19/04/2022
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The Emperor's Dragon
Fledgling 65
"A confidentiality agreement?" Scorn almost dripped from Shunin's voice.
Inko sat beside him at the table. Shunin of the firm Reikokuna was everything Watanabe had promised, even with this meeting not going the way he'd predicted. He'd predicted that they'd try to stonewall again.
The Commission actually agreeing to her Request For Information, with terms, was not what they had been expecting today. When they'd first said they would tell her, she'd felt her heart soar. Then the conditions had left her feeling confused and hurt.
"You need a confidentiality agreement to tell Mrs Midoriya the operational reason for not retrieving a kidnapped nine year old?"
Shunin seemed to understand her pain. She thought, on some level he did. She wasn't foolish. Shunin was the Principal Lawyer for Reikokuna and you did not get the Principal Lawyer taking your case when it was a mere Request For Information dispute. Not even when that dispute was with the Commission unless he had some prior reason. She hadn't asked.
"While the outcome of the main operation is a matter of public record," the Commission's lawyer said reasonably, "there were other operations of a sensitive nature run simultaneously. Mrs Midoriya's son is unfortunately connected to one of those operations and the information is still sensitive."
Shunin almost laughed. "So what you are telling me is that the Commission was using a nine year old as an informant," he surmised.
"I said no such thing!"
"So how else is information on a nine year old confidential?"
"The context of the information is confidential," came the reply.
Shunin seemed to sense that he wasn't going to gain any further information in that direction. "The Commission was adamant they could not share the information previously, yet today you are prepared to do it, so why the change of heart?"
The mediator looked interested in that question as well. She was a neutral party and beyond asking some beginning questions today and providing introductions, she had so far said nothing. From the previous session, Inko knew her role was simply to keep them on track and to break up any fights. Not physically but verbal fights. Inko wasn't sure she'd want to work in a place where all you saw was dispute after dispute but she supposed, it must be nice when you could do the job and actually mediate between the parties. It would make you feel like you'd contributed to making the world a more harmonious place.
"Regrettably, to date, those dealing with Mrs Midoriya's Request For Information have focused on the confidential aspects when making their assessments. The previous mediation session has provided a prompt for a reassessment, with a focus on her son's age at the time. He was ,as you say, nine, and therefore completely innocent of any crime," the Commission's lawyer said, somewhat deprecatingly. "However the confidential aspects of the operation are still in play, and must be respected, hence the Confidentiality Agreement is required."
Shunin looked at the other lawyer carefully. Inko wasn't sure what he was looking for but eventually he nodded. "My client will not be signing any confidentiality agreement I have not checked," he announced.
"Of course!" the Commission's lawyer actually managed to sound vaguely insulted. "I have a copy here, or can forward you one for assessment?"
"Forward it," Shunin instructed tersely.
Inko watched on, feeling a vague sense of disquiet that was rapidly blooming into something more. She wanted the information on Izuku but this quiet outcome wasn't what she needed. She needed the day in court. She needed to see All Might's agency across the other side of the table, for All Might to know the pain she'd experienced.
At that, Inko frowned mentally. All Might had nothing to do with the delay on the operation for Izuku, did he? He was fighting Toxic Chainsaw so it couldn't be his fault so why did she want him to hurt?
Inko, my dear, it's been too long.
The words reverberated through her mind. It was Hisashi's voice and yet… why would she be hearing that now? Her head hurt.
"So you are in agreement?" the mediator asked.
"Potentially," Shunin answered shortly.
The woman nodded. "So, do you wish the court to oversee the exchange of information or can this case be handled separately?"
"Separately," the Commission's lawyer responded as Shunin snapped, "Oversee."
Reikokuna's Principal Lawyer snorted. "I will not have this case delayed again," he almost growled. "The court will oversee the exchange because we have not yet agreed to the terms," he added.
The mediator nodded.
"I'm sure we can negotiate-" the Commissioner's lawyer started to say.
"No," Shunin was firm. "This case has gone on long enough and the Commission has contributed to keeping my client's son from her for too long already to have you delay further with badly written contracts."
"I am sure the Commission will present a fair contract," the mediator interjected.
Inko tried to shake her head. She tried to say that she didn't want a confidentiality agreement but there was something holding her jaw closed. Every time she tried to speak the sudden pain in her head flared and it was all she could do to sit there and breathe through it.
What was wrong with her?
Why had it happened now?
