The Emperor's Dragon II

Unexpected Encounters

Goumanya had noticed that since he had begun doing jobs with Kobun, people at Tsuke's had started looking at him differently. Though it was sort of odd, there were people who wouldn't talk to him now, while others looked up at him with something akin to hero worship in their eyes. Usually, he'd have asked Nobasu what it meant but, he knew, this time, he was going to have to figure it out by himself. The teenager was still pissed that he'd supposedly stolen his glory. It didn't really matter. He knew why they were looking at him differently.

It was acceptance. He'd been accepted into the group. He was useful. He was...

It felt good. And it was the first step to actually getting somewhere in life.

That felt better.

Goumanya nodded at the others in the gym as he set up some weights. Kobun expected his people to be strong, and while Goumanya usually hated working out, he needed stronger arms. He had noticed the kick back from his quirk. So... he'd work out. A bit anyway.

"Do you really have Bakugou's quirk?" one of the guys on the rowing machine asked.

"Yeah," Goumanya replied, testing the weights. It seemed enough. "Did you know him?"

"Nah. But Nobasu went on, and on, and on about him," the guy laughed.

"And we saw him at the Sport's Festival," someone else said.

Goumanya didn't see who. He'd started his set so was concentrating on that.

"Can you fly?"

He wasn't expecting that question and almost dropped the bar. Bakugou could fly? Fuck! Goumanya had to do some research into this quirk. Nobasu had obviously been holding out on him. "Not yet," he replied, strangely happy to tell them the truth. They knew he hadn't had Bakugou's quirk for long. "I didn't expect to get the quirk," Goumanya added with a chuckle.

"Oh yeah," came the reply, also amused. "So, what's your real quirk?"

He should have seen that one coming. For a moment, he thought about lying, and saying something completely weak but it was easy enough, even for people like this to catch him in the lie. "Why do you think I was at the temple?" Goumanya asked instead.

They weren't the smartest cookies, so it took a while for them to get it.

"Serious?"

"It's a miracle," Goumanya deadpanned.

That got a round of laughs but before anyone could ask anything else one of Tsuke's men appeared at the door. "Rou, Tsuke wants to see you."

"Coming," Goumanya immediately replied. When Tsuke wanted to see you, Tsuke got to see you. Since he arranged most of the work, you did not keep him waiting. Carefully, Goumanya stowed the gym gear he had been using. Tsuke was also hell on those who didn't put stuff away. The messenger nodded his approval and Goumanya knew there'd be no problems.

He then followed to Tsuke's office. It was a room on the ground floor. People came here to hire those Tsuke had access to. It was actually nicely appointed and pretty neat but then Goumanya knew it was to portray a particular image. Though today it appeared more empty than usual. Or maybe Tsuke was going through a minimalist phase.

Tsuke gestured for him to take a seat and Goumanya did. The broker looked at him. "What are you doing here?"

The question was not something he expected. He knew Tsuke wasn't exactly happy with him being here but the broker had warmed to him or at least tolerated him as his control of his quirk got better.

"To earn a living," Goumanya told him. He hadn't finished high school, and he had no other really marketable skills. The streaming market was full, and the only way to make any money there would be to play up his quirklessness and be terrible. And there were already people doing that - who weren't quirkless.