Wonders and Monsters.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or teams referenced in this story. All belong to DC Comics and their respective creators.
Chapter One: The New Heroic Age
Returning to work after the battle with Steppenwolf was almost a vacation unto itself, at least for Diana. She was sure it was odd for Clark, having recently returned from the grave. But Bruce was no stranger to weaving conspiracy. He had been able to fabricate enough evidence to say that Clark Kent had faked his death in a long undercover assignment into the alien abductions of late perpetrated by Steppenwolf.
She had a feeling it had been because Clark had done what neither she nor Bruce had been able to do, find hope in this world. Indeed although both she and Bruce were older than Clark, herself being the oldest member of their 'Justice League', Clark had seemed to find something the two of them hadn't been able to: hope.
Hope was an easy word to say. It was more difficult to actually find in the world.
Diana had lost hers with the loss of Steve Trevor, and the disillusionment with mankind she had at the end of their first World War. The second did not help, although she did what she could from behind the scenes. A century of paranoia, suspicion, and the looming threat of nuclear war seemed to only lessen Diana's spirits.
Bruce had lost his from an early age. The loss of his parents, the seeming futility of his mission to save his city, and the loss of an ally at the hands of his worst enemy had sent Bruce spiraling into rage.
Clark however, even when the world persecuted him for his alien nature, even if he had faltered in his convictions, had found the hope he needed to see the good in the world and the courage to try and bring it about. It had cost him his life of course, but it had given both her and Bruce the courage they needed to try and seek out and protect the goodness of the world. And indeed it appeared that his courage had inspired the rest of the world. The appearance of their allies, Barry Allen, Victor Stone, and Arthur Curry had been met with less fear and suspicion than Clark had been. Because the world had seen the goodness a man with godlike power could hold. That such power could be held without it corrupting the bearer of that power.
Clark had once said his alien father, Jor-El would give the people of Earth an ideal to strive towards. And indeed he had, the idea of the 'superhero' as media was referring to those metahumans who chose to use their power for good as she and her allies sought to do.
'A new age of heroes indeed,' thought Diana as she entered the museum.
"Oh, Diana," said the curator. "I'm glad I caught you so early, I wanted to introduce you to our newest contributor. I think you'll like her."
"I sure I will," said Diana as she followed the man.
He lead her to the loading area where a woman dressed in khakis stood overlooking the unloading of a large crate.
"Miss Diana Prince, allow me to introduce you to Dr. June Moone," said the curator.
The woman turned and smiled at Diana as she extended her hand. Diana took it gladly and returned June's smile.
"Dr. Moone, I've heard quite a bit about you," said Diana.
"All of it good I hope. And please call me June," said June.
"Very well, June," said Diana. "And what have you brought us exactly?"
"I'm glad you asked," said June.
One of the workers who had unloaded the crate handed June a crowbar and the female archeologist quickly began prying open the crate. She appeared to struggle a bit until Diana came over.
"Allow me," she said.
Diana easily opened the crate, allowing the packing material to pour out, revealing an ancient totem, albeit one that seemed too small for the crate. June knelt down and picked up the totem, giving it to the curator.
"The idol of the Incubus," he said. "An incredible find Dr. Moone."
"Thank you sir," said June. "I only wish I could find the sister."
"The Enchantress?" asked Diana.
"Yes, I thought I might be able to find them together but I was wrong," said June. "Do you know the legend?"
"Enough of it," said Diana. "The Enchantress was a sorcerer queen who sided with a great celestial evil along with her brother. Her followers turned on her and with the aid of a powerful wizard she and her brother were destroyed, their essence sealed forever."
June flashed Diana a smile, which Diana returned.
"Absolutely wonderful Doctor Moone," said the curator. "And you should be glad to know Diana is one of our best restorers. She'll make this latest wonder of yours a true beauty. As if it had never aged at all."
The man then went off to personally deliver the totem to Diana's department, leaving Diana and June alone.
"He's a flatter," said Diana.
"I'm sure it's all deserved," said June. "I think I have seen your work before though. You've done primarily Greek and Roman restorations right?"
"I have been known to branch out," said Diana. "It is a wonderful find."
"Thank you," said June. "You know most people get frightened by the stories of Enchantress and Incubus, even when talking about them. Perhaps all this...metahuman business is getting people a little superstitious. Especially after seeing Superman rise from the grave."
"I doubt he's a zombie," said Diana.
"Still it's kind of unnerving isn't it?" asked June. "All these people with powers. Makes you think the Enchantress might actually have been real. Frightening notion isn't it?"
"Perhaps, but these metahumans appear to be trying to do good in the world," said Diana. "I don't think something as terrible as the Enchantress could thrive in this world. The old gods are dead."
"And these metahumans are the new gods?" asked June coyly.
"I wouldn't go that far," said Diana with a light chuckle. "I like to think of it as a new Heroic Age."
"Hesiod would be proud," said June.
"You're familiar with Hesiod's Ages of Man?" asked Diana.
"I've always been a fan of the classics," said June.
Diana couldn't help but chuckle. She gave June a quick look over, becoming slightly fixed on her dark green eyes, before breaking away.
"I'm going to be in the city for a while," said June. "I rarely get to visit Paris. Know where a young woman might get a decent bite in town?"
"A few places," said Diana.
"And perhaps where I can find interesting company?" asked June, with an impish smile.
"That can be easily arranged," said Diana.
In Gotham City, Bruce looked over the records of the recently escaped Lex Luthor from Arkham Asylum. With him, as always, was his ever faithful Alfred, but also the recently resurrected Clark Kent.
