Chapter 4: Revelations
Metropolis: 3 Years Before the Formation of the Justice League
Superman flew down to a building that seemed to look identical to all the other buildings in Metropolis, at least to him. It was a two story building that was labeled as an accounting firm. Neighboring the building were various markets, laundromats, pharmaceutical stores, and other small shops that were common in this part of the city.
Superman looked over the building once again, trying to figure out if he was supposed to just use the front door or a secret entrance. He quickly learned that Batman was not too keen on revealing information. After Superman had notified Batman that Deadshot was dropped off to the Metropolis Police Department, he received just an address and a quick message from Batman.
"Don't take too long," Superman muttered under his breath while looking at the building, echoing the message Batman told him. "Maybe it wouldn't take too long if you told me how I was supposed to get into this place."
As if hearing his thoughts, a part of the roof opened up, providing Superman with an entrance into the building. Dropping through the entryway, Superman was shocked to see what looked like a mobile military base set up in the upper-part of the building. Various crates containing gadgets and weapons were lined throughout the room, differentiating in size. A bulletin board was placed in front of one of the walls, with different newspaper clippings and photos covering a wide range of topics.
Towards the wall opposite of where Superman dropped in from, a large monitor was mounted to the wall with a large desk in front of it. Sitting at this desk was Batman, who was focused on a certain file that he was reading regarding Lex Luthor's latest bank transactions.
"You're late," Batman blatantly said without turning around.
Superman was slightly annoyed at the accusatory tone that Batman used. "I would have been here much earlier if you told me how to enter the building," Superman said, letting his annoyance seep into his voice.
"Hm," Batman said, still completely focused on the monitor before him. Superman shook his head, wondering what Batman was so focused on.
"What is this place?" Superman asked, his curiosity and investigative side wanting to know more details about this building.
"It's an old outpost that I used to monitor Lex Luthor and other potential threats a few years ago. Most of the gear in here is outdated anyway, so I never really came here much anyway," Batman answered.
"Ok, but how did you even get all of this gear in here unnoticed? Even if you did this at night you would have needed a truck to carry all of this," Superman questioned.
"This building is owned by Wayne Enterprises," Batman replied with his focus still on his files. "I had the building personally modified to block off the staircase that led to the second floor. During that time, I transported all of my gear into the second floor using false shipping companies before it was blocked off. The entrance that you took was installed by me. The company leases out the first floor of the building in order to avoid any suspicion."
"Wouldn't people be curious as to why Wayne Enterprises owns one small building in Metropolis?" Superman asked.
"You would be correct. That is also why I purchased three other properties, including land in which a Wayne Enterprises skyscraper will be built. My recent purchase of the Daily Planet is also providing cover for the outposts," Batman responded.
Superman sat in silence for a moment, thinking about how clever Batman's processes were. As a journalist at the Planet he knew of the recent purchases that Wayne Enterprises had been making. However, everyone assumed that it was a power move to try and gain leverage over its rival company, Lexcorp, in their home field.
"Here," Batman said, snapping Superman out of his thoughts. Walking up to the monitor, Superman looked at what Batman found. It was a list of the spendings that Luthor and someone named Mercy Graves had performed in the last month, even under false names.
"How did you get this?" Superman asked, amazed at the resources that Batman had available to him.
"I have my ways," Batman cryptically answered. Superman realized that was all the information he was going to get. "According to these files, Mercy Graves paid an anonymous source, who we can safely assume was Deadshot, almost a million dollars about two weeks ago."
"So we have the evidence that she paid for the assasination attempt, but how does she have any connection to Luthor?" Superman asked.
"Apparently, about a month ago, Luthor hired a new secretary," Batman said. After a few clicks, he pulled up a picture of a woman with brunette hair dressed in an expensive suit, her name being Mercy Graves.
"So Mercy does all of Luthor's dirty work," Superman concluded.
"Unless it is something that Luthor wants to handle himself," Batman pointed out. "He was the one that personally gave Deadshot the mineral."
"It's called Kryptonite, a piece of my home world that was mutated while it traveled through space. It weakens me considerably and can make me fall ill, as I'm sure you're aware," Superman responded, remembering when Batman exposed him to the piece of Kryptonite a few hours ago.
"We need to visit the address that I confiscated from Deadshot to see if there are any clues that they left behind. Afterwards, we should have a talk with Mercy," Batman said.
"Why don't we just go straight to Luthor and demand answers from him? We both know that he is the one responsible for this," Superman questioned, slightly angered that they were not going straight for Luthor first.
"Luthor is a powerful and influential man. If you were to attack him at all, he could easily turn the situation on you and get the public to be against you. The best option is to follow the smaller leads before we get to the big one," Batman answered.
Superman nodded at Batman's plan. While he was slightly annoyed that Luthor was not the priority, Batman's strategic reasoning did make sense to him. It was clear that Batman's plan was the best course of action, whether he liked it or not.
"Ok then, let's go see if we can find any evidence at that address," Superman said. He hoped that the location Deadshot's message provided would be enough to crack this case wide open.
X X X
Metropolis
Superman once again scanned the building with his x-ray vision, trying to see if he could find any clues that could lead to some evidence to Luthor's plan. The building they arrived at was an old skyscraper that was being prepared to be demolished in order to make way for a new shopping mall that would be in the heart of Metropolis. The building was mostly empty, besides a few pieces of construction equipment that were being used during the day to take down the walls of the skyscraper.
He was on the upper layers of the skyscraper, trying to see if there was anything on these levels that could potentially help them. Batman was on the ground floor doing an in depth analysis of the area, trying to find any small detail that might give away Luthor's game.
Superman touched the new commlink that Batman had given him in order to see if the Dark Knight had made any progress. "Find anything?" Superman asked.
"Maybe," Batman answered. "No concrete evidence that either Luthor or Mercy were here, but I did find a Lexcorp business card on the floor. I should be able to run for fingerprints to see if Deadshot's story was accurate."
"Good idea, maybe we can- wait," Superman said before stopping mid-sentence. Using his super hearing, he picked up the sounds of a car parking outside.
"Someone is here," Superman said over the commlink.
"Understood. Let's scout out who it is before we confront them," Batman advised.
Superman flew down the old elevator shaft inside of the skyscraper, stopping on the level above the ground floor to use his x-ray vision and try to see who their unexpected guest was.
Using his x-ray vision, Superman saw Batman crouched behind a large steel support beam, effectively hiding him from whoever had just arrived. Looking towards the front of the building, Superman heard the sound of heels making their way to the front door.
As the front door of the old skyscraper opened, Superman was shocked to see Lex Luthor's new secretary, Mercy Graves, walk through the entrance.
