[Ten Years ago]

Location: Devaron Eisley Forest - Center Terrain

Time: 16:02 (04:02) P.M.

Date: Friday, June 16th, 2348

"...are you sure you aren't going to eat us?"

"We assure you, we mean no harm, Mrs. Midoriya," Astarot said respectfully and patiently while resting on his stomach so as to pose no threat to the woman. "We've been teaching your son for a while, and we had grown fond of him."

Inko was overwhelmed, and it was an understatement. She woke up a while back, thinking that the giant dragon her son somehow knew was nothing more than a dream.

Only for her to scream hysterically when she saw the same earth-like Dragon (Artorious, if she remembered correctly) sleeping nearby. The Dragon was disgruntled at being rudely awoken, but thankfully he didn't eat her.

But where was Izuku?

Well, it seemed that her screams gathered the attention of other Dragons living here, and her baby was riding on top of the feather-like Dragon. She almost had a heart attack right then and there, and she couldn't even make a single scream.

Thankfully for her heart, the feather Dragon -Inko just briefly heard her son call them Astarot- laid down and lowered his head so that her son could climb down.

When Izuku ran up to her, Inko hugged her baby, she briefly heard him say something about it, but it was currently irrelevant. She slowly stepped back from the Dragons, but thankfully they hadn't come any closer to her. If anything, it seems the plant-like Dragon and Astarot were more interested in scolding Artorious for sleeping openly in front of her.

The Dragon scoffed and rolled his eyes, "Whatever. You guys talk to the screaming banshee. I'm going back to sleep!"

"Artorious!" reprimanded Astarot.

Artorious grumbled something unsavory under his breath, went to the group's opposite side, and curled up. It wasn't long before loud snores reached their ears.

The Plant-like dragon shook his head in exaggeration. He'll have words with the Earth Dragon later. Currently, there were more important matters to deal with than the usual antics of Artorious.

"I apologize if we frightened you, Mrs. Midoriya, but I assure you we mean no harm."

Inko let out a shaky breath, "W-who are you?" She stuttered.

"Ah yes, where are our manners?" Hummed the Dragon, "My name is Singrid, I am the Forest Dragon."

"And I am Astarot, the Sky Dragon." The Feather Dragon smiled kindly to her.

So these are the peop- Dragons who were apparently training her baby. But according to Izuku, there were five of them, but she only saw three. Where were the other two?

Not that she was terribly eager to find out.

Nevertheless, the Dragons were kind and patient, and Singrid and Astarot assured her that they did not plan to eat her or Izuku. She had noticed that both of them looked uncomfortable at the thought, and while they couldn't see his expression, Inko could tell that the Earth Dragon grimaced.

It helps her relax.

A little.

"Mom!" Izuku whines as he struggles to get out of Inko's hold, "Can you let me go, please? I can't breathe!"

Reluctantly Inko lets the boy go. After regaining his breath, Izuku ran to the Forest Dragon, jumped on their snout, and climbed on. Inko looked as though she was going to faint again, but thankfully she didn't. If anything, she was bewildered.

Singrid chuckled at the boy's antics, "Yes, Izuku, we understand that you love us and are eager to learn. But please allow your mother to get comfortable with us first."

At least Izuku had the tendency to look sheepish and let go of the Forest Dragon's snout. "Sorry…"

There was a loud snort, and Astarot shot Artorious, who disregarded his nap and was now looking at them with amusement, a look of disapproval.

Thankfully, for Inko's sake, the Dragons remained friendly and somewhat patient.

"Now then, Mrs. Midoriya," Singrind began, "Has your son told you about us teaching him our power?"

Yes, Inko frankly remembered that, though he worded it differently. "Yes…Izuku did mention you were able to give him a quirk."

There was another snort of amusement from Artorious, and Izuku gave his mom a sheepish smile. Astarot, having enough of the Earth Dragon's rudeness, went to the Earth Dragon and smacked him in the head.

"Artorious, if you aren't going to behave, you might as well leave," Astarot said firmly with narrowed eyes. "Now."

The Dragon merely uttered a grumble of annoyance and huffed before he took to the sky. Astarot shook his head and mentally swore to punish Artorious later.

He always wondered how his late mate had the patience and firmness to deal with the likes of Metalicana and Igneel. At least he should be thankful that he had Singrid and Sutorimu to keep him in line. While Smaragdus was similar to Artorious, without the foul language and bluntness, the Emerald Dragon had the decency to mellow down since the Dragon King's Festival.

Singrid shook his head at his friends' antics and turned to Inko with the kindness smile he could muster. "Your son isn't wrong, Ms. Midoriya. Though, I'm afraid we can't give your son a power similar to that of yours and your mate."

Inko looked a little shaken, but thankfully, she managed to relax a little. "I-I understand..."

"Additionally, what we are giving your son isn't exactly a quirk…." Astarot said as he made his way back to his former spot. "Rather, we are teaching magic."

"Magic?" Inko asked in disbelief.

It isn't possible. Magic isn't real!

Yet…

"Yes…" Singrid said gently, "I am teaching him a rare type of magic, that it might as well be considered lost magic. This magic is known as Dragon Slaying Magic, and as the name suggests, its purpose is to slay Dragons. And because he wields my element, your son is a Forest Dragon Slayer."

Inko looked blank before doing something which none of the Dragons were expecting.

She fainted.

Astarot and Singrid blinked in surprise while Izuku quickly climbed down to fuss over his mother. Both Dragons looked at each other, looking a little uncomfortable and uncertain about what to do here. Yes, the youngling had warned them that his mother had a fainting problem when she was in shock. Yet they had no idea what to do here, as they had never dealt with this before. The humans in Earthland never reacted like this.

Thankfully, they didn't have to do anything, as she had recovered quickly and looked shaken.

"A-and this m-magic.." She stumbled at her words, "I-it won't hurt my baby, right?"

"I assure you that your son is safe," Singrid said gracefully, recovering his stupor quickly as Izuku returned to them and started climbing on Astarot's arm. "The ritual has been completed successfully since yesterday afternoon. Thus, your son now wields my magic naturally like breathing."

Inko could only stare in shock, but thankfully she didn't faint again.

"That being said, we didn't want to leave you in the dark nor worry you as we train your son," Singrid said. "So we wanted your approval to continue training your son. All while ensuring you don't worry for your son constantly."

Inko looked uncertain. On one hand, she was worried for her baby. But on the other hand, she wanted this. This was a lifetime opportunity that could benefit Izuku. With just one look at Izuku, she could tell that her baby adored the Dragons, and the Dragons adored him.

And Izuku will no longer suffer society's harsh treatment of the quirkless.

