Chapter Five: Visits
LEGOBRICK: I'm still not too sure what color of lightsaber to give Izuku. It's one of those smaller details that is still pretty important. Also, yeah, Palpatine is in the dark when it comes to most of what All for One is known for, only that he is a powerful villain on Earth. An alliance between them would be very treacherous, it's only about who betrays who first.
Toshinori had one term for accepting to go along with the plan for the heroes of Earth to support the Republic's army, a very important rule that would ensure that his Quirk would live on. He himself would get to visit the Jedi Temple on Coruscant and watch the youngest class of students to see who could be suitable candidates for One for All.
Of course, passing on his Quirk was no small matter, and it would be years before they could even dream of possibly holding One for All within them without their bodies collapsing in on them, but having a planned successor would benefit the next wielder of One for All in the long run. Besides, Jedi were already powerful, giving them a Quirk with the stockpiling ability in One for All would make the growth so much more exponential than ever before.
The growth from Nana, who was ranked in the top ten heroes in Japan, to himself, the greatest hero of all time, was an extremely large gap, and such a gap would likely happen once more if a Jedi were to gain the Quirk. At least, that was the theory Toshinori had cooked up, one which he fully intended on testing.
So, as the Republic vessel he was in with Shaak Ti exited hyperspace, Toshinori kept his signature smile on his face. However, unlike usual, it wasn't fake, he was genuinely excited to see what would happen.
The glow of Coruscant's atmosphere was a mixture of light generated from the surface of the cityscape of the reflection of the nearby star's rays. Toshinori had never seen anything like it. Much like most of his peers, he never left the Earth. He was too busy being a hero, but just this one time he could leave the Earth to the protection of the rest of the heroes. Endeavor, Stars and Stripes, Best Jeanist, and all of the rest could surely handle it for just a day or two.
"I can sense your worry," Shaak Ti said bluntly. "All will be well. Your hero friends will be able to handle whatever may happen while you are away. Besides, you made it seem rather important that you visit the Temple's newest recruits, something so vital must be worth it," Shaak Ti soothed, sounding if she had her suspicions about why he was visiting.
The ship entered the atmosphere and began to navigate the skyline of Coruscant, which was covered with other vessels travelling both in and out of planet, as well as just traversing the vast cityscape. It made getting anywhere take forever, though Toshinori wasn't in a rush.
"I hope you're right," Toshinori replied, taking in a deep breath. Being in a ship was never a pleasant experience for him. He much rather preferred jumping across countries.
The Jedi Temple was coming into view, it's majesty not being lost on him. Toshinori felt tiny compared to the everlasting status it seemed to have, being older than any building on Earth, even the ancient ruins of Egypt. The pillars at the entrance served as a constant reminder of how it was here long before anyone that called it home, and how it would be there long after.
Feeling small in both a literal and metaphorical sense, Toshinori was relieved when the ship landed on a dedicated platform near the Temple. Exiting with Shaak Ti by his side, Toshinori wasn't unaware of the fact that he was being gawked at, but not because he was Earth's number one hero. He heard mutters of scared wonder from a few, those who recognized him as an Earthlings.
Toshinori had always gotten looks, but the ones he was getting now made him feel uncomfortable. Shaak Ti made sure he moved quickly into the Temple, putting a hand on his back and swiftly moving through the developing crowd of people.
Even if they did part somewhat, Toshinori found some difficulty in maneuvering through them due to his immense size. He was built like a wookie, which most there had rarely seen, as most didn't leave Kashyyk. Just by looking at him, you could tell Toshinori had an important reason to be here.
Eventually they made it inside the vast Temple, Shaak Ti seeming very familiar with the environment. "I believe a class of younglings is in session, so please be quiet as we head to the Council chamber."
