- . -

- Who Are You?-

- . -

"With everything that I have been through."

"With all the challenges that I have faced."

"Every loss."

"Every victory."

"Every time I got knocked down."

"And every time that I got back up."

"There has always been a tale that I think of."

"A story."

"A legend."

"Atlas."

"The man who was condemned to hold aloft the heavens, all on his shoulders. He literally carried the weight of the world."

"Truth be told, I've never understood why I found solace in that story."

"Maybe it's me just foolishly hoping that alike Atlas, I too could rely on my friends to share the burden."

"But unlike Hercules or Athena, I don't think that any of the people closest to me could handle such a task. Not without the risk of
becoming a monster."

"And then there's a whole different issue."

"To trust them...is a burden all in itself."

"Not just on me."

"But on them too."

Themyscira. One of the most beautiful places that one could see. One that was not strained by the hands of the outside world. An ever-lasting utopian refuge to those of the ancients. A fortress, not just from those who would desire conflict but also of those who would seek out and abuse the ways of the islands. The sun burns brighter here, its expansive reach warms all, basking those who call it their home there. Along with the seamless never-ending ocean that surrounds the archipelagos and their isles.

At the far reaches of the furthest peak of the east island, Bruce lays on his front at the shoreline of the beach. His body drenched in seawater and sand, bleeding at his back from several large gashes. He lies unconscious, resting his head over his right arm that was sprawled out. The waves of the ocean repeatedly wash over him, throwing water over his back and head, stirring with each splash. One with a stronger force hits him, throwing him out of his slumber.

On waking, he instinctively gags and hurls out the saltwater that nearly consumed him. Hyperventilating, he crawls up the slope of sand until he was out of the reaches of the ocean. He throws himself over onto his back and gazes upward towards the sky, holding his arm over his eyes to shield his vision from the sun. Slowly his breathing calms and he senses return to him, giving one long-strained gasp, he pushes himself up and stands.

On doing so, his confusion reignites. His breathing then becomes erratic and forced, he twists and turns himself to witness the island and all that's around him. His eyes tremble and his chest tightens with each breath that he takes. Bruce explores the back of his head with his digits and feels them become encased in a wet substance that's thicker than the water that he was previously subjected too. Looking over his hand, he sees his fingers coated in semi-dried blood.

Hazed, his vision blurs, his ears ring with a hiss, seemingly never-ending. He takes a single step, falling back onto his knees and screaming when an arrow is shot through his shoulder. He screams, trying to pull at it. His vision further degrades, becoming red and flashing. He drops onto his sides and gasps, wheezing with staggered intakes of breath. Artemis approaches the man, aiming her bow and arrow at him. Her face housing a look of intrigue, yet also one of primal anger.

"Identify yourself, human!" the redhead grows, pulling back on her bow. Bruce gargles between whales of pain, attempting to focus his vision on his attacker. The Amazon trudges closer and presses her heel on the man's leg, "Identify yourself now!" her hair jolts with the ferocity of her tone.

"...I...don't know..." the dark-haired man pleads. He screams when Artemis presses her heel down further on his leg.

"You believe that this is a time for humour? Typical of your kind...," she aims her weapon at Bruce's eyes and pulls back on the arrow. Bruce shakes his head, looking up her frame and onto her facial features. His body shakes with each word that comes from his mouth.

"I'm not j-joking!" Bruce shrieks, "...I don't remember who I am..."

- Several Hours Earlier -

Talia stands next to Bruce on the bridge, overlooking the river beneath them and showing signs of fatigue from the expose from the sun. Their movements were obtuse and deliberately void to keep eyes off of them, they examine the spread-out map that the man held against the railing. "I cannot describe in words just how witless this plan of yours is," Talia emphasizes her stoical front, watching from over Bruce's shoulder and towards a family that traversed the bridge behind them.

Bruce waits for the family to leave, giving them distance from them before speaking up, "It's far too late to talk me out of doing this, Tal. I've already put down the deposit for that boat...," he traces his fingers across the map, creating a mental note of the needed journey that would be the most beneficial, "How long can you hold your breath for?" asked Bruce as he finishes the pathing with his digits against the sheet. Talia replies with a roll of her eyes and a look of disdain.

"Why are you asking that of me now?" she runs her hands over the bars of the railing, her eyes then pulse once she deciphers the meaning behind Bruce's inquiry, "Oh...you cannot be serious..."

"Buying equipment can be traced, not to mention that there are cameras all around us. Our only choice is to hold our breaths out there," Bruce answers, "If they are going to believe me about being shipwrecked, I can't exactly turn up to the island decked out with gear."

The heiress tiredly shakes her head and connects the gaze of her emerald eyes to Bruce's blue, "About fourteen minutes, seventeen max. My father was quite thorough with his training," she then observes the map, her eyes partially also catch a look at her reflection in the water below, "Just how do you plan on getting those Amazons to buy your little story?"

