The Emperor's Dragon

Communication Is Important

"You must be Hitoshi Shinsou," All For One said as he walked into the room.

The purple haired boy jumped slightly at his voice and then turned in his seat. Quickly the boy stood and bowed slightly at him.

"Sit down," Hisashi said with a smile. "It's good to finally meet you," he said, offering his hand. "I'm Izuku's dad, Hisashi."

Hitoshi took it but All For One didn't miss the way his eyes were darting back and forth as he searched for Izuku. Or some distraction. "I'm Hitoshi," he confirmed what was already known.

"Izuku speaks a lot about you," Hisashi told the boy as he gestured at the table. "Sit, sit," he encouraged, taking his own seat.

Hitoshi sat back down. "Izuku was here," he said, thinking that All For One was looking for his son.

He wasn't. He knew exactly where Izuku was. He was up in his room, searching for the game save that he'd promised to give to Hitoshi. Hisashi knew that because he'd been waiting for an opening. He'd wanted to meet Hitoshi for a very long time.

"I know," Hisashi told the young boy. "But since Izuku brings home friends so rarely, I thought it a good opportunity to meet you," he explained with a grin.

Hitoshi looked a little uncomfortable at that. He obviously wanted to say something but wasn't sure how to say it, and wasn't quite impolite enough to just blurt out anything.

"I heard about the Sport's Festival," Hisashi continued.

The boy hung his head.

"It was very brave of you to offer to use your quirk to clear Izuku," Hisashi continued.

That wasn't what Hitoshi had been expecting if the way his head jerked up was any indication.

"What is your quirk?" All For One asked. He already knew the answer of course. Izuku had told him and it had been all he could do to not immediately meet Hitoshi and relieve him of it. With the events that had occurred, he knew he'd made the right decision, letting Hitoshi keep his quirk, since he was supporting Izuku but confirmation was going to be necessary.

Hitoshi looked uncomfortable at the question. "Mine is Fire Breath," Hisash continued, letting wisps of fire escape his mouth.

Purple eyes stared at the flame. "I'm not fireproof," Hisashi explained. "Izuku got that," he added.

There was a certain social expectation, even for eight year olds, that if someone told you what their quirk was, you reciprocated. "Mine is Brainwashing," Hitoshi whispered.

"I know."

The boy looked at him sharply. "Izuku does talk to me," Hisashi laughed gently.

From the way Hitoshi flinched at that, he knew that Shinsou's father didn't speak to his son.

"Has Izuku asked you about your quirk?" All For One ignored the evidence of Shinsou's home life. It wasn't his problem.

This time, Hitoshi looked fondly exasperated.

"I'll take that as a yes," Hisashi said, carrying the conversation. "Do you mind if I ask you some questions?" He pressed.

Again Hitoshi tensed, but as All For One watched, he saw the boy force himself to relax and to nod his permission.

"Excellent!' Hisashi cried happily. "Can you brainwash yourself? If you look at yourself in a mirror can you brainwash yourself?" he clarified his question.

All For One could tell that Hitoshi hadn't been expecting that question. He'd probably been braced for a question of how to avoid being brainwashed. The purple haired boy's face looked thoughtful when the surprise faded. "I..." he tried, carefully. "I don't know, Sir."