My Little Arkham 2

Chapters

Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5

Prologue

*Prologue*

It has been nine months since the initiation of Hugo Strange’s Protocol Ten in Arkham City, the former imprisonment center housing vast assortments of criminals who’d terrorized Gotham’s citizens. Now standing abandoned, left in isolation, the asylum and prison ward served only to spread news at a viral level.

The news of the incident have spread worldwide throughout the United States and other countries, and things has never been the same for Batman. One of the biggest things that has happened in history drew many of the world population's attention, confusion, and interest throughout the planet Earth; mainly the citizens of Gotham.

One of the most interesting things that were involved during the incident were the strange colored horse-like creatures assisting the Dark Knight throughout that night and fighting by his side against the dangerous Gotham Criminals imprisoned in Arkham City, helping him stop Protocol 10 that was activated by Hugo Strange, and helping Batman shut down Arkham City. By the end of that night, when Arkham City had shut down, the ponies mysteriously disappeared. Many reporters throughout the city tried to question the Dark Knight about the identities of the ponies or if he has any connections with them. However, he simply ignored them and made no comment about his thoughts during the incident as well as the ponies. Since that night, nobody has seen the vigilante or heard from him; many has wondered what was going on through his head.

In the present time, it is currently Hallows Eve in Gotham and the United States; the night before Halloween. Ever since the death of one of the most unstable and ruthless criminals, the Joker and Hugo Strange, most of the criminals of Gotham have been declined from the city. The crime rate of the city has highly been dropped, it has been quiet lately in the streets of Gotham over the past 9 months. Gotham police and citizens began to feel less weary when they're walking out at night, they began to feel more safe as of lately. However, Commissioner Gordon doesn't feel the same way as the others; deep down, he knows that its not over yet.

Things have been going on in his life outside as a police commissioner; his daughter Barbara Gordon, unknown as Oracle, has been engaged to Tim Drake, unknown as Robin, for the past few months with their wedding date in a month. So he has the time to help plan out their wedding, which will probably be around Thanksgiving. However, he hasn't seen Batman or gotten in contact with him since the events of Arkham City. So far nothing has happened since then.

Meanwhile Batman himself, as the billionaire Bruce Wayne, standing in his office in the top floor of Wayne Tower, looking over the City of Gotham through the large window behind his desk with his hands behind his back. His expression is that of a stern glare he usually has when fighting against crime as the Dark Knight. He had a similar feeling as Jim Gordon, currently standing behind that glass window for what felt, to him, like hours. The only criminals not seen for 9 months are the Penguin, Poison Ivy, Two-Face, The Riddler, and the Joker's former sidekick Harley Quinn.

CEO of Wayne Enterprises Lucius Fox enters through the doors and noticed Bruce Wayne standing in the same spot he'd seen him ever since he last left the office about an hour ago to check the tower's security. "Good evening, Mr. Wayne. I just dropped by in your office to check how you're doing," he said. Bruce, however, didn't reply. Mr. Fox walked towards the billionaire playboy out of curiosity, inquiring in a calm and friendly tone, "Is there anything troubling you, Mr. Wayne? You've been standing there when I have left to take care of my duties an hour ago."

The silence lasted for a minute longer until the man in subject replied, "It's this city, Lucius. It has been awfully quiet for a long time; I don't like it."

Lucius chuckled in a light-hearted tone, much to Bruce's confusion, "You've been like that for months now, Mr. Wayne. I suggest that you should enjoy life out in Gotham and give your life as a crime-fighter a rest for the time being. As you see, nothing has happened out of the ordinary since the last major incident. Minor problems had only occurred, which the police could handle."

"You don't understand, Lucius," he calmly protested. "Dent, Cobblepot, Nigma, Isley, and Quinzel are nowhere to be spotted since that night I've shut down Arkham City. I know I may sound paranoid, but nobody knows where they are hiding or what they're planning to do in the future."

Lucius sighed and maintained a smile. Although Bruce Wayne is CEO of Wayne Enterprises, Lucius considered him as a close friend of his rather than his boss. Lucius was also one of the few people who knew of Bruce Wayne's secret identity as the Batman. Those others include Bruce's four other close friends, who have helped him throughout his crime-fighting career: Barbara Gordon, Tim Drake, Dick Grayson, and his butler Alfred Pennyworth.

"Whatever you say, Mr. Wayne," he said. "Well, I'm afraid I must get going and continue to work on my duties. Have a good evening, Mr. Wayne."

With that, Lucius began to exit the office to leave Bruce alone in his thoughts. Unlike most people besides Jim Gordon, Bruce felt that a new threat he hadn't faced before might arrive very soon, a scowl has spread across his face. He has faced many dangerous and some of the most mentally insane threats throughout his career as a crime fighting vigilante over the past decade. Deep down he knows war is coming; he is just waiting for someone to pull the trigger.

Meanwhile in Grand Avenue of Miagani Island, one of the big three islands of Gotham City, many of the citizens seem to be doing their own daily routine, walking around the sidewalks with many driving around. They were getting ready for the next night for Halloween, feeling relieved that the crime rate of Gotham had been declined. They felt much more safer and less wary than before, seemingly forgetting about the past crimes and multiple murders that occurred over the decade. By now they had put all that behind them, but they could not forget that these were the very streets that some of the most dangerous monsters in the world, such as the Joker, used to roam and lurk around during daily nights.

An officer in the area continues his routine, passing by civilians, making sure no trouble occurs or spreads. It's currently his lunch break, so he let one of his coworkers do the street patrolling for the time being. He walked towards the entrance door of Pauli's Diner, gazing around to check for an troublemakers. However, he sees none at the moment, which was a good sign. He casually walked towards the table bar in the back of the cafe.

As he sat down, he saw a woman wearing an orange dress for her employee's uniform walking towards him from the kitchen. She smiled casually at the officer, grabbing a coffee pot and poured some in a mug for him.

"Thanks," he said.

"No problem," she replied. Turning her head towards a man who left a tip in a jar on the table, she responded with gratitude, "Oh, thanks, honey!" She focused her attention back to the officer as she took out a small notebook and a pen out from her pockets, "So what'll it be? Same as usual?"

"Sure," he simply replied.

"Okay, chicken salad with no dressing." She wrote what she said on the order note with her pen, then attempted to take her leave before the cop had a different order in mind.

"No, you know what? Make it waffles with a side of bacon. ... Don't tell my wife."

"Whatever you say, officer," she stated, scratching off the previous order and added in the new one he'd requested. She took her leave towards the kitchen, but she stopped and turned back at the cop, "Oh, if you want some more coffee, just shout."

As he waited for the waitress to finish his order, he spotted a man approaching him with a hint of discomfort in his face, which was much to the officer's interest.

"Hey, I'm sorry to interrupt your dinner, Officer"" he took a peek at his badge, "Owens, but there's a guy smoking over there in the corner booth."

The man pointed towards the far corner in the opposite side of the café. Owens rolled his eyes and sighed, "Wait here, I'll have a word."

The civilian nodded and returned to his seat as Owens grabbed his hat and stood up from the stool. He walked towards the corner booth, when he arrived, he spots a man wearing a red hoodie with his back fully turned and facing the opposite wall, coughing rapidly. Owens roughly patted his back.

"Excuse me, sir, there's no smoking in here," he said, his vision seeming to go strange. The smoking customer fully turn to reveal a demonic face, roaring in Owen's face.

To the stunned Owens, it seems that the world was falling apart. When he turned around, he saw these creatures everywhere. Taking out his pistol, he rapidly fired at and instantly killed random creatures, unaware they were just hallucinations and were simply the customers of the diner running in panic. Owens could've swore he breathed some type of gas through a vent. A creature came out of nowhere and leapt towards him, knocking him to the ground and rapidly beat him up. Owens tried to shoot it off of him, but no prevail. The creature rapidly punching and headbutting his head until it finally knocking him out.

This tragic event was immediately reported to the news all over the city in live television and the radio, showing corpses of those who were involved in that panic attack, clearly disturbing the other citizens who weren't involved. Suddenly, an ear-piercing shrine followed by a dark voice caught everybody's attention and ears through a set of speakers connected to a large screen hanging on the ORB Theater building.

"This demonstration was just five ounces of my latest toxin," the voice said. They glanced towards the giant screen, which was now revealing a dark-hooded figure who admitted to the city that he was the one behind the panic attack from earlier. Reporters and civilians could not see his surroundings as he seems to be hiding in a dark place somewhere in Gotham. Most of his face is covered up by his hood, but his mouth is the only thing exposed. He seemed to be wearing some type of gas mask, which was surgically grafted into his throat.

"Tomorrow, this will seem like child's play. Gotham, this is your only warning," he stated, finally revealing his entire face to the public. His appearance was suddenly highly familiar to the Gotham police.

This mysterious person was Johnathan Crane, otherwise known as the Scarecrow, one of the most dangerous criminal masterminds in Gotham. After the incident when the Joker has taken over the Arkham Asylum, the Scarecrow had been reported missing after Batman witnessed what seemed the Scarecrow was eaten alive by Killer Croc within the sewers of the Asylum. Many thought him to be deceased, but this live feed revealed otherwise.

Scarecrow smirked to himself, imagining the looks on the faces of those who believed him dead.

Fear has risen around the defenseless civilians of Gotham City, police officers immediately started running an evacuation. Every resident in the city gathered up into a panicking crowd, lining up in the streets to get in tour busses and cabs. Many officers struggled to calm down the desperate, frightened civilians seeking a haven from the impending doom.
Scarecrow's threat worked. In that night, there were 6.3 million people in Gotham City. By the next night, not so many. The only people left on the streets were the ones that enjoy the chaos: scum, criminals, thieves, murderers, and rioters. Worse, not enough good people were left to stop them. It took only 24 hours for the GCPD to lose control of the city, however, Gotham was relying on one man to save them all.

Chapter 1

Equestria – a very peaceful place inhabited by the gentlest, kindest creatures called ponies – is a land where crime and chaos were an uncommon occasion. This kingdom had four current rulers who guided their subjects throughout the land, all united in harmony to bring this land to peace.

In the Royal Castle in Canterlot, Princess Luna quietly wandered the still corridors. She paced, deep in worried pondering before eventually approaching a pair of stallions of the Royal Guard. Both bowed in respect to the Princess of the Night.

Nodding her head in acknowledgement and gratitude, she gestured for the two guardsponies to rise. When both guards rose, standing at full attention, Luna asked, "Have any of you seen where my sister has gone to?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," one guard responded, pointing his hoof in the direction of the hallway leading to the Royal Sisters’ chambers. "Not too long ago, we saw Her Majesty proceed to her sleeping quarters."

Luna smiled at the guards and gave a gracious nod before she left, allowing them to continue their duties.

As she continues to walk down the halls. She began to drift away in her thoughts about that recent incident where she and the rest of her allies were abducted by changelings. Somehow she is still a tad bit affected by this incident. That had only been a month ago; Luna hated when evil lurks around and intends take this lovely land of ponies away from her and the other princesses. And in result, all of that evil has always failed to accomplish their goals, no matter how many pointless attempts they've made. Just look at Queen Chrysalis; she had just failed at yet another attempt to take over Equestria. Concerning Chrysalis, she is nowhere to be seen since then. Does Luna expect Chrysalis to strike again at Equestria in the future? Of course she does. When? She has no answer to that.

Luna's train of thought came to a stop just as soon as she spotted Celestia's bedroom door nearby. She approached the door to gently knock on it, she stood by the door to wait for Celestia to respond. After a few minutes, there was no response from the older princess. Luna began to grow impatient, she knocked on the door once more, and again not an answer from the other side. Her ears flattened, her eyes narrowed into a suspicious but curious look. That was strange. She knew Celestia is in her room at the moment, according to the guards she had asked. She knew Celestia couldn't be asleep at this time since it is only in the middle of the afternoon.

"Sister, are you in there?" she asked in a slightly louder tone for her sister to hear her voice through the door. She continued knocking, growing mildly concern.

She took a grip on the doorknob to find it shockingly unlocked. She hesitated to open the door, knowing that it was never a good idea to peek inside her sister's room without permission. But does she have a choice? Something could've happen to her dear sister that she didn't know of. She silently twist the knob as careful as possible, holding her breath as she did. She was able to just get the door to an ajar point without making any creaking.

Her left eye peeked into view to see a small portion of Celestia's chamber through creak of the door. Her eye couldn't catch any glimpse of her at this angle. She gently moved forced door slightly more open so her head can fit in through. This time she was able to see Celestia. She appears to be meditating at the moment. But for how long?

"Sister?" Luna called out with a mildly toned voice. Only for Celestia to let a loud gasp as with her eyes instantly widening from her slumber. Luna looked at Celestia with her jaw slightly agape, trotting to her side. "Sister, is everything alright? Are you hurt?" she asked with concern.

Celestia sighed. "I'm fine, Luna." Luna breathed in relief to her sister's words. "I'm thankful for your worries, dear sister," said Celestia grinning at her sister caringly.

Luna gave out a sheepish smile across her muzzle. "Oh it's nothing, Tia," Luna stated with embarrassment. "I only arrived here just to see how you were doing." Her smile faded as Celestia began to give her a serious look. A sign that Luna knows that there might be something serious happening. "What is it, sister?"

"Luna, there is something that you need to know about what I have seen during my meditation." Luna curiously eyed at her with interest. Celestia continued, "I've just felt a strange disturbance." Not sure how to utter these words in the process. "A disturbance that felt...very unusual. This disturbance is somehow not here in Equestria." Luna quirked an eyebrow at her sister's words.

"Huh?" She tilted her head. "What are you speaking about?"

"I'm afraid it's very complicated to explain to you, sister."

Luna looked at her bewilderedly, having no idea what in Tartarus she is talking about. "What do you mean, Tia?" she asked. She could hear a soft, quiet sigh coming from her older sister. Luna's concern began to grow further. "Is something bothering you?"

Celestia stared down at the floor in thought. She had seen visions of that city during her meditation. Instead of ponies, this world is inhabited by bipedal creatures who are called "humans" according to Twilight. Hadn't she heard of this pony from Ponyville named Lyra being obsessed with these creature?

She somehow detected a huge threat in the city of Gotham, the same place where Twilight and her friends were trapped in as prisoners in Arkham City by Hugo Strange. Celestia couldn't even comprehend how she was able to sense a threat in a city which is not even in the same world she lives in. Twilight has given her descriptions and information about Gotham City from her experience after the time she returned home. The way she described this city was very negative.

She recalled hearing from Twilight that Gotham is the most dangerous and frightening city she had ever been in. She heard that the city has an extremely high crime rate. Twilight spoke of this particular event called 'Protocol 10' that she helped Batman stop this event. She had also been informed about Twilight and the others having adventures with Gotham's hero, who protects the city by the name of Batman.

A man by the name of Victor Fries, a former enemy of Batman whom Fluttershy managed to befriend, was convinced by Fluttershy herself to bring along his wife to stay here in Equestria so he and Nora could have a much more peaceful living environment than they had in Gotham. They moved in at the Crystal Empire not too long ago, and Celestia couldn't be more happy than seeing happiness in someone or somepony who had lacked such feeling for so many years. Celestia couldn't be more proud of Fluttershy's doings. Fluttershy not only reformed Discord by giving him kindness and friendship, but also someone cold as Mr. Freeze, who got reformed in a similar fashion"

Hmm, does she hear somepony calling out her name?

"SISTER," Luna called out in a tone almost as loud as her Royal Canterlot Voice. Celestia regained her senses to see Luna giving her a look of both worry and frustration. "Please, could you please explain about what in Equestria is happening?"

Celestia's eyes widened in realization, she was stuck in her train of thought for a couple minutes without knowing and Luna probably called her name to her more than once. She couldn't say she blamed her sister for being worried for her own well-being. "Apologies for worrying you, Luna. I got carried away from my thoughts," she said, to which Luna rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Luna," Celestia began saying, which Luna completely responded with a curious gaze, "do you recall that place, Gotham City? That city where Twilight and her friends were once trapped in over 3 years ago?"

"Yes, I do recall, but why are you speaking of this," she questioned uncertainley.

"I-I somehow just had a vision about Gotham City. It's under attack by a large threat, the citizens are forced to evacuate," she said with a worried tone. "We have to do something to stop it." Luna gave her a puzzled look. Thinking how is it even possible for Celestia to detect any threats that are in another world? How can Gotham be in any of her concerns since it is a corrupt city? There is possibly no hope of saving this city if you ask her.

"How do you know of this, Tia?" asked Luna.

"I-I really don't know. I was able to send Twilight letters when she was at Arkham, so I'm assuming my magic is somehow connected to Gotham. Despite it being in a different world."

Despite her disbelief, Luna felt slightly bothered by the fact that Celestia actually had any care towards this horrendous city. She asked, "Anyways, why are you so concerned about the safety of this city? It's already corrupted as it is, sister. Isn't there no hope of saving this dreadful city? Should we just let it be destroyed?"

"There are still innocent beings that reside there and I assume that this Batman might need assistance. We should all have faith, Luna."

There was a silent pause between the sisters until Luna hung her head down in shame. "I'm sorry, Tia. I should've handled it better," she said with guilt.

"It's okay, Luna. I could understand your opinions towards this city." Celestia gave her sister a forgiving smile across her cheeks, which Luna responded with a sad one.

Celestia used her magic to levitate a scroll from her desk and a quill from a bowl filled with ink. She unrolled the scroll and began writing.

Luna gazes at her older sister curiously, "What are you doing?"

"I'm writing a letter to Princess Twilight concerning the events happening in Gotham City."

Luna shot her a baffled look across her face."You're sending Twilight and her friends back into that place?"

"This Batman might need assistance with fending off this threat, Luna." She continued writing the words on the letter." I know it's risky. But this force might be too great for the Batman to handle," she stated, after she has completed the letter, she used her magic to teleport the message through Spike so he can send it to Twilight immediately.

It worried Luna about Twilight and the rest of her friends. The last time they were there, she was told that they had almost gotten killed when they were being thrown into Arkham City. Not to mention all the bruises and wounds that were visible on their bodies and how exhausted they were.

"Are you sure this is the right thing to do, dear sister?"

"I'm positive it is, Luna," she said, she then glanced towards the clock. "I'll be taking the chariot to leave for Ponyville very shortly. I'll be there to explain everything to Twilight and the others when I arrive. Could you stay here to keep the castle in check while I am gone?" she asked as she slowly made her way to the door.

Luna nodded at the request. "Of course I can, Tia."

"Thank you, sister. I should return by the end of the day." And with that, Celestia made her departure from the room. Leaving Luna actually uncomfortable about this whole situation. Clearly she is worried about the elements' wellbeing, but she trusts Celestia to the fullest. She could never doubt Celestia's decision no matter how much she disagrees with it.

Twilight is currently busy working on some modifications on the crystal mirror in a small room somewhere in the Castle of Friendship. She's been modifying this mirror for the past 4 months now during her spare time. This is the same mirror that transported her to the other world where she met everypony's human counterparts while chasing Sunset Shimmer. She also met her first crush who happened to be the human counterpart of a particular pegasus guard in the Crystal Palace who she is very fond of. But all of that has nothing to do with her reasonings of this project. It isn't even at completion at the moment.

It has been days since Twilight has spent time with her friends due to her being so busy with royal duties and working on this particular project. And not just her, but the rest of her friends as well. Applejack has been constantly bucking some apple trees with Big Macintosh at Sweet Apple Acres since it's Apple Bucking Season. Rarity was busy with finishing her dress orders at the Carousel Boutique. Rainbow Dash is busy training with the Wonderbolts to improve her status in the rankings. And Pinkie has been busy working endlessly in Sugarcube Corner due to the Cakes going out on vacation.

As Twilight continues to work on her project. Spike suddenly rushed inside the room, startling Twilight from her focusing. "Twilight! The Princess just sent me a letter," he said before revealing her the scroll. "Here, it said she wants us to gather up the others outside the castle because she is coming over. She said it's urgent!"

The word urgent coming out from his mouth caused Twilight to gaze at him with interest. "What could possibly be urgent?" she asked with a questioned expression. She used her magic to levitate the letter from Spikes paw and unrolled the scroll. Hovering it close in front of her as she read intently.

Dear, Princess Twilight Sparkle

I apologize for interrupting your daily activities, but I have a very important announcement to deliver you this afternoon. I'm afraid I can't tell you through this letter I have sent to you because there is much I have to say. But right now, I only need you to gather up all your friends right now before I arrive there at three o'clock in the afternoon. I'll be looking forward to arrive there.

Yours truly, Princess Celestia

Twilight's jaw dropped nearly to the floor at the news. How could Princess Celestia be coming over to Ponyville all of a sudden? Twilight glances towards the clock and it read 2:10. She needs fifty minutes to gather up her friends before three strikes. She turned her attention back at her assistant. "Spike, I need you to go call the others over here before three. I'll have to get myself ready when you're at it."

Spike nodded at her orders. "As your number one assistant, you can count on me, Twilight," he stated with a salute, which Twilight playfully rolled her eyes in response.

