Young Criminal [the flash] // on hold

Chapter Two

Ara found herself sitting at a table in a cafe named CC Jitters. The name and the ambiance of the place proved enough to be safe from STAR Labs and hidden well into view. Ara believed that she found a perfect place to lay low, hiding herself in the depths of the many people that went in and out of the cafe.

She went over her plan for the fourth time.

Catch the 7PM bus to wherever the heck Ara believed her mom lived months after Ara's grandfather's death.

Talk to her mom — sure enough, her mom would know well enough to help Ara find her way back to the future, the timeline wherein she belonged.

Lay low. Avoid unnecessary distractions. Refrain from attracting attention. Don't use weapons unless engaged.

Leave in one piece, as if nothing ever happened.

A good plan, a rather simple one it seemed. But that was okay, Ara knows that she could pull it off, easy.

"You've been here for an awfully long time."

Ara looks up from her list, quickly crumpling it to prevent the nosy waitress from reading her plans, and smiles at her. She recognised her immediately, Iris West. Barry's soon-to-be wife and a good friend of her mother's. She had heard good things about Iris—cheery, intelligent, courageous. Ara had only seen Iris in pictures that her mother would show her from 30 years ago and the Iris that stood in front of her was her spitting image, but prettier.

"Ah yes A–I mean—Iris," Ara says, holding up her empty cup of coffee. "I'm, uh, expecting someone."

Iris smiles at Ara and gets the empty coffee cup. Ara was sure that Iris was only her age, if not younger. "Oh that's great. Would you like another cup of coffee?"

Ara pouts her lips, as if thinking. "Yeah, maybe a cup of The Flash."

Iris stares at her, confused. "The Flash? You're kidding right?"

Ara raises an eyebrow, giving Iris the same confused expression. "The Flash, your best-seller?" Ara's mother used to tell her that The Flash has been a long-time best-seller, even back in her mother's generation. "My mother told me that The Flash was the super hero of Central City, always going out of his way to—"

"Let me stop you there, honey," Iris says. "If there's one person we'd name a drink after, it wouldn't be The Flash." Iris gives Ara a facial expression which was detailed with disgust. "God, no. Any one but The Flash. Whatever stories your mother told you about The Flash's so-called heroics... those stories are lies."

"Lies? No that can't be." Ara says, her brows furrowing in utter confusion. It was either she was being badly pranked or she was in another universe, both of which seemed utterly impossible. "I'd heard that The Flash was a good guy, blood tainted with goodwill and integrity. He had saved Central City countless of times. He'd saved people who cared so much about him—my mother, you."

Iris shakes her head. "What did you say your name was again?"

"Ara."

"Well Ara," She says, lowering her voice down to a whisper. "The Flash is anything but a hero. He's a villain, a cold-blooded murderer who would destroy everything that would stand in his path. No matter who it would be—an old lady, a young teenager, a bustling businessman, a pretty girl—he will destroy you.."

Ara is silent as Iris goes on, grief and tragedy lining her words. "Trust me when I tell you this Ara, I hope you'd never cross paths with The Flash. God, I feel bad for the young girl who'd actually fall for the man under the mask, whoever he is, he's a bad man. He c—"

"No, he is a good man with a soft heart." Ara says, whispering softly, refusing to believe what Iris was telling her. "I mean he saved the world, not—"

Ara stops. Suddenly, the warm ambiance of the cafe disappears. The whole cafe is silent—the laughter and smiles that had filled the place had disappeared into thin air, as if they weren't there in the first place.

Iris turns pale and sits down on the chair in front of her. Her eyes glisten with tears. For what reason? Ara didn't know. She barely manages a whisper, "He's here Ara. The Flash is here." Ara opens her mouth to speak but Iris hisses, "I wouldn't say anything if I were you."

Ara nods, keeping her mouth shut, anticipating what is to come. She lifts her head as a tall figure circles the building, crowding over people who would bend over and hand him their money. Yes, his body physique matched The Flash's from what Ara could remember from her Uncle Barry but she wasn't entirely sure if the robber was the speedster himself.

Besides, she had vividly remembered The Flash as a man in red with yellow and red sparks emitting from his body, accompanied with a sense of warmth and benevolence. But the man that was intimidating the people of Jitters had a different aura about him —he still had the red suit but replacing the bright sparks were dark, crisp black ones. He eyes burned through you like fire burning paper and he had a different vibe — a horrifying, dark vibe, power emitting from him.

The masked villain tries to grab a purse from a lanky old woman. But the woman could be heard pleading for mercy and compassion all the way from where Ara sat.

"Please," She says, weakness threading her voice. "I need that money for my son's birthday gift. He is just a young man like you, Flash. Young men like you should at least have a small string of humanity in them, please I'm his mother and I don't want to disappoint him."

But the masked man didn't want to hear any of it. He glares at her. "Yeah, why don't you talk to Harrison Wells about disappointment? I lost my humanity when that damn particle accelerator exploded." He yanks the purse and pushes the old lady, making her fall off her chair. "If there's anyone you should be mad at, it's him."

Lay low, Ara had chided to herself but it doesn't take long before her stubbornness takes over her sense of fortitude.

"Ara, what are you doing?" Iris says, as Ara stands up. Ara could feel the weight of her armbands as her hands touch the smooth texture of the table. Lots of things ran through her mind as she wondered whether she was acting out of bravery or pure stupidity.

Ara would know the consequences of her actions soon enough.

- - - - - -

author's note:

lol not that much action but we finally got a glimpse of Iris and the man who identifies himself as "The Flash." LOL GRANT'S TOO CUTE AND CUDDLY FOR THIS ROLE #HOWTOHANDLE but aw we can't just change the cast right ?? HAHA it's gonna be like Sebastian Smythe all over again :-(

next chapter:

Ara fights The Masked Man, whose identity not only confirms Iris' theories but sends Ara into a tailspin of confusion.

chapter extra:

#HowToHandleTheCuteness :>