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"After the recent attacks from last week, the UA staff board has concluded that a traitor is working for the League of Villains in this classroom," Aizawa announced first thing Monday morning.
It was true the number of attacks against UA had immensely increased in the past month. Last week had been crazier than any other. It was impossible for any 1-A student to even exit campus without getting attacked.
Bakugou, Deku, Kirishima, Todoroki, Tokoyami, all students who were attacked in the past week.
No one had been taken or killed yet but they all knew it was coming soon, but it had been enough to install a gloomy atmosphere into class 1-A.
"I want all of you to know that I don't believe even for one second that any of you has such as an ounce of evil inside. I see potential in each and every one of you. Hence why I've convinced principal Nedzu to let me talk to you first. Traitor, you have three options ahead of you right now. Come clean in front of everyone now, come talk to me after class alone if you prefer so we can help you or never come clean and face the consequences of your actions. The ball is in your court."
No one dared to say a word. You could hear a fly flying around in class 1-A that was usually so lively and noisy.
Slowly, carefully, Kaminari Denki raised his hand, with a grim expression that had never been seen on his face before.
"Hey, big bro, where are we going?" five years old Kaminari Hibana asked her older brother.
Seven years old Kaminari Arashi didn't respond as he dragged his little sister across the stinky streets rapidly.
What was he supposed to tell her anyway? He had no idea where they were going either. What should he even tell her?
That their mother was dead? That their good-for-nothing of a father planned on selling them on the black market? That this asshole had killed his own wife? How could he even explain that to Hibana with her innocent eyes?
Shit... what was he supposed to do now?
Would the heroes help him? He had no proof of his father's crimes and intentions, what if they just dragged them back to their legal guardian?
Hibana had yet to manifest her quirk, which meant that Arashi had himself and his quirk alone to protect the both of them.
Arashi had named his quirk: Storm. He was able to produce clouds, emanating from his hands, that could rain, snow and even produce lightning when he had a burst of anger. He was able the move the winds around him, taking a grasp of them. The young boy wondered if he could one day make a tornado. A sure thing was, one day, when he'll be older if he ever gets the chance to grow older, he'll have to try to make a cloud that he'll be able to move on, just like the one Goku from Dragon Ball has.
"Just trust me, lil' sis, okay? Trust me..."
Arashi didn't trust himself.
She was dying slowly. From hunger. From sleep deprivation. From hypothermia. From the cold, she had caught the other day.
And Arashi wasn't in any better state.
If they could just reach the homeless help center a few kilometres away, they could finally have a somewhat warm meal.
"Ugh." Was the only sound Arashi's baby sister made before collapsing unconscious on the ground.
It had happened multiple times the past few days, this time, the older brother didn't panic and put Hibana on his back and resumed walking towards the shelter.
The Kaminari siblings arrived a few hours later.
The place had a dozen of dirty people in it.
"Wake up, Hibana." Arashi shook his sister awake.
The food was disgusting, but it was better than what they had been eating for the past year.
"You two seem too young to be frequenting this kind of place." A man said as he sat beside them.
"Well, you seem too misty to be human, sir," Hibana responded, not missing a beat.
And indeed misty he was. Not only that, be he was far too well-dressed to be anywhere anyone in the room. He looked more like a fancy bartender than a benevolent working here.
"Two young souls like you shouldn't have to be left on their own." the mist man continued. "How about I make you a proposition?"
Arashi's eyes narrowed. There was no way this would ever end well. He could work for a child prostitution ring for all they knew.
"And that would be?"
"I work for an organization wanting to change the world. You two are perfect examples of how our current society is a failure. You two would be working with us to make a better world. In exchange, we would make sure you don't miss anything. I'm sure Sensei would be delighted to have two promising souls joining us in our convictions."
Arashi was certain he never met that man before in his life, yet he talked like he knew their life story. Had he been spying on them? For how long? Arashi hadn't slept in weeks, how could he miss a potential stalker?
"What's the catch?"
Arashi was quite sharp for his age. This man had hidden intentions, that were clear as day to him and from the look of it, his sister thought the same. She always had a talent for analyzing social interactions and understanding others. At only six years old, when it came to people, she could be really observant. Arashi was the same.
"We just have the world's best intentions in mind." the man said.
"I don't buy it."
"Very well, I won't insist anymore. Then at least take my business card. If you decide to change your mind, just call my name out loud and I'll pick you up, Kaminari Arashi, Kaminari Hibana."
And with that, the man disappeared.
Arashi looked down at the black rectangular card on the table. It had simply had a name and the initials L.O.V on it.
The young Kaminari didn't know why, but he still pocketed it, just in case.
No one uttered a word in the classroom, terrified and horrified looks on every student's face.
Eraserhead opened his mouth to talk but was immediately interrupted by Kaminari making frantic 'cutting' signs. He then made the 'shhh' sign, a finger held in front of his mouth and pointed to the back of his neck.
It was all it took for Aizawa-sensei to have a slight grasp of the situation.
"I see then," the teacher said, "traitor if you wish the reveal yourself privately, come see me after class."
The class only looked confused.
Kaminari Denki was reassured. That meant his only family wouldn't die.
