As Bruce continued Rarity's physical examination, Rarity became more and more perturbed. "Father, what's happened to me?" she demanded petulantly.
"Not now, Rarity," he replied, continuing to scan her new wings with the computer, as well as analyzing the mouth swab he'd taken with the genetic scanner.
"Father, where did these wings come from?" she demanded. "The last thing I remember is blacking out after Dr. Cuvier injected me with something-"
"Rarity, be patient," Bruce scolded. "I need to concentrate." He began running more scans over her limbs, her horn, and even using some of the diagnostic magitek Victor and Rachel had sent to scan her magical aura.
"Father!" Rarity whined. "Right now it's taking all my self control not to freak out! I need answers!"
Bruce turned to face her. "Rarity, all I know for sure is that right now something is going on, with your magic, with your mind...for all I know, with your very soul. Your magic is driven by thought. Right now, incomplete information is more dangerous to you than no information. So please, be patient until I have all the information I can give you."
Blinking, Rarity nodded. "I'll try, Father," she promised.
After that, Bruce continued his examination in silence. When he finished, he turned to face her. "Alright, I think I can explain some of what's happened to you. I want to give you as much information as I can before you seek the rest of the answers. I'm not entirely sure the one who has them can be trusted." As Rarity opened her mouth to question, Bruce held up his hand to silence her. "We'll get to that." When she nodded, he sat back, arranging his thoughts.
"When you were kicked into the power lines, your suit electrified. As a result of the circuitry that amplifies your magic, that electricity was channeled straight down your horn and into your brain." Bruce frowned. "That's a rather glaring weakness for your suit, as a single intense electrical attack will disable you in any fight, and a sufficiently intense one could permanently cripple you. Unfortunately, not only can we not do anything about that - without that amplification, your magic isn't strong enough for combat, and you're too small to be able to act against most human opponents without it - but it has already rendered your horn sensitive - and somewhat vulnerable - to electrical current. You'll need to watch out for it in the future.
"Dr. Cuvier injected you with what for your body weight was an overdose of vampire bat serum," Bruce continued. "Normally, this would result in a mutation that would include physical alterations including bat wings and a mouthful of fangs, as well as uncontrollable rage that would render you nearly mindless." He patted a gun nearby. "On the off chance something like this might happen, I'd prepared a dose of antimutagen, altered to be based on your DNA rather than human."
Rarity raised an eyebrow. "How is it you knew how to prepare such antimutagen? And why did you have to alter the base from human?"
Bruce smirked. "The reason I feared splicing would make a mess we'd have to clean up is because it wouldn't be the first such mess a Bat had to clean up...and I had to use the antimutagen on myself a time or two."
"I see," Rarity observed. "But then why do I still have wings?"
"The splicing didn't work as intended with you," Bruce explained. "Your magical and genetic aura accepted and incorporated the vampire bat strain, making it a part of you. As a result, you didn't even get the extra aggression the process normally creates. I have a few theories as to why, but no real evidence..."
Rarity smiled. "Given how little information you have on unicorns - and my variety of unicorn in particular - I would wager based on how smoothly it was incorporated from what I can see of the display that my species comes in multiple forms - not all unicorn - with a common genetic anchor which allows crossbreeding, and that one variety naturally had bat wings." She glanced back over her shoulder as she spread her new wings. "That's really the only explanation as to why they came in looking so...regal and elegant." She fanned her wings, momentarily distracted with how the dim light of the cavern refracted through the thin membrane into a monochromatic rainbow on the floor.
Bruce nodded. "That speculation is as viable as any. However...that's not all that happened."
Rarity turned away from her wings as she folded them to her sides. "This is where you're going to explain why I don't remember the wings coming in, amongst other things?"
Bruce nodded. "Apparently, the combination of the lightning through the core of your mind and magic, plus the injection of bat serum...awoke something. There's...another being inside of you. She's the one I brought up who probably has the answers we need, the one who I don't think can be trusted...especially as all I know about her for sure is that she's egocentric, dislikes being thwarted, and calls herself the Nightmare."
Rarity giggled. "No wonder you don't like her, Father," she joked. "She sounds just like you."
Bruce gave her a pained look.
"Just teasing," Rarity simpered at him. "I know this is serious...but the fact that I am in control now implies I have some sort of leverage over her, so it's not the end of the world yet."
