Author's Note: If there's one thing worse than writer's block it's the uncertainty in whether or not this is a good story. I wrote this fic last night. Obviously in response to Flashpoint. By now I'm sure the majority of fans are familar with the reboot that's coming this fall. And a few weeks back fans were nervous about some of the implications of that reboot. The main one, and I'm not sure where it came from was that everything would be reset to the Pre-Crisis/Pre-1985 DC Universe. Which would effectively erase the Modern Age of Comics or the last 25 years of established history, which is indeed terrifying when you think about it, since that's my entire life. And they havent done anything this drastic and far reaching since Crisis on Infinite Earths. More to the point everyone was afraid that everyone introduced in the past 25 years would also be erased, which special concern for Tim Drake who was introduced in 1989. That said I decided to explore this idea and see what would happen if Zoom had reverted everything to the Pre-Crisis Earth. Let me know what you think. Obviously there will be crossovers with other DC titles. Enjoy.
Flashpoint Aftermath: A Universe Reborn
The battle for the future of the DC Universe has come to a head as Professor Zoom stood fully engulfed in the Speed Force storm that was that Flashpoint. He had reached a level of omnipitancy as he stood at the middle of the malestrom as the hero community looked on helplessly at Zoom. The Flash, Barry Allen had been defeated by Zoom and was impaled with several metal rods through his arms, chest and leg. While his successor Wally still aimed to challenge Zoom as he was the only other one on par with his speed. But Professor Zoom was now beyond physical attack as he stood with arms out ready to remake the world in his image.
Tim Drake the hero known as Red Robin was the only other one still willing to fight as he hurled a birdarang at Zoom. The shuriken barely pierced the malestrom and was stopped in midflight by Zoom as he degraded it into dust.
"So your still willing to fight are you? Even in a situation as hopeless as this." he chided and let out a malevolent chuckle.
"Very well, you'll be the first to go." he said pointing his fingers at Tim.
The hero clutched at his throat as Zoom started to enthrall him with his powers.
"Red Robin!" Batman growled.
"Red Robin!" Dick and Superboy growled as well. Tim fell to his knees shortly thereafter and slowly desolved into dust to the horror of his friends and family leaving only his costume behind in a heap.
Horrified by the Boy Wonder's demise Bruce flew into a rage and likewise soon consumed a grief striken Dick Grayson and Superboy who joined his mentor in the attack. But Professor Zoom stopped them cold in thier tracks before they could even reach him.
"Oh I know it hurts but trust me, soon you wont even remember him." enraging Batman and Nightwing even more.
"This world has become far too complicated. I think it's time we make it better." he said before issuing his final command.
"Reset everything." he said with a sinister smile. A flash of white light exploded out of the Speed Force storm and soon wiped everything from exsistance.
As history was being erased, events from the last few years started to replay in reverse. From Professor Zoom's return from the grave in Rebirth, to the revnant army that threatened creation in Blackest Night, Darkseid's assault on reality, to Bart Allen's acuisition of the Flash moniker, the destruction and rebirth of the Earth and the 52 parallel universes to Superboy-Prime's shattering of the dimensional barrier, to the Imperiex War at the turn of the century, to the Final Night where Hal Jordan gave his life, to the time crisis, to him becoming Parallax and Superman's deadly battle with Doomsday. And further events such as Darkseid's subjugation of Earth, turning the populace against superheroes, to Jason Todd's murder as Robin and finally when the infinite worlds were destroyed by an omnipiant being and Barry Allen's sacrifice to stop him.
With all these events erased from history the world was now a vastly different place...and no one was left the wiser. Dick Grayson awoke in the cave a while later finding himself on an examination table wtih Bruce laying on another table not far from him. His head pounded as he sat up straight and found himself in a radically different costume. With no memory of the past battle, his mind was now a complete blank as he looked down and found himself in a dark and light blue two tone uniform with an upturned collar and yellow fringes along his shoulders and chest. As he cradled his throbbing forehead he found he was still wearing his oddly shaped, oversized domino mask and peeled it off his face. He winced at the pain as the spirit gum pulled from his skin and eyebrows finally snapping off, blinked and rubbed his eyes as the red imprint of his mask was still evident.
"There has to be a better way of doing that." he muttered at the same time Bruce finally came to and groaned sitting up clutching his forehead.
"What happened?" Batman asked.
"I dont know, I was about ready to ask you the same thing." Dick admitted.
In Central City, Barry Allen groaned as he woke up in his office and was overcome with a sharp pain in his left bicep.
"Argh...What happened?" he wondered as he graspsed his arm. Pulling up his sleeve he saw a piercing mark in the middle of his inside bicep.
"I dont know how that got there." he said to himself. Across the way in Blue Valley, Nebraska; Wally West woke up in his bed with a pounding headache and found himself still wearing his Kid Flash uniform. The boy jumped pulling himself to the head of his bed alarmed.
"How did I get here?" he wondered with no clear memory of what happened.
Over in New York City, Gar Logan came to and found himself in his old room which was an enormous mess. Getting off his bed he cradeled his head and looked out his window and found he was on an island in the East River in a giant T-shaped building. The door opened behind him as his teammate Cyborg walked into the room.
