—A Few Months Later—
As expected, relations with my family and the Flints were tense for a while. As my parent's only child, they took the matter incredibly seriously as any normal child would have been critically injured by her actions. After several repeated apologies from Crystal's parents and herself, my parents forgave them but kept a close eye on her from then on. I had expected my mother to fight back more, but one day she just stopped for some reason.
Training with my grandfather was irritatingly slow, and that was due in part to my overly protective grandmother and mother. Both of them felt that combat training wasn't needed yet as I was only six years old. My grandfather and dad argued I was ready with them, but both relented when their wives threatened to stop talking to them. That said...I felt there was some tension between my mother and father afterwards.
'It reminds me of Celestial and I…', I thought as I ate lunch, 'That Elf used that on me every time we saw a festival on our journey. She loved stuffing her face with steak on a stake and kettle corn.'
"Everything okay Cole, you look sad.", my grandfather asked.
"I…I am fine.", I lied realizing that my facial expression reflect my depressed thoughts, "I am just upset we can't do any combat yet."
"Your mother and grandmother said you can start practicing when you are twelve.", he assured me.
Parkour training was of little use to me now as I had worn the rust off my skills. The only reason I was still training was that if I went all out my grandfather might have an actual heart attack trying to keep up. Trying to think of a way to get some physical training in, an idea came to mind. Instead of pitching it as combat training, I could spin it as self-defense training since my parents had a lot of enemies. Pitching him the idea, he seemed onboard with it almost immediately.
"Hmm…that is a very good point.", he admitted, "Your father was almost kidnapped on several occasions so your grandmother should be for it."
Calling her first, he explained what I was asking him for. Reminding her of several attempts on my father's life as a child, she conceded that it was something that I should know as I was only able to run at the moment, as far as she knew. After several more calls between my parents and grandparents, we got the green light to proceed.
"So what sort of self-defense training do you want to do?", he inquired, "Are you wanting martial arts training, weapon training, or something else?"
"Can we train with my Quirk? I might not be as strong as some villains out there so learning to control my power will help me greatly.", I replied playing on my childlike appearance.
"Alright, let's get going then.", he chuckled.
Talking me to the replica baseball stadium, he assured me that I could cut loose here. Everything around us was metal so there was no need to worry about a stray bolt of electricity hurting anyone out training in the replica city. Flipping on the power to the stadium, I could feel all the power sources around me ready to charge me up.
"Alright Cole, we don't know how your Quirk works exactly so take it easy so you don't hurt your-", he said before I tried pulling the electricity to me.
I was surprised by how easy it was to pull the electricity into my body. Unlike Cole who had to be close to drain electricity, it appeared I was more than capable of pulling it towards me from quite a distance from me. Having a vague sense of when I was fully charged, I cut off the supply as I would only waste it now.
"My word!!", he gasped, "What did you just do!?"
"I gathered electricity into me.", I replied as I watched small arcs of lightning dance around my body.
"Interesting!! Your father and I can only use electricity nearby to fight, that's why we usually carry battery packs on us. If you can store it internally, you won't need to worry about that!", he said with excitement, "You already have a leg up on your old man and me, haha!"
'I will still want one though…Kessler had one that he wore like a chest plate I think.', I thought, 'I will need it in case I am in a situation where none of my elements are available. Besides which, Cole was generally weaker when electricity wasn't around. I don't want to be in that position, I need to always be in top condition.'
Starting with the basics, I started shooting bolts of lightning out at some of the seats in the stands. Hitting them wasn't that difficult at all, I even confirmed that I could hit any target so long as I was able to see it. When it came to more precision shots, it did take a bit more focus to ensure it didn't miss its target. The precision shot would take some getting used to, but I was confident that I could use it consistently with a few weeks of training.
"Grandpa, is there a pitching machine here?", I asked, "I want to try some things out."
"Absolutely, let me pull it out for you.", he agreed walking to the closest edge of the field.
Wheeling it out of the storage shed for me, I told him to load it up and aim it at me. Since I was about thirty feet away, he was comfortable with it and did as I asked. Turning it on once the balls were loaded, I created a shield out of electricity and started to approach. The moment one of the baseballs hit the shield, it burned away leaving not even ash behind.
"What did you do!?", he shouted, "What is that thing you are making!?"
"It's the shield, I think it's made out of plasma!", I replied as I dropped the shield and created plasma blades on both forearms.
Rushing forward, I sliced the baseballs to pieces as they flew towards me. Bobbing and weaving my way forward as they flew towards me, my body felt extremely light just like in the old days. Whipping my arms around to bisect every ball that flew at me, grandpa turned the machine off a split second before I destroyed it. Looking at me in shock, I realized I had probably overdone it a bit with the demonstration, but decades of training kicked in and I acted on instinct.
