My Little Pony: Duality is a Curse

by IllusionedDrawer64

Chapter 3: Chaos Before the Dawn

Apollo Janus sighed.

Even though he was a symbol of justice established in Equestria, he was always busy with the paperwork.

Ponies beacme more and more inspired by the friendship between the Mane Six and the super-ponies (a term coined by the fans who often see many with special skills or powers beyond an average unicorn).

He paused a minute...

He looked to a picture of his fiancée.

How it all started.

The one who tamed his heart: Gilda "Grace" Dawes.

---

"...typical three weeks reservation to get in here...and I had to tell him that I worked for the government. He started ranting off how they make mutant turtles, or squads something like that. I'm not much of a higher-up though..."

"Really?"

"The city heath inspectors are not afraid to pull strings..."

"Dawes!"

Both looked up to see no-other-than an Equestrian noble heir/mult-rich playboy named Bruce Wayne.

"Yeah...Bruce, fancy that..." Grace stated.

"Dawes, Isley. Isley, Dawes." Bruce gestured to a certain green-dressed beauty socialite with him.

"Isley...Pamela Isley? Surely, not the one who-"

"Ah yes, a specialist of green-powered magical efficiency."

"...Apollo, is taking me for this week..."

"Is that right? Say, are you interested in environmental issues?"

"Bruce...! This is Apollo Janus."

Bruce smiled. Both well-known supporters/sometimes reformers of Equestrian justice system shook hands.

"The famous Bruce Wayne...Grace told me alot about you." Apollo grinned.

"Well, I certainly hope not...So! Let's put some couple of tables together..."

"I don't know if they'll let-"

"They should l I own the place."

"For how long? About three weeks?" Dawes questioned.

"How'd you know?" As all four began to finish dinner...

"-No, come on- how could you want to raise children in a city like this?" Pamela questioned.

"I was raised here. I turned out alright..."

"Is Wayne Manor Island in the Equestrian limits?"

".. Sure. You know, as our new D.A. you might want to figure out where your jurisdiction ends."

All chuckled together.

Pamela suddenly changed her tune, "I'm talking about the kind of world that idolizes masked vigilantes and powerful beings..."

"In Equestria, we are all proud of ponies standing up for what’s right."

Pamela smiles, as she pulled her flower out.

"Many need heroes like you-elected officials, not some pony like who "does well" or the Bat who thinks they're above the law. "

Wayne chimed in. "Exactly. Who appointed the Bat?"

Apollo smiled, and examined the debate, "We did. All of us who stood by and let bullies take control of our lives. History repeats itself. Invasions. Wars. Famine. Death. The nightfall in the sun's celebration. Chaos with chocolate rain, sounds like a perfect song title. Weddings crashed. And of course, the soul-sucking Tirek."

Wayne examines Janus.

"But this is life, Apollo...it happens. Friendships save the day."

Apollo explains, "When their enemies were at the gate at the Crystal Empire, ponies with their friends would suspend
their life and appoint one pony to protect them. It wasn’t considered an honor. It was considered public service."

Grace jumped in, "And the last pony they asked to protect them was named Sombra. He never gave up that
power, and darkness was established."

"Well, I guess you either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain."

The words sink in.

"Look, whoever the Mare-Do-Well, the Power Ponies, etc, and the Bat is, he doesn’t want to spend the rest of his life
doing this. How could he? He or she like the Bat looking for someone to take up the mantle."

Pamela placed a rose in the table's vase, "Someone like you, Mr. Janus?"

"Maybe. If I'm up to it." Apollo stated wistfully.

Isley reaches up a menu and covers the top half of Dent’s face.

"...But what if our own Ponyville District Attorney is the caped crusader?"

He smirked. "If I were sneaking out every night someone would've noticed by now."

Janus takes Dawes hand. Wayne's childhood girlfriend glances at Bruce.

"...well, you've sold me, old friend. I am gonna throw you a fundraiser."

"That's nice of you, Bruce, but I'm not up for reelection for three years. That stuff won't start for-"

"I don't think you understand. One fundraiser with my pals, you'll never need another cent." He winks.

"Oh! If you can look at the time!" Pamela Isley rose to her feet. She places the rose near Apollo.

"Going so soon?"

"I have to go soon, stay with them two, all of you have to catch up you'll know?"

"Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Isley...say something smells sweet...wait, it is getting warm in here?"

She went on her way if that's her cue, Bruce sees that she gained a bit of attraction.

"Apollo, what's wrong?"

He tries to drink a glass of water.

He undid a bit of his neck-tie.

"I just...gahhhh-hrk!"

He fell face-flat on his dish.

