forgotten how the story went. "Yes, it is! People from the village gave him the cure because he just saved them from invaders the day before!"

Katsuki laughed harder. "No way," he insisted. "The song clearly says that they betrayed and poisoned him. He had to use his superior skills to find the antidote himself!"

Izuku was shocked. "That's not true!" he argued. "I… I can prove it! I'll bring my book about him tomorrow and show you!"

"Book?" Katsuki asked, the condescending look of disbelief still on his face. "What's that?"

Izuku's eyes lit up, suddenly forgetting their argument entirely. "You don't know what a book is?" he asked. "I have to show you!"

From then on, Katsuki didn't stand a chance. There was something about the look on Izuku's face that pulled him in and kept him coming back for more, again and again.

Izuku hated keeping secrets from his mother, but he knew that she would disapprove of him going into the forest after nightfall to spend time with an outsider, so he stayed quiet about his new best friend.

A whole cycle of the moon passed, and at first, Izuku didn't think that Katsuki was anything more than a normal boy his own age. Katsuki wasn't evil. He wasn't a monster like the king said about the people and creatures who lived in the forest. He kept his word and began teaching Izuku how to properly stand and hold a sword, and Izuku relished everything he learned.

Neither one of them had any real weapons at first, so Izuku broke into the local blacksmith, after everyone in town had gone to sleep, and stole two swords for them to use.

Katsuki frowned when Izuku showed up to a lesson and told him where he got them. "With all your talk of being a knight, I pegged you for more of a rule-abiding citizen than this," he chided.

Izuku shrugged. "The blacksmith had it coming."

Katsuki nodded solemnly and didn't ask any more questions about the matter, picking up the scimitar and swinging it. They were both still children, so the weapons were bulky and a little oversized for them. "This will do. You can have the shortsword, but only once you've earned it."

Izuku looked a little disappointed.

"I don't wanna hear you whining about it!" Katsuki exclaimed. "Now pick up those damn wooden toys and watch carefully because I'm not gonna repeat myself a million times just so someone as useless as you can keep up."

Since then, they began training every night until they were tired. Whenever they took breaks, Izuku taught Katsuki the basics of reading and how to make common local medicines.

At first glance, Katsuki seemed abrasive and unappreciative of his help. Still, Izuku knew from the look in his eyes, especially whenever they heatedly compared different versions of Sir Yagi's tales, that Katsuki was enjoying himself during the time they spent together. Even if he kept insisting that Izuku was a pain, Katsuki continued to come to the same place where they first met, night after night.

Izuku started looking forward to seeing him more than anything else every day. He hoped, if he could just convince his mother that Katsuki wasn't a bad person, that maybe he could convince her to let him live with them one day. He always felt bad whenever he went back to his cozy bed every night and Katsuki was left alone in the wilderness, especially during bad weather. It didn't seem right for him to be excluded from everyone.

But then one night, Izuku realized that things weren't as simple as he thought.

Katsuki was in the middle of sparring with Izuku, yelling and berating him for his messy form as usual.

"No, stupid Deku, you're doing it wrong again," Katsuki grumbled, calling him the nickname he'd come up with when he read Izuku's name wrong during a reading lesson once. Izuku looked sheepish but had already gotten used to the name. He supposed that it was payback for the cutesy nickname he had given Katsuki when they first met.

"Here, let me show you how it's done," the blonde grunted, pushing Izuku aside teasingly. He bent his knees slightly and raised his arms in front of his face protectively. "You want to plant yourself into the ground, like this. You are a rock. You are immovable. It's harder for someone to throw you off your balance like this."

Izuku nodded, watching him closely.

"Then, when it's time to strike…" Katsuki jabbed his arm forward, punching his imaginary attacker right in the face. The look in Katsuki's eyes was intense. He was a true warrior through and through, even at his young age. Izuku almost could have sworn he saw the tiniest spark of fire fly from his fist. He never wanted to find out what it would be like to fight Katsuki for real.

Katsuki punched again and again. Then, an explosion of flames shot out of his fist and dispersed into the open air.

"W-what was that?" Izuku yelled in surprise, falling back on the ground. "What did you do?"

Katsuki looked at his own hands in awe. "I don't know," he admitted. He punched again, and nothing happened.

Katsuki sighed in annoyance. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and punched again. Another blaze erupted from his hands.

