23/10/2021
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The Emperor's Dragon
Fledgling 13
All For One gasped as he stood on the roof of the building. It was times like this he knew how much he still had to recover. Doctor Garaki had made him a portable life support system but it was not efficient. It was not small, and it was heavy. It didn't bother him, because he was strong but for a lesser man, it would not be portable. It barely gave him enough oxygen, so he was constantly feeling like he was on the verge of suffocation. It was not a pleasant feeling. He could meet with people using it but that was the limit.
The feeling of suffocation only increased anytime he put stress on his body. Like now, when he was gathering several quirks. Even with all the extra drugs the Doctor was using on him, this was just not good enough.
Kurogiri had gotten Tomura and Izuku to the safe house. Garaki had been told not to come, and most evidence of their life here was gone.
The heroes would raid an empty location. But that was not enough.
It was bad enough that Juhin had sold him out but he was not going to give them even an empty victory.
He dragged in as much air as he could. "Air walk," he said the name of the quirk as he took several steps up to stand above the roof. He allowed himself to focus his strength for a few seconds, gathering it into his hand as he formed a fist around a green scale he had asked Izuku for earlier. That done, he punched down, hitting the roof of the building.
There was a loud crash. The concrete shattered, spiderweb cracks radiating from his fist. For a moment there was silence, and then the cracks continued with the noise loudly echoing.
"Kurogiri," All For One gasped the name. A portal appeared beside him. Before he walked through it he opened his fist. He looked at the scale in his hand, even though he couldn't properly see it, he could feel it.
He'd lost the original one Izuku had given him in his fight with All Might. He'd lose this one here. It was symbolic. And he was sure that they'd find it. He didn't know what they'd think of it but he would know, and Izuku would know. that the Heroes owed his son two times.
Two times they had taken away Izuku's sense of safety, and that could not be forgiven.
He let the scale fall before he walked through the portal.
Back at the building, the cracks continued and then the building almost seemed to tremble, before it collapsed. Most of the debris went inwards as the force of All For One's punch created a hole but some collapsed outwards.
Great gouts of dust billowed into the air, obscuring the view from surrounding buildings. The sound of concrete falling continued for several minutes before it settled, though nothing could be seen as dust hung in the air.
Those Heroes who had been preparing to raid the building remained where they were. The more experienced knew what it meant. Others just stared.
All Might emerged from where he had been waiting for the signal. The group that was to raid with him followed.
Through the dust he stared at the remains of the building and he reached both hands back before driving them forward in a resounding clap. He'd aimed it slightly upwards. A gale ensued as the air rushed towards the collapsed building. It took the obscuring dust with it, and the heroes were left staring at the pile of rubble.
All Might trembled.
He knew what it meant.
He knew what the message was.
As usual, All For One was stating it in the most obnoxious way possible.
I am still here.
It was a bastardisation of his message.
"Darn it!" He muttered. He wanted to say something so much stronger, but he couldn't. Not here. Not now.
"Move!" The shout came from behind him and someone dressed in black brushed past him. "There might be survivors," came the explanation.
Yagi gritted his teeth before he forced his trademarked smile onto his features. All For One was gone from here, and they weren't going to be able to follow him.
He had a job to do now.
-ted-
All For One collapsed into a waiting chair. He gasped for air.
Doctor Garaki rushed over to him with a respirator in hand. He quickly strapped it on to Hisashi, and the Emperor of the Underworld remained still for a few moments as the oxygen rushed into his system.
"I cannot fight in that," he said.
"I'll try to redesign it," the Doctor promised but All For One could tell that he had no idea where to start with it.
"We have eyes on the Heroes," Kurogiri reported.
Hisashi nodded. "Where are Izuku and Tomura?" he asked.
"I have them playing a game together," Kurogiri reported. "Gigantomachia is with them."
"Good. Which Heroes showed up?"
There was a short silence. All For One activated his sight quirk to see that Kurogiri was looking at something. He thought it was some screens, though he couldn't see what was on the screens.
"All Might is there," he said. "I have not seen Sir Nighteye, but I imagine he is with the support staff," the misty man said.
