THE MOMENT
Kelly had just enough time to laugh at the ridiculousness. He knew there wasn't enough time to move out of the way. All he could do was stand there and watch as the street light came crashing down on him; it helped that the umbrella was transparent. For a fraction of a second, he felt like a cartoon character shielding himself with the flimsiest of defenses. If nothing else, he was glad to get a chuckle in his last moments.
He found out too late that a Super battle began in the downtown area. He turned the corner and a cape flew past him, It left a trail of destruction as it crashed into the coffee shop he was planning to visit. Before he could determine which Super it was, Kelly became aware of a creaking metal sound and a growing shadow over him. It wasn't raining, and the clear umbrella did nothing to block out the sun; but, he'd come to rely on the umbrella as a sort of security blanket. Something about the polished white wood and the red #05 engraved on the handle made him feel confident as if he could take on anything.
He stared up at the falling post; but, instead of tearing through the umbrella and crushing his head, it bounced off with a solid *thunk*. The bounce shoved it onto the nearest car where it shattered some windows and left a notable dent.
"How did you do that?! Are you a Super??" The question came as Kelly tried to process what just happened. He turned to see the #1 Hero looking worse for wear. Super Supreme was considered the strongest Super in the world. But at the moment, he had blood around the corners of his mouth and he was holding his side as if cradling broken ribs. Kelly was in awe of one of the world's most beloved heroes, and he was still somewhat stunned from not being dead. He shook his head for a few moments before he could finally get any words out.
"I think it's the umbrella...," he said. It was really the only explanation. He knew how normal he was and the more time he had to process things, the more he realized how many little things he took for granted about the umbrella. He'd walked through many a storm and arrived at his destination bone dry. He never gave it any thought at the time; but, looking back he realized even his socks and shoes remained dry despite the many puddles he stepped in.
"If that's the case, I'd really like to borrow your umbrella for a bit..," he said. Super Supreme turned and looked up the street to guide Kelly's attention. Kelly looked and saw a tall, muscular man wearing a pink polo shirt and blue jeans. He looked rather normal but walked toward them at a deliberate pace. He was also the only other person around, so he had to be the threat.
"Yes, of course!" Kelly's mind finally caught up and he handed the umbrella to the Hero. Super Supreme flinched slightly as he reached for it, but he powered through and accepted the curved handle.
"Stand back, citizen," he said as he turned to face the approaching villain. The man stopped when Super Supreme held the umbrella out in front of him like a shield. He tilted his head for a moment, then he turned to look around the abandoned street. He changed direction and approached the nearest car. In one smooth motion, he tore the open door off the vehicle and launched it at Super Supreme. The door flew like a frisbee and bounced off the umbrella; the ricochet sent it through another building off to the side.
The stranger's shoulders noticeably dropped and he shook his head in disappointment. Then, he reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out a black card. He threw the card on the street and it opened a black hole. The stranger stepped onto the hole and began to sink into it like an elevator. He vanished without explanation.
"This is some umbrella...," Super Supreme commented as Kelly approached him again.
"Yeah, it's come in handy quite a bit for me too," Kelly laughed. "That must have been some fight before I got here though, are you okay?" he asked.
"I'm fine...," the hero nodded. "But, it wasn't much of a fight at all. That was just his first punch...," he replied as his arm went back to his ribs.
"He did that to you with one hit??" Kelly asked.
"Yeah...," Super Supreme nodded. "I don't think I could've taken another one... you really saved my life," he said. He looked around at the minor destruction and the empty street for a moment before setting his gaze on Kelly again.
"Well, my umbrella did," Kelly chuckled. Super Supreme nodded.
"Indeed. We need to study this, and we need to have it available if that villain shows up again," he said.
"Gladly! Just call me any time," Kelly replied as he held his hand out to get his umbrella back.
"I'm sorry, citizen," Super Supreme shook his head. "It's just easier if I keep it...," he lowered the umbrella and put it in the hand currently at his side; it hurt too much to move that arm. Then, he raised his fist as he looked down at Kelly with hard eyes. "... He was stronger than anything I've ever faced. I'm sorry I couldn't save you from him in time...," he said.
"Huh?" he asked with a confused smile. It was a silly idea that the best Hero in the world would be so cold. "You're kidding, right?" Kelly had just enough time to laugh at the ridiculousness.