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Post by Nomz on Sept 3, 2024 3:50:10 GMT
Warm afternoon sunlight floods the park as a man sits down on a bench. He has two hot dogs in his hands, each held in wrappers and a safe distance from his face. Wally leans his back against his seat, head tipped back and eyes closed. A light breeze brushes through his hair as he waits. Through Diana and a few quick messages, he's managed to create a meet-up with Barry Allen of this Earth. Wally swallows the ache in his throat, sending it to live with the anxiety in his stomach. Objectively, he's fairly certain this will go okay. Diana had vouched for the blond and her word always carries weight. " Deep breath, Walls. It's fine. Don't stress. It's just Barry," he murmurs under his breath, but he can't bring himself to open his eyes. What if this Barry decided he didn't want anything to do with Wally? What if he reacted like Supes had about Conner in his world? Wally isn't sure he could handle that. " We're fine." He doesn't sound fine. |
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Post by Bixir on Sept 3, 2024 4:15:58 GMT
"It's okay if you're not fine, Wally." A familiar voice was thrown from behind the bench Wally was waiting on. Whether it was for four seconds, four minutes, four hours, Barry Allen had been standing there, dressed like any other person who was out for a day at the park. He came into view, allowing Wally to take him in with his own eyes. He looked older... but not by much. Barry smiled at him, then walked over to the bench and sat next to him. He rested his arms in front of him, filling the gap between his legs as he glanced over at Wally. He seemed happy. "So... The multiverse, right?" |
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Post by Nomz on Sept 3, 2024 4:29:07 GMT
Wally's entire body freezes as a heart wrenchingly familiar voice reaches his ears. His heart is in his throat very suddenly and he forgets how to breathe. He turns his head, peeking out from under his lashes at Barry like a child faking sleep.
"Are you so sure," he asks slowly as he sits up and Barry sits down. He tries to sound playful, but his nerves are still too high-strung. At least Barry didn't look upset.
"Multiverse," Wally nods before holding out a hot dog to Barry. "I'm still trying to piece together what all is the same. So, here's to hoping you still like mustard on your hot dog like a weirdo."
He's trying to poke fun at this man he doesn't know at all and it seems to ease his nerves a bit. "Sorry to just drop in on you like this, Uncle B- Uh. Barry- or, well." Wally chuckles awkwardly. "Mr. Allen, sir?"
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Post by Bixir on Sept 3, 2024 4:50:17 GMT
Barry took the hot dog with a smirk. "Lucky guess." Both of them knew it was anything but. There was only one person who organized lunch for the Justice League, and she had set this up. He took a hearty bite out of it, then set it on his lap.
Barry held back a laugh that could only have been interpreted as light-hearted. So far, there wasn't a serious bone in his body. He raised one finger, then two. "One. It's no problem at all. Really. Two. Please don't call me Mr. Allen, or sir. Barry is fine." He crossed his arms while he watched this boy. His smile weathered a bit. "I meant what I said, Wally. I can't begin to imagine what's going through your head right now... but it's okay to be worried, or scared. To be honest, I would be surprised if you weren't."
Barry paused. He watched Wally, seeing how he was quietly reacting to all of this. To say that it was a lot to take in was an understatement. "I'm sure you have a billion questions. Where would you like to start?"
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Post by Nomz on Sept 3, 2024 5:06:02 GMT
The happy, satisfied grin Wally wears slowly comes down to an almost fragile little thing. He toys with the hot dog in his lap, listening to Barry and fighting the urge to cry. He sounds so much like his Barry. He wants this to be his Barry. He plans to become his Wally, even if they're just friends.
Wally can be happy with that.
"It's alot, but it is...easier than being back home was," and yeah, his voice cracks a little at that. He swallows again, turning to meet Barry's gaze. "I'm glad you seem kind, at least. And a dork."
He takes a slow breath, holds it, and lets it go.
