Hi guys! Are you ready for chapter ten? Then give me a Hell Yeah! Just kidding. At any rate, oddly enough… well, not that oddly anymore… recently it had become more of an habit than something odd. I finished this chapter since Monday, but I'm not rushing anything, so I waited until Friday (Apparently couldn't wait that long), to update this.
At any rate, before you read this I need to warn you about something. This chapter involves religion somehow, ya know, heaven and hell and all that stuff, I don't even know why I'm warning you, but some people seem to get upset when I play with these realms in my stories, by the way I'm catholic before you ask. So, you have been warned, and please, no religion bashing, I was there once, don't want to be there twice.
But returning to the subject at hand, on this chapter we will also see the fate of Wally West after he was swallowed by the Speed Force! As well as ending the love triangle for good and choosing only one winner! I hope you all like the result, I have been ruining my mind while thinking about how to end this, and please, don't scroll down to read the winner, the whole chapter is surrounded by the mystery of the winner, you people surely don't want to ruin the emotion of the moment, do you? I know you want to but don't do it! Seriously, you will ruin the ending! Having said all that, enjoy chapter ten!
DarkkAngelll: How come you are always the first one to always review? Lol! Answering your question about me going to force you my readers to wait for another season to know the winner of the love triangle… nah, I'm not that evil. More like exploring the relationship even deeper, since after you read this, I'm sure you will be dying to know how things will turn out… most resist the urge to post this before Friday! Most resist! (Chapter been ready since Monday) And if you are sad to see this ending in the next three chapters then vote for season two! Lol, at any rate, I will be giving more of an antagonist role to the Black Flash, it seems like it caused some impression!
Sofia Michelle: Lady, I would never kill my all-time hero Wally West! I grew with him! I can kill Hal Jordan (Green Lantern II) and Barry Allen (Flash II), even Bruce Wayne (Batman I) and Kal-El (Superman), but never Wally West. And about Iris revealing herself as Wally's daughter, I'm still thinking about making that out public, but after you read this chapter, some other things are going public, just you wait and see… No! I won't post it until Friday! The Black Flash will get me if I do!
Superbluestar428: Hahaha! As for the android, his name is Hourman, and this is a major change from his part. As for the love triangle, it will end here and now, believe me, I know, I melted my brain while thinking about a way to get this done. And as for you dying out of anxiety… how do you think I feel right now? I finished this chapter on Monday! And I'm struggling against the urge of posting it before Friday! Most be strong! Giving up isn't the way of the lightning! (Goes Super Saiyan) lol! Random moment!
Robin1996ify: New reviewer! And let me guess, you are 16 years old! (Saw the date on the pen name). Anyway, I'm glad you stayed late reading the 9 chapters… wow, that surely was a long reading. And glad to know you are neutral to Flinx, one less bashing me after this chapter… err… just kidding. Lol, now I will be bashed, read the chapter people! And glad to know you actually like the Black Flash too! Umm… maybe I should place more Black Flash moments in chapter eleven (Smacks himself) No! I will wait until I get more reviews! I can't just finish the story in an update… actually I can, but I want reviews T_T Friday come fast please!
EDITED!
Prologue:
Central City, Missouri. Eastern Historic District. The Flash Museum. June 02, year 2005.
"Faaaaatheeeeer!" Impulse yelled hard before her mouth was covered by Jay Garrick, the Original Flash, once the Fastest Man Alive. Everything had happened so fast as for anyone to even understand it. Kid Flash had died, he was swallowed by the Speed Force, and now everything that was left was his empty costume and a city full with shocked bystanders. Impulse just continued struggling against her Great-grandfather, and the Original Flash just tried to connect everything. If Kid Flash was truly swallowed by the Speed Force, then Impulse shouldn't exist. She was just a girl, but even she could understand that part. But then, the mystery behind her sorrow was even harder to explain. And even weirder was an odd feeling everyone felt for a second, as if their minds were being whipped out. But that only lasted for a blink of an eye and only speedsters could understand something was wrong due to the way time flows through their bodies. Different to common people who just continued with their lives and freaked out about the events which just took place.
"What is going on here? Where is him? Where is Kid Flash?" Jinx freaked out, and then she faced Kid Zoom with hatred. "You!" She yelled, and then pulled the supposed speedster by the neck and began strangling him hard. "What have you done to him? Where is Kid Flash?" And at her back, Jinx could hear Linda falling to her knees and sobbing hard. Jinx wanted to cry too, she was worried sick about her boyfriend, but she decided to keep her coolness. The answers would come if only she remained calm. "Speak now! I'm not that into the lines of the heroes yet! Answer my demands before I hurt you badly!" But Kid Zoom was in a shock, and he couldn't react, so Jinx let go of him and allowed the police to capture him.
"Everyone, silence!" Max Mercury finally spoke out, and everyone in front of the Central City Museum, and all around the world as the broadcast was still live, faced the Zen Master of Speed. "A little more of respect for the fallen! Kid Flash vaporized… he was running too fast…" And Jinx's eyes widened at the revelations, and all the speedsters lowered their heads in signal of respect. "The Flash legacy… is over." And the heroes all left. While the crowd cried Kid Flash, and all around the world the broadcast kept rolling the tape. The greatest of all legacies was over, after what had happened, no one wanted to claim the Flash costume.
Max then grabbed Linda's shoulder, and Johnny Quick did the same with Jinx's one, and before both girls knew what was going on, the speedsters had carried them both, and were currently taking them away from the crowd and toward Jay's home, where the group of speedsters placed the girls down, and began a meeting.
Keystone City, Kansas. Western Historic District. The Garrick's Place.
"Impulse." Max mentioned, and the girl took her mask off and began cleaning her tears away. "I think I speak in behalf of all the ones in this room when I say that right now we could use some information about the future… as speedsters, we all felt the time disturbance…" And Jinx and Linda exchanged looks, while Jesse, Johnny, Jay, and a surprised Joan, all sat down at the living room. "I have felt these disturbances before… all speedsters have, we are used since time flows at a different rhythm against us… something just changed in the time stream." And Iris nodded. "When hearing your pain, I was surprised… for someone from 20 years in the future to be this surprised means we are already in a Time Paradox… what is happening?"
"Wait? The girls are still here." Jay interrupted while he pointed at both Jinx and Linda. "Call me spoil fun, but even I know this makes no sense at all. Revealing this stuff to the girls? And Iris! If what we just saw is a reality, then you shouldn't be here anymore."
"That's the reason of why it is so important for these girls learn the truth… this is Flashpoint…" And Iris widened her eyes and then moved her face several times in negation. "Flashpoint is an event we time travelers are already used to… a moment in time when reality starts shifting, and adjusting in order to mitigate the damage of a Time Paradox… or else, Iris wouldn't be here anymore… I don't have a better way to explain it, but it is here were we preserve Iris' future… or destroy it." And Iris nodded, apparently being the only one who could understand Max's words. "What happened to your father?" And both Linda and Jinx tried to assimilate what was going on.
"He wasn't supposed to enter the Speed Force yet! He still hasn't claimed the Flash Costume! And he still doesn't have a Lightning Rod! It doesn't matter how many anchors he got, without a Lightning Rod he can't comeback!" And Max rubbed his chin with interest. "I should have returned home when I could… but it was so fun to be with Dad… 20 years in the future I'm barely important to him… and here… I was his everything! I was so comfortable here on year 2005 that I selfishly became a Time Paradox! I currently exist out of time! And I no longer know if Dad can make it out of the Speed Force or not!"
"That's enough!" Jay interrupted. And everyone faced him. "If you two are going to speak like this not minding the mental stability of our two guests then that's fine with me if it means recovering my grandson! But if we are really going to play Time Paradox repairers and Flashpoint cleaners at least we will do it properly! Iris! Show some mannerism and introduce yourself." And there was silence, and Iris faced both girls by the sofa and then faced Jay, who nodded in agreement. "It's one of them… right?" And Iris nodded. "Go ahead." And she walked in front of both Jinx and Linda, and then made a reverence.