Now remember, my dear, with all my instructions, if you do well, you may be able to see Izuku.
Hisashi seemed to whisper to her and she remembered everything.
This was what Hisashi wanted. He wanted her to be in court. He wanted her to create public outrage. He didn't want the case settled and…
If the case settled then she wouldn't see Izuku.
But… Would that thing that was Hisashi keep his word?
Her head hurt even more and she felt physically sick. She had to tell them about Hisashi. She had to tell anyone about Hisashi because he was the one who had Izuku.
Her teeth clenched, sending a wave of pain through her.
The short gasp of breath caught the attention of Shunin and the others in the room.
"Mrs Midoriya, are you alright?" the mediator asked carefully.
Inko wanted to yell no but she felt something inside her shift. It was like she was pushed to the side and something else, a different her took over. "I'm fine, thank you," she said before looking towards Shunin and the Commission's lawyer. "I believe I will require counsel on this outcome," Inko heard herself announce. "The previous evasion of the Commission does not incline me to believe that they understand my pain."
The mediator frowned slightly. "Your case does not include punitive damages, it is just for information," she reminded them.
Inko nodded. "I understand," she replied. "I am concerned that the Commission saw fit to obstruct information about a nine year old," she explained her position more fully.
"The mission is sensitiv-"
"I will provide counsel," Shunin assured her. "You may rest assured, Inko, that I will not be advising you to accept the Commission's proposed solution if there is any irregularity in it. Or if I believe they are attempting to hide anything pertinent to your case."
The words didn't soothe her headache but the thing controlling her recognised that now was not the time to fight. It would advise Shunin to reject anything the Commission offered because it needed this to be public. Inko felt herself nod before the thing withdrew but even as it went she couldn't bring herself to speak.
This was no longer about getting information out of the Commission. What did she care about an operation five years ago that had failed? She knew where Izuku was now. This was now about how she got to see Izuku and accepting the Commission's terms was not it.
She had to make him understand that.
"Very well," the mediator spoke again. "I will schedule a session for two weeks?" she said the time frame tentatively.
The Commission's lawyer nodded as did Shunin though Reikokuna's lawyer fixed his eyes on the other lawyer present. "I will expect a copy of your proposed confidentiality agreement before the end of the day," he announced as the mediator typed into her tablet.
The Commission's lawyer nodded again with a slight smile. "We've already drawn up an agreement," she said. "One I am sure you will find acceptable."
"I'll be the judge of that," Shunin replied.
Beeps came from their phones after the mediator tapped her tablet one last time. "The meeting invitation has been sent," she said with a smile.
Shunin pulled out his phone and checked the date. He nodded as he read it. "We will see you then," he said brusquely, rising.
Inko considered his words for a moment against what she needed. All she needed now was to convince Shunin that it was better to go to court. It didn't matter how she did that but she would do it. Somehow. The pain receded enough to let her move and she rose with him, and gave a nod towards the mediator. She hadn't done much but then they hadn't been a challenging case today. She didn't bother giving the Commission's Lawyer any recognition. This was her job and she followed Shunin out.
She had a new goal now. She'd do it so well that it would not be 'may be able to see Izuku'. Hisashi would have no choice. She'd have to see Izuku.
That was all she wanted now.
-ted-
All For One sat on the mezzanine level of the warehouse, looking down at the rows of tanks before him. He could tell that they were there but couldn't truly see much detail. The Doctor stood beside him and they sat in silence for a few moments.
Sensei could see one of Garaki's assistants working their way down the rows of tubes making observations. From the way they moved, he knew it wasn't Mr Tanaihito. That young man was rather special. Several other quirkless individuals had been brought on to be assistants for Garaki. They'd been chosen because they had, at least superficially, the same feelings of pain and desire for revenge that the young man had against society.
Most of them had lacked the will to carry through on those desires. Still, they had solutions to that and while the Doctor's assistants weren't as intelligent or skilled as Mr Tanaihito, they were at least functional and could perform basic tasks. That was enough.
He did note though, that the last time he'd been here, there were five tanks set slightly apart from the others. This time, there were only three.
"Two failed?" All For One murmured.
"So far, Sensei," Kyudai replied. "I've moved them into the general pool," he added. The fact that the Doctor said nothing about his selection for the special Nomu told him that the man was one of the three still being processed. He actually should have expected that outcome, given his testing. He idly wondered how long it would take for the final two to break. If it took time, they may be stronger than a normal Nomu and he would have uses for them.