It took a few months before Hibana resorted to using the name on the card his brother tried to keep away from him.
They had apparently invaded the territory of some gang controlling the nearby streets.
Arashi was on the ground, a pool of blood under him. His brother was trying to get up, desperately, to no avail.
Arashi had always protected Hibana. Now he couldn't.
One of the thugs lifted his leg, ready to strike down his brother's head.
"STOOOOOP!" Hibana had then yelled.
In her rage, electricity emitted from him, touching everyone around, including his brother.
Hibana felt dizzy afterwards. Everything was blurry around him. The child crawled to his brother and searched his pocket until he pulled out a black card.
Kurogiri
L.O.V.
"Kurogiri..." the child whispered.
Suddenly, a purple mist surrounded them.
"I'm glad you called, Kaminari Hibana. And welcome to the League of Villains, little girl."
Hibana wasn't sure why he was being called a little girl, even though his brother often did the same thing. In his head, he was a boy. But it seemed like in physical appearance said otherwise.
Hibana had no strength left to protest and simply fell unconscious as he could feel the ground under him shirk.
The League of Villains wasn't too bad at first, per se. Sensei was scary and pretty much every member of the league made the Kaminari siblings more or less uncomfortable, but at least they now had access to a bare minimum of medical attention, food, a bath, a bed and fitting clothes.
Sensei made them follow a particular training, developing their physical aptitudes and their quirks.
Arashi was twelve when he was sent on his first mission for the League.
It was a simple one. Get into a hero agency to steal some files the League wanted without getting noticed. A simple in-and-out mission.
So why did Arashi felt so sick to the stomach about what he was doing? It all felt so wrong. The young Kaminari boy had spent a year and a half stealing to survive. Doing it again now made him feel disgusted with himself. For what purpose should he even do that?
When he got back to the headquarters and questioned Kurogiri, the man had no satisfying answer to give him.
"Our plans are bigger than you can imagine, Kaminari-kun. But if you doubt us, I guess we'll have to take measures."
Arashi could only watch as his little sister was dragged into another room. The young boy kicked and yelled to no avail.
He could never forget Hibana's screams ringing into his ears.
When she was finally let out, Arashi could see the back of her throbbing red neck.
"I suggest not trying something against us again. We installed the League's new gadget into her neck. It can hear and record every sound in her perimeter and will track her location anywhere she goes. This is the first warning, Arashi-kun, or do you want us to update the little thing? It was made to withtake any electrical charge Hibana-chan will ever produce."
Arashi never felt more scared in his whole life.
"Happy birthday, Hibana-chan! Make a wish!" Himiko Toga said excitedly.
It was Hibana's fourteen birthday and a few members of the League(Toga(and also Arashi)), wanted to celebrate the youngest Kaminari's day of birth.
"I want to be a boy." Hibana declared.
"Okay, then."
And that was it.
"Denki-kun, we have a mission for you," Kurogiri told him, a week after his birthday.
That was new. Denki had never been on a mission before. He was usually used as leverage on Arashi.
"Sensei wants you to infiltrate UA High. He wants someone on the inside in the Hero course. You won't need to communicate us any information, we'll use the chip."
Denki wasn't sure if he was ecstatic or terrified at that idea.
Denki would go to a hero school...
Just saying it in his head sounded dreamy...
They can hear everything around me from a chip on the back of my neck. My electricity is no use against it.
How long has it been there?
Since I was nine.
And how long have you been working with the League of Villains?
Since I was six.
Are your parents behind this? Where are they now?
Dead for all I know. The members of the League are the ones who took us in after we were left to live in the streets.
Us?
My brother Arashi and I. He's two years older than me. They usually use me as leverage on my brother.
Would you be willing to mark us down the current location of the League of Villains Headquarters?
Yes.
Is there any information you can think would be important to share with us now?
Not that I can think of.
Ok, then. Kaminari, do you have any questions?
I do have two. Will I go to jail? Can I still become a hero?
You're a child who was forced to cooperate with the League of Villains, you shouldn't face any legal charges. As for remaining into the Hero course, I'll make sure you do.
Thank you so much, Aizawa-sensei!!!!!
You're welcome, problem child.
Arashi was hanging out alone in his kind of room. Since the downfall of All for One, the League was not how it used to be at all.
Not only that, but Kurogiri had been recently arrested.
Ah. Karma.
For all he knew, maybe Arashi could betray the League and actually get away with it. The League of Villains was nowhere near its full potential, especially after losing so many members.
To be honest, Kaminari Arashi kind of missed Magnet. She wasn't too bad to be around and had helped Denki a lot through his transition.
If he betrayed the villains now, where would they go? Arashi would have to start by getting Denki out of UA, then get this damn chip out of his neck.
Arashi still had flashes of that damn night. He could see little Hibana crying, electricity buzzing off of her body. He could hear his little sister's screams.
But Hibana was now Denki, and Denki was out of reach for him.
Even though Arashi did manage to escape the League and bring Denki with him. Then what? He was a seventeen years old that, as of late news went missing ten years ago, with no money, no bank account, no parents and completely missing any work experience.
