Selfishness the act of caring for oneself and needs above all else, that was the driving force behind life?
Exelirus found himself pondering on that, failing to understand why or how anyone could believe such an insane notion. Seating on the bus as it drive through the streets, his gazes darted about, watching as the people went about their business, seemingly without a care in the world. His gaze then landed on car next the bus he rode on. The traffic lights then flashed red and then both car and bus stopped and waited for it to turn green. As the waited Exelirus caught a glance of who were in the car, a mother and father at the front seat and at the back were their kids wearing their school's uniforms, seemingly just haven been pick up by their parents.
They were a family and they seemed happy, with smiling faces filled joy and happiness. Looking at them, Exelirus could help but think about his family. Recalling how he once smile alongside his family together back on Kinerix. Recalling the love and warmth of a family he used to take for granted when he had his home and family.
His mind then wondered to Kinerix's final days, recalling the painful memories of how he lost everyone from his father to his mother and then his brother.
"Promise me you'll survive"
His brother's words still echoed in his mind, reminding of the reason he was still alive there on Earth and why he had to keep living, keep surviving, to keep his promise. But above else, it served as a reason why he couldn't believe in Alana's notion of selfishness. Recalling how his brother pushed him out of harm's way and took the full brunt of the blast from the Sabraxian, sacrificing himself to save him. After witnessing such a selfless act, there was no way Exelirus could ever bring himself to belief the true essence of life could ever be rooted in selfishness.\
But apart from that there was another reason why he couldn't never believe that and that was because the world he found himself in, though immensely slow and a bit stagnant for his liking, had…
"Oh my god", someone yelled as a green beastly figure zipped past with a bag filled with priceless and right behind him, moving at supersonic speeds chasing after him was…
Time seemed to slow down around him as tiny thin blue spark began racing through his body. He then saw the bus's window as the beastly figure that resembled some kind of beast man with sharp fangs and claws, large ears and snort, covered from head to two in green fur, with its disgustingly tongue ticking out of it's mouth as it wore maniac and psychotic smile as it ran with the bag, moving in slow motion while the people around him stood almost perfectly still. And behind the beast man was…
…her, Hilltop's only hero, Speed Star, someone who would always dive head in to whatever danger or threat that threaten the innocent people of Hilltop.
She had to be the most selfless person he knew, an knew she was willing to do absolutely anything if it meant saving a life even if…*sigh* it meant risk hers.
Watching her as ran at supersonic speeds, seeing the way she breath and the tired expression, that though hard to see through the mask she wore, he saw as clear as day. She was tired and yet she still pushing herself to be the hero.
Letting out a breath, time resumed, and the beast man, along with Speed Star chasing after him raced off with the beast man taking leaping off to the top of high building while cackling manically like a mad man before continuing running and leaping off to the other nearby buildings with Speed Star chasing him from the ground.
Exelirus just watched her go, wondering how anyone could ever conceive someone pure hearted and kind as her as possibly being selfish when she was nothing but that. She was hero, she was his hero and that fact alone was both a source hope and joy as well as dread and fear.
The bus soon arrived at the bus stop and Exelirus made his way out and began the trek always back to the forest. Once there he brought ear phone, hooked up to his phone and then turn on the music. Letting in a breath and letting go, time then came to a near halt with sparks of Kinetrix energy flowing through him. He then began walking while listening the calming soothing sounds of the music playing in his ears, filling the still silence that surrounded as he moved far faster than the world around him which almost looked as though it was all standing still as walked.
Thoughts about Alana words and Daniela filled his head. Thinking about Alana's words about selfishness being the bases of every action taken and still failing to believe her words but at the very same time apart of him wanted to believe because at the very least, it would help him understand why Daniela would kept pushing help each and every day to be Hilltop's hero.
An image of his father then flashed in his, captain of the great Kinetrix warriors, the first to fall to the Sabraxians along with the rest of the Kinetrix Warrior. When he was little, he never really thought his father could gaze hurt much less die, he never saw him bleed or get hurt but then again he was a Kinetrix Warrior, a master at controlling the flow of Kinetrix energy through his body, using Kinetrix to heal and conceal his wounds might have been a trivial thing for him, making it easy for him to erase every injury inflicted upon him in the line of duty. Thinking back, he always so his father as some sort of pillar or a beacon of hope he always looked up, there was almost nothing he couldn't do in his eyes, and yet in the end *sigh*, he fell just like the rest of his people, just like Kinerix.
And then there was Daniela, she fast, maybe even the being in this word but she's nothing compared to him who could move past more that thousand mile in an instant. She isn't as fast or as strong as him, and yet she pushes herself each and every day just to protect them, an entire city filled with people who only know her as Speed Star, there hero, the one who will always come dashing in at supersonic speeds and save the day. And why, because that's who she is, a hero, a protector, a savor.
