" Where does it come from? This quest. This need to solve life's mysteries when the simplest of questions can never be answered. Why are we here? What is the soul? Why do we dream? Life would be better off not looking at all. Not delving. Not yearning. That's our human nature. Not the human heart. That is not why we are here."
This is a story about Hiro Nakamura.
A Japanese teenager sat in a chair. Hiro Nakamura was his name. Hiro was a normal teenager; a little rounder on the edges than most. He wasn't as tall as most, but not as short. His messy black hair rested under a red cap. He was sitting alone. Many were sitting in their respective chairs around him, but he did not have company of his own.
He did not need their company, however. He was content with himself reading his comic book. There was a cup of soda on hand whenever he got thirsty. He looked up every now and then at the people walking by.
There was something strange happening to Hiro; something more than the melodramatic teenage angst of every teenager. Sometimes it would come. Always when it wanted but it would also go without a trace. It was a source of power that he never knew he possessed, but could not control. He had no knowledge of ever experiencing anything like it before. Hiro didn't even know exactly what his power was. It was definitely something strange.
Hiro took a sip of his soda and continued reading from his comic book. The sounds of the people that surrounded him were getting louder. And louder. And louder. He looked around. Everyone was engulfed in their own conversations, in their own lives and his was being dwarfed by it all.
He couldn't concentrate.
Hiro stared into the printed page. At the words. At the panels. At the pictures. Everything was loud. Very loud. But he couldn't exactly tell everyone to cease what they were doing. He closed his eyes and wished that everything would just stop so that he could continue reading in peace.
He opened them. Silence.
Not knowing what he had did, Hiro continued reading. As if nothing had happened. He continued on with the comic book, in the silence of the city. Everything was still. Everything was quiet for Hiro.
---
Hiro walked to the public transportation with his head down and his cap over his eyes. He watched his feet go in and out from his line of sight as they traveled back and forth on the cement sidewalk.
People had begun to move again. He hadn't noticed them not moving. It was as if the world decided to stop and then go again. Without his knowledge. Hiro was just a speck in the world. Just like everybody else. Just like every other teenager that he knew.
Hiro wasn't pay attention to where he was going and bumped into the person in front of him. He pushed his cap back over his eyes and bowed in apologies. The person in front of him smiled, "Hiro? Is that you?"
Hiro grimaced, hoping the familiar voice he had heard was not the familiar voice he thought it was, "Uh, yes. Yes it is."
The person laughed, "Well if it isn't little Hiro Nakamura. Still reading your comic books, geek?"
People began to flood into the public transportation. Hiro and his blocker stood still. Like a rock in a river. The current was moving around them.
Hiro tried to get past him. The person blocked his way.
"I asked you a question!"
He tried once more to get around his obstacle. The person once again blocked his path of escape.
Hiro nervously smiled, "Would you please move out of the way?"
The person pushed Hiro backwards, "Answer my question and maybe I'll let you go."
"Yes, Han, I am still reading my comic books," Hiro finally gave in. "I was reading my comic books at lunch today when you asked me that and I'm still reading my comic books right now a few hours later."
"Just as I thought. You're still a nerd."
"Will you please let me go on the subway now?"
Han pretended to think. He smiled, "Sure."
Hiro walked pass him, "Thank you," he said politely.
Han grabbed him by the shirt and brought him back, "Wait."
Hiro allowed himself to be brought back, facing Han, "What is it now?"
There was a moment of silence. People were still going in and out. Hiro looked into Han's eyes. Han grinned as the Subway doors closed. He let go of Hiro's shirt and folded his arms across his chest, "Now you can."
Hiro stood silent. Han playfully slapped him in the face and walked off laughing. Hiro watched him leave. He couldn't do anything about it. Han was bigger. He was perfect pray for a bully like that. Hiro pulled the cap down across his eyes and sat down on the bench nearby. It folded his arms across his chest.
