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The bell to the shop dingled, setting off a cacophony of angry hisses, yowls, and snarls from the other caged creatures. They hurled themselves at the walls of their cages, trying to escape, but with no success.
At the noise, Izuku curled deeper into himself, burying his head within his neat coil, trying to ignore how the muzzle caught on his scales.
He could hear Giran talking to the new visitors, offering refreshments or whatever they needed. Must be important, Izuku thought; Giran usually ignored customers unless they were getting too close to the animals or else it was time to pay.
Tears prickled in Izuku's eyes. He wasn't some mindless creature to display and sell. He was a dragon, and he needed to get back to his weyr. The season was drawing to a close, and soon they would begin the migration back to the great lake. This was his first migration; if he didn't find his weyr before they left, he doubted he would be able to make his way back on his own. But if he didn't attempt the journey, he would be stuck here in the winter, alone and cold. No matter what, he was in trouble.
As the visitors continued to wander the store, Izuku heard them clomping along the loft above to look at the rare birds.
"And this is our phoenix," he heard Giran say, "and this is our sirin."
Every time the man (he sounded like a man) would hum but continue his sedate route through the store. The squawks grew louder as the visitor wandered closer, as did his murmured commentary on the magical properties of each caged creature. They rattled against their bars, hissing, and snarling, and if Izuku were not so tired, he would join them in their contempt.
But the muzzle already dug into his snout, and he had no desire to provoke any other punishments, so he squeezed his eyes tighter and silently begged for the customers to leave.
Instead, the feet stopped by his cage, and he could hear the warm breath of a person peering closely at him.
"And what is this specimen?" The voice asked, deep and smooth, like the sound of crashing waves.
"Ah, yes," Giran's smooth voice replied, "this is a recently acquired river dragon, very rare for these parts, as they typically are located in the southern lands."
"A river dragon?" the voice trailed off in thought.
"It can't be a dragon," a new voice interjected, raspy and irritated. "It's all noodly. Where are its wings? And why is it fluffy?"
"I assure you, it is indeed a dragon. From my understanding, river dragons spend much of their time in the water. Their longer form is to help with swimming. They tend to rely more on magic and lack the brute strength of the fire dragons native to our lands."
"But it's so small," the raspy voice complained again.
Izuku felt a twinge of irritation. He wasn't that small. Mom said he was a perfectly standard size for a river dragon, and besides, he was still growing. His tail must have flicked with annoyance because the deeper voice spoke up. "Ah, you are awake and listening, aren't you? Why don't you open your eyes and say hello?" the voice teased.
When he didn't move, the cage was jostled, throwing Izuku into the bars. With a growl, he lifted his head and uncurled his coils, the fur rising on his back and his claws outstretched. He'd show them how scary a dragon could be.
The man cooed, leaning even closer to the cage. "Oh, you are precious." Izuku snarled under his muzzle, and the man chuckled. "So ferocious." He paced around Izuku's cage, observing him from every side.
His face was sharp- squinted red eyes, narrow jaw, and long quirked lips. He walked with the confidence of a predator, shoulders rolled back, but body tense, like he was preparing to pounce. "Do you talk?" he asked.
Izuku hunched up defensively. Of course he talked. Mom always claimed he was the smartest hatchling in their weyr. But with the stupid muzzle binding his snout together, he had no way of speaking.
"Ah, of course. The muzzle would make speaking difficult." He turned to Giran. "Would you take the muzzle off? I'd like to speak to him." It was phrased as a request but spoken like a demand. This was someone who expected to be obeyed.
Giran compiled, and Izuku could barely contain a shiver. He hated how the broker's hands felt brushing against his scales, but he desperately wanted the muzzle off.
With the final clasp unlocked, Izuku shook himself free, hardly even minding how the cage was immediately slammed shut. He worked his jaw, savoring the additional freedom of movement.
"His teeth are so small…" the raspy voice murmured.
Izuku bristled, and the man laughed, "Now, now, Tomura. You've upset him. Besides, he's most likely a hatchling. They're not that small for his age."
"Sorry, Sensei."
