15/07/2023

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The Emperor's Dragon
Emergence 87 - Not Everything Has The Same Price

Izuku looked around at the villains. "You agreed to stay with me for one mission, and I thank you for that. The mission I want is selfish," he announced.

That brought some laughter from the group. "You are a villain now. Villains are selfish."

Izuku nodded to accept the truth of the statement. "Even so, I had hoped I could show you something of the changes that need to be made, rather than something for my personal satisfaction," he said. "But this is what is. The Police and Heroes have made it simpler for us. They have gathered most of those I want," he said.

He'd have paid the bounty if that's what it took, but when Giran told him the Police had found and arrested most of those responsible for the attack on Ochaco he'd been happy. He'd paid Giran one of the bounty amounts for the information. It seemed only fair. The broker had told him which station they were being kept at and told him which heroes were watching. All Might's agency had been involved in capturing them and Izuku wasn't sure what he thought of that.

It was an obvious attempt to try to get to him. But at the same time Izuku couldn't deny that he felt relieved that someone was taking the attack on Ochaco seriously. That it was All Might left a bad taste in his mouth.

"The main person I want isn't with this group but this is too good an opportunity to pass up. If I leave it, they may separate this lot."

That got him nods. "Besides, the missing one is a vigilante and I'm sure someone will find him for me," Izuku added brightly.

"So what do you want us to do?" Compress asked.

"First, I need some specific information," Izuku replied, turning to Whisper. "How many people can you use your quirk on at once?"

The woman threw her long braid over her shoulder as she shook her head. "It is not how many I can use it on, rather their distance from me," she told him.

"Interesting," Izuku murmured. "I've asked about your quirk but you consciously activate it?"

She nodded, and then pulled her braid over her shoulder to stroke at it.

Izuku turned to Compress. "If she was to activate her quirk and you then put her in a pearl would the effects still be felt?" He held up one hand to forestall Compress' automatic reply. "I know you can't break out of your pearls with a quirk but Whisper wouldn't be trying that."

The magician bit back his words as he thought. "Since it is not an attempt to break the pearl, it should work," he said slowly as he considered. "I haven't had much chance to trap someone with an area effect quirk," he admitted.

Izuku nodded at the information. "The Police have those I want gathered in holding cells in Meguro Police Station, so space will be limited. Thus if Whisper's quirk can be on the group while she's in a pearl that would give us a bit more space," he explained.

The confusion in Whisper's expression cleared as she understood his reasoning. Himiko clapped her hands. "So clever Izu!" she squealed.

He didn't reply, instead he looked at Butterfly. "I don't know much about your quirk," he commented. She'd been reluctant to speak. "But do you have any chemical defences or anything?"

"Kid, it don't matter if I do. I'm out," Butterfly told him, dropping down from the rafters and fluttering her wings to land on the floor.

"Oh," Izuku said. "Okay," he added a moment later. "Kurogiri, could you transport her where she wants to go, please?" he said louder, calling out to the Misty Man.

"Of course," his voice replied and before Butterfly could say anything more there was a swirl of darkness in front of her. She huffed and stepped through.

"Just like that kid? It's not that easy is it?" Twice asked.

Izuku shrugged. "I said I wouldn't hold any of you here against your will." He took a deep breath. "I don't know if they are in the same cell, or in multiple cells, so Twice, I will need your quirk to make this work," he explained. "With Whisper keeping us quiet, we will still be visible, and thus need to work quickly, since I don't think they will come to let you touch them," he added, giving Compress a smile.

The man touched the tip of his hat in acknowledgement of that truth.

"Twice, you can grab them at the same time, so that we can be in and out as quickly as possible," Izuku said, looking at the man. He didn't have his mask on at the moment and looked troubled.

Twice stared at him for a few moments before he nodded.

"Dabi, Himiko and myself, will make sure we aren't disturbed while we are grabbing them," Izuku said.

"And I?" Compress asked.

"Since I don't have time or the desire to fight them, if you could compress them for transport, that would be appreciated," Izuku instructed.

Again the magician nodded.

"When do we go?" Himiko asked.

"Tonight," Izuku told them. "I don't want the Police splitting them up, so it has to be tonight."

The villains nodded. "What do you want to do with them?" Dabi asked curiously.

Izuku thought for a few moments. "I'm going to make them very sorry they attacked my friend," he said. "And then I'm going to make sure the world knows that they attacked one of Dragon's friends and paid the price."

