~~~Laura~~~
Iris and Harry found where they were keeping the axid from the building scans.
"Alright, I will neutralize it, and you three guys will get the hostages out. We're gonna need the ice queen."
"OH, that's not how it works, I can't just-"
"Lexi La Roche!" All three of us yelled at her. Her eyes glowed blue.
"It was her childhood bully," Cisco explained to Iris.
"A lot of repressed anger." I added.
"Lets go!"
~~~
Cisco and I crept around the factory, trying to be discreet, while Killer Frost just walked around indifferently.
"Ok. Remember, anything in here that looks fun is probably lethal." Cisco told us.
"Just like me." Killer Frost said.
"Nice. Ok, let's deliver these delivery people to safety."
"Or we could just leave them and kill Trickster and Prank." I looked at her.
"That's why you scare me."
"Remember that talk about murdering your way out of problems?" Cisco asked. "Yeah, we don't do that."
"Yet."
"Ever!" I corrected.
"We're gonna get you out of here." Cisco and I started untying their hands. They had bags over their heads.
"Ooh, Beebo hungry." We turned around to see killer flying beebos behind us. "Beebo likes to play."
"Give me a template, Skyrocket." Killer frost told me. I made a circular force field and she covered it with ice. "Ready?"
"Just say when." She nodded and we both fired it in their direction, causing them to shatter on impact.
"I know she's scares you, but you two would make one BA dynamic duo." I chuckled turning around. The hostages yanked off the hoods to reveal Trickster and prank. They slapped Meta-cuffs onto our wrists. Killer Frost turned back into Caitlin, and Cisco and I's powers were useless.
"Tricked ya!" Trickster aimed the Hurty-Squirty gun at us.
"I'm guessing the plan didn't work?" Caitlin asked.
"Help!' Cisco said.
~~~
We were now sitting in chairs under the axid shower, and Prank and Trickster were talking to the camera.
"We asked for one hero, but now we've got three!" Luckily, we all had long-ish hair so we could hide our faces.
"It's time for our showcase showdown, so let's spin that wheel and see what fun prize awaits our new friends." The wheel was spinning and Prank walked up onto the stage.
"Hurry up I haven't killed anyone in years."
"OH, a tie? I guess they die together." He took Cisco's glasses off, and my mask, when the skylight shattered and a stretchy figure slid down onto the floor. When he landed, I saw my boyfriend, in a new, amazing looking super suit. I smiled.
"Nice outfit." Prank said.
"Yeah, no kidding." I mumbled to Cisco.
"Thanks. I've got a great tailor. Now let everyone go, pranksters, and no one gets hurt."
"We thought you chickened out, Stretchy Man."
"Actually, I did. See, I thought I was pretty much invincible until you and your over-sized water-pistol put the fear of God in me."
"You're welcome."
"And I was ready to throw in the towel. But then I visited a friend of mine, and he helped me remember that no one is fearless." He looked at me and I smiled. "But real heroes, they find a way to rise above that fear and make a difference anyway. Even if it kills them in the process."
"Atta boy." I muttered.
"So, this is me, rising up. Hopefully without the dying part. Now let my friends go." They both applauded, and I low-key found myself wanting to do the same.
"First of all, great speech, so inspired, it melted my heart."
"Oh, thank you. I worked on it on the way over."
"Now let's melt yours." Trickster grabbed the gun. "Shoot him, boo-boo!" He shot, put Ralph grabbed the wall, stretching his arms out and backing up. I smiled, thinking back to his first mugger. Giant slingshot. He let go, plowing his feet into Trickster's chest and sending him flying into a pile of junk.
"Whoo! There ya go!" I shouted.
"Oh! Boo-Boo!"
"I'd give up if I were you." Ralph told her.
"How about I melt your friends instead?" She pulled the lever and I looked at Ralph, who was standing right beside me.
"No!' He got on stage, shoving her away from the switch.
"Say goodbye, to your little friends."
"Harry!' Caitlin yelled. Ralph stretched into a canopy, shielding us from the shower.
"Ralph!" I shouted, accidentally. Ralph screamed breifly.
"Wait...it doesn't hurt! It doesn't hurt!" He laughed. "I'm not dying!" He stretched his neck so that his face was right beside mine.
"Why am I not dying?" I laughed, pressing my mouth against his.
