Welcome to the family... [Barbarian!Kirishima x Dragon!Bakugou]

[NicTheDjinn]

"This is the reason I'm never having kids" Bakugou complained to himself as he walked around the dragon island that he and his flock had made their own, chasing away any humans that dared to come near it. His red eyes scanned left and right, up and down but no signs of the stupid toddler had been discovered yet. How one of his flock members had lost a kid was beyond him but then again this wasn't the first time that the fledglings had thought it would be a great idea to play hide and seek without telling an adult about it. The dragon lets out some smoke from its nostrils as he raised his wings and started to lift himself from the air to look up at the trees and mountains. After an hour or so, he gave up and went back to searching on the ground.

"Where the fuck is this kid hiding?" The dragon complained as he shakes his head and continues to walk around. Around the Island, there were multiple dragons searching for this toddler but as the flock leader, he was sadly looked up for guidance and help whenever a problem arose in the Island. It was tedious and a little annoying but he dealt with it and carried on with his day once he dealt with any of the issues that were presented to him. They expected him to fix everything and while that was a big pressure to put on someone, he could handle himself just fine. It's what he signed up for when he took the title of the flock leader.

Of course, like any other flock they had elders but since they were old and therefore didn't want to deal with all the hardships that came with leading a pack, they usually stayed out of his business unless it was an emergency. All the other adults were there because they wanted a family, protection or because they were outcasts and had nowhere to go. You see, Bakugou started this whole flock for one reason and one reason alone. To protect his kind from going into extinction thanks to the greedy and selfish humans that roamed the earth. Oh, how he despised those creatures with his very core.

At the moment though, he had more pressing manners to attend. Like the lost child that could already be dead if he didn't hurry up and find him. He'd have to deal with not only the funeral but the aftermath of all that and both his parents probably going rogue and on a killing rampage if the kid wasn't safe and sound. This had sadly happened before. A kid got lost, killed by humans, the parents found out and weren't too happy about it so he had to kill them to keep them from going crazy. It was a shame but a decision that he didn't regret taking. When a dragon was pissed off, they'll kill entire nations.

~

Meanwhile a small pink pastel-colored dragon was walking around, clearly lost on the other side of the island around the human territory. How he got here, he wasn't sure but man it was creepy without the other adults around. He wondered if he could just cry out and have them find him but his parents had taught him to stay hidden as much as possible.
Maybe, just maybe he shouldn't have listened to them because now he found himself surrounded by human hunters that were chasing and hunting him down. This was terrifying, he just wanted his parents. He couldn't help but growl, hiss, and try to throw fire at them but he was too young, his lungs couldn't hold much fire in them so he cried out. He was too far away for his parents to hear though so he made himself smaller and hoped that they wouldn't dream him a worthy pray. That didn't seem to help back them off though, some of them already getting their weapons ready. "Mom! Dad! Please help me!" He screamed, but to the humans, it all just sounded like noisy dragon whines.

...

It was all the noise that had caught their attention, loud enough to scare away the game in the area and distinct enough to know exactly what was making that sound. Eijirou had them mobilized in a second, the party riding hard, carried by swift hooves. It took them mear moments to close spot the ring of hunters and they urged their steeds on that much harder only to skid to a stop, horses stomping the grass in agitation. Unsurprisingly, their leader was the one to speak up.

"Hunting in our territory...? You should know better..." Rumbled the young man with the brilliant red hair, his smirk showing off inhuman teeth. Their tribe was relatively small, but well known in the area. Magic users, hybrids, and outcasts made up their ranks and Eijirou was no exception. His skin cracked apart as magic flowed threw him, his twin's skin gleaming silver at his side. Each one had their own distinct ability and they traveled together for a reason. They balanced each other well. It would be foolish to try to take them on and they apparently had their sights set on the pink babe still wailing in fright. "It's in our territory so it's ours... Leave on your own or we'll help you to it. Your choice."

With any luck, the hunters would pick their battles and choose to leave, but the threat hadn't been a bluff, the lot of them quick to arms if it came to it. Regardless, they got their prize one way or another. Once the hunters were run off, Kirishima dismounted and slowly approached the little dragon.

"Brother... What are you planning...?" Rumbled his twin, watching on and already having a sinking feeling he knew exactly his intention.

"We can't just leave it here. It's barely more than a hatchling, we need to get them back to their parents or at least to a dragon that can do it for us." There was conviction in his voice and he didn't miss the groan from Sero behind his back and the anxious whine from Kaminari.

"They'll kill us as soon as they see us, man! Let's just move it to a safe place and I'm sure they'll come looking for it!" Insisted the electric blond, the fear clear in his voice.

"We have no way of knowing if they'll come by here looking, they may just leave the poor little guy and assume they're dead. We need to at least try." He knelt down then so he didn't look so big, reaching out a hand, but not touching yet. "Hello, little one... It's okay. We won't hurt you. We just want to help you get home, alright? We'll just go on a little ride on my horse to get there, won't that be fun?" He gently cooed to the babe, hoping to calm them enough to be picked up. He really hoped this worked...


