Earth-1
Central City
Caitlin wasn't going to admit to anyone, except maybe Cisco. How much these new arrivals freaked her out. It was nothing they had done, if anything the two of them had seemed quite nice. If a bit quiet, especially in the case of Cyborg. But they were truthfully, rather unnervingly intimidating.
Cyborg was well a cyborg. She didn't want to think about the level of technology, both mechanical and biological, that was required not only to build but to keep someone like him alive. She could tell Cisco was having the same thoughts, as he stared at the visitor with an intense awed filled gaze.
Wonder Woman was something else entirely. The woman looked like she'd stepped out of the pages of a fashion magazine. Caitlin wondered briefly what kind of fashion magazine that would be, as she took in the woman's armour and weapons. Cisco seemed to be shooting the obvious warrior strange looks that boarded on dreamy.
The two of them had claimed a spot in the S.T.A.R labs command room and hadn't moved since.
She stood besides Cisco at the computer bank and tried to call Barry. Tried to, because the moment she reached for the comm system a gust of wind came that scattered paper and sent her hair flying. A usual signal that Barry had just arrived.
"Hey guys" He greeted, but what ever else he was going to say was lost when he spotted the two guests. He seemed to do a double take, eyes wide as he turned back to his friends. Cisco gave a sympathetic half smile and a shrug. Barry glanced back at the new faces. "Who are your friends?"
Cyborg and Wonder Woman exchanged looks. He spotted the armoured woman mouth something to the cyborg that looked like 'Barry?' to which the metal man seemed to shrug.
"Flash," Cisco spoke up, "These guys are travellers…from a parallel Earth."
"Oh!" Flash exclaimed in realisation, "Like the other Flash!"
"Other Flash?" Caitlin asked arching an eyebrow at him.
"Yeah, I ran into another Flash. I thought he'd come through by mistake, like I did when I travelled to Kara's world. But…." Flash trailed off, before looking around the room. "Hey! Where did he go?"
Just then a second gust of wind and a burst of light came as a second Flash appeared in front of them. He was dressed similar to their Flash, but different as well. Not as dissimilar as Jay's Flash outfit had been. The red of his suit was brighter, with more yellow bolts decorating it.
"Sorry," The new Flash said. "I was exploring. Man, this place is different! This is so weird!"
"Yeah. I've been in your shoes before." Earth-1 Flash said, "It's a bit…. strange."
It was then the other Flash noticed Cyborg and Wonder Woman.
"Hey guys," He called before speeding over, "You came through too. Wait! You are my guys? Not some more weird doppels?" He asked gesturing to the other Flash in the room.
"Hello Flash," Wonder Woman replied with a small smile, "Yes we came through a portal to this world also."
"Yeah where the hell did that portal come from?" Flash asked his teammates.
"It was my fault," Cyborg stated morosely even as Wonder Woman made a sound of disagreement. "There was a breach at the S.T.A.R Labs in our Central City it affected my suit somehow. Hijacked my comm network I have set up with the others. It corrupted and overload my ability to create Boomtubes."
"Boomtubes?" Cisco said repeating frowning at the unfamiliar word.
"Later," Wonder Woman said as she stepped closer to Cyborgs side. "It wasn't your fault. It was a freak accident that was brought on by scientists playing as if they were the Gods."
Caitlin and Cisco exchanged looks, it seemed S.T.A.R Labs had a history of that the Multiverse over.
"So how many portals opened?" Earth-1 Flash asked looking between Cyborg and Cisco, the two most likely to know the answer.
"The portals were created using my comm and Boomtubes," Cyborg commented, "I have fair distance capability with my comm system but it's dependent on location. Bottom of the ocean or off planet is too far."
"Off planet?" Cisco repeated in shock.
"So, a few team members would be out of range," The visiting Flash started, crossing his arms.
"Off planet!" Cisco repeated louder, "You have team members that leave the planet?"
"Yes," Wonder Woman replied simply, and just when Cisco felt he couldn't get more stunned she added. "Regularly."
"Do you…do you have ships?" Cisco asked in wide eyed awe.
"Some," Cyborg answered shrugging his metal shoulders with a whirl of machinery. "But not everyone needs them."
"You have people that fly up there…regularly." Cisco stated just to make sure. "With out the use of spaceships…which you have anyway."
"Guys," He said softly to his friends, as he slumped into his computer chair. "I'm getting world envy."
"So how many were in range?" Caitlin ever the practical mind asked, said pulling the conversation back into point.
