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Jirou closed her eyes and let her head fall against the seat of the car, storing up her energy before they got to their destination.
Jirou felt someone tapping her shoulder and looked to the side. It was Kaminari.
“What is it Jammingwhey?” she asked.
“Aren’t you excited? This is our first actual mission!” he exclaimed loudly.
Jirou flinched, “Not so loud dumbass. That was right in my ear.” She rubbed her ears giving more attention to her ear jacks. Being friends with a naturally loud person had its disadvantages, especially when you have super hearing.
“Sorry,” he whispered, smiling sheepishly.
Jirou just rolled her eyes and shook her head, smiling slightly.
“I, for one, am excited. It’ll be good practice for when we’re actual heroes,” Momo said, answering Kaminari’s question.
“Me too! This is going to be fun!” Kirishima chimed in.
The four students were sitting across from each other in the back of the car, Jirou and Kaminari on one side, Momo and Kirishima on the other.
The four had been chosen for this specific mission, their quirks best for it. They didn’t know much about it, just that they had to infiltrate the base and take down the villains on the entry and second floor while they waited for the pro heroes to arrive. Then, with the help of the pros, they were supposed to fight their way to the bottom basement level to retrieve something.
Jirou was a bit nervous, even though the stakes weren’t super high. The pros had only allowed for them to be there because it wasn’t a super high profile case and they were busy with something else.
Still, that didn’t help Jirou with her nerves. The hearing hero glanced at her friends. She could tell Kaminari was nervous as well, he was doing that fidgeting thing he did with his fingers as he and Kirishima quietly discussed something.
Momo was looking towards the front of the car, probably watching what was happening outside through the window.
Jirou sighed, trying to calm herself and her emotions down. She felt a hand on her thigh and immediately knew it was Kaminari.
She looked up at him and saw he was smiling at her, the two had always been able to tell what the other was thinking or feeling. Jirou smiled back at him, grateful he was there for her.
Kaminari squeezed her thigh, giving her a look that said it’ll be okay . She put her hand on top of his and squeezed it back, both of them reassuring the other.
Jirou stepped out of the van, the other three following her out.
The driver came around to meet them, handing each of the students an ear piece. He explained how to use them and reminded them of where and what they were doing.
After testing that the ear pieces worked, Jirou and the others set out, following the route they’d been studying for the past week.
They made their way to the villain base fairly easy, only having to stop and hide in a side alley a few times.
Jirou peeked around the corner, listening for any sounds of danger. Deeming the area safe, she quietly sprinted into the alleyway next to the base, the others following her.
They stopped underneath a window. Kaminari bent down and let Jirou climb onto his back and stand on his shoulders, his hands secure around her calves.
She looked inside the window, scanning the room for any villains. The hearing hero held up three fingers towards Momo and Kirishima’s direction, showing that she saw three people in the room. They were all guarding separate areas of the room and had their backs facing the window, which was stupid of them considering they were trying to keep intruders out.
Jirou extended an ear jack down and tapped Kaminari’s hand. He let her down and after unnecessarily making sure she was okay, to which she rolled her eyes, they continued on their way down the alley.
A few feet later, they stopped again next to a door. Jirou listened closely through the door, making sure no one was on the other side. She gave the go ahead to the others.
Momo, who had been practicing lock-picking for the mission, picked the lock and stepped aside for Jirou to lead again.
The teachers and pros had decided it was better to make Jirou the team leader, since she was good under pressure and when something went wrong she knew how to handle it. It also didn’t hurt that she could hear things and alert the others.
No words were exchanged throughout the whole process, everyone remembering what they had to do.
Jirou, after double checking that no one was there, stepped into the room and waited for the others to come in and close the door quietly.
She poked her head around the wall, making sure the villains were accounted for.
Jirou snuck into the room, hiding behind a couch, the others finding their hiding spots as well. Just like they’d practiced.
After making sure everyone was in their places and ready, Jirou gave the signal and they quietly sprang out of their hiding spots.
She snuck up behind one of the villains and stuck an ear jack in his ear, sending out a shockwave just loud enough to render him unconscious.
His body fell to the ground just as Kirishima and Kaminari knocked their targets out.