The little pastel wasn't too pleased. This was more humans than he could ever imagine in one single place. It was scary, they were bigger than him and he wasn't sure if he could resist long enough for his parents to find him, if they ever did that is. When horses came ridding and other strangers spoke up about their territory he was afraid of course but he was also relieved because this at least gave him more time to cry out and try to hide or run away from all of them, maybe he could even convince a horse to help him if he tried hard enough. When the human with weapons left his eyes followed them, big gray eyes tracing their every move just to make sure they didn't attack. His tail wrapped around himself and he scooted off where he was hiding near the roots of a giant tree and a bush next to it as he trembled.

Now he had to deal with these humans. They seemed to be thinking of what to do with him but they weren't getting their weapons. That was...strange and almost unheard of. Was this some sort of torture? Because if so it was working perfectly well. When they spoke he listened closely. He could speak the human language more or less so he understood some of it but he was still young and they spoke very fancy so some words were a little confusing and sounded like nonsense to him. What he did understand was the word parents and then one of the biggest humans there approached him and tried to reach out. He growled and whimpered, trying to look around desperately for a way to go away. He couldn't outrun horses though and he didn't know how to fully fly yet so there was probably no use. Curse his little wings.

When this man started to baby talk he almost seemed insulted before the words of reassurance made him perk up. Well, if he was going to die anyway, he might as well be stupid about it and trust this guy. What's the worse that can happen? They gut him alive or they return him to his parents. The two options were better than just rutting in the forest from lack of water and food until his parents found him, if they ever did that is. As morbid as that thought was for a dragon of such age, it was just the way of a dragon's life. You always had to constantly make sure there weren't evil humans around since they would probably kill you for your scales and such. He was taught this by their leader. His parents always spoke about potential good humans existing though so maybe this was one of them right? He just had to risk it.

The dragon stared at the redhead for a little bit as if his brain was going at high speed, going through his options and such. Well, he didn't see weapons that were designed to kill dragons and he didn't smell dragon blood on them like the others. The only comfort he had was if he died then his parents would probably commit arson. He would have to apologize for worrying them if he got back in one piece and hr would never go out alone ever again. When he finally decided that yes, this weird human was going to be his best escape plan he jumped onto the redhead's arms, curling up against the male's chest and making small growls. They were supposed to be mimics of a cat's purr since he noticed humans kept those animals as pets but of course dragon purrs were a little rougher. Maybe if he acted good enough they would take pity on him and return him safe and sound to his parents. For now, this was his best plan. The guy didn't smell mean and he had sharp teeth too so they had something in common.

...

He couldn't say he was surprised that the little guy wasn't trusting him. He had little reason to, but he could only hope he wouldn't put up too much of a struggle in his own rescue. Poor thing was shaking with fear too. The situation was surely very scary for him, it was only natural he be so afraid. His words seemed to help though, getting the pink dragon to focus on him and calm down a bit. Still distrustful, but it was a step in the right direction. Now if he could just scoop him up, they could be on their way. He just hoped he didn't go and get his closest friends killed over this insane rescue mission. He loved them all dearly and he knew very well they would rather die at his side than abandon him, even if it was his fault they were in peril.

"That's it... I'm not gonna hurt you. I just want to help you get h---Oh!" He scrambled to catch the little dragon in his arms, startled by his sudden willingness. Was... Was he purring? That's so cute! For a second he worried it was growling, but it was too soft and the posture was all wrong. Well, he'd take what he could get! Standing himself up, he carried the little one over to his horse, shifted him so he could cradle him in just one arm, then hoisted himself up into the saddle. Once comfortable, he lowered the little guy onto the saddle in front of him and gently hugged him close with one arm, the other hand taking hold of the reins.

"Nicely done, Ei! Awww... So cute! We'll get you back to your mama, don't worry!" Cooed a shockingly pink girl, clearly not a human, particularly as she had little yellow horns peeking out of her curly pink locks.

"Alright, let's get a move on, we're wasting light!" Urged the redhead, giving his horse's sides a light kick to get the large beast going, the others sure enough following.

"This is insane!" Admonished the young man with the blond of the group.

"Where's your sense of adventure?!" Crowed the pink girl, clearly having a good time despite the danger they were literally speeding towards.

And so they rode on together, paranoid eyes watching the skies as they road further and further from home, heading right towards places they'd always been warned away from as children. This was insane... They all knew it, but honestly none of them really had the heart to abandon the little one to their fate. "We'll do our best to get you home. I promise." He murmured to his passenger, gently stroking his pink scales.


...


The pale fledgling was a little startled with being on a real-life horse. This was his first time in one of these things so he stepped on it a little, his little legs circling around a spot before curling himself there and holding onto whatever he could with his tail since he didn't want to fly off. Not only would that be embarrassing but he figured it would hurt if one of the horses accidentally stomped on him. His scales might be strong but he wasn't indestructible either. Well, it was surely a step in the right direction, he was in a tall place, safer than on the ground and this guy didn't smell too bad. Actually, he smelt nice but a little strange too. He couldn't put his finger on it just yet but at least he wasn't bad in a way that made him want to escape so he started to relax.

