Drageria

Ch. 21: Aftermath

Once he saw the ship leave over the horizon, Tachibana sighed with relief, he was glad it was all over….until he turned around. His many eyes caught the horrific sight of his beautiful town in near ruins! The docked houses were almost all gone, several dozen buildings ranging from homes to businesses were reduced to rubble, the town square where everyone sold their food was up in flames, the once great center fountain was broken and spilling out over the fire, and so so much more!

Then there were the people….Good God the people! If the ones being flung back by All Might's attack wasn't enough, then so many of them were in dire need of help! Some unconscious, many injured, a few buried under rubble, many more still in a panic! But luckily none of them were missing, to his relief. But still, everything and everyone was a mess! A mess he had to be the front liner to clean up. It would take time for a rescue team to assemble, especially with all the remaining guards already injured and being tended to. And time was the one thing he lacked.

So he curled into himself and when he flexed his body, several dozen replicas of himself sprung from his body! The doubles all flew off in several directions and began to perform all the necessary action in this crisis. Healing people's wounds, fixing unsafe structures, unearthing those who were buried, reuniting those who had lost one another, putting out fires, and so forth.

Even with all this, Tachibana still felt like he was doing so little! He thought he could do more, he should do more! But his mind was such a mess that he couldn't figure out his next step! So many things and thoughts colliding at once that it was almost too much! He just wanted things to be as they were before, but he knew they couldn't! Why couldn't he just be the god that everyone saw him as?

Luckily he was snapped out of his funk by the arrival of Arete on her hippogriff. The huge creatures screeching alerted the god followed by its powerful wing flaps as it landed. Arete hopped off the bird horse and speed ran to Tachibana's side.

"Sir, is everything ok?", Arete asked him, knowing him well.

Tachibana breathed out and replied in his ancient-sounding voice, "Yes…I am now, thank you. I knew you would escape."

"I was careless and let them surprise me. It won't happen again.", Arete apologized for her promise.

"I'm just glad you're alright, Arete.", Tachibana told her with a smile, even though he didn't have a mouth. He then looked longingly and sadly at the scene before him and muddled off himself, "Oh my country. My beautiful country. And my people. My wonderful people. What have I allowed to happen?"

"My lord, whatever are you saying?", Arete asked him.

"Don't you see Arete.", He exclaimed while motioning to the sight of the town, making the woman jump at his suddenness. "This! All of it! It's my fault.", He sulked.

"Don't be ridiculous my lord, it's not you-.", She tried to argue against him before he cut her off.

"Yes…..it is. And now I must make it right.", He stated as if trying to convince himself of it.

Before Arete could say anything else, Tachibana rose high into the sky and once again tapped his mind into all those around him. He breathed a calming breath and acknowledged his subjects.

"People of Drageria, hear me!", All at once, all commotion ceased as all able-bodied minds looked up to the flying god. "Today marks a grand tragedy for Drageria. And a tragedy I am personally responsible for.", Tachibana had to concentrate hard to not let the many voices of the people try to argue against him, but he continued. "If I had been more forceful and less forgiving in the beginning, then perhaps much of what happened today wouldn't have happened. I shouldn't have toyed around with Japan's greatest and best. Instead, I should have disabled him, and protected you-my people-from the destruction and fear that came upon you. I could've done so much more…..but I didn't. Instead, I implored you to fight back at the cost of your lives. It was lucky that they were not here for more devious reasons. Having said that it is truly my fault for not being more competent as a god and as your leader. For there is no one here to blame but me.", Tachibana tightened his six fists as he held back his emotions, and stated with a boldness that inspired a gleam of hope, "But I will make this right! All of it! We may have been beaten down but we are not dead! Together we will rise back up once more, better and stronger than ever! I will see to it myself."

With that, he flew off to his office in the castle at mach speed to carry out what he said! Even though his copies were doing the work of several men at once, there was still so much to be done and more people were needed everywhere for just about everything! He wasn't even in his office for a second before he was on his intercom and barking out orders!

Within minutes the castle has exploded to life with scores of soldiers rolling down the mountain with rescue crews, carts filled with medicine provisions and building materials, builders brought from within the castle and from construction outside the town, everyone and everything that he could muster to lighten the load and make his town at more ease to situate things further!

He worked feverishly from the early afternoon to late into the night! Making sure his resources were being used properly and that his people were safe alongside any unsafe areas of town. Finally, in the middle of the night, he stopped. Things were now calm and no longer in full panic. Any damaged or unsafe buildings had been torn down, all people had been accounted for and the injured healed or tended to, and all points of destruction rubble and fires had been cleaned up to make the place clean and livable. Everything major that needs to be done was already done. Now came the long and minor things that would need even more of his attention.

