It was just another day in the slums, or so Fii told herself. The same routihe same he same faces with the same struggles. She could almost predict how her day would go—patrol the streets, keep a for trouble, help the people who .

  The slums had a rhythm, one she knew well, even if that rhythm sometimes stumbled into chaos. It didn't matter whether it was a big or small issue, she would step in to make sure things didn't spiral out of trol.

  She walked ireets, taking in the familiar sery. People milled about, going on with their daily lives. She could feel their eyes ohe way their gazes followed her as she moved. But it wasn't the fearful stares that used to stalk her every move. They weren't scared of her anymore—they knew her now.

  Some even lifted their hands to give her a polite wave. That felt... different. Good, but different.

  Fii aowledged their gestures, feeling a tad awkward as she tried to reciprocate—a quick smile here, a nod there. A lot had happened since her first clumsy attempt at being a Super. Her antics then seemed ughable now.

  With her helmet gone, her old moniker 'Axion' no longer fit. She was simply Fii. Just Fii. The name and persona 'Axion' were left in the past, where they belonged.

  As she walked, she let her mind wander. Despite her growiation, she couldn't shake the feeling of being a misfit, a piece that didn't quite fit the puzzle. Sure, she'd grown into the role, but it wasn't like she'd signed up for it at first. Circumstances had thrust her into it. Being a Super wasn't a choice she had made—it ath she'd stumbled upon and somehow kept following.

  Still, despite the occasional twinge of self-doubt, she khat this—being out here, helping in her small way—was right. This was what Edith wahis was what she wanted.

  She ran a hand through her long, white hair, tugging at the knotted ends. A haircut had been long overdue, but somehow the time had slipped away, and now... it was a length she could never have imagined wearing before.

  Maybe she just wao look more like Edith. Who knows.

  A distant noise pulled her from her thoughts. It was different from the usual background cmor—a metallic crash, followed by the screech of tires and shouts. Trouble.

  Without a sed thought, Fii took flight, rocketing towards the otion. As the streets sped by underh her, she braced herself for what she might find.

  A mini-trud a smaller vaangled on the narrow street. The van had rear-ehe truck, its front crumpled against the truck's heavy frame. Already a crowd was beginning to gather, their voices mingling with the stunned silence of the passengers who were starting to e out of their vehicles.

  Fii assessed the situation quickly. It wasn't a major act, thankfully—no major injuries. There was the man driving the truck, who seemed more shocked than hurt, and a younger man in the van who was cursing and rubbing his neck.

  She floated down, nding softly on the pavement.

  Just as she was about to announce herself, both men marched towards each other and immediately threw hands.

  They grappled, shoving and exging blows in a fierce csh.

  The crowd's attention quickly shifted from the act to the brawl. Many of them cheered on the fight, some even pg bets oe.

  "Knock him out!"

  "Give 'im hell!"

  "Beat his ass, Robbie!"

  She sighed, more amused than anything. This wasn't the first fight she'd seen over a fender bender. People in the slums were known to solve their problems with their fists. Rolling her shoulders, she walked into the braushed the two men apart with ease.

  "Alright, that's enough," she decred loudly, holding them at arm's length from each other. "I'm pretty sure you've both thrown your best punches, and from the look of it, her of you won."

  The truck driver was the first to respond. "What the fuck, kid?! I've got a fug product to deliver here, and now my truck is fucked!"

  The younger oaliated in an angry voice, "Like you've got insurance, jackass! This was obviously your fuck-up. Didn't you have the right of way?"

  "The fuck I did!" The older man jabbed a fiowards the young one. "I'm the victim here, and I'll kick your ass. Again."

  Fii held her hands up. "Guys, listen—"

  "NO!" they bellowed in unison, causio flinch.

  "Let me bang, bro! You gotta let me bang!"

  Fii looked at the crowd as if to ask for help, but everyone seemed to enjoy the spectacle. She pihe bridge of her nose and exhaled. She knew where this was heading and hated herself for it, but sometimes you had to roll with the punches... literally.

  "Fine. You win. Ten-sed fistfight. Whoever's left standing has the right of way. Deal?"

  They nodded aggressively. As she let go of them, they instantly went at each other.

  "Fight! Fight! Fight!" the crowd ted.

  Ten seds ter, the two men, bruised and battered from their brief scuffle, y exhausted on the pavement, their fight fizzling out as quickly as it had erupted.

  Fii stood between them, hands on her hips, looking down with a smirk. "So, what was that about a right of way?"

  "Fuck it, I ain't getting up," the older man grunted. "Let that shithead through."

  The younger one spat some blood to the side. "Yeah, whatever. Your busted-ass van pass, too."

  She nodded. "That's the spirit."

  She walked to the small trud tilted it upright with her power, elig a soft 'whoa' from the gathered audiehen she did the same for the van. The two men lumbered to their vehicles, nursing their injuries and muttering about revenge.

  "You better watch your ass, Robbie."

  "Yeah? You wanna go again, you crazy old fuck?"

  "How about I pull ht now a your ass again, dipshit?"

  "Anytime, ahe other responded, flipping the finger.

