Hiya,

New day, new story. I wanted to try something different.

This is set kinda like the prince and the pauper, though of course it is young justice though, and it's a tad more modern!

I've done this up a bit, coz I noticed mistakes.

I hope you enjoy, R &R.

I OWN NOTHING!

...

Wally West of Central City, sat in his bedroom, curtains closed, messy bed, floor covered in a thick layer of clothing and half-eaten food. He let out a long sigh, and rested his head against his bed. He was tired- to the extent of been unable to sleep. He groaned slightly as he stood up and strode across to the other side of his room. Eight nights in a row of missions and fights. Most of the team had slept during the past few days, but other than the fact that Wally couldn't possibly juggle food, homework and arguing with his parents, sleep just didn't seem to come to him. He put on a yellow hoodie, and sprayed himself with deodorant, and then he walked back to his bed, hopping onto it, and shutting his eyes with ferocity. Nothing. He wasn't going to sleep, as hard as he tried. He decided to leave his room, and head downstairs to find something to eat.

He lumbered into the kitchen area of his home, flinging open the huge white doors to the fridge. He found food to be scarce, and after calling for his mother, he decided that she must've gone out to do the shopping. Tired, worn, hungry and bored, Wally wandered into the living room of his household, instantly switching on the simplistic twenty year old television set.

After flicking through hundreds of black and white channels, and finding himself disappointed with the lack of interesting things going on, he decided to go for a walk. He wasn't planning to go to the cave, he'd seen too much of his team lately, and they were starting to irk him.

Every average teenager would've gotten out their brand new phones, and texted their friends for a catch up. Wally wasn't an average teen. He found it hard to fit in at school; his looks and appetite always seemed to deter people, and the fact that he was a science geek didn't make life much easier for him. Taking these things into account, you got an average no-glasses nerd. He had a FEW friends at school, but at 7PM it was either past their curfew, or they were allergic to the great outdoors. He wasn't too interested in playing video games at that moment either.

A while back, before he had his powers, when he had just turned thirteen, for example, He was Mr. Popularity. Sure, he was into science, but he was still carefree, and he didn't need to worry about making up excuses to not see someone, or to cancel sleepovers and days out. He didn't need to worry about anyone finding out about who he was. He could just enjoy life, make messes that he was sure his father would pull him out of, and exasperate teachers and girls.

Wally wandered through the dimming avenues; some street lights were already illuminating. He stepped through puddles from the recent rainfall, and walked in one direction- West. His father had always told him that if he was ever worried, or lost, or sad, he should always find a way to his family. Wally used to be so dependent on them, his parents, but, after he got his powers, they distanced themselves, for reasons he never quite understood. So, instead of running to his mother or father when he was scared or hurt, he would walk the way of his family name.

He didn't notice when rain started pattering lighting against him. He ignored the squeals of children that ran by him, rushing to the safety of the warm homes. Wally sighed, he wished that he still had a warm home to go to, but it was always empty, busy or silent. Sure, he had Mt. Justice. It was big enough to hold the whole of Central City, and he knew, if he ran through every room in the cave, he would either get lost, or lose enough energy to finally feel worn out. He had a room there, all of the team did, but it just didn't seem to spark him as a place where he was always wanted, he felt somewhat a burden whenever he stayed there.

Wally finally found himself at his childhood park. He set himself down on the old, rotting swing-set. It was due to be taken down any day now. No one ever played on the old swings anymore; the new plastic ones just seemed so much more aesthetically pleasing. He grabbed the rope on both sides, and hung slightly above the floor. He started swinging, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He loved feeling the rush of air through his hair as he sped up and down. It gave him the same comfort as his powers, minus the soreness he sometimes felt after using them for too long.

As he swung, up, down, up, down, memories flooded into his mind. He stared at a home, a few metres away from the swings. He used to live there. It was barley wide enough, boasted three stories, and was tightly packed into the centre of a line of homes. Its yellow brick walls and a green tiled roof were faded, as they'd always been. As a child, Wally had sat up on the roof every night, just watching the trees sway and the swings move back and forth. It would drown out his parent's arguments, or bring him comfort when his parents had friends- that he couldn't relate to- over. Wally swung higher. His father used to do the pushing for him on the swings.

