26/10/2024

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The Emperor's Dragon
Dragon 63 - Lighting the Fire

When there were large villain attacks, the communication system was designed to use geolocation to warn those in the area to stay away. The bigger the attack, or disaster, the more people were contacted. That system could be co-opted to let everyone in the country know when there was some large event as well. Usually that functionality was restricted to announcing the result of elections but sometimes, someone thought something else was big enough to warrant national notification.

There were rules but it was still a matter of debate in some communities as to what was important enough.

That's why Izuku was, at first, a bit annoyed when everyone's phone buzzed with a message at the same time. The particular tone of the buzz meant that it was an information notification not a villain event. It meant there was something big happening. Most of the bar ignored it. Notifications like that didn't impact them but a few did look to see what was going on.

"Could someone put the TV on now?" Muko asked. He was in the bar as a client and was sitting with Kamoni. The two of them appeared to be getting along.

"What is it?" Kurogiri asked curiously.

"All it says is that there will be an announcement from All Might," Kamoni told the barkeeper.

That led to a round of jeers, but Izuku knew they'd better find out what it was. He suspected he knew. It was overdue. He nodded at Kurogiri and the misty man picked up the remote and turned on the screen, flicking to the news channel.

It showed a typical media conference room. The logo on the back wall indicated the room was in All Might's agency. There was a long table but only two chairs behind it and two microphones set up. The tablecloth went to the ground, at least on the side they could see.

"Finally," Izuku sighed. It was loud enough to be heard.

"What do you mean?" Dabi demanded.

Izuku looked over at the fire villain. "You know what," he told him.

"Now?" Dabi seemed surprised.

"If he doesn't do it now, then he's gonna go down," Izuku noted.

Dabi thought about that for a moment or two before he nodded.

"What are you talking about?" Twice demanded, with a rare example of a time where he did not contradict his question.

"Just watch," Dabi said with a bright smile.

Kurogiri lifted the remote and everyone watched as the volume symbol rose. While no one was on screen, there was a voice over. "... and we are just waiting now for All Might to appear. For those of you just joining us, earlier today All Might's agency announced that the Number One Hero would be giving a press conference. Speculation is running rife as to what will be the focus but there are hopes this will mean he's caught the new villain, Dragon and will be able to force him to return the quirks he stole."

That announcement caused most of the bar to look at Izuku, who snorted and shrugged his shoulders. He was very visibly here so that rumour was complete hogwash.

"Other rumours suggest that it's a more personal reason behind the conference with the suggestion that All Might will announce his retirement."

At that Izuku nodded. It was a far more reasonable suggestion, though he knew that the rest of the world would be gasping and demanding that it not happen, with the HPSC leading the charge on that one.

"Ah, they are coming on now!" the voice over announced unnecessarily when the camera shifted to show a door on the side of the stage open and three people appeared. Izuku didn't recognise the first one, a woman but she immediately turned away from the stage, and he did recognise the two behind her. Sir Nighteye and All Might.

All Might was in his small form. That was interesting. It had been all over the news that the man had one and it had seemed as if he was using it more but… Did that mean he couldn't be in his large form? Or was it a symbol of something else? Like he was conserving power… Did that mean that All Might had passed on One For All?

Izuku bit his lip. He really wished he could see quirks through screens but whatever it was that Dragon's Hoard allowed him to see was not picked up on broadcast.

"You look like you've swallowed a sour plum," Whisper murmured from his side.

Izuku looked over at her and gave a weak smile. "I'm gonna have to get a look at All Might. In person," he told her.

She frowned.

"I'll explain after," he said as Sir Nighteye and All Might took their positions. They'd obviously banned photography since the light on them was steady and … well they couldn't see the rest of the room. It was probably packed with reporters and their cameras so there would be no need for photography when you could get as many images as you wanted from the other cameras.

"Thank you for coming," All Might said, nodding to the room behind the camera.

The screen showed the Number One Hero look down to the tabletop, with a soft smile on his face. "This has been both a difficult decision and an easy decision for me, but I have asked you to come today so that I may announce my retirement." All Might looked up into the camera when he said that.

Izuku stared at the screen. He had been expecting this, but it was still a shock to hear it. All Might paused as the gathered reports all shouted at him and Izuku became aware of the bar looking at him. "I knew this was coming," he announced, nodding towards the screen as All Might called for some semblance of order.