"Batman, it's Mercy," Superman said over the commlink. "Why would she come back here?"
"I'm not sure," Batman quietly said as to not draw attention to himself. "I'm assuming she's here to make sure that they didn't leave any evidence behind. Word of Deadshot's capture might have made Luthor concerned. At least this makes finding her much easier."
"Should we go in?" Superman asked.
"I'll confront her. If she tries to escape, stop her," Batman said. "Just make sure you don't bring the whole building down on top of us."
Superman chuckled at Batman's comment. "Got it. I'll be in position."
Batman peaked around the steel beam that he was hiding behind, watching as Mercy took out some type of scanner. She went over toward the center of the room, close to where he had found the Lexcorp business card.
Batman watched as she scanned the surrounding area for any fingerprints or evidence that either she, Luthor, or Deadshot had left behind during their meeting. Batman was not concerned that she would figure out that he and Superman were there, as his suit prevented him from leaving fingerprints and Superman never touched anything.
Moving like a wraith, Batman silently made his way up behind Mercy, intending to find out some information about Luthor's scheme. She was so focused on her scanner that she did not even notice his presence behind her.
Mercy was looking through the information provided on her scanner, making sure that neither she nor Luthor left behind any information that might tie them to Deadshot. Her boss wanted her to double check that they left no evidence behind, especially with the recent arrest of Deadshot by Superman and the Metropolis P.D.
"Mercy Graves," a deep baritone voice spoke from behind her. Mercy jumped up, the voice behind her sounding like a demon. Turning around, she came face to face with the white lenses of the Dark Knight.
Mercy gasped in shock at actually seeing the Batman. She had heard the rumors of a vigilante in Gotham City, but there was never any conclusive evidence to prove that he existed. Now, she had the one person that criminals feared right in front of her.
"B-Batman," Mercy stuttered out. "What are you doing here?"
"I was wondering the same thing about you," Batman said to Mercy, slowly closing the distance between the two. He intended to use his much larger size to intimidate her with the hope of learning more about Luthor's plan against Superman.
"W-what do you mean?" Mercy asked, backing away as Batman advanced towards her.
"Don't play dumb," Batman blantanly said. "About 10 days ago, you and Luthor met with Deadshot in order to hire him to kill Superman. I want to know why."
Mercy looked at Batman, trying to figure out a way that she could get out of here. She had heard the stories that ex-criminals told about Batman and how he performed his interrogations, and she did not want to see if those stories were true.
She quickly made a bolt to the door, hoping that she could get back to her car and take off before Batman could catch up to her. She looked over her shoulder, watching as Batman made no move to advance on her. She did not have time to think about that, however, as a large object burst through the upper level, coming to a stop right in front of the doors. Once the dust settled, she looked up to see Superman floating in front of the entrance to the skyscraper, erasing her hopes of escaping.
"Leaving so soon?" Superman questioned with a smirk on his lips.
Mercy looked around quickly, trying to figure out a way that she could escape. Seeing Batman on one side of the room and Superman on the other, she knew that she was trapped.
Mercy was sitting on a fallen support beam with her hands in black handcuffs, watching as Batman and Superman stared at her. She knew that a questioning was coming up, and there was no way to avoid it. She just hoped that she could get out of this somehow.
"We know you and Lex Luthor met Deadshot in this exact location," Batman began. "Why did you come back here?"
"After we received word from some private sources that Deadshot had been apprehended, Luthor was concerned that we could be linked back to Deadshot. He sent me here to search the area and make sure that we left no evidence behind," Mercy said, looking towards the floor in order to avoid the gaze of Batman. Those white lenses seemed to bear straight into her soul. It unnerved her as to how intimidating he was. Mercy could see that those rumors from Gotham's criminals about Batman's interrogation tactics were true.
"Why did Luthor hire Deadshot to kill me?" Superman asked the question that was burning in his mind.
"I don't know," Mercy answered, still looking towards the floor. "I never question Luthor's orders. I just do what he tells me to do."
"And you think that's a wise policy?" Batman questioned with a growl. He was slightly surprised to see Mercy's head drop slightly lower, a sort of sadness overtaking her expression. He realized that she must have some type of connection to Luthor deeper than just being his secretary.
"Where did Lex get the Kryptonite from? From my knowledge there was barely any on earth," Superman asked.
Mercy looked up at Superman with a sinister glint in her eye, her previous melancholy almost completely gone. "Your knowledge was what everyone else thought, too. However, Luthor and I knew differently. We have worked tirelessly, studying and examining potential places where Kryptonite could be located. There is much more here on Earth than you could possibly imagine," Mercy answered with an evil smirk.
Superman tried to hide his shock as best as he could, but it was impossible now knowing that there was much more Kryptonite in the world than he originally believed. The thought that his one true weakness could now be in the possession of his enemies worried him.
Batman saw Superman's shocked expression out of the corner of his eye, but he chose to ignore it. He slowly pressed a button on his belt behind his cape, stopping a recording system from the microphones hidden in his cowl that he activated before they started interrogating Mercy. He now had enough proof, with both the fingerprints on the business card and Mercy's voice recordings, to put Luthor away for his attempted murder.
"That's all we need," Batman said. Batman reached into his belt, pulling out a small orange evidence bag. He then took the Lexcorp business card which was wrapped in a protective seal and a drive containing the voice recording and information about Mercy and Lex's bank transactions. He placed all of these items into the evidence bag.
"Superman, take Mercy and this evidence to the Metropolis Police Department. It should be enough evidence to prove that Mercy and Luthor are guilty of attempted murder," Batman said. Mercy was shocked on her part, angry at herself for giving away Luthor's plan so carelessly.
"Ok, I'll take this stuff over right away. But what are we supposed to do about Luthor?" Superman questioned.
"We go after him next," Batman answered.
X X X
Metropolis
Superman and Batman were standing on the rooftop of a building adjacent to the Lexcorp Tower in downtown Metropolis. They were scouting out Luthor's office on the top floor, waiting for the right moment to strike. Batman had a pair of binoculars out, watching the various cars that were passing by on the street. Superman was watching the office, making sure that Luthor did not get in without them noticing.
"Any news on Luthor?" Superman asked Batman. He was eager to finally get Luthor behind bars after what he tried to pull off.
"Luthor has been out of the country for the past four days on a business trip," Batman informed Superman, still keeping his eyes on the passing cars. "His plane just arrived a little under an hour ago. We should see him returning to his office within the hour."
"Good," Superman said. "I want to put him behind bars where he belongs."
