03/05/2022

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The Emperor's Dragon
Fledgling 69

Inko had gotten to work early today. She wanted to be there when her co-workers came. She had to thank them for their help with everything. She might not have Izuku but… She had hope for the future.

And that creature that was Not Inko had been silent since the case. It had just harrumphed at her and then disappeared. She hoped that meant it was gone but… she was very sure it wasn't. She'd thought about telling someone. Inko wasn't a fool. While it might be an odd story, in this age of quirks, she was sure someone would believe her. Whether they could do something about it was a different story, but at least they'd know. Except, every time she tried to say something, even just to herself, the words would not come.

It wasn't as if she couldn't marshal them in her mind. She had a whole speech planned. She simply couldn't say them. Something locked her jaw. Even when she was alone. And so while she knew it would sound odd, she had no idea how odd it would really sound. What you said in your mind always sounded better than what was heard in reality.

To thank the ladies, especially Ume, she'd baked a couple of small batches of biscuits. She could have gotten some from the train station, the little gifts they stocked there from all over Japan but this was more personal. Lemon shortbread was one of Ume's favourites so she had made that as one batch. Hopefully they had worked out tastily. For the others she'd made a savoury biscuit. She'd been tempted to try biscotti but it seemed like you could go wrong there in so many ways, so she'd settled on some relatively simple cheese and rosemary rounds. Hopefully everyone would like them and even if it was first thing in the morning, it was never too early for a biscuit.

Inko laid out the plate of biscuits neatly. She'd already left wrapped sampler packs on their desks for later and she was now laying out the necessary implements to make tea. She wouldn't actually make the tea until the other ladies arrived so it didn't get cold. You could not say thank you with oversteeped, cold tea. You could declare war but not say thank you.

Usually they came into the office together. Not because they travelled on the same train or anything like that, but simply because they waited outside for everyone. Inko would usually have done that too if she didn't want to prepare this and the ladies didn't know she was going to be back today.

That's why she heard them before they appeared. Inko clicked the kettle on to boil and went out to greet her co-workers. Meigo noticed her first.

"Inko!" The cry brought the attention of the other two and they all bustled over.

"We weren't expecting you back yet," Setsu said for them all.

Inko smiled. It must have told them something because Ume looked at her sharply. Ume was the oldest and had been doing this the longest. She could read an awful lot from the way you smiled.

"The case finished," she said. It wasn't even a question.

"The case finished," Inko confirmed.

"But-" Setsu said before breaking off.

"I didn't need to go to court," Inko explained.

"Wow," Meigo laughed. "Reikokuna's even better than I thought."

Inko smiled at that. "They are," she agreed. Even when she'd just brought her case to them, they'd been supportive.

"Good," Ume said. There was a trace of bitterness in her voice. She'd suggested Beacon and some of her language, when Inko reported that Beacon had backed away from her case, could not be repeated. About the kindest thing she'd said was that they were gutless cowards. It had gone downhill from there.

"Sooooo?" Setsu dragged out the word, the question obvious.

Inko held up one hand and right on schedule the kettle let out a whistle. "Get settled," she instructed, "and I will bring tea and we can discuss it," she added. She wouldn't be able to tell them much. The confidentiality agreement ensured that but she could tell them enough.

"Very civilised," Ume agreed, already turning to take off her coat and hat. The others followed suit as Inko went back to the small area they had set aside for tea making.

Inko set the tea to steeping and brought out the plate of biscuits with a smile. Then she went back. If she timed it right it would be just ready for pouring. They had practiced several times. She put the pot and the steaming mugs on a tray and brought that out to find that the ladies had turned their chairs, including hers inwards around a small table. They were politely waiting for her.

Inko put the tray down and as soon as it was secure took her seat. There was a polite moment where everyone took their cup before she felt the weight of three sets of eyes upon her. There was no need to be prompted further.

"I can't tell you everything," she led with that statement. "There's a confidentiality agreement in place, but I can tell you there were reasons for delaying getting Izuku that day," she added, not bothering to hide the disgust in her voice. Shunin had gone to some pains to point out what she could and couldn't say with the agreement. While she couldn't tell them any of the reasons, she didn't have to hide the fact she thought they were bad reasons. After all, the reasons were confidential, not her feelings towards them.

They caught the implications and Ume snorted into her tea.

"So what else can you say?" Meigo asked.

