14/05/2022

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The Emperor's Dragon
Fledgling 72

Sir Nighteye looked down at his hand. He'd touched Toshinori earlier. It felt like he'd done this before. He had done this before. And all he'd gotten then was…

No. Things had to have changed.

Mirai didn't allow himself any further thought as he activated his quirk, plunging into visions of the future. He reached forward about a year or two though it was hard to be precise. Yagi was surrounded by teens wearing UA's uniform. A hero class, Sir Nighteye surmised. All Might didn't appear to pay particular attention to any specific child so he concluded that none of them were his successor. At least not yet. He would still be able to guide All Might to choose an appropriate one.

But that wasn't what Sir Nigtheye wanted to see. He skimmed through several visions, trying to hone in on one that he… he really wanted it to no longer be in the future but… With his vision in real time, sometimes it was hard to find the exact moment he wanted.

He only hoped in this case that he couldn't find the event because it no longer happened. He stretched forward more. All Might bowing to All For One's wife should not happen since the case was wrapped up and it was… embarrassing but at least Toshinori was alive. The second event was far more important.

He almost over shot it.

That was interesting. That was reassuring. He could not see past the death of the subject. The fact that he'd almost overshot that scene meant Toshinori survived. That was an improvement but he had to see what had happened to All For One.

Sir Nighteye focused and pulled back. The mission obviously involved other heroes, though he couldn't get too many details. There appeared to be UA student's involved. He didn't recognise the blond but this time, he did recognise the two toned hair of Endeavor's youngest child. He let his vision go past this, watching as All For One sent the other villains away and fought Yagi. The exchange was as he remembered it and Sir Nighteye jumped through the vision until he saw All Might punch All For One, sending him careening away.

He spun to face the area where the Dragon had appeared from.

The sidekick watched the debris even as his friend charged at All For One…

But nothing happened.

The debris didn't erupt. There was no green scaled Dragon lurking there.

He felt light with relief and shock. Something had changed. But, an old wariness entered Mirai. When he was younger, he thought he'd changed his visions but he hadn't. What he thought had happened at one time, actually happened at another time. It wasn't that he had delayed the inevitable, it was just that he had misinterpreted when the events happened.

He didn't think he'd done that here. How many times had his friend fought All For One in this debris but… He had to be sure.

Sir Nighteye looked back at the battle. The villain had managed to raise a defence and to fight back. He didn't appear quite as weak as last time, or maybe it was the knowledge that he did not have the Dragon on his side? Whatever it was, All For One managed to match All Might.

Almost.

All Might seemed to be stronger but Sir Nighteye knew how the villains of the world would view this battle. All For One was obviously injured, but he was holding his own against the Number One Hero. The image would be powerful that a man who was not in peak condition could stand toe to toe with All Might. It was not a good look for the strength of heroics.

He couldn't focus on that now. All Might and All For One continued to slog it out. The villain was aiming for All Might's left side and with every hit that connected blood poured from his mouth and steam from his shoulders but he held the form. Mirai hadn't been able to tell in his last vision if Toshinori had passed on One For All and this time, it seemed as if he hadn't but again, he wasn't completely sure. That type of detail was merely something he assumed.

However, just like last time the villain was slowing down. It made the battle seem all the more brutal because every time All For One was knocked down, he got back up for All Might to hit him again. Sir Nighteye had noticed the helicopters and cameras. What was the villain trying to achieve? Because no one, not even All For One, took a beating like this for no reason. And no matter how evil he was, the footage of this fight…

Finally All Might got a hit in and the villain fell. It was similar to his previous vision with All Might most likely breaking All For One's arm to hit the man's temple. He collapsed.

Mirai braced himself for the Dragon to appear again. If it was really here, then…

Except, once again, nothing happened.

Sir Nighteye examined the landscape. There really was nothing there except smoke and debris. It made All Might's victory pose seem rather forced but the sidekick knew it was necessary.

As other heroes, who had been trying to assist swarmed the scene, Sir Nighteye debated if he should look further into Toshinori's future. But then he shook his head.

He'd changed it so there was now a future. He should best be pleased with that, and with what he had seen earlier, it was probable that his friend would pass on One For All and, hopefully gracefully slip into retirement. Plus with All For One being defeated…

The villain had two sons, Mirai's mind reminded him. One had been here and had been essentially rescued by his father, and the other… Mirai didn't know where he'd been but-

He shook his head in the vision again as paramedic's swarmed over All Might, treating his obvious wounds. They had the good sense to get him into the back of a chunky looking ambulance so that the cameras were no longer on him and that meant his vision of this scene faded. The inside of the ambulance wasn't worth commenting on but he felt grateful that an all terrain ambulance had been called.

Sir Nighteye let his vision fade once he knew his friend would be okay. As his vision returned to his office he blinked, moistening his eyes.

The future had changed. All For One was gone. Captured or dead. One of his son's had been rescued and the other was not present… The one who'd been rescued… why had he needed rescue? Wait! There were two UA students there too. Kidnapping? A very obvious ploy but one a young, and inexperienced villain might attempt and without All For One's presence the rescue mission would have been different.

He nodded… One thing he'd learned was that oftentimes the simple explanations were the truth. He could come up with a complicated scenario that led to the outcome but there was no need. In the end, it was the final result that mattered.

