01/04/2023

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The Emperor's Dragon
Emergence 60 - Things Always Change

"What do you mean, it's not coming back?" Bakugou demanded. Even with the cast on his arm, his fingers were curled inwards, over his upward facing palms but Toshnori could tell he wasn't getting the effect he wanted. The habits of a lifetime were hard to break.

He'd had this conversation several times now. Surprisingly the first had been the easiest. The one with Endeavor was best forgotten. The man had been angry but it was mostly at him and what had happened fighting All For One rather than his son's loss of quirk. For Shouto's sake, he hoped Endeavor would take his anger out on him, the still Number One Hero, rather than his son. It might be uncomfortable but he could handle it.

This one was with Bakugou and his parents. They wanted to know what their son's options were. It was something he'd been thinking about as well.

Toshinori sighed. They had had to bring in the parents into the secret of All For One. Not entirely but enough that they knew there was someone out there who could take quirks. "His quirk is one that allows him to take other quirks," he repeated. He had a feeling Bakugou was listening but didn't want to understand. "So unless he gives your quirk back, young man, you will remain quirkless."

"I am not quirkless!" Bakugou growled.

His mother and father looked distressed but didn't know what to say. Yagi sighed, wishing that Nezu or someone else would speak but Aizawa didn't know what to say and it was agreed that he should be the one to speak. His reputation would put a better light on it. "You were not born quirkless," he agreed.

Chiyo had done tests on the students once it became clear what had happened. They were quirkless. The quirk factor in their blood was mostly gone. There was a remnant but nothing more. Iida, for example, still had his engines but he could not use them and Chiyo was worried that his body might reject them as foreign material at some point. It hadn't happened yet. It may not happen at all, or for a while but it was a warning she'd put on to his medical file.

Reading Chiyo's report had reminded him of some quasi religious groups who had sprung up around the time of quirks. They'd actually persisted for a while before being eliminated as quirks became more widespread and the need for them to be regulated had become more obvious to those who were rational. They'd done some research into quirks and had isolated the quirk factor.

That factor had been used to… well… every human had a body, therefore every human had a soul, is what some religions announced. The quirk factor was proof of possessing a quirk. For some, it was proof of being human. Those without a quirk factor had been treated terribly by the group. In their eyes to be human you had to have a body, and a quirk, and the lack of quirk factor was a lack of quirk.

Bakugou gritted his teeth but before there was an outburst his father put one hand on his shoulder. "Are you working on finding the student who did this?" he asked reasonably. From what Yagi understood, Bakugou's father was the reasonable one in the relationship. His mother was meant to be as explosive as her son but so far she had been quiet. She was eying Bakugou's broken arm with… Actually he wasn't sure what her expression was.

That was a question he could answer easily. "We are," Toshinori assured them.

"I'll beat the fucker into submission myself," Bakugou growled.

That caused his mother to react. She smacked him with an open hand to the back of his head. "Who broke your arm?" she snapped.

"I'll still win!" Bakugou announced.

"It is our belief that he has had extensive combat training since he was young," Toshinori told them.

"Just let me at him!" Katsuki growled.

His mother shook her head and again smacked her son. "Old hag!" Bakugou growled.

"There are a number of heroes looking for him," Yagi assured Bakugou's father, giving the man a nod. He ignored the way Katsuki was grumbling. Maybe he should just speak with Bakugou's father?

The man nodded. "And what are Katsuki's options?" He swallowed when he asked that question.

Toshinori sighed. It was an interesting question and there were several questions that had to be answered before they could fully answer Masaru.

"He has a place at UA," Nezu spoke up.

That seemed to get Bakugou's attention. "I'm in 1A," he growled.

"But without a quirk-?" his mother said uncertainly.

"Young Bakugou has a place at UA, not his quirk," Nezu said.

"But how? He can't be a hero without a quirk!" Mitsuki objected.

That was a problem. While physically, anyone without a quirk could be as strong as someone with a quirk, the ability the quirk gave was something that could not be underestimated. Toshinori knew there were heroes who, when fighting, were functionally quirkless. Aizawa was a fine example but Aizawa's quirk meant that he could even the playing field, as it were, in regards to a quirk. Katsuki was strong and physically fit. He was intelligent. Where an villain's quirk did not provide a physical boost, Katsuki would be able to fight them, physically, at least. But… without a quirk… The fight would not be even. He'd be putting himself in unnecessary danger.

