Nora's Big Mistake Ch. 48

Master scientist/Engineer: Ashley is an extremely scientifically adept and well-read woman, excelling in physics and chemistry and even claiming that he operated solo her personal lab and had found a way to purify heavy water without residual radiation and was a part-time professor. Ashley's knowledge of the science of the Speed Force allowed her to develop the dangerous speed-enhancing Velocity serums and deduce that enough speed would be able to cure her of the drug's side effects of cellular degeneration. Ashley's scientific genius also extended to being proficient in engineering, as she was able to construct prisons capable of holding meta-humans, and devices that dampen their powers. She also modified and weaponized the Magnetar into a gigantic race lap capable of harnessing the energies of speedsters and releasing a powerful pulsar, which powered by the combined energies of her and Barry, would have destroyed every other earth on the multiverse had it not been stopped. However, Ashley's abilities as a scientist were still inferior to the likes of Harrison Wells, as she could not find a way to steal the Speed Force from Iris West of Earth 3, and needed Harry's help to steal Barry's speed. As the Black Flash, Ashley has lost all her scientific genius as she is reduced to being a mere animal that the Speed Force sics on Speedsters messing with time.

Expert mathematician: Ashley accurately calculated that one lap from her and Barry around the Magnetar would produce one gigawatt of energy, and 500 plus energy was needed to power the Magnetar enough to destroy the multiverse.

Master deceiver/Manipulator: Like most psychopaths, Ashley shows no concern, if not actual awareness, of right and wrong. To which, in showing no guilt, she is an accomplished actor. Ashley's persona as 'Iris West' and as 'Velocity' were so different from one another that she was able to convince the citizens of Earth-2, her own meta-human followers, and Team Flash that were two different people for 10 years. During Caitlin's physiological exam during which she does a subtle lie detection exam, Ashley quickly became aware of this and showed none of the physical signs of deceit; showing her skills as a liar. While infiltrating Team Flash, she kept trying to make Barry become faster so she could eventually steal his speed without attracting any suspicions from them. Ashley was also successful into manipulating Barry into strongly wishing to defeat her by killing Henry Allen in front of Barry so she could make the latter race her in the Magnetar to create the pulsar needed to destroy the multiverse. As the Black Flash, Ashley is no longer capable of being deceitful.

Ashley, as Velocity, she had the following weaknesses;

Diminished senses: After her metamorphosis from the Time Wraiths, Ashley's senses appear to be much weaker, only able to perceive targets in motion. To which, if a speedster is not currently channeling the Speed Force (i.e. remains completely still) Ashley can't sense or even see her properly. Furthermore, while she can still see things (evident by the fact she never runs into anything), she apparently cannot differentiate between creatures that do not have Speed Force in them and inanimate objects, meaning she is completely oblivious to any danger that isn't an active speedster.

Extreme cold: For every speedster low temperatures are a problem as it slows them down and can weaken their healing abilities. It is proven Ashley possess this weakness when Killer Frost used her ice manipulation to stall her long enough for Team Flash to escape her lair. In her new form as the Black Flash, it's shown to still be a weakness to her, and the only thing who can destroy her according to Savitar, as she shatters upon being frozen by Caitlin.

Interdimensional energy: As a servant of the Speed Force, Ashley is now vulnerable to the inter-dimensional energy produced by Cisco's 'gold-tooth' technology. While fighting him in the Speed Force, Barry overloaded the 'gold-tooth' transmitter on his chest and attached it to Ashley. The inter-dimensional energy from the transmitter overflowed into her body, tearing her apart in an explosion of light.

Ashley, as Velocity, she had the following former weaknesses;

Psychological trauma: Ashley suffers from severe PTSD, due to her killing her husband and son. Barry utilized her past memories to induce extreme psychological trauma, in order for her to lose her focus and become more feral, thus allowing Barry to overpower her, trap her and finally unmask her. She constantly has flashes to her traumatic experiences, either the deaths of her husband and son, the prison she was placed in, or her shock therapy treatments. Caitlin unknowingly caused her to experience these flashes more frequently, as her words would constantly remind Ashley of these events. After being enslaved by the Speed Force for all time, Ashley's sanity, and any sense of identity was completely erased, reducing her to a feral beast unable to act beyond the will of the Speed Force, though with the small benefit of no longer being vulnerable to traumatic memories.

Time Wraiths: As Ashley continually broke the rules of the Speed Force, trying to manipulate it in order to recover from the side effects of the Velocity serums, especially after she went back in time and created a time remnant, Time Wraiths, the Speed Force's enforcers, were continually sent by the Speed Force to go after her. Ashley was terrified of the Time Wraiths and she was very careful in avoiding them as much as possible. When the Time Wraiths were intentionally summoned by Barry with the creation of a time remnant of his own, the Wraiths chose to go after and punish Velocity instead of Barry for the violation of the rules of the Speed Force (possibly since the remnant was used and sacrificed to save the multiverse). As they attacked Velocity, she screamed helplessly as the Time Wraiths aged her into a corpse-like figure, rendering her an eternal slave to the Speed Force. This also caused her lightning to change from blue to red while parts of her suit, particularly the emblems, also changed color from black to red.

