(General P.O.V)
"What do you mean by most powerful?"
Barry didn't know what to make of the excitement that had gripped Cisco so quickly. The smart engineer started almost running around in happiness.
"We haven't told you half of what we've come up with."
He started typing quickly while looking intently at the screen. Barry was baffled by his behavior and looked at Dr Wells in question.
"Just humor him."
Wells replied while smiling.
"Caitlin has extensively studied your biology. You've always had a lean build. your musculature became more defined and larger after becoming a speedster. But your body itself is meant and built for speed. A normal runner would have to cultivate a high endurance for long distance runners and stronger muscles for short distance runners," he stopped and looked at Barry. "the former would be slower in sprinting while compared to the latter and the opposite is true. You on the other hand don't have that problem. Your speed runs off special dimensional energy and the burden placed on your body is minimal."
An image of a typical human male physique appeared on the screen. It had a lean build and no distinguishing features. It looked totally blank and average.
"There are two effective ways to increase your speed Barry. One, is gradually allowing your body to adapt to the speed force energy hence increasing the amount you can tap into. This will translate into a faster speed and better control allowing you to maybe… even use it to do other things?"
Cisco finished lamely.
Barry on the other hand perfectly understood what Cisco meant. He had a hand on his chin as he spoke out loud in realisation.
"That's what I've been doing right? My base speed increased the more my body got comfortable with the speed force energy. And then there's that wind funnel attack I used on Drakon and the intangibility I acquired by increasing the speed of my molecules allowing me to phase through objects. That has been the gradual way."
"Yes Mr Allen. Each day that passes you get faster, but what you don't notice is that you also get more versatile. You have been so single-minded in increasing your speed that you have forgotten, you have other options."
Wells intoned from the side. Cisco nodded in agreement and a brief silence descended upon the three men.
"You're right. I'm ready to listen now."
Barry finally said making Wells smile in pride.
"The gradual way has been… effective but not as much when we're dealing with someone who had a seemingly higher potential of growth than you. Which brings us to the second way."
Cisco clicked on a button and the sound of drumrolls begun. A section of the table rose up and revealed a drawer with 4 metallic cuffs.
"Gents, I present to you the product of my untamed genius, the gravi-bands. Cool name right? I thought of calling them gravcuffs but it didn't sound awesome at all."
"Focus Cisco."
"Oh sorry Dr.Wells." Cisco sheepishly said, "as I was saying, I present to you the gravi-bands. Before I explain what they are, you need to know something."
Cisco brought attention to the screen with the image of a man.
"The second way to increase your speed is by strengthening your body. By doing so, your body can use more speed force energy because it will be resilient enough to withstand the input without you breaking down. The idea is to take advantage of your fast healing to place you under more gravity."
Barry touched the cuffs on the drawer thoughtfully.
"And how did you come up with these?"
"In case you didn't notice, I am smart. Plus, I had a little help from Dr.Wells."
Wells shook his head.
"That was all you Cisco. Your intelligence is impressive."
Cisco smiled wider at the praise.
"Anyway, put them on!"
Barry complied and put the cuffs on. Each on his four limbs. The gravi-bands made a clicking sound and Barry instantly felt a heaviness fall upon him from all sides. His body sank to it's knees on the floor and he had to pull on a little speed force energy to try and lessen the load. The gravi-bands flashed blue and he felt his speed get cut off.
"What…"
Barry asked confused.
"Oh sorry, I forgot to mention. You can only use a very small amount of speed force energy when the gravi-bands are activated. And that's only because we need your body to heal itself from the damage long exposure to a higher gravity is going to do to it."
Cisco said.
"Why I'm I learning of this now?"
He groaned, feeling sluggish. Cisco looked embarrassed.
"It sort of skipped my mind because of all the excitement."
"How do I turn them off?"
"Oh, just think of turning them off or on. The cuffs can link to your neural activity."
Barry did so and the gravi-bands unlatched and fell. He rubbed his hands as he sighed in relief.
"That didn't feel comfortable. How much gravity was that."
"1.5 times the gravity of earth."
Barry frowned at the answer.
"That's not a lot."
Cisco shrugged.
