HELLO MY PEOPLES! MAHAHAHAAHAHAHAH!
What is this you are seeing? Monkeygirl is back with more Baby Flash and the Rogues? Are you seeing this correctly? YOU ARE! DON'T WORRY! YOURE NOT CRAZY LIKE JAMES LOL! Im not sure what brought me back but something did and I have a few things in the works (its gonna be good!) and I've been rereading a few of my ld things, and wow, my writing was atrocious way back then (not that its gotten any better lmao) and I dont know how you guys managed to read it and like it, but thank you, for being so awesome and finding your way through my garbage can of 'fics'.
Its been so long since I've written in this fandom, so I apologize if everyone is too OOC, but seeing as thats my forte, everyone will end up being as such! Im back babies, I can't promise daily updates for Young Justice, but I have a few in the works!
Please enjoy it! I hope its good! I feel so rusty right now! Sort of like when you haven't rode a bike in YEARS and you just get on one again in forever and you feel all weird and terrified and stuff.
ANYWAY! ONTO THE FIC!
Wally hated magic.
He hated it.
He hated the stupid witch boy, and his stupid cat, and most importantly he hated magic.
The mission had been a success despite the odd results, they had gotten to the objective and nuetralized the weapon, and come back home. Wally hadn't heard the witch boy cackle out one last spell so much as he felt it. Excruciating, as the bones in his body thinned and reshaped, shrunk and twisted, into the picture he was now.
Eight years old.
Again.
Has he mentioned how he hates magic?
As if being a child wasn't bad enough, Flash was off planet, and none of his team members seemed to understand that an eight year who still had the abilities of a speedster was not going to mulified by the likes of sitting in front of a television for hours on end as entertainment, and when it appeared that none of them were going to provide such needs, he went to find his own. Leaving behind a team of teenage superheroes to eventually find the television blaring for an audience of pillows and fear for the wrath of a red cowled mentor who they had no protege to return to, deaged or not.
Wally wasn't sure where he was going, speeding around, having to stop to familiarize himself with whatever part of Central he was in at the moment, but he knew that he wanted to find something to do. Something to entertain him. Something fun. Nothing was forecoming though, no matter how long he searched for an adventure, his mind reverted to that eight year old mindset (has he mentioned his distaste for magic yet?) and he fell to his bottom, tears welling in his green eyes, they shined as he came to horrifying conclusion that he was completely and utterly alone, his costume had not shrunk with him, his feet hurt from running for so long with no shoes, and he was hungry.
Curling his legs up to his chest, he huddled in the shadows, silently praying to whatever god was listening that someone would find him, someone who wouldn't take advantage of a small once hero being in such a vulnerable state, or that his team or Uncle Barry would come rescue him.
Ten minutes later there was no one.
And his tears fell.
Kid Flash cried for a good few minutes, before he sniffled to silence, embarrassed that he'd been so childish despite his situation, and he rubbed his eyes with his small fists. Sobs under wraps, and able to think clearly, he looked around once more. He did recognize this part of town.
He did!
Pushing himself to his feet, he rubbed his eyes one last time, cringing slightly at the soreness of his soles, and stepped forward as silent as the wind of the night. Around the next corner stood a building, old, falling to pieces, but as alive as they came. It was bright and loud and packed. It always was on Friday nights. There was a screen door that lead inside, and two windows on the front of the building, through the one on the left his bright green eyes locked onto the hood of a familiar coat.
Familiar parka.
He sniffled one more time and crept forward.
Saint's and Sinners.
Wally knew the place, not as well as he should, but he knew the people inside better. He knew the blue hood on the blue and white parka, and the older green clad teen with long red hair that was just visible in the corner. He was sure that there was others there too, but he couldn't see them, no matter though. He knew them and that was all he needed. Just someone who could help him until his uncle got back from his off planet mission with Superman and Uncle Hal.
"Kid flash?"
Wally jumped at the voice at he drew nearer to the door, just hidden under the rambunctious chatter of the various criminals and other ne'er-do-wells, but he latched onto it as much as he would anyone he knew he could trust. Bright, energetic, and semi crazy (debateable that one but Wally had to be somewhat crazy himself to be friends with him in the first place) Trickster stood out of the crowd, sitting on the stoop, various little deconstructed 'toys' sitting beside him as he fiddled with something, no, not Trickster, with his mask down, he was James. James, blonde with purple highlights, bright eyes, contagious smile, and slightly crazy. But someone he trusted to no ends.