"Well you're gonna need it," she sarcastically said, sporting a playful smile on her muzzle. A sound of Knocking reached their ears from behind the front door. Spike opened the door to see Applejack standing outside the front entrance. Spike was surprised about the fact that one of Twilight's friends has already arrived.

Applejack grinned down at the dragon. "Well, howdy there, Sugarcube. Ah' just wanted to drop by to see how you and Twilight are doin'." Spike welcomed her to enter inside to greet Twilight.

"Hey, Applejack," said Spike. "Hold on a minute, I got to go get the others, I'll be right back!" The second he finished, Spike already went zooming in a hurry out the door. Applejack looked towards Spike's direction astonishingly. She had no idea he could actually run that fast with those stubby little legs of his.

Applejack switched her attention to Twilight, smiled at her cheerly. Having been awhile from not seeing each other. "Howdy there, Twilight. Spike seems to be in a rush 'bout something Ah' guess. Ah' hope Ah'm not interrupting something right now."She looked over her shoulder towards the entrance. Twilight used her magic to shut the door.

"It's nothing, Applejack. I've just had Spike go out and call the others to come over." She gave her friend a more serious look much to Applejack's confusion. "In fact, you actually came in just at the right time because there is something that you really need to know."

Applejack raised up an eyebrow towards the words coming from Twilight's mouth. "And why's that?"

Twilight levitated the letter towards Applejack for her to take it in her hooves. "Princess Celestia sent me this letter and announced that she is coming over to tell us some big news," she said as Applejack continues to read through the letter closely. "I have a bad feeling about this, Applejack. There could be serious trouble happening in Equestria."

"Well, this better be good," AJ commented as she returned the letter to Twilight. "Ah' wonder what the hay is going on."

"Well, we're about to find out," Twilight said simply . Applejack could completely make it clear from the look on Twilight's face that this is very serious.

For the past month nothing has happened, she definitely will not be the only one wondering what was on Princess Celestia's mind to tell the news. Did Chrysalis return? Has Tirek escaped from Tartarus to invade Equestria again? Or has Sombra somehow resurrected to once again take over the Crystal Empire and enslave the crystal ponies who inhabit the beautiful city? Who knows but things could get ugly.

Rarity has spent the majority of the week to finish up this last order of dresses. Her elegant purple mane is unkept due to the frustrations and stresses she's gone through. Suddenly, she heard a knock through the front door which she let out a groan with a hint of exhaustion and irritation. "Sweetie Belle! Could you be a dear and answer the door for me?" she called up to her little sister who is currently hanging out in her bedroom.

"Coming!" Sweetie called out from her bedroom. She trotted out from the door, she took small steps down the staircase carefully. When she finally stopped by the door, she open the door to find an exhausted Spike clutching his mid area. Was this dragon ran all the way over here? What could make him in such a hurry?

"Spike?" she said with confusion, "Did you just ran all the way here from the castle?"

Spike placed his claw on the doorframe to help support his balance as he rapidly breathes for air. "Sorry...I...just need...to see Rarity...right away...for a moment now..." he said in between his breaths.

Sweetie Belle turned her head away from the young drake. "Rarity! Spike is here! He said he wanted to see you!" she called out inside.

"Tell him that I'm too busy finishing my orders at the moment and to come back later once I am finished!" Spike heard Rarity's elegant voice respond from inside the Carousel Boutique. He could also hear the exhaustion in her voice when he heard her. She's been working on these orders for the past week now with almost no breaks during this process. Spike stepped through the entrance way.

"But Rarity, it's urgent! Twilight's just gotten a letter from the Princess. She told her that she is coming over at around three o'clock." Sweetie expressed a look of excitement about the news that Spike has told.

Rarity immediately stood up from her desk with a loud gasp in panic. "Oh my! How come I never knew of this?" She glanced up to the clock, only half until three. "My goodness, I have to get ready! I can't go meet with the princess without looking proper!" she exclaimed, her little sister rolled her eyes at her overreaction.

"You look nice enough like always, Rarity. The princess is probably only coming over to pay Twilight a visit for a couple of hours, no big deal," she said with an annoyed tone, Rarity stared at the small filly in pure shock.

"Sweetie Belle! A lady should always has to look proper when royalty comes by. Especially Princess Celestia herself pays a visit to Ponyville."

Spike usually reacts with a dreamy sigh with heart shaped pupils. He has this crush he harbors for her for quite awhile. But he tries his hardest to shrug off her beauty which he actually was successful in trying.

He says, "Rarity, the Princess says she has to tell some critical news. You guys might be on a rescue mission again."

Rarity began to wonder to herself if Equestria could be threatened by a new evil force coming here, she shivered at the thought. She prayed that is not the case, but it is highly possible. She has a terrible feeling that Chrysalis might have returned to get revenge since their last encounter.

"Well, alright then. If it's that important, then I suppose I should go see what this is all about," she said which Spike smiled in response. The fashionista glanced towards her young sibling. "Sweetie Belle, you are to stay put in the Boutique while I'm away. Be sure to take proper care of Opal as well."

Rarity began to walk with Spike out the door. But she felt a tug on her hind leg which ceased her from walking. She looked over her shoulder to see Sweetie Belle clutching her leg with a pleading look across her face. "Can I go? Please? I promise that I'll behave," Sweetie Belle pleaded while giving Rarity the most innocent, cutest pleading eyes she could muster that could even make an enraged Manticore hesitate from attacking her.

Rarity stressfully groaned in response towards her behavior. "Oh Sweetie Belle, please don't do this to me. I was already in enough stress from finishing those orders and now I have to put a stop to it temporarily."

Sweetie Belle ignored her as she continues to give the look.

Finally, Rarity loudly groaned in frustration. "Oh Alright! You can go!" she cried in defeat, the filly's smile widened across her muzzle in eager. Rarity took note of that and then quickly thought of a way. "Not so fast, silly filly! You can only go in under one condition," she said with an assertive tone in her voice, causing Sweetie's smile to fall down into a frown in response.

"And what's that?"

"You have to stay by my side at all times. I don't want you wondering around Twilight's castle when we're speaking with the princess. Okay?" Sweetie Belle merely nodded without protesting or starting an argument, but the disappointment in her face was noticeable. "Good," she said as they began to exit out the door to head towards the castle. Spike then waved them goodbye as he went off to notify the others.

About half an hour later, Spike had already informed the rest of the group about Princess Celestia's visit. They have all gathered up outside the front entrance of the Castle of Friendship, all awaiting for the upcoming arrival of the Equestrian ruler.

Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Fluttershy all stood there by the entrance door. Sweetie Belle was beside Rarity, she has also brought along Scootaloo and Apple Bloom to be occupied with to keep her from boredom while the adults had eir conversation.

The six ponies gazed towards the horizon as their eyes glinting with anticipation. Twilight stood in the center of the group as she seems to have the most expectancy written on her expressions. Unfortunately, there was no sign of the Princess of the Sun at the moment.

The wind feels very breezy and chilly on this day, the wind brushed passed the group's fur and manes as it felt relaxing for the waiting mares as they awaited for their princess. The sun is shining brightly in the sky which appears to be a beautiful sight, Celestia has outdone herself on this day of Autumn. Like always, the ponies continue to be living in the peaceful town of Ponyville, despite some possible trouble, invasion, or an S.O.S call happening at this current time somewhere in Equestria. But what seems to be a very bad time, is that what kind of trouble could be happening in a beautiful day like this?

Rainbow Dash ruined this moment of peace as she growled with impatience which caught the others' attention. "This is taking forever," she complained before turning to Twilight. "You had to call me all the way here when I was right in the middle of my Wonderbolt flight training? I have to perform in Fillydelphia in 3 weeks from now. I need time to make sure I'm in good shape and well trained for that. I'm still considered a rookie in the Wonderbolt rankings when it comes to skill."

"Patience, Rainbow Dash, the Princess did say she'd give us news that are important. She should be arriving here any minute now."

"That better be true," she said as she crossed her arms while hovering above the group. Applejack then glared up at the impatient Pegasus who is oblivious to it.

Suddenly, Dash felt a rough grip on her tail as she let out a yelp when she was forced down to the ground, she grunted in pain when her haunches hit the ground. She caressed her backside in pain, she glared up at Applejack finding her firmly gripping her tail between her teeth. "Ow! What the heck, AJ!?" Dash snatched her tail out from Applejack's mouth.

"Can ya show some respect here? If Twilight says that Celestia is comin', then she's comin'!" Applejack scolded Rainbow. Dash forced herself up before she shoved her forehead against Applejack's. AJ grunted trying force Dash back while glaring into one another's eyes while they snarled and growled in their faces. They began to feel a force and a lavender magic aura surrounding their bodies as it pulled the fighting tomboys away from each other.

"That's enough you two!" Twilight's voice called out. They stopped as soon as they heard Twilight's demanding voice. They turn to see the rest of the group who had been silently watching the conflict. Rarity and Pinkie shot out looks of concern towards their friends, Fluttershy seemed a bit shaken about their small bitter argument. Twilight looked at both of them showing a glint of disappointment through her violet eyes.

Both of the tomboys looked at Twilight apologetically, "Twilight, ah' could explain-," Applejack began before she was cut off.

"There's no need for explaining, can we all just be patient for once?" she asked with irritation.

"Sorry." Dash said apologetic.

"That's okay, Rainbow. Princess Celestia should be coming any second now. In fact,-" she gazed up towards the sky in the horizon until her eyes widened with eager, "-She's here!" she exclaimed as everypony around her turned their gazes towards a descending speck approaching from afar.

A pair of pegasus stallion guards can be seen chauffeuring their princess with the flying chariot. As the guards gently landed the chariot in front of the castle, the group immediately trotted to the chariot to greet their princess while the guards stood in guard as they waited for further orders.

Celestia stepped out of the chariot when Twilight and her friends gathered in front of her. "Hello there, Twilight," Celestia greeted with an elegant tone in her voice as she gave Twilight and her friends a cheerful smile."Has there been anything of your concerns lately?"

"Not really," Twilight answered, then a feeling of curiosity washed over her as she stared up at the princess with a questioning gaze. "Princess Celestia, are you going to tell us the news that you came to tell us about? We've been eagerly waiting to know what you want to tell us."

Celestia smiled at that. "Of course," she answered cheerfully before moving towards the castle entrance. She gestured the group to follow her inside the castle, "Now come, let's discuss this inside the castle in the throne room; there will be much to discuss."

Author's Note

I have to thank Dinodisneylover1 for some help! I’m not sure how I feel about this chapter though. But it’s so much better than when I first wrote it, probably the best written chapter I have ever done. Hope you guys enjoy!

Yes I know this chapter came out faster than expected. It’s because I’ve been planning this story on paper so I can make this as good as possible. I have been planning this story for over a year which is why this story takes place between Seasons 6 & 7. Season 8 hasn’t aired yet when I was first writing this.

Chapter 2

The Mane Six and Spike sat in their respective thrones, surrounding the Cutie Map in the main room. The Cutie Mark Crusaders stood by their older sisters. Celestia stared at all the eager ponies and dragon, all intently awaiting of her to give out the news that she has spoke to them about. She cleared her throat, preparing herself for the announcement.

"As you all know," Celestia begun to speak, "I have yet to inform you about the crisis happening in Gotham City I have sensed early on." Everypony in the room gasped at the place that the princess mentioned. They chose to be kept silent as Celestia continued, "Therefore, I shall explain to you as slow and simple as I can to you all to understand. But I must warn you, it might be a great shock to you all and it will be very complicated."

"Gotham!? Crisis!? What the hay is going on?" Dash blurted out. "How long has it been since we've been to that other world? Three years?"

"We're going to come back in Gotham!?" Pinkie exclaimed with glee. "It's been so long since we've been there! Oh, I can't wait to see Batman again and tell him all the exciting things about Twilight's now a princess, and she has her own castle, and""

"Let her explain, darlings. We should all not interrupt when the Princess is speaking. It is simply not polite," Rarity scolded. "Clearly we are not going to be there just for a visit, since she did mention a crisis after all."

"It's fine, Rarity," Celestia said with a chuckle. "I can understand that all of you have questions that you want to be answered. Now, as how I know of this event in Gotham," she continued, the Mane Six began to look with interest, curious to know the answers and what happened, "I have sensed an invasion in Gotham while I was doing my daily meditations. I don't know how I managed to sense the threat in Gotham. You all have questions just as much as I do right now."

"What!? No way! We have to go back over there," Dash said with a sense of urgency. "It has been awhile though."

For years now, Dash could remember that she was probably the closest one to Batman after the Arkham City incident. She even took on the identity as the Batmare, having worn a suit similar in appearance to Batman's. She fought crimes in Equestria just like Batman did in his city, but, since there weren't much crimes in Equestria like there were in Earth, her career as the Batmare didn't last for very long. She had given up the identity as the Batmare and refocused back to achieve her dreams and goals as being a Wonderbolt.

"I know, this might be shocking to some of you. I'm going to give you girls an option whether you want to travel back and help this Batman save Gotham from the horrendous threat wanting to take over. Now this is optional for you all, as I am not forcing any of you to come along. Would you all like to accept this task," Celestia asked.

"You can count on us, Princess," Dash spoke up with pure confidence. "We won't let you down!"

Everypony agreed with confidently, but somehow all but one certain farm-pony seemed to be skeptical about this.

"Yeah, but Ah reckon how we could get back," Applejack pointed out. "From what Ah remember, we've only woken up there after Hugo Strange brought us there."

Twilight's ears perked up in realization as soon as those words left Applejack's lips, she turned to her friend with a grin, "Actually, I think I have just the thing to do that." Everypony peered in with interest towards her. "Follow me, I have it right over here," she exclaimed, everypony shrugged as they followed behind her out the thrown room.

They found themselves in a large hallway, where they had the large stained windows depicting Princess Celestia and Princess Luna defeating notorious foes such as Discord, King Sombra, and the incident where Princess Celestia forced to banish Nightmare Moon to the moon using the Elements of Harmony. Recent events were also included, such as when Twilight and her friends used the same magic to defeat the returning Nightmare Moon, Discord, King Sombra, and Tirek. Even stopping the changelings when they invaded Canterlot a few years back was depicted as well.

Everypony stared in awe at the portraits on the large windows of the hallway. No matter how many times Twilight's friends would visit this hallway, they could never stop admiring the atmosphere this hallway has to offer. They turned to enter through the last doorway on the right, where the hallway ended. Once they have a view of the small room, the group stood astonished to see a familiar mirror standing in the center of the room, noticing it appeared completely different than when they last saw it. The Crystal Mirror was now connected by even more gadgets, with a few more tweaks to the frame of the mirror here and there.

"I've been working on some major modifications on the Crystal Mirror for the past couple of months during my spare time, but it has yet to be at full completion for it to work properly," Twilight explained as her friends and the princess gazed upon the same magic mirror which bought her and Spike to that other world of human versions of themselves.

"How long will that take you," Dash asked.

Twilight gave a nervous grin as she rubbed the back of her mane with her hoof. "Um, maybe approximately at two to three weeks at most," she answered with the update to her project, to which Dash gave out a groan of extreme impatience.

"Seriously, two weeks? It'll probably be too late by then," Dash complained as she crossed her forelegs in disappointment.

Rarity gave Rainbow a stern and assertive glare, "Now calm down, Rainbow."

"Well, it will still teleport us there to Gotham, but there might be some mishaps along the way," Twilight explained furthermore. "Would we have to take a risk here and see how things go," she asked with concern, her friends glanced at each other with uncertain looks upon their faces. Fluttershy, in particular, seemed the most uncomfortable about doing this.

"Well, it is worth a try," Applejack honestly stated.

"Yay, I'm with Applejack! It's going to be fun," Pinkie exclaimed in enthusiasm.

"Well, I suppose Applejack might be right. I guess we all have to go in and hope for the best," Rarity said, looking at Twilight's direction. "Twilight, what do you say?"

Twilight sighed, taking almost a minute of thought to think through this dilemma. "Alright then, but we all have to try to stick together this time. We're all friends and we'll make this through, like always," she said with determination, her friends nodding in agreement.

Celestia's eyes widened in surprise when an aura of magic shot off her horn, creating a holographic screen to reveal a familiar face looking down at the group.

"Greetings, my friends," said the stallion.

"Victor Fries," Fluttershy exclaimed with excitement, "it's been so long!"

"As to you, Ms. Fluttershy."

"Oh, Mr. Fries, what a surprise! Is there anything you might want," Celestia asked lightheartedly.

"I have been informed by Princess Luna about some strange events going on in Gotham. Is it true?"

"Apparently there is. My friends and I will have to get to the bottom of this and try to return to Gotham," Twilight said, to which Victor only sighed with disappointment.

"I wouldn't recommend you returning back, but I have no right to force against your wishes. Now based on the available information I have been told by Luna about the fear breakout happening in Gotham, I only know one man that is capable of doing this action of fear to cause citizens to evacuate," Fries said. Twilight and the others perked with interest.

"Oh, and would you like to say who," Celestia asked.

"Of course, the culprit's name is Dr. Johnathan Crane. He calls himself the Scarecrow," he explained, everypony looked with confusion.

"Scarecrow? Batman has never told me about him," Rainbow mentioned.

"Oh, and who might this 'Scarecrow' be," Celestia asked.

"I've had a few encounters with Crane when we were incarcerated in the Arkham Asylum. Honestly, I have never liked him or even feel comfortable with him being in my presence. He seemed to be always plotting when I see him. He has been experimenting with this fear poison he has created on innocent people. I believed he has died during when the Joker took over the asylum, but he surprisingly survived Croc's attack on him."

"He sounds like a horrible pon- I mean, person," remarked Fluttershy.

"He is, Fluttershy. Now it's time for me to say farewell for now. Good luck to you all, be very wary when you all arrive there. I don't know what has changed with Gotham's rogue's gallery now with the clown gone. Goodbye to you all," Victor Fries finished.

"As to you, Mr. Fries," Celestia bid in return, to which he nodded as the magical holographic screen vanished into thin air.

"Alright, let me try to get this thing to work and-" Twilight was cut off by a new voice that entered the room.

"Hey, what's going on here?"

The group turned to that direction to see two unicorn mares standing in the doorway with looks of interest. One was light purple-coated, the other was a brilliant azure-coated.

"Off to another adventure again," Starlight Glimmer asked with a look of excitement. Her eyes widened as she noticed the Princess was also present in the scene, "but seriously, what's going on?"

"Yes, Trixie would like to know why the Princess is even here of all ponies," Trixie asked with the same level of curiosity as Starlight.

Celestia explained to both Starlight and Trixie everything she had already explained to the others, about Twilight and friends' past adventure to Arkham City, what is currently happening with this situation. She explained everything as simple and carefully as possible so that it came to their understanding. As Celestia finished the story, Starlight had a look of concern on her face while Trixie looked very interested.

"They get to travel to another world? Trixie would love to tag along," the blue unicorn thought in her mind as she walked besides Twilight, much to the lavender alicorn's confusion. She gave Twilight a smile of plea, "Twilight, would you mind if Trixie would come along with you? Trixie would love to experience this adventure with Trixie's new friends."

Twilight flinched at the request. "Uh, I'm not sure if that is a good idea, Trixie," said Twilight, using her best attempt to nicely turn down Trixie's request.

"Please? Trixie has helped you and your friends to be free from the changelings," she stated with pride, Starlight joined in the conversation as well.

"If you guys are all going to that other world, you're not going without me. I would hate to miss out all the fun," Starlight stated to Twilight's dismay.

"Look, you guys, I really don't want to disappoint you, but I'm afraid that I can't let you two come with us. The place that we're visiting is a very dangerous place, probably more dangerous than the Everfree Forest," Twilight said. The fact of Gotham possibly being more deadly than the Everfree brought the Cutie Mark Crusaders some shivers. Rarity, Applejack, and Dash quickly consoled their dear sisters by giving comforting smiles, which somewhat calmed them down. "I'm afraid that you two might not be able to make it through. My friends and I have had way too many near death situations on our last adventure there. That place called Gotham, it is a dark, gloomy city filled with dangerous criminals. We never know when some maniac pops up out of nowhere, and we almost got killed. I just can't risk taking the two of you with us," Twiight finished her statement. Trixie hung her head in defeat, Starlight however began to insist.

"Look, Twilight," Starlight began, "I'll have you know that just about a month ago I along with Thorax have saved you, your friends, the princesses, your brother, Trixie, and even Discord from the changeling kingdom. I've stopped Queen Chrysalis and her army of changelings from taking over Equestria. I've reformed the changeling army and Thorax is now their new rightful ruler because of me. I've proven that I can help be a savior, ... and I want to do it again," she said with passion, making her reasons seem valid to everypony. "So, Twilight, I am asking, please allow me to come with you."

Twilight took awhile to answer back, which felt like an eternity to Starlight, before finally sighing in defeat. "Oh alright, you can go," she said. Starlight shot out a smile to her former foe. "I guess you do have the right to go."

"Wait," Trixie's voice gained their attention. "If Starlight goes, then Trixie will go too," she said determinedly.

