The Strange Tale of Dr. Hero and Lord Overlord
I woke up like I always do: a splitting headache and a need to do some justice. Again, I had slept through the escapade set up by Dr. Overlord. I heard the panic ensuing outside, presumably a robot armada by the sound of it. I hated Overlord, not just because of his acts of injustice, but in his ability to always be one step ahead of me.
I looked around me. Seems I woke up in a dark alley again today. It changed from day to day ever since I got my powers. Never somewhere comfortable. Always seemed like I was in the middle of something before I knocked out. I was wearing a lab coat again. I made my way to the street in front of me, a chorus of screams guiding me.
It was absolute pandemonium. Humanoid robots were blasting buildings on the other side of me, and people screamed, fled, and were crushed by their onslaught. I tried to make my way stealthily around one of the robots to take it from behind, but it sensed me before I could make it too close. It spun around and knelt down in front of me, almost like it was bowing. Probably charging some secret move. I jumped upwards.
“JUSTICE SMASH!”
It looked surprised as I crushed its head between my arms, rendering it powerless. I turned to the next one that was looming over civilians.
“It’s him!” a woman screamed at me. She sounded terrified, poor thing.
“Yes, do not worry, I am here to save you!” I said, mustering my deepest voice. The robot bowed towards me as the innocent people fled the area. The woman looked at me confused as I went to destroy the next robot.
The grueling hours went on and on as I destroyed one robot after another. Each of them seemed to be preparing for some move as they went down. They were all very attentively looking at me as I used my brute strength to destroy them. When I took down the last one, the people had gathered around me. I stood atop the last defeated robot, letting them all gaze on my heroic form.
“Get out of here! Why do you keep doing this?” a man yelled, frustrated.
“I don’t do this for anything but justice. You needn’t fear for me.”
“We don’t fear for you, you monster!” he screamed back, louder, with increasing frustration.
“Ah, you needn’t fear me as well. I would never turn my powers on innocent civilians!” I said proudly.
“But you’ve done it many times! What’s wrong with you? Do you get some sick kicks out of this game you play?” he was begging now. Truly unable to understand my pure motives.
“Sir, you must under — “
The robot I stood above exploded. I caught all the shrapnel heading for the civilians in front of me. They ran in fear as I prepared for another explosion. None came, but I did notice a serial number on the metal I held. With this, I would be able to track down the villain’s lair, something I’d been unable to do up until now.
After some research, and loss of my valuable time being awake, I came upon the secret entrance to an underground bunker. I breathed deeply and threw the hatch open. I felt the rush of finally being able to face Dr. Overlord himself. Take him down for good.
I flew to the bottom of the stairs. In front of me was a giant banner with a maniacal looking man on it. Upon closer inspection, I realized that it wasn’t Dr. Overlord. It was a picture of me.
He was toying with me. He knew I would discover this bunker long after he left…
I felt my eyelids grow heavy… I only wished that I could one day wake at a time to discover this monster’s identity.
* * *
I woke with a start, my hands throbbing like I’d been punching the wall all night. Seemed the robot armada had failed. But at least I was in my bunker!