As the four of them entered the banquet, the feeling of being watched and talked about was a constant thought, and Izuku didn't feel comfortable with it. It's one thing if there were familiar faces talking about her, but the greenette looked at each and every face they walked past and didn't recognize a single face.
'This is scarier than I thought! Is it really okay for us to be here?!?!' Izuku thought as she tried not to sweat too much.
But once she felt the blond's hand clasp with hers and hold it tightly, she felt much more safe.
'Right, I'm not alone, I can do this.'
When they arrived at the main hall, there were hundreds of people in the room, and the second the four of them entered, it went completely silent.
Izuku glanced around the room and noticed something odd just from one glance.
"Hey Emra..." Izuku whispered.
"What is it?"
"Is it just me, or are we the only ones wearing Black?"
Emra looked around the room and noticed what her cousin meant and sighed.
"You're correct, we're the only ones wearing Black, and all for good reason."
"Eh?"
"We're not welcomed here."
That statement caused a shiver to run down Izuku's spine, as she looked up and it felt like everyone was glaring at her.
'This is...'
"B-But that doesn't really make a lot of sense Emra! We were told to wear these, so why does everyone have to stare at us like this?" Izuku nervously whispered.
"It's just how it is, and though we were told to wear these dresses that they gave us, it's an evident sign that we don't belong here. Don't worry much about it, just stay calm and things will be okay."
"I-I- O-Okay...."
"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the director of Gem Industries, Mr. Royce Gem!" an announcer exclaimed, and everyone began clapping.
As much as Izuku thought that things would be fine now that everyone was clapping at the introduction, it still felt like the attention on her hadn't vanished.
"There he is." Emra muttered, which caught Izuku's attention.
The greenette looked up to where everyone else was looking to see a man with Dark Red–almost Burgundy–hair and eyes, had a formal suit on without the blazer that was also Red, and he had evident wrinkles around his eyes and cheeks.
'So that's Royce.' Izuku thought.
( Note: This is Royce Gem! )
"Good evening everyone, it feels like it's been ages since I have seen all these familiar faces, but I am very pleased that all of you could be here tonight. Tonight is a very special night and though I never addressed why it is in the invitation, I'd like to address that now. Recently there have been some incidents involving our dear family that I would recall as Trials." Royce announced.
'Trials? Is he talking about us?' Katsuki thought.
"Luckily they've overcome these trials and have joined us today for this very special evening. Please give a warm welcome to the newest couple to join the family; Mr. and Mrs. Bakugo!" Royce said joyfully, while reaching his arm out to the audience and a spotlight hitting the four of them.
"Great."
"My~ And it seems an old face has appeared with them as well. Hello Emra, so glad to see you finally accept an invitation."
"I had no choice but to accept the invitation as my cousin was also forced to come here." Emra stated.
"Ah~ Ladies and gentlemen, what Emra speaks is the truth, and Mrs. Izuku Midoriya standing next to her is also someone who has our blood running through her veins! And since both of you have come here tonight, it's joyous to announce that you two have welcomed us back into your lives!" Royce announced, but everyone else in the room remained silent. '
What? He was welcoming us into the family? But I didn't want to be involved with this family in the first place!' Izuku thought.
"I'm sorry, Uncle, but as much as that's what you think, you're quite mistaken."
"Oh?"
"I left this family on my own accord, and I have told plenty of things to Izuku, and persuaded her to ignore you and this family. I've been tormented and abused from the family the second my mother was gone, and though I expected you to welcome me with open arms, I was sadly mistaken. You used me to the point that I didn't want to have the same last name as all of you, and I evidently proved that I'm fine on my own without you all being a burden to. Izuku has done the same, though she's never experienced what you all did to me. She's been through her own stages of struggle, but I made sure she wasn't alone." Emra proclaimed.
"Emra..."
"If you really wanted to welcome us, why did you make us dress like we were about to attend a funeral? That's because you clearly do not welcome us, no matter how many times you claim that we belong here. The only reason we came here is to conclude everything and I swear that if you ever try to harm me or Izuku's family, you will regret it!" Emra yelled with an intense glare.
It was so silent in the room that the sound of pen dropping could be heard, and just when Izuku thought her cousin's words would change anything, she heard the sound of laughter coming straight from Royce.
'Huh? Why's he laughing?'
"My my 'Ahem' Excuse me, but do you really think your words will threaten me, Emra?" Royce asked with a devilish smile.
"Of course not, because you're not afraid of me, but that doesn't mean that what is say is a lie."
"Careful now Emra, your words could cause quite some trouble as you're surrounded by your old family."
That ticked Izuku off, she couldn't stand here and listen to this man boast about anymore.
"So she needs to be careful about what to say... Then that means I can speak freely for her!" Izuku yelled, taking a few steps ahead.
"Hm?"
"Deku, what're you doing?"
"You think I actually wanted to be involved with this family? No. Because like Emra said, I've heard all the things that she went through, and I've experienced the torment myself now! Years ago, I was sexually assualted by Sophie's ex-husband Rin, and from that moment on did I believe Emra's words and know that your family is twisted and manipulative, and I didn't want to be a part of any of that!" Izuku stated.
