DC Redux Presents: The Flash
Incandescent Legacy Finale
"What I'd be Without You" By James Brady
Central City, 4 years ago
The awkward bus stop bench doesn't help Barry feel any more comfortable as he sits listening to the sobbing of the young woman dressed head-to-toe in sparkly spandex next to him. Her awkward heaving for the past 10 minutes eventually gets to him and he reaches into his bag to find a spare packet of tissues. He pulls one out and hands it to her.
"Did uh the ComicCon not go too well?" Barry asks.
The young woman slowly looks over to Barry and sees the tissue being held out towards her.
"... Thanks..." She reaches for the tissue and begins dabbing at her eyes. "It was great it was... just this... #^%$*&ing guy who I met online was there and I'd come to see him and he seemed really sweet but... he was just such an asshole in person and... I'd come all this way to meet him and he seemed so perfect but made me feel like #&^ and I... god I'm so sorry for just crying here like an idiot..."
"Jeeze, so like how far did you travel to meet this jerkwad?"
"From California..."
"You came 2,500 miles for him to treat you like that? What a #*&^."
"I know I'm just an idiot I can't believe he could toss me aside like that."
"You're not an idiot, he's just an worthless human being from the sounds of it. Look I doubt there's gonna be another comic con here, it was just used to drum up interest in Central City and seeing as I'd hate for you to go home with such a bad taste in your mouth, there's a pretty great pizza place down the street if you wanna grab a slice."
"Wouldn't you miss your bus?"
"I can catch another one. You're not busy are you?"
"I was probably just going to go cry in my hotel room so I guess not..."
"Sweet, I'm starving."
"Same I cannot afford Comic Con food prices anyway. Um, I'm Iris by the way." She says smiling at Barry.
"Barry." He smiles back as the two leave the bus stop.
"Barry, so what's it like living in the City of the Future?"
Central City, Now
Iris West walks down the same street of the future where she first met Barry as lightning bolts crackle over head and the citizens of Central City rush around looting businesses and department stores. Iris notices a squad of cop cars parked outside the shopping mall. The cops are either knocked unconscious, frozen or suffering from third degree burns. Iris grabs a taser off one of their bodies and sneaks into the mall to see the Rogues holding a group of people hostage robbing each of them of their belongings.
Iris slowly makes her way towards one of the time travelling criminals through the kneeling crowd.
"Hold it there asshole!" She yells springing towards him taser raised. "Give back what you've stolen or I'm putting 20,000 volts through your sorry ass."
"Hahaha! That's cute sweet heart." He smirks.
"Just kill her, wanna get as much cash as possible before Mr. Mayor gets back. Need go get this done asap."One of the other Rogues spits.
Iris hears murmurings in the crowd after hearing him say Mr. Mayor. Iris twigs at this and slowly slips her iPhone into her hand and starts filming.
"'Mayor' Thawne can get screwed, our contract with him was up the second he left the City after that Flash guy. Way I see it the way he's been scamming these people for years with his Central City project we're not doing anything he hasn't done for the past 14 years."
The crowd's murmuring continues to get louder as Iris slowly raises her phone camera.
"Say cheese boys, whoever this Thawne guy is gonna love hearing you mouth off about him on CNN tonight." Iris says smirking.
"Why you little-! Flame her!" The blue and white guy yells.
The flame thrower Rogue fires his weapon and is about to scorch Iris and the crowd of people around her when a lightning bolt suddenly rockets in from the roof blasting the flame thrower guy away. The open roof allows in a powerful thick fog into the mall masking the citizens from the Rogues.
"Quick to the exit!" Iris yells and the citizens all rush out of the building. The Rogues fire off their weapons blindly as lightning bolts continue to blast into the mall. Iris leaps towards the fallen Flame Thrower Gun and picks it up as she stalks through the thick fog trying to find the Rogues. She sees a boomerang fly past her face taking out two of the Rogues, then a sonic blast heading overhead which takes out another. She suddenly sees one of them appear out of the fog running towards with a boomerang in hand only for him to be frozen before he can reach her. The fog slowly filters out of the room as Iris looks to see a man making his way toward her. He helps her to her feet as she pants from the adrenaline.