"You too," Twilight asked with shock.

"Yes, and I'm serious," Trixie responded, displaying one of those rare moments when the magician drops her third-person talk. "Over the past months since I have befriended Starlight, I have been learning the value of friendship every time I've spent time with her. Also, I want to make it up to you guys for the things I have done in the past. I just wanted to be the best at what I do, until Twilight prooved that she was better than me in every way. Jealousy had struck me and I found the Alicorn Amulet. I've banished you from Ponyville, yet you've still managed to stop me. After that and a lot of thinking, I have come to the realization that I regretted it. I was not proud at what I've done, and I still am not. I just wanted to say that I"" She exhaled heavily, "I'm sorry." She sighed in relief after her monologue.

It took long for Twilight and her friends to process everything she has said to them. The honesty, regret, and apologetic tone in Trixie's voice was very unlike her usual self, and the words she spoke were the most thoughtful and the nicest thing that Trixie had ever said to them. Everypony, including the Princess and the Cutie Mark Crusaders, all given her smiles of forgiveness and affection. Trixie didn't see the scene before her as she hung her head down, expecting not to be forgiven. When she gazed towards their direction, she was absolutely surprised by the praise she was given.

Twilight gave her former nemesis a warm smile, to which Trixie quirked up an eyebrow in confusion.

"Trixie, even after everything you did against us, I forgive you. I'm glad you've said all those things to us, that must have felt like a ton of weight being taken off your hooves," Twilight said jokingly. Trixie nodded in agreement with a sheepish smile, clearly not being accustomed to this friendly affection given to her. "If you really want to tag along with us, you are free to go as you like."

Trixie nodded, she was very excited to her first trip out of Equestria, but at the same time, terrified and tension rose inside her about what awaits her in the town of Gotham.

Clearly not knowing what to expect, Twilight turned to the others. "So, are we all ready to go," she asked. The Cutie Mark Crusaders quickly turned to their respective sisters with looks of plea.

"Can I go, Rarity? I promise to stay with you," Sweetie Belle asked. Rarity gasped in shock for the request that her little sister would want to go to a place such as Gotham.

"Yeah, Applejack, can I come?" Apple Bloom pleaded to her older sister, filled with hope much to Applejack's annoyance.

"Yeah, Rainbow Dash, it's going to be awesome! You and me helping save a city like superheroes do," Scootaloo exclaimed with excitement.

"Absolutely not, Sweetie Belle! Gotham is no place for fillies, and I would not live with myself if something happens to you," Rarity stated, not allowing her dear little sister to walk into a place that. "If you want, you could stay over at Applejack's house for a sleepover during the time that I am away."

"Yeah, Apple Bloom, ya could invite yer friends for a sleepover. Granny Smith an' Big Mac can watch ya girls when Ah'm gone," came Applejack, agreeing with Rarity's idea for the fillies.

"Yeah, going to Gotham is not a good idea for you girls. You guys can play some awesome games in your sleepover," Rainbow commented.

The three fillies merely hung their heads down in defeat.

"Aw," they groaned in unison, then responded in defeat, "okay."

Knowing that there was no getting passed the older mares' orders for them, the original CMCs gave up in trying to persuade them. After all, a sleepover seemed to be a nice idea for the fillies when they turned to each other to conversate about their plans for tonight's activities.

"Ready to go now? We can't time waste time, you know."

"Wait, hold on!"

Twilight groaned at her cyan pegasus friend's call. "What is it, Rainbow," she asked with a tone of frustration in her voice, which Rainbow ignored.

"Can I go to my place? There is something I need to get," Dash asked. "It'll be fast, I swear."

Twilight rolled her eyes before sighing, "Just get whatever you need."

Rainbow beamed with excitement and quickly flew out a nearby open window.

As Dash quickly sprinted through her bedroom window, having multiple Wonderbolt merchandise and souvenirs decorated across her room. Dash rushed into her closet and began digging through the pile of mess stuffed in.

"C'mon, where is it?! It's got to be in here somewhere." She continued to throw random useless items behind her, making the room more messy than it already was, "Ah, here it is!"

Underneath all the mess in her closet, there was this black case sitting on the floor beneath all the piled up clothes and extra blankets. She was not much of a good housekeeper most of the time, but what she was finding was much more important to her than housekeeping.

As she opened the lid of her case, her eyes laid upon a very familiar black suit which resembled a bat. She smiled at the sight of the costume. Having not worn this thing in years, she did feel nostalgic once again holding it. She rushed inside her dressing room, then stared at her reflection through her mirror after changing into her Batsuit. She grinned with pride, being satisfied with her visual appearance inside the suit, "Can't wait to show everypony that Batmare is back and twenty percent cooler than before."

Back in the castle, the group patiently waited for their brash friend to return. After sometime, they noticed a pony dressed in a familiar suit Rarity had specifically made of her pegasus friend for a special circumstance.

"You all don't need to fear, Batmare is here," Dash exclaimed with confidence and pride, standing with a smirk on her muzzle, which was the only thing on her face not covered by the cowl. Twilight slapped her forehead in embarrassment, not wanting to show any childish acts from her friends to the Princess.

"Alright, Rainbow! Are you ready now," she asked with impatience.

"Yeah, sure. Let's go and hit this show on the road," Dash enthusiastically returned as all the ponies turned to the mirror.

"I bid you all farewell and good luck, my little ponies. I have every faith that you all will make it through," Celestia said her goodbyes to her friends and made her exit out the room to return to her castle in Canterlot.

"Well, let's go, everypony. We could only hope for the best," Twilight said, her friends nodding to her statement. "Just let me power on the mirror and set the location to where we're going."

Twilight came to the control panel connected to the mirror and flipped several switches and buttons to set up the teleportation. "I'll say this to remind you again: This project is not done, so there could be mishaps on the way. We could all be transported in different places, or worse, one of us could be in the wrong world. Gotham is set to be the destination though," she said as she pressed various buttons on the control pad next to the mirror. Once she finished doing whatever she was doing, the mirror lit up, revealing a tunnel vision through the mirror.

"Let's bring it on," Dash exclaimed. She immediately jumped through the mirror, surprising the other mares. Twilight was the second to go through, followed by Starlight.

Rarity was the last to enter through the mirror behind the rest of the crew.

"Rarity, wait," Spike called from behind.

Rarity abruptly stopped and faced Spike, "Yes, Spikey-Wikey?"

"Are you sure you'll come back, Rarity?" Spike said with concern. "I don't know what I'll do if something happens to you. Just be careful."

Rarity smiled sweetly down at the young dragon due to the care he had for her. She embraced the dragon with one foreleg around him. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. Don't you ever worry," Rarity said soothingly, she gave his forehead a small and brief peck, which caused Spike's cheeks to heat up. With that, she entered the mirror and vanished from Equestria, leaving Spike and the Crusaders.

Suddenly, the mirror unexpectedly began to vibrate and started flashing a blinding bright light. Spike and the fillies quickly shielded their eyes and immediately went for cover in case of an explosion. The mirror began to shake more violently as the seconds went on, frightening the fillies and the dragon. Then, it abruptly stopped. The Crystal Mirror now shut off after the shaking, Spike shot a panicked look as he stared at the mirror.

"Oh no," he muttered, worried if anything terrible happened to his closest ponies along the way.

Author's Note

Well There you have it. The second chapter is finally out. Sorry for the long wait here folks, I've had some personal reasons why I took long releasing this. Would love to hear everyone's thoughts on this.

Chapter 3

On a Halloween night, a populace had evacuated — simply abandoned — a vast metropolis infamous for its history of corruption: Gotham City. Now overtaken by some of the most violent and deadliest criminals in the world, the city lay in utter dismal and ruin. The numerous scum who defined the city roamed the desolate streets, scattered throughout to spread their vandalism, destruction trailing behind as they surged about in their ceaseless lust to taint all around them. Gunshots rang as bullets fired at any random structures or vehicles, and many perpetration of robberies and smuggling of drugs and illegal weapons were oversought or undergone. Gotham City was now a wasteland, a mere reflection of the disease once lurking in its shadows, in the absolute power and menacing rule of the Scarecrow.

A swirling vortex materialized somewhere above Bleake Island, a familiar rainbow-maned azure pegasus donning a certain bat costume tumbling out from the portal. Rainbow Dash stirred from her unconsciousness, fluttering her eyes open as she felt the sprinkling rain pour down on her through her suit. She caressed her head with her hoof, dazed and confused. Completely oblivious of her surroundings, she tried to recall what previously happened before she got knocked cold. Gasping in realization, Rainbow Dash glanced around in every direction, observing Gotham City as it now was years after the last time she was here before an instinctive grinned of excitement stretched across her muzzle. However, her smile dropped just as quickly upon the realization that something was missing: her friends aren't around her.

"Twilight?" Rainbow Dash worriedly called out, turning about in every direction in desperation to locate any of her friends. No sign of them, looks like this is the incident in Arkham City all over again where her friends go missing, except this time ... she's completely alone in what seems to be a dark alleyway, deep in Gotham with nopony in sight.

"Fluttershy? Applejack? ... Anypony?!"

None of her friends were present to respond. She tried to see through the shadows of this alley, but there was no luck in finding them. A look of worried concern spread across her face as she contemplated something possibly could have went terribly wrong during their transportation. Worst case scenario was some of her friends having been teleported to the wrong world, which would be not good at all. She did recall Twilight mention possible mishaps due to the portal not being one-hundred percent complete at the moment. Maybe that was the cause, but no matter; her main objective is to search for her friends in Gotham, even if it means she had to get passed asshole thugs in the streets if they dared stand in her way. She'd buck their heads off if they even tried her!

Dash spread her wings, taking off from the ally, soaring about Bleake Island to inspect the condition of her surroundings. Soaring over the island, she checked upon rooftops, alleys, anywhere, but no sign of the others at all. Never has she seen so much chaotic violence spread across a city in her life as she flew above the metropolis that rivaled even Tartarus itself. When she arrived at Chinatown, her eyes widened at the vision of the active pandemonium littering every single street. There she spotted a group of thugs surrounding a man in the distance.

"No, ... please," pleaded the man.

"This ain't your city anymore!" a punk said, enjoying every moment of this beatdown this cop is being handed to.

Dash rushed towards the scene and landed herself between the aggressors and the beaten victim, startling the criminals as they backed up a little.

"It's the Bat! Get him," one of the thugs cried as he prepared himself in a charging stance towards the opposing figure.

"You sure about that? It don't look like Batman, … it looks more like a horse wearing a bat costume. I swear I could've seen one of these from somewhere," another thug responding, pondering the familiar sight of the equine figure before them, scratching his head.

"First of all: I'm not a horse, I'm a pony," Dash exclaimed, surprising the rioters.

"What the fuck?! It can talk?!" one thug shouted in disbelief, hoping that this is nothing more than a dream.

Ignoring the thug's comment, Dash continued, "And second of all, the name's Batmare! Now, you pricks better buck off or I’ll break your bones in five places!" Crouching low to the ground, Dash bared her teeth, hissing, “There will be no mercy...”

The thugs were not intimidated by her threatening words whatsoever, one snickering, "And what makes you think that you could take us on? There is only one of you and you want to fight all of us? Give me a break, I could take you out and put you in a hospital one-on-one."

"Well, you asked for it," Dash responding, narrowing her eyes at the cocky thug — who was now cracking his knuckles, — and out of nowhere, she connects a swift flying kick to his face, knocking him out cold.

"Oh shit! She just took him out with one kick!" one thug shouted.

"Alright screw this! She is dead now! Kill her ass!" the leader of the group thundered.

Every criminal in the area surrounded the pegasus, who soon found herself cornered instantly by the bloodthirsty rioters.

'Oh mane,' Dash cureased, her thoughts racing 'I didn't realize how many there were!'

Each and every single thug converged on the prone pegasus, charging at her and attempt to connect their fists to her face. With the swiftness of an eagle, Dash dodged a majority of the attacks, ignoring the muffled stinging of knuckles connecting with her armored form. Her body was able to withstand a beating or two, but Dash did not think she could survive the total onrush of overwhelming assaults all at once.

"Charge it!" she managed to hear someone order before a sudden tackle to the ground caused her to yelp. Kicked her foe off, Dash quickly recovered, glared towards the smirking thug who managed to bring her down. Zoomed towards him, she connected with him, like a battering ram, throwing him into the distance to crash into another surging tide of approaching thugs as if they were bowling pins.

Grinning at the product of her art, Dash took out a number of thugs, but there are still quite a number of them speedily approaching.

Just as she tried to rush the next line of offenders...

"YOW!!!"

A sharp pain in the back of her head sent her body to stiffen in shock,, her vision obscured by sparks of agony. Dropping to the crumbling flats of Chinatown, Dash caressed the back of her head, letting out a faint whimper as she gazed up to the attacker, just a random goon towering over her wielding a large crowbar.

"Sorry, freak, we know that you work with the bat, I’ve been waiting to have a fight with one of you for the longest. And you ain’t as tough as they say! " he hissed, sneering as he raised the crowbar over his head to finish her.

A large cloud of smoke interrupted the scuffling, a dark-caped figure emerging behind the crowbar-wielding menace, grabbing him by the neck and pulling him out of Dash''s sight. Despite all being blinded by the smoke grenade, they could easily make a wild guess on who caused this intrusion.

"Oh crap! Batman's here," a thug panicked.

And here the Dark Knight was, in all his ominous glory as the smoke cleared out, dropping the unconscious thug's limp body to the concrete ground. Dash stared wide-eyed towards the new arrival, she honestly had almost forgotten about the intimidating aura that you'd feel around the Batman. Almost four years had she seen him and he's never changed a bit after all these years.

A thug charged at him and throw his first punch at Batman which was effortlessly blocked. The Dark Vigilante then delivered a bone-crunching high knee square in the low-life's face. No doubt his nose was broken. Meanwhile, Dash recovered from the ground, fighting through the pain from the last shot on her skull.

"Batman! Long time, no see," Dash called out with excitement.

"Save it! Now get up, and fight!"

He proceeded to combat against the thugs with Dash assisting along his side.

A thug attempted to take a cheap shot behind Batman's back, using a wooden baseball bat. Batman countered by catching the swing of the bat, one-handedly; followed by a jaw-breaking uppercut. He fired his Batclaw towards his next opponent, Batman pulled the thug towards him with his fist connecting and elbowing him hard into the concrete ground.

Batman then stunned his next victim, using his cape. While the enemy stood dazed, Batman began a relentless fast-paced beatdown, ending with a roundhouse kick. Sending the low-life thug crashing down against a vehicle's windshield.

"Aw, man! That looked like it hurt," a thug remarked before he was knocked down by Dash from the side.

Batman rushed towards the final man standing, and flipped him over and bent his arm in half. Merely fracturing his arm as the man screamed in agony, Dash cringed at the sound of bones being crunched as he did. She might not have the same body structure as a human, but she knew that man's arm was not supposed to bend that way.

She glanced at every direction in the area, this entire gang of thugs that were once giving the man a vicious assault, are now beaten down, groaning in pain from their defeat.

"Ah, just like the days back in Arkham City, right Bat—"

She was cut off as the bat yelled over her with demand, "What are you doing here!? Gotham's been evacuated, and taken over; return to your home world, right now!"

The Cyan Crusader could only stare into his frowning eyes, wide-eyed in shock and stunned disbelief at his harsh words. Before she could reply, the man who had been assaulted by the thugs called out to Batman.

"Batman!" the cop shouted, Batman approached the injured man.

"You're safe," Batman said he helped the man up to his feet, the man winced as he struggled to get up. This man is an employed officer of the Gotham City Police Department, Officer Kevern, was his name.

"Thanks Batman," Kevern smiled with relief though his bruises and wounds as he limped. "I thought they were going to kill me."

Dash felt a disturbing vibration, which seem to get stronger as seconds went by, she turned around to the direction behind her to see what this commotion was. She loudly gasped which caught the attention of both men, they spot a large-red vehicle speeding towards them. Dash quickly reacted as she ascended up above to avoid getting crushed by the truck.

She gasped in realization, worried at the possibility that Batman and the man, who she helped rescue, could get run-downed by the truck. She then sighed in relief as she was able to spot them on the nearby rooftop adjacent to her position. Wiping away sweat from behind her cowl, Dash descended to where the two humans – one an ominous protector and vigilante, the other a mere victim of the corruption plaguing the society he swore to protect – stood conversing.

"The city's overrun. We don't stand a chance," Kevern hopelessly stated.

"Stay here. I'll send someone to pick you up," Batman said, he then turns towards Dash, "And I don't want you, or any of your friends getting involved."

"Come on, Batman. I can help you," she protested against his demands.

"I don't need any assisting, I can handle this on my own. Don't follow me, go home; now."

"Then how are you going to chase after that thing," Dash asked as she pointed her hoof towards the military vehicle.

"By evening the odds." Batman leaped off the edge of the roof, Dash looked down from the edge as Batman landed in the middle of the street of Chinatown. A massive dark-colored vehicle started speeding from out of nowhere, and it was speeding towards Batman. Dash gasped afraid the car would hit Batman, but instead, Batman entered the Batmobile, in very fancy fashion, Dash looked down astonished at Batman's own ride. The Batman then drove at full speeds towards the direction where the military vehicle drove off to.

"He has got to make me one of those..." Dash muttered.

"So who are you supposed to be? Old friend of his?"

Kevern's question broke Dash's fangirlish trance. She turned to his direction. She replied, "I guess you could say that. The name's Batmare, by the way."

Before Kevern could give Dash his thanks for standing up for him, the cyan-coated pegasus leapt from the roof, spreading her wings and darting through the thick black of night.

The Batmobile quickly came into sight as Dash closed the distance Batman had made in his pursuit of the speeding truck loaded with arms. Outracing both vehicles, Rainbow Dash paused at a distance where she could observe the wild chase as police joined the Batman in pursuit of the armed runaways.

From inside the truck, a grenade was javalined at the enforcements tailing it, the ensuing ensemble of wreckage from either collision or combustion of RPGs, causing undamaged allies to veer in aid of those ailed in the damage. Rainbow recoiled in aghast terror. From the Batmobile, a missile was fired in return, but the truck continued its flight despite the cracked glass and denting it sustained.

"Looks like it's up to Batman to take down these punks." Dash muttered, shaking her head in disappointment as she took several sharp turns to avoid face-planting into the vast array of buildings she flew by. Thanks to her Wonderbolts training she received ever since joining the flight team, Dash had honed her abilities and increased in agility, allowing her to dodge a stray of missiles and rockets. ‘Rainbow Crash’ was a nickname now put out of order due to the sureness of her flight, now stable instead of clumsy and rambunctiously reckless.

Finally, Batman was able to shoot down the military truck after an intense chase. Batman emerged from his own vehicle, slowly approached the injured driver, struggling to escape out from his damaged truck. Dash descended towards the scene, she heard wheezing, and painful grunts coming from the man, he was dressed in dark-red uniform; this was no ordinary goon, this man looks to be a highly-trained soldier, equipped with some high-end gear.

"Stay back, freak!" he yelled. Batman grabbed him by the collar of his uniform, and dragged him to the middle of the street as Dash watches with interest. Batman held him close to his face and shot him the hardening glare that he commonly uses in interrogations.

"Where's Scarecrow!?"

"Go to hell!" he retorted before he aims a strange device aimed towards Batman's head. Dash quickly reacted as she smacked the device off his hand and grabs it. She held it closely in front of her face as she observes the device, Batman snatched off her as she shot him a frustrated glare.

"Hey!"

"I thought I told you to go home, Dash," he stated, he refocused his interrogation on the soldier before he proceeded flipped him into the concrete. "Where is Scarecrow!?"

"I don't have anything to say to you, Bat-freak!"

"Talk! Or I'll break every bone in your body," he threatened to twist the man's arm.

"Okay! Okay, I'll tell ya! He's...working out in a Penthouse in Chinatown. Please, this is all I know!" he begged, hoping he wouldn't take a pummel from the vigilante.

"If you're lying, I'll break the other one!"

"Other what!? Aahhhh!!!!!" he screamed in pain and quickly retracted his wrist just after Batman fractured it. Batman activated his scanner in his cowl to scan any data from this device that Dash had managed to retrieve from the soldier.

"Hey, don't you think that was a bit harsh by breaking his wrist?" Dash argued as she glared at him with her forearms crossed. Batman ignored her comment as he activated his holographic communication device attached to his suit, the screen revealed none other than Oracle, a face that Dash had not forgotten in her last adventure in this world.

"Oracle, check the chemical analyses I've just uploaded."

"Sure….is this what I think this is?"

"Scarecrow's new toxin."

Batman answered. "An uncontaminated sample." Okay Dash already is already lost in this conversation. She recognizes these big and professional words that eggheads, like Twilight, always uses in their own studies and observations. She rolled her eyes behind her cowl, she is surrounded by eggheads this time. Celestia, she misses Pinkie already.

"Scarecrow's got a safehouse nearby, I'm going to pay him a visit." He switched this communicator off before turning to the similarly-dressed equine speedster, "You should've left when I first told you so, Dash. Scarecrow's about to be dealt with anyway, go back to where you've came from."

