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CHAPTER START---
Sitting opposite Yagi in Nezu's private luxury helicopter, Horizon is idly scrolling through some reports on his phone.
He was wearing his usual Hero Costume with his sword resting beside him, while Yagi wore a simple black suit with the left sleeve tucked away. On account of him still missing that arm.
Horizon glances out the window where he sees Hiroshima in the distance, their destination for the evening.
Then looking across from him he sees Yagi meticulously reading a set of flashcards, mouthing the words as he rehearses his speech one last time.
Yagi sighs in frustration and leans back, "I don't think I can do this, maybe we should turn around."
"We aren't turning around," Horizon says. "I already left Tokyo to go to UA to get you, now I'm here just to bodyguard you for the evening, how much of my time do you plan to waste?"
"Sorry, but I just don't think I can go stand in front of everyone, for them to see me like...well," he gestures to himself. "Like this.""Those idiots worship the ground if you so much as walk on it, you'll be fine."
"But I'm All Might," Yagi says. "How am I supposed to stand in front of them to accept the awards and honors...when I can't even protect myself anymore, much less anyone else."
"Nobody expects people to be heroes forever, time is undefeated in that way, well not for me, but you get what I mean, right?"
Yagi looks a bit confused at that, "what do you mea---"
"Just focus on being honest with them. Despite all the things online about Nana Shimura and the conspiracy theories."
"Not conspiracy theories," Yagi says. "What All For One said was true, which is why it hurts so much."
Horizon sighs, "you golden-hearted types always try to blame yourselves for things you can't control, it's stupid. You saved a lot of people, don't let anything diminish that, focus on that and you'll be fine."
"Easier said than done," Yagi mutters as he goes back to rehearsing his speech.
As they arrive above the city, the skyline of Hiroshima is dazzling under the night sky, but Horizon is looking out over the ocean, to a barely visible light in the distance.
Even as the helicopter lands on the roof of the most luxurious hotel in the city, he barely acknowledges any of it.
"I suppose it's time to make this official," Yagi grumbles as gets up, stepping out as the pilot opens the door.
Looking back Yagi sees Horizon step out, then he begins walking toward the elevator on the roof. Ignoring the pool and lounging area.
He sees three people standing in front of it to greet him, two plain-looking men in black suits, and the woman in the middle.
Around his age, slicked back blonde hair, pearls around her neck and hanging from her ears, and wearing a loose black gown.
"President Pantu," Yagi greets her with a polite handshake. "Always a pleasure to see you, ma'am."
"You as well All Might," she says with a kind smile. " Before we go inside I'd like to personally and professionally thank you, for all that you've done, for all that you've sacrificed...the world is grateful for you, as a Pro Hero and as a shining example of all we can become."
"Thank you ma'am, I only hoped to do good and help others in my time as a Hero."
"You really are the best of us," Pantu gives him a genuine smile. "My men will escort you inside and out of this cold air, everyone inside is quite excited about the ceremony itself," she steps aside and gestures to the elevator.
"You aren't going down with us?" Yagi asks.
"I'd like to have a word with him," Pantu gestures to the side of the roof where Horizon was gripping the railing, staring out at the lights in the distance.
"Oh, I see, I'll go on ahead then," Yagi's voice hid it well, but her words felt like a punch in the gut.
'One minute you're on top, and the moment you aren't useful anymore they move on immediately...but this is for the best, Horizon can actually protect people, while I need someone to protect me now.'
As the elevator closes Pantu looks at the helicopter to see the pilot waiting inside, ready and on standby for Horizon and All Might to leave.
Taking a deep breath to steady herself she schools her expression into an ice-cold mask, then slowly walks over to stand beside him.
She doesn't say a word, simply looking up at him.
Leaned forward, hands gripping the safety railing hard enough to crush the metal, his visor was unreadable but he seemed, agitated.
'What is that?' Pantu wonders as she sees a strange blue energy vapor rising from his hands before it quickly stops.
Her eyes then move up.
Looking from his visor into the direction he was facing, she saw a barely visible light on the horizon. 10km out into the sea, connected by one massive and heavily secured bridge. Precisely 12km from where they currently stand.
Tartarus. The most secure prison on this side of the world, only comparable the America's New Alcatraz.
She's skeptical at first, 'he can't possibly be sensing within Tartarus, from 12km away...that's impossible, he's powerful but not that powerful, right?'