"And the others?"
"Are progressing," the Doctor replied as one of the first Nomu came into the room. It was the little one that the Doctor had yet to destroy.
"That still exists?" The statement was a question, given the reality of it in the room.
"He is useful," Garaki said instantly. Previously there had been a shade of defensiveness in his voice when he spoke of this Nomu, now it was a factual statement.
"Truly?"
"His warp quirk is uncomfortable, but functional," the Doctor explained. "And I can operate it remotely," he added.
The unspoken statement was that someday, such features may be useful, and that any warp quirk was useful.
All For One let the issue go. The Doctor could keep his pet. "How is quirk copying proceeding?" he moved on to a new topic.
"Quite well," Kyudai responded. "Through my practice I've stockpiled a wide range of quirks, which Mr Tanaihito is producing now. There will be many to create the Nomu."
He nodded. There was no need to ask about the young man's loyalty. Like all of Garaki's assistants, he saw them when they were first employed. They all felt grateful to him then, and displayed loyalty, even if that loyalty had later turned into disgust, leaving most of them in their current state. The quirk Gigantomachia had retrieved from Russia was very useful in that situation. It had limitations but it was useful.
"And your special copying project?" he asked.
At the question the Doctor sighed. It was one that said how hard that particular project was. His little pet walked up to him and the Doctor reached out to pick it up. "I believe I finally have a viable sample," he said, sounding tired.
"So how much longer before the copy is made?" He was particularly interested in this project since the ultimate goal was his restoration.
Garaki thought for a few moments. "I will culture this sample so that I have a back up, should it be needed," he murmured, knowing that the ancient villain would hear. "Even with that, it will take another few months to create the copy as I do not wish to have this one corrupted. And after that…" He trailed off, thinking. "I'm going to need to be in a position to make assessment's, Sensei," he concluded.
All For One nodded. Izuku knew Garaki. Tomura knew of the man as the teen was aware that the Doctor was the man who had healed him but over the last few years, Tomura's interactions with Garaki had been reduced.
"I'll come up with something," the old villain dismissed the concern. It would be a simple matter to reintroduce Tomura to Garaki in such a way that Tomura knew Garaki needed to see him in a professional manner. Assessing his suitability to receive All For One would be the initial justification and then other meetings when Tomura was ready to receive other copied quirks would be sufficient reasons.
He thought for a few seconds as he mentally mapped out the timeline. He suspected Tomura would need to have All For One for longer than the Doctor thought before he could start overwhelming his personality but he was patient. Once the plan was set in motion, then he knew it would progress without much further input. The key then would be ensuring that the teen did not do anything stupid, like get himself killed. That shouldn't be a problem for another year or so. He'd always told Tomura he wanted him to be of legal age before he started working for him.
And once Tomura did begin working Kurogiri could be relied upon to ensure he remained reasonably safe.
All For One nodded to himself. Another few months were needed for Garaki to copy All For One, so Tomura would likely get it just after summer, and then there'd be another year before he became active in which he'd be setting up his presence in Tomura's mind. And then… well, it would take some further time before he could transfer but… He smiled. It was a viable plan.
And Izuku would be unaware of it until-
The ancient villain's thoughts came up short as he realised the assumption he'd made silently to himself. He didn't have eyes to close but he released his almost constant hold on the vision quirks he used and let himself sit in darkness for a time as he thought.
Could he do that? Could he really do that? There was no question that he could do it. The question was if he would do it. Would it be for the best? For Izuku? For him?
He knew what his brother would say. He knew what most people would say but they didn't matter. All that mattered is what he did or didn't do. That's all that had ever mattered and in the past he had made every decision work. It was just in this case he had a suspicion that there was a definite right and wrong choice.
He had the feeling he'd have to make that choice soon, but accompanying that feeling was the knowledge he had no idea which was the right choice to make, no matter the decision his subconscious seemed to have made for him.
And the darkness offered him no answers.
-ted-
Now Inko is getting somewhere with her case but it may not end as she wants. Or it might involve a sacrifice. How far will she go? Which will prove stronger, hatred for her husband or her desire to see her son? I seem to always make Inko the victim. Oh well...
And AFO is making Nomu's... lots and lots of Nomus though the first High End is down 2 candidates. Maybe they will be 'near High Ends' :D Still AFO knew that most were going to fail and he is satisfied that his selection criteria are robust.
But of course, AFO's main thoughts are towards his son and the decision he keeps putting off.
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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