New Justice and Karry Prime: Crisis of the League
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The Last Daughters of El
It had been a minute since Rae had vanished in a flash of light. No one knew what to do as everyone looked to Kara, their second in command.
"I don't…" Kara frowned, worried as she could no longer feel Rae through their bond. "We need Pre…" before Kara could finish the sentence though, there was a bright light and Rae reappeared; Kara could feel her again and let off a sigh of relief. "What happened?" Kara moved and hugged her wife. "And you always reappear before I can finish saying we need Premo!"
Rae gave a nervous laugh at that as Clarky barked.
"It's not easy to expl–" Rae was stopped by their A.I., MIA.
"Prime Barry has just arrived at Home Base. And now Alien Jay has arrived. Mutant Barry, Hero Earth's Roland, Amazonian Rachel, Gender Earth's Bailey, and SuperEarth Barry have all arrived too," MIA spoke in quick succession, eyes turning to Rae in surprise at that.
"Where's Karry?" Rae asked, ignoring the others.
"Karry has not… Karry Barry has now arrived," MIA corrected herself.
"Good," she turned to the others. "I am going to a speedster's meeting. Home Base is off limits. You can all go home," Rae stated quickly. "MIA, tell them I am coming and open a zap tunnel to Home Base. Clarky, stay with Kara."
"Wait… the army of Kryptonians?" Sara pointed out, confused.
"Oh right. Well, believe it or not I have bigger problems than an army of Kryptonians," Rae said as the zap tunnel opened up. "I'll tell you later." At that, Rae left through the Zap Tunnel.
"That was our Rae, right?" Caitlin asked everyone.
"Yeah, it was Rae. Our bond cannot be faked," Kara said, confused as well. "I guess she will explain later and we can all go home." Kara shrugged as she nodded at Chris for the two of them and the dogs to go back to the Sanctuary, even if she was still worried about this army of Kryptonians.
-New Justice-
Rae arrived in Home Base to see the other speedsters talking, there was silence as the last speedster in Rae arrived.
"Alright Barry, what do you know of the Monitor?" The four Barrys look at each other at Rae's words, wondering who she was talking to. "Karry Barry, obviously."
"Barry-Blue. Use the nicknames," Karry Barry said and Mutant Barry gave a laugh at that but paused at the look Rae gave him "Or not… Anyway, all I know is he's testing the multiverse to find who's strong for some crisis that is coming. I guess we all passed the test."
"And what about this speedsters will die thing?" Amazonian Rachel asked, obviously annoyed at being surrounded by so many Barrys.
"There are a lot of speedsters in the multiverse," Jay pointed out. "Every Earth seems to have one; it doesn't necessarily mean us. This warning could help us when this Crisis comes."
"If we can figure out more about this Crisis," Roland pointed out. "Anyone?"
Rae thought of Oliver in Purgatory, but she still had not figured out if that was real or a dream. Now though, she was starting to lean towards it being real, but the idea of paragons was so different from everything else here – she doubted any of the other speedsters here knew about paragons anyway.
"A future A.I. mentioned Crisis to me," Karry Barry spoke again. "She said it was the biggest threat the multiverse has ever faced. But I know the speed force once told me I would run from death for a long time to stay with Kara, so it made it seem like I had a very long life…"
"And when I was stuck in the speed force, it gave me a fake life and that was most likely my future. And I had two kids – and I only have one on the way right now," Rae said.
"You're pregnant?" Everyone said at once, eyes going to Rae.
"No," Rae said.
"Kara's pregnant!" The ones who knew she married Kara, which was everyone but Rachel, Bailey, and Mutant Barry, said.
"No, we're using an artificial womb," Rae chuckled, getting a little tired of that.
"Congrats," Karry Barry grinned, patting his cousin on the back
"Back on topic though, according to your future thing I rescued you from, I am supposed to have more kids as well," Prime Barry pointed out.
"The speed force has never let me down before," Rae said with a nodded.
"That must be nice," Prime Barry mumbled, biting his lip.
"Well, that's nice for you three – it seems you are safe," Mutant Barry added. "But there is the rest of us." The others agreed with him at that.
"Look, we have two beings with knowledge of the future; one is someone who has tested us and already caused a speedster's death – Karry's version of me," Rae explained, and Rachel gave a nod at that, it not sitting well with her that a version of herself was killed by this Monitor. "And the other is the very thing that gives us all our powers – that's part of us. The speed force knows things, so…" Rae paused but she knew what she had to say. "I'll go in and ask."
"Go in and ask?" Bailey was the one to question this.
"You can go into the speed force?" Rachel added, seeming surprised.
