"Uh, guys?" said Derek, "Is it just me or is the gas getting thicker?"

The trio of Derek, Kendo, and Tetsutetsu marched through the forest, moving towards a singular destination.

The source of the gas.

"Derek's right," said Kendo, "It is getting thicker."

"What do you think that means?" asked Derek.

"My guess is the gas is swirling around some origin point like a typhoon." said Kendo.

"Like a hurricane?" said Derek, "So there's somebody in the eye of the storm, controlling this whole thing."

"Exactly!" said Kendo.

"Then we must be getting close!" said Tetsutetsu, "Let's go! Double time!"

"Hold up!" said Derek, "We should figure out what the plan is."

"Yeah, the plan is to go in there and MESS THEM UP!" shouted Tetsutetsu, "They won't know what hit them!"

"Yeah, I get that that's what you want!" said Derek, "But I think I would be a little more comfortable if we had a plan with specifics."

"It's difficult to make a plan when you don't know exactly who you're facing, or how many we're facing." said Kendo, "We'll have to think on our feet."

"I-I guess," said Derek, "I just don't want us to jump headlong into a fight we can't win."

"Derek," said Kendo, turning towards Derek with a determined look on her face, "are you a hero?"

"I...no, not yet." said Derek.

"I'll ask again," said Kendo, "are you a hero?"

Derek thought for a moment, "I'm trying my hardest to be."

"Then keep trying," said Kendo, "because we're trying our hardest too. Whatever's out there, we'll face it."

Derek nodded, "Thanks Kendo, you're a great hero already."

Kendo chuckled, blushing under her mask, "Heh, thank's Derek, even if it's a little oversold."

"I don't think it's oversold." said Derek, "Really, you lead Class 1-B, you lift everyone else up, especially me."

Kendo could only keep her gaze away from Derek, "I...Thanks."

"Hey guys!" said Tetsutetsu, "I think I see something!"

The trio entered a clearing where the gas was thickest. In the middle, Derek could make out a small figure.

"You think that's him?" said Derek, "The guy making the smoke?"

"He's at the center of the gas production site," said Kendo, "He's got to be."

"So let's take him out!" shouted Tetsutetsu, breaking into a sprint towards the figure while armoring up.

"Wait!" shouted Derek, "We don't know what we're up against!"

"Don't worry, I got this!" shouted Tetsutetsu.

Carving a path through the gas, Tetsutetsu broke into the eye, coming face to face with a small boy in a gas mask.

"Gotcha!" said Tetsutetsu, preparing a punch.

"Not really." said the boy.

Just as Tetsutetsu threw the punch, his fist stopped short of the boy's head. Derek and Kendo followed Tetsutetsu in, stopping behind him.

"Tetsutetsu!" said Kendo, "What are you waiting for?!"

"I can't move my body!" shouted Tetsutetsu before his arms and legs jerked back, "AAAAAAAGH!"

"Hehehehe!" said another voice, "You brought metal against me? That's my best matchup!"

Jin emerged from the gas, holding his hand up open-palmed. He wore a gas mask and was flanked by bits of metal scrap that floated through the air.

"As much as I wish I was fighting the Flash," said Jin, "you guys will make for suitable practice."

"The Flash?" said Derek, "What the hell do you want with Barry?"

"Shouldn't you be more worried about yourselves?" asked Jin, "especially the tin man here."

Jin shifted his hand, causing Tetsutetsu to float into the air while his body contorted even more.

"AAAAAAAAAARGH?!" screamed Tetsutetsu.

"Let him go!" shouted Kendo.

"Or what?!" asked Jin.

"You're the only combat-ready person here." said Derek, "We have you outnumbered."

"Think again," said Jin, "Mustard?"

*Click*

Derek's eyes darted to the boy, who had pulled out a revolver and pointed it at Kendo, "Say goodnight!"

*BANG!*

Derek's eyes widened as the boy fired the gun. He screamed, "KENDO!" before diving in front of her, taking the bullet.

"DEREK!" screamed Kendo.


"Captain Cold." said Barry, still on the ground.

Snart stood menacingly over Barry, taking note that the other villain had begun to engage Midoriya.

"I rotted away in that cell for a while Flash." said Snart, staring Barry down, "And let me tell you, in all that time, I never forgot who put me there in the first place."

Barry stumbled to his feet, tightening his hands into fists, "I don't care about your posturing, I'll do it again."

"REALLY?!" snarled Snart, "Then let's make it a challenge!"

