Riddles and Riots

.:Dragons, Slayers, and Witches:.

          "FUCK YOU AND YOUR SHITTY PIECE OF SHIT BEER! I'LL SELL MY OWN GODDAMN ALCOHOL AND RUN YOUR BUSINESS TO THE GROUND, OLD HAG!" A bottle flew across the tavern and shattered against the far wall. The barmaid cowered behind the counter, shielding her head with a tray from the raining glass. Other customers shifted nervously, hoping not to catch the eye of the one throwing a fit.
"You don't even know how to make alcohol! You're not even drunk, calm down or you'll get banned from the last bar in town!" A tall, dark blue haired knight adjusted his crooked glasses as he held tight to the rambunctious blonde barbarian.
"FUCK OFF, FOUR-EYES!" Throwing his head back, the blond slammed into the knight's chin, breaking free of his hold. Then he stormed to the bar, flashy orange explosions erupting from his fists. "I'LL TEACH ALL YOU RICH BASTARDS A LESSON YOU'LL NEVER FORGET!"
"Prince Bakugo, no!"

.••.••.

"That was without a doubt the worst behavior I've ever seen! Have you no shame as a prince?!" Iida, of the King's royal knights, carried his helmet in one hand while swinging the other indignantly at said prince. Climbing the glorious city's steep streets, he followed close to the blond as they made their way along the sparkling granite path.
"The bitch had no right to insult my name like that! She can burn in hell!" Bakugo chewed angrily on his long red cape as if to display the magnitude of his anger.
"She didn't insult you! She just didn't know who you were and only asked if you were from the area! Maybe if you actually wore a shirt, you wouldn't look so conspicuous-!"
"Shut up! For all the shit I do to kill dragons for your greedy-ass people, I still get no fucking recognition!" He stormed away from the knight, who stubbornly kept pace.
"Getting kicked out of every bar in town isn't a way to get recognition, either!" Iida swiped his masculine arm in front of him.
Bakugo pushed through as if it were nothing but a frail tree branch. "Who gives a shit?! I have all the damn alcohol I want back at the castle! I'm royalty, bitch!"
The knight's anger finally began to boil over. "It's not even your castle! You're only here because King All Might requested the best dragon slayer in the land for an important mission!"
"Well good on him for recognizing something about me!" Bakugo spat at a nearby building and stomped away, leaving Iida in the dust grabbing fistfuls of his own hair. This barbarian was absolutely impossible to reason with.
"Let's just get back to the castle," the knight started, "I'm sure the King is almost done with his meeting-"
"Where the hell else would I go, dumbass?! The fucking sewers?!"
Iida pinched the bridge of his nose, pushing down his unbearable urge to scream. He hated being on guard duty for Bakugo, but nobody else had the courage to deal with him. The Prince was all sorts of messed up, but where he lacked all of humanity and discipline, he made up for with power and passion. Iida has never witnessed anyone slay a dragon as fast as he- and sometimes Bakugo could do it without getting a single scratch on himself. However, that was no excuse for his constant childish behavior!
They argued all the way back to the gates as the sun began its descent below the horizon. The doors opened for them, Iida leading the way inside and routing them to the dining hall, where they waited silently for the King to finish his dinner meeting. It took another ten minutes for the doors to open and a tall, thin, frail man to be escorted out. He spotted the pair off to the side and waved his servants off, approaching them with a kind smile.
"My apologies for keeping you, there were many matters to discuss regarding Kingdom Hellflame's fall yesterday. We are still on the search for survivors." The King's messy yellow hair and dark bags under his eyes confirmed his long day of work.
"Never apologize, my liege!" Iida bowed excessively, swinging his arm like a windmill, "You are the best at what you do! I am honored to serve such an incredible mastermind-!"
"Shut the hell up with your meaningless praises!" Bakugo snarled. The King gave them a sheepish smile.
"So." The prince's voice was surprisingly calm all of a sudden. "What bitch do you want me to kill this time?"
All Might raised a bony hand to beckon him. "Let's speak in my office, if you don't mind."
They followed the king down many wide halls with shimmering gold-stitched burgundy floors. Large paintings of scenery and people hung along the marble walls, telling heroic stories of the past kings and queens. Once they finally made it to the large office room, Iida took a guarding stance outside the door, allowing Bakugo and the King to speak alone. The prince took a seat in a massive, dark blue velvet chair, sinking a little too far down for his comfort.
"Damn chair- do you have anything less ass-absorbent?"
All Might chuckled. "My apologies, I can get you a pillow-"
"Don't bother, I'll just sit on the fucking floor." He did just that, crossing his legs on the carpet. Outside the door, Iida shouted at him.
"Don't use such foul language in the presence of the King! I will escort you out of the castle if I have too!"
"It's ok, Iida." All Might called back, waving his hand. "I appreciate your concern, but I'm not a prudish man. I don't mind. And please, call me All Might."
          "Yes, my King All Might!" Once it was silent behind the door, they resumed their conversation. All Might grabbed the steaming kettle from the table between them, pouring two cups of hot tea. He handed one to the prince, who looked bewildered as to why the King was so humble.
Bakugo skeptically accepted it, then cleared his throat. "So, word has it there's been another kingdom left in ruins. Do we even know who we're dealing with? Obviously someone with dragons, otherwise I wouldn't be here."
As the King took a light sip, his cyan eyes darkening. "I have no way of confirming the accusations, but I have a relatively good idea as to who could be behind all this madness." He hesitated, tapping a finger on the ceramic cup. "...There is only one man I can think of that would be capable of bonding a Ruby Crystaller."
Bakugo nearly choked. "That's the demon I have to put out of its misery?"
The tall man nodded. "We hardly know anything of the dragon- how it came into possession of the enemy, if it's a hybrid or full blooded, if they resurrected it, or found one alive. After watching the enemy's movements, we can assume he is using it to pick off the more powerful territories before heading for Kingdom One For All. He doesn't want to give any opportunity for me to receive reinforcements."
