[OOC] Wonder Girl says, "Outta curiosity, /did/ Cass get infected
with anything?"

[OOC] Pestilence says, "No. <:)"

[OOC] Wonder Girl grins.

What do you do when you've been given a minute's warning that the city
you've grown up learning to protect is aboout to be leveled in that coming
minute? Why, absolutely everything you can possibly do then. Including the
drastic.

Racing the Keystone, Wally West, otherwise known as The Flash, knew he
didn't have long to act. But the most amazing thing was just how many
people he was able to round up on such short notice, to prepare, to lend
their aid to help him. It would seem that the people of Keystone haven't
been idle, but instead following the example set by their protectors and
thus being ready to lend a hand at the soonest possible moment. It's not
just a loyality to the speedsters, their guardians and fellow residents of
this fair city, but a dedication to one another that's brought them
together for this effort. It is also the same sentiment that allows the
habitants of Keystone city to realize what fate may befall them this
night, but it's one not being brought to them by their own beloved
Impusle. it is something else. Something to save the youthful speester
from, and each other. With that call to action, people have lept, and for
that The Flash is thankful.

Especially is Wally thankful as he's had to ask the others to do the most
difficult task; face Pestilence without him. Why? Well, he's been busy
witht he task he's asked of most every speedster he could think of, any of
them that truly are fast enough. The goal is a simple one: Move Keystone
City. All of it. Each brick, cobblestone, man, woman and child. All of it.
And so far that's pretty much been successful, with only the last fifth of
the city left, though most of those residents have been relocated several
hundred miles down the road along with the rest.

And to help the speedsters work? The 'powered' members of the Keystone
community have come out to attempt to 'delay' Pestilence. At least that is
the hope. Piper has set up his toys about the city, having been preparing
all along. Amplifiers that generate a 'dome' over the city, that vibrates
to constantly adjusting frequencies, leaving only one frequency for the
speedsters to move in and out of it. Others are here as well, though, to
make the stand. Argus and even Chunk, and most assuredly Zatanna, whose
magics are working their wonders inside the dome. But just outside that
shimmering sound-wall are The Kapitalist Kouriers (Anatole, Bebek and
Cassiopeia) along with a recently re-infused 'speedster', Jerry McGee,
Speed Demon.

Yet as these desperate hopeful heroes wait for the arrival of Pestilence
so too do four more figures wait, though each in secret, waiting for their
own moments to shine.

It's a steady swath of destruction and decay that follows the corrupted
young speedster. Whole towns are swallowed up by crawling things and
flying things and slithering thing and scuttling things, not to mention
skittering things. Oh, and lest anyone forget the sickness that comes with
it - don't anyone forget all that rotting, miserable disease. They say
rotgut, they -mean- rotgut. Through it all, though, there's absolutely no
expression whatsoever on Pestilence's face. It's not set or strained, it's
not sad, it's not gleeful - if anything, it's blank. The more he does, the
faster he goes, and the jagged mark over his eye glows with a smouldering,
dark energy. He's on his way.

Jesse Quick has been running. Its a good plan. Its going to work and its
going to save them. Another house is standing on its new foundation. A
family is returned to safety and then it begins again as she rushes back
to Old Keystone as she calls it in her mind. As soon as she is there she
is working again pulling a house apart meticulously. Its all back and
forth. She's thankful for it so she doesn't have to think of who's coming.
When he gets there she will deal with it.. for now.. just the
deconstruction and reconstruction.

As the speedsters run on their that electric wind, there are more than
just those known running with them. The power that supplies them is in
full force, flowing freely in this time of need, lending it's own support.
And there is also another set of swifty hands involved in this work, those
not beloning to an Allen, a Garrick, a West of a Quick. A signature and an
unspoken helping hand by someone who may be familiar to Jesse, and to her
father, Johnny. But the speedsters are busy right now, and now is not the
time to stop and ask questions. Now is a time of urgency, to work faster
and harder than they ever have before, before another person dies.

