[TOKYO – UWABAMI'S AGENCY]
Momo Yaoyorozu had expected the internship of the Number One Celebrity Hero to be structured, disciplined, and perhaps a bit intensive regarding quirk-based rescue operations.
Instead, she was currently holding a vanity mirror.
"Tilt it just a fraction to the left, darling," Uwabami chirped, adjusting a golden earring as her three snakes hissed in rhythmic approval. "Lighting is a hero's best friend. If the public can't see the sparkle in your eye, how will they know they're being saved with style?"
Momo offered a polite, albeit strained, smile. Beside her, Kendo from Class 1-B looked equally bewildered, clutching a tray of expensive-looking perfumes.
"Um, Uwabami-san?" Momo began tentatively. "I was wondering when we might begin the patrol for suspicious activity? The crime statistics in this district suggest—"
"Oh, we are patrolling, Yaoyorozu-chan!" Uwabami laughed, striking a pose for a passing cameraman. "We are patrolling the hearts of the citizens! A hero's presence is a deterrent, and what is more present than a billboard?"
"I .. I see."
Momo looked around. Currently, they stood in a marble-floored lobby that felt more like a luxury perfume boutique than a crime-fighting headquarters.
For some reason, all of it just seemed out of place with what she imagined from a Pro Hero agency. A sentiment here fellow hero course student shared.
"Hehe. I know what you're thinking." Uwabami chuckled, seeing through their thoughts.
"You ... You do?"
"The looks on your faces say it all. It's normal really. Many come with their ideas of what a pro hero agency should look like, but not all agencies are the same. The way the operate is similarly different. Essentially ... "
The Celebrity hero went on to explain the essence of Pro Heroes and how they work as government civil servants with different responsibilities.
How they get work, get paid, and how heroes were even allowed side jobs.
"... There was a lot of controversy when heroics first became a thing. But heroes were so popular that the public demanded it. It's a critical step of being a pro really .."
"Indeed. This kind of attention must be what all Pro heroes have to deal with. Working under pressure is a skill we must cultivate if we want to be successful." Momo theorized.
Uwabami blinked.
That wasn't what she was going for but it worked beautifully.
"Good reasoning. First impressions are everything, girls. To be a hero is to be a brand. Before we discuss patrol routes, we have a three-hour photo shoot for a hair product endorsement."
Momo's upright shoulders slumped and the serious look on her face faltered. She had come here expecting to learn high-level rescue coordination and quirk-application theory. Instead, she was being handed a bottle of shimmering shampoo.
Still, she endured. This was just the burdens that came with being a pro. Or so she told herself.
The same could hardly be said Five hours later.
"And cut." The director yelled. "Everyone take five."
Momo nearly collapsed on the ground, not from exhaustion but sheer frustration.
Moving to take a seat, She looked at her phone during the five-minute 'refreshment break.' The Class 1-A group girl group chat was already buzzing.
Feeling a sudden pang of longing for actual hero work, she began to type.
[Momo]: I have arrived at Uwabami's agency. It is... quite different from what I imagined. We are currently in a commercial shoot. How is everyone else faring?
[Chiba – Selkie's Ship: The Oki Mariner]
Tsuyu Asui poked her head out from the bridge of the massive vessel, the salty sea air misting her face.
[Tsu]: I'm on a boat, ribbit. Captain Selkie is very loud, but the crew is kind. We just finished navy exercises. What about you guys?
Mina: Momo-chan, swap with me!!! I'm at the big city and my mentor is literally making me do cardio in the middle of a shopping mall. People are staring! It's embarrassing.
[Mustafu – Death Arms Agency]
Kyoka Jiro sat on a bench in a weight room, surrounded by the rhythmic clanking of iron and the grunts of massive sidekicks. Death Arms was currently lecturing a group of rookies about "pure physical intimidation." Jiro felt like a toothpick in a forest of redwoods.
"Hey, Earphone Jack! Stop texting and get back to the finger-flicks! If you can't punch a hole through a brick, you aren't trying hard enough!" Death Arms roared.
Jiro winced, her jacks twitching.
[Jiro]: I'm being yelled at by a man who eats protein powder for breakfast. Send help.
[Asui]: Ribbit. Has anyone heard from Ochaco? She and Akutami were on the same train, but she hasn't posted anything yet.
[Hagakure Toru]: Maybe her train's late?
The chat went silent for a few seconds. The chat went silent for a few minutes. Momo looked at her screen, a small frown forming. Usually, Uraraka was the first to reply with an enthusiastic string of emojis. While Ashido was the first to start the chat.
[Jiro]: Maybe she's currently in training. It is Gunhead after all. The guy's a big brawler. It'd be no surprise if he is just like Death Arms when it comes to ...
Suddenly, the "Uraraka is typing..." bubble appeared at the bottom of the screen. It flickered for a long time, disappearing and reappearing as if she was struggling with what to say.
[Uraraka]: GUYS. You won't believe what happened.
[Mina]: OCHACO! Finally! How's Gunhead? Is he as scary as he looks?
[Uraraka]: We never made it to Gunhead. Our train was attacked by villains.
The "Typing..." bubbles at the bottom of the screen disappeared instantly. A second later, the chat exploded.
[Jiro]: What?!
[Mina]: ARE YOU OKAY?!
[Momo[: Villains on a Shinkansen? That's high-level interference! Are there casualties? Are you hurt?
[Uraraka]: I'm okay! But I was gassed. I slept through the whole thing... it was Akutami-kun who fought them off alone. He was shot in the shoulder, then jumped out of the moving train carrying me to get us away.
[Mina]: HE WAS SHOT?!
[Toru]: OH MY GOD ARE YOU SERIOUS
[Jiro]: That sounds kinda cool.
