Alex

Superheroes.

No matter where he went, all Alex saw were heroes and villains. It didn't help that he lived in Hollow City, a behemoth of a place, a technological metropolis. From an outsider's perspective, Hollow City was more like a silver empire of advanced technology and neon lights than an actual city.  It also just so happened that Hollow City housed the HQ of the Hero's Coalition, so watching your neighbor literally fly by your house wasn't uncommon.

Of course, he didn't hate heroes. In fact he respected the career immensely. His friends more often than not became heroes or at least tried very hard to enter the industry, Alex would never berate them for their efforts.

The pay was tempting. Even the lowest ranked heros, C-Rank, earned over twenty an hour. That was something he always considered, and it's not like "average" heroes didn't exist. But powered individuals were on an entirely different level. It made the career much less tempting if you knew your competition could shoot lasers from their eyes.

"I don't want to risk my life in order to save a stranger. "

Could one call him selfish?

If he had it his way, he'd grow old with his future husband in a cabin somewhere. Maybe get a dog.

Unfortunately, someone like Alex never had things go their way.

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Alex awoke to loud knocking from his dorm door. It could only be one person, one woman. The menacing aura that radiated from the door seeped all the way to Alex, making him shoot upright.

"Oh god. It can't be today, can it? I thought class was tomorrow?!"

As he scrambled out of bed murmuring curses, the door flew open.

"Oh no-"

"Alex," Stefani began, eyes glowing red. "Your ass better be up and lively or we're going to have a little situation."

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Somewhere on the outskirts of Hollow city, in an underground bunker.

"Everything set?"

"Yes, Boss."

"Let's begin then."

"Okay Boss."

Volt held out his arm to the other man who he was told to refer to as "Boss". Boss stepped away and Volt heard the clicks of a black case opening, revealing a syringe and two small barrels of pale liquid. Dry saliva slid down his throat. Was he nervous? Definitely.

Boss turned to Volt and smiled a bit too sweetly, but Volt didn't see it. He was too busy looking around where he and boss stood, fascinated by the clicking and whirring coming from various machines in the tiny bunker. While Boss tinkered with the syringe, Volt's eyes fell on a drawing board that had many papers pinned to it along with some photos. One stood out to Volt in particular- It  was a man with the arms of what looked to be a monkey, the lower body of a horse….Volt also noticed long, glorious blonde hair that flowed...

"Huh," Volt thought aloud, "He'd make a great hair product model if he weren't friggin' ugly, huh Boss?"

Volt didn't get an audible response but heard Boss hum. He supposed that was as much of a response he'd get as the older man stepped up to him, gripping his bicep tightly.

"Alright Volt, it's ready. The question is, are you? This serum will change you for the rest of your life.."

Volt looked at the needle in Boss's hand. It was just then that he noticed how small it was, and he suddenly felt as if he was just a kid getting a shot.  The liquid in the syringe glowed a bright magenta, sloshing around in the barrel. Volt thought it looked sort of like the liquid you see in a lava lamp.

"Boss, all my life I've been waiting for this sort of opportunity. I'm not the brightest and I am not the strongest either, but one thing I know for sure is that whatever this is, I'm ready! Bring it on! It's my time!"  Volt finished with a firm nod and a clench of his opposite fist.

"That's right Volt," Boss smiled again, the skin around his lips and chin cracking audibly. "Don't be frightened. This is your time."

Volt squeezed his eyes shut as he was injected.