Letting out an exhale, Inko allowed herself to relax as much as she could and looked at the Dragons in the eyes. It was scary, and she never thought in her life she would do this… but she held her ground and was firm.

"I'll allow it." Inko said, "Under the condition that my baby isn't endangered. I hate the idea of my son putting his life into training your magic." While it was still unbelievable to think magic existed, Inko was willing to be open-minded for her son.

Singrid smiled kindly, "Mrs. Midoriya, I swear by the Dragon's sacred oath that your son will not be in immediate danger during training."

"Thank you…and please, call me Inko."

"Of course. You and your son will always be welcome, Inko."


[Present]

Location: Takoba Municipal Beach Park.

Time: 11:32 A.M.

Day: Saturday, September 3rd, 2358

Izuku had decided to take a detour home from his jog and felt nostalgia hit him when the salty smell of the sea hit his nostrils. It was a tradition for him every time he went jogging or came home from school. Today was no different.

He picked up a couple of glass bottles that were brought in by the current. Thankfully, this was the only trash around here.

He remembered when he first came here four years ago, and to put it bluntly, it was a fucking dump. The stench of garbage and seaweed was almost enough to knock him out. Honestly, one of the disadvantages of having enhanced senses is that you can't turn it off.

Thankfully, he dedicated himself to cleaning this beach, which cleared the stench. All that was left was the natural scent of the salty sea and seaweed. It still wasn't the best smell, but at least it wasn't unpleasant. It won't change that he and Sutorimu prefer fresh water to salty water.

His hard work was all worth it because while the beach was empty now, numerous people would be here later in the day to relax. And people are actually taking care of this beach now. There are even some patrollers to catch any litterers.

Izuku sucked in a breath and let it out with content. He was in no rush, and he had been working hard these days. Maybe he should relax on the beach today? The Dragons did encourage him to take a breather now and then to discourage overworking again. His mom wasn't working today either. Surely she would love to spend some time with him here.

While it was a little chilly for Inko to swim, surely she would enjoy the sight while her son swam on the cold beach. Normally he and his mom would visit the Dragonkin, but unfortunately, they started to go into the stages of hibernation. Izuku wouldn't be able to visit them during the winter months, which saddened him. However, when the seasons change and the cold months turn warm, the Dragonkin should wake up, and Izuku could visit them with his mom.

"Hey, old man! What the fuck is a bonefish like you doing here?!"

"Yeah! A fishbone like you should go with the other old people!"

Izuku's train of thought was interrupted when he heard the mocking laughter and jeers with his enhanced hearing. He let out a frustrated sigh as he turned to the beach entrance to see what the commotion was. He saw a couple of teens harassing an older man who looked as though he was going to be blown away by a slight breeze. One of them had a long neck, and the other had antler-like horns on their head.

Izuku let out an exaggerated sigh and pinched the base of his nose. He recognized the four teens and was thoroughly fed up with keeping them in line.

He wondered how his Dragonkin managed to keep Artorious in line without going mad.

"It helps that it's three against one," Smaragdus said cheekily while Artorious shot a string of curses and protests toward the Emerald Dragon. Not long afterward, he yelped when a blast of scalding water collided with his face.

Izuku snorted a laugh at the reminder before sighing in exaggeration. He took a deep breath to calm down before storming to the entrance of the beach.

He quickly went up the stairs and yelled, "Hey, Keno-san! Good to see you here, buddy." He said dryly, indicating that he didn't really. "I knew you and your little gang were pathetic, but really? Trying to make yourselves feel better by ambushing someone older than you?"

The teen with a pompadour hairstyle, who was clearly the leader of the small group, scowled, "What the fuck are you doing here, Deku?!" There were shouts of agreement from his little gang, which did not amuse Izuku at all.

The skeleton of a man was surprised at the teen but mainly remained calm. Izuku's enhanced nose picked up something about him but decided to focus on that later.

"It's a public beach, morons." Izuku said bluntly, enraging the teen and his lackeys further, "Everyone is welcome here. What are you doing here? Harassing this elderly person?" Izuku gestured to the man as he crossed his hands on his chest, "Haven't your mothers ever taught you to respect your elders?" He snorted and dismissed them.

"D-Deku…!" Keno said, his face turning red with anger.

"Shut up!" Shouted the bulkier teen.

"Or what?" Izuku asked sarcastically, "You're going to beat me up? In case you assholes had forgotten, who beat up your asses yesterday in gym class? Without using a quirk, I might add." He quipped, jabbing their egos as he put his hands on his hips. The teens turned red with rage at the humiliating reminder, "Buzz off, will ya? Go lick your wounded prides somewhere else."

That was the final straw. "Get him!"

With the order given, all four teens roared with rage as they attempted to tackle the teen. Izuku was not amused and shook his head. He was in no mood to fight here and didn't really want to use his magic here, either.

But apparently, the world had something against him today.

Wanting to end this quickly as possible, he waited until the teens were close enough and then quickly got out of the way. Before the gang could process what happened, Izuku whispered, "Emerald Dragon's Hardened Claw."

His leg shone a bright green glow and hardened. The teens remained oblivious to what occurred, but they all felt the wind knocked out of their lungs, with barely all of them spitting out saliva when Izuku's magic-infused leg collided with their backs.

Of course, Izuku held back. The last thing he wanted to do was paralyze them from the waist down. But then again, the worst-case scenario he could do is kill them. He would rather deal with the former because at least he could do something about it.

Singrid and Astarot's teachings in healing magic have certainly done wonders for him.

The bullies landed five feet away, the sand somewhat softening their rough landing. Izuku heard them groan in pain and saw all of them hold their backs as they tried to regain some oxygen in their lungs. "I prefer not causing violence without reason, and I am getting tired of putting down your egos again. I have had enough with Bakugo as it is." He rolled his eyes at the reminder of his hot-headed rival. "But you idiots left me no choice. Once you can walk again, go off and lick your wounded prides and not bother any more elders. I would prefer you don't bother anyone, but that's just wishful thinking on my part."

Keno was gasping for air and glared at the teen on top of the stairs. "F-fuck…y-you…" His head landed on the sand again.

"No thanks, I can do better," Izuku said with a snort before turning his attention to the older man whose eyes were wide. "Are you alright, sir?" He said, walking towards the man to check if he was alright, his healing magic ready just in case. "No injuries?"

The man snapped out of it and cleared his throat, "Yes, I'm fine, and no, those young teens didn't do any damage. Thank you for asking." The man said with a surprisingly deep voice. He then narrowed his eyes at Izuku but made sure not to seem hostile, "You know, young man, you shouldn't have used your quirk without permission. You can get in a lot of trouble if you're caught."

