Ain't no rest for the wicked.

...

-Narrator POV-

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"Time's up." Maxwell Kaminari affirmed as he looked to his watch. The terrain was almost unrecognizable, flattened by father and son's "reunion", trees weren't even burned, they were obliterated, the area, an almost perfect circle, appeared to be inside an invisible electromagnetic field which was slowly disapearing. Raio was still catching his breath, looking over to his father who barely broke a sweat, the disparity between them is crystal clear.

"You've gotten stronger, way stronger than I predicted, Son." Maxwell compliment is sincere, he wasn't expecting such progress and evolution in such a short period of time, specially since he wasn't supervising Raio. As he went over to Raio to lift him up, Maxwell notices how his son looked sad at his previous statement.

"What's wrong, Raio?" Maxwell sat besides him, instead.

"Being stronger is not my goal, Father, it's control." Raio couldn't hold back his disapointment. "A hero helps people, saves them. I can't do any of this energized, I would pulverize them if I even got close."

"Indeed... But that's why you're here at U.A, they will help you better than anyone would." Maxwell's faith in Nezu and the faculty of U.A is unwavering.

"So far I've learned nothing about controling my powers, Father. Aside from the Quirk test, the battle trial and the Villain's attack I haven't been to one class that teached me how to control my power. All I've done this time is zaping thugs and giving my friends hearing damage..." Raio is frustrated at how bad the supposedly best Hero institution of the world is lacking in actual quirk usage teaching.

"You're still a first year, Raio, patience. In due time, they will get there. Our little 'training' just now will have to suffice for the upcoming U.A festival..."

With all that has happened, Raio had a confident guess that the Festival would canceled after the villain raid, surely. "They aren't canceling it?!"

"No, I'm afraid not. Which is why your mind needs to be at ease, Son, the villains aren't going to attack again, and certainly not the festival itself as it is heavily guard by pro Heroes." This did little to tranquil Raio, how careless to stage such an event after the recent lack of security efficiency.

"Which brings me to my question..." Maxwell broke Raio's thought process. "What are you going to do when it comes to the battle stage? Is your dependency on your collar so high that it will define how far you will go?"

He's right, the U.A festival always ends with the battle tournament. This was different than using his powers on villains, Raio dreads at the idea of going all out against fellow students, let alone his own classmates. He ponders about the question before finally answering.

"I'm not ready, Sir. No medal is worth injuring classmates." Raio stares at his father, clearly noticing that his answer was not the one his father was hoping for.

Maxwell sighs, gets up and helps his son also.

"Your lack of confidence in your ability is your real restraint, Son. The collar will only take you so far, if you always rely on it to control your powers, you might as well sit this one out."

Maxwell looks over to the scenery, he sees that dawn is here, the two hours were way past. He also looks at the field they're standing, which brings an idea.

"This place is secluded enough that you can take your collar off without the need of caution. Use it to obtain the control you so desperately needs, you have until the festival to tame your full power to an acceptable margin."

"And how you propose I do that? How can I do this in such short timeframe when for years I've tried and failed?" Raio raises fair concerns, the festival is in mere days, and he can't even keep his counsciousness stable as of now.

"I can't give you all the answers, Raio. I know this isn't what you want to hear but I can't fight all your battles or solve all your problems." Maxwell grabs his coat as he prepares his departure. Raio is used to this, his father letting him to figure out his own problems.

"We have to go." Maxwell activates his quirk as dust and amounts of rubble start to levitate. Raio is frustrated at how little his father cares to understand his problems. As Maxwell touches his son, both become embodiements of living, pure lightning as they shoot upwards to the clouds, a feat of power only Maxwell could do. In a instant, they return to their human forms before landing in front of Raio's apartment.

Maxwell hugs Raio for the last time before leaving. As he levitates once more into the air, he looks back at his Son.

"Remember why you are here." Those words struck Raio deep, before he could say a word, Maxwell teleported into the clouds and made his way back home. He stood at the door, afraid that there's no other way out, he remembered why he was there, why he had to figure it out. For Ana.