Bruce sighed. "She did say your will was too strong for her to control you completely," he explained. He then grinned. "She blames me for that."
"I'm my Father's daughter, after all," the filly bragged. "From both sides of his being."
Bruce nodded. "Well, I've prepped you as best I can. She said you can call her to your mind with the phrase, 'When night falls, the Mare Rises'."
Rarity chuckled. "Someone has a flair for the dramatic," she murmured. "When night falls, the Mare Rises." Her vision went white.
She found herself standing inside a building, small from her experience...though everything inside seemed sized to someone of her stature...or at least an adult of her stature. The carpet was pale purple, expanding in circles that alternated with paler purple. Pinkish purple curtains hung from several walls, surrounding circular mirrors. a golden platform stood in the center of the room, surrounded by mirrors. Nearby the platform was a mannequin similar to the ones she'd designed to hang her day to day outfits from, which stood in her room in Wayne Manor. A gorgeous pink, purple, and gold dress studded with gemstones adorned the mannequin.
"You really don't remember this place, do you?" an unexpected voice asked.
Rarity spun. On the golden platform, she saw a darker reflection of herself. The eyes were black slits in sapphire irises, surrounded by pale blue corneas. The coat was dark purple, and the mark on her flank was three bright blue stars surrounded by a field of small white ones. The mane and tail were ethereal, flowing around the filly in a field of purple speckled with stars, a single white streak running through each. The horn was also longer and sharper than Rarity's own. Dark purple bat wings were folded against her sides.
"...Nightmare, I presume?" Rarity spoke up.
Nightmare admired herself in the mirrors, spreading her wings. "I must admit, I look much better in your body than the one I was born from. While intimidating, black was never a good color for anything but striking fear. This dark purple...much better for the things I've come to enjoy. And these wings!" She admired her wings anew. "I'll really have to thank Dr. Cuvier for them before breaking him in half. Membrane is so much better for the look I'm going for than feathers. So much easier to clean, too, and the difference in lift generation is minuscule when the magic shoulders most of the burden, anyway."
Rarity chuckled, having admired herself in the mirror often enough to recognize her own streak of vanity when she saw it. "What is this place? I know it's my mindscape, but why does it look like this?"
Nightmare turned to stare at her. "Truly? You recollect this place not at all?" She slipped into a more archaic speech pattern with a slight smirk on her face, as though internally laughing at a private joke.
"It...it is familiar, but..." Rarity's voice trailed off as she glanced around. "I just can't quite place it. Is...is it a clothing store?" She glanced out the windows, but there was nothing beyond them to see but stars.
"Hmm..." Nightmare mused. "Things are more different than I thought. No wonder the old anchors...never mind. Come with me." Nightmare stepped down from the platform and led the way through the building to a table where high tea had been prepared. "We have much to discuss."
Rarity took a seat at the table, sipping the tea. "Quite delicious," she murmured, "but I don't recognize the flavor..."
Nightmare smiled sadly. She then refocused her face. "Have you figured out who and what I am?"
Rarity thought for a time. "As best as I'm able to determine...you're some sort of mordant beast. At some point, you were a part of an entity, but were forcibly separated somehow to become your own being. The exceptionally dark color scheme seems to point to you being a sort of 'negative twin', especially what you said about once being pure black." She took another sip of tea. "But whoever you were once a part of, you weren't their evil side...just an amalgamation of all their negative emotions that eventually became its own personality. Somehow you were forcibly extracted from that person...and now you're part of me somehow."
Nightmare's smile was wide and devious. "While I can't say I like how much stronger your will is, I must say I love the other changes. He has done an excellent job training you." Nightmare wriggled and seemed to flex. A dark aura expanded off her into ether, and Rarity felt her reaching out to touch the corners of her mind. "There's so much more to work with here."
"So Father's right about me being reverse aged somehow, then?" Rarity asked incisively.
Nightmare chuckled. "Naughty, naughty...you've been peeking at his files. What would he say?"
Rarity chuckled. "He'd probably be torn between irritation at my invading his privacy and pride that I was able to hack his security."
Nightmare's laugh was full-throated. "Oh, you are a fun one now." Her grin returned. "But I'm afraid I'm not going to answer any of those questions just now. You'll do better as you are if you leave those mysteries unanswered just now."