Izuku sighed, "I know, and I have no excuse for what I just did. I prefer not to use my quirk in petty fights like this, but these guys never give me a choice."

The man nodded, though he was sweatdropping, "I see…." He wasn't sure how to react here.

"If you don't mind me asking…What's your name?" Izuku said, looking at him. For whatever reason…this man seems familiar. Almost as though he'd seen him somewhere. But it shouldn't be possible because, as far as his memory goes, he had never met someone so skinny in his life.

Well… the skinniest person he could think of is his father. But his father was still averagely fit compared to this skeleton.

So the feeling of familiarity this man was giving off was odd.

"My name is Toshinori Yagi." The older man said, letting out a soft smile as he offered his hand.

"I'm Izuku Midoriya," Izuku said, taking his hand and giving him a firm shake. He was surprised at the man's firm grip, but managed to conceal it. "You can call me Izuku, though. I don't mind."

Toshinori hummed, "I see."

"I should also apologize."

Toshinori was caught off guard. "What for young man?"

Izuku gestured to the gang of teens that ambushed him earlier. They remained lying on the sand, staring into the skies, "Because of those idiots. They have a bad tendency to pick on people weaker than them." He scowled at them. "I mostly keep them in line because I know as hell that no one else will."

Toshinori's lips twitched a bit before they turned into a frown. "I see. And it's alright, Young Mido-Izuku." He corrected with a cough, "You had no say in their actions. That was all on them."

Izuku smirked. He liked him. "I know, but I figured I'll do it anyway." He turned to look at Keno's group, seeing them slowly getting up, groaning, and clutching their backs. "These idiots are all about how they would be heroes." He rolled his eyes at the absurdity, "They wouldn't even be among the top five hundred if they took pleasure in bullying the weak."

"You go to the same school?"

"Unfortunately." Confirmed Izuku. "Nearly everyone in my school wants to be heroes, but most of them want it for fame and wealth." Izuku rolled his eyes, remembering his classmates' greedy intentions. Out of everyone in Aldera, Bakugo was the most worthy future hero, and that's saying something.

Especially since he was the closest, he had to a friend.

At least Izuku can accept that Bakugo was actually trying to be a hero. Despite his misguided views, Bakugo would be an excellent hero once he puts his entire drive into it.

Toshinori hummed in understanding, "Yes, that is quite a shame." The man was aware of how the true heroic spirit had been getting lost in society. "What about you, young Izuku?"

Izuku leaned on the fence, the salty air hitting his nostrils. Swimming in the salted water was very tempting, but he managed to get a hold of his instincts. "I also want to be a hero. But I could care less for the fame, glory, and wealth. All I ever wanted was to help people."

Toshinori stared at the ocean, "If you don't mind me asking, young man, why a hero?"

"Excuse me?"

Toshinori turned to Izuku's puzzled expression. "If you want to help people, why pick hero work? Why not help people by being a police officer or as a doctor? In some ways, they help people more than heroes do."

Izuku hummed thoughtfully and turned his attention to the sea, remaining silent. It had been maybe a minute that Toshinori thought that he wasn't going to answer until Izuku finally spoke, "I won't lie, I had thought of that when I was younger. My… family members mentioned I could do other things to help people." Izuku looked at the salty ocean. "But all I ever wanted to do was make people feel safe. Inspire them, just like the best heroes do, just like All Might did to me."

Toshinori hummed.

"If I haven't been training, I would be doing community service," Izuku confessed, making Toshinori do a double take. "I've done a lot of things to help people, from simple tasks like mowing their lawns or taking care of animals. Hell, this beach was a dump until I started taking out the trash four years ago."

Toshinori's eyes widened at the information, his eyes examining the currently empty beach with a glint in his eyes. "I see." He glanced at the young man with a new perceptive

"It took me nearly a year to clean this beach," Izuku said with a sigh, but he was smiling in a nostalgic way. "I've been coming here since then, not only to keep an eye on any trash but also to come here to reminisce about the moment."

Toshinori took a good look at the wistful teen next to him. "I see…." He cleared his throat, "In my opinion, young man, you're already a hero."

"Hmm?" Izuku glanced at him.

Toshinori looked at the beach, "Back in the day, long before quirks, it was community service that mattered, never mind that it was a little boring. Hearing you do all these things, you are already a hero to many."

Izuku flushed a bit, and he couldn't help but remember everyone he's helped over the years. All of them believed in him, including his mom, Dragonkin, and the stranger next to him. "Thank you." He said softly

Toshinori nodded, "Of course, young man. Since you are planning to go to a hero school, know that I am cheering on you."

Izuku beamed, "Thank you." He looked at the nearly empty beach. Since it was entering the winter season, there weren't that many people visiting, "I need to go now. Maybe I'll see you around?"

Toshinori smiled and nodded. "Of course."

With that, the boy left, and Toshinori couldn't help but watch as the boy went into the distance. He never left the direction Izuku left, even though he was out of view.

"Could he be the one?"

Once Izuku was far away, he focused back on what he sniffed out. "Despite his fragile state, the man carried a strong scent and a powerful aura at that." Izuku narrowed his eyes as he glanced back, nevermind that he couldn't see Toshinori anymore. "He has a powerful quirk, despite his state…." Izuku crunched his nose as he put thought into it before dismissing it. "I'm probably just overthinking it. It could be one of those rare occasions where a quirk isn't compatible with the body. The Dragonkin did say that humans are affected differently here."

With that, he jogged all the way home for a hearty breakfast.


Location: Aldera Junior High

Time: 10:31 A.M.

Day: Monday, September 5th, 2358

The classroom had been quiet, with the only sound being students scribbling on their desks. The chalkboard had the words "Quiz!" written boldly as the students remained focused on their tests.

Their Sensei was walking around and observing to ensure no cheating was to be committed. He had already berated three students within the last ten minutes.

Some students were swearing, and a few looked like the end was coming. A few others remained neutral or were cocky about this.

Izuku, who was sitting in the back of the classroom, was part of the neutral party. He quietly wrote down the answer to his final question, confident about this.

Once he finished and quickly checked to see if he made any mistakes, he flipped his quiz to signal his Sensei he was done. Upon seeing the nod from the man, Izuku pulled out his analysis book.

There were about five more minutes before their Sensei would end the time for the quiz, so he might use it for something.

In the front of the class, Izuku's rival had finished at the same time as the green-haired teen and flipped the test. He was among the cocky party, despite the natural frown on his face. He merely decided to lean back and put his feet on his desk.

Their Sensei shot Bakugo a disapproving look but didn't voice his displeasure. It would be pointless to fight against one of Aldera's star students. At least the other is being more respectful to his elders. Izuku glanced at his former childhood friend when he heard him scoff but merely returned his attention to his analysis.