Wally West isn't sure how much more he can give, as he knows he is running
as fast as he can, but he knows he isn't running fast enough. But it will
have to do. He only prays that not many of his friends have to suffer in
this.

Outside the 'Wall' about the city are the assembled... heroes? And the
first to lead the charge is Speed Demon, leading in with all three of the
Kapitalists. Apparently they didn't listen to Wally too closer, or perhaps
they know what sacrifice they are making. "For you, Tina..." Those are the
last words that Piper picks up on the mini-coms he handed out as he looks
up, seeing the approach of Pestilence... the figure that is instantly
tackled by all four 'speedsters'.

And Waiting in the wings a figure emerges, one you straithens his jacket
and smirks with a _rogue_-ish grin, stepping forth besides Piper of all
people. "Worry not, mate. I gotcha' covered. Ya' ain't ona' us no more,
but this is still our city too, aye?"

Yet two more wait, wait to see what happens to those 'speedsters' that
launch themselves at Pestilence.

Running beside Jesse is Johnny. "Honey, just... keep moving people. Get
people over the stuff, okay?" And with that he breaks away from her early,
not running with an armload to New Keystone, but rather back to ...

"Daddy. sometime the things mean just as much to them.." The woman already
knows that her father is right.. but well. She was just.. doing something.
The blond glances over her shoulder looking concerned for a moment as she
watches the man go back but she returns to the task at hand. He must be
getting more people is what she tells herself. Any other possibility is
pushed away. There is a task at hand.

He could be doing this with his eyes closed, for all the reaction the
myriad of deaths cause in Pestilence's famous young features. In fact - at
times - it seems that he is. Inexorably, he heads for the site that he's
sure Keystone is at; the place it's always been at. He moves like
lightning entropy, not even flinching as the Kouriers and Speed set upon
him. So they can run - so they live with speed in their blood and wind in
their footsteps - they're not as fast as *he* is, but he slows down. He
lets them catch him. Literally - he lets them catch just about everything
he's carrying.

Those amber eyes that had seen the world with innocent wonder, then
horrified shock, then a gradual settling in of maturity - but never jaded,
never cynical - they're closed as he does this. They're shut tight as he
kills four -more- people who've never done him any harm, but that this
time are members of his extended family. Those who ride the lightning.
Within less than a second, the lightning that had given them wings on
their shoes is like mercury instead, poisonous as it helps carry the
devastating virii that Pestilence holds sway over.

---
The Flash pages: Leave just one for me? ;) Anatole, Bebek or Cass. Your
pick. :)
You paged The Flash with 'Cass.'.
The Flash pages: Ironic. I like. :)
---

Their lives gone, in a moment. Ironic and yet fitting, as each of these
'speedsters' are able to save lives in such a span of time, and while they
have not delayed Pestilence as they had planned, they did slow him. And
for the Kapitalists and Jerry McGee, that is enough. For the Kapitalists
it is enough that they went out as heroes, like they always wished to be.
Save for one, the largest and most simple-minded of them all, pervented
with sickness, a man left to crumble and bear witness. For Jerry that
fleeting moment befoe death is enough time to know that the spedsters have
saved his wife.

"Gods..." "Crikey..." Piper and Captain Boomerang alike both look, well,
astonished and awed as they witness this. Piper just turns, to watch the
speedsters work, racing to and fro, and he's not sure they'll have enough
time. "Hurry up Wal-..." "He may look fit in the tights, mate, but he
ain't this stylish." Boomerang cuts Piper off as he steps forward, drawing
his 'rangs with a faulting confidence. "Think up something right quick,
aye? I'm 'bout t'do something foolish." And with that Boomerang charges
forth, slinging his weapons at Pestilence.

As Johnny races back to the city he doens't look back to see if his
daughter is following him. He prays not. but as Johnny nears the city of
Old Keystone he is... cut off? But a speedster? One in red and gold, one
with black hair...