"We're going to make it look real" Bruce casually speaks.

"Oh...you have to be joking" the woman derides with a strained sigh, sliding her arms on the railings, "How could you possibly believe that destroying that boat while you're on it is a good idea? This is madness, beloved, absolutely madness..."

"Don't worry. I'm not going to blow up the boat, promise," Bruce smiles.

"Good. That would be utter lunacy to do-"

"That's your job," Bruce adds, rolling the map back up. Talia snaps her eyes towards the man, throwing him a glare. She gives a puff from her lips, blowing the gathered collection of strands of hair from her eyes. Bruce remains oblivious to her signs of vexation, even avoiding the crosshair of her scowl.

"I'm not doing that. This is complete idiocy," Talia folds her arms, twisting her neck to watch Bruce, "I'm beginning to believe that the heat is getting to you."

"The heat is nothing," the man gives a quick smile as he taps the rolled map against Talia's shoulder, "League training, remember? It's all about mind over matter," the woman standing beside him snatches up the map and constricts her grip around it, tightening her already glower facial features.

"You should really watch yourself, beloved," Talia cautions with a half-smile, "You're making the idea of blowing you up sound quite pleasant."

- Themyscira -

Ambling through the halls, Diana's superhuman eyesight lands upon Artemis who was accompanied by several of amazons that were directing their way to her. The princess adorns a midnight blue gown, her hair resting over her right shoulder. Her sapphire blue eyes then catch the person that Artemis was carrying, with a few extra milliseconds, Diana sees that the figure was that of a man, "What is the meaning of this sisters?" she inquires, watching Artemis throw the man on the ground.

"It's just what it looks like, Diana. A man has come to this island," the redheaded Amazon reveals. Bruce crawls along the floor, lifting his gaze up and over Diana. He then twists his body to look back at the group behind him. His skin pales as he sees the blood-thirsty look that is present in some of their eyes, "Dimitra spotted smoke from over the barrier. Once we discovered the source of it was a downed ship, I investigated the shores and found him...," she approaches the man, grabbing at his shirt and lifting him back up, against his protests.

"Let me go!" Bruce whimpers as he grabs at the Amazon's hand, "Who the hell are you people?"

"Silence. You will only speak when spoken to!" Artemis brings Bruce down to be level with her, "This man has dishonoured our ways, I say we answer his transgression with the suited punishment."

"Enough!" Diana barks, stepping closer to her sisters, focusing on the man, "Speak your name mortal and quickly."

"Don't waste your breath," Artemis tells the other amazon, tilting her head, "Shipwrecked here claims that he doesn't know who he is or why he's here. Either his will is indomitable... or he speaks the truth," she and Diana share a quick look.

Diana spots the dread that washed over the man's expression "There is one way to determine such a query."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bruce was pushed down onto his knees by the Amazons while Diana stands at his front, unwinding her lasso, "I told you...I DON'T KNOW WHO I AM! Just let me go...," he twitches when the Amazon princess grabs at his wrist and tightens the lasso around it in one fluid motion. She seizes the man's hair and jolts his head back, "I'm telling you the truth! I have nothing to hide!" he yells repeatedly, each time becoming more unhinged, a shadow of his former self.

"For your sake, you better not," Diana grasps the end of the lasso, "The lasso compels you to answer. Who are you?" the lasso emanates with a golden glow, becoming brighter as Bruce unknowingly resists against its influence. Noticing his delayed surrender of knowledge, Diana twists more of the lasso around his wrist, "Answer my question. Who are you?"

"I don't know!" Bruce answers, grinding his teeth and sweating considerably as the glimmer of the lasso gleamed in his eyes, "I DON'T KNOW! THERE I SAID IT! I DON'T KNOW MY NAME!," he growls with a convulsion of air from his mouth, "I only remember waking up here! That's it! I don't remember my name, why I was here, I don't even know who the hell you guys are!"

"I believe you," Diana unbinds the lasso from Bruce's flesh, "The lasso never lies and it appears you don't either," she stands, looking over to Artemis and the other amazons, "Attend to his wounds, then send him back to Man's world."

"Diana, he knows of us. He is too dangerous to let go," Artemis and several other Amazons speak up, "He stepped foot on this island, you know of the consequence for that crime."

Diana latches the lasso over her thigh, looking back to the man below her, she is reminded a familiar sight. One that only occurred a few short years ago. This whole situation was reminiscent of that one day, a day that she'll never forget. With little hindrance from her own reasoning, she does not back down "He is of no threat to us my sisters," she implored the others, as expected she receives a mix of returning looks. Some of solidarity, others...not so much, "What good will it do us to kill this man now? He is defenceless and unable to fight. To kill him here would be to insult our ways and our ancestors. We are warriors, not savages."

