Bronze groaned. All he felt was a throbbing ache through his whole body, as if something fundamental to his very being was ripped out of him. ‘It doesn’t help that whatever this is, it’s focusing in my brain like the mother of all migraines. Ow. I did not miss them….’

“Batcolt! Batcolt, speak to me!” A soft yet commanding young girl’s voice demanded of him, two tiny hands grabbing his clothes and shaking him.

‘Ow~! Little girl you’re worsening it!’ Bronze groaned again, hissing as he slowly opened his eyes to the whited-out eyes of a domino-mask wearing young griffon hen easily around the age of Applebloom. Aside from the mask and her ‘traffic light’ spandex outfit, he could only tell her tawny feathered head and golden-tan wings as any indicator of who she might be, which, of course, was completely useless to him.

“Oh thank the stars you’re okay Batcolt. When you got hit by Puzzler’s fancy new toy, I thought you’d been done for!” The young hen unhelpfully gave some exposition, which, of course, was just as useless to Bronze at comprehending the situation.

“What are you talking about? Who are you?” Bronze asked as he got up to a sitting position and rubbed his head, only to freeze with wide-open eyes in horror. ‘Where’s my horn?’ Bronze rubbed over his skull again, his hoof not catching on a spiraled and sharp protrusion like it should. ‘WHERE’S MY HORN?!’

*GASP* “The Puzzler has stolen your memory! But if you can’t remember who you are, you can’t be Batcolt! Oh~ Alfalfa! I wish we weren’t so far from Trotham. At least if we were on our home turf, Alfalfa would be able to help us! Oh flock, oh flock!” The hen cub began freaking out, and some instinct Bronze didn’t know surfaced, making him quickly move to her and bonk her on the head, getting an ‘ow!’ from her.

“Language young hen! I might not remember you, but those are not words someone like you should be using.” Bronze chastised her, making the hen grumble.

“Geez, even without your memories you’re a stickler for rules. Well, okay. We’ll start off simple. You; are Batcolt. The Dark Knight of Trotham. I am your ever trustworthy sidekick; Robin. We followed rumors of sightings of The Puzzler all the way to Maretropolis. He’s here alright, and he blasted you with some sort of bewild-o-ray that clearly wiped your memory! Do you think you can fly still?” Robin asked worriedly, and Bronze hummed as he flapped his wings.

‘At least I still have these.’ Bronze mentally bemoaned the loss of his alicorn card. Whoever made this book was way too dangerous to leave unchecked if it can change somepony’s species so casually. “Yeah, I think so Robin. If we have a safehouse nearby, lead us to it. We can work from there.” ‘Just play along, figure things out, find Spike, and get the hell outta dodge.’

“Sound’s good, follow me!” Robin practically beamed at possibly salvaging whatever the situation was, and she took off with her admittedly large wings. Then again, griffons have much larger wings than pegasi or thestrals as a rule. It explains how such a young cub can fly already.

It wasn’t hard to follow her, especially since she kept low and often touched down on rooftops. When questioned, she informed him he taught her to do it like that to conserve energy and also to make it easier to spot crime with a stop-n-go rather than just plain ‘go’. The fact that this world wasn’t empty, that there was actual pedestrian traffic as well as carriage traffic below just puzzled Bronze all the more.

Without his horn, he was essentially just a plain thestral, so he was currently ripped from his Aspect. Gog he didn’t want to imagine the pain he might experience getting it back. So he couldn’t tell if this perceived reality was in fact just a fantasy following intense probability behaviors, or somehow the creators of the book had genuinely crafted a portal to another world using avatars as the inserts for the intended roles of the ‘readers’, which could explain why anything at all could potentially rob Bronze of his essential physical manifestation of godhood. Well that, or he was actually possessing the real Batcolt’s body, and he didn’t want to consider the ramifications of the potentially real danger he and Spike were now in.

‘Where the flying buck did Twilight buy this flocking comic from?!’ Bronze mentally screamed as the ramifications of this dimensional excursion ripped into what he knew, even without connection to his Aspect, of what this journey could do. ‘Oh yeah! A potential Resonance Cascade! One that would MERGE realities considering the similarities between the dimensions that I can observe! And if not, there might be a Resonance period, and things start slowly leaking between the two realities and causing rift gates-!’

“Batcolt! Snap out of it!” Robin’s panicked screeching and shaking him brought Bronze out of the panic his downward spiral was causing, and he panted at realizing he’d stopped breathing for a moment. “Geez, the Puzzler really did a number on you, didn’t he? Hold it together colt, I got us to our current safehouse. I’ll call Alfalfa and try to sort things out, okay? Follow me inside.”