          The King met Bakugo's stare with another of greater power. "If we seize him now, we may be able to overpower him before his forces grow too great, but his ability to disappear and reappear so suddenly makes it almost impossible to catch him. And, him having mastered one of the deadliest dragons in existence won't help our cause. I was hoping with your expertise in dragon hunting you could it track down, in turn finding its tamer, and assist us in putting an end to their massacres."
Bakugo frowned cluelessly. He'd never faced a Ruby, as they have been said to be extinct for hundreds of years. What he did know of them, however, was that 'incredibly dangerous' was an understatement, even for a renowned dragon slayer like Bakugo. Ruby Crystallers' ability to fortify their body with impenetrable crystal is taken to new heights compared to other Crystallers. Rubies in general were beyond merciless, legends tell they flattened entire cities just because someone made eye contact with it.
They were truly one of the greatest of demons to behold, and he admired them with a passion. He couldn't wait to slaughter it.
"We fear the next target could be the Fierce Wing Tribe, as they are nearest to Hellflame and not as fortified." All Might interrupted his thoughts. "Being settled on a mountain peak, they are more vulnerable to an aerial attack-"
"No." The barbarian so rudely interrupted. "They wouldn't bother to go for the Tribe."
All Might tilt his head. "Oh? Why is that?"
"Because there's an obvious similarity between all the kingdoms that got attacked! They each had dragons to compete with his own!" Bakugo set his cup down and stuck a leg out. "He's not just picking and choosing random places that have a history with us. He's showing off his rare treasure by burning entire civilizations to the ground."
The King placed a hand on his chin. "That...does make sense."
"Of course it does, I know how a dragon tamer thinks. They're all a bunch of stuck-up, prideful bastards. They think they own the whole world just because a single dragon likes them." He leaned on his arm and smirked, though he frowned again when All Might looked even more conflicted. "What's on your mind, old man?"
"There's still something I don't understand, but perhaps you could explain it to me." The King set his cup down, leaning forward in his seat and lacing his hands together. "This person isn't a Tamer. I know this because I know him personally."
Bakugo narrowed his eyes. "What the hell even is this guy?"
"He goes by the name 'All For One'." The name sent an uncomfortable tingle down the king's spine. "I'm sure you've heard of him before."
The prince took a moment to contemplate if he believed him or not. The infamous All For One was a tale told to children before bed, how hundreds of years ago He and a legendary King had a clash so great the entire world was a part of the war. Even when the legendary King was the last man standing on his side, he endured the flames of hell to survive, and ended All For One with the very sword King All Might holds today. How on Earth could he still be around after all this time?
Deciding the King wouldn't lie about this, Bakugo sighed. "So, the bitch is still alive, then? You just ruined my entire childhood."
All Might slouched. "Unfortunately. The bedtime tales of my ancestors ending All For One are nothing but a lie to spare the people of worry. He is an incredibly powerful sorcerer with everlasting life. He vanished for hundreds of years, until he reappeared sporadically around two decades ago. It was I who fought him off." He lift his robe to show a gruesome scar on his side. "I am fearful, for after receiving this wound, I haven't been able to use my power to the full extent...I may not be able to fight him again and win."
Bakugo somewhat knew of this. Most royal families, along with All Might's closest friends, companions, and servants, knew of the King's unfortunate disability- just not how he ended up with it. Though All Might could change his form to be masculine and powerful for a time, his true form is always left exhausted, growing thinner and sicker by the day. It won't be long before his power leaves him entirely.
"It's because of All For One that I am in this unfortunate condition." The king delicately grabbed his cup again. "Which is why I bring up this plan. I need you to gather a team to hunt down this dragon-"
"No." Bakugo retorted harshly. "No teams. I work alone, nothing will change that."
All Might's expression wavered. "I'm not suggesting this as an option, Prince Bakugo. Even for you, this task will be incredibly dangerous. You will need a team of powerful warriors to help you on your journey. I have already summoned great people from all over the continent, so tomorrow you may choose from hundreds that suit you best."
Bakugo fidgeted, furrowing his brows distastefully, but before he could argue any further the King cut him off. His tone was so serious it caught the prince off guard.
"If All For One returns to One For All, this war won't just be my own anymore. Millions will die if he takes the throne. It's possible things could escalate into another world war, meaning my successor would have to take the reigns for me. However, he is still far from ready for that."
"Successor? Who'd you fuck to get a successor?"
All Might spat out his tea. "How crude."
There was a loud bang on the door. "One more chance, Prince Bakugo!"
"Fuck off with the formalities, and everything in general, shit-face!"
He waited patiently for All Might to wipe his chin.
"He's quite the talented young lad. Determined, tactical, and kind-hearted. I know he will be a worthy leader of the realm someday. Of all the people I've tested to be my successor, he's the only one who was deemed worthy to carry my sword." He placed a hand on the sheath at his hip, smiling at the ugly frown on his guest's face. "He's also the one who told me to inform you of all of this in the first place. He seems to trust you immensely."
At this point, Bakugo was more confused than an old drunkard walking in on his teenage daughters performing a sacrificial ritual in his kitchen. "Who the hell are you going on about?!"
"I'm talking about-"
The door suddenly burst open. "I'm so sorry I'm late- oh, Kacchan! It's been so long!"
"Oh HELL the FUCK NO."