Despite Exelirus living with her throughout the passing years still couldn't understand this reason. He watched her day after day, leaving home only to return late at night beaten with several broken bones, her suit stained with her blood, limping and staggering back to her room only to come out the next day with bright smile on her face as if nothing had happen, then her watch beeps and cycle repeats itself. Maybe if she had a reason other than she had to or it was who she was, he would have been able to accept it. A reason born of selfishness, a want or desire pushing her to keep run even when she knew she could get hurt, maybe that would help him understand come to terms with it all but *sigh* there wasn't, and the fact remained, she was a hero, not out of selfishness but because that was who she was and Exelirus couldn't help but hate that reason.
Having made his way home, he unlocked the door and walked in. Letting out a tired sigh upon seeing that Daniela wasn't home. Deactivating his holocloaker revealing his bright blue radiant hair, he made his way to his room, took of his school uniform and took a shower before putting on a fresh set of clothes.
He then made his way to the kitchen very large tray of snacks which he wasted no time in scarfing down before deciding to head back to his room and get to work on his home. After about 30 minutes or so he had finally finishing. Letting out a tired sigh while internally cursing on math and how goddamn frustrating it was before leaving his desk and made his way to the living room.
He sat on the coach then proceeded to turn on the television and flapped straight to the news. There was, headline news Speed Star stopping another super villain, the mad beast man, beast man type demihuman with green fur, sharp razor claws, fangs and teeth. The very same villain he watched her chase earlier as he made his way home. She had just managed catch him after a while of chasing him through the city. The news reports had flocked to her by the dozens, bombarded with question after question while the cops apprehended mad beast.
Then, just at it seemed her job was done, her watched beeped again and then…
"Sorry got to go, duty calls", she flashed a smile at the camera before darting of.
Up next, Speed Star stopped an arm robbery at the other side of the city by Lightning Rod and his gang, the Charge rampaged through the city, the Abominable and Sun Flare tried robbing another bank and soon, before you know it the sun was out and it was already 8:30.
Exelirus let out a tired sigh as his gaze shifted to the cloak. His mind wondering and racing, filled nothing but fear and dread. What if she got hurt really bad and couldn't make it back home or worse what if another super villain got her, what if…
He heard the door creek open and upon hearing it, moving at immense speeds, grabbed the remote and changed the channel to a movie channel.
"Hey Bluey, I'm back. Sorry, I'm a bit late, I had to deal with a mugger on my way home. Anyway, I got pizza. Jumbo size extra-large, with extra cheese and every topping they had", Daniela enter the house holding about six or so large pizza boxes before heading straight to the kitchen and dropping them there.
"Anyway, how was your day?" asked Daniela with a bright smile on her face as she left the kitchen to see him.
Exelirus then turned away from the TV screen to see her wearing her civilian clothes that seem to have cover her entire body but she still managed to catch a glimpse a few red soars on her arm the side of her neck, and he was more than certain that were even worse thing hiding underneath.
"Oh, nothing really. School is pretty much a pain, how long do I have to attend this", asked Exelirus, masking the hurt and pain well, just like how he had always been doing during the passing years.
"For a couple of years or so then college, then you get job and become a functioning member of society", replied Daniela.
"Are any of those better than school?" asked Exelirus.
"From what I've heard absolutely not. In fact they might actually be worse", said Daniela.
Exelirus upon hearing Daniela's words wore down casted and depressed expression on his face.
"This planet is the worse", said Exelirus.
"Yeah but…" she zoomed off at super speed to the kitchen, grabbed a few boxes of pizza and placed them on the living room table and then hoped on to the coach next to Exelirus.
"It does have pizza, so it's not all bad", said Daniela as she grabbed a slice.
Exelirus then sighed before grabbing a slice for himself.
"So what you watching Bluey", she spoke after swallowing her pizza slice.
"Not sure, I think this guy is in love that girl but…I don't, it's just a dumb movie", said Exelirus.
"Yeah, hey if you're not watching. Do you mind if we watch something else. There's actually a movie I rented a while back, I only got a few days before it rental expire and have to return. So you wanna watch instead", Daniela spoke with a slight smile on her face and hints of enthusiasm in her voice.
"Uhmm, sure", said Exelirus spoke, not really following the movie currently showing and the idea of him and Daniela just enjoying a movie together, didn't really sound like a bad idea.
Daniela wasted no time in grabbing the remote and removing the movie and playing her rented movie. Exelirus just sighed and smiled upon seeing the movie title flash on the screen.
'Mrs Swift, the fast lady in the world'
"Of course, Mrs Swift", Exelirus spoke with an unsurprised look on his face while Daniela sat down next to him, trying to keep her composure but it was more than evident in the way her eyes lit up that she was beyond ecstatic to watch that very movie along with Exelirus.
"My name is Anita, at least that's the name my friends and adopted dad, know me by", the movie began.
"But, I have another name", a scene of red and white streak moving at supersonic speeds raced then displayed on the TV screen.
