The New Normal – Paranormal/Extranormal Earth.
Disclaimer: None of the characters are owned by me. Well, maybe Rach and Roland as they're Millma Verse characters…
Facebook: FanFiction Millma Verse Page.
Note: So, this extra chapter came about through talking to Millie on how to settle things between New Justice and Paranormal/Extranormal. The speed force bits was just added fun.
Conversations with Rae.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Franco Ramon asked the question as he sat with Rach and Roland in their base of operation. It was in fact an old chapel which had long since seen its last days of worshippers. Now Roland, Rachel, Amelia, Barry, Caitlin, Franco and Cynthia worked out of it. They had a few computers set up, hooked on to generators, and a makeshift medical area, but it was theirs. For the moment, they simply called it The Base.
Today it was just Rach, Roland and Franco, the latter of which held a small device in his hands and was looking in concern to Rachel as he hesitated with the device.
"Yes. I need to speak with the speed force, and if this worked on my dad all those years ago it will work on me," Rach stated resolutely. It had only been a few days since she'd changed the timeline, and she still didn't have many memories of this new world, but she seemed to be running on instinct currently. After Roland had 'reminded' her of The Base, he had gathered the others here, so Rach could tell them what she had done – they hadn't been impressed but were glad she wasn't going to change it back. She had felt familiar with them from the get go, too, which pleased her – then again, she and Roland were their designated leaders after all.
"You can't let this go?" Roland now asked his sister. "You changed the timeline, you've decided you're not changing it back, so why talk to the speed force? What can it tell you that dad hasn't already?"
"Dad knows a lot, but I need to know more. I need to know if this was the right decision," she now told her brother who sighed and sat back. "Franco?" She looked back to the other man who sighed too.
"Okay. This goes on your temple," he placed a three-pronged plastic-like device over her left temple. It was connected by a very thin wire to two other devices – one was just a pad with a button on it, and the other plugged into the computer. "When you want out, you press the button and it will disconnect your cerebral link to the speed force. You should get a visual representation of the button too when you're in there," Franco explained as Rach held the button and Franco now plugged her in to the computer.
"So… what next?" Rach looked a little downtrodden as nothing seemed to happen.
"I switch you on," Franco smirked as he pressed something on the touchscreen.
Suddenly the room fell away and it was all Rach could do not to scream as everything went a bright white before dulling to deepest black. She couldn't even feel her own body as she experienced herself just as consciousness on another plane of existence. That was, until a voice spoke.
"You're an idiot, Rachel," a figure appeared before her, taking shape as it folded her arms.
"Oh no, not you… anyone but you," Rach groaned as the other figure became solid; it wore her face, but the outfit was wrong. She had a helmet, just like Rach's father, a red top and blue pants and even had the goggles – although they were on the helmet instead of over her face.
"I'm not her," Rae of New Justice spoke as she took a seat. No room formed beyond her as the two Rachels sat in the black void, but Rach definitely felt like she had a body now as she looked down at herself to find she was in her own Ms. Flash outfit.
"Then why did you take her appearance?" Rach asked her double, who smirked at that.
"I have a great fondness for Rachel Garrick of New Justice," The speed force Rae said. "I didn't have many biological children before Jays across the multiverse started having kids. There are many Rachel Garricks around, and some are Rolands, of course. Some have the same beginning as Rae; their mothers dying at birth, me saving them, and even their father dying not long later in different ways, but none with the exact same history. It's very interesting how none exactly match each other, but I do favor New Justice Rachel – she's had the most bad in her history, the most death. The one who should have the most desire to change the timeline and yet she has made the right call twice. She chooses not to change the timeline or to change it back. She is strong... unlike you. And, since you have a dislike of her, you get her face."
"Okay…" Rach stated, not sure what to think of that or try and take offense. "Regardless, I wanted to ask you…"
"I know, and I repeat: You're an idiot Rachel," Rae stated blandly. "I don't look kindly onto any of my children changing time. I really frown upon those willing to keep those changes."