Red flags of course are raised.

...

”Apollo! ApOlLo, HaNg On!"

---

Many Years Ago...

This wasn't the first time he was almost assassinated, or attacked.

Rupert Throne tried to tarnish him by trying to leak Janus' measly childhood but...

Big Mistake.

"GIVE ME THAT FILE...!!!"

"...I'll Get Him!"

"WATCH OUT JANUS...!"

Close call, Bats disarmed the felon...

Sai Maroni attempted to have him shot in court but...

"...Crossbow made in Griffon Kingdom? My advice: Buy Equestrian."

His response: throwing acid given by Carmine Falcone. Luckily, it splashed only upon his arm. It stings, and left a burning mark...

But that close call taught him something: Perceptive.

"Everything's changed. Ponies fall from the sky, the celestial beings hurl thunderbolts...That's how it starts: The fever, the rage, the feeling of powerlessness that turns good ponies... cruel."

---

Summer Sun Celebration

Nightmare Moon gave him a look that he still doesn't understand today. Though, with Twilight's research, both rallied all Twilight's new friends to find the Elements of Harmony.

"What was the final element?"

Apollo flipped his coin, and placed it in his pocket. "My gosh...there it is..."

"What is?"

“The magical sparkle in your eyes."

Thanks to his quick advice, Princess Luna returned from her dark side. No pun intended.

All he asked for was a bit of hush-hush, and went on his way.

---

Return of Harmony

While trying to help the Mane Six regain their powers, Discord cracked his outer shell.
Apollo teamed up with a fellow guard adviser named Edward Reese. Thanks to Mr. Reese (Apollo commented it sounds like a familar pun), they found out where Discord's devious riddle "meant".

No, that would be an understatement: it was fate that showed him that it was inevitable.

He wouldn't accept that...

"NO! NO!" He shouted twice.

He ran. A giant rod hoovering with a coin flipping in the background made him know what comes next...

Sweat poured all over.

"APOLLO!"

Janus sees that Twilight Sparkle is unharmed.

Suddenly a giant bat loomed over her. She wasn't aware.

He panics, knowingly full well that Discord is playing around with him.

He suddenly sees that he was on a walkway bridge.

"DON'T MOVE!"

"NO! STAY BACK! IT IS A TRICK!"

The wood gave away. *CRACK*

"Apollo please, let me help you!!"

Suddenly, the illusions that Discord forced upon him, made somehow sense...question still remains: how?

"YOU!?"

Twilight was shocked by her friend's outbrust.

"YOU SAW WHAT WAS HAPPENING! YOU KNEW SOMETHING WAS TERRIBLY WRONG WITH ME! I THOUGHT YOU WERE MY FRIEND! YOU SHOULD ABLE TO HELP ME!"

He gasps and collapsed. His hooves covering his shameful face.

Discord chuckled; his work was done. Meanwhile out in the mist of chaos at Ponyville, the Bat tried to save a fellow red-hooded victim...

Twilight remembered how she tried to help him to cope with his past with Grace, only could look on in horror as her ally became: discorded.

"-But You Didn't! NOW LOOK AT ME!!!" He screamed.

Twilight sputters in fright, "B-b-b-but I tried Apollo! I really did-!"

She sees Discord's talon snapping the ropes off.

"APOLLO!"

He fell.

"WHY DIDN'T YOUUUU SAVEEEE MEEEE!!!"

He fell into the red abyss.

All of her six discorded hollow friends looked up with their once-found elements to Twilight Sparkle herself.

She gasps.

Tears flow as she lost her once-been lushful velvet color. Her tiara only looked untouched by the discording.

"Why didn't you save any of us, Twi?"

Thank Celestia it was soon over.

Twilight Sparkle soon gave Apollo something to cling on: grace.

Discord paid another lengthy stony prison before he became reformed.

But the damage was done: Fate was sealed.

---

A Canterlot Wedding

He was invited with Grace by Sir Shining Armor to his wedding to Princess Cadence, thanks to the messager by James Gordon who is invited alongside with his own wife and their newborn filly. Same goes with Bruce Wayne...

However, both James and Apollo found an obvious conspiracy with a malevolent Changeling queen.

With Twilight, they exposed her.

Not without a great price: Gordon's wife and the newborn were held up, but with the quick action-Bruce saved them.

With Apollo's fury and the Bat's combat skills as a distraction, Twilight with her brother and his wife used their combined strength to stop her.

"Counting on your "friends"to fight for you...double-crosser?"

"-!?! AAARRRGGGHHH! How DARE YOU?! YOU HAVE BIG NERVE TO SAY THAT!" Apollo screamed.

