Cinematic Adventures: Batman Begins

by extremeenigma02

Rating: teen
Tags: Queen Chrysalis, Adventure, Batman, Profanity, Violence, Crossover, Main 6, Thriller, Dazzlings, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Spike
Length: 90413

The Mane Six and Spike travel to Gotham City where they help billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne clean up the crime laced city. To do that, they must first become something more than what they are.

The Mane Six and Spike are off on another adventure through the Multiverse as the threats of the Dark Order continue to rise. This time, they travel to a city called Gotham, where they meet billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne and help him to rid the city of its crime and greed. Along the way, they will encounter ninja assassins, dastardly villains, and an evil plot that could shake the very foundation of Gotham City to its core.

Will they succeed? Or will the darkness that plagues Gotham consume them all?

Rated T for displays of violence and language

Published 2022-10-08 12:40:01 UTC
Last updated 2022-12-21 13:53:06 UTC

Vengeful Sirens & Premonitions

Author's Note

Before we begin, I just want to say that while there will be some Disney elements in this story, this is NOT a Disney story. I am helping to hype up the Disney Chronicles, plus this is a great and fun Halloween start to the story.

Vengeful Sirens & Premonitions

Dark was the night as the pale moonlight cast down over a cool, crisp autumn evening in the kingdom of Equestria. Tonight was a special night upon this land, the one night a year where all pony kind dressed up in costumes, playing fun and spooky games, and tons of goals getting stomach aches over overconsumption of candy. This night, of course, was Nightmare Night.

Nightmare Night, a night dedicated to the legend of Princess Luna’s transformation into Nightmare Moon a thousand years before. A holiday which continued after the defeat of Nightmare Moon and her return from her imprisonment on the moon. Except for a few years ago when Princess Luna nearly cancelled the entire event… but that’s a story for another day.

For now, all mares, stallions, and foals celebrated this spooky and kooky holiday with the upmost joy. Well… perhaps not every pony.

High within the mountains, in the little hamlet of New Haven, the Dark Order gathered to hatch a new diabolical plan to aid in their venture to spread evil across the Multiverse. The Legion of Doom, the Dazzlings, Darth Andromedis, Demettria, and the Seed family sat collectively around a circular table set in the Church of Eden’s gate. At the head of the table sat the Mysterious Benefactor themselves, representing the Dark One.

“As you all know, thus far we’ve already spread much destruction across the Multiverse,” the Benefactor spoke. “However, it is not enough to get what we want. To cement our reign across time and space, we must keep building our ranks and spreading evil. Which brings exactly to where we should strike next.”

The Benefactor turned toward Darth Andromedis and gave a small nod. The Sith Lord soon procured a holograph device from his robes and activated the device. It showed the hologram of a giant city across the table.

“Okay, so where the feathers is this place?” Cozy Glow spoke up.

“Hush now, young one,” Joseph Seed answered. “Do not question the path set before us by the almighty one sent by God .”

“Spare me the sermon, bible boy!” Cozy scoffed.

“Watch how you speak to the Father, demon horse!” Jacob Seed growled.

The Benefactor loudly cleared their throat, drawing their attention and soon they ceased their bickering. All was silent once more.

“The Dark One has ordered for someone to traverse to this city known as Gotham,” The Benefactor continued. “It is filled with criminals of very… special abilities. Having them in our ranks will bring us much closer to the day of reckoning.”

“And exactly who’s meant to travel to this crime-infested city?” Tirek asked.

At that moment, Chrysalis stood up with a sinister grin, displaying her elongated fangs.

“I believe the honor goes to me,” She boasted. “After all, it is I who has had the most success out of any of us here.”

“I beg to differ!” Adagio stood up abruptly. “In case you have forgotten, ‘we’ brought an entire galaxy to its knees with our power.”

“We turned Sunset Shimmer dark once again and actually blew up an entire planet,” Aria added.

“Not to mention all the orders we took from mean old Emperor Palpatine,” Sonata commented. “What a total mean jerk-face.”

“And you lost control when those rebellious scum destroyed that Death Star… twice!” Chrysalis countered. “And losing Endor to those infuriating little teddy bears… need I go on?”

“You want to throw down you black bug bitch?!” Adagio yelled.

“Bring it on, failure fish!” Chrysalis growled.

“ENOUGH!!!”

The force of the Benefactor’s voice actually shook the ground beneath their feet. The whole group had to hold on just so they wouldn’t fall to the floor. The Benefactor stood up from their seat, darting glares between the Dazzlings and Chrysalis.

“Since you all believe yourselves capable of this assignment, you will therefore travel to this realm… together.”

“I would never work with that gelatinous June bug over there,” Adagio grumbled.

“Nor would I wish to cooperate with the tone deaf sisters!” Chrysalis snipped back.

“Hey! Our doctor said our tone’s only ‘slightly’ deaf!” Sonata snapped back.

“Shut up, Sonata!” Aria barked.

“Thankfully, you won’t have to cooperate,” The Benefactor informed. “We’ve assigned you to separate tasks to accomplish throughout the city. Now if you’re finished with your petty squabbling… GET OUT THERE AND GET IT DONE!!!”

Chrysalis and Adagio turned back to face each other with grimaces upon both their faces before they both walked away with the other Dazzlings trailing Adagio. They departed from the church, back to their living space, and slammed the door behind them.

“Ugh, why?!” Adagio groaned. “We used to be all powerful sirens. Now we’re reduced to sharing the spotlight with bugs! If only we still had our amulets!”

“Well we don’t,” Aria spoke, rubbing her temples. “Get over it already; I’m tired of hearing you complaining about it.”

“Unlike the two of you, I’m not willing to give up and accept what we’ve become,” Adagio retorted.

“I can’t believe she’d call us tone deaf!” Sonata frowned. “We know exactly how to sing; we just… can’t.”

“For the hundredth time, would you shut up Sonata?!” Aria snipped.

*KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!*

A sudden knock at their door caused all heads to snap in its direction. Groaning to herself, Adagio stomped over toward the door and whipped it open. Just as she was about to shout at whomever it was, she stopped herself upon seeing… no one there. She nearly shut the door when her eyes peeked down and noticed a box at her feet. Picking it, she took one last look around before heading back inside.

“Who was it, Dagi?” Sonata asked.

“No one,” Adagio responded. “However, it seems someone left this for us.”

“Who’d leave a package for us?” Aria questioned.

Adagio looked back at the box, noticing a note attached to it. She picked it up, unfolded the sheet, and began to read what it said.

These should allow you to become again what you once were. You will not be able to regain your original forms, but they will allow you to bewitch any who cross you. However, all magic comes at a price. Soon enough, you shall need to decide to pay or to relinquish your power. The choice is yours.

N

Adagio continued to studied the note for a moment with not a single clue as to who this came from. Nonetheless, she slowly opened the box to peek inside and what she saw instantly froze her in place. Aria and Sonata leaned over to check on her.

“You okay, Dagi?” Sonata asked concerned.

“What’s wrong with you?” Aria added.

Adagio gave no reply, merely turned the box around to show them the contents. All eyes from the Sirens went wide; their mouths hung open at the sight. Their amulets fully restored, sitting in the box. One by one, they slowly reached in and grabbed their treasures. For a moment, they just held them in their hands for the longest time.

“Can this possibly be?” Adagio asked in disbelief.

“There’s only one way to find out,” Aria replied.

She placed her amulet around her neck and took a deep breath. She suddenly belt out a musical note that was not high pitched or out of key, but rather a beautiful, harmonious melody. Hearing this, Adagio and Sonata quickly put theirs on as well and began to sing out. All three sirens belted out beautiful notes like their old selves again. Soon as they finished, huge smiles spread across their faces even a few tears gleamed out of their eyes.

“This is real!” Adagio smiled. “We have our power again; the Dazzlings are back!”

“I’ve missed the sound of my own voice,” Aria said relieved.

“What should we do now?” Sonata asked.

Adagio gave a wicked grin, as she gazed out the window.

“Before we travel to this ‘Gotham City’, I think we should show everyone that the sirens are back.”

“How’re we supposed to get there?” Sonata asked. “The note says we can’t turn back to our original forms. No wings to fly us there.”

“Luckily… we have these,” Aria spoke up.

She pulled back a sheet, revealing three Cleansweep broomsticks from the Wizarding World. They had been brought by their contacts in that world as a means of transportation should the need arise. With the knowledge they can’t grown their wings from their original form, now was most certainly the time. Each siren grabbed one broom and were about to fly out the door when a thought suddenly dawned on Adagio.

“You realize tonight’s Nightmare Night,” She smirked. “Perhaps we should partake in the festivities and… dress up a little. I have just the perfect outfits in mind.”

The three siren sisters joined hands, closed their eyes, and allowed their magic to take over them. They could feel it coursing through them as it overtook their bodies. When it faded, they looked down at themselves seeing they were dressed up as three ‘particular’ witches.

The Dazzlings, with wicked smiles on their faces, turned toward one another sharing the same thought. Then in typical siren fashion, they expressed their intentions the only way they knew how… singing.

<>

Ponyville…

In the quiet little town of Ponyville, the moon gleamed over the many little fillies and colts running all over town dressed in costumes and carrying sacks of candy. Not only that, but many of the older mares and stallions were playing an assortment of different games, partaking in festive activities, dancing, and talking. Nightmare Night was truly a night of celebration for all. The Mane Six and Spike were even dressed in their Power Ponies costumes.

However, the festivities and candy were not currently on the mind of one Twilight Sparkle. Her thoughts were preoccupied with the handsome alicorn prince she was currently walking with. Storm Shield decided to pay a visit to Ponyville for the Nightmare Night festivities, even dressed in his Jedi robes for the occasion. At the moment, he and Twilight strolled across the town. The entire time Twilight couldn’t help herself from either blushing, giggling, or saying something stupid, which did make Storm laugh a few times.

Ever since Storm returned from being sealed away in the Philosopher’s Stone, Twilight spent so much time with him. Originally it was merely to study him, asking him many, many, MANY questions about old Equestria and the Wizarding alliance. But after many months and piles of notepads, she’d run out of things to study and simply decided to spend time with Storm.

“So, enjoying Nightmare Night so far?” Twilight asked him.

“It’s been pretty fun so far,” Storm replied, with a smile. “Having been locked away for a thousand years, I had no idea my aunt had an entire holiday made specifically for her.”

“Yeah, it certainly has become quite the festival for every pony in town,” Twilight smiled back. “Course you should have seen it a few years ago when Princess Luna paid us a visit.”

“What happened?” Storm asked.

“Let’s just say because of fear, superstition, and Pinkie dressed like a chicken, the holiday almost got cancelled.”

This caused Storm to laugh, soon even Twilight started laughing along with him.

“Oh boy, now I wish I’d been around to see that,” Storm chuckled.

“Trust me, you don’t,” Twilight giggled.

Soon as the pair stopped laughing, they looked into each other’s eyes and immediately found themselves entranced. It was like in that one moment, there was no pony else in the world except these two. It seemed it would last forever… until Twilight finally snapped herself out of it upon realizing they were just outside the Everfree Forest.

“Oh my goodness!” She gasped. “Looks like we’ve travelled a little further than I thought. Perhaps we should turn back.”

Storm eventually shook himself free of his daze and nodded in agreement.

“You’re right,” He nodded. “Besides, I really should get back to Canterlot. Mother is hosting a huge party tomorrow; I need to be well rested for it.”

“Oh yeah, I can’t wait for it!” Twilight agreed.

Suddenly, a loud and menacing screech made the two freeze in place out of fear. The sound of something huge, followed by a landing on the ground behind them.

“There’s something really big and really scary behind us right now, isn’t there?” Twilight asked fearfully.

Storm gave no reply or even looked behind him, but merely nodded his head in confirmation. Both ponies slowly turned their bodies back around, only to come face-to-face with a dark winged creature with glowing eyes as red as blood: The Mothman.

Twilight gave a frightened scream and Storm readied his horn, ready to make a stand and fight. However, the creature did not attack nor even moved from the very ground it stood upon. The Mothman slowly turned toward Twilight, proceeding to stalk towards her. Storm readied to loose a blast of magic, but Twilight waved it off soon as her shock faded.

“Don’t shoot it!” She said loudly. “I don’t think it wants to hurt us.”

While Storm wasn’t certain if what Twilight said was true or not, ultimately he stood down for a moment but kept ready just in case. The Mothman paused before Twilight, who marveled over how big this creature was. Suddenly, it’s eyes glowed brighter and soon Twilight’s eyes glowed bright too, almost white like Sunset Shimmer’s. All at once, different images flashed through her head: A city engulfed in flames, shadowy assassins, and a large-winged creature flying over it all. Then all at once… it stopped.

Twilight’s eyes went back to normal, as she began to breathe heavily. She would have fallen right over then and there had Storm not been there to catch her. The Mothman gave another screech before shooting up into the air and back into the depths of the Everfree.

“What in my mother’s name was that?” Storm asked confused.

“I think that’s the creature Fluttershy saw a few weeks ago,” Twilight responded weakly.

“Well, what did it want?”

“I think it was here to give me a warning,” Twilight responded. “When it’s eyes glowed, I saw images running through my head. I couldn’t make out anything about ‘why’, but it felt like peeking into the future.”

Suddenly, loud screams emanated from Ponyville. Twilight and Storm quickly turned back around seeing bolts of lighting blasting everywhere. Quick as a whip, they dashed right back towards town.

<>

Frightened little foals and grown ponies alike ran amuck through town while the Dazzlings flew down on broomsticks and threw force lighting all around. The impacts ignited fires, building debris broke off, and below the Dazzlings was a mass of panic and destruction in their wake.

“It feels good to be bad!” Aria commented wickedly.

“Hey, fish face!”

The Dazzlings turned around spotting the Mane Six, Spike, and Storm Shield standing before them ready to fight.

“No pony comes to our town and starts wreaking havoc on our watch!” Rainbow Dash called out.

“Well actually there was Discord, Nightmare Moon, the Bugbear, Sombra…” Pinkie listed.

“PINKIE!!!” Every pony yelled.

Adagio merely gave a wicked laugh toward the gathered heroes.

“You stupid little ponies actually think you can stop us?” She laughed. “Well, I invite you to give it your best shot.”

“You asked for it frizzle head!” Rainbow called out.

The tomboyish pony raced forward to give them a good beating, but quickly found herself cut off soon as the Dazzlings began to harmonize. Their amulets glowed red as they sang, and Rainbow found herself entranced by their singing. She dropped to the ground, frozen stiff.

“So… beautiful…” She spoke dazedly.

“Rainbow, don’t listen!” Twilight yelled.

“Alright, ah’ve had it with ‘em!” Applejack growled.

She grabbed her lasso and gave it a good twirl before throwing it with such force. Just as it was about to land, the Dazzlings turned to the rope and sang once more. This time, the rope seemed entranced too and it coiled like a snake. Everyone watched as the rope quickly turned on them all and wrapped all around the group.

“What the hay!” Applejack groaned.

“Don’t worry darling, a little magic will get us out of here!” Rarity assured.

She lit up her horn and was about to cut the ropes, but the magic quickly fizzed out. She tried again… and again… and again… but the same result kept occurring.

“What’s wrong with my magic?” She asked confused.

“Spike, can you use your dragon fire to get us out of here?” Fluttershy asked hopefully.

However, Spike found himself entranced by the singing sirens. He just sat there with the biggest grin on his face.

“Yeah, I’ll get right on that,” He spoke dazed. “So pretty… I could cry…”

Seeing their enemies essentially useless at the moment, Adagio reached into her robe pocket and pulled out what resembled a silver glass bean. She chucked it away, and within seconds a large swirling portal opened up in the ground below them.

“We’d really love to stay and chat, but we have an army to build,” She spoke.

A loud buzzing suddenly filled the air as the group looked up. They spotted Chrysalis flying down and landing beside the Dazzlings.

“Thought you weren’t going to show up,” Adagio snarked.

“You think I’d allow my disdain for you interfere with our endgame?” Chrysalis retorted. “Now, let’s get this over with so I never have to interact with you again.”

“Couldn’t agree with you more,” Adagio responded.

“Have a good Nightmare Night losers!” Aria chuckled.

“Make sure to save me some candy!” Sonata giggled. “Some candy corn… caramel apples… chocolate bars… oh, and those popcorn balls…”

“SONATA!!!” The women screamed.

“Uh… I gotta go!”

The three sisters and the changeling turned towards the portal and jumped right through just as it closed behind them. Once they were gone, the effects of their singing reversed, and all went back to normal. Both Rainbow and Spike shook their heads, wondering just what happened to them.

“What just happened?” Rainbow asked confused. “I was about to deliver a beatdown on them and suddenly it was like I wasn’t myself.”

“Me too…” Spike added, massaging his head.

“Less talkin’, more gettin’ us free from this here rope!” Applejack shouted impatiently.

Rainbow quickly raced back over and used her teeth to rip the rope off her friends.

“Ah don’t worry about it A.J.,” Rainbow smirked. “I didn’t hear you complaining last night when we used rope—”

“EWWW!” Rarity cringed. “Seriously girls, not the time!”

“We need to get to the theatre right now and find out where they went,” Twilight spoke urgently.

The group raced toward Discord’s theater and burst right through the doors. They ran right down toward the projection room where Phantom-Dragon was hard at work on a device pointed toward one of the big screens.

“Oh hey guys!” He greeted. “I was just working on the…”

“No time!” Twilight interrupted. “The Dazzlings and Chrysalis went through a portal; we need to follow them immediately!”

“Okay, okay!” Phantom Dragon responded. “Luckily, I just finished recalibrating this device. It should work much more efficiently now.”

“Thanks P.D.,” Spike thanked him. “You sure are a pal!”

Twilight quickly turned toward Storm.

“Can you please make sure every pony in town is safe?” She asked him.

“Of course,” He nodded. “We’ll be watching and rooting for you to come back. Now you get in there and do what you do best.”

With a smile, Twilight actually hugged Storm, who was taken aback at first… but snuggled back after a few awkward seconds. Phantom Dragon soon flicked a switch and a portal opened up on the big screen just as Twilight pulled away.

“Okay, that portal should take you wherever they went,” He informed them. “Hopefully, it’s a much smoother landing.”

“Well, what’re we waiting for?!” Rainbow spoke determined. “Let’s go kick some bad guy flank!”

The group quickly dashed down toward the theater room. One by one, each of the Equestrian Heroes leapt through the portal. They may not have known where it was they were going nor where they were trailing their enemies to this time. But one thing was absolutely certain: It was sure to be one hay of a Nightmare Night.

Bruce Wayne

The crystal portal opened into a brand-new world. From the other side, the ‘Mane Six’ and Spike emerged. When they walked through the portal, as always, they looked around their new surroundings as the portal closed behind them. From what they could see, they stood upon some courtyard of some building of sorts. The sound of dragged chains drew their attention to the sidelines, where some men walked down a hallway. They were all chained together, a chain gang, escorted by men with guns. The very sight concerned the entire group greatly.

“W-W-Where are we?” Fluttershy quaked with fear.

“My guess would be some sort of prison,” Twilight responded.

“Prison?!” Rainbow gasped in fear. “No! Nuh-uh! No way! I don’t think so! I’m too young to be doing hard time!”

Applejack quickly threw a hoof over her mare friend’s mouth, keeping her quiet.

“Will ya keep it together Dash?!” She scolded silently. “Last thing we need is tah draw unwanted attention to ourselves.”

“I think that may be a tad difficult considering we’re magical talking ponies,” Rarity pointed out.

“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it,” Twilight assured. “Follow me.”

Twilight Sparkle proceeded to lead the group toward an isolated area of the courtyard, where no prisoners or guards were about. Once in the dark, the Alicorn princess ignited her horn to life and cast a spell upon them all. Soon hooves and claws shifted to hands as the magic transformed them into their human forms. As the spell dissipated, every pony emerged from the shadows and looked down at themselves, sighing with some measure of relief.

“Okay, now we should be able to blend in slightly more,” Twilight said relieved.

“Is it just me, or have we been taking on human forms more recently during these adventures?” Spike questioned. “Not that it’s a bad thing, but it’s become… frequent.”

“I blame the writing,” Pinkie shrugged.

Hey! We’re doing the best we can!

Besides, had we not turned you guys human, who knows what would happen to you in this world? Well, we do… and it’s not pretty.

“Touche!” Pinkie spoke to the sky.

“Pinkster, who’re you talking to?” Rainbow asked.

“No need to worry Dashie,” Pinkie giggled.

“Well, what do we have here?”

Everyone jumped and turned as a group of prisoners approached from behind them. Leading this dangerous lot was a big Asian man with very short dark hair. The like of which made him look almost bald, complete with a goatee to match.

“New meat boys,” The man grinned wickedly. “And such pretty faces too. We don’t see many pretty girls in here. And look… they even brought a sibling. Isn’t that cute?”

The men soon surrounded the girls and Spike like a pack of hungry hyenas ready to pounce.

“Please don’t hurt us,” Fluttershy whimpered. “T-T-This is all a big misunderstanding—”

“Oh, don’t worry little girl,” The man replied. “We’ll make this quick for you. But I must warn you… first times often get a little… messy.”

The men snickered as they began to advance toward them, until Spike stepped right in front of them.

“Touch any of us and I’ll roast you alive!” He threatened.

The men paused for just a split second before they burst out laughing, loudly. It took a moment for Spike to put the two-and-two together, that he stood before them as not his usual dragon self… but a human teenage boy. Eventually, the men stopped laughing and the big man looked down upon the teen dragon turned boy.

“What are you going to do boy?” He asked.

*WHAM!*

On instinct, Spike delivered a stiff punch across the man’s jaw and the Equestrians gasped at the sudden action. The man stood with his head reared back, but then a chuckle escaped his lips. Slowly, he turned to face Spike again smiling ever so sinisterly with a bit of blood dripping down his lip.

“O-O-Oh Faust, man! I don’t know what came over me; I was just—”

*WHAM!*

Before Spike had any time to reply, the big man threw a massive punch toward Spike’s face knocking him right toward the dirt.

“SPIKE!!!” The girls yelled.

The man merely laughed as he stood over Spike, who tried to pick himself off the ground while spitting out blood in the process. The man then delivered a stiff kick to the gut and Spike rolled over, clutching his stomach in agony as he gasped for air.

“Leave him alone you jerk!” Rainbow yelled.

The rainbow-haired girl leapt upon the guy’s back and wrapped her arms around his head with a chokehold, trying to choke him out. But soon a pair of criminals reached out to rip her off. Rainbow Dash struggled slightly in their grip as they tried to force her to the ground.

*BAM!*

Applejack slammed one criminal in the face with a stiff kick knocking him flat on his back. With only one criminal left to deal with, Rainbow Dash slammed her elbows against the sternum loosening his grip. She then leaned the man forward and delivered a stiff knee against his nose, knocking him down. The other criminal was preoccupied with Applejack, who forced him down on the dirt as he scratched and clawed to regain his footing.

A few other thugs were busy with their friends, trying to grab them in more ways than none. Fluttershy was scared stiff as Twilight, Pinkie, and Rarity surrounded her in defense, as they found themselves backing into a corner.

In the meantime, the big man saw the other two girls dealing with his cellmates when others swarmed toward them, locking them in tight holds. Their leader slowly stalked toward them… when suddenly, the man hissed in pain. Spike had used one ounce of strength to leap from behind him and sunk his teeth on the calf of his right leg. Spike pinched his jaws as tightly as he could, as the big man twisted around and proceeded to wrap one hand against the back of Spike’s neck forcing him loose and holding him up till their eyes met. The man smirked sinisterly as he proceeded to thrust a fist against the boy’s ribs, shoved him back to the ground, and delivered a kick against the boy’s head. The more Spike tried to get up, the more punishment he received.

“I’m the king of this place boy!” The man snarled, kicking the boy’s sides. “You… are nothing!”

“Spike!” Rarity cried out.

“HEY!!”

The man stopped his assault and turned toward the one who yelled out to him, along with everyone else. Walking towards the group was a tall young man with dark-brown messy hair and goatee, dressed in dirty clothes.

“Leave the kids alone!” The man warned.

The big man and the other criminals chuckled once more over the sight of the younger man walking towards them.

“Leave now boy before you end up like this little worm,” The big man gestured to an injured Spike.

“I make you the same offer,” The young man retorted.

Once again, the big guy laughed before making a mad dash for the young man. He went for a huge right hook, to which the young man expertly dodged and countered with a stiff knee to the gut. The impact knocked the air out of the big man’s lungs. All at once, all the other thugs ran toward the young man. An all-out brawl soon ignited before the eyes of the Equestrian Heroes.

They watched as the young man hurled expert punches toward everyone. The group stood amazed as the man dodged the incoming attacks. One moment he back body-dropped one guy over his head, and then body slammed another in rapid fashion. He kicked one guy so hard in the leg, the girls cringed over a *CRACK!* as the guy screamed out in pain. Eventually, the young man had taken each and every criminal down to the point where they were either bleeding, crying out in pain, or out cold.

“Whoa…” Rainbow gaped in awe.

The man looked over toward the remaining young girls, who were helping their friend off the ground. Spike clutched his stomach as he gasped for air, a black eye was caught in the light following that brutal assault.

“Are you alright Spike?” Twilight asked worriedly.

“Ugh—yeah—I’m alright,” Spike grunted in pain. “He really got me there… but I’m cool.”

“No, you’re not!” Rarity argued. “You need medical attention; is there a doctor here?!”

By that point, the young man approached and offered them his hand in aid. Everyone eyed him for a brief moment, contemplating if they could trust him. But then again, he ‘did’ lay out a whole bunch of criminals to save them. Spike slowly reached out and grabbed his hand, allowing the young man to throw Spike’s arm over his shoulder, hook his own arm around the boy’s waist, and escorted him across the grounds.

“Thank you so much mister,” Pinkie spoke gratefully. “I don’t know what those big meanie heads were going to do to us if you hadn’t stepped in.”

“No doubt it wouldn’t have been anything good,” Rarity cringed.

“I’d have taken them all if I wanted to,” Rainbow spoke up.

The young man said nothing, just proceeded to help lead them to an area within the prison that could only be described as a medical ward. In actuality, it was merely a large jail cell where an elderly Asian man sat in a chair reading an old book. He looked up and noticed the young man dragging Spike in. Quickly, he stood up from the chair and gestured to a filthy bed in the cell corner.

“Lay him there,” He instructed.

The young man laid Spike upon the bed as gently as he could, so as not to hurt him anymore than he already was. The old man proceeded to look over him. While doing this, in a moment of gratitude, Twilight Sparkle embraced the young man with a hug, much to his and everyone else’s confusion.

“Thank you,” She whispered harshly.

The young man merely stood there until Twilight finally let go and he gave her a small nod.

“No problem,” He responded casually.

“I didn’t catch your name by the way,” Twilight informed.

“I didn’t give it,” The young man retorted.

He sat on a chair in the cell and began rubbing the dirt off his face. He looked back up seeing Twilight and the rest of the girls looking at him. With a heavy sigh, he threw his head back.

“It’s Wayne,” He introduced himself. “Bruce Wayne.”

“Well, we ow you much thanks for your help, Bruce,” Rarity smiled. “We’d have lost our friend if not for you.

“It’s fine, just don’t mention it… ever,” Bruce sighed.

At that moment, the old man looking over Spike finished his task and turned his attention toward the group.

“He has bruising of the ribs and a badly swollen eye,” He informed. “But a little rest and he’ll be fine.”

“Thank you so much,” Twilight thanked him. “Is there any way we can repay you mister…”

“Call me Seong,” The old man bowed his head. “You don’t need to repay me. Nothing like this should have happened to your friend or to all of you for that matter.”

“No kidding,” Rainbow agreed. “What’s with those guys anyway?”

The old man offered no reply, merely shrugged his shoulders.

“Where the hay are we anyway?” Applejack asked.

“This is Bhutan,” Seong responded. “We are in a prison in the Himalayas. How is it that a group of children such as yourselves end up here? What’re you even in here for?”

“We didn’t do anything illegal if that’s what you’re thinking,” Rainbow answered.

“You wouldn’t believe us if we told ya partner,” Applejack answered honestly.

“We’re just some victims of circumstance,” Pinkie added. “It’s not like we just escaped from a scaffold or anything!”

“Pinkie, please!” Rarity groaned.

“Well, it looks as though we’re stuck here for the time being,” Twilight spoke solemnly.

“But we can’t stay here,” Fluttershy squeaked. “Those men will just come back and try to hurt us.”

“We don’t have a choice Fluttershy,” Twilight responded. “We’re surrounded by armed guards and criminals with no idea how to get out… least not under our circumstances.”

“Well isn’t this a ‘great’ start to this adventure?” Rainbow said sarcastically.

“You can all stay here for the time being,” Seong told them. “We will keep you safe.”

“Thank you Mr. Seong,” Twilight thanked him. “I promise we won’t be a bother.”

Seong nodded before gazing out the cell and saw that in all this time, the sun had already set. The stars began to appear in the sky above.

“We must all sleep,” Seong said. “We have extra blankets for all of you, but sadly no extra beds.”

“Ain’t no problem for us,” Applejack replied. “We can rough it fer a bit.”

“Perhaps you can,” Rarity replied. “I for one have no desire to sleep on a dirty cold floor.”

“The only other option is to bunk out with those other criminals,” Bruce spoke up. “I don’t think they’ll be as accommodating as us.”

Rarity’s eyes quickly went wide before she quickly snatched a blanket and old pillow. In rapid fashion, she laid them out on the ground.

“On second thought, the ground sounds quite lovely,” She responded nervously.

“Good choice,” Bruce replied.

The rest of the girls proceeded to grab a blanket and pillow each. Casually, they laid them out on the ground before laying down. It may have been dirty, cold, and somewhat painful, but it was surely better than being surrounded by crazy prisoners out to hurt them. As they all closed their eyes for the night, they shared the same thought going through their heads.

What did we get ourselves into now?

<>

A pair of brilliant amethyst eyes opened up as Twilight Sparkle found herself standing outside what looked like a giant mansion. The mansion itself was absolutely marvelous with an elegantly formed foundation, a lush garden region, and a view that overlooked a giant city just on the outskirts of the mansion. She blinked her eyes a few times as she tried to understand what she was seeing.

“Where am I?” She asked herself.

Suddenly, the sound of giggling made her turn her attention to her side. Distant children’s laughter coming closer, as sunlight flickered through the trees running through the summer garden. Twilight saw a young girl with brown hair running across the yard of the mansion. Chasing after her was a young boy about ten years old.

“Catch me if you can Bruce!” The girl called over her shoulder.

“Rachel, let me see!” The boy called back.

The two children raced across the garden as Twilight watched after them.

“Bruce?” She asked herself. “Is this Bruce Wayne when he was younger? How am I seeing this?”

While these thoughts went on through her head, Twilight decided to follow the children to understand exactly what was going on. She ran after them through the garden while trying to keep herself hidden. She had no idea if they could even see her or not, but better to be safe than sorry. Eventually, she followed young Bruce into the greenhouse area where his little friend Rachel hid under one of the tables. Bruce knelt beside her as she held something behind her back.

“Come on Rachel, can I see?” Bruce asked.

“Finders keepers and I found it,” Rachel bragged.

“In MY garden!” Bruce reminded Rachel.

Rachel smiled as she pulled her arms out from behind her and opened her palm to reveal what resembled an arrowhead. Bruce smirked before quickly snatching the object off her hand and bolted from the greenhouse.

“Finders keepers!” He shouted loudly.

Rachel proceeded to pursue him, and Twilight followed closely behind the children though the greenhouse. The whole time she tried to determine just exactly what she was even seeing.

“This is obviously some kind of memory,” She informed herself. “But why am I seeing it? What purpose does it serve?”

Eventually, she followed Bruce to a region within the greenhouse where he hid behind a stone wall just as Rachel came in looking for him.

“Bruce?” She called out.

Bruce poked his head out from behind the wall he hid behind and then…

*CRACK!!!*

The wooden floor he knelt upon gave way under the boy’s weight. He tumbled down a storm well before landing at the bottom of what looked like a cave of sorts. Rachel noticed this and ran over to check if he was alright.

“Bruce?!” She called out.

But she heard no response. Worried, she proceeded to race out of the greenhouse calling for help.

“MOM! MR. ALFRED!”

Twilight, meanwhile, rushed over toward the well and cautiously looked down. She saw Bruce lying on the ground at the mouth of the cave itself. She considered using her magic to bring the boy back up, except… what would that accomplish? If this was all just a memory, nothing Twilight would do could change what has already taken place.

All of a sudden, her ears flicked as she recognized what sounded like fluttering heard inside the cave. The young Bruce looked toward the darkness with fear in his eyes. All at once, a giant swarm of bats burst from the cave and made their way up the well. Twilight fell to the ground as the bats started to overwhelm her.

Then eventually… all went black.

<>

Twilight’s eyes shot open, as she sat up quickly with a heavy gasp. Soon she found herself breathing heavily, clutching her chest as her eyes darted around herself. All her friends had just emerged from their own sleep. The princess soon looked over and noticed Bruce laying on his own bed, his eyes wide open as well. She soon noticed Seong sitting on his bed and merely looked at the two.

“Did you have a dream?” He asked Bruce.

“Nightmare,” Bruce corrected.

“Worse than this?” Seong gestured to the prison.

Bruce sat up in bed, looking across the other cell where the big guy from yesterday eyed him with murderous intent. Bruce merely sighed and leaned back against the wall of the cell. Meanwhile, the Mane Six collective emerged from their slumber, groaning while doing so.

“Man, my back feels like it got hit by a boulder!” Rainbow groaned in pain.

“My ‘face’ feels like it got struck by a boulder!” Spike muttered, rubbing his eye.

“I’ll never complain about another bed ever again,” Rarity whined, massaging her back.

Just then, a loud rumbling sound had them all looking over Pinkie Pie, who merely giggled in response.

“Oops, sorry about that ladies,” She smiled. “My tummy is feeling rumbly. I was so excited for Nightmare Night; I didn’t even have dinner.”

“Luckily, it’s time for breakfast,” Seong declared, standing up.

No sooner did he say that than Spike leapt from the other cot.

“Someone say breakfast?” He asked eagerly, then grimaced. “Ow…”

Twilight got up from the floor and approached her number one assistant. Upon a quick inspection, Spike’s eye was much more swollen today following the beating he took the other day.

“Are you feeling okay?” She asked worriedly.

“A little,” Spike groaned. “Still sore, but at least I can stand up. Besides, I could use a little grub.”

“Then let’s quit yapping and get snacking!” Rainbow spoke.

The group proceeded to depart from the cell and worked their way out to the courtyard. The yard was now filled with more prisoners than the day before. Guards stood all around with machine guns keeping a sharp eye out on everyone. Prisoners lined the yard, either doing prison work or waiting to eat. The Equestrian heroes got in line for breakfast and noticed a few prisoners walking away with bowls of what looked like white liquid and lumps of stuff in it.

“What kind of breakfast do they serve here?” Spike asked.

“Gruel,” Seong replied casually.

“I’d rather eat rock soup, thank you,” Rainbow said disgusted.

“Trust me hun, you don’t,” Applejack shook her head.

“Oh what I’d give for an omelet with egg whites and scallions,” Rarity said hungrily.

“Great, now you got me thinking about it!” Rainbow groaned.

“This feels just like the adult version of a British period musical drama based on a famous 1830’s novel,” Pinkie added, then gasped. “Say… any pony care for a light-hearted musical number on the joy of food?!”

“NOOOO!!!” The group objected.

“… Party poopers!” Pinkie frowned childishly.

Finally, Bruce made it to the front of the line as the cook dumped a scoopful of gruel into a bowl for him. He looked over, noticing the big guy and his gang walking in his direction. Of course, the young man merely acted as though he didn’t notice.

“They are going to fight you,” Seong whispered to him.

“Again?” Bruce rolled his eyes.

“Until they kill you.”

“Can’t they kill me before breakfast?”

“Perhaps if we just offer our meals peacefully, they’ll leave us alone?” Fluttershy asked hopefully.

Suddenly, the big guy swatted his bowl to the ground. His eyes stared upon Bruce with a malicious smile spread across his face.

“You are in hell, little boy!” He grinned.

*WHAM!!!*

A sudden right hook had Bruce leaning against the counter until the guy grabbed his hair and forced him to look directly in the eyes.

“And I am the devil,” The guy finished.

The big guy delivered yet another punch, causing Bruce to stagger back. But the young man merely shook it off.

“You’re not the devil,” He spoke defiantly. “You’re practice.”

The guy aimed another punch, but Bruce deflected it and elbowed the man square in the face before delivering a massive headbutt. Another guy attempted to intervene, but Bruce grabbed him and slammed him through the counter. All the other prisoners jumped in attempting to attack. Bruce simply used his momentum to kick himself off the counter and sent them crashing to the muddy ground. The whole time, Spike and the girls watched beside Seong.

“We need to do something!” Rainbow said. “He may be holding his own now, but who knows how long that’ll last?”

“What are we supposed to do?” Rarity asked.

“What do you think? Shut up and fight!”

Before anyone else could throw their two bits, Rainbow leapt upon one of the guys and took him down with a massive head scissor.

“Aww yeah! That’s how we do it in Equestria!” Rainbow bragged.

She proceeded to jump another guy, as Bruce dragged another through the mud. Not wanting to just stand on the sidelines, the others shrugged before leaping into the fray. Applejack delivered one guy a stiff kick to the groin, the prisoner’s eyes bulged out and he fell onto the ground wincing in pain. Spike raked another guy across the face with his nails and hit a stiff uppercut under the chin. Rarity locked a guy in a headlock as Fluttershy swept a leg under him and knocked him flat. Twilight proceeded to roundhouse kick three guys in the back of the heads causing them to flip themselves back-first onto the mud. Pinkie Pie merely took two bowls of gruel from some random prisoners and slammed them against one prisoner’s head like cymbals, and the man fell backwards, his face dripping with hot gruel and broken bowl pieces.

Suddenly, the guards started firing warning shots into the air, before jumping in and prying Bruce (And the Equestrians) away.

“Solitary!” One guard yelled, dragging them off.

“For what?!” Bruce yelled.

“Protection!” The guard responded.

“I don’t need protection.”

“Protection for them!” The guard corrected, gesturing to the fallen goons.

“Oh come on, they started it!” Rainbow yelled.

The guards dragged the group down to the Solitary Confinement unit of the prison. One by one, they were tossed into a large stone cell with a big iron door.

“Get in!” The guard demanded, shoving them inside.

Once everyone was inside, the guards locked the door behind them. They picked themselves off the ground, as their eyes adjusted to the dark.

“Well that’s just great!” Rainbow said sarcastically. “We’re stuck here because of those jerk-heads!”

“The only one that should be blamed here is you!” Rarity pointed out. “Had you just stayed out of it, we wouldn’t be here right now. Classic Rainbow Dash, always making a scene.”

“Classic Rarity, never letting things go!” Rainbow countered.

“It just happened!” Rarity exclaimed loudly.

“Please don’t fight!” Fluttershy squeaked.

“I for one am glad to give that jerk a good punch!” Spike spoke proudly. “Nobody makes a punching bag out of this guy!”

While they were talking, Twilight walked over and helped Bruce back to his feet.

“Sorry about getting you into this mess,” She apologized.

“It has nothing to do with you,” Bruce replied. “I’ve been fighting those guys since the day I got thrown in here.”

“But why?” Twilight asked.

“Guess you can say I have a punchable face,” Bruce joked.

“I often wonder at the riches to be found in dark places.”

A new voice caused everyone to cease speaking and they looked over toward the darkness of the cell corner. From out of the shadows, a middle-aged man stepped out. He had dark hair, a forked beard, and even wore a rather nice three-piece suit. A tad weird for the Equestrians seeing as though they were in a prison.

“Are you so desperate to fight criminals that you lock yourself in to take them on one at a time?” The man asked Bruce.

“Actually, there were seven of them,” Bruce informed.

“I thought it was nine,” Rainbow corrected.

“I counted ‘six’, Mr. Wayne,” The man responded.

Bruce froze and slowly turned back to look the man in the eyes.

“How do you know my name?” He asked curiously.

The man gave a small smirk before responding.

“The world is too small for a man like Bruce Wayne to disappear, no matter how deep he chooses to sink.”

The man then looked over toward the Mane Six and Spike.

“Though I must admit, I was not counting on the Elements of Harmony to drop into this prison.”

All eyes, from Spike and the girls, went wide upon hearing that.

“You know who we are?” Twilight questioned.

“Indeed,” The man nodded. “I have a vast knowledge of worlds beyond this one. Nothing happens that I do not know about. I believe you can show us your ‘true selves’ now.”

The Mane Six and Spike looked back and forth between on other, then to Bruce and the man who seemed to know who they were. With a reluctant sigh, Twilight closed her eyes as her magic began to envelop them all. Once cleared, they once more assumed their equine and dragon forms respectively, and the man smiled with satisfaction.

“Much better,” He said.

Bruce, meanwhile, stood shocked and confused.

“Just when you think you’ve seen it all,” He mumbled.

“So you know about us, but we know nothing about you,” Twilight told the man.

“Who are you?” Bruce asked.

“My name is merely ‘Ducard’, but I speak on behalf of Ra’s Al Ghul,” The man responded. “I trust you’ve heard the name?”

The Mane Six and Spike merely shook their heads, yet Bruce looked as though he in fact knew something.

“I’ve heard the legends,” He responded. “Master warrior, international mercenary, feared by all the criminal underworld, some even say he’s immortal.”

“You know your history Mr. Wayne,” Ducard smirked. “But he is also a man who can offer you a path. He can offer all of you a path.”

This caused Bruce to chuckle and lean back against a wall.

“What makes you think I need a path?” He asked skeptically.

“Or us for that matter?” Twilight asked. “We already have a destined path set before us.”

“A path that has landed you right here and now,” Ducard reminded her. “Someone like Mr. Wayne is only here by choice. You have been exploring the criminal fraternity, but whatever your original intentions you have become truly lost.”

This caused Bruce to look back at Ducard, only this time he actually looked like he was listening.

“And what path can Ra’s Al Ghul offer?” He asked.

“The path of a man who shares his hatred of evil and wishes to serve true justice,” Ducard responded. “The path of the League of Shadows.”

Once again, Bruce delivered a sarcastic chuckle.

“You’re vigilantes,” He chuckled.

“No, no, no,” Ducard shook his head. “A vigilante is just a man lost in the scramble for his own gratification. He can be destroyed or locked up. But if you make yourself more than just a man, if you devote yourself to an ideal, and if they can’t stop you, then you become something else entirely.”

“Which is?”

“Legend, Mr. Wayne.”

Ducard soon turned back toward the ‘Mane Six’ and Spike.

“You all were always meant to be much more than mere agents of peace and harmony,” He told them. “Celestia always knew it, but never told you how much more you were meant for.”

He started to make his way for the door before turning back once again.

“Tomorrow, you will all be released. If you are bored of brawling with thieves and want to achieve something, there is a rare blue flower that grows on the eastern slopes. Pick one of these flowers. If you can carry it to the top of the mountain… you may find what you were looking for in the first place.”

“And what was I looking for?” Bruce asked.

“Only you can know that…” Ducard smirked.

The man left the cell and the guards sealed (and locked) the door behind them again. This left Bruce and the Equestrians pondering in the darkness of the cell, wondering just what happened. One thing was certain: Things had gotten more complicated than they had been before.

Dangerous New Allies

A billowing wind whisked through the air as a green spinning portal opened from out of nowhere. From that very portal, three sinister sirens and vengeful Changeling Queen emerged. The Dazzlings… Chrysalis… stepping out into the evening breeze as the portal closed behind them. As they adjusted to their surroundings, their eyes gazed toward the bustling metropolis around them known as ‘Gotham City’.

On the outside, Gotham looked like a wonderful place to live. Skyscrapers so tall they’d reach the clouds and all assortment of vehicles traversed in every direction around the busy streets. However, the city itself was anything but paradise. Deep within its core, Gotham was perhaps one of the most rotten cities in the entire world. Crime ran rampant through the streets like a sickness infecting the soul of the city. From robbery to murder, there was no shortage of horrible things that happen within this city.

This was made abundantly evident as the four saw a speeding car racing down the street. A police car, its sirens wailing loudly, followed closely behind. Two criminals hung out the windows, firing machine guns toward the police car as both vehicles sped off. Chrysalis and the Dazzlings merely looked on with confusion upon their faces.

“So… this is Gotham City?” Adagio questioned.

“What a dump!” Aria cringed.

“I like it!” Sonata smiled. “Reminds me of Cnaterlot City… if it was a melting cesspool of crime and punishment.”

“Sonata… shut… up!” Aria snapped.

“Actually… I agree with the dummy,” Chrysalis smirked.

“Thank you…” Sonata nodded, then pouted. “HEY!!!”

“Just visualize it ladies. A city filled with fear, crime, and all assortment of chaos. No heroes… no justice… and no happy endings. Hmm… I could actually learn to feast on fear; it’s much easier to fear than love.”

The Dazzlings glanced toward the changeling Queen for a moment, as though trying to figure out exactly what she meant. Then they remembered that there were more pressing matters which required their immediate attention.

“Great, you work on that, while we see someone about an offer,” Adagio spoke up. “Here’s hoping we never come across one another again for the rest of this venture.”

“The feeling is mutual,” Chrysalis retorted.

And so, the two different evil forced turned heel and made their way towards their separate objectives. Chrysalis brushed her way towards the slums of Gotham whereas the Dazzlings made their way toward the direction of the ports. No one could say for sure what they were looking for, but one thing was absolutely certain. Whatever or whoever they were looking for, it could only bode ill for this world.

“If it’s going to be a long walk, you think we could stop for lunch?” Sonata asked.

“If we find the next taco stand, will that shut you up?” Adagio grumbled.

“… Yes.”

“This is going to end badly…” Aria muttered.

<>

With the most rundown and decrepit regions of Gotham City, there stood a massive building surrounded by a high barbed-wire fence. This building existed long since the very creation of the city itself. Built to house the most dangerous and most insane people that ever walked God’s green earth. A facility of which strikes fear in the hearts of the severely weak-minded. A place called…

Arkham Asylum.

Founded by Dr. Amadeus Arkham in the early 1900’s, this very asylum had since housed the most dangerous minds of Gotham City. Even the architect that built the asylum suffered an incurable mental illness. An illness so severe that the last they’ve heard of him, he eventually hacked his co-workers to death with an axe. All to prove that there’s no place in city as feared more than Arkham Asylum and its sadistic history.

Such was the very place that Chrysalis herself sought for. Having traveled a long, lonely road until she stopped right outside the heavy iron gates of the asylum. One look towards the building, and a wicked smile spread across her face.

“Aah… I can smell the chaos and anarchy emanating from this place,” She sighed, smiling evilly. “It’s perfect!”

Chrysalis pushed open the iron gates with ease as she made her way to the front doors of the asylum. Strolling inside the giant building, she immediately approached the front reception desk. Behind the desk was a woman dressed in a nurse’s outfit, who greeted her with a welcoming smile. The very sight of a changeling would normally freak out any human being… had it not been for Chrysalis’s shapeshifting abilities. In which case, reverting herself into a human woman in a business suit.

“How can I help you today ma’am?” She asked. “Are you visiting a patient?”

“Hardly,” Chrysalis scoffed. “I have an appointment with Dr. Jonathan Crane; we spoke over the phone an hour ago.”

The receptionist proceeded to type a few keys on the computer, before nodding in approval.

“Ah yes, you must be Ms. Chrysalis.”

“Indeed…” Chrysalis nodded.

The receptionist proceeded to push a button on her desk, which emitted a buzzing noise. A mere moment after, another door opened and a young blonde woman, wearing a black pant suit and glasses, emerged.

The woman turned toward the receptionist, who smiled at the former’s arrival.

“Sorry for the interruption doctor, but would you mind escorting this woman to Dr. Crane’s office?” She asked.

“Of course!” The woman replied kindly. “If you’ll just follow me miss, I will lead the way.”

Chrysalis gave no response and merely followed the woman through the door into the asylum. As they walked, the women passed numerous different cells all ranging from general population to solitary confinement. Inside these very cells were a number of dangerous, delirious looking individuals. Chrysalis merely smirked as they passed by, as one criminal panted heavily with his pierced tongue hanging out.

“First time at Arkham Asylum?” The doctor asked, mid-walk.

“Indeed it is,” Chrysalis nodded. “I must say this is quite fascinating. All these deranged minds, so different and yet so similar.”

“I agree with you on that,” The doctor nodded. “It’s why I decided to become a psychiatrist here. I’ve always had a thing for extreme personalities; you can’t deny there’s an element of glamour to these super criminals.”

“No you cannot,” Chrysalis agreed. “You have quite the mind yourself doctor.”

“Please, no need for formalities,” The doctor chuckled. “My name is Harleen Quinzel. But you can call me Harley, everyone does.”

After a period of walking, the two found themselves in the office region of the asylum. The ladies passed several offices, each bearing the names of the many different doctors who operate in this very facility. The one they sought for was at the very end of a winding hall. Dr. Quinzel knocked on the door and seconds later, a man in a suit, with shaggy brown hair and wearing rectangular glasses, opened the door.

“Can I help you?” He asked.

“I believe this woman made an appointment with you, Dr. Crane?” Dr. Quinzel replied.

“Ah yes, Ms. Chrysalis,” Dr. Crane greeted. “I’ve been looking forward to meeting you for a while now.”

“The feeling is mutual,” Chrysalis agreed.

“Thank you for bringing her, Dr. Quinzel,” Crane thanked the female doctor.

“No problem!” Harleen smiled. “If there’s anything you need, don’t hesitate to call.”

The young blonde doctor soon walked back down the hall leaving Chrysalis and Dr. Crane to look at one another.

“Would you care to come in?” Crane asked. “We have much to discuss.”

With a nod and a wicked smirk, Chrysalis entered the doctor’s office. Crane took a quick look around before closing the door behind him and locking it. Whatever it was those two were up to, it certainly couldn’t be good.

<>

As night fell upon the city of Gotham, the Dazzlings found themselves wandering about the docks surrounding the city. All day they searched for one particular location but so far, they’ve been unsuccessful tracking it down. And due to the sketchy nature of the city’s citizens, even the Dazzlings didn’t bother to ask. They had no idea where they were going, but one thing was utterly certain: The whole trip began to take its toll on Adagio’s last nerve.

“Ugh! I’m sick and tired of walking around this city!” She groaned. “We’ve been at this all day and haven’t found a thing.”

“I told you it was a bad idea to let Sonata stop at that taco stand!” Aria grumbled, walking alongside her. “You know when she stops at one taco place, she has to stop at all of them!”

Coming up behind them, Sonata Dusk walked with a smile on her face. In her hands, she carried several bags each containing a variety of tacos. Tacos which she indeed bought from several stands around the city.

“I can’t believe how many places around here sell tacos!” She replied happily. “We should’ve been banished here a long time ago.”

She quickly raced up alongside the other sirens, shoving the bags right in their faces.

“You guys want any?” She offered. “I’ve got plenty to spare; they’re totes amazing!”

A smirk spread across Aria’s face, as she turned toward her younger sibling with a smile.

“You know what?” She smirked. “I would actually love a taco right now. Mind if I see those bags and pick one out?”

“Absolutely!” Sonata giggled.

She handed the bags to her sister, as Aria eyed the contents within each bag.

“Let’s see…” Aria observed casually. “You’ve got your standards… chicken, carnitas, barbacoa, steak… is this one carne asada?”

“Uh huh! With extra guacamole!” Sonata replied. “A bit expensive, but extremely delicious!”

“Hmm… what a pity…”

With a sarcastic chuckle, Aria hurled the bags over her head sending them plummeting into the dark waters of the harbor.

“NOOOOOOO!!!” Sonata screamed. “NOT THE TACOS!!!”

*SMACK!*

Sonata’s head snapped to the side, as a stinging sensation formed along her left cheek after Aria viciously slapped her across the face. Tears started to well up in her eyes, as she slowly reached up to feel her stinging cheek.

“Where is your killer instinct, bubble butt?!” Aria asked angrily. “You are an absolute embarrassment as a siren! Why were we cursed with a sister like you, I’ll never know—”

“ENOUGH!” Adagio snapped. “Either you girls keep moving or, so help me, I’ll leave you both behind and I won’t apologize!”

Aria groaned with frustration but kept close to Adagio as they continued down the docks. Sonata stood frozen in place for a moment, tears rolled down her face. Her cheek still stung fiercely from the slap’s impact of which she just received. She took a look toward the water, seeing all her tacos sinking below the depths. She couldn’t believe her sister had done something like that to her; nonetheless, she slowly followed behind her sisters.

After a period of walking, eventually the sirens noticed something coming up in the distance. The closer they got to it, the clearer the view became. What their eyes spotted was a large building made entirely of glass sitting upon a rocky hill with a stone staircase leading up to it.

The three sirens walked closer toward the large glass building, their eyes catching the sign formed along an archway at the bottom of the stairs.

Gotham Botanical Gardens

“A garden?” Aria grumbled. “A garden?! We’ve been walking all around the city just to find a garden?!”

“Relax Aria, looks can be deceiving,” Adagio assured her. “Once inside, everything will be worth it.”

“It better be…”

Sonata remained silent under the threat of being struck across the face again. With no input on her part, she followed her sisters up the stone steps toward the front door of the Botanical Gardens. Pushing the front door open, the three sirens were immediately swept away by an overabundance of foliage. There were plants and flowers as far as the eye could see. The air smelled of Earth and the intoxicating aroma of floral fauna. No sooner did they take but one step inside, when the door slammed shut with a powerful *BANG!*.

“Who dares enter my domain?!”

“W-W-W-W-What was that?” Sonata asked trembling.

“Let go of my leg you big baby!” Aria snipped.

“But… but… I’m not even near you!”

Aria looked over, noticing that Sonata was indeed a good distance away from her. Which begged one question: ‘What was touching her leg?’. Peering down slowly, she noticed a vine quickly wrapping around her leg. Before she could reach out and stop it, another vine shot out from nowhere and tied her wrists together. The same thing happened to Adagio and Sonata; soon enough, the Dazzlings found themselves completely trapped.

“What’s going on here?!” Adagio struggled.

“I don’t know,” Sonata squeaked. “But this situation always leads to something… uncomfortable.”

“Foolish mortals!” The voice spoke again. “Thinking you can trespass on my hallowed ground unpunished? Don’t you know?”

The Dazzlings turned toward a giant flower, the bud blossomed up from the ground and began to bloom. Once it was completely opened, the Dazzlings were surprised to discover someone sitting within the flower. It was a woman with forest green skin and flaming red hair. She appeared to wear an outfit made entire of fauna and leaves, her lips red as a rose.

“It’s unwise to fool with Mother Nature,” The woman smirked.

She emerged from the giant flower, which proceeded to recede back through the garden floors. Slowly she approached the sirens with what could only be described as a seductive walk. So alluring in appearance, in fact, the girls couldn’t keep their own cheeks from flushing red. The mysterious woman circled the three slowly, studying their appearances with keen interest.

“What brings such young souls into my realm?” She asked curiously.

“Lady, I swear if you don’t release me right now…” Aria began.

However, her words were shortly cut off the moment a vine quickly wrapped around her mouth silencing her emphatically. The plant woman merely chuckled as she walked toward the defiant Dazzling caressing one finger under the siren’s chin.

“I don’t think you’re in any position for threats,” She spoke. “My babies are only harmless so long as I tell them to be. Should I desire it, they could crush you like a bug right where you stand.”

“Wait!”

The woman quickly snapped her head in the direction the voice came from. Her eyes locked with those of a very nervous Sonata.

“Please don’t kill us miss evil plant lady ma’am,” She pleaded. “We were sent here to find people with unique abilities to join our order!”

This information seemed to gain the woman’s attention as she slowly walked in front of Sonata.

“Is that so?” She asked. “Why should I believe you?”

“Because the Dark One sent us,” Adagio responded.

This caused the lady’s eyes to widen almost in realization before a small smile made its way to her face. She gave a small wave of her hand and all the vines receded away. Now free, the Dazzlings stretched their limbs to get them back in working order. Adagio locked eyes with the plant lady and soon there was an immediate connection between them.

“So I presume the Dark One has already spoken with you?” Adagio questioned.

“I was approached some time ago by a being dressed in robes black as night,” The lady responded. “He offered me the opportunity to bring Gotham back to the weeds.”

“What he offers is true,” Adagio confirmed. “However, there are those who stand in our way. If you want what you seek, you would be wise to help us kill them… before they harm all the gifts of nature.”

The plant lady gave a small smirk as she reached out. As if by command, a small vine wrapped lovingly around her arm, and she began to brush it affectionately as if it were a pet.

“The fools you speak of will make wonderful appetizers for my babies.”

This caused Adagio to smile with wicked satisfaction. Clearly, this woman was powerful enough to influence fauna and plant life at will. And this was only a fraction of what the Sirens were able to see. Just who knows what else this woman was capable of?”

