"Be prepared. The Boy Scout motto. Well, I wasn't for what happened yesterday."
"What happened?"
"Someone adopted me," he said with a voice that sounded like he was being sent to do swimsuit ads in the arctic, or modeling gay porn. The boys in the room had mixed emotions on their faces. Some were grinning, some were frowning, and some looked confused. The younger ones sported the most confused looks. They often times called him the troop leaders son. He wasn't but they weren't old enough to really remember.
"Seriously? Someone adopted the big bad boy scout?" one of the older teens mocked. Wally smirked and gave him a look. He had earned that name because he was the most fearless and ready Boy Scout. He was fun and energetic but didn't deal with crap. He was a model Boy Scout to many, so many that he was sometimes referred to as the ginger Superman.
The meeting was over but many of the scouts were either waiting to be picked up, or waiting for the younger kids to be picked up. No man gets left behind. Another motto that Wally lived by. He never left anyone behind. He had scars to prove it. Well, he would've if they hadn't healed. The only one that never did fully heal was the one from Zoom. The day Barry was killed he was given a little 'gift' from the time traveling speedster villain.
He had given him a nasty scar on his side. From his back around the side and onto his stomach. It was a nasty bugger. Most people didn't know. But his troop knew about it. But they thought it was from his accident in the river when they went kayaking and he had to save one of the scouts that had fallen in. The run in with the rock had not been fun.
"Yes. And if you call me that then I'm not sure he'll ever take me back," he said laughing.
"Why would you want to go back?" asked a younger scout. He was naïve to the world around him. He was new to the scouting world. Something that would go away in time.
"Because I'm a big kid," he said ruffling the younger's hair. Still, he was getting a feel of uneasiness. Like something was going to go horribly wrong. And he was rarely wrong. The first time he had that feeling, he was ambushed with pie at his uncle's house. The last time he had that feeling he witnessed a group of people skinny-dipping. He was glad to have gotten the scouts away from that.
"But you need parents," said the younger. Wally gave a sad look with a warm smile. He leaned in closely and said softly to the troops, just loud enough for their ears…
"My mom and dad had to leave me. But they are always watching me. No matter how far I go they are always…"
"WALLY!" came a familiar cry. Wally cringed and his ears turned pink. He turned to see John run up to him. He was sweaty and out of breath.
"Jeez John," Wally grimaced, "You smell like a barn."
The other scouts covered their noses. He didn't smell very fresh.
"Wally, where were you?" he asked angrily. Wally shrugged his shoulders.
"School. Then I had to pick up different kids for the meeting," he gestured to the kids. John looked closely at his uniform.
"Never took you as a Boy Scout," he said with little amusement in his voice. Wally looked down. He had yet to change out of his uniform.
"Shows what you know about me John," he said calmly. The older scouts assess John carefully. Like he was an alien probing the earth. Well he does work for little blue alien gnomes but he's not evil. The second oldest (only being younger than Wally) walks up to John slowly. He looks up and down John.
"What on earth compelled you to adopt the big bad Boy Scout that is our Superman?" he asked. The group started laughing as Wally's jaw dropped.
"Guys!" he couldn't help but squeak, "Not cool!"
John gave a small smile. Fla… Wally was something else. He never would have guessed this was the person behind the scarlet speedster. A boy that was a leader.
"Neither was you running off without telling me. I've been looking for you for hours."
"I had school."
"You didn't tell me."
"It's Monday. No holiday. Of course I have school. Ask anyone one else here," he said.
"Wally. You should have told me."
"You shouldn't have worried."
"I'm your guardian. I have every right to worry when I don't know where you've been," he said. Tension was filling the air. Wally looked over at the older scouts. He had learned sign language with a few of the other older scouts. He signaled them to take the kids elsewhere. Soon the kids were ushered away. A few nervous looks were shot. But they all left. He looked at John with a hard look.
"You are a minor."
"I am old enough to save lives. Batman is fine with what I do. I'm sure J'onn is too. I've been doing this for as long as you've probably been a lantern. I know what I'm doing. I'm not a kid."
"You are. You're too young. You should at least tell me where you are going."
"And that's going to change anything?"
"Yes I can help you."
"I haven't needed help in years. I can do it on my own," he growled. His arm began to vibrate with rage.
"Don't argue with me Wallace," he bit back. Wally's eyes grew wide. His vision blurred with a few tears. He scowled at him angrily.
"Don't tell me what I can and can't do."
"I can tell you what to do. You're grounded. No hero work until I say…"
"You can't stop me. My dad couldn't stop me. What makes you think you can?" he said before tearing off. There was only one real place he could think about going. His old home.
It would be his when he turned eighteen. His parents' house. Technically he'd own Iris's and Barry's house then too. But for now they were owned by the bank. He still had the key though.
Angry Wally. Concerned John. Reviewing readers?