05/04/2022
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The Emperor's Dragon
Fledgling 61
Izuku pulled back from the hug he always gave Gigantomachia at the end of their training sessions. The man smelt faintly earthy and he was warm. It was nice.
"Thank you 'Machia," he said. Today they'd just sparred without quirks. Izuku knew he had gotten better over the years but it was almost impossible for him to win against Gigantomachia given the giant's bulk. He simply couldn't reach far enough to get him into the necessary holds. It did require some creative thinking on his behalf to adapt.
"Little Lord," the huge man rumbled. He always seemed slightly embarrassed by the thanks and the hug but he never refused.
"'Machia?" Izuku asked carefully, letting the giant know he had a question.
"What is it, Little Lord?"
"Dad told me something the other day, but he said I should ask you to clarify," Izuku told him, looking up.
Gigantomachia blinked and then a slow smile spread across his face. "What do you wish to know?"
"Dad said… Back when the All Might attacked Dad," Izuku began and wasn't surprised to see Gigantomachia's demeanor shift.
It wasn't obvious if you didn't know him but Izuku had known the huge man all his life. He knew that Gigantomachia was very loyal to his father and felt that day was a failure on his behalf. Even though he hadn't been there or perhaps because he hadn't been there.
He gulped and continued. "Dad said that while All Might attacked him there could have been other missions going on and that there was, but it was delayed."
"Another mission?"
Izuku nodded. "One to get me," he forced himself to say clearly.
'Machia knew that the Heroes had tracked down his Father partially because of his school records but the man had never said anything about it. Izuku didn't know if he blamed him at all and he wasn't sure he wanted to know.
The huge man's face twisted into a snarl and Izuku saw his hands form into fists. "They wouldn't!" he growled.
"Dad said the mission was delayed for some reason," Izuku reinforced. "So they didn't get me but he also said if they did, you would have come for me."
"Of course I would, Little Lord!" Gigantomachia seemed surprised by the doubt in his voice.
"How?" Izuku asked.
The enormous man blinked at him, trying to interpret his question.
"I mean, how would you have found me?" Izuku clarified.
That Gigantomachia understood and a smile passed across his features. "I will always find you, Little Lord," he promised.
"But how?"
'Machia raised one hand to his nose and tapped it. "I can smell you, Little Lord," he announced. "So I will always find you."
Izuku was familiar with Gigantomachia's way of speaking so he knew when the giant said he could smell him it was not just in the way Izuku could smell him, it was something else, most likely related to one of the quirks the huge man had. He nodded, feeling relieved already but then something occurred to him.
"Is that why I can never hide?" He demanded. Occasionally they would train in a more ranging way. Izuku would have to get through the warehouses to avoid the large man. He seldom made it. Gigantomachia was always in his path.
The smile on 'Machia's face became somewhat smug.
"Oh my God!" Izuku exclaimed when he realised the truth. Gigantomachia had some sort of scent tracking quirk, which meant he couldn't get away in those training sessions! He'd just thought the man was really good, which was true, but it was more than that.
"I told you, Little Lord, that you must use all your advantages," 'Machia rumbled and Izuku knew he meant that the sentence applied to them both.
He grinned. "It is so on next time," he declared, almost laughing.
Gigantomachia smiled at him in a way Izuku knew meant the man was looking forward to it and he did laugh. He'd never doubted his dad but it felt good to have confirmation and…
It was good to know that 'Machia would always find him. He was fourteen now and should be able to get out of that situation but it was nice to know he'd have back up.
-ted-
"Toshinori," Tsukauchi greeted his friend as soon as the door to his office closed. They were meeting in All Might's Office and a Police Detective meeting with the Number One Hero was not unusual but one who called him by his first name would be noted.
Sometimes, he really hated the subterfuge that went with hiding an identity. Not that it was really hidden. If anyone really wanted to they could find out All Might's real name but no one seemed to. Endeavor was so much easier to deal with in that way since the man didn't exactly announce his civilian name, but certainly took no real steps to hide it .
"You look tired," Naomasa continued.
"A bit," Toshinori admitted. "There's just so much to do."
The Detective gave him a blank stare. He'd heard that excuse before, about 8 years ago, and 10, and 12 and… throughout the entire time he'd known Yagi. The man took care of everyone else as the Number One Hero but he refused to take care of himself. It was a privilege that Toshinori would admit to being tired to him but it didn't change the facts.
Naomasa sighed. "You need to rest more," he reminded his friend. It wasn't something Toshi didn't already know. All his Doctor's told him that. He was pretty sure Recovery Girl told him that every time she saw him.
Yagi shook his head as they took a seat to the side of the office. All Might's office was large, but mostly ceremonial. As such it had space for a desk, which was set up mostly for photo opportunities, but also a more informal sitting area. They were using that space now.
"I need to find him," Toshinori told him earnestly.