And those bright eyes were locked with his.
Wally whimpered as he jogged forward, feet aching miserably, and stomach feeling as if it were on the verge of devouring itself, he threw himself at the older brightly clad teen. There was no question in his mind on whether or not his friend would catch him, they always did, and he latched onto the collar of his top with his tiny fingers.
Parts by his side forgotten for the moment, James stared down at the tiny red head clinging to him like one does a teddy bear (he has a teddy, its name is Fred, and Fred has a brother!) after a nightmare. But he curls his arms around him all the same, hand curled around the back of his head, "Wally?", leaning down, the teen villian whispers into his school mates ear, and feels the kid nod into his shoulder once as if to confirm that, a) he heard him, and, b) yes he is who James thinks he is.
"What happened to you?", James, despite his mental predicament, did in fact have the ability to think clearly, and he knew for positive that his friend, though younger then him and Hartley, was not this much younger than them. The little red head sniffed into his shoulder and turned slightly, to whisper back, and the older boy had to lean closer to hear him, "Mission. Magic. Hate magic James. Magic stupid."
He tilted his head slightly, "You went on a mission with your team?", a nod, "Against someone with magic?", another nod, "And you came back as a five year old?", Wally nodded for a moment, before falling still, and he pulled back only slightly, his childlike face scrunched up in mild offence, "I'm eight!"
James raised an eyebrow, there was no way that someone this small could be eight year old, but nodded all the same, "James, I haaaate Magic!", and had to force himself not to smile at the high-pitched whine that came from the mouth of his sixteen year old friend, turned eight overnight.
"I know, Flashy Junior, wanna come in and chill with us?", he stood with him in his arms despite 'asking' his opinion, "Order some snacks? Sam's sleeping, we can draw on his face, he'll never know!", Wally nodded, resting his head back on his friends shoulder, tugging lightly at the collar of his bright colored costume with a few little fingers. Jame's toy completely forgotten in the wake of this new development they found themselves in, he left it on the stoop as he turned to head back inside, a few new-comer's paused momentarily in their conversations with each other as the younger Rogue walked passed them, yellow clad, tiny red haired kid flash on his hip, but none were ballsy enough to confront the known Rogue, despite who he had with him, especially not some two-bit wannabe's who were hoping to get at least some sort of spot in the group. They simply stuck to watching as the colorful teen walked over to the Rogues table, red head hidden shyly in his neck, and the others turned to look up at him.
Piper's eyes widened in surprise when he looked away from his paper at the sudden flash of color in his peripheral vision, only to be fronted with the sight of his best friend carrying his other best friend on his hip. Eyes wide, mouth hanging open, he kicked Cold under the the table hard.
The icey leader of The Rogues turned a glare on him that could possibly put Batman to shame (Wally's been on the receiving end of both and he can attest to the affirmation that it most certainly can), and growled, "What?", but Piper was looking back already, his eyes locked on the green ones of his friend, aware of the slight crowd they now had, while the bar was public domain, it got annoying when it was particularly full of newbies. Captain Cold turned his glare to whatever had caught the younger Rogue's attention, and the glare fell away to shock, then disbelief, and finally their shared surprise.
James grinned at them, waving slightly, and whispered something into the kids ear as they drew nearer. Wally nodded, there was no question, no one else they knew had that shade of red hair and those eyes that shimmer emerald where ever he went. When they were close enough, Wally leaned over, reaching for the Leader of the Rogues and without a thought he complied. Blue gloved hands hooked around his middle and he was snatched from James hold and quickly settled on the ice villians knee, as the teen slid in next to the older red head. Hartley leaned over to whisper for answers and James turned in closer to give them.
"Well, I'll be...?", Boomer was staring at the kid in surprise from Hartley's otherside, "Wallaby?"
Wally nodded, ducking back into Cold's parka, a gloved hand curled around his stomach protectively. James explained what had happened to them all in a hushed tone, not wanting those not part of their group to know, and a well placed glare from Captain Cold had any curious onlookers turning back to their drinks and business. Fingers curled around blue gloved fingers when they pat his belly, "Want something to eat?", and he nodded looking up at the man. A waitress wandered over at the call, and jot down the order for the table, gave ETA, and went off to turn the order in.