"Other then those here," Cyborg answered, "Four others. Usually located in Metropolis, Gotham and Star City."
"Star City!" Earth-1 Flash exclaimed before sharing a look with Caitlin and Cisco. "We know some people there, we should probably give them a call…. Just in case."
###
Earth-1
Metropolis
Doing things Bruce's way involved less skulking on rooftop and terrorizing people then she had expected. In fact, it was the complete opposite.
The small park was empty given the time of night. Faintly lit with seemingly random placed lighting. The city gleamed in the moonlight and glowing windows. It was Metropolis, but at the same time it wasn't. The buildings she recognised, but the city itself was different. After she had appeared in her own Metropolis, the city had changed. It had embraced her appearance and reinvented itself as 'The City of Tomorrow'.
This Metropolis had never done that. It was unsurprising, considering this world didn't have a Superwoman.
While thinking of familiar things, looking differently. She glanced to her left to person sitting beside her on the park bench. The man sitting besides her, was someone you'd look over in a crowd. Surprising considering who he really was. He flicked his way through an abandoned newspaper, completely unconcerned by her staring. He knew she was, there was no way he wouldn't have.
Bruce Wayne hidden in plain sight.
His handsome face almost unrecognisable under the scruff. The faded, plain outfit hid his build. He looked so different, and it was throwing her off more then the city around her.
She herself had reverted to her Claire Kent outfit. The woollen vest and pantsuit outfit she favoured while working as a reporter. Her long black hair pulled into a sloppy bun.
She looked down at the newspaper. They had managed to find out a bit about the new world. It wasn't the chaos filled disaster world they had feared. It was surprising similar to their own. But there were differences.
There was no League here. No Superwoman or any alien, Kryptonian or otherwise. There was a Bruce Wayne in Gotham, but no mention of a Batman. There was a Green Arrow in Star City and Flash in Central. With a few shattered reports of some other masks around. S.T.A.R Labs a world spanning research organisation in their own world, was barely existent in this one. Save for a single lab in Central City, that now seemed to be a museum.
"So, what now?" She asked after a moment. She tilted her head to look at her companion. "We know there's no other Super's here. Very few hero's even."
"We need to figure out what brought us here, and how to get back home," Bruce replied. At least his voice was the same, she noted with a sigh. "I'm going to try and get the Batwings computer operational, see what I can find."
"I'm going to do a sweep," Claire said climbing to her feet and pointing upwards. "See if Harley, Killer Frost or…..Metallo have made any appearances."
"Be careful." Bruce replied giving her a concerned look, "This isn't our world. It is still largely unknown. So try not the be seen."
"Got it," She sighed, "Probably a good idea. You be careful too. I'll check back in with you in a bit."
And with that she shot into the sky.
###
Earth-1
Metropolis
"There is nothing in this world that even resembles fun," Harley whined pushing her computer chair so hard it rolled back into the opposite wall. "Oof."
She tumbled on the ground, pigtails flying wildly before she settled on the floor on her backside and pouted.
Killer Frost watched her out of the corner of her eye before sighing. "I'm probably going to regret asking but… what are you going on about?"
"I did a computer search for people we know," Harley explained gesturing wildly to the computer in the small office building they'd broken into. Before huffing and crossing her arms. "But there's nobody there. There's no Bat's or Boy Wonder. Pengy or Catwoman. No Ivy! There's no Puddin!"
"How about any of the other capes?" Killer Frost asked. Instead of doing what she really wanted and make a joke about a world without pudding. It was a well-known fact, joking around with Gotham clowns was no good for the health.
Still pouting Harley shook her head. "Just a couple here and there. Mostly the fast guy, Flash. And that stupid Batman wanna be, the arrow guy."
"That's good," Killer Frost remarked. "If this world doesn't have as many 'heroes' it's less problems for us to worry about. We just have to deal with the ones that came after us…. if they even did."
"You mean Bats and Sups?" Harley said after a moment, sounding remarkably 'knowledgeable'. "Believe me they did."
"Okay," Killer Frost said slowly before gesturing to the prone form of Metallo. "How long before he finishes powering up. I've been lugging his heavy metal ass since we came through that portal."
Harley looked over at the metal figure then back at Killer Frost and shrugged.
"I thought you said you knew how to fix him!" Killer Frost bit out.
"And you believed me?" Harley gasped sounding stunned and bit delighted about the fact. Killer Frost snarled at her, icicle's forming around her hands as the temperature in the room plummeted.
