A/N Don't own these characters so don't sue me.
They always say two heads are better then one. I have to thank both DaisyJane and Lady Isis for the beta on this one. I must be the luckiest person in the world to have two of the best, smartest and lovely ladies in the world helping me fix my pitiful story telling.
I could go on and on about how great those two are, most of you all know how great they are from there wonderful stories. If I could bottle there talent and sell it, well I would be richer then Bruce Wayne. Hehehe
I hope you all enjoy this tale because it was an honor writing it and working with DaisyJane and Lady Isis on it. All praise should goto those two, kind of feel like the Flash having Shayera and Diana as pals that look out for silly me. :)
Batman's Gift
Chapter 6: Choices.
Bruce appeared in front of the door that lead to Queen Hippolyta's court. He then opened the door and walked in. Hippolyta was sitting on her throne, shocked that he entered from the door instead of just appearing like other Gods, but she was happy to see him. Bruce bowed to the queen who looked upset with his behavior and spoke quickly, "Lord Bruce, you do not have to bow to me. I should bow to you."
Bruce smiled at Hippolyta and said, "Please, it's just Bruce. You are a queen while I am just a knight, and knights always bow to their queens." He gave her a sly smile.
Hippolyta didn't know what to do or say at his request. None of the Gods acted this way. She settled on just smiling back at him.
"Queen Hippolyta, I would like the honor of speaking with your daughter. Will she see me?" Bruce asked the queen.
Queen Hippolyta's eyes looked worried for a few moments, and she wouldn't look directly at Bruce. His heart felt like it had dropped to his stomach. Diana didn't want to see him.
Hippolyta saw the disappointment on Bruce's face and spoke quickly, "Diana is not on Themyscira at the moment my... Bruce, she left the island yesterday to think over your proposal."
Bruce was about to leave when he felt her presence in the palace. Diana opened the double doors to her mother's court and both Bruce and Hippolyta looked at her as she entered the room. Diana walked regally into the room and bowed to both of them. Bruce was about to say something when Diana opened her mouth to speak, and he stopped himself from speaking a word.
"Mother. Lord Bruce." Bruce hated being called that, especially from her but he let it slide. "I will compete in your contest to find a new queen."
Bruce smiled but it fell from his face when he looked into Diana eyes. They were cold and unforgiving. "I will compete because it has been requested by the king of the Gods, but I will not allow myself to win." With that statement, Diana left the room.
Bruce's disappointment was clear by the expression on his face, but he sucked it up and looked at Queen Hippolyta. "Tell Diana not to worry about the competition. I will not order her to compete." Bruce's eyes glazed over with anger. "Your little sun and stars wouldn't have won anyway. Her heart isn't that of a true warrior." Bruce turned and disappeared.
"Oh dear," was all Hippolyta could say.
The competition was held one week later on the sandy beaches of Themyscira. Bruce was seated on a throne that was set on a grand stage, facing the sandy beach. Hera stood next to him as four women stood on the beach, facing the stage.
Zatanna Zatara, Talia al Ghul, Selina Kyle, and Princess Diana of Themyscira. Bruce looked at all four women and asked Hera, "I thought there were going to be five competitors?"
Just as Bruce asked the question, Aphrodite appeared with the other five women. Selina looked at the beautiful goddess. "She's even more beautiful than you are," she said to Diana with a smirk.
Diana didn't even look at Selina, her eyes shooting daggers of hatred at Bruce.
Hera spoke. "This competition is for the right to be the next Queen of Olympus. Since there are candidates here with no powers at all, all competitors will be stripped of their powers and will have to prove their worth based on skill alone as is only fair. The King would like his bride to be a true champion."
Aphrodite smiled and waved at Bruce flirtatiously. All the women except Diana turned and gave Aphrodite an evil glare. Bruce had been watching Diana all this time, while she continued to look at him with those hate-filled blue eyes.
Diana was thinking about what she had overheard in her mother's court after leaving. I'm going to win this competition and reject your proposal, Bruce. No one questions my warrior spirit. No one! Diana growled to herself as she stared harshly at him sitting on his throne.
Bruce could read her thoughts and knew he had said the right thing last week. Now she would try her best to win then he would try his best to win her trust and heart back.
The first competition was logical, all six were asked what they would do under certain circumstances. Selina and Zatanna lost that round. The next was endurance, and since it was just a race around the island Diana won that one with Selina and Talia just behind her.
The next competition was swimming. Diana won that one with, again, Talia and Selina right behind her. Diana was leading the competitions so far. Even without her powers she was a formidable competitor. The next was domestic, Selina and Zatanna tied for that one. The next was attraction. Hera held a metal statue in her hand each and everyone of the ladies kissed Bruce. The higher the sound that came out of the statue the more attracted Bruce was to them. Selina and Diana tied that one. Selina certainly knew how to kiss.
As the day's events unfolded Selina and Diana were fighting for top spot. After sixteen events Hera proclaimed the winner.
