U.A's Lightning Shield: Kaminari Denki

A Spark Before The Storm

The atmosphere at U.A. had changed. The announcement of the Meta Liberation Army's upcoming assault had cast a heavy shadow over the once vibrant hallways. For the students of Class 1-A, it was no longer about training to become heroes. It was real now, and Kaminari Denki could feel the weight of it pressing down on his chest.

He was sitting at his desk in the dorm common area, pretending to listen to Kirishima and Sero debate over some trivial show they were watching. Kaminari tried to smile, nodding along, but his mind was far from the conversation.

Principal Nezu had called the entire student body together earlier that day. The raid was scheduled - every pro-hero, and yes, even the students, were being mobilised for what was predicted to be one of the largest operations in recent hero history. Kaminari had heard the rumours, but hearing it from Nezu himself had made it all too real. His thoughts wandered, replaying the words Nezu had spoken, almost as if he could still hear the announcement echoing in his ears.

"We are counting on every one of you," Nezu had said, his usual calm voice laced with a grave seriousness. "While your role in this operation is to provide support, make no mistake, this is not a drill. You will be on the battlefield alongside pro-heroes. Prepare yourselves accordingly."

Kaminari clenched his fists, feeling the cool sweat building in his palms. His stomach churned. Battlefield? Was he really prepared for that? Were any of them?

Glancing around, the usually bustling dorm now felt eerily quiet, as if everyone was aware of the impending storm but too afraid to address it. Bakugo was off in the corner, scowling at a book, while Midoriya was scribbling furiously in his notebook, no doubt strategizing for the raid. Todoroki sat near the window, staring into the distance, his face unreadable. Kaminari's eyes lingered on Todoroki for a moment longer than necessary, the knot in his chest tightening.

What am I going to do?

His thoughts were interrupted when Mina flopped down beside him on the couch, her usual cheerful smile forced. "Hey, Denki! You okay? You look a little pale." She tilted her head in concern.

Kaminari quickly plastered a grin on his face, though it felt more like a mask than anything real. "Hah, me? I'm fine, just thinking about... y'know, hero stuff." He waved it off, leaning back and trying to appear casual. But the uneasy chuckle he gave betrayed his true feelings.

Mina studied him for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, this whole thing's got everyone on edge. We've trained for this, but it feels different now, doesn't it?"

Kaminari nodded, unable to fully meet her eyes. He glanced over at Kirishima, who was flexing and trying to hype Sero up. They were pretending to be upbeat, but the fear hung in the air like a thick fog, suffocating them all.

"Yeah sure, different," Kaminari mumbled under his breath. His mind was already elsewhere, concocting a plan that was becoming more solid with each passing second.
____________________

Later that afternoon, when the teachers handed out permission slips for their parents to sign, the reality of it all sank in further. The paper felt impossibly heavy in Kaminari's hands. It was real now. He couldn't stop the tremor in his fingers as he folded the slip and stuffed it into his pocket.

The meeting was over, but Kaminari didn't leave his seat right away. Around him, his classmates started chatting again, trying to break the tension. But for him, the noise was muted, distant. He couldn't focus on any of it. His leg bounces uncontrollably under the table as his eyes darted to the clock on the wall.

"Ten hours..." he whispered, though he wasn't sure if he meant to say it aloud. Ten hours until everything changes. Ten hours to say goodbye.

As minutes ticked by, his mind raced. He had no choice now. The teachers had made it clear, students would be involved in the raid, one way or another. If he stayed, he'd be on the front lines. His Quirk was powerful, but would it be enough to survive what was coming?