Beasts Within, Part 1
Rarity glanced over Bruce's shoulder at the news broadcast. "So what's this 'splicing' they're talking about?" she asked curiously.
"It's a relatively new science," Bruce explained. "Originally it was developed as a medical treatment, using animal based gene re-sequencing to correct genetic disorders, especially those that result in physical weakness or immunodeficiency. It was only in very small amounts when used medically, however, never enough to cause a visible physical change."
"Those changes sure seem visible," Rarity murmured as she stared at the teenagers who had apparently been spliced with vampire bat DNA, amongst other things, to look straight out of a bad vampire romance novel. "All they need is the sparkles and they'd complete the absurdity."
Bruce chuckled at that. "More recently, Dr. Cuvier has been promoting a new use of the technique, using animal DNA to rewrite larger portions of the subjects genetic code. At first it was only small things that were visibly different. The subject might end up with a leopard's spots, a tiger's stripes, a cat's teeth, a wolf's ears and tail..." He tapped out a sequence to call up other images. "Now, however, he's building towards even more total splicing techniques, completely altering the physical form-"
"Ooh!" Rarity squealed as she spotted one girl who'd been spliced with a skunk, the white stripe against black fur over parts of her body making quite the statement. "Now that's a fashion statement. I wouldn't mind having that dress in my wardrobe."
"It's not a dress, Rarity," Bruce scolded. "It's actual fur growing from her body."
Rarity winced. "That's...a bit far to go for fashion."
"It's no mere fashion trend," Bruce commented dryly. "Something sinister is going on there, and I fear it's a mess we'll have to clean up."
"I'm certain we can handle it," Rarity reassured him, petting Ace. "Besides, Sam Young is already pushing for it to be made illegal. Those independent studies make it plain how dangerous it is."
"The law can only do so much where the criminal or revolutionary mindset is concerned," Bruce warned. "When all is said and done, Sam Young is only a DA. There were those like him decades ago, but Gotham still needed Batman."
Rarity smiled reassuringly. "And that's why it has Batmare now," she preened. "How about I go investigate his new institute tonight, hmm?"
Bruce frowned down at her in worry. She had only just turned 13 recently, and had been getting more and more into being Batmare. While at first Bruce had feared for her safety and her life being overrun by the mask as his had, truly dangerous criminals didn't show up very often these days, and those that had shown up now all worked for Wayne-Powers as part of the security force.
The name change to the company had actually been a stroke of genius on Rarity's part, although it didn't seem that way at the time. Powers had an inherent craving for power and wealth, and would use whatever means at his disposal to acquire it. With the implication of partial ownership, he had the influence to seek out those in the criminal element who could be recruited for corporate espionage or sabotage. Derek's actual influence, however, was much less than even he knew, and Rarity was able to act - whether as Miss Wayne or as Batmare - to counteract each of Powers' stratagems before they were implemented, turning him into little more than a dowsing rod for professional criminals. And on top of that, Rarity kept a record of every single attempt with which to eventually purge Powers' effectiveness entirely.
Still, those years of easy successes had made Rarity a trifle overconfident. She had never come across a villain she couldn't either reform or overpower with ease. She had yet to face a true Joker, or other villain of his past, that would truly imperil her. He feared Dr. Cuvier - and his advantage of animal empowered fighters - might just prove to be that threat.
Despite all this, he knew he wouldn't be able to convince Rarity not to go. Sighing, he relented. "Alright," he allowed. "You can go investigate. But be careful. Observation only, no combat."
Rarity pouted. "But Father, with my magic-"
"Observation only," he insisted. "No combat."
She sighed. "Alright," she relented. "I might as well test out the suit's cloaking features."
Rarity slowly walked down from the ceiling of the inner room of the Chimera Institute, having snuck in quietly while cloaked. She quickly spotted Dr. Cuvier - a tall, thin, pale skinned man with thin black hair and piercing yellow eyes against a black cornea - in a deep conversation with three spliced underlings: a large, heavily muscled, dark skinned male with ram horns; a thin, bald, green skinned male covered in scales like a snake; and a lithe, dark skinned female with claws, tiger stripes, and a flat nose.
