The Eyes That Make the Storm

8) Conductor

Stasia ran as fast as she could in her current condition all the down to the teacher's center. The unfamiliar feeling of her being out of breath made itself noticeable as she panted, leaning on the doorframe trying to gather herself. 

    "Nastasia?"

    "B-" She tried to speak but it only brought her pain, almost crying out. All Might stared at her while she tapped her hands together trying to figure out how to communicate what she needed without being able to verbally say it. Quickly she nearly jumped upon finding the answer and began to sign, "Bath?"

    "There's one in my room." She nodded firmly and started to turn around only for him to call out her name, "Hey, be careful."

    "Got it."

    Steam rose off of the tub disappearing once it hit the ceiling only for more to take its place. Stasia stepped over carefully kneeling down as she held the hand above the water, pulling it back instantly from the extreme heat. Was she really about to get in this? The answer was yes, she had to, after all, her lightning was becoming out of control and she was finding it hard to keep up. First, it was why she had to stop doing hero work, then burn marks on her hands from barely using her quirk, and now today. She always felt that her quirks would sometimes grow too quickly, lightning especially. So the only solution she could come up with was to let it grow, then enforce burnout.

    Stasia clasped her hands together and as best as she could croak out, "Stop," feeling the power of time rest in her hands. Stripped down to a bathing suit that was three summers old, slowly stepping in, hissing at the heat but still sinking down despite. Hands were braced on the edge of the tub in preparation before she submerged herself underwater. She could feel her veins pulsing itching to spark up underneath the water. Being able to control her lightning normally was one thing, but going it water to let it be conducted by itself with something she never wanted to get used to. The actual act was fine, it was the aftermath.

    Bubbles floated to the top rapidly as she screamed watching her veins turn purple. She always thought that conducting is how someone without a lightning quirk would feel when they're being electrocuted, it's like hell. The lights flickered in reaction to the sudden surge and for a moment they completely blew out, only when they turned back on did she know it was safe to get out. Climbing out of the bath the fabric uncomfortably clung to her skin, painfully at that as her body felt hypersensitive at this particular moment, almost as if someone was sticking tiny needles into her arms. Her hair hung so heavy down her back it almost made her neck hurt. The walk back to her room was going to be dreadful but as soon as she opened the door a towel was waiting for her, attached to the arm of her uncle.

    "I heard you scream, you're almost louder than me!" Present Mic laughed.

    "Ha." She grabbed the towel out of his hand wrapping it around her form, the softness of the material easing her just slightly. "I stopped time, how did you hear me?"

    "Apparently not. Try not to activate two quirks at once if you can help it."

    "Yeah, I know- stop staring at my hair."

    "It's different."

    "It's temporary. Also, can you watch out for my dad while I sneak into his room?"

    "What for?"

    "I need to go get my contacts, he'll kill me if he finds out I did this again."

    Unbeknownst to her, she wasn't the only one going behind someone's back. In the common room, at least half of 1-A was crowded around a singular laptop for what they called 'research'.