Chapter Two:

Izuku gasped and looked in all directions as Shouto pushed back the gate to a traditional Japanese mansion. "You live here all by yourself?" Sculpted pine trees lined the path to a house even larger than their entire school. The sun gleamed off the grey clay tiles. The sprawling garden even had a pond with a red drum bridge running across. Perhaps Izuku shouldn't be surprised—the yuki-onna were a notoriously wealthy and powerful clan. They had roots deep in the power structures of Japan, both the human and other.

Shouto said, "This used to be my father's family home when he worked as a hero. I have the place all to myself, currently."

Oh, right, Shouto was also the son of a former top hero. He came from money on both sides of the family.

The interior of the home had tatami mat floors and watercolor scrolls decorating the hallway. Taking off his shoes, Shouto said, "We need to wear traditional clothing if we want to blend in. I'll lend you one of my yukatas. Everything is a hundred years out of date in the fae realm."

Izuku nodded. His parents had said the same thing, in derisive tones. According to the trio, there was nothing worth seeing in the fae realm. Izuku had always wondered if that might not be partly sour grapes, since they weren't welcome. Now he also wondered if they'd been discouraging his curiosity about his homeland.

Upstairs, Shouto handed Izuku a purple yukata with a darker purple coat. "This is a few years old, I think it will fit you." Because Izuku was shorter than him, Shouto didn't say. Izuku was often amused by how humans and yokai alike avoided saying what they feared might be offensive, even if it was a fact. Izuku's average height didn't bother him.

"It's made of fine material," Izuku said, fingering the airy cotton. "Can I cut a hole in the back for my wings?"

"Oh, right! No problem, the yukata doesn't fit me any longer. You can keep it." Shouto handed him a pair of scissors. "You can change in the bathroom." He pointed.

In the bathroom down the hallway, Izuku dressed himself. A yukata was a Japanese robe with a cloth sash around the waist. A thin decorative belt with a lacquer leaf clasp held the sash in place. The outfit came with white socks and geta sandals, traditional footwear with a black fabric thong and a flat wooden base elevated by two tall teeth. Izuku held onto the shoes instead of putting them on before he left the house. Straightening his belt, he stepped out.

Shouto had changed into a black yukata with a blue wave pattern on the neck and belt. The dark color made his serious eyes gleam. A small glittering snow globe hung from a cord around his neck. He asked, "How does the clothing fit?"

"Perfectly." Izuku spun around to show off, and to watch Shouto's eyes watching him. "Do you have a bag I could borrow for my wallet and phone?" His backpack would clash with this lovely yukata.

"No one uses money in the fae realm, and your phone won't work," Shouto said. "It would be considered very rude to bring anything with even a little bit of iron to the fae realm. Your phone is definitely out. You can leave your backpack at my place."

Izuku had to admit this made sense, but he felt naked without his phone. It reminded him that he'd be completely out of his element in the fae realm and reliant on Shouto to get home. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Izuku liked Shouto, but they'd known each other for a day—not nearly enough time for Izuku to assess Shouto's trustworthiness or his reliability. Izuku should make an excuse to call this off. Now that his red-hot rage had worn off, he could see his stupidity. His wings drooped.

Shouto gestured at the door. "I can set up a portal for us outside." He spoke casually about it, as easily as inviting Izuku to the arcade to play some games. Izuku would feel humiliated to admit to a wealthy, sophisticated boy his own age that a fae was too scared to visit the fae realm. He pictured himself crawling back to his parents and admitting he couldn't figure out his own heritage without their help.

Even though Izuku knew he was being reckless, he wasn't going to stop. In the worst case scenario, he could keep turning people into weasels until someone showed him how to get home.

Outside, Shouto led Izuku to the bridge. He touched runes running down the side, and the pond began to glow. "I set the portal to the fae realm, in the market. A lot of my friends hang out there. You probably already know this, but there's a strict rule against attacking anyone else at the marketplace. It's a truce area. Not that you seem like the type to start trouble, but remember, even if someone else baits you, you can't attack first. There's a powerful magical field around the marketplace that will rip you to shreds."

Izuku nodded, pretending he'd already known that. "Of course."

"Stick close to my side—no one dares mess with my family." Shouto stepped over the edge and into the pond. But instead of a splash, the glowing blue light enveloped Shouto and he vanished.

Izuku looked down into the shimmering water, summoned his courage, and leapt.

When Izuku opened his eyes, he stood in a completely unfamiliar world. Giant trees grew up from the ground, more massive than any Izuku had seen outside a textbook. Each tree held a shop in its roots, with glass doors and windows. More shops spread up the tree branches, going up as far as the eye could see. The trees lined a cobblestone street. More open air stands and tents covered the ground. All manner of items sat on the tables: glowing fruits, body parts in jars, tall sweet-smelling vases, beautiful embroidered paintings, jewelry, sweets on sticks, colorful electricity crackling around tubes, and a million more strange and mysterious treasures. The air smelled like leaves and something tangy—the smell of magic. The air here was crackling with power. Izuku had spent all his life in a world of cold iron, and he could immediately tell the difference. He felt energized and free, as if he could fly around the massive trees a hundred times. The magic itched under his skin, bubbling and demanding to be let out. His wings shot open. He rolled on the balls of his feet, barely managing to stay on the ground. Looking down, he saw tiny flowers had sprouted under his sandals.

