The girl who loved superheroes

Being a superhero. It was something that Connor, Amaya, and Greg already had quite their share of experience with, despite their young age. Almost every other night the three had to defend their town of Tarabiscoville against various Night Time villains as the PJ Masks. Even though practically no-one in the town even knew about their existence, aside from some rumors about the 'mysterious defenders'.

Their missions usually followed the same pattern. A night time villain would steal or destroy something, or otherwise cause mayhem, prompting the three heroes to track that villain down and stop him the following night, and the next morning everything would be back to normal. So far, the PJ Masks had always been successful.

But today would be different. There had been no Night Time Villain activity, at least none that the three young heroes knew of, but tonight they would transform into their heroic alter ego's for a mission anyway. A mission that Amaya in particular was nervous about, even though it had been her idea.

When the school bell finally rang, Amaya was the first to leave the classroom. Connor and Greg didn't catch up with her until they were all outside.

"Hold your horses Amaya. Sunset won't be for hours" Connor said. "No need to exhaust yourself".

Amaya sighed. "I know".

"So… we're going to do this? I mean, what happened yesterday wasn't a night time villains' fault right?" Greg said. Amaya glared at him from behind her glasses.

"Greg, we talked about this during lunch" Amaya said. She knew this had to be done. And she didn't need Greg to remind her about the day before:

*It was a day Amaya had been looking forward to for weeks. The day that the local comic book store would celebrate the publication of the 500th issue of Flossy Flash by organizing a meet and greet with Flossy herself. The superhero who would, among other things, take pictures with fans and autograph their favorite comic if they brought it.*

*Having been a huge Flossy Flash fan since the day she could read, Amaya had gone there, accompanied by her mother, Taina. But things didn't go the way she had hoped.*

*Of course, Amaya knew that Flossy Flash was fictional, and thus the "Flossy Flash" she was about to meet at the comic book store would be just an actress playing her, but that shouldn't matter if she played her role well enough.*

*But evidently, whoever organized the event clearly hadn't bothered to find a suitable Flossy Flash, since the actress playing her didn't resemble the comic book hero at all. She was short, very chubby (to say it politely), and spoke with a thick accent. Her costume looked like it was hastily sewn together just the day before. Worse, she evidently hadn't bothered to get familiar with the character she was supposed to play, and thus failed to answer any questions the kids had for her. And finally, she left after giving only 3 autographs because she had 'other commitments', leaving all the other Flossy Flash fans empty handed. Amaya included.*

*In short, it was a huge disappointment, for Amaya and all the other kids present, even for those lucky 3 that did get their comics autographed. Many of the parents who had accompanied their children were outraged, as much as their children were disappointed.*

*And for one girl in the audience, the disappointment was even worse, as Amaya would find out later….*

"This has to be done Greg." Amaya said.

Not wanting an argument, Connor got between his two friends. "And we will Amaya." He stuck out his fist. "PJ Masks, we're on our way…."

"….Into the night, to save the day!" Greg and Amaya joined in

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Once the sun had set, Amaya, Greg and Connor activated their wristbands, which in combination with their pajama's triggered their transformations:

Amaya into Owlette.

Greg into Gekko.

Connor into Catboy.

All three simultaneously teleported into Connor's room of HQ, where PJ Robot was already waiting for them.

"Evening PJ Robot. Did you do prepare for you-know-what?" Amaya asked.

PJ Robot simply bleeped, while the face on his digital display was briefly replaced by a green 'okay' sign. Amaya had informed him of her plan as soon as Greg and Connor had agreed to it.

"And there are no Night Time Villains active at the moment?" Greg asked. In response, PJ Robot activated the PJ Picture player and scrolled through footage of various locations in the city that the Night Time Villains liked to visit, including the museum, the library, the alleyway that contained the gate to Mystery Mountain, the school and downtown. Everything was quiet.

"At least that's one thing we won't have to worry about. Let's go, to the Cat-car!". Led by Connor all three Masks ran to the blue car and jumped in. PJ Robot opened the door shaped like Catboys' symbol. With screeching tires, the Cat-car took off.

PJ Robot followed the 3 heroes on the PJ Picture player as they drove towards their target.

If only he had bothered to also monitor the outskirts of town, especially a certain abandoned Japanese restaurant that Night Ninja liked to use as his hideout….

10 minutes later, Connor brought he Cat-Car to a stop next to a large building, and all 3 masks got out.

"Now, which room is it?" Connor asked as he eyed the various windows. Most were dark, but in 10 rooms lights were still on.

