Uncanny Wonder Woman

Chapter 24: Park Life

By

The Uncanny R-Man

Disclaimer- 'I'm nuking little alien guys with big guns! I don't know who they are or where they came from or why I'm in Las Vegas! Rock!'- The Human Torch (Ultimate Fantastic Four)

Gotham Park-

It was a beautiful day in Gotham City and many of the city's inhabitants had chosen to enjoy the good weather in the park. There were many couples sitting on the grass either sitting there chatting to one another or having picnics. Three such people were Diana Prince and Bruce Wayne with their young daughter Cassie.

'Mmm, Alfred has certainly excelled himself with this picnic.' Diana smiled as she peered into the wicker basket full of food that Bruce's loyal butler had prepared for them. 'Everything looks so delicious. It almost seems a pity to eat it.'

'We'd better eat it.' Bruce advised. 'Alfred doesn't like to waste food, and you know as well as I do that it isn't wise to anger him.'

'Oh, come now, Bruce.' Diana chuckled. 'Living with Alfred isn't that bad. He may be quite stern sometimes, but you can't help but love him for it. The man would willingly put his life on the line for us, and I am perfectly willing to do the same.'

'I just think that he's happy that I finally managed to stay in a solid relationship.' Bruce responded. 'My old playboy lifestyle did use to be hard on him not knowing what time I'd be home. That isn't even counting the many times that I've been out on patrol.'

'Perhaps it's about time that you gave him some time off.' Diana suggested. 'The poor man works his fingers to the bone for us. I think he deserves a holiday.'

'I keep on trying to tell him, but we won't have any of it.' Bruce sighed. 'He keeps on telling me that his place is at Wayne Manor, not gallivanting around like… well, me.'

'We'd better get started on this food then.' Diana nodded in understanding. 'We don't want Alfred's hard work to go to waste.'

Bruce reached into the hamper and took out a plate of sandwiches with the crusts delicately cut off that were wrapped in tinfoil and a baby bottle full of milk for Cassie.

Diana smiled in thanks as she took the bottle and began to feed her daughter.

'There you are, little one.' The Amazon Princess smiled at her infant daughter. 'Drink up, there's a good girl.'

Unfortunately, little Cassie didn't seem to want her bottle. The poor girl kept on turning her head away with a whimper.

'Cassandra, what's wrong?' Diana asked her daughter. 'Aren't you hungry?'

Cassie then started to cry, which just confused Diana further.

'I don't understand it.' Diana frowned. 'She was perfectly fine this morning. What has gotten into her?'

Bruce jumped to his feet as he heard the sound of approaching hoof beats.

'Diana, it looks like we've got company.' The incognito Dark Knight surmised. Then, at that very same moment, several half-man half-horse creatures galloped towards them, making innocent bystanders flee in terror.

'Centaurs!' Diana recognised the creatures instantly. 'What are they doing in Gotham? And why are they attacking these people? They're usually such peaceful creatures.'

Unfortunately, Diana didn't have any time to find an answer to her question as one of the centaurs threw a