Disclaimer: I do not own any of the superhero legacies or code names that are mentioned at any time in this story, DC Comics does. Any character that is not in DC I have made up so please do not steal them without permission from me. All characters and situations are fictitious. Any scenarios in this story (to my knowledge) have never been used in any run of DC Comics. I hope you will enjoy.
A/N: Whenever I use any of the characters' real names, they're out of costume. When I use their code names, they're in costume.
Prologue: Bloodlines
"They called them the greatest heroes who ever existed. Legends of their legendary legacies."
"You know you just used legend two ways in one sentence? That's just wrong."
"Not to mention a bit of a...what did they used to call it? A tongue-tangler?"
"Tongue-twister."
"Hey, I'm the one telling you what they'll say about us."
"Yeah, sure."
The four of us were sprawled around the living room of the cave, trying to get away from our parents at the Heroes' yearly get-together at Mount Justice. When the four of us are together, most of the adults and even the kids call us the "Justice League to-be". We're only in our teens, but everyone says we're shoe-ins to take over our respective legacies. My three friends are eager to get to the next level in their own training: to be called the true proteges of the current Justice League. Me? Not so much.
Unlike when the League first started, there are now steps to getting higher on the Hero food-chain. They've been using the other teams, Young Justice, the Teen Titans, and even the Justice Society, to cull anyone that might not be worthy enough to become a Leaguer. Thousands over the years have tried and more than most of them have failed. They normally went on to other teams around the globe. Easier teams to get into at least. And if you're born into one of the legacies like us, it's even tougher to take over our families' highest code names. Steps have to be taken and the weak weeded out as the adults say.
Wanda Prince, blond-haired and dark-eyed, is the only girl among us four and was named the new Wonder Girl just 6 months ago. She's ecstatic; saying how she's going to try to train with her grandmother (the current Wonder Woman) before she's 16. Which happens in only three months from now. There have been several Wonder Girls from her family and 6 have gone on to take on the role of Wonder Woman. The original Wonder Woman, Diana Prince, is her great-somethings grandmother. She's one of the two powerhouses among us four.
My best friend, Andrew Kent is the current Superboy and has been for the last year; he earned the title right after he turned 15. He may not be pure Kryptonian like the original Superman, but he is the purest one left on the planet and looks just like the original Superman with his dark hair and baby blue eyes. His blood is a little more bizarre than the rest of ours though. He's not just a part of Superman's legacy, but Martian Manhunter's too. None of us understand it either. He's our main powerhouse and can use telekinesis. He's studying under his own grandfather (also the current Superman) to use his powers correctly and not melt our faces off accidentally with his heat vision. The two of us are only a month apart in age and he's also one of Wanda's cousins.
Then there is Ethan Wayne. Yeah. That Wayne. The Batman Wayne. He's one of the main heirs to the Wayne Foundation mega-fortune. Incidentally, his grandfather, the current Batman, is also my mother's father too. We may be related, but he and I aren't rivals for the Batman cowl at all. He's been the current Robin for two years and leader of the Teen Titans for all of that time except for his first day. Not to mention, at only 15, an up-and-coming CEO in his own father's part of the company and a multi-time world-wide champion at all things martial arts. He has Wayne, McGinnis, West, and Grayson blood in him. Unfortunately, he's not fast like our great-great-grandmother, Iris Wayne. My father calls him a true member of the Bat Family because of his intelligence and deducing skills.
And me?
My name is Nick Allen. I'm the fastest teen alive.
My great-grandfather on my father's side, Thomas Allen, was the sixth Flash. Iris Wayne, my great-great-grandmother on my mother's side was the fifth Flash. Bart Allen, my great-great-grandfather on my father's side was the fourth Flash. Wally West, my great-great-great grandfather on my mother's side was the third Flash. And Barry Allen, my great-great-great-GREAT grandfather on my father's side was the second Flash.
What does that mean?
Lightning runs through my veins. I have Allen, West, Wayne, Grayson, Drake, and even a very small bit of Kent blood coursing through me. They say I can't help but be a hero with so many bloodlines. The problem is; I don't want to be a hero. I don't want to be a part of the Flash Legacy. I just want to be a normal red-headed, golden-eyed 16-year-old. Which is why my three friends have held themselves back from becoming proteges of the Justice League; because they don't want to get too far ahead of me.
