The Rooftop Of The Maxine Institute

"T-There's no way you can be me. I'm me. There's no way." He took two more steps backward as the man stepped towards him, the twin redheads kept eye contact the entire time, Tachyon so amazed that this version of him even existed. Alex out of pure fear that this guy would kill him if he took his eyes off this guy for even a second.

Tachyon looked at Alex with wistful eyes and began speaking in such a fatherly way that it shattered Alex's fear, and he put his arms at his sides. "You look so innocent. You're living the life I never did."

"Ok. Talk. Cause this whole you being me thing is so crazy I don't know what to think." Sitting down on the ledge Alex would look at his crimson-clad doppelganger and gesture for him to speak.

"Well technically I'm not you. YOU'RE me. Or a replacement of me, or...not a remnant exactly,but not the original, and not the prime. Not yet."

Alex looked at him with disbelief, but he knew deep down that it was the truth. "Woah."

His older self kept speaking, and the young boy listened with intent "I guess I messed up bad, I did bad things to people, hurt them. And because of that one moment I'm talking to my parents and the next I'm hurtling through space and time until I'm in the Speed Force. and it's telling me my time is over."

"So, why are you here now?"

"That was on you, you don't have any of my memories do you?" His eyes would blaze brightly and it felt to Alex as if this stranger was prying through his mind. "Wow, you really don't. This...This could be good. Listend Alex. something's coming, something bad. The Multiverse is gonna need you on the front lines, with other hereos if it's going to survive. Work hard, train harder. But don't turn out like me. Become a hero, but be a better person."

Alexander would look at him, "I keep getting flashes of memories that don't belong to me. Headaches."

"The headaches will go away.And after I leave our memories will slowly come back to you, I think I know what you are. I can't tell you to much or else it will ruin the point And if I'm right..."A small smile would creep onto his face, but then it would quickly vanish. "Wait.How fast are you?"

In the presence of this practical god Alex's face heated up in embarrassment, he wasn't fast for a speedster, even in the presence of most speedsters. "Mach 2."

Tachyon's eyebrows would raise and he would hold his hand out for Alex to take. "I can give you my speed if you want it. You'll become the Fastest Man Alive. Like I was. It's written in your blood, laced in your destiny.It's yours to take."

Alex's mind would race, this man in front of him was him...but at the same time, he wasn't. His entire being was laced in pain and despair. And Rage. Pure rage. Even though he was inert and calm now, Alex could read it on his body language, this version of him was someone to be feared, because he was ruthless. Alexander West didn't want to become like that.

So as Tachyon's hand lay extended in front of him Alex looked at it wistfully.

"No. I'll make my own destiny thanks."

Lightning boomed in the sky as Tachyon grinned broadly. "I was right."

Looking closely at him Alexander could see the original version of himself beginning to fade away, his skin turning to pure energy as he began to vanish from existence forever.

But before he was fully gone he turned to Alex an expression of pure hope on his face. "You have toubles coming your way, Enemies will try and be your Flashpoint, your time of evil and stress. Be THEIR Flashpoint. Be their moment of danger and fear. Don't be afraid to run. But don't be afraid to live, or love."

And he was gone. Leaving Alex once again on the rooftop by himself.

"Be their Flashpoint."

The time for Alex West to hold the title of Velocity was over.

He was someone else.

And he would become something else.