"Hold on. Owl Eyes!". With her increased vision, Amaya scanned the windows, finally settling on one on the second floor. "There. Looks like she's still awake."

"I'll open the window for you guys. Super Lizard Grip!". Greg's hands and feet began to glow with green light. With ease, the young boy climbed up the wall towards the window, finding it unlocked. He opened it and climbed inside, then gestured his two friends to follow.

For Amaya, this was easy enough as she could fly. Connor used a combination of his super cat speed and a super cat jump to reach the window, landing inside the room in the classic superhero landing (as Deadpool would call it).

The room they now found themselves in was a bit smaller than any of their bedrooms. It contained at least the basic needs; a bed, a closet, a tv mounted to the wall so it could be viewed from inside the bed, and a sink.

Pretty much every inch of the walls around the bed was covered in posters of various superheroes. Most of them featured Flossy Flash, but the masks also noticed Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel (the Marvel Comics version), She-Hulk, but also a few male heroes like Superman and, much to Connor and Greg's delight, Master Fang.

And sitting on the bed, her eyes fixed on a Flossy Flash comic, was a little American-Japanese girl, around the same age as the PJ Masks, with black hair tied in two pigtails. She was wearing a Flossy Flash-pajama. Evidently, she was fully absorbed in the story, since she didn't even look up or notice the PJ Masks had entered her room.

Amaya smiled; it seemed the girl had not been exaggerating her love for superheroes when she and Amaya met the day before:

*Amaya and Taina were waiting in line for the comic book store to open, when they heard a voice from behind them: "Mrs. Harrison!".*

*Turning around, Amaya saw the young girl who had called out to her mother. She was sitting on a folding chair. Standing next to her was a man, whom Amaya assumed had to be her father.*

*Taina smiled. "Well wouldn't you know, if it isn't little Mika. So you could make it after all.".*

*"Dr. Parker said it was okay." Mika replied. "I'm finally going to meet Flossy Flash!".*

*For Amaya, it wasn't unusual that random strangers knew her mother, but the circumstances under which they usually met her where hardly ever good. And the girl mentioning a Dr. Parker confirmed what she already suspected. Her mom worked as a nurse at the Tarabiscoville Hospital after all.*

*"Mom, is she… "?*

*Taina turned to face her daughter. "Yes, she's one of the patients I know from work. Why don't you go talk to her. I bet she's an even bigger Flossy Flash-enthusiast than you are. That girl absolutely loves superheroes".*

*A bit hesitant, Amaya had gone to Mika. But the ice quickly melted when the girls began to talk about their favorite heroine, and every other hero they knew. Pretty soon, it was like they had been friends for a long time already. Amaya tried to prove of course that she was the biggest Flossy Flash-fan, but soon had to acknowledge Mika as her superior; the girl knew every little detail.*

*But even as they talked, Amaya couldn't help but overhear her mom and Mika's dad, who were likewise engaged in a conversation.*

*"Just look at them. Our own little heroes" The man sighed. "I'm just glad Mika was allowed to come here. Considering…"*

*"Let's forget that for now Mr. Aso. This is going to be a great day for her" Taina said.*

*Sadly, that was one point on which she would be proven dead wrong.*

*Amaya and Taina saw Mika again after the whole fiasco with the terrible Flossy Flash-actress. Amaya was already disappointed, but her mood paled compared to that of Mika. The girl was clutching the comic she hoped to get autographed, and wouldn't even meet Amaya's gaze.*

*"That wasn't Flossy Flash" she muttered silently.*

*Mika's father tried to console her, to no avail. And for some reason, Taina also obviously pitied the girl. Though Amaya wouldn't find out why until she and her mom got home…*

The memory of yesterday made Amaya more determined. She walked towards the bed. "Mika…."

The girls finally looked up, and upon seeing the strange girl, dressed in a red owl-costume, she startled and actually tossed the comic she had been reading into the air. Instinctively, Amaya flew up and caught it mid-air. "Careful. Flossy Flash #500 is the best story ever".

"Who…." But Mika was too flabbergasted to say more. She just stared at Amaya, floating mid-air, holding the comic. Then, there was a blue flash and the next moment Connor was standing next to the bed. "It's okay Mika. We won't hurt you".

"No, that wouldn't be very heroic". To Mika's surprise, that last voice came from above her. Looking up, she saw Greg hanging on the ceiling, like Spider-Man.

Owlette landed and put the comic on Mika's nightstand, next to a photograph of her family. "Allow us to introduce ourselves. I'm Owlette".

