25/07/2023

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The Emperor's Dragon
Emergence 90 - More Thinking Time Please

Shouto looked down at his phone.

2:43pm, Aldera Municipal Park, at the twelve hand of the flower clock.

There wasn't a need to specify anything else and the location was pretty exact. There might be other people passing by but there was unlikely to be others standing around.

The time was… The time had to be a joke since it was exactly twelve hours after he'd sent his message.

He'd checked where Alderea Municipal Park was and it was reasonably close. The map he'd looked up had even labelled the flower clock.

Shouto wasn't sure what to think about that. It meant that whoever was behind the messages had picked out a real place. Did that mean they were real or were they just smart and couldn't do what they said they could? He bit his lip. The nervous gesture was something he'd never have done when his father was around but Enji had been somewhat odd the past few weeks. It was as if he didn't know how to deal with him, and so he'd been relentless in his pursuit of Izuku Midoriya, or Dragon as they thought he was known in the underworld.

Shouto was a bit confused about that. He understood that Izuku Midoriya was Mitei Chui. That much was easy. Mitei Chui was one of the first year Management Students at UA but if he was involved in UA, then how did he have time to be Dragon, who was meant to be a big deal in the underworld. It made no sense. There were only so many hours in a day, and … he knew how they could be assigned. For most of his life, his every waking hour had been planned. There just wasn't enough time for Izuku Midoriya to go to UA, complete his homework (and everyone said he was) and be active in the underworld.

And of all the things he was thinking of, that shouldn't be something he was considering.

Shouto knew he should tell his father about this but he also had a fair idea what Enji would say. He'd think it was a trap, and it could be. Shouto wasn't stupid enough to have discounted that possibility. It was probably a scammer, but a smart one and no one would be waiting there.

Or it could be real. Except that was the smallest possibility, which is why he'd been silent. But on the chance that it was real, he knew he should tell someone.

Except, Enji had been called from the house last night to deal with- Shouto wasn't sure. It was something to do with prisoners. He got that much but he didn't know which prisoners or where. And he didn't know how much longer that was going to take. Still, even if he couldn't tell his father, he knew he should tell someone… if it was real…

They could capture Dragon there and everyone could have their quirk back… Whoever he'd been talking to hadn't said anything about setting a trap.

Shouto snorted. They didn't have to. He already knew what would happen if they tried to trap Dragon. There'd be a heap of quirkless people.

And he'd never get his quirk back.

He shook his head. This was most likely nothing. It was someone playing a joke on him. At worst, there'd be paparazzi there and his father would have to deal with that but…

He couldn't help the small hope that this was a real offer escape and so…

Shouto sighed and got up before he slipped his phone into a pocket.

It was time to go.

-ted-

Izuku was thankful it was sunny this afternoon. He needed the energy boost. He'd gotten the prisoners into the tanks and got the process started before he'd had Kurogiri take him back to the warehouse where he'd fallen asleep. But it wasn't really enough sleep and he hoped he could get more tonight. He'd also asked Kurogiri to look into alternate accommodation for them. The warehouse was okay for emergencies but they needed somewhere better.

And now he was going to give back a quirk and secure the services of the last member of the League who'd follow him.

He and Dabi had arrived a little early. Dabi had his hood up to avoid attracting attention. Izuku was wearing a high school uniform, not UA's, and currently had black hair and black eyes. That was pretty generic. He was pretty sure the fact that he looked normal was shifting attention away from Dabi but that was a good thing. They'd scouted the area, walking casually around the park and hadn't detected anything obvious. There were no heroes in the area, and no obvious places for them to hide, like suspiciously parked, close sided vans or trucks. That didn't mean they weren't here, just they were being far more circumspect than usual.

Dabi had opted to wait in the shade of a tree which looked at the flower clock. He was waiting near him but in the sun. The light felt good on his skin.

"Are you sure about this?" Izuku asked.

Dabi gave him a look. "Of course I'm sure. Just remember that I want Endeavor."

He nodded and looked up at the sun. "I have a set of goals, but I think I'm going to have to-" He wasn't really sure how to express it.

"Have to?" Dabi prompted.

"I'm going to need your help. All of you. But I also think we are going to have to be stronger," Izuku said. "Not necessarily physically stronger, but better with our quirks, more creative. The world won't change just because we are stronger than some heroes," he added.

