The Emperor's Dragon II

Know The Future

They'd gathered at the far end of the warehouse. It was still in sight of their nominal boss. He was sleeping on one of the pallets they had decided should be used for sleeping. If anyone came close though, his eyes snapped open. The knife he'd used last night was under it.

"How did it go?" Mr Compress asked.

They were all interested in the answer. The kid admitted he was young. He admitted he was inexperienced but he had asked Himiko to help him rectify that. Whisper was a little disappointed the first thing he'd thought to learn was how to kill but she was also a realist. If he could do that, then he could probably do what else would be necessary. So as much as she was disappointed she was also slightly impressed that he had the intelligence to see that and the guts to try to do it.

Whisper watched as Himiko glanced towards the sleeping teen. Himiko appeared to be in her teens as well, with her fondness for wearing uniforms and Whisper was inclined to believe she was that young. But she also had experience. The activities inherent in villainy did not bother the blonde woman.

"It went well," Himiko replied seriously.

"He did it? He didn't do it?" Twice asked.

"He did it, though-" she paused, thinking about something.

"What is it?" Whisper asked softly.

"He still had to have defined emotion."

At the explanation Dabi nodded, as if he understood and then turned away. Whisper knew he'd already made a decision.

Mr Compress looked thoughtful and Whisper couldn't tell what Twice was thinking. The man always wore a mask. Butterfly just snorted. She was waiting to leave, though she might come on the mission they'd promised the boy for the cash.

"He's going to be great," Himiko said. She sounded sure of it.

The unstated part of that sentence was that he was going to need people to help him be great. No villain could do everything alone.

"I suppose there is some advantage to being associated with Dragon," Mr Compress murmured speculatively.

Whisper realised it was in their power to either make or break Dragon. If they left, they could destroy Dragon's reputation but if they stayed they could play to it. They could enhance it, and develop it and make it seem as if he'd always been there. It was a heady feeling. She thought for a few moments but knew she still didn't know exactly what she wanted. Whisper thought she'd have to talk to the boy herself.

Himiko just looked at him.

"Has he decided on a mission?" Butterfly asked.

Himiko shook her head. "Not yet. But soon," she promised.

"It better be," the other woman growled.

Himiko glared at her and Whisper could tell that the teen girl didn't like the older woman.

"We'll be ready," Mr Compress said, before he turned away. Apparently he had heard what he wanted. Whisper had no idea if he'd follow the teen or just thank him and go on his way.

She tended to agree with Himiko. The boy could go far but... Or he could crash and take them with him...

On the other hand... that was the same for any boss. She shouldn't give that possibility more credence because of his age.

Whisper nodded to herself. She had to think.

-ted-

Izuku woke up all at once. And then he remembered what he'd done. He swallowed hard, pushing the bile back down. He'd killed her because he wanted to, because she deserved it. He repeated the line in his mind, hoping that if he said it often enough he'd believe it. Himiko didn't have this problem so he knew there was a way of doing it.