...

Maxwell arrives, in mere hours he was already back at the Kaminari residence. Leaving at dawn in Japan meant arriving at dusk. As he enters, he's greeted by Edith Kaminari, his wife and mother of Raio Kaminari, who seats at the armchair, reading a book.

"Had I known you would leave for an entire day, I wouldn't had made lunch for both of us." Edith exclaims as she closes the book and sets aside.

Maxwell walks to her.

"I apologize for not saying something, my dear. I've got carried away." Edith wasn't told that her husband would be at the other side of the world.

As Maxwell goes up the stairs, in hopes of taking a shower and changing his day-old clothes, Edith asks.

"How's our boy?"

Maxwell stops dead at his tracks, he knew his wife to be smarter than to believe in his dismisse answer. He stands quietly for a few seconds before answering.

"He's... okay." Maxwell couldn't muster more words to be said. "Forgive me for hiding it from you."

"I knew you wouldn't stand iddle after learning of the attack, but to think I wouldn't notice your absence for a day? You know me smarter than this." Edith isn't mad, she's disapointed.

"Forgive me for hiding it from you." Maxwell is ashamed for underestimating his wife this much.

"I will forgive you once you shower and take us to dinner. Of course, after you tell me everything about how our boy is holding on at the other side of the planet." Edith follows her husband to the bedroom.

...

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-Kaminari's POV-

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Hearing Hagakure talking about the news and seeing us at the TV was almost like a shift in the mood, up until this point my head was wrapped in the villain raid risks, how easily one of us could've been killed, how father all of the sudden was here and his last words before departure. Meanwhile, she's frustrated that she didn't got to stand out. What a silly worry, but a amusing one, one that reminded me that this event is out of my reach.

They keep speaking about how cool it was that we were on tv, Jirou as always finds her way to be a mood killer, though. Satou and Tokoyami were praising All Might's effort to beat the Nomu. Although I couldn't see any of the action at the plaza, what I've heard just proves why he deserves the number one spot.

...

"Good morning..."

The mummy returns from the dead. Turns out to be Mr Aizawa wrapped in bandages, signalling how bad he was hurt during the raid, it's unbeliaveble that he's here at all. Some students like Ilda are concerned of his health, but he dismisses them.

"My well being doesn't matter, besides, the fight isn't over yet."

Fight? Is he-

"The U.A Sports Festival is coming."

As Father predicted, they're really moving on with it after all...

Kirishima is pumped to hear this, but not all share his excitement, Jirou asks if this is smart after the raid just happened, but once again Mr. Aizawa dismisses their concerns as he details the security being five times stronger than other events.

"Of course, all the top heroes of the country are going to watch. For scouting." Yaomomo understands as such. Indeed, heroes use the festival to scout for promising students. After graduation, it's usual for them to go straight to hero agencies and become sidekicks, diferent when compared to back home.

"No aspirant would ever miss out on this opportunity. If you understand this, then you know better than to take it easy with your preparations!" Mr. Aizawa is right, this is a great chance to be selected by a hero that could help me control my powers.

"Class dismissed." Already? I swear sometimes this school's cronogram is bollocks.

...

The class disperses into chatting groups, mine is composed of Yaomomo, Jirou and Shoji, oddly enough.

"You're lucky, Shoji, your quirk is passively noticeable." I say with honesty, emitter type quirks may vary in degrees of power but mutant quirks stand out easier.

"It won't matter if I can't show their utility." He's hella friendly for someone so silent.

"I think you're going to stand out too." Jirou jabs at me trying to hold her laugh, her mockery stings but it's welcomed after making Yaomomo laugh. We then watch as Uraraka is all fired up in the corner, promissing to giving her best.

...

...

Just before we left, the door was crammed with students from other classes and courses, trying to see the class that survived the villain attack, Bakugou's declaration of war was unnecessary, but at the same time necessary, those students are aspiring to grab our spots, the purple hair dude that looked like Mr Aizawa love child said as much. We need to stand our ground and fight for our spot.

