Chapter Text
Once upon a time, in a distant era when the world held more magic, two brothers grew up in a kingdom torn by war. They were poor and powerless, but at least they had each other. Through ruthlessness and cunning, the older brother stole a wizard’s spell book and taught himself magic. He had a natural talent for it. Soon he had conquered the land and brought peace. But as the older brother’s power grew, so did his greed. He demanded that all magical items in the kingdom be turned over to him, supposedly to protect the public from another conflict. Next he demanded all the gold and jewels. Finally he demanded people’s very lives, conscripting them to labor building his palace and using them in magical experiments.
The younger brother had grown horrified with the elder’s tyranny. He pleaded with his big brother to rule with a gentler hand.
The older brother sneered. “How pitiful, to have ideals but no power to fulfil them. You’re too weak to do anything on your own, but you expect me to give up my hard-won power and wealth to help strangers.”
Pale with fury, the younger brother said, “I may not be able to control your actions, but I want no part in them. You can’t stop me from leaving.”
“What kind of brother would I be if I let you wander the world powerless and vulnerable? I will give you a parting gift.” The older brother grabbed his sibling’s forehead. His hand glowed. “I wish for my dear brother to become a genie.”
Magic coursed through the younger brother, making him scream. His body contracted, the mist sucked into a golden lamp that fell to the ground. The lamp was quickly picked up by the older brother.
“You won’t be going anywhere, little brother.”
King Toshinori Yagi stood next to an empty crib. The ivory headboard and backboard had carvings of puppies and kittens frolicking. A silver curtain covered the front of the crib, with a skirt around the bottom. Two portraits hung on the wall: one of Queen Inko, and the other of a tiny infant with a patch of green hair.
Bending over the crib, Toshinori placed down a stuffed puppy with soft brown fur. He tucked it into the silken sheets. “Happy birthday,” he whispered to the infant who had never gotten a name. Toshinori had insisted on letting his wife name their child on the grounds that he had given his last name so she ought to get the first name. Inko had decided to keep her pick as a surprise. Toshinori knew he ought to give the baby a name for a gravestone but he just couldn’t bring himself to do it, not as long as there still might be a tiny chance of survival.
A sob shook Toshinori’s shoulders. It was followed by a wet cough. He fell, clutching the crib bars. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. The stuffed animal and the cream sheets blurred together as tears rained down from his eyes. “It’s all my fault. I failed you as a father.” He hadn’t even gotten a chance to try to be a dad. He’d been so ready, having volunteered at the local orphanage to practice. He’d carved the headboard on the crib personally. He’d practiced his terrible jokes on Inko to make her laugh during her pregnancy.
Toshinori coughed again. A drop of blood hit the stuffed dog. Still coughing, he tried to wipe it up but only smeared the blood around more. His knees creaked as he gave up and rose. It was stupid, he knew he could change the sheets, but he felt like such a failure. He’d lost his child, and now he couldn’t even bring a simple birthday gift without messing it up.
In the doorway, Royal Advisor Mirai Sasaki cleared his throat. “I wish you wouldn’t torment yourself like this. There’s no need for you to constantly remember…the past.”
Toshinori turned around. “I’m not tormenting myself. I want to remember my wife and child.” Toshinori hated how everyone tiptoed around mentioning them. He thought of them constantly whether their names came up in conversation or not. He’d rather remember the good memories than pretend they’d never existed. But no one else seemed to understand that, so he’d given up. It only seemed to make people uncomfortable when he talked about Inko and their son, so he’d sunk deeper into his thoughts alone and increased his visits to this room.
It was a beautiful room. Inko had spent hours decorating the royal nursery, picking out the blue paint and the landscape of the ocean hanging on the wall. A silver claw-footed table held a lamp and a vase of paper flowers. Two bronze candlestick holders hung on either side of the crib. The wooden box in the corner overflowed with toys that Toshinori had added each year.
Mirai cleared his throat. “There’s a rather urgent matter to address…”
“I can’t. Not today. Mirai, please.” Toshinori was always useless this day every single year, so he always made certain to clear his schedule and take the day off.
Mirai tapped his foot on the ground. “You’ve left the matter unattended too long. For the stability of the kingdom, you need an heir.”
Toshinori flinched. Inko and his son had been carried away by magic on the very day their child had been born. For fourteen years, Toshinori had held onto hope. He’d hoped long after everyone else had given up. He’d searched the kingdom nearly door-to-door. He’d offered massive rewards. He’d sorted through hundreds of imposters. By now, even he knew that his loved ones were probably dead. That “probably” was the sadism of the curse, to never let him know for certain what had happened to his wife and child.