And the two remaining figures in the wings come forth now. "Now!" That is
the voice of Christina, the former Lady Flash, as she commands her ally
and sudden partner; Magneta. "Capture it, Magenta!" Frankie, glad to be in
someone's sway, under some direction uses her powers to attempt to encase
Pestilence in a field of magnetics. "Time to make his speed our's, to
destroy the Flashes!"

He's closer, he's getting closer to the old city site; he's getting closer
to the remaining heroes. He doesn't look back, not even once - it is not
for Pestilence to feel remorse or pity. Pestilence is a scourge upon the
land, but a scourge that is controlled by fate. Pestilence doesn't look
back...but Bart does.

It's strange - for anyone able to see the look on the kid's face, anyone
close enough, you'd swear he was -struggling- to keep his face
expressionless. And blinking a lot. This is all very fast, certainly, but
it's also...it's also going surprisingly slowly. Or maybe it only feels
that way, just because of the inevitability of it all, the horribly futile
feeling that comes with fighting a Horseman. That comes with -being- a
Horseman.

As Boomerang steps forward, flinging his explosive, uh, boomerangs at
Pesti, the teenager shakes his head. The weapons go right through him and
explode in the air behind him, uselessly, harmlessly. Pestilence is upon
the Rogue quickly, and since he's so close now, people can see his lips
moving as he makes contact with the Australian's skin. He's saying
something, eyes closed, as he spreads a fire throughout the insides of the
heroic villain. Only Cass can say if he said something to the Trinity and
Speed.

The Team Rocket-esque antics of Christina and Frankie are actually able to
bring an amused grimace to the face of the grim, speeding perversion of
heroism that Impulse has become. The analogy is not lost on him. As they
try and catch the young bringer of the Apocalypse like a hapless Pokemon,
he starts slowing down - my god! Could something actually be stopping him?
Could something (other than being beaten senseless by a shadow - oh god,
the humiliation) actually be able to affect him? He's...he's stopping! He
looks like he's trying to walk through cold molasses, in fact. Then he
looks up, eyes gleaming like two cruel yellow suns, and grins. "Psych!" A
flurry of activity, another shake of the head and a whispered phrase, and
he's moving on again and leaving more history behind him.

Jesse Quick finishing with what she's needed to in New Keystone. She digs
her feet down and turns to rush back towards the old city. Idly she can't
help but wonder what certain people would think of this.. Barry whom she
never met.. and friends who seem to always be keeping secrets. She is
inside the dome as her thought is completed... she's no idea of the
bloodless carnage that is going on outside of it. No idea what her father
is up to or who is with him. She's been lifting things with out even
having to get stressed... she's in a perpetual state of panic. It makes
things easily for her.. before she grasps at an entire family. Her eyes
spot another figure in red, "Has he arrived yet?"

He may not have had a glorious career, but int he end he went out with.. a
bang? Not a fitting way for a guy to try and reform himself, but as Piper
watches his former fellow rogue fall, he knwos himself he made his own
proper choice, all those years ago. He swallows, "Thank you, George...
I'll make sure to tell the others about you, Harkness..." And with that he
turns to try and maintain the field, wanting to give Wally and the others
even a second more, even if it means his own life. But he shall not have
to, hopefully, not today.

As Christina and Magenta fall, no even so much as with a whimper (that's
left to Cassiopeia, who is barely alive still at this point), one man does
step forward, one who can only talk regularily with a whimper. "... no...
stops here..." That man would be Chunk, friend to Wally, friend to the
Flashes. He's never been much, never truly felt as though he belongs. But
now he maybe can do something good, something to help. Opening his mouth,
Chunk attempts to inhale Pestilence, to take the Horseman inside.

Before Jesse can look to Wally there is a silver figure that blurs,
stopping before her for only a moment. "I'm sorry, Jesse. But hwatver
happens, I'll make sure it's not the worst, for you." A voice she hasn't
hear din years. Could it be... as as that shimmering disappears, Wally is
there before Jesse. "What? Huh, Jesse, yes, he's here! *Faster*!" There's
only a little left, just a couple of houses.

