Disclaimer: Not mine. YJ would be on air if it were.
So, this chapter is sort of a teaser about things to come and putting in different elements. Really, I just needed a chapter to focus on Jason and Wally in the future (I realized later on that I don't have any Wally and Cass moments- for now) and mostly to cover things that happened in the show and compare and contrast. School started today. :(
I lost my school schedule (the one they mail out over the summer) and pretty much ended up following a friend of mine around the school since we had all the same classes (we'd discussed it over the summer). But seriously, 6:30 is not a wake up time. How early is early?
Finalizing the Team
Three days had passed with superfluous ease. And now, Wally West-Wayne was standing in the doorway to Mount Justice. He was Kid Flash. He was protege to the Flash himself. And now he had a team of heroes his age to celebrate these facts with. Batman was giving a super important speech, but Robin and Wally had already received the super-important-and-ten-times-longer speech about safety, repercussions for your actions and pride back home with Batman. So Wally wasn't paying any attention at all.
Instead, he was glancing to Superboy, who'd looked a whole lot of down since the meeting started. Probably because Superman hadn't spoken a word and then he'd just left. Wally's heart went out to the other boy. He totally knew what it was like to deal with a father who didn't want you. Even if Rudolph West was just a faded memory from years long past. Wally still remembered some of it. He had like, a memory or two of the drunk. But mostly, he remembered the feelings of not being wanted. He sometimes wondered if his dad knew where he was. If he knew who Wally was now. Probably not, since Rudolph had never bothered to call. Besides, Batman had sealed all the files to his children so tight that unless Rudolph was an expert hacker, or a mega-millionaire, he'd never find him. To the world, Wally West-Wayne was simply Wally Wayne.
"Hey Supey," said Wally, slinging an arm around Superboy's shoulder, "This is socool! We're using the old Justice League base for our base! And you get to live here! We totally have to deck your room out. Remind me to get Robin to fix that up for you!"
"Yeah," said Superboy tersely, and Wally inwardly sighed.
He couldn't understand Uncle Clark's deal. Robin said he needed time, and that it was a lot to handle. And also, Uncle Clark really sucked at confronting his issues, hence Lois Lane and him were still doing their weird she's-so-onto-him-but-pretends-she-isn't thing and he was pining after him like Romeo did with apparently every girl he met. That's all Wally had really gotten out of English class last year. Besides, Tim said that's what mattered for his essay and so Wally didn't bother learning the rest.
Lois Lane issues aside, Uncle Clark's outright rejection of Supey was killing the guy. It was hard to imagine that this sullen giant of teenage angst beside him had just spent the last two days touring both Central and Gotham, marveling at the Central City Mall, overlooking Gotham from the top of Wayne Enterprises when it was all dark at night and Gotham actually looked pretty, and tasting street hot dogs for the first time in his life with a wide-eyed look and an awkward lip twitch that was slowly developing into a smile. Smile killed. Thanks Uncle Clark.
"Team, I'd like you to meet my niece," said the voice of one Martian Manhunter, and Wally zipped over.
Alien babe. Green alien babe with red hair. And freckles. She was so totally pretty. Wally grinned widely, zipping in front of everyone, hand outstretched and introducing himself, "I'm Kid Flash! And who are you sweet cheeks?"
"Miss Martian," she replied with an easy smile, "But my martian name is M'gann M'orzz, which on Earth is Megan Morse."
"Miss M, M'gann, Megs, got it!" chirruped Wally easily as he bounced slightly on the balls of his feet because, well, speedsters have never-ending energy and there was a hot alien babe in front of him and who else could say that?! "Let me introduce you to our humble little team. That's Robin, Aqualad and Superboy! Come over here Supey! Join the friendship ring and meet the hot alien babe!"
"You're so not allowed to watch Disney movies before bed every again," said Robin with an eye-roll, and a fond smirk as he poked Wally in the ribs. Wally grinned widely. Last night had been all about introducing Supey to Disney movies before curfew aka dinner with Alfred.
"I like your shirt," she told Superboy, and he gave that shaky smile, and Wally grinned widely. This was totally going to be soso awesome!