"Don't worry Miss. I'm Leonard Snart, but you can call me Captain Cold." He turns back to the rest of the men dressed in the traditional Rogues costumes.
"Meet: Heatwave, The Pied Piper, Captain Boomerang, Weather Wizard and The Mirror Master. These phonies" Cold says pointing towards the time travelling Rogues "may think they're the scourge of Central City, but they've not seen nothing yet."
Cold looks over Iris' shoulder to see a few of the future Rogues trying to escape.
"C'mon boys, lets show em how it's done!"
"HOO-RAH!" The Rogues all yell in unison before charging off into battle.
Iris raises her eyebrows. "... Alrighty then..." She mutters.
2016, A Few Weeks Before, The Birth of the Flash
Barry and Eobard watch as the thunder clouds roll in towards the city.
"It wasn't supposed to rain today." Barry mutters.
Barry turns to Eobard. "A lightning bolt shot through the window, hit me and knocked over a cupboard dousing me with chemicals. I was taken to hospital with third degree burns and badly damaged tissue due to the chemical compounds. I was done for, but then I woke up. I'd been unconscious most of the night with Doctors saying it was a miracle I'd survived. I quickly realised everything about me was different, I was fast, more alert, my body healed faster, I could think faster. That's my secret origin Eobard. Tonight is how I got my powers Eobard, it wasn't some scheme or prophecy, it was a freak #&^%*$ accident."
"... You have got to be # &^ing me. You got your powers from the weather?!" Eobard yells trying to resist tearing his hair out. "All this time and meticulous planning against... a freak occurrence?!"
"That's just it Eobard. You think I'm the some prophesized evil?! I wish, if I was prophesised that'd make sense, but no, it was just a damn accident."
"You don't deserve this you worthless lump! I spent years and you get this all for being in the right place and the right time?! Gah!"
Eobard punches Barry across the face with all his might. He floors the scarlet speedster.
"Take it then." Barry coughs. "When the bolt comes stand in it's way. Take this from me I don't want it I never wanted it! You were right Eobard. All I do is cause mayhem and death..." Barry says through his bloody mouth.
"... And if I die?" Eobard asks.
"It's worth a shot isn't it? If you die at least it'll stop me from becoming the Flash, it'll save everyone from the Crisis."
Eobard considers this.
"Very well then." He replies.
The two look up to see the cloud slowly hovering over the building.
"It'll be here any moment." Barry says slumping himself a small wall. "Take it Eobard, I just want my old life back..."
Eobard looks at Barry benevolently for the first time before he leaves. He speeds down stairs to the lab. Eobard sees the earlier version of Barry sitting at his desk, Barry gets a text and reaches over to pick up his phone.
Meanwhile on the roof the future version of Barry receives the same text. He wearily checks it.
Iris: I love you so much x
Barry suddenly feels his hands shaking as he reads it. A warm glow inside of him lighting up as an unstoppable smile spreads across his face. He feels his mind race to the images of the two of them in California together, finally seeing each other after all that time. He thinks about how these powers gave him that opportunity, the opportunity for change. He slowly closes the phone and puts it back in his pocket.
"No... you're not taking her from me." He thinks to himself.
Back in the lab Eobard watches intently as the lightning bolt blasts out of the sky and fires towards the unwitting Barry. Eobard is about to spring towards the bold and catch it when suddenly he's swept up by a force running far faster than him. He's pushed through the window and up into the air. The force carrying him leaps from the window and in a FLASH it runs up the lightning bolt and into the thundercloud itself!
"BARRY WHAT'RE YOU DOING?!" Eobard roars.
"I'm not letting you take her from me!" Barry yells. "You're not controlling my life anymore Thawne!"
Time itself begins to split apart them as they run through the cloud and into... The Time Black Hole! They run through what the empty matter darkness that surrounds them slowly growing on their bodies.
