𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐂 || BNHA

Chapter 2

You emitted a low growl as you approached, still concealed by your camouflage. The young victim of the chaos, an ash-blond boy with intense eyes matching your own, was at the center of the screams and explosions.

The villain, a grotesque slime-like creature with bulging, wild eyes, cackled with anticipation. The heroes struggled against him, as getting too close risked dire consequences. Time to see if this theory thing is for me, you thought, shivering, and stealthily moved forward, your talon steps silent but weighty. Without warning, you struck like a serpent, clamping your jaws onto the villain's arm and consuming a substantial amount of slime, causing it to deteriorate. Spitting it out, you growled and aimed for another vulnerable spot.

By now, both the child and the villain were aware of your presence and attempted to intervene. However, all the heroes and Deku saw was the sludge villain being torn apart. "Oi, where are you, coward?! Show yourself and fight me like a man!" the villain snapped. You chuckled deeply and rumbled in their language, "Gladly," shifting back to the color of ivory. A mighty roar echoed, shaking the ground and causing the humans to cover their ears.

The Sludge Villain stared, baffled, as you charged headfirst into its belly, where the ash-blond boy was. Before he could plummet to the ground, you lashed out, claws closing around him. The villain was blown away, splattering against the ground but managing to regain footing, now winded and furious. "Oh, it's you!" he snarled, his wild eyes now filled with rage.

Smirking toothily, you gently set the boy down, positioning yourself to shield him. "Come to take me first. Leave those mortals alone," you offered, lowering down to deliver a raspy roar. "Tch, you're not a hero. You're just a monster," the Sludge Villain snarled, attempting to touch you with a weary hand. You lashed your tail, tilting your head as a familiar figure landed in front of you – All Might.

"I will not let you hurt any more citizens!" he declared, delivering his signature smash that sent the villain flying, this time not recovering. The blonde man even made it rain. Snorting, you stepped back, giving the ash-blond boy a toothy smile, then faded away, not wanting to risk aggression towards humans.

You left, leaving Katsuki in stunned silence. Though he would typically be angry at someone attempting to save him, you were an exception. Secretly, he hoped, unwilling to admit it, that he would encounter you again. Yet, a mysterious bond with you had formed, unexplainable in his mind.

Having witnessed it all, Deku was mainly confused about why you appeared suddenly, attacking those who targeted him. Awe, fear, and wonder spiraled within him. Some heroes asked if he was okay, and he nodded before following Bakugo, evading a group of heroes trying to question him. The two were silent for a long moment before Bakugo hissed, "Don't think we're friends now, Deku. You didn't even save me, and if it hadn't been for you, I might never have met that villain. Same with that beast." He huffed and walked on, unaware that red eyes were watching their every move.

Alone, Deku sighed, looking down, oblivious to your presence. All Might approached, and you receded into the shadows. You had done your part.

There were a few more instances where you crossed paths with Izuku before he sought you out. Today, he walked in the forest behind his house, where he believed he had seen you slip into. Not knowing your name, he refrained from calling out. Suddenly, a rustle of ferns and a giant tree falling caught his attention.

Izuku whipped his head around, coming face to face with two red orbs glaring at him. Your voice, deep and raspy, questioned, "What are you doing here, little human?"

Staring at you for a few minutes, Izuku started to stutter, his face turning red. You tilted your head and growled for him to stop, and he complied. "State your business calmly. I do have all day, after all," you said, sitting down and still towering above the young boy.

He sighed, took a deep breath, and began explaining why he had come, "I need to talk to you." You snorted, flaring your nostrils, trying to detect any lying pheromones but finding none. "Very well. Go on," you urged. Izuku gulped, "I-I was... w-wondering if y-you, uh," you lashed your tail, uprooting a bush. "Speak, little broccoli," Izuku blushed at the nickname but shook his head. "I'm sorry. It's just that dinosaurs aren't supposed to be alive anymore. They're extinct!" you snorted and checked your claws, "A scientist by the name of Dr. Henry Wu made us alive again. But I am no real dinosaur. I am a monster, a killer. That's what they call me, at least." Feeling suddenly sad, you shook it off.

The internal battle did not go unnoticed by Deku, but he decided to leave it be. "W-where is this scientist then?" he asked instead. You shrugged, coming to a stand, "Last time I saw him, he was in a lab. But now, I have no idea. For me, he can rot under the lava." You started to walk away but paused.

"Little broccoli," you called, and Izuku looked up, cheeks tinted red. "Life isn't all about having rights nor being a hero. I saw what you did today and feel your passion for becoming a hero. But the world isn't all rainbows and skies. You will meet villains and people that will hate you." You paused again, tail drooping, "Just make sure you do the right thing. Don't let yourself be dragged under by... revenge. It leads you nowhere." You then left, mulling your words over in your mind.

Did you mean what you just said? You woke for a purpose, but maybe it wasn't to wreak havoc on the human world. Perhaps it was to save it. Pah, as if I can save some insignificant mortals! you snarled in your mind, curling in the nest you had made for yourself, uncertain of what the future held. There wasn't anyone who had paved the path for you, so you had to do it yourself.

That was the way of life, after all.