25/05/2024

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The Emperor's Dragon
Dragon 22 - Debrief

The instant Kurogiri's portal closed behind him, Izuku felt a wave of exhaustion hit him. It wasn't physical exhaustion. Between the new quirk he'd gotten and his light vest, he had plenty of physical energy, it was mental exhaustion. But he couldn't rest quite yet. Everyone was looking at Yakuni questioningly. The young man didn't seem concerned but Izuku knew it was sometimes difficult to introduce new people to a group.

"This is Yakuni," he said before anyone could ask.

"You said that," Whisper told him.

Izuku nodded. "He works for me," he continued.

At that Yakuni gave a snort of laughter. "Why don't I do it?" he offered.

Izuku gestured for him to continue and Yakuni took over while his mind displayed its exhaustion by flitting from topic to topic randomly.

"My name is Yakunita Tanaihito," the young man introduced himself to the villains with a sunny smile. "I was recruited as an assistant to Doctor Ujiko, and then found myself working for Dragon here. The arrangement's a bit vague," he added with a chuckle.

Izuku felt a smile crease his features but his mind wasn't on it. Through the tiredness he was feeling, he could feel his mind reaching towards something Himiko had told him. He'd moved to attack the Shie Hassaikai because they'd attacked Himiko it wasn't odd that he was trying to think of something from her.

"But you get paid?" Whisper asked.

Yakuni frowned. "I do," he said. "Mostly I've been- Hmm… how to phrase this?" he murmured. "Acquiring quirks for Dragon."

"You can take them?" Mr Compress appeared surprised.

Yakuni laughed. "No. I know how to copy them. I just need a genetic sample," he explained with a shrug.

"You can copy quirks?"

The young man nodded.

"What is your quirk?" Dabi asked.

Yakuni gave him a toothy grin. "Quirkless."

"Bullshit!" Dabi snapped. "I saw you then-" he waved one hand, referring back to the room at the Shie Hassaikai base. Yakuni had been throwing everything that wasn't bolted down into his Pocket.

"Born quirkless," the young man clarified. "Dragon gave me Pocket," he shrugged.

Izuku nodded absently but his mind was still on Himiko. It was at his apartment. I've met Handsy before, that's what she'd said.

He hadn't thought about it at the time but he should have.

"Where did you get it from?" Whisper asked him.

Izuku blinked at her. "From Atsushi Ueno," he replied.

He didn't really register the surprised looks his answer generated.

"Do you mean to tell me I have the original?" Yakuni said.

Izuku shook his head. "We've both got copies. I think one of the Nomu has the original." He wasn't really thinking about the answer, so didn't see the surprised looks he got.

"The person is a Nomu?"

"Probably," Yakuni answered.

"That doesn't bother you?"

"They probably deserved it," he said before shaking his head. "Look, when you are quirkless, you tend not to give a shit about what happens to those with quirks," he explained. "You have more pressing issues to think about."

"Like?" Mr Compress prompted.

"Like where your next meal is coming from. Where is it safe to sleep? How to stay warm," Yakuni said. "I got lucky," he was earnest. "Most aren't."

Izuku ignored that he turned towards Kurogiri. He could feel his tired mind reaching towards a conclusion.

"So you are a spy for Dragon?" Dabi asked, ignoring the rest.

Yakuni shook his head. "Mostly I've been collecting quirks. I was with the Shie Hassaikai because Duruma sent me there," he explained.

"He won't be doing that again," Izuku murmured without thinking but he meant it. The Doctor would not be ordering Yakuni again, at least not without his permission.

I've met him, Himiko had said. He asked me to come with him a few years back. I don't remember him much but Kurogiri was there too.

That's what she'd said. What would Tomura have been there for? Why had he seen Himiko? It made no sense. Why would she be som-

Her quirk.

Izuku felt a stab of frustration. He should just sleep on this but he had the feeling it was important, and if he was less tired, he'd have already worked it out.

"Dragon?" Mr Compress asked.

Izuku's head snapped up and he looked at the magician.

