19/11/2022
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The Emperor's Dragon
Emergence 26 - Command and Lies
The first match of the UA Sport's Festival final event for the first years was both punishingly quick and brutally revealing. It was between General Studies Student, Hitoshi Shinso, who had placed first in the first event, the obstacle course, earning him the 10,000,000 headband for the second round. Unexpectedly he'd kept those points, sharing them with his team to be the undisputed winners of the second event, which lead him, and them to here. What was truly notable about his first two events was that he had not used his quirk.
His opponent was from the Heroics Course Class 1A, Mashirao Ojiro who had a mutant type quirk named Tail. As was the case with many mutant type quirks, it was obvious what the basic functions of his quirk was. He had a large, muscular tail and could use it to perform quite a number of feats. Those watching knew that he was somewhat proficient in martial arts and was obviously skilled due to the fact he was a member of Class 1A.
The instant Midnight said the match was on, Hitoshi smiled at his opponent. He ignored the way they tensed. That was normal for a fight when you didn't know what your opponent's quirk did. "Let's have a good match?" Hitoshi asked, nodding his head slightly.
"Yes. That would be-" Mashirao didn't finish his sentence.
Most of the crowd didn't notice. They were still cheering from the opening. That wasn't important. To the two who were watching from the competitor entry, they knew what it meant.
"Walk off the stage," Hitoshi instructed.
At that the crowd took notice. The cheering faded significantly. Sure, Hitoshi Shinso had come in first in both previous events but he wasn't so arrogant as to believe all he had to do was order his competition to leave the event, was he?
Except to the surprise of almost everyone watching, that's exactly what Mashirao did. It was only after Midnight was calling the result that he seemed to realise what had happened.
Hitoshi gave him a respectful nod and turned around, leaving the stage ready for the next match.
The crowd roared again as they realised that the match really was over and Hitoshi really had ordered his opponent to leave the stage. The beating odds were being somewhat frantically adjusted and in the stands one group of management students sighed.
"Well," Zellia said. "We are all buying Mitei lunch," she announced.
"I thought we were already," Te said confused.
Zellia sighed. "If his friend didn't make it past this round, I was going to argue that he never really got into the tournament," she said, somewhat sourly, referring to the way Mitei had practically carried his friends from General Studies and Support through the first two events.
"I really don't think he would have let that happen," Korei objected for Mitei.
Zellia gave him a look but it was one of resignation. She knew he was right.
Korei chuckled. "We have all learned an important lesson," he said piously.
"What's that?" Te asked.
"Don't gamble with Mitei," he said. "Especially if he makes the wager complicated!"
They laughed at that and settled back to watch the next rounds. After all, their wagers were still in progress.
-ted-
Izuku grinned at Hitoshi when he returned. "You did great!" He praised his friend.
"It's not this round I was worried about," Hitoshi replied, echoing his statement from before the match.
"One at a time," Izuku counselled rather than arguing.
"Yeah, one at a time," Hitoshi said, gesturing to the stage. There was a huge eruption of ice on it.
Izuku looked over at it. "His opponent can still talk," he commented. That was Hitoshi's opening.
His friend didn't deny it. If he could talk then even if he was trapped in ice then… maybe he could win.
"It doesn't matter," Ochaco said brightly. "You did great!" She cheered. "And I know 1B will love you anyway."
He smiled at that.
"Should we find that seat?" Izuku asked.
"Yes, let's!" Ochaco agreed and they turned.
And froze. Or at least Izuku did.
He knew, intellectually, that he attended the school All Might taught at. He knew that there was a chance of encountering him but as the weeks had gone on and the Number One Hero had focused on teaching the Heroics classes, he'd kind of forgotten.
He wasn't ready to see the Number One Hero.
"It's so touching to see such friendship," the man boomed.
Izuku wasn't sure what to think because it actually seemed as if All Might believed it. He wasn't sure what to say. Thankfully, or maybe not thankfully, the Hero seemed to realise he had startled them into silence.
"I was surprised to see you'd withdrawn, Mr Chui," All Might continued.
Izuku gulped. "I promised my friends I'd get them into the tournament," he said, and then realised how arrogant that sounded. All Might apparently did as well since he looked a bit amused at the statement.
"And you were happy to withdraw? I believe you are the first Management student to ever get this far."
Izuku blinked at that and ignored the way Ochaco and Hitoshi stared at him with something akin to horror, as if they were only now realising what he'd given up when he withdrew. "As you say, I'm a Management student," he agreed. Inwardly he grimaced. He'd almost called All Might 'Sir' and it would be a cold day in hell before he did that. "I'm not going to be a Hero," he explained. "And-" Izuku stopped before he could say something unfortunate.
