Justice:

A Reclaiming Equestria Story Featuring DCAU Batman and Woman Woman

Chapter Seven: Ponyville

The darkness of the alley seemed so far away. Sounds of people leaving the theater echoed from behind the family crossing the alley toward the waiting car. Bruce felt the hand of his father touch his shoulder as he held the rolled up advertisement in his hand. He waved it in the air, acting like sword fighter he'd watched on the silver screen. It was at that moment he felt the air changing. The lone individual stepped out, and he watched as the handgun came out.

"Let's start with the Lady's pretty pearls."

Bruce watched his father move, somehow he knew it was to protect them, and in that instant the gun went off. His father clutched his chest, gasping for a breath that would never come, and in an instant later his mother joined his father. The gunman moved closer, impossibly large, the revolver he held seemingly far more imposing than anything his young mind had ever seen.

"Sorry Kid, can't have a witness."

"Begone foul dream!"

The voice echoed and Bruce watched as the gunman vanished in a puff of smoke. There below him his parents disappeared, leaving a confused and hurt child in their absence. He looked up the one that had spoken, and she took form. She neared him, and he felt himself change. No longer was he the seven year old boy that had lost his parents thanks to a punk with a gun, but instead he was the vengeance that had taken the boy's place.

"Princess Luna," Bruce acknowledged her presence.

She touched his arm, "This dream speaks of memories, it seems less of a fearful dream, but instead more of events that had happened."

He looked at the alley, and even though he knew it wasn't real he had every detail memorized. The sound of the echo of footsteps, the smell of rot and refuse that had made its way up the storm drains, and finally the death that hung thick like the mists rolled down the alley itself. He heard the sound of footsteps, and he saw her. His Princess moved toward them. Her eyes wide with wonder, or they were until she saw him. Instantly she understood what had happened, and she moved toward him.

She hadn't actually seen the alley like this. Oh, that wasn't to say that she hadn't visited the alley back in Gotham. She had visited it with Bruce on the anniversary of his parents death. Two roses left for the people who had ended up helping him to become the man he had become. There had been moments she considered asking Hades for the chance to meet her mother and father in law. The one reason she hadn't done so is because of what Hades had admitted the last time she talked with him. Any favor, no matter the reason, had to be signed off on a contract.

Slowly the alley around them began to turn into smoke, and after a few moments it was gone completely. Diana felt the dream world disappear, and her eyes fluttered open to see Bruce lying beside her. His own piercing blue eyes seemed to study her closely. It was a comfort to wake beside him. There was no weakness in admitting Bruce had become her other half. If she could have moved closer to him she would, but as it was she was pressed as closely as their bodies would allow.

Even without the cowl most would be hard pressed to see Bruce's emotions, or at least to see what his real emotions were. There was of course the emotions he presented as his disguise, but that was nothing more than years of practice and acting. However Diana was blessed in that she knew him, and she could see the pain residing inside of him. That dream was one that still haunted him. The memories of what happened to his parents refused to leave him, and for all rights and purposes it was his curse.

Before he could say a word she kissed him. Her lips found the purchase she desired, and then she moved her hands to his back. They had been here for some time, but neither had taken solace in each other. But at this moment she wanted to give him the solace she could afford. She broke the kiss, her lips tracing down his neck, and she inwardly grinned as she felt the first shiver of pleasure ripple through him. Their time together had taught her so much, and one of those lessons was learning the roadmap that was Bruce's body. Every scar, every sensitive spot, every single one was mapped out in her mind. And of course he had done the same. There was places on her that she knew if he touched just right would cause her to nearly blackout from pleasure.

This wasn't about her, or at least it wasn't yet. This was about him, and she made her way down to her waiting prize. There was an agonizing moment of nothing, and then Bruce felt the heavens open as Diana's lips touched what she was after. She was a warrior, an Amazon, and a powerful woman in every sense of the word. Their marriage had proven how headstrong she could be, and she was every bit as headstrong as he had been. This was more than either of them scratching an itch. This was finding peace, of dealing with what happened, and while he was fine with her pleasing him he planned to give as good as he was given.

Over the course of the next couple of hours the married couple explored and loved each other almost as if they hadn't seen each other for days. Diana lay in the bed, looking at the ceiling, a smile pasted on her lips, and for a few moments they were simply Bruce and Diana. It was a moment that wasn't destined to last. There was a slight knock the door opened, and both of them heard Wally's voice.

