He Who Protects
Chapter 8
"You lost?" The glass of wine in Tanaka's fingers slipped and crashed to the marble floor in a glittering shower of shards.
Blood red stained the regal white and grey of her Lord's chambers, seeping into the cracks. Machinery puffed, whirred and clanked as a servitor clunked its way toward the stain with a rag in hand.
The Emperor's eyes fell upon the construct, disdain washing over his features for but a moment before they were forced away. A small smile curled the corner of his lips. It reached his eyes, if only for a moment.
"Indeed." His hands worked the clasps on his pauldrons, his movements smooth as silk. Cables, stuck to him like leeches, loosened their grip on him with an airy hiss. The Emperor rolled up the black form-fitting sleeves covering his forearms to his elbows.
A careful toss saw the armour pieces land on a nearby settee.
The Emperor flexed his bared hands, muscles rippling up and down his forearms like a grassy field during a calm breeze. "My body, my power, was not yet strong. Mirko was a fearsome opponent by any measure in those times, undaunted by any challenge before her. I learned a great deal from her. Please excuse me for a moment. I find this plate a tad tedious at times."
He made his way behind a large folding screen depicting a battle that was foreign to her. Servitors rushed from the shadows to follow him.
Gazing at the folding screen, Tanaka made out the depiction of the Emperor. His sword and eyes blazed brighter than any fire she'd seen. Hard, angular features cast harsh shadows over his face as he stared his foes down.
The beings in that mural were indescribable things. Horrors seen only in the worst of nightmares.
"I can scarcely imagine you losing to any foe, my Lord," she squeaked. Tanaka cleared her throat, her cheeks burning.
Shifting plate armour and angry hisses met her ears. The Emperor was silent for several moments, a habit of his she'd noticed during their long hours together. He chose his words very carefully when in private. It was a far cry from his public speeches, but it was just as captivating, just as special.
"I am not infallible," the Emperor replied easily. "I have lost many battles, mostly in the beginning. One man cannot overcome all odds without assistance. Many of the more popular historical records gloss over my losses. Most make it seem as if the fault never lied with me."
Silence settled over them for several minutes, each lost in their own thoughts. Eventually, the Emperor stepped out from behind the folding screen garbed in a forest green evening robe large enough to act as her bedspread. The servitors whirred back to the room's shadows.
Tanaka shivered beneath his fiery gaze.
Turning to the window, the Emperor released a heavy sigh. "I never wanted all of this, you know?"
"My Lord?" she gasped.
"Neither did my predecessor." He motioned at the city below with his hand. "We just wanted to help humanity, guide them…unite them and save them from the horrors of the galaxy. From themselves."
Tanaka shook her head. "My Lord, surely-"
"Do not mistake my reluctance for regret, Chronicler." The Emperor fell onto the settee in a boneless heap, his mournful eyes lost in the distant city. "It is my greatest honour to serve humanity as I do. But I never wanted to be a singular ruler. That title was thrust upon me. I just wanted to be a hero."
Glass scraped marble floor, the servitor mindlessly sweeping glittering, red-stained shards into its rag.
And, for the first time, Tanaka could not dare to question something so profound, so foreign. She wanted nothing more than to end the story and erase it from her mind. 'The world shouldn't know his private thoughts. Not this, at least.'
The Emperor's shoulders slumped and he muttered, "But we've come full circle, back to the beginning of the end."
◹†◸◹†◸◹†◸◹†◸
High pitched whines pierced his waking ears. Light, blocked by his eyelids, lit his world red. Izuku's nose curled when the odour of chemicals assaulted his nose. He clenched his fists, scratchy sheets filling his palms.
"It's about time you woke up."
Izuku opened his eyes, raising his arm to shield them from the wall of fluorescent light blurring the world around him. "Mirko, what are you doing here?"
The Rabbit Hero stood at the end of his bed. White and purple ribbons of her leotard clung to her costume by mere threads. Her red eyes were locked on him, white brows scrunched in consideration.
"We kicked each others' arses and passed out. Nezu brought us to Recovery Girl. Her quirk is a lifesaver, but it takes a hell of a toll on you." Mirko crossed her arms, her signature smirk settling on her face. "You lost, by the way."
Izuku reached up, rubbing his temples as memories of their fight stampeded through his mind. "I know. I failed."
"I wouldn't say that, kid." She blew a strand of hair from her eyes. "Nezu didn't have much to say when I woke up. Could be a good sign."
Sitting up with a slight ache in his abdomen, Izuku sighed. "Or a bad one. Who knows what he thinks?"
"Nobody does, but I dealt with him enough when I was here to get some reads on him." Mirko leaned down and placed her hands on the end of his bed. Her red eyes squinted above her crinkled nose.
