---

Pain.

Everything hurt.

Axion blinked, trying to make sense of the blurry, hazy shapes hovering over her. Gradually, they resolved into the concerned faces of the other residents of the slums, peering down at her. The edges of her vision remained blurred, the world seeming to tilt and swirl around her. The ground beneath her was cold and damp. People spoke to her, but the words sounded garbled, like she was underwater.

Was she dying? Did she die?

She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Only a dry, hacking cough. Her throat felt sore.

What happened? The building... the earthquake, and the collapse, and the injured woman, and—

"Wait!" She shot upright, instantly regretting it as the pain blossomed throughout her body, wracking her with agony. She sank back down, hissing in discomfort. "The woman. Where's the woman?"

She felt something stir beneath her.

"Still here." The woman's voice was a raspy croak. "Right here."

Axion blinked, the image finally focusing.

The woman was still curled up in her arms. Her skin was caked with dust and dried blood. But she was alive. Breathing. Alert.

Thank god.

Axion exhaled, closing her eyes as a wave of relief washed over her. She looked around her. It looked as though she was lying on the remains of a pile of rubble at the edge of the now-collapsed building.

The familiar feeling of her gravity field still enveloped her, protecting her. She nudged the slab of concrete that was resting against her back with her head. It slid off her, slowly floating to the ground, while the rest of the debris shifted around her.

The sound of voices stirred Axion from her thoughts. A group of people were talking excitedly amongst themselves, gesturing wildly to the street.

She struggled to sit up, a fresh wave of dizziness washing over her. She had to lean on the woman beside her for support, who seemed equally shaken. With her other hand, she cupped her helmet. "Ow," she winced.

She surveyed the area. Buildings on all sides had partially collapsed, leaving the street littered with debris and chunks of concrete. A thick haze of dust and smoke hung in the air, obscuring the sun.

"You okay?" She asked the woman she was supporting.

The woman nodded, though her face was contorted with pain. "I think so." Her voice was shaky.

"We'll get you some help. Hang in there," Axion said, trying to reassure the woman. "Um...I can carry you somewhere more comfortable if you want."

The woman shook her head. "It's alright. I'm...I'm okay." Her voice cracked.

Axion patted the woman's shoulder. "Okay."

She strained to stand up. Everything in her body felt heavy, and she ached all over. Even so, she forced herself to her feet. She wobbled unsteadily before catching herself, taking a moment to let her bearings settle.

The people around her began to clear a path for her to exit. Slowly, Axion limped her way towards the street, where she could see a crowd had gathered. Faces swarmed before her, the onlookers parting to let her pass. Their expressions ranged from amazement to shock, but they were all directed at her.

She slumped against a wall for support. The adrenaline from earlier had worn off, and the fatigue was now starting to set in. She was about to slump down and catch her breath when she saw the kid from earlier rush to the woman she rescued, crying as he clung to her.

The kid was blubbering something, and the woman hugged her child. Her shoulders shuddered, tears streaking down her cheeks, and the kid buried his face in her lap, bawling his eyes out.

A surge of pride swelled in Axion's chest, and her mask's eyes curved upward to mimic her expression. She was exhausted, but seeing the happy reunion warmed her heart.

The marketplace had been reduced to a mess of broken and toppled stalls. The crowd whispered amongst themselves, their faces streaked with sweat and dirt. Some were nursing injuries, while others helped those in need. It seemed a few people had died, though the extent of the damage was still unclear.

From the looks on their faces, though, they seemed more relieved than anything.

She pushed herself off the wall, straightening her posture. There were still a lot of things she could do to help, like clearing the rubble and finding any other injured people. And as Axion, she'd do just that.

---

"Ow!" Fii winced as Edith adjusted her bandages, pulling tight on the gauze wrapped around her chest. "Easy!"

Edith gave Fii's arm a comforting squeeze before continuing her work, looping the bandage around Fii's torso. "Almost done, hold still," she said, her tone stern. "It's important to keep the wound clean and covered to prevent infection."

Fii sucked in a breath through her teeth as Edith finished securing the bandage. "Alright, alright, I got it." She rolled her shoulder, wincing at the dull throb of pain that pulsed through her. "So, how's the woman I rescued doing?"

Edith cleared her throat. "She's recovering in the other room." She flashed Fii a weary smile. "She'll be okay, but it'll take time."

Fii nodded. "Good to hear." She stared down at her bandaged ribs, her mind replaying the events of the day. "So...it's all over, huh? I can't believe an earthquake hit so suddenly."

"And a fairly large one at that. We're lucky you were on site." Edith reached up, pressing her fingers gently on Fii's cheek. "You saved so many lives."

The words filled Fii with pride. "Of course." She puffed up her chest, a small smile on her lips. "I'm a Superhero. That's what I do, right?"

