Light. All there was light. Burning white light. Wally West didn't know where he was. He couldn't see and his body felt hot. Was this heaven? He really didn't put much into such things. But after what happened, how could he be alive.
He remembers running fast, but not fast enough. He body felt like it was being ripped apart, piece by piece. There was then nothing, then light.
Suddenly the heat died down, the light started to fade. He could start seeing shapes. He still couldn't make anything out. The shapes started to become clearer, like a old TV after it is turned on. Wally didn't recognize anything. It was equipment; medical or scientific, he couldn't say. Likely both. It wasn't any of the League's medical rooms. Where was he?
Wally noticed that he seemed to be contained in some sort of plastic pod. He wasn't restrained, but was locked in. He began tapping on the ceiling, yelling hello as he did. After no response, he started hitting it as hard as he could.
"There is no need for that, Mr. West. We will release you in a moment. We must make sure your body is stable" Wally did as the voice asked. He didn't know where it came from, he couldn't see the entire room.
There was electronic sounds, a few light beeping and flashing and there the sound of the pod depressurizing. The lid of the pod opened. Wally attempted to rise, but was having difficulty. He body ached, his muscles sore and he felt weak. Must have been adrenaline from before to let him try to open the pod.
He looked around, trying to find the source of the voice he heard before. His attention brought him to a nearby console and it's operator. He was a short man or perhaps boy, as he looked rather young. He has blond hair and the most noticeable thing, green skin. Wally didn't think he was a martian, though who knows anymore, given how weird things have started to get. He also has something like a upside down triangle on his forehead.
"Careful now" the green man said "Your body has been trough quite a bit. It will take time to adjust". Wally complied, seeing as how he could was having trouble moving.
"What happened"?
"Your body went through something akin to molecule scrambling" the green man explained "In layman's terms, the molecules of your body broke apart on a sub-atomic level and launched elsewhere. It took sometime to get you stabilized".
The whole thing reminded him of something out of an old sci-fi show. Which given that his life was a sci-fi show, it wouldn't be all that odd.
"Are you with the League"? Wally asked.
"Not exactly. My name is Querl Dox. This is my lab".
Wally rose, slowing at first, stumbling a bit as his feet his the metal floor "Well then, you might want to call the League, let them know what happened and that I'm fine".
"That might be a problem, Mr. West" Querl explained.
"Wally, please. And what would be...the...issue"? Wally found it hard to talk as he looked out the nearby window. What he saw was unlike anything he had ever seen. Large spires dotted the horizon. Flying vehicles resembling cars zoomed back and forth in the sky's. What appeared to be space stations hung in the upper sky, like floating islands.
"Oh god, where am I"!? Wally asked, now in a panic "I went to another planet didn't I?! Man, all I wanted was to get away from this stuff and now this"!
"Calm down, Wally" Querl asked, keeping his voice calm in order to defuse the situation "I should get this out of the way: You're not on another planet. That city, is Metropolis".
Wally's panic turned to confusion and curiosity as he gave Querl a inquisitive look.
"I should specify, it's New Metropolis. You transported to the future, more specifically 1000 years from your time. Welcome to the 31th Century".
Wally didn't know whether to laugh at such a explanation or fall into despair over it. He knew time travel was possible due to Bart Allen's little attempt to change history. But he used a time machine and Wally...just ran fast. Ok, it was inside an alien machine, but still.
"How"? Was all the Wally could say, wanting some explanation. Querl was happy to give him one "The magnetic energy of the Reach's machine, plus the speed of 3 speedsters created a charge of chronoton particles. Barry and Bart Allen avoided it since then were far faster, but you were behind, getting the full brunt of the charge. The energy broke you apart and hurled you into the future".
It was mostly technobabble as far as Wally was concerned, but he got the jist of it enough to understand. The question on his mind was, how does he get back to his time?
"That will be impossible for the time being". Querl said.
'Impossible? Impossible! I have a life, a girl I love and friends and you tell me that its impossible!? With all this technology?"
"I said impossible for the time being" Querl explained. "We can send you back right now, but the consequences would be disastrous".
"How would me being sent back home be disastrous" asked Wally.
Querl hung his head. He didn't want to be the barer of bad news, but the logic part of him said he must " A few years after the battle with The Reach, Apocalips begins a mass invasion of Earth. The League and its sub-groups put up the biggest fight of there lives. In the end, they succeed, but at great cost. Even before that, The Light amps up their own operations, already stretching the League's resources".
Wally took what Querl said in. Everyone knew of the possibility of later invasions even before The Reach. The great cost part didn't put him at ease.
"Wait a minute, if the League wins, what's the issue"?
"Its not that easy" Querl explained "The war with Darkseid is a pivotal moment in history. Even with our future being here, there is no guarantee that is how history will play out. Right now, our agents are in the past, driving it to a direction that makes sure that history stays the course and Darkseid is defeated. You going back now would be a massive complication that could lead to any number of disasters. Right now, you need to stay until the time is right".
Wally had trouble wrapping his head around this whole thing. Part of him want to yell and call Querl out on what could be seen as crap. But could he chance it? What if Querl was right? All his friends, Aunt Iris, Uncle Barry, Artemis. They would be in danger.
"How long would I have to be here"? Wally asked, the tone of defeat in his voice.
"In relative time, a few years, give or take".
"I suppose I should find a place to stay and have some sort of life here". Wally was now resigned to staying, as hard as it would be.
"You could work with us" Querl said "You would naturally be helping save the world and two timelines. It would only be right after all. Plus we do grant our members lodging".
Wally sensed that there was more to this situation that was being let on. Still, Wally was a stranger in a strange land with no options available. Plus, helping those he left behind. While he didn't want to be back into the hero game, he had little choice. He excepted.
"On more thing. This group of yours, who are they"? Querl's stoic expression was broken by an excited smile.