"…My name is Iris… Kiyo… West… the second…" She began, and after so many surprises, the girls didn't know what to do or say. "I am a time traveler from years 2025… I was accidentally thrown by my father toward hypertime… just after I broke the time barrier… and I landed here… on year 2005, on January 1…" And despite not wanting to believe it, the girls had seen a lot as to doubt her words. "…I will be born on year 2013… as daughter of Wallace Rudolph West… and Linda Jasmine Park…" And Linda covered her mouth in surprise, and tears began falling from Jinx's eyes. "…Sorry for keeping secrets from you, Mom… I know you hate it when Dad and I do that… but I just wanted to be born…" And Iris then hugged Linda hard, who in her confusion didn't know what to do or say.
Project Justice: Those who ride the Lightning.
Season One: The Lightning Saga.
Chapter Ten: Bargain.
"…I hate you…" Was everything Jinx said to Linda after both girls had calmed down and had assimilated all the events carefully. Linda was then about to speak, but Jinx, sitting at a sofa away from hers, just interrupted her intentions. "Don't talk to me!" And Linda just lowered her face in disappointment. "Seriously! It was obvious he also had a crush on you and I still let it slid because I trusted him! Traitor! Cheater! Worst friend ever! Liar! Boyfriend stealer!"
"Ah? How come it is all my fault?" Linda complained. "All I did was being friendly and tolerate your relationship! I never tried to steal him away from you! Not even once!" But Jinx was deaf to any explanation and just covered her ears. "I'm not going to enter a childish discussion with you. Much less in front of my daughter." And that wounded Jinx, who readied hexes of pink energy and pointed them toward Linda, who just faced Jinx in annoyance. "Go ahead! Blast me! That won't bring Wally back! Will it?"
"But we can discuss about what may." Max interrupted, and accepted the cup of hot chocolate Joan delivered to him. "Whatever we do to fix the time stream, we better do it now. We don't know for how much longer Flashpoint will last. To where I know, we could all just forget everything and be assimilated by a new reality anytime soon. Iris, what brought your father back from the Speed Force the first time he entered it?"
"Mom did." Iris added, but she couldn't stop staring at her feet as if thinking she was some kind of a failure. "…Only the love my father felt for my mother could help him out of the Speed Force and back to her…" And Jinx was enraged by those comments, but decided to calm down. "But… Dad doesn't love Mom anymore… he loves Jinx…"
"Now it's my fault?" Jinx complained, and Iris moved her head in negation. "You know, I don't care about what you people say. He is my boyfriend, not Linda's as much as she wishes he were!" And Linda bit her lips in annoyance. "I don't care about anything until he comes back, so tell me, what should I do or force her to do?"
"If Dad could be convinced about choosing Mom as his Lightning Rod, he would come back and restore the time stream… but we can't speak to him. He is trapped inside the Speed Force." And everyone nodded. "If only there was a way to tell him… I kept it a secret from him while trying to preserve my existence… it is all my fault… I should have told him Linda was my mother after all those times he was trying to pull the answer from me…"
"Then, I suppose the path is clear." Jesse mentioned, and everyone stared at her. "Excluding Inertia, or Kid Zoom, or whatever his name was. I was the fastest after Wally." And both Max Mercury and Johnny Quick stood up in surprise. "Nothing you two say will convince me otherwise… I will enter the Speed Force and bring him back." She mentioned with determination, and then rubbed Iris' head. "I don't understand this Paradox and Flashpoint talking that well, but Iris still being here means she can still be born." But Iris knew the truth, and yet refused to admit it. She still had a faint hope of her birth actually taking place. "What was that?" Jesse suddenly asked, and Keystone City was surrounded by a veil of violet light. "The sky! It went violet!"
"The Pied Piper must have activated the antennas after finding out the race was over!" Linda yelled, and Jinx faced her in disbelief. "We didn't tell him to abort since we were both in shock! And the other speedsters returned to their home cities after the race was over!"
"How bad can it be? Even without Wally, we still have five speedsters left." And Jesse quickly closed the windows after seeing something strange going on at the streets, and then she rushed all around the house and closed everything she could find. She even kicked a couple of Kobra minions downstairs. "Kobra? Here?" Jinx wondered.
"Apparently they were always here and listening to everything we spoke about!" She mentioned while knocking the thugs out cold and then rushing around the room until finding some towels to tie their hands. "They were invisible until the sky turned violet!" And Jesse rushed to the television and turned it on. "News channel, come on, news channel!" She yelled, and an alert was being broadcasted. "I knew it! Kobra was everywhere! When the violet light surrounded Keystone, they became visible to our eyes! They were concealing in front of our noses!" And the broadcast showed an army of green samurais reflecting surprise after they were revealed so out of the sudden. "Linda! Jinx! I knew you two were following a Kobra investigation, but what did you two just do?" Jesse wondered, and then faced one of the thugs still conscious. "And you! Why were you two spying on the Garrick's?"
"The Garrick's are none important to our master!" The Kobra thug yelled in defiance. "Kobra got many enemies, but the ones he hates the most is the Flash dynasty! Only they are a threat to us! So Kobra asked us to follow Kid Flash in secret, and inform him of his secret identity's weaknesses! That Garrick kid is doomed!"
"Garrick kid?" Linda interrupted, and the Kobra minion bit his lips in hatred. "…Now I understand… you people can see everything while hiding inside of the violet spectrum of light… but no one could hear you… you saw Kid Flash unmasking himself, but never heard his name, which is the reason of why you called him Garrick kid." And the Kobra thug faced away in annoyance. "That's why no one could find Kobra, they were surrounded by a veil of violet light which also exists under a different sound frequency… we couldn't hear you, and you couldn't hear us either… our secrets are safe." And the Kobra thug yelled hard in rage, and Linda just ignored him. "Now that the fields are down… we should be able to hear whatever you were trying to prevent us from hearing."
"I hear it… and I don't like what I hear…" Jinx mentioned upon opening a window, and not only did she see a lot of Kobra minions breaking havoc around the streets, but also saw towers of green colors pulling lightning from the sky and gathering a lot of energy. "The Pied Piper said the weather was reckless. They can't hide the clouds, they can't hide the wind, but they could hide the sound of the lightning striking their obelisks. Whatever they were planning, they were going to start it today, and no one would even notice. But what's their plan?" And suddenly, Keystone city began shaking. "Wah! What is going on?" And the Kobra minion began laughing.
"Kobra got many weapons… Kid Flash only destroyed the seven prototypes when he invaded the abandoned power plant… there are many of those machines… taller, and more effective… and charged by the energies of the lightning!" And Jinx kicked the minion unconscious in annoyance.
"The Seismic Disruptors!" Iris yelled, and everyone faced her. "Kobra is going to force earthquakes to destroy Keystone and a tsunami will drown everyone at Central City!" And no one understood her words. "I can't explain it okay! I accidentally travelled forward in time to July 4 of year 2005. That is the real date of the Flashpoint! Keystone and Central were both in ruins, and Central was about to be hit by a tsunami!" And the situation grew even more complex.
"Then, we don't have much of a choice left." Jay Garrick mentioned, and placed his helmet on. "Keystone City and Central City need a Flash… and there is still one last Flash standing!" He mentioned, and Joan stood up in surprise. "I lost both Barry and Wally already… and the world needs the Flash… I'm sorry honey…" And without saying anything else, Jay rushed toward the streets and began beating up Kobra's minions while Joan grew weaker because of the worried sensation hitting her chest and just went upstairs and in search of her room.
"I'm going with you, old man!" Jesse yelled, and placed the ring of the Flash at a finger of her right hand, even when she never actually released the costume. "Max! We will take care of everything at Keystone City, you and my Dad protect Central City! If what Impulse said is true, not only Keystone will be invaded by Kobra, but Central will too!"