Robin looked over the edge of the skyscraper-’WHEN DID WE GET UP HERE?!’-that they’d flown up to, and then gestured for him to follow with her leonine tail, before deftly diving down right next to the building, and he rushed to the ledge to see her fall to the top floor of windows and then bolt into one, which readily opened smoothly upon impact, and he quickly bolted into the opening before it closed. It was dark inside, but both he and Robin could clearly see just fine with their respective night visions as they strode into the ridiculously giant penthouse suite, Robin casually stripping off her leotard as she moved to the extremely modern entertainment center. ‘This cub needs some decency. I mean really. Undressing in front of someone?’

Ignoring the odd thought, considering most beings in Bronze’s new reality were predominantly nude most of the time anyway, he examined the rest of the penthouse, and realized he was incredibly hungry when he saw the large kitchen. ‘Hope they got some spinach or broccoli.’ Bronze pondered as he went into the kitchen, hissing and blinking as suddenly the lights across the suit turned on.

“Sorry Brave, but we gotta-TAKE YOUR COSTUME OFF!” Robin screeched halfway through her explanation and bolted across the area to him, yanking his cowl off as she tugged him under the counter. “Geez, forgot you forgot everything. There’s no guarantee the safehouse is perfectly safe, so we gotta be out of costume in case any pegasi, thestrals, griffons, yada-yada come flying by and see something they shouldn’t.”

“Oh, I understand. But what did you just call me?” Bronze asked, wondering how she knew his second name as he nervously started moving his hooves over the heavy costume, not really knowing where any of the seams were, and getting Robin to sigh in exasperation. Then she blushed as she gestured for him to stay still and began undressing him slightly by pulling off his four cleverly designed combat hoof boots and then helped remove the cape and cowl, before showing the seams in his bodysuit and moving away from him, clearly indicating she wasn’t going to invade his privacy that much.

“Brave. It’s your name colt. You’re Brave Wings, president and CEO of Wings Enterprises. Also essentially my adopted dad, but hey, I don’t want you to be too bowled-over by stuff. So you just relax right now, I’m going to see about setting things right.” Robin said as the tawny and tan griffon ran back into the living room. “And don't touch any of the apples! Or pears! Or any fruit right now, I need you coherent!”

Bronze Brave, or maybe just Brave right now, wondered what she meant. Then again, Brave just realized something…. ‘I’ve never had any fruit from Equestria...my diet was always so vegetable and protein/iron heavy that fruit was considered wasteful filler when I already had hay and even, eugh, grass to fill that in.’ Brave looked at the fruit bowl on the countertop, suddenly incredibly curious. ‘Does fruit effect ponies oddly? If so, then why does AJ have such a ridiculously huge orchard of apples? I’ve seen ponies eating it in large quantities too. So what’s the deal with me not being allowed to have some?’

Brave snorted and shook his head as he peeled the bodysuit off, revealing his black coat and his short ‘business’ trimmed silver mane and tail. ‘Am I just that much of a hit on Brave Wings? Or is this an avatar and the real Brave Wings is currently sleeping in a pocket reality right now?’ Brave managed to not think of it right now and moved to the fridge. He wasn’t feeling fruit right now anyway. ‘Let’s see...oooo, fresh spinach and broccoli with some ranch dressing and carrots sounds good right now.’

[(x)]

After assembling his salad, Brave ate and then went into the living room where Robin was wrapping up a video call with and old tan earth pony stallion with a balding silver mane, who hung up shortly before Brave would’ve entered the camera. “So who was that?”

“Alfalfa. Your butler. He’s kinda your adopted dad since he was your godfather when your parents...well...were murdered by the Jester.” Robin dropped on him, figuring it might trigger some unpleasant memories. Thankfully, Brave wasn’t the real Brave, so he could detachedly approach the scenario with sympathy rather than personal anguish, so Robin was visibly mixed between sadness and relief that all he did in response to that news was move his fluffy ears back.

“Oh...that’s...very sad to know. So Robin-.”

“Robin’s my Cape Name. I’m Genevieve Goldwing. Friends call me Viv or Vicky for short. You took me in when my parents were murdered by sabotaged circus equipment. I won’t go into too much detail since hopefully your memory will come back. Technically I’m Victory Wings by law, but you never asked me to give up my original name in private.” Genevieve informed warmly, her love for the parental figure that Brave was replacing made him feel guilty even if he wasn’t at fault for the situation.

“Oh...well I can see the name change if I was trying to protect you from someone being a thing I’d do….”

