Disclaimers :: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.

A/N :: Still Un-Beta, Sorry for the late update. My work schedule changed drastically and my health was not really up to it. But here it is, I finally finished it. *tears of joy* As you can see I almost ripped off JL Episode title. LOL but I promise that it was nothing like that Episode!


Chapter 8 :: Only a dream

It's a dream
Only a dream
And it's fading now
Fading away
It's only a dream
Just a memory without anywhere to stay
- Neil Young, It's a dream.

He didn't often dream of Diana.

But not until six years after she had left. Then, there she was. In his dream, smiling sweetly like she'd never left.

They were always in flower garden, sat on the bench under the sun. She would be in her Grecian dress that fell to her ankles, with shiny raven hair flowed down pass her shoulder. With that familiar smile on her beautiful face. Her blue eyes were as bright as the sky itself.

The first time he dreamed of her. She was still as bright as the sun and smiling at him without any words. But he was still mad at her for leaving, and even after he tried to look for her, he could never find Paradise Island again. As though it vanished from the face of earth with Diana.

So frustration rose within him the first time he saw her. He wanted to yell and tell her to get lost but when he saw her radiance smile, he froze. And let Diana pulled him to sit with her. They didn't speak. Just sat there together, without exchanging words.

And he was ok with that. It was enough for him then. The anger he had, melted away when he woke the next day. But the night after Diana didn't come back.

And she didn't show in his dream again for a few years, no matter how much he wished it. Then the second time was after he adopted Dick. And the kid found out about his night activities and insisting to help. Diana came to him. She sat with him again, without words from her lips but Bruce started talking on his own.

"I just want to help him….to do the right thing, not to end up like me…." He said. Diana nodded and patted him in the back, comforting him with her serene presence. She didn't talk, still. And then again, she didn't came back the next night or many nights after that.

The third time was after Selina left him, again. Guilt swelled up inside him when he closed his eyes and saw the familiar scenery and Diana who wait for him on their bench. The joy of seeing her was mixed with guilt for he sought comfort from her when his another lover had just left. But Diana's smile soothed his aching heart. All his worries were pushed aside as she pulled him down to put his head on her lap. Stroking his hair gently as if to tell him, he would be alright. And that he was forgiven.

She didn't visit him again for many years after that. Even with a lot of many bad things happened and he wanted, he needed Diana to be there but she never came to him in his dream. Not when Dick was beaten up so badly he technically fired the kid from being Robin to protect him, or when Barbara was shot and became paralyzed and had to stop being a batgirl. Those times he felt responsible for their misfortunes. Or even when he finally adopted Tim. And let him become the next Robin.

He would go straight to bed, in hope to find Diana waited there in his dream smiling at him and giving him those gentle touches to comfort him.

But Diana never came.

So after many years he stopped waiting. He was starting to get by without needing Diana. Then 17 years after the day she left him….she visited him again in his dream, and this time, for the first time in 17 years. Diana spoke.

"Hello, Bruce" She said with a smile. Her voice was still sweet like honey. Still looking just like the last time he saw her. But this time she was in Wonder Woman attire. Her golden tiara and silver bracelets gleamed in the light. There were still in that garden, surrounding by flowers and bathing in the sunlight. But Diana was standing then.

He opened his mouth to speak, to ask her why she was here after all these years. After leaving him the second time, in his dream. But there was no voice coming from him. He couldn't speak.

"Sorry, Bruce but I don't have much time…." Diana walked over to him and stood in front of him and reached out to touch his cheek. Her hand was warm, even after all these years her touch was still as warm and gentle all the same, it almost melt those reinforcement wall he built around to cage his own heart. She looked at him with those same blue eyes, her voice was rushing, like when fought alongside in battle. "…..She's here and she's hurt….you must find her before they get to her…."

He wanted to ask who was it she was talking about but he still couldn't speak.

Her blue eyes met his as if they were searching all the secret inside him "….Promise me to be kind to each other, she's still young and very impulsive. Remind me of you a little…" She pulsed and smiled.

"And Bruce, Remember that I'll always love you…."

That was the last thing before his eyes snapped open. The super computer hummed a low noise and he realized that he just fell asleep while reviewing the night activities in the Bat cave and still in his Bat suit. Though the cowl was left abandon on his right side of the large keyboard. He blinked to shake the sleepiness out of him and the smell of coffee hit his sense. Alfred was walking down the stairs with it.

"Good morning, Master Bruce…." The older gentleman said when he reached where he sat.

"Good morning, Alfred…." He said, rubbing his eyes while he waited for the butler to pour him some coffee.

"May I suggest moving your bed down here if you are going to be sleeping here, sir?" He said as he handed out the coffee.

Bruce didn't answer, instead sipping his caffeine silently as he looked up to the screen. It showed the result from the blood sample he got from the alley a week ago. After he found that it was human blood. He ran it to the all criminal databases but there was still no match. So he started running it through the rest of other databases he had. Meta-human one. There was still no match.

"Still looking for the donor of that blood, Master Bruce?"

"Maybe it was nothing. This person either never have a record before or never commit any crime" He said, sipping more of his coffee. "….but someone lost that much blood, probably couldn't survive…"

"You can't save everyone, Master Bruce…. " His old butler said before walked away to upstairs to start his morning chores. Tim would be up soon for school and his Bruce Wayne routine was going to start by visiting his company.

Reminding himself not to look forward to the next time he slept, because he knew Diana wouldn't be back. And he was just thinking crazy in his own mind.

With that, Bruce entered the lock codes and left the bat cave to face another day.