The heroine opens her mouth to say something to the man but he is gone
even before she can speak. Wally's voice snaps her back to him "Right.."
Faster.... a murmured formula is uttered and then even softer... almost
prayer like she says it again. Maybe this once she is faster than the boys
she lives with. But for now all that matters to her is she can get this
done..and get back.. to help. Jesse dismantles a house and goes.

...and the Horseman known as Pestilence disappears. All is silent - all is
still - and it seems that Chunk has saved the planet from Bart! A second
goes by, and then a few seconds, and still nothing happens. Ten seconds.
Fifteen. Thirty. Still nothing, and Chunk is starting to look astonished,
awed; he's done it! People look over, tensed, wondering when the sh*t's
gonna hit the fan...but it doesn't. But wait...it could be some kind of
illusion, right? Or maybe the big guy's just taking a really deep breath
to let out in a sigh of relief, right? He looks like he getting bigger. He
looks like he's getting worried, too.

"...what...? I...owww..." he practically whispers, face positively
stricken. Doesn't he have a tesseract inside? Doesn't he have, like,
limitless space in there, a whole other dimension or something? Bigger and
bigger...people can only watch, horrified, as he starts looking like that
blueberry girl in Willy Wonka. Blowing up like a balloon - a weather
balloon by this point, and it's...oh dear. Faster and faster, and the look
on Chunk's face is pure terror. Terror and agony and -

*SPLLLTTCH*

Billions of insects come pouring out of what's left of Wally's friend.
They just...keep...coming, spreading out all over the ground, flying up in
the air, creeping and crawling and skittering and slithering and
chittering and hissing and clicking. A really big collection of 'em starts
rising up out of the rest, and they suddenly all fly away, dispersing in a
giant cloud and leaving a figure standing there in the middle of the
disgusting mess. Once more the figure looks down and whispers something,
jaw set now, eyes shut again. Then he looks ahead. Pestilence.

So many people have risked their lives for the sake of one city. And as
the speedsters rush and hurry, they have been successful. They are almost
complete, save for a few minor things here and there. Those that are left
are those that are about to be evacuated, immediately. All those are
stunned, silent, as they watch the explosion of Chunk and the emergence of
Pestilence. They just have to be. Wally knows he is, as he's come to a
dead stop. An absolute dead stop. "Bart, no..."

That endless sea of insects takes up space, takes up what room hope was
in. Keystone may be emptied, but it is filling fast, and that wave of
hopelessness has to be stopped here. The bugs do their thing, and just
their being here seems to do something to Piper's equipment, as with a
sizzle and a pop, the field goes down. But then Wally is rushing to Piper,
to try and haul him away before Pestilence can get to him. Another
speedster, red and gold, streaks for Cassiopeia to race the sickly
Kapitalist away to safety.

"No, Pestilence, no! No more, we can't let you do this! We've run and
we'll do it again, no matter how far... how many... gawd, no!" That's
Wally as he tugs the stunned Piper to his feet, preparing to take off.
He's not fearsome of what Pestilence might do to him, personally, but
rather his home. His friends. His family.

Jesse Quick flies back to Old Keystone...she almost plants her feet. She
almost lands on them.. the bugs. Oh dear god.. where did they all come
from. Oh,.. of course... Bart... she wraps her arms about herself and
hovers for a moment before she swoops towards Wally and Piper. "Give me
your hands!"

The solitary figure of Pestilence, visible through the haze of insects,
has also stopped. Stopped running, anyway. He's walking. Slowly. He
doesn't say anything else anymore, and the look in his eyes is...is dead.
Again, no life. No expression. No warmth, no love, no hope, no mercy. He
keeps moving, steadily, slowly, inexorably. And then Jesse comes in -
Jesse comes in to airlift Wally and Piper away, to free them from - from
him.

"It's the end, Jesse," he calls, finally. "You can't stop the end of the
world, that's not the way it works."

Abruptly, he makes his move - he darts forward, quicker than any of the
speedsters could even have thought possible, and vaults, reaching for the
low-flying Jesse Quick.

