Chapter IX: Oh what to do?
After grabbing supplies, they took off for Ignis. As they flew north from the mountain, vast green fields spread out below them with small farming villages popping up occasionally between them. Izuku was fascinated by how all the inhabitants of the villages looked like working ants as they moved about their daily chores. Within a couple of hours, the edge of the forest came into view. Among the vast canopy of trees, Bakugo found a large meadow to land.
Scatha came down to a smooth stop in the soft grass and laid down. Bakugo hopped off and helped Izuku off. Izuku grabbed his bag, throwing it over his shoulder as well as a few supplies for the hike back to his home.
"Have everything you need?" Bakugo asked, leaning against Scatha. Izuku walked up to the massive dragon's nose and patted her lightly. She let out a contented sigh, small trails of smoke coming from her nostrils.
"I think so." He said as he stood, 'Except my heart. Oh wait, you have that.' He thought.
Bakugo's eyebrow raised slightly. Izuku had been a bit off since this morning like he couldn't seem to get out of his head. Throughout collecting supplies and even flying, he seemed distracted.
Bakugo stepped a bit closer to him; Izuku jumped slightly, trying to regain some semblance of personal space. Bakugo chuckled softly, reaching forward and lightly dislodging some leaves that had found shelter in Izuku's hair.
"You can sure be skittish Deku," Bakugo said.
Izuku looked away, "Sorry." He muttered.
"It's charming in its' way."
Izuku felt his cheeks getting hot as he fiddled with the strap of his bag, "W-will you come and visit soon?"
"Probably, Recovery Girl will probably send me to retrieve you if she needs help." Bakugo's fingers lingered for a second near his cheek.
'Is that the only reason?' Izuku thought, looking at the ground.
Bakugo's eyebrow raised as he stepped closer, "What is going on with you Deku?"
A shiver raked through Izuku's body as he felt the king's warm breath so close to his ear, "N-nothing!" He yelled, louder than he originally intended. His hand rubbed the back of his neck, "I-it's nothing, j-just trying to organize everything I need to do when I get home in my head."
Bakugo stepped back, "Then I shall get going." He got up onto Scatha and lightly nudged her. She growls as she stood up. Izuku stepped back to give the dragon room to move around.
"W-wait!" He called, holding his hand out in front of him. Bakugo looked down at him as he swallowed slightly, "I-I hope to see you again soon. Please visit whenever you like." He said, smiling softly.
A cocky smile formed across Bakugo's face, "Oh I will. I won't forget you Deku, just like I know you cannot forget me." Bakugo proclaimed as Scatha took off for the sky. Izuku watched them soar high above him. His heart was trying to beat out of his chest.
'I certainly can't forget about you, Kacchan' He thought before quickly turning around and hiking back home.
X
Shigaraki sat on the stairs of a large, dark temple. The sharp angles of the roof glittered in the night; the spires on either side of him a deep red color, like the building was bleeding. A dense fog surrounded the grounds of the temple, a stillness in the air like time itself had paused. His thick black robes lightly moved in the wind.
Two figures slowly emerged from the fog. To the left was a short, young woman. She wore a short green dress with a brown corset around her waist, black trousers hugging close to her legs. A belt hung loosely on her hips, glittering with knives of all kinds. Her long blond hair was in two small buns atop her head. On the right was a tall man with thick, black hair spiked atop his head. He wore loose purple robes, looking like a monk. The skin that could be seen was littered with scars, under his eyes, and around his jaw. He looked more like a victim of the devil's dealings than a man of Buddha.
"Are you Shigaraki?" The woman asked, her voice shrill and excited.
"Who would like to know?" Shigaraki asked.
"My name is Toga, and this is Dabi." The woman said, "We want to join your group?"
"What if we don't need you?"
"Shigaraki, don't be mean." A deep voice rang from the temple, "Invite them in. They may prove to be useful."
Shigaraki slowly stood, turning and entering the large temple doors while the two strangers followed behind.