Lysandra knew she was dreaming when she opened her eyes.

There was no pain. She was whole and not battered or broken. There was not bruises or cuts on her skin. Her ivory cloth was clean, her hair was braided tightly. Her gold griddle and silver bracelets twinkled under the shining light.

Was she dead? Was she ready to face the three judges of Underworld? Was this the end of her short life? An end without fulfilling what she set out to do? With failure and guilt. But somehow, Lysandra knew wherever she was right then, this place was far from the land of the dead.

So another explanation she could think of that she was only dreaming.

She stood by ledge of her favorite cliff again. Arms spread as if she would soar out to the sky, inhaling familiar scent of the sea. The wind comforted her as it pat her skin like it was telling her everything would be alright, and she listened to it, those lullabies of the summer breeze. She didn't know how long she stood there. She never wanted it to end.

But nothing ever went her ways it seemed…

As soon as she recalled the events in her head, the sun and warm breeze dissolved into blackness, leaving her nothing but pitch darkness. Her heart sank, she felt like that little girl who just lost her mother again. She looked down at the ground where she stood but could see nothing but darkness, making her too scared to move anywhere. Lysandra curled her toes inside her sandals, as if to dig her feet there, helping her stand on that unseen floor. For a long while, there was nothing but darkness surrounding her. Lysandra hugged herself.

She was alone in this darkness. Clinging on to herself and the rest of sanity she had left as recent scenes were replaying freshly in her mind. Nausea rose from the pit of her stomach but she tried to swallow it back. Nails dug into her palm hard enough to draw blood but she didn't care.
Her six years old self was back. That girl who screamed and cried and sobbed until there was nothing left inside. That little girl who scared out of her mind because her mother was gone. That girl who blamed the rest of the world and then herself.

Lysandra felt just like that girl again.

And then the voices came. First was just whisperings then it grew louder and clearer….

"….It is her fault…..because of her the princess is cursed…"


"…..A Bastard child, she is. She'll never be a true Amazon….."


"That little mutt was too scared to pick up a real sword…."

Lysandra's eyes widen from it. She remembered those words crystal clear in her memories. She chewed on her lips.

"….You have no idea how much I hate your whining about your pathetic little life…."
Selia's….no Eris's voice rang in her mind but somewhat for her it echoed from all directions around her from the darkness.

"…And you were just….so stubborn! Too stubborn to die!..."
the voice continued.

"No….." She whispered as she looked around her for the source of voice, expecting to see a familiar face but none came.

"…..why can't you just die? huh? And my job will be MUCH easier…So I don't have to pretend to pamper a brat like you….."

Lysandra shut her eyes and covered her ears but the voice didn't seem to stop, instead it grew louder around her.

"You need to get out of here…"
this time it was Artemis's voice.

"Artemis?..." Lysandra gasped.

"Because, brat…..you have a habit of pissing people off, including the gods"
Artemis's voice continued to echoed around her.

"My dear lily…."
The next voiced called. It shook her whole body.

"No…not you too…." Lysandra covered her ears.

"How cruel can you be, Princess?"
But Epione's voice continued to beam around her. "I've loved you…for years…And you pretend that you do not care….."

"It's better this way…." She heard herself repeated those words.

"…..I could die for you…."

"I'm sorry….." She whispered. Her eyes burned from holding the tears.

"…..I could die for you…."
Epione's voice said again. Over and over.

Lysandra crotched down to ground she couldn't see, drew both of her knees up as she hugged them tight to her chest. She fisted her hands hard, nails dug into her own palms.

"…..I could die for you…."

"…I'm sorry….." Lysandra whimpered. And let the tears took over. Gross sobbing escaped from her lips.

In this darkness, the guilt was overwhelming and the flooding of emotions soon would drown Lysandra in its bottomless pit just like eleven years ago. But she saved herself back then when she decided to train with Artemis. Determination to save her mother saved her from that darkness.

But now, even trained, she was capable to protect herself and stood her ground with anything she could think of. She still couldn't protect people who she cared for and lost them just like she lost her mother. Or was it because of her goal, in order to save her mother's life, how many did she had to lose until she got there?

Did she deserve to be saved again? Did she even want to be saved?

Lysandra didn't want to know anymore.

She closed her wet eyes and let the blackness became one with her.


As soon as Lysandra opened her eyes again. She could hear noises. She knew the pain was back but it was dull. There was numbness all over her body and she couldn't move. Her vision was still blurry so she shut her eyes back and instead, using her ears and her other senses to catch her surroundings.

She could hear repeated beeping noise, people talking in hush conversations. Lysandra also smelled the thick scent of blood and medicines that prickled her nose. Her guess was that she was in some kind of Medical area.

"…..She has several broken ribs, facial and skull fractures not to mentions the rest of her body…" A woman was the first one she caught with her ear. "I'm surprised that the lacerations on her forehead and her face are almost healed…."

"…..It's been three days and she still out cold" it was a man voice this time and it made her panic, But she felt like a fish out of water that couldn't move even she wanted to.

"Mr. Trevor, I don't know who she is but as far as I can tell, this girl's been through a great deal, even her body is heal, her mind needs resting. Thanks to you, bringing her here in time…or I'm not sure if she'd still be alive…" The woman's voice said again. The warmness in her voice remind her of Selia, that Selia before Lysandra found out that all those words were lies.

Her heart ached, and she was sure it had nothing to do with the pain in her body. Lysandra let sleep pulled her away from the reality again.