Connor stepped away from the bed, so he was standing next to Amaya. "Catboy"

Greg dropped down from the ceiling, landing on Amaya's other side. "And Gekko!".

"And together, we are the PJ Masks!".

Mika took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes, but when she opened them again, the 3 strange kids were still there. "Am I dreaming?"

Amaya smiled. "No Mika. This is real. We're here to help you".

"But…how ….?" Mika asked.

"Do we know your name? We know a lot about what goes on in town. After all, we're superheroes. The defenders of Tarabiscoville" Connor announced proudly.

"But…you're kids, like me" Mika protested, still refusing to believe this was actually happening despite what she had already seen.

Greg rubbed the back of this head in embarrassment. "Yeah, I know we're not exactly those handsome, muscular adult heroes from the comics. But hey, those guys are fictional. We're the real deal. Watch this!".

Using his Super Gekko Camouflage, Greg disappeared. The next moment, Mika felt her bed being lifted into the air. She carefully peeked over the edge, and saw Greg holding the bed up with 1 hand.

"And watch this" Connor said. He took his smartphone out of a pocket in his suit, selected the camera option, and aimed it at Greg, Mika and Amaya. "Super Cat Speed!" As soon as Connor's suit began to glow with blue light, he snapped a picture. There was a blue flash, accompanied by a trail of lightning, and for a split second the phone was suspended in the air, not held by anyone. The next moment, Connor was back where he started, holding the phone again. "Now that is my idea of a selfie".

Greg gently put Mika's bed back on the floor and Connor showed her the picture he had just taken, with him also on it, standing next to Greg, making a bunny ears sign behind Greg's head.

"Now do you believe us?" Amaya asked. Mika was lost for words, but slowly nodded. She pinched her arm to double check if she really wasn't dreaming, and the sharp pain told her she wasn't.

And that conformation instantly changed Mika's expression from dumbfoundedness, to excitement.

"NO WAY!. YOU GUYS REALLY HAVE SUPERPOWERS!".

"Hush" Greg put his finger to his lips. "Don't wake up anyone. No-one can know we're here".

"Or that we exist for that matter" Connor said. "You're the first non-villain ever that we showed ourselves to". He quickly used his super cat ears to listen for any approaching footsteps, and fortunately heard none.

"But why me?" Mika asked. "Did my family ask you to do this?" She cast a quick look at the photo on her nightstand. On it where four adults (her parents, and an aunt and uncle), a teenage boy and preteen girl (Mika's siblings), and a young boy around the same age as Mika (her cousin).

Amaya sighed. "No Mika. They don't know about this, and difficult as it may be, you can't tell them about it either. We came on our own because…. Let's say we know why you're here. And we know what happened yesterday at the comic book store".

"So, we decided to give you this unique chance to meet some actual superheroes" Connor added.

"And if you thought all of this is cool, just wait till you see our headquarters" Greg finished.

"Your…headquarters. As in, an actual superhero lair?" Now Mika could barely contain her excitement. All three masks nodded. "But, only if you want to of course" Amaya said.

"Do I ever!" Mika cheered, forcing Greg to hush her to remain silent again. "But, how do we get out without anyone seeing us?"

"Same way we got in. Through the window" Greg said. Mika didn't seem too keen on that plan. "Don't worry, I'll carry you".

He carefully lifted Mika out of the bed and walked with her to the window, holding her in his arms while she had her arms wrapped around his neck.

"Now hold tight. Super Lizard Grip!". Greg stepped out the window, and with his feet secured to the wall simply walked down. Mika tightened her grip on Greg. "It's okay Mika. I won't drop you" Greg assured her.

When they reached the ground, Mika noticed the Cat-Car, parked next to the building. Amaya carried Connor out of the window.

"I'll fly back to HQ. You can have my seat" Amaya offered. Connor opened the dome of the car so Greg could help Mika inside.

"You have your own car? Like the batmobile?" Mika asked.

"Better than the batmobile! I'll show you on the way to HQ" Connor said. He too got in behind the wheel, while Greg sat next to Mika.

"Don't overdo it Catboy. See you guys in HQ". Amaya flew off.

But Amaya's warning fell on deaf ears. Connor was a speedster, both on foot and behind the wheel, and it wasn't every day that he got the chance to impress someone with the Cat-Car. So he took the scenic tour to HQ, showing Mika all the highlights of Tarabiscoville at record speed. Greg feared the girl might get carsick, but fortunately Mika enjoyed every moment of the ride and even encouraged Connor to go faster.