"You haven't?" SuperEarth's Barry asked Rachel, surprised. "Rae, are you sure?" He turned to Rae at this.
"I'm the best person to go in," Rae stated, her eyes going to those who had never been into the speed force. "The speed force likes to send you on a journey of self-discovery when you go in. I have been in there so many times now though there isn't anything left. Well, I hope there isn't…"
"Well, you are the speed force's favorite child," Prime Barry pointed out.
"Who said that?" Rae asked, surprised by that.
"The speed force," both Karry and Prime Barrys said at the same time and then looked at each other and laughed.
"Tell you what, I'll go in with you," Prime Barry decided. "I've been inside so many times myself, we should be safe to go in together."
"Sounds like a plan to me. And I can go back to my farm," Mutant Barry said.
"I need to go back home anyway; apparently I have an angry client thanks to the Monitor," SuperEarth Barry sighed as everyone else agreed with the plan. One by one, all the speedsters wished the two luck before leaving until it was just Prime Barry, Karry Barry, and Rae.
"I think I might see about reaching out to other speedster," Karry Barry voiced. "See if anyone else has any information on this Crisis."
"Not a bad idea," Rae nodded, giving Karry Barry a hug before he went to leave.
"Your Premo or my Vibe?" The only remaining Barry asked.
"Vibe," Rae said. "Premo is still on his honeymoon."
"Oh, congratulations, Frankie," Barry grinned as they asked MIA to send them to Prime.
-New Justice-
Kara had decided to go back to work after leaving the meeting. It was a good way to take her mind off the Kryptonian army, after all.
"Ms. Lane?" An employee spoke, coming up to her as she tended the Kryptonian Donkeys, aptly named Bonkees. "I don't want to alarm you, but a womb is missing. We've looked all over…"
"Oh, it's not missing," Kara interrupted, her face going a little red now – she had grabbed the womb in excitement and not told anyone what she was doing. "I took it. It's at my house, currently in use." The employee frowned, confused. "Rae and I wanted a child that was both of us, so the womb seemed the best idea."
"Ah," the employee said, finally getting it. "Congratulations! I'll let everyone know they can stop the search," the employee moved to leave, but then paused. "Do the Queens know?"
"Good point. I'll let them know," Kara nodded, knowing she had to tell the whole Justice League as well. "But considering I am part owner and we are friends, I doubt they will care," the employee gave a nod as she finally walked off.
"Congratulations are in order," Kara heard a voice say as she continued her task with the Bonkees. Turning around, she saw a man that looked familiar, but she couldn't place it.
"Members of the public –" Kara began, a little distractedly, but the new man spoke over her.
"A new member of the House of El is cause for a celebration." Kara froze at this. "On Krypton, there would be parties in the streets."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Kara said quickly, although knowing what the man said was true.
"You look so much like your mother," the man continued, making Kara frown as she looked back, to look at the man. "I can see Zor in there as well – especially the hair; Alura had dark hair, while Zor was a striking blonde."
"You…?" Kara took a really good look at the man, knowing the secret was out. It could only mean this was one of the Kryptonian prisoners. "You seem familiar," Kara decided; the man did look like someone she used to know, like someone from a dream.
"I was once the assistant to Alura Zor-El," the man said. "I am Poe. Can we talk, please? I have come to warn you..." Kara paused, but nodded, indicating for the man to follow her.
She didn't want to bring him to her house though, deciding to head to the Natu habitat – they were the most dangerous of her Kryptonian animals, after all.
-Speedforce-
After having gone to Prime's STAR Labs, Rae and Prime Barry had asked Cisco to send them into the speed force – the man wanted an explanation still on why his Barry had vanished, but neither speedster was prepared to give that to him yet.
Slightly reluctant of the lack of information, Cisco vibed them into the speed force – it was easier now than when it used to be, and Rae wondered if the speed force made it so, so that they could talk to her and get the information they needed.
"You know, this is becoming a tradition for us," Rae voiced as they started to walk. They seemed to be in what looked like a park, except it was empty. "I mean. I went in after you."
"And I went in after you," Barry agreed with a chuckle.
"Then there was that Flash spark thing," Rae added.
"What?" Barry asked, clearly confused as he stopped in his tracks at this.
"You remember," Rae said, turning around to look at Barry. "We went into the speed force because you were upset over invading… you know what, come to think of it, that was SuperEarth Barry," Prime Barry raised an eyebrow at this. "Oh, cut me some slack here. I bounce between three of you. I was bound to get confused eventually."