It was night this time Lysandra opened her eyes in the dream. There was no dark cloud or shining moon but thousand stars were lit across the sky. She blinked at the beautiful sight as she lay on the blanket of soft green grass. Her long black hair spread widely without her caring.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Familiar voice came from her left and Lysandra turned her head without getting up. Epione lay casually next to her, wearing a bright smile on her face.

"Yes…." Lysandra smiled back, somehow she remembered those night she sneaked out from her quarter just to see the stars with Epione instead of the recent events. She was glad that didn't happened. To accepted that this person next to her was no longer real.

She forced herself not to break from all the emotions that pumping inside her heart, to instead, smiled.

"Yes, it is…."

"You are much more beautiful that all of these when you smile….." Epione said with a grin. It made Lysandra laughed.

"That remark is kind of overuse, don't you think?"

"But the truth is always true, overuse or not….." The redhead said casually. "….I like those times when I catch you watching the stars….I always thought that in a way…those stars were gazing back at you…."

"Now, that I called exaggerated"

They laughed a little before Epione turned her face back to the starlit sky, so Lysandra did the same, Enjoying the sanctuary of silence night and the stars above them. Even this was only a dream, she didn't care.

Lysandra's heart tingle from that little happiness she felt inside.

Epione was with her. She was real and they were happy. She didn't have to think about being hit in the face or kick in the gut and she knew Epione'd never complained that she was an annoyance. She knew Epione wanted her there and even if it was unfair to Epione. She would never have to worry for she knew that Epione would always forgive her selfishness. And these were just like how they were before. And Lysandra wanted it all back.

Did she wanted these because she loved Epione? Did she ever love Epione then? Lysandra knew she did. In many ways but the same as how Epione felt for her and even she felt bad for using Epione's feelings to make she felt safe. Lysandra knew that Epione knew that too. But either of them never said anything. Because they were contented with what they had.

Even she was just dreaming.

Even it was only a dream….

"Oh, Perseus…." Epione said, calling her back from her thought as she pointed out to the vast sky. It would be hard to exactly locate the constellation with just a tip of finger but Lysandra remembered how to trace the sky for this specific group of stars well, it was after all, her most favorite. Epione's voice continued "….Remind me of what you said the first time we met, you said…."

"…..I am Perseus not Andromeda…"
They both said at the same time. When realized, they giggled. But still didn't look at each other. Epione continued "….I wondered what you meant by it for a while….but then I finally got the answer…."

"Oh?"

"…Yes, meaning you don't need anyone to rescue you like a princess, you can be the hero all on your own…."

"hmm" Lysandra mumbled with a small grin on her face. Though that time when she climbed up that stupid hole with a broken leg and gash in the back of her head. She was too exhausted to think straight. So didn't really know what she was talking about then.

"And you were right, Princess….you didn't need anyone to save you…All you have to do is save yourself…" Epione was still talking when Lysandra's thought returned.

"… it made me realized, even you'd never needed me, I still wanted to…..Maybe you probably didn't realized, I had been watching you since that day in the woods. It was strange for me to be captivated by a youngling like you. I've lived for a long time and I've seen many of beautiful women….But…" She pulsed "…But there was no one like you. You always act like a haughty brat when you are around the rest of the world, but when you think no one was looking at you, when you were alone on that cliff, you looked like a lost lamp….I've never seen anyone look so lonely. It made me feel like I want to hold you close and tell you comforting words….The more I know you, the more I knew you wouldn't need anyone….But also the more I want you…."

She pulsed again, Lysandra realized she was holding her breath as she was listening. "…And I knew, you would be the death of me…."

Her words made Lysandra turned her face back to Epione. She didn't look at her still, her honey color eyes still watching the thousand stars.

"….I'm sorry…"

Lysandra mumbled but loud enough for her companion to hear. She could feel a slight flinch from Epione. So she repeated it again "….I am sorry…"

She turned to face Lysandra then. Her brown eyes flickered like fire. It warmed her but at the same time it made Lysandra felt those eyes were burning her alive with guilt, Knowing that those eyes were no more.

"For not returning my feeling or for getting me killed?"

Lysandra almost choked from those words as she propped herself up. Their eyes met.

"Both" She answered, whispering the word out. Still locking their eyes. Hers were searching Epione's.

She didn't what she was looking for. Forgiveness? Closure? Truth? She wondered any of these were real. Or it was just something happened inside her own head. Her consciousness sought out a sense of finality? The answers to that end of chapter? What was it she was looking for in those eyes, she didn't know.

But one thing she knew. Whatever this dream state she was in, From her own guilt or just a trick in her head. It might be the only place she could say the things she would never have the chance again.

The truth.

So when Lysandra opened her mouth this time the words spilled out like someone pouring water in an already full glass, there was nothing to fill because there was no space that need filling, so it spilled all out "….I do loved you…..but maybe it was in a different way of love. But I do…. And I'm sorry….I never meant for you to die for me, like that. Both you and Artemis…."

She didn't realize she was crying until Epione lifted her hand to wipe tear drops away from her cheek and shook her head.

"….it was my choice to give my life so you could get away….So, No. It was me who had to say that I am sorry… I never want you to have to live with that burden, princess….So please, forgive me" Epione's hand that touched her face moved to her arm and pulled her to lie back down. Her wet cheek was on Epione's chest. And Epione's arms were draped over her. Warm spread as their bodies connected. Silent tear still seeped out from Lysandra's eyes. Epione stroked her hair gently and telling her she would be alright.

"….And remember me, princess. Remember the methat love you, for if the next time we met. Remember who I was and what I would do for you…."

Her voice was kind and she let Lysandra cried as they lay there under the thousand stars. Holding her tightly, whispering the promise to watch over her from above as Lysandra drifted away.