Hiro didn't really care though. It was a regular thing now. He would walk, Han would torment. Hiro would breath and Han would taunt. Still, thought Hiro, I wish there was something I could do about it.
------
It was another day. Hiro once again sat down at a table and opened his comic book. X-Men No.143. He opened the first page and began reading. His soda was in hand, once again.
There was something about comic books that made Hiro happy. The extraordinary. The Amazing. It gave a new meaning to possibilities. Even if those possibilities were somewhat impossible.
Hiro took a sip of his soda and sat back into his chair. Thinking about what he had just read. The particular comic involved what was known as The Space/Time Continuum. It was very interesting. Hiro thought about it. Pondered over the actual feasibleness of the theory.
Just then his thoughts were interrupted. The familiar voice of Han Yamamoto. He sat down in the chair across from Hiro, "So, Hiro, reading more comic books?"
"Yes I am."
Two more people, Han's associates, sat down next to him. One on each side. Hiro looked at the three large men that surrounded him. He had no way of escape. He had to face them.
"You came all the way over here just to ask if I'm still reading comic books?" Hiro asked, trying to stall for time.
"Actually," Han began, "I want some money."
Hiro shrugged.
"And I want you to give it to me."
"I don't have any money."
Han smiled and shook his head, "Now, now. You know better than to lie to me."
He snapped and the two larger individuals with him grabbed Hiro. Han confidently got up and walked pass the two. He gestured with his hands for them to follow. Hiro tried to fight, but it was of no use. The two that held him were stronger.
Han led them into an alley way where no one would know what would happen. What would take place.
"So are you going to give me the money or not?" he asked.
"I told you I don't have any money."
He snapped his fingers. The two men reached back and punched Hiro in the stomach. Two pains in his body. He closed his eyes. Bared his teeth. Clenched his fists. Han smiled.
"I'm going to keep on asking you until you give me what I want."
Hiro coughed. He was able to mutter, "I don't have any."
Another snap. Two more punches.
Hiro dropped to the floor. The tight vices around his arms were released, and his face met cold, hard cement. Hiro coughed once more. Another pain in his side erupted in a burst of agony.
"Give me the money, Nakamura!"
Hiro stayed silent. His entire body ached. He had two strong men beating on him, and no money. He thought. He had to get away. There was no way he could stand up against the two.
Hiro moved his arm up for some support. With his other hand, he held his stomach. The pain was still there. He went on his knees and looked up at Han, "Okay, fine."
Han outstretched his hand for the money.
Hiro put his hands into his pockets and brought out a small crumbled up piece of paper. Han greedily grabbed it. He opened the paper. It was not money at all. It was only a crumbled up progress report.
"Hey!" he yelled out.
But Hiro was already running. He held his stomach and ran. His backpack was slowing him down, but so was the throbbing ache in his entire body. The sounds of his pursuers made it to his ears. They were close behind. Hiro tried his best to not bump into anybody, but there were a lot of people on the sidewalks. The sounds of his pursuers were getting closer. He closed his eyes. Tears streamed out. He wanted to be at his home. He wanted to be in his room. His safe room. He could see it in his head. His bed. The paint on his walls. His closet full of comic books. Hiro wanted to be there so badly. Away from the people. Away from Han and his friends.
Hiro opened his eyes.
He was standing in the middle of his room. There was the bed, the paint on the walls, the closet that was full of comic books. Hiro looked around in amazement. The tears on his face were already drying. He smiled and brought his hands up in accomplishment.
"I did it!"
---
note to the reader: In the first episode of Heroes entitled "Genesis", there is a scene in which Hiro is in his cubicle and makes the second hand go back one second. This made me think of why, all of a sudden, Hiro began to try and make the second hand go backwards when we, as the viewer, had no previous knowledge of him knowing that he knew he had the power to manipulate time. So I decided to make this flashback to fill in the blanks. Take it as you will.
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