“If we’re going to work together, we should at least be on a first name basis,” The lead siren suggested. “My name is Adagio, Adagio Dazzle. These are my sisters: Aria Blaze and Sonata Dusk.”

Sonata merely gave a small nervous wave behind Aria, who merely rolled her eyes in annoyance.

“So… what might we call you?” Adagio asked.

To which the plant lady gave another evil smirk, as she reached out to extend a hand…

“Poison… Poison Ivy.”

Training and Memories

Bright lavender eyes slowly opened, as Twilight Sparkle realized she was once more back in Bruce’s past. The last time she’d seen such a vision, Bruce was chasing a friend of his and fell into an old well connected to a cave. The moment he landed, he and Twilight were swarmed by bats so greatly that by that point the vision ended. Now she found herself back again, wondering why exactly she was seeing all of this in the first place. The moment she looked back down into the well, she noticed Bruce curled up in a ball, whimpering as the last of the bats flew away.

Suddenly, footsteps caught her attention, and she quickly leapt for cover. She had no idea if anyone could actually see her, but she was not taking any chances. The moment she looked back out, she noticed a man lowering himself down into the well.

“Bruce?”

Down in the well, Bruce looked up toward the face of his father, Thomas, the man lowering himself toward his son. Soon as he reached the bottom of the well, he took his son’s hand.

“It’s okay,” He spoke with assurance. “It’s okay.”

When he lifted his son out of the well, Thomas carried him back to the house and Twilight followed closely behind. At the entrance of the house, the Wayne family butler, Alfred Pennyworth, helped Thomas bring Bruce into the house, climbing the stairs toward the back of the manor.

“Will we be needing an ambulance, Master Wayne?” Alfred asked.

“I’ll set the bone,” Thomas told him. “Then take him for x-rays later.”

“Very good, sir,” Alfred nodded.

As they walked, they passed Mrs. Dawes, who apologized for letting the accident happen. As he passed by Rachel, Bruce gave her the arrowhead back.

“Took quite a fall, didn’t we Master Bruce?” Alfred asked.

“And why do we fall, Bruce?” Thomas asked his son. “So that we might better learn to pick ourselves up.”

They entered the house and Alfred left to discard the rope and harness. Thomas headed up the stairs and Martha Wayne, Bruce’s mother, appeared distraught.

“He’ll be fine,” Thomas assured her. “It’s just a small fracture.”

Both worried parents proceeded to carry their injured son up the stairs and out of sight, as Twilight Sparkle looked on with great concern.

“Twilight… Twilight…”

<>

“TWILIGHT!!!”

Twilight’s eyes instantly snapped open when she found herself shaken awake and her name called out loudly. When she awoke, she looked up toward all her friends, all of whom looking down at her with worry in their eyes.

“Y’all alright there Twi?” Applejack asked.

“Uh—yeah, I’m good,” Twilight nodded.

“Are you certain darling?” Rarity asked. “You were just shaking uncontrollably when we woke up.”

“I was?” Twilight asked confused.

“You sure were,” Spike nodded. “It was like you were having a seizure or something. What happened?”

Twilight shook her head in confusion as she sat up in bed. If what they said was true, that meant something was happening to her that wasn’t good at all. The problem was that she had no idea as to what it was or even how it was happening. All she knew was that she was having visions of Bruce’s past. Apparently, something was happening to her while these visions were happening.

“I don’t know what happened,” Twilight said uncertain.

“Well, whatever it is, we need to figure it out and soon before it does something worse to you,” Fluttershy said worriedly.

Suddenly, the doors to their chambers burst open causing every pony to quickly turn. Two assassins entered the room, following closely behind was Duscan Al Ghul, all dressed in his ceremonial armor.

“Ready to begin?” He asked them all.

“Huh… and here I was thinking he was the strong silent type,” Pinkie observed.

Twilight quickly got out of bed and stood alongside her friends as they all looked toward the heir to the League of Shadows.

“We’re ready, Mr. Duscan,” Twilight nodded.

“Follow me,” Duscan instructed.

Duscan turned heel and made his way out of the chamber with the two assassins following closely behind. The Mane Six and Spike looked amongst each other nervously for a moment before slowly following behind. None of them knew what awaited them, but they knew for certain that it wasn’t going to be easy for them.

<>

Few weeks later…

Bruce’s broken arm was fully healed following his fall down the well. Bruce woke from a nightmare, breathing heavily when his father entered his son’s bedroom.

“The bats again?” Thomas asked gently.

Bruce nodded as Thomas walked toward the bed and sat beside his son.

“You know why they attacked you?” He asked, to which Bruce shook his head. “They were afraid of you.”

“Afraid of me?” Bruce asked surprised.

“You’re a lot bigger than a bat, aren’t you?” Thomas smiled. “All creatures feel fear.”

“Even the scary ones?” Bruce smiled.

“Especially the scary ones,” Thomas agreed. “Here, let me show you something – but you can’t tell anyone, right?”

Bruce nodded eagerly and Thomas pulled a black box out of his pocket. He opened the case and revealed a beautiful pearl necklace, which was very old yet very well cared for all the same.

“For your mother,” Thomas smiled toward Bruce. “Do you think she’ll like them?”

“Yeah,” Bruce nodded.

Both father and son sat there laughing for what felt like the longest time, just enjoying being together.

<>

Twilight’s eyes slowly opened once again, as she felt pain radiating through her back from the impact she took along the stone ground. All day so far, Princess Twilight and the remainder of the Mane Six trained alongside Duscan and the league. Thus far, it had been anything but smooth sailing.

“Again!” Duscan ordered.

Twilight slowly got back to her feet and picked up the practice stick she’d been using in this fight training. She readied her stance, preparing for another onslaught of assault. The assassins she was training with instantly went on another flurry of stricks with their own sticks. Twilight was able to dodge a few but was struck much more. Eventually, the assassins swept her legs from under her, and she landed on the ground again.

“Another!” Duscan demanded.

Twilight groaned as she got back to her feet. Only this time, she didn’t pick up the stick.

“What’s the point of all this?” She asked weakly.

“To master the ways of the League of Shadows, you must hone the ability to handle a weapon as though it is part of your body,” Duscan explained.

“Yes, you said that when we started today,” Twilight groaned. “Yet all that’s happened is that I’ve been thrown down and probably have bruises all over my entire body. Why can’t you just tell me what to do? I’ll do it if you just—”

“I’m teaching you as my father taught me,” Duscan responded. “You must learn to master this yourself. It’s the only way you’ll ever learn to fend for yourself in times of dire need.”

“This is a waste of time!” Twilight groaned, shaking her head.

“Just what I expect from Celestia’s failure,” Duscan grinned.

This caused every pony in the room to freeze in place, their eyes slowly facing Twilight. Twilight, in turn, slowly turned back toward Duscan, this time with fire in her eyes.

“What did you just say?” She asked angrily.

“You, Princess Twilight Sparkle, are nothing but a fraud,” Duscan mocked. “Failure as a student, a mockery of all things magical. When things get tough, you just quit. You don’t even believe in yourself, let alone your destiny. Why Celestia ever wasted her time with a waste of power like yourself is beyond me.”

From the sidelines, the remainder of the Mane Six (Along with Spike) could already see what was coming. The very sight of which actually scared them.

“Girls… this is not going to end well,” Spike gulped nervously.

“Couldn’t agree more, little dude,” Rainbow agreed.

“Them’s fightin’ words alright,” Applejack said.

Twilight scowled as she raced over and picked up the stick in her mad dash toward Duscan. The Heir of the Demon quickly grabbed himself a stick and the two engaged in fierce battle. Twilight sent a flurry of attacks, which Duscan expertly dodged.

“You hold back your fighting, and that makes you weak,” Duscan mocked.

The heir soon began his own attacks. Twilight dodged as best she could, but quickly found herself losing momentum.

“You refuse to do whatever it takes to defeat your enemies and save your citizens,” Duscan continued. “That’s why you always fail.”

Reaching deep within herself, Twilight reached up and raked Duscan in the eyes, causing him to lose his momentum and fall back. Twilight resumed her flurry of attacks with her stick. She eventually knocked the stick out of Duscan’s hands and pinned him against the wall. When this happened, she eventually regained her composure and calmed down. As she backed away, a smile actually made its way along Duscan’s face.

“Well done,” He congratulated. “You are finally learning to tape into your emotions and do whatever it takes to succeed. But there’s still much work to do before you are ready. Again.”

Duscan reached down, grabbed his stick, and began to take over the training himself. He and Twilight assumed their fighting stance, and soon everything began all over again.

<>

The Wayne’s rode a brand-new monorail through the shiny buildings of Gotham. Bruce watched through a window, wearing a tux; his parents sat across from him, also dressed up. Martha wore the pearls around her neck, which she stroked with a smile.

“Did you build this train, Dad?” Bruce asked eagerly.

Thomas chuckled over his son’s interest in the family business.

“Your great-grandfather built the first trains in Gotham,” He explained. “The city’s been good to our family – but now the city’s suffering. People less fortunate than us are enduring very hard times. So we built a new public transportation system for the whole city. And at the center… Wayne Tower.”

Thomas pointed out the window of the train and Bruce looked toward a giant skyscraper Thomas was pointing to. Wayne Tower, the center of Gotham, built in 1888 by the Wayne family when they founded Gotham City. Bruce watched as the train turned a corner and headed for the central station located at the base of the tower.

“Is that where you work?” He asked, as the building grew nearer.

“No, I work at the hospital,” Thomas answered. “I leave the running of the business to much better men.”

“Better?” Bruce repeated confused.

“Well, more interested men,” Thomas amended, as they arrived at the station.

“Is it true what they say?” Bruce asked again.

“Is what true?” Thomas asked interested.

“No one talks about them, not a whisper word is said,” Bruce said. “For if you try to crush them, then they send the Talon for your head?”

This caused both Martha and Thomas to chuckle.

“The Court of Owls?” Thomas laughed. “I remember your mother and I telling you that nursery rhyme when you were little. Mostly to make sure you were a good boy.”

“So… it isn’t true?” Bruce asked.

“Of a secret society of Gotham’s wealthiest secretly controlling the city from the shadows?” Thomas smirked. “Highly doubtful. After all, what could Gotham really offer them right now?”

<>

Later that night, at the Gotham Opera house, the Wayne’s sat on one of the balconies so they could have a good view of the stage. Bruce sat between his parents, feeling nervous being the only kid there. Onstage, the performers wore dark costumes, sung in Italian, danced across the stage, and ten others climbed ropes, swung, spun, and rolled about in their black bat/bird costumes.

Bruce shivered at the sight of the outfits, uneasy by their violent movements, and the memory of the bats in the well slowly rose up. Even though he tried pushing it down and burying it, he started to panic and look around. But they are in the middle of the row. Still, he turned to his father for help.

“Can we go?” He whispered to his father. “Please?”

Though he gave a curious look, Thomas realized how scared his son was. He instantly recognized the signs of an impending panic attack and nodded. He glanced toward Martha, who looked worriedly toward Bruce and nodded. She understood and they quietly left, excusing themselves to the other people in the row, who allowed them to pass. No one took notice of an individual in the shadows that followed behind the Wayne’s as they exited the theatre.

The Waynes departed through the side door and into a side alley, one that was dark, dirty, and filled with trash. Martha adjusted her coat and looked toward Bruce, who looked ashamed for ruining their evening.

“Bruce, what’s wrong?” She asked kindly.

“He’s fine,” Thomas assured, winking at their son. “I just needed a bit of air. Bit of opera goes a long way, right, Bruce?”

With his coat over his arm, Thomas guided them toward the front of the alley where the lights of the city could be seen. Suddenly, a man with a gun emerged from the shadows blocking their way. He was run-down, with desperate-matted hair, and clearly a druggie from the way he shook. Not from the cold, but from the need of another fix.

“Wallet, jewelry! Fast!” He ordered, waving the gun.

“That’s fine,” Thomas spoke calmly.

He handed his coat to his son, and slowly reached for his wallet while the man moved the gun between him and Martha.

“Just take it easy,” Thomas spoke calmly. “Here you go.”

He handed his wallet to the man, who fumbled for it, and the wallet landed on the damp ground. This made both Bruce and Martha cringe a tad, as the man crouched to collect the wallet.

“It’s fine, it’s fine,” Mr. Wayne repeated. “Just take it and go.”

Eventually, the man grabbed the wallet and straightened up. But his eyes were fixed upon the pearls around Martha’s neck.

“I said jewelry!” He snapped.

The man reached for the necklace. Thomas quickly moved between the man and his wife, not wanting to lose the pearls since they are a family heirloom. *BAM!* The gun went off, making everyone jump. To Bruce’s horror, Thomas crumbled to the ground, blood oozing from the hole in his chest. Martha screamed and knelt beside her dying husband.

The man panicked, reached for the pearls… *BAM!* The gun went off again, cutting off her screams. Martha slumped to the ground, the necklace broke, and the pearls scattered across the ground. The man stared in shock over what he done, as his eyes locked with Bruce, who stared back with shock. Without another word, the man made a run for it as the boy looked on.

Bruce dropped to his knees, grasping his father’s hand with his own, and started to shiver. The boy looked toward his father, as they squeezed their hands for one last time.

“Bruce, Bruce,” Thomas whispered. “It’s okay. Don’t be afraid.

And then… his eyes slid shut and he stopped breathing. Bruce clung to his father’s hand, crying as he sat all alone in the alleyway, alongside the remains of his now dead parents. He was so distraught that he never even noticed a figure in a mask watching from behind a corner as an owl flew overhead.

<>

The Mane Six and Spike continued training with Duscan and the League of Assassins over a period of a few weeks. They trained in combat, endurance, resilience, and just about everything else in between. The next form of training they were about to take part in had the most dangerous and terrifying thing they probably ever done.

Currently, Duscan and a group of assassins accompanied the Equestrian heroes through the mountain until they stood upon a gorge on the other side of the mountain that faced the house. Looking down, it was a terrifying drop from where they stood and the bottom of the valley. The only thing separating them and falling to the ground below was a rope stretched from the platform they stood upon to the house.

“In order to master fear, you must show that you are able to become one with fear,” Duscan explained. “Your trial today is to cross this valley on this rope. No amount of magic can save you.”

“Are you insane?!” Rarity exclaimed loudly. “We could all die doing this!”

“If you wish to learn the ways of the League of Assassins, you must first accomplish every task the League must go through,” Duscan responded.

“You’re saying every new member of this League has done this?” Rainbow asked.

Duscan merely nodded and stood back to observe their progress. The Mane Six and Spike turned back to look down toward the mountain valley below.

“So… who’s first?” Spike asked timidly.

<>

Bruce was uncertain how much time had passed. All he knew was that he sat alone in an office of the police station, clutching his father’s coat while the cops, led by Police Captain Loeb, were out in the hallway with the reporters, who wanted a piece of what they call the ‘crime of the decade’.. With absolutely no consideration for the boy’s privacy, men armed with cameras tried taking a picture of Bruce through the glass.

He looked up toward a young cop, Jim Gordon, who approached him and knelt in front of him.

“Is that your father’s?” Gordon asked.

He reached for the coat and paused when the boy cringed away.

“It’s okay,” Bruce spoke reassuringly.

The smile from the young cop made Bruce relax, in addition to the familiar and comforting words. He took the coat, draped it around the boy’s shoulders, and gently stroked his tear-stained face. Just then, a balding African American man, Gillian B. Loeb, entered the room and scowled when he saw Gordon.

“Gordon!” He snapped, scaring Bruce. “You gotta stick your nose into everything!”

He frowned when Gordon shot him a look and nodded to the door.

“Out of my sight.”

Reluctantly, Gordon stood and left the room, despite Bruce’s pleading expression for him to stay. Once the young cop left, Loeb smiled toward the young boy.

“Good news,” He informed the boy. “We got him, son.”

Bruce looked toward the man in a dazed state of mind. So much had happened to him in such a short amount of time, he didn’t know exactly how to feel right now. Sad, angry, depressed… all these emotions were going through his head. However, one word was the perfect way to describe the state of young Bruce Wayne right now.

Broken…

<>

One week later…

Thomas and Martha Wayne were buried in the family plot at Wayne manor. Following the funeral services, the mourners were led back to the mansion. Alfred and Bruce stood in front of the manor. The old butler held the umbrella over the boy’s head as the mourners entered the various black cars and limos.

William Earle, the CEO of Wayne Enterprises, approached the duo and lowered his own umbrella as he spoke to Bruce and nodded to Alfred.

“You’re in excellent hands, Bruce,” Earle told him. “And we’re minding the empire. When you’re all grown up, it’ll be waitin’.”

He shook the boy’s hand and walked away. Then a man, with silvering black hair and green eyes, knelt down and placed a hand on Bruce’s shoulder. Bruce recognized the man as Jonathan Wycliffe, one of his parents’ closest friends.

“Bruce, I want you to know that if you and Alfred ever need anything, let me know and I will help,” He smiled gently.

Bruce smiled weakly in response while Alfred nodded.

“Thank you, sir.”

Bruce went inside the mansion and watched the last of the mourners driving away through the front gates. He saw Rachel and her mom approach one of the remaining black cars. She looked up in time to see him watched and waved to him. Bruce waved back and watched as they drove away, with the gates closing behind them.

Alfred entered the bedroom and looked toward the boy, who still stared out the window.

“I thought I’d prepare a little supper,” He offered.

The butler waited a moment before he turned to leave when he didn’t receive an answer.

“Very well…”

“Alfred,” Bruce spoke.

The boy turned from the window with tears running down his cheeks, as the butler faced him.

“Yes, Master Bruce?”

“It was my fault, Alfred,” Bruce cried. “I made them leave the theater.”

“Oh, no, no, no…” Alfred protested.

He walked forward and took the boy into his arms as he continued to blame himself.

“If I hadn’t got scared—”

“No, no, Master Bruce,” Alfred interrupted. “It was nothing you did. It was him, and him alone. Do you understand?”

Bruce nodded and buried his face into the old man’s shoulder, continuing to cry.

“I miss them, Alfred,” He wept. “I miss them so much.”

“So do I, Master Bruce,” Alfred whispered, hugging him close. “So do I.”

<>

“And do you still feel responsible?”

Henri Ducard, now wearing a black snow coat over black clothes, asked that very question toward Bruce. The latter was now clean-shaven with his hair cut to a manageable length, his hands and feet bandaged after being treated with medication to counteract the frostbite, and was wrapped up in a blanket, as he led him through the exterior halls of the monastery. Bruce’s eyes glanced at the view of the impressive snow-covered mountains, as the Equestrians stood beside the man watching him with concern.

“My anger outweighs my guilt,” Bruce responded.

Henri raised his eyebrows over this, as he led the younger man into the main chamber, where the league sparred in various groupings around the different levels, and some ninjas hung upside down on some pillars. The older man went to one of the ninjas, took the gloved hand and showed Bruce that there were spikes built into the glove.

“The Ninja is thought invisible,” He explained. “But invisibility is largely a matter of patience.”

Ducard lead Bruce and the Equestrians onto a mezzanine level, which was stacked with boxes, bags, and bottles. Several ninjas were busily pouring various powders into packets and mixing up compounds. Bruce was certain he could smell gunpowder, a smell that had haunted his nightmares for years.

“What is that putrid smell?” Rarity cringed, plugging her nose.

Ducard carefully scooped some dark powder from an open bag in one scoop, took a pinch and threw it at Bruce’s feet, making him jump when it exploded with a *BANG!* and smiled.

“Advanced techniques of Ninjitsu employ explosive powders,” He explained.

“As weapons?” Bruce asked.

“Or distractions,” Ducard said. “Theatricality and deception are powerful agents.”

“Reminds me of a certain show-pony back home,” Spike remarked.

Ducard then offered the scoop to Bruce, who carefully took a pinch of the dark powder.

“To be a great warrior is not enough,” He added. “Flesh and blood, however skilled, can be destroyed… you must be more than just a man in the minds of your opponents.”

Bruce considered all this as he threw the powder onto the floor with another *BANG!*.

<>

For a whole year, while the Equestrians resumed their own training, Henri Ducard personally trained Bruce and taught him many things. One day, the older man led him onto the surface of a frozen lake. There they practiced sword fighting, using black gauntlets that had three hook-like blades called scallops to block the blades. The surface groaned and creaked beneath their feet, forcing them to mind their footing at the same time.

“Mind your surroundings,” Henri advised, as the younger man skid across the ice. “Always.”

They resumed fighting for several minutes before breaking apart, and he walked away leaving Bruce confused.

“Your parents’ death was not your fault,” He said.

The mentor spun back around and launched an attack the young man barely deflected with his gauntlets. Henri caught the blade of Bruce’s sword with his own gauntlet and pinned it.

“It was your father’s,” He hissed.

He twisted his arm so the sword went flying across the ice; Bruce yelled angrily and launched himself toward the older man. He punched, kicked, and slashed the freezing air with his gauntlets, yet Henri avoided them all, knocking him down again. He pinned Bruce against the ice, twisting his arm behind his back.

“Anger does not change the fact that your father failed to act,” He added.

“The man had a gun!” Bruce grunted.

The young man tried freeing himself from Henri’s grip on his arm, which started to throb. Henri scoffed, released his grip, and turned away.

“Would that stop you?”

“I’ve had training,” Bruce pointed out.

He returned to his feet again, struggling with his anger over what was said about his father. In his own mind, his father was still a hero.

“The training is nothing!” Henri shouted, attacking Bruce with his sword. “The will is everything. Your father trusted his city, its logic… he thought he understood the attack and couple simply give him what he wanted.”

He knocked the younger man down the ice once again, and his tone became gentle as Bruce struggled to his feet once again.

“Your father did not understand the forces of decay,” He explained. “Cities like Gotham are in their death throws – chaotic, grotesque. Beyond saving.”

“Beyond saving?” He repeated, shocked. “You believe that?”

Henri didn’t answer right away; instead, he gestured to the harshly beautiful landscape currently surrounding them.

“It is not right that one must come so far, to see the world as it is meant to be,” He explained. “Purity. Serenity… solitude. These are the qualities we hold dear. But the important thing is whether you believe it.

“Can Gotham be saved, or is she an ailing ancestor whose time has run?”

Before Bruce could answer, Henri swung his sword at the younger man once again. This time, however, he blocked the strike with his forearms crossed, and then slid between the older man’s legs, across the ice and toward his sword. Grasping his sword, he spun, and swept Henri’s legs from underneath him, causing him to all onto the ice. Bruce jumped up, thrust his sword at Henri’s throat and stopped, merely inches away, and grinned.

“Yield.”

Henri heard the ice starting to crack and shook his head, smiling at his student’s mistake.

“You haven’t beaten me,” He countered. “You’ve sacrificed sure footing for a killing stroke.”

He tapped the ice with his blade – the ice shattered, and Bruce plunged into the icy cold water below with an expression of alarm on his face.

<>

It was evening by the time Henri pulled Bruce from the water and onto the shore, where the young man was now bundled up in a blanket. He shivered violently against the developing hypothermia while rubbing his arms; Henri sat across from him, feeding sticks into a small fire.

“Don’t rub your arms, rub your chest,” He advised. “Your arms will take care of themselves.”

He watched as Bruce followed his instructions while still feeding the fire.

“You’re stronger than your father.”

“You didn’t know my father,” Bruce snorted, still upset with the jabs.

“But I know the rage that drives you… that impossible anger strangling the grief until your loved one’s memory is just poison in your veins,” Henri countered, his expression distant. “And one day you catch yourself wishing the person you loved had never existed, so you’d be spared your pain…”

He then became aware that Bruce was looking at him with surprise on his young face.

“I wasn’t always here in the mountains,” He explained witfully. “Once I had a wife. My great love. She was taken from me. Like you, I was forced to learn that there are those without decency. Who must be fought without hesitation or pity.

“Your anger gives you great power,” He explained to the young man. “But if you let it, it will destroy. As it almost did me.”

Bruce nodded, knowing the feeling very well.

“What stopped it?” He asked.

“Vengeance.”

“That’s no help to me,” Bruce sighed.

“Why, Wayne?” Henri asked quietly. “Why could you not avenge your parents?”

Bruce turned away, unbidden as the memories surfaced. Memories of the day he made a choice that changed his life in a completely different way.

Moral Decision

After an entire year spent training alongside Duscan and Ducard, the time finally came for Bruce Wayne and the Equestrian heroes at long last. Having learned all they could in the art of combat, both physical and mental, one final test still awaited. Bruce and the Equestrians sat in the throne room, dressed in black ninja armor, along with Henri Ducard. In his hand he held the blue flowers Bruce and the others carried up the mountain. Now dried and shriveled, Henri dropped the dead flower into a bowl, and used a pestle to grind it into a fine powder.

“A criminal isn’t complicated, and what you really fear is inside yourself,” He explained. “You fear your own power. Your own anger. The drive to do great or terrible things… you must journey inwards.”

“Pardon me for asking Mr. Ducard, but what does that have to do with us?” Twilight asked. “We don’t fear power or anger.”

“Well… we try not to…” Fluttershy admitted meekly.

“From what Duscan told me from watching your training, what holds you back is your inability to do whatever it takes to achieve your ends,” Ducard answered. “That is the fear you must be willing to overcome to become more than what you are.”

He soon began pouring hot water onto the powder, which instantly dissolved into a steaming boil. He proceeded to hand the bowl to Bruce.

“Drink in your fears,” He commanded. “Face them. You are ready.”

Bruce accepted the bowl, breathing in the smoke, and his began spinning instantly. Images of bats, the opera, himself falling, and the night his parents died flashed through his mind. While this went on, Duscan approached with a large goblet in hand. He walked over and handed the goblet to Ducard, who turned toward Twilight Sparkle, along with the remainder of the Mane Six and Spike.

“Are you all ready for your final challenge?” He asked them.

“Yes, we are,” Twilight nodded.

“Ya got that right,” Applejack agreed.

“Been ready since day one,” Rainbow commented. “Why we had to do all the toner stuff…”

A quick jab in the ribs, courtesy of Applejack, promptly silenced Rainbow. Looking inside the goblet, Twilight’s eyes widened at the glowing substance inside.

“What exactly is our final task?” She asked nervously.

“Duscan told me he offered you the opportunity to partake in the wonders of the Lazarus Pit,” Ducard answered. “You refused.”

“We meant no offense by it, Mr. Ducard,” Rarity responded.

“We truly didn’t,” Fluttershy nodded.

Ducard merely held up a hand for silence, to which they complied.

“Worry not, acolytes,” Ducard assured. “I understand the Pit’s powers seem unnatural and archaic. But once you partake in them, only then shall you understand what you are meant to be. This is why I made this your final test. Each of you must drink from the goblet filled with the waters of the Lazarus itself.”

The Mane Six and Spike turned wide-eyed and nervous, looking at the goblet in Ducard’s hands then back at Ducard.

“Uh—and w-what h-happens to us when we d-do?” Spike stuttered nervously.

“Even a small amount you ingest will not entirely alter your being to incredible extents,” Duscan assured. “This is but a temporary dose; however, it will grant you a small amount of the power it wields.”

Ducard proceeded to hand the goblet to Twilight Sparkle, who hesitantly took it in her hands. The rest of her friends and Spike looked inside the goblet with the glowing liquid with serious hesitation.

“Are we really doing this?” Rarity asked.

“We ain’t got any other choice, sugar cube,” Applejack responded.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t tempted before about the Pit,” Spike said honestly.

“I’m actually super-duper excited to find out what it tastes like!” Pinkie smiled. “Is it sweet? Spicy? Sour? Ooh, I REALLY want to know!”

“I’m guessing it won’t be any good, Pinkster,” Rainbow commented.

Twilight looked amongst her friends before staring down into the goblet. So many doubts swam through her head. The princess was clearly skeptical, even after watching Duscan show them its abilities. Then again, the power of this water was clearly very powerful and beneficial. If it can heal a man on the brink of death, she could only imagine how it could benefit to all the ponies of Equestria… or even the other tribes.

With great hesitation, Twilight slowly lifted the goblet to her lips and drank the liquid within. Almost instantly, Twilight coughed and sputtered from the horrible taste of the water. It tasted like a combination of sea water and gasoline. However, what it lacked in taste, it made up for with a powerful force coursing through her.

“Are you okay, Twilight?” Fluttershy asked concerned.

Twilight could feel each of her senses and every muscle in her body growing stronger. Looking down at her arms, she noticed she had gained more muscle mass and she could actually hear the fresh falling snow hit the ground from the bottom of the mountain. And to her surprise, when she felt her back, no longer did she feel the strain she had endured from a previous adventure.

“I’m… I’m alright!” Twilight nodded. “I feel great! I haven’t felt this powerful since we discovered the Elements. You need to try this.”

The rest of the Mane Six and Spike looked at Twilight, then amongst each other nervously before eyeing the goblet. Rainbow was next to pick it up as she looked amongst the others. Shrugging to herself, she herself took a drink. Eventually, one by one, the remainder of the Equestrians partook in the Lazarus waters and each one felt themselves growing stronger. Once it was all said and done, the entire group found themselves feeling better than when they landed upon this world.

“Can you feel the power of the Lazarus flowing through your veins?” Duscan asked.

To which the Equestrians merely nodded as they admired their newfound power.

“How does it feel?” Ducard asked as well.

“It’s awesome!” Rainbow said excitedly. “I feel even better than when I first became a Wonderbolt!”

“I haven’t felt this good since the day I got married!” Rarity agreed.

“Wowie-wow-wow!” Pinkie grinned widely. “It’s like a really, really, REALLY big sugar rush!”

“For once in my entire life, I don’t feel afraid of anything,” Fluttershy spoke.

Ducard smirked at them as he pulled a mask over his own head. He motioned for Bruce to do the same.

“Why the masks?” Bruce asked.

Henri’s eyes started to glow an eerie blue color; instead of answering, dozens of ninjas emerged from the shadows into several long lines. In the meantime, the older man melted into the lines.

“Great, I have to do this drugged out of my mind!” Bruce thought.

The room itself was distorted as he moved through the lines of ninjas, searching while the older man’s distorted voice seemed to be coming from everywhere.

“To conquer fear, you must become fear,” Ducard said. “You must bask in the fear of other men… and men fear most what they cannot see.”

Henri emerged from the lines and attacked Bruce, who parried and spun, only to have the ninjas move and the older man disappeared once again. One ninja among many, and he began speaking as Bruce searched.

“It is not enough to be a man… you have to become an idea… a terrible thought… a wrath.”

Ducard attacked from behind and the young man barely avoided it as the ninjas moved once again, hiding his target among their ranks. God, this was getting annoying! He resumed searching and spun when the ninjas shifted again, revealing a wooden box.

“Embrace your worst fear,” Henri instructed.

Bruce cautiously approached the box, slowly lifting the lid to peer inside. Bats exploded from the box, startling him so bad he dove to the ground as they flew around him, clawing at his armor. After a few seconds, they were gone, and Bruce, breathing heavily, got to his feet returning to the line of ninjas – only for Ducard to attack from behind, this time slashing his arm before disappearing again.

Bruce suppressed a curse, realizing this would make it easier for the older man to find him. Suddenly, he got an idea. Staying low, he sliced the arms of two different ninjas, and neither of them winced.

“This better work or else all this training will have been for nothing.”

<>

While this went on, Duscan remained with the Mane Six and Spike. They were still admiring their strength and the great feeling it gave them.

“You know, I wouldn’t mind feeling like this every single day of my life,” Spike commented. “Would make me look forward to getting up in the morning.”

“I hear ya, little dude,” Rainbow agreed.

“I am glad you all admire the power, but it’s high time to put it to the test,” Duscan spoke up. “Your final test.”

With a snap of his fingers, a large number of assassins circled the Mane Six and Spike. All of them were armed with swords, guns, and all assortments of weaponry. This left the group basically defenseless as they had nothing to defend themselves with.

“Use the power of the Lazarus to defeat your enemies,” Duscan instructed. “You must do whatever it takes to secure your victory… or die.”

“Wow, comforting!” Rainbow said sarcastically.

The Mane Six and Spike assumed their defensive stances, as the assassins closed in upon them. Then, in a single instant, mayhem and bedlam broke out as the assassins leapt into action and the Equestrians braced themselves. This fight was definitely more intense than their prior training, for these assassins were actually trying to kill them. Either they were going to win this fight, or they’d die at this very moment.

Twilight dodged sword strokes from the blade of one assassins and threw off blows and swift kicks like a true ninja. However, the assassin managed to gain the upper hand with a swift kick that sent her backwards, slamming her against a column. Taking one look toward Duscan, Twilight noticed him giving her that same look he gave her during the entire training.

Do whatever it takes to win…

Closing her eyes, Twilight allowed the Lazarus’s power to take over and she snapped her eyes back open as the assassin raced toward her with the sword ready for the kill. The power within allowed her to leap with a flip over the assassin and grab onto his back. She threw him with such force that he actually went straight through the stone wall and out of sight. Her eyes widened as she stood for a good minute, looking toward the hole where the assassin crashed through. She didn’t have time to contemplate, however, as another assassin charged toward her sending her back into the fight.

Rainbow and Applejack were both dueling a barrage of assassins like a cohesive unit. For the most part, the girls held their own. Eventually, the assassins overwhelmed the pair and had them on the ground, kicking their sides without mercy. Reaching deep inside, they both looked at one another and allowed themselves to tap into the power of the Lazarus. Using their immense strength, they pushed the assassins off them and sent them flying around the room. They pressed on with the attack against the assassin group, and with every swipe of their fists and a stiff kick thy could hear bones breaking with every attack.

Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy both tapped into the power of the Lazarus, and neither of them were the same super-excited or shy ponies they once were. Now within their eyes were stone-cold killers on a violent, vicious assault upon their enemies. Rarity no longer cared about anything other than violence and pain as the Lazarus effect took hold of her. Being a dragon, Spike was already a force of nature. But now with the Lazarus’s strain coursing through him, he became a true fighting beast.

Meanwhile, Duscan watched with a smirk as his new weapons dismantled and destroyed his own assassins one-by-one…

<>

Ducard moved through the lines, stalking the young man as he resumed speaking, mildly disappointed that the bats hadn’t worked.

“Become one with the darkness…” He whispered.

Fighting back a sigh, he saw a ninja with a familiar injury. He shoved the man to his knees, pressed his sword against his neck, and removed his own mask.

“You cannot leave any sign,” Ducard scolded, disappointed.

All of a sudden, he felt the cold steel of a blade held against the back of his neck. A masked assassin stood behind him.

“I haven’t.”

Ducard smirked as Bruce removed his mask, revealing himself as the one holding the blade. Ducard glanced around at the ninjas nearest them and saw that they had slashed sleeves. The remaining ninjas sat on the floor, revealing Ra’s Al Ghul, who sat upon his throne clapping. To the side, the Mane Six and Spike continued to dismantle the League’s assassins until they heard the clapping.

“Impressive,” The old Asian man spoke, in perfect English.

Judging by the tone, this man clearly approved of Bruce’s idea and success. Putting away their blades, Henri led the entire group toward the throne and stood before him. Duscan made way to the side of the elder Asian man. Ra’s stood, moved to a nearby brazier with a branding iron sticking out, and two ninjas brought the murderer from the other day to the throne room. Soon Ra’s began to speak…

“’We have purged your fear’,” Ducard translated with pride. “’You are ready to lead these men. You are ready to become a member of the League of Shadows’.”

“About time,” Rainbow commented.

“That felt so good!” Spike smiled. “I’ve never noticed before, but nothing seems to beat the feeling of cracking bones!”

“I admit it did feel satisfying to make someone else feel weak and pathetic for a change,” Fluttershy agreed. “I don’t want it to end!”

All this talk made Twilight freeze in place, actually contemplating what she was hearing. It was one thing to hear this kind of talk from her more bolder friends, but hearing her usually shy and gently friend, even her little dragon brother, speak such venomous thoughts… it was disturbing. She turned back toward them, displaying concern in her eyes.

“Guys, do you even hear what you’re just saying?” She asked. “This isn’t like you at all; this isn’t like any of us! You’re talking about brutality and violence. We’re meant to be agents of Harmony and Peace, not rushing into damage and destruction.”

Hearing Twilight talk made everyone look amongst each other, as if recognizing she was making a point.

“She’s right…” Applejack spoke, removing her hat. “Wut’s become of us?”

“I-I-I-I don’t really know,” Pinkie said, worriedly. “One moment I have this rush of energy and an insatiable need to beat something… but now I feel worse than the time I had that food coma at the Las Pegasus buffet.”

As reality started to dawn upon the group, Ra’s Al Ghul gestured to the bound man.

“First, you must demonstrate your commitment to justice.”

Bruce frowned the moment Henri handed his sword to him.

“No, I’m no executioner,” He shook his head.

“Your compassion is a weakness your enemies won’t share,” Ducard warned him.

“That’s why it’s so important,” Bruce countered, refusing the sword. “It separates me from them.”

“You want to fight criminals,” Ducard reminded Bruce. “This man is a murderer.”

“This man should be tried!” Bruce argued.

“By whom?” Henri snorted. “Corrupt bureaucrats? Criminals mock society’s law. You know this better than most.”

“You’re wrong!”

It was then that Henri and Bruce turned toward Twilight, who finally decided to speak up.

“You’re talking about killing a man in cold blood!” Twilight interjected. “You call that true justice for the world?”

“That’s because it is the only true justice,” Duscan said, beside Ra’s. “Think to yourself, princess. How many times have you defeated the same villains and locked them away thinking they’ll repent for their crimes? They’ll just escape, causing more chaos and misery to others… endangering the lives of those you swore to protect. There’s no redemption for evil; evil must be destroyed at all costs. That’s how you become more than what you once were, it is the only way to evolve.”

It was then Ra’s al Ghul’s turn to speak, in an accented English.

“You cannot lead these men unless you are prepared to do what is necessary to defeat evil.”

“Where will I be leading these men?” Bruce asked, surprised.

“Gotham,” Ra’s responded. “As Gotham’s favored son, you will be ideally placed to strike at the heart of criminality.”

Though uncertain if he truly wanted to know, even with the concern of the Equestrians, this was one mystery Bruce couldn’t ignore.

“How?” Bruce asked uneasily.

“Gotham’s time has come,” Ra’s al Ghul answered. “Like Constantinople or Rome before it… the city has become a breeding ground for suffering and injustice… it is beyond saving and must be allowed to die. This is the most important function of the League of Shadows. It is one we have performed for centuries. Gotham must be destroyed.

“What?!” Bruce and the Equestrians yelped, alarmed.

Hearing those words made Twilight fully realize what exactly they’ve been training for all this time.

“You were never training us to save the world at all,” Twilight spoke, shocked. “This whole time you were intending to use us as weapons! To destroy any and everything you deem ‘beyond saving’… that’s why you wanted us to use the Lazarus Pit so much…”

Not only did Twilight realize it, but so did the remainder of her friends. How they all felt such a small amount they ingested altering their minds during that fight with the assassins. It made them violent, destructive, and willing to kill. And to hear it all from a man no longer needing anyone to translate for him, it only proved how serious this circumstance truly was.

“When Gotham falls, the other cities will follow in short order,” Ra’s explained. “Nature’s balance will be restored, and Man will finally return to solitude.”

Neither Bruce nor the Equestrians could believe what they heard. The young man turned toward Ducard.

“You can’t believe in this!” He hissed.

“It’s not true…” Fluttershy shook her head, tearfully. “Tell us it’s not true…”

Henri merely shot a warning look in response.

“Ra’s al Ghul has rescued us from the darkest corners of our own hearts,” He whispered quickly. “What he asks in return is obedience and the courage to do what is necessary.”

“So you’d willingly sell your soul for justice?” Rarity asked appalled.

“I know my place in this world!” Ducard hissed. “It is time you learned yours…”

It took a moment for Bruce to gather his thoughts in place, before turning toward the bound man who knelt before them.

“I’ll go back to Gotham,” Bruce vowed. “And I’ll fight men like this! But I won’t be an executioner.”

“And we won’t become your weapons of mass destruction!” Rainbow spoke determined. “We are the Guardians of Harmony; we will do things our way!”

“Bruce, please, for your own sake,” Henri whispered emphatically. “There is no turning back…”

“Don’t listen to him, Bruce!” Fluttershy pleaded. “You’re better than that!”

Bruce turned toward his friends for a moment, then back to his mentor before taking the sword. He slowly raised the blade, preparing to strike while the murderer bowed his head and trembled at his feet.

“Bruce, please!” Twilight whispered. “Is this really what your parents would’ve wanted? They believed that you would grow to be a great man. You do this, you’d be turning your back on that faith in you… forever.”

Bruce froze over her words, allowing them to course through his head. He then swung down, narrowly missing the murderer’s neck by inches. Instead, he struck the white-hot branding iron, flipping it through the air and into the mezzanine where all the explosives were stored.

“What are you doing?” Ducard asked, startled.

“What’s necessary, my friend,” Bruce answered.

*WHAM!*

One hit toward the older man in the head and he was knocked out instantaneously. A howl of rage drew Bruce’s attention, as Ra’s al Ghul leapt forward and slashed toward the younger man with his sword. Bruce managed to block the incoming attack and a fight ensued between the two men. The league scattered about, fleeing for their lives as the storage area exploded, destroying the building in the process.

“Come on, we must help Bruce!” Twilight called out.

As the group raced toward Bruce, Duscan leapt before them with a look of pure hatred upon his face.

“You truly are weak and pretentious, princess!” He spat. “We give you the chance to become something greater than you were and you toss it away like a child’s plaything!”

“We are not killers, Duscan!” Twilight argued. “What you ask of us is not something we condone or would ever contemplate. We will never be like you!”

Duscan reached behind him and grabbed his dual katanas in hand.

“Mark my words, you won’t have a choice in the matter,” He growled. “Either you kill me here and now… or burn with us all!”

Duscan lunged toward the Equestrians, his swords ready to slice their targets in half. Quick as whips, the Equestrians split off as the blades struck the ground from whence they stood. The girls, along with Spike, grabbed for any weapons scattered around to use from katanas to staves, few of which Twilight and Rarity lifted with their magic. Rainbow Dash, without a weapon, lunged forward with a roar and a fist ready to strike, to which Duscan delivered a swift kick in the air and sent the Pegasus girl flying back.

Pinkie Pie and Rarity charged toward Duscan, who blocked a kick from Rarity and countered with a kick to the chest. Simultaneously, Duscan sent Pinkie back with a back kick with the other leg. Applejack swung with a katana, which Duscan blocked with one of his own, while Fluttershy tried to swing a wooden broom at his head. But Duscan sliced off the head with his other sword and shoved her back with one foot. Then Duscan quickly swung an elbow to Applejack’s forehead, sending her back a few paces.

Twirling a staff around with his hands, Spike swung and missed Duscan who dodged smoothly like a snake. Spike attempted to thrust the wooden staff toward his head, only for Duscan to block with both katanas, then swung a left leg to Spike’s stomach, then a swift right kick to the back knocking him down. Twilight and Rarity raced to take down Duscan, who leapt in the air and delivered two kicks, one to each chest, sending them flying back and reeling with pain.

A wild scream caught Duscan’s attention as Rainbow Dash came swinging with nunchaku twirling around her head. She swung madly toward Duscan who merely ducked and leaned away, as Rainbow madly tried to hit her target. But after one failed swing, Duscan leaned back and slammed his head against hers. The impact made Rainbow’s eyes roll, as she felt a dizzying sensation from the blow, until she slowly fell backwards onto the ground.

Duscan turned only to quickly dodge as Twilight returned to battle and swung her sword against her former master, who dodged with ease. The strike of their blades caused sparks to fly away as the student and master sparred at one another with blades. Twilight found herself working up a sweat trying to keep up with Duscan, who parried and swung without a single hint of strain upon him. Twilight quickly retreated as Duscan pursued her with blades ready to pierce. And then, just as she reached a corner, she ran up the surface and flipped over Duscan, just as one of his blades pierced through the stone leaving it embedded against the wall. Duscan quickly turned and blocked her sword, both pressing their blades against each other, grunting, and groaning for control.

“Give it up, Princess!” Duscan snarled. “I taught you every move you’ve ever learned here; I know what you’ll do before you can even strike.”

“You may have taught me to fight, Duscan,” Twilight frowned. “But not… everything.”

Then suddenly, Twilight quickly swung a foot below the belt, and Duscan cringed and gasped with pain as he felt a burning sensation between his legs. But Duscan hadn’t long to recover when Rainbow flew forward and delivered a round house kick to the head. Duscan stumbled to the side, right toward Applejack and Rarity, who both delivered swift kicks to his face, turning him towards Pinkie Pie, who smashed a nearby vase at the top of the man’s head.

Duscan stood struggling to keep his balance when he saw Fluttershy charged forward. Fluttershy raised her own fist and Duscan found he hadn’t the strength to block, waiting for the incoming blow. But all of a sudden, Fluttershy’s fist stopped inches from his face, much to the man’s own confusion. Before he could speak, Fluttershy dropped, and Spike leapt onto and hopped off her back delivering a stunning crane kick under the man’s chin, a kick so hard that a tooth flew out of his mouth. Finally, Duscan couldn’t take it anymore as he ultimately collapsed onto the ground. The Equestrians gathered around Duscan, who laid upon the floor in a state of unconsciousness.

“This much I learned from you, Duscan,” Twilight spoke. “Being immortal does not make you indestructible.”

Suddenly, a cracking noise from above drew their attention, as the burning ceiling started to fall apart right where Bruce and Ra’s al Ghul were fighting. Thinking quickly, Twilight conjured her magic to drive Bruce out of the way as the ceiling ultimately collapsed atop of Ra’s, killing him instantly. Getting up, Bruce spotted Ducard’s unconscious form, made his way over and swung the older man over his shoulders as explosions continued to rip the place apart.

Grunting with strain, Bruce staggered toward the front of the building as it continued to collapse around them. Another explosion knocked them both through an ornate screen. The two men tumbled through the air and onto the snowy slopes of the mountain. Bruce grunted upon landing, spotting the still unconscious Ducard and slid down the slope toward the edge of a cliff. Bruce launched himself down the icy slope headfirst.

When they were mere feet from the cliff edge, Bruce grabbed the older man’s arm and used his other gauntlets to smash into the ground. The blades dug deep into the ground, stopping them near the ledge where Henri now dangled over as Bruce struggled to lift him back up.

Amidst all the chaos, the Mane Six and Spike raced down the hill and grabbed hold of Bruce, pulling him (And even Ducard) to safety. Once they were safe, Bruce carried the older man over his shoulders fire-man style down the mountain to the tiny hamlet. The Mane Six and Spike followed closely behind, Twilight Sparkle dragging an equally unconscious Duscan within her magical grasp. Soon as they reached the village, the people actually watched as they headed for a certain hut and kicked the door open, surprising its owner, an old man.

The old man stared at the group and their burden for a moment before motioning to some mats. The young man gently laid Ducard onto the mats, while the Equestrians did the same for Duscan. The old man used a wet cloth to carefully wipe away the blood from the men before glancing at Bruce, who headed for the door.

“I will tell them you saved their lives,” He promised.

“I only hope they will appreciate it,” Rarity wondered.

“I seriously doubt that!” Rainbow responded.

“What are we to do now?” Fluttershy asked.

“The Dazzlings and Chrysalis are still out there,” Twilight answered. “We must leave this place and track them down. Granted, I have no idea what plans they’re concocting right now, but I do know we must stop them at all costs.”

Bruce paused and turned back, looking at Henri’s unconscious from.

“Tell him… I have an ailing ancestor who needs me,” He requested.

He placed his hands together, then performed a formal bow before leaving the hut. He knew he had a job to do, and he needed to get home first and foremost. With his intent in mind, he turned back to his new friends, who all waited to hear his instructions.

“Come… we need to get to Gotham.”

“Best idea I’ve heard since we got here,” Spike sighed, massaging his head.

Return to Gotham

*Gotham Botanical Gardens*

Inside the run down and now foliage-overgrown gardens, Adagio Dazzling paced the crumbled floors of the lair they currently occupied alongside Poison Ivy. Having arrived upon this world merely a few days prior, they still had little-to-no idea of what exactly they were meant to do in this world.

Wait a minute!

What?

How can they have only been in Gotham for a few days when clearly the Mane Six and Spike have been training with the League for a whole year?

We never ‘specified’ they arrived in Gotham at the same time the others arrived in the Himalayas, now did we?

We probably should have.

Moving on…

*Clears throat* Anyway… the Dazzlings haven’t made any progress in their assignment upon this world just yet. They had no idea exactly as far as ‘what’ their mission even was. This frustrated them to no end because they refused to be stuck in this place forever. They needed to find something to present for the Order, but this task proved most difficult seeing as how they had no clue what to find.

The yellow-skinned siren found her thoughts interrupted by growing footsteps. She turned around and spotted Aria Blaze walking toward her.

“Where’s Sonata?” Adagio asked curiously.

“I don’t know, and I really don’t care,” Aria replied. “Honestly, we’d get more accomplished with her gone.”

“We won’t get anything accomplished at all if we can’t find something of value to bring to the Order. You know what will happen if we fail!”

“Well so far, all this city has to offer is crime, pollution, and way too many taco stands,” Aria sighed. “Now that I mention it, that probably explains where Sonata is. I swear that siren is as dumb as a sack of hammers.”

“At least hammers serve a purpose,” Adagio spoke, with an eye roll. “And unless something happens to her, two Sirens is not going to be enough.”

Suddenly, the doors to the Botanical Gardens opened causing both girls to look in their direction. They both anticipated their dim-witted sister making her way inside with more tacos. However, it wasn’t Sonata Dusk at all. Instead, in walked another teenage girl with fair-pink skin and dark hair with a single pink streak. She was dressed in a punk-rocker outfit with a leather jacket, dark grey corset top, shorts, stockings, and combat boots.

“Ivy!” The girl called out. “Where are you?!”

“Who are you?” Adagio asked the girl.

The girl turned toward the two sirens with a look of surprise that they were even there.

“I think the better question is: Who are you?” The girl retorted.

At that moment, a giant flower emerged from the ground and opened up to reveal none other than Poison Ivy herself. The plant lady stepped out of the flower, which receded back into the Earth and approached the pink girl.

“Ah Zoe, my flower,” She greeted, smiling. “How did you fare at the Star Lab Bio Facility?”

The girl, Zoe by name, reached behind her and pulled out a dull backpack from behind her. Unzipping the bag, she pulled out a vial of some strange green liquid and handed it to the plant lady. Ivy took the vial and examined it with such fascination.

“This what you’re looking for?” Zoe asked.

“That’s exactly what I was looking for,” Ivy nodded. “However did you manage to get it from the scientists?”

“Being a siren has its perks,” Zoe smirked.

This made Adagio and Aria stare at the pink girl with wide eyes.

“Siren?!” They exclaimed with shock.

The pink girl and plant lady both turned toward the two sirens.

“You’re a Siren?” Adagio asked curiously.

“I know what I am,” Zoe nodded. “The name’s Zoe Pink Star. Been living here with Ivy since she found me wandering the streets of Gotham years ago. Didn’t pay me much mind, until she found out I could woo a construction team from harming a tree. Next thing I know, she brought me in.”

“And she’s been a loyal little flower ever since,” Ivy nodded.

“It’s just… I didn’t think there any other sirens anywhere,” Aria spoke amazed.

“Wait… you guys are sirens too?” Zoe asked.

Both Adagio and Aria nodded their heads, to which Zoe merely released a sarcastic chuckle.

“Right!” She snorted. “And I’m the Queen of England; I charge extra for a dance.”

“You don’t believe us?” Aria asked offended. “We can prove it to you right here and now.”

“Bring it on!” Zoe retorted.

Ivy waved her hand, and her plants began to slither toward another room in the gardens. When they came back, they dragged what resembled a man tied up with wiring, and his mouth gagged shut with a cloth. The plants set the man beside their mistress, and she released the gag. The poor man took deep breaths before bursting with pleas.

“Please let me go!” He begged. “I promise I won’t tell anyone about this.”

Ivy merely looked away from the man, then back toward Adagio and Aria. The two sirens cleared their throats and released a few soft notes. The man found himself entranced by the lovely voices of the two beautiful young ladies. Zoe watched from the sidelines as the two sirens captivated the poor man. Soon as they finished, the man had such a cheeky grin on his face, as if he seemed so far out of it. Adagio and Aria turned back toward Zoe with smirks and cocked eyebrows.

“What do you think of that?” Aria asked cockily.

Zoe gave a little smirk and a now of the head.

“Seems you guys are real sirens after all,” She said. “I suppose that practically makes us sisters.”

Ivy then walked toward the man and helped him to his feet. She undid the wiring that secured him and looked back at him with a bright smile.

“Thank you my dear, you served your purpose well,” She said seductively.

She then placed a kiss upon his lips and when she pulled away, the man’s eyes went wide. He suddenly started choking and clawing his throat, before falling back to the ground. Before long, he went completely limp as his face changed to a sickly green color and dark black veins formed around his mouth. He was dead on the spot due to an intense measure of poisoning. All three sirens watched from the sidelines with wicked smirks on their faces.

At that moment, the door burst open again just as Sonata arrived with bags in her hands.

“Hiya girls!” She exclaimed excitedly. “Sorry I’m late, but I met this really nice guy at a taco stand. He was like the nicest person I’ve met and…”

The blue siren quickly snapped her mouth shut upon seeing the poisoned dead man on the ground and the new girl in the room with everyone.

“What did I miss?” She asked curiously.

<>

Later that same day, following the defeat of Ra’s Al Ghul and Duscan, the Equestrians and Bruce Wayne made their way down the mountain back to the tiny village. To say it had been a very rough day would be a massive understatement. Having trained with the League a full year, they had no idea things would turn out the way they had. Originally, they believed their cause to be just, only to discover the League were just as corrupt as the evil they sought to destroy. Thankfully, they saw through their façade and managed to bring a halt to their plans. For now, their main concern was getting to Gotham City.

Wearing clothes provided by the people of the hamlet, even bandaging the cut on his arm, Bruce and the Equestrians finally arrived at a smoky inn at the bottom of the mountain. The inn was filled with locals and climbers upon entry, but they didn’t get far when the crowd stopped and stared at them for a moment… then resumed their daily activities.

“So… what exactly is the plan here?” Rainbow asked.

“First things first,” Bruce answered. “I need to get in touch with my butler, Alfred.”

“You have a butler?” Spike asked.

“Yes Spike, I explained all of this on the way down the mountain,” Twilight sighed. “Remember the visions I told you I’ve been having; the reason why I’ve been feeling weird as of late?”

“A close friend of the group experiencing something weird yet being vague about it,” Spike feigned wondering. “Nope… I can’t imagine that feeling at all.”

True to her word, throughout the entire journey down the mountain, Twilight decided to enlighten her friends and Bruce about her visions. She even told them all about Bruce’s past, which Bruce was able to confirm.

“Sorry Twi,” Spike apologized. “All joking aside, everything’s been such a huge blue for me since we left that burning house.”

“I must agree with you there, Spikey,” Rarity agreed.

“Besides, even if we get to this Gotham City, how’re we even supposed to find the Dazzlings and Chrysalis anyway?” Rainbow questioned.

“Mah guess is tah find where the most chaos is comin’ from,” Applejack suggested. “Shouldn’t be too hard.”

Ignoring the comments, Bruce walked toward the bar and used the phone to dial a number. He waited as the phone rang several times until a familiar voice answered it.

“Wayne Residence.”

Bruce smiled sadly upon hearing the older man’s voice after seven years.

“Alfred.”

“Master Wayne? It’s been some time.”

“Yes. Yes it has,” Bruce chuckled. “I need a ride.”

“And where are we, sir?”

Bruce looked around, hoping for a clue to his current location.

“Bhutan, I think,” He guessed, as a nearby man nodded. “Yes, I’m in Bhutan.”

“Am I to assume that you’re without money and passport?”

“I’m traveling a bit light, yes,” Bruce admitted.

“Traveling light is definitely putting it mildly,” Rainbow pointed at his clothes.

To which Pinkie Pie couldn’t help but giggle over the joke, as Bruce stared with annoyance over the remark.

“I believe there’s an airstrip at Khatmandu long enough for a G5. Make your way there, I’ll have the jet down in fifteen hours.”

“Very good,” Bruce said relieved. “Oh, and Alfred?”

“Yes, sir?”

“We’re going to be having a few guests staying for a while,” Bruce informed. “Be sure to make up a few of the guest rooms. Also, if it’s not too much trouble, bring some painkllers.”

“I’ll get right on that, sir.”

<>

A few hours later…

Bruce and the Equestrians arrived in Katandu, approaching the awaiting G5 plane. Afred, who waited in the doorway at the top of the steps, spotted his master and the group following beside him.

“You look rather fashionable,” He commented. “Apart from the dried blood.”

To which the young man merely shrugged.

“What can I say?” He replied jokingly. “I’ve always been fashionable.”

As Bruce stepped aside, Alfred got a good look at the Mane Six and Spike.

“I trust these are the guests you were referring to?” Alfred asked.

