Author's Note: This chapter picks up right where the last one left off as Kaminari deals with his feelings for Kyoka, and the effects they have on his powers. Also, glad one person picked up on the cameo last chapter, but unfortunately it won't be coming to a head until much later in the story. Also we may or may not see a continuation of Izuku and Kyoka's night together...depends :p

Warning: Chapter contains Mature content.

25: Gear Up for the Sports Festival - 6: Light & Dark

Denki stepped out of the dorm building to the sound of thunder roaring overhead. He paid it no attention even as the air charged the electricity coursing through his body. No, all of his focus was on the girl that had stolen his heart without even trying. And the fact that she had gone up stairs with her boyfriend and had not returned for the rest of the evening.

He looked up to where her window was and saw that the room was dark. His head dropped with a sigh, "Come on, Denki," he muttered to himself as he started off toward the gates of the dorm complex, "It's not like it's any of your business," he clenched his fists and shoved them into his pockets, ignoring the sting of the sparks flying off of them.

As he walked, his mind started twisting around his lone training session with the Prowler in the morning. He wasn't sure how he was going to do anything worthwhile. Finding out that he had come dangerously close to killing himself that first time had scared him more than whenever his father had come home after an all-nighter at the local bar.

"I have to try again," the boy muttered to himself, shaking his head as thunder rumbled overhead again and the first drop of rain hit the top of his head. He sighed and continued walking as the rain started coming down in gentle waves as he passed beyond the dorm gates, and headed for the school. He knew that it could cause trouble for him if one of the teachers caught him, but he still felt the need to get away from the dorms.

Getting inside the school, though, was a lot simpler than he had expected. Usually, the school had droids walking around the parimitter as guards, but they seemed to be in short supply while he was basically sneaking into the building.

As expected, the school was dead quiet. Even his softest footsteps echoed through the halls like the thunder outside. He looked out a window and saw that the rain was well and truly coming down now, and realized that he was going to have to run back to the dorms when he left. Even then he knew that he was in for a soaking. "Hmph," he snorted, "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea?" He sighed and continued walking without much care.

As he rounded a corner, a light was suddenly shone into his face, "Kaminari?" Said the familiar voice of the Prowler as the boy shielded his face, "What the devil are you doing here at this hour?"

"I was..." the boy stammered nervously as he shielded his eyes, "I was..." he lowered his arms and sighed, "I...I needed to clear my head..." he muttered lowly as the light descended from his face to the floor.

The Prowler came closer, the green eyes of his suit glowing eerily, "You know you're going to get soaked on your way back, right?" He asked as he looked out the window, sheets of rain falling outside of them. He then gave the boy an appraising look, "What made you want to come out in this mess?"

Denki sighed and stuffed his hands back into his pockets, "It's...complicated..."

The helmet disengaged, showing that the man's left brow was raised at him in question, "This have anything to do with your training tomorrow?" He asked.

"Some of it," the boy shrugged, "The rest is...growing pains, I guess?"

The Prowler gave a small sigh, "Kid, I'm gonna go out on a limb here, so humor me," he muttered and crossing his arms, "You've got a thing going for Jiro, don't you?"

Denki looked up at him sharply, "How...how did you know?" He asked, feeling worse than ever.

The man shook his head, "Seen it a few times already," he explained, "Whenever Izuku and Kyoka's relationship comes up, and things sound like they're progressing in a positive way, you look like someone just spat in your face." He noticed that the boy's face was gaining some color, even in the darkened halls, "And tonight you looked like someone just told you that you were terminally ill."

Denki worried his lips, "I...I didn't mean to..."

"We seldom mean to do anything, kid," Prowler said as he reached out and put his hand on the boy's shoulder, "So, is this what's been holding you back during your training?"

The boy sighed and gave a slight nod of his head, "I feel like a total scumbag."

"Why?" Prowler asked, "Not like you planned for this to happen, did you?"

Denki looked at him, "Of course not," he shook his head, "I mean, when they first walked into class, I...she...I was hooked!" The boy groaned, sinking to his knees, "So many totally beautiful girls in our class, and I had to go and fall for the one that's not only taken, but has a kid!" He reached up and knotted his fingers into his hair, "And Midoriya's a great guy! I know that, he even tried helping me with my useless Quirk, and I still wanted them to..."

