Work in progress

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-Narrator POV-

One week has passed, another remains, the students are rushing against time in order to prepare themselves for the upcoming U.A Festival. While many chose the school grounds, others took to more secluded places deep into the forest. Kaminari and Jirou were one of those students.

So far, Kaminari focused on Jirou's training more than his, her physical aptitude is lacking.

"Another round, ready. Set. Go!" Kaminari knew no less than the intensity of his father's training regiments.

"Hold... H-... Hold on a second!" Jirou could barely speak, Kaminari is unrelenting. "I need to breath, wait a second."

Kaminari looked annoyed at first, but understood that she wasn't used to this type of intensity. "Alright, two minutes rest."

As they walked to a nearby tree and sat under its shade, Jirou was dying for a sip of water.

"Still not at the acceptable margin, but progress is being made nevertheless."

"You don't have to rub it in that I'm awful at these." The annoyance of Jirou was amusing to Kaminari. "Besides, I said I was going to help you but we spent more time training myself than you."

Jirou was right on the spot, Kaminari had hoped to focus on Jirou so he wouldn't have to train around Jirou.

"We only have one week, you gotta do it now or never." She gets up and heads to the middle of the field. "C'mon!" She grabbed his hand and forcefully made him follow.

Once in the center, she lets go of Kaminari.

"Take your collar off."

"There's absolutely no way I'm doing this with you this close to me." Kaminari didn't even hesitate. "I said I am only doing this when I'm confor-"

"So never!" Jirou interrupts him mid sentence. "We have only one week left and you're screwing around! If you can't take the collar off now, how do you expect to be independent of it?!" Ever since they started training together, Kaminari only reserved himself for electrokinectic shadow boxing, always within distance of Jirou.

She walks away from him, distancing herself about 50 meters.

"We're done training me, we will start your training right now! On my signal, take the collar off and walk one meter towards me, now you don't have a choice if not subduing your power." Jirou is not letting this go.

Kaminari has no choice but to play into Jirou's game, he's doesn't like this at all, but she has an infallible argument. He thought to himself, if he can't control his power now, it will be impossible to do it so in a combat scenario.

Jirou isn't sure this will work it either, but she's too stubborn and prideful to back it out now.

"NOW!"

Her shout echoes in the vicinity as she covers her ears! Kaminari hesitates for a moment but reluctantly rips the lock.

Despite the clear skies, a lightning bolt descends right on top of his head, the strike rumbles and vibrates the surrounding area, the shockwave is felt all over Jirou's body. Imediately the dusk lighting that lit the scenery was outshined a brighter yellow flash emmanating from Kaminari.

Jirou can barely get a visual on Kaminari, his body at times looks like it's made from pure electricity, shuffling between energy and material body. She's in absolute awe now that she can fully understand how powerful Kaminari really is.

"Kaminari! Can you hear me?!" She has to make sure he's awake, she theorized that his loss of control during the villain raid was due to him being unconscious.

For a moment, all she can hear is electricty buzzing and eventual electric tendrils shooting at random directions.

"I... I can!" Kaminari finally answers the previous question, his voice echoes throughout the forest like a rumble.

That is great news, Jirou thought to herself. Now the hard part.

"Okay! See if you can walk foward one meter in my direction, try to control yourself!" Both are filled to the brim with anxiety and fear. Kaminari readies himself to step foward whilst trying to tame his power.

One step foward was enough to crack the surface area he had just placed his foot. A lightning like pattern formed, while energized tendrils snap at various directions. Soon, Kaminari takes a second step foward, he readies his collar for he may need it at any given moment.

The moment appeared soon, as the second step was made, a sudden flash of energized tendril shot itself right into Jirou's path, but changing directions at the last moment, missing her by mere inches as it cracks the very ground. Jirou manages to evade at the last second, she jumps to the side and falls on her back.

"JIROU!" Kaminari got livid, he immediately puts back the collar, the snapback from containing such amounts of raw power kicks back Kaminari who grunts in pain, but no amount of it can stop him as he rushes towards Jirou.

"Are you okay? Jirou?!" His desperation overflows, the panic is setting in.

Jirou takes a few seconds before coming back to her senses, she looks at Kaminari and wonders how could someone had so much power like this unchecked.

"Don't sweat it, I'm intact." All Kaminari needed, confirmation that she was indeed okay, he helps her up as she observes the small but noticeable crater formed by the impact.