The solitary figure of Pestilence, visible through the haze of insects,
has also stopped. Stopped running, anyway. He's walking. Slowly. He
doesn't say anything else anymore, and the look in his eyes is...is dead.
Again, no life. No expression. No warmth, no love, no hope, no mercy. He
keeps moving, steadily, slowly, inexorably. And then Jesse comes in -
Jesse comes in to airlift Wally and Piper away, to free them from - from
him.

"It's the end, Jesse," he calls, finally. "You can't stop the end of the
world, that's not the way it works."

Abruptly, he makes his move - he darts forward, quicker than any of the
speedsters could even have thought possible, and vaults, reaching for the
low-flying Jesse Quick.

"No!"

That is the voice of swift justice, of reasonable righteousness, the man
who would give anything to protect Jesse. Johnny Quick loves his daughter,
dearly, and he's rushed to her rescue. "Do what you will to the world, but
I won't let you have my daughter!" Johnny's always been a heartfelt guy,
stubborn at times and understanding, always constant in his faith and
conviction within others, being the best of friends. And as a father...
there isn't much more that he can give than his hope, as he takes flight
to intersect Pestilence from reaching Jesse, hopefully *just* in time.

And holding onto Jesse as she has picked him, and Piper, up, allthat Wally
can do is look to Pestilence and wonde.r Wonder if this is the end. That
maybe the only act left before him is to sacrifice something far greater
than himself... is it time to kill Bart? But as Wally contemplates this in
that moment, Piper seems to pick up on this. "You have to hear this...,"
the former-villain-turned-ally says to The Flash, playing back something
he recorded earlier so that Flash may hear. And in looking to Pestilence
now, Wally can see.

"Daddy No!!" Jesse screams out as she watches her father rush out of where
she doesn't know. She loves him even more in this moment of utter lunacy.
But he shouldn't be doing this not now.. not for her. The blond's bottom
lip quivers and tries to pull away with Wally and Piper. If she dropped
them she could probably get away but she's not going to let that happen.
Its all up to her father.. and Pestilence...

Yes, it -is- rather up to the two of them, isn't it? As Johnny intersects
Pestilence, the younger speedster gets knocked jarringly from midair,
landing on the ground with Johnny on top of him. He lets out a solid *oof*
as all the breath gets driven out of him, but he doesn't let go of the
elder statesman of speed; he has him by the sides of the head. Tightly,
with his fingers wrapped around the back and his thumbs on Quick's
forehead. Again, through clenched teeth, he whispers something.

A long second later, he shoves Johnny Quick off of him and stands again,
fists balled up. "It doesn't matter what order you die in!" yells
Pestilence, "you've all got to go! Who're you gonna try and stop me with
next, huh? Who are you sending to their death now?" There's something
about his voice, some kind of quality, some kind of broken...*thing*. And
he's blinking again, more than normal.

"How about THE FLASH?" he yells then, voice getting desperate and slightly
giddy. Pesti charges forward again, aiming straight for Wally West, the
Fastest (usually) Man Alive.

Stricken with a massive and immediate infection, Johnny Quick is dropped.
But his falling moment isn't spent clutching at Pestilence, but rather
turning as he crumples, to gesture to his daughter, for her to flee.
"Go...," but that fades into an 'ah' as he ends up laying there, silent at
Pestilence's feet. That is, before Pestilence moves forward for the Flash.

"Jesse, trust me," Wally asks as he vibrates himself, going to the
intangible so that he slips through her fingers. Right now he knows that
her fathe rneeds her more. And besides, if Pestilence wants Wally, he can
have him. Like Johnny would ever forgive Wally for letting Jesse get
harmed over Wally. But landing on his feet, Flash goes solid again and
remains.. standing. "Pestilence, it's becoming obviously clear that you've
lost. You haven't won, not over Bart, not completely. Why else was I left
alive? And now Johnny?" Yes, seems Johnny is indeed still alive, but he
doesn't appear to be doing well, and if not helped soon, Johnny could well
die. but there is a delay there, time to act. Flash remains, awaiting
Pestilence. "So, if you truly want to kill me, kill us all. Then try."
Moving only his hands, he withdraws his Flash Ring from his finger, as
Wally gets an idea at the last minute. "Or if you can, I will promise you,
it will end here and now."

