Chapter Three
"Do dede do dooo…" A strange figure hummed, while gathering a few things within his obvious red 'Man Cave'. All around the basement room, were neon signs and old pictures taken of millennia past. In one picture, was a familiar battle crazed Daemon Primarch, being shoulder hugged by a massive golden armored warrior, skulls adorning his shoulderguards, who simply pointed at the pimarch with a grin. Another picture was a younger version of the strange being, wearing a football player's outfit, almost like it was taken for a Team Photo.
One side of his wall is completely filled with pictures from past ages, some even far too old. The figure himself leaned down, wearing a rather feminine red bath robe with golden fuzz boardering, with the words "#1 Blood God!" The exclamation mark's dot had actually been done like a heart, the writing treaded with some pink silk. Pulling a case of "Skull Beer" from the mini-fridge, the figure walked over to a recliner, but stopped after he noticed a picture on the nearby dresser. He smiled at it, picking it up, having a nostaltigc look on his features, then eyed the golden armor off to the side, the sword sheathed at the hip, before nodding and placed the picture back down.
He quickly sat in the recliner, going straight into a lounging position, and pulled up the remote. "Now then, let's see how that mortal is fairing in Equestria today." Khorne simply stated, removing one of the beer cans, popping it, and taking a sip while turning the T.V. on.
"Honey! I'm home!" A rather loving voice called out, as the T.V. came on. "Where are you?"
"Welcome home, babe! I'm downstairs, checking to see how one of my mortals is fairing!" Khorne replied, smiling at the fact that his wife had just gotten home.
"Alright! I'll get started on dinner, I bet you're hungry after a full day of nothing but war and skull taking!" The sweet voice giggled, causing the Blood God to chuckle a bit.
"Oh, don't you know it, babe!" He called back, taking a sip of his beer. "The moment I find out my wife is cooking me dinner, I'll stop an entire battle just so I can be back home on time!" Khorne moved his bunny slipper covered feet side to side, while relaxing in the recliner, his wife giggling upstairs causing him to chuckle.
-Winter Wrap Up, Months After Ariontus' Arrival-
"Rrrrrrraaaagggghhh!" Ariontus roared, pushing a snow plow through Ponyville, clearing the streets of it. "Ha! Call this work!? This is just my morning warm up exercise!"
Outside town hall, Mayor Mare and Twilight watched the berserker clear the streets. "Oh my, he's actually doing the work of ten ponies, and so quickly too! I must thank Fluttershy for letting us borrow him." Mayor Mare said, amazed at how fast the work is going this year. "Not to mention, I still owe her for all that firewood she sent, it helped Ponyville keep warm through that long winter."
Twilight giggled at the comments. "I don't think you need to thank her, Mayor. I believe Fluttershy is happy KB has something to work out all his pent up frustration… All that firewood was because he is apparently bored." She said, smiling.
"Him, bored? Whatever did he do back home?" Mayor Mare asked, raising an eyebrow.
"From what we were able to figure out?" Twilight said, pondering the thought. "He is a warrior bred for nothing but battle and conquest. So, he was involved in something called 'The Eternal War against the False Emperor'."
"And who is that?" Mayor Mare asked.
"According to him? Some tyrant god-like being that 'enslaves people to his golden throne of lies'. We guessed he's the Sombra of their world." Twilight answered, watching as KB passed by with the snow plow.
"My, that's something." Mayor Mare said, looking back at the town. "Though, I can't help but wonder how Fluttershy is able to tame him… I saw how that brute was, when he first arrived."
"I don't know how, but Fluttershy seems to have a way with him." Twilight noted, smiling a bit. "It is like a strange bond the two have, and it grows stronger with each passing day."
"Oh my… I wonder how strong it'll get." Mayor Mare said, noticing KB is almost done with the town's streets.
"To be honest, Mayor, I have no idea." Twilight said, before a flash of light, and a familiar scream, caught her attention. "That sounded like Fluttershy!" Twilight quickly flew off in the direction of the light.
The alicorn didn't have to fly far, when she noticed a portal of white light just outside of Ponyville. Twilight saw the remaining group of her best friends, waiting at the portal, and landed. She noticed that they all had a panicked look on their faces, making her feel more concerned.