The determination in Superman's voice was very noticeable to Batman, and it made him smirk at seeing someone else so devoted to the cause of justice as he was. Superman had the power to take over the entire world if he wanted to. Yet instead of letting this immense power get to his head, Superman instead channeled that power to his humility, using these abilities to protect the world from hardship. While he'll never admit it outloud, Superman had gained his respect.
"Trust me, Luthor should have been behind bars long ago. There were numerous shady business deals that I'm confident he made, but I never was able to get concrete evidence in order to have him arrested," Batman replied, keeping his focus on the road below them.
Superman looked over at the dark hero that was beside him. He heard about the rumors of a vigilante that terrorized Gotham's criminals, and every single one described the vigilante as a demon that paid no attention to the well being of anyone. Looking at him now, Superman saw that could not be further from the truth.
Here was a man with no special powers or abilities like Superman himself had, devoting his life to make sure that the innocent civilians of Gotham would be protected, all while sacrificing so much. It made Superman feel slightly guilty about himself. He had all of these amazing powers that made it almost impossible for anyone to pose a threat to him, and yet he only just started helping others out. It made him respect Batman that much more.
Suddenly, Superman noticed Batman's shoulders stiffen slightly.
"He's here," Batman simply said.
Superman looked down at the street, seeing a black limousine pull up to the front doors of the Lexcorp Tower. A man stepped out of the driver's side and walked around to open the back door of the limousine. The man barely had opened the door when Lex Luthor himself bursted out of the limo, yelling at whoever he was talking to on his phone.
"See if you can hear their conversation," Batman said to Superman.
"Already ahead of you," Superman replied. He tilted his head slightly to the side in order to try and see if he could hear Luthor's conversation better.
"I don't want some random lawyer! I want the best ones we can get!" Luthor screamed into his phone as he walked up the steps to the Lexcorp Tower entrance. "I don't give a damn how much they want, I want Mercy out of prison. She's too valuable of an asset to be kept there. I don't want her spilling all of our plans!" Lex furiously hit the end button on his phone, stopping briefly before the doors of the Lexcorp Tower to put his phone back into the inside pocket of his suit jacket. He viciously opened the door of his building, wanting to go to his office to make sure that nothing else was going wrong.
Superman looked back up to Batman in order to relay Luthor's conversation. "Luthor was talking to someone on his phone to try and get Mercy a lawyer. Seems he knows that she's been arrested."
Batman put his binoculars back into his utility belt. "Then now is the best time to confront him. The Metropolis P.D. just put out an arrest warrant for him, and the recent news of Mercy's arrest should make him unbalanced. Just be careful, we don't know if he has another supply of Kryptonite sitting around."
Superman nodded to Batman, taking his warning into consideration, especially remembering the look Mercy gave him when he asked about how they got the Kryptonite. He took off, eager to get Luthor and bring him to justice.
The elevator doors opened up, with Luthor quickly making his way out into the foyer before his office. He had no time to waste, especially with Mercy now in prison. He was starting to regret hiring her as his secretary, even with the on and off relationship they have going on.
As Lex threw open the doors to his office, he was shocked to see none other than Superman and Batman standing in front of his desk. Both heroes had their arms crossed over their broad chests, as if challenging Luthor to do something idiotic.
"How dare you guys be here!" Luthor yelled. Today was not going to plan at all for him. "I should have you two arrested for breaking and entering into MY property!"
"Attempted murder is a much more serious crime, Luthor," Batman coldly stated, not backing down to Lex's rant.
"What are you talking about?" Luthor snapped back, deciding to play dumb to their accusations.
"Batman's talking about the arrest warrant the Metropolis Police Department just put out for you due to you leading an attempt to kill me," Superman stated, matching Batman in the glare he was giving towards Lex.
Luthor's face was in shock for a split second, but the two heroes did not miss it. It was all the confirmation they needed that Luthor had complete knowledge of the plan. However, as soon as the shock appeared on Luthor's face, it was replaced with an immense anger.
"You have no proof to any of these accusations!" Lex heatedly said. "My lawyers will be hearing about this!"
"The Metropolis P.D. already has all the proof they need," Batman said. "You're done, Luthor."
Lex looked down to the ground, surprising both heroes as it seemed he was admitting defeat. They were even more shocked when Lex started laughing.
"You think you guys figured it all out, didn't you?" Luthor said with a sadistic smirk. "You guys could have all the proof in the world, and it won't even matter. Come next morning, I'll be walking free. All your efforts will be for nothing."
"Maybe," Batman replied, slowly taking a batarang out of his utility belt in case Luthor tried to make a move. "But how do you think the public will react to Lexcorp's CEO being arrested for attempted murder? Surely that won't go well with the PR."
Lex looked up towards Batman and Superman, his eyes blazing with rage. Reacting into his pocket, he pulled out a small piece of Kryptonite he kept on him.
"This is your fault!" Lex shouted at Superman. Charging at the Man of Steel, Luthor was unprepared for the batarang that suddenly came out of Batman's hand. The batarang struck perfectly, knocking the piece of Kryptonite onto the floor and into the far corner of the office.
With the Kryptonite now out of range, Superman was able to advance onto Luthor. He quickly grabbed Luthor by his suit jacket and threw him towards Batman. Before Lex was able to recover, Batman quickly placed a pair of handcuffs onto Luthor, effectively stopping him from making any more attacks.
Lex looked down to see his hands now cuffed together. He could not believe how his plans failed so immensely. What was supposed to be an easy plan of killing Superman somehow backfired on him completely.
Superman looked down at Luthor, satisfied that the madman had finally been caught once and for all.
"Why did you do it, Lex? What would you get from killing me?" Superman asked, wanting to know why someone would go to such lengths to have him killed.
Lex chuckled at Superman's question, as if the answer was not obvious enough. "Don't you get it?" Luthor snapped. "You are an alien from a planet that no one knew existed. You have the power to wipe off every living thing on this planet in an hour if you wanted to! Someone with that much power should not exist in the world, unless they have the proper mind to do so," Luthor said smugly. It was clear to both heroes that Lex was jealous of Superman's power, and that he would have to be someone to watch in the future.
Superman sat in silence at Luthor's answer, shocked at the response Lex gave him. He never really considered that people could see him as such a threat, believing that he wanted to completely destroy the world and everything on it. Luthor's words revealed an issue that Superman had not even considered. Superman never saw himself as that much of a threat. However, looking at it from Luthor's perspective, there always was the possibility that he could be, whether it be from mind control or some type of other persuasion.