Kirishima neck-chopped the second villain, hardening his hand and hitting him on the pressure point they’d all been studying for this exact situation.
Kaminari sent an electric shock through the third one, slowly lowering the guards unconscious body to the ground.
Jirou looked to the side and saw Momo showing a thumbs up from her position by the stairs, signaling no one was coming.
Jirou released a sigh of relief, glad that no one heard them. So far so good.
Kirishima and Kaminari dragged the unconscious villains next to each other and tied them up, Momo and Jirou still keeping watch.
After the boys finished, they got back into formation and started up the stairs, Jirou in the front once again.
They had decided to clear the upstairs area next, so they didn’t have to worry about someone ringing the alarm, which was on the second floor.
The four students and a few teachers had spent almost every waking hour of the past week or two studying the layout of the base. It was up to the students to decide which approach they were going to take and how. The teachers had said it would be their first test as a team.
Jirou and the others slowly made their way up the stairs, straining to hear anything or anyone.
She felt someone put a hand on her back and turned her head. Kaminari was there, standing on the step below her and looking at her.
He furrowed his eyebrows and pointed to his ear, silently asking if she could hear anyone.
Jirou shook her head, finding it strange that everything was quiet even with her advanced hearing.
They arrived at the top of the stairs, looking around the room, confused why no one seemed to be there.
“Something’s wrong,” Momo whispered.
Kirishima and Kaminari nodded in agreement as Jirou strained to hear something.
She took a few small steps away from her friends, who were standing in fighting positions, on guard despite the silence. Jirou held up a hand to stop them from following her, giving Kaminari a stern look when he still took a step towards her.
They all stood there, silently waiting for something to happen.
Suddenly, there was a faint sound from far away. Jirou froze and looked back at the others, they hadn’t heard it.
She stood there for a few seconds, waiting to see if the noise would come back.
There it was again. This time it sounded a bit closer. Her friend’s still hadn’t heard it.
A few seconds later, Jirou heard the sound again, it was getting faster and closer. It sounded like a loud slamming noise, but she wasn’t sure. That’s when she realized what the sound was. It was doors slamming shut. They were being trapped.
Jirou spun around to face her friends, “Run, we need to leave the building.”
“ Now ,” she urged when the others hesitated and started towards the top of the staircase.
Kaminari was the first to understand and followed close behind her, Momo and Kirishima behind him.
Just as Jirou was about to set her foot on the first step, she heard a loud whirring noise.
She didn’t have time to process what was happening as she felt an arm wrap around her waist and pull her towards them, her back pushed against a firm chest. Instinctively, Jirou placed her hand on top of Kaminari’s, knowing it was him who had pulled her back.
“You okay?” he whispered in her ear, the worry apparent in his voice.
Jirou nodded as she looked up and saw that she had almost been crushed by a big metal door.
“The window.” She heard Momo say.
They all rushed for the window at the other end of the room, metal blinds sliding down over it.
The heroes in training got there just as the blinds were about to hit the bottom of the windowsill, Kirishima wedging a hardened hand under the last sliver of space, effectively stopping the cover from fully closing.
Kaminari tried lifting the blinds back up, Kirishima grunting from the pain.
Jirou turned around in a circle, looking for another way out, but all of the entrances were already sealed. They were trapped.
The pounding on the window got more intense as the blinds started pushing downwards again, crushing Kirishima’s hand, Kaminari yelling for help.
Jirou and Momo pulled Kirishima away as Kaminari used the last of his strength to lift the cover a bit higher.
Kirishima leaned against the wall as he cradled his hand, which was definitely broken, to his chest, apologizing for not being able to stop the shield.
Jirou heard another whirring noise and saw Momo create a staff out of the corner of her eye.
She looked towards where the sound was coming from, some kind of vapor or smoke was being sprayed into the room.
Just as she was about to point it out to the others, black spots started filling her vision and suddenly everything went black.
“-properly sedated?” a voice asked.
A muffled response came from someone else.
“Prepare him for-“
“-go as planned?”
“Yes sir-“
“How is - responding to orders?”
“-was resistant - mumbling something about a girl-“
“-break him?”
“Yes - fought us at first-“
“Good.”
The first thing Jirou noticed when she woke up was her pounding head. She slowly raised a hand to rub her temples, hoping to make her headache lessen.