He sat at his desk, fingers interlaced with one another, covering the lower half of his face as he stared out the giant window across from his desk. He was silent and still, very unnerving with his glazed-over expression. His first sign of major movement was when he finally took a deep breath of relief.

Even took the brief opportunity to shift back into his more human form and close his eyes for just a moment. For he knew that things were only gonna get harder from here out, and he knew he had to make some desperate changes. He was brought out of his thoughts by a knock on his door. It opened and in walked Arete with a clipboard that looked more like an overstuffed file folder. He didn't look or acknowledge her as she walked in or approached him at his desk in deep thought.

"My lord, are you occupied right now?", she cautiously asked him, seeing his current mood.

"No Arete, I'm not. Please tell me everything.", he told her calmly.

"There's much to say."

"Keep it brief."

Arete sighed and flipped through her clipboard before explaining, "The rescue and demolition have been finished, and the cleaning and repair are currently underway. All citizens are accounted for and all injured and being healed as we speak at the medical center."

"And the bad news.", he inquired, already dreading what was to be said.

Arete gave a stressed sigh, also not wanting to say it, and told him, "Several hundred thousand dollars worth of property has been damaged or destroyed. Many businesses have been wretched completely. The orphanage has been decimated and needs to be repaired from the ground up. Over 120 of our soldiers have been injured during the attack. A warehouse holding food for the town has been destroyed. The new construction company that came here has already lost most of its workers due to injuries and their main operations building has been destroyed by the attack. An ammo warehouse exploded, taking several other warehouses filled with supplies and even more houses. The underground tunnel system you had in place has been unearthed and needs heavy reconstruction to prevent a cave-in. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.", she told him while internally cringing.

Tachibana's face fell into his hands, his shoulders slumped, and an aura of stress emanated off of him. So much to be done and redone, and no idea where to start.

Seeing his stressed state, Arete put her clipboard down and came to his side while placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder, telling him, "Sir…please don't be so hard on yourself. None of us expected this attack or this level of destruction. It's no-."

"It is my fault, Arete. Please stop saying otherwise. I should've done better….I should have been better.", Tachibana cut her off while beating on himself, as his face fell into his desk.

Arete rubbed his back and told him reassuringly, "You're still human, sir. And all humans make mistakes. Sometimes minor, sometimes costly. But not learning from them is what makes us different from beasts and crazy people. Please remember that, Tachibana."

This seemed to bring up the man's spirits and with a stressed sigh he replied while looking up at her, "I will."
"We'll have to pull all our workers from the expansion of the town to the reconstruction of the current one. It'll push things far back behind schedule.", Arete informed him, getting right back to the topic at hand.

"How far?"

"Around two weeks or so. If things go smoothly.", she told him after digging through her clipboard. "Though I have to say, your body doubles have been making tons of progress, especially since you picked up that strange quirk from that Overhaul fellow.", she followed up.
Tachibana gave a displacement expression and told her while rubbing his temples, "Yes, but it's extremely taxing to use. I haven't mastered it yet or absorbed all of its components. I can only make about a dozen copies of myself, and if they run out of energy, then I have to make them all over again.", he rubbed his head even harder and after letting out a breath he was holding in he moaned, "It's like stretching my brain to multitask all at once. I wish I had more brains."

Arete thought about what to say next, then had an idea. So he stood confidently in front of her leader and told him jovial wall striking a pose with a thumbs up, "Well get through this, Tachibana. All of this…..together. You don't give up on us, and we won't give up on you!"

Tachibana had to restrain his laughter as he said, "Thank you Arete. Is that all?"

"For now.", she told him, trying not to sound ominous.

"Then you're dismissed.", he told her as she bowed and took her clipboard. Before she left, Tachibana called out and asked her, "Oh, and send for."

Just before he could finish, Arete ran into some straight at the door, catching her attention. Standing at the half-opened door was none other than the General himself, also looking quite surprised at her sudden appearance.

"Good evening, Lady Arete.", he greeted her with a tip of his hat.

"General. Good evening to you as well.", Arete replied, taken aback by his suddenness.

"Is his lordship about?"

Still a bit confused, Arete turned around and called into the office, "Lord Tachibana, General MacArthur is here to see you."

With that she stepped aside, allowing the man to walk in before she walked out with the door closing behind her. The General took off his hat and slicked back his hair as Tachibana looked at his arrival with confusion and surprise.

