Three days later, Izuku arrived at the estate of House Iida.

He was somewhat early, at least for the dinner Shoko had invited him to; however, he figured that he might as well use the time productively.

Toshinori had been quite impressed with his eagerness to attend another event so soon after the last one, even if Izuku had had to…omit some of the finer details. He didn't feel like trying to explain to his adopted father that he'd immediately disobeyed the one ironclad rule he'd been given, after all. Still, if Toshinori had guessed that something was up, he didn't show it; he'd happily encouraged Izuku to attend House Iida's party.

And so, here he was, striding into the vast central hall, which was dotted with hundreds of small round tables, as well as a few larger, more ornate ones near the far end of the room. The walls were a shining silvery tapestry of interlocking metal and gears, an ornate testament to House Iida's involvement in the transportation and automotive industries. Most Houses specialized in certain industries, functioning as corporations or economic blocs in addition to feudal nobility. The nobles were determined to maintain power, in all its forms, whether economic, political, social, or with quirks, personal.

In fact, among all the Great Houses, the only ones not ultimately directly reliant on a single business were House Yagi, which had long since reached such a massive size that it had diversified into nearly every sector of the Japanese economy, and House Todoroki, whose wealth stemmed from spoils of war rather than business profits.

Izuku put facts learned from his father's lessons aside for the moment, though; he entered the room, and began to scout the territory. He still received numerous cautious glances or outright appraising looks as he made his way past tables full of guests. Izuku supposed he couldn't blame them; he was still the newcomer, and the other nobles were still trying to figure him out. But he wasn't concerned with them, at the moment, anyway.

Eventually, the sounds of conversation led him to a pair of young, well-dressed men he had yet to meet. One of them had yellow hair with a dark black streak like a lightning bolt running through it, plus a distinctly uneasy look on his face, while the other had shorter, tightly combed pale blonde hair and a simpering, arrogantly aristocratic expression.

As Izuku approached, he heard them speaking. "Allow me to express my congratulations, Lord Kaminari," the arrogant-looking one said, his voice just as grating as Izuku had expected from the look of him. "Lady Ibara is a fine woman. She will make an excellent wife."

The other man-Lord Kaminari, it seemed-smiled weakly at that. Something about him seemed…off, particularly for a man who was engaged to be married. "Uh, thank you," he managed to reply. "But it hasn't actually, y'know, been announced yet…"

The other man scoffed. "Please," he said. "There's no need to play coy, Lord Kaminari. This is a happy day!"

Kaminari didn't seem convinced by that. Izuku saw him playing with his hands as he spoke; he seemed the sort of person who was always a little twitchy, but this seemed more pronounced. He was off-kilter, anxious, worried. Odd.

It was at that point that Izuku decided to introduce himself. He made his way towards the two men, who noticed him almost immediately. The pale, arrogant man spoke first. "I don't believe I've met you before, stranger," he said.

Izuku nodded as he stepped closer. "Izuku Midoriya," he said in greeting, extending a hand. "Adopted son of Lord Yagi Toshinori."

The man made no move to shake his hand. Instead, he held his head high and imperiously, staring down at Izuku with those arrogant eyes.

"Ah, yes, I've heard of you," he said as Izuku awkwardly lowered his hand again. "The commoner, raised to our ranks in an act of charity. I've been wondering: why did Lord Yagi see fit to name you his heir, anyway?"

Izuku's smile slowly died. He recognized the sneer in the man's voice; this was arrogance, pure and simple.

"Excuse me?" he said softly. "And who might you be?"

The man smirked. Giving a brief bow, he said, "Lord Monoma Neito, at your service."

Izuku frowned, but forced himself to stay polite, despite the fact that Monoma was clearly the exact sort of arrogant dickhead he hated most. "Lord Monoma," he said. "I can't speak to Lord Yagi's reasons entirely, of course, but I will say this-I don't believe it was charity that drove him to choose me as his successor."

Monoma snorted. "I'm sure you'd like to believe that," he said airily, before turning back to his companion. With another bow, he said, "I'm afraid I must be going, Lord Kaminari. It was a pleasure speaking with you."

Kaminari managed a weak smile in return. "The pleasure was all mine," he replied.

At last, Monoma left, disappearing back into the hubbub of waiters and diners with one last dismissive sniff in Izuku's direction. As he left, Izuku thought, "There's one noble who's going to be a problem."

Once the arrogant fop was gone, Kaminari turned to Izuku, smiling sheepishly as he extended a hand. "Sorry about that," he said, embarrassed. "Lord Monoma's…well, he's a piece of work."

Izuku raised an eyebrow, but he could tell Kaminari wanted no part of Monoma's attitude towards him; he gave off the air of a slightly hapless man, but a well-meaning one. He took the offered hand, which was soft, but Kaminari's handshake was firm and well-practiced. "Nice to meet you, Lord Kaminari," he said.

"You too, Lord Midoriya," Kaminari said, smiling easily.

"What was that I heard about a betrothal?" Izuku asked, curious.

Kaminari winced a little. "Yeah, about that," he said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head. "Seems like everyone already knows, even though it hasn't been announced yet."