"The winner is Princess Diana of Themyscira." Selina bowed her head then raised it as she stared at Bruce with a lost look in her eyes. She'd truly wanted to be Bruce's queen because she loved him very much. Bruce stood up, walking over to Selina and without saying a word snapped his fingers and she disappeared.
Diana watched as he simply tossed Selina aside. I was the epitome of callous male in her mind and she knew now what she had to do more then ever. Bruce turned and smiled at Diana. She held her contempt for him hidden as she stared at him neutrally.
"Diana, will you be my queen?" he asked her.
Diana used every ounce of control she could muster to reply back to his question. "I would like to freshen up first," she told him.
Bruce nodded his head in agreement to her request.
Diana gave her mother a meaningful look and beckoned for her to follow her. Diana walked back to her bedroom in the palace and proceeded to change out of the chiton she had worn during the competition. Hippolyta watched her daughter remove the dirty clothing.
"Mother, I must save him. But to do so, I must fight him," Diana said quietly.
Hippolyta stood back and watched her daughter put on her royal Amazon armor. "Are you sure about this, my sun and stars?" Hippolyta asked her daughter.
Diana fastened on her breastplate and turned to look at her mother. "Yes, the man I know and love is gone. He is a shell of his former self."
Diana attached her belt to the armor. "The man I knew - he would never ask or allow that farce of a competition to ever happen." Diana closed her eyes and sighed, "He would never have treated Selina like he just did. He was loving and compassionate and not this cold shell of a man." Diana's eyes opened and Hippolyta could see the determination in her blue eyes.
"Then do what is right, my daughter. I trust your judgment," Hippolyta told her daughter as she walked up and wrapped her in a hug, She feared for her daughter's life but knew that Diana would do what she thought was right. Diana embraced her mother also. The two pulled apart and Hippolyta helped her attach and fasten the rest of her armor.
Bruce strolled around the palace looking at the art. He was trying his best not to think about Diana. Something was bothering him that he couldn't put his finger on but he pushed that thought aside. It wasn't hard to do; the euphoric feelings he had been experiencing since gaining Zeus's power where stronger than when he first got his gift from Zeus. Having Diana as his queen for eternity just added to that feeling.
At first he felt very generous, but now...he couldn't put his finger on it, but he now felt almost contempt towards normal humans. It was like they didn't matter in the grander scheme of things. It worried him because he'd never thought that way. He had spend his life making sure nobody had to suffer like he did as a child. He had fought for the common man and valued every life. Now he saw the world differently. Sometimes a few million mortals had to die when one looked at the bigger picture of humanity, he saw that now.
A royal guard came walking up to him and bowed deeply, Bruce looked at her with a bored expression. He was still pondering the grander things in life - and that certainly did not include this Amazon.
"Princess Diana is ready to answer your question," she told him.
Bruce nodded as the guard walked in front of him. Bruce followed the guard lazily as she led him outside. The guard lead him to the royal garden and stopped before entering. She stood to attention as he walked past her.
Bruce entered the beautifully tended garden and found Diana and Hippolyta standing close together. He continued to walk forward and Hippolyta unwrapped her arms from her daughter and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She walked away from her at a brisk pace without looking back.
Bruce stopped fifteen feet away from her and noticed she was in beautiful armor. Diana held her helmet under her arm as she stared across at him. Bruce gazed back at her.
"So your answer is?" Bruce asked her. He was mildly surprised as Diana placed her helmet on top of her head and fastened it. She then pulled her sword out and pointed it at Bruce.
"No," she said evenly. "This is an insult to the memory of the man you once were - the man I loved - and I will stop you," Diana said. Without pause, she flew towards him. As she flew towards him, he saw the blade wasn't normal. His eyes widened as he saw it was a sword made of Gaea.
Bruce ducked the blow in the nick of time but had to roll away from her because she twisted in mid-flight and tried to get him again.
"Don't do this, Diana," he growled.
Diana didn't respond, she just pushed her attack. Diana sliced his chest with the sword as he tried to backpedal away from her. He let out a cry; the pain was almost unbearable. Months of not feeling pain had dulled his mind from blocking it out.
In his pain-filled state, Bruce backhanded Diana, sending her flying back hard against the ground. In a flash of light Bruce was dressed in similar armor as Diana. He had his sword out and was in a defensive stance.
"If you don't want to be my queen, fine but this fight is pointless," he growled at her.
Diana pulled herself up and stared at him with hatred. "It's not pointless. The power has corrupted you, Bruce. I will not let you go down that road. I love you too much for that."
Bruce dropped his stance a little. "You don't understand Diana. Let me show you. Become my queen and you will see," he said.
"I understand more than you think, Bruce," Diana sighed. "The man you were would be sickened by what you've become." Then she flew at him once more. She knew arguing with him would be pointless; he wasn't thinking straight. He was no longer capable of thinking straight. Diana and Bruce exchanged blows then caught each others' swords in a dead lock.
"The man I was was weak, fighting for a futile cause like Don Quiote chasing windmills. I don't want to hurt you, Diana. Stop this foolishness and be with me." Bruce said through clenched teeth.
Diana replied, "Then give up the powers."
