@midknighter: He's from Africa and they make a lot of jokes.
_Quickster_'s forum posts
Mazomanie, Wisconsin
While some of his allies face the problems of sexual escapades and identity crises, Maxwell Ferreolus faces a crisis of his own. Perhaps the oldest crisis known to man, one which plagues the human race continually, with no signs of letting up. And, being who he is, young Maxwell may face the worst case of such a crisis ever to exist in the history of mankind.
“This! Is! Boring!” He shouted into his earpiece at Felicia as he arrived at the scene of the Peoples Community Bank in his hometown of Mazomanie, where there was apparently a robbery taking place. “Not even super villains. Just plain old crooks!” With his goggles, they were clear as day through the walls. Five armed men, automatic weapons. “My life was so exciting before I got this way.”
“Max, just focus. At least you’re doing something. You could’ve been sitting at home,” Felicia said back. Max seemed to consider it a bit then shrugged. “Okay. But when I signed up for this I thought I’d be facing exciting new challenges. We should call them! See if anybody wants to do anything. You call! Set it up while I’m busy. Wonder how Cecilia’s doing. We should call her too. Maybe show her around the base, let her know how I’m doing. Bet that’d impress her. Oh! Handle that later. I’m here.” With final words he ran into the bank, phasing through the wall on the backside of the safe, where two men were loading money into bags. Neither saw him before moderately quick fists put their lights out and the money was neatly back in place before they hit the ground. In the main hall there were the other three communicating with police negotiators. “Hey! Before I put you out of my misery you mind telling me why…Y’know what nevermind. Let’s just try to make this just the slightest bit entertaining for me.”
The startled gunmen turned around and opened fire just when they saw who they were dealing with. As if it made any difference. Max danced lazily around and in between the bullets, catching those that passed behind him in the air as to ensure no strays hit civilians. Then just for fun he shoved a couple of bullets into his mouth like a hoarding squirrel. “Ookaow, no we’schk pwagw a gwam. Be’schk schott!” They tried again but it made no difference *Ptoo-too!* Somewhat entertained by his own antics he spat two bullets into the knees of one of the bank robbers who collapsed on the floor. Another went running and the third tried again, only for the same result. *P’too-too-too!* The next man went down and Max turned around. “Alright now wher—hey! That’s not fair!” The fleeing man had sought a hostage, seeing no other option, holding a pistol against her temple. “Lemme go! I’ll put a bullet in her! Think you’re fast enough to stop it this close? You wanna take that chance?”
-- ‘Not even a legit question. I could get him faster than the impulses in his brain could tell his hand to squeeze. Only problem is I don’t wanna kill the guy either so I gotta keep it slow. Probably should’ve practiced control and moderation more before going all morals-off dark-side mode. Or after...Okay…Readysetgo!’ --
Max concluded his thoughts and dashed forward in a controlled burst of speed, covering the ground between them with inhuman quickness. Wasn’t quite as fast as he’d like and also not so fast that the guy couldn’t squeeze the trigger. The bullet had just made contact with the girl as soon as the Quickster did. Luckily for her Max was able to actively reach into the source of the speed and speed-steal all the momentum from the bullet, halting at the end of the chamber. They tumbled over the robber knocking out his wind and sending all three of them crashing through the desk. Max was up quickly and socked the bad guy one for good measure. Then he carried the girl outside. She had sustained some minor injuries from the impacts but he was able to extend his protective aura to her so she wouldn’t experience anything near fatal. “They’re all yours,” he said to the leading officer outside. “Two in the safe, three in the lobby.” With nothing else to say he left for….Arizona, was it? That’s the main base right? Even if not, he thought that was it, so that’s where he went.
“Max, wait! I think there’s a problem! Head to Chic—” Felicia started to speak but he was already gone before she was halfway through the first sentence.
About halfway across Topeka, Kansas, a funny feeling overcame him. Not haha funny. The kinda funny where it’s like something’s off and something bad’s about to happen that makes you eat any previous words about being bored and wishing the world was faster. In more precise, accurate terms, he sensed…something, moving toward him extremely quickly. He’d only felt it for less than a moment before—WHAM! The impact across his body sent him skipping back across America, hitting a few bumps along the way, where he came to a skidding halt in a pile of concrete freshly dug up by his body. Unconscious for a moment, his good friend’s voice carried him back to the waking world.
“Max, are you alright? What happened? What are you doing in Calgary?”
“Aack! Aah. Aoowww Canada? GaaahhhDammit! Something hit me.”
“What was it?”
“I don’t know, didn’t see it.”
“Sooo….what? An invisible enemy?”
“Haaaaa…I….I wish.” Max painfully sat up, gripping his ribs. “Hit more like a speeder.” After that, only silence came from the other end as he stood to his feet, looking around for who or whatever hit him.
“Are…are you sure? How can anything be too fast for you?”
“Because I’m still operating at subluminal speeds. Whoever this was isn’t giving the same courtesy. This is why I regulate my speed when facing enemies. If I hadn’t the nullifying aura, or this was a year ago when I didn’t know how to use it, my whole body would be paste, or less. Instead, I get off with a few broken ribs on the other side of my body. And that’s rolling with the hit at the last moment. All that with a glancing blow, whoever it is isn’t playing around. Good news is I can feel his momentum, and I can even keep up with him. Bad news is I’ll be basically offline and we can’t really talk as long as my mind and mouth are going that fast. I’ll get started up again. If he’s anything like me he’ll be able to sense me by my speed and find me that way. Talk to you later. Wish me luck.” With a half-hearted smile he dashed off aimlessly, as always before a response could be made.
It didn’t take long for him to again feel the incoming force, the window of opportunity for reaction just as small, but this time he was more prepared, and that was all he needed. At the last half-a-moment he juked his attacker and spun around his back then rushing him from behind. Only his attacker seemed just as prepared. First he felt a whiff of air, then a piercing in his side, and again himself being thrown across some great distance in the world, coming to a stop in what appeared to be a desert. This time his attacker loomed over him, hand over his throat, a second clawed hand raised above his head.
“Ack! Hey….Nice-ack-outfit. WishI’dhavethoughtofthatwhenIwasbad!”
“Hahaveryfunny!” The attacker’s voice sounded vaguely familiar, but with an electric, almost robotic overtone covering it making it hard to discern. “Quickster’sgonnaenjoygettingthisone.”
At that moment it was pretty clear what...who he was dealing with. “Holycrapyou’reme!”
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