Happy Birthday For Some

Izuku 5 years old

"Daddy look! It's Saberwind!" Izuku exclaimed.

"I see her," Hisashi told his son, making sure he kept a firm grip on Izuku's hand.

It was Izuku's fifth birthday and he had promised to spend the entire morning with him. Experience had taught him that it was best to keep a firm grip on Izuku's hand. It wasn't that his son would run away, but Izuku was of an age where he was easily distracted.

Currently though, he was distracted by Saberwind who was currently fighting a villian.

Inwardly All For One sighed as he looked at the battle. It was… Well, he hesitated to dignify it by calling it a battle. This was a kindergarten scuffle. There was no skill displayed by either of the combatants, and the civilians were just gawking. Though, Hisashi supposed he couldn't really comment on that since Izuku was dragging him towards the battle, eager to get closer and see the hero.

Any other day he would have rushed Izuku away but today was Izuku's day and he wanted to watch. Besides, with the skill of the combatants, he could easily ensure his son's safety.

"Careful," he cautioned. Izuku didn't appear to hear him as he kept straining forward, stretching out with one arm extended behind him.

Hisashi made a decision. He pulled up a defensive quirk and leaned down, applying it to Izuku. To his senses a shield appeared around his son. Then he scooped him up and placed him on his shoulders so that Izuku could see the so-called battle better.

He could feel the squeal of happiness in Izuku but his son was controlled enough not to make a noise. He had a slight sense of self preservation.

The so called villain did something and Saberwind countered. All For One recalled what he knew of the woman. It wasn't much. She was a minor hero, and had just started at Quantum Steel's agency as a full hero. He only knew about her because he kept track of the heroes within 100 miles of his residence. She had a quirk relating to air pressure but as he watched he could tell she had no idea how to use it.

What were those hero schools teaching people these days?

She simply created a counter force to the wave the villain had sent out. Surely to have graduated from a hero course that couldn't be the limit to her quirk? Though granted, this was hardly the place for her to display it. All For One watched her create another counter force. So boring.

"Wow!" Izuku was impressed.

Hisashi didn't roll his eyes. He was here for Izuku and to a five year old it probably was impressive. Besides, Izuku probably didn't understand air pressure yet. Thus he wouldn't yet see the missed opportunities Saberwind had. "Let's look at the Quirk, shall we?" He asked instead.

"Saberwind's quirk is called Baroload," Izuku said brightly, his shining eyes never leaving the battle.

"And do you know what it does?"

"Controls the air," came the answer.

For a five year old, that was a good enough assessment of what air pressure was.

"So, if you could control the air, what would you do?" Hisashi led Izuku through some questions. He knew Izuku was interested in quirks but assessment and analytics didn't hone themselves without help. And Izuku would need to learn about how to use multiple quirks efficiently. .

All For One didn't see his son's face scrunch up as he thought but he could imagine it. His nose would be tense, stretching the freckles dusted across his cheeks. "I could make wind," Izuku said.

"Good, what else?" Hisashi encouraged. Changing the air pressure would create wind, and could actually create quite strong localised winds. He was thinking more that if Saberwind truly did control air pressure then why wasn't she just increasing the pressure around the villain to bring him to his knees. He couldn't be completely sure that Saberwind did control air pressure. She wasn't one of the heroes he had studied and you couldn't rely on their quirk description being completely accurate, even with the daytime heroes. You could rely on the description even less for the underground heroes, and in many ways, they had the right idea. If you made your living fighting villains, then you shouldn't advertise your advantages.

But that wasn't the point here. The point here was that it was Izuku's birthday and he should be having fun. He was having fun but there was no reason he couldn't slip a bit of education in as well.

"I could hit him!" Izuku cried.

"So why isn't Saberwind?" All For One asked rhetorically. Even allowing for the fact that Saberwind would have to consider civilians, there was plenty of space for her to attack the villain, rather than simply countering her.

"I don't know!" Izuku said.

Hisashi hadn't meant for Izuku to hear the question but he wasn't disappointed that he had. It may only be one random, throw away question but it would instill doubt.

The fight wound up eventually once Saberwind actually closed with the villain. Mentally, Hisashi shook his head. He couldn't see Saberwind lasting much longer, not when she put herself into danger like that. He swung Izuku down from his shoulders as the crowd broke up.

"What did you think?" He asked as he took down the barrier he'd put around Izuku earlier. It hadn't been needed but better safe than sorry.

