The slums were always alive in a way the Metropolis could never understand. Not in the shiny, overstimulated way of neon lights, but in a kind of stubborn hum, like an old machine refusing to die. There was rhythm here, the syncopated noise of creaking pipes, distant laughter, and voices shouting over the rumble of a passing scavenger cart. It was a melody stitched together from the struggle and persistence of people just trying to get by.
Fii crouched over a length of cracked, rusted pipeline, hands smeared with grease and grime, her white hair sticking to her face in damp strands. She wiped her forehead with the back of her wrist, smudging dirt across her temple like war paint. A thin trickle of water dripped stubbornly onto her sneakers, adding insult to the general state of disarray, which had her teeth grinding in irritation. If this were a normal day, her mood would have been less than stellar.
"Hold it steady, Quinn," she said, glaring at the makeshift clamp in her companion’s hands. "If this thing slips one more time, I’m calling it a day and letting the whole block learn how to swim."
Quinn knelt beside her, his pale face framed by the mess of shaggy blond hair that never stayed out of his eyes. His hand, shaking a little from the strain, kept the clamp in place. He glanced at her and chuckled, his voice filled with a laid-back ease that was typical for him.
"Aw, don't be like that," he said, flashing a lopsided grin. "Remember that one summer where the block was without water for three weeks? Good times, huh?" He laughed at that, as if this were the best joke he'd heard all week.
Fii looked at him with a deadpan expression, pausing her work. "When you can drink good memories, let me know."
"See, now that's comedy. Better watch it, your face might get stuck that way. Wouldn't want to miss out on scowling at all the joy in the world."
"Quinn..."
"Yeah, yeah, okay. But try not to look so miserable next time," he said, flashing another disarming smile. "Besides, I know you wouldn't dare leave these people high and dry. Not our Fii. Who would keep this place from falling apart?"
A soft sigh escaped her lips, and her frown softened a little.
He wasn't wrong. It wasn’t just the clanking of wrenches or the way his grip faltered every few seconds—though that was irritating enough—it was the faces. A couple of kids hovered nearby, their wide eyes watching her every move like she was doing something miraculous. It wasn’t easy to disappoint an audience like that.
"Guess you got me there," she murmured.
"That's the spirit," Quinn quipped, adjusting the clamp with a grunt. "Now, let's show these pipes who's boss, shall we?"
Fii turned her attention back to the stubborn leak. "You sure you've got the clamp secure?"
"Steady as a rock, boss." Quinn's words were undercut by the tremor in his hands, but his smile never wavered.
"Good, because you're paying for damages if you slip again."
"Hey now, don't go threatening my non-existent coin purse," he joked, but she could hear the edge of panic in his voice. "I'm pretty sure I have, like, an empty wrapper in there or something."
"Just focus. You drop it, I'll toss you in that leak, understand?"
He chuckled. "Tough crowd. Don't worry, I'll keep my end up."
As Fii started to reseal the pipes, she found herself smiling, even though the old rubber was hard and cracked, the metal joints stiff and uncooperative. There was something oddly comforting about the stubborn, messy reality of fixing things. Maybe it was the satisfaction of knowing that even though the slums were a shabby patchwork of dysfunction, they were still standing. Still managing, still breathing.
And every small, dirty repair she could manage helped keep the lungs of this place clear.
She brushed the sweaty hair from her face, her fingers raw from the effort, her clothes damp. Even though the sweat dripped into her eyes, stinging and blurring, she kept working. One more twist, one more clamp, one more seal to keep the water flowing.
"This'll only last a week, maybe less," she warned him. "We're cooking with spare parts here. We'll need better material to make this a proper repair. All I'm doing now is stalling."
"I'll start digging around the depot. Bet there's something usable buried in all that chaos," Quinn said with a hint of enthusiasm. "If there's one thing we have plenty of in the slums, it's junk to repurpose."
Fii felt the pipes give a creaking protest as she adjusted another stubborn joint, her lips pressing into a thin line. "Too bad you can't just slap a clamp on the bigger problems around here, huh?—Okay! Think that's done. Now hand me the sealant."
Quinn rummaged through the bag and passed her a battered tube of adhesive, its label worn to the point of illegibility. "You know, you could just use your... thing," he said, making a vague gesture with his hands. "Clamp the crack shut or whatever."
Fii shook her head. "If I mess up, I'll make it worse. Besides, I can't babysit this leak forever. Gravity powers aren't a fix-all. Now pass me that piece of scrap."
