//------------------------------// // Aftermath: Crusaders, Go! // Story: Batmare Triumphant // by SuperPinkBrony12 //------------------------------// Both Two Face and Miss. Freeze were tried and found guilty of committing crimes against Equestria, and both were sentenced to life in Canterlot Aslyum. In light of Miss. Freeze's condition, a special holding cell was prepared so that the frosty villan could be safely housed without access to her suit. As for Jet Set, he was tried, found guilty, and his company shut down. Miss. Freeze was glad to see him be sent to prison. Two Face, however, soon escaped from Canterlot Aslyum and continued to remain at large. But he was no longer the crime boss he once was, he no longer had the time or means to pull off elaborate heists. With the royal guard constantly on the lookout for him, he could not stay in one place for too long. But before any of that happened, Batmare brought Nightwing back to the Bat Cave, and just as she had suspected, his secret identity was none other than Spike. "I must say, I certainly wasn't expectin' company on such short notice." Granny Smith commented, when Nightwing arrived "I'll prepare some cider for the two of ya. Be back in a jiffy." And with that, she left the Bat Cave. Batmare removed her hood, so now Applejack and Spike were alone in the Bat Cave. It hadn't been that long ago that Spike had stormed off in anger, but that scene was enough to fill the air with tension. For a while, neither Applejack or Spike said anything or even moved. They just stood there, eyeballing one another, as if engaged in some sort of staring contest. The only time they bothered to move, was when Granny Smith returned with two cups of apple cider for them to drink. At last, Applejack broke the silence. Taking a deep breath, she began to speak. "Well, it sure is nice to see you again, Spike." she said honestly. "The feeling's mutual." Spike replied, he wanted to say more but he couldn't bring himself to do so. "I gotta say, you've certainly changed a lot since I last saw ya." Applejack continued "That Nightwing costume of yours is pretty cool." "Thanks, Rarity made it for me." Spike told Applejack "I placed the order anonymously, but I suspect that she knew it was me all along. The specifications for size and weight probably tipped her off." "It certainly seems like Rarity's got a promisin' business if she ever decides to start makin' superhero outfits for a livin'." Applejack chuckled. "Wonder if maybe she'll whip out her own costume and join in?" "Who knows? With Rarity, anything is possible." Spike shrugged. "While we're on the subject of Nightwing, however did you come up with the name for your new crime fightin' alter ego?" Applejack asked Spike "I'm really curious." "The truth is, I realized I kind of overreacted to the situation when I left." Spike admitted reluctantly "I wasn't really thinking straight, I let my anger get the best of me. But by the time that realization came to me, I'd already left you, and I knew I couldn't just come crawling back and apologize. Even if I said I was sorry, it wouldn't make up for what I said and did." "Spike, you didn't do anythin' wrong. I was the one who was actin' like a fool." Applejack replied "It took you literally knockin' some sense into me for me to realize that." "Anyway, I decided that the least I could do, was honor my former teacher." Spike went on "I wanted something that would not only maintain the same theme as Robin, but also something that would pay homage to the one who took me under her wing. It took quite a bit of brainstorming, and I'm still not exactly sure what was it was, but something clicked inside of me. 'Of course, I'll call myself Nightwing' I said to myself, and so I chose my name." Applejack eyed the Robin costume that was hung up in a corner of the Bat Cave. It rested in a display case that was next to the old Bat Suit that she used to wear. Then, she turned her attention back to Spike. Reluctantly, she said the one thing she had been trying to skirt around since Spike had returned to the Bat Cave. "I don't suppose there's any point in askin' for you to return to bein' Robin, not at this point." she said to Spike. Just as Applejack had expected, Spike shook his head. "I'm done being Robin. I've grown up, and I'm no longer the boy wonder." he told his former mentor "From the moment I became Nightwing, I knew there was no going back. I'm sorry our partnership had to end on such a sour note." "Whoever says it has to end, just because you're not my student anymore?" Applejack asked. Spike was confused "What do you mean?" he asked Applejack. "The two of us may not be workin' together all the time, but that doesn't mean we can't still team up every now and then if the situation calls for it." Applejack explained "You saw how we can work together when we took down Miss. Freeze and Two Face." "Well, if I ever need your help I'll be sure to let you know." Spike said with a smile, giving Applejack a small slip of paper "That contains all the information you'll need to know in order to contact me." "Feel free to stop by for a visit every now and then." Granny Smith encouraged "This place can get mighty lonely when it's just Applejack and I." "I'll see about taking time for a social call every now and then." Spike replied, and with that he departed. Once he had left the Bat Cave, he eyed the pin that been given to him by the mysterious cloaked figure. Printed on the pin were coordinates to a specific location that read as follows: 52 degrees latitude, 35 degrees longitude Spike was baffled at those coordinates. "Those coordinates lead to The Cutie Mark Crusaders Clubhouse." he realized "But why would the cloaked figure want to meet me there? Surely a more 'covert' location would be ideal for a meeting." But even so, Spike decided to head to the location specified on the pin. Before he did though, he made sure to don his Nightwing costume. When Nightwing arrived at The Cutie Mark Crusaders Clubhouse, he was surprised to see that he was not the only one who had been guided to that location. As it turned out Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle had recieved similar pins from the same cloaked figure. But now they were different, they were no longer the same blank flank fillies that all of Ponyville knew. Apple Bloom (or at least the filly that looked like her) wore an alternating black and purple vest with white gloves, her mane and tail had been dyed bright green. Scootaloo (or at least the filly