"Well, not every Super goes beyond their job description, but...good on you." Edith turned to rummage through the cabinets, retrieving a bottle of pills and a couple of small pots of salve. "These should help with the pain. You're a metahuman now, but even with your accelerated healing, you won't fully recover for at least a few days. And a few more before the pain subsides entirely."

"Eh, I'll be fine," Fii said with a shrug, attempting to appear nonchalant. "It's nothing I can't handle. It's not the first time I've gotten a beating. I've taken harder hits for less, and I'm not dead yet. This is a piece of cake." She flexed her arm, ignoring the jolt of pain that traveled through her body. "See? I'm still as fit as ever."

Edith let out an exasperated sigh. "That's...not the point. You did good, but based on what you said and what your suit's sensors recorded, you're lucky that you and the woman you carried survived the collapse. Don't push yourself." Her expression softened into a gentle smile. "You've helped a lot of people today, and you should be proud. Now, take these. Don't make me shove them down your throat."

"Ack, okay, okay!" Fii held out her hand, accepting the proffered medicine. "Geez, you're bossy today." She popped a pill into her mouth, swallowing it with a swig of water from the bottle Edith handed to her.

Fii lay on her side on the examination table, closing her eyes. The low buzz of the fluorescent lights overhead hummed in her ears. She felt...tired. Physically and mentally, drained.

Today had been eventful, to say the least. Between helping the aftermath of the earthquake and tending to the wounded, she had barely gotten any rest since arriving at Edith's clinic.

Edith took a seat on a nearby chair, and the two fell into a comfortable silence.

Fii's thoughts drifted to the faces of the people she'd helped today. She could still recall their smiles, the tears of joy in their eyes, the gratitude in their voices.

After a moment, Edith finally spoke up. "So, what's it like to finally be a Superhero?"

Fii opened one eye, her brow furrowing. "Huh?" She blinked, turning to meet Edith's gaze. "I mean, it's...great? I'm not really sure, to be honest. It's kinda weird, and scary, and exciting all at the same time."

She propped herself up on one elbow, looking down at her bandaged chest. "It's not what I expected, that's for sure." She paused for a moment, letting out a soft chuckle. "But I guess that's not a bad thing, y'know?"

"Hmm." Edith hummed in agreement. "True. There's no set formula to being a hero, and it takes time to adjust to the demands of the job. That said, you handled today's disaster very well, all things considered."

Edith patted Fii's head, her hand coming to a rest on her shoulder. "You've made great progress. Keep up the good work, and you'll be an asset to the community in no time."

Fii allowed herself a smile. "You think so?"

"I know so." Edith gave her shoulder a light squeeze. "Anyways, rest here for a bit. I've still got a lot of work to do with the other patients." She rose to her feet, brushing a stray strand of hair out of Fii's eyes. "Let Sheri know if you need anything, alright?"

"Gotcha." Fii yawned, settling back onto the table. "Thanks, Edith."

Edith offered her a brief nod before turning to leave. "You have no idea how hard it is to perform surgeries without proper medical training," she mumbled under her breath, just loud enough for Fii to overhear.

Are those people going to be okay?

The question floated in the back of her mind, but she couldn't muster the energy to ask. She would find out eventually, and no matter how much of a skimmer Edith was, Fii trusted she'd do her best. So, they would be fine. Probably. Maybe.

Fii closed her eyes again. She needed a nap. Or a week's worth of sleep. Preferably both.

---

Edith slumped on her chair, exhausted from the long day. She closed her eyes, letting her head fall back. Her body ached, her head throbbed, and the smell of disinfectant burned in her nose. She'd spent almost the whole day treating people, and her mind was frazzled.

This wasn't her usual gig, after all.

But now that things have settled somewhat, she finally had time to look at the data that Fii's suit and helmet had collected during the incident—the readings on the gravitational fluctuations, the stress her techsuit's systems went through, and the various ways her body was reacting to the gravity alterations. Fascinating stuff.

Fii's TFSI was within a reasonable range, until the point where the building had collapsed. By Fii's own account, she had used her powers to cushion the impact of the fall and to deflect the debris away from herself and the victim.

The suit's scanners also indicated she sustained an injury to her back and ribs, likely from the impact. Edith didn't detect a spinal injury, thankfully. However, Fii also experienced some muscle strains and bruising due to the added G-forces involved in her stunt.

All in all, Fii had done an impressive job handling herself. And it was only her first major outing as a Superhero. If this was what she was capable of on her own, the possibilities of what she could accomplish with further training and experience were limitless.

"That girl..." Edith muttered, shaking her head in disbelief. "She's going to be a handful. I just know it."

As she continued her analysis, the sound of footsteps reached her ears. She turned, only to be greeted by the sight of her assistant, Sheri, entering the room with a cup of coffee in one hand.

Sheri smiled apologetically. "Sorry, Edith, I got caught up with a patient." She offered the mug to Edith, who gratefully accepted. "Here. Black, no sugar, just how you like it."