"Still," Izuku said, "I suppose congratulations are in order, then."

Much to Izuku's surprise, Kaminari simply sighed. "I appreciate them," he said, sounding shockingly genuine for a nobleman. "Really, I do. Things are just…complicated, y'know? But I don't need to bother you with my problems. It was good meeting you, Lord Midoriya…but I'm afraid I can't stick around. Be seeing you."

Izuku nodded, and watched as Kaminari looked over towards the far wall of the vast room, where a slim, lithe woman in a dark suit and equally dark glasses seemingly materialized from nowhere, swiftly coming to Kaminari's side. She had purple hair and long, oddly-shaped earlobes, similar to earphone jacks, and she was clearly wearing a wire of some kind in one ear. Even through her tinted glasses, Izuku got the distinct impression that her gaze was fixed firmly on him, and that it was not friendly.

Kaminari paused, turning back to Izuku despite the woman's hand on his shoulder. "Oh, yeah, this is my bodyguard, Kyoka," he said by way of introduction. "Kyoka, this is Lord Midoriya. You should say hello!"

The woman, Kyoka, said nothing. She did lower her sunglasses, though, and Izuku suddenly realized that there was recognition in her eyes. Somehow, she knew who he was, knew he was Titan. And it was plainly obvious that his presence was making her very nervous.

"Nice to meet you, Lord Midoriya," she said in short, clipped words. "Now if you'll excuse me, we should really be going."

Izuku merely inclined his head. "Of course," he said quietly. "It was nice to meet you too."

Kyoka didn't take her eyes off him until Kaminari finally took her by the shoulder-an oddly intimate gesture, at least in the way she seemed to almost lean into his touch-and the two of them were weaving their way through the maze of tables, eventually vanishing from sight.

Izuku checked the time, and sighed. Well, that had been an…interesting distraction. The only introductions he'd managed to make were with a mostly-harmless idiot-albeit one who he was pretty sure had something deeper going on-and an arrogant asshole who hated his guts. But he didn't have time to worry about that; it was time for his dinner with Shoko Todoroki.

Funny, one of the few things he'd been looking forward to in coming home to Japan was getting into fewer life-threatening situations. And look how that was turning out.

Shoko arrived to the feast as she usually did; with a small squad of trusted servants and bodyguards, who fanned out with practiced ease to their usual locations. Shoko herself entered to a wall of greetings and well-wishes, though most nobles knew how to avoid being overly grating on her patience; those who hadn't learned had long since been…dealt with. She slipped easily through the crowd, exchanging greetings with Lord Iida and his son, Tenya-who still had a giant stick up his ass, but honestly wasn't a terrible heir otherwise, which was quite lucky, considering what had happened to his older brother. At last, as soon as was polite, retired to the private dining chamber that she'd had set aside for tonight.

Said chamber removed her from the feast proper, which was taking place in the grand hall, but that was what Shoko preferred. Feasts were much like any other event the nobles held; the true purpose was not celebration, but politics.

House Iida was still searching for its next Lady, Shoko knew, and there were not many young eligible noblewomen left; she suspected Lord Tenya would be hosting the attentions of a rather diverse group of women tonight, at the urging of his parents. But that was not her concern.

While the other nobles talked and ate and drank in the grand hall, Shoko tended to use her own dinner parties to cultivate more… exclusive company. Even within her inner circle-a group of perhaps a dozen noblewomen around her age that she had selected for their intelligence, drive, and, of course, loyalty-invitations to dine with her were rare, precious things, a sign of favor and respect that was coveted, and recognized even by those outside of Shoko's circle. More than one young woman had had her marriage stock considerably raised once it became known that Lady Todoroki had considered her interesting enough to dine with.

That, in turn, had made Shoko's deliberate decisions about who she invited and who she excluded from her mealtime discussions even more considered and careful. But tonight was special. In addition to her other guests, Lord Izuku Midoriya would be in attendance. A trial by fire if there ever was one.

Shoko allowed servants to lead her to the private dining room, then settled in with a pre-meal glass of wine, awaiting her guests for the evening. She was quite looking forward to this.

Momo was, as always, first to arrive. She was wearing red again tonight; she always had loved her themes, though this dress was longer than the one from the ball, at least in the back; rivers of red silk bunched at her waist before falling down the backs of her legs like water. Shoko preferred to mix it up; she was wearing a sleek, shimmering silver dress that clung tight to her hips and chest, sequins flashing in the overhead lights.

Momo took her usual seat, at Shoko's right hand. Shoko smiled warmly at her lieutenant as she sat down, "Hello, Lady Yaoyorozu," she said, not making any effort to hide how pleased she was with herself. "How are you tonight?"

Momo raised an eyebrow at Shoko's tone. "Well enough," she sighed. "Though I'll admit…inviting Lord Izuku to dinner seems brash, even for you."

Shoko chuckled. "I suppose we'll just have to see how it goes," she replied, before adding, "Now, anything else interesting happening downstairs?"

Momo frowned, swirling her wineglass. "Only one thing, as of now," she reported. "The rumors of Lady Ibara's betrothal to Lord Kaminari have grown much more certain. It seems likely that it will be announced later tonight."

