⚡️

—THE PAST—
2 YEARS LATER
Central City High School, Central City
September 8, 2036

       "HEY ITS THE FLASH!" Bianca gasped, her eyes glued to the TV propped in the corner of her geometry classroom at Central City Highschool. The Flash zoomed quickly to save multitudes from a burning building in downtown Central City. Then seconds later, he was delivering organs to hospitals, followed by a trip to the Hall of Justice to help the League on a mission. All in a minute.

Citizens had the pleasure of seeing live footage of The Flash's endeavors every Monday as part of his "Run a Mile or Two in My Shoes" fundraiser for kids all around the world in need of socks and shoes. It was just one of his many charitable acts, and everyone gets to tune in to watch. It always came around minutes before her morning class, and Bianca was always early to catch it in time.

Despite the pang of worry she got, as her eyes darted through Flash's camera perspective wondering how without fear he seemed, she couldn't help but smile at the sight.

She gleefully swiveled around in her chair to meet the eyes of her best friend Kawi who didn't quite share the same glee for the scarlet speedster as Bianca would have hoped. Her smiled died down. "Oh boo you," she tsked at her friend.

"The Flash is our school mascot and our city's personal hero, seeing him do his job is nothing new," Kawi shrugged. A thought crossed her head and a smirk made its way to her lips, "Now if Nightwing suddenly appeared in Central City, that would be something to be all excited about. That man can have all of my attention."

Bianca scoffed, though she couldn't help but feel her cheeks burn red, "You don't even know what he looks like!"

"I don't need to, plus Flash's mask covers so much more than Nightwing!" Kawi shot back with a raise brow.

"But I don't have a crush on The Flash, I'm simply a fan. I admire him. You want Nightwing to be your baby daddy even though he is like 15 years older than you...maybe. We don't actually know," Bianca explained, her head cocked to side as she teased Kawi.

"Ugh, we have to settle for the new heroes who are actually our age. I don't know any of them, and they don't hero in Central City," Kawi groaned, leaning against her desk chair and propping her legs on her table. She watched as more students began to enter the classroom. "Hmm, you think it could be anyone here?"

Bianca slapped her friend's arm, "Hey don't stare at them, they're gonna think you're rude!"

"As if they don't already stare at me for being an alien," Kawi scoffed.

It was true. Kawi was an alien refugee, saved by the Teen Titans at the time along with her cousin Jael when she was just a kid before the planet would be destroyed. Every so often, the now Titan Starfire would check in on her as a fellow alien. Kawi's adoration for Nightwing began there.

"Ignore those who judge you, you have something most people wish they had," Bianca assured her, with a positive wink.

"What?" Kawi rolled her eyes.

"Power."

Before Bianca and her friend could continue their conversation, a figure suddenly appeared in front of Bianca's desk and knocked on its surface to get her attention.

She jerked her head up to meet the eyes of Kai'dyn Johnson. He was a popular, well-liked, happy empath in which everyone loved to be around. Especially Bianca. Though she had a small crush on him, she never intended to be more than just an acquaintance with him because they always seemed to be just that; acquaintances and never extending past a 1 minute conversation.

Bianca immediately smiled at him, beaming her S.T.A.R. Labs' Dental Collection braces at him to which he smiled even harder.

"Hi B," He laughed, "I just saw your e-pad on your locker, happy birthday!" He opened his arms out for a hug and Bianca got up from her seat to welcome his embrace. The happiness she suddenly felt made her almost burst out in laughter. She had to bite her tongue to contain herself. Why the heck did he make her so happy sometimes? Since she knew he could probably feel what she felt, she quickly tried to explain why she was smiling like crazy.

"Sorry I'm so happy, I have no idea why I'm smiling so much, turning 16 isn't even anything crazy, I just got a present from Kawi earlier today which I really loved," Bianca quickly lied. When she let go of him, she could feel herself calming down and her cheeks were no longer sore from smiling.

