Mothpoint #12 Chronolock
Star Laboratories, Central City Branch. While it's reputation has dwindled over the years, in no small part due to an exploding Particle Accelerator, the labs continue to run 24/7. A small team of dedicated scientific minds working together to make the world a brighter place, and make up for the company's past mistakes. But, something was wrong. For the past week, not one of it's employees have left. Not to get lunch. Not to go home. Rain pattered down onto it's metal roof, but... all around it the sun shone, not a cloud in the sky. Rain slid across its darkened windows, and carried down towards Thawne, and Simon. Taking a gloved finger towards the growing puddles, Thawne examines the water
Thawne- It's him alright.
*Simon nods, he clutches his gun and cautiously pulls on the door. Locked. Obviously. Why wouldn't it be? "It's ok!" he shouts out, prying open the security box, and tinkering with the electronics. In between rearranging wires, and the odd curse, Simon explains himself to Thawne*
Simon- I picked up a few things working with the Great White. There was this guy on his crew, Mr Jailor I think, taught me this kind of- And we're in.
*The doors whir open, revealing a dark hallway and the faint rumblings of conversation. Oddly... normal conversation*
-Can you pass me my mug, eh love?
-Urgh, I can't believe you drink this trash Eric. I could just pop down to Jitters, and-
-Pick up a Killer Frost frappé? No thank you. Watching my weight-
-That's a lot of weight to watch E!-
Simon- It sounds like-
Thawne- People? Were you expecting a dinosaur?
*Simon lagged behind, wondering. Chronos was indeed a time traveller*
Simon- Could he-?
Thawne- What?
*Simon closed his mouth. But, he was now fully expecting Chronos to set a T-Rex on them.*
--------
*They were in the cortex. In front of them, a group of four scientists moved around the laboratory, drinking coffee and playing football with a scrunched up piece of paper, oblivious to the two confused guests. "Hello?" calls out Simon, but he gets no response. He takes a step backwards, straight into an oncoming scientist*
Simon- Oh god, I'm sorry sir.
*The man looks right through Simon, straightens his glasses and, once he's back on his feet he suddenly calls out "Can you pass me my mug, eh love?"*
Simon- P-pardon?
*Another scientist, a young woman, walks right past Thawne, a mug of STAR labs coffee in hand*
Tina- Urgh, I can't believe you drink this trash Eric. I could just pop down to Jitters, and-
Simon- Thawne?
Eric- - frappé? No thank you. Watching my weight
Thawne- They're time looped. We can't help them.
Tom- -That's a lot of weight to watch E!
Simon- But-
Thawne- He's in the Particular Accelerator. Let's *go*
Actually, I'm right here.
*A tingling sensation gripped Simon's body, it was cold, freezing almost. From the groans to the right he knew Thawne was equally uncomfortable. But beyond that, something else- He couldn't move. He wanted to, but he'd lost control of his body. Then he realised. He couldn't feel his heartbeat.*
Thawne- -Ccccchhhroooooooonnnnos
Chronos- Oh do relax Eobard. I have no intention of hurting you. Do you like my office?
*This* was Chronos? The man who killed his mother, his uncle, his *true* family? He wore a white mask, like a clock face, complete with a single hand on his forehead. He looked quite frankly, ridiculous and yet, his eyes were as cold as the chill throughout Simon's body. Like the scientists before him, his gaze went right through Simon.
Chronos- I'll see to you later.
*If he could spit, Simon would have. He didn't realise he had that kind of hate inside him, not for a man he only just met. Smirking, Chronos picked up a jam jar and thrust it in Thawne's face. Inside it, a little man shrieked unheard pleas*
Thawne- Paaaaaaalllmerrrr
*Chronos groaned and with a flick of his wrist Thawne could speak clearly again*
Thawne- *urh* Palmer.