Arashi had checked earlier, the old man was still alive. He apparently started a new life once all of his family disappeared. Started working at a hero agency as a sidekick again, met a new woman and had a couple of children with her. The bastard really had no decency. He didn't deserve any of this. Not after all he's done to Denki and Arashi's mother and after what he intended to do with them.
Maybe Arashi could blackmail him into giving him money. After all, the oldest Kaminari's son knew all about his father's crimes. Plus, if it were to be known that his son, Arashi, is a villain, that could completely ruin his father's career. He never made it past the role of sidekick and that jab to his reputation would make sure he never does.
But all of his plans were interrupted as a man busted into his small room.
"Kaminari Arashi? I'm the pro-hero Eraserhead. We're getting you out of here."
And just like that, it seemed like most of Arashi's troubles were solved.
Kaminari Yuzai was having a good day. He had arrested a teenager trying to steal from a store and a few other low-life villains. Everything was going great. Even though he wasn't as young anymore, Yuzai was pretty sure that at the speed he was going, he could soon form his own agency.
After buying a few beers from the local market, Yuzai started going home, to his wife, Naibu, waiting for him and their three children, Tin, Ko and their newborn baby, Akachan.
Naibu was a woman he had known for sixteen years now. He had hung up with her, one night, and from their passion was born Tin. At the time, Yuzai was already married to someone else and wasn't there at first for Naibu. He let the young woman take care of their child.
A year later, Arisua, his actual wife, gave birth to a little girl.
Yuzai was disinterested in his first family. Him killing his first wife had been a drunk accident. He wanted her gone, yes, but mainly, he was planning on leaving her two raise the two brats by herself. He hadn't thought that that hit would be strong enough to kill her. With her gone, Yuzai couldn't just dump the kids on her anymore. So he rapidly found a way to get rid of them soon after Arisua's death. The children were gone the next day. Ran away, without a doubt. They probably were already dead for all he cared.
Naibu was from a wealthy family, which greatly help Yuzai regain his job after marrying the woman.
"Naibu, I'm home, prepare me something to eat!"
The sidekick could hear Ko and Tin running on the upper floor.
Really, Kaminari Yuzai's life was going great.
That is... until the police accompanied by Eraserhead showed up to his doorstep.
"Kaminari Yuzai, you are under arrest for the murder of Kaminari Arisua. You have the right to remain silent."
Behind them, as they took him away, Yuzai could see a young man with black hair and a face exactly just like his.
That's when he realized that his first son wasn't dead like he thought.
He couldn't even recall the brat's name.
He should have killed him himself at the same time he ended his mother's life.
"OI, DUNCEFACE! TELL ME WHAT THE HELL THAT WAS ALL ABOUT!" Bakugou yelled at Denki as soon as he resumed school.
He had the right to be angry. Denki was the reason Bakugou got kidnapped after all... The electric blond looked back at his teacher and nodded.
"Kaminari was forced to cooperate with the League since childhood. The faculty of the school has deemed him trustworthy and allowed him to continue his studies in the Hero course. If any of you have a problem with it you'll have to talk to me. Which means that no one in this class has the right to bother him for his past affiliation. Did I make myself clear?"
"Yes, sir!"
Denki saw his father again two months after his arrest.
He went to visit him in prison with Arashi and Tin. Tin was an upperclassman from 2-B and Denki's half-brother.
"I always resented Dad for not being more present for me and mom when I was a kid. I just realized why he wasn't there. Now I wish he hadn't come back." Tin told them, on the way to see him.
Denki only wanted to see what had become to the man he called 'father'.
Deep inside of him, Denki wished what Arashi said about their dad wasn't true.
"Who are you supposed to be?" His father asked him as he entered the visitation room.
"Kaminari Denki. You and Kaminari Arisua's youngest son."
"You're mistaken, boy," the man replied "Ari and I had one son and a daughter. And I already saw Ira... Irashi."
"His name is Arashi. But you're right, I was born a girl. But I'm a man now, dad."
"You may look like one now, but you're still a girl and always will be, Haba... Habana."
"You named me Hibana at birth, but my name now is Denki."
"Disgusting. I don't regret leaving you behind."
"I shouldn't have come."
"Get out of here, I want to see my real man, Tin. People like you end up in hell." the man snarled.
"I suppose I'll see you there, then," Denki replied as he left the room.
As he exited, the electrical teen could see Tin fuming with rage.
"I hate him. I hate him how dare he." he looked at him, defiance in his eyes and maybe a bit of madness too. "How mad do you think he'll be if I come out to him as gay?"
Tin didn't wait for his answer as he entered the room.
Denki wasn't sure how he thought his reunion with his father would go, but he couldn't help but be deceived.
As he exited the prison with his brothers, Denki received a call from Kirishima.
"Hey bro, are you coming? It's game night tonight and Bakubro is cooking for all of us."
"No way!"
"Yeah, you better come back soon, Bakugou's yelling at everyone that it's a one-time thing and to not expect it to happen again."
"Wait for me!"
Maybe everything would be okay after all.
We don't always choose the life we live, but Kaminari would be damn if he doesn't make the most of it.