Chapter Text
Bakugo hefted a sigh as he straightened himself on the throne as another person walked to the foot of the dais, bowed, and offered items in thanks. Since he and his companions defeated the previous king; known for burning towns and killing his own people for fun. A yearly event was held to celebrate King Katsuki Bakugo taking over the throne. Nobles and leaders from across the kingdom and from neighbouring countries would come and pay thanks to Bakugo for taking down the king.
The main courtyard of the castle was set up to take the mass number of guests appearing. Streamers and banners of gold, orange and black strung around the courtyard and a band played a continuous song to lead the day on.
So far so good, no missing leaders not even from the other countries, amazingly even Endeavour was playing nice by sending an ambassador over to pay tribute to Bakugo.
He couldn’t say he hated this event, a day all to praise him (and his companions who helped, but mainly him) and be showered in gifts. Might not be as exciting as the first year but five years in it still felt good. However, this walk up, bow, say thanks and offer gift was getting boring to him. He would rather be out riding, hunting, or training up his magic than sitting and repeating the same thanks to each person.
Midoriya, on a throne down a level to Bakugo, clears his throat loud enough for Bakugo to snap back to focus. His mind wondering and left the current young lord saying thanks without attention.
“I thank you for your offering and constant respect to the crown. Your services to it have been noted and shall be paid back to you and your people.” Spoke Bakugo in a calm and booming voice that seemed to startle the young lord who stuttered thanks to the crown and moved to the side.
“How many we go left?” hissed Bakugo to his other side at Todoroki, also seated on the same lower level as Midoriya.
“Ten more I believe.”
“Fuck.” he cursed under his breath as the next person walked up to the dais, straightening himself out as he prepared to hear the same speel and gifts.
Items so far consisted of books of spells and medicine (Asui, Uraraka and Tokoyami would like those), various precious gems some even with magic to them (Kaminari and Mina would use them), wonderous little machines and trinkets (Yaoyorozu is having them) and a vary of gold, jewellery, and weapons of all kinds. All precious and amazing items but Bakugo rarely kept many, giving most of it to his companions and people in his kingdom.
“I, Prince Seiji Shishikura, have come to pay thanks to the saviour and ruler of this kingdom.” Spoke a collected and dignified voice from the young man.
Bakugo’s eyes snapped to focus on him, a grin streaking across his face. The kingdom under Shishikura’s father control was to the South of Bakugo’s kingdom, recently soldiers from the Seiji kingdom had crossed the border and been terrorising some of the villages in Bakugou’s land. Thankfully no people killed and it stopped the second Bakugo appeared to protect his people, he demanded to know the reason of the attacks or face the same issues. The king shrugged it off with rogue soldiers who would face punishment swiftly and to take no ill will with his kingdom. Bakugo let the issue slide if they paid the people they upset and to never do it again.
Bakugo jeered at Shishikura, “Your old man couldn’t make it to properly to apologise? Or is he too scared to bow down to me?”
A series of hisses escape Midoriya, Todoroki and even Iida, who stood behind him, at that comment.
Shishikura seemed unphased by the remark, he almost smirked at it. “He has other issues to deal with the now and couldn’t expend the time. I hope that my father’s tribute will pay for his absence but also the unfortunate incident that happened on your land.”
Shishikura clapped his hands as four uniformed dressed mages appeared and rushed to the main courtyard gates, their hands creating symbols in the air as the space in front of them shifted to a deep purple.
“What are you doing? You have no permission to open a portal here, especially on the castle grounds!” yelled Iida as he and guards around the court rushed towards the mages.
“Let them be,” boomed Bakugo’s voice as he stood and made his way down the dais “I want to see what’s so special to warrant a portal.”
Shishikura makes a chuffed sound as they watch the portal take full form as a second later half a dozen heavy horses pull through a large flatbed wagon, almost as large as a house. But what is chained to it is the real marvel.
A red dragon, a real dragon, bound in chains with a muzzle strapped to its face. The crowd in the courtyard scream and yell as they flea their seats as the beast is dragged fully into the space.
“I believe your castle has a series of caves beneath it, what is a king without a dragon under his castle?” Bakugo can see Shishikura sneer with delight at his jaw dropped expression as the dragon is presented to him and the portal closes behind it.
Bakugo steps toward it, Iida yelping in worry as he nears the beast, even Todoroki and Midoriya come down to his side but hold off from advancing any further forward. The dragon’s scales are a deep almost rusty red, some dark as wine with a few speckles that shimmer in the sunlight. He couldn’t tell if the creature was dirty or that is just its natural colouring. As Bakugo made his way around the beast he could see chipped scales, and many of the spines running down its back broken. It breathed in long slow breaths, tail twitching with whatever space it had.
He couldn’t help but feel his heart sting as he made it to where the head of the beast had been forced to curve and tuck into itself. Its frills and spines around its head were just in the same bad condition as the rest of it. What had happened to such a fierce beast to be damaged so badly? To look not like a red dragon but a rusting statue. Approaching the side of its face not tucked to its body, Bakugou could make the faint scar running over the closed eyelid. Without even noticing his hand reached out and touched the scar.
The dragon’s eye flew open at the touch to revel a brilliant red eye with narrowed slit pupil staring right at his own red eyes. Then he felt it, like a punch being thrown at him from nowhere but in his mind. Fear and confusion. Those emotions smacked him hard making him jump back in surprise. It was as if he could feel shapes and objects to those emotions, throwing his mind into a sudden panic making him step back quickly from the dragon.
Shishikura chuckled to himself, “It’s been magical restrained to last at least at least four hours, plenty of time to put it in its place. I believe this will clear any issues between our kingdoms?”
It takes Bakugo a minute before he can respond, the sudden emotions still ringing in his head, “Yeah, yeah, just keep your fucking soldiers in check alright? Not even a dragon can pay for killed civilians.”
Shishikura bows and takes his leave as all Bakugo can do is stare at the brilliant red eye of the dragon in front of him. He can hear Iida and others calm the crowd and sort moving the dragon from the courtyard so to carry on with the last of the offerings and close out the day.
As they finally move the massive wagon round and the vision of the dragon is moved from Bakugo’s, he feel another emotion come towards him. Not as painful or shocking as the first, but softly desperately clawing at him like an animal wanting to escape a room.
Scared.