Quinn reached for a corroded scrap of metal, its surface pockmarked and discolored, and handed it to her. "Here. One sad excuse for a patch, at your service."
Fii used a rusty pair of pliers to curl the scrap into a semblance of a circle and secured it over the patched-up crack. Then she applied the sealant, her fingers leaving behind smudges of black goo on the metal. She leaned back to look at her work and frowned. It was hideous, asymmetrical, and held together more by hope than by skill.
Quinn looked at her with a half-apologetic, half-amused grin. "Not too shabby. Looks almost like a professional did it. Maybe in the dark. With their eyes closed."
"Oh, shut it, Quinn. This is supposed to be your job," Fii said, chucking the empty can of sealant at him.
He caught it, still laughing. "I told you what to do didn't I? You're the only one strong enough to handle the harder stuff."
Fii sighed and gave the pipe one last, firm twist. "All right, that'll have to do for now. Let's test it."
She stood up and went to turn on the water source. The pipes groaned and wheezed as water trickled through the network of ancient plumbing, hissing and rattling their complaints about age and neglect. For a tense minute, nothing much happened. Then, like a weary sigh, a stream of water began to flow out of the faucet. It was brown at first, but then ran clearer and clearer until a kid was able to jump in the stream, whooping and hollering in the spray.
Fii watched the water gurgle to the ground, and then stood up with a groan. Every muscle in her back protested the movement. She brushed a stray strand of sweaty hair from her face and stretched, trying to work out the kinks in her shoulders.
"Well, we didn't drown the block, so I'd say that's a win," Quinn said, patting her shoulder. "Seriously, you're doing great. Could've been a disaster here. Someone else might have really messed this up."
Fii grunted and shot him a pointed look. "You owe me a massage after this, I swear." She jabbed a finger at his chest.
Quinn held up his hands in mock surrender, his eyes twinkling. "Don't threaten me with a good time."
Fii rolled her eyes, her gaze drifting to the cluster of kids perched on a nearby stack of crates. Their wide eyes followed her every move, a mixture of awe and curiosity etched into their dirt-streaked faces. One of the younger ones—a boy no older than seven—grinned at her, his missing front teeth making the expression all the more endearing.
She waved back, a small smile tugging at her lips. Then she tossed the wrench into the air and let her power wrap around it, spinning the tool around her a few times before she guided it back into the toolbox with a faint clunk.
The kids gasped in unison, their eyes as wide as saucers.
"Do it again!" one of them shouted, clapping his hands with excitement. "I wanna see you float, too!"
"Yeah, fly!" another chimed in, bouncing on his feet.
"Only if you stay out of trouble," she replied with a playful wink.
Fii leaned forward slightly and adjusted her stance, letting the familiar feeling of her power wash over her. In the next moment, she was several meters off the ground, hovering effortlessly. The group of kids whooped and cheered as she zipped around the area, performing an aerial dance that was half-ballet, half-silly antics.
She did barrel rolls and loops, her feet tracing invisible patterns in the air while she laughed, caught up in their infectious enthusiasm. Finally, she let herself drop back down to the ground, her feet touching the earth again with a gentle tap.
Quinn was leaning against a wall, arms crossed, watching her with a smile. "You know they're lying, right? Trouble’s the only thing they’re good at."
"Pot, meet kettle," she quipped, offering him a playful nudge. She grabbed the wrench again and twirled it in her hand, using her ability to spin it around her wrist and fingers in an effortless display. It glided over her skin like it was skating on ice.
The kids ooh'd and ahh'd, clapping and giggling at the show.
"Wow, I want gravity power too! I'm tired of running," one of the boys cried out, reaching up as if to catch the wrench mid-air.
"Yeah, me too. And I want a cake shop," a girl added, crossing her arms.
The wrench's gentle circling came to an abrupt halt as a sharp, unnatural sound shattered the moment. It was like glass breaking in reverse—a crystalline crackle that set Fii’s nerves alight. The kids fell silent, their laughter replaced by the scuffle of shoes as they backed away from the sound. Fii turned her head slowly, her muscles tensing as her eyes scanned the alley for its source.
A wall of shimmering golden light materialized at the alley’s entrance, the glow bright and jarring against the gloom. It stretched upward, cutting off their exit like a radiant guillotine. The air buzzed faintly around it, a soundless hum that tickled the edges of her hearing. Fii’s heart sank.
