Enter: Connor Hawke

[newoutsiders]

Amusement Mile, 91 Sorkin Avenue. Gotham City.

Home.

You knew it was going to be hard, making a clean start for yourself far away from the Arrow Clan. You didn’t think it was going to be this hard. But with most of your boxes unpacked, and tenants displaced by a gentrified Burnside filing into this once abandoned entertainment district- thanks to your generous, rent controlled prices- you’re finally back in the landlording game.

At least this was a cheap get. Even with all the gentrification going on in this neighborhood, for some reason the buildings down this part of Sorkin Avenue were priced to move. You figure it’s just Gotham- people get scared and leave town all the time. Fortunately for your tenants, they’ve got a superhero for a landlord.

There’s still a lot to do. There’s that zen garden you want to put up on the roof, that isn’t even close to finished. The Bailey family on the second floor still isn’t getting water in their kids’ bathroom. Not to mention—

You’re interrupted from meditating in your spartan spare bedroom by the ring of a doorbell.

Comments

[not_easy_being_green]

Connor nods, a little absently. "I think it might be a good idea for us to... talk." He glances at the open door. "Privately."

[newoutsiders]

Lemmy taps his nose and smiles knowingly. "Roger," he stage whispers. "Come in and close the door. Spencer's not gonna hear any of this. Besides, he's cool."

[not_easy_being_green]

Connor does so uneasily, then turns to Lemmy. He's clearly feeling a bit awkward right now. After a moment's hesitation, he says, "How are you doing with... everything?"

[newoutsiders]

"Awesome!" He blurts out. "Never felt better in my life. This was a great night for me. Solved that ghost mystery, blowing up on CapeScape, and- oh yeah, you might have missed this- I got FREAKING SUPER POWERS, DUDE!"

[not_easy_being_green]

"I'm glad you're taking it well." It could have gone either way, really, but he guesses Lemmy was comparatively lucky, not having been forced to work for Grundy like the others. "Do you know how they took you? With Grundy - gone - the abductions should stop, but if it's at all possible to track down any of the others responsible..."

[newoutsiders]

"Well... I gotta come clean with you, dude," he says a little sheepishly. "I moved in after all those disappearances to track down the ghost here. I dunno if the last super told you, but people said this place was haunted." He laughs. "I guess we know it was just those zombie guys now, huh? Anyway, yeah, I was going to get a pizza, when I saw somebody weird in the building. I tried to tail him- and the douchebag turned a corner, and when I followed, he JUMPED me! Next thing I know, I'm in the swamp getting strapped into some crazy machine."

[not_easy_being_green]

"I know, I saw your site." He looks a little startled as Lemmy continues, "He was in here? What did he look like?"

[newoutsiders]

"I dunno, man. He was just a guy. He ran out with a few other guys when the base was under attack, and I heard him start shooting right before I went under again."

[not_easy_being_green]

And of course, there are no security cameras. "Maybe this goes without saying, but if you see him around here again... make sure to detain him."

Connor takes a breath. "Speaking of... things that probably go without saying... I know my secret identity kind of... isn't... but I'd still really rather not advertise anything..."

[newoutsiders]

"Sure, sure," he says, waving it off like it's no big thing. "I didn't mention your name. I just told my followers I've been busting Grundy with DGA. Dreamy Green Arrow," he clarifies. "You're, uh, kind of a meme."

[not_easy_being_green]

"I'm a what?"

Connor is, by now, unfortunately aware of his CapeScape fame, but he has no idea what a "meme" is.

[newoutsiders]

"What?" he laughs. "You know man, a meme! I dunno how to describe it. I guess, basically, it means you're famous on the internet, but also kind of a joke people use? Don't worry, in your case it's a flattering joke. It's all about how good looking you are."

[not_easy_being_green]

"Great. This is the thing with the person who's been impersonating me on - what was it? CapeScape? - again, isn't it?"

