Legacy of Lightning

By Michael Weyer

This was a story requested by a few people in terms of "Infinity Crisis" fall-out and decided to expand it a bit more. Again, a TV Tropes page on this fic and all comments welcomed.

Barry grunted as he rolled back, feeling the shockwaves of the blast of energy. The Thinker calmly paced before him, his face set as ever. "I congratulate you, Mr. Allen. I had anticipated you being here much later than this. And with my wife at your side."

"She came to us," Barry winced. "Told us how you were changed." He looked up at DeVoe with anger. "How whatever good that was in you is dead."

"Good. Evil. Such foolish labels. Once the Enlightenment takes hold, such things will be immaterial."

"Right. Because people won't have the intellect to deal with it." Barry shook his head. "You really are twisted, DeVoe. You truly think the world's better with you the only smart person around?"

"It cannot be worse."

"That you actually believe that is what's so sad."

"No, Mr. Allen. What is sad is your belief that you can win. Your allies are scattered. The city is powerless. The satellites are in the air."

"But you still need the relay stations."

"Which are spread across the planet, not merely the city." DeVoe smirked. "As ever, I am ten steps ahead of you, Mr. Allen."

"And that's the problem, DeVoe. You're so busy thinking so far ahead…you miss what's right in front of you."

DeVoe was frowning when a beeping came from the console nearby. Turning, he saw a map of the world with several dots flashing. As DeVoe stared, one of them went out. Then another. And another. "Wait…what…Those can't be hacked!"

"No," Barry admitted. "But they can be torn apart fast."

The Thinker was thrown as he saw more of the dots blinking out, one after the other. "How…how is this…Wally West is elsewhere…Jesse Wells is on her Earth…There is no way…."

Barry had to smile at the sight of DeVoe as, for the first time in way too long, something was happening that he could never have anticipated. "How is this happening?"

A crackle of electricity flared before a figure arrived in a blur of blue lightning. He was clad in a suit much like Barry's although tougher and more complex. He had a grin on his face as he waved to DeVoe. "Hiya. Thought time we met. Oh, sorry, your relays are down so pretty sure those satellite things of yours aren't going to work."

DeVoe simply stood, his eyes staring out, utterly unable to comprehend what he was seeing. Grinning, Barry rose to his feet. "To quote a mutual friend of ours…you didn't see that coming?"

The Thinker was trying to handle this shift, his mind whirling to focus on what to do next. Normally, it would take him a second to adapt to a plan, even if it was makeshift.

A second was far too long to two Flashes.

In a blur, they were both on him with multiple punches, smashing DeVoe a hundred times in a minute. As he rocked back, the Barry he knew put a device to his temples and backed up. "Okay. Let's hope she was right on this."

DeVoe let out a yell of agony as a shock echoed over him. The other Flash looked over his shoulder as a breach opened, allowing Vibe, Killer Frost and Marlize to step out. The woman had a look of sadness on her face as she walked forward, looking at the shaking DeVoe. He looked up at her, his mouth opening. "Marlize…You…Why?"

"Because it had to be done." She shook her head. "I was compliant too long in your schemes, Clifford. This insanity had to end."

"You…I…"

"Loved me?" She sighed sadly. "The man who loved me died when that accident happened. I just didn't want to face it until now."

DeVoe gasped and shook harder. "No…No….this is not…my world…" He stopped as another voice came over him. "You're right. It's mine."

With a loud and final gasp, DeVoe slumped back. His face began to shift before taking on the appearance of a younger man who blinked before sighing. "Oh…wow…That…was something."

"Ralph," Barry grinned, pulling him to his feet and into a hug.

Ralph shivered. "Thanks for this, guys…Really. I mean, it was one thing to get turned into dust a week back and then put back but that…"

"Knew it," Cisco grinned. "The Dusting affected DeVoe's control over Ralph's mind, gave Harry's device the boost he needed to reassert himself."

"So, he's dead." Marlize wiped her face. "Sorry, it's just…a lot."

Ralph was looking about before his eyes fell on the other Flash. "Um…who is this?"

"Oh, call him Barry-Blue," Cisco intoned. "We do, after the lightning."

"Long story," Barry explained.

"Can we have it over dinner? Because DeVoe was so against pizza but I've been dying for one."

Barry-Red (as he'd been thinking of himself for a bit) left the main lab where the others were bringing Ralph up to speed on what had been happening since his being taken. It was going to take a bit settle down the damage he'd done but at least it was a major threat dealt with. Barry had to admit it was a lot easier with the help of his doppelganger than it would have been without him. As Cisco couldn't avoid saying, it sure "sped up" the process big-time from putting Harry's intellect back to taking out his plans.