"Jesse! Who died and made you leader!" Johnny Quick yelled, and then remembered Wally delivered the Flash ring to her. "Right, the kid did. But I'm still your father, and I don't like being ordered around by you!" He kept yelling at the empty streets. "Whatever! I'm going to Central City, but not because of what Jesse said! We owe both Barry and Wally a lot, and their memory will not be stained by those freaking snakes! I will give them a piece of my mind!" And Max was left behind with Iris, who didn't feel like placing her costume on.
"I know how you are feeling." Max informed, but Iris moved her head in negation. "Believe me… I do… I have travelled in time for so long that I have lost many dear friends and loved ones… such is the reason of why I decided not to do it again." And Iris cleaned her tears away. "Come… I know of something which will lighten your mood." And Max helped Iris toward her father's room, while Jinx and Linda were both left at the living room.
"It's too late to stop the plan already. Hartley is surely heading toward the Villain's Lounge and convincing them into joining forces to stop Kobra." Linda informed, and Jinx moved her face away from her, she didn't want to speak to her, she wanted to know nothing of her. "Jinx… I thought we were friends…"
"Friends don't steal other's boyfriends!" She added childishly, and Linda lowered her face. "I can't believe myself!" She then stood up abruptly, surprising Linda a lot. "I'm not going to forget this! I certainly won't! But I'm not staying here arms crossed while my boyfriend is who knows where pretending to be death! And for the love of my sanity, I will need your help!" And Linda pointed at herself. "Don't tempt me. My patience is too slim around you." And she nodded, but Jinx faced her in annoyance once more. "Be honest to me… do you love him… or not…?"
"What kind of question is that in a moment like this?" Linda blushed madly, and Jinx crossed her arms in annoyance. "…I do love him… even when I always thought it was something impossible. And suddenly I have a daughter my same age." And Jinx bit her lips hard with hatred but nodded in agreement. "I didn't ask for this."
"I know! Which makes it even more impossible to stand! How can I hate you for something you haven't done?" And Linda moved her shoulders up and down not really knowing what to say. "Let's forget about this for now… we are leaving… but even when Jay and the others are protecting Keystone and Central City, what about Max and Impulse?"
"It's Kid Flash, and I will protect both Central City and Keystone City." And both Jinx and Linda faced upstairs, where they found Iris, now wearing a different costume than her usual one. "My name is Iris Kiyo West the Second, and maybe I'm not the Fastest Girl Alive… I am yet to earn that title. But today I'm Kid Flash!" She yelled, and then ran downstairs and hugged Linda hard, confusing her in the progress. "I will be strong… I promise…" And Linda rubbed the New Kid Flash's head and smiled for her. "Max! Thanks for placing your trust in me… it really lighted my mood…" And Max nodded, and then rushed out of the house in order to protect Central City. "Please, take care, Mom! I promise I will find a way to bring Dad back! But until then, just stay safe! And then she rushed to Jinx's side. "Sorry for being a trouble." And then she ran out of the house, and both Jinx and Linda exchanged looks.
"She is so cute! I can't believe she is my daughter!" And Jinx rolled her eyes in annoyance. "But what do we do now? You said you had a plan." And Jinx moved her head in negation.
"One can't ever have a plan when dealing with him." Jinx explained. "We will go through hell in order to bring Wally back from heaven." And both girls left the house, but not before calling the police so someone would take the Kobra minions away.
Keystone City, Kansas. Southern Riverside. The Villain's Lounge.
"Hold yer lines fellas! We are no heroes but ye know they won't take er bar!" The Mirror Master ordered, and Captain Cold and his family stayed with him as well as Heatwave, the recently healed Weather Wizard, who still had an arm mended, and surprisingly enough, Captain Boomerang. Those were the only villains who stood against the many Kobra minions, who were coming out from a high-technological building with several of those green obelisks coming out from its ceiling. The villains never noticed the place since before it was hit by the violet light it was nothing but an abandoned construction site. "Ye snakes hid in front of thy very nose! But ye know I won't yell aw biscuit! Ye will be the one yelling that fellas! And we, the Rogues! Will make sure ye do!" And the self-proclaimed team of super villains fought the Kobra minions by firing with their weapons, but the Kobra Cult was protected by some kind of shield which shinned violet each time it was hit. "Ye think ye are lucky fellas?" And he took the Kobra coin out. "Now, yell aw biscuit." And he pressed the coin, and the obelisks were turned off and the shields went down. "Thaenks a lot, Jason Burr! Yer coin did serve aye in the end!" But the Rogues were still outnumbered by the Kobra Cult. And despite their efforts, they were easily surrounded. "Aye pleasure fighting by yer side, fellas!" And the Rogues all nodded, Kid Cold and Ice Kate even hugged their father in fear. "Seems like aye am the one yelling aw biscuits!" And the members of Kobra lifted their swords and were about to end the Rogue's lives, when a blur of yellow and red light began tackling and punching Kobra minions all around the place. "Kid Flash?" The Mirror Master exclaimed, and when the girl finally slowed down, the Rouges were all surprised. "Impulse?"
"Kid Flash!" She corrected. And the group of villains faced her in disbelief. "You all saw what happened… I'm Kid Flash now…" And the Rouges all lowered their heads in sadness. "At any rate! I will keep my fa… I mean! Kid Flash's legacy alive! And Kobra Cult is spiting on his name by attacking his two cities at the same time! I know you are all villains, but aren't you worried? These snakes are going to destroy our city!" And a rumble forced everyone to fall, but Kid Flash quickly stood up and rushed inside of the building, and seconds after, several explosions took place and the rumbling ended. "Are you going to help me or not?" She questioned upon her return, and the Rouges all faced the Mirror Master.
"Aye nain know about ye fellas, but the laddie is right, nain city, nain money ta place biscuits at the table." And the Rouges all nodded in agreement, and Kid Flash smiled before the Mirror Master moved his head in negation. "But what ye all win of all this, fellas? Ye can all move tae Gotham. No fun without the kid." And the New Kid Flash stepped at the floor hard in annoyance. "What? First ye lose the Flash, and now ye lose Kid Flash! And nain offence laddie, but ye aren't exactly that heroic yet, and aye nain punch ladies." And all the Rouges agreed, minus Captain Cold.
"Oh, put a sock on it Mirror Master!" He complained, and the Mirror Master closed his arms in annoyance. "I don't know about you, but I have a daughter and a son to care about." He mentioned while hugging his family close to him. "Not to mention, I also owe Kid Flash a lot! Yeah, he placed me on a hospital bed for a month! But he visited almost daily! And I know he does that for all of you people." And the Rouges all faced away in embarrassment. "And also, right now I'm mad! Really mad! For years I have tried to kill that kid! And someone else stole that glory for me! Maybe it wasn't Kobra, but I need someone to punch right now and these snakes seem like the top choice on the top of my mind, or maybe Captain Boomerang." And the Australian crossed his arms in annoyance.
"Hate to admit it… but Captain Cold and Mirror Master are right." The Weather Wizard mentioned, and showed his mended arm to the other villains. The Rouges had signed it, even Jinx's name was there, but he pointed at the Kid Flash name on it. "He always signatures my bandages. And he says I'm no god but the closer villain to aim that far."
"Yes, Kid Flash was really something." Heatwave mentioned, and the New Kid Flash smiled at such events taking place. "When I attacked the old man's museum, ya know, the second Flash one… he told me after he turned me in to the cops that he was going to ask the owner to place a whole section centered on me where I burned the Starro statue and the first Justice League… it was a priceless exhibition, and I burned it! And yet the next week I had my own section there." And Heatwave took his goggles off and began cleaning his eyes.