"What happened? Where's Fluttershy, I heard her scream at the town hall." She asked, the group looking at one another.
"W-We don't know, Twi." Applejack said, looking back at the portal. "We were just standin' here, talkin', when that there portal appeared and sucked her in."
"Ooh, I do hope the poor dear is alright." Rarity said, holding a hoof to her muzzle.
"Her!? Rarity, are you forgetting something? Without Fluttershy around, who's going to keep KB undercontrol!?" Rainbow Dash reminded, everyone going wide eyed at the realization.
"O-Ok, girls… W-We just have to keep him distracted, not knowing she is missing, until we figure out how to get her back." Twilight said, the group giving a nod and slowly relaxing. "He's still finishing up plowing the snow in the Ponyville streets, on the other side of town from what I last saw-?"
They went wide eyed again, when the sounds of heavy boot steps, running, and familiar weapons roaring to life echoed nearby. This caused them all to turn and see the telltale crimson and brass of Ariontus, charging straight for the portal. "Fluttershy!" He roared, knocking the five aside, like bowling pins, and leaping through the portal.
The moment he went through, the portal quickly closed up. Rainbow Dash pulling herself up, rubbing her head. "Well… That solved one problem." She said, the group glaring at her. "What? It did!"
-Khorne's Man Cave-
The moment he saw Ariontus leapt through the portal, and said portal quickly closing, Khorne spat out his bear on to the TV screen. "What in the name of the Warp!?" He roared, causing the entire Man Cave to rumble with his voice.
"Honey? Is everything alright? Do I need to come down there?" His wife called out, a strange clopping against tiled floor echoing until it was just above the stairs. "Kharny?"
"Y-Yeah, honey! Everything is just fine! Nothing to worry about!" Khorne replied, trying to add a convincing chuckle. "J-Just had a bad after taste in my beer, is all! You know how I am about the taste!"
The sound of her giggling made him give a sigh of relief. "Alright, honey… You and your beer. Sometimes, I swear, you're more in love with it than me!" She joked.
"Hey, if it was legal, I may do so." He joked, trying to ensure she doesn't come down and witness what had happened. "You just go back to cooking, and not worry your pretty little head, my lovely goddess!"
"Alright! It'll be ready soon!" She replied, the sounds of her returning to the kitchen made him give another sigh of relief.
"Damnit… I can't help but feel that bastard Tzeentch had something to do with that." Khorne growled.
-Tzeentch's Realm-
The Changer of Ways suddenly sneezed, rubbing his beaked nose after the fact. "Huh… Someone must be talking about me." Tzeentch said, cackling a bit. "I bet it is some hot sorceress chick!"
A groan caused the God of Sorcery to look at his chess partner, a familiar red Daemon Primarch with red skin and golden armor. "Tzeentch, if they were talking about you, it is probably of some way to gain more power… Or how you're always avoiding to answer some question, or going on and on about things that do not matter." Magnus said, leaning back into his chair. "Now, it is your turn."
Tzeentch rubbed his beak. "I see… Hm… I'll move my Rubricae to…. HERE! Ha, be you didn't see that coming!" He shouted, taking Magnus' Rubricae Sorcerer.
"Tzeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeentch!" The Crimson King roared, as the Changer of Ways simply laughed.
-Gotham, in an Abandoned Toy Factory-
"I don't care how she got in here, Harley, only that she knows where our hideout is!" The Joker said, glaring at the only female in his gang. "And don't get me started about the fact that she's a winged pony, who can actually talk!"
"B-But, Mistah J, she'sharmless as they come! Plus, I don't even think she knows Batman, probably run the moment she sees him, because how skittish she is." Harley said, innocently smiling.
The Joker back handed her out of the way, pulling out his switch blade, and approached the yellow pegasus mare. "No hard feelings, my dear, but you see… The fact that you know where we are gives a certain midnight vigilante, who wears the persona of a bat, the chance to stop my plans for this city." He said, moving next to the scared pony, placing an arm around her. "And I can't have that, now can I?"