But at last, they reached the park and the totem pole. The blue Catboy-symbol in the center opened up, and at the push of a button the Cat-Car leaped into the air, like KITT from Knight Rider using his turbo boost, landing safely inside the totem.

"Welcome Mika, to PJ Masks HQ" Connor announced. Amaya and PJ Robot were already waiting for them. Greg got out first and helped Mika out of the car.

The girls made a full 360 turn so she could see everything, her mouth open in amazement. "Wow. I always knew there was something about that totem pole, but I never expected this. It's even bigger on the inside!".

"Yes, like that time machine in that show my dad loves to watch" Greg said. "And that is just the beginning".

PJ Robot flew towards Mika and stuck out his hand. Slightly nervous, Mika took it. "Ehm...nice to meet you".

"It's okay, he won't bite" Greg said. "Come on, we'll show you around".

Then Mika suddenly realized something. "Oh dang it, I'm still in my pajama's".

Amaya chuckled. "Don't worry Mika, so are we. Our costumes are made from our pajama's. Why else do you think we call ourselves the PJ Masks?"

"So, think of this like a superpowered slumber party, minus the slumbering" Connor said.

"Oh…Okay" Mika replied. "But how…"

Greg held up his hand. "No need to ask Mika. We'll tell you everything".

For the next 1,5 hours, the masks gave Mika a detailed tour of HQ, showing her the three floors and the various features there. They also told her about how they had become heroes, and how they were the ones responsible for undoing all the thefts, acts of vandalism, and other inexplicable crimes that frequently plagued the city.

PJ Robot had prepared some snacks and drinks in advance for the four kids to enjoy. As they sat in the central room enjoying these treats, Connor even used the PJ Picture player to show Mika footage of their various missions. To Mika, it was like she had somehow wandered into one of the comics she loved so much, and the girl was visibly enjoying every minute of it.

Mika was full of questions, and as promised the Masks answered every one of them. Of course, Mika also wanted to know about the villains. So the masks showed her some footage about them, starting with Romeo, followed by Luna Girl, and the Wolfy Kids.

"….and that's how we first met the Wolfies" Greg finished his explanation, having just told her about the first night the Wolfies showed up in town.

"Actual werewolves?" Mika asked. Amaya nodded. "Yeah, but there's no full moon tonight, so they won't bother us. Plus, they're not nearly as dangerous as the werewolves from those horror movies. Not yet at least." She hated to think what the Wolfy Kids might become like when they got older.

"And all these villains are kids too?" Child-superheroes were odd enough for Mika, but child-villains even more.

"Yes. Possibly coincidence, but we don't complain. We have our hands full with them already. So far, we only fought two adult villains, both during our first night as heroes. And we even faced a monster once, though let's not go into details there" Connor said, not wanting to be reminded of that scary adventure. He switched from the footage of the 3 Wolfy Kids to the next one.

"And last but not least, there's Night Ninja."

The PJ Picture Player now showed Mika footage of Night Ninja standing on a rooftop.

"A ninja? Like the Black Shinobi, one of Master Fang's enemies?" Mika asked.

"Sort of, but he's more an egotistical annoyance than an actual threat" Greg said. "He was the second supervillain we encountered after Romeo and his dad. We still don't know who he really is, since he never takes off his mask if we're around. It's the source of his powers after all; the Mask of Tengu".

"But, if his powers come from his mask, why don't you take the mask from him?" Mika asked.

Amaya sighed. "Because we can't, and believe me, we tried. During our first fight with him. But only the wearer himself can remove the Mask of Tengu."

They showed some more footage of Night Ninja, like him using his sticky splat, and his more recent trick; the levitation.

"I bet my cousin Kōji would love to see him" Mika suddenly said. "He's not as much of a comic book fan as me, but he does read Master Fang. And he considers the Black Shinobi to be the best Master Fang villain. I mean, come on!"

Greg and Connor had to suppress the urge to protest; they too liked the Black Shinobi. Amaya however agreed with Mika. "Was he the boy on that picture besides your bed?" She asked.

Mika nodded.

But before any of them could say more, an alarm went off on the PJ Picture Player, startling all four children. PJ Robot panicked and quickly switched from the archive footage of Night Ninja to footage of the city. On the screen, the four kids and PJ Robot saw a group of 7 Ninjalino's, approaching the museum.

"Gasping Gecko's, speak of the devil" Greg said.

"Who are they?" Mika asked.

"They are called Ninjalino's. They work for Night Ninja" Amaya said.

Mika blinked to make sure her eyes were not deceiving her. "But…they are so small. Are they toddlers?"

