16/04/2022

Thank you to everyone who reviewed! You are the greatest!

I was a little surprised by some of the reactions to the previous chapter and the level of assumption from readers. One chapter, talking about sex, with a mention of same sex couples, does not make this is a homosexual fic, nor does it mean I am going to go with a Hitoshi/Izuku pairing. All it means is that Izuku is curious and his dad was answering questions and being responsible by mentioning possibilities. It doesn't mean that if Todoroki or anyone else were to proposition Izuku he'd go with it. He's only considering it because Hitoshi is his friend but he doesn't yet really know what it would mean. By the logic displayed, the exchange of chocolates with Ochaco means that Izuku is going to end up with her!

So, with that in mind, it also doesn't mean I'm about to have relationships - hetero or homo, or otherwise - and romance be a huge focus of the fic. So you can rest assured that if, for whatever reason I suddenly decide to go with pairings, I will tag it appropriately and you will get warning. But it's not going to happen.

The Emperor's Dragon
Fledgling 64

Sir Nighteye looked at his hand, as if he could see where he'd touched Yagi, before he shook his head savagely. The longer he spent vacillating the shorter time he'd have to look and he'd already made his choice. He should have done this earlier. As soon as he knew that Mrs Midoriya might have been getting sponsored by her husband. If it was true, and All For One was behind it then… It would, in some way, lead to the scene he'd seen years back, All Might's death. He couldn't allow that.

He had to know how this case fitted in with that. It would be one way to change things… He couldn't look into his own future but if All For One was behind his wife, then it would impact upon Toshinori's future. He'd considered asking the Commissioner if he could read him but… the man didn't take this case seriously and thus was unlikely to be directly involved in events and Mrs Midoriya wouldn't allow him, nor would her Lawyer which meant All Might was his best choice.

Mirai leaned back in his chair, glancing over to the door of his office. It was locked and without further thought sank into his quirk.

As always there was a kaleidoscope of visions that flew past him. It always happened when he was searching for something specific. He wanted to know how the case turned out, and that would be in the next few months so he didn't reach far, not like he would when he was trying to see years into the future.

In his office, Mirai Sasaki's eyes were defined by glowing purple rings that shifted as he watched events that were to come. He let the scenes pass by until he saw a flash of green hair.

Mirai grabbed at the event.

He was greeted with a scene that looked like it came from a concert… or a particularly well attended public announcement. There was a stage set up with a podium and microphones. A large crowd was gathered in front of it and there was a large screen set above the screen so those at the back could see what was happening.

On stage Mirai recognised both Commissioner Kouki Sozu and former Commissioner Soukan. Both looked distinctly uncomfortable. He was standing near them, but there was a slight distance between their group and All Might. Yagi was standing with Detective Tsukauchi. Mrs Midoriya stood on the other side of the stage. She was dressed plainly in a knee length A-line skirt and a shirt with a cardigan over it. Accompanying her was a man with yellowish skin and jet black hair. Mirai recognised him only because he'd looked up the man recently. He was Reikokuna's Principal Lawyer, Shunin. The man's expression was studiously neutral, which was interesting.

Press cameras took up the first few rows of spectators, before giving way to the public.

While he could see the event, he had no idea what it was. But… given the people on the stage, it had to have something to do with the case. Mirai let the vision play out.

Both the Commissioner's said something but he didn't have time to listen to them. They were career politicians, they could speak for hours without saying anything, even if this time he was mildly interested in what they were saying, he couldn't afford the time. Then he watched in disbelief as Yagi moved forward and kow-towed to Mrs Midoriya.

SIr Nighteye froze the vision and stared. That really was happening. Once he realised that the shock made him lose his grip on it and it played out. Toshinori said something before he rose. The crowd appeared as shocked as he felt. He looked at himself on the stage. If he thought Shunin's expression was blank, his own was…. Unreadable didn't come close.

Yagi rose and Mrs Midoriya said something. It didn't matter what it was. With the gesture that…

Sasaki berated himself and froze the vision again.

If this was the outcome of the case, then All For One would be here somewhere. There is no way he wouldn't see his enemy kneel to his wife, no matter what their real relationship was. The villain would want, would need to see the moment.

Sir Nighteye turned away from the stage and looked at the crowd, running his eyes over the ranks and ranks of people gathered.

