§Future Empress§

Fox Plan Phase 1

"I would never hate you"

Back to present day Galilean Market

"Well that was a lot to process..." Katsumi said as she looked around almost as if in search for something. "What are you searching for Princess?" Eijirou asked as he approached her with some tea to drink. "Nothing..really" Katsumi said as she took the cup to drink the tea but she smelled something funny in her tea. "Poison" Katsumi said, in a cold deep tone of voice. Others were startled especially Eijirou who gave her the cup. Eijirou immediately prostrated on the ground. "I did not know what was in the cup, Princess! It was unintentional! Please forgive me!" Eijirou went down in a spiral of apologies. Everyone got tensed especially Mina. "Forgive me Princess! I was the one who bought the tea! I should be getting punished instead!" Mina said as she prostrated on the ground as well. Shoto was definitely taken aback by this commotion. 

"The one who should be getting punished is that little brat at the stall" Katsumi said as she pointed her sheathed sword towards a snacks stall- Wild Wild Tea. 

A small figure emerged from the background carrying a wooden kitchen ladle. "Get out of this place! you are outsiders! threat to Galilee!" a brunette boy roared from the shop-front.

"Kota Izumi! what are you doing! She is not a threat to Galilee!" Iida said but this led him to wonder what the ash-blonde maid at Princess Izumi's castle was doing with a sword and a whole crew of ruffians. "This makes me want to ask, who are you exactly?" Iida asked out of curiosity. "Has your head succumbed to the fever, Iida? She is Princess Katsumi of Kingdom of Alora" Shoto enlightened Iida. "Well I knew she was a princess cause of that whole poison situation. I just didn't know of which Kingdom! Now that I do know, I wish extend a proper welcome. Welcom-" Iida was interrupted by the princess herself. "Focus on your recovery besides this isn't how I want to be welcomed in this kingdom" Katsumi said as she approaches the small kid and squats in front of him. "So your name is Kota Izumi?" Katsumi said as she put emphasis on the word- Izumi. The kid nods and tightens his group on the ladle.

"Poison is a big deal kid, it can take someone's life if proper antidotes are not given. You could have killed a living being. How would you have dealt with it if I had died?" Katsumi interrogated the kid, or at least tried to make him come to his rational thinking.

 "No need to be so on guard but again your princess is as uptight as it gets" Katsumi says as she smirks. This resulted in Kota breaking down in tears.

"Mom...Dad..." Kota mumbles in between his sobbing. Katsumi stepped back from this situation. Shoto immediately went to talk to Kota. "Kota...we didn't teach you all this, so why are you saying such things?" Shoto asked Kota who just sat down on the ground and continued crying. "Soldiers came last night and took over the kingdom! they took my parents!" Kota explained.

 Both Shoto and Tenya were stunned at this revelation. Shoto was out for only 2 days and Tenya became sick a day later. For the kingdom to be struck with terror in such a short period was indeed shocking. Like what happened with the iron wall and the dashing army of 10,000 soldiers and additional 3000 soldiers posted on the iron wall, the cavalry and weapons? 

Shoto reached out to the kid and asked him to describe the events of last night. Kota explained, sobbingly, that the market was closed off in protest ever since the Queen and Princess left for Lockwood. The silent protest which was usually as loud as a tight slap to the face was even quieter than a mouse last night. How rumours spread that the number of goons were increasing outside the iron wall and now that even the soldiers of Lockwood were surrounding the iron wall from outside. Last night there were alot of violence in the market and most of the adults were taken away on carriages and children were left behind but later people came to collect them as well and succeeded but a handful of children hid well and that included Kota. Kota, in hiding, overheard a few soldiers talking about Alora and from that the little boy, scared and angry, deduced that these were the soldiers of Alora. Hence his resentment towards the kingdom Alora. 

Mina hugged the kid, who was now a sobbing mess, and tried to comfort him. "We need to find the remaining children and take them to safety" Mina announced as she gently patted Kota's back. Katsumi nooded in agreement. "Mina, Denki and Sero, find remaining civilians and Iida take them to the main castle for protection" Katsumi instructed and the four nodded. "Todoroki, Kirishima and Yaomomo follow me to investigate other scenes. Let's begin with the Todoroki residence. It's suspicious all this happened and I see no one from this kingdom here." Katsumi said. "My father escorted the Royal family to Lockwood. He left me in charge but I prioritised other minor activities." Shoto reluctantly admitted his insincerity towards his duty. 

"What has passed has passed. Focus on the present. Alright everyone get into the position I assigned you all" Katsumi announced, as she stepped into a much more demanding position than of a princess - A savior. Thus the work began.

While Tenya guided his newly formed group's members, Shoto led others to his residence.

Todoroki Residence

Training Grounds

The sight was sickening. There were dead bodies of many soldiers laying on the ground. They were students who were in training to become soldiers for the kingdom. They were young and still lacked lots of knowledge on fighting skills, war tactics and genuine protocols. The bloodbath made everyone shocked. Shoto couldn't think straight, he ran inside his house to find his family. 

"Momo and Eijirou, check the ground for anyone alive. I will follow Shoto" Katsumi ordered as she ran inside the house. The other two did as ordered. 

Inside Todoroki Residence

The Main Hall

empty

The Master bedroom

empty

the other bedrooms

empty

servant quarters

empty

the basement

not empty

"Shoto!" Cried his family members. They were hiding in the basement. Shoto was relieved but he couldn't find his eldest brother. "Where is Toya?" Shoto inquired. "He went to Lockwood to find dad and inform him about everything" Fuyumi said.

Toya, although oldest of all siblings, was not left in charge as his skills and health were inferior to Shoto. He was strong but not the strongest in the family. So he took every chance to prove his worth to his father and earn recognition. He was loved by everyone in the family but his inferiority complex mistook love for pity and protection for weakness. It was hard being Toya.