The Emperor's Dragon II

The Little Details

In order to ensure that they aroused no suspicion, the bar was open. Last night, it had been busy because people had come to watch the Hero Billboard and tonight it was almost empty. But Izuku knew, if they hadn't opened, people would have noticed. People would have talked. And while it was unlikely that would get back to heroes, there was no need to take chances.

Izuku had checked with a few other bars in the area, and they were open but they were also somewhat quiet. He supposed it was to be expected. His dad wasn't here, because he was catching up on what had happened since he was incarcerated. There really wasn't that much to catch up on but he was also maintaining the fiction that he needed the life support helmet and so while he'd been in earlier, a bar was not a place for a man with that disability. Kurogiri was with him, so Muko was behind the bar. The man looked surprisingly comfortable there. He pulled a beer with the same fluidity Kurogiri did and was mixing up a cocktail for Kamoni now with a definite flare.

He was sitting at his normal back table with Twice, Himiko, Mr Compress and Whisper. The four of them were subdued. It was more than just the post mission low.

"Did you know Dabi was going to die?" Whisper asked softly.

He shook his head. "I knew he was prepared to die," Izuku told her. If he tried to hide the truth then that would be bad. "I didn't want him to die," he added. He didn't want to say it was something they all faced. They already knew it.

"What did Dabi actually want, Izu?" Himiko asked.

He sensed they wanted to talk earlier, just after getting back from Tartarus but with his father there, they weren't sure how to.

"He wanted Endeavor," Izuku told the group. "Specifically, his head on a platter."

"He did? He didn't?"

"He did," Izuku confirmed for Twice.

"What happened between them?" Himiko asked.

"I don't know."

"The burns?" Mr Compress suggested.

"I think it was a little more complicated than that," Izuku murmured.

"You know some of it," Whisper inituited.

"Not all of it," Izuku defended. He thought about how much he could say. Dabi was dead but, that didn't mean he should give away all his secrets but on the other hand... The media would probably find them out soon anyway. Izuku sighed. "Do any of you know Dabi's real name?" he asked.

As one the table shook their heads.

Izuku sighed again. "Touya Todoroki."

It took them a moment to put two and two together, linking Todoroki to Endeavor's real name.

"Oh," Mr Compress said. It was a revelation to them all.

"I don't know the whole story," Izuku said. Dabi had never told him but he could image at least some of the story. "I just know that Dabi was prepared to do whatever it took to get Endeavor. And he did."

"He did," Himiko said, but she sounded sad.

"I know," Izuku told her, reaching out to take one of her hands. He was sad as well. He knew this was what Dabi wanted but... He didn't want to lose people.

The group nodded and Izuku picked up his drink. It wasn't beer. He didn't like beer. It was a carbonated juice, cut with water. It was pale gold and tasted pretty good. Himiko had a lemonade, while the others had various beverages that they liked. "To Dabi," he proposed the toast.

No matter what else had happened, Dabi had kept many of the heroes away from Tartarus. It was probable that the heroes wouldn't have made it to Tartarus in time to have an impact but... They hadn't needed to find out how things might have been. And Endeavor was dead. Whatever else had happened, Izuku had to believe Dabi was happy with that.