"You've gotta be kidding me," she muttered, lowering her hand to her side, the wrench still firmly in her grip.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
From behind the glowing barrier stepped a familiar figure clad in an iridescent body suit. Glimmerstrike. Her high ponytail bobbed with each confident step, and the self-assured smirk on her face was as sharp as the barrier she had just conjured. Her drones, sleek and discreet, flanked her, their cameras ready to record every moment of the encounter.
Fii felt a surge of irritation coupled with a twinge of resignation. Just when she was starting to feel good again. So much for that.
"Lookie what I caught," Glimmerstrike purred, the mocking edge in her voice loud and clear. She paused to consider the dirty faces and ramshackle surroundings before continuing. "Scavenging tech from the block? Are you that desperate for scraps to sell? Or perhaps there's a more sinister motive at play."
Fii had a retort on the tip of her tongue, ready to throw it back in her face, but the words died before they could form. Instead, she just stood there, watching the kids scatter to the shadows like mice from a hawk. A sigh escaped her lips.
"I was fixing a pipe! And why on earth would I do that if I was stealing stuff?" Fii shot back, waving her wrench in a small, frustrated arc. "You know, just because you're a Super doesn't mean you've got to show up and ruin my day."
"Here we go again. Innocent 'till proven guilty, right?" Glimmerstrike's smirk never wavered as she glanced at the mess of pipes behind Fii and Quinn. "We can skip this little charade, you know. Just admit it and I'll call it a day. Wouldn't that be so much easier?"
"I'm telling the truth!" Fii's voice echoed slightly off the high, grimy walls of the alley. "Unlike someone else here, who's just making things up!"
"Deny, deny, deny. Just like a true slummer. Chat knows, though. They can see right through your lies. Right, chat?" Glimmerstrike said with a giggle, winking at one of her drones.
Quinn piped up from beside Fii, whispering from the corner of his mouth, "Is she the one you've been talking about?"
"Sadly," Fii mumbled back.
"I'm thinking she's kinda hot. And also a bitch."
"What did you say?" Fii whipped her head around to look at him, but before he could reply, Glimmerstrike was talking again.
"Didn't anyone ever tell you it's rude to whisper in front of others?" she said, clicking her tongue in mock disapproval. "I'll go easy on you today, though. Consider it a favor. After all, you gave me such a thrilling chase that other day. Had us all on the edge of our seats, didn't it, chat?"
Glimmerstrike winked again, this time towards the camera. She was enjoying herself. As always.
"So," Glimmerstrike drawled, sauntering closer, "shall we pick up where we left off?"
"You mean after I smashed your face into one of your own walls?" Fii quipped, a dangerous edge to her tone.
Glimmerstrike's smile wavered for a brief second, a flicker of anger crossing her face, before smoothing out again.
"Now, that wasn't very nice, was it? And after I was just about to cut you some slack." She gave a small, sharp gesture with her hand and another barrier materialized, cutting Fii off from her path to the streets. "Can't let my fans think I'm going soft, right?"
"You're a real piece of work," Fii scoffed, her body tensing, the wrench in her hand seeming suddenly useless. She was aware of the cameras capturing her every move, every expression. "Alright, if we're gonna do this, can we at least go somewhere else? There are kids around here and I just fixed this block's water system. I'd like it to stay fixed for a while."
Glimmerstrike cocked her head to the side, her eyes taking in the surrounding alley. Then, a small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "Fair enough. Let's find a more suitable location. You seem to know this place better than I do. Lead the way."
Fii turned to Quinn, leaning close to him. "Think you can keep yourself busy for a while? I'll try to wrap this up quickly."
He shrugged, scratching the back of his neck. "Yeah, whatever. I'll go scout for parts to reinforce that patch-up job. Meet you at the usual spot later?"
"Sounds good." Fii nodded and turned to the Super, who was still looking at her with that annoyingly smug smile. "You wanna dance, sparkles? Alright, let's do this."
----------------------------------------
Fii launched herself up towards the rooftops. Glimmerstrike followed closely behind, using her constructs of golden light to form stairs under her feet, her drones swarming around them like overeager fireflies. The chase led them down a labyrinth of alleys, over piles of scrap metal and rusted-out car frames.