Which was why Barry was a bit bothered by how his double was just sitting in the hallway, staring off into space. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Come, we may look different, but in so many ways, we're the same guy. We just beat a bad guy, saved the city, that's a major thing. Trust me, after the year I've had, celebrating it a good thing."

"Ah, just thinking of when I get back," Barry-Blue said. "I still have to handle my dad..."

"Listen, again, I can help..."

Barry-Blue shook his head. "No, told you already, I need to figure that part out on my own. If I do have some...Reverse-Flash, better I handle it on my own before I drag you into it."

"We still disagree on that. But I get that's not all that's haunting you."

"It's just…" Barry-Blue sighed. "I never had any training for this. I'd never been in a fight. I'd never done battle. I just pushed people and ran away fast." He shrugged. "One time, I did use it to save Iris when a car was coming at her."

"Really? Me too." Barry-Red shrugged. "Guess one of those universal constants."

"Anyway," Barry-Blue went on. "I was just…messing around with it all. Even the hero thing was just a lark. Then Bruce gets me and I'm forming a League and working it in Central City. I've got a job, I've fought aliens and monsters and starting to get some of the same Rogues you do." He frowned. "Why do they accept that name, anyway? Rogues, it sounds like a bad sports team but they love to brag about it."

"Just be happy your Captain Cold doesn't know who you are."

"That was stupid, dude."

"It wasn't my fault!"

Barry-Blue waved a hand. "But it still doesn't feel…real. Like I'm just…I don't know, a pretender." He waved to Barry-Red. "Then I meet you and you seem to have it all together…"

He was cut off as Barry-Red let out a long laugh. "All together? Barry, I make mistakes all the time! I've been to prison! I totally screwed up the timeline! I am not the guy you should be looking to as a role model!"

"But you've got Iris," Barry-Blue insisted, waving around. "And all this. You've got friends, family. Me? Outside of the League, I just don't know a lot of folks. Most are work colleagues but nobody I really hang with." He sighed. "Then I got Dusted and that did a number on me. I just worry…I can't live up to any legacy."

Barry-Red looked at him for a long moment, pursing his lips. "Come on. Get the suit."

Barry-Blue frowned. "Why? Where are we going?'

"For a run."

Earth-3

"Huh. This is….interesting," Barry-Blue said as they exited the breach into Earth-3. He noted the airships flying overhead and whistled. "Wow."

"Yeah, apparently, the Hindenburg never crashed here so zeppelins are still a thing," Barry-Red said as he led his counterpart to a small lab building. Each vibrated inside to come to a large lab area not unlike STAR Labs. They came to a halt before a man in his 50s who looked up from the chemistry set before him. He was dressed in a white coat over a simple suit and smiled as he took in the visitors. "Barry! And…I'm guessing, Barry?"

Barry-Red unmasked. "Barry Allen of Earth-51, meet Jay Garrick, the Flash of Earth-3."

"Huh," Barry-Blue said as he unmasked. "How do you figure the numbering out?'

"Cisco."

"Of course."

Jay sighed. "Barry, really hoping not another evil speedster. I'm retired, remember?"

"Actually, no," Barry said. "I just thought this Barry could use some advice."

Before Jay could speak, a blur echoed as an attractive woman showed up before them. "Jay, hey I…Oh, Barry!"

"Jesse," Barry grinned at Jesse Quick. "What are you doing here?'

"Sort of an exchange program thing we figured out," she explained as she peeled her mask off. "I spend time here and Jay's new apprentice gets some experience on my world with my team. She needs it."

Barry nodded before making quick introductions. "I thought it was time this Barry got some insight and figured this was the best place."

Barry-Blue looked at Jay. "Huh. So you've been at this a while."

"I have," Jay answered. "It was a lab accident that gave me my powers, not too different from Barry. It took me a while to understand the Speed Force and figure out how to help people but it felt…good."

"I get that," Barry-Blue stated. "I just feel that…sometimes, it gets to be a bit much. My dad is in jail just like this Barry. And I could get him out in an instant but I know I can't. I just wasted so much time on low-level stuff, didn't even get a real job for a while. Even with the League, I feel like the rookie who barely has a handle on things."

