Chapter 2: Directions
"Damn, look at him go!" Joe exclaimed, a wide grin spreading across his face as he watched Wally blaze through the speed lab, a whirlwind of motion and energy. A vivid streak of blue lightning crackled in his wake, amplifying the sheer awe of his speed and making him a spectacle.
With a sudden whoosh, Wally skidded to a halt beside them, his face glowing with exhilaration. "I can never get enough of this feeling," he said, breathless with excitement.
"Yeah, that's what it's like to be a speedster," Barry replied, his smile touched with a hint of unease. The electric blue sparks dancing around Wally's form bore an uncanny resemblance to someone else—Savitar. The similarity was unsettling. Could Savitar be a future version of Wally?
"That should be all the tests, right? I need to finish some assignments," Wally inquired, noticing the unease that had settled over Barry.
"Yes, that's all for today," Caitlin responded, her tone warm and reassuring. With that confirmation, Wally didn't hesitate—he shot out of the lab in a flash, leaving only a gust of wind and a trail of crackling energy behind.
In an instant, he was at Joe's place. Thanks to the remarkable recollective abilities that came with being a speedster, he swiftly completed his assignments with ease, marveling at how little the show had ever truly highlighted this particular gift.
"Now, where do I start?" he mused aloud, sinking into the couch as his mind began to churn with ideas. It didn't take long for inspiration to strike. His eyes flickered with blue lightning as the answer came to him.
"What's the best way to survive in a sci-fi world?" he asked himself, a bright smile tugging at his lips. "The best way is to conquer it—with more sci-fi."
But then a nagging thought held him back. As he ran quick calculations in his mind, an unsettling realization dawned on him.
Despite his speed and the vast potential it offered, his intelligence, though impressive, was still on the lower spectrum of genius-level intellects. Sure, his brain could process information at lightning speed, but was that enough?
"The Thinking Cap," he muttered, the idea crystallizing in his mind. A device designed to enhance intelligence—yes, that could be the key. A peculiar excitement surged through him, and for a moment, he rubbed his hands together with a joy that contrasted sharply with his usual demeanor. But then, just as quickly, doubt crept in.
"I'm not smart enough to make it, am I?" The admission stung, but it was the truth. He had knowledge, sure, but how would he translate that into something tangible? His initial excitement faltered, replaced by a deep frown.
It wasn't just about the technical know-how—he'd need resources, too. And resources meant money. The kind of money STAR Labs had, likely thanks to the funds Dr. Wells—or rather, Eobard Thawne—had left behind. It must've been tens, if not hundreds, of millions of dollars. That's the only way Team Flash could have kept their operations going for so long.
But even if they had the funds, how could he possibly justify using them? "I need money to build a cap that enhances intelligence."
But how could he possibly ask for those funds without raising suspicion? Walking up to Cisco or Caitlin and saying, "Hey, I need money to build a cap that enhances intelligence," would sound insane, even by their standards.
With a sigh, Wally pulled out his phone and checked his bank balance. Just over $3,000. It was money he had earned from his wild days of racing illegal cars and other less-than-legal activities.
It was hardly enough to fund the creation of a Thinking Cap, but it was all he had. "Maybe I could start small," he thought, his mind cycling through possibilities.
He could try to build a prototype using what he could afford, but the thought seemed almost laughable. The materials required alone would likely cost more than what he had saved up.
He sighed again, a brief smile tugging at his lips before fading as quickly as it appeared. The smile vanished completely when he remembered the alien invasion that was about to happen in a few days.
He had three to six days, tops, before the invasion would occur. He had a lot to learn in that timeframe.
Knowing how Iris would likely ignore his attempts to help, just as she had in the original storyline, he understood he had much more to prove.
Whether she approved or not, he was determined to participate. "I need to start training and learning some abilities," Wally thought, considering phasing and various other skills he knew a speedster could master.
The Flashtime ability he seemed to possess was a significant advantage, something a non-speedster would struggle to handle.
It would complement his speed, which, while not yet matching Barry's, was rapidly improving. With newfound determination, Wally sprang to his feet and dashed out of the house, leaving behind a gust of wind and a trail of mesmerizing lightning.
As he approached STAR Labs, he could feel himself reaching a new threshold, just as Cisco had predicted.
Barry's top speed should be around Mach 7.6 by now, maybe even higher. But with the speed he was regaining from Flashpoint, Wally knew he was closing in on Barry fast.
Blitzing into STAR Labs, he decided to give himself a full tour since the original Wally never really had the time, nor speed, to do so.
Within a few short seconds, he explored the depths of STAR Labs and found it was bigger than the show let on, not to mention the two external buildings outside the main STAR Labs.
He had to admit, at least 60 percent of STAR Labs was actually not in use. But since they were no longer operational and lacked the workforce to handle the facilities, he could understand why.
"This means I could probably get my own lab," he thought with a grin. But it would probably be far from where Team Flash's work happened, since most of the nearby spaces were used for storage.
Without a second thought, he dashed toward the Cortex, meeting Cisco and Barry in the room.
Cisco was on the verge of leaving just as Wally appeared. "Wally, what are you doing here?" Barry asked, eyebrows furrowed.
"Uh, yeah, I actually came to ask if I could get my own lab here in STAR Labs," Wally said straightforwardly, leaving Barry a bit taken aback by his sudden request.
However, before Barry could reply, Wally quickly extended the request to Cisco, knowing it would increase his chances of approval. "Cisco, I can have a lab, right?" he asked, glancing between the two.
"I mean, if you really want it, you can have it," Cisco replied, shrugging. Receiving this answer, Wally looked back at Barry, who, with a sigh, finally agreed.
Unable to stand the tension and awkwardness, Wally quickly dashed back to the empty, dusty lab.
Tapping on the unregistered biometric scanner, the doors opened to reveal a medium-sized room covered in a thick layer of dust. It was more than enough for what he had in mind.
"This is where it begins. All it needs is a little makeover," he said, zipping to the janitor's closet to grab cleaning supplies.
The halls were filled with the sound of whooshes and crackling blue lightning as he zipped around the lab, cleaning at super-speed. In just a little over two minutes, the room was spotless.
"Now, I think I saw some extra computers and monitors in storage." Using his engineering and electronics know-how, he quickly set up the lab, installing safety systems in case of a power surge. A network of high-tech computers connected to the STAR Labs satellite now filled the workshop. Everything was meticulously arranged, giving the room a cutting-edge vibe that would impress anyone who stepped in.
"Whoo," he exhaled, "that was tiring... I feel so hungry. I could go for a Big Belly Burger." Without a second thought, he dashed into the city, found the restaurant, and ordered as many burgers as he could. This time, he made sure to pay half the bill.
Returning to STAR Labs with a large bag of fries, he quickly sat down at his new workstation. The computer was already booted up, displaying the STAR Labs logo on the screen.
~First Person POV~
Now all I need is a suit and a superhero name, then I can start training. For now, a suit is the top priority.
Cisco should probably still have Barry's suit designs and leftover materials. From there, it would be easier to make my own suit, and with the ideas running through my mind, my suit would make even Barry jealous.
(A/N: Speedster superhero name needed)
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