That’s when she remembered what had happened and the snippets of conversation she’d heard.
Jirou bolted upright, opening her eyes and looking around. Her eyes burned and her head pounded as she turned it, but she needed to know where she was and if her friends were safe.
She was on the floor of what looked like a jail cell, brick walls surrounding her on all sides except for one, which was made of bars. She was in a prison cell.
Jirou sighed and rubbed her temples again, trying to relieve at least some of the pain so she could keep a stable train of thought.
“Well well well, look who’s awake,” a voice drawled.
Jirou looked up and saw a man leaning on the bars of her cell, sneering.
She stood up slowly, using the wall as support and ignoring how the room seemed to sway under her feet.
“Where is everyone?” Jirou ground out, pushing the pounding in her head away.
“You think you’re a badass, huh?” the man teased.
“Tell me where they are,” she ordered, pretending to have strength and energy she definitely didn’t have.
“You know, you were the one we were most worried about. With your hearing and all,” he continued, ignoring her.
Jirou sighed as she let the man drone on, focusing on not passing out on the spot, stupid villains and their monologues. They always had to go on and on about why they did something and how hard it was to do it and blah, blah, blah.
.
“-seems like you’re awake enough though,” the villain finished, as he turned around and waved someone forward.
Another man stepped up to the bars and unlocked the door, holding something in his hand. He closed the door behind him and stalked towards her.
Jirou tried to make herself move, attack, do anything, but she was stuck where she was, unable to do anything.
The man grabbed hold of her shoulders as she weakly struggled against him, she felt something poke her skin and everything went black.
Jirou slowly opened her eyes, the pounding in her head even worse than before. She looked around and saw she was in the same cell as before, the only difference was she was strapped down to some kind of cot thing.
Jirou squeezed her eyes shut. This was all her fault, if only she had been paying more attention they wouldn’t have gotten captured. And if she had been able to make herself fight back, she wouldn’t be trapped in the cell.
She fought back the tears starting to rise, her throat burning. She shoved down all her emotions and thoughts, her guilt and shame, her worry and concern about the others. Jirou was determined to get out of her cell and find her friends, she would do whatever it took.
Jirou took a deep breath and raised her head up, looking at the straps holding her down.
She slowly extended an ear jack and released a small beat of her heartbeat, hoping it was enough force to break it.
Thankfully, she felt the straps go slack and she slid herself out of the cot.
Jirou ignored the way the room was spinning and reached a hand out to stabilize herself on the wall.
She forced herself to take a few more steps towards the cell door and leaned against it, looking around to see if there were any guards in the hallway.
Someone must’ve been on her side because no one was there. She released a breath of relief and pulled herself towards the keyhole.
Jirou remembered how one time her and Kaminari had been talking about how she might be able to unlock a door with her ear jacks. Guess it was time to find out.
A few seconds of her ear jacks clacking against the metal lock and the cell door swung open.
Jirou staggered forward and began searching for her friends, pushing away the fatigue growing in her the more she moved.
“Where do you think we are?” Kirishima asked.
“I’m not sure, we never saw this part of the base on the blueprints,” Momo whispered back.
“It doesn’t matter where we are or where we aren’t. All that matters is finding Kaminari and getting out of here,” Jirou interrupted.
She had found the other two on the same floor as her, both locked up in their own cells. She had to wake them up, but for some reason they didn’t seem to be as affected by the drugs as much as Jirou.
Although, since a bit of time had passed, Jirou was starting to feel a bit better and stronger, her head was still pounding and she still felt like she was about to faint after every step, but at least it was better than before.
“Is it clear?” Momo asked from behind Jirou.
Kirishima nodded and started up the stairs, Jirou and Momo following him.
They had searched all of the underground jail cell area and there wasn’t a single sign of their electric friend.
There were three different paths they could take at the top of the stairs. The students all stopped and looked at each other, silently asking which way they should go first.
Jirou was about to suggest they start on the left when she heard a familiar sound.
Without thinking or saying anything, she rushed forward and down the middle hallway. Her fatigue and headache were replaced by anticipation and excitement.
She ignored the quiet protests of her friends telling her to stop and to wait, only focusing on the low hum of electricity.
