Shard ran into the bank, eager to join the fight. The amateur superhero was new to crimefighting but was excited to take part in her first fight.

The robbers looked at the newcomer, then shared a confused look. The heroine was dressed in a shimmering costume decorated with gaudy jewelry. It was something people expected to see at fashion shows, not in combat.

“Hey, princess, get your sparkly ass out of here or we’ll put a bullet in your skull!” shouted one of the robbers.

Shard took a deep breath, remembering the speech she had practiced hundreds of times in private.

“Halt, criminals, let the civilians go or prepare to receive a deadly beatdown!”

They burst into laughter and aimed their guns at her. Too bad. Now she would have to get serious.

She used her power on the reflective floor. Black tendrils emerged from it and grabbed one of the robbers before any of them could react.

“Jesus Christ, help me!”

Then it pulled him straight into the earth, the ground parting like water in the face of a falling stone. Shard knew he would never be seen again.

“Garry!”

“What have you done with him, you monster?”

“Open fire!”

Shard raised her arms up, summoning a wall of tentacles to shield her, simultaneously creating more tendrils from every reflective surface in the area. There were a few terrified screams, and in a few seconds, the gunmen were gone. The girl had no idea if they were dead or alive, but, honestly, it was probably better she didn’t.

Shard turned to the horrified citizens with an innocent smile.

“You’re safe now.”

Then, with her work complete, she walked out of the bank.

Over the next few days, Shard received phone calls and emails from villainous organizations, asking her to join them. Meanwhile, the incident at the bank was all over the news, and superhero teams all over the city were making it their new mission taking her down.

She sighed.

“Being a superhero is a lot harder than I thought.”