Jesse Quick tries to grasp at Wally for a moment but she does as he asks.
She just shoots him a look of one thing... 'Don't die..' The blond brings
Piper closer to herself and she then swoops down to grab at her father.
"We'll save you Daddy.. it will be okay.. don't worry" Yeah she's
disobeying the hell out of him. But the hell with that she is a grown girl
and she can certainly make up her own mind about this. "We'll get you some
help and you'll be okay.." No she's not saying this for him. Its for her..
So she can just keep her own hopes alive.

"It -will- end here and now, Wally," says Pestilence, a tinge of sorrow to
his voice. For better or for worse, it will end here and now. As Wally's
not vibrating, as Wally's just standing there and waiting for him, the
young Horseman goes to walk once more. He keeps his ears open and his
sense of the Speed Force - well developed in his corrupted and advanced
state - reaching out to feel for anyone coming for him, anyone running up
at a crazy speed.

He walks slowly, face very badly in danger of crumpling like right before
you cry, and brings his hands up. Ignoring Johnny and Jesse and Piper, he
heads straight for the Flash - the one True Flash, Wally West. Ten
feet...eight feet...five feet...one foot --

Johnny leans into his daughter, craving her help in this moment, a return
for what he's offered her he knows. But in this moment, as the end draws
near, he knows that this could and does mean as much to Jesse as it does
him. "... so proud..." Those are the only real words that Johnny can
offer, as he cradles to Jesse.

And Wally just waits, still, believing in his heart of hearts that Bart is
still there and Bart can't and won't do this. But then, maybe he doesn't
really get the chance to find that out.

With a Mercurial ripple of speed about Pestilence, there is a silver wind,
wiping up and disappearing as fast as it appears. Nothing substansial, but
something that can still be felt. A mystery to Wally, perhaps to
Pestilence as well, but one familiar to the Quicks. And as that 'wind'
disapates there is a sizzle to the air as it is cut by instaneteousness.
Time travel. As suddenly there is John Fox, wearing silver bracers,
*directly* behind Pestilence and.. reahcing out to
grab-tackle-vibrational-hold the Horseman. He knows what this act means.
He knows what touching Pestilence will mean for him, let along actively
holding onto the Horseman for as long as he can. But in the end he's come
to realize what his sacrifice will mean. Something. He could be remembered
for this. Or not. That's not what matters. Having watched the speedsters
and allies work to save Keystone as they have, he's come to relaize what
it means to be a hero; to do what you feel the need to do. To be yourself.

"The... the ring!!"

Jesse Quick's eyes well up with tears that flow like quicksilver behind
her goggles. Her speed picks up and she runs from Keystone rushing towards
the New Keystone. The first thing they moved was the hospital.. maybe
please oh please let them help. "Don't speak Daddy..." She kisses his brow
as she runs as much as he'd done to her so many times before. She leaves
the rest of her family on the battlefield. She will be back she will..
but... first.. she needs to give her father a chance. Poor Piper is hauled
along for the ride.

Pestilence doesn't struggle. He doesn't say anything as John grabs him,
inches away from touching Wally. He keeps his arms up, hands still
reaching out to Wally's face, but he doesn't fight or kick or try to phase
away. Slowly the infection spreads from the young Horseman into John Fox,
the Flash from the Future; slowly it begins to burn him from the inside
out, clenching his innards as though in a red-hot vise. The only
resistantce the boy offers is a constant leaning toward Wally, hands out,
not letting himself get dragged back.

