Xander Drolet

                     2/12/18

Neo Steel

It was a calm, relaxing, summer morning. Neo Steel sat quietly playing music on the park bench. He looked like any other man, relaxing while enjoying nature at the same time, but little did the people know that under this peaceful, calm exterior lived a superhero, one that could change how people act and felt with the mere strum of his guitar. Neo hid this superpower from the world, not wanting the attention that any other person would have wanted with this power. Neo wanted a normal life, but deep down he knew it could never be that way.

When Neo was 13 he took guitar lessons, not knowing about his power. He played his very first song in front of his guitar teacher and watched his personality change completely. He noticed this and decided to do an experiment, so see if he could change how other people felt. He went to the park and played music there for the first time, and every person that heard it looked happier than before. Finally, he tested it on his parents. His parents moods also changed.

Soon, he realized his secret ability, but he kept it to himself. He thought anybody he tried to tell would think he was crazy. He never said a word about it to anybody, but he still used it. One time, his parents were fighting. He played a song and suddenly they were hugging. Another time, he was at a grocery store and just happened to have his guitar on him. Some guy pulled and gun on the cashier and Neo saw this. He played a song and suddenly the robber gave all the money he stole back to the cashier and threw his gun in the trash. Neo felt great about what he could do, but he wanted to tell somebody so badly, he could almost taste it.

In the ambulance on the way there, Neo stood in shock. He knew this was his fault. He broke down crying, screaming that it was his fault. His father tried to console him.

“It’s not your fault, Neo. I have no idea what came over her.” Neo was never the same after that. He now truly knew the limits of his power.

Neo was determined to only play music when he was alone.

One night Neo was really excited to go to hear a jazz band at a local casino. He had heard they were very talented.

As, Neo was enjoying the music, time itself seemed to freeze. Everything was still, except for Neo, of course. The casino doors flew open. In walked a man with a black tuxedo and a fancy stove pipe hat. He had green hair and a very fancy monocle. He looked at Neo.

“It’s about time we met, Steel.” Neo stood up from his chair.

“What’s going on here!?” He shouted.

“I’ve been monitoring you, Steel. I know about your so called ‘power’.” The man bowed.

“I am Freed. Freed Highmore.” He said humbly. Neo stared at him. Freed held up a device that looked like a TV remote.

“See this? I can use this to alter what anybody sees.” Neo jumped down from the stage.

“What? That's crazy.” Neo said

Freed snickered. “You're calling me crazy? You're the one with the powers, which by the way, only we know about.” He pushed a button. Suddenly, the people in the casino disappeared and the casino turned to rubble around Neo’s feet. “What do you want from me?” Neo asked.

“Well, your powers, obviously, and I want you to join me. Together, we can rule the world!”

“Never, will I use my powers for evil.” answered Neo.

“We’ll see about that.” Freed  snickered and walked out.

The casino returned to normal.The people acted like nothing happened. Neo grabbed his things and went home.

As, Neo ponders this, the phone rings, Freed’s voice warns… “If you don’t agree to work with me, I will destroy everything you love.”

Neo knew he would have to use his powers again. He would have to fight back against this evil. He was going to find Freed, even if it was the last thing he did.

Neo rushed to his parents’ house. He told them, they needed to hide because somebody was going to assassinate them. Suddenly, a window broke. Neo hid his parents and ran to the sound. Freed climbed in through the window. He noticed Neo and smiled at him.

“Oh. Fancy meeting you here.” Freed pulled out a knife. Neo pulled out his guitar. His parents fled to the other room while Neo and Freed stared at each other. It was almost like one of those old wild west movies. Neo swore he saw a tumbleweed roll by. Neo had a plan.

“You’re gonna regret you ever existed!” Neo screamed with rage.

“You’re gonna be the one with regrets!” Freed said. He threw it the knife at Neo, but it missed.

“You missed.” Said Neo.

“Think again.” Said Freed back. Neo heard his parents scream in the other room. Neo turned and dashed to the room they were hiding in. He found them both dead with their throats slit.

“NO!” Neo screamed. He fell to the floor, crying. The people he cared most about, gone. Freed walked into the room.

“Give me your powers, Steel. Or else I will keep not sto-”

“If I could give you my powers, I would have a long time ago.” He said to Freed.

Neo charged and tackled Freed. Freed fell to the ground. He grabbed the knife from the floor and held it above Freed’s head. Freed looked up at him, smiling.

“Even if you kill me, your parents won't come back.” Freed said to Neo.

Neo stared down at him. “No.” Said Neo. “But you’re still going to pay, and I know exactly how. You’re going to lead yourself to your own death.” He pulled out his guitar and sat in front of Freed. He started playing a slow, peaceful song.

“No! What are you doing?” He yelled. Freeds eyes suddenly turned cloudy, as if he was hypnotized. He stood up slowly, and slowly walked out the door. Neo followed him. He walked down the street like a robot. People came out of their houses and stood on the curb to watch what was happening. The street was lined with citizens, watching Freed march down the road as Neo walked behind him playing the guitar. Freed and Neo walked for a couple miles, and they finally arrived at the police station. Freed walked right in. All the cops stood up and pulled out their guns.

Freed held out his hands. “Please arrest me. I don't want to live with my sins any longer.”

Neo stopped playing the guitar. The cops put handcuffs on him and took him somewhere else. Neo talked to one of the cops.

“Thank you for turning this man in. He is currently the most wanted criminal in Tokyo. What can we repay you with?” The cop said.

“I don't need money.” Neo said. “There’s only one thing I want. I want a funeral to be arranged for every single person this man killed. I want that ASAP.” Neo told the cop. The officer said he would have that arranged very soon. A month later, there was one big funeral for every person Freed killed, including Neo’s parents.

Neo went on to be one of the best musicians ever. He traveled the world, playing for the people. He became rich and got married to a beautiful wife. They moved to Los Angeles, and now live in a large mansion. As for Freed, he was never seen again.

One year after Freed was arrested, Neo received a letter. It was a letter from the police saying that Freed was killed and asked the police to give Neo an important message. The message read, “Dear Neo, I did some horrible things in my time, but I never got to tell you about your powers. You see, I am the man who gave you those powers, but not on purpose. I had created a machine to give me the powers you had, but the machine malfunctioned. It exploded and sent off a shockwave of radiation throughout Tokyo. Its extremely rare that you actually obtained the ability, because nobody else got it. I was jealous, and tried whatever possible to get that power back, but that choice eventually lead me to my death. You obtaining this power means your special, and I think you should go live you life to the fullest. Sincerely, Freed.”

As Neo read this message, he was shocked. He finally knew why Freed did what he did. After Neo read this message, he felt… happy? Neo finally knew his origin story after all this time. Neo then did what Freed said to do, and lived his life to the fullest.