"Break up?" Prowler finished for him, "You think you're the only one that's ever thought like that?"

Denki shook his head, "Well, no, I'm sure lots of people thought like that more than once," he sighed, letting his hands fall into his lap, "But I...I couldn't stand it...I can't physically be in the same room with them when they're together, even if they're playing with Eri." His head hung low, "I always put myself where Izuku is: next to her. I can't help thinking about what it would be like to be where he is."

"And?" The Prowler urged him on, "What do you think would happen if, by some chance, they did break things off?" Denki raised his head to look at him with frustrated tears in his eyes, "Do you think you could swoop right in and make her happy?"

Denki snorted, "Fat chance of that happening," he muttered, "If those two did break up, I figure they wouldn't stay that way for long."

"Why's that?" The man asked, curious of such a thing himself.

"Dude, have you seen them together?" Denki asked in disbelief, "They're totally nuts for each other! If they broke things off, they'd still end up together because Eri would bring them back together like a magnet!" He said, sounding almost angry, "They love that kid...and she...she really needs them..."

The Prowler nodded before he knelt down in front of the boy, "Which means...what?" He prompted, urging the boy to continue.

"I..." the boy sighed and shook his head, "I need to let it go." He frowned, "I just...I don't know how..."

The Prowler smiled at him, "I can help with that," he said before hoisting the boy up by his shoulders, "Come on: we're heading for the gym."

"Now?" Denki yelped as he was pulled along.

The Prowler laughed, "What better time to unlock your full potential than in a thunderstorm?"

スパイダーマン

Back at the dorms...

Izuku bolted up from the bed, eyes wide with fear as sweat drenched his hair and his face. He groaned and slowly swung his legs over the side of the bed to sit up, running his hands through his hair tiredly. [That damned dream again,] the young man thought as the screams of Kyoka and Eri echoed through his mind like someone running their nails across a chalkboard. [I thought that talking to Hound Dog about it would help, but...]

"Izuku?" He heard Kyoka mutter sleepily behind him as she sat up, "You okay?" He turned slightly and saw her gathering up the sheets to her chest.

He nodded before remembering that she couldn't see in the dark like he could, "Yeah, I'm fine," he said in a hushed tone, "Sorry if I woke you."

She scooted closer to him and laid her head against his back, "You know I can tell when you're lying to me, right?" She reminded him softly as she placed her hand on his back where his heart was, feeling it beating faster than the norm. Her fingers spread out across his skin, "And you're covered in sweat," she told him, "You were having nightmares, weren't you?"

Izuku lowered his head, "How could you tell?" He asked.

"You really think that you're the only one that was traumatized by the attack on the school?" She asked with a hint of laughter in her voice, her arms circling around to his chest so she could hold him, "I have them, too," he looked at her over his shoulder, "Every night: I see you being tortured by that crazy doctor and his monsters." He reached up and took one of her hands, lacing his fingers through hers, "I see you bleeding out in my arms," she muttered, kissing his back softly, "And I can't do anything to save you."

Izuku smiled at that, "But you did save me," he said, "You're saving me right now just by being here," he turned around and took her into his arms, her body feeling warm against his own, "And I'm so relieved that you were never hurt in the attack," he reached up and started rubbing her head, "I don't think I'd forgive myself if you'd been injured."

"And you think I can forgive myself for what happened to you?" Kyoka asked as she pressed against his chest, "No one should have to go through what you did, and I had to watch it."

Izuku nodded, "In my nightmares, I have to watch it happening to you and Eri," she looked up at him with horror written across her face, "It may not have happened, but it's still my worst nightmare: the two of you getting hurt while I just stand there and watch."

Kyoka started to laugh, "Listen to us," she muttered against his chest, "We're each other's kryptonite."

"Is that a bad thing?" He asked with a small laugh of his own, "I always thought we made each other stronger."

"Yeah, but if one of us gets captured, then we're screwed," she said, giggling louder now.

Izuku smiled at her, "Then we just need to make sure we don't get caught," he said before laying them back down onto the bed. She nestled against him, her head against his shoulder as he pulled the covers back over them.

She hummed a little as she got comfortable against him, "I'm also still worried that you'll look at me one of these days, and realize you can find someone better." She muttered, only being partially serious.