They both studied together, so he and Bakugo would get top marks. Again. Still, it's a surprise that Bakugo came in one day, and… well, offered to study with him was an enormous understatement.


[Flashback: Three Years ago]

"So, how about it?"

Izuku looked incredulous at the ash-blond teen in front of him.

About half an hour ago, he'd returned from his training with his Dragonkin. He was tired and wanted nothing more than to take a hot shower, eat and sleep, But he decided to use a few hours to study for the upcoming end-of-the-year exams after a shower and a hot meal.

His mom was still working, so it was a surprise to hear the knock on his door. His mom had the keys and wouldn't be home until another hour or two. He picked up his scent before he opened the door, but he still wasn't expecting to see Bakugo Katsuki in his house. In his own free will, may he add, Normally the teen comes if his own mother forces him.

While both boys don't get along, Izuku, being a good host, invites him in and puts the kettle on.

Just when he gave Bakugo his tea and sat down with his own, the other boy bluntly told Izuku if he was willing to study together. Izuku looked at him as he grew another head, tea forgotten. Bakugo's scent was still…. Bakugo's. The lack of other smells indicated that he wasn't possessed either.

Did this really mean…?

"...I never thought there would be a day where you would ask for my help," Izuku said, still incredulous that Bakugo asked for his help. "How much of your pride did you swallow to ask me that?"

Bakugo shot him an annoyed glare, "Oh fuck you, Deku. I am many things, but I sure as hell ain't stupid."

"Exactly," Izuku said slowly, his brain still unable to process that the teen in front of him wanted to study with him, "You're intelligent as it is, Bakugo. We're both basically fighting neck to neck for the top marks. So why are you here when you can study on your own?

"Isn't it obvious?" He sneered, "The other extras aren't much of a challenge, and only you can be equal to me, you shitty Deku."

"That's the nicest thing you ever said to me, Kacchan." Izuku sneered at him.

A tick mark formed on his head, but he decided not to take the bait, "We're the fucking top students in the school, so if I ever have a chance on getting better..," Bakugo scowled, Izuku figured the teen was swallowing his pride, again to his surprise "I need…I need your… I need-!"

Izuku waited with a raised eyebrow as his lips twitched. Despite being thrown out of the loop at the unexpected proposal, he was amused to see the rare opportunity of Bakugo sputtering with his words. It shows that even a headstrong person like Bakugo was human. That he was vulnerable.

It was refreshing to see.

He scowled, "Wipe the smug smirk off your face Deku!"

Izuku rolled his eyes, "Well, I suppose this is one of a few rare cases where I see you begging-"

"I wasn't begging you ass!"

"-...for my help. But I can see where you're going with this." Izuku said, taking a sip of his semi-warm tea. "This could benefit me as well. We can cover each other's weak points, check any mistakes and learn from each other."

Bakugo said something foul under his breath, which Izuku picked up with his heightened hearing but decided not to comment on it. Besides, he's heard much worse come out of Artorious' mouth. But stars forbid him what would happen if Bakugo met the Earth Dragon.

He sweatdropped at the thought as he drank the last drops of his tea. It would be better if he didn't think about it and to ensure they never meet.


[End Flashback]

And it did benefit them. Izuku's and Bakugo's grades had skyrocketed through the roof, leaving most of the students in the dust. Even a student with a minor quirk that helped boost their intelligence was no match against the brains of the two stars students of Aldera.

The fact that they were also physically pushing themselves to their limits made many in Aldera feel inadequate. The two were practically gods (Dragon god in Izuku's case) among the student body in Aldera, and everyone had little chance of catching up to them.

"Alright, everyone, pencils down." The older man said five minutes later, gaining a few complaints which were ignored. "Pass down your quizzes to the end of the row and give them to me."

They did that, and Izuku stood up to put the stacks of paper packets on their Sensei's desk. The man nodded in thanks to the green-haired teen as he made it to his seat and turned his attention to the students in front of him.

"Now then, " He cleared his throat. "A while back, I neglected to give you aptitude tests a while back, but…." He grinned, his students matching him. "Why bother? All of you want to be heroes!"

There were cheers, but Izuku ignored them, more interested in his analysis book. Some of them were showing off their quirks. Izuku pulled out a tiny stone from his pocket and plopped it inside his mouth as a one-biter snack.

His chewing caught the attention of a student with a rock mutation. The student flinched, stopped cheering, and eyed Izuku with wary eyes. Izuku glanced at him and gave him a terrifying smirk while opening his mouth to expose his canines and snapping them shut. The clicking noise his teeth made caused the poor teen to look away with a terrified squeak and face.

Izuku chuckled. He remembered when he ate off a few stones from the teen when he was younger and had less control of his instincts. They tasted terrible, but it certainly drove the lesson home, as Smaragdus and Artorious said it would (with Artoriuous using some poor word choices that sent Sutorimu shooting him scalding hot water on the Earth Dragon's ass).

Don't pick on anyone weaker than you cause they'll end up surprising you.

Katsuki smirked, arrogance radiating out of him so much so that Izuku could smell it from his end. The green-haired teen rolled his eyes and focused back on his notebook.

"And from what I gathered, both Bakugo and Midoriya want to sign up for UA."

The cheering ended abruptly, and everyone slowly turned their attention to either Izuku or Bakugo. They couldn't laugh. They wouldn't.

The once quirkless and weakling Deku grew up to be a monster with a powerful quirk. The only one who could rival his strength and power was Bakugo, which was why the two were considered the star students of Aldera. Rumors were going on that Izuku and Bakugo once fought against each other in a friendly spar (friendly being loosely used), and they accidentally destroyed the area they were on.

Needless to say, many students grew to respect them out of fear. Many of the teens kissed their chances in UA goodbye and decided to focus on other careers.

Bakugo, however, scowled at the reminder of his rival's intent to apply for UA. It was barely something that he and Deku worked together to increase their chances. That didn't stop him from remembering that particular conversation he had with him years ago.


[Flashback: Four Years ago

Location: Tokoka Municipal Beach Park]

The foul stench of the garbage nearly drove Bakugo away, but he was on a mission. He looked around the fucking dump. There was everyday garbage, such as bottles and whatever shit. There were also refrigerators and a couple of cars around here.

How in the world anyone did this was something Bakugo did not want to know or care about. Instead, he focused his attention on the person who was stupidly crazy to clean this entire beach,

"Deku!"

Deku nearly jumped in surprise. He blinked in surprise when he saw him storming toward him, but it quickly turned to a narrowed expression, his body almost going on the defensive. "What do you want, Bakugo? I'm busy." He muttered as he walked past him, carrying a surprisingly intact microwave with one hand with seemingly no effort.

