44Several Months after BVS – ending in the Knightmares version
As far as the eye could see, this area was covered with crumpled and burned buildings. The grounds were overly dry and devoid of most plant life. No doubt about it, this was a post-apocalyptic world. Bruce Wayne and several of his fellow resistance members were strung up and being held till their god Superman returned. The skies above remained dismal and cloud covered.
Bruce felt the earth shake as Superman landed nearby. He watched, feeling fully disgusted that so many of his fellow men betrayed the human race by following this alien. His followers all kneeled down as Superman walked by. Yellow beams of energy shot from Superman's eyes. He incinerated two of Bruce's comrades in a matter of seconds. He could hear their screams. The stench of their burned flesh overwhelmed Bruce's senses leaving him sick to his stomach. The worst part is he knew he was next. He would become a pile of ash just like the two comrades next to him.
With one harsh thrusting motion, Superman ripped of the mask that obscured most of Bruce's face. "She was my world, and you took her from me," Superman said.
Bruce just narrowed his eyes and glared at the alien. He knew there was nothing he could do. That damn reporter got in his way just before he would have killed him once and for all, which allowed Superman to escape. He knew there was no escape for him now. He wasn't afraid to die. His only regret was that he was unable to get rid of Superman.
"We found what you were looking for sir," one of Superman's guards interrupted just before he was about to incinerate Bruce.
"You found the cosmic treadmill?" Superman questioned. As his glare fell upon the bat, he realized killing him would only bring a temporary and fleeting feeling of satisfaction. Using the cosmic treadmill, on the other hand, stood a chance of bringing back the people he loved most. Deep down, he blamed Lex Luthor and Bruce Wayne for everything. Lex Luthor was already dead. Superman smirked at the irony of the specifics of exactly how and why he died. Now, he just had Bruce Wayne to deal with.
Superman's guards unveiled the cosmic treadmill which had been packaged up on the back of a flatbed truck. Superman contemplated incinerating Bruce. He taunted him instead. He pointed out the pile of ash that was once a human being. "It is your own fault. If you just listened to me when I asked, none of this ever would have happened." Both men exchanged glares. If looks could kill, neither would have walked away alive from this one. "Now I have the chance to undo it all."
"Nnnno," Bruce began to holler. Then he realized someone was untying him from the back, so he went silent. He watched Superman run on the treadmill. It seemed he just wasn't fast enough to make the magic of time travel work. Bruce smirked at Superman. "You are fast, but not fast enough."
As he glared at Bruce, Superman realized someone was untying him. He fired his heat vision at them. The Flash finished untying Bruce and pulled them both down right out of the path of the deadly heat beams. The Flash seemed to conjure up a sand storm as he literally ran circles around Superman. Superman used his cool breath to blow the sand away. He just found he needed to do it in all directions. As the winds began to shift, the golden light of the sun managed to peak through the clouds and cast light on Superman's head. He paused while the Flash picked up Bruce and made his getaway.
Superman contemplated following them, but decided against it. Instead he flew up. He knew the sun had the power to heal him and even improve his abilities. He blew past the earth's atmosphere and moved closer to the sun. As he got closer, his speed improved. Then a solar flare washed all around him. He could feel a burst of power that was unlike anything he had ever felt before. He turned around and headed back toward earth.
The Flash stopped as they quickly got a significant distance away from the site. "We have to go back," Bruce insisted.
"Are you nuts? We don't have any kryptonite and he will kill us." Flash tried to talk some common sense into him.
"He has the cosmic treadmill," Bruce explained to him. The Flash's jaw dropped. Even though that was revealed right in front of him, he didn't notice because he was too busy working on freeing Bruce. He knew what the cosmic treadmill could do, so for the Flash, this needed no explanation. He picked up Bruce again and raced back to the site they just left.