---

The Crystal Empire

Right in front of Mane Six with James', the Bat's, and Apollo's eyes, the king of darkness returned.

Somewhat, after a mere glance inside Apollo's mind; he decided that Janus will take part on even greater evil...

He rigged an essance of what Nightmarish power that once consumed Princess Luna, and Element-bearer Rarity to Apollo's whereabouts...

And planned to take grace out...

"NO! NO!"

The Bat found where Apollo was kidnapped...

"NO! NO! NOT ME! WHY DID YOU COME FOR ME!"

Grace was forced to hear everything through a rigged transmission...right before she was frozen to a statue next to Princess Amore.

"GRACE! GRACE!"

KA-BLAM!!!

Darkish explosions with all bluish and black all round consumed the area.

"GRACE! GRACE-ARGH!

The fiery inferno of darkness touched a side of Apollo's face, its Sombra's influenced fumes soaked up into his inner transmissons of his mind...

However, due to interference of an unicorn named Radiant Hope, everything that Sombra made dark was restored. She warned Grace to stay by Apollo's side, even if fate makes it harder...

---

Twilight's Kingdom

Grace kept Apollo's big bad side locked away...

Until a power-hungry minotaur ripped Equestria apart while confronting Twilight Sparkle at the height of her power which many costumed freaks and masterminds became aware and roomed the ruins. Inventions even turned on their creators.

Scattered pieces of Equestria were theirs.

"I am going to show you something...beautiful..."

All this fueled the boiled anger inside Apollo, made him more relentless.

Even the Bat is facing this problem...

"!-brought the war to us many years ago. By Celestia, Alfred, count the dead. Thousands of ponies. What's next? Millions? Anypony like her has the power to wipe out the entire Equestria, and if we believe there's a ONE percent chance that others are our enemy we have to take it as an absolute certainty... and we have to stop her and others..."

"THEY are NOT our enemy!"

"Not today... but years of seeing corruption, Alfred... we've seen what promises are worth. How many good guys are left? How many stayed that way?"

Although Tirek is defeated and everything is said and done, the Bat re-improvises his view on Equestria and began to join others like him, in which the Mane Six even took up the mantle of super-ponies (they say it was based on an adventure in a comic book...), they took turns on Mare-Do-Well alias (except Rainbow Dash) while the Bat trains his own proteges...

---

"Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering."

Apollo Janus recovered from a murder attempt by Poison Ivy.

Many were fearful that these ponies are misusing their powers.

Accidents happen, fingers are pointed.

Protests were shutting down the voices of reasons in mist of mobs.

The arch-nemesises of many superponies shifted the blame upon the heroes.

The clown-like manic mastermind that threatens the Bat's morals pointed this out to him...

---

"You wanna play games?"

Apollo held a crossbow to a certain convict connected the Joker.

"You wouldn't..."

And pulls his lucky coin out of his pocket.

"No. I wouldn't. That's why I'm not going to leave it up to me," He explains.

"Heads- you get to keep your head. Tails... not so lucky. So, you want to tell me about the Joker?"

Ping!

Whoosh!

He caught it: obvious trick heads.

"Go again?"

"PLEASE! I don't know anything!"

"You're not playing the odds, friend."

Ping!

Whoosh-

It doesn't land.

The Bat caught it.

"You'd leave a man's life to chance?"

"Not exactly. "

"-He's a paranoid schizophrenic. The kind of mind the Joker attracts," He explains.

"What do expect to learn from him? "

The paranoid D.A is shivering with frustration.

"The Joker shot Gordon- and, and almost Mayor Mare! He’s going to kill Dawes..."

"You're the symbol of hope that I could never be. Your stand against organized evils is the one of first legitimate ray of light in Equestria for decades. If anyone saw this, everything would be undone- all the criminals you got off the streets would be released. And Gordon will have died for nothing..."

He hands back his lucky coin.

"You're going to call a press conference. Tomorrow morning."

"Why?!"

"No one else will die because of me. Equestria is in your hands, now."

"NO! NO! You can’t! YOU CAN'T GIVE IN!!!"

---

Many who are upmost wild are held by the fence and the Royal Guard.

Many wave off signs showing either clashing of support or against.

Apollo Janus quickly came out of his given carriage to address the media.

Hecklers try to catch his attention but they didn't get even a glance from him.

"...Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for coming. I've called this press conference for three reasons. Firstly, to assure the citizens of Equestria that everything that can be done over the Joker killings is being done. Secondly, the Accords' acts over these "super-ponies" will be passed and discussed by all four princesses to restrict their peaks. Thirdly, because the Bat has offered to turn himself in-"

"So where is he?!"