Bakugo stormed right behind him, not wanting to lose him out of his sight, "I heard from the old hag that she heard from aunty that you're planning to enter UA."

"Me and all of our classmates." Bakugo could already picture fucking Deku rolling his eyes, making him angry, "Why does it suddenly matter? Why do you suddenly care when I'm involved? Why not everyone else? Everyone in Aldera wants to sign up as much as we do."

"The other extras are nothing." Scoffed Bakugo, "They wouldn't be worth UA's time. They lack the drive and power to get in."

The teen hummed in agreement. A rare sight to behold.

"But you-!"

"But me what, Bakugo?" He stressed with a tired sigh, "Am I supposed to stop following my dream? But I should take a swoon dive from the roofs in hopes of getting a new life and join UA after you? But I shouldn't go to UA and instead go to Shiketsu? But I shouldn't go to UA because you asked? But what Bakugo? What's the but?"

Both climbed up the stairs, Deku remaining unbothered by the weight of the microwave on his arm.

Bakugo was silent as he processed this and then scoffed, "Please, even if you get in, you would be nothing next to me."

Deku stopped walking, with Bakugo stopping too to not bump into him. Shitty Deku remained quiet for a moment as if collecting his thoughts before letting out a tired sigh. "Why do you care?"

Bakugo bristled, "You-!"

"Bakugo, there is no doubt you are strong." Deku intercepted before he blew up, literally and figuratively. "Your explosions could easily destroy buildings, and you certainly held your own against me in our spars, which alone allowed me to respect your strength."

"So why does it matter that I'm going to UA?"

Bakugo stared silently, unable to come up with a comeback, which gave Deku the opportunity to speak again.

"We're signing up for UA, but you aren't the only kid. Have you paused to think there are greater challengers out there than me? People who are much stronger than both of us?"

"Of fucking course I do!" Bakugo sneered at the thought, "I'm not fucking blind that every extra around the world will sign up for UA! This just means that this is my time to show I am the best!"

Izuku remained silent before turning to Bakugo with a flat stare, "Kacchan-"

"Don't call me that, damn it!"

"...-you are an average fish in a small pond." Izuku bluntly said, unbothered by the malice the ashen-blond teen was producing, "You were a big shot until a bigger predator stepped in." He was obviously gesturing himself. "And only then did you see the challenges up ahead."

"You train your body and quirk, you study extra hard, and we spar every opportunity we have." He said calmly, "But that was only when I showed you how much of a threat I can be towards you. I am strong myself, but even I acknowledge that there will be someone stronger than me. Hell, there are rumors that Endeavor, the number two hero, plans to enlist his son in UA."

Bakugo gritted his teeth, unable to come up with a comeback on that.

"Our rivalry has done well for us, and it will push us further in UA. I care very little about what you think of me. But if you really want to prove me wrong, then after the exams, when, not if, we go to UA, you can have your chance to prove it. Otherwise, you aren't worth my time."

With that, De-Midoriya stormed away with his haul to a nearby dump.

Katsuki stares at Midoriya's leaving form before storming away from where he came from. If the nerd really wanted to prove him wrong, then so be it. When he has the chance, he will show Deku who's the strongest.

Which meant he needed to train more.

He hated it when the nerd was right about this. But one way or another, he refuses to allow his rival to get ahead of him.


[End Flashback]

Bakugo bit his tongue so as not to cause a scene. As tempting as it is, there was no point. The nerd is as stubborn as a Dragon (something which Deku proudly admitted when they were brats). He glared at the nerd, and Deku gave him a look, almost challenging him.

He gritted his teeth and stood up, "Deku! You better be at your best when I beat your ass!"

The self-proclaimed Dragon just sneered at him, "We'll see when I make you eat dirt!"

The sparks they shot at each other were enough to influence the rest of the class to stay away. It continued until their Sensei told them to settle down.

Just another typical day in Aldera.


[Flashback]

Location: Aldera Elementary School

Time: 12:11 P.M.

Day: Wednesday, May, 15th, 2349

It was a bright warm sunny day. It was very lovely that their Sensei decided to treat her students to eating their lunches outside the school. Under the condition that they were from the teacher's point of view, all the students were allowed to sit anywhere.

Kids eagerly, a few with apparent mutations, were eagerly looking for a good spot to sit. Most of them had found good places, sat with friends, or were alone.

Bakugo himself had found a decent spot under a shade with his lackeys sitting with him, to his annoyance. Izuku was surprisingly away from the boy. It was strange to everyone, as the quirkless Deku had followed Bakugo like a leech.

Bakugo, however, was pleased that the weakling had stopped trying to ride his coattails. Though it's still annoying that Deku thinks he can be a hero without a quirk. He'll eventually beat it into his head, but for now, he would enjoy lunch.

It would've been better if the other extras had left him alone, though.

Izuku felt his stomach growl, and he placed his hand on it. He decided to sit alone in a shady spot. It was untidy; there were rocks everywhere, the grass was left unkept, and a giant branch from the tree that nearly snapped all the way was left hanging in a place where he could reach.

He would eat his lunch, if he still had it. One of the kids decided to be mean and ate the lunch his mom made him. It was a shame, too, cause his mom made him Katsudon.

So he was without anything to eat, and while unfortunate, he planned to use his time in lunch on his analysis notebook. At least, that was his intended plan for today, but then his nose picked up a familiar mouthwatering scent, which led him here in the first place. His nostrils flared at the delicious spreading nature had left behind. Perhaps it wouldn't taste as delicious as his Dragonkin's magic-infused materials, but it would still be a filling meal.

Unsure where to start grabbing a rock which was a little smaller than his tiny hand, He felt the texture. It was hard and firm. It was relatively smooth, which Artorious did admit to finding delightful compared to the rocks with the rougher edges.

Without hesitation, he took a bite, his sharp canines piercing through the rock with minimal effort. He munched on the rock, enjoying the texture and taste. Within a couple of bites, he polished through the stone.

His stomach growled, indicating it was not satisfied.

He took another.

And another.

And another.

Eventually, it was clear of rocks, but his stomach remained unsatisfied.

His eyes landed on the unkept grass. His canines ached, his nostrils flaring at the alluring scent, and his mouth watered. He licked his lips, falling into instincts. He stood up, his analysis notebook forgotten as it dropped from his lap to the ground. He plucked out a fistful of grass and weeds and shoved them into his mouth. He was too caught up in his meal that he neglected to pay attention to his surroundings.


Bakugo had finished his meal and decided to lean on the giant rock behind him and take a short nap. However, that was put aside when one of the extras elbowed him on the side.