Seeing how much Luthor's answer shocked Superman, Batman quickly took the initiative and knocked Luthor out before he could try and turn the situation into his favor. Making sure Luthor was secure, Batman looked up to see Superman staring outside of the window upon the city.
"Superman..." Batman started to say, but before he could continue he was cut off by the man he was addressing.
"You know, I've never really thought about my powers the way Lex has," Superman said, the internal battle inside of him leaking into his voice. He looked down at his hands as he continued. "I always saw my powers as tools that I could use to help others out when the time was right, when I was more prepared mentally and physically. I never thought about how other people may react to these abilities I have, whether I had the possibility of turning evil."
Superman turned and looked towards Batman, a small smile appearing on his face. "This was an intense experience for me, and I'm honestly glad it happened. Not only did I learn of the possible threat that I could be if I ever lost control and how hard I have to work to make sure that doesn't happen, but I'm also glad I found someone I can trust to take me out if that thing should happen."
While he expressed no emotions on the outside, Batman was shocked at Superman's statement. He respected how well Superman was handling his emotions during such a serious situation. Batman nodded towards Superman, worried to test his voice due to his shock.
Superman smirked at being able to make the great Batman speechless. "You can call me if you ever need help, Batman," Superman said. He held out his hand to Batman, the latter looking at it for a second before taking it and shaking hands with a smirk.
"Don't count on me calling you for help," Batman said with a smirk. "But I'll be there if you need me."
Superman smiled at Batman, glad to have made some type of friend in this superhero business. He turned around to pick up Lex Luthor, making sure he was secured.
"We'll see about that-," Superman began to say as he turned back around, only to realize that he was all alone in the office.
Superman chuckled to himself, amazed at Batman's skill. "How does he do that?"
X X X
Themyscira: 3 Years Before the Formation of the Justice League
A week after the Tournament of Champions, Diana was sitting in the Great Library of the Amazons. She was currently catching up on some texts that she wanted to read, as it was tradition that the Amazon Champion would take a week off from her training as a reward for winning the tournament.
Diana of course valiantly protested against this, wondering how it was a reward for her to take time off of doing what she loves. However, her mother was stern that she must take the time off, as it would be disrespectful to the tournament to deny one of the rewards.
Although Diana initially loathed taking time away from her daily training, she was actually enjoying the time she had off. She spent much more time with her mother, discussing various events that were occurring throughout the kingdom. She also spent some more time with Mala and Philippus, talking to Mala about some of the books she had read and to Philippus about her duties after she had won the first Tournament of Champions.
Recently, Diana has been reading many books that described the cities in which the Amazons fought their battles in. While there were not many texts about the outside world, there were numerous recounts of old Amazon battles written by their scholars. These texts mainly focused on the battles the Amazons fought, but they also gave Diana a glimpse into other civilizations that either fought with or against the Amazons.
One book Diana read described the Amazons' participation in an ancient battle in the Trojan War. It was a fierce war, with the Amazons siding with the city of Troy to combat the Greeks. The Amazons were victorious in their battle, however it was a battle in which they experienced heavy loss. It was one of the last battles they fought in before their enslavement by Hercules.
What interested Diana however was the whole point behind the war. It made no sense to her that an entire war would be fought over a single woman. Diana knew the stories that the Amazons told about men and how they treat women as objects, and while that certainly could be applied to this war, it seemed that there was more to this than what the texts read.
To Diana, it seems that Helen left willingly with Paris out of an act of love. Diana knows of the love she has for her mother and her Amazon sisters, but to betray her whole kingdom over the love of one person seemed improbable to her. How could Helen leave behind everything she had for the love of one man?
Diana shut the book in both confusion and wonder, wanting to ponder over this thought. Could she be so naive to the true world? Was the love of a man and a woman something more than what her other Amazon sisters made it out to be?
Moments like these are times in which Diana wishes she could venture out past the mystical barriers that protect their paradise island from outside invaders. While she loves her home, she has this calling to venture out and experience Patriarch's World for herself. She wants to see all the different cultures and find out the truth behind the stories that her mother and other Amazons had told her about the outside world. While she certainly did not believe that the Amazons were lying to her, it did seem at times that they were bending the truth in some of their stories.
Diana got up from her table in the library, deciding that she had spent enough time off of the training grounds. It has been over a week since the Tournament of Champions, and she was desperate to go back out and practice with her fellow Amazons once again.
Walking out of the Great Library, Diana started to make her way towards the training grounds. It was later in the day, so she did not expect many Amazons to be out upon the grounds, as most of them were probably bathing after a long day of training.
Diana walked past the Temple of Athena, taking a glance inside at the beautiful armor and weapons that rested in front of the statue of Athena. It has always been Diana's dream of wearing the armor, as it was the armor and weapons of the Champion of the Gods. Whoever became the gods' champion would receive their armor and weapons, and they would advance out into Patriarch's World to fight against the injustices that plague it.
Arriving at the training ground, Diana was happy to see that Philippus was still there. All of the other Amazon seemed to have left, and Philippus was rearranging the practice targets for tomorrow's training. They were large bags of sand that were held up by a rope, which provided a great hand to hand combat practice for the Amazons.
"I see you're still out almost past sunset," Diana commented to Philippus. The general of the Amazons turned around and gave Diana a smirk.
"Just setting up some of the practices for your training tomorrow," Philippus replied. "It's good to see you back here. It's been rather gloomy and uneventful this week without your presence."
Diana gave a smile to Philippus, happy that her sisters missed her out on the training grounds as much as she did. "How about we get in an early lesson?" Diana asked. "You know all too well that I didn't agree with receiving the 'reward' of a week off from training."
Philippus smirked at the memory, when Diana was furious that her mother made her take a week off from training. Philippus swears to the goddesses that protect Themyscira that she has never met someone more stubborn than Diana.
"Very well, your highness," Philippus answered, knowing full well that Diana hated being called that.
"You know, 'Diana' is fine, Philippus," Diana said with a small glare.
Philippus chuckled at Diana, finding it amusing as to how easily she could become irritated. Philippus always loved Diana like the niece she never had, and she always cherishes the time she spent with Diana.
Philippus heaved up one of the practice targets using the rope, positioning it so Diana can practice her combat.
"You may begin, Diana," Philippus said.
Diana gave Philippus a smirk, glad she was back out on the training grounds. It is where she felt the most comfortable, away from her position as Princess of Themyscira and as an equal to her other Amazon sisters.
Diana did some quick stretching, anxious to finally practice some combat after being away from the training grounds for what seemed like a century to her. She quickly worked out any kinks in her shoulders, ready to finally continue her training now as the Amazon Champion.