Back when Wally was four and he tried on his own, he had failed miserably. He had cried without pause for five hours after he couldn't gain momentum, but his father propped him onto the freshly painted blue seat, and helped him. His father had helped build these swings for Wally. And for his little brother or sister that never was. The whole park used to belong to his family, and few of the other neighbours; only it was just grass when the occupants of Mulberry Lane purchased it. His parents had had the intention of building a much bigger house for themselves somewhere on that area, they loved that part of Central City, it was near Wally's school, and they could afford it. But then his dad got fired, and they started losing money, so all they could so was sell the land to the council and hope someone put it to good use.

His father never pushed him anywhere now. Wally was that helpless little boy all the time. If he fell, his mother wouldn't come rushing to his side with dinosaur band-aids and "it'll be Okays", and his father didn't tell him what to do next. If he failed at something, he would have to learn on his own, or give up.

Wally hated giving up. But sometimes, he wished he could. He wished he could just walk away from his life, and step into someone else's shoes. Even if only for a minute. The rain was pouring now, and Wally's yellow hoodie was soaked. Water dripped from his nose and he swung higher and higher. He had no idea how long he had sung for, but, he guessed around half an hour. The stars, which could be seen through the thinning layer of clouds, were shining brightly down. Wally groaned. Were they same stars he used to watch for hours as a child? He had always believed that stars were the souls of willing people, who watched over everyone, when he was younger. Of course, now that science and maturity had crept into his mind, he knew they were just balls of gas light years away, but a childish flicker deep within him, still watched them with curiosity and glee.

After a few minutes of silent swinging, he tried to point out constellations to himself, as his Uncle had done with him before.

Wally paused. Before. Before he had his powers, his uncle and him, they were inseparable. Wally idolised only two people at a young age; The Flash and Barry Allen. When he found they were the same person he was ecstatic. But he was stupid, reckless and persistent.

After he got his powers, he felt his Uncles grief for him every. He had no idea why his Uncle was so upset. Running was amazing! Running gave him strength, it made him feel powerful! Running meant he could go anywhere in a matter of seconds, run away from his parents screams and shouts, to run meant to get way from messes he got himself in.

But that same power he admired, only now he finally understood, or was beginning to comprehend why Barry had felt bad for him. He stopped swinging, bring his feet down quickly, twisting his ankle slightly as he did. Cringing, he looked up at the much clearer sky. What he saw amazed him.

A shooting star. Wally lit up instantly, and thought for a moment. He had always been taught, be careful what he wished for, but he knew deep down, he just wanted something so bad. This thing that seemed so fragile and unreal to him. He breathed in, and shut his eyes, scrunching up his nose, he made his wish, "I wish, if only just for a few days, I could be normal. I want to get out of this fast paced life, and I want to get away from all the abuse, and the insecurities that I have to live with., I want to step in someone else's shoes...if just for a day" His eyes twinkled for a moment, as he watched the star burn away. He laughed to himself, "I'm an idiot. Wishing on a star? Baby stuff."

He began his trip back home, splashing through deeper puddles, head down all the way. He was starting to sway as he strode, not paying attention to where he was going. His head started throbbing, and he suddenly felt very hot, and out of breath. He heard something loud, and he saw a bright shadow running his way. Before he could say or do anything, he collided with the foreign silhouette. He was out cold.

In an alley way, two people lay. Both with the same wish, both with different paths...and both with the same face. Wally West, and the somewhat clone, lay side by side, a flickering light illuminated their faces, but they didn't move. It was dark, and a bitter cold enveloped the two. But the boys didn't shiver. They didn't move. Both lay, together, eyes shut, heads thumping, unaware of anything, or anyone.

That was the first chap of my Prince and the Pauper still fic!

Did you like, hate? Tell me bout it!

Soph