At the end of the hall, Jirou saw someone standing there and slowed down. She was sure it was Kaminari, but something seemed… off.
“Kaminari?” she started, cautious.
He spun around and looked at her, his eyes unfocused.
Jirou stopped Kirishima and Momo from going any further, sure that something was wrong.
Kaminari took a step towards them and flicked his wrist slightly. Jirou had seen him do that before and knew what was coming.
She grabbed the other two by the arm and jumped to the side, dragging them with her. A bullet of lightning shot right where they were just standing.
“I’ve never seen him do that before,” Kirishima said, confused.
“It’s something him and I have been practicing,” Jirou explained quietly, keeping her eyes glued to Kaminari.
“Looks like you’ve finally found my new toy,” a voice said from behind Kaminari.
Jirou watched in confusion as the villain they were sent there to find and subdue stepped out from behind their friend. They hadn’t gotten a lot of information about him, just that he was the leader of the villain crew they were meant to take down. He had a long dark blue cloak strung around his shoulders and a well manicured face. His hair was cut nicely, his facial hair was shaved, everything about him was clean.
The leader started talking again, his voice smooth and flat, “You see, while all of you were sedated, I had one of my followers put this young man under mind control. Very useful if you ask me. It normally takes only a few minutes for the mind control to fully set in. But for some reason, this… boy took longer than normal.” He reached out a hand and placed it on Kaminari’s shoulder.
Jirou balled her hands into fists to keep herself from attacking him.
“Thankfully, we eventually broke him and now he responds to every command I give him. For example… punch yourself,” he ordered after thinking for a second.
Jirou surged forward as Kaminari punched himself square in the face, but was held back by someone grabbing her arm.
“Ah, so you must be the one he was talking about,” the villain said, clearly satisfied with himself.
“What do you mean?” Kirishima asked as he took a step forward, his hands also balled into fists.
“Well, they told me that one of the reasons why he wouldn’t obey, was because he kept mumbling something about ‘remaining strong for Kyouka’ or something like that. Pathetic really,” he explained as Kaminari stood there, his nose bleeding slightly.
Jirou felt the hand that was holding her arm tighten as she pushed forward again.
The villain looked down at his wrist, “I must be off, I’ve been so busy lately. I apologize for not being able to stay and chat some more,” he started to walk away but turned back around. “Oh, and one more thing, if he overexerts himself while under the mind control, he could quite possibly die. So, it’s either you kill him, or he kills you, or he dies trying to kill you,” he added with a smile on his face.
The villain walked away and down the hall, waving his hand and saying something. Jirou wasn’t listening, she was staring at Kaminari, trying to think of a way to get them out of this.
Suddenly, Kaminari lunged toward them, his hands covered in electricity. Kirishima and Momo dodged one way, while Jirou dodged the other.
Kaminari, having targeted her, attacked, swiping and shooting electric charges.
Jirou barely dodged most of the attacks, one of them just barely scraping her shoulder.
“I’m not going to fight you,” she told him, trying anything she could to get through to him, but nothing worked.
She had tried letting him get close to her and hugging him, she tried pinning him down on the ground and knocking some sense into him. She’d tried telling him about the things they’d done together, she’d even tried to remind him who she was, who Kirishima and Momo were. But still, nothing. Not a single spark of recognition in his eyes. He just kept attacking and was clearly winning whatever was happening.
Jirou was starting to lose hope as well as energy fast, Kirishima and Momo both trying to help her but getting flung away by Kaminari’s electricity.
That’s when Jirou had an idea, she could tell Kaminari was running out of energy and he was reaching dangerous territory. It was a dangerous and a stupid idea, but it was all they had left.
She let him back her up against the wall, one of his hands next to her head and the other around her throat. Jirou reached out a hand and placed it on top of his hand that was slowly starting to choke her.
“It’s me,” she got out, breathing heavily her exhaustion having caught up with her.
“Denki, please. It’s me.” He loosened his hold on her neck by a fraction. It was working.
“You have to fight it, Denki.” She saw a tiny glimmer of something in his eyes and continued.
“It’s me,” she said again, repeating it over and over.
“K… Kyouka?” Kaminari said, his eyes clear from whatever was hazing them over.
“Yes, it’s me,” Jirou laughed.