But the lack of a quirk was an issue which could be rectified. Yagi had come to UA with the intention of finding a successor. He needed to pass on One For All so there was a possibility that Bakugou could be his choice. But so could any of the other children who were now quirkless. And he couldn't let guilt or sympathy guide his choice. He had to pick someone he genuinely believed was the best successor. With One For All, whoever that was would be a powerful hero.

That's why he'd been toying with the idea of retiring. The Commissioner didn't want him to but it was going to happen, sooner rather than later. But with the HPSC not wanting that, he'd have to concentrate on his search another way. With six students now quirkless perhaps there was another way.

"It will be more difficult but not impossible," Nezu replied. "Which is why we are giving all impacted students a week to think about their choice," he added.

So far they had managed to keep the news that six students had lost their quirks from the media, but it was only a matter of time, especially with it impacting so called legacy students. It was disgusting to think that if it was a different six students, those without ties to the hero industry already they might have been able to keep it quiet but… Iida, Yaoyozoru and Todoroki were all prominent names in the industry. The Iida's had been hit hard lately and the Yaoyozoru's… He wasn't sure what they'd do.

There was also Bakugou. As the winner of the Sport's Festival, even just the first year tournament he had some notoriety. Especially with the kidnapping.

Internally, Toshinori sighed. They weren't going to be able to keep this from the public forever. And once it did become public…

He had no idea how things would progress. All For One had been somewhat careful to ensure that he wasn't known, or at least to ensure that stories about him and his quirk remained only rumours. His son didn't appear to have that restraint. Which was both good and bad. Good, because it meant he'd be visible and they could most likely catch him. Bad, because the public weren't ready for such a quirk to exist. Even if they caught him early, with the knowledge of his quirk, the public would be pressing for a death sentence, even with his youth, because they were scared.

"I'm not a General Studies loser!" Katsuki growled.

Masaru ignored the way his wife whacked their son as he nodded towards Nezu. "We will encourage our son to make a considered decision," he said before he sighed. "Is there nothing we can do to-" he paused, considering his words. "-encourage the return of his quirk?" he asked with a grimace.

Yagi glanced to Nezu. The Principal would know more of any plans the legacy families had. He had a sudden premonition. Would the Yaoyozoru's offer Izuku money to return their daughter's quirk? Would Endeavor, or the Iida's? That would be bad but… It set a terrible precedent.

Except… if it could be kept quiet and if Izuku took up the option then… It might be a way of ending this quickly. They could capture Izuku and…

There were too many ifs! Surely All For One would have told his son of those dangers? He didn't know.

"There are no plans to do anything, at the moment," Nezu told the man.

Toshinori wasn't sure what Masaru's expression showed. Relief but worry. His son was prepared to be a hero but he hadn't accepted that risk and… while he might have had some knowledge that there were risks in being a hero, losing a quirk was not one that would have been considered. Death, injury, those were routine and expected. The loss of a quirk was something that no one considered. It wasn't something anyone thought of.

The way Nezu said that there were no plans told Yagi that there might be plans in the future. The Principal was watching the families to see what they would do.

Masaru nodded but it was obvious he wasn't confident.

Yagi hated that. And… he hated All For One all the more for it. The loss of confidence… He had strived all his life to make sure the public felt safe, to make sure they were safe. And now with the reveal of All For One and for the Bakugou's the knowledge that quirks could be taken, the world was not safe. He wished he could do something but in this case, there was nothing he could do beyond capturing Izuku and getting Katsuki's quirk back. He had the feeling though that Izuku would be reticent about that and…

He sighed internally. Even if Izuku gave the quirk back, the illusion was lost. And nothing was going to make it return.

-ted-

Yakuni ate slowly. Before he'd agreed to help Chisaki, they'd sometimes forgotten to feed him. Things were better now but they were still wary. He hated them but at least they weren't stupid. "So, you are using her quirk," he said, rudely gesturing with his chopsticks towards the little girl who was eating beside him, "to make some sort of serum that erases quirk factor?"

There was a nod from across the table.

They were in some sort of small dining room. Only senior members of the Shie Hassaikai ate here so it was okay to discuss their plans. That's why the girl was allowed here too. He'd been shown to this room yesterday and instructed to eat here.

"Everyone has a quirk factor though, even those who are quirkless," he told them.

"What do you mean?"

"Everyone has a quirk factor," Yakuni repeated.

"You don't," came the retort.

"I do," he snapped back before shaking his head. "The old man has an interest in biology," he reminded the Yakuza. "There might be a few people who are truly quirkless out there," he gestured vaguely again, "but most people have a quirk factor, even those deemed quirkless."

"Even those with the toe joint?"