"I have a billion questions. We can start with you if you're okay with that and you're okay to ask questions about me." Wally looks out at the world before turning to the older Speedster. "Please tell me you're with Au- Um. My Aunt Iris is one of the best people in the entire world. Tell me you didn't drop the ball on that. Actually, you don't have to answer that if you're not comfortable. Also, like, how many Speedsters are here? Why are you so welcoming to me?"
He pauses for a breath, watching Barry carefully.
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Post by Bixir on Sept 3, 2024 5:14:42 GMT
Barry flashed a smile at being called a dork by this complete stranger, and one that acted like he had known him all his life. It was endearing. Who was he to deny that?
The first question gave him pause. Did she...? Barry blinked. For a moment small enough only to be noticed by speedsters, his mind goes adrift. Then, he's back. He smiled again. "It took me far too long, but... yeah. I married Iris. She's my entire world. It sounds like yours is, too."
Barry paused at the second question too, but for different reasons. He stares at Wally, rather intently. "It's a long list. But more importantly - Diana vouched for you, Wally. That's all I needed to know. And besides-
He lifted the rest of his hot dog. "How could I hate someone that loves hot dogs?" With that, he finished his with one final bite.
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Post by Nomz on Sept 3, 2024 5:24:00 GMT
Wally shakes his head, his smile coming back in full force and he places a hand on his chest before sighing dramatically. "Thank goodness." His mouth shuts in time to prevent the escape of his daughter's name and the additional information about himself. Barry hadn't asked for it.
He turns as he feels Barry staring at him, meeting his look with an equally serious one. He doesn't expect the answer he gets and the little train of thought that had been chugging along crashes and explodes in sparks of red lightning.
"Yeah, well. We can be hot dog friends," Wally snarks, offering the hot dog in his hand to Barry. "I know you'll need another one. Both were for you."
He waits a moment, before adding, "What does this mean for us? Is it okay that I want to join the JL?"
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Post by Bixir on Sept 3, 2024 5:32:33 GMT
Barry gladly reaches for the other hot dog. He seemed surprised that Wally didn't need it for himself. If he was anything like him, he burned enough calories for a dozen people. He took it all the same... and gorged himself while Wally kept talking. This was how Barry was around his friends... some of his friends, anyway.
He wiped his mouth before looking at Wally with similar confusion. So much of this seemed to come naturally to him - or rather, that these questions needed to be asked at all was a question in and of itself. "What do you mean? Why wouldn't it be okay for you to join the Justice League? Is that what you want to do?"
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Post by Nomz on Sept 3, 2024 5:39:18 GMT
He tries not to laugh as Barry happily takes the hot dog. It soothes a part of him that always likes to take care of those around him and it feels...like home. That's a fact he's not ready to pick apart yet.
"Well, I mean. I don't want to step on your toes? I was gonna just go by Wally and run around alot, helping where I can." It sounds odd even as he says it, but Wally can't shake the need to know that his choices are okay in Barry's book. "I was going to just be your friendly neighborhood Speedster, but I...met a lot of people and Shade who told me that I could be someone here. People who made me remember why I wanted to be a big-time hero."
"I want to help. I can help. I'm very good at what I do. I just don't want to get in your way?"
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Post by Bixir on Sept 3, 2024 18:09:43 GMT
Barry looked to have a response in his head, though it took a backseat when Wally mentioned the Shade. The man's face turned a touch serious. Concerned. What all had Wally been getting up to since coming here? "You met the Shade? What happened?" His tone implied suspicion, not relief.
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Post by Nomz on Sept 3, 2024 18:30:10 GMT
Wally comes to a stop, all other thoughts on the conversation sailing away until there are none left. He turns a little on the bench to face the older man, his arm on the back of the bench. "I met Richard in the city. He was on a job and I did as I always do. I asked what he was up to, which he kept insisting technically counted as hero work." A shoulder lifts in a shrug. "I decided to stay with him to find out what was happening. You can get a lot done without ever engaging in battle. It got interesting."
