24/12/2024

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The Emperor's Dragon
Dragon 81 - Marshalling the Troops

Yakuni was exhausted. But it was a good exhaustion. After a short break to watch the top ten of the Hero Billboard last night, he'd resumed work, waking up, and preparing all the Nomu. If Dragon was going to assault Tartarus, then there was no such thing as too much force.

And if Dragon was going to level Tartarus, then it was going to be levelled down to the sea bed. Besides, Yakuni knew how much getting his father back meant to Dragon. He knew how much it meant to him.

While his first loyalty was to Dragon, Yakuni was very much aware how much he owed Dragon's father. And he was aware of how much experience the man had. People might see it as a weakness for Dragon to be freeing his father. They'd see it as him not being independent. People were not looking at the whole picture. With Dragon's father contributing to a plan…

The heroes, and the oppression they represented would be destroyed much faster.

So that's why he'd spent the night waking up the Nomu. And he'd gotten some of Twice's clones, copied especially from Kurogiri to help him gather the Nomu into a couple of holding warehouses. The more powerful Nomu were with him now.

The Doctor had - well, there was no delicate way of putting this - screwed up with the hospital but at least he had recognised that having Tomura, the All For One holder and the High Ends he had been working on there was too much of a risk and had moved the High Ends to another facility. Pity he hadn't kept All For One's holder where it should have been, with Gigantomachia.

But that had been put right, and now, the High Ends were here. They were eager to meet their master and eager to please. With them, and the Near High Ends… Breaking into Tartarus should be simple. Breaking out, even simpler.

The distraction would probably be the most dangerous job today, but Yakuni had an idea to help with that. Dabi had not agreed to extra quirks and while Yakuni didn't doubt his ability, he knew Izuku would be devastated if something happened to him.

Even if Dabi caused issues.

So… he had an idea to potentially ensure Dabi came back.

And if afterwards, Dabi didn't like it, then a first pass of Nomufication would ensure that the villain didn't bother to mention it to Dragon.

Besides, there was always a chance, a pretty good one actually, given the way he'd customised the Nomu to face off against Endeavor, that his idea would not be necessary.

It had actually been interesting watching the High Ends. The ones the Doctor had made knew each other. They'd been developed together. They were a bit surprised to see another one. The Doctor had transferred the High Ends to his facility, but Yakuni had kept Rappa and the other Shie Hassaikai separate.

Rappa had stared at Hood, and for a moment Yakuni had thought the two of them would go for each other. He'd managed to avoid that disaster by telling them that they'd both have targets to fight tomorrow.

Yakuni suspected he was aided by the fact the Nomu knew they shouldn't fight each other. The problem was the High Ends wanted to fight. And they wanted to find out which of them was the strongest.

It didn't matter. They were waiting now and Yakuni had broken off the Shie Hassaikai Nomu into a group slightly separate from the others. There was another, small Nomu with the Shie Hassaikai Nomu. If everything went well, then it would do nothing.

He yawned hugely just as Izuku came in, trailed by Gigantomachia who was carrying the quirk holder.

Yakuni blinked and corrected his thought. Given the way Izuku was dressed, it was Dragon who had come in. He was wearing form fitting black leathers with electric green highlights. Actually, it wasn't leather. It looked like leather, but it wasn't. With the way Izuku could destroy a costume, there was no point in wasting money on leather. The suit included gloves, and Yakuni wondered if the fabric had been tailored but realised, it probably hadn't been. It had a high neck and while the highlights were laid out in lines, when you looked closely, you could see that they also resembled scales.

It wasn't a flashy costume. There were no horns or fangs or anything like that but…

Dragon's presence was here though, in the way Izuku carried himself, in the way he projected his persona. His costume didn't have to be flashy to achieve that.

Yakuni recalled the first time he'd seen this costume. It had been in the Shie Hassaikai lab, and Dragon had worn a helmet with it and had projected the sense of his presence even more strongly. Or maybe Yakuni was just getting used to Izuku? After all, he wasn't an enemy, so he didn't need to worry about Dragon.

Right now, the formerly quirkless young man was too tired to think about it but he recognised with Dragon projecting his presence, the Nomu knew who their master was. The Nomu didn't give a shit about costumes. They just cared about power. And Dragon was showing he had power to spare.

It was still before dawn, and it was going to be a long day for them all. "They are ready," Yakuni told him.

Dragon nodded, and then looked sharply at him. "You've been up all night?"

Yakuni nodded. "Had to get them all ready," he repeated, and then gave a snort. "This way they all got stabilisation time."

Izuku grinned. He understood what it was like to be tired. He was going to be that way tonight. "Thank you." The tone was sincere. Yakuni knew Dragon meant it and it just reaffirmed his loyalty. Dragon truly cared. Even when he knew you were loyal, he cared, and he didn't treat you as if you were some disposable pawn. Your work, even though you'd agreed to do it, was still appreciated.

"Before you get to bed, do you have a spare regeneration?"