While Rarity briefly noticed the tiger female sniffing the air, she was distracted as she heard Dr. Cuvier state that they would be forcing the splicer revolution against the 'norms'...by taking out DA Sam Young tonight. "Father!" she whispered into the comms, "I can't just stay and observe! They're going to-" She paused, noticing someone missing. "Where'd the Tigress go-"
A powerful kick to the small of her back caught her completely off guard, knocking her into some power cables. As electricity ran through her body and suit, her back arched as the electricity followed the magic amplification circuitry straight into her horn, and from there straight into her brain. As she lost all awareness, the last two things she was aware of was Bruce calling out to her over the comms...and something deep inside of her stirring.
When Rarity started to regain consciousness, she felt something injected into her shoulder. "W-what did you inject me with?" she demanded, struggling against the bonds she found herself in.
"Something I'd prepared especially for you, Batmare," Dr. Cuvier replied easily. "I had a feeling you'd be sticking your hoof in our business, and I have been wondering how the process would work on a non-human like yourself. Though I admit I was hoping to convince Rarity Wayne to try the process. Having such a prominent member of society accept the treatment would have been very good for my cause. Splicing her DNA with Bruce Wayne's human DNA might have appealed to her..."
Rarity started to open her mouth to reply, but felt something flare forth inside her to shoulder her aside. "You really don't know what you're doing, do you little man?" a voice that both was and was not her own echoed from her mouth.
"What?" Cuvier demanded. "That shouldn't be-"
Batmare shadow stepped out of the bindings with ease, taking shape behind Cuvier. "Oh, how I would love to take the time to instruct you...but for now, I must say I'm rather fond of your gift, as it heralds my return somewhat." Dark purple bat wings erupted from her back, folding majestically around her frame.
Cuvier staggered back in surprise, before lunging forward to try and contain her. "The process shouldn't be that fast, even with your small frame! And it shouldn't-"
Batmare batted him aside easily with a magic enhanced hoof, one of his claws breaking off in her suit. "You are a scientist, you foolish man," Batmare replied with a wicked chuckle. "Even this one doesn't fully understand the consequences of mixing science with magic, and she thinks she came up with the idea!" She suddenly sneered. "However, it appears her will is a bit stronger than it once was. How tiresome. It appears I'll have to deal with you later. For now, I must - ugh - save that human." Batmare suddenly dissolved into a swarm of bats that flowed out through a window they shattered as they passed.
Cuvier stared at the broken window. "I think I may be in over my head," he muttered.
Barbara Gordon struggled in Rarmod's grip, trying to break free as the trio of spliced thugs laughed at her and Sam Young's desperate struggles. As King Cobra began to squeeze - following Ramrod's suggestion of breaking the DA in half - the skylight burst open as a swarm of bats descended, knocking all three splicers about the room.
"What children these foolish mortals be," a wicked voice echoed from the cloud of bats after Sam Young was knocked unconscious. "Come little boys and girl, I shall play with you." The cloud of bats coalesced, and Batmare stood before them...but she was quite different.
The suit had changed from black to a very dark purple to match the bat wings that had sprung from her back. The crimson bat symbol had morphed towards the demonic, and her eyes were visible behind the mask...turquoise corneas, sapphire irises, and slit pupils. As she smiled, a mouthful of razor sharp teeth became visible.
"What the hell?" Ramrod gasped, lowering his head in the hope his horns would protect him.
"What have you got against us?" King Cobra demanded as he contorted his body, hoping to evade whatever strikes came his way.
"You aren't a norm!" Tigress proclaimed. "You aren't even human!"
Batmare 'tsk'ed quietly in her throat. "Oh, you shouldn't have said that," she scolded. "I would have just captured you...but now she doesn't like you very much, so I have a bit more leeway." Her horn flared into light.
