22/01/2022
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The Emperor's Dragon
Fledgling 40
Inko sat quietly while the lawyer dithered. She wasn't paying him by the hour so she wasn't bothered by the time. She couldn't believe it had taken her this long to do this. It was something she should have done earlier.
"How may I help you, Mrs Midoriya," the lawyer, Watanabe, asked.
Inko gave him a smile. After the ladies had given her the information about Hisashi and Tsu, she'd thought about a few more things, and she had forced herself to go through their official papers. It had been hard to see her wedding certificate, and Izuku's birth certificate but it had led her here. When they were married, she'd known Hisashi Seki had alternate interests and he had promised he would integrate them with hers over time. But then Izuku came along and that plan had been forgotten. That meant his will was still in his name. And it had been written by Hawein, Mori and Nishimura, which was why she was here, at their offices.
"I wish to know if my husband has altered his will," Inko told Watanabe. There was no point in beating around the bush. While she was not paying him at the moment, if there did come a reason to pay him, she wanted it clear that she wanted the straight forward service, not anything designed to milk her purse.
"We do not hold a will in the name of Midoriya," the lawyer told her.
"I believe you have it down as Hisashi Riji," Inko said sweetly. She held up one hand, already knowing what the lawyer would complain that she had no right to ask that. She reached into her bag, and pulled out several pieces of identification. "Hisashi Riji, also known as Hisashi Seki, married name, Hisashi Midoriya," Inko told him.
She was satisfied to see that Watanabe was surprised.
He took the documentation and carefully examined each one. She'd included her driver's licence and a copy of her officially issued identification number.
"Thank you very much for the documents," Watanabe said after a few moments. He then turned to his computer and typed a few things.
Inko tried not to be disappointed but Meigo had told her this was likely to happen. Watanabe would be checking her documents against Japan's registry to confirm that she was who she said she was, and to confirm that her marriage was legitimate.
She felt a moment of vindication when Watanabe's eyes widened slightly. She wasn't sure what document caused the surprise but it was satisfactory.
"Ah, Mrs Midoriya, I must admit, I was unaware that our client, Mr Riji was married," he admitted when he turned back to her. "You do understand that Hisashi Riji is officially missing, and thus you cannot have him declared dead."
"That is not what I wish to do," Inko retorted. If she had, she would have had him declared missing when he kidnapped Izuku, and then… well, he would have been declared dead about two years ago. If he remained missing now, it would be another three or so years before he could be declared dead. "I simply wish to know if he has changed his will recently," she repeated her request.
She wasn't sure if Watanabe knew why she was asking. The man shook his head. "Mr Riji has not changed his will for the last eight years," he told her.
Eight years. Izuku would have been five and a half. Hisashi had changed it after he had left her. She wondered if it was to remove her from it. "Thank you," Inko inclined her head. "I take it you haven't heard from my Husband for the last few years?" she asked, fishing for a bit more information.
"The last communication we had about Hisashi Riji was from the Government, informing us that he was missing," Watanabe told her.
Inko ignored the stab of disappointment at that. She had been hoping he'd make a mistake. It didn't look like he had and there was a chance Hisashi had been genuinely killed in the battle in Tsu.
"Thank you," Inko inclined her head. She hadn't gotten the information she wanted but at least she had eliminated one possibility.
Inko remembered what Ume had told her. One theory at a time. If you could eliminate them one at a time, eventually you would get to the truth. You just had to be patient. She'd been patient for nine years, she could be patient a little bit longer and, as Inko gritted her teeth to prevent the tears falling, she realised there was a tiny feeling of accomplishment. She was doing something and that felt good.
"Thank you," Inko said again as she rose.
Watanabe said nothing but acknowledged her words. That was good. It was better that he didn't offer platitudes.
Once outside the office Inko closed her eyes.
This was the first step, just the first. Izuku was at the end, so she'd take as many steps as it took.
-ted-
There's a quirk use day in Shizuoka! Izuku sent the message to Inasa. It's at Lake Hamana because they modelled it off the one at Kasumigaura Bay. He added the extra information and the date in an obvious invitation.
There is? Inasa replied almost immediately and then there was a pause as Izuku imagined he was looking up information on the event.
It was relatively easy to find and Izuku grinned when the dots to say Inasa was replying came back.
Meet you there at 1400?
Izuku looked at the comparative distances on a map. Kasumigaura Bay was a little closer than Lake Hamana but he'd always been allowed to go to the quirk use days. He couldn't see why the extra distance would make a difference. His dad liked that he was getting out and about.
Definitely. Will you be okay with the distance? Izuku asked.
I get some leeway to use my quirk in training but since this is free use, I'm sure it will be fine, Inasa replied.
:D is all Izuku sent back.
It was enough. It would be good to see his friend again.
-ted-
"We've left this longer than I intended," Garaki said to Izuku.