Shoko hummed thoughtfully. "Well, then," she mused. "I suppose it's quite a good stroke of fortune that we can ask the lady herself about it, before anyone else gets the chance to."

Momo shot a dry look at her, knowing damn well that it was no stroke of fortune, but Shoko's own advance planning that had invited Lady Ibara Shiozaki to dinner the night her betrothal would be announced to the world.

Shoko simply grinned back, before the door creaked open; truly, her timing was utterly perfect.

Sure enough, the woman who entered was none other than Lady Ibara herself. She was a curvy woman, quite pretty, her thorny vine hair flowing down her back in elaborate ringlets. Her dress was simple, by noble standards; a satin and mahogany gown that had a high neckline and came down to her ankles, a shockingly modest choice-but then, Ibara's family was known for being quite conservative in their views, particularly on women's attire. Or, to phrase it as Shoko preferred to view them, they, and Ibara as well, were all a bunch of stuck-up prudes.

"Lady Shiozaki," she said, smiling in her usual ever-so-slightly-too-friendly way. "How kind of you to join us. Please, take a seat. I'm told the first course will be along shortly."

Ibara nodded, but said nothing; she seemed oddly subdued, as if her mind was a million miles away. That was a dangerous place to be, when in Shoko's presence, but she had a pretty good idea why; after all, Ibara's betrothal would be announced tonight. That was enough to put nearly anyone off their game.

Soon after Ibara took her seat, the next guest arrived. She wore a lacy blue dress, the fabric a striking contrast to her bright orange hair. She had a guarded expression on her face as Shoko greeted her.

"Lady Itsuka," she said warmly. "Good to see you again."

Lady Kendo Itsuka was not a common dinner guest for Shoko. That was not due to her personality; Shoko actually found Itsuka witty, good-natured, and fairly pleasant company, though the feeling had never been entirely mutual. Rather, it was due to unfortunate circumstances: Itsuka's husband of roughly a year just so happened to be one of the people Shoko despised most on the planet, a persistent thorn in her side. Because of this, Itsuka was rarely able to cross that divide anymore, making evenings like this a rare escape for both of them.

Itsuka smiled weakly as she took her own seat. "Hello, Lady Todoroki," she replied, her voice more guarded, and slightly weary. Shoko couldn't blame her for that; she did have a habit of making sport of Itsuka at times, though Momo always made her stop before it got too bad. "Am I the last one here?"

Shoko shook her head. "Not quite," she replied. "I have one more guest on the way."

Itsuka frowned, the wheels of her mind clearly spinning even as servers laid out the first course of the meal in front of them. "Really?" she asked. "Who is it? Lady Mina?"

"No," Shoko answered, smiling mysteriously. "She's with her darling betrothed tonight, of course. I wouldn't dream of tearing her away from Lord Ejiro…especially after what she did to earn him."

Itsuka's eyes flashed at that, while Ibara's expression shifted as well. Both women were at least intelligent and perceptive enough to know that Shoko had had a hand in the abrupt shift in Lady Mina's marriage prospects, but while Ibara seemed mostly neutral-though oddly intrigued-Itsuka was more judgmental, or at least as close to such an emotion as she dared. Shoko was unsurprised by that; Itsuka and Momo, in addition to being on quite good terms, similarly shared the fatal weakness-by noble standards-of a conscience.

"Are the rumors true, then?" Itsuka asked. "What was your price, anyway?"

Shoko smirked as she sipped from her wineglass. "That, my dear," she declared, "Is between me and Lady Mina. Never fear, though-it was a price she was more than happy to pay."

Itsuka's gaze darkened. "And now you'll hold it over her forever," she said.

Shoko chuckled, swirling her wine in its glass as she leaned back in her chair. That was all the confirmation she gave, and it was more than enough for every woman at the table to shudder.

"Why the interest, Lady Itsuka?" Shoko asked playfully. "Finding yourself wishing you'd requested my services a year ago? Or perhaps you'd like to utilize them now?"

That made Itsuka stiffen in her chair. "I'm quite happy without…whatever you're implying there, Lady Shoko," she said cautiously.

"Really?" Shoko pressed, tilting her head. "It would be quite easy, you know. I could arrange for an accident-"

She was only joking (well, mostly; it had been a while since she'd had someone assassinated, and she liked to stay in practice), but that was enough for Itsuka to slam her glass down on the table, cutting off Shoko's words.

"Please stop with that, Lady Shoko," she said softly, but with an edge underneath the softness, like a gauntlet lined with velvet. "Or is this the only reason you invited me to dinner tonight?"

Shoko raised an eyebrow, but said nothing; Momo was looking at her out of the corner of her eye, clearly offering a gentle warning. Shoko sighed; Momo was always ruining her fun, but she did have a point. Perhaps it was best to change the subject.

"Very well," she replied. "As for your question…I was actually hoping for you to meet my other guest. I think you'll find him quite… interesting."

