Chapter Text
Steampunk Flash
On an alternate Earth in the Multiverse, it was 1852. However, the look of the world wasn't like 1852 of our Earth. This was a world of Steampunk. Cogs and Gears turned while steam hissed. Airships of various shapes and sizes travelled in the air while piston driven trains puffed and smoked along tracks. One such train was unique and had its own private tracks. The white machine was the fastest and so intrigue in its design it could only have come from one place. Children would press their faces against the iron railings along her track to get a glimpse of this machine going by. It was more because rumor told that as her pistons moved red sparks of electricity could be seen firing as she went by much faster than her other brethren on the commonly used tracks.
Or maybe it was because this particular track led the white train to a private airfield which held an airship that had travelled the world and brought back wonders and new ideas for its creator. Inside the only carriage of the white beauty, the creator sat scribbling into a leather bound book. He was tall and handsome and wore a black suit with a white buttoned down shirt and a black waistcoat. Narrow black rimmed glasses did nothing to hide his bright blue eyes. He had placed his top hat onto the table and the sun glistened off the brass goggles resting on its rim and played across the table. a young woman sat across from him. Her hair was long and dark and her skin was pale. she wore a white lace topped and cuffed long sleeve shirt, a cogs and gears designed corset and a dark brown and tan long ruffed skirt which hide her long knee high brown boots. The woman never asked where they were going, only that they were heading somewhere new was enough to satisfy her curious heart. As the train slowed, the man closed his book and tucked his pen into its holder attached to the spine. He tucked the book into a pocket inside his coat before reaching into a small pocket in his waistcoat to examine the pocket watch. There was no face to it as such, just brass backing and glass front to protect all the exposed parts safe and working.
"Mr. Ramon has kept to excellent time keeping I see." The man spoke, his voice sounded quiet when in fact it could be heard clearly with a small hint of a Canadian accent.
The woman accompanying him smiled as she looked out the trains window and could see their destination.
"Dr Wells, I’m glad he does. Don't want to be late on your adventure." The woman spoke, her voice young and bit higher in perfect contrast to her companions.
Dr Wells smiled and gave a small chuckle as he stood up tucking his top hat under one arm.
"No Miss Snow, a gentleman and a scientist can never be too late for discovery. Shall we?"
Dr Wells leaned forwards slightly and offered her his elbow. Miss Snow wrapped one arm around his offered arm trying to forget that the black suit makes him look so much slimmer then he really is. Dr Wells led the way along the corridor and opened the door for her and let her go through first. Mr. Ramon was waiting at the door to help her down. The young Puerta Rican had tanned skin and shoulder length black hair. his goggles were black and silver and vertical slits with a greenish hue from them. His left arm was covered in a brass and leather mechanical covering. Small brass pistons at the joints and even smaller brass pistons on his fingers. His tan overalls were smudged with oil and smoke. Ramon offered his arm for Miss Snow to take to help her down from the train. She took his arm and walked down the small stairs to the ground, not that she needed help but both men were being gentlemen.
"Thank you Cisco." Miss Snow nodded at him with a smile.
While her older companion would use titles, with Mr. Ramon, Miss Snow preferred to use his first name.
"Your welcome Miss Snow." Cisco replied, his voice always sounding like a jack in the box ready to be sprung with a hint of his Spanish accent.
Dr Wells stepped down from his train and placed the top hat on. Once again he offered his arm to Miss Snow.
"Mr. Ramon, please secure Tess before meeting us over at the airship." Dr Wells spoke to him before both himself and Miss Snow headed towards the large open field.
The field was where a large airship with propellers and steam powered engines either side of the oval shaped balloon. Below it a large steel structure like the hull of a ship clung to its underbelly. As Dr Wells and Miss Snow boarded the airship, the place looked like the train carriage. All elegant and tidy but this was just one room within the airship. Engine room was to the back and there were 4 bedrooms with en suite bathrooms. A cargo hold was below them for storing their discoveries and a small lab. Miss Snow seated herself down at the small dining table where there was tea being brewed the moment they stepped on board. Dr Wells removed his top hat and coat and placed it onto a stand in the corner before rolling up his sleeves and heading down to the engineering to begin sorting out navigation. Miss Snow looked out the window as the train she had just left disappeared into a hanger with a turntable ready for when they return. The gates locked sealing the beautiful machine inside.