When a pink woman started to speak to him he perked up. Oh! She wasn't a human. Her skin was pink and she had horns. Maybe she was a strange species of hybrid dragon. He started to explain to her who he was but it all just sounded like gibberish and growls so he gave up when he realized that she didn't understand a word he was saying. He laid back down, defeated and letting out a sigh as he looked around, trying to see if he could stop his parents from up here in the horse's back. When the redhead started to motion the horse to walk he held a little tighter to Kirishima since he didn't want to fall off. This was a lot more movement than he was comfortable with so he did end up looking terrified for a second. He takes back all the times he was curious about horses. They were insane and moved too much.

When the red tall guy started to stroke his scales he let out a small chirp-like sound. Most people didn't know this but because dragons could only technically roar to communicate and it was often seen as aggressive, they had adapted and learned to mimic other animals smaller than they were so they could express themselves properly. He had learned how to chirp from observing birds. Once they made it near dragon territory he looked around frantically trying to look for his parents. Wow, the humans really brought him all the way here. Impressive but also dumb. They did know they could be killed right? If so then they were insane. He wasn't sure if he would risk it if he were in their position. He would have to make sure his parents didn't kill the nice humans.

Speaking of which he spotted a giant golden colored dragon up the skies who seemed to be getting closer.


Bakugou continued to search for some sort of clue or trace. He sniffed around to see if he could track the fledgling down but to no avail. It seemed that the scent was already gone or mixed with other scents in the forest which displeased him greatly but there wasn't anything he could do but continue to search.

He was about to give up and call it a day, deal with the parents himself when he suddenly spotted something. Humans? In dragon territory? He squinted his eyes as he kept himself in place in the skies before he started to swoop down at full speed. He was an impatient man who didn't really like humans so he was about to prepare himself to throw some fire in their direction to prove they weren't welcome, letting out a roar in the process but was stopped before he could even open his mouth as he landed in front of them.

The pale fledgling he had been searching frantically for jumped down from a redhead's arms, tumbling a little thanks to the height of the horse before running over and starting to explain the situation. To humans, it might sound like just weird noises but to him, it made perfectly safe. It looked hilarious actually, a giant golden dragon, looking down at such a tiny creature who seemed to be jumped and talking as he tried to reason with the older dragon.

Bakugou backed away, careful not to step on the exciting toddler. His eyes trailed from the fledgling over to the humans and then back again. He sighed, shaking his head in disapproval at not being able to kill the humans now that they returned one of their own. It would be rude to decapitate someone that helped after all. He made a stomping motion as if he were a child of his own that didn't get to do what he wanted before he glared at the humans a little as if saying next time you all won't be so lucky, wrapping his tail around the fledgling and picking him up before he started to walk away, not giving the humans any more of his precious time.

The fledging struggled though, reaching out for the humans since he wanted to say goodbye properly. Bakugou was having none of it though and continued to walk. That is until the toddler transformed into a human boy. Well, a hybrid actually but you get the point. He started to kick and punch Bakugou's tail. "I want to say goodbye to them and thanks for helping me!" He called out with a whine. "Not fair" Bakugou looked back at the now human child and then at the humans. Damn it. Well, the cat's out of the bag now. He wondered how the humans would react to a hybrid.

...

Poor thing... Didn't seem particularly happy with the ride on his horse, but it was the quickest way to get him back to his people, hopefully to his parents. He still had no idea how someone so young had gotten that far from home, but he would be lying if he said he never got up to mischief as a child himself so he didn't question it. All that mattered was getting him back to his people. The whole trip he made sure the little dragon was secure in the saddle before him, holding him close as they rode along as quickly as they dared. Their horses had limits after all and they wanted to be able to get back home, even if several of them worried that may not come to pass.

The ride was thankfully uneventful, the cute dragon chittering and chirping to them from time to time. A pity they didn't understand. Eijirou wondered if it were possible to learn the language... Probably not speak it, they couldn't make the right sounds, but at least understand it. Idle thoughts, he realized, as it was unlikely anyone would ever get the chance to find out. The goal of the little impromptu mission was really to find clear signs of a dragon and from there figure out how to get the little one back to them without getting them all killed. He didn't want to make his friends nervous by voicing how weak the plan was, but he was fairly sure they all knew it anyway. They'd all been friends since childhood, they knew very well how each of them thought.

They didn't see the shadow until it was too late, reining in the horses to skid to a stop only for the little one to scramble out of his lap and tumble to the ground. The horses whinnied in agitation and stomped, not at all liking the sudden change of events, but slowly calmed down and remained in place, if nervously. Their riders weren't urging them to move and it was a chance for them to rest. Meanwhile, their riders were much less at ease, watching the golden giant which in turn was minding the excited pink babe before him. They waited while the exchange took place, hoping they were being vouched for and the little one wasn't just confirming how horrible all humans were. Not that any of them were human exactly, they all had magical blood of some kind, but with the exception of Ashido, they all looked more human than not and that was pretty much the case genetically as well.

In the end, they all got to let out a collective sigh of relief as the dragon chose to leave, turning away from them to make his way back home with their tiny rescue in tow. They were about to take their own leave without protest when the babe started to struggle, the lot hesitated then, all eyes on Eijirou. Damn bleeding heart would likely try to step in if he felt the need, foolish though it would be. Thankfully, it wasn't nearly as bad as it would seem. The little one transformed into something more akin to them and started wailing about saying goodbye. The redheaded idiot was off his horse in an instant, ignoring the distressed calls of his friends as he ran towards a very large dragon.