All three splicers found themselves seized in their magic and flung about the room, smashing into walls until they were unconscious and badly bruised.
Barbara stepped forward. "Batmare!" she called out, getting a hand on the mare's neck. Seeing she was the only civilian conscious, she whispered, "Rarity-"
Batmare hissed, pushing Barbara back with her magic. "Do not touch me, mortal!" she commanded. "And Rarity is not in command just now." She suddenly winced. "Though her will is far stronger than it should be...stronger even than the Princess's was in the beginning...too strong. Fine, I won't kill them!" This last did not seem directed at Barbara.
Batmare's horn glowed, and something red was drawn out of the three splicers in a mist before dispersing into the air. Right before Barbara's eyes, they reverted to ordinary humans.
"I believe I can leave them in your hands now, Commissioner," she mused. "The police are at least that effective, aren't they?" Batmare then vanished in a swarm of bats, leaving a stupefied police commissioner.
In the Bat Cave, Bruce was startled as a swarm of magically charged bats coalesced in front of him into the costumed and altered form of his equine daughter. "I truly despise you right now," she growled.
Bruce faced her calmly, one arm holding Ace back with his cane, the other casually reaching towards the antimutagen. "You aren't Rarity," he said bluntly. "So who are you?"
The figure chuckled wickedly. "Well, well, no wonder she's changed so much since I last manifested. You are unusual for a mortal." She smiled, baring her fangs. "I am one who once controlled this body temporarily, though situations have...changed things. You may call me the Nightmare."
"Are you controlling her now?" Bruce demanded angrily.
"And that is why I don't like you very much," she growled. "Even when I should be in total control like right now, I can't go against her morals. You've rubbed off on her too much; her will is far too strong for me to bend or break. As much as it pains me, I will have to compromise with her, because I'm now bound to her irrevocably because of how that Doctor's science melded with the bit of my magic inside her." She sighed. "When she regains consciousness and you've examined her to your heart's content, tell her to summon me to her consciousness so we may bargain with the phrase, 'The Night falls, The Mare rises'."
Bruce nodded. "Alright." He didn't know what was really going on, but when magic of this level was involved, he knew better than to try to force whatever it was out of Rarity until he knew more.
The Nightmare smiled. "Very well then. Pleasant dreams."
Batmare fell over onto her side, the coloration of her costume returning to normal as her bat wings turned white. Bruce rushed over and caught her as she fell, and Ace nuzzled her side. After a time, Rarity stirred.
"Father?" she asked. "How did I get back here?" Blinking, she stared at her back as she felt muscles flex. "And why do I have bat wings?"
Bruce sighed. This was going to be a long conversation. He privately hoped Jason would still take his calls...
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This... came out of the left field, but it's interesting. I approve.
What do you call unicorns with thestral wings?
ahh yes, the darkness the drove Luna into become Nightmare Moon, and we get to see Batman's 'least hated' deamon Jason Blood.
Well, so, no cure for her? At least they could fix the genetic part.
5786991
That will get covered in the next chapter, amongst other things.
5786933 Normally I don't like the idea of Nightmare being a separate entity from Luna, but this is great!
Kinda disappointed you didn't say anything about Cheetah
i184.photobucket.com/albums/x270/servewithchips/8b28c156.jpg
but beyond that, this was a good chapter indeed! Nightmare Rarity's appearance was very unexpected and a very nice spin to this.
Hey, could someone pick up the phone? Because I FUCKING CALLED IT! She does have a bit of the Nightmare forces from the second comic arc still in her!
img4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130429130820/mlp/images/d/de/Nightmare_Rarity.jpg
5787113
Considering Cheetah was someone Bruce cared about back then, it's not something he's going to bring up...though it is probably the past basis of splicing.
And thus Jason Blood and Etrigan enter the picture.
also am I the only one who has noticed that you've been uploading these stories in well known shipping pairs?
5787174
Wait, I've been doing what now?
