A Simpler, Better World (Patreon)

Origin.1

Southside, Metropolis

June 17th, 2010

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

The streets of Southside, or as the locals called it, Suicide Slum, were a far cry from the comics he remembered. They were grimy, filled with graffiti-covered buildings, and the air was thick with tension from small, rival gangs fighting to prove they were the most ruthless. Distant sirens wailed, a never-ending soundtrack to his new life. Man, this really isn’t the Metropolis I read about, he thought, pushing open the top of a dumpster and hauling himself up its side. But I guess even Superman can't clean up every mess.

His dark skin contrasted sharply with the blue-and-white baseball shirt he wore as he sat on the edge of the dumpster, looking around at the crumbling buildings. Almost a month here, and I still can't believe this is real. Can’t remember my name or nothing else but I know about DC. And that’s so weird. He sighed, dropping down into the dumpster with a thud. His feet squelched into something unpleasant, and he grimaced. Better not to think about it.

Hunger gnawed at him, making the dumpster dive a necessity. He rummaged around, hoping for something edible. Come on, just one slice of pizza. Is that too much to ask? But all he found was a piece of stale bread.

He let out a tired groan and climbed his way back out of the dumpster, his mood souring.

"Yo, Blue!" A familiar voice called out. He turned to see Jamal, a caramel-skinned boy with curly hair, waving at him as he rounded the corner of the alley. Beside Jamal was Mia, a tiny redhead with a face full of freckles, and Katie, a buck-toothed girl with hair he wasn’t sure was dirty blonde or just dirty. Trailing the three of them were the twins, Leo and Rosa, both with brown hair and matching eyes, full of mischief.

"Hey, guys," he greeted, trying to sound more upbeat than he felt.

Jamal grinned, swinging a backpack off his shoulder. "Got some good stuff today." He unzipped the bag, revealing two sandwiches, several sodas, a half-eaten pizza still in the box, and five bags of chips.

Mia rolled her eyes, nudging Jamal. "Don't act like you did all the work. I swiped the pizza."

“I scored the drinks,” Katie lisped, throwing her hands up with twin peace signs.

Leo laughed, "And I got the chips. Rosa was lookout."

Rosa smirked, "Best lookout in Suicide Slum."

He chuckled, grateful for all of them. These guys... they're alright. They might be a bit rough around the edges, but they had taken him in when he was lost and confused. They shared their food, their stories, and in the harsh world of Southside, that meant everything.

"Come on, Blue," Mia said, handing him a sandwich. "Eat up. We've got a long night ahead."

He took the sandwich, his stomach growling in response. "Thanks, Mia." He took a bite, savoring the taste. It wasn't gourmet, but it was food, and right now, that was all that mattered.

The laughter and chatter of the group was abruptly cut short by the sudden appearance of three menacing figures at the entrance of the alleyway. The tallest of them, a lanky guy with a shaved head and a snake tattoo curling around his neck, sneered at the group. Beside him stood a beefy guy with a perpetual scowl, and a wiry girl with a nose ring and a smirk that spelled trouble.

"Look who we have here," the tall one drawled, his eyes scanning the group. "Little rats scurrying about in our territory."

The wiry girl snickered, "Yeah, and it looks like they've found some cheese." She pointed at the food spread out before the group.

Oh no, the Slum Snakes, he thought, his heart racing. He'd heard about them. Everyone in Southside had by now. They were a wannabe gang, but they still caused at least half as much trouble as the larger groups. More than that, they were notorious for shaking down anyone they thought they could intimidate.

The beefy one stepped forward, crushing a bag of chips under his boot. "We know y'all been stealing. Where's our cut?"

"Protection money?" Jamal shot back, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "None of us work, genius."

The wiry girl lunged at Mia, trying to grab her, but he stepped in front, blocking her path. Without warning, the beefy one shoved him hard, sending him sprawling to the ground.

Ow, that's gonna leave a mark, Blue thought, already helping his friend up.

Jamal, anger evident in his eyes, stepped forward again. "Back off!" he shouted, trying to push the beefy guy away.

The tall one laughed, "You think you can stand up to us? You're just kids."

"We don't want any trouble," Mia said, her voice trembling slightly. Katie stood by her side, trying her best to look tough and failing miserably. "Yeah, j-just leave us alone."

The wiry girl smirked, "We don't want your money. We just like reminding you who's in charge here."

Blue could feel the tension in the air, thick and palpable. The Slum Snakes were clearly enjoying their power but he wasn't about to let them have the last laugh.

"Yeah, we get it," he said, trying to sound at least half as brave as Jamal. "You're the big bad Slum Snakes. Now slither away."

He could almost feel Jamal’s wince, the older boy’s fingers clenching into fists.

The tall one raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting the retort. For a moment, there was silence, then the wiry girl let out a laugh.

"You've got guts, kid," the wiry girl said, her smirk widening. Without warning, she pulled a machete from behind her back, the blade glinting menacingly in the dim light. "Maybe you want to see them for yourself?"