Connor shook his head. "No. In fact, they're not even human. Night Ninja can summon them thanks to his mask, though we don't know where he summons them from".

On the picture player, the Masks and Mika saw how the Ninjalino's entered the roof of the museum. Three of them opened a window there and got in while the other four remained on the lookout.

"Figures. Night Ninja is after something from the museum again". Amaya said. She turned to Mika. "Sorry Mika, but we have to stop them first".

Mika didn't mind at all. Seeing these heroes in action was even better than just hearing about their adventures. "Can I come too?"

"Ehm…." All three PJ Masks stared at each other, not sure what to say. PJ Robot's facial expression also changed to a more doubtful look. "That could be dangerous Mika. If you get hurt, it will be our fault."

"I'll stay on the sidelines. Please" the girl begged. Now, none of the Masks had the heart to tell her no.

"Well, alright. But just in case…" Connor ran to the PJ Vault at top speed and returned barely a second later with what looked like a gun in his hand. "We took this from Romeo once. It fires nets that can easily restrain even a superpowered opponent. If Night Ninja or one of his ninjalino's comes for you, don't hesitate to use it". He gave the weapon to Mika. Normally the Masks wouldn't use any of the Nighttime Villain stuff they had confiscated, but this was no ordinary situation.

"I'm still not sure this is a good idea Catboy" Greg whispered. Fortunately, Mika didn't hear him.

"Now come on, it's time to be a hero. To the Owl-Glider!" Amaya announced.

This time, Connor was the one who gave up his seat for Mika. Instead, he ran to the museum on foot, while above him the Owl-Glider followed. Inside the Owl-Glider, Greg and Amaya were already preparing themselves for the upcoming fight, but Mika spend the entire flight admiring the view. She had never flown before and, no offense to Catboy of course, this was even better than the ride in the Cat-Car.

As the heroes approached the museum, the four Ninjalino's spotted them and started pelting the Owl-Glider with sticky splat. Amaya however easily dodged the attacks and landed near the museum.

"You and Gekko get the ones on the roof, I'm going inside" Connor told Amaya over their suits' built-in communicator. The next moment he sped past the Owl-Glider. Greg and Amaya both got out of the Owl-Glider, both telling Mika to stay put at all times.

From inside the Owl-Glider, Mika could easily follow the brief struggle. It started with Greg using his Super Gekko Shields to deflect more incoming sticky splat projectiles. Most projectiles ricocheted off the shields, right back at the Ninjalino's. Two of them got hit and were instantly immobilized.

Owlette focused on the other two. She got behind them and used and Owl Wing Wind to blow them off the roof. The NInjalino's landed in the bushes at the foot of the museum, where Greg caught them.

With the coast clear, Connor leaped up to the museum's rooftop and dashed into the open window at top speed. Less than 10 seconds later, he came running out the front door, dragging the other 3 Ninjalino's behind him, all of them wrapped up in Super Cat stripes.

"All clear. There are no more Ninjalino's inside".

Mika cheered. "Great work PJ Masks!". The masks all three gave her at thumbs up.

"So, what did they take?" Amaya asked.

"Well…nothing actually. They were just sitting around inside, not doing anything" Connor said.

The Ninjalino's all exchanged a glance and muttered something in their own language. The two Greg was still holding even laughed.

"What's so funny?". Greg suddenly got a very bad feeling about this. But the Ninjalino's refused to talk. Inside the Owl-Glider, Mika was looking at the control panel of the Owl-Glider, when she found her attention drawn to a blinking light on the far left. It came from a button labeled "Owl-Radar".

"PJ Masks!" This startled the Ninjalino's, who obviously didn't count on a fourth person being present. Amaya immediately ran towards the Owl-Glider, where Mika pointed out the blinking button.

"Thank you Mika" Amaya pushed the button and a 3D hologram popped up above the control panel. It showed at least a dozen Ninjalino's approaching HQ. Through the air! They were gliding towards the Totem with help of large kites in various shapes and sizes like Koi Carps, birds, insects and other animals.

Amaya's eyes widened in shock. "Fluthering Feathers! Catboy, Gekko, this was a distraction. Night Ninja is about to attack HQ".

Greg dropped the two Ninjalino's, who scattered away towards the other 5, and activated his communicator. "PJ Robot. Code red. Put HQ in lockdown now!". He then ran to the Owl-Glider and climbed on board. Connor had already ran off back to HQ, and with everyone on board the Owl-Glider followed suit. Behind them, the 7 Ninjalino's disappeared in puffs of smoke, their task finished.