"But you need me," she pleaded.

"I said I can handle myself. It's too dangerous for you to be here. Scarecrow is in full control in all of Gotham, and the worst thing that'll happen to you is when you're exposed to his fear toxin."

"But you don't understand! Look, this is a long story, but when me and my friends were traveling back here after we decided to help you against this threat from Scarecrow-"

He cut her off, 'How'd you know of this situation? And speaking of which...where are your friends?" he asked, Dash growled in frustration at his realization of her missing comrades.

"Just let me talk, alright?" she forced herself not to raise her voice against Batman. "We've learned this threat about this Scarecrow guy when Princess Celestia informed my friends and I about what's happening here. I don't know how she found out, so don't ask me. Twilight said we could travel back over here, by using some magic mirror she's been working on but it wasn't finished. Something broke on our way back, and here I am, back in Gotham. Where my friends could be out alone in this damn city." Dash explained as she finished by slamming her hoof into the concrete with frustration. "I looked everywhere around this place, until I bumped into those punks that were beating up that cop before you came, and you know the rest."

The explanation was as simple as possible for him to understand. Batman seemed unfazed after her reasoning, Dash furrowed her eyebrows in response, hoping she would at least get a reaction out of him.

"So your friends are missing?"

"Yes, and I ain't going back until I find every one of them. I know how dangerous this city can be, now with all these maniacs running around. What if they've been taken by those freaks?"

"If they're still alive, we'll find them," Batman said, Dash quirked an eyebrow.

"What do you mean if ‘they're still alive’!? Of course, they have to be. We're stronger than we look, don't forget that. But we gotta find them now, what if they can't handle things out here if they're by themselves. Please let me come along with you," she begged, something she doesn't do that often. It was clear to Batman just by staring into her worried eyes.

He sighed in defeat, "Fine, but first, we have to deal with Scarecrow before we do anything else. He's the main priority right now, if we don't stop him soon enough, then this entire city will suffer under his own chemical experiment, which will have people to hallucinate their greatest fears, including your lost friends." Batman said, Dash looked down in worry, fearing about what's to come. She doesn't really know this Scarecrow all too well, but the way how Victor Fries had described him, he sounded creepy for the most part.

"Alright, whatever you say..." Dash answered, Batman nodded as he turned to walk away with Dash following behind.

"Hey, um, ... Bruce?" she called out to him, unsure to what name she should refer to him as.

Batman stopped in his tracks and looked back at her, "Yes?"

Dash chuckled, “You, Bruce. Nothing's changed about you after all these years, I'm just glad to meet up with you again." She smiled, for the first time she's entered Gotham.

"Years? What do you mean,” he asked.

"What, it's been like...three years or so? Somewhere around there. But gosh. It's been so long, hasn't it!" Dash said as she hovered slightly above the vigilante.

"Three years? It's been only nine months the last time we've met." he stated, Dash's eyes widened to unnatural widths. Nine months!? From where Dash has been, it has been over three LONG years for the most part, spending countless adventures such as defeating Tirek, encounters with Starlight Glimmer when she was enslaving citizens of Our Town. But only nine months in this world!?

"Nine months!? What!? You're joking, right?" she exclaimed in disbelief, shooting the Dark Knight an amused toothy grin.

"Do I look like I am joking?" He stared blankly at her, "I guess time works differently in our worlds, huh," he mused, raising his grapple gun before he vertically ascending into the dead of chaotic night.

Author's Note

Credit to UmbraEquinae! for doing all the editing of my writing for this chapter. :D Thanks pal, I don't know how this chapter would have been if it wasn't for you.

I am terribly sorry for the 3 month gap between the last chapter, folks. Hopefully this one will make things up. Chapter 4 is now in the works, so expect this to come out a lot soon than this one. Thank you!

Chapter 4

Thick ropes chafed a soft coat and sensitive hide as a brilliant gamboge Earth pony wrapped into a hunched ball was wheeled down the long corridors of what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse. Cash lay strewn across the cold, steel floor. Thugs, each wielding a firearm, were stationed at every corner of the silent lodge. Two of them in those ranks pushed a wheelbarrow containing the pony in question: a mare with three crimson apples adorning her flanks. The two cronies, in the midst of ascending excitement and an uncertain debate, came to a standstill in the middle of the room.

“Yep, this is definitely one of ‘em ponies with the Bat. The Boss is going to flip out once he sees what we’ve found,” one of the two deliverers remarked, snickering greedily at the thought of a large reward.

His partner nodded in agreement, inspecting the mare in disgusted fascination, “It’s strange how the Bat despises us pariahs, yet he allowed these things to tag along with him. What does he see in these weak excuses of life?! It’s pathetic!”

“Beats me. These things did make quite a reputation in Arkham, and they managed to make it out alive,” his comrade remarked.

“Doesn’t matter; we have a vulnerable one now!” The goon chuckled, “So what should we do with this pony? Give it a nice beating?”

The first thug shook his head vigorously despite contemplating whether it would be appealing, "No. Boss has to give out the order on what we’re going to do with it; though, I do agree with ya’.”

The second thug sighed in exasperation, “C’mon, man! Maybe we can sell this thing, it’s probably worth a fortune with its vibrant, soft coat and those fancy-looking tattoos on its ass...”

The two scums of Gotham leaned their heads together, prospecting the proposal, “Hmm, ... maybe...”

Heavy footsteps echoed sharply from down the garage entrance, catching both thugs’ attention as a short, aged man dressed sharply in a white dress-shirt approached them.

“Boss, glad you could make it! Hey, we’ve found–”

“Shut it,” the man hissed, hand raised to strike down his employee’s feeble greeting and attempt at small talk. Turning to their captive, the man inspected the unconscious mare, greedy expectations evident behind the glint of disdain and malicious glee, “From the looks of this, Batman’s friends have finally come back. Good.” The man blew out a puff of smoke from his cigar before spitting it out, “Nine months, and these meddlesome freaks have returned. They cost me everything, so … it’s my turn to take from them...”

From behind their employer, the two goons snickered, anticipation growing as they fantasized the many possibilities of a reward.

The man turned, addressing his henchmen with a crooked grin of praise, “You idiots are lucky you’ve managed to find this pest, I might actually consider giving you a nice reward for finally doing something right.”

One thug smiled proudly, smugly demanding, “Well, ... what is it?”

The employer smirked, “First, a new task. Join the gun-running crew guarding the weapons’ caches I had planted over the city, and I’ll think about giving you a nice payroll of cash.”

Both men groaned in disappointed, annoyed they were not getting the reward they deserved as their boss cackled.

“Now!”

The henchmen scurried away, the wheelbarrow tipping over as they hastily fled their master’s unleashing wrath. Applejack tumbled out, her body plopping with a low rhythmic vibration on the metallic flooring in wake of the men’s precarious retreat. Her eyes shot open, sap green orbs darting about as she attempted to make sense of her surroundings.

“What in tar– Ugh!”

Applejack groaned as a heavy boot sharply connected with her prone right flank. Lurching in pain, Applejack caught sight of the lower part of two stubby legs as they stepped in front of her. Applejack’s eyes darted upwards only for her to cringe from the terrible, manic display of bared teeth as a beast of an aging man loomed over her.

“Wakey-wakey, you miserable peasant. Thought I’d forgotten what the Bat dragged into my life, did you?!” exclaimed the man, retrieving another cigarette from out of his grimy pant pocket. “You’re mine now, so you’d better start talking! … Where are the others? I would especially like a word with that rainbow-colored pain in the arse!”

From down the hall, two fleeing men could still hear the thunderous boom that was laughter erupting from the lungs of Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot, known to the masses as Emperor Penguin.

Autumn gusts whistled through the streets of Bleake Island, tossing and twirling scraps of rubbish scattered about the desolate streets and avenues. The old-gloomy structures of Gotham rose high above the tattered wastelands as pandemonium plagued the vacated county town, looming over all hiding beneath their shade.

A blur of brilliant azure darted from the shadows of one superstructure to another, growing rigid and still at every resounding shot of bullets from their firearms, every blare of an alarm, and every crunch of splinter-esque glass. Two equine ears swiveled about in all directions with each frightening sound, not daring to fold back against the silky curls of pale cornflower mane draped across her shoulders. Were it not for the adrenaline coursing through her veins, Trixie Lulamoon would have collapsed in stark terror at the unfamiliar environment she found herself waking to.

Loneliness terrified the showmare. She dreaded abandonment, fearing rejection as she had faced it in its cruelest form once in her lifetime. Being ostracized by the majority of ponykind twice before, Trixie shuddered at whether she had been deserted once again.

“No, of course not! Tri- I must not think this way. ... They’re my friends, they would not leave me like this, right?”

This thought repeatedly raced through the trembling unicorn’s head as her gray-violet eyes darted, searching every corner, nook, and cranny for either her friends or ... them.

“What in Celestia’s name are making those sounds?! Even Discord’s ruckus is tolerable!”

Trixie galloped the streets of the city, mind racing in panic as she darted from shadow to shadow to avoid any detection or hostility from whatever or whoever roamed these foreign lands. It was only when she slowed, panting in exhaustion, did her ears detect heavy pursuit. Instinctively ducking to her left, Quickening her trot, only to skid to a sharp halt as her eyes bulged and jaws gaped at the sight of her doom standing motionless before her: a brick wall, that treacherous dead end.

“No, no, no,” Trixie softly cried through clenched teeth, her little heartbeat accelerating to that of a hummingbird’s wingbeats. Trixie spun as a cluster of figures blotted out the remaining light from behind her. Her horn flared, casting a pale magenta glow to fill the cavernous imprisonment she had fled directly into. Trixie gulped as the aura of her light spell revealed her captors, shying away from the bipedal beasts before her. Each member of the pack stood as straight and tall as a Diamond Dog, dressed in twin red uniforms and brandishing a manner of gleaming rods. The showmare prayed otherwise, but it was evident these items were relics or tools of a deadly arsenal.

“Freeze,” one barked as the group slowly closed in on the trembling pony, their rifles aimed and at the ready, all directed to her forehead. She faltered, backing away in terror until her rump met the building wall.

“You’re coming with us,” another snidely informed, lunging and pinning the unicorn by her throat to the alley corners. Raising his rifle, he jeered, “From what we’ve heard, I’d thought you’d be tougher.”

Trixie squirmed and thrashed, a wailing shriek escaping her lips. The aura of her horn, as did her sharp yelp, instantaneously died when the man swung the barrel of his firearm, smacking her across the forehead millimeters from the horn’s base. The force thrust her hat off her head. All were plunged into silent nothingness.

“C’mon, take her to Ace Chemicals! The Knight’s dying to meet one of ‘em.”

Rainbow Dash’s eyes snapped open, squinting as she raised a hoof to shield herself from the blinding glare which greeted her.

“Are you bucking serious– Aaargh,” the pegasus mare hollered, almost roaring, as her nostrils flared. Suddenly, a sharp pang followed by throbbing pain seized her, sending the equine lurching forward and reeling. Gingerly reaching the side of her head, Dash felt a tender swell stiffening forming from beneath her tangled mane. Getting the idea that her cowl had been unmasked.

Several figures approached Dash, converging as a group directly in front of her bleary field of vision, to which she bolted from the cot.

“Whoa, easy,” a voice exclaimed in protest.

Dash’s eyes swiveled about in disorientation as she stood defensively against a man that stood near her. She stiffened, preparing for a skirmish until her vision panned on the badges clipped to each man’s navy uniform, each reading ‘GCPD.’ Glancing down, she growled at the sight of a mattress draped over with a fitted-paper sheet.

“We mean no harm, ma’am; Batman ordered us not to do anything of the sort,” an officer informed her, attempting to calm her as he cautiously approached. “We just want to talk,”

Dash gritted her teeth, a burning inferno of rage erupting from her mouth as she shouted, “Don’t cite him to me! I don’t have time to talk, nor do I care for it; I gotta get back out there!”

“Ma’am, plea–”

“Where’s my cowl,” Dash demanded, another officer tossing the mask to her, not daring to get within swinging distance of her hooves. Dash snatched the fabrically-made replica of Batman’s cowl mid-air, glaring down at the clothing, crumpling it before hurling the offending object away in disgust and hatred. Keeping it defiled her, and she despised it as much as the man whose image and title it was designed after. Casting aside her batsuit. “I trusted that stupid brick wall of a man,” Dash fumed, landing back on the bed, her head hanging in despair as a scowl worked its way onto her muzzle. “I looked up to him, tried to help him, and he repays me like this?!”

The officer sighed, “Look, I don’t know much about the guy. I do, however, think he is doing this to keep you out of harm’s way. You could’ve been killed by one blast from those tanks.”

“You’re talking to a mare who’d rescued an entire nation about a dozen times with her friends! You’re telling me Br–” Dash paused, “Batman wants the mare who assisted him in shutting down Arkham City to stay put... What?!”

“No disrespect, ma’am, but we’re dealing with an army equipped with some of the most advanced weapons on Earth. I highly doubt you’ve dealt with this before where you came from.” Rainbow Dash sharply turned her head towards the opposite direction from the officer.

“So what? I’m not scared,” she boldly stated. “I have no reason to be here, I should be out there to check every inch in this city on finding my friends.”

“How did your friends go missing?” the officer asked, Dash’s mind trailed away from the conversation, her eyes unfocused from the officer’s own. Rainbow was not fully sure, but her suspicions on the incompleteness of Twilight’s rework of The Mirror is the only sensible cause of the separation.

“It’s...complicated,” she answered weakly.

“I’m sorry to hear that, ma’am. If you want us to help you, we’ll gladly assist you on your search.”

“It’s fine, I’d rather find them on my own. But thanks for the offer.” Dash smiled.

The officer sighed, “If you really are willing to help, I think we may have to show you what we normally deal with in these streets.”

Dash scoffed. “Of course I know what you guys deal with; a bunch of sick maniacs that do nothing but harm others for their own enjoyment.”

“Unfortunately, that’s correct But since you have only experienced this city for one night, I think you need to learn more about Gotham’s criminals.” He stated, Rainbow raised her eyebrow with interest, “There’s an evidence room that I would like for you to take a look at. It contains the belongings we’ve obtained from these so-called ‘super criminals’ for safe keeping.”

“Sure, why not,” Dash grumbled, head tilted to the side. She was still fuming, enraged at bruce, but a little information on Gotham’s scum would surely distract her.

“It’s right this way, you may call me Officer Blackmore by the way, Miss– Er, my apologies, I never got your name,” the officer stammered, slapping himself as his face grew red with a deep flush.

“It’s Rainbow Dash. Sorry about that.”

“Right. The room is this way.” he gestured towards the room across the main room. As they make their way, the officer spoke, “As you know, Gotham houses some of the most dangerous criminals in the world, most are criminally insane, diagnosed with disturbing obsessions and beliefs.”

Dash nodded, glancing around the public room, many deputies were present in the area. She spotted an aged man, sporting glasses, by the front desk. Clearly bickering with someone through the telephone.

“I know that already,” Dash commented. “I mean, I’ve met enough creeps when I was in Arkham City, I don’t think I would want to learn anymore.”

“Oh, you don’t even know half of them.”

Taking a right from the lobby, through a doorway secured by metal detectors. The group accessed a vacant room with blaring blue fluorescent lights illuminating the atmosphere. Dash scanned the area, spotting a couple rows of glass cases, all of which are empty. Rainbow’s eyebrow shot up.

“Er, it’s ... empty,” Dash asked, eyebrows raised.

“Oh! This part of the room will be updated as soon as we capture the scum out in Gotham.” Blackmore pointed to a doorway leading into a secondary room. Dash’s jaw dropped at the sight as they entered, sighted many belongings of Gotham ‘super’ criminals contained in those glass containers. Despite many of these items being considered dangerous equipment and hazardous material. It was similar to a museum stashed with treasure.

“Most of this loot we have are from the ones that no longer reside in Gotham. Ever since Arkham City’s shutdown, the city’s crime rate has seen an immediate decline. Many of our criminals have been transferred out of the city to other prisons throughout the country, while others just seemed to have disappeared off the face of the Earth.”

Dash nodded, her eyes falling upon Mr. Freeze’s infamous Freeze Ray, lying at the center of a platform behind a large Pexiglass display case, stifling a chuckle as she recalled Victor Fries’ arrival in Equestria and the acclaim he and his wife received upon establishing permanent residency at the Crystal Empire.

“Been the first time in years since this city’s mostly been rid of crime.”

In another display case, an assortment of select weapons lay scattered. In one glance, Dash was certain, without a doubt, who these implements belonged to. She shot a serious glare through the glass screen before glancing down, eyeing a bright red button starkly contrasting with the white platform.

“Press that button right there,” Blackmore ordered, “It’ll give you details and info on the individual weapons, who they belong to, and how they were used.”

Dash complied, placing her hoof over the button and pressing down. “One vial of TITAN formula, one set of explosive false teeth infused with dynamite, one pair of ... actual X-ray specs. One ‘toy’ gun, loaded with one toy flag and five real bullets,” spoke the voice recording of a man with a deep, gravely voice from the speakers built into the platform. As Dash eyed each weapon, the recording continued, “All these are the property of The Joker, no known identity. It’s one hell of a toy box; I’m glad no one’s going to play with it again,”

With that, the recording ended, Dash’s ears were perked forwards, allowing her to better hear and notice the drop in the man’s tone as he described the weapons’ individual capabilities.

“Take all the time you need to explore,” said Officer Blackmore. “If you need me, just holler.”

The officer stepped away, leaving Dash alone. Shrugging, Dash skimmed the many artifacts of criminology studies and seized possessions confiscated or recovered with each case Gotham City was able to close. Eventually, the pegasus decided to just go ahead and randomly select.

One particular case presented a morbid wooden ventriloquist puppet adorned with a top hat and dressed in a suit and tie.

“What the...” Dash remarked, though a closer look at the doll sent a chill up her spine. Upon pressing down on the button, Dash shivered upon learning of the split-personality disorder of the Ventriloquist.

“One ventriloquist’s dummy aka Scarface. This ain’t the original Scarface. It’s a Joker knock off. Don’t ask me why, but the clown took a liking to these creepy things.” Dash snorted, it’s absolutely ridiculous most of these freaks look like they would come out from some twisted circus act.

For minutes, Dash listened to the various recordings. Button by button, recording by recording, Dash was recounted to the tales of grueling investigations. She was not spared by any display the horrific details of twisted acts and vicious deeds.

She had initially come here to distract herself from the anxiety she felt for her friends, the rage she harbored against Bruce, and only partially out of curiosity. Now, however, with each description, the pegasus found her spirit sinking even further and her stomach churning with dread and disgust and terror.

Most of these items seem very unordinary! All these gadgets and weapons, tools of depravity and violence. The vile minds of Gotham’s scum, enabled and enhanced to perpetrate such terrible deeds with these many devices.

While wandering around the locker room, Dash’s communicator rang, which she still kept in her ear “Rainbow Dash,” a familiar voice rang, “Can you read me?”

Dash beamed “Oh! Hey there, uh-”

“Just refer to me as Oracle, Rainbow Dash,” Barbara Gordon said, but continued on to the serious topic, “I know you’re upset and probably wouldn’t want to hear his name at the moment, however, there is something you need to know about what happened during your conflict with Batman. And yes, I heard everything that went on.”

Dash sighed. “Oracle, I only wanted to help, I don’t know what problem he has. He’s more stubborn than what Applejack used to be during applebuck season.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. Bruce has his own ways of protecting his own peers.”

“By knocking them out cold and forcefully leaving them in a Police Department,” Dash bluntly stated.

Barbara sighed, “You don’t understand. There’s always a reason, y’know. Similar to how he doesn’t allow Tim to help out.” Dash perplexed, wondering what point she’s trying to make. “Bruce is never open with anyone about this topic. But I’m sure you know about his past.”

Dash blinked, “Uh, y-yeah,” stuttered the pegasis, “Where are you going with this?”

“The past shaped the way he is. It affected his life. He doesn’t show it, but he’s doing this to prevent losing another ally. You’re not the only one that deals with his ways of protection. I think you should think it over.”

Dash closed her eyes, deeply inhaling as she processed everything.

Half an hour earlier...

Two shadows – one the elusive Dark Knight, the other a swift Cyan Crusader – darted through the late night sky, soaring and leaping above or from roof to roof until they glimpsed their distant destination: a safehouse. They had used the building's roof as their alternate route, one clung to the vertical structure and the other hovered in steady flight, both had watched a band of soldiers guarding the penthouse.

“I see you've kept the communication speakers I lent you," Batman mused.

Dash smiled through her cowl, activating the mechanism attached to her right ear, “Hey, I never know when I need these.”

Directing her gaze through the window near their surveillance spot, the cyan speedster spotted another assembly of goons stationed inside. The duo observed the scene within, preparing for intervention as they gathered more information on Scarecrow’s schemes.

In the quiet interior of their penthouse, the soldiers were gathered at a cell’s window.