"What? Are you crying old man!" Captain Boomerang mentioned, and Heatwave nodded in agreement. "Well, for me, Kid Flash drives me crazy! He never takes me seriously, no one ever does! But you know what I'm thinking?" And the Rouges all faced Captain Boomerang. "The city is in ruins, and there is a lot to steal." And everyone exchanged looks, and a smile was drawn on their faces. "So, let's punch some snakes and steal whatever we can find while the cops aren't watching!" And the Rouges all cheered, and the Pied Piper then jumped down the building.
"Good! Then that means I won't have to control your minds into helping us out." He admitted, and the New Kid Flash ran to his side and hugged him hard. "Oh? What a surprise! A New Kid Flash in town? I heard about what happened to him too late as to stop the operation… I'm sorry…" And the New Kid Flash nodded several times. "Yet… you are here…" He whispered to her ear, and she nodded several times in agreement. "He will make it back, I'm sure of it. He is different than his uncle… his heart is stronger." And the New Kid Flash cleaned a tear from her eyes and then ran away toward Central City in order to save some lives.
Keystone City, Kansas. Central Commercial Zone, Chinatown.
"I don't think I like this place." Linda mentioned while following Jinx around the violet streets of the Chinatown section of Keystone City. The place was mostly abandoned, not even Kobra had reached this section of Keystone because of the mysteries it held. Many weirdoes even managed to ignore the strange color of the sky and continue with their enigmatic lives. For them, perhaps another weird magician had casted a spell that would wear off soon. "What are we doing here?" Linda asked, and then accidentally crashed with a man surrounded by many piercings and tattoos, and she freaked out. "Please help me!"
"You think you deserve it?" Jinx added in annoyance, and then waved her hand for the annoyed teen to continue his march. "I told you before. We are going to hell in order to bring Wally back from heaven… I wasn't joking… so I need you to grow some spine already." And Linda flinched, but Jinx just smiled. "Relax, I won't condemn us both… probably just you." She joked, but Linda felt her heart freezing in fear. "Here we are! The Temple of the Dammed Souls." She mentioned, and Linda blinked twice when she saw a small market post with only a man whose eyes shined white despite the violet light surrounding all of Keystone. He was dressed in a deep blue Egyptian cloak with fancy looking golden carvings around the wrist and neck. He also wore some Egyptian artifacts around his forehead and neck. "This is Felix Faust… lord of the soulless… the first of the two bargain hunters we will be visiting…" And Felix Faust smiled when seeing the girl. "I had… some not so pleasant friends when I arrived to the United States… didn't think I would ever see him again…"
"Mistress of Chaos! You wound me with your words. I am nothing but an enigmatic seeker of knowledge." The man mentioned while pointing at the many books inside of his tent. "What may I assist you with this time? I hope you got more precious artifacts. Such as the Indian relics from the Naga's temples you presented me with last time we met… or are you willing to trade your…" And Jinx surrounded her hands with hexes of pink energy.
"Not in a million years, Faust. I know enough of sorcery to understand selling my soul will only lead me to your path and become nothing but a bargain hunter." And Felix Faust bit his lips in annoyance. "It's not you who I wish to bargain with. Last time I made a deal with you I was cursed with eternal bad luck! She is the living proof of that! She stole from me what I wanted the most… a normal life with a beloved one…" And Linda lowered her face ashamed. "I got no relics this time… but I got a bargain with your boss… I seek safe passage to the underworld." And Linda's jaw dropped, Jinx was surely more than met the eye. "You owe him 1,000 souls, how about earning one less?" And Felix Faust bit his lips in hatred, and then nodded in agreement. "I knew you would cooperate… now… you held my hand and don't let go…"
"Are you crazy? How did you meet this kind of people?" Linda yelled, and Jinx forced her to grab her hand. "I was just a girl with a crush on someone who turned out to be a superhero! How in the world did I end involved in something like this?" And Felix Faust casted his spell, and forged a green candle in front of the two surprised girls. "What is going on?"
"This is the Candle of Neron… your safe passage through the underworld… but regardless of my cooperation, I will only craft one candle… you know what that means, don't you?" And Jinx nodded in agreement. "First time at the underworld I suppose… no wonder you are so confident in your journey… try not to succumb to madness. Or else your soul won't reach my master." And Jinx clasped her fingers together, and lighted the candle. Afterwards, green flames came from out of the candle and surrounded both girls, transporting them both toward the underworld.
Keystone City, Kansas. Northern Industrial Sector.
"You like Earthquakes, don't you? Then feel this!" Kid Flash yelled to several Kobra minions and then began slamming her foot at the floor several times at the speed of light, forcing a small rumble which wasn't product of Kobra's seismic disruptors, but of Kid Flash's actions. "Come on! Come on! Dad makes it look so easy! If he can do it so can I!" And she speeded up, and the Kobra minions were knocked down by the small earthquake. "There! Now for a seismic shock!" And she began vibrating her hand's molecules before finally slamming them hard at the floor and forcing the streets to shatter and bury the Kobra minions toward the sewers. "Seriously… Dad… makes it look… so easy…" And she began falling down, but was then caught by the Original Flash. "Great… grandfather…?" She added weakly.
"What are you doing dressed like that?" The Original Flash wondered, and the New Kid Flash just smiled oddly at his words. "I miss him a lot too… but we should not give up hope! If you are still here, even if it is as a Time Paradox, then it means your father may come back from inside of the Speed Force." And Kid Flash stood up.
"Not necessarily… maybe Dad won't come back…" And the Original Flash stared at the girl in confusion. "…And if he doesn't… then I need to replace him in history so the time stream can be preserved…" And then she widened her eyes in surprise. "I hate that android so much!" She yelled, and the Original Flash backed off in surprise. "Now everything he said makes sense! I exist out of time to replace my father as Kid Flash during his heroic days and follow his legacy! Stupid Android! Next time I see you I will give you a piece of my mind! There is no way I'm becoming the Flash! I refuse to! Dad is the Flash! You hear me! I can't replace him! I don't want to!" And then she flinched. "No way! I sound just like Dad does! Stupid android! Am I to even replace my father in his internal crisis? I refuse to!"
"Android?" And she flinched. "Lady… I guess you need to fill me in on some details… what android?" And she moved her head in negation. "Young lady! When I ask you to be honest with me, you don't keep your trap shut! You speak like a little bird! What android?" And Kid Flash decided to be honest for once. "…Well…?"
"Aw… fine!" She yelled hard. "I met an android from the 853rd century! He is a time traveler whose job is to preserve the time stream! And he changes events, sometimes minor, sometimes major, and he had caused me a major headache already! It took this spooky thing and shinned it as a magic wand then bam! I exist out of time! So even when I ruined my own birth because I allowed Dad to cheat on Mom, I still exist! But I never gave up hope because 20 years in the future Dad remembers this happening! But then the android said I was needed to preserve the time stream and said I was going to have to become the next Flash, and I'm only realizing just now that I took the Kid Flash costume and am already complaining about having to replace Dad as the next Flash while admitting to myself that I may never surpass him!" And the Original Flash finally covered her mouth. "Mhpph! Wahft ish phoing on?"
"Too much information!" And Kid Flash nodded. "I hate time traveling… but let's not worry about that android for now. If we only have hope, even the impossible can be possible. Right now Keystone needs the Flash and Kid Flash… even if it means a teaming up between the oldest of all Flashes and the newest of all Kid Flashes." And the New Kid Flash nodded in agreement. "By the way, the costume suits you." And Kid Flash blushed.
"…I always… wanted to be just like my father… but 20 years in the future the Kid Flash costume wasn't vacant… so I couldn't be Kid Flash until now… I just wish I took the costume under happier circumstances…" And she sniffed, and the Original Flash smacked the back of her head hard in a way her father usually did. "Owwieeeee! Dad was never that harsh!"
