I am Wally west

Bam! Bam! A flurry of fists collided, followed by grunts of effort. Wally and Jesse were locked in tight combat, sweat flung around as they swayed.

They were dressed in loose clothing for exercises. On their wrists were bracelets glowing blue—meta-dampening cuffs.

"You know, just because you're wearing dampening cuffs doesn't mean your reaction time should be this slow," Wally said, continuing to parry her uncoordinated strikes. And just because a power is dampened doesn't mean it's gone. The entire biology has been altered on a cellular level, so no matter what, it'd still be above regular human capabilities—especially when it comes to reaction time and reflexes.

She could barely keep up, her hands failing to hit Wally as he dodged with a serious expression. It had only been a day since she was bedridden—well, at least according to Harry, who insisted she stay in bed despite her speed-healing abilities.

It was an argument she couldn't win, and in the end, she spent the rest of the day in the med bay while Wally comforted her.

The next day, S.T.A.R. Labs was relatively quiet. Barry and Joe were at the precinct, Jay had returned to his Earth, and Iris was pursuing her journalism career. Even Harry was preparing to return to Earth-2 with Jesse.

But, with Jesse's persuasion, their stay was extended another day. Remembering she'd be leaving tomorrow, Wally finally began to muster the courage to ask her to move to Earth-1.

Just then, one of her fists almost hit him, snapping him back to attention as he dodged at the last second.

"I'm practically making no progress," Jesse complained in frustration. Hours had passed, and yet Wally remained untouched, even without superspeed.

At the start, Wally had allowed her to use superspeed, and she'd managed to land some blows. But now, every attack was dodged or deflected.

"It's your first time; this much is impressive already," Wally replied. It was basic combat, not martial arts training. He was teaching her the fundamentals: how to dodge, attack properly, and minimize openings.

This could help in various situations, like encountering other experienced speedsters or in the event one couldn't access their speed. It was a great start to never be caught off guard.

After a few breaths and glances, Jesse rushed forward again, throwing a punch at him. Wally, with a serious expression, immediately noticed flaws. Dodging, he leaned down slightly.

Jesse quickly followed with another punch, this time aiming for his ribs. Wally twisted, pivoting on his back foot, deflecting the blow with his forearm, sending her fist skidding off his side.

The momentum shifted, and Jesse spun into a roundhouse kick. Her movement was fluid and fast, though amateurish. But Wally was faster, ducking under her leg, feeling the wind of her kick pass his face.

"You're hinting your attacks," Wally noted calmly, his voice steady. His eyes scanned her stance—shoulders too tense, weight leaning too far forward.

Jesse grunted in frustration but kept her focus. She adjusted, dropping into a lower stance, fists up, eyes determined. "Maybe," she shot back, "but I'm getting faster."

She lunged again, throwing a feint with her right hand, drawing Wally's attention. In a split second, her left hand jabbed toward his face. Wally reacted just in time, tilting his head back, but Jesse had anticipated that. She shifted her weight, sweeping her leg toward his knees.

Wally barely had time to jump. His feet left the ground as Jesse's leg sliced through the air, grazing his ankle. He landed softly, but the impact of her near-hit was enough to throw off his balance. Jesse seized the opportunity, driving a fist toward his chest.

For the first time, Wally didn't dodge completely. Her knuckles brushed against his ribcage, the force behind the blow solid, but not enough to knock him down.

"Finally," Jesse muttered, a triumphant smirk crossing her face.

Wally's grin widened in response. "Not bad, but—"

Before she could react, Wally closed the gap between them with lightning speed, his body moving like liquid. He caught her arm mid-swing, redirecting her momentum and spinning her off-balance.

Jesse stumbled but recovered quickly, planting her foot and twisting back toward him, forcing Wally to step away.

He gave her no time to recover. He launched a rapid succession of jabs, his fists blurring. Jesse blocked most of them, but the sheer speed left her scrambling. The sound of their blows echoed in the training room, each punch landing with precision and power.

Jesse's breath came in ragged bursts, her muscles burning from the effort. Even with dampened abilities, she still had an edge over normal humans. But Wally—he was on another level, even without his speed. His timing was impeccable, his footwork light and precise.

"Since when did you become a martial arts master?" Jesse asked, unable to land a single hit.

"Focus on your breathing, and stop talking," Wally said between exchanges, his voice calm. "You're holding your breath when you strike. It's slowing you down."

Jesse gritted her teeth, frustration bubbling up. She knew he was right. She took a deep breath, centered herself, and reset her stance.

Wally nodded approvingly but didn't ease up. He darted forward again, but this time Jesse was ready. Instead of meeting him head-on, she sidestepped at the last second, letting his punch sail past her shoulder. Her fist shot out toward his exposed side, quick and precise.

It was a solid hit.

Wally grunted softly, feeling the impact, but his expression didn't change. He spun, fluid and fast, and suddenly Jesse faced another flurry of strikes. But now, she wasn't just on the defensive—she was keeping pace. She blocked, deflected, and countered with newfound rhythm.

Their movements became a blur, each strike more precise than the last. The sound of their fists cutting through the air filled the room, along with the occasional grunt of effort. Sweat dripped from both of them, their bodies moving in perfect synchronization.

Jesse threw another punch, but Wally caught her wrist, twisting her arm behind her back in a smooth motion. "You're getting better, but you're still too predictable."

With a quick flick of his wrist, Wally released her, and Jesse spun away, resetting her stance. She was panting now, her energy waning.

Jesse took a breath, steadying herself. She knew she wasn't going to win this fight, but that wasn't the point. Each exchange brought her closer, refining her technique. She could feel her body adapting.

Wally circled her, eyes locked on hers, his stance relaxed but ready. "Let's see what you've got left."

Without hesitation, Jesse surged forward, her fists flying in a desperate barrage. Wally moved like water, slipping between her strikes with ease. But this time, Jesse didn't let up. She kept pushing, her punches faster with each attempt.

Then, unexpectedly, Wally stopped.

In that split second, Jesse's fist connected squarely with his chest, the force knocking him back a step. She froze, wide-eyed, realizing what had just happened.

"You… let me hit you?" she asked, breathless.

Wally smiled, a soft chuckle escaping his lips. "I wanted to see how far you'd go."

Jesse dropped her arms, her body sagging with exhaustion, but her eyes gleamed with pride. "How'd I do?"

Wally walked over, placing a hand on her shoulder, his smile warm. "You did great, but there are still many flaws we need to fix. But honestly, you're better than when I first started."

"Well, I had a great teacher," she said with a smile. Their eyes locked for a few seconds, an awkward silence growing between them.

"Umm, I'm gonna go check on my dad," she said, grabbing her towel.

"Okay..." Wally replied, pausing to gather his thoughts. "Jesse, wait."

She turned, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah?"

"How about... before you head back to Earth-2, we... you know... grab dinner or something? Just the two of us?"

Jesse blinked, caught off guard. "Are you... asking me out on a date?"

Wally scratched the back of his head, feeling the heat rise in his cheeks. "Yeah. I mean, we've been through a lot together. I thought it'd be nice... before you leave again."

A smile slowly crept across her face, her earlier exhaustion forgotten. "That actually sounds... really nice."

Wally exhaled, relieved. "Cool. So, tonight?"

"Tonight," she confirmed, her smile widening. With a final glance over her shoulder, Jesse walked away, leaving Wally standing there, heart racing as he watched her go.

He couldn't help but grin. Maybe over dinner, he'd pitch the idea of her moving here.

Now, I can get on to creating my own AI. Everything's finally ready, he mused to himself with a smirk.

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