She felt Izuku shrug, "I feel the same way," he admitted, "I'm pretty plain-looking, but here I am with a gorgeous girlfriend, and a beautiful daughter."

"Don't you feel lucky?" She asked playfully before she felt his fingers going for her ribs, "No! No no no!" She giggled hysterically before she rolled over on top of him. He could see her smile lose all of its playfulness then as he felt himself harden beneath her. "So," she leaned down, "You up for round two?"

He gulped, "B-but we don't have - " his words ended on a his as she reached down and took hold of him.

"Let me worry about that," she said with a quick kiss to his lips, "Right now, I want to enjoy this as much as we can." She raised up and tried to position him in the right spot, "Dammit, it's a good thing you can see in the dark," she said after a moment of frustration, "I can barely - aagh!" She gasped when he shoved himself into her and pulled her down at the same time. "Oof," she muttered as she settled on him, letting him fill her completely, "I think I'm getting used to this."

She rocked on him slowly, "I can't believe how good this feels," she sighed then leaned forward to kiss him.

He reached out to caress her breasts, "I'm just glad it doesn't hurt anymore," he said tenderly, remembering how much pain she had been in the first time.

He saw her smiling at him as she continued to move. He groaned and pulled on her hips, urging her to go faster. She did, feeling herself coiling tighter and tighter. Izuku felt that he was getting close and reached between her legs to stroke her. She convulsed at his touch and fell beside him, her body going limp. He rolled with her, then grasped her bottom and drove into her. He groaned, grinding against her as he felt his release shuddering through him.

They laid beside each other as their breathing slowly returned to normal. Kyoka could just barely see his face, his eyes casting a faint glow as he gazed at her unimpeded by the dark. "Wow." She breathed out with a hint of laughter in her voice.

"You can say that again," he laughed.

She reach up and touched his wild hair, "I love you," she felt tears coming to her eyes, "I love you so much."

He reached out and brought her against his chest. Her left cheek rested against him, letting her hear the steady beat of his heart.

"I love you, too."

スパイダーマン

Gym Gama...

Denki felt his nervousness return in full force when they entered the gym. The Prowler seriously expected him to push past his limits tonight? When his mind and heart were practically being thrown around in a hurricane?

The Prowler turned to him, his helmet disengaging, "I should tell you, Kaminari," the man said seriously, "This is do or die: either you will move to the next level with your Quirk, or I will recommend that you be placed in General Studies."

Denki flinched, "But I thought you were just going to make us go back to normal classes?"

But the man just shook his head, "Your Quirk is powerful in its own right, kid," he relented with a small sigh, "But you run the risk of becoming completely useless if you use too much power, which means you can't go all out whenever you need to." His face hardened, "Which means that you have no business being in the Hero Course."

Denki frowned, but held a determined look on his face, "Alright, let's do this."

The Prowler nodded, "Good attitude," the man said approvingly, "Charge your Quirk up to maximum output, even if your brain shorts out," he order the boy, "Push yourself to the point of overload and go beyond it!"

Denki took a deep breath and let the electricity in his body erupt, his frame becoming enshrouded by a veil of electrical power. The familiar feeling of his voltage limit began to rise, making him feel like the human equivalent of a balloon with too much air being blown into it: he felt ready to pop!

"Keep going!" The Prowler shouted as if reading the boy's mind. "Don't let yourself feel any doubts! Push yourself to the next level!"

Denki grit his teeth, clenching his fists tightly as he pushed his Quirk further. He felt his brain beginning to spark, he was close to overloading. "I...I can't...I can't..."

"Yes you can!" The Prowler shouted, "You're almost there!"

A spark of electricity went off inside his head, causing him immense pain as he cried out and grabbed at his head, "It's killing me!"

"No, it's not!" The Prowler shouted again, "Your Quirk is meant to help you, Denki, and it is trying to do that right now!" The man told the boy as he hit his knees, the impact of his legs hitting the floor setting off a small electromagnetic pulse through the gym that caused the lights to flicker for a moment. "See your Quirk for what it really is, Kaminari!" The boy cracked his eyes to look at the man while the storm of electricity raged around him. Spots were dancing in front of his eyes, making it harder to see, "It is a part of your very being, and just like you, it wants to be better, but you have to let it!" He instructed the boy, ignoring the sparks that threatened to hit him, any one of them potentially fatal. "Let it show you what you can be!"