Izuku gasped. "You… you… that's fire!"

Upon confirmation that the phenomenon truly was caused by him, Katsuki's face lit up in a rare moment of pure elation. "My magic manifested! Hell yeah, and it's fire! So cool! I knew I was destined for greatness! Just wait until everyone in my tribe hears about this. They'll be so jealous!" He punched the air again in triumph.

"You have magic?" Izuku asked with a gulp. There was a sinking feeling in his stomach, and he suddenly had an even worse sense than usual that he shouldn't be there. His mother would kill him if she knew he was friends with a 'monster.'

Katsuki smirked, not seeming to notice Izuku's unease. "Don't worry, loser. It makes sense that I got my powers before you. You'll manifest someday."

"I… me, with magic? No. No, no, no. Magic is wrong," Izuku backed away from Katsuki.

Katsuki frowned. "What the hell are you going on about?"

"My mom said… the king said… magic is wrong," Izuku said, sounding less sure.

"Where I come from, everyone has some kind of magic," Katsuki snapped back. "Don't be an idiot."

Izuku thought for a moment. He wanted to believe Katsuki. How could someone who had been so kind to him be evil?

He was about to open his mouth to ask Katsuki a question, but before he could, suddenly what appeared to be a white lizard with wings flew into the clearing and landed on Katsuki's head.

Both Katsuki and Izuku stared at it in shock. A moment of total confusion passed in silence. Then, finally, they both yelled.

Katsuki pulled the creature off and threw them into the air. "Get off of me, dragon!" he cried. The small dragon didn't seem bothered. It flew in a circle and once again landed on Katsuki's head.

Izuku's jaw dropped. "That's a dragon?" he asked, mentally comparing it to the only drawing of one he'd ever seen. "But it's so… small and cute."

The dragon circled in place before settling into the soft locks of Katsuki's hair and looking content about its new nest.

"Cute, my ass! Oh no you don't, you little shit! Stop purring!" Katsuki fumed. "All day, these things kept coming to bug me. They won't leave me alone. I didn't even know there were dragons in this part of the forest!"

Izuku slowly walked closer and put a hand out to touch the dragon. When the creature didn't react, Izuku lowered his hand and slowly moved it against the top of the dragon's head, petting and scratching it as if it was a cat.

The dragon rumbled happily, turning over and displaying its belly. Izuku chuckled and obeyed its wordless request, rubbing its tummy vigorously.

Katsuki, who was still bent over with the heavy weight of the creature on his head, growled in annoyance. "Stop petting it! Didn't anyone ever teach you not to be nice to wild creatures! They'll keep coming back!"

"Well, it worked out well enough with you," Izuku laughed.

Katsuki blushed in response, which luckily Izuku didn't notice.

Izuku scooped the creature off of Katsuki's head and into his arms, never relenting on rubbing its belly. The dragon kicked one of its bottom legs happily. Izuku examined its deep blue eyes with diamond-shaped pupils in fascination before they drifted closed in contentment.

Izuku didn't understand. Was that what he was supposed to be scared of? His mind raced. So many things weren't adding up.

Why had the dragon even shown itself in the first place? Katsuki said that it wasn't the first one to show a liking to him that day. Then there was the issue of the manifestation of Katsuki's powers. It seemed like too much of a coincidence that so much was happening on the same day.

"Do you think that the dragons have anything to do with your fire?" Izuku asked.

Katsuki considered the question for a moment. He didn't want to admit that Izuku brought up a good point.

Then, after a moment of concentration, he lit another fire in his hands and kept it burning. They both watched it closely. Somehow, it didn't seem like normal fire. It glowed a bright yellow hue.

"This is dragonfire," Katsuki said, looking impressed with himself. "No wonder the dragons keep coming. They think I'm one of them. I'm sure, with as much strength as I have, they probably want me to be their alpha or something."

Izuku beamed. "You're amazing, Kacchan."

Katsuki smirked, puffing out his chest. "Of course, I am."

Izuku looked down at the dragon snoozing peacefully in his arms and knew that the king had to be misinformed somehow. Magic wasn't inherently evil, and the forest wasn't cursed. He felt an even bigger desire to become a knight so he could show the king just how wrong his vision of the world was. He was so sure that, if the king only knew, he would change his mind.