Toshinori had no idea that there was a council of Jedi at all. As far as he knew, Jedi didn't have leaders in the traditional sense, but apparently they had a leadership group, much like a democracy, which Toshinori approved of. At least, Toshinori assumed it was much like most of the countries on Earth. Hopefully, it wasn't a situation where the members of the Council were in for life with an unprecedented control over the Order.
Shaak Ti lead him past a class of meditating students, a rather small class of five very unique people. One seemed oddly out of place in the group, struggling to sit still. However it wasn't just that that made him stand out. His hair was green, a characteristic unheard in humanoids that were not from Earth. Earthlings were very unique, and this boy had the qualities of one.
Shaak Ti had been leading him to an elevator, which they now stopped at. She turned on the spot, staring up at the towering hero. "Mind your manners in front of the Council," Shaak Ti warned, "They are not yet aware of your intentions with this visit, so ease into it."
Toshinori nodded, and with a wave of her hand, Shaak Ti opened the door. The two stepped in, fitting snugly inside the cramped room. Toshinori calmed himself down as the small box rose through the many floors of the Temple, even rising above the tallest buildings on Coruscant.
The elevator opened itself once more, revealing an adequately sized room with many chairs, some filled with physical entities and others holograms. Toshinori stepped out, feeling out of place in his hero suit when compared to the many robed Jedi in the room.
Shaak Ti had called them earlier before they had left Earth, resulting in every member of the Council being present in their chair. "Masters, may I present to you Toshinori Yagi, the Earth's champion," she said with a small gesture no doubt symbolic to the Order.
Toshinori had no idea what to say after such an introduction, but thankfully he didn't have to. "What is your reason for coming here?" asked a Jedi who Toshinori recognized as the Master of the Order, Mace Windu.
Everyone in the room was analyzing him, perhaps detecting the strangeness One for All brought with him wherever he went. "I suppose you've all heard of the Quirks that make my people famous?" Toshinori prompted, receiving various affirmations from all present. "Quirks are typically passed down through the generations, with Quirks growing more and more complicated as of late."
"You said typically," said a Kel Dorian Jedi who was present only as a hologram. "Does that mean there are exceptions to that rule?" he asked, his voice slightly warbled.
Toshinori nodded, preparing to share one of his darkest secrets to the select few in the room. "I am the only exception as far as I am aware. My Quirk was passed to me from my mentor like a sacred torch, allowing it to grow in strength."
"Stories of your power have reached even to the far reaches of the Outer Rim," Mace Windu stated. "But that is beside the point, you didn't answer the question."
Toshinori nodded. "Yes, well when Master Ti came to me asking to support my people joining in a potential war, I had one stipulation. I'm not getting any younger, and I think it's about time I begin to look for a successor to my power." The light of Coruscant's sun illuminated the face of Mace as he leaned forward in his seat.
"Are you saying you wish to pass your Quirk onto a member of our Order?" he questioned, picking up on what Toshinori was suggesting rather quickly. All Toshinori could do was give a sheepish nod.
"Have a Knight in mind, do you?" asked the wrinkly and green frog-like master. Toshinori winced, seeing where the misunderstanding was.
Toshinori then shook his head, looking at each member of the Council individually. "I haven't heard of any Jedi Knight who was an Earthling," Toshinori commented. "However, it has come to the attention of the Earth's governments that a young boy was recently taken here to be trained as a Jedi."
"You refer to Izuku Midoriya?" asked the Kel Dorian, sounding as if he were familiar with the boy who Toshinori had read about in multiple news reports. A young, Quirkless boy the age of five who grew up in Musutafu, Japan. He went to Alderra Primary School, where he made good grades even if he was shamed for his Quirkless status.
That was all the public knew about the boy, which was admittedly a disturbing amount for such a young child. Izuku was the one Toshinori had came for, although he was considering trying to test what would happen if a Quirk were introduced to an alien species.
"He is one that I was considering. However, any Youngling would do. I must be able to help train this successor from a young age in order to produce the best wielder of my Quirk, and I believe that a Jedi would be best suited to possess my power," Toshinori explained to the small group gathered before him.