Bruce looked at her harshly. "Why should I?! I haven't hurt anyone and I will do a better job than Zeus."
Diana looked at him in shock. "No, you just tossed Selina away like a used Kleenex. She really loved you and you didn't show her an ounce of compassion. As for me you didn't even ask me to be your queen or bother to try to win back my love after betraying me so terribly. Instead you forced me to compete for your affections and insulted my warrior heart when I refused. My Bruce would never have done that." Diana said. Her words seemed to pierce Bruce because his hold on her sword faltered. Diana took his distraction and plunged her sword into his shoulder.
Bruce screamed in pain as the sword entered his body. The sword felt like it was burning his insides and sapping his strength away. He screamed, "You Bitch!" He then kicked Diana in the stomach, forcing the sword to remove itself from him as she was sent flying backwards.
He fed on the pain as he had always done as a mortal. His mind still remembered how to do so. He attacked Diana now without restraint. Diana was now having a hard time defending herself. She could see the that control Bruce normally had was gone. Rage glowed from his eyes and he attacked her like a wild animal.
Bruce slashed out at her leg with his sword. It cut deeply. As Diana groaned in pain and Bruce smashed the hilt of his sword into her face between the exposed opening. The blow split her lips and broke her nose. Diana also fed off of her pain and stabbed him in the leg.
The fight now turned into all out war. Bruce and Diana exchanged blows, Diana's helmet somehow came off, allowing Bruce to punch her in the face. Her left eye stared to swell from the mighty blow. As her head flew back he stabbed his sword into Diana's right shoulder. The cut caused her hand to open and for her to drop her sword.
Bruce pulled the sword out and he kicked her to the ground. Diana was about to pull herself up when she felt his blade against her throat. She looked up into his eyes and saw the wild look still in them. Bruce was bleeding from the shoulder and chest wound that had started to drip near his belt.
"Finish it, Bruce! Kill me and become the monster you always feared becoming!" she yelled at him.
Bruce blinked and his eyes returned to normal. He dropped his sword and stared down at her beaten and abused face. He fell to his knees and started to heave with sobs. She saw him gag and then vomit as his body reacted to the thought of what he had almost done. After what seemed like forever to Diana, Bruce regained control and looked at her with the saddest eyes she had ever seen. This is what he must've looked like as an eight year old boy after his parents were killed in front of him, she thought.
"Oh my God, Diana," he hissed. "I almost killed you... I-" He couldn't say anymore because he was again sobbing so hard. Diana pulled herself up and wrapped her good arm around him as he pulled her tight against him. He sobbed on her shoulder.
After a few minutes of crying, he pulled away from the embrace and touched her face gently.
"I'm so sorry," he whispered to her.
Diana tried to smile at him but her face was too damaged to do so, so she nodded her head. Bruce placed his other hand onto Diana's face and she could feel it start to get better. He released her face and did the same to her shoulder and leg. Once done he helped her up to her feet. He stared into her loving eyes and smiled at her.
"I will give it up, Diana. Thank you...for showing me the right path. You were right. I was being corrupted by all that power. I was never meant to be a God." Bruce sighed, and in a flash was gone.
Bruce appeared on Mount Olympus, he walked over to Hera's palace and entered it. He found Hera and Zeus side by side, staring at each other lovingly. Bruce walked up to the two as they stared back at him.
"Zeus, you can have your powers back," Bruce told him.
Zeus raised his brow at him then said, "Why would I want them back? I haven't felt this good since..." he looked at Hera in question.
Hera smiled at him. "Since before you became king of Olympus," she said.
Zeus turned back at Bruce and said to him, "I don't want them back."
Bruce sighed, then almost smiled. "Well, I guess Hades or Ares would like the increased power," he said as he turned to make his leave.
Hera gave Zeus a stern look to which Zeus called out to Bruce. "Fine, I will take them back," he breathed almost in defeat.
Bruce stopped but didn't turn back to the two of them. "Only if you promise to be more responsible with them," Bruce said as he waited for Zeus to respond to his demand.
"Fine," Zeus nearly growled. Bruce turned and walked back towards the two.
After Bruce vanished Diana returned to her room and changed out of her armor. She sat on her bed and looked outside at the world. Will Bruce return? she thought to herself. The battle had taken a lot out of Diana and a few moments later she fell into a light sleep.
Bruce appeared in her room. Hera had transported him here after he gave Zeus his powers back. He stared at the sleeping angel that had saved his soul. As lightly as he could he laid on her bed and listened to her soft breathing.
Bruce awoke to someone running their hands gently through his hair. He opened his eyes and saw what had made him give up the power of a God - Diana's lovely face staring at him. Her eyes held such affection and love.
Diana smiled then asked him, "Sleep well?"
Bruce stretched out and nodded his head as he stared up into her eyes. Bruce opened his mouth to tell her but Diana placed a finger onto his lips.
"Don't say anything Bruce. We both have dealt with a lot of emotions as of late," she told him. As her lips descended down to his, she smiled. "We'll have time to talk later."
Bruce grinned and nodded his head before her lips engaged his. They had an eternity to tell each other everything.
THE END.