Crisis on Infinite Millma Earth – Part 3
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Visiting Purgatory
Oliver Queen of New Justice, otherwise known as Spectre, had brought the Paragons - Karry's Barry and Kara; Prime's Barry and Kara; New Justice's Rae; Beautiful's Kayla; SuperEarth's Kara; Hero's Mon; and Kingdom Come's Clark Kent – into Purgatory.
Looking around the familiar place, those that knew it, recognized that it looked like Lian Yu, but for Rae, there was something different from the last time Rae and even Karry's Barry had visited – the air was filled with white spirits. Billions of them.
"Are they… okay?" Rae asked her Oliver looking up, concerned.
"The unattached spirits?" Oliver sighed. "Countless numbers died when the Anti-Monitor destroyed the multiverse, but they may be brought back due to us – because of this, their spirits cannot move on but also cannot attached to Purgatory. They exist in a void around this place but be careful, as they will sense you and your connection to their worlds. They will call out for…." Oliver paused as he was interrupted by a flash and noticed Rae had run off. "Rae! You can't…"
"Well, that's unusual for her to do a runner," Prime Barry pointed out.
"Don't worry, I'll find her," Karry Barry stated, and ran off, before anyone could stop him.
"No… damnit," Oliver moaned as the remaining Paragons looked to him. "The pull of those gone is strong. Rae's pull was the strongest because this is where more New Justice spirits are and if she can't resist it…"
"Then we'll be pulled off too?" Beautiful Kayle pointed out, to a sad thoughtful nod from Oliver.
-Crisis on Infinite Millma Verse-
Rae had, indeed, been distracted from Oliver's explanation as she heard a voice calling out for her, who she knew was her Kara. The hole in her heart and mind, where Kara should have been, was hurting her more and she ran to follow the voice. As she ran though, Chris and other members of her New League were also calling for her.
Rae paused, finding herself standing on the ledge looking around.
"Where are you?" Rae whispered, wanted to see her Kara, her friends, but part of her knew this was futile. They were dead. She could not bring them back to life by running after their spirits and the only way to truly be reunited by them was by rebooting the multiverse.
Then she heard a sound of weeping that wasn't from the spirits around her. Moving cautiously away from the ledge, she saw a familiar face sitting on a rock – she was familiar, and the white strands of hair indicating this was in fact, Kara's Aunt Astra and not her mother, Alura.
"Astra?" Rae asked quietly; Astra looked up, surprised.
Before Astra or Rae could say another word to each other though, there was another flash of light, and Rae was suddenly running and fighting, acting on instinct as she grabbed hold of the speedster and threw him against a tree. Her arm was on his neck and her other hand vibrating, only to pause at what she saw: before her was a Barry Allen, and this wasn't one of the Barrys she had come here with. It was her Barry, complete in the yellow Reverse Flash outfit she had killed him in.
"You haven't lost your touch since I died, I see," Barry said as Rae backed away. She remembered asking the Speed Force to remove Barry from hell and the Speed Force agreeing to move his soul to Purgatory, but somehow, she had never expected to see him again – even when Oliver mentioned they were going to Purgatory. It had never crossed her mind. "You have only gotten faster, cousin," her Barry concluded
"Well, you live and learn," Rae stated, not sure what else to say. "Why did you attack me?!"
"To knock some sense into you," Barry sighed. "I saw you all the minute you arrived and saw you run away. Saw you call for her. These things aren't going to answer back," he indicated to the spirits in the sky. "You needed a kick in the ass and if there is one thing I can do, it's that."
"You want to help me?" Rae asked, not acknowledging her mistake in running away from the group.
"You helped me," Barry said and Rae knew what he meant. She had taken him out of hell. "You don't know what it was like down there and you never will. But the multiverse has collapsed and it's time for you to do what you do best."
"And what's that?" Rae asked.
"Be the hero," Barry said. "The hero I could never be and will never be." Rae gave a nod at this, not sure whether to smile at her cousin or not. This wasn't like being around Karry, Prime or SuperEarth's Barrys, who she considered more her cousin than the man before her. "Although I do have three questions for you that have been killing me…" Barry added.