A constant chatter rose off the crowd. Fae filled the street and flew overhead from shop to shop amongst the branches. The sellers shouted to attract customers. Most of the people here were clearly fae with their beautiful shimmering wings, but Izuku also spotted other creatures. A tengu leaned over a food stall, inspecting the strange, colorful fish. A harpy flew overhead, chatting with a fae woman. A kitsune darted down the street, nine tails waving.

Shouto blew on his hand, and a whisp of ice flew off down the street. Ice crystals danced around his body, chiming in the air. A few seconds later, the wisp returned to Shouto's hand. He said, "My friends are having a snack at the picnic ground."

Izuku managed to tear his eyes away from the fluffy kitsune and resist the suicidal urge to pet. He followed after Shouto. Every stall fascinated him, but he forged on. They stepped off the road behind a tree, to a grassy clearing. Fae sat at the picnic benches, chatting and eating. Near the edges, a centaur stood in front of a bench. A ghostly shape wavered in the air next to him.

"Hi!" Shouto raised his hand in greeting. "This is Izuku Midoriya, the fae I told you about. Izuku, you can call the centaur Tenya Iida and the sylph Ochaco Uraraka." Of course these would not be their real names. Not just fae but all magical creatures used second names, because fae weren't the only beings capable of binding someone by their true name.

"Welcome," Tenya said with a nod. The centaur had glasses and dark hair.

The white whisps solidified into an adorable girl with round cheeks and a brown bob. Her white dress flowed around her, constantly shifting shape like a cloud. Long, beautiful white wings extended from her back. The air around her felt chilly. Her form seemed wavy, but Izuku glimpsed claws on her fingers and razor-sharp tips to her wings. Sylphs, or air spirits, had a reputation for being some of the most vicious fae. "You're welcome to share our food, with no debt." Ochaco gestured at the strawberry mochi on the table.

That careful phrasing was just like a fae. "I appreciate it." Izuku sat down and took a bite. He felt a bit disappointed that it tasted like perfectly ordinary mochi, the same as anything he could pick up from a convenience store in the human realm.

Ochaco held out her hand, hovering it just over Izuku's shoulder. Even without touching him directly, she felt ice-cold. "You're definitely a summer fae. I can feel my claws retracting just from being around you." She turned over her palm to show her now-short nails. "You must be of royal blood, to have such an effect on me."

"Ah, so Shouto told you about my request." Izuku flushed and tried to stop it. Among humans, it would have been more polite for Ochaco to ask before checking his magic, but among fae, asking first would have put him in her debt. She'd simply done what he'd wanted without asking so that he owed her nothing. That was a true kindness among their kind.

"I'm certain what I felt, but it makes no sense." Ochaco's forehead wrinkled as her body faded away. "King All for One is the only surviving royal of the summer court, and if he had a child, then it would be big news."

Tenya suggested, "A powerful fae might keep his child a secret and send him away as a changeling to hide him."

"I was raised by fae parents," Izuku clarified.

Ochaco shook her head. "King All for One isn't the type to protect another person. He's cruel and vicious. I bet he'd throw his own child to the redcaps to test if he would survive."

"Don't let her worry you, she's prejudiced," Shouto told Izuku. "Ochaco belongs to the winter court, and they've always been enemies with summer."

Ochaco stamped her foot down, freezing the ground. "It's true! Even the summer court calls King All for One exceptionally cruel. Countless refugees have fled from summer to winter because our King All Might is the only one strong enough to stand up to All for One. Like Ashido…ah, Ashido!"

"Just what I was thinking." Tenya adjusted his glasses. "Ashido would surely know more than us. I'm not a fae, and sylphs are only loosely associated with any court."

Turning to Izuku, Ochaco said, "Mina Ashido is a summer fae, but her family fled to shelter with winter. I'm sure she'd have a better idea of the latest court gossip. Her parents used to be high-ranking before they angered All for One."

By this point, Izuku was insanely curious. It seemed far too much like a storybook tale for him to turn out to be a long-lost prince. More likely he was a distant relation avoiding this cruel king. Regardless, he was dying to know. "I'd love to talk to Ashido."

Shouto held out his hand, about to summon his wisps. Ochaco said, "You don't need to look for her. I saw her earlier at the Yggdrasill dance club." Her large brown eyes sought out Izuku's. "Be careful. You can trust Ashido, but don't let just anyone get close enough to touch you. I think you'd better keep your identity a secret until you know more."

Izuku nodded. "May your magic be strong," he said, a fae saying meaning thank you.

Izuku and Shouto walked down the street together, Izuku's head twisting and turning in all directions as he took in the sights. There were so many lovely goods on sale, but he had no idea what currency to use to buy them. "Does the marketplace use a different type of money?" Izuku asked.

Shouto said, "Everything here runs on favors. People bank credit with the marketplace, and that's how they buy smaller goods. Bigger ones often rely on barter."

"Oh." Izuku wouldn't be able to buy anything. It was a shame, he'd wanted a souvenir. His wings drooped to drag on the cobblestones.

Shouto pointed at a giant yew tree stretching high up above. "The dance club is located near the top, but I can't fly. Can you—?" He clamped his hands over his mouth. "Sorry, I keep forgetting that I shouldn't ask you for favors. I haven't met many fae until recently. I was raised in the mountains."

Izuku took pity on Shouto and knelt down. "Get on my back."