"That was a disaster, but not all of it." Pointing at the crater. "You managed to redirect the bolt before hitting me, this means that you can control them." As she recomposes herself.

"See? It CAN work, Kaminari." The sentiment of pride is all over her face, Kaminari can't help but notice.

"That? That was too close to confort, Jirou. We are not doing this again." Kaminari can't share the enthusiasm, he's still trembling.

"Not today we're not, but tomorrow we will definitely try it again." The words Kaminari didn't want to hear at all. "It's getting late, let's go home."

...

And so they did, Jirou was feeling proud of herself even for such minimal evidence that Kaminari's power can be tamed. Kaminari walked in silence for the rest of the way.

"You're such a mood killer!" Jirou says, annoyed.

Kaminari understands that this is a good thing, but he hates having to discover this in such an uncontrolled situation where everything could've go wrong.

...

"Tomorrow we're doing it again, there's no 'but'." Jirou reafirms one last time before entering her home. Kaminari goes on his way.

Immediately after greeting her parents, Jirou grabs her cellphone and dials and frantically searches for a specific contact.

"Hello? Jirou-san?" The feminine voice answers the call.

"It's me, I have something for us tomorrow..."

...

...

-Kaminari's POV-

What's wrong with me? Why am I hoping that Jirou can't make it to the training today? I just wished she wasn't so reckless about this, my palms are sweating just by thinking about having to take the collar off once more. She doesn't realize how dangerous this is?

My thoughts are cut short as I can... Sense... someone approaching? I don't know how but it's like I felt someone is indeed coming. No matter, probability is it's Jirou.

...

I can't believe this girl... Nevermind she's putting her life at risk by wanting to train with me, she is not satisfied and brings Yaoyorozu?! Christ...

They walk in my direction, I'm already beyond annoyed at Jirou for bringing Yaoyorozu here.

"So you do really want to see someone getting killed." The sarcasm is laced on my commentary.

She smirks, Yaoyorozu keeps herself composed and elegant, like the rich girl she is.

"Quit your bitching, Yaomomo agreed to help us, and by helping us means helping you."

"Hello there, Kaminari-san, I hope my presence doesn't bother you." She's just too polite to be dismissive.

"No, no, Yaoyoruzu, your presence is always welcome, it's the danger of being here that concerns me." I don't think even my family can cover the japanese health insurance, let alone hers.

We walk together to the training ground, soon she's in awe at the site. Jirou prepares to tell us her plan.

"Okay, I own you an explanation. Yaoyorozu is here at my request because I need extra protection for your training. She has agreed to provide insulator sheets to shield me from your accidental discharges."

"And what's the catch? Surely she isn't doing this out of charity as she's also in preparation for the Festival." She's nice, but not this nice and selfless.

"Well, for one I can hope we share certain training tips. And secondly, watching your full capabilities may serve to prepare myself in case we have to face each other." Wise, but is it enough? That's for her to decide.

"In that case, I'll welcome your help." For some reason her being here is almost reconforting, makes a little more confident, just a little.

"Let's get started, Yaoyorozu, do your thing." Jirou got confortable into giving orders, let's just get this over it, I won't be able to change their minds. Yaoyorozu makes two insulator sheets, gives one to me and the other to Jirou.

"Very well, I will take notes on how your powers behave and how they affect insulator material. Please wait until I get within safe distance." She's a pleasant person, her entire personality is charming. They both get into position and I wait for the signal.

"Ready?! Start!" Jirou is way too excited for this.

Taking off the collar is similar to tearing a tight knot around my neck, the feeling of being able to breathe is the energy stored finally unleashing everywhere. Like a deep breath, I feel a little relieved. I can manage to stay counscious but it's hard to concentrate, I try to stay still as much as a can, any sudden movements can discharge electric bolts randomly, those random discharges are what I'm trying the get control of, being able to keeping my powers in check is my goal.

"Walk towards me!" That's the hardest part to do, I have to give a counscious effort to take a step forward.

Same as yesterday, one step was enough to shoot discharges everywhere, I can see some hitting the insulator sheet next to me, but so far none have got close to Jirou. A take a second step, discharges keep on firing but unlike last time not one went at Jirou's direction.

"That's an improvement! Keep on going!" She speaks behind the sheet, the most logical decision.

A third step is taken. Christ, my knees are weak, it's like I'm carrying plates of metal on my back. Suddenly, two electric bolts shoot right at Jirou's direction. As if it was instinct, one of them redirected but the other hits the sheet in full force.