His heart raced, pounding in his ears. The alleyway, which had felt so familiar just moments ago, now felt like a trap. The cold steel of the blade seemed to draw his gaze, and he couldn't tear his eyes away. Oh man, this is bad. Really, really bad.

He tried to back away, but his feet felt glued to the spot. The other kids were frozen too, their eyes wide with fear. The weight of the situation pressed down on him, making it hard to think. I need to... I need to... But what? What could he possibly do?

Then, an idea struck him. It was a long shot, but it was all he had. Taking a deep breath, he pointed behind the Slum Snakes and screamed at the top of his lungs, "SUPERMAN!"

For a split second, the gangsters hesitated, glancing over their shoulders. That moment was all he needed. He bolted, following the lead of his friends who were already sprinting away. But the Slum Snakes were quick to recover, and he could hear their footsteps pounding behind him.

Come on, come on! he urged himself, pushing his legs to move faster. But then, a sharp pain shot up his foot, causing him to stumble and fall. He looked back to see the rock that had tripped him up, cursing under his breath.

Rolling onto his back, he saw the girl with the machete approaching, her grin even wider now. "You're gonna pay for messing with us, brat," she sneered, raising the blade.

His mind raced, searching for a way out. But with the cold steel of the machete inches from his face, all he could do was hope for a miracle.

His stomach churned, a sickening drop like he was on the world's worst rollercoaster.

The machete-wielding girl's smirk seemed to grow wider, more menacing. I wish I could be like Superman, he thought desperately, the name echoing in his mind like a mantra. Superman. Superman.

“SUPERMAN!” The word spilled out for the second time that afternoon as an unfamiliar sensation began to build behind his eyes.

It was like a pressure cooker, the energy bubbling and rising, threatening to explode. His vision started to blur, the edges darkening, and a sharp, piercing pain shot through his skull. He groaned, the sound escaping his lips before he could stop it.

Then, without warning, BLUE.

It burst from his eyes like fire, scorching him from the inside out.

A brilliant burst of blue heat filled his vision and erupted out into the alley, making the air scream nearly as loud as he did. It lashed out, a laser-like beam that sliced through the air, melting the tip of the girl's machete, scorching a nearby dumpster, and even burning a hole in the upper terrace of a building. He instinctively turned his gaze skyward, trying to avoid causing more damage, and let out a scream, the sound raw and primal.

Did I just...? The thought was cut off as he blinked, trying to clear the afterimages from his vision. The gang members, bravado replaced by sheer terror, scattered in all directions, their screams echoing throughout the alley.

Okay, that was cool, but also kinda scary. What just happened? He tried to steady himself, but his legs felt like jelly. He stumbled forward, body trembling as he tried to keep his eyes open and body upright. Wha…

As he swayed, a shadow fell over him. He squinted against the sun, his heart skipping a beat as he recognized the iconic silhouette hovering above.

It's him! It's actually Superman! The realization hit him like a ton of bricks. Did he hear me scream? This is so cool! Wait, is he here for me? The excitement was short-lived, though, as a wave of dizziness washed over him again. It felt like the energy was being siphoned out of him, leaving him drained and weak.

The world around him began to tilt and the boy stumbled forward. Whoa, head's spinning.

He took in a sharp breath, but that barely seemed to help. What's happening to me?

Help! He tried to call out, but his voice failed him like his legs, lungs barely drawing air anymore.

As his knees buckled, he felt a strong hand catch him, preventing him from hitting the ground. The last thing he saw before everything went black was the concerned face of Superman, looking down at him.

• 75 XP
• 75 XP
• 125 XP

Skill Gained!

• Heat Vision Lvl 1!

Feats Achieved!

• First Strike!
  • You've defeated your first enemy, marking the start of your journey.
• 250 XP
• Iconic Inspiration I
  • Tapping into the might of legendary heroes and villains.
• 1000 XP
• Peacekeeper I
  • Not all heroes resort to violence. Defeated your first foe without a fight.
• 1000 XP
• Triple Threat Trumped!
  • Defeated three enemies at once.
• 1000 XP
• Raw Force (of Personality) I
  • Intimidate your first enemy into submission.
• 2500 XP
• 5 CHA
• Beyond the Limit I
  • Defeat all enemies after draining your energy pool below zero.
• 2500 XP
• 100% Power Boost for next 24 hrs after awakening
• No regeneration debuff for draining energy into negatives.
• Giant Slayer I
  • Against all odds, you defeated an enemy twice your level.
• 2500 XP
• Giant Slayer II
  • Against all odds, you defeated 3 enemies twice your level.
• 5000 XP
• Civilian Savior I
  • Putting the people first. You saved 5 civilians from danger.
• 1500 XP
• Starting Out!
  • Dipping your feet into combat at Level 5.
• 2 Perk Points
• 10 Stat Points
• The Man (of Steel) Himself!
  • In the heart of Metropolis, you crossed paths with Superman.
• 5000 XP
• Emerging Hero!
  • Your power grows as you hit Level 10.
• 2 Perk Points
• 10 Stat Points

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

Level Up x 10

You are now Level 11.

EXP: 19000/20000

HP: 90/200

EP: -50/200