Harley rolled her eyes, before singing "Chill out Frosty."
###
Earth-1
Star City
Diggle had seen Oliver go through multiple different emotions in the years he'd known him. The man had been through hell and had come out a chipped jagged weapon. He'd seen him stunned, sad, mournful and scared. He had never really seen him broken before, not until this night.
And it was all because of a ghost.
Diggle himself was having a hard time at the sight of Laurel in front of him. And he wasn't the one with the longest history with her. Even though Oliver and Laurel had never gotten back together, and had she lived he wasn't even sure they ever would have. He knew Oliver had loved her. They all had loved her, and they all had lost her.
Now she was standing there in front of them, looking healthy and full of life. And it didn't make any sense.
"Laurel," Oliver managed again, he'd past white now and was starting to look a little grey.
"I've gone by a few names," Laurel remarked flicking her long pale blond hair over her leather clad shoulder. "But I don't think Laurel was one of them."
"I dunno," The Green Arrow looking man, and wasn't that another issue all together, stated sending the woman a fond smile. "It's kinda cute."
"Watch it Robin Hood." The Laurel double replied with a smile of her own.
"Seriously guys," Diggle huffed finally. "What is going on here!"
"That is a very good question." The other Green Arrow replied, reaching a hand up to his ear. "I can't reach any of the others. Can you?"
He looked to Laurel, who copy his attention reaching for her ear. "I can't reach the rest of the team."
"Who are….?" Whatever Oliver had been about to say was cut off when Felicity's voice sounded over their comms.
"Hey guys. I just got a weird call from Cisco," She said into their ear pieces. "Something about parallel world and doubles possibly running around. Have you seen anything weird?"
Diggle and Oliver both looked at each other, then back at the double and the ghost in from of them.
"You could say that."
###
Earth-1
Metropolis
Stan was a small-time crook that dreamed of making it big. That was why he'd chosen Metropolis as his home. It might have been a no where city, run by greedy rich guys that took all the money and left nothing for the little guy. But at least you didn't have to worry about any hero sweeping in.
His boys were unwinding, sprawled around the converted warehouse base. The place had probably been someone's meal ticket, but had been dried out like every where else in this city.
"Nice place you have here," The voice was eerie. It was obviously female, but it was disturbing in a way that sent a shiver down his spine. Or maybe it was the malice that was dripping from it.
The group spun around to watch the new comer stroll into the midst without care. Her appearance was as strange as her voice. Her lips were dark blue, and her hair white. Her eyes however silver, gleaming glowing silver. She smirked, dark lips pulling upward. "Nice, in a somewhat cliché kind of way."
"Who the hell are you?" Stan demanded, pulling his gun. "How the hell did you find us?"
"Followed one of your goons," Her dark smile widened. "We are taking over."
"We….?"
A second figure appeared, a tumbling flash of red and black turning backflips around the room. Giggling like a two-year-old on a sugar rush with pigtails. As quickly as she appeared she was amongst his men, sweeping through them with spiral kicks and some definitely below the belt moves.
"Bitch," He snarl and moved to point his gun from the freak to the weirdo. Only for the white-haired woman to gesture at him. Her hands seemingly to start steaming.
Ice. Freezing cold and hard formed around his hand. His yell of pain and fear was cut short when the white haired woman was suddenly in front of him. Yanking his head down to meet her lips. He barely felt the cold this time as it entered him, freezing everything in its path.
He was dead before he hit the ground.
Killer Frost calmly stepped over the mans body, turning her attention on the remaining thugs. The ones Harley was half sitting on.
"I hope you boys are smarter than he was," She remarked, "Now…. who wants a job?"
###
Earth-1
Central City
Cisco and Cyborg stayed behind to work on the computers. Searching for any mention of other portals opening. Well truthfully, Cyborg did the searching while Cisco stood and stared in shocked awe at the speed the other man searched through files. Wonder Woman stayed with them, watching the two of them work with a small amused smile.
The two Barry's went for a walk around S.T.A.R labs corridors. The only reason they didn't complete the tour in a few seconds was because Caitlin went with them. At some point one of the Flash had pulled down his hood, she wasn't truly sure which one did it first. But she wasn't surprised, such a decisive move of trust was so very…Barry.
Now there were two of them walking side by side ahead of her. Talking about things only Barry's and Flash's would know or understand.
They both seemed so happy about it too.
