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[ So the question Wally really wanted to ask here, after having been settled in his suite by those lovely, if odd-looking things that brought him from some palace, was- did they really expect him to buy the whole "in-between life and death" thing? This felt way too real, compared to that time he had been stuck in the Helm of Fate, even though he could feel pain in that instance.

If this was something remotely like that place inside the Helm, anyway, it was a lot better decorated. Empty blue space could get really old, really fast.

Still. He wasn't too impressed with the story as it was told to him, and he figured he'd test the waters on this network. ]

So, introductions are in order. Name's Wally West. I'm sixteen years old and from Central City. [ ASL, much? ]

Anyone want to tell me how far we gotta row a boat out til we hit the studio door? [ As if this were a movie about some reality TV show, obviously. Seriously, though, he was rolling his eyes a bit. It probably didn't help that the last thing he could remember before arriving here was a mission going sour due to someone's insecurities. Duplicity, which he figured was being dished out here, was not doing anything to make his mood any better. ]

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[You sing off-key. You cheat at DDR. And I have no idea how you keep managing to talk me into all you can eat buffets.

Anything but saying How am I going to talk to you about anything without seeing him?

But it's still his Flash and Kyle owes him an explanation - Kyle always explained everything to Wally before running away. He owed that much.] Alan and Jay. Barry and Hal. [You and me.]

[ Alan... Alan Scott? The old Green Lantern and then there was Barry and Hal- So-... Oh.

Wally winced a little. He didn't know what to say there- He sighed softly and looked away. ]

It's- I'm sorry. [ Though it wasn't his fault. What else was he supposed to say? ]

No. [Kyle looks away too, twiddling his thumbs.] It's not your fault when or where you were pulled from.

[Softer:] I should be used to this by now.

[ Wally frowned. ] So- Uh... Tell me... about myself?

[ There was a pause, and a slight wince. Might that be going a bit too far, there? ]

Must've been pretty lucky to end up with a Lantern as a friend, right?

Jerk. [The exasperation is all fond. He shakes his head and smiles, but it's weak, and still pained.] I know... a lot of things about you that you might not feel comfortable with me knowing: you and I have only just met and you don't trust me like he does. If [significant pause] you want me to back off, I'll back off.

[Another significant pause, and this time he speaks with conviction.] You shouldn't feel like you're being compared.

[He's seen what that did to Dick and Zatanna.]

Edited (tweaked) 2013-03-07 08:27 (UTC)

[ He was no stranger to words like that said that way, and it got an involuntary grin out of him. Dick'd call him a "Jerk" in the same tone of voice. ]

Then, I dunno. Tell me what you're comfortable with? Doesn't have to be here- If this is too impersonal or something. [ The speedster snorted, though at the next bit. ]

C'mon, I'm pretty great the way I am. What's hearing about some other version of me gonna do aside from giving me ideas? [ Dangerous ideas. Fun ideas. All that. ]

It's a little impersonal, yeah. I'd prefer crashing on your couch and playing video games, but not many around here. [His smile changes to something more amused, but he's still hurt. This Wally is almost exactly like his own. He doesn't want to have to explain his timeline, or how much his friend had suffered over the years.

It's a strange position to be in. He can't confide in Wally, but he'll be aware when KF needed him.]

When he had ideas both of us usually ended up in trouble.

Oh, so he's not too different from me, then. [ Because, seriously? Was he supposed to be the one who came up with the safe ideas in any universe? ]

I don't mind the crashing, though, as long as I can do the same. [ Funnily enough, Kyle was easy to talk to, but Wally was also a little driven to- "make up for the fact that he wasn't the right Wally" wasn't exact. To live up to something like that, though? He'd never admit to it, but yeah, that was probably it. ]

There's always patrol, too; I figure this place can't be much safer than back home.

[A little sadly, to himself:] No, he really isn't. [That's what hurts.] You're always welcome at my place. WA-1A. [He grins.] I know all your favourite foods but don't even start to think you can talk me into cooking for you. He couldn't. [A challenge? Maybe. What Kyle really means is "ask nicely, my will is weak in this area".

He nods at the last comment.] It's usually quiet, but you never know.

[A beat.]

One more thing. In my timeline, Barry [is dead] is not the Flash any more. You are. That's how we know each other.

[Might as well start from the beginning, right?]

[ Wally was about to interject that he might not be able to survive, otherwise- He probably could cook for himself, but usually a good deal of the food ended up in him before it was all prepared, nibbled on during the cooking process. ]

WO-2C's my- [ Then came that bomb and well- Wally's eyes widened for a good second. ]

I'm the- Does this mean I finally- [ Go past his little speed limit? Eventually, maybe? ]

Sweet! [ Kyle probably just earned a thousand points with Wally with that little tidbit there. ]

You're the fastest.

[It's a little ego boost, because he knows how much it meant to his own Wally that he could be as good as - if not better - than Barry, and it's also the truth as Kyle thinks it is. Sure, he likes the other two. But Wally is the best one.] You should have seen the others when they realised they're not as cool as we are.

Hah, you mean Rob and Zee? [ He should have been nicer, but this was a little overwhelming, learning that somewhere, somewhen, he had gotten even faster. It gave him hope. ]

Ah- I bet they're alright, but I mean, c'mon. How could they compare to us? [ Maybe a little soon to say "us," but he was eager enough to make that jump right there. ]

[He laughs; now he's as almost relaxed as he was when he first started the broadcast.] No, dude, I mean other Flashes and GLs.

Oh, pft. [ He waved a hand at that. ]

To be honest, though, Barry is pretty cool. Annnnd... I guess Hal too. But not as cool as us. [ Definitely starting to see that. Kyle may have really started to win him over. ]

[Normally he'd have cut in with an anecdote. He catches himself, because it would refer to his Wally at home, not this one, even though this one is quickly becoming 'his Wally' as well.

So he simply nods.] Drop by, sometime. When you're settled in. We can talk.

[Give him space, right? That's what he's supposed to do. That's what he did when this happened with Hal.

(Actually he'd pretty much screwed that up the same way he'd messed this up, but he'd tried, hadn't he? And it had worked out. Sort of.)]

[ Wally nods in return. ]

Sure thing. I'll make sure to catch you around once I check out what's going on with my team.

[ Hey, so far he doesn't have any reason to feel like that. Wally'll take things in stride. ]

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