"I'm having my lawyer draw up divorce papers, and they will go into effect the day Hisashi is declared legally dead," she said. It was an odd statement. Since he was missing, and would be declared dead after seven years, it couldn't be divorce but this was a special case.

"Good for you!" Setsu almost cheered.

"I'm sorry, Ume," Inko said, catching the older woman's look. Ume's husband was missing and she had never divorced. He had long ago been declared dead but in her mind she was still married.

"Inko, the situation with Hisashi is vastly different," Ume told her. "I understand," she added.

Inko nodded her thanks for the reassurance. "I have gotten an agreement from the Commission that if there is ever any lead on Izuku again they are to pursue it," Inko added. Shunin had simply snorted when he'd told her she could spread that. The reason was simple. That kind of clause glossed over the Commission's previous wrongdoing and made them look good.

She didn't have to point that out to the ladies. Meigo shook her head as she rolled her eyes. "Typical," she muttered before taking a deep breath. "Are you satisfied?" The question was surprisingly penetrating.

Inko closed her eyes as she thought about it. "No," she said, making a face. "But I was never going to be satisfied with anything less than having Izuku back with me," she added. "Except we all know that wasn't going to happen, so this was the best outcome I could hope for."

"Telling your heart what your head knows is difficult," Ume said, taking a bite of the shortbread. She was silent for a few moments. "Oh Inko, these are lovely!"

"Thank you," she acknowledged the praise. The exclamation from Ume made the others try the biscuit.

"Oh, she's right," Meigo murmured. "You should open a bakery!"

Inko laughed at that. Why was it that every time someone baked a batch of biscuits, or some bread that tasted reasonably nice, or even just okay, someone suggested they open a bakery? Bakery's were work. They were 2am starts and no social life. They didn't represent the fun it was to putter around the kitchen making biscuits, tasting the batter… sometimes remaking the batter. "I can't do that," she chuckled. "I'd get too round!"

That made the others laugh while Inko looked down at her tea cup to the steaming liquid. "I got an answer," she said softly. "Not the answer I wanted," Inko continued as the others fell into silence. "Because I was never going to get that this time, but I got a possible lead for the future and that…"

"Gives you hope," Setsu finished the sentence for her. "Because he's still out there."

Inko gave them a smile as she looked up to nod. "Somewhere."

That was all that could be said, and it applied to them all. The people they were looking for were out there…

Somewhere.

-ted-

Hey Mei, do you know anything more about that case? Izuku sent the text. He'd tried to find out more details online but he just couldn't narrow the search terms enough to find that specific case. Or if he had found it, he hadn't recognised it from the information available.

My cousin hasn't said anything.

Let me check.

The two messages came through quickly and Izuku went back to his homework as he waited. This was his second last year of Middle School and all the teachers said that they should see it as a trial for next year. Hence there was homework and exams to study for. Though the exams wouldn't be as important as they were next year.

He was doing reasonably well. His grades were good in all his classes so he wasn't too concerned. And he was using some of Mei's babies to help him.

His text book was being held in a little hover bed at the right height for him to glance up and check his work, and it was not getting in the way of him writing in his work book. The little hover bed also had a light on it so that his workspace was well illuminated. Izuku took a photo of it. He'd send it to her in a bit, 'cos he knew Mei liked nothing more than seeing her babies in use… Actually, that wasn't true. She liked nothing more than making new babies but seeing the existing ones being used was also up there.

There was a ping.

He said the case has been closed, Mei reported.

Izuku was surprised but he could see that Mei wasn't finished.

They managed to sort it out via mediation.

There's no details about the settlement.

He frowned at that. With the cases he'd looked up on the net he'd been able to find out what the settlements were, regardless of if they went to court or not. If they went to court then there was usually more cost involved. Why is that?

He says there's a confidentiality agreement in place.

Oh. That made sense. There were some cases which were marked as settled and no amount given, or rather, an estimated amount. Except for this case, the woman wasn't after money, but information. Is that normal for an RFI? Izuku asked.

Not really, Mei admitted, though it felt like she was relaying for her unknown cousin.

But if the information was sensitive, then they'd want to keep it hidden.

She was definitely relaying. Izuku smiled with the knowledge before he sighed. That's unfortunate, he replied. I'm sure the information would have been of interest to lots of people, he added.

If the claimant was being kept silent with a confidentiality agreement, then it was guaranteed that the media and the public would be interested in that particular piece of information. Though it was equally obvious that they didn't know what questions to ask. The claimant did and now couldn't tell others. It didn't surprise him. He knew the way truth was manipulated but he was slightly disappointed in the claimant.

