The Emerald Prince

Chapter 35: The Other Side

Above illustration is a redraw... because have you tried drawing AFO? Nightmare.

Also... I... really need song recommendations. Literally anything from Sinatra to Eminem. And you guys are clearly people of culture, so suggestions appreciated!

^ I don't care when you're reading this, I always need song recommendations.

———

Midoriya Inko leaned flirtatiously over her husband's lap, and picked up the remote, before turning off the TV.
"What did you think of that, dear?" She purred.

"Intriguing." Murmured Hisashi - still deep in thought over the events of the sports festival and disappointingly unaffected by her efforts, "It will be interesting to see what Tomura will do next. That number one will be a hassle in the future... Wasn't your son called Izuku?"

Inko leaned back on his chest and shifted her hips slightly. "I don't have a son...yet."

He sighed, "do you have a photograph anyway? Izuku is a pretty unusual name, it would be worth checking."

His wife pouted at him, but turned on her phone and fished around until she found the only photograph she'd taken of the boy, the year before she was allowed to abandon him.
She raised the image to his face, though without eyes, Hisashi had several quirks to compensate.

He chuckled, "took it a little easy on him that day didn't you?"

Snorting, Inko replied distainfully, "I didn't do any of that, that's how he looked when he came home. Clearly his school mates were sensible brats. I set to work after that."

"I'm glad you managed to get some enjoyment out of the chore. I'm sorry I couldn't have joined you, but maintaining that hero alias, whilst properly getting to work during this opportune time was not practical. What do you think happened to the rat?" Hisashi ran a hand through her hair absently as he spoke.

"He was so pathetic, I've no doubt he is dead in a ditch somewhere." She murmured.

Hisashi chuckled, his scarred hand moving from her hair, slowly down her neck to skate across her collar bone.
"I love how cruel you are, dear. But you had to stay behind. If he had a quirk like mine, the doctor would not have found it. We had to check he really was useless before cutting him off and starting again."

She hummed, and his left hand joined his right in tracing her figure, coming to rest over her belly.
"On that point," he murmured lowly, "any good news?"
She breathed out softly. "None yet, you won't abandon me too?"

He sighed, stroking her stomach reassuringly, "never, my love. Until death do us part, remember? Besides, if it isn't to be, I've moulded Shigaraki into just what I need for a successor. However, I doubt I'll ever find a better queen."

He lowered his hands further down her body, and Inko giggled, "dear I still need to cook dinner! You don't want your subordinates starving."
He chuckled, "But I've been waiting eleven years for you."
"My dear..." she rolled over to straddle him, and kissed his scarred mouth. "You have me all night~"
She got up and slunk away.

The moment she'd disappeared, he dropped his smile and rolled his wheelchair past the king size bed to a large desk. He picked up his phone and made several calls, before going online.
He needed to know everything about this Aizawa Izuku.
He needed that erasure quirk. And if that boy's conversation with All Might was anything to go by... he might be manipulated.

He also needed to track down his worthless son. If anyone knew the danger of loose ends, it was him. And you didn't need a quirk to be a right pain.
Heck, if Inko's stories were anything to go by, the rat only needed one lucky encounter with All Might, and he'd have a damn quirk.

Besides, if the research was anything to go by, passing on his quirk would kill Shigaraki. So an emotionally broken empty vessel with his genes was just what he needed.

He waved his hand over a plain sheet of paper, and a perfect copy of the image Inko had showed him appeared on it. He raised the picture to compare it with the photograph of Aizawa Izuku he'd got up on the screen. No... they were too different. The body language spoke of practically opposite personalities... the combat skill that the boy on the screen possessed couldn't be gained in a year. Besides, there was no sign of scarring - mental or physical, and their physiques were completely different.

Yes, these were different kids, only sharing eye and possibly hair colour, and first names.

There was no rush to deal with either though. He needed to heal, and Shigaraki could take the reins fully for a time without crashing.

He eyed the nomu files with satisfaction. The first attempt may not have worked as hoped, but it wasn't like he'd intended for it to do so. His old enemy may be stupid, but his willpower was always out of his expectations.

The purpose of USJ and their next act was to try and rattle the man. All Might'd panic and pass on his quirk, giving him a year or so, where the bastard was weakened and his successor was too inexperienced to be a threat.
It was perfect.
Especially since the one youngster who might actually be a threat armed with One for All, seemed to dislike All Might.

His grin was lit by the computer screen's cold blue light.
This ballad was playing out just as he expected.

"Kurogiri, come." He said simply.
The portal user was at his side in a moment, but Hisashi didn't acknowledge him.

"Report, tell me Tomura's plans." He commanded.
"He is indecisive," replied Kurogiri monotonously. "He has many options and wishes to weigh them up before deciding his next move."
"Oh?" Hisashi turned to face the nomu with narrowed eyes. "That is unlike him. What sparked him to show such caution?"
"Aizawa Izuku." Replied the other emotionlessly.
"Ah," Hisashi smiled slightly. "Good, good. Glad to see he is losing some of his rashness. Having an opponent in his generation will be good for him. You may go."

Kurogiri left.

Was it just him, or had the nomu been less forth coming in his reports recently? Not that the guy wasn't generally taciturn... but he usually volunteered some detail.

Never mind. Not like he could lie to his master and what he had said was all good news. The last of Shigaraki's problematic traits seemed to be fading with the responsibility.

All his plans were falling neatly into place, and the only satisfaction greater than that would be watching the realisation and dread cloud All Might's stupid grinning face during their last fight.