Itsuka and Ibara perked up at that. Men were rare at these dinners, mostly due to how any man lingering in Shoko's presence more than a few days inevitably became the focus of a whirlwind of betrothal rumors; about the only exception was the occasional invitation of a lady as well as her husband or betrothed. For Shoko to not only have invited a man herself, but to declare him interesting, was…

"Who is it?" Itsuka blurted out. "Enough playing coy, Shoko."

Shoko grinned. "Always so impatient, Lady Itsuka," she cooed. "I have no doubt he'll be here soon."

Much to Shoko's glee, her words proved immediately prophetic. Not ten seconds after she finished speaking, the door was opened by a servant, revealing a figure whose presence promptly rendered all four women silent.

Izuku Midoriya did clean up very, very well, Shoko decided. He wore a similarly-styled suit to the one he'd worn the previous time they'd met, but in charcoal gray this time, white gloves on his hands and his green hair curling just enough to toe the line between wild and tamed. That was a good metaphor for the man himself, too; Shoko found herself once again drawn to the contrast he embodied. His expression was guarded, but not well enough to hide the broad strokes of his emotions from her; she could tell he was uneasy, cautious, and clearly a little nervous. But even then, his body language told a very different story; his footsteps were light, balanced, impossibly fluid for how tall and muscular he was. His head moved easily back and forth; it wasn't jerky, wasn't timid, but he was unmistakably scanning for threats, so smoothly and casually he probably wasn't even doing it intentionally, but by instinct.

In short, even at a dinner party in the highest echelons of power, in an immaculate tailored suit, Izuku Midoriya moved like a predator.

"Evening, ladies," he said, bowing politely. "Sorry for being late."

Shoko chuckled. "It's quite alright, Lord Izuku," she replied, the other women-save for Momo-too distracted to speak. "I'd say you're just in time. After all, the main course hasn't even arrived yet."

Izuku said nothing in response, as he moved around the table to the last open space, between Shoko and Itsuka. As a waiter laid out dishes in front of him, Shoko noted that, unlike many men who wore gloves as part of their attire, Izuku didn't remove them to eat; they stayed on, and indeed seemed rather longer than normal gloves. Idly, she wondered if he was trying to hide something-and if so, what it was.

Still, that was a question that could wait. For the moment, Shoko simply asked, "Have you met Lady Ibara and Lady Itsuka yet, Lord Izuku?"

Izuku shook his head, even as the two women sized him up. "I haven't had the pleasure," he admitted, meeting their eyes and smiling. Like all his smiles, no matter how bright and warm it was, there was a chill to it, a crackle in the air like ozone before a thunderstorm.

The differences in Ibara and Itsuka's reactions were interesting; Ibara, always somewhat worse at concealing her emotions, looked somewhat unnerved, though Shoko also spotted a red blush on her cheeks, a sight that made her frown slightly. She couldn't blame Ibara, though, despite the girl's imminent betrothal; Izuku was handsome, and had the air of danger that a sheltered noblewoman was often drawn to.

"Good to meet you, Lord Izuku," Ibara said, formal yet still somehow subdued. "I am Lady Ibara Shiozaki."

Izuku nodded in greeting, and Ibara looked back down at her meal, as though she wasn't sure what else to say. Itsuka, though, was much more guarded, harder to read. In an even voice, she asked, "You're Lord Yagi's adopted son, aren't you?"

Izuku nodded. "Yes," he replied. "Forgive me…what's your name?"

Awkwardly, Itsuka flushed. "Sorry," she said. "I got ahead of myself. I'm Lady Itsuka."

Izuku raised an eyebrow. "Just Lady Itsuka?" he asked mildly. "Forgive me, but most nobles I've met have led with their House name."

Itsuka blushed even deeper, and Shoko finally broke her silence with a chuckle.

"Forgive her, Lord Izuku," she said, grinning. "Lady Itsuka is still adjusting, you see. She's recently married into a new House, after all."

Momo shot her a look, but Shoko ignored her easily. Itsuka went stiff, unable to meet their eyes, while Izuku simply set down his fork to regard her with a curious gaze.

"I see," he said. "I suppose congratulations are in order, then."

Shoko could barely keep herself from cackling out loud at the look on Momo's face, not to mention Itsuka's. "Alas," she declared, "I would be forced to disagree, in this case. After all, you are speaking to Lady Itsuka of the House of Monoma, wife to Lord Neito."

Itsuka winced, while Izuku's eyes shot wide. For a moment, he seemed shocked by that, and Shoko wondered how he'd react.

At last, Izuku's face darkened, then reformed into a polite mask. "I see," he said, his voice just shy of being so cold it could freeze water. "I had the… pleasure of meeting your husband not long ago, in that case."

Itsuka winced again, while Shoko raised an eyebrow; she hadn't known that. Another piece of information to file away for later.

Meanwhile, Itsuka sighed weakly. "I see," she replied. "I suppose I should apologize for…whatever he did this time."

Izuku raised an eyebrow once again, and though he said nothing, Shoko could tell that he'd already realized that Itsuka was well-practiced at such apologies by now.

Seeing that no one else was going to speak, Shoko weighed in. "I really can't express enough of my awe at how you manage to put up with him, Ladh Itsuka," she said. "I mean, the rest of us just have to put up with his arrogant bullshit at balls and such. You have to have sex with him!"