"I'm not a hatchling!" Izuku growled, but the man laughed again. "With those tiny claws and teeth?" He grinned wide, teeth flashing. "You most definitely are. And a rather grumpy hatchling at that."
Izuku clawed at the bars of the cage, puffing his fur up its full height. "You'd be grumpy too trapped in a cage."
The man hummed non-committally and paced around the cage again, running a finger against the sturdy metal. "What's your name?"
"Izuku of the Green Valley."
"Izuku of the Green Valley," The man said slowly, tasting every syllable. "A very respectable name. My brother was named Izuku." His voice trailed off as if lost in memory, a sheen growing in the corner of his eyes.
Izuku nervously tapped his claws. "What's your name?"
"My name?" The man asked, sounding both surprised and delighted.
"Yes," Izuku said, a bit put out, "You know my name. It's only polite."
"Of course. My name is Hisashi Shigaraki." He spoke it with the air of a ruler, like it was a name to both fear and admire, and considering the respect Tomura and Giran gave him, he might be.
Izuku didn't know much about humans, but Hisashi's clothes appeared expensive, made of a shiny material that conformed to his body. Maybe he was a person of importance.
"Well, Izuku of the Green Valley," Hisashi said. "How did a river dragon end up here, so far from home?"
"I got caught in a fishing net," Izuku muttered. "I was trying to catch my mom a fish when I got stuck. But instead of letting me go, they threw me in this cage!"
"Poor thing," Hisashi said, his voice dripping with a sickening pity.
Izuku's eyes welled with tears. "Please," he tried, "please let me go. I need to get back to my weyr. I'm not a pet-" he sniffled, "my mom will be worried, and I miss her!" His voice cracked at the end, and the tears dripped down. He was exhausted from trying to be tough and threatening. He just wanted out of the cage and to be back safe with his mom.
The man's harsh features softened at Izuku's show of weakness, and he reached a finger through the bars to stroke Izuku's fur. He was gentle, winding through the tufts around his horns.
The kindness was too much for Izuku's heart, and the tears splattered against the cage floor.
"Please," he whispered, and Hisashi withdrew his hand.
“Tomura,” the Hisashi called. "What do you think?"
Tomura glared at Izuku under stringy hair, his chapped lips pulled in a frown. "He doesn't look like a good fighter."
"No, no," the man waved. "Not for that. For the other."
Tomura startled, his eyes growing wide. "Oh," he said. "Ohhh." His face softened, "I- I think, he could be good."
"I thought so too."
Izuku's head whipped from side to side. Good? Good for what? Eating? Killing?
"We'll buy him," Hisashi announced.
Izuku chirped happily, scurrying around in his cage, and Hisashi and Tomura walked deeper into the woods.
Hisashi had promised Izuku would be safe with them, that he wouldn't have to worry anymore.
Izuku didn't have to worry about not returning to his weyr in time. He'd get there, and mom would curl up around him, upset but relieved, and everything would be alright.
"Can I come out now?" Izuku asked, pressing his muzzle up against the bars.
"Almost," the Hisashi said, "I'd prefer to get a little farther from the town in order to ensure your safety."
Izuku grumbled but settled down, alternating his attention between Hisashi, the man carrying him, and Tomura, Hisashi's friend? Izuku frowned. At least he thought Tomura was Hisashii's friend. Izuku didn't know much about humans, but he thought they usually formed weyrs too. Maybe Tomura was part of Hisashii's weyr.
Tomura was watching him, his narrowed eyes tracking Izuku's movement. Izuku gave a friendly chirp, wiggling his tail, and Tomura ducked his head, but not before Izuku saw a smile tugging at his lips.
"Here we are," Hisashi announced, setting the cage on the forest floor. "We're far enough away from the town that this should be safe. "
Izuku wiggled in excitement, dashing through the cage door the moment it was opened. Rolling in the grass and spinning in circles, he trilled, enjoying his newfound freedom. He had missed this so much. All those weeks trapped in a cramped cage were forgotten in the thrill.
Hisashi chuckled, "Happy now, are we?"
"Yes!" Izuku crowed, tossing his head back. "Thank you, thank you so much! I didn't know if I would be able to make it back to my weyr in time, but now things will be okay!"
