My Hero Academia: Thunder God

At Saitama City's subway station, the evening rush hour was in full swing. A large number of men and women in business attire moved through the station, mingling with junior high and high school students dressed in sports uniforms, clearly just finished with their after-school club activities.

The station was bustling yet orderly—until a sudden commotion erupted.

"Mom, look! Look! It's Kaminari and Pikachu!"

"What?" The young mother followed her son's excited pointing and froze. There, not far away, was a very familiar sight. After a moment of disbelief, she muttered uncertainly, "It has to be cosplay, right?"

This sentiment seemed to ripple through the crowd.

"Yeah, it has to be cosplay. Look how spot-on they look—he even got Pikachu down perfectly."

"Maybe it's a small animatronic or something. It can't really be Pikachu, can it?"

Though everyone had their own theories, one thing was certain: their hands were already reaching for their phones. After all, when you see something this interesting, the instinct to snap pictures or record videos is universal. Without a doubt, these would be posted online for likes, comments, and shares.

"Heh, just as expected…"

Kaminari walked through the station with a smile on his face and Pikachu perched comfortably on his shoulder. The golden creature's ears twitched occasionally as its round head turned to scan the curious onlookers. Naturally, a growing crowd trailed behind them.

As someone who had grown used to attention as a rising star, Kaminari didn't mind the stares and whispers. If anything, he welcomed them. It was part of the territory now.

"Once Momo finishes her 'Nine-Tails' project, we can totally have a Pokémon battle," he murmured to himself, excitement bubbling at the thought. Just imagining it was enough to make his heart race.

"All those childhood dreams… looks like I'll get to live them all out in this life."

Kaminari felt a surge of satisfaction. For a fleeting moment, he reflected on his good fortune.

"Sure, it would've been cool to land in something like 'Marvel,' 'Naruto,' or 'One Piece,' but honestly? This world—this strange, super-powered world is perfect for me."

It was a thought that came from the depths of his heart.

"Yeah… life's not so bad."

Soon enough, Kaminari arrived home. As expected, his parents hadn't started dinner without him. But instead of the scolding he had braced himself for, his father's voice was calm and direct:

"Go wash up and get ready for dinner."

His mother chimed in with a warm smile. "It's good you're back. I'll reheat the food."

Without any complaints or guilt-tripping, she turned toward the kitchen to get busy. This simple kindness made Kaminari pause. A sense of guilt and gratitude washed over him as he made a mental note: from now on, no matter where he went, he'd make sure to let his parents know beforehand. And he'd try not to stay out so late again.

An amusing moment followed when his parents finally noticed Pikachu. Their surprise was palpable. After all, who wouldn't be shocked to see a fictional creature brought to life so vividly?

It wasn't until the night wore on that they finally adjusted to Pikachu's presence. By bedtime, it was as if they'd gotten a new pet—albeit a very unusual one.

Before Kaminari headed to bed, his father gave him one last piece of advice:

"Listen, son. Now that you've got the combat suit back, don't think you can let your guard down. You're going to attract attention, dangerous attention. Some people will go to any lengths for something like this. So, don't go out alone. Always stay alert."

Kaminari nodded, fully understanding the weight of his father's words.

Still, deep down, he wasn't particularly worried. He had power now—real, tangible power. If someone came looking for trouble, it wouldn't be certain who'd walk away unscathed.

As for laws or consequences? Well, if it came down to life or death, what choice would there be? Kaminari grinned faintly at the thought, flexing his fingers as faint sparks of electricity danced between them.

---

The next morning, Kaminari dressed for school as usual, donning his neatly pressed U.A. uniform. On his back was a school bag themed around Pikachu, and on his shoulder sat the real thing, its little head swaying side to side as they prepared to leave.

"Dad, make sure you and Mom go to the Midnight Office with Mr. Snatch this afternoon," Kaminari instructed before heading out. "It'll be safer to watch live rather than relying on a broadcast. Oh, and take a couple of Hero assistants with you—it'll be hard for Mr. Snatch to protect both of you on his own."

His father raised an eyebrow at the serious tone. "You think we need you to remind us about that? Don't worry about us, we'll handle ourselves."

Then his expression softened slightly. "You're the one who needs to be careful, son. Don't forget—you're their main target."

Kaminari shrugged off the warning with a casual wave. "Got it. I'll see you later."

With that, Kaminari stepped out the door, Pikachu perched firmly on his shoulder. His parents stood in the doorway, watching him go with worried expressions.

"Do you think we made the right decision letting him pursue Hero work?" his mother asked softly, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

His father sighed. "It doesn't matter if it was right or wrong. We've passed the point of no return. The only thing left is to trust him and keep moving forward. And believe me, he'll make it. He always does."

---

Meanwhile, Kaminari was making his way to the subway station. The streets were bustling with students heading to school, and his appearance—especially with Pikachu in tow—inevitably drew attention.

"Is that Kaminari?"

"Whoa, is that a real Pikachu?!"

Exclamations and whispers followed him wherever he went. The sight of Pikachu perched on his shoulder, animated and lifelike, had captivated everyone.

What Kaminari didn't realize was that footage of him bringing Pikachu home last night had already been uploaded to social media—and it was going viral.

At the subway entrance, a familiar voice called out.

"Kaminari! Why didn't you show up for morning practice today?"

Kaminari turned to see Tetsutetsu approaching, his expression a mix of curiosity and confusion.

"Hey, what's that?" Tetsutetsu pointed directly at Pikachu. "Is that… Pikachu?!"

The golden creature blinked at Tetsutetsu before raising a tiny paw.

"Pika! Pika-pika!"

It greeted Tetsutetsu cheerfully, waving like an old friend.

"Come on, we'll talk as we walk. If we stand around here, we're going to get mobbed," Kaminari said, clapping Tetsutetsu on the shoulder.

As they entered the subway station, Tetsutetsu fell into step beside him.

"Morning practice was great, by the way. You missed out," Tetsutetsu teased. "What's this 'new thing' you were going to show us? Is it your combat suit?"

"Yeah, about that…" Kaminari nodded, but then abruptly stopped walking.

His expression froze.

"What's wrong?" Tetsutetsu asked, concerned.

Nearby, a group of students had also stopped, curious about Kaminari's sudden pause. Pikachu tilted its head, looking up at Kaminari in confusion.

"Forgot… I completely forgot!" Kaminari groaned, clapping his hands in frustration.

"Forgot what?" Tetsutetsu pressed.

"I forgot to tell Dr. Tenma about Kyoka's combat suit!"