Slumdog Hero

Gangs that have been around long enough were, ironically, some of the biggest advocates for order in the slums. As the saying goes, if you want to know how to build a system, ask someone who's good at breaking it. They were a distasteful necessity, as far as Fii was concerned.

However, she was perfectly content with leaving them to their devices as long as they kept to themselves and didn't cause trouble for people outside their ranks. It was the young, ambitious ones—the ones with something to prove—who caused the most problems.

And right now, two such gangs were having a not-so-friendly turf dispute. One of them had a reputation for being a little too trigger-happy for her liking.

The gunfire echoed sharply through the slums, sending Fii running towards the sound, her shoes pounding against the uneven pavement. As she rounded a corner, she skidded to a halt, taking in the scene before her.

Two rival gangs squared off against each other in the middle of the street. A dozen members on either side, all armed with makeshift guns and other crude weapons. One gang wore neon pink bandanas while the other sported blue. Already, a few bodies lay crumpled on the ground, blood pooling beneath them.

Fii's eyes narrowed as she noticed a group of kids huddled behind a dumpster, tears streaking their dirty faces. They were clearly caught in the crossfire, and it was only a matter of time before a stray bullet found them.

She wasted no time and extended her power to envelope all of the gang members and their weapons in a field of gravity that pressed them to the ground, rendering them immobile. She didn't use enough force to hurt them, just enough to keep them from moving.

"What the—?" one of the gangsters grunted, trying to lift his head off the ground. "I can't move!"

"What's going on?" another yelled, his voice strained with panic.

Fii strode into the middle of the street, her eyes hard and cold. "That's far enough," she barked, her voice carrying across the now-quiet street. "Anyone moves, I break their legs. Got it?"

The gangsters muttered and cursed, but no one dared to defy her.

"Now, you all are gonna sit tight and behave," Fii continued, turning her attention to the terrified children hiding behind the dumpster. "You kids okay? You hurt?"

The kids shook their heads, sniffling as they peered out from their hiding spot.

"Good," Fii said, offering them a small, reassuring smile. "I want you to go straight home, okay? No stopping, no playing around. Just go. Now."

The kids nodded, wiping their eyes, and quickly scampered off, disappearing down a nearby alleyway. Fii watched them go before turning her attention back to the pinned gangsters. There were already a few dead, but there was nothing she could do about that now. The only thing she could do was prevent more senseless violence.

She hoisted their guns into the air, clumping them together in a metal sphere and compressing them down to a single, solid ball of scrap. With a flick of her hand, she sent the ball hurtling into a nearby trash heap.

"Now, as for the rest of you," Fii said, addressing the gangsters once more.

They all looked closer to her age, late teens and early twenties at the latest. They weren't wearing any gang emblems or insignias she recognized, so it was likely they were just a small, local group fighting over their little piece of turf. The way their eyes darted from her to each other showed her just how inexperienced they were.

Fii crouched down and met the neon pink gang leader's eyes. He was a lanky young man with a shaved head and a scar running across his left cheek. He glared back at her defiantly.

"This is our turf!" he spat, struggling against the force that held him down. "These bastards think they can just muscle in on our territory? We gotta defend what's ours!"

Fii looked at him flatly. "And what, exactly, do you 'own' here? This neighborhood is home to families, people who have to deal with shitheads like you making their lives miserable. What do you 'own' here, exactly? The garbage? The rats? A few shabby buildings and alleyways? Get real."

She leaned in closer, her voice low and dangerous. "You're probably older than me, so you should know our rules better. You just broke three of them. One: you can't claim a family neighborhood as your turf. Two: you don't fight in a family neighborhood, especially with guns. And three: if kids are involved, you back the fuck down. Did you really think you could get away with this?"

The gangster opened his mouth to respond, but Fii didn't let him.

"Save it," she growled, standing up and looking down at him with disdain. "You're all lucky I was the one who showed up. If it had been one of the more established gangs, they would have put bullets in your heads and left you to rot. They don't like upstarts messing with the balance of things."

She extended her power again, lifting them all off the ground, including the dead. The gangsters cried out in surprise and fear as they were suspended in mid-air.

"But unlucky for you, I'm not lenient enough to let you go without any repercussions. Two out of the three rules you broke earned you a spot before a council. That's the way this works. I'll just be sending you there myself. It'll be a nice, scenic trip through the sky, don't worry. And if you struggle too much, I'll drop you and let you splatter on the ground. Got it?"

