✩Smaug, Queen of the Dragons✩

You didn't fly far. The storm had carried you, but your body couldn't keep up. Exhaustion weighed heavy on your wings, the lack of food leaving you drained, your heart even heavier. You made your way to the forest just outside U.A., the familiar trees providing some semblance of solace. The vast expanse of sky that had once been a symbol of freedom now felt suffocating, your wings dragging as you landed with a thud on the pine needle-covered ground.

There, you curled up, not caring about the cold or the wetness of the earth beneath you. The tears came, unbidden and relentless. You cried for the betrayal, for the people you had once considered family, for the part of yourself that you had lost in the process. The pain of it all twisted in your chest, and it felt like you were unraveling piece by piece, your form—once so strong—now broken and vulnerable.

The howl of the wind through the trees did little to soothe the storm raging inside you.

When the tears finally subsided, leaving your face streaked with dirt and sorrow, you sat up, sniffling as you wiped your eyes. The weight of it all hung on you like an anchor, but as you steadied yourself, a growl rumbled from deep within your chest. I had to do it, you thought, your voice quieter now, but still fierce. They were too weak to handle me any longer.

They couldn't have understood. They were human—weak. They couldn't be trusted with the queen they had unknowingly awakened, the dragon who was far too powerful for their fragile sense of justice. Your wings drooped at your sides, and for the first time in a long while, you felt alone—not just physically, but spiritually. The dragons were not made to exist with humans. You had tried, and now the consequences had been set in motion.

But even through the storm of emotions, there was something inside of you—a spark of defiance that refused to be extinguished. You had made your choice. You were no longer their friend, their ally. You were Smaug, the queen of dragons.

And you would never go back.

With a huff, you stood, your wings stretching wide, brushing against the trees as you prepared to retreat deeper into the forest. The dragon within you had been awakened, and now, you would reclaim what was yours. The world of humans had no place for you anymore. They had failed you, and now it was time for you to embrace the path that only a creature like you could walk.

Farewell, Class 1-A. Farewell, Izuku.

You stood up slowly, your wings flexing as you cast one final glance back at the towering glass buildings of U.A. They seemed so small now, a distant memory of a time you thought you could belong. Your chest tightened, the weight of everything that had happened pressing on you. But that life, that part of you, was gone. You had severed those ties.

With a deep breath, you turned away from the city. Your wings snapped open, catching the air, and you took off into the sky once again. The wind rushed past your face as you flew, pushing through the exhaustion that clung to your body like a second skin. The familiar scent of saltwater began to reach your nose, and soon, you were soaring over the beach where Izuku had tidied up so diligently. The sight of it—so simple, so kind—stirred something in you, but it was fleeting.

You landed lightly on the sand, your claws digging into the ground as you bent to drink from the ocean. The saltwater stung your throat, but you forced it down, knowing it would fuel you for the journey ahead. The taste was unpleasant, but it would keep you alive for now.

When you finished, you stood up, scanning the horizon. Your gaze lingered on the horizon for a moment—on the world that had been your prison for so long, on the people who had tried to cage you. Then, with a beat of your wings, you lifted off once more, the wind catching you as you soared over the ocean.

Home.

The word had never felt so distant. But you were going there now. The world's edge—where the land ended and the skies bled into nothingness. The hidden realm of dragons, your birthplace. A place where you could finally be free.

As the coastline fell behind you, the waves below shimmering in the fading light, you felt something deep inside you shift. You were Smaug now—queen of dragons, ruler of your fate. The world had turned its back on you, but you had found your strength. You had found your true home.

The journey ahead was long, but it was one you would take alone. And as the sun dipped below the horizon, you flew onward, the ocean stretching endlessly before you, the crater at the world's end awaiting your return.

✩

✩Shigaraki Tomura✩

Shigaraki shifted uncomfortably on his bunk, the familiar weight of the chain around his neck like a constant reminder of his captivity. His fingers instinctively scratched at his neck, the spot where your gift of cream had once soothed his skin. He hadn't used it in weeks, but the memory of that strange tenderness lingered, buried beneath layers of bitterness and regret.

In the opposite bunk, Dabi stared at the small ant crawling across the sterile floor, his eyes unfocused, his mind elsewhere. He hadn't said much since the confrontation, but now, he spoke softly, his words almost lost in the air between them. "Did you think she would've killed us?" he asked, barely above a whisper.