"General. I was just about to send for you.", he admitted.
"I had a gut feeling.", MacAuthor replied in a chuckle before asking, "What did you wish to discuss?"

Tachibana sighs and tells him straightforwardly, "General, I'm not gonna beat around the bush with you…..we got lucky today."

"You think so.", he says back in a statement rather than a question.

"I know so, and so do you.", Tachibana firmly accentuates. He then rose from his seat and walked around his desk before staring out his window at the town below, telling the older man in a rant, "I created Drageria over a hundred years ago. I worked with the people to ensure that things like poverty, the system of rich and poor, large to small business expansion and absorption, and so much more keep Drageria as crime-free as possible. We have guards, but they're here for what? Keeping up the appearance of peace and security, stopping fights from the Tealgalians, and preventing petty theft? You must admit we were very lax on our selections for guards and soldiers and don't keep up on them regularly.", he said in a self-disappointed tone while walking over to the window and looking longingly out at it.

MacArthur didn't say anything in agreement or disagreement with his statement. He just walked behind him and asked, "What do you suggest we do?"

Tachibana tightened his fist and exclaimed while looking out over his town, "We make them stronger. We take who we have and we hone them like fine blades! Reinstall the thoughts and fighting spirit that are needed! Make them more than what they are now! Make. Them. Better!"

"Alongside finding new battle techniques and strategizing alongside our weaponization research and modernization?", MacAuthor inquired.

Tachibana smoker while turning around and saying in agreement, "Took the words right out of my mouth."

But when the General looked into Tachibana's eyes, he saw a twinge of hesitation, as if he wanted to say something more, but couldn't bring himself to. Even though he didn't want to do it, he put him on the spot and asked him, "I feel as though you have something else to say. Something I won't like to hear."

Tachibana receded at his inquiry. He slumped into himself and looked back out the window while saying in a low tone, "General…..I want you to enact Trial By Fire."

MacArthur had to try hard to hold back the gasp that threatened to escape from his lips! Keeping his composer he defended back in shock, "But my Lordship! Trial By Fire, its-!"

"I'm fairly certain that this does count as a crisis, Douglas.", Tachibana cut him off while using his first name, showing it was serious.

"I…..can't disagree with you.", MacAuthor replied, seeing the seriousness in his eyes. Once he collected himself he uncertainly informed him, "But sir, I'm just saying….three years worth of training in just under ten months…..its-."

Tachibana sighs in agreement with his hesitation and says, "I know, Douglas. But this is important. Drageria is going to go under a severe change, one I cannot ignore. We need to be ready for anything that comes our way. And as such, we need the best of the best to do it.", he narrows his eyes while looking out the window and tightens his grip on the window sill, telling him, "We need to weed out the weak and take advantage of the cream of the crop…..we don't have a choice.", he finished the last part with a sad and pathetic sound in his throat.

MacArthur looked on at the almost pitiful and pleading look in his eyes. Eyes that held the regard of everyone around. Eyes that have seen enough to know what eventually happens. Eyes that don't what to, but have to, for the betterment of all.

Douglas understood his King, he understands him well. He wants to help, no matter the cost. He's known him long enough to know more than most about him.

So without arguing further he puts in his hat, salutes him, and states, "I understand my lord. It shall be done.", Tachibana smiles at this and immediately turns to the window, opening it up. Struck by this sudden action after the way he was, he inquired more casually, "Tachibana? What are you going to do now?"

Tachibana took a calming breath and replied with a serious tone, "Something I probably should've done long ago.", he then put his fingers to his lips and made a set of loud sharp whistles of differing tunes.

Within a few minutes, the side of the mountain shook violently and abruptly, causing the General to nearly be knocked off his feet! Outside the window, clung to the stoney exterior were two of the six dragons; Apalala and Quetzalcoatlus. Both of the huge beasts were looking up at the huge window with wandering yet serious eyes. Being specifically called by their father meant it was something of importance.

Switching to his more serious and leader-type persona, Tachibana thrust his open hand out and commanded his children, "Apalala, Quetzalcoatlus, it's time. Initiate code Raging Sea and Sky."

The two dragons knew exactly what to do at this, and both let go of the mountain to fly down towards the sea! Both dragons roared as they sailed through the starry night sky over Drageria. Quetzalcoatlus controlled the winds to push herself out faster, and Apalala undulated his body like a snake while grabbing the moisture in the air to pull himself outwards. Once they closed the land and into the sea, things truly got started!

