[hr][hr][center] [img]https://67.media.tumblr.com/33de6a431b568b041ffadd2e50092b87/tumblr_o7qkwvmlIF1spa8loo2_r2_540.png[/img] [color=CC0000]M A Y 2 N D, 2 0 1 6 [color=gray]♦[/color] T H E B R O N X [color=gray]♦[/color] N E W Y O R K C I T Y, N Y [/color][/center][hr][hr] [indent]I’ll be honest… I’m not sure what hurt more. Sure, the physical pain was considerable, but my pride… oh, my sweet, sweet pride. I could’ve been sent flying through any establishment, literally [i]any[/i] – and which one did I end up smashing into? Starbucks. [i]Starbucks.[/i] I hurtled through a display window, glass spraying over the café’s gaping customers as I crashed into a table, falling to the floor as it broke from the impact. Its two occupants stared at me in shock, holding their cheap excuse for coffee to their chests as if they thought that I might steal it. I stood with a groan, brushing away any glass and splinters that might have stuck to my costume. [color=FFF200]“Hey. How you doin’?”[/color] I said, glancing at the guy whose table I just demolished. I plucked his drink from his hands, taking a sip, his (I think) girlfriend’s expression that of utmost shock. Gulping it down with a grimace, I handed the coffee back to him.[color=FFF200] “Thanks.”[/color] To the rest of the café: [color=FFF200]“Uh. Sorry.”[/color] Yeah, I know. Smooth, right? A flash of blue lighting crackled at the broken window, revealing the idiot that had been harassing Spider-Man. His suit was decent, a mix of blue, red and gold that actually didn’t look half bad. He stood there with a predatory snarl on his face, his fists clenched and chest heaving; not from exhaustion, but excitement. His gaze swept over the café, teeth bared. [color=546998]“I would suggest leaving. I don’t like audiences. [i]Now[/i],”[/color] he ordered, eyes digging into me behind his visor. [color=FFF200]“Yeah, y’know, Road Runner might be onto something, people,”[/color] I agreed. They listened, beginning to file out in a panic as they knocked over chairs and tables on their way shuffling out of the building. [color=FFF200]“So,”[/color] I began, convinced that we had the room to ourselves, [color=FFF200]“You a metahuman?”[/color] [color=546998]“What?”[/color] [color=FFF200]“A metahuman. You had to get your powers from somewhere.”[/color] He scoffed the kind of scoff that said, “You’re beneath me. I shouldn’t have to explain myself to you.” Needless to say, he was full of himself. [color=546998]“Chemistry accident in the lab at my school during a storm. Boom. Now I’m [i]God.[/i]”[/color] [color=FFF200]“Ha,”[/color] I said, disbelieving. What he was saying... the accident he was describing... there was no way he was powered by the Speed Force. I should’ve been able to sense his connection to it, like a signal on a frequency only I could receive, but there was nothing, as if something was blocking it. [color=FFF200]“Hahaha – wait, you’re serious?”[/color] A sadistic smile curled on his lips. [color=546998]“You know, I was content with splattering the other stupid “hero” all over the parking lot, but I think it’ll be a lot more fun doing it to you; maybe I’ll do it while I’m robbing this coffee shop blind. So really what I’ve been doing for the last three months, but now with the added satisfaction of being the man who killed [i]the Flash[/i].”[/color] I would’ve laughed if not for the fact that he’d practically confirmed his connection to the Speed Force. It’s textbook super-villainy. If they stay on topic, gloating about how yes, they're completely serious, and then go [i]on[/i] and [i]on[/i] about how they came to get their powers, they’re most likely full of it. But if they take your shock and build on it with a threat, there’s still a chance that they’re bullshitting you – only now, you can’t help but feel like there’s some tiny grain of truth hidden in there somewhere. [color=D22626]“You know, it’s a little bit rude to kill someone who is just visiting.”