"Well, I'm not your father! And until a new Flash comes to take the mantle from my old and dusty bones, you do what I tell you to do!" And the Original Flash pointed at some towers absorbing more energy and starting a new earthquake. "Kobra likes to play with seismic frequencies! Let's show him seismic frequencies, follow my lead!" And Kid Flash nodded while seeing the Original Flash vibrating and stomping at the floor hard, producing enough energy to mitigate the earthquake that was only beginning. "Come on! You know this trick! Your father invented it! Not even I or the second Flash ever learned to play with our vibrations like this! This is purely a Kid Flash fact!" And the New Kid Flash nodded, began vibrating, and jumped all around the street and mitigating the earthquake. "Keep going! We are stopping the earthquake!" And the seismic vibrations ended without much damage. "Get the towers! Melt them with your hand's friction!"
"That's an Impulse fact! I know how to do that!" And she vibrated her hands against the tower and melted it down. "Who may have ever guessed speed was more useful than just for running around?" And the Original Flash rushed toward Central City. "Hey! Wait for me old man! You are a meany! Leaving a cute little girl like me behind is so not gentleman like!" And she ran after the Original Flash.
The Underworld.
The green flames of Linda's and Jinx's bodies materialized inside the underworld, where the dammed were eternally punished. The first reaction both girls had was the one of pure terror when hearing the yells of the dammed as they were punished. Both hugged one another hard, and never let go of the other as they faced every possible direction in fear and shock. The place was dark, the only illumination was the one of their candle, and the one of the green flames separating the underworld into two halves, one place where the condemned were punished, and another one where a lonely throne was found.
"I'm catholic! I'm not even supposed to believe in hell!" Linda complained and hugged Jinx even harder, and the girl reflected the same emotions, especially when seeing some new souls falling into the pits of hell and igniting their flames. "I want to pray… but I'm afraid that will only anger the de-de-de-demons here."
"I think pe-pe-pe-perhaps this wasn't such a great idea after all." And the green candle shined, and Linda tried to let go of it but Jinx tackled her down. "Fool! Didn't you hear Felix Faust? This candle is the only thing that gives us safe passage around the underworld! If any of us let's go, we are doomed!"
"Felix Faust?" A voice filled every corner of hell, and the flames were ignited even stronger, freaking out both Jinx and Linda, who both cried hard in fear. "So, you two come under Felix Faust's guidance… very well… if we reach a bargain, then maybe some souls will be reduced from his dept." And the flame of the candle flew away, and lead the way toward the other side of the bridge, where a throne was found. "Come here my beautiful maidens… I won't bite you… I promise…" And the girls exchanged looks, then nodded in agreement, and began walking on top of the not so safe bridge of stone. "That's right fine maidens… come closer… I can see now why Faust send you to me… you must be the Mistress of Chaos."
"They don't call me that since I left India long time ago…" And she gulped hard, and then pulled Linda with her toward the other side of the bridge, and to Jinx's surprise, Linda, despite dying of fear, followed the pink haired one with no gestation. "You are braver than I expected." And Linda smiled, even when her eyes were drowned in tears of fear. Both girls finally made it to the end of the bridge, and what they found there shocked Jinx even more than it did Linda. Sitting on the throne was a blonde haired man, with his eyes immersed in darkness and his red pupils floating around the empty eye holes. His sharp nails were strong enough to shatter the corners of the throne, and around his lips was falling blood from the cup he was drinking from. He was dressed in green colors and wore a long deep green cape, but the man wasn't what was freaking Jinx out, it was the demon it used to rest his feet at. She had never seen him, but she heard tales from him from the Teen Titans, his name was Trigon, and the demon was using him as a resting place for his boots. "No way! Impossible! So freaking impossible! Then that means tha-tha-tha-that's Trigon! The evil lord of the eight ring of hell? Used simply as support to your feet? Then tha-tha-tha-that means you are stronger than Trigon?" And Neron laughed hard.
"Stronger than Trigon?" And he continued laughing. "Humans are so funny! But of course I'm stronger than this mindless slave of mine… why do you think he tried to conquer the human world? It is because I rule the underworld. I am Neron! The supreme ruler of hell! I'm Satan! I'm the Devil! The unmentionable one! The Beast! You name me! I am the opposed to the one who laughs at me from his holy kingdom at heaven! And this is nothing but a slave who once was my general before he betrayed me! He actually thought I wasn't going to stop him… who do you think asked his demons back to hell so your heroes could stop Trigon on their own? He was a demon with no real army. A lone conqueror. When I decide to take over your realm, it will be with an army, not on my own, even I aren't all mighty outside my realm. But here feel free to fear me." And Jinx kneeled before the lord of the underworld, and Linda couldn't help but do the same. "I understand why you are here… but that girl is under divine protection… she isn't a sinner… of course she is proud of herself, but that isn't truly a sin nowadays, the rules changed because less souls went up and almost everyone came down here. Her soul is too clean. She doesn't serve me, but yours… I will bargain with you."
"If I survive this… I swear I will be good! Real good! There is no way I'm returning here." And Neron crossed his arms in annoyance, and kicked Trigon, who roared hard and freaked the two girls a lot. "I will bargain! I will! Just please shut him up!" And Neron clasped his fingers, and a metal mask surrounded Trigon's face. "Li-li-listen your de-de-demon highness… I don't care about the price… if it is my soul then let it be it… anything in order to recover the one I love." And Neron stood up and kicked Trigon's stomach hard. "What did I say?"
"Don't ever mention that word in my realm!" And Jinx nodded several times while backing off, and Linda was only a couple of minutes from fainting. "As for your request… I decline your offer… I'm not bringing that kid back from heaven, not even for a million souls!" And Jinx was about to complain, when she noticed Neron wasn't done talking. "I hate super speedsters! I hate them so much! They run from a place to the other one! Saving countless lives in fractions of a second! And they slow down my army's creation! That kid should remain death! More souls will reach my realm that way. There is no deal, you know the exit." And he sat down back at his throne.
"Bu-bu-but there must be something I can exchange for him! You are Neron! The greatest of all demons! Prince of the underworld!" And Neron stomped his foot hard at the ground, and all of hell began shaking violently. "King! I meant king! It's just you look so young I thought you were a charming prince!"
"The more you lie, the more punishments you will get when you die." And Jinx flinched, and Neron rubbed his chin with interest. "There could be something more important than your soul… there is something I want from you…" And Jinx gulped hard, and Linda, despite wanting to stop Jinx, was too afraid as to do anything. "Fine, I have decided… I will help you bring your boyfriend back… but I doubt even my help may be enough… the place his soul is trapped at is disgusting… it's not heaven, yet it is a place close to it, and my influence is poor over there… do you still want to bargain with me knowing my help may not be enough?" And Jinx nodded, and Neron smiled. "Then, I want your body as my bargain." And Jinx flinched. "You are the Mistress of Chaos! And if I take your soul, then the lord of heaven claims your body, ash you are, ash you will be and all that %?#!#%" And Linda faced away in annoyance. "Oh please! Don't tell me you haven't heard that one before!" And Linda moved her head in negation. "One day I will claim your soul." And Linda moved her head in negation even faster. "The thing is… there are little humans who serve better as bodies than souls… your body is the Chariot of Chaos, cursed with bad luck by Felix Faust in exchange of enhanced magic abilities if I'm not mistaken… you were greedy, you were lucky not to lose your soul to him." And Jinx gulped. "You serve me better as a warrior in my army, than an undead corpse who will be easily vaporized by the angels. Your soul is free of course, but your body stays with me."
"What will happen to my soul then?" Jinx wondered, and Neron clapped his hands twice, and a corpse came to him while carrying a cup filled with green smoke-like spheres, which Neron drank and became more powerful. "So, in the end you will eat my soul as well… that's cheating."
"Only if I can catch it, which by the way, I can." And Jinx lowered her head in desperation. "If your soul were clean, you would be untouchable and would go up there despite doing a bargain with the devil… but you carry many sins… pride… jealously… anger… rage… greed… a little of murdering instincts, you still haven't crossed that line, but that doesn't save you… you are dammed anyway." And Jinx bit her lips in hatred. "So… you give me your body so it becomes one of my soulless warriors… and in return, I will do anything you ask me to bring your boyfriend back from the place he is trapped at… that of course if it is inside of my limits…" And Linda faced Jinx, who gave it some deep thoughts. "Do we have a deal?" He asked, and offered his hand to Jinx.
