Cities have their own personalities, seemingly built for their heroes. Gotham seems carved from lava rock, dark and shiny but containing many deep holes and enough jagged edges to remind one to look but never touch. Central City is flat, open, with everything laid out for the world to see. Hub City tends to be overlooked, forgotten, even though it holds so much potential. Coast City…the city lost then reborn once more, never letting fear drive it down. Star City is a town that likes to pull itself up, not rely on anything other then itself to get by…self-sustaining.
Then, there is Metropolis, the shining city of hope, of light, of the future. Built with as many dreams as there is steel, it is the city that always rises, the city that always comes through in the end.
The city of…
"RUN!"
The shoppers at the outdoor mall scrambled, all to use to the routine: Peaceful day, Villain attacks, People run, Hero comes, Villain stopped.
The villain in question? The almighty Doomsday. The beast that had killed Superman and had earned his title a thousand times over. A massive hulk of gray muscle and razor sharp diamond-like bone spikes, unstoppable and unrelenting. A force of nature, a terrible nightmare given life.
"Where is he, Metropolis?" Doomsday bellowed, lifting a car over his head and shaking it several times. "Where is your mighty savoir? I have come to break him in two!" Giving the vehicle a heave, Doomsday sent it flying into a Banana Smoothie stand, plywood raining down on the fleeing citizens.
But it was in this moment, when all hope seemed lost…
"Look, up in the sky!" A scruffy man shouted. "It's a bird!"
"It's a plane!" A woman cried.
"It's BOOSTER GOLD!"
The crowd cheered as the gold and blue clothed hero descended from the sky, yellow visor flashing in the sun as he flashed the crowd a winning smile. The blue star shined upon his chest, blonde hair billowing in the breeze as he turned to the citizens that looked to him now for guidance.
"Do not worry, folks!" Booster called out to the frightened crowd. "I will not allow any harm to come to any of you." The hero pointed a menacing finger at the villain. "Why do you just leaving this town, Doomsday, and return to whatever hole you were hiding in all this time!"
Doomsday narrowed his eyes, teeth bared and grit. "I will enjoy tearing you limb from limb, then hanging your broken body for all to see!"
Booster merely floated closer, gaze never leaving his foe. "That will never happen, monster…" He flashed another one of his winning smiles. "But tell you what…I'll give you one for free." He held out his arms. "Come on…take your best shot!"
Doomsday didn't smile, didn't laugh or show any joy at this. No, the beast decided just to lash out, striking Booster with a right hook that would have snapped Superman's neck and left him broken on the pavement.
Booster didn't even blink as Doomsday's hand shattered.
He watched as his foe bellowed in agony, clutching his mangled, twisted fingers. Booster landed, tilting his head as he watched the unstoppable force snarl in pain.
"That all you got?"
Doomsday roared, rearing back and punching Booster with his other arm, breaking it much as he had his other. Roaring, the monster leapt into the air. It wasn't to escape, that was for sure. No, he wanted to crush the golden hero beneath his massive feet, grind his bones to dust and leave him a slick spot on the cement.
Booster calmly watched as Doomsday turned to little more then a speck in the sky, smirking slightly as he raised his fist in the air. The winds whistled as Doomsday fell, bellowing his rage as he descended.
The collision was violent. A loud, terrible sound of broken bones and mashed flesh filling the air.
The crowd slowly emerged from where they were hiding, staring with adoration as Booster hefted his hand, tossing the unconscious Doomsday to the ground. The citizens began to cheer, Booster waving them off.
"Please, please…no need for that," He said, walking through the adoring crowd. "I haven't done anything that wouldn't be done by another hero."
"I wouldn't say that." A figure called out from the sky. Booster stared up, eyes widening.
"Supes?" Booster questioned, taking a step towards the hero that had remained a legend even in his time.
"Booster…what you did here today proved that you are truly the greatest of us." The red and blue figure stayed high in the air, the sun making his image blurred. "I would be honored if you would pay your rent!"
"Wha?"
&
Booster Gold, aka Michael Jon Carter, groaned as he was dragged out of his dream, finding himself in the tiny, crumbling apartment that currently served as his home. His bed, a small twin that barely allowed him to stretch his 6 foot 1 form without having his feet hang off the edge, creaked as he sat up, hand reaching up to wipe the crud from his eyes.
"I can hear you breathing!" The woman that had so rudely awoken him called out once more, pounding on the door. "Rent!"
"I'm coming!" Michael snapped, tossing the scratchy sheet aside and ambling over to the door, dressed only in a pair of Aquaman underwear. Running his fingers through his hair, Michael forced himself to plaster on his best smile before yanking the door open. "Why, good morning, Mrs. Kwon. How are you this fine morning?"
"Poor! Poor because you didn't pay your rent!" The short, fiery woman stated, poking Michael in the chest. "You owe me 200 dollars."
"Mrs. Kwon, I assure you…"
"Assure not money!" Mrs. Kwon screamed. "You pay up tonight, or you don't wake up tomorrow!"
Michael chuckled. "I'm sure…" He gulped when Mrs. Kwon pulled out a berretta 9 mm from her nightgown, pressing it against his chest. "…that I can have the check made out by 5 pm?"
"You better!" She said, waving the gun in his face. "You know who would miss one welching blonde pretty boy? No one, that who! I could bury you in backyard, sell shiny alarm clock for 50 bucks, and no one would blink an eye! You remember that!" She began to mutter to herself as she walked back to her apartment, Michael slowly shutting the door.
"I take offense to that, sir." Skeets, Michael's robotic valet/coach/sidekick/friend said, floating up from where he had been laying on the dresser. "I am worth more then 50 dollars."
"Are you worth a rent check, Skeets? Because if you aren't, then you aren't worth the trouble of selling."
Skeets considered this. "I do not think so."
"Then I need to figure out who to pay Squat Round, or we are homeless."
"Squat Round?"
Michael rummaged through his closet, searching for some clean clothes. "You know, Illinois Jones' sidekick."
"Indiana Jones, Michael, and it is Short Round."
"Whatever." Michael said, sniffing a shirt. Shrugging, he pulled out the dress shirt, as well as a pair of blue jeans, the snatched his uniform from where it lay half concealed under the mattress. "You mind getting the bag in order, Skeets? I'm going to take a shower."
"Will you need assistance?" The robot asked.
"I'm sure I will be fine." Michael said coldly.