Why don't I want to be part of the illustrious Flash Legacy you ask? I'll tell you exactly why.
It's been three years since I passed the last Impulse test in Young Justice. A few days before I was supposed to join the Teen Titans as Kid Flash, another world crisis happened. Since I wasn't officially a Titan yet, I was left with the other heroes' kids at Mount Justice. Both my father and mother, as Speedsters, joined the fight to save the world.
Only one of them came back.
It's been three years since the Speed Force took my mother from us and since then, I've been out of the hero business.
Yet my three friends still keep trying.
"There hasn't been a Speedster in the Teen Titans for over thirty years." Ethan leaned back on his stool at the kitchen island. "Do you know how many missions I could have used you on in the last month alone?"
"Do you remember how the four of us worked together in Young Justice?" Andrew hovered over the couch where Wanda and I sat with a grin on his face. "We were unstoppable!" Wanda snickered as she grabbed a handful of popcorn.
"Yeah, even against our own chaperons. I still remember the time when Green Arrow was supposed to watch over us." I had to shake my head.
"The League was trying to see how he handled a crowd. With twelve young heroes and heroines, they knew it was overkill." I glanced up at Andrew. "You know, I don't think that hole was ever covered up on the side of the mountain." Andrew chuckled.
"Nope. They're using it as a ventilation shaft now. I checked when I came in with my grandfather." Ethan snatched a sandwich off the tray we managed to sneak from the party in the main cavern.
"You were less than two days away from being the first among us to get into the Teen Titans, Nick. Don't you think it's been a long enough wait?" Andrew landed next to Ethan, a huge smile on his face.
"Yeah! The world needs another Flash, Nick." Shooting both of them a glare, I turned towards the muted television.
"We all know Impulse is doing very well in Young Justice. It may be only a matter of time until she passes her tests and becomes a Titan with you guys. Then you'll have a Kid Flash." I felt Wanda's hand on my shoulder.
"But we all know she can't quite reach the speed of sound. She can't even get close to your speed. Nick? Your dad told the Justice League how fast you were three years ago." Ethan swallowed the last of the sandwich he grabbed.
"And we confirmed it for them. You're still the fastest of the current Speedsters. The only one worthy of becoming our Kid Flash." I looked straight at Ethan.
"You of all people know the saying that defines the Speedsters." Ethan nodded.
"Live fast. Die young." Andrew rolled his eyes.
"Oh, come on. You don't really believe it do you?" I sighed in frustration.
"How can I not believe it? Most Speedsters don't live to see 40!" A white and red streak came into the room and stopped in front of the couch. My 7-year-old cousin, the current Impulse, smiled at us as I frowned. "What is it, Emily?"
"Uncle Kevin was wondering where you went. He wants you to say hello to our relatives." Groaning as Impulse tugged at my hand, I reluctantly got up from the comfortable couch, knowing I probably wouldn't see Andrew, Ethan, or Wanda again for the rest of the night; or the rest of the year.
"I'll see you guys around." They waved as Impulse tugged me down the hallway, whining for me to go faster as I purposefully dragged my feet, wanting to be done with this Hero Reunion crap and go home to Central City where my homework was waiting.
As soon as I was in the doorway to the main cave, I felt my dad's grip on my shoulder.
"There you are, Nick. Come on, you know how Speedsters hate to wait." He rushed me through the crowd, plopping me in the middle of relatives I rarely see outside the cave. "Here he is! He was just working out with Superboy in the weight room! I'm guessing he's getting himself ready to join the Teen Titans this year." Impulse tugged on my hand again, getting me to bend down so she could whisper into my ear.
"If you were working out, how come I found you, Superboy, Wonder Girl, and Robin in the living room?"
"I'll tell you later Em, okay?" I turned to my father, hissing in his ear. "When. Can. We. Leave." He just put on a smile as our relatives gabbed on and on about how proud he must be that I was going to uphold the Flash Legacy. I don't like to use my powers, but right now, I'm seriously considering running to the other end of the world just to get away from my father's fake smiles and empty promises. All he does is assure people that I'm going to become the greatest one in
the Speedster Legacy. Flash number seven. I can't count how many times I've told him I don't want to be a Speedster.
I don't want this lightning in my veins.
I don't want to become the Flash.
I don't want to be an Allen.
Prologue End
Thank you for reading and please review!