Chronos- Oh yes. Our dear old disaster stopping pal Ray Palmer. I have him tinkering on a little formula for me. And, if he disobeys me, I can just do this-
*He shakes the jar. Palmer goes flying then falls to the bottom of the jar with a muffled crack*
Chronos- I wouldn't worry about him. He dies? I can get a new one. It would take seconds. Let me give you the tour. There's quite a few familiar faces here actually- Silas, Thomas, Anthony, Thadeus. Scientists. Experts. I was hoping you'd join us. You have the brains, I'll settle for being the brawn... We can work together. I need us to work together. My clairvoyance only reaches so far. And we're running out of time
*Chronos rolls down a whiteboard. On it, a mass of scribbled symbols and formulas*
Thawne- What is this?
Chronos- Time. Simply put. I'm mapping out all outcomes as we speak.
Thawne- For what? Until what?
*Chronos runs his finger across the whiteboard, then bows his head- "Doomsday"*
Chronos- It's inevitable. You can change time all you want, believe me, and yet that final outcome is always the same. Metahuman wars, crazed vigilantes, it's a slippery slope until Nuclear Armageddon. There will be no climatic battle here today. There will be no bad guys to punch. There is only one path. Mine, or, failing that- death.
Thawne- Doomsday.
Chronos- Doomsday.
Simon- That's a load of crap!
Chronos- Oh, I thought you were still frozen. My mistake.
Simon- You're not some guardian of time, you're a monster, a mercenary who killed my family to save Bridgets'! And you know it!
*He was looking at a shadowed figure. Bridget was hiding. Crying silently*
Chronos- Oh Simon. Simon Simon Simon. That, is *exactly* what I am.
Simon- You're lying.
*He had to be. He was the villain. Simon, the hero. Simon didn't kill *his* mom or uncle, did he?*
Chronos- This isn't the first time you know. I've altered the past before. Do you recall the circumstances of your resurrection Simon? Did you know that the mastermind was originally the Polka Dot Man? Did you know that Thawne was once fated to die by the Redeemables hand and not your step mother's? Did you realise that there was a time where Lord Death Man spent his days filming a documentary with an Elephant man, because I do. But, I'm not the villain. I'm more of an equaliser. When reality is scrambled, it is *I* who snaps it back into place. As much as you may deny it Simon, this is your time
*He was lying. He had to be*
Mothpoint #12 Chronolock
Star Laboratories, Central City Branch. While it's reputation has dwindled over the years, in no small part due to an exploding Particle Accelerator, the labs continue to run 24/7. A small team of dedicated scientific minds working together to make the world a brighter place, and make up for the company's past mistakes. But, something was wrong. For the past week, not one of it's employees have left. Not to get lunch. Not to go home. Rain pattered down onto it's metal roof, but... all around it the sun shone, not a cloud in the sky. Rain slid across its darkened windows, and carried down towards Thawne, and Simon. Taking a gloved finger towards the growing puddles, Thawne examines the water
Thawne- It's him alright.
*Simon nods, he clutches his gun and cautiously pulls on the door. Locked. Obviously. Why wouldn't it be? "It's ok!" he shouts out, prying open the security box, and tinkering with the electronics. In between rearranging wires, and the odd curse, Simon explains himself to Thawne*
Simon- I picked up a few things working with the Great White. There was this guy on his crew, Mr Jailor I think, taught me this kind of- And we're in.
*The doors whir open, revealing a dark hallway and the faint rumblings of conversation. Oddly... normal conversation*
-Can you pass me my mug, eh love?
-Urgh, I can't believe you drink this trash Eric. I could just pop down to Jitters, and-
-Pick up a Killer Frost frappé? No thank you. Watching my weight-
-That's a lot of weight to watch E!-
Simon- It sounds like-
Thawne- People? Were you expecting a dinosaur?
*Simon lagged behind, wondering. Chronos was indeed a time traveller*
Simon- Could he-?
Thawne- What?
*Simon closed his mouth. But, he was now fully expecting Chronos to set a T-Rex on them.*
--------
*They were in the cortex. In front of them, a group of four scientists moved around the laboratory, drinking coffee and playing football with a scrunched up piece of paper, oblivious to the two confused guests. "Hello?" calls out Simon, but he gets no response. He takes a step backwards, straight into an oncoming scientist*
Simon- Oh god, I'm sorry sir.