It wasn't long before Mr. Ramon boarded the airship along with another man who joins them on their adventures. The man was taller than herself but shorter than Dr Wells. He wore black trousers with tucked into his black boots. An off white shirt with leather patches at the hard wearing points like his elbows and shoulders. Dark brown leather cowboy style hat rested on his head. His eyes were dark along with his short dark brown hair. A long barreled rifle slung over his shoulder, his belt was full of pouches containing ammo for it. Where Dr Wells was lean, this man was heavier with muscle but not overly, enough that if he threw a punch it would hurt and that was why Dr. Wells had hired him, in case of danger, it always helped to have armed muscle and Ronnie Raymond was one of the best.
Unslinging his gun and rested it against the back of the seat across from Miss Snow. Sitting himself down he tipped his hat towards her but not remove his hat.
"Good Morning doll." The man said, his Wild West accent thick.
"Mr. Raymond." Miss Snow acknowledged his presence but never really enjoyed his company.
"Come on Cait, how many times have I told you to call me Ronnie?" He said as he leant on the table.
"Many times. However, I’ll continue to call you Mr. Raymond until you can address me properly." Caitlin replied with a cold attitude as she poured herself some tea.
A crash from the doorway had them turn their attention to the young man on the floor. A large overly filled bag had spilled its contents of weaponry and ammo and cleaning kit across the floor and a small book with loose papers slid under the table where they were sat. The newcomer was young maybe a year or two younger then the mechanic Cisco. He was slim in build and dark hair all ruffled like Dr Wells but in a more organized mess then the older gentleman’s chaotic mess. He wore a simple dark grey suit with an off white shirt like Ronnie’s. He was wearing a red cravat and simple round glasses.
"Er... Er... I'm so sorry Mr. Raymond. I didn't seem the step." The young boy exclaimed as he tried to pick up everything at once.
Ronnie muttered something under his breath about him before ushering him to move aside as he picked up his gear deciding to put it away in his room on his own in case the young lad shot himself in the foot. The young lad was picking up the loose pages as well as frantically searching for his journal. Caitlin had waited till Ronnie had departed before bending down and picking up the book which had stopped by her boot. Picking it up she had opened it up at a random page and couldn't help read the page which was detailing a previous adventure they had been on. Caitlin caught a glimpse of the young man looking embarrassed, causing her to smile. Caitlin closed the journal and offered it to him.
"Mr. Allen, you are quite the writer. You get Dr Wells science very well, maybe he'll consider taking you on as an apprentice someday." Caitlin told her young lad who just smiled and accepted the book.
Behind him Dr Wells had reappeared, wiping his hands on a rag leaning on the doorframe. Mr. Allen must have noticed as he turned to face him and became this mix of embarrassed and admiration for a great man.
"Mr. Allen, more adventures. I'd have thought you'd have your fill by now." Dr wells spoke to him.
Despite Mr. Allen's shortfalls, he somehow survived and kept coming back for more.
"No sir, this is what I want to do." Mr. Allen replied.
"Being a lackey for Mr. Raymond." Dr Wells inquired with a slight tilt of his head and half closing one eye.
"Oh no sir. I only work for him to pay for education so hopefully one day I could work for you Dr Wells sir." Mr. Allen replied feeling bolder the more he spoke.
Dr Wells considered him for a moment. The boy was good at understanding his science and he could see the boy at times wanting to ask him questions about his experiments. An inquisitive mind for science, yes maybe one day.
"Well keep studying and one day I may just ask you." Dr Wells replied before waving him away.
Mr. Allen tried to contain his happiness at the thought as he went away towards his room, bouncing off the table, before rushing forward again remembering his own bag was outside before coming back into the train, tripping for a second time but catching himself this time, bowing slightly and running to his room. Dr Wells and Caitlin chuckled as Wells seated himself down where Ronnie had just sat moments before. Caitlin reached across and tapped his arm. Dr Wells gave her look as he wondered what was that for.
"Don't encourage him if you're not going to do it." Caitlin warned him.
"You think I wouldn't hire him? Maybe when he learns to watch his feet when he runs I’d feel safe to let him into the lab without disastrous results. I mean he could set off electric magnetic atom smasher." Dr Wells defended himself.
"You really need to come up with a better name for giant circle thing." Caitlin replied lost slightly on his machine talk.
Dr Wells just smiled, loving that slightly confused look she had when he talked about his machines. Cisco's voice was heard scratchy through grated speakers around the ship.
"We're departing now sir. Prepare for lift off." Cisco warned the occupants of the airship.
With a slight whine the propellers turned to life and pistons hissed as they turned the circle housing for them down to lift the great airship high before turning them forwards. Small wings extended from the underbelly carriage to help balance it as the airship turned to lands unknown.