"To lead us Amazons, you must accept that there will be hard calls that you must make. Queen Hippolyta knew the hardships that came with leadership, and she faced them. She did not run from them like you try to, Diana," Alexa, the amazon that stood behind Artemis speaks, "With all due respect, Diana. Letting that man go unpunished is not in your power to make. You have yet to be named our new Queen, and until then...our ways cannot be changed. That is the Amazon way," she speaks apologetically, unhappy with herself.

"I refuse to accept such an outcome," the Princess protests, facing Alexa, "My mother spared the life of Steve Trevor. Our ways though ancient can be challenged. Why can we not allow this man the same levity?"

"Queen Hippolyta spared the life of that man, not out of a show of faith towards him, but as a peace offering to you. She only let that man live because she knew she would lose you if she allowed harm to befall that man," Artemis answers with Alexa showing no signs of challenging her, "She did not see a future when we can live among man's world."

"Perhaps she didn't look hard enough. Maybe she didn't want to see it at all," Diana comes closer to Artemis, "I beg of you, this man has done nothing to us."

"Him being here is a crime within itself. His fate will be decided by our council and them alone. By sunrise, we will know their declaration," Artemis claps, signalling the Amazons to capture Bruce in their hold, "Please forgive me, Diana. The gods were already once angered when your mother allowed Steve to live. Doing so again could draw their wrath upon us," Diana jolts forward, being blocked as a pair of Amazons intercept both her and the redhead amazon as Bruce was carried away, "I stand true to my word. I am sorry for this."

Diana eyes Artemis who stands behind the barrier of the other Amazons, just giving an unrelenting glare.

- Several Hours Earlier -

"I gotta say that it's an absolute honour to be providing service to the Bruce Way," a Greek man chuckles, pinching a cigar between his teeth. He looks to in his later sixties, an estimate that could easily be made from his bolding hairline and the wrinkles that were prevalent in his skin. He was overweight, wearing a white shirt without a tie and a loose collar. His sleeves were rolled up and his smile was displaying his yellowing teeth. Though, he was friendly towards the Bruce, "It's not every day that I get to do business with one of America's biggest celebrities," he tells them, smoke trailing off from his cigar and towards the billionaire.

Bruce waves his hand through the cloud of smoke to disburse it from his direction while doing so, he looks at the man's badge, "Well I've always thought that Greece was a beautiful place. I've always liked the idea of coming here," he holds his hands inside the pockets of his jackets, slewing his head over towards the white yacht that was stationed over by the edge of the docks, seeing Talia throwing their bags onto it "I'm loving it so far, Mr Filo."

"Ah, good signore!" Alek Filo applauds with a wider grin, "Though I am a little confused. Not to sound ungrateful for your business, but wouldn't someone of your calibre preferer something a little bigger?"

Bruce looks back to Alek, holding a smile, "In my experience, I've learned that going smaller means more privacy. Fewer eyes prying into my affairs. I hope that we can keep this between us."

"Si signore. You can count on me," looking past Bruce, Alek's eyes land upon Talia who was returning from the yacht, "That is a very pretty woman that you have there. You are a very fortunate man, treat her right" he picks out the cigar from his mouth, "I can see why you so focused on privacy. I would be too if I was out in the sea with a lady like that. You wouldn't want people getting pictures of you two...," he quiets down when Talia completely made her way back to Bruce.

"C'mon, beloved. Our preparations are finished," Talia aims a lascivious smile at Bruce, "Please do hurry, I need you to assist me with my sun lotion" she looks to Alek, turning her features sower and completely changing her demeanour, "Pleasure doing business with you. Speak one single word of us and you'll be seeing me again...with a far less pleasant outcome," she then once again reverts back to a smile within a flash, "Do take care of yourself now" she gives a wink to Bruce and heads back towards the boat.

"She has quite a strange sense of humour, but I doubt that you're with her because of her character. Any man would fall for a woman that...alluring..." Alek notes as he pops the cigar back between his lips, "Remain in the region that we discussed. It will help S&R find you if it becomes necessary. They'll be notified if you aren't back by tomorrow."

"Thank you," Bruce grabs the strap of his sling bag as he faces away from Alek. After taking a few steps, he turns back, "Oh...and if you ever speak about her like that again...you'll be eating through a straw for the rest of your life" he then freely heads over to the yacht and leaves Alek in silence as he ponders the seriousness of his words.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bruce jumps from the docks and onto the yacht, throwing his sling bag over into its interior. When doing so, he sees Talia helming the wheel, "Move over. I'm driving."

"I believe the correct term is: conning," Talia smirks as she thrusts the yacht, starting it and speeding across the water with the sudden hard-wall of air that hits Bruce sending him over onto his back. At their momentum, the woman's hair flows vigorously, "Tired already, beloved? Maybe you should rest...we have a long journey ahead of us" she hides a wide-grin that bursts with amusement from Bruce who had already gotten back onto his feet.

"Jeez, thanks mom... Bruce quips, sitting over by Talia, holding his arms over his knees and holding his palms together.