Diana stepped up to the practice target, getting into her fighting stance. It was complete muscle memory to Diana at this point, after hundreds of years of practice. She pulled her arm back, anchoring her feet into the ground while twisting her hips to provide for the maximum power. In the seconds before Diana threw her strike, she noticed that it seemed almost easier to move, like she was more in tune with her body.
As the strike landed, the bag of sand exploded in front of Diana and Philippus, snapping off of the rope and flying 20 yards back. Diana was frozen in place, wondering how she just hit the target that far back.
Philippus for her part was also in shock. She looked over at Diana, wondering what happened.
"Philippus," Diana said with a startled tone. "Was that a faulty target?"
"N-No, Diana," Philippus stammered, also in shock over what just occurred. "That was a new target I set up earlier myself."
"Then why did that target come so easily off of its support?" Diana asked, confused as to how she seemed to be as strong as a Minotaur.
Philippus was going over what just happened in her head, wondering why Diana suddenly had the strength of a Greek champion...
Suddenly it hit Philippus, shocking her to her core. She looked over at Diana again, taking a good look at her. She had been away for a week, but looking at her now it seems like Diana looks more energized. Her beauty even seems more pronounced, as if some mystical power has emphasized her features.
"Diana..." Philippus said. "It's... it's you..."
"What?" Diana asked exasperatedly, wondering what made Philippus so shocked. "What do you mean 'it's me'?"
Philippus looked into Diana's eyes, remembering Queen Hippolyta's fear over the past few decades.
"You have been chosen as the Champion of the Gods," Philippus calmly said, wanting to know what Diana's reaction would be.
Diana's shocked expression was immediately apparent on her beautiful face. She could not believe that she was chosen as the Champion of the Gods. There must have been some other explanation for what just happened.
"That's impossible, Philippus," Diana said. "Why would they choose a champion now? Why not choose one at some other time?"
"It's because you're the best of us, Diana," Philippus said. "All of us here recognize it. If I am to be honest with you, I always thought that you were going to be the one chosen by our Gods to represent them. You have a drive that I have never seen before, and I'm confident that you can succeed against any adversity you face."
Diana was speechless at Philippus's message, still in shock at the news that she received . She trusted Philippus with her life, and she knew that her friend would not joke about something as serious as being chosen as the Champion of the Gods.
"I... I can't believe it, Philippus," Diana said, amazed that this was coming true.
Philippus frowned at Diana's words. "What is the matter, Diana? Did you not want to be the Champion of the Gods? I would've thought with your desire to explore what lies past the borders of Themyscira that this is something you would want," Philippus asked, confused as to why Diana seemed as if she was unsure of herself.
Diana quickly looked up into Philippus's eyes. "No! No, quite the opposite," Diana said. "I've always dreamed of being chosen as the Gods' Champion ever since I was a little girl. I always wanted to explore what lies past Themyscira, and now knowing that I will have that opportunity... it's overwhelming."
A sad look fitted Diana's face. "Philippus, what if I'm not able to perform my duties to the Gods' liking? What if I fail them?" Diana asked, worried over this prospect.
"Diana," Philippus began. "I love you as if you were my own niece. Trust me when I say that I have the utmost faith in you to complete whatever task the Gods demand of you. If I had to choose anyone on the island for this opportunity, I would not hesitate to recommend you."
Diana was overcome with emotion as Philippus's words, giving a nod of thanks as she was too afraid to test her voice. Philippus has always been a true friend to her, someone she could confide with if she could not go to her mother.
After calming down her emotions, Diana looked into Philippus's eyes. "I thank you Philippus for your kindhearted words," Diana said. She then looked at Philippus with a smirk, "I'm truly glad that you were the first one to experience this with me. It seems we have a long road ahead of us."
Philippus returned Diana's smirk, happy that the Princess of the Amazons seems to be content with the Gods choosing her as their champion. Philippus could not have chosen a better candidate herself.
"That we do, Diana," Philippus replied with a smile. "That we do."
X X X
Metropolis: 3 Years Before the Formation of the Justice League
"I can't believe they just let him walk!" Clark Kent yelled, reading the front page of the Daily Planet.
"I told you this was a possibility," Bruce Wayne commented. "Lex almost has as much money as me. With that much money, you can influence many people."
"But still! You would think that with all the proof that we gave them about an attempted murder that he would at least get parole with no bail, but instead he was elegible for bail!" Clark said, furious that this madman was allowed to walk free from jail.
Bruce shook his head, sharing Clark's sentiment on Luther being able to get out of prison by paying for a bail. It has been a week since Luthor was captured, and Bruce was currently in Clark's apartment in Metropolis after the reporter invited him over to discuss Luthor's arrest. He was planning on politely refusing, however Alfred got word of the invitation before Bruce could make a choice. He insisted that Bruce went, since he 'needed to make some actual friends.' 'Damn well-meaning butler', Bruce thought in his head.
"Don't worry, Kent," Bruce said. "We can handle anything that Luthor throws at us. Besides, Wayne Enterprises has been taking advantage of Luthor's arrest. Lexcorp's stock has taken a serious hit. It should keep Luthor occupied for a while."
"That's good," Clark said. He paused to pinch his nose, trying to stop a headache from forming over this Lex Luthor nonsense.
Before either of the two men could continue talking, someone started knocking on Clark's door. Bruce looked at Clark with a raised eyebrow, wondering who Clark was expecting. Clark responded with just a shrug of his shoulders, not knowing who could be at the door this late at night.
Clark went to the door as fast as he could without using his super speed, as the knocking on the door became more consistent. He briefly opened the door with the latch still on in case it was someone he did not know, as he did not want anyone seeing Bruce Wayne casually in his apartment.
Peaking through the opened door, Clark was shocked to see Lois Lane on the other side.
"Lois?" Clark said, surprised to see his new girlfriend at the front door of his apartment this late. Clark had known Lois for almost a year, however things had never progressed between the two until Clark finally asked her out a month ago. He was surprised at how readily she accepted his offer of a date, as it seemed every time they talked she just wanted to boss him around. The past month that they've been together has been one of the best times of Clark's life, and Lois has really been supportive, especially after Clark finally got the courage to tell her last week that he was the hero known as Superman.
"Clark," Lois said in a vicious tone. "We have a deadline due in 12 hours, and so far we have only a third of our article written! Let me in so we can get this done!"
"I, uh..." Clark stammered. "I don't know if right now is the best time, Lois."
"And why is that?" Lois fiercely questioned. "Do you have another girl in there or something?"
"What?!" Clark exclaimed. "Lois, you know I would never cheat on you."