"And?" the Hero prompted.
He was asking for it. Izuku snorted. "I think I'd wipe the floor with them," he shrugged and gestured vaguely towards the stage. "They all rely on their quirks too much, and not what they should rely on."
That was certainly not the answer the hero had been expecting. It wasn't the answer Hitoshi or Ochaco expected either and he ignored Ochaco's gasp of 'Little Dragon!'
All Might laughed at the response. It was particularly booming. "Ah, such confidence," he said. "What should they rely on?" he asked.
Izuku reached up and tapped his forehead, giving the hero a bland look even as he felt sick with this conversation. This was what was wrong with heroes!
"Perhaps you should be a hero?" All Might prompted.
"I don't think so," Izuku said calmly, looking up at the man.
"Little Dragon," Ochaco warned.
"No, young Uraraka," All Might said. "I wish to know," he added.
Izuku gave him a half smile as he debated with himself if he should see if he could take One For All. He hadn't made a decision, and that would make it for him but… It was for his dad, so it wouldn't be all bad. Except… here was a public place and… No. Dad had indicated he'd most likely not be able to take it but if he could, or even if he couldn't and his attempt was felt, then… No, it was just too open here. He'd have to wait.
"Because of you," he replied clearly, ignoring the way the crowd roared behind him.
It wasn't what All Might had been expecting to hear. His expression clearly invited further explanation. Hitoshi was just silent but Izuku could tell his friend was somewhat embarrassed on his behalf. There was no need for that.
"My dad was injured in Tsu," Izuku elaborated.
He was watching for it, so he saw the way All Might flinched slightly. He took a deep breath, bracing himself for the lie before he continued. "I know it was Toxic Chainsaw's fault but-" he shook his head. "My dad is going to need medical assistance for the rest of his life. I just can't be a hero knowing that I could have a hand in something like that," he said.
All Might closed his eyes for a moment before he nodded. "I understand, young Chui, and I am more sorry for the events at Tsu with every day that passes," he said.
It didn't matter that it was most likely the truth. Izuku didn't care. All Might could be sorry all he wanted, it didn't change the fact that his dad was still injured and that it was directly All Might's fault. He bit the inside of his lip. He needed to repeat the lie. "It was Toxic Chainsaw's fault," he repeated. He didn't like it but that was what was expected.
Izuku looked to the ground. "The heroes I manage… I will be doing my best to make sure they don't end up with stats like yours from that mission," he said. It was perhaps cruel to mention that but, what else could he do?
And he couldn't stay. He sniffed and then pushed past the hero, running back into the stadium. He just couldn't see All Might any more, not when he hadn't seen Dad for so long. He couldn't.
Ochaco shouted, but didn't follow, or if she did he quickly lost her. He wasn't paying attention to her. Hitoshi was shocked but he wasn't thinking about them.
Izuku raced through the corridors, ignoring who he went past until he found a quiet area. He could tell it was quiet. He couldn't hear anyone. He went into one of the rooms, locking the door behind him before settling into the corner, where he cried.
Dad said All Might was injured but…
That didn't matter. It wasn't fair! It just wasn't fair! Sure his Dad was a villain but…
Izuku cried but he wasn't entirely sure what he was crying for, just that… Nothing was as it should be.
He knew one thing though. Next time. Next time he faced All Might, he would have to have made a decision. He couldn't do this again.
-ted-
"I'm sorry, Sir," Ochaco said as Izuku disappeared.
She was surprised when All Might shook his head. "No, there is no need to apologise for your friend," he said earnestly. "Tsu was not a good day," he allowed. "Too many were like your friend's father, and too many died."
"He's always been very close to his father," Hitoshi said.
"Please pass on my apologies," All Might said, acknowledging Hitoshi's statement with a nod. "For now though, should you not be focused on your own matches?" He suggested.
Ochaco looked back to the opening to the stadium and saw that Momo had just been defeated by the explosive boy from Class 1A. That meant she was up next. Her opponent was Ibara Shiozaki from Class 1A. Idly she wondered how many people from 1B were still in the tournament.
"Gotta go!" Ochaco said apologetically as she ran to the opening. She couldn't be late for her first match!
"Good luck!" Hitoshi called but then he realised he was alone with All Might.
"You have an interesting quirk, young Shinso," the Number One Hero said.
"But not suitable for the entrance exam," he replied before he realised what he'd said. Hitoshi looked horrified while All Might looked quizzically at him.
"How?"
Hitoshi looked around to make sure no one was listening. "It works on people, not robots," he elaborated.
"Ah." It actually seemed like the Number One Hero understood. "You've done well even getting this far then," he said. It sounded like a backhanded compliment but he meant it.
"Mitei helped a lot."