Which meant… Which meant one of All For One's son's was going to make mistakes and could be captured and the other… the younger son? His lips pursed. Without the boy being at that battle Sir Nighteye could not make any deductions.

He smiled and dismissed the matter. In the end, the fall of All For One meant it was over and that he'd changed the future. When that battle occurred… all that remained after it was to clean up the pieces.

They'd handle that. If they couldn't handle two teenage villains then…

He snorted.

They'd handle All For One's sons because without their father, they were just pawns in his game and they wouldn't be given the chance to learn to play for themselves.

He'd see to it.

-ted-

"Izuku," All For One said quietly.

As was usual, the use of his son's name got his attention. They were standing on the summit of Mount Yari, having flown up there in the pre-dawn light. The sun was now rising, granting them a lovely view of the countryside. He couldn't see it of course, but this was to spend time with Izuku and that made it worth it.

Izuku looked up at him but didn't say anything.

All For One took a deep breath. His life support helmet was functioning well. He looked down at Izuku, lifting one hand to put it on his son's shoulder. "I want-" All For One paused. This was surprisingly difficult but he had learned his lesson with his brother. If Izuku was to serve him, it would be his choice.

Izuku frowned, not understanding.

"I want to give you a choice," he said finally, forcing the words out.

"A choice?" his son asked, cocking his head slightly.

"Yes, a choice," All For One repeated the words, turning back to face the rising sun. Even with the vision quirks he'd taken over the years, he could not see the sun. He could see the way the land rose and fell and he could see an outline around Izuku but he could not make out the details. All Might owed him much. "After this year, you will go to High School, Izuku, and I want you to use that time to see the world."

"You want me to travel?"

"If you'd like," the Emperor of the Underworld shrugged. "Do you remember when you went to school in Niigata?" he asked.

His son was silent for a few moments, obviously thinking but it was not an experience he'd forget. "You had me pretend to be quirkless," Izuku said.

"Do you remember why?" All For One asked.

Izuku nodded, his curls bobbing in the increasing sunlight. "You wanted me to learn what people are really like. You wanted me to see them at their worst, and their best."

"I did. And on that, I believe-"

"Yes. I learned," Izuku interrupted him. There was no malice in his son's voice. The lesson was one that simply was.

"I want you to see that again."

"What? Why?" This time there was surprise in his son's voice. And a bit of teenage outrage.

All For One rubbed at Izuku's shoulder. "I want to give you a choice," he repeated. "I want you to go out and learn that lesson again and decide for yourself."

"Why?" Izuku repeated his question.

"Because when you come to me, I want you to be sure. I do not want doubt in your heart."

Izuku placed one hand over his chest. "You want me to confront any doubts."

"Yes. When you come to me, you must understand that the world will call you a villain. You must understand what that will mean, and what the consequences are. You must be ready to face that reality," All For One explained. "I loved my brother, Izuku. I still love my brother. But he turned on me. I will not make the same mistake with you."

"The world is wrong to hate you for helping-"

"I think we can dispense with the gentle narratives of your youth," All For One interrupted.

Izuku snorted softly but he nodded. He understood. He took several deep breaths. "What if I'm never ready to come to you?" he whispered the question, as if he was afraid of the answer.

All For One tightened his grip on Izuku's shoulder but made sure it wasn't so tight as to be threatening. "You are my son, Izuku. I will support you. If you wish to live quietly, and see the world, then you will find yourself amply provisioned. But-" His tone became cold with the word. "If you chose to go against me, then you had best come at me with everything you have."

"Because you will respect my choice," Izuku said, not quite hiding the tremble in his voice.

"I always respect others' choices," All For One confirmed. He disagreed with them. He didn't like them but he always respected them.

Izuku nodded and looked back towards the rising sun.

All For One turned with him, still resting his hand on Izuku's shoulder. It was a surprise when his son reached up to touch him but he didn't draw his hand back.

They stood in silence as the sun rose.

-ted-

The Emperor's Dragon II: Fledgling - End

To be continued in The Emperor's Dragon III: Emergence

-ted-

No Sir Nighteye, nothing you did changed the future. You are correct when you say you can't. But others can. There were two main changes that mean the Dragon wasn't there. Inko holding back Not Inko at the mediation (and not you bowing) was the first, because it meant the case was over, and then AFO deciding that if he wanted to be really sure of Izuku's loyalty then he has to let his son come to him of his own accord and Sir Nighteye had absolutely nothing to do with that decision.

Basically if Inko had of gotten the case to go public, AFO would never have made the decision to let Izuku make his own choice. And Izuku would have learned about the case and known that it was his mum. While we know he's loyal to his dad, he would have said something or done something that made AFO doubt and while he didn't want to use Shinsou's quirk on him, he would decide that he wanted to be sure of Izuku's loyalty once Izuku found out about the case and asked about his Mum. Garaki would have assured him he'd worked out the kinks in nomuification. No, he hadn't. And then bingo, Nomu Izuku, who becomes Nomu Dragon Izuku.

Anyway, here ends Fledgling. To be continued in Emergence, whenever I finish writing it.

My discord is on this code: ZX2R5h2cEm FFN will remove links but you should be able to figure that out. You can come and encourage me to write faster.

-ted-

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