Six more seasons came and went, but Katsuki and Izuku continued to see each other every night. Thanks to his training with Katsuki, Izuku was no longer the clueless little boy he used to be, uselessly flailing around against imaginary enemies. Katsuki taught him how to use his fists as well as how to use a sword. Izuku began to grow more comfortable with his movements. Katsuki even finally begrudgingly let him practice handling a real sword so that he could get used to the weight and feel of it, but Izuku still felt like there was so much left to learn.

However, despite the fact that he hadn't grown up in a warrior tribe like Katsuki, and he was behind in terms of skill, Izuku was naturally very innovative. Sometimes when they sparred, he was able to catch Katsuki off guard by doing something that he had never been taught. As payback, Katsuki liked startling Izuku with random bursts of fire and watching him duck for cover, but even that became something that Izuku quickly got used to dealing with. It surprised Katsuki just how much Izuku challenged him and helped keep his battle skills sharp.

Katsuki hated to admit it, but he was probably the one who had learned the most from their partnership. He had gotten very good at making Chikamori-style medicine. Slowly, he had made a lot of progress learning how to read as well. After a lot of practice, he was able to sound out most words without Izuku's help.

They both sat underneath a tree together next to a crackling yellow fire that Katsuki had made for them. Despite the heat wafting off of it, it was still getting cold outside, and they sat a little closer together than usual for warmth.

A small purple dragon curled up in Izuku's lap. Another larger white dragon, that was twice the size of Katsuki and Izuku combined, slept peacefully next to the fire. Both boys had become so used to random dragons coming to visit that they paid them no mind.

"And then… the… the kri- creature… fell over the… c-clee… cliff, and…" Katsuki stopped reading and looked over at Izuku. Usually the other boy could not shut up, and he corrected Katsuki's pronunciation whenever he had a chance. Instead, he saw that Izuku was asleep, head lolled back against the tree.

Katsuki rolled his eyes and went back to reading silently. He would wake him up after he was done with the story.

Moments passed, and Izuku's whole body slowly started to droop lower and lower. Not paying much attention to him, Katsuki jumped when suddenly Izuku flopped over and fell against him.

Izuku didn't wake up. He only shifted uncomfortably in his sleep and found Katsuki's shoulder to use as a headrest.

Katsuki's first instinct was to yell at Izuku and throw him off, but when he saw the peaceful look on Izuku's face, he stopped short.

Izuku's hair fluttered softly in the wind. His face hung limp, relaxed, and unguarded in his sleep. Katsuki had never looked at his strange foreign friend so closely before. Now that he thought about it, Izuku used to be a lot shorter than him, a lot smaller and weaker as well. They had both grown up a lot during their time together. Katsuki stared at him for a long time in the flickering light of the fire, trying to memorize every freckle.

So many seasons had already passed, and Katsuki had not moved on to find his home yet. He grew more and more confident with his magic and his prowess in combat as time went on. He felt ready to start his venture back. No one back home knew about his powers. He had the element of surprise on his side. He knew in his heart that if he challenged the current queen of his tribe, he would win and become the youngest person to ever rule in their history. He couldn't justify staying in the forest any longer.

However, for some odd reason, Katsuki found that he didn't want to leave. It was all the stupid Deku's fault. He had somehow wormed his way into Katsuki's heart. Before coming to the forest, Katsuki had always taken himself so seriously, too irritated and focused on his goals to have fun. Being with Izuku was different. It made his stomach do strange things. He wanted to continue teasing him and laughing with him for as long as possible.

Nevertheless, it was time for him to get back to reality. He needed to return to his tribe and claim his rightful place. His family was surely waiting for him, missing him. His mother always told him, without hesitation, that she had no doubt one day he would rule them all. She trained him well and prepared him early. She taught him how to be a fierce warrior and how to be a just leader. Katsuki's desire to be the best was everything he'd ever known. He wanted to win, just like his hero, Sir Yagi.

After winning his place at the top, however, his mom had always told him that the next thing to do would be to pick the strongest and worthiest of potential mates to rule alongside him. She had always insisted that finding someone that challenged him and completed him was essential to keep him strong and honest. Katsuki hated the idea. What a stupid concept. He didn't need anyone to complete him. He was the whole package all by himself.