As soon as he was close enough he slowed quickly and threw his arms around the young boy, holding him tight in spite of the golden tail now pressed against his stomach. "We're just glad you're safe with your people again! My name is Eijirou Kirishima, what's your name so I can always remember you? A-and please, don't wander off like that! I'd love nothing more than for our people to be friends, but my village exists because not all humans are good. Don't just start trusting them because we helped you, okay? But... We're friends now, okay? Maybe someday when you're older, we can meet again and tell each other stories!" He realized he was babbling a little, but he was very aware that their time was likely very short so he had to get it out all at once.

What he would give to establish some sort of allyship between them... His village was a safe place, his mothers made sure of that, but convincing a species that was overtly aggressive, even with good reason, was not wise. Eijirou was pretty good on that front most of the time, but his urges to do good sometimes overwrote that wisdom. Case in point, he was hugging a little dragon boy still held in the coil of the tail of a clearly less friendly dragon. Behind him, he could hear his friends quietly speaking, mostly shocked that the young dragon could transform like that. While it wasn't the first creature they'd met that could, they'd never seen a dragon do it. Then again, none of them had met a dragon before either.

Shockingly, Eijirou didn't find himself alone for long, Mina showing up at his side a moment later, gently ruffling the little one's hair. "You be good, okay? Maybe we can come visit someday!"

"Yeah..." Sighed her best friend and she clearly hadn't expected this. While she wasn't opposed to seeing the little cutie again, she hadn't actually thought it would happen. They all knew they weren't welcome here, regardless of their intentions. That didn't stop Eijirou from letting the boy out of the hug and actually daring to rest a hand on golden scales as he looked up at the owner of that powerful and clearly dexterous tail. This time when he spoke, it wasn't to their pink hybrid friend. "I want to speak with your clan about a possible allyship!" This announcement drew a startled gasp from all his friends, though it was the silver-haired one that spoke.

"Eijirou! We're not wanted here! You saved the kid, we did what we came here to do. Let's go home. Please."

"We won't have another chance like this! You guys go back. Tell my mothers what I've done and I'll come back home as soon as I can." They all knew that tone of voice, not to mention how steadily he held eye contact with his twin. He'd made up his mind and they wouldn't be able to sway him. That didn't mean that had to be happy about it. Their only hope now was for the dragon to deny his request, otherwise they would have to return home without him.

...

Bakugou was about to just commit arson right there and then. The toddler had disobeyed strict orders from him. He had one rule, no transforming in front of humans and he also possessed a hatred for humans already so killing these ones to keep their secret wouldn't be out of the ordinary for him. It's not like he hadn't had his fair share of kills in his more rebellious dragon years. However, all that rage was contained for now as the redhead came over to say goodbye to the toddler. The kid seemed happy enough, thanking the guy properly with a very broken human accent since dragon's human speech wasn't the best and they often still used weird sounds to communicate even in human form, it just came naturally to them but the kid did hug back and said his thanks to the best of his abilities.

Bakugou watched the exchange and was just about to walk away again. Now the kid had no excuses for staying. He had said his precious goodbyes so they could technically leave now and it wouldn't be a big deal right? He also made a mental note of scolding the toddler once they were away from the humans and taking him to his mother before he came back to kill them all or something but that never seemed to happen because once again his murderous thoughts were interrupted by this strange, brave and somehow stupid redhead. Bakugou looked down, glaring a little even in his dragon form and waiting impatiently for some sort of explaining as to why he had been touched. When the humans spoke of a possible alliance ship he would've laughed right there and then but the redhead looked very serious about it.

It was fascinating but also a little insulting that the human thought he would agree to such a thing, it was ridiculous. They didn't need any alliance ships. Let alone from humans. They were weaker. Dragons had been doing just fine all alone. They didn't need help. They were scaly beasts that ruled the skies. Humans were clearly inferior. Bakugou stared for a minute, just watching the human exchange advice, and then looked over at the toddler who seemed fascinated by the humans. The toddler looked at Bakugou and he couldn't help but feel cornered somehow. He hated it. With some scolding small growls coming from his throat he sets the kid down on the floor, ordering him to stay there before he began to walk away without any other response. He hid behind some tall trees and began to "shrink".

In reality, he was just transforming though and when he finally turned into his human form he stepped out of the bush. He was wearing some simple-looking pants and a red cape which was his signature outfit. "You want to...form an alliance?" He stepped closer until he stood in front of Kirishima with his arms crossed over his chest and a glare on his face. His hair was almost golden looking like the color of his scales, his eyes as red as the brightest rubies and his skin was smooth looking, unlike you'd expect from a dragon hybrid. Everyone imagined them rough-looking but Bakugou was an expectation along with many others. They could also pull the whole 'I'm a real human' thing it wasn't for the scales decorating some of his body parts like some on his cheek, neck, wrist, and other spots. His tail and wings were hidden at the moment but he did have his ram-like horns. "Explain" He demanded.