"No! Jinx! There must be another way! Please don't do this!" And Jinx bit her lips with hatred even harder. "We will find another way to bring Wally back to us! Please, Jinx, I beg you! Don't do this, for the love of…" And Neron stepped hard at the ground, and Linda faced him with determination. "God!" And Neron roared hard! And even when Linda was dying of fear, he couldn't touch her.
"That name burns my ears! Don't ever say it again or… I don't know! You are clean! I hate clean souls! But do be careful! You won't stay clean for long, almost no one does." And Jinx then took his hand, even when Neron wasn't expecting it due to his rage against Linda.
"Deal." And Neron laughed hard. "If Wally comes back he won't be running to me anyway. He will seek his lovely wife!" And Linda mover her head several times in negation and cried for Jinx. "I don't want your crocodile tears! This is what I ask for, Neron! Iris said that the only way to bring Wally back from the Speed Force was only if Linda became his Lightning Rod! That's what I'm asking for! Force Wally to love Linda more than he loves me!" And Neron stepped on the floor hard.
"Don't say that word here!" And Jinx flinched. "I can't do that even if I wanted to! I can only cast lust upon someone's heart! Not that! And even if I could! I need the one alive for it to work! Don't ask impossible things!" And Jinx nodded in fear. "Seriously! Why do people think I can do anything? If it is money or power or resurrecting the death it is cool with me, but asking me something like that? Do you live in a fairy world or what?" And she moved her head in negation several times. "Then ask for something realist or I will hurt you."
"Right… realist…" And Jinx faced Linda, who did nothing but cry for Jinx and the sacrifice she was placing upon herself. "…Allow Wally to hear Linda's voice…" And Neron smiled. "She is the only one who can convince Wally to return… that's all I'm asking… allow her to speak to him and try to convince him to come back… to her…" And Linda covered her mouth with her only free hand, and Neron casted an energy sphere in his hand, which he delivered to Linda.
"Speak to this sphere as if you were speaking to the kid." And Linda faced Neron, and then at Jinx. "You only have one chance. This is a power which I dislike using, it is the voice of the angels… a direct link to heaven. I took it from Lucifer's throat before consuming him and becoming him." And Linda took the sphere. "Now." And Neron placed his hands at his ears and then tore them off, freaking out Linda in the progress. "Now I can't hear you, say whatever you like." And Neron walked toward his throne, and the horrified Linda was left to stare at the golden sphere, then she faced Jinx, who nodded in agreement, and Linda then faced the sphere once again and pressed her hand hard against her chest, trying to find the valor she needed.
"…Wa…Wa…Wally?" She spoke to the sphere, and Jinx just stared at her with her heart in pain. "This is me… Linda… can you hear me…?" And Neron pointed at his wrist as if faking having a hand-watch. "Wally, please come back. It's not the moment to give up now! You never give up! Please Wally! You mustn't give up! You need to keep on running! You need to find your way back." And the sphere shinned with golden colors for only a second before returning to be white. "Wally, there is no time! I wish I could help you come back! I wish I could be your Lightning Rod… but I can't! You don't love me!" And Neron punched his throne hard, as if no matter his ears were tore off he could hear that word. "I don't know what to say!"
"Just forget about me already and speak to your hearth's content!" Jinx yelled hard, and Linda widened her eyes in surprise. "I was cursed with bad luck… this was meant to happen… all I want right now is to know that at least the idiot who ruined my life will live through this… even if it is with you." And Linda nodded, and faced the sphere with new found hopes.
"Wally! Please listen to me, Wally!" And the sphere shined once, but the light faded as fast as it came. "Don't you dare giving up, Wally! You are stronger than this! I know it sounds impossible, but for you there are no impossible! Wally, I know about Iris! I know she is our little daughter!" And the sphere shinned abruptly, as if the revelation had been a surprise to even the death. "I know, I was feeling that way when I found out. But that's not important right now. Wally! You never give up! Giving up isn't the way of the lightning, remember? You need to follow your uncle's steps! You want to! You want to live and be a father to Iris! So you can't give up! No matter what! And for the love of speed! I'm not giving up either! When I found out Jinx was your girlfriend my heart was shattered! And I tried to convince myself that I liked you only as my friend, but I can't do that! It is so hard to me! I love you!" And Neron complained, and covered his none existent ears with his hands. "Wallace Rudolph West! I love you!" And Neron bit his lips with hatred, and Jinx did nothing but lower her head in pain. "I love you! I will always love you! Always! I love you! I will say it as much times as I need if it means you coming back! I want to be with you! I want to fall in love with you even more! I want to kiss you! I want to live with you! I want to be the mother your daughter needs! I love you!" And the sphere shattered, and both Jinx and Linda faced it with fear.
"That's enough!" Neron yelled, and his ears grew back. "You disgust me! But that's not important! I kept my part of the deal! Now your body is mine!" And the candle went off, and Jinx felt the pain of her soul escaping her body, her eyes went blank, her mouth released some saliva, and the pink colored soul emerged from her body. "Time to eat!"
"No!" Linda yelled, and grabbed Jinx's soul in her hand and away from Neron's mouth. "You won't have her too! I won't let you!" And Neron was about to launch himself toward Linda, and the girl just filled her lungs with air. "I love her too!" And Neron complained and backed off. "She is my dear friend! And I love her! I won't let you take her away from me!" And Neron began transforming into a real demon, and his legs turned into tentacles. "My God!" She yelled out of surprise, and Neron returned to his more human soul. "That's it… you can't stand good words…" And Neron stood up and tried to hurt Linda. "Love! Hope! Holy Spirit! God!" And Neron feel to his knees in pain. "Blessings! Thank you! Fluffy bunnies!" And Neron bit his lips so hard that even blood began falling from his lips. "Dear lord in heaven." She mentioned upon seeing that last, and only forced more pain into Neron's soul and left him by the floor in agony. "Send me back home you bully, or I will continue yelling cute things to your ears!" And Neron accepted the forced bargain, and returned Linda, and the soul of Jinx, back to the realm of the living.
Central City, Missouri. Eastern Historic District.
"Dad!" Kid Flash yelled. And the Original Flash stopped just in front of the Flash museum, where both Kid Flash and the Original Flash were beating some of Kobra's minions down until the girl called her father. "Great-grandfather! I think I felt my Dad! He was talking to me! He called my name!" And the Original Flash punched yet another minion unconscious. "I'm sure of it Great-grandfather! I swear I'm not going mad!" And the Original Flash rushed to her side, and punched a Kobra minion unconscious before it could slash her. "Ops! Forgot Kobra." And then she was smacked hard by the Original Flash. "Owwieeeee! That one hurt even more than the first one! Pain pain go away! Pain pain go away!" She cried and continued rubbing her forehead hard until a small electromagnetic field was generated by the hair rubbing.
"Kobra minion!" The Original Flash yelled, and Kid Flash pushed him away and he was electrified by the friction she had gathered upon rubbing her hair so much. "Girl! Pay attention to your environment! I miss your father too! But we will worry about him only once we…" And then the Original Flash went silent, and a samurai jumped and was about to slay him, but Kid Flash noticed, rubbed her hair hard at light speed, and then launched some electricity to the minion, who fell unconscious after the shock. "Wally! He was speaking to my soul! I felt him!"
"That's what I have been trying to tell you!" And another Kobra minion tried to cut her, but she rudely kicked his ankle, then pushed him, and moved at light speed to his back and forced him to trip with her body and fall down. "I felt Dad speaking to me through his connection with the Speed Force! It was as if he was trying to ask me to hold his hand!"
