Issue 1: Tower of Babel
Chapter 7
It all happened so quickly. All Spike remembered was Rainbow Dash punching that man in green and then everyone freaking the heck out. Spike managed to get away with Rarity and Fluttershy, but only barely. Now, the young dragon-turned-archer was begging for Rarity to stop running for just one second. Fluttershy, meanwhile, was nowhere to be seen, lost in this lush garden of greenery amidst the cold metal and glass.
“Rarity,” Spike shouted, running as fast as his spindly little legs could go. “Wait! Can you slow down for a sec? I think we lost… I don’t know where...”
“I’m sorry Spike,” Rarity huffed as she slowed to a stop. She leaned against a heavy tree to her side, not even questioning how she was able to run for this long in high heels. As soon as she took a moment to catch her breath, she finally realized they were short one… whatever they were now. “Um… Spike? Where’s Fluttershy?”
“That’s… what I was about to say, Rarity,” Spike panted, literally falling onto his back from exhaustion. He then cocked an eyebrow as he heard a peculiar sound, coming from somewhere close by. “Wait. Do you hear that?” Spike asked as he quickly scrambled back to his feet.
Rarity perked up as she heard it too, now standing upright from the tree. It was soft, but it didn’t sound like it came from somewhere far away. It sounded like it was right next to them, hidden away somewhere. The sound was like a mewling kitten crying out for its mother. Choked, silent sobbing. Rarity moved slowly, moving a nearby bush aside to find…
Fluttershy, balled up on the ground next to a fountain, with various small fauna around her. Some of these creatures clearly resembled wildlife found in Equestria, namely small rodents and mammals such squirrels, rabbits, and birds. Others looked like creatures that wouldn’t feel out-of-place in the Everfree Forest. Spike himself couldn’t help but stare at a peculiar deer-like creature. Its reptilian scales glimmered in the artificial sunlight above them and it kicked one of its extra pairs of legs. It glanced up at Spike and Rarity and blinked with its multiple spider-like eyes. Another peculiar creature nestled up next to Fluttershy’s crying form, one that almost resembled her pet bunny, Angel, albeit with dragonfly-like wings protruding from its back and a long, rat-like tail. Despite all of these alien creatures guarding the frightened girl, they all seemed rather harmless.
Rarity called out to her softly, taking a tentative step towards her. “Fluttershy? Is… is that you?”
Fluttershy seemed to tighten up more into her ball at just the sound of her voice. “I want to go home,” she demanded, her voice cracking from her sobs. “This world is full of mean jerks like that man with the ring! They’re all no better than Iron Will! I hate it here!”
Rarity’s heart sank at her friend’s words. Spike went about his business and stood guard, not wanting to get involved while the two had their heart-to-heart. He took out his bow and placed an arrow into it. He expected to fumble with pulling the arrow out of his quiver, but he was surprised at how natural the motion came to him, even knowing where to place and pull back on the bow. Spike never fancied himself a practitioner of archery before, but now it seemed as if he had been doing this all his young life. He shrugged that thought aside as he covered where they found Fluttershy. He doubted any real threats would come their way, but it was better than hiding from whatever was hunting them in this artificial jungle. He took a moment to contemplate the irony of their situation while Rarity went about comforting Fluttershy.
“Fluttershy… darling,” Rarity said quietly, taking another tentative step forward her frightened friend. She got down on her knees and placed a comforting hand on the sobbing girl’s shoulder. “As much as I would wish for us to leave this dreadful place, I'm afraid we can’t go home just yet. I wish there were another way for me to say that but… we need you, dear. We need you to be brave. Not like those… assertive brutes we had the displeasure of meeting earlier. If you can be brave… then we can be brave with you.”
Fluttershy breathed slowly and started to calm down. Rarity was right. They couldn’t just turn and run. They still had a job to do. If Sunset Shimmer was allowed to run rampant in this world, then they would be dooming both this universe and Equestria. She uncurled a bit and looked at Rarity, who only smiled warmly and moved the hair out of the shy girl’s face, revealing her pristine emerald skin.