*The man looks right through Simon, straightens his glasses and, once he's back on his feet he suddenly calls out "Can you pass me my mug, eh love?"*
Simon- P-pardon?
*Another scientist, a young woman, walks right past Thawne, a mug of STAR labs coffee in hand*
Tina- Urgh, I can't believe you drink this trash Eric. I could just pop down to Jitters, and-
Simon- Thawne?
Eric- - frappé? No thank you. Watching my weight
Thawne- They're time looped. We can't help them.
Tom- -That's a lot of weight to watch E!
Simon- But-
Thawne- He's in the Particular Accelerator. Let's *go*
Actually, I'm right here.
*A tingling sensation gripped Simon's body, it was cold, freezing almost. From the groans to the right he knew Thawne was equally uncomfortable. But beyond that, something else- He couldn't move. He wanted to, but he'd lost control of his body. Then he realised. He couldn't feel his heartbeat.*
Thawne- -Ccccchhhroooooooonnnnos
Chronos- Oh do relax Eobard. I have no intention of hurting you. Do you like my office?
*This* was Chronos? The man who killed his mother, his uncle, his *true* family? He wore a white mask, like a clock face, complete with a single hand on his forehead. He looked quite frankly, ridiculous and yet, his eyes were as cold as the chill throughout Simon's body. Like the scientists before him, his gaze went right through Simon.
Chronos- I'll see to you later.
*If he could spit, Simon would have. He didn't realise he had that kind of hate inside him, not for a man he only just met. Smirking, Chronos picked up a jam jar and thrust it in Thawne's face. Inside it, a little man shrieked unheard pleas*
Thawne- Paaaaaaalllmerrrr
*Chronos groaned and with a flick of his wrist Thawne could speak clearly again*
Thawne- *urh* Palmer.
Chronos- Oh yes. Our dear old disaster stopping pal Ray Palmer. I have him tinkering on a little formula for me. And, if he disobeys me, I can just do this-
*He shakes the jar. Palmer goes flying then falls to the bottom of the jar with a muffled crack*
Chronos- I wouldn't worry about him. He dies? I can get a new one. It would take seconds. Let me give you the tour. There's quite a few familiar faces here actually- Silas, Thomas, Anthony, Thadeus. Scientists. Experts. I was hoping you'd join us. You have the brains, I'll settle for being the brawn... We can work together. I need us to work together. My clairvoyance only reaches so far. And we're running out of time
*Chronos rolls down a whiteboard. On it, a mass of scribbled symbols and formulas*
Thawne- What is this?
Chronos- Time. Simply put. I'm mapping out all outcomes as we speak.
Thawne- For what? Until what?
*Chronos runs his finger across the whiteboard, then bows his head- "Doomsday"*
Chronos- It's inevitable. You can change time all you want, believe me, and yet that final outcome is always the same. Metahuman wars, crazed vigilantes, it's a slippery slope until Nuclear Armageddon. There will be no climatic battle here today. There will be no bad guys to punch. There is only one path. Mine, or, failing that- death.
Thawne- Doomsday.
Chronos- Doomsday.
Simon- That's a load of crap!
Chronos- Oh, I thought you were still frozen. My mistake.
Simon- You're not some guardian of time, you're a monster, a mercenary who killed my family to save Bridgets'! And you know it!
*He was looking at a shadowed figure. Bridget was hiding. Crying silently*
Chronos- Oh Simon. Simon Simon Simon. That, is *exactly* what I am.
Simon- You're lying.
*He had to be. He was the villain. Simon, the hero. Simon didn't kill *his* mom or uncle, did he?*
Chronos- This isn't the first time you know. I've altered the past before. Do you recall the circumstances of your resurrection Simon? Did you know that the mastermind was originally the Polka Dot Man? Did you know that Thawne was once fated to die by the Redeemables hand and not your step mother's? Did you realise that there was a time where Lord Death Man spent his days filming a documentary with an Elephant man, because I do. But, I'm not the villain. I'm more of an equaliser. When reality is scrambled, it is *I* who snaps it back into place. As much as you may deny it Simon, this is your time
*He was lying. He had to be*