"You really are a prodigy, where did you learn how to do that?", he asked me with concern, "That is certainly not something I taught you."
"I did what came naturally to me.", I replied honestly, "There are a few more things I want to try."
Testing the electric rockets and grenades I could generate, I was delighted that everything was so easy to do. That said, the more I did, the more my grandfather looked at me with mixed emotions. It was understandable, he saw what I could do and was worried about what would happen if I went down the wrong path. I wanted to tell him that I had no desire for world conquest, but that wouldn't settle his nerves…it would just make it worse.
"I think that is enough training for today Cole, let's go get some ice cream.", he suggested.
Accepting his offer, since I didn't want to push him any further, we left the stadium and got ice cream.
–3rd Person POV—
After Cole had gone to bed, his grandfather explained what had occurred at the stadium. Telling them about how powerful Cole was, everyone looked a bit nervous about what he was saying.
Giving them every detail of what happened in the stadium, the women were noticeably worried about this.
"You don't think someone has been training him on the side, do you? What if one of our enemies has been brainwashing Cole!?", Cole's Mother gasped, "I told you repeatedly not to push this on him, but you refuse to listen to me! Cole doesn't want to be a Hero!"
"She's right, villains nowadays aren't the same as they were when we were crime fighting.", Cole's grandmother agreed, "This isn't the same world it was when David was a boy, villains will do whatever it takes to hurt a Hero's family. Why can't you two just respect his wishes!?"
The men were at a loss for what to say to that. They wanted to argue that he'd grow into the position as they did, but that argument never worked with their wives. That said, the possibility that Cole might be being manipulated behind the scenes was a very real possibility. Leaving the table to check on him, the women left the father and son pair at the kitchen counter.
"What do you think Dad?", David asked, "You think he is being manipulated?"
"I think he is bitter for being born into this family, it's a lot tougher on a Hero's child now than when you were a boy.", Cole's grandfather admitted, "When you were a kid, they called you my son or called you David. With Cole, he is called the Bolt Family Heir…hardly anyone calls him by his name. Maybe we should accept his answer, and close shop when you retire. I don't want Cole to resent us when he is older."
"I…I didn't think about that.", David said looking at his glass of wine, "Surely our employees don't call him that, right?"
Telling him that they do, Cole's grandfather went on to say they called him their future boss. Seeing where things would start to wear a young boy thin, David felt frustrated he hadn't seen it sooner. If someone was preying on Cole's bitterness…it was his fault for not quashing it sooner.
"You know we can't stop it now, Cole has to take the family business over. There are a lot of negative effects that will happen if we close shop.", David stated, "How about Cheryl and I start helping out with his training? We can make it a family activity, maybe that will help him out."
"I guess...let's not jump the gun quiet yet.", Cole's grandfather laughed, "How about slowly working up to that point? If you suddenly change everything not only will the agency be in chaos, but he might resent you further. Try starting with spending family time with him doing things he wants to do. He is a young boy so see if he likes working on things or maybe even sports. Bond with him that way, that's how your grandfather and I did it with you."
"Yeah…you are right!", David chuckled, "We never did finish restoring that really old twentieth-century sports car, maybe Cole and I can finish that with you."
Nodding his head in agreement, his father agreed that was a splendid idea. Returning from checking on Cole, David told his mother and Cheryl what he wanted to do. Wholeheartedly agreeing to the plan, everyone was on board with how they would bring Cole back from the path he was on.
Getting a jump on things, David called his intelligence team to start running background checks on all of Cole's friends and former teachers. He wanted to find the person responsible for corrupting his son and make them pay dearly for it.
They're all quite dumb family members aren't they
this why I hate mc's with family. they quite useless most the time
@d9ser I getchu
So the males do care... Still neglect his wishes but it's progress. Still don't like them though and the whole "maybe a villain is manipulating him" seemed like a forced thing to redeem the parents.
Young Master daddy have his kid a displeased stare for wanting to eat instead of going to play with his friends kid, now he's "my son, he's powerful, there must be something wrong."
For me what should've happened world be:
1- After accident it'd take longer to forgive the friends family;
2- He'd be happy with his kid being powerful;
3- He'd want to broadcast and gloat at his kids genius.
Again, this is my opinion. It's not what I wanted/want to happen but it's what seems "normal" given how he reacted to "I don't want to be a hero.", It's like he's dead set in maintaining the legacy and accepted that what he was forced to was the right thing(guilt trip) so his son being powerful would be a good thing for his agency, his standing in the society and all that because he's the father of the prodigal genius.
