07/05/2022

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The Emperor's Dragon
Fledgling 70

Sir Nighteye nodded at All Might's assistant, Hisha, as he carried the folder past the woman. Hisha was the Number One Hero's assistant but really she was nothing more than a glorified secretary. She made sure that the appropriate paperwork was done, pre-filing out what she could and ensuring that Yagi was aware of the due dates of the bits she couldn't complete. The one thing that made Hisha special was that she had access to All Might's digital signature.

Without that, she'd just be another employee, probably checking contracts for merchandise. Despite it being almost six year since the battle with All For One, Mirai wasn't sure if Hisha knew Toshinori was injured. And if she did, he didn't know if she knew how bad it was. He suspected she did, because he also suspected she was on the Commission's payroll as well.

But… better the devil you know. He'd never put much effort into finding out and even if he did know for sure, then it really meant nothing. He'd still keep her because that was for the best. Not knowing kept him sharp though. It made him ensure that when they were talking about confidential items, they were actually speaking confidentially and that there were no unseen listeners.

Which actually made it somewhat absurd that he was going to discuss this in All Might's office but it was one of the most secure in the building, after his own.

Hisha nodded and made no move to stop him so Mirai showed himself into the office.

All Might was in his powered down form on a vid call. He glanced up as Sir Nighteye entered before looking back to his screen. "I'll call you back Chiyo," he said, giving the other Hero a nod.

"Before the end of the day," her imperious voice sounded from the speaker.

All Might smiled and nodded again as the call was disconnected. His blue eyes turned towards Mirai and fell on the folder he was carrying. He seemed to recognise what one it was.

"The case is finished?" the Number One hero asked.

"It is," Mirai told him, coming forward and placing the folder on Yagi's desk.

Toshinori reached out and opened it, taking out the photo of Izuku that was near the front. He sighed as he looked at the boy.

"What was the outcome?" Blue eyes speared back to him.

Mirai sighed. He really didn't want to discuss it but he knew he had to. "We told her," he said.

"You told her?" All Might seemed genuinely surprised.

"You thought it would go to court?" Sir Nighteye countered, trying to keep any accusation out of his tone.

"I thought the Commission was fairly adamant about not releasing the information," Toshinori told him.

"They were but, we've already discussed this," he reminded the Number One Hero.

Toshinori nodded. They had discussed it at length and he still believed that All For One was behind the case, in some way. Not in bringing it initially, that was all Inko but in funding it. His old friend sighed. "I don't disagree with you," Yagi admitted. "But-" he looked back at the photo of Izuku. Inko stood behind her son, with one hand on his shoulder. The hand on his other shoulder was All For One's. "If we forget the innocents, then we are no better than him," he said.

It was startling to hear Yagi admit that and it was a good opening.

Mirai acknowledged the statement with a nod. "We will never know if I made the right call," he admitted. "Not without having All For One around to question," he added, in a lame attempt to make a joke.

He wanted to talk to Yagi today, not fight, so he would have to give something here.

"He wouldn't answer… Or rather, he'd only answer if he thought it would cause pain," Toshinori said.

Sir Nighteye nodded again. That sounded about right. "I know you said I won't find anything but I will at least look into the funding. I have to if-"

"If you want to find him," All Might finished his sentence.

"Yes. And maybe it will connect to something else," he added. "Maybe it won't but, if he is alive, and if he is calling the shots then he'll make a mistake somewhere. He has to."

"If he is alive then I'll be ready for him," Yagi replied.

"Or your successor?" Mirai probed carefully.

The way All Might grimaced told him what he needed to know. "I'd prefer to have it finished before I pass on One For All," he admitted.

"That may not be possible," Sir Nighteye said softly.

"It might not be, but we will see. I have yet to find someone suitable."

"You've been looking?"

"Not seriously."

"I could help," he offered. He'd looked through the students at UA and there were a few who'd be graduating their first year soon who he thought had potential. He was going to offer them a summer internship.

"Do you know what to look for?" All Might challenged him. There was an interesting edge in Yagi's voice.

"A good heart, a solid quirk and good understanding of what it means to be a hero," he replied instantly.

"The quirk doesn't matter," Toshinori said, though, from what Sir Nighteye could hear, he was a bit surprised at the answer he'd been given.

He gave his old friend a smile.

Yagi smiled back before he sighed. "I'm going to do a teaching course in the next year, before taking a position at UA."

Mirai did his best to look surprised at the information. "Which year level will you look at?" He asked.

"All of them," Yagi said. "It would be best if they were third year, but if a first year is best then, I'll just have to hold on," he said.

"I'll start looking at them," Sir Nigtheye said. He felt quite buoyed at being brought in on the secret, even if for him, it wasn't a secret.