"You don't really expect me to actually do so, do you?" Rarity asked pointedly.
"Not really," Nightmare replied. "But don't expect me to help until the time is right."
"Fair enough," Rarity allowed. "Now...what do you want?"
"Straight to the point, hmm? Good." Nightmare took a sip from her own teacup. "Ah, a taste of home."
"If you don't want me pursuing those mysteries, why offer tidbits like that?" Rarity inquired.
"Because I enjoy watching you squirm," Nightmare explained. "As you said, I'm a mordant beast; the negative half of a soul forged into its own being. I'm little different from a demon reveling in torture, save torture's not really my thing. I much prefer battles, whether of swords or wits." She leaned back. "But as to my wants...
"We're stuck sharing this body. Now that I'm active, I want to be able to do things, or at least be able to make some of the decisions or interact with others. But I can't just wrest control from you. However, if I fight against you, you'll have trouble maintaining control." Nightmare smiled. "What does that suggest to you?"
"You want to draw up terms for us to share control of my body?" Rarity asked archly.
"At the moment, it's our body," Nightmare corrected. "You're the one who originally let me in, both before and now when you let me out."
"It wasn't exactly my choice to get kicked into-"
"That just broke the cage," Nightmare corrected. "The first time you opened the door to me was the first day you donned the suit." She smiled slowly. "I feed on fear. It's in my nature to instill it. When you chose to be Batmare, whether you knew it or not you chose to make me a part of you again, albeit in a different way."
Rarity sighed, taking another sip of tea. "Very well. What sort of control do you want?"
"Right off the bat, I have no interest in being a Wayne," Nightmare replied curtly. "Bruce has my grudging respect, but I'm not cut out for civilian life. Batmare's much more my scene."
"I don't think an all but demon who feeds on fear is the protector Gotham needs," Rarity pointed out.
"I admit I'm not much of a protector," Nightmare agreed. "Nor do I really care for redemption. It's not exactly my cup of tea. But not all foes you face will be redeemable. Those are the ones I want to fight."
"And who decides who can be redeemed and who cannot?" Rarity demanded archly.
Nightmare's grin was outright devilish. "Why, you, of course. After all...Batmare is the protector Gotham needs."
Rarity blanched at that. The idea that she would be responsible for deciding who this...this demon would be unleashed upon. "That's...that's a lot of responsibility."
"No more than you willingly took on when you first donned the mask," Nightmare pointed out.
Rarity took a few calming breaths. "True. And...that's all you want?"
"Not entirely," Nightmare pointed out. "I want to be able to observe - and comment - on your life as you live it. I've been caged for most of my existence, so I at least want to be able to make commentary."
Rarity frowned. Having this being commenting at any time during her daily life could be quite problematic. "How about a compromise there?" she offered. "If you don't pose commentary while I'm talking to someone or while someone is talking to me, then I'll share control of my mouth when we're only around people who know about you - like Father and a few others I'll tell - so you don't have to take complete control to speak with them. How does that sound?"
Nightmare sipped her tea as she contemplated this. "I suppose I can accept those terms. More convenient for both of us that way."
Rarity nodded. "Just one more detail to cover," she brought up. "When you're in control as Batmare...kill only when there is no other option available."
Nightmare sighed. "While killing isn't exactly something that appeals to me, either, I understand the insistence. I shall restrain myself, and try to avoid breaking the mortals. However, I ask one thing in return."
"And what might that be?" Rarity asked.
"Dr. Cuvier made all this possible from my end," Nightmare pointed out. "I'd like to thank him...properly and personally, in this new role."
Rarity thought about that. "I suppose that's appropriate. I'll track him down, and once I'm sure the 'firing line' is clear, as long as you don't kill him, he's all yours."
Nightmare grinned. "Then we are of accord. I already have a method by which I will relinquish the body back to you...and this is how you can summon me." Nightmare implanted the conjuration in Rarity's psyche.
"Hmm, rather evocative," Rarity admitted. "But why the rhyme?"
Nightmare smiled sadly. "In memory of someone I once knew who was...rather fun during the time between becoming my own entity and being bound to you," she explained.
"Very well," Rarity replied. "I can understand the need for such sentiment." The mindscape faded to equal parts white and black.