The way the mother was all like "Your dad is working out son to the bone" to neglecting him after the car ride and abandoning him to go fullfil her role as wife was "out of character". She cares about her son, doesn't want him to train his quirk because he's a kid but would leave said kid alone on a party with lots of people where he could get hurt (like he did) or get kidnapped (it was on froggle that he's there son so couldn't people try to kidnap him? Someone with a quirk like midnight's could make him fall asleep and take him.)
I could go on but the only decently developed character is the MC (and he has problems I could point out).
This is all from my perspective and thinking so feel free to discard, disagree or whatever you guys feel like.
I see where you are coming from, but the family is looking to maintain the tradition that has continued for several generations. His family understands what he wants, that said his parents think he should give up what he wants for the benefit of the family. Grandpa was in the same position Cole's dad was years ago and saw what it had done to his son. That is why he is less enthusiastic about pushing Cole into it, he doesn't want Cole to be in it for the fame, prestige, and power his son grew to desire.
As for what happened at the party, both of Cole's parents are famous people in the US and Internationally. This means that when they go to social events they have to socialize with people and greet other well-known individuals as well. Most children couldn't handle having to stay in an environment like that and would be really restless. As it was a child's birthday party, it would be assumed Cole would have gone to play with the other children. Getting kidnapped was highly unlikely, in their minds, given the fact that a lot of prominent Hero Families were present at the party.
@ManOfCultureLeon Young Master Daddy is an a** so I wouldn't comment anymore on him because he's dead set in his ways and legacy(fame and "recognition") so I'd expect him to hype his son's aptitude with using his quirk as prodigal genius instead of jumping on the "someone's involved" train of thought.
The mom is one of the other problems I got, not because she's a bad character but because she wasn't "fleshed out", as I'd hope (you can ignore this comment, it's mainly my expectations that might be unreasonable). At the start she is shown as a caring and loving mother so I'd expect more interactions between mc and her, maybe her noticing her son's change in behavior or something like that(this is a big if) or since she seems overprotective like his grandma she'd show her doting side when they're on the car to show their bond as mother and son because it felt like she understood the pressure that's on her kid for having to live up to the legacy, one that he didn't ask for. Then some encouraging words when they're about to get to the place like "Try to have fun, if anything happens look for mommy." Or something like that.
Because the way it was shown after his parkour training to his accident there was little to no interaction that showed she cared, I gave up on Young Master Daddy so I was hoping she would balance the relationship out with their son so he doesn't go all I have daddy and mommy issues.(Again, you can ignore this since it's my expectations that led me to this viewpoint).
Blob Neutral
Lmao. The unreasonable reasonability is amazing. Thanks for the chapter
"It's the shield, I think it's made out of plasma!", I replied as I dropped the shield and created plasma blades on both forearms.
Rushing forward, I sliced the baseballs to pieces as they flew towards me. Bobbing and weaving my way forward as they flew towards me, my body felt extremely light just like in the old days. Whipping my arms around to bisect every ball that flew at me, grandpa turned the machine off a split second before I destroyed it. Looking at me in shock, I realized I had probably overdone it a bit with the demonstration, but decades of training kicked in and I acted on instinct.
Beat Saber
"You really are a prodigy, where did you learn how to do that?", he asked me with concern, "That is certainly not something I taught you."
Massive red flag. He's around six. Training doesn't do that. At six most kids still have trouble walking in a straight line. Even military kids are only slightly better, usually more active. Instead of brainwashing, it's better to assume he's been replaced. That that thing in front of them is someone else using a quirk to insert themself Into the body.
I get why they haven't reached that conclusion, it's their child and all, but I hope they catch on that there's a body double amongst them. Surely at least the old man with his experience fighting superpowers can connect tow and tow with some time?
Very good deduction, I was not thinking about that, I was swallowed that it was a talent or mental type quirk
are y’all remedial
@M3vm3 No, just worked in a daycare before. Kids aren't that smart, even genius's.
Looking at me in shock, I realized I had probably overdone it a bit with the demonstration, but decades of training kicked in and I acted on instinct.
Was that a pun?!
Cole not running the business is utterly UNRELATED to the business closing. You make someone else competent the boss. Not a difficult concept
Let’s be fair, no one who is the owner of a corporation trusts anyone to be the next leader. In that case, they ‘create’ a leader. It’s perfectly logical to groom a child into a CEO in America
Hmm. Who is corrupting him? It couldn’t possibly be a god of countless universes could it?
That said, the possibility that Cole might be being manipulated behind the scenes was a very real possibility