"Hey, the world I came from…!" Rach started.
"Was unique," Rae pointed out. "No other world worked the way yours did. Run by the military, no democracy, a disbanded Justice League of sorts. You changed all that, so you could be normal, so you could fit in."
"No, I changed it by accident and didn't change it back because it was better. My father even said I had a choice," Rach pointed out, not liking this version of Rae any better than the original.
"Better doesn't necessarily mean best," Rae stated. "Time happened the way it did. Do you even know what you did? The lives you destroyed by changing the timeline?"
"I guess I don't have your approval on this then?" Rach stated, no longer feeling optimistic on the matter but not wanting to debate it further.
"No. But I understand your method," Rae said, not unkindly now.
"You're not going to punish me?" Rach asked.
"Well, normally I would send Black Flash or one of my time wraiths to you, but no, I'm not punishing you yet," Rae said; Rach didn't like the way it was said.
"Yet?" Rach asked, wondering if she should question Black Flash and time wraiths too.
"There are only a few of my children who do not come to me for their afterlife," Rae said. "I take them at their last moments, make sure they do not live pass their times. For speedsters that have my favor such as New Justice Rae, Karry Barry, Prime Barry, SuperEarth's Barry and so many more out there they get Paradise. But you won't – you're not going to Paradise when you die Rach; I'll let you live out your days on your new Earth but when you die you'll be nothing more but bones in the dirt, or ashes in wind."
"But… You're the speed force itself. You could remove yourself from me, make me normal," Rach voiced this, not caring about this speed force Paradise anyway – this was the first time she'd been told about it and her views on death were more black and white, after all.
"Do you want to be normal?" Rae asked, curiously. "Because that is a punishment in itself."
"No. Living my life normal would be the worst punishment you could do. I like being a hero. Before, on my old world, I liked my powers for personal use, I had no need to be a hero, but when I came across a version of me who was a hero – you, in fact – I realized I could be more. For a moment I looked up to you, admired you. But you turned your back on me and my cousin, proved how different you really are and got yourself injured because of it," Rach had wanted to tell Rae that since she'd come back home, but her cousin had refused to go back there, and they didn't even know Franco in that timeline. Plus, deep down, Rach didn't want to do more damage than she apparently already had.
"Again, not me. I'm just wearing her face," speed force Rae stated. "But you must understand, your world put her through a lot of pain. It killed her father, and nearly killed her – twice."
"Actually, it was just one man. For her to hate the entire world over the double actions of one person…" Rach had wanted to voice this, too.
"No one thanked her. Your father even lured her to your house to confront a family she didn't want to know. There was more than just one man after that. Your POD also played its part," Rae stated.
"Doesn't being a hero mean sometimes not taking thanks?" Rach pointed out. "Besides, it's a reason why I'm not changing the world back. In my new timeline my dad didn't lure you, Rae, away. He talked to her in the DEO where Lyla didn't get in the way. The DEO even let her, and her Justice League, stop Maxwell Lord," Rach stated, Jay and Roland having filled her since she'd come to the new timeline.
"You don't get it do you? That doesn't matter! That Rae still has the other memories; the same memories that lead to her being ravaged by Savitar after you and Amy went over there. Those memories aren't going to change, and no matter what your father says to her, her feelings won't change. Why are you so obsessed in getting this other Rachel's approval, anyway?" speed force Rae asked.
"You're the speed force. You're a part of me. Surely you know why?" Rach countered defensively.
"I need to hear you say it…" Rae muttered.
"Oh. Okay…" Rach's face fell at that before she sighed. "It's like I said: I admired her. From the memories I have of my old world, your version of me, this hero, appeared before the family. Everything my dad was and more. Leader of her own Justice League thing. I wanted to know more, to be more like her. But she didn't want to know. She didn't care."
"She does care," Rae pointed out.
"Funny way of showing it," Rach snapped.