...

When the dragon-now-boy was set down and the larger wandered off, Ashido panicked a little, kneeling down and gently holding the boy close, careful of his wings. "Is he just leaving him?"

"No, I don't think so... We'll take him home with us if they won't take him back. I won't let him die orphaned." The conviction was honestly shocking, not to mention the fact he was so ready to adopt the boy if he needed to after having already gone so far out of his way for his safety. The wait was sense, but when the gold dragon came back out into the open, Eijirou admittedly may have forgotten why they were talking to start with and stared. Holy shit... He was beautiful as a dragon, but now? Wow... Right, right, explain! Shaking his head he forced himself to focus again and sure enough explain himself.

"We do." Shit that outfit looks killer on him too... Focus! "My mothers are the leaders of a small village tucked away deep in the woods. For their safety, I won't specify more than that for now. It's a hideaway for outcasts, magical hybrids like us mostly, but there are some magically gifted humans as well. Most of us aren't completely human, some with more human blood than others. We're persecuted too... Hunted down... So we stick together and welcome those society throws away, so long as they don't have malicious intent. We're a tight-knit family. I think both of our people would benefit from an alliance. We can provide protection for each other and make home safer for all of us. We don't have the brute force dragons have in combat, but we can provide food and trade you lack. I've... I've noticed that I've seen fewer and fewer dragons over the years. It's not because you've all become more reclusive... Is it?"

The fact he was the son of his village's leader showed. He spoke with charisma, confidence, and offered a good measure of sympathy without his words dripping of pity. He was no stranger to speeches either, clearly... "Your people are proud and powerful. I want to stand with you to keep not just the legacy of dragons alive, but the dragons themselves. I'm tired of watching people hunted down because some bastards think you'd make good ingredients in some potion or salve or a good suit of armor or ornament. It's disgusting. Please, let me prove to you that we can help each other. Take me with you! You can blindfold me so I don't know where your home is." Holy crap did he ever stop talking?!

Meanwhile, his friends looked more and more concerned as he went on till they looked openly alarmed, several tearing up in fear of losing someone clearly precious to them. Most notably, the pink girl gigged the little dragon boy tighter, sniffling as she whispered to him louder than she meant to. "You'll keep our Ei safe if he goes with you, right? Like we kept you safe? He's so good... Please, keep him safe... Please..."

The other was ironically the largest of the lot of them. He was caught somewhere between distress of the redhead's safety and respecting his noble intentions. The same build, same teeth, similar hair... The silver color, dark grey eyes, and distinctive crests around his eyes were what made them look different, but it wasn't hard to tell they were brothers, likely very close if not the same age. It meant that Kirishima was not only willing to leave his metaphorical family as he'd made it clear the village was close with each other, but even literal family.

...

Bakugou wasn't deaf. Of course, he had heard what Kirishima was saying to "pinkie" as he mentally started to call her. Adopt a dragon hybrid? The guy was truly crazy. He would've been insulted but he was too busy being amazed. There was no need for adoption though, of course, he wouldn't leave the toddler alone but the kid would have to hear an earful when they got back to his parents. Speaking of which, they must be worried sick. He sent a signal with a bird in the forest towards them just so they could rest assured that the brat was safe before he revealed himself once more. "I...look?" No that wasn't right. He was still pretty new to the human language. "I see. Yes. I see" He quickly corrected himself as he nodded and listened to what Kirishima had to say about his mothers and this small village tucked away in the woods. Hm, keeping up with the human's words was a little difficult but he somehow managed to do it just fine.

When the redhead asked him a question he thought about it for a second before sighing. "Human hunters are very...mm, persistent. We are powerful, yes but sometimes we must fly off on our own and away from the flock to hunt. One dragon against many humans is bound to get hurt so we are careful and follow strict rules. Rules keep us alive, for now at least" His voice was rough and a little sloppy but still understandable. It was obvious that he didn't speak with humans or walk on two legs. He preferred his dragon form. It was less vulnerable and kept humans away. Guess it didn't matter now that the brat had spilled the beans though. Speaking of which, he glared at the kid. The toddler didn't seem afraid though if anything he seemed apologetic but also a little amused.

The compliments were nice. He was a creature that liked to be obeyed and praised but he didn't let it be shown, instead, keeping a straight face as he stared into Kirishima's eyes. Well, as straight as he could possibly be with that permanent glare on his face. "Huh?" Bakugou looked surprised but a bit before huffing and looking away. "Do not be ridiculous. I will not take you away from your flock but alliance ships take time and trust. Plus, you really haven't proven your worth as a powerful ally. I do not take weak people under my wings and I will not risk my flock for a tiny creature that can't take of itself" Ironically Kirishima was taller than Bakugou yet the golden hybrid talked to the redhead like he was smaller and insignificant in his eyes. Maybe he was, in his dragon form. But right now he had to look up to glare at Kirishima. He hated it but it was also an interesting change of pace. "Fight me. If you win then I will consider being your ally. I will not use my dragon form. My human form is more than enough" He said with confidence.

...

