Shigaraki arrived at the top floor via the elevator and did not forget to remove his shoes and to put them to a side. The first floor, contrary to his expectation, was cozy and lively. The office was adorned with personal pictures, team selfies, and a cupboard full of prizes and cups.
"It's such a place you have, Yotsubashi-san. Truly befitting for one of the freethinkers. "
"You have good eyes, Shigaraki-san. Please be yourself. I built this city's economics from scratch so I am very proudful of that. From collaborations with my trusted friends and allies come this haven. But now, Skeptic, please leave us alone. I believe that showing trust and respect for our guest's willingness to go along with our demand."
"Yes, Yotsubashi-san."
The gloomy, lanky man walked out of the office, his bloodshot eyes gave a final look before disappearing behind doors. Shigaraki had no doubt that the bugs were listening.
"Let's start with the introduction first. I am Shigaraki from the villains working under All For One. I am here to offer an alliance."
"My name... is Rikiya Yotsubashi, the CEO of Detnerat. But you can also call me Re Destro, the leader of the Liberation Army and the son of Destro. Welcome to my domain, pawn of All For One."
The black 'birthmark' on Re Destro's head began to grow.
"As per my sensei's order, we are extending a welcoming hand toward those that share the same goal as us."
"And what is it?"
"Freedom. Freedom to use your quirk. Freedom to fight for your bodily rights. But let's stop at the target for now. The reason we wish to make a collaboration with you is due to your location and force. A properly maintained base with civilian soldiers and heroes protecting is highly valued in sensei's conquest. Aside from that, your control over Japan's technology will prove useful in surveillance and espionage. "
"I'm listening but I am not finding it interesting."
"Then this will pull you in."
Clack!
The sound of a glass vial hitting the table, the sloshing liquid green. Picking up the small vial, Re Destro takes a look before setting it aside. His brows bunched together and his hands signaling for a continuance.
"A method to improve one's quirk."
That simple sentence surprised Re Destro. His team had been tracking for the developer behind a drug called Trigger that could boost meta ability output. With all his wealth on the line, he would not dare to think that ... it was from All For One.
'Why should a tyrant share a weapon to usurp him? Is this confidence, or arrogance? The city and the ideology of Destro are not something that legend will care about. Then why this alliance? If ...'
"Is this truly All For One's intention?"
"Of course."
Inside his chamber of electronics and computers, Skeptic connected to the hidden ear piece inside Re Destro's ear.
"He is partially lying. She has checked the footage and her meta ability said that. Most likely case is that he comes for the two people we are holding but the alliance is mostly truthful."
"Thank you for the offering of alliance, Shigaraki-san. Aside from some questions about what my side will get, I am curious about something. What is it that you want?"
"The same thing as All For One? Not for them?"
Two pictures were shown, very familiar people that had gone missing two weeks ago: Giran knocked out cold on top of a chair and Mendel tied, blindfolded but looked alive. But lessons in acting proved useful very timely.
"Who are these two people and why are you showing them to me? Are they your test subjects?"
"Let's get to my offer. The alliance is still going to happen and they will be returned. What we want is the details about this drug of yours. Of course we will still let your people oversee the process but we want every last bit of details about Trigger. You don't have to answer right now. Please extend your stay for one day. I believe a good rest will clear your mind to a more reasonable conclusion. Take this with you if you wish to return."
An identification card in the name of Re Destro was given to Shigaraki and he was left in front of the main building.
'It could have been worse."
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"Wow, is that the relay module for optic signal? I have never seen something like this that close."
" Of course, Hatsume-san. Aside from basic analyzation of the initial signal, it is often used for amplification. The manufacturing cost and maintenance work done are a lot so please do not touch it without proper guidance or observer from the team. "
Holding an eager Mei Hatsume from breaking or touching a single thing, the guide, requested by Skeptic, was sighing to himself. It was true that there was a tinge of happiness in his heart when the team innovation was praised directly to the face but this level of lust of new technology was ...
" Your inventions are really well-made. Aside from some adjustments to suit my taste, the things you have introduced me to are already on the level of support items on the market. Take for example your kinetic rocket boosters. It can aid speedsters and vehicles to turn and change direction quickly, serving as a safety tool. The form leaves room for self-decor and the functions are excellent. Your piece is such an eye opener for me: it allows me to truly appreciate your skills..."
The chatter went on and on as Mei made her way throughout the first level of the research center. The technology and information accessible there were soon-to-be-published anyway and leaks about them had already appeared on news tabloids for technologically savvy individuals.
"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. Call me Tastu. My me... my quirk lets me find inspirations for projects. It helps me a lot during the process of making these. What about yours?"