Izuku sighed again. That was being unfair. He didn't know their circumstances and it was also possible that the information wasn't that controversial but instead tied into an active case or something.

My cousin says probably, Mei replied.

But enough of that!

How is your solar jacket? Does it need adjustment?

Izuku blushed at the mention of the jacket. Mei might say jacket but the last thing that had come through was an actual jumpsuit, complete with openings for… ah, hygiene necessities. He'd almost been too embarrassed to put it on except she'd badgered him, wanting to know if her guessed measurements were correct.

They had been, or at least it was close enough, which as far as he was concerned was good enough. He did not need a skin tight, light emitting suit… there.

It's still fine, Izuku replied. I haven't grown that much.

It didn't look like he'd inherit his dad's height or build and so while he'd grown and had defined muscles he was still quite short. His dad just laughed at that, and said it meant he really was his little dragon.

Well, if you do… Mei said. The text seemed oddly disappointed.

I will tell you, he promised. I've got something to show you, he added, and then clicked through the photos on his phone to the one he'd just taken. He sent it to her and waited. Mentally he counted down. Five. Four. Three-

You're using my All Purpose Holder Baby!

Is it stable?

Is the light good?

Does it make much noise?

How long are the batteries lasting?

Is there any disturbance from the engine?

The questions came in rapid succession. Izuku just smiled fondly at his phone before he began answering the questions. I am using it, yes. It is quite stable though I have found the size of the textbook does impact stability. He already knew he was going to have to provide weight details about that tidbit. The light is good but I wouldn't rely on it in the dark. The noise isn't bad. The holder made a soft hum and in a quiet room would be loud but if you had music on, then it would be fine. The batteries are lasting about 2 hours on a full charge and the disturbance from the engine is minimal. A single sheet of paper will blow away but a book is fine. He pressed send.

When answering Mei he'd gotten into the habit of giving an answer that contained at least part of the question so she knew what was being answered to which question. The first version of the holder had blown his papers all over his room! This was a vast improvement.

How much weight?

How much noise? Use the decibel app on your phone.

Izuku laughed as the questions came through. Mei knew at least some of the answers but there were times when she was so excited she shipped him a baby without checking all her measurements. As her partner, he was just expected to make such measurements for her, especially when he was the recipient of the baby!

I'll weigh the book, he promised. But it's going to have to wait for later for me to use the decibel app, Izuku added. Tomura was playing a game and it was a bit loud. He didn't want to corrupt the results.

He could imagine the huff Mei would be giving him. In her world, Tomura would be silenced for the test since that was obviously the most important thing.

You'd better be quick, Mei urged.

I'll try, Izuku sent back. Tomura's playing something, so what can I do? ヘ（。□）ヘ

I have a baby for that, came the immediate response.

He would admit to some curiosity. You do?

（＊〇□〇）…！

Izuku laughed. That wasn't the response he was expecting. Really, he added.

It creates a tiny EMP, Mei replied.

Everything is okay after a reboot but-

He frowned. There was probably quite a bit attached to that but. But? Izuku prompted.

If your dad was in range it would impact him too, Mei admitted.

She'd never met his dad but it was nice that she thought of the consequences for him. Darn, Izuku wrote back. It sounded interesting and I think it's good, just not for here. He could think of lots of ways of deploying a device like that, so long as his dad wasn't in range.

I'll make you one later, Mei promised.

Thank you for always thinking of my dad, Izuku sent through. No one else did.

_へ_(‾◡◝ ) As the reason for my first customer, I'll always think of him.

Izuku smiled as he looked at the response. Mei was so nice. Even if his dad didn't value his investment highly… he did. That was enough. After all, according to his dad, investment wasn't always about making money, but getting what you wanted, and having Mei as a friend was definitely something he wanted.

-ted-

So Inko is back at work with the ladies. It is one of my pet peeves that as soon as anyone bakes anything people say 'you should do this for a living'. Baking for a living... well it is possible but you have to be dedicated. And I know cake sell for frankly obscene amounts given the cost of the cake but you are usually paying for the store to have it on hand and/or the 'photogenic' decoration - which I admit does take ages, usually.

And Yes, Mei is always thinking of her customers and while she's not aware that her first real customer is a super villain... well that hardly matters, he was still a customer or the inspiration for one, which is really all that matters. So she'll be nice to him. Even when others won't.

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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