With her Owl Eyes, Amaya could clearly see the flying Ninjalino's arrive at HQ. Night Ninja was also among them, flying a kite shaped like a Chinese Dragon.

"You think we will be in time?" Mika asked.

"Don't worry, this isn't the first time our HQ is under attack. In fact, all of our enemies have tried to conquer it at least once" Greg assured her, hoping he sounded convincing. "Thank you for warning us, or else we might have noticed too late". That put Mika at ease.

Inside HQ, PJ Robot had sealed all the entrances, and gotten ready to use HQ's defense mechanisms. Outside, the first Ninjalino's arrived, Night Ninja in the lead. "Move in. Those PJ Pests are on the other side of town. We'll take their HQ before they even know it" he commanded.

With the push of a button, PJ Robot unleashes a barrage of furballs at the invading Ninjalino's, but they just swerved and easily dodged the assault. 3 Ninjalino's even managed to land on the roof of HQ and went for the hatch that would give them access to Owlette's room, but found it wouldn't open.

"Nice try tin can, but that won't stop us" Night Ninja taunted PJ Robot while he and the other Ninjalino's kept circling HQ.

"No, but this will!" The next moment, the 3 Ninjalino's on top of HQ were blown away by a gust of wind from the Owl-Glider.

"And this! Super Cat Stripes!". The rope-like stripes fired by Connor wrapped themselves around the ankles of a Ninjalino, and he pulled him down to the ground, where he took away his kite.

"The PJ Pests! How did you get back so soon?" Night Ninja angrily shouted. But he didn't wait for a reply. "Doesn't matter. You're no match for my new war kites. Ninjalino's attack!".

Connor had wrapped up the two Ninjalino's he had caught in Super Cat Stripes. Amaya landed the Owl-Glider on top of HQ. She and Greg both got out. "Stay here Mika. We handle this".

The PJ Masks were usually not the types to use directly target their opponents, but preferred to use other methods to bring them down. But this was supposed to be Mika's night, and they couldn't allow her to get hurt, so they wanted to deal with Night Ninja and his Ninjalino's as quick as possible.

Amaya fired some of her Super Owl feathers at the Ninjalino's, but they easily dodged these. Connor tried to snatch more Ninjalino's with his Super Cat Stripes, but they were out of his reach. Greg tried to grab a Ninjalino that got close enough to HQ, but the tiny ninja simply pulled up at the last moment. Greg thus missed, lost his balance, and fell off HQ. Acting fast, he was able to grab hold of the blue Catboy sign in the center.

"Slithering Serpents. They're even more annoying now that they can fly. Just like that time they teamed up with Luna Girls' moths."

"PJ Robot, try to disorientate them" Catboy ordered. PJ robot confirmed this and activated the Owl Beam. A blinding light emerged from the Owlette sign on the top floor, blinding 3 Ninjalino's. When they could see again, it was already too late to dodge another set of Amaya's Super Owl Feathers. The sharp feathers easily tore through the kites, shredding them. The Ninjalino's plummeted to the ground, landing in the pond with a loud splash.

The rest of the Ninjalino's regrouped behind HQ, where there were no defenses. All 8 fired a sticky splat web at HQ and began to pull.

"Oh no you don't. Super Gekko Shields!" The totem was already starting to slowly tilt when Greg, who was still clinging to the side of HQ, threw one of his shields to cut 7 of the webs. HQ instantly moved back to its upright position (and thankfully, the Owl-Glider with Mika inside was safely secured to the top with its claws), and the 7 Ninjalino's whose Sticky Splat web had been cut were send flying backwards towards the ground. Five of them managed to steer back into the air, but the other 2 were not so lucky. One crashed into a tree, and the other was caught by Conner.

Greg meanwhile grabbed the last web still attached to HQ. "Time to take you for a spin. Super Gekko Muscles!". Using only his feet to secure himself to HQ, Greg began to spin the sticky splat web, and with it the Ninjalino who was holding on to the other side, around like a professional hammer thrower. When he had built up enough momentum, he let go and the Ninjalino shot away, out of the park and into the distance.

But while his Ninjalino's were keeping the Masks busy, Night Ninja managed to land on top of HQ, next to the Owl-Glider. Like his Ninjalino's before, he found the hatch locked.

"It will take more than a lock to stop me PJ Pests. I'll just break it open with levitation". He closed his eyes and focused. Two of the fingers on his right hand began to glow, while sparkles appeared around the hatch.

Mika saw it all happening. The PJ Masks were still occupied fighting the Ninjalino's, and the hatch was already starting to give way. Summoning her courage, she clenched the net-gun in her hand and stepped out of the Owl-Glider. "Stop!".