“How long do we have to keep her in there,” a soldier moaned, impatiently stirring from his rigid stature.

“Until we get his order to gas her,” one of his comrades gruffly responded.

Dash raised an eyebrow, angrily growling. The thought of these so-called soldiers tormenting a hostage with a dose of experimental 'fear gas' sickened her, causing her stomach to churn.

“Do your worst; the boredom is killing me,” a feminine voice spoke from within the walls of her imprisonment, sounded detached and oddly at ease despite the circumstances of the situation she was in.

“Oh, don't worry, you'll get what’s coming for ya' when we're good and ready,” one soldier argued back.

“Why do we have to wait? We can give her a dose now,” the first soldier returned, shifting in anticipation.

“Be my guest. I'll tell Scarecrow it was your idea.”

Dash cocked her head, mondering how Scarecrow even manage to hire an entire military to willingly comply with his biddings. Just by eavesdropping on his employees' bickering made her shudder!

“I was just joking,” the first soldier protested, raising his arms in either exasperation or terrified surrender.

“Didn't sound like a joke...” the second soldier muttered.

Dash focused on Batman, pending for the moment to take action, sighing when he simply shook his head disapprovingly and instructed her to standby.

“You think I want him to know I disobeyed the given orders?! Have you seen him," the first soldier hissed.

The other soldier nodded, cringing as he replied, “Yeah, saw him up close. He's done something to his face, hasn't he? It’s like he carved chunks out of it.”

“Rumor is he got his face torn off by some freak called Killer Croc,” another soldier mentioned.

"Really? Sounds deliberate to me."

“Yeah, well, I guess he figured he should look the part. Y'know, like a scarecrow.”

Most of the men recoiled at the suggestion, one covering his mouth in aghast, "Ugh, now that's messed up, man!"

“Speaking of messed up: Why is she here,” one soldier inquired, pointing through the cell window towards their prisoner.

An impatient sigh was the inquiry's answer, "I'm here because your boss has an inferiority complex. After all, he's only human."

“Nobody asked you, freak,” was shot back.

“They offered her the chance to join, but she refused. Scarecrow is going to use her as his new lab rat."

“Pamela Isley, a woman able to control plants with her mind... Really,” a soldier foolishly scoffed.

“Stick around, maybe you'll find out,” Isley hissed, leaving the patrolling soldiers confused on whether she was making a genuine threat or bluffing.

“Oh, I've seen it with my own eyes. One of the guys bringing her in got torn in two by one of her giant tentacles.” one pointed out.

“You make it sound so crass. It was ... beautiful,” Isley crooned dreamily, to which Dash shot a disgusted frown, shivering at the malicious words of Pamela Lillian Isley, known by Gotham as Poison Ivy.

Beside her, the Dark Knight held his hand in a halting gesture as he sensed Dash’s excited anticipation. The mare huffed, grudgingly remaining in place as she slowly drowned out the rest of the conversation in boredom.

One of the soldiers turned to his neighbor, hushedly grumbling, “Man, what's wrong with this city? It's just full of monsters... God!”

“You’re not wrong. Check Compressor 5. We need to be ready to go when we get the order,” the group's leader instructed.

A piercing crash interrupted the soldiers’ conversation, those closest to the window whirling around and stumbled back, raising their arms to shield themselves from the wave of shattering glass. Soldiers collided with another, soon sending the group into a jostling frenzy as a duo of shrouded vigilant rose from the wood floor strewn with glistening shards.

Quickly recovering and regaining their footing, the henchmen focused on the intruders, one shouted, "It's Batman and his pet!"

“You really need to check for holes in your security,” Isely snidely commented carelessly, arm-crossed.

“I’ll handle this,” the group’s leader assured calmly, pulling a pistol from the holster at his waist.

As Dash hunched low to the wooden flooring, Batman produced a batarang from his utility belt, swiftly javalining the projectile. A metallic ring followed by a thudding clatter pierced the tense silence as the two weapons impacted and the pistol fell to the floor.

“Shit,” was the only word that escaped the commander’s parted lips before a bat-clad torpedo launched itself from the ground and rammed into his midsection, a hoof bucking his head as it darted from off his fallen form.

“Who’s next,” Dash challenged, wings flared. From behind her, the door was flung open as the soldiers stationed as watchmen outside poured in, joining the stirring pandemonium.

One soldier rushed Dash from behind, a sin on his part as she wickedly snickered, bucking him in the face. The man lurched, clenching his face in pain as he fell backwards into another group of soldiers, effectively tangling them.

She spun around to her next opponent, but the claustrophobic-level space provided prevented her from ducking as a fist connected with her jaw. In retaliation, she blindly windmealed, her front hooves connecting with the foreheads of the men on either side and hind ones uppercutting those unfortunate to be approaching from those positions.

From across the room, soldiers swung at the Dark Knight, their main objective. The vigilant avenger delivered rapid kicks and swift blows to his assailants, easily taking them down. Intercepting another soldier’s meek swing, Batman flung the hapless man onto a home network curb attached to the wall. The soldier flailed, shrieking, but was unable to prevent his head from coming into contact with the wires. The effects were immediate, a shockwave coursing through the victim’s body, which spasmed as his eyes bulged and his hair stood on end. When at last the man faded from consciousness, he was deposited to the far wall.

Dash came to a halt beside Batman, gawking at the electrocuted man, aghast. Pointing a shaking hoof towards his still smoldering form, she choked out, “Did you...”

Bruce shook his head, “I never do.” Lifting the man by his collar, he pointed at the chest, which still rose and fell, “See?”

Slow clapping filled the empty silence. “Well, that’s made things a tad more interesting,” Isley congratulated.

Batman and Dash spun, gaping as a final militiaman aiming a barrel at the unfazed woman’s head. Speaking into a walkie-talkie, he informed, “Sir, they’re here.”

Behind him, a distorted projection of the man in question flickered, addressing the prospectors in his gravelly voice, “Were you expecting to find me, Batman? I’m afraid I must disappoint you. Take a look at the chamber; I want you to know the fear that is coming.”

“Listen up, Bat-freaks,” shouted the militiaman, roughly pulling Pamela by her arm and placing the barrel against her temple, “we’re walking out of here nice and slow. Try otherwise, and she eats lead!”

“Charming,” Isley scoffed. “but only one of us is getting out of this cell.”

The goon cocked his head, “Wha–”

A steady hiss cut off his snarky response. Stiffening, he turned his head towards a ventilation system, eyeing a nasty, orange gas in horror. Isley smirked, freeing herself from his faltering grip as he wheezed from inhaling the fear gas.

As the fumes engulfed him in its murky mist, he shrieked in panic, “No! NO! NO!”

Shots rang, the firearm tightly gripped in his hand aimed at random. Bullets ricocheted off the walls.

Dash cringed as a blurred figure waveringly filled the cell’s window, the gas clearing away to terrified watery eyes staring back at her before the man’s head was suddenly jerked back and slammed forwards. The thick glass fractured, webs of cracks spreading across its face before the head sank, almost sliding down, from view to reveal Pamela Isley.

“Nothing like a little natural immunity,” she mused, stepping over the soldier as Batman flipped a nearby switch to free her from the imprisonment. Stretching, Isley glared daggers at the Caped Crusader, “What are you doing here?”

“Why’d Scarecrow lock you up,” he inquired, ignoring her sharp question. From beside him, Dash tensed in expectation of a brawl, only for Batman to gesture the woman posed no threat at the moment. The mare quirked an eyebrow, deciding to comply while warily keeping Pamela in sight.

Approaching the stone gargoyle of Gotham City, Ivy narrowed her eyes, quisicley purring, “No hello?”

“Answer me,” the Defender forced, resisting her seductive aura.

“What if I don’t want to?” she teased.

“Every last plant in Gotham burns.”

Ivy stiffened, jaws clenched, then relented, “It started with a meeting–”

“What meeting,” he cut her off.

“Everyone was there – Penguin, Two-Face, Riddler, ... even poor Harley,” she elaborated, brushing past the Dark Knight for the penthouse exit. “Scarecrow proposed an alliance in which we all team against you, promising Gotham would be the reward.”

“Over my dead body,” Batman growled, and Dash could almost see his eyes narrowing to slits beneath that cowl.

Ivy stepped out to the rooftop, extending her arm to a garland of vines hanging from the building, almost beckoningly. The vines peeled away from the ledge from where they hung, wrapping themselves around her outstretched hand and snaked their way up to her elbow in a crude yet elegant resemblance of a glove. Ivy eyed the new adornment before turning back to face Batman, “I rejected his idea, told him I wanted nothing to do with his pathetic human games. When I came to, I found myself caged in a shitroom!” A wry smile crept its way onto her face, overriding the furious anger as she noted, “Such a shame his vile toxin has no affect on me.” Approaching an elevator and stepping in, she faced the two vigilantes and raised her arms high as if in an exaggerated display of triumph, declaring, “Nature ALWAYS wins.”

“The buck–”

Without warning, thick vines lashed out from behind the two and coiled around their torsos, tying them together before lifting them into the air and inside just as the elevator doors shut. As the mechanism made its slow descent, Ivy shook her head in amused disappointment, “Will he ever learn?”

The elevator doors slid open at ground level, and Ivy turned to address her ensnared companions, gaping in shock at the escaped duo who glared daggers at her, one stiff and rigid with a scowl and the other hovering with forelegs crossed.

“You’re coming with me,” Batman stated.

Ivy irritatedly rolled her eyes as her arm was gently taken by the Caped Crusader, “You only had to ask.”

“You meatsacks don’t deserve life; you do nothing but harm all vegetation, using all of my poor, helpless babies for your pathetic needs,” Pamela spat, easily getting the attention of Dash, eyebrows furrowed in anger at the metahuman. “You’re all worthless consumers! Your deaths will hold more meaning than your lives ever will. I have a dream of plants being nourished as you decompose. One day, my children shall flourish, and it will be you who are consumed.”

Dash blinked, then snorted before lurching to one side, covering her muzzle in a feeble attempt to stifle her outburst of laughter, “That’s rather ironic. For someone who spews about animal kind being worthless destroyers, you sure like using your ‘babies’ to– Oh, forget it!” Pointing a hoof in Pamela’s face, Dash bluntly reminded, “Whether you like it or not, and how much you insult us ‘meatsacks,’ you’re still a human. No matter what mutation or WHATEVER you’ve gone through, that’ll never change what you are.”

“You dare oppose me,” Ivy roared, trying to lunge for Dash, only to be halted by Batman while he shot a warning glance towards his pegasus conrade.

As the trio exited the building, Dash’s ears pricked at what she thought was a distant rumbling and she glanced over her shoulder. The mare came to a dead stop in flight, eyes bugging out as a chill of unimaginable intensity ran down her spine. “Uh-oh,” she muttered.

From behind, motors roared with exertion as a squadron of military trucks accelerated to their destinations, a sturdy tank accompanying them. The offending reinforcements assembled to a halt in front of the three, barricading the only hasty route of flight as three soldiers streamed out, all wielding rifles trained for the escapees’ chests.

“Go! Go! Go,” a soldier barked, rallying his partners as they rushed to intercept and corner their targets.

“Don’t move,” one ordered, eyeing the two vigilantes warily, hefing his firearm at them in warning.

“We got the target, sir. He’s cornered. One of the pony creatures is also with him,” another reported as he spoke through a TYGER microphone.

“Are you sure it’s them?” was the response given by the militia’s employer, uncertainty and anticipation both evident in an eerie cocktail in his voice as he proposed the question for confirmation.

“Confirmed, it’s Batman!”

“Sir, that tank they have backing them up is unmanned,” Alfred informed through Batman and Rainbow’s communicators.

Batman signaled Dash to flee, an order she complied as she frantically glanced around for an escape route without being gunned down by the gathering of militiamen. Batman, surreptitiously slid his hand into the interior of his cape, bringing his index finger to the button of a remote secured to his utility belt.

From a nearby plaza, a sleek black vehicle roared to life and hastily made its way to the site of the brewing tensions. Shattering several stone pillars along the way, the Batmobile took a swerving turn in a wide arc to its left before coming to a stop alongside its soon-to-be passengers. Dash gaped, coming to a halt and marveling at the mysterious wonders of Batman’s infamous vehicle.

Similar to Dash, the soldiers stared in shock at the Batmobile as the vehicle’s tires retracted, expanding to a larger width by their extendable axles. Upon reaching a preset width, the tires rotated to a tilted angulature, resting at a balanced slant. The mainframe rose from the hood of the automobile, firing several sixty-millimeter missiles at the rattler tank from the cannon which rose from the provided open roof.

A shared gasp escaped the parted lips of three militiamen as the horror of their weapon being taken down so easily hit them. Recovering from their shock, they let loose bullets at the offender’s vehicle, only for the ammunition to simply ricochet off its sturdy, well-armored surface of carbon nanotube aggregate. Fear and panic set in as rubber pellets whizzed through the air from one of the Batmobile’s arsenal of alternative weapons: the Riot Suppressor retracting from the mainframe’s side. Non-lethal slam rounds took their toll on the group as, one by one, they grew rigid from immobility, colliding hard against the cracked concrete.

“I’ve detected six more unmanned tanks approaching fast though Chinatown. They’ll be there any second,” Oracle warned.

Batman motioned Ivy and Dash to seek shelter back inside the penthouse to avoid harm’s way, an order which the woman obeyed while displaying little to no care of the situation. Dash, having snapped out of her dreamy daze, took to the skies and perched on an adjacent rooftop to admiringly spectate the battle to come; this was an action done much to the Dark Knight’s dismay.

Using his remote controller, Batman grew still, awaiting the next squadron of rattler tanks to approach the makeshift ‘arena.’ In her peripheral, Dash spotted two rattlers swiftly descending on the Dark Knight, a notion the man noticed as well.

From its backsides, a set of laser beams were emitted, allowing the Batmobile to swiftly make narrow dodges as the two tanks’ cannon let loose their ammunition in futile attempts to put down their shared enemy. The Bat vehicle swerved to face its opponents, and with two shots, both rattler tanks were eliminated. With each arrival of reinforcements, the Batmobile decimated tank after tank while expertly avoiding lasers attempting to get a steady, direct line of fire on it.

The Batmobile slowed as Batman utilized its secondary combat mechanism: the Missile Barrage, which launched a powerful missile soaring for each individual tanks’ engine. With each impact, the missiles sent a vibrating pulse across Chinatown, the metropolitan terrain shaking from the earthquake-esque shockwaves

A thrumming whir from above, snapped Dash out of her trance before she warily glanced up at a hovering newschopper. Its headlights panned on the scene of glorious demolition as a terrifyingly familiar voice reached Dash’s ears through the communications system, “This is Vicki Vale, reporting live in Chinatown, Gotham City; what appears to be a massive, deadly clash between unidentified tanks deployed from an unknown militia battling what seems to be– Wait, is that, the Batmobile?!”

Dash almost face-hoofed, shaking her head in bewilderment as an image of an overjoyed reporter she had helped rescue from The Joker’s sniper men near the old police department building flashed in her mind, “It’s her,” Dash muttered.

Spreading her wings, the mare ascended towards the chopper through the chilling winds of Gotham’s autumn night. Her lips parted to a mischievous, sly grin as she approached the aircraft, circling it at a distance before inching closer. Approaching the chopper window adjacent to Vicki’s position, she lightly tapped the glass to get the reporter and her cameraman’s attention, startling them from the details which were being broadcasted.

“What was that?!” Vicki cried, barely glimpsing a black blur darting from the window.

Snickering, Rainbow zipped around to the other side and tapped on Vicki’s window, dashing away just as the woman spun to face her. Vicki quirked an eye as she checked each direction out her window, she turned her focus back down at the battle.

“D-Did... Did you see that?!” Vicki shrilly screeched, pointing a shaking finger to where Dash had just been mere seconds before.

Dash tilted her head, pondering how to get a good laugh. Suddenly, she let out a chuckle. Reaching out again, she gave Vicki’s window three, calculated taps before waving as the woman gaped in recognition and surprise.

“What the–” Vicki stammered, “Oh, it’s one of them!”

The cameraman beside her cocked his head as Vicki excitedly reported in front of his camera, “I’ve just got news! The mysterious ponies have made their presence known just outside this chopper! It’s unknown whether they are involved in the situation currently unfolded below, but– Oh, I’ve got to interview them on where they came from, how they got there, and why they’ve returned...” Vicki turned back to her window, frowning questioningly as she had done so in time to see Rainbow facehoof and dive back to a rooftop, “Hmm, maybe later.”

Down below in the streets of Chinatown, the Batmobile fired one last missile, obliterating the final rattler tank. Dash grinned in fangirl-style delight, swooping down beside the Dark Knight. As she touched down, however, a dawning realization struck her cold.

The Batmobile gradually reverted into its normal appearance, parking right besides the street curb right at the penthouse entrance. Batman pressed a button on his remote to open the passenger seats located on the backside of the vehicle.

“We need to leave,” Batman hustled, walked Isley towards the vehicle.

“The master of understatement, as ever,” Ivy muttered as she willingly settled into the seat, the restraint bars automatically locked around her before the seats were inserted indoors of the Batmobile.

“Bruce, I see a transport deploying more tanks at Panesa Studios. I’ve warned GCPD to pull their men off the streets.”

“Rainbow,” Batman addressed over his shoulder, not turning to face said mare, “I need you to head to GCPD.”

Silence answered Gotham City’s protector, something the man was not quite expecting from his excitable, enthusiastic, and rather naive assistant.

Batman turned to Dash, stopping upon seeing her rigid stature, her expressions vacant and eyes staring into the distance as Oracle’s urgent warning registered along with her descending optimism. Dash’s smile crumbled away, a deeply-set frown full of worry overriding it. As anxiety and concern laced with terror coursed through the Equestrian’s veins, her pupils constricted to the size of pinpricks. The emotions mixed into a strong, paralyzing cocktail. Her mind raced, wracked with fear and worry before she finally protested: “What?!? You want me to leave you alone to face these punks?!”

“I can handle myself. You’re not equipped to help take on what this militia is capable of,” the man argued in reply, frustration and impatience beginning to rise given the lack of time they had to flee.

Dash’s eyes narrowed, her wings flaring as an elixir of oxytocin, vasopressin, and corticotropin-releasing hormone seeped the frothing sea of ichor at an accelerating velocity, “What about my friends?! Every square inch in this city is being burnt to the ground, and you expect me to abandon them?!!”

Batman remained motionless and unswayed, his face drawn into a frown and a glare evident behind his cowl, “I’ll look for them. You will stay put in GCPD from now on; I’ll have Alfred notify the officers to let you in.”

Jaws clenched and teeth ground against one another as Dash hovered before the stone man, nostrils flaring as she demanded a reason for his lack of concern for others’ well-being: “We helped you in Arkham – saved you from near death even, – which proves we can handle ourselves. But that was then, and for all I know, we’re all separated in this Celestia-forsaken Tartarus hole! Why aren’t you letting me come with you, why don’t you care, WHY WON’T YOU LET ME HELP?! TELL ME!!!”

There are moments in life when emotion overrides thought, and one unintentionally spits out something without truly meaning it or without clarifying. Emotions, like matches, can also spark.

“Because you’ll only get in the way!”

Words, like actions, have an impact. Dash could only stare at the man blankly. A match was flung just as adrenaline flooded into the ichor, and what was once an aqueous solution became a heterogenous accelerant.

Accelerants and flames don’t mix well, and an inferno is what was once a small flame.

One wrong word, and Dash’s mind and body were consumed in fiery hate and singing rage as the world turned red.

In a flash, Batman tackled the lunging fireball flying at him, grunting slightly at the force of impact as he intercepted and flipped the black and cerulean torpedo. His hands gripping the sides of her head, Batman dove, sending both man and mare crashing to the cracked ground.

As both fell to the hard, unforgiving pavement, Dash speedily detached herself from the cold surface, readying herself for offense against the caped-hero. Batman took a defensive stance. Dash attempted a roundhouse, followed up with a quick jab. Both attacks were blocked by the bat. After a session of Dash throwing many kicks and hooves, some were blocked or flicked aside. Others were successfully connected onto various parts of his face. Having enough of her attacks, Batman quickly threw a strong open-handed strike against the Equestrian’s open chest to create some distance.

“Stand down, Dash!”

Rainbow snarled in response, clutching her chest from the effects of the attacks. “I ain’t going to stand by, not with my friends out there. If it means I have to get through you, then fine!”

Her statement worked up her motivation. She ascended higher up into the chilling air, glaring down at Batman. In a blink, Batman flung a batarang upwards towards Dash, hovering sideways for the flying object to pass by.

With an acrobatic somersault, Dash proceeded with a dive bomb, descending towards Batman at high speeds, her forelegs front and center. Batman, having very little time to react, Dash successfully connected the maneuver against the crusader square in the armored-chest plating. The force was strong enough to force the caped-crusader meters across.

Batman grunted in pain, he fell to his knees, clutching onto the spot against his chest. The power through the attack could be felt through the armored plating. He turned his head upwards to see the charging figure, throwing her right hoof towards her opponent, only for it to be caught by his firm grip. Batman rebounded with a straight uppercut under her chin.