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Post by Bixir on Sept 8, 2024 1:15:29 GMT
Barry's concern turned into surprise. That was... unexpected. "What did happen, Wally? The Shade is dangerous."
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Post by Nomz on Sept 8, 2024 2:15:19 GMT
Wally watches Barry for a heartbeat before breaking into the details as he remembers them.
"Richard said he was doing hero work and that he was following a lead in connection to the Maggia. I didn't recognize the name at the time. We ended up looking together for a shipping container marked as MGPA 3464740. I-" He pauses to swallow, a hand lifting to press against his chest.
"It was instantaneous. I knew it was too late as it happened. I opened the crate door and this silver aether smothered me in magic power. It was so cold. I couldn't react fast enough and then I was so slow." His frown is clear in his tone. Wally's eyes fall to the bench between them, brows pinched together. "It was some type of magic and I quickly found myself face-to-face with someone known as the Gentleman Ghost? He was just as surprised to see me. It was a trap meant for Flash."
"Richard seemed to know this James fellow and he claimed me as his associate. I believe that kept James from fully acting on his curiosity about me. And, yeah, he was really curious. Able to see my connection to the Speed Force and even tapped my chest, making little sparks fly."
The redhead sags a bit against the bench, returning his gaze to Barry's. "He called himself the 'White Knight of the Hellfire Society', whatever that means. He confirmed that Madame Zana was still the Black Queen." He is hoping that the older Speedster man has some input or knowledge of this topic.
"Shade broke the hex on me and, damn, that was a painful rush. Ghost didn't seem fond to stick around after that and left almost immediately. Did...does any of that mean anything to you?"
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Post by Bixir on Sept 11, 2024 5:29:53 GMT
Barry's face remained stoic throughout Wally's retelling of what transpired. He hadn't been anywhere near Central City when all of this had gone down. Had Craddock really thought this out, or had there been something else at play with what he had been away from home for? Barry pushed this to the back of his mind. By the time Wally had finished, Barry was smiling, in somewhat disbelief. He leaned back on the bench, arms crossed.
"That's quite the adventure. Both of them have been enemies of the Flash for longer than I've been alive. I'm glad that you came out unphased... mostly.
"I've heard about the Hellfire Society before. They're hard to touch, legally. They work behind the scenes, usually in places that aren't as easy to bust like your out-and-out supervillain. What you just told me is more than I knew about them. Nice work."
Barry rubbed the underside of his nose with his index finger, then sighed. It didn't sound disappointed or upset. Barry Allen wasn't used to pride. "To go back, though: nothing is stopping you from being The Flash, A Flash. There's a couple of us running around." Barry's eyes twinkled. Some Flash humor persisted across universes. Then the serious demeanor returned. "About those sparks... even Jay doesn't fully understand the Speed Force, and he's had it longer than any of us. Gentleman Ghost uses magic, so that might be a place to start. Not that the Speed Force is magical." Barry seemed quite adamant about that last part. As with the Barry Wally had known, the Flash wasn't keen on the supernatural. Everything could be explained with science. Usually.
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Post by Nomz on Sept 13, 2024 0:57:40 GMT
Wally can't even begin to hide the way his entire expression brightens when Barry tells him 'nice work.' He knows he shouldn't matter quite so much to him that this stranger thought he did well, but it does. It means more than he can manage to put into words even as a pleased blush crawls up the back of his neck.
He openly snorts at Barry's comment, knowing perhaps better than most just how many Flashes are running around at any one time. "There's a science behind everything, right?" Wally shakes his head for a moment, red hair falling in his eyes as he thinks about how untrue that sentence is. Magic...just is. Always has been. He knows that very well. "Shade and I are keeping in contact in case either of us finds out more. I'm not keen to get wrapped up in magic, but it wouldn't be the first time. I wonder if I could pick the brains of Constantine or Zatara." He rubs his chin with one hand, looking out across the park in thought.
"Speaking of Sparks, I meant to ask. What color are your sparks?"
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