"But first. Let's consider the situation: should we give in to this madpony's demands? Do we really think that- "

"You'd rather protect an outlaw vigilante than the lives of citizens?!"

The crowd noisily assents. Apollo calmly motions quiet. Locking his anger in.

“The Bat is an outlaw-But that's not why we're demanding he turn himself in. We're doing it because we're scared . We've been happy to let Bat and many others to clean up our streets for us until now-"

"Things are worse than ever!!!"

"Yes . They are. But the night is darkest just before the dawn. And I promise you, the dawn is coming."

"One day, the Bat will have to answer to his actions but to us, not to this madpony."

"NO MORE DEAD GUARDS!"

"WHERE IS THE BAT?"

Apollo sighed, "...So be it. Take the Bat into custody."

He deadpans.

"I am the Bat."

---

The Bat saving his cutie mark would be an understatement.

For now, the clown manic was finally captured, but not is all what it seemed.

Three fear-provoking attacks took place.

Zecora's brave prince lost his father in the mist of all nations' gatherings' bombing.

Super-Stallion sees the flames all around while attending a congressional hearing.

Finally, Apollo Janus tries to bust the final place where the attack would happen.

His fellow secret service finally bust through the gates.

Apollo quickly charged in, blinded by fury. He pulls out his prized double-shot crossbow at the present threat: Anarky.

"Freeze! Nopony move!"

The Bat quickly realizes the trap and tries to warn the danger.

"Janus! GET BACK!!!"

KA-BOOM!!!

Luckily, nopony were hurt. Apollo's men, Lighting Dust and Flash Sentry, carried him out quickly.

---

Bruce Wayne have close friends with tied to fate.

Retired Luna's Royal Guard Alfred, Selina Kyle, John, Pamela Isley, Grace Dawes, Apollo Janus, Tom Elliot, Crystal Sionis, and "Ozzie" Cobblepot.

"A REVOLUTION is knocking on Celestia's door! When this whole thing starts...Make sure you are on the right side..." He told Bruce, in mist of recruiting to the new radical agenda.

Apollo Janus, however, had a better vision for Equestria that Wayne can support: running for mayor of Ponyville.

Only if the Penguin made it any easier...

"On the Left! Have of heart, salt in gut! Now down and incompetent, Sunset Shimmer!" He announced, showing one of Celestia's ambitous student.

He had possessed, and under control Iron Will with him. To keep the doors checked.

"On the Right! Always beliving strength through purity! Purity through faith! Faith through unity! Unity through strength, Starlight Glimmer!" He showed one of idealistic unicorn who is scared out of her wits from being threatened.

"Finally! LAST BUT NOT LEAST! In the middle, split by fate! Putting dent on crime! Always smiling in your face-our descipable D.A: Apollo Janus!" He mocked the firm hero. "I do indeed believe in Apollo Janus too! Waugh! Waugh! Waugh!"

"Bird-looking, or what ever your name is..."

"Call me Penguin!" As he shot one hostage with him.

"Alright! Geez...Look, we'll play your game...please let Mayor Mare and people go!"

"Play then! We'll see...Coin toss: Heads! Who goes first!"

"Heads!"

"Questions! Ask THEM QUESTIONS!" He threatened a reporter to read the script.

"...ok, then...*gulp*. Mr. Janus, what do you believe about the term "not guilty by insanity" hence the asylum instead the usual jail or Canterlot's dungeons. Or the Tartarus, and maybe captial punishment..."

Suddenly, disgused Cobblepot soon was furious. After laying the rules down of encouraging speaking full truth, he pulled the camera closer.

"And a message from OUR Sponser!"

"PONIES OF EQUESTRA, I MAY BE LONG GONE, BUT THANKS TO CERTAIN FORESIGHTERS. I SHALL PARTAKE FINAL MESSAGE FOR YOU, MY PEOPLE, AND THOSE PONIES WHO BELIEVE IN ESSANCE OF SO-CALLED FRIENDSHIPS!...LOOK AT THESE SPINELESS CREATURES! CHOSEN TO LEAD!...CANDIDATES TAKE OFF YOUR MASKS!...SHOW THE PONIES YOUR TRUE SELVES...TELL THEM WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT EQUESTRIA YOU REALLY LOVE..."

Suddenly, what seemed to be Sombra's remnants, covered all three shocked ponies. All three were forced to give out their deepest dark desires...

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it...I'm not a monster...Anypony without vision don't belong here. Give me the position, and you can go back to your homes safe and sound tonight. Or keep your flaws and never go home."