XXXXXXX
So, the team was the coolest thing since like, Alfred's cookies and the Flash, but it was totally missing one thing. And that's why Wally was in Star City, Robin and Kaldur flanking him as they approached Speedy. Er. Was he still Speedy if he didn't work for Green Arrow? Damian changed his name. So did Tim. And Jason. Was Roy going to change his name? What would he change it to? Speedy to Flamebird? Wait. No he needed to talk to Superman. Besides, Abuse was pretty much the pseudonym for Flamebird. Red Speedy? He did wear lots of Red. Merlyn the second- or did Merlyn have a nickname prior to Merlyn? That last one could help in the whole I'm-not-working-with-GA-no-more gig that he had going on.
Wait. Kaldur and Robin were talking. He wasn't listening. Nonono! C'mon Roy!
"Please Roy! Join the team! It'll be so much fun and we're going to kickass!" said Wally finally, desperate as he tried to get one of his oldest friends to join their team while racing in circles around the archer who had just taken down Brick, "Superboy and M'gann are way cool! You'd like them."
"Thanks, but no thanks. I'm not interested in being junior Justice League," said Roy sternly, as he gripped Wally's shoulder to keep him from vibrating. And with that, he just left, grappling off into the night.
XXXXX
"Junior Justice League?! He called us the junior Justice League- like we're just some kids playing pretend!" whined Wally, as he sat on Jason's couch.
His older (and coolest) brother was currently cleaning his guns after a night of patrol. He was completely ignoring Wally, in favor of humming some odd rock tune that just sounded so wrong when hummed. Dick was out patrolling with Batman that night, and Wally had been given the night off by the Flash. Which meant the only person in Gotham that he could bother (whine to) was Jason.
"Have you ever thought that Speedy made the right choice for himself?" asked Jason, as he moved to the fridge to grab some beer. Another thing he did to bother dad. He and Speedy would be great together. Maybe Jason should join the team too.
"But- B- But- He's my friend! He's Dick's friend! He knows us!" said Wally adamantly, "Why can't he just get his head out of his big stupid butt and join the team?"
"Because he doesn't want to? Because that totally defeats the purpose of a solo act?" offered Jason, before sliding onto the couch and pushing Wally away.
"He's my best friend besides Dick! If he joined the team it would be so- so- Whelming!" said Wally, pouting.
"You need more friends besides Dick," said Jason, in something akin to agreement, "But you should leave Speedy alone. He's growing without the Team, and that's good for him."
"But-
"Leave Speedy alone. Solo acts are good, and one day, you'll get it Kid. Now skidaddle so I can get drunk off my ass and sleep for a week or until I can kill Killer Croc. Remind me why we don't kill again?" said Jason with a sigh.
"We don't kill because we're heroes and heroes don't do that," said Wally with a scowl.
He hated it when Jason spoke so flippantly about murder, but knew Jason was too good to go back down that road again. Jason had a brief crazy-stint where he'd murdered a few mob bosses while trying to get Batman to see the 'light'. It took the combined efforts of Tim, Damian, Dick, Wally and Cass to get Jason to talk about the warehouse and get Batman to realize how scarred Jason was from the battle. It didn't help that Ra's al Ghul had stolen his body from the hospital and tossed him in a Lazarus pit in an effort to make things right with Batman. But Jason survived all that, and he'd become a hero despite all the odds. That was why nobody could be cooler than Jason in Wally's eyes, even if he had this weird thing with Bruce about doing everything Bruce hated. Like guns, living in Crime Alley, and drinking copious amounts of alcohol and smoking (when Wally or Dick weren't around).
"Sore muscles?" asked Wally
"Why, you offering?" asked Jason with a raised eyebrow.
"Wally the masseuse to the rescue!" said Wally, vibrating his hands already as he began to massage Jason's sore muscles while he drank beer. The rest of the night was spent defending Batman's honor, arguing about Speedy's decision to not join the team, and getting nougied despite the fact that he could speed dodge. And Wally went back home feeling decisively less upset then before.
Review Replies:
Mythology Girl: Hugs are the best :D And Dick and Wally are huggy people.
Janrockiss: It was goodish, not the best :( I would rewrite them, but what's the point in reading stuff you know has happened? In fact, if I can't change an episode, I don't write it. KF as the youngest member is so much fun to write! He is, after all, Kid Flash. Besides, Robin's too serious to be bouncy like Wally.