"But my dear, you managed to get past the Trials and since the Trials are over, then you must be welcomed to our family?"
"Does trying to ruin my marriage seem like something considered a Trial?" Izuku asked, and that caught everyone's attention.
"Excuse me?"
"As well as trying to have someone try to make it look like my husband was cheating on me? Or what about when a member of your family tried to be an employee at the same place I work and caused an entire factory to explode and tried to kill me in the process? Oh, and then there's when a member of your family tried to cause never-ending nightmares and torment my husband to make him distance himself from me completely? Or even the time me and my husband were locked in a giant freezer and expected to freeze to death. Then of course I can't forget when a member of your family decided to kidnap my son to try and make me and my husband willingly risk our lives to protect our son. And let's not forget when a member of your family switched my husband and my son's bodies and then decided to throw them out a window to their death. And of course last but least hire a hitman that happens to be in your family and try to kill me and my husband! Do you really think I'd want to be welcomed into a family after all those Trials that you claim are nothing but a simple test?" Izuku proclaimed.
"Deku..."
"I will not be a part of some kind of colt that thinks torment is a way to welcome someone into their family! Especially when they tried to take away my own family!" Izuku exclaimed.
Everyone stared at the greenette in awe, as it appeared that none of these people knew the truth behind these Trials until now.
"What do you have to say to that, Uncle?" Emra asked as she crossed her arms.
They watched Royce remain standing still, until he finally smiled and began clapping.
"Bravo, you have made a wonderful speech!"
"What?"
"Unfortunately, that is your downfall for thinking that announcing the Trials would change my heart, as I've already made a decision." Royce said as he snapped his fingers.
The four of them watched as a group of familiar faces appeared behind the man.
"That's-"
"It's all the people you two have faced for the past few months." Emra noted.
She was right, as Izuku and Katsuki recognized Rosie, Rowen, Amber, Amy, Diana, Damian, Dean, Alex and Hayley standing behind Royce.
"Since it's evident that you haven't learned anything from the Trials, I suppose having all of them attack you here and now is the only option to learn and accept your new family." Royce stated.
"Damnit, fight all of 'em at once?"
"This is ridiculous." Katsuki and Takashi muttered.
"Now then, let the final Trial begin!" Royce yelled as he pointed at them to attack.
But just when everyone expected for quirks to appear and attacks to be flying left and right, the members behind Royce remained standing behind him.
"Huh?"
"What's going on?"
"Why aren't they coming after us?"
Royce looked behind him to see them all staring at him and he started to get frustrated.
"What is wrong with all of you?!?! I told you to attack them! Finish them already!"
"No dad."
Royce jerked his head over to look at Rosie and Rowen who appeared very serious.
"What?"
"We don't wanna do this, dad."
"What? But why?"
"Because we've learned many things about those two that you never would've noticed." Rosie answered.
"What did you say?"
Rosie and Rowen looked at each other and then casually walked past him and up to Izuku's group and then stood and protected the four of them.
"We don't wanna fight them." Rowen stated.
Whispers filled the room, people were so confused at what was going on.
"What? You- But you have to! It doesn't matter, I still have plenty of ammunition to-"
"Not gonna happen, Uncle." Amber interrupted, and Royce jolted his eyes at the blonde.
"What did you say?"
"Just like Rosie and Rowen, we've learned many things from these two, and all for good reason." Amy noted.
"Especially the fact that those two are willing to protect themselves from any danger, something you never gave us." Diana added, as they started walking away from him.
"You- You traitors! You can't be-"
"I hate to admit it, Uncle, but even I'm scared to face those guys, they're stronger than they look."
"And they've got something that you don't have either." Damian and Dean said.
"N-No, you can't! You can't do this!"
"Apologies, Uncle, but they're also a lot smarter than they look." Alex said as she also left his side.
Royce was in utter shock to see his own family siding with his target, something he never thought would happen. But when he thought all hope was lost, he turned his head to see Hayley still on his side.
"Hmph, you might think that I've lost, but I still have a hitman on my side!"
"Sorry, Uncle."
Royce's body froze as he looked back at Hayley who began to walk away from him.
"But those two... they're even willing to risk getting hurt to save each other, that's something that you've never even cared about. Which means that I'd rather be on their side than yours." Hayley announced as she stopped and looked at him.
"N-No... my army... This... This can't be!"
"You see, Mister Royce?" Izuku asked, as she and Katsuki approached him.
Royce looked at the couple as they approached and fear began to shroud him as he was unsure what to do at this point.
"No... No please..."
"No matter how much shit you try to throw at us-"
"No matter how much pain we go through..."
Izuku and Katsuki stopped just a few inches from the man and glared at him.
"We ain't gonna let you take our family away."
"And we'll fight as many people to protect our family." they both said.
Royce was tongue-tied, he was so afraid of what could happen that he literally dropped to his knees and muttered;
"I accept defeat..."
Note: Hello My Little Emeralds!
I was not lying when I said things were getting good, as this finally means the little war for this fanfic is over! Yay! But of course we still have a little bit left to do, so stay tuned!
Gonna post 1 more chapter later today!
Leave a like and comment down below!
Happy Reading from me, My Little Emeralds!