“Yep, and it worked out. Flockers are in prison serving life sentences, and I can technically legally change my name back, but it kinda stuck. Makes me being your daughter a bit more legitimate in my opinion.” Genevieve preened, only to get a bonk on the head for cursing again. “Ow! Sorry! Geez.”

“Language, seriously cub.” Brave grouched, but grinned with levity. “So, what did Alfalfa suggest?”

“He actually suggested something that, normally, neither of us would be up for.” Genevieve cringed at what she was about to say, hesitant to bring it up, but Brave gestured with a hoof for her to carry on. “We should seek out the local heroes and ask them for help.” She then cringed, as if he was about to yell at her, only to see him raise an eyebrow.

“Sure. Let’s get going.” Brave said easily, making her gawk at him.

“The Puzzler seriously messed with your head….”

[(x)]

“I think I wish I was colorblind right now.” Brave bemoaned of the sight below. After flying through the city for an hour and the night wearing on, they finally came across the local superheroes, the Power Ponies. “No offense, but if they clashed any more colors together, I think some sort of color-obsessed-aliens would swoop in just to abduct them.”

“Ick, yeah. I’m no henny hen, but even I want to yack at those outfits. Except Radiance, that mare’s got class.” Robin commented. “Now remember, you’re Batcolt. Your real name is completely off any sort of discussion table.”

“I may have lost my memories, but I get how secret identities work Robin. Let’s get down there, they all look rather antsy and won’t stop bothering the drake.” ‘Thank gog I found you Spike. But the fact that you and Robin both have similar costumes might cause conflict-.’

“Holy flock dude! You have my costume!” Robin practically squealed as she flew down to the startled group, standing in front of Spike and looking him over. “This is so cool! I thought I was the only one with the love for traffic lights.”

“Robin, language!” Batcolt scolded as he landed before the suddenly gasping and awestruck pony team as his wing-covering and oddly weightless cape fluttered down around him dramatically. “Apologies for Robin’s potty-beak. She refuses to learn to use proper words.”

“Oh yeah, like you never swear.” Robin rolled her white-mesh covered eyes. “So who’re you? I didn’t know the Power Ponies had any Normals in masks with them.” Robin asked excitedly, beings herself and Batcolt really don’t have superpowers. Just skill and sleight of hoof/talon.

“Oh um, I’m...Hum Drum.” Hum Drum said as he looked to Batcolt hopefully.

“Um, excuse me, Mister Batcolt?” Came forth the voice of the only alicorn of the group; Masked Matter-Horn. The mare obviously wasn’t a normal alicorn, considering if she was there’d be absolutely no way she could have a secret identity. Likely she was a pegasus who could transform into a sort of false alicorn since her only known uses of her horn were to fire obscenely powerful concussive blasts from it that could either be able to level half a mountain, or gently shove people against a wall. “It is a really great honor to meet you, but what are you doing in Maretropolis?”

“We were apparently seeking one of my nemeses; The Puzzler.”

“Apparently?” MMH asked quizzically, and Robin took this as her turn to bring them up to speed.

“We found the conniving cad, only he blasted Batcolt with something he called a ‘Bewild-o-Ray’ that took all his memory!” Robin dramatically emphasized, getting all the ponies to gasp in shock.

“But that’s what the Mane-iac called her fancy new gizmo she tried to blast Saddle Rager with, but Hum Drum knocked her outta the way since the varmint jumped us before she could rage. Now the poor fella’s gone bonkers from takin’ the hit, callin’ us ponies we ain’t.” Mistress Mare-velous explained in a drawl that very much reminded Batcolt of his marefriend.

“So we have two victims. One memories gone, the other memories changed! It’s a mane-pulling mystery!” Fili-Second exclaimed dramatically, only for Batcolt to sigh.

“It’s not much of a mystery really. It’s quite obvious that Puzzler and Mane-iac are working together. The reason it could be mane-pulling is because of the frustrations that accompany any sort of memory loss. Once again, poor titles abound.” Batcolt grumbled, getting Hum Drum to sigh in relief at realizing that, yes, Batcolt is his friend from their world.

“So what we need to do now is find out where they’re hiding, get the Bewild-o-Rays, and get you guys back to normal.” MMH stated factually, it was clear she was the leader of the Power Ponies considering how the others all instantly deferred to her.

“Then let’s get to business.” Batcolt stated, ignoring how Robin and Hum Drum started whispering and giggling/chuckling to each other shortly after the group started heading for wherever it was that the Power Ponies were willing to allow them to see in terms of an HQ, which really, was probably pointless to the real Batcolt. If Brave Wings was anything like Bruce Wayne, he obsessively kept tabs on ALL potential threats.

