Bakugo POV:

"We need to take him to Ochako! Please, we need to go now!"

"My King.. I'm afraid he won't make it that far.."

"No! Come on, we just need a horse- and- and a blanket.."

"Your Majesty, he won't survive long enough to reach her.." The townsfolk repeated, but I refused to listen.

"Come on.. we've got to leave. Now!" I say, trying to pick up the extremely weak and limp Sero.

My arms were already soaked in his blood. But I wouldn't- couldn't- give up. Not now, not ever.

"My King, he won't make it. The best we can do is stop his bleeding and let him rest easy." The man said softly, kneeling next to me.

I nod, tears flowing a river down my cheek. He was going to survive this. I'd make sure of it..

A steady rumble grew louder from the pits of the forest. I couldn't see much path past the entrance, but I prayed the dragons were not coming back again.

Instead of the dragons, I was relieved to see many armored horses galloping into my ruined kingdom. Help was here..

I wave the riders down, wiping off the tears from my puffy cheeks. As they get closer, I began to make out two very familiar faces.

Watching as they both hop off their horses and make their way across the rubble, I pay my attention back to Sero. His bleeding hasn't stopped, and he had passed out around ten minutes ago. But he was alive...

"Bakugo! Are you alright? Is everyone okay?" Mic yelled, rushing over to beside me.

"There are only twenty survivors." I say grimly, "I uncovered all of them, and most are in rough condition."

"We were late.. way too late." Aizawa muttered, covering his mouth with his hand.

"It's okay.. you're here now.."

"Who's that?" Mic asked, pointing to the bloody Sero in my arms. Did he not recognize him?

"It's Sero.." I answered, giving Mic a confused look.

"Oh my god- Seriously? I couldn't even recognize him with the blood all over his face.. is- is he going to be alright?"

"Yes. He's going to be just fine." I nod, trying to convince myself.

"Your Majesties-"

"No need for that, sir." I interrupt, ripping the bottom of Sero's shirt into strips. "We are in a time of crisis, no need to stick to formalities."

"Okay, but Sir." He said, turning to Mic, "I don't think Sero will make it much longer. He has severe dama-"

"He's going to be fine. Sero's been through worse, so he will survive this." I argue, tying one of the cloth strips around a wound on his arm.

"Oh my god what is happening to your back!" Mic shouted, pointing at me.

"My back?"

"It's moving!" He says, scooting away.

"Mic, I have a baby in there." I explain, continuing to wrap more of Sero's wounds.

"You have a child?"

"No! I just saved her, and the mother is dead." I answer, baffled at his inability to put two and two together.

"Oh, can I hold them? They seem to be fussing." He offers, to which I nod.

The baby was wriggling too much on my back, it was making it hard to properly wrap Sero's bloody gashes. Undoing the makeshift sling, I reveal the baby to Mic.

The king cooed and cradled the baby, making her laugh and smile. They were cute, something bright in this terrible day.

"Did you guys happen to bring medical supplies?" I ask, hopeful.

"Yes, we did. It isn't much, but it's what we could spare. I'm just sorry we weren't here in time." He shook his head, bouncing the giggling baby.

"Can you get it?"

"Oh! Yes, sure thing." He jumped, scuttling back over to one of the wagons brought.

I hadn't even noticed the wagons... But I was thankful that they were there. We needed all the help we could get.

Glancing around, I saw that most of the horses had been tied up. And the armored knights were continuing to dig through the rubble.

But I knew that they would merely find more dead bodies.. I had searched everything..

After patching Sero up the best I could, I gently lift him up. Careful not to drop or hit him against anything, I carry the limp man over to one of the beds that Aizawa's guard set up.

I was thankful that they'd arrived, late or not. Sero has been stabilized, and that's what mattered.

"Bakugo?" Aizawa placed a hand on my shoulder after I had lied Sero down.

"Hm?"

"How are you doing? You know, with all of this.." He asks cautiously.

"Me? Oh I'm fine. I'm perfectly okay! You know, my kingdom is dead along with my people. My friends are dying, and I want to cry. See? I'm alright. Promise." I force a smile, chuckling.

"Bakugo-"

"It really is fine, Aizawa. Honestly, it couldn't be better." I say sarcastically.

"Okay then.." Aizawa said, obviously searching for something else to say. "So who were the attackers? I heard that no witnesses could be heard from the other kingdoms.. Did you happen to get lucky?"

"Yeah.. I did. You know how we dropped Red off at the Gangaba Mountains? So he'd be with his own kind since Deku heard of the sightings there?"

"You're not saying-"

"I am." I cross my arms, saddened. I didn't want it to be real, but reality hurts.

"Oh.." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Did you see him?"

"Mhm, didn't end well. He was upset with me. He has every right to, I mean, we abandoned him.." I choked, holding back another round of tears. Keep it together dammit..

"As expected.. but what happened?"

"I saw him, he ran, I chased, then he was human. I tried to apologize, but he wasn't having it. And then he told me it was his turn to leave me.. then he flew away as a dragon again.."

"Jeez.." Aizawa sighed again. "Today just isn't it I guess.."

"No it's not.." I shake my head.

Sitting on one of the bigger rocks, I watch as the tables are slowly occupied. My people getting tended to and helped along the way.

Mic was still cradling the baby girl, and I was happy that she had been nearly untouched. Only a single scrape on her finger was found.

Soon, the sky fell, and the two kings decided they would keep us company throughout the night. And in the morning allow us to come back to their castle with them. Claiming it be the only right thing to do.

Unfortunately there weren't enough beds for all the knights, so most of them had to sleep on the rocks. I gave up my bed to a knight, knowing they had rode all day and were most likely sore.

The dirt and gravel weren't comfy, but I don't think any of my people were comfortable with their wounds either.

~time skip~

Eventually the sun had risen again, waking all. The baby had slept with Mic on his bed, she liked him. And in a way, she was much similar to Eri when the Princess was little like that..

"Your Maj- Sir," A knight corrected, remembering what I told them yesterday, "I am afraid I have some dreadful news."

"Go on.." I urge, a pit in my stomach growing. Please don't be what I think it is..

"It's your people.. two of them didn't make it through the night.."

this is beauty, this is grace, i am sorry for the tears flowing down your face..

kinda..

-1255 words-

~tragedy <3 <3