“It will be all right, darling,” Rarity whispered softly. “Now, I think it’s about time we leave this place at once. This humidity is not good for my complexion.”
Spike narrowed his eyes as he heard movement come from the observation deck above them. Heavy footsteps, muffled shouting… and laser fire? Spike pulled back the arrow in his bow a bit. The noises started to grow louder and louder and louder, until…
Two bodies were sent flying through the glass, landing and skidding to a stop right in front of Spike and the others, kicking up dirt and dust in the process. This disturbance caused all the animals comforting Fluttershy to scatter and fly away. “I don’t think we’ll be leaving just yet…” he muttered out loud. When the dust settled, Applejack and Rainbow Dash came to.
“Ugh…” Rainbow Dash blinked. “What hit me?”
“Grr… heck if Ah know, sugarcube,” AJ answered, feeling groggy as the ringing in her ears eventually stopped. She blinked as well and spotted Spike and the others. “Spike? Is that you?”
Spike smirked awkwardly and so did they. Rarity was immediately at Spike’s side and pulled the two into a big hug. “Oh, I’m so glad you two are all right!” Rarity squeed. “What on earth happened to you? You look you were in a horrible accident!”
“It’s… good ta’ see you too, Rarity,” Applejack grunted and soon wriggled her way out of Rarity’s generous embrace. “Ah wish we had time to explain here, y’all, but we gotta get outta here, quick-like!”
“Yeah,” Rainbow Dash said. “Those costumed guys chasing us will be here any minute if…”
“It’s not a matter of ‘if,’” a youthful adult voice echoed. “It’s a matter of ‘when.’”
They all looked up and saw a group of five now standing above them, overlooking them from the shattered glass. The group consisted of a man that looked as if it was part robot or cyborg, with one of his hands morphed in the shape of an arm-mounted gun. An alien girl with orange skin and fiery red hair in a revealing purple outfit hovered in the air beside him, her hands glowing a brilliant green just like her eyes. A young boy with green skin and hair with a swinging monkey tail flipped and landed with the group, bearing a fanged grin. There was also a young man in nothing more than a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt, with a proud, red ‘S’ shield insignia displayed on the front. He eyed AJ and Dash menacingly, his pupils literally burning with rage. Their leader stood in the center, wearing a black costume with a blue bird-like symbol displayed proudly on his chest, his eyes covered with a black domino mask and a sly smirk on his face.
“You guys have caused enough of a mess already,” Nightwing said as he twirled one of his escrima sticks. “You’re only gonna make it worse for yourselves if you all keep refusing to come with us.”
“Nightwing is right,” Starfire agreed, now hovering beside her friend. “Prolonging this battle will only result in more damage to the Watchtower than necessary… and to yourselves.”
“Yeah! I didn’t build half this place just so it could get destroyed!” Cyborg added, aiming his arm-cannon at the group below.
“Calm down, Cyborg,” Beast Boy told him with a smirk before he looked down at the group as well. “Besides, we said this’ll be quick! Right, guys?”
“Will you all just shut up already?” Superboy growled in frustration, his eyes glowing red with rage. “Let’s get this over with!”
“I couldn’t have said it better myself, Superboy,” Nightwing said before he looked back down and pointed his escrima stick at the intruders below them. “Last chance, guys. Don’t drag this out.”
Spike, Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash prepared themselves. Rarity took hold of her whip and snapped it ready in her hands. Rainbow Dash raised her mace, which sparked with life as it surged with electricity. Applejack raised her fists and stood her ground. Spike kept his aim and stayed low, poised to let his arrow fly at any moment. Fluttershy, however, was not with them. It seemed as though she retreated somewhere deeper in the garden. Rarity noticed this and glared at Nightwing and the rest of the Titans. They would pay for scaring her off like that again. She would make sure of that.
Nightwing’s face turned serious as he saw them all stand their ground, a sign of defiance. They were not about to go down without a fight. Well, if it was a fight they wanted, it was a fight they’d get. Nightwing inhaled once. Then, he gave the command.
“TITANS, GO!”