Drageria
Ch.4: The State of Things
As they continued in silence, listening to the coach master call commands to the horse-like animals, Izuku realized that the silence was completely unnerving! Especially with Resin giving him the stink eye the whole time. Tachibana, seeming to know what he was thinking, smacked the blue-haired man over his head and told him to stop, which he did, much to Izuku's relief. Still, the silence was super uncomfortable! So he decided to make small talk and ask some burning questions in his mind.
"Um, excuse me.", Izuku weakly piped up, getting the dark gods' attention. "Um, I was wondering Tachi-I mean, Lord Tachibana-."
Tachibana waved his hand at him, making the boy stop and listened intently as he said, "There's no need for formalities when we are in private Izuku. So long as you live under my roof you can drop the Lord part. But in public or during my office hours you must refer to me by my title."
Izuku nodded and then looked between Arete and Deskin before asking, "Even when they are around?"
"Yes, especially when these two or a certain other number of my second hands are present.", Tachibana told him before looking at both people sitting at the sides and firmly stated, "Is this clear between you two?"
"Yes Lord Tachibana.", Arete replied with smooth elegance.
"Yes Lord Tachibana.", Deskin replied begrudgingly through grit teeth.
The dark god looked back at Izuku and asked, "Now then, what was that question you wanted to ask me?"
Izuku, realizing he was being referred to, jumped as he said, "Oh! Um….I'm sorry if this sounds rude, but are you….human?"
Deskin opened his mouth to say something nasty and degrading, but Tachibana quickly snapped his lips closed as he answered, "Yes. Despite my looks and abilities you've witnessed so far, I am indeed 100% human. Though it's all connected to my quirk, which I'm sure you are going to ask me about next?"
Izuku nodded and Tachibana explained, "My quirk is actually very simple, and yet very dangerous. Kinda like Eri's. It is called Soul Eater, and it does exactly what you think. I can remove the soul from any complex living organism, and eat them. So animals and humans exclusively, though there was one time I took the soul from a plant, but that was something entirely different. And there's a funny story that's tied to my quirk, but I'll tell you that later.", He said with a wink.
"What do the souls provide for you?", Izuku asked, trying to hide the anxiety in his throat.
Tachibana rubbed his chin and replied, "Well it's just a nutrition supplement. I could never have to eat or drink if I had a steady supply of souls, though I don't need to anyway. But the secondary part is what I gain from the body of the soul.", Izuku tilted his head with Eri at the vague statement and listened to the man explain. "When I eat a soul, let's say a horse. There's a guaranteed chance that I'll be able to gain the property of that horse. Higher stamina, greater strength, faster speed, extra height and weight, ect. There's also a stacking effect; so if I continue to eat the souls of horses, I can eventually gain all attributes at full power.", Tachibana finished off.
Izuku really didn't want to ask this next question. Like, really really didn't want to. He probably already knew the answer considering the power he possessed and what he's seen done with it this far! The thought alone made him tremble!
But his quirk analysis bug was poking him harder than ever, so he begrudgingly asked while trying to hide the disgust in his voice, "What about when….you eat a soul from a person….that has a quirk?"
Tachibana snapped his fingers, pointed at him and stated boldly, "I was just about to get to that. When that happens, I gain an attribute of that person's quirk. So If I ate the soul of someone with a healing quirk, I wouldn't have their quirks full power. If anything I'd just be able to heal my own wound slightly faster than normal. But if I continue that trend, I'd gain a healing quirk so strong that I'll be able to heal a severed limb-.", he trailer off while leaning over and brushing his hand over Izuku's face while saying, "Or anyone else's wounds.", Izuku instinctually touch his face and took note that his black eye and cheek welt were gone, much to his amazement and Tachibana's amusement.
The Dark God then changed the subject, asking him, "Speaking of which. Mind telling me about how you got your injuries?"
Izuku stopped touching his face and fidgeted uncomfortably in his seat, looking out the window, as he replied, "I'd rather not say."
Tachibana waved his hand and said I'm a serious and understanding tone, "That's fine, there's no pressure. I hope one day you trust me enough to tell me such a story."
"I hope so too.", Izuku said under his breath.
Tachibana looked over at Eri, who was gazing out the window and asked, "And I'm guessing that the bad man with the bird mask gave you your injuries?", Eri looked at him panicked, before deflating and nudging herself into Izuku's side silently. Getting his answer, the Dark God said to her, "Well like I said before, you won't have to worry about him being here. You're safe now."
Izuku looked down at Eri, then back at Tachibana before asking, "Can you….you know?", he asked while motioning to Eri's many scars.
Tachibana shook his head and replied, " even with my great power, I'm afraid I can't. Fresh injuries are one thing, but scar tissue is another. That would require a more….finite procedure that I'm sure Eri will not want to do while awake.", he looked at the girl who was borrowing her face into Izuku's rib cage.
