Barry and Thomas were deep in discussion, sketching out a plan to recreate the accident that gave Barry his powers, when Thomas suddenly stopped mid-sentence. His head turned sharply toward the doorway, eyes narrowing.
"How long are you just going to watch?" he asked coldly.
Footsteps echoed from the shadows.
A man stepped into view, cloaked in black with crimson clouds stitched into the fabric. His face was hidden by a spiraled orange mask. When he spoke, his voice was calm, deep, and edged with something dangerous.
"Even in another timeline—and another Batman—you still notice everything. Not surprising, though. The name still stands. You are Batman."
Thomas's eyes narrowed further. He glanced at Barry.
"Friend of yours?"
Barry shook his head, eyes wide. "His name's Tobi. A vigilante from the original timeline. We weren't allies… but we never fought either."
Then Barry turned to the masked figure, suspicion clouding his features.
"But how do you know about the original timeline?"
The masked man tilted his head, as if amused.
"You really are stupid," he said flatly. "No wonder you wrecked the timeline."
Barry flinched. "Batman said you've been here a while. So you overheard us—that makes sense."
Sam Anderson, hidden behind the mask of Tobi, said nothing. He just stared.
Barry's brows furrowed. "Wait… what do you mean I messed up the timeline? This is Thawne's fault!"
"Do you have proof of that?" Sam asked calmly.
Barry opened his mouth, paused, then sighed. "No… but it smells like him."
Sam let out a dry chuckle. "Then let's walk through it together."
He stepped closer.
"Tell me, Barry… what was the last thing you remember before all this?"
Barry frowned. "I was running home. I'd just stopped one of Thawne's schemes—he was trying to destroy the city."
"And before that? What did Thawne say to you?" Sam pressed.
Barry hesitated. "He said I wasn't fast enough to save the people I care about."
Sam nodded. "And then?"
Barry's voice grew soft. "Next thing I knew… I was walking beside my mom. And she was alive."
Sam's tone lowered, heavy with implication. "So—the man who killed your mother taunts you about failing loved ones, and right after that, you're standing next to her? Convenient, isn't it?"
Batman's eyes narrowed, his mind clicking into place.
"Wait… you're saying Barry caused this?"
"Exactly," Sam said.
"You felt guilty," Batman growled, turning to Barry. "Your grief pushed you over the edge. In your despair… you ran back in time and saved your mother. You broke the timeline."
Barry looked crushed. "I didn't mean to… I just—"
"You can reflect later," Sam cut in coldly. "Right now, we need your powers back. The world's collapsing, and I'm not going down with it."
Barry eyed him warily. "You're going to help?"
"Of course I am," Sam replied. "This disaster puts me in danger too."
Batman stepped forward. "Can he be trusted?"
Barry hesitated, then sighed. "I don't know. But right now, we need all the help we can get."
Batman grunted. "Then we move. Time's running out."
---
Some time later…
Barry sat in a chair, wires and chemicals strapped to his back, a metal plate fixed to his head to channel lightning into his body.
"This is insane," Batman muttered, arms folded.
"I know," Barry said, voice trembling. "But it's the only way to recreate the accident that gave me the Speed Force."
Sam crossed his arms beneath his cloak. "Stop stalling and pull the lever."
Batman glared but didn't argue. With a grunt, he slammed the lever down.
Thunder cracked. Lightning ripped through the sky, slamming into the rod above. Electricity surged into Barry's body.
He screamed as chemicals ignited, flames devouring him instantly.
"Barry!" Batman shouted.
But Sam was already moving.
He flicked his wrist, summoning the Gunbai into his hand. With a single sweeping motion, he conjured a gust of wind that smothered the flames.
Batman rushed forward, unstrapping Barry and dragging his charred body to the ground.
Sam knelt, pressing a gloved hand against Barry's chest. A green glow radiated, knitting burnt skin back together at unnatural speed.
Batman's eyes narrowed. "So… you're a magician?"
Without looking up, Sam replied, "No. I'm just built different."
Barry coughed weakly, eyelids fluttering open. His body still shook, but the worst of the damage was gone.
"Welcome back, Flash," Sam muttered, dismissing the Gunbai in a puff of smoke.
"I… I remember things now," Barry said shakily. "Like Aquaman flooding Europe…"
Sam's voice was steady. "Your memories are merging. Soon you'll forget the original timeline completely."
Barry's eyes widened. "Then I need to fix this—now."
"You won't be fast enough," Sam said flatly. "Not with Thawne here."
Barry froze. "He's here too? How do you know?"
"You dragged him with you," Sam explained. "You're opposites. Both bound to the Speed Force. He followed you back like a shadow."
Batman's jaw tightened. "Then we find him—and kill him."
Sam chuckled darkly behind his mask. "Finally—a Batman I like."
Things were already shifting because of his presence. In the original timeline, Barry failed the first attempt at regaining the Speed Force. Now, he succeeded on the first try.
Sam's lone visible eye narrowed.
I've already changed the sequence.
And somewhere else, his Wood Clone was hunting.
Hunting Thawne.
---
Lois Lane sprinted down a ruined street, arrows whistling past her.
"This is Lois Lane from the Daily Planet," she panted into her fading mic, "my battery's about to die… and maybe me with it."
Behind her, armored footsteps thundered. Four Amazons chased, bows raised. Worse still, a monstrous three-headed beast roared—the Cerberus.
She dove under a broken bridge—only to stop dead.
A man stood there, cloaked in black with red clouds, an orange spiral mask hiding his face. He looked as if he'd been waiting for her.
She froze. "Who are you?"
The masked figure straightened. His voice was calm, unyielding.
"An ally. Get behind me, Miss Lane."
Lois hesitated, then obeyed.
The Amazons surrounded the bridge. The Cerberus landed before them, snarling with all three heads.
Sam's clone raised his eye. The Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan flared to life. Hands flashed into a Ram Seal.
A blue, ethereal warrior erupted into existence, towering over the battlefield—the Susanoo. Its four arms gripped colossal glowing blades. Concrete shattered beneath its presence.
The Amazons shouted, charging. Arrows flew.
The Cerberus lunged.
Sam's clone muttered, "Brave… but foolish."
The Susanoo swung. Two blades swept the battlefield, scattering Amazons like broken dolls. One sword dropped, replaced by a titanic fist that slammed into the Cerberus. Bone crunched, one head collapsing as the beast was hurled into a burning building.
Sam's clone formed rapid hand seals.
"Fire Style: Majestic Demolisher Flame!"
A wave of fire consumed the battlefield, leaving silence and ash in its wake.
The Susanoo shimmered, then faded.
Sam and Lois drifted to the ground, dust settling around them.
Lois, wide-eyed, whispered: "…What are you?"
The masked clone glanced at her.
"Like I said. An ally."
End of chapter