Superman spotted them as they returned. He flew straight for the Flash. The Flash tried to dodge again, but to his surprise, this time Superman was actually faster. He grabbed his arm. The Flash tried to slip his grip with a few maneuvers he learned from Bruce, but he couldn't move Superman's hand at all. Superman put his other hand around his neck and began to squeeze. The Flash gasped for air. Then Superman fired another blast of heat vision. His heat vision was more intense than usual, but as he used this, he could feel a slight dip in his power. The Flash fell making a loud thud against the ground.
"Damn you!" Bruce glared at him.
Superman contemplated killing Bruce too, but he didn't want to experience anymore power loss. If he had to leave again, they might destroy that machine. "I will get rid of the bat once and for all. Consider it an act of mercy, which is more than you deserve." He turned his back on Bruce and raced toward the cosmic treadmill.
"You will never get that thing to work and you just killed the only person who could. This one was your fault." Bruce smirked at Superman.
"We will see about that," Superman snapped back at him. He sighed and briefly closed his eyes and hoped Bruce was wrong.
Superman began to run on the cosmic treadmill much faster than before. Bruce jumped on him and tried to make him stop, but without kryptonite, he was very ineffective. Lights began to spiral out of control. The treadmill wobbled showing scenes from both the past and the future. Both men only saw scenes from their own pasts. It was almost like seeing your entire life flashing before you in a kaleidoscope. For Bruce this meant images of the criminals he pursued, the women he seduced and all the parties he attended. Superman saw his fight with Zod, the love he shared with Lois and all the people he rescued over the years.
Superman forcibly flung Bruce off of him and sent him right through one of the spokes in the wheel. His leg hurt from the landing, but he didn't scream. He was used to channeling everything including pain to more useful measures. Bruce cursed Superman as it was obvious to him that Superman was still continuing to spiral toward an unknown destination. He wasn't sure when or where Superman was going. Bruce decided he needed to figure out what he did and reverse it fast. Right now Bruce felt an overwhelming desire for revenge. He just wanted to kill Superman.
Gotham City – July 4, 1985
He quickly realized where he was. Of all the places. This wasn't mercy. This was just cruel. This was the same street corner where he witnessed his parents get gunned down, but judging by the movie poster adds, it definitely wasn't the same year. He noticed posters for Back to the Future and Teen Wolf. Bruce's knowledge of popular movies was lacking. He wasn't quite sure what year it actually was.
He quickly realized he was over dressed for this 90 plus degree weather. He took off his top as the sun beams poured down on him relentlessly. Even the music blaring from cars passing taunted him. 'I'm walking on sunshine, and don't it feel good?' It certainly didn't. Bruce found the sun's blades searing. Although he knew he was in for a far worse fate back in his own time if Superman had his way. Screw that! He was going to visit his past self and Alfred to get some much needed help. He wanted to make Alfred see Superman for the threat he was and get a hold of some kryptonite if it was the last thing he ever did. Superman had to go, but first thing's first. He didn't have any cash or credit cards that would be good in this time, so he made his way back to Wayne manor on foot. It was a long and hot walk, but he ignored his aching feet and continued onward. Being thrown and being dehydrated didn't help things either.
As he walked up the driveway, he realized it was in much better condition than he remembered it. Of course it was. He was used to seeing it after years of neglect. His mother's prize roses still seemed to bloom despite the fact that she hasn't been here in years. Alfred must have maintained them, something at the time, he didn't even notice. He knew his home well and had no trouble breaking in. He actually managed to climb in through an open window. He didn't pay much attention to things in the house. He rushed to the kitchen and got himself some ice water. He couldn't believe how thirsty he really was. He drank fast and immediately got a second glass.
He tried to remember the exact year he moved into his parent's old room. He knew he was slow to have this room cleared out. He hoped he could 'borrow' more weather appropriate attire. He took advantage of the bathroom and took a nice shower. He even used some deodorant and aftershave. After several months of a nomadic existence, being freshly showered and dressed in clean clothes felt good.
