The Dragon's Hoard (Dragon!Kirishima x Reader)

The Bounty Hunter

Meanwhile...

Todoroki shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He hated this chair, he hated being here. His father sat beside him, shoulders back, back straight, a fierce look in his eyes, he was large and intimidating. Todoroki slouched and leaned on his arm, anything to break the resemblance between him and his father.

"Shoto! Sit up straight. I can't have you representing me with that lazy peasant posture," his dad boomed.

Todoroki sighed and fixed his pose, but only minimally.

"My lord, there's someone requesting an audience with you," a castle servant announced.

"Send them in."

"Right away, my lord."

Minutes later, a woman was led into the throne room. Todoroki thought nothing of it, probably just another citizen begging for a handout that his dad would immediately turn away. Ugh, he didn't want to be here to see this.

The woman came forward and kneeled in front of the throne.

"My lord," she began.

"Lady (YLN), " Endeavor interuppted. Todoroki's breath hitched at the sound of the woman's name. This was the mother of the woman he was fated to be engaged to. Poor girl, she probably didn't even want anything to do with him. He didn't blame her. He was associated with a king who ruled his lands harshly and mercilessly. "You're not here to break the arrangement, are you?"

"Lord Endeavor, I would never think of doing such a thing. It's just that, my daughter... she was taken."

"Taken? By who?"

"A dragon!"

Todoroki's eyes widened. The few servants who were there stopped what they were doing as a collective shock hit the room. A dragon? In this town?

"A dragon? I see... Do you have any proof of her disappearance?"

"A few villagers on the edge of town heard her screams before she was snatched from the meadow and carried towards the Horikoshi mountains, if you need witnesses then I'm sure they can attest to that..."

"That won't be necessary. I'll personally see to it that she is returned in time to marry my son."

"Thank you, my Lord."

"But if I discover that this is some grand scheme to avoid the arrangement altogether, then I will have you and anyone associated with you executed."

"R-right. You won't be disappointed." The woman scurried out of the room.

Todoroki's eyes darted to the few people who were in the throne room. Everyone had fearful expressions. Dragon's were unheard of around these parts.

"We'll need a bounty hunter," Endeavor stated.

*~*~*~

The doors to the throne room opened once again. Two guards led in a man with spiky blonde hair. He also had a red cape lined with fluffy white fur over his shoulders, and his chest was bare aside from the many necklaces he wore, some bearing sharp teeth. He had orange sleeves going from his wrist to above his elbow with black cuffs on either end. Below that he wore blue pants held up with a black belt and white boots. He also had a black tattoo on his left shoulder and orange teeth-like earrings.

The guards didn't go back to the door like normally, they remained directly behind the man. The man must be dangerous, Todoroki thought.

"You are Katsuki Bakugou? The bounty hunter?" Endeavor asked.

"Best in the region, more of a vigilante. ...Who's asking?"

Todoroki snorted. Endeaver glared at him. Todoroki quickly pretended that he needed to take a sip of water and hid his face behind his glass.

"I'm the ruler of the lands that you walk upon, the sky above these lands, and the very air that you're currently breathing. Have care how you speak, or I'll cut your existence short."

"Okay 'your highness', why did you summon me here? I'm sure it wasn't to gloat about your abundance of real estate?"

Todoroki choked on his water. Endeaver gripped the armrests of his throne. Patience.

"A woman was kidnapped by a dragon and last seen headed towards the Horikoshi Mountains. I need her brought back here safely before the solstice three weeks from now. As for the dragon, I don't care how it is taken care of as long as it doesn't come back."

"Ah, and here I was, thinking it was gonna be a challenge. Do you have the right prerequisites?" He rubbed his fingers together, symbolizing that he wanted his payment.

"You get it after the job is done."

"No, I only take my payment upfront. If you can't do that then these two assholes can show me the way out."

Endeaver sighed exasperatedly. "Fine. Here's half." He threw him a bag that he caught effortlessly and immediately opened up. After counting the gold that was inside, he nodded.

"Alright, I'll get you your girl." He turned around to leave. "That is, if she isn't already dead." He added the last part under his breath, but Todoroki heard him.

It was extremely unlikely that she would be found dead, but if she was discovered in an unfit state, Endeaver probably already had substitutions in mind. That sicko, only thinking about himself and his perfected lineage, not the lives of the people he ruled over. Wherever the girl was at that moment, Todoroki silently hoped she was okay.