That got a reaction out of her guests. Momo visibly fought back a laugh, while Izuku made no such attempt; a guffaw burst from his chest in a short, sharp eruption, a noise that sounded so different from the sneering laughter of most noblemen that Shoko found herself wanting to hear it again. Ibara, meanwhile, choked on her food before waving her hand, scandalized, in front of her beet-red face.

Itsuka, though, managed to do an impressive job of recovering. Despite still blushing, she replied, "Leaving aside what I do or do not do with him, Lady Shoko, I agree that my husband is…difficult, at times. But I promise you, he's really not so bad, once you-"

"Before you say "once you get to know him," Shoko interrupted dryly, "please recall that all of us here, except for Lord Izuku, do know Lord Monoma. We've known him since we were all children. He really is that bad."

Izuku laughed again, a deep rumbling sound that seemed to fill the room. Momo, for her part, simply frowned.

"I admit, I didn't expect you to be so eager to defend him, Lady Itsuka," she said.

Itsuka's expression darkened into something approaching a scowl. "I wouldn't say that," she replied, "But neither do I particularly enjoy being your sport for the evening. Whatever his personal failings are, Neito is still my husband, and he is not a bad one. Believe me, I could certainly have done much worse."

Shoko snorted, but she seemed to have a finely honed sense of exactly how far she could push Itsuka, and she recognized that that point had been reached. "If you say so, Lady Itsuka," she sighed. "I suppose we can change the topic away from your marriage."

Itsuka frowned, still on edge, but she slowly nodded at that. "I would appreciate that," she said cautiously.

That was when Shoko grinned, and everyone at the table instantly regretted allowing her to take control of the conversation yet again. "In that case, Lady Ibara," she declared, "Why don't we talk about your marriage instead?"

Surprised, Ibara jumped in her seat, having apparently not expected to be targeted so abruptly. Weakly, she stammered, "Uh…excuse me?"

Shoko's grin was unnervingly shark-like as she eyed up the vine-haired woman. "You heard me, Lady Ibara," she said. "I'll admit, I'm quite curious about all the rumors that have been swirling around. Your betrothal to Lord Kaminari is all but confirmed, is it not?"

Ibara hesitated; Izuku got the impression that she, while certainly not unintelligent, was significantly less comfortable with the high-level political games Shoko was a master of. She also seemed to not trust Shoko very much-which, quite frankly, showed that she was very intelligent.

Finally, though, she sighed, shoulders slumping. Wearing the distinct look of a woman resigning herself to something unpleasant, she said, "I suppose there's no point denying it to you, Lady Shoko. Yes, the betrothal was confirmed a few days ago. It will be announced later tonight."

The response from Shoko was not the victorious, slightly cruel smile Izuku half expected from her; instead, she, as well as Momo and Itsuka, made noises that were somewhere between congratulatory and commiserating.

After a heartbeat of silence, Izuku decided to speak up, to satisfy his curiosity. "Forgive me if this is rude," he said, "but you don't exactly seem like an eager bride at the moment, Lady Ibara."

Ibara smiled softly, but her responding snort was rueful, and slightly bitter. "I suppose that's fair," she sighed. "To be sure, I don't dislike Lord Kaminari. It's just that, well…it's complicated."

Shoko snorted. "Life often is," she agreed airily. "But tell me-what do you think of the rumors about Lord Kaminari?"

Izuku raised an eyebrow at that, even as Itsuka sniffed haughtily. "You don't seriously put stock in those rumors, do you, Lady Shoko?" she asked.

Shoko shrugged. "I haven't yet decided if I believe them or not," she replied. "But what I think isn't important. I want to know what Lady Ibara thinks of them."

Izuku had to admit, he was thoroughly lost at this point. Even so, he listened closely as Ibara considered for a moment, then shrugged.

"I don't know what to think," she admitted. "I know there are many whispers about his… closeness with that bodyguard of his…but I cannot say for sure, and speculating about it feels…unseemly. Lord Kaminari and I have spent a decent amount of time together, in the last few weeks. He has never been anything less than perfectly courteous and pleasant towards me. But…"

Ibara sighed, and Shoko's eyes seemed to glimmer in the faint light. They had mostly finished their meal, at this point; there was little to protect Ibara from the full force of Shoko's magnetism.

"But?" Shoko prompted. "Go on, Lady Ibara."

Once again, Ibara sighed. "But that is all he has been," she said, her tone edging towards complaint. "He doesn't seem particularly excited about our marriage. And while I cannot blame him for that…it feels like a bad sign, that there is no…no spark."

Itsuka, perhaps thinking of her own marriage, made a sympathetic sound, as did Momo. Shoko, for her part, leaned back in her chair, fingers folding together as she hummed thoughtfully.

"I see," she said absently. "Thank you, Lady Ibara. Are you sure you don't wish to do as Lady Mina did, and enlist my help?"

A shiver went through the room again, and Izuku once more found himself wondering just what Mina Ashido had given up, to make the mere specter of her fate so deeply unnerving to consider.

