The Emperor's Dragon

Lessons in Flying

Izuku looked around. He wasn't sure where he was except in the mountains. Before him was a large lake with shallow beaches but on the other side and behind him, and everywhere else he looked there were trees.

"Where are we, Dad?"

Hisashi smiled down at Izuku. "We are somewhere you can practice, my Little Dragon," he told his son. "You haven't been able to practice flying much, so go ahead." He gestured to the wide open space over the lake.

"Really?" Izuku's green eyes sparkled with excitement.

All For One held up one hand. "But I want to see you do it with all your scales! Dragons should fly when wearing their scales, after all."

Izuku nodded and All For One was a bit surprised when his son took off his shirt. "What's that for?" He asked.

Izuku's torso then rippled and he was covered in dark green scales. Even his head had scales on it. They reflected the autumn sunlight covering him in jewels. Hisashi was not attracted to mere wealth but the effect was beautiful.

"The scales cut the fabric," Izuku told him.

All For One nodded his understanding before he chuckled. "You are truly my Little Dragon!"

His son grinned at him and then concentrated. He could tell Izuku was focusing on altering his weight. He looked at his son with his own quirk. Izuku had absorbed all the quirks he had so there was only the green of his original quirk showing. There were no others orbiting. That was interesting. He knew Izuku wouldn't have practiced weight alteration much so it told him that the absorption didn't rely entirely on use. Still, it had been over a year since Izuku got that quirk so it wasn't surprising that it was fully absorbed.

"Do you need more practice with that one?" Hisashi asked.

"Some," Izuku admitted. "It's mostly Caeli Imperium. It's easy to lift myself but moving is harder."

All For One considered it, wondering if Izuku needed a simpler quirk for flying but then he shook his head. His Little Dragon would work it out. He had time to practice. He was only nine, after all. He activated one of his own quirks. "Chase me!" Hisashi ordered.

He saw Izuku's eyes go wide as he took to the air. Air Walk was a useful quirk and this time it again proved its utility. When Izuku stopped thinking about using his quirks, it came more naturally and soon the green jeweled Izuku rose into the air and the chase was on!

He led Izuku out over the lake at first, going slowly, making easy turns so that his Little Dragon could follow him but All For One was grinning. He got to play quite a bit but with his son, this was different. This was fun. Playing with those he condemned was amusing but was work.

"I got you!" Izuku yelled but All For One jinked to the side and his son flew passed.

He laughed as he began climbing. His Little Dragon laughed as well and they dived and dipped and dodged and ducked and sometimes it seemed Hisashi was chasing his son. It was a joy to hear Izuku's laughter.

All For One dove at the water. It was a steep dive and he skimmed over the surface leaving a bow wave in his wake. He expected Izuku to do the same, so the startled shout followed by a loud splash of water wasn't expected. Hisashi quickly turned and flew back to where his son was. Izuku quickly broke the surface again. He was still scaled and the green was highlighted by the water. But thankfully he seemed okay.

Hisashi looked at him. "Little Dragon?" He asked from the vantage of the sky.

Izuku shook his head. "I'm okay," he said, spitting some water out of his mouth.