Sep

Ultimate One Universe: Emergence

Okay, I might have gotten a little overboard with that intro post...

@Mao Mao

It was great.

Ultimate One Universe: Emergence

The Apartment of Iris West // Central City

Iris let the warm water roll over her, head hung low as it was focused on the nape of her neck. Steam filled the small enclosed shower, only the sound of the water hitting her and the thrum of the extractor fan kept her in the moment. She concentrated on her worries, the fight with Condiment King and his goons that hadn't gone very well despite her distinct advantage.

Her fathers promotion to lead detective and all the extra stress it was causing him. Her application to work for Central City News, coupled with her written warning for missing work at Jitters. Then there was Barry.

She was brought out of the moment when the sound of the doorbell interrupted the mental cleansing that the water was performing. Groaning she stopped the water, opened the door and stepped out. Grabbing a towel she wrapped it around herself, while she tied her hair up in another one.

Ding-dong-ding-dong

"I'm coming!" Deciding that it was clearly Barry checking up on her after the events of the day she merely draped a dressing gown over her shoulders. Walking passed the washing machine that was currently set to Stain Remover and hosted a red and yellow super-suit, that she had been told was machine washable.

"Barry I told you the suits fine it's just-" she pulled the door open, and as she turned to look out it she stopped as a man stood there, a man who wasn't Barry.

He was tall, smartly dressed with hair that could only be described as smart but unruly. A pair of square glasses sat proudly on the end of his nose. He stepped forward, and paused as she took half a step back. Realizing his blunder he offered a kind smile, that did little to put her at ease, and extended his hand.

"Iris West?" She nodded. "My name is Harrison Wells, may I come in?"

"No...?" She gestured to her current state of dress, as she pulled the dressing gown in tighter around herself. "I don't know if you can tell, but its not exactly the best time-"

He half stepped forward again. "I understand, after the bank you probably don't feel very-"

Now it was Iris' turn to interrupt. "-The bank? I'm not too sure what you're-"

"I know about your-" he bounced his head back and forth as he tried to come up with the words. "-abilities."

She started to close the door. "I think you've got the wrong person, I'm not a mutant."

He spoke quickly as the door started to close in on him. "No I know you're something different entirely, your speed-" She rolled her eyes as she rushed forward, grabbed him and used her momentum to pull him into the room. Then before he could even get in a gasp she dried herself off and threw on some loose baggy clothes.

As she finished standing before him, her hair still falling into place Harrison Wells cleared his throat and straightened his glasses.

"-khm- Well, I knew but I didn't expect-"

"Who are you, what do you want and how do you know about my speed?"

"Well I've already told you I'm-" The glare Iris threw his way made it clear she wasn't messing around anymore. "-Ah yes. I'm a researcher at STAR Labs, I have been in contact with your friend Barry Allen regarding your abilities. I'm here to help."

"Barry, but he told me that it was all anonymous?"

"Well-" He squinted his face slightly. "-it was. Frankly the data he was sending me about you was fascinating and I just had to meet you to collect data and see your abilities firsthand." There was a glitter in his eye that made it clear he was speaking the truth, he was fascinated. However, Iris wasn't sure if that put her at ease or on edge.

"That still doesn't explain how you found out my identity."

"Well, promise not to tell-"

"No."

"-from what he told me about the accident that gave you your abilities I cross referenced patient records from all the hospitals in the city as well as any news and police reports-"

"Which are all privellaged."

"Yes well, sue me."

"I'm more likely to report you."

"But I can be off so much more help to you Iris. After all, I am the leading expert on Metahumans." When she didn't stop him he stepped forward and handed her a piece of paper, which had far too complicated scientific data on it. Really Barry should have been the one to be hit by the lightning, at least he would have had a better chance of understanding all this. "You see when the lightning hit you it also exploded some jars and vials in the room, the resulting combination mutated-"

"Ah-" Iris interjected raising her hand. "-Barry said I wasn't a mutant."

Harrison nodded. "Not in the conventional sense, no. Those we call 'mutants' are born with what is known as the X-gene which is what gives them their unique abilities. All your genes have been altered by the accident which is what has unlocked your abilities. For people like you I have coined the term 'Meta-Human'-" Iris had to refrain from rolling her eyes. A label, because they always made things better.

"-the line between the two, I suppose you could call them subspecies, isn't entirely clear as of yet but I'm hoping with willing test subjects-" She could see where this was going. "-I'm hoping to get a better understanding." He offered her that kind reassuringly unassuring smile again. "In the mean time I'm hoping as I study your abilities, I can help you understand and hone them, especially if you are planning to continue your activities as-?" He trailed off as he arched an eyebrow.

All these heroes coming out of the woodwork had fancy names and alias'. Which was something she hadn't really thought off yet.

"A superhero, yes."

"So, what do you say?"

Iris raised an eyebrow. "What exactly do you want me to do?"

Harrison smiled again. "Why, I just need you to come run on a treadmill."

