[🔶️] The Hero Meets the Villain ☆ Penn Zero x Reader

Chapter 3: The Next Day After That

Penn watched in horror as the villains won. That was the first time he let them won.

He and his friends were zapped back in the real world. They stood on the same platform, looking down in shame.

Phyllis blankly stared at them and decided to be blunt about it. She was disappointed. "First failure."

The words rang in Penn's head as part of his soul left his body. Failure. Failure. Failure.

Sashi groaned out loud. "It's because of that new girl! Blame her!" She caressed her broken arm.

"She was so scary." Boone expressed. "Maybe scarier than Sashi!"

The brown-eyed girl growled at him, earning a few whines. Boone accepted his defeat and begged for her forgiveness, saying that he was wrong a couple of times.

"Looks?" Phyllis asked.

Boone tried to describe you the best he could which he only came up with the color of your hair and your skin tone.

"I think we've seen her before, but I really couldn't tell with the mask," Sashi said, about to place a finger on her chin, if it weren't for the sudden ache on her arm. "Agh! Crap, I think my arm is broken. Curse that damn girl."

"Yikes," Boone commented. "Good thing it was your left hand though. You can still do things with your dominant hand, right?"

Phyllis didn't say anything, just turning off the machine and bidding her workers goodbye.

///

The moment you and the other two landed on the platform, they celebrated. They keep saying that it was their first win and it made you confused. "Wait, this was your first win?"

Larry nodded gleefully. "Yup! It's time to celebrate!" He danced with Rippen who kept pushing him away, feeling embarrassed, but he still wore a proud, timid smile.

You approached Phil, shaking your head at your co-workers' antics. "Hey."

"Yes?" Phil said glumly.

"Did you mess with my mask?" You raised an eyebrow suspiciously.

"Yes," he said, not afraid of being truthful. "I made you a mask because you said you would not want to be recognized, but there is a condition; you can't recognize the heroes as well."

You groaned. "Wow, that is so convenient and clever," you let out a sarcastic smile, making Phil smile at you.

"Rest up, you deserve it."

You nodded, placing your hands on your pockets. "Thanks. See you tomorrow!" You waved goodbye.

///

Penn found himself twisting and turning in his bed in the middle of the night. His mind couldn't seem to move on after what happened earlier. Yes, he still couldn't believe he lost for the first time, but what really kept him up at night was Rippen's new ally.

He wondered if he's seen her before, but with the mask in the way, it was impossible to recognize her.

Penn sighed, feeling hopeless. Even though they are different from each other- and they are supposed to be nemeses, his heart couldn't help but lurch at the sight of her. He remembered her features against the sunlight, he couldn't stop his emotions.

Is this what 'love at first sight' must've felt?

Meanwhile, you let yourself inside the house from work. You were hungry for dinner but your aunt was already napping and you didn't want to wake her up just to cook you something. Besides, you already bought the pastries you wanted to buy from the new bakery on your way home.