Happy Birthday

I wonder why parents believe it's okay to dress their kids in the most ridiculous outfits on their birthday. I'm left to glare at my father who's gushing over the pink suit he had forced me into on this once fine morning. He's going on and on about how cute it is while the only thing I can think of is the fact that I look like a Teletubby. I want it off and I don't bother telling him for the tenth time. While he's distracted with the pictures he had taken I manage to find some decent clothes and retreat to the bathroom before he can stop me. I am not going to wear some pink monstrosity on my birthday. I don't care if I'm a six-year-old child or not, no one is forcing me to wear something I don't want to. This man knows I do not like pink, at least not the shade of pink he had so poorly chosen for me. I do not like tutus either because I am no ballerina. So I'm getting out of this god forsaken dress and into something respectable. I'm wearing some jeans overalls on top of a black long sleeve shirt. It's far better than what my father got me and far more comfortable.

"But Zen-" I walk past my father, dumping the hideous outfit he had gotten and leave my room. It is my birthday and I wear what I want on my day. He can dress me up some other time when I don't care enough. Now I need to find my mother so she can do my hair for me because it is a mess. Currently, my hair is an afro of curls on top of my head, it could be a wig. I can't do it myself because no matter what I try it won't stay in place. Good to know some things don't change even in an entirely different world.

Before I can find my mother there's a knock on the door that has me stopping in my tracks. I stare at the door for a good minute before there's another knock, prompting me to finally move. Is it the police or something? Because I'm pretty sure we have a doorbell, a pretty loud one too. I reach the door and pull it open, knowing the guards would not let anyone dangerous get this far. I'm greeted by a smiling couple and their child, people I recognize from the photo album as my aunt, uncle and cousin. They're either earlier than expected or I just lost track of time

"Hey, Zeni!"

I was told that my cousin's the same age as me, yet I'm sceptical with the size of her. I actually have to look down to meet her eyes, eyes that are just shining with excitement at seeing me.

"Uh..hey, Alissa?" Is that her name or her older sister's? From the way she's grinning, I guess I got it right then.

"You remember me!"

"No I don't, I just know your name"

My blunt reply is apparently amusing because my aunt is laughing and my uncle messes up my hair even more.

"Happy birthday, Zena. Where are your parents?"

I step aside as they enter the house before replying.

"Dads sulking, I guess, and mom should be in the kitchen"

"Why's Vincent sulking?" My aunt has a beautiful voice, one that's as comforting as my mother's. She looks like her too with the same brown skin and facial features. I notice a dimple in her left cheek, the same one my mother has. Her eyes aren't blue though, instead a light brown that's just as beautiful to me. Hey, I don't discriminate against eye colours.

I almost forget that I was asked a question for a moment there

"He got me a dress to wear today, I don't like it so I'm not wearing it"

"Is it pink?" Alissa's presence is odd because I don't notice her until she speaks.

"Yes"

The answer makes her cringe and stick out her tongue in apparent disgust.

"Pink is terrible"

I agree completely. I guess I can see why we got along.

"Why are you wearing hearing aids?" The question is followed by a gentle probe to the mentioned devices. I almost forgot I'm wearing those as they've been on my ears for the last week. Despite me reassuring my mother of my ability to block people out, she still insisted. There's no fighting a mother so I went along with it. She says I'm allowed to get rid of them when I learn to fully control my quirk, in other words, I can get rid of them when I can block out all thoughts unconsciously and not strain myself.

"They keep my quirk under control" I'm not sure how they intercept or mess with my quirk but they do the job. Yes, I know nothing about science.

"What's your quirk?"

At this point, the adults are gone so it's just me and the short six-year-old.

"I can read minds" and it's only one of my quirks. Since the doctor brought up the second quirk it hasn't shown itself yet. That was fourteen months ago. A whole year has passed and I have not seen a single sign of this apparent second quirk. Is it still there? Will it appear or is it just clowning?

"Oh, so the hearing aids turn it off?" she hits the nail on the head on her first try. Smart kid.

"Yes it does"

"Cool"

"Glad you think so, what's your quirk?"

She grins brightly at the question and I know she's going to show and not tell. She takes a couple steps back from me which prompts me to take a few of my own. If she's distancing herself it has to be a reason.

"Okay watch me"

Well, it would be easier if you hadn't disappeared, wouldn't it? One second she's right there the next she's gone. Did she turn invisible or did she teleport? I guess her quirk would explain how I can't detect her unless she talks to me, which is pretty cool now I think of it. Unnerving but cool.

"Zeni, up here"

How in the world is she coming out of the ceiling? This is obviously no teleportation or invisibility quirk, but rather something else. Impressive. The way she's coming out the ceiling makes it seem as if her body is fused to the wood making the ceiling, almost as if she and the ceiling had always been one and the same.

"Cool right?"

"Yeah, ridiculously"

Then she's gone again, this time sinking into the ceiling until there's no trace of her. Then she's next to me again, absolutely beaming at me.

"How do you do that?" I'm genuinely curious here.