Rarity was once more in the Batcave, blinking her eyes a bit. "Well?" Bruce asked her.
"It's all settled," Rarity replied. "I'll explain everything after I've dealt with Cuvier."
"And how do you plan to find him?" Bruce inquired.
Smiling, Rarity levitated the claw stuck in her hoof. "How good is Ace's nose?"
Finding herself outside the broken down taxidermy building, Batmare cast a quick spell over the place. There was only the one life sign. "Alright Ace," she commanded. "Go home now. I'll be back soon." Ace whimpered complete. "Go. Now." Turning, Ace obeyed the command and headed for home.
So is it my turn now? Nightmare inquired.
"Not quite," Rarity murmured. She wriggled. "I need to figure out how to make this costume comfortable over the wings," she muttered to herself as she made her way in.
Inside, she spied Cuvier hiding out, alongside a large box of splicer vials.
Now?
Rarity smiled. "Gone, begone, child of light! Now you face the Darkest Night!"
As the chant echoed around the building, causing Cuvier to jerk in surprise, dark magic swirled around Rarity. The moon - which had been half full - suddenly went dark, only the faint ring of a Lunar Eclipse visible. When the dark magic unfolded around her form, Nightmare had taken her place. Instead of the bat suit, however, she was garbed in armor. All four legs were garbed in boots black as night. A matching helmet covered her face, letting her horn free. A matching peytral was adorned with a crimson Batman symbol, which seemed to drip blood.
"So, Dr. Cuvier," Nightmare purred, "are you ready to face what you've unleashed?"
"Batmare!" he gulped in shock. Seeing her spread wings, he managed a smile. "I like the new look."
"Batmare's not in right now," Nightmare purred. "I'm the Dark Night."
Cuvier staggered back, his hand reaching for the box of vials.
"Please, do show me whatever last defense you have planned," Dark Night cooed. "I wouldn't want this to be too easy."
Cuvier smirked. "You may come to regret that." Searching through the box, he injected several vials into his own body. After a time, he began to change.
He expanded vertically, his body becoming heavily muscled as his legs fused into a long, thick, serpent tail. His face became beak-like, with feathered tufts instead of hair. His skin became brown as he ripped out of his clothes, and black patterns covered his snake tail.
"Now you face a true chimera!" he proclaimed.
Dark Night chuckled. "Well, if it's to be a battle of legendary beasts..." Her magic levitated several vials out of the box, shattering in the air as their contents blending with her magic as she shaped her temporary construct. "I shall let a beast of my own deal with you."
Cuvier reared back in shock as he saw the creature that took shape, towering over him with far more raw power than he could bring to bear.
A very nice dragon, Rarity mused silently as the beast began pummeling the now helpless chimera. But why is it purple and green?
Nightmare smiled sadly, saying nothing as she watched the carnage. She was almost sorry that her promise meant that her construct would not kill Cuvier, splattering the possible future form she'd crafted with his blood.
...almost.
So, this isn't going to turn into another 'redeem Nightmare Moon' story. Good.
Not that I don't like those stories (Past Sins has long been one of my favorites in the fandom), but from what I recall of the comic, Nightmare doesn't really seem to have much in the way of an agenda, aside from gaining a host. All agendas she has after getting a host are in part influenced by her host's darkest desires.
Maybe I'm reading too much into things. Would still like Rarity to meet Clark Kent at some point.
I feel that this was too easily solved.
5799985
Solved? What's been "solved"?
Rarity now has Nightmare living inside her head, sharing control, and has to deal with her at all times, knowing she's holding back secrets important to her.
This is going to be absolute torture for Rarity. Not only does she have her normal love of gossip, she's being raised by Batman and she has to share headspace with someone who's taunting her with secrets.
5799997 Yeah. But in the end, Nightmare is still going to be mostly under control. She just plays mind games in the background. And she can't play mind games when Rarity is talking with someone.
That is Nightmare paying homage to Spike isn't it. The feels. I love the chapter though.
5800007
Unless that someone knows about Nightmare.
5800016 But still. Not that big of a threat.
5800048
From the moment Nightmare awoke in Rarity in this setting, she was never a threat. That's not her purpose here.