She saw him flinch and his hand tightened around her neck again, but then it stopped and Kaminari was back.
“I can’t…” he ground out.
“Yes you can. You’re strong and smart and you have what it takes to fight it.”
Kaminari squinted his eyes shut and pushed her to the side as he punched the wall right where her head just was.
Jirou looked up and saw Kaminari was standing there, fighting himself.
Before she could give him any more encouragement or help him, she felt hands dragging her away.
Jirou struggled against them, not caring who it was and only wanting to get back to her Kaminari.
“Jirou stop struggling, we’re trying to help you!” Kirishima exclaimed from her right side.
“I don’t need help, I just got through to him!” She elbowed one of them in the face and was able to take a few steps towards Kaminari but was stopped again.
“It’s too dangerous!” Momo said, her words falling on deaf ears. Jirou struggled for a few seconds longer.
“Let me help him,” Jirou whispered in a defeated voice, knowing that they wouldn’t let her go, the tears she had been holding back this whole time pooling in her eyes.
Kaminari turned towards them and took a step, hesitated, and took another step. He was fighting it. Jirou could help him, she knew she could.
Kaminari was starting to raise his hand toward them, his other hand pushing it down.
Jirou surged forward again, knowing that Kirishima and Momo wouldn’t let her go but still trying to break free.
“Kaminari, listen to me. You can fight it. You’re strong enough. You’re smart enough.” She struggled again when her friends tried to pull her back further when Kaminari raised his hand higher.
“Move…” he said, his forehead starting to collect sweat droplets.
“No, I won’t move, you can do this.”
“I’m going to…” Kaminari took several deep breaths.
“No you won’t, you’re not going to hurt us. You’re a hero, Denki, and you always will be. You’ll stumble a few times but you’ll find your way. Just like you need to do now.” Jirou paused. “The world needs Chargebolt! The world needs you !”
Kaminari raised his hand a bit higher, still trying to fight it down.
“ I need you. Come back to me, Denki,” Jirou whispered, her voice breaking.
She saw something flash through his eyes and suddenly the hallway was filled with a bright light. She closed her eyes as she was pulled to the ground.
Jirou opened her eyes, her ears ringing, Kirishima and Momo were both crouched on either side of her.
She looked up and saw there was a huge hole in the wall, Kaminari standing next to it, swaying side to side. He had moved just before releasing his electricity and hit the wall instead of Jirou and her friends.
“Denki,” she whispered in a panicked voice and stood up, about to rush over to him. Jirou was stopped yet again by arms around her.
“You don’t know if he’s still under their control,” someone told her.
“I don’t care, I can help him,” Jirou shot back.
She hadn’t shifted her focus from Kaminari, her eyes fixed on him. He turned toward her, his eyes clear and she knew he was himself.
Jirou watched as he swayed to the side and fell to the ground. She stood there, trying to process what had just happened, the only things she could hear were his fading heartbeat and the blood rushing in her head.
Jirou struggled against the person holding her there, hitting them and breaking free. She ran to Kaminari’s side and knelt down, feeling for a pulse.
A few seconds later, she saw hands trying to pull him away from her. Jirou tried pushing them away, wanting to keep him next to her. She felt someone trying to pull her away, saying something about how the pros were here and they were trying to help. But she didn’t care, all she wanted was to be with her Denki.
“I can still save him,” she whispered.
“I’m sorry, we couldn’t save him,” the doctor said grimly.
Jirou didn’t know how to respond, she just stood there silently, not able to believe he was really dead.
“Can… can we see him?” Kirishima asked from beside her, his voice thick with emotion.
The doctor nodded and led them to the room where he was being kept.
Jirou stopped in the doorway, seeing his pale body on the surgery table, Kirishima rushing to his side, Momo following after him. Jirou didn’t want to go in, it would make it more real.
Jirou stood there for what seemed like years. She felt a hand on her shoulder from somewhere far off, as if she was in another world.
“Let’s give them some privacy,” someone’s muffled voice said and she heard a door close behind her.
Jirou took a few steps towards him, like someone else was controlling her movements. She stopped and knealt down when she was right next to his dead body, tears pooling in her eyes. She grabbed his limp and slightly cold hand, holding it to her mouth.
