The Emperor's Dragon

Multiple Teachers Are Best

"Little Lord," Gigantomachia greeted Izuku happily when the boy appeared through Kurogiri's warp gate.

The misty man reformed behind his passenger and gave All For One a look. When he delivered Izuku and picked him up, it wasn't unusual for his boss to have new instructions. The Emperor of the Underworld shook his head slightly and Kurogiri bowed before disappearing.

"My Little Dragon, is something wrong?" All For One asked. Usually, when Izuku was delivered he happily skipped over to Gigantomachia to tell the giant about his day. Today Izuku had remained where he was standing.

"Nothing's wrong, Daddy," Izuku said to him but he was still looking at Gigantomachia.

"Did you want to ask my bodyguard something?" All For One asked his son.

Izuku thought about that for a few moments, before he nodded. While All For One couldn't see he could imagine the look on Gigantomachia's face. He would be surprised but pleased.

"What does the Little Lord want to know?" the huge man rumbled gently.

"Will you teach me to fight?"

It was safe to say that neither of them were expecting that question.

"Izuku?" All For One said the name as a question.

"Little Lord, you are not like Tomura so you are wort-"

"No!" Izuku interrupted Gigantomachia. "I'm not. But I want to be."

"So you want Gigantomachia to train you?" All For One asked.

"Yes. I want him to teach me to fight," Izuku repeated his request.

The huge man shifted slightly. "Kurogiri is-" he began but stopped when All For One raised one hand.

"Kurogiri is teaching Izuku to use his quirks," the Emperor of the Underworld explained.

The large man understood the unspoken part of the information. It was Gigantomachia's decision if he wished to teach Izuku or not, but All For One knew what the answer would be. There was no way Gigantomachia would deny Izuku.

He saw the huge man nod before he shifted again, looking down at Izuku who was still standing, looking up at him. All For One heard Gigantomachia take several deep breaths.

"Little Lord, I will teach you," he said eventually, "but only if you use your full power."

For a moment, All For One didn't understand what his bodyguard meant but then it became clear. He didn't smile, but it was a close thing. Gigantomachia's condition would force Izuku to accept the reality of combat and that would only help him grow stronger.

"What do you mean?" Izuku asked. He hadn't grasped the implications of the large man's condition.

Gigantomachia shifted, kneeling so that he was slightly closer to Izuku. He still towered above his son but the gesture was not unappreciated. "You must use your quirk. When you fight me, even in practice, you must take a quirk."

"But-" Izuku objected but All For One could tell he wasn't quite sure what he was objecting to.

"When you are in battle, Little Lord, you cannot hesitate. You can take their quirk, so you should do it. This is your greatest advantage and you should use it."

Izuku said nothing. All For One could tell that he was thinking.

"If the quirk is not useful Izuku, you can give it back," All For One reminded his son. "Or if it is useful, you can keep it since you won it in the battle."

"But I won't have earned it," Izuku said.

"In some fights you will, Izuku. Don't limit yourself by society's expectations," All For One explained.