DRAGON'S BROOD (Kirishima x Bakugou)

Chapter 4: The Home of the Dragon's Brood

Bakugou's PoV

When we arrived at the village Nirakawa, dawn was already breaking. We rode down the main road and saw a crowd standing in front of a large building. Loud voices argued with each other. I saw the red capes of the Country Guard and frowned a little. Why hadn't they made sure to calm down the crowd?

A man of the County Guard saw us. "A dragonslayer! Thank God, people just don't want to calm down!" But his exclamation alone ensured that the attention was focused on me and my group.

"Fuck off!" I yelled.

"Bakugou!" Aizawa said with a warning tone.

I pulled my eyebrows together, annoyed. "All who know anything about the dragon's brood should talk to Mr. Aizawa. The rest should fucking go home. We want to settle the matter quickly," I still said strictly, but this time I tried to suppress the irritated tone.

I directed my horse to the side of the road and got down while the first people started to talk to Aizawa. He spoke with reassuring words to the crowd. I ignored them. I would listen to Aizawa's report later. First I devoted myself to my surroundings. I breathed deeply through my nose. No smell of Sulphur. If there was a dragon's brood somewhere here, then it had not shifted. That was also supported by the fact that I saw no damage to the houses. All in all it looked like a normal village and not as if one of these beasts had lived here. Nevertheless, I had a different feeling about this mission. It had been the turmoil of the people. People liked to be carried away by rumors, but real panic was hardly to be faked.

Deep in my thoughts, I flinched when someone tapped me from behind. Quickly I turned around and looked into Aizawa's dark eyes.

"Apparently, there's only one eyewitness. But he seems quite convincing," said Aizawa.

I nodded. "Where do we have to go?"

"To an orphanage on the outskirts of the village."

I frowned. "It was actually taken to an orphanage? How could it not be noticed?" When such children grew up, they were usually hidden by their parents, who were blind to the fact that they were raising a monster. But these children were conspicuous. In an orphanage, somebody would have noticed.

Aizawa shrugged his shoulders. "We'll probably have to find out. First we should see the orphanage."

I nodded and grabbed the reins of my horse before getting into the saddle. With Aizawa at my side and the rest of the troop in tow, I rode towards the edge of the village. I didn't know what to think. How old had this beast become without being noticed? That was quite unusual. Somebody must have deliberately hidden this dragon's brood. But why did one do such a thing?

We stopped in front of a little grey house. I handed my horse over to one of the troop and walked towards the wooden door with Aizawa. Then I knocked forcefully. Immediately the door was opened and in front of us stood a strict looking older woman in a high-necked white blouse.

"What can I do for you gentlemen?" she asked, emphatically friendly and with a broad unfamiliar accent.

"We're investigating the case of a dragon's brood. Can we come in?" Aizawa asked politely.

The woman first examined Aizawa and then me extensively. Her gaze lingered on my sword, which hung by my side like a loyal companion. She tried to hide it, but I felt the discomfort and mistrust that she felt towards me. Maybe it was even more. Was it disgust?

But I didn't have much time to think about it, because the woman stepped back and let us in without saying a word.

Aizawa began to ask the woman questions. But I preferred to look around. I felt that she was watching me as I scanned the room with my eyes and looked into the neighboring rooms. Then I noticed the small staircase leading up. I just put one hand on the railing when the home director held me back.

"What are you doing?" she asked with a frown.

With my eyebrows pulled together, I looked at her. "I'll look around. Or do you have something to hide?"

For a moment I saw anger flashing in the grey eyes of the woman, but she was quickly in control again. "No. But upstairs there are only the bedrooms. Do not frighten the children!"

I looked at her with my eyes narrowed. "Then I'll probably knock," I hissed. How could she dare to interrupt me in my investigation?

I ascended the wooden stairs and walked straight towards the large door at the end of the corridor, behind which I suspected the sleeping room. I knocked forcefully on the door before I opened it energetically. The room was small, accommodating just four beds and a small playpen. At first I thought the room was empty, but then it rustled and under a blanket the head of a little girl with pitch-black hair peered out.

"Who are you?" she asked with big eyes and looked at me frightened.

I didn't answer and looked around the small room. It seems ordinary and rather barren for children living here. I cleared my throat. "Where did this dragon's brood sleep?"

The dark eyes of the girl watched me disparagingly as I walked towards her. "Eiji? Here," she said hesitantly, clutching her little fingers into the pillow as she cuddled deeper under the blanket.

Surprised, I stopped. "Why are you lying in his bed?"

"It smells like him."

Confused, I looked at the girl. I didn't know what to say to her. Did she want to be close to this beast? Why?

"Will you find Eiji?" she asked and looked at me with big eyes.

"Tch. You can count on that."

Now suddenly fear flashed in her eyes. A small tear ran down her cheek and she began to sob.

"Don't worry, we'll kill that beast," I said awkwardly in an effort to calm her down.

She sat up abruptly and looked at me outraged. "You mustn't do that. Eiji is a good person! He has always protected me!"