that looked like her) had the entire right side of her body encased in machine parts, but they seemed to have been upgraded by some unknown source, as was evidenced by the bright red scope that appeared where the right eye should be. And Sweetie Belle (or at least the filly that looked like her) wore a light blue dress that did not cover up the yellow markings that appeared all over her body, her mane and tail had been dyed into a dark red color. "Who are you?" Nightwing asked "And why do you look so familiar?" "We could ask you the same question, mister-" the filly that looked like Apple Bloom asked. "Nightwing." Nightwing replied. "You can call me Beast Mare!" the filly that looked like Apple Bloom replied. "Name's Cyborg!" the filly that looked like Scootaloo added. "And I am called Starfire!" the filly that looked like Sweetie Belle finished. "You still haven't explained why you look like a trio of fillies that I knew!" Nightwing said seriously. "Well, if you're who we think you are, then chances are we're who you think we are." Beast Mare replied. "So tell us, are you the same Spike that used to go by the name of Robin?" Cyborg asked. "Indeed I am." Nightwing nodded "So I guess that means you three are The Cutie Mark Crusaders." "You are correct." Starfire replied "I must say, it is an honor to see you once again. And you look rather cute." Nightwing couldn't help but blush a bit, but he quickly regained his composure "Why have all we been brought here?" he asked. "I was about to ask the same question." Cyborg replied "Just after we got done helping those royal guards in The Everfree Forest, this figure in a purple cloak and matching hood shows up and tosses theses pins to us." "She tells us to meet her at the location specified by the pin, then she disappears in a flash of light before we can ask her anythin'." Beast Mare explained. "What is up with that?" Starfire wondered "Why would she ask the four of us to meet her at this specific location, as opposed to anywhere else? What possible reason could she have?" "Allow me to answer your questions." a familiar voice called out. A second later, in a blinding flash of white light, a figure in a familiar purple cloak and matching hood appeared. "Who are you?" Nightwing asked "You've been popping up to help us quite a bit, but we don't know your name." "I used to be known as Babs Seed, but you can call me Raven." the cloaked figure explained, revealing her face to everyone gathered. Beast Mare, Cyborg, and Starfire all gasped when they finally saw who was behind the hood. The face that greeted everyone barely looked like Babs Seed, her eyes now glew dark purple, her mane and tail had turned completely black, and a considerable deal of her coat was now a pale gray. Were it not for the hint of orange here and there, no one would've believed that Raven was indeed fact Babs Seed. "What happened to ya, Babs?" Beast Mare asked "Last I heard from ya, you got your cutie mark and were retirin' from the Manehattan branch of the CMC." Raven put her hood back on, and explained "Not long after I sent you that letter, I went on a trip to the Crystal Empire. While there, I had the misfortune of stumbling across the severed horn of the shadowdy tyrant, King Sombra. Contact with the horn overwhelmed my body, and were it not for the intervention of the crystal couple, I would've perished then and there." "So, what happened after that?" Starfire asked nervously. Raven sighed, and continued her explanation "I lay in bed for several days while the Crystal Fair was held. For a while, I felt like I was going to die. Then, Princess Cadence discovered an enchanted cloak and hood that had belonged to the previous crystal princess, Princes Amore. It is that very cloak that I am currently wearing. For as long as I have it on, King Sombra's influence cannot control me. But everyday, I face a continued struggle between the good inside of me, and the evil from King Sombra. It is this constant battle that gives me my super powers." "But if that's true, then why didn't you interfere to help us out earlier?" Cyborg asked crossly "We really could've used your help on several occasions." "When I put on the cloak and hood for the first time, I was gifted with the chance to glimpse into the future." Raven explained "Before my very eyes, I saw all that was to come over the next few months. But no one would believe me, and all my efforts to change the future were all for naught. I then realized that the events I glimpsed were destined to happen. And as much as I would like to prevent them, I would not able to do so. Rather, it was my destiny to guide you all on your individual journeys, and interfere only when destiny said I was suppose to." "And was this part of the future that you glimpsed?" Nightwing asked Raven. Raven nodded "Equestria needs heroes such as us. Batmare cannot protect Equestria forever on her own. We must be willing to start a league of superheroes, so that future generations will be protected from any and all supervillans." "But what will we call ourselves?" Nightwing asked. "We shall be known as The Cutie Mark Crusaders." Raven told the gathered heroes "But no longer will the crusaders be looking for their cutie marks. They will be crusading to protect Equestria with their very lives. And we shall make our headquarters here, hidden behind this clubhouse." "Does this mean we'll get to beat up some bad guys?!" Cyborg asked eagerly. Raven nodded "Well then, count me in! With my technology, evil doers won't know what hit them!" "I'm gonna join as well!" Beast Mare chimed in "Hopefully, I'll be able to meet up with Zecora and tell her that I'm okay." "I am willing to join the fight as well." Starfire added "Far be it from me to miss out on the fun." "You fillies are going to need a leader." Nightwing smiled, as he too agreed to join "Together, the five of us will be unstoppable!" "Very well then, from this moment onwards, we are all officially known as The Cutie Mark Crusaders!" Raven declared. "And how's that this for a battle cry?" Nightwing asked "Crusaders, go!" "I like it!" Cyborg replied. "Has a nice ring to it." Beast Mare added. "It shall surely strike fear into the hearts of our enemies." Starfire smiled. "I approve of it whole heartedly." Raven agreed. "Okay then." Nightwing said with a smile "Let's say it all together on the count of three. Ready?" Raven, Beast Mare, Cyborg, and Starfire all nodded. "1, 2, 3!" Nightwing instructed. "CRUSADERS, GO!!!!!" all five members shouted at once.