All for One had lead many different lives in his existence. Over hundreds of years, one would get bored. For the longest time, All for One had let his underlings handle most of the dirty work of his criminal empire while he lived a life as a fisherman in the Caribbean. That was in the early days of the Republic's influence on the Earth, before it had really taken hold.
Due to how integrated the Earth now was, even if they didn't involve themselves as often as others, All for One now was forced to run his empire directly to ensure it was never brought to light to the public. Select few even knew of his existence, one of which being his nemesis, All Might. Oh how he loathed that smile of his.
The last time All for One saw him, All Might certainly hadn't been smiling.
A misty portal appeared within All for One's secluded chamber, deep within an island off the shores of Japan in what appeared to be an abandoned factory. The portal reformed into what had once been a man, a former hero student. Kurogiri greeted his master with a serious tone, which was almost always the one he took. Kurogiri could rarely feel any significant emotions, that was part of the humanity that had been lost in the process of his creation.
"Master, there is a ship heading right for us," said Kurogiri, who sounded rather puzzled. "Oddly enough, it isn't any vessel of Earth or Republic make."
"Have the cameras captured an image of the ship?" All for One asked, to which the mist man gave his best attempt at a nod. "Bring it up now." From Kurogiri's metallic wrist, which had shifted to reveal a small projector, the holographic image of a sleek ship unfamiliar to All for One revealed itself. "You're right about one thing, Kurogiri. Whoever's on that is no ally of the Republic," he agreed, staring at the small, yet noticable to one with any sort of physical enhancement Quirk, insignia of the Trade Federation on the side of the hull.
All for One had no idea how someone could track him down. Not that it mattered, considering that there were defenses set in place to knock down anything that came too close to the factory. But since this was an enemy of the Republic he hated, they may wish to make a deal in their mutual benefit. "Kurogiri, deactivate the defense turrets," All for One ordered, and immediately Kurogiri was gone.
Sighing, All for One made sure his white hair was in a presentable state. He adjusted the collar of his suit and began to walk outside, passing by tubes of experimental creatures much like Kurogiri. The working name was Nomu, but these ones were specifically made for fighting.
The halls of the factory were nearly completely empty, filled only with decorative artwork that stuck out in such an environment, but All for One always had a taste for more classic decorations. Some of it was even original artwork from the greatest artists the world had ever known, and even less were from other worlds, which were more abstract but none the less astounding.
Never breaking his pace, All for One exited out onto the landing pad, with room for only two ships. His, of course, was positioned on one side already, so the vessel took the opposite. A ramp descended from the opening hatch of the ship, the dark paint shining in the silver light of the moon.
Out stepped a man in a dark uniform matched with a brown cloak, a man who walked with the distinguished strut of a noble. There was a certain darkness about the man, though All for One couldn't figure out why he felt that way. The man stepped aside, and then a man whose appearance was shrouded in a robe as black as an all enveloping hole in the reaches of space.
Whereas the other had an air of darkness, this one radiated it. Even being the self proclaimed king of evil, All for One had to admit he was impressed. The hooked nose of the newcomer was all he could see, though All for One had no real desire to see the rest of the wretched man's face. Piercing yellow eyes stared into All for One's red.
It was then Kurogiri rejoined him, standing directly across from the seemingly royal figure. "What is your business here?" All for One asked, his voice clear and commanding in the face of darkness.
The barely visible thin lips of his opposite twisted into a smile. "I come with an offer. Our enemies are the same, and I'm sure you've heard the ancient saying," he said.
All for One glanced at the insignia of the Trade Federation on the ship. "To take on the Republic would be suicide," he admitted. "Two Jedi and the forces of one planet fended off those droids on Naboo, what makes you think that you and your forces could defeat a supposed army of the Republic?"
"I believe that once you understand our methods, you'll see our way of thinking."