He could tell that Izuku hadn't been paying attention. "We should do something with these," Mr Compress suggested, indicating towards the Yakuza the Nomu were carrying.

It took him a moment to comprehend the words before Izuku nodded. He forcibly dragged his mind to the task at hand, telling himself that the sooner it was done, the sooner he could rest. "Yakuni, you wanted one of them, didn't you?"

The young man nodded and looked over the Yakuza. "I didn't realise he'd been fried. Can I take them all?"

"You can make them all?" Izuku asked.

"I think so."

Izuku waved one hand to say he had no objection to that.

"You aren't going to use Eri's quirk now, are you?" Yakuni asked.

There was a note of warning in his voice.

"Shouldn't he? He should!" Twice said.

"I think you should practice before you use it on someone," Yakuni said. "One of the reasons she didn't like it was an accident at first activation."

"They were fast to tell you about that?" Izuku joked. It was predictable. People were always eager to tell others about the horrors of things.

"Something like that," he admitted. "I was working with her on control but she kept over doing it and… apples went to nothing a lot."

Izuku nodded. "Practice and then Himiko," he said before he had a new realisation. "And Ochaco!" He was really tired if it had taken him this long to make the connection.

"Maybe not," Yakuni said softly.

"Why not?"

"Apart from needing practice?" Yakuni shrugged. "I never really got to the bottom of it, but her quirk required some sort of energy to use. There were days when she couldn't use it."

"Energy?"

"Not physical energy, something else," Yakuni tried to explain before he peered at Izuku, assessing him. "Just don't use it now. Rest first," he advised.

Izuku nodded and would have gone for rest but Whisper interrupted. "How many bullets are out there?" she gestured vaguely.

"Not many," came the immediate response. "Overhaul was just getting started. There's some temporary ones out there to prove that the concept works. He practically gave them away, but the permanent ones Overhaul kept for himself. So, given that I grabbed them, there might be one more?" Yakuni mused.

"How long are the temporary bullets?" Dabi demanded.

"Most are a day or two, some are a month."

"It would seem prudent then to give you a genetic sample to make a copy of our quirks," Mr Compress said slowly.

From the corner of his eye Izuku saw Yakuni nod. "Then Dragon could transfer it to you if anything happened," the young man said.

"While we may have the Shie Hassaikai's results, the concept exists now," the magician pointed out.

Izuku barely heard him. At the word copy his mind latched on to another memory. I am not healed, my Little Dragon. This is merely the effect of a quirk. Dad had said that, that time when he'd been… Izuku bit his lip. He'd never thought about it at the time, because he'd been too happy to see his Dad whole but… What if that quirk was copied? It could have been. Dad had been injured and was being careful. And Yakuni had figured out how to copy quirks then, so it would have been easy to get a genetic sample to make a copy, without alerting the heroes as to what was going on. It would have been safer as well.

It was a shape changing quirk.

Was he reaching too far and making conclusions that suited him? Could his dad have gotten a copy of Himiko's quirk? And if he had, why hadn't he told him?

The answer to that last bit was easy. Tomura had been sent to get the sample and he hadn't used the one piece of information which would have encouraged Himiko to go with him.

But then, why hadn't his Dad ever told him?

He was tired but he couldn't think of any reason for that… except that Dad didn't have a way of contacting Himiko. Except he did… He'd sent Tomura and-

Izuku shook his head slightly. It was confusing and for the moment, not the thing he wanted to focus on. "Yakuni, can you remember the quirks you've copied?" He asked suddenly.

"Some of them," he replied.

"Have you ever copied a shape changing quirk?" Izuku asked.

"Yeah, I copied one for your Dad," he admitted easily.

"Was the genetic material blonde?"

That question got everyone looking at him. Izuku just watched Yakuni. "I think so," he said. "I can make another copy to check."

"Make the copy," Izuku instructed, "but I'm pretty sure I know where it's from," he added. He wasn't sure what to feel about this. His Dad might have sent Tomura for the mission but… Why hadn't he sent him? Why hadn't he told him?