"*Mom*? I don't understand you. What do you mean to convey by calling me that? I'm clearly not Martha Wayne," the heiress sets the system to autopilot as she gives the man next to her an addled look and takes a seat next to him, "Maybe the heat has really gotten to you. Have you been keeping hydrated?" she runs her gloved hand over Bruce's forehead. Bruce gently pushes the woman's hand away and raises an eyebrow in return.

Bruce leans back "You've been in civilization for nearly two years and still haven't got the whole humour-thing down, I thought you were meant to be a fast learner."

"There were more pressing matters" Talia elucidates with a bored expressional tone of voice, shuttering her eyelids, "I'm still not that well-versed when it comes to many things in that civilization of yours. I was raised to belong to the laws of the shadows. Civil life weakens one's own valour, makes them perceptible to manipulation, all just to feel a part of a world that can easily be brought down, whether from outside forces...or the corruption within..." she lifts her right knee, raising it over to the seat next to her and curves her arm around her slender leg.

"So that's a definite no on the humour then," Bruce gets up and reaches for one of the bags next to them, picking out a water bottle. He unscrews the lid and takes a swig. While drinking, his eyes proceed to capture the woman back into his sights. He sees her look in his direction, though she didn't appear to realize that she was staring at him. Her pupils were unfocused, not having a target of her attention, instead, she looks past Bruce, being in a world of her own.

He caps the bottle, throwing it at Talia.

Just like as if a light switch was flipped on, Talia becomes lively again, instinctively catching the battle, "If that had hit me...you wouldn't be looking so confident right now," her face becomes refreshed as she flashes a wide smirk. She moved upward, looking over towards the clear-endless floor of blue that was the water "I'm keeping this by the way," she rattles the bottle as she walks out into the searing heat of the sun, "I want to get some relaxation in before we arrive at our destination."

"You planning on sunbathing at a time like this?" Bruce kneels by the bags, taking out the sealed map and rolls it out along the floor.

"We have plenty of time before we cross into the Amazons' territory," she drinks several mouthfuls of the bottle, "Oh...and I was serious about needing your help with the lotion. You wouldn't want me to burn now...would you?" she voices with a more immature tone that she plays up.

- Themyscira -

Bruce sits against the stone wall of the dungeon, holding his arms around his legs. His freedom was sealed by a gate of iron bars that was locked along with the shackles and chains that tied him down around his arms and legs. The only source of light came from the window above him, far out his reach even if he wasn't weighed down by the iron chains. Contrary to the outside, the small room was cold, the damn smell came near to sickening him, maybe even bringing him to vomit. However, he somehow felt to have more resistance to the influence of his body, buying past its commands that it was trying to make him do.

He looks towards the iron bars that sealed him in as he hears the sounds of someone coming. His inkling was proven right as he sees Diana approach the wall of bars. The Amazon had changed her clothes since the last time that they saw each other. Diana was now wearing her red and blue armoured outfit along with her crown, silver bracelets and the lasso that was on her hip. Her hair was loose, some strands even concealing the crown around her forehead. Her blues eyes peek through the bars, where the man was looking back at her.

"Nice outfit," Bruce comments snidely.

"Yes. It is. It" the Greek goddess gives a disinterested gaze, "It was a gift from my mother." her eyes begin to track the man, seeing him slowly climb his way up, grappling the wall for support to counter the weight of the chains around his limbs. Observing the man's frame, she sees how muscular he was which was not par for the course for someone who claimed that they were no one worth knowing. She then recollects from before, witnessing him somehow possess enough mental fortitude to fight against the influence of the lasso of truth, a task that not many people could achieve, let alone a so-called normal human male.

There was more to him, whether he knew it or not. Whatever the revelation may be derived, she needed to know it. To begin, she starts small, "Diana. My name is Diana."

"Diana" Bruce approaches the bars with the clanks of the chains following him, "What the hell is going on? Where am I?"

Two simple questions, yet the answers that he sought were anything but that. How could she explain it? Was she even allowed to? Would he even believe her? Would her divulgence of that information bring about the scorn of Zeus? Could he even be trusted? Diana thought of all of the consequences that could arrive from just that and yet doesn't even begin to scrape the surface of the possible ramifications that could happen from that one single choice.

She couldn't work with this now. She needed something else, a new topic. Anything that could give her more information on the man on the other end of the bars. A single second was enough for her to decide on a new approach, a way that she could move the interaction forever in her corner. She needed to make him desperate, "You heard what Artemis and the others said back there, correct? I need you to be honest with me, I need to know who you are."

The man's eyes light up, throwing away his past calm front, "I told you! I DON'T KNOW! I DON'T REMBER! I DON'T KNOW WHO THE HELL I-," he chokes as Diana thrusts her right arm through the gaps of the bars and grabs his shirt. She pulls him towards her and grinds him against the bars.