Ultimate One Universe: Emergence

<Snipped quote by Master Bruce>

I mean, there's another indestructible guy wandering around in the woods right now, who's got some pretty famous cover art of him fighting the Hulk. Just sayin'.

@AndyC

Who? Nobody comes to mind.

Ultimate One Universe: Emergence

Iris is pretty much ready for interaction whenever. She's okay to travel.

I mean how else will she catch the Condiment King when he escapes and plagues one of your cuties.

Ultimate One Universe: Emergence

<Snipped quote by Lord Wraith>

Okay, for that Frank would probably look the other way.

@Simple Unicycle

Narc

Ultimate One Universe: Emergence

I cannot.

Edit: Well, okay, I can promise he won't murder them, but I can't promise he won't try.

@Simple Unicycle

How much will it cost to put a hit on the iron dick?

Ultimate One Universe: Emergence

<Snipped quote by Sep>

You're saying having an animated figurine of a caveman club the Flash over the head and knocking them out isn't quality writing?

@Retired

What

Ultimate One Universe: Emergence

Thanks for the encouragement lads over that post. I wasn't terribly happy with it, it was hard to find a way to have Iris show her inexperience without doing the CW-route of "Villain runs out of the room, Flash can't catch up to them!"

I reckon I had a harder time writing her fight against Condiment King than I did the super-powered Heatwave.

Hoping you all enjoy what I have coming next.

Spoiler: It involves water.

Ultimate One Universe: Emergence

"Well I mustard-mit. Our meeting came sooner than I expected, but I relish the opportunity for you to

"-of the CONDIMENT KING!"

Previously on The Flash...

Iris' eyes widened as she looked between the yellow substance in her hand, and the maniac standing before her. "Do you mean to tell me, this is Mustard?"

The man merely laughed. "I am Soy glad you came. Defeating you will give me vinegar-cation, and help me prove I am the créme-de-la-créme."

Iris hopped up. "Oh you're going down-" He raised one of his guns, but it was too late Iris had already started moving, as he raised his weapon she dove down and ran to the left. Coming at him from below she grabbed his gun and pulled to try and take it from his hand. That's when she was hit in the gut by something solid.

She looked down and winced as she was cast backwards as the liquid pushed her away.

"Oh honey. You think that would really cut the mustard?"

Iris fought against the honey he had used to pin her to the far wall. She groaned and pulled. "Ah you bastard-"

The so-called Condiment King raised one of his eyebrows, he had holstered one of his guns, his other one was aimed at her still as he thumbed one of his controls. "Mayo I ask what you mean?"

Iris grabbed a sealed safety deposit off a nearby table, spinning on the spot she threw it at him at maximum speed. It collided with him at top speed, a grunt and a gasp escaped his lips as it came into contact with him, spinning him around. "-you already used that one!

She wiped her hands against her pants, shuddering through her entire body. "-uck- This is gross."

At that moment her earpiece buzzed. "What's going on?" Honestly, she had completely forgotten about the earpiece. She turned away to look at the mess the masked maniac had made throughout the vault.

"I was attacked by someone called the Condiment King" There was nothing but static on the other side of the line.

"The CONDIMENT KING!" Iris turned around as she heard him shout, she probably should have checked whether or not he was out for the count. He pulled a round object from his belt and tossed it towards her. "Tartar for now."

"Oh you've gotta-" Iris eyes narrowed as she turned to run away, however, the cylinder exploded sending a tsunami of sauce directly towards her covering her head to toe in mayonnaise, gherkins and capers. By the time she had cleared her eyes the Condiment King was gone. "-If this is what being a Superhero is like I am seriously going to reconsider this..."

Moving her legs to spread her centre of gravity, she pushed herself off in a pirouette spinning herself around as quickly as possible in a bid to try and clean herself of the various sauces that she had been covered in. It turns out that Looney Toons was not scientifically accurate and despite her best spin all she did was help spread the mess around the bank vault.

Sighing she ran out of the room, the goons from earlier were still incapacitated and she rushed out of the bank. A van threw up smoke as it sped away, Condiment King was hanging out the back doors. "You'll never ketchup to me!"

Iris ran around quickly between the various incapacitated CCPD officers, checking their pulse and breathing. Content that they were all alive, and merely covered in condiment, she pulled a utility knife from one of their packs as well as a pair of handcuffs. Racing after the van it took her less than a moment to catchup to the van, piercing the tyres, swinging herself around the back of the van she pulled the Condiment Kings two wrists together in the handcuffs, grabbing the bridge between them and pulling him out the van and down onto the sidewalk.

Iris heard people murmur, after she heard the photos being taken she looked down at her costume. Covered in mustard, honey, ketchup and tartar sauce. She pointed at Condiment King. "I hate you-" and with that, she was gone.

Ultimate One Universe: Emergence

Out of curiosity (and boredom), I tallied up which concepts on the roster belong to DC or Marvel. Found that we're slightly lopsided on the Marvel end.

DC
11

Amalgam
1 (Hex Rider my beloved)

Marvel
16

Does anyone care? No. But I thought it was kinda interesting.

@Simple Unicycle

That's a much more even split that we usually get