UNMASKED (mha)

24

Momo Yayorozu walked behind the her she was interning with. What she expected to be intense hero training turned out to be something very different.
Momo and Kendo were just there to follow Uwabami around and... well and look cute. Though that was a truth Momo was having a hard time accepting.

'This is what it's like being a pro. She's teaching us to learn how to handle popularity! Yes that's it! This is a lesson she's teaching us! I must try my best to learn from her.'

Momo thought with a determined look. Kendo sweatdropped. Her own thoughts far from the other student's, they were mainly filled with regret. She had a few other pros lined up that she could have chosen, but she picked the most popular. That was apparently her first mistake.

It had been about an Hour of 'patroling' which really was just being paraded around while Uwabami took pictures and signed autographs. She referred to Momo and Kendo as 'her girls' which felt odd but neither spoke up.

Momo kept a pleasant look on her face. Maybe soon they would run into some danger! Then they'd see a pro in action.

They were walking, finally free of the droves of fans when suddenly Uwabami stopped and gasped. Putting a hand up to stop her girls from walking forward.

"What is it?! Danger?! A villain?!"
Kendo asked in excitement, getting in a fighting stance.

"There she is!!"
Uwabami said, staring across the street.
The two other girls followed her gaze.
"Can you believe she rejected my offer?! She went with that showboat Thunderstruck over ME!! Oh what fun we could have had."
She pouted.

It was Aiko Zhu. More popularly known as her alter ego, A.Z. a concept that was still mind boggling for Kendo.
Shy and quiet Aiko as a famous singer? It just didn't seem right. But she had seen it with her own eyes at the concert.

"Oh... you mean Zhu?"
Momo asked, putting a bent finger to her chin in thought.
"Well she did have a lot of agencies that asked for her, you shouldn't take her rejection personally for any reason."

They all stared at the trio that also seemed to be on patrol. Thunderstruck taking up the lead, his hands were stuffed in his pockets and he walked with his shoulders tilted backwards. It was a strut that screamed confidence.

While a few paces behind them were two girls, one with frizzy red hair tied up in a ponytail With thick glasses and a hoodie. The other was Aiko Zhu in a hero costume Momo hadn't seen her wear before.
'She must've upgraded it.'
Momo thought, it looked much better quality. And much more like an actual pro's than her previous one.

Momo briefly took notice of the fact that Aiko and the other girl were holding hands. It looked like Aiko was leading the burgundy haired girl forward, like a toddler that she didn't want to lose.

After a few moments of staring Momo and kendo exchanged glances. Uwabami was looking wistfully over at Aiko. Obviously Aiko being at her agency was something that she had really wanted but hadn't gotten. Kendo was honestly glad for it. It's a good thing she declined, Uwabami probably would have just booked as many photoshoots and commercials with Aiko as possible.

"Let's go say hi!"
Uwabami said suddenly, strutting over to the other pro.

"I-is that a good idea ma'am? They're probably busy."
Momo said with a frown, hurrying after her mentor.

"Nonsense! It'll only take a few moments!"
The pro said with a smile. She waltzed up to Thunderstruck and and gave a wave.

"Thunderstruck! Is that really you?! It's been too long!~"
She said, stopping beside the male.

Kendo didn't miss the aggravated look that crossed the man's face before masking it with a smile. "Ah! Uwabami! What are you doing in these parts?"
He asked, keeping his hands in his pockets.

"Just patrolling with my girls!"
She stepped aside to show off Kendo and Momo, who both bowed in respect to the male pro hero.
"This is Momo Yayorozu and Itsuka Kendo! My interns! Aren't they cute?!"
She asked and the girls blushed awkwardly.

Thunderstruck gave them a glance and bowed slightly.
"Adorable."
He said simply.

Uwabami waited for a few moments. Eyebrow twitching slightly. It was obvious what she was trying to do, she now wanted Thunderstruck to introduce Aiko to her.

Kendo realized that Uwabami didn't want to act like she knew of Aiko. She wanted to act like Aiko was just another random hero student.

"So what are you doing in these parts? You don't normally patrol way out here."
Thunderstruck looked at her over his sin glasses. "Unless you wanted to meet my intern?"

If this comment embarrassed Uwabami she did a good job of hiding it. He had been right on the money though, Uwabami had gone this direction because she was hoping to run into them.

"You have an intern?!"
She gasped fakely. Kendo and Momo exchanged another look, a habit the two girls had gotten into since the beginning of their internship.
"Then of course I'd love to be introduced to them!"

Thunderstruck chuckled, seeing right through her acting. But he seemed willing to humor her.

"Of course! This is A.Z. and of course you already know Beatrice."
Both girls bowed to the female pro.

"A.Z! Now that you mention it I do recognize you!" Uwabami pointed at Aiko who seemed pretty uncomfortable already.
"You're that little singer girl aren't you! With the YouTube channel!"

Aiko nodded.
"Yes ma'am."

"Awh how cute!"
Uwabami squealed, pulling Aiko in for a hug. Aiko was as stiff as a board during the contact. Her body was completely clinched in shock at the sudden touching.

"T-thanks?"
Aiko squeaked after Uwabami ended the hug. She took a step back to stand beside Thunderstruck.

"You know... I actually just remembered that I sent you an internship offer!"
She said, putting her finger to her lip.

Thunderstruck raised an eyebrow and Kendo and Momo shared yet ANOTHER look for what felt like the millionth time that day.

"Oh? Y-yeah I think you did."
Aiko mumbled, face red.

'Poor Zhu.'
Momo thought in pity.
'She looks very uncomfortable.'

"Well! You should come and hang out at my agency one day! It'll be loads of fun!"
Uwabami said with a smile.

Thunderstruck coughed and smiled.
"Well I think we should be going -"

"Would you like a picture?!"
Uwabami asked Aiko, striking a pose and tossing her hair.

Aiko glanced over at thunderstruck, who seemed to be getting more and more annoyed.

"Oh uh... no thanks, I think we should get going." Aiko said with a smile.

Kendo covered her mouth as Uwabami's jaw dropped. Thunderstruck snorted and then covered his own face with his hands to keep from laughing.

Uwabami was just rejected from an opportunity to have her picture taken.

"Yes of course! Well goodbye! Come on girls, we have better things to do. It was nice to see you again thunderstruck."
Uwabami said before turning on her heel and stalking away.

Momo and Kendo each gave Aiko a smile and a small wave before following their mentor. Who was steaming mad by the time she turned down the block.

"Can you believe her?!"
She whisper-yelled under her breath.
"I was just being nice! Offering to take a photo with her and she rejected me! How very... very impolite!!"
She grumbled more to herself than to either of them.

Kendo couldn't help but smile, she was having a hard time not laughing at Uwabami. Was she really so vain that she expected A.Z to want a picture of her?
Kendo knew that Aiko meant no offence by this, but Uwabami's reaction was priceless.