The Hero didn't take questions. "I have had a long career in Heroics, and when I look back upon it…" All Might paused, before he sighed for the cameras. "I will always regret those I couldn't save, but I remember those I did save, those who I inspired. It has been my pleasure, and honour to serve the people of the world. I have not, and cannot measure my success, in the accolades I am both humbled and honoured to have been awarded. I measure success by the joy and the peace that the people have felt, by the support I've given to people. Because peace is something we all deserve. And support is something everyone needs now and then.

"Even I need support, and I have been blessed to be supported by everyone!"

Logically, Izuku knew that retirement speeches were somewhat cheesy, and that All Might's would take the American fondness for cheese and pile it on but actually hearing it… That was a different thing. It was just over the top. And when he said that he had been supported, All Might said nothing of the suffering he'd caused. Of course, the hero probably believed that Izuku's suffering was caused by his Dad but that wasn't the case. If All Might hadn't attacked his dad then-

Izuku mentally shook his head. He was being naive again. All Might had attacked his Dad because his Dad was a villain. Hero attacks were an occupational hazard. But that action had caused him to suffer, and the Hero probably didn't think about that. The real injustice was the way the system worked, not just how it impacted him. Through those impacts though he had seen the inconsistencies. Ochaco had been expelled because of a connection she might have had, and those who were vigilantes were just given a slap on the wrist. Not even that.

If the system had been more consistent, even if it wasn't fair, then maybe he'd feel differently. Though Izuku knew, from his studies, that if the system wasn't fair, then he'd want to take it down because when a system wasn't fair, there had to be someone benefiting from it. Just as there was now. It was the consistency he wanted. And to change the way people judged quirks solely on a perception of what they did.

This time he sighed. He didn't want much. Just to change human nature. But human nature could be altered, just so long as it had the right framework. Hero society was most definitely not the right framework. Izuku wasn't sure what was.

He turned his attention back to the screen.

All Might was still talking. "... and the majority of that support has come from you. From everyone here, and out there. I couldn't have done the job that I have without the support you have all shown me and for that, I thank you from the bottom of my heart."

The Number One Hero actually bowed. There were a few gasps picked up on the audio, but Izuku simply raised one eyebrow as he watched the screen. It wasn't every day that the Number One Hero bowed but it would have much more impact if he was actually in his hero form, rather than his small one. This one just looked like a tall businessman attempting to win favour.

At least, that's what it looked like to him. To others, it would have impact, if a few of the gazes Izuku could see were any indication. People were just so used to the system and just so used to All Might being Number One.

However, even this represented the start of an opportunity.

Izuku fixed a bored expression on his features as he continued to watch. It appeared that All Might had come to the end of his speech and was going to allow a few questions. Given the clamour they could hear, that's what it sounded like.

"Yes, Chosa," All Might picked out one of the reporters who was off screen.

"Thank you," a woman's voice said. It was vaguely familiar, in the way that you knew you'd heard it before. "Who do you consider to be the most dangerous villain you've taken down?" she asked.

The question caused Izuku to realise where he had heard her voice before. Everyone had heard her voice! She was the reporter who had been at Kamino. He clenched his fist. He knew what All Might would answer.

"They have all been dangerous," the hero said but everyone knew that was a cop out answer and as they watched, All Might sighed and gave the reporter a rueful smile. "I believe the most dangerous was the man I fought at Kamino," he continued. "His strength was obviously a factor, but his ideals and charisma were far more dangerous."

"His ideals?" The question wasn't shouted down, so others obviously wanted to hear the answer.

"They are insidious," All Might said flatly. "His followers are-" The Number One Hero didn't finish the sentence as he shook his head. "He was, by far, the most dangerous," he concluded solemnly, without actually saying much.

There was a gravity to the words and for a moment, the reporters were silent, but they were paid to ignore such things as personal feelings, and it was only a few seconds before more questions were shouted at All Might. Izuku heard the clear one. "All Might, what is your quirk?"

The hero laughed at the question. He had been asked it many times in the past but always steered the question aside, giving an answer that wasn't actually an answer. "Jouho," All Might said, looking at the reporter. "You know I'm not going to answer that one," he joked.

That was a new answer in itself.

"Oh, come on!" the man said, but he did seem playful about it.

"No," All Might shook his head but was grinning.

"What is your greatest regret?" someone else asked before the off-screen reporter pack could start yelling again.

The question caused the smile on All Might's face to fade, and he looked down at the table. The hero gulped and the world could see that he was actually filled with remorse. At least, that's what it looked like. Izuku knew better than to assume.

"Looking back, there are many regrets," All Might said gravely. "I regret everyone I couldn't save," he continued. "And more so, I regret everyone who didn't want to be saved."