"Hey Bats, I just wanted to let you know that… Wow, you're nude! Okay, so like ten minutes?"

"Out."

Wally had been fairly lucky to mostly not have to deal with the dreaded Batglare, but at this point he was seeing the Batglare, and one from Diana that rivaled the intensity of the Batglare in every way possible. He swallowed back the words that had been forming, stepped back, closed the door, and decided that the best idea was to go back to a very public place. After all it stood to reason that he'd be safe in a more crowded area. But then again he did just walk in on the Batman, and Wonder Woman, after the two of them had bumped uglies.

There was little use in attempting to enjoy the bliss of the moment. Diana loved Wally as a brother, but at the moment he had interrupted what had been a wonderful moment for both her and Bruce. She knew that without a doubt she was going to need a bath, and luckily Princess Luna had shown her the bathing pool. She looked at Bruce who was starting to get up.

"Αγάπη, I'm going to bathe in the pool. Would you want to join me?"

He shook his head, "I'll take care of that later. There's too much I have to do."

Nodding she stood, took a sheet, and wrapped it around herself. She walked from their room and strolled down the hallway until she came to the room Luna had shown them. She walked inside to see said person, or Pony rather, already bathing. Luna's ears pointed forward as she stood slightly. The Lunar Diarch gave a soft smile and motioned for her to join her in the warm water. Diana let the sheet fall, and she stepped into the pool.

It was just like the bath houses on Themyscira. Slowly the Princess of the Amazons joined one of the Princess of Equestria in the warm water. As she neared Luna she could slight places where she had scars. Places where Luna's tormentors had carved marks into her flesh, most likely as a way to mark as her property. She watched as a bar of soap, and a soft looking brush floated over to her waiting hands.

"Thank you," she said.

Luna nodded, "You are most welcome."

Diana studied her for a moment, "Something you wanted to ask?"

Luna seemed to study her for a bit before nodding again,"Varily, I have seen your dreams, and I know what had happened to you. If this is too personal, I shall not push it, but it would appear that your, husband, has done much to aid you in returning to yourself. How long did it take you to not want to scrub until you are bleeding because of what happened?"

Diana neared her, "I still want to."

Luna sighed, "I feared that might be the answer. I do not believe that I have time to give into the luxury of self doubt and self loathing. Mine subjects need their leaders, and I must step to bat, as it has been said."

A smile crossed Diana's lips as she thought about the phrase. Granted, it had nothing to do with Bruce, but at the same time it could certainly be pressed to be considered as such. She looked toward Luna and she touched her shoulder.

"I cannot tell you that it will become easier. Having Bruce in my life has certainly helped, but at the same time there are nights when I sit up in a cold sweat. The kind of violation that was done to us…" she sighed, "It happened to my mother, my amazon sisters, all of them suffered a similar violation at the hands of a demigod and the soldiers that followed him."

Diana looked toward the ceiling of the bathing pool and let the words and memories of the stories come to her, "They were able to turn the tides, eventually, but not before suffering at the hands of Herakles. My mother didn't speak of it often, but I had witnessed her waking from a fitful sleep, her eyes wide in fear, and she is one of the bravest women I know."

Diana looked at Luna, "But she does not let those memories define her. She does not give Herakles the satisfaction of defeating her," Dian smiled, "She instead continues to lead my Amazon sisters, and she attempts to strengthen the relationship between the Amazons and Man's world. I believe that she faced those memories with a warrior's intent, and that she battles them to ensure that they will not unjustly alter her decisions."

Luna nodded, and she looked past the Amazon Princess, "I do not want to give Dainn the satisfaction as well. I do wish to see him cast into Tartarus for what he has done. Perhaps it is wrong of me to feel as such, but I wish him to know the torment that he has caused."

Diana shook her head, "There is nothing wrong with that, but we have to keep a level head," she looked at Luna, "Bruce has taught me that emotions cannot be allowed to interfere with the mission. We need to free your people, and then we will ensure that Dainn finds the tender mercies of Hades as his reward."

Throne Room

Castle of the Two Sisters

Bruce looked at the supplies he had replaced. The weapons the Caribou had were certainly inferior, but at the very least they supplied the raw materials needed to craft something far better. Their trip into Ponyville had proven to be somewhat successful. They had managed to free more of the population, but from what he could tell they still had others they needed to free. He watched those they brought back with them, and he could see the trauma that was present. It wasn't something he wanted to focus on, but it stood to reason that at some point he would have to help train some of them in combat.