But as he gazed at Izuku, he found himself wondering if he could keep him around instead of a mate. His heart beat a little faster as he imagined whisking him away and taking him to his tribe. Izuku could be his assistant or something, always standing by his throne to worship him and look up to him. Izuku had plenty more to learn, so surely, he would jump at the chance to come. Katsuki's guidance was invaluable, after all.

Katsuki's eyes slowly began to drift closed as he felt Izuku's warmth against him and relaxed. The book slid from his hands. His dreams were full of hopes for the future, all with Izuku right there beside him.

Katsuki and Izuku were jerked awake by the sound of a high-pitched scream.

"Dragons!" someone cried. "Oh, Inko! It's worse than we feared! Get back!"

Izuku's eyes shot open in alarm at the sound of his mother's name. The sun was up, and the grass was covered in early morning dew. He looked around wildly, trying to remember where he was and what was happening. He felt scaled, clawed legs scratch against him as a creature clambered off of his lap. He saw the yellow glow of dragonfire burning nearby. Then it hit him.

He hadn't returned home last night.

To Izuku's horror, he saw his mom across the clearing looking directly at Katsuki and trembling as if she thought him a threat. Two men in armor were in front of her, weapons in hand, shielding her from harm.

Katsuki automatically jumped up into a fighting stance. The purple dragon changed color and disappeared out of thin air as if it had never existed in the first place. The white dragon stayed and bared its teeth.

"No!" Izuku cried, his eyes darting between Katsuki and his mother. "Kacchan isn't a threat. The dragons are nice too. I promise!"

"Izuku, you… you've been enchanted," Inko sobbed, shaking her head in disbelief. "This cursed child lured you from your bed and into the forest. Oh, my poor boy! I'm so sorry I didn't notice you were gone earlier!"

"No, no, that's not true!" Izuku said desperately. "Kacchan is my friend. I've known him for a long time. I should have told you! He's just a normal boy."

The man with a bow and arrow shook his head. "The curse is real," he gasped, ignoring everything that Izuku had been saying. "The poor boy is hypnotized by the beast of the forest."

"You idiots," Katsuki barked back finally. "I didn't do anything to Deku. No wonder he turned to me to train him if his village is full of superstitious weirdos like you."

"Kill it," the other man hissed shakily, "before it sics its dragons on you!" Izuku recognized him as the village blacksmith and felt no regret for stealing those weapons from him so long ago.

"Kacchan isn't an 'it!' Please stop!" Izuku pleaded, throwing his hands up to show that they meant no harm.

An arrow flew in Katsuki's direction. Luckily, Katsuki had expertly detected the man fidgeting with his weapon beforehand and dodged easily. He growled at being fired upon, however, his fists erupting in flames.

"No, Kacchan! Don't attack!" Izuku swiveled around to stop him. "I'll get them to understand!"

Then, while Izuku's back was turned, the blacksmith swung at Katsuki with his sword. Katsuki had plenty of time to retaliate, but he wasn't carrying a weapon to defend himself with, and he didn't really want to harm the man attacking him either. Before Katsuki could duck out of the way again, he was pushed to the ground.

His eyes widened.

In a split second, the sound of metal scraping against bone pierced the air, followed by a loud sob of pain.

"No! Izuku!" Inko shrieked, her hands shooting up to cover her mouth, eyes running over with tears.

Katsuki gaped at Izuku standing protectively in front of him, his arms up to block the sword from killing Katsuki.

"Kacchan… run…" Izuku gasped, legs trembling as he struggled to stay conscious. "Please…"

Katsuki was in shock. Izuku's body was blocking his view, but he could tell that Izuku's wounds were deep. More blood than Katsuki had ever actually seen in his life dripped to the ground and stained the grass.

"You – you fool," he spat darkly at Izuku. "You shouldn't have done that. I don't need your help."

All of the practice and training they had both gone through, preparing for moments just like that, and what had it all been for? Katsuki could have easily dodged. Izuku had sacrificed himself so stupidly and needlessly. It just… made no sense.

Katsuki's heart sank with defeat as he stared at all the blood. His Deku wasn't going to live after that, was he?

Determined not to waste any more of the time Izuku's sacrifice bought him, he spun himself around and ran full force toward the white dragon, jumping into the air when he got close enough. The dragon understood immediately and flew underneath Katsuki, catching him on its back. They flew into the air faster than anyone could blink.