"You were in trouble a lot as a student?" Izuku chuckled.
A quiet grunt left her lips, her intense gaze never wavering. Izuku met her stare head on. His stomach squirmed.
"What the hell are you?" Mirko pointed at him. "And don't feed me the story from earlier. That might work on the other idiots, but I know it's bullshit."
"I don't know what you mean," he replied.
Her stare deepend into a furious scowl. "Did you know it's impossible to have multiple quirks? It overloads the brain and body until everything stops functioning. You'll die."
"What's your point, Mirko?"
The heroine stood up to her full height. "What you can do? Telekinesis? Teleporting? Shooting fire from your fists? That's impossible. Your story about your quirk is bullshit."
Expectant red eyes stared down at him. Mirko crossed her arms, a lone white brow disappearing into her hairline.
"I don't see how that's any of your business." Izuku pushed himself against the sterile white wall behind him. "I am what I am."
Her ears twitched and a growl vibrated from her throat. "I want answers, and I'll get them," she hissed.
White tail fluffed as if she'd been electrified, Mirko stormed from the aid station. "Nezu."
She moved aside as the principal made his way into the room.
The door slammed behind her.
"I see you've made a new friend," Nezu chuckled.
"She's very…determined." Izuku sighed and rubbed his temples. "How long was I unconscious?"
Hopping up onto the bed between Izuku's feet, Nezu replied, "Only a few hours. Your injuries, while not too severe, took a lot of your body's remaining energy when Recovery Girl healed you. Oddly, your body had begun repairing itself before she even applied her quirk."
Izuku hummed. "And your test? Did I meet your expectations?"
"You exceeded them." Nezu's eyes flashed.
"So you accept my proposal?"
"What do you really want, Mr. Midoriya?" The principal walked toward Izuku, standing less than a metre in front of his face. "You have enough natural power to one day rival the best of heroes and the worst of villains. Do you seek to rule over people? Upend society and cause chaos? Forgive me, but you are an unknown."
Brow furrowed, Izuku took a moment to consider his words.
"And despite your wonderful poker face," Nezu began, "please be aware I will know if you lie to me. You still have a great deal to learn about a great deal of subjects."
"I…" Izuku stared down into the principal's steely eyes. "I don't want to rule. I'm not interested in that. I just… I want to help, but I don't know how. Not by myself, at least."
Nezu's whiskers twitched, his gaze not leaving Izuku's for several moments.
"Very well," he answered with a clap of his hands. "I accept your proposal, with conditions of my own, of course."
"Those being?"
Waving a paw, the diminutive creature continued, "Nothing too major, of course. Firstly, we will continue with the ruse that you are my 'secret' protege. If questioned, it will be believable based solely on your capabilities."
Izuku scoffed. "Capabilities that saw me lose. How do we know Mirko will keep our involvement a secret?"
A wicked gleam shown in Nezu's eyes. "I have my ways to ensure her…cooperation. Forging on! I will draw up the proper paperwork to ensure nothing is questioned too deeply, but you will have to test for your provisional licence soon. It will be a solo test, nothing you should fear failing, but we will train for it all the same."
"Reasonable." Izuku rubbed his chin. "It would do well for me to intern with a hero agency. Perhaps I could glean information I'd not be privy to otherwise as well as gain experience in the field."
Nezu nodded. "My thoughts exactly, Mr. Midoriya. Outside of that, I'll have missions for you from time to time. Nothing too serious, of course, but the work will not be…officially sanctioned."
"Anything else, Principal Nezu?"
"Two things." The small creature held up his paw, two claws extended. "The first is that I wish to continue our conversations. I want to know more about you and your powers. Perhaps I could be of some assistance. The next is to keep an eye out for Mirko."
Izuku furrowed his brow. "Why? She only respects strength and she beat me. So what if she's curious? She'll forget about me the moment a strong villain shows up."
A devious smirk stretched the principal's snout. "Very true, but you've caught her interest. I doubt she will let someone who could challenge her go so easily. I'll be in contact soon to let you know when we are ready for your use of our facilities, Mr. Midoriya. 'Til next we meet."
With a raised paw, Nezu hopped down from the bunk and stopped at the door.
"Oh, and, Mr. Midoriya?" Nezu glanced over his shoulder, his face flat. "If you betray my trust at any point rest assured you will not live to see another day."
Izuku raised a brow. "And you believe you could kill me? You said it yourself, Principal, I will only grow stronger with time."
"Plans within plans, Mr. Midoriya. Plans within plans." Nezu exited the room with nary a sound.
'He never waited to see if I agreed with his proposals… Clever bastard.'