"Well," Barry stated, starting to move again, "at least the speed force is keeping it pleasant this time. Last time…" he shuddered as he recalled the last time he was in here – the trials he has gone through. "Wait, it is a park in the day for you right?"
"Yep," Rae nodded, "and I think I know why…" she pointed ahead to a park bench
At the table was his mother – or at least, it looked like his mother – but Barry knew instantly that this was the speed force, waiting for them.
"My children," the speed force Nora said. "Sit. I have been waiting for you," Barry paused momentarily but as Rae sat down on the bench opposite his fake mother, Barry decided to follow suit, sitting next to Rae. "I don't normally keep two speedsters together but this is a special cause. Besides, you both only have one reason to be here, so I made a neutral area for both of you. And I choose Nora as you both think of her as a parent."
"She was my mom," Barry pointed out. "Still is, in a way."
"You know why we came?" Rae was the one to ask this, ignoring her own connection to Nora as a mother.
"Of course," the speed force said. "I am with all my children so when you were taken to that little threating meeting, I was there. I heard what that… man said to you."
"You seem angry," Rae voiced, hearing the anger in her voice, even if the speed force's face was pleasant.
"Do you know how long I spent building what I did?" The speed force sighed. "How hard it was connecting the entire multiverse? I had to decide which planet to connect to, to find the perfect champions. I chose Earth due to humans' abilities to mutate better than any other species. I had to wait and then I had to be careful – get the right people together, all to make the perfect speedster. To make you two." Barry and Rae frowned at each other. "And all your alternates," the speed force added. "I rarely failed getting one or both of you. I even interfered on Krypton, sending Kara into the Phantom Zone sometimes. Other times, sending her out in time because I knew you two worked better with a Kryptonian by your side. I have no idea why, but you do - and the kids of a speedster and Kryptonians are impressive. Alura, Nora, Skylar and Leona…"
"You interfered with Kara?" Barry snapped, ignoring the reference to his, Karry's, and Rae's daughters.
"Use your head Barry. How else do you think a piece of SuperEarth Kara's hair ended up on your outfit for that meta human to clone?" The speed force stated, stunning Barry. "That was me. And the reason Mutant Barry ended up on Karry Universe? That was me too. I did everything."
"Why?" Barry asked incredulously, while Rae remained in contemplative silence.
"Because versions of you that end up with Iris are simply the worst," the speed force answered, and Rae gave a chuckle at that. "I made all this possible. And Mar Novu thinks he can take it now… Use my children for his mess!"
"So, you'll tell us what we want to know?" Rae finally spoke, deciding not to address the speed force's anger.
"You want information into Crisis?" The speed force leaned back on her bench at this. "I am willing to give you certain information…." Rae and Barry looked happy at this, "for a price."
"What?" Barry asked. "But…!"
"As Rae knows, I had a Rae who did certain things for me. But she died on Karry," the speed force continued. "I need certain things done to help some of my weaker children or possible children. Who better than you two to help? I mean my favorite child," the speed force smiled at Rae at that, "and my favorite Barry." Barry raised an eyebrow at that. "Don't get me wrong, other Barrys are interesting, but there's something about you that's special. You might have had missteps in the past, but you have grown into an amazing speedster."
"Er, thanks?" Barry said, glancing between his fake mother and Rae.
"Consider it a mission," the speed force moved on, but Rae took a deep breath at this, fake Nora's eyes going to her now. "The mission will be done before my Leona is born."
"My Leona," Rae corrected.
"Oh, I can already sense Leona is mine," the speed force stated. "I like these wombs – no mutation to take my child away from me like on SuperFlash or others." Rae frowned, but Barry chuckled, remembering the speed force calling Skye her child as well. "Once you finish all of my tasks, then I'll tell you everything you could possibly want to know about Crisis."
"What if Crisis comes before we're done?" Barry asked, a little tentative.
"Not possible," the speed force shook her head. "I know how long this will take. Leona will be born before Crisis, which is in 2021. You can ask Karry Barry if you don't believe me, I believe he found this information from his Gideon."
"Time can change though," Barry pointed out.
"Not this," the speed force said.
"I believe you," Rae told the speed force, her mind reflecting back to her visit with Oliver, and he telling her she would be called on a mission. This had to be it. She wondered if she should tell Barry. "I'll do it. Barry, you don't have to if you don't want to."
"No. I can't let you do it alone," Barry said, patting Rae's shoulder. "We're in."
"Good," the speed force said, "in that case, your first mission is to a world I've come to call Red Daughter," Rae and Barry exchanged frowns at the unusual name. "This is a special world because it involves a special speedster. The Barry Allen of this world I took from his original earth and trained him myself. It was an experiment, to say the least – and he became almost on par with your speed, Rae," the speed force nodded to Rae, "but when he settled for his love and new home, he stopped with everything I taught him. He needs reminding…"
"Okay," Rae and Barry stated, unsure what else to say about this as a portal opened behind them.
