Chapter Text
Bart thinks along the way he may have done something wrong in this whole travelling back in time thing.
This did not look anything remotely like a Justice League base at all, more like a dingy alleyway. Also everyone was kind of glowing? Or was it just Bart?
Thinking back on how he even got into this mess in the first place, well that's a long story and Bart isn't really one with much patience in the first place so a full story is unlikely anyway. In short Bart was sent back in time to save his grandfather, Barry Allen or you know the Flash numero uno, pretty cool right being related to him and all, from this guy called like Neutron or something which then should (hopefully) stop Blue Beetle and the Reach from taking over the planet. And well since it really wasn’t planned to be a two way trip anyway just generally help out in the past like probably he could tell everyone about all the cool stuff there is in the year 2056 that they don't have here.
Actually what year is it? He was meant to come back in the year roughly 2020 but seeing that he definitely isn't in a League base where his time machine was meant to land in the year was well debatable at best, Bart mused looking around the ruins of his time machine critically, trying his best to ignore the strange glittery people.
Actually maybe he should focus on the glowy people Impulse mused becoming slightly distracted from his goal of figuring out where he landed.
There were a bunch of them, it was kind of strange. Bart figures if humans looked like this in the past then photos of his grandpa would clearly show him like this right? Whatever there were a few people kind of transparent actually reminding him of jello heh jello people that would be funny, if someone was made out of jello would that include their organs and bones too or just the fleshy bits?
Catching himself before he went on an unneeded tangent (Red would be proud) he observed the small group forming around the pile of metal which used to be his time machine. There was a couple who, apart from being blue and glowy, looked relatively normal, maybe 70ish as well as some dudes and some random kid with a camera, none of which were actually paying direct attention to him yet favouring the sparky mess deeper into the alleyway.
Speaking of alleyways, Bart looked around. It was kind of odd? He was from the future so this could be just nitpicky or something and another but he feels like if he were in Central city or even Keystone it wouldn't look so... so bleak. Like he could practically feel the sadness radiating off the city like it wouldn't surprise him if the city itself started crying, or literally just mugged him or something.
Shuffling slightly through the grime (ew what happened to street sanitary or something that wasn’t that new of an invention was it? Well not that he had it then but he remembers being told about it at least) to get a better look at the buildings in the thin, dark and very dingy alleyway it just all looked very off, and thats coming from the time traveller who lived basically fighting against aliens but that's no biggie.
Right time to actually figure out where I am, Bart frowned pacing back and forth slightly, notable features, city (probably), very dark, kind of smelly, Bart swears he has heard at least three gunshots already and the air tasted weird.
So not Metropolis. Definitely not Metropolis. Probably not Central city or Keystone most likely not Gateway city, uhhh what other cities did he know come on think Impulse think. Ah, Red Robin used to tell him about Gotham, he basically described it as a city that no one would voluntarily move to and Bart feels like that pretty much encapsulates this place (no offence Gotham probably).
‘Uh excuse me?’ A small voice piped up from next to Bart causing him to pause his pacing and look around, all of the glowy people seemed to be gone except the kid (actually this kid looked maybe about 12 maybe so he isn't even that much older) who was staring at him with big hopeful eyes framed by a pair of black curtain bangs hanging down over his forehead. Wait this is perfect Impulse grinned turning to fully face the boy.
‘Heyyy whatcha need?’ Bart asked attempting to appear casual despite the fact A) he is pretty sure this guy watched him climb out of the ruins of his time machine B) he is totally in his superhero outfit because he was meant to be inside a secure location with other heroes to explain the whole thing, he even had this whole speech planned it was going to be so amazingly epic! Except it's not because clearly something or another went wrong.
The boy looked sort of surprised that he answered at all which Bart finds a little offensive like he didn’t look that unapproachable did he? He thought he looked quite friendly, especially compared to like Batman. He was a hero of this time Bart would know he researched it.