"She might not show it in the way you like, but she cares in her own way. You're like a little sibling, your world, one who's always annoying and gets Rae in trouble – regardless if that was the intention or not. All Rae wants to do it move out of her home and only see that sibling at Thanksgiving and maybe Christmas. Don't you understand? She likes being different, having a different life. She doesn't want to be reminded of what could have been or what was taken from her," Rae explained.
"Well, I never want to see her again, the real her, so I think that one's sorted," Rach muttered, somewhat understanding this analogy.
"It's strange. She has protected you twice. Nearly died twice for you, but you hate her because she didn't want to talk. Can't you see from her point of view how you're the one in the wrong? She could have left you to be killed by Savitar, but she did not. Stop being childish and move on with your life the way she did," the speed force Rae stated.
"I'm not being childish…" Rach wasn't sure how else to respond to this, unable to see how seeking someone's approval could be childish, even if that was, essentially, the 'old her'.
"Why did you come here, Rach?" Rae changed the topic. "You wanted more than my approval on time-travelling. Something you knew you would not get. Your father told you it himself."
"Oh. Yeah. My memories. Granted you don't approve, but I still have my original memories – I remember things that happened in the new timeline, but they're still fuzzy, they're not taking hold," Rach wanted to know if they ever would.
"Give them time. You'll never lose the original memories, but you must allow the new ones to take hold. It's like waking from a dream, but in reverse – normally you remember the details for a few minutes, but then they start to fade until you forget it all. In this case, they'll come to you over time until they're as clear as if they're real," speed force Rae stated.
"Oh. Good. So, I just need to wait. Would it help if I run? When I'm running, training, I remember more clearly. I feel emotions and remember scenes, but they fade when I stop."
"Muscle memory. Your connection to me. It's when you're the most active, the most comfortable. Yes. But remember Rach… while these memories are real for you and all your world, across the multiverse, the events from the original timeline remain as fact, and always will. Like the last twenty years of your new world never happened. Changing one timeline does not change the others," speed force Rae warned. "Even the Kayla who was once on your world doesn't have fond memories of your world anymore."
Rach sighed. "I know, it's why dad's going to explain…"
"Indeed. It's going well, or it went well, or it will go well – time isn't so linear for me," speed force Rae smirked.
"And Roland?" Rach now asked.
"What about him?" Rae frowned at the change in topic.
"He exists in this timeline; in the original he didn't, but I thought… I mean…" Rach tried to find the words.
"He existed in your original timeline too," Rae stated, Rach opening her mouth in shock. "Maxwell Lord, he took Roland when your mother gave birth to twins and because of his powers, his abilities, he convinced everyone at POD, and your parents, that your mother only ever had one. You. Even your father fell to it when the power shouldn't have worked. He was easily able to doctor the scans posthumously, too."
"But wait, that doesn't…?" Rach was confused.
"The new timeline," Rae stated simply. "The Justice Alliance was stronger than the original Legion of Superheroes. While they couldn't stop Lord's overall plan, they did manage to save your sibling. It helped that POD collapsed pretty quickly due to Lord than came back stronger like in the original timeline. But that's a story your parents ought to tell you themselves – strictly speaking, no one's told either you or Roland about Maxwell taking your brother."
"But why did Lord want to? What happened to Roland in the original timeline?" Rach had to know.
"He wanted to know a way to remove the speed force from your father. He felt the best way would be studying Roland as he developed, but the scientist who he hired didn't like his experiments. They ran with the boy never knowing Lord himself had to run from the world later. They kept Roland hidden and raised him themselves for his protection," the speed force stated. "If you had not changed the timeline you would have met Roland eventually – and still had Jonnie."
"Wow," Rach muttered, looking shocked at that. "Wait… why does Jonnie not exist on this new world, then?"
"Isn't it obvious?" The speed force groaned. "Two speedsters were too much for your parents. They decided they could not have a third. Your mother made sure she could not get pregnant again."