"Much of Luthor's assents had been frozen but I wouldn't be surprised if he had a contingency for that," said Bruce. "Enough to smuggle himself out of Arkham and as far as I can tell out of the country."
"He hasn't gone after my mother," said Clark. "And I don't think he will. I'm keeping an ear out for her this time."
"If it helps I made sure to include WayneTech security for her house," said Bruce.
"It does," said Clark.
Clark thought back to the time when Bruce had nearly been the one to take his life.
"I never said this before but...thank you," said Clark. "For saving her."
Bruce paused from his work and turned to Clark.
"It was nothing," he said.
Clark knew what Bruce meant. He had looked around, once he realized the incredible coincidence of their mothers and their shared name. Of how Bruce's own mother had died when he was just a boy.
Clark doubted the meager fact that their mother's had the same name meant too much. But for Bruce, whose mother's name was the last word of his dying father, it must have triggered him fiercely. Bringing him back to that night all those years ago when he was helpless to save his mother, his Martha. The misery, the misplaced guilt of the incident, that was what had shaped Bruce into the man he was now, to the man he had almost lost to a terrible anger that night he held Clark down with the intent to kill.
When he heard how another mother, another Martha, was in grave danger, Clark believed the same fear from that night came back to Bruce and inadvertently saved his life. The fear to shock him out of his anger and the guilt to give him the drive to rescue Clark's mother, perhaps the closest he could ever come to redeeming himself for the weakness of his youth.
Redemption, that was another thing. Bruce as he was now was a different man than when Clark had initially met him. The anger and the sadness that pushed him to horrid acts of violence, had died down. Looking around the 'Batcave', as their mutual friend Barry Allen had called it, Clark noticed the burned and vandalized remains of a uniform. A former partner he had deduced. One killed by the criminal known as the Joker. Clark wondered, was it then that Bruce began to become more violent with the criminal element of the city. If that was the day Bruce stopped believing in hope. Stopped believing in the goodness of humanity. Stopped believing in the idea that the Batman could be a force to bring Gotham out of the darkness it drowned in.
Rescuing his mother that night, Clark believed Bruce had felt like he must have when he first came up with the idea of Batman. That it was meant to do more than just punish criminals, but to save the victims of those crimes from suffering the same fate as his own parents. That and Clark's own following sacrfice against that monster Luthor created, perhaps gave Bruce new hope that there was goodness in the world and that it needed to be fought for. That the light must be coveted just as much as the darkness must be dispersed. Clark had learned that lesson himself before his 'death', still odd to think back to his own death.
Hope is represented by more than just actions. And it cannot be represented if one does not have hope within themselves. Clark had almost lost that, so consumed with the fear his power did more harm than good. So bogged down by the fear and anger he was inspiring in the people of the world. It wasn't until he recalled the love he had for Lois Lane and his mother, the love the gave him, despite whatever chaos or misery the world could throw at him their love was ever consistent. More indestructible than even he was. A singular light in a dark world. A calm in the center of the storm. From there he would draw his strength as if there was a sun inside his own chest. From there he would draw his hope against the evils of the world.
Bruce has lost that, but Clark hoped he had now begun to find it again. To form a new family for himself with Clark, Diana, and the new heroes who now stood out in the world. Stood out and were looked at with awe at the feats they did, rather than fear. They were being called 'super' heroes as if in honor of his alter ego 'Superman'. Although if what Bruce had told him about Diana was true, they should all probably be referred to as Wonders in honor of her alter ego.
Clark's inner musings were interrupted by a peculiar police banner.
"Is grave robbery common in Gotham?" asked Clark.
Bruce turned, raising an eyebrow.
"Nothing's common in Gotham," said Bruce. "Hearing something?"
"A broken in mausoleum in Gotham Cemetery," said Clark, redirecting what he heard with his superhuman hearing. "A body is missing. One Cyrus Gold."
Dinner had been wonderful and for some reason Diana was compelled to bring June to her apartment. She wasn't one for dating in this current century, but she was feeling so good about June. She brought her home and as soon as she sat down to remove her shoes, June had actually knelt down to do it for her. As soon as she had taken Diana's shoes off June took her right foot and began massaging it. Then without warning she took her tongue to Diana's toes. She then began to trace her tongue all along Diana's foot. Then up to her leg and to her womanhood.
Diana had suddenly found herself being overcome with lustful desires. The two women then began to tear the clothes off of one another.
Normally Diana would attempt to restrain herself, lest her great demigod strength break whomever she took to bed, but her reason had left her. She ravaged June with mad passions, who likewise matched Diana's efforts. They continued this until Diana had actually found herself becoming tired, something fairly unusual for someone of her stamina.
She fell asleep, a light smile of content on her face. June looked down at Diana, running her hand along Diana's sculpted body, and as she stared down at the nude from before her a devilish grin crossed her face and her eyes began to glow an unearthly green.
Author's Note: I'm saying this right now, I like the DCEU and I consider a number of their films to be among my personal favorites. I believe the four movies Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Wonder Woman, and Justice League to be all part of one narrative about the birth of the ideal of the superhero. Of course I've left Suicide Squad off this lists because in truth it is the weakest film. As such this story takes place in a timeline wherein the events of Suicide Squad never happened.
I'm not looking to change minds or debate my philosophy. I merely want to tell a story I'd like to tell and let it speak for itself. Thus I present a superhero thriller for Halloween, full of witches and other monsters down the line. I hope you all enjoy, please leave a lengthy review to let me know what you think of this humble introduction, any ideas you may wish to pitch me, and what you expect to see in the future.