"Endeavor is with another group," Kurogiri continued.
All For One might have laughed if he'd had the breath to spare. The Number One and Two heroes did not get along well but they'd come after him. They'd come after Izuku.
"Hawks is also present," the misty man said.
"How many did they send?" Kyudai asked.
"Quite a few," Kurogiri replied before he identified several more groups.
The more heroes he identified, the more clear it became that the Commission was not messing around. It was gratifying that they took him so seriously but it was bothersome in other ways. He was not in any condition to fight. Today, with the limited use of some quirks had made that clear. Hisashi gave the Doctor a significant look. The man didn't show much reaction but All For One knew he'd seen it and knew that Garaki would know what it meant. He needed more options than he currently had.
"They haven't found your research," All For One said aloud. "You will remain here, but move it to Yokohama slowly," he added.
"So that's where you are going?" Kyudai asked.
"Yes," All For One decided.
"It's close to All Might," Kurogiri commented.
"Which is why he won't be looking," All For One said softly. He could tell Kurogiri was skeptical about that.
"Every time he's found me, it has always been in regional Japan," All For One explained, before he smiled. "Besides, that oaf couldn't find me even if he looked. It's always been Sir Nighteye who's done that work… And I suspect that relationship has run its course."
Both Kurogiri and the Doctor gave him a look but he did not elaborate. It was a feeling.
"Very well, Sensei. I will move Tomura and Izuku tomorrow. Then I will contact Giran about supplies."
"No." There was no room for misunderstanding in All For One's tone.
"Sensei?" Kurogiri asked.
All For One was blind but he directed his head towards the warp gate with a surprising amount of force. "Giran is not to be trusted," he stated coldly.
"Then I will contact him so that he may be educated," the misty man corrected his previous statement.
"Do it here," Hisashi instructed. "I imagine they will watch Giran," he added, which was enough for Kurogiri to know that Giran himself hadn't been the leak.
"It was Juhin," All For One confirmed.
His servants were silent, awaiting his instructions. "There are two I want in Tokyo," All For One said. "Juhin and Kachi," he said the names as he thought. There was risk with all the paths forward but he'd never let that stop him.
"Move Tomura and Izuku tomorrow, and collect both of them if you can," Hisashi instructed Kurogiri. "Make sure the boys are well supplied, and instruct them not to go out," he added. "I will remain here until those two are suitably disciplined," he added. "I will instruct Gigantomachia to assist you," he added. The huge man would no doubt desire to help but it would clash with his desire to guard.
Kurogiri nodded. "I could collect Juhin now," he indicated. It was his way of saying that it was likely that the traitor would be moved before tomorrow.
All For One thought about it. It would be easier to take her now… and it would have more of an impact on the Heroes if their informant disappeared with their failed raid. But it would mean she would most likely be close to Izuku. No, he'd keep his son away.
"Do it," he altered his instruction. "But take her to Garaki's facility via an indirect route." He did not need his other assets compromised.
The misty man nodded. "It will be done, Sensei," he said.
"Now, Izuku and Tomura must be scared. Let them come see me," he said.
Kurogiri nodded and got up from his position. The surveillance cameras, which were the Tsu City cameras, were still running but all they displayed was the heroes, and there was nothing interesting with that.
-ted-
"I know you are disappointed," Scarab said as she took up a position standing near All Might.
The Number One Hero shifted slightly, acknowledging her presence. He was standing out of the way of rescue workers, who were combing through the wreckage. They'd been luckyish. The fact that the building was mostly office space saved them since it was the weekend so there were not many people there. And it was… or rather had been daylight, so the bar wasn't open but the shopping district on the ground floor… They hadn't managed to get everyone out of it. They had been limiting the people there in preparation for the raid but…
There were going to be bodies.
"I know if he was standing before you right now, you'd be swinging," Scarab continued before she sighed. "But I can't help but believe we dodged a bullet," she finished.
All Might blew out a breath. He looked over at her and she was surprised by how intent his gaze was. It was as if he was assessing something. "You are probably right," he said softly. So softly that others couldn't hear.