Eobard's body is quickly being consumed by the darkness of the Time Black Hole as he tries desperately to keep up with Barry as the two continue to try and run through anti-matter, emptiness, a void of every known concept. The blistering speed of light that they took with them when they ran faster than it is slowly running out. Eobard's very matter is beginning to fade as Barry is only doing slightly better than him.
"HELP ME BARRY PLEASE. Don't let me fall, don't let me -"
Barry tries desperately to reach out to Thawne their fingers just glancing off each other. Eobard screams and cries as he's devoured by the very essence of what he's been running from his entire life, the very essence of what he's fought to avoid.
Barry looks down in despair at Thawne's disappearance but continues on going but he feels it encroaching upon him too. He begins to slow as he too starts to fade into nothingness.
"I'm sorry Iris... I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you..." Barry whispers.
"Hold on." A voice tells him.
"Wh—who?"
Barry looks up with what's left of his vision to see himself, about ten years older wearing a more futuristic version of his current costume.
"It's me Barry. I was from the year 2026, what happened in the future was all my fault... but it doesn't have to be yours. Just give me your hand."
Barry reaches out towards himself but his hand has already faded.
"C'mon you can do this. You're not gone yet. Think of all those who need you right now Barry. The city is tearing itself apart. They need saving and you're the only one fast enough to do it."
"I'm... I'm their hero." Barry says calmly looking up into his future's eyes.
His hand suddenly re-appears and he grasps his older version's hand. He feels himself suddenly be pulled from the hellish emptiness and into the speed force. He feels his body become one again as he sees speedsters from all across space and time zipping through it each of them saving the day, being heroes.
"This Barry, this is what we create. This is our legacy but unfortunately that legacy could all go if you follow the same path that I did. In the year 2026 a Crisis comes to take Earth, in trying to stop it I created the future you've seen but it doesn't have to be that way Barry, you can stop it but it may very well take a dire sacrifice, one I wasn't willing to achieve."
"You mean... I've gotta die?"
"Not necessarily but... you've got to do what's right. 2026, get yourself and heroes like you ready for it, because it will shake the very fabric of everything that's ever existed."
"... Okay."
"Now." The future Flash pulls a golden key with the Flash emblem on it out of his pocket. "Just in case."
Barry takes the key in his hand and nods.
"This is the last you'll see of me. I expended the last of my energy sending myself here during the crisis. Aidios." The future Flash says saluting Barry before he dissolves away into the speed force.
Barry is left in the speed force alone as he looks down to the key.
"Just in case, we're going to need to start over again."
Eobard's eyes drift open as he bathes in the glow of the open sky. His eyes look into the gaping ray of sunshine that looms through the haze of dark that surrounds him. He sighs as the black clouds swallow it again and he gets up from the path of ash he's found rest in. He looks back to his current situation and scans the surrounding area, rocks, rusty machinery, card board or something. He continues on through the wreckage of the old building scattering small piles of rubble with a long metal pole as he goes. He hears a whistle of wind and raises his head. His eyes fixate on an old large machine on the edge of the room. He wanders towards it and examines the rear, quickly finding a nut to unscrew and the metal grating of the machine pops open. He shines his flashlight inside as he scopes the machinery in search of anything that maybe useful. Fleeting glimmers of a reflective surface inside the old machine draws Eobard's attention. He reaches out and grasps the tiny shimmering object and brings it down into his palm. He sits back from the machine and looks towards his open palm.
A small golden key lies in his open hand, a lightning bolt logo emblazoned across it. Eobard's eyes suddenly widen in shock as he leaps from where he was sat and rushes down the road.
Barry watches from afar as Eobard leaves a trail of dirt in his wake. He smiles towards as the excited kid goes.
"Just in case I don't make it right for him." Barry whispers to himself.
Central City, 2016.
_Tweets:
#CentralCityWTF Lightning storms have FINALLY stopped. Think it's safe to go outside now J
- 10:17 am
#CentralCityWTF Things seem to have calmed down here. People are helping put out the fires and the cops have regained control!