"You should find this world's Kara familiar to you, Barry Allen of Prime," the speed force smirked now.
"Why?" Barry frowned, looking to Rae for help, but she had nothing, so she simply shrugged.
"You'll see. Now go," the speed force insisted, and it was all the speedsters could do but to move through the portal.
-New Justice-
Kara had brought the man within the Natu habitat, telling her employees to leave as they stood at the edge of the area, out of view of the pubic.
"Such wonderful creatures," Poe said, looking at them. "I am so please you managed to bring them back."
"Who exactly are you?" Kara asked, not addressing the reference to the Natu.
"Well, I was once your mother's assistant," Poe sighed. "She told me everything. I even met you several times – when you came with your mom to work and when I came to El homestead to deliver paperwork. Your mother and father made me feel like more than their employee, more than my position. Until…" Poe paused, looking down. "I wasn't noble. I had no house to speak of. I was of the many. A rankless, they called us on Krypton."
"I remember the term. But an average Joe as Earth would call it," Kara nodded.
"I guess," Poe said with a smell nod. "My daughter, she got sick. You know what it was like on Krypton – sicknesses were things of the past except for the extremely serious ones. It was something I could not afford. Medical bills were piling up…" Poe sighed. "And I did something I never thought I would do: a criminal asked me to lose some evidence that would have convicted him. The money from that would have given me everything to help my little girl. And I did it. But I got caught - I'm not a criminal master mind, you see. But do you know what hurt me the most?" Poe looked at Kara, who was simply listening, taking this all in. "Alura looked at me with such sorrowful eyes and told me that I should have come to her. In that instance I knew she would have helped. I begged her not to send me to Fort Rozz – a punishment colony on Krypton I requested. To be near my girl."
"But she couldn't," Kara said, shaking her head sadly.
"No. If she had gone easy on me due to a personal connection, she could have looked weak to the Council and would have lost too much. She sentenced me to five years in our most secure prison," Poe said. "I was almost out by the time Krypton blew up – even in the Phantom Zone that shook us all, including the guards. It went around like wildfire that Krypton was gone."
"What happened to your daughter?" Kara asked, taken in by this story. She was to become a mother soon herself and to hear of such a horror befalling this family didn't sit well with her.
"Alura paid for her medical expenses from what she told me. Where Kes went… I do not know. I assume she's… well, with Krypton gone." Kara nodded at that. He'd gone through so much to save his daughter, and all for nothing now Krypton, and Kes herself, was gone. "You should understand that I have no ill will to the House of El," Poe continued. "Alura did what she had to do; I made my own bed. No, when your speedy friend…"
"Wife," Kara corrected, knowing he meant Rae.
"When your wife," Poe corrected, "left with that Earth genius it didn't take the prisoners long to figure out how to finish fixing the teleporter – most of the prisoners came here, to Earth. Some of the aliens want revenge on the House of El, and I'm sorry to say that your wife did you no favors by revealing you were here. The Kryptonians are organized under the House of Zod brothers. The aliens may or may not listen to them."
"Zod?" Kara stiffened at this. She knew General Zod had been defeated by Clark long ago, and also knew that more Zods were in Fort Rozz but she hadn't connected those dots yet. Rae hadn't mentioned the people she had saved Rafe from were Zods
-New Justice-
Rae and Barry exited the portal on an unfamiliar, empty road. There wasn't a building in sight as the pair paused.
"Okay, so where exactly are we?" Barry asked, looking around.
"Not a clue," Rae shrugged. "I don't really recognize this area, but I think if we go up here…" she began to move at fast pace, Barry keeping up behind her until they stopped – a small farm stood before them at the end of the road; Rae and Barry looked at one another before moving forward some more, passing through the gate before stopping.
"Do you think...?" Barry started, but was saved a thought when his own voice called out.
"Hey Red, lunch is ready!" A slightly bulkier, blonder version of Barry Allen exited the farmhouse nearby, moving toward the barn and not seeing his two new visitors as he entered the other building.
"I'm getting Mutant Earth flashbacks," Prime Barry muttered.
"Yeah, but this definitely isn't Kent Farm," Rae stated, knowing the farm well as she lived there, obviously. Regardless, they moved forward, heading for the barn themselves.