"Hold his hand? Who does he thinks I am? Jinx?" And Kid Flash slapped her forehead hard. "I don't quite understand what is going on! But there is no place for distractions just now! We must keep fighting!" And then he took his helmet off and launched it toward some of Kobra's minions who were knocked down in a shot. "I love that hat trick!"
"Dad did say he was going to claim your hat when you retired entirely." Kid Flash added, and then saw some minions approaching to them both. "Oh, can I? Please, pretty please! With sugar on top!" And the Original Flash rolled his eyes and delivered his helmet to her. "Thanks a lot Great-grandfather!" She mentioned and then launched the helmet, and knocked several Kobra minions before it returned to her and she caught it. "Nice! Can I have one when I grow up? Can it be yellow with red lighting at the corners?" And the Original Flash rolled his eyes in disbelief. "Okay, fine, I will concentrate."
"That's right. We must keep on focusing on our prime objective, not holding hands with your father." And Kid Flash rolled her eyes trying to ignore that comment. "Come! Keystone needs our protection!" And they both rushed toward Keystone City.
Keystone City, Kansas. Central Commercial Zone. Chinatown.
The green flames appeared once again in front of Felix Faust's Temple of the Dammed Souls, where the surprised bargain hunter couldn't believe his eyes when Linda made it back on her own and carried Jinx's soul with her. Linda was also awfully surprised, and then noticed how Jinx's soul began floating around aimlessly, and then tried to float away and toward the sky.
"Oh no you won't!" Linda yelled, and grabbed onto Jinx's soul, if that could even be called grabbing, the truth was the soul clang to anybody it could find in order not to enter any of the two realms trying to claim it. "You are staying here, lady! Bodiless or not! Your soul isn't ready to go either way! Much less when we just escaped hell!" She complained, and the soul stayed at her hands. "Good girl!" Linda mentioned, and Felix Faust approached her. "You stay away! After yelling the devil to the ground my patience is very slim!" She defied Faust, who ignored her and stared at Jinx's soul.
"A soul on the realm of the living which wasn't claimed by Neron? I must have it! It will strengthen my shattered soul!" And he tried to eat the soul, but Linda took it away from him. "Girl! Give me that soul! Without a body to absorb it! It will vanish in just an hour toward heaven or hell! Give her to me! I will fuse her to my soul! Even if she was a girl her humanity will still exist inside of me."
"Seriously! I'm not in the mood! I just fought Neron! You don't scare me!" And Felix Faust began casting magic around his hands. "Honestly? Neron forced all hell to tremble and you just cast spooky light around your hands? Quit bothering us!" She yelled and then kicked Felix Faust's groin, and then she began running away. "What did I just do? I kicked a scary man's groin! That's so gross!" And she continued running, but then she felt something strange.
"…Linda…" And she froze, and Jinx's soul began shinning as well as if reacting to the words. "…Hold…" She listened, but couldn't understand the words that well. "…Hand…" She heard once again, and then there was silence.
"Wally!" She yelled, and the soul seemed to yell with her, only she wasn't going to have a moment to rest or think about what was going on since Felix Faust was just standing up and freaking Linda out. "I better leave this place." And she ran away before Felix Faust began launching blue flames to her and then he laid down still in pain.
Keystone City, Kansas. Western Historic District.
"Wally, is that you?" Jesse Quick yelled hard upon hearing the same words Linda had heard not long ago. "You scum shut up! I'm trying to hear someone dear to me!" And she grabbed a car and carried it even on top of her head, and then she launched it toward the surprised Kobra minions who were brutally attacked by the girl. "Who else wants a taste of my super strength? I'm no common speedster! I'm daughter of Liberty Belle! Her power was super strength!" And she buried her fist hard at the floor and forced a small quake which knocked several Kobra minions down. She then clasped her hands together strongly, and the force of her clasp resonated around the street and pushed various minions back. "Father? Did you hear him too?" She asked, and her father just punched a minion down.
"I heard it! But it doesn't mean I believe it!" He explained, and Jesse rolled her eyes in annoyance. "And I would appreciate it if you didn't show off about your mother's super strength in front of me." And Jesse stuck her tongue out at him. "And what does Wally want me to do? Hold his hand?"
"I don't understand either." And Jesse moved her hand as if trying to catch something. And a jolt of energy exploded in front of her. "Wow!" She complained and rubbed her hand. "What was that?" And she tried once again, and her hand was swallowed by a portal of golden light. "Wally! Hold my hand!" She yelled, but then she felt something odd and took her hand away just in time to evade a back colored and rotten hand from slashing her arm off. And upon missing its target, the black hand returned to the golden light. "What the hell was that?" Jesse complained. "It was like a rotten hand! And it was sharp! And moved so fast! It almost cut my arm off!" And she pointed at her cut costume and skin, and then stared at her finger. "The Flash's ring is missing! Someone took it off once I opened that Speed Force portal! You think it was that thing?"
"I don't know what that was." Johnny Quick mentioned and faced the stormy skies. "But I got this creepy bad feeling which tells me things are going to get far worse than they already are." And Jesse faced the stormy skies as well. The lightings were of a golden color.
Central City, Missouri. Southern Riverside.
"Wally! I heard you!" Max Mercury yelled hard and then knocked a couple of Kobra minions in the blink of an eye. He was vastly outnumbered, almost one hundred minions had reunited only to stop Max, and even cut his running away options. But the Zen Master of Speed was skilled in martial arts and acrobatics, and barely needed his speed to beat the Kobra minions. "Wally! I will take you out! Just give me a second!" And he rushed past several Kobra minions and climbed the top of a random building. "Take my hand, son! I will take you out!" And a golden portal opened once again, and a red gloved hand came out and took Max's hand. "That's right kid… I'm here for you… I will take you out!" He pulled, but then a black hand came out and tried to strangle Max, and the red hand returned to the Speed Force, while the black hand still tried to come out and pull Max inside as well. "The Black Flash!" Max yelled, and the skull and mask of the Black Flash faced Max Mercury. "So… we met again…" And the Black Flash smiled. "I will do a deal with you! My soul for the one of the kid you are chasing!" And the Black Flash moved his head in negation, and once again entered the Speed Force. "No! Give Wally back!" But the portal was closed, and Max, enraged, ran down the building and began beating up Kobra minions. "Keep on running, Wally! Never give up!"
Keystone City, Kansas. Western Historic District.
"Wally! I hear you! Wally!" Linda yelled hard, and held to Jinx's soul in her arms. "Wally! I'm coming! I will take you out!" And she reached the small park in front of the Garrick's place, where she confessed her feelings for him the first time. "…Wally… then you felt something for me too… I'm glad… but Jinx…" And the pink soul seemed to stare at Linda as she cried. "I'm sorry Jinx… but I love him too…"
"…Linda…" And the girl flinched. "…Hold…" Wally began, and Linda pressed Jinx's soul hard against her chest. "…My…" And Linda nodded, and then approached her hand to where she heard Wally's voice clearer. "Hand!" And his hand came out and grabbed to her own. "Linda!" He yelled, and struggled against the portal. "…I… want to live…" He mentioned, and Linda nodded and pulled him hard. "…I'm not ready for heaven… I want to live! I'm sorry Uncle Barry but I want to live!" And Linda finally pulled him out, and both ended rolling around the grass of the park and Linda grabbed onto Jinx's soul before it could fly away once again.
"Yeeeeeaaaaark!" Both heard a horrible sound, and the Black Flash grabbed onto the corners of the portal Wally came out from. But it only lasted for a second before a hand came out and grabbed the Black Flash's head. "Yeeeeeaaaaark!"
"Wally!" A male voice called out, and the hand pulled the Black Flash inside of the Speed Force, and the portal was closed for good. "Live on Wally!" The male voice mentioned once again, and then, there was silence.
Both Linda and Wally breathed out heavily, and once both had relaxed, Linda faced Wally, who surprisingly enough was wearing the Flash costume, even when it was too big for his measures. But instead of asking, she pulled Wally into a deep kiss. Their first real kiss, and afterwards, she released him and unmasked him.