“Indeed they are,” Bruce nodded. “This is Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Spike.”

The Mane Six and Spike all gave small waves in response and Alfred approached to offer a shake to all their hands.

“A pleasure to make your acquaintances,” Alfred greeted kindly. “Alfred Pennyworth.”

“It’s nice to meet you too, Mr. Pennyworth,” Twilight greeted.

“Please Miss, just Alfred will do,” The old butler smiled.

Bruce led the group up the stairs into his private jet. After a few moments, the plane took off from the landing strip and proceeded to make its way towards Gotham City.

<>

Fifteen hours later…

Bruce Wayne emerged from the washroom of the jet all cleaned up and dressed in clean tailored clothes. The rest of the Equestrians too were given clean attire and were seated alongside Alfred and Bruce. Pinkie was so excited she was literally bouncing in her seat.

“Ooh, this is super-duper exciting!” She exclaimed gleefully. “We’re actually on a private jet! I wonder if they have really nice meals or even those little bags of peanuts? I do love those bits of honey-roasted goodness!”

Alfred and Bruce both looked toward the rest of the group, who merely shrugged with a look that said, ‘Don’t ask.’. Just as the jet broke through the cloud cover, it revealed a beautiful sunrise and Gotham far below.

“So that’s Gotham huh?” Rainbow asked, peeking out the window. “Kinda reminds me of Manehatten or Baltimare back home.”

“I beg your pardon, miss?” Alfred asked confused.

Before Rainbow could respond, Twilight quickly put a hand over her mouth.

“What my friend means to say Alfred is that we had no idea Gotham would look like this,” Twilight replied.

Taking a brief look at the view, Bruce sat down across from Alfred.

“Have you told anyone I’m coming home?” Bruce asked.

He was already imagining how the tabloids would explode with stories of what he must’ve been doing for the past seven years. ‘They’re gonna have a field day,’ Alfred shook his head.

“I thought you might like to surprise a few people,” He offered. “Are you coming back to Gotham for long, sir?”

Bruce was relieved by his friend’s smart thinking and began planning aloud.

“As long as it takes,” He insisted. “I’m going to show the people of Gotham that the city doesn’t belong to the criminals and the corrupt. I’ll need everything in the company shareholders’ reports, holdings, everything. Plus anything you can obtain about Rachel, the police force, news reports, and even everything on the Pearsons’ and their company.”

“Dang Bruce, right tah business ain’t ya?” Applejack smirked.

Alfred nodded, smiled, and closed his eyes again.

“You sound like a man with purpose,” He commented. “You know, during the depression your father nearly bankrupted Wayne Enterprises combating poverty… he believed that his example would inspire the wealthy of Gotham to save their city.”

“Did it?” Bruce asked.

Alfred opened his eyes and nodded sadly.

“In a way… their murder shocked the wealthy and powerful into action.”

Bruce nodded in deep thought.

“People need dramatic examples to shake them out of apathy,” He agreed. “I can’t do this as Bruce Wayne. A man is just flesh and blood and can be ignored or destroyed. But a symbol… as a symbol I can be incorruptible, everlasting.”

“What symbol, sir?” Alfred asked curiously.

Bruce shrugged, merely staring out the window again.

“I’m not sure yet,” He admitted, thinking. “Something elemental; something terrifying.”

“I beg your pardon for interrupting darling,” Rarity interrupted. “But what kind of symbol would scare the corrupt?”

“Considering what we just went through, it’s hard to imagine what other corruption we’ll face,” Fluttershy spoke up.

“I assume, sir, that since you’re taking on the underworld, this ‘symbol’ is a persona to protect those you care about from reprisals?” Alfred guessed.

“You’re thinking about Rachel?” Bruce questioned.

“Actually, sir, I was thinking about myself,” Alfred admitted.

“And you’re sure that no one knows that I’m coming back?” Bruce chuckled.

“I haven’t figured out the legal ramifications of raising you from the dead,” Alfred sighed.

“Dead?” Everyone questioned.

“What do you mean by ‘dead’, Alfred?” Spike asked.

“It’s been seven years since anyone has seen Mr. Wayne,” Alfred responded.

“You had me declared dead?” Bruce asked in shock.

“Actually, it was Mr. Earle,” Alfred corrected. “He wanted to liquidate your majority shareholding. He’s taking the company public. Your shares brought in an enormous amount of capital.”

“That doesn’t seem very fair at all,” Rarity pointed out.

Bruce rolled his eyes, having forgotten about Earle.

“Good thing I left everything to you, then.”

“Quite so, sir,” Alfred agreed, closing his eyes. “You’re welcome to borrow the Rolls, by the way. Just bring it back with a full tank.”

<>

Sometime later, the whole group made their way back to Wayne Manor. At first, the girls and Spike were amazed at the sheer size and look of the giant mansion (Except Twilight, who remembered it exactly from her visions). After that had gotten settled in, Bruce sat cross-legged on the floor of the library and went through all sorts of reports. They ranged from everything including family business, new articles, reports about Philip and Julia Pearson and their company, Pearson Pharmaceuticals, reports of the local police force, photos of Rachel, an older Jim Gordon, the Pearsons, and made notes in a notebook while circling the important parts on each report or news item.

<>

In the kitchen, Alfred prepared some tea while listening to the local news on the T.V.

“Lots of interest in new directions Wayne Industries has been taking…”

Alfred looked up at this, seeing William Earle being interviewed… again. ‘What has that bloody idiot done this time?’, he thought.

“… couple big defense contracts in the bag… as well as rumors that the board is petitioning to have Bruce Wayne, missing for seven years now, declared officially dead.”

Earle smiled thinly toward the reporter.

“Our operating assumption is always the hopeful one that Bruce’ll resurface sometime soon.”

‘Liar,’ Alfred thought sourly. ‘You’d rather have Master Bruce remain missing forever.’

“You alright, Alfred?”

The old butler turned to see the Mane Six and Spike making their way into the kitchen.

“You seem to be quite distressed,” Rarity added.

“Nothing that need worry you, Miss Rarity,” Alfred assured. “Is there anything I may assist you with?”

The group looked amongst themselves for a moment before looking back at the old butler.

“Well, we just felt we should be honest with you about ourselves while we’re staying here,” Twilight toll him. “It just wouldn’t be right to lie about who we are since you and Bruce kindly allowed us to stay.”

This seemed to get Alfred’s curiosity going.

“Oh? And what might I ask do you mean?”

The group joined hands and Twilight used her magic to transform them back into their usual pony and dragon appearances. Alfred seemed quite shocked for a moment upon seeing this, not unless Bruce when he first saw it, but ultimately he remained calm.

“I know you probably have questions,” Twilight continued. “But please… let us explain.”

“… And that’s pretty much the whole story,” Twilight concluded.

Alfred sat at the dining table as the Mane Six and Spike had been telling him their story. To say he was both floored and amazed at the same time was perhaps the understatement of the century. Nonetheless, he listened intently and with conviction.

“Well, that is certainly quite the tale,” Alfred replied.

“At least you and Bruce took it way better than a lot of other people have,” Rainbow commented. “Normally when most people find out, they either faint, scream, or run. Or if we’re lucky, sometimes a weird combination of the three.”

“Anytime someone just learns to accept it, we consider it a blessing,” Spike added.

“Well, I for one don’t have any problem with what you all are,” Alfred said honestly. “Aside from being different, you all seem like proper ladies and a fine young gentleman to me.”

This caused all the rest of the Mane Six and Spike to smile appreciatively.

“Thank you, Alfred,” Twilight smiled. “That means a lot.”

“It’s so nice to meet good people who accept us as we are,” Fluttershy grinned.

Alfred smiled in return before picking up a tray with an assortment of tear supplies on it.

“Now then, I believe it’s high time we go find Master Bruce.”

He soon proceeded to walk off with the rest of the Mane Six and Spike following closely behind.

<>

Meanwhile, Bruce was still hard at work in the library. A squeaking sound soon reached his ears, and he looked up. Not seeing anything, he resumed working when the same noise reached his ears for a second time. Getting up to investigate, he stepped out into the main hall. He looked around and then up toward the vaulted ceiling, where he saw a bat flapping against it. As he stared up at it, a familiar fear stirred a bit. By then, Alfred walked towards him with a tray filled with tea items.

“A blasted bat again, sir,” Alfred said. “They nest somewhere on the grounds.”

He glanced up at the bat while making a mental note to get out of there before it hurt itself or one of them.

“Oh the poor little creature,” Fluttershy frowned. “He must be frightened to death being trapped in here. Don’t worry, I’ll get him down.”

The small yellow Pegasus tensely floated up toward where the bear was flapping about and hovered in mid-air alongside it. Eventually, the bat stopped flapping and landed gracefully on her outstretched hoof.

“There, there, little friend,” Fluttershy spoke sweetly. “I’ll get you out of here.”

She floated back down to the ground and trotted toward a nearby window. Thankfully the window was open and she reached out with her hoof upwards allowing the bat to fly out the window and into the night.

“Goodbye, little friend!” She called after it. “Stay safe!”

“Well, Miss Fluttershy, you certainly have a way with animals,” Alfred commented.

“That there’s Fluttershy for ya,” Applejack nodded. “She loves critters of all kind. Why it was her idea to construct a fancy sanctuary for all them vampire fruit bats, so they can have their share of the apples in our farm.”

“And if I recall correctly, you weren’t initially on board with that plan,” Rainbow smirked.

“I make mistakes too, hon…”

Bruce watched the bat as it flew away, impressed by how its shadow flicked in the night. All the while, a single thought raced through his head.

‘Bats… I wonder…’

<>

Pulling on a long black coat and having dug out his father’s old climbing gear, Bruce headed out toward the backyard, past the disused green house, and over the abandoned well, which by now had grown over with plant life. Pulling the overgrowth away, Bruce lowered himself into the darkness below.

Reaching the bottom, Bruce knelt and looked around, recalling his one-time down there, and then saw the dark crevice the bats came out from that very day. Grabbing the coil of rope, he pulled himself into the crevice, following the sounds of dripping water while a cold breeze hit him in the face.

Using the rope, Bruce carefully climbed down the jagged rock crevice and into a large cavern, where he could hear the rush of water in the distance as he landed on the damp ground. Straightening up, he looked around as his breath breezed in the cold air, noting a waterfall off to his right, and he walked forward until he reached the edge of a river.

Bruce could hear the quiet screeching of bats but couldn’t see any in the darkness. He pulled a white neon light out of his coat, turned it on, and held it above his head. Moments later, thousands upon thousands of bats exploded from everywhere in the cave and flew straight toward the young man, attracted by the light, screeching loudly. Bruce instinctively ducked down at first, but after a few seconds, he slowly stood up and, with his eyes shut, held out his arms, allowing the bats to engulf him completely.

He knew just the symbol he was going to use.

<>

The following morning, Alfred drove Bruce and the Equestrians through the streets of Gotham City. The young man was shocked and dismayed by the overall state of the city, including the state of Wayne plaza and the station, which was deserted and in such a state of disrepair he was worried it was going to collapse any second. He got out of the Rolls and stared, stunned.

“Is it closed?”

To which Alfred nodded sadly as his master was back in the car, and he in turn resumed driving.

“They still run a token service out of respect for your father,” He answered.

“On one hand, it’s generous of them to run it in honor of Bruce’s father,” Rarity said. “But to let it go so far into disarray… oh, what a travesty!”

“But why would Earle go through all this trouble of destroying the Wayne family legacy?” Twilight asked.

“That is what we’re going to find out,” Bruce declared.

<>

In the outer office of Wayne Tower, a young and beautiful assistant was at her desk, taking calls when Bruce entered.

“Good morning,” He greeted pleasantly. “I’m here to see Mr. Earle.”

“Name?” She asked, not looking up.

“Bruce Wayne,” Bruce responded, grinning.

It was then she looked up at the mere mention of the name, a shocked expression spreading across her face.

<>

In the boardroom, Earle presided over a meeting and arguing with a board member, Fredericks, who had been a long-time friend of the Wayne family.

“… but we’re showing very healthy growth in these sectors—” Earle began.

“I don’t think that Thomas Wayne would have viewed heavy arms manufacture as a suitable cornerstone of our business—” Fredericks cut in.

“I think, Fredericks, that after twenty years, we ought to be at a point where we stop asking ourselves what Thomas Wayne would have done,” Earle agreed. “True, Thomas Wayne wouldn’t have wanted to take the company public, either, but that’s what, as responsible managers, we’re going to do.”

He then hit the intercom.

“Jessica, get me that prospectus,” He requested, waiting a moment. “Jessica?”

Frowning, Earle opened the doors and found himself facing the back of a young man, who had his arms wrapped around the woman’s hips while showing her how to gold.

“Jessica, who’s answering the phones!?” He demanded.

“It’s Wayne Enterprises, Mr. Earle,” Bruce smirked. “I’m sure they’ll call back.”

‘Good, Philip Pearson is still on the board,’ He thought.

He was relieved to see the silver-haired man seated at the long table, who was looking both stunned and relieved to see him. Not only him, but Jonathan Wycliffe was also on the board as well. Who better to have on board than the Wayne family’s closest friend. A stunned silence fell over the room and Earle approached the young man and shook his hand while clapping his other hand on Bruce’s shoulder.

“Bruce?” He said, masking his disappointment. ‘We thought… you were dead.”

“Sorry to disappoint,” Bruce shrugged.

A short while later, Bruce was seated in Earle’s office, accepting a cup of coffee from the older man.

“You realize, Bruce, that it’s too late to stop the public offering,” Earle informed him, sipping his own cup.

“I understand,” Bruce smiled. “I’ll be handsomely rewarded for me shares. I’m not here to interfere – I’m looking for a job.”

He took a moment to enjoy Earle’s surprised look, the second one within a single day.

“I just want to get to know the company that my family built.”

“Any idea where you’d start?”

“Applied sciences caught my eye,” Bruce answered.

“Mr. Fox’s department?” He raised his eyebrows, shrugging. “I’ll make a call.”

He reached for his phone as the young man stood up.

“Oh, and Bruce?” He added. “Some of the secretaries and so on… because of your name they may assume…”

“I’ll be absolutely clear with everyone that I’m just another humble employee,” Bruce promised.

<>

It wasn’t long before Bruce left the office. He was just on his way to the elevators when someone called out his name.

“Bruce, hold up!”

The young man turned to face Jonathan Wycliffe, who strode toward him.

“Mr. Wycliffe!” He greeted smiling.

“John, please,” John corrected, grasping Bruce’s hand. “Contrary to whatever you may have ben told by Earle, I was against declaring you dead without any physical proof, and I’m glad that you’re still alive, son.”

“Thank you for having faith in me, John,” Bruce smiled. “How’s your family?”

“Well, my wife is finding new ways to drive me over the edge with her controlling manners,” He admitted. “And failing since I haven’t gone mental… yet. My daughter Katherine, she actually took a leaf out of your book, and ran away twenty years ago, joining the circus, is married, and has two grand kids that I literally have to sneak out of the city to see without my wife’s knowledge.”

Bruce nodded, understanding the older man’s frustration since he had a few memories of how strict Julia Wycliffe could be, and the scandal it caused when their only child ran away shortly after graduating high school at eighteen.

“I understand, John, your wife is a force to be reckoned with.”

“That’s one way of putting it,” John agreed. “Anyway, if you and Alfred need anything—”

“I’ll let you know,” Bruce promised.

He then left while John just smiled and headed back to the boardroom, where he was probably going to get an earful from Earle for rushing off. But he didn’t care, the heir to Wayne Enterprises was back, and that was all that mattered. Plus the only thing Earle could do was kick him off the board, and that hardly mattered since he had his ‘own’ company to run.

<>

Meanwhile, at the DA’s office, Rachel Dawes entered the office of her boss, Finch, and handed him some paperwork on one of the many cases they were working on.

“Have you seen him yet?” Finch asked, studying her.

“Who?” Rachel asked.

Finch blinked, surprised that she didn’t even know.

“Wayne.

“Bruce?” She repeated, confused. “What do you mean?”

“You haven’t heard?” Finch asked. “It’s been all over the news today. He’s back.”

And it was clear that this was news to Rachel, who hurried away to find a television to check the news.

<>

In the high-rise district of Gotham City, a lone figure watched the city down below from the window of an office atop one of the tall skyscrapers. The city reeked of corruption, crime, and decay that only seemed to intensify with every passing day. Gotham was a shell of what it had been hundreds of years ago; frankly, it was time for it to change.

Another figure walked into the office wearing a white porcelain mask.

“You called for me, Grandmaster,” He said.

The individual standing by the window looked toward the city as he responded.

“400 years ago, this city was founded by the wealthiest men the world had ever known,” The ‘Grandmaster’ spoke. “The Wayne’s, the Cobblepotts, the Elliots, the St. Dumats. It used to be when you looked out upon this city, you would see a metropolis that inspired all. Now when you look out, all you cans ee is a rotten cesspool.”

“And why is it you called for me, Grandmaster?” The other man asked.

The Grandmaster stood still for a few moments before finally facing the other man.

“It has come to my attention that Bruce Wayne has returned to Gotham,” The Grandmaster responded. “With his return, all our plans are in jeopardy. The Waynes tried to halt our progress all those years ago, and we saw to it that they did not live up to see it through.”

“Would you like for me to alert the other members of the Court?” The other man asked.

“Indeed,” The Grandmaster responded. “The time has come for Gotham to face judgement. The Court of Owls will see to it.”

The Grandmaster reached down to open a drawer on the desk in the office and pulled out a golden owl mask he put onto his face before following the other individual out of the office. It was unknown what’s to come of all this, but one thing was absolutely certain:

Gotham will never be the same again.

Becoming a Symbol

After visiting the golf club, confirming he was alive, and sharing a round of golf, Bruce went to Applied Sciences, which was located in a massive warehouse of all places. To say the young man was confused was an understatement. As he entered, he discovered it was filled with crates, odd-shaped equipment hidden under dust covers, and lab equipment. Bruce was soon greeted by an older African American man with graying hair and mustache, Lucius Fox by name, who led him through the stacks to his desk. From there, he seated himself and pulled up data on his computer.

“Environmental applications, defense projects, consumer products…” He read off with a calm, knowledgeable tone. “All prototypes, none in production at any level whatsoever.”

“None?” Bruce asked, surprised.

Lucius paused and turned to him, with an inquiring gleam in his eye.

“What did they tell you this place was?”

“They didn’t tell me anything,” Bruce admitted.

With a deep sigh, Lucius stood up and walked toward a stone pillar. He proceeded to flip several switches, turning on the extensive lights.

“Earle told me exactly what it was when he sent me here…” He explained sourly. “… A dead end where I couldn’t cause any more trouble for the rest of the board.”

“You were on the board?” Bruce inquired, surprised.

“Yes, along with Jonathan Wycliffe and several others,” He confirmed with a nod. “Back when your father ran things.”

Bruce couldn’t help but be impressed as Mr. Fox led the young man through the warehouse.

“You knew my father?”

“Sure,” Lucius responded. “Helped him build his train. Beautiful project – routed right into Wayne Tower, along with the water and power utilities. Made Wayne Tower the unofficial heart of Gotham. ‘Course, Earle’s left it to rot.”

As they continued walking, they stopped next to a black case. Lucious pulled out a box, and opened it, revealing a bronze grappling gun and harness.

“Pneumatic. Magnetic grapple. Monofilament tested to 350 pounds.”

Bruce picked up the gun and tested the weight, surprised by how light and strong it was. He picked up the harness that went with it and examined the shoulder straps with a wide, hi-tech belt. Bruce shoved the back end of the gun into the belt buckle, and it clicked into place.

“Impressive.”

Lucius grinned and led the young man over to a tall crate, checked the paperwork, and opened it revealing an armor bodysuit that was covered with a clear silicone.

“Here it is. The nomex survival suit for advanced infantry. Kevlar bi-weave, reinforced joints.”

Bruce reached out and felt the fabric, letting it run through his fingers.

“Bullet-proof?” He asked.

“Anything but a straight shot,” Lucius confirmed.

“Tear-resistant?” Bruce asked.

Lucius grinned, seeing the young man already getting ideas of how he could use the armor for his own needs. He pulled out a pen and stabbed it against the suit, not even leaving a mark.

“This sucker’ll stop a knife,” He smirked.

‘Perfect,’ Bruce thought. Of course, he couldn’t imagine why something this complex wasn’t used by their country’s troops.

“Why didn’t they put it into production?” Bruce asked, curiously.

“The bean counters figured a soldier’s life wasn’t worth the 300 grand,” Lucius admitted. “What do you want with it, Mr. Wayne?”

“I want to borrow it,” Bruce told him. “For spelunking… you know, cave-diving.”

“You get a lot of gunfire down in those caves?” Lucius asked, skeptical.

To which Bruce smiled sheepishly over the question.

“Listen, I’d rather Mr. Earle didn’t know about me borrowing—”

“Mr. Wayne, the way I see it,” Lucius spoke, gesturing the warehouse’s contents. “All this stuff is yours, anyway.”

This caused Bruce to smile as all different kinds of thoughts began running through his head on what he could all of this equipment for. Now he most certainly had the tools needed to become the very symbol Gotham needed.

<>

Obtaining what he required from Lucius, Bruce returned to the caves with Alfred and the Equestrians. He was now using his father’s climbing gear to climb a nearby wall, where he pounded a bracket into the rock, securing a line of industrial lamps.

“Okay!” He called down to the older man. “Give it a try.”

Alfred threw a switch on a portable generator, and the lamps flickered on, dimly lighting the length of the wall. He soon peered at the damp, dingy surroundings.

“Oh, charming,” Alfred said sarcastically.

“Dear me!” Rarity gasped. “This is hardly a place of luxury.”

“What’d you expect?” Rainbow questioned. “A five-star suite at a hotel or something?”

“Ah’ve been in mah fair share of caves, and this certainly ain’t the worst ah’ve been in,” Applejack spoke up.

“Tell me about it,” Pinkie nodded in agreement. “What pony can ever forget that one trip down the scariest cave in all Equestria? Even have the pictures to prove it.”

“This cave reminds me of the one we stayed in with our sisters on that one camping trip,” Rainbow recollected.

Alfred then spotted the bats covering the entire ceiling.

“At least you’ll have company,” He added.

Bruce rappelled down the cave floor and glanced up toward the ceiling, where he spotted crumbling brickwork in one corner.

“Must be the lowest foundations of the Southeast wing,” Alfred remarked.

Following his gaze, they made their way toward an old elevator, connected to a rusty chain that climbed up an old shaft toward the darkness above. Bruce grabbed the chain and shook it, pleased to see it was still attached.

“During the civil war your great-grandfather was involved with the underground railroad,” He explained. “Secretly transporting freed slaves to the North. I suspect these caverns came in handy.”

“He sounds like quite the generous man,” Fluttershy spoke with admiration.

“From what I’ve read on your civil war, transporting freed slaves was a crime punishable by death,” Twilight informed. “So to risk his own life just to help make other people’s lives better is a truly wonderful quality. It seems like your family has been trying to make things better in Gotham for the longest time, Bruce.”

Bruce nodded, jumped down and went to put on the armor. He made his way to the small river and followed it until it disappeared under some rocks and stepped over it toward the waterfall, while Alfred pulled on a coat to fight against the cold and kept his distance. The young man reached the waterfall and grinned, calling back to the butler.

“Alfred, come up here!”

Alfred shook his head, staying where he was.

“I can see it very well from here, thank you sir,” He responded.

“I’ll check it out!” Spike called.

The teenage dragon flapped his wings and flew toward where Bruce stood by the waterfall. Looking out through the falls, he could actually see the lights of Gotham shining off in the distance.

“Now that’s a view!” Spike smiled.

“That’s what I was thinking,” Bruce nodded.

Grinning, Bruce turned back toward the waterfall and reached out, letting the water splash along the armor on his arm.

<>

Later…

Bruce fired up the paint sprayer and used it to spray a pair of bronze gauntlets black, also applying the same color to the armor. Once he was done, he and Alfred went over some plans for the next part of his outfit, which involved some of Alfred’s old contacts from his spy days.

“If we order the main part of this cowl from Singapore-“ Alfred said, pointing to a spot on a diagram.

“Via a shell corporation,” Bruce guessed.

“Indeed,” Alfred confirmed. “Then quite separately, place an order through a Chinese manufacturer for these-“

He pointed toward a different part of the diagram.

“Put it together ourselves,” Bruce concluded.

“Ah can probably help ya out with that,” Applejack suggested. “Ah’m pretty good at patchin’ things up.”

Precisely,” He agreed. “Of course, they’ll have to be large orders to avoid suspicion.”

“How large?” Bruce asked.

“Say, ten thousand,” Alfred shrugged.

“Geez Louise!” Pinkie gasped. “That’s a lot of spare parts. That’s how many cakes and cookies I could eat in the expanse of an hour.”

This caused everyone to face the pink party pony with confusion.

“Seriously?” Spike asked.

Bruce nodded, smiling slightly.

“Least we’ll have spares,” He remarked.

Soon, the Mane Six and Spike looked amongst each other, as the same thought raced through their heads.

“Hey, Bruce,” Twilight called.

The young man and the elder butler turned around to face the little ponies and teenage dragon.

“Yeah?” He answered.

“My friends and I have been talking lately and we’ve come to the same conclusion,” Twilight continued.

“What’s that?”

“If you’re going to fight the corruption in this city… we’re going to help you.”

This caused both Alfred and Bruce to dawn shocked expressions, but also slightly skeptical ones as well.

“Look guys, it’s been nice training and living with you all for the last year,” Bruce spoke honestly. “I don’t think you know what you’re getting into.”

“So you’re saying we can’t handle ourselves?” Rainbow asked offended.

“With all due respect, Miss Dash, Master Bruce has a rather valid point,” Alfred spoke up. “I admit the stories of your previous ventures are remarkable, but none of you have experienced anything like Gotham City before.

“We’ve faced monsters, demons, cultists, and even mind-controlled fish,” Spike argued. “I’m sure we can handle ourselves.”

“I respect that, but I still don’t—” Bruce began.

“Do you know exactly who we are, Bruce?” Twilight asked. “We’re the Elements of Harmony for a reason. We were brought together through an ancient prophecy to restore order wherever we’re needed.”

“We ain’t goin’ nowhere till we find our enemies and stop ‘em from causing havoc,” Applejack added.

“So pardon us darling, but we can either work alongside you or we can do it ourselves,” Rarity finished. “Either way, this city needs ‘all’ the help it requires.”

The Mane Six and Spike stood side by side with one another, all with determined looks on their faces. Bruce and Alfred both faced each other with skepticism but smiles soon formed along their faces. Clearly they could admire the fierce determination the Equestrians showed.

“Well, if you’re going to help, you’ll need some disguises,” Bruce suggested.

“Don’t know exactly how you’re supposed to hide six talking ponies and a dragon,” Spike joked.

It was then an imaginary lightbulb went off in Twilight’s head, struck by an inspiring idea.

“Maybe we don’t have to,” She said. “We’ll use our usual forms when we’re out with Bruce because I doubt anyone will ever believe we actually exist. And when we need to travel into the city casually, we’ll continue to use our human forms.”

“Still, perhaps disguises won’t be such a bad idea,” Fluttershy pointed out.

To which Twilight merely smirked in response before conjuring her magic to envelop herself and her friends. When the magic cleared, each of them transformed into their respective Power Pony uniforms.

Bruce and Alfred both stared at them for the longest moment before Bruce nodded his head approvingly.

“Alright… let’s get to work.”

<>

That night, Jim Gordon, now in his late forties, wearing glasses, and a sergeant, sat in an unmarked police sedan that was parked outside a small liquor store. He watched as his overweight partner, Flass, bullied the owner until he handed over a wad of cash. Not the first time he’d ever seen something like this, still Gordon wished he could do something about the corruption taking over the police force. But he couldn’t… at least not alone, and especially not when his wife, Barbara, was pregnant with their second child.

Eating a candy bar, Flass squeezed himself into the driver’s seat and offered the cash to the older man.

“Don’t s’pose you want a taste?” He asked, receiving Gordon’s glare. “I keep offering ‘cause who knows? Maybe one day you’ll get wise.”

“Nothing wise in what you do,” Flass,” Gordon grumbled, looking away.

Flass didn’t look convinced as he pocketed the money.

“Yeah? Well, Jimbo, you don’t take your taste – makes us guys nervous you might decide to roll over—”

“I’m no rat, Flass,” Gordon snapped, irritated.

Realizing he was about to lose his temper, he released a heavy sigh and looked out the window again.

“In a town this bent, who’s there to rat to, anyway?”

Flass laughed, realizing Gordon was right, and then hit the gas, zooming them down the street.

‘I never should have transferred here,’ Gordon thought.

<>

Elsewhere, crouching on a rooftop not far from the police station, Bruce kept watch over the rooftop. Bruce now wore his armor and pulled a black fabric mask over his head and slowly made his way toward the station’s roof.

Arriving at the police station, Gordon stepped out of the car, slammed the door shut, and watched Flass drive away with a weary expression. Heading inside, Gordon entered his office, pulled off his coat, sat down behind his desk with his back toward the windows, and reached for his phone when suddenly… he noticed an old, worn book which read:

“PHYLUM PERACOPDA: THE TWILIGHT WORLD OF BATS”

“Where did this come from?” He wondered, staring at the book.

As he studied the book with confusion, the lights suddenly went out. He froze, sensing something pressed into his back, right between the shoulder blades.

‘Oh God, I’m being held up in my own office!’

“Don’t turn around,” A raspy voice growled behind him.

Bruce was crouched behind the older man’s chair, pressing a stapler (Which he swiped from the desk earlier) into his back instead of a gun. The whole time, the sergeant could only imagine what was going to happen to him on tonight.

“What do you want?” Gordon asked warily.

“I’ve been watching,” Bruce told him. “You’re a good cop. One of the few. What would it take to get Falcone?”

“Carmine Falcone?” Gordon frowned.

“He brings in shipments of drugs every week, nobody takes him down,” Bruce pointed out. “Why?”

“He’s paid up with the right people,” Gordon sighed. “He’s joined forces with Roman Sionis and they’ve essentially taken control of the criminal underworld.”

“What would it take to bring them down?” Bruce inquired.

“Leverage on Judge Faden,” Gordon answered. “And a D.A. brave enough to prosecute.”

Bruce knew whom they could trust in the D.A.’s office.

“Rachel Dawes,” He growled.

“Who are you?” Gordon asked.

The sergeant’s neck grew sore from not moving it so long. Yet Bruce ignored the question entirely, lowering the stapler as he silent moved back toward the windows.

“Watch for a sign,” Bruce instructed.

“You’re just one man,” Gordon pointed out.

“Now we’re two.”

“We?” Gordon repeated.

He finally turned around only to find himself completely alone. He jumped out of his chair, raced to the window, and looked out. He spotted a shadowy figure climbing the fire escape toward the roof. He ran through the bullpen, pulled out his gun, and headed for the stairwell, prompting two cops to follow him.

Bruce reached the roof, ran across it to the other side and paused at the edge, realizing the gap was too big to jump. He moved away, looking for another way down, when the door burst open and Gordon ran out, his gun raised.

“Freeze!”

Having no choice, and not wanting to be arrested, Bruce ran back and jumped the gap. He fell through the air and missed the top story of the nearby building by a good inch. Grunting to himself, he collided and grabbed the balcony below, only to have it swing loose, causing him to hit two more balconies that broke loose until he hit one that remained in place. Winded, he grunted and pulled himself over the railing, already imagining the bruises he’d have in the morning.

Gordon reached the edge of the roof and peered down, just in time to see the figure melt into the shadows as the two cops finally caught up.

“What the hell was that?” One of them asked.

“Some nut,” Gordon said.

As he pulled his gun away, however, deep down Gordon wasn’t sure what to truly think.

‘He had the drop on me, but he didn’t do anything except talk. Strange.’

<>

Meanwhile, in another part of the city, Jonathan Wycliff worked late in his office. Partly because he had to approve several new patents from R&D, and partly to avoid his wife, Julia, who was on one of her anger sprees concerning both their daughter and her choice of a husband.

‘You pushed Katherine away,’ He thought, reaching the final page. ‘And you’re going to have to mend that fence yourself someday.’

Approving of what was in the report, he reached for his pen when the lights went out, plunging his office into darkness.

“What the-?”

John froze when he felt something pressed against his back, right between the shoulder blades, and he realized he wasn’t alone anymore. Dread spread across his mind wondering if he was going to be robbed, kidnapped, or worse killed in his own office.

“Who’s there?” He asked.

“A friend,” A raspy feminine voice growled. “What do you know about the drugs Falcone brings in each week?”

John frowned, then realized what the stranger meant.

“They’re mostly cocaine and a few other typical types sold on the streets,” He answered. “Why?”

“Your business runs a program to help teenagers and adults with the detoxing process,” The voice pointed out> “You’ve been fighting for years to have the police crackdown on the drug trade.”

“Yes, I have been,” He nodded in response. “But it is a losing battle. Not even the D.A. can help stop the spreading of the poison out there.

“Sgt. James Gordon and Rachel Dawes,” The voice whispered. “They can help.”

“How?” John asked. “Falcone takes out anyone who tries to stop him, and three people can’t take him on.”

“We are eight,” The voice said.

When the pressure suddenly disappeared, Philip turned from his seat only to meet a shocking surprise. For whoever got the drop on him, which wasn’t easy since he was a former marine serving as a sniper in Vietnam, had already vanished without setting off any alarms.

He rolled his eyes when he saw his stapler on the floor.

“Maybe I should start drinking less tea from now on.”

<>

Meanwhile…

The Mane Six and Spike sat on the rooftop a few yards away from Wycliffe Industries awaiting news. A flash of a rainbow caught their attention as none other than Rainbow Dash landed on the roof alongside them.

“What did you find out?” Twilight asked.

“He told me about what kinds of drugs are being pushed around here and Gotham,” Rainbow answered. “I’ve already told him who can help him.”

“I hope Mr. Wycliff can continue to make Gotham a better place,” Fluttershy spoke hopefully.

“Me too!” Pinkie nodded in agreement. “This city’s full of mean meanie-pants! What Gotham could really use is a great big party to bring everyone together, make living there better. There’ll be streamers, confetti, cakes—”

*BOOM!!!*

The girls and Spike jumped at the sudden loud bang and the impact of a bullet landing not even a few feet from them. Twilight quickly went over to check what had happened and used her magic to inspect the bullet.

“What they hay happened?!” Rarity yelped in fear.

“A sniper’s somewhere on one of these roofs,” Twilight answered. “Judging by the impact and trajectory, this bullet was fired at a really close range so they couldn’t have missed us. This was just a warning shot.”

“Then ah suggest we take the warning and get the hay outta here,” Applejack suggested nervously.

Twilight quickly used her magic to transport them all off the roof, taking the bullet as well so they could use it to figure out what happened. From a taller rooftop nearby, a smoking sniper rifle was aimed directly at the very spot where they had just been sitting. A man in a white owl mask kept one finger on the trigger, keeping watch in the now silent night.

<>

The next day, Earle was in his office conversing with two members of the board concerning Bruce Wayne’s return. How it would affect their plans for the company was anyone’s guess.

“Is he taking over?” One of them asked.

“Not yet,” Earle shook his head. “I checked the trust, and Bruce can’t assume control until his thirtieth birthday.”

He then pressed the intercom button.

“Jessica, where’s that coffee? He asked.

The man had made the request only a few minutes ago, and the fact his order ran late disturbed him immensely.

“But that’s in three months,” The other board member pointed out.

“We’ll have to move fast,” Earle shrugged, checking his watch.

“To do what?” The first board member asked.

“An IPO,” Earle explained. “There’s nothing in Bruce’s trust to stop us taking the company public… we’ll have an offering…”

“And Bruce will become just another board member,” The second board member concluded.

“Precisely,” Earle agreed. “We can’t have some clown prince running things.”

Wondering where his assistant was with the coffee, he pressed the intercom button again.

“Jessica?”

But again, no answer came. He stood up and went for the door. The moment he opened it, much to his shock, both his assistant and receptionist were gone.

‘What the hell?’

Determined to find his missing employees, Earle eventually reached the roof, where he found the two ladies with Bruce. The man was working with Jessica on a gold golf club, and his receptionist stood nearby with a driver and watched the lesson.

“Keep your elbows in,” Bruce advised.

Jessica swung and hit the ball, sending it flying toward Gotham river.

“Not bad, not bad at all,” Bruce continued. “Okay, this time—”

“Ladies!”

The women turned toward Earle, who was mildly annoyed at having his staff high-jacked behind his back.

“Sorry, Mr. Earle,” Jessica apologized, flushing. “Mr. Wayne insisted that all junior executives need to know how to play golf.”

“Junior Executive?” Earle repeated, frowning. “Who’s answering the phones?”

“This is Wayne Industries, Mr. Earle,” Bruce smiled confidently. “I’m sure they’ll call back.”

He then unwrapped himself from the woman and approached Earle.

“I thought a few promotions might be good karma for getting my new job,” He added a conspiratorial tone.

Earle gave the younger man a patient smile in response.

“Of course, you’re not actually starting just yet, Bruce,” He pointed out. “Not until your birthday.”

Bruce grinned, fully aware of this fact thanks to his own research.

“Three months’ time – I’m having a huge blowout and I expect everyone to be there.”

“With bells on,” Earle promised. “How are things down at Applied Sciences?”

“Great – there’s some cool stuff down there,” Bruce said cheerfully. “Although that Mr. Fox goes on a bit once you get him talking.”

Earle nodded, recalling the large number of arguments he’d had with the man until getting rid of him.

“Since you’re here, there is a business matter that I wanted to make you aware of.”

“Business, sure,” Bruce agreed.

“We’ve been thinking for some time about offering shares,” Earle explained. “I think the time is right.”

Bruce frowned, not sure if he was hearing this right.

“Offering shares?”

“It’s just a way of raising capital for growth… it’s important to me that the company be in great shape when you take over,” He added. “Consider it my legacy. Well, I guess I’d better go hire a new secretary and receptionist…”

‘Oh, I understand all right,’ Bruce thought, watching him go. ‘And I already have a plan in motion that will surprise you.’

He then turned back to the two ladies.

“Right, whose turn is it?”

<>

That night at Falcone’s club, Judge Faden left with a pretty girl around his arm.

“Night, Judge Faden,” The bouncer said.

Faden turned, giddy with the drink, and put a finger to his lips.

“Shh!”

The girl giggled, and he guided her into a waiting limo. A street person came over the rear windows of the car and knocked. Scowling, the driver got out.

“Get lost!”

He kicked the person away from the limo. Another homeless man was warming his hands by a fire when he saw the commotion. But this wasn’t just any homeless man. This one happened to wear a familiar coat given to him many years prior.

“Leave him alone!” He shouted. “Let him be!”

The driver ignored him, kicked the person away from the limo, got back in, and drove off. The street person watched it leave and turned away with a smile. Somewhere, Bruce glanced down at a tiny camera he was holding. On the screen, Faden and the girl were on full display.

‘I got what I need,’ Bruce thought. ‘I so don’t want to be Faden if his wife ever sees these.’

<>

The next day, Lucius was at his desk working when Bruce walked up.

“What’s it today?” He asked the younger man. “More ‘spelunking’?”

“Sper-lunking,” Bruce corrected. “And no, today it’s base-jumping.”

“Base-jumping?” Lucius repeated, eyebrows raised. “What… like parachuting?”

“Kind of,” Bruce answered vaguely. “You have any kind of lightweight fabrics…?”

Lucius thought for a moment, then smiled.

“Oh, yeah.”

In a different part of the department, Lucius opened a box, pulled out a sheet of black fabric, and laid it upon the table.

“Notice anything?” He asked.

Bruce examined it, shrugged, and put a glove on.

“Memory fabric, dual layer polymers with variable alignment molecules,” Lucius explained. “Flexible ordinarily, but put a current through it…”

He triggered some miniature generators within the glove and placed it on top of the fabric, which instantly popped into the rigid shape of a small one-man tent.

“The molecules align and become rigid.”

Bruce pushed on the tent, feeling its strength, fascinated.

‘This could come in handy.’

“What kind of shapes can you make?” He asked.

Lucius shrugged, releasing the tent, which instantly collapsed.

“It could be tailored to any structure based on a rigid skeleton.”

“Too expensive for the army?” Bruce asked, fingering the fabric.

“Guess they never thought about marketing to the billionaire base-jumping, spelunking market,” Lucius said, returning the fabric to the box.

Bruce sighed, not liking to keep secrets from the older man, especially a ‘good’ friend of his late father.

“Look, Mr. Fox, if you’re uncomfortable—” He began.

“Mr. Wayne, if you don’t tell me what you’re really doing,” Lucius spoke seriously. “Then when I get asked… I don’t have to lie. But don’t treat me like an idiot.”

“Fair enough,” Bruce nodded.

He soon noticed some kind of vehicle with large tires, covered by a tarp.

“What’s that?” He asked.

“The Tumbler?” Lucius said, his eyes twinkling. “Oh, you wouldn’t be interested in that.”

And the younger man gave him an amused look.

Oh, wouldn’t he?

<>

Barely an hour later, the two men were seated inside the Tumbler, which was covered with sandy camouflage paint, stealth-angled paneling, and variable-angle flaps. Bruce drove on a test track, piloting it by using aircraft-like control sticks. Lucius was in the passenger seat, hanging on as the young man applied more speed to the vehicle, which was like a cross between aa Lamborghini Countach and a Humvee.

“She was built as a bridging vehicle!” Lucius shouted over the roar of the engine, pointing to a red button on the control unit.

“You hit that button—”

He yelped when Bruce reached for it.

“No, not now!”

And the young man stopped just like that.

“It boosts her into a ramp less jump! In combat, two of them jump a river towing cables, and then you run a bailey bridge across! Damn bridge never worked – but this baby works fine!”

Bruce inspected the cockpit: a forward-slung ‘gunner’s’ driving position between their legs, video screens, electronic controls, windows with heads-up display, and accelerated the Tumbler, so that it was tearing down the straightaway, and then skidded to a halt. Lucius jolted with the stop, and turned to the young man, looking a little green.

“What do you think?”

Bruce turned to him with a slight smile.

“Does it come in black?”

<>

Later in the bat cave, Bruce took a pair of cutters to the hi-tech harness and cut off the shoulder straps, leaving behind the belt with sliding attachments. Bruce lifted a gloved hand that had metal contacts on the fingertips and with his other hand, he picked up a fabric glove that had ribbons dangling from each finger. He thrust the gloved hand into the fabric glove and the ribbons shot out into rigid finger extensions like the skeleton of a bat’s wing, and he fanned the projections, testing it.

<>

Two days later, their first shipment of black graphite cowls arrived, and when Alfred tested one by hitting it with a baseball bat, it cracked in two; he picked the pieces off the table, frowning with a glance toward Bruce, who was watching.

“Problems with the graphite mixture, apparently,” He guessed. “The next ten thousands will be up to specifications.”

“At least they gave us a discount,” Bruce said thoughtfully.

“Quite,” Alfred agreed. “In the meantime, might I suggest, sir, that you try to avoid landing on your head?”

Bruce nodded with a chuckle and worked on fitting a microphone into the horn-shaped ‘ear’ for the cowl.

<>

Later, Bruce grinded metal at a lathe when Alfred approached with a thermos full of soup. By now, Bruce finished the grinding, blowing on his handiwork.

“Why the design, Master Wayne?” Alfred asked.

“A man, however strong, however skilled, is just flesh and blood,” Bruce explained, polishing the metal. “I need to be more than a man. I need to be a symbol.”

“And why the bat, Master Wayne?” Alfred inquired.

“Bats frightened me,” He reminded the older man with a slight smile. “And it’s time my enemies shared my dread.”

Bruce then tilted the crude bat-a-rang, which the light danced across the brushed steel, and he threw it whistling into the nearby brick, where it stuck. Inches away, Spike stood frozen stiff, his eyes widened, over how fast the bat-a-rang came. In his bag was a grocery bag, no doubt containing some crucial ‘supplies’ he meant to present before handing them to his friends.

“I’ll… come back later,” Spike declared, walking away.

First Sighting

A few nights later…

Judge Faden was at Falcone’s club once again. A good thing considering his wife would be out of town visiting family. Currently, he was sandwiched between two hot girls, a drink and a cigar in each of his hands, and when he looked up Falcone walked by.

“Carmine!” He called after him. “Where are you going?”

“Duty calls,” Falcone responded, adjusting his coat. “You have yourself a good time, Judge.”

He then turned to the club manager, speaking quietly with a scowl.

“If he’s too cheap to get a hotel, at least make him take his car around the alley,” He shook his head. “No class.”

<>

The following morning, at the courthouse, Rachel sat at the lawyer’s table, silently fuming as Dr. Jonathan Crane was testifying in favor of a deranged psychopath, Victor Zsaz by name. He was a shaven-headed man covered with various tattoos. It was no secret that Zsaz was considered one of the city’s most dangerous men. Rumor had it that Victor Zsaz marked himself with a knife each time he successfully killed someone.

Not only was Crane in the courtroom, but Chrysalis, assuming a human form, stood by his side. The two had been working together since her arrival in Gotham City, perfecting Dr. Crane’s research on fear itself.

“In my opinion, Mr. Zsaz is as much a danger to himself as to others and prison is probably not the best environment for his rehabilitation,” Crane stated.

An hour later, Rachel stormed out of the courtroom, when the judge agreed to send Victor to Arkham Asylum. She hurried down the marble stairs following Crane and Chrysalis.

“Dr. Crane!”

Crane stopped at the base of the stairs and turned to face her, having had this same argument prior.

“Yes, Miss Dawes?”

“You seriously think that Victor Zsaz shouldn’t be in jail?” Rachel demanded angrily.

“I would hardly have testified to that otherwise, would I, Miss Dawes?” Crane countered with his own question.

“This is the third of Carmine Falcone’s thugs that you’ve seen fit to have declared insane and moved into your asylum—”

“Well, the work offered by organized crime has an attraction to the insane,” Crane interrupted. “Wouldn’t you agree, Miss Chrysalis?”

“Of course, Dr. Crane,” Chrysalis nodded. “The criminally insane are drawn to organized crime much like moths to the flame. Only once they’ve gotten a taste, they just can’t get enough of it. Crime calls to the insane.”

“Or the corrupt,” Rachel added, eyes flashing.

Crane sighed and spoke to someone approaching over his shoulder.

“Mr. Finch, I think you should check with Miss Dawes here just what implications your office has authorized her to make,” He spoke, slightly coldly. “If any.”

And just like that he walked away with Chrysalis in tow. Once the two were out of sight, and earshot, Chrysalis released a low growl.

“That pathetic harlot is becoming a thorn in my side,” She hissed. “She’s beginning to uncover the truth of what’s truly going on. If that happens, all our plans will be for naught.”

“Worry not, my dear,” Crane assured her. “Soon enough, Rachel Dawes and everyone else will be nothing more than dust in the wind when this city is reduced to ashes.”

“And you know this how?” Chrysalis asked skeptically.

Crane gave a slight hint of a wicked smile on his face as they made their way down the hall.

“Because we have far more powerful allies than they do,” Crane answered. “Speaking of which, perhaps it’s time we paid one of them a visit tonight.”

The pair made their way out the front door of the courthouse and onwards toward whatever evil schemes they had to play. Meanwhile, back inside the courthouse, Finch took Rachel’s arm and pulled her aside far from anyone’s earshot.

“What’re you doing, Rachel?” He asked.

“What are you doing, Carl?” Rachel challenged.

“Looking out for you,” Finch responded seriously, glancing about. “Rachel, Falcone’s got half the city bought and paid for… drop it.”

“How can you say that?” She asked, with a hard look.

“Because as much as I care about getting Falcone… I care more about you,” Finch confessed.

“That’s sweet, Carl,” Rachel sighed sadly. “But we’ve been through all this…”

She then pecked his cheek and walked away, the heels of her boots clicking along the hard floor. She was unaware that homeless man, hanging around the payphones, was actually Bruce Wayne in disguise. And he’d just seen the ‘whole’ thing.

<>

That night at the club, Falcone was in his office with Dr. Crane and Chrysalis. The crime boss himself slid a drink across his desk to the doctor.

“No more favors,” Crane said coldly, not touching his drink. “Someone’s sniffing around.”

“I scratch your back, you scratch mine, Doc,” Falcone reminded him. “I’m bringing in your shipments.”

“We’re paying you for that,” Crane scoffed.

“Maybe money isn’t as interesting to me as favors,” Falcone remarked, smirking.

Chrysalis slammed her fist upon the desk as her eyes began to glow bright green, her fury starting to come out. She strode directly toward Falcone, grabbed him by the throat and pinned him against the wall.

“Perhaps you take kindly to threats!” She yelled. “You’ll do as we say or—”

Crane grabbed her by the shoulder, and she snapped her head in his direction, her fangs now elongated and showing. Crane gave a small shake of his head and look that said, ‘We need him for what’s to come.’ Begrudgingly, Chrysalis stepped back from Falcone, who coughed as he massaged his now aching throat.

“Damn mutants!” He wheezed.

Crane then leaned forward and spoke with an icy calm voice.

“I’m aware that you’re not intimidated by me, Mr. Falcone,” He admitted. “But you know who I’m working for… and when he gets here—”

“He’s coming to Gotham?” Falcone interrupted, mildly alarmed.

To which Crane nodded.

“And he’s not going to want to hear that you’ve endangered our operation just to get your thugs out of jail time.”

Falcone considered this, having heard stories about the man that Crane worked for, and then nodded.

“Who’s bothering you?”

“There’s a girl in the D.A.’s office,” Crane answered.

“We’ll buy her off,” Falcone shrugged.

“Not this one,” Crane shook his head.

“Idealist, huh?” Falcone guessed, despising the type. “Well, there’s an answer for that, too.

“I don’t want to know,” Crane said firmly.

“Yes, you do,” Falcone countered.

<>

Two nights later…

Falcone arrived at his club and sat himself at his usual table, looking up when Flass approached and sat down.

“I need you at the docks tomorrow night,” He informed the corrupted cop.

“Problem?” Flass questioned.

“Insurance,” Falcone replied. “I don’t want any problems on this last shipment.”

“Sure,” He promised. “Word on the street is you got a beef with someone in the D.A.’s.”

“Is that right?” Falcone raised his eyebrows.

“And that you’ve offered a price on doing something about it,” Flass added.

“What’s your point, Flass?” Falcone questioned.

“You seen this girl?” Flass questioned. “Cute little assistant D.A…. that’s a lot of heat to bring down, even in this town.”

“Never underestimate Gotham,” Falcone advised. “Besides, people get mugged on the way home from work every day…”

Unknown to those inside, Twilight Sparkle sat across the street on a park bench in her human form. She was dressed like a homeless person, much like Bruce had been. She had a microphone hooked over one ear. She had already bumped into Flass earlier that night, planting a bug on him, and was now listening in on their conversation.

‘Sometimes it goes bad.’

Having heard all she needed to hear, Twilight quickly got up from the bench and made her way down the street. She needed to return to Wayne Manor fast, so she could share her findings with the others. As she rounded the corner of a building, she ran smack dab right into someone and the force sent her falling back to the ground.

“Oh God, I’m am so sorry,” The other person apologized.

Twilight looked up to the eyes of one Dr. Harleen Quinzel, who extended her hand for her to take. Twilight accepted the offer, as Harleen helped her to her feet and the mare in disguise could see a tag on her shirt.

“Are you okay?” Quinzel asked, concerned.

“Yes, no need to be sorry,” Twilight assured her. “It was my fault; I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

“Still, I probably should have been paying attention,” Dr. Quinzel smiled. “I’ve been really distracted at work lately. Being a psychologist can really take a lot off your mind, even on your day off.”

“I bet it does,” Twilight nodded. “Anyway, I should really get going. It was really nice to meet you, Dr. Quinzel.”

“Oh please, call me Harley,” Dr. Quinzel.

Twilight smiled as she rounded the doctor and made her way back to Wayne Manor.

<>

The next night at the docks, thugs unloaded boxes from an open container, and they froze when headlights suddenly lit up as a sedan pulled up. Flass emerged, approached the boxes already unloaded, and opened one of them. The cop reached inside and pulled out a Teddy bear.

“Cute,” He commented.

He ripped the head off and pulled out a plastic package filled with white powder.

“Oh?” He spoke with mock surprise. “What have we here?”

When no one responded, still frozen with fear, Flass stuffed the drugs back into the toy and tossed it to the nearest thug, who added it to a pile of bears, which were next to a pile of toy rabbits.

“Get the rest unloaded,” He ordered.

He then walked away leaving the thugs to resume their work. Not far from the shipping containers, a limo was parked. Falcone sat inside, examining a stuffed rabbit. He didn’t even look up when Flass got in.

“Looks fine out there,” The corrupted cop reported, eyeing the rabbit. “So the bears go straight to the dealers?”

“And the rabbits go to our man in the Narrows,” Falcone nodded.

“What’s the difference?” Flass questioned.

“Ignorance is bliss, my friend,” He advised. “Don’t burden yourself with the secrets of scary people.”

“Scarier than you?” Flass asked skeptically.

“Considerably scarier than me,” Falcone smiled grimly.

The men took notice of another limo driving onto the docks alongside theirs, along with a bunch of cars filled with mobsters. When all the vehicles stopped, the mob stepped out and branded their machine guns. One of them walked toward the back door of the limo and opened it up, allowing its passenger to step out. Out of the limo stepped none other than Roman Sionis himself, only this time he wore a black skull mask over his face.

When Falcone saw Sionis emerge, a smirk appeared on his face as he rolled down the window.

“So you finally decide to join us, did you?” He asked sarcastically. “What’s up with the mask?”

“I’ve learned a little something Carmine,” Sionis replied. “People tend not to fear you as much when they know your face. Throw on a mask and they’ll tremble at your feet, begging for mercy. So now, Gotham will know me by one name only… Black Mask.”

Falcone merely chuckled at the introduction.

“Well whatever you call yourself, it’ll be known all across Gotham when this deal is done,” He grinned.

“That’s right,” Sionis nodded. “You and me ruling over the criminal underworld. We’ll be rich and ain’t nobody gonna challenge us.”

“For now though, how’s about helping your boys make sure everything’s all good here?” Falcone suggested. “I’ve business to discuss with ol’ Flass here. I’ll be right behind you.”

Sionis merely gave a curt nod before turning back towards his gang.

“Your heard the man boys, get to it!” He ordered.

Sionis and the mobsters soon went off to get their business underway while Falcone rolled the window back up to conclude his discussion with Flass undisturbed.

<>

Meanwhile, amongst the stacks of shipping containers, a thug next to an open container handed a box to another thug, who accepted the box and walked away with it. Moments later, the first thug turned back to the container to pick up another box when suddenly he was yanked into the darkness with an echoing cry.

The cry made the other thugs pause and turned back toward the container uneasily.

“Steiss?” Another thug called out.

But answer there came none. Hesitantly, he placed the box down and pulled out his gun, just as a third thug came around the corner.

“Come on, we gotta—” The third thug began.

But the moment he saw the gun, he pulled out his own, and they both maneuvered cautiously toward the open container. Reaching it, they peered inside when several lamps above them shattered, startling the thugs. When they turned around, something metal dropped to the ground as darkness advanced toward them.

One of the thugs bent down, picked up the piece of metal, and examined it. The metal piece appeared to be bat shaped, a brushed-steel plate.

‘What the-?’ He wondered.

It was then he noticed his partner staring up above him.

“What?”

He looked and sure enough, high above them, a dark shape hung from a crane directly above him… a giant bat, wings folded, head pointed toward the ground.

“What the hell-?”

Just then, the bat dropped, spreading its wings, and dropped atop the two screaming thugs, one of which fled while the other was enveloped in darkness. The third thug bolted through the corridors of containers, breathing heavily with fear, and soon screamed when the very same blackness sideswiped him… and he was gone.

<>

As the screams echoed throughout the stacks, Sionis and the remainder of his thugs were alerted to the commotion.

“Go check on those idiots!” He demanded.

The thugs at the truck jumped and looked around with alarmed expressions. Inside the limo, Falcone and Flass were startled by all the screaming.

“Stay here,” Flass instructed.

He got out to investigate as the thugs drew their guns, and they also advanced into the stacks to find out what was going on. One thug rounded the corner of a giant crate when a rainbow blur came at him at top speed and knocked him aside. Another thug crossing the pathway between two containers felt a magical blue aura grabbing his feet and it yanked him to the ground. His screams echoed into the darkness he was pulled into. And another was yanked off the ground and sent straight into the accompanied by a pair of flying wings.

Two of the thugs raced past several stacks of crates as the screaming echoed around them. Suddenly, they slipped along the floor and slid over what felt like ice, sliding along it while screaming toward a large stack with a *BAM!* on impact. Another guard turned toward the source of the crash, not noticing a lasso loop around his waist and pulled him back into the dark. An additional thug looked around frantically, his gun aimlessly, trembling in his shaky grip. Just then, a pink blur whammed into him, spinning him around. Just as he stopped, it came back from the opposite direction and sent him spinning again. Then, the pink blur struck him over and over, again and again. Finally, unable to keep his balance, the thug dropped his gun and leaned forward. But he never hit the ground when the pink blur swept over him once more and he vanished.