The first thing she hear this time was a constantly beeping sound. Then her nose picked up that thick scent of medicine again. The pain was lessened but for some reason her eyelids wouldn't lift and let her see.

"I am surprised how much her body heals in five days, remarkable….." That woman's voice again.

"But she's in a comatose, Dr. Thompkins…." And that same man replied right back.

"Mr. Trevor, It's been only five days and all her injuries are almost completely healed. For a normal person it would take months or maybe years to be completely healed. And I did all kind of scans to make sure there was no hemorrhage from the head trauma. I believed maybe it was her mind that was not ready to wake"

There was a long pulse before the man spoke again "…..I only hope it was not too late then, or if her mother found out, she will have my head for not getting there in time"

So he knew her mother? Lysandra thought. Curiosity was fighting her body to open her eyes so she could see these people.

Dr. Thompkins. A healer, so she probably was the one that treated her wounds. Her name didn't ring any bell from the memories.

But the man's name, Trevor.

She knew she heard it from somewhere before, probably from her mother. Maybe he was one of her special friends? Something was blocking her from remembering.

For a long while after endless battle with her body. Her curiosity lost the war and her mind swept her away into dream once again.


This time she was ready. And when she saw where she stood, in her training ground with her hair tied up in a ponytail and a staff in her hand. She knew who would come.

"Are you afraid, child?"

That familiar voiced came from behind. Lysandra turned around to be greeted by the piercing green eyes of Artemis who stood, leaning on her wooden staff.

Lysandra recalled her first day of training with Artemis. That same question her teacher asked eleven years ago. What the difference now, was that Lysandra was no longer that little girl. But the overwhelming fear was greater than when she was a child then.

"Yes" Lysandra heard herself say. Her hand gripped the long wood tight. "….Yes I am"

"What are you afraid of?"

"I don't know…." Lysandra pulsed. Artemis watched her silently like a hawk "…of my choice maybe? Of myself, putting people I cared in harm's way?..."

"People die all the time, kid. Because of you or not" Artemis's tone showed annoyance. "It's life"

"But…."

"Remember the reason why you started training?"

"Yes, to save my mother…."

"Then are you going to stop trying to save her because people die on the way?"

"No"

To her surprised Artemis didn't knock her face back from the answer. Instead, she smiled. "Good…..At least I know I did my part in your journey"

"Artemis, I'm sorr…..ow!….." Before Lysandra could finish, Artemis smacked her in the head with her staff. But it was more like a playful wack than a blow that will cause her real pain.

"That was for clawing my face years ago" Artemis eyed Lysandra who rubbed the spot that just got hit. "And don't. You are not the type to sprout apologies around, it made my skin itched…."

They both smiled at each other. Lysandra still didn't felt that sense of satisfaction. Artemis who watched her probably noticed because she spoke again.

"My duty as your educator ended. So as my life as an Amazon….." She said with steady voice. Reached her free hand to touch Lysandra's shoulder. She was still taller than the young princess. "….Sometimes, Death was just a beginning, kid…. So do not be afraid"

Do not be afraid. Just like her mother's words. The mantra she repeated over to herself whenever fear was great.

"I will not be afraid" She heard herself say. And Lysandra met Artemis's smile. Her hand squeezed hard on Lysandra's shoulder as a reassuring.

"Don't worry, kid. We'll meet again I am sure, maybe not in this form but I am sure we will" Artemis said. Her green eyes flickered like emerald flame "….and try not to piss off too many people, you'll need all the allies you could find for the road awaits"

"Artemis, you are asking the impossible…." Lysandra forced herself to smile a little. "….You know pissing off people is my die hard habit"

"Arrogant little brat"

"Moody old hag"

And they both laughed. Lysandra's heart was finally calmer now. Something inside her settled from this short conversation with Artemis. The red head would never be warm and fuzzy but she would go straight to the heart of it. And that made Lysandra see things without taking a detour. Though it wasn't a closure she was looking for but it was enough for her to continue.

"So…..Are you ready?" Artemis asked.

"Ready for what?" Lysandra frowned at her words but Artemis only smiled.

"For this…."

A voiced called out and her dream changed in a blink of an eye. Lysandra's eyes widen at the scenery.

She was no longer in her Training ground. Instead, she was sitting at a table with two other women she never met. One with flowing blond hair and another was a brunette. Both were sipping the drink from their cups. Lysandra looked herself, she was dressed in a different way that she ever did on Themyscira. She was wearing a red t-shirt and pants. She knew what they were for she had seen and learn from her lesson about outside world. Then Lysandra looked around herself.

She was in some kind of a place called Café (again, she remembered from the lesson with Artemis). Waiters walked around with drink and food on the trays, serving or taking orders from customers. Music played softly in the background and people were having hush conversations or reading books. Their table was just by the large glass windows, Lysandra could see the rush of people, men and woman strode along on the side walk. She blinked at the sight. Was this how outside world really looked like?

"You should try this, I heard you like strawberry" The same voice said, making Lysandra turned to meet with the blond who smiled sweetly at her. She gestured to the tall glass in front of Lysandra. "It's called strawberry milkshake"

Lysandra blinked as she looked down to the glass filled with thick pink liquid. Then back to the blond woman who sat across from her. She was beautiful, her full lips curled into a smile, her blond curls shone under the light. Her eyes, they flickered and changed to different colors, Lysandra couldn't decide what color they really were. She wore a pink dress with a low-cut showing her cleavage that looked like it was made from a fine material, gold necklace and earrings caught in the light. She could see some of the men who were sitting nearby or even the waiters stole a glance from her stunning face.