Velocity serum: While the Velocity drug boosted Ashley's speed to tremendous levels upon overdosing, the speed drug had a severely side-effect. In addition to these enhancements only being temporary, they left her natural connection to the Speed Force weakened so much that she could no longer use her powers naturally without the serum nor could the Speed Force be detected in her. Even more, a lasting side effect caused her cellular degeneration would in due course kill her. However, her remaining traces of natural Speed Force energy significantly slowed down the damage to her body.

Electromagnetic radiation: Since Ashley was also a user of Velocity 9 like Godspeed, her speed could be disabled. However, since Ashley gained her speed naturally, it is unknown whether her powers would be completely disabled or if she'd just lose the speed boost from the Velocity 9.

She had the following equipment;

Velocity suit: Ashley wears a protective suit as her super villain alter-ego, Velocity, to hide her identity from her enemies. It is unknown what materials it's made out of. The suit includes a mask that fully hides Ashley's face. The mask has small line shaped gaps on the mouth resembling a demented smile. This causes it to resemble the equipment she wore during the electroshock therapy sessions in the asylum. The suit's gloves are adorned with sharp "claws", allowing Ashley to perform slashing and pirecing attacks upon her enemies. The left side of the mask was ripped off by Barry after Barry defeated Velocity. While the Time Wraiths were taking Velocity away, red speed force lightning changed the colors of the emblems in the suit; the lightning emblems on the ears changed from black to red, the outlines and lightning symbol on the chest also transformed from black to red except the inner part of the logo was filled in with white. In later appearances, the inner part of the logo was black.

Clawed gloves: Unlike the Flash and Reverse Flash suit, Ashley's gloves are spiked-tipped, giving the appearance that she has claws. She mainly uses them as offensive weapons to stab her victims and was thought to be the method to how she steals the speed of other speedsters. This was revealed to be false, when 'Iris' reveals that she 'lost her speed' due to 'overusing Velocity 6'. She could channel the electricity on her to her claws to shock and cause pain to people she touched with them, as she did to Harry. At super speed or by vibrating, the claws can have enough force and momentum to kill someone that they are stabbed into, as she did to Reverb when vibrating her hand and she did to Rupture when charging at super speed. They became actual claws after the Time Wraiths transformed Ashley into the Black Flash.

Earpieces: The suit has wireless communication capabilities through its built in earpieces, though it is unclear what Ashley uses them for, though it is highly possible that she uses them to communicate with her lieutenants to make sure the city is in line. Unlike the Flash and Reverse Flash suit, her lightning bolts on her earpieces are curved at the tip instead of being straight, and retained this property after being turned into the Speed Force enforcer.

Ashley, as Velocity, had the former equipment;

The Flash suit: Ashley wore a protective suit as her superhero alter-ego, The Flash, when she goes out fighting crime. It is unknown of what materials the suit is made. The suit includes a helmet, which is part of the military uniform Ashley's husband wore during his service in the War of the Americas. However, Ashley additionally decorated the helmet with small yellow wings made of some sort of metal. Ashley based this costume off of the real Iris West from Earth 3, to represent hope so she could sadistically take it away from the people to appease her sick twisted nature.

Helmet: A silver metal kettle helmet, which was part of War of the Americas. She additionally decorates 2 small yellow wings made of metal. It can be used as a Shield to withstand bullets and catch them as well. When punching the helmet at supersonic speed, it will cause vibrational sonic blasts to be fire from the helmet.

Ashley smiled. "Soon my friends," she said. "The multiverse will be ours."

Back at the Oldje nursing home....

Naomi smiled and took Nora's hands and smiled. "Nora Snow-West," she said. "For the past two years, I've been feeling happy and excited. The way you make me feel is nothing I've ever had."

Naomi felt tears of joy and happiness in her eyes. "Naomi, I love you too," Nora said.

Naomi smiled. "I know that, Nor," she said. "Listen, the moment I first met you was the moment I knew you were the person I loved." Nora smiled. "I love that you run into danger, and save everyone, not just the civilians but the crooks too."

Naomi smiled. "Being with you has inspired me to be a better DEO agent, and I don't know what I would do if you weren't in my life."

Nora smiled, tears of joy and happiness were welling up in her eyes.

"I want to spend the rest of our lives together. My vision of the years ahead involve kids, sharing adventures, gaining a deeper love."

Nora watched as Naomi got down on one knee. Naomi pulled a pink box out and opened it. Inside the box was a Melisma ArtDeco Diamond Heart Engagement Ring in 14ct Yellow and White Gold engagement ring. It was worth 879.00C$.

"Oh my god," Nora sobbed.

"Nora Snow-West," Naomi said. "Will you marry me?"

Nora sobbed and whimpered softly in happiness and joy. "Yes!" Nora said. "Yes, yes, yes."

Naomi smiled and placed the engagement ring on Nora's ring finger.

What happens next.

To be continued........