"You dare raise your voice at me?" she shrill, throwing the man back with enough force to throw him against the back wall, "Do so again and I'll have your tongue. Are we clear?" she then looks at her handiwork, seeing Bruce slide down against the wall as he winces, showing to have now have a dislocated shoulder which he was unable to hold due to the chains. Looking over him, she sees the cracks that had formed in the wall, indicative of the force that she used against him.

Diana gives a remorseful look, leaning to the bars until she was pressing up against them, "Sorry. I forgot how frail you humans are" she gives a dreary smile, unsure of what emotion that she should have used. It's not often that she excessively harms a person that was of no threat to her, the act alone makes her feel unworthy as both royalty and a warrior. Her pride compromised her own self, making her do the very same acts that she condemned of her Amazon sisters, "Your shoulder. Let me... I won't hurt you again, I promise."

Knowing that it was a chance to get rid of the now rampant pain ruling his body, Bruce slugs his way back towards the Amazon, locking-eyes with her and not moving or even blinking. He stops once he too was pressed against the bars. Diana reaches her hand through the other side and traces her digits up across the man's chest, slowing crawling to his shoulder, "Except for this," she then presses her fingers down and relodges the shoulder back into place, bringing a disgruntled cry out of the man.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Across the island, two Amazons journey through the forest, walking next to the ledge that leads to the spring as they're secretly stalked by a figure that lurks behind the cover of the trees. The physique was that of a woman, though with a more animalistic shape with a tail. Claw marks were left on the oak of the trees which follows the path of the woman. The Amazons look back as they hear a hefty laugh that carries through the trees, readying their swords. They begin to approach the source of the laughter but stop when they are charged at by the animalistic woman.

They scream, blood beginning to flow down from the hill and mixes into the spring.

- Several Hours Earlier -

Bruce stands at the wheel, looking out to the far reaches of the river. He listens to Lucius with his earpiece, remaining silent as the receiver talks, "You're getting close, Bruce. We're starting to lose your signal. By an estimate, you're about 2 hours out. You probably are aware of this, but you two are going to be on your own. Even reaching you now is screwing with the Batcomputer's systems. We won't be able to reach you again until you leave the island," Lucius warns Bruce, aware that the billionaire was already knew, but his conscience made him still say his peace regardless.

Through the gradually increasing glitching of their call, Bruce prepares to end the connection, "I'm signing off, Lucius. The Batcomputer's systems are being interfered with far greater than I estimated, Talia and I have this thing handled, so don't worry."

"Copy that. Before you go, you should know that there's a- -around Gotham and- should know- -people are-..."

"Lucius?" Bruce's ears are blasted with the static frequency with no luck of reaching the man on the other end. He pulls the earpiece from his ear and throws it into one of the bags next to him. Turning his torso, he looks back to the deck of the yacht, "Communication's out, Tal. We're officially on our own now." Across from him at the rear of the deck, Talia was lounged out on her back, wearing a two-piece black swimsuit with sunglasses as she watches the sky.

Talia lifts her lower back by pushing on her elbows "Hmm? Are you pretending to direct the ship? We both know that it's on autopilot, beloved. Care to join me?" turning over, she folds her arms over the floor "According to the map, we still have a few hours left to relax. Why don't you take a load off..."

Bruce walks out onto the deck, walking towards the woman, "You are remarkably calm considering what we're about to do." His shadow casts over the woman, "Aren't you at all worried?"

"No" Talia kicks her legs back, "What's the worst that they can do to me? You're the one who should be scared. They're going to be after your head," she turns her neck towards the man that stood at her feet, "Don't tell me...are you having seconds thoughts? That's not like you at all" her lips curve into a wry smile.

"Weren't you the one who tried to talk me out of doing this earlier?" Bruce sits down next to her and wraps his arms around his hunched up legs. Talia turns back to be facing forward, glimpsing the man in the corner of her eyes as she retains her smile.

"You should know me better than that," she admits, biting her bottom lip, "I'm fully aware of how stubborn you can be. I know that once you are fixated on something, you won't rest until you are satisfied. But the others wouldn't be too pleased with me if I didn't at least take a shot at talking you out of this madness."

"Thanks, Tal" Bruce nods, throwing the direction of sight upon Talia, "I know that I can act cold towards you, but I want you to know that you do mean a lot to me. This wouldn't be possible without your help. The Amazons would just kill me if I didn't have you." He sees the woman lift their sunglasses up, piercing him with her emerald green eyes.

When it came to the man that was next to her, she knew everything about him. All his fears, his hopes, his ambitions and his lies. It became easy over the years to read him, not from him being easy to understand nor her having the skill to do so. What made the man so simple to crack came from her own life experience. All the lies that she told, all the fears that she hid beneath her surface and all her of dreams that she could never find the strength to tell. She could read him so easily because she too was a master of hiding her own thoughts

It's like what they say, it takes one to know one.

"If you really are grateful for this, then you can tell me the real reason behind why you were so adamant on coming here," Talia requests the truth from Bruce, once again seeing him become absorbed in his thoughts, "Thought so. You can trust me, beloved. I know a thing or two about keeping secrets."

