Mason Padilla - Power Absorber - Sci-Fi world of Super Heroes (Marvel+DC+Mass Effect)

I blinked, confused.

Around me New York City bustled. A busy street. People of every race, age group and social strata mixed and blurred around me going about their days.

Some had omni-tools lit up, flickers of neon light in front of one eye giving the telltale sign that their HUDs were active and perhaps they were on a video call with their wife, or responding to work emails through the neural interface as they walked.

Sleek mass drive cars zoomed along overhead, while older ground cars hummed by to my left.

It was all both familiar and unfamiliar. A man bumped into my frozen body from behind and I stumbled, hearing a muttered 'sorry' as I scurried out of the crowd towards a shop window.

My own HUD flickered open in response to my confusion, showing my position near the corner of Fifth and Central.

I didn't know how I came to be here, exactly.

I knew I had done... Something. But it was all fuzzy in my mind, outside of my reach.

Only one piece of enlightenment came to me, as I stared blankly at the street-facing display window of an android store, not really comprehending what was in front of me.

I had meant for this to happen. It had been my intention that I wouldn't remember exactly what I'd done.

Slowly, my shoulders relaxed, and the bustling of the people and cars around me started feeling less oppressive.

When I tried to remember, all I got was a vague sense of peace and... Anticipation? Like... It sounded stupid, even as the idea comforted me, but it felt like whatever I had done I didn't need to worry about it.

I just needed to live my life.

Do whatever I wanted to.

Have fun.