//------------------------------// // Race 0 // Story: My name is Barry Allen and I'm the fastest pegasus alive // by Kaliann25 //------------------------------// Race 0: New Mission, New World, New Look Barry Allen was running. He was running to escape the pain of betrayal.  His erstwhile mentor, Doctor Harrison Wells, revealed himself as Allen's arch nemesis from the distant future.  His purported predecessor, Jay Garrick from Earth 2, was revealed to actually be the psychotic killer known as Zoom. He was running to escape the pain of loss.  His mother had been murdered when he was a child.  His father had been framed for the crime and had distanced himself from his son to allow Barry a fresh start.  His adoptive father had nearly been killed by one of Barry's enemies. Barry Allen was running to escape himself and the nightmare that was his life.  Barry Allen was running because it was what he did best.  Barry Allen was the Flash, the fastest man alive. Soon enough, the world around the Flash slowly dissolved into a shapeless blur.  Only then did he smile.  Now he had entered to the very source of his power: the Speed Force.  Now, all he had to do was to run fast enough to break the time barrier.  Now, he could prevent his mother's death. Now, he could undo everything in his life that had gone wrong. “Where do you think you’re going, Barry?” asked a sweet voice beside him. The Flash turned.  As the voice had hinted, it was what appeared to be his adoptive adoptive sister and dearest friend, Iris West.  She was running beside him, stride for stride, looking at the speedster with a mix of kindness and sorrow.  Flash accelerated even though he knew it was futile.  He was being paced by a projection of the Speed Force. “You know all-to-well where I’m going, Speed Force.  Do not get in my way!” “I cannot let you do this, Barry,” said the Speed Force as it took the form of Joe, Flash’s adoptive father. “Why not?!” shouted Barry. “Because the consequences of changing history lead only to disaster.  That’s why my ghosts are constantly on guard for anyone approaching the time barrier.  Iris promised she'd been there for you when you return home, remember?  But, if you alter the timeline, she won't be able to keep her promise.  Stop while you still can, Barry” “Why should I?  You are the one empowering the monsters claiming to be my friends, the ones who have taken the ones I love the most.  First it was Reverse Flash.  Then, it was Zoom.  I am not losing Iris to the next super-fast psychopath I run into.  I HAVE HAD ENOUGH!” Barry accelerated even more although he knew there was no way he could use the Speed Force to escape the Speed Force.  The Speed Force reappeared directly in front of him, this time in the guise of his mother.  That was almost enough to make Flash slow down, but he managed to keep his composure and keep running. “I know how much all the other speedsters have hurt you, Barry.  However, I know your heart remains pure and noble.  You were tempted to do this once before, and still you decided to do the right thing and save Central City.  Zoom tried to force you to take the easy path, but you chose to stay loyal to your ideals.  That’s why I’m asking you to stop Barry; that's the real you.  Don't let Zoom and Reverse Flash win; be who you are meant to be." “Then what is it I’m supposed to do, Speed Force?  Is there any speedster I can trust?” “Yes, Barry, there is one.  I’m looking at him right now.” The Flash processed what the Speed Force said in a fraction of a heartbeat. “What do you want me to do?” “In a faraway world, there’s a young speedster whose powers are soon to be awakened.  Become her mentor; show her what it means to be a hero; show her that there are speedsters she can trust.  Zoom and the Reverse Flash tried to mold you in their own images by force.  You must teach by the example.  Guide her to become as she should, Barry!” “Are you sure?” asked Barry. “I trust you Barry; only you can teach this young speedster to develop her true potential” “How do I do it?” “When you enter to this world, your nature will change in order for her to see you as a rival at first.  But, when the right time comes, she’ll start looking at you as a teacher.  Become the mentor you deserve, Barry” The Flash nodded thoughtfully and slowed down as the world reappeared before him. Canterlot Castle: Cadence collapsed onto a couch after spending an entire afternoon helping her cousin Blue Blood move into his new dwelling.  It was a relief that he had finally shown some responsibility.  He had spent his entire life as a bratty freeloader, up to his return from that deserted island.  However, this could scarcely be considered a change.  All he had done since his miraculous return from his four-year exile was to invest his fortune into a successful chain of nightclubs and, from the profits, repay Auntie Celestia for all her years of support.  In the end, though, he was still just the bratty and pretentious pony he always was.  Cadence sighed in frustration. “Is something on your mind, dear?” asked Princess Celestia as she approached Cadence. Cadence nodded angrily. “It's Blue Blood.  