No, All For One wouldn't be there. He'd stand out too much. He was physically taller than most and the quick glance said that he wasn't there but his son could be… No. He had to find the villain, not his son. Sir Nighteye searched further a field. They were in a public square. There were buildings on each side and he let himself examine the windows. There were people watching but no one stood out. He looked further back, to the rooftops and-

There!

In his vision, he could roam around it at will though there was a limit to how far he could venture from his subject. It had to be something they could see. Toshinori could see All For One if he cared to look but obviously his eyes were on something else.

Sir Nighteye moved towards the rooftop and in his vision he ran up the side of the building. He paused at the edge of the roof looking at the group he'd seen. They had a good vantage point. Close enough to clearly see the screen and the stage but far enough that… If All Might had seen them, they would have gotten away before the Number One Hero reached them.

All For One was wearing his customary suit and the helmet Sir Nighteye had seen him previously wearing was present in a matt black. Even though he couldn't see the villain's expression he seemed smugly pleased. There was about him an air that suggested everything was going exactly as he'd planned. The villain was standing beside a teen with hard green eyes and fluffy green hair. The teen was dressed in a Middle School Gakuran with the markings of a senior on the collar. That must be Izuku. He hadn't inherited his father's height.

What was surprising was that there was another, older teen standing slightly apart from them but obviously close enough to have been brought there by All For One. That boy looked like a villain. He was dressed in black and had messy grey-white hair, and disembodied hands clutching at his arms and legs. One was over his face and Mirai could see his red eyes looking out from between the fingers. Mirai had a sudden sick feeling… Did All For One have more than one son? The hair colour wasn't quite the same white as the ancient villain's but presumably the older teen would have gotten some of his features from his mother.

He felt sick. The villain couldn't have two children, could he?

Sir Nighteye put that thought aside for another time. He looked at the group and the younger teen's eyes. They were hard. He was watching the scene intensely but wasn't touched by it. There was something cold and… All Might's sidekick didn't know what it was… desire maybe? In his eyes. It didn't matter what it was.

They were the eyes of a villain. They were the eyes he would have expected to see on All For One if he hadn't had that mask on. As he looked further, Sir Nighteye realised it was more than a mask. The tubes he could see were quite complicated. He couldn't hear anything. While he could travel in his vision, he could not hear anything Toshinori couldn't but he surmised that the mask was more a life support system.

He wasn't sure what to feel about that. It meant that All For One was still injured but he had obviously come up with means to compensate. It was troubling that such tech was available to one in the underworld but perhaps not surprising it was available to a man at the pinnacle of the underworld. At the moment he could do nothing about it, except to mention to Yagi that if he ever did fight All For One again that he aim for the mask. Damage to it would be damage to the villain.

He let the vision continue but the small group disappeared quickly, walking through what looked to be a swirling black disk of cloud.

Sir Nighteye returned to the stage. Mrs Midoriya gave a kind nod to All Might. Of course she would. She'd won and before it could continue he let the vision go. It spun away from him as Toshinori's life continued.

The case ended that way. Somehow, the case ended with All Might bowing to the woman, which could almost be said to be bowing at All For One.

He couldn't allow that.

It would…

As much as he didn't like to admit it, Yagi was right about some things. The public needed a pillar, and he was that pillar. If he bowed to one woman… Society wouldn't accept that. They'd see it as his defeat. All Might had said he was sorry about deaths before. He always took on more blame for disasters than he was responsible for. The public recognised that and forgave him. But this… this was different. This was him bowing to one woman.

He already knew that Toshinori would do it. If he thought it would solve some problem he would do it. But on this Yagi would be wrong. The wider implications… It was frustrating how he could see them sometimes, but not at others.

So that meant, somehow, he had to settle the case so that it never went to court, and never showed up like that. But how… How did he make sure that wasn't what was going to happen? Was this the result of the confidentiality agreement or something else?

Mirai's mind whispered to him that there was one way to avoid it. One sure way to do it.

Mentally he sighed but didn't release his vision. He'd have to think soon but for now…

Physically he worried one lip and the swirling rings in his eyes slowed as he thought. He steeled himself against what he would see as he jumped his vision ahead.

It might have been years since he'd looked into Toshinori's future but he knew when this vision was. The battlefield spread out before him.

All For One was there. Even in the vision Sir Nighteye could feel the malice coming from the man. His suit was immaculate and he exuded an air of confidence. Mirai looked around. The creature wasn't here yet. Previously the fight hadn't lasted long once the creature appeared.