"You got to start from somewhere then go up from there. In any case the gravi-bands automatically adjust to a higher gravity once your body has grown accustomed to the current level."
"That makes sense. Hey, by the way where is Caitlin today?"
"Oh, she decided to take a few days off."
"Does sound like Caitlin at all."
Cisco went silent before sighing.
"I know. She's… been down. Hopefully it'll pass."
Wells wheeled nearer to them.
"Cisco, could you check up on the satellite transmitter, please. One of our satellites has a small problem."
Cisco understood dismissal when he saw one but he didn't complain and simply said,
"Of course Dr.Wells."
After Cisco had left, Dr.Wells turned to look at the gravi-bands.
"Truly exceptional work don't you think?"
Barry nodded without saying anything.
"But you still don't think it will be enough."
Barry didn't say anything though he looked away after being read so clearly by the older man. Wells removed his glasses and rubbed them before putting them back on.
"You have started obsessing. That's not a good thing Flash." He held up a hand to stop Barry from interrupting, "it doesn't mean, I won't help. But you have to find out what you're fight for."
Barry had a look of conviction.
"I know it's only going to get harder from here. Going behind the other's back leaves a bad taste in my mouth. But I know they won't understand, not like you do Dr.Wells. When I became the flash I thought that the only difference between Oliver and I was the extremes Oliver would go to to make sure he takes down bad guys but now I understand…it's a quiet confidence, a determination to do what's necessary no matter the odds stacked against him. I want to be a symbol of deterrent. A warning and that starts by being powerful enough to stop people like Drakon when it's necessary."
Secretly Wells was pleased but outwardly he had the look of guilty acceptance.
"Fine. You have convinced me. I only hope that you won't let the power cloud your judgement."
"I won't."
"Ok." Wells muttered before casting a resolute look Barry's way.
"First of all, you have been limiting your imagination. The speed force energy is a boundless realm of possibilities. It's time you started exploring what those possibilities are."
(Caitlin)
"This is the place that Dr Wells lost his wife."
Caitlin said to her companion as they stepped out of the car. The road was devoid of all activity and looked gloomy.
"There are still some barely noticeable scuff marks on the tarmac right over there. I believe you're right. Well, time to begin."
Joe West replied.
(Jin's P.O.V)
The harmonization had left me in a perpetual high. At times I would find myself slipping into my runic form absentmindedly. Breathing in the magic infact increased my strength by a couple of percentages. Though it was barely noticeable. Magic had an enriching effect on mages, that was why Atlantean sorcerers were not glass canons as compared to other mages in fiction. Of course not everyone had a talent for magic but even those who didn't and chose to be soldiers, magic still strengthened their bodies immensely.
I'd read somewhere that an average Atlantean soldier had the strength of 10 men. Too bad that only those with a strong bloodline could manage to stay on land for a long time without weakening. And that strength wasn't the upper limit. They trained by swimming to the deepest parts of the ocean and staying there, practicing their forms and movements while under the effect of millions of liters of water pressing down on them. It was crazy.
For the ones who could afford it or even had military accomplishments, there was the option of getting amazing armor that not only protected them but also increased their strength by magnitudes. Did I also mention they had awesome martial arts and cool sci-fi technology?
Suffice it to say, the surface world was lucky that Atlantis had never waged a full scale war on them. Anyway, after the harmonization, I had thought that I would start learning Atlantean runes but Grandmaster Zoren had gone contrary to my expectations.
"You not ready to start with that subject just yet. First choose a martial discipline and master it, then we'll talk."
"What is a martial discipline going to achieve?"
"Why ask questions you know the answer to? You waste my time Acolyte."
With that he flashed away and left me grumbling.
I, understood what he meant, by me asking questions I had the answer to. In all honesty, I had atrocious control over my body. It's a wonder I was even able to learn some mixed martial arts at the Fists and Fitness dojo. I think that was mostly because of the Thinker's powers and my water sense. The former gave me a faster learning speed while the latter enabled me to know when to strike, block and evade. There were multiple martial arts in the library that I was eager to peruse. I however knew of one that suited me perfectly. I grinned as I went to the library.