"You knew already," Toshinori accused. He must have given something away.

"I have seen your future," he pointed out reasonably. "And I told you there were teenages of the appropriate age," he added. "I might have forgotten to mention they were in UA uniforms."

Toshinori glared at him before the expression softened. "I really hope he's gone and I can pass on One For All without the baggage from All For One," he murmured. "I'd like that chapter to end with me but-" He sighed heavily.

"We can hope," Sir Nighteye said, echoing something Toshinori had said in the past.

Yagi nodded. "We can hope," he agreed.

Mirai nodded. He didn't usually feel confident about the future, and he didn't feel any confidence that All For One was gone but… He was sure they could work towards it together.

-ted-

"Watanabe," All For One greeted the lawyer when he called. It was late but his firm, Hawein, Mori and Nishimura knew he worked late and could be contacted.

"Fukahi," the lawyer greeted him. Watanabe still didn't sound completely comfortable with it but All For One knew it was because he'd been Hisashi for a long time. "The case is finished," he said.

"It is?" All For One replied slowly as he thought about it. It seemed a bit early and there certainly hadn't been any media attention, though Izuku finding out about it had not been anticipated. At least his son hadn't found out the name of the claimant. That would have been… well, All For One wasn't sure how it would have played out.

Legally he now had full custody of Izuku even if Inko didn't know that. But her case hadn't been about custody… He smiled to himself when he realised exactly how he would have played it to his son. He would have pointed out it was a failure of the system, of their competing priorities meaning they could not even coordinate when a child was involved.

"It is. According to Shunin, the Commission offered full disclosure, with a reasonable confidentiality agreement," Watanabe explained.

"Ah," All For One murmured. Even with his instructions to Inko, the lawyer would have had a hard time justifying rejecting that offer before a court. It was unusual enough that a Request for Information had even gone to mediation in the first place. Usually the information would have been given to Inko. "I suppose I will have to take that into consideration," he muttered, mostly to himself.

"Sir?"

"Not for you," All For One said more clearly. "Thank you for letting me know," he added.

"Do you wish to see the private files?" Watanabe asked.

"There's no need," he responded. The private files would tell him what Inko had been told but he would just have her give him that information. No need to put any pressure on the lawyers.

"Very good, Sir. Is there anything else we can do for you?"

He thought about it for a few moments. "Not for now," All For One said to conclude the call. His lawyer knew it was a dismissal and after a few final pleasantries he hung up.

All For One put his phone down and concentrated on his breathing for a few moments as he thought. It was an unexpected move from the Commission but… he shrugged. C'est la vie.

"Gigantomachia," he called.

"My Lord?" the large man rumbled from the corridor.

"Could you please fetch Kurogiri?" he asked. It wasn't so much a question as an order.

"Of course, my Lord," Gigantomachia replied and All For One heard him move off. The large man guarded him, even when he slept but here at least he could be left alone for short periods of time.

He checked the time. The Doctor had made a clock that he could see with his vision quirks. It saved him from using an audio service. It was about 11 pm so it meant the bar would close early but… Yes, this would work out nicely. He waited and it wasn't long before he heard Gigantomachia and Kurogiri returning.

"Come," he invited before they knocked.

"Sensei?" Kurogiri said when he entered.

"I need you to fetch my wife," he instructed.

"Do you wish her brought here?" the misty man asked. Kurogiri was actually interesting for him to look at. The man was a halo of energy that was almost moving. Most people were far more defined.

"Yes. I'll speak to her and then she can spend the rest of the night before I believe she'd find it beneficial to watch Izuku's morning practice session."

Both Gigantomachia and Kurogiri took the statement to mean he would find it beneficial.

"My Lord?" the large man asked.

All For One didn't know what Gigantomachia had planned. The large man was dedicated in teaching Izuku and made sure that his son was proficient fighting both with and without his quirks. "Make your session hand to hand. Go all out," he instructed.

Gigantomachia smiled as he nodded. He enjoyed fighting, even against Izuku, so the opportunity to be a bit rougher than normal would be appreciated.

Kurogiri pulled out his phone and looked at something. All For One realised it was the coordinates for Inko's location and with a nod in his direction the warp gate expanded. You could not see through Kurogiri when his quirk was active, though that would be an interesting experience. It would provide opportunities for spying but he was far more useful as transport. A moment later he shifted on this side depositing a still sleeping Inko on to the carpeted floor. He flicked his fingers to indicate that Gigantomachia needn't wake her. The change in temperature would and soon enough Inko was blinking.

She realised quickly she was no longer in her bed but thankfully for his hearing did not scream. Instead she blinked in the relatively low light and then gasped when she saw him.