Shigaraki's head snapped up, the question pulling him from his thoughts. His eyes narrowed as he let out a sharp scoff. "What do you mean? If the heroes hadn't stood in front of us?" he muttered, shaking his head. "No. She was too weak for that."

Dabi tilted his head slightly, eyes still on the ant. "Weak is not what I'd call her, Shigaraki, and you know it." His voice was quiet, but it carried a truth that felt heavier than expected. He finally met Shigaraki's gaze. "She didn't love you, maybe. But she tolerated you. That's more than I do."

Shigaraki's eyes flashed with something between anger and something more complicated—something that flickered and died almost as quickly as it came. His lips twisted into a sardonic smile, but there was no joy in it. "Tolerated me, huh?" he muttered, as if the word tasted bitter on his tongue. "Doesn't matter now. She's gone."

Dabi didn't reply immediately. Instead, he leaned back, the sound of his fingers tapping lightly against the bunk filling the silence. When he spoke again, his voice was laced with something deeper, something familiar, like the weight of shared experience. "You know, I think she's better off without us."

Shigaraki's eyes narrowed. He wanted to argue, to dismiss Dabi's words as easily as he had dismissed everyone else. But for some reason, the truth of it cut deeper than he was willing to admit. "And what does that mean?" he finally grumbled, his voice rough with something unspoken.

Dabi didn't answer right away. His gaze flickered to the ceiling as though the question itself didn't need an answer. "You ever think she might've left because we were the ones who were too weak for her?" he asked, the words hanging in the air with a weight that pressed down on Shigaraki's chest.

The younger leader's breath hitched, and for a moment, there was nothing but the quiet hum of the prison's fluorescent lights. Shigaraki's fingers tightened into fists. "Maybe," he muttered. "Maybe she was just too damn good for us after all."

The silence stretched between them, a heavy curtain, thick with everything they had lost—and everything they had yet to lose.

Dabi let out a long, exasperated sigh and stretched out on the bunk, staring up at the cold, bare ceiling. The air in the cell felt stifling, as if the walls were closing in on them with every passing minute. His thoughts drifted, not toward the escape that seemed so distant now, but to you—the queen of dragons who had once been a thorn in their sides and, in a twisted way, something more.

"We'll never know for sure," he said, voice flat, the words laced with the exhaustion of a thousand unspoken questions. "She's probably gone back to her realm, gone to embrace that dark wrath." His tone was resigned, as if he'd made peace with the fact that you were no longer a part of their twisted world.

Shigaraki growled low in his throat, his face twisted in frustration. "I don't understand what she could see in him," he muttered, his voice sharp with bitterness. His gaze turned dark, fixated on nothing, as the memory of you—both dragon and human—shifted uncomfortably in his mind.

Dabi turned his head, eyeing his leader lazily. "I know," he hummed in response, his voice soft yet carrying a certain weight. "Just a dragon, you know? Maybe he was more righteous than us, but we are what the world made us—no more, no less." He paused, his eyes narrowing slightly, as if considering his own words. "You can't blame her for wanting something else."

The words hung heavy in the air, the tension thick between them as Shigaraki's mind reeled. He clenched his fists in frustration, not knowing whether to be angry or ashamed. His teeth ground together as he muttered, "I don't care about her choices. She was a fool if she thought she could change anything. We're beyond saving."

Dabi's gaze softened, though his voice remained steady. "Maybe. But sometimes, it's not about changing things. It's about finding a place where you can belong." He exhaled, his lips quirking into a small, almost imperceptible smile. "Maybe she found that place. We never had a chance, did we?"

Shigaraki's gaze dropped to his hands, his fingers twitching in restless agitation. He didn't want to admit it, but Dabi's words hit closer to home than he was willing to acknowledge. He had been left behind, discarded like everything else he couldn't control. It gnawed at him—the idea that you, too, had moved on, leaving him and the others to fester in the dark.

The silence stretched between them, filled only with the sound of their breathing and the faint hum of the cell's fluorescent lights. Neither of them spoke again, but the unspoken truth lingered in the air, a bitter realization neither could escape.

✩

✩ Smaug ✩

The moment your copper-red form appeared, Skullcrusher's roar split the air, a deep, guttural sound that reverberated across the ocean, shaking the very earth beneath you. The call was a welcome—a signal to the realm that its queen was returning. You could feel the weight of the earth beneath your wings, the land that had once been your sanctuary. It was home now, more than anything else.

As you descended, Skullcrusher's massive form came into view, his golden eyes gleaming as he raised his head. "Is that you, Smaug?" he called, his voice booming, and your heart stirred at the sound of your true name.