Snapping out of his apparent surprise the boy continues, ‘Oh that doesn’t uh usually that doesn’t work. Let's restart, my name is Tim. What is your name, strange stranger?’ the boy or Tim said with a slight smirk pulling across his face. Now here is a dilemma. This guy is transparent and kind of yellow however he is still some kind of civilian so he probably shouldn’t share his actual name but then again he did see him come out of his time machine so does that really matter? But then again again Bart promised to behave and focus on his goal and well that means he should stay professional right? Secret identity and all?
‘Tim I like that name you know I had a friend? Mentor I don't know how you would phrase it but he was called Tim and he was totally crash or cool. I don't think that slang exists yet but someday maybe,’ Bart rambles, ‘Oh and also call me Impulse!’ he tacked on as an afterthought with a large toothy grin. Tim seems to ponder his words for a second before speaking again.
‘Are you a new hero? Or vigilante? Is that a time machine? Are you from the future??’ the black haired boy interrogated leaning towards Bart with stars in his eyes eagerly awaiting a response from the speedster.
‘Uhhh yes yes yes?’ Bart responded by taking a step back to reclaim his personal space, ‘How did you-’ he began before immediately being interrupted by the other boy.
‘How did I know? Well that was simple, first of all you mentioned stuff about things not being invented and that strange slang word plus that just sort of looks like a time machine and everything like in Back to The Future you know!’ Tim chattered excitedly, ‘Actually you might not depending on how far in the future you are from, wait did you come back to save the world from some like extinction level threat or something? Wait actually don't tell me right now you probably shouldn’t tell me about that in the open like this, Gotham you know,’ Bart did not in fact know seeing as he had never been to Gotham before this moment in time now but he chose to run with it anyway. ‘Actually maybe don’t tell me at all you know since it’s official hero stuff you could get in trouble,’ Tim continued starting to drift over to the wreckage of the time machine mostly talking to himself at this point as Bart just sort of stared at Tim with a raised eyebrow.
‘Is everyone in the past like,’ Bart gestures at the other boy, ‘Like glowy transparent? Kind of like a torch ya know because I feel like I probably would know if humans looked like this, I mean did I like, accidentally travel to a different planet or something because that would suck since this WHOLE important mission was assigned to me and everything!”
The kid just sort of opened and closed his mouth going through like a million expressions before landing on pinched eyebrows and a tight smile, “Oh uh, you don’t know?”
“Don’t know what?” The speedster questioned raising an eyebrow as he leaned towards Tim, “Come on you can tell me, promise I’m not like an evil alien villain from the future who wants to take over the world!”
“That was.. oddly specific but uh,” Tim paused as if searching for the right words, “I’m dead, that couple they are dead, that guy who was literally missing a hand earlier, he is dead. I’m a ghost or that’s what I think this is anyway,” he explained fiddling with the strap of his camera.
Huh, seeing ghosts? Bart didn’t think speedsters could do that… Wait they can’t do that. Huh? Maybe he messed up a bit more than he thought.. “Am I DEAD??” Impulse yelped looking down at his hands, “I can practically feel myself fading into red jello!”
“No nono you aren’t dead uh still alive and everything,” Camera boy reassured stepping towards Bart, “Dead people have like, uh well they are like transparent you aren’t.” Tim tried to explain, “You are a bit like glowy though, maybe that’s why you can talk to us! I’ve always wanted to talk to a superhero!”
“Hm well Timmy how about you give me a quick rundown of the situation right now, like year city, though I think it’s Gotham I mean other cities don’t feel like they hate their inhabitants, and like important stuff yeah?” Bart asked giving his best pleading look, he did have an AI that him and Red had built together for this sort of thing but uh the Time Machine currently in little bits on the side doesn’t give him much hope for it havinf survived the crash.
“Oh yeah! Of course I can!” he beamed perking up at the request walking wait no floating? over to Impulse’s side.
The two boys decided to take any important parts of the Time Machine and go, Tim advised that staying out in the open in a uniform like Impulse’s was not good for long term physical health in Gotham. Meaning he would get beaten up, a lot, criminals aren’t really a fan of heroes here. Who could have guessed?
“So Tim, any other handy nuggets of info? So far I just have a handful of info like it’s 2014 which I just want to tell thanks to my amazing Time Machine for not even putting me in the right year! Ahem and that you are dead I’m not dead but I will be if I don’t blend in more?” Bart listed while walking alongside the smaller boy, “How old are you anyway? Like twelve?”