He growled, "Don't fucking touch me!"

"Bakugo…" Eyeballs pointed at Deku, and Katsuki looked uninterested in the green-haired kid.

Until his eyes shot up in surprise when he saw weak little Deku eating the remaining bits of grass and weed. If that wasn't enough, he moved on from that shit to the larger tree branch that had long fallen off the tree.

And he started eating it like he was a fucking predator devouring its prey.

One by one, the kids looked to see what was going on. They were gaping at useless little Deku, eating the tree branch. Some were rather unnerved at the chewing motions and the somewhat feral way he was eating it. It was similar to how a lion feasted on a piece of meat.

By then, Bakugo came back to his senses, and his expression turned into a scowl.

"DEKU!"


Izuku, however, was too memorized by his meal to pay attention. His canines easily pierced through the wood, and he chewed. The wood was a little hard, and it took a lot of work for him to put a mouthful worth of his meal.

Still, it was worth it, as the taste was wonderful.

Well, not the best best, but it was still good. It might be a little biased, but Singrid's magic-infused tree bark tasted better, in his opinion.

"DEKU!"

Izuku choked on his bite and hastily swallowed as he dropped what little remained of the branch. Turning around, he felt his appetite plummet and instead felt dread in his stomach when he saw everyone staring at him. It helped none that Kacchan was storming his way with a terrifying scowl.

"K-Kacchan!"

"You had a quirk all along?!" The ashen-blond teen yelled as he had a couple of small explosions popping out of his hands. "You were lying to me!"

"W-wha-"

"No more lies!" Bakugo grabbed the front of the shirt and pulled him in front of him, "What the fuck?"

His instincts were screaming at him to run, but Izuku remained on his spot despite trembling at Bakugo, "A-ah…y-you…." He stuttered.

It helped nothing that the other teen was popping explosions on his palms and looked like he was going to kill him.

Instincts took over again, and he roared.

And it wasn't a weak attempt of a roar. It was literally–

"Forest Dragon's Roar!"

Kacchan shouted in surprise as a viridian beam with leaves came out of Izuku's mouth and hit him dead on. The children and their Sensei in the small field were gaping when the ashen-blond child was sent flying. He landed a couple of feet away from Izuku on his back. The boy in question stared at the sky stupidly until what just happened clicked in his head. Slowly, his dumfounded state turned to that of anger.

Izuku tensed as he realized what he had done. Kacchan slowly stood up, wincing at the pain, and the green-haired Dragon Slayer felt himself panic at the look Kacchan was giving him.

"Deku…." Kacchan said in a low, threatening tone.

Thankfully their Sensei remembered their job and quickly stepped in before things got out of hand. When she sent both boys to the principal's office, the children knew this was a day they would never forget.

For weak little Deku had a quick that literally swept Bakugo off his feet.


[Present]

Location: Midoriya Residence

Time: 20:40 (08:40) P.M.

Day: Sunday. September 18th, 2358

Izuku, straight out of the shower with no shirt and his hair somewhat damped, was up in his room wandering around the hero network online. He had finished his exercise for today and had finished his dinner a while back.

He had a couple of hours left to kill, so he decided to do what any other teenager his age would do, waste his time on the internet. The Dragon Slayer was watching a video that inspired him to be a hero in the first place.

"Fear not, citizens!" The bulking man of muscle said, having saved hundreds of people in mere seconds from a devastating fire. Yet despite it all, he smiled as though this was nothing and laughed, "For hope has arrived! Because I am here!

Izuku was in awe. No matter how many times he sees this old video, he will always admire All Might's strength. Undoubtedly, his Dragonkin could easily defeat All Might, but Izuku admired the number one hero for becoming the strongest human.

"This All Might reminds me of the many mages we had interacted with back on Earthland." Mused Astarot to a little Izuku who nested on his feathers. "While perhaps he could have only chipped a scale out of us Dragons, there is no doubt that he would have been among the top human mages."

"Nevertheless, Izuku," Chirped in Smaragdus just as Artorious opened his mouth, no doubt about to say something rude. "From the information you told us, you are nowhere near that man's power. So if you want to do decent damage against us, you need to get stronger."

Izuku looked down at his hands. He could feel the phantom pains of the training sections he had with his Dragonkin over the years. Sure, he was strong, but as he told Bakugo all those years ago, he acknowledges that there will be people much stronger than him.

He could damage his Dragonkin on a spar on a good day, but he had a long way to go before he could beat them. His Dragonkin claimed that his lack of experience in battle was one of the many reasons why he hadn't improved as much. While disheartening to hear, he agreed. The closest to a battle he had were spars against his Dragonkin and Bakugo.

It wasn't that he was allowed to hunt down a couple of villains to gain some form of experience, either. His mom had pointed out to the Dragons that in this world, their rules are different to Earthland and that Izuku needed to follow them respectfully, or else he could kiss his chances of becoming a hero goodbye.

And speaking of Bakugo…

To put it bluntly, the teen was the closest to being his equal. He used to hold back by not using any of his healing spells and using his water Dragon Slaying magic on spars to give equal grounding to the proud teen. Of course, the ashen-blond had found out anyway and practically demanded he went on full strength.

The ticking bomb got his sweat splashed off him with water and got his ass whooped in a matter of seconds. At least the other teen took this as a learning experience, and Bakugo made sure to be wary of his water magic and find ways to prevent getting his sweat washed away again. And thankfully, the proud teen had reluctantly agreed to allow Izuku not use his healing magic until after their spars.

Their battles certainly left a mess, and that was a massive understatement. It was a miracle no hero had caught them yet despite their destructive tendencies.

Izuku sighed as he leaned back on his chair. He plucked a grape from a bowl he had served himself earlier and plopped it in his mouth. As he chewed, he carefully mauled over his opinions. He had looked into UA's entrance exams. The written part of the exams changed ever so slightly but mainly remained the same over the years. Still, Izuku was confident in that bit of the entrance exam. However, the practical part of the exams had four different exams for potential hero students.

There are obstacle courses, rescue simulations, a series of escape rooms, and robots. While he couldn't get as much information due to past applicants being told to keep most of the details to themselves. They listened as no one wanted to face the wrath of the principal of UA.

But that is not to say he came out empty-handed. There had been some pretty good documentation on what type of exam is held every year. So with the information he managed to gather, there is no doubt this year's practical exam will be thrashing robots.

The mere thought of facing those monstrosities made the Dragon in him roar in excitement. Of course, there was a chance he was wrong, so he would have to prepare for the other three exams just in case. Because just hearing the rumors involving principal Nezu, it is believed he is unpredictable.

"What a pain." Izuku sighed as he finished the last of his grapes and stretched.

