I stood on the abandoned building in Arkham North. The pillars and columns of the building are still stable enough to support my weight but I need to be cautious of the broken holes that are on a platform that was a top floor. The inner and outer walls of the building appeared more crumbled and ruined than before. I trudged on the unsafe platform to get to the other side of the huge gap. I observed more Blackgate convicts in this area but I noticed that the thugs are walking in the watchtowers like guards. I noticed that two henchponies, one in each tower, is arming a sniping rifle and wearing infrared goggles. Not wanting to hear this, I heard the intercom, but the chime didn’t ring.
“Ding dong, Mane-iac again! Don’t worry about the Bat. I’ve put a few surprises along the way if she decides to turn up and spoil the fun,” the demented pony announced. She chuckled lightly afterwards. “Oh, and if you ever hear a shot in the dark, don’t worry. There’s very little chance of you getting hurt, it’s the Bat I’m after! Still, you might want to check your health insurance. Who am I kidding, you don’t have any!”
I grappled up to the first watchtower and hid behind the booth that is behind the patrolling sniper. He took no notice of me grappling up as I continue to wait for him to make his rounds. I hid behind the corner of the booth to wait for his back to be turned.
I took the chance of his negligence as I grabbed his head and kicked his back legs, silencing his screams until he is sleep. I looked at the other watchtower at the far end of the area and spotted another sniper; I need to avoid the slightest detection of him when he is making his rounds.
“Snipers, looks like the Blackgate thugs have access to the armory.”
I grappled up to the roof of the watchtower I’m in and kept my eye on the guard that is aiming the sniper at the ground, looking for any even the most slimmer of movements in the dark. He continues to watch for anything out of the ordinary until he pulls up his rifle and walk to patrol to a different area.
Giving me the chance, I opened my cape and glided smoothly and silently to the other watchtower and landed on the stairs leading to the booth of the tower. I crouched seamlessly up the stairs to get in behind the guard. He was finishing his daily watch of keeping an eye out as he turned his back to go back to another position. I punched his back and held his muzzle until he is still. Now that the snipers have been taken care of, I could easily take on the convicts on the ground below.
I counted four convicts chatting up a storm in front of the Intensive Treatment building, not noticing the difference of the atmosphere and the absence of the snipers. I spotted two Pegasi, one Earth pony and a high security Griffon. I glided off of the watchtower and kicked the griffon in the face, startling the thugs. I continue my assault as I roundhouse one of the thugs, punched another one in the ribs and landed an overhead on the last thug. I knocked out the fourth thug with a Ground Takedown, crunching his face. I kicked the third thug and threw a quickfire batarang at the second thug. I lounged at the high security thug to take him down.
I grabbed his neck and head-butted his face, threw him over on the ground as I have a hold on his right arm and kicked in the joint of his shoulder and arm, snapping it. The second last thug tries to kick me but I deflect his kick with my own, tripping him and kicking him the abdomen, knocking him down. I slammed a right cross on the other thug and knocked him out with a Ground Takedown and finished the fight with a left cross on the last thug’s ribcage.
After taking care of the thugs in the area, I galloped to the automatic door that leads to Arkham East. I spotted three more of the tedious chatterboxes. I threw three batarangs at them, silencing the area from the incessant laughter and chattering. I walk up to the door and it automatically opens.
As I enter the pathway, the same ambulance that was parked earlier was moved to the side, most likely moved by the punks. I spotted several empty or half-empty drums of oil behind the brick archway of the area and the overgrown shrubbery. The environment doesn’t concern me, what really grabs my attention that really makes me livid. The two Arkham guards I met earlier, Jackson and the other one, dead. They are hanging up at the ceiling, dangling like dead puppets in a twisted manner. I used my Detective Vision and counted five cowards hiding behind the other side of the archway. I waited for them to run out of their hiding places.
“She’s here!” one shouted. One changeling tries to kick me but I grabbed his leg and punched his stomach and smashed his face twice, knocking him down. I countered another strike from another changeling by throwing his hooves to the side and repeatedly punched his face three times but I countered another hit from another one that is trying to get to my blind by hitting him with an uppercut.
As I suspected, I spotted a burly changeling wearing the high security prisoner uniform wielding knives. As he is about to try to cut me, I used my cape to stun him including another thug beside him and kicked both of them to the ground. I elbowed one thug’s face, kicked him in the groin and knocked him down by bucking in his stomach. I grabbed the burly changeling’s arm, making him drop his weapons, threw him over my shoulder and punched the side of his wrist, breaking it.