Yakuni nodded. "The old man's scientists thought that it means those with quirk factor, but no quirk, have something that stabilises quirks."

"How'd they come to that thought?"

"Genealogies," Yakuni replied easily. "One of the scientists studied families who did include 'quirkless' and those that didn't. Those that didn't have some really powerful quirks but they have major drawbacks. Those that did, their quirks were just as powerful, but far more stable."

"They are both diseased though. We are all diseased! Except you," the man said. "Though… if you have a quirk factor, then you are diseased like the rest of us," he added.

Yakuni shrugged. He really didn't understand what they were going on about there. Oh, he knew the words but he didn't know how they'd come to that belief. It wasn't important.

"I suppose without quirk factor, even if you have a quirk, you can't use it," Yakuni said, returning back to the original discussion. "Though it doesn't seem efficient," he mused.

"It doesn't have to be efficient," came the growled response.

Yakuni held up his chopsticks in surrender but before the topic could be dropped a voice he recognised spoke. The girl beside him, Eri, cringed.

"What would be efficient?" Overhaul asked with a deceptively sweet voice.

Yakuni turned slightly. "Would it not have been more efficient to find a quirk that focused on quirks?" he asked, gesturing towards Eri.

Overhaul had his mask on so the only indicator of his reaction was his eyes..Chisaki looked surprised that he'd actually questioned him but then his eyes narrowed.

"Ah," Yakuni said, nodding his understanding. "It would be more efficient," he said, "but very difficult to find," he added.

That seemed to mollify Kai and he moved on. Yakuni didn't breathe a sigh of relief. He was meant to be part of them now so he wasn't meant to be afraid of their leader. He'd never be a part of them! But he couldn't take them down yet. Not alone. It's just that all of Chisaki's underlings were ridiculously loyal. That spoke well of his leadership but… Given his project, there was no way Yakuni would allow him to succeed. The first person hit with the product of the project would be Dragon.

Still, he'd only been on their 'side' for a day or so, so he had time. He couldn't expect the underlings to be turned or to show him their true faces so quickly. He'd have to be patient and he was becoming essential to Chisaki's project. He had knowledge of biology, and not just high school or university biology. He had practical experience in laboratory work and that's what Kai was lacking. He'd already made some of their processes more efficient. They took Eri's blood and then isolated her quirk factor. Then they concentrated it and did something so that it activated when it hit another organic with a quirk factor. He wasn't sure what that something was. Yakuni had been allowed, so far, to be involved in harvesting and isolating the quirk factor in her blood. He'd been allowed to do that because that was easy to monitor and he'd proven that he was better at it than they were. He isolated more quirk factor from Eri's blood, thus allowing longer times between 'harvest'. She appreciated it.

Overhaul appreciated it as well. It meant he could generate more of the serum he was trying to perfect. Yakuni figured it was only a matter of time before he was properly involved in the project. Once that happened…

Well, even if Chisaki had said nothing, he knew who would be targeted and there was no way he was going to let that happen.

"Are you sure we need him boss?"

He probably wasn't meant to hear that question. Yakuni kept eating, giving no indication that he'd heard.

"He is a scientist," Chisaki replied.

"But he comes from him," the objection followed. "Are you sure he's quirkless?"

That was a far more dangerous question. He knew he wasn't quirkless. Dragon had seen to that but they'd just accepted his word… which was actually odd.

"I'm sure," Overhaul said.

How was he sure?" Yakuni's thought echoed Chisaki's follower's question.

"He's got the joint," Kai replied. "I looked the first time I-" he didn't finish but he didn't need to. The first time he rebuilt him.

Yakuni didn't react but he was thankful that Chisaki couldn't feel quirk factor. He did have the toe joint and he'd never liked it. He never thought… Internally Yakuni snorted. He never thought he'd be telling the lie he was quirkless, when for most of his life it had been the truth.

Dragon turned everything upside down. And he wanted to see him do it more. To his life. To society. To the world. And until Dragon was satisfied… Yakuni wouldn't be satisfied. These Yakuza were a problem but they wouldn't be one for long.

-ted-

So Bakugou is still in denial stage of grief, which given that it's only been a day or so is fair. I just don't think he's going to go through the other stages as fast as some of the other kids :D I suspect he might get stuck on the anger stage as it's so familiar. We will see. I picked Bakugou to show here 'cos he has more extreme reactions. The others will get space, in time.

And Yakuni is still hating on Kai... someone should really use confession him but why waste a quirk on a quirkess person? They wouldn't possibly lie!

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!