Another Form of Power

The Second Offer

It was a quirk of fate that brought him to this roof today. The man's lips stretched at his thought. It was actually three quirks which had brought him here today, and his own desire. Distant Eye allowed him to see the events, because sometimes he liked to check in on his Nemesis. Hear All allowed him to hear what was said, because while he used to be able to lip read, his eyes just weren't what they used to be. And Warp Gate, used by his servant Kurogiri had actually provided the transport.

He looked down at the boy, ignoring the sun on his back. It was somewhat nice to be out but he wasn't here for personal enjoyment. He was here for the boy, for the spark he'd seen in the young eyes.

He thanked fate not for the quirk that had made him look but for the timing.

"Heroes can be so cruel," he said softly.

As expected the boy flinched. He hadn't been aware anyone was present on the rooftop. Then watery green eyes looked up at him. The man frowned beneath his mask. How did he know the eyes were green? His vision wasn't that precise. He decided that they must be truly viridescent if he could perceive that with his damaged vision.

"He means well, but he often doesn't think of the consequences," the man said further, extending a few tendrils of power. From the earlier conversation he knew the boy was quirkless, he wasn't feeling for any quirk. No this time he was extending his own, though...

Again the man smiled. The turmoil inside the boy would make it easy. He couldn't force any change of heart but his quirk let him know exactly what the boy was thinking, it let him know exactly what to say to get results. And right now, with the boy's mind in turmoil, now was the time to sow the seeds of change.

"You heard?" The question was timid.

"I heard." There was no use denying it.

"Did you see?"

The man frowned. Had he seen? Oh... had he seen the state the supposed Number One Hero was in? "Yes, but I have known for a while now. I imagine it came as a shock to you?" It was a gentle question, asked with the merest hint of power.

"Yes."

The man could hear the way the boy swallowed. It sounded distinctly slimy but that was normal. The boy had been crying.

"He means well," the man said, "but he forgets the lessons of the past."

He felt the boy move, tilting his head slightly to ask the question.

"He forgets that there is more to being a hero than just a quirk."

Those green eyes blinked. It was almost incredulous. "Then... do you?" Again the question was timid and tentative. Again it was unclear but the man had long been able to interpret such things.

"No," he said sincerely, "but I do not know you," he added before the boy could collapse again. Having your dreams cutaway was painful, especially for one so young. "And I have never understood why people want to be heroes," he said, probing to see the boy's reaction.

"But heroes save people!" The boy was quick to defend them. "Heroes help people, and I want to help people."

"Ah," the man sighed. The most pure reason to want to be a hero. To his active quirks the boy almost shone with sincerity. It was nice to see such conviction. It would be lovely to see it harnessed to his cause. "There are other ways to help people."

The boy deflated. "Yeah, a police officer," he said. There was a tiny edge to his voice.

The man didn't smile but inwardly he was pleased. "He told you that?"

"Yes."

"No imagination," the man sighed. "And very pedestrian. There are other ways, ways which would help far more people than simply being a hero or a police officer, though both are important."

The boy frowned at him. To his quirks he could feel the confusion radiating from the boy's mind. "What do you mean?"

"Exactly that. A hero helps people but they also are acclaimed for doing it. A policeman helps people but again, they are acclaimed for it. Not as much as a hero but they still do get the acclaim yet they only save one person at a time, or at the most, a few. Yet there are others who save hundreds at time, maybe thousands and they are overlooked."

He could feel the boy thinking but there was something else in the boys mind. It was small, barely there and with what he had seen of the child's nature, it probably wouldn't blossom but maybe he could help it along.

"A hero uses their quirk, uses their power. The same with a policeman. They use their equipment," the man explained. "But they are both controlled by others."

"The Hero Public Safety Bureau?" the boy asked.

The man nodded slightly, accepting the answer. "But who controls them?" The HPSB was a government group, run by the government, no matter which party was in power, for the benefit of the people. That's why Heroes weren't allowed to be on their board.

"The Government," the boy replied.

"Very good!" It was odd to feel the flash of pleasure the boy felt at such faint praise. Or maybe not. The man couldn't see much but he could determine a lot. Quirkless meant consequences after all. "And who controls the police?" He pressed.

"The Government," the boy again answered.

"So you see?" The man asked.

The boy didn't get it. That was okay, it was one of those things many people didn't understand. They simply saw the flashiness of heroes. They didn't see the reality, they didn't see the rules and regulations that went with the costumes. They didn't see the coverups, but they weren't meant to see them.

"Don't you think the organisation responsible for making sure there are Heroes, and Police, and medics, and rescue services and everything else is really the one saving people?" It was not the strongest argument, but with the boy's current mental state, it would suffice. His trust in heroes had been ripped away. Really, if the plans he had tentatively forming for this boy worked in the way he hoped they would, he was going to have to thank his nemesis for this gift.

"Oh..." The boy nodded. "So it's about power." The boy connected the information to what he'd been told earlier.

"Yes. Heroes use their power to save people, but it is one at a time. The Government uses the power it has to save everyone, so who do you think is more powerful? Who do you think saves the most people? Those who get the acclaim, or those who do the work?"

He paused, letting the boy think about that for a moment.

"So, if you really want to help people, which do you think you should be?"

"The government," the answer was somewhat weak but the reasoning was firm. It would become stronger over time. "But I..."

The man frowned slightly. "You?"

"I don't know how to try that."

The man laughed. Such a petty obstacle. "I do," he replied. "And I'm willing to help you, if you can help me."

"You can?"

"I can, if you help me." He reached out with a particular quirk, reading the boy's mind. He couldn't force the decision but he did know exactly what words to say.

"Then, you will be the first person I help!" The boy declared.

All for One smiled and held out his hand. "Call me Sensei, Izuku Midoriya, and I will help you get everything you've ever wanted."

The boy reached out his hand. The size difference was large. All For One didn't mind.

The boy was his now.