Suddenly the carriage jutted to a sharp halt and Izuku and Eri we're thrown into the three people in front of them! The three people were thrown back and slammed their heads into the back of the carriage! Izuku and Eri fell on all three of them and Tachibana's wings flew out and got tangled in both Deskin and Arete!
Tachibana pushed one of his own wings away from his face and said while spitting out a black feather, "Well that was...unpleasant."
After the five of them managed to untangle themselves from one another, Deskin ripped open the carriage door and yelled at the coach master, "What's the big idea?! Why'd you stop like that!?"
The coach master took off his hat, placed it over his chest and apologetically explained, "Forgive me Master Deskin, but a piece of the mountain has broken off and blocked the path to the castle."
"I'll get it.", Tachibana said quickly while raising a hand out towards the huge rock!
Within a moment a strange energy surrounded it, along with his hand, and in a split second it turn into sand. Tachibana let the sand fall over the edge only to hear the surprised cries of several other guards underneath. Tachibana looked over the edge while sucking in air through his teeth and taking an uncomfortable and tense posture at his 'handy work'.
He then quickly called out from the top, "SORRY ABOUT THAT!"
"It's okay, Lord Tachibana. We're fine.", one of the guards called from the bottom, with a groan in his voice.
"They are definitely not fine.", Tachibana sighed at himself while getting back into the carriage and slapping his head. Without looking to his side he said, "Arete, get the names of those guards and give them the week off with a little extra on their next payment."
"Yes Lord Tachibana.", she replied while taking out the clip board and writing it down.
The carriage moved again and things went back into silence with the only sound coming from Arete writing. Tachibana leaned back in his seat with a clear look of shame on him while trying to play it off cool. At this point Izuku really started to question if this guy really was a Dark God, let alone a God. Especially for something as scatterbrained as what he did.
After a bit of silence, Tachibana decided to break the ice and asked, "I see you have something else on your mind Izuku."
He wasn't wrong, he definitely did have some more questions, and it would sure be a nice distraction from Tachibana's previous muck up
"Um, yes I do Tachibana-san. What's going to happen to those people? Will they be alright?", He asked the Dark God.
Tachibana smiled and told him, "They'll be fine, I can assure you. Although they'll need to spend a week in tents, they have new houses and jobs chosen provided for them."
His statement made Izuku falter in his expression. He then asked with a sad and anxious tone, "Chosen? So they...won't even get to be what they want?"
Seeing what Izuku was thinking, Tachibana reassured him by explaining further, "Perhaps I should explain further. You see the people will have an option to choose a job they want, but we insist they take one that best suits the use of their quirk. Even if we don't have a job a person wants we can still give them something similar until a position does arise. We are still a developing country, Izuku. And we need to utilize our resources and people's skills as much as possible. It's not that they don't have a choice, we just want to use them to better develop the country further and let it prosper."
Izuku digested all this information for a moment before saying to the Dark God with an apology tone, "That makes sense. I'm sorry, I assume."
Tachibana waved it off and replied, "It's alright. I can't deny your previous mentally of your society in comparison to mine, but rest assured that everyone has a choice."
Izuku nodded and looked out the window with embarrassment and shame still stinging his chest.
"On that topic.", Tachibana referred to Izuku as the boy perked his head back up, "You'll have to get a job or go into schooling. While I don't mind you living in my home due to your relationship with Eri, everyone here in Drageria is required to pitch into society in some way or form if they are able bodied or old enough. I hope you understand.", The Dark God asked him.
Izuku nodded in agreement and replied, "Of course, a growing country needs everyone to do something and so will I!...if I can have some time to rest."
Tachibana nods vigorously and says back with full confidence, "Of course, of course. You've been through a lot, the two of you. When you feel ready I'll help you get into whatever you desire."
Izuku waited for a moment before he worked up the courage to ask, "Are there any jobs for heroes?"
Tachibana, who was staring out the window, shot his head in his direction, along with the other two people present, and exclaimed with a laugh, "Heroes?! Ah HA HA HA HA! Oh don't be silly boy, we have no need for heroes here. Not much happens in the way of crime. We don't even have a prison because of how peaceful things are here.", Tachibana saw how Izuku deflated in sadness at his statement, so he restructured himself and said, "However, my royal guard is similar to being a hero. Sure you won't be flamboyantly saving people, beating bad guys, and saving the day like some romanticized comic book. But you are still able to help the little person in need. Whether it's lifting a box or breaking up a fight or stopping a potential crime, you'll still be doing good, just not in the way you envisioned it.", He explained to him.
Izuku's eyes gleamed with joy and excitement, something Tachibana was glad to see, and the young teen said, "That sounds wonderful but…"
"But?", Tachibana questioned him as Izuku trailed off.
"I'm….quirkless.", Izuku finally forced himself to say.