Kai, as everyone called him, smiled back with a curious brow raised, "Nah, it's all good I get it. Anyways, I heard you're part of the Time Bureau's Junior Academy right?"

Bianca was surprised at the sudden change in subject but moved right along and nodded. "Yep, I've been an intern since freshman year but since I'm a junior now, they said I qualified for the academy and I've been a part of it since September."

Kai nodded in approval. "Cool, cool, that's pretty great. Me and my friends are actually thinking of joining this year since we're finally juniors and--"

Suddenly the sound of shouting made them both jump and they turned to the source. It was a student in the back of the class with his head down on his desk, sleeping and having a nightmare by the way he grimaced and whispered to himself.

Bianca looked back warily at Kai to find him sharing the same look, but when he looked back at her, he quickly sent her a smile and gave her a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder.

"Don't worry, it's just Thiago. I'll talk to you later, B" he says before walking past her desk and weaving through others to go wake up his friend.

Bianca let out a sigh of relief as her heart was pounding from the sudden outburst. She watches as Thiago slowly wakes up, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand and raking a hand through his shoulder length locs with the other. At some point his hands found a knot in his hair and he was just stuck, trying to figure out how to get out while Kai laughed, slapping Thiago's back while he did.

Thiago in the midst of his hair fiasco glanced over at Bianca whose eyes widened at being caught and watched as she sat back down on her chair.

"Dude!" Kawi harshly whispered to Bianca. Bianca's eyes narrowed at Kawi in confusion.

"Why the heck is Thiago Ramon.. Hwang, is that the right order of his name because I always forget, and nor do I really care-- anyways, why is he staring at you like that?"

Bianca didn't dare to turn around until after a few moments and saw that he was in fact looking at her with concern and fear etched in his face.

"I think he's dazed from just waking up," Bianca pointed out.

"Whatever, I think he saw something in his dream."

Bianca scoffed, feeling slightly bothered at the idea that there could be something wrong. Today was her birthday, if everything could go right today, it would be a literal godsend. "That's a bit of stretch."

Kallen shrugged, "If you say so. But I'm an alien who can turn invisible--"

"It's more like camouflage which is completely normal in nature--"

"Kai can literally feel what everyone around him feels and we all know Thiago is the legacy kid of some rich engineer/consultant/professor/ whatever the hell else he is, who knows if he has powers. Plus my cousin Jael can literally hear your emotions. And see them."

"Don't remind me of your cousin," Bianca said as politely as possible, pushing down the sudden pang of anxiety she felt. "I woke up in a good mood today. I asked Gideon to play an old kpop song called 16 by Samuel, you know, since I turn 16 today—"

Kawi laughed and teased at Bianca while the birthday girl recalled her mini dance break in front of her closet while she picked her outfit for the day.

"—but it put me in a good mood so I'm trying to keep it that way—Hey!" Bianca turned to see Kawi was still looking behind them at Thiago. He was looking, dazed again and Bianca noticed.

Bianca sat in that thought as Mr. Park the geometry teacher finally arrived. She tried to wipe Thiago's face off her memory as the class began. Thankfully, being the studious girl she is, she turned her brain into work mode and focused on the topic at hand.

--

"Come here! Come here! Me want hugs!"

Bianca's ears perked up curiosuly at the Cookie Monster sounding girl who was chasing her friend across the halls. She looked up to see Leah Snow with her pale arms out reaching towards Thiago Valdez-Hwang as if wanting a hug. He was laughing at how ridiculous her voice sounded. Though there was a student in CC High who had a Cookie Monster sounding voice, Leah was not one of them.

She was however, a legacy kid, daughter of a meta and a meta herself who took the heat of the air and turned into cold. She could blast ice out of her hands, create icicles. She loved giving people hugs and high fives to steal a little bit of their warmth. It made her feel a little more normal.

Bianca shook her head playfully at them before bringing her attention back to her locker. The e-pad on it had "Happy Birthday" written on it, courtesy of the school's automatic birthday system. It would write happy birthday on the locker of the person whose birthday it is. She smiled at the sight before opening it by pressing her pin into the keypad.

