I am Wally west

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"Focus," Wally began, his voice steady as he addressed the two. Eyes closed, he aimed to guide them toward a state of absolute focus.

"The Speed Force," he continued, "is an extra-dimensional force, a fundamental energy that governs the continuity of space, time, and motion. It's a source of unlimited power, accessible only to those who have been granted a connection to it.

"This energy courses through your veins, your every cell, with every breath you take. Feel that connection. Hold onto it. You are the conduit, the bridge through which it flows. And you—you—can decide how much of it enters and moves through you...

Remember, don't just rely on the natural reserves you take in—control the flow, control the intake. You are connected to the Speed Force, and it courses through your very biology."

This message was particularly directed at Barry. The reason? None other than the Negative Speed Force. Its natural effect was to cancel out Speed Force energy, while also temporarily suppressing the innate ability to absorb more of it.

Of course, it made sense on a conceptual level—the Negative Speed Force was the antithesis of its counterpart. Like a mathematical equation, -5 + 5 equals zero. But then again, shouldn't it work the other way around? From a purely scientific perspective, it didn't entirely add up. However, when dealing with universal forces, logic often had its limits.

Despite this, he believed he could overcome the effect by overwhelming any potential invasion of Negative Speed Force energy. His plan hinged on maintaining an overwhelming reserve of Speed Force energy if he ever encountered a conduit to it—after all, -5 + 100 would still leave him with a clear advantage in the positive.

Shaking his head slightly, Wally forced himself to refocus. This wasn't the time to get lost in theoreticals. The session continued, but as they neared the end, an unsettling thought crept into his mind: Was he empowering Savitar by improving Barry's skill set? The idea lingered briefly before he dismissed it with a shrug. Preparing for the worst was the right call, regardless of the risks.

As the session concluded, Wally clapped his hands. "Alright, that's all for today," he announced, snapping Barry and Pietro out of their focus.

Pietro groaned, collapsing onto his back. "Ugh. I felt so close... and yet so far," he muttered, frustrated by his lack of progress.

Barry, sitting cross-legged, stared at his hand. A faint spark of lightning danced between his fingers before vanishing. Despite the subtlety, Wally could sense the progress Barry had made.

"How do I measure my progress?" Barry asked, clearly eager for a tangible way to gauge his growth.

Wally considered the question for a moment before speeding out and returning with a pair of dampening cuffs. He handed them to Barry, whose brow furrowed in confusion.

"What am I supposed to do with these?" Barry asked, inspecting the cuffs for any peculiarities.

"When you can still move at superspeed with these on," Wally explained, "then you'll know you're making real progress."

Barry's expression shifted from confusion to intrigue as he studied the cuffs more closely. Then his gaze drifted to Wally's wrists—he noticed for the first time that Wally had been wearing dampening cuffs the entire session. The realization hit him like a lightning bolt, expanding his sense of what was possible. Clutching the cuffs tightly, Barry resisted the urge to put them on immediately and push himself further.

Wally turned to Pietro, patting his shoulder. "Make time to practice behind closed doors. With new metahumans showing up every day, we'll need all the help we can get."

Pietro nodded reluctantly, following Wally out of the Speed Lab. As they walked, Barry called after them. "Don't forget—Iris and I are hosting a housewarming party tomorrow!"

The two figures faded into the background as Barry sat alone, clutching the cuffs and pondering the road ahead. "I need to be at my possible best to save Iris," Barry's gaze flickered with determination as he continued practicing on his own.

-x-X-x-

Wally, after wrapping up some errands at S.T.A.R. Labs, finally returned to his pocket dimension. This secluded haven had become his sanctuary, a place where he could focus entirely on preparing for the future. Though spending so much time here might have grown monotonous under different circumstances, the constant progress kept him engaged.

As he entered, Alfred's usual greeting echoed through the space. Around him, drones buzzed in orchestrated precision, shifting resources and assembling new structures. Construction was a constant sight here. Wally couldn't help but smile as he took it all in. "Looking back at how far I've come… the progress alone makes it all worth it," he mused.