Once he finished getting dressed, he heard girls' laughter in the hallway. He thought the house was empty, but now he realized it wasn't. Luckily, he was fully clothed, so he edged his way toward the door extra quietly. Even though it was his house, it was the wrong year. He easily could be arrested for breaking and entering.
"Well, if he keeps it up, he is so getting lucky tonight," one of the girls said. The other girl laughed. He heard a rustling sound. Bruce wasn't quite sure what it was. "Do you think he will like this?"
"Definitely," the other girl responded. Curiosity got the better of Bruce. He stepped out into the hallway to see two teenage girls, a blond and a brunette. Bruce crossed his arms. He wondered if Alfred had taken him out this day back in 1985 because he had some unauthorized guests in the house. If so, Alfred should have just asked. Bruce was sure his past self definitely would have approved it. Heck, he probably would have bent over backwards trying to impress the two hotties. Both girls were very beautiful.
The brunette was the far more exotic of the two. She looked part oriental and part something else Bruce couldn't quite place. She wore a red t-shirt over her swim suit and a pair of slightly worn blue jean shorts.
The blond looked like a classic all American beauty. She was far more blatant with her sexuality then her friend. She didn't bother covering up her royal blue bikini top. She also wore a white mini skirt that really showed off her legs.
The Burnette laughed, then suddenly stopped as she realized someone was standing there. "Ah, hello." She forced a cheesy grin. The blond quickly shoved the chemise back in her Victoria Secret bag. Yet again, he heard that rustling sound. Apparently plenty of tissue paper lined the bag. Then she looked at Bruce and gave a nervous laugh.
One thing occurred to Bruce. Maybe Superman did something that made this not even his house anymore? So he quickly came up with a cover story he hoped these girls would buy. "Have either of you seen Alfred Pennyworth? I am just beginning to think I have the wrong address. The door was open, so I just…"
"I am trying to remember what Bruce said." The blond paused for a few moments followed by a warm smile. "I think he took Tiffany to the parade."
Bruce bit his tongue instead of asking who the hell Tiffany is. Alfred must have had a girlfriend he didn't know about. He thought it better not to ask. "Oh, he must have forgot I was coming. Are you his niece?" To the best of Bruce's knowledge, Alfred didn't even have a niece, but hoped his reasonable, but wrong guess, would result in the girl volunteering an answer.
"No. My name is Jaclyn," the blond shook his hand. She made strong eye contact. Her jaw dropped slightly and she paused. "Do I know you? There is just something really familiar…"
"I doubt it." Bruce shook his head, with a bit of a grimace. He got a name, but that still didn't explain what she was doing in his house. Jaclyn continued to stare looking in his eyes. The brunette nudged her in the ribs which successfully snapped her out of her trance. "I doubt I have any chance of finding him at the parade. Do either of you know where Alfred might go after that?"
"No," the brunette answered first.
"Yes, he will be going to the cook out at my Uncle's house," Jaclyn answered. "You can come too."
"Are you nuts," The brunette frowned at Jaclyn.
"Shush, there will be plenty of food," Jaclyn briefly glared at her friend.
"Yeah, sure that is the problem with this," the brunette said sarcastically.
She didn't have to say it. Bruce knew what she meant. She was shocked her friend would trust a total stranger so fast. "I don't want to intrude." Bruce put his hands up.
"You are not. Any friend of Alfred's is welcome," Jaclyn insisted with a warm smile.
June 25, 1981 - Smallville
Superman continued toward his destination. He left a special message for his past self. Young Clark Kent listened carefully to the message. He wasn't sure if what he saw was a hallucination, an illusion or a dream. Superman was so sure that what he did would change everything and result in a much better future for everyone. He couldn't wait to return to his own time and finally propose to Lois Lane. There was little doubt on his mind that she would be alive and she would definitely say yes.
When he finally returned to his own time, he found himself floating in space with literally nothing around him. All he saw was faint lights in the distance. He could move in any direction, but so far this was to no avail. The one thing he knew for sure was something went seriously wrong. He believed this to be what Krypton called the phantom zone.