Denki pounded the floor with this fists, setting off more miniature pulses that had The Prowler stepping back. His skin crackled with heat from the electricity, and crackes started to form across his body.

And then all of the sound and light seemed to vanish, leaving him in a dark place. The electricity was gone. He looked down at his hands and saw no more cracks or scorch marks. His mind was intact, allowing him to think straight instead of bumbling around like he normally would after unleashing so much power. He looked around for The Prowler, but found himself alone. He wasn't even in the gym anymore.

He stood, looking around, "Where am I?" Denki wondered, his voice bouncing around in an echo.

"We're inside our mind," said a voice behind him. Denki whipped around in fright, his fists rising to defend himself...but when he found the one that had spoken up... "It's about time you came here." Said a black-haired version of himself. "Do you have any idea how lonely it gets in this place?" Demanded the black-haired look-alike.

Denki ran a hand through his hair, "Who...what...what are you?" The blond stammered out.

The dark-haired doppelganger just grinned at him, "I'm the other half of our Quirk," he then frowned at him, "The part of ourselves that you keep rejecting!"

"Rejecting?!" Denki yelled, "How am I rejecting you? I use my Quirk all the time!"

The grin returned, "You don't even remember, do you?" His look-alike asked, sounding amused, "Think back to when you were a kid," he instructed, "About our dad."

Denki frowned at him, "I...I never knew my dad," the boy said in confusion, "He walked out on me and Mom when I was just a kid."

The doppelganger shook his head, "Bizzt, wrong answer," he grinned, "Our dad didn't walk out on us," the look-alike said, "We killed him."

His jaw dropped open, "I...what...?"

"That's right," the look-alike smirked, "You don't remember 'cause you blocked the memory away," he told him before he gestured to himself, "And that created me." He smiled at the blond, "But it ain't like the bastard didn't deserve it," he continued, "Mom never talked about him 'cause he was abusive toward all of us: he beat mom nightly, and kicked us around like an empty beer can!" The look-alike sneered, "And finally, we couldn't take it anymore." His sneered turned into a sadistic smile, "When we turned four, just like every other kid, our Quirk came in, and just in time, too." He smiled as Denki shook his head in disbelief, "Dear ol' daddy was on one of his drunken rampages and was beating and fucking the shit outta our mom while she was screaming for help," the look-alike narrowed his eyes at him, "And we were glad to send that fucker down the green mile."

Denki shook his head angrily, "I'd never use my Quirk to kill!"

The look-alike sneered at him, "Sorry, Princess, but we did," he said, "And guess what? We liked it!"

"No!" Denki shouted but was suddenly pulled forward when the look-alike made a gesture. He had him by the neck in an instant.

"Yes."

Denki struggled against his grip, but his look-alike was incredibly strong. His grip tightened on his throat, "After that little party, a part of us, you, felt so guilty about what we'd done, you made yourself forget, and locked me away," the dark-haired look-alike said, "And we've been using half of our powers ever since you pussed out on me: the real Denki Kaminari!"

"I'm the real Denki Kaminari!" Denki shouted at his look-alike, electricity sparking around his body.

The look-alike smirked at him as blue bolts of electricity sparked around him, "Not when I'm through with you," he reared back a fist and punched the blond in his face, sending him sprawling across the ground, "I've been patient," the look-alike said as he stalked forward while Denki staggered to his feet, "I've watched while you made a fool out of us," Denki staggered forward and threw a punch at his look-alike, but missed and sent himself stumbling to the ground again. "You made us a joke!" A kick to his ribs sent him rolling.

Denki coughed and hacked as his ribs ached.

"You even let the woman you wanted be taken by some weak little insect," the look-alike kneeled down next to him, "You know? That's the first thing I'm gonna do when I get outta here." Denki looked at the doppelganger's mocking grin, "I'm gonna fry that fucking bug, and then I'm gonna fuck that girl right in front of him." He began to laugh, rage bubbling up in Denki's chest as his dark half continued to speak, "And there's not a thing you can do about it 'cause your so fucking weak!"

Denki spat and glared at the look-alike, "If I'm so damned weak," he ground out while his dark half frowned, "Then why haven't you taken over before?"