He's staring Wally right in the face, looking into his eyes. And yes - the
eyes look alien, immortal and yet beyond life - but given this brief span
of time to actually see his eyes up *close*, very far back there,
infinitely small, is a flicker of Bart. A flicker of life, darkened by
despair. Again the whisper escapes his lips, and this time Wally's close
enough to hear it for himself, not played back on any tape, not lip-read,
but up close and personal - but directed at the man behind him. The man he
was about ready to totally brutalize about a week ago, but would never
have dreamt of killing. "I'm sorry, John," he says, barely audibly,
closing his eyes.

Opening them one more time, the young speedster's eyes drill into Wally's
with a frightening intensity, but an intensity that's undoubtedly that of
the grandson of Barry Allen. It's very clearly Bart that whispers to
Wally, "Do it."

As John makes his stand, he has been successful in the end. Has he not?
he's given himself to allow for something, something important. He's
become a part of something good, something important. And it is a
sacrifice that will not go unnoticed by Wally.

But here and now The Flash has to do what's needed of him. Looking back to
Pestilence he both sees his hopes and fears. The kid brother he's always
wanted, that he always was and the young man he sees so much promise in.
but also the deepest perversion of that hope that Wally can think of. "I'm
not sorry for this, pestilence. I want my cousin back." And with that,
Flash removes the ring from Pestilence's finger.

What this means, what this could do to bart, Wally's not sure. But it has
to be done.

And as Jesse races away, to get Johnny to medical care, there will be a
force there with her to help her with her load. A pair of hands that wish
to help an old friend. "I have him. They'll need you."

What -does- taking the ring from the finger of Pestilence mean?

As Wally reaches out to take the ring from his finger, Bart shuts his eyes
tight again, he doesn't want to know. He doesn't want to watch his own
death coming to take him, because he's sure after this that he'll end up
in Hell, and he doesn't want to see it happen. No, it doesn't make any
sense, but when did dying ever? As Wally *speaks*, says he's not sorry,
says he wants Bart back, it's all Pestilence can do not to laugh at him,
and all Bart can do not to cry. Because he *knows*.

And that's it, right? The ring is off his finger. There's a blinding flash
of light, making it hard to see for a couple of seconds; when it finally
fades from glaring in Wally's eyes, John Fox is dead on the ground, blood
still boiling hot but beginning to cool, and then congeal. John Fox and -
and Bart Allen, wearing the clothes he wore to school the day before the
chaos began. Jeans, turtleneck, flannel shirt, sneakers. So normal-looking
- so motionless. His face is clear and pleasant, no trace of the menacing
mark over his eye, no trace of the terrible expressions that've crossed
his face - but also no trace of movement.

"Thank you.." is Jessse's broken Whisper. She throws herself in to a run.
Wishing with all her heart that she could stay by his side. However Jesse
Quick is needed more than Jesse Chambers right now. She manages to stop
crying runing back to the old city as fast as she can. She's back and she
just hovers not far from the rest of the family. John's last moments are
observed and again the sting of tears hits her eyes. Her gaze returns to
to Wally and Pestilence and all she can do is watch.. then its Wally and
Bart and she doesn't know what to do.

"Jesse!"

Standing there holding now just Bart, over the remains of John Fox, Wally
looks... well, desperate. "Just in time... Jesse, bart *needs* us,
please!" Flash's hand closes about the two rings now in one hand, his own
Flash ring and the ring that Bart had. That hand vibrates... but right now
that doesn't matter. what matters right now is this: "Jesse, gawd, he's
not ... he...." and Wally has an idea.

"Help me." And he means with Bart, to help hold up the youngest speedster.
"We have to go fast, faster than you've gone before. We have to get to the
Speed Force, expose bart to it... I don't know why, but it just..."
Please, just go? Now? He'll help, he'll lend speed, just... run?

Jesse Quick swoops down as Wally calls to her. She wordlessly places her
hands on Bart to help as he asks. She looks at the boy for a moment then..
just places a kiss on his cheek. She pushes the worries and fears out of
her mind and just looks to her brother in arms. Her father is at a
hospital getting help. She hopes. Her bottom lip is bitten and she just
whispers, "Lets go."

