"So you'll all be attending this time's sports festival too," growled Aizawa, his gaze piercing through anyone who dared to oppose him. As a dragon, you didn't voice your disagreement. Instead, you sat there, your claws intertwined, hoping that this festival would go better than the previous ones, especially considering the recent attack. But you couldn't shake off the unsettling words Tomura had spoken to you before he vanished. "I will make you mine soon enough." Those words sent a shiver down your spine, and you weren't sure if you could trust that pale-haired man.

"Echo, how will your hero costume look like again?" Momo asked. You had destroyed your previous costume after the attack, so you didn't have one this time. You gave her a slight smile. "I haven't thought about it," you replied. "I hope it's something just as hot," you heard Mineta whisper behind you. Your tail lashed out, slapping him hard across the cheek. He yelped and stumbled back into Bakugo, who growled and pushed the small man away from him. "Stay back, Extra," Bakugo snarled. You chuckled and turned to the grape-haired man. "I will never allow you to look at me that way," you spoke with a harsh voice, your eyes flashing. Mineta nodded and walked off, the class watching in silence as he left. You sighed and ruffled your hair. "I hate using mind control," you whispered. "Wait, that was mind control?" Kirishima asked, and you smiled softly, feeling guilty. "Yeah, as a dragon, I have many powers." "Pft, not enough to beat me," Bakugo growled, smirking.

"I can easily shatter you like a firecracker," you declared, stretching out your glistening wings. "Just wait," he smiled, and you felt something warm blossoming in your heart—joy at having provoked one of the easiest smiles to coax. You grinned to yourself.

"Okay, everyone, out to training! All Might is waiting for you," Aizawa said wearily. You nodded, stood up, and slithered your way through the corridors. But then, you halted and caught a glimpse of the head of the boy with purple hair. He was already staring at you, his eyes meeting yours, and you felt a pang in your chest. However, you didn't let it overpower you; instead, you continued following Izuku as he walked past you, unaware that the purple-haired man still had his eyes on you.

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You snarled as a sharp pain shot through your right talon. Izuku was a good sparring partner; he had better control over his quirk now, making it easier for him to strike you with as much force as he could muster. However, more than anything, you let him win. You couldn't bear the sensation of your claws tearing into skin, unleashing a torrent of blood. You would never harm your green-haired friend, not even in training, and certainly not if you could help it.

But Bakugo was a different story. You had clashed with him countless times, and he always managed to get under your skin. It was easy to exchange a few scrapes with him; he irritated you to the point where it felt satisfying to give him a taste of his own medicine. However, he reciprocated with just as much intensity.

"Argh, stand still, you oversized lizard!" he shouted, crashing into your side. The air escaped your jaws, and before you could react, you found yourself beneath Bakugo's hands, pinned to the ground with your chest exposed.

"Ugh, this is unnecessary," you growled, unable to prevent your scales from turning a shade of pink— the color of either joy or embarrassment. None of your friends knew the significance, so you just let them be.

"Ah, not so tough now, are yo—" he didn't finish before you drove your hind legs into his stomach, pushing him off. He tumbled over the ground, landing hard several tail lengths away from the others who stared as you stood, wings spread, and a few shimmering stars marked the path where you had walked your final length after being humiliated by a mortal.

"Watch your tongue, Bakugo, or I'll rip it from you," you snarled, letting small droplets of venom drip from your fangs, hitting the ground near Bakugo's head as you loomed over him. "Okay, that's enough!" Aizawa shouted, and you froze, your eyes widening for a moment as you contemplated what you had just done. You could have killed Bakugo if Aizawa hadn't intervened. Ashamed, you stepped away and trotted off the training ground; you needed some time alone to reflect.

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Bakugo stared at the ground, where the venom seeped into the sand. It might as well have been his face today if he had seen what you were truly capable of. Attacking at the school had demonstrated the strength you possessed, and he should have known better than to provoke you. However, he couldn't resist the urge to win against you, the great dragon hero. That feeling of triumph overpowered him, making him lose control.

But this time, he had pushed too far. His life could have been extinguished as easily as a flame, and the gravity of that realization weighed heavily on him as he watched the venom etch its way into the sand.

"Are you hurt?" Deku's small, concerned voice scratched at Bakugo's nerves, and he growled, "Leave me alone, nerd." He snapped, standing up. He didn't even acknowledge his classmates; his thoughts were solely on you and the anger you had unleashed. In that moment, he gained a newfound respect for you, a strength he had never felt before, and he wasn't willing to let go of that feeling.

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You lay beneath your favorite tree in the forest, tears silently streaming down your face. You didn't want to cry, but you couldn't stop the tears that welled up in your eyes. You had almost killed one of your classmates, someone you genuinely liked. How could I have been so recklessly foolish, you wondered, burying your head in your claws. I would have been no better than a villain if I had actually let my venom hit him.

You released a faint sigh, closed your nostrils, and drifted into a troubled, heavy sleep.

However, it wasn't long before you heard or rather sensed the smell of something burning. Slowly opening your eyes, you saw two black boots, and as you lifted your gaze, you met the eyes of the black-haired man you had encountered during the attack—Dabi, if memory served you right.

"Well, well, look who we have here. The mighty dragon hero lying all alone, shedding tears. You must feel quite ashamed," he grumbled. You could sense the amusement in his tone, making your scales crawl as they slowly turned black with thin red streaks of anger and hatred.

"Get lost," you said softly, hoarsely, but the man stood his ground. "I don't think so, sweetheart. You're coming with me. We can offer you a better home than being under the school's regime all the time. You can be free," he suggested.

Your nostrils flared, and you lifted your head, towering over Dabi this time. "Get lost, and I'll say this for the last time: I will never join the dark side," you snorted, and smoke rolled out of your nostrils. Dabi sighed, closing his eyes. "Of course. I thought you might say no. I was hoping for a yes, but..." He shrugged, and a peculiar man with a mask-like item appeared. "Meet your Mr. Compress," Dabi said before departing. The sound of his high-heeled black boots echoed through the dry forest, and you turned your attention to Mr. Compress.

"So, the magic is found here," he said, and you could hear the smile in his voice. "It's excellent that Shigaraki chose something so full of magic." He waved his hand, and soon, you found yourself enclosed in a glass sphere. You didn't struggle; you couldn't bring yourself to. Instead, you just stared at him as he approached the sphere.

"You truly are a beautiful creature, my dear. Don't worry; the League will take good care of you."