Toshinori was a short distance away, standing on a flat bit of the rubble. Sir Nighteye looked around the debris. The place wasn't empty. There were people he didn't recognise scattered around everywhere. He looked carefully and realised he did recognise one of them. The teen with the hands… He was here. There were others but it was hard to tell if they were villains or heroes. He froze the vision for a few moments as he examined them. Where was All For One's other son? It wasn't the girl. It definitely wasn't the two in UA uniforms, or the scarred man in the black trench coat. It wasn't two of the other men, and… he kept looking. It didn't appear as if All For One's younger son was present. Where was the boy? He released the vision. If he wasn't here, then there was no point in wasting time looking.

A black spike appeared from All For One but it wasn't aimed at All Might. It was aimed at one of the bodies lying in the rubble. All Might didn't stop it and once it hit, the spear leapt out to the other bodies.

It sort of looked like Edgeshot's quirk but… Wait… Mirai froze the vision again so he could carefully examine the scene. He didn't like doing this as it cut down on the time he had to see things. His training allowed him to recall his visions and examine them in his mind after but this was also effective.

At least two of the almost blades arcing between the bodies were Edgeshot. The other hero was touching two of the younger bodies, the two wearing UA uniforms. The hero pulled them away as All For One pulled everyone towards him. The gesture didn't go unnoticed by the villain who turned slightly to where the two had flown. He gestured with one hand but All Might intercepted and Edgeshot appeared briefly, picking up the two young men and running.

Sir Nighteye could not blame him.

All For One drew himself up and another black spear arced out, this time it hit one of the gathered bodies before him. A cloudy black disk opened and All For One threw the gathered bodies through the disk before it disappeared quickly. Sir Nighteye had seen that disk before. It was the same one the villain had used on the roof top and had to be some sort of transportation quirk. However, watching that, led to one conclusion. The villain's younger son was not here. He would check later, when he could examine the memory of his vision but for now, he felt a stab of surprise. Why had the ancient villain sent them away? He didn't have much time to contemplate what he'd seen because All Might charged. Before the punch landed, All For One gestured and Sir Nighteye recognised Gran Torino. All Might's punch hit the old man but he recovered quickly.

The villain said something but Sir Nighteye could see that he was charging up for another attack. Yagi saw it as well and yanked Gran Torino away as he unleashed his own attack. The two seemed to cancel each other out. The villain was quick to recover and made an odd gesture. Nothing seemed to happen but Sir Nighteye saw rubble rise and launch itself away from them? He was confused for an instant before he realised there were civilians around.

Toshinori apparently knew it already and threw Gran Torino away as he lunged forward, punching at All For One. He drove the villain back momentarily but the man he hadn't been sure was All For One was quick to recover. He made several gestures, sending debris into the air and while the attacks weren't aimed at All Might, Sir Nigtheye knew that they were. They were aimed at the civilians and other heroes who were rescuing them. Toshinori would take that personally.

Yagi looked angry and while Mirai couldn't see any expression on All For One's face he could image the smug smile the man would be sporting. He was ready when All Might charged and sent the Number One Hero reeling with a solid punch. It actually drove him into the air. That was one of Yagi's main weaknesses. He couldn't fly or hover or anything like that. He was durable enough to survive a fall but he could not control his trajectory. Gran Torino was there again though and brought All Might back to the ground before launching the still angry man towards the villain. All Might hated when villains used civilians. He'd hate it even more that All For One was doing it.

The man didn't need such cheap theatrics but he'd use them. He was strong enough not to need them though but was aware of the pain they caused Toshinori and at this point it seemed All For One was intent on causing pain. He countered the charge, creating some sort of barrier that Yagi crashed through before they met.

In terms of strength, All Might may be slightly stronger, but All For One was tough and determined and possessed an array of quirks to counter. Even so, as they traded blows, Mirai could see the way All For One was aiming for Toshinori's left side.

The bastard.

Thankfully his friend seemed equal to the battle until a punch slipped through. All Might was driven back and blood gushed from his mouth. Steam appeared from his body but as Mirai watched his friend's expression became more determined and the steam stopped. A glance at Gran Torino showed the man's expression going from worried to blank. The steam meant something then.

All For One flexed his fingers and launched further attacks. All Might blocked them but with each attack steam began rising from his body again. Was that because he'd passed on One For All? Knowing the outcome of the battle, Mirai couldn't help but hope that was the case. Because if All For One survived, then they would need One For All.