"…beef in the oven for tonight," the blonde Barry was saying in the barn as he spoke to a familiar woman who was tending to cows. "The kids prefer that, after all, but I think chicken–" his Kara, who was blonde albeit with red streaks in her hair, had looked up as her Barry was talking, and seen the two speedsters looking in. Her Barry had paused at her look before turning to stare at Rae and Prime Barry.
"What…?" This world's Barry started as Kara stood, moving next to him.
"If we were bad guys, you two would be in serious trouble by now," Rae stated, arms folded as she looked at the two, not impressed at all at the slow reaction to them.
"Multiverse?" This world's Barry countered.
"Yeah," Prime Barry nodded.
"Who are you though?" This world's Barry asked Rae.
"I'm Rachel Garrick – your cousin," Rae stated, almost automatically these days.
"I don't have a cousin…" this world's Barry pointed out.
"Gees, this is like déjà vu," Rae muttered, remembering when she had first met Karry Barry and a couple of others and had this very conversation.
"You do in the multiverse," Prime Barry pointed out, trying not to give a smirk at Rae's comment. They had done something similar too when they first met. "Which is why we are here."
"What's going on?" Kara asked, looking between the three speedsters.
"I'd like to know that too," Prime Barry pointed out. "You two at a farm that's not Kent Farm, not even using your powers…" He could see why the speed force was concerned by this Barry – as Rae had said, if they had been bad guys, Kara and Barry would have been in trouble by now, knocked out or worse by not springing to action at the first sign of trouble.
"We're retired!" This world's Barry quickly protested.
"I didn't even know that was an option…" Rae frowned at this. "Every hero I ever knew died a hero."
"To be fair here, most of your worlds' heroes died young," Prime Barry said. He could picture a future where he put down the hero life to live his twilight years with Kara with no worries - although not until maybe Skye and other kids were old enough to take over on a permanent basis though.
"Why don't you come into the house? We can explain," Kara sighed, giving her Barry a look as he sighed and nodded. "If you're hungry, I'll put on some bacon. We're having eggs and sausages for lunch, and bacon is quick to cook."
Rae raised an eyebrow at this but nodded. She never turned down bacon. She and Prime Barry followed behind Kara and her Barry, back to their small farmhouse.
-New Justice-
"What about you?" Kara asked Poe. "How did you escape the Fort Rozz prisoners to find me?"
"I made them believe I was on their side," Poe admitted. "And once on Earth, I left. It wasn't hard to figure out you would be here. I will tell you all I know of the Zod's plot if you will help me get off this planet. I wish to leave and find somewhere to be peaceful. Live out my days, so to speak."
"You served your time. I think we…" Kara never finished her sentence three throwing stars came out of nowhere, slicing into Poe's neck and chest as he fell to the floor. In the dome, any Kryptonian was weak. Kara turned and saw an alien woman, recognized this species: the Finlay, who were able to manipulate light. She must have been following, invisible until now.
"Kara Zor-El, your mother put me in Fort Rozz. I shall have my revenge!" the Finlay woman called.
"Not a good idea," Kara said, moving in front of Poe's body now. No one else had seen the attack, as Kara had placed herself and Poe into an unseeable part of the enclosure.
"Why not?!" The Finlay laughed, but Kara heard the roar – there was a reason she chose the Natu habitat as some of those nearby noticing the threat against Kara. One who would protect her.
"Because he considers me his mother," Kara said, as Simba ran forward, tail blade out and in one motion cut, he cut the alien's head off.
"Ew… good boy, though," Kara patted Simba's head and looked around; none of the visitors could see where Kara or the two other aliens were, but some were looking impressed by the roar Simba had given.
"Poe!" Kara remembered, kneeled down besides Poe now. "Hey, we'll get you into the yellow sun," Kara said,taking Poe's hand and covering the wounds. "Well get you help."
"No… Kara… The elder brother… he…. You…. El…" Poe gargled as blood filled his lungs. It made no sense as Poe gave a moan that sounded like his daughter's name, then stopped breathing. Kara could feel him go – there was nothing she could do for him anymore.
Kara sat on the floor, defeated. Another Kryptonian was dead. She may not have remembered him, but he had been, if for a moment, a connection to her parents and her long-dead home.
Slowly, she took out her Justice League communicator. She was going to need help to get the two bodies out of here without anyone noticing. She didn't need another murder investigation here, after all.
-New Justice-
Rae and Prime Barry sat in the small but modern farmhouse kitchen of this new world's Kara and Barry's residence; a big plate of bacon and a few sausages were sitting in the center of the round table while Kara fried up some extra eggs.
Both multiverse speedsters had noticed the curious pictures on the walls: an image of an old manor house, one picture of Kara with Mon-El, more images of Kara with Barry, and then pictures of children – at least three children, by the looks of it.