"I know that, Smallville," Lois replied with a smirk, "It's just fun to push your buttons. Now c'mon, let me in so we can get this article done. I'm sure whatever is going on is nothing."
Bruce for his part was trying to hold in his laughter at the exchange. He could never imagine that the Man of Steel that he met a week ago could be so whipped by a woman.
"Uh..." Clark replied. He looked back over his shoulder at Bruce, silently asking what he should do. Bruce responded with a nod, letting Clark know that he could let Lois in.
"Ok Lois, here I'll let you in. I just ask you to behave yourself," Clark pleadingly said.
"When don't I behave myself, Smallville?" Lois jokingly asked with a smirk. Clark shook his head, removing the latch that kept the door locked.
He barely had a chance to move out of the way as Lois bursted into the room, all business at the moment.
"Ok, Clark. We still have much to go over regarding our article," Lois said, placing her purse down on the table next to Clark's door. She then turned to the kitchen, planning on getting something to eat while they worked on their article.
"Now, why don't you make us some food. I haven't eaten anything since-," Lois began before coming to a stop before the kitchen entrance. There inside Clark Kent's kitchen was billionaire Bruce Wayne himself.
"Good evening, Miss Lane," Bruce greeted, giving Lois his signature playboy smirk.
Lois had her mouth hanging open, so many questions running through her mind as to why the richest man in the world was currently sitting casually in Clark's kitchen.
Clark came around the corner at that moment, taking some satisfaction at Lois's shocked expression. However, he decided to clear things up.
"Lois, meet Bruce Wayne. Bruce, meet Lois Lane," Clark said, introducing the two to each other.
Bruce stood up, buttoning his suit jacket as he did so. "Yes, I'm very familiar with Miss Lane. Her reputation as an investigative journalist is very impressive," he replied.
Lois was still in shock that when Clark put a hand on her shoulder to comfort her, she quickly grabbed his arm and twisted him around so his arm was behind his back.
"Ow, Lois..." Clark said. "You're doing it again."
Lois quickly released Clark's arm, the latter stretching his arm out. She sheepishly tucked a strand of her dark brown hair behind her ear.
"Sorry, military dad made it a force of habit," Lois said with a slight blush. She turned to Bruce, questions burning on her mind.
"So, Bruce Wayne," Lois began, easily slipping into her investigative journalist side. Bruce raised one eyebrow, surprised at how well Lois recovered from her previous embarrassment. "Why are you in Mr. Kent's apartment?"
"Well, Ms Lane. As I am sure that you are aware, I recently purchased the Daily Planet," Bruce stated. He paused to take a sip from his glass of water before continuing. "Mr. Kent here was kind enough to reach out to me, offering to give me some information about the Planet and what to expect."
Lois rapidly turned towards Clark, who was sheepishly watching the entire conversation.
"Clark, you're telling me that you were spending this much time with Bruce freaking Wayne and you didn't tell me?" Lois questioned. Bruce bit back a smirk, watching the couple bicker.
"L-lois, I would have told you, but... Bruce here wanted to make sure that this was kept secret, since he didn't want all of our reporters reaching out to him in order to "help" him understand the Planet better," Clark quickly said, hoping he could calm Lois down. He just wanted to talk to Bruce about Luthor's arrest and other threats across the world. He was not expecting to be interrogated by Lois.
"It's true, Lois," Bruce continued. "I asked Clark to try and keep this between us, as I didn't want hundreds of reporters reaching out to me in order to try and get private interviews with me. My time is too valuable to be doing interviews when I could be going on a date with the latest supermodel," Bruce said with his playboy smirk.
Lois rolled her eyes at Bruce, not even caring if he was her new boss. While it is impossible to not notice Wayne's attractiveness, she always thought of him as an idiot who can barely tie his two shoes together. She always questions how Wayne Enterprises is still the most profitable company in the world.
"Alright then. Well, Clark, I'm glad that you reached out to me," Bruce said. He went up to Clark and shook his hand. "I don't want to impose on you guys much longer. Besides, I have a board meeting at nine tomorrow morning that I have to show up to. Personally, I would rather ask out that new supermodel from Finland, but we can't have everything in life."
Clark chuckled at Bruce, although truthfully he could not believe the act that Bruce portrayed. Clark himself was even questioning if the person in front of him was Batman, and he knew for a certainty that he was.
"Thank you for coming," Clark said. "Have a good night, Mr. Wayne."
"You too, Clark. And if you need anything, you can give me a call," Bruce said, the double meaning behind the last line clear to Clark.
As Clark shut the door for Bruce, he turned around and was immediately met by a glare from Lois.
"What?" Clark questioned, wondering what she was mad about this time.
"You guys were lying to me," Lois said, her arms crossed over her body and her chin raised high, as if she was challenging Clark to tell her she was wrong.
Clark released a sigh, knowing there was no way he could get out of this. "You're right, Lois. The truth is that Bruce wasn't here to talk to, well, Clark Kent exactly."
Lois thought for a moment, until suddenly it seemed as if she drained of color. "Does he know you're Superman?" Lois asked in a whisper, almost afraid of the answer.
"Yeah, he figured it out last week," Clark said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. He wanted to tell Lois that Bruce was Batman, but he also reasoned that Bruce may not be comfortable with Clark telling his secret identity to anyone.
Lois quickly walked up to Clark, pulling him into a hug and burying her head into his chest. "This is bad, Clark," Lois worriedly said. "Wayne is a powerful person." She pulls back from Clark's chest to look him in the eyes. "What if he tries to do something to you?" Lois asked, her worry shown clearly through her eyes.
"Don't worry, Lois," Clark said, hoping to ease her worry. "Bruce is really understanding of this superhero stuff. He actually offered to help me with Luthor. We've been talking this past week about ways we can keep Luthor from trying to do this again." While Clark did not tell Lois the complete truth, he did not technically lie to her either. Bruce did in fact help him deal with Luthor, but instead of Bruce it was Batman.
"That's really good," Lois said. "I still feel like we should keep an eye on Wayne. It always seemed to me like he was hiding something big underneath that whole playboy-idiot persona."
Clark chuckled at Lois's comments. "Oh, you have no idea," Clark mumbled.
X X X
Gotham: 3 Years Before the Formation of the Justice League
Bruce was currently in the Batcave, reviewing files of cases he was currently located on. He had arrived home from Kent's apartment a few hours ago, before quickly dawning the mask of the Bat and racing off to face whatever Gotham threw at him tonight. Luckily, it was a relatively quiet night besides a run-in with the Riddler.
Bruce heard the door of the secret entrance to the Batcave open, letting him know that Alfred was coming down.
