Chapter Text
Denki Kaminari could be seen sitting in the corner of the room. After failing to turn in his homework, he was forced to stay in during recess and finish it. But he just didn't understand anything. The homework was hard for him and he struggled to read what he was even supposed to be doing. It doesn't help that the teachers were outside watching the other kids, leaving him inside all by himself. They thought he would focus better if he was by himself, partly due to the fact they all thought he was making things up as kids do. They thought he was faking everything for attention, they didn't believe he actually struggled to read and write. The staff has had multiple talks with his parents and says the same things every time.
"Is everything ok at home? Kaminari just never seems to finish his homework."
"Kaminari showed up today without his homework again. Are we sitting down with him and making him do it still?"
"Kaminari said he struggled with his homework and that no one could help him. Is this true?"
These were always the questions asked and his parents were always just as quick to come up with a response.
"Oh, everything is fine, just chaotic. Denki is the youngest of five children of course. you must understand how hard it is having four other children asking for help as well. We'll work on it."
"He did? But I put his finished homework in his bag myself. Are you sure it wasn't there? "
"Kaminari never asked for help with his homework last night, I had no idea he was struggling. He had told us he finished it."
And each time he returned home after one of those calls, he was always greeted with yelling and fists. Never once did anyone ask if he needed him. Never once did anyone ask if he was alright. Never once did anyone see through the mask he and his family put up outside from the comforts of their house. On the outside, everything was perfect, if only a little chaotic due to five children running amok. No one questioned the bruises he would show up with, always claiming his sibling and he got a little rough when playing. Boys will be boys after all.
Even with all the signs of abuse in plain sight, no one questioned anything. After all, who could possibly believe the class sunshine is being abused? Who would believe that someone who smiles and laughs like any other normal kid is being abused? Because it simply is not possible. Anyone who is abused can only be sad and depressed.
But some slip through the cracks. Some like Kaminari know that no one would ever help them. Knows that if he gets caught, help would arrive too late. His parents made sure he knew that. So he fakes it. He fakes every smile, every laugh. He doesn't like seeing others sad because the only one who should feel sadness is him. No one else should have to feel this gut-wrenching emotion. The one that makes your eyes leak and your face red. No one but him. After all, he deserves it. That's what everyone tells him in his family did. Every night before bed. Every day when he first wakes up.
But it's all ok. It's ok because Kaminari is strong, he can handle it. Every punch thrown is only to prepare him for fights against villains. Every hurtful comment is to strengthen his resolve in case he meets a villain whose quirk revolves around riling him up. All this is to prepare him to be a hero. Heros are strong and can handle anything after all.
~*~*~*~*~
It was a bright and cheerful day. There were hardly any clouds in the sky, the sun was shining bright and there was a nice breeze blowing through. The weather was perfect, the perfect temperature, the perfect setting, everything. So of course something had to have gone wrong. After all, nothing is actually perfect.
Denki Kaminari was running around with the other children in the park. His parents, important business prospectors, were out on a business trip. They had taken his sibling, leaving him home alone for the next week. As such, there was no one to tell him what to do and what he couldn't do. So he decided he wanted to go to the park, the one right down the road from his house. He was feeling especially energetic today, the nerves beneath his skin buzzing with excitement. He was struggling to keep still and focus on anything so he decided his best option was to release some of this energy at the park. Good idea in theory, but if only he knew exactly why he was feeling this way. Certain events could have been avoided,
Nonetheless, as the clueless child he is, he left the safety of his house and went to play at the park. He saw a few of his friends there, already playing a game of tag. He asked if he could join, getting an excited 'yes' in return. So off he went, chasing and getting chased. A few kids had complained he kept shocking them when he touched them or they touched him. But no one read too much into it, after all, what's the harm in a little static shock? A few parents just laughed at their kids, telling them their excitement was becoming physical. But since none of the parents knew what Kaminari's parent's quirks were, no one had any way of knowing that these static shocks were a little more than that. They had no idea that a quirk manifestation was about to occur.
After a few hours of playing, and that buzzing not going away, but getting stronger, Kaminari was starting to worry. He felt his chest tighten with each pant, the buzzing getting painful. A parent sitting nearby noticed that Kaminari seemed to be in pain and made her way over.
"Hey, are you ok?" She had asked in a gentle tone. Kaminari only shook his head, dropping to the ground as his pants turned to wheezes. The parent became alarmed, looking around hurriedly to see if she could see an adult that looked like the child in front of her. But to avail. No one looked at the struggling child in front of her.
"Hey, it's ok buddy. Can you tell me what's wrong? What hurts?" She asked, kneeling next to the child, hands hovering over him as he noticed tiny sparks starting to come off from his skin.