"Where exactly are we?" Rae asked, curious as this world's Barry sat down opposite them. She noted he was more muscular than the other Barrys she considered cousins, and his hair wasn't exactly blonde, but it wasn't brown either – more of a sandy color.
"Metropolis," this world's Barry stated as Kara served up the first of the eggs to her Barry. "The former home of Lex Luthor. After he died, Lena didn't want anything to do with the place so, after some negotiation, she gave it to us and helped knock down the former manor to create this farmland."
"Cool," Prime Barry nodded, appreciatively. "It's pretty. Surprisingly small considering how big Luthor Manor is."
Rae had grabbed some bacon, eating it as she looked around the kitchen. "Much smaller than Kent Farm," Rae gave a mumble. This was a lot smaller than the kitchen she was used to in her own farm house.
"The land around the manor is privately owned, so we needed to have as much land as possible on the property," Kara explained putting eggs onto Rae and Barry's plates now. "So, we designed a small house to get as much land as possible for our animals and produce."
"We went into farming because it appealed to both of us," this world's Barry supplied with a shrug to the curious expressions from both his double and Rae. "We wanted something that didn't require us to work in offices all days, so this was perfect, but let's skip the formalities," this world's Barry suddenly changed tact. "Ever since I came to this world seven years ago, we've not had any contact with my home world or any others. We don't have a Cisco on this world so no Vibe, so what are you doing here and why now?"
"To force you out of retirement, I suppose," Rae shrugged.
"Yeah, not happening," this world's Barry stated, putting an arm around Kara, who had sat down now, while using his other hand to wolf down the bacon and start on the eggs.
"It's going to have to," Prime Barry stated, helping himself to an egg, "because there's a Crisis coming."
"There's always a crisis, or an anti-villain league, or a Brainiac invasion, or whatever," this worlds Barry shrugged, leaning back as his Kara kept silent – there was something different about her to the Karas that Barry and Rae knew and loved.
"I don't think this is anything like that," Rae started slowly, glancing to Prime Barry who urged her to go on. This Barry was getting on her nerves more than alternate hers. "The speed force trained you, made you good and you've thrown that away for what?" She used the information she remembered from what the speed force had told her. It was pissing her off that the speed force put so much into this Barry and he had left it all behind.
"For a life!" Kara suddenly snapped at Rae.
"These powers aren't an accident. They are life," Rae snapped back before either Barry could say anything. "We are chosen to be so much more." she addressed this world's Barry now. "You can have a human life and be the hero too. Be what you were meant to be. I'm married to my own Kara and still lead the Justice League. So is this Barry," she pointed a thumb at Prime Barry, who was indeed married to his Kara and leading his Justice Society back home. "What the speed force did to you was a gift."
"What exactly did the speed force tell you about me?" This world's Barry asked, not phased by Rae's anger.
"Not much, only that she trained you and sent you here," Prime Barry pointed out before Rae could say more.
"She forced me to leave my home world forever," this world's Barry stated, "I was stuck inside the speed force for years, training, honing my skills… when I finally came to this world, I knew what I needed to do – to find Kara. I didn't expect to find a clone of her in her apartment."
"A clone?!" Prime Barry paused, now knowing why the speed force thought he'd be interested in this world.
"She was a puppet of Lex Luthor, but I opened her eyes to his manipulations and she turned on him; with the help of the Legion of Superheroes, we stopped Lex and then Kara… she left," this world's Barry picked up his egg at this and ate it in a flash.
"My original went to live in the future with Mon-El," Kara stated. "I took her place. But even after training from Clark, I just couldn't handle being Supergirl," Kara looked down at this as Rae and Barry let this information soak over them. Another clone of Kara.
"The Flash tried to fit in on this world," this Barry sighed at this, squeezing his Kara's hand now who didn't meet either Prime Barry or Rae's eyes. "But with the likes of Dreamer, Martian Manhunter, Superman himself, and the DEO protecting this world, the people never really grew too attached to the Flash. After a while I didn't really care to use my speed, and with Red here giving up her life as Supergirl and leaving CatCo –"
"Red?" Rae asked, frowning.
"I was called Red Daughter by Lex Luthor, but it was a name that stuck," Kara shrugged. "It's taken on new meaning with Barry. Legally I'm Kara Allen, but I'm Red in and about the home."
"You're married?" Prime Barry grinned at this, realizing the red streaks in her hair must be in reference to this nickname.
"Of course," Kara and her Barry said as one.
"Kids?" Prime Barry asked, but knew the answer already.