She gathered her materials for her next class after her free period, AP English.  Thankfully there wasn't much she needed to carry in her bookbag besides a tablet given to every student for school. Another Star Labs donation.

Ever since it was known that Green Arrow, his team, the Legends of Tomorrow, The Flash team, Supergirl and her team and many others saved the world during its Crisis of Infinite Earths, Star Labs was immediately on its way to become the modern beacon of science and technology for everyone. It expanded, serving both metas and non-metas in thousands of different capacities, in the home, at school, at work. Central City was dependent on Star Labs work and thankful for everything it's done.

Even a version of Gideon became accesible for people as an advanced version of what Siri and Alexa had strived to be so long ago. But it's original purpose remains in many Waveriders and in the Time Bureau itself.

The Time Bureau continues to be the center for managing and correct time itself whether it be from anomalies, the Flash's mistakes, or the Legend's mishaps and Bianca was one of the few teen accepted to the Junior Time Bureau's Academy to learn about the ins and out and potentially become a working member of the Bureau, maybe have the courage and the capacity become a Legend or a Time Fixer like Rip Hunter himself.

Bianca didn't quite know what direction she'd go on or what she was capable of, but her passion for time, history, and the Flash made her sure that the Time Bureau was where she wanted to dwell in the future. She couldn't wait for Kai to join.  He would no doubt have an advantage, being a meta. The thought of working alongside him made Bianca giddy, curious to how he found out about the place.

She heard about it after attending a forensic science workshop for extra credit on her chemistry class last year. A very clumsy director of the CSI Barry Allen peaked her interest in science, understanding it as a world of possibilities and answers to questions. When he spoke about the new information that's been learned from metas, mutants, aliens and so many more an entire new world of science that they can be introduced to, it only made her even more curious.

While the Time Bureau wouldn't provide exact answers to the universe, the complexities of every Crisis their universe has faced has left Bianca fearful and anxious, and the Bureau would shed truth and possibilities of worlds everywhere from any time. Assure her she was truly safe despite the fact that the world's memory of the Crisis only came from Martian Manhunter. Despite the fact that monsters roamed capable of taking lives, extraterrestrial threats were common, and the fight for Justice was never ending, even heroes had their weaknesses. But there was sort of comfort that the Time Bureau lay witness to every hero ever in anytime.

Bianca was pulled out of her thoughts of Kai joining the Bureau by a tap on her shoulder. She jumped, and quickly turned to her left to find Thiago scratching the back of his neck nervously, with Leah Snow confused a couple feet behind him, waiting patiently for him.

"Uh...hi?" Bianca asked awkwardly, clutching her tablet to her chest to leave room for their conversation. She's only ever briefly spoke to Thiago a couple times, mostly about getting back the pencils he borrowed and returned tinier or just plain lost.

"Sup, B, so I—" he stopped himself and nervously smiled, revealing his dimples, as if to assure Bianca that she shouldn't worry about what he was about say, "This is going to sound weird and it's probably nothing but I—"

He was interrupted by the school bell, a reminder that the next period had started. The lunch line was probably already long.

Thiago waved his hand to brush his words off, "Nevermind. It's fine. I'll just see you at lunch."

Bianca opened her mouth to protest, but nothing came out and watched as Leah whispered to Thiago in confusion, pulling an arm over his shoulder.

"Dude what was that?" She asked teasingly and the two walked away down the hall.

Bianca realized her heart had been racing. She ran a hand over her face, "Ugh, he got me all worried for nothing."

"Yeah same."

Bianca jumped, and found Kawi next to her, arms crossed.

Bianca gasped, "Kawi! You're supposed to be in class! Why are you here invisible and eavesdropping?"

Kawi laughed, rustling Bianca's curls much to her protest, "You're such a nerd."

Bianca pouted, "No I'm not—well, actually, yeah. I yield."