"Are you strong enough?" Shouto asked doubtfully as he put his arms around Izuku's neck. "Your wings are very beautiful, but so thin."

Izuku laughed. "Do you think wings could lift my heavy bones without magic? They can carry as much weight as I have power for." With one huge flap, they took to the air.

The stalls became small below as they soared up through the trees, wind whipping at Izuku's hair. He was surprised Shouto felt so warm on his back—ah, but then, Shouto had fire as well as ice powers. Shouto had a very muscular chest and belatedly Izuku wondered if he should have been embarrassed to invite someone he'd just met on his back. But they were already flying so he might as well enjoy it.

A massive open-air platform rested near the top of the tree. Fae danced on the floor and above it, bobbing and weaving in the air. A band played a jaunty jig.

Shouto pointed at a girl with pink hair, light pink skin, and yellow horns. "That's Ashido." Spinning two fans in her hands, she danced her heart out. The air around her sizzled as she moved. Her pink butterfly wings turned purple at the tips with two dark purple spots resembling eyes. She wore tan pants, white socks with no shoes, and a coat with a cherry blossom pattern and the standard sweeping sleeves—formal wear, but suited for dancing.

Izuku dropped down from the sky to land next to her. Hopping down, Shouto waved. "Hey, Ashido!"

Mina Ashido turned around with a broad smile. With a flick of her fingers, her fans melted away. "Todoroki! Who's your friend? I thought I knew every fae our age." She wiped sweat off her forehead.

"Call him Izuku Midoriya," Shouto said, raising his voice to be heard over the music. "He lives in the human realm."

"That explains it. I'm here with some friends, let me introduce you." Mina vanished into the crowd, then reappeared dragging several boys. "He's called Eijiro Kirishima." She waved her hand over a red-haired boy with tall white horns and a whiff of smoke rising from his nose.

"Oh whoa!" Izuku gasped. "You're a dragon!" He circled around Kirishima, noting his red-scaled tail sticking out the back of his yukata. "Hmm, it looks like you have European heritage with that tail. You're a fire-breather, aren't you? I can tell by the sulfur scent of your smoke." He clasped his hands over his mouth. "Sorry, I'm mumbling, I do that when I'm excited…"

"Bro, you're awesome! Most people can't guess that fast." Kirishima laughed, flashing sharp teeth.

"Do me next!" A blond boy with a black lightning bolt in his hair waved his hand. Pointed furry ears stuck up on his head. "I'm Denki Kaminari."

"Easy, you're a raiju." Izuku replied.

"Eh? How did you know?" Kaminari asked.

Izuku said, "You smell like lightning." Raiju were a type of Japanese yokai with a wolf form, also called thunder beasts.

Kaminari winked. "You're actually only half right. I'm half-Raiju, half wild fae. My magic is harder to detect because I have every court in my lineage. I'm not strong in any type of magic, but I'm a jack-of-all-trades."

Izuku chuckled, acknowledging the point. "It must be cool to use so many types of magic."

"I'm Hanta Sero, and I'm sure you can tell what I am." Sero gestured down his body, with the lower half of a spider. He was clearly a Tsuchigumo, a spider yokai.

"Guess Bakugo next!" Kirishima pointed at a blond boy with perky orange dog ears.

"This is Katsuki Bakugo," Shouto said. "We're friends."

Katsuki bellowed, "We're certainly not!"

"He says that about all of us," Mina whispered to Izuku.

"You're an Inugami," Izuku said. He could tell a dog yokai by the dog ears. But what kind of dog? He assessed the color and shape of the fur as well as the tail. "Hmm, are you a Pomeranian?"

"I'm a wolf, you shithead!" Katsuki growled, the air exploding around him.

Izuku had his doubts, but he'd learned from humans that it wasn't polite to call people out on minor lies. "Ah, I see."

Shouto asked, "Ashido, can we speak to you alone for a moment? It's important."

Mina nodded. "Let's go somewhere a bit quieter."

The three of them headed down a giant tree branch, away from the music. Mina asked, "What has you making such a serious face, Todoroki? Trouble with your love life?" From her chuckle, this was clearly a joke.

Shouto said, "Izuku is a royal summer fae, and we're trying to figure out where he came from."

Mina frowned. "That's not possible."

Izuku forestalled any further argument by lightly touching her shoulder.

Mina jolted as if electrocuted. "By the last leaf of summer!" She turned a shaky gaze on Izuku. "I stand corrected. You're definitely a royal from my court."

Izuku said, "I was told that your king is the only surviving royal, but, well, clearly I exist. I was hoping for any clues about my origins."

"King All for One isn't the type to want an heir. He killed everyone between him and the throne, after all." Mina chewed on her lip.

Shouto said, "Uraraka also thought it unlikely."

Mina said, "King All for One had a younger brother. But he vanished decades ago. Some people say he was abducted, others say he's dead."

"A brother…" Izuku thought of Yoichi, who had the same powers as him and a very similar face. Yoichi had insisted they were biologically related. Then was Yoichi his biological father after all? But Izuku had thought he was adopted. Unless Yoichi had phrased it in a confusing manner to try and make Izuku think he was adopted. But why would Yoichi want that? Everything was all tangled up in Izuku's head.

