Fii sat cross-legged atop a rge water tower, watg the setting sun bleed across the horizon. The sky was stained with brilliant reds and es, and the faint sounds of chatter from the neighborhood below drifted into the evening air.

  Taking a deep breath, Fii ehe moment of peace. After spending the whole afternoon and early evening assisting with the up following the earthquake, she deserved this little break. Sure, it was tiring work, but it felt good to be doing something for the betterment of the slums.

  Satisfied, she rexed her posture, shifting to a more fortable position on the roof. She closed her eyes, taking in the sounds of the evening, the st of rain lingering in the air. The light breeze tickled her exposed skin and the cool air was refreshing.

  She began to doze, her mind drifting into a pleasant reverie. Until a light tapping oer tower's metal surface brought her out of her half-scious state. Blinking, she gnced over to the source.

  A young man was standing on a small mainteform to the left of her, grinning widely. "Yo!" He called out to her, wavihusiastically. "I've seen you around, haven't I?"

  "Uhhh, hi?" Fii gave the guy a hesitant wave. She didn't reize him, and the fact that he'd climbed up to the water tower without her notig was a bit arming.

  How did he sneak up on me like that? I was supposed to be on high alert. Am I that tired?

  The guy let out a hearty ugh. "Rex! Just here to check the water pressure. And maybe chat with you? I've got a few mio kill."

  Fii forced a polite smile, not sure if she believed him or not. "Okay?" She furrowed her brows, her eyes narrowing slightly as she examihe newer.

  The stranger was tall and lean, with an athletic build. His pale plexion and shaggy blonde hair gave him a boyish appearance, and the friendly way he carried himself seemed to exude an easygoing personality. He wore a simple green jumpsuit and toolbelt, and he sported a pair of protective goggles around his neck.

  He also bore a rge scar along the left side of his face, extending from the top of his forehead to the bottom of his . The pale li through his eyelid, revealing a milky white, clouded eye underh.

  "The name's Quinn," he introduced himself, casually strolling up to Fii aending a hand iing. "o meet you, by the way."

  "Ah, uh...o meet you, too? I'm Fii." She hesitated, relutly taking his hand and shaking it firmly.

  "What's got you up here?" Quinn asked, taking a seat beside her. "Normally, people hang around below, not on top of the water tower."

  Fii shifted awkwardly. "I, uh, came here to think. It's my first time climbing up here. I hadn't realized how high up it was, and now that I'm here, I'm enjoying the view, I guess."

  "Ha! I'm the opposite. I climb up here all the time. It's o get away from everyone for a bit. Fresh air and all that." Quinn ran his fihrough his hair, his expression growing wistful. "It helps me clear my mind. Helps me get through the day, ya know?"

  "Yea, I get that. Kinda been the same for me tely, I guess. Haven't had a lot of time for myself." Fii let out a slight sigh.

  "I feel ya. There's always something happening in the slums. Something's always going wrong, and there's never enough people to fix the problems. It be...stressful." Quinn's tourned somber. "Everyone's got to chip in, otherwise the entire unity's gonna suffer. And we 't have that."

  "Right," Fii agreed. She cocked her head at him. "What's y in the slums, anyways? How e I've never seen you before?"

  "Eh, I help out where I , mainly with maintenance, repairs, and keeping the water flowing. Makes sense why you haven't run into me before. My routes don't normally take me through this part of the slums, so I guess we've just missed each other." Quinn scratched his head, sheepishly chug. "So, what about you? What's y?"

  Fii shifted nervously, avoiding eye tact. "Oh, y'know, just helping where I . Odd jobs, that sort of thing. Nothing fancy." She kicked her feet over the side of the water tower, resting them on the beam below. "What's up with the scar? It's, uh, kinda noticeable." She winced. "No offense."

  Quinn touched the scar across his face, running a finger along its length. "This? Eh, it was from a fight with a gang member. He thought I was an easy target. Turns out I wasn't." He fshed a sly smile, winking at Fii with his one good eye. "So, did you get caught in the earthquake the other day, or did you mao avoid the worst of it?"

