Chapter One: Welcome To Gifted U
I abruptly wake to my late alarm realizing today of all days if I show up late it doesn't matter if I'm the highest-ranked speedster at my school, out of a possible three mind you, but also top rank in the state they'll still label me as a slacker speedster riding the coat tails of my powers to the top. I zip around my room flinging clothes and things out of my way that just freeze in the air as I move quicker than it could fall to hit the ground. I rush to the bathroom and stand in the shower watching the water painstakingly slowly seep free from the shower head.
I grab what I can from the free-falling droplets to quickly cleanse myself then hope out for a speed brushing of teeth and locks of curly hair before I speed down the steps. "Hey slow it down! And don't forget breakfast!" I hear as I just about make it past the front door threshold I turn on the spot and quickly zoom back in grabbing toast and bacon off a set plate my dad had made before speedily hugging him. "Thank you!" I say before speeding out the door.
"Welcome future graduates of Gifted University the Heros you see today are a few of the many alumni that have graced the very corridors of our prestigious establishment!" An unfamiliar voice rang out in my ears as I ran.
"You hear that if you don't make it here soon you'll most def be disowned by the county your dad and this school." I hear my cousin's voice clear as day in my ear. For some reason ever since we were young we've been able to speak to each other we realized it worked better in the sunlight for her and spottier at night and vice versa for me.
"You know me I just wanted to race the train today I think even with the dampener I'll beat it this time. I say coming up on the tracks near my house." I say as I see the Maglev train making its pace toward me I assume the position and await its approach.
"If you beat the train out while wearing the dampener your dad's gonna put ten-ton weights on your ankles again." My cousin replies half-jokingly the memory of the half-ton weights on my ankles for my dad's "exclusive back in the day weighted training." Exercises sent a shiver up my spine. The train was close now about to pass me causing my body to tense up in anticipation.
"I'll only be able to buy you two seconds I doubt half these guys will even blink so don't be loud when you come in..." is the last thing I heard before I put my headphones on and press play on my phone. I take off right when I see the tip of the train pass me, it's moving at a blinding six hundred kilometers an hour even in hyper-focus it's moving past me faster than my zero to sixty could handle I was four cabins behind with adrenaline coursing through my veins as I begin to overtake the train one cabin at a time until I'm eye to eye with the conductor's hub.
He makes eye contact with me flashing a devious smile pushing the throttle to the max I feel it pulling away from me, but today I refuse to lose the dampener around my wrist sparks and groans at my exertion but I pay it no mind I push hard catching the nose of the train the city line blurs into focus the goal line quickening its pace to meet us just before we make it to the city for just a few moments I was faster.
"Now!" I scream to my cousin the signal to use her powers to brighten the room for a split second causing everyone to blink.
"As you all know after today under the new Right To Be You Act you'll all be allowed to freely use your abilities anywhere outside of school campuses and designated ability zones but that comes with a heavy responsibility for each and every one of you, your powers although a gift can also be more than dangerous... Now without any further ado, we will be rewarding the outstanding individuals who worked their hardest to receive the Ulta Man scholarship!" The Gifted University's speaker stopped for a moment giving a slight squint while everyone else did for a split second also blinked, within those few moments no one except the speedsters in the room noticed the auditorium bay doors swing open, and a blur sped in.
"Um... ah sorry did the lights malfunction just now?" The presenter asks the other Heros on stage only receiving slight shrugs of boredom or disinterest.
"You know you really keep playing it fast and loose like this and you'll be kicked out of GU in no time." Talia says to me as I try to hide my frantic gulps of air in an attempt to catch my breath.
"th-That's why I have to just be faster..." I say threw hard inhales.
"Just because you're faster than most Gifted doesn't mean you're faster than Ulta Man there hasn't been a speedster alive fast enough to slip by him since Max-em." Talia reminds me I look to the poster on the wall of the man himself. Max Maxomem better known by his Hero name Max-em was the world's first speedster born not affected negatively by wind sheer no need for a specially designed suit for impact or slowing he was what a speedster in the comics resembled. Seeing as Speedsters are not only the newest of the Gifted Powers bestowed by Mother Nature's Second Gift it was also the one with the most kinks.
Back in the day when super-powered people started cropping up all over the world, the powers were pretty simple super strength, incredible durability, and seeing in the dark most people don't count that one but I do. What had been considered at the time unique and improbable events snowballed into the world I and most people know today where not a single human isn't born with some sort of power I mean even officers have powers they most likely weren't enough to pass a Hero course but enough to protect and serve nonetheless. Well not only do I have extreme durability but I also don't need any assistance with wind sheer or a special suit even though my dad forces me to hide these facts I'm still going to be remembered for being the fastest speedster, not some diversity scholarship.