Flash of Bravery (Book One)

Chapter 25: Loosen Knot

The Next Morning...

Always tense within her muscles, Andi can finally breathe and stand with a straight back that didn't carry the same heaviness in her chest. She can smile and laugh with enjoyment. But right now, she has to focus.

Near S.T.A.R. Labs, at the same empty pathway used for testing airplanes called Ferris Air, he same place Barry took his first run before becoming The Flash, Andi and Barry are currently standing in the middle of it. Feet away from each other they stand while positioning theirselves in poses. Their arms stiffen and elbows blended. Their hands are balled into fists and their eyes narrow on each other.

"Maybe I'll go easy on you." Barry says with dignity. "If you want."

"And what's easy." Andi asks, intrigued by his words.

"I won't go as fast as I plan to." Barry explains. "I don't want you to get tired of punching the air."

"Oh, it's sweet that you think you can beat me just because I won't use my powers." Andi teases him.

Then once Andi is done talking, Barry breaks into a run. He goes to Andi ready to tackle her in a playful hug. Then somehow, Andi was able to take Barry's arm and swings him around. He lands off balance on the other side of the pathway. He decides to run at her again, eager, but not prepared for what comes next.

Andi forms something in her hand quickly. Barry could see what she was doing, but he was too late to slow down. He couldn't dodge or block the blast. Instead he got hit by a ball of energy. Luckily, Barry is wearing The Flash suit so the blast couldn't have affected him as much.

"What was that for?" Barry blurts out.

"I said 'I won't use my powers'." Andi quotes herself. "I just used my reflexes and using my powers is one of them."

"It was uncalled for." He comments, calming himself down.

"I'm sorry, Barry." Andi apologizes before lecturing. "Barry do you expect the other meta-humans who will try to kill you, stop for a moment just because they see you tired or hurt in the middle of action."

Barry shakes his head in frustration. "How did you get all of this experience?"

"I took gymnastics through middle and high school," Andi answers with pride. "I took somewhat of karate when I was growing up."

"The last person that helped me train had five years of practice." Barry explains meaning towards Oliver and his arrows. "But that was because had to learn being stuck on an island for those five years."

"Well after Michael I decided to take a difference in my life." Andi admits her choice of the opportunity. "I knew bending backwards wouldn't be enough to take down anyone like him. So I learned self-defense."

"Now that we have powers, we can take down those kind of people." Barry acknowledges.

Andi positions back into the same pose. "Yeah, well, that's why we train." She replies.

Barry smirks at what's she trying to do. He runs to Andi trying to attack her in a hug. When he stops he looks for Andi. He snaps his head in all directions. He can't find Andi. What the? Barry asks dumbfounded.

Then Barry feels Andi land on his back. "Gotcha!" She shouts in excitement of tricking him. "You didn't check above your head."

Andi giggles sweetly into Barry's ear out of the scare she gave him. He holds her legs that are wrapped around his waist and decides to surprise her by running back to the lab. Barry catches Andi by surprise that she throws her arms tightly around his neck, clinging to his back.