"A witch boy?", Len's voice held a note of disbelief, and Wally looked up at him to nod in sync with James, "Uncle Cold, I haaate magic!", to which, Weather Wizard, Mark Mardon, snorted at the high-pitched whine, not bothering to conceal his amusement like James had been, and was subjected to a glare of icey proportions, from the child that was curled slightly into Cold's parka (Wally has not been subjected to such things without picking up how to deliver himself) and the brat smirks in victory when the older man shivers involuntarily.
"And where's Flash during all this?"
"He's off planet", Hartley supplied absently, not so surprised by their child guest, and having turned back to his paper he'd been working on, "Mission with Superman and Lantern.", how he always seemed to know these things Wally never knew, and though he was curious, he was sure he didn't want to know. Cold and the others exchanged looks as James directed Wally's attention to an indeed snoring Mirror Master. A marker was snatched up, a moment after it was passed, and admittedly they both pouted.
"You'll stick with us until Flasher gets back then.", Cold turned to the kid on his knee, "Clearly we can't trust those other kiddies with you if they don't even know you're gone.", the waitress returned with their orders at that moment, and Wally happily snacked on his nuggets, Len's fries, and a protein shake. Cold elbowed Mirror Master awake, the man snorted in his sleep and started awake, a stream of drool running down his face, a red mark where he had been sleeping on his arm, and the two teenagers and kid (technically three, Wally will argue until he's blue in the face that he's sixteen, despite his eight year old appearance) howled with laughter at the sight he made.
Fearsome criminal indeed.
Three Hours Later
"So let me see if I'm getting this straight?", Flash is doing everything in his power not to blow up at these kids, they look like Hell has frozen over, and the Mountain looks worse; books strewn about, cushions and pillows literally everywhere, the place has been torn apart in their attempt to locate the missing baby speedster before his mentor got back, and subsequently learn that they lost him, "Kid had a spell placed on him that turned him into...well...a kid...a kid who retained his speedster abilities...and you left him alone?"
The rest of the team nodded, looking all like they were about to be put through the worst torture imaginable, it was no secret how protective Flash was of his sidekick, hemhem, protege. And not only had they somehow managed to turn him back into an eight year old, they had somehow managed to lose said eight year old, and it was safe to say that after all their looking and tearing apart that Wally was no longer within the Mountain.
So now they were dealing with the issue of having said protective mentor here whilst his little speedster protege is off somewhere, who knows where, doing who knows what.
Kaldur nodded resolutely, regally, not batting an eye at the older speedsters tone, though even he would admit (in a private location) that he was becoming a bit unnerved by the scarlet speedster.
"Why was he left alone in the first place?"
Artemis exchanged a look with Robin, who nodded his head slightly, and she grimaced, "We turned on the T.V. and figured he would be entertained enough to stay put until you got back.", she winced slightly when she heard the faint buzz of someone vibrating in frustration.
Barry knew Wally, he knew his nephew as if he were his own son, better then anyone (save for Iris of course) and cursed their thought process and his nephews natural curiousity and disability to stay in one place. Wally got bored, easy, sometimes easier than others, and would seek out anything and everything to keep himself entertained. Mix that in with speedster abilities and they were talking about a whole boat load of trouble. Wally could be anywhere, with anyone, doing anything, and he just hoped that where ever and whatever he was doing he was at least safe doing it.
He shook his head, "Bats! Anything!", the speedster snapped as he turned to gaze at Gothams dark knight.
Barry needed to find out where Kid was before his wife even found out that they had lost him.
Wally giggled softly, despite himself, as James tried and failed again to get the component in his new project to fuse and the nasty goo exploded in his face again. Hartley made a face as the smell finally assaulted his nose, "James, must you do that here?"
The colorful themed villian did the mature thing, and stuck his tongue out at the older red head, making Wally giggle again and Hartley roll his eyes at his antics. The little boy was distracted quickly by the flash of silver in the dim lighting of the bar, one little hand gripping the parka, he turned to see what it was that had caught his attention.
A gun.
Not just any gun.
He smiled to himself as he reached for it, it would be his new entertainment for the moment, maybe he could freeze James and no one would know. As he reached for the weapon he didn't take into account that perhaps the man would feel him moving on his knee where he sat perched, Cold turned to see what his movements were for and frowned, smacking the hand away, carefully, when little fingers almost closed around his Cold Gun, "No. Don't touch that.", he frowned again when his lower lip began to wobble and tears built up in his green eyes, rolling his eyes fondly at the kid, he reached up for the goggles on his head, specially designed for the flashes given off by his weapon of choice, and plopped them over the kids head, "Here, play with these for a bit," he looked around his gathered crowd, "Mick give him your lighter and beer.", the heat loving man frowned slightly but did as requested, "You sure thats a good idea Cold?"