Mina continued, "The Summer King adored his little brother, and whatever happened to him, it made All for One completely lose his mind. Ever since then, his temper turned mercurial and murderous. He was always cruel—as typical for fae royalty—but after he lost his last family member, he lived for no purpose except to take over the fae realm. King All Might allied with both Queen Miruko and Queen Star and Stripe, the first time three courts have been on the same side in millennium. Even so, all three of them together have barely been able to hold back the spread of summer."

Shouto whispered to Izuku, "Miruko is the queen of autumn and Star and Stripe is the queen of spring."

Mina continued, "There are rumors that someone betrayed King All for One to seal him away and steal his brother. Other people say the Iron Maelstrom injured All for One so badly that he fell into slumber. It happened before I was born. Afterward, All for One was bound for decades until he got free. Ever since his awakening, the Summer King became suspicious of his own people. I've heard he was always a little mad, but his imprisonment made him worse." Mina's fingers dug into her arms. "He seizes on any excuse to drain summer fae of their powers and turn them into mindless slaves. It almost happened to my parents, before we fled. You shouldn't let him find out about you. If he sees you as a rival, then you're dead."

The fear and trauma in her voice was too real. Izuku shuddered. Reality had started to set in about the dangerous consequences of his little adventure. His parents must have had a reason to hide him. Izuku had been furious at his fathers, but he also knew they loved him and wanted what was best for him. They had probably been trying to protect him from this terrifying fae king whose mere name made Mina break out in a cold sweat.

"I appreciate the warning," Izuku said quietly.

Mina said, "If you need protection from All for One, then I know King All Might would help you as he saved me and my family."

The suggestion made Izuku's wings draw back. He feared he'd already spread his identity around too recklessly among people he barely knew. Even though Izuku had no understanding of the politics of the courts, he could still guess that a king of winter would have political uses for a royal of summer. This had all spun out of control too fast. Izuku needed to return home and talk to his parents.

"I appreciate the offer. But…" Izuku hesitated, struggling to figure out how to phrase this not as a request. "I really think it would be better if you didn't tell anyone my identity before I have time to talk to my parents. My adopted parents, I mean."

"I wouldn't tattle-tale without a good reason, not after you trusted me." Mina tossed back her head.

That was better than Izuku had hoped for, sincere words—not a promise but fae knew better than to promise lightly. It was as close as Mina could come to agreeing without binding herself. "I'll discuss your kind offer with my parents." He inclined his head at her, striving not to show just how nervous he felt.

They let Mina return to her dancing. After flying Shouto down to the street, Izuku said, "I think I'm ready to go home." He didn't want to explain why with people all around him. He wished he'd been more discrete from the beginning.

Shouto said, "Before we leave, I owe you for the ride."

Izuku laughed. "I release you from any debt, and you shouldn't say something like that to a fae."

"Ah, right." Shouto rubbed the back of his neck. Two dots of color formed on his cheeks. "I wanted to buy you a souvenir in exchange."

All thoughts of caution flew out of Izuku's head at the prospect of getting his hands on a treasure from the fairy marketplace. Lifting a little off the ground, he gasped. "Oh! I would love that!"

Shouto smiled, softening his eyes. "You can pick nearly anything you'd like. I have plenty of credit."

Izuku hesitated. This generosity actually made it more difficult for him, because he had no idea the value of anything in this place and didn't want to be greedy. "Could you help me pick?" That seemed like the best solution since Izuku had no idea what he wanted.

"I'd be happy to. Let me show you one of my favorite shops." Shouto led Izuku to a round building nestled in the roots of a pine tree, with a colored glass roof. Inside, rows of jewelry spread out. Unlike a human store, there was no glass to stop thieves, but Izuku could feel the dangerous magic in the air that served as a stronger deterrent. Real, living vines with purple flowers wound all over the cases and the walls. A blond boy sat behind the desk in the front. Shouto waved at him. "Hi, Aoyama." Turning to Izuku, he said, "Yuga Aoyama's family runs this store. They're spring fae, as you can probably tell by the decorations."

Izuku nodded, pretending he'd known and making a mental note that spring fae loved flowers.

Aoyama called back, "Ah, one of my favorite and most wealthy customers. Who is your friend?" He had sparkling rainbow wings.

Shouto said, "He's Izuku Midoriya. I'm picking out a gift for him." In a lower voice, Shouto said, "I like this place because all the accessories come with useful magical enchantments."

Aoyama stood up. "Your 'friend' has such lovely green eyes! Would he like an emerald ring, perhaps? We have rings that can turn you invisible or smite your enemies." The fae boy circled Izuku. "Do you have pierced ears? You don't look like you have pierced ears."

With a cough, Izuku said, "I was hoping to find something not too expensive. It was only a very small favor."

Without batting an eye, Aoyama said, "Yes, yes, I understand. Come here." He led Izuku to a case of fans. "Do any of these catch your eye?"

Most of the fans had the traditional folding shape, a couple were paddle fans. They had a range of colors and patterns, from a mountain nature scene to ocean waves. Izuku pointed at a green fan with a black bamboo background. "What does that one do?"

Aoyama said, "All of our fans have a handy trick." He picked up the fan, and it shrank down into a jade pin. "You can fasten this to your belt to keep it hidden." He flicked the fan, and it grew in size again. "This fan summons the wind." He stuck his arm out the window and waved the fan. A gust of wind shot out, knocking a leaf off the nearby tree. It landed on a passing harpy, who squawked.

"I'll take that one," Izuku said, because it was cool and because he still wanted to get out of here quickly.