Eventually, they arrived at the Rusted Colosseum. The building was a massive, decrepit structure that had once served as a baseball stadium before being repurposed as a makeshift entertainment hub for the slums' less savory crowds. Its crumbling walls loomed large over the surrounding structures, casting long shadows across the ramshackle neighborhood below.
As Fii landed, a cloud of dust kicked up around her, and she squinted against the harsh sunlight.
Glimmerstrike descended a few moments later, casually forming a barrier underneath her to break her fall, which immediately dissipated once she was safely on the ground. Her drones hummed around her, their cameras angled to catch the best possible angles.
The inside of the colosseum was just as dismal as the rest of the slums. Large patches of the bleachers were missing, leaving gaping holes that revealed the metal skeleton underneath. Graffiti and stains of unknown origin splattered the walls, while trash littered the ground. The field itself was a patchwork of dead grass and packed dirt.
"This is your big idea of an arena?" Glimmerstrike sneered as she surveyed their surroundings. "What a dump."
"If you wanted luxury, you should've stayed in the Metropolis." Fii took a step forward and dropped her hands to her side, clenching them into fists. "This is the slums, princess. It's not supposed to be pretty."
Glimmerstrike merely rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Just remember, chat's watching. Let's make this fun." She snapped her fingers, and the drones around her buzzed to life, their lenses zooming in on the two.
Fii smirked, raising a hand and gesturing with two fingers in a 'bring it' motion. "Let's see what you've got."
Glimmerstrike lunged forward, forming a barrier in her palm as she swung at Fii's face. Fii ducked under the attack, dodging to the right as the barrier passed harmlessly over her head. She countered with a kick aimed at Glimmerstrike's ribs, but the hero formed another barrier just in time, deflecting the blow.
Back and forth they traded blows, circling each other in the dust and debris of the colosseum floor. Glimmerstrike would strike with quick, precise attacks, while Fii danced around them with acrobatic grace, using her powers to deflect or redirect the blows.
"You really love the sound of your own voice, don't you?" Fii quipped between strikes, deflecting a punch with a small burst of gravitational force. "I'm surprised you can breathe with how much hot air you're spewing."
Glimmerstrike sneered, continuing to press forward. "Better than the stench coming from this place." She feinted left, then launched a flurry of kicks, forcing Fii to backpedal. "All this talk must be exhausting for you, living in this squalor."
Fii grunted, deflecting another blow and countering with a strike of her own. "You'd be surprised how much stamina you build up when you're not being pampered all day." She grinned, continuing to dodge and weave around the attacks. "Not that you would know anything about that."
Glimmerstrike huffed, clearly starting to lose her patience. She feinted low, then spun around to deliver a roundhouse kick, her heel surrounded by a shimmering golden aura. Fii couldn't dodge this one and was forced to block it. The impact sent shockwaves up her arm, nearly knocking her off balance.
"Ooh, did that hurt?" Glimmerstrike taunted, pressing her advantage and raining down a series of blows, each surrounded by her golden aura. "Why don't you give up and admit defeat, slummer?"
Fii gritted her teeth, feeling her arms starting to ache from the barrage. She was already tired and sore from her morning work—and the work she did yesterday, and the day before. It all seemed to pile up.
Sure, she could easily end this fight in any number of ways if she used her powers fully, but part of her wanted to win this the old-fashioned way. The hard way. It was the best way to remind herself of what she was capable of, with or without powers. It kept her honest, grounded.
It kept her human.
Glimmerstrike seemed to see the fatigue on her face and laughed. "Getting tired already? What, no powers to bail you out this time?"
Fii shook her head, her breath starting to come in ragged gasps. "Nah, just enjoying the workout."
With a surge of effort, she lunged forward, catching Glimmerstrike by surprise with a straight punch to the gut. The air left the hero's lungs in a whoosh, and she doubled over, gasping for breath. Fii didn't relent, following up with a swift knee to the jaw, sending the hero sprawling onto the dusty ground.
Glimmerstrike lay there for a moment, stunned, before slowly pushing herself up onto her elbows. A trickle of blood ran down her chin, and her hair, once immaculate, was now disheveled and dirty. The golden glow around her seemed to flicker, dimming slightly as she glared up at Fii.
"To hell with this. You're done." With a swift motion, Glimmerstrike sent a barrage of glowing orbs hurtling toward Fii. She narrowly dodged them, the orbs embedding themselves in the wall behind her with loud, echoing thunks.