The fourth changeling tries to land one on me but I grabbed his arm, landed one in his gut and punched his back. I kicked another one as I heard a comment from one of the thugs. “Don’t let her hit you!” one shouted as he tries to charge. My response is that I lifted him off the ground and punched his stomach, pinning him. I smashed one with an overhead and I jumped to another changeling by punching his face, turning him around. I grabbed a hold of his neck with one arm and threw him over my shoulder hard, slamming him to the ground, putting him to sleep. I kicked the last three thugs and knocked one out with a Ground Takedown.
“Is that all you have, Bats?” one taunted as he stood up. I knocked him out by bucking in his face. I kicked the last thug and finished him off with a Ground Takedown. I stretched my legs after finishing. I looked up at the dead ponies that are hanging up solemnly. Two lives I failed to save but I know I will save thousands when I stop Mane-iac. I threw my batarangs at both of the strings and the corpses dropped to the ground. Out of respect, I levitated their bodies and put them in a sitting position at a wall and walked out of the area to enter Arkham East.
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Arkham East was the area I was in after leaving the Intensive Treatment earlier. The Botanical Gardens on my left and the Arkham Mansion far ahead. I used my Detective Vision to see if there are any threats in the area. I looked up at the two watchtowers beside each other and spotted more snipers. I looked at the Arkham Mansion and spotted two more snipers switching patrolling routines to kill anypony that tries to even get near the vicinity of the Mansion on the roof of the entrance.
I grappled up to the first watchtower on my left and climbed up the railing to creep up behind the Unicorn thug as he is aiming his rifle around the Botanical Gardens, not noticing my presence. I grabbed a hold of his muzzle and grabbed his horn, negating any spell he tries to conjure up as he is screaming for breath. I let him have air after laying him down on the platform napping
“I keep losing ponies like there’s a plague in town! I guess the Bat is back. I got a couple of ponies in the guard towers covering your movements. But be careful, they’re both loose cannons with itchy trigger hooves and well…you know…accidents do happen.” Mane-iac announced without the chime or her imitation of the chime or the dissonant chime.
I dropped from the first watchtower and glided to the rocky area beside the second watchtower on my right. I grappled up to the railing of the walkway and crouched quickly yet mutely to get in behind the Earth pony that is still aiming the rifle around the area of the statue of the Warden. I punched his back and grabbed his neck and muzzle. He struggled, trying to grab anything but he became still as I lay him down.
“Any available psychos, killers, maimers and murderers that aren’t getting in the old Mansion, hurry up you fools before I feed you to the Bat herself!” The clown pony announcements are always random after her important announcements.
After taking care of the snipers in the watchtowers, I need to take care of the last two snipers watching the Arkham Mansion on the platform of the entrance. Gliding down in front of the mansion will definitely gain their attention, so I glided to the cemetery of the island and galloped to the left side of the Mansion to reach the blind side of both of the snipers.
“Hello again, boys, it’s me! Please remember to take good care of all of our hostages. They’re no good to us dead, however, a bruise here or a cut there won’t wound me,” Mane-iac announced randomly.
I galloped to the Arkham Mansion’s side and spotted the two snipers that are aiming their snipers at the front of the Mansion, not noticing my presence. However, I grappled up to the platform but I activated my digit extension as I shimmy along the edge until I’m on the other side of the platform.
“Mane-iac here, now that I’m in charge, I like to give all your feedback on the place: I’ve been specially routing the décor and I hope it helps you all become more productive in our task taking home.”
I climbed up on platform after the second sniper walks away to the left side of the Mansion as the other one is still in shooting position. I grabbed a hold on the one that is aiming to silence him until he is napping. I climbed down to the ledge and shimmied on the ledge until I’m in front of the last sniper. Without warning, I grabbed one of his back legs and drug him over the edge until he is strung up on the ledge. He screamed and cried as he is upside down, panting heavily as he begins to hyperventilate. He passed out sooner after.
“Ding dong, Warden Mane-iac would like to announce that as of today, all Arkham guards have been fired due to budget cuts.”
After dealing with the snipers, I looked at the statue of the Warden in the center of the region. The statue stood tall above the area with Quincy holding his cane in his left hoof but I spotted burning wood and driftwood. I looked up at the face and noticed that his face is painted like the Mane-iac. The signature blood red smile is painted on his face and his hair is painted green and his face painted purple.
I landed on the ground in front of the Mansion and noticed a banner in front of the entrance that read “Mane-iac ASYLUM, HA! HA! HA! HA!”
The words are written in a crude manner with spray paint splattered in spots, blots and sometimes smiley faces. The banner waved in the wind with multiple rips in the fabric, Rarity would’ve had a heart attack if she sees this. I looked up at spotted another guard member hanging on a string dead. I cut him down with my batarang and respectfully laid him beside the wall of the entrance. I walk up to the door of the Mansion to continue to find Dr. Evergreen, the formula and Cash. I used my magic to open the entrance.