Yakuni was quick on the uptake. "Got it," he murmured. "Anyway, let me get going with this lot, and then we can properly debrief in the morning, when you are awake," he said.

That caused the others to look at him.

Twice gave a laugh and Mr Compress nodded. "We should do that," he agreed.

"I'm not that tired," Izuku objected.

That earned him more laughter. "You are that tired," Mr Compress told him firmly. Kurogiri nodded his agreement. "We've got everything from the Shie Hassaikai, so rest for now. Tomorrow, you can think of other things."

"There's always something to think of," Yakuni reminded him.

Izuku wanted to object to that. He really did but it was the truth. "All right," he agreed. "We'll continue tomorrow." It would give him time to think about why his father hadn't told him anything… and he could sleep and then talk to Yakuni about what he'd been doing.

For now though, he was happy for the chance to rest.

-ted-

The Hero Gunhead rubbed at his temples. He had a splitting headache but he knew the importance of debriefing, and he knew it was important that it be done as close to the incident as possible. That's why he was sitting across the table from Sir Nighteye and All Might.

They'd already reviewed the footage from the Police's body cameras and the street security cameras, and that had confirmed the villain really was Izuku. He'd recognised him early and had called in reinforcements but Izuku had managed to get away.

The other villains, the Yakuza who called themself the Shie Hassaikai were still going through processing but he'd been told they'd been arrogantly assured of themselves before becoming subdued. No one was sure what had subdued them but reportedly they'd simply said 'it is gone'.

"Just go through what you remember," All Might advised gently. In any other circumstance, Gunhead would be really interested in talking to the Number One Hero. Now, the sheer sense of focus coming from the man was telling him that the situation was far more complicated than he believed. The Number One Hero had always projected a sense of calm, of reassurance but he wasn't at the moment. All Gunhead could feel was concern, and it wasn't for him.

The Battle Hero, Gunhead nodded carefully, so as not to set off his aching head. "We were doing backup for Captain Teiko Meishu's raid when the newcomers appeared."

"How'd they appear?" Sir Nighteye asked the question intently.

"By a quirk," he told them, and then recalled where he'd seen something similar. "The same quirk that villain used," Gunhead said.

All Might seemed to understand the reference. "Liquid or a floating black disk?" he asked for clarification.

"The disk," Gunhead confirmed.

All Might nodded, and made a note of something. It was disconcerting seeing him in his small form. He still had the same sheer force of presence as always but without the physical bulk.

"I didn't know who it was at first but then Izuku took off his helmet and I recognised him. And the villain Twice," Gunhead added. "They were let into the Shie Hassaikai compound quickly so they must have been expected."

The two heroes nodded but Gunhead knew they weren't pleased. No one was pleased when a known villain was visiting another. "I called for backup and got the Police to hold the raid but then there was a gunshot," he continued. "Everyone charged, I went for the villains," Gunhead told them.

"Then?" Sir Nighteye prompted.

This was the bit he wasn't clear on but all he could do was tell them. "I got to the room ahead of the Police and I could see that the girl with Izuku had been shot. I didn't get a lot of time to look but by then, Twice was carrying the girl and-" Gunhead could see the image as clear as day in his mind from when he'd looked into the room. The three Yakuza who he'd been warned about, and who Captain Meishu had shown the entire raid squad images of were all slumped over. They were unconscious and it had been that complete incongruity that had made him pause for an instant. The obvious conclusion was that Izuku had done something. The immediate question from that was what? It had been at that moment Gunhead had believed the statements Daiki Yaoyozoru had made, that the teen's quirk allowed him to steal other quirks.

Then he realised he had to confront Izuku. He'd ruthlessly pushed down his fear. He was a career hero! He'd never felt that amount of fear before but he had gathered himself and before he could think anything further, he launched an attack.

"By the time I got there, the kid had knocked out the Yakuza," he told the two heroes. Gunhead shook his head. "I don't know how, and I didn't see it happen," Gunhead reported. "I then went for Izuku."

All Might nodded in a way that encouraged him to continue.

"I don't know what happened because the next thing I know I was with the paramedics," Gunhead told him.