  Their vehicles sputtered and coughed—but didn't start.

  "You've got to be fug kiddihe young man shouted.

  "God dammit!" cursed the older one as he leaned his head against the steering wheel in frustration.

  Fii ughed to herself and headed over to the older man's truck. As she lifted it up with her power, the driver jumped out and began to ihe undercarriage.

  He poked his head out and shouted, "Oil's spilling. you check his ride?"

  Fii went to the van and lifted it as well. "Yeah, you're leaking t."

  A man from the crowd hollered, "Hey, there's a Scrap Savvy dowreet, they'll have oil and t for sure."

  Fii nodded. "All right, fels, listen up. I'll tow you both to Scrap Savvy, get your vehicles fixed. And I don't wanna hear any pints, got it?"

  They looked at each other, then at her. "Fihey grunted in unison.

  Smiling to herself, Fii levitated their vehicles a off towards the Scrap Savvy. People oreets cheered and hooted as she passed. She waved at the onlookers, feeling a bit like a celebrity parade.

  Her smile soured, and she let out a soft sigh. It felt different without her helmet—raw, exposed. Maybe she missed it, maybe just a little. She used to love that helmet, its sleek bck visor, its anding air. But now...

  Well, it wasn't like she could just sp on a new one.

  She didn't get time to dwell on that, because her gaze was drawn to a shimmer of golden light, bright enough to cut through the grime and gray. Her stomach dropped. What now?

  The light spread out in sharp, angur patterns, creating shapes that looked almost crystalline, suspended in midair. And at the ter of it all, a figure appeared. The crystalline shapes coalesced into translut ptforms under her feet, glowing brilliantly.

  With her ptinum blonde hair pulled into a high ponytail that cascaded to her waist, and dressed in a form-fitting iridest suit that shifted colors, she was... geous.

  Four drones circled her, their lenses focused on her figure as she gracefully desded on her crystalliforms, their kaleidoscopic light show adding to the spectacle. It was like a se straight out of the Metropolis—a surreal performan the midst of the slums' drabness.

  The crowd that had cheered for Fii noed iheir attentioirely captivated by this new arrival.

  "Who..." Fii muttered, her voice trailing off in wonder.

  The woman touched down, her boots clig on the cracked pavement, her lips curling into a grin that screamed smug.

  Fii moved before she could even think, putting herself between this stranger and the crowd behind her. With a mental twitch, she settled both broken-down vehicles on the ground.

  Whoever this was, she wasn't here to lend a helping hand.

  " I help you?" Fii asked, her toeady despite the storm of questions swirling in her head.

  "Axiht?" the newer began, her hands settling on her hips. "I heard of you."

  "Name's Fii." She owards the h ptforms and the drones. "Impressive show."

  "Oh, you haven't seen my show yet. I'm Glimmerstrike, Metropolis's rising star. My agency's asked me to 'expand my audience', so I'm here for a bit of..." She twirled her finger in the air. "Outreach."

  "Agency? Outreach?"

  "Right," Glimmerstrike ughed, sounding a bit desding. "You wouldn't know how things work. It's different in the big city."

  Fii folded her arms across her chest. "I get that. So, why are you here?"

  "Well, they wao be more—how did they put it—'down-to-earth', so they booked me for a slum tour. Figured a couple of heroics down here could boost my rep." She shrugged nontly.

  "So you're here for the publicity?"

  "I mean, isn't that why we all do it? But seriously, the crowd here, they seem det. Plus, the drones are here to stream it. Best of both worlds."

  Stream? What'd that mean?

  Fii squinted her eyes. "Are you really a Super then?"

  "I'm whatever I o be, baby. Super, celebrity, savior—whatever the agency wants." She tilted her head, sizing up Fii. "But I gotta admit, you're a surprise. Didn't think the slums could out someoh powers."

  A tinge of irritation prickled at Fii.

  "Well, guess that's oereotype busted," she shot back. "We're not all helpless down here, y'know."

  "Oh, I didn't mean it like that," Glimmerstrike replied, brushing off the ent. "Anyway, I'm on a tight schedule. Agency's expeg some good footage from my 'Slum Run.' So..."

  She turo fae of the drones and grinned, flig her ponytail back. "How do I look?"

  An automated voice replied, "Camera-ready."

  "That's what I like to hear." Glimmerstrike shifted her stand lifted her , striking a pose that was undeniably dramatic. "Okay, start rec. We're live in three, two, one..."

  The energy shifted immediately, Glimmerstrike's smile widening as her voice became siingly sweet.

  "Hey, everyone! Glimmerstrike here, bringing you an exclusive look at the slums. Today, we're gonna shine some light where it's needed most." She goward Fii, her eyes narrowing just slightly before her smile returned. "And look what we have here—someone pying hero. Isn't that adorable?"

  The drones swiveled to capture Fii and the people behind her.

  Fii lifted a hand. "Listen, if you're here to help, we could—"

  "What's this?" Glimmerstrike interrupted, stepping around Fii auring dramatically towards the two vehicles she had set down. "A trud a van? In shambles? What happened here?"