"Exactly! And I'm skipping. Again. I'm hungry, I'm supposed to be Spanish and you have lunch and I want to hang," Kawi explained simply, and shared Bianca's previous pout. Her green eyes had the capacity to quiver like a cartoon character, making it impossible for Bianca to resist. "Pouting is a rare sight of mine, you better take a picture of me while I'm here."

Bianca shook her head laughing, "Shut up. Not like you need my permission anyways. Come on, girlie. Let's have lunch."

They were immediately hit with the humming sound of teenagers conversing and laughing, munching on modern lunch food—well, kinda. Sloppy Joe and stale rice was on the menu today, a "delicacy" that no matter how advanced the world has become, upgrading high school lunch was not priority.

Bianca and Kawi sat at Bianca's usual table after grabbing their serving of Sloppy Joe, joined by their usual table buddies who they didn't really know but whose company they were comfortable with. She saw Kai and his friends Leah and Thiago seated at their usual table. Thiago caught her eye and she quickly turned away.

"Ugh this taste like toenails," Kawi gagged.

"Don't gag, it's gonna make me gag," Bianca laughed, something Kawi and her antics tended to do.

They had met last year in algebra 2 when Kawi was in desperate need of a tutor and despite Bianca's overwhelming kindness and positivity (it was blinding, really), she felt like Bianca was someone she could really trust. She helps her go through rough patches, dealing with trauma of her past. Bianca was equally glad to have her.

After a couple bites, Bianca pulled out her tablet, suddenly reminded that now would be a good opportunity to work on an assignment she hadn't finished last night.

She was secretly eating cupcakes the minute it turned midnight, and having her own self-care night in her living room while her parents were asleep in honor of her birthday.  One thing she definitely didn't inherit from her parents, the healthy habit of sleeping early. Though, to be fair they had demanding jobs as a first responder and Social Worker.

But being an only child gave her room to have a lot of downtown to herself including the living room. And with Bluetooth headphones, she can blast the TV without Mr. and Mrs. Reyes knowing.

Last night she chose to begin her 7th binge of her favorite show Ugly Betty, finding solace in the independent, strong character of Betty and her confidence in her identity and abilities. The family she loved who grounded her.

Bianca knew she was only growing, and just starting to learn about herself. She's found out that she tends to be afraid, but has done a good job of burying it until she forgets her fears. She's discovered she's insecure, her braces and her shorter frame made her feel younger than her age and the fact that she still had the never dabbled in anything remotely dangerous or harmful to her body no matter how tempting the people around her made it seem.

The world was still a mystery. Her identity, not secure. And as much as she wish she had control over it, as much as she wishes she can simply decide and everything would be added to her, she had to be willing to let life happen for her find out.

Maybe she could do it all with a smile on her face, at least that was the plan. Maybe she'll forget all about her fears until it's completely gone. She was a master at pretending the monsters under her bed weren't there when she was a kid. That's what her parents had told her to do. Surely the same situation applied.

Right?

Suddenly, a presence made itself known to their lunch table.

Bianca could already sense who it was. Kawi shared a look with her and rolled her eyes. She reached her hand out from the table and gave Bianca's a squeeze once Bianca's eyes finally reached the person leaning against the table in position to demand.

Jael. Kawi's cousin.

"Hello Bianca." Jael had her hands perched on her hips, and smirked a little for intimidation but her face was angry.

"Hi Jael, what do you want?" Bianca asked. But she knew exactly what she wanted. To torture her.

"You know, just waiting for you to be quiet," she sighed sarcastically. "I can hear your smiles from across the room. Its the loudest one here." Jael says with a threatening look, flipping her purple hair over her shoulder.

"I'm not even saying anything," Bianca shrugs, using her fork to push around the rest of her sloppy Joe. She avoided Jael's gaze.