"It costs ten credits," Aoyama said to Shouto, who nodded and stuck out his hand to shake and seal the deal. Izuku wished he had any idea how much that meant in yen.

"I'm glad I got a souvenir. You're most generous," Izuku said to Shouto. "It's beautiful."

"The magic lasts for one hundred years or your money back," Aoyama said. He handed Izuku the fan. Their fingers brushed.

Aoyama turned pale. "I wish you hadn't let me touch you," he said softly. "You see, my family's shop owes a debt to All for One."

Izuku took this as the warning it had almost certainly been intended to be. He turned and ran out of the shop. From Shouto's puzzled gasp, he hadn't heard what had been said, but he followed Izuku.

"Is something wrong?" Shouto called.

"How do we get back to the human realm?" Izuku shouted back, still trying to put distance between himself and the Aoyama Shop. He slipped the fan into his belt.

Shouto said, "I can transport us from anywhere, if you give me a few minutes to cast the spell."

"Then here would be great—" A wave of hot air struck Izuku's face. The heat alone forced him to a stop.

A fae with crimson eyes stood blocking Izuku's path. His curly white hair had been pulled back into a bun with a traditional Japanese crown as a headdress. The round golden crown was decorated by a massive red ruby, chains of fire opal beads, and a golden phoenix on top. Even without his high sandals, he towered over the other fae. Pure black wings spread behind him. He wore a dark red nagagi, a formal type of kimono, with a black haori coat. Two white tassels hung on either end of his coat's himo cord. A golden sun crest had been stamped five times across his coat, one on the back, two on each sleeve, and two symmetrically on the chest. Even without the crest of summer, Izuku would have known this fae as All for One by the crackling magic radiating off of him. He smelled of saltwater and citrus and freshly cut grass and everything summer. The sun above seemed drawn to him, casting his skin in a rosy glow. The branches of the nearby trees leaned toward him. Izuku had to dig in his feet to stop himself from being pulled in too, drawn by that power so tantalizingly similar to his own.

All for One smiled, a gentle expression that did not quite reach his eyes. "My beloved son, I've finally found you. I'm told that you go by Izuku Midoriya?"

Izuku had considered the possibility that he might be All for One's son, but never seriously. Everyone else seemed to consider it unlikely, and he felt too ordinary to be a prince, but even more so, he hadn't wanted it to be true. This had the power to rip his peaceful life to shreds. Would he still be able to return to his parents? What if the fae king wanted him back? Izuku might be upset with his parents at the moment but he'd never, ever give them up. He certainly wouldn't trade them for some overdressed weirdo.

The fae around them were staring. They'd clearly heard. The secret was out. No one dared speak a word, but the faint sound of wings flitting backward could be heard. Suddenly the three of them had a lot of space.

Words would not come to Izuku. He needed to say something clever to get out of this situation, but he felt like a leaf tossed around by a storm. His manners took over. He bowed. "Your Majesty."

"Such good manners, but there's no need for my own son to bow to me." All for One stepped closer. Izuku's feet slid backward. All for One opened his arms, offering a hug. Izuku stepped away. The fae king did not look pleased, but he made no move to force the issue. Izuku felt relieved at this evidence that the marketplace rules would not let All for One grab him without permission.

Shouto put a hand behind Izuku's back. "Even a king can't break the truce of the marketplace. We can leave, and he can't stop us." Ice was radiating off Shouto so strongly that it froze the air, but it was a comforting grip, keeping Izuku in place. A wind of crystals whipped around him, playing with his hair. Both of his eyes glowed. Above, a heavy cloud started to form.

All for One spoke sharply: "Because you are accompanying my son, I will forgive your rudeness in implying that I might hurt him." As his gaze fell on Izuku, his tone gentled. "I invite you to have a meal with me. We have much to talk about."

"I must beg your pardon, I'm not hungry." Izuku was glad he could say that honestly. "I must return home. Perhaps you could issue another invitation for another time." One Izuku carefully did not promise to accept.

"Where there is life, there is always need of food." All for One snapped his black fan open, a sharp sound. "If you come with me, then I have information most relevant to you. I could tell you about your past and how you came to the human realm. I could tell you where to find the older brother of your yuki-onna friend."

Izuku had been opening his mouth to make a polite refusal, but the words froze. Next to him, Shouto gasped. Izuku could have restrained his own curiosity about his past, but he knew how much this information meant to Shouto.

Shouto had been kind to Izuku since they'd first met, had granted Izuku contacts with his friends, and had given Izuku a valuable gift. As a fae, Izuku should have known better than to accept a gift that would indebt him. Even if he hadn't spoken any promise, his parents had taught him to repay his debts.

Swallowing, Izuku said, "If you promise you won't stop me from leaving afterward and to tell me what you know about Todoroki's brother, then I'll have a meal with you."

"I couldn't stop you even without a promise." All for One raised an eyebrow, looking down at Izuku from behind his fan. "Surely you know that? Did your friend not tell you the rules of the marketplace?"

Eyes on All for One's face as if watching a dangerous dog, Izuku said, "Nevertheless, please promise."

"Very well. I promise not to prevent you from leaving after our meal, and I will answer three questions about the eldest Todoroki son." All for One's smile widened, and Izuku had such a bad feeling.