Ibara's eyes darkened, and she sat up stiffly in her chair. "I am quite sure, Lady Shoko," she said firmly. "I am under no illusions about this marriage, but whatever my qualms, I know what your price would be. I am not paying it."

Shoko smiled, a lazy grin with all the menace of a lounging predator. "Suit yourself," she said pleasantly. "But remember, I'm more than happy to offer my services any time. Lord Kaminari wouldn't know what hit him."

It was now Izuku's turn to shudder, ever so slightly; Shoko's tone did not bode well for Kaminari's health. Somehow, he recalled her casual offer of assassination against Neito Monoma, and wondered just how serious she had been about that.

After that, the conversation shifted to less… heavy topics; political discussions Izuku only understood the broad strokes of, gossip of affairs and betrothals and scandals that toed the line of propriety-mostly Shoko's fault on that one, as she seemed quite happy to be crude to throw others off-and the simple chatter of a casual dinner conversation, albeit always tinted with the looming reminders of just how high-stakes these games were.

All in all, it was by far the most interesting conversation Izuku had been part of since he'd returned to Japan-and he'd barely even said a word. A few times, Lady Itsuka had tried to ask him about America, but he'd gently fended off her questions; he didn't trust the look she had in her eyes when she asked about his past. Besides, most of his exploits as Titan were…not really suitable material for a dinner party.

Eventually, though, Lady Ibara said her farewells, heading to join up with her new betrothed. Lady Itsuka left not long after, saying that she'd been away from her husband long enough, and that if she didn't go find him, he was liable to "Start another House feud over literally nothing, the idiot."

(Izuku still had no idea what to make of Lady Itsuka; she was married to a grade-A douchebag, but seemed to be quite a pleasant person. Yet, she seemed willing to defend Lord Monoma, just not from everything. There was more to what was going on there, he was sure of it.)

At last, when Lady Momo stepped out to use the facilities, Izuku found himself alone in a room with Shoko Todoroki, their meal eaten and cleared away, with nowhere to hide.

Those mismatched, gorgeous eyes of hers bored into him as she leaned back in her chair again, utterly at ease in the world she controlled.

"Well, Lord Izuku," she asked, "How did you find dinner?"

Izuku met her gaze with one of his own, guarded and alert, for all the good it would do him. "Delicious," he said, giving her a half-smile to match the one she wore. "Though I will admit, I'm still not sure why you invited me to your private meal."

Shoko grinned. "Because I wanted to," she replied casually. "You continue to be one of the most interesting things about this place. A lady needs to find her entertainment where she can get it."

Izuku raised an eyebrow. Something about her words rubbed him the wrong way-though he wasn't sure if that was what she was trying to do. "If I may ask," he said dryly, his voice low and heavy like a thundercloud, "what about me do you find so entertaining?"

There was a moment of silence, as Shoko seemingly processed the undertone of his voice, one that sent a shiver of danger up her spine, before grinning again as she replied, "Oh, many things. But the most obvious one is simple. You, Lord Izuku, are an enigma."

"Am I, now?" Izuku asked.

Shoko nodded. "You know, most of the nobility have already written you off," she said idly. "Even after your big entrance the other day, most of the lords assume that Lord Yagi was going senile when he chose you. They're convinced you were all but exiled to America, that you're a drunk, an imbecile, or both, and that you're only back now because Lord Yagi doesn't have any other options."

A brief pulse of anger ran through Izuku's veins, but he was an old hat at controlling his rage by now; it flickered and died away again without ever even rising to the surface. "Lovely," he sighed. "That sounds about right."

Something grew sharper in Shoko's eyes, and she abruptly leaned forward, pointing a finger at him. "But that, right there," she snapped, eyes bright and teeth glinting. "That's what I find so interesting about you, Lord Izuku. Most men would be much more upset to learn that most people have such a dim view of him. But you…you're either exceptional at hiding it, or you truly don't care."

Izuku raised an eyebrow. He really didn't care; his anger was at the insults to Toshinori, not at how he was viewed by a bunch of jumped-up, arrogant lordlings who were softer than feathers and greener than grass. His self-worth wasn't tied to this place and its petty games at all; he'd forged a reputation from blood and death back in America, and getting shot at tended to give you a lot of perspective on petty noble squabbling.

"There's something special about you, Lord Izuku," Shoko continued, expression eager and dangerous, "And I intend to find out what it is, no matter what it takes."

Izuku raised an eyebrow. His hands were still folded behind his head, his body language casual-but something about his gaze still sent shivers down Shoko's spine.

"Surely, I'm not that special," he said idly. "There are hundreds of people with incredible power in this hall today. Why am I being singled out for your… attentions?"

Shoko's only response was a chuckle. With a scraping sound, she rose from her chair, coming halfway around the oval table and sitting atop it, legs folded over one another in a way that made Izuku's mouth go dry.

"Most of those people you're talking about are nothing special, you know," Shoko said, her gaze still hungry as she stared down at him. "I should know, I can tell you all of their personalities, their dreams, their likes and dislikes, all of it. And they're all the same. The women care about their looks, their petty power, their families, and occasionally their husbands. Some of them are stupid, most are average, a few are quite intelligent, and barely a handful, men or women, are genuine threats. Speaking of the men…it's ironic; every single nobleman I know thinks that they are much, much better schemers than they really are. It's honestly fascinating; even the incompetent ones are convinced they're geniuses, and they think they can get away with anything. Well, except for a few like Lord Ejiro, who don't put up facades."