Izuku couldn't turn around to watch him go. He couldn't detach himself from the sword without risking further blood loss. Still, he smiled as he heard Katsuki fly away, happy that his best friend was safe and sound, regretting nothing.

Then, everything went dark.

Izuku slowly drifted back to consciousness. He ached all over, but his hands felt strangely nonexistent. He frowned and shifted in mild discomfort, wishing he could just go back to sleep.

Then, the memories of what happened all came rushing back to him in a flash, and he sat up abruptly.

"Kacchan!"

He looked around frantically, but he was in his bedroom, and Katsuki was nowhere to be found. His hands felt weird as they tried to grasp at the sheets below him. Only a couple of his fingers registered the sensation of something against them. The rest were numb.

Izuku's heart stopped. He looked down and examined a line of stitches across his left wrist. His right hand was bandaged, so he couldn't tell the full extent of the damage, but it seemed intact. The pungent smell of herbs permeated the air, and Izuku instantly knew that his mother had used all her skills as a healer to put him back together.

He tried to flex his hand back to get a closer look, but it barely moved. His fingers twitched and shook, obeying his commands, but very slowly.

His mother explained to him later that he was lucky to have retained any mobility at all after what he'd been through. As time passed, and his hands slowly healed, she was overjoyed at their progress. Izuku learned to grip objects again, despite his lack of feeling.

He tried his best to keep positive. He would still be able to live a good life. It was a miracle. He should be thankful.

But it wasn't enough. He could never be a knight now. The king would never accept someone like him. No matter how hard he tried, Izuku wasn't able to exert his hand for long periods of time, and he couldn't perform actions that required precision.

"Hi, dear," Inko said softly one night, peeking into his room to see him struggling with his calligraphy brush. "It's almost time for bed. It's been a while since we've read a bedtime story together. Did you want to do that? It might be nice." She smiled at him warily. Ever since the incident in the forest, she treated him like he would break at any moment.

"Sure, mom," Izuku said with a sigh. He walked over to the shelf, his eyes scanning the titles of the few books they had.

He froze, and his mood instantly soured when he saw the Book of Heroes. He remembered asking his mother if the hero in the first story could be him one day. It had meant so much to him to hear that it was possible.

Shakily, Izuku reached for the book and opened it. His mother's smile fell when she realized what he was doing.

He stared at the first page. His mother usually read it for him, so he had yet to read the prophecy for himself. It was only a few short lines, much briefer than the way his mom usually told it.

In plain, large handwriting, it read: 'one day the chosen one will slay the heart of a dragon, destroy the monsters threatening the kingdom, and cleanse an evil. Only with the legendary sword shall peace come to save the land. All of this will only come to pass if-'

There was no mention of a common boy with a dream who worked his way to the top. The prophecy didn't even have a proper ending. It was only fragmented nonsense that his mother had turned into a fantastical tale, too good to be true. She'd lied to him and tricked him into thinking that dreams came true.

"Mom… do you still think the hero of the story… could be me?" Izuku asked her, just as he had many seasons before.

His mother burst into tears and hugged him tightly. "I'm so sorry, Izuku."

That wasn't the answer he wanted.

Time passed. When Izuku's mother finally stopped watching him like a hawk, he made his way back to the forest at night to see it one last time.

The clearing where he and Katsuki had spent so many nights together showed no sign of anyone ever being there before. It was as if Katsuki had never existed and the fiery, wild boy was all a part of some beautiful dream.

Izuku took a moment to soak it in and commit it all to memory. He never wanted to forget what it had felt like to hold a sword, to have his dreams so close in his grasp. He never wanted to forget Katsuki either, the friend who had challenged him and inspired him to be better.

Things were different now. Dreams didn't come true in his new reality. It was time for him to focus on finding another future.

Then, just as he was about to leave, Izuku spotted his shortsword lying on the ground, covered in snow yet still barely visible poking out from behind the rock where he had hidden it last. He looked around for Katsuki's scimitar and found nothing. He couldn't find his book about Sir Yagi either, even though he was sure it had been left out there in the forest too.

Izuku let out a shaky exhale. Katsuki must have come back and taken them. At least, that's what he hoped. He found solace knowing that Katsuki was still out there, safe and sound. He had no regrets about saving his life.

Maybe one day they'd meet again.