They retired to a nearby restaurant that immediately vacated as soon as All for One showed up and requested a table. Izuku had already been aware that All for One terrified everyone, but seeing such graphic evidence made him wonder if he'd made a mistake. All for One insisted that they dine alone, and Shouto insisted on waiting by the door.

The fae restaurant looked no different from the ones in the human realm, except perhaps rather old-fashioned. The dining areas were sectioned off by shoji, partition doors covered by white paper with a latticework wooden frame. The low tables had no chairs, only cushions on the floor. A scroll of Japanese characters wishing for a pleasant meal hung on the wall.

The chef and wait staff had run off, but this posed no problem for All for One. He swept his sleeve across the table, and a fancy meal appeared: plates of tempura, okonomiyaki, steaming hot udon, sushi, and unagi on rice. "Please, help yourself."

"With no debt?" Izuku asked pointedly.

All for One smiled. "I'm glad that you know the rules, despite not growing up in this realm. Yes, with no debt."

Though All for One tried to frame it as if he'd been only testing, Izuku didn't buy it. That had been an attempt to trap him. Indebting Izuku wouldn't have violated the terms of their deal, but All for One could have used the debt to trap him. It was an important reminder that Izuku was facing a much older and wilier fae. He would need to keep his wits about him. The trick was also such a classic that he felt a little insulted.

Izuku stared at the food, reluctant to eat. But he had to in order to get his questions answered. Even though he could think of no way this would backfire on him, he still felt nervous. He ran through all the rules about food in his head. He wasn't a human, so it had no power to trap him in this realm. He'd clarified there was no debt. Crap, could the food be drugged? He should have made All for One promise not to drug the food. But no, that would violate the rules of the marketplace.

All for One took a piece of sweet potato tempura with his chopsticks and ate it in neat bites. After watching the older fae swallow, Izuku picked up a piece of shrimp tempura and dipped it into the sauce. It was hot and delicious.

"How is the food?" All for One asked.

"Excellent," Izuku said. He dabbed his lip with a napkin as he prepared his first question. He would like to simply demand All for One say everything he knew about Shouto's older brother, but it had to be phrased as a question for it to count. "Where is Touya Todoroki?"

"I don't know," All for One said.

Izuku winced. He'd suspected he might get an answer like that, but he'd also hoped All for One wouldn't be trying to hide information about a topic irrelevant to him, so he'd still tried it. A direct question was harder to weasel out of and a general question brought more information. Unfortunately, there was a real risk All for One had been bluffing about knowing anything of importance.

"Don't look at me like that," All for One said. "I wasn't being evasive. To the best of my current knowledge, Touya Todoroki is in the human realm, likely in his father's hometown. There have been reports of him committing petty crimes there. See? I gave you extra information for free."

"Most gracious," Izuku said, with a tilt of his head in acknowledgement. His first question had been intended to confirm something important: if All for One would actively try to deceive him, which would necessitate how carefully he phrased his future questions. It seemed like All for One sincerely didn't care about Touya and wouldn't bother to conceal anything. That would make this easier. "What does Touya intend to accomplish in the human realm?"

All for One said, "He wants revenge on his father, and he believes if he becomes a villain then he can destroy his father's heroic reputation. I don't think he's figured out yet that his father is no longer a professional hero. That boy is not the sharpest sword in the armory."

Izuku asked, "If you were me, how would you find Touya Todoroki?"

"Oh, that's a good one." All for One's eyebrows rose. "If Shouto Todoroki makes it known that he's in the human realm, then Touya will seek him out."

"You've been very helpful, and I appreciate that you gave me more than the bare minimum of information." Izuku shoveled sushi into his mouth, determined to finish this meal as quickly as possible now that he had what he wanted. He would rather not spend more time with a powerful fae who possibly wanted to kill him.

"Since we still have ample food to finish, I propose a swap." All for One regarded Izuku with an amused expression, playing with his fan. The fae king took a long, elegant sip of soup. "I will answer three of your questions, if you will answer three of mine."

Izuku hesitated. It would be foolish of him to believe he could trick a fae lord in a game of twisting the truth. But he'd come this far looking for answers about his past. At the least, he wanted to know just how badly he'd screwed up by exposing himself. "I'll agree, under the condition that we can refuse any question we don't want to answer." Izuku planned to play this game very, very cautiously.

"Agreed," All for One answered easily. "You may go first." He said this as if admiring his own graciousness.

Izuku took a sip of water as he considered how to phrase his question. "Do you intend to harm me physically or emotionally, based on a reasonable person's definition of harm?" He'd tacked on the last part as a common trick to prevent fae from using weasel definitions of harm.

"Absolutely not." All for One leaned forward, his eyes blazing. "You're my son, Izuku. My precious only child from all my eons of existence. I would never harm you. I'm sure you've heard my reputation—all fae monarchs have one. You can't rule a court without earning enmity. But although I deal harshly with my enemies, I have a soft spot for family. I am not the jealous, insecure type of king who would murder you for being my heir. Here and now, I swear an oath to you." All for One raised his hand holding his fan. "I will never kill you under any circumstances."

Izuku gasped, a piece of sushi falling off his chopsticks. He had never in a million years believed that a fae king would swear such an oath to him. They didn't even know each other, but All for One had still bound himself not to kill Izuku even in self-defense.

