UNMASKED (mha)

26

There was a crackling sound above her. The wind whistled in her ears as she leaped from the roof, hands above her head.
"DARK SHADOW!!!"
She screamed at the top of her lungs, the creature's attention immediately turned to her with a roar.

Hawks turned in shock at the newcomer. Electricity crackled through the sky and everything seemed to be happening in slow motion.

Static lifted Aiko's hair around her. Dark shadow reached towards her with a growl and when his dark claw was seconds away from touching her.

Lighting struck.

It hit her body and sent out a massive amount of light, crackling in white hot fury. It would have killed anyone else, but to Aiko it just gave power. It's strength crackled through her veins and burned over her lungs.

Dark shadow screeched in pain and horror as his body started to contract and fade, cowering away from the light that was Aiko Zhu. By the time Aiko landed Dark shadow was barely three feet long, hiding beside the gasping Tokoyami.

Aiko could see glistening tears in her eyes that he quickly tried to wide away.
"Zhu..."
He gasped, looking up at Aiko who was standing several feet away. Electricity crackling over her skin.
"I'm glad... I'm glad I didn't have to face you during the sports festival."
He choked out, Aiko smiled a little.

"Are you alright?"
She asked, she walked over to the closet light pole and touched it gently. She let the electricity in her veins into the street lamps. The power outage Dark shadow caused, ended on this block as her electricity made the lights flicker on.

"Yes I am now... thanks to you."
He said, straightening.

"Erm... hi! I'm Hawks."
Aiko turned while trying to calm her frizzy electric hair. She pulled it back into a ponytail and combed through it with her fingers.

"Hi... I'm Aiko Zhu. Tokoyami's classmate."
Aiko said before looking up.
"Beatrice! It's alright, you can come out now!"

Hawks raised an eyebrow and glanced up. It took a few seconds for whoever "Beatrice" was to respond though.

Then suddenly a head poked over the side of the building.
"Y-you sure?"
A meek voice asked.

"Yeah! It was just Tokoyami and Hawks!"
She yelled back.
"There aren't any Nomu!"

"Oh it's Thunderhead's kid!"
Hawks said with a smile.

Beatrice squealed as she was lifted up by a large red feather and set on the ground next to Aiko. Who she immediately grabbed onto.

"What are you two ladies doing out here alone? Where's your dad?"
Hawks asked.

"Thunderstruck was called to go to Hosu. Where most of the attacks have been."
Aiko Answered.
"He told us to go back to his agency."

"B-but t-then we heard y-you and your... uh.. sh-shadow and thought that it was another Nomu."
Beatrice squeaked out, holding onto Aiko's arm desperately.

"There aren't any Nomu here... anymore."
Hawks glanced over at Tokoyami.
"At least something good came from that rampage. Dark shadow took that thing out like it was nothing."

"You took out a Nomu?"
Aiko asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Dark shadow did. After it hurt Hawks I lost control of him."
Tokoyami said, hanging his head.

"Look it was barely a scratch! I'm fine."
Hawks gestured to his side. His hero costume was ripped up and Aiko could see a little bit of blood.

"Well I couldn't tell before."
Dark shadow mumbled, hiding behind Tokoyami.