Author's Note: This oneshot is for Dad for One National Geographic Week. When thinking about which animal might best represent All for One, the image of him as an angry swan would not leave me. If you've ever had the misfortunate to be attacked by a swan, you'll immediately understand how well it fits his character.
Toshinori Yagi rose at the crack of dawn. He got dressed in his new park manager uniform and grabbed his tan broad-brimmed hat as he headed out the door.
Just as he got into his car, his phone rang. The caller ID identified Yoichi Shigaraki, a former park manager. Yoichi came from old money and had volunteered at the park until his health had deteriorated, at which point he'd donated the money to cover a full-time salary for his replacement.
Toshinori answered, "Hello?"
"I wanted to call to congratulate you on your new job." Yoichi's voice was warm and friendly.
"Thank you. How is your illness?"
"No better or worse. I still can't leave the hospital." Yoichi sighed. "That's why I wanted to ask you for a favor. The park has a swan I hand-raised from an orphaned baby cygnet. I named him Hisashi. He's a shy, gentle creature. I'm the only family he's ever known. He must miss me so dreadfully. I worry about him constantly. Could you make sure to look after him for me?"
"Of course, I'd be happy to." It was an easy request, well within Toshinori's usual duties. If anything, he counted himself lucky that the park's largest donor hadn't wanted a bigger favor.
After bidding farewell to Yoichi, Toshinori headed to work.
Toshinori's first day on the job was an easy one, consisting of filling out some paperwork and then inspecting the park. He walked around the edge of a lovely manmade lake lined with willow trees. Several picnic tables, a gazebo, and a machine for duck food rested on the patchy grass. The middle of the lake held a fountain shaped like a goldfish.
A mallard duck with a green head marched past him, followed by a fuzzy little duckling.
Toshinori glanced at his notes. "You're the one who Nana named Inko, aren't you? And your baby is Izuku."
The duck's head shot up, perhaps recognizing her name. She waddled over.
Toshinori knelt down to scatter pellets of duck food. Both Inko and Izuku attacked them with enthusiasm.
When Toshinori stood up, Izuku puffed out his chest to his full height. He toddled after Toshinori, very clearly imitating the park manager by the way he lifted his feet in time with the human.
"Aren't you just the most adorable little thing?" Toshinori chuckled.
Izuku fluffed up his feathers and chirped.
Toshinori's phone rang again. It was Nana Shimura, the former park manager before she'd taken a leave of absence due to her broken leg. She'd been a kind-hearted mentor, helping him take over the job. "Nana, what is it?"
"Did Yoichi ask you to look after that evil swan of his, like he did with me?"
"Yes—why do you call him an evil swan?" This didn't match Yoichi's description of the timid, friendly Hisashi.
"Because he is. That swan deliberately knocked some boards down behind me so that I'd fall and break my leg."
Toshinori frowned. "Even if the swan did that, it couldn't have been on purpose."
Nana snorted. "Don't be so sure. That swan is the most black-hearted bird ever to live and squawk. He hates all humans except Yoichi. I'm calling you to warn you. Yoichi has a huge blind spot where his favorite swan is concerned—he's one of those obnoxiously doting pet owners who can't understand why no one else likes his spoiled little monster. That swan has already driven off the last six park managers before you. Hikage still has the scars from his bite. He dragged Banjo underwater and nearly drowned him. Be on your guard!"
Toshinori wasn't sure what to believe. He trusted Nana, but it all sounded very strange. "I'll be careful, I promise," he said diplomatically.
The swan who called himself All for One perched in his nest made of sticks, the master of this lake and all he surveyed.
All for One was in a foul temper because yet another human had invaded his territory. This tall blond intruder looked noisy and crude. All for One badly missed First, who he called by that name because he had been the first human to inhabit this park. One day, All for One's dear First had vanished inexplicably, replaced by an obnoxious spikey-haired fellow All for One named Second. All for One had driven off Second with violent attacks, but next Third had appeared. All for One believed that if he got rid of each new human, eventually his beloved First would return to him. This made perfect sense to his tiny swan-sized brain. In all fairness, All for One was a genius by swan standards.
The Eighth looked like a tough one. All for One would need to plan his attack carefully. He waddled out of his nest for a reconnaissance mission.
At a small cry, All for One turned around. A tiny fluffy duckling had tripped and fallen into his nest. The baby stared up at the swan with the cutest black eyes and chirped.
All for One had only one thought in his brain: Mine.
Toshinori circled the park to be greeted by a strange sight. The giant swan named Hisashi had his wings spread in full as he guarded his nest. The duck Inko kept trying to dart around him. It took Toshinori a moment to realize why. Baby Izuku was sitting inside the swan's nest.
Running forward, Toshinori called, "That's not your baby! He's a duckling, not a cygnet. You have to let him return to his mother."
The swan stared up at him balefully. He had bright red eyes and a world record-breaking wingspan. Actually, Nana had a point—that was the single most evil glare he'd ever seen on a swan.
It had been silly to expect an animal to understand him. Toshinori reached down, planning to gently move the swan aside so Inko could get back her duckling.
Hisashi went insane.
The swan leapt forward, beak snapping straight for Toshinori's throat. Toshinori fell over with an undignified squawk. The swan leapt on top of him, hissing, biting, and whacking with his wings.