Deep amongst the stacks, the thugs were picked off one-by-one by a dark figure. Some of them caught the glimpse of a large bat-like being before they were yanked away, screaming into the darkness. A few managed to get a few shots off before being pounced on. One thug was so jumpy he was running blindly, firing at multiple shadows, and somehow managed not to hit any of his fellow thugs.

Eventually, he realized he had emptied his entire clip. He fumbled to put a new one into his gun while screaming in frustration.

“Where are you?!”

“Here.”

The jumpy thug turned toward the face of the Batman himself, hanging upside-down behind him, and he screamed as he was enfolded by darkness.

Flass stopped just short of entering the stacks, hearing all the screams and gunfire, and reached a decision. He finally moved back into the limo, sticking his head back inside.

“What the hell’s going on?!” Falcone demanded.

“”You’ve got a problem out there,” Flass warned him. “Bail.”

And he hurried away to his own car, getting out of there as fast as he could.

Meanwhile, rather than heeding the corrupt cop’s advice, Falcone got out of the limo, and headed into the stacks to find out what was going on with his men. Following the shouts, the screams, and gunfire, he moved through the stacks and turned a corner just when a dark figure, and a few colorful ones, dropped toward the very center of a loose ring made by five of his men. Soon they were all taken out one at a time by the bat-like figure.

Alarmed, Falcone fled the scene and headed out of the stacks. He reached the limo just as the last of the screams and gunfire faded away, climbed inside, and thumped the partition.

“Let’s go!”

When nothing happened, he lowered the partition and to his shock his driver was unconscious.

“Shit!”

Terrified, he pulled out a shotgun, fumbled some bullets into it, and yelped when a thump on the roof jolted the car, followed by a series of loud thumps that had the crime boss nearly wetting his pants. Just as suddenly, the thumps stopped and Falcone shifted the shotgun from side to side, aiming at the shadows. Some of them were real, most of them were imagined, yet either way he couldn’t see any sign of the assailant.

“What the hell are you?” He muttered under his breath.

*SMASH!*

Glass shattered as a pair of black-clad arms shot through the sunroof, grabbed the crime boss by the lapels, and yanked him up through the opening, till they were nose-to-nose. The Batman crouched, panther-like, on the roof of the limo with his magnificent cloak billowing around, and he glared at Falcone through his black cowl.

“I’m Batman!” He growled.

He then head-butted the crime boss, knocking him out. Off to the side, warming his hands, was the very homeless man wearing a familiar coat, staring in stunned amazement at the scene. This did not go unnoticed as the Batman turned toward the stunned homeless man.

“Nice coat,” The Dark Knight rasped.

And before the homeless man’s eyes, the mysterious figure disappeared into the night sky carrying his victim with him. The man looked at his coat, then back toward the shadows.

“Thanks.”

<>

Later that same night, Rachel Dawes rode the monorail train home. She stared out toward the lights of Gotham. Though the train ran perfectly, the interior of the car itself was filthy and covered in graffiti. The only other person in the car was a thinly man seated on the other end, talking on his cellphone.

Hearing the announcement that they reached her stop, Rachel stood up, grabbed her bag, and then got off the train the moment it stopped, and its doors slid open. Moments before the doors shut again, the thin man suddenly jumped up and got off the train too. Rachel made her way down the dimly lit stairs, becoming aware that the thin man was following her. Instinctively, she pulled her bag close. But just as she reached a landing, heading for the next flight of stairs to the car parked below, another man appeared at the bottom of the stairs, lingering and half-blocking the exit.

‘Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me,’ Rachel thought.

Slipping a hand into he bag, she continued down the stairs as the thin man quickened his walking speed so that he almost caught up. As she neared the bottom of the stairs, the waiting man grabbed her arm, spun her about, and pushed her back up the stairs toward his partner. Reacting quickly, she slammed her bag toward the thin man’s head, forcing him back. She turned back just as the other man reached for her ankle and she yanked her hand out revealing a black taser, aiming at him.

“Hold it!” Rachel warned hesitantly.

She was unaware that a black figure dropped on the man behind her, punching and knocking him out, and the guy facing her witnessed it and bolted as fast as he could.

“That’s right!” She shouted after him. “You better run!”

She turned back to deal with the other man and gasped when she saw something crouching on the railing behind her. A man in an armored suit that made her instantly think of a bat. He was flanked by six quadruped creatures in costumes as well as another bipedal scaled creature. Instinctively, she fired the taser so that the projectiles shot into the front of the armor, trailing wires, and they sparked for a few seconds.

The Batman barely reacted and the only thing he did was calmly yank the wires out, which dropped to the ground.

“Try mace,” Rainbow rasped, nodding to the unconscious man. “Falcone sent them to kill you.”

“Why?” Rachel asked.

“You rattled his cage,” The Batman answered.

He soon tossed some photos onto the floor in front of her, and she saw they were of Judge Faden with some pretty girls that definitely weren’t his wife.

“What’s this?” Rachel questioned.

“Leverage,” Twilight responded.

“For what?”

“To get things moving,” Spike added.

“Who are you?” Rachel inquired.

“Someone like you,” The Batman informed her. “Someone who’ll rattle the cages.”

Rachel bent down, picked up the photos, and when she looked back up, the Dark Knight and his comrades were gone.

‘Who the hell was that guy? And how can I contact him again?’

“Ma’am?”

Rachel jumped and turned only to find a cop approaching her.

“Is everything okay?”

She nodded, reporting the attempt on her life, and then headed home to ponder what this all meant in taking down Falcone, especially with the stuff she now had on a certain judge.

<>

Back at the docks, Jim Gordon arrived at the scene, where a crowd of curious people already gathered to see what the cops were doing. Those same citizens were kept back so as not to damage any evidence of this surreal crime scene. The press had arrived, taking pictures, and firing questions about the scene. Coffee in hand, Jim got out of his car and raised his eyebrows at the sight of a line of beaten thugs tied up, sitting against a container full of drugs.

“Falcone’s men?” One cop asked.

“Does it matter?” He responded, sipping his coffee. “We’ll never tie him to it, anyway.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure of that,” A second cop said.

The same cop nodded toward something nearby. Gordon turned to the direction the cop was pointing and saw a group of officers trying to free Falcone’s unconscious form in front of a harbor light turned on. They weren’t having too much luck since he was chained up.

‘What the-?’

He walked over, noting how the crime boss’s arms were spread, his coat ripped, and hung from them in a strange pattern.

“What the hell is that?” A cop muttered, facing the cloudy sky. “Looks like…”

Gordon followed his gaze toward a beam of light casting Falcone’s shadow onto the clouds.

“Like a bat.”

‘It does look like a bat,’ Gordon thought.

He stared at the symbol, recalling the mysterious visitor who told him to watch out for a sing.

“Cut him down,” He ordered, walking away.

Gordon paused when something else caught his eye a block away. He was almost certain that he saw a dark figure, wearing a cape, perched on a ledge, and was watching.

‘A dark figure… a dark knight…’

<>

The next morning, within the bullpen of police headquarters, Commissioner Loeb was addressing the captains, sergeants, and lieutenants about the massive arrest last night and was on the front page of the morning paper. Gordon leaned against a doorway in the back, hiding a smile at the older man’s annoyed expression.

“Unacceptable,” Loeb growled.

He smacked the front page of the newspaper, which had a colorful picture of Falcone chained to the harbor light. It took several hours just to get the crime boss freed of the chains and booked into the local prison.

“I don’t care if it’s rival gangs, Guardian Angels, or the goddamn Salvation Army – get them off the streets, and off the front page.”

“They say it was one guy… or thing,” Captain Simpson reported.

The captain himself questioned some of the thugs, and at least the ones conscious enough provided an answer.

“Dipping into their own supply – it was some asshole in a costume,” Loeb snapped, while the room chuckled.

Thoughtfully, Gordon raised his hand and Loeb cautiously nodded at him.

“This guy did deliver us one of the city’s biggest crime lords,” He commented.

Loeb glared, not wanting to admit that the younger man was right.

“No one takes the law into their own hands in my city, understand?” He growled. “Get back to work.”

He went back to his office and slammed the door behind him. Walking toward his desk, Loeb pulled a bottle of whiskey from one of the drawers along with a glass to slip it into. As he poured, all of a sudden the lights in his office went out. Loeb froze in his spot before getting the sense that someone was right behind him.

“You could have just used the front door,” He suggested.

From behind him stood a man in a suit with a white owl mask over his face. Loeb quickly shut the shades of all the office windows for complete privacy. He soon turned his attention back toward the man in the mask.

“What do you want?” He asked.

“The Grandmaster has spoken,” The man replied. “Judgment Day is coming. It is time for the Court of Owls to convene.”

Loeb put a hand over his face, rubbing his temples. When he pulled his hand away, the masked man vanished as though he were never there. Loeb looked for any sign of him, but none could be found. Sighing to himself, he walked over to his desk and reached into the trop drawer. From inside, he pulled out a white owl mask and held it in his hands as he stared at it for a moment.

If Judgment Day was truly coming, he needed to be ready.

<>

Meanwhile, at the D.A.’s office, Rachel met with her boss, Finch, in his office. She tossed the morning paper onto his desk, beaming at the huge photo of Falcone strapped to the light. She’d already added the photo to a book she kept of her favorite photos and articles.

“No way to bury it now.”

Finch agreed, but the worry was still plain as day.

“Maybe so, but there’s Judge Faden—”

“I’ve got Faden covered,” Rachel grinned.

‘And when he sees those photos that I have of him…’

Finch raised an eyebrow, but otherwise knew better than to ask.

“And this ‘bat’ they’re babbling about?” He asked skeptically.

Rachel hesitated for only a second.

“Even if these guys’ll swear in court to being trashed by a giant bat… we have Falcone at the scene,” She stated. “Drugs, prints, cargo manifest – this bat character gave us everything.”

Finch considered all of this and then grinned, seeing how right she was. There was no way they were losing Falcone this time.

“Damn right. Let’s get frying.”

<>

Over at Wayne Manor, Bruce was sound asleep in the master bedroom when Alfred entered. After setting the breakfast tray on a table, he opened the curtains, and the bright sunlight fell on the young man’s face, waking him.

Bruce groaned, covering his head with the sheet and blanket.

“Bats are nocturnal,” He groaned.

“Bats maybe,” Alfred agreed, inching the tray closer to the bed. “But even for billionaire playboys, 3 o’clock is pushing it. The price of living a double life, I fear.”

He then picked up the morning paper.

“Your theatrics made an impression,” He added.

“Not his alone need I remind you.”

Alfred turned just as the Mane Six and Spike entered the room. Much like Bruce, they were tired and beat from the night before. Some of them had a few bruises and Spike was sporting a black eye… again. Nonetheless, they seemed rather pleased about last night’s work.

“We sure laid waste on those punks,” Rainbow spoke cockily. “They never stood a chance against my mad skills.”

“Not tah mention yer charmin’ modesty,” Applejack joked.

“While I don’t advocate violence, I must say it felt good stopping those hoodlums from committing their crimes,” Rarity grinned.

Hearing this, Bruce uncovered his head and, blinking in the bright light, took the newspaper and sat up to read the front page, grinning at the sight of Falcone chained up. He recalled the glee he felt wrapping the chains all around the crime boss’s body.

“Theatricality and deception are powerful weapons, Alfred,” He remarked. “It’s a start.”

“But there’s still much work to do,” Twilight spoke up. “Speaking of which, I have something to show you, Bruce.”

She walked toward the young man and with her magic she handed him the bullet that nearly hit them on the rooftop the other night. Bruce looked at the bullet for a moment as he analyzed it.

“7.62-millimeter caliber,” He observed. “The tip is plated in silver. Not a lot of thugs out there have the money for silver bullets, let alone high velocity ones. How’d you get this?”

“Someone shot at us last night on the rooftop,” Rainbow responded. “Right after we paid a visit to your buddy, John Wycliffe.”

“If we’d been only a few feet to our right, we’d have been killed,” Fluttershy added.

Bruce studied the bullet closely, making out something odd. There was an engraving along the side, which depicted what resembled an owl expanding its wings.

As Bruce studied the symbol, a look of realization dawned on him.

“No… it can’t be,” He said shocked.

“What is it, Bruce?” Twilight asked.

“When I was a kid, my parents always used to me this nursery rhyme,” Bruce answered. “About this secret society that ran Gotham from the shadows. They’re called the Court of Owls. I always used to think they were just a myth.”

“Myths can quickly turn into reality, especially when it’s shooting at you,” Spike commented.

Wouldn’t a dragon’s scales prevent anything from hurting him?

… Did you REALLY want to test that? He’s not ‘that’ strong!

“What else do you know about this ‘Court of Owls’?” Twilight asked.

“Not much,” Bruce answered. “All I know is they’ve supposedly been around since Gotham was founded. However, there’s no whisper or anything about them.”

Twilight used her magic to take the bullet back and studied it herself.

“Maybe it’s time we did some digging on this Court of Owls,” She declared.

“And we’ll be findin’ Chrysalis and the Dazzlins’ somewhere down the road, right?” Applejack asked, raising a brow.

“And we will…” Twilight assured. “But if this Court intends to interfere and put our plan at risk, we need to learn everything we can about this group, so we’ll be ready.”

As they planned, Alfred frowned over the dark bruises forming across the young man’s torso and arms. Already, he was imagining questions that would be asked about the injuries if one was to see Bruce bare-chested in the near future.

“If those are to be the first of many injuries,” He said slowly. “It would be wise to find a suitable excuse. Polo, for instance.”

“What’s Polo?” Spike asked.

“It’s one of the world’s oldest known team sports where the objective is to score using a long-handled wooden mallet to hit a small hard ball through the opposing team’s goal. It’s traditionally played on horseback.”

“Ooh…” Spike nodded.

Slowly, he turned toward the girls who merely glanced back in annoyance.

“No…” Twilight answered bluntly.

“Ah, you girls are no fun,” Spike pouted.

Bruce made a face as he set aside the newspaper and stood up, reaching for a tall glass with a green veggie drink in it.

“I’m not learning polo, Alfred.”

Alfread wasn’t about to back off on this particular argument concerning his young charge.

“Strange injuries, a nonexistent social life,” He pointed out. “These things beg the question of what, exactly, Bruce Wayne does with his time and his money.”

“Actually, that’s a really good point,” Pinkie nodded in agreement. “Not to mention A.J.’s ‘really’ bad at lying.”

“Don’t you start, Pinkie,” Applejack scolded.

Bruce considered this as he drowned the drink, putting the glass back. Then, with a straight back, he fell forward onto the floor, performing a dizzying amount of rapid push-ups.

“What does someone like me do?”

Alfred shrugged as he watched with concern.

“Drive sport cars, date movie stars,” He suggested. “Buy things that aren’t for sale. Who knows, Master Wayne? If you start pretending to have fun, you might even have a little by accident.”

“I just might,” Bruce chuckled.

He casually looked at the girls, who eyed each other weirdly.

“Why is he looking at us like that?” Fluttershy asked, concerned.

<>

“GOD DAMN IT!!!”

Across town, a very angry Roman Sionis burst through the doors of his penthouse office. His mask ripped off and discarded, he started wrecking everything in sight. His thugs watched as Roman yelled out in frustration, destroying everything he could touch while cursing loudly.

“Whoa now boss, just calm down,” One of his thugs tried reasoning.

*BANG!*

A loud gunshot sent the thug falling to the ground, blood polling around him from a fresh bullet wound in the chest. The other thugs faced their boss fearfully, as he now held a smoking gun in his hand.

“Don’t you idiots know what just happened?!” He yelled. “This deal would’ve made me richer than the god damn Queen of England! And in one night, ONE DAMN NIGHT, it all goes to hell because of some masked freaks!”

The thugs fell to their knees, practically begging for mercy and not to be killed. Their boss stared in passing, like a mad man with a gun in hand. He walked in front of all of them, looking them all in the eye with such intensity.

“There is a storm coming!” He yelled. “Like nothing you have ever seen! And not one of you are prepared for it!”

He raised the gun, about to fire again as all the thugs screamed. That was until the doors burst open again, drawing his attention and the thugs sighed with relief. Their boss soon noticed Poison Ivy, Zoe Pink Star, and the Dazzlings entering his office. The deranged crime lord was confused by the mere presence of the sirens and the plant lady.

“What the hell is this?” Sionis asked confused. “Boys, get the hell up and waste them!”

The thugs quickly got up and grabbed their weapons, aiming at the ladies. Before they could even pull the triggers, all four sirens channeled some melodious hypnotizing notes and the thugs found themselves instantly under their spell. Giddy smiles spread along their faces before making their way to their side. This made Roman Sionis more confused than ever.

“What the hell are you doing?!” Sionis asked angrily. “Get back here and kill them!”

“I don’t think they’re willing to listen to you anymore, Roman,” Poison Ivy smirked.

“Don’t test me, plant bitch!” Sionis snapped. “Or I’ll cut your eyes out and feed them to those devil plants you love so much.”

The Dazzlings and Zoe whispered in the thugs’ ears, and they instantly lifted their guns again aiming right at Sionis.

“Sorry, you’re in no position to be making threats right now,” Adagio grinned.

“We give these boys the word and they’ll shoot you dead right where you’re standing,” Aria added.

Sionis faced the Dazzlings with a heated glare.

“What do you want?” He growled.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Sionis,” Zoe smirked. “We’re not here to hurt you; we’re here to help you.”

“What are you talking about?” He asked confused. “What could you possibly do for me?”

“You’ve already seen what we can do with our voices alone, just imagine what we could do if we team up,” Poison Ivy responded. “My deadly plants, their hypnotizing voices, your money, and even your muscle heads. We could have this city at our mercy.

From the sidelines, Sonata looked rather concerned.

“I don’t know about this,” She spoke worriedly. “Maybe we should—”

“Sonata, if you don’t shut up, I’ll have one of these thugs put a bullet in your head!” Aria threatened.

Sonata quickly shut her trap, sulking off to the corner as Poison Ivy and the others dealt with business.

“Here’s how I see it, Roman,” Ivy explained. “With Carmine Falcone locked up, that basically makes you the new King of Gotham’s underworld. With that power, you must have connections.”

“Yeah… and what of it?” Sionis snipped.

Poison Ivy reached behind her and pulled out a small vial of green liquid that Zoe stole for her.

“There’s an ancient plant whose roots run under Gotham’s slums,” She explained. “It has long since been dead for a thousand years, but this vial contains a special enzyme that will bring it back to life.”

“Why should I care over some stupid plant?” Sionis asked.

“Because this isn’t any ordinary plant,” Ivy answered. “Its roots run all throughout Gotham City. If I were to bring the tree back to life, I could command it to use those roots to destroy any city block in mere moments. The roots are impenetrable and will rip out of the ground, tearing all of Gotham down within minutes.”

While he didn’t care very much about the process, even Sionis had to admit the idea of having Gotham at his knees with the threat of imminent doom sounded enticing.

“What do you get out of it?” He asked.

“Simple!” Adagio answered. “You want those masked vigilantes dead; we can do so. We help you take control of this city, so long as they all die.”

Sionis couldn’t help but crack a wicked grin at the offer. To think he could have this entire city and all for the price of killing those he wanted dead. That was an offer far too tempting to pass up.

“First, I want my goons back,” He said. “It’s hard finding good goons these days.”

Adagio, Aria, and Zoe all nodded their heads and snapped their fingers. Within a second, the thugs snapped back to reality and held their heads from the splitting headaches they now had. Once their senses returned, they looked at one another before eyeing the ladies and their boss.

“What the hell just happened?” One thug asked.

“When did these chicks come in?” Another thug added.

“Don’t worry about it,” Sionis responded. “Right now, I want you to send a message to every scumbag, mobster, and freak in the city.”

“What do we tell ‘em, boss?” A thug asked.

Sionis turned to face the giant window overlooking the city.

“Tell them I’ll pay $1,000,000 to anyone that kills this bat thing and those four-legged freaks with it.”

The thugs quickly scrambled from the room, taking care to avoid the body of their fallen comrade on the ground. This left Sionis and the ‘Vicious Vixens’ in the office to look down upon the city. One way or another, Gotham would be there’s before all was said and done.

Terror and Secrets

Far out in the Arctic Ocean, a Coast Guard helicopter touched down upon the back of a heavily damaged and deserted cargo ship. Two Coast Guardsmen, armed with flashlights, jumped onto the deck of the ship to inspect it. They were baffled over the sight of the entire deck filled with massive holes.

Exchanging an uneasy look with his partner, one of the men shined his light upon the nearest massive hole.

<>

At Wayne Enterprises, Mr. Early was at his desk when an executive arrived with a troubled expression.

“Sir, we have a situation.”

“What kind of situation?” Earle asked.

Earle had already received word that Judge Faden was under investigation and wouldn’t be taking any new cases for a while, which meant his own plans of keeping Wayne Enterprises out of Bruce’s hands was currently behind schedule, and he was already in a foul mood.

“Coast guard picked up one of our cargo ships last night,” He reported uneasily. “Heavily damaged. Crew missing, probably dead.”

A frown formed along Earle’s face, followed by a trace of concern around the edges.

“What happened?” He asked.

“The ship was carrying a prototype weapon,” The executive explained. “A microwave emitter…”

<>

An industrial machine the size of a small van sat in a cargo bay, overlooked by two security guards.

“It’s designed for desert warfare – it uses focused microwaves to vaporize the enemy’s water supply…”

Suddenly, something grabbed the security guards from behind, their necks snapped, and then two men approached the machine and turned it on.

“Looks like someone fired it up…”

“What caused the damage?”

The two men braced themselves against the machine as it shuddered, emitting energy in a single wave.

“The expansion of water in steam creates an enormous pressure wave…”

Soon, the pipes exploded, belching steam all over the ship… sailors were tossed around by exploding pipes and drains…

<>

“It looks like someone fired it up at sea,” The executive concluded. “Judging from the damage to the ship and cargo.”

To suggest Earle was floored by the news was the understatement of the century.

“Where’s the weapon?” He asked.

“It’s missing…” The executive shifted uneasily.

‘Good lord,’ Earle thought. He could only imagine just who’d want the weapon and why they’d turn it on while in a ship of all places.

<>

Later that night, in downtown Gotham, a million-dollar Bugatti Veyron pulled up along the valet station at one of the fancy hotels. A long white limousine pulled up behind the car just as Bruce Wayne, impeccably tailored in a black tuxedo, stepped out of his car along with two beautiful women. From the driver side of the limo, the valet scrambled to the back door and opened the door, revealing the Mane Six and Spike. Once again, they assumed their human forms and dressed much like their Canterlot City counterparts.

The girls and Spike stared in awe at the fancy car, which Bruce and his lady friends stepped out of.

“Now that’s a nice car,” Rainbow commented with a smile.

“You should see my other one,” Bruce smirked.

“Think you can lend me one?”

Bruce merely chuckled in response before leading everyone inside the restaurant. As they walked in, Twilight Sparkle positioned a fetching beret in her hair.

“What a lovely accessory, darling,” Rarity commented. “It truly brings out your features rather well.”

“It’s not for appearances, Rarity,” Twilight told her. “I had Bruce hook up a miniature microphone in it.”

“Why would ya need tah do that?” Applejack asked.

“Bruce said this Court of Owls is made up of Gotham’s elite,” Twilight answered. “Surely there’s bound to be hundreds of Gotham’s wealthiest people here tonight and a few are bound to be members. Wearing this allows us to pick up any hidden dialect that might be spoken while we’re here.”

“That’s… actually not a bad idea,” Rainbow nodded slowly.

Inside the hotel restaurant, tables were positioned around a decorative infinity pool, and Earle was seated at one of the tables along with his wife, the Wycliffe’s, and other guests. He saw Bruce enter with the blondes on his arms and the Mane Six and Spike following close behind. Fighting back a sigh, he waved the young man over to join them.

“Bruce, so nice of you to join us,” Earle said through a fake smile. “And I see you’ve brought some friends.”

“Indeed, I have,” Bruce smiled, gesturing to the two girls.

“I meant your other friends,” Earle emphasized, motioning to the Equestrians. “The ‘younger’ ones.”

“Oh right, where are my manners?” Bruce feigned idiocy. “Everyone, these are some transfer students Alfred and I have taken in. This is Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Spike.”

The Mane Six and Spike waved casually toward everyone at the table.

“Lovely to meet you all,” Twilight greeted.

“Charmed, I’m sure,” Rarity bowed her head.

“Sup!” Rainbow spoke casually.

This received a stiff jab in the ribs by Rarity, who glared at her friend for her uncouth response.

“Again with the jabbing!” Rainbow whispered harshly. “You keep this up, I’ll end up with cracked ribs.”

“This doesn’t seem like much of a fancy shindig,” Pinkie Pie spoke disappointed. “Where’s the pinata? Where are the streamers? Does anyone here even know how to play ‘Pin the Tail on the Donkey’?”

Everyone at the table merely looked at the pink party pony turned girl as though she just said the most ridiculous statement they’ve ever heard. This caused Rarity to hide her face in shame and embarrassment, while Spike merely shook his head.

“This is gonna be a long night,” He sighed.

<>

A few hours later…

The table was littered with bottles and empty plates. Eventually, the conversation turned to a discussion over an incident involving the mysterious Batman.

“At least he’s getting something done,” One of the female guests said.

To which the husband of said guest released a heavy sigh.

“Bruce, help me out here,” He begged.

Bruce merely turned from the blondes as they stood and walked over the pool.

“A guy who dressed up like a bat clearly has issues,” Bruce responded with a smile.

“Totally bonkers!” Pinkie piped in. “He sounds as crazy as me when I get really hyped on the sweets. Which happens very often, so I know exactly what I’m talking about. In fact, I think this calls for a pick me up!”

Pinkie proceeded to reach into her hair and pulled out a box of assorted chocolates, which she dumped the entirety into her waiting mouth. Everyone at the table, especially her friends, just watched without uttering a single word as though they haven’t a clue what to say. Eventually, someone pulled the conversation back to focus.

“But he put Falcone behind bars,” The female guest pointed out.

“And now the cops are trying to bring him in,” Her husband pointed out. “So what does that tell you?”

“They’re jealous?” His wife suggested.

“From what I’ve heard, the commissioner is rather infuriated with this Batman character,” John remarked, while Julia sniffed slightly.

From the sidelines, the others watched with disapproval as one of the blondes slipped off her dress and lowered herself into the pool, quickly followed by her giggling companion. Bruce repressed a laugh at everyone’s expression, while maintaining focus on John’s choice of words.

“If he’s so benevolent, why hide his face?”

“Maybe he’s protecting the people he cares about from reprisals,” The female guest suggested.

There was some general agreement to this statement when the Maitre’d approached with an annoyed expression.

“Sir,” He informed Bruce. “The pool is for decoration, and your friends do not have swim wear.”

Bruce merely glanced toward the pool, where his dates were currently swimming and drawing looks from the various guests. To which a smirk spread along his face.

“Well, they’re European.”

The Maitre’d scowled, clearly unamused.

“I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

He became exasperated further when the young man pulled out a checkbook and started to write one out.

“It’s not a question of money.”

Now grinning, Bruce turned to Earle while writing out an amount of money on a check.

“Mr. Earle, I’m buying this hotel,” He informed the older man.

This drew a mixture of reactions from everyone at the table. Julia was indignant, John chuckled with the other guests, Earle nodded patiently, and the Maitre’d was dumbstruck.

“Will you please broker a deal?”

“Of course,” Earle answered.

Pleased, Bruce returned his attention to the stunned man.

“And I’m making some new rules for the pool area,” He added.

One of the blondes called to him and he stood, went over, and let them pull him backward into the water with a laugh. Earle shook his head and turned away to continue the conversation about the Batman, Fluttershy overhearing him suggesting the guy needed a straitjacket and the female guess stating he deserved a medal. The rest of the Equestrians watched with shock over the actions of the young Bruce Wayne.

“For a billionaire, Bruce sure doesn’t showcase much class,” Rarity commented.

“You left out the whole ‘playboy’ part of that statement,” Rainbow remarked.

Meanwhile, Twilight wasn’t paying much attention to what was going on. For at this moment, she had finally picked up a matter of interest through her microphone concerning a man and a woman standing off in the corner.

“And you are positive the day of reckoning is upon us?” The woman asked. “Gotham hasn’t faced judgment since the late 1800’s.”

“Our orders are quite clear,” The man responded. “The Grandmaster wishes for us to meet tonight. We are to give a list of those we wish to be spared when the reaping begins.”

“Then let us waste no more time.”

The couple proceeded to depart from the restaurant area toward the entryway of the hotel. Twilight knew if they were aiming to uncover some information on the Court of Owls, they couldn’t lose the trail. Quickly, she picked herself up and turned toward the rest of her friends.

“I think it’s time we head back for the mansion,” She told them. “After all, we have much work to do.”

She gestured with her eyes toward the doors, and everyone looked over to the couple making their way into view. Getting the idea, they quickly got up and addressed everyone at the table.

“It was quite nice to meet you all,” Rarity said kindly.

“Likewise,” Earle responded. “Do promise me you’ll keep a close eye on Bruce while you’re with him.”

“Can do partner,” Applejack nodded. “We’ll be on him like mud on a pig.”

Once again, Rarity rolled her eyes and sighed at the response before she started to walk away. The rest of the group followed behind her as they started for the restaurant exit. Before they left, they stopped near the pool where Bruce was still inside with his lady friends.

“Um Bruce, we’re just heading out for the mansion,” Fluttershy said. “If that’s alright with you, that is.”

Bruce paused for a moment and looked toward his friends through his sopping wet hair.

“Oh yeah sure,” He nodded. “I’ll meet you guys back there later. Just tell the driver to take you back or wherever you’d like to go.”

With that settled, Bruce returned his attention to whatever he was doing, while the Mane Six and Spike went off to follow the mysterious couple. Wherever it is they were going, surely it was meant to provide some form of answers to questions building in their heads.

<>

A while later, Bruce and the Blondes, now sporting some white hotel robes, left the hotel and were waiting for the valet, who pulled up in the Bugatti. Rachel, wearing a black dress with a black shawl and black heels, walked into the hotel for a dinner date. She stopped at the sight of her childhood friend, now soaking wet.

“Bruce?”

Surprised, Bruce turned and smiled when he saw her.

“Rachel.”

Rachel raised her eyebrows at Bruce, who was still damp.

“I’d heard you were back,” She commented with a faint smile. “What are you doing?”

“Just… swimming,” Bruce responded with a shrug. “It’s good to see you.”

“It’s good to see you too,” Rachel nodded. “So where have you been all these years?”

“Oh, kind of all over, you know?” Bruce shrugged.

“I missed you – you were gone a long time,” Rachel told him.

“I know, did you…?” Bruce started, then cleared his throat. “I mean, how are things… for you?”

“The same,” Rachel answered. “The job’s getting worse.”

‘Not for long.’

“Can’t change the world on your own,” Bruce remarked.

“What choice do I have?” Rachel asked honestly. “You’re too busy… swimming.”

Bruce winced slightly at the jab.

“Rachel, all this… it’s not all I am, inside I’m… different.”

Oh, how he wanted so much to tell her that he was the Batman everyone was talking about. But he also knew ‘why’ he couldn’t… at least, not yet. Just then, one of the blondes called out from the front seat of the car.

“Come on, Bruce! We have some more hotels we want you to buy!”

Rachel glanced toward the blondes, then faced her friend sadly.

“Bruce, deep down, you may be the same great little kid you used to be…” She sighed. “But it’s not who you are underneath… it’s what you do that defines you.”

She walked into the hotel, leaving Bruce to watch her sadly. He wished there was more he could say to show Rachel there’s so little she knew; yet, he didn’t have the words… he just couldn’t.

<>

The Mane Six and Spike, dressed in their Power Pony costumes, used their newly gained skills from training with the League to sneak stealthily through the hotel halls in pursuit of the mysterious couple. They followed through the foundation’s many halls until eventually they arrived outside the Ballroom. The couple stopped outside the room for a moment, looking over their shoulders to make sure they weren’t followed. When they saw no one, they both reached behind themselves and pulled out white owl masks which they placed over their faces before entering the ballroom and closed the doors behind them.

The Power Ponies and Humdrum, watching from the shadows, slunk silently across the hall to the Ballroom doors and stopped just outside. The Masked Matterhorn silently counted to ‘three’ with her fingers before they burst into the room, ready for a fight. Which made it even more bizarre when they saw… nobody, not a soul in the room. It was entirely empty; some would suggest deserted.

“What the hay?!” Zapp said confused. “Where’d they go?”

“That doesn’t seem possible!” Radiance shook her head. “There aren’t any other doors in this room; there’s no way two people can just disappear that quickly.”

“There’s something in here that can tell us where they went,” The Masked Matterhorn said. “Every pony take a look around, and if you find anything out of the ordinary, send a signal.”

The entire group began to scour the room for anything that could possibly tell them where the two people went. They looked up and down the entire room, but so far couldn’t find anything.

“Ain’t nothin’ here, Twi,” Mistress Marevelous called out.

“There has to be,” The Masked Matterhorn said. “I’m sure of it.”

Humdrum looked off into the corner and noticed something off. There was a marble statue of an owl, but the head was facing the wrong direction. Slowly, he walked over to it and reached out to touch it.

*WHAM!!!*

“Ow!”

All of a sudden, Humdrum felt a sharp prick in the back of his neck and reached out to find out what hit him. Something stuck out along that very spot, and when he pulled it out it appeared to be some sort of blow dart.

“Yeow!”

“Ouchie!”

“What the hay?!”

“Holy mother of Tirek!”

Humdrum looked up seeing the others pulling darts out of themselves too.

“What in the name of Celestia is—what in—wah-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba…”

Humdrum’s lip started to swell up while everyone else stumbled about, feeling extremely dizzy and tired. Within a minute, the entire group fell to the ground and passed out from whatever those drugs injected them with. Out of the shadows stepped a number of men in suits and white skull masks. They looked down upon the fallen Equestrian heroes, unsure of what to make of them.

“What should we do with them?” One Court member asked.

“We should kill them now,” Another suggested.

“No, we must allow the Grandmaster to decide their fate,” Another member announced.

One member of the Court approached the statue and turned its head back toward the direction it was meant to face. The room shook slightly as a hidden staircase lowered down into the floor, revealing a large medieval-looking iron door.

The members of the Court picked up the Mane Six and Spike one-by-one before carrying them down the stairs and through the iron gate off towards Celestia only knows where.

<>

The next day, at the county jail, Dr. Crane, with briefcase in hand, was buzzed through a set of thick steel-and-glass doors. As always, Chrysalis followed by his side and together they walked inside where an officer greeted them.

“Dr. Crane, thanks for coming down.”

“Not at all,” Crane spoke politely. “So, he cut his wrists?”

The prison official nodded.

“Probably looking for an insanity plea,” She guessed. “But if anything happened…”

“Of course, better safe than sorry,” Crane nodded.

Falcone waited for Crane in a white interview room, where his wrists were bandaged. He smirked when the psychiatrist and the Changeling Queen in disguise entered.

“A suicide attempt, Carmine?” Chrysalis spoke up. “How unlike you. Here I thought you were a crime lord, not a coward.”

“Dr. Crane, it’s all too much, the walls are closing in, blah, blah, blah!” He rattled up, grimacing. “Couple more days of this food, it’ll be true.”

Crane placed his briefcase on the table and sat down, unfazed by Falcone’s performance.

“What do you want?” He asked, cutting to the point.

Falcone took this hint, his face going hard.

“I wanna know how you’re gonna convince me to keep my mouth shut.”

“I could always kill you,” Chrysalis threatened. “That would certainly keep you quiet forever.”

“Easy my dear,” Crane gestured politely, facing Falcone. “About what? You don’t know anything.”

“I know you wouldn’t want the cops taking a closer look at the drugs they seized,” Falcone spoke slyly, with a smirk. “Odds are, they’ll be asking the CEO of Wycliffe Industries to examine the drugs since he’s a big supporter and sponsor of their anti-drug task force and rehab program. I know about your experiments on the inmates at your nuthouse.”

As he spoke, Crane’s eyes narrowed almost as though he were sizing him up.

“I don’t get into business with someone without finding out their dirty secrets. Those goons you hired… I own the muscle in this town. I’ve been smuggling your stuff in for months, so whatever he’s got planned, it’s big. And I want in.”

Crane studied the crime boss thoughtfully for a moment, then sighed.

“I already know what he’ll say… that we should kill you.”

“Let me do it,” Chrysalis offered. “I could make it either painful… or very painful.”

Glaring with contempt, Falcone leaned forward.

“Even he can’t touch me in here,” He declared. “Not in my town.”

Crane shrugged, popping the locks on his briefcase, and then removed his glasses. He looked toward Chrysalis with an almost sinister look.

“Let’s see if that practice you’ve been doing has paid off,” He suggested.

“With pleasure,” Chrysalis smirked wickedly.

Crane then looked back at Falcone, as he reached inside the case.

“Would you like to see my mask?”

Crane proceeded to pull out a burlap sack with eye holes cut into it, and twine stitching for a mouth.

“I use it in my experiments,” He explained. “I’m probably not very frightening to a guy like you, but these crazies… they can’t stand it…”

Falcone stared at him, warily and uneasily of where this was going. Crane placed the mask over his face and reached back into his briefcase.

“When did the nut take over the nut house—” He began.

*WHUMP!!!*

A cloud of white smoke shot out of the briefcase and into his face. Coughing, he pushed his chair back, surprised, and then began screaming when he locked eyes with Crane’s mask. Lizard tongues flicked out of the holes in his mask, as he stood and leaned toward the terrified crime boss.

“They scream and cry…” Crane growled. “… As much as you’re doing now.”

Falcone kept screaming as the eyes and mouth of Crane’s mask burst into flames. Chrysalis’ eyes turned dark green, her fangs elongated, and soon her human form melted away into that of her true Changeling form. She opened her mouth widely and began to suck the fear Falcone was experiencing, feeling herself grow more and more powerful. Once she’d gotten the full taste of fear, she reverted back to her regular human form as she could feel the power emulating deep within her.

“Hmm… so it’s true,” She smiled wickedly. “Fear is far more satisfying than love.”

<>

Barely a minute later, Chrysalis and Crane emerged, his briefcase in hand. Falcone’s screams echoed from within the room, as the man turned to the startled prison official.

“Oh, he’s not faking,” He confirmed. “Not that one.”

To which the official nodded gravely.

“I’ll talk to the judge, see if I can get him moved to the secure wing at Arkham,” He continued. “I can’t treat him here.”

With that settled, he and Chrysalis quickly left while Falcone’s screams echoed throughout the halls.

<>

At Wycliffe Industries, John was going over the results of the drugs that’d been tested. He hadn’t gotten far when one of his assistants approached.

“Yes?” He asked.

“There’s a Sergeant Jim Gordon here to see you, sir.”

“Send him in,” John said, studying the results. “This can’t be right…”

Goron entered the office and cleared his throat.

“Mr. Wycliffe?”

John looked up from the lab results and nodded, shaking the cop’s hand.

“Gordon, good to see you since the commissioner isn’t interested,” He said.

“Loeb has a different approach to what he considers to be ‘important’,” Gordon said, nodding to the papers. “Are those the results from the drugs we seized at the docks last night?”

“They are,” John confirmed. “And while most of the drugs are the typical ones Falcone brings in, there’s something else as well.”

“What’s that?” Gordon asked.

“Unfortunately, that’s where me and the technicians in my research labs are stumped,” He admitted. “Whatever it is, the chemical compound seemed to hint that it’s some kind of hallucinogenic, based on what I know about such chemicals… this could be a nasty one.”

“How nasty?” Gordon frowned.

“I say bad enough to induce a heart attack or even a fatal stroke in less than a minute,” John responded. “Of course, it’ll depend on the dosage, and how the person is exposed to it.”

To which Gordon didn’t like the sound of it.

“Will you let me know anything else that you find out about this hallucinogenic chemical?” He requested.

“I will,” John promised. “There’s a few more tests my people are currently running, and the results should be in soon.”

“Thanks.”

<>

Later that night, Gordon was at his apartment, where his pregnant wife, Barbara, was trying to get their two-year old, Jim Jr., to eat. He kissed her, picked up the trash, and headed outside. Thunder rumbled overhead as Gordon stepped out onto the fire escape, to put the trash into the trashcan and put the lid back on.

“Storm’s coming,” A raspy voice said.

Startled, Gordon looked up, spotting the Batman, who was crouched just above him on the fire escape.

“The scum’s getting jumpy because you stood up to Falcone,” Gordon told him.

“It’s a start,” The Dark Knight declared. “Your partner was at the docks with Falcone.”

To which Gordon rolled his eyes, unsurprised by the claim.

“He moonlights as a low-level enforcer.”

“They were splitting the shipment in two,” the Batman informed. “Only half were going to the dealers.”

Now this was news to the cop himself.

“Why? What about the other half? Unless…”

“Unless what?” The Dark Knight questioned.

“I went to Wycliffe Industries earlier to see John Wycliffe, who’s overseeing the testing of the drugs from the docks, and he found something strange,” Gordon explained. “Wycliffe isn’t sure, but he says it looked to be a hallucinogenic chemical compound of some kind.”

Batman considered this discovery with keen interest.

“Flass knows,” He observed.

Gordon shook his head even if he knew that was probably true.

“He won’t talk.”

“He’ll talk to me,” Batman said confidently.

“Commissioner Loeb set up a massive task force to catch you,” Gordon warned the Dark Knight. “He thinks you’re dangerous.”

Of course, Batman didn’t seem surprised by this at all.

“What do you think?”

“I think you’re trying to help,” Gordon said.

He turned away for only a brief moment, then when he looked back… the Dark Knight disappeared.

“But I’ve been wrong before.”

‘I just hope that I’m not wrong this time,’ a thought passed as Gordon proceeded back into his apartment. Batman watched him from a nearby rooftop till the cop disappeared. He tapped the side of his cowl and radioed back to Alfred, who was listening from Wayne Manor.

“I heard everything clear as day, Master Bruce,” Alfred said. “If what Mr. Gordon says is true, this compound could prove to be quite dangerous to anyone exposed.”

“I need to find Flass,” Batman replied. “He was there the night Falcone and Sionis were going to collect the drugs. He’ll know more about it.”

“Be careful, sir. With this city wide manhunt, traversing about the city will be difficult.”

“I’ll be fine, Alfred,” Batman assured. “Have you found any sign of them yet?”

“I’m afraid not, sir. The limousine driver said they never got back in the car and the hotel staff hasn’t seem them at all since they walked out of the restaurant last night. I have no idea where they are, but I do hope they’re alright.”

Bruce put an end to the communication and proceeded with his nightly patrol. He was worried about the Mane Six and Spike the moment he came home the other night, only to find out they never returned. He tried looking for them, but so far all efforts have proven fruitless. He could only hope that wherever they were, they could handle themselves until he found them.

<>

Groaning in pain, the brilliant lavender eyes beneath the mask of the Matterhorn slowly blinked open as she tried to adjust to a bright light shining upon her. When she tried to sit up, she quickly found her movements were rather restricted. Soon as her vision came in full, she noticed that she and the remainder of her friends were chained down to a large circular table in the midst of some chamber. Seated all around were an assortment of men, women, and even children, all wearing white owl masks.

The Masked Matterhorn looked on, shocked and in fear, as the entire Court of Owls gazed upon her, and her friends chained to the table. She attempted to use her magic to free herself and the others, only to find she couldn’t do it. Not for lack of trying, but because her magic had simply failed her. As she struggled to free them all, her friends eventually awoke and slowly came to realize their situation.

“What the hay’s going on here?” Zapp asked confused.

“Where are we?” Humdrum asked confused. “Who’re these people?”

“Scary birds…” Filly Second shuddered.

“Ugh! My magic isn’t working!” Radiance panicked.

“Mah strength ain’t working neither,” Mistress Marevelous groaned, pulling the chains.

“Twilight, w-w-what’s h-happening?” Saddle Rager shook in fear.

“I don’t know,” The Masked Matterhorn answered fearfully.

A low chuckle made the entire group face the head of the table where a man dressed in a three-piece ivory suit and wearing a golden owl mask sat in a throne. The Grandmaster of the Court of Owls stood up as he eyed the Equestrians.

“Of course you do,” He spoke lowly. “You seek answers into the Court of Owls. Well look no further, for here we are.”

Once again, The Masked Matterhorn tried using her magic to free herself. But even as she felt a spark, the magic completely fizzled out in seconds. Another chuckle emanated from beneath the Grandmaster’s mask.

“Try all you’d like, but your magic won’t work… Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight and the others froze upon hearing her name called out.

“How do you know my name?” She asked.

“I know all about you and your friends,” The Grandmaster replied. “That’s why your chains are made of a special metal that counteracts all your powers. You’re as helpless as puppy dogs in a pound.”

“Just wait till I’m out of these chains, creep!” Rainbow growled. “I’ll hit you so hard it’ll make the first Court of Owls dizzy!”

“Idle threats mean nothing to us,” The Grandmaster replied simply. “The Court of Owls has watched over Gotham City since its first founding. Our mission has been to ensure the city’s future by whatever means necessary.”

“Even if that means murderin’ the innocent, corruptin’ the system, and spewin’ lies?” Applejack asked.

“Indeed,” The Grandmaster nodded. “Though while Gotham’s continuation remains our goal, our priority is far greater than that. We are part of something much bigger than Gotham itself could ever hope to be.”

“And what exactly is that?” Rarity frowned.

The Grandmaster merely sat back in his thrown, his hands pressed together.

“The complete and utter destruction of magic itself,” He answered.

This puzzle the Equestrians greatly, shocked them even.

“What do you mean by destroying the magic?” Twilight asked confused.

“Do you truly believe you’re the first magical beings to end up in this world?” The Grandmaster asked. “Magic has done its damage to this world for centuries. It’s people like us, or rather people all over the world, with similar visions that have kept the magic at bay.”

“So what’re you going to do to us?” Spike asked. “Kill us?”

To which, once again, the Grandmaster released a chuckle.

“Eventually little dragon,” He nodded. “But first, the world must see how dangerous and destructive your kind truly are. Judgment Day is upon Gotham City at last, and your kind will serve as the executioners, whether you want to or not.”

“Our kind?!” Rainbow growled. “I’ll make you eat those words you—”

One snap of The Grandmaster’s fingers and the other Court members quickly rose up with blow dart guns in hand. They quickly fired toward the group before they could react and within another moment, they were out cold.

“What shall we do now, sir?” One member asked.

“Return them to Wayne Manor,” The Grandmaster answered. “Soon enough, the reckoning will come to Gotham. As their kind lay waste to this city, we commence with the purge of Gotham and rebuild from its ashes.”

A few members proceeded to unshackle the Mane Six and Spike, dragging them from their meeting chamber as the rest watched on silently and sinisterly.

<>

It was pouring rain, Flass was currently at a falafel stand, where the vendor piled the fixings for the corrupt cop. He helped himself to a couple banknotes, ignoring the protest from the vendor as he walked away. He walked down a dark street, stuffing the falafel into his mouth as the rain soaked him to the bone. Suddenly, he was yanked from the pavement and pulled up between two buildings while his food landed on the pavement below.

Screaming for his life, Flass found himself face-to-face with the Batman himself, the rain pouring off his cowl. The corrupt officer was so terrified he barely noticed the cord wrapped around Flass’ ankle held tightly in the Batman’s grip.

“Where were the other drugs going?” Batman demanded.

“I don’t know!” Flass gasped, scared. “I swear to God—”

“Swear to me!” Batman snarled.

He dropped Flass three flights down on the wire before yanking the terrified man back up.

“I never knew… never…” Flass whispered frantically. “Shipments went to some guy for a couple of days before they went to the dealers.”

If Batman’s suspicions were true, that probably meant John was right about the hallucinogenic chemicals. But the detective needed to make sure.

“Why?” Batman growled.

“There was something else in the drugs,” He whispered. “Something hidden.”

“What?”

“I don’t know – I never went to the drop-off!” Flass cried. “It’s in the Narrows – cops only go there in force…”

“Do I look like a cop?” The Dark Knight growled.

He proceeded to drop Flass, who screamed mid-fall to the ground. His descent slowed until the terrified cop was less than a foot above the pavement. Then the cord suddenly released, dropping the overweight jerk onto his face. The man whispered in response, as the cold rain soaked into his clothes along with what little remained of his food… which he now laid atop of.

<>

A cargo ship arrived at the docks, as Finch walked through the canyons of shipping containers along with two men. He checked the tags with a flashlight until he stopped upon one.

“This is the one I’m talking about,” Finch frowned.

“What’s your problem with it?” One dock employee asked.

“It shouldn’t exist,” Finch snapped. “This ship left Singapore with 246 containers and arrived with 247. I’m guessing there’s something I’m not supposed to find in there.”

“Listen, counselor… we know the way things work in this town,” One of the dock employees spoke. “You and me… we don’t want to know what’s in Mr. Falcone’s crate.

“Things are working different,” Finch scowled. “Open it.”

The dock employees shrugged, hauled the doors open, and Finch peeked inside, finding an industrial machine the size of a small van. Frowning, he ran his flashlight over it and picked out the Wayne Enterprises label on the side.

“What the hell is this thing?”

Behind the D.A., the first dock employee raised a silenced gun and fired; the second dock guy proceeded to drag the body into the container.

<>

Meanwhile, located in the midst of the Gotham river, there was an island called the Narrows. A ramshackle labyrinth of crumbling public housing, makeshift additions growing like fungus around the insane asylum; a wall city slick with rain. Batman landed on the rooftop of one of many housing projects and dropped onto one of the fire escapes.

He climbed slightly along the wall, window to window, until he stopped at one. He pulled a small black optic from his utility belt, extending it into a tiny periscope, and then angled it to look in the window across the way.

The Dark Knight could see a darken apartment, where the furniture was stacked around the walls, and in the center was a large pile of stuffed rabbits. Just then, a window near his perch opened and accompanied by the noise of raised anger, a little boy climbed onto the fire escape, rested his arms on the railing, and stared out toward the Narrows.

Batman peered at the boy and made a small noise, getting the kid’s attention. When the boy looked over, his eyes went wide the moment he saw the Dark Knight, who put a finger to his lips to indicate silence.

“It’s you, isn’t it?” The boy whispered, nodding to the apartment ahead. “You’re here to get that guy? They already took him. To the hospital.”

The boy pointed toward Arkham Asylum, where without question whomever Batman was looking for was already there.

“Get your ass back in here!” A female voice screamed.

Reluctantly, the boy turned to go back inside… but stopped. He turned back toward the Dark Knight.

“The other kids won’t believe me.”

Batman cocked his head slightly, then handed the kid the optic. The boy’s face lit up the moment he took it and, after smiling broadly, climbed back inside. The Dark Knight swung across to the other apartment, opened the window, and climbed inside.

<>

Once inside, Batman picked up one of the rabbits from the pile. He discovered it’d been split open, all its contents removed. Noises from the hallway caught his attention, and he melted into the shadows.

Moments later, the door to the place opened and Crane entered with two thugs, indicating all the toys.

“Get rid of all traces.”

“Better torch the whole place,” One of the thugs suggested.

Crane nodded when he noticed rain splattering off the sill of the open window and onto the floor.

‘Why is that window open?’.

Crane went over to investigate while one of the thugs began pouring gasoline onto the toys. His partner prepared a couple of Molotov cocktails. The first thug kept pouring gasoline all around, then went into the bathroom. After he shut the door, he set the container on the toilet tank, and was lifting the lid to relieve himself when he noticed something in the cracked mirror. Then, before he could react, Batman smashed his face directly into the glass.

<>

Hearing a crash from the bathroom, the second thug turned, holding a lit Molotov cocktail. Suddenly, a cord wrapped around the bottle and yanked it into the shadows, where the flame was quickly extinguished. The thug stared into the shadows uneasily when Batman launched himself out of the bathroom and smashed him to the ground before the thug could pull out his gun.

With the thug knocked out, the Dark Knight stood and turned to face Crane, who now wore his mask and the Batman ended up getting a face full of white powder. Gasping and choking, Batman stagged toward the doctor, lost his balance, and fell to the floor. He looked up toward Crane who’s eyes started flaming, his limbs elongated, and the monster spun like a dervish.

Crane picked up one of the bottles and smashed it over Batman’s head, stunning him while his armor was covered and soaked in gasoline. As the Dark Knight struggled to reach the window, now chased by bats, Crane picked up the lighter and flicked it open.

“Do you want my opinion?” Crane asked, his voice muffled. “You need to lighten up.”

As the Dark Knight turned to face him, Crane tossed the lighter forward bursting Batman into flames. Still in the grips of a hallucination, the flaming bat spun and leapt desperately at the window

<>

*SMASH!*

Seconds later, the flaming dark knight crashed through the window, falling through the air. He managed to deploy one wing, which caused him to spiral downward until it hooked a railing, slowing him just enough that he landed on the wet ground with a loud thump and sizzle.

Groaning in pain, Batman rolled around until the flames were completely out leaving his batsuit a smoldering mess. Ignoring the curious looks of the people on the street, he picked himself up and lurched into an alley; he raised his grapple gun, fired toward the enclosed roof, rode it up, and punched his way through wire and metal.

The Dark Knight crawled onto the roof and rolled onto his back, staring up at the skyscrapers of Gotham itself. The rain blurred his vision as he continued to face assault by various images of his parents’ death over and over again, along with hundreds of bats in the air. Fumbling at his belt, he pulled out a tiny phony and gasped hoarsely into it.

“Alfred?! Alfred?! Help!”

<>

An unknown amount of time later…

Batman was curled up in the backseat of the Rolls with Alfred driving. Occasionally, the butler glanced up at the rear-view mirror at his charge, who was flinching against the invisible antagonists.

“Blood!” Batman cried, surrounded by bats. “Alfred?! Blood! A sample – take a sa – sample – poisoned…”

And just like that, the Batman slipped into unconsciousness as the images continued to overwhelm him. Alfred may not have entirely known what his master was talking about, but he knew for certain he needed to act fast unless he risked losing another Wayne. An outcome of which he refused to let happen.

Backup

Author's Note

I know the chapter is being posted a little late but I want to try to get this story done before Christmas this year so that myself and my administration can enjoy the holidays. As for my commentators, you can wait to do your stuff until tomorrow if you’d like.

Backup

Wayne Manor

All the collective eyes of the Mane Six and Spike snapped open all at once. Unanimously, they sat straight up in the beds they were laying in. They were all back in their normal forms; their costumes taken elsewhere. Looking around, they noticed the familiar sightings of their room at Wayne Manor, which caused them to release a breath of sweet relief. Suddenly, they were all overcome by massive headaches and nausea, as if they were experiencing a hangover… at the same time.

“Ah man!” Rainbow groaned. “Did anyone get the numbers on that train that hit us last night?”

“Ah feel like that time Big Mac used expired milk tah make apple flapjacks,” Applejack cringed. “Ah was hurlin’ more stuff than a waterfall?”

“Ugh… if I didn’t feel as bad as I do, I’d scold you for that image,” Rarity complained.

All of a sudden, the doors swung opened and everyone turned just as Alfred entered with a single tray in hand.

“Oh good, you’ve awakened,” He sighed with relief. “When I found you outside the manor yesterday, I feared you all wouldn’t make it.”

A wave of confusion spread across Twilight’s face.

“What do you mean, Alfred?” She asked.

“I found you all on the front lawn yesterday in the pouring rain,” Alfred explained. “You were all unconscious and freezing. I had a few other staff members help you all inside and I’ve been caring for all of you and Master Bruce for the past few days.”

“Bruce?” Fluttershy spoke worriedly. “Is something wrong with him too?”

“Indeed, Ms. Fluttershy,” Alfred nodded. “Apparently he was exposed to some type of poison affecting his mind. I drew a sample of his blood and sent it to Mr. Fox for analysis. Should be here with the results soon.”

This was all too much for the Mane Six and Spike to handle at once. First they were unable to process what happened to them the other night other than their face-to-face with the Court of Owls. Now they find out Bruce had been poisoned by some unknown chemical. With so much happening in Gotham City as of now, the team knew they needed to get a handle on it somehow. While they’ve yet to find either Chrysalis or the Dazzlings since arriving in Gotham, they were fighting off all forms of danger which seemed to grow at an alarming rate.

Pulling the covers off herself, Twilight Sparkle proceeded to hop out of bed.

“I must speak to Bruce,” She said determined.

“I should point out Master Bruce has been unconscious for the past few days, Ms. Sparkle,” Alfred informed her.

“Don’t worry, I can help with that,” Twilight assured.