"Try to remember," All Might said gently. "Any details would be beneficial."

Gunhead nodded. He knew the drill. He closed his eyes and went through the actions he'd taken. "Izuku's back was to me, and I went in, intending to arrest him. I got close to him, I know that and then-" He shrugged.

Sir Nighteye shared a glance with All Might.

"Did Izuku touch you?"

"What do you mean?" Gunhead asked.

"How do you think Izuku knocked you out?" All Might returned his own question.

Gunhead shook his head. "I don't know, but he did. Probably with his quirk," Gunhead replied.

"Did Izuku touch you?" Sir Nighteye asked again, more insistent this time.

Gunhead focused on the instant. "He somehow sensed me coming and lashed out," he said slowly as he focused on his memory. It was just an instant but as he recalled, it became clear in his mind. Izuku had lashed out at him, and had clipped his face. "Yes, he did," he replied.

"It's the same," Sir Nighteye said to All Might.

"It's a lot faster," the Number One Hero replied.

Gunhead just listened.

Sir Nighteye nodded at All Might's retort, acknowledging the truth before he frowned slightly. "Why did he give it back?"

At the question, All Might jerked. It was obvious he hadn't thought of the question his sidekick asked him, though Gunhead wasn't sure exactly what Sir Nighteye meant.

The two of them turned back to him. "You still have your quirk?" All Might asked intently.

Realisation dawned on him. They were talking about his quirk. Gunhead nodded. "I still have it," he confirmed, "but that's how he knocked me out, isn't it?"

All Might nodded. "His quirk allows him to take other people's quirk's and use them himself."

It was kind of a relief to know that. He still felt bad that he'd been taken out so easily but with a quirk like that… It was understandable why All Might was interested in this teenage villain. But now that he understood that, Gunhead understood Sir Nighteye's question and he had no answer. Why had Izuku given back his quirk?

Another realisation dawned upon him. This is what the Shie Hassaikai meant when they said 'it is gone'. They were talking about their quirks. Izuku had taken them… which is how he'd knocked them out too.

And he hadn't given back the Shie Hassaikai member's quirks.

That was truly a terrifying quirk. He felt… He wasn't sure what to feel about the knowledge that Izuku had given his quirk back and he couldn't think why it would be the case. The teen obviously had no scruples about keeping others, and Gunhead wasn't so naive as to believe it was because he was a hero.

"Why did he give it back?" Gunhead asked.

Sir Nighteye shook his head to indicate he didn't know but All Might seemed thoughtful. "You took Ochaco Uraraka for work experience, didn't you?" he asked, as if he'd just recalled that information.

Gunhead nodded.

All Might sighed. "Izuku," he murmured the name.

"He gave it back because of her?" Gunhead demanded.

"It's the only reason I can think of," All Might told him. "Izuku seems to care for his friends, and, from what I understand, you taught her a lot."

Gunhead stared at All Might. There was no way the Number One Hero knew that but it was not his place to call him out on that. "She did come to me for work experience," he admitted. "She did well." He was really sorry to hear about what had happened.

"Izuku is very supportive of his friends," All Might said.

"And that was enough to give it back?" Gunhead asked. At least no one was suggesting he'd made a deal with the villain but he knew someone would.

"It could be," All Might told him.

Gunhead nodded. "So distance fighters only?"

All Might sighed, and then nodded his agreement. "It's going to be difficult," he told him.

That was putting it mildly and while Gunhead was a hero, he was suddenly thankful that taking down Izuku wasn't his job. He wasn't sure…

He wasn't a coward but- He really didn't want to encounter that teen again.

-ted-

The Police and Heroes are not stupid, but they really really don't want Izuku to have 'Ranged All For One'. Both All Might and Sir Nighteye suspect it but while things can be explained by Izuku touching someone, they are going with that. In this case, someone really does need to go talk to Kai and co and ask some very pointed questions. The panic if Izuku can take a quirk from a distance would be much higher.

Now... onwards to UA! Wait... why?

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! Not just about MHA.

-ted-

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