The Emperor's Dragon II

Debrief

The instant Kurogiri's portal closed behind him, Izuku felt a wave of exhaustion hit him. It wasn't physical exhaustion. Between the new quirk he'd gotten and his light vest, he had plenty of physical energy, it was mental exhaustion. But he couldn't rest quite yet. Everyone was looking at Yakuni questioningly. The young man didn't seem concerned but Izuku knew it was sometimes difficult to introduce new people to a group.

"This is Yakuni," he said before anyone could ask.

"You said that," Whisper told him.

Izuku nodded. "He works for me," he continued.

At that Yakuni gave a snort of laughter. "Why don't I do it?" he offered.

Izuku gestured for him to continue and Yakuni took over while his mind displayed its exhaustion by flitting from topic to topic randomly.

"My name is Yakunita Tanaihito," the young man introduced himself to the villains with a sunny smile. "I was recruited as an assistant to Doctor Ujiko, and then found myself working for Dragon here. The arrangement's a bit vague," he added with a chuckle.

Izuku felt a smile crease his features but his mind wasn't on it. Through the tiredness he was feeling, he could feel his mind reaching towards something Himiko had told him. He'd moved to attack the Shie Hassaikai because they'd attacked Himiko it wasn't odd that he was trying to think of something from her.

"But you get paid?" Whisper asked.

Yakuni frowned. "I do," he said. "Mostly I've been- Hmm... how to phrase this?" he murmured. "Acquiring quirks for Dragon."

"You can take them?" Mr Compress appeared surprised.

Yakuni laughed. "No. I know how to copy them. I just need a genetic sample," he explained with a shrug.

"You can copy quirks?"

The young man nodded.

"What is your quirk?" Dabi asked.

Yakuni gave him a toothy grin. "Quirkless."

"Bullshit!" Dabi snapped. "I saw you then-" he waved one hand, referring back to the room at the Shie Hassaikai base. Yakuni had been throwing everything that wasn't bolted down into his Pocket.

"Born quirkless," the young man clarified. "Dragon gave me Pocket," he shrugged.

Izuku nodded absently but his mind was still on Himiko. It was at his apartment. I've met Handsy before, that's what she'd said.

He hadn't thought about it at the time but he should have.

"Where did you get it from?" Whisper asked him.

Izuku blinked at her. "From Atsushi Ueno," he replied.

He didn't really register the surprised looks his answer generated.

"Do you mean to tell me I have the original?" Yakuni said.

Izuku shook his head. "We've both got copies. I think one of the Nomu has the original." He wasn't really thinking about the answer, so didn't see the surprised looks he got.

"The person is a Nomu?"

"Probably," Yakuni answered.

"That doesn't bother you?"

"They probably deserved it," he said before shaking his head. "Look, when you are quirkless, you tend not to give a shit about what happens to those with quirks," he explained. "You have more pressing issues to think about."

"Like?" Mr Compress prompted.

"Like where your next meal is coming from. Where is it safe to sleep? How to stay warm," Yakuni said. "I got lucky," he was earnest. "Most aren't."