  "Actually, I was in the middle of it. Got hurt, but I'm fine now," Fii admitted.

  "Dang, sorry to hear that." Quinn fshed Fii an apologetic smile. "I hope you weren't hurt too badly. I heard there was a big building colpse in the marketpce. Hope nobody got crushed or anything." He waved his hands frantically. "I mean, not to imply you were in that, I just meant like—"

  "No, no, I get what you mean." Fii stifled a ugh at Quinn's fumbling response. "I, uh, was somewhere else when that happened. A few things fell on top of me, and I was a bit banged up, that's all."

  "Is that so? Well, I'm gd you're okay." Quinn reached out to pat her on the shoulder.

  "Yeah, me too." Fii managed a small smile.

  "Oh!" Quinn snapped his fingers. "Speaking of the earthquake, have you heard about this Super that suddenly showed up retly? Apparently, she's a local. Didn't even grow up iropolis. I mean, how crazy is that? An actual superhero in the slums." He turo Fii, fshing her a wide grin. " you believe it?"

  Fii's eyes widened, and her jaw dropped slightly. She quickly posed herself, clearihroat as she tried to keep her tone casual. "H-Huh, really? I, uh, h-h-hadn't heard anything about that." She grimaced, mentally kig herself for her nervous stuttering. "Wow, that's, uh, a surprise. Right?"

  "Right, yeah." Quinn nodded in agreement. "It's crazy! Apparently her name is Axion or something. Dunno what her power is, though. From what I've heard, she hasn't done a lot of fighti. More of a rescue and up type." He tapped his thoughtfully. "Still, she's gotta have something, right?"

  Fii let out a dry cough, trying not to appear too eager to tribute to the versation. "Probably. I mean, if she's a real Super, she's got to have a power or twht? Wouldn't make much seherwise." She paused, struggling to find the words to tinue. "Er, right?"

  "Right." Quinn hen raised his eyebrow. "You okay? You seem a bit...tense."

  Fii waved a hand dismissively. "Ah, I'm fine, I'm fine. Just...got a lot on my mind. Sorry. Anyway, about this Superhero..." Her voice trailed off, a flush creeping up her cheeks. She could feel her heartbeat qui, and she took a deep breath to calm her nerves.

  "Yeah, Axion. From what I've heard, she's already saved a few people during the earthquake, and she helped up afterward." Quinn tinued, seeming unfazed by Fii's awkward behavior. "I mean, isn't that what superheroes are supposed to do? Help others?"

  Fii nodded silently, averting her eyes. Her mind raced with a multitude of questions. Why was Quinn bringing up Axion? Did he know something about her identity? Was he trying to get her to reveal herself? This has got to be just a ce, right?

  She shifted unfortably, her leg boung involuntarily. "Y-Yeah, that's true. It's good she's helping out. Really good." She hoped she sounded ving.

  "For sure. I hope she stays around and keeps up the good work. The slums need all the heroes we get." Quinn patted Fii on the shoulder again. "Anyways, I've got to finish my rounds, and you've got things to do, I bet. We'll catch up sometime, right? Maybe I buy you a drink or something."

  "R-Right, yes. Of course. Yeah. That would be great!" Fii excimed, her words stumbling over each other. She spped her hands over her mouth, realizing she may have e off as a little er.

  Quinn wi her and grinned, seeming to appreciate her enthusiasm. "Cool, catch you around, Fii. Don't fet to watch out for the gangs! And try not to get caught up in any more disasters, okay? Take care." And with that, Quinn hopped off the ledge, disappearing behind the other side of the water tank.

  Fii blinked, unsure of what to make of the enter. She watched as Quinn climbed down the dder, noting his surprisingly agile movements. He seemed to glide dowructure with ease. In seds, he vanished out of sight.

