The Emperor's Dragon

The Past Is Always Complicated

With so many heroes present, the clean up was going quickly. Endeavor and a few of the more combat oriented Heroes had left. That was actually for the best. If the media got wind of so many gathered, out of their normal areas, at a collapsed building in Tsu, Mie, there would be questions that no amount of spin would be able to cover.

All Might being here could be portrayed as an uplifting story. That he'd been here on a tip, holiday, or just wanting to show his presence again. People didn't question their good fortune in having the Number One Hero in the country at the site of their disaster. And Toshinori knew this which was why he was standing out of the way of the workers but still conspicuous. He was occasionally helping out, shifting some of the larger pieces of debris to allow them to dig faster.

Heroes with scanning abilities had declared that there were some survivors but they'd also been clear that most had died.

He was directing as much as he could the investigation into what had happened. It was pretty obvious. Somehow All For One had known they were coming and had taken steps to cover up his presence. But the question remained how he knew. They weren't sure about that. And, he was sure there would be evidence in the building about his life. Mirai was eager to reach that level. He wanted to know if they could determine how injured All For One was.

Some would say, given the destruction that he had to have healed but Sir Nighteye knew better. All For One had many servants. It was possible one of them had done this in an effort to hide their master. They didn't know yet and he didn't want to draw conclusions.

However, he was worried about one thing.

Before they began wholesale excavation he had managed to get a sweep over the rubble performed by forensics. It had happened while the scanners were going over the site so it hadn't cost any time. One of the forensics team had found something. A small green scale on a string.

It was exactly like the one that had been found at the other site. Iridescent, brilliant green that seemed to shine. He knew what it meant. There was a message there, but Sir Nighteye wasn't sure what the message was. Not exactly. To understand that, he had to know if it came from All For One, or from one of his servants.

And to know that, he was going to have to ask Toshinori.

That was a conversation which wasn't going to go well.

He knew it.

He'd already felt the Number One Hero's ire at him with the information that All For One was still alive. But what exactly was he meant to tell Toshinori? The man you've been hunting for years, the man who killed your mentor, the man whose brain matter they scraped from under your nails, the man who ripped out your lung, stomach and intestines is still alive? He could have told Yagi that and then watched himself drive himself into death, even earlier than what he'd seen in his vision.

He wasn't doing that.

No, instead some stupid broker had done it for him and the Commissioner was simply shrugging his shoulders and dismissing the entire matter. That would cost the Commissioner, but not yet. They had to get through today.

He turned away, putting the evidence bag in his pocket.

It was best to get this over with.

-ted-

"My Little Dragon," All For One greeted his son when Kurogiri delivered him.

Izuku rushed over to him, and immediately sat beside him. Hisashi reached out to stroke his son's hair. The gesture was comforting to them both, though he felt his son shifting his hair colour. He decided not to comment on it.