"You need a support system," Jesse stated. "A good one." She leaned back. "When I got my speed, it took a while to really get it to work. And once it did…well, it went to my head. My dad was trying to be supportive and I ignored him for some friends of mine. I just kicked him out of my life, hell, off of my world and thought it was for the best." She looked down. "It took nearly losing him to realize how bad that was. And how much of a jerk I was being cutting him off when he just wanted to help me. We've reconciled but it's better to accept help when it's offered and not think you can do it alone."

Barry-Red nodded. "If I didn't have Cisco or Cait when I got my powers…I really don't think I could have been nearly as successful. Oliver told me the biggest mistake he made starting out was thinking he could be a one-man crusade. He needed Dig and Felicity to get better and now he's got a team."

"We get it," Jay pressed. "Open up to others is a risk and it can put them in danger. But no matter how fast you are, you're only human. It's like I told Barry once, we're not gods. We're men…and women," he nodded to Jesse. "Blessed with amazing powers. But we've got the same problems of so many people. Going at it by yourself is just too much, even for folks like us."

Barry-Blue rubbed his chin. "I guess you're right. It's just tricky. I really don't get out much…"

"Your first thing to do when you get back," Jesse suggested. "Come on, plenty of time to connect to people with the speed."

"Maybe," Barry-Blue said. "It took a while to figure out how to clean my apartment in a second without blowing everything around."

The other three speedsters made matching groans. "Oh, that happened to me too," Jay said. "Took me as long to clean up afterward as it would have without my speed. Had to figure out how to tighten my field to keep the wind down."

Jesse grinned. "I remember how I thought I could get through my closet instantly. Instead, had clothes flying over my entire apartment."

"So get some friends to help with my clean-ups?" Barry-Blue asked. "I just don't mean my place. I mean when I screw up like you all say I will?"

"That's not much different than having friends at any time," Barry-Red pointed out.

Jay looked to Barry-Blue. "More importantly, they keep you grounded. They remind you of what you're fighting for."

Barry-Blue nodded at that. "Yeah, that's what Clark says. I asked why he has a day job when he's freaking Superman. He replied that it's the man part he puts first, not the super side."

"Good advice," Jay agreed. "And that's what you need to remember. I'm sure this Barry already told you about his mistakes." Barry-Red nodded. "I've made a lot. So has Jesse. Hell, so has anyone in this life. What matters is how you bounce back from them and learn from them as well."

Barry-Red looked to his doppelganger. "Plus, it helps not to take everything on yourself. My biggest mistake, the one I kept making, was blaming myself for so many things. My mom, people dying, so many events that I thought were always my fault. The rest of the gang got me to face up to how taking the world on your shoulders isn't the best move."

"Remember that nuke," Jesse stated. "Alone, Barry couldn't have beaten it. Hell, even we couldn't help like we wanted. It took Iris to get Barry to the solution needed."

"That's a common problem," Jay threw in. "We get so used to the powers, we think only we can have the solutions. It's amazing how someone outside this can have the perspective we need."

Barry-Blue nodded. "I'd need folks with smarts…savvy…and a good heart."

"And trust," the other Barry said. "In themselves as much as you."

"Barry says you've already saved the universe." Jay grinned. "That means you're on the way down your path already. Just try to keep your steps even and your eyes ahead and you'll avoid the pitfalls."

"I get it," Barry-Blue stated. "By the way, I was wondering, Barry told me about this lightning shot move…"

"Ah, that," Jay smiled. "That's a fun bit I can teach if you have time."

"Dude, we're speedsters. We got it."

The Speed Force echoed about as the two ran through the barriers of realities. Barry-Red nodded to his counterpart. "That help?'

"It did." They didn't need to call out, both able to hear the other as the blurs of blue and white flowed around them. "You guys are right, I need to open up a bit."

Barry-Red was about to reply when they saw a shape ahead of them. He frowned as he saw what looked like a figure shaking and withering in pain. It reminded him of when he and Wally had found Quicksilver only this figure appeared to be in much more agony. He looked to be slamming against a barrier which refused to give way and pushed him back.

"You see that?" Barry-Red called out.

"I do!" Barry-Blue nodded. Together, they raced forward, each grabbing the figure by the arm. He gasped as he looked up at them. He had short blonde hair and wore a suit of an orange top with a huge white bolt going down his torso. He grunted as he felt the two grab him and blinked at them. "What…what are you…Who are you guys?"

"Friends," Barry-Red told him. He shivered with Barry-Blue feeling the same sensation. "Whoa…That energy rebound…"

"Like a tether to his home reality," Barry-Red announced. "Hang on tight!" Together, the two increased their speed until they saw the opening of a breach before them. They burst out, feeling their legs hitting the ground and were halfway through a huge corn field before they finally stopped. The Flashes broke away, each heaving for breath while the new figure collapsed to his knees.