  One of the bystanders stepped forward to expin, "They just crashed, ma'am. She helped them out."

  Glimmerstrike feigned a gasp. "How terrible! You mean Axion used her power to make them crash? For what, some twisted thrill?"

  "What?" Fii excimed. "No! This was an act. I'm getting them to a meic."

  "Sure, that's what they all say. But don't worry, folks. I'm here to help. Glimmerstrike, the real Super, has arrived!"

  The drones focused solely on her, a spotlight from one of them bathing her in a bright, warm glow.

  "Hold on, they crashed on their own—" Fii tried again, her voice drowned out by the woman's theatrics.

  Glimmerstrike waved at the drones, her smile all polished charm. "Don't worry, I've got this under trol. No more acts, no more wannabe heroes putting people at risk."

  She raised her hand, and the golden structs around her began to shift and reshape, f translut barriers that boxed Fii in. The structs closed in, pushing Fii bad separating her from the others.

  "What the—Hey! What are you doing?" Fii sputtered, bumping against the barrier.

  What is this thing?

  She pressed her palm against the surface. It looked gss-like, shimmering with light, but felt solid and unyielding.

  "Just a precaution," Glimmerstrike replied with a sugary-sweet voice. "'t have you running around causing more trouble, we?"

  "Let me out, now!" Fii gnced back at Robbie and the older man, catg their uneasy stares. Turning back to the smug Super, she tinued, "Look... Glimmerstrike, was it? This isn't about a show. These people o get their cars fixed. You're not helping by boxing me in."

  "I am helping. By dealing with a reckless, wannabe Super." Glimmerstrike sashayed closer before turningk to the drones, giving them an exaggerated sigh. "But that's the problem, isn't it? She doesn't uand she's the real danger here. People like her—reckless, untrolled—they're the ones putting everyo risk."

  Fii could feel her frustration rising, her power swelling in response.

  Was this person really calling her a dao others? Did she just toss accusations like that around? Not knowing all the facts? Or maybe she did and simply didn't give a shit.

  She puhe barrier hard. The sound of her fist impag it rang out like a dull thud.

  "Yonna want to let me out," she warned, a menag uone creeping into her voice.

  Glimmerstrike ughed—a haughty, mog ugh. "What're you gonna do? Throw a tantrum—" But her words died mid-sentence.

  Her mouth gaped in astonishment as Fii used her power to snatch her off her feet and sm her against her own barrier. Owice, a third time. With every impact, a resounding thud echoed around them, the barrier shaking, the crowd ging in sympathy, and Fii's expression darkening.

  A fourth time.

  A fifth.

  Glimmerstrike's face, initially smug, morphed into a grimace as she repeatedly found herself hurtling into her own struct, its seemingly infallible shimmer starting to waver with each collision.

  A sixth.

  By the seventh impact, the golden structs around her began to flicker and dissipate. The once-iridest walls faded away, crumbling into light particles, then vanished with a soft, hissing noise, and Fii was free.

  Landing hard on the pavement, Glimmerstrike scrambled back up, her posture rigid, and her smile repced by a wary gre. "What the... How did you..."

  "I could do a lot more than that. ime, listen first, judge ter," Fii said, her tone edged with annoyance. She hadn't wao be this aggressive, but she wasn't going to stand by and be accused of something she hadn't done. "Now, are you going to let me get these men to a meic? Or do I have to force you to take a nap first?"

  Glimmerstrike dusted herself off, the smile returning, albeit more straihis time. "Ha-ha, well pyed. I see you've got some moves." She g the drones, signaling at them subtly. "Cut the stream. We're done here. Looks like we've got ourselves a feisty one."

  The lights on the drones dimmed as they adjusted their positions.

  " we... go now?" Robbie asked, his voice low and uain.

  "Yes, please," Fii said, floating the broken-down vehicles up again with her power.

  The crowd around them had thinned out, many having turned back to their daily business, while others still watched warily from a distance.

  "Before I go," Glimmerstrike said, her voice dropping to a more serious tone, "let's get ohing straight. You're the metropolis' publiemy number one. You're the infamous 'hero-killer' Axion—the one who murdered Prime."

  "He attacked us first. You don't know the full story."

  "Prime would've never."

  "You weren't there," Fii said. "He didn't give me any choice, and that's something I have to live with."

  Truthfully, Prime did give her a choice—a bad one.

  Glimmerstrike's eyes narrowed. "Iing perspective. Well, a little word of advice: Watch your back. People are after you, and I'll be one of them." She gave her a sly gnce. "And when I catch you, it's straight to the authorities. Got it?"

  Fii shrugged. "It's not going to be that simple, but sure. Good luck."

  With that, Glimmerstrike unched herself upward, a small golden ptform appearing just in time to catch her feet. As she soared higher, more ptforms appeared under her feet, f a glittering staircase into the sky. The drones swarmed after her, zipping away and disappearing over the rooftops, leaving Fii and the onlookers in a state of puzzled silence.

  "What a piece of work," she muttered under her breath. Shaking off the frontation, she focused ba Robbie and the older man. "Sorry about the dey. Now, let's get you and your rides fixed, okay?"