Fluttershy, trembling in the chair she had been tied to, let out a scared squeak. "I-I u-understand, b-but I have been gone for quite a bit, now, a-and I-I'm sure my friends are worried." She said, the Joker raising an eyebrow. "A-And I'm sure KB is going crazy, tearing up Ponyville trying to find me, worrying."
The Joker gave her a mock sympathetic look. "Oh, my dear, I understand as well… But still, can't take a chance." He said, putting the knife to her throat. "Deeply sorry."
A bright flash quickly lit up the room, before disappearing. The Joker ignored it, but Harley saw what appeared and went straight to the wall. "U-U-Uh… M-M-M-Mistah J?" She stuttered, her whole body shaking with fear.
The Joker gave an annoyed sigh, before looking at her. "Harley, you know how I hate being interrupted when I'm working!" He said, raising an eyebrow. "And why are you shaking more than toy chatter teeth?"
Harley pointed behind him. "B-B-Because of that thing!" She said, looking like she was about to faint. The Joker turned around, going wide eyed and looking up at the sight.
Standing, towering, behind him was a behemoth in crimson and brass armor. In both hands were a cross between an axe and a chainsaw, humming. When the Joker looked at the head, he noticed the T-shaped visor and the fact that the coloring is red. "W-Who in the world are you?" He asked, slightly trembling.
"Oh, that's KB!" The Joker looked behind him, seeing Fluttershy with a big grin on her face. "He must have come after me!"
"Oh! What a relief." The Joker said, moving behind Fluttershy and started to cut her loose. The demented clown discreetly reaching into his jacket. "Here I thought I would have gotten my suit bloo-. Ok, don't move, big red!" He quickly put Fluttershy in a choke hold, once she was free, and placed a revolver to the side of her head. "Or she'll have more space in her pretty head!"
Ariontus suddenly let out deep growl, revving up his chain axes. "Give… Her… Back!" He roared, taking a step forward.
"U-Uh, M-Mister Joker, sir? I don't suggest, if it is ok, to make him angry." Fluttershy said, the clown prince looking down at her. "He gets scary, when angry."
The Joker raised an eyebrow, but looked back up when Ariontus stepped forward. "I warned you!" He yelled, now pointing the revolver at Ariontus, and pulled the trigger. A small banner came out, saying 'BANG!' and caused the Joker to laugh. "See? She wasn't in any danger, big guy."
"Haha, good one, Mistah J!" Harley said, trying to convince the angry giant.
When Ariontus looked at Harley, the Joker grinned and pulled the trigger further. This caused the flag to blast out, and nailed the giant at the center of his forehead, sending the crested helmet back. "Hah! Got him! That'll teach you to-?"
"Didn't work." Fluttershy stated, looking up at the clown.
The Joker gave her an unamused look. "What are you talking about? I just shot him in the head. No helmet could possibly deflect such a projectile this close." He said, motioning to Ariontus.
"KB's armor can take a Manticore's claw, and he can even send a Bugbear lying away… If you don't believe me, look." Fluttershy said, pointing up at the ceiling. Sure enough, when he looked, the flag was stabbed into the stone ceiling.
"What IS this guy!?" The Joker said, wide eyed.
"I'm not exactly sure… But he is a skilled warrior who worships a 'Blood God' and says…" Fluttershy deepens her voice, in an attempt to mimic Ariontus. "Gets strong as I am through the slaughter of Imperial Loyalist and xenos, drowning a world in their blood!' Or something along those lines." She tapped her chin, with a hoof. Ariontus suddenly looking back down at them, his visor black-red with pure anger.
The Joker patted her head with his hand. "Thank you very much, my dear." He said, Fluttershy gave a wide smile.
Harley moved next to the Joker, both hands out to not seem like a threat. "S-So, what are ya gonna do, Mistah J?" She asked.
The Joker gave a smile, before giving his answer. "Well, that's an easy one, Harley…"
-Outside the Factory's Main Entrance-
The doors flung open. "RUN!" The Joker screamed, holding Fluttershy over his head, Harley right behind him.
The factory walls suddenly exploded, KB charging out and yelling. "Blood for the Blood God!"
"Mistah J, why are we runin'? I'm sure ya could out smart that guy!" Harley said, trying to keep up with the Joker. "And why are ya taking the pony? Isn't that what he wants?"
