DRAGON'S BROOD (Kirishima x Bakugou)

Chapter 2: Escape and Freedom

Kirishima's PoV

Panic spread through me. Mr. Tekashi took a few steps back, his face distorted by fear reflected pure disgust. Then he turned on his heel and ran away. I started to run after him, but a graceful yet strong hand held me back. Mr. Tekashi disappeared behind the next corner of the house.

I turned to Miss Crownway, who looked at me with tears in her eyes. "Eijirou," she whispered. Never before had I seen the tough home director cry and it broke my heart. I took a quick step towards her and embraced her. "Eijirou. You must flee, he will inform the guards."

I suppressed a sob and nodded when I broke away from her. My eyes fell on Tomoko who looked at me with big frightened eyes and clawed a hand into the director's skirt. Helplessly I looked at her. She had always trusted me, but she would certainly never do that again. Who trusts a dragon's brood? "Everything will be fine", I said, as if to calm myself.

"Eiji?" she asked me with a quiet trembling voice.

"Yes?" I answered, squatting in front of her. I was prepared for everything. For her fear of me. Maybe even for her disgust.

"Please... no one must hurt you. Who will take care of you now?" asked the five-year-old girl and began to cry. Tomoko let go of Miss Crownway's skirt hem and wrapped her arms around my neck.

Tears also came to my eyes, moved by her concern, but also because of my own fear. "I am so sorry Tomoko. But I think I have to learn to take care of myself. I can do it. I promise." It was a promise that I might not be able to keep. But I would try. If not for my self, at least for her. I briefly pressed her delicate body in a hug and then stood up again.

"I'll quickly pack you something to eat, and you'll quickly get your belongings. You need to get out of here as fast as you can," Miss Crownway said before she disappeared into the kitchen with Tomoko while I was rushing into the sleeping room.

I didn't own much. I packed up my clothes and took out my best pair of boots. I will have to cover a lot of distance. But I had nothing but my clothes. Only one important thing was missing. I hurried to my bedside table and picked up the strange little stone lying on it. It had been a gift from Tomoko. She had found it while playing with the other children of the village in the fields. On the outside it was rough and grey, but it had been broken open by some force. Inside, red crystal glistened. I remembered how she had handed it over to me. More than amazed, I had stared at the small stone on the palm of my hand. I was overwhelmed to receive such a precious gift from a then four-year-old. "It reminds me of you," she had said and closed my fingers firmly around the small stone with both hands.

I let the little treasure, which would always remind me of the girl with the raven black hair, slide into my trouser pocket and grabbed my bundle before I ran into the kitchen. Miss Crownway was waiting for me.

She handed me a canvas bag containing apples, bread, cheese and a water skein. I accepted it gratefully and hugged the home director tightly. I had so much to thank her for. Then, with a heavy heart, I was about to go to the door when Miss Crownway held me back again.

Surprised, I looked at her as she pressed a small leather bag into my hand. I stared at it and felt the weight of the coins in it. "You will soon be able to take care of yourself but take it so you can get along for now."

For the second time in the last ten minutes, tears flooded my eyes. The small orphanage did not have much money. To be honest, I had never had any money of my own. "Thank you," I whispered. "What do you mean, I'll soon be able to take care of myself?"

She looked at me intensely. "Eijirou, when things get really bad, promise me that you will shift. That you will defend yourself. I love you. I don't want you to die because you deny who you are."

"Miss Crownway..." I said while a single tear ran down my cheek. I had never shifted before. I didn't even know how to do it. All my life, I had pretended to be normal.

"Promise me, Eijirou," she said gently. "That you will do everything to survive."

I got goosebumps from her insistent words and became aware of their implications. "Yes. I promise," I said seriously.

"Good." She stroked a black strand from my face. "Go to Ochako first. You have to change your appearance a little. Maybe she can do something with your hair."

I chuckled lightly. This trivial subject in this serious situation felt so familiar. "I will."

I pressed her one last time and gave Tomoko a kiss on the forehead. Then I went out the door and didn't turn around again. I just couldn't. I left everything behind. My home, my family. If I turned around now, perhaps I would become weak and I couldn't do that. Not only had I promised them that I would do everything I could to take care of myself and survive. If I stayed now, Miss Crownway would be accused of high treason. So, she could at least affirm that she knew nothing about it.

I walked the streets at a quick pace. I didn't run in order not to draw attention to myself and took the biggest streets to disappear into the crowd. Since this village Nirakawa was quite small, there were only a few officers of the King's Country Guard, who occasionally patrolled the streets. But there was no city wall surrounding the village and no one to control the entrance and exit.

Nevertheless, I saw the small crowd of people that had formed before the civic office. Already from afar, I saw the red capes of the country guard with the golden flame patterns, which were the symbol of the royal house. The news must already have got around. I quickly turned off at the next crossroads to avoid the dangerous territory.

All the time my heart was pounding. I just had to get out. Out of the village. The witch Ochako lived in the northern direction, a little away from the village.

When I had left the last houses of the hamlet behind me and I was greeted by the fresh, cool wind, which brushed around me unhindered away from the gorges of the houses, I had to smile a little. Before me was an infinite expanse. Never before could I see so far. And a feeling of freedom overlapped my fear. I looked up into the sky and for the first time in my life had the feeling that I was exactly where I belonged. Out of the narrow streets, up in the air. Where I could spread my wings in the truest sense of the words.

A grin covered my face. It felt so new and so natural. Nobody was here to see it. I didn't have to hide my teeth. Even though this glowing fear of what was coming in the future was still inside me and I felt great sorrow at the loss of my home, I was completely lost to this new intoxicating feeling. The feeling of freedom.