Izuku's mind raced, trying to find loopholes in the promise. But he could find none. The oath had been direct in a way that fae rarely spoke. Since fae could not break their promises, they liked to leave themselves outs. Izuku knew that he was an inexperienced young fae in front of a king, he knew that All for One had plenty of reason to deceive him. Yet he still couldn't think of any reason for All for One to make such an oath, except that he sincerely meant it.

What did Izuku know about All for One? Nothing except a few rumors that had come from All for One's enemies. Shouto at least didn't seem to have anything bad to say about All for One, except that he was dangerous as all fae kings were dangerous. At this point, Izuku had to believe that All for One was completely sincere, a father who only wanted to find his long-lost son.

"That is an amazing oath." Since All for One had given him so much, Izuku decided to offer some honesty in exchange. "I can't say that you've completely erased my doubts, but I feel greatly reassured. You were right, I feared you might want to kill me." Izuku hesitated, weighed the value of All for One's oath, and offered a little bit more. "For what it's worth, I have no interest in harming you or overthrowing you. Not that I expect you had any fear of a child like me, I'm only attempting to return the favor."

All for One hummed. "You'll certainly get offers from my enemies, but they'd only be interested in using you as a distraction without expecting you to succeed. You should beware the other three courts. Some will think of how they might use my son against me, and at least some will wonder if you might make a good hostage."

Izuku nodded, regretting even more that he'd been so careless. He hoped he could trust Shouto's friends.

"My turn." All for One leaned forward and vanished the sushi that Izuku had dropped on the floor. "Where do you currently live?"

Izuku might trust All for One more, now, but certainly not that far. "I refuse to answer."

All for One merely shrugged, apparently not having expected an answer. "Who raised you?"

"I refuse to answer."

"Do you visit the fae realm often?"

"I refuse to answer."

"What powers do you possess?"

"I refuse to answer."

Tapping his fan against his hand, All for One said, "You must answer something if you want me to give you information in return."

Raising an eyebrow, Izuku said, "I have a feeling that you're eager to tell me about my past. If so, it would be in both of our best interests if you ask a question I'm willing to answer. Next question."

All for One took a moment to ponder, eating his sushi. Finally, he asked, "What did those who raised you tell you about me?"

"Nothing." One word, to give away as little as possible.

"Nothing?" All for One's eyebrows rose. "But you seem so wary of me."

"Everyone who I met in the fae realm told me plenty about you." Izuku smirked. "Also, that counts as your second question."

All for One threw back his head and laughed. "Oh, very well, I'll allow it, since my adorable child was so clever."

Allow it? Izuku had won, fair and square. The first word had clearly been spoken in a questioning tone. He swallowed his irritation. Oath or not, he was better off not deliberately antagonizing a fae king. There were countless subtle ways All for One could make his life difficult. It would be better to allow the king to save face.

Izuku asked the question he'd been planning in his head while eating. "How can I find my other parent, or information about them if they are deceased?" There were more useful questions Izuku could ask, but he wanted to know the answer to this one the most badly.

"There was no other parent. I created you from magic, as the strongest fae can." All for One dabbed at his lips with a napkin. "You've wasted a question, so we can call it even."

But Izuku didn't consider the question a waste. He had learned something very important: All for One had deliberately decided to have a son. The immortal fae didn't need heirs. If All for One had crafted a child then he must have wanted one. But then how had Izuku ended up separated from his father and in the human realm? Surely his parents wouldn't kidnap a baby, they all had strong senses of justice.

He was not hungry, despite the high-quality food, so he played with the rice on his plate as he thought. For his final question, should he ask for practical information about his powers? Or should he try to learn the truth about his past? Should he ask a narrow question or a general one? General questions were easier to avoid, but narrower questions gave less information. His instincts told him that All for One was quite eager to tell him a story. Perhaps Izuku needed only to ask a general question, then let the fae king talk.

Izuku asked, "How did I come to the human realm?"

"That's quite a story." All for One leaned back in his chair, and Izuku resisted the urge to pump his fist in the air. He'd been right.

All for One began, "I can understand and sympathize with your fears that I might prove a danger to you, because I spent most of my early life dodging murder attempts from the previous Summer King. The old monarch was jealous of any rivals yet astonishingly unable to use birth control. My parents died in his purge when I was very young, so I was never completely certain how precisely I was related to the former monarch, but my powers were a death sentence. I ascended to the throne to save myself and my little brother. (Or sometimes little sister, but it was brother the last time we spoke.) My enemies plotted against me and stole my brother away from his room as he fought against them."

Izuku inhaled in surprise. He'd been assuming that Yoichi was probably the king's brother, because there couldn't be that many stray royal summer fae wandering around. It surprised him that anyone had managed to kidnap Yoichi. Also, if Yoichi had been taken by force, then why hadn't he returned to the fae realm when he found out his brother had been unsealed? Izuku paid attention to what All for One didn't say as well as what he did. It was interesting that All for One referred to his enemies in vague terms instead of just saying "the winter court" or something else specific.

All for One took a moment to hide his face behind his fan. "My enemies sealed me into slumber. While I was unable to protect you, my own court left you in the human realm. Perhaps it was to protect you, perhaps to remove a claimant to the throne. Since I awakened, I've been searching for you and my precious little brother."

Izuku nodded, making a mental note to investigate this fae history everyone else apparently already knew about.

"Since I was unable to retrieve you, it pleases me that at least you still ended up with family," All for One said.

Izuku stiffened. "What makes you say that?"