Night Ninja's eyes flew open, and his fingers stopped glowing. He turned around and saw Mika standing behind him, ready to shoot. Normally, he would easily dodge the net, but the shock of seeing Mika made him unable to move. He only managed to mutter a surprised "you!" before the net struck him, wrapping itself around his body. Now immobilized, Night Ninja fell backwards, off HQ. Amaya caught him before he reached the ground.

"What is this feather brain! Since when is …. she here?" he demanded to know.

"Mika here is our guest tonight Night Ninja, and you are not going to ruin the evening we had planned for her" Amaya replied, the irritation clearly notable in her voice. She dropped Night Ninja next to the pond, where the Ninjalino's they had taken down earlier proceeded to help him out of the net. Now, only 4 Ninjalino's still had their kites as Owlette had manged to take one more down.

The Masks regrouped in front of HQ, waiting for the next attack. But that never came, because to everyone's surprise (including that of the Ninjalino's themselves), Night Ninja ordered his henchmen to stand down.

"You win tonight PJ Masks, but this isn't over. Ninjalino's, retreat!".

One of the Ninjalino's protested in his own tongue, but Night Ninja lifted him up by his neck so he could look him in the eye. "I said, retreat".

He then turned around and ran off, his Ninjalino's reluctantly following, leaving a stunned Owlette, Gekko and Catboy behind.

"We won already?" Connor asked.

"Guess so" Amaya said.

10 minutes later, all four kids were back in HQ along with PJ Robot.

"So much for Night Ninja. All thanks to you Mika" Amaya said proudly. Greg and Connor confirmed this, and even PJ Robot complimented her in his own language.

"Guys, please. I didn't do that much" the girls shyly protested.

"On the contrary. You alerted us to the Owl-Radar detecting those Ninjalino's, and you stopped Night Ninja from entering HQ" Connor said.

"You're a hero Mika. And therefore, we decided to make you an honorary member" Greg said.

PJ Robot flew towards Mika, an placed something in her hand. It was a badge with "Mika, Honorary PJ Masks" engraved in it. The girls stared at it in awe.

"This…this is just so much" Mika began.

"You deserve it Mika. I knew from the moment we met yest…" Amaya quickly broke off her sentence, realizing what she almost said. Connor and Greg gasped at Amaya's mistake.

But the damage was already done. Even though Amaya had tried to alter her voice a little, Mika still thought the young hero sounded familiar. And now it finally clicked home.

"Amaya…..is that you?" Mika asked.

Amaya froze. She exchanged a quick glance with Connor and Greg, but they too were lost for words. For a second she considered lying, that she didn't know an Amaya. But she dismissed the idea. Mika has seen so much already, and considering the circumstances….

"Alright, you got me".

"Owlette!" Connor almost shrieked, but Amaya held up her hand. "It's okay Catboy. You and Gekko can stay anonymous. She placed her hands on her face, and pulled off her mask, instantly transforming her back from Owlette to Amaya.

For moment, neither girl spoke. They just stared at each other.

"You do realize, you now know my greatest secret right?. Nobody can know about this, understood" Amaya said.

Greg wanted to protest that Night Ninja, Romeo and Luna Girl already knew their true identities, but kept quiet.

"I won't tell anyone. Superhero promise!" Mika said. "So, are we still friends?". She feared Amaya might be angry at her for figuring out her secret.

As an answer, Amaya leaned forward and hugged Mika, who returned the gesture. "Of course we are Mika."

Connor and Greg were speechless, with Greg actually struggling not to tear up at the scene. PJ Robot took the opportunity to snap a picture of the two girls hugging. That would make a nice addition to the PJ Masks' log of all their missions.

Mika yawned. Amaya activated her wristband, and transformed back into Owlette. "I think it's time to go back now Mika. It's getting late, even for us". Mika nodded.

"Well Mika, you've been in the Cat-Car and the Owl-Glider. So, let's take you back in the Gekko-Mobile" Greg said. But first, since we completed a mission, would you join in on our victory yell?

"Of course I want to!" Mika answered. And at the same time, all four kids shouted "PJ Masks all shout hooray, because in the night, we saved the day!".

Half an hour later, the four children found themselves back in Mika's room. Greg had taken the liberty to make a small detour so he could first give Mika a brief sightseeing of the pond, and show off the Gekko-Mobile's ability to scale walls. Amaya was already waiting for them when they arrived, having given up her seat to Mika again.