At least the vile, evil magic that had caused this tragedy was now safely sealed away in the Cave of Wonders. Only someone with royal blood could access the cave. Toshinori did not plan to have any more biological children, so the contents of the cave would remain forever sealed away and never able to harm anyone else.
However, Mirai was right. It was Toshinori’s responsibility as king to provide an heir. But it felt like a betrayal to the child who’d never gotten a name. Toshinori sighed. “I won’t remarry, no matter what anyone says. I’ll adopt an heir.” It was the first time those words had left his mouth. He felt ill. He’d finally given in to everyone who kept insisting behind his back that he was a madman for searching so long. His head spun. Blood bubbled up in the back of his throat.
“Oh!” Mirai startled. “Excellent, Your Majesty. I will compile a list of noble children in the kingdom. I already have an excellent candidate in mind.”
Toshinori had to give Mirai credit for not trying to force him into a political marriage, like half the court had over the years. The nobles with eligible daughters (most far too young for Toshinori) had been insanely pushy. Toshinori said, “I’d rather take in a child who doesn’t have parents.”
Mirai frowned. “There aren’t many noble orphans.”
“Why pick a noble child?”
“Because a noble child would have the correct breeding, the education, the support of the nobility, the natural capacity to rule…” Mirai ticked off the reasons on his fingers.
Toshinori said, “I could teach any child whatever they need to know. Perhaps I’ll find a diamond in the rough.”
Mirai arched one eyebrow. Then he put his hand on the king’s shoulder. “Your Majesty, I see that I raised this issue at a bad time. You’re not thinking straight. You got me with your little joke, now let’s move on.”
“I’m not just suggesting this to tweak you.” Toshinori scowled. “I’m serious. Why not consider all children? Someone born poor might have a better understanding of what this kingdom needs.”
Turning away, Mirai called over his shoulder, “I will return tomorrow with my list of candidates.”
Fine, then, if Toshinori was going to be ignored by his own advisor in his own kingdom, then he would personally find a better candidate by tomorrow! In a fit of mad temper, Toshinori threw a heavy cloak over his clothing, then snuck outside. He smiled a little to think of how annoyed Mirai would be to find him gone. Then he felt guilty for smiling. Toshinori always felt guilty for feeling even a little bit of joy on the anniversary of the day his wife and child had vanished.
Outside the palace, Toshinori traded clothing with a beggar. Then he slipped into the town marketplace.
Izuku crouched low in the back of a wagon full of apples. Inko, his monkey, curled up on his shoulder. Izuku waited for the moment when the cart stopped at an intersection. He peeked out from under the blanket, checking if anyone was walking. Then he stole two apples off the cart, tucked them under his raggedy shirt, and hopped out. In seconds, he had blended into the crowd. The pavement felt hot against his bare, dusty feet, but he had the callouses to withstand it.
“For you.” Izuku tossed Inko an apple. She inclined her head in thanks, then took a bite. “I’m not sure why you were so insistent that we come to this city, but here we are. The royal capital.” He looked around. “People don’t look much different.” He’d expected everyone here to be rich, but the merchants behind their stands with colorful canopies and the shoppers looked the same as every other city.
The only odd thing about the royal capital were the many broken bases where statues had once stood. Legend said the Sorcerer-King All for One had placed a statue of himself on every street corner. After All for One had been defeated and overthrown centuries ago, the kingdom lacked the money to replace the statues, but angry people had torn them all down.
While Izuku was pondering, Inko jabbered incomprehensibly, grabbed his ear, and pointed him toward the palace.
Izuku nodded. “You’re right, Inko. Maybe the wealthy people all live there.”
Inko stomped her foot on his shoulder. She waved at the palace, chattering.
Izuku crossed his arms. “Do you think I can just march up to the palace and demand entrance? I’d be arrested as thief. Which, in all fairness, I am.” He took a bite of his apple.
Inko’s shoulders slumped. She nodded, acknowledging the point. With a melancholy chirp, she devoured her apple.
“Why were you so insistent that we come here, anyway? Do you have a monkey relative living in the palace?”
Inko hopped up and down, nodding.
Izuku frowned. “Huh, really? Maybe the pet of one of the nobles? Your relative might be perfectly happy as the pet of a rich person. But we can try to check up on them, make sure they’re not being mistreated.” He glanced at the imposing metal gates around the high white palace. “I’ll see what I can do.” It didn’t look easy to sneak in, and the risks of being caught would be incalculably high. But perhaps there would be odd jobs for a young boy. He’d probably need to get cleaner, first.