The gangsters remained silent, fear written plainly on their faces.

"Good," Fii said, nodding in satisfaction. "Now, let's get going."

With a graceful leap, Fii launched herself into the air, dragging the group of gangsters with her, their forms outlined against the sky like a string of ghastly balloons. She headed towards the outskirts of the slums, where the older and more powerful gangs held court.

As she flew over the rooftops, Fii's thoughts turned dark. She knew what fate awaited these wannabe gangsters, and while she didn't relish it, she couldn't afford to be too soft. The slums had their own rules, their own way of dealing with those who threatened the delicate balance of survival.

The established gangs weren't necessarily "good," but they played their part in maintaining order. It was an unspoken agreement, a contract between the desperate and the dangerous. You stayed in line, followed the rules, and you could carve out a niche for yourself in the madness. You broke those rules, and you'd find yourself on a one-way trip to a very unpleasant end.

Fii knew this all too well, and that's why she had to enforce the rules, even if she didn't always agree with them. It was the only way to keep the slums from devouring themselves from the inside out. Besides, she could have easily killed them, but she was giving them a chance.

A chance they didn't deserve, but a chance nonetheless.

From the corner of her eye, she spotted the silhouette of that sparkling pain-in-the-ass again. Glimmerstrike. She was following at a distance, her drones buzzing around her, recording everything.

Fii sighed inwardly. It never ends, does it?

Glimmerstrike was keeping her distance for the time being. Probably didn't want to start anything while she was handling these idiots, or maybe she just wanted to keep filming from a safe distance.

"Great, a celebrity stalker," Fii muttered, shaking her head in annoyance. "Just what I needed."

She needed to deal with her first. Having an actual metropolis Super following her into the den of the big gangs? No way. That was just asking for trouble, and not just from them—from her too.

"Hey sparkles," she called out to her, waving a hand in the air. "Mind telling me what you're doing here?"

Glimmerstrike leaped from her hard-light platform, a second forming below her to break her fall. She landed gracefully atop a nearby building, her drones swirling around her. "Just documenting the plight of the poor, downtrodden citizens of the slums," she said with a smirk. "You know, for the good of the public."

Fii rolled her eyes. "Cut the crap. You're just looking to exploit our suffering to make a quick Tink. It's disgusting."

"Exploit?" Glimmerstrike laughed. "Please. I'm providing a service. The people have a right to know what's going on here. Besides, I'm sure some of that sweet, sweet sympathy will trickle down to your neck of the woods. And what's a 'tink' anyways?"

"Yeah, right. All the way to the bottom, where it'll be too late and too little to do us any good," Fii shot back. "Now, how about you make yourself useful and stop following me around like a lost puppy? I'm in the middle of something important."

This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Glimmerstrike raised an eyebrow, looking pointedly at the group of gangsters still floating behind Fii. "Oh, this? This is important? I thought you were just taking out the trash."

"Listen, you don't know how things work around here," Fii said firmly. "So either help or get out of my way. And get that camera out of my face."

Glimmerstrike smirked, nodding to one of her drones. It zoomed in closer to Fii, its camera lens whirring. "Make me."

Fii's eyes narrowed. "Don't test me."

Glimmerstrike's smile widened. "Oh, I'm testing you. And I think you're failing." She snapped her fingers, and the drone flew even closer, practically in Fii's face.

Fii clenched her jaw, her anger rising. This Super was really asking for it.

"I'm not gonna tell you again," Fii warned, her voice low and dangerous. "Back off."

Glimmerstrike laughed, the sound grating on Fii's nerves. "Or what? You'll drop these guys?" She gestured to the floating gangsters. "Go ahead, I dare you."

Fii took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. Getting angry wouldn't solve anything. "You don't understand. These guys need to stand before a council. It's how things are done here."

"A council?"

If this bitch was gonna keep following her, she might as well know the whole story. But since going to the actual council was out of the question, going to a smaller community council would have to do.

"Yes. If you want to follow me that badly, then come with me. I'll show you how things are done in the slums."

Fii leaped off the rooftop, floating through the air and dragging the gangsters behind her. She didn't wait for Glimmerstrike to respond, already knowing the answer.