There was no need to specify who he was.
Tsukauchi sighed. "How?" he asked plainly. In that single word was the reminder that it had taken Sir Nigtheye years to find the man and then, the break had come from a single, disgruntled woman, who was still alive - he'd checked. That type of break in a case required a lot of patience to find and sometimes… The Detective didn't like to admit that sometimes those breaks were just not found as the connection was so tenuous or just didn't exist.
"There has to be a way," Toshinori shook his head.
"I'm sure there is but," he sighed, almost theatrically, "he's not a stupid villain," he reminded his friend. "He's not going to go back to his old haunts." That's how they caught a lot of criminals. They got out of jail and went back to what they had been doing, sometimes with the exact same people!
All For One was not one of those criminals. He barely had a haunt to start with, just a presence everywhere, behind everything, but you had to know what you were looking for to see it.
At his reminder, his friend at least had the good taste to look disgusted. Tsukauchi knew Yagi believed all that but still felt compelled to try. He sighed again. "You are just going to have to be ready when he makes some sort of move," he concluded. That was really all that could be said and he hadn't come to rework old conversations. He'd come to see about the new.
Yagi nodded but didn't say anything more.
He raised one hand to dismiss the matter but didn't miss the irony that would come. Everything always seemed to connect back to All For One. "How is the case going?"
At his question, his friend sighed. "Despite the risks, Mirai made a mistake with that call. I don't understand why he can't admit it," Toshinori said.
Naomasa knew that wasn't quite true. All Might, like all Heroes, had some training in psychology. It was necessary for them to understand, at least partially, why people behaved the way they did in emergencies. It made Heroes more effective at dealing with people… Those Heroes who paid attention and applied their classes. All Might knew why Sir Nighteye didn't want to admit to a mistake.
The Detective just gave his friend a wide eyed stare.
"I made mistakes in that mission too," Yagi admitted.
"We all made mistakes," Tsukauchi agreed. He knew his friend deeply regretted the death and destruction, which is why one of his biggest donations was always to the Tsu compensation fund for victims of Toxic Chainsaw. It was the closest he'd get to saying he was sorry. At least publicly. All Might couldn't openly apologise for his mission.
"The case is continuing," Yagi said after a moment of silence. "Though Sir Nighteye now has a theory that he is funding it," he added, shaking his head.
Tsukauchi's look was enough to gain further explanation.
"Mrs Midoriya has engaged Reikokuna and he can't figure out how she can afford it. Therefore, it must be him," Toshinori offered his sidekick's reasoning.
"Reikokuna?" Naomasa was surprised. He could follow Sir Nighteye's reasoning. That firm was expensive.
His friend nodded. "I'm guessing they saw the opportunity to continue their grudge," he said.
Tsukauchi thought about that for a moment. "It's possible but, they are expensive," he felt obligated to point out.
Yagi sighed and it sounded long suffering, as if he'd had the argument before. "Reikokuna is expensive," he agreed. "And it could be him behind the funding but that doesn't change the mistake."
Naomasa snorted. "There won't be a lead."
"There won't be a lead," All Might agreed. "If they'd just told her without the lawyers then this wouldn't be happening. I know why we couldn't let All For One become public but-"
"You feel bad for Inko?" he prompted.
"I feel bad for Inko," Yagi agreed.
"So do I," the Detective agreed. Inko's case was one of his first. He wanted it solved. "Will she win?"
Toshinori thought about it for a moment before he nodded. "Maybe not full disclosure but enough I believe to find out why Mirai delayed your mission."
Tsukauchi sighed. He understood the risks with his mission and agreed they absolutely could not warn All For One that All Might was coming for him but there had been ways to mitigate or eliminate the risk but SIr Nighteye couldn't see past the risk and… his prejudice, the Detective allowed his thought to finish.
That's really what it came down to.
"Will it impact you?"
Yagi knew what he was asking. If there was a scandal, would it impact All Might's ranking as the Number One Hero? Endeavor would be ecstatic! Everyone else would probably feel a vague sense of disquiet. Everyone knew, but no one mentioned it, that Endeavor, no one actually, could fill All Might's boots. The next Number One Hero would not be the Pillar society needed.
"A bit," Toshinori said without the slightest trace of concern. "But I doubt the Commission will let it hit that badly, given the lengths they've gone to hide the truth."
That was something Naomasa hadn't considered and to avoid rolling his eyes at the blatant manipulation, he nodded his acknowledgment. Even so, there was another question that had to be considered, one that his friend was meant to be taking action on. "On something different then, have you been thinking about One For All and its future?" That was as delicately as he could phrase the question.
His friend gave him a smile that degenerated into a cough. With a practiced movement, Naomasa watched as Yagi pulled out a tissue and spat into it. The action simply reinforced his question.
"Nezu suggests I wait another year," Toshinori told him.
"Really?" He wasn't skeptical just curious as to the reasons.