Alfred walked down the steps of the Batcave, ignoring the sound of screeching bats that echoed across all of the cave walls. While Alfred was proud of Bruce for the heroic deeds that he performed at night, there were some days where he wished Bruce had never found this blasted cave.
"Alfred," Bruce said with his focus still completely on the Batcomputer.
"Master Bruce," Alfred replied. "I've brought you some decaffeinated tea. This should help you wind down and hopefully get a decent night of sleep for once."
Bruce looked up at Alfred with a small glare, the latter just rolling his eyes at his ward's attempt at trying to scare him.
"Anything else going on?" Bruce asked, taking the tea and having a few sips.
"Master Grayson called, sir," Alfred informed. "He wanted to ask your opinion on a certain case he was working on in Blüdhaven."
"I can take a look at it," Bruce responded. "Have him send the files over and I'll meet up with him tomorrow to discuss the case."
"Very well, sir," Alfred replied with a slight bow. He picked up the tray that he used to bring Bruce his tea, and he began to walk upstairs.
"Do try to get some sleep tonight, Master Bruce," Alfred replied. "You have a board meeting with Wayne Enterprises tomorrow morning."
"I'll try, Alfred," Bruce said. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Master Bruce," Alfred said. He then turned around and continued to walk up the stairs.
Bruce read through various files, losing track of time very quickly. Before he knew it, his eyes felt heavy, and he knew that he had to stop for the night. Looking over at a clock he had in the cave, the time read 3:14 am.
Bruce groaned slightly, knowing that he probably should have listened to Alfred's advice. He got up from his chair in front of the Batcomputer, making sure to turn off the computer before he ascended the stairs. He took one last look at the cave, before he flicked off the light switch at the top of the stairs.
Bruce quickly made his way to his bedroom, hoping that he could catch some sleep before he had to get up for his board meeting. While he technically did not have to go to the board meeting, there were some things he wanted to discuss with Lucius Fox before the meeting started.
Bruce quickly undressed, putting on his pajama pants before he slid underneath his covers. Hopefully, he could fall asleep fast tonight without a nightmare.
o o o
Bruce Wayne stood leaning against a bar, drinking a glass of ginger ale as he looked across the ball room. He was currently attending a gala that was being held in order to support the Women's Suffrage Charity in Gotham. His eyes scanned the ballroom, looking for one individual in particular.
Suddenly, the volume of the gala rose dramatically, telling Bruce that the person he was looking for had just arrived. He stood up to his full height, hoping to catch a look of her beautiful face before he inevitably made his way to her.
A large crowd of people gathered by the entrance of the ballroom, all of them eager to catch sight of the Amazon. Bruce turned back to the bar and he put down his glass of ginger ale before straightening his bowtie. With a determined look, he quickly made his way to the large crowd, hoping to get to his Princess before someone else did.
Arriving at the large crowd, Bruce made his way through the gathered group before finally setting his eyes on her. She was wearing the beautiful midnight blue gown that he bought her just days ago. The gown was held up onto her body by two thin straps, one on each of her shoulders that left her smooth skin open to the air. The dress left her back partially open, showing off her delicate muscles. It curved down to her chest, providing a small view of her cleavage that left much to the imagination. The dress went down all the way to her ankles, with a slit along her left leg that both allowed her to move easily while also showing off her gorgeous leg. Finally, to top the dress off, she wore simple silver high heels that accented her dress perfectly. They were the same size as the heels on her uniform, and they made her taller than most of the men and women at the gala.
Cutting through the crowd, he made his way to the beautiful woman. Finally reaching her, he noticed that she had her back to him.
"Excuse me, Wonder Woman," Bruce said. When the woman turned around, the woman's eyes seemed to light up in joy at seeing Bruce.
"Mr. Wayne," the woman said with a smile.
"I was wondering if you would like to dance?" Bruce asked with a smirk, holding out his hand for the woman to take. She looked down at his hand briefly, before her smile got even bigger than before.
"Of course," the woman said, taking Bruce's hand and letting him lead her to the ballroom floor. Along the way, Bruce ignored the whispers and murmurs that he heard passing by, those wondering why the beautiful Wonder Woman would even give him a chance.
Bruce took the woman into his arms, holding her close as they began to twirl around the ballroom. Looking down towards the woman's eyes, he was met with aquamarine eyes staring straight back into his, the compassion clearly visible in them.
"Hello, Bruce," the woman in his arms said, smiling as she did so.
"Good evening, Princess," Bruce said with a smile, something he notices he only does with her.
The beautiful couple continued their intimate dance, holding each other much closer than what would be considered normal to others. However, the two blocked out all of the other people around them, only focusing on each other.
"You look beautiful tonight, Diana," Bruce said, his eyes laced with adoration.
Bruce watched as a blush encompassed Diana's cheeks, making her all the more beautiful to him. It astonishes him how someone so beautiful, someone so compassionate would want to be with him.
"You look handsome yourself," Diana replied, once again giving Bruce a smile that made him feel warmth inside of his heart. He was lost in her eyes, falling into the aquamarine color that brought something out in him that Bruce thought he buried long ago. Her close proximity was making him lose his train of thought, his indomitable will that he wears with pride bending to this one woman. Bruce did not have many weaknesses, but the woman in his arms was one of his biggest.
Slowly, Bruce leaned in, not caring what everyone else thought. He closed his eyes, knowing that tonight, a Knight would have his Princess.
o o o
Bruce cracked open his eyes at the sunlight coming in through his window. Alfred must have opened up the windows while he was still sleeping, as Bruce noticed that a cup of coffee was sitting on his bedside table. He sat up in his bed, stretching his arms as he did so.
Bruce ran a hand through his hair, trying to recall the dream that he just had. It was so vivid, as if he was really there dancing in the ballroom with the woman. She seemed so familiar to Bruce, as if she was someone he knew closely. However, the details of the dream were rapidly fading from his mind.
Bruce sighed, wondering if he would ever have a connection to a woman like he did in his dream. Although the details were quickly fading, he did remember the compassion that the beautiful woman held in her eyes, compassion for only him.
X X X
Themyscira: 3 Years Before the Formation of the Justice League
Philippus watched as Diana walked out of the throne room. The Amazon Princess had her hands behind her back as she walked towards her chambers. Diana had just told Queen Hippolyta that she had been chosen as the Gods' Champion. Philippus saw the sadness that briefly encompassed Hippolyta's face, but she quickly recovered and congratulated Diana.
Now, with Diana out of the throne room, Queen Hippolyta sat in her throne. Her head was bowed down, and she was lost in her thoughts. Philippus assumed that it was about Diana's announcement.