"One girl, two boys. Michael, Lucian, and Emilee. Twin boys and their younger sister," this Barry smiled. "All at school right now."
"Michael is named after a boy I once knew," Kara stated, a little sadly, but neither Rae nor Prime Barry decided to push this topic as an idea came to Rae.
"You'd do anything for your kids, right?" Rae jumped in, knowing on instinct that she would do anything for Leona already, and any other kids down the line. Ari, the unborn son from the speed force, came to mind for a second.
"Of course," this Barry sat up at this as his Kara leaned back in her seat.
"You'd protect them with your dying breath?" Rae added, "both of you?"
"Definitely!" Kara now stated, defiantly as she crossed her arms and her Barry nodded.
"Then you need to come out of retirement," Rae stated at this. "Because you need to protect your kids – if not for this world, then do it for them."
"Is this for that crisis you mentioned?" This world's Barry asked, shaking his head.
"Yes," Rae acknowledged.
"You seem so certain about it. What is it?" this world's Barry implored, looking between the two.
"We don't know much about it yet," Prime Barry pointed out. "But we know it's going to be the most dangerous thing this multiverse has ever faced; all worlds will be in danger, and we know all speedsters need to be ready – Kryptonians too," he nodded to Kara.
"I don't know…" this Barry stated, glancing to Kara.
"If you're scared…" Rae sat back at this, a small smirk on her face.
"I'm not scared!" This world's Barry pointed out.
"Then show me what you're worth," Rae said, vibrating, and without another word she jumped up. "I am the fastest speedster in the multiverse and the speed force said you were almost up to me. So, let's see what you've got. Unless you're chicken?" Rae turned and ran.
"Go," Kara stated to her Barry, biting her lip as the ghost of a smirk appeared on her Barry's face, he too speeding off in a flash of light, leaving Kara and Barry alone in a moment of silence.
"He did it for me," Kara finally spoke as she sat down, taking some cooling bacon, and eating it herself.
"Did what?" Prime Barry asked, taking some bacon himself too.
"Retired as the Flash," Kara stated sadly. "He knew I wasn't up for being a superhero, that I just wanted a quiet life after everything I've been through; I didn't have to tell him to quit, he just… saw what he wanted to see, made excuses to leave the hero game. But if you're right, if this world and all other worlds are in danger…" she left this thought hanging as Prime Barry leaned forward, taking Kara's hand.
"I have a daughter too," Prime Barry stated. "If I didn't think this was important, I wouldn't be here convincing a version of me to become a hero again – I'd be with Skye, my daughter. I hate leaving her side."
"I believe you," Kara nodded, sadly as Rae and this world's Barry reappeared in a flash of speed, both were laughing.
"See, I knew you had it in you!" Rae told this Barry, punching him playfully on the arm. The nerves he had pulled before had disappeared when they ran, when he was no longer denying his gift. She knew the speed force was behind that.
"I –" Barry started.
"Barry," Kara interrupted her husband's retort. "You need to do this. It doesn't matter if you don't believe this world needs the Flash – but our kids need the Flash. You need to get back out there, to run and train. I'm sure Alex and the DEO's offer to help is still there, to provide you with what you need."
"But –" Barry tried, but Kara had stood, moving over to put her arms over his shoulders, so they were face-to-face.
"I may not want to be a superhero, but you are, Barry Allen, and I don't want to hold you back anymore. The kids are getting older, are questioning their powers. You need to be there to help them, to help me… to help the multiverse," she glanced sideways at Rae and Prime Barry, who suddenly felt very out of place.
"I… okay," this Barry smiled weakly, but it was all his Kara needed as she leaned in to kiss him, wrapping her arms around his neck as they embraced.
"Nice one," Rae whispered to Prime Barry.
"You too," Prime Barry smirked at this. It seemed they'd succeeded in their mission.
-New Justice-
Kara was in Watchtower. The Justice League had managed to get both bodies out of the Sanctuary without any questions. Now though, Kara was waiting.
"Kara," Laurel walked in through the Zap Tunnel. "The Kryptonian body was cremated as you asked." Laurel held out a large jar to Kara. "What are you going to do with him?"
"He's not of my house but he was of no house. A no one," Kara said, looking at the jar of ashes sadly. "I'll say the prayer for him, like a family member would have on Krypton. Send him out into space. Hopefully, his soul will find Rao's light. No matter what he did in the past, he died well. He died a hero risking his life to warn me."
"He might have not given you the entire warning, but he did let us know one thing," Laurel nodded. "They are here." Kara nodded solemnly. The worst Krypton had to offer were now on Earth and it felt like they were Kara's personal responsibility – many of them were sentenced to the prison by her own mother, after all.