"I can zoom in and out to solder the electronics! It saves me a resistor or a piece of wire when I lost it."
The smile wavered then returned to normal, the guide continued to do his job but the emotion put into the task was superficial. He had hoped for a powerful inventor, their meta ability sufficient to aid his research but such an uninteresting one.
"Yes, yes ... Please take a look over there, that is our newest model of cellphones ready to go public 2 years from now. It is taking user's freedom up to another level. The special functions remain a secret but I can say that they would be extremely good, comparable to those of more popular brands across the world. "
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"How was your visit to their lab, Hatsume-san?"
A rant about how awesome the technology in there was, how helpful the guide had been in solving her problems while doing communication networks, how their approach to devising new 'babies' screamed professional, ...
After calming down the excited girl and got dinners, he got on a call. He sat at the work desk in the room, one hand bringing a phone to his ear and another supported his head by the side. The voice behind was significantly annoyed at being interrupted but nevertheless showed Shigaraki a basic sense of respect.
"Why calling me now? Haven't I sent you the monthly barrel of Null and Trigger? ... Have you used up all of the shots?"
"In the near future. But not now. Re Destro is willing to work with the League of Villain, us, if we share the process of making Trigger. I'm just informing you that. Of course a good secret is an unknown secret. I'm thinking of staging something fun. Can you send me Deidoro over via Kurogiri?"
"He is going around doing deals but I can arrange. What's the time and the job for him?"
"You do not need to question that. I believe Kurogiri is still taking good care of the boy your group brought to this organization and besides, this is a way not to share your research. How wonderful is it?"
'Fucker. The deal is off the table.'
Said Skeptic as he wiretapped into the call. He had to inform Re Destro of this breach of trust. Not daring to leaving any additional details went over his head, he quickly contacted Re Destro via the hotline whilst his eyes focused on the camera and audio transcripts. He did not noticed how the content of the conversation was too barebone, too direct considering someone like All For One's henchmen due to the shocking nature of the conversation: the inventor of Trigger was a woman, had some family member that could be utilized and was not loyal to All For One. If the resistance could get it hands on her and the transportation via this Kurogiri ...
'Did he take the bait? Good, good. So this is the way to utilize Kurogiri's portals to its maximum capacity.'
Thought Shigaraki as his brain signals were sent over a digital line. Even if the hacker of Re Destro tried, he could not simply locate something that had crossed the distance of miles in mere nanoseconds.
'Young master, the risk of me wrongly deploying the portal could have cut your hand. Please refrain from asking me to do such thing anymore.'
'Worry not, worry not. You will get the hang of it. Has Gigantomachia woken up? He will be much needed if we want to minimize the loss of future members.'
'Sorry, Young Master, he is following Master's order of staying hidden and is in hibernation.'
'The hard way it is then. Around tomorrow at 10 in the morning, can you prepare for a failsafe for my rampage? '
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
'It hurts ... why is my head wet?'
Thought Mendel as she rose up from the floor. She was captured, that was all she remembered before blacking out. She looked back at how she had been attacked. Five people simultaneously launched their quirks from her blind spot. She could tank the first volley but the following beating was not something she could shrug off. She remembered feeling hard to breath, exhausted and having double vision. That led to her counterattack missing.
The room was poorly kept with no light in sight and a maybe infrared camera following each and every motions of her. The friction of the turning motion was the accompanying sound to her breathing. She tried not to cry for failing the mission of protecting Giran but held herself back.
She woke up but couldn't utilize her quirk. Maybe she was injected with that Null solution whose effect was temporary and she knew nothing about how much or how long. She had no idea how to break out without her quirk and her attempt of communication via the hidden radio proved to be useless.
That left waiting as her only option.
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"You know, Re Destro. Considering the quirk of Mendel, the importance of Giran and Mendel in your confidence, and the amount of firepower a leader like you have in your possession, I can understand why you are confident. But you should have know better not to mess with someone All For One has personally taught in such a way. I have been lenient enough."
'Overloading on Trigger even with an enhanced body is still a little too much. Control is important'
Shigaraki said, his calm voice betrayed the destruction surrounding him. The target of this conversation was a heaving Re Destro who had cut off his legs himself in order to not be decayed. He lied his torso upon a broken piece of the his tower, surrounded by piles of dust. He swept his eyes across his entire domain, taking in how much destruction had been caused by a single attack. The entire central district had been destroyed, thousands of his followers ended up joining the dust piles, and the attack could still be spreading outside of his sight.
"Now then, Re Destro. Swore your allegiance to me. Losing someone like you with such a mass of followers hurts my heart. So let's make peace then. What's your decision here?"