"You know, I thought maybe since you're an only child the loneliness would eventually catch up with you and then you'll feel at least a little bit bad about yourself and I'd be able to eat this stupid food in peace, or maybe you'd confess your crush to what's-his-name and get rejected, or maybe at the very least once you got those braces life would get a little harder for you like those movies, but nope. Nothing seems to faze you,"  Jael pauses for a breath. "You just love smiling, don't you? Without even thinking about the consequences. Bianca, do you really feel no pain at all? Are you just always a happy perfect little girl—it just doesn't make sense—"

"And how do you know I'm not feeling any pain?" Bianca asked as politely and calm as she could. No matter how many times she's had to say it. "Or anything negative at all. Maybe I'm just really good at hiding it."

"Ugh! Just shut up why do you have to be so loud!"

The other students at their table were beginning to whisper amongst themselves. But this was a common routine for Bianca. For some reason, her positive attitude was to such a magnitude that Jael, who could hear and see emotions was getting too much of Bianca's.

Now, Bianca understood how burdening it could be for someone to have to hear emotions that Jael didn't welcome herself. She was already an angered person, her home planet had been in ruins and she's in a planet she could never feel to call home. But Bianca's reasons to smile made Jael all the more angry. She was the perfect human to her. She was Jael's kryptonite but making Bianca less happy made her more comfortable more content, more free. Which mean she intended to make Bianca miserable.

Alas, Bianca Reyes never seemed to break. Even when her fists curled, and her heart raced in frustration.

"Jael it's not my fault—"

And just as Bianca predicted, Jael quickly blew her top.

"YOU have no reason to be happy so much. Nothing! First of all, this food taste like sh*t how do you have the nerve to laugh, you're an idiot if you think Kawi is ever gonna feel like she can truly trust you because you're human, Kai's never going to like you, you're probably going to be one of those people who work themselves to death and stays alone forever, and amount to nothing because you're just a weak little human girl! Ugh!" Jael groaned, her eyes a fiery green now as hate laced her words.

Bianca took every blow exactly as Jael expected, letting it penetrate her mind allow her to think of just a possibility that she could be right. All Jael needed to feel even a sliver of relief.

Students everywhere Bianca barely knew were beginning to gather, though afraid of what "the alien" might do to Bianca and why she was there in the first place. She tended to do it a lot but why was always a mystery to the students of central city high.

Kawi stood ready to attacked, to hell with her reputation too, but Bianca's hand stopped her. She knew her friends planet's customs, she couldn't engage in fight with family members and Bianca did not feel worth the fight.

"Get out...please," Bianca simply said, taking careful breathes. She finally looked straight up at Jael. Her smirk and angered eyes, made Bianca stomach churn.

"Oh finally," Jael scoffed, massaging her temple, "Feeling a little better now. Good you're coming to your senses."

Bianca rolled her eyes. "I don't answer to you. And I thought I asked you nicely to leave."

Jael cockily looked around to the students gathered and she scoffed. "Oh, so now I'm the bad guy. When you're the one who can't keep your emotions in check. Are you such an idiot that you can't see reality for a second. You must be stuck in your own little world. The world sucks. Life sucks. Stop being so happy about it."

"Nobody said you're the bad guy Jael," Bianca managed out. There was festering anger she was harboring, the fear was ready to blow its top. But she wouldn't let it. Now is not the time. She was not that person. She couldn't. Bianca, just hold it. She always leaves.

"Just leave. I've been nice enough to understand and nice enough not to talk back to you. I've taken every hit and every word. Just go, Jael."

Jael had her fists curled to her side and her purple hair, was beginning to flare up. Bianca felt the same inside.

Kawi slammed her hand on the table, a large crack formed making the table fragile, "Jael!" she exclaims something in her native language Bianca can't interpret.

Jael's eyes shifted to Kawi who mirrored her stance.

Jael was aware of the deathening silence and gave one last look to everyone before turning invisible and disappearing.

Bianca waited for the crowd to disperse back to their lunch before slamming her shaking fists on the table as well with a glare. The table gave out and their food with it.