For a moment, he thought Dabi would object but then he nodded. It probably wasn't perfect understanding but it was enough. If they proved loyal, beyond a few missions then… Garaki said he had some copies of All For One and they could prove useful. But he'd need Yakuni back to make copies of quirks. There was no point in having multiple quirks if you didn't have the extra quirks.

He didn't need to glance at his phone to know when Shouto arrived. Dabi stiffened and Izuku looked in the general direction of the clock. "Do you want to meet him there?" He was tempted to ask 'or let him sweat' but he had the feeling Dabi would not appreciate the joke.

"Yeah, might as well," the scarred man said, levering himself up from the tree. Izuku got up as well and brushed off the grass. The more he could appear as if this was just a normal day and he was out with his brother or something like that, the better.

"I can't sense anyone else," he muttered for Dabi's benefit.

"You have a quirk for that?"

Izuku smiled as he looked up at Dabi. "No, just practice," he chuckled.

The villain looked surprised for a second before he grinned.

"If this is a trap, I'm just going to grab every quirk in range and run," he said. "So apologies if I grab yours. I will give it back," he added.

Dabi looked at him for a moment, as if trying to judge if he was joking but then shrugged. The action would be effective and if there were heroes present, then it would definitely be something that made the news. When you were trying to change the world, publicity was important.

Shouto saw them and for a moment, his face reflected his shock before he schooled his features into a more neutral expression.

"Do you want me to do the talking?" Izuku muttered as he waved to Shouto to indicate they were there to meet him. He thought the Hero Course student had recognised him even with the different coloured hair but it was best to be sure.

"Yeah, go ahead," Dabi replied.

"Good afternoon, Shouto," Izuku greeted the UA student.

He nodded slightly. "Mi- Which name do you prefer?" Shouto asked, in a surprising display of consideration.

"Izuku," he replied. "I'm not too attached to surnames," he added, waving one hand dismissively.

"Who's that?" Shouto asked, gesturing towards Dabi.

"Just someone who wants to make sure the transaction is fair," Izuku shrugged.

"The person who paid the price?"

"Does it matter?" Izuku countered.

For a moment, he thought Shouto would argue. "He just wants to see that I can actually give back quirks," he added the explanation that embraced the truth without telling it all. He thought Dabi might actually laugh at that.

Shouto appeared to accept that and he visibly gathered himself. "You are going to give back my quirk?" he asked, unable to hide the uncertainty but also the hope in his voice.

"Yep!" Izuku replied happily.

"Can you just give back the cold quirk?" Shouto asked.

Izuku frowned and he could tell that Dabi was confused as well.

"My quirk is split into two," Shouto explained.

Izuku glared at him. "You're an idiot," he said and Shouto flinched. "Do you actually believe that shit people have said about you having two quirks?" He asked.

The way the teen flushed told him he'd at least partially hit upon the truth.

"You have one quirk, with two recognisable features," Izuku told him. "And if you want it back, come here," he ordered.

Shouto looked uncertain for a moment before he stepped forward. "Give me your hand," Izuku instructed. The other boy held out his hand, and Izuku grabbed it. A moment later he slipped Shouto's quirk back to him. He didn't have to touch him but it was good to maintain that fiction.

"There you go."

Shouto held up his hand and flexed his fingers. "Just like that?" he murmured and produced a tiny flame in his left hand to accompany the block of ice that appeared in his right.

"Just like that," Izuku replied and turned around.

"Wait!" Shouto called before he'd taken several steps.

"What is it?" Izuku asked.

Shouto gulped and Izuku could tell he was trying to work out how to ask whatever it was he wanted to ask. He had a sneaking suspicion he knew what it was. "You gave back my quirk…" He said softly. "Would you give back the others?"

Izuku turned to look at him and cocked his head slightly before smiling. "Sure, if someone pays the price," he announced.

The UA student frowned. "What price?"

"You don't know?" Izuku asked.

Shouto shook his head.

"Ah… Loyalty," Izuku told him. "If you swear loyalty to me, you can negotiate which quirk will go back," he announced.

"Negotiate?"

"There's a couple I don't want to give back," he admitted.

"But you would for the right price?"

Izuku laughed. It was an interesting question. "No," he said firmly. "Oh, all right, maybe there's only one I wouldn't give back," he allowed.

"One?" Shouto made the number a question. Izuku could tell he wanted to know who's quirk that was.

"Just one," Izuku grinned. "Though for some of the others, I would want more than simple loyalty," he decided. "Who's quirk do you want me to give back?" he asked.

