Too much time on my hands! ((open))

Zip speed through the streets of Empire City. He thought he was in the Historic District, but nearing the speed of sound he couldn't tell. What was he doing? That was a good question. Some could call it scouting, others just an act of boredom. Zip speed through the streets, grabbing wallets and looking for someone to help. Zip didn't think it was ironic that he was stealing and looking for evil-doers at the same time.

Zip would've kept running for hours on end if he had just avoided that one alleyway. A stray banana peel, laying by a dumpster, sent him spinning into a nearby brick wall. The impact with the wall threw him onto his back, knocking his breath away. "Uhh...stupid bannana peel..." Zip was momentarily disorganized as he lay flat on his back.

I chuckled again and shook my head. Always banana peels.Always. I climbed down the fire escape stairs down to the alley where the guy was at. I leaned over slightly so my face was a bit closer to his. " You okay mister?" I asked, lightly poking his cheek.

"Woah...woah, woah, woah, woah, WOAH! Obviously you don't know the rules her missy," Zip said. He talked quickly as always...like a hyperactive New Yorker, "First you introduce yourself, then I introduce myself, and that's when you can poke me!" Zip said, smiling the whole time.

I jumped slightly hearing him speak. Damn that was fast. " Oh...Lo siento...I'm Terra..." I mumbled in response, blushing slightly. I held out my hand offering a handshake though I'm sure it looked kind of awkward.

"French, eh? I speak French!" Zip said as he quickly shook the girl named Terra's hand, "Ravi de vous rencontrer!" he said, fluently. Zip was fairly close to knowing every common language...he had a knack for learning things quickly.

"Um...it was spanish...But nice to meet you too." I responded, kind of overwhelmed by all his energy. I'd never met anyone so...full of life." So uh...Why're you zipping around ?" I asked, trying to keep the conversation going.

((Fail. Google translate says its French...damn you google!!!!))

"Pshh...I knew that! I was just messin' with ya!" Zip said, not missing a beat. Too many languages got confused in his head. "Why am I zipping around? So I can do stuff like this of course!" Zip sped behind Terra, seemingly teleporting, and quickly pick-pocketed her. He returned to where he had been before and tossed back the content of Terra's pockets to her, grinning. "It's all fun and games though! No one loses more than a dollar and a piece of their pride!"

I flinched slightly though easily managing to catch my pen. Damn he was fast. It would make more sense if he was a villain. " Huh...So what els do you do?" I asked, rubbing the back of my neck.

"Whatever I want, I guess. I do what I want, when I want. When you're as fast as me, you don't have to slow down unless you want to. Every one and awhile I'll help the slower folks out if they're in a tight situation, but I let then handle themselves most of the time. What about you? Are you one of us?" Zip said the word 'us' omniously. Terra would know what he meant. Probablly.

I chuckled slightly at his answer. It didn't seem like such a bad plan. Hell, you could eat all day and not ge fat since the zipping around is pretty much exercise." A Conduit? Well uh not anymore really." Was all I could really respond with.

"Not anymore? Not anymore?!!! Explain!" Zip said. He didn't want to sound rude saying that in such a demanding way, but when he was slightly excited or scared his voice got even faster. The girl wouldn't be able to understand him in about a minute, so he made his sentences quick and tried to calm down.

" Um...well I met this religious guy...and he was all ' 'Sup maiden?' and I was all 'Nothing much' and he was all ' Lets go on a date' and I was all 'Ok.'...And one thing led to another and now I have this rock thingy thats upresses conduit powers." I responded shrugging slightly. Ok, maybe that wasn't the best explanation but I didn't exactly feel like having to explain it all.

"Wooooooooooah...that's so not what I expected. I could just take it off your hands, ya know? If you want..." Zip said, looking for the said item.

I smiled slightly and shook my head. I pointed out my collar noticing him looking for it. " Nah, it's cool. It's not a very pleasant feeling having it on but I kinda have to wear it."I responded, shrugging.

"Have to? You are a CONDUIT! I don't care if you're slow, because you're my species! No one is allowed to tell us what to do! I have conduit friends who could eat nukes for breakfast! A collar wouldn't give them any problems, so it shouldn't give you problems eithier." Zip said, matter-of-factly.

I sighed and tried to smile but I'm pretty sure it must have looked more like I was sad than anything else. " I can take the collar off anytime...I just choose not to is all." I replied, rubbing the back of my neck awkwardly.

"Damn...you are crazy! And coming from me that's..." Zip said. This collar obviously made Terra absolutely bonkers. No normal person would decline the ability to use and have powers!

" Ok maybe this thingy does make you kind of mental but I'm not crazy *facepalm*...Er...Its a long story ok." I responded, lightly crossing my arms ove my chest. It really did sound pretty dumb the way he said it.

"I've got time...lots and lots of time!" Zip said, quickly.

I sighed and leaned against the alley wall. " Yeah well it's not that good a story. What about you? How'd you get zippy?" I murmured in response. I wasn't in the mood to explain at all.

"I was born this way, I guess. Never had good control of it until the blast though!" Zip said. He thought it was funny that Terra had called it zipping.

I chuckled lightly. " So you were always this hyperactive? You weren't only like that after the blast?"I asked, cocking my head to the side.