Kawi's eyes carefully watched her, hurt to see her usually happy friend be pushed to the edge of her patience by a family member.

"B," Kawi whispered, reaching for Bianca's throbbing hand.

"Thanks a lot guys," the other students at the table said and marched away leaving Bianca and Kawi to their seats and no table. Eyes all around still hesitantly lingering.

She became aware of the eyes and she attempted to calm herself down. Deep breathes, Bianca. Calm down. Keep your cool.

"I don't want to hate her," she says to her best friend with apologetic eyes, "But she makes it so easy."

"I know, I know," Kawi said, gently caressing Bianca's head on her own shoulder. "It's not your fault she's angry. She doesn't know you. She thinks you have it all just because you're a happy person. She thinks you're perfect."

Little did she know the monster under Bianca's bed had always been her anger, fueled by fear, provoked when threatened. If only she had something other than words. Something like power.

"You didn't have to tell her whatever it is you did," Bianca sighed. "I know how much you care about honoring your customs."

"She went too far this time," Kawi huffed. She glanced down at Bianca. "You didn't believe anything she said did you?"

Bianca was silent.

"B?"

"No, Kawi. Just...thinking what if."

"No more what ifs. No more fear. Use your anger B. Let it show fear who's boss," Kawi frowned.

Bianca let the words sink in before they packed up their things and went to the library where they talked for the rest of the period.

—

Bianca was left in the library when someone tattled on the "alien" for being seen at the library when she should have been in Spanish. Bianca and Kawi only had a couple moments of quietly snickering to each other about inside jokes before Kawi was called back to class. The laughter eased Bianca's previously racing heart and the tension she harbored inside. It was almost like lunch never happened. She was sad to see Kawi go.

Being the studious student she was, Bianca spent the last 20 minutes of her lunch period finishing assignments and listening to Linda Park's podcast. Her most recent episode featuring Iris West-Allen, of The Central City Citizen.

"Iris, tell me what have been your latest investigations? What's been eating at your brain? What are you looking answers for? Anything you can share?"

"So many questions these days. I've worked and encountered so many people these past few weeks, all different cases but I smell a story here and I'm committed to finding out."

"Anything police are even close to thinking about?"

"Unfortunately you know our finest aren't much fans of the word 'story'. Even despite all the policies we've worked towards advancing the modern world and extending rights and privileges to meta-humans and this new world of science and technology, they still very much lack in that area. They have a code and I certainly get it. But new science, new technology automatically equals a plethora of new problems. Right now, this is just a theory so take my words with a grain of salt, but there are patterns I'm beginning to see—"

"—uh-huh—"

"—In one of the recent news I've reported on, the Titans rescued an orphanage under attack. Titans do this all the time, but the reasons particularly the Titans intervened in Central City was because they've been following a trail.  All roads lead to Deathstroke—"

"—the infamous nemesis of the Titans? We haven't seen him in quite some time. To our audience who aren't aware, Deathstroke only barely escaped a match with the Titans almost a year ago. He's most likely been laying low, gathering himself. Iris, tell us, what is your theory?"

"I began asking why would Deathstroke be involved in attacking an orphanage? I wouldn't put it past him, he has been at the throats of the Titans back when they were just the Teen Titans. But it's not the only attack I've reported and help investigate involving children in the last couple weeks."

"How old are we talking Iris?"

"Mm, it varies. The orphanage included a diversity of children, including babies—"

"—and none were hurt, correct? If I remember your article correctly?"

"None. It was clearly more of an attempted kidnapped, disguised as an attack. We know Deathstroke never does anything without purpose or reason. I've heard people say—and I won't name them—that Deathstroke was merely at the end of his villainous career willing to do whatever in an act of revenge. I refuse to believe that. He always has a plan."

"Do the other attacks involving children trace back to him at all?"

