Dungeons And Heroes

As An Equal

     As they walked with Eijirou in the lead, they neared the mountain pass between the range of volcanoes- the place where Katsuki and the dragons resided. The group's tension began to build.
     "Um, Eijirou?" Ochaco asked gently as they strolled. "If this Katsuki boy is so wild and stubborn, how were you even able to make friends with him?"
     Eijirou chuckled softly. "Yeah, he's wild and stubborn, all right. The thing about Katsuki is... Well, I told you before. He can't be tamed. You have to earn his respect. I guess I earned it. He saw me, and saw someone much like himself. Well," Eijirou laughed, "albeit someone just a little nicer than himself. He sees me eye to eye, as an equal, just as friends should see each other. I don't think he's ever really seen anyone else that way before."
     "You don't come from here, do you, Eijirou?" Izuku asked curiously.
     "This hellhole?" Eijirou looked shocked. "Of course not! Just because I'm a dragon shifter, that does not mean I come from where the other dragons do. I was actually cursed with the powers early on in our campaign." He turned back and grinned. "Best. Curse. Ever! Now I get to be just like my idol, Crimson Riot!" He stopped them in front of a cave opening. "Ah! We're here."
     The adventurers stumbled to a stop. Awkward silence ensued. They'd come so far, and they were finally where they wanted to be... so why were they too nervous to advance?
     "Roll for running away?" Eraserhead suggested in a mumble, arms crossed.
     Izuku shook his head. "I'm going in. The rest of you can stay out here if you want, but-"
     "No," Shoto stopped him, putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "This is a campaign. We're a group. We're friends. We go in together."
     Izuku smiled gratefully, his shoulders slumping with relief. "Thank you."
     The group advanced together with Eijirou in front. The cavern was huge. Dragons eerily lined the edge of the cave, either sleeping or staring blearily at the adventurers as they passed.
     "I-Is this safe?" Ochaco murmured frightfully as a dragon with golden scales lifted its head as they walked by it.
     Eijirou smiled back at them, his pointy teeth looking a lot like the dragons'. "Obedient, sure. Only to whatever Katsuki tells them. I also sometimes can command them, too, but not like he can. Safe, however..." He sucked in a sharp breath and grimaced. "Depends on what Katsuki demands of them."
    The others looked at him in alarm. He waved his hands to reassure them. "But as long as I'm here, I'll do whatever's in my power to keep you all protected. You're good people, I can tell."
"Thank you, Eijirou," Izuku said. "You didn't have to do this for us."
"But I did, and we'll speak no more of it," Eijirou responded.
"KI-RI-SHI-MA!" A jarring voice from the front of the room resounded through the cavern, putting extreme stress on each syllable.
"Oops," Eijirou whispered, putting a hand over his mouth, though humor was lit in his eyes. "He noticed us. He sees I've brought guests."
With a few more cautious steps, they reached the front of the room where the sneering Katsuki sat on a large throne molded out of dirt and dragon teeth. He leered at the mismatched campaigners as he slid down. "Eijirou," he growled softly. "Who are these people?" He scanned the small crowd before him, and then his eyes rested on Izuku, who gave a cautious smile and familiar wave.
Katsuki's eyes lit with fury. "DEKU?!"
Ochaco looked toward the green-haired adventurer. "D-Deku?" she questioned, confused by the nickname.
"Katsuki," Izuku greeted softly in return. "It's been so long."
"Not long enough, you stupid heap of sod," Katsuki grumbled angrily, pulling his flamboyant cape tight around his shoulders. His blond hair was wild, and dragon teeth were hung around his neck. His hands sparked with explosive energy he'd been born with.
"Hey!" squeaked Ochaco. "Don't talk to Izuku like that!" she shouted at Katsuki bravely.
"Huh?" Katsuki shifted his poring gaze to Ochaco. "And who might you be, witch?"
Ochaco's eyes darkened. She lifted her staff and pointed it at Katsuki. At once, he flew up from the floor and hung by his levitating foot near the cavern ceiling. "OI!" he yelled in fury. "STOP THIS! LET ME DOWN, FREAKS!"
"Katsuki, do you have any idea who you're talking to?" Eijirou called to him from below, a laugh threatening to overtake his voice.
"YOU THINK I CARE?! IT'S JUST DEKU!"
"Ah, ah, ah, my friend," Eijirou said, wagging his finger. "You would have just collectively called the prince of our country a freak."
     "YOU BROUGHT A TODOROKI HERE?! EIJIROU, ARE YOU TRYING TO GET US THROWN IN PRISON?!"
Ochaco slowly let Katsuki down, who cursed all the way. When he got to his feet, he reluctantly bowed, but as soon as he rose, he spit a name at the prince.
Eijirou sighed. "Katsuki, that just ruined the whole purpose of your bow."
Katsuki glowered, But said nothing more.
Shoto tilted his head, observing Katsuki. "You see, usually I would tell people to call me by my name without honorifics and that there is no need to bow, like my friends here, but..." He pursed his lips and stared at Katsuki intensely. "You can call me Your Majesty, Prince Shoto Todoroki."
Shock rippled in Katsuki's eyes until he turned away, his cape swinging dramatically with him. "I'm done," he announced simply with a wave of his hand. "I'm done. Leave, all of you."
"Katsuki, wait!" Izuku pleaded, his hand outstretched.
"No, Deku!" Katsuki turned his head back with a scowl and fire in his eyes. "I don't want to see you here again! GET OUT!"
Eijirou stepped forward and put a hand on Katsuki's shoulder. Katsuki didn't shrug it off, miraculously. "Katsuki, please," Eijirou begged softly. "Listen to what they have to say. You don't have to do it for them, but do it for me."
Katsuki was quiet for a moment. Then he huffed out a defeated sigh. "Fine."
     "Izuku?" Eijirou said with a smile, hands on his hips. "The floor is yours."