"Opps," Izuku joked.
"Were you trying to avoid absorbing the quirk?" the Doctor asked.
The way Izuku grimaced told him the truth. The teen had been trying to avoid absorbing it.
"Whatever you were doing partially worked," he reported. "I usually expect you to have absorbed a quirk within a couple of months. This has taken much longer."
Izuku looked thoughtful.
"Pick up the weights please," Kyudai instructed before Izuku could get lost in thought.
The teen nodded and then picked them up. He adjusted them slightly until he indicated he was at his limit.
"Hmm," Garaki sighed, looking down at the numbers. "There's an increase, but not the same as when you had the two quirks independently. I think the increase is down to your physical ability, rather than any boost provided by the second quirk."
"I can't feel two," Izuku told him.
"You could feel two?" the Doctor asked.
"I could but that feeling went away as the quirk was absorbed."
"That would explain it then," Garaki nodded. "I suspected this might be the case."
"You did?"
"It makes sense. Dragon's Hoard absorbs quirks, and where the quirk is the same, the template, so to speak, is already within Dragon's Hoard, so it does not add anything new. The quirk then gets filed. But if you have a different strength enhancement quirk-" He didn't finish the sentence.
Izuku nodded enthusiastically. "Then, even if it is absorbed, it provides a new template and can be used!"
"Exactly. Would you like a different strength enhancement quirk?" Garaki offered. He hadn't discussed this with Sensei, but he didn't think the man would object to Izuku getting another quirk.
The teen nodded.
"Come with me," the Doctor instructed. He hadn't brought Johnny with him this time. Izuku followed and they made their way from the training area to one of the side warehouses. It was one of the ones he was working in. Yakuni was there and the two boys waved at each other before Izuku followed him to the back.
Garaki indicated a tube. It was bubbling so that Izuku couldn't see the exact shape of what was in it. Hopefully Sensei would allow his son to know the truth soon. He would probably accept it. He'd accepted the Nomu.
Izuku nodded at him. "Got it," he said.
Kyudai marked the tube. The sample would be disposed of later.
"Good. Shall we go back and test?" He asked.
Izuku nodded and the two of them made their way back to the training area.
"This time, try not to fight the quirk absorption," the Doctor advised. "I think because it is a different quirk, you will find that you get a boost from it, even when it is absorbed."
"But I was interested in figuring out ways to keep quirks separate."
"Maybe on a different one then," Kyudai advised.
Izuku sighed. "Maybe," he agreed and then smiled. "I'll work it out," he said, sounding assured.
"I'm sure you will."
-ted-
"What's bothering you Meigo?" Setsu asked.
The other woman was looking down at a printed report but she'd been staring at the same page for far longer than it took to read.
"Meigo!" Setsu snapped when she got no response.
"Huh? What?"
"What's bothering you?" she asked again, nodding towards the report.
Meigo took a deep breath and audibly blew it out as she sat back. She looked up at the ceiling of their little office. "Inko's case," Meigo replied eventually.
"What do you mean?"
It was just the two of them in the office today. Ume was off sick and Inko was attending to something else.
Meigo sat up straight and turned her chair to look at Setsu. "We found her bastard husband Hisashi via the missing persons case from that fight in Tsu, right?" She asked.
It was a superfluous question. Meigo had been involved in that investigation just as much as Setsu had. Even so Setsu nodded.
Meigo's face was troubled. "Inko confronted the Detective about it, didn't she?"
Again Setsu nodded. Inko had told them how that had gone.
"The Detective said he was in Tsu at that time to find Izuku, right?"
"That's what Inko told us," Setsu said.
"Then how did the Detective know that Hisashi and Izuku were in Tsu?" Meigo asked.
Setsu blinked. "What do y-" She froze as the realisation came to her.
They had found Hisashi purely by chance, by looking at the names of missing persons from big hero events, fights and rescues. They hadn't known Hisashi was in Tsu but had been happy to find his name, for Inko's sake. But the Police Detective had said, at least according to Inko, that he had been in Tsu during All Might's fight with Toxic Chainsaw to see if he could find Izuku. How did they know Izuku was there?
"You're right," Setsu breathed. She felt her heart beat quicker. "You're absolutely right," she continued.
Meigo didn't look particularly happy with the confirmation. "There's a possibility that the Detective meant he went down afterwards, to see if he could find Izuku once they realised Hisashi was among the missing," she said but Setsu knew her tone well enough to know that Meigo was grasping at straws.
"That's not what Inko said," Setsu reminded her. "Inko said the Detective said he was in Tsu for the operation."
"Which means he had to have known beforehand," Meigo gave her conclusion. "How did he know?" There was a silent question added to the one she spoke. Why hadn't the Detective found Izuku?
The two of them sat in silence for several long minutes. They both had their own missing person to deal with but…
"Do you think Inko realises?" Meigo whispered the question.