"After fighting the demon king… not doing that was stupid…" She mentioned, and Wally stared at her in disbelief. "I'm so glad you are back!" And she kissed him once again, and Wally returned the kiss, even if it was only for a second before rudely pushing her away. "Ouch!"
"I'm sorry!" He mentioned, and Linda faced him in confusion. "… I'm glad to be back… and I'm also glad for your feelings! I really am! With all my heart! But… Jinx… I love her too… almost as much as I love you, Linda… I noticed the truth once Kid Zoom revealed you were… oh…"
"Yeah… I felt that way too when I found out…" And Wally gave his back to her, and Linda gave his back to him as well and hit backs with him as both sat facing the opposite direction, although she held his hand. "But I was serious when I said I wasn't going to give up on loving you." And Jinx's soul complained, and Linda felt tears falling from her eyes. "I felt so empty without you… I'm sorry to be a burden… but I had to be honest with myself for once!"
"I know… and I'm glad… but I can't choose between you and Jinx… so I choose neither…" And Linda widened her eyes in surprise. "…At the restaurant I called you my anchor… I didn't notice it back then, but I was already in love with you too… but when I began disappearing into the Speed Force… and it was Jinx who helped me stay… and it wasn't until Kid Zoom told me you were Iris' mother when I doubted… and I was swallowed by the Speed Force." And Linda nodded upon realizing Wally didn't want her to speak. "Then I heard your voice… and I decided I wanted to comeback… it was hard… inside the Speed Force I met my uncle… he even gave me his blessing to wear his costume… I was happy… but I wanted to return for you… you are my Lightning Rod… but for some reason that disappoint me at the same time… Linda… I… I love you… and only knowing you are Iris' mother makes me the happiest man on earth… but… you can't ask me to just forget about Jinx… I wish there was a solution to all this… if only things had happened as they should have… and instead, my heart is shattered… I could return for you… but that makes me feel so miserable… I feel like a damn liar… what should I do? I don't know anymore… just who in the world do I love the most? I'm scared… my heart yells your name… but my brain yells Jinx's one… it's so unfair…"
"You love two girls… and you love them equally, don't you…?" And Wally nodded. "You are so unfair West. We both love you with all our heart, and you dare telling us you love us both equally? Some choosing you made you flirtarous jerk." And Wally felt a vein popping at his forehead and turned around to see Linda, who was crying and smiling. "But you know… this only makes my decision a lot easier… now I know this will work no matter what happens after I do what I have to do…" And she cried even harder. "It doesn't matter how scared I am… but Jinx sacrificed a lot for you to return, and all I can do, is do my part of the sacrificing…" And Kid Flash faced the soul at Linda's hands. "But you must know, here and now, that Jinx loved Kid Flash with all her heart… while Linda Jasmine Park loved Wallace Rudolph West with all her heart as well! So it is okay! No matter what happens, we both love you!"
"Linda? What are you saying?" And before Wally could understand a thing, Linda ate Jinx's soul and swallowed it. "Linda? What are you…?" And a warm pink light surrounded Linda's body, and blinded Wally for a moment before dissipating, and Wally rubbed his eyes hard for a few seconds before he felt a couple of hands grabbing his face, and someone's lips hitting his own. It was a warm feeling as none other he had felt ever before, and when he opened his eyes, he saw the pink colored eyes of the one kissing him, and then freaked out and backed off. "Jinx? I wasn't cheating on you! I wasn't!"
"Flirtarous jerk!" The girl mentioned, and Wally blinked twice in surprise. In front of him he saw Linda, but her skin was grey, and her hair was pink as Jinx's, yet it wasn't adorned in the form of horns, it was silky and long.
"What is… going on here…?" Wally wondered while admiring the girl in front of him. The body of Linda, the colors of Jinx. Believing in what had just happened was impossible, but it was there in front of his very eyes. Linda and Jinx had merged together. "Who are you…?" He wondered while fearing the answer.
"I don't know." The girl mentioned while facing her hands and then staring at the color of her hair. "Are my eyes pink?" And Wally nodded several times. "Well… I don't think I have much of my chaotic powers left… but I can still feel some." And hexes of pink energy surrounded her hands. "Wally, are you well?" And the teen moved his head in negation several times. "…Linda did her part of the deal… didn't she…? She lent me her body. I am Linda Jasmine Park… and Jinx at the same time… our souls have merged…" And Wally blinked twice in confusion. "I know it is hard to understand… but it is for the best… we both loved you after all… and just now I love you as no one else can…" And she pulled him into a kiss, and surprisingly enough he kissed her back. But the kiss only lasted a few seconds before she smacked the back of his head hard. "Sorry… but I'm still mad at you for not choosing one of me properly!" And she crossed her arms in annoyance. "At any rate! My father is currently leading the KCPD into battle with Kobra, and Jesse, Johnny and Max are trying to keep the casualties to the minimum. The Pied Piper is recruiting some villains to join forces with us, and the Original Flash and the New Kid Flash are running all around the Twin Cities trying to keep some control! What shall we do?"
"First of all, you are still freaking me out! Wait until I get used to your Linda and Jinx fusion please!" And the girl crossed her arms in annoyance. "And second. New Kid Flash? That girl took my costume?" And the girl nodded. "Seriously, I was going to give my costume to her personally as Barry gave me his." And Wally pointed at the ring bellow his costume. "At any rate! I need to adjust this costume to my measures before I start running and helping everyone out, and you need a costume too!" And the girl faced her clothing. But her costume wasn't important, she just stared at Wally, and then she smiled. "That's right love! My name is Wally West, and I'm the Flash! The Fastest Man Alive!" And the new age of speedster's legends, finally began.
If you thought you could scroll down and find out if Jinx or Linda won the love triangle… well, I'm Friendly Mushroom, and you are… not that wrong! But still! Go up there and read you cheater, it's no fun if you ruin this chapter I worked so hard to write! Scroll up and start over or the Black Flash will chomp the bunny's head off!
Felix Faust (Dekan Drache): A sorcerer supreme who lived on year 5000 BC. He got this many for knowledge seeking, and isn't afraid to sell his soul to anyone in favor of power, he always somehow seems to recover it, but each time he does his soul shatters even more. He is one of the greatest villains on the DC Universe. If the story lives that long, I think I will pick Faust and Neron as the main antagonists for season two, I'm yet to decide, not many have voted.
Liberty Belle (Elizabeth Lawrence): Mother to Jesse Quick and former wife to Johnny Quick. She was murdered and left Johnny on his own to raise their daughter. She had super strength and little speed.
Neron (Alexander Neron): The ruler of the underworld! One of the strongest foes in the DC Universe, if not the strongest, he even killed both Wonder Womans and the Alien Conqueror Mogul! And different to popular belief, Trigon isn't but an archfiend, which places him under Neron's commands, and don't start with the different plane of existence thingy, Neron is the supreme ruler of all hells. His favorite sport is to claim souls by doing bargains with heroes and villains, since he knows they are the ones who bring more or less souls to his realm. Neron actually holds a huge grudge against Linda, and is determined to claim her soul, and he hates Wally because of all Flashes, he is the one who has saved more souls from reaching his realm. If the votes determine this story should have a second season, I think I will bring Neron as the main antagonist, I'm still deciding, as mentioned before, almost no one had voted, and if the votes end in a tie I will take a month of rest and the decide to continue or not. I have other stories to continue after all.
Starro (Unknown): He is a giant starfish! Seriously! No kidding! He or it or whatever is a space conqueror who launches his offspring to the planet it intends to conquer and attack to their host's faces and brainwashed them while it consumes the natural resources of the planet before jumping to another planet and trying to conquer it. It is thanks to Starro that the original justice league (Flash (Barry Allen), Green Lantern (Hal Jordan), Aquaman, Martian Manhunter and Wonder Woman (Queen Hypolita) first joined forces)