Yagi nodded. "I have to get the Hero's Teaching License, and keeping that a secret will be painful," he explained.
"Does that take long?"
All Might gave him a half smile. It was tinged with irony. "About a year," he said, almost laughing.
Sometimes Nezu wasn't subtle.
"Nezu suggested a way I can do the course without letting people know," the Number One Hero said.
"Hmm?"
"Enroll, but don't go to class and self study. He promised he'd explain anything that wasn't clear. And then pass the exam. That's really the only bit that's important."
The Detective nodded. "So it would come out but only once you'd done the exam," he surmised.
"And can announce that I'll be taking a teaching position."
All Might was known as a phenomenally busy Hero, who was generous with his time. "Do you have the time?" Naomasa asked. One thing with having classes was they were at set times which meant you knew you had to go to them. Self study was too easily put off in favour of something you felt was more important.
The question didn't get the response he expected. Toshinori actually looked uncomfortable.
"I'm down to about 5 hours a day," All Might admitted.
Naomasa felt his eyes widen at the admission. He knew his friend wasn't able to be All Might the whole day but…
Toshinori actually smiled. "The rate of degradation is slowing down though," he added.
"What do you mean?"
Yagi sighed. "Before the fight, I could use the power of One For All, all day but by the time I got back to work I could only hold it for 20 hours. Then in another year, I could only hold it for 14 hours and then 10 hours and 7 hours and now I can hold it five hours. So it's slowing down." He actually seemed happy about that.
Tsukauchi didn't know what to think about it but he was pragmatic enough he could see how his friend would be able to study. Except… "How long is the course?"
"Three months full time," Toshinori told him immediately. "It can take a year if you are doing it part time," he added.
He held up one hand. "I get it. But why does Nezu really want you to take the year?"
His friend gave him a smile that was still, somehow, tinged with sadness. "If, as Mirai believes, All For One's son goes into villainy, then there is going to be quite a lot of talent to face him. Endeavor's prodigy will be enrolled, as will the Yaoyorozu girl, and the Ida's youngest. And Nezu assures me that while the recommendations won't be finalised until closer to enrollment, there are several other very strong contenders. Which obviously completely disregards the regular students who will apply."
Quirks were developing all the time, and an imaginative application of the right quirk was always powerful. He couldn't rule out giving One For All to someone completely unknown. After all, he'd been unknown at his age.
Tsukauchi sighed. "So in a year, you'll be teaching?"
"I'll still be working," Toshinori told him. "If I retire then-" He didn't have to say that it would likely be chaos.
"The press is still going to have a field day when they find out," the Detective decided before he frowned.
"What is it?"
"Does Sir Nighteye know your plans?"
All Might shook his head. "I don't think so. I haven't discussed it with him."
That said a lot. In the past, Mirai and Toshinori were very close. It made Naomasa wonder how many friends Yagi actually had. His friend Yagi, not All Might but it wasn't something he could worry about now.
"Why?"
The Detective sighed. Maybe he really was too focused on the worst of people. "I just wondered if they would keep the news of you becoming a teacher in reserve," he explained. If there was a scandal caused by Inko Midoriya pursuing the truth, what better way to bury it by announcing that All Might himself was going into teaching. It would cover that scandal in more ways than one and could be linked to All Might wanting to make sure that youth, all youth knew there were alternatives to villainy.
There were a lot of ways the information could be used.
By the expression gracing All Might's face, he understood that as well. He sighed. "If they don't tell her, I will," he muttered.
"You will?" Tsukauchi was surprised.
Toshinori nodded carefully, obviously still thinking about his statement. "The answers won't be anything she wants, or anything she likes but-" He paused and took a deep breath. "She deserves to know. I hope it will provide some closure."
Naomasa shook his head. "No," he disagreed. "Remember what you told me."
Yagi cocked his head slightly indicating his question.
"We have to have faith," Tsukauchi repeated the words his friend had told him about a year ago.
They had to have faith that people could be better than they were because in the end, while All Might, and all the other holders of One For All would fight All For One, that was what would give them victory.
But that was also what made victory so far away.
Still…
All Might smiled. "We have to have faith," he agreed and in that moment, Tsukauchi wondered who the Number One hero was thinking about.
In the end though, the statement didn't change.
They had to have faith, because at times, there was nothing more.
-ted-
I used a power equation to calculate the time Toshinori has as All Might. Before the fight 24 hours a day! When Izuku is first enrolled into UA it's 3 hours and in canon Izuku is about 15 years and 10 months old at that stage. I haven't been completely exact with it but with a power equation the initial drop away is fast and then tapers off. So in theory if nothing had happened, All Might would have kept the about 3 hours for a while.
There is a little omake that goes with this chapter that is posted. Tsukauchi isn't as restrained when considering who All Might could give One For All too and suggests a possibility that would result in a number two lemon.
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!