I look? Look at wa---oh. He understood now. The dragon seemed to understand well enough, but it was easier to understand words than it was to remember which ones you needed as you spoke. Still, the replies he'd gotten were easy enough to understand and his vocabulary was good. Accent and pronunciation needed work, but that was to be expected if he didn't normally speak the language. Honestly, he was impressed now that he'd listened for a bit. So he'd been right... Human hunters were picking off even the adults. It wasn't all that surprising though it was sad. A colony of ants could kill things many times larger than themselves by sheer numbers alone and they weren't even armed with weapons specifically designed to kill that particular creature.

"That isn't going to be sustainable. No one dares come here because they know there are a lot of dragons living here. Even though we don't know exactly where your den's lie, we know they're here or we wouldn't have been able to bring your brethren back to you. What you've said already tells me there isn't enough prey here so you're already having to hunt outside your territory to survive. The more you have to, the more of you will be picked off and it's only a matter of time before the humans get it in their heads that there's few of you left. A rarity fetches a higher price. Bigger hunting parties will be formed and they will come after your home eventually." He pointed out, but there was a distinct lack of pride as he did. He sounded more sad, honestly upset by the thought of that coming to pass. Angry even.

"Haven't we? Your people are tucked up far from the humans so as to avoid them, we live right near them and are still surviving. We produce our own food and could do so for you as well, given a little time to gather resources. We're stronger than you give us credit for and I'll happily prove it to you myself." Rather than drawing his sword, he walked back over to the group, taking it off completely and handing the weapon off to his twin. "Mina, stick with the others, the rest of you, give us a little room, I don't know if he can breathe fire like this."

"What if he can?!" Protested the blond of the group, looking back at the dragon's fearfully.

"I'll be fine, Kaminari. Just stay clear." He insisted, turning back to approach the gold dragon, smiling as the pink girl gave him a punch to the shoulder.

"Show him what we're made of, Ei." She had released the little dragon to return to the group as ordered to and though she was putting on a brave face and supporting him, it wasn't all that hard to tell she was worried about his wellbeing.

"There are rumors about my village that help keep people away. One of them is that we are a village of bloodthirsty monsters or demons that will steal people away in the night." His fingers curled into fists before slamming into each other, but instead of the dull meaty sound one might expect, what came was a distinctively stoney 'thunk'. His fists were still the color of flesh, but the skin had cracked and split apart in a fraction of a second to resemble stone. "I'm one of those monsters they're so afraid of..." Rumbled the redhead, shifting into a much more grounded fighting stance. He was clearly much more used to fighting hand to hand which would explain why he'd abandoned the sword right off. The craggy quality spread to the rest of his skin quickly, even affecting his teeth and eyes. "I've never fought a dragon before... This'll be fun!" Did he look... Excited? He looked excited. Honest, to goodness, excited to be fighting a well-known for its ferocity in combat. While he'd proven himself a charismatic leader, he seemed much more comfortable now, clearly in his element. "Show me what you can do, friend!" He called standing his ground and clearly allowing the other the first move.

...

As Kirishima explained all this, Bakugou's expression soured and his eyes began to glow a little and teeth bared, a growling-like sound escaping his throat. He wasn't mad at the redhead though, he was pissed off by the thought of his flock being in danger due to the human hunters. The thought made him sick to his stomach and he had to look away, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath to calm himself down before he looked back at Kirishima. "I will handle it if that ever happens" He was a good leader and didn't doubt his skills for even a second. The only reason any of his flock had ever died was that they were reckless and disobeyed orders but if everyone stuck to his rules then they would all be fine. The other flocks weren't as lucky though which is a real shame but they weren't truly his problem. As selfish and cruel as it sounded, he needed to take care of his own before going around and wanting to save all the others that weren't part of his flock.

There were still many dragons around, most of them cowering in fear and silence, hiding away in the safety of caves and underground worlds. His flock on the other hand had freedom, as long as he allowed it and knew the area was clear of any human hunters. He wanted to prove that they were still the mighty beasts that ruled the skies and that they weren't afraid. He was always one to head on straight to the problem that might come up, which included being the first one to attack any human ships or hunting parties that arrived in their dragon Island where their den was located. And now that he had heard about other scaley beasts dying, he had made a very specific rule of never going out alone, always in pairs. Of course the toddlers like the one the redhead rescued never listened to anyone. Bakugou had been working hard, hunting for all of the flock and bringing it all back for them to eat so he could keep them all safe. It was hard work but it all paid off in the end. It was his duty as the ruler of the flock and if it kept his people safe then so be it. If a hunting party ever attacked him then they would have hell to pay. He wasn't at all nice and neither was he weak.

Bakugou glared at Kirishima. He didn't like the redhead's words. They were spoken with such knowledge that pissed him off. When the guy handed his weapon over to the copy of him, he watched. Hm, brothers. Interesting. When the redhead explained to the group what to do he raised an eyebrow. So he was some sort of ruler too? Even more interesting. While yes, technically he could always breathe fire, he wasn't going to do it but the thought of Kirishima being worried about that was exciting. As the blonde of the group spoke up he almost looked proud at the fear in those eyes. When the redhead finally turned around with those sharp teeth, smiling he glared, backing away a little to get into a fighting position of his own. Usually, he would just his claws but he did want this to be a fair fight so he didn't make any moves to use them against his opponent, this time.