  Huh, he seemed like a good guy, but I hope I didn't give too much away. Or do anything suspicious.

  Fii shook her head and y down oank, staring at the sky. She pted going after Quinn to see what he to, but he didn't seem particurly dangerous. She also still needed a minute or two to collect her thoughts before returning to the ic. So, instead, she remained where she was, soaking i rays of daylight as she pohe ued enter.

  Axion leaped from rooftop to rooftop, nding gracefully oal tiles with barely a sound. She stopped at the edge a building, sing the street below fns of trouble. Her vision was sharp and focused, her mask's visor amplifying her sight, allowio see everything clearly even in the dim lighting of the night.

  The streets were quiet ay, save for the occasional drifter passing by or an animal scurrying around. Nothing appeared unusual. However, she noticed that some of the streetmps along the path were flickering itently, their light sputtering as they struggled to remain on.

  She crouched low, readying herself to jump to the building, when a fsh of movement in the alley below caught her attention. She narrowed her eyes, fog on the movement.

  A group of men approached a lone figure, armed with bats and s. They surrouheir intearget, bag him into a er. The leader of the group sneered and pulled out a knife, pointing it threateningly at the victim.

  The victim, a sy teenager with a mop of brown hair, pressed himself against the wall, holding up his arms in surrender. "Look, I said I was sorry, alright? I didn't know they were yours. Please, I don't want any trouble." His voice cracked as he spoke.

  The man jabbed his on forward, making the teen flinch. "You're singing to the scrapheap, brat. You and your whole family are as good as dead now."

  The other members of the gang brandished their own ons, the glint of steel refleg in the mplight.

  Axion frowned, reizing the emblem embroidered on the gang member's clothing—Gully Rats. As far as small gangs went, they were pretty brutal. Their turf was trated around the southwest end, but they had a habit of intruding on aories. She'd already run into them a few times before. They seemed i on stirring up trouble tonight.

  Without wasting any time, she jumped down into the alleyway, nding behind the gang members with a loud thud. She straightened up, raising her fists, ready to strike. "Hey," she said, her voice slightly distorted by the filter in her helmet.

  The gang leader spun around, gring at her. "Who the hell are you?" he snarled, brandishing his bde. His subordinates followed suit, wielding their ons at her. "Get lost! This doesn't involve you."

  The Gully Rats stood in a loose semicircle around her and the kid. Most of them held knives, bats, and s. Only one of them, the apparent leader, held a pipe pistol. All of them were eyeing her warily, clearly not used to dealing with unknowns.

  Axion strode forward, the fiden her gait betraying none of the apprehension she felt. "Let the kid go. He's not wetting into a fight with me over." She tilted her head, peering at the gang leader through the visor. "Unless you wan your butt whooped by a Superhero."

  "Pfft. Superhero?" The gang leader spat, gring at her. "Buzz off, tinhead, before I send you to the junkyard." He jabbed his gun in Axion's dire, baring his teeth in a snarl. "One warning, that's all yetting from us. Now beat it, or I'll plug you full of lead."

  "Try it. See what happens," she retorted, her tone hard and cold.

  The gang leader's lip curled in anger, and he pulled the trigger. A deafening crack rang out as the pistol fired.

  Axion held her ground, reag out with her power. The bullet curved to the side, crashing into a dumpster. She stepped forward, her movements fluid and graceful, as she rushed the gang leader. Before he could fire another shot, she closed the distariking him across the jaw.

  The gang leader stumbled back, clutg his face, blood dribbling through his fingers. Axion ignored him, fog her attention ohers. She shed out, hitting the attacker with a sweeping kick, knog him off-bance.

  The ully Rat members surged forward, attag en masse, swinging wildly. She ducked, dodging a bat, and swung her foot outward, sending one assaint sprawling into the trash.

  But her efforts earned her e, as several others moved to engage.

  She narrowly avoided a whip aimed at her head, the metal links whistling as they flew by. She retaliated with a swift punch, sending the gangster reeling with a bloody nose.