Yakuni waved at one wall. There were small tanks there. It was where he kept quirks that weren't needed yet. Regeneration was one they had lots of. Even in lower level Nomu it was useful. "The canisters numbered 55."

"Thank you. Why don't you head to the bar, and get some sleep upstairs? It will be quieter," Izuku mused.

He nodded. Right now, it wouldn't matter how noisy it was. He could sleep through anything, but the suggestion was appreciated. "I'll get there."

"And you'll sleep?"

It took Yakuni a moment to realise why Dragon was asking that. With so much going on today, it would be easy to force himself to stay awake to see what happened. "And I'll sleep," Yakuni reassured him. "I want to be awake when I see your dad again," he added.

At that, Izuku grinned and gave him a nod before looking at the Nomu.

They had been looking at him since he'd come in. While Izuku hadn't said anything, the Nomu recognised their master, and in turn, Dragon seemed to know which were the High End ones. He fixed his eyes on one the Doctor had made. "What's your name?" Izuku asked.

"Ribby."

"Can you get me a canister numbered 55, please? Don't break the others," Izuku ordered.

Yakuni didn't smile but he felt it. Dragon was so polite, even to those who didn't have a choice but to obey.

Izuku turned to Gigantomachia while the Nomu went to get the canister. He looked almost regretful. "I don't want you carrying the holder today," Dragon said.

For a moment, the huge man looked stricken. Given what had happened, Gigantomachia had not let the container with All For One in it out of his sight since Kurogiri had retrieved it. Having Izuku say he didn't want Gigantomachia to carry it was to say he didn't trust the huge man.

Izuku shook his head. "I want you to carry it," he corrected. "Just- I don't want you to be seen carrying it. The Police and Heroes will have noticed that it's missing, and we have to assume that the Doctor told them what was in it. If they see it, they are going to target it," he explained.

Gigantomachia actually growled.

"That's why I don't want you to be seen carrying it," Izuku repeated. "But will you consent to carrying All For One?" he asked.

Yakuni knew something of how Gigantomachia gained power. His morale played a large part in his power and right now, he had gone from almost none, to about as powerful as Yakuni had ever seen him.

"I don't need you to rush ahead to Dad. I just need you to be there when we reach him," Izuku warned. "But if you see a quirk or two you think he'll want along the way-" he shrugged.

Gigantomachia grinned and held out his hand.

Izuku took it, though everyone here knew he did not need to touch to transfer the quirk, and a moment later Gigantomachia shivered and then bowed, actually touching his head to the ground before Izuku. "Little Lord," he murmured. There was a note of utter loyalty and reverence in his tone.

"You will do well," Izuku confirmed, as he moved his hand and touched the top of Gigantomachia's head. If anything, Yakuni could feel the man was even more loyal.

Ribby chose that time to bring the canister back. It was the right number and a glance at the wall indicated that the Nomu had not destroyed the others getting it out.

"Thank you," Izuku indicated, and gestured for it to be put down beside the former All For One holder.

The Nomu put it down and then whirled to face the entrance. Dabi, Mr Compress, Himiko, Whisper and Twice had come through the door, followed by Kurogiri

The Nomu immediately lunged to protect Izuku even as he gave them the reassurance that everything was okay.

"Those are-" Mr Compress wasn't sure how to finish. He sounded slightly breathless.

"These are the High End Nomu," Izuku explained, stepping out from behind them.

The group looked at them. Dabi's eyes immediately went to the group that he had seen last night.

"They are ready for you," Yakuni said.

"It might be a bit early though," Izuku murmured.

"We have to let the number one sleep in," Dabi laughed.

Izuku grinned. "And I want the distraction firmly in place before we begin," he added and then gave the fire villain a look.

"I'm sure!" Dabi snapped before he could be asked a question.

"All right!" Izuku agreed.

"What were you going to ask him, Izu?" Himiko asked.

"If I wanted another quirk," Dabi huffed.

Izuku gestured towards the canister. "That's okay, this is for dad," he explained.

"Doesn't he already have regeneration?" Yakuni objected.

"He does," Izuku said. "But I might destroy it when I rewind him."

It took Yakuni a few moments to think that through but then he understood. Izuku was going to use Eri's quirk on his father, and that would put him back into his prime. The implication was that he hadn't gotten regeneration until later in life. "I'll have to remember to ask how that goes," he murmured.

Izuku did an odd finger flick and Yakuni realised that he'd moved the regeneration quirk into the holder that had carried All For One.

"Dragon…" Twice said uncertainly.

"Hmm?"

"You have the quirks Tomura had?"

"I took them all except Decay," Izuku confirmed.

The man nodded. "There may be a quirk that is of use to you then," he said, and it sounded like he was forcing himself to be clear.

"Which quirk?"

"It came from a hero. It didn't come from a hero," Twice told him.

"Ah yes," Atsuhiro said. "I believe it came from one of the rescue heroes. It was named Search."

"Yes," Whisper said.

