Slow and Speedy Win the Fight

80. Creation

Sheldon

That goddamn show-off didn't have to do a stupid backflip.

My head was drenched in water as I stared at the water fountain in front of me.

Embarrassed. Mortified. Humiliated. There weren't enough words to express the amount of anguish I was experiencing.

I tried to stay active when I officially left the scene as a kid but I didn't realize how powerful people grew up to be.

My shield flickered around me for a split second and I took a deep breath. The flickering stopped and it disappeared, which left me feeling more vulnerable than before.

Now Haresa wanted to practice Vovinam with me. We were in a partnership now but once it was over, who was to say they wouldn't use what they learned from me to defeat me in the future? On top of that, Hung was the one that taught me Vovinam. It was our thing.

I closed my eyes and tried to slow down my breathing. Hung could be alive according to Haresa. If this partnership worked out, I wouldn't have to worry about my villain career after this once my plans are executed.

I needed to get a grip on myself. Just one week of training and then we could go and punch the Webspun people in the face.

"Sheldon?" Haresa called out and I spun my head so fast that water droplets splashed onto them.

"Crap," I said as I continued to stare at them. I was frozen in my place and Haresa wiped their face with the back of their hand.

"I'm good, it's just water. Don't worry about it."

"I wasn't," I mumbled.

They took a seat on the wooden bench next to the water fountain and pulled something out of their bag.

"I brought granola bars if you want any," they said and gestured to the empty seat next to them.

I reluctantly sat beside them and took the granola bar from their hand. I unwrapped the plastic before shoving the bar into my mouth. We sat there silently for a few moments before Haresa spoke up.

"How... were you made anyways?"

"You know how I was made. Lab baby. We've known each other's circumstances for a while I'm very sure."

"I know but I've never heard it from you. Like the actual process. People easily forget that we can't just be made from nothing. We're Asian for a reason."

I swallowed the granola dryly and gave them a side-eye.

"I think my creator was able to create artificial eggs to enhance the power gene and then used his genetic material so that I could... exist," I said.

"Ah... my dad did something similar. He used his eggs and then created something to act as the other half. The details are fuzzy but I know a news article covered it at one point but they sensationalized it so much that it's not even worth looking at."

"I see." I coughed. "You said that we're Asian."

They rubbed the back of their neck. "Ah right, I forgot you said you didn't feel Asian."

"Mmm."

There was another lapse of silence. I noticed they still were slowly munching on their granola bar and it was hard to believe at the moment that their power was super speed.

"Do you know why you were created?" I blurted out.

They stared at me with a shocked expression and I awkwardly looked away. I didn't know what came over me but the sudden curiosity got the better of me. It was a question that I had for years but never got to ask between the villain plots and the fighting.

"My dad said babies were made out of love and meticulous planning. And also, a fully functioning lab where the fetus can be cared for for the whole growth process," they laughed at the absurd comment. "My dad really wanted to have a kid but the adoption process isn't kind. Other methods were too expensive so he made do with his own means."

The familiar sour taste coated my mouth and I let out a bitter laugh. "My creator told me that babies were born out of revenge, spite, or desperation which is why there's a lot of unhappy families."

"That can't be the only reason, parents are supposed to love their kids."

I scoffed. "Why are there so many orphanages then?"

"Well, parents and guardians can still die. I don't think most people want to give their children."

"'Most' being the keyword there."

They slowly put down their granola bar. "It... sounds like you had it rough."

I just grunted in response, not eager to continue the conversation.

There was another lapse of silence but it wasn't as awkward as the previous ones. It was tense but weirdly it was comforting to know someone who understood the bizarre circumstances of my creation process even if they had a better upbringing than me.

"Sheldon, where are you from?" Haresa asked suddenly.

Now it was my turn to look at them with a shocked expression. I thought we just discussed this. I had to do a whole fucking presentation on Vietnam only to get a mediocre grade.

"If we have to be technical, my creator is from Viet—"

"No."

"My ethnicity is—"

"No" they shook their head vigorously. "Where are you from?"

A pause. They had a determined look in their eye and I could only stare at them in confusion for who knew how long before they motioned their hands in circles to encourage me to speak.

"Millton, believe it or not," I said slowly. They had a triumphant gleam in their eye and I felt myself relax. "It's on the outskirts of the city so the creator could get more privacy for his experiments."

"But you still came downtown every week as a kid?"

"Yeah. Being in a high-tech lab and being one of the high-tech products meant I was surrounded by a lot of things that make taking the bus a fun adventure."

"Oh, so you really had a grand time fighting me on the streets then," Haresa remarked. "You had to beat me multiple times too and rub it in my face."

"It's not my fault you were annoying as fuck. You kept calling me names and then rubbed blueberries all over my stomach," I shrugged my shoulders.

They met my eyes for a split second and a fit of laughter escaped both of us. I was lightly hitting my leg with a fist and they were hunched over grasping at their sides. I sobered up after a few minutes and coughed into the back of my hand, trying to pretend that the past few minutes didn't just happen.

Haresa on the other hand had a dumb look on their face as they had a giant grin stretched out across their face. Warmth spread all over my face and I looked away from them. My hands were shaking but I gripped my knees in hopes it wasn't too noticeable.

"Why the fuck are you smiling like that?" I said, still avoiding their gaze.

I could feel them lean forward toward me. "I'm just glad you're opening up a little."

"So, you can find all my weaknesses and strike me at my most vulnerable?"

"Who hurt you?"

I stood up suddenly and crumpled the plastic wrap in my hand. "Let's get to practicing again. We don't have a lot of time."

They got up from their seat and dusted off their lap. "Alright."

"Also," I turned to them, "don't be surprised if I don't go easy on you with Vovinam. I'll teach you a few moves so you don't get hurt too badly but don't expect more."

"Oh?" Their voice raised to a higher pitch. "I'm learning some of your moves?"

"Hurray up before I change my mind."

I speed-walked my way to the room and made sure to throw my trash out before I entered.

My face was too damn warm. I probably needed to stick my head under the water fountain again.