"Scared you'll lose in a fair fight?" Fii asked, panting heavily as she leaped aside, using her power to shift the trajectory of the orbs in mid-air. But she forgot that she didn't know how to properly manipulate Glimmerstrike's light constructs.
Before her power could even take hold, the orbs phased through her pull and slammed into her, one after another, each impact sending shockwaves of pain through her body.
"Ugh!" she cried out, doubling over, clutching her side where the orbs had struck. Pain throbbed along her ribcage, but thankfully nothing seemed to be broken. Gritting her teeth, she stood upright, her hands raised defensively.
"Did you expect me to go easy on you? Get real," Glimmerstrike hissed, her hands blurring as she continued to create more orbs, sending them careening toward Fii in rapid succession.
Fii knew she had to move, had to dodge, but her body felt sluggish and heavy, every muscle screaming in protest. The orbs kept coming, each one hitting her like a battering ram, knocking her back and sending fresh waves of pain coursing through her.
"You know, you're really starting to get on my nerves," she growled, taking a step back and quickly glancing around the stadium, trying to formulate a plan. Her eyes landed on a pile of junk in the corner. Bingo.
As Glimmerstrike continued to close the distance, Fii dashed towards the pile, using her gravikinetic powers to pull pieces of scrap metal and debris from it and hurl them at her opponent. Glimmerstrike quickly formed a barrier to shield herself, and the makeshift projectiles bounced off harmlessly.
She kept pulling more and more pieces of junk from the pile, keeping Glimmerstrike on the defensive while she inched closer to her target. When she was close enough, she grabbed the rusted engine block at the base of the pile and flung it towards Glimmerstrike with all her might.
The Super managed to deflect it with another barrier, but the force of the impact knocked her back, giving Fii the opening she needed. She charged in, ducking low to avoid a hastily-erected barrier, and delivered a powerful uppercut to Glimmerstrike's chin, sending her reeling.
Fii didn't let up, following through with a series of rapid-fire punches that forced Glimmerstrike to keep backing up until she was cornered against one of the crumbling walls of the colosseum. With a final, powerful strike, Fii smashed Glimmerstrike against the wall, causing the concrete to crack behind her.
Glimmerstrike slumped down, her breathing ragged, her eyes glazed over in pain. She struggled to stand but could only manage to lean against the wall.
Fii took a deep, shuddering breath, her chest heaving from the exertion.
"You done?" she asked, wiping a trickle of blood from the corner of her mouth. "Or do you want more?"
Glimmerstrike coughed, spitting out blood onto the dusty ground. "B...bitch," she croaked, her voice hoarse.
"That's me," Fii smirked, leaning forward to offer a mock bow. "Your friendly, neighborhood bitch." She winced, feeling the bruises and scrapes along her body flare up in pain.
The drones buzzed around them, capturing every detail of their fight. Glimmerstrike's fans were probably going crazy right now, but Fii couldn't care less.
"So, here's the deal, sparkles," she continued, standing up straight and looking at the other Super pointedly. "You leave me alone, and I'll forget this little incident ever happened. Deal?" She held out her hand, waiting for a response.
Glimmerstrike looked at her hand disdainfully. "As if I'd ever agree to that."
"Look, I'm being nice here. Take it or leave it."
"I don't take deals from criminals like you."
"Okay, fine. Have it your way." Fii sighed, dropping her hand. "Just remember, I went easy on you."
With that, Fii lifted Glimmerstrike off the ground with her powers, suspending her in mid-air. Then she flew towards The Wall, carrying the struggling Super with her.
"I swear, if you drop me—"
Fii looked at her flatly. "I'm not going to drop you. Come on, gimme some credit here. You're just going on a little trip. Far, far away from me."
She reached the nearest security checkpoint at the base of The Wall and lowered Glimmerstrike to the ground in front of a group of startled MetSec agents. They quickly scrambled to surround the two, weapons drawn.
"Delivery for you guys," Fii quipped, giving them a cheeky salute before launching herself into the air and speeding off, leaving a speechless Glimmerstrike and bewildered agents in her wake.
Once she was out of sight, Fii touched down on a nearby rooftop and slumped against a broken air conditioning unit, wincing in pain. She was battered, bruised, and aching all over, but at least Glimmerstrike was off her back. For now, anyway.
Every inch of her body hurt, and she was sure she'd have some impressive bruises to show for it later.
"God, she pisses me off," Fii muttered, closing her eyes for a moment and letting the cool breeze wash over her.