She proceeded to trot out of the room, while the rest of her friends dragged themselves from bed and followed shortly behind her. They proceeded into the master bedroom where they found Bruce Wayne completely knocked out in his bed. Twilight approached his bedside and flared up her horn with her magic. It gave off a sparkling golden aura as she gently touched her horn to his forehead and began using a healing spell to flush anything negative from his system. Eventually, her horn fizzed out and as she backed away Bruce slowly opened his eyes.

“Good morning Bruce,” Twilight greeted with a smile.

Alfred walked in from behind and proceeded to procure a glass of fizzing water.

“How long did I sleep?” Bruce asked groggily, his voice hoarse.

“Two days,” Alfred answered, handing the glass. “It’s your birthday. Many happy returns.”

*GASP!!!*

Everyone turned toward Pinkie Pie, whose eyes went wide, and her mouth nearly touched the floor.

“It’s… your… birthday?” She asked Bruce, slowly.

“Oh boy, here we go,” Spike sighed.

A huge grin slowly worked its way onto Pinkie’s face, as her whole body began to literally shake with excitement. Then she soared straight into the air as confetti exploded everywhere.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BRUCE!!!”

Pinkie finally landed back on the ground and dug a whole cake (And a few balloons) out of her mane. She quickly put a bunch of party hats on her friends, even Bruce’s and Alfred’s heads while blowing on a little party horn. Bruce merely looked at the Mane Six and Spike in complete bewilderment.

“Welcome to our world, buddy,” Rainbow sighed.

Bruce merely took the party hat off and took the glass from Alfred. He sipped it, wincing due to the splitting headache.

“I’ve felt these effects before… but this was so potent,” He muttered. “Some kind of weaponized hallucinogen, administered in aerosol form…”

It was in that moment the doors opened again, and everyone turned to see Lucius Fox enter the room.

“You are definitely hanging out at the wrong clubs,” Lucius said.

He stepped up behind the chair Alfred was sitting in while the young man had a ‘Deer in the headlights’ expression on his face.

“I called Lucius when your condition worsened after the first day,” Alfred explained.

While Bruce started to relax (albeit slightly), Lucius turned and made direct eye contact with the Mane Six and Spike. Being this was their first official meeting with the man, they were waiting for the imminent reaction they were likely to receive. Which was a great surprise for the group when he merely smiled upon them.

“I’m glad to see all of you are alright as well,” He said.

To which the Equestrian Heroes performed a double take.

“Wait, you’re not freaked out by the fact we’re talking ponies?” Twilight asked confused.

“And… talking dragon…” Spike emphasized.

“Usually that’s the first things people get weirded out over,” Rainbow added.

“When he came to visit me at the R&D department, Mr. Wayne informed me all about you,” Lucius explained. “At first I didn’t believe him, but the more he explained and in depth he went, the more I started to believe it. After all, if someone wanted to make up a lie, I doubt they’d go to such lengths of making up the story.”

Once again, the Mane Six and Spike breathed a sigh of relief. At least they didn’t have to go into another long winded explanation of their presence. Lucius then turned his attention back to Bruce.

“I analyzed your blood,” Lucius explained. “Isolating the receptor compounds and the protein-based catalyst.”

Bruce raised his eyebrows, the explanation going over his head.

“Am I meant to understand any of that?” He asked.

“No, I just wanted you to know how hard it was,” He countered. “Bottom line, I synthesized an antidote.”

“Could you make more?” Bruce asked. “I’m certain John Wycliffe could use it since he found the same hallucinogenic compound in the drugs from the docks.”

“I can get it to John,” Lucius agreed. “Why? You planning on gassing yourself again?”

“Well, you know how it is, Mr. Fox,” Bruce said lightly. “You’re out on the town, looking for kicks… someone’s passing around the weaponized hallucinogens?”

“I’ll bring you what I have,” Lucius promised. “And I’ll hint to John of what to do. The antidote should serve as inoculation for now. Alfred, always a pleasure.”

He proceeded to walk out of the room when Twilight Sparkle called out to him.

“Mr. Fox, do you think we could talk to you about something?” She asked.

Lucius turned back around and walked over to them.

“Of course,” He answered.

“Well you see, the reason we didn’t come back here to the mansion a few days ago was because we were investigating something serious.”

“Oh? And what might that be?” Lucius asked.

“… the Court of Owls.”

The moment that name was uttered, everyone in the room immediately went stiff. Alfred and Bruce turned their attention to the ponies and dragon as well.

“You’ve been investigating the Court?” Bruce asked. “What did you find?”

“When we left the restaurant the other night, it was because I heard a conversation between a man and a woman talking about ‘the day of reckoning’ and ‘the Grandmaster’,” Twilight explained.

“We followed them to the ballroom, and that’s when we were ambushed,” Rarity added.

“When we woke up, we were surrounded by the entire court and their Grandmaster,” Fluttershy continued.

“Did you see anyone’s face or make out anyone’s voice?” Lucius asked.

The Mane Six and Spike merely shook their heads ‘no’. Twilight’s eyes widened as she suddenly remembered something.

“Now that you mention it, I was able to record everything!” She realized.

She used her magic to remove the beret from her mane and place it upon Lucius’s hand.

“There’s a microphone in there that recorded everyone from that night,” She told him.

Lucius took the memory card from the microphone in the beret and pulled out a laptop he was carrying. Placing it on a nearby table, he inserted the card into the computer. All eyes gathered around as the different audio files began to appear on the computer.

“Whoever these people are, they’re using a very powerful modulator to disguise their voices,” Lucius explained. “I should be able to bypass the system and hack into the modulator so we can make out the voices.”

Lucius began typing a series of code into the computer. Soon enough, the voices on the computer began to become more clear. First they listened in onto the conversation between the man and woman.

“Hold on, I recognize those voices,” Bruce told everyone. “That’s Joseph and Maria Powers.”

“You know them?” Spike asked.

“Well they own or ‘used’ to own the hotel and restaurant we attended that night,” Bruce replied. “They attended different events and fundraisers with my parents in the past. I don’t know them personally, but my parents used to talk about them all the time.”

As they listened to the remainder of the audio, eventually they got to the ones on the Grandmaster. As they listened, the voice they heard sounded very familiar. Alfred, Bruce, and Lucius all looked at one another as the realization didn’t go unnoticed.

“What is it?” Twilight asked. “Whose voice is that?”

Lucius looked back down at the laptop that still had the audio playing and shook his head.

“Mr. Earle.”

<>

Later that same day, Rachel stopped by the manor, where the main hall was filled with tables of food, decorations placed on the walls, and other things done in preparation for the birthday party that night. Alfred, who wore a blue apron over his usual outfit (Minus the jacket), greeted her at the door and was trying to convince her to stay for the party.

“Are you sure you won’t come in?”

“I have to get back,” Rachel answered regretfully.

Truth be told, Rachel had been looking forward to being inside the manor after seven years. But whatever had just come up, she was not revealing it so easily.

“I just wanted to leave this.”

Rachel handed him a small, gift-wrapped packaged. Just then, Bruce showed up, wearing a robe over his pajamas.

“Rachel?”

Rachel smiled slightly at his messy hair and red eyes as he came over. Alfred merely walked away, shortly after handing him the gift.

“Looks like someone’s been burning the candle at both ends,” She remarked, chuckling. “Must’ve been quite an occasion.

“Well, it is my birthday,” Bruce said sheepishly.

“I know – I’m sorry, I can’t come tonight,” Rachel admitted. “I was just dropping off your present.”

Then her cellphone began ringing; sighing, she answered it.

“Rachel Dawes.”

Then her expression changed to that of a mix of anger and confusion.

“What?! Who authorized that?! Get Crane there right now, don’t take ‘no’ for an answer. Call Dr. Lehmann, we’ll need our own assessment on the judge’s desk by morning, and call John Wycliffe at Wycliffe Industries to have him down there to help with the assessment.”

She closed her phone angrily, which didn’t go unnoticed by a particular group.

“What’s wrong?” Bruce asked, concerned.

“It’s Falcone,” Rachel informed him, frustrated. “Dr. Crane moved him to Arkham Asylum on suicide watch.”

“You’re going to Arkham now?” He questioned. “It’s in the Narrows, Rachel.”

Rachel understood why her friend was voicing his objection.

“You have yourself a great time – some of us have work to do. Happy birthday, Bruce.”

She left to get back to her car to deal with this new crisis.

Bruce opened the present and found a note which said, ‘Finders keepers’. He picked up the note and found the arrowhead underneath it, the very one they found as children.

‘I need to make sure that Rachel doesn’t get hurt, or worse, killed.’

And one look toward Bruce Wayne, the way he looked at the contents in the box, Twilight and her friends shared the same crazy idea.

<>

Soon, Bruce Wayne was hurrying through the main hall with Alfred in pursuit, clutching the open present in one hand.

“But Master Wayne!” Alfred protested. “The guests will be arriving.”

“Keep them happy until I arrive,” Bruce instructed. “Tell them that joke you know.”

Alfred stopped, watching his master depart with exasperation. As Bruce pressed down the hall, he found his path blocked by the Mane Six and Spike.

“We’re going too!” Twilight said determined. “After hearing that Mr. Earle might be the Grandmaster, the next best thing to do is sneak into his office at Wayne Enterprises and gather evidence.”

“No, it’s too dangerous,” Bruce shook his head.

“That wasn’t a request, Bruce,” Rarity added. “We’re going!”

“Look guys, I appreciate you wanting to help me,” Bruce said honestly. “But I think maybe it’s best if you stayed out of it and enjoy the party.”

Bruce was about to make his way past them again, but the girls and Spike refused to leave his path. And ironically enough, even Pinkie Pie stood her ground.

“Look here, Bruce,” Applejack spoke stubbornly. “We promised we’d help y’all bring peace tah Gotham and we darn sure ain’t givin’ up now.”

“The Court of Owls not only threatened this city, but now us as well,” Rarity agreed.

“And when we find them, we’re kicking their flanks back to the underground,” Rainbow declared.

Bruce stared at them for a moment, realizing that arguing with them won’t solve anything. Ultimately, he nodded his head and continued down the hall with the team following behind. Entering the study, Bruce went to the piano, hit four notes, and the bookcase swung open long enough for him and the others to enter. They headed down a wrought iron spiral staircase and stepped onto the working dumbwaiter at its center. Bruce pulled a lever and released the lift, which plummeted vertiginously downward.

Soon, the lift struck the bottom with a great rattle of chains. The group departed and headed toward a padlocked box. Bruce opened it, revealing the bat-suit, which hung there like a phantom. Its black eyes stared back at him, as he reached for it. While doing so, the Mane Six and Spike quickly dressed in their Power Ponies outfits just as Bruce completed his own suit-up.

It was time for the Batman and the Power Ponies…

Ahem!

… And Hum Drum… to scour the city streets again.

<>

Meanwhile, at the Applied Sciences Division, Lucius used a mass spectrometer to produce more of the antidote. All while writing down the instructions at the same time.

“Having fun?”

Startled, Lucius swung around in his chair and was surprised to find Earle standing nearby.

“Bill, what’s a big shot like you doing in a place like this?” He asked, removing his glasses.

“Has Wayne been around much?” Earle asked, ignoring the question.

“In and out,” Lucius answered. “Nice kid.”

“Forget about kissing his ass to get back in, Lucius,” Earle advised. “Despite the name, he’s only an employee.”

“You came all the way down here to tell me that?” Lucius raised his eyebrows.

Earle shifted uncomfortably, preferring to change the subject immediately. He pulled out his own glasses and checked his notes.

“Actually, I need information,” He requested. “The Wayne Enterprises 47-B, T-ME.”

Becoming thoughtful, Lucius ran a check on his computer and got a hit.

“It’s a microwave emitter,” He read. “Designed to vaporize an enemy’s water supply.”

“I know all that,” Earle said. “Any other applications?”

Lucius thought for a moment, turning away from his computer.

“Well, as I recall, rumor was they were dispersing water-based chemical agents into the air…” He trailed off, staring at the older man. “But that would be illegal, wouldn’t it?”

“Cut the crap, Fox,” Earle snapped, avoiding the question. “I need everything on the project development up to my office right away.”

Just as Earle started walking away, Lucius started to connect the missing emitter and the weaponized toxin together.

“What happened… you lose one?” Lucius called after him.

‘I pray that I’m wrong.’

Earle paused, turning back to face the black man. His expression turned cold as ice.

“I’m merging Applied Sciences with Archiving,” He announced. “And I’m firing you. Didn’t you get the memo?”

With that, Earle turned quickly and started making his way out. Lucius sat frozen in his seat for a moment, then jumped when the mass spectrometer beeped. Swallowing back his rage, he turned toward the machine to extract the results.

‘I know that Bill has been wanting to get rid of me… but that’s just low, even for him.’

<>

What Earle didn’t know was that while confronting Lucius, the Power Ponies snuck into his office seeking evidence on his involvement with the Court of Owls. The Masked Matterhorn used her magic to transport the entire group into the office the moment Earle left the building. They made sure the coast was clear, that no one would head their way before they got to work with their search.

“Alright every pony, spread out and find whatever you can,” The Masked Matterhorn instructed.

“What exactly are we looking for?” Zapp asked.

“Anything that connects Mr. Earle to the Court of Owls,” Matterhorn replied.

Soon, every pony in the group spread out through the office and began searching for evidence. Radiance and Saddle Rager scoured the room for any hidden doors or switches. Mistress Marvelous and Zapp tore several books off the bookcases, seeking one that could activate a secret passage. Masked Matterhorn used her magic to bypass Earle’s computer, while Filly Second slid into the seat and rapidly pressed some keys to search the files. While scrolling through the files, they found one very odd looking email from Joseph and Maria Powers from years prior.

“Oh my goodness!” Matterhorn exclaimed in shock.

“What is it?” Filly Second asked. “Creepy clowns? Demon nuns? Crying ghosts?”

Masked Matterhorn looked over at her super friend with such confusion due to the ridiculous nature of Pinkie’s words. Shaking her head slightly, the Matterhorn turned back to the screen and studied the email.

“According to this email, the Cout of Owls conspired to have Bruce’s parents killed,” Matterhorn read sadly. “Apparently, the Powers cornered Joe Chill the night of the murder and offered a lot of money if he killed the Wayne’s. After he did the job, they reported his crime to the police and had him locked up. Apparently, he was on drugs that night so even if he did say anything about the Court, the police would just dismiss his word as a hallucination.”

“Dismissing a person over a few flaws while dismissing the bigger picture,” Filly Second surmised. “Hmm… definitely sounds like you’re run-of-the-mill Internet drama. Whatever happened to social interaction?”

The rest of the group gathered around as The Masked Matterhorn read off the chilling details of the email. They couldn’t believe what they were seeing. To think the Court planned to kill the Waynes and then covered their tracks. No doubt they had the police in their pocket somehow that night, so nothing would be traced back to them. Whomever this Court was, they were deviously clever.

While looking at the email, Hum Drum leaned against the desk and unknowingly activated a secret switch. On the wall to their left, a giant frame of old Gotham slid to the side revealing a secret compartment. Everyone looked with confusion before Hum Drum crossed over for a quick peek. Inside, sitting on display, was an old mask used by the first ever Court of Owls.

“Guys… you think this is proof enough?” Hum Drum guessed.

He reached in, pulled out the mask, and held it out for all to see. With the incriminating letter in Earle’s computer, Earle’s audio, and now the mask, they certainly had some sufficient evidence.

“Looks like we have our evidence,” Matterhorn declared. “There’s no question now that Mr. Earle is the Grandmaster. We must get this to the police.”

“We should really go and help Bruce at Arkham Asylum first, darling,” Radiance spoke up. “He could be in big trouble.”

All of a sudden, Filly Second started shaking uncontrollably.

“O-O-O-Oh b-b-b-b-b-boy!” She shook.

“Oh great!” Zapp groaned. “Let me guess, there’s a big doozy coming?”

“Y-Y-Y-Y-Yep!”

Then, the Masked Matterhorn felt a strange feeling deep within her gut. Her horn started glowing a bright red.

“What’s wrong?” Saddle Rager asked.

“We need to get to Arkham now!” Matterhorn said sternly.

The head Power Pony powered up her horn and transported the entire team out of the office in a flash. Whatever was coming sure wasn’t going to be good, and they needed to be there to stop it.

<>

Night had fallen by the time Rachel arrived at Arkham. She stood outside the room Falcone resides in; through the door window, she watched the older man. Once a menacing figure, now she found him strapped to a bed and heard him mumbling the same room over and over as his eyes stared blankly toward the ceiling.

“Scarecrow… s-scarecrow… s-s…”

Rachel turned when Crane approached her; it was clear he wasn’t thrilled to see her in the slightest. Nevertheless, this suited Rachel just fine.

“Ms. Dawes, this is most irregular,” He protested. “I’ve nothing to add to the report I filed with the judge.”

“Well, I have questions about your report,” Rachel retorted. “Such as, isn’t it convenient for a fifty-two-year-old man with no history of mental illness to have a complete psychotic break just when he’s about to be indicted?”

Sighing, Crane motioned to the cell.

“You can see for yourself, there’s nothing convenient about his symptoms.”

Rachel considered the condition of the crime boss, but there was no way she’d back down.

“What’s ‘Scarecrow’?” She asked.

“Patient’s suffering delusional episodes often focus their paranoia onto an external tormentor, usually one conforming to the Jungian archetypes,” He shrugged. “In this case, a scarecrow.”

Frowning, Rachel turned back toward Falcone, noting the glazed look in the crime boss’s eyes.

“He’s drugged.”

“Psychopharmacology is my primary field,” He explained. “I’m a strong advocate.”

He then faced Falcone.

“Outside he was a giant,” He continued. “In here, only the mind can grant your power.”

“You enjoy the reversal,” Rachel said coldly.

“I respect the mind’s power over the boy,” He spoke confidently. “It’s why I do what I do.”

“And I do what I do to put scum like Falcone behind bars, not in therapy,” Rachel said harshly, hearing enough. “I want my own psychiatric consultant to have full access to Falcone, including blood work to find out exactly what you have him on.”

She walked away towards a nearby elevator with Crane following closely behind. He proceeded to put a key into the panel.

“First thing tomorrow, then,” Crane promised.

“Tonight,” Rachel snapped. “I’ve already paged Dr. Lehmann over at County General and Philip Pearson is on his way here to oversee everything personally.”

“As you wish,” Crane said.

He turned the key and the elevator descended. It wasn’t long till the elevator arrived at one of Arkham’s sub-levels, and the doors opened revealing a long, decrepit corridor. Crane stepped out and Rachel followed, perturbed. Soon they entered a vast room, where there were long tables covered in bags of powder, scales, aluminum barrels, and dozens of inmates working on the powder and refining it. Several armed thugs looked up curious, and Crane nodded to the room while Rachel gaped in shock.

“This is where we make the medicine,” Crane explained.

One of the inmates poured a bucket full of a whitish liquid into a large water pipe that had been cracked open. At that moment, Chrysalis made her way alongside them reassuming her original changeling form much to Rachel’s shock.

“Ah, so you’ve finally decided to bring Ms. Dawes down here?” She smirked wickedly. “I was wondering when we would finally get our chance to take care of her.”

“Better late than never, my dear,” Crane smirked at her.

The former changeling Queen smiled viciously, showing off her razor sharp fangs, leaving Rachel more shocked than ever.

“Perhaps you should have some,” Crane suggested. “Clear your head—”

But Rachel immediately bolted out of the room, yet Crane merely smiled. The man was fully aware of just where the young woman was heading.

“Shall I take care of this, or would you?” Crane asked Chrysalis.

“Personally, I cherish the opportunity to consume more fear,” Chrysalis spoke sinisterly.

Crane gave a curt nod of his head, as he grabbed a dispenser of fear toxin and followed after Rachel. The latter fled back toward the elevator and hit the button for the second floor, but nothing happened. The elevator made no movement of a sort, no matter which buttons she pushed (Even the emergency alarm was useless). Just then, the door opened revealing the deadly look of Chrysalis herself.

“Boo!”

She stretched out her hood and a puff of white gas shot out. Rachel recoiled, coughing, choking, and screamed when she saw the Changeling Queen morphed into a horribly disfigured, demonic beast before her very eyes.

Rachel screamed in fear, as she fell back into the elevator and Chrysalis took the opportunity to feast upon her fears. As she felt the intoxicating fear enter her body, she quickly became stronger and far more powerful. Soon Rachel, in the grips of a terrifying illusion, was dragged back into the room by some thugs, and the inmates stared blankly, clearly drugged. Craned turned her sweat-covered face to look up at his mask, making her cry out in fear.

“Who knows you’re here?” He demanded.

Rachel merely shook her head, trying to turn away since to her that mask was now covered with maggots.

“Who knows?!”

And she pulled away, burying her head in her arms as she screamed. Just then, the lights went out and the thugs looked around, unnerved. Crane pulled off his mask, smiling slightly as he smoothed his hair.

“He’s here,” He spoke softly, with fascination.

“Who?” One of the thugs asked.

“The Batman,” Crane grinned.

“And if he’s here, those pathetic ponies won’t be far behind,” Chrysalis smiled evilly.

Now the thugs were exchanging glances, having heard about the incident at the docks two nights ago. Crane carefully watched the ceiling, occasionally noting their confused looks.

“What do we do?”

“What anyone does when a prowler comes around,” Crane said. “Call the police.”

“You want the cops here?” The second thug asked, surprised.

“At this point, they can’t stop us,” Crane said confidently. “But the Batman has a talent for disruption. Force him outside, the police will take him down.”

And then, Crane indicated the inmates.

“Get them out of here,” He ordered.

The first thug gestured toward Rachel’s shaking form.

“What about her?”

“She’s gone,” Crane declared. “I gave her a concentrated dose; the mind can only take so much.”

“At least she will finally be out of my mane and the picture entirely,” Chrysalis sighed with relief.

“The things they say about him,” The second thug noted uneasily. “Can he really fly?”

“I heard he can disappear.”

“We’ll find out, won’t we?” Crane smiled, slipping into the shadows.

Nervously, the thugs moved to either side of the door, just as glass smashed across the room and a shadow dropped from the high window. Rachel screamed as two thugs advanced through the darkness. One of them was grabbed, pulled up, screaming into the blackness of the rafters.

The first thug peered into the dark, his gun aimed when a shadow descended toward him, and he fired. He grunted when the shadow collided with him and yelped when he saw it was his fellow thug, now dead thanks to his own gun. Rolling the body off, he scrambled to his feet when Batman struck him from behind, knocking him unconscious. Chrysalis took this opportunity to grab a canister of fear toxin and slipped out of the room.

As the Dark Knight took out the other thugs, a faint sound of sirens bellowed in the distance growing ever closer. He turned toward Rachel when Crane burst from the shadows, his arm reaching out. Batman grabbed his arm, spun Crane around, ripped off the mask, wrenched his arm to his own face, and ripped his jacket open, revealing a canister full of fear toxin.

“Taste of your own medicine, doctor?” Batman offered.

Crane’s eyes went wide as Batman squeeze the trigger and a choking cloud of dust sprayed into his face. Crane fell backward toward the ground, choking and coughing. The Dark Knight grabbed him and pulled him upward. And when Crane looked up toward his face, his eyes found himself staring at death’s head with black eyes and fangs. And Crane himself was the victim, trapped within the illusion. His eyes widened with intense fear.

“Who are you working for?!” Batman demanded.

“Ra’s… Ra’s… al Ghul…” Crane gasped.

Batman was startled when he heard the name and pulled Crane closer with a snarl.

“Ra’s al Ghul is dead, Crane!” He growled. “Who are you really working for? Crane!”

Crane just stared at him; his eyes glazed over. He gave a dazed smile, no longer connected with reality.

“Dr. Crane isn’t here right now,” He chortled. “But if you’d like to make an appointment…”

*WHAM!*

The Dark Knight knocked him out when the sirens grew louder. Batman tossed the crazed, unconscious doctor upon the floor and turned to Rachel, who screamed and lased out at what she thought to be a towering horned, winged demon. He gently gripped her neck, his fingers pressing a pressure point, and she slipped into a state of unconsciousness.

<>

All this went down as Chrysalis managed to sneak her way out of the area, all while Batman dealt with the thugs and Crane. As far as she was concerned, she’d already gotten what she wanted from Crane and now that he was of no further use to her it was time for her to leave. She’d gained the ability to feast upon fear and now had a canister of fear toxin for her own use. Nothing in this miserable dimension was going to stop her now.

“Hold it right there, Chrysalis!”

The Changeling Queen skid to a halt as the Power Ponies and Humdrum stood before the sinister beast.

“There’s nowhere to run,” The Masked Matterhorn warned.

“Well, well, well, so this is what Equestria’s greatest heroes are reduced to?” Chrysalis questioned, mockingly. “Playing dress up and pretending to be superheroes?”

“We’ve beaten you once before, bug brain!” Zapp remarked, cracking her knuckles. “And we’ll do it over and over for our own enjoyment.”

“Yeah! It works so well for a martial arts wielding platypus to beat up the world’s saddest scientist in every episode and it’s still funny every time!” Filly Second smirked. “Now if we can only get a shoutout from that one guy who supposedly responds to everyone’s comment.”

“Urgh! I don’t have time to deal with you morons tonight!” Chrysalis groaned in annoyance. “I have what I want and I have no desire to stay in this rat nest city anymore.”

“Not on our watch, Chrissie!” Humdrum pointed boldly. “We don’t know what you and the Sirens are up to, but we’re not letting you get away with it!”

“Now drop that there can carefully and put your arms in the air!” Mistress Marevelous instructed. “Y’all come quietly, and we won’t have to go rough on ya!”

“If you please,” Saddle Rager added politely.

“Hah! You think I need this junk and the Three Stoogettes of Equestria to destroy you?” Chrysalis smirked, casually placing the can down. “You’re not taking me down so easily.”

“You mean the last times were supposed to be easy?” Radiance asked, with a smile.

“Oooh!!!” Zapp & Filly Second cheered.

“Hard way it is then!” Masked Matterhorn prepped herself. “C’mon every pony!”

“TIME TO POWER PONY UP!!!” The group chanted.

The Power Ponies and Hum Drum charged toward the Changeling Queen, as Chrysalis cricked her neck to the side and prepared for battle. Mistress Marvelous proceeded to fling a pair of horseshoes toward Chrysalis only for the Changeling Queen to swing both fists so hard the horseshoes flung sideways and embedded themselves against the wall. But this was merely a distraction as Radiance conjured a giant flyswatter and slammed it toward the Changeling Queen. But the strike barely even phased Chrysalis, who just raised her eyebrow toward the mare.

“Really, Radiance?!” Zapp groaned. “You couldn’t conjure something more brutal? Like a mallet or something?”

“It seemed appropriate at the time!” Radiance moaned with frustration. “That usually works!”

“Fools! My power has grown thanks to absorbing the fear in this city!” Chrysalis remarked. “Now… let me show you what fear tastes like!”

The Changeling snarled and charged toward Radiance, aiming a fist toward the marshmallow mare. But fortunately, Humdrum dived in and pushed Radiance out of the way with the Changeling swinging empty air passed the pair. Just then, a pink blur zipped behind Chrysalis and Filly Second proceeded to rapidly punch the changeling. But the changeling merely nodded as she loosened her shoulders a bit.

“If that was supposed to hurt me,” Chrysalis remarked, slowly turning around. “You just spared me some unwanted knots.”

“Ooh! Well… you’re welcome,” Filly Second smiled.

But then Chrysalis merely raised a hoof toward Filly Second’s forehead and flicked the pony so hard she was sent flying backward, screaming until she hit a wall. Just then, she felt a lasso wrap itself around her waist as she turned toward Mistress Marevelous, who pulled as tightly as she could with the rope in her mouth. Chrysalis merely rolled her eyes as she proceeded to grab the rope with her teeth and swing the mare around in the air, above her head as the power pony held on.

“Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!” Mistress Marevelous shouted.

“Don’t worry! I’ll get her!” Zapp shouted, charging.

But before Zapp could work her own powers, Mistress Marevlous lost her grip and was sent soaring directly into Zapp, sending them crashing toward the floor. And to add insult to injury, they barely even stood up when a black cloud hung over their bodies and…

*ZAP!!!*

Electricity surged into their bodies as they plopped back onto the floor, singing a bit from the heat of the lightning. Chrysalis didn’t have time to gloat when beams passed her head. She turned as Radiance, along with the Masked Matterhorn, fired beams from their horns trying to contact the Changeling. Undeterred, the Changeling kicked a nearby cart off the side and used its surface to bounce the Masked Matterhorn’s beam back toward her. Before she could react, the beam struck the mare’s body and sent her backward. Then, Chrysalis hurled the cart toward Radiance who quickly conjured a giant baseball mitten and managed to catch it. But that proved to be a distraction as Chrysalis quickly crashed through Radiance’s powers and delivered a swift round kick knocking her aside.

All that remained were Humdrum and Saddle Rager, the latter shivering with fear over the frightful power of Chrysalis. Before them, a majority of their friends were groaning in pain as Chrysalis slowly stalked toward them.

“S-S-S-She’s stronger than we remember her?” Saddle Rager shivered.

“Yeah… well, I’m not the same dragon who missed out on Spooky Island,” Humdrum replied, winding his arm. “Now it’s Humdrum’s time!”

Humdrum charged toward Chrysalis and attempted to land a barrage of swift martial arts kicks and punches toward Chrysalis. Chrysalis merely blocked every attack thrown at her, not even bothering to dodge a single attack. While Humdrum was really putting in the effort to fight, the changeling queen hardly broke a sweat.

“How many superheroes must I fight that wear capes and Peter Pan shoes?” Chrysalis gloated. “Seems those boyish charms have finally faded off; now you just look like a pervert!”

“If you’re trying to make me mad, it won’t work!” Humdrum gritted his teeth. “My friends say I’m perfect the way I am.”

“You may be tall now, Dragon Boy… but your ‘friends’ still have very low standards about you!”

“GRRR!!!”

Rage started to swell within Humdrum as he madly tried to aggressively assault Chrysalis. But not even Humdrum’s hardest blow even phased the Changeling, merely felt like a love tap against her. When Humdrum went in to swing an arm, the changeling grabbed his arm and swung him down hard against the floor, then slammed her foot against his chest knocking the air out of his chest. Humdrum barely gasped with pain as Chrysalis flipped over him, and just as he turned onto his chest, Chrysalis punted the dragon from behind and sent him soaring in the air, skidding hard toward a nervous Saddle Rager.

“Humdrum!” Saddle Rager gasped fearfully.

“Saddle Rager… we need your power!” Humdrum groaned. “Get angry… quick!”

Saddle Rager merely quivered as a shadow loomed over her. Slowly, she turned ahead as Chrysalis loomed over the nervous hero. The Changeling leaned toward Saddle Rager’s face with a malicious smirk on her face, as the latter wondered fearfully of what this stronger being would do. She leaned closer and closer, till their muzzles were mere inches until…

“BOO!”

“AHHHHH!!!” Saddle Rager screamed.

She ran toward the side to escape… *BAM!* Saddle Rager crashed herself into a wall, fell backward, and knocked herself out as Humdrum groaned, finally succumbing to his pain and his head fell onto the floor. Chrysalis merely chuckled as she over the fallen Power Ponies and their dragon sidekick, the whole team groaning in pain. They squinted toward the menacing Changeling Queen, as she gazed upon them with the most wicked smile.

“As I told you, Power Fools, my power has grown substantially thanks to feasting upon fear,” She gloated. “Now, I shall return this toxin to the Order, so we can learn to produce it ourselves. And once that inevitably happens, the Dark Order shall spread a new wave of fear across—”

*WHACK!!!*

All of a sudden, Chrysalis felt a lump growing on her head and her eyes saw stars. She stumbled back and forth a bit before falling to the floor revealing Dr. Harleen Quinzel behind her with a baseball bat in hand. The Power Ponies looked up toward the psychiatrist, who looked down upon Chrysalis with a look of shock on her face.

“Wow!” She exclaimed in shock. “I have no idea where that came from; I swear this job’s messing my brain up.”

The Masked Matterhorn struggled to her hooves and Dr. Quinzel brandished her bat again, ready for another go. The Matterhorn, however, held up her hooves in defense seeing how wound up this doctor was.

“Take it easy, Dr. Quinzel,” She spoke calmly. “I’m on your side.”

“Okay, how do you know my name?” Dr. Quinzel asked confused.

Masked Matterhorn took a deep breath before flaring her horn to life and transforming back to her human form (With the costume). She removed her mask, so Dr. Quinzel was looking into the eyes of the young girl she ran into on the street a few days prior.

“You—you’re that girl from the sidewalk!” Dr. Quinzel said surprised.

“My name is Twilight Sparkle,” Twilight responded. “My friends and I come from another world called Equestria. We’re here to help save the city from disaster. Yes, I know our presence is probably very strange to you, but I hope you understand we’re the good guys here.”

Dr. Quinzel stared at the group for a few moments, as she tried to process all of this in her head. She slowly loosened her grip on the baseball bat and relaxed a bit.

“If you can, I need you to start evacuating the asylum,” Twilight explained to her. “I can’t explain it but something big is coming soon and neither you nor anyone else want to be around when it comes.”

Dr. Quinzel merely nodded in response before running off to begin the evacuation protocol. When she was out of sight, Twilight regained her pony form and placed her mask back on her face as the rest of her friends regained their stance.

“Removing a mask in front of a civilian,” Humdrum muttered, massaging his head. “Not exactly good form in comic books… unless you have a spider gimmick.”

“Yes, I know it was risky,” The Masked Matterhorn sighed. “I can’t explain it, but I have a feeling we can trust her. She won’t rat out on us.”

“Would she agree with that?” Saddle Rager pointed to Chrysalis.

It was in that moment when Chrysalis got back up shakily after the blow she took to the head. Every pony, and Hum Drum, faced her with aggressive looks.

"Seems you broke the number one rule with superheroes and villains," Filly Second pointed out. "Never monologue until your enemies are truly down."

“It’s over Chrysalis,” Masked Matterhorn declared.

Chrysalis merely shook the dizziness out of her head before releasing a laugh.

“Oh no, Twilight Sparkle,” Chrysalis grinned. “This is only the beginning.”

Then, in a swirl of green smoke, Chrysalis disappeared from the area.

<>

Outside, the cops pulled up and surrounded the Asylum as more cars arrived, killing the sirens. The cops emerged from their cars and assumed their positions as one of them spoke through a bullhorn.

“Batman! Put down your weapons and surrender! You are surrounded!”

Inside the Asylum, Batman gently scooped Rachel’s unconscious form into his arms, straightened up, and headed deeper into the building. Meanwhile, as more and more police cars arrived, the cops aimed their guns at the building as the staff emerged, their eyesight in complete darkness. They were soon escorted away the moment Flass and Gordon arrived.

“What’re you waiting for?!” Flass demanded the nearest officer.

“Backup,” The cop answered.

“Backup?!” Flass repeated.

“The Batman’s in there,” The cop explained.

Flass’s face paled slightly at the mention of ‘Batman’. Even with dozens of police cars already outside the building and their force armed to the teeth… their own arsenal would be no match against the Batman.

“SWAT’s on the way, but if you want to go in now…” He smiled. “I’m right behind you, sir.”

Flass recalled his own encounter with the dark knight and turned to Gordon, shrugging.

“SWAT’s on the way.”

Gordon ignored him, drew his gun, and headed inside, ignoring the protests of the other cops. Once inside, Gordon moved through the darkness, his eyes flicking to the terrified nurses making their way to the front door. Finding that the elevators weren’t working, Gordon made his way up the stairs just as the SWAT team entered the building. He was halfway up the spiral stairwell when Batman suddenly dropped out of nowhere, grabbed him, and they both rocketed upward.

“What--!” Gordon began.

The Dark Knight quickly covered his mouth until they reached an open attic while the SWAT teams entered the main hall. When Batman released him, Gordon was immediately distracted by the sight of Rachel, who was sweating, moaning, and twitching, and he knelt next to her.

“What happened to her?” He whispered.

“Crane poisoned her with a psychotropic hallucinogen,” Batman explained to the confused cop. “A panic-inducing toxin.”

Recalling Wycliffe’s theory about the chemical compound, Gordon slipped his gun away.

“Let me take her down to the medics,” He requested.

“They can’t help her,” Batman informed him. “But I can.”

Just then, the lights were turned back on, bleaching the stairwell in darkness. The dark knight reached down to his boot and pressed a switch in the hell, which began producing a barely audible high-frequency whine.

“I need to get her the antidote before the damage becomes permanent.”

“How long does she have?” Gordon asked, concerned.

“Not long.”

Outside, the cops were distracted by a strange squealing sound heading toward them. Flass looked around curiously, until he saw a strange dark cloud crossing the moon.

‘What the hell…?’

“Get her downstairs,” Batman instructed, lifting Rachel into Gordon’s arms. “Meet me in the alley on the Narrows’ side.”

“How will you get out?” Gordon asked.

“I called for backup,” The dark knight said, indicating the glowing device. “Crane’s been refining his toxin, stockpiling it, and he was pouring it into the water supply.”

“What was he planning?” Gordon inquired. “And why put it in the water supply?”

“I don’t know, but he’s been working for someone else… someone worse than Falcone.”

Grodon frowned, as the loud squealing noise drew ever closer.

“What is that?”

“Backup.”

Outside, Flass screamed as he and the other cops dove for cover as thousands upon thousands of bats descended onto the Asylum. The swarm headed for the windows, which shattered inwards as bats poured into the building, scaring the living daylights out of the SWAT teams. Gordon covered Rachel the best he could as he carried her down the steps.

The bats flooded into the stairwell, soaring past the cowering SWATs, a black mass rising and darkening the stairwell. Batman calmly knelt among the cloud of bats, removed the signal out of his heel, leaned over the stairwell, and dropped it. Immediately, the bats cyclone downward, following the signal.

The dark knight leapt out in the midst of the cyclone and fell toward the floor below, hidden by the bats. He opened his cloak, which slowed his descent, and landed with barely a sound. Still using the bats as cover, Batman calmly slipped past the cowering SWATs and cell doors. The inmates stared, wide-eyed from their windows as he passed. Reaching a particular door, the dark knight pulled out a mini bomb and triggered it.

The two inmates in the cell flinched when the door lock was blasted apart, and the door kicked open. They gaped when Batman strode in, used another mini bomb to blast open the window of their cell, and nodded to them before leaving.

“Excuse me.”

When the Dark Knight was gone, one inmate turned to the other.

“What’d I tell ya?”

<>

Having reached the side street, Gordon lowered Rachel to the asphalt as she moaned, still caught in terrifying illusions. It wasn’t long until Batman appeared at his side.

“How is she?” Batman asked.

“She’s getting worse,” Gordon answered.

A searchlight from a chopper swept over them, and Gordon turned toward the end of the side street while the dark knight scooped the young woman into his arms.

“I’ll get my car.”

“I brought mine.”

“Yours?” Gordon asked.

Gordon then turned to find they both disappeared into the darkness and jumped when the blinding headlights flared, followed by a massive engine roaring. He dove out of the way as the newly painted Batmobile came flying out of the darkness and blew past him. Gordon gaped after it, clearly impressed.

“I gotta get me one of those.”

As the Batmobile drove off and the police sealing off the area, none were aware of one particular group. A group consisting of the Sirens, Poison Ivy, and Black Mask making their way towards the asylum. Black Mask brandished two guns in his hands, Poison Ivy had the vial of chemicals in one hand, and the four Sirens ready to hypnotize the mass of lunatics.

“Time for Gotham to see who’s truly in power,” Black Mask declared.

Little did this motley of villainy knew, a houseful of inmates and the police taskforce were the least of their concerns…

Road Rage

Author's Note

In memory of one of the greatest Batman actors to have ever lived.

Kevin Conroy

Nov. 30 1955–Nov. 10 2022

Road Rage

Black Mask and the Vicious Vixens made their way towards Arkham Asylum, ready to put their master plan into action. Poison Ivy could sense the ancient roots of the centuries old plant flowing beneath the decrepit old streets of the Narrows. Black Mask, with two pistols loaded, was ready to blow some heads sky high. The Dazzlings and Zoe Pink-Star were prepped to hypnotize and entrance anyone that stood in their way, except for Sonata Dusk. She still felt uneasy about the whole situation, like she felt something was bound to go wrong. However, she dared not voice her opinion or risk a threat from her sisters (Even some girl they only just met).

Finally, the six arrived at the front door of the asylum. Coincidentally enough, they noticed the Power Ponies and Humdrum coming out at that very moment. Not really wanting to deal with them at the moment, they quickly dove behind a nearby wall. The Dazzlings and Zoe peeked out from behind the wall and spotted them.

“Well, isn’t this a surprise?” Adagio grinned. “Seems to be our lucky day girls.”

“You can say that again,” Aria nodded. “Here we are hoping to bring an ancient murderous plant back to life and now we can kill the idiots who’ve stood in our way long enough.”

“Those are the famous Elements of Harmony?” Zoe asked skeptically. “I’ll be honest, I’m disappointed. I thought they’d be far more powerful and imposing than those dressed-up livestock.”

As they watched, they noticed that Twilight Sparkle used her horn to transport herself and her friends away from the area. Once they were gone, the villainous group emerged from hiding.

“You know, for wanting them dead so much, you weren’t exactly eager to jump out for the kill,” Black Mask told the sirens.

“We have bigger work to do right now,” Adagio responded. “Once this tree returns to life, all bets are off. I’ll be personally scraping what remains of those stupid ponies, and their dragon errand boy, right off my boot.”

“Then we shouldn’t waste time,” Ivy spoke, procuring the vial. “I can hear the wails of the plant below our feet. She’s crying out to be reborn.”

With that said, the dastardly syndicate flung open the doors of the asylum and made their way inside.

<>

Inside the Batmobile, Batman drove while Rachel hung onto the harness, terrified beyond words. A cop car pulled across the alley and the dark knight hit the accelerator, making it speed forward. The two cops in the car gaped at the Batmobile and braced themselves as the tank smashed into their car, its huge front tires crushed the bonnet as it bounced right over in a messy display of brute force. The Batmobile took off down the street while the two cops in the crushed car stared in shock, scrunched down in their seats.

One of them grabbed the radio and called it in, a miracle the radio still worked.

“He’s in a vehicle!” They said.

“Make and color?”

“It’s a black… tank,” The cop answered in disbelief.

“Tank?”

As Batman drove the Batmobile down the streets, a large number of police cars formed a barricade just up the street. There were SWAT trucks, riot shields, large amounts of weapons, and plenty of officers ready to stop this masked vigilante at all costs.

“I’d like to see him get past this,” One officer said confidently.

“What if he just flattens us with that things?” Another asked nervously.

“I wouldn’t be too worried about him.”

The sudden voice made the officers look to their side, only to widen their eyes in shock. Coming down the side street, at a rapid pace, was another giant tank-like vehicle with heavy armor plating.

Sitting in the vehicle, largely thanks to an expansion spell, the Power Ponies and Humdrum burst down the street in their armored vehicle in the direction of the roadblock.

“We need to clear this roadblock for Bruce,” Masked Matterhorn instructed the group.

“Thankfully Lucius had this awesome thing ready for us!” Zapp said happily. “If Bruce gets a tank, it’s only fair we do too.”

Saddle Rager turned to her left when she heard light weeping and noticed Filly Second had a few tears running down her face.

“Are you okay?” She asked concerned.

“I’m okay,” Filly Second nodded, wiping her tears. “It’s just that riding in this car reminds me of Kevin Conroy.”

“Who’s Kevin Conroy?” Saddle Rager asked confused.

“Someone that’ll be missed greatly in the Batman world,” Filly Second smiled sadly.

As they discussed this, Matterhorn turned back toward Radiance and Mistress Marevelous.

“I’m going to need you two to man the weaponry,” Matterhorn instructed. “I can filter my magic into them, so it won’t hurt anyone, but it’ll get them out of the way. It’s basically like a giant magic gun.”

“Can do partner!” Mistress Marevelous nodded.

“I’m all for non-lethal methods darling,” Radiance agreed.

They proceeded to press a few buttons a found themselves shifted inside the vehicle to the front of targeting screens with controls at their hooves. From the top of the vehicle, a giant tank-like turret sprouted.

“60-millimeter cannon operational,” The computer announced.

From the side, another smaller turret packed with multiple non-lethal rounds sprang forth.

“Riot suppressor engaged.”

The Masked Matterhorn concentrated all her magic into the giant cannon on the roof and it filled to the brim with a magical light. As the vehicle continued to speed forward towards the barricade, Radiance and Mistress Marevelous aimed with the computer, awaiting the signal.

“Target in range!” Radiance announced.

“Fire!” Matterhorn yelled

Radiance and Mistress Marevelous both pressed the controls and a giant beam of light ignited from the cannon towards the barricade. The cops screamed and ducked for cover as the light sent the police and their cars clear off the street. But thankfully, none of them were hurt.

“Good shot girls!” Matterhorn acknowledged. “Now let’s go help Bruce!”

<>

Meanwhile, the Batmobile weaved around traffic, dodging the freeway supports. Inside, Rachel braced against the dash, breathing fast, staring at the road ahead. In her min, the road seemed to be moving past at impossible speeds.

“You’ve been poisoned,” Batman told her. “Stay calm.”

He checked the intricate GPS display before returning his attention to the road ahead. The Batmobile raced over the roads, jumping lights, nimbly dodging through the cross-traffic, and soon two cop cars joined the pursuit from the cross-streets. Their lights blazed and the sirens blared at the same time. Batman saw them from the rear-view monitor and flipped a switch, which caused the Batmobile to drop spike strips onto the road.

The cop cars hit them, making the tires explode, and the rims sparked as they grinded and skidded sideways into each other while the Batmobile disappeared into the distance. Further down the road, an impatient cop was on the radio.

“At least tell me what it looks like,” He demanded.

But then his eyes went wide the moment the Batmobile roared past.

“Never mind.”

Soon the Batmobile shot out from under the elevated freeway and a spotlight from a chopper struck it. Batman glanced at a row of buttons, each one had a tiny screen showing a different view, and he pushed one so the view flicked onto the main display. By this point, Rachel was hyperventilating.

“Breathe slowly,” He instructed. “Close your eyes.”

And so Rachel did just that. She closed her eyes for a moment, only to snap them back open.

“That’s worse!” She yelled.

Batman was distracted when three cops pulled across the intersection in an attempt to form a roadblock and he touched the GPS screen so the map became three-dimensional, showing the heights of buildings and street levels. He then had the Batmobile skid into a turn and headed through the entrance to a multi-level parking garage, taking out both the ticket machine and the barrier.

The Batmobile raced upward through the structure, the car’s enormous width taking out pillars at every turn; inside, Rachel flinched away from the pillars.

“What’re you doing?!” She screamed.

“Shortcut,” Batman answered shortly.

The cop cars had trouble with the downed pillars, which hindered the chase. It wasn’t long before the Batmobile roared out onto the top level and was lit up once again by the chopper. The vehicle reversed into a spot marked ‘compact’, crushing the cars on either side, and then raced forward just as the cop cars emerged onto the roof, blocking the only way down, and it screeched to a halt.

Now… they were trapped.

<>

Back at the asylum, the villains made their way through the asylum. Only a few guards stood at the front door when they first walked in. But due to a hypnotizing siren song, they walked to their side completely under their control. As they continued on, the villains found their path blocked off again as a barrage of guards ran toward them with weapons ready.

“Freeze!” One guard yelled. “Stay where you are!”

Black Mask quickly pulled out his two guns and fired off rounds, as did their hypnotized henchmen. The guards fell to the ground with gunshots in their bodies bleeding profusely.

“Nice shooting there, Sionis,” Zoe complimented.

“I know,” Black Mask replied simply.

The group continued through the halls of the asylum until eventually coming to the cell block. There Dr. Quinzel was aiding her fellow doctors to evacuate the inmates.

“Alright everyone, if we can proceed in a calm and orderly fashion, this will go much smoother,” Dr. Quinzel said calmly.

“Oh, I seriously doubt that…” Adagio said.

Dr. Quinzel gasped when she saw the villains in their way and quickly raised the baseball bat she kept with her since her encounter with Chrysalis. The sirens just looked at one another with a smirk as the same wicked thought crossed their minds. Adagio first turned back to Poison Ivy and Black Mask, holding out some earplugs in one hand.

“You guys might want these,” She warned.

The pair took the earplugs and put them in so they couldn’t hear what was coming.

“Care to join me in a little sinister magic, sisters?” Adagio asked.

To which the other sirens gave a nod of their heads before turning back to the group of doctors and inmates. They proceeded to do what they do best… sing.

As they sang, the doctors and inmates quickly found themselves entranced by the hypnotizing melody of the sirens. Dr. Quinzel dropped her bat, her mind in complete control. The Dazzlings and Zoe walked forward with ease and began leading the group through the halls once more. As they sang on, the group broke out into a huge dance routine.

“Now lead us, lunatics!” Adagio ordered loudly. “Lead us to the heart of this asylum!”

Obeying the orders of their masters, the inmates and doctors proceeded to dance their way through the halls and led the group of villains to where they needed to be. Black Mask and Poison Ivy watched in complete confusion as all of this went on. However, if it got them to where they needed to be with no trouble, then they decided to go along with it. At this point, even the mind-controlled inmates and doctors sung along with their hypnotists.

The sirens laughed wickedly as the mindless henchmen led them on through the asylum. As they ventured on, even Sonata Dusk slowly found herself getting into the plan. At first she didn’t like it because she felt something bad would happen and everything would get messed up as usual. However, things seemed to be in their favor for a moment.

“You know… I forgot how much fun this is,” She admitted. “I mean it, this is like for realisies actually going better than I thought. Now that it’s the four of us, we’re unstoppable together! So… what’s the next part of the plan, Dagi?”

Adagio, Aria, and Zoe looked at one another with a wicked smirk before Adagio casually wrapped her arm over her siren sister’s shoulder as they strolled past the cell block.

“I’m very glad you asked Sonata,” She smiled. “The next part of our plan… is getting rid of the dead weight.”

Sonata quirked a curious eyebrow, not fully grasping what that meant.

“Dead weight?” Sonata repeated. “I mean… I know our henchmen are not much to look at. But they’ve done what we asked without—”

Suddenly, before Sonata had more time to contemplate, Adagio shoved Sonata into a nearby open cell and Aria quickly slammed the cell door shut behind her. Sonata quickly got back up and rushed forward, clinging to the bars trying to pull the door open… but it was locked.

“What’re you doing?!” She yelled confused. “If this is a joke it’s not funny!”

“It’s just as Adagio said,” Aria smirked. “We’re getting rid of the ‘dead weight’.”

“I don’t understand!” Sonata said. “I’ve done everything you asked me to; we’re supposed to be a team!”

“Oh Sonata… poor… foolish… ignorant Sonata,” Adagio grinned. “The truth is: You’ve become a burden on us. And now… it’s time to rectify that. You’re immature… you’re childish… and quite frankly… stupid. So long as we keep you around, we’ll never get anywhere.”

Hearing her sisters say such horrible things, especially from Adagio, it just broke the poor blue siren’s heart. Tears started welling up in her eyes, one even managed to slip free and slide down her face.

“B-B-But we’re sisters,” She wept. “We’re family till the end, remember?”

It was the Zoe walked up toward the bars, leaning in with a wicked smirk.

“Not anymore,” Zoe said maliciously

She then shot her hand through the bars and wrenched the amulet from Sonata’s neck before pulling it back. Sonata clutched her chest, where the amulet used to be, as she felt her powers leave her yet again. She fell to her knees and looked up in shock toward her sisters and Zoe.

“You can’t do this to me!” Sonata whimpered. “The Dark One and the Benefactor won’t be happy when they learned what you’ve done!”

“All they expect are ‘three sirens’ returning with the results they need,” Adagio clarified. “They didn’t specify one of them had to be ‘you’."

“Face the facts Sonata Dusk, you’re washed up,” Zoe mocked. “Now, these girls finally found someone better than you… more intelligent than you. But don’t worry, once we’ve resurrected the tree and completely demolish this dump, we’ll make sure to make you death… quick. No sense wasting valuable time on a ‘long’ death for you.”

Zoe placed the amulet around her own neck and felt her siren power grow much stronger.

“I always knew you never had killer instincts Sonata,” Aria smirked evilly. “Even now when you have nothing to lose… you’re weak! And I’ve outgrown you since the day you were born.”

With that said, the sirens, along with Poison Ivy and Black Mask, continued their way through the asylum following their brainwashed henchmen.

“You’ll never get away with this!” Sonata cried out, in vain. “The Order will find out what you’ve done, and they’ll get me out of here! You need me! You’ll see! Yeah… you’ll see…”

But they never answered back… they didn’t even turn around. It was then Sonata Dusk realized she was truly alone, locked up in a cell and no one around to free her. More tears sprang forth as she fell to the floor in agony, curdling up into a ball. All the pain of betrayal, the fact she was replaced instead of adding into their army… the weight hit her like a ton of bricks. All she could do now was cry… just cry until her eyes could she no more tears.

<>

Inside, Batman examined his 3D GPS, weighed his options, and then glanced at Rachel. The girl recoiled, terrified by his mask, and began clawing at her harness desperate to escape.

“Turn off your engine!” One of the cops ordered, over a megaphone.

Ignoring the cops, the dark knight gently placed a gloved hand on Rachel’s arm.

“Trust me,” He instructed.

Batman activated a command which slid him into the front driving position, his body prone as if riding a motorcycle with his head in a glass pod located between the front tires. Once Batman was in position, he hit a button.

The cops gaped as cannons emerged from the nose of the Batmobile and ducked as they blasted the far wall. The massive jet engine at the back ignited as flaps on the front and rear of the car flared out like a cobra spreading its neck. Then it rocketed forward for the gap in the far wall at an accelerated pace. Inside, Rachel screamed as Batman hit another button and an inverted spoiler jammed into the airstream up front, sending it int a ramp-less jump, and the Batmobile soared over a thirty-foot gap landing heavily on a neighboring flat roof.

Back at the parking garage, the cops stared at each other, open-mouthed. They were all sharing the same thought: How were they going to explain this to their superiors?

Meanwhile, Batman yanked the steering left, hit the booster, rocketed for the edge of the roof, and shot over the gap to the next, with the chopper in pursuit once again. The dark knight checked his 3D GPS, rocketed forward, and aimed at the next roof, which was a pitched chateau-style tile roof. Down below the streets, cop cars zoomed along, paralleling the rooftop chase while the chopper swooped low over the buildings. The cops below caught a glimpse of the Batmobile as it leapt across to the next building.

“We’re on him, we’re on him…”

The Batmobile landed on the pitched roof, raced along it at a precarious angle, tiles slid off the roof in its wake. Inside, Batman’s forward-slung position was gyroscopically balanced so that he was the only vertical element in the angled car, and the low-flying chopper was still in pursuit.

Batman swerved the car up and over the gables, the roof crumbling in its wake, and raced for the end of the roof parallel with an elevated freeway. Hitting the booster once again, the Batmobile rocketed forward, jumped the last gable, and dropped onto the freeway, forcing traffic to swerve just to avoid it. Along the streets, the cops cursed when they saw the Batmobile disappear on the freeway above.

“Dammit!” One cop cursed.

Batman watched the display, which showed a radar sweep that was plotting a course through various speeds along the lanes. He leaned left and right like a motorcyclist while the chopper above kept a light trained on him; around him, the tragic grew heavier and several cop cars closed in from behind.

The dark knight lifted himself back into the rear driving position, throttled back, and then killed all the lights including the engine. The chopper pilot cursed when, to him, the Batmobile disappeared into the shadows like a wraith.

“I lost him,” The pilot said.

There was silence inside the car, save for the steady whine of the electric motor. Rachel, who’d been dozing, was startled by the sudden silence. Her eyes flickered as Batman sliced across the lanes like a shadow only visible under the glare of headlights from other cars. Ahead of them, the cop cars pulled forward until they were driving parallel with an empty lane between them. Rachel stared at the dark knight in the intimate quiet with wide eyes, breathing shallowly.

“Quiet,” Batman whispered. “Stay with me.”

Meanwhile, the cops searched for the Batmobile with growing frustration over losing a car the size of a tank so easily.

“Where’d he--?” A cop began.

He looked left and saw between his car and the next cop car… a black shape.

“There he is!”

When the spotlight hit the car, Batman immediately hit a button and the main engine roared to life as he slipped back into the prone position. He hit the booster once again. The cops were startled when the Batmobile’s lights suddenly turned back on, and it shot forward from between them. The jet wash blasted their windscreens, shattering them, and the nearest cop car spun out of its lane and slammed into the guard rail. The black car raced ahead, once again weaving through traffic.

The Batmobile slid onto a tightly curving exit ramp, flew off it, and jumped down onto the frontage road below. Once again, Batman killed the lights, now running on night vision. Rachel’s eyes flickered at the eerie green view of ghostly trees as her shallow breathing got faster.

“Hold on,” The dark knight requested, concerned. “Just hold on.”