After a short trip through the skies, she landed in front of a dilapidated building with a faded sign that read "Community Center" above the entrance. The windows were boarded up, and graffiti covered the walls.

"This is where your precious council meets?" Glimmerstrike asked, raising an eyebrow as she descended on a platform of golden light. "How quaint."

"Shut up and come on."

Fii released the gangsters from her gravitational hold, and they stumbled to their feet. "All of you, inside."

The gangsters hesitated, exchanging nervous glances.

Fii's patience was wearing thin. She cracked her knuckles, giving them a threatening glare. "Now."

Reluctantly, the gangsters trudged through the front door, followed by Fii and Glimmerstrike.

The interior of the community center was just as shabby as the outside. The floor was littered with debris, and the walls were cracked and peeling. In the center of the room, a group of older residents sat around a large mahjong table, playing a game.

One of the players, a woman in her seventies with graying hair and a stern expression, looked up as Fii entered. "Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in."

"Hey, Grandma Ping," Fii greeted her with a nod. "How's the game going?"

"Oh, you know," Grandma Ping chuckled. "Beating these old codgers within an inch of their lives, as usual." She turned her attention to the group of gangsters. "And what do we have here?"

"Rule breakers," Fii said simply, crossing her arms. "Thought they'd take over a family neighborhood, started shooting at each other when they fought back, and nearly hurt some kids. I was gonna take them to a council with the Big Four, but then sparkles over there," she jerked a thumb at Glimmerstrike, "started following me around. So I thought I'd bring them here instead, have you guys pass judgment."

Glimmerstrike's eyes narrowed. "You're leaving their fates in the hands of a bunch of old folks?"

Grandma Ping slammed a palm on the table, causing the mahjong tiles to jump. "Who are you calling old, you brat?"

Glimmerstrike raised her hands defensively. "Hey, I'm just saying—"

Fii interrupted her, addressing the group at the table. "So, what's the call?"

An old man with a long, white beard named Lao Hu spoke up. "They broke the rules, they pay the price." He paused, looking at Fii. "How much damage did they cause?"

"A lot," Fii replied. "They shot the place up pretty bad. Killed at least three of each other, scared a bunch of kids half to death, and just generally made a mess of things."

Lao Hu nodded sagely, stroking his beard. "Hmm. Well, normally we'd send a few out to check the damage, see what's what, but since you're the one who brought them in, I think we can skip that part. We'll have someone look at it later, but I don't think you'd exaggerate the damage."

Fii nodded. "I wouldn't. I don't want these shitstains to get away with anything."

Grandma Ping harrumphed. "Then it's settled." She pointed at the gangsters. "You're going to work off the damage you caused. You'll fix what you broke, clean up the mess, and help out in the area until we're satisfied. If you behave, we'll let you go after that. If you don't, well..." She trailed off, letting the threat hang in the air.

One of the gangsters opened his mouth to protest, but a sharp look from Grandma Ping shut him up. "You got something to say, punk?"

He quickly shook his head, stepping back.

"That's what I thought."

Another elderly council member spoke up. "You'll be assigned a few watchers each. They'll make sure you stick to the tasks and don't cause any more trouble."

Fii nodded, satisfied with the verdict. "Thanks, guys. I appreciate it."

Glimmerstrike watched the exchange with a mixture of surprise and confusion. "You're not going to, you know, punish them? Send them to jail?"

"What jail?" Fii asked, incredulous. "There's no jail here, sparkles. There's no police, no judges, no courts. We have to make our own justice. And this is it."

Glimmerstrike didn't seem convinced. "But what if they do it again? What if they hurt someone next time?"

"They won't," Fii assured her. "Believe me. Once you've gone through a council like this, you don't want to repeat the experience. Everyone knows somebody who knows somebody else. Almost everyone has a family or friends. They'll find them, and they won't be pleased. This isn't some slap on the wrist, sparkles. This is them being given a chance to make it right, a chance to learn, and a chance to never screw up again."

Grandma Ping chimed in, "And if they don't learn, if they cause more trouble, there are... other options. But we don't like to go there unless we have to."

"Just tell it to her straight," another council member said. "They'll be branded as a pariah, and everyone will know that they're not to be trusted, helped, or even talked to. If they can't do that, then the next step is... more permanent."

Glimmerstrike's eyes widened. "You mean..."