"That…was…wow…" Barry-Blue groaned. "This Speed Force thing…is getting…complex…"

"Tell…me…about it…" Barry-Red said as he straightened up. He looked to the figure slowly rising to his feet. "Sorry…Name's the Flash…"

"Same here," Barry-Blue waved. "And you?"

The figure looked from one to the other. "What…is this?"

"It's complicated…" Barry-Red stretched. "Basically…there are countless alternate Earths out there…"

"Oh…Oh, that!" the new figure nodded. "Yeah, a friend of mine was telling me about those!"

"Oh, good," Barry-Red said. "Anyway, I'm from one, he's from another. We can travel to others via the Speed Force."

"Wait, what?" The man shook his head. "Sorry, sorry, I'm Bart Allen, call me Impulse."

The two Flashes exchanged looks. "That's…ok. So what happened to you?"

Impulse brushed his hair back. "I was fighting this….well, a Black Flash is what Jay called it." Barry started at that but hid his feelings. "It's…well, kind of complicated why he wanted me. Anyway, I realized the only way to get rid of him was drive into the Speed Force as hard as I could to blow it up. I figured that was it but…" He shrugged. "Next thing I know, I'm just…lost in there."

"Sounds like it must have cut you off from your reality," Barry-Red stated. He looked the man over. "Huh. Met a few speedsters but your aura is still…different."

"Oh. Well…" Bart coughed. "I am…um…from the future." He expected a surprised reaction but instead both men just nodded. "And you two are just accepting that."

"We've seen a lot weirder, trust us," Barry-Blue stated. "Hey, he knows a giant talking gorilla!"

"Grodd doesn't talk, he speaks telepathically."

"Oh. Right. Sorry. A giant psychic gorilla."

Before Barry-Red could go on, a roaring sound came over the area. They looked up to see a figure floating down from the sky to land before them. He was a handsome man clad in a mostly blue costume with a red cape and a symbol both Flashes found very familiar.

He stared in wonder at the third figure. "Bart…is…That you?"

The man grinned. "Hey, Cl….Kal….Good seeing you." He moved to hug an amazing Superman. "Wow, so good being back."

"I can't believe it," Superman stated. "We thought you were dead!"

"Same here," Bart stated. He backed up before nodding to the Flashes. "But they found me. Got me out."

Superman looked at them both, peering in a way Barry-Blue found familiar. "You're…not from here, are you?"

"Nope," Barry-Red stated. "But hey, it's okay, we're used to other Earths."

Barry-Blue was studying the man and shaking his head. "So weird. You look like my Clark but still so different, younger and yet more experienced."

This Superman nodded. "We should get to talking and…" He was cut off as behind the Flashes, a breach opened. The two Barrys looked to it, feeling a tugging of electricity around them. "If I didn't know better…" Barry-Blue spoke up. "I'd think this reality is trying to kick us out."

"It's not just you," Barry-Red confirmed. "Maybe too many of one guy is too much for it to take." He looked to Impulse and smiled. "It was good to meet you, Bart. You got a second chance. Use it well."

"Thank you," Bart said in a heartfelt tone. The two Flashes nodded before racing into the breach which then closed behind them.

Superman shook his head. "That was…Weird. Even for us."

Bart smiled. "Listen, I know you want to talk and big reunion…But you would not believe how hungry I am."

Superman laughed. "Good to see not everything has changed."

"Actually...A lot has." Bart looked up at Clark. "I had time to think trapped in there, despite the pain. It made me realize how much of this life I was treating like a joke." He shook his head. "I can't be like that anymore. I already faced my past...It's time to start making a new future."

Clark put a hand to his shoulder. "Whatever you need, I'll be there for you."

Bart smiled back as he looked down the road. "So...last one to Big Belly in Metropolis buys!" In a blue of red and yellow, he was running. Letting out a laugh, Superman followed.

Earth-1

"Man, I totally missed that whole multi-reality team-up!" Ralph said. He was sitting in Joe's living room, sipping a beer with the rest of the team gathered around him. "I was hung over during that whole Nazi invasion thing…"

"Not a shock," Cisco muttered.

"So Barry-Blue is back in his home reality?" Joe asked as he sat in his chair, adjusting to being a father again.

Barry nodded. "Yeah. Wish we could have stayed longer on that Earth but the Speed Force seemed…almost like pulling us out for some reason."