Izuku grinned. He was almost quivering. "That was so good!" he cheered.

Unfortunately, his son was just a little bit loud, or a little bit too enthusiastic. He caught Saberwind's attention and she practically pranced over.

Hisashi watched her come closer. Her smile was bright and she was almost bouncing.

This time Izuku didn't hold back his squeal of happiness and All For One had to remind himself that his son was happy so that he could put up with one imbecilic hero.

"You were so good!" Izuku told Saberwind as she came close.

Hisashi decided that he'd be best having what should be the real conversation in his head. You need to improve your skills, he thought was what Izuku should have said.

"Thank you!" Saberwind said. "I'm just sorry your day got interrupted," she added.

Izuku shook his head, green curls shifting with the movement. "No! It was fun. And it's my birthday!"

How did you manage to graduate? Hisashi thought before he nodded in agreement with Izuku.

"It is?" Saberwind didn't have to feign surprise. "Then I think you deserve an autograph," she added, reaching into one of the pouches on her belt and pulling out a pen.

He deserves to have your quirk, Hisashi thought. He'd do better with it. Even without knowing the full specifics of Saberwind's quirk, he knew that was true.

Izuku actually jumped up and down in happiness and pulled the small backpack he was carrying from his shoulders. He opened it and pulled out a notebook. The notebook had come with Izuku when Hisashi took him from Inko by virtue of the fact Izuku had been writing in it when they left. He held it out to Saberwind.

She took it and flipped through the pages for a blank before signing one with a flourish. Saberwind handed the notebook back and Izuku smiled at her.

Thankfully, they were prevented from making any further conversation when the police officer who had taken custody of the villain called to her. "Happy Birthday, Little One," Saberwind said as she bounced away again.

Izuku beamed at her back but didn't fight when Hisashi indicated he should put the notebook back in his bag. He took Izuku's hand again and they moved away. The road would be re-opened soon but they didn't have to traverse it. As they merged with the foot traffic again, he looked down at his son. "You could have done better," he told Izuku.

"Daddy?"

"With her quirk. You would have fought better."

"You mean it?"

All For One smiled. "I mean it," he confirmed. He hadn't gotten Izuku a present, but perhaps there was one he could give him. Not today though. Kyudai indicated that Izuku hadn't yet absorbed Fire Breath and he wanted to get a baseline. But in the future...

Izuku would do better with Baroload.

-ted-

"My Lord?" Gigantomachia was ecstatic to hear from him again.

Some time ago All For One had told his bodyguard that he was attending to a variety of tasks in the city, and thus wouldn't need his services. The huge man had not been happy with the orders but understood that he was the boss, and his word was law.

"I have finished my current tasks," Hisashi told his bodyguard. "But before you return, I have a task for you."

He could tell Gigantomachia was eager to get that single task done by the way he moved. "My Lord?" His voice was full of anticipation.

"I require you to bring me the hero Saberwind," All For One gave the order. "Alive," he added the specification. His bodyguard knew what that meant.

"At once, my Lord!" Gigantomachia replied.

The huge man turned away and Hisashi smiled. He'd have Izuku's present very soon.

-ted-

Inko sat at the kitchen table. She knew what people would think if they looked at her. She knew what Mitsuki would be telling her. What almost anyone would be telling her but she couldn't help it. Just for today.

The table was set for three and there was a small cake in the middle of it.

Izuku would be five today.

No! Izuku was five today. Somewhere out there, Izuku was turning five.

He was just not here.

It had been half a year since he'd been here. Half a year since her life had fallen apart. The Detective still came around every now and then, but only to tell her that they had no leads.

It seemed as if Hisashi had disappeared into thin air. If Inko was honest with herself, she wouldn't have cared if he had but he had taken Izuku, so she cared. She cared so much. Her heart had been ripped out of her chest.

Everything reminded her of Izuku. Not so much Hisashi. Izuku. She wanted her baby boy back so badly it hurt.

She looked at the cake. There were five candles on it. She looked at his place setting. She looked at everything.

Inko sat in silence as tears streamed down her face.

-ted-

"It will be over soon, Sakuko Inoue," Hisashi said softly.

The woman before him whimpered as Gigantomachia held her out.

She had apparently tried to fight. It would have been easier for her if she had just accompanied Gigantomachia but from his, admittedly limited, observation of her, she was overconfident. She looked up as his shadow fell over her.

"I know you!" Saberwind gasped. She managed to raise one hand and send a burst of air towards him.