"Hello, Skullcrusher," you responded, your voice deep and rich, filled with the comfort of familiarity. The two of you had shared many seasons together, a bond forged in fire and blood, and his presence was a welcome reminder of where you truly belonged.

Skullcrusher gave you a greeting that felt more like a gesture of affection than a mere acknowledgment. He rubbed his massive snout against yours, his scales rough against yours but strangely soothing. "Toothless is waiting for you. Come on," he rumbled with a hint of excitement.

Your wings folded tight against your sides as you followed Skullcrusher through the realm, your senses overwhelmed by the familiar, soothing smells of the cavernous world. The sound of water cascading in the distance filled your ears as the waterfalls stretched endlessly around you, their white foamy spray catching the sunlight in beautiful, sparkling arcs. The way the world unfolded before you—draped in the soft glow of molten rock and the steady, rhythmic warmth of lava—felt like homecoming.

Dragons of all shapes and sizes lounged by pools of molten lava, basking in the heat of their world, some dipping their claws in the warm waters while others napped lazily on the jagged cliffs. A couple of Light Furies were tucked into the edges of the waterfalls, their silvery scales reflecting the shimmering light. When they saw you, their melodic calls rang through the air, chirping in joy.

"The queen is back!" they cried, their voices blending in harmony, and the rest of the realm seemed to stir in response, a chorus of cheers and roars filling the caverns. It was a sound that you had longed for, the sound of your kingdom welcoming its queen back home.

You flew lower, weaving between the towering stalactites and stalagmites until you finally came to the heart of your domain. There, atop the giant crystal that served as your throne, was Toothless. His familiar, sleek black form was perched in patient silence, his glowing green eyes meeting yours as you landed. Your heart tightened as you looked at him, a wave of longing rushing over you.

But a part of you hesitated. There, next to him, stood Luna, the Light Fury. She was beautiful, graceful in a way that made your heart twist with a strange pang. Was she...? Had Toothless moved on? Had he taken another mate in your absence, as the realm demanded of him? The thought made your chest tighten, a feeling of uncertainty gnawing at you.

You landed a few paces away, watching them. Toothless greeted you with a soft growl of recognition, his eyes locking with yours. His tail flicked, an almost imperceptible sign that he, too, had missed you. But Luna... She watched you with a quiet grace, and you couldn't help but feel that awkward, sharp edge of jealousy stirring deep within you.

"Toothless..." you began, your voice low, unsure of what to say next. "Have you... moved on?" The question hung in the air, delicate, fragile. Your gaze flickered briefly to Luna before returning to your beloved dragon, waiting for an answer you weren't sure you wanted to hear.

But instead of a harsh truth, Toothless's tail twitched with a familiar motion, one that spoke of affection, of a bond that was never truly broken. Luna gave you a nod, a gesture of understanding. She, too, was a part of this family, this world of dragons.

"You're home now," Toothless said softly, his voice filled with warmth and certainty. "We've all been waiting for you."

And in that moment, you knew. The hidden world hadn't changed—only your place in it had shifted. Toothless hadn't moved on. He'd been waiting. For you.

You nuzzled up to Toothless, the familiar warmth of his scales grounding you, as you rubbed your snout against his. The softness of his touch, the quiet comfort of his presence—it all felt like coming home. "Yes, I'm home again, dear," you whispered softly, your voice rich with affection. You gently licked the top of his head, a gesture that only those who shared your bond would truly understand. "And here I will stay."

Toothless smiled, his eyes glowing with the joy of having you back where you belonged. He spread his wings wide, the massive appendages catching the light, and let out a thunderous roar that echoed across the entire realm. It was the kind of roar that resonated deep in the earth, calling to the farthest corners of the land, telling all dragons that their queen had returned.

You raised your head and let out your own roar, your voice joining his in a magnificent symphony that reverberated throughout the entire hidden world. The sound was fierce, a proud declaration of your return, of your strength, and of your undying bond with the dragons that called this realm home.

The dragons of your world responded in kind, their roars, chirps, and growls blending into a chorus of jubilation. The realm had been waiting for you, and now, as the queen, you would take your rightful place among them once more.

Toothless leaned closer to you, his wing brushing against yours, his soft growl of contentment filling the air. Together, you were a force that nothing could tear apart, and together, you would lead the dragons into whatever future lay ahead. The hidden world, your realm, was where you belonged, and you would stay—forever.