Author's Note

Half of this chapter shows events that happened after The Dark Knight Falls and other events that happened right before this story began to fill in the gaps. Enjoy!

Chapter 22: Flashbacks and Tests

YEARS AGO

Within the crystal caverns of the Canterlot castle, there laid a casket in the middle of the darkened room. It was surrounded by several dozen guards who awaited the princesses’ orders of what to do with what the casket held. Within the casket was a cold, rotten corpse whose head had a frightening makeup with Glasgow scars over the face’s lips.

At that moment, an echoing laugh emitted from his forehead although the guards couldn’t hear it. The still, small laugh soon stopped. A dark shadow arose within the casket over the body along with a demonic smile. Its eyes were crimson red, and it raised claw-like hands with a gesture of scaring someone.

“Ahhh, it really warms my dark soul knowing I have made the greatest accomplishment of my life: turning Batman against his own code.” the shadow spoke. Then it looked down on the body. “Look how handsome I am! The great Joker has finally managed to break Batsy the second time. A world record I say!”

Moments later, The Joker exited the casket and looked over the waiting guards with a sinister smile; the guards failed to notice a dark shadow that appeared on a ceiling above them. The princesses then appeared before them with grim looks on their faces. The rulers nodded to them their silent command.

Accepting the order, the guards picked up the casket with their magic (since they were unicorns) and slowly trotted to the exit where the Royal Sisters were standing. The shadow spirit was then left alone once they fully departed from the area. He then grew to his full phantom form. “My, my, my, I do truly wonder what they plan to do with my body. Out I go!” The Joker said. He began to slither himself away like a snake and escaped the caverns.

As he got outside the castle, he noticed the blue sky contained a shining sun and singing birds. He looked around Canterlot City until he spotted something fascinating within it. All the ponies were gathering around his empty body which was out of the casket and tied to a pile of sticks and hay.

Among the gathered ponies were the Mane Six, Spike, Mayor Mare, Shining Armor, the Royal Sisters, and all the Ponyville residents. Fluttershy was standing far away from the body and barely even looked at it. Although their deadly enemy who terrorized Equestria and threatened its safety was dead, she was still not in the mood for any form of celebration. The Joker carefully scrutinized her attitude and emotions.

“Hmmmm, that yellow pegasus doesn’t look very jolly and all. I wonder what’s eating her up. Haha, get it? Eating her up? Like eaten by depression like you get eaten by an alligator? Hahahahaha!!” Joker laughed hysterically.

Twilight and her friends—minus Fluttershy—picked up their torches and drew close to the corpse. Then they lowered their torches and set the body on fire. The ponies cheered in victory as they beheld the public cremation of the Clown Prince of Crime.

Applejack went to Fluttershy and wrapped her hoof around her neck to comfort her. “Don’t worry, Fluttershy. Just be happy that Joker is finally gone. Though we might’ve brutally destroyed Discord, that was for the safety of Equestria. Be proud, okay?” she smiled. Fluttershy only nodded in silence with tears on her eyes.

“Ahhhh, it’s her guilt in participating in Discord’s death, I see. I think that will be a great opportunity for me to get back on those annoying ponies. Now for my grand visit in Gotham City.” Joker planned. As he wickedly laughed, he vanished from the sky.

AFTER BATMAN’S “DEATH”

The Joker Phantom slithered across the streets of Gotham as he sought for any signs of trouble he could use for his advantage. “Ughhh, boy. These past eight years of tempting and manipulating people as a spirit does get boring sometimes. It would be far better if I were flesh and blood again.” he said.

He then started to chuckle to himself. “Oh yes, I forgot...” he said, transforming to his old body again. He looked at himself and saw he wore the same clothing and makeup he had before. “Yesss, I love the good old me.” Then he noticed the streets of Gotham were empty.

“Hm? What’s this? Oh yes! The part where Batman sacrificed himself to save Gotham from the bomb Bane created? Haha! Poor Batsy is so predictable as he always was. Let’s see if there are any survivors.” said Joker.

He continued wandering across the streets until he spotted a body lying on the floor in a building. Curious, he entered through the broken doors and saw the wounded body. It was Bane. The Joker deviously grinned as he bent over him. “Look how the mighty has fallen in the midst of battle.” he said. Suddenly, he got an idea.

“Say...I wonder if you can get a boost of your confidence and strength if I heal you and have you exact chaos in Equestria? I’ll make sure to have you seek some help there to make sure those ponies get what they truly deserve.” Joker smirked. He preceded to heal Bane’s open wound on his chest and cured all the injuries he got from Catwoman’s blast of the Bat-pod and his battle with Batman.

Once he finished, he took Bane, morphed to his phantom form, and flew all the way to the Atlantic Ocean over the whirlpool portal. He descended into the portal and entered the Everfree Forest. However, he didn’t stop there. He continued his journey to a place far away from Ponyville.

