Exelirus seated at the public bus next to Daniela just let out a tired sigh before shifting his gaze to the window by his side, look out through it he spot a group children about his age playing with joy and laughter etched on their face from across the street. Watching them as they played Exelirus didn't realize that a smile creep in as memories of his brother racing about the many open field of Kinex, playing, laughing and joking around at mock speeds without a care in the world. Letting out a sigh, Exelirus couldn't help but think that Earth seemed a lot like Kinex, the people though slow lived their lives as much as they could, even though they were all, from his perspective anyway, constantly moving at a snail's pace and they managed to do so much and still had enough time to appreciate the simpler things of life, like playing with friends as they children were.
Letting out another sigh, Exelirus couldn't help but thing about Alana and the questions she asked, about what he thought about the world. Recalling how she scoffed at his response as though he was simply naïve child who knew nothing about the world he was it and as much as it bruised his pride to say, she was right. He didn't really get out much, in fact apart from school, there wasn't really much of the massive big ball he crashed in that he had seen. Daniela, despite being a beloved superhero, loved by all in Hilltop, wasn't really much of a people person so they had never really taken him out to see what the city had to offer, and he couldn't really say he really eager to see it but…"We live in a pretty messed up world Excel. One where people with extraordinary abilities, demi-human with strength and power that far exceed our own walk among us. It's a pretty terrifying world to be in.."
Recalling those words from Alana, Exelirus then turned to Daniela who was seated next to him eyes shut and fast asleep.
"Don't get me wrong, the hero do try their very best but that doesn't change the fact that at the end of the villains will always be out there wreaking havoc and destruction"
Exelirus recalling what Alana said turned back to window, seeing the clear skies, bustling streets and children laughing and playing as the bus drove past with Alana's words ringing in his ears. Recalling how she spoke about the villains, mad psycho, and criminal who sought only wreak chaos and havoc. Thinking back to Kinex and recalling how they were similar criminal, Kinexian who used their speed to rob, steal, and commit all kinds horrible acts. On Kinex they had the Kinetrix warriors to stop those criminals but there on earth they had…his glance then shifted to Daniela.
Exelirus then let out a tired sigh once more, recalling how the Kinetrix warriors fought to protect the people, fight each and every threat that came until *sigh* all of them, including his father met their end along with Kinex. Exelirus looked at Daniela before resting his head by her side. She reminded him so much of his family back on Kinex. She was playful like Sonikro, caring like his mother, and strong like his father. Being with her made him feel safe, and provided some semblance of familiarity on this strange world he found himself in, and he didn't want to lose her like he lost them.
Time seemed to have pasted in the blink of an eye and soon the bus come to a halt, making its final stop.
"Last stop", the driver yelled jolting Daniela up. Feeling something rest by her side, she turned only taken aback by the sight of Exelirus leaned next to her fast sleep. Daniela felt her heart melt at how adorable he looked as he rested by her side, so much that she almost didn't want to wake him.
"Wake up little bluey", she spoke softly while gently shaking him to wake him up.
"Stop calling me bluey" Exelirus retorted as he groggily opened up he's eyes. He did not really realize when he had fallen asleep leaning by her side, musing that he might have been so exhausted from dealing with Alana in school that couldn't help but fall asleep right on Daniela's side.
"Come on, let's go home", Daniela spoke with a warm smile on her face and giggle as she watched him wake up.
They then left the bus after Daniela had finished paying the bus fair.
"Come on", Daniela spoke as they began their trek towards the city's outskirts and to the forest that laid at its edge.
Exelirus, now standing in front of the forest, felt his heart begin to race as he recalled the trauma driven episode he had while racing through the forest the previous day. Daniela, sense that Exelirus was feeling tensed, held his on to his hand, feeling it vibrate underneath the grasp of her palms. She then vibrate her hand to his, allowing him to feel her grasp on his.
Exelirus then turned to look at her.
"Hey, it's going to be okay. Just hold on to me, I'll be right here with you. Just take a deep breath and take one step at a time", Daniela spoke with soft and gentle voice.
Exelirus, upon hearing her voice and feeling the warmth of her palm on his, took in a breath and let go. His heart then calmed down and his vibrating hand stopped vibrating.
"One step at a time", he whispered softly to himself before taking the first step forward.
Daniela couldn't help but smile at him before going with him through the forest with both their hands still together.
"Oh, you never did give me an answer. How was your first day in school", asked Daniela.
Exelirus upon hearing what Daniela just let out a breath before saying, "Same as back on Kinex, just longer, slowly, and ten times as boring".
Daniela upon hearing Exelirus's relied couldn't stop herself from laughing out loud before saying, "I take it you're not much of school kid are you".
"Well…" Exelirus began scratching the back of his recalling his time in Kinex and his experience in school back there. Recalling how he wasn't a very eager student and would rather skip classes and go play around with Sonikro much to his mother's dismay, which much often than not lead to beaten from her.
"Yeah, I guess you could say that. Even back on Kinex, I wasn't exactly a model student", Exelirus spoke with an almost sheepish expression on his face.
"Kinex, huh, so you did have schools like here on earth", said Daniela, noting that this was the first time he was actually willingly opening up to him about Kinex since he arrived on Earth.