Himiko laughed at that and flicked her necklace, making the scale flash in the little light that was here.

"After that," Izuku sighed, "I'll see if you still want to follow me, and then we'll plan what to do," he told them.

"For now then," Compress said, "we should rest, because the night will be long."

Izuku nodded and the group moved to take up a blanket. He hoped things would go as smoothly as he wanted, but he already knew he'd be lucky if it did. Still, he couldn't hesitate because of doubt. He had to move forward, and this was just the first step.

-ted-

Bokusen… no he wasn't Bokusen right now, he was Edge Dart, had thought he was fit. He was beginning to discover there were whole levels of fitness he had yet to aspire to as he leaned against the wall and dragged in lungfuls of damp, wet air. He was thankful for that damp. There were several heroes following him, and he was sure there was at least one underground hero there who was a tracker. The damp was allowing him to hide his tracks somewhat. Not that you left tracks in concrete but his scent.

Even with the cold, he was sweating and…

He needed to think, god darn it!

He already knew he was being chased in relation to that bitch of a villain lover. One of the heroes had the gall to say they were bringing him in for his own protection. He should have made sure she was dead! But that was a concern for another day. Bringing him in would not protect him.

Dragon may not have operatives everywhere, but he had the cash to buy the operatives! Being confined in a holding cell was not protection, it was just correlling him for Dragon to collect at his leisure.

He took several deep breaths and listened carefully over the pounding of his heart. He couldn't hear anyone following him but- Time to change personas. He reached up to pull off the mask he wore as Edge Dart and with the same hand, swept his hair back. It would be a bit messy but would pass. He shoved the mask in a pocket and loosened his jacket. Some vigilantes had actual costumes. He kept his simple. He put straps around his jacket to hold it close and to allow him to carry things and wore a mask. He didn't need much more. That simplicity served him well now. He could switch to a civilian easily and realistically. The straps came off and were shoved into pockets and he puffed out the jacket before he walked confidently out onto the street.

He needed to make sure he looked just like anyone else, hurrying home in the late night rush. It wasn't the late afternoon peak where people were crushed together but it was busy enough that he could lose himself in the crowd and Bokusen swiftly did that. He moved in the direction most of them did, heading towards the station. Like everyone else, he tapped the gate and walked through and then he headed to a platform as if this was his nightly routine. It was only once he was on the train did he relax slightly.

Now he needed to think.

-ted-

Message me, First.

Izuku looked down at his phone. He'd been ignoring this for a little while but he couldn't ignore it forever. And while he was waiting for the others to wake for the mission seemed as good a time as any to look at his phone. Mei probably wouldn't answer if he replied, which would give him more time.

I'm sorry.

That was really the first thing he had to say. He was sorry that he hadn't spoken to her, hadn't consulted, had just gone to do what he wanted but… He wasn't sorry about what he'd done.

He went back to the message and edited it. I'm sorry that I haven't spoken to you. For a while I didn't have my phone and I've been busy. Plus I wasn't sure you'd want to talk to me.

No, he erased the last sentence. That was stupid. Mei had messaged him. It could be a trap, but she might just want to talk. Izuku pressed send before he could hesitate any further.

He tapped at his phone, bringing up a mindless game but before it loaded, there was a buzz as he got a message. The notification that popped up told him it was Mei. What was she doing up now?

He looked at the message. Are you sure it's wise for you to still have this number?

Izuku blinked at the message, trying to make sense of it. Then he realised what she was asking. Phones had GPS and could be tracked. Can you find me? He sent back.

The little dots to indicate she was replying appeared instantly. Maybe. It would take a while and mum won't let me on her computer anymore.

At the reply Izuku felt a bit cold. I might change my number then, he told her. He'd have to talk to Kurogiri and the others if they followed him. He thought they would, otherwise he was pretty sure they'd have left with Butterfly. But there was a chance he'd not make the grade.

What are you doing? Mei asked.

That was a leading question and he wasn't sure how to answer it.

I'm going to show the world what's wrong with the current system, Izuku replied and pressed send before he regretted his answer.

The world? XD

He signed as he saw her response. Okay, Japan, he corrected.

By force? Mei asked next.

The question touched on something Izuku was aware of. He could probably figure out how to win any battle but… If he changed Japan by force then he'd always be fighting. He needed to have people believe in ideals and that didn't happen when he took away their comforts. On the other hand, if he tried to enter politics then… No, he needed people already there, people who could work for change while he did… While he did what Tomura was meant to do and what his father had meant him to do. He'd have to take all the parts. At least until he freed his father.