Reluctantly she picked up the glass and sipped on the straw, the sweetness of the drink hit her tongue. Icy milk with a taste of strawberry assaulted her mount, Lysandra almost groaned when she swallowed it down slowly. Strawberry Milkshake, she liked this drink.

Continued to observe, she turned her attention to the brunette who sat at the same table. The smoke floated from her large cup that appeared to be half empty. She was also stunning though in the different way than the blond. For the blond radiated beauty like a sun, the brunette was more still like the moon. Cool and mysterious. There was a superior air coming from her, like she knew better than you. Her hair was trimmed short, showing her strong cheekbone in the way that framed her face perfectly. Dressing in a teal color dress that was more modest than the blond, But showing off her tone arms with its sleeveless. She didn't seem to look at Lysandra at the moment instead her attention was occupied by a small square object in her hand. Her brows frowned intensely. That was when Lysandra called a glimpse of her eye. They were grey, like a live blade.

Grey eyes.

Realization hit her in the throat, and she stopped short from sipping the sweet drink which almost choked her. She forced herself to swallow the cold drink slowly without it freezing her throat. Lysandra's blue eyes darted back and forth between the two women.

Or to be correct, Two goddesses.

The brunette with cold grey eyes was definitely Athena. The Goddess of Wisdom. For her famous steel color eyes. She remembered that whatever form the goddess took she always kept her grey eyes.

And the blond, Lysandra guessed widely from her appearances, she could only be Aphrodite.

"….Oh, so you figured it out faster than I thought" The blond goddess said with a voice laced of honey. She leaned closer to the other goddess seated next to her "Smart little thing, isn't it, this one…."

"Of course, she is. She's Diana's" Athena said without letting her eyes off the small object. Her both thumbs jabbed at it repeatedly as she spoke. "…and with that father of her. Of course it would only be natural"

This alarmed her and her body reflected with a flinch, she almost kicked its leg under the table.

Two Olympian goddesses were seated in front of her, having drinks as if they knew her for all her life. After all these times.

After she cried and begged them to return her mother, no gods ever answered her prayer. She almost became a non-believer then. But her amazon routines made her unable to. She still burn the offerings to them but she never prayed for their guidance. For she thought they had abandoned her.

Lysandra stiffed and her expression hardened.

"So, you must wonder what do we want with you…" The goddess of Love said with a smile.

"I dare not, my lady…." Lysandra lied. She wanted to screamed and yelled and told them to go to Tartarus for abandoning her mother, their champion to be cursed as a stone.

"Bad liar, this one…." Aphrodite giggled like a teenage girl. Lysandra noticed the nicely dress guy from the tabled nearby stared at her dreamily.

"Let's get to the business, Aphrodite. We do not have much time" Athena said as she finally put away her small object. Her grey eyes were on Lysandra then, watching, examining her. "I believe you knew why you were in our audience?"

"No….." Lysandra stopped short before she added "…., my lady"

"Oh but you do. You are just too angry with us to see it" Aphrodite said with a smile. Her round eyes shone playfully. It made Lysandra felt a little more uncomfortable.

"Please, enlightening my poor wit" Lysandra said. She tried to keep her face straight but her feet under the table was fidgeting when Athena's cold stare was still on her.

"It relates to your departing from Themyscira…." The grey eyes goddess said. "…..and your mother"

"My mother?..." The topic caught her interest then.

"Yes, your mother's condition to be exact" Aphrodite added.

"Do you know how to break the curse, my lady?"

"Yes" Aphrodite said. "But it is not the reason we are here…."

"This is about the traitor of Olympus…." Athena added. "Since you are out of the Island, meaning thing just got from bad to worse…."

But Lysandra didn't care then. She wanted to demand the goddesses to tell her how to break the curse on her mother. But Athena kept talking.

"… Because of Zeus's protection barrier. No one can get in or out of Paradise Island until your mother's curse was broken. The only way out was to travel by Hermes's, even the gods cannot intervene…." Her voice was similar to Artemis in some ways, it sounded demanding of her full attention. "But The keeper of it was to be used only in dire situation, which I believe it what had happened…"

Keeper of the feather. She recalled hearing Artemis said that she was one.

"Artemis, She is dead" Lysandra said dryly. "Along with my friend. Seli…..Eris killed them both as I escaped"

Both goddesses stared at her before looked at each other. Aphrodite's expression changed into somber one but not without her beauty.

"Eris, huh?….I should have known" Athena gritted her teeth. Before pull out her black object again and started jabbing it with her fingers. Lysandra started to remember that it was call a phone, a modern communicating device. She didn't know the gods use those, too.

"I thought you gods know everything" Lysandra said.

"No, not everything" Athena replied came quick. As her attention was back to her small object.

"Sometimes people conceal their thoughts, their intentions, as though we are higher beings but things still passed our attentions" Aphrodite spoke. "Sometimes, we are just too busy to listen…."

"No wonder" Lysandra almost scowled but she told herself to keep her face expressionless.

"Do not reprimand us for things that are out of our controls, child" Aphrodite warned.

"You could have save my mother. She was your champion"

"I did"

"By turning her into a stone?" Lysandra almost yelled but she held herself back in time.

"By that or let her be incinerated" Aphrodite said coolly as if she was talking about weather.

"…Eris is nowhere to be found…" Athena spoke as she put her phone away. "Hades also claimed that a few of his seals are being disturbed…this is worse than I thought" She turned back to Lysandra. "Did Eris say why she wanted to open the gate to Tartarus?"