"Well, this will certainly provide a boost to our little community. When the rest of Equestria finds out that a student to Princess Celestia gave up her ideals to join us, they'll finally understand what we're trying to accomplish..."

"...that's not a particularly compelling argument..."

"...do you want to know what I really I think?" He paused, "Equestria's Ponyville is flawed, what city isn't. Its flaws are what it makes it magical...AND ITS NOT TOO LATE TO SAVE EQUESTRIA! To take it back from the corrupt and lazy!"

Suddenly, Sombra announced his final message.

"NOW YOU WILL KNOW, NOW YOU WILL SEE!"

Ponies were frightened, where are the heroes...?

Suddenly the Bat appeared...

An ensuing struggle soon knocked Iron Will to his senses...

"I WON'T LET YOU KILL ANY ONE ELSE!" Janus struck The Penguin from taking two fated lives...

"Where's our buddy, WAYNE?! He's not here to help us!!!"

He sees the Bat approaching...

"BATSY! THE REVOLUTION HAS ALREADY STARTED! IT'S TOO LATE-"

He pulls an over-sized heatful lightscreen.

"-TO JOIN!" As he was about to proceed to bash the profound weapon on him.

But not just yet...

The Bat bashed it out of his hands...

"Where's the damned manic with the mask?!" Gordon rushed to the stage seeing that all three ponies are pulled up by the Bat...

To both Apollo and Bruce, they have lost one of their friends to ambition.

Janus is more paranoid than ever. They've lost almost three now...

Bruce held the mask in his hands...

---

"SHOW THE PONIES YOUR TRUE SELVES..."

The Clown Prince of Crime, the Penguin, ex-guard Edward Reese or the Riddler, Lex Luthor, and Dr. Victor Fries are told that they will be given a second chance to redemption. They were the most well-known feared individuals of Equestria besides the Demon's Head or any evil societies themselves...

From what is heard from Twilight and her friends, Sunset tried to set her ambitions in another world...and Starlight tried to make a "fair world".

"Equality for all...believed in freedom. The problem was those guys were totally out of balance, and they took their ideologies too far...wanted equality..spirituality...freedom...and unity"

At least they gained redemption. They have been known to Twilight as one of the most recoginzed allies.

But about them...

"Thanks to the permission by Princess Celestia, this "evil extractor" will peel every evil from their own minds..."
stated the scientist who would be deemed as a madpony. "The funds was provided by Mr. Harold Saxon himself."

"Soon the unicorn magic hosted with the Alicorn Amulet will absorb every bit of darkness inside these villains and soon More Will Follow!"

The Bat with his companion doesn't not share the same feeling.

Even Apollo Janus raised one of his brows...

Ping!

Whoosh!

"Dr. Qunizel! Began the extracting protocol!"

Ping!

Whoosh!

"BEHOLD! The Awesome Power of Evil Extractor!"

The containers are filled with more dark substance. Every negative emotions filled in...until:

"HAHAHAHAHAHA! GIVE EVERYTHING YOU GOT, EVERYONE!"

Following the advice of the Bat's arch-enemy, they overflowed the procedures.

Dr. Hugo Strange realizes his mistake too late, "They are overflowing the machine with their evil! SHUT IT DOWN!"

The blonde pony assassiant quickly shuts it off, but the damage was done...

Fate...

"APOLLO, LOOK OUT!!!"

The Princesses and Mane Six quickly brought up their shields.

Janus screamed...

"GGGGGGGAAAAAAARRRRRHHHHHH!!!!!"

KA-POW!!!

"APOLLO!!!" Twilight screamed.

Luna using her royal voice was something that you wouldn't like to hear. "Strange!!! YOU WRETCH THO! YOU WILL BE RESIGNED FOR THIS!!!"

Twilight quickly looked over the damage.

She quickly but surely turned him over.

"Apollo! Nooooo!" She wept.

The Bat looked over the carnage as the fire was put out.

Something shining in the rubbles caught his eye..

At the Ponyville Hosptial...

"I am so sorry, Apollo..."

He left the lucky charm on his table: This time, one side is scarred-forever.

Author's Note:

Equestrian Girls: Harvey Kent
A great friend to young Bruce Wayne of Canterlot High, who is often snuck in the night solving mysteries and having adventures with the Mane 7, and a familar league...
Sunset is deeply distrubed by this coindence as she saw the similarities and often tries to help this Apollo's human counterpart to get over his emtional issues in the sake for his own girlfriend: Grace Dawes. His twin sister, Jessica is currently the class president.
When Midnight Sparkle surfaced, Harvey gained a black eye and a sized gash on the side of his face. Though was healed, people alike see his increase of flipping coins...