  Anully Rat rushed her from the side, thrusting his bat at her stomach. She twisted aside, grabbing the on as it passed. Using her momentum, she yahe bat forward, dragging the man off bance. She turned on the balls of her feet, pivoting and smming her elbow into his back, throwing him to the ground.

  A shadow loomed overhead. Her head snapped back as a struck the side of her helmet. The impact jarred her senses, causing her ears t, but the reinforced material kept her skull from being pulverized. Still, she staggered, momentarily stunned.

  The Gully Rat who'd swung the grihinking he'd gaihe upper hand. He lu her, raised for arike. Axion's instincts kicked in. She reached out, maniputing her own gravity to make herself lighter. The world seemed to slow as she deftly sidestepped the ining attack, the swinging harmlessly through the air where she oood.

  The gangster blinked in surprise.

  Her hand whipped out, gripping the , and yanked with all her might after increasing her weight five-fold. The gangster yelped in shock as he ulled off his feet and flung through the air like a ragdoll, crashing into a wall with a dull thud.

  Axio go of the , straightening up. She released her hold on the gravity field, letting herself regain her normal weight.

  The remaining Gully Rats circled her cautiously, not keen on pressing their luck. A couple of them evereated further away. She stood still, her stance firm, fists ched, ready for more. "Your call. You either leave, or I beat the crap out of the rest of you."

  The gang leader scrambled to his feet, bloodied and bruised, his firearm discarded. "W-We're not finished here!" he growled, gesturing to his remaining ies. ", you cowards. We take her!"

  A couple of the ully Rats, emboldened by his decration, surged forward, one aiming a k her midse while the other raised a baseball bat overhead, preparing to swing.

  Axion pnted her feet firmly on the ground, her power enveloping the two aggressors. The krajectory altered, missing her pletely. She grabbed the outstretched arm of the attacker and used their momentum to throw them to the ground. The bat swung in a wide arc, barely missing her head as she ducked u.

  Anully Rat lunged and tackled her from the side, catg her off guard. They both hit the ground, rolling around in the dirt. The gangster ended up on top of her, pinning her arms to the ground. He cackled, his faches from her own. "Gotcha!"

  She kneed him in the groin. Hard. The gangster's eyes bulged, and he groaned in pain. She shoved him off and kicked him in the chest, sending him flying backward into a pile of garbage.

  Before she could stand, anangster collided with her, pushing her bato the wall. She grunted in disfort, the back of her helmet smming against the bricks. The assaint smashed his fist into her visor, but the gss did not give. The force of the blow made her head rock back, however, causing a brief dizzio settle over her.

  She headbutted the Gully Rat in the face, stunning him, then shoved him away, breaking his grip. She returhe favor by driving her ko his gut, elig a satisfying grunt of pain. The gangster doubled over, and she finished him off with an elbow strike to the head. The unscious body slumped to the ground in a heap.

  The Gully Rat with the knife charged again.

  Axion tried to dodge, but her reas were a fra too slow. The bde sliced across her arm, leaving a stinging gash through her suit. She hissed in pain. She should've been faster. Should've seen it ing. Stupid!

  The gangster tio press his advantage, sshing wildly. Axion parried some blows but failed to block all of them. Several shallow gashes opened oorso and shoulders. She took a few steps back, wing from the pain.

  A bat smmed intht arm. A whipped across her left shoulder. She gasped, her limbs numbing from the bined blows. The Gully Rat with the knife seized the opportunity, leaping at her, knife poised to pluo her chest.

  Axion reached out with her power, altering the force of gravity around her. She forced the gao the ground with her mind, holding him in pce as he struggled futilely. Her eyes fshed with power as she exerted more pressure, keeping him immobile. She snatched the knife from his hand and hurled it aside.

  Anangster rushed at her, attempting to tackle her from behind. She turned, using her ability to make herself lighter, floating out of reach. She reached out, grabbing him by the colr as she floated over him, and flipped him onto the ground with a resounding thud, nding on top of his pinned panion.