X
Izuku's head dropped to the desk in frustration. The vast library surrounding him illuminated with bright light, and the books flew like small birds from shelf to shelf as they were selected and organized away simultaneously. Izuku was sitting at a large table, several books surrounding him in large piles. He had been researching injuries and potions needed to heal them, however; he couldn't focus on the research.
Each time he managed to get lost in his work, thoughts of Bakugo would sneak into his mind. Each moment he was left wondering what Bakugo was doing and when he would come back. It also didn't help that Izuku wasn't sleeping very well, with dreams plaguing him of Bakugo sneaking through his window, not speaking a word but letting his actions speak for him.
Izuku lifted his head; his notebook splayed open with a few notes written on the page he was on. He flipped to his drawing of Bakugo smiling, a soft sigh escaping his throat.
'Do you even realize what you do to me?' He thought as he looked at the drawing, 'I wonder what you are doing right now?'
"He's cute, who is he?" A soft, calm voice questioned from behind him. He jumped slightly and turned. It was his friend Uraraka, a young witch a broad smile and bright pink cheeks stood behind him.
He glanced from her to the drawing, "N-no one, j-just a friend of mine." He said nervously, trying to flip back to his notes.
"Oh sure, just a friend." She joked as she sat next to him, "That is an attentive drawing for someone who you see as 'just a friend.'" She said, using her hands to create air quotes around "just a friend."
"H-He has a nice smile," Izuku said, staring at the table as he refused to look Uraraka in the eye.
'Oh Izuku, you're in deep aren't you?' She thought, a slightly sad smile forming on her lips.
"So where have you been?" She asked, "I haven't seen you in here in weeks."
Izuku composed himself and smiled her, "All Might sent me to do some studying in the mountains. He said it would be good for me to understand the different environments I may encounter as a fully trained wizard."
"Oh, so he's from the mountains?"
"W-well yes." He pressed the tips of his fingers together, his eyes focusing on a book attempting to find its home on one of the shelves.
"Ooh, love in the wilds of the forest." She said, wiggling her eyebrows at him.
"I-It wasn't like that!" He proclaimed, his eyes wide as his cheeks heated up, his mind flooded with the memory of being pinned against the window as well as the dreams his mind conjured up.
"I-I don't think likes me like that," he said as he rubbed his neck, his eyes softening and his mouth falling into a frown as his eyes focused on the floor.
"Do you know that for a fact?" She asked, caressing his cheek and lifting his chin, so his eyes met hers.
A small laugh escaped his lips, a soft smile forming that didn't quite reach his eyes, "Well no, but feelings are the hardest thing to read."
"I am not interrupting anything, am I?" A tall woman said as she approached them. It was Professor Midnight; she taught potions. Her thick red glasses contrasted with the rest of her black robes, only matching the rubies around her neck.
"N-No ma'm," Izuku said as he jolted back in his seat. Uraraka smiled at her.
"Good afternoon professor," Uraraka said, and Midnight beamed at her.
"Good afternoon to you both. Midoryia, I wanted to let you know that All Might has requested to see you. He is in his workshop."
Izuku nodded, "Thank you, professor. I will go to see him right away" he said
Izuku got up and gathered his things, placing a spell on the books he was looking at, so they floated back to their shelves with the others.
X
Izuku arrived at All Might's workshop. It was a quaint, tiny hut on the east side of town. He pushed the door open with his shoulder, knocking over a pile of books that sitting behind it.
"All Might!" He called, "I'm here!" He cast a spell on the pile of books, so they flew to a corner and stacked themselves accordingly.
"Midoryia, come in." a craggy voice of an old man called. Izuku walked in and shut the door behind him, his brow furrowed slightly. He looked around the room until he found the owner of the voice. A short old man with spiky gray hair stood at the top one of the bookshelves on a ladder, muttering to himself as he searched the titles.
"Grand Torino, what are you doing here?" Izuku asked, holding the ladder steady for him.
"Toshinori needed to run to a meeting. He told me you should be coming soon, so he wanted me to entertain you while till his return" Grand Torino said as he continued searching.
Izuku nodded before leaning against the shelf, keeping an eye on the ladder, so it didn't slip out from beneath Grand Torino.