[newoutsiders]

"Ha!" he shouts, victoriously. "I *KNEW* that wasn't you! Half the guys on CapeScape are, like, roleplay accounts. I mean, yours was verified, but I always told people, that's not you. The real Olive Arrow is way too much of a shy doofus to post about himself online. Uh... no offense."

[not_easy_being_green]

"Uh... none... taken?" 'Olive Arrow?' "I literally only just found out about it a few hours ago. Do you know if there's anything I can do about it?"

[newoutsiders]

"I guess you could put up a complaint..." he says. "I dunno if you want to involve lawyers. That could get really messy, what with your identity and all... oh!"

Lemmy snaps his fingers, which produces a metallic *TUNG* sound.

"You can record a video refutation, and send it in! Prove that it's really you, and post your OWN video, about how this other guy faked it! I can help you record it, if you want."

[not_easy_being_green]

"Oh. I'll have to-"

He thinks about the video from the diner.

He thinks about all the people who've seen it by now.

He thinks of Kyle finding it.

"You know what? I'd really appreciate it. My costume's in my apartment."

[newoutsiders]

"Awesome," he says. "Where do you wanna film it? The roof? The site's got a whole 'Rooftop Confessional' section. It would be perfect for this."

[not_easy_being_green]

"Sure, I guess. Meet you up there?"

[newoutsiders]

"You're on," he says. "I'm too jazzed up to sleep anyway."

[not_easy_being_green]

Connor goes to his apartment, changing back into his costume and trying to think what he's going to say before heading to the roof.

[newoutsiders]

You consider researching your CapeScape account a little more, but remember the WiFi in your apartment will be out until Monday. But you had a pretty good look on "Batgirl's" phone yesterday, so you should at least be able to address the important things.

[not_easy_being_green]

"Okay, are you ready?" he asks when he gets up there.

At Lemmy's confirmation, Connor looks into the camera.

"... hi."

He clears his throat.

"So I met with- the Burnside Batgirl earlier today. And she told me that she'd seen and really loved my videos on some site called CapeScape. This kind of surprised me, because I... don't have a CapeScape account. I'd never even heard of this site before today. I'm not really on the internet a lot. So I'm here with - Metalhead? - after we teamed up earlier, because he volunteered to help me sort this out."

"Listen. Whoever's been impersonating me... I don't really know who you are, or why you're doing this. I don't know how you apparently got verified. I don't know where you got those videos. I don't know if you just thought I'd never find out, or what. But I'm not flattered, by any of this."

"I understand... following heroes in the news. If you're some type of fan, then I'm flattered. But you haven't just been - following my exploits or whatever. You've been treating my life like some type of game. You've been pretending to be me. You've been posting videos of some very - some very personal videos. And I'm here to ask you to... stop, and to let everyone know that whoever is behind this account... it's not me."

The camera clicks off. Connor shuffles nervously. "Was that good? Did I do okay?"

[newoutsiders]

"Hold on, shit," Lemmy says, fumbling with the phone. "That was great, yeah. Perfect. But, uh. I had it in picture mode. Can we go again?"

[not_easy_being_green]

"Oh, uh. Okay. Ready for sure?"

Connor clears his throat again, trying to remember what he had to say. "... hi? Uh, so the Burnside Batgirl and I kind of teamed up earlier, and she mentioned that apparently there was... that there's an account under my name on a site called "Capescape?" Except I don't have a CapeScape account. Today was the first time I'd even heard of CapeScape. So Metalhead said he'd help me sort this out, I guess?"

"So, to whoever's been impersonating me... I don't really know why you're doing this, or how you managed to convince everyone you were me, well enough to get verified, or where you got those videos. I don't know if you just thought I'd never find out, or what."

"Look, when I was a kid, I used to always follow - some heroes in the news. I get it. But you're not just - some harmless fan. This - you've been pretending to be me. Treating my life like some type of game. And you've been posting videos of some very personal videos. So I'm letting everyone know that whoever is behind this account, it isn't me, and I'm asking whoever's impersonating me to please just... stop. This is my life, not some kind of game."

The camera clicks off again. "Did you get it that time?"