He yanked a lever which released a ground anchor that dug into the road, whipping the Batmobile right with a hard turn, down a small turnoff. The chopper lost it once again, as did the cop cars blazing past the turnoff. Inside the Batmobile, Rachel cried as the trees flashed past and turned monstrous in her drugged mind.

“Rachel?” Batman asked, glancing at her. “Rachel?!”

He pushed the Batmobile, so it sped toward the lookout. Rachel’s glazed eyes registered the danger; she began twisting in her seat in her panic. The Batmobile rocketed off the edge of the lookout, over the gorge, and flew straight at the face of a waterfall.

Rachel screamed as they splashed into the face of the waterfall – and emerged through the curtain of water into the Batcave. The Batmobile’s ground anchors hooked a steel cable, which caused an inertia reel that bolted the cave wall into spinning, and it yanked the car to a halt like a jet landing on an aircraft carrier. Rachel bounced in her seat and then passed out, much to Batman’s alarm.

“Rachel!” He yelped.

The canopy hissed open in three complex sections, like insect wings imploding. The dark knight lifted her from the cockpit, stepped down onto the wet shale, and carried her into the damp blackness of the caverns. Cloak billowing in his wake, Batman headed for the glow of his worktable, gently laying Rachel on it, and then racked up the scaffold to his computer station. There was a container waiting for him, along with paperwork from Lucius, and he opened it, finding three vials inside.

He removed one, plugged it into a pneumatic syringe, placed it between his teeth, glided off the scaffold, and landed next to the table. Removing the syringe from his mouth, he injected it into Rachel’s bicep, then stepped back and watched as her breathing slowed.

The antidote was working.

<>

Meanwhile, at Arkham Asylum’s refectory, Gordon was supervising the scene: cops and SWAT dug through the mess, interviewing inmates, and shifting through the rubble. A detective was sitting in a cell doorway, examining Crane’s mask, and Crane huddled in the corner, staring blankly into space.

“Is he cooperating?” Gordon asked.

“If by cooperating you mean chewing his way through three sets of restraints, then yes, he’s cooperating,” The detective responded. “Did we catch the Batman?”

Gordon shook his head, repressing a smile.

“Nope,” He responded.

Just then, a cop hurried over.

“Sir, there’s something you should take a look at…”

The cop led him toward a large hole which had been broken in the floor. There was a cracked pipe open within, and they could see water rushing through. There were also dozens of aluminum barrels sitting alongside the hole.

Gordon climbed down and peered into the hole, watching as the water rushed by.

“Looks like they tapped the mains,” He muttered, examining the barrels.

Realization sunk in as he recalled what the Batman told him earlier.

“Get me somebody at the water board!” He ordered.

Gordon climbed back, just as a second cop ran up.

“Yes?”

“Sir, John Wycliffe just arrived.”

Gordon stepped outside just as Wycliffe pulled up in his car and emerged.

“Mr. Wycliffe,” The sergeant said, surprised and relieved. “What’re you doing here?”

“Rachel Dawes requested I come here to do blood work on Falcone, Gordon,” John responded. “What’s going on?”

“Come with me and I’ll explain on the way,” Gordon said, leading him into the building.

Soon Wycliffe and Gordon entered the room and approached the hole, where a technician from the water board tested the water.

“So, Crane was dumping this toxin into the water supply?” John asked.

“That’s what Batman told me,” Gordon confirmed. “I’m having the water tested to be sure.”

“If this is the same chemical that I found in the drugs from the docks, then we could have a serious problem on our hands,” John said nervously.

They joined the technician, who was checking the results on his device.

“According to this, the entire water supply is contaminated.”

“How much did they pour in?” Gordon asked.

“All of it,” The technician responded. “They must’ve been pouring it in for weeks, and it’ll have spread through the whole system by now.”

While Goron continued questioning the technician, John went to one of the tables, which had some of the white powder on it. Taking a device from his black bag, he carefully used a spoon to scoop some of the powder into the device and performed a scan when Gordon walked up.

“According to the technician, the only reason no one has shown any effects is because it needs to be breathed in instead of drinking it,” He reported. “What’re you doin’?”

“Testing the powder,” John responded, frowning at the results. “He’s right though. Whatever sort of hallucinogenic agent we’re dealing with, it’s been weaponized, and it isn’t one I recognize.”

“Maybe Crane knows,” Gordon suggested. “Of course, you should know that he’s been affected by his own toxin thanks to the Batman earlier when he rescued Rachel. So, I’m not sure if you’ll get a straight answer out of him.”

“Don’t worry, even if he doesn’t make any sense, I can draw some blood from him,” John assured. “Plus, I can get one from Falcone and get it back to my lab to start looking for a possible antidote should someone try to get this stuff into the air.”

“Sounds good to me.”

Just then, the hallway doors burst open, and the brainwashed doctors and inmates danced through. Everyone looked confused as they watched them dance, singing along the way. Confusion turned to shock when they saw the two Dazzlings, Zoe, Poison Ivy, and Black Mask enter the room.

“What is the meaning of this?!” Gordon asked loudly.

“Get them and take them out of here,” Adagio ordered the henchmen.

The mind-controlled mass quickly jumped upon anyone they could get their hands on and dragged them away. They grabbed Gordon and John Wycliffe, then proceeded to drag their struggling forms towards the exit before shoving them out and locking the door behind them. Poison Ivy then placed a gentle hand on the floor, feeling the roots calling to her, leading her to them.

“Follow me,” She instructed.

She led the group and their controlled victims toward a nearby door, which she flung open. Walking down a flight of stairs, Ivy found herself in some sort of basement with a soil floor. She gently pat the Earth with a smile on her face before taking out the vial of green liquid. Popping it open, she tipped it over and allowed the contents to flow onto the soil. It absorbed the mixture and within moments, the entire Earth began to shake.

“We should exit now before it sprouts completely,” She warned.

Everyone quickly made their way towards the nearest exit. As they scurried out of the building, the ground shook harder and started to crack and break. Suddenly, a gigantic plant burst forth from the ground and broke through one of the walls of the asylum. It grew and circled around the building before finally coming to a halt. It had to be at least four stories tall at its full height.

The villainous group stared at the gigantic plant with amazement. None of them had ever seen such a sight before, except for Poison Ivy. She merely smiled as she gazed upon the ancient plant.

“What now?” Adagio asked.

“Now… we wait,” Ivy responded.

<>

When Rachel regained consciousness, she found herself lying on a table inside a dark cave. Her eyes went wide when she saw there were bats fluttering about and hung on the ceiling high above her.

“Oh… my… God!” She gasped.

“How do you feel?” Batman asked from the shadows, watching her.

Rachel looked around for the dark knight, but her eyes couldn’t see him.

“Where are we?” Rachel asked, her voice hoarse. “Why did you bring me here?”

“If I hadn’t,” Batman spoke slowly. “Your mind would now be lost; you were poisoned.”

Rachel tried to recall just what happened back at Arkham.

“I remember… nightmares,” She muttered. “This face, this… mask.”

Then her eyes lit like firecrackers, for she remembered exactly what happened.

“Crane. It was Crane. I have to tell the police – we’ve got—”

Batman stepped out of the shadows and stopped her.

“Rest,” He ordered. “Gordon has Crane.”

Rachel stared up at the dark knight as he gently laid her back onto the table before retreating back into the shadows.

“Is Sergeant Gordon your friend?” She asked.

“I don’t have the luxury of friends,” Batman slowly growled.

Rachel lifted her head slightly, trying to find him in the shadows.

“Why did you save my life?” She inquired.

“I serve justice,” Batman responded, hiding in the shadows.

“Perhaps you do,” Rachel agreed, feeling pity for the dark knight.

Batman stepped into the light, holding a pneumatic syringe and two vials, and she watched him warily.

“I’m going to give you a sedative,” Batman told her. “You’ll wake up back at home and when you do, get these to Gordon and John Wycliffe, and them alone. Trust no one.”

He then held up two vials which he handed to Rachel.

“What are they?” Rachel asked, eying the vials.

“The antidote,” Batman answered. “One for Gordon to inoculate himself, the other to start mass-production.”

“Mass production?” Rachel repeated, confused.

“Crane was just a pawn,” Batman informed her. “We need to be ready.”

He held up the syringe and she offered her arm. The dark knight injected her, and Rachel’s eyes sealed shut. Once she was sedated, Bruce removed his cowl and stared at her for an inexpressibly lonely moment.

‘I wish I could tell you the truth, but it isn’t the right time… yet...’

From the sidelines, the Power Ponies and Humdrum appeared alongside Batman.

“What do we do now?” Masked Matterhorn asked. “If what you said is true, whatever’s coming goes far beyond the Court of Owls and any other villains in the city. We need to come up with a plan.”

Batman walked over to a nearby table where a tuxedo was laid out for him. He quickly started to remove his bat-suit, and Bruce turned back to him.

“What’s the plan now?” Zapp asked.

“I have to get up to the party before anyone starts wondering where I am,” Bruce replied.

Ooh, are we playing any party games?!” Filly Second exclaimed excitedly. “Or maybe whack a pinata? I even brought extras!”

She pulled a pinata out of her mane, along with a stick and a blindfold. She quickly placed the blindfold on her eyes, grabbed the stick in her teeth, then proceeded to swing it around trying to hit the pinata. Matterhorn quickly flared up her magic again and made them all disappear, much to the party Power Pony’s disappointment.

“Now’s not the time for games,” She spoke sternly. “We must come up with a plan; something’s coming, and we need to be ready.”

“I must agree,” Radiance nodded. “The Court of Owls and our enemies are already taking up much of our time. We must act face before something worse arrives.”

“What about you Bruce?” Humdrum asked curiously. “We could really use your help on this one.”

“I promise you guys, I’ll figure something out,” Bruce sighed. “Right now, I need to get upstairs. If you want, you can come too. If not, then stay here. I’ll be back soon.”

He quickly walked off towards the elevator back up the mansion. The Masked Matterhorn once again groaned in frustration. Although she knew Bruce had to keep up appearances, now was not the time for partying. Something big was heading their way, one that would likely put Gotham City and its people at great risk. She knew it was bad, and all the hardships they’d experienced was only the beginning.

“So… what do we do now?” Saddle Rager asked timidly.

The Past Returns

Shortly after saving Rachel, Bruce Wayne emerged from the bookcase and the noise of the party could be heard through the door. Alfred was waiting, a dinner jacket over his arm, frowning while the young man finished buttoning his shirt and tied on his bowtie. The Mane Six and Spike soon followed behind him, having used magic to assume their human forms again. The girls wore their party dresses, while Spike wore his suit. They could clearly see that Alfred was not very happy with Bruce at the moment.

“When you told me your grand plan to save Gotham, one thing stopped me calling the men in white coats,” Alfred spoke sharply. “You said it wasn’t about thrill-seeking.”

“It’s not,” Bruce responded.

“Granted, driving that awesome tank was a thrill ride, but we weren’t doing any of this for fun,” Rainbow added. “We’ve all been saving this city since the moment we got here.”

“So, we got involved in a few car chases,” Spike replied. “It’s not like that’s big news; I bet nobody was even watching.”

Alfred pointed to a nearby T.V., which was on the news channel, and currently it was showing the chase footage from earlier.

“Well, what do you call that?” He asked.

Bruce glanced at the news and smirked.

“Damn good television,” He responded.

“A promotional vignette for a Batman inspired video game?” Pinkie added hopefully.

“It’s a miracle no one was injured,” The butler objected.

“We know and we feel bad for causing any damages,” Twilight responded. “But we didn’t really have much of a choice. Bruce’s friend Rachel, even though my friends and I didn’t really get to know her well, was poisoned by Dr. Crane’s fear toxin. And because she’s Bruce’s friend, we needed to get her back so we could administer the antidote.”

“I didn’t have time to observe the highway code, Alfred,” The young man added.

“You’re getting lost in this creature of yours,” Alfred spoke honestly.

“I’m using this creature to help people like my father did—” Bruce began.

“For Thomas Wayne, helping others was never about proving anything to anyone,” The older man interrupted. “Including himself.”

“It’s Rachel, Alfred,” Bruce explained. “She was dying. She’s downstairs, sedated. I need you to take her home.”

Hearing this made Alfred gasp.

“Oh, so it’s surprising when he says it,” Rainbow remarked.

Regardless, knowing that Rachel was on the verge of death and Bruce merely tried to save her, it helped him understand his methods… a little. With a nod, Alfred started for the bookcase but then paused.

“We both care about Rachel, sir,” He said gently. “But what you’re doing has to be beyond that. It can’t be personal. Or you’re a vigilante.”

Bruce understood this, having been told the same thing during training with the League of Shadows. His eyes glanced toward the door.

“Is Fox still here?”

To which Alfred gave a confirming nod.

“We need to send these people away,” Bruce declared.

“Bruce is right, Alfred,” Twilight nodded. “From what we gathered on our escapade, something even worse is coming.”

“The Court of Owls, Crane, the Dazzlings, Chrysalis, apparently they lack in comparison to what’s on its way to Gotham,” Spike interjected.

“Those are Bruce Wayne’s guests out there,” Alfred protested. “You have a name to maintain—”

“I don’t care about my name,” Bruce interrupted, heading out the door.

But Alfred refused to let this one go.

“It’s not just your name, it’s your father’s. And it’s all that’s left of him. Don’t destroy it.”

Alfred headed for the Batman while Bruce paused to consider his words for a moment. The girls and Spike stepped alongside him, yet they could only look at him with concern.

“Y’all alright there, Bruce?” Applejack asked.

Bruce took a moment to recollect himself before answering.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” He nodded. “We just need to focus on getting these people out of here and fast.”

“No sweat there,” Rainbow smirked. “I could clear this entire place—”

“In ten seconds flat, we know!” The group finished.

Rainbow quickly shut her mouth, pouting her lips over having her thunder stolen. Applejack gave her mare-friend a pat on the back before the group made their way into the main hall. Once they entered the hall, they noticed that hundreds of guests were gathered. Music was playing, the tables groaned under the weight of all the food. Pinkie’s eyes widened as a huge smile formed along her face.

“Oh… my… Faust!” She grinned. “It’s finally time to PARTY!!!”

The sound of the pink party girl’s screaming that last word caused the entire ensemble in the hall to turn toward Bruce and the others.

“There he is!” One female guest exclaimed.

Upon seeing him, the band began playing ‘Happy Birthday’ as the other guests clapped and started making their way toward Bruce.

“Ugh, nice one Pinkie,” Spike groaned. “Get the attention of every single person in the room on us.”

Spike turned but realized his words fell on deaf ears, or rather thin air. For Pinkie Pie already made a mad dash for the food table and started stuffing her face of anything sweet she could pick up. The group groaned in frustration as they made their way over to retrieve their friend.

Bruce smiled sheepishly as the guests began singing along, accepting a glass from one of the servers, and moved amongst the throng. He spotted Lucius, who was currently at the buffet. But it was also in that moment Mr. Earle came up alongside Bruce, who recalled the former’s intent to take the company public.

“Happy birthday, Bruce,” Earle said, getting his attention.

“Mr. Earle, how did the stock offering go?” Bruce asked.

‘Won’t he be surprised tomorrow?’

“Very well – the price soared,” Earle responded.

“Who was buying?” Bruce asked.

“A variety of funds and brokerages… it’s all a bit technical,” Earle responded. “The key thing is our company’s future is secure.”

<>

Meanwhile, Alfred snuck the sleeping Rachel out the side entrance and gently arranged her on the rear seat of the car. He frowned when he realized her legs were stuck. As he tried to get them in, he looked up and saw a party guest, who stepped out for a smoke. The guest was watching Alfred, curiously.

“A little worse for wear,” Alfred lied, with an embarrassed smile. “I’m afraid.”

The party guest nodded, believing the lie and went back to his smoke. Alfred fought back a sigh, as he yanked Bruce’s golf clubs to one side and got the young woman settled.

‘I am going to ask for a raise after this,’ He thought to himself.

<>

After cutting the cake, Bruce worked the room with a charming smile. But with time running out, he needed to reach Lucius before his worst fears came true. He took one glance toward the other side of the table only to find the Mane Six and Spike struggling to pry Pinkie Pie away from a chocolate fountain.

“Pinkie, leave it alone!” Rarity ordered loudly.

“Must… have… chocolate!” Pinkie groaned in a deep guttural voice.

Finally, Bruce reached the elder man after exchanging a few kind words with Julia Pearson, who apologized for John not being there. Apparently, he was needed to help the police with something important in the Narrows.

“Thank you for that… item,” Bruce told the older man.

“I’m sure you’ll find a use for it,” Lucius responded with a nod.

“I already have,” The young man assured.

The wheels were turning in the man’s head, thoughts of what was going to happen in the near future.

“How long would it take to manufacture on a large scale?”

“Weeks,” The older man thought. “Why?”

“Someone’s been planning to disperse it using the water supply,” Bruce answered.

“The water supply isn’t going to help you disperse an inhalant… unless…” Lucius trailed off, worried.

‘Oh God.’

“What?” Bruce asked.

“Unless you have access to a microwave emitter powerful enough to vaporize the water in the mains,” The older man explained. “The kind of microwave emitter that Wayne Enterprises has recently misplaced.”

“Misplaced?” The young man echoed.

“Earle just fired me for asking too many questions about it,” Lucius explained.

“I need you to go back to Wayne Enterprises and start making more of the antidote,” Bruce ordered. “And get a copy of your notes over to Pearson Pharmaceuticals so that they can start mass production.”

“My security access has been revoked,” Lucius pointed out.

“That wouldn’t stop a man like you, would it?” Bruce inquired, smirking.

“No, it probably wouldn’t,” Lucius smiled.

<>

Meanwhile, at Arkham Asylum, Gordon and a few other cops looked up at the giant plant that sprouted from beneath the Earth. Its giant stalks rose high into the sky, where it nearly reached the top of the tallest skyscraper in Gotham.

“What the hell is it?” One cop wondered.

“I don’t know,” Gordon responded. “But nobody gets near it, understand? We’re closing the bridges, locking down the whole island.”

On his way back into the asylum itself, Gordon passed Dr. Quinzel and the rest of the Arkham staff, doctors and patients. By now, they were just recovering from the Dazzlings’ mind control.

“Are you all alright?” He asked.

“I believe so,” Dr. Quinzel responded. “Boy… that felt weird. But right now, we need to get everyone as far away from here as possible. All hell’s about to break loose.”

That said, Dr. Quinzel led the group of doctors and inmates away from the area as Gordon worked his way into the asylum. While running through the cell block, he caught the faint sound of weeping. Slowly he moved toward the source until he stumbled upon a cell holding a crying Sonata Dusk huddled in a corner within. Gordon gazed at the poor crying girl, her head down on the floor. What shocked him most was how a girl like her even ended up in Arkham in the first place; to him, she seemed as though she didn’t belong there.

“Are you okay?” He asked her.

The poor blue siren paused for a moment to look up toward the police offer looking down at her outside the cell. Her eyes were red from crying; her face stained with tears. She quickly went back to her wallowing.

“P-Please, leave me alone!” She wept. “I look horrible!”

“What are you doing in here?” Gordon asked her.

Recalling exactly ‘why’ she was in the cell only made Sonata cry harder. Gordon just couldn’t stand to see the poor girl locked up in this cell. Especially since he had a slight soft spot for children, even young and scared teens. Quickly, he raced around to the nearest office and snatched up a chain of keys which sat on the desk. Racing back toward the cell, Gordon shuffled through the keys before he placed on into the lock. It turned out to be the right key and he opened the door. Stepping inside, he tried to help the poor girl to her feet, but she resisted as best as she could.

“What part of ‘leave me alone’ don’t you humans understand?!” She yelled tearfully.

“I don’t know what you’ve done, but you can’t stay here,” Gordon told her. “I’m sure your family misses you; let me help you get back to them.”

But hearing this only made Sonata cry heavily. Gordon gently reached down, once more trying to help the poor girl off the floor. All of a sudden, she quickly threw her arms around him and cried into his chest. Gordon, a bit taken aback, gently placed a comforting hand along the girl’s back.

“My family? They’re the reason I’m in this cell,” Sonata cried. “They don’t care about me at all. I did everything I could; I really wanted to be the best sister I could be. I thought if I really wanted it, then I could show the girls that Sonata Dusk can be reliable. But just when I thought I was gaining another sister, it turned out she only came into our lives to replace me… they stabbed me in the back in favor for her! A girl who’s bigger than me… smarter than me… meaner than me… and the worst part of it? She’s better than me… she’s better than me…”

Gordon stood silent, listening to the girl explain while he tried to offer as much comfort as possible.

“The truth is… it’s my own fault this happened,” Sonata wept. “I knew they always thought I was a burden and a screw-up, but I went along ‘anyway’ out of loyalty. Yes, I made mistakes… yes, I get easily distracted… but at least I tried, I really tried for them. But no matter how hard I worked to impress them, no matter how much effort I made to prove I was worthy of their love, it was never enough! I’m so sick of trying to be perfect! I’ll never be good enough for my family… or anyone…”

Eventually, the poor girl cried herself out and pulled away as she wiped the tears along her face. Once more, a gentle hand touched her shoulder and she turned till her eyes looked toward Jim Gordon, who returned her gaze with a comforting smile.

“It sounds to me you’ve been around the wrong people long enough,” He told her. “Do you know what I see when I look at you?”

Sonata sniffed as she slowly shook her head.

“I see a girl willing to do anything for those she loves,” Gordon continued. “Someone who will stop at nothing to do what she believes is right. Someone who is good enough.”

Hearing such comforting words, from a human of all beings, Sonata felt new tears building in her eyes. Except they weren’t tears of sorrow, but instead tears of ‘joy’. A small smile formed along her face as she allowed the tears to fall, and she hugged Gordon once more. When she finally pulled away, Gordon removed his hand from her shoulder and the smile still remained.

“Never let anyone tell you that you aren’t good enough,” He told her. “Can you do that?”

Sonata gave a nod of her head as she kept smiling.

“We should really get going,” Gordon informed her. “Things are about to go bad around here and neither of us want to be around when it happens. Stick close to me, I’ll take you somewhere safe.”

Gordon proceeded to lead Sonata through the halls as they traveled to the lower parts of the asylum. Once they reached the cell blocks marked ‘Maximum Security’, they stopped.

“Stay here,” Gordon instructed Sonata.

Sonata nodded silently and held her ground as Gordon approached one of the cells. Inside, Crane sat inside wrapped in a straitjacket, his eyes glazed over.

“Crane, I know that you weaponizing a hallucinogenic chemical compound,” Gordon told the mumbling young man. “And that you were putting it into the water supply. What I want to know is what kind of compound were you weaponizing and why?”

“Scarecrow…” Crane mumbled. “Scarecrow… Scarecrow…”

“Crane, who are you working for?” He asked. “Why are you doing this?”

This time, Crane actually locked eyes with him.

“It doesn’t matter,” He smiled vaguely. “It’s… too late.”

A grim look formed on Gordon’s face; it was plain to see he didn’t like the sound of that. He proceeded to quickly leave the cell, handing a nearby guard Crane’s mask before he took Sonata’s hand and led her toward the emergency exit.

<>

Meanwhile, back at Wayne Manor, the girls and Spike finally got Pinkie Pie away from the buffet table. Granted, they had to hold her down and practically tied her to a chair until she calmed down. Currently, they stood before Pinkie Pie, who casually sat about tied to the chair without a fuss.

“Now Pinkie darling, if we untie you, do you promise to remain calm?” Rarity asked slowly.

“I promise,” Pinkie nodded rapidly.

“And you won’t go cuckoo in the coconut again?” Rainbow asked.

“Nnnnope!” Pinkie shook her head.

“Y’all Pinkie Promise yer gonna behave?” Applejack asked.

“Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,” Pinkie recited her pledge.

“Alright, untie her,” Twilight instructed.

The girls proceeded to undo the knots along the ropes holding Pinkie in place. When they finally came off, Pinkie stood from the chair and stretched her limbs as she could hear her bones crack.

“Wowie! I haven’t been tied up like that since Cheesy and I—uh, never mind.”

Twilight took a step back but accidentally bumped into someone standing behind her.

“Oops! I’m really sorry—”

She found her words quickly cut off the moment she turned around and discovered just who she bumped into. Her eyes went wide; her mouth dropped in shock.

“You!” She exclaimed in shock.

Before her very eyes, dressed in a fancy three-piece suit, stood someone she never thought she’d see again… Duscan Al Ghul himself. A sinister smirk was held in place along his face.

“Hello Princess,” He spoke lowly. “Long time, no see.”

Bruce moved through the party, working his way toward the study. When suddenly, an elderly woman, Mrs. Delane by name, grabbed his arm and pulled him in a different direction.

“Bruce, there’s somebody here you simply must meet…”

“Not now, Mrs. Delane—” Bruce began.

Mrs. Delane turned him to face an Asian man in his fifties.

“Now, am I pronouncing it right?” She asked. “Mr. Ra’s al Ghul?”

Bruce turned towards the man with a shocked expression on his face. The bald Asian man in question gave a curt nod before slowly turning around. Bruce was actually to see that it was not actually Ra’s al Ghul at all. Bruce’s blood ran cold, the expression on his face made Mrs. Delane laugh nervously in confusion.

“You’re not Ra’s al Ghul,” Bruce spoke bluntly. “I watched him die.”

“But is Ra’s al Ghul immortal?”

The young man turned to the source of the familiar voice, discovering Henri Ducard standing beside him with a smile and a black cane in one hand.

“Are his methods supernatural?” Henri asked.

“Or cheap parlor tricks to conceal your true identity… Ra’s?” Bruce suggested, with new understanding.

Henri, no… Ra’s al Ghul smiled as he stared Bruce straight in the eye.

“Surely a man who spends his nights scrambling over the rooftops of Gotham wouldn’t begrudge me dual identities?” He inquired, walking the young man through the party.

“I saved you from the fire,” Bruce said, disgusted with himself.

“I warned you about compassion, Bruce,” Ra’s warned.

As they walked, Bruce noticed certain guests staring intensely at him. It wasn’t difficult to guess they were all members of the League of Shadows.

“Your quarrel is with me,” He hissed at his former mentor. “Let these people go.”

“You’re welcome to explain the situation to them,” Ra’s offered, amused.

‘No one will believe me if I tell them the truth,’ Bruce thought.

Suddenly, another idea came to Bruce’s mind. He grabbed a glass from the tray and tapped on it.

“Everyone! Everyone!”

All the guests in the room, including the Mane Six, Spike, and a smirking Duscan turned their attention toward Bruce.

“I just want to thank you all for coming here tonight and drinking my booze.”

This caused the guests to laugh.

“No, really, the thing about being a Wayne is you’re never short of a few freeloaders to fill up your mansion…”

Then the laughter stopped, and all the guests now looked confused.

“So, here’s to you people,” Bruce announced, as he drank.

Many people turned away embarrassed while Fredericks took the young man by the elbow and Julia took away the nearly empty glass.

“That’s enough, Bruce.”

Bruce pulled his arm away as people started heading for the doors. He got himself a new glass, despite Julia’s attempt to stop him.

“I’m not finished,” He said, raising the new glass. “To you false friends… and pathetic suck-ups who smile through your teeth at me… you had your fill, now leave me in peace! Get out. Everybody. Out!”

Ra’s watched with amusement as the people left, some of them whispering their disapproval while others were more vocal. Knowing he would probably regret this later in tomorrow’s news, he turned toward Fredericks and Julia, who stared at him with both disappointment and disapproval.

“The apple has fallen very far from the tree, Mr. Wayne,” The older man spoke coldly, walking away.

“If your father was still alive, young man,” Julia said icily. “He would disown you on the spot.”

Ra’s chuckled as the last of the angry guests left. This left the Equestrians and Bruce alone in the house as the Al Ghul’s and the League of Shadows circled around them.

“Amusing,” Ra’s commented. “But pointless. None of these people have long to live – your antics at the Asylum have forced my hand.”

“Crane was working for you,” Bruce realized.

“His toxin is derived from the organic compound in our blue poppies,” Ra’s explained. “He was able to weaponize it.”

“He’s not a member of the League of Shadows,” Bruce pointed out.

“Of course not,” Ra’s confirmed. “He thought our plan was to hold the city to ransom.”

“But really you’re going to unleash Crane’s poison on the entire city,” Twilight concluded.

“Then watch Gotham tear itself apart through fear,” Duscan nodded.

“You guys are really sick and twisted,” Rainbow commented.

“You do realize what you’re talking about is committing mass genocide of an entire city,” Rarity said in shock.

“You’re going to destroy millions of lives,” Bruce protested.

“Only a cynical man would call what these people have ‘lives’, Wayne,” Ra’s stated.

Then he stepped out of the main hall and into a corridor, with his former students following behind.

“People stacked like boxes. Families sleeping in garbage. Crime. Despair. This is not how man was supposed to live.”

He paused next to a window, gesturing to the distant glow of Gotham.

“The League of Shadows have been in check against human corruption for thousands of years. We sacked Rome. Loaded trade ships with plague rats. Burned London to the ground. Every time a civilization reaches the pinnacle of its decadence, we return to restore the balance.”

“Gotham isn’t beyond saving,” Bruce protested. “There are good people here, people who—”

“You’re defending a city so corrupt we infiltrated every level of its infrastructure,” Ra’s interrupted.

And so, a newsflash was presented toward the young man and his allies.

<>

At Arkham Asylum, a man in a SWAT uniform entered the cell Crane was in. He dropped the burlap mask in his lap; the former doctor blinked and looked up at the SWAT officer and his partner, who stood in the doorway of the cell.

“Time to play.”

<>

In the control room, the guard on duty looked around when the SWATs entered, grabbed him… and killed him. Then, they pushed the button which unlocked all the cells; onscreen, they watched as a rogue’s gallery of criminal lunatics, including Zsaz, cautiously leaving their cells and strolling the hallways.

<>

On the monorail, the driver checked his watch and hit the intercom.

“This train is no longer in service.”

The passengers groaned and got to their feet, not looking forward to the long walk ahead of them.

<>

Back at Wayne Manor, Ra’s and Bruce faced each other in the corridor of the manor.

“You have no illusions about the world, Bruce,” Ra’s reminded him. “When I found you in that jail you were lost. But I believed in you. I took away your fear and showed you a path. You were my greatest student… it should be you standing at my side, saving the world.”

“I’ll be standing right where I am now,” Bruce said firmly. “Between you and the people of Gotham.”

The Mane Six and Spike came to Bruce’s side and Twilight used her magic to convert her friends back into their original pony and dragon forms. They all assumed a fighting stance, ready for a war.

“So will we,” Twilight said determined. “We saved you both from falling off that mountain all those weeks ago. It looks like that was a huge mistake. Well, we won’t make any mistakes this time and we will save this city from you.”

“I highly doubt that.”

The presence of a new voice caused the Equestrians and Bruce to turn to their side. From the shadows, members of the Court of Owls stepped forward and stood alongside the representatives of the League of Shadows. The Grandmaster then came forward and stood alongside Ra’s and Duscan.

“As I stated before: Judgment has come to Gotham at last,” The Grandmaster declared.

The group looked in shock toward the League of Shadows and the Court of Owls, two factions standing side-by-side as one collective unit.

“So, it all comes together now,” Twilight realized. “You’ve been working together since this began.”

“But I always thought the League and the Court were bitter rivals,” Pinkie said confused. ‘I mean from all the different comics, the movies, and video games in the D.C. universe, that fact’s pretty clear.”

“True… our goals may not always align, there is one thing upon which we can agree,” The Grandmaster spoke.

“No one can save Gotham,” Ra’s stated. “When a forest grows too wild, a purging fire is inevitable, and natural.”

He soon nodded to his men, who began knocking over the bookshelves in the region, pouring gasoline over everything, and started fires. Soon the flames rose around them, the smoke gathered about at the ceiling.

“Tomorrow the world will watch in horror as its greatest city destroys itself,” He continued. “The movement back to harmony will be unstoppable this time.”

“You’ve tried to attack Gotham before?” Bruce asked, surprised.

“Of course,” Ra’s replied, stating the obvious. “Over the ages our weapons have grown more sophisticated… with Gotham we tried a new one… economics.

“We inflated the system, decreased productivity…” Duscan added.

The young man stared at him, the pieces of the puzzle slowly falling into place. Frankly, he didn’t like the picture that was forming.

“You created the depression twenty years ago,” Bruce realized.

“Create enough hunger, and everyone becomes a criminal,” The Grandmaster nodded. “But we underestimated certain members of Gotham’s citizens… your parents included.”

This earned him a glare from Bruce and the Equestrians.

“But you didn’t just underestimate them,” Twilight said bitterly. “You realized they were working to undermine the damage you’ve done to this city. You knew that your plans were in jeopardy, so you conspired to murder them by paying a desperate man to commit a heinous crime. Then you covered your tracks by locking him away in an asylum, declaring him insane.”

“Unfortunate casualties in our fight for justice,” The Grandmaster added, with a grim smile beneath his mask.

“Gunned down by one of the very people they tried to help,” Duscan smirked. “Their deaths galvanized the city into saving itself, and Gotham has limped on ever since. Now we’re back to finish the job.”

<>

Meanwhile, the inmates headed toward the exercise yard of the asylum, where the two SWATs set charged along the back wall and hurried away.

Inside, Gordon and Sonata searched the hydrotherapy room, having just learned the officers guarding the emitter had been killed and said item was now missing. They jumped when an explosion rocketed and echoed throughout the area. Racing through the corridors, they soon reached the exercise yard along with another detective. Soon they found Flass examining a massive hole in the wall. Through the hole, they could see the Narrows, and it was obvious where the inmates disappeared to.

“How many were in maximum security?” Gordon questioned, heading out.

“Dozens… serial killers, rapists, assorted sociopaths,” Flass answered.

“Is… that all?” Sonata asked anxiously.

“You wish that was ‘all’…”

“Get ‘em to raise the bridges, we don’t want any getting off the island,” Gordon ordered.

“Sure, I’ll raise the bridges,” Flass said sarcastically. “As soon as we get every available unit over here to help us find the homicidal maniacs running loose out there.”

Gordon rolled his eyes as they headed out into the Narrows to begin the search.

<>

Back at the manor, Bruce and Ra’s still had their little stare down.

“And this time,” Ra’s said firmly. “No misguided idealists will be allowed to stand in the way. Like your father, you lack the courage to do all that is necessary. If someone stands in the way of true justice, you simply walk up behind him and stab him in the heart.”

At that moment, a shadow dropped down behind Bruce, and choked when the young man suddenly spun around and grabbed the ninja by the throat. Ra’s drew a sword from his cane and struck, only to have Bruce spin again and block the blow with his side. Despite getting cut in the process, Bruce fought against the pain while dropping the unconscious ninja to the floor while retaining his grip along the sword.

“Perhaps you taught me too well,” Bruce hissed.

“Or perhaps you’ll never learn,” Ra’s commented.

He slammed his cane against a column, and there was a loud cracking sound high above them. Bruce looked up, just as a burning ceiling beam crashed down onto the young man, knocking him out in the process.

“To mind your surroundings as well as your opponent,” He concluded.

He then retrieved his sword and put it back in his cane.

“Justice is balance,” He said coldly. “You burned down my house and left me for dead. Consider us even.”

Ra’s and a number of assassins walked towards the front door of the manor, only for the Mane Six and Spike to jump right in front of them.

“We’re not letting you just walk out of here!” Rainbow declared determinedly.

“Ya’ll bout tah get the worse whoopin’ than all our foes combined,” Applejack said.

“Oh, I think not,” Ra’s smirked.

With a quick snap at his fingers, Duscan and a bunch of assassins dropped on top of the group. With a heavy metal net in their grasp, held down by large heavy iron blocks, they kept the heroes down. The ponies and their dragon friend struggled, trying to fight their way out of this trap. Unfortunately, they found themselves unable to accomplish this feat.

“Struggle all you like, it won’t save you,” Duscan mocked. “I believe you are familiar with these metals.”

“Seriously!” Spike groaned, mid-struggle. “Where’s everyone getting this anti-magic metal?”

“Where we get it doesn’t concern you,” Duscan responded. “All you need to know is that you have no power to escape from its hold. Now as you all wait to be burned alive, I leave you with this final thought.”

He knelt down to the point where he eyed the struggling ponies and dragon.

“Why fight to bring harmony and magic to a world that has already given up on it long ago?”

A question of which Duscan al Ghul waits for no response. He left the Equestrian Heroes to meet their fate, to join his father to ensure their final act of justice upon Gotham City reached full swing.

“No one comes out,” He ordered. “Make sure of that.”

And just like that, he walked toward a waiting SWAT van, climbed inside, and it drove away leaving the heroes to their doom.

<>

In her apartment, Rachel woke from her bed and laid there for several seconds. She tried to recall exactly how she ended up there in the first place. It was then she saw vials of antidote sitting on her bedside table and quickly sat up, remembering just what needed to be done.

She quickly snatched up the antidotes and made her way out of the apartment. There was a job that needed to be done, and Rachel was determined to succeed at all costs.

<>

Meanwhile, the fire quickly worked its way through Wayne Manor. Bruce Wayne himself was lying along the floor, pinned by the burning timber unconscious. The ninja Ra’s al Ghul and his son left behind stood guard at the side door, staring into the flames to make sure the sole surviving member of the Wayne family, along with some meddling ponies and dragon, never saw the light of day.

*WHACK!!!*

The ninja dropped to the floor like a ton of bricks. Alfred stood over the unconscious man, armed with a nine iron.

“I sincerely hope you’re not from the fire department,” The butler muttered.

Running into the burning house, it didn’t take very long to find his master. He immediately dropped the golf club as he tried shifting the burning wood from his young charge’s chest. Breathing heavily and coughing due to the heat and smoke, Alread reached across the timber and slapped the young man’s face… hard.

“Master Wayne! Master Wayne!”

With a groan, Bruce’s eyes flickered open, spotting Alfred, and he tried to move the beam without much luck.

“Sir,” Alfred groaned, exasperated. “Whatever is the point of all those push-ups if you can’t even move a bloody log!”

Unbeknownst to the two, a member of the Court of Owls snuck behind them with a knife in hand. He raised the knife high above his head, ready to bring it down upon the old butler.

*BANG!!!*

The sound of a loud gunshot caused everyone to jump, and the Court member ran for his life as John Wycliffe raced into the manor with a gun in hand. He saw the member running off around the corner and fired off a few more rounds as he disappeared. John then looked over toward Bruce and quickly raced to help Alfred lift the beam off of Bruce. Eventually, the three men finally lifted the beam off and Bruce sat up. He looked at his old friends with a look of relief upon his face.

“Thank you,” He said breathlessly.

“I was hoping I wasn’t too late to attend your party,” John chuckled. “From the looks of things, it was certainly quite the ordeal.”

“You could say that…” Bruce chuckled weakly. “But you need to get as far away from Gotham as possible. This whole city is about to become a war zone and I don’t want to see you caught up in the middle of it.”

“Let me help you, Bruce,” John urged. “You need a doctor.”

“I’ll be fine,” Bruce replied stubbornly. “I’m more worried about you and your family. Aside from Alfred, you’re the closest thing to a father I have left. I can’t lose anyone else.”

John wanted to protest his desire to help. Ultimately though, he understood where Bruce was coming from.

“I’m going to call the fire department and then I’ll get my family out of here as soon as possible,” John told him.

He gave a nod of his head and quickly made his way out the front door of the mansion to retrieve the police. Meanwhile, Alfred helped Bruce off the ground. The sound of clanking metal drew their immediate attention, and the pair spotted the Equestrians trapped beneath the metal netting.

“Hey guys, mind helping us out of here?!” Rainbow yelled.

“I may be a dragon and have no problem with fire, but I have no desire to be stuck in this house when it comes crashing down!” Spike said urgently.

Bruce and Alfred hurried toward them as fast as they possibly could, helping them lift the heavy metal netting off of them. Eventually they all made their way through the burning house. Staggering through the smoke and flames, Alfred supported Bruce into the study, which was also burning around. He stabbed at the correct piano keys so they the bookcase swung open, and then hauled the young man into the lift while the house collapsed. The Mane Six and Spike quickly followed them inside, as Alfred yanked the lever causing them to drop just as smoke and flames exploded through the passage.

With a resounding crash, the lift landed hard inside the Batcave. Everyone looked up to catch huge flames exploding as the mansion finally collapsed.

“Thank Celestia we got out of there!” Twilight gasped loudly.

“T-T-Too close for comfort if you ask me,” Fluttershy sighed heavily.

Bruce stared back up the shaft with a devastated expression. Over the sounds of the crumbling manor in the distance, tears began to run down his face. For as the older man began checking his master’s legs for any sign of injury, he could feel Bruce’s pain.

“What have I done, Alfred?” He whispered. “Everything my family… everything my father built…”

Alfred winced when he found a gash along Bruce’s side, having lifted the tux only to find blood on the shirt beneath it.

“The Wayne legacy is more than bricks and mortar, sir,” He said hoarsely.

Bruce kept staring toward the flames high above, lost in his own despair.

“I thought I could…” He whispered. “… Help Gotham… but I’ve failed.”

The Equestrians turned toward Bruce with seriousness burning in their eyes.

“You’ve failed no one, Bruce,” Rarity assured him. “You fought tooth and nail for this city and all its people when they needed you most.”

“That takes a hay load ah bravery and determination,” Applejack added.

“Sure, it hasn’t been easy,” Spike admitted. “But just because things look bleak right now, that doesn’t mean it's over just yet. We can still get out there and save this city.”

“And no one, not the League of Shadows, the Court of Owls, the Dazzlings, nor anyone else will stand in our way,” Twilight encouraged. “We’re going to fight just the way we’ve done everything so far… together.”

“And why do we fall, sir?” Alfred echoed the words of Thomas Wayne. “So that we might better learn to pick ourselves up.”

To which Bruce weakly smiled to everyone, from his faithful butler to a group of strangers who stood beside him.

“Still haven’t given up on me?” He asked.

“Never,” They said in unison.

Fluttershy reached her hand toward Bruce, to which he took, and he stood up on his feet. There was much work left to do in Gotham City, a city they were determined to save at all costs.

City of Fear

Author's Note

One chapter left to go

City of Fear

Meanwhile, near the island the Narrows were on, the cops prepared to raise the bridges once the last of their units were across. One police officer stopped Rachel the moment he saw her.

“Look, lady, we’re about to raise the bridges – you won’t have time to get back over—”

“Officer, I’m a Gotham City District Attorney with information relevant to this situation,” Rachel interrupted. “So let me pass!”

And just like that, Rachel brushed past him. The police officer watched her go, shaking his head. Out along the streets, the cops busily tried getting all the inmates back to Arkham. Gordon ended up yelling at Flass, who threatened a citizen with a gun, to get back to work when he saw Rachel heading toward him. On one hand, he was relieved to see she was still standing but still…

“What’re you doing here?” He asked, surprised.

“Our mutual friend sent me with these,” Rachel informed, handing him the remaining vial and syringe. “It counteracts Crane’s toxin. Hopefully you won’t need it.”

Gordon took the items, frowned, and looked around at the volatile slum.

“Not unless he’s got some way of getting the crap into the air,” He stated. “Thanks. Now, please, get off the island before they raise the bridges. Actually, I need you to take someone with you.”

Goron turned over to Sonata Dusk, who stood with a group of police officers. Soon as she saw him gesture her over, the young siren quickly jogged toward them.

“What’s going on?” Sonata asked.

“Sonata, I need you to go with Ms. Dawes here,” Gordon informed her. “She’ll get you to safety.”

“But what about you?” Sonata asked worriedly. “Aren’t you coming with us?”

“I’m afraid not,” Gordon shook his head. “I need to stay here with my men and help round up the escaped inmates. The last thing Gotham needs is a large amount of lunatics running rampant.”

Hearing that Gordon wasn’t coming actually made Sonata a tad sad.

“But I don’t want to leave you,” Sonata said sadly. “You’re the only person who’s been nice to me since I’ve been here. You helped me out of that cell when my own family locked me up. You’re the only friend I have.”

Gordon could see tears actually coming down the girl’s eyes once again. He merely smiled comfortingly, as he placed a gentle hand upon her shoulder.

“I promise I’ll be alright,” Gordon assured her. “Right now, aside from the inmates, my main priority is getting you to safety. I said before that I believed you’re a girl who will do what’s right. Now I need you to do what’s right and get yourself away from here.”

Sonata allowed the few stray tears to fall down her face as she hurled her arms around Gordon and hugged him once again. This time, Gordon didn’t hesitate to hug her back in comfort. Eventually, Sonata pulled away from the police officer with a smile.

“Thank you, Officer Gordon,” She thanked him. “Even though we just met, what you’ve done for me is more than I can ever repay. You helped me realize that I amenough, no matter what anyone says.”

“I merely told you the truth,” Gordon smiled back. “You are enough; always will be. Now go on… live your life.”

Sonata nodded and Gordon gestured to a cop to lead her and Rachel away from the scene.

<>

Meanwhile, a cop moved toward the bridge control booth to let them know it was time to raise the bridge. All of a sudden, a SWAT truck quickly pulled up. The police officer turned, looked at them, and waved them on.

“All right, last one across!” He announced.

And soon, all the bridges leading to the island began to rise…

<>

In the Batcave, Bruce Wayne worked on updates to his batsuit. The Mane Six and Spike once more assumed their Power Pony personas. Together, they loaded up as many gadgets and gizmos of which could possibly help them out in the battle they were sure was coming. Once all was assembled, Bruce quickly hopped into the Batmobile and zoomed out of the cave towards the Narrows with the Power Ponies following in the other vehicle.

<>

In an alternate part of the Narrows, the driver drove the train until he reached the slum and came to a sudden halt. He glanced downward to make certain he was in the right place. In the meantime, Ra’s al Ghul and Duscan supervised the positioning of the emitter so it was beneath the train while their men stood guard in their SWAT garbs.

“The hour of judgment is finally at hand, father,” Duscan observed.

“Indeed, my son,” Ra’s nodded. “The time has come to reduce Gotham to ash and rebuild it from the ground up.”

Rachel and Sonata, having lost sight of the cop upon discovering the bridges were already up, entered the area just as a little boy, the very same one Batman met two nights ago, approached the men for help.

“I can’t find my mom,” He said.

The nearest SWAT member immediately shoved the boy away, to which the two women were most displeased.

“Hey!” Rachel shouted, rushing to the kid’s aid. ‘What the hell are you doing?!”

“What kind of cops are you?! Shoving around children like that?!” Sonata asked.

She stood between the boy and the SWAT man, who pointed a finger at her warningly.

“You better stay out of this if you know what’s good for you!”

The two women and the young boy just watched in shock and confusion when suddenly Ra’s and Duscan stepped up before their fellow assassins.

“Gentlemen,” Ra’s spoke.

The men turned, revealing that he stood next to the microwave emitter.

“Time to spread the word… and the word is… panic.”

“This can’t be good…” Sonata spoke worriedly.

One push of the button and a wave of energy pulsed out of the machine. Rachel yelped, as she & Sonata protected the boy as best they could. Around them, the surrounding manhole covers burst into the air, the fire hydrants exploded, and the pipes ripped apart, releasing a stream of toxin (In gas form) into the air.

Gordon and Flass jumped from the exploding manhole covers and fire hydrants. The steaming geysers soon spread all over the Narrows, causing everyone to either dive for cover or race for their lives from the cloud of fog rising around the island until the entire area was blanketed. Over at the control room for the Water Board, an alarm blared and one of the technicians pointed toward a flashing red dot along the computerized map.

“Jesus! The pressure… it’s spiking… right there,” One technician pointed out.

“That’s the water main under the Narrows,” A second technician spoke, just as confused. “Something’s vaporizing the water.”

“How?”

“The temperature’s going through the roof!”

As the screams began to build, Rachel & Sonata backed away with the terrified boy. Ra’s al Ghul and Duscan coldly smiled as they slipped some gas masks over their faces while the ninjas, also wearing gas masks, placed the emitter into a hoist connected to the underside of the monorail train. On the other side of the bridges, the cops stared at the cloud of fog rising over the island.

“What’s going on here?!” Sonata cried out.

<>

Meanwhile, Gordon reached into his pocket while coughing and choking out the fog in his lungs. He pulled out the syringe with the vial already in place and injected himself in the leg. Standing up, he was distracted by the shapes of other cops choking in the fog, all of them shouting and fighting. He soon saw Flass aiming his gun at a couple of teenage boys, and it was obvious he was going to shoot them. Gordon immediately went behind his partner and struck his gun against the back of the man’s head. He then dragged Flass over the railing and handcuffed him to it.

“That should keep you out of trouble,” He declared.

Looking around, the next step for Gordon was to determine what was happening. On the other side of the bridges, Loeb and a lieutenant emerged from a car at the blockade. They glanced across the water, their eyes loomed toward the fog hanging just over the island.

“What in God’s name is going on in there?” Loeb asked himself.

<>

At Arkham Asylum, the group consisting of Black Mask, Poison Ivy, and the Dazzlings watched with satisfaction as every manhole blasted off the ground releasing the vile toxin into the air. Thankfully for them, the giant ancient plant acted as a natural immunity for them. For it dispersed the toxin from their area, keeping the air around them clean.

“Pitiful creatures humans are,” Ivy commented. “They spread disease and toxin through the Earth. Now’s the time for nature to have its revenge.”

She raised her arms into the air and the power of the ancient plant coursed through her. A great shaking could be felt under their feet just as giant roots burst forth from the ground, twisting and slithering through the streets of the Narrows. The roots ripped buildings apart, snatching screaming people off the streets and crushing those trying to escape. The group merely watched as the giant roots laid out the damage upon the Narrows.

“Nature always wins,” Ivy smirked.

“With this much damage and destruction, those miserable ponies will be racing here to stop it,” Adagio grinned. “And when they do, we’ll be waiting.”

“I actually feel better about this now that Sonata is out of the picture,” Aria said. “No doubt that air-headed dunce of a Siren would have managed to screw something up.”

“Thankfully, we needn’t worry about her anymore,” Zoe said wickedly.

But the only one who didn’t seem too thrilled about this moment was Black Mask himself, who looked toward Ivy.

“Wait a minute!” He exclaimed. “If your freaking plant levels the city, I have nothing left to rule over! I figured you’d knock over maybe a building or two to show them who’s in charge, not leveling the whole damn city!”

Ivy merely chuckled and gave a wave of her hand as another root slithered around Black Mask tightly, hoisting him high into the air.

“Let me down you plant bitch!” Black Mask yelled.

“Did you truly believe I would aid you in taking control of this city?” Ivy asked. “I merely needed your aid in reviving the plant. Now that I have, I’ll use it to bring Gotham to the ground and let nature take it back.”

“You stupid, backstabbing bitch!” Black Mask growled. “When I get out of this, you’re dead! I’ll slaughter you and wear your eyeballs like jewelry! I’ll—”

His sentence quickly got cut off as Ivy thrust her arm out and the root holding Black Mask hurled him through the air. He screamed as he flew through the air right over the Narrows; eventually, he landed right in the middle of Gotham River… with a painful bellyflop.

“I was actually going to suggest you do that,” Adagio smirked.

“Who needs him anyway?” Aria asked. “We’ve got powers, all he’s got are two guns and a bad temper.”

“He was just dead weight much like Sonata,” Zoe agreed. “Now we wait for those stupid ponies to show up.”

“And the dragon,” Adagio reminded.

“Please… who even cares about that guy?”

“Worry not, my flowers,” Ivy assured them. “Soon enough, you shall have what you want. As for me, I’ll give Gotham back to the plants and the flowers will rule once more.”

<>

Back at the Narrows, it was pure chaos. More and more people succumbed to the fear toxin, while Gordon shouted into his radio for backup and Loeb telling him there was no one left to send. And while this went on, Rachel and Sonata tried helping the little boy, who’d been looking out for his mom the moment the toxin had been unleashed.

“It’s okay,” Rachel comforted the boy. “It’s okay. No one is going to hurt you.”

“Of course they are…”

An eerily familiar voice drew three faces toward the toxic fog. And before their very eyes, Rachel spotted a horse emerging from the fog dragging a dead cop behind it. Riding over it, was a familiar man with a mask over his head.

“Who is that?!” Sonata screeched. “What is that?!”

“Crane!” Rachel shouted.

“No…” Crane shook his head. “Scarecrow…”

He proceeded to chase after them, as the girls and boy ran for their lives. He raced after the trio like the crazed maniac he truly was. Rachel, with the boy in her arms, ran ahead until she reached a dead end. Sitting the boy down with Sonata standing behind them, Rachel pulled out her taser and turned to face Crane. He road toward them till he stopped mere inches away, as the horse reared up and pawed its hooves in the air.

“Let me help you,” Crane cooed.

“Try shock therapy!” Rachel snarled.

She fired her taser toward the mad man, the sparks catching him right between the eyes. Crane screamed and his back arched as the electrical charge surged through him. He slumped over unconscious in the saddle, as the horse turned and raced off back into the fog. Sonata’s eyes were wide with shock seeing the action before her.

“Remind me never to make you mad,” Sonata squeaked.

<>

In the Narrows, Gordon grabbed for his radio and spoke into it.

“We need reinforcements – TAC teams, SWATs, riot cops – get ‘em in masks and-!” He spoke.

“Gordon!” Loeb shouted over the radio. “All the city’s riot police are on the island with you!”

“Well, they’re completely incapacitated—"

Back in Gotham, Loeb was explaining how he didn’t have anyone else to send across the bridges to help. All of a sudden, the Batmobile zoomed and launched itself onto the other island, startling Loeb and the other cops.

“So I’m on my own-?” Gordon questioned.

It was then the Batmobile landed behind him and he turned just as the Batman himself climbed out.

“Nice landing,” He commented. “Rachel’s in there… the Narrows is tearing itself to pieces.”

“This is just the beginning,” Batman informed him. “They intend to destroy the entire city.”

“They’ve incapacitated all of the riot police here on the island,” Gordon grimaced.

Batman could hear the screams and he knew the cop was right.

“If they hit the whole city with the toxin, there’s no one to stop Gotham tearing itself apart in mass panic.”

“How could they do that?” Gordon wondered. “There’s no way to get the machine off the island. Except—”

He broke off as soon as the realization dawned on him.

“They’ll be using the train,” the Dark Knight concluded.

“How do you know?” Gordon sked.

“The monorail follows the watermains right into the central hub beneath Wayne Tower,” Batman explained. “If they drive their machine into Wayne Station, it’ll cause a chain reaction that’ll vaporize the entire city’s water supply…”

“Covering Gotham with a fog of fear toxin,” Gordon finished.

Batman nodded as he glanced toward the monorail tracks directly overhead.

“I’m going to stop them from loading that train.”

“And if you can’t?” Gordon questioned.

The Dark Knight already had a backup plan in the event he failed, as he held up a black remote.

“Can you drive stick?”

<>

In a different part of the Narrows, Rachel, along with Sonata and the little boy, hugged the side of a building as they cautiously paved their way through the fog. Suddenly, a group of escaped inmates emerged from the fog in front of them. Rachel darted backward, pulling the boy with her as she covered him protectively.

“The Batman will rescue us,” The boy whispered, crying. “I know him, he’s my friend – he’ll come…”

Rachel and Sonata wanted to believe him, but knew the odds were stacked against them. It was then Rachel spotted the body of a deceased copy lying on the ground nearby. As the lunatics drew closer, smiling madly, she quickly grabbed for the gun. Fumbling the safety off, Rachel took a deep breath as she covered the boy’s eyes with one hand and aimed the gun with the other.

“Don’t peek, okay?” She whispered.

Zsaz, leading the pack, stepped forward as Rachel started to pull the trigger. Sonata sealed her eyes shut, waiting for the inevitable.

*ZAP!!!*

Zsaz was suddenly struck by a lightning bolt seemingly from out of nowhere, the electricity coursing through his body until he fell backward from the force. It was then Sonata looked up just as Zapp zoomed in from the sky.

“Never fear!” Zapp declared. “You’re friendly neighborhood Power Ponies are here!”

It was at that exact moment, when the Power Ponies arrived and crashed into the group of lunatics sending them flying like bowling pins. Batman skidded into the field of combat, while the Power Ponies and Humdrum proceeded to hold off the remainder of the lunatics. Batman knocked the nearest lunatic to the ground, before grabbing Rachel and the boy and zipped back into the air. Sonata Dusk’s eyes were overwhelmed by all the action happening all around her.

“Whoa…”

<>

Meanwhile, Gordon climbed to the top of the Batmobile, pushed a button on the remote, and nearly fell off when the canopy opened.

“This is Gordon,” He spoke through the radio. “Prepare to lower the bridge.”

After delivering the order, he climbed his way inside the car.

<>

By now, Batman set both Rachel and the boy, who was excited by the sight of the Dark Knight, to the safety of the roof.

“Told you he’d come,” The little boy said.

After wrapping the boy in her coat, Rachel turned to the Dark Knight, who was heading for the edge of the roof.

“Wait!” She called, stopping him. “You could die. At least tell me your name.”

Batman turned to face her, staring at her for a moment or two.