Hisashi didn't even move. Gigantomachia's hand flashed in front of him. The attack dissipated on his bodyguard's arm and then in retaliation he slammed Saberwind into the ground. She cried out and it was wet sounding. Blood splattered on her face.

"That was unwise," All For One murmured as he placed one hand on Gigantomachia's arm and pushed it down. The larger man didn't fight him. He took his job seriously but he knew his master was more than capable of handling this woman.

"You were with that kid. What are you doing?"

"I was with my son," Hisashi agreed as Gigantomachia moved again. He grabbed both of Saberwind's arms and wrenched them back, so that she was held before him, at about eye level with All For One. "Thus I had a front row seat to that… ugh! I don't even want to call it a fight."

"I was doing my job."

"Yes, you were, and you were doing it very poorly but that's not the point here," he waved his hand to dismiss it. "After you answer a few questions, I'll be letting you go."

"Bull shit!" Saberwind tried to spit at him.

"Sakuko, my dear, I never lie," he replied. "Now, your quirk is named Baroload, unless I'm mistaken?"

He could see the confusion in her eyes at the question. She had probably been expecting something far more sinister but as he waited for an answer, he saw the way Sakuko braced herself. All For One sighed. "I would prefer to do this without unnecessary violence but if you will not answer, then I cannot be held responsible."

"Bull shit!" She said again. "You are responsible!" She growled.

"Ah, I begin to see what they are teaching at hero school," Hisashi said conversationally. "Pointless defiance." He nodded to Gigantomachia.

The giant flexed his arms and there was a wet snap. Sakuko screamed. Gigantomachia didn't release her arms.

"Your quirk is named Baroload, yes?" Hisashi asked Saberwind again.

"Yes," she gasped. "Yes, it's called Baroload," she confirmed breathlessly.

"You see, it's much easier to answer me," he commented. "Your quirk controls air pressure, yes?" Hisashi asked the next question.

"Yes," Saberwind replied. Her voice cracked with pain. "Mostly." She added.

Now, that was interesting. Mostly. He felt his lips twitch in a smile. Did that mean the public description of her quirk was incorrect? That might explain the difference between what he believed her ability should be and what she had displayed. "Mostly?" he repeated the word in an obvious question.

"You will really let me go?" Sakuko asked, managing to get the entire question out before she gasped in pain again.

"I have no intention of keeping you," All For One confirmed.

She seemed to consider the words before nodding. "Not air pressure. Nitrogen," she clarified.

Nitrogen? She could control nitrogen and she produced stupid little waves of wind? Control of nitrogen was a far, far more useful skill. How, in the name of anything, did she have such a powerful quirk and use it so badly? "All nitrogen or just atmospheric?" Hisashi questioned, before he got too lost in his thoughts, though he knew it wouldn't matter what her answer was. He had felt disappointed with her performance before, and now he felt even more disappointed.

Such banal quirk use was not what he had fought for.

"All," Saberwind replied, gulping.

Hisashi shook his head. "You have control over nitrogen and your quirk is named after pressure?"

She seemed to understand what he was asking. "My quirk was named when I was young. I didn't know better then," Saberwind said in a rush, obviously fighting through the pain.

The explanation made sense, but didn't absolve her of her abysmal performance.

"Thank you," All For One said politely as he reached out one hand. Gigantomachia knew what that signified and lifted her slightly. "That's all I wanted to know," he added as he touched her skin.

It was clammy with sweat but that was a familiar feeling. Hisashi activated All For One and to his senses, Saberwind's quirk glowed a pale white. It was almost transparent. Behind her, Gigantomachia's quirks glowed. He reached for Baroload and pulled it to him before Saberwind had a chance to say anything. .

As was usual, Sakuko passed out as her quirk passed into him. It didn't have to happen that way, but he found it reduced the necessity for him to listen to pointless whining. When he pulled his hand back, Gigantomachia let her drop.

"Dispose of her," All For One instructed his servant, "and then come to see me," he added, stepping back.

Gigantomachia raised one hand and slammed it down. There was a wet crunch. That was obeying his orders, Hisashi realised but it wasn't quite what he wanted.

"The body please," he added the instruction.

The huge man looked slightly depressed but All For One knew his orders would be obeyed. Gigantomachia picked up what was left of Saberwind and turned away as Hisashi contemplated the new quirk he had.

If it proved to be even half as useful as he thought it was going to be, it would be hard to give it up to Izuku but…

Ah, the things he did for his son.

-ted-