“First of all I was thirteen when I died but plus the time I’ve been like uh this I would be roughly fifteen, but that is unimportant first things first we gotta find a thrift store! Cover up that uniform can’t have people figure out your secret identity!” the smaller boy commanded pointing onwards down the street with a toothy grin quickly leaving the conversation of his death.
Eagerly following behind the boy Bart made sure to keep a firm grip on the control panel of his Time Machine, just imagining one of the Gotham rouges of this time with tech this advanced almost gives him a heart attack, and that’s saying something! The streets were mostly empty at this sort of dusk time, short window between those holing up inside for safety and those who come out for crime at night apparently, Bart still doesn’t get who would want to live here but to each their own.
Bart knows from his time in the future that the three most important things in a survival situation are food, water and a shelter, his mentor taught him that. And in the post apocalyptic future with the reach it served him well, he can do this, it’s just Gotham it can’t be that bad right?
“Oh Tim Timmy Timmers may not be the best time buut Imaybedon’thaveanymoneyoops” Bart blurted out sheepishly raising his hand to rub the back of his neck, “So maybe we need a new plan with the clothes and food or whatever.”
Tim paused turning to Impusle with a questioning look, “You don’t seem very prepared for a time traveler Impulse, I feel like this sort of stuff would be written in history books or well at the rate technology stuff is going maybe books are all digital by then.. whatever the future is like you seem grossly unprepared for this!” he snarked raising an eyebrow at the speedster.
“Well about that, it’s kind of embarrassing but my Time Machine didn’t really work properly, or well no actually me and Red spent ages building it to perfection!Something must have thrown it off track I wasn’t even meant to be in this year let alone in Gotham of all places!” Impulse grumbled raising his hands up, “At this rate im going to cause extra unneeded changes to the timeline and muck the whole mission up!” Bart continued his voice raising in annoyance throughout his rant.
“Impulse!” Tim started before Bart immediately cut in, “No I’m not done yet with what I’m saying!”
“Bart turn around!” the boy yelled eyes widening as a desperate tone overtook his voice, making a move to grab Bart’s shoulders to move him even though the yellow haze that was his hands went straight through his shoulders.
The sharp ring of a gunshot cut through the air as a thug further down the street aimed his pistol at the heroes back, and shot straight for the head. Tim grips his camera so hard his knuckles whiten, his fault his new friend was going to-
In a blur of white and red the bullet stopped midair as the thug fell to the ground with a thump guns clattering onto the ground as dirt clouds wafted up off the ground.
“Wh-what?! WHAT?! You have super speed? You could have told me!” Tim exclaimed voice cracking slightly, “I thought.. I thought you were gonna-“
“I’m fine Timmers no need to worry so much!” Bart tried to reassure before seeing the face Tim was pulling, it reminded him of a kitten, big sad teary eyes, floppy hair aww now he actually feels kind of bad, “Oh grife okay I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry look I’m fine and I will be fine! The great Impulse will not be beaten by such lame guys come on!”
“Okay, but you have to promise not to die! I just made a new friend who isn’t dead for once so you can’t go joining us yet!” Tim orders pointing a firm finger at Bart, “You came back for a reason right? So you have to stay alive to fulfill it!”
Bart laughed dropping the bullet to the ground, “That was the plan Tim but I’ve glad I’ve got someone else at my back through whatever happens, it’s just us right?”
“Yeah just us!” Tim cheered with a grin.
—
The flapping wings of bats and the quiet hum of machines permiated the air in the cave. Overall it was a peaceful night, for Gotham at least, no Arkham breakouts, major drug rings or really anything tonight. Well that was until the computer started flashing red drawing Nightwing’s attention away from the training mats he was warming up on.
“B! You need to come see this right now!” Dick yelled calling the older man over to the computer with a panicked tone, “Something has landed in Gotham, it caused a huge crater and it just came out of no where from what the cameras show. This can’t be good sign Bruce, we should warn Jason it landed near his territory, maybe even try and get some of the league in on this.”