"Oh well, I can go into my own space kinda, that's what the doctors say anyway. My space is like this, but different and people can't see me when I'm there, but I can see you guys and I can pop out of anything because in my world I'm kinda a ghost"

I love my family. I can hardly contain my smile as I let this revelation sink in. Damn, her quirk is amazing and overpowered if used correctly. If she can go through solid objects in her world and she appears to be coming out the ceiling in "my world" that means she's keeping half her body in her world while the other enters mine. That sounds like it takes a lot of control, but she made it seem easy.

So let me get this straight. My father belongs in avatar, my mother basically has shadow possession jutsu and my cousin can shift in and out of dimensions.

Amazing. Just amazing.

"You hit the jackpot, didn't you?"

"I guess it did" she's just a ball of sunshine, isn't she?. "I'm gonna learn to take people with me and when I do I'll take you with me to see my world"

"Sure whatever you say"

~~~~~

The house is full of family I'm just meeting by four in the afternoon and I am passed around from person to person. I'm reintroduced to my aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins, all of whom talk about our time together. I can't remember a single thing, something I make sure they're aware of. It doesn't stop them from talking about things I did years ago or when I was just a baby. I meet my slightly older cousin, a boy who's eight by the name Israel. He's the type of kid who sticks to his little game all day and barely acknowledges those around him. He does take the time to talk to me and Alissa, however, even offering us his game for a try. I suck at it as does Alissa, something that she whines about for a good hour.

"How do you like your family?" Mom's asking as I help her with my cake in the kitchen.

"They're great. My grandfathers could stand to talk less about the past though and my grandmothers must understand that my cheeks can only be pinched so much" my cheeks ache from all their attention. "And Isreal could stand to touch some grass every now and then"

All I get is a smile to let me know that my mother is listening. I step aside as she walks past with the cake in hand. It looks absolutely delicious with all that chocolate.

"Rose, baby, I told you to hide the alcohol"

Huh, my dad's still here. Where has he been all day?

"I did"

"Well not good enough, Caleb's tipsy"

"That's your brother" Mom doesn't even bother looking at him

Yup, your brother, your problem. He should probably go handle that.

"Fine fine" he's gone with a defeated sigh. Some words are exchanged, someone laughs, then there's a complaint and my father walking away with a bottle of alcohol with his brother trailing after him.

"Can I taste the cake?"

"No"

"Just a little piece?"

"Zena"

"Come on, no one will know"

"I said no"

"Fine"

"Good"

"Just some icing"

"Leave the kitchen Zen"

Banished from the kitchen I'm left to join my cousins out in the backyard. Israel is too into his video game to notice me while Alissa immediately calls me to her side. She's looking through the collection of sports balls my father has gathered in the last year with interest. I have everything ranging from baseballs, tennis balls, footballs all the way to basketballs. I've got everything as well as the equipment.

"Let's th-"

"No" I have to stop her before she throws a tennis ball at Isreal, even as I consider the idea.

~~~~~~

I can't be the only one who's extremely awkward when people sing happy birthday. You just stand there all stupid looking while everyone sings for you. Maybe you'll sing too or something but it's always awkward, isn't it? I count down the seconds until it's over and I'm allowed to cut the beautiful cake my mother made me. Alissa's making faces at me, trying and failing to make me laugh. I appreciate the effort though. I'll give her an extra slice of cake just for that. When the final notes hit there are more than a few pitched voices that I choose to ignore in favour of taking the plastic knife that I've been staring at the entire time

But just as I grab it it's taken away by my mother

"The candle first, Zen"

Oh my god woman, I just want to eat the cake you made me. It smells amazing why won't you let me have it? Why do I have to do all of this to get the cake? Why are we wasting time?

I glare at the big number six doubling as a candle, debating whether or not to actually put it out. I glare longer than I actually intend to as the flame flickers every now and then. When I finally decide to blow it out it does the exact opposite of what it's supposed to do. Instead of dying out, it burns brighter and stronger. It happens within an instant, one moment it's just a flame on a candle, the next it's almost as big as the cake.

The cake

Nooo, the cake. My cake, my precious chocolate cake with all that delicious icing and the cherries and the decorations....the cake.

"Nonononono"

Not the cake.

Stop burning, stop burning, stop burning. Why is it just burning even stronger?

We need water, but water will ruin the cake, but it's already ruined, but maybe it can be saved. Okay no water, just a really strong wind, like really strong.

Like a hurricane or something

Just as that thought enters my mind there's a strong gust that seems to flow through my entire body, surprising me but putting out the fire and silencing everyone.

Whoa, okay, what was that?

Never mind that, the cake is okay.

"You think that was her second quirk?" My father is the one to break the silence of the room, snapping everyone out of their state of shock.

"I think so" my mother is making sure I'm okay while I'm just trying to get the plastic knife.

"Mom, the cake"

"Is that all you can think about?"

"Yeah, I want cake?"

The look of disbelief on this woman's face is comedic and I allow myself a smile.

"Zena"

"Mom"

"The cake can wait"

No, it can't! It's right there, let me get a piece of my cake! Why are you doing this woman? I'm alright, I'm fine, I'm perfect, so why can't I just get the cake?

"Mom, the cake" I insist pleadingly. "It almost burned to death, let me eat a slice as celebration for not only my birthday and my quirk showing up, but also to celebrate the fact that the cake survived my quirk awakening"

"You can't be serious"

Do I look like I'm kidding woman?