The Emperor's Dragon II

He Has Faith

All Might sat as he waited. He was aware of some of the guards looking at him curiously, but he was ignoring them. Nezu had suggested that he wear a suit in a tone that left no question as to if he'd obey. He had told the Principal that he was planning on wearing one and Nezu had pressed him as to which suit he was going to wear. When he'd told the rat, it was the mustard yellow one, the Principal had given him such a disappointed look that he'd sighed and asked which one he should wear.

The rat had immediately told him to wear his navy blue one.

Toshinori shouldn't have been surprised at the answer. Somehow the Principal could keep track of what he was doing and the fact that he'd only gotten that suit the week before and never worn it, shouldn't be a reason that the Principal didn't know about it. He'd had the suit tailored to fit his small form and... It did look good.

So he was sitting here as he waited for the Tartarus guards to bring the prisoner. He hadn't been to Tartarus often. While Heroes and Police could question the villains incarcerated here, and did for their cases, he hadn't needed too often. All Might was usually brought in at the end of an investigation, when it was time to face the lead villain. When he'd been hunting All For One, all those years ago, the man's followers, the few who hadn't gone to their graves fighting to defend their boss, had refused to tell him anything.

They were much like that Police Captain... It was such a waste and sometimes Yagi wondered how a man like All For One, who was so manipulative could inspire such loyalty. He knew how, of course but... It was such a waste for people who could have been so much more.

He was here now, because... There'd been a growing worry that Tomura was working on something but with the raid on Jaku Hospital and the discovery of his body, it had become obvious that the balance of power in the underworld had changed and was changing. Izuku had taken out a yakuza group but was himself being quiet now and...

It was all too quiet. That was concerning. So he was here to see if All For One could be persuaded to give any hints.

Yagi had very little faith that the villain would say anything but... As Inasa had pointed out, maybe they could gain something from what the man didn't say. There were quite a few people watching this encounter and he knew that the Yaoyozoru's would be grateful if he could get any information about any way they could possibly persuade Izuku to give back Momo's quirk.

There was a clang and on the far side of the glass one of the doors opened. The corridor behind it was dark but from what Toshinori could see, it was just as featureless as the room. In fact the only features worth noting in the room behind the glass were the turret mounted guns. They faced away from the glass and as a shadow appeared in the doorway, they rotated, shifting to target All For One as he was wheeled in. The villain was trussed up on some sort of motorised wheelchair. There was a clear mask over his mouth with a hose disappearing behind him. The tube that had gone into his throat was gone and there was no evidence that it had ever been there. It was a reminder that All For One had a regeneration quirk.

He remained silent as the wheelchair moved into position on the other side of the glass. The guns tracked every movement.

For a moment All Might just looked at his enemy. He hadn't had much opportunity to do that in the past. The injuries he had inflicted at Tsu were the first thing that was obvious. All For One's head was a mass of scar tissue but his teeth were perfect, and his physic was powerful. He still exuded an air of malice that almost defied description.

"I'd thank you for the change of scenery but since they are overly sensitive, one place is much like another," All For One said as if he was discussing the weather.

It took Toshinori a moment to figure it out and then he realised that with the guns tracking him, All For One wouldn't be able to use any quirk. In any other villain it would have been an obvious ploy for pity... with All For One... the man had to know there would be no mercy for him.