"Hurts. Everything hurts. Prickly, buzzing, pain." Kaminari ground out between wheezes. He was slurring his words and his eyes were becoming unfocused. He was drawing the attention of other adults in the park, a few calling their curious kids over to get out of the way. One called out to the lady kneeling next to Kaminari, asking if everything is alright.
"I don't think so. Looks like his quirk is manifesting. Someone call an ambulance, it seems to be hurting him." The women called out, backing up slightly when the sparks became larger. Someone quickly pulled out their phone and called the emergency services, requesting an ambulance and possible quirk represents. Children were quickly ushered away. Not all quirk manifestations were dangerous but by this point, the sparks coming off Kaminari were very noticeable. Anyone with a brain knew that electricity can be deadly. But the lady next to Kaminari refused to leave, gently talking to the child, trying to keep him focused and alert.
But that was a mistake. Minutes before the ambulance arrived, a rather large bolt of pure electricity shot out of Kaminari and toward the nearest object that could ground it, that being the kind woman. The electricity, while rather still weak, shot through the woman's body and caused her to spasm. She collapsed on the ground, and faint Lichtenberg figures appear. She was still breathing, so the electricity wasn't enough to kill her. But that still scared everyone in the vicinity. Screams filled the air as people ran away, wanting to get as far away as possible from this highly unstable child, not wanting to be the next victim.
By the time the paramedics arrived, electricity was dancing everywhere within a ten-foot radius around the child. They couldn't get close without risking getting hit by the increasingly powerful electricity. More help was called, and police, heroes, and firefighters all arrived on the scene. No one has a clue as to what to do. Not until a hero whose quirk deals with electricity arrives. They were immune to it, letting them get in close and start absorbing the electricity. It seemed to be working at first but then the electricity started getting very out of control.
Lightning was arching out farther than before, hitting various objects around the park and causing first responders and heroes to move back to avoid being hit. One strike, in particular, ended up hitting a nearby transformer and caused a mini explosion. Power all around the block started going out. It wouldn't be until later that it was revealed that more than half the city lost power due to this.
With no other option, it was decided the only way put an end to this was to use excessive force. That excessive force? Quirk suppressant handcuffs. It was highly dangerous to use quirk suppressants such as these during a quirk manifestation sometimes because it could have long-lasting effects on the child's health. But the heroes were left with no other choice. The electricity hero was easily getting overwhelmed by the amount of electricity coming from this small child. They were barely able to get the handcuff on the child. But when they did, it took a few moments for the electricity to disperse and stop completely. Finally suppressed, first responders were finally able to get in and secure the child and the woman.
Both were rushed to the hospital where they were treated. No one really knows what happened to the woman, she disappeared shortly after being released and was never heard from again. Kaminari's parents were notified and to say they were angry would be an understatement. After being released, it was recommended he wore specially-made suppressants that would prevent his very powerful quirk from activating without consent. His parents were advised that he should only wear them when out in public and at school, as leaving them on for long periods of time could damage his quirk aspects. Of course, his parents didn't care. He was forced to wear them 24/7 and if he was ever caught without them, he would be beaten.
Life at school also got harder for the little boy. Everyone was afraid of him now, including his teachers. He was forced to sit in the back corner away from everyone else. He was no longer allowed to play at recess but instead, sit in the nurse's office where he was kept under careful watch. The once cheerful boy was now but a shell of his old self. With no one to talk to, he grew quiet. Without anyone to play with, he came restless. Without anyone to interact with in any way, he became lonely. He was constantly sad and depressed. And of course, no one questioned why the bruises were appearing, no one questioned when he started coming to school with no lunch. No one cared. He was feared by everyone.
But that all changed a few months after the incident. A man in a suit had come to their house, knocking on the door and introducing himself as someone from the Heros Safely Committee. He had explained to Kaminari's parents that he heard Denki's story and wanted permission to take the child off their hands. When his parents seemed skeptical, he opened the briefcase he brought with him and showed it to his parents. Immediately they said yes and got the boy.
No goodbyes were shared, and no hugs or kisses. They just shoved him out the door after the scary business-looking man, barely letting him put his shoes on.
Denki Kaminari never saw his family again. They cut all contact with him, glad to finally be rid of their financial burden as they called him sometimes.
Denki Kaminari's life forever changed after that moment. He was brought to a facility where they explained he would start undergoing training to be a hero. At first, he was excited, he was going to be a hero! But just after being there for only a week, he wanted to go home. They forced him to do two things. Punished him if he did them wrong.
Denki Kaminari was no longer the innocent boy. He was now an undercover assassin, the best of his class. At the age of 16 years, he was the smartest in his small class. He easily outsmarted his caretakers, but the chip kept him in place. He could remove it of course, but that would mean the death of an important friend. His only solice in this prison cell he calls home.