"Thanks." Edith took a sip, savoring the bitter taste of the dark brew. "Mm. Perfect. So, how's our favorite slum resident doing?"

Sheri shrugged. "Better than she was when she came in. The kid's tough, I'll give her that. She's already snoozing like a baby in the other room." She took a seat at the desk next to Edith, the chair squeaking as she did so.

"Heh, you're telling me. It's kind of adorable." Edith leaned back in her chair, staring up at the ceiling. "We did good today, all things considered. I'm glad the worst of the injuries we treated were lacerations and broken bones."

"Mmm." Sheri hummed in agreement. "Fortunately, the clinic got by mostly unscathed. Other buildings weren't so lucky, though. Though, I'm surprised that the Tower of Song and the Tower of Silence both managed to not collapse. They were both in poor shape to begin with."

"Those towers are probably older than the slum itself," Edith pointed out. "They've survived numerous earthquakes before. They might end up being around after we're all gone."

"Yeah, you've got a point." Sheri stretched her arms out, her spine cracking audibly as she did so. "Ugh, I'm beat. It's been a long day for us all. Any plans for the evening?"

"Just looking at more reports, and studying this data the suit recorded from Fii's performance," Edith replied, her eyes fixed on the computer screen before her. "That, and reviewing the information on the metropolis' new laws on Superhero registration. Seems like they're getting more aggressive with their enforcement."

Sheri raised an eyebrow and tapped her finger on her chin. "Are they cracking down on unregistered Metas or something?"

"Mostly." Edith swiveled the monitor around to show Sheri the data. "Apparently, the metropolis has decided to take a more active role in policing the Superhero scene. While they still have their own licensed and vetted heroes, they also plan to exert greater control over the independent vigilantes and their activities, including requiring all Supers to register and get licenses. And not the cheap ones either, but the legit ones."

"It shouldn't matter for Fii, right? We're not in the metropolis, and she's just a slum kid. It's not like they have jurisdiction here, do they?"

Edith shrugged. "Technically, they do. They only care enough about what happens in the slums to appease the general public who wants to believe their government does something for those living outside of the city walls. But really, unless something catastrophic happens here that affects the metropolis directly, no one there will lift a finger. So, we shouldn't have to worry about her getting caught. At least, not yet."

"Unless, y'know, she decides to visit the metropolis on her own. Then they might start paying attention to her. Like if she saves someone important, or she becomes a celebrity. Those guys tend to draw a lot of attention. Sometimes not the good kind." Sheri clicked her tongue, shaking her head.

"No one from the slums can go into the metropolis, even if they were a metahuman," Edith retorted. "There's a strict process of identification and authentication required to even consider granting a slum-dweller access. She'd be stuck in a checkpoint or customs line for ages. Not to mention you need a lot of money to even try. Unless she plans to sneak in, I doubt she'd make it past the front gate."

Sheri snorted, amusement twinkling in her eyes. "Can't imagine a poor girl from the slums becoming a big deal in the metropolis, though, can you?" She drummed her fingers on the table. "It's funny, isn't it? We spend our days hoping for a better tomorrow, yet, at the same time, we can't imagine a tomorrow where the slums don't exist. When everything is better."

Edith sighed, rubbing her temples. "Honestly, I can't tell whether you're joking or being serious sometimes." She eyed Sheri suspiciously, earning her a small grin. "We both know the slums aren't going anywhere anytime soon. And I can't pretend to understand where you're coming from since I'm not from here. But this is the reality of life here, and there's not much anyone can do to change that. Well, at least, not on their own, that is."

"Hey, hey, I'm just saying. I was just having a bit of fun." Sheri chuckled. "Still, Fii has the potential to be a game-changer. Who knows? Maybe one day, she might be a hero to the metropolis, and they'll start caring more about the slums and the people who live here. A girl can dream, can't she?" She tilted her head, casting Edith a sideways glance.

Edith let out an uncharacteristic giggle. "Look at you, getting all sentimental and mushy. I didn't know you were such a romantic, Sheri."

Sheri lifted her hands, shrugging nonchalantly. "Eh, what can I say? I'm a sucker for a good story. Plus, the kid's a local. It would be nice to see a local make something of herself for once, y'know?"

"Well, she's going to have to work hard, that's for sure." Edith took another sip of her coffee. "If she wants to be the hero of the slums, then she better get ready for a rough ride ahead."

"And you're going to help her every step of the way, right? Be her guide, her mentor, her pillar of support..." Sheri trailed off, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. "I've always wanted to say that. Y'know, the wise older teacher guiding the young, naive student along a righteous path..."

"I don't know about that last part, but I'm already invested in her growth." Edith laughed, her expression turning thoughtful. "It's ironic, isn't it? For all my talk about wanting to stay out of trouble, I've now signed myself up for a massive headache."