I quite like the rhymes, and how the Nightmare is the Dark Knight.
last
bear
5800085
Actually, I think I used the right bare in this situation, under the "reveal" definition.
Honestly I thought she go with Night Mare but okay
there's SSSSOOO much truth in that.
and aaawww a Spike reference
5800088
http://grammarist.com/spelling/bare-bear/
You bring power to bear, not to bare. Check out the third paragraph at the link, that starts with "So bear is".
So, Nightmare and Rarity are in a kind of modified Naruto and Kurama relationship from the Ninja War. Interesting, and hello kinda!Spike!
Hmm... Part of Batman Beyond was that Terry wasn't too powerful. He had to really work to overcome the bad guys.
Rarity seems to be having too a easy a go at it to render it dull.
5800053 ... Then why is she here?
5800191
Not as a threat, or as an enemy. She has a different role to play.
5800194 And you're not going to tell me, are you?
To quote Cuvier in his Splicing episode:
"You brought out the beast in me!"
5800187
that is because Rarity has a completely different combat style then Bruce or Terry.
They had to do things armed with just their impressive Physical attributes and Purpose built Gadgets, meanwhile Rarity has the far more malleable mystical arts of the Equestrian Unicorn, AKA 'Magic' to augment her abilities, along with the Gadgets and Physical skills that go with being Batmare.
Now then, That means that sooner or later a more Mystic arts inclined enemy will eventually be drawn to Gotham, the hard part for Tatsurou is finding or creating a Proper Villain without accidentally breaking the stories flow or its enjoyability.
As a result, you didn't even get the extra aggression the process normally create
Nightmare stepped down from the platform and lead the way
"But as to my wants...
i can understand
When the dark magic unfolded around her form, Nightmare
washad taken her place1. Creates.
2. Led.
3. Forgot your closing quotation mark. Unless there was some rule present saying that there is no need for one when the sentence is split into two paragraphs. Can't remember.
4. Forgot to capitalise.
5. Extra Was.
I guess our little diva is now... Nightmare fuel for baddies.
Good thing Rarity didn't go bat shit insane in the cave.
Wonder if Rarity will have to wing it from now on...
why I feel like if in the last sentence there is a reference to the comic named 'crazy future' on deviant?
Uh... weak to electricity uh? There are several Electric based villains in the DC universe. Also you don't need to have the theme of electricity to have an electric based weapon.
*******
The Masked man turned up the dial and Batmare screamed inside the cage, electricity cursing thought her horn to the suit, frying some circuits despite the improvements and insulation Cyborg had added to it. Every time she tried to use magic she got shot by electricity. She had been careless and taken by surprise, or she would have raised a shell to avoid that lighting strike to hit her horn. That's how she got captured. Stupid, stupid! She had become too overconfident, too careless, lesson one, never underestimate the enemy!
"Interesting, I wonder how much I need to kill you? And just how much is barely enough to make you unconscious?"
"Who... who are you?"
"Oh, why don't you ask your friends the Titans? They are quite familiar with the Mask I am wearing after all. Also, in case you want to let your Demon friend out." The light turned on, blinding and hot lights. "These are sun lamps lazers created by Doctor Light, even if light is not your weakness, they are programed to hit you with blasts of intense heat if you get out the cage, and even in the form of a shadow of mist, getting hit is gonna hurt you."
"He might only be a human, but he is a worthy opponent, let me out!"
'No, if what he said about those lamps is true, it would be useless!' While Nightmare was powerful, there were too many of those damn lamps to evade attacks.
"Then how do you suggest we get out of this child? Electricity makes your magic and the suit useless!"
'Cyborg did more that insulate the suit. Guess who came to visit?'
"Slade!"
The Masked man turning around, seeing familiar faces "Ah, Titans, did you come out of retirement just to greet me for old times sake? I feel flattered." Then he pulled out the mask, revealing he was some kind of robot and there was countdown clock in his face "The whole building if full of bombs, and you have less than a minute, think you can save Miss Rarity here?"
****
Edited to address the complains.
I seriously had to do a double-take when I read that line. Batman + gun = does not compute!
Obviously it becomes clear with context that this is supposed to be some kind of injection device for the antigen, not a real gun. But you still might want to rephrase that line.