Scarab realised this was not really the sort of conversation they should be having in public but at the same time, she knew All Might could not leave. That would ruin morale. Everyone knew something had gone wrong for the building to collapse, but the presence of the Number One Hero, even if he wasn't doing anything, was helping them believe that everything would be all right.
"They used Toxic Chainsaw to cover up his existence," she whispered. "I know I'm right. And it scares the fu-" She shuddered. "It scares me that someone like that exists, given that he has to be worse. Your injuries confirm that he's worse."
The Number One Hero started slightly. He jerked but said nothing.
"Relax," Scarab said softly. "I only noticed because us underground heroes have to see what doesn't want to be seen. But that means I know he's bad news. Worse than anything the Commissioner could have said."
All Might nodded, and then looked back at the rescue efforts. "If he was here right now, as you say, I would be swinging." The Number One Hero snorted. "Let's put it this way, if I could take him out, even if it cost me my life, that would be cheap."
"The world probably wouldn't believe that," Scarab replied immediately. She knew what chaos would happen if All Might was to die.
"The world is wrong." There was no doubt in his voice.
She took a deep breath. "Then if he was here, how many of us would be dead right now?"
Again the Number One Hero jerked. This time, it wasn't a surprise but rather it showed how much he didn't want to think about that possibility. He shook his head. "Most of you would be dead. Not many took the briefing seriously. And those of you who weren't dead, would probably wish you were."
All Might raised one hand and gestured towards the rubble. "That was a message. He didn't have to do it. Just getting away would have said it but he wanted to. He probably wanted to ensure we were delayed."
"A message?" Scarab asked. Villains didn't leave messages by collapsing buildings.
"I am still here," All Might told her. "That's what he's saying. You don't see it as a message but I assure you, that's what he's saying."
She could see the link to All Might's message. He always said that everything would be all right, because he was here. If a villain was saying he was still here then… She shuddered. "How powerful is he?"
"You've determined that I'm injured," All Might murmured. "No one else has ever stood against me for more than a few hits. We traded blows for at least an hour," he said.
Scarab didn't want to think about that. But she appreciated that the Number One Hero had answered her honestly. Some didn't think underground heroes took on dangerous people. With the response, All Might was telling her that he knew she took on people every bit as dangerous… no… he was saying he respected her, but Scarab knew she couldn't take on a villain that strong. She had a feeling even Endeavor couldn't. Only All Might could.
And this villain had injured him.
The Number One Hero sighed softly. The exhale was subdued, so that anyone watching would just think he'd taken a deep breath. "I just want to be sure he's gone."
His voice was so soft, Scarab almost wasn't sure she'd heard the words but she nodded in response. "You and me both," she replied. She meant it. If this villain was worse than Toxic Chainsaw, then every moment he was free meant more pain for them. It meant he was corrupting society.
But… She looked at the ruins of the building. She was good. She was a very experienced Hero, yet she had no idea how to fight that.
"Get well soon," she told All Might.
They needed him. Scarab hoped he knew how much and thought that, at least on one level, the Number One Hero did, but at the same time, he would do what he thought was his duty, no matter the cost to himself.
There were times she hated daylight heroes.
Now was one of them.
But there was nothing she could do.
-ted-
The heroes do not know how injured AFO is, so they don't know how close they came to getting him. If they knew that, All Might may be a bit more disappointed in the outcome. But he now knows for sure that AFO survived and that while he was busy recovering from his injuries quite a few things were were happening that people have neglected to mention to him. He will have to do some research and have some difficult conversations.
The life support helmet is the one Garaki made. Mei's one isn't anywhere near ready! AFO v AM was when Izuku was nine and a half. He got his investment money when he was 10, and he's now nearly 11. But Mei is also nearly 11 and she is learning too. For something that AFO is going to rely on, I think we want a bit of time taken in the creation of it. Mei might be very good at creating things, but she's also very good at having them blow up. This isn't an option here.
My discord is on this code: ZX2R5h2cEm FFN will remove links but you should be able to figure that out.
-ted-
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