"We should run some tests," Cisco stated. "Maybe I can call Breacher for advice. He mentioned some realities are more resistant to crossing over than others."

"And I still say you should help with his dad," Iris pressed.

"He wants to handle it on his own."

"So, he's a stubborn fool?" Iris smiled. "Yep, he's you, all right."

Barry smiled. "It was pretty crazy. But at least DeVoe is taken care of with a lot less fuss and we've got some down time."

"Which," Caitlin announced with a sigh. "Is generally when we get another problem falling into our laps."

The door burst open as a young and attractive woman entered, throwing everyone. "Hey," she began. "Listen, we have to talk."

"Wait…I know you," Barry said. "You were the waitress at the wedding."

"And you spilled a drink on me once," Caitlin stated.

"And is that my jacket?" Iris asked.

The woman nodded. "It is."

Iris glared. "You stole my jacket?"

"No, you gave it to me."

"Ah, no, I didn't."

"Yes. You did." The woman swallowed. "Um…I…Okay, I just…" She swallowed. "I'm Nora Allen. I'm your daughter from the future. And I think I made a really big, big mistake."

All of a sudden, a trip to another Earth sounded pretty good to Barry.

Earth-51

The heavyset black man sighed as he settled into the large seat in the lab. Despite his huge weight, he had an intelligent face as he pushed up his glasses, looking over the data on his computer. He frowned as he took in the weapons on the screen and adjusted them carefully. "Almost a match…yet not…Like it's a mirror image," he mumbled in a booming voice.

A blur suddenly echoed along with flashes of blue lightning. Suddenly, the Flash was there, causing Chester Runk to move back in his chair with surprise. "Hey, Chunk," he said.

The man blinked at him before frowning. "My friends call me Chunk," he remarked. "You can call me Chester."

"Oh?" The Flash pulled back his cowl. "So I'm not a friend?"

Chunk stared at him, his jaw dropping. "Barry? You…you're…"

"Come on, you must have suspected already," Barry said as he leaned on a desk. "All that time together in the crime lab, me being able to handle so many tests at once. You didn't know?"

"Well…" Chunk shrugged. "Okay, I had an idea on it but just wasn't sure." He frowned. "Why are you telling me?"

"I got some…advice recently that I need to be more than just one guy. Which made me think of you. A guy who graduated MIT in his teens but decided to become a lab tech to help people find justice. A tech genius with an eye for detail. That's something I can use."

Chunk pursed his lips. "You're putting some faith in me."

"You're a good guy, Chunk. I know that. With you giving me aid and advice, we can really help this city out."

Chunk tapped his fingers on the table before nodding. "Okay…But let's be clear, I'm not a field guy."

"Kinda knew that already." Barry shook his hand. "Welcome to Team Flash."

"We are not calling it that, that's just stupid."

"I can make us hats."

"You really suck at the secret identity thing."

"Please, I need to tell another two dozen people to match a guy I know."

Earth-21

"It's really him?" Chloe Sullivan was grinning.

"It is," Clark confirmed. He looked over the rest of the League gathered in the Watchtower: Green Arrow, Martian Manhunter, Batman, Black Canary, Wonder Woman, Red Tornado and Green Lantern. Even Stargirl, Cyborg, Aquaman and Zatanna had joined them for this.

"I should have known." Jay Garrick had a light smile on his elderly face. "I just wasn't sure if he'd survive the Speed Force like that..."

"And this came from guys from another world?" Arrow asked.

Superman nodded. "Yes although they had to leave. They said they couldn't connect long to our reality. Which is something we can look into."

"Later," Chloe said with a wave of her hand. "Right now, we have to see him."

Superman nodded and waved a hand. Stepping out was Bart, now clad in a dark red suit marked with dark yellow trimming about the waist. The arms were still bare but he was now wearing mask over much of his face although his hair was allowed to billow free. At his chest, the yellow lightning bolt was still stylized to flow around his torso.

"Wow," Chloe whispered. "Nice new look, Impulse."

Bart shook his head. "Impulse was a kid's name for an arrogant punk." He looked over the League and smiled. "From now on…you can call me the Flash."

For those Smallville fans who might be confused for Bart, going off his fate in the "season 11" comic which is considered new canon for that series (and a damn good read as well). So there you are, finally working Smallville in with potential for more.

Admit was considering adding Jay's apprentice but decided to wait for the show to introduce her. Adding Jesse instead sounded better.

Also, the character of Chunk is a long-time ally of Wally West's from the 1990s Flash comics, thought he'd be good as Barry-Blue's tech aide.

Again, all comments welcomed.