[(x)]

Well it was unusually easy, confusingly so. Clearly the comics of Equestria pandered more to actual children rather than to a broad older kid to young-adult demographic that most comics in Brave’s world did. The Power Ponies just outright took Batcolt and Robin to their main headquarters in the penthouse of another skyscraper not even a few blocks away from the one Brave was renting out, put together the clues they had all been collecting the duration of the night, and then now they were standing over a warehouse in the docks where everyone was fairly sure was where Puzzler and Mane-iac were hiding out.

‘Usually, it takes Batman a few days to find his ‘rogue-of-the-issue’ but tonight, and it’s still the same night, everything’s already coming to a fast conclusion? The comic book did look fairly thin….’ Of course, Brave was postulating under the premise that this was all just a fantasy, and not a potential alternate reality, which it very well could be, but that’s not important right now. “Alright, here’s the plan. You six go in with your usual shock-and-awe tactic, while I, Robin, and Hum Drum take them from the shadows.”

“Why not take one of us?” Zapp asked, making Batcolt slowly and silently turn his head to the loudmouth weather-kinetic, making her nervously duck behind the rest of her team.

“Let’s go.” Batcolt stated, dropping down and ignoring Spike’s quiet yelp as Robin picked him up and flew down after him. After they got on the roof of the warehouse and were away from everyone but Robin, Batcolt sighed in relief. “Oh thank gog I found you Spike, I was completely lost when I woke up here without my horn.”

“I know right? I wake up surrounded by worried ponies who look like our friends back home, but aren’t our friends. I guess I’m just lucky I didn’t change species like you did.” Spike replied with equal relief, while Robin just looked utterly lost.

“What are you two talking about?” Robin asked in confusion, and beings there was no point in trying to hide it since they were on a limited timetable, Bronze decided to lift up his mask and Spike removed his domino mask.

“Genevieve. We’re not from this world. Whatever it is that Puzzler and Mane-iac have used on our counterparts here, we are not Brave Wings and Hum Drum. I am Prince Bronze Brave, son of Princess Luna.” Bronze said before he put his mask back on, and Spike did as well while he began as Bronze looked for a good entrance.

“Yeah, and I am just some baby dragon named Spike. I’m just a humble assistant to a neurotic unicorn who happens to be the prize student of Princess Celestia.” Spike said as he followed, and Robin just followed him, looking baffled and trying to wrap her head around the concept.

“So...you’re not who we all thought you were?” Robin asked worriedly.

“Nope, but don’t worry. We’re not from here, and if I think I understand it right, foiling whatever plan it is Puzzler and Mane-iac have and using the Bewild-o-Rays to ‘fix’ us will send us back home.” Bronze said as he deftly opened a skylight and scanned the interior, seething in through his teeth. “Damn. Puzzler has already set up a deathtrap, which our friends have likely already fallen into. We better get in there.”

Before Robin could protest and demand further explanation, Bronze and Spike dove into the dark, quietly skulking around and Robin had to catch up.

“I can’t believe these fools cause you so much trouble Mane-iac.” Came a greasy voice, beings it was a stallion’s, it had to be Puzzler.

“Well pardon me if most ponies don’t have so many failsafes in their plans like you do.” The responding voice was that of a husky-toned mare’s, but it was ruined by constantly shifting lilts and barely restrained giggles. She even sounded like a maniac. “Then again, I can wreak havoc by my own power.”

“While I use intellect and guile since I have no powers of my own.” Puzzler rebutted in a charming tone. “I do so enjoy teaming up with beautiful mares however.” Puzzler flirted as the trio had managed to sneak towards them on some catwalks over the odd sort of bunker that took up everything from the main entrance to the back wall and half of the floorspace.

“Oh~ no, you stay away from me you mare-killer~.” Mane-iac giggled insanely, clearly enjoying the attention regardless. When the three managed to get over the duo who were, quite literally, sitting in a stage-like ‘backroom’ on folding chairs with tea and cookies, Bronze had to admit that Mane-iac was in fact quite a looker. He especially liked her tendril-like hair. It made her exotic in his opinion. Meanwhile, Puzzler basically was covered entirely from muzzle to tail in a full-body leotard of pure green with black question marks across it. He seemed much more in-your-face than Riddler.

“That’s a wise decision.” Batcolt intoned, getting them both to suddenly bolt out of their seats and look up at the trio who were menacingly standing on the edge of the moonlight coming in from a nearby skylight, only their eyes showing through the dark. “Though I won’t lie, Puzzler is right. Shame such a beautiful face is on the wrong side of the law.”