"Well, that will be all for tonight Mika" Connor said.

"Sorry about Night Ninja. That wasn't part of the plan." Amaya said. "If he hadn't attacked HQ, we could have shown you the rocket ship mode".

"Are you kidding? "I got to fight an actual supervillain, and I became an honorary hero. This was the best night ever!" Mika cheered. She placed the badge in the drawer of her night stand. She would come up with an explanation if anyone asked her about it. The PJ Masks' secret would be safe with her.

"Speaking of Night Ninja, don't you guys agree he gave up rather quickly?" Greg asked. "I mean, Mika caught him by surprise obviously, but with his powers he should easily be able to dodge the net. And calling off the attack so soon, with some of his Ninjalino's still having their kites, isn't usual for him either".

Connor shrugged "Does it matter? We stopped him and saved HQ. With great help from our honorary member". He winked at Mika, who blushed a little.

For a moment, the girl wondered if she should tell the 3 heroes that Night Ninja's voice had seemed eerily familiar for her. But it couldn't possibly be *him* under the mask right? No, it was probably just her imagination. She recalled how, a year ago, she could have sworn she saw her aunt in the mall, but after running up to the woman in question, it turned out to be a stranger. If there are people who look just like someone you know, she figured there also had to be people who sound like someone you know. It was the only possible explanation she could think of.

She yawned and closed her eyes.

"Thank you…for ….everyt..." but sleep overtook Mika before she could finish her sentence. Exhausted from the adventure, the girl would sleep till well into the morning, when her parents and siblings would find her with a big smile on her face.

With that, the Masks left. Amaya flew out the window, followed by Connor leaping out, gracefully landing on his hands and feet like a real cat. Greg went last, making sure to close the window behind him before climbing down the wall. The trio regrouped at the Gekko-Mobile.

"Well, we did it guys. We gave her the one thing she wanted so much; meeting real superheroes" Amaya said. But although she tried her best to sound optimistic, she felt hollow inside, and she could tell her 2 friends felt the same.

Greg angrily clenched his hands into fists. "If only one of us had the power to heal people. Then we could really help her".

Connor placed his hand on Greg's shoulder, trying to calm him. "But we don't Gekko. And according to the PJ Picture Player, none of the people who wielded the Night Totems ever had that ability. Sometimes, even the best you can do isn't good enough, but at least it's something. Now come on, let's go home".

The three got into the Gekko-Mobile. Before they drove off, Amaya cast one last look at the sign on the wall of the building:

**Tarabiscoville hospital.**

**Hospice for the terminally ill.**

*The day before, after Amaya and her mother came home from the meet-Flossy Flash debacle, Amaya just couldn't stop thinking about Mika, and how her mother had looked at the girl with a mixture of pity and grief. Fortunately, her mother realized something was on her daughters mind, and could easily guess what it was.*

*"This was supposed to be Mika's special day. Like I told you, that little girl loves superheroes, and meeting one of her favorite ones in person had always been her greatest wish. And now this happened".*

*Amaya could perfectly understand how Mika must feel. But one question kept bothering her. "Mom, I know this wasn't what she expected. I'm disappointed too. But…. can't she go meet Flossy some other time? There will be more occasions for that right, like during the next comic con?" she asked.*

*Her mother bit her lip, a pained expression on her face. Then she sighed. "No Amaya. She won't get that chance because….Mika has, at most, 2 more weeks to live. She has a glioma, in her spine. It can't be removed, or cured."*

*No words can describe the impact this news had on Amaya.*

Amaya shook her head, not wanting to remember the rest. It was bad enough already. That night, while in bed, it occured to her that she and her friends could help Mika meet some real superheroes before she would leave this world for good. And when she told Connor and Greg about it this morning, the two immediately agreed. And Night Ninja aside, it was a plan none of them would ever regret for as long as they stayed superheroes, which would be for many more years to come.

None of them spoke as they drove the Gekko-Mobile back to HQ, from where they would teleport back to their own homes.

And none of them noticed Night Ninja on the roof of the hospital, watching them closely as they drove off.

Normally, after suffering another defeat at the hands of the PJ Masks, he would be furious (and take out his anger on the Ninjalinos). But not tonight, especially not now that he overheard the PJ Masks about why they had taken Mika to their headquarters.

As the PJ Masks left, he took off his own mask, revealing the face of a young Japanese-American boy. The same boy as in Mika's family picture; Kōji Aso.

"Thank you PJ Masks. For doing this for my cousin" he thought. Then he put his mask back on, quietly leaped off the building, and disappeared into the night.

*The End*