"Yes…" Lysandra pulsed. Recalling the few last words exchanging from Eris and Artemis. "She said to let the eldest king out to rule to world…"

She could see Athena's grey eye flickered like a blade ready to strike its victim. She rubbed her temple.

"The prophecy….it starts fulfilling itself?..." Aphrodite said in abandon. "…and Eris? Why we never suspect this before?..."

"But she didn't succeed in opening the gate, Aphrodite. The seven seals are still intact though they were disturbed by monsters, seem like Eris is not working alone…she's been plotting these…..and now we have another problem…." Athena said. Looking straight at Lysandra.

"Me? Why am I the problem?" Lysandra raised her eyebrow.

"Because, you are now out of Paradise Island, a lot of people are going to be looking for you…and not in a good way" The goddess of wisdom said in a steady voice. When Lysandra knitted her eyebrows together at her words she continued "…you see, child. Your bloodline is…..well, complicated"

"….Or so I have been told all my life, Thank you very much"

"What Athena was trying to say, is that…." Aphrodite cut in "…..the circumstance of your birth, might bring you some trouble now that you are coming of age"

"I can protect myself"

"Child…..you were born from my blessing…" Aphrodite said.

"So are you saying I will get chase by some guys because of my look?..." Lysandra scrunched her nose. Remembering Persephone who got chased by many suitors from her pretty face thought She was a daughter of Demeter, instead of Aphrodite's. But Aphrodite laughed softly.

"No, you silly child….Well, technically there would be possible, since you are quite a beauty yourself, maybe with the right clothes and make up not that you would need it though. You are already a natural….."

Lysandra's face flushed at the comment. She wasn't sure she should be flattered or embarrassed by The goddess of Beauty. It just made her even more uncomfortable.

"Can we please go back to the topic" Athena called as though she noticed Lysandra's awkwardness. Aphrodite clicked her tongue before continued.

"Fine…." The goddess turned back to Lysandra "…..what do you know of my blessing?"

"Err…" She wanted to say nothing that she cared about but that she held herself back from pissing off the goddess or at least for now "….beside having a good look? No…"

"Well, great beauty is one of them. Aside from having perfect hair, perfect face and perfect body….you might notice already how your injuries never leave scars…."

"Wait….that was your blessing?"

Anger rose from the pit of her stomach. If that was her blessing, then meaning the goddess knew of her prayers to save her mother. So they were listening.

"Yes, one of them…And no, the blessing was already within you when you were conceived, it just happened to develop at a certain moment of your life, I have no control over them after I gave my blessings….actually I don't really remembered what else my blessings were…I really didn't think about it when I did….your mother and father were just too cute together it made me giggle everytime I saw them together…" Aphrodite answered with a smile.

Lysandra felt like she just got a sucker punch from the goddess of Love.

"…anyway….Like I said, there are other blessings that will come after you wake up. I hope you use them well. And with these, it made you have abilities like some demigods….which brings us into the topic earlier" Aphrodite sipped on her drink before she spoke again "…..you might already be aware that there aren't many Demigods left nowadays. Because, monsters are still roaming the world and demigods are quite a meal to them"

"Are you saying I am in the feast menu?"

"Technically, Yes"

"I can protect myself"

"Child, We know you can, but there's more…." Athena cut in, seem like she thought letting Aphrodite handling the talk was getting to the bad idea's side. "You are considering the child of a goddess from Aphrodite's blessing aside from being Half Amazon, half mortal….."

"So, I'm a hybrid….what's new?" Lysandra rolled her eyes.

"Would you let me finish?" Athena glared coldly at her. "….yes you are not just an ordinary half blood, Your blood have something special, it was a key ingredient for sealing and breaking the seal of the gods" She pulsed the check if Lysandra was still listening "….with Eris still out there, and we know that she's seemingly not working alone. You might be in a dangerous situation"

"Why do you care if I die or not?" Lysandra said coldly. Then she pulsed. "Wait a minute. You didn't care if I was dead or not, You gods care because you think my blood is going to be a problem for jail break, is that it?"

"We do care, child…." Aphrodite said but Lysandra snorted.

"Please…" Lysandra said in sarcastic tone as she rolled her eyes. "…My mother was your champion. You didn't even help her then…and I am just a bastard kid why would you care?"

This time, it was like Lysandra just sucker punched both goddesses in their pretty face. A pang of satisfaction thumped in her heart as she held her chin high.

"Careful, child…..remembered you are in the present of the goddesses" Athena warned her.

"If you are so powerful, why do you worried much about Eris, just find her and throw her in Tartarus or something" Lysandra said.

"It's not that easy" Aphrodite said. "Why do you think we have our champions for?"

"To do your dirty works?"

"In some ways, yes. We are forbid to cross each other's realms. That's why we have our champions, our heroes to do things for us in exchange for our favors or something they wanted" Athena replied.

"Are you implying something, I think you are implying?" Lysandra narrows her blue eyes.

"Yes. Do our biddings then we give you what you want most" Athena replied.

"Is this a plot to get me into these? All the problem turning my mother in to a statue!?" Fury was back inside her, it rose uncontrollably from her heart. But the short hair goddess held her hand up.

"No. Your mother's condition was under other circumstance" Aphrodite said.

"What kind of circumstance?"

"The kind that we are not allowed to reveal to you, yet. But….by helping us you get what you want and you save your mother and maybe the world" Athena continued.

"So you are using my mother as a bait to get me, is that it?" Lysandra snorted again.