He'd already used up his last question, but All for One answered anyway. "I recognize that charm under your shirt." He reached out a sharp nail, hovering over Izuku's chest, not quite touching—and pointing directly at the necklace under his yukata. "I smell magic to ward off cold iron. My dear little brother was never strong—not by royal standards. He was more powerful than the common fae, of course. Just not as strong as me. But he always had a deft hand for complicated charm work." All for One smiled, and his teeth were a little too sharp. "He had ill health as a child, so he worked on his charms while in bed. I have fond memories of looking after him. I love him more than any treasure in the world."

Curses, Izuku had given away more than he'd intended, just as he'd feared he would. Did All for One know his other two parents as well? His parents liked to joke about Kaiji having a kill-on-sight order in the fae realm but that became a whole lot less funny if Izuku had just revealed his papa's location to the fae. Unfortunately Izuku did not have enough information to guess the risks of this situation. If only his parents hadn't kept so many damn secrets. He swallowed, trying to think of something to say that would be true and deflecting. Nothing came to mind.

All for One said, "I worry constantly about my dear brother's safety. There's a chance he could have been enslaved and enchanted by those around you two. That would be a reason why he never returned to me."

Izuku's heart shuttered shut. As if! Having spent his entire life with his fathers, he knew how much they loved each other. Besides, "there's a chance" was weasel language for fae. There was a chance that there was currently a teapot orbiting the sun between Earth and Mars, no matter how small that chance might be. No, Yoichi must have a reason for his secrecy. And Izuku would not be the one to reveal him. The longer this dragged on, the more Izuku suspected he'd give away accidentally. "I'm full. Will you do me the kindness of asking your last question?"

All for One regarded him carefully. "Are you safe and well?"

Izuku's wings flapped. "Oh! Yes, I am. I'm living a very good life." His heart softened that All for One had used his last question in such a fatherly way. Even in hyper-paranoia mode, Izuku found it difficult to deny that All for One cared for him.

All for One reached out to pat Izuku's head, and this time Izuku let him. "I don't expect you to make any promises, but I hope I'll see you again. You can leave a message for me at the Aoyamas."

Izuku made a neutral noise. He hadn't ruled out the possibility of meeting with All for One again. It would be interesting to get to know his biological father and learn more about his powers. But he really needed to talk to his parents first. His head was in a whirl. All for One couldn't have been lying about Yoichi getting kidnapped and didn't mean any harm to Izuku. But why then had the trio kept Izuku such a strict secret? Why had they never returned to the fae realm after All for One woke up?

Shouto met Izuku outside the restaurant, and Izuku asked to be taken back to the human realm immediately. He'd had enough excitement for one day. Izuku changed back into his school uniform, fastened his fan in pin form to his chest, and then told Shouto everything he'd learned from All for One about Touya Todoroki.

Nodding along, Shouto did not seem surprised that his older brother wanted to hurt his father. There must be some family history behind that.

"I'm very grateful to you." Shouto hesitated. "I wanted to show you a fun time in the fae marketplace and help you learn more about your heritage. I never anticipated All for One would get involved. I hope I didn't cause trouble for you."

At times like this, Izuku wished he could tell a polite lie. Instead, he could only say, "I hope so, too."

OMAKE TIME!

Omake: Unresolved Sexual Tension

Aoyama: (Looks at Izuku and Shouto who met less than a day ago.)

Aoyama: Oh, yeah, they're totally banging!

#

Omake: Truth from a Point of View

Izuku: My heroic parents would never kidnap a baby!

Yoichi: What some people call kidnapping, I call uncle custody rights.

#

Omake: The Parents' Freakout

Sanzou: …Izuku isn't picking up his phone.

Yoichi: It's okay, Izuku is a very good child. He only commits normal levels of fae mischief like turning his teacher into a weasel. He wouldn't do anything reckless until we have time to talk to him.

Kaiji: Is this boy he met cute? Because I did a lot of dumb stuff after I met you.

Yoichi: I'M NOT EMOTIONALLY PREPARED FOR MY BABY'S FIRST CRUSH.

Author's Note: Today's Dad for One week prompt is: "Where there's life there's hope, and need of vittles." Funny how Shouto got the more sinister quote last chapter, and All for One got the optimistic quote this time.

Traditionally winter should be the more evil court, but I thought it would be fun to switch it up a bit. No season is all good or bad, and winter has many wonderful aspects.

Izuku's mistakes relate to how he was raised. Canon Izuku got bullied as a child and would have been more cautious about trusting people. Fae Izuku has always been BAMF and sheltered by three loving, protective, and powerful parents. As a result, he jumped feet-first into trouble.

For this chapter, Possiblycringe (tumblr) / BucketOfMud (Ao3) / Popsicles (discord) drew Izuku's first encounter with All for One. This is one of my favorite pieces of art for the story. I love the beautiful clothing, the colors, and All for One's sinister first impression. Delete the spaces to get the tumblr link:
tumblr.
com/
possiblycringe/722602738982191104/day-2-of-my-and-aimportantdragoncollectors-dfo

OLD AN: Delete the spaces to get the discord link, and if this link is too complicated then the art will also shortly be posted on Possiblycringe's tumblr and reblogged on my (aimportandragoncollector):
cdn.
discordapp.
com/
attachments/
920441556866039878/1094822992355282954/DfO_Week_Collab_2_option_A.p
ng