He couldn't do it. He couldn't hide it from her, she knew him too well to just forget about the turmoil that she saw in him. She would relent until she was told what she wanted to know, that little trait of hers made her both a valuable ally and a possible dangerous foe. Bruce confirms her suspicions with the look he gave her. There was need to share a single word with her to tell her that there was more to the situation than he led on.

"You're right. There is something that I'm not telling you..."

- Themyscira -

Back in the present, Diana and Bruce still stand close with the bars of the cell walling them apart. She unwinds the lasso from her hip and delicately ties it around her own wrist, "Would you like to partake in a little experiment?" she asks of the man as she still sees the look in his eye, a gaze of distrust, a look well warranted from her earlier actions against him. She ropes the lasso around her wrist two more times, "An exercise in trust. This is called: The Lasso of Truth, it compels those bound by it to speak the tongue of truth...even me."

"What are you getting at?" the man with lost memories asks, still not believing Diana.

"Come. Sit with me," the Amazon kneels down. Bruce takes his time to become seated, still watching her like a hawk. She snakes the lasso between the bars and ties the other end around the man's wrist, "It's a game that I used to play as a child. I used to take the lasso when my mother wasn't around, the other Amazon children and I played with it, earning each other's trust by opening up all of our boundaries. Maybe you would like to do this with me?" Diana smiles.

"What are the rules?" Bruce inquires, still not bought over by the Amazon.

"It's simple. We take turns to ask each other questions, no matter how personal. A player wins when the other takes the lasso off to avoid answering, sound good?" Diana explains.

"B-but...I don't know anything about myself..." Bruce persists, being silenced as Diana scoots closer towards the bars.

"Then this should be an easy victory for you," she firms her eyebrows as she wraps her hand around the now glowing lasso, "You can begin if you desire."

Bruce was drawn into the gaze of Diana, becoming lost in her eyes. He takes time to think over a good beginning point, maybe an easy question to start things off. Though she claimed that he could ask her anything, this was also the same woman who just threw him across the room less than two minutes ago. He knew to behave and not overstep the welcoming that she was giving him. At the same time, not playing along with her could also anger her, maybe even make her give up and abandon him down here.

Then it hit him. Why was he overanalysing her? Why was he paying attention to her body language? When did he start doing this? How did he know to do it? Whatever the reason, he could feel his instincts telling him to take advantage of this opportunity and to learn as much about as possible. It was like there was something else inside him, some dark impulse that is guiding him to gather more information on her. An impulse that was only becoming stronger and stronger, "Earlier, I heard those other women talking someone else. I'm not the first man to come to this island am I?"

The lasso glows around Diana's hand and her eyes glint the same colour, "No. You're not. There was another, a man named Steve Trevor. He was the first human male to step foot on this island." she explains, hiding her emotion from him as she stops before she said anymore, "I believe that it's my turn. Tell me how you're feeling right now? Are you scared?"

"I don't know what I'm feeling. Maybe it's sadness...maybe it's something else...it's hard to explain," Bruce answers with the influence of the lasso, then following up with his turn, "About this Steve Trevor...what happened to him?" he sees Diana's expression change at the mention of his name. It was a "blink and you'll miss it" moment, but for some reason, he saw it quickly without even knowing to look for it, like he was already looking for it without knowing.

"He was granted full amnesty by my mother five years ago. I've only seen him once since then but he is alive and well" Diana answers and more than ready to take her turn to move the conversation over to something easier for her, "You said that you weren't quite sure what to make of how you're feeling. Why not? Any ordinary person would be scared if they were in your situation. Yet, even with everything, you are still able to think rationally. Do you know why that is?"

"I'm just not scared. I don't know why. I know that the reasonable thing to do is be scared...but I'm just not," Bruce was once again helpless against the power of the lasso, giving in so easily. Hopefully, she wouldn't learn of him analysing her. Her discovering that would ruin all remaining good favour that they have, and she shouldn't as long as she doesn't ask him regarding that. He had to stop her from asking those questions, he had to move the topic away from him and back onto her.

It couldn't be a simplistic inquiry. It had to have layers too, it had to make her think. That's when he remembers, Diana said whoever takes the lasso off first loses, he just had to make it be her. He couldn't risk forfeiting the game, that would just prove that he had something to hide, even if he wasn't completely sure of it. Of course trying to claim victory would entail him diving into more personal territory and risk touching nerves that he was better off not touching. He couldn't go too personal so quickly, Diana would have a chance of picking up on his tactic. He had to play it smart.

"What's going to happen to me, Diana? What's going to happen at sunrise after?"

"I wish that I could lie to you," she observes the glow of the lasso, "Your fate is not my hands, instead your judgement will be carried out by a selected group of Amazons. I can't lie... your chance at amnesty is low, maybe even impossible," she then sees the hurt in the man's eyes, yet she still had more to say and none of it was good, "Come sunrise, once we get word of their decision...your decided fate shall be carried out in that same hour."