Izuku hummed thoughtfully at that. "I have to admit, I actually quite like Lord Ejiro," he said. "He's…refreshingly straightforward."

Shoko raised an eyebrow. "Is he, now?" she said, in that inscrutable way of hers, the one where Izuku couldn't tell if she was mocking him or not.

Izuku shrugged. "I may not be as socially gifted as you, but I've learned to recognize when someone is pretending to be something they're not," he said. "And Lord Ejiro is exactly what he seems to be. Even if you think that that makes him less dangerous, I suppose."

Shoko chuckled, swirling her omnipresent wineglass as her eyes glimmered with mirth.

"Oh, you poor boy," she laughed. "I was complimenting him. His unwillingness to pretend to be something he's not actually makes him more dangerous."

Izuku shot her a skeptical look. "Is this more of your precious irony?" he asked dryly.

Shoko grinned. "In a way," she said airily. "Would you care for me to enlighten you?"

Izuku rolled his eyes, but he thought he recognized a genuine offer when he saw one. "Please, do," he replied.

Shoko nodded, then stood from her chair. The private dining room they were in opened up to one of the balconies overlooking the main hall, jutting out from the wall like a bulb. It gave them an excellent view of the long lines of feasting nobles-and of Lord Ejiro and Lady Mina, clearly visible at one of the larger tables near the end of the hall. Ejiro had an arm around his intended, feeding her from a plate of rare seafoods, both their faces split by beaming smiles. They looked to all the world to be nothing more than a pair of young lovers, basking in each others' presence.

"You're right," Shoko began, leaning on the railing. "Lord Kirishima is exactly what he appears to be. A blunt, honest, decent man with no head for subterfuge and a generally happy disposition. Such men aren't just rare among the nobility-they're endangered. But here's the thing: he knows it."

Izuku blinked, confused. He didn't need to prompt Shoko to continue, though; she did it regardless of whether or not he was following.

"Lord Ejiro is many things," Shoko continued, "But he-and his family-are most definitely not stupid. He knows what he is-and more importantly, he knows how to use it. Lord Izuku, in a place like this, where the currency of life is deceit and deception, what is an honest man?"

Izuku stared at her for a moment-until he realized. "An aberration," he said suddenly. "Something that throws people off their guard."

Shoko grinned, baring her teeth in a decidedly unfriendly way. "Precisely," she said. "In the social games we play, Lord Ejiro is like a rock in a rushing river; he breaks up the flow, forces people to divert around him, disrupts expectations. And the right person, with the right advantages, can ride those eddies in the current to steer a conversation-or a business deal, or a marriage negotiation-however they want. After all, when your opponent is expecting a knife fight, sometimes the best thing to do is pull out a club and hit them on the head."

Izuku laughed at that-he would have to remember it for the next time he saw Katsuki, the phrase described his grasp of tactics perfectly-but his mirth died quickly, as something dawned on him. "He's an anvil," he said aloud.

Shoko nodded. "Exactly," she agreed, extending one gloved hand, pointing deliberately downwards, one eye closed as if aiming down the sights of a gun, "and the hammer…"

Izuku followed her index finger down, and finally laid his eyes on the woman arm-in-arm with Lord Ejiro. She was laughing, the very picture of newlywed bliss, resplendent in a dress that made her pink skin and golden eyes gleam.

"Lady Mina?" Izuku asked.

"Yes," Shoko confirmed, watching the betrothed couple feasting together in the center of the hall, the look in her eyes utterly unreadable. "Don't let her smiles fool you; there is a fearsome woman underneath. Not my equal, of course, but exceptionally dangerous in the right circumstances. She's practically magnetic when she wants to be-but she works best when she can pull on people who are already off-balance."

Izuku's eyes widened, just a fraction. "Oh," he whispered. He could picture it clearly.

Shoko grinned. "Oh" indeed," she replied. " That's why they're such a good match, even ignoring how well their personalities mesh. He baits them, she reels them in. He's the frontline, disrupting their targets for her to pick off from behind when they least expect it."

Izuku shook his head. "I shouldn't be surprised," he muttered. "There's always more layers to everything you people do, isn't there?"

Shoko chuckled. "There's no such thing as "you people" anymore, Lord Izuku. You're one of us, now," she teased, before growing sober again. "But seriously-yes, there was a lot of thought put into their marriage. It's a good idea on a lot of levels-their houses have aligned interests politically and financially, they would be well-served by closer ties…and, of course, Lord Ejiro and Lady Mina, from what I understand, do genuinely care for each other. That makes them about the luckiest people I know."

Shoko sounded so jealous, Izuku didn't know what to say. Clearly, she knew better than to hold out hope that she would be so lucky in her own eventual marriage-or he in his. Things rarely worked that way.