All Might nodded. "Your friend is very strong," he commented.
"He is," Hitoshi agreed, but he had no idea what he was going to talk to the hero about.
Thankfully All Might seemed to realise that. "Go watch your friend," he encouraged.
Hitoshi took this dismissal and with a nod towards the hero and practically ran back towards the stage. With Izuku not here, he really should cheer on Ochaco!
-ted-
All Might looked as the teens ran off. The boy and the girl would do well. He'd seen how Uraraka worked during her classes. She was going to be a solid hero, though he knew she leaned towards rescue work, she didn't balk at learning fighting skills. The boy, Hitoshi… From what he'd seen, he had an interesting quirk. It would be a great one for Underground work and the other boy… Being Management, he wasn't sure what quirk he had but his skill… There was no doubting he was skilled.
Confident too, All Might's memory reminded him but wounded. The child was definitely wounded. The Number One Hero sighed. It was so easy to look at the dead and injured from Tsu and think they were the only victims. They weren't. There were so many more.
All For One had hurt them all. And he couldn't help but feel, just from what he'd seen from the first two events, that the boy, Mitei Chui, would be a fantastic hero. He'd heard him talking to his friends before the first match. He was cocky but what he'd seen and heard had been brilliant.
But he had been firm that he wouldn't be a hero and All Might couldn't help but feel that they were losing out on something. Even so… He pulled out his phone. He probably couldn't change the teens opinion, not with his father a constant reminder but perhaps… He sighed as the phone rang. Maybe he could show Chui that not every hero was bad.
"All Might," Hisha finally picked up.
The Hero knew that Sir Nighteye thought Hisha was just a glorified secretary but Hisha knew more than she let on. She was more than the keeper of his digital signature, she was actually an essential member of the agency. She knew about his injuries, she knew his real name, she knew his schedule. She didn't know about One For All but she knew almost everything else. And Sir Nighteye thought she knew nothing.
That was not his concern now. "I want to offer an internship to a student," he told her.
He could feel her surprise but Hisha knew where he was and what day it was. "Not a hero internship," he clarified. "A management one, but with lots of exposure to the day to day workings of the agency," he explained.
"I'll look into it," she said.
"What do you mean?" He asked. He hadn't expected that reply.
"We've got Mirio," Hisha told him, "but he's on a hero internship and the insurances are different," she said.
Unseen, All Might made a small face. Mirio was a wonderful young man, and he was Sir Nighteye's choice for him to pass on One For All. It was just… He'd interacted with the teen over the last year, seen him develop and… There was something missing.
Mirio was going to be a brilliant hero. Sir Nighteye was correct on that but… When he thought about passing One For All to him it just felt wrong. Mirai had dismissed his concerns but then Mirai tended to disregard gut feelings.
"See what can be done please. I would really like to offer this internship," he impressed upon her.
"The insurance should be relatively easy," she admitted. People tended to help out their agency simply because they liked the opportunity to say they had helped out the Number One Hero. "But we do not have any plan or work for an intern," she objected.
"I think we can work something out. The boy is intelligent. He'll learn just from observing but I really want to offer him something."
He heard Hisha sigh. "Where is he from?" she asked pointedly.
All Might looked out to the light of the stage. The boy's friend had just been declared the winner, which meant the second round would be starting soon. "Tsu," he admitted, knowing that Hisha would know what that meant.
He heard her mutter something but couldn't work out what it was. "I'll work out something but… remember the boy could say no."
"I know but I want to offer," he repeated.
"Should I prepare another hero internship?" Hisha asked. "While I'm at it anyway."
He thought about the students he'd seen so far. He'd taught both first year classes and while there were many promising heroes there, again, he hadn't settled on one. The second years were good but, like Mirio, he felt they were missing something. So he was concentrating on the first years. He hoped those he had his eyes on would develop but they weren't there yet.
"No," he decided. "Not this time," he said. He could offer one later if he thought they had developed and if necessary he'd make an apology to any other agency who had already contracted 'd owe them that much at least. But for now, he only wanted to offer this one internship and maybe it would help, just a little bit.
It was all he could do. At least, it was all he could do until he brought All For One to justice because only then would Mitei's father, and those like him, and those who had died, and those they had left behind would have justice.
-ted-
So there we are, Izuku's first confrontation with All Might and it didn't go well... But he's at least managed to present himself as a boy with issues, and those issues have to do with All Might but not in a villainous type way. All Might feels sorry for him and oh boy, Izuku would probably want to hurl if he knew that!
Oh, and Hitoshi won his match :D
My discord is on this code: ZX2R5h2cEm FFN will remove links but you should be able to figure that out. There's a heap of other authors there, so come along and chat to us all!
-ted-
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