Snart slammed his open-palmed hands on the ground, creating a massive outflux of frost. Barry shields his eyes, making sure not to get any ice in his eyes. As the frost dispersed from the open air, Barry opened his eyes, finding that Cold had encased them both in a small cube of ice. It was barely big enough for the two to exist in, with only enough room to stretch.

"Ever heard of a cage match Flash?" said Snart, "Well, this is the idea."

Snart stepped forward, readying a frost-covered punch. Barry moved back to dodge the strike, but quickly found himself hitting the wall behind him immediately. Snart struck him with a nasty right hook before following it up with a left punch to the gut. Doubling over, Barry couldn't react as Snart grabbed him by the shirt and threw him into another side of the ice cube, slamming against it and getting dazed further.

"You're at your best when you're moving around." said Snart, "So I gave us an arena where you can't move around at all."

Barry braced himself as Snart kicked him in the side, cracking a rib.

"AGH!" exhaled Barry, getting the wind knocked out of him.

"How's it feel Flash?!" shouted Snart, "How does karma taste?!"

Barry clutched his side.

He was right to box me in, I can't fight him in a tight space like this. I gotta break out.

Barry made a fist.

Luckily, I've got just the right answer.

"I don't know what you mean by Karma," said Flash, "but as far as I know, the only one deserving of it is you Cold."

Snart's nostrils flared as he recoated his arms in frost, "You bastard, you're gonna paint me the villain after what YOU DID?!"

"As far as I'm concerned Cold," said Barry, vibrating his fist, "All I did was put you and your buddies away!"

Barry punched the ground with his infinite mass punch, creating a shockwave of force that knocks Snart off his feet and blows the whole ice cube wide open. Pieces of ice fly everywhere as Wally steps back in amazement.

"WOAH!" shouted Wally, "WHAT WAS THAT?!"

"Infinite mass punch!" said Barry, "Learned it just today."

Snart scrambled back to his feet, cracking his knuckles, "Nice trick, but now I know you have it."

Barry stepped forward, "Surrender Cold, there's nothing to steal here."

"Weren't you listening?!" shouted Cold, "I'm not here to steal anything, I'm here to avenge someone!"

"What could that possibly have to do with me?!" shouted Barry.

"You should know!" shouted Snart, "You should know my sister died because of you!"

The words hit Barry harder than he expected, mainly since none of the Rogues ramblings thus far made any sense. Who were they avenging? Why were they after him. It all made sense now.

"Barry?" said Wally nervously, "What's he talking about?!"

"Cold, I didn't kill Glider." said Barry, "She was alive last I saw her."

"She died in the hospital because of her injuries." said Snart, "Which she wouldn't have gotten if you just let us go."

"I couldn't do that." said Barry, "You put innocent lives in danger, you had to face justice."

"I don't care about justice!" shouted Snart, "I cared about my sister, and now she's dead!"

Barry stepped back, shaking his head in denial. Even though Lisa Snart was a criminal, even though she put people in danger, Barry never meant for her to die.

"I-I'm sorry Cold." said Barry.

"Sorry isn't enough!" shouted Snart, "I won't stop until I drive a spike through your eyeballs!"

Barry took a deep breath, getting into a running stance, "There are people I care about, people who depend on me. I can't let you do that Cold."

Snart took a battle stance, "Good, keeping it a struggle will make this all the more satisfying."

The two stared each other down before charging each other, yelling battle cries.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Shouted Snart.

"YAAAAAAAAAAAH!" shouted Barry.

Just as the two were about to meet, a massive explosion of force decimated the cliff face, it's epicenter the battle between Midoriya and the other villain. Seeing the shockwave of the explosion coming in slow motion, Barry swapped course, making a beeline for Wally. Snart noticed the explosion too, beginning to create a wall of ice to shield himself. Barry ran up to Wally, who had a terrified look on his face.

He's scared, I should have run him and Kota out while I had the chance.

Scooping Wally up, Barry spotted Snart completing his shield of ice. Racing over as the shockwave began to reach them, Barry pushed Snart out from behind the shield, taking his place. Snart shouted in blind rage as the shockwave reached the shield, blowing Snart away as Barry and Wally his behind the wall.

*WOOSH*

As the shockwave ended, Barry put Wally down, who shook in terror.

"W-What just happened?!" asked Wally, "I thought I was a goner."

"Don't worry, you're safe now." said Barry, "I'm gonna check on Midoriya."

Racing over to the crater to the explosion, Barry spotted Midoriya pulling Kota back from the edge of the cliff as well as a hole in the cliff where the villain presumably went after the explosion. Kota shook in Midoriya's arms as Barry approached them.

"Need help?" asked Barry.