Since he returned from that island, I can’t stop thinking about him” Princess Celestia sighed too. “At least he changed a little” “It's not enough” “Maybe, but what seems like foal steps are a huge change for him.  And between us, I think I’m going to miss having him around” Cadence raised an eyebrow. “Why?  He does nothing but party all day and annoy others” “Blue Blood lost his parents and siblings long ago, my dear niece, and he’s the kind of pony who laughs so won't cry.  I know that doesn’t justify his actions and attitudes over the years, but also that’s also why you haven’t seen any obvious change after his four years of isolation.  Why do you think he moved?  He's a time bomb and doesn't want us to see him crying" Cadence didn't say anything.  She didn’t want to contradict her beloved aunt, but, this time she felt that she was wrong and that Celestia's love for Blue Blood was unjustified. Fancy Pant’s mansion, Canterlot: Fleur De Liz looked at the clock, pleased.  It was barely eleven o’clock, and her husband wouldn’t be around in another two hours.  She had more than enough time for her to take care of her own business, her "slightly" illicit business.  Fleur calmly opened her desk’s drawer to get her secret records.  She then noticed some of her documents were out of place. Apparently, somepony had been examining her personal papers and had taken everything incriminating.  Records of extortion, drug dealing, pony trafficking, and large-scale fraud were gone. “Oh, no, no, no, NO!!” shouted Fleur. Somepony pounded on the front door.  An amplified voice shouted, “Fleur De Liz!  Open in the name of Princess Celestia!  You are under arrest for crimes against ponykind!” “WHAT? NO!!” shrieked Fleur.  A contingent of bodyguards braced the front door while she beat a hasty retreat to the service entrance.  She screamed, "Pepper Pot! Let's go! Now!"  Her driver sat mutely at the table.  She turned on the lamp, only to discover an arrow with blue fletching protruding from his body. A menacing voice growled behind her, "Fleur De Liz!" Shacking in fear, Fleur turned and found herself facing the creature of her nightmares.  It was a white-furred unicorn wearing a hooded blue cloak and a blue domino mask. In his magic, he held a drawn bow, with an arrow aimed directly at her forehead.  He said, "You ignored my warning.  You have failed Equestria." The arrow penetrated her skull, killing her instantly.  Without her bodyguards, she was easy prey to the hunter of the corrupt, the scourge of criminals who thought they were beyond the law. When the Royal Guard finally broke through the barricade, they found only incapacitated bodyguards and Fleur's corpse. “It looks like the Arrow got her first,” said one of the guards. "What are you talking about?  She was clearly the victim of a rival gang.  Make sure that goes into the report," replied the leader. It was official policy bring the masked vigilante known as the Arrow to justice.  It was unofficial policy to let him handle the criminals that were beyond the reach of the proper authorities.  The soldiers quietly cleaned the crime scene. From the rooftop of a nearby mansion, the Arrow looked on with satisfaction as the soldiers removed Fleur's dead body.  Seeing that his mission was finished, the Arrow vanished into the shadows as he returned to his lair. The lair was an abandoned factory that was once owned by Grandpa Blood.  Years of neglect had left it decrepit and uninhabitable.  Blue Blood had kept the facade, but he refurbished the interior.  In addition to the normal comforts of home, the lair also boasted with a training room and surveillance room filled with the latest magical equipment. Once inside, the vigilante confirmed that nopony had followed him before he removed his hood.  He smiled to himself as he mused. The prince-cum-vigilante checked his list of ponies who had failed Equestria.  His magic equipment projected the image of the residence of a certain earth pony who was there only once every two months.  Most ponies thought he was just a humble antiques dealer, but Blue Blood have found that he was much more.  His birth name was Moldy Gold, but in the underworld, he was known as Lord Caballeron. “So, he’ll be home really soon, right?  Good, because he will now pay the price for failing Equestria.” As he started target practice, the lair suddenly began to shake. “What in Tartarus?  Have I been followed?” One of the walls crackled with electricity. Blue Blood frowned as he nocked an arrow, waiting to break the horn of the intruding unicorn.  The bolts of electricity coalesced into some sort of portal, and an orange pegasus in a red suit came tumbling through. “Who in Tartarus?” asked Blue Blood as he aimed the arrow at the stallion's forehead. The Pegasus shook his head, completely disoriented, and then smiled to the white unicorn. “Hi there!  Sorry for the intrusion. My name is Barry Allen and . . .” He took a good look of himself. “And?” asked Blue Blood. “And, apparently, I’m the fastest pegasus alive!”