"Oh," Rach said, her parents not having told her that.
"Anything else?" speed force Rae asked, looking annoyed now.
"Urm. I suppose not," Rach stated, remembering the button in her hand. She looked down to find it there. Perhaps it was time. "Thank you," she looked up at her other world double. "I understand more now. I will be more careful and patient – and make sure I and my friends never go to New Justice."
"That may be a wise decision. Rae prefers worlds where she doesn't exist; she likes being unique," speed force Rae stated simply.
"Yeah. I have a feeling no matter how many of us are out there she will always be unique," Rach merely said as she pressed the button. The speed force Rae vanished before her as everything went white again, and as she blinked, The Base came back into focus; Franco was by his computer while Roland looked concerned over to her.
"Rach! You're back," Roland grinned as Franco turned on his chair to look at her.
"Did you get your answers?" Franco asked as he moved forward and took the device part from her temple.
"Yeah… I think so. On more than just memories. The speed force…" she was about to go into detail but then stopped, smiling to herself. "You know what? I could do with a run."
"Oh. Okay," Roland stood at that. "But what about the speed force?"
"I think it's personal," Rach smirked at her brother before running off, leaving only air and some flying dust in her wake.
"Personal? But we're the same people! We shared a womb for nine months!" Roland complained as he gave Franco a momentary glance and chased after his sister.
"I guess I'll put this away then…" Franco muttered to himself as he turned back to the computer. It was amusing when the Flash Twins chased each other, but when one lead the other to chase their tail it got annoying. But they had been chasing one another since they were one, after all. Franco sighed as he got back to work.
-Paranormal/Extranormal-
"Are you sure you want to do this?" This time it was Amy who asked her uncle this question. "You heard Rach. She hates us now."
"And it's because we messed up," Jay said, not liking the way they had handled interactions with New Justice in the other timeline. "I need to talk to her."
"Fine," Amy said opening the portal for herself and the Uncle to New Justice. "But I may not stay."
…
New Justice Earth-
Rae was in Kara's house in the Sanctuary, showing off the metal still around her neck. When she had missed going to get the award from the President, she had thought that was it, but the President had finally rescheduled it. Rae had finally been able to get the award in a nice ceremony in Central-National. She had got the medal and a piece of paper signed by the President.
"Are you going to get the official photos?" Kara asked smiling.
"They asked me where to send them. I told them to send it to CatCo," Rae told Kara and Kara gave a smirk.
"Well me, you, and Chris are going out to a nice restaurant to celebrate. Then we will come back here," Kara said smirking going to kiss Rae.
That was when a portal opened, and the familiar forms of Jay Garrick and Accord came out. Rae groaned. "I have no hope on this one not being Paranormal?" Rae said, pointing at them with an eye roll.
"I guess that would be us," Jay answered, knowing from Rach they had been called Paranormal.
"Why does your world want to ruin this award for me?" Rach asked, taking the medal off and placing it on the counter. "I'm the first person the President ever decided to give award like this and somehow you keep popping up to destroy it."
"I'm out," Accord said at this. "I'll open a portal once you're ready Uncle Jay." A portal opened, and Accord was gone.
"We're not out to get you, Rae. I need…" Jay started as Rae frowned at Acord leaving so promptly. It seemed she, at least, had finally got the message.
"You really could have fooled me," Rae said, cutting Jay off. "Every time our worlds cross, somehow my one gets screwed over – I get personally screwed over: The first time my dad dies; the second time I nearly die; the third time I nearly die again, and for some reason we keep on saving you. So no, I'm not exactly thrilled to see you."
"I get it. We have done all the things you said by your memories," Jay said calmly, unfazed by Rae's attitude, but making Rae raise an eyebrow at the unusual comment. Jay knew, while the third time did not happen from his perspective, it had happened here and if Rae had not saved Rach then the new timeline would not exist. It was almost a paradox, but it definitely counted as a time when Rae had helped them. "But you see the world is not as you remember it. Rach… she ran back in time accidentally and completely changed the timeline."