"So, you went to the Land of the Dragons I hear." Grand Torino said
Izuku perked up, "Y-yes, I healed the Dragon King and he invited me to stay in his village. I helped the village wise woman with treating injuries and ailments."
"You know not many wizards can say that they have blessed with that honor. Tell me, what do you think of the young Dragon King."
"Well" Izuku fiddled with his glove, "He's cocky, arrogant, rude, quick-tempered and avaricious" he walked over to a table shoved into the corner of the room, grabbing the chair and sitting down. Grand Torino stopped his searching and looked over at Izuku, his eyebrows raising.
"He's also" Izuku continued, folding his hands and leaning down on his legs and looking at the floor, "extremely honorable, strong and thoughtful. A devoted king to his people like none I have ever seen before."
Grand Torino slowly got down from the ladder, "Is that so? Are you going to see him again?" He asked
Izuku sighed, "I-I don't know. He said he might come and see me if the wise woman needs me, but other than that" He said as fiddled with a string coming off his sleeve, trying to not overthink about it.
The short old man grabbed his walking stick and leaned up against the shelf, "And I'm guessing it's not easy for you to go and visit him."
"No, a cloaking spell protects the whole village. I wouldn't be able to find it on my own." Izuku ran his hand through his hair, "Plus, what would I even say? 'Hey Kacchan, I ventured out here in hopes I would find your village to get to see you again. How are you?' Ridiculous." He said with a huff, his eyes gliding across the floor over to a pile of books on the other side of the room, his cheeks slightly red.
"Well, glad to know you've fallen for him already. When should we expect the wedding?" Grand Torino said as he dusted off the front of his robes.
A visible shiver shot up Izuku's back, his face turning beat red, "W-wait! I-It's not like that!" He yelled, his hands covering his face.
"Who's wedding are we attending?" Another man stated as he walked into the workshop. He was a tall, slender man with bright blonde hair spiking from his head with bangs framing his angular face.
"Oh Toshinori, welcome back." Grand Torino said, "Young Midoryia was just telling me about his experiences in the Land of the Dragons."
"Oh really, did you manage to find a girl while you were up there? Have you told your mother about the engagement?"
Izuku refused to look at either one of them, trying to figure out how the conversation turned to this, "A-All Might, you wanted to talk to me about something." He said quietly.
The thinner man smiled, "Yes, come with me." He said, motioning with his hand as he walked towards a study in the back of the workshop.
Izuku stood and followed, chancing one last glance at Grand Tornio, who smiled and gave him a thumbs up. Izuku quickly caught up to All Might.
The room was small, filled to the brim with books and scrolls with a single desk sitting in the middle. All Might sat down on the stool by the counter, placing his hands in his lap and looking up at the ceiling. Izuku dusted off a small trunk and sat on it.
"So, you were scarce on details in your letter regarding exactly why you went to the Land of the Dragons." All Might said, his eyes wandering over to Izuku.
"Y-yes, the circumstance was kind of peculiar. I didn't know how to go about explaining it in writing." Izuku said, resting his hands in his lap.
"Then why not try now?"
Izuku looked at the floor, trying to find the words, "I found the Dragon King in one of the caves north of here. He was severely injured, and it took me a few days to heal him. After that, he wished to return to his village and recruited me to come with him. His village was attacked by wizards wielding dark magic, and he was unsure what state his people were in."
All Mights eyebrows raised, "Wizards using dark magic?"
Izuku nodded, "The Dragon King thought that King Endeavor might have sent them. King Endeavor had asked him to allow the king to draft his soldiers and dragons into his army, stating that war was to come if he didn't. The Dragon King refused."
"Thus King Endeavor may have sent dark wizards to massacre the Land of the Dragons to attempt to persuade him" All Might sighed, "I, unfortunately, can't say I disagree with the young king, and with your history, I bet you would have had the same thought."
Izuku nodded as he looked away. King Endeavor had declared war on a neighboring kingdom and drafted all the men from the nation to serve. His father went to join the army. A few weeks later they were told that during battle, he died. After that, he began studying healing magic, and All Might took him on as an apprentice.