5787128 My point exactly. But yeah, I see your point.
Man, this is bringing up memories, and now I gotta pick and choose between watching Fairy Tail, Batman Beyond, or Justice League...
I hate the fact reading fanfiction does this to me...
5786972 shadow alicorn?
5786972
I am reading a story right now that refers to them as lunar unicorns.
https://www.fimfiction.net/story/255839/the-silver-stars
as of right now that is the 3thrd story I hope you will enjoy it.
I'd just like to point out that there's still one bat clan member left (not counting Cassandra Cain) who has experience with weird supernatural stuff and bloodlust.
And I reeeeeeeeeally hope he shows up. I'd like rarity to meet the rebel son.
wow this story just really stepped in to a different realm.
nightmare moon. this should get really good.
Harts Fire
5787263
I'm not sure who you're talking about...
5787178 You've been uploading these stories, unintentionally, in three groups of common shipping pairs. Twixie, Rainbow Pie, and Rarijack.
5787312
Completely unintentional.
5787275
you...don't...know?
Jason Todd!!!!
5787372
...afraid not.
hey hey... guess what?
i.gyazo.com/635f3e35cfbaac4baea08f2f9aab78a2.png
marking time for you: 3/26/15 7:05 PM PST
5787390 he was the (I believe) second robin. The joker savagely beat him with a crowbar then left him to die in a explosion. Feeling bad for batman razh al ghul (I messed that up so badly) brought him back....only he came back broken inside. He became the red hood and started killing criminals. Even became a badass armored batman with guns when Bruce disappeared. He had a movie but they never really concluded if he died again (still a really good movie). In the comics he formed a team called the outlaws.
5787440
I am completely unfamiliar with him.
What role did he play in:
Batman the Animated Series
Batman Beyond
Teen Titans
Static Shock
Those are the only cartoons canon to this universe.
5787463 it's not 100% confirmed but a lot of people think Jason was Red X. Given how similar to Robins his fighting style was and the ease he had using the same type of tools as robin. Both pointed to being trained by the same master. Along with his comments about "not wanting to play the hero"
5787463 So an appearance by Virgin Hawkins is guaranteed!?
5787490 also though he didn't show up Tim drake is the third robin and Tim was in batman beyond and the animated series so even if it wasn't around his resurrection it was at least after his death.
5787499
You mean Virgil, aka, Static Shock? He may or may not actually appear. The only reason I referenced it is because it was part of my basis for justifying the Teen Titans cartoon as being canon to Batman Beyond.
5787506
...sorry, but unless it's confirmed I can't use it. Besides, I think it takes things in too dark a direction.
5787522 curses. Oh well a guy can hope. That being said sorry for the huge info dump. And great story.
5787522 Well, it was worth a shot.
I'm REALLY Not comfortable with this. This is sounding a bit like the Nightmare Rarity arc and I HATE! that arc for it weakens Luna as a character. Please tell me that Nightmare Moon is not a parasite that infected Luna?
5787572
Nope.
Nightmare is Luna's negative emotions, dark magic, and bad feelings crystallized into a separate persona that was excised from Luna when Twilight and the others used the Elements of Harmony on her, since Nightmare's will was too strong to be destroyed. It later tried to parasitically possess Rarity, merging with her insecurities to try and get a new body, leading to slightly tweaked Nightmare Rarity arc events, and was beaten...but never actually excised, just sealed away.
I think I'll name our little Nightmare... Nary.
5787593 okay I can accept that. it's okay if she's a parasite now as long as she started from Luna. You really dodge a bullet there. Stories that go that route are my black list and i would have hated to add this one to them.
That said. THIS IS GOING TO BE AWESOME!
5787606
Well, sometimes I like the idea that Nightmare is a genuine demon that attempted to prey on Luna, rather than some sort of dark magic parasite. But mostly I like the idea that Nightmare was born from Luna.