"Killing you?" Rae asked, an eyebrow raised at this wording.
"Figuratively speaking," Barry shrugged; Rae gave a nod. "Okay then… would you have really let me go, to leave Central-National and never return?"
"In a heartbeat," Rae said, remembering her offer to Barry when he escape; to leave and never come back.
"Damn. Okay," Barry sighed. "But how did you do it? I killed you," Barry said. "And then you were there." Now he was referencing the time he'd died, when he thought he'd killed her, only for another version of her to turn up to kill him.
"She was a time remnant," Rae stated. "I traveled back in time to join myself and created an extra me."
"Okay," Barry stated, not sure what else to say to this one. "Final question. After everything I did to you, after killing everyone you love… why did you break me out of hell? Why didn't you take comfort in knowing I would burn forever for my crimes?"
"The truth?" Rae said as she smirked, referencing what she was Paragon of. "I love you, Barry. I didn't want to see you hurt. And honestly, I don't like who I become without you. Any version of you."
"Touching," Barry stated, the ghost of a smile on his face now at this revelation.
"Now if that is all, I should go," Rae added.
"Run Rae, run," Barry said, as Rae ran off, running in the direction she had come only for Oliver to appear and stop her.
"Rachel Garrick! I was just looking for you," Oliver stated, Rae coming to a stop.
"Wait, where's everyone else?" Rae asked, realizing they were alone.
"One ran off after you, the others were called away by ghosts," Oliver acknowledged. "Although I see someone knocked some sense into you?"
"My Barry is good at that," Rae said, a small smile on her face now at her encounter.
"Ah yes, our Earth's Barry Allen. Thank you for putting my murderer in here with me," Oliver stated, and Rae had to pause; she had never thought of that before, but by the look on Oliver's face, he wasn't angry or disgusted. He was being sarcastic and, as Spectre, had risen above those human emotions that had riddled him as a human. "We need to find the others."
"Wait, Astra!" Rae said, remembering. "I saw Astra."
"Astra In-Ze," Oliver nodded. "She is of our universe. She has been in Purgatory much longer than I. She sits and sobs. Guilt driven over things that happened in her life. Unable to move on."
"How do you know that?" Rae asked.
"Purgatory is mine. I know all the residents within, their reasons for why they are here and how they could move on, or the ones who can't move on at all," Oliver said. "And there is nothing you can do for Astra. Not you, at least. And we need to continue, to find the others. And I know which resident will be attracted to Kayla and she is close."
-Crisis on Infinite Millma Verse-
Beautiful's Kayla's heart ached as she heard her sister calling for her, and then Caitlin with the girls – and even her own Barry. She had grown close to the man she considered a brother-in-law already.
She had run after them, ending up deeper into the island. "Caitlin…" Kayla moaned, now almost able to see her wife in one of the ghosts. "Kara… Little gem, Marley… Barry. Topar... Krypto," Kayla mumbled sadly, one of the spirits coming close to her from above.
"Away!" A new voice yelled, waving her hand. Kayla had to pause at the voice. "That's the lowest I have seen one of those get..." the voice added as Kayla turned to come face-to-face with her mother.
"Mom?" Kayla said blinking
"Kaylar Zor-El," Alura said with a smile and opened up her arms. Kayla didn't think as she took her mother in close, so happy to see her again. "And you're alive. I can tell. You're different somehow from the others I have met here."
"Yeah, I am alive," Kayla said. "How did you know I was Kaylar and not Kara?"
"A mother knows her daughters," Alura said as they pulled out of the embrace. "Besides, Kara is up there." Alura pointed up at the spirits. "Must be hard on you – a broken bond is not fun. I know it well. Come, sit," Alura led Kayla to a tree that was down, the mother and daughter sitting on the remaining log.
"If you're here," Kayla now voiced, putting it together. "You never made it off Argo?"
"I did not," Alura said with a nod. "I was going to get into the ship with Lara, Jor, and Gal, but we got separated. Before I could get onto another ship, I noticed a lot of them had problems. I went to the controls and made sure as many of our people got out as possible."
"Why are you here?" Kayla asked, concerned now. "Why not go into Rao's light?"
"Two reasons, my love. First, I needed to know that my girls are safe and happy, but I also need someone to say the prayer. To send me off into Rao's light," Alura said.
"Mom, you sent us away and we are good. Clark – Kal – was a man before we got there, but he set us up with an old friend of his, Lana Lang, who treated us as her own daughters. Kara married Prince Mon-El of Daxam and had a son," Kayla said.
"I'm a grandma?" Alura grinned at this.
"Yes, you are. To Kara's son," Kayla said taking Alura hand. "Mon died when Topar was born. He was defending Earth, but Kara is now with another man, a meta human named Barry Allen. She's happy – or at least she was." Kayla looked up at the sky. Kara's soul was up there, somewhere, now.
"And you?" Alura asked.
"I am an actress. Pretty famous, actually," Kayla smiled. "I married a wonderful woman and love her two daughters as my own," Kayla waited to see what Alura said to her unusual love life but was surprised when Alura hugged her and then kissed her cheek.
"I wish I could meet them," Alura said, making Kayla smile.
"You don't need to worry about us anymore. Let me say the prayer for you? Let me help you move on?" Kayla suggested.
"No," Alura said, looking up. "Kara is up there. With everyone else. They are not moving on or attaching to this place. My guess is, they can come back."
"If me and my friends succeed on our mission, then yes they can," Kayla said.
"Then I cannot move on until Kara is alive again and the two of you together say the prayer," Alura said defiantly. "You go save your sister, and then you honor me."
"I will mom," Kayla smiled, leaning into her mom now.
"Kayla…!" Kayla heard Rae's voice call out, as if from afar.
"Oh, that's my friends," Kayla said as Oliver and Rae came into sight before them. "Or at least two of them…"
"Kayla, we need to…" Rae paused, seeing Alura with Kayla. "Is that Alura or another Astra?"
"A version of my sister is here?" Alura asked, standing.
"Alura Zor-El of Beautiful Earth," Oliver spoke, and Kayla gave a nod. Part of her had been hoping this wasn't her mom, that it was another version, but Oliver just confirmed it for her. This was her mom. Any hope of her mom being really alive gone. "Yes, there are versions of your sister here – and a few more of you – but we need to take your daughter."
"Take good care of her," Alura said with a nod as Kayla now stood and hugged Alura once again.
"Of course," Rae said to Alura, and surprised the woman, but hugging her too. "I'm sorry, there's not many of you alive, and I need to hug a version of my mother-in-law when I can."
"Kaylar…?" Alura asked, glancing to her daughter in confusion. Rae quickly pulled out of the hug.
"She's from a different Earth," Kayla explained, taking Rae's hand to which Alura gave a nod and smile. "I'll set you free from here when I get Kara back."
"I know you will," Alura said. "And I may try and find these versions of my sister while I'm here," Alura added, contemplatively as Kayla, Rae and Oliver moved away.
"Now Clark…" Oliver said. "I think I know who has found him."
"How do people from our Earths find us?" Rae had to ask. "This is the entire multiverse after all," she looked above to the spirits filling the sky.
"Those of the same Earths or people you knew in life are drawn to each other," Oliver explained. "Come on. Kingdom Come's Clark is coming face-to-face with his past and he might need some help afterward."
-Crisis on Infinite Millma Earths-
Clark had heard her calling for him, and with so many questions left unanswered, he had to find her, he had to get to her. He had to see his Diana.
Clark looked up at the spirits; Diana had called and then he heard his Aunt Alura and then other members of the Golden League, who had died with their world, but the voice not calling for him was obvious. Kara. He had really hurt his little cousin and it physically hurt him to know that – part of him wondered if maybe he shouldn't have left the Fortress when Diana came for him, to stay in there. If his Kara didn't want to know him, what was the point?
As he pondered his life, he was shocked by the hand being placed on his shoulder; no one could ever sneak up on him without him noticing. He jumped, only to be shocked by what he saw.
"I never thought I could surprise you," Lois said. It was his Lois.
"Lois," Clark moaned, and didn't pause any longer as he hugged, and then kissed, her. "But… you should be in your heaven!" He knew this was his Lois, because he knew from the multiverse system not many Lois Lanes were dead – and none had this Lois's face. Besides she was as young as she was when she died on his Earth.
"I've been stuck here since I died," Lois said a little sadly. "When Joker killed me, killed everyone in the Daily Planet... my last thoughts were to you. I worry about you. It's kept me here."
"I never wanted that," Clark said, shocked that her emotions kept her here.
"It's what happened when you care for someone," Lois said calmly, taking Clark's hand.
"You were in Purgatory, and I was in a purgatory of my own making," Clark sighed, thinking to his own exile after her death. "Maybe we really were soulmates."
"A purgatory of your own making?" Lois asked.
"The Fortress. After your death I became a recluse, living in there in my own sorrow," Clark admitted.
"Oh, Clark," Lois muttered, sadly.
"Diana got me out though, helped me find my roots in leading the Golden League to a new era, but the Justice League… it's not what it was," Clark didn't know why he was pouring his heart out now, especially with his world gone anyway. Maybe it was because Lois was a great listener? Or maybe it was because Lois was always the one who could see sense in the madness of his life?
"Bruce was killed, and Oliver lead the new Justice League in killing every villain they face – even those who don't know any better, or those who were caught in the middle, were killed. It's bad, Lois. And even after this Crisis is over, after I bring back my world, does it all remain the same? I am back leading this Golden League but part of me wonders what's the point?" Clark sighed. "It feels like a battle that will never stop against something does not want to change."
"But you bring hope," Lois pointed out. "And that's always the point." She put an arm around Clark and kissed his cheek. "After this Crisis is over, you're going to go back and you're going to change our world because of who you are."
"Change my world?" Clark moaned. "Even my Kara doesn't want to know me, just because I wasn't there when she arrived. I didn't even know she existed until we met face-to-face," Clark pointed out, to a sympathetic hand squeeze from Lois this time.
"Well then, you're going to get Kara to forgive you. You are going to find a woman and have children. Live an amazing life," Lois pointed out.
"Meet another woman? No way. How could I forget you?" Clark asked, pulling away from Lois in shock at these words.
"You don't have to, but you need to live a life," Lois pointed out. "I will always be here with you." Lois put a hand over Clark's heart.
"And I am always with you," Clark said truthfully. "But I don't want you here. Maybe I shouldn't have unburdened all that on you, but you deserve to be happy."
"Promise me," Lois stated, "promise me that you will do all I just told you to."
"I promise," Clark said.
"Say it like you mean it," Lois added, and Clark smile.
"I promise I will put our world together; I will find someone and have a life. I promise I will do everything I should have when you died… before you died," Clark said, determination in his voice – determined not to let Lois down. "And I promise one day we will be together again."
"Thank you," Lois said and kissed Clark cheek and, to Clark's surprise, she became a white light that faded before Clark's eyes.
"Lois Lane of Kingdom Come has moved on," Olive's voice shocked Clark as he turned to see Oliver, Rae, and Kayla Lane. "She has moved on to her heaven."
"Her heaven?" Clark asked.
"Heaven is whatever a person makes of it," Oliver stated. "Your Lois is where she belongs now."
"Right," Clark didn't know what to say to that, still a little lost now. "But she's alright?"
"She's perfectly alright," Oliver smiled at Clark now, who nodded, reassured.
Kayla and Rae looked at each other and with a nod, both knew what they had to do. Clark was shocked as both women hugged him together, but put his arms around both of them anyway.
"Thank you," Clark whispered, not knowing how much he needed that hug.
"Come, we still need to find the others," Oliver pointed out, but gave a small smile. The paragons bonding was a good thing. "But I think SuperEarth's Kara might need us. She might not be as pleased with the person she found here as you three were."
"Oh?" Beautiful's Kayla raised her eyebrow at this statement.
-Crisis on Infinite Millma Earth-
SuperEarth Kara knew the minute she left the group that it had been a mistake. She had gone running for her Barry, but she knew her Barry was dead. Closing her eyes and trying to feel the bond with one of these spirits was pointless, too, as she couldn't feel anything as strong as she had felt when he was alive.
"Hey, you shouldn't be here," a voice spoke, and Kara stopped, coming face-to-face with look at a man she couldn't forget but wished she could.
"Echo," Kara said, glaring at the man that had caused trouble for their world some years ago, leading their own Amelia Allen to try to break him out of jail.
"In the flesh, well, sort of," Echo stated. He wasn't exactly alive here, so he wasn't technically flesh and bone. "Don't worry about, Tremor. He went to hell upon death."
"Is that supposed to be you confirming you were good all along?" Kara asked, wondering if Echo was trying to make a point; while Barry and the others had been more sympathetic to Echo, she hadn't liked him from the start. He'd been too… convenient.
"If that was true, I would not be here," Echo pointed out, and Kara realized that was a point, too. "It is true though; I was not all good. I worked with the Monitor and helped make sure June found Enchantress," Kara's eyes widened at this. "It's why I showed up in time to give you all the information you needed. I swayed your Amelia Allen and Belle to gain trust with the other worlds."
"Why are you telling me this?" Kara asked, trying her best to keep her cool.
"It must be this place," Echo shrugged. "It makes you admit to the things you don't want to – maybe that's Purgatory to me."
"Do you know what happened to Mila because of you?" Kara snapped, unable to help herself.
"Mila?" Echo asked.
"Millie, Amelia," Kara said, using the names Amelia Allen of her world went by. "She fell in love with you – a version of her own son." Echo didn't seem surprised she knew that. "Enchantress stole her soul and used her against us. She was possessed by Enchantress for a time, so don't think I feel sorry you're here. You deserve this."
"Maybe I do," Echo sighed. "I am here because I did bad, but I also did good. I am stuck here forever. No moving on one way or the other for me," Echo admitted. "But the Infinite Crisis the Monitor told me about is here and it is time for you to move. I once told Millie and Belle that you're the best – and this just proves it. Your one of the paragons."
"I'm guessing the Monitor told you that?" Kara asked, folding her arms at Echo knowing she was a Paragon.
"Obviously," Echo shrugged, but then Kara punched him. She didn't even know she had until it was done, but it felt good for doing it as the man stumble backward, clutching his nose.
"That's for everything you did," Kara snapped. "And it's useful to know you still feel hurt down here."
Before Echo could reply, Kara heard her name being called and turned to see Oliver, Rae, Kayla and Clark – her other Paragons, and Spectre.
"What's going on?" It was Clark, looking at Echo and frowning. "Do you need some help?"
"I can handle Echo," Kara said as Echo stepped backward, putting distance between himself and the others.
"Who's Echo?" Rae, Kayla, and Clark asked as one
"Oscar Ramon, also known as Echo," Oliver said, surprising Kara, who raised her eyebrows at Spectre.
"Oliver Queen, also known as Green Arrow or is it Spectre now," Echo said.
"How did you know who he is?" Kara couldn't help but ask.
"I know everyone who has a place here in Purgatory," Oliver explained, turning to face Echo. "And we don't need Monitor's puppet. Your part of Crisis ended a long time ago."
"I thought I could…" Echo started, but then stopped, obviously thinking he could have been helpful to the group but deciding against it. "No, I was wrong. You don't need me. Maybe you never did." Echo moved away, heading into the trees now.
"I never needed him," Kara muttered darkly.
"Now, now, Kara, everything happens for a reason – even Echo," Oliver stated. "Well, it seems we're only missing Karry's Kara and Barry, Prime's Kara and Barry and Hero Mon."
"You seem to know who to get to next, so lead the way," Rae pointed out, her eyes flicking to where Echo had been, wondering if she should ask Kara more about him when Crisis was gone.
"Indeed, but it may be a little trickier than we imagined, as Prime Barry might have found an old friend," Oliver said as Beautiful's Kayla put an arm around SuperEarth's Kara, indicating for her alternative sister to follow along as Oliver took the lead, heading off to the next location and to Prime Barry.
Post Chapter Note: Yes, this chapter has so much in it, we're splitting it in two! Next week, we'll find out who Prime, Karry and Hero meet in Purgatory, before moving on and back to Crisis itself.
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Karry Master and Beta out!