In the corner of his eye, he managed to get a glance at Ryukyu's Dragon form poster before putting his full attention to it. Izuku couldn't help but smile at it as he tsked. Sure, the number ten hero could be nothing compared to the Dragonkin, but he couldn't help but admire her.

She could only achieve an inferior form of a Dragon and could do nothing but use her strength, size, and flight to her advantage. Most of his Dragonkin were impressed that a human had managed to get the genetics for something like this. Though Sutorimu wasn't at all impressed, and Artorious felt insulted that everyone could even consider her to be a Dragon. Much less Izuku admiring her despite being with real Dragons all these years.

Izuku let out a long yawn and looked at the clock on his nightstand. The numbers read 20:52, the red lights glaring at him. He had a few minutes before he would normally go to bed, but Izuku supposes he could go a little earlier.

He shut down his laptop and closed it. He grabbed the empty bowl and decided just to leave it in the sink. He would clean it tomorrow if his mother didn't do it first. With that taken care of, he went to his room and lay on his bed.


[Ten Years ago]

Location: Devaron Eisley Forest - Water Terrain

Time: 13:23 (01:23) P.M.

Day: Tuesday, September 5th, 2348

Sutorimu gracefully left the comfort of her lake, the water falling out of her scales. The Dragoness decided to sunbathe her cool scales under the warm sun today, which soothed her tense body. The cool grass felt nice on her body as she absorbed the heat. Though, it did nothing to ease her irritation.

How could the males be so foolish as to teach Dragon magic to a human hatchling? Sure, Singrid had explained the properties of antibodies as they lacked the knowledge to cast the Dragon Soul Technique, but it did nothing to ease her unsettlement.

Had Singrid stopped to think about what would happen if the whole antibodies failed? Or if it would work entirely, as the Forest Dragon never tested this?

Astarot assured her that they would take drastic measures if necessary, but she heavily doubted it. She could see it in their eyes. They had grown attached to the Dragon Slayer, they fell under his little spell. So the water Dragoness doubted the chances of them committing the act.

She shivered at the thought of the innocent-looking hatchling summiting to the murderous ways of the Dragon Slayers. She could never forget how her distant cousin, Freiza the snow Dragon, her friends, and rivals had fallen into the bloody hands of those monsters.

So in all, she avoided the child and his monah as the plague. If the brat were to become evil, she would need to be prepared at all costs. She refuses to repeat the Dragon King Festival disaster again. Where she would be powerless and forced to hide again.

She had grown comfortable on this earth and made this formally known ditch into her own little domain. Sure. she was restricted from leaving this terrain and was forbidden to go where ever she pleased. But at least she loved it here. There was no civil war, no humans to bother her, and most importantly, no threat to her very being.

Or rather, there used to be.

She could believe Artorious doing something as foolish and stupid as this, but even she could tell he had been reluctant until he grew soft. An embarrassment for a hardened Earth Dragon. But for Singrid to even suggest this and for Astarot and Smaragdus to agree to this baffled her.

She had always assumed that most of her acquaintances had a brain. Apparently, she was wrong.

"Sutorimu!"

Oh, for-!

She looked at the sky and saw Smaragdus' form as he landed a couple of feet away from her, a couple of trees nearly falling due to the pressure.

"What do you want?!" She sneered. She knew she was being petty and rude, but she didn't care. Especially when she distastefully eyed the Hatchling who was on the Emerald Dragon's back. Taking one big whiff of the brat's scent, her expression turned to a scowl. "I warned you all never to come into my domain unless I gave permission!"

Which was almost never.

On top of Singrid teaching the little pest hid magic, it would seem the rest of the males had lost whatever brain cells they had on their skulls. She could smell all the elements of her acquaintances on the boy. It was suffocating.

Which meant the brat now wielded Earth, Emerald, and Sky magic on top of Forest magic. Joy.

"I came to ask a favor."

She sneered at him, looking ready to drown him, "And why do you come to my domain?! Ask the other idiots if you need something. I ain't your servant!"

Smaragdus ignored her harsh tone and gently helped the green-haired brat down. "Artorious and I are going to look for some delicious shiny stones and ores to feast on, so I need you to watch Izuku for a little bit."

Sutorimu glared harshly at the frightened brat before returning to the indifferent Emerald Dragon. Does this idiot really expects him to bratsit this menace?! "And why should I waste my time with this pest?!" She hissed. "Have Singrid or even Astarot to bratsit him! Hell, what about his monah?! He's her brat. She should take care of her, not have us to bratsit him!"

The brat looked like he was going to cry, but she didn't care. She wanted both of them out of her domain. Smaragdus glared disaprovaling, "Sutorimu!" He berated, "I know you are conflicted about this but don't forget that I was just like you! But I gave the boy a chance, and so far, there have been no complications!"

She sneered. So far, he says. Just wait until it blows up on their faces.

"Additionally," Smaragdus said firmly, which was something he rarely used as he was more upbeat like Artorious, only without the Earth Dragon's foul mouth, as he comforted the brat with his rarely used gentle touch. "Singrid and Astarot are busy preparing Izuku's first healing lesson, and Inko is rather busy to care for him. So this leaves you the only one available. You only need to keep an eye on him for thirty minutes or so. Nothing more or less."

Sutorimu eyed the brat, who had surprisingly cried a small river of tears. She bit her tongue as she wanted to shout a string of curses. As much as she would rather kill the boy, the water Dragoness would rather not face the wrath of all four overprotective males against her.

If there was one thing Dragons had in common, it was their protective instinct for their young. While the brat was obviously not their hatchling, the four males welcomed him into the family. This meant one wrong move, and the males could kill her for harming their little hatchling.

Smaragdus nodded in satisfaction when he saw her grumble under her breath and settle down. "Give him a chance, Sutorimu. Who knows, you might even grow attached to him just as we have."

She doubted it.

"Additionally, Izuku is polite." He said, "No need to worry about the brat being nosy as other hatchlings would be." He snickered.

The water Dragoness grumbled under her breath as Izuku hesitantly made his way toward her. Before he left, Smaragdus lowered his snout so that Izuku could better view him.

"Remember, Izuku, just listen to Sutorimu, and give her her space, and you should be fine." He said soothingly, which honestly baffled the female Dragon and helped the green-haired Dragon Slayer relax. It seemed that the brat had softened the Emerald Dragon more than what Dragoness thought. "Astarot will come to pick you up for your lessons in half an hour. It shouldn't take long."

"Ok, Smagdus." Sutorimu snorted at the brat's failed attempt to say the Emerald Dragon's name.