- 10:39 am
#CentralCityWTF Seen a poster of Harrison Wells with FRAUD painted on it Turns out he was some kinda crook the whole time!
2016 has been crazy for politics after all :/
- 11:04 am
No sign of those guys with the mad weapons since last night More signs of things getting better. Who took care of them? #scarletspeedster?
- 11:17 am
On the outskirts of town
The Rogues meet in a small wear house building. Leonard Snart now adorned in his Captain Cold outfit steps forward. He holds a bottle of beer out in front of him, takes a swig and pours the rest out onto the ground.
"In her name, no innocent may die,"
"No innocent may die." The rest repeat.
"We shall not impart ourselves to use of illegal substances,"
"We shall not impart ourselves to use of illegal substances." They repeat.
"And not let anything come between us and the score."
"And not let anything come between us and the score." They repeat.
"In her name."
"In her name." They repeat.
They each take a drink of their own beer bottles before pouring the rest out onto the floor.
"Now let show this town who the Rogues really are."
Mayor Wells' Manor House
The Police knock down the door and enter the house. They slowly make their way through calling for Jane Wells to reveal herself. They enter the bedroom where they find Jane sat on their bed staring at the holographic map Wells' phone has projected into the air of the timeline. She's staring crazed at the holographic timeline.
"What the hell is this?!" The cops shout as they enter the room.
Before they can react Jane has grabbed a gun and shoots the two of them dead. Blood starts to pour across their designer carpet as Jane slowly gets up and walks across the ground.
"It was all him..." Jane murmurs to herself. "It was all him..."
She kneels down by the cops dead bodies and dips her fingers into the gushing blood. She slowly draws a zigzag across her face in the shape of the Flash emblem.
"For the glory of the Flash..." She murmurs before getting dressed, packing a small bag and putting as much cash as she can find into it. She then calmly gets into her car and leaves town.
Barry's apartment
The door creeks open as the morning light dawns over the city as Barry makes his way inside. He finds Iris sat on his bed on his laptop.
"Oh... Barry. Look I didn't really have anywhere to go and I thought you'd be home and when you weren't, I just kindaaaaaa let myself in, please don'-"
Barry walks over and hugs her close to him. The two embrace before Barry collapses onto the mattress.
"It's okay, Iris. You're exactly what I needed to see right now. You're face, you're eyes... Just you y'know?" He sighs slightly delirious.
Iris reaches down and kisses Barry.
"Did you get rid of those crazy super villain dudes?"
"Yeah they're back in the future where they belong."
"How're your parents?"
"Little shook up but basically okay. I'll go see them properly tomorrow."
"Barry, it is tomorrow. Have you not seen what's been going on outside?" Iris asks excitedly.
"Haven't really had the time..."
"It's incredible, people are picking up so quickly. With Mayor Wells and the Central City project supposedly being decommissioned without him the businesses that'd ruled the city are pulling out. People are making new businesses every few seconds. It's like there's some kind of creative independent surge suddenly erupting after what's happened last night. Kids are out in the street celebrating in colourful costumes. It's like Christmas and Halloween and mardi gras at the same time out there on a Tuesday morning! Do you wanna go join in?"
"... That's... incredible Iris, but... I just wanna spend time with you at the moment."
"... Okay." Iris says smiling into Barry's eyes.
The two kiss as in the distance the sun rises over Central City shedding fresh new light on a brand new day of opportunity.
Epilogue:
Los Angeles
A skinny read haired kid sits at the side of the football pitch watching the jocks do their warm up routines while pretty cheerleaders chat and giggle together. The skinny ginger makes his way to the bench he usually sits himself as he pulls out his phone to check social media. He sees the first article reading, Scarlet Speedster Saves Central City From Time Travelling Super Villains. The bright colours of the Flash's costume spring into his mind.
He silently gasps, "Woah..."
The End
Author's note:
Hey, cheers for following my Flash run to the end. This 8 issue miniseries is all I've planned for this run but if I get a positive enough response to this series I'll consider continuing it for another arc.
