You Were Born to Be a Hero

Lin Mo soon arrived at the place where Joanna trained and studied.

He did not go straight into the laboratory. Her classroom was a converted lab, somewhat like the Game Room where they used to spend so much time.

Instead, he went to the viewing area outside. One wall of the lab was glass, so they could see each other from either side. If he sat there, Joanna could see him without being distracted by his presence.

Researcher Vought had proposed the arrangement, and Vogelbaum had approved it.

Joanna had noticed Lin Mo long before he arrived. She knew his presence so well that she had sensed him as soon as he stepped out of the elevator.

She waved happily, signaling for him to wait.

The teacher beside her smiled and nodded to Lin Mo, showing no sign of annoyance at the interruption.

Of course he didn't. He couldn't take either of these two little terrors in a fight, and he wouldn't dare show the slightest displeasure.

Lin Mo smiled back at Joanna, picked up a book from the nearby table, and began to read. The researchers had also laid out a carefully chosen selection of books, mostly Superhero autobiographies.

From what Lin Mo had overheard, even Joanna's lessons had changed considerably.

They now covered subjects like American history, the structure of government, the flag and national symbols, and how to control her expression on camera.

How to appear approachable, brave, steadfast, and flawless.

All of that came easily to Joanna. The way Homelander could adapt on the fly during shoots in the original story made it clear she had a talent for performing.

After leafing through the book for a while, Lin Mo turned his attention back to Joanna. Watching her was his entertainment now.

Sound carried through the glass from the classroom. At Joanna's insistence, the room had not been soundproofed.

Who wouldn't want to watch someone else sit through class? Seeing someone else forced to study was delightful.

Luckily, Vought didn't bother him, so he didn't need a teacher. The researchers had found that Lin Mo could learn textbook material on his own, sparing them the effort of teaching him the basics.

The teacher's voice carried on. A hero, he told Joanna, needed more than strength. People had to be willing to trust her.

"When you walk into a crowd, you can't keep looking at the ground."

The image coach stood behind the camera, instructing her patiently.

"Lift your head and square your shoulders."

"Don't move too quickly, or ordinary people will think you're threatening and get scared."

Joanna walked through it again as instructed.

She wore a blue training suit.

A short cape had been attached at her shoulders, though it served no purpose. At high speeds, it would only create extra drag.

The first time Joanna put it on, she had asked, "Why do I have to wear this?"

The teacher answered, "Because it makes you look more like a hero."

"All heroes wear cloth?"

"Not all heroes."

"Then why do I have to wear it?"

"Because it makes you look more dignified."

Joanna clearly didn't understand.

To her, the only questions that mattered about clothing were whether it kept her warm, whether it got in the way, and whether Lin Mo thought it looked good.

"What does Lin Mo think?"

She pressed the question.

The teacher instinctively glanced toward the viewing area.

Lin Mo was sitting behind the glass, watching Joanna's image lesson.

Seeing that Joanna wanted his opinion, he pressed the intercom button so she could hear him clearly.

"It gets in the way a little when you walk."

Joanna immediately looked at the coach.

"He says it gets in the way."

The teacher was plainly used to this and continued his explanation.

"This is only the initial design. We'll adjust the length and material for the final costume."

"Can I keep the cape?"

Joanna looked at Lin Mo again.

"He's not wrong. A cape does make a hero look more impressive. But it's up to you. Keep it if you like it." Lin Mo waved a hand. Would Homelander still be Homelander without a cape?

"Really?"

Joanna turned back to the image coach.

"If Lin Mo thinks it looks good, let's keep it."

The teacher wrote a note on his clipboard.

But the costume was not Joanna's decision to make. Every detail of her public image had to pass market research, the Board of Directors, and political consultants.

What she liked had never been the most important factor.

The lesson continued.

The teacher marked several spots on the floor.

"This is an imaginary accident scene."

"You've just rescued a trapped child. A reporter will interview you here."

Another staff member raised a microphone.

"Face the camera and explain why you risked going into the building."

Joanna looked into the lens and gave a practiced smile.

"When I heard there was still a child inside, I knew I had to go in."

"Every life is worth taking a risk for."

The teacher nodded at once and praised her.

"Perfect, Joanna. You were born to be a hero."

Joanna did not tell them that she didn't believe every life was worth risking hers for.

If Lin Mo were trapped, she would go in.

If it were a stranger with no connection to Lin Mo, whether she took the risk would depend on the circumstances. She only said what they wanted to hear to save herself the trouble.

Vought didn't care what she truly believed, either. They only needed her to look as though she believed it on camera.

Before long, the day's lessons ended. Joanna usually had free time afterward.

"Lin Mo!" Joanna called as she ran out of the classroom.

At her speed, she reached him in the blink of an eye and threw herself into his arms.

"How did I do?"

Curled up against him, Joanna suddenly tipped back her head. Her pale eyes blinked as she gazed at him expectantly.

In front of the camera, she had maintained the practiced smile Vought demanded. But the moment training ended, she tossed aside that carefully constructed heroic shell.

Right now, she was not Homelander, nor was she America's most important future Superhero.

She was simply Joanna.

A little girl who had just finished training and couldn't wait for Lin Mo to tell her she'd done well.

"Of course. My Joanna did the best."

Lin Mo praised her without reservation and reached up to ruffle her soft blond hair.

Joanna's eyes curved with delight.

Compared with the practiced smile her teacher kept emphasizing, this one was far more natural.

She wasn't carefully controlling the curve of her lips. A few words from Lin Mo had simply made her happy.

Lin Mo gently patted her shoulder, signaling for her to get off him first.