"And now a few words from one of the top students at GU the Nitres Princess herself Nike!" The principal exclaimed before quickly moving away from the podium I caught out of the corner of my eye one of the GU students who was bored spring to life he moved faster than I'd seen anyone move to open and hold one of the doors leading into the auditorium allowing a flash of white and gold to pass him. Everyone in the auditorium immediately began to cheer and clap for the appearance of the current title of fastest person alive. She wore a white and gold ornate suit that seemed to be designed to give her the look of wings at her hips and shoulders.
I could tell it was a bio-suit and that it was years ahead of anything Amber had used meaning even though her body needed the extra help she still was the closest person today to reach the speeds Max-em could reach.
"Students of Super Highschool you all are about to embark on individual adventures into this world some of you will become researchers or adventures of the new unknowns and some of you will go on to become Heros!" Nike pauses allowing the excitement to build in the room.
"Do you know what everyone calls today? They call it the Utopia stage for young adults... A day when we all feel safer a day when crime is at an all-time low because you all are allowed to roam the streets using your powers as you see fit! They call it the Utopia stage because, like the Honeymoon stage, it doesn't last long and is just a phase. A phase in your growing relationship with society... Well, let's change that!" Her helmet recedes revealing golden locks that flow freely down her back and a pair of fierce eyes one a deep blue and the other an emerald green.
"Let's be the generation that ushers in this permanent Utopia never allowing what is right to be undone or never seen. In this world where everyone is truly born with powers, there is no reason to not be an arbiter of change and as long as this heart beats I'll speed ahead to a future I want to see! And I hope you all will do the same!" She pauses again making eye contact with me and then Talia before her suit reforms her helmet she dashes away back out the entrance being held open by the bored-looking boy from earlier. The crowd goes wild powers are going off in the room left and right all inspired by words of hope and the taste of freedom.
"Alright Alright everyone calm down." the principal tried to gather the attention of the rambunctious youths firing off bolts of lightning or bursts of energy. She snaps her figures once and boom as loud as thunder shakes the room grabbing everyone's attention.
"Now I know you all are excited and the day is coming to a close but please remember the next forty-eight hours isn't just a loosening of a collar or breaking of a leash it's your chance to prove you understand the responsibility and trust being given to you all. You all will be receiving your adult licenses to use your powers reasonably outside of the DPZs you were forced to. And yes your predecessors do refer to this day as the Utopia stage a delusion that these powers... These gifts mean more than they really do. Well, I'm here to tell you that you all are different and today marks the day that not a single school across this country will report an ungifted graduating student." She pauses looking for the recognition of what that means on the faces of her students and to her disappointment superpowered or not many kids show interest in history but me and Talia did you kind of have to if your family makes it.
"That means your experiences after today in this society will be vastly different than when I was a girl. My graduating class of a hundred had more than sixty students who were giftless causing strain and stress socially between my peers and laws and legislation made by the giftless to hold their fear of us at bay and to keep us in check. I'm proud to say today I will be watching a hundred percent of my gifted students enter all sorts of walks of life further pushing us and our needs to the surface... Today the gifted truly will flood the streets." The Bell rings punctuation her speech and prompting everyone to scurry to their lockers preparing for the end of the day.
"Alright everyone be safe! And remember to go directly home and your licenses will be in the mail!" the principal yells her voice booming like a giant as kids flood the halls and out of the auditorium. I feel Ambers's grip tighten getting my attention I look over to see her suit up her lavender armor weaving itself all around her.
"Race you to the beach don't lose me now." She whispers to me before dashing toward the exit the world slows to a crawl as my speed sense kicks on I look for Talia to warn that I'll be disappearing but I see her grabbing Ken by the hand and slowly turning invisible with him. I figured I'd see her later anyway and checked my surroundings Scott was dashing off behind Ultman probably to test out his new pipe and the bored boy from earlier was nowhere to be seen meaning I could run suitless behind my purple blur.
I took a deep breath my muscles filling with energy before I exploded from the spot and through the exit doors. Amber had already made it to the street her eyes daring me to keep up with her so I did. We speed towards the city passing by cars and people frozen like snapshots in time. I'm always just behind her she even takes time to run backward to make sure I am still there I pushed harder remembering the train this morning.
I finally catch up running next to her right before we reach the city limits where she stops holding back I feel a wave and a boom as she breaks the sound barrier pushing ahead of me and darting to the coast we race towards the water the sun setting in front of us she was running out of ground and would soon have to stop but she refused she became faster and my watch whined as I tried to keep up.
I had to stop at the beachfront while I watched in awe as she hit the surface of the water and didn't lose her stride she crossed the surface effortlessly doing figure eights and other shapes for my entertainment. She ends the show by speeding towards me and stopping on a dime causing a wave of water to splash over us.
"why'd you stop?" she asked me all I could do was fidget with my watch in frustration.
"Your dad up the dampening again?" I shook my head in affirmation at the question.
"He says if I can become a hero I won't have to wear it anymore and I'll be able to be seen using my powers suitless." I admit my voice catching in my throat. Besides Talia, no one else knew about the dampener and my full abilities so it made it even harder knowing after today she'll be moving halfway across the planet.
"Your parents don't mind you being out late and our licenses will be in the mail in the morning so you wanna spend the night together?" Her tone was soft but demanding she closed the distance between us as her helmet revealed her flushed cheeks and silvery eyes that pleaded for me to be closer.
"I'm not going anywhere." I say wrapping my hands around her waist and making the remaining space between us disappear sparks start to lick off of us and the ground as she tilts her head back her eyes searching my lips in expectation I lean in and as we kiss the built-up energy releases like a circuit being complete we spend the next few hours of moonlight chasing each other up and down the beachfront losing article of clothing as we ran.