thenewoutsiders | Enter: Connor Hawke

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

newoutsiders

Lemmy grimaces.

"You're gonna hate me."

From:

not_easy_being_green

Connor sighs quietly.

"Okay. You're absolutely sure?"

"Hi. I'm here with Metalhead because I just found out that apparently someone's been pretending to be me on a site called 'CapeScape.' Look, I don't really know who you are, or how you got verified or whatever, and I definitely don't know where you've been getting some of these videos, but it needs to stop. This isn't just following me in the news or whatever - you've been pretending to be me. You've been uploading some of the most personal moments of my life like it's a joke. This is my life, not some kind of game. So I just wanted everyone to know, whoever's been running that account, it's not me, and it needs to stop."

From:

newoutsiders

"GOT IT!" Lemmy says. "We did it! That was great. I guess my only problem is that it sounded, uh, a little rehearsed."

From:

not_easy_being_green

Connor gives Lemmy a long look.

"Does it really matter?"

From:

newoutsiders

"I, uh. Heh. I guess not. I can go upload this at Sundollar. Thanks for not killing me. These cameras are a bitch."

From:

not_easy_being_green

He tries to smile. Lemmy'd just been trying to help. "It's all right, I probably would have done worse. Thank you for your help, seriously. But, uh... you're sure you want to go over to Sundollar now instead of using your phone's 4G?"

He's glad Lemmy's taken his transformation in stride, but he's... not entirely sure he's quite realized just what it means for him.

From:

newoutsiders

"Oh, yeah. The 4G. I've, uh, kind of exceeded my data plan. It's a whole thing, don't worry about it. Point is: no more 4G for the rest of the month. So get that internet up, Mr. Landlord! Heh. Sorry."

Then he eyes you suspiciously.

"Wait... Connor Hawke, are you trying to protect me? Are you trying to superhero me? The guy made of living metal? I don't care how I look right now, man. I was thinking about getting a piercing or a tattoo or something anyway, while I was in Gotham. I guess this covers me."

From:

not_easy_being_green

"Um."

"... yeah, okay, I am. I'm glad you're taking this so well, but you haven't really been in public like this yet. I just wanted to make sure you knew what you were getting into."

From:

newoutsiders

"People have been looking at me weird all my life," Lemmy says. "Might as well give 'em something to look at. Huh. I wonder if I still need to sleep. Or if I can even eat anymore. Or if I can SMOKE! FUCK! Hold on, Mr. Hawke, I need to try something real quick! Then right to Sundollar, I promise!" He zooms down the stairwell in a stream of liquid metal to his room.

From:

not_easy_being_green

... well, Lemmy is looking like he's in for an... unpleasant surprise. Connor changes back into civilian clothing, then goes to the door outside Lemmy's apartment.

From:

newoutsiders

You've waited longer than a reasonable amount of time. It seems like Lemmy's not coming out.

From:

not_easy_being_green

Connor knocks on the door. "Lemmy?"

From:

newoutsiders

"Forget it, man!" Lemmy shouts. "I'm gonna use the 4G! I don't care about fucking overages right now! I'm a fucking metal goop man!"

From:

not_easy_being_green

And there it is. Connor had been wondering when this would happen.

"That's not really what I care about right now. Can I come in?"

From:

newoutsiders

"I don't need to see you right now, dude!" He shouts. "Oh man. What if this computer thing I'm in runs out of charge? How do I plug myself in? Am I solar powered or something? Nobody gave me an instruction manual! ...Whatever! Door's open!"

From:

not_easy_being_green

Connor opens the door, then closes it behind him gently.

Well, at least this hadn't happened in the middle of a crowded Sundollar's.

"Have you ever heard of the Metal Men, Lemmy?"

From:

newoutsiders

You find him on a recliner, trying to feed himself a slice of pizza and not doing too well at it.

"I dunno man. Is that like a cover band?"

From:

not_easy_being_green

"No. They're a group of heroes. Animated metal men. I don't know a huge amount about them - I've only ever heard of them through my father - but their creator, Dr. Magnus, worked on technology similar to your Responsometer. I could probably get you his number, if you want. I'm sure there's a lot you have to ask him."

From:

newoutsiders

"Yeah. Yeah, I guess that'd be cool," he says. "Thanks. And I'll pass on what I find out to the others. Did you know we're all kind of linked? That's how Grundy controlled them when they were all gingolded. We have like a built in walkie talkie to each other. Me, Sal, Silverpool, and, uh, that other guy who ran off I guess. He's not taking our calls."

From:

not_easy_being_green

"I'll contact Batgirl about it later. She should be able to get the number through Oracle. I needed to call her, anyway."

He nods slightly as Lemmy continues, "I didn't know that. I think it's a good thing, though. It means you can always talk to someone who's in the same boat."

"And if you want, I'm here to talk as well."

From:

newoutsiders

"Thanks. I'm cool. If I ever need to talk about it, I know where to find you. But, uh. If you really want to do something for me... I was gonna start looking for a job next week, and looking like this, I'm not sure how great that'll go, so if I could get a little extra time on next month's rent?"

From:

not_easy_being_green

"... yeah, okay. I think I can do that." It'll be a bit tight, but he can manage it, hopefully. If all else fails... he guess he can fall back on Ollie, though he'd really rather not.

"Then I guess I'll see you later. Take care, Lemmy. And seriously... thank you for your help today." He doesn't just mean the CapeScape thing - that's pretty minor compared to his help with Grundy.

He returns to his apartment to meditate.