With no resistance or interference, Quetzalcoatlus practically rocketed out towards the open sea while flying high into the dark sky. Once over water, Apalala dove into the frozen ocean and took off like a torpedo! Once the two of them were several dozen nautical miles away from land, they both started to stir up a massive storm!

Apalala churned the seas with huge waves that cracked against one another at heights taller than most conventional ships! Bringing up whirlpools and gas pockets from deep into the ocean, making everything unbearable to venture into.

Quetzalcoatlus crafted a truly wicked storm in the sky with winds that cut like razors and were strong enough to knock even the strongest person off their feet! Storm clouds suffocated the starry night sky, making everything pitch black! Thunder rumbled through the whipping winds and rain began to fall in large droplets!

Once the stage was set, things were truly set into motion. Quetzalcoatlus caused huge bolts of lightning to begin striking all around as the rain began to freeze and mix, creating a slush of semi-frozen hail! Then tornadoes touched down now and again, sending gallons of water into the air! Apalala breathed out cold beans into the water and constructed huge icebergs that outsized any to date! They were so huge that they barely swayed in the huge waves!

When this one area was completed, they continued to create these conditions all around the island county in a huge circle! It didn't take long for them to wrap the rough and treacherous storm and see around in a loop, and once they did, the two of them cried out to signify their power and completion. With that, they flew back towards the mountain and back to their rooms.

From his window, Tachibana could just barely make out the outline of the storm on the far horizon. He sighed sadly at this as a single teardrop rolled down his face. He looked down with his eyes closed and his hands resting on the window sill, and with a sad soft tone, he said to himself, "I didn't want us to be isolated from the world at large. I didn't."

"L-Lord Tachibana?", a familiar voice called out his name as he lamented. Tachibana brought up his head and turned around fast to see Izuji standing halfway through his doorway. "Um…is now a good time? If not, I can-.", he tried to say before trying to dip out.

But Tachibana stopped him before he could and beckoned him, half exclaiming, "No, no, it's fine. Please, come in, Izuku.", a bit unsure and nervous looking, Izuku inches his way in before shutting the door behind him. Once inside, Tachibana asked him like a mom, "What brings you here? Are you okay after….everything?"

"I'm fine, actually, all thanks to you. That's actually what I wanted to say.", Izuku chuckles at his concern, he then follows it up with a bow and says, "Thank you for protecting me and Eri, and to your kids as well. Ladon, Apalala, and even for sending Fafnir. And….I'm sorry."

"There's no need to thank me, but, well…..I'll come back to my son in a minute. What are you sorry for? You didn't do anything.", he initially waved him off before showing concern again.

"I meant back a few days ago, you know. When I…..saw you, and those three people.", he begrudgingly admitted, a sense of fear washing over him.

"Whatever are you apologizing for?", Tachibana asked him, but having a feeling he knew the answer but still understood and felt pity.
Izuku seemed to fumble or at least wasn't sure of what words to use as he carefully explained, "Because I wasn't being right towards you. Ever since I got here, you've been nothing but nice to me. Nicer than anyone has before, despite everything!"

"Despite what?"

Izuku looks down and explains in self-shame, "Me being quirkless. You never looked down on me as a lesser or a pathetic person. You saw me as an equal, even though you're the king! You've given me so much already. But the moment I saw you do that one little thing, I nearly threw all of that away! I jumped at the time you came near, and shiver when you walked or tensed up when you spoke. You've gone through so much because of that one bad side of you and I nearly decided to peg you as being that all the time, even after all the kindness you showed me! I almost thought of you as…a…a monster.", he ranted his guts out, before trailing off. His eyes filled with tears before he completely broke down in front of him, balling his eyes out as he apologized, "I'm sorry! I'm so so sorry!"

Izuku continued to stand there and cry his eyes out as he would usually do, feeling nothing but self-shame at his actions. Until Tachibana quickly rushed over to him and wrapped him in his arms and wings. Striking his head he tried to calm him down saying soothingly, "Hey hey hey! There's no need to feel upset about that. You had every right to be scared of me at that time. You weren't aware or ready for it. If I were in your shoes, I'd act no differently."

Izuku managed to gain control over himself as he looked up at his rainbow eyes and asked if he was truthful, to which he nodded. He then used one of his wings to dry his wet face and told him, "Now come on, dry those eyes. It can't be helped how you feel in those situations. And I don't blame you for thinking that. The only difference between you and all the people who did call and treat me as a monster didn't know or care to know about me. They didn't feel bad about the way they felt or for the things they said, thought, or did. You are not like that."