“Batcolt, no flirting with femme fatales!” Robin berated irately. Clearly, unlike Batman, Batcolt was an open flirt both out, and in costume.

The purple-furred mare with the green mass of tentacle-shaped hair and the unique light pink and green bull’s-eye eyes tittered into a hoof as she shifted around in the air, suspended from the ground by her utterly massive mane. And tail. Her tail was the same, but since it mostly blended into her mane, it was easy to forget about. “The Batcolt making passes at moi? I’m flattered, but business before pleasure Batcolt.”

“Indeed.” Puzzler grinned as he flipped open a panel on the side of the orb of his question-mark cane, and depressed a button.

Quickly, Batcolt and Robin took to the air while Hum Drum jumped down on them as the catwalk became visibly electrified seconds later. Hum Drum opened up the conflict by breathing fire, getting the two villains to jump away as the emerald fire consumed the two’s small table and chairs. “What’s the matter Mane-iac? Afraid of a little fire?”

“Well! You’ve certainly gotten bold Hum Drum. Have a little shaving cream to cool off!” Mane-iac countered as she summoned said canisters out of her mane, throwing them towards the fire and consequently Hum Drum, which he promptly ran away from before the extremely combustible and flammable substance exploded and spread the emerald fire further while the madmare laughed insanely and gave chase, completely ignorant to the chase going on with Puzzler slyly running into a ‘backup’ maze comprising the offices, Batcolt and Robin grudgingly following.

“We know you’re here Puzzler!” Robin growled out as the door sealed behind them, making the solid green room they entered seem seamless.

“What is it that you can keep, after giving it to someone else?” Puzzler asked, irritating the Dynamic Duo.

“Your Word.” Batcolt answered succinctly.

A door opened in another direction, and they rushed through it. If Puzzler was anything like Riddler, he was a fair player, and if they answered correctly, he’d admit his loss.

“The bigger I get, the less there is. What am I?”

“A Hole, duh.” Robin snarked, and yet another door opened up in another direction

“The more you take, the more you leave behind. What are they?”

“Steps.” Oddly, the next door was in the ceiling and they flew up to it.

“Always running, never walking, sometimes babbles but never talking. What am I?”

“Ugh, a River.” Robin replied with annoyance, and really unusually, a shower stall popped out of a wall, acting as a passage into the next room that still sealed behind them.

“What holds water, yet is full of holes?”

“A Sponge.” Batcolt quickly answered, the shower stall being too big of a clue. The next door opened and they proceeded.

“On which side of a chicken are the most feathers?”

“Uh...Outside.” Robin realized it was a trick question. There was no side that could be counted or really mattered in the long run. The next door was actually a stairwell down into another room.

“There are two sisters. One gives birth to the other and she, in turn, gives birth to the first.”

Batcolt had to grin, the answer was too easy. “Night and Day.”

“Well, I’m afraid that’s all. I’ve stalled as best I could but it seems my compatriot is at her wit’s end with her enemies getting free of my traps and harrying her. It’s best I’m off. This way leads to your compatriots. Ta~.” Puzzler taunted, getting both Batcolt and Robin to growl, since trying to tail Puzzler once he’d had his fun was like trying to catch a stray cat. You just don’t.

“let’s get out there and help them deal with Mane-iac!” Robin declared, and the duo ran out the last door that opened out onto the first floor near where they left Hum Drum before, to see Mane-iac frantically pointing a sort of rifle at the group, who warily stayed away from the panicking villainess. “That’s it! That’s the Bewild-o-Ray!”

“Get her!” Hum Drum shouted, and not even Fili-Second was fast enough to stop him, Batcolt, and Robin from pouncing on the frantic mare, who impulsively fired at Hum Drum point blank and-.

[(x)]

Pain. Unbridled pain. The last time Bronze felt pain like this…. ‘Fuuuudge...it’s like my ascension all over again….’ Only it was much more subdued, this time all the pain was centered on his horn. ‘It’s back~...I wouldn’t even care if I didn’t need it to act as a medium for me to access my Aspect….’

“Brave! Brave are you-*GASP*?!” Bronze cringed at hearing Genevieve’s voice, which confused him.

“What ridiculousness is this?! Batcolt? An alicorn?!” What the buck was Mane-iac still doing here? Wasn’t it just an odd fever dream or something?

“Robin?! Mane-iac?! B-but we’re not in the comic anymore! What’re you doing here?! TWILIGHT! HELP!” Bronze felt a powerful impact, and he couldn’t breathe, something was choking him!

‘C-can’t move...can’t...breathe...h...help….’ Everything went even darker.

Author's Notes:

What's this? ANOTHER cliffhanger?

Someponeh STAHP meh!