Sending the pegasus a few feet upwards, descending back down, Batman measured for the right position to time a spinning side kick to knock her ways away. Yelping in reaction to the powerful kick.

Dash glared at Batman painfully as she shakily stood up. Batman then quickly leaped forwards, with a quick roll against the concrete followed with a kip-up. Batman flicked his cape to stun Dash, proceeding to execute his signature beatdown, though holding back his attacks. He then pins Dash down to the concrete.

Dash’s eyes shut tightly with gritted teeth through her struggle. All she could do is glare at her overpowering opponent. Batman knew the amount of heat she has towards him, although his mindset strictly stands to keep her out of harm’s way. Raising his right fist, yet he paused, an act of hesitation. Dash could only stare intently, awaiting for the finishing blow. Batman shook off the feeling, he struck Dash to knock her unconscious as quick and painless as he could.

Through fading vision, she made out a hidden face, a deep frown working its way across its visible features.

Under that ominous mask, Bruce Wayne shakily whispered in response to her pained whimper, “I’m sorry...”

Dash Blinked, processing the events unfold.

“I’ll just...let you think this through,” Barbara stated, therefore ending the session.

Dash turned, eyes glistening as she gazed into the distance, across the spacious expanse of society’s taint. A smirk gradually spread across her muzzle as she, her despair renewed with this newfound information bequeathed to her, “Oh Celestia, I wish Pinkie was here.”

Bleake Island rang with the ever-present mayhem of gangs and purgers, their comotion echoing across streets and avenues, inside the interiors of vacated buildings, and seeping into the gloom of alleyways.

A pink mare shivered with each resounding cacophony, huddling close to the filthy of the where she’d awoken alone.

Pinkie Pie feared loneliness is a terrible sickness, and one may grow to wish they were dead. Loneliness is a despairing feeling liken to that of being abandoned.

Pinkie shivered at the memory of a birthday party she’d forgotten – her own, – and the misery and pain she faced. Though things were cleared up in the end, she would never forget how she’d lashed out at her own friends and how they reacted to her almost bipolar change in attitude.

Her past was a gloomy, drab one which haunted her constantly. The tensions of dealing with them left her with a vulnerable spot, one which she hid away with her new life of cheer and joy. But those memories and thoughts always lingered at the back of her mind, and she feared–

“You fear what, may I ask?”

Pinkie Pie flinched away from the whispering voice, turning and cowering at the sight of a dull pastel pink muzzle donning a cruel, glowering sneer emerging from the alley’s dismal shadows.

“What’s wrong? I thought you didn’t like being alone,” said a pink mare as she slinked forwards, the dull moonlight making both enamel and sclera almost glow in comparison to her muted pastel fur and mane. Pinkie gaped as the mare chortled, “Priorities, Pinkie. You really need to wrap your silly brain around the term.”

Pinkie shivered as the mare drew ever so nearer, the smile on her sharply drawn face stretching wider than even she thought possible. Backing away from the approaching pony, Pinkie reached the alleyway exit and prepared to bolt when suddenly a gunshot stopped her in her tracks. She turned tail and leapt over the other mare, but skid to a halt upon realizing she just cornered herself with the monstrous fiend.

The mare let out a giggle of amusement, shaking her head as she slowly turned to face the trembling Pinkie, “Such cowardly behavior! Where did you learn to sing about facing your fears?”

The mare, Pinkamena, continued to jeer her poor victim, who trembled with every insult that escaped her opposer’s lips.

“Bravery by laughter, ha,” Pinkamena spat in disgust, waving a forehoof dismissively as if to ward off invisible flies. “Pathetic, silly, and totally absurd; all of those words I use to describe you accurately.”

Pinkie clenched her eyes shut, afraid the tears welling up in them would evoke more insults and taunts from the mare whose image she now resembled as her mane deflated and vibrance faded.

Again. She had come once more, and again she had something to say. That cackling monstrosity — a doppelganger-esque incarnation — loomed over the weeping mare, having returned to resume plaguing her. She would never leave, would always return.

The jeering would never cease.

Endless, and...

“Forever,” Pinkamena mouthed, licking her lips as if already having anticipated and now savoring the idea of a lifetime: a lifetime of fun mocking her mutual prey, or rather host. “Eternity with me, now isn’t that exciting?! Oh, no, my little dear, no... Never fear, Pinkie, for you are never alone. Being forever a loner and abandoned? No, Pinkie, you shall never be. You have me, and I will always be here for you, bringing some semblance of meaning to your meaningless, pathetic life! Look at me, Pinkie, ... I am here, and it’s all just for you!”

As a filly, Pinkie had known this mare. While still living at the Pie Family rock farm, she had the complexion of the mare before her. A drab and depressing life, those days were until she witnessed a Sonic Rainboom expand upwards and out from the distant horizon – a rainbow sun in dreary times. She loved her family, truly, but the life of rock farming was not for her; she had different tastes, and a mission of spreading joy and laughter was born that very day. She continued life with a different, more bubbly complexion, but it seemed that her old self still lingered within her. A part of her, a fragment of life she wished to forget but could never. No matter what, she was still Pinkamena Diane Pie, and no party or pastry could ever change that.

Sometimes, Pinkie felt anchored, other times shackled and in chains within a claustrophobic cell, and still other times shut in. Knowing what the sensation was, there was no hiding from the universal notion of being trapped.

Sinking in despair for a better life.

Surrounded by fears and insecurities.

Walled in by the terrors of being forgotten, or ostracized, or rejected, or–

The mare, now towering over her, cackled heartily a manic roar of mirth. “You are nothing, and that is all you will ever be. Face it, my dear, nopony likes you. But, I...” the mare’s face seemed to fill Pinkie’s vision, “will always be here. You are nothing, but I still complete you and make your life worthwhile. I am always before you, beside you, and right behind you.”

“Stop it! Please, stop! W-Why...?” the pink Earth mare wept, rocking back and forth on her haunches as torrentuous tears streamed down her quivering cheeks. Her world was crumbling around her, her mind drowning in despair and pain. All words failed her, there was nothing she could say in defense or protest against her tormentor. But, through trembling lips, she could only manage to choke out, “Why do you have to be so mean?”

The reflection of the despairing mare merely laughed, shrill bouts of harsh exhalations filling the vast interior of Pinkie Pie’s mind and soul within its deafening sound.

The laughter... It–

Overwhelmed her.

Washed over her.

It was consuming her, enveloping her in its cold, loveless embrace as its acrid breath greeted her as it roared from the gaping maw inching ever closer to seize and enclose her in its rancid interior.

“Please stop! L-Leave me alone! Just...”

Now reduced to a blubbering mound of sagging pastel pink, Pinkie did not realize the onslaught of giggling – those piercing, vicious vocalizations – had finally departed, simply faded into nothingness.

No, wait...

Pinkie’s ears swiveled about, and through her sobs and the occasional gunshot or shatter of glass, she did hear something else. Not that tantalizing guffaw, but rather... They were replaced by a soft, soothing humming.

“Pinkie...?”

Pinkie glanced up, her large tear-clouded blue eyes meeting an identical pair.

Pinkie shrieked, bolting from her fetal position on the grimy cement, and scurried muzzle-first into the alley dead-end. Her head jerked backwards from the stunning impact, her body falling backwards right into two awaiting hooves.

“Don’t touch me,” Pinkie snapped, and the two pink hooves supporting her withdrew. Pinkie wirled to face Pinkamena, hooves outstretched and raised in warning, “S-Stay away! Just ... leave me alone!”

Not once in her visitations had Pinkamena physically interacted with Pinkie, but she was only now doing so. Pinkie’s pupils shrank to pinpricks at the dreadful thought of why this was the case.

Torture is simply defined as the act of inflicting severe pain, whether it be emotionally, mentally, or ... physically.

Pinkamena drew back within several fore leg’s distance from the hyperventilating Pinkie, raising both forelegs up in ... defeat? Peace? Surrender? “Pinkie, please, calm down. Please, just ... hear me out,” Pinkamena pleaded, her eyes begging the panicking pink party pony to listen to her.

Weak with fright and too scared to move, Pinkie simply plopped to the floor, paralysis having taken over.

“Pinkie, please, I need you to understand I am not the fiendish entity plaguing you,” Pinkamena began after a deafening moment of uncomfortable silence.

“Liar,” Pinkie hollered, managing to regain her composure. “You've been coming to me, ruining my life for years with your mean words! Why do you have to lie about that?!”

"She — or rather, ... it — was not a real being, Pinkie," Pinkamena protested, hooves raised, outstretched before her as she faltered back in surrender. "You do not understand because you thought that thing was an actual pony. She isn't real, she never was. She's only a figment of your imagination!"

Pinkie gawked, stunned at these words.

“Pinkie, I swear upon Celestia’s reign, I am telling the truth,” insisted the other mare. “I am not that ... thing from before. It is nopony whatsoever. That apparition, it does not exist, it’s just in your head. Pinkie, please, I want you to understand the incarnation was merely an embodiment of your fears manifesting themselves to you.”

Pinkie blinked, stunned by these words, “Huh?”

Pinkamena sighed, head drooping slightly in sorrow, “Ever since you were a filly, you’ve always wanted a better, happier life, right?”

Pinkie nodded in confirmation, now not quite sure where this was going.

“You see, once you left the rock farm in pursuit of your self-imposed mission, you began having doubts about how you would be received. Having never had many social experiences while living at the rock farm, you did not have much experience with others. Once you started interacting with others, you had doubts regarding what they thought of you.” Pinkamena waved a hoof in acknowledgement of Pinkie’s ever-growing confusion, “What I mean to say is, a fillyhood with no social gatherings left you uncertain when you first started connecting with others. Insecurities began to form, but you refused to acknowledge them. By covering them with bubbliness and jokes, you refused to address a, um, sensitive spot of yourself with both your own self and others. The joy and merriment was real, but also served as a shield against something you dreaded facing.”

Pinkie nodded, once again recalling her surprise birthday party and her ‘party of one.’

Pinkamena nodded, eyes expressing earnest hope and rising hope, “By not facing those insecurities, you allowed them to fester and grow. Eventually, they took on a form which you couldn’t quite escape from.” Pinkie tilted her head, pondering. “The soft spot,” Pinkamena continued, “was always there, even if you never addressed it. When your mind did focus on those fears, you envisioned another mare of your spitting image confronting and taunting you.” Pinkamena rose, “Pinkie, the incarnation you know as Pinkamena, it’s only you being forced to confront those lingering worries, and it happens especially when you are in a situation conveying said worries.”

“I see..." Pinkie murmured, but then her eyebrows rose in suspicion of one problem – a very significant issue at hoof. Thrusting an accusatory hoof at the mare’s chest, she rose and approached Pinkamena, “So then, who are you?”

“Um...”

Pinkie tapped her hoof in impatience, but there was also anticipation, “Well?!”

“Wait, I–”

One equine crouched low to the ground, teeth bared and nostrils flaring, and suddenly two pink mares crashed to the ground in a vibrant blur of speeding color. When the pastel torpedo collided with the still form of another, a cloud of debris rose before clearing to one mare
pinning another to the filthy, cracked pavement.

A pink hoof jabbed the tackled victim hard in the chest, repeating the action with every hissed word, “Who ... are ... you?”

The fallen pink mare wheezed, “Need ... to ... breath!”

Two mares, identical reflections of each other, stared back at one another. One stared back inquisitively, eyes widening in surprise; the other, well, grunted and gasped for air.

Finally, Pinkie sighed. Cautiously rising from the crumpled form of Pinkamena, eyeing her warily as she did so, she rolled off and backed away. Pinkamena sighed in relief, brushing scraps of paper and other bits of ... unspeakable rubbish from her coat and limp mane. Turning directly to the expectant pink party pony who simply nodded for her to proceed. Pinkamena cocked her head and let out a snort of cheeky mischief, “You have got to lay off the cupcakes, sister. I swear I couldn’t breath with you sandwiching me like that.”

Pinkie blinked before bursting into a short fit of giggles, “You sure know how to roast a pony, huh?” Recovering from the joke, Pinkie grew serious again and nodded for Pinkamena to proceed, “Well?”

Pinkamena’s shoulders slumped, "I... I honestly cannot prove myself to you, Pinkie. I can only ask you to trust me when I say I am not a delusion or hallucination. I am Pinkamena, and I was born this day to set you free from your misery.”

Pinkamena then proceeded to lecture Pinkie on the Tulpa Effect.

“The Tulpa Effect?” Pinkie inquired curiously.

Pinkamena nodded, “The Tulpa Effect is a theory explaining the creation and existence of Tulpa, which is a thoughtform, or being created from the collective thoughts of separate individuals. The Tulpa Effect essentially, theoretically speaking, produces an entity or organism solely from collected works by individuals with a passion for creation.” She paused as Pinkie took this all in, “I was just a thought, a mere idea spawned from the works of many intellectual thinkers, but now...” She gestured to herself, “I am alive.”

Pinkie gaped, “You’re otherworldly?”

Pinkamena nodded in confirmation, “Indeed, I am.”

“What kind of ideas?”

At this, Pinkamena grimaced, “I would rather not say. Not all the ideas of me are, shall we say, friendly.” Raising a hoof as Pinkie stared at her with a concerned eye, Pinkamena quickly reassured, “Not all the ideas are friendly, but that doesn’t mean they all are unpleasant. Besides, I also stem from your aspirations and desires.”

Pinkie frowned in confusion, “Wha...? What do you mean?”

Pinkamena chuckled, softly ruffling Pinkie’s straight mane, “Recall asking the manifestation why she is so mean? Well, your wish is granted! Pinkie, listen to me. I am here for you. I’ll always be beside you when you need comfort and guidance. I will never let anything harmful happen to you. I...” Pinkamena took a step back and began to make a familiar gesture, “Pinkie Promise.”

Slowly, a smile worked its way across her young, adorable face. In a faint whisper of gratitude, she let all her burdens and pain evaporate and simply drift away, “Thank you...”

Pinkamena smiled, beckoning for Pinkie to draw near. In one fluid sweep, two mares – identical twins in appearance and mindset – embraced.

“You know,” Pinkamena whispered into Pinkie’s ear, “when The Joker deceived you three years ago, you almost became his equine Harley Quinn.”

Pinkie stared back into Pinkamena’s eyes – caring, motherly eyes full of kindness and mischievous – and giggled, “You are so random.”

Pinkamena chuckled in return, “One and the same, my sister and friend.”

“Yes, we are one and the same...”

As both mares settled back into a warm embrace – an embrace signifying their agreement of friendship and love – a mist of soft, translucent pink surrounded them. In a flash, where two mares stood locked in a mutual bond, one now stood alone.

No, she was never alone.

She would never be, and never again.

She had friends, and now another.

She was a mare who survived a bleak past, had made a future for herself, and had achieved – and would continue to achieve – great things.

And she would succeed, because she had a companion – a companion who was always there for her and would forever trot beside her.

They were friends.

Sisters.

A family of their own unique individuality.

Pinkamena Diane ‘Pinkie’ Pie emerged from the gaping maw of a deary, dilapidated alleyway in a tainted city, a bright smile on her muzzle and the shadows drawing away from behind her. Rising onto her hind legs, Pinkie beamed ever wider, staring up into the cloud-filled sky above.

There were no constellations, for there were no glittering stars. But upon observing further, she briefly glimpsed a silver sliver of light.

In the booming, glooming of this dreadful night of doom, Pinkie Pie could still spy a smidge of moonlight peeking through the obscure aerial fog.

A pink mare’s heart beat beat, and her grin grew as she sensed the renewed hope within her.

In the din of Gotham City’s Halloween night, through the unsynchronized chorus of gunfire and glass and siren wails, you may just be able to hear the vestiges of a cheerful giggle, a sweet note ringing with uncorrupted light. A light that shines in the dark, driving it back.

A spark of hope, a beacon of prosperous peace.

Up above and far away in the horizon, a vortex swirled and lingered before collapsing away. Pinkie squinted her eyes, her jaw set with determination. The mare arched her back, settled and settled onto all fours, trotting into the night.

A pink mare’s slow trot gradually morphed into a cheerful bounce as, through giggles, she remarked, “Just like magic...”

Author's Note

Finally!!!! It's been over a year!!! Truly I'm sorry with this long gap between the previous chapter and this one. Last year wasn't so great for me. I do acknowledge my promise from the last notes I made and I unfortunately broke it. From now on, I can't really promise anything for the next release of the next chapter now that I learn I can't fulfill any guarantees. I guess it'll just come about when it will. Hope you enjoy this one. Cheers!

Chapter 5

“Starlight, wake up!"

Starlight snapped from her subconscious daze to the urgent shaking she was receiving. Her eyes snapped open, meeting moderate violet ones wide with desperation and panic.

Twilight Sparkle helped Starlight rise from her sprawled position on the ground, promptly shoving a hoof into her mouth to silence her, "There's no time to explain! Listen to me, Starlight! Someone's coming, and they look suspicious. I'll handle them, but you need to flee!"

“Huh?” Starlight took a step back, puzzled at the sudden unexpected explanations. She narrowed her eyes through the darkness of their surroundings.

Rows of railway tracks extended into the murky depths of Gotham City, a locomotive with its glass shattered and metal corroded slumped dead along one.

Eyes darting, Starlight blinked rapidly before glancing towards the cloudy, smog-thick sky. She gaped at the overhanging bridge that shadowed the tracks. Eyes adjusted, the unicorn mare scanned their vicinity, her ears swiveling. As far as she could tell, there were no signs of any suspicious figures. Turning to her friend, Starlight gaped at seeing that Twilight had already turned tail and galloped into the distance.

Twilight's mind raced as she sped between two building structures, putting as much distance as she could from Starlight. She heard Starlight’s confused and desperate calls to her, she tightened her eyes and stiffly shook her head. As much as she’s willing to enlighten her of the situation, she couldn’t waste any time.

Just moments ago, she recalled frantically running back to where the portal deposited the two of them after scouting the area for any potential dangers. She briefly had this gut feeling of being stalked. She spotted silhouettes, scattered throughout different spots. She counted at least four individuals; she knew they weren’t friendly.

She continued to run past railroads, dodging locomotives and making sharp turns. She felt light sprinkling against her coat. Weather wasn’t bad, she much preferred this than those awful freezing temperatures that made Arkham City a frozen Tartarus.

A man, sporting a bizarre-hooded gas mask, jumped from a corner to block her path. Twilight sharply gasped and quickly slammed her hooves against the hard concrete to cease her momentum, stopping too close for comfort. It was too late for her to turn back; the man grabbed ahold of her and slammed her against the nearby brick exterior. Twilight yelped. Taking advantage of his larger size compared to the alicorn, the man clenched his fist and went for a punch; Twilight thought quickly and used her magic to catch the incoming strike.

“What the!?” He turned his head towards his aura-enclosed hand in bewilderment.

Using his distraction as an opportunity, Twilight grunted and positioned her hind legs between herself and his midsection and thrust with as much force as she could. As the thug struggled on his single heel to hold his balance, Twilight casted her levitation spell upon him and drove his head against the brick wall, receiving an instant knockout.

Twilight took off to create more distance from the enemies, making sure it's her that they are after and to lure them away from Starlight. She craned her neck every now and then to make sure that she is followed. She spotted and made a quick count of the remaining three of her stalkers in pursuit. Good. She’s handling this situation correctly after all.

Twilight looked forward and dropped her jaw at the dead end of a bricked structure. She twisted her entire body to cease her movement and confront her pursuers. She knew it was too late to make a turnaround, she might as well face them.

It didn’t take long for the three figures to come into sight. They appeared as silhouettes as they were casted by the darkness for Twilight to even catch a glimpse of their features. The men slowly approached the defensive Twilight.

One thug on the left appeared to be holding a crowbar, the thug in the middle is holding a bat. Wait, was it covered in barbed wire? That would definitely not be a pleasant feeling if one would be struck by it. The last thug appeared to be unarmed.

Twilight backed up, her horn flaring as she pressed herself to the brick wall. The violet shimmer of her aura illuminating the shadows of the desolate avenues, revealing the faces of her pursuers. Just like the thug she took down minutes ago, they all wore that same outlandish mask and hood that would nauseate Rarity even on her best days.

The thug in the front cackled, “Well boys! Looks like we have come here at the right place at the right time! It’s one of these horses we heard so much about after Arkham City.” Twilight’s eye twitched at the noun he referred to her species with that tone of his voice.

“Yeah, our…’employer’ kept going on and on about ‘magic this, ponies are that, Batman this!’ I swear his sanity goes down day by day...” the thug to his left responded. Twilight’s ear flickered at what he said. This ‘employer’ sounds oddly familiar, but she couldn’t put a hoof on it.

“How ‘bout we just shut up and let’s get this freak!” the last thug exclaimed and charged at the cornered alicorn with his crowbar raised up high above his head. She teleported a few feet sideways to avoid getting a hard stiff shot to her skull.