"Because that monster is ten times the psychopath I am, the armor making him even worse!" The Joker replied, still holding Fluttershy over his head. "And I may be a psycho, but even I won't leave a sweet thing with something like that thing!"
"Oh, Mistah J, you are so carryin-!" Harley was cut off, by a massive, crimson, gauntlet grabbing her head. A second after, the perky assistant was sent flying right into a nearby dumpster.
"I'm sorry, Harley!" The Joker yelled, before turning into an alleyway suddenly. "Where is the Bat when I really need him!"
Fluttershy was letting out small squeaks, each time they turned. Ariontus, on the other hand, plowed through a wall, or not able to stop himself for the turn in time. "Oooh… I really hope KB doesn't get into toooo much trouble." The yellow pegasus said, glancing back at the trail of destruction being caused by her angry friend.
-Few Minutes Later-
"Does this guy ever give up!?" The Joker asked, looking back at the newly destroyed shop wall.
"U-Uh, n-no… K-KB pushes himself too much, whenever he does things… Especially when they involve me." Fluttershy said, the clown's eyes twitching.
"B-Batman!" The Joker yelled, running down the city streets.
As if his prayers were finally heard, the iconic black batmobile suddenly rushed from an alleyway, in front of him, screeching to a halt. Once it had stopped, the top opened up and the caped crusader leaped from his vehicle, glaring at the Clown Prince of Chaos. "Joker… Whatever it is you've done now, I'll make sure you-?"
The Joker rushed passed him, throwing Fluttershy into the batmobile's back seat, and jumped in himself. "No time, Bats! We gotta get out of here, now!" He yelled, strapping himself in, panicking fear written all over his face.
"What has gotten you so riled up… That you find it safe with me?" Batman asked, raising an eyebrow.
When the sounds of a building exploding caught their attention, the Joker pointed towards the smoke. "We're running from that!" He yelled, the sight of a towering, shadowed, silhouette, standing eight feet tall, being the only thing they could see.
The moment it faced them, allowing Batman to see those glowing, blood red, visor eyes… No time had been wasted before the cape crusader was back in his vehicle. Once the batmobile sped off, leaving the towering being behind them, Batman started to question the clown. "What is that thing, and what did you do to piss it off?"
"I have no idea! But, according to Miss Yellow Pegasus back there, that thing belongs in your red and blue friend's little ghost zone place! He's ten times worse than me!" The Joker said, looking in the side rear view mirror, watching the charging behemoth.
"Alright, where did he even come from? And how about telling me what you did to make him so mad, already?" Batman asked, turning down another street.
Before the Joker could answer, in a meek voice. "U-Um… I-I can a-answer that, if that's ok." Fluttershy said, Batman raising an eyebrow.
"Talk, and don't lie to me." He said, sternly, using the rear view mirror to look at her.
Fluttershy let out a meek 'eep' before she explained. "I-I'm from E-Equestria, Ponyville… The one whose chasing us is KB, or at least we call him that since we cannot pronounce his real name, and he's a good friend of m-mine. I-I don't know where he's from, but he's a really good boy when calm." She explained.
"Alright, that explain some things." Batman looked into his mirror, seeing Ariontus right behind them. "Can you explain what has him so riled up to the point, that he's tearing up al of Gotham, and chasing the Joker?"
"W-Well… U-U-Um… K-KB seems to be very protective of me. I-I guess, when he saw him." She pointed towards the Joker, with her hoof. "Holding that metal thing at me, saying he was going to hurt me, KB must have gotten real mad."
Batman slammed on to the breaks, causing he batmobile to skid into a sudden stop. "Joker did what?" He asked, noticing the clown giving him an innocent look. "Right… Should have guessed." He pressed a button, sleeping gas spraying the Joker, and caused him to pass out.
"W-What are you g-going to do?" She asked, as the vehicle's roof opened up.
Batman jumped out, staring in the direction of a charging Ariontus. "The right thing." He simply answered, not faltering as the behemoth got closer. The moment Ariontus was close enough to hear him, Batman suddenly yelled out. "You're scaring her! Calm down!"