There is a great deal of storm activity going on inside the planet Jupiter.  And luckily for the ElecticHands, anyone who is lucky enough to be struck by lightning is bestowed great strength, enough to lift as much as two tons, depending on the strength of the bolt.

One evening, a young ElectricHand by the name of Static Elektricity stood by his window gazing out into the distant world.  Static Elektricity's friends often called him Elek.

This had been Elek's lucky day.  Purely by accident, while investigating a cable buried in the ground behind his school, Elek got struck by an incredible bolt of lightning that was so powerful it knocked his 15 year old body out of consciousness.  He awoke minutes later, a little perturbed about what had just happened.  Just then it hit him that he was feeling immense strength throbbing in his arms.  

Four hours and a hole in a brick wall later, Elek was getting ready to make his escape.  He was going to try out his newfound strength anywhere; he could not keep himself cooped up inside his room.  He climbed out his bedroom window and took his motorcycle out into the  streets of the city.  Fortunately for him, minimum driving age inside the planet Jupiter was 13.  

Meanwhile, there was a young girl by the name of Elektra Cute leaning on her window, staring out into the world.  Oh, how she wanted to escape the boredom of everyday life.  

It was only 40 degrees outside, on this one particular night, but Elektra left her window open anyway.  Her mother often got angry with her for leaving it open when the weather was so unforgiving.  But Elektra sure didn't seem to mind it.

"Well, you're obviously hot enough to stand it."  The line played over and over again inside Elektra's head.  It was a line spoken by her next door neighbor, who had just moved in a couple days earlier.  She didn't understand what it meant, but she didn't pay that much mind.  This new neighbor of hers went by the name of Shock Wave, and was a full 7 years older than little 14 year old Elektra.

She still couldn't believe she had done it.  This new neighbor, Shock Wave, had invited her to come with him on one of his gang's runs at midnight that night, and she had accepted his offer.  He was picking her up in 15 minutes. 

The name of the gang was "Fast Forward".  Elektra was very nervous about going out with a load of strangers, especially a gang.  But Shock had assured her that everything would be fine, and she wouldn't be hurt.  According to Shock, the gang was not violent, they only broke into places.  

Elektra heard footsteps on the nearby grass.  She looked over and saw exactly what she expected to see.  "I'm coming," she whispered to the figure, who turned around as she climbed out her window.  She followed the figure over to a black Ford Ranger pickup truck.

"Hop in the back," he instructed.  Elektra joyfully leapt into the back of the Ranger, suddenly quite excited about this escapade.  "We're gonna  have to go pick up a few people on the way."

Elektra nodded, and sat down with her back to the cab of the truck.  She brought her knees up to her chest, and held herself as the truck took off.  

Just a minute and a half later, they came to the first stop.  A girl that Elektra presumed to be about 17, who was solid purple and at least a foottaller than Elektra, hopped in and sat next to her.

"Hi!  My name's Star Burst."

"Hi," Elektra said nervously, taking Star's extended hand and shaking it.  Star continued to talk to Elektra for the entire trip, even through, on the next two stops, two very freaky looking ElectricHands joined the party.  Neither of them spoke for the entire 30 minute trip.

Elek stood by a telephone pole, with his motorcycle parked across the street.  He was a little disappointed that no gangs had tried to come after him yet.  He looked around, not sure what time it was, but he thought it might be midnight by then.  Darkness had swallowed the streets of the city whole, and traffic was very sparse.  Except for an odd looking Ford Ranger over by the bank...

Shock's grunts could be heard all the way outside of the small hole they had managed to carve in the wall of the bank.  Finally Shock emerged, disappointed.  "I can't get to it.  It's only like an inch away from my fingers."

 One of the two freak members of the gang spoke for the first time.  "Let the little girl try for it." 

 "Elektra, would you try for it?"

 "No," she answered quickly.  "I...  I'm not supposed to do...  anything like that."

"Aw, come on, sweetheart.  You realize how rich we could be?" Shock said this with an  impatient tone.  Both of the freaks were scowling at her.  She felt very intimidated, but she did not believe in stealing.

 "I can't.  I... just can't, okay?"  Tears began to form in Elektra's eyes.

Unexpectedly to anyone, one of the freaks lunged for Elektra, taking her by her arms.  The other freak started to move in, only to be held back by Star.  "Get off of me!" he screamed at Star, spinning around. He was just about to deliver a blow, when he was knocked back by some strange force that felt like a locomotive.  He flew at least fifteen feet before landing on the ground.  Shock and the other freak did not hesitate to attack immediately, lunging for the strange creature that had suddenly appeared.  

Within seconds the other freak had been decked, and Shock was stuffed far enough up the hole to reach the money, but too far to escape.  The strange creature had grabbed the keys to the Ranger from Shock.  He handed them to Star.  "Here," he said to her.  "Get out of here."  Star grabbed the keys, grateful that she did not have to experience what her fellow gang members had just experienced, and took Shock's truck back home.

The mystery figure, Elek, looked upon Elektra who had collapsed to her knees in fright, trembling and sobbing.  He kneeled down beside her, resting his hands on her shoulders.  "Are you okay?" he asked her.

 She looked up into his eyes.   Without a second's hesitation, she wrapped her arms around him and held him tighter than she had ever held anything in her life.  She continued to hold this... total stranger in her arms.

There was something very strange about the way he had looked at her that she couldn't quite comprehend.  There was a strange peace flowing like a soft stream in his eyes, a light that seemed to radiate the message, "I'm here.  I have been waiting for this.  I won't hurt you."

Elek was feeling a strange empathy that made his stomach crawl.  His eyes had become misty as well, when he gave her the quick second of eye contact, before she held onto him.  All the while they were hugging, Elek was going through a state of denial, hardly believing that what he had just seen was real, hardly understanding how beauty that divine could be captured in so small a package.

The couple finally stood up.  Elek removed his jacket and put it around Elektra's shivering body.  She buried her head softly into his chest as they walked back to Elek's motorcycle, holding each other like the greatest treasure they had ever known or imagined.   "Are you sure you're okay?" Elek asked again.

"I'm fine," Elektra sniffled.  "Thank you."

"So, what is your name?"

"I'm Elektra.  Elektra Cute."

"I'm Elek." They looked into each other's eyes for the second time.  Elek's state of denial vanished quickly as he confirmed to himself that this was real.  It was everything he could have asked for... and more.  It was pure Heaven.  

Elektra smiled as it was obvious to her that Elek was admiring her soft features and angelic eyes.  "Thank you," she said, not knowing what else to say.  

Elek chuckled.  "So, um..." He hesitated.  Elektra smiled again.  Elek  continued.  "Have you ever kissed anyone?"  He couldn't believe what he had just asked.

"No," Electra answered, giggling.  She plucked up her courage and asked him back, "have you?"  Blushing, Elek admitted that he hadn't.  Elektra was still smiling, "well, that's the way it should be, right?"

"Yeah..." Agreed Elek.  Elektra felt an unknown force draw her into him as they joined lips and engaged in a slow, warm kiss.  It was that night, in just five minutes' time, when despite being total strangers, Elek and Elektra fell in love.

The End