When the look-alike remained silent, Denki began to smile, "That's it, isn't it?" The blond said, "You can't take over because you're not strong enough!"

"Like hell I'm not!" The look-alike backhanded him, but Denki noticed that it lacked the power from the previous blows, "I'm more than strong enough to get rid of a weak little shit like you!" He grasped him around the neck and hoisted him up to his feet.

Denki glared at him, "Then do it," the blond dared him, "Do it right now. Kill me and take over just like you wanted."

The look-alike's grip tightened around his neck, meaning to strangle him, but he felt no strength behind it. "You can't, can you?" Denki smirked, reaching up to grasp his wrists, "You're not stronger than me." He squeezed the look-alike's wrists until he pulled them away from his neck, "You're not even me, are you?" The look-alike's face contorted in rage, "You're just part of my fears I keep locked up inside of me!" He pushed the look-alike away from him.

It staggered back and sent blue lightning at him. Denki caught it in his hands and absorbed it. The look-alike sneered at him, "Oh, I'm real alright. I'm as much a part of you as our Quirk is!" It charged him, lightning enveloping its hands, "And when I get out of here - !"

Denki caught the thing's fist in his own, "That's the thing," the blond said, "You're not getting out of here." He tightened his grip on the look-alike's fist causing him to groan and hit his knees, "And I'm taking my power back!" He reared back and struck the look-alike as hard as his electrically charged fists could...

And found himself looking up at a white ceiling.

He frowned as he lifted a hand to his head, feeling it throb. "Where - ?

Suddenly he found Hisashi Midoriya looking down at him with a wide grin, "Hey, Chiyo, he's awake!"

"Teach?" Denki muttered groggily.

He tried to sit up but the man held him down, "Easy, kiddo, don't push yourself." Hisashi said as Chiyo came over to them. "You gave me a pretty good scare back at the gym."

"I should hope so," the elderly nurse said as she began checking the boy's vitals, "From what you told me, this boy's lucky to be alive at all after that explosion."

Denki looked at them curiously, "Explosion?"

Hisashi frowned, "When you were pushing your limits, your body..." the man hesitated, then shook his head, "Your body burst apart."

"It did?" Denki frowned, looking down at himself, but seeing nothing out of place, "Then...shouldn't I be...you know...dead?"

Chiyo huffed, "Not when you have a form of Regeneration like this," she said as stepped back, "Your old body couldn't handle the amount of electricity you were producing, so it burst and turned you into pure electrical energy for short time until reformed." She said while the boy say up, noticing for the first time that he was in a hospital gown, "You look the same, but I dare say that your Quirk has more than moved beyond what it used to be."

The boy smiled at the teacher, "Then I guess I'm still in the Hero Course, huh?"

Hisashi snorted, "If I recommended you to General Studies now, Nezu would probably have my head." He smiled, "But you did good, kid, really good," he reached out and ruffled his hair, "You've earned today off to rest and relax as much as you want. We'll test your abilities out tomorrow."

"If I've cleared him," Chiyo warned the former mercenary.

Hisashi relented, "If she's cleared you."

Denki smiled and looked down at his hands, "Did..." he started, but frowned as he recalled what happened.

"What is it?" Chiyo asked.

The boy shook his head, "Nothing...I just think I need to talk to my mom."

The nurse nodded in understanding, "That can be arranged," she said, "I'll have Nezu give her a call and have her come meet with you while you rest." She checked her watch, "And you really should, deary, it's nearly dawn."

Denki looked a little surprised at how long he'd been out, but considering what had happened, he shouldn't have been. He sighed and laid back down on the bed while Chiyo tucked him in. Hisashi was about to leave before the boy called out, "Hey teach?" The man looked at the boy, "Thanks."

Hisashi nodded, "Get some rest, kiddo, you're gonna need it." He said as he and Chiyo left the room, the lights going out as they left.

Denki made himself comfortable as he closed his eyes and was asleep within seconds of doing so. While the boy slept, a spark of black-colored electricity coiled over his body and sprang into an outlet.

スパイダーマン

Author's Note: Well, this took a long time to get out, sorry amigos. But I'm happy the way it turned out. Let me know what you guys think about what Denki went through. Also, hope the story's first official limon was a good one.

As always, if y'all wanna see what happens next, hti that Review Button. Adios Amigos!