"Do you want me to stay with you?" Laurel asked.
"No," Kara said, shaking her head, wishing more than ever she had Rae here to talk to. She couldn't feel Rae in her bond, but this time it wasn't a worry – she was on another world, Kara knew.
"Want me to interrupt that very long speedster meeting and get Rae here?" Laurel asked, as if reading Kara's mind.
"Rae has not been on Home Base for a while," Kara said, knowing that as fact. "It's fine. Chris is going to join me." Laurel nodded. "Oh, and Laurel, I took one of the wombs for my own use so Rae and me can have a kid. I should have told you first."
"Kara, that's great," Laurel said with a smile. "No need to worry. You'll be a great mom." Giving Kara a brief hug, Laurel left, and it was only a moment later when Chris joined Kara. Together they'd say goodbye to Poe the Rankless and send his remains into the void of space to be one with Rao.
-New Justice-
"That was impressive – both of you," the speed force said as Rae and Barry came back into the park. "I was wondering if you were the right choice, Barry," she stated to Prime Barry, who did a double take at that, "But I know now you were the right one. You two must be on call now though. When I need you, I'll open a portal for you, and you must come."
"Got it," Rae said and Barry gave a nod.
At that, two portals opened.
"The right portal is the Sanctuary on New Justice; the left is the Cortex in STAR Labs where Cisco is still waiting for you to call for a return," the speed force informed them.
"So, you could have done this every time we came in here?" Barry asked, surprised.
"Yes, but you always had a way out," speed force smirked, and Barry rolled his eyes. Cisco waiting around was pointless then.
"I'll call the other Earths and let them know what we're doing," Barry decided, turning to Rae.
"Thank you. I'll see you soon," Rae said, and the two walked through their own portals.
-New Justice-
Walking out of the portal, Rae knew something was wrong from Kara's emotions – she seemed upset.
"Kara?" Rae said, seeing Kara in the living room. Clarky and Krypto were trying to comfort her. Clarky ran to Rae's side. She knew the other Kryptonian dog they'd saved from the Injustice Alliance was in the barn, though.
"Where were you?" Kara asked, looking up to Rae in annoyance. "Karry? Prime? What was so important you would leave like that?!"
"I was actually in the speed force," Rae said calmly, and Kara's anger was momentarily abated. "It's… a long story."
"The speed force?" Kara breathed. "You went back in there? Rae, we need you here! They're here – the Fort Rozz prisoners are here. One of them came here to warn me…" Rae raised an eyebrow. "He was my mom's former assistant and he died. We need you, Rae. It can't be more important than this."
"It is," Rae said, moving to sit next to Kara on the sofa. "I need to do this to assure I am here in the future. For you... for this earth… for Leona. I have to work for the speed force right now."
"What…?" Kara asked, confused by this statement.
"Before, when I disappeared," Rae sighed, "well, there's this being called the Monitor – he's been testing Earths to fight in an upcoming Crisis. He's the reason Karry's Rae was killed. This Crisis is being advertised as the biggest threat the multiverse will ever face and the Monitor said speedsters will die during it," she could feel Kara's shock. "The speed force has information and will tell me and Prime Barry everything if we do certain things for her. I have to do this, Kara," she now turned to face Kara. "This could be the only way we survive this."
"But… we need you to lead the Justice League." Kara pointed out mutely. "This – the Justice League – it's you. It's always been you," Kara said. "But this does sound important…" Kara was understanding, even if she was upset.
"Rock and a hard place," Rae leaned back, petting her dog. "There's only one thing to do," Kara raised an eyebrow. "You need to take charge, Kara."
"Me?" Kara asked.
"This is your people," Rae said. "Kryptonians. I would have leaned on you heavily for this, anyway. I chose you as second – you have done it before, Kara, you take care of this. I'll take care of the multiverse and speed force stuff. And we'll both be done before Leona is born."
"I'll try my hardest to be you," Kara moaned. The last time she had taken charge of the Justice League, Rae had been in the speed force. The fact this was happening again made her feel uneasy, regardless of Rae's encouragement.
"Kara…" Rae put an arm around her neck, putting her head on Kara's shoulder. "Don't be me. Be yourself. And I'll be here if you need an ear." Kara kissed Rae's head. "We'll have to tell the League I am stepping aside for a bit. But let's take time to do some baby shopping and be happy."
"Okay," Kara said.
"And tell me everything that happened with your mom's assistant," Rae added. "I want to know."
Post Chapter Note: …and so it begins! We hope you enjoy.
Karry Master and Beta OUT!