Many people would think Izuku crazy for talking to a monkey as if she could understand him. But Inko was no ordinary monkey. The copper monkey wore a purple dress cut from a velvet scrap, with a flower pin tucked behind the fur over her ear. For as long as Izuku could remember, Inko had always insisted on wearing clothing. She would cover herself up with any scraps available, until he’d gotten old enough to stich her a dress.
Inko had been by Izuku’s side ever since he’d been a baby. In the vaguely remembered days of his toddlerhood, he’d been living abandoned on the city streets. He’d only survived because Inko had stolen food and bedding for him. He’d heard other stories of animals looking after human babies. But Inko had intelligence high above any ordinary animal. She could understand every word he said. She’d even insisted on naming herself by pointing repeatedly at pictures of the late queen. Animals didn’t give themselves names.
When Izuku had become old enough to talk, he’d made money by having Inko perform on the streets. She charmed the audience with her perfect imitation of a human lady, down to her curtsies and ballroom dancing. But they’d gotten a little too popular, and a circus had tried to steal Inko. They’d fled town and become more careful since then.
With their meager money, Inko had purchased a map and kept insisting that Izuku travel to Musutafu. Izuku didn’t understand why. But Inko had been so determined that he’d given in. Monkey or not, she was the closest thing he had to a mother.
Inko leapt down from Izuku’s shoulder and ran for the food stalls. He knew that she planned to scope out the local theft opportunities, so he let her go. She’d always return to his side.
Izuku passed a fishmonger’s stall. The red-faced owner was shouting at his apprentice, “Does this fish look fresh? Does it?”
“No, master. I’m sorry, master,” the boy mumbled.
“Wrong!” The fishmonger struck his apprentice across the face with the mackerel. “You tell our customers that this is the freshest fish in Musutafu, and make it sound convincing!”
The people walking on the street did not stop or look, suggesting this was a painfully familiar sight.
But a middle-aged beggar wrapped in a tattered brown cloak stepped forward. In a mild voice, he said, “Sir, no matter what problem you have with your apprentice, striking him is going too far.” The man’s hood slipped back to reveal blond hair, before he yanked it back up.
The fishmonger glared. “You think this is any of your business, huh?” He raised a fist and punched.
The exceptionally tall beggar easily sidestepped and the fishmonger’s lunge left him overextended. He fell to the ground on his hands and knees.
Izuku ran forward and grabbed the beggar by the arm. “Grandfather, it’s time for your medication.” He faked a smile at the fishmonger. “Thank you for going easy on him. He’s just a pitiful, senile old man. You’re a very goodhearted soul to put up with his nonsense.”
The fishmonger’s pudgy cheeks puffed out. He stood up slowly. “Yeah, get him out of here before I teach him a lesson.”
“So kind of you, sir.” Izuku steered the beggar away with a firm hand.
The beggar said, “Thank you, young lad, but I could have handled him.”
Izuku snorted. “I didn’t interfere for your sake. What do you think is going to happen to the apprentice after you leave? If you prick the bullying master’s pride, then he’ll beat his apprentice twice as hard later out of revenge.”
“Oh, I see your point.” The way the beggar talked was very strange, stilted and with an odd accent. Could this man be actually senile? No, on closer look, his skin was too smooth and his hands too unlined to be a beggar. His clothes smelled, but if he’d been living on the streets then his hair should have been greasier. Izuku didn’t think this man was a beggar at all. Was he slumming for some inexplicable nobleman reason? Could he be a foreign spy? Izuku would rather not get involved with any spies. He let go of the man’s arm.
The man took this as a chance to offer a handshake. “What’s your name?”
By reflex, Izuku shook and offered his name. “I’m Izuku.” Inko had named him just as she’d named herself. “Shouldn’t you give your name before you ask someone else’s?”
The man looked sheepish. “Oh, uh, I go by Al…llll…Might.”
That was clearly a fake name, but just the fact that the man had given a last name proved he must be a noble. Izuku looked the stranger over, wondering if he was carrying a purse under his rags. Coldly, Izuku said, “If you try to help someone out of naivety, you might only make their circumstances worse. Be more careful in the future.”
All Might did not seem to take offense. “I’ll remember that. What would you have done to protect the apprentice so he wouldn’t be punished later?”
“I would have tried to distract the fishmonger, which is basically what we did in the end.” Izuku shrugged. “If I had money and felt generous, then I would have given the apprentice coins to break his contract. If I had power, then I’d change the law to force masters to treat their apprentices better and make it easier for apprentices to leave.”
All Might’s eyes lit up. “Excellent ideas!” He pumped Izuku’s hand with sudden enthusiasm. “You’re exactly the boy I’ve been looking for. I didn’t expect to find you so easily. Will you come back to the palace with me?”
