Chapter 11: Hippolyta's Dream

"It all started in a city," Hippolyta began. "I was a child living in a manor outside a city. I only had three kid friends in and outside of school. Their names were Rachel, Harvey and Ethan. They were good people and even better friends but things changed especially at age 8." Batman lowered his head. "I got picked on more for being an orphan and all the adults and a lot of the kids said I'd be fine. A kid with all that money I'll be just fine. Harvey even left. Eventually he came to be with the rest of us in sophomore year. We formed our own little group and we would hang around together and watch movies and pretend to be detective. When we were together the bullies left us alone but when it was just me I got mocked and picked on again for being an orphan and smart. I saw us grow up and I saw Ethan become a cop, Rachel an assistant in the D.A's office, and Harvey become the District Attorney.

There were three adult friends that I had as a child and that I apparently still have. The English butler who raised me, Alfred Pennyworth, a good friend of my father's, Leslie Tompkins, and the now Commissioner Gordon. They were the only adults who cared that I had just lost my parents all the other said that I'd be fine. Alfred became a father to me, Leslie a mother, and Gordon a respected and close friend and ally." She turned to look at Batman. "I'm sorry about the loss of your childhood friends." Batman sighed.

"Nothing to be sorry about," Batman told her. "You didn't know."

"I saw what happened to the three childhood friends," Hippolyta continued. "I saw more in detail what happened. How Rachel died in an explosion that the Joker arranged, what the Joker did to melt Ethan and turn him into Clayface and the fight you had with Harvey when he first became Two-Face. I still hear him screaming, 'It's not what I want it's about what's fair. We thought we could be decent men in an indecent time. Why was I the only one who lost everything?' I replied, 'You weren't.' 'But the Joker chose me,' he said back. 'Because you were the best of us,' I told him. 'He wanted to prove that someone as good as you could fall.' 'And you were wrong,' he told me. 'The world is cruel and the only thing just in a cruel world is chance. Unbias, unpregnates, fair.' It was nerve racking to say the least. That such a good man could fall so hard." There was some silence. "I also some good times with Dick Grayson and I saw him change from sidekick to leader as Robin then into Nightwing the leader of the Teen Titans and my partner, friend and son. I felt the difficulty of getting go and learning to embrace the fact that he's an adult. I saw the good times with Barbara Gordon and saw her change from ignorant high school girl into a strong independent woman. I saw the few good times with Jason Todd and saw him change. I saw the good times with Tim Drake and his recovery from Joker's torture. And how that incident nearly destroyed your relationship with Tim. But thankfully Barbara, Dick and Alfred all gave me or you several stern talks and that convinced me to keep him as Robin." She turned to look at Batman again. "You really do care about those kids, don't you? There not just partners and sidekicks to you are they?"

"No," Batman told her. "They're not."

"Do you love them?" Hippolyta asked.

"Yes," Batman admitted. "They're like…they're like family." There some silence as they pondered this as they could tell that he wasn't lying.

"I also saw some memories with the league," Hippolyta told them. "I saw and felt the annoyance and the joy that he had every time Flash tried to get him to laugh. It turns out he'd smirk behind your back at your failure to get him to laugh. I saw the times when Hawkgirl would repeatedly beat you at chess. And even though you had a straight face I felt inside that you were frustrated that she kept beating you so constantly. I also felt the closeness that you had with Superman and your annoyance at his always bright comments. And I saw and felt a respect, trust and comfort with Jonn'. How even though they didn't talk while in the same room all the time I, or he, appreciated him with me. I felt a respect and an understanding with Green Lantern and a friendship begin to form. And with Diana I saw and felt something more. I felt something but too scared to show it. While Diana was very open about it."

"Open about what?" Flash asked.

"I think it would be better if one of them tells you," Hippolyta told him. "It's not my place to do so. Anyways I also saw something extremely strange."

"What would that be?" Superman asked.

"That he actual cares about his enemies," Hippolyta explained. "There was a man named Lyle Bolton who was a sectary guy or something of that sort. One day when me and Robin, the first one, were bring Scarecrow back to Arkham we noticed that he was terrified and how he was terrified of Lyle when we left him with the guy. So in secret identity form I held a hearing. Harley Quinn, Scarface, The Ventriloquist, and Scarecrow were asked how they felt about Lyle and his methods. At first they said that they didn't have complaints then when I suggested lengthening his stay for another 18 months they said differently. Harley said he threatened them and would take away their privileges even when they were good. Scarecrow said that he would chain them down at night and electrify their doors. Scarface said he held him over a can filled with termites, Scarface was a wooden puppet. So Lyle was dismissed and didn't show up again for another few months. When he came back he called himself Lock-up. He told me that I'm as crazy as they are if I care about them. And I agree. Also I saw my old Japanese rival, Kyodai Ken, who use to kick my butt all the time at the dojo."