5787616 Luna is honest terms a MLP version of Anakin.
Why is vader such a favored villian, because of this tragic past. It;'s the tragic hero the compel us to Luna. the demon or parasite origin for nightmare just weakens Luna for then she is held completely blameless for what happened. it doesn't make her story as compeling as the Luna make Nightmare route. And i think the biggest sigh of that is compare popularity. Nightmare Rarity or Nyx?
Now the Nightmare Rarity Look is awesome but needs a different backstory. Your;'s gets close
5787640
Well my idea regarding "demon" backstory is the classic "deal with the demon", in that Luna - out of desperation - did make that deal, so is responsible for what happened.
But I'm glad you like this path.
Holy shit, looks like the Nightmare is back.
The Splicing episode was good, along with April Moon.
I gotta commend you for tying in Nightmare Rarity into the story via splicing.
Oh dear. Now Rarity is a Dracula! Well, hopefully she won't sparkle...right?
I'm going to ask the question that everyone will eventually remember to ask: does the Nightmare remember Rarity's past life? does she know what happened to bring her to Wayne?
5787864
For the first one, it has already been answered yes by Nightmare's comment about her will being "stronger than last time".
For the second one, that's a spoiler unless and until the story addresses it.
Jason Todd did not show up in any of the Batman animated series. They pretty much went from Dick Grayson to Tim Drake in one shot. He did appear in one of the DC animated movies, Batman: Under the Red Hood. His fate was left uncertain after a massive explosion ("No one could possibly survive that inferno!") But don't forget the future Robin, Carrie Kelly, from the Dark Knight Returns.
5787986
Don't know that one.
5787572
I actually liked that arc. It and the first arc were the only good ones in my opinion. The Nightmare arc gave more depth as to how Luna became NMM, when in the show it was "Oh, I'm jealous of you!" *Gets really angry, stomps ground, EVIL!Transformation, Boom, NMM* The Nighmareling things made a bit of sense. Granted, I would still take show canon over comic canon any day.
What about a better class of villian? Ras Algul.
Shit just hit the fan. I;m kinda hoping for Joker or Mr. Freeze or some other villain try to mess with her. I will have fun watching Nightmare break whatever is left of the Joker's mind.
This is 9:45 pm talking, not me. I need to go to bed...
5788032 I just cannot stand it. too much disagrees with the canon of the show and even they guys who normally like the comics hate that arc.
If you want a better reasons you find him here. Heir to Nightmare where while jealousy played a part the lost and near lost of her husband and daughter by a cult of ponies wanting eternal day just her to go NMM. Savage Skies also has her persecuted for being a night themed pony and that the Nightmare Eyes she has as NMM is a condition she shares with other ponies. Finally there's Lunar Apprentice where Luna figures out that Celestia has become the most dangerous form of Tyrant. One like early Hitler but not genocidal. She bacme NMM so she have a chance to remove her from the throne for the ponies of Equestria.
Parasite route weakens Luna as a character by holding her completely blameless for the actions of NMM because it wasn't actually her.
Again why is Vader so popular a villain? He kicked butt and was scary has hell but then we learn of his tragic past it makes the character more compeling and more depth. Luna shares this in canon form. listen to the bulk of the reviewers of the sotry and they nearly all say the same. this was a poorly made story and concept.
Nightmare Rarity the character would be better if she had a similar origin then this parasite thing.
However the auther found the compromise i like. NMM originates from Luna but becomes a parasite need others to exist now. This doesn't weaken Luna as a character yet still allows Nightmare Moon as a character separate from her. And this blending is perfect for this story.
Rarity was always good for the Wayne part of the story but questionable for the Batmare. Tatsuro made it work quite well. it be funny to see Canon Rarity and Rarity Wayne intereact. But i always thought Luna or her Nightmare Persona would have been better for the batmare role. For a good guy Batman always used a fear factor. But with this last chapter we can really start to see it.
Beware Gotham underworld. the REAL Batmare has arrived.
5788090 Joker be dead by this point yo.