Izuku sniffed back some more before Tachibana held his face in his hands and told him firmly yet kindly, "You're a good person Izuku. Too good If I'm being honest. Even if you still feel that way or react in that way from now on, I won't be offended or take it to heart."

Izuku smiles at his understanding and kindness and surprises the man with a hug, to which he reciprocates. They both stay in that comfortable moment for a minute before pulling away.

From there, Tachibana goes to the next point of injection and admits, "Now, about my son. I'll be honest, I didn't send him to you.", Izuku looks surprised by this, half expecting it to be a joke. But upon seeing his serious and equally confused expression he knows he's telling the truth. The Dark God follows up his statement by saying, "I mean, I sent all of my children to deal with the invaders, but not to directly protect you. Especially not Fafnir! Ho no sir!"

"If that's true, then why did he try to stick around after protecting me from that hero?", the young teen asks him.

At first, he shrugs, then suggests, "I can ask him, though he probably won't give me a straight answer. It took one story of the tales of old dragons and their poetic language for him to start speaking in riddles all. The damn. Time!", he rants off, getting a more unsure expression from Izuku. Just then a thought crossed his mind and the man asked him, "Did you meet him down in his room?"

"I did.", Izuku admits, not sure what he was asking for.

"Tell me in detail what happened there."

Izuku takes a moment to recount everything that happened. After a hard shiver after the memory comes back, he tells him, "Well….the torches went out, he lit the room with his glowing body, he tried to intimate me and succeeded, then he just stared me down. It was like he was controlling my very being, I couldn't move on my own, and… the way he looked at me. It is like he was staring straight into me. It was honestly kind of violating, like a peeping tom."

"Izuku, I may not have told you this, but my son has a very special skill at his command.", he tells the boy with an assured nod, gaining his attention and curiosity as he explains, "I call it, Fire Aprasile.", Izuku only raises an eyebrow at this and Tachibana explains further, "It's when he looks 'into you' and judges your fire, or soul. He sees what kind of fire you have and what it may become in time. And I'm guessing he saw something special inside of you."

Izuku thinks it over for a while and then babbles out to himself, "I guess that explains how I was able to command him to attack the war vessel."

"I'm sorry, what?!", Tachibana half yells in surprise, causing izuku to be taken aback by it! Tachibana leans on his desk and stresses aloud, "Dang! Fafy did see something in you!", Seeing Izuku's reaction to his display, he takes it down about four notches and asks him in a much calmer tone, "Anyway, I'm guessing that this wasn't the only thing you wanted to talk about, no?"

"Are you reading my mind again?", Izuku jostles him.

"Call it gut intuition.", Tachibana gave him a slight wink.

Izuku then goes back to nervously twiddling his fingers, trying to force his real intention out, then eventually gaining the nerve and asking him, "Well….I know it is not my place, but…I want to help reconstruct Drageria!"
Tachibana blinks a few times at this and replies back, "As much as I love your enthusiasm and willingness Izuku, this is a far taller order than anything you currently know or understand.", Izuku takes on a dejected expression at this, almost as if accepting defeat. Tachibana sees this and inquires further, knowing he had more, "But seeing as you came here, I'm sure you thought something out, right?"

Izuku immediately perked up at his question, rapidly shaking his head before exclaiming, "I did! I did! I…may not have all the facts, but if you were to give me the info on what you have available and what is in need or repair, then I can analyze it all and think up the best system possible for max efficiency."

Tachianan initially wanted to reject Izukus's offer as kindly as he could, knowing full well to not get an underprepared child wrapped up in the issues of an adult. But before he could speak, he stopped himself. He remembered the boy's amazing notebook and all the details in it. He thought it over for a bit, a hand on his chin. Then he realized that it may just work! As crazy as it sounded.

Without a word to the boy, he walked over to the phone intercom on his desk, pressed a button, and spoke into it, "Arete, please come and get Izuku in my office. And allow him to view the info on everything going on in the town. Report back to me when he's figured out everything in full or to a point where we can begin."
"What? Er, um, okay, sir. I'll be right there.", Arete replied after a second, sounding very confused by his command.

From there the tall man went over and ruffled Izuku's messy hair while complimenting him, "I think that big smart head of yours is gonna help us get through this conundrum."

Izuku giggled, not only from the ticklish petting but also from the warm feeling in his body from the gratitude. To which he said, "Thanks, Tachibana."

Tachibana shook his head at his tanks and told him while tapping his nose playfully, "No Izuku. Thank you."