"A name everyone, the people of High Hill, my friends the Global Protectors along with every crook and criminal in the city and even chief Joe, head High Hills police department and also…", the streak then made its way to a small in the city house, zoomed through the back door, past the kitchen where a tall, slightly bulk up middle aged man was busy making breakfast, failing to notice the streak racing past him and he flipped the eggs over on the fry pan.
The streak raced through the stair and then made its way to one of the rooms in the house. The man then, having finished making breakfast, made his way up the stairs and to the very room the streak entered.
"Anita", the man barged in to the room only to be met by a pillow to the face.
"Don't you know how to knock", a female voice yelled at the man.
"…my adopted father"
Joe then let out breath before nodding his head as he gaze landed on the grumpy teen glaring at him on her bed, still in bed.
"Breakfast's ready, freshen up and go get some", said Joe before leaving.
Once he was gone, she let out a relief before leaving the bed and going straight to her wardrobe and opening. Upon doing so, a red and white hero suit with the emblem of a speeding 'S' on it fell down from it along with a red mask.
"Phew that was a close one", she exclaimed.
"Anita, hurry up, your food is getting old", yelled Joe.
"Coming", she stuffed the suit back in to the wardrobe and hurriedly left the room.
"And that name is, Mrs Swift the fast lady in the world"
Daniela eyes seemed glued to the screen, like a child watching there favorite, her eyes lit up as she watched the movie along with Exelirus with bright smile on her face. Exelirus seeing the excited looked Daniela had on her face as they watched the movie, Exelirus could help but smile. Seeing her so carefree and happy felt good as occasions where Daniela eyes lit up and her smiles didn't feel so heavy and force were rare but it was nice seeing her that way with a genuine smile on her face.
The movie was meant to tell the story of Mrs Swift, the hero of High Hill and the fastest lady in the world, show her struggle to juggle between maintaining her life as hero and her normal civilian life, and the fact that her adopted father Steven, wasn't exactly Mrs Swift's biggest fan, as the police chief he made his stance clear on her just being just a reckless vigilante who was putting the law in her own hands and was no different from any other criminals.
Exelirus, though not Mrs Swift's biggest fan, she was no Captain Cosmos after all, found himself actually enjoying the movie and enthralled by the character of Anita. Seeing Anita's struggle to fit in to world where she felt as though she didn't quite belong, a world that seemed so stagnant and still, in a moment, she could take a hundred steps before it a single person to blink, and just she had to restrain herself every day, moving just as slow as the world around just to be able to talk, laugh and hang out with her friends. She had to constantly maintain a slow and stagnant pace, lest she moved too fast and the world around her fails to keep up. And that was why she loved being Mrs Swift, because whenever she put on the suit and wore that mask, she felt free. Able to move about a hundred miles per second, as fast she wanted to without having to care about slowing down. Racing through the streets of High Hill at high speeds to stop the crooks and villain from terrorizing the city, being the hero, being Mrs Swift was her way of liberating herself and allowing too run as fast and as free as she wanted to.
Exelirus then turned to Daniela with a thought cross his mind. Maybe the reason Daniela's reason for being Speed Star and Anita's for being Mrs. Swift was one in the same. Maybe, just like Mrs. Swift, she craved the very same freedom from a stagnant and slow Anita does, the same freedom he does. Maybe that was the selfish reason being her still dawning that mask, dashing through the streets at supersonic speeds of Hilltop, to feel the liberating rush and freedom of running as fast as she could. Maybe that was why… Speed Star is who I am",
But that couldn't be it, she risked her life each and every day to keep the city safe, going against all kinds of dangerous villains and foes, reaching the very brink, and barely managing to muster the strength each time to remain standing and race all the way back home to him. And yet she did, each and every time. Exelirus found it impossible to believe that she did all that just to feel the freedom of being able to move fast because she kept pushing herself way too much just to keep the city safe to be free. In fact, being Speed Star, being a hero seemed like the opposite of freedom, it was like she was trapped by her duties and responsibilities as a hero, and despite knowing the risks she to herself and her life still kept pushing on, leaping her first in the flames even though she knew she would get burned.
Shift his gaze away from her and back to the screen, and letting out a silent sigh as he focused his attention back on the TV screen, he could help but think to himself how different Mrs Swift and Daniela were too each other. Anita was fictional character, super herein who just craved and longed for freedom above all else and that was why she was a hero, finding liberation in the mask she wore, while Daniela was a real person, a hero who was trapped by mask she wore and burden by the heavy weight of responsibility weigh against her shoulders. Looking at the two of them, the only trait they seem to have in common was the fact that they were both heroes with super speed, apart from that, they seemed like two different people with Anita being driven by a selfish desire to be free and Daniela a more selfless desire, one he struggled to understand, to be the hero.
And yet, despite the fact that they seemed so different from each other, Excel couldn't help but see a glimpse of something familiar shared between both Anita and Daniela. It was faint and subtle, so much so that Excel couldn't quite put his finger on it but it was there, reflecting through the screen like a mirror but just could figure out what it was.