Chapter 84: 84

Words : 868 Updated : Oct 3rd, 2025

| New Jersey - August 3 No use crying over spilled milk. That window of opportunity had likely closed long ago—he'd been struck by lightning several times since, including magical lightning from Wotan. And now, he had Nova Force. Joseph didn't miss the Speed State too much. Especially considering the severe pain he was left in after exiting it. Nah, who was he kidding? The feeling of moving so fast while the world around you was still was exhilarating and the pain was worth it. "Why are you asking anyway? And why are you so sure this Speed Force exists?" Wally asked. "Because I was connected to it before," Joseph said. Wally shot him a surprised look. "Wait—what? What happened? Are you not connected anymore?" Joseph shook his head. "No. When I was, I could move so fast that everyone else looked frozen. But it came with a price—terrible pain all over my body. Probably because I experienced something similar to your experiment, but without the lightning. Then... aliens experimented on me. I lost that ability, among other things, and gained my current powers instead." "That's rough," Wally said awkwardly. "But hey, at least you're alive, right?" "Yeah." Silence stretched between them for a few minutes before Joseph spoke again. "Your experiment was flawed, right?" Wally stiffened slightly before exhaling in self-deprecation. "Yeah. I'm way slower than Flash. Don't rub it in, okay?" Joseph hadn't meant it as a dig, but Wally pressed on. "Back in Salt Flats, when Psycho-Pirate hit us with that anxiety spell or whatever... I imagined I wasn't fast enough to be Flash's sidekick anymore. Truth is, Flash never really wanted or chose me to be his sidekick in the first place." Joseph blinked. Wally wasn't usually this open. It was easy to forget that, despite the sidekicks' years of heroics, they were still just kids with all the insecurities that came with it. Not that Joseph was much older—only one or two years, excluding Superboy and M'gann, but he felt like his experiences made him more mature. "I get it," Joseph said. "I imagined I wasn't enough for the people I cared about." He paused. "And hey, even if Flash didn't want you at first, the fact that you're still his sidekick means he must've seen something in you." Wally gave a small, genuine smile. "Thanks, dude. I appreciate it." Joseph nodded. "But I still want to check something. I found a formula related to the Speed Force: 3x2(9YZ)4A=?. It's not a scientific equation, more like a mantra—something that lets you mentally focus on the Speed Force." Wally frowned. "3x2(9YZ)4A=? Huh..." Silence fell again. Then, suddenly, Wally accelerated past Mach 1—then started approaching Mach 2. Joseph had to concentrate more on his anti-gravity field so he and Wally could speak as they sped up. "WOOHOO!" Wally shouted, exhilarated. "Dude! I've never been this fast! It actually works! The Speed Force is real! I have to tell Ba—uh, Flash!" "No problem," Joseph said with a smirk as he patted Wally and discretely absorbed some Speed force. He was able to absorb it but he couldn't do anything with it, just like Wotan's magic. Stored but unusable for him. That sucked. His plan to use Wally as a Speed Force battery was now useless. Masking his disappointment, Joseph continued. "Honestly, I can go Mach 2, so slowing down for you was kinda boring. Now we'll get there in half the time." Wally just laughed, still riding the high of breaking his personal record. ** | Gotham Academy - August 3 Joseph and Wally arrived just in time to see Superboy getting pieced up in Gotham Academy's basketball court. A green robot gorilla had him on the ropes with martial arts. "Yoink!" Before it could smash Superboy into the ground, Wally blurred forward, scooping him out of harm's way. Meanwhile Joseph lifted the robot into the air with his anti-gravity field. That's when Joseph noticed the man sitting casually on the bleachers, watching like this was just another school game. He was short—below average height—with a nonthreatening demeanor that belied the actual danger he posed. His attire was almost professorial: a white dress shirt tucked into black slacks, a green sleeveless sweater with a pocket for two pens, and a neatly tied red bow tie. The signs of age were apparent—wrinkles on his forehead, marionette lines near his mouth, high cheekbones, and auburn hair streaked with gray at the sides. Professor Ivo. Two more robot gorillas stood at his side. "I don't usually attend these things in person," Ivo mused, "but this was too good to miss. I have already shown you my Mobile Optimal Neural Quotient Infiltrators. Quite impressive right? And while my Galvanized Output Robotic Impact Logistic Loader Automa don't have the ability to copy powers like Amazo, they are packed with plenty of useful features." Acronyms for monkey and gorilla? Was this man serious? Joseph barely had time to react before the robot he had lifted fired twin beams of green energy—right into his eyes.

Chapter 84: 84

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