It seemed only Dr Wells knew where they heading. Currently sat at a desk of cogs and gears with a sheet of glass over the top and dark wood legs, multiple parchments of maps covered this desk as he looked over them, turning and aligning them. Caitlin was sat across the room from him reading the latest biology journal to be publish. Ronnie was polishing his long rifle while Barry was in corner, glasses sliding off his nose and his journal opened and against his chest. The other member of the crew was Cisco who was busy maintaining the furnaces at the back. A bright flash pulled Dr Wells attention away from the maps. Looking out of the windows a storm was forming and seemed to be chasing them.
Caitlin also noticed him glaring out at the storm outside. Through their adventures she had flown through several storms and the airship prevailed having been fitted with electric rods to absorb the energy and power the engines or be stored for use later. However, when Dr Wells attention wasn't pulled back to the maps she knew something must be different or he was taking a rare moment to admire the world around him. She caught a glimpse of his expression and knew it was the former. Beside her Ronnie tensed and cocked his rifle not that it would do much good against lightning. Barry was still sleeping until a loud rumble of thunder echoed through the airship. Startled he jumped away and his book hit the floor and his glasses went skew on his face. Frantically looking amongst this companions for answers as he pushed the specs back up and grabbed his book just as another flash lit up the interior.
"Hang on this is going to be bad." Dr Wells said plainly as the storm overtook them and encircled them.
It grew in intensity as if triumphant for trapping the man-made machine invading its space. A bolt of lightning struck a pylon and the airship tilted to one side. Barry just crouched down covering his head with his hands. Ronnie just adjusted his balance while Caitlin looked as if she might fall had it not been for Dr Wells grabbing her and pulling her to him to steady her.
"Thank you." Caitlin told him hoping he didn’t notice her cheeks turn pink.
"Your welcome." He smiled at her as he guided her to her seat.
Another flash and they all heard something go bang from engineering. Dr Wells and Ronnie headed down there while Barry sat himself down and clung to his chair while Caitlin did the same.
In engineering they found Cisco unconscious on the floor, some of the gears on his mechanical arm were damaged and as Dr Wells looked up he saw what had caused the bang and the damaged pipes it had caused.
"How bad is it?" Ronnie inquired looking at the pipes as he began lifting Cisco round his shoulders.
"Bad. If there is land beneath us, we're going to be hitting soon." Dr Wells told him as he could already feel the ship descend.
Dr Wells gave Ronnie a hand as he wrapped Cisco’s other arm round his shoulder and together they pulled him through to the main lounge where Caitlin rushed to Cisco to tend to him. Dr Wells and Ronnie headed back to engineering to see if they could get some control in their landing. Dr Wells instructed Ronnie on each cog to turn, pipe to patch and lever to pull as Dr Wells did his best to do the same. More lightning hit them causing lights to flicker before dying out making their task even more impossible. The sudden darkness caused Barry and Caitlin to scream, no longer able to see well except between flashes. Dr Wells barked a couple more orders before leaving Ronnie to hold a wrench on a rattling pipe as he headed up to the open deck cockpit to try and fight the storm. The wings on the sides threatened to snap at any moment as rain lashed the deck and soaked Dr Wells. No matter how hard he fought the wheel the ship was still going down as the lightning became almost a constant flash causing him to squint against the brightness while water poured down his face.
Between some of the flashes when it wasn't so constant, he spotted a large body of water beneath them approaching and he was sure he saw land too but couldn’t be sure. Another bolt of lightning struck the craft and buckled one of the wings, slick hands slide on the wheel as Dr Wells tried to compensate for the loss. The only thing keeping the ship from doing into a spin was the balloon above but didn’t stop it from listing. Dr Wells considered using the new engines he had designed but they were already hurtling back to Earth, no need to go any faster. A flash of light and Dr Wells barely had time to shout a warning to the occupants of the impending crash.
The ship crashed down into the ocean sideways on the keel. Dr Wells was thrown from his post and tumbled into some rigging. Down below anything not bolted down fell off of shelves and crashed to the floor. Everyone feel to floor; Barry had collided with a bookcase rendering him unconscious. Caitlin felt an arm round her waist and found it was Ronnie who had a hold on her with one arm while the other was clinging to a table bolted to the floor. As much as she despises his shoot first then study later philosophy, she was grateful for the rescue.
The ship bounced off the ocean due to its hard impact only to crash down again as a wave crashed into its side sending it over to the other side pushing it along till it crashed against the shore. the ship spun round the edge of the shore, pushed further by the crashing waves inland down a river till it grounded itself against the river bed, waves still crashing against its battered side.