That had been a close one. Although Toshinori had eventually gotten Hisashi into a chokehold, he was covered with bruises and bites. He hoped he hadn't hurt the swan too much. He'd tried to be gentle, knowing it was a park manager's duty to protect all animals. At least Inko and Izuku had been safely reunited.
The next day, Toshinori arrived at work to find Hisashi chasing Inko and Izuku around the lake. He narrowly fended off this new kidnapping attempt with a high-pressure water hose.
Something had to be done. He couldn't keep an eye on the park 24/7. Sooner or later, little Izuku would be duck-napped again.
Toshinori spoke to the park owners, asking if he might be allowed to take Inko and Izuku home with him, at least temporarily. He had a pond in his backyard where they could live. To his surprise, they'd immediately agreed as soon as he mentioned Hisashi. Apparently the swan had a reputation around the park.
Upon catching sight of her new home, Inko cried happily and ran out of the animal carrier. Izuku followed after her, stopping to nuzzle Toshinori's ankle.
From the window came a meow. Toshinori's cat, Aizawa, had his nose pressed to the glass. Toshinori planned to keep a careful eye on him to make certain he didn't harass the ducks, but he was optimistic because for some unusual reason, Aizawa loved birds. Toshinori's parakeet, Yamada, was his most treasured companion. The parakeet had no fear at all of the cat, often landing on his head to sing. On the other hand, Toshinori was fairly certain Aizawa only tolerated his own existence because he fed him, as was the typical relationship between cats and their owners.
Toshinori sat down on the grass next to the pond, watching Inko and Izuku play in the water. He was so glad he'd found a place for them where they would be happy and safe.
All for One's new baby had vanished. This was completely unacceptable. The swan honked angrily. He just knew the Eighth was responsible for this travesty.
No one All for One cared about would be allowed to leave him ever again. He would hunt the Eighth back to his lair, find his baby, and return him to his nest forever. Fluffing up his feathers, All for One set off on his epic journey.
OMAKE TIME!
Omake: Sealed with Love Reference
Hisashi: I can't believe you turned me into a seal in one of your stories. There's nothing worse you can do to me.
Author: Challenge accepted!
#Also Hisashi: Why does All Might get to be human? #Author: Probably because I like him more than you.
#
Omake: Izuku's POV
Izuku: That human is the strongest, most magnificent being in the universe! He must be the guardian of this park. I will call him All Might. Someday, I'm going to grow up to be just like him.
#To everyone else, Toshinori looks like his skinny form #But to Izuku, he looks like the muscled All Might
#
Omake: After Yoichi's Release from the Hospital
Yoichi: Look, I know Hisashi is a bit difficult.
Nana: Understatement of the century.
Yoichi: But even if he's a jerk, he's our jerk. Am I right?
The other park managers covered with bandages all tiredly stare at the him.
Yoichi: He's a total sweetheart once you get to know him.
#I gave Yoichi a rich family for two reasons #One: So he can survive despite being unable to work #Two: to explain why the park must handle the evil swan adopted by their biggest donor very carefully
#
Omake: The Second Got His Huge Facial Scar From Swan for One
Park Employee: Dear god, what happened to your face?
Second: (Flashes back to Hisashi looming over him with a bloodstained beak.) It was a wild crocodile attack.
#
Omake: Should Have Seen That One Coming
Yoichi: I've noticed that Hisashi keeps trying to kidnap little Izuku.
Toshinori: You've FINALLY noticed that?
Yoichi: Fortunately, I have a solution. I found an orphaned gosling and named him Tomura. I'll give him to Hisashi. Surely that will calm his baby fever.
Newspaper: reports of not only a large swan but also an aggressive goose attacking bystanders has left people terrified of the local park.
Yoichi: Whelp, that backfired magnificently.
#
Omake: Cat Aizawa is One of Humanity's Undeniable Truths
Toshinori: Here's your dinner, Aizawa.
Aizawa: (In cat speech) You're tipping over my bowl and spilling it. Provide replacement food immediately, you big lug, or I will scratch you.
He sets down the cat bowl. Aizawa scratches him.
Toshinori: Whoa there! Be more careful! It's okay, I know it was an accident.
Yoichi: Apparently I'm not the only one in denial about my pet's true nature.
Toshinori: Excuse me? I resent that comparison. My beloved cat is nothing like your evil monster of a swan.
Yamada: Squawk!
Toshinori: My parakeet also resents the comparison.
Author's Note:
Here's my vision for how this very strange AU goes from here:
Toshinori wakes up late one night to find an angry swan with his face pressed against the window. It nearly gives him a heart attack.
Although it costs Toshinori many injuries, he wrestles Swan for One back to the park. The swan escapes again the next day. Toshinori doesn't understand how he keeps tracking him home.
Fortunately, around this time Yoichi gets released from the hospital. Hisashi is super-happy to see him, but this brief lull proves temporary and he soon returns to duckling abduction. Yoichi gives Tomura to Hisashi as a replacement baby, but that works out like the omake above.
Yoichi agrees to take Hisashi and Tomura home to live with him since they're menacing the other park wildlife and driving off guests. Yoichi and Toshinori become good friends, so Yoichi brings over Hisashi and Tomura on a regular basis to play in Toshinori's backyard pond with Inko and Izuku. They have to deal with Hisashi attempting to kidnap Izuku every single time.