Twilight bucked his shin to bring him down on one knee, he gasped in pain as his grip loosened and levitated the crowbar to strike the back of his head, forcing his body on the hard-cold surface. He screamed in pain and tightly clutched the throbbing spot.

Her ears flickered at the sound of footsteps rushing behind her. Twilight turned her slightly to see the lead thug came up behind her for a blind spot with the barbed wire-covered bat. She teleported to the air above him before he had the chance to swing.

“Huh!?” he looked around with a growl, “What’s with this bullshit!? This pony is on one spot, then seconds later, it’s on another!”

“Tch...it’s one of those magic tricks it's using. Just like how everyone says.” the thug from behind said, the corner of his lips curled upwards, “Let’s see what this so-called magic can do against a bullet.” He reached down to his holster and pulled out a pistol. He loaded the cartridge with a couple of bullets.

“Haha! Does your magic have any chance of making a forty-five caliber, semi-automatic disappear!?” The firearm reported off as he fired off two bullets upwards to demonstrate his point, “All it takes is one bullet through your skull and you’re dead!”

His partner looked at him in alarm, “Doesn’t our boss want one of these creatures alive, Eddie?”

“Did you see what it did to Allan, Brock?” Eddie turned to his partner’s direction, the lens of his mask showed his hardened eyes, “If he’s as smart as he says he is, then he would want these mutant horses dead! I certainly would kill anything that could do shit like that.” He vehemently stated.

Twilight had positioned herself hovering above the goons and closer to the exit. Flapping her wings through the cold sprinkles as her mane and coat began to damp. She cringed at the sound of the thunder-like gunshots, she completely forgot how ear-piercing it really was. She glared down at the scumbags, now she really has to deal with them; now that the thug revealed himself to be armed all along, this confrontation had become more dangerous than she would’ve liked.

Twilight narrowed her eyes at the metallic object. That dumb man may have gotten one thing right; one shot from a bullet has a high chance of being fatal. “Okay Twilight, you’ve gotten yourself out of worse situations than this. All this requires is quick, reactive thinking. I just have to wait for the right moment, and then make my move...” She internally thought to herself. One thing terrifying to her about those firearms that humans of this world commonly use is the speed of a bullet. She couldn’t even follow the movements of the projectile as it zipped through the air. It must be well over the speed of sound, but by how much?

She eyed the very stiff, but slender weapon that remained in her magical grasp as it hovered beside her, encased in aura. It took her a few seconds and beamed once an idea came up. This little plan should be the safest approach to this. She proceeded to descend towards the ground, levitating the bar of iron along the way. Her hooves clopped against the concrete, alerting the thugs as they looked behind them to the source, all according to plan.

Eddie quickly aimed the gun at the young alicorn. What he didn’t notice was the aura surrounding the gun. Twilight smirked, the gun snapped upwards just as he pulled a few triggers.

“The hell!?” he gritted his teeth as he tried to pull it down, until a flinging crowbar collided against the side of his head, knocking him out for the count.

Brock looked down at his partner, eyes wide at what had transpired. That is until he noticed himself being surrounded in violet aura, he was levitated a couple of feet off the ground. Sweat began to break out of his forehead, “W-wait!” She ignored his plea and hurled his body towards herself, the lowly man frantically screamed of what’s to come for him.

Twilight used her wings to sprung up to the desired height and waited a few seconds until he flew right underneath her and slammed her entire body weight on him against the concrete in excellent precision.

Twilight looked down at the unconscious man with a hard, yet sympathetic look. It’s a shame that some of these humans can be just as vicious as a pack of Timberwolves. She knew they were never born like this, this person could’ve had a troubled past with the wrong group of people that have dragged him down this low.

Twilight saw his eyes during their brief contact with her own; they held fear. The only emotion they had displayed other than spite and sadism, which were horrible to look at. Twilight wasn’t one to take pleasure in ignoring one’s pleas for mercy only to strike them down, but she knew what he would’ve done if she were in his position.

As Twilight was about to turn to make her departure, she gasped when she felt a sharp pang in the back of her head. Her whole vision began to spin. She tried to ignore the pain and shake off the fuzziness, but her legs had given in.

She had counted four thugs chasing her, but she somehow missed one! Was she not weary enough? There was no way this was a planned attack!

“So we finally have our inevitable reunion, Equestrian!” A familiar voice reached her ringing ears. With one eyelid tightly shut, Twilight shakily turned to see a shadowy figure standing over her, holding the same crowbar she previously used.

“Who...are you?” Twilight forced out, her voice raspy.

“Oh come on, Twilight. As a fellow intelligent individual like myself, I’d expect you to recognize my voice in an instant. Looks like you are stupid after all.” The figure said mockingly, “Is your memory refreshed now?” he sarcastically added.

Twilight took a moment before catching on, she lightly gasped, “It’s you! The one that almost killed Applejack!”

Twilight’s horn flickered with a noticeably weakened aura to try to teleport away to a safer distance. But obviously, Riddler had no intention of allowing her to do so. She suddenly shouted with agony as a shattering collision hit her spine, breaking her mental focus. And one other impact after another started to repeatedly strike on different proportions on her body, each swing was hit with more force than the one that had preceded it. The final blow impacted her ribs with a crack in wild fury by Nigma.

Twilight whimpered as she lay on her side, tears slipping out her tightly shut eyelids.

“I would not recommend that, Miss Twilight Sparkle.” He said coldly. From behind his mask, the Riddler grinned, taking a thin wire from his sleeve. He grasped Twilight’s damp mane and positioned her head vertically. Twilight staggered, head spinning as Riddler looped the wire around her neck and slowly tudge its ends.

The corners of Twilight’s vision began to darken; her head was spinning, urgently thinking of any possible solution to escape. She made an effort to reach up to pry him away, her already weakened limb fell to her side. Her lungs burned with pain, her mouth fell open, ragged gasps escaped her throat; saliva drooled from the corners of her lips. She tried calling out but only came silent screaming. Twilight’s entire vision faded, the last thing she could hear was the sound of her slowly beating heart over the sound of Riddler’s mocking laughter.

Nigma released his hold on the wire, carelessly allowing her head to drop on the concrete. He removed his mask, revealing his triumphant grinning face. Riddler turned and frowned with contempt at the fallen thugs he had hired, particularly one.

Riddler stood by the armed thug’s body. While he had been silently observing the confrontation, he had heard this moronic fool’s comments; to have his intelligence insulted by an imbecile was an offense that would not go unpunished.

Riddler eyed the metallic weapon which lay by the thug’s limp hand. Reaching down, he snatched up the pistol, took aim, and pulled the trigger on the thug’s head. After dispatching the other two like yesterday’s garbage, he hoisted Twilight up underneath his arm, the mare’s limbs dangling limply. He turned to leave the alley but stopped abruptly, meeting an unpleasant surprise.

“Put her down!” the unicorn mare blocking the alley demanded, her horn blazing turquoise.

Despite the sudden inconvenience, Riddler sighed and kept his composure. He clasped Twilight’s body tightly to keep her limp neck upright, he pressed the pistol against the side of her head, “I wouldn’t try anything at the moment, Equestrian.” he warned.

Starlight ignored the warning, she aimed her horn towards his head and prepared to fire. She flinched from the sudden deafening bang detonated from that strange device. Ears folding in from the ringing, she stared eyes wide at the object the man held overhead towards the air. The sound reminded her of fireworks where ponies at celebrations and ceremonies would ignite for grand entertainment and performances. But this particular noise had this certain darker, more sharper edge to it than any fireworks she ever heard.

“If I see that horn flaring for three more seconds, she dies. You move towards me, she dies. Do you understand?” Riddler said calmly to instill fear into this unicorn the best he can with his silver tongue. Truthfully, he had no intentions of killing Twilight as she is a part of his grand scheme. But he has to get past this pest to make any progress.

Starlight gritted her teeth, warily eyeing the strange object that threatened to blast her friend’s brain. Based on the edge in his voice, that has to be a weapon of sorts.

This was bad. What could she do? She could just teleport in front of him, but would she be fast enough to dislodge him? Maybe behind him? But he would still see her use that ability and kill her friend with a flick of a trigger. She glanced ruefully at Twilight’s bruised and bloodied body, she had to save her. But if she takes any risks, it could mean death for her friend. What choice does she have besides this? Starlight hung her head in defeat, the glow on her horn diminished.

Riddler formed a small smile at that, “Well done,” he glared and made a sound of indignation, “Now, get out of my way! I’m taking my leave.” Nigma calmly but cautiously walked towards the alley exit. Keeping this unicorn in his line of sight. The tension in the atmosphere between both parties was so dense it could be cut by a dull blade.

Starlight continued to glare at the villain, she had no clue of who he was and what his intentions with Twilight were. But she would make sure she would do everything in her power to save Twilight; she did it before and she would do it again.

Starlight watched Riddler exit the alley as he neared a vehicle parked by the curb nearby. He opened the passenger door, shoved the battered alicorn inside and slammed it shut. He aimed the pistol at Starlight since he could no longer use Twilight as his shield, he made his way with quick steps towards the driver’s side.

“What are you going to do with her?” She asked, worry seeped from her voice.

“She’s only an important piece of my conundrum,” Riddler answered simply.

“Where are you taking her?”

“If you want to save your friend, then a riddle would be appropriate just for you; that would prove you’re at least smart enough to qualify for the challenge!”

“Buck you!”

“Na ah ah!” Riddler shook his finger tauntingly, “You’re not going anywhere with that attitude,”

Starlight snorted at that. She really would have to play along would she?

Riddler continued on, “If you solve this riddle, then the answer will be the key in saving Twilight Sparkle. Shall we begin?”

“How could some riddle help me?” she asked with uncertainty. Narrowing her eyes, she sternly continued, “I asked where are you going to take her?”

Nigma chuckled at her question, she really is like a lost puppy. “You’ll see in due time…”

“Riddle me this: I have a type of sports’ equipment in my name. I resemble a winged-mammal, I am as black as night and view crime as a blight. What am I?”

Starlight froze at the answer. A riddle? A ’what-am-I’ at that!? She was supposed to be the one asking the questions here, not playing into his meaningless games! What was this riddle supposed to mean, anyways? “Having a sports’ equipment in its name, it resembles a mammal with wings? It’s as black as night and views crime as a blight?” She repeated in her mind.

Her racing mind not able to comprehend the answer, she stood with a stupefied look. How would Starlight gather any clues to answer this? Even if she does, how could this so-called ‘key’ help her in saving Twilight?

A nagging sensation stirred inside Starlight. It might not be true, but it’s a logical possibility. What if he had used this Riddle to throw her off and get away with Twilight as effectively as possible? She wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case.

Meanwhile, Riddler sat himself in the driver’s seat. After he shoved Twilight’s leaning body against the opposite door, he grabbed the keys he had stashed in his pockets and started the engine. Starlight’s ears stood up and eyed the vehicle in alert. She saw Twilight’s shape through the side windows, Starlight could tell Twilight wasn’t aware of what was even going on. Starlight instinctively burst her horn violently with magic.

Starlight saw red. The temptation to just blast that car with him inside to smithereens hit her full force. She watched as the car sped off in a haste, the feeling grew stronger the farther the vehicle traveled. The rational part of her mind was the only thing stopping her from completely reducing the motor vehicle to scrap.

As the vehicle turned a corner when it got far enough, Starlight held her breath as she hung her neck in tense motion.

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!” Starlight unleashed a blast skywards so intense that it could be seen across the Gotham City skylines from a distance. .

Starlight took heavy breaths in a hunched stature, she quickly realized the mistake she had just made. However, she couldn’t bring herself to care at the moment, a bitter, scathing feeling towards herself swelled in her chest. She just watched the mare that had brought and helped her out from the darkness that consumed her throughout her life, get taken away to be used as a tool.

Starlight glanced around her, noting various rioters had arrived in the area. They were all frozen in place, gaping at her in awe and fear for the display she had put on. Starlight folded her ears, it seemed like her actions had garnered attention, the one thing she did not need. She was spending her first few minutes in this new world and already word would spread about the beacon of magic she had shot into the sky.

Starlight growled at the crowd of thugs, causing most of them to take a step back while some stood in shock. As her horn glowed, all the thugs turned tail and took off running only for their movements to cease completely by a powerful force.

Starlight watched as each thug wailed out in terror, they stared down in horror at being raised up some meters off the ground as they squirmed. She must admit with a tad of shame, she felt joy from her sadistic side seeing these creatures squirm in the air. She quickly shoved those thoughts aside to the back of her head.

Like a magnetized force, Starlight pulled the thugs together in a chaotic heap in midair. She released her spell and allowed gravity to pull the thugs to ungraceful landings. She stared at the pile of bodies for a moment, before grunting in satisfaction.

She couldn’t stay for long, because of her, this street is likely to draw some eyes. And frankly, she had no desire to appear on this world’s inhabitants’ news coverage. Going by instincts, she trailed the route where Twilight’s pony-napper escaped to. Making sure she stuck near the structures’ walls to avoid line of sight.

She silently cursed her vibrant coat, in a place like this, she’d stick out like a sore hoof.

“Not to mention I have this stupid riddle to solve.” She thought sourly with a groan. She’d worry about that once she located a secluded part of this city.

Sitting on a lobby bench just outside the Evidence Room, her cowl laying beside her, Dash’s eyes impassively wandered around the lobby. She noticed several officers and other employees shooting looks in her direction, hinted with curiosity and astonishment through their windows, to which she gave no regard. For a place filled with various officers, all equipped to apprehend whatever crook that would infiltrate the department; this place was rather still, the atmosphere was despondent around those present. She heard a cop giving a commending speech to a gathering of officers in one section in the room, doing whatever he could to keep them up in spirits perhaps.

After concluding her review of the Evidence Locker Room, she realized there wasn’t much she could do in a boring, public place like this. Of course, she could go around and make friends with these humans, but what could she gain from hindering them from their business? She eyed the old man by the main desk; even after spending quite some time in the locker room, he’s still arguing with whoever he’s contacting over that phone, probably looking for some help. Douchebags, whoever was on the other end. Rainbow thought the man seemed familiar.

“Civil unrest!? There’s war on the streets! We don’t have the manpower or the equipment!” The old man glared at the phone, proceeding to slam the phone down in frustration. Cash turned his head towards the doorway and said something that was inaudible to Dash, causing the old man to shift his attention.

Dash blinked as a familiar caped figure stepped through the entrance, gripping softly but firmly that red-haired woman by her arm. Dash quietly hopped off the public bench and casually advanced towards the scene, she made sure to don her cowl before she would confront the stoic vigilante.

The old officer further wrinkled his brows as he gazed at the woman with a hint of disdain. “Ivy… that’s one last thing to worry about,” he grumbled.

“Is the Isolation Chamber ready?” Batman asked. He momentarily glanced at Rainbow Dash the instant he sighted her.

Cash motioned his thumb towards the opposite side of the lobby, “Glad you’re putting it to good use.”

Dash frowned as Batman stepped passed her without any acknowledgement. Sighing, Dash followed him towards a tank on the farthest wall, which was illuminated in rose-colored lighting. She craned her head towards Cash with recognition, he merely saluted.

Ivy looked at the chamber indifferently. “Oh look, another cell…” Her voice drenching with sarcasm.

After he pinned in the correct numerical pattern upon the codelock that clung to the dense, steel door of the cell, Batman ushered Ivy into the yawning entrance of the chamber before he slammed it shut. Ivy walked suggestively to the center of the cell, she stopped and faced towards Batman with an immodest grin, the reinforced glass barrier was the only thing that stood between them. “Feel all safer now that I’m all locked up~?”

Batman quietly snorted before sharply turning around to see Dash standing a fair distance away; he made sure to step aside from her to continue past. Expressing an indignant look, Rainbow groaned sharply and followed once more.

Dash dipped her head tadley, “You don’t have to get all cold on me y’know.” she grumbled.

Curiosity stirred in Dash as they stepped in the evidence locker room. Pausing his steps in the center of the room, he turned slightly to the pegasus. “You know it’s for your own good.”

Dash shook her head firmly, hardening her face in stubborn defiance. “I’m coming whether you would like it or not. Not while the others are out there.”

Closing his eyes, Batman exhaled a slight miffed sigh. He already received an earful from Alfred after sending Rainbow to the GCPD, to his chagrin; he surely doesn’t need any of these excuses coming his way that would divert his focus. Having no ounce of desire to delay time, Batman turned forward in a heavy trek towards a specific display case containing a valuable asset he would surely need.

Deciding to be silent as well, Dash has no intentions of causing a commotion in this place. Surely Batman would at least give in to her desires, there’s no way she would have him be all sheltering on her. She is capable of handling herself, with or without him.

Once the duo stopped near a display case in the furthest section of the locker room, Dash blinked. Hanging in the center through the plexiglass in front of them was a firearm-like device of sorts, which she had seen Batman use during her time in Arkham City. She spotted the device while surveying the area; apparently Batman had dropped it off to the police. For some reason.

Rainbow jumped at the sound of shattering glass as Batman forced his fist through the transparent barrier. The sharp clinking reached her ears as the shards of glass scattered across the marble surface. Batman grabbed the metallic-cladded object and held it up to his eye level, inspecting it closely for any slight tamperings. Once satisfied, he attached the Remote Electric Charge gun to his utility belt that clung to his waist.

“Why'd you even give it to them if you would need it later?” Dash asked, her tone seeping vague indignation.

“It’s not mine.”

Dash exhaled sharply through her nostrils, he really hasn’t changed at all. Batman gazed at her in stillness, seemingly contemplating something at the same time.

Batman sighed and turned away from her. “You will come with me and do as I tell you. I will allow you to search this city for your friends but only under supervision. Do I make myself clear?”

Dash immediately perked in satisfaction, “Finally! That’s all I ask for, you know. Of course I’d would’ve gone anyway, but as partners, we both need to be on the same page.”

Batman snorted. “I gain nothing by being on the ‘same page’, the top priority rule for you is keeping a distance from those tanks as far as possible.”

Rainbow rolled her eyes, “Who cares. I’m not dumb enough to just let them shoot me down. I’m proud, but not that proud. We came here-”

“A mistake if you ask me.” He interrupted.

Dash looked up at him, eyes leaking irateness towards the towering man. “-to help you kick some flanks!” She continued, her voice firm to make things as clear as possible. “Look Batman, if there’s one thing I value most about friendship is that I would never leave any friend behind.”

Narrowing his eyes into slits, Batman spoke coldly, “‘Friends’ should not be the center focus when duty calls. I’ve learnt that many times the hard way. Once you get your entire group together, get out of my city, I have no need for interruptions.” Finishing his statement, he turned abruptly and continued forward. Leaving no room to say on Rainbow’s part.

Rainbow stared baffled towards the departing caped crusader. What was his problem? Was he really angry about seeing her after a long period? Sighing, she continued her trek. Just as she thought she understood everything about him; at least most things. He shut her out, just like that. Is there something she’s missing? Of course he lost his parents; but was there more to his cold shoulder than that? The reality is, Dash knows deep down that it’s not her own business. He was cold when she met him but not to this magnitude.

She briefly eyed the case displaying the all too familiar circus-themed hazardous tools. Did something about the Joker’s death change things? Was he a bigger deal than she thought? But then, Rainbow’s eyes lit up in realization as the woman that was held hostage by the crazed clown came to mind. Talia was it? Was she a big factor? She wouldn’t blame Bruce's attitude for that, but she couldn’t shake this nagging feeling that there’s more. Sighing once more, she shook her head to get rid of those thoughts. That could wait later.

She’s sure that Batman would be a brick wall if she mentions any concerns to him, possibly relapsing his decision in the process.

Once Rainbow caught up, they were back in the lobby, and again that old man argued with another party through the phone. At this point, it was very much a lost cause if other people were denying help for some crappy reason.

“Screw you!” Gordon snapped, slamming the phone back to its station. He turned his eyes towards Batman, showing off his worn facials, he stated, “Damn Bureaucrats...we’re on our own.” By the looks of his eyes, Dash could tell none of this was new for the man. By the stance of his body, he seemed pretty fit for his age, the slight creases and minor scarring across his facials indicated his experiences during his duties.

He eyed Batman’s smaller companion, “So this is them, huh?” Turning back to the bat, “I don’t know where you find them but the friends you make are the most unusual.” He said quizzically, much to Rainbow’s confusion, Batman quietly snorted in response at the slight reference. Turning back to Dash, Gordon held out a hand. “Commissioner Gordon, glad to make your acquaintance.”

Dash grinned and held out her hoof, “Batmare, sir.” He merely grabbed a hold of her hoof briefly before nodding towards her. She nodded back.

Batman got down to business as usual, “What are the latest?”

Gordon's expression turned serious, “We’ve got incidents cropping up over the city,” Turning to Aaron Cash, “Cash, give us a rundown.”

Cash nodded, “Alright, let’s see what we got here…” Proceeding to type certain letterings on the desktop computer. The screen hung by the wall behind the group lit up, shifting many words as an image appeared, displayed of a fire truck that seemingly had been lit up in flames.