Wally grabbed the red zippo lighter in hand and smiled, flicking the flame on and off, Cold side smirked at them, "Sure. Why not? We're here to supervise.", they all ignored Sam's snort. Mark leaned over and tapped the glass with his index finger to freeze it over. Wally smiled, eyes shining even behind Cold's goggles, and went to town trying to thaw the frozen beverage with the lighter he'd been given.
"Flash. I got a lock on Kid Flash's location."
"Thanks Batsy! Whereishe?"
"Saints and Sinners."
Flash heaved a sigh of relief and Robin his a chuckle behind a well placed 'cough'.
"Are you going to retrieve Kid Flash from this place?"
"Sure am kiddo! Wanna come? They've been wantin' to meet you all!"
"Sure, the team would appreciate the chance to see more of your city, we follow your lead Flash."
"Cool Beans! Come on guys! Lets get to it before they gave him the lighter again!"
A moment passed.
Wally giggled happily from his perch on Uncle Diggers shoulders, giggling everytime the man would turn to the side and throw a boomerang (one of the nonlethal variety) and James would try to shoot it down with Cold's Gun, under supervision of course. The ice villians goggles had been traded out for Captain Boomerang's hat.
Another moment passed.
The wind the ally outside Saint and Sinners spun, and Wally giggled, waving to his uncle where he appeared. Flash smiled at him, waving back, and drew the attention of the rest of the Rogues. Heatwave and Captain Cold turned from their near silent conversation, Mirror Master started awake again (this time no drool), Weather Wizard sat forward on the stoop that had been occupied earlier that night, Trickster and Boomerang paused in their game, and Pied Piper looked up from his music book, all to watch the Flasher and team of kiddie goody-goods make their appearance in the ally they resided in.
"Hey Kid, having a good time?", though Barry knew that the Rogues knew Wallys's identity (for reasons he was not sure he wanted to know about-they treated him nicely-thats all that matters) he didn't think that Wally's team knew that they knew ('He went to his villians?', he vaguely heard Artemis mutter to Robin who had another sudden coughing fit) nor of their strange but friendly relationship. The ginger nodded happily, hugging himself closer to Boomer, "I did lots! Tricky let me play with his goo gun and Heatwave let me burn his beer and Coldy let me wear his goggles and Boomy let me play with his boom'rangs too!"
"So are these the kiddies who lost our kid and didn't even realize it?", Cold stepped away from Heatwave and met Flash half way, shaking the speedsters hand tightly, glancing over the team of kiddie heroes from over red's shoulder.
They both ignored Trickster when he choked out 'Coldy!' to Pied Piper and the two of them (and Robin) giggled behind their hands.
Flash followed his gaze and nodded, not too reluctantly, and heaved a sigh, "They did. Thanks for watching over him for me. I owe ya one."
"Get outta jail free card?", Mirror Master piped up hopefully, Flash chuckled but didn't deny such a request, he owed them so much for treating Wally so good, all the time. They hadn't needed to, but they did, and he appreciated it. Cold waved his thanks away with a blue gloved hand, eyeing the other teens still, "Don't worry about it. We enjoy having the kid around. Besides, he's friends with Tricks and Piper, welcome to hang with us anytime.", his attentions turned to the team, "But you have to teach your other kiddies how to take good care of Baby Flash.", oh, Len had most certainly heard Wally call him 'Coldy' and he knew the ginger heard him call him 'Baby Flash' if his gasp of indignation was anything to go by. Trickster, Piper, and Robin didn't even try to cover their laughter at Wally's face of utter horror and Flash's face of mischeivous amusement.
Baby Flash! Oh Hell No!
Around them, the others chuckled softly, when Wally tugged on Digger's ear to be put down. He gave him his blue hat back and jogged to his uncles side, crossing his arms, trying to look as threateningly annoyed and petulant as an eight year old could (the baby fat on his cheeks and bright green eyes took away from the desired affect), "So not cool Coldy!", Captain Cold smiled despite himself, "Its been great seeing you Baby Flash."
It was only his luck that the nickname stuck a little too well.
So, my good friends, I hope it meets expectations! Im doing a rewrite of my 'Baby of the Rogues' fic, and am so taking prompts and such for it too! Youre all the bestest, gaaaaah, metaphorical cookies for all of you!