Pogo the Robo-Clown stood in Boomburg's central square, his orange flame-hair flickering in the breeze. His metal boxing gloves gleamed as he raised them high. He wanted to build a team of misfits and make this city proud. But first, he needed to prove himself. He looked up at the structure he'd spent all morning building. The Death Defying High Rise Tower High Dive stretched toward the sky, a rickety carnival tower of scrap metal and old ride parts. At the bottom, a pool of green acid bubbled and hissed. Mutant crocodile men snapped their jaws in the toxic liquid. Giant turtle monsters surfaced with sharp beaks clicking. Pogo climbed the ladder, each rung groaning under his metal feet. People gathered below, pointing and shouting. Some laughed. Some placed bets. At the top, he stood on the tiny platform and waved to the crowd. His circuits hummed with determination. If he could survive this dive, Boomburg would have to take him seriously. He'd show them a robo-clown could be brave. He'd show them he was worth following. Pogo took three quick breaths, even though he didn't need air. Then he jumped. Wind rushed past his metal body as he fell. A crocodile man lunged upward, jaws wide. Pogo tucked into a spin and fired his boxing glove downward. The punch landed hard on the creature's snout, sending it splashing back into the acid. He straightened his body and sliced through the green liquid. The acid sizzled against his metal plating but couldn't harm him. He burst from the pool in one piece, steam rising from his shoulders. The crowd went silent, then erupted in cheers. Pogo climbed out and dragged a bright podium next to the tower. Carnival stripes covered its surface, and a sign on top read "Zany Heroes Wanted!" He pounded his gloves together and grinned at the watching faces. Now the real work could begin. Three people approached by sunset, but none stayed long enough to sign up. Pogo's grin never faded, though his circuits felt heavy. He packed up the podium and headed across town to an old restaurant he'd found days earlier. Big Top Burger had been empty for years, its circus decorations cracked and faded. Inside, dusty booth seats lined the walls. A stage sat in the corner under broken lights. The kitchen still had working power and space for planning. Pogo set the podium down in the center of the main room. This would be his headquarters, the place where his team would gather and train. He looked around at the quiet space and imagined it full of misfits ready to fight for Boomburg. Tomorrow he'd try again.