Setsu thought about it for a while. "She'd have to," she replied eventually. Inko wasn't stupid. She'd have to have realised but… they all had their blind spots, especially when it came to their own cases.
"We are going to have to check," Meigo said matter of factly.
She nodded. They were going to have to check. "And then," Setsu sighed.
"Then there is something odd with this case," Meigo added, stating aloud what Setsu now knew, what they both now knew.
The discrepancy was too much. There was something going on.
-ted-
All For One gently cradled the quirk. He was alone. The only noise in the room was from the hiss of air from his breathing tube. He focused on the quirk. This could be one of the most useful quirks he had ever taken possession of, all without taking it from the original owner.
Or, it might be worthless.
He allowed himself to feel hope for a few more seconds before he ruthlessly quashed the feeling. It would either work or not, and regardless of the outcome, he would have no choice but to accept it.
Hisashi pulled out a small knife and cut one finger. Controlling his regeneration quirk was second nature to him and All for One raised the small cut to his mouth and licked at the blood. He ignored the taste and activated the quirk.
He felt it work and grabbed the tube that was lodged in his throat and pulled it out as the skin became whole. Then his head itched. He discarded the tube and raised his hands to scratch. Before he could though he froze. He could feel hair.
All For One strode to the mirror and just looked at himself.
Gold eyes looked back, and his white hair reflected the light. He felt his forehead, before pressing his fingertips into his eyes. He trailed his hands lower, grasping the needles that were inserted into his cheeks and pulled them out. He ignored the way a little blood from the cut on his finger smeared over his skin.
A smile passed across his features.
It worked.
There was a warning tingle from the quirk. All For One knew what it meant and he once again raised the still bleeding cut to his mouth to ingest more blood.
Izuku indicated that his friend liked the taste of blood. He speculated that it was part of this quirk.
It wasn't. If it was, it was an acquired liking.
But it was something he would do. He made the cut deeper, taking more blood as he enjoyed the sensation of simply breathing.
It worked.
He would have to find out how much blood was needed for set time periods but that was something he would do.
First though, there were other things that needed to be tested. He reached for another quirk. It had been so long since he could use them.
All For One held out his hand and then activated the quirk… or he tried to.
Nothing happened.
He tried again.
Still nothing. There was no change to his hand.
He tried a different quirk.
The first one should have given his claws. This one should give him rivets.
Nothing.
No.
All For One felt the elation that had been growing freeze.
No. He took a deep breath.
This was not optimal but it was better than he had. But a more permanent solution would still need to be sought. However, being able to walk the street, whole, even without being able to use quirks would be useful.
He could work with this. He could hold business meetings and even if he couldn't enforce his will, just seeing him would be enough.
All For One looked at his face again. Studying the lines. He smiled again.
He could see Izuku this way.
He could see Tomura.
This wasn't all bad.
The quirk tingled again. He accepted it this time. He would have to experiment in the coming days to determine the most useful ratio of blood to time.
All For One closed his eyes as he felt the quirk begin to change him again. He didn't need to watch his features disappear. It felt like he was dripping away.
There was a slight burning in his throat before he staggered, a wave of exhaustion hitting him. All For One swallowed… or he tried too. He could hear his breath whistling in his throat but now it sounded wet.
He needed the air tube. Where was it?
He strained to drag enough oxygen into his lungs as he fell to his knees. It hurt.
But he had endured worse. He would not die here. But he was so tired. It was more than the burning in his lungs. It was in every limb. They felt heavy and unresponsive. It would be so easy to just sleep.
No!
The tube had to be behind him. He crawled, listening through the burning for the hiss of air. His vision couldn't narrow but the pain was such that he couldn't hold the radar quirk that served for his sight. All For One patted his hands in front of him, seeking the tube.
Where was it? He swallowed again, feeling his airways become slick.
Where was it? It had to be here.
He gritted his teeth, moving forward again as he sought it. He ignored the sting in his hands as he found the drug needles he'd pulled out earlier. He needed the tube.
All For One could feel his body losing oxygen. Combined with the exhaustion his limbs felt as if they were weighed down even further.
He fell, sprawling on the ground.
Where was that tube?
All For One did his best to draw more air into his lungs as his head spun. He felt dizzy, even though he was on the ground and he could not fall. He was so tired.
The world went black.
-ted-
An action packed chapter! Inko is on the hunt again and the ladies are going to help her. Anyone who's stood or is standing in the way better watch out!
Izuku organises some more fun with Inasa and Garaki finally tests the same quirk on Izuku. No stacking 50 copies of the same quirk though...
And AFO tests out Himiko's quirk but yeah... Experimentation with new quirks really shouldn't be conducted alone.
My discord is on this code: ZX2R5h2cEm FFN will remove links but you should be able to figure that out.
-ted-
Loved it? Hated it? Found a spelling mistake? Let me know please!