"I thought we should talk, my dear," he said.

It was rather impressive how fast she went from fully supine to lunging at him. Gigantomachia was quicker and the large man caught Inko before she got close.

"That's not very nice, my dear," All For One chided.

"You bastard!" Inko yelled, struggling against Gigantomachia's grip. The large man didn't move a millimeter. He was used to this and he'd held far stronger people.

"We have gone over that, my dear. My parents, thankfully departed, were married. Believe me, enough people checked," he added with a chuckle. "Now will you be reasonable?" he asked, as Inko twisted, trying to kick Gigantomachia. She was more flexible than he realised.

"Just give me Izuku!" she cried, apparently realising she wasn't going to be able to move his bodyguard.

"Ah, the case," All For One sighed. "I admit, I was not expecting the Commission to simply tell you. What did they say?"

"I can't say," Inko said spitefully.

He laughed. "Of course you can," All For One told her. "It's not like you will be disclosing anything I don't know," he added. "I'm curious to know how much of the truth they told you."

Inko glared at him and he could tell she was weighing it up. It was interesting. She should have already been telling him. He raised one hand to his chin, tapping the bone. "I see I'm going to have to work on my technique with that quirk," he murmured to himself.

His wife didn't address that comment. "You like trades, don't you, Hisashi? I remember you liked to say you could get the best of any trade, so I'll make a deal with you. Give me Izuku and I'll tell you everything the Commission told me."

"I think that's a bit too much, my dear, given that I indicated I'd let you see Izuku if your case went well, and you know what that meant," he cocked his head slightly. "But I'm feeling generous. You may see Izuku if you tell me what the Commission told you," he offered an alternative.

"You liar! You won't let me see Izuku," she growled.

"I promise," All For One said. "And when have I ever broken a promise to you?" he asked pointedly. He hadn't even broken his wedding vows. Mostly.

He heard Inko gasp but already knew what the outcome would be. "You will let me see Izuku?"

"In the morning, yes," he replied. "He's sleeping now."

Inko sighed. It seemed defeated but he knew better than to assume that. "They told me you are a villain. That you've always been a villain and that All Might was there to capture you," she said.

He was a bit surprised. While that was the truth from the Commission's point of view, he genuinely hadn't expected them to tell her. "Did they tell you a name?" he probed.

"All For One," Inko told him.

At that he laughed. "It's so nice to be known," he said.

"They told me you would have had watchers on Izuku, and if they'd gone after him, you would have known," Inko continued.

That was a somewhat reasonable deduction by the Commission, even if it wasn't true. "I didn't, but I would definitely have retrieved him. It is not safe for Izuku to be with you."

"And it is with you?" Inko demanded, incredulously.

"Yes," he answered calmly. "I can better provide for Izuku. And I offer the only realistic means of protection from the Commission," he added.

Inko's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"The Commission would like nothing more than to have access to my quirk. It would give them the ultimate power over people with quirks. If you do not behave, then they will take it. And of course, pass them on to someone they felt was loyal. Once they discover Izuku has a variant of my quirk, there is no way you could reasonably refuse them," he explained.

"They wouldn't!" She seemed outraged.

"They would," he retorted, not harshly but simply, because it was what would happen. "I've seen it before, my dear. The Commission is a poison chalice. Izuku would do their bidding but they would claim he disobeyed, and then he'd be nothing more than their prisoner, forced to do what they wanted, when they wanted. That is no life for my son."

"And you are a better alternative? A villain All Might himself failed to take out!"

"I am. I have guided Izuku and taught him how and when to use his quirk for himself. And more importantly I've shown him how not to use his quirk," All For One explained. "You would mean well, my dear, but you are unable to do that."

By the way she remained silent, All For One knew that Inko acknowledged the truth on some level.

"Now, you will spend the remainder of the night as my guest. And then, in the morning you may see Izuku before we hold further discussions," he said to conclude their meeting. "Kurogiri, please take my wife to an appropriate room," he instructed.

Inko glared at him but did not fight but as Gigantomachia escorted her out the door he heard her mutter. "All Might better not be so merciful next time."

He snorted to himself but didn't offer any correction. No doubt the hero thought much the same thing but the next time…

Well, that would be a different time.

-ted-

All For One might not have really cared how the case went but there are consequences for not at least attempting to push the case the way he wanted. Inko will now learn them though, he also admits she did her best.

And the relationship between Nighteye and All Might isn't as toxic this time. With Nighteye having something else to focus on, something he can actually try to change himself, to keep All Might alive, they didn't have that fight. In the manga, Nighteye tried to get All Might to change, this time, he did something shocking and tried to change something himself. Has it worked? Well only time will tell, for the moment, their relationship is strained but okay.

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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