“First up, we lost contact from the firecrew from station 17. We’ve got their last known coordinates, but they’re not going to survive out there on their own for much longer…” Cash said, his face grim but stern.

The screen’s visuals adjusted once more and Dash outwardly grimaced. A photograph of a masked corpse chained up against a plank that clung to a steel exterior. A cryptic message that simply spelled out ‘FLAWED’ was also present beneath the horrific arrangement. “Then there’s this, it’s a strange one. Body turned up, we had no time to look before the evacuation. But the forensic boys seemed freaked out. Real nasty.” Batman quietly growled at that. Another killer on the loose. Not good.

The graphic changed to a man that appeared to be staring at a wall painted in wildly drawn question marks on a brick exterior. “Also, we’ve had several sightings of the Riddler creeping around the trainyard. Knowing him, he’s got to be up to no good.”

Dash jaw dropped, she blinked rapidly for a moment towards the next report. “And the most recent, there was this…beam of light seen across the Gotham City skylines. Our flight boys actually captured this at the last second. They investigated of course, but then they found a mess of thugs on the road, they didn’t get a visual on the source.”

“So a ‘friend or foe’ situation, huh?” Gordon added, his face displayed a mix of worry and intrigue.

Batman slitted his eyes behind his cowl; that’s a dangerous amount of power. He internally noted to himself that this was the first case he had to inspect, anyone that could do this was potentially dangerous.

Dash herself quietly gasped, could they already have a chance of locating at least one of their friends? That beam was magic. It had to be! There were only two ponies she knew who could produce something like that.

“Look, I know you’re busy. But anything you can do to help is going to save lives.” Gordon said.

Batman nodded. “Don’t worry, Jim. I’ve got someone working on a lead on Scarecrow. We’ll see what I can do.”

“Good to hear. I’ve got a skeleton crew searching Gotham south and west. I’m going to join them when I’m done here. We’re going to find that son of a bitch.” he said before picking up the phone once more, leaving Dash and Batman to their business.

“We’ll look into that mysterious ray of energy before anything else.” Batman announced, “Anything with that kind of power has the potential to destroy a city…” He turned with heavy steps towards the exit. Dash folded her ears, awkwardly buzzed by Batman’s rather haste departure.

“Alright Batman, maybe this might lead you guys to Scarecrow. And you.” Cash turned towards the cloaked pegasus, “Stay out of trouble!” Cash added.

“Will do!” Dash saluted respectfully before following Batman’s way.

“Never seen him up close before…” commented a female officer standing guard by the metal detectors. Dash fought back a snort at the remark.

After exiting through the steel double doors, she stood beside the caped-hero and a wail of terror immediatley caught her eardrums. Folding her ears, Rainbow recoiled from the gut-wrenching bellows of agony. Two officers with perturb looks stood facing a cell composed of a glass barrier supported by typical steel bars, where the source of the screams came from. The officers stole a glance towards the duo; by the look of their eyes, even as trained professionals, whatever was in that cell had even unsettled them.

“Yep…poor bastard…” The officer that stood closest to them by the entrance of the lobby, he wore a tag on his uniform that spelled ‘Ofc. Lancaster’; he shook his head despondently, “He ain’t gonna be able to live with himself when he finds out what he did at that diner…”

Batman looked across the glass barrier and hardened his eyes, his lips tightened as he quietly clenched his fist behind his cape.

Dash turned to see through the cell barriers and winced. A shivering officer stood in the center of the cellroom hysterically glancing towards every direction in his space; both his palms covered the bottom portion of his face, leaving only his bloodshot eyes exposed to the group. It’s as if whatever he had seen had terrified him to the point that provoked this primal, uncontrollable fear hidden in his subconscious instincts. His constant whimpers immediately captured her sympathy towards the man. Was this what Mr. Freeze had warned the entire group about? “What happened to him?”

“It's the fear toxin…this abomination of a drug that was created by Scarecrow.” Replied Lancaster, “Owens had been on a coffee break when someone had sprayed some of that stuff right in his face, the drug can cause extreme hallucination to the point that he had fired shots towards many innocents in that diner…the effects of this toxin seems much worse than what it had been in the past.”

The other officer present, possessing the tag that spelled his name ‘Srgt. Denning’, spoke out, “He’s gonna lose his badge for sure.”

“Why would he lose his job for something that wasn’t even his fault? This was Scarecrow’s doing, not his!” Dash gazed dumbfounded towards Denning.

Denning shrugged, “Believe me, I agree with you but it’s all up to the Commissioner.” He turned back towards the quivering man who now sat himself in a fetal position on the bed.

Lancaster spoke up, “Owens is a good cop, lives for the job… he didn’t deserve this,”

So that’s what this fear gas can do, the effects of this toxin seemed much worse than how Mr. Freeze described it. Dash gulped, she wondered about what she would see if that stuff was put inside her. Something she wouldn’t want to find out either way, that’s for sure. “Is there anything you can do to help him?”

Officer Lancaster gravely shook his head, “Paramedics say there’s nothing we can do for him…just pray.” He dipped his head down, staring blankly towards the dark, ceramic tiles by his boots. Rainbow’s heart sank, she continued to gaze at the fallen officer in the jail, he couldn’t die like this. Faith is probably the only option for them to see Owens truly come out the victor of this interior battle in his mind..

Rainbow turned to Batman who had given no word throughout the entire conversation, his burdened eyes were dead set on Owens. Dash slightly perked internally, as much as she might have a distaste for his outwardly cold demeanor, she knew he was as disgusted by this display as everyone else was.

A faint-deep, grave voice that sounded like it had come through the speakers of an audio tape recorder met her ears. She looked over behind her to see a candy machine that stood at the corner of the corridor. It was near the lobby entrance which was to the left hand side of the machine; it illuminated a soft, light-toned, pinkish light down upon the tiled-floor. There was an open entry at the opposite side of the corner, likely where the faint sound had traveled through.

Curious, Rainbow Dash traveled her way to the doorway, stepping past the shimmering vending machine. The clop of her hooves against the hard tile didn’t go unnoticed by Batman, he decided to join in.

After he took a step in the room, Batman mentally groaned upon seeing an all-too familiar journalist that sat by a table which had a multitude of images of wanted criminals a lamp which had a focal point upon a strange book with a leathered covering with a bizarre, large jagged blade that sat on top of it. The man appeared to be concentrating as he scribbled words on the notebook as he listened intently to the audio recording device.

“There’s still no sign of the preacher, no records, nothing…”

“What are you doing here, Ryder?” Batman called out, catching the man’s attention away from his work.

Jack Ryder looked up in surprise at the sight of his visitors, his lips curved into a smug grin. “Well if it isn't my favorite masked crusader! How are you doing?” He regarded the smaller, bat-cloaked pegasus, “And it’s one of the ponies! Tell me, after the whole Arkham City fiasco, where did you and all your buddies go? I'd been dying to interview one of you.”

Dash recoiled a bit in slight astonishment. “Uh…” Not able to find any words for an answer, a bead of sweat dripped down her exposed cheek.

“You shouldn’t be in this city.” Dash was silently thankful for Batman’s no-nonsense direction. Ryder didn’t seem like the type to understand the whole ‘dimension travel’ and other complicated stuff.

“Bet you’re wondering about that tape, huh? I’ll let you in on the action,” Ryder cockily leaned his body against the chair, “if you promise to keep me in the loop. What do you say?”

“What’s this about?” Dash quietly muttered as she eyed the blade and the book with interest.

“It’s not safe. You should’ve left with the evacuation.”

A look of bewilderment spread across Jack Ryder’s face, as if leaving town would be considered insanity in his book. “And miss one of the biggest stories of the year, hell, the century!” He enthusiastically motioned his arms vertically with hands balled in excitement. “This is it, my chance to finally get back on top! Quid pro quo, Batman, what’s the latest on Scarecrow, any leads?” He placed his forearms against the wooden surface of the table with interest for the main case of the night.

Batman stared at the journalist for a moment, before saying. “Stay out of trouble…”

Ryder shrugged and spread out his arms smugly. “Hey, I try, trouble always finds me.”

“Tell me about it…” Rainbow thought she was honestly surprised he managed to stay alive throughout that night at Arkham City; she wouldn’t be surprised if there had been many instances where he could’ve died. By the fact that Ryder just took all of it lightly and the lack of trauma in his emotions was rather unexpected to the pegasus mare. Did his mental capabilities adapt to his experiences? Or was he just a plain ego-maniac?

Ryder turned his head towards Dash in excitement. “So how about that interview? The story I could get from you could be killing two birds with one stone for my top spot!”

A nervous grin formed on Rainbow’s exposed portion of her face. She opened her mouth to respond, however, Batman intervened. “No, we’re done here.” He turned around and made his exit out the doorway to the cellblock.

“Right behind you!” Dash eagerly followed him out the door. Truthfully, she still did not fully understand this whole cross-dimension thing herself. In her opinion, she would be the wrong pony to be answering any questions if anyone would be curious about their origins. Dash would much rather have Twilight do all the talking to this world’s inhabitants, being an ambassador just wasn’t her cup of tea.

But also, would it be wise to just tell this whole world about Equestria? Probably not. She’d rather not have some other old madman just snatch her and her friends from home and throw them into their own plans.

As she re-entered the cellblock, Lancaster and Denning remained outside the cell containing Owens. Dash’s eyes lingered towards the man once more and she shuddered. The sight was still as unsettling the first time she saw him. What if Scarecrow already knew that she was present in Gotham? Does he have one of her friends in his possession?

“Dash…” Batman called out, Rainbow snapped her eyes away from the saddening sight.

“It’s nothin… just thinking,” She said thoughtfully, Batman hummed suspiciously before turning right down the narrow corridor and continued his advancement forward.

The cellblock felt still. The silence from the lack of criminals in incarceration was a stark contrast to the mass chaos spread throughout the town. For Batman and the police force, it would be a busy night indeed. Dash spun her neck left and right, a numerous number of unoccupied cells were present on each side of the hallway save for one straight ahead, down the corridor across from them, “Hey, freaks! Looks like Scarecrow gave y’all the slip! My wrist was broken for nothin’!” Dash looked forward, it was the soldier they had chased down earlier. He was still clad in that reddish uniform, his right arm was encased in a sling which was supported by his nape. He grit his teeth towards the duo in spite with a large vein having popped out his balding head. His uninjured hand tightly gripped against the gate. Batman silently glared and walked with heavy steps to face him.

The soldier sneered, “He’s got plans for you, Batman! You, everyone, and everything around you! This is it! Tonight’s the night we finally bre-” Batman reached his arm in between the bars and tightly clutched the man’s head, he proceeded to forcefully slam his skull against the iron bars.

The soldier yelped and fell backfirst pathetically onto the floor. Dash quietly whistled in praise; that guy got what was coming to him, anyways.

As they proceeded to their destination, Dash eyed up to Batman’s much taller form from the top corner of her eye. After his announcement to investigate this case, she had contemplated how she would approach the topic with him. She opened her mouth to speak up but quickly shut her lips.

“If you want to say something, say it now.”

She looked down to her hooves, not surprised at all that he sensed her attempt for a discussion, “It’s… that beacon of light towards the sky, I have a gut feeling that it might be one of my friends.”

“Is that so? Possibly.” Batman turned his head to look down towards her intently, “If we track down the source from whatever clue left behind, avoid being reckless and don’t rush in head on. Not everything is as it seems, always approach with caution, no matter who or what we search for.”

Dash nodded firmly, “Got it.”

After they took several turns in their path around the block of deserted cells, the duo finally turned right where a doorway lay straight ahead, leading into the parking garage. By the exit, they happened to be greeted by the officer who’d expressed his gratitude for his rescue from the gang of rioters that had assaulted him at Chinatown; while Dash grinned at the man with a sense of pride that swelled in her heart for the fact she had a part in saving a man’s life, Batman eyed him momentarily and offered a slight nod, he proceeded to exit with Rainbow by his side.

A group of cops were admiring the Batmobile parked by the curb, one remarking that it had the ability to transform into a tank combatant. Those that remained a distance from the vehicle immediately noticed the new presences in the garage, immediately informing their clustered colleagues. Batman ignored and waited as the spectating officers were ushered back into their respective positions for their guarding duties.

Through its motion sensors, the reinforced glass hatch opened, allowing Batman to leap and drop into the vehicle. The motor began to roar and the Batmobile sped off in motions that seemed rather nimble for something that consisted of armored and heavy material. As the Batmobile traveled through the tunnels of the underground parking garage, it was closely trailed from above by a multi-colored streak.

“Good evening, Mister Wayne.” An unrecognizable, rather low voice rang through speakers of the communicator attached to Dash’s enchanted cowl. “I hope the car’s performance was up to your high expectations.” So another person who is knowledgeable of his identity? Just how many people does Bruce have in his inner circle who are aware of his war on crime? From the way this person had spoken, Rainbow had guessed this one might be the one who manufactured every equipment or tool in the utility belt and this rather awesome contraption.

“Well actually, Lucius, she’s a little sluggish.” Batman responded. Was there undertone amusement in his tone?

Lucius chuckled at his rather frank response. “I had a feeling you would say that. Give me a few moments and I’ll bring the afterburner function online.”

“Thanks Lucius, it was good of you to stay behind.”

“You want to thank me, Mister Wayne? Just try not to hurtle off the road, I should have some more upgrades ready soon.” Dash just has to somehow contact this guy, maybe she could ask Batman, she just might get this person to make her one of these.

It took a few short minutes to arrive at the street where the alleged power source formerly was. Batman sprung up from his vehicle and studied the scene. There were thugs strewn on the street, some of them almost heaped together as if they had been dropped from the sky. Batman hummed thoughtfully. He scanned each of their heartbeats by activating the Detective Mode through the cowl’s eye lenses. Good, if either one had died he’d have to track and apprehend the suspect to convict it as a murderer, this figure could potentially have a sense of decency. He found that numerous thugs suffered fractured arms and would likely be crippled in the long run. The detective reasoned that for the suspect to have gathered these thugs in a cluster before escaping the police’s radar, they had to be fast.

There was one way to find out who this was.

Scouring his eye about their surroundings, Batman and Dash searched for any indication of where the unknown attacker had fled to.

“Dash, scout out the area. Make sure to look for any indication of where our suspect went.”

Dash nodded without protest and ascended to a reasonable altitude. She carefully hovered and rotated in place, her eyes moving first to where the fallen thugs had least clustered. Assuming that one of her friends had done this, she suspected they would have promptly fled afterwards. Since none of her friends were familiar to wherever they were, she doubted that someone like Twilight or Starlight would teleport away. Hovering lower towards the focal point of the sprawled lot, she raked the ground for hoofprints or any trace of Twilight, Starlight, or Rarity. The pegasus doubted Trixie was capable of dealing with the amassed collection of people in such a manner but she knew she truly didn’t know the showmare’s capabilities beyond her contributions to the rescue mission in Chrysalis’s hive.

Meanwhile, Batman continued his search for any trace of the attacker, apparently the beacon shot out just before he entered the gateway of the parking garage of the GCPD. Whoever was responsible for it, couldn’t have traveled far. The Caped Crusader noted that the crowd had fallen in such a way that pointed to them either facing or moving away from their attacker. By the way their bodies were sprawled, Batman concluded bizarrely that their attacker dropped them from the sky. He suspected that the attacker lifted most if not all of the thugs, a remarkable and formidable accomplishment.

I have a gut feeling that it might be one of my friends.

Batman paused. The attacker, by his observations, would have lifted the thugs and dropped them from the sky. It was quite possible the two premises were related and pointed towards the suspect possessing a power of telekinesis or spatial distortion. Throughout his career, he came to know several people capable of those feats, and it seemed that unicorns joined that list.

Something caught Batman at the corner of his eye. Turning, he spotted a very faint trail of markings his detective mode managed to detect and trace. Examining the prints with greater scrutiny, the detective pressed an indicator in his glove department to activate the scanner, once it reached its data completion, a holographic data chart materialized in the interface with an image of the prints.

“The DNA of these markings has no trace or evidence of any known identity in this world. Though from the looks of the printing, it looks equine in nature as it visibly shows close-relations to the hoof of a modern horse,” the detective read. It would seem that Rainbow’s hypothesis was correct.

“Batman,” Dash called out, hovering over the stirring form of one the rioters, “I’ve got one waking up!”

With heavy steps, Batman trudged up to the dazed crook. Before the crook could get his bearings, Batman raised the man by his collar up to meet his hardened eyes.

“W-Wait! Please, don’t hurt me!” The crook’s frantic plea wasn’t enough to warrant Batman's mercy.

“Then answer this—have you any idea of your attacker’s identity?”

“I-I don't know what it was! But it was some freaky horse thing! It looked pretty small and weak and I thought that me and a couple of my pals could try to jump it, but the thing just grabbed us. Not grabbed, but it was some- some levitation shit!”

Rainbow’s eye twitched at the way he described her fellow pony and intensified upon hearing how the man thought he could take advantage of her friend. She was sickened by thoughts of what they would do if they had succeeded in overwhelming them or catching them off guard. “Why you-”

“I’m doing the talking here, Rainbow. Don’t you dare interfere with this.” Batman momentarily rover his eyes to Rainbow for a split second before settling back to pierce through the man’s own. “Give me descriptions. NOW!”

“It was purple!”

“SHE” Rainbow snarled.

“S-She was purple! She was purple!” the man corrected, cowering away from the livid pegasus. Quickly focusing back onto Batman, the man racked his mind, “Had a horn. That’s all I know.”

“Starlight!” Rainbow gasped.

Batman hummed, “Good night.” Before the man could process the words, the bat forearmed the side of the crook’s head before dropping his limp body.

“Starlight?” Batman craned his head to the pegasus.

“She wasn’t with us last time. But how would we be able to find her now?”

“I’ve scanned your friend’s hoofprints already. They should lead us to her approximate location, we’ll skip the greetings once we get to her, we can’t let Scarecrow have any more time once this is done.” Rainbow breathed and dipped her head, the sweet feeling of relief hit Rainbow for the first time since her arrival. Just minutes in and they might already retrieve one of her most valued companions in her lifetime.

Batman noticed a slight twitch in her movements, “Stay calm. Remember what I said about rushing head on?”

“It’s just that I’m so happy that we’ve got a trail on one of them already!” Rainbow’s perked her head up, violet eyes glinted with excitement and relief.

Batman stared off across the road. “The trail seems to follow in that direction of the road before taking a turn. Follow me closely.” He aimed his grappler towards a roof edge and fired a rapidly extending iron roping which propelled his figure in altitude and jogged through the roof. Rainbow sprung herself up to the opposite column of buildings and followed the line of hoofprints. Dash soared past buildings steadily, her eyes alert and ears pricked.

Heaving breathlessly after her sprint through the streets, Starlight peeked behind herself and lit her horn. After mindlessly plowing through the streets of the city, the mare collected her wits and decided to recuperate. Roaming her eyes over the deserted square she was in, Starlight glanced in every direction and breathed a silent sigh. she hadn’t been followed as far as she could tell. Now that she was alone and resting, she could think a little more clearly.

With the clouds in her mind dissipating, the riddle resurfaced in her mind once more. The latter portion of the riddle was potentially someone who could be an ally of her rescue mission; that much she could piece together.

She needed someone who could help her but who? Twilight was gone and that infuriating man and his stupid riddle wouldn’t help her, how could it? She sat on her haunches and scrunched her face. She’s lost. The vehicle that man had rode had long sped its way out of her range of sight.

Starlight thought back to when her friends recounted their time in Arkham City.

“It was so dastardly cold,” Rarity had said.

“Oh yes,” Fluttershy agreed, “it was awful.”

But they’d told her about someone, someone who helped them.

“He was awesome!” Rainbow gushed.

Something nagged Starlight at the back of her mind and she tried to focus on it.

“He had a cloak and mask.”

Starlight paused.

Gray suit. Black cape. Black mask with pointed ears.

“No need to fear,” Dash cheered, a proud smile across her muzzle, sounding every bit the confident mare Starlight would expect a hero to be, donning that clothed superhero costume that resembled something she could wear for Nightmare Night. “Batmare is here!”

Starlight’s eye twitched.

“I have the name of a sports equipment in my name.”

A bat.

“I resemble a winged mammal.”

A bat.

“I am as black as night and view crime as a blight.”

“Batman fought criminals and took them down like he ate them for breakfast!”

Batman.

Starlight groaned, bringing her hoof to her face.

The flapping of wings caught Starlight’s attention, followed by a shout, “Starlight!”

Startled, caught off guard, the unicorn looked up. Rainbow Dash hovered in place, not moving. Her muzzle was pulled back into a delighted smile but Starlight felt as if the pegasus mare was also smirking.

Starlight backed up, warily eyeing the mare. She recoiled suddenly and hopped forwards and shifted into a defensive stance. Something was behind her!

Starlight’s horn blazed, the unicorn preparing to teleport away, before she paused. Rainbow Dash was smirking and she imagined that that expression had only grown. Turning around, Starlight craned her head back slightly, meeting the stoic gaze of the Batman.