//------------------------------// // Can You Tell I Wrote This In the Intermissions of a Batman Triple Feature? - Romance, Comedy // Story: Krizak's Compendium of Concise Chronicles // by Krizak //------------------------------// The room was suddenly plunged into darkness, eliciting a collective gasp from the ponies gathered within. “What was that?” a quiet voice barely whispered, fright tingling every word. Lightning cracked outside, briefly illuminating the room and the dark figure within, her black cowl and cape concealing every bit of her blue coat, save for her muzzle. As the light faded, only her silhouette was barely visible against the window. “I’m Batmare,” she intoned in a low, gravelly voice, “and I heard you need assistance.” Twin beams of red light fired out of the darkness in response, relighting the candles that had been snuffed out, and revealing a purple unicorn in a outfit of dark blue and red. A genuine smile formed on her lips as she looked at the mare in black. “Good to have you here, Batmare. We have a crisis on our hands, and we need all the help we can get.” “Supermare speaks the truth,” a light grey unicorn in golden barding said as she stepped forward, a coiled rope hanging from her flank. “Never has our need been greater for your expertise. Only by using our skills together can we resolve this! So speaks Wonder Mare!” “…oh, is it my turn? I’m sorry…” The yellow pegasus took barely half a step forward before shying away, her orange-and-green ensemble clashing terribly with her pink mane. “Um, well, I’m Seapony, and I’m ready to help you all, me and all my fish friends… if it’s okay for them to help…” The orange mare rolled her eyes at Seapony, reaching up to adjust the unfamiliar pointed green hat perched on her head. “Well, Ah’m not sure how much of a help yer fishy friends are gonna be, seeing as we gonna be fightin’ on land and all.” She brought a hoof up in contemplation. “At least, Ah sure hope we aren’t fightin’ in the ocean. A bow and arrows ain’t too useful underwater, y’know?” “Hey, neither are guns, and you don’t see me complaining!” laughed the last pony in the room. Her body was covered from head to hoof in red and black fabric, with only her bright pink mane showing. “Well, unless it’s funny complaining, I do a lot of that, like ‘did this villain get his henchmen at a discount,’ or—” “Pinkie!” Twilight interrupted, completely breaking her character. “I thought we all agreed to pick DC characters for tonight’s session! Deadhorse is Marevel!” “But Twiiiilight, Deadhorse is the perfect fit for me! He’s wacky, I’m wacky! He breaks the fourth wall constantly, I break the fourth wall constantly!” “For the last time, Pinkie, this is the real world! There is no fourth wall!” Rarity let out a exasperated sigh as she was forced to break character. “As fascinating as it would be to retread this metaphysical discussion yet again…” She turned to Pinkie. “Pinkie, dear, if we don’t all choose characters that mesh together, it ruins the immersion of roleplay night.” Dash’s “ha!” was muffled by the cowl she was busy taking off. After she finished freeing her prismatic mane from the costume, she continued, “Like it can really be immersive with you overacting all over the place!” The pale unicorn gasped. “It is called ‘getting into character,’ and it involves more than simply growling every word like you’re some Diamond Dog!” As the two arguments continued on, Fluttershy sidled up next to Applejack. “I’m starting to think roleplay night is a bad idea.” The farmmare nodded safely at this wisdom. “Ah still want to know why our love life needs spicin’ up when we’re all sleepin’ with five other ponies.” Fluttershy nodded, just before a thought crossed her mind. “Um, Applejack…” She looked over at Applejack, her eyes lidded. “If we started without them, how long do you think it would take them to notice and join in?” Applejack smirked. “Well, sugarcube, Ah guess there’s only one way to find out.”