"Don't want to be saved?" the question came from the reporters.

"Those people who are so enamoured of villainy that they fail to see the good in the world," the Hero actually sounded tired with the statement.

Izuku glared at the screen. He knew exactly who All Might was referring to. Well, there might be others, but the Hero was referencing his father.

"The world can be hard. It can be difficult. But for every hardship, every difficulty, there is joy, there is love, there is goodness and beauty, you just have to look for it. Most of us at least try to see that, but there are those who don't… who are enamoured of themselves and only see the so-called injustices against them, when they are blessed. Those selfish people don't believe in the kindness of others, in the goodness of the world. They don't want to see it. And I couldn't save them, and I couldn't find a way to help them… and I," the hero sighed. "I regret that."

Izuku knew, with that explanation, most of the world would be saying that the problem was clearly with the unmentioned people All Might couldn't save, and there would not be even a moment of blame placed on the Hero but that really was only half the story… and it was half the story cast to show the hero in the best possible light.

"So, what would you tell people like that?" Someone asked.

"I would say it to everyone," All Might replied. "We all need to work together to make the world a better place so I would encourage everyone to ask themselves when they are in a situation where they face a choice… they should always go with the kind choice. Everyone has the ability to help others, we just have to make that choice."

Izuku huffed and leaned forward to rest his cheek on one hand. "At least he's helping us by retiring?" he offered the suggestion. It helped control his anger.

The bar laughed. While most of the clientele were just regular people, with regular jobs, working hard and… mostly within the law, they were the type of people for whom heroes were a hindrance rather than a help. The people in this neighbourhood relied on each other, not on an over paid public servant who was more interested in publicity than truly helping.

"What will you do now?" Another reporter asked.

That was a mildly interesting question, but Izuku thought he knew.

"I have had a great career, spanning many years in Heroics and so, I will now, humbly pass on what I have learned to the heroes of tomorrow."

The response was what Izuku thought it would be, and it was surprisingly less pompous than it could have been. It was still self-serving. Izuku tapped his free fingers on the table. While All Might said he would concentrate on teaching, it would be naive to believe that he would not take part in what the heroes would probably call special operations. All Might would still be a danger, but not, necessarily an immediate danger, that would be Endeavor.

Izuku glanced towards Dabi and saw the moment the fire villain came to the same realisation. He raised one eyebrow and gave the dark-haired villain a smile.

Dabi rolled his blue eyes but nodded, accepting the silent rebuke. Izuku had told him that things would happen this way.

They looked back at the screen, but the press conference was wrapping up. No doubt All Might could speak for longer and there would probably be private interviews in the near future but that was not now. On the screen All Might and Sir Nighteye got up from the table and walked to the side of the table before going through the door they had entered from earlier. All the camera showed was that the room was dark and then the screen blinked back to a studio.

"Wow," the reporter said, looking at the camera. "That is groundbreaking news!" they announced.

"It is," the other anchor agreed. Izuku vaguely remembered that they were called Sonoho, which was a perfectly pointless memory. Sonoho raised a hand to their ear and appeared to be listening to something. "We'll be broadcasting the entire interview again in two hours and will be bringing you highlights of All Might's spectacular career over the next few days, as well as interviews with experts to outline how the world will change."

Before they could hear much more, Kurogiri clicked the screen to mute.

"Thank you," Izuku sighed as he closed his eyes.

This was an interesting development, but it was one that he had expected. From the day he had seen the real form of All Might, the hero's retirement was imminent, which was probably why his father had fought so hard to show the world All Might's injury and true form.

Everyone knew, but wouldn't admit it, that Endeavor was not an equal replacement to All Might. The Fire Hero probably knew it as well and he'd be best served if he approached the position differently from All Might but he wouldn't… The public would make comparisons between the two, and Endeavor, if he was trying to be the same as All Might, would be found lacking. Or it was possible Endeavor would know that, and would do things differently… Either way, the clock was ticking on their opportunity to act.

If they waited too long, and the public found Endeavor lacking, then it would not be a shock to remove him. That time would be extended if the public found Endeavor acceptable, but it was best to assume the worst.

Izuku looked around the bar, lifting his head and meeting the eyes of the people who had agreed to follow him.

"Well, we've got work to do," he announced. That could mean a lot of things but those in the know knew exactly what he meant.

-ted-

All Might retired and Izuku's really preparing to enter the world of heroes and villains as an active participant. Thus far he's been reactive but his next movement will be fully planned and that, I think is a bit more of a measure of worth.

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-

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