"Yo Changeling, just wanted to make sure you were finally up." he said wearing sleek, silver body armor that covered two-thirds of his body, including the entire left half of his head. With a tiny red slit of an electric eye and what resembled a headband on his human side.
"Yeah I am dude. What time is it?" he asked.
"7:12am man. Come on your needed in the training room." Vic told him before heading out.
"Okay I'm...on my way." he said looking down and noting his red and white uniform before following him.
"Hey Vic?" he asked.
"Yeah buddy?" he replied.
"Have I always been called Changeling?" he wondered.
"You picked that codename out yourself remember? You told us to never call you Beast Boy." he said walking infront of him.
"Why is that?" he asked prompting Vic to stop and look back at his friend.
"Are you feeling all right?" he asked.
"Yeah dude, I guess things are a little foggy. I'll be all right." he told him. Vic shrugged and continued down the hall.
"Sometimes you worry me." he muttered leaving Gar behind.
A sliding door opened a second later as Vic walked through it and was soon joined by Gar as they entered the command center and exited through the next door leading them into the training hall. Changeling looked up and saw a spry, young 15 year old boy fly through the air while sparring with fellow teammate Starfire. Delivering an over the top roundhouse kick that was quickly blocked by her glowing hands who then threw a punch as her teammate recovered in the air. The young boy jumped back as Kori lunged at him with her energized fists throwing up his bright yellow cape to use as a block, before Starfire pushed him from behind knocking him off balance. The young boy staggered forward and rushed to catch himself before falling to the ground. Throwing his cape off to the side he turned over as Kori lended him a hand and helped him up.
"Ah. Not bad Starfire." he told her wearing a bright red vest, with green sleeves and little green shorts with elvin boots and a black domino mask.
"Your not too bad yourself Rob." she said pulling him up. And was full of curves with luminious red curly hair that went on forever.
"Thanks." he said leaping to his feet and assumed another fighting stance.
"You wanna go again?" he asked. Starfire smiled slightly and went into a defensive stance herself.
Back in Blue Valley Wally rushed down the stairs at regular speed still in uniform.
"Mom!" he called out. His mother looked up folding clothes over a laundry basket.
"Wally." she said suprised.
"Did anything happen last night?" he asked from the landing overhead.
"No I dont think so. Why do you ask? And why are you still in your costume?" she replied. Her son looked away with a seemingly lost expression.
"I dont know. I just...get the feeling that something isnt right. I dont know what it is. But I feel it." he answered.
"Well maybe you should talk to your Uncle Barry about it. Your father and I arent much help when it comes to superheroics I'm afraid." she said while folding a white shirt.
"All right I guess I'll head over there right now." he said.
"Dont forget to be home before dinner." she told him.
"Yes ma'am." he said before rushing out the door at full burst. His father Rudolph merely scoffed as he sat in his recliner watching TV.
In the Batcave, Batman stood before one of his oversized computers.
"Sensors havent picked up any major disturbances in the last 24 hours." he told Dick.
"I wonder why we cant remember anything then?" he asked scratching his head.
"Remember what?" Batgirl asked descending the stairs.
"We're not certain." Dick answered.
"Nightwing is convinced something has happened." Bruce told her.
"Like what?" she asked.
"If I knew I'd tell you." replied Dick. Barbara rolled her eyes.
"Well be that as it may, I have to get back to work. I just thought I'd check on you two first since you've been out for most of the day." she said stretching her arms over her head.
"Wait, what? We've been out for most of the day?" Nightwing asked.
"Figured you guys just got in a rough fight last night and passed out." she said as she headed back towards the stairs. Dick and Bats looked at each other.
"What time did we get in?" Bruce asked.
"I dont know I think Alfred said like 5 or something?" she shrugged as she began climbing the stairs once more.
"Try not to think about it too much. You both have things to take care of today." she reminded them as she left.
"What? Ah...fudge I got a test this afternoon." Dick said looking at the clock and stormed up the stairs still in costume leaving Batman behind to ponder the implications of Barbara's statement.
"Sir..." Alfred said from the top of the stairs.
"Oh thank goodness your up sir. You have a meeting with the board of directors this afternoon. Shall I tell them your still coming?" the butler asked, the Dark Knight didnt answer.
"Master Bruce?" he reiterated. A further moment of silence passed.
"Um, yes tell them I'm coming Alfred." he answered.
"Very good sir." he replied returning to his duties. Batman removed his cowl and slowly trudged over to the display case where he kept his costume glaring at his reflection.
A few minutes later he ascended the stairs of the Batcave in a black suit and red tie as the grandfather clock slid back concealing the entrance. Upstairs Dick changed out of his uniform and into his school clothes and raced out of the bedroom sliding down the railing to the clearing where he raced out the door past Alfred and vaulted into a blue Lamborgini convertible before peeling out the front gate. Bruce likewise met Alfred at the door and the two preceeded to the white Rolls Royce taking him to work.
"Alfred what time did I get in last night?" the industrailist asked.
"About five this morning Master Bruce." the driver replied.
"Was there anything strange about last night?" he inquired.