Abruptly, Shoko turned to him. "Consider this a friendly suggestion, Lord Izuku," she said quietly. "Don't try to change what you are, to suit this world. You'll fail, and we- I- will eat you alive. Instead, make what you are into a weapon. Use it. Never let anyone forget what you are."

Izuku felt the weight of her words, which rang with something more than truth, something so deep he didn't know what to name it. Still…he knew better than to trust Shoko Todoroki not to have ulterior motives.

"Why are you telling me this?" he asked her, green eyes searing into her soul.

Shoko didn't answer. Instead, she simply grinned. "Here's an idea," she said. "Why don't we play a little game, you and I? A quid pro quo. At every ball or feast or event we attend, seek me out, and we'll make a trade. A truth for a truth. You tell me a secret, and I'll tell you one in exchange-but only one a night."

For a moment, Izuku considered. It felt like a supremely stupid idea, making trades with Shoko Todoroki…but he'd never felt this way around someone before, this elated to be riding the very edge of his skill, to be teetering on the brink of collapse, to be pushing himself, with real risk in every move.

He'd once had that risk as a mercenary, when his life was on the line in every fight. But he'd grown too powerful to feel any meaningful danger from combat anymore. It was a shocking thing to admit, but Izuku's control of One For All had long since become essentially perfect. He had mastered his world-and found standing atop it to be a supremely boring way to live. He'd forgotten what it was like to truly be in danger-and he honestly sort of missed it.

And now, staring into Shoko's mismatched eyes, he wondered if she felt the same way.

"You have yourself a deal, Lady Todoroki," he murmured, soft and smirking. "Would you like to go first, or shall I?"

Shoko smiled, teeth flashing through the gaps between her fingers as she brought them to her lips. "Tempting," she said thoughtfully. "I think I'd like to ask, first."

Izuku inclined his head. "Then ask away," he said mildly, wondering why his heart was pounding.

Shoko was silent for what felt like an eternity, those beautiful eyes twinkling playfully as she made him wait, as she thought over what she wanted to ask. Finally, she spoke.

"What did you really do, in America?" she asked.

Izuku raised an eyebrow. That had not been what he expected her to ask, but he supposed it made sense. She still doubted his story, still refused to believe he was what he claimed to be.

That made the truth that much more enjoyable to tell. "I believe you know the answer already," he said casually. "I was a mercenary, based out of San Francisco."

Shoko's expression didn't change, but Izuku thought he saw intrigue flicker in her eyes all the same. "Really?" she purred. "What was that like?"

For a moment, Izuku almost began to speak again. But then, something in his chest, something playful and confident and dangerous, changed the words in his throat.

"I'm afraid that sounds like a second secret," he said, a smirk twisting his lips. "I think it's my turn now, Lady Shoko."

Shoko's eyes flashed, but it wasn't with anger; it was with glee. Somehow, being defied seemed to excite her, not enrage her. She sighed. "Very well, Lord Izuku. It seems I'll have to wait to have my answers. Ask your question; I swear I will answer it honestly."

Izuku nodded. "I believe I asked it earlier, in that case," he replied. "Why are you offering me advice, anyway? Isn't it to your advantage if I'm a bumbling fool with no clue what I'm doing?"

Shoko chuckled. For a long moment, she was silent again, and Izuku was held in suspense. Then, she turned, staring out at the diners below them. "Haven't you been paying attention?" she replied. "Sometimes, the best way to manipulate someone is with the truth."

Izuku was silent as well after that. At last, in that deep, dangerous voice of his, eyes guarded and glittering, he asked, "So you're manipulating me, then? Tell me, what do you hope to get out of that?"

In response, Shoko took a step towards him. "That sounds like a second secret," she said teasingly, repeating his own words back at him. "But luckily for you, I am a very generous woman. So I think I'll answer it anyway."

She took another step. Then another. Izuku watched her with an even gaze as she approached, leaning in towards him until her mismatched eyes filled his vision, and he could feel the heat coming off her body.

"I'm still trying to decide what I want from you, believe it or not," Shoko murmured, soft and deadly. Slowly, her hand reached out, then paused in the air, inches from caressing the line of his jaw, the point of his chin. Her long, shimmering gloves were smoldering; he could feel the heat burning on her fingertips, even without touching them. In this place, Shoko radiated power, and not just the political kind. "But I'm sure I'll think of something, eventually."

Izuku grinned, irreverent and cocky even in the face of her strength. "Of that, Lady Todoroki, I have no doubt," he replied.

For a moment, they teetered on the brink of something indescribable, the tension between them trembling like a rope about to snap. But then the moment ended, with the sound of a door opening.

When Momo re-entered the room, her eyes were dark and gray like thunderclouds. They swept over the two of them, and Izuku felt himself shudder, just a little. It was easy to forget, when she stood next to Shoko Todoroki, that Lady Momo Yaoyorozu was only the less dangerous of the pair by a small margin. But he recalled it now.

"Lord Izuku," she said, stiff and formal. "Might you attend me for a moment? I want to discuss something with you."

Izuku hesitated, looking back at Shoko for a moment. But she was no longer looking at him; she was staring back out over the balcony, a woman alone above the world.

As he followed Momo, he found himself wondering at how lonely a pedestal it seemed to be.