Returning to his primary base, he glanced at the sophisticated container of healing serums. "Perhaps a lesser version could be added to West Tech displays," Wally pondered. It seemed West Tech divisions might be more vast than he originally planned. For now, energy weaponry was exclusive to Argus or similar agencies. That left energy, medicine, and artificial intelligence technology. He was sure that it would certainly increase in the future. At that time, one building would definitely not be enough.

Turning his attention back to the serums, Wally picked up three vials. He planned to hand them over to Caitlin tomorrow. But for now, his focus remained on creating a permanent healing serum tailored to his speedster physiology.

The challenges of adapting it to his unique biology had delayed his progress, but he was determined to see it through. If not for his speedster-specific complications, he might have completed it already.

"Alfred, let's start," Wally instructed, his hand passing by several floating images. He was skimming through their recent progress.

After glancing at the information and reaffirming his knowledge, he began working away at superspeed.

The serum was ready, but it wasn't fully attuned to his speedster physiology. What he and Alfred were working on was to make the Speed Force energy in his system a bonding agent for the serum, enhancing his existing regeneration and complex biology.

And thanks to the time dilation, superspeed, he had made progress that would have been impossible in the shortest time.

Wally worked tirelessly in his pocket dimension, focused on perfecting the healing serum. The vials glimmered as drones buzzed around him, shifting equipment and assisting in precise adjustments.

He'd made progress, but syncing the serum to his speedster physiology was proving difficult. The Speed Force wasn't just energy—it was alive, and the serum needed to adapt dynamically or risk rejection.

Alfred's voice interrupted. "The new batch is ready for testing. Shall I proceed with simulations?"

"Run them," Wally replied, his hands already moving to review data. The bonding rate between the serum and his Speed Force energy was improving, but it wasn't perfect. He had to get it right. Simulations were run, information was skimmed through, and anything that could help was reviewed.

Slowly, after hours of assembling and dismantling, Wally reached a critical point. "The bond rate algorithm," he muttered, his voice tinged with both determination and exhaustion.

"Alfred, do you think this will work?" he asked, his eyes heavy with drowsiness. Using his brain and superspeed simultaneously at full capacity was becoming increasingly taxing.

"Sir, I suggest you take a moment to rest. You're not looking well," Alfred advised with calm concern.

But Wally quickly shook his head. Though he knew an hour of sleep would fully restore him, he had a habit of pushing through when the finish line was in sight.

"If this attempt doesn't work, I'll rest," he promised, his focus unwavering.

"Start simulations," he muttered. Alfred went to work. The simulations commenced, the intricate displays lighting up the pocket dimension with a mesmerizing glow.

Alfred processed data streams at speeds that rivaled Wally's own thought patterns, projecting live feedback and adjustments in real time.

Every fraction of a second mattered—analyzing chemical compositions, compatibility rates, and molecular bonding dynamics.

Wally's gaze darted between holographic displays. Alfred's voice suddenly cut through the tension. "Bonding rate... 97%," Alfred announced. "Impressive as expected," Alfred showed a smile as he congratulated Wally.

"Refine things while I rest..."

-x-X-x-

In a beautifully decorated apartment, two couples sat. Barry and Iris sat side by side. The expressions on their faces expressed the tense atmosphere.

"The decision is yours, Iris, but are you sure you want to tell him?" Barry questioned, his right hand resting on the dampeners on his left.

"I've been thinking about Wally's words for a while, and I've already decided to come clean... I can't imagine how hurt my dad would be if Savitar were to kill... me. And him finding out you guys knew it would happen. It would be." She burst into tears before she could finish her sentence. Tears dripped heavily down her face.

Barry quickly took her into his embrace, offering her comfort. His already hardened gaze hardened even further. His fists tightened. He couldn't allow his mistake to lead to the death of the love of his life. No matter what, even if it led to the loss of his life in exchange, he was ready.