"You don't have to agree, kid. We can look for someone else who want to do it in an exchange for what they want" The goddess said coolly this time as she picked up her drink and sipped it. Lysandra's eyes still narrowed at her when she continued "….Help us strengthening the seven seals and you get your mother back. Or don't. it's your choice…."

Lysandra stared at the goddess. Her phone buzzed again as she picked up it.

"Listen, Lysandra…" Aphrodite said. And the young princess turned to her. "….. There are things at play here. People are going to get hurt, or in your case some died. And more are going to be dead if Eris succeeded…."

"I thought you gods are not allowed to attack each other…"

"Seem like Eris is rule breaker then" Aphrodite sighed. "…. she's in hiding now, but since she's not working alone, her lackeys are going to come looking for her alternative to open the gate, meaning you. We know you've been trained, you are more than ready to face the trails ahead. But I must say the road is not an easy one. And your mother didn't get her chance until she was like hundred something years old…."

Not to Lysandra's liking, Aphrodite's voice was soft and comforting, she could feel her furies faded and her anger died down just from her mere words. Was this the powers of Aphrodite?

"What If I refused? Are you sending me back to Themyscira?"

"We should, under the current situation, it's the only place Eris cannot get to you" Athena said.

"But if she could get on the island in the first time, why would you think she won't be able to do it again?"

"From what I know, She released her true form to get out of a mortal body. Zeus's protection barrier should repel her out immediately as well and without Hermes she cannot travel back in" The goddess of wisdom spoke.

"And if I agreed to help? Are you turning my mother back?"

"Of course, not right away. You just do your things and let us worry about your mother….her curse will break when the time is right"

"And how in Hades would I know that?"

"You're just going to trust in our words" Athena said.

"But how do I reinforce the seals if I don't even know a thing about it?" Lysandra frowned.

"You must collect certain artifacts, and it will lead you to the locations of the seals" Athena continued "Because, when we made these seals, We decided to throw them off the Olympus and let them land in mortal world scatterly, so even we, ourselves do not know where exactly the seals are"

"Great…." Lysandra rolled her eyes.

"Don't worry, child. The first artifact is in this city if you are agree to help we will point out the way" Athena replied.

Lysandra didn't reply then. Her mind traveled back to the weight of this mission. If she succeeded, her mother's curse will be broken. But if she failed, what was it she had to lose? Possibly her own life? And not be able to revive her mother ever again? But wasn't this was the chance she had been waiting for? To do anything to save her mother. Should she wait or jump and grab this chance now? Would it ever be any opportunity like this again at all?

Lysandra looked at both goddesses who still sat patiently across the table. She made a choice.

"Fine. I will do it"

"Good….." Athena said as she stood up, taking the phone out and started typing again, she continued without looking at Lysandra. "Now, you are going to wake up, soon. And the first location of the artifact will be in your hand, it might take you a bit to find the right one but when you do you'd know. I have to go now, many things still need to be taking care of….Good luck, child and Be wise…You have my blessing…."

With that, The goddess of wisdom walked away from the table and soon left the café. Lysandra's eyes lost her in the mist of people on the street.

"So…..There's another thing…." Lysandra turned to Aphrodite who still sat across from her. Her changeable eye colors brimmed with excitement. "What do you know about your father?"

What was this going? Lysandra thought but still answered "…not much, just that he's some vigilante who fights crimes because his parents got killed…."

"Ah, that…..well, there's more" The goddess pulled out a green bill and put it on the table, Lysandra caught a glimpse of number 20. Money. She thought in her mind. Then she gestured Lysandra to stand up and leave with her.

She did without asking anything. Until they were out of the café. Summer breeze hit Lysandra's skin. And she could hear honking sounds and people who rushing by on the side walk. This dream was too real to be just a dream.

"Do you see that tower, the one in the middle?" Aphrodite gestured her without pointing to the side. Lysandra' eyes traveled to the tall building. She saw the glass building that towered higher than the rest with a big W on the global sign.

"It's belong to your father…."

"He lives there?"

"No, but I believe he works there, occasionally when he's not fighting crimes" The goddess said. "….His name is Bruce Wayne. Look him up when you wake, you can always ask for his help to complete this task…."

"Who would need his help…." Lysandra rolled her eyes. She never needed him all her life. Definitely not now. She was going to save her mother by herself.

"Careful, child….he might not be as bad as you think….." She laughed at Lysandra's reaction. "And he's a very smart man. With you will be running around under his nose, he might caught a glimpse of you soon…."

"Yeah, if I met him, I promise to greet him with a punch"

"Charming…" The goddess giggled "….now off you go!…."

And with a pat on her shoulder Lysandra felt like she was pulled away so hard into the black hole, the busy street around her dissolved and the ground disappeared.


Her eyes snapped open as she gasped and sat straight up. There was no more pain except the pricking feeling in her left arm. She turned to see a needle was stuck in it and wired to a bag of clear liquid that hung upside down near the bed where she was. Lysandra started to look around her.

The thick scent of medication was lingering in the air. She was alone in the small room, wearing a simple piece of loose clothed. The windows were covered with blinds blocking her from seeing through. There was chair nearby the bed. No more beeping noises she heard when she was half conscious. As well as the wound on her body. It all healed, meaning it might be many days that she was out cold. Before she felt that her hand was gripping something she lifted it to see.

There was piece of paper in her hand, it read;

Gotham Museum of Antiquities welcomes a new home for Ancient Greek exhibition.

That was it, no picture. Seemed like it was torn from the bigger piece of paper. Lysandra frowned at the words. Museum? Then meaning she had to look for the right artifact on her own. At least she knew where to go.