"What a minute, there was someone you couldn't beat in martial arts?" Lantern asked.

"Yes, not then at least," Batman admitted. "I was able to beat him years later in Gotham though."
"Anyways, I saw that years later in Japan that two fought near a volcano," Hippolyta said. "We fought and we got separated by some lava. He was standing on a rock and was surrounded by lava while I was on firm ground. I pulled out a long rope and threw it to him. I told him to grab it and that if he jumped and I pulled he could make it. He took his end of the rope and threw it into lava. He bowed and then disappeared and presumably dead. Anyways, I also saw a time when Harley Quinn tried to go straight; she reformed and got out Arkham but due to a misunderstanding she re-donned her clown outfit. She accidentally kidnapped a woman named Veronica when she stole one of my cars. She went back to Arkham and she asked me why did I stay with her and risk my butt for someone who's never given me anything but trouble. I told her that I knew what it was like to rebuild a life and that I had a bad day too once. And I opened a bag and gave her the pink dress that she had tried to get at the beginning. She then kissed me and I remember feeling extremely awkward."

"Wait a minute, did Harley actually kiss you, Bats?" Flash asked.

"No comment," Batman answered.

"Is she a good kisser?" Flash asked.

"No comment," Batman repeated sternly.

"I also saw and felt something else for two other women before the Justice League," Hippolyta told them. Batman did a face palm. He knew which two he was talking about and he didn't want Diana to know about them before he got to tell her his decision about their relationship. "Catwoman, jewel thief, and occasional ally. She is a dangerous woman who has a soft spot for orphans and cats. I noticed that our relationship was more of a brother wanting to help a sister and not a romantic one. Even though she has kissed me or him a few times." Batman felt embarrassed he really didn't want them to know about his messed up love life. Diana was angry, why did her mother feel the need to do this to her.

"Ooo, Bats," Flash started.

"No comment," Batman growled.

"Anyways, from what it looked like it didn't go very far and it was really over before it began," Hippolyta said. "Just like the other relationship." Batman face palmed again. This is just getting embarrassing. "Taila Al Ghul, daughter of Ra's Al Ghul, who is the leader of the League of Assassins and one of my greatest enemies. She loved me and I liked her but not as much as she liked me. And also she would always choose her father over me when she had the choice. So a doomed relationship and over before it began."

"You loved your enemy's daughter?" Superman asked.

"No comment," Batman growled. "What Hippolyta said about both relationships is true, though, so don't ask me about them again. Now can we please stop talking about my messed up love life?!"

"I was just saying what I saw," Hippolyta said. "Anyways, I also saw a time when Arnold Wesker, the Ventriloquist, was trying to establish a normal life. I gave him a job at my company and he seemed to be doing well. However his old gang tried to bring him back. I told them that Wesker was off limits but they didn't listen. They brought Scarface back and tried to rob my company. Batgirl stopped the gang members while I tried to reason with Arnold. I told him that Scarface is the puppet not himself. He then shot Scarface and Scarface was destroyed. I solved the whole thing without a punch and I gave him back his job. He is now living a normal life and even has some friends. I tried to protect everyone, the kids, civilians, and even the villains. I saw how you never gave up on those kids. You never gave trying to find a cure for Barbara so that she could walk again. I found one after two years and even left a League meeting early so I could see her reaction. And she was smiling and hugging her father. The surgery was a success and she could move her legs and walk. I was peering in through the blinds and saw her face and knew that I worth it."

"Wait a minute that meeting you left early two months ago was to see Barbara in the hospital?" Lantern asked.

"I had to see her reaction," Batman told them. "I need to see the Barbara I remembered. Those two years she was Oracle were rough for her and she almost never smiled. She wasn't the woman I remember I…"

"I get it," Superman interrupted. "If it was Kara I would have done the same thing. You don't need to explain yourself."

"Thanks," Batman responded.

"Don't mention it," Superman said.