"JIROU!" Please be okay, please be okay, please be oka-

"I'm fine! The sheet did it's job, take a fourth step!" Relief and anger fill my insides, that is enough.

"Don't do it, Kaminari-san! Put the collar back on!" Yaoyorozu suddenly shouts, I got startled by it, not going to lie. The collar is already at my neck, the recoil hurts so bad, like boxer just punched me in the throat. She walks towards us.

"Why did you stop? He was making progress." Jirou, surprisingly, is angered at her.

"Please be observant before rushing into conclusions, Jirou-san." She grabs both of the sheets and places them on the ground. "I want you to see the effects of the discharges at an insulator material. Observe the differences."

Her intelligence is indeed superior, she's making a study and we are the rats. I look at the sheets, the left one was Jirou's, the sheet is lightly burned but no significant damage was done. Mine was the opposite, it was heavily scorched, even melted at corner.

"Observe, the closer you are to someone, the stronger the discharge will be. Least not we forget, electricity is not the only factor, heat is also taken into account and based on this it's clear one cannot be near you at the moment."

"Makes sense." Jirou intercedes.

"The distance and the factor of air being a natural insulator means the discharge will be weaker, although still harmful. Still, I think we all saw one of the bolts 'curving' at the last moment, was it you, Kaminari-san?" She's very keen and has quick eyes.

"It was not a counscious effort, more like instinct." There's no reason to hide.

"I see, in that case, we will take it one step at the time, after each step, we will ascertain if you can maintain a stable control at each centimeter taken."

"That's what we've been doing already." Jirou mumbles under her breath, it's amusing she's this pressed about it, Yaoyorozu doesn't seem to notice.

"I want to see another thing." Yaoyorozu walks back to the spot she was just on and dragged a human sized dummy. She stands it up.

"Kaminari-san, please attack the dummy as if you were at a duel." She pulls Jirou aside and distance themselves. I will do as she asks, maybe she wants it to be apart of her study. Since I don't pretend to willingly take the collar off, it won't be a problem.

I electrify myself once more, with the collar on sparks aren't that visible. "How do you want me to strike it?" I will amuse her for the time being.

"As if you would at one of the students at the Festival. I ask if you could hit it in two different places, please."

Fine. I take my orthodox stance, facing the dummy, I hit the dummy with a open palm strike at the torso, it was flung into the air at about 10 meters. I look over to them, Yaoyorozu is taking notes.

"I will ask if you may hit it now with full force, please."

"Sure thing." As a grab the dummy and put it back at the previous place. Once facing it, I will do as I was asked, this time the sparks are visible and my hair spikes upwards. This time I take a southpaw stance, the one I am most confortable with.

*zzzzCHOM*

Not holding back, my speed is increased tenfold, a kick such as the spinning heel kick that would've been seen it coming a mile away is so fast that it will connect at a quarter of a second. The dummy's head folds and distorts instantly, the inertia is so strong the dummy is thrown at a larger distance. Once more, the notes are being done by Yaoyorozu.

...

Much like the sheets, she lays the dummy in front of us. Her diagnosis is complete.

"This dummy's interior has both electric and kinect sensors, the readings are complete. Your 'basic' palm strike had enough force to break someone's ribcage, the current passed through this dummy's torso is twice the critical amount necessary to put them into cardiac arrest." Jirou is shocked to hear this, if only she was the only one. Had I attacked someone, they would be dead.

"The second attack doesn't even need to worry about electric currents, he was killed on impact by the kinectic energy received."

She gets up and closes her notebook.

"In your current condition, pragmatically speaking, your lack of self control is also evident with the collar on. In other words, you need to be way more cautious if your goal is not to send people to the morgue." Each word slashes my gut like a serrated knife, I was so worried about being independent I didn't realize I was straying further from control.

"Thankfully, you are very resourceful and your goal is aligned with my diagnostics, we shall use the remainder of time we have to fully master your control. Is this acceptable enough for you two?"

I am amazed, one hour was all she needed to see what was wrong with me, I can't miss this opportunity.

"It is. It very much is." I say, Jirou nods in agreement but oddly says nothing.

"Very well, we shall work from the bottom and go all the way up, we shall only take the collar off when we are more advanced. Let's get to work!" For the first time since being here she's smilling, her eyes lit and looks like she's happy to have figured it out. I shall see this enthusiasm with very high hopes.

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