It was interesting to see the stricken expression on Shouto's face. The teen wasn't that expressive but Izuku could practically read his thoughts as he struggled to decide. He cocked his head slightly, and then tilted it the other way before he gave an impish grin and turned away again.

Before Shouto could object, Izuku raised his hand. "I like your honesty, Shouto," he said. "So for now, go and play your little hero games," he added and walked away.

"Wait!" Shouto managed to say just as he was nearing the edge of ear shot. It was good that the park was quiet. In another half hour there would be children everywhere, playing in the sun. "Who paid my price?" Shouto asked, his voice strangled.

From the corner of his eye, Izuku saw Dabi shake his head. Izuku turned to face the UA student. "Let's just say it's someone who is a very good friend," he said, and backed away, as if he was playing some joke with a friend. He eventually turned and walked to the corner of the park and looked around. They hadn't agreed to meet Kurogiri anywhere and so needed a quiet place for that to happen.

"This way," Dabi said, as he picked a direction.

It appeared to be towards the crowds. "Are you sure?" If there was a crowd there was more likely to be a hero.

"So long as we don't do anything, we can blend," Dabi told him. "And there's some alleys behind the stores," he added.

That was what they wanted. "Lead the way," he said, and followed a half step behind as the older villain led the way.

This had been a good day. In fact, the only way to make it perfect would be if the ring leader who'd attacked Ochaco was in his grasp. The other's he'd consigned to being Nomu but that one… oh that one he wanted to hurt first. And maybe his body would be a message to the world.

But that was a thought for later. For now, there was still lots of work to do. But first, sleep! Sleep sounded good.

-ted-

Shouto managed to make it to one of the chairs that surrounded the flower clock and collapse into it. He held his head in his hands and tried to control his breathing. He knew he should follow Izuku but right at the moment he couldn't breathe. His heart hurt and he swallowed against the nausea that was rising in his throat.

He dragged in a lungful of air.

He had his quirk back. He could feel it inside him and even though it hadn't been that long, it felt odd, as if it had changed slightly. He couldn't tell how. But… someone was now loyal to Izuku. And from the way the other teen spoke it was not going to be something simple. Whoever was loyal to him was going to be working for him… could die for him… all for his quirk.

And… the others… they could get their quirk's back… Well, almost everyone, though he didn't know who the one Izuku wouldn't give back. He should have asked but… he just hadn't been able to. His throat had closed.

He could tell the heroes what happened. He was going to have to but would they believe him and then… even if they did… how was anyone going to believe it wasn't him who'd sworn loyalty to Izuku. Not when he didn't know who had?

There were so many things to think about.

He dragged in another lungful of air and squeezed his eyes closed. He could feel tears forming under his eyelids and they ran down his face. He wiped them away savagely and turned his face to the sun. There was one thing training with his father was good for. It had taught him that he had to go on. He couldn't linger on things that had passed.

Shouto forced his mind to go over the interaction again. The guy with Izuku was … he knew him! He'd been the guy trying to convince him to join the League of Villains. He'd know way too much about Enji and had hit too close to the mark with his questions. Was he the one who'd paid the price? Except he was loyal already, wasn't he? Shouto shook his head. He couldn't think that. If he made assumptions he'd miss the truth.

So that guy had been with the League which meant Izuku had contacted them somehow. He might have always been in contact with them. That was a question for someone else.

He took another breath, swallowing again. Izuku had dyed his hai- No. Izuku had done more than that. His eyes had been as black as his hair, so he probably had a colour change quirk. Where had he got it from? No, that wasn't a question he needed to ask. Maybe he'd always had it. All it proved was that he had several quirks, which they already knew.

Shouto forced himself to his feet. He was a bit unsteady but he managed to stabilise himself with the chair. First he had to go home, then he'd have to pick who he told first.

And then…

Then he'd have to face the music.

-ted-

Yep, so Shouto has his quirk back, and now the fun really begins :D He's aware of at least a bit of it but... yep... someone is going to have to do some fast talking and prove that Shouto didn't sell his soul to the new dev... er Dragon in town. Shouto is in for a very rough time of it.

And Izuku just gets to walk out of there, now with Dabi's... loyalty. Probably kind of dubious loyalty if we all know Dabi but at least he'll have to try to be loyal. Plus he knows that Dragon has more ways of getting at him than he has to run, so that will count for osme things.

My discord is on this code: TcBnRN7aDn FFN will remove links but you should be able to figure that out. There's a heap of other authors there, so come along and chat to us all!

-ted-

Loved it? Hated it? Found a spelling mistake? Let me know please!