“It’s not who I am underneath,” He said, touching his chest. “But what I do that defines me.”

A gasp escaped Rachel’s lips, recognizing her own words instantly.

“Bruce?”

Instead of answering, however, Batman free fell. His cloak flapped behind him as he slid his gloves into the activating pockets. The cloak went rigid, smashing against the wind like a parachute as he used his arms to control his cloak. Not simply arresting his fall but gliding gracefully like a hand glider.

Meanwhile, the Power Ponies and Humdrum held their own against the fear gas induced lunatics. Mistress Marevelous bucked a single convict so hard it sent him flying back toward two others knocking them down. Radiance and the Masked Matterhorn kept a small group at bay, firing bolts of magic toward the bunch. Each shot either knocked them out or sent them flying with a yelp in the air. Zapp flew about, over the streets, delivering high velocity assault in the blink of an eye and those unfortunate in their path were taken out instantly.

A group of convicts pursued Saddle Rager and Humdrum until they found themselves against the wall. Turning back, they saw the groups grinning maliciously, some swinging metal chains or aiming their knives. Humdrum and Saddle Rager turned toward each other, the former giving a look hoping for his friend to do something. For a moment Saddle Rager closed her eyes… until she opened them wide unleashing her powerful ‘Stare’. The lunatics found themselves immobilized, their weapons slipping from their hands. Soon Filli-Second used her powerful party cannon to blast said lunatics in various directions. And all of this Humdrum nodded with satisfaction.

Eventually, they managed to subdue nearly all of the lunatics just as Batman leapt off the roof and glided overhead. The Power Ponies and Humdrum looked up, noticed him soaring through the air.

“Looks like that’s our cue to follow him,” The Masked Matterhorn spoke up.

“Then there’s no time to waste,” Humdrum declared. “Let’s—”

All of a sudden, a heavy rumble beneath the ground caused everyone to stagger back and forth as they struggled to keep their balance upon the shaky surface.

“W-W-What’s h-happening?” Zapp asked shakily.

“A-A-Ah d-don’t k-k-know!” Mistress Marevelous responded.

Then, as soon as it began, the rumbling stopped. All was still once more, leaving every pony looking around at each other with confusion.

“Whatever that was, it couldn’t have been good,” Humdrum analyzed.

“But where did it come from?” Saddle Rager asked, concerned.

“I think I know.”

A new voice made the entire group snap their heads to the side, assuming a fighting stance. Sonata Dusk emerged from her hiding spot, her hands raised in defense.

“What they hay are you doing here?!” Zapp asked angrily. “Trying to do us in all by yourself? That’s fine by me because I’ve been itching to beat your butt after what you did to us!”

“Please, I didn’t come to fight,” Sonata spoke nervously. “I came to warn you.”

“Pfft, yeah right,” Humdrum spoke skeptically. “After everything you and your sisters did, you really expect us to believe that?”

“No… I don’t expect you to believe me or hear me out,” Sonata responded. “But you need to know that Adagio and Aria have teamed up with some powerful plant lady named Poison Ivy. They’re using some chemical formula to resurrect a centuries old plant and they’re going to level Gotham with it.”

Every pony faced the blue siren skeptically, wondering why she’d tell them the plan.

“So why come and tell us?” Masked Matterhorn asked.

“It’s a trap,” Zapp responded. “I say we knock her block off right now and ask questions later.”

Sonata looked toward the ground in shame and sorrow.

“If beating me up will help, go right ahead,” She said defeated. “I’ve had worse… nothing you do compares to what Adagio and Aria have already done to me.”

“What’re you talking about?” Saddle Rager asked.

“They—they—they abandoned me!” Sonata croaked tearfully. “They locked me up in a cell in that insane asylum because they think I’m nothing but dead weight. They found another siren who’s smarter, more wicked, and clearly better at being a villain… than me. And they can be happy knowing that they were right, all along! I really have no killer instincts…”

The Equestrians looked at each other, the skepticism still clear upon their faces. And yet, Mistress Marevelous could sense the sincerity in the poor girl’s words, as if she could sense the truth.

“Stand down, y’all,” She ordered. “She’s tellin’ the truth.”

This caused every pony to turn back toward her, wide-eyed.

“What?!” They all asked, in shock.

“Are you crazy?!” Zapp exclaimed loudly. “How can you really trust her?”

“Cuz ah know when some pony’s lyin’ through their teeth,” Mistress Marevelous responded. “She’s tellin’ the dag-gum truth.”

“Are you absolutely sure?” Matterhorn asked.

Mistress Marevelous simply nodded her head. All eyes turned back toward Sonata, only this time they weren’t looking at her with either skepticism or caution. But instead, they felt sympathy for her… even remorse.

“Your sisters truly did that to you, darling?” Radiance asked appalled.

Sonata merely gave a small nod of her head, as tears fell from her eyes. Filli-Second bounced toward the poor siren girl and threw her arms around her, as she herself cried crocodile tears.

“That’s so sad!” She cried hysterically. “I’m so sorry for you!”

“We owe you an apology,” Saddle Rager said shamefully. “We shouldn’t have accused you so suddenly.”

“No, you had every right,” Sonata responded, as Filli Second pulled away. “I’ve done terrible things to all of you all these years, everyone here in Gotham are no different. Honestly, I would have done the same thing if I were you.”

Every pony in the group turned back toward the Masked Matterhorn.

“What do we do now?” Humdrum asked.

Matterhorn looked back, spotting Batman soaring through the sky. No doubt on his way to deal with the Al Ghul’s. She wanted nothing more than for the whole group to go along with him, to prevent the ultimate destruction of this city. However, she also knew that if what Sonata said was true, this situation could also mean the destruction of the city.

Thinking fast, she reached a decision.

“I’ll go with Batman and deal with the Al Ghul’s,” She declared. “You guys get to the asylum and stop whatever’s going on over there.”

“Are ya sure?” Mistress Marevelous asked.

“I am,” Matterhorn nodded. “Batman and I can handle the Al Ghul’s together. If this plant is as destructive as Sonata says, it won’t matter if we succeed or not because that plant will destroy Gotham.”

Every pony looked amongst each other again, contemplating the plant. In the end, they nodded in agreement as they looked back toward their friend.

“Be careful Matterhorn,” Saddly Rager said worriedly.

“And be sure to give Ra’s and Duscan a kick in the teeth for me,” Zapp smirked.

“Make that two,” Humdrum agreed.

“Thank you guys,” Matterhorn smiled. “Good luck to you all.”

The Masked Matterhorn turned around and used her wings to take off into the sky, following Batman while every pony else watched. Soon as she was out of sight, every pony turned toward the direction of the asylum.

“Well every pony, let’s pluck this flower!” Zapp said confidently.

“And what should I do?” Sonata asked off the sideline.

“It’d be best if y’all stayed here where it’s safe,” Mistress Marevelous responded. “We can handle the plant and we’ll come get ya when it’s over.”

Sonata didn’t like the idea of standing aside, doing nothing seeing as how all this was practically her fault. However, she wasn’t one to argue with the Equestrians. She nodded her head and stepped back as they took off down the street towards Arkham. As she watched them go, a deep feeling stirred within her gut, a silent urge to follow them.

Looking down, she noticed a handgun one of the lunatics dropped during their fight with the Power Ponies. Slowly, she reached down and picked it up. Seeing the gun held in her hand, she then turned toward the direction of Arkham and raced after them.

“It’s time this Siren finally does something right,” She thought to herself.

<>

Ra’s and Duscan observed the operation of the emitter hoisted onto the train when the screaming suddenly got louder. They turned, spotting a shadowy shape heading towards them. Unsurprising to them, it was Batman and the Masked Matterhorn, landing right in front of them. The former angrily glared toward Ra’s.

“I see you took my advice about ‘theatrically’ literally,” Ra’s commented, his voice muffled by the mask. “Don’t you think?”

“It ends here,” Batman growled.

“For you and the police, maybe,” Ra’s spoke, unconcerned. “My fight, however, lies with the rest of Gotham. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a city to destroy.”

The Dark Knight moved forward, noticing the two ninjas standing nearby.

“I can’t beat two of your pawns?” he questioned.

Ra’s shrugged as two more ninjas dropped down onto the platform.

“As you wish.”

The rope was pulled up, taking him with it. Batman tackled the nearest ninja and they fell to the ground. The other three followed after him, when the Masked Matterhorn jumped in finding herself fighting all three of them at once.

Inside the batmobile, Gordon was startled when the onboard computer spoke in a female voice, and a control stick unfolded before him.

“GPS is online.”

Warily, he started the engine, turned the car around, and followed the computer’s instructions as best as he could.

<>

While the Masked Matterhorn and Batman went off to handle Ra’s and Duscan, the remainder of the Power Ponies, along with Humdrum, set off to deal with the gigantic destructive plant currently tearing the Narrows apart. They raced across the streets fogged over by Crane’s fear toxin. Though they wore masks over their mouths and noses to prevent themselves from breathing in the toxins, they still managed to get a bit of it into their systems. But there was no time to bother with it now, as they galloped ahead at full speed towards Arkham.

Finally, they skid to a stop along the outskirts of the asylum. As the giant plant continued its destruction, the Dazzlings and Poison Ivy stood waiting. They smiled wickedly upon seeing their enemies before them.

“It’s about time,” Adagio grinned. “Here I was thinking you’d finally ‘kicked the bucket’. Guess it was just wishful thinking.”

“Don’t look so smug, Goldilocks,” Zapp responded. “We’ve had a hay of a load of training since last time you saw us. We’ll stomp you and that ugly plant of yours to dust.”

“You think it matters how much or how little training you have?” Aria stated bluntly. At the end of the day, the result is the shame. This city will be in shambles, and you will all die with it.”

“Please, we’ve been over this song and dance before,” Humdrum snorted. “You guys come in thinking you’ll finally get us, only we’re the ones who beat your butts. Rinse and repeat lady.”

This stirred a laugh out of Poison Ivy, who snapped her finger and the plant’s head lowered behind her.

“You sentient beings believe yourselves to be all powerful and all knowing,” She smirked. “You forget one of the most crucial facts known to man. It’s unwise to fool with Mother Nature.”

The pod opened up and Ivy stepped inside as it sealed behind her. The flower head raised itself high into the air, allowing Ivy to control the plant from the inside. More giant roots burst forth from the ground as the Power Ponies and the Dazzlings prepared themselves for battle.

“Let’s do this thing!” Mistress Marevelous yelled.

“TIME TO POWER PONY UP!!!” The Power Ponies and Humdrum shouted.

And soon, they charged toward one another, both groups screaming and hollering, with their fists ready to strike.

<>

Batman and the Masked Matterhorn fought the ninjas, using the skills taught by Ra’s against them. At one point, Batman pulled out his grapple gun only for one of the ninjas to knock it out of his hand with a chain. It wasn’t long till the Masked Matterhorn laid out all four ninjas with a swift round house kick, sending them falling to the ground unconscious. That left the Dark Knight with some time to search for his grapple gun when shadowy figures started towards him.

From all sides came the inmates, residents of the Narrows, even a few cops. All of them were suffering from the fear toxin. To the pair, Batman and the Masked Matterhorn were a pair of shadowy devils with wings, fiery eyes, and fire coming out from their mouths.

‘This isn’t good,’ Batman thought.

Batman searched for his grapple gun while the Masked Matterhorn kept wary eyes on the growing crowd of people.

“We don’t want to fight all of you,” The Masked Matterhorn warned. “But we will if we must!”

Ra’s climbed aboard the train, where the emitter was already locked in place and still running at full power.

“Gentlemen,” He spoke, pulling off his mask.

Ra’s moved toward the front of the car to the driver’s position as three ninjas slammed the door shut and removed their own masks.

Meanwhile, Batman and the Masked Matterhorn found themselves fighting off the people as they ganged up on him, determined to tear them apart. By then, Ra’s was at the control panel, starting the engine and the train got moving. Down below, the attacks were on Batman, who assumed the defense while the Masked Matterhorn used her ice ray to keep the rest from moving closer. They heard the train start up and they spotted Batman’s grapple gun, resting between the feet of one of the attackers.

“Of course…” The Masked Matterhorn sighed.

Grabbing it, the Dark Knight knocked away the attackers far away to aim the grapple gun and fired it toward the moving train. Seconds later, he was yanked into the air with one attacker clung to him. But the guy lost his grip and fell toward the ground as Batman towed out of sight. But before the man hit the surface, the Masked Matterhorn caught him and gently laid him on the floor.

“You’ll thank me later!” The Matterhorn called out, racing after Batman in mid-air.

<>

The Power Ponies pressed on the attack in a back-and-forth battle with the Dazzlings. in addition, they had to deal with Poison Ivy, who assumed control of her giant plant. The roots of said plant whipped toward the Power Ponies trying to either crush or strangle the life out of them. Fortunately, the training they received from the League of Assassins kept them alive as they maneuvered around their adversaries and roots at the same time.

Currently, Humdrum and Filli-Second fought against a few of the giant roots. The roots swung at them from all sides, trying to snake them around. Thankfully, they anticipated the incoming attacks and dodged them.

“Come on you overgrown weed!” Humdrum yelled. “Is that the best you can do?!”

“Spike…”

Humdrum’s eyes widened when he heard that all too familiar voice that haunted him lately.

“No!” He gasped.

Turning around, Hum Drum saw Malakai Black and Kevin Thorn standing before him with glowing red eyes.

“Yes…” Thorn answered, with a toothy smirk.

“Still playing the hero?” Malakai mocked. “My beat down on you wasn’t enough to get through your skull. You’ll never be anything more than the helpless dragon in need of rescue, only for every pony to abandon you!”

“No!” Humdrum cried, clutching his head. “Stop it! Stop it!”

‘Kill, Spike. Kill them!’

Humdrum growled as his head shot up and roared at the two.

“I… SAID… STOP!!!”

Spike attacked the pair head-on but was unaware he was actually fighting Mistress Marevelous and Zapp. Marevelous had to jump away from a shot of his fire, while Zapp flew around away from the attacks.

“Spike, wut in tarnation?!” Mistress Marevelous cried.

“What’s wrong with you dude?!” Zapp demanded.

Filli-Second paused mid-fight when she heard weeping. She turned her head only to find herself face-to-face with a creepy woman, wearing a wedding dress that had seen better days and a never-ending waterfall of tears pouring from her swollen eyes.

Instead of screaming, Filli-Second merely smiled.

“What’s up, Doc?” She smiled. “Bet you must be wondering why I’m not scared seeing you here? Well, it’s obvious that you are not real my friend! You’re not crying; you’re not even a ghost. Just another of Scarecrow’s kooky hallucinations!”

The ghost woman merely stood, as Filli-Second merely giggled and pointed at her face.

“I’ve seen way too many scary hallucinations for one Cinematic Adventure,” Filli-Second continued. “Which means you are most definitely… not—huh?”

Filli-Second’s eyes nearly jumped out of their sockets. Her voice escaped her as the wet realization on her hooves silenced her. The pink Power Pony wiped her hooves and was met with a tearful wail from the ghost.

Radiance and Saddle Rager did their best against Adagio and Aria, as Radiance shot her magic toward them. Saddle Rager attempted her ‘Stare’ on them; however, the sirens were more of a match for them.

“Why don’t you just quit little girls?” Adagio yelled. You can’t handle us and everything around you. The fear toxin, the giant plant, the countless criminals, secret societies… you can’t fight it all.”

“Oh really?!” Radiance fired back. “We’ve been managing so far; we’re not giving up now.”

“How could you two desert your own sister?!” Saddle Rager said disappointedly. “I knew you were wicked, but even that’s downright cruel, even for you!”

“Sonata Dusk was weak and pathetic since the day she was born,” Aria shot back. “Just like the rest of you. We have a proper replacement now and I won’t lose a wink of sleep over it.”

“Speaking of which, where is your new siren anyway?” Radiance asked. “Did she abandon you too?”

“Nope… I’m right here.”

Both Power Ponies quickly turned just as Zoe Pink-Star blasted a canister of fear gas right in their faces. Both ponies coughed and gagged as the substance entered their system. All of a sudden, they both felt a tingling sensation over their bodies and looked down to discover hundreds of spiders crawling all over them.

“AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!”

Both screaming in panic, the girls raced around trying to pry the spiders off them. Humdrum pursued Zapp, who actually screamed in terror, while Mistress Marevelous followed behind trying to stop him. Filli-Second screamed her head off, running from the weeping woman who slowly loomed after her. Panic and fear ran wild for the Power Ponies right now.

In the midst of the chaos, Poison Ivy used her powers to command the roots to burst from the ground and quickly snatched up the Power Ponies in their grasp. They wrapped themselves so tightly, they could actually feel the bones in their bodies crack from the pressure. All the while, they were still haunted by the effects of the fear toxin.

“This is your end, Power Fools,” Ivy declared, chuckling.

<>

Loeb was speaking to an officer when he noticed the nearest bridge going down.

“Who the hell authorized this?” He demanded.

The train shot past and the manholes in the immediate area shot upwards as the water was vaporized. His jaw dropped when he saw Batman clinging to a cable attached to the underbelly of the train while The Masked Matterhorn flew rapidly after him. Loeb was forced to dive for cover when the batmobile roared over the lowered bridge as he stared after it.

‘If the Batman is connected to the train, then who’s driving his car?!’

Gordon death gripped against the controls, wincing when he almost ran over the commissioner. He tried to concentrate on driving while the GPS was informing him that Wayne Tower was three miles away.

‘I’m getting too old for this!’

<>

While Batman struggled with the cable, grunting every time he collided with something, the emitter kept vaporizing the water. The technicians at Wayne Tower freaked out over what they saw on their screens.

“What’s that?” One technician asked, alarmed.

“The pressure’s moving along the mains,” The head technician realized fearfully. “Blowing all the pipes… some kind of chain reaction…”

“Where is it moving?”

“Towards us.”

Meanwhile, Gordon and the GPS followed the train tracks, trying to get ahead of the train itself. Gordon peered out the window at one point, spotting the Batman, still swinging through the air under the train. Not far behind him, the Masked Matterhorn flew behind him ready to catch him if he fell. More and more water was vaporized, sending the people in the streets running for their lives.

After a few tries, the Dark Knight managed to attach the grapple gun to the buckle of his belt, hit the button, and shot through the air toward the train with Masked Matterhorn in tow. The pair smashed through the window, entering the train and quickly took out three ninjas. Hearing the commotion behind him, Ra’s turned around in time spotting Batman and the Masked Matterhorn crouching on top of the emitter.

“It’s over, Ra’s!” Masked Matterhorn declared.

“You!” Ra’s growled.

Drawing his sword from his cane, Ra’s and Batman launched themselves at each other. The Dark Knight blocked the blade with his gauntlet, sending sparks striking off the metal scallops. Masked Matterhorn went to help when Duscan jumped in, staring daggers at the masked pony.

“Hello… princess,” Duscan growled.

Duscan growled and lunged toward the Masked Matterhorn, who blocked and dodged the reckless attack while keeping the young Al Ghul at bay.

Down on the streets, Gordon drove through an underground parking garage and winced as the Batmobile took out several parked cars.

“Sorry,” He muttered.

The good news was that he was finally ahead of the train, but he also knew it wouldn’t be long before it reached Wayne Tower at the speed it was going.

Inside the train, the Al Ghuls kept fighting Batman & the Masked Matterhorn. The train kept flying down the tracks, drawing itself closer to Wayne Tower. Ra’s swung his sword at the dark knight, who trapped the blade between the scallops of both gauntlets.

“Familiar,” Ra’s dryly spoke. “Don’t you have anything new?”

“How about this?” Batman grunted.

He yanked his arms in opposite directions, breaking Ra’s sword in two. Startled, the older man stumbled backward into the emitter, and Batman ran for the control panel. Batman reached for the controls when Ra’s jumped him from behind; as they struggled, the Dark Knight slammed a piece of broken blade into the controls. Meanwhile, Gordon pulled up a few feet from Wayne Tower and wondered how he was going to stop the train, which wasn’t that far behind now.

Inside Wayne Tower, the technicians were watching as the pressure got closer toward their location.

“Everybody out!” The head technician ordered. “Our of the building!”

“But—”

“We’re sitting on the hub—she’s gonna blow and blow big, understand?”

On the train, Batman and Ra’s continued fighting, falling over the emitter several times and breaking the rest of the windows on either side of the train car. The Dark Knight forced Ra’s deeper into the train and far away from the control panel. Gordon was startled when the interior of the car began to change, and his seat started moving.

‘Weapon systems activated.’

“Oh!” Gordon yelped.

He was pulled forward by the steering wheel and onto his stomach in the nose of the car. Outside of it, a homeless guy walked up, greatly impressed.

“Nice ride.”

<>

Back at the asylum, things were looking extremely bleak for the Power Ponies and Humdrum. They found themselves in the death grip of the roots of the giant plant. Inside the pod at the head of the plant, Poison Ivy grinned with wicked satisfaction as she controlled the roots that currently squeezed the life out of the Power Ponies. Down below, the Dazzlings and Zoe watched with smiles on their faces as they watched their adversaries being squeezed to death.

“I can’t believe we’ve finally done it!” Adagio grinned. “Finally, we get the best of these stupid ponies.”

“Don’t look so surprised,” Aria smirked. “It was bound to happen sooner or later.”

“You’re right,” Zoe nodded. “Their impulsive need to try and stop us ended up playing into their own demise. They really are stupid, just like Sonata.

“I… am… not… stupid!”

*CLICK!*

A familiar voice and a clicking noise caused them all to turn around and they saw Sonata slowly walking toward them, a hand gun pointed right at them. The clicking had been the sound of her cocking the gun so now it was ready to fire.

“I am a loyal, loving sister!” She spoke angrily and hurt. “I’ve tried everything I could to be worthy of you, to have this family… but it was never enough! All I ever wanted was for you to love me, to treat me with respect and dignity. And what do you do? You locked me in a cell and leave me to die like an animal!”

Adagio and Aria merely shook their heads as they strolled up to Sonata with cocky grins on their faces, even with a gun right in their faces.

“Well, what do you know girls?” Aria grinned. “The little cat has claws after all.”

“All these years, and you finally pick now to show a little spine,” Adagio said mockingly. “Too bad it won’t save you.”

Sonata tried her best to stay confident, as she trembled from the anger and sadness within her making the gun in her hand shake.

“S-S-Stay back!” She barked shakily. “I’ll use this… if I have to.”

“Please, you’re shaking like a leaf,” Aria chuckled. “Why not just go ahead and put the gun down, Sonata? We both know you don’t have it in you.”

“That’s the main reason why we left you behind to begin with,” Adagio continued. “You’re weak… pathetic… a useless excuse for a Siren. You’ll neverhave that killer instinct.”

Tears rolled down Sonata’s face as she tensed up on the gun more, her shaking becoming more erratic. Tension was mounting high as she aimed the gun at her sisters, who still smiled smugly toward her. Finally, she fell to her knees and dropped the gun as sobs racked through her body. Releasing a wicked chuckle, Aria reached down and picked up the gun before aiming it at Sonata.

“You really are pathetic,” She grinned. “I can think of no better way to end your life than with the gun meant for us. Goodbye, Sonata.”

She then pulled back the trigger…

*BOOM!!!*

The gun exploded in her hand, sending the purple siren falling to the ground screaming in pain. She clutched her now broken hand, which now had bits of shrapnel from the destroyed gun and even some shrapnel that hit her legs. Zoe gasped wide eyed as Adagio raced to her sister with actual worry in her eyes. Kneeling beside the wounded Aria, Adagio looked back toward Sonata who returned to her feet. Her tears were completely gone; now a cocky grin was on her face. From behind her back, she procured another gun.

“You call me stupid, but I know how to make sure a gun is in working order,” She spoke smugly. “I jammed ‘that’ gun before I even got here knowing you’d find a way to get it from me. I just had to wait for the right time… and let you screw yourself!”

“Now Sonata… let’s talk about this,” Adagio attempted reasoning.

*BAM!!!*

Adagio barely had time to duck before the bullet cut a strand of her hair, and Sonata aimed the now steaming gun at her former sisters. Zoe ran up alongside Adagio and helped Aria to her feet. The quickly ran off as Sonata fired the gun with loud *BANGS!*. Eventually, the three Sirens ducked behind a corner of the asylum, watching cautiously as Sonata stood her ground with the working gun.

“You wanted a Siren with killer instincts! Here I am!” Sonata called out. “You think you can take me?! An army can’t take me! Come on! I’ll take you all the way to Tartarus! Who do you think you’re messing with? I’m Sonata Dusk! I’m still standing! Come on! Fight me!”

As Sonata went on her rant, Adagio pulled something from her pocket. It resembled a bean, but it looked as though it were made of some form of milky glass. She turned her eyes toward Aria, who was still groaning in pain and if she wasn’t treated soon… a frustrated sigh escaped her lips.

“Screw this!” She muttered. “We have what we need. No doubt Chrysalis already made her way back with the fear toxin.”

“What about the ponies?” Zoe asked. “ And the dragon? We should finish them now.”

“No! We’ve got nothing left to prove here. Leave them… to their fate.”

She hurled the bean a few feet away and it dissipated mid-air, opening a swirling vortex. Zoe and Adagio helped Aria walks as quickly as they could making their way through the portal and back to Equestria. The whole time, Sonata Dusk looked on as the gun in her hand released smoke. In a matter of seconds, a victorious smile on her face.

“Oh… my… Faust!” She gasped in shock. “I can’t believe it… I did it! I finally stood up for myself; I actually won! For realsies, that actually felt super good! Yes!”

“Hey, Sonata!”

Sonata looked up finding the Power Ponies still in the crushing grasp of the murderous plant.

“Not to interrupt your little victory lap, but you think you could get us out of here before this thing crushes our lungs?!” Zapp wheezed.

“Oops, sorry!”

Sonata quickly reloaded the gun with any ammo she recovered, then raised it up and fired several shots at the plant’s root. The plant actually groaned in pain, as it released the Power Ponies and Humdrum, who fell to the ground with a thud. Slowly, they started to get back up as Sonata quickly made for their side. Thankfully, by now the fear toxin started to rub off on them. No longer were they tormented by nightmares.

“Are you guys okay?” She asked worriedly.

“Ugh… now I know how every pony feels when I hug them,” Filli-Second groaned, cracking her ribs into place.

“What are we supposed to do now?” Humdrum asked. “I actually have no idea how we’re supposed to take down a humongous murderous plant.

Sonata looked up toward the giant plant and a tiny idea came to her head.

“I’ve got it,” She told them. “Poison Ivy controls the plant from inside its head, essentially controlling its brain. If we can destroy it and take her out, the plant should go down after.”

“Y’all think that’ll really work?” Mistress Marevelous asked.

“I don’t know,” Sonata replied. “But we’ve got to try.”

The Power Ponies, Humdrum, and Sonata Dusk looked up toward the giant plant still wreaking havoc upon the Narrows. They didn’t exactly have any other plan at the moment, ergo they were willing to try anything.

“Alright, here’s what we’ll do,” Zapp informed everyone. “You guys distract it while I fly up to the head and take it out. Thankfully, I snagged something useful from the Batcave that should help.”

Every pony nodded as they ran out and put their plan into motion. From inside the plant head, Poison Ivy watched as they scrambled about.

“Running won’t save you!” She exclaimed. “My beautiful baby will rip you limb from limb. Then we’ll use your remains to fertilize the Earth.”

She used her powers to command the plant and its massive roots pursued the Power Ponies. Zapp soared through the air, right up toward the plant’s giant head where she spotted Poison Ivy right inside.

“Hey, Poison Ivy!” She yelled. “If this plant were a weed, guess that makes me the weed killer!”

She zipped forth and pulled out a Batarang from her outfit, jabbing it right into the plant’s head. Poison Ivy merely looked up at the Batarang that was now imbedded in the head. She merely glanced at Zapp with a smirk.

“Was that all you had?” She chuckled. “And here I thought you were going to provide a challenge for me.”

“Oh, that wasn’t it,” Zapp smirked back. “Just thought you’d like to go out with a bang!”

All of a sudden, the Batarang glowed a bright red and emitted a rapid beeping sound. Poison Ivy got a horrified look on her face as her eyes widened.

“NOOOOOOO!!!”

Zapp quickly raced down toward the ground, right back toward the others.

“Take cover, every pony!” She yelled.

Every pony quickly ducked behind something as the Batarang exploded and the head of the plant blew to pieces. The plant went stiff for a moment before every single one of its roots and stalks holding it up fell to the ground with a mighty *CRASH!*. Everyone poked their heads out of hiding, seeing the plant’s giant stalks lying merely a few feet from them. From the destroyed head, Poison Ivy slowly crawled out and collapsed to the ground from exhaustion.

The group quickly made their way over to her and Mistress Marevelous used her magical lasso to tie Poison Ivy up so tightly nothing was going to get her out.

“Looks like nature didn’t win today,” Zapp said smugly.

“I… hate… ponies…” Poison Ivy groaned.

<>

While Batman and Ra’s fight was underway, elsewhere the Masked Matterhorn and Duscan Al Ghul were in their own battle. A fierce confrontation between the young head of the Demon and Celestia’s prized pupil. Neither one of them were holding anything back.

“We don’t need to do this, Duscan,” The Masked Matterhorn warned.

“You’re welcome to try and stop me, princess,” Duscan replied. “It is now time for your final challenge… kill me! Replace me as heir to the demon; it is your destiny. Princess Celestia knew this very well.”

“You’re wrong about Celestia. She knows I would never kill anyone; not even you. I won’t have your blood spilled over your father’s vendetta.”

“Allow me… to help you…”

To which Duscan drew out his sword, a Chokuto, a straight Japanese sword from the 10th century. A sword specially designed with a hilt that fit his appearance. He held it before the Masked Matterhorn, who tensed a bit while keeping her defense.

“Take… it… all…” Duscan beckoned.

“No!” The Masked Matterhorn objected.

“Then that… is your final… answer?” Duscan chuckled maliciously, twirling the blade. “Only one of us gets off this train alive.”

“We’ll see about that, Duscan.”

Then all of a sudden, Duscan quickly snatched another cannister of the fear toxin and smashed it in front of the princess. The Matterhorn choked and coughed, trying to clear the toxin out of her lungs as a fog swept over her and the world changed horrifically before her eyes. When her vision returned, she found herself in a wide valley of sand and floating platforms. Bits and pieces of Gotham’s city stuck out through the sand, as the Masked Matterhorn looked up in search of Duscan.

Suddenly, Duscan himself fell from the sky landing severely with his sword raised to attack. Slowly, he looked up as the Masked Matterhorn braced herself for a fight.

“You should’ve killed me when you had the chance, Twilight Sparkle!” Duscan growled.

Duscan raced toward the Matterhorn at incredible speeds, swinging his blade toward the Alicorn, who dodged to her side. Then before her, Duscan seemed to split into multiple versions of himself, only they were all made of sand. She leapt and struck against all the imposing beings before her, each one she struck broke apart into bits of sand. All the while, she had to avoid the ‘real’ Duscan, who swiped and clawed at the mare with his sword every chance he could.

“The numbers are too great for you, princess,” Duscan spoke mockingly. “We are Legion!”

But despite the mockery, the Masked Matterhorn was able to take down the copies one-by-one until eventually one turned out to be the actual Duscan. But before she could blast him, he disappeared in a blast of purple smoke and the princess looked around quickly.

“Witness the true power of the Lazarus Pit!”

Then before her eyes, Duscan quickly returned and transformed himself into a monstrous creature of sand. A version of Duscan only twice as large, maybe thrice. Only he looked more and more like his father, an image he kept in focus as he sat cross-legged and surrounded by his clones. Quickly, The Msaked Matterhorn tried to blast her way against this shield as Duscan struggled to draw her back with blades skidding through the sands and even shuriken. But the mare merely dodged as she kept firing.

“Such skill, you should’ve joined us that day in the mountain,” Duscan spoke threateningly.

But The Masked Matterhorn completely ignored him and she kept firing away until Duscan could no longer hold his power, once more vanishing in the sand. The Masked Matterhorn barely took a step when a mighty war cry had her looking up and she ducked side-to-side rapidly as Duscan furiously swung his sword trying to hit his target to no avail. At one point, the Masked Matterhorn caught his arms as the young man tried to press against the weight, snarling his lips.

“Give… in…” Duscan growled.

To which, the Masked Matterhorn smacked him across the face and pushed the blade slightly under his neck. She tried desperately to force herself not to kill him, though his eyes begged for it.

“I’ll never be like your father…” The Masked Matterhorn groaned. “Never!”

“Don’t you get it?” Duscan smiled evilly. “We are fated to rule this Earth; to wipe it clean of the scum of humanity. Only ‘we’ can do this. My father is old; his time is over. But ours is just beginning, you know it doesn’t end tonight. Take my blade… kill me… accept your destiny!”

“I don’t know how long you’ve suffered, but you know I won’t do that.”

“Then… you will have to die… and then, I’ll kill your friends… one… by… one!”

All of a sudden, The Masked Matterhorn’s eyes glowed a bright red as the words stung her like that of a wasp. She suddenly pushed Duscan away, as a growl escaped her lips.

“NEVER!!!!” The Masked Matterhorn screamed.

Raising her head, she butted herself against Duscan’s and proceeded to punch the young man at an accelerated rate. She punched him so hard, he lost his grip on the sword and with her magic she slammed his forehead against the end of the handle and unleashed a beam so great it knocked Duscan backward as the world returned to normal. The young Al Ghul laid on his back breathing heavily, as the Masked Matterhorn slowly approached him her mask slightly cracked from the head-butt. In one last act of defiance, he glared toward the Masked Matterhorn as his arms dropped to his side.

he took a knife from his boot and held it menacingly toward the princess.

“Listen to me princess and listen well,” Duscan groaned. “When my father dies, you will kill me. Then you will lead the League of Assassins. Because if you don’t join us, we will kill every one you’ve ever loved… friends… family… everyone.”

Then, Duscan attempted to draw a knife from his boot and hurled it toward the Matterhorn. But she quickly ducked aside as the blade embedded itself in one of the chairs and the Matterhorn used her beams to catch the young Al Ghul in ice, freezing him in place. He struggled to pry himself, but the ice was so thick. All he could do was look up as the Matterhorn approached him.

“Was that you talking? Or your father?” The Masked Matterhorn asked. “What kind of a father would sacrifice his own kid just to fight his enemies? Do you even love your father? Do you really want to lead the Assassins? What’s really going on?”

“I am my father… I have used the Lazarus Pit one too many times,” Duscan breathed heavily. “I’ve not lived as long as my father, but I am so close. My mind and body can’t take any more of this, each time I enter that pit… I’m scared of what will come out. The very thing that haunts my father.”

“The Lazarus Pit corrupted your mind, Duscan. Think about it; if that pit falls into the wrong hands, even your family will be powerless to stop centuries of destruction. I’m giving you that chance for redemption, the same as I do for all my enemies. Give up this crusade… or I will stop you over and over again.”

Duscan Al Ghul looked around, seeing the landscape of the Narrows swiftly rolling past the train. As blood dripped from his lip, a smile slowly formed as he grimaced in pain. He then turned back toward the Masked Matterhorn.

“You’re too late…” Duscan whispered harshly.

<>

Meanwhile, in another part of the train, Batman and Ra’s kept up their own fight. They punched and kicked each other as hard as they could, neither one gaining the upper hand. That was until Ra’s performed a spin kick that knocked the Dark Knight flat on his back, and the older man planted himself on his chest.

Unsure if he was doing it right, Gordon armed the weapons and aimed them at the pillars holding the train tracks up. He fired – missing the pillars by inches, and the guy outside the car quickly backed up. Quietly cursing, Gordon tried lining up the targeting system again.

“Dammit!” He muttered.

Meanwhile, Ra’s wrapped his hand around an exposed part of Batman’s neck choking him out. The Dark Knight struggled against his grip.

“Don’t be afraid, Bruce,” He taunted.

Gordon lined up the targeting system again, preparing to fire.

“Come on, come on,” He muttered.

Firing the weapons again, this time Gordon actually did some damage so that the pillar holding up the track creaked. But it wasn’t enough, and he got ready for one final try as the train drew closer and closer.

Ra’s sneered at Batman’s attempts to break his grip.

“You are just an ordinary man in a cape!” He declared. “That’s why you couldn’t fight injustice and that’s why you can’t stop this train!”

“W-Who said anything about stopping it?” Batman gasped.

Ra’s looked up confused and saw that the broken blade from his own sword was jammed into the brake panel.

“Come on, come on,” Gordon muttered.

Aiming one more time, Gordon fired. This time, he managed to blow up the train supports.

“Yes!” He cheered victoriously.

And when the tracks began to collapse, he realized he was too close and was relieved when the computer put him back in the proper position so he could get out of the way.

Taking advantage, the Dark Knight had broken Ra’s grip, flipped the older man over, and pinned him to the floor, clutching two bat-shaped blades in one fist.

“You never learned to mind your surroundings!” He snarled.

Ra’s glared over the use of his words thrown back in his face. He stared up toward his former student as the train drew closer and closer to the place the track had once been.

“Have you finally learned to do what is necessary?” He asked calmly.

“I won’t kill you,” Batman told him. “But I don’t have to save you.”

He revealed two bombs he was holding. He threw one at an intact window, destroying it, and then used the second bomb to destroy the connection between the two cars. Ra’s sat up, just as the dark knight made his cloak go rigid, and the wind yanked out of the train car and into the air. The older man turned to face the front of the train, toward the gap in the tracks, and shut his eyes… accepting his face.

Mere seconds before the train crashed, The Masked Matterhorn strained and groaned as she summoned all the magic she could conjure with her horn. Power enough to surround the now frozen Duscan Al Ghul, who merely glared at her silently until they vanished from the car in a matter of seconds… and right on time.

The train shot off the monorail and crashed down into Wayne Plaza, digging through the concrete/metal roofing causing marble to shatter into dust clouds and parked cars exploded. Both the train and the emitter disintegrated into burning rubble just near the entrance to Wayne Station. In the water board control room, the remaining technician opened on eye and then the other realizing the pressure had dropped to zero and the alerts stopped, much to his relief.

The danger was over.

<>

In Wayne Plaza, the canopy of the batmobile opened and Gordon stood up, looking around the burning remains of the train. He looked upward, just in time to see Batman soar over a high bank, riding the thermals. Stunned and relieved that the city was saved, he waved up to the dark knight as he flew out of sight.

Elsewhere, the Masked Matterhorn appeared on the roof of a building only a few miles away from the destruction. And mere inches away, the frozen body of Duscan Al Ghul, the only parts of him free to move was one hand twitching and his head just staring toward the burning fire. For a moment, they looked out toward the horizon seeing what little remained of the train all lit with flames and smoke building in the air. With no one else around, she removed her broken mask and shook the exhaustion away, breathing with relief as the Alicorn princess looked out toward the city.

“You did not save this city, Twilight Sparkle,” Duscan spoke under his breath. “You just delayed the inevitable.”

“If there are consequences,” Twilight declared, turning toward him. “My friends and I will be ready for what’s coming.”

Duscan did not answer with any witty remark… nor did he turn to acknowledge the princess. Again acting in defiance, he stubbornly kept his gaze toward the smoldering mess before him. Twilight Sparkle, however, did not need a response from him. Because while the future of Gotham was unknown, one thing was certain.

They had done it; they had saved Gotham for another day.

Rebuilding

The next morning, following the fear gas attack upon Gotham and the death of Ra’s Al Ghul, construction crews were busy clearing the debris of Wayne Enterprises. Heading the operation was none other than Lucius Fox, wearing a white hard hat. Just then, Mr. Earle arrived on the site and stalked toward Lucius with a livid expression. Lucius saw his approach and tapped the hard hat he wore on his head.

“This is a hard hat area,” He warned.

“What are you doing here, Fox?” Earle demanded angrily, ignoring the warning. “I seem to remember firing you.”

Lucius nodded with a gesture toward the clean-up operation.

“Might be something to do with my new job as head of Wayne Enterprises,” He answered. “Didn’t you get the memo?”

“Apparently he didn’t.”

The two men turned to their side seeing John Wycliffe approaching them. Much like Lucius, he also wore a hard hat and three-piece suit.

“You really should get a hard hat Bill,” John warned Earle. “Wouldn’t want you to get hurt or have someone throw you out.”

Earle ignored him, glaring outright toward Lucius.

“Whose authority?” He demanded furiously.

Instead of answering, Lucius and John pointed toward a familiar Rolls Royce that was idling nearby, and Earle stormed toward it. Lucius and John both quietly smiled before resuming their work. Reaching the car, Earle banged on the window until Bruce Wayne rolled it down with an inquiring look.

“Yes?”

“You think you have authority to decide who runs this company, Bruce?” Earle demanded loudly.

“It is my company,” Bruce reminded him.

“Not anymore,” Earle countered smugly. “Wayne Enterprises went public a week ago—”

“And I bought most of the shares,” Bruce interrupted. “A controlling interest in fact. Through various charitable foundations, trusts and so forth. Look, it’s all a bit technical, but the important thing is… my company’s future is secure.”

Earle just stared at the young man in shock as he stepped out of the Rolls Royce.

“Oh, I nearly forgot,” Bruce remembered. “I do have one more surprise for you, Mr. Earle. Or rather, theydo.”

Bruce pointed behind Earle and the older man turned around to see the Mane Six and Spike, in their human forms, walking towards them with a few police officers in tow.

“This is him, officer,” Twilight pointed to Earle.

“What is the meaning of this?” Earle asked confused.

The two cops approached Earle, one of them snatched his hands and placed handcuffs on him.

“William Earle, you’re under arrest,” The cop spoke, tightening the cuffs.

“What?!” Earle exclaimed in shock. “On what charges?!”

“For conspiring with a terrorist organization,” The officer responded. “And orchestrating the murders of Thomas and Martha Wayne.”

“This is outrageous!” Earle shouted. “I’ve been a loyal member of Wayne Enterprises for years.”

“And you’ve also been the Grandmaster of the Court of Owls as well,” Twilight argued.

Earle just stared at her, the torches of confusion burning greatly in his eyes.

“What on Earth are you talking about?” he asked.

Twilight procured from behind her back a series of snapshots and copies of incriminating documents found in Earle’s offices.

“We found these documents on your personal computer in which you and a few others plotted the murders of the Wayne’s,” Twilight explained.

“You broke into my office?!” Earle exclaimed angrily.

“Don’t go tryin’ tah change the subject!” Applejack snapped. “Y’all wanted the Wayne’s outta the way so you could take the company public and make a small fortune off the sale.”

“So you and your cohorts paid a desperate man to commit murder,” Rarity added. “With the Wayne’s gone, their business would fall into your hands.”

“But you needed to cover your tracks,” Spike continued. “So you and the other Court members blew the whistle on Joe Chill and arranged to have him locked up in Arkham Asylum on insanity watch.”

“You knew nobody would believe an insane man committed for murder,” Fluttershy added.

“You, Mr. Earle, are a very, very bad man,” Pinkie said disappointed. “And to think I was actually considering making you a cake out of kindness and friendship.”

Earle wasn’t even given an opportunity to speak, as he was dragged away to a nearby police car while reading the man’s rights.

“You have the right to remain silent,” The officer read. “If you give up this right, anything you say can and willbe used against you in a court of law.”

The officers loaded Earle into the back of the car and began to drive off into Gotham. Bruce and the rest of the group watched with satisfaction as the police car disappeared from sight.

“I’ve been waiting to see that happen since we got back,” Bruce smiled.

“Now with the Grandmaster of the Court locked up, it’s sure to throw a wrench in their plans for the future,” Twilight declared happily.

Bruce nodded in agreement before hopping back into the car. He nodded to Alfred, and they drove off back towards Wayne Manor. This left the Mane Six and Spike standing on the sidewalk. The sound of someone approaching caused them to turn just as Sonata Dusk cautiously walked towards them. Her head was bowed in shame, she fumbled with her long hair nervously. The group crossed their arms and looked at her skeptically but still gave her a chance to speak.

“I know you have no reason to trust me, especially after all the things I’ve done,” Sonata spoke shamefully. “I just wanted to let you all know… I’m sorry. I’ve done horrible things, caused so much chaos and pain, and for what? All for the love of those who never loved me back. I know that’s no excuse for my actions, and I’m not asking for forgiveness. I just want you to know I regret what I’ve done to you and all of Equestria. So I’ll leave you all alone. You’ll never see or hear from me again.”

Sonata just turned and started to walk away slowly until…

“Wait!”

Sonata Dusk slowly turned back just as Twilight herself walked towards her. The princess stopped before the siren girl with a serious look on her face.

“You’re right… you have done horrible things in the past,” Twilight spoke honestly. “I can’t say we can just bury that under the carpet, nor can I promise forgiveness is going to be easy.”

Sonata nodded slowly, as if she already expected that. But then, to her surprise, a warm smile formed on Twilight’s face. Kindness itself made its way especially in her eyes.

“However… you stepped up and did the right thing when it really mattered,” She said appreciatively. “You stood against your own sisters just to help us. Because of that, we’re all alive right now. As far as I’m concerned, you’ve earned at least ‘one’ chance at redemption.”

She extended her hand for Sonata to shake. The blue siren stared at her and her outstretched hand in shock. And she thought to herself, even after all she did in the past, before her was a pony offering her a chance to redeem herself. Which was more than when she and her family were initially banished from Equestria entirely. But never once did she think anything like this would happen for her.

With a smile on her face and a tear in her eye, Sonata Dusk reached out and grasped Twilight’s hand. They both shook on it before eventually pulling away as the rest of the group came up alongside them.

“What do you guys think?” Twilight asked them. “Are you okay with this?”

“Well… she did save our hides,” Applejack smiled. “Any pony willin’ tah risk their lives fer us, ah’d say they deserve a chance.”

“I’ll be honest, I hated her guts a while back,” Rainbow spoke honestly. “But now when I look at her, I guess I don’t quite wanna kick her in the head that much.”

“That’s… a start,” Twilight said awkwardly.

“Darling, I wouldn’t be the Element of Generosity if I was unable to offer some pony a second chance,” Rarity nodded. “After what you’ve done for us, you’ve more than earned it.”

“I’ve always believed any pony can change if shown a little kindness,” Fluttershy said. “If Discord can change thanks to kindness, I’m confident in Sonata.”

Sonata turned nervously toward Spike, who pondered over it for a moment. But without so much a word, he merely nodded his head silently with a tiny smile. Maybe he wasn’t quite so sure about Sonata, but he’d give her a chance anyway. Just to hear such words from the other Elements, Sonata cracked a small smile.

“I guess all that’s left for me is deciding what I should do now,” Sonata told them. “I can’t very well go back to the Dark Order, not after what I did to my sisters. I don’t really wanna go back there anyway… but I can’t stay in Gotham either.”

“Well, there’s a simple answer to that,” Pinkie smiled happily. “You should come back to Ponyville with us. I’ll throw you the biggest welcome party you’ve ever seen. There’ll be cake, balloons, streamers pinatas, games, and all around fun, fun, fun!”

“For realsies?” She asked surprised. “You sure you’re okay with this?”

“Of course!” Twilight nodded. “Granted, we’d have to arrange some living quarters for you, and find you a job so you can support yourself. But what better place to start fresh than in Ponyville? I learned about the magic of friendship there, and it will help teach you as well.”

Sonata could feel a single tear of joy rolling down her cheek, as she smiled with a nod of her head in approval. With her decision made, Twilight smiled in return and used her magic to teleport them back to Wayne Manor. For now, there was one last thing to do before returning to Equestria.

<>

As Alfred drove Bruce back to Wayne Manor in the Rolls Royce, both men were discussing the morning’s newspaper. The paper had a large picture and article about Batman spread across the front page.

“Batman may have made the front page,” Alfred announced. “But Bruce Wayne got pushed to page 8.”

Bruce took the newspaper, opened to page 8, and chuckled at the title:

‘Drunken Billionaire burns down house’

And located underneath the title was a black-and-white photo featuring the ruins of Wayne Manor.

“Well, the important news is on the front page, and that’s what matters,” Bruce stated. “And as for what they say about me, our home won’t be in ruins forever.”

Alfred nodded, knowing this young charge was absolutely right.

<>

Meanwhile, across the city, a very irate Black Mask burst into the penthouse office. He was soaking wet after being hurled through the air by that plant and had to swim across the Gotham river to get to shore. Thankfully, when he got there, he was fortunate that some of his crew were able to recover him and get him to safety. However, at this moment, none of them felt particularly safe as Black Mask roared in anger.

“SON OF A BITCH!!!”

He flipped a nearby table over, causing everything in and on it to crash to the floor. The thugs who escorted their boss stood back waiting for his anger to subside.

“I can’t believe I trusted the word of that stupid plant bitch!” He growled. “I swear, when I get my hands on her again, I’ll tear her freaking heart out!”

“What about the Bat, boss?” One thug asked nervously.

“I’ll kill him too!” Black Mask yelled. “Him and those four legged freaks of his.”

Black Mask trudged towards the giant window that looked over Gotham and stared out toward the scarred city. One of the thugs slowly approached with great hesitation.

“What should we do now, boss?” He asked.

Black Mask just stood silent for a moment as he contemplated his next move. Just then, an idea came to his head so good he released a low chuckle.

“First things first, we raise the stakes,” He declared. “I was originally going to offer a million dollars to whoever killed the Bat and his little freaks, but now I’m raising it to fifty million. Fifty million to anyone who kills the Bat and his friends, but if they make that plant bitch suffer, I’ll double it. Spread the message out to every scumbag in the city!”

The thugs nodded in agreement, leaving the office to get to work on their boss’s requests. Black Mask turned back to look out the window with a smirk on his unmasked face. He knew raising the bounty on the Bat and the Power Ponies meant that there would be killers of all sorts wanting to claim it. By raising the price, the number was surely going to go up.

One way or another, he was going to make sure the Bat and those Power Ponies were dead.

<>

Later that same day, Alfred was supervising the workers, who were sifting through the smoking ruins of what was once Wayne Manor. He nodded to Rachel the moment she arrived, directing her to what was left of the backyard. She was glad she wore her traditional boots as she picked her way through the smoking remnants of the greenhouse and found Bruce Wayne, who was hammering a board across the disused well. The remainder of the Mane Six and Spike did their best to help Bruce with the work.

Bruce looked up having heard her coming thanks to the soot-stained broken glass on the ground. She nodded to her, then turned back to the well.

“Do you remember the day I fell?”

Rachel nodded, remembering that day all too clearly.

“Of course,” She recalled. “I was so scared for you. I’ve spent a lot of time being scared for you.”

“Rachel… I’m—” Bruce began.

“No, Bruce,” She interrupted. “I’m sorry. The day Chill died – I said terrible things…”

“True things,” Bruce added. “Justice is about more than revenge.”

“I never stopped thinking about you,” She admitted, smiling slightly. “About us… when I heard you were back… I started to hope—”

She was cut off when Bruce kissed her, and she returned the kiss for a moment before pulling back with a regretful expression.

“Then I found out about your mask,” She said.

“Batman’s just a symbol, Rachel,” Bruce assured her.

Rachel shook her head and gently brushed his face with her fingers.

“This is your mask,” She explained. “Your real face is the one criminals now fear. The man I loved… the man who vanished… never came back at all. But maybe he’s still out there somewhere. Maybe one day, when Gotham no longer needs Batman, I’ll see him again.”

This gave Bruce hope as he glanced at the newly covered well.

“As I sat there, I knew… I could sense it,” He muttered.

“What?” Rachel asked.

He looked back at her, taking her hand.

“That things would never be the same.”

Once the well was completely sealed up, Bruce and Rachel walked together through the ruins.

“Well, you proved me wrong,” Rachel smiled, shaking her head.

“About what?” Ben inquired.

“Your father would be proud of you,” Rachel responded. “Just as I am.”

She started to walk away while Bruce crouched down and dug through the debris until he pulled out his father’s stethoscope; she stopped in her tracks, then turned back.

“What will you do?” She asked, referring to the manor.

Bruce glanced at the ruins, what little remained of his home, then turned back toward her.

“I’m going to rebuild it just the way it was,” He spoke honestly, with purpose. “Brick for brick.”

Rachel nodded, then walked off. For a moment, Bruce stared after her wistfully until Alfred approached. When they together, they walked side-by-side through the smoking ruins.

“Just the way it was, sir?” The older man asked.

“Yes, why?” He asked.

“I thought we might take the opportunity of making some improvements to the foundation,” Alfred suggested.

Bruce quickly caught on to what his old friend meant.

“In the southeast corner?” He guessed.

“Precisely, sir,” Alfred nodded, smiling.

Just then, a gust of wind picked up and the Equestrians turned their eyes from their work to the crystal portal back to Equestria opening up. The Mane Six, Spike, and Sonata all looked at it with smiles on their faces.

“Guess it’s time to go,” Twilight said.

They all turned back around as Bruce, Alfred, and even Rachel made their way to their side. They all looked upon their equine friends with smiles on their faces.

“Well, what can I say?” Bruce smirked. “It’s sure been one hell of an adventure.”

“Ya got that right, sugar cube,” Applejack nodded.

“Busting up bad guys, driving tanks, and meeting awesome new friends,” Rainbow listed. “This epic adventure is just another Tuesday for us.”

“I haven’t exactly gotten to know you all very well,” Rachel smiled regretfully. “Still, I’m thankful to have met you and for keeping Bruce safe.”

“Don’t worry about that, darling,” Rarity assured her. “I have a feeling we’ll be back here again in the future.”

“Oh totally, come the sequel you’ll have plenty of times to get to know us,” Pinkie smiled. “Hear it’s quite a crowd favorite.”

“Anyways… as long as there’s plenty of crime here to solve, we’ll be back,” Spike assured.

“If any of you ever find yourselves in Gotham again, just know you’re always welcome to Wayne Manor,” Alfred smiled at them.

“Could you give my thanks to Detective Gordon again?” Sonata asked hopefully. “He’s a good man; Gotham needs more people like him.”

“No problem,” Rachel assured. “I’ll be sure to tell him. I promise.”

The Mane Six, Spike, and Sonata all turned back toward the portal. But before they took a step, Twilight turned toward Sonata, who still retained a sad look on her face… a painfully worried expression to boot.

“What’s wrong?” Twilight asked, concerned.

“It’s just… I don’t know if I’ll truly be welcome in Ponyville,” Sonata admitted. “I’m not exactly a ponyafter all.”

“Pony or not… you’re one of us now Sonata Dusk,” Twilight assured. “Let no pony tell you any different.”

Nodding with a light smile, Sonata slowly took her footsteps through the portal until she was fully enveloped by the light. One by one, the remainder of the Equestrians followed Sonata through the portal until all that remained was Twilight Sparkle and Spike. Together they turned back. Not just toward the friends they were leaving behind, but the very world of Gotham itself.

“You know… Gotham may still be a city of crime, but there’s some parts about it that are nice,” Spike spoke. “Least you and Bruce finally took care of those Al Ghuls. Now that they’re both out of the picture, we won’t have to worry about them anymore. Right, Twi?”

But of course, Twilight Sparkle didn’t quite answer the question. Silently, she looked out toward the distance… and she couldn’t help but reminisce about her last encounter with one particular Al Ghul.

<>

“You did not save this city, Twilight Sparkle,” Duscan spoke under his breath. “You just delayed the inevitable.”

“If there are consequences,” Twilight declared, turning toward him. “My friends and I will be ready for what’s coming.”

Duscan did not answer with any witty remark… nor did he turn to acknowledge the princess. Again acting in defiance, he stubbornly kept his gaze toward the smoldering mess before him.

“I know what you’re thinking, princess,” Duscan spoke, breaking the silence. “You’ve hungered for this all your life. You won’t get a better shot than this; how right you should kill with magic.”

Indeed, Twilight Sparkle slowly turned toward Duscan and it was true that she could see he was in no position to get away. The Masked Matterhorn may have had limits, but as an alicorn princess… there was no question Twilight Sparkle was powerful. All she’d need was one clear shot, right toward Duscan’s exposed head, and it would be the end of it. But instead, as she conjured a heavy glow of her horn and Duscan anticipated his end… she instead used her magic to explode the ice prison encasing him and he fell forward, so weak he could barely catch himself.

“Get out of here,” Twilight Sparkle ordered. “Clear out of here!”

“Don’t think freeing me will make any difference,” Duscan warned. “The League knew we’d never go home after this mission; we declared ourselves dead. I had a destiny; I was to die in that blaze with my father and my fellow assassins. But you… you cheated me out of it! What you want, you stole it. I can never forgive you; you’re no worse than man.”

“… You are wrong, Duscan. Always have been wrong. I am only a mare who sees a free man now, there are no conditions… no bargains… no petitions. You’ve lost today; you now have a chance to move on.”

“I didn’t lose… you’ve just prolonged your doom.”

With what strength Duscan mustered, he slowly picked himself upon his feet and for a moment he stood inches from the alicorn princess. But since he was in no shape for a fight, he slowly stepped away from the alicorn toward the very edge of the roof they stood on. For a moment, he stood there eyeing the horizon where an unknown destination was waiting. But he knew somehow he couldn’t go back to the life you had before.