"No. At least, from what the police have managed to reveal to me. They look and seem like entirely separate cases. There was a fire at s preschool, nobody hurt, but cameras saw an unfamiliar 'staff' near the children. An attempted kidnapping no doubt, but the fire was very quickly took out by The Flash. Another one, a school bus on its way to Central City High—"

Bianca ears perked at the name of her school. She stopped her assignment to pay attention. She recalled it last week, a minor car accident the bus got into. But with a more advanced system in cars and school buses, the impact wasn't as bad as it could have been. Still, the experience was still traumatic.

"—Again, disguised as a normal accident. The driver was a grunt of a lesser known villain. There's this search almost like a need for children by these people for a reason I intend to find out. Anyways this is simply a theory. I know your fans, Linda, are so eager for a story. And right now, I can't promise that. But I can promise I will investigate even when no one else will. It's an Iris promise."

Bianca smiles as Linda laughs.

"An Iris promise? I like that. Is that like your new catchphrase?"

"It absolutely could be. You know, my kids are always helping me come up with a new way to get the new generation interested in this stuff. A lot of this affects them too."

"Especially with what you're saying too. Who knows what could happen next where children are involved—"

Bianca could barely hear from the noise cancelling ear buds she had on. But when she saw the ground beneath her warble before her, feeling the vibrations as it traveled through her body, she yanked her buds from her ears, standing up, alarmed.

She felt a rumble.

Instantly she was met with the sound of crumbling, she looked around her to find anyone else and felt her heart leap when there was no one. She could barely stand. Quickly she gathered her things and with wobbling legs, made out the library.

An alarm sounded, and the halls were filled with students running around rampant. Bianca held her breathe, looking for Kawi, or anyone else she could recognize.

She couldn't discern which direction to go as her mind was consumed with anxiety. She tried to call out to someone to figure out what was going on but she couldn't find the words or the voice.

A strong wind suddenly burst through the hallways doors, knocking almost everyone down to their knees. Bianca leaned against nearby lockers before tumbling down, the weight of her bookbag helping gravity.

Bianca heard the voice of someone she recognized.

"Get out you Weather b*tch!"

She looked up to find Leah Snow standing amongst the fallen in the hallway, glaring at the monster responsible.

Bianca struggled to get up and looked towards the end of the hallway. Her throat went dry, her legs weak again.

The Weather Witch.

Her wild black hair blew behind her face that sported and evil grin. Her body in a suit, littered with meta-tech, just as glowing and dangerous as the ones stuck to her infamous staff. The source of her power.

She wasn't the angry teenager she was 10 years ago. She was wicked, worse than her father and even bolder.

"Let's play a game!" She yelled against her own winds. "Let's see who survives."

Just as Bianca and her classmates started running in the opposite direction, her staff forced them down. They attempted to fight against the force of wind pushing them down.

Leah managed against it.  Thiago was a couple feet from her, pleading for her to stay down.

"I don't think you heard me! I said get out!" Leah screamed, shaking, clearly terrified, but nonetheless her arms were out as if embracing the winds.

Bianca shivered as the air became cold. The force of wind loosening. She watched as the Witch smirked at Leah. Other metas prepared themselves for an attack despite their fear. Thiago started to stand, watching Leah fearfully.

Down the hall, Kai was pleading with a fellow meta to put him to sleep, he couldn't stand the fear.

Everywhere, teachers and students alike, people were shaking, angry, in shock. The towering menace of Weather Witch held the fate of their lives in their hand.

Bianca whimpered. No no no. This couldn't be it. This couldn't be her end. This couldn't be anyone's end. Where is Kawi?

The sound of the police met her ears and she could tell they were close but they didn't stand a chance.

Leah turned the air into cold, icicles began to form into her arms and she raised her hands towards the villain. A blast of cool air and hail released from from her hands with a scream. Her skin gradually turned a pale blue, her eyes iced over, brows uncharacteristically flared.

Thiago's eyes widened.

Bianca couldn't tell what was more fearful, the Witch or Leah.

The Witch took the hit, crashing against the doors she had previously held closed. Her guard down, students and teachers felt the force of wind completely gone. Free they began running to the other exit down the hall.