"My Queen..." Philippus began, however she did not know what else to say. Luckily, Hippolyta began talking instead.
"I cannot fathom it, Philippus," Hippolyta said, her voice weak with a barely contained despair, much unlike the usually strong tone the Queen used. "Out of all of the Amazons, why did it have to be my little sun and stars?"
Philippus looked upon the Queen, not knowing what to do at this point. She had never seen Hippolyta look so lost, as if she had lost all hope.
"I know that this is hard to take, My Queen," Philippus began, carefully choosing her wording so as to not upset Hippolyta even more. "However, Diana is the best choice for this position. Even you have to accept that the Gods made the correct choice."
Hippolyta finally looked up to Philippus, the latter shocked at seeing a few tears coming out of Hippolyta's eyes.
"I know that, Philippus," Hippolyta said, her emotions barely being contained. "Diana is the best of us, I've recognized that since the day she first picked up a sword. It's just that... I'm not sure if I'm prepared for her to go out to Patriarch's World. There is so much corruption out there, so much evil that could tarnish her spirit. No mother wants that to happen to her daughter."
Philippus sadly looked upon her Queen, knowing that there was nothing she could do to help her. When it was what the Gods' desired, they were bound to follow.
"Do not fret, my Queen," Philippus said, placing her hand on Hippolyta's shoulder. "Diana is a strong woman. As both you and I have mentioned, she is the best combatant the Amazons had ever had. You aren't giving her enough credit. Also, the Gods have not called upon her as of yet. We still have time to perfect her training and make sure that she understands these new blessings she has received."
Hippolyta nodded her head, agreeing with Philippus's assessment. "You are right, Philippus," Hippolyta agreed. "Although I cannot reverse the Gods' decision, I can help make sure that Diana is well prepared for the challenge ahead of her."
o o o
Diana walked towards her chambers, feeling every aching and sore muscle in her body after the intense training session she had with Philippus today.
After learning that she was chosen as the Champion of the Gods, Philippus and Diana trained to see what powers Diana was blessed with. As of now, Diana notes that she has increased strength, stamina, and the ability to jump much higher than she could before.
After her quick training session, both Diana and Philippus decided to inform her mother about Diana's new role together. Diana quickly bathed and changed to look presentable to her mother. When Diana finally announced that she had been chosen by the Gods, she could not fully read her mother's expression. At first, it seemed as if her mother was shocked, before a sadness engulfed her face. However, as soon as the sadness appeared, it disappeared with a smile on her mother's face, congratulating her daughter on earning such a prestigious honor.
Arriving in her bedroom, Diana performed her nightly rituals. She then quickly undressed out of her chiton before she climbed into her bed, wondering what she will experience out in Patriarch's World.
o o o
Diana landed down upon the red carpet, shielding her eyes as numerous cameras and paparazzi assaulted her with their flashes and questions. She ignored almost all of them, learning from her time in Patriarch's World that people focus on the most absurd things.
She quickly made her way to the front door of the large building. Like other buildings in Gotham, it had an old gothic style that held an unnatural beauty to it. She made her way to the doors, pausing only to give a few smiles as she walked past the cameras vying for her attention.
As Diana entered into the grand ballroom, she was not paying attention to the beautiful chandeliers or the elegant ball gowns that all of the other women wore. She instead was looking for a single man, hoping that he decided to come out to the gala tonight.
As she took a few steps into the ballroom, people began to notice that she had arrived. Before she could even escape, a large crowd filled with a variety of wealthy men and women gathered around her, each one of them wanting to talk to her about something or offer her a dance.
"Wonder Woman!"
"Thank you for coming Wonder Woman!"
"You look gorgeous tonight Wonder Woman!"
"Your support of the Women's Suffrage Charity is invaluable Wonder Woman!"
Diana tried her best to move out of the large crowd, wanting nothing more than to see if he was here. She turned around, looking through the various faces to see if he was somewhere in the room. However, she could not see him anywhere.
Before Diana lost all hope, a deep baritone voice caught her attention from the crowd.
"Excuse me, Wonder Woman," the voice politely said. Diana turned around and locked eyes with the one person she was looking for. She quickly looked him over, appreciating how his black tuxedo hugged his perfectly sculpted body, concealing the hard muscles she knew were underneath. His black hair was done in a neat style, and his beautiful sapphire eyes stared back at her.
"Mr. Wayne," Diana greeted with a smile. She saw the handsome smirk that appeared on his face, causing her to feel a slight flutter in her stomach.
"I was wondering if you would like to dance?" Bruce asked with a smirk, holding out his hand for Diana to take. She looked down at his hand for a second, before looking up with a large smile upon her face, happy that her Knight had once again saved her from the crowds.
"Of course," Diana said, taking his hand and trying her best to ignore the warmth she felt when his large hand took hers. She let him lead her to the ballroom floor, and before she knew it they were pressed together twirling around.
Diana was lost in Bruce's eyes, seeing how his emotions were fully on display within them. She learned long ago that the best way to read Bruce was through his eyes, as they always held what he was truly thinking within those sharp sapphires.
"Hello, Bruce," Diana said, relishing the feeling of being within his arms.
"Good evening, Princess," Bruce replied with a smile, Diana once again feeling warm in his presence.
The couple twirled around the ballroom, holding each other closely. Diana savored the closeness she had with Bruce, wondering what her mother would think about these feelings she had for the man whose arms she was currently in.
"You look beautiful tonight, Diana," Bruce said, snapping Diana out of her thoughts. She looked up into his eyes, her breath catching in her throat as she stared at eyes that held so much compassion, so much adoration within them. It never failed to amaze her how much emotion Bruce could express. Diana felt the blush rise to her cheeks, unable to avoid feeling the flutters in her stomach at his compliment.
"You look handsome yourself," Diana replied, sheepishly looking back up to his eyes. She smiled at him, enjoying how his body felt pressed up against hers.
The two continued to dance around the ballroom floor, ignoring the envious looks of the men and women throughout the ballroom. At that moment, it was just the two of them: Bruce and Diana.
Diana saw Bruce tilt his head down, leaning in close to hers. She closed her eyes, waiting for what she knew was coming next.
o o o
Diana opened her eyes to the sun shining through her window, trying to remember what her dream was about. It was so awesome to her, being in the arms of that handsome man as they twirled around some type of grand room.
She sat up in her bed, trying to remember more about her dream, but the details were rapidly fading from her mind. However, she could still see the man that she was dancing with, and the compassion that was within his eyes.
She flopped back down upon her bed, hoping that she will meet a man like the one in her dreams one day.