Of course nothing happens to Wally or Jesse as they lift Bart up; Bart is
back to normal. Normal, of course, but for the fact that he's not
breathing; he has no pulse. Even if - and Wally may have had the feeling
this was so - even if they brought him to a hospital, even if they tried
to shock his heart into working again, it wouldn't work.

Bart Allen is dead.

His body, even though it's nearly full grown, is light as Wally holds him;
none of the bruises Mitch inflicted on his body or the grime he acquired
while doing his apocalyptic job are present; he smells clean. Like
himself. A residue of ozone, perhaps, left by the lightning that powered
him - but nothing bad. Of course there's no response as Jesse lightly
kisses him. He lies in Wally's arms like a limp rag doll, and he's so, so
light...

This isn't something that Wally can do alone. he may be the Flash, the one
true Flash, but he is still just a man. A man who needs his family, and
that family includes Jesse right now. So Bart shall have to be shared
between them, supported by them bpth. Wally isn't sure this is going to
work. He hasn't a clue, but he just... just... just knows it has to be
done. It's a feeling,a nd right now, that's all he's running on. Emotion.
There's so much he's wanted to say to Bart, and so much he has said.
memories and dreams. All of these realized with Jesse, and more still to
be found awaiting them in the future, with Jesse. She's as much a part of
this as they all are.

Taking off, Wally doesn't slow down. Helping to hold Bart with his right,
his left hand vibrates fast. But as sound fades away, faster, then agles,
faster still, and then finally light... there it is. The Speed Force Wall.
A maelstorm of chaotic force, of crackling energy, the vibrance of speed.
Has Jesse seen this before? Has she been fast enough to get here on her
own before? No, but then isn't Wally helping her now to get here? Isn't
here?

Without words, he'll hope Jesse will understand. reason seems to flow
along the Wall. It's concentrated here, binded. This is the Valhalla of
Speedsters, afterall. Not wanting to dare fall into and through that Wall
himself, Flash reaches back and then tosses the fused together
rings-to-one in his left hand at that Wall, causing a ripple across the
surface. A ripple wally intents to put bart through.

There are no words to describe this for her. It was just a way to save
Bart. Jesse's heard about the force.. even believes in it. Her dad
couldn't get to that point. But to see this.. wall of light and purity and
speed. The energy the color it all seems to whirl and spin just before
her. There are no words. Even her breath seems to be robbed from her. She
just does as they do. She keeps Bart cradled close even protectivly as she
watches Wally. Perhaps in this place of glory for the speedsters.. Impulse
can be reborn and returned to them. Motion is a prayer for her right now..
and she's praying it works.

Releasing Bart to the Speed Force, really, that's all that can be done
now, as he is in the care of betters at this moment. Impulse was born of
speed. That is not only all he knows, but all he is. And what he has been
returned What happens from here... well, it shall be seen. Coming to a
stop along the Wall, Flash looks to that ripple as it fades, closing
behind Bart as he disappears to the Other Side. The halting of Wally means
that time begins to adjust back to the normal around him, to leave him
standing on the spot he last left. The remains of Old Keystone.

As Jesse will come to join him in her own way she'll maybe, maybe, note
that there normal feeling of Wally's speed isn't there in her own aura.
Just that sparkling, trailing energetic wave of speed. A thankful gift for
services done, or perhaps an invite to come back again some time now that
she knows how to get there.

Waiting for Jesse, Wally is looking out over the scene with a regretful
look. Not one about Bart, but about the extremes that he felt he almost
had to leap to. It could have been worse than this.

"Ready to go home?"

Jesse Quick glances back at Wally. She's unsure of what's happened to
herself or anyone else. The blond pushes the goggles off herself as she
joins him, "Yeah... lets go home." Her eyes flick about where ever she
can.. looking for a sign as she wonders if its worked yet,... if things
are set right. If her Dad's alright.. "Wally..is it alright now?" She
places her hand to her brow and sighs.

"It will be, Jesse." Flash turns back to the feminine 'Flash' and offers
her a smile. "It will be." It has to be. He just knows it.