Grandma Ping shrugged. "Exile, banishment, whatever you want to call it. They'd be driven out, never allowed to return. It's not something we do lightly, but it's a last resort. And trust me, most people would rather die than be banished from the slums. This is the only home they've ever known. Out there in the badlands, it's almost certain death."

Fii nodded. "That's how it is. So don't go thinking these guys are getting off easy. They've got a hard road ahead of them, but it's better than what they deserve."

The gangsters in question shuffled uncomfortably, avoiding eye contact with anyone. They knew they'd screwed up, and they were lucky to be getting a second chance at all.

Grandma Ping addressed them again. "Now, you'll be staying in the shelter down the road. We've got some beds set up for you there. You'll work hard, do as you're told, and maybe, just maybe, you'll come out the other side better people. Got it?"

The gangsters nodded meekly, not daring to argue.

Lao Hu stood up, leaning on his cane. "I'll get some of our boys to take them over." He shuffled out of the room, muttering under his breath about "damn kids" and "no respect."

Once Lao Hu returned with some men—from the Ironclad Legion it looked like—to escort the gangsters away, Grandma Ping turned her attention back to Fii. "So, tell me about your new friend here."

Fii sighed. "She's not my friend. She's a Super from the Metropolis who thinks she's better than all of us."

"I do not—" Glimmerstrike started to protest, but Fii cut her off.

"Please. You're a hero of the metropolis, a Super. You've probably never gone hungry a day in your life. You have no idea what it's like out here."

Glimmerstrike fell silent, a look of anger and indignation on her face. Fii turned back to Grandma Ping. "Anyway, she's been following me around all day, filming me with her stupid drones and getting in my way."

"Well, that's not very nice," Grandma Ping said, frowning at Glimmerstrike. "Why are you doing that, young lady?"

Glimmerstrike straightened up, regaining some of her composure. "I'm just trying to show the people of the metropolis what life is really like out here. How the government has abandoned you, how you're struggling to survive."

Grandma Ping chuckled. "And what makes you think the people in the metropolis give a damn about us? They've got their shiny lives, their fancy jobs, and their Superheroes to worship. They don't want to think about the poor, dirty folk in the slums."

"The ratings and views seem to disagree," Glimmerstrike shot back.

Fii rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Just keep out of my way, sparkles. I don't need you getting underfoot and messing things up even more."

Glimmerstrike smiled sweetly. "Oh, don't worry about me. I can take care of myself."

Fii snorted. "Sure you can."

Grandma Ping chuckled again. "Well, it looks like you two have a lot to talk about. Or maybe not talk, as the case may be." She winked at Fii, who rolled her eyes in response.

"We've got nothing to say to each other," Fii said flatly. "I've got work to do."

With that, Fii turned and walked out of the community center, leaving Glimmerstrike behind. The Super followed after her a moment later, her drones in tow.

Once they were outside, Fii rounded on Glimmerstrike. "So, are we gonna scrap today, or what? Let's just get it over with."

Glimmerstrike laughed, holding up her hands. "Woah there, tiger. I'm not looking for a fight. Not now, at least."

Fii narrowed her eyes. "Then why the hell are you following me?"

"Call it professional curiosity," Glimmerstrike said with a shrug. "I'm here to warn you that my audience wants a confrontation, and my sponsors demand it. But I think I'll let this play out for a while longer. Let the anticipation build. Make it more interesting for my viewers."

"You're insane," Fii said, shaking her head in disbelief. "You know that, right?"

"I prefer to think of it as 'creative marketing,'" Glimmerstrike replied with a grin. "Also, I won't be the only one you'll have to worry about. More supers are coming, you know. You're public enemy number one. You should be flattered."

Fii groaned, rubbing her temples. "Yeah, I already know. You're teaming up with someone called Diamond Ace, right?"

Glimmerstrike blinked in surprise. "How did you—"

"I've got my sources," Fii said cryptically. "And I'm not worried about your little posse. Bring it on, sparkles. I'll take you all on."

"Oh, I know you will," Glimmerstrike said, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "And I can't wait to watch you try." With a flick of her wrist, Glimmerstrike summoned a platform of golden light above her and leaped onto it. She gave Fii a mocking salute. "Until we meet again, slumdog villain."

And with that, she hopped off into the distance, her laughter echoing in the air.

Fii watched her go with a scowl and muttered, "Ugh, I'd rather chase empty cans."