“Come back,” she whispered. “Please, I can’t do this without you. Come back,” she repeated it over and over again, tears sliding down her face.
“Please,” she whispered again. “I - I never got to tell you. I didn’t… I didn’t know.” Her voice broke.
Jirou felt a hand on her shoulder, saying something about having to leave. She shook her head and held onto his hand tighter.
“I’m not leaving him!” she shouted. “I’m not leaving my Denki!”
Jirou woke with a start, her vision blurry. She looked around the room, she was in a hospital room. The hearing hero looked to her side and saw Kaminari asleep in a hospital bed with a bunch of things attached to him, keeping him alive.
“It was just a dream,” she whispered, trying to convince herself that he was still alive. She repeatedly told herself where she was and that he was safe.
Jirou wiped the tears from her eyes, she had actually been crying while she was asleep.
After the pros had taken Kaminari away, they brought him to a hospital, leaving Momo, Kirishima and a panicked Jirou behind. Thankfully, someone else had offered to drive them to the hospital.
The three students got there just as they stabilized Kaminari, and were allowed to see him one by one. The doctors had let Jirou stay in his room, in case something happened and they needed to stabilize him again.
Jirou sighed and let herself be comforted by the sound of his heartbeat, he was alive.
“You’re beautiful,” a voice said.
Jirou whipped her head to the side and saw Kaminari staring at her, a fond look in his eyes. She jumped up and gave him a hug, apologizing when she heard him groan.
“I have to tell the doctors,” she said hurriedly and quickly stood up, reaching for the button they’d told her to push if he woke up.
Jirou was just about to push it when another hand grabbed her’s. She stopped and looked down at Kaminari.
“Wait,” he said quietly.
Jirou was about to refuse when he gave her a look he knew she couldn’t refuse. She sighed and sat back down and moved her chair closer to his bed.
Kaminari shifted and she helped him sit up, stacking pillows behind his back for him to lean on. He patted the spot next to him, inviting her to sit beside him.
Jirou hesitated, not wanting to hurt him.
“I’m fine,” Kaminari said and winced when he lifted up an arm, asking her again.
Jirou slowly sat down next to him, knowing he was in a lot of pain.
The two sat there for a while, Kaminari resting his head on her shoulder and Jirou’s head leaning against his. Kaminari reached out and took Jirou’s hand in his, sighing contentedly.
After a while Jirou broke the silence, “I was so scared,” she whispered.
“Scared of what?” Kaminari asked.
“Scared that we’d never get out of there, that we would fail the mission,” Jirou paused. “But mostly, I was scared that I would… lose you,” she finished, a single tear escaping and falling on their intertwined hands.
Kaminari shifted and moved his head out from under hers, looking straight at her. He tenderly grabbed her chin and turned her head towards him, their breaths mingling.
“You’ll never lose me,” he whispered. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“Promise?” Jirou asked.
Kaminari nodded, “Promise.” He brushed a strand of hair out of her face and cupped her cheek. They both chuckled when the heartbeat monitor spiked slightly, Kaminari’s face turning a deep shade of red.
“You saved me,” he started. “If it wasn’t for you I would still be under their control. You saved me,” Kaminari repeated.
“Well, that is what I do. Hero in training after all,” Jirou joked and looked down at her hand clasped in his. “I was also scared that…” she trailed off.
Kaminari squeezed her hand, she knew he was trying to comfort her.
“I was scared I’d never get to tell you that I love you,” she finished and closed her eyes, waiting for his response.
She heard a laugh from beside her and glared at Kaminari.
“You’re seriously laughing!? I’m being serious here and telling you things and...” Jirou huffed, hiding her embarrassment and disappointment behind annoyance.
“I have to tell the doctors you woke up.” She stood up and pushed the button.
“Wait,” came Kaminari’s response and she felt a hand on her waist.
Suddenly, Jirou was being pulled toward him and his lips were against hers, one of her hands stabilizing herself on the bed as she bent down. She melted into the kiss and looped her ear jacks around his neck. He was warm and soft against her, their mouths fitting perfectly together. As if they were made for each other. Jirou moved her hand that was on his shoulder over his heart, able to feel how fast it was racing. She smiled against Kaminari, she felt him smile back as they deepened the kiss.