Tony Woodward had been many things in life: a bully, a failure, a man who died more infamous than remembered. He had hoped death would finally grant him peace. Yet, fate wasn't done with him.
It was dark when he woke, the world around him humming faintly with energy. His body felt heavy, alien, and cold. Flashes of memories surfaced—Barry Allen's fists, the pain of metal cracking, and the crushing realization of death. Then, nothing.
But now, something stirred in his chest, a faint spark that whispered *wake up*.
---
**Reanimation and the Second Jolt**
Tony's lifeless body had been stored deep within STAR Labs, considered too dangerous to bury and too unstable to experiment on. After the initial containment breach following Barry's return from the Speed Force, residual energy from the breaches surged through the lab's systems, destabilizing dormant particles in Tony's metallic corpse.
His body twitched on the cold steel slab. Nearby, a residual particle accelerator system hummed ominously.
The lab's equipment flared, overloading as a second jolt of particle energy erupted, enveloping Tony in blinding light. The energy fused with the remnants of his consciousness, carving pathways for something new—someone new.
---
**The Awakening**
Tony gasped, his eyes snapping open, glowing faintly with an unnatural silver light. His metallic body creaked as he moved, every joint stiff and unyielding. A cacophony of voices echoed in his mind: one screaming confusion and rage, another whispering calm and reason.
Then came the voice that broke through it all:
"*Welcome, User! Congratulations on your second chance at life!*"
"What the—" Tony's voice boomed, metallic and harsh. He clutched his head, disoriented. Memories flashed before his eyes, some his own, others foreign. A childhood filled with abuse. The day he became Girder. His death. Then… nothing.
And now, he was both himself and not. The System's cheery voice interrupted his spiraling thoughts.
"*Let's cut to the chase: you've been reanimated thanks to some science mumbo jumbo and a little bit of cosmic intervention. You're welcome. Now, you're sharing this body with a new soul.*"
"What?" Tony growled, his voice overlapping with a quieter, more human tone in his mind.
"*Long story short, two consciousnesses—one body. The good news? You've got me to help you sort it out!*"
---
**The Lab Escape**
Tony barely had time to process the System's words before alarms blared. STAR Labs' security system detected the energy spike, and Barry Allen, fresh from his Speed Force return, raced toward the commotion.
"*Quest Activated: Escape STAR Labs.*
Objective: Evade detection and exit the premises.
Reward: Basic System Functions Unlocked.
Failure: Immediate Confrontation with Team Flash.*"
"What's STAR Labs?" the new consciousness asked, his voice calm but confused.
"Somewhere we don't want to stay," Tony muttered aloud.
As Barry approached, Tony stumbled to his feet. His body was sluggish, unfamiliar, but growing stronger with every step. The System marked an escape route, overlaying glowing arrows in his vision.
He punched through a side wall, his strength sending chunks of reinforced concrete flying. Barry zipped into the room just in time to see the hole Tony left behind.
---
**Barry's Discovery**
Barry examined the damage, his brows furrowing.
"Cisco, what the hell just happened?" he asked over his comms.
Cisco's voice crackled through. "Dude, I don't know. The particle accelerator just spiked out of nowhere. Whatever caused it blew through one of our walls."
Barry noticed faint metallic residue on the floor and froze. "No way…"
---
**Adjusting to the New Normal**
Tony didn't stop running until he reached an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of Central City. Collapsing onto the floor, he clutched his head as the competing voices within him battled for dominance.
"*Take it easy, big guy,*" the System chimed in. "*You're not just Tony anymore. You're… well, something new. A blend. Think of it like fusion—two souls, one body. You'll figure it out.*"
Tony's chest heaved as memories from both lives tangled together. The pain of Tony's death clashed with the regret and wonder of the new soul's second chance.
"Why me?" he finally asked, his voice hoarse.
The System didn't answer directly. Instead, it displayed a quest:
**Quest: Redemption Begins**
Objective: Take the first step toward atoning for your past.
Reward: Strengthened Consciousness Bond.
Tony snorted bitterly. "Redemption? What a joke."
---
**First Steps**
The System wasted no time assigning quests, each one designed to push Tony into action.
- **Daily Quest:** "Help a civilian in need."
- **Objective:** Intervene in a mugging or robbery without being detected.
Tony balked at the idea of helping people but felt an unfamiliar sense of obligation—likely the influence of the new soul.
During his first intervention, he stopped a carjacking. The thugs ran at the sight of his metallic body, and the driver stared at him in awe. Tony tried to disappear before they could thank him, but the System's sarcastic commentary made it difficult to stay serious.
"*Look at you, big guy! One good deed down. Maybe next time, try smiling. Or don't. You're terrifying enough as is.*"
---
**Internal Conflict**
As the days passed, Tony struggled with the duality of his identity. The System encouraged small acts of kindness, but the old Tony's memories filled him with guilt. He saw the faces of those he'd hurt, the bridges he'd burned.
The new soul's influence brought a different perspective, urging patience and hope.
"You're not who you were," the voice said one night as Tony stared at his reflection. "You can change."
Tony clenched his fists. "Yeah? Tell that to the people I've hurt."
"You can't fix the past," the voice replied. "But you can build a future."
---
**Ending Scene: Preparing for What's Next**
Tony sat in his makeshift hideout, tinkering with a salvaged device under the System's guidance.
"*Quest Update: Earth-2 Meta Threat Detected.*
Objective: Prepare to assist in neutralizing Earth-2 metas.
Reward: Unlock Advanced Adaptation.*"
Tony sighed, the weight of his new purpose settling on his shoulders. He was no hero—yet. But maybe, just maybe, he could become something better.