“Is this a con?” Izuku asked, removing his hand.
All Might shook his head. “I promise, it will be worth your while. I want to reward you for helping me.”
Izuku could use money, but instincts honed on the streets made him hesitate. If it seemed too good to be true, it probably was.
Inko leapt down from a stall canopy and landed on Izuku’s head.
All Might smiled. “What an adorable little monkey! Is he yours?”
“She, actually,” Izuku said. “We’re family.” He didn’t introduce Inko for fear that a potential nobleman might perceive her name as disrespectful to the late queen. Was it his fault that his monkey had ambitious tastes?
Inko stiffened upon hearing All Might’s voice. Then she jumped on him.
Izuku shouted, “Stop, he wasn’t hurting me!”
But Inko didn’t attack the strange man. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed kisses against his cheek.
All Might chuckled. “Aw, she seems to like me.” He petted her back.
Inko clung to All Might, gibbering. Tears poured from her eyes. She nuzzled him.
Izuku blinked. “Whoa, I’ve never seen her take to someone else so strongly. Are you good with animals?”
“I like to think so? I’ve always been a skilled horseback rider.” All Might rubbed under Inko’s chin. “She’s my first monkey. I guess I’m a natural.”
A tad jealous, Izuku held out his arms. “Come back, you’re bothering him.”
Inko clung to All Might’s hair and chattered some more. Izuku scowled. How could his only family member have cast him aside for the first stranger who had nice hair?
All Might said, “I don’t mind. You both could accompany me back to the palace so we can talk further. I promise I’ll feed you. Remember, I owe you a reward for helping me out.” He made puppy eyes. For an adult man, they were astonishingly effective.
Inko’s tail perked up at the mention of the palace. She turned even more effective pleading eyes on Izuku.
Exhaling, Izuku considered. This was his big chance to get into the palace like Inko wanted so badly. Despite his usual instinct toward suspiciousness, Izuku didn’t think that All Might meant any harm toward him. The man radiated the nervous energy of a puppy.
Coughing into the back of his hand, All Might said, “I feel so weak…I’ve lost my walking stick…won’t you please help a poor old man back home?”
Talk about fake. In spite of himself, Izuku had to restrain a laugh. Pasting on a tough expression, he crossed his arms. “Fine. If there will be food. Also, you have to give my monkey back.”
“You won’t regret this! I’ll treat you to a feast.” All Might handed Inko back. With the promise of the palace secured, she went willingly. She perched on Izuku’s shoulder and curled her tail around his neck.
The palace was a ways off and the sun beat down on them. Izuku adjusted his fez hat to block the worst of the rays.
As they turned a corner, All Might coughed.
Izuku glanced over. “You don’t have to keep faking illness, I said I would come with you.” His face paled upon seeing the blood covering the back of All Might’s hand. That hadn’t been fake. “Hey, are you all right?”
All Might collapsed to his knees, coughing. Inko chirped in concern.
Izuku knelt down next to All Might. “Put an arm around me. I’ll help you to a shady spot.”
A horse reared over them. Izuku grabbed All Might, barely dragging him out of the way in time. “Watch where you’re going!” he shouted at the rider. Inko waved her fist and chittered.
The man on horseback had white hair and red eyes. A wicked sneer formed on his lips. “Get out of my way before I trample—oh, my. Is that you, Toshi? No guards today? And you’re too weak to fight back. The old illness acting up?”
“All for One?” Toshinori whispered in horror, then coughed again. Inko’s lips peeled back and she growled low in the back of her throat, a hate-filled sound.
“Huh? All for One?” Izuku blinked. But All for One was a legend! He must be long dead.
The parrot on the man’s shoulder chirped, “Off with their heads!”
The man raised his hand, and a bolt of lightning came down at Izuku and Toshinori.
Despite his continued coughing, Toshinori grabbed Izuku and rolled them both out of the way. Izuku had been temporarily frozen in shock. Was that magic? Magic was so unimaginably rare…and apparently trying to kill him. Who cared if this man was the legendary All for One or not? Either way, he was a murderous maniac—a very dangerous one.
People on the street screamed in terror and scattered.
“Run!” Izuku screamed, leaping to his feet and taking his own advice. Toshinori followed. Izuku had shorter legs, but with Toshinori’s coughing they moved about at equal pace.
All for One’s horse thundered toward them, heedless of anyone or anything in the way. The horse smashed through a fruit stand and kept coming. Izuku leapt over the rolling apples and oranges. They couldn’t outrun a horse and they couldn’t outfight a sorcerer.
“He’s after me,” All Might said. His breath came out in heavy gasps. Blood dripped down his chin. He clearly could not continue running much longer. “You should leave me, my boy. I’ll try to hold him off so you can escape.”