[/color] Spider-Man dropped down from the ceiling, sneaking up on both of us; he landed in a crouch, feet planted on the countertop to my left. It was hard to tell how the guy was doing – I had his mask to thank for that – so I just nodded at him, a gesture that he returned. Speed Demon ([i]God[/i], what a terrible name) growled, obviously annoyed. I suppose I would’ve been, too. One smartass is already annoying, but [i]another[/i] one? And with those awful tights? Yeah, I could see why he was so offended. [color=546998]“You know, I was going to let you go… but you just passed my grace period.”[/color] [color=D22626]“Did I get first place?”[/color] Spidey said, flipping onto the floor beside me. He held an arm behind his back, something small and plastic wedged between his forefinger and thumb. He dropped it onto the floor, taking a step forwards. A thought crossed my mind that he left it there for me to use, clashing with another that screamed “WAIT, WHAT ARE YOU – ” as he leapt towards the rogue speedster, leg extending in a kick that he [i]had[/i] to know would be dodged. That’s when it clicked, and speed mode kicked in – the world slowed down, and in an instant my only companion was my heartbeat. With Spider-Man flying towards Speed Demon at a snail’s pace, I used the distraction to pick up the plastic cartridge he’d dropped, smiling at the brilliance of my plan. I threw the cartridge… [i]really [/i]fast. Electricity arced behind my arm as I flung the plastic, watching it shoot towards Speed Demon as Spidey inched forward with every passing millisecond. The cartridge exploded on impact, covering the speedster in a sticky, goo-like substance – Spider-Man’s webs – holding him in place for the foot that met his face a fraction of a second later. [color=546998]“AAARRGH! You can’t be [i]serious![/i]”[/color] he cried, recoiling from the blow. I knew the webs probably wouldn’t hold him for long; if he knew anything about his powers, he would’ve known how to get free within milliseconds. As blue lightning crackled from his efforts to escape, I dashed forward, stopping bare inches away from him. [color=FFF200]“Y’know, I’d say sorry, but…”[/color] I shrugged, [color=FFF200]“I’m really not.”[/color] My fist connected with a satisfying crunch, little more than blur; blood spurted from his nose as he tried to cover it with his hands, the webs unwilling to let him. [color=546998]“Agh, myb nobe, you puffer!”[/color] [color=D22626]“That looks like it hurt. Not quite like being thrown from Queens to the Bronx, but hey,”[/color] quipped Spidey, webs shooting from his right wrist with a loud [i]thwip[/i], beginning to cover Speed Demon. [color=D22626]“Please tell me he can’t break free from that.”[/color] [color=FFF200]“Don’t worry, I gotcha covered.”[/color] My arm blurred with electricity once more as I bopped Speed Demon on the head, watching with fascination as he slumped in his adhesive prison. I saw him before Spidey did; a perk of being a speedster. The Flash sped into the café in a trail of red and yellow, taking in the display before him with a half-smile on his face. He came to a stop next to me, patting me on the shoulder. [color=FFF200]“Oh, hey, Flash. I have a guy you should probably meet. Spidey, Flash. Flash, Spidey.”[/color] I gestured between them, a wide grin spreading from cheek to cheek. [color=FFF200]“And this,”[/color] I motioned to Speed Demon’s unconscious form, [color=FFF200]“Is Speed Demon. Yeah, I know, very inspired.”[/color] My aloof smile faded, replaced by a stern gaze. [color=FFF200]“He’s connected to the Speed Force. I think he might be our guy.”[/color] [color=CC0000]“No,”[/color] said the Flash, [color=CC0000]“He’s not. I’ll fill you in later.”[/color] He turned to Spider-Man, extending his hand. [color=CC0000]“For now, though. Nice to meet you, Spider-Man. You do great work here.”[/color] Spidey accepted Barry’s hand, shaking it. [color=D22626]“Oh, psshh, it’s nothing. So, welcome to New York City. We get the weirdest supervillains; I should tell you about this one time I fought a [i]giant chicken[/i]. No, I’m not kidding, he went ‘kraw kraw’ and everything.”[/color] I think that was the moment Barry and I decided that we liked this Spider-Man guy. Lord knows he needed friends. [/indent]