"I'm glad," Hisashi said. His head tilted to the side. "But can you do me a small favor?"
Izuku sat up from rolling in the grass. "Of course!" he said.
Hisashi crouched down, hands clasped in front of him. "Tomura and I have a… secret, and we'd like to share it with you."
"A secret?" Izuku asked.
"Yes, it's one we don't share with many, but considering you're now family, it seems appropriate."
Izuku's fur prickled. "What do you mean, family? I already have a mom." Was this just some human custom? Izuku didn't remember ever agreeing to be this man's family.
"Of course, of course." Hisashi agreed like Izuku was a baby who didn't know any better. "But we've been looking for a new little one for some time."
Izuku's tongue flickered in nervousness, and he began to back away, "That's nice."
"And what would you know," Hisashi continued, "We found the cutest, little hatchling at the shop. All alone, abandoned by his weyr-"
"I wasn't abandoned!" Izuku yelled. "I got lost, that's all, and now I need to get back." He spun around, but Tomura stood waiting, blocking his path.
"You can't run off," Tomura said. "You're ours now."
"No, no," Izuku said, shaking his head and stumbling back. "You said I would be safe. I have to get back to my mom and my weyr."
"And you will be safe." Shigaraki agreed. Safe with us."
Izuku snarled, lowering his head to point his horns at them. His fur puffed up along his spine, and he dug his claws into the earth. "I won't let you keep me from my mom," he growled. "I'm a dragon. You won't take me."
Hisashi threw his head back and laughed, deep and dark. Then smiled at Izuku, revealing pointed teeth and a forked tongue. "So am I."
His body rippled, then expanded outward, bulging under the thick muscle and white scales. Ridged, black horns protruded from his head, and long wings unfurled from his back. He towered over Izuku, his head reaching the tops of trees, his paw big enough to crush Izuku underneath.
Terrified, Izuku stumbled back as the dragon roared, fire raging past his teeth. The trees surrounding them began to burn, flickering streams of red. Smoke curled from the dragon's nostrils, bringing the smell of ash and brimstone, and Izuku coughed, unused to the heat and smell.
"It's been a long time since I've met a river dragon," Hisashi rumbled, his neck snaking down towards Izuku. "Not since my younger brother."
"You're a fire dragon," Izuku whimpered.
"We're fire dragons," Tomura agreed, and Izuku spun around, tripping over his long body, to see Tomura had also changed into a dark grey fire dragon. He wasn't Hisashi's size, but he still loomed over Izuku.
"I've been looking for a hatchling for some time," Hisashi crooned, stepping nearer. "And you're perfect."
Izuku scurried back, but Tomura lunged forward. Squeaking, Izuku dodged, racing in between the smaller dragon's stretching lunges. But Tomura was getting closer, his claws grazing the fur of his spine of the tips of his tail.
Izuku's heart pounded, and his body trembled with fear. He was a river dragon, meant for swimming as he tracked his prey, not for running to escape a predator. His head snapped from side to side. Tomura and Hisashi circled around him, their tails dragging behind and blocking any escape.
Behind them, the forest burned, sparks popping off of burning pine and dying in the long grass. Izuku flinched back from the embers, unused to the painful heat.
"It's alright, little one," Hisashi crooned, tightening the circle.
Izuku stumbled back from the dragon. He needed to get back to mom. He needed to get away.
A gap appeared between Hisashi and Tomura, and Izuku sprinted forward, lunging for freedom, but Hisashi flicked his tail, knocking into Izuku. And with a pained oof, Izuku tripped, collapsing in a tangled heap on the ground.
Claws curled around him, and Izuku snarled, snapping and scratching at them, but unable to do anything as he was shoved further into the dirt.
"Little one," the dragon crooned, tightening his grip around Izuku's flailing body until he could hardly breathe. "Don't struggle. You're safe with us now. Safe where you belong."
"No," Izuku whimpered, tears pouring out of his eyes, "my weyr, my mom. I need them."
"We're your family now," Hisashi whispered, picking Izuku's flailing body up off the ground. "And we always will be."