"Yeah, there are actually a lot of things Kinex and Earth have in common", Exelirus spoke with a slight smile followed by a deep breath before continuing "but still there are a lot of things strange about this planet like you for example".
"What?" Daniela spoke, taken aback by what he said.
"What exactly do you mean by that?" asked Daniela.
"Demihumans, people born with extraordinary powers and abilities. People different from the rest of the population, people like you", said Exelirus.
"What exactly about us do you find strange", Daniela asked with a bit of nervousness in her tone as she spoke.
"Your existence", said Exelirus.
"What?" Daniela spoke with a shocked expression on her face, not expecting him to be so blunt.
"The regular people of this planet seem so…" Exelirus was cut off mid-sentence Daniela saying, "ordinary".
"I was going to say weak and slow but yeah, I guess ordinary works too", said Exelirus with a deep sigh, before continuing, "You Demihumans, compared to the rest of them, are stronger and faster than any of them".
Daniela upon hearing what Exelirus said remain silent, in contemplation about his words for a few brief moments before saying, "Yeah we are, each and every single one of us are different, not just to the humans but to ourselves as well. The demi gene responsible for our powers and abilities doesn't give us the same powers. Some of us can shot lightning or fight out of our hands, manipulate fire or ice, and some of us seem more beast than man".
"How can you live like this, being different from everyone around you? Back on Kinex, despite we all having our differences we all shared one thing I common. Our speed, it's what connects us all. With each step we take, feeling the breeze blow against our face, the rush and crackling of kintrix sparks racing through our body, we connected with each other, with Kinex" asked Exelirus.
Daniela upon hearing what Exelirus said couldn't help but smile slightly, "I guess it is kinda strange. *Sigh*, It's not easy being born strange different. In fact there was a time in the past where I would have traded anything to be the same as everyone else and not feel like an…"
"Alien", Exelirus completed her sentence.
"I was going to say outcast", Daniela spoke with a chuckle.
"Then what changed?" Exelirus asked, curiously.
"Nothing really. I guess I just grew up and accept that this was the world I came from and…" Daniela looked down at her hand, clenching it tightly before smiling and letting go, "And this is who I am".
"And that the world can't really change and neither can I but it can be better and so I can. So I decided to use my difference to make a difference in the world, make it better as Speed Star", said Daniela.
"Do you like being Speed Star?" Exelirus asked.
Daniela was caught off guard by Exelirus's question, so much so that she took a moment to pause and hesitated to speak, almost as though she was contemplating what say.
"I…*sigh*, Speed Star is who I am", replied Daniela, her tone gentle and soft, laced with a little bit of sadness and touch of regret.
Exelirus, upon hearing what she said, unable to understand the true meaning behind her words remained silent. The both of them continued their trek through the woods until they eventually stumbled upon a small lake. Exelirus, upon seeing the lake didn't really think too much of it but Daniela seemed to have had other plans.
"Come on, I wanna show you something", said spoke before grabbing Exelirus's arm dragging him to the lake before he could even utter single word in protest.
Daniela then grabbed a small pebbled from the grassy floor and the proceeded to throw on to the lake, watching the rock skip across the lake.
"Really, rock skipping, that's what you wanted to show me", said Exelirus unimpressed.
"That's because you moving too slow to appreciate", said Daniela.
"What?" Exelirus question.
"Just watch", Daniela spoke before throwing another rock and the grabbing hold of Exelirus's hand.
Exelirus felt her entire body begin to speed, then, as though by instinct, his body followed. Radiating with blue thin sparks of kinetrix energy, Exelirus watched as time slowed down around them with everything coming to a near halt around them.
He then looked at the rock, watching as it slowly contact with the water on the lake, causing a ripple and then a burst before leaping once more and making contact with water again and then continuing the cycle before eventually sinking down. Exelirus, experiencing the slow and static stillness sound him, couldn't help but feel a sense of peace and harmony he had never know. On Kinex, he lived his life like the rest Kinexian, fast, all ways moving every movement of every day, enjoying the thrill of racing around their vast world. On kinex such a calm and still state, next to impossible as it seemed as though everything moved at a hundred miles per hour, so nobody could really appreciate the still quite of the world as it slowed down around them.
"Hey", Daniela as she handed him a small pebble.
"Wanna give it a try", said Daniela.
Exelirus just smiled warmly at her before taking it. Time then resumed it's normal pace, Exelirus then raised the stone up and then threw it. Time then slowed down, and Exelirus watched the stone as it skipped across the lake once more, bouncing and causing ripples to the waters below as it skipped past.
Exelirus watching it skip, turned to Daniela who wore a warm almost melancholic face of both happiness and sadness. Exelirus then realized something about the still calmness that surrounded both of them as their bodies sped, it was peaceful but also very lonely.
Exelirus then stretched out his hands and grabbed hold of hers, reminding her that he was right there with her and she wasn't alone. A genuine and warm smile then formed on her face.
Time then resumed.
"Come one let's go home", she spoke softly as she and his felt the lake, move slowly one, enjoying their peaceful trek through the forest one step at a time.