"When Tim recovered I didn't want him to be Robin again," Hippolyta continued. Me and Tim yelled at each other. It nearly destroyed our relationship. Like I said before some stern talks from everyone else gave me some sense again. Finally, we apologized and we hugged it out. He stayed Robin and our bond became stronger as a result. I also saw you visit the Teen Titans in Jump City so you could see Dick or Nightwing and his team. And how you enjoyed time with those kids. Even Beastboy you though kept thinking was worse than Flash at trying to get you to laugh."

"I can't decide whether that's a complement or a criticism," Flash said. "And I didn't know you knew the Titans?"

"Who do you think paid for their T-shaped tower?" Batman asked Flash.

"Wait a minute you're paying for them AND us?" Flash asked. Batman nodded his head.

"Although to be honest I send more money on them than you," Batman told them. "You won't believe how many times I've had to pay for repairs on their towers and parts for Cyborg's car, which keeps getting crashed, and Dick's motorcycle. Not to mention the food bill. You wouldn't believe how much food those guys go through. I spent a week for them what you guys would go through in a month. I'm fine with paying for their necessary stuff but I am more than thankful that they're now paying for their food. Why do you ask Flash?"

"Because I've worked with them occasionally," Flash told him. "They're nice people."

"I also saw a girl that we didn't see in Tartarus," Hippolyta said. "I think it was because she isn't associated with your pain. Her name is Grace Greenway, a sweet and smart girl but no one to be trifled with. She was my sparring partner for three years while we were traveling around the world."

"Wait a minute you know Grace Greenway?" Flash asked.

"Yeah, why?" Batman asked.

"She only one of the best, if not THE best, music video makers in the world!" Flash told him. "I watch her videos all the time."

"Anyways, I meet her a few years later as well as her alter ego," Hippolyta said.

"Alter ego?" Superman asked. "She's a superhero? That's new. I didn't think she was the fighting type."

"Trust me that whole damsel in distress thing she does is all an act," Batman told him. "She is very much capable of taking care of herself."

"Her alter ego is the Masked Warrior," Hippolyta told them.

"You mean she's that ninja-like, kick-butt vigilante in Clarksburg?" Flash asked. "I don't believe it."

"She's also a foundering member of a superhero team known as Justice Force," Wonder Woman said.

"How do you know that?" Hippolyta asked.

"Because my nephew's in it," Wonder Woman told her mother.

"Ed's in the Justice Force?" Hippolyta asked.

"Yes, he is and he's never been happier," Wonder Woman said.

"You have a nephew?" Shayera asked.

"Yes, one of my Amazon sisters married the king of the Islanders and they had Edward," Wonder Woman explained.

"King of the Islanders?" Superman asked. "That's new."

"He's the king of hidden paradise-like islands," Wonder Woman explained. "Not including Themiscyria but we do have a partnership with them."

"Why wasn't I told about him?" Aresia asked.

"We told you about him but you didn't seem to care," Hippolyta told her.

"How many other members are there in this Justice Force?" Lantern asked. "It sounds like an interesting group."

"Five," Batman and Wonder Woman both answered.

"Well just curious is Grace Greenway already taken?" Flash asked. "I mean does she already have a boyfriend?"

"Yes," Batman and Wonder Woman answered.

"How do you know?" Wonder Woman asked Batman.

"She told me that she had a boyfriend at work," Batman explained. "And I'm assumed that he was…"

"But it could have been Supreme Sorcerer," Wonder Woman said.

"He's her older brother," Batman told her.

"It could have the Red Speedster," Wonder Woman said.

"He's her younger brother," Batman told her.

"It could have been Electronicboy," Wonder Woman said.

"How do you know Wondy?" Flash asked.

"Because my nephew is her boyfriend," Wonder Woman told him.

"Okay, wait what!?" Flash asked. "How did that happen?"

"Don't ask," Batman and Wonder Woman said together.

"Okay now you two really need to stop that," Flash said.

"How do you know how they got together?" Wonder Woman asked. Then she realized it. "You saw my memories that why you know about their relationship."

"Actually she told me that they were together but not how they got together," Batman said. "And yes I did. And it started on Themyscira…"

Note: Sorry it took a while to get this chapter done but I wanted to get it right. Again I don't own rights to DC Comics' characters. But the Justice Force and the Masked Warrior, Red Speedster, Electronicboy, Supreme Sorcerer, and Edward are mine and my ideas. So if you're going to use them please acknowledge that they're my idea. And the connections to the League are purely for the story they can stand by themselves if need be.