Running With The Wolves (Shoto Todoroki X Izuku Midoriya)

Chapter 34: Ride From The Dullahan

Once the three were done making their wishes, the two boys as well as the two younger kids continued on their way, searching for more entertainment through the festive streets of the town.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, young and old. Come one and come all, listen here and listen well!"

Hearing that light voice caught the group's attentions and made them turn towards where they thought it was coming from. Spotting a large crowd, mostly children, gathering around a pageant wagon. There on it's stage stood what Shoto thought to be a young lad.

The mask that covered the upper half of his face was red and had gold trimmings, a golden hoop earring on his left ear and a large-brimmed black hat with a single red feather on top on his head. He wore a white loose-fitting blouse decorated with frills tucked beneath dark baggy trousers, dark gloves that reached his elbows as well as dark boots that reached up to his knees. And to top of his already flamboyant look, a long lavender cape flowed behind his back, which sparkled the moment it touched the sunlight.

"You've all heard the tales of how the holy man himself came to this land to preach the new religion" the bard added. "In fact, I bet you even heard of all his amazing adventures across the Emerald Isles. Like how he rid our beloved Eirin of those vile serpents and chased every single one of them into the sea. Of course, we already know that story. But there is one tale not much people know about, like how he and his god cursed the pagan tribe who refused to convert to the new religion and turn them into wolves."

From each tale he spoke of, he drew either a coo with interest or a hum of acknowledgement from his audience. The last one however appears to have irked Izuku, judging by the offended look he made the moment the bard mentioned the so-called cursed pagan tribe. He even looked like he was about to march his way towards the pageant wagon.

But of course, he was immediately stopped by Shoto. Who quickly raised an arm out, blocking him from going any further.

"Oh, no you're not!" Shoto said. "What exactly were you planning to do just now?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm going to give him a piece of my mind!" Turning to face the direction of the masked bard just to shoot a glare, he added with a growl "How dare he spread those lies about us and our kind?"

Once more, Izuku was about begin to march. And yet again, Shoto was quick to stop him by stepping in front of him this time.

"Izuku, calm down. He's a bard, that's what he does. He tells stories he heard from others." Drawing himself close to the other, he raised a hand and held it close to his face before adding, but his voice was quieter this time "Also remember, they don't know that we're...you know..."

When the boy in the cloak still didn't understand what he meant, the English boy began tilting his head to the side repeatedly. If it weren't for the split second he turned his eyes to the side, he wouldn't have realized he was actually gesturing for him to look into that specific direction without making it obvious. Well, sort of.

So Izuku did exactly that, turn to very the direction Shoto was pointing. He was left confused, because all he found were both Kota and Eri. That's until he noticed the confused expressions on their faces, only then did Izuku realize what Shoto was trying to tell him.

"Fine!" He breathed out reluctantly.

"How about we go somewhere else then?" Shoto suggested with a hum in the end, to which Izuku replied with a nod.

The group was right about ready to leave, that's until...

"But what if I told you all those tales are nothing but bull!"

Surprisingly, hearing that made the group stop and turn their attention back to the bard.

"For too long, these so-called holy men of the church has twisted the ancient tales of this land and turn them into these so-called morality tales" he continued while flamboyantly striding across the pageant wagon, flailing his arms out in the air as if he was some kind of poet reciting poem, but in a mocking manner. "There, I said it! But what are they going to do about it, huh? Throw me to the stocks? Chain me up in the dungeons maybe? Or cut my tongue out perhaps?"