Smaragdus didn't seem to care and smiled when Izuku hugged his snout goodbye. With that, the Dragon turned around and walked a couple of meters away from them before taking unfolding his wings and taking the skies.

The brat watched the Dragon's leaving form, eying the sky until the Emerald Dragon's silhouette disappeared. Sutorimu didn't care and instead focused back on her sunbathing, closing her eyes. Despite wanting to ignore the human hatchling, she listened to his little breathing and his little feet. She could practically smell his hesitance and curiosity as he sat down.

The boy was quiet, thankfully, but then she heard the sound of pages being turned as well as writing. Opening an eye, he saw the little brat with a notebook (where did that come from?) and was writing something.

Curiosity got the best of her, "What are you doing, brat?"

The menace flinched at her sudden voice, which made the Dragoness want to smirk. Good, the brat fears her.

"Um…I-I…!" He stuttered. Which thoroughly annoyed her.

"If you're going to speak, speak properly!" She lectured harshly.

"Y-yes, ma'am!" He squeaked.

She huffed. The boy trembled and remained silent, which irritated her. "Are you going to answer my question, brat?" She asked more calmly.

"U-uh… y-yeah…" He stuttered and showed her his Dragon analysis book. Sutorimu couldn't read what the brat wrote. Not only was it too small and messy for her heightened sight to read, but she also couldn't understand the language. Just because they knew a spell that would help them speak different tongues of humans and Dragons alike didn't mean she knew how to read. "I was… just analizing you…"

While she was a little freaked out that the menace was watching her, she was a little flattered by the drawing he drew of her. It was nothing special for someone his age. She remembered countless humans back on Earthland drawing much better muses of her. She shouldn't even allow herself to be friendly toward him, for all she knew, he could be looking for her weaknesses. She merely hummed and turned away, Trying to show her disinterest.

Izuku's expression fell, and she saw it in the corner of her eye. She would've left it like that, but she knew that the rest of the males would constantly nag her for it. She barely swallowed her pride and said begrudgingly, "It's a nice drawing." She said, not even looking at him.

But she could see in the corner of her eye as he perked up and gave her a sunny smile. Stars, why did it have to be too bright? How much longer until Astarot comes to pick up the brat?

"Ms. Sutorimu," Izuku suddenly spoke, gaining her attention. "W-why do you hate me?" He asked.

She scoffed, "I don't have to tell you anything, brat."

"I-is it…" He swallowed, "...because of Acnologia?" He asked quietly.

The Water Dragon's ear's picked up what the brat said anyway, and her body recoiled at the name/ She snarled, unpleasant memories coming back, not caring that she was scaring the poor Dragon Slayer. "Don't you dare speak of that name!" She snarled, making Izuku burst into tears.

Sutorimu glared at the brat before huffing. She eyed the amount of tears the boy released, and if she had an eyebrow, she would raise it out of interest. As much as she would rather leave him, she didn't want to deal with his salty tears tainting her lake. Not to mention the obnoxious crying that was hurting her ears.

But the worst of it was if Astarot caught them in this position. She did not want to deal with four overprotective Dragons, so there was only one thing to do. Ugh.

"Sorry." She said courtly, putting her large hand around the boy in the gentlest manner she could muster. She was never one for comfort, but at least the brat stopped crying. She could smell the saltiness, and it was strong enough that she would've confused it with seawater. The brat was covered with snot, and tears were wiping them away with his hands. She curled her mouth in disgust and sprayed a small amount of water.

It was a little stronger as Izuku was knocked off his feet. But at least he was clean. His clothes were a little wet, and the strength of her water had thrown his notebook. Izuku looked at her with those wide viridian eyes that made something inside her…no. It was nothing.

"Sorry I scared you." She said with a more reluctant gentleness, eyes narrowing, "But never mention that name. Understand?"

He nodded furiously.

Sutimori grunted, "Good."

Things settled down from there. Sutorimu continued with her sunbathing while Izuku continued to work on his analysis. Slowly, the Dragon Slayer slowly scooted closer to the Dragon, not wanting to aggravate her any further.

Sutorimu eventually felt the boy leaning on her scales. Normally they would be cold, but they gained a decent amount of heat that her temperature didn't bother the brat. She should shove him away. She didn't want the brat anywhere near her.

Yet why was she so reluctant to do so?

Thankfully for her sanity, she heard the familiar flaps of wings. Opening her eyes, she saw Astarot settle down smoothly. The brat had long left her side to run to the Sky Dragon. She was relieved, yet why did she also feel disappointed?

"Astarot!" Shouted Izuku happily as the Dragon lowered his snout.

"Ah, there you are Izuku." Astarot smiled kindly at him. Izuku jumped to hug his snout. He settled down so that the brat could climb on the Dragon's back. He turned to Sutorimu's unimpressed frown, "I will take him out of your claws now. Thank you for taking some time off."

She scoffed, "More like I was forced to it." She decided to return to her lake and take a nap. Her sunbathing plan was ruined, and she wanted to get away from the human. "Get out of my domain before I splash you with scalding water and more."

Astarot held a wince at the more part but otherwise nodded. "Yes, yes. we'll be out of your wings now."

"Bye, Ms. Sutorimu!" Said Izuku, waving at her with a smile.

The Dragoness, who had just entered a couple of feet on her lake, froze. For a moment, she was silent before she spoke, "Don't call me a Miss, brat. I ain't one for formalities." Not turning to see his nod, she went into the cold water. She swam a couple of meters before submerging her body in the water. Her tail flung some water with a splash and disappeared completely.

Astarot blinked in surprise at the unexpected interaction before smiling. It seemed that Sutorimu had taken a small step into accepting the lad. A small feat, but it was something at least, even if the Water Dragoness herself didn't realize it.

"Ready, Izuku?" He asked, his little stowaway on his back. "We mustn't keep Singrid waiting."

"Mmm-hmm!" Izuku nodded fiercely as he held tightly to Astarot's back.

"Then off we go!" With that, he spread his wings and took to the sky. Izuku giggled at the wind hitting his face while Astarot gracefully flew. He carefully turned to Izuku, slowing down a bit to allow the boy to speak without the dangers of the wind pressure, "Tell me, child, how was your time with Sutorimu?"

Izuku beamed, "It was a little scary at first, but it was nice! I even got a small analysis of her!"

Astarot hummed thoughtfully and picked up the speed. "I see. That must be nice."

Whether Sutorimu is unaware herself or stubbornly refuses to acknowledge it, the Water Dragoness was slowly growing attached to the boy after having spent a short time together. And who knows? Maybe she'll come around and teach the boy something from her.

Stars knows how this little one could tame an irritated Dragon.


A/N: Hope you all enjoyed and support me on Pa_tron. Patrons have early access