“Our paths will cross again Twilight,” Duscan spoke, barely looking back. “You dishonored my legacy, saving my life… twice. I won’t share the same mercy when we meet in combat; when I’m through with you, no one will ‘ever’ remember you.”

“Maybe…” Twilight slowly nodded. “But when everyone finds out that you’re alive once again, because I saved you… they will ‘never’ let you forget it.”

Duscan only glared toward Twilight Sparkle, who merely looked back with a calm expression. She held her footing as Duscan turned from the mare entirely, then jumped his way off the roof to make his escape. While the princess had no idea if she did the right thing, even holding to the slightest hope that Duscan could change, she did not pursue him… she did not call out for him to stop. As far as she was concerned… their battle was already over and what happened next… that was in his hands now…

<>

“Twi?” Spike spoke. “Twilight?”

Twilight stirred herself back to reality, as her attention returned to Spike. The dragon teen was a tad confused over how quiet his friend was.

“You heard what I said?” Spike asked.

“… The Al Ghuls are gone, Spike,” Twilight reassured. “We have no reason to worry about them, anymore.”

With that settled, Twilight Sparkle and Spike finally merged through the portal and the doorway slowly closed shut behind them. Without doubt, the pair along with all their friends were so thankfully to finally return to their families in Equestria. Only now, they were bringing a new addition to their motley little family… someone new to teach about the ways of friendship, no matter how long it takes.

None of them took notice, however, of a lone figure watching from the bushes. The figure that of a man wearing an Arkham Asylum jumpsuit, staring toward the space where the crystal portal once stood. A man with large, crazy eyes… eyes that never blinked once… the eyes… of a killer…

<>

A few nights later…

A new sign appeared in the sky above Gotham City… a bat symbol beamed onto the clouds by way of a spotlight that sat on the roof of the police station. A bat-shaped metal stencil was bolted to the spotlight. Standing nearby, Gordon sipped coffee from a Styrofoam cup when a rapping sound on metal drew his attention. He turned and saw the dark knight standing on the other side of the spotlight, nodding toward it.

“Nice,” Batman said.

“Couldn’t find any mob bosses to strap to the light,” Gordon replied.

Soon as he finished his coffee and crushed the cup, Gordon turned the spotlight off. The two men now stood staring at each other in the darkness.

“Well, sergeant?” The Dark Knight asked.

“It’s lieutenant, now,” Gordon corrected him. “Commissioner Loeb had to promote me, and he had to disband the task force hunting you. Amazing what saving a city can do for your image.”

While caught off guard by the promotion, nevertheless the Batman was pleased just the same.

“Then things are better,” Batman nodded.

“You’ve started something,” He confirmed. “Bent cops are running scared; hope on the streets…”

He trailed off thoughtfully, recalling how quickly Flass had resigned after the incident in the Narrows.

“But?” The Dark Knight inquired.

“But there’s a lot of weirdness out there right now,” Gordon explained. “The Narrows is lost… we still haven’t picked up Crane or half the inmates of Arkham that he freed…”

“We will,” Batman promised. “Gotham will return to normal.”

“Will it?” Gordon asked, skeptically. “What about escalation?”

“Escalation?” Batman echoed.

“We start carrying semiautomatics,” Gordon explained. “They buy automatics… we start wearing Kevlar, theybuy armor-piercing rounds…”

The Dark Knight nodded, getting the idea, but he could sense there was something else going on.

“And?”

“I never said thank you,” Gordon told him.

The Dark Knight looked back at him, his cloak billowing around him with the lights of Gotham lighting the night sky.

“And you’ll never have to.”

He then dropped from the rooftop, gliding across the night wind. Gordon couldn’t help but smile. While he didn’t know what the future held for Gotham City, nor did he know what other sinister forces bumped in the night. But he did know one thing:

The Dark Knight was on the job.

<>

Back at Arkham Asylum, the doctors and guards started getting things back in place as they locked up the few escaped inmates. Work was starting up as usual for one doctor in particular, Dr. Harleen Quinzel. Even after nearly being killed a few short days ago, Quinzel was back on duty. Suffice to say, many doctors, guards, and even the other staff were extremely shocked to find the Doctor walking through the front doors of the asylum after such a short absence.

“Dr. Quinzel!” The receptionist gasped.

“Good morning, Melissa,” Dr. Quinzel greeted kindly. “Another day on the grind, wouldn’t you say?”

“Are you sure you should be back so soon, Dr. Quinzel?” Melissa asked skeptically. “After all, you nearly died a few days ago. I wouldn’t blame you if you stayed away a while longer.”

“Nah, I’m alright now,” Dr. Quinzel assured her. “Honestly, sitting around at home gets really boring, really quickly. I figured it’s best to get back to work as soon as possible.

“Alright,” She relented, sighing. “If you’re sure.”

“So… who do you got for me to look into today?” Harleen asked.

“Now that you mention it, a new one came in recently,” Melissa informed her, handing the file. “Quite the rap sheet on this one. Armed robbery, arson, torture, the list goes on. He’s got a little taste for the theatrics, like you.”

“I’ll get right to work then,” Dr. Quinzel smiled.

She proceeded to make her way down the halls with her heels clicking on the floor the whole way. Eventually, she wound up outside a maximum security cell where her current patient was held. She nodded to the guard on duty to let her in. The guard unlocked the door, which slowly opened wide enough for the doctor to enter. As she entered, she noticed it was a rather dark room with only a single lightbulb illuminating the area.

She noticed her patient lying on a cot in the corner where the light wasn’t reaching all that much. This way, she couldn’t quite see her patient. But nevertheless, she walked inside and sat on the one chair set up in the midst of the room. She grabbed her pen off her clipboard and immediately went to work.

“Good morning, my name is Dr. Harleen Quinzel,” She greeted. “But you can just call me Harley, everyone else does. So why don’t we get started today by telling me why you’re here.”

The many lying in the corner slowly turned his head to look at the doctor. Just enough for her to see a large red smirk across his ghost-white face.

“Well… I guess you could say that everything started with one… bad… day…”

<>

Across the city, at Wycliffe Industries, John Wycliffe entered the offices of his business. He worked his way toward the direction of his own office. Along the way, he passed his receptionist, Tessa Richards, who gave her boss a smile upon seeing him.

“Good day, Mr. Wycliffe,” She greeted. “What brings you in today? I thought you were on vacation with your family.

“Indeed, I am,” John nodded. “Unfortunately, I have an important meeting to attend to till then. I should be in and out quickly.”

“Very well, sir,” Tessa nodded. “I hope you have a great vacation.”

John merely nodded in response as he entered his office and closed the door behind him. Walking toward the large window in his office, he looked out toward Gotham. After all that has happened recently, this city was never going to be the same again. There was so much to rebuild, many criminals to round up, and so much damage to fix. Nonetheless, even between the chaos and destruction, Gotham still prevailed and showcased its might.

A small smile formed on John’s face as he turned around and pressed a small red button under his desk. Doing so opened a tiny secret compartment along the office wall, opening it up to reveal the Grandmasters golden owl mask. John approached the mask and lifted it up before placing it over his face.

Closing the compartment, the Grandmaster walked toward a bookcase in the corner. Reaching out, he grasped a single book in the dead center of the shelf and gave a pull. The book came out partially, activating a hidden switch that opened another wall and revealed a hidden elevator.

Entering the elevator, the Grandmaster pushed a button to close the doors. The elevator began to plummet downward leading the man to God only knows where. Eventually, the elevator came to a halt and the doors opened to a dark passageway. He proceeded to cross the dark corridor before eventually coming to a set of large oak doors. When he pushed them open, he walked out into the Court of Owls’ meeting chamber where all the members sat. He made his way over and took his seat at the throne at the head of the table.

“Members of the Court, our plans have worked perfectly,” The Grandmaster announced. “William Earle has been taken into custody under the presumption of leading this Court.”

He turned his head toward Joseph and Maria Powers, who sat beside him wearing their masks.

“You’ve done well planting evidence to condemn Earle,” He commented. “Now Bruce Wayne and his friends trust me completely.”

“Your deception is a work of genius, Grandmaster,” Joseph praised. “Now that they trust you, it will only make it easier to put our plans back in motion.”

“I do have one question,” Maria added. “What is our next course of action?”

The Grandmaster folded his hands in front of his golden mask, showing off his ring which displayed the symbol of the Court as he contemplated what comes next.

“Gotham must still face judgment,” He spoke. “Ra’s Al Ghul and the League of Shadows are no more. Their ambition blinded them to just how far they had fallen. We must succeed where they have failed.”

He leaned forward to address all the Court members in attendance.

“It is high time we unleashed them unto the Earth.”

Every member of the Court began to look about, breaking out into murmurs of uncertainty.

“Are you quite certain the time is right, sir?” Another member asked.

“Indeed,” The Grandmaster nodded. “Are they ready?”

“They are,” Another member nodded. “Follow me, I will show you.”

The Court member and the Grandmaster stood up from their seats and made their way down another corridor. Pushing open another set of doors, they ventured into a giant dark chamber filled from floor to ceiling with thousands of cryogenic pods.

The Grandmaster stepped forward toward the control panel, where he flipped a few switches and pulled a lever. Doing so caused all the pods in the room to simultaneously open, slowly. From within the pods, thousands of twisted and demented creatures arose from within. All of them resembled reanimated corpses garbed in dark clothing, wearing strange owl-like cowls over their heads.

The Grandmaster watched in satisfaction, as their newly awoken weapons, the Talons, arose from their pods. Many of them screeched and moved about in pure animalistic fashion until many of them stood at attention before the Grandmaster.

“Our personal instruments of destruction are ready,” He commented. “At long last, Judgment Day has come to Gotham… and then, the world will know our true power.”

The End

Author's Note

With this chapter now complete, we are finished for the rest of 2022. We hope you all enjoyed this story and we will see you all again for the next one at the beginning of the new year. Merry Christmas to all and a Happy New Year 🌲

The League of Shadows

Pain rocketed through the entire group, as one by one they were viciously shoved off the back of a transport truck and landed upon the hard ground. Groaning in pain, the Mane Six and Spike struggled to get back on their feet. As Bruce got back up with them, the transport truck began its drive down the road.

Earlier that very same morning, they were pulled out of solitary confinement and escorted outside the walls of the prison. It was there when the group were loaded onto the back of a transport truck, along with a bunch of other criminals, and driven off through the Himalayas. The day before, a man by the name of Ducard came to visit, offering them a chance to be part of a group called ‘the League of Shadows’. But in order to do so, they must venture into the mountains, find a mysterious blue flower, and deliver it to Ra’s Al Ghul himself. Right now though, they were focused on the pain coursing through their bodies.

“Honestly, did they have to throw us off the truck like that?” Rarity complained.

“What’d you expect them to do?” Rainbow questioned. “Lay down some pillows, set up a dining table, and serve us a feast before kicking us off the bus?”

“Least they could’ve done was let us off without resorting to barbarism.”

“We’ve being sent here to learn the ways of master assassins,” Spike pointed out. “I’m sure it isn’t meant to be all sunshine and rainbows.”

“Um—I-I’m not sure how I feel about this,” Fluttershy said nervously. “I know we need to find the Dazzlings and Chrysalis, but I could never learn to be an assassin.”

“Ah’m sure it ain’t like that Fluttershy,” Applejack assured. “We’re bein’ taught tah fight, which is somethin’ we already do plenty of.”

“Whatever the case, I just hope when we do this we get a celebration,” Pinkie suggested. “It’s been too long since we’ve had a party and now I’m super-duper sad. Just look at my Pinkie Meter; it’s gotten so low.”

On emphasis, Pinkie Pie pulled out what resembled a thermometer from her mane, which she showed to the group. The meter, actually called the ‘Pinkie Meter’, displayed a spot at the very bottom next to a sad Pinkie face. Pinkie placed the meter back in her mane, as a frown formed upon her face, which in itself was a rare sight.

“Don’t worry, Pinkie,” Twilight assured her. “Soon as we’re back in Equestria, we’ll have the biggest parties we’ve ever had. After everything we’ve been through so far, we deserve it.”

This formed a huge smile in place of the frown upon Pinkie Pie’s face. She hurled her arms around Twilight, drawing her into a bone-crushing hug.

“Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!” Pinkie said gleefully. “You really are the bestest friend ever Twilight! How can I ever repay you?”

“Stop… trying… to break me… in half!” Twilight wheezed.

“Oops, sorry!” Pinkie apologized.

As Pinkie released Twilight, the alicorn princess took deep breaths, which hurt her clearly damaged ribs. With her horn aglow, she used her magic to repair her cracked ribs, a process which made her wince.

“I think we should get going before the sun goes down,” Bruce suggested. “It’s already cold enough out here as it is.”

“I’m all for that,” Rainbow nodded. “Sooner we’re out of this cold, the better. Wish I’d brought a jacket.”

“Speaking of which, I can help with that,” Rarity smiled.

Using her magic, Rarity used her horn to quickly conjure some winter clothing for every pony in the group. Feeling slightly warm from the clothes, the group delivered a small sigh of relief each.

“Alright every pony, let’s get going,” Twilight said.

The group began to make their way through the frozen plains of the Himalayas. They had absolutely no idea where this mission would lead them or even what was in store for them. In that moment, however, this was their only option. Eventually, they came upon a section of the valley that was absolutely littered with white flags that billowed in the wind. Apart from that, they also noticed a few blue flowers in the snow as well. Bruce knelt down and picked one of the tiny flowers for everyone to observe.

“Wow, it’s actually kind of pretty,” Rarity observed. “It would look lovely in a bouquet of roses.”

“Not the time Rares,” Rainbow rolled her eyes.

“You know what it reminds me of?” Twilight asked. “It reminds me of the poison joke back home.”

“It actually does Twi,” Applejack nodded. “It done got the same color and everything.”

“Whatever it looks like, we should probably get it to this Ducard guy,” Spike suggested. “I’d like to get the hay off these frozen mountains as soon as possible.”

“I’m with Spike on this one,” Rainbow agreed.

“But where are we even supposed to go?” Fluttershy asked. “Mr. Ducard didn’t specify where to find him even if we found the flower.”

“That’s the point,” Bruce commented. “He wants us to find him and this League.”

“But we absolutely have no direction nor idea where he even went,” Rarity argued.

“Actually… we do,” Twilight pointed out.

Everyone turned toward Twilight with looks of great confusion.

“What’re you talking about Twi?” Rainbow asked.

Twilight reached into her pocket and revealed a rather strange ring of sorts. A ring made entirely of gold with such weird, yet intriguing designs. Specifically, there was a dragon wrapped around a sterling emerald in the middle.

“After Ducard left our cell the other day, I found this on the ground,” Twilight explained. “The thing is, it wasn’t dropped but strategically placed. He wanted one of us to find this for a reason.”

“How is that supposed to help us?” Spike asked.

Twilight’s only response was a single smirk as she waved her hand with her magic and the ring glowed brightly green from the emerald in the middle.

“This ring is now enchanted,” She explained. “The closer we reach Ducard and the League of Shadows, the brighter the ring glows.”

Twilight began walking off down the snowy plains as the ring continued to glow brightly. The remainder of the group watched her for a few moments before deciding to follow behind her. They weren’t completely sold on the idea at first, but at this point they had no other choice. All they could do was hope that the magic wasn't completely leading them astray.

<>

For the next number of hours, the group fought against the cold and fatigue as they ascended high over the mountains. They trailed behind Twilight Sparkle, who lead them with the enchanted glowing ring. The further they traveled up the mountains, the greater the ring seemed to glow. However, the team were slowly growing more exhausted, and their already frozen limbs made it much more difficult to continue.

“H-H-How m-much f-further T-T-Twilight?” Fluttershy shivered.

“S-S-S-Shouldn’t be t-too much f-further now,” Twilight responded.

“Y-Y-You s-s-said that t-t-t-t-three hours ago!” Rainbow complained.

“I really don’t think this was a good idea,” Bruce commented, beside Twilight.

“It’s all we had at the moment,” Twilight responded.

As the group proceeded through the mountain, eventually they came upon a tiny village. As the group arrived, immediately all the villagers began to race back inside their homes. Elders pulled the children inside, sealing and locking their windows and doors, just everything to stay out of sight. There was one singular child watching the ground from behind the corner, as Fluttershy waved nervously at the child. When suddenly, an elder man pulled the child away before eyeing the group.

“You turn back!” He instructed. “You go back!”

The elder then brought the child inside, while the group eyed them oddly.

“Gee, that wasn’t ominous at all,” Rainbow commented.

“Let’s keep moving,” Twilight suggested. “We’re getting close. The faster we move, the faster we can get out of this cold.”

“Then let’s get a move on,” Spike agreed.

The group vented on through the tiny village, continuing their ascent up the mountain. Soon enough, they were sore, cold, and completely exhausted. Thankfully, their struggle proved worthwhile when at long last they arrived at their destination. They noticed a large wooden house built right along the side of the mountain. It was relatively the size of a mansion yet resembled more like a giant hut stuck on the side of the large mountain. The sight of the house alone made the entire group sigh with extreme relief.

“Oh thank Celestia!” Rarity sighed. “I swear, if I take even one more step, I’m ready to throw myself off this mountain.”

“Yeah right, Rares,” Rainbow said sarcastically. “And then you’ll say you mastered that levitation spell that unicorns are supposed to do.”

“Oh, will you just leave me alone?!”

“I wonder how they even built this house along the mountain?” Pinkie questioned.

“I’m not sure I want to know,” Fluttershy shivered.

Bruce walked ahead of the group and knocked heavily on the doors of the house. Both doors proceeded to open slowly, allowing the group to make their way inside. The interior of the house was completely decorated with Chinese décor including tapestries, architecture, and an assortment of many things. In the midst of it all, siting atop a magnificent throne was a Chinese man with a bald head and forked white beard. One look at him and everyone instantly knew who this was.

“Ra’s Al Ghul?” Bruce questioned.

All of a sudden, the sound of the door being barred made everyone turn to see an assassin with a katana and a machine gun. Soon a large number of other assassins started coming through every single door in the room, and they all had the intention to kill.

“Wait!”

All of a sudden, all of the assassins froze in place as Ducard came out from beside Ra’s Al Ghul and looked down upon the group. Ra’s then started speaking a foreign language, which thankfully Ducard was able to translate.

“What are you seeking?” He asked.

“Right now, the bathroom?” Rainbow responded.

Applejack gave her marefriend a jab in the side, shutting her up quickly before she said something that would get them all killed. Thankfully, no one seemed to acknowledge what Rainbow said as Bruce stepped up to address the League of Shadows.

“I seek… the means to fight injustice,” Bruce responded. “To turn fear against those who prey on the fearful.”

Ducard stared hard toward Bruce as though trying to determine whether or not his words rang true or not. Eventually, he finally turned his attention to Twilight Sparkle.

“What are you seeking?” He asked her.

Twilight looked over toward Bruce then back at her friends for a moment before turning back toward Ducard. She thought back to what he told her and the others back at the prison. It was at that moment she decided to go with that as a means of getting further in their mission.

“To become more than mere agents of Harmony and peace,” She responded.

Bruce grabbed the blue flower pinned to his clothing and Twilight grabbed hers as well. They both handed their flowers to Ducard, who observed them closely before showing them to Ra’s Al Ghul. The master of the League of Shadows continued to stare at the group before once more speaking in a foreign tongue.

“To manipulate the fears in others, you must first master your own,” Ducard translated. “Are you ready to begin?”

“I can… I can barely stand,” Bruce spoke in exhaustion.

“It’s true, Mr. Ducard,” Twilight agreed. “We’ve been wandering through a frozen landscape all day.”

Not even a second later, Ducard threw a massive kick that struck Bruce in the chest and sent him rolling back.

“Death does not wait for you to be ready!” He yelled.

“Bruce!” Twilight yelled.

She attempted to rush to his aid, but one of the assassins held her back along with the rest of the Mane Six… even Spike.

“Let us go you psychos!” Rainbow yelled.

“Do not help him!” Ducard ordered. “He must face this himself.”

Ducard then delivered a huge kick to the ribs, sending Bruce rolling and groaning in pain.

“Death is not considerate or fair!”

Bruce slowly got back to his knees, as Ducard circled around him.

“And make no mistake, here you face death!”

Ducard went to deliver another kick only this time, Bruce caught the kick and threw it off before assuming a fighting position.

“Tiger!”

Bruce started throwing punches which Ducard masterfully and expertly dodged. He then threw another and Ducard caught it before wrenching his arm.

“Jujitsu!”

He then delivered a hard punch to the ribs and Bruce staggered off to the side, but still maintained the fighter’s stance.

“Panther!”

Bruce then went on a flurry of punches that Ducard was able to either dodge, catch, or threw back tenfold. Eventually, he caught Bruce by the collar of his clothing and held him directly before him.

“You’re skilled, but this is not a dance.”

He then delivered a massive headbutt and threw Bruce to the side, the young man finally falling to the ground. He gave a small shove with his foot and Bruce rolled onto his back, slowly starting to pass out.

“And you are afraid, but not of me,” Ducard observed. “Tell us, Mr. Wayne… what do you fear?”

He then grabbed the blue flower and placed it back in Bruce’s clothes. He then gave a snap of his fingers, and on cue two assassins came over and picked Bruce up before dragging him off to another part of the house. Ducard then turned toward the Mane Six and Spike, who remained held back by assassins. He gave a single nod, and the assassins released them on command.

“Are you all ready to begin?” He asked them.

After having witnessed what he was able to do to Bruce, and in such a short amount of time, the Equestrian heroes (Even Rainbow Dash) all shared looks of genuine concern toward each other.

“Is there another option?” Fluttershy squeaked.

“Before we begin, there’s someone I wish to introduce you to,” Ducard informed.

“I just hope whoever it is isn’t going to break us apart in the blink of an eye,” Rarity quivered.

Ducard turned heel and made his way further into the house. Not wanting to end up like Bruce, the girls and Spike followed closely behind him. As they walked, they couldn’t believe just how big the house actually was on the inside. Every time they rounded a corner, there was another room filled with something odd. One in particular which caught their immediate attention. Inside were men dressed in dark armor and wearing some strange cowl of sorts with golden goggles.

The armored assassins merely stood like statues, as they were being addressed by another individual. The Equestrian heroes kept looking through the door, watching all the individuals inside. Eventually, the other person in the room paused mid-sentence, and slowly turned straight toward the Mane Six and Spike. The individual, clearly a man, wore a very nice suit, with matching gloves and shoes. The most distinguishing element about the man was the mask he wore, one made of pure gold and designed like an owl’s head.

The individuals in the room locked eyes with Twilight, the remainder of the Mane Six and Spike, uttering not a single sound in between. For the longest time, they just stared at each other. And whatever it was about these masked assassins, the Mane Six and Spike felt a chill emanating off of them.

“It would be best if you could keep up.”

Ducard’s voice was enough to snap the Mane Six and Spike away from the room and proceed onward towards their destination. Eventually, Ducard led the group to a pair of large iron doors and pushed both of them open with ease. Inside the chamber, there was no furnishing of any sort as far as material possessions. Merely four stone owls and what looked like a pool of strange glowing liquid inside. Ducard led the group inside the chamber, and they continued to stare towards the glowing pool. While looking at it, it felt as though they could hear voices whispering in their head.

“Can you hear them?” Ducard asked.

“What is it?” Twilight asked.

“What you are hearing are the voices of the Lazarus Pit,” Ducard explained. “These rejuvenating waters are the secret of the League of Shadows.”

“But what exactly is it?” Spike asked.

“All answers will be revealed when you are ready,” Ducard answered. “But this is not why I brought you here. You are here so you might meet someone who is going to help you all unlock the power which lies within you.”

All of a sudden, a cloaked figure entered the room, circling around the ‘Lazarus Pit’ to stand before the Equestrians and Spike. The figure reached up and pulled their hood back to reveal a mean with nearly ghostly white hair.

The Mane Six and Spike looked upon the man, who in turn looked right back at them. A sudden look of realization spread across Pinkie Pie’s face.

“Hey Spike, check it out,” She told her young friend. “It’s Spike! Huh… I thought he was a vampire. Last I remember, he was in a small town called Sunnydale, fighting off armies of centuries old vampires—”

“Pinkie, what are you talking about?” Spike asked confused.

It was then Pinkie noticed how everyone around her merely eyed her oddly.

“Oops, did I get the wrong universe?” She asked.

She reached into her mane, and pulled out two different stacks of paper. One was entitled ‘Future Cinematic Adventures’, and the other entitled ‘It’s Showtime’. Everyone just shook their heads at the crazy party girl.

*Gasps, sighs with exasperation* You know what? This has happened so many times, I’m not even upset anymore.

“This is Duscan Al Ghul, son of Ra’s Al Ghul,” Ducard introduced. “As the only true born son of Ra’s Al Ghul, Duscan is meant to lead the League of Shadows to the future. Therefore, I cannot think of a better teacher for you than the future Demon’s Head.”

Duscan looked at each and every single member of the Mane Six and Spike, sizing them up. He turned back toward Ducard and gave a single nod of confirmation. Ducard nodded back before addressing the others.

“Duscan is willing to train you, but you must follow his instructions without complaint,” Ducard explained. “You will be tested to your physical and mental limits to master fear and turn it against your enemies. Something Celestia would never have you do.”

Once again, the way Ducard brought up their ruler continued to make the entire group wonder just ‘how’ he knew about her. Did they know each other? Have they met before? And if so, why hadn’t Celestia ever told them? Not even to Twilight Sparkle herself?

“You will meet us in the main hall tomorrow at first light and we shall begin your training,” Ducard informed. “I shall train with Mr. Wayne personally, while you train with Duscan. Only after you have learned to master fear will we know you are ready to become who you were always meant to be. For now, allow me to show you where you will be staying.

Ducard and Duscan proceeded to lead the Mane Six and Spike out of the room. Before walking away entirely, Twilight Sparkle spun around and took one more look toward the Lazarus Pit. She could still hear voices calling to her, to have her bathe in its waters. She could almost feel the power resonating from it. Eventually, she was able to pull her vision away from the pit and trailed the rest of the group.

“Why did she never tell me?” Twilight asked herself.

The Lazarus Pit

Fourteen years passed since the death of Thomas and Martha Wayne. In that time, Bruce, now a young man at age 22, rode the monorail to Wayne station. He picked up his bag and got off the train with the other passengers, he searched the crowd till he saw Alfred and waved to him. The butler reached his side and took his bag.

“You didn’t have to pick me up,” Bruce pointed out.

“Well sir, the red line… well, it’s closed.” Alfred explained hesitantly. “Apparently Mr. Earle thought it wasn’t making enough money.”

Bruce was shocked by the news as they walked through the concourse. He looked around, saddened over how rundown his father’s station looked. The glass cracked, the marble chipped, and homeless bundled shuttered storefronts. He peered through one of the windows of Wayne Tower, which loomed overhead with gold lettering catching the sunlight.

‘How dare he do something like this to my father’s hard work,’ He thought.

“How is Mr. Earle?” Bruce asked aloud.

“Oh… successful,” Alfred answered sourly.

But it was clear to see that Alfred disapproved of the man’s choices, especially when it came to the Wayne legacy.

<>

Later, they were in the Rolls Royce with Alfred driving them back to Wayne Manor. As he drove, he glanced toward Bruce through the rear-view mirror.

“Will you be heading back to Princeton tomorrow or could I persuade you to spend an extra night or two?” He asked, with faint hope.

“I’m not heading back at all,” Bruce answered grimly.

This news surprised Alfred greatly.

“You don’t like it there?” He inquired.

Bruce smiled sardonically as he looked out the window toward all the trees flashing by.

“I like it fine,” He responded. “They just don’t feel the same way.”

To which Alfred sighed with irritation but expected such a response from the young master… even he could see that time hadn’t healed the boy… not after that tragic night.

<>

A full year had officially gone by since Bruce and the Equestrian heroes found and begun their training with the League of Shadows. One year officially since the heroes first landed upon this world. In all that time, they trained vigorously and almost religiously. Each and every day they would train from dawn till dusk and then do the same thing the very next day. They were battered, bruised, scarred, and certainly changed since they first arrived in this harsh world.

This was showcased through their movements, as every member of the Mane Six and Spike sparred with one another. They each used their practice sticks and swung at one another in a practice session. Duscan Al Ghul watched from the sidelines along with a group of assassins, all observing as the Mane Six and Spike fought one another. They weren’t necessarily trying to hurt one another, but Duscan wanted to see how much they’ve progressed in the last year.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash showcased aggressiveness as they smashed their sticks together so hard they actually started to splinter. Rarity and Twilight danced around one another as they clashed. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie actually started showing less of their meek and fun love nature. Instead, what stood before the onlookers were a pair of ponies actually taking the training seriously shown by the way they clashed with each other. Spike fought with a League assassin who actually had trouble keeping up with the way Spike attacked so quickly, so swiftly. It was like fighting against air in a way.

One sudden finger snap from Duscan stopped the girls and Spike mid-fight, as they turned to face him on command. It almost seemed as though they were trained dogs following the calling of a master. The Equestrians approached the front of the Heir of the Demon and actually knelt down on one knee before him. Seeing this actually caused a small smile to come upon the face of Duscan Al Ghul.

“You’ve come a long way since your arrival,” He spoke with admiration.

Twilight was the first to get back to her feet, bowing curtly toward Duscan.

“We do the best we can, Master Duscan,” She replied.

“Well, you certainly exceeded the expectations my father and I had for you all.”

“So… does that mean we’re finally done?” Rarity asked hopefully.

“And we finally get to party?” Pinkie asked gleefully.

“Unfortunately… no,” Duscan shook his head.

“Oh come on man!” Rainbow groaned, standing up. “We’ve literally done everything you’ve put in front of us! We beat the living feathers out of each other, tight roped across a gorge, and even spent a month straight in solitary confinement! What more do you want?”

“Calm yourself, Element of Loyalty,” Duscan assured. “There’s still one last thing you must understand before taking the final step.”

“Oh yeah? What might that be?” Spike asked.

Duscan gave no answer, merely turned on heel before making his way out of the room. The Mane Six and Spike looked amongst each other for a moment before slowly following Duscan. They had no idea what was about to happen, but if it helped them get this training over with then so be it they thought.

<>

Alfred and Bruce walked up the main staircase of Wayne Manor together. The rest of the house was dark and empty, with most of the furniture covered with dust-cloths. Yet despite the dismal state of the house, the old butler had faint hope that the young master would actually stay this time.

“I’ve prepared the master bedroom,” Alfred informed the young man.

“My old room will be fine,” Bruce shook his head.

It was plain to see that the young man had no intention of sleeping in his parents’ bedroom.

“With all due respect, sir,” Alfred spoke sternly. “Wayne Manor is your house.”

“No, Alfred, it’s my father’s,” Bruce argued irritated.

“Your father is dead, Master Wayne,” Alfred frowned.

“And this is a mausoleum,” Bruce stated. “When I have my way, I’ll pull the damn thing down brick by brick.”

That was the last straw as Alfred turned toward the young man.

“This house, Master Wayne, has sheltered six generations of the Wayne family!” He snapped.

“Why do you give a damn?” Bruce asked. “It’s not your family.”

And Bruce immediately regretted his words when the older man turned away, clearly hurt.

“I give a damn, sir,” Alfred spoke quietly. “Because a good man once made me responsible for what was most precious to him in the whole world.”

He fixed the young man with a look that said, ‘I care for you, Master Bruce.’

“Miss Dawes offered to drive you to the hearing.”

“Rachel? Why?” Bruce asked, surprised.

“She probably hopes to talk you out of going,” Alfred shrugged.

“Should I just bury the past out there with my parents, Alfred?” Bruce voiced his doubts.

“I don’t presume to tell you what to do with your past, sir,” The butler responded. “Just know that there are those of us who care what you do with your future.”

Bruce finally smiled after what felt like an eternity.

“You still haven’t given up on me, yet?” He asked.

“Never,” Alfred said with conviction.

Soon they reached the hallway, where Alfred handed the young man his bag and walked away with a smile of his own. Instead of his room, however, Bruce entered the master bedroom, placed his bag on the bed, and looked around the room. Fourteen years past and it hadn’t changed in the slightest. The room still held all his paresnts’ things, including his father’s stethoscope. He moved over to a mantel and stared at a framed photograph of himself as a kid on his father’s shoulders, his arms held up in triumph. He wiped the dust off the glass and smiled over the happy memories connected to it.

Bruce soon moved back toward his bed and opened his bag. He took out a shirt and set it aside to reveal a handgun, which he picked up. He inspected the gun to make sure it was loaded, before stuffing it into the pocket of his coat.

“I’m sorry, Alfred, but I have to do it,” He told himself.

<>

Bruce headed back to the main floor and entered the kitchen. There Rachel, now in her twenties, stood before the front of a counter and fingered some tomatoes in a crate.

“You know, Alfred still keeps the condensed milk on the top shelf,” Bruce pointed out.

Rachel smiled, recalling the times they’d steal the condensed milk with both her mom and Alfred after them.

“Hasn’t he noticed that you’re tall enough to reach it by now?” Rachel asked, smiling.

“Old habits die hard I guess,” He admitted, smiling.

“Never used to stop us, anyway,” Rachel added.

“No, no, it didn’t,” Bruce smiled, over the memory.

“So, you still trying to get kicked out of the entire Ivy League?” She guessed.

“Turns out you don’t actually need a degree to do the international playboy thing,” He confessed. “But you… intern at the DA’s office… quite the over-achiever.”

Rachel giggled… then her smile turned sad.

“I miss this place.”

“This place is nothing without the people who made it what it was,” Bruce spoke sadly. “Now there’s only Alfred.”

“And you,” Rachel added hopefully.

“I’m not staying, Rachel,” Bruce informed her.

“Oh, I thought maybe this time…” Rachel spoke disappointed. “But you’re just back for the hearing?”

Bruce merely nodded in agreement despite the fact he could see how upset Rachel looked.

“Bruce, I don’t suppose there’s any way I can convince you not to come?”

“Someone at the proceeding should stand for my parents,” Bruce responded.

“Bruce, we all loved your parents,” Rachel gently reminded him. “What Chill did is unforgiveable.”

“Then why is your boss letting him go?” Bruce demanded coldly.

“Because in prison he shared a cell with Carmine Falcone,” Rachel responded gently. “He learned things and he’ll testify in exchange for early parole.”

“Rachel, this man killed my parents!” Bruce protested. “I cannot let that pass.”

Rachel turned away from her oldest friend with such a disappointed gaze. Seeing that look on her face, Bruce couldn’t help but sigh.

“Rachel, I need you to understand.”

“Okay,” Rachel agreed unsurely.

After a few seconds, they left together to attend the hearing. If only Rachel had any idea of Bruce’s true intentions that day, she never would’ve permitted him into her car.

<>

The Mane Six and Spike followed Duscan through the lowest depths of the house, until their travels had them wandering through the caverns below. Eventually, Duscan led them back into the Lazarus Pit chamber, a familiar spot they’ve seen on their first day. As they entered the chamber, once again they heard voices calling to them from the pit. Their eyes stared through the glowing waters of the pool, the voices growing increasingly louder the farther they leaned.

“You can still hear them, can’t you?” Duscan asked.

Every pony, even Spike, was so entranced by the voices in their heads they didn’t even take notice of the fact he was speaking to them. Only Twilight was the first to take notice.

“What are they saying?” She asked bewildered.

“They are calling you into the Pit,” Duscan explained. “The Lazarus Pit is the secret to the League’s power. Now it wishes for ‘you’ to partake.”

The Equestirans just looked at Duscan as though they had absolutely no clue what he was talking about. The heir of the Demon looked down toward the pit, then back toward them with a smirk on his face.

“Perhaps a demonstration of the Pit’s full power is in order,” He suggested.

Then, Duscan reached behind him and drew out a long dagger which he held out in front of himself. The moment the group laid eyes upon that dagger, immediately they became worried over the man’s intentions.

“M-M-M-Mr. Duscan?” Fluttershy shook nervously. “W-W-What are you going to do with that?”

But Duscan refused to answer her question; instead, he merely plunged the dagger straight into his own abdomen. Blood spurted from his gut, and he felt to his knees. The girls and Spike all screamed in horror and shock.

“WHAT THE HAY!!!” Twilight screamed.

“SWEET CELESTIA!!!” Rarity screamed as well.

The girls and Spike rushed forward to help, but Duscan waved them off.

“Don’t!” He snapped weakly. “Don’t… interfere…”

Duscan found himself losing blood rapidly, his pulse quickly growing faint. However, he had just enough residual energy within himself to pull himself over to the Lazarus Pit and sunk below the glowing depths. The Pit began to bubble and boil before quickly ceasing entirely. The girls and Spike approached the pool, looking on with worry in their eyes.

“Is he… dead?” Spike asked concerned.

Just then, Duscan burst from the Lazarus Pit with a mighty gasp of air and the whole group jumped back with a yelp. Duscan took in a few gasps of air before ascending from the Pit and stood before the group once more. When the Equestrians looked upon him once again, they were all surprised by what they saw.

Duscan Al Ghul was completely healed.

They had literally just seen him fatally wound himself; how he looked now was like nothing even happened. Not only that but his physical condition looked better than ever. Granted, he was already a physically intimidating specimen except now he just looked… like an improvement of his former self.

“Now you see exactly what the Lazarus Pit can offer,” He said.

<>

At the courthouse, Bruce Wayne sat in a chair in the courtroom. The hearing was currently held before a five-person panel. The DA, Finch, addressed the panel while Chill sat next to him.

“The depression hit working people like Mr. Chill hardest of all,” Finch told them. “His crime was appalling, but it was motivated not by greed but by desperation. Given the fourteen years already served and his extraordinary level of cooperation with one of this office’s most important investigations, we strongly endorse his petition for early release.”

Judge Faden nodded and looked toward the man in question.

“Mr. Chill?” He asked.

Chill glanced around nervously as he stood up to reveal that the years had not been kind to him.

“Your honor, not a day’s gone by when I didn’t wish I could take back what I did,” He confessed. “Sure, I was desperate, like a lot of people back then. But that doesn’t change what I did.”

The judge nodded again, consulting the paperwork before him.

“I gather a member of the Wayne family is here today,” He inquired. “Does he have anything to say?”

Chill’s eyes went wide with guilt and fear, as he turned his gaze toward the young man in question. The cold fury in Wayne’s eyes stared directly toward Chill. The shooter and the young Wayne locked eyes, staring at each other for a period of time. The older man turned away, the guilt getting to him. Bruce stood and left the room, and everyone watched him go, including Rachel, who worried for her friend.

<>

The Mane Six and Spike stood in complete disbelief at the sight of Duscan Al Ghul standing before him since emerging from the Lazarus Pit. He had just fatally stabbed himself, was on the brink of death prior to entering the Pit, and now he looked better than ever. How was this even possible? Neither the ponies nor Spike had any idea. Obviously, it had to be some form of magic at work, but otherwise what kind it could possibly elude the group.

“I-I-I don’t understand,” Twilight said bewildered.

“Witnessing a feat taking place only does show much,” Duscan replied. “In order to truly understand the benefits of the Pit itself… you need only to experience it yourself.”

To which Twilight Sparkle and her friends turned to each other, a hint of uncertainty plain to see in one another’s eyes.

“Meaning…?” Rarity asked nervously.

“You need to experience the Lazarus Pit for yourself by willingly stepping into the very pool itself,” Duscan clarified. “One of you volunteers, and the rest will follow you.”

Slowly, the ponies and Spike look back toward the Lazarus Pit. As nerve-wracking as it was to see the pit itself, at the same time they couldn’t remove their gaze from the shimmering stream either. Perhaps it was due to the fact that it was so bright that it had this hypnotic quality just by looking at the way it swayed in the pit. As if that wasn’t enough, the voices grew the strongest amongst the deepest corners within the pit itself. Numerous voices ringing in their ears.

The frustrating part of it all was finding that urge within themselves to resist such a tempting display before them.

“I honestly don’t feel right about none of this…” Applejack spoke first.

“I’ve taken a dip in the mirror pool many seasons ago,” Pinkie Pie brought up. “I don’t see anything fun about this one.”

“I’m all for a hot dip as much as the next pony, but…” Rarity hesitated.

“Do we ‘really’ have to do it…?” Fluttershy squeaked.

“Hey, I can handle taking a risk as much as any of you guys,” Rainbow spoke up.

“So… does that mean you volunteer?” Spike asked.

“I didn’t say I was going to! Least… not now…”

“Interesting…” Duscan murmured, facing Twilight. “What do you say… Princess?”

The whole time, Princess Twilight Sparkle never took her eyes away from the contents within the pit itself. It was though she was the most hypnotized over the entire stream… or she was in deep thought over what the stream itself had to offer. Either way, her friends had nearly every right to worry for their friend considering the amount of attention the League had on their princess… specifically, an Al Ghul. Who knows just what Princess Twilight would do under this circumstance?

“I mean… technically I’m already an alicorn…” Twilight pointed out. “Princess Celestia and Luna have been around for thousands of years before our time…”

“And you truly believe they are as immortal as the Gods themselves?” Duscan asked.

“Well… I always believe there’s a rational explanation for why such ponies can live so long…”

“Being immortal does not mean you can never feel any pain,” Duscan explained. “True, it’s one thing that you can never truly age no matter how much time passes. But bones can still weaken over time… and you’ll still be exposed to being sick by any form of disease. You can live a long life… but a cursed life. Immortality does not make one indestructible, it just means more weight upon your own shoulders…

“Know this Twilight, your land may have the most powerful magic in the entire universe. But you will never find a power quite like this pit… and there are very few of these left in the world today. If you are truly smart, you’d make the most of this power while you can… if not for yourself… I should also point out that not ‘everyone’ shares the same benefits that only an alicorn has.”

If that was an attempt to strike a nerve of sorts, for a moment Duscan detected a slight reaction from Twilight despite her efforts not to show it. She couldn’t help but cast one eye toward her friends… the familiar sense of dread of her greatest fear. Not of what she fears could become of her, but the fate of her friends… even her honorary brother. True, Twilight Sparkle ‘could’ live as long as time itself much like her mentor and the alicorns before. But her friends… who’s to say they would be around to experience the many changes Equestria could have? Suppose this could in fact be their last adventure together? Suppose… every pony else reaches the end of their journey, and not her?

That maybe… just maybe… what harm would it do? Just one little dip into the pit… perhaps even a small sample of its power could make them open their eyes to something possible. An alternative from having to risk fading away despite all the advancements in modern medicine in their homeland. A chance for grandparents to live long enough to see their grandchildren grow up… to never be sick… never spend days walking with a limp. Everything this pit could offer; Twilight would not deny that it sounded very… tempting.

And yet, Twilight eyes also caught a glimpse of a single twitch from Duscan’s eyes as if within that brief moment she could sense a touch of haste of their master. One moment that was all it took to snap Twilight out of her senses.

“I think we’ll just go…” Twilight began. “… to train! We’ve got quite a bit more training to do!”

“Now you’re speaking my language!” Rainbow agreed quickly. “Could go for a workout myself!”

“Got to keep the guns pumped!” Spike spoke, flexing his arms.

“Thanks for showing us the creepy yet interesting pit, Master Dusky!” Pinkie smiled forcefully.

“Another time, another place…” Rarity bowed. “Come along, girls… and Spikey-Wikey!”

The ponies and Spike quickly made their way back through the path they came from, wanting to get as far away from the pit as possible. An assassin appeared from the shadows, taking a few steps to reach the group. But one hand raised from Duscan, one silent gesture was all it took to keep the assassin from drawing itself any farther. Duscan’s eyes stared intensely toward the group, watching their every move before they disappeared down the path.

“You’re stronger than I thought…” Duscan pondered. “But you’ll find your way back here soon, little princess. They ‘always’ come back… everyone gives in to temptation.”

<>

Bruce waited in the hallway outside the courtroom, turning the gun in his hands before stuffing it up his coat sleeve. Seconds later, the door opened and the reporters, all waiting near the main doors, sprung into actions. Two cops emerged from a different door with Chill, who’s head was down.

“They’re taking him out the side!” One reporter shouted.

Bruce straightened up and made toward the older man, while reporters tried to brush past the cops firing questions toward Chill. The whole time, the older man tried his best to avoid any eye contact with anyone, as though he felt unsafe in this heavily populated room.

“Chill, any words for the Wayne family?”

One reporter noticed Bruce and turned his attention toward the young man, taking pictures.

“It’s Bruce Wayne!”

The reports pulled away, eager for any confrontation between the two men, possibly the biggest story of their careers even. Just then, a mysterious blonde woman squeezes past the cops and made way towards the criminal.

“Joe! Hey Joe!”

Chill looked up, just as she drew out a gun.

“Falcone says ‘Hi’!”

*BAM!!!*

She fired the fun directly into his chest and everyone within the surrounding region screamed in horror. Bruce froze at the sound of the gunshot as Chill dropped to the floor. Reporters dove for cover; cops tackled the blonde to the floor. Rachel pushed her way through the crowd as EMTs raced in and tried to save Chill’s life. As she moved over to Bruce, she found him staring at the dying man, his own gun just a cold piece of metal in his hand… forgotten.

“Come on, Bruce,” She said, taking his arm. “Come on, we don’t need to see this.”

“I do,” Bruce yanked his arm away.

As Bruce’s eyes was fixed upon the scene, there was no mistake that Chill was dead long before any confirmation. Rachel managed to finally pull Bruce away and out of the courthouse. After they were in her car, Bruce sat staring at nothing with his hands in his lap. Rachel worriedly glanced at him several times. Upset as she was about losing Chill and the DA’s best chance at getting Falcone, she was more worried about her friend.

“Are you okay?” She asked, sighing. “The DA couldn’t understand why Judge Faden insisted on making the hearing public. Falcone paid him off to get Chill out in the open.”

“Maybe I should be thanking them,” Bruce muttered, breaking his silence.

Naturally, Rachel didn’t like what she heard.

“You don’t mean that.”

“What if I do, Rachel?” Bruce asked bitterly. “Chill killed my parents; they deserved justice.”

Rachel shook her head, appalled by what she heard.

“You’re not talking about justice; you’re talking about revenge.”

“Sometimes they’re the say,” Bruce spoke emotionlessly.

No matter how hard Rachel tried, Bruce refused to make eye contact with the young woman. She could tell Bruce was avoiding something and yet that didn’t stop her from attempting to find the answer.

“They’re never the same, Bruce,” Rachel protested. “Justice is about harmony; revenge is about making yourself feel better. That’s why we have an impartial system.”

“Well, your system’s broken!” Bruce snapped.

“Don’t you tell me the system’s broken, Bruce!” Rachel yelled angrily. “I’m out here every day trying to fix it while you mope around using your grief as an excuse to do nothing. You care about justice?”

She yanked on the wheel, drove down an exit ramp and onto the surface streets, which were dark, crowded, and threatening.

“Look beyond your own pain, Bruce!” She snapped, gesturing the sights. “This city is rotting. Chill is not the cause, he’s the effect. Corruption is killing Gotham and Chill being dead doesn’t help that, it makes it worse because Falcone walks. He carries on flooding our city with crime and drugs, creating new Joe Chills every day. Falcone may not have killed your parents, Bruce, but he’s destroying everything they stood for.”

She then pulled up in front of a basement club, where a well-suited bounced checked IDs and invited the attendees.

“You want to thank him for that here you go,” She gestured. “We all know where to find him. But as long as he keeps the bad people rich and the good people scared, no one will touch him.

She then gave Bruce a hard look.

“Good people like your parents who’ll stand against injustice are gone, Bruce,” She poked his chest. “And what chance does Gotham have when the ‘good’ people do nothing?”

“I’m not one of your ‘good people’,” Bruce stated, sighing heavily. “Chill took that from me.”

What do you mean?” Rachel asked confused.

Bruce reluctantly took the gun out of his pocket and showed it to his friend. She stared at it, then toward him with complete shock.

“All these years I wanted to kill him…” Bruce confessed. ‘Now I can.”

Rachel stared at her friend in shock, until anger eventually took over. She slapped him across the face several times, but he rewarded her with no response.

“You’re no better than the rest,” She snarled. “No better than Chill. Your father would be ashamed of you!”

Bruce stared at her, hurt that she would bring up his late father like that. He then opened the door, got out, and walked away. As Bruce walked out onto the docks, Rachel drove away in a hurry. He stood and stared out toward the water, rolling the gun between his hands, until he found himself back on the night his parents died. All he could think of was the trembling gun inches from his father’s chest. His body reacted to that fear so much, he hurled the gun straight toward the black water beyond.

From that day on, Bruce Wayne would never use or even hold a gun ever again.

<>

Bruce walked toward the basement club and headed straight for the entrance. Entering the noisy place, he looked around until he spotted Falcone at a table. Eyes narrowed, Bruce pushed his way through the crowd until he reached the table, and Falcone looked up with a sigh.

“Well Mr. Sionis, looks like we’re going to have to conduct further business another time,” Falcon spoke to the person sitting across from them.

“Don’t wait too long Carmine,” The other individual responded. “I’m a very busy man you know.”

The man across from Falcone stood from the booth and made his way out the area. As he passed Bruce, the young man got a good look at the individual. The man was at least ten years older than himself, wearing a rather nice three-piece suit. He had slicked-back dark-brown hair, with an expression upon his face that could shatter a statue. This man was perhaps one of the city’s biggest crime bosses the city of Gotham had ever known:

Roman Sionis…

Sionis and Bruce kept eye contact for a moment before the older man pushed his way past-and-out of the club with an entourage of mobsters following behind. Bruce watched the man and his goon leave before turning back to Falcone. One of his thugs patted the young man down for any weapons.

“You’re taller than you look in the tabloids, Mr. Wayne,” He commented. “No gun? I’m insulted.”

“Only a coward needs a gun,” Bruce stated coldly.

Falcone merely shrugged and gestured to him to sit.

“Could’ve just sent me a thank you note,” Falcone added.

Bruce merely sat down with a scowl on his face.

“I didn’t come here to thank you,” He snapped. “I came to show you that not everyone in Gotham is afraid of you.”

Falcone laughed, as if he heard the greatest joke in the history of Gotham City.

“Just those that know me, kid,” He snicked, gesturing to the crowd. “Look around. You’ll see two councilmen, a union official, a couple off-duty cops, and a judge.”

In a nearby booth, Judge Faden sat and eyed the young man nervously. The older man took out a gun from under the table and aimed it at Bruce’s forehead.

“Now I wouldn’t have a second hesitation blowing your head off in front of them,” Falcone threatened. “That’s power you can’t buy, that’s the power of fear.”

“I’m not afraid of you,” Bruce smiled.

“Because you think you have nothing to lose,” He snorted. “But you haven’t thought it through – you haven’t thought about your lady friend from the DA’s… or that old butler of yours…”

He pulled the trigger and Bruce tried, and failed, to not flinch at the clicking sound. His point proven; the older man lowered the gun.

“People from your world always have so much to lose. That’s why they keep me in business. I stop the desperate heading uptown the way Joe Chill did. You think because your mommy and daddy got shot you know the ugly side of life, but you don’t. You’ve never tasted desperation. You’re Bruce Wayne, Prince of Gotham, you’d have to go a thousand miles to meet someone who didn’t know your name. So, don’t come down here with all your anger… trying to prove something to yourself. This is a world you’ll never understand. And you’ll always fear what you don’t understand.”

With a few nods, two thugs hauled the young man up, punched him in the stomach, and when Bruce turned to fight, they pinned his arms behind his back.

“You got spirit, kid, I’ll give you that,” Falcone added. “More than your old man.”

And Bruce looked at him with a cut lip.

“In the joint Child told me about the night he killed your parents… said your dad begged for mercy,” Falcone mocked. “Begged… like a dog.”

And laughter echoed as the young man was dragged away.

<>

Bruce grunted as the thugs tossed him out of the club and into the street. He sat up, glaring back towards the club.

“Shoulda tipped better.”

Bruce turned to see a homeless man warming his hands over a fire built inside an oil drum, while other homeless people scattered about around the docks. The young millionaire stood up and approached the homeless man as he wiped the blood off his face with his scarf which he tossed into the barrel. He pulled out his wallet and took out every bit of cash within it. He then handed the money to the homeless man, who was utterly surprised by the gesture.

“For what?” He asked warily.

“Your jacket,” Bruce answered.

“Okay.”

Accepting the money, the homeless man took off his jacket while Bruce dropped his wallet into the fire, along with his tie. He then took off his overcoat, which he was about to toss into the fire next.

“Lemme have it, that’s a good coat.”

Bruce looked toward the man, thought it over, and decided instead to hand it over. The homeless man accepted the jacket, which he proceeded to pull over.

“Be careful who sees you with that,” Bruce advised. “They’re gonna come looking for me.”

“Who?” The homeless man asked.

“Everyone.”

And just like that, Bruce Wayne proceeded to walk away. He wandered through the stacks of containers and heard a horn in the distance. A cargo ship was just ready to depart, and Bruce proceeded to race toward it, disappearing into the shadows.

<>

As the year passed, Henri watched Bruce, who faced off against a shaven-headed warrior. They were just in the midst of sparring when a shout across the monastery distracted the young man. He was taken down in a matter of seconds, as the older man shook his head.

“Childish, Wayne.”

But instead of protesting, Bruce watched as two warriors dragged a screaming man toward a cage.

“Who is he?” He asked.

“He was a farmer,” Henri answered, watching. “Then he tried to take his neighbor’s land and became a murderer. Now he’s a prisoner.”

As the man was locked inside the cage, Bruce and Henri watched as the cage itself was winched ten feet off the ground. Inside, the man whimpered fearfully.

“What will happen to him?” Bruce asked.

“Justice,” Henri responded. “Crime cannot be tolerated – criminals thrive on the indulgence of society’s ‘understanding’. You know this.”

To which the young man nodded in agreement, but Wayne still stared toward the man in the cage. For one reason or another, he couldn’t help but feel a troubled expression start to form.

“Or when you lived among the criminals… did you make the same mistake as your father?” Henri continued. “Did you start to pity them?”

<>

“The first time you’re forced to steal not to starve…”

Bruce wandered through the crowded market in an African port town, stopping in front of a fruit stand. He examined a mango while he also slipped a plum into his pocket. He then entered an alley and squatted in a doorway. He hungrily bit into the plum, saving the taste and juice, until he noticed a small boy in rags. The boy sat in the next doorway, staring at the plum.

“… you lose many assumptions about the simple nature of right and wrong.”

Bruce looked at the boy, then at the plum and sighed. He proceeded to hand the plum to the boy, who eagerly took it.

<>

In London, England, Bruce Wayne, now filthy and growing a beard, moved through the crowd with an elderly man.

“I needed to feel the fear before a crime…”

The elderly man spotted a businessman moving in their direction and he stepped directly into his path. This would cause a collision which knocked the elderly man to the ground. Bot the businessman and Bruce crouched down to help the elderly man.

“And the thrill of success…”

Bruce slipped the businessman’s wallet out of his pocket without the man’s knowledge as they helped the elderly man up. As the businessman walked away, Bruce presented the wallet to the elderly man, who nodded with approval. Then the young man hurried after the businessman.

“… without becoming one of them.”

Bruce caught up with the businessman and returned the wallet; the businessman thanked him and handed the young man a banknote in return, which Bruce took and gave his thanks.

<>

Somewhere in Eastern Europe, Bruce Wayne was in a warehouse and tried cracking a safe under the supervision of a young tough man. The man shook his head, spun the dial, and whipped open the safe and showed Bruce what to do.

“I thought I would find something.”

In Shanghai, Bruce was in a backroom with a Chinese boss and seven criminals. They were drinking, laughing, and showed each other their spoils of watches, wallets, and phones.

“I thought I would learn what I needed to do with my skills and my anger.”

It was daytime now, as a truck raced through the door. Two criminals yanked the doors shut after, as both Bruce and the boss jumped down from the cab.

“But the harder I looked the less I saw. The less I knew.”

Bruce turned to the boss with a wary expression.

“Where’s this friend of yours?”

The boss merely shrugged.

“Not friend. Friend of friend.”

Bruce rolled his eyes and looked at the boss with contempt.

“Until I wasn’t even sure what I’d been looking for in the first place.”

The doors exploded open, as cops burst in shouting in Mandarin. Now the back of the truck was open, and the cops performed an inventory of boxes they pulled out of the back and piled upon the floor.

“And I was lost.”

Bruce sat in a line of criminals with his hands cuffed behind his back; a cop yanked him to his feet, hauling him toward the commanding officer.

“He refuses to give his name.”

The officer smirked at the young man.

“Fool – this is China, you’re a criminal, what the hell do I care what your name is?”

“I’m not a criminal,” Bruce protested.

The officer scowled and waved him away and looked at the truck.

“Tell that to the guys who owned these!” He snapped.

The officer kicked a box that had the Wayne Enterprises logo on the very front.

“You traveled the world to understand the criminal mind and conquer your fear…”