It wouldn't be the first time that mostly untrained masses would learn guerilla warfare, and he was more than certain it was the best way they had of standing a chance. His mind began to unlock memories of the lessons he had learned from some of the special forces members that Alfred had known. A few of them had been soldiers that had served in Vietnam, and those soldiers explained that teaching the South Vietnamese basic guerilla warfare. Most of the people that were taught had been farmers, merchants, normal people who had never been trained to fight before.

In essence it would make sense to do the same here. Creating weapons for them to use, bows and arrows for example, would be simple enough. In truth he knew that Diana would be far more suited to teaching them how to fight with archery. Perhaps Oliver would be the best candidate, but Arrow wasn't here. He did know that Diana had been trained in archery back on Themyscira. He was skilled, but he knew that what was needed now was someone who was both skilled and would be able to relate that skill in a way that would help those learning. Granted he had trained Dick, Tim, helped train Barbara, but each of them had given into his methods. Endless hours of practice, and a single minded focus that blocked everything, including pain, out until each movement was fluid and perfect.

It would take far too long to relay that kind of study to the individuals they had saved. He was certain that Diana's methods would be similar, but he also believed that she would be able to inspire them to become better. It was her nature, her personality, and perhaps in some way it would be therapeutic for her as well. With that decision made he began working toward creating the first of the bows they would need. Luckily there was plenty of wood to choose from. The problem was the string needed for each of the bows. There were dozens of potential materials to choose from, but one stood out to him.

Horse hair had been the go to for archery bows during the nineteenth century. It would mean several of the ponies cutting their hair short, but he wondered if it would be something they would be fine with once they realized what it would be used for.

Castle of the Two Sisters - Library

Twilight's eyes opened to take in the familiar sight of the books around her. Her head pounded like noponies' business, but at least she was in a place she felt at ease. Slowly she began to stand when she noticed a familiar face. She looked at Rarity who was sitting on the ground, holding a comic books of all things to her chest, and she was softly crying. She began to move toward her friend when the memories of what had happened, of what she had done, and had allowed to be done to herself and to Rarity, came to the front of her mind.

Her eyes shrank to pinpricks as everything became so clear. Nervously she moved toward Rarity. Part of her was wanting comfort, but more of he wanted to try to get forgiveness. She needed to let Rarity know how sorry she was for what had happened. As she neared her the normally posh white unicorn looked toward her.

"Finally back to your senses?"

There was a coldness to Rarity's voice. Something she had never heard before. She nodded, hoping that it would be forgiven and forgotten. Instead Rarity looked back at the comic.

"I should forgive you. You fell to their magic. You lost yourself to their corruption, but I can't. I can't just forget about what happened to me, to Spike, Starlight, and everypony else," Rarity said as she looked at the comic, "The one saving grace is that Spike had brilliant idea of sending Sweetie, Applebloom, and Scootaloo into another of his comics when this started happening."

She placed the comic on the table beside her, "Perhaps one day I will be able to get past the fact that one of my best friends held me down while I was rutted like an animal, or that she had even taken turns rutting me into the ground. I hope that day comes, because while I can't forgive you I understand, and Celestia help me I want to remain your friend."

Rarity got up, "If you will forgive me, I must go speak with Princess Luna and see if there is perhaps a way of freeing my sister, and her two friends, from the comic Spike sent them into."

Twilight sat there, the guilt of what had happened while under the magic of the Caribou's magic ripped at her. She felt the guilt and the grief climbing higher, until finally they began to spill out as tears. She felt herself shake as the sobs and the reality truly hit her. A few moments later she felt a gentle touch. She looked up to see someone she hadn't expected. There was Sunset. She looked at her friend, surprised at seeing her here, and then she felt Sunset hugged her.

"Twilight, it's okay," Sunset said.

She shook her head as she let Sunset console her.

"No it's not, and I don't know how I can ever make it right after what's happened."

Sunset slowly sat down with her, and the two began to discuss what had happened. To her credit Sunset took it all in, and then afterward she looked at Twilight.

"Do you still want to do any of that?" she asked.

Twilight shook her head, "No! I don't, but how do I make it okay?"

Sunset looked at the ground, "I don't know. I mean things will get better, they really will, but Twilight you've got to understand that you can't ask someone to just get over what happened. The fact that it really wasn't you is what will help, and I'll do what I can, but you're going to have to give Rarity time to deal with this."