This seems wrong, coming from Rarity. Batman's one rule is that he doesn't kill, ever. The thought that he almost did it was what drove Bruce to quit in the first place. Batman's enemies might die during a fight due to their own actions, but even then he'd try to save them. Rarity seems to acknowledge the possibility of actively taking a life here, even if it would only be in self-defense or to avert disaster, but it is one step further than Bruce would ever go if you ask me.
Maybe I'm nit-picking, and ultimately Rarity isn't Bruce. And she shouldn't be. Taking the view that you might have to take a life and be prepared for it if the threat is serious enough, is still a high moral standard to have. But it does contradict the Batman mythos in my opinion.
5800088
"Bear or bare?"
Let's not go there.
To do so splits
a proverbial hair.
Actually, using the phrase "bring to bear" requires use of the infinitive verb form, as seen by including the preposition "to." As such, bear is the correct form. The other bare is an adjective modifying a noun, unless you add ly which makes it an adverb used to modify a verb, adjective or another adverb. (The bare bear barely got started bearing his soul.) Then of course there's the gerund...... (fade to black as consciousness is lost within a morass of incomprehensible Anglo-babble. LOL.)
5801128
Actually, Batman's rule is he won't kill you... but he doesn't have to save you from yourself, as Ras-al-Goul found out.
5801273
Yeah, but that's my point. Rarity's words aren't about 'letting someone die due to their own mistakes.' They're about 'killing as a last resort.' That implies a willingness to actively end a life, not just letting it happen.
Plus, your example is from the Nolan movies, whereas this story is based on the Animated Series continuity. I can't think of a single instance there where Batman stood by to let his foe die. Normally his first instinct is to save even his enemies, even if he's not always successful in that.
5801305
Point taken. :)
My god! IT'S ETRIGAN! SOMEHOW, NIGHTMARE KNOWS ETRIGAN!
Just kidding: It's only Luna. Or is it...
5800746
Others are corrected, and yes that's the case with number three. No end quote when a paragraph break interrupts one person's speech, if it continues from the start of the paragraph.
5801128
The 'gun' is actually similar to the 'cure guns' from X-Men 3, where the antimutagen is the ammunition, and the weapon functions like an air gun.
As to Rarity accepting the possibility of Nightmare killing...she knows she's dealing with a being a step removed from being a demon, who doesn't know the meaning of "holding back". The allowing killing as a last resort is two fold: one, if she disallowed killing at all, Nightmare was certain to demand something else in return as part of the compromise; two, by insisting the death of the unredeemable foe as only a last resort, "I chose not to save him" ceases to be a valid excuse.
5800943
I'm well aware of the propensity of villains who use electricity as a weapon - whether power or tech based - in DC. It's intentional. Simply put, Rarity was become too overpowered with the amplified magic and the magitek. So now she has a rather prevalent weakness...and the priority now for her combat will be avoiding it without seeming to avoid it, so her foes don't ever realize it's something she's extra vulnerable to.
Besides, the situation with Slade wouldn't work. One, a simple shield spell would prevent being electrified. Two, Nightmare isn't vulnerable to sun magic, just made stronger by moon magic. Three, shadow stepping doesn't take concentration, phases through normal matter, and puts her in an energy state where electricity would make her stronger as she isn't physical to be wounded at that point.
It may be a prevalent weakness, but it's also a balanced one.
5801755
A weakness to light is common to darkness magic.
5801789
Common, but not universal.
5801791
You give Rarity a weakness to electricity, then give Rarity Nightmare as a superform that does not share that weakness, not any weakness enemies could figure out, like sunlight, light, light magic...
You made Rarity weak just to make Nightmare unbeatable, unless she has a weakness to holy magic or something?
5801813
Nightmare is not unbeatable. She has to work within the limits of Rarity's physical body and magical knowledge. The only real advantage Nightmare has over Rarity is more raw magic to work with and fewer scruples when it comes to using it.
Also, Rarity's horn has become sensitive and vulnerable to electricity. Nightmare has the same horn. Also, to counterbalance Nightmare's greater power, she also exercises less control and has a greater flair for drama, which will leave her more open to counterattacks (what if Cruvier had something bigger than 'turning himself into a chimera' to fight back with, hmm?)
5801831
So, light weapons might not be her weakness, but they still work, right? IF Slade is using weapon that will burn a normal human to ashes in just a shot, is gotta at least hurt.
