The Emperor's Dragon

Thank You For Your Support

Inko had gotten to work early today. She wanted to be there when her co-workers came. She had to thank them for their help with everything. She might not have Izuku but... She had hope for the future.

And that creature that was Not Inko had been silent since the case. It had just harrumphed at her and then disappeared. She hoped that meant it was gone but... she was very sure it wasn't. She'd thought about telling someone. Inko wasn't a fool. While it might be an odd story, in this age of quirks, she was sure someone would believe her. Whether they could do something about it was a different story, but at least they'd know. Except, every time she tried to say something, even just to herself, the words would not come.

It wasn't as if she couldn't marshal them in her mind. She had a whole speech planned. She simply couldn't say them. Something locked her jaw. Even when she was alone. And so while she knew it would sound odd, she had no idea how odd it would really sound. What you said in your mind always sounded better than what was heard in reality.

To thank the ladies, especially Ume, she'd baked a couple of small batches of biscuits. She could have gotten some from the train station, the little gifts they stocked there from all over Japan but this was more personal. Lemon shortbread was one of Ume's favourites so she had made that as one batch. Hopefully they had worked out tastily. For the others she'd made a savoury biscuit. She'd been tempted to try biscotti but it seemed like you could go wrong there in so many ways, so she'd settled on some relatively simple cheese and rosemary rounds. Hopefully everyone would like them and even if it was first thing in the morning, it was never too early for a biscuit.

Inko laid out the plate of biscuits neatly. She'd already left wrapped sampler packs on their desks for later and she was now laying out the necessary implements to make tea. She wouldn't actually make the tea until the other ladies arrived so it didn't get cold. You could not say thank you with oversteeped, cold tea. You could declare war but not say thank you.

Usually they came into the office together. Not because they travelled on the same train or anything like that, but simply because they waited outside for everyone. Inko would usually have done that too if she didn't want to prepare this and the ladies didn't know she was going to be back today.

That's why she heard them before they appeared. Inko clicked the kettle on to boil and went out to greet her co-workers. Meigo noticed her first.

"Inko!" The cry brought the attention of the other two and they all bustled over.

"We weren't expecting you back yet," Setsu said for them all.

Inko smiled. It must have told them something because Ume looked at her sharply. Ume was the oldest and had been doing this the longest. She could read an awful lot from the way you smiled.

"The case finished," she said. It wasn't even a question.

"The case finished," Inko confirmed.

"But-" Setsu said before breaking off.

"I didn't need to go to court," Inko explained.

"Wow," Meigo laughed. "Reikokuna's even better than I thought."

Inko smiled at that. "They are," she agreed. Even when she'd just brought her case to them, they'd been supportive.

"Good," Ume said. There was a trace of bitterness in her voice. She'd suggested Beacon and some of her language, when Inko reported that Beacon had backed away from her case, could not be repeated. About the kindest thing she'd said was that they were gutless cowards. It had gone downhill from there.

"Sooooo?" Setsu dragged out the word, the question obvious.

Inko held up one hand and right on schedule the kettle let out a whistle. "Get settled," she instructed, "and I will bring tea and we can discuss it," she added. She wouldn't be able to tell them much. The confidentiality agreement ensured that but she could tell them enough.