"Not that I know of sir. Is everything all right?" he asked looking at him from the rearview mirror.
"Not sure." he said looking out a window.
At Hudson University, Dick snuck into his class and took a seat next to classmate Ronnie Raymond as Professor Martin Stein entered the classroom.
"Did everyone study for this afternoon's test?" he asked as several of them muttered answers. Dick shuffled in his chair as he obviously hadnt time to study for his physics exam.
"All right then, let's get started. Marissa would you help pass these out?" Professor Stine said as he began filing out papers and was assisted by a young blonde girl.
As he took his exam he couldnt help but wonder why he couldnt remember anything from last night and before long found himself tracing his old 'R' symbol on his sheet before realizing what he did and quickly erased it before anyone could notice and tried to focus on his paper. Something felt out of place and couldnt picture what, it was grating as he struggled to concentrate on his paper and end up crumpling it up at one point. The professor and those sitting close to him noticed he was making as he stood up.
"Is something the matter?" Professor Stine asked.
"Can I be excused for a minute?" he asked and was outside the classroom a few minutes later leaning against a wall.
At Wayne Enterprises, Bruce sat in on the latest board room meeting in his own world as he drifted in and out of attention.
"Mister Wayne..." one of the board members said interrupting his thoughts. He glanced up at the twelve who sat before him.
"Do you approve of this budget plan?" one of them asked.
"Sure." he replied.
"Mister Wayne, the new budget plan will eliminate at least quarter of the employees in this building alone." he reiterated before thier CEO stood up.
"How about we reconvene for another time?" Mr. Wayne requested disappointing the board.
"I see you need more time to think about this. Very well Mr. Wayne we'll convene at the earliest next week." the man said dismissing the meeting. The members of the board gave dispaging looks as they left the board room and Mister Wayne to his devices. The doors closed behind him as the room went silent.
At the university, Dick remained seated on the floor of the hallway as he tried to reconcile the gaps in his memory of the night before. The door of his classroom opened a minute later as he looked up and saw Professor Stein standing in the doorway.
"Is everything all right?" he asked. The student shrugged, scoffed a bit and looked away.
"I'm not sure." he muttered.
"There's 15 minutes left in the test. I suggest you use that time to finish it." the professor told him as he got up.
"Yeah okay." he said softly and made his way back inside.
At the library across town, Barbara was hard at work balancing herself on a latter as she put up a handful of books. Back at the university, Dick furiously scribbled down answers as time ran out on his physics exam and was among the last ten to turn in thier tests with Dick being the very last one to finish as he turned in his exam and left the classroom. While Bruce remained in the dimly lit board room by himself. The industralist sighed and finally got up a full half hour after the meeting ceased. Making his out down the front stairs he got in his car where a patient Alfred awaited reading a magazine. Put the publication aside and drove off.
"So how did the meeting go sir?" he asked keeping his eyes on the road.
"Terrible." he replied.
As another day ended, Dick Grayson could be found sulking on the steps of the Gotham Public Library where Barbara sat down next to him.
"So how'd the exam go?" she asked.
"Terrible. I'm fairly certain I didnt pass." he muttered with his chin buried under his knees and his arms wrapped around them.
"Your still hung up on that arent you?" she replied.
"I just cant help feeling that something isnt right. I dont know what. And it's driving me crazy." he said looking out in the distance.
"Well, do you remember anything from last night?" she asked her hair draped over one shoulder as she tried to understand. He shook his head.
"I dont remember anything, and worse yet...I dont think I remember anything from the day before." he admitted.
"Come on I'm sure it's not that big a deal Dick." she affirmed as he looked away.
"I hope your right Babs." he muttered.
In another realm Red Robin lay splayed out in the grass having finally gained conciousness. The Boy Wonder groaned and moved his head slightly as he sat up and clutched his masked head.
"Hey it's about time you finally got up." a familar voice said and saw the Boy of Steel kneeling before him.
"Superboy. Ugh, what happened?" Tim asked.
"Not sure, the last thing I remember before waking up was facing Professor Zoom. Tim I dont think we're on our Earth anymore." he said standing up.
"Wha...ugh. What makes you say that?" Tim asked still rubbing his head.
"Because I dont see the League anywhere." Kon stated revealing only the newer generation of heroes populating the area.
Where are we?" he asked as Tim finally stood up.
"Dont ask me, I just woke up." Red Robin stated.
"Tim!" a voice called out as a black and blonde blur enveloped him in a hug faster than any of them could blink.
"I'm glad your awake." Stephanie said.
"Yeah great to see you too Steph." he groaned being squeezed too hard by her.
"You know for a minute there I actually thought you bought it against Professor Zoom." Superboy told him.
"Thought I bought it too for a minute. Now can somebody tell me where we are?" Red Robin replied while Batgirl continued to hang onto him.
Author's Note: All right like I siad I'm not sure if this is my best work or not. But I figured I'd have you guys decide that. I have to admit it was a little challenging trying to adhere to pre-crisis canon since that was literally before my time. But it was still intrestring to write. Let me know what you think. You didnt really think I was going to kill off Tim Drake did you?
Please review,
Green Gallant.