Her skepticism immediately fades as he speaks in a low growl.
"Where are they?"
"Hmm, what exactly do you mean?" Pantu asks.
Horizon stands up straight and turns to face her, his presence strong and rigid.
Hiding the fact that below his visor, below his mask, he was bleeding from the eyes, nose, and ears. His brain felt like stakes were being hammered into it.
That it took everything in him not to sway in place with the wind.
All because he opened a 24km wide room to Scan inside Tartarus, for barely a few seconds.
He could feel his energy levels remaining fine, but processing it, as always, was another story entirely.
"You know what I mean," Horizon says.
Pantu turns away from him to face Tartarus, "tell me what you see then, and I'll clarify," she seems completely unphased by his attitude.
Horizon just growls and turns to face the prison as well, but doesn't open a new Room, "prisoners, lots of them, a scientist of some kind, short, portly, labcoat, glasses...he's monitoring All Fo---"
"That's enough," Pantu cuts him off, not wanting him to delve deeper into the fact that Dr. Shodai Garaki was hired to build the containment unit to counter All For One's many Quirks.
He was their best choice for a Quirk specialist since the only person considered to be above him, would likely be Horizon himself.
He also came highly recommended by many trusted people -who all shared a certain mutual friend-.
And giving Nezu any access to Tartarus was simply out of the question with how obviously compromised he is when it comes to Horizon.
"You've made your point," Pantu says. "I had them moved after the sports festival."
"Why?" Horizon asks.
"Because before then, I didn't realize exactly how powerful you were, I had to keep them out of your reach...you get them out too early and suddenly we have multiple countries breathing down our necks," Pantu says.
Horizon doesn't speak for a while, then says in a calm voice, "your neck, not mine. And you do know I can detect any lies you speak, right?" he lied, still unable to use Polygraph without physical contact, which he currently doesn't have.
He focuses on her expression, but she gives him nothing, until, she smiles.
Pantu smiles at that, confusing him, "no, you can't...because that's actually my Quirk. You should do some more research on a person before you try to bluff them, not that you'd ever find my Quirk on file...and it will stay that way, understand?"
"Mmm, understood," he grumbles out. "You know, I always wondered what you'd be like, the third signature on my contract...and I was right, you really are one seriously cold bi---"
"It's needed for my job," Pantu says. "How have you been holding up your end of the deal thus far?"
Horizon relaxes and simply shrugs, "playing hero is easy for someone like me, I'm sure you've had a team or two tracking my progress, right?"
"Naturally, you're a massive gamble for us. I signed that contract expecting just a doctor, but instead of some crumbs, I lucked into the whole pie...lucky me."
"Don't get too comfortable," Horizon says. "I'll be your superhero or whatever, but it's just a job, nothing more and nothing less."
Pantu raises a brow at that, "and what would it take to make this a lifetime contract?"
Horizon immediately steps away from the railing and leans in a bit closer to her, "since you've got some lie detection Quirk then you'll know how serious I am. If you try to fuck me over in any way...I'll burn everything to the ground, I'll rip Tokyo out of the ground, raise it into the sky, then drop it on your head. Just. Like. That."
Pantu keeps her stone-cold expression, even as Horizon walks over to the elevator and leaves her on the roof.
Knowing she can't let up her facade for even a moment Pantu remains calm in case Horizon was still 'watching' her.
'I need him to help stabilize Japan at least, but from the way things are moving, he'll be the #1 Hero the same year he graduates. I've got just over 3 years to stabilize Japan and deal with this contract situation.
And if I try to undercut him in any way,' Pantu looks out over the city, all the people living their innocent lives.
Lives that Horizon has said he'd snuff out if necessary, if she pushed him.
'I need to extend the timeline of his contract, the longer he stays working for us the better, because we really can't afford the alternative...'
Taking out her phone Pantu immediately calls the Hero Public Safety Commission HQ and gives orders to the analysis and simulation teams.
"I need a full rundown of Horizon versus any available Pro Hero we have, use all gathered intel, and I need a projection of exactly how long it will take for Japan to be stable, League Of Villains as primary chaos catalyst."
"Yes ma'am," the person at the other end says before Pantu hangs up.
"That should tell me how long I need to extend his contract for at least. Honestly Nezu, you just had to find the kind of monster we can't even use a leash on...because the more we use it, the faster he snaps..."
END CHAPTER---