"And if they decide that I'm guilty? What happens to me then?"

It wasn't his turn to ask her, but she couldn't deny him such a vital piece of information. Whether she wanted to or not, the Lasso was still tied around her flesh and as a result, she was still bound by its will. There was no point in fighting against its grip on her, she would surrender to it eventually. She could remove it from herself to avoid answering his question, but once again she would just be delaying the inevitable and being unwilling to answer him could make him feel worse than the truth ever could. She found it pointless to hide it at this point, "They will kill you. You will be sentenced to a public execution."

"W-what?" Bruce says defeated by Diana's truth. It was obvious in hindsight, but hearing it brought forth a whole new storm of emotions, some he knew, others... not so much. With the last of his will, he rips the lasso from his hand and throws it to the stone floor, avoiding eye contact with Diana, "They're going to kill me? That's... that's..."

Diana stands back up, not taking her eyes off of the man, "It's not completely hopeless. You still have a chance to survive. You'll stand trial before the council to make your case."

"That's crazy! Can't your mother get me off the hook as she did with that other guy? I'll do anything" he grabs holds of the bars to climb up to be level with the Amazon, "Please... look at me, you know that I can't hurt you..."

"My mother's gone. She was murdered. And until I am named Themyscira's new queen, I cannot grant you amnesty," she knew it wasn't what he wanted to hear, but it was the truth, "It would take days for the ceremony to be completed, maybe even weeks. It won't matter either way because that's not time that you have, I'm sorry," she then reaches into the cell and holds her hands over Bruce's, "Whoever comes down here, whatever they say. Do not say a single word to anyone that isn't me. The Amazons are soldiers that have mastered the art of war, including one of it's most dangerous tactics: deception."

- Several Hours Earlier -

"We are less than ten minutes out from Themyscira. The die is now cast, beloved" Talia looks out to the endless bed of water with binoculars while she inserts her blade into the sheath on her back, "We should stop here. Any closer and they could spot us." Dressed in her catsuit, she marches towards Bruce, seeing him turn the engine of the yacht off. They then lock their eyes, "I've been putting it off until now, just how do you plan to blow up this boat?"

"You mean...how do I plan on you to blow the boat," Bruce throws something to the woman. Talia catches the object and sees that it a wrapped block with a detonator taped to it. Once she figured out what it was, an audible sigh breaks free of her lips.

"You ride the line between genius and madman very scarcely," the heiress then follows Bruce to the end of the deck, "So how are we going to do this?" their pair then stop, Talia hands the binoculars over to the man stood beside her. He then uses them to look ahead.

"Once we detonate the explosive, it's bound to draw their attention. The device can be activated from over five miles, you should make it to the island first. That way, if they search for any other survivors among the water, you won't be discovered. Bruce keeps looking through the lenses, zooming in as much as possible, "Remember our communicators are useless, we have to use our eyes to keep tracks of each other."

"Speaking of...if technology is useless in their boundaries then how can we assume that the explosive will work?"

"It's old school, it's not as advanced as modern-day tech. The magical barrier only glitches the pre-existing signal, but with that...it only needs a nanosecond to become active," he then passes back the binoculars, "You're gonna need these."

Talia takes the detonator off of the device, "And what of our signal? You have thought of than I assume? From the island, I'll be able to see you but you won't see me."

"There isn't a signal. You are to press the trigger the moment you get onto that island. There's a timer, I'll have thirty seconds to get off here. That way...there's room for margin of error, so being a couple seconds off won't BBQ me," he takes the explosive from the demoness, throwing a smile to contrast her dismal look, "Relax, I'm going to be fine. I planned it out, remember? You can trust me." he then leaves her side, heading back to the front of the yacht.

Talia turns as Bruce throws the sling bag at her, catching it she puts it on "Just so we're clear If you get yourself killed I'm gonna kick your ass."

"Deal" Bruce gives a light-hearted smile.

"Well...this is certainly a unique way of a getting a girl wet, beloved. See you on the other side," Talia then dives off of the yacht and into the water as she swims towards her targeted destination. Bruce then turns back to the wheel and plants the device on the console.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The journey would have gruelling for anyone, being long and difficult due to the strength of water that surrounded her. It is hard to explain just how it felt, way heavier than normal, yet lighter at the same time. Eventually, Talia felt like she was on a different planet altogether. But nevertheless, she continued on until she made it. She raises her head out of the water and is greeted a large cliff that looked to lead to a grassland, maybe even some kind of jungle.

She lifts herself out of the water as she climbs up the steep cliff. It took her minutes to do, reaching the top in no time. One would think that doing such a task so quickly would be an impossible job, for most people that assumption would be right. But the demon's daughter was far off from being like most people. Parts of her childhood training was to climb the mountains near Nanda Parbat, doing so often that it became second nature to her. Throughout the years, she had toned her body to near perfection through both training and exploration. There was no mountain on the planet that she couldn't climb.