"What does it do?" Izuku asked.

"Search belonged to one of the Wild Wild Pussycats," Whisper explained. "I believe she used it to find people in rubble when they were working."

Izuku immediately saw the use and turned to the quirk holder and stared at it. While they couldn't see what he was doing, Yakuni realised that Dragon was going through the quirks there, trying to figure out which one was Search. There were a few moments of silence before Izuku smiled. "Got it," he announced. And then they got the impression he was using it.

"Oh…" Izuku grinned a bit ferally. "Thank you! That is going to be very useful." Izuku actually radiated thanks so however that quirk worked, it was going to be useful. As they watched, Dragon picked up the quirk holder and put it in a pocket. Then he picked up the canister and it too disappeared into a pocket.

He looked at Kurogiri. "Did you bring the things I wanted?"

The misty man nodded, and he walked forward holding- Yakuni frowned. He was holding one of All For One's life support helmets and some sort of long, thin bag.

"Dragon, your dad's not going to need that," Yakuni murmured.

"He's going to need it," Izuku retorted but didn't elaborate as he accepted the helmet and put it in his quirk pocket. Dragon accepted the bag from Kurogiri as well, and there was the sound of a zip being undone. The sound told Yakuni what type of bag it was. It was a suit bag.

"Properly dressed?" he teased.

"Of course!" Izuku agreed, before he zipped the bag up again and it too disappeared into the quirk pocket.

"Now," Izuku said, turning back to the League, and Yakuni could tell, as he turned his mind set was changing and by the time he was looking at them, they were faced with their Boss, Dragon. "The basic plan for today is to wait for Dabi's distraction to kick in and then raid Tartarus. But we all know it's going to be more complicated than that," he half snorted.

"Kurogiri and Twice, I want both of you to stay here," Dragon announced and then held up his hand to forestall objections. "I do not doubt your courage, or commitment," he reassured them. "But you are both high value targets for the heroes," he explained.

"So are you," Mr Compress pointed out.

"So am I," Dragon allowed, "but I have to go. Twice can send through Kurogiri clones, and while the heroes may not have worked out your potential, Jin after today, they will know it."

Izuku paused for a moment to let that sink in before he continued. "The lower Nomu will lead the charge, after the outer defences have been dealt with."

That brought a laugh. Yakuni wasn't sure why. He hadn't been involved in developing the whole plan. He didn't need to be but from the expressions there was quite a bit of anticipation.

"I still don't believe you are doing that, Izu," Himiko giggled.

"I'm sure there's a Nomu that can do it, but quirks aren't the only way," he reminded them. "And this way, the opening gambit won't scream of us. I doubt they will expect me to go with something that isn't a quirk, given my history," he explained. "After that, it's drive down through the levels to get my father. If the workers put themselves into a shelter, then leave them there. If they aren't in the way, then I don't care about them. But-" Izuku said as if he'd suddenly remembered something. "If you encounter Toxic Chainsaw, bring him to me," he gave the instruction. There was something ominous in his smile.

Like Yakuni, everyone realised there was history there, even if they didn't know what.

"Oh, I'm not going to do anything too bad to him," Izuku reassured them.

At that, Atsuhiro chuckled. "I don't believe anyone minds, Dragon," he said. "Just, none of us can see the connection between you."

Izuku shrugged. "I just want to kill him," he told them.

"Why, Izu?" Himiko asked. "I thought I knew everyone you wanted to kill."

"It's complic- actually, it's not complicated at all. Thanks to Kamino, most of the world has figured out it was my Dad who injured All Might, and got injured in return, but what they've also realised is their original fight should have made the news, and no one had heard of Dad before Kamino, right?"

There were nods at that and frowns as the implications began dawning.

"Toxic Chainsaw is the cover story for the fight where All Might was injured."

"So why do you want to kill him? Don't kill him!" Twice asked.

"Usually, I wouldn't care who they used as a cover story," Izuku admitted. "But in this case, Toxic Chainsaw took the credit, and has claimed, continuously to be the villain who injured All Might. As if he could! I take offence to that and he's going to pay for that lie. I get at first, he had no say in the cover lie. No one was allowed to talk to him. But there have been interviews in the years that followed so-" Izuku shrugged, and the villains nodded. In the years since that battle, Toxic Chainsaw could have claimed he didn't do it. He could have said something.

In all likelihood his words wouldn't have been published but people would know that an interview had been arranged and then never published and they'd wonder. Or at least, people like Izuku would.

"If I see him, I'll make sure he comes with us," Mr Compress told Dragon.

The others, minus Dabi, nodded.

"Well, let's get you introduced to the Nomu and then-" there was no need for further elaboration.

"Then we remind the heroes that we never left," Whisper said.

And after that… It would be the heroes who wishing they could leave.

-ted-

Dabi didn't take a second quirk because he wants to prove to Endeavor that his quirk was good enough! If he took the second quirk, no matter how useful, then he wouldn't be proving that.

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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