"No, I have him!" said Midoriya, "We should go!"

"Agreed, I'll round up Wally," said Barry, "follow me!"

Midoriya nodded as Barry raced back over to Wally, "They're ok, but we need to move."

Wally nodded, "Yeah, I don't want to be out here anymore."

Barry nodded, grabbing Wally by the hand, "Then let's-"

*Rumble*

The rocks on the cliffside shifted as the muscular villain from before emerged from the whole, looking good as new. Midoriya's eyes widened as he began to run for Barry and Wally, the villain right behind him.

"BARRY!" shouted Midoriya, "GET US OUT OF HERE!"

"I'm coming!" shouted Barry, getting into a running stance.

"YOU AREN'T GOING ANYWHERE!"

Snart tackled Barry from behind, running him towards the cliffside.

"NO!" shouted Wally, grabbing Snart by the coat. Instead of slowing him down, Wally was only dragged along.

"Wally!" shouted Barry, attempting to free himself, "DON'T-"

But it was too late. Snart leaped gritted his teeth as he, Barry, and Wally all went off the cliffside. They began to plummet, all falling together. Snart lifted his foot, kicking Wally in the face and causing him to separate from him and Barry.

"BASTARD!" shouted Barry, who swung his head back before headbutting Snart. The sheer force of the strike breaks Snart's goggles in two, causing him to let go of Barry and push him away. Barry began to fall farther away from the cliff while Snart fell towards it. Noticing this, Snart outstretched his arms, freezing the side of the cliff and creating a slide of sorts. Barry fell towards the treeline, but his mind was elsewhere.

"WALLY!" shouted Barry, "WHERE ARE YOU?!"

"HERE!" shouted Wally.

Looking towards Wally's voice, Barry saw him falling closer to the cliff than to the trees.

"I'm gonna soften your landing!" shouted Barry.

"How?!" shouted Wally.

Stretching out his arms and rotating them rapidly, Barry created a gust of wind that formed a miniature tornado. Sending the tornado Wally's way, Barry watched as Wally's descent began to slow.

Good, he won't get hurt, now to stop my own fa-

*Crash!*

Barry hit the tree line, crashing through the branches. He grunted as he hit each branch, the thorns cutting his clothing and skin. After falling under the branches, Barry lands on a boulder with a sickening *CRACK!*.

*HUGH!* grunted Barry, sliding off the rock and tumbling onto the ground. He could taste the blood in his mouth again as he bit his tongue.

Ow, rough landing.

"Barry!"

Barry looked up to find Wally running towards him, stumbling to his side.

"Barry, are you ok?!" said Wally, "You dumbass, you almost got yourself killed, why didn't you break your fall?!"

"I had to break yours first," said Barry.

Wally stepped back, a tear beginning to form in his eye. He sniffled wiping it away, "I-I'm sorry for being a burden."

"You're not a burden." said Barry, "Trust me when I say tha-"

Barry's eyes widened as he stopped midspeech, spotting a massive shockwave of ice coming for him. Grabbing Wally, Barry dived behind a tree, watching as the blast covered everything in ice.

"FLASH!" shouted Snart, "COME TO ME! LET'S END THIS!"

Barry peeked his head out, spotting Snart storming into the forest. Looking back at Wally, Barry frowned.

"Wally," said Barry, "Run and don't look back."

"W-What?!" said Wally, "I won't leave you!"

"I can't say I did my job as a hero unless you get to safety now." said Barry, "Trust me, I'll be ok."

Wally began to tear up, tackling Barry with a hug. Barry's eyes widened, surprised by the sudden hug, but he returned it in kind.

"You better come back!" said Wally, separating from Barry.

"I will," said Barry, pointing towards the lodge, "Now go!"

Wally nodded, running off deeper into the forest while Barry cracked his neck.

"You want me Cold?" said Barry, jumping out from cover, "YOU GET ME!"

Snart roared, sending another blast of ice Barry's way. Barry dodged to the side, darting between trees as Snart continued to lay down the assault.

"That's right, prolong the chase!" shouted Snart, "It'll only make victory sweeter!"

"Cold, SHUT UP!" shouted Barry, "I'm tired of you trying to tell me how right you are!"

"And I'm tired of you doing the same!" shouted Snart, sending another blast Barry's way. Barry dodged out of the way, this time sliding under the blast before charging Snart. Barry raised his fist, vibrating it and ready to take Snart down in one shot. Snart stepped back, his arms at his sides and his eyes widening as Barry flew at him at top speed.

He's off guard!

Just as Barry reached Snart, Snart smirked, his right hand opening towards Barry. Barry's eyes widened as a massive blast of ice enveloped him, turning his whole vision white.

