Speed Star raced through the streets, circling the city a final time, making sure the streets were clean and there was late night crimes she had to deal with before finally deciding to head back home.
At home, Speed Star opened the door only to find the living room empty with the lights put out. She then let out a sigh before pressing a button on the watch on her wrist, causing her suit to dematerialize and her civilian clothes to appear.
Making her way to the kitchen, her stomach growling in hunger, she turned on the lights and found two large boxes of pizza waiting for her.
A small smile then formed on her face before she made her way to the kitchen and began devouring the pizza. After filling her belly, she then made her way up stairs and approached Exelirus's room.
She slowly creaked the door open and then peeped through and found Exelirus lying on his bed fast sleep.
She then let out a relief sigh before shutting the door and leave, unbeknownst to her, the very moment she left, Exelirus's eyes opened and he let out a sigh of both relief and exhaustion.
Daniela then made her way to her room. Once there she head straight to the shower, took off all her clothes, revealing the many scars littered about all throughout her body, including the fresh one given to her by none other than Tigren and began to bathe. As the cold water sprinkled down from the shower on to her face and her aching muscles and body. As the water trickled down her body, Daniela's began to go back to the nights events beginning from Tigren managing to trap to him almost killing her, Exelirus's coming to save her and…clash
She placed a hand on her back, on the newly formed scar on her back. Claw marks from a strike that wasn't for her. She let out a breath as wondered to herself, what if she couldn't fast enough, what if she didn't make it time before Tigren struck, then…
Daniela gritted her teeth before striking the tiled walls of bathroom.
"But that doesn't change the fact the world still needs heroes Daniela"
Chucks words echoed in her head as more thoughts came racing through. What if she really met her end in the hands on Tigren that night, what would happen to the city, the people, Exelirus?
Daniela had always way felt the overwhelming weight of responsibility weighing against her shoulders but it was always a weight she felt as though she could handle alone. After all, she was Speed Star, the hero who all always fast enough to swoop in and save the day at least that was what she used to believe.
Letting out a tired sigh before crouching down to the bath room floor, reliving the events that had just happened mere moments. Recalling how despite the fact that she pushed herself to her absolute limit, she couldn't free herself from Tigren's trap. She recalled the jolting pain racing through her body as she slowed down and the sensor underneath the floor sent thousand jolts through her. The feeling of helpless when Tigren finally turned it off and pick her and was about to deliver the final strike.
*Sigh*, 'how pathetic', were the words that anchored through her head.
She was meant to be the hero, the one they all looked up to, their hope, in the light in the darkness of days, the one meant to save them, and yet, that night, she was the one who needed to be saved.
'How pathetic', she slammed an arm to the tile wall with enough speed and force behind it that it cause it to crack.
Daniela then took in a breath and calmed down before lifting herself up from the floor. Turned off the bath, grabbed a towel and made her way out bath room.
Drying herself off with the towel, her eyes landing on mirror and through it she saw her reflection. She had been so costumed to wearing a mask that the image of her face seemed on familiar to her. In fact there are times where she feels as though her face is the mask and the mask is her true face. After all Speed Star was the hero, who they loved and adorned, the one they looked up to and Daniela was just…nobody.
"Daniela"
An image of blue eyed haired boy flashed in her mind. One of the only few people that saw through the mask and saw Daniela and not Speed Star.
Daniela let out a sigh.
Being a hero is great, saving people, being loved and adored by all, standing as a symbol of hope and protection for all. *Sigh* But it also come with a few downsides for one you constantly have to risk your life over and over again, fight against dangerous villains who are willing to commit the vilest of acts just to have their way. On top of that, there are the lies you have to tell to those you care about, those helpless and powerless to defend themselves against the dangers you have to constantly face, to protect them. An eventually, you'll have to make the toughest and most painful decision you'll ever have to make, an simply to walk away from normal peace life you knew, and fully embrace the life of hero, away from your family, friends, and anyone who's life would be danger if you continuing being a part of it.
And once that choice is made, there's really no turning back. You become the hero, no longer wearing a mask…
Looking at her reflection once more and seeing Speed Star staring back at her.
…as the mask becomes who you are.
That's the hero's curse, to dawn the mask and risk losing yourself entirely to it.
"…the world still needs heroes…"
How on earth could she allow Exelirus to suffer such a fate, how could she allow her Bluey to vanish and be replaced by a hero, someone who constantly risks his life fighting off the vilest of villain, saving people, loved and adored by all but alone with no one being able to see him as anything other than a hero.
No, this was her burden to bear, after all she was the one who willingly put on the mask. Exelirus had already lost so much already, she couldn't bear to watch him lose himself.
Daniela then let out another sigh before walking away from mirror.
The world will just have to make do with the heroes it already has because there was no way Daniela would ever ask anyone to don a mask.