As the redhead explained the so-called legend of the village he looked intrigued and a little interested. What he didn't expect was the human's skin changing to reflect a hard surface, almost like wood or rock. It was strange, he had never seen anything like it which was hard to believe since he had seen a lot of shit in his dragon years that he's lived. Hm. He looked at the skin and then over at the male's eyes again. His whole body seemed to be affected by this strange magic and the other looked..excited? What a weird being. Nevertheless, Bakugou ignored his feelings of confusion and got ready to strick. After analyzing the situation he did just that. Usually, he wouldn't use his abilities but this called for a fair fight and it wouldn't be fair if he didn't use things to defend himself so instead he started to transform into his hybrid form. Bakugou kept his promise by not going into full dragon form. It was a real honor to fight a hybrid since that meant you were worthy enough to scare them into using half of their dragon abilities.

He just hoped Kirishima didn't let it get to his head. The fight lasted a few minutes but it felt like an eternity. Bakugou used everything he could, his scales as a shield, his claws to see if he could destroy the redhead's protective hard skin, hire fire, his tail to smack against the other, his wings to raise himself up and away from some of the attacks, even his horns at one point to hit the others chest but nothing seemed to break the damn magic. It was annoying. It wasn't until he really got pissed and used his explosion magic that the area surrounding them started to get a bit ruffled. In the end, he was panting, a few bruises here and there, half of the trees in the area were a little torn, the ground was cracked and there was a bit of dust in the area from his latest explosion. Bakugou wasn't one to give up but he had to admit that the redhead put up a good fight and "won" fair and square. "Alright shitty hair, you aren't that bad of a fighter after all. Consider the alliance ship approved on my end" He straightens himself up and wipes some of the blood from his mouth before sighing.

...

He'd upset the guy and though he felt bad about that, if the dragons were to survive they would have to accept the reality of their situation. He understood it was hard to accept what he'd said though... His own people struggled with the concept themselves. This was also a conversation they often had to have to convince people to join the village. While some sought them out, many hadn't been keen on joining, even if they were happy as could be now. He hoped the dragons would feel the same way over time. Perhaps they would get lucky. The fact his response was to insist that he would protect them on his own was a little worrying though... If he could do that, there wouldn't be casualties or at least less of them. He knew better than to argue about it though, he surely wouldn't take kindly to that and it would hurt his chances of joining forces.

After taking his moment to prepare and his friends gave them some space, he was rearing to go, honestly excited for the fight he was about to get into. This dragon seemed to think he could single-handedly defend all the others so he must be very tough. The fact he was choosing to do so in a more human-like form made it clear to him that he didn't intend on using the fight as an excuse to kill him. They weren't fighting, they were sparring and that was fun! After seeing his display of power, the dragon apparently felt he needed to have more of his dragon abilities to keep up with him. That smirk widened the redhead looking that much more excited to fight him. A very strange creature indeed...

As it turns out, he was much tougher than the dragon had expected. His craggy skin was harder than it looked and it didn't seem to hinder his speed in the least. His fingers grew to sharp-pointed claws that he wasn't hesitant to employ. While he dodged occasionally, these seemed more for the purpose of repositioning himself than dodging the actual blow as he brazenly took most hits thrown at him. As the fight progressed and Bakugou fought harder and held back less and less, the harder his skin grew. Eventually, his teeth falsely looked larger as his gums and lips recessed and his eyes grew wide and unblinking as his eyelids did the same, his skin growing more jagged and monstrous. This explained where the monster rumors had surfaced... He looked absolutely terrifying and the fact that the maniac was actually laughing like he was enjoying himself didn't help. If that weren't enough, when a gout of fire finally came his way, rather than trying to dodge, the bastard ran straight towards it, one of his most powerful strikes landing when he unexpectedly appeared right up close to the hybrid through his own flames.

By the time the fight was over, however, he was panting hard, blood seeping between the cracks of his skin, though his facial expression was unreadable thanks to the extremely hardened state he was in. On the spot, he leaned his back against the nearest tree and dropped his armor, smiling like an idiot as he panted hard. Sure enough, blood trickled from spider web-like wounds, appropriately looking like his skin had shattered. It had been caused by powerful explosions he hadn't expected, his hardening buckling under the concussive force. More shockingly is that as several waves of hardening rippled over his skin, the wounds broke up and seemed to heal, not even leaving a scar. He laughed breathlessly, clearly still riding a wave of adrenaline. "That was amazing! I want to spar with you as a dragon someday!"

"You would!" Bemoaned the blond still sitting on his horse, looking equal measures anxious and exasperated at his friend. The strangely long brunette with the distinctly wide smile chucked softly next to him, little hints at how close the little group was.

"He'd be so much tougher that way! He broke through my hardening a couple of times, it hurt!" He shot back like all that was a good thing, all exhausted smiles and breathless laughter. "You need to try this, Tetsu, I bet that fire would have really pushed your limits."

