Barry Allen:

Hitokiri Battousai

Disclaimer: Watching clips of Rurouni Kenshin on Youtube recently is to blame for this one.

Summary: Having been in Japan for 4 years of college, Barry Allen comes back a much changed man. And its got Iris a bit… Concerned.

"Dad, I'm telling you, something's really different about Barry." One Iris West said in worry to her dad, Detective Joe West.

Joe looked over at his only daughter and gave her a reassuring smile. "Sweetie, I'm sure its nothing. Could just be some Jetlag."

"Dad, he came home a month ago, there's no way he still has Jetlag." She told him while wondering if her dad had hit his head recently to even think of saying that.

He winced at his own moment of stupidity. "Well, that's what happens when you come at me with this when I'm just waking up." Replied the older man grumpily.

"That's because this is important!"

"Sweetie, he was over there in Japan for 4 years, I'm sure its probably just culture shock for him that he's dealin' with. Just give him some time."

"Yeah, and in that time he was there, a freaking war happened that saw an entire Government get over thrown! He's even got that weird cross like shaped scar on his face!"

"Of which he's said happened as a result of a lab accident." Countered the older man.

Iris huffed at that. "And you actually believe that of Barry? Mr. Safe Experimenter?" She asked of him in a doubtful manner.

Having well known by now that Bear was the type to be as safe as possible while doing experiments. Joe just shrugged helplessly in her direction, urgently wishing the Coffee Maker would hurry as he seriously needed some Coffee! "And let's not forget about those nightmares of his! Or that sword he brought back. Which I don't get why he even has that to begin with because he wasn't ever interested in those before!"

"While I don't understand the nightmares or that scar, sweetheart, the way I see it where that sword's concerned at least is that he probably got into that kind of thing thanks to a movie or someone he met over there."

The two Wests had an intense staring match before Iris stormed off in a huff, not liking how unhelpful her father was being at that moment. Joe just sighed with a shake of the head. "Its 6 in the morning and I'm sure Bear's fine." Muttered the man as he gave a despondent look towards his Coffee Maker.

His boy had to be as he really didn't want to think otherwise as that guilt would eat him alive since it had been him who had managed to convince Barry to go to Japan for his studies. And as he focused on the Coffee Maker and continued to fail to realize that a window was up thanks to how out of it he was, he'd never know that Barry was on the roof and quite easily able to hear the whole conversation thanks to said window being up and wearing only a pair of pants. Taking a deep breath, the young man stared down at the very sword Iris had spoken of earlier. "Suppose I'll have to make an effort where Iris is concerned so she's not digging into things best left… Forgotten." He muttered to himself.

As the nightmares were bad enough and for Iris to dig just wouldn't be ideal in any way… Shaking his head of troubled thoughts, Barry resumed his practice with his sword. Even if said practice was largely un-needed now but it was essentially engrained into him at this point. Maybe I'll go and apply at the CCPD. Could help me keep my mind off of the past.

Author's Notes: I'm halfway tempted to turn this into a challenge. And no, I wasn't trying to bash Joe or anything here in this idea. As I just thought I'd have the conversation be this way as you aren't always going to have an important conversation at an optimum time.