She takes position, looking back the way that she came with the binoculars while holding the detonator in her left hand. Just as expected, she could see the yacht out far from the island along with Bruce, "I'm trusting you with this," her fingers then ghost over the switch. She then breathes in, this time pressing down on the device, "Come on, move your ass...," she whispers, before being drawn to something bulleting down from the sky towards the boat, "Oh...no...," she then makes out a pair of wings that were attached to the descending figure.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Good girl," Bruce begins to move as the timer begins to countdown, giving him half a minute to move to a safe distance which would mean the water. He heads towards the deck of the yacht, preparing to jump off when an eerily familiar screech is then shot down at him. Bruce looks up and sees Silver Swan rapidly diving towards him, jumping back he evades the brunt of the sonic blast. The boat was not so lucky as half of it was completely shattered beneath for force of the blast.

Silver Swan was already back on the attack as she swipes her talons across the man's back, leaving several large curved cuts, "Fancy meeting you here...," she snickers, slashing at Bruce again. The vigilante dodges under the villainesses' swing and makes a break to jump overboard, "Where are you going, sweetie? Was it something that I said?" she flies to him, tackling him onto the railing of the yacht as she perches on top of him, pinning him down "I can tear you to shreds in so many ways...," she traces her claws across Bruce's scalp and leaves trails of blood along the way.

"Y-you tailed me. Y-you wanted me to find Themyscira...," Bruce's eyes widen, realizing the mistake that he had just made.

"Be glad that you're dealing with me and not Minerva, unlike her, I don't like torturing my prey...," she grins, curving one of the blades of her wings against the man's neck, "Stay still or this will get messy..."

10.

9.

8.

"...D-don't count on it," Bruce glares.

4.

3.

"Oh...and why is tha-," both Silver Swan and Bruce were thrown from the boat as the explosion erupts, covering the ship in a fiery blaze and sending the pair overboard with Bruce hitting the side of his head against Venessa's armour along the way. They were submerged by the water, vanishing deep into its depth. Bruce was then swept up by the current, being sent towards the island while he lost consciousness with his whole world becoming dark.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Watching from the island, Talia stands as she could only see the ship that was covered by flames, not making out either Bruce of the villain. "Shit" she spoke with a mere whisper as she frantically looked to the sea, trying to spot Bruce. "Dammit...," she growls.

- Themyscira -

Diana leaves the confines of the dungeon, climbing up the stone steps and back into the embrace of the light of the day where she finds Artemis waiting. The princess walks past the other Amazon, not wanting to give her the time of day. Artemis then follows after her, "You were in there for a long time, Diana."

Diana keeps moving, "And of what business do you have with that matter? I was not defying any of our laws." She then sees the redhead catch up with her pace, now standing in line with her, "And before you ask, no I did not tell Alexa to leave. She was gone by the time that I arrived."

"Those chains can hold the servants of Ares, I am not concerned about that man escaping. I am however concerned about you," Artemis easily keeps up with the princess as she sees her try to break free from their proximity, "I am worried for you. This is exactly what happened with the previous guy."

"No. Not quite, he was shown mercy. That man down there won't be so fortunate"

"That's not set in stone. The council hasn't condemned a man to death since the trial of Ares' army. It's as you said, we are warriors, not savages. They're open to reason, Diana, you just have to make them listen," the redhead rationally speaks, trying to get the Amazon to ease up, "We're all on edge. The last man to come to this island murdered Queen Hippolyta. The goodwill that Steve earned with us, Vandal Savage destroyed," her intentions were to calm Diana, but she could feel that her actions had the opposite effect.

The two then stop in their tracks, facing the other, "My anger is for Vandal and him alone. This man has nothing to do with it, it feels like the Amazons want to use him as a scapegoat. I cannot allow that to happen, any blood that we spill will only belong to Savage. I'll make sure of it," Diana was clear, her voice was ruthless, "To kill the man down there will only bring shame to my mother's memory, Artemis. The only way to avenge her is to kill Vandal."

Artemis slides her hands over her hips and stares Diana down, trying to make her back off, "I'm with you, always have been. But this is our way, Diana. Neither of us possesses the power to do anything about it," she reminds the other woman, "The only for that man to leave here alive is to convince the Amazons himself. Our words will only influence, but he is the one who will determine the outcome," turning her head, she sees Alexa running towards them while she holds a book against her chest.

Artemis then looks over the younger Amazon "Where did you get off to? It was your duty to watch over the prisoner."

"Come quick! Something's happened, our sisters have been slaughtered" Alexa informs the two warriors, Diana and Artemis give a look of disgust, angering from what they were told.

"Where?" Diana inquires, gritting her teeth.

"North of the training grounds. Reinforcements are already heading there," Alexa answers, still trying to catch her breath.

"Stay with the prisoner, Alexa. Diana and I will go," the two warriors then take off, racing towards the named area.