Arriving in a strange desert, he laid Bane’s unconscious body on the sandy ground. He then eyed the changeling hive with a dark grin. “Once he awakes here, there will be a centaur who could be useful for him. I heard he escaped from Tartarus with some help. Knowing his past and personality, I know Tirek can be helpful to him. Soon, those ponies won’t be able to stand on all four hooves.” Joker evilly chuckled.

He disappeared from the area, leaving Bane alone. Thus, those events have led up to what the prologue had showcased.

THE PRESENT TIME

The heroes gasped at everything The Phantom had revealed to them. “So you see, Basty, I had everything planned from the start. After witnessing Talia’s death at your hands, I knew for a fact he would be very upset with you if he were to see that. Speaking of which...” he said, seeing the enraged Bane approach Batman.

“You...you MURDERED Talia after my death?! Did you?!” Bane accused.

Batman lowered his head and closed his fists. “I’m sorry, Bane. I did what I had to to save Gotham.” he said.

Bane screamed in rage and ran at the Dark Knight to kill him. But Thorax flew in front of him and stopped him from attacking Batman. “BANE, STOP!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?” Thorax yelled.

“GET OUT OF MY WAY, THORAX!! I HAVE A FRIEND TO AVENGE!!” Bane bellowed.

“No! Revenge will never bring back your friend! That’s not the way we settle scores!” Thorax rebuked.

“Do you believe him, Bane? You value your friendship with him, don’t you? Or do you value the deep friendship you had with dear beautiful Talia when she was alive?” The Joker-Phantom asked. “Which will it be, hm? Thorax or Talia? Two ts!”

Bane thought hard on his decision. One was Thorax who was very nice and had a close bond with him since the day they met. The other was the one whom he nearly spent almost all of his life with as her friend and protector—the one whom he saved and served that earned him a lifetime of pain and suffering.

Of course, it didn’t take long for him as he made a logical decision. “I’m sorry, Thorax. But I will do what I must...to avenge her death...for Ra’s Al Ghul’s sake.” Bane concluded. He pushed Thorax out of the way and faced Batman.

“BANE! NOOO!!” Thorax cried.

“Bane, Talia is dead. Get over it. Move on and be satisfied with what you have! The war is over!” Batman pleaded.

“NEVER!!” Bane rejected. But before he could engage Batman in another duel, the Lurking Phantom stopped him.

“Hold your horses, big boy. I have another test to give.” he said, looking at Fluttershy. He drew close to her with a toothy grin. “So, my dear, you see how you managed to destroy the Crystal Empire that easily with the darkness that took hold of you? I perfected it with my darkness of course!”

Fluttershy started to slowly cry again as she was reminded of the destruction she caused in the Crystal Empire. “That’s right, Fluttershy. Think of all the horrible deeds you have caused. All the innocent lives who killed and ate each other—all the destruction and the deaths, the Crystal Heart—all because of YOU. This is all your FAULT.” The Phantom said.

Fluttershy already had a terrifying realization of what she caused to happen in the Empire. Knowing very well that it should be a barren, frozen land with no survivors by now, she had a bitter taste of what her life would be going forward. The Phantom hoped that this reminder would break Fluttershy’s spirit again.

However, Fluttershy stopped crying and glared at The Joker. Her eyes had a rainbow flash right through her iris as her element spirit was activated. “Joker, I know I have made grave mistakes. I realize the consequences of what I have done. But instead of lamenting over my failures, I will own it like a mare I am and make up for all the mistakes I’ve made! I am Fluttershy, the Element of Kindness!” she spoke.

“It would be unkind of me to just learn from my mistakes and yet not apply them. Going forward, I will stand up for what is right and do everything I can to make everypony happy again! And YOU. ARE. NOT. WELCOME HERE!!!!” she finished. All her friends cheered for her and were happy for her.

“Well spoken, Fluttershy.” Batman slightly smiled.

Fluttershy then turned to Shining Armor. “Whenever you need me to help rebuild the Crystal Empire, I’ll be available.” she said.

“I will definitely appreciate that, Fluttershy.” Shining said.

The Phantom then got angry and glared at her. “That...is NOT funny.” he growled. He shot his beam of dark magic at Bane who screamed in pain from the impact. “Time for the big guns.”

Bane continued to groan in pain as he suddenly started to have his muscles expand and grow abnormally. He grew in bigger size with every single vein of his body revealed on his exposed skin. His coat was ripped in half, and strange tubes appeared around his arms and back which injected a strong venom in his blood stream that gave him that superhuman power.

Once he was done, he looked over Batman and the ponies with fiery hate in his eyes. “It’s clobbering time.” Bane said, smashing his fists together.