Yet something peculiar was happening to All For One. He kept up the speed of the attacks but they appeared to be weakening. In his vision, Yagi must have seen the same thing because he advanced through the attacks. All For One was not untouched from the battle, and that mask had to be support for his injuries sustained those years ago.

All For One acknowledged the advance but did not pull back and instead he took the full force of Toshinori's punch. It caused the villain to fly back. He hit several bits of upraised debris, plunging through them. All Might followed, intent on finishing the job but even as All For One rolled to a stop, there was an explosion of debris from the side.

Mirai felt sick. He knew what happened now. The creature was huge and green. It had wings and teeth and claws and horns and glowing poisonous green eyes. It had obviously been hiding, waiting for its chance. It was a dragon, or meant to be one and it lunged at All Might. He saw it coming and blocked but the creature lashed its tail at the Number One Hero. The hit was solid but Yagi didn't move. Thus he didn't see All For One rise. The man stumbled slightly but then extended one hand towards the creature.

Even seeing this for a second time, Mirai couldn't see anything tangible connecting them but there was, in the way the creature moved, a modicum of calm when All For One's arm was extended. He was controlling it somehow. It growled and lashed again at Yagi. It seemed intent on trying to drive him away from All For One but All Might was having none of it. He attacked the creature. Mirai could tell he wasn't pulling his punches but the creature was strong. It just seemed to absorb the damage and kept coming back with its own attacks. Yagi caught its claws on his arm, coming in under their sharp points to hold them back. This time, looking at the Dragon, Mirai couldn't help but wonder if this was somehow connected to the scales and the rumours that were slowly emerging through the underworld that there was a new player. All For One would not tolerate a newcomer, unless he was behind them. It was not a thought he could linger on.

They tested each other's strength for a moment before All Might drew back slightly. Mirai recognised Toshinori was readying a stronger attack. The creature didn't seem to know that and thus took the full force of it. It actually drove it back.

In the small window of opportunity, All Might leapt at All For One. The villain saw him coming, or seemed to, even if he didn't have eyes, and raised one arm in a defence that was swept aside. Sir Nighteye watched the attack carefully. The punch broke All For One's arm. It had to and hit him on the side of the head, on the black mask he wore… And then… He dropped.

Mirai looked at the villain. It seemed as if he was dead but he didn't know if that was the case. The man should have died in Tsu but hadn't… The collapse of the villain was the catalyst for his memory and the events he'd seen once before repeated.

The creature roared and fire billowed forth from its mouth. All Might managed to deflect it but the fire meant he couldn't see clearly and the creature charged at him. Any control it seemed to have earlier was gone. It looked like a whirlwind of teeth and claws and it slashed and snapped at the Number One Hero. Sir Nighteye saw the first slice that hit All Might. It went through one of his arms. The creature's claws stained red. It didn't seem to notice that it had hit the hero and kept cutting at All Might. Sir Nigtheye didn't want to watch this again but he knew he had to. He kept one eye on the fallen All For One. The man didn't move.

This was the result of All For One's plan. Probably not the exact result the villain wanted as Mirai knew he wouldn't have wanted to be hit, or possibly die, but the villain was pragmatic. He'd accept it if it meant All Might died.

The dragon snapped and All Might just wasn't fast enough. Jaws latched on to him and the dragon actually shook the hero, its teeth going deep into his body. Blood flew from All Might's mouth and Mirai saw his friend's eyes cloud with pain. He saw the way All Might hit the creature, trying to get free but it would not release him. It made a couple of lightning quick half bites. Not wide enough for All Might to get free, but enough to alter its grip, inflicting more damage.

Edgeshot returned, this time with Endeavor and the Number Two hero released a huge gout of flame which the dragon ignored. Edgeshot tried to get All Might free but the dragon kept its grip, almost contemptuously creating a shock wave with the swing of its tail that drove the other heroes back. Other heroes raced in and the dragon spun to face them. It reared up, exposing an underbelly that was as scaly as its top. There was no traditional dragon weakness there. It spread its wings and flapped hard. The heroes tumbled away though several tried to anchor themselves. Debris moved when the wind from the wings knocked their anchors loose.

They couldn't help the Number One Hero who was still struggling but Mirai saw the moment it was too late.

The light in his friend's blue eyes died and his vision collapsed. He could not see past the death of anyone but the instant before it collapsed, throwing him back to reality, the villain moved.

He came back to himself in his office, gasping for air. He gulped, feeling bile rise and the attempt to prevent the inevitable was not enough. His paper bin was close enough for him to retch into. The villain couldn't have survived all of that… He couldn't. Mirai coughed and threw up again.