*SHOOM*

Opening his eyes, Barry realized he was now encased in ice. Snart chuckled, wiping blood off his chin. He could see the man without the costume, the goggles, the hood. His face was bruised, especially around the nose where Barry had headbutted him. He even had a nosebleed.

"Heh, you put up a good fight Flash." said Snart, "But there's a good reason you lost."

Snart stepped back, creating a small spike the size of a butter knife. He held his hand back before tossing the spike, watching it puncture the ice and Barry's flesh in one swift move.

*AGH!* screamed Barry.

"Your whole deal is moving fast, but I'm all about slowing stuff down." said Snart, creating another small spike, "Or stopping it entirely."

Snart threw the second spike, hitting Barry again and getting another scream out of him.

"AGH!"

"But oddly enough, it isn't the power set." said Snart, making another spike, "It's about conviction, the desire to win on behalf of your beliefs."

Snart repeated the process, causing Barry to scream again.

"AGH!"

"You wanted justice for people you don't know." said Snart, "The wacko ideals of a so-called superhero, while I just wanted to escape. That's why I lost last time."

Another spike, another scream.

"AGH!"

"But this time, my reason is different," said Snart, "I'm fighting to avenge my sister, my family."

Snart then formed a larger, longer spike before walking over to Barry, "That's how I won today because unlike mine, your ideals are bogus."

Snart lifted the spike, it's tip poised for Barry's eye, "Goodbye Flash."

"NO!"

A frozen branch wacks Snart over the back of the head, eliciting a snarl from him as he whirled around, finding Wally behind him.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" shouted Wally.

Fuming, Snart grabbed Wally by the throat, lifting him into the air, "YOU WANNA DIE FIRST? I'M HAPPY TO OBLIGE!"

NO!

Barry shook, unable to bear the weight of another loss on his shoulders. Even though he knew how painful it would be, Barry vibrated his molecules. His atoms screamed in pain as his skin split, blood bursting from the seams as lightning exploded the ice from the inside with a deafening *KRAKAKAKOOOOOOOOM*

The lightning lashed outward, striking and destroying different trees and rocks around Barry. One lightning Bolt hits Snart's staff, blowing it up and knocking him off balance. Another lightning bolt hits Wally, though it doesn't do anything beyond knocking him off his feet. Barry jumps out of his former prison, eyeing the still off-balance Snart.

Hit him hard, hit him fast!

Barry raced towards Snart, who raised his arms and began to construct a shield of ice. Barry began to vibrate his fists.

Too weak to punch through, but what if?

Barry continued to vibrate his hands, only this time he opened them, making flat palms. Just as he reached Cold, Barry slammed his hands together in a subsonic clap.

*KRAKAKOOOOOOM*

What followed was a deafening Clap that completely shattered Snart's shield. Snart stood up straight, arms falling to the sides. His eyes were wide open in shock as his ears began to bleed. Leaning back, Snart fell onto his back in a splayed out manner. Barry, bleeding practically everywhere and bruised to all hell, looked at Snart's unconscious form, pondering the vengeful criminal's motives, his ideals. To only care for and protect your own instead of everyone.

"You said something about Ideals Snart, that the person with stronger ones wins?" said Barry, "I think you were right, cause I'm the one still standing."


Hot damn, that was a hell of a chapter to write. I hope the extended Cold V Flash battle lived up to expectations.

In other news, I've joined a group called DCNext. They're a subreddit that essentially launched their own fan version of the DCU. Please check them out as they all have fantastic stories! I've even applied with the intention of writing a Cyborg story! Again, please look them up or copy this link: r/DCNext/

Reviews:

DCDGojira: Cat is feeling better, he's a happy chonker now (Losing weight too!). Never say never to Harrison Wells! You'll have to see for Lisa, though it's not far off. I really like the Omake scene, very funny! Mark Hamil and Kevin Conroy in He-Man reboot sounds amazing!

Thanks for the feedback as always! :)

Jose Ramiro: Thanks for the feedback as always! :)

Aztec 13: I hope the Cold V Flash battle was up to snuff! I really likes how it came out!

Thanks for the feedback as always! :)

DeadCool14: Originally I was going to use that particular origin, but I felt that it might feel unsatisfactory, plus I wanted to stretch my creative muscles. I've already got a new origin for Thawne that has some similarities to Williamson's origin, but it's different in a lot of ways. Thanks for the story suggestion though, and of course if I used it, credit would be given!

Thanks for the feedback as always! :)

Next Chapter: Eye of the storm.