Izuku really should, but now All Might had said it, it felt wrong. Curse his soft heart. “Do you trust me?” Izuku hissed.
“Yes?”
“Then jump!” Izuku shoved All Might behind the stands. All Might rolled with an oomph, tumbling out of view. Izuku knew from previous experience that there was a gutter directly behind the stalls. It was rather smelly, but it would keep All Might hidden.
Whirling around, Izuku swept the tablecloth off a jewelry stall and threw it at All for One’s face. He partly got the horse too, making it whiny and rear up. Then Izuku ran.
If all went as planned, All for One would lose sight of All Might and follow Izuku instead. When Izuku glanced over his shoulder, sure enough, the black horse was galloping after him.
Uh-oh, he’d succeeded. Now what?
Izuku ran up to one of the shops and climbed the gutter. Inko scurried up ahead of him, beckoning him upward. If he could just reach the roof, then he’d be out of range of the horse. Then he could hide or flee.
An invisible hand seized Izuku by the back of the shirt and floated him in the air. Crap. There was no outmaneuvering a sorcerer. Izuku kicked and struggled, though he expected it would do him no good. Another hand grabbed Inko. Together, they dangled in front of the enraged red eyes of All for One.
The parrot cackled, “Peel off their skin and boil them for supper.”
Izuku sweated. Surely the bird could not be serious. “I taste horrible. Look at the dirt all over me. Aren’t parrots vegetarians?”
Slowly, All for One said, “I’ve seen those green eyes before. Did you get them from your mother?”
Izuku glanced at Inko, who did have green eyes, but that was probably not who All for One meant. Regardless, Izuku decided to roll with the madman in hopes of saving his life. “Yes, definitely.”
The parrot squawked. “Eyes are the tastiest part!”
“Not yet, Garaki.” All for One petted his parrot’s head. Looking directly at Inko, All for One sniffed the air. He grinned. “I have a use for these two. This child may serve as well as Toshi would have in retrieving what is mine.”
An invisible noose fastened around Izuku’s neck, tightening until he lost consciousness.
Toshinori woke up back in his sumptuous round bed in the royal bedroom. For a moment, he nearly convinced himself it had all been a dream, but the bruising on his back and the pain in his throat felt very real. His mind spun, trying to wrap itself around the world-altering revelation he’d received right before he’d fallen unconscious. Because, right before Toshinori had been knocked out, he’d seen that Izuku had two joints on his pinky toe.
Another cough shook his body. Mirai entered, carrying a water glass on a tray. “Your Majesty, what happened? The guards found you in the gutter, stinking like a beggar. The marketplace is full of tales about a red-eyed sorcerer who returned from hell.”
Toshinori grabbed the glass and drained it. As soon as he could speak, he said, “I found my son. And All for One is back.”
Mirai shifted from foot to foot as if he couldn’t decide which was more unlikely. “Perhaps you’re delirious. I will summon the doctor.”
Toshinori shouted, “Who besides All for One could have called down magic from the sky? He’s the last sorcerer!”
“True,” Mirai admitted, biting his lip. “This is very bad. I will order the guards to look for All for One at once.”
“No, no, finding my son is the top priority!”
“Your Majesty, the royal prince is…is…no longer with us. Perhaps All for One confused you with a vision.”
Toshinori shook his head. “I found Izuku before All for One. I should have realized right away. He has his mother’s eyes. But it wasn’t until I fell down into the gutter that I saw his bare feet. Izuku has a very long pinky toe with two clear joints.”
Mirai blinked. “The late prince surely wasn’t the only person in the kingdom with such a condition.”
“I know it in my bones!” Toshinori insisted. He’d stared at the only portrait of his son often enough to have memorized every last tiny feature. “This is an order from your king, not a request. Call in the royal painter to take down a description from me. Search everywhere for Izuku. Hopefully he escaped All for One. If not, I fear what might have happened to him.”
Mirai snapped to attention. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
Toshinori frowned. “If All for One caught my son…then I know exactly what that fiend would do. He’s obsessed with the genie. He knows only someone with royal blood can open the Cave of Wonders. He’ll take Izuku straight there. How long was I asleep?”
“A few hours—”
“That’s too long!” Toshinori swung his bare feet over the bed. “Belay my earlier order. Summon the entire army to the Cave of Wonders.”
OMAKE TIME!
Toshinori: It seems like this monkey is trying to kiss me, but I’m probably misinterpreting a simple animal’s attempt to cuddle.
Inko: Dammit, why isn’t true love’s kiss turning me back into a human? Ugh, I got the wrong fairy tale!