As I go home with Jirou and Kirishima, we talk about the training regiments we're going to have in those two weeks before the festival. Kirishima will train at one of the training grounds at the school, Jirou hasn't decided yet.

"Where will you train, Kaminari?" He asked.

"I have a place already in mind, not far from here." Revealing the exact area isn't wise, I don't want anybody there when I take the collar off.

...

"Hey, want to train together?" Jirou asks. That's bad, if it was Kirishima I would consider but only because his quirk may sustain enough defense if I accidentaly discharged at him, but Jirou has no way of defending herself.

"I apologize, Jirou, but I would prefer to be alone. It's safer for both of us, you know it." Talking so easy to her about the consequences of the collar being off is weird, I didn't expect to share this with nobody at all.

She looks at me, possibly angered by my refusal?

"Look, I promissed myself to not share with anyone your little secret, but I won't tolerate being cast aside like this." Woah, where did that came from?

"Excuse me?"

"I get it, okay? You don't want to be near people because of your outbursts that you can't control, but how do you reckon you will solve this problem if you don't have people near you to make sure you can control it?" Why she cares so much about this I'm yet to understand.

"Jirou, it's not that simple. You saw what happens to me when the collar is off, I can't control it all and one discharge can send you to the hospital. Being alone is the safest option."

"And if you can't control it will you just give up and leave it for next time?" She's adamant at this subject, it's getting on my nerves.

"Why do you care so much about this, Jirou? It doesn't affect you."

"It does!" She raised her voice, clearly showing that my dismissal is angering her, ever since I'm here she feels like the only one who's actually looking for my friendship, Kirishima and Ojiro are different, we hang out but nothing further.

I stand silent just looking at her, waiting for her to finish her reasoning, she's looking down, possibly embarassed that she raised her voice. What I wouldn't give for Father's mind reading now.

"During the Villain attack I felt useless... Always waiting for Yaoyorozu to help me fend off the villains, my trump card was hoping you would see that damn flare. And then you got captured and once again I was useless, I could only plead in vain for that villain to not kill you and close my eyes when he lunged the knife at your neck..."

So this is what's all about. Her inaptitude to do more made her feel like a burden.

"But when I saw you there losing it, and your collar was right next to me, I knew it then that what I could do at least was help you. And I did, I got this damn collar on. So you own me, big time. I may not be great at suporting others or fending off villains, but I can help you with this."

She has this persistent look on her now, and her reasoning is hard to argue against, only God knows what would've happened if she failed.

"So I'm calling in the favour you own me right now. We will help each other train for the Festival." This is a nightmare. My morals are now dictating that I help her, otherwise what kind of man am I?

I sigh heavily, there's no avoiding this. She's has a devil grin now, she knows I won't refuse.

"Okay, okay... I accept your terms." Her smile gets bigger, she's very satisfied it seems.

"Meet me at my house in one hour. We will head out to the place." We're doing this, alright.

"Wait, what? Now?" She speaks with surprise, oh this is just too good to pass.

"Yes, now. I will honor your plead but on my terms, we will train immediately after school, everyday, until the Festival." Her face says it all, she's going to regret calling this favour.

"Grab your gym uniform and water, some energy bars too, the hike is quite long."

Her grin is long gone, swapped by a face that screams regretfulness.

...

...

She almost didn't make it, but we're here. She widens her eyes as she sees the flattened terrain.

"What happened here?" Her voice is sustained with awe.

"It's a long story. Today, we will start with you, two weeks is not enough time to do any significant progress but we'll make most of it. Physical training regiments before quirk training is obligatory." Her sighs of frustration are wonderful.

I can't believe I've agreed with this at all, there wasn't supposed to be anybody here but here she is. I could just have said no, but for some reason it's like I wanted to know what results this partnership will produce.

"Another thing, I will only take the collar off when I feel confortable enough, not negociable." She nods in agreement.

"Then let's start, 50 meter dash proceeded by 20 burpees. Prepare."

"WHAT?!"

...