Better late than ever! Enjoy!
CHAPTER 18: HOW THE UNIVERSE WORKS PT.1
The dark-haired woman in front of her seemed as uncomfortable with the oil and heavy machinery around her as a bull in an antique store. What an annoying attitude to stand, and right when she was in the middle of the wonderful creation of a new baby.
"So?", the freckled woman in front of Momo asked. "Why are you looking for me, bimbo? Did you chip a nail?" Mei crossed her arms, waiting for the comeback.
"Trust me, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the lack of effort in the design of my hero attire." Momo's words were drenched in resentment. Her heart was heavily pounding, for direct confrontation had never been her style. However, this had to be addressed.
Silently yet quickly, everyone in the workshop realized that tension was too heavy to stay there, hurrying to the door. It was known that the explotions caused by Mei's 'babies' were nowhere close as when her temper and her work were criticized.
"Excuse me? Are you dense?" the pink-haired industrial designer scorned. "How dare you complain about a design you didn't even personally deliver?"
Momo remembered how years ago she had been yearning for her special costume to be made by the famous support department. The very same day they needed to file their request, her parents had called her in, so she had asked Uraraka to also submit her request to the support department.
"I had a personal affair to attend to," Momo replied, confused.
Mei rolled her eyes. "A super important photoshoot I'm guessing? Get over yourself, girl. The sun is not waiting for you to show up to rise every morning."
"Is that the reason why you hate me? Because I couldn't personally deliver a piece of paper?" Was this how she was going to be taken from now on? A dumb girl who cares for no one but herself? Just because of a photoshoot and a misunderstanding? "Because I am not in love with the costume you designed for me? Who needs to get over herself then?" the fact that her throat was closing and her eyes were getting damp were taking a serious hit on the strength she was trying to portray. Truth was, she had never been great at defending herself from critiques.
"Oh no trust me I know no one could ever be in love with the atrocity of your costume design." on the other hand, Mei's words were as hurtful as loud. Momo envied the way Mei had talked back without crumbling. "It is, by far, one of the worst requests I have ever seen."
There was silence after that statement.
"What are you talking about? My costume looks nothing like the designs I filed in."
"And you know what? it's not even the nerve of not filing it in yourself," once Mei had her focus on something, everything else became foggy around her. "It's the audacity of having such an amazing quirk and disregarding it completely just to look like a walking hentai character."
"But you came up with the design! Are you even listening?" Momo argued back, the heat from her ears was slowly disappearing
"Don't get me wrong! You do you, your body your rules but c'mon! I'm supposed to be here to help heroes use their quirks, why would you even want that costume for yourself? You're Creati. Your quirk is basically understanding how the universe works. And you choose that atrocity for a costume?!"
What started as a heated-up fight to blame each other had turned into a quite rare motivational talk.
"Mei." the softness of Momo's tone succeeded in putting an end to Hatsume's yelling. They stood there, looking at each other still agitated from the dispute. "Thank you for your words.", Momo proceeded. "I don't think anyone has ever complimented my quirk as poetically as you just did." her voice was still weak, but strongly supported by honesty and humbleness. "It is very clear to me now that someone with such passion for quirks could've never designed such a costume for me on purpose."
The diplomacy and fake poise Momo used to portray had always bothered her since her first day at UA. But this Momo seemed different. She seemed tired, even broken in a way. And yet she was trying so hard to compose herself. It was so pathetic, that it was more likable somehow.
"Follow me." and with that, Mei turned around and walked towards a door in the back. Momo obliged with curiosity as she walked behind the inventor into what seemed to be a small studio inside the workshop. Once inside, the pink-haired woman looked around inside an archive. She took a folder out with Momo's name and picture on it. "This is all I received years ago."
Momo took a seat on a dirty couch full of oil stains and opened the thin folder. The references were all American superheroines, videogame female sexist characters, and the picture of a Baywatch red bathing suit. Under the question of 'what adjustments does your quirk need?' The answer that was scribbled with preposterous handwriting read: idk you figure it out, put a book on my ass or something.
Momo's eyes filled up with tears once more.
"This is not what I submitted. Who could've done something like this?" her voice wasn't filled anymore with pain, but with indignation and anger.
"I don't know. Ask your butler I guess?" Even when Mei's answer could've been taken as sarcastic, it was clear she would've wished to be of any help if she could've.
"Quit it already. I don't believe Uraraka could've done something like this." Momo replied in confusion.
"Wait what? Floaty wasn't the one who delivered your costume request." Mei's quirk seemed to be activated when she was trying to remember something; her eyes zoomed in and out trying to find the explanation. After pondering for a couple of minutes, Mei jumped with a 'eureka!' expression on her face.
"I remember now!", She exclaimed. "Girl, you were wronged. And we are going to fix this."
Work and my final semester in college had made it difficult for me to write, but now that I have organized and made more space for fun in my schedule I couldn't help but get back to continue this story. Thank you as always for your understanding and patience. Any idea of what is going on or who's behind this? Let me know your thoughts in the comments! I'd love to hear what you think of the story so far 3 Love -LB.