"Like that Flashpoint thing you and Kara mentioned," Chris Lane spoke up, walking in; he was wearing smart pants and a button up shirt. He was trying to get a tie around his neck. "The one where Barry was killed when he was eleven so didn't kill the rest of the League."
"Why do we tell him anything?" Rae said, annoyed Chris had just revealed that to Jay. "And what's with the tie?"
"Kara said I had to wear one and since I have to wear one for school I should learn how to tie it," Chris said.
"Come here," Kara called, motioning for Chris to come near her. She was distracting herself with tying the tie but keeping an eye on Rae.
"Okay so I did it too, but it was more Savitar's fault and I changed it back." Rae finally addressed Jay, who was patient. He remembered Rae's attitude from his memories and this version was the same. "I brought my enemy back from the dead to fix the timeline. It's only an inexperienced and naïve speedster who messes with the timeline and does not fix it," Rae continued. "But I have no surprise that's what your Rach did."
Jay wanted to argue that his daughter was not inexperienced, that in the rare case a 'Flashpoint' even could make the world better but paused. His Rach, the one he remembered was trained and knew about timelines like this Rae, but the Rach she was now he could see wasn't as good as his memories. Her alternative memories hadn't yet taken hold; although she'd remember her other life forever, he suspected. Roland was even teasing her about it, but the joke was getting old, fast. "Regardless, she chose to keep the timeline." Jay finally spoke. "And I need to now fix what went wrong between our two worlds. Can we sit?"
Jay indicated to the living area and the couches. Rae gave a look over at Kara and Chris – Kara still trying to get the tie. "Give me that," Rae said, going over to her girlfriend's cousin and tying the tie at superspeed.
"How do you know how to tie a tie?" Kara asked.
"I dated Frankie," Rae said, taking Kara's hand and following Jay to the living area. The group sitting down; Kara and Rae on one couch, Jay on a chair and Chris standing behind the couch. "So?" Rae leaned into her girlfriend as she waited. Jay was beginning to wonder if coming here was a wise decision after all – Rae was doing everything in her power to not have this conversation, but he knew he had to fix one thing, even if it meant having to deal with Rae's distractions.
"I know in your memories I took your goggles and lured you to our house," Jay voiced, Rach having informed him of this, and Rae rolled her eyes. Jay taking her goggles had been something that had really pissed her off at the time. She didn't know where he got the nerve to do that. "I didn't do that though. There's no Amanda Waller any more, and POD has been gone for many years. I actually got a slight chance to talk to you before you went to get Lord, in my recollection of events, and knew you would not want to see the family. Afterward, we had a conversation and we left on good terms. I know you do not remember this, but I want to tell you this again, from what I remember telling you."
Rae didn't say anything, seeming to wait for Jay to continue. Jay took a deep breath as he did. "You see, Maxwell Lord was my responsibility. Mine and the Justice Alliance. We failed. We could not stop him from going to your world. I wish we had. I wish I was in your father's place. Because my world was my responsibility to protect. Not his."
"Well," Rae said after a moment, a little surprised. "That's what heroes do." Rae knew her father would have still donw the same. To protect the world. She would still have destroyed the machine too knowing it was Paranormal. "But it is nice to hear you say you should have been the one protecting your world. It just seemed your world did not care what protecting you cost us. Hell, I do not think anyone even said thank you that you're not all dead."
"Kayla might have," Kara said.
"The one person who hated the world more than me," Rae said with a laugh.
"Well, I am thankful," Jay said, ignoring Kara and Rae's exchange. He remembered Kayla, and while she had remained on their world for a long time, the only thing she really didn't like the Kryptonian Sanctuary in Metropolis, or her older alternative. She had helped the DEO from time to time too on her own terms. But that Kayla was gone. He was doubtful the one out there now would gain new memories from an alternative version of his world. "I'm thankful for what you and your father did for us, and I will never be out of yours, or his, debt for it. But I know you enjoy your life now. You've moved past the bad, but I told you this before and I will tell you again. If you ever want to get to know your family, we're here."