There was silence in the carriage for a few minutes as all three people went from staring at one another, to staring at Izuku who had his head down in shame.
Eventually it was Deskin who finally spoke up and said, "Well that's a stupid reason.", He then put his hand up defensively while shooting his head in the direction of Arete.
The silver haired woman rolled her eyes and said to him, "I'm not going to slap you Deskin. In fact I agree with you, in the context rather than the form.", She then clear her throat and with Her eyes closed she gives a small lecture like some sort of teacher, explaining, "Being quirkless is not an inhibiting factor in Drageria, of your able and willing to do something, then the only thing that can stop you is yourself and common sense logic."
"Thank you Arete, I couldn't have said it better myself!", Tachibana exclaimed while puffing out his wings, accidentally hitting both people next to him. After closing them he added his two cents saying, "She is right Izuku, here in Drageria we don't judge someone by the nature of their quirk, but by the color of their character."
Izuku looked like a computer buff as he heard each word trickle from the gods mouth like some golden nectar. Hearing every word like it truly came from a higher being of greater divine knowledge. Absorbing and digesting every last bit like it was a life line. Here before him this so-called God was telling him all the things he ever wanted to hear in his life.
And then he asked through the begging of tears, "So….you mean I-?"
Tachibana, yet again knowing what he was thinking, cut him off and stated boldly, "Yes Izuku, you can absolutely be a hero, even without a quirk."
At that moment he couldn't hold it back. He fell into his hand and began to cry tears of joy for the first time! He sobbed louder and harder than he ever had before, much to Eri's dismay! Immediately after he started she also started to cry! Izuku scooped up Eri into his lap and hugged her while rocking her back and forth, as tears continued to fall! He could even bring himself to comfort her with his words as he just kept crying with her.
"Royal Guard.", Arete corrected him.
Tachibana's pointed ears perked up and he quickly tried to catch himself and said with an obvious stuttering panic, "Right, yes! Royal Guard! What did I say?!", Arete narrowed her eyes at him, which only made him sweat.
Knowing Tachibana for most of her life, she knew when he meant something else. He was always easy to read. And he hasn't meant to mix up those words. He had a reason, and that reason was connected to this kid. She wanted to know more, but settled on just staring at him judgingly.
Tachibana managed to get himself out of that situation as the carriage came to a stop and he excitedly exclaimed, "Ah we're here!"
Tachibana exited the carriage so fast that he tripped and landed on his face! He pulled himself up, shook himself, and tensely helped the still crying Izuku and Eri off with an obviously forced smile. Much to Arete's disavowment.
Tachibana then tried to play it off as he turned to the coach master and said, "Thanks for the ride, Cappy."
Cappy tipped his hat and replied, "Any time Lord Tachibana."
At this point Izuku and Eri had managed to calm down enough to take in their soundings. In front of them was a large stone platform that stretched several dozen yards in all directions before going off to several paths that lead down the mountain, all of which were different. The stone platform was connected to the face of an entrance that vaguely looked like a castle keep gate and doorway, though it was all made of stone. Around the perimeter were guards about every 10 feet or so, all clad in a mix of armor and regular uniform clothes.
Tachibana stood before the entrance and exclaimed excitedly while spreading his arms and wings out, "Here we are you two. Welcome to my home!"
Izuku and Eri looked around at the blank blankness of the stoney structure; its dotted window opening, its standing guards, and its doorway that was only 12 ft. tall for such a large front area.
"It sure is, um…..", Izuku tried to find any good descriptive words.
"Boring.", Eri added bluntly.
"ERI!", Izuku scolded her while feeling dread crawling down his spine.
Tachibana laughed in a booming tone and said, "Ah ha ha ha! No no no! She's absolutely right, the outside is boring and stoney. It's the inside where the real sights are.", he said with a wink while waving up to the top of the stoney structure where a man above saw him.
"Lord Tachibana has returned! Open the door!", the man called out clearly enough to be heard by Izuku and Eri at the bottom.
A few moments later and the door seemed to start opening all by itself! It was so large and heavy that it took long enough for it to open just enough for a person to walk through. Deskin and Arete went in ahead while Tachibana stood back with Izuku and Eri.
Just before he entered, he turned to the two children and said to them, "I must warn you though, the inside may surprise and over stimulate you a bit. Just let me know if either of you feel a bit….jarred."
Tachibana entered the castle leaving a mostly confused Izuku d Eri outside. They both looked at each other, shrugged, and Izuku walked in with Eri on his hip. Izuku immediately took notice of the bright light coming from within the castle doorway and almost hesitated, but knew that Tachibana was waiting for them and didn't want to be rude. So he forced himself to move in! Once he did, the two kids had to cover their eyes from the shift of light, and when their eyes adjusted to the inside, both their jaws hung to the ground in shock and awe of what they saw!