"Oh wow! You have your own race track!" The visiting Barry's voice echoed back to her, as they turned the corner into the speed lab. "Oh…. Hi."
Caitlin leant around the two Barry's to see who they were greeting, only to smile at the sight of Wally and H.R in the middle of the speed lab. They both broke off their conversation and turned to look at the new comers. Both their gaze flicking from one Barry to the other.
"Doppelganger?" H.R guessed using one of his drum sticks to gesture in one of the Barry's direction.
"Yeah," Both Barry's answered together.
"I'm Barry obviously," The visitor Barry said with a small wave, "And you guys are?"
"You don't know me?" H.R asked using his drum stick to gesture to his face. At Barry's negative, he shrugged and introduced himself. "H.R Wells."
"Wally West," The young man beside him stated, still looking from one Barry to the other. As if he wasn't sure how he felt about the whole thing. Caitlin reasoned he probably wasn't, she wasn't completely sure herself. Dimensional travel had course more than enough damage to their team.
"West?" The new Barry repeated, turning his attention completely on Wally taking in his appearance as if scanning him, comparing him. "West as in…. Iris?"
The faint red dusting across the visiting Barry's nose was actually comforting in its familiarity. Caitlin made an amused sound and shook her head in fondness.
"I guess somethings are the same the multi-verse over."
###
It had taken some doing to get them to fully trust each other. Well maybe not trust each other, Diggle thought shooting a glance at a sullen Oliver beside him. More like it had taken some doing just to get them not to attack each other.
Cisco's word had helped. Felicity had hooked the S.T.A.R labs tech into their comms to explain the situation. Someone named Cyborg, of all things, had spoken to the two new/old faces.
"Dimensional travel and Doppelgangers," Dig muttered to Oliver, "Ever since Flash appeared…. Man, I remember when my life was normal" He thought for a second before adding "Somewhat."
Oliver merely grunted in response, a shadow on his face from more than just his hood. Dig glance back at the source of his friend's mood.
The double of himself must have thrown him, but the double of Laurel seemed to have wounded him. He didn't know if it was the sight of her that had brought up the guilt he obviously still felt regarding their own Laurel. Or was it the sight of her happy and alive when they had lost her.
Knowing Oliver, it was probably both.
The side hidden door to the Lair opened quietly, and Oliver and Diggle stepped through to guide the blind folded duo into the basement. The blindfold was more symbolic than anything else. It wasn't as if the two of them couldn't remove it whenever they wanted. Not that it mattered, he'd overheard Cyborg tell the two that he had a lock on their location. He could still hear Felicity's small huff of indignation that came with that information. But even the illusion of security seemed to make Oliver happy.
"Hey guys," Felicity said as she walked over to greet them. She completely ignored Oliver's unhappy look. He was no doubt annoyed that she had chosen to stay when he'd told her not to.
"You guys can take those off now," Dig said to the newcomers, ignoring Oliver as his glare switched from Felicity to himself.
Oliver clenched his jaw and took a sharp breath before ordering. "Do it,"
The two removed their blindfolds without fuss and seemed to start scanning their new surroundings the moment they could. Felicity despite having been warned still gasped at the sight before her.
"Laurel…." She managed, blinking against sudden tears.
"Well… kind of," The double said with a shrug, "My middle name is Laurel. But I usually go by Dinah."
"Dinah," Oliver repeated, and it seemed as if he'd grabbed onto the difference as a grounding effect. Another sign that this wasn't the woman they'd lost.
It seemed to both help and make it hurt even more.
Felicity took a moment to gather herself, stepping back to gesture to the lair. "Welcome to the Arrowcave!"
"I thought we weren't calling it that anymore?" Dig remarked. Oliver ignored them, as he walked off into the lair. He noticed that the archer hadn't put down his bow yet.
"Arrow…. cave? Laurel or rather Dinah repeated before shooting her companion a laughter filled look.
"Oh, shut up," The other Oliver laughed back, before leaning in to whisper something. Diggle thought he heard something along the lines of 'Not telling' something to 'Hal'.
Despite not knowing the cause it was still good to here the sound of Laurel's laughter in the lair again.
A/N:
Green Arrow in the comics has been accused multiple time of being a Batman copy, and not only that a bad Batman copy. Especially by Harley. Despite his complaints that they are nothing alike. I thought it was funny that this Harley would have that opinion, coming into a world were Green Arrow obviously is a very badly done Batman copy.