5801836
Oh, of course. Her physical body is as vulnerable to attacks as any other physical body.
But, like with Rarity as Batmare, the hard part is hitting her.
And that's the balance with the Electricity weakness. It may be her kryptonite, but unlike Superman she actually has to get hit with it...and that's nowhere near as easy as it sounds, especially now that she's aware of the weakness.
5801839
Even when she is in her shadow or smoke form, being hits by blasts of concentrated heat would still hurt. And Slade did fill the whole warehouse with those weapons doctor Light made, so with a few small changes, the scene can still work. Plus her powers are a lot like Raven, so he has some idea of what to do even if Nightmare is not a demon.
5801854
How would heat affect her in Shadow Step form? She's phased completely out of normal reality. At that point, the only thing that would effect her is a weapon tuned exactly to the phase variance she's using, which would force her to return to normal.
Basically, when Shadow Stepping, she temporarily becomes a ghost. And if he's got the warehouse rigged, the easy thing to do is phase out of it...through the floor into the sewers if necessary.
This is getting interesting. I look forward to more chapters
Hell ye.
Well it would have been weird if her forelegs had become wings.
I am quite interested in is how rarity is going to handle her new wings in regards to the public. She is obviously vein, and she has shown in the last chapter that she approves of her wings, so I see this happening in a few ways.
1: she uses a spell to hide the new wings. And reveal them again every time she becomes batmare.
2: she banks on the whole Power of the mask to keep the general public from realizing that both batmare and rarity geting wings at around the same time doesn't make people start to realize there is a connection between them.
3: she finds some spell or whatever to remove them entirely.
While I think she would attempt number one, I would be more interested if she went for option two, or some variant of that. Because like I said everyone knows rarity is vain, I would not put it past her to not only Let her new wings be visible but to flaunt them as well.
5809005
Well, the batsuit always had wings that opened up under the forelegs for flight when the hind-bootjets kicked in.
Besides, except at costume parties, Rarity's clothing doesn't have wingholes in the design. So she's likely only to show her wings as Rarity on Halloween or other costume parties.
5809011
With her access to that kind of money, it would be trivial for her to have a tailor alter her clothing to have wing holes. Not to mention hiding her wings in her clothing like that at all times would probably be extremely uncomfortable, especially if she gets that restless wing syndrome that RD suffers from.
I mean she could probably spin this whole thing off as part of the maturation cycle of her species. Because no one on the planet has ever seen a pony unicorn before. There are plenty of alien species out there that change as they mature, so she could just say she is one of them.
5809026
Hmm...true. After all, her sister-in-law had much more drastic changes when she hit puberty.
Hmm...if she redesigned her clothes to have wing slots rather than holes, so that her wings could comfortably fold against her sides and be covered but wouldn't tear anything if she had to unfold them suddenly...then she could just not say anything. By not making a fuss or actively trying to hide it, it's likely people just wouldn't notice because there's nothing calling attention to it. By the time anyone realized she had wings now, no one would be able to say exactly when it happened, and she could just say, "They grew in one day," and no more than that.
5809032
That's the right direction, personally I think the best way she can handle this publicly is to not make a big deal out of it at all. Like you said, it is critically important that she does not hide them and act like it is completely natural for her.
Because in the future Gotham, there are cameras and phones everywhere and rarity is a public image. So trying to hide them even with wings slots might raise some suspicion about it. Because any reporter worth their weight is going to be looking at her.
It would be one thing if she has the wings and just tells the media that it's just a natural part of her. But the public and some of the super criminals might take more interest and in it if she is trying to hide it even passively with wings slots.
But ultimately how she reacts to this is up to you. I just figured I would brainstorm it.
Even in another world, Spike is always there to help Rarity.
5809054 simple, rarity is a mage, and more importantly, knows Raven and thus has a connection to even more powerful mages. illusion those wings away.
Why does that seem sofamiliar?
5949257 It's a play on words for Etrigan's rhyme.
"Gone, gone the form of man,
Rise the demon Etrigan!"
5954592
5949257 I thought it was the Lantern Corps
s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/05/13/4e/05134e7b170d7f0e2794bc196e7f2571.jpg
Maybe a combonation? It could work.