  She let out a slight growl, her voice modutiving her a more ominous tone. "Had enough?" she demanded, rising to her feet.

  The Gully Rat she'd initially thrown through the air shakily rose to his feet, bleeding from the nose. "Damn Supe...Fuck off!" He screamed as he ran at her, a short length of metal pipe in his hand.

  Axio him charge, waiting until he was almost on top of her. She feio the right, dodging his wild swings, and then unleashed a devastating roundhouse kick directly to his temple. The blow knocked him cold.

  The other thug crawled to his knife arieved it. With a yell, he rushed towards her.

  Grittieeth, she lu the oh the knife and increased the gravity field around both of them. He dropped to the ground, struggling to move, the bde falling out of reach. She punched him in the head, knog him out. Then she whirled to front the remaining oppos.

  't afford to be fshy. I'll just do the same thing to the rest of them.

  She ran at the hug, ign the ache in her body. She covered the distance quickly, her steps heavy. As the gangster brought his -whip up to swing at her again, she altered her gravity once more a at him, feet first.

  The fell to the ground as she crashed into the Gully Rat, bowling him over. Her boots ected solidly with his stomach, and he wheezed, colpsing in a heap. She nded on one knee, croug over the fallen gahen punched him in the face food measure.

  Two thugs left.

  As she rose, she sensed movement ing from her right. Instinctively, she twisted around to avoid the bat's trajectory, but its tip clipped the horn-like protrusion on her helmet, twisting her head to the side.

  The visor dispy flickered briefly. Stars danced across her eyes. Her legs wobbled. She swayed unsteadily, struggling to remain upright. Everything around her began spinning.

  Another impact to the back of her head, and she fell face-first onto the floor.

  The Gully Rat hammered his bat repeatedly on her bad helmet. "That's for screwing with the Gully Rats, you dumb bitch!" he screeched angrily.

  Paihrough her body. She curled up, arms c her head instinctively, desperately trying to shield herself from the barrage. She could hear her owhing eg ihe helmet as she inhaled and exhaled deeply.

  Have to focus! Move! Fight back!

  As the gangster tio smash her with his bat, she focused on her power, adjusting her gravity around them.

  The thug fell on his hands and knees, uo stand. "What the..."

  Axion stood shakily, wobbling slightly on her feet. The gangster writhed and squirmed on the ground, still trying to push himself to a standing position. She staggered forward and kicked him in the face, putting him out cold.

  All that was left was the leader.

  Sh out, the noise reverberating throughout the alleyway. She flinched as bullets whizzed past her head. A stray one bounced off her thigh, tearing through fabrid skin alike. Warm blood trickled down her leg.

  She adjusted her gravity field to deflect the projectiles. The volley ricocheted into the nearby brick walls, sending chips and splinters scattering about. The gang leader fired o time before emptying the magazine. He cursed under his breath, tossing the now useless firearm to the ground before darting out of the alley, not waiting for his buddies.

  Axion wao chase after him, but she was too exhausted. Her strength drained from her body as her adrenaline rush subsided. She sat back heavily on the ground, panting. Her whole body ached, and she could feel her wounds stinging.

  She looked around to see if the teenager had made it out okay. He was gone.

  Guess he got away. Good.

  Slowly, she dragged herself over to a nearby wall and leaned against it. Her head throbbed from the beating, and the gash on her arm and leg burned.

  She looked over at the uncious gangsters, lying strewn about the alley. They wouldn't stay knocked out forever. If she stayed here, the moment they woke up, they'd swarm her. She o leave before that happened.

  There were no cops out here anyway, and no jail to take these goons to.

  Well...there was one pce, but it was a lost cause t them there.

  Sighing, she gingerly pushed herself to her feet, grunting at the effort. She stumbled down the alley, limping as she went, until she came to a main thhfare. Thearted walking towards the only pce that made se a time like this.

  The Aether ic.