[Toru]: JIRO!
[Jiro]: WHAT! It's my thoughts, ok?
[Asui]: Is he alright? That sounds incredibly dangerous.
[Uraraka]: He's fine now (he says), but I heard from Aizawa-sensei that the villains are hunting him.
[Momo]: Hunting him?
[Uraraka]: I don't really know much of the details myself.
[Momo]: This is grave news. But I'm relieved you're both safe. Please take care of yourself.
[Jiro]: So what now? Are you guys heading back to U.A.?
Uraraka hesitated, then typed.
[Uraraka]: I'm still going to Osaka for my internship. My train leaves in a couple hours. But Akutami-kun's internship with Gunhead got cancelled. The school thinks it's too dangerous since the villains were specifically after him.
[Jiro]: Wait, so Akutami is going back to UA?
[Mina]: WHAT?! That's so unfair!
[Toru]: He saved you and now he's being punished?!
[Momo]: I understand the school's reasoning, but it does seem unfortunate.
[Uraraka]: It's okay though! Aizawa-sensei is taking him on as an intern instead. So he'll still get training
[Asui]: Ribbit! That's surprising
[Uraraka]: I know right
[Momo]: Well, it's good that you're ok
[Asui]: Yeah. Sounds like you've had more of a hero experience than any of us, and your Internships haven't even begun yet
[Mina]: Ooooh, special one-on-one training with a pro? Lucky~
[Asui]: Still, it must be stressful. Tell Akutami-kun we're glad he's okay. Ribbit.
[Uraraka]: I will! Thanks, everyone. I'll update you guys later when I get to Osaka!
Momo set her phone down on the velvet-cushioned chair, her mind swirling.
The makeup artist was touching up Uwabami's foundation while a photographer adjusted the angle of a reflector.
'Villains on a train. An actual combat situation.'
The stark contrast between her classmates' reality and her own was jarring. While Yuta was dodging bullets and Uraraka was heading back into the fray with a renewed sense of purpose, Momo was sitting in a climate-controlled room waiting for a makeup artist to touch up her foundation.
'No,' she told herself firmly, straightening her posture. 'This is still valuable experience. Uwabami-san is a successful pro hero. There must be something I can learn here, even if it's not what I expected.'
But the thought felt hollow.
The truth was harder to swallow: she'd chosen Uwabami because the hero had specifically requested her. After her humiliating loss to Sato at the Sports Festival, defeated in less than a minute by someone she'd severely underestimated, Momo's confidence had been shattered.
When Uwabami's offer came, praising her "elegant presence" and "marketable image," it had felt like validation. Someone wanted her. Someone saw value in her.
Even if that value was apparently limited to how she looked holding a bottle of conditioner.
'Did I choose this because I wanted to grow?' she thought bitterly. Or did I choose this because I was afraid of an agency where I'd have to fight?'
"Is something wrong, Yaoyorozu-chan?" Kendo asked, noticing the way Momo's grip tightened on her phone. "You look like you just read a disaster report."
"In a way, I did,"
She explained what happened.
Kendo's eyes widened. "Are they alright?"
"It's fine. It just ... it makes one wonder... about our choices."
Momo looked at her reflection in the large, illuminated vanity mirror. She saw a girl in a polished costume, surrounded by luxury. She didn't see the "Elite" student who had entered U.A. through recommendations"
"Yaoyorozu-chan!" Uwabami called out, her snakes swaying gracefully. "Come here for a moment, darling."
Momo approached, straightening her posture instinctively. "Yes, Uwabami-san?"
The celebrity hero studied her with sharp snake like eyes. "You look troubled. Something on your mind?"
"No, I'm fine," Momo said quickly.
Uwabami smiled knowingly. "You're a terrible liar, dear. Let me guess, you're wondering why you're here instead of throwing punches in some dark alley?"
Momo's silence was answer enough.
"I see." Uwabami gestured to a nearby chair. "Sit. We have a few minutes before the next setup."
Momo sat, her hands folded neatly in her lap. Kendo drifted over as well, looking curious.
Uwabami leaned against the vanity, her expression shifting from playful to something more serious. "You know, when I was starting out as a hero, I had a similar crisis. I wanted to be on the front lines, taking down villains with flashy quirk displays. I thought that was what being a 'real' hero meant."
"What changed?" Momo asked quietly.
"I realized something important," Uwabami said. "Heroism isn't just about fighting. It's about impact. Influence. Reach." She gestured to the studio around them. "Do you know how many people will see this commercial? Millions. And every single one of them will see a hero. Calm, confident, successful. That image matters."
"But..." Momo hesitated. "Shouldn't we be focusing on improving our combat abilities? Our quirks?"
"Of course," Uwabami said. "But combat is only one aspect of heroism. Public trust is another. And trust isn't built in back alleys. It's built in moments like this. When people see heroes as relatable, approachable, successful... they believe in the system that supports us."
Kendo nodded slowly, seeming to follow the logic.
"I ... I see."
Momo thought, not really all that convinced.
'Is that really what I want to be? An image?'
"I can see you're still not convinced," Uwabami said with a soft laugh. "That's fine. You're young. You have time to figure out what kind of hero you want to be." She stood, adjusting her hair. "But while you're here, try to see the value in what we're doing. Every hero has to learn how to work with the public. Even the underground ones."
The director called for places, and Uwabami swept back toward the set with practiced grace.
Momo remained seated for a moment longer, staring at her hands.
'What kind of hero do I want to be?'
"Alright, girls! Break time is over!" Uwabami's voice chimed, echoing through the lobby. "The sun is hitting the atrium perfectly. It's time for the 'Heroic Shine' sequence! Yaoyorozu-chan, I want you to stand behind me and look... aspirational!"
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