"Ew. Really? I'm like three inches away, can you not do that so close to me?" Cisco asked. He straightened out, flinging the axid off of his back.
"I'm gonna live. Whoo!" He turned to Prank. "Don't even think about running." She put her hands on her hips.
"Any time." Cisco told him.
"You got scissors anywhere?"
~~~
I crossed my arms, leaned against the building, watching Ralph talk to the reporters.
"Is it true that you took down Trickster and Prank single-handedly?"
"How long have you been a superhero?"
"Are you single?"
"No, no he's not." I muttered.
"Yes, about an hour, no, I'm in a happy relationship." I smiled.
"I'm sure the people of Central CIty would love to thank you, Stretchy man."
"That's not my name."
"Then what should we call you? I mean, you do stretch."
"No, I don't stretch, I contort, I elasticize, I elongate, man."
~~~
The newspaper headline in the paper the next morning was 'The Elongated Man'. Ralph's new superhero name.
"The Elongated Man? It was just an expression."
"It has a certain..." Harry started.
"I don't know."
"Je ne sais quoi to it."
"I like it too." Caitlin said.
"Me too." I added, looping my arm through Ralph's.
"Well, I hate it."
"Well, maybe you should have let me do the naming."
"Exactly."
"Oh, don't worry, you'll get your chance. There's no way this is going to stick."
"Probably gonna stick." We all said together.
"The Elongated Man? Please, it's so literal. You think Prince would have settled for 'Shorty Guitar Man'?"
"Prince wasn't a superhero." I pointed out.
"Like the Purple one, I need something that hints the true depth of my sexy nature."
"How about Ralph?" I suggested. Everyone groaned in disgust.
"Ew really?" Cisco asked.
"Highly unnecessary."
"Come on, Laura." Ralph laughed, wrapping an arm around my waist.
"Joe, what should I do?" Ralph asked. Joe handed him the newspaper.
"Man, do whatever it takes to keep the city safe. Just like the rest of us."
"I could live with that." I smiled.
~~~
"Coffee? That's all I get for being a hero?" Ralph asked as we stood at the counter with Cisco.
"What do you want, a cookie?" Cisco asked.
"Ooh, don't mind if I do." Cisco grabbed the jar, moving it away from him. "Come on, man. The thing about wearing a mask is no one even knows you're a good guy."
"Them's the breaks kid." I chuckled.
"I mean, I guess this whole thing has given me one thing. I have a smoking hot girlfriend."
"Shut up." Cisco and I said together. Mine was playful, Cisco's was disgusted. I laughed and Ralph put his hands on my hips. The cashier slid our coffees across the counter.
"Ah yes, there's that delicious nectar. Hey Ralph, thanks for getting this coffee by the way."
"Who, me? I'm broke."
"I didn't even bring my wallet with me."
"I don't even own a wallet." Ralph pointed out.
"You are full of crap and you know it." I told him. "I guess I'm paying." I went for my wallet one someone slapped a bill down on the counter. We turned around to see a girl wearing a black bomber jacket and an Oregon Trail t-shirt.
"No worries. Uh, always pay it forward." She said."That's my motto, you know? Because at any given moment, one of us could need a helping hand. Like now, you three total strangers, you know, were short on cash, and then someone just steps out of the blue and helps out in a totally random way, am I right? And you know, it' s more than just karma, it's the principle of infinite consequence at work in our lives. And it's always expanding, creating positive sums on an infinite basis. Isn't that amazing?"
"Yeah, um...thank you. What's your name?" I asked.
"Nora." I smiled.
"Cool I'm Laura, this is Ralph and Cisco. I like your t-shirt."
"Yeah, thanks, yeah. It's a classic." She opened her jacket, revealing that it said 'you have died of dysentery'. " Oregon Trail, I love this game. Have a great day. Ok." She left and I furrowed my eyebrows.
"You know what's really weird?" I asked.
"Other than her?" Ralph replied.
"It's weird...with the bomber jacket and the vintage t-shirt and the rambling...she kind of reminded me of Barry. I miss him."
"Me too.But you're right, that is weird. Barry was never that weird, right?"
"He can be, believe me."
"That's a stretch, I think." Ralph said. Cisco laughed.
"Is that where we freeze frame?" I laughed now, way harder than I should have. They both gave me a weird look.
"What? That was funny!"