Lysandra looked back at herself before carefully pulled the needle out of her arm. She looked at its sharp point before decide to keep it as a make shift weapon for now as she rip it off the wire. Jumping out of bed she could feel her legs were wobbling a little when they touched the cold floor. She let herself get use to the feeling before start walking with a small step. Then started pacing around the small room until her legs felt like her own again.

Lysandra then surveyed the rest of the room. She checked the night stand that sat near by the bed, wondering where her stuffs were, she would be much safer if she still had the dagger Artemis gave her. But nothing was in there, so as the small closet that sat across the room. Someone took her stuffs it seemed.

She darted across the room to the window, peeked between the blind without letting it opened too much to observe outside.

It appeared to her that this place was some kind of medical section, for she could see people in bandaged, and people sat around waiting. There was an old woman in white gown, her hair was almost white from her age. But still walked around talking to the people…maybe she was the healer of this place.

And then something caught her attention, A tall man with golden blond hair rushing across the hallway full of people to the old healer. He had scruffy looking face but his hair was trimmed short. And appeared to be in his middle age. The healer nodded at him after a short conversation then the man walked straight to her door. Lysandra was alarmed at his approach. She looked around the room for the light switch(again, thanks Artemis and her lesson), she snapped it shut, leaving the room in almost complete darkness only light escaped was one from the peek of the window behind the blind. Before she darted to hide behind the door. Hand gripped the needle ready herself to strike.

Lysandra held her breath as the door knob turned. She waited until he was all the way inside before grabbed him from behind and used her leg to kick the door shut. The man was taller than her, she almost had to tiptoe to hold him, pressing the needle at the base of his neck, a spot where death await if this man was a threat to her. He gasped as for he was caught by surprised. He probably stronger than her but with a sharp object pointing at his vital spot, this man held himself still.

"Who are you? And what do you want?" Lysandra hissed in his ear.

"Whoa kid, hold your horse!...I was the one who brought you here" He said in a rush and held both hair up in the air as if to show Lysandra he wasn't planning to fight back.

"And where is here?" Still pressed the needle firmly at his neck, she asked again. Her own heart pounded as for she never fought a man before. Could she overcome his strength if they must fight?

"This is East End Clinic…you know a medical facility in Gotham City…" His answer confirmed her. But she waited for the man to continue "…You were badly beaten, I brought you here like ten days ago for medical treatment…"

Ten days? She was out for that long? "And why would you do that"

"Kid, I know your mother….I know Diana"

Her heart almost skipped at his words but Lysandra told herself to keep her hand firmed at his neck "How do I know you're not lying?"

"My name's Steve Trevor, I was your mother's friend…."

Steve Trevor?...Who in Hades was Steve Trevor?…. Lysandra searched her memories. The name was familiar in her mind but she couldn't remember now.

"I still don't know who in Hades are you" Lysandra hissed back as a reply. "Where are my things? Where is my dagger?"

"For the look of it, I don't think you would need your dagg…ow!" She pressed the needled into his flesh made him yelp. "Ok, ok….I have them back in the apartment! Geez….I was just trying to help, I own your mother a debt. I was just trying to repay it by helping you…."

Lysandra loosen her grip before shove the man away. She quickly switched the light on to get a good look at him.

His blond hair was in darker shade and trimmed short. Stubble was spread across his strong jaw line. His eyes produced bright blue orbs that remind her of her grandmother. Her nose pick up faint scent of soap and leather, which later probably came from his jacket. He was probably in late thirties by mortal standard. And that prickled her thought. Something about this picture made no sense. She knew her mother might have mentioned his name somewhat. But the man this young, when he met her, he was probably in his teen.

"You didn't look much like your mother now that I see your face clearly.…" His voiced made her realized that he was watching her as well.

"And you look too young to know my mother" Lysandra almost snapped at him. Still gripping the needle in her hand.

"Let's say, I got a second chance in life" he sighed and moved to a chair by the bed before sat down casually. Lysandra still watched him carefully.

"Come on, kid. If I want to harm you…I wouldn't wait till you wake up, I would have pull your life support off a week ago" He said in a steady voice.

"How do you know I would be in that place?" Lysandra stood still and asked him.

"Well, that's a long story" He said reluctantly. Averting her eyes.

Crossed her arms over her chest, Lysandra said. "Then, I suggest you start talking"


Ps :: Man, that was a long chapter! Batman is so hard to write. I got headache just trying to put words in his mouth without having him came off OOC. LOL

So, again this story was a mixture of many things, I know I said it was based of JL/JLU Animated series with some DCnU twist as well as my own plots. Many things, like The bat family will be changed and some still the same. Like Dick was the first Robin, Barbara was Batgirl before she got shot by the Joker, became paralyzed and then became Oracle. You couldn't see these in the cartoons but you'd know these from comics. And I decided to leave Jason Todd, out…for now. And keep Tim as a current Robin. So the bat family was pretty much still almost the same as anyone know them.

But for other characters that I will add in the future, many things caught my attention and I decided to switch things around. Hopefully work out with the story. I will explain later when those new characters present themselves in the story.

As for Steve Trevor, I really him in The Savage Time Episode. Recycling him again was pretty much last minute change but it seem to work well with the plot I have. But why was he young again? Well that the story for the next chapter to find out!

Last but not least, Can I just say, I stop reading The new 52 Justice League comic. Whoa DC, wait to piss many people off. Screw you DC, I will indulge myself in Fanfiction land from now on until you get your shit back together.

Next chapter might be post in a week or two. Depends on my free time. But don't forget to Read and Review this Chapter! Let me know what do you think!