"However, something doesn't sound right about that explanation" All Might continued, "King Endeavor may have sent soldiers, but dark wizards? Something about that doesn't sound right."
Izuku's eyes met his, "W-what do you mean?" He said
"You remember the story of how I obtained my power, correct?"
Izuku nodded, "Two brothers inherited powerful magic. One wished to rule the world, but the other wanted to protect it. The one who wanted power began welding dark magic to meet his goals. The other fought against him and eventually killed him, and developed a spell that allowed the magic transferred from one wizard to the next."
"Yes, and just like my master passed her magic onto me; I passed my magic onto you." He leaned forward, his finger touching his chin as he thought, "Though if I remember right, the story wasn't that the brother who wanted to protect the world killed his brother, but simply overwhelmed him."
"B-but All Might, that story happened over five-hundred years ago; there is no way that he could still be alive."
"Anything is possible Young Midoryia, though what he is would be after is still unclear."
"And what would he want with the Land of the Dragons."
"I have my thoughts, but I can't be sure. Though I would urge you to be cautious if you plan on returning there."
Izuku let out a soft laugh, "I don't think you have to worry about that." He said softly
All Might's eyebrows raised, "What did you do?"
Izuku looked away, "N-Nothing, Bakugo just told me he would come and visit me if the wise woman needs me. Given their history, they have remained secluded for a very long time, so I doubt that will be any time soon."
A small smile broke across All Might's face, "Well you know what they say?" He said.
Izuku's eyes met his, "What?" He asked
"Love always finds a way." He said as he turned towards his small desk.
Izuku bolted up, his face steaming, "I-I-I has to go!" He proclaimed and bolted for the door, rushing past Grand Torino.
"Have a good honeymoon!" Grand Torino called after him, causing him to quicken his pace. All Might got up and stood next to Grand Torino, smiling as Izuku disappeared into the distance.
"So, you believe that One for All has returned from the dead?" Grand Torino asked, turning his eyes to All Might.
All Might's smile slowly faded, "It's the only explanation that makes sense" he said
"And do you think he's after the little gift you received from the Land of the Dragons?"
"He craves power, and it would be the one thing that would give it to him."
Grand Torino's eyes fell back on the door, "When are you planning to tell Midoryia?"
All Might sighed, "Let us see if he returns there if he does I will make sure he knows." He turned and returned to his office. Grand Torino nodded.
As Izuku returned to his house, he began to calm down. He tried not to think too hard about what All Might had said. If he gave himself that kind of hope, whose to say how much farther he would fall for the Dragon King. His mother met him at the door.
"Izuku! You will never believe what came today!" His mother called from the porch. His heart fluttered slightly.
"W-What is it mom?" He asked, running up the steps to her side.
"Prince Todoroki invited you to the palace for tea tomorrow." She said. His eyes widened.
"W-What? H-He invited me?" He asked. She led him into the house and picked up the invitation from the coffee table.
"Yes, he sent a messenger this morning after you went to the library." She handed him the beautiful stationery. The gold trimmed paper of a royal summons, requesting his presence at tea tomorrow afternoon for a formal conference with the Prince. He slowly sat down on the couch.
'Kacchan was right.' He thought as realization washed over him and his eyes glided to the floor. He had met the Prince before and hadn't received any formal summons afterward. He sees him while in the Land of the Dragons, hanging out with the Dragon King and suddenly he's being summoned to the palace.
'Is this a date?' He thought, his eyes returning to the invitation.
"Izuku, Izuku!" His mother called, leaning closer to him. He perked up and met her gaze.
"So are you going to go?" She asked, "I mean certainly you have to go, it is a royal summons after all, but do you want to go?"
"I-I am going. H-he took the trouble of sending out a messenger. I-I might as well see what he would like to talk about." He said with a small smile.
His mother beamed at him, "Absolutely! Oh if you're going to the palace, I should iron your nice shirt!" She said as she scurried deeper into the house.
Izuku swallowed slightly, his eyes returning to the invitation.
'How will I explain to the prince that I'm in love with Kacchan?' He thought and slowly made his way upstairs to his bedroom.
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