"Yess," The Witch laughed, and regained herself and her tornado. She crawled out of the doors she was pushed into and let the other students who could escape, seemingly fascinated by Leah and the rest of the kids left.

Bianca barely made it down the hall before the doors shut before her with a gust go wind, leaving her and a couple other students and teachers trapped. She looked desperately through the window as the other kids ran the opposite way. She caught sight of the police having broke in from the other side of the door, taking them to safety.

Bianca screamed against the doors. No no no no!!

She fell to her knees again. She was completely powerless. She turned around, weeping profusely, accepting her fate. Kai was on the floor in a slumber put by one of the students. She used all her might to drag him closer to the doors.

Leah herself was crying, her tears turning into tiny icicles that stuck to her face as she watched the Witch come towards her. A meta student attempted their telekinesis to stop the Witch's advanced.

Her smirk widened and she willed herself against the child's mind. With a wave of her staff, she aimed towards Leah.

"No!"

Thiago yelled and thrust himself in front of Leah, throwing his hands in front of him in surrender.

He screamed in pain as green lights came out of his hands , crushing the bones in his wrists.

Bianca gasped watching as Thiago fell forward, his energy exhausted himself.

But the force was enough agains the Weather Witch to wipe the smirk off her face. In fact, to wipe her straight out of existence it seemed.

She was gone.

Bianca was hyperventilating. Since when could Thiago do that?

There was a silence except for the shallow breaths of the survivor.

Thiago was pale. He couldn't understand what had just happened, and his crushed hands was an even bigger mystery.

Where did she go? Did the Weather Witch ...die?

Leah's blue color faded. She kneeled to the floor, unaware of the capacity for the rage that had exuded from her moments before.  She hugged her body.

There was a silence. Bianca couldn't believe it was over.

And then it wasn't.

A blast flew everyone into the air. Bianca's body crashed into the doors, her body bursting through the windows, the already crumbling walls slowly falling before her.

Shards of glass stuck to her body, her head bounced forward as it hit the ground.

The police had finally came through. First responders rushed to the scene, carefully taking Bianca's limp, bleeding body on a stretcher.

She was pulled into an ambulance. She smelled a familiar scent. Barely conscious, she looked up to see her father clad in his uniform, terrified. She cried even more.

Teddy Reyes' commands to the other paramedics were muffled in her ears. He was struggling. They all told him to sit back while they worked, not letting him with the responsibility of keeping her conscious.

Eventually they arrived to the hospital, Star Lab scientists already at the location, aware  of metas responsible for the attack, extremely concerned for its consequences on all the students.

Maya Reyes, Bianca's mother arrived, clutching her husband by her in the waiting room of the emergency room.

Bianca's body was fighting as her life struggled to escape her.

Blood rushed out of her mouth, her feverish body shaking. She could feel the warm blood that pooled from the back of her head. Ma! Pa! I'm trying to fight! I'm doing everything I can! Someone help me! She thought. The thought of her parents and her weeping dad made her even weaker.

At the blinding lights and frantic doctors above her, her eyes closed. She told herself over and over to keep fighting. She replayed every moment of the day. Her 16th birthday...and now her last.

The feeling of the hands of doctors and nurses began to disappear until she could feel no more.

She took her last breathe, the faint sound of the flatline leading her towards her death.

——

-

author's note:
hey everyone welcome to the first real chapter of this story! ik we started all happy and bubbly and now there's THIS! an attack! a death?!

please feel free to let me know how your thoughts and feelings so far!

for any people who have seen the flash show what is your favorite storylines??

(one of mine is flashpoint! i love time travel so much!)

this is also my first time writing a very long chapter. im unsure if every chapter will be this long but we're still a year in the past so things change when we get to the present. but this backstory is so important!

pay attention to these little things that happen. even though Bianca barely knows the rest of the characters at this point their experiences are important too!

anyways hope you liked it! sorry for this long note :))