Not if Toshinori died. Not if…

He didn't know what to think. He'd tried for the last few years to think of a way to change the future but… nothing had changed. His vision remained the same.

Sir Nighteye spat into the bin as he put it down, ignoring the rancid smell. He had to be calm. Deliberately he pulled his mind away from his vision as he reached for a tissue. He wiped the tears from his eyes, and wiped his mouth, discarding the tissue into the bin. There was a small glass of water on his desk and he sipped carefully from it, settling his stomach.

Then he took a deep breath. And another.

And it was only when he felt a small amount of calm did he allow his mind's eye to return to the vision. He knew what he'd seen. The villain had moved. There was no denying that. But visions could be tricky. He knew that better than anyone else. Had All For One moved because he was recovering or had his body moved because the debris around him moved, thus giving the illusion that he was alive?

He forced himself to breathe deeply and enter a sort of meditative trance. It allowed him to interact with his visions as if he was having them. He looked around, noting the destruction and the skyline in the distance. It was night, and Tokyo. Now he had a location. Though there was no guarantee the villain was in this area now it was something.

Deliberately he ignored the creature and his dying friend. Mirai moved to the villain's body, noting the way All For One had fallen. There were several pieces of small debris under him from where he had crashed through larger concrete pieces. His suit was cut and torn and his skin was whole. Mirai looked closely at it. Was that protection provided by some quirk, or a healing quirk at work? It had to be but which was it?

He couldn't determine just through observation of the man now. He'd have to re-examine the fight closely to see if the villain had a healing quirk, or some sort of protection quirk. Either were likely. He kept his back turned to the creature as he let the events progress again in his mind. The light from the dragon's fire lit up the scene, as did Endeavor's briefly. Throughout everything the villain didn't move though the debris beneath him did. That was to be expected. The dragon's shockwaves had been powerful but not directed towards All For One. There was residual wind though and that blew at the villain's suit and moved the debris around him. It even lifted one of his arms slightly but that was the debris.

Mirai breathed a sigh of relief as the vision ended. It was the debris. It was both a comfort and a concern because he knew he'd be checking the rest of his vision to satisfy himself completely that the villain had not just been lying there.

The knowledge of what had happened convinced him he had to change things. He had to change the outcome of Mrs Midoriya's case because he knew All For One had taken far too much pleasure in that one. He'd most likely become too strong in the time between the case and that final fight. If he could change one thing that would be good, but if he could change multiple things…

Sir Nighteye knew he'd gladly give up the certainty of his vision to change it. So first… he had to change the outcome of the case. He steeled himself. He was going to have to bow. The Number One Hero did not bow to All For One's wife, no matter what had happened. He would do it. That would change that outcome, he was sure of it.

And… Toshinori needed a successor sooner rather than later.

The Number One Hero had been talking with Nezu about teaching and the Principal of UA had suggested that he take the time to get his degree and to wait until the heirs to several, very successful heroes were enrolled. If they had time, he'd back that suggestion.

They didn't have time. He'd look over the UA students soon. If he could find someone in their second, or third year that would be good. All Might could train them and pass on One For All just before they graduated. Even if the successor was a first year now, there would be enough time. They could train for a year, then pass on One For All for their third year, which would give whoever it was the opportunity to establish themselves in that last year, before they become a pro. That was not ideal but it would work.

They didn't have the time to wait another year for a class of students that may not be suitable because in that time, All For One would be training his sons, and they would be ready. All Might's successor had to be ready before then.

Sir Nighteye nodded to himself, scrunching his nose up at the smell but feeling more certain. There were still things he had to check but… First he would have to make Mrs Midoriya's case go away. He'd take the blame, he'd promise to look for her son, something he would be doing anyway, he'd do whatever it took to make her go away, to avoid that first vision.

And… his lips quirked. If he took the blame for that, then Toshinori would see that as a good thing. It would give him the opportunity to influence the Number One Hero on the matter of his successor. There was always a silver lining to situations if you looked for it.

He took a deep breath, ignoring the smell. First the case. Then he'd recheck his vision and then… He'd never looked at anything three times but just this once… this once… Please let it change, Sir Nighteye prayed to a god he didn't believe in.

Just this once.

-ted-

The future isn't that great and Nighteye had never seen the first part because he always focused on the end. And the end isn't too great for anyone. But now that he knows some likely outcomes, can he pull the stick out of his butt long enough to do something about it?

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!