For the moment, Izuku typed. Society needs to open its eyes and that won't be an easy thing. I don't- He paused and swallowed. I don't expect any of you to follow me. Again, he finished the sentence and wanted to press send before he thought differently but Izuku forced himself to slow down. He couldn't just rush through this. This was what he stood for. He had to be proud, he had to embrace it. If he looked away, why should anyone else follow him?

Izuku took a deep breath and thought about what he wanted. He wanted his father free. That should be one of his first goals But he also wanted the world to change. It would be easier if his father was free. His father had the contacts in business and government and… If the original plan had gone ahead, he would have been the go-between for them and Tomura, to ensure what Tomura was doing was tied into the changes they were making.

For now he was going to have to hope that those contacts knew what to do until he could free his father. Which really made that the first thing he should focus on. And then… well… There was always a chance the world wouldn't change. He'd studied that. Sometimes the people were just too… He wasn't sure what it was but culturally indoctrinated over decades, or centuries to accept what was and then… Almost nothing changed those countries, despite the obvious benefits of other ways.

Izuku looked back at his message. So long as he acknowledged the truth it was accurate. He pressed send.

This time there was a pause before the dots appeared. They were there for so long that Izuku wondered if Mei would even reply but then there was the vibration and he looked down to see her message.

Be careful.

He felt his eyes widen slightly at that. It had taken her so long to just write two words? But then he realised that she could have been writing any number of things as she decided what to say.

Mei, I know we haven't been face to face friends for long but we have been friends for a long time. You can tell me anything, even if you think this is stupid. Izuku wrote the message. If he couldn't rely on his friends telling him truthfully what they thought then… He pressed send.

The eye symbol appeared almost immediately to indicate that Mei had seen the message and then a moment later the dots appeared. It's complicated.

The first message came back quickly and Izuku waited for the explanation. Mei liked to send multiple messages usually.

My mum works for the highest bidder.

Good or bad.

I can't do that.

Mei wrote, sending each line separately.

Or, I don't want to do that, she corrected. Izuku realised he had no idea what Mei's mother did.

I want a position where I can work on my babies.

The dots disappeared. Izuku took a deep breath. I don't want you to do what I'm doing, he wrote. Not unless that is what you want, he added, before pressing send and then he bit the inside of his lip as he thought. If Mei really didn't want to do this, then…

I'll let you buy out MI Enterprises but I can't let you take JBQC, he typed and before he could worry about that, he sent it.

I don't want that! Mei sent back immediately. He could feel the heat in her voice. MI Enterprises is ours, and JBQC is your father's, even if- The sentence broke off half way through and Izuku thought that Mei must have realised that their ownership of JBQC was part of something larger. It was, but he didn't know exactly what it was. He hadn't had the chance to ask his father.

He's always been a villain, hasn't he? Mei sent through the question.

In the way that society defines villainy, yes, Izuku replied. There was no reason to deny that. But that's not really what he wants, he added, sending the message the way Mei did, a little bit at a time. He wants society to be better.

For them to realise that heroes are not the answer.

Heroes are too arbitrary. Too dividing.

You've seen it yourself. They create too many villains.

The system has to change.

That's what my dad wants.

That's why he is called a villain. But is it villainy to want something better for everyone?

Izuku left the last question as he pressed send on his final message.

Does he want to rule? Mei asked.

He smiled at that. When I was a child, I thought it would be best if he was in charge, he replied honestly. But that's not what Dad wants. He wants society to choose and right now, they can't.

While Mei quickly saw the message there was no immediate indication of reply. He thought she was thinking about it.

I can't join you First, but I won't stand in your way.

I guess, in the end, I'm the same as Mum.

He looked at the message, trying to decipher it and then he understood what she meant. Highest bidder? He asked.

Yes.

Then I'll just have to make sure that's me, Izuku sent. That really wasn't anything new. Mei needed funds to survive on and to make her babies, so she did need to be supported. He'd just make sure he was the best option. And really if he wanted society to change, really change, then that's what he had to do, show that his way was better. If he could do that, and enough people believed him then…

Society would change regardless of what the heroes did.

And that's what he should want, both for his friends and for himself…

But first… Izuku looked up as Kurogiri appeared. First, there were those who weren't going to see the new society.

-ted-

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-ted-

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