"Well, the thank you is a surprise," Rae said, "and your world will be in my debt, I agree, but here's something your world just can't seem to get their minds around. I don't care for you." Rae leaned forward, Kara putting a hand on her shoulder. "I don't want to get to know this family. I don't want to get to know this little sister…"
"Actually, she doesn't exist. Rach has a twin brother instead," Jay interrupted.
Kara and Rae gave each other a look. "Isn't that why that Rach came here?" Chris asked as the dogs barked. Clark, Krypto, and Misty had all come into the living room, suspicious of their new visitor.
"Anyway, I don't want to know him. I don't want to see an alternate mom. You're not the version of my dad I like hanging out with. And I have less than zero interest in having a better relationship with an alternate version of me. I don't want it. I prefer the worlds where I do not exist. Karry, SuperEarth, Prime, Alien. Those Earths. I want to just live my life without you."
"Fair enough," Jay said, standing up as Clark gave a bark. "I am leader of the Justice Alliance and have great influence on my world – I shall try my hardest to make sure we never cross paths again. But, I do hope we're on better terms now though, and if our worlds are forced to cross again I hope we can work together without animosity."
"Fine, sure," Rae dismissed Jay, wanting to get back to the celebration. They had dinner reservations to get to after all. "But if we do work together, it's not me nearly dying next time."
"I shall make sure death is not on the cards next time and if there is a choice… well, I told you earlier," a portal opened before him, Accord obviously not wanting to come back, as Rae paused at this comment before turning to Chris again.
"And Chris, go get your jacket. It's a nice restaurant." Rae said to the boy. Jay turning around to look at the exchange.
"You two are not even dressed yet!" Chris complained but Rae ran up the stairs and returned a second later, in a dress making Kara giggle. She had to get dressed as well. "Fine, I'll find the jacket."
Jay had to smile at that scene, not moving toward the portal yet as he spoke. "You know, you're just like your mother."
"What did I just say?" Rae asked, annoyed that Jay was comparing her to Joan.
"I don't mean Joan. I mean Nora," Jay said. "Nora is a strong, passionate woman. Dedicated and caring. She gave those traits to you. To her daughter – maybe not hers biologically, but you are hers in your heart. She gave you those traits. The ones that make it so easy to have this family life here and be the hero. I get it. Nora is your mom. Henry is your dad. You might have hated us for our part in your father's death, but you don't regret your life. You wouldn't change it for anything."
"There's a difference between being angry about the bad in your life and loving the life you have," Rae said. "I have chosen to find and create a life I love. It doesn't mean I want anything to do with the world that caused all the bad."
"And I get that. Again, I am sorry for what our world has done to you," Jay said with a nod. "I wouldn't want to be in your position. Maybe one day, when everything in your life is together, you'll have more forgiveness in you. You know, I received my award from our second President many years ago – Joan and I had a good night then, so I hope you two have a great evening too," Jay nodded to the medal Rae had left on the side with this comment. "So yes, enjoy your dinner, you deserve it," With that, Jay stepped back through the portal, leaving New Justice for what could very well be forever.
"Seems new Paranormal makes a better impression," Kara said, knowing Rae had appreciated Jay coming and taking responsibility and even saying thank you.
"They don't make as many assumptions," Rae agreed. "But you need to get dressed. Me and Chris are ready, slow poke." Chris had returned with a nice jacket on it and Kara gave a smirk going upstairs.
Post-chapter note: I hope you enjoyed. Rach got a telling off and a warning from the speed force, and New Justice and Paranormal/Extranormal are on better terms. On Friday I shall be doing one last update for this chapter with the history of Extranormal Earth, then this time next week Karry Prime returns! Fun.
Captain Sigma, out!