The silver twin shook his head with an amused smile pulling on his lips as he finally dismounted and came over to his brother. "I bet. You look like hell. Mother's going to be mad." He looked over at the dragon then, looking distinctly less afraid. Apparently, the fight had proved something to him about the other's character. "Welcome to the family, then. If you're the leader of your flock, then would you be willing to come back with us after a rest? You should speak with our mother officially. We lead the hunting parties, not the village itself."

Shockingly the quiet brunette was the one to speak up next and to Katsuki, no less. "Formal introductions are in order, I think. You've already gotten well acquainted with our party leader, Eijirou Kirishima. His brother is Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu. That is Mina Ashido." The pink girl smiled brightly, even giving an energetic wave. "This is Denki Kaminari." He motioned to the blond which gave a small wave as fear gave way to a feeling of uncertainty. If nothing else, it was clear he trusted his friend as he no longer seemed to be terrified of the situation he was in. "And I am Hanta Sero." The brunette finished with a respectful bow of his head.

Meanwhile, Kirishima was looking over what was left of his clothes, charred and ripped to shreds till he was barely decent. This did explain the lack of a shirt if his abilities left his pants looking like this. He allowed himself to slide to the ground for now, resting and trying to catch his breath.

...

This humanoid thing was as crazy as one could get. He couldn't believe the redhead was laughing it off like it was some sort of game between pals and he also was very surprised with the way he described the fight. Did he want to do it again? In his dragon form? That's insane. Nobody had ever survived a fair fight with a dragon before and this guy probably knew it. The determination was really something else but the guy was also insane and he couldn't help but be slightly worried that this redhead had something in the head that wasn't right with him. Nobody in their right mind could suggest another sparring, let alone in his dragon form where he could just step on someone and they'd be turned into a potato soup. Or in this case a human soup.

When the other twin looked over at him he raised an eyebrow, as if asking what he wanted and to get it over with. Family. What a strange word but he didn't question it, instead he thought about going them or not on this little adventure to speak with their "flock leader". While he thought about it, he just nodded at the names, trying to memorize all of them in case he needed them in the future. When they were done introducing themselves he frowned. "My name is Dynamight in dragon form. We go by code names but in human form. It's Bakugou Katsuki" He explained before he turns away and sends a loud enough roar to the skies.

It wasn't long before a green-scaled dragon appeared from the woods. When the creature spotted the humans and Bakugou it looked confused, turning its head to the blonde for an explanation. Bakugou approached the dragon and explained the situation. "You're in charge while I'm gone. Keep the flock in check. It won't take long" The green-scaled dragon nodded before it left back into the woods. Once that was done, Bakugou turned back to the weird creatures. "Alright. I will talk with your flock leader or whatever you weirdos call it. Your titles are strange"

[NicTheDjinn]

"Codenames? I've never heard of people doing that. Well, not as a general practice, rather than hiding your identity from someone you don't think you can trust..." Murmured the redhead, cute little brows pinching in though.

"Maybe they believe in the power of names." Pointed out their brunette, stretching his arms over his head. For the moment, he and his blond friend remained up on their horses as it seemed like they would be going soon anyway.

When the new dragon showed up, some of the party grew a little nervous, but in the end it was needless as the newcomer came and went quickly. There was a mix of goodbyes and be goods from the group as their little pink friend was taken back home, but they all seemed more relaxed and up beat now that everything seemed to have worked out. The rest of the party mounted up once again and so they were ready to head back home, waiting for their leader's signal, not to mention the fact that their new dragon ally didn't have a horse himself.

"I don't think it's a good idea for you to fly with us as it would attract unwanted attention. You can ride with me, if you want? Or you can take my horse and I ride with someone else," offered the redhead, even going so far as to reach a hand down to help the other up, should he accept. He may have ulterior motives for wanting to ride with the blond, but he wasn't about to voice that out loud, that would be embarrassing!

[TheVoid]

Bakugou shrugged. "The names are short, easier to pronounce for kids rather than human names, and we also keep our identity a secret in case some human hears us say our names or hears us talk. Knowing someone's name is power in some nations. Plus, humans have no right to know our real names or anyone for that matter. It's the reason I keep my flock far away from any other people or creatures. We stick together. No allies needed, you're lucky I even gave you the time of day. Only those that earn the right to speak our names are given it" Bakugou decided, looking away with a huff like this whole thing was a major inconvenience for him. Which in a way it was. He was leaving his flock defenseless without his presence there, but it was a risk that was well-earned, the human had proven himself, and he never backed down from his word.

When the entire horse situation was mentioned, he looked at the horse and frown. "I don't get along with most animals. Being a predator myself makes them nervous and in return I get pissed" He plainly said before taking Kirishima's hand and lifting himself up to the horse. "I'll ride with you. That thing better not bite me, or I'll eat it" It seems like he wasn't at all joking about it either, but he had respect for the other animal, so he did hide his tail and wings away, so they wouldn't attract too much attention. He did in fact keep his teeth, nails, and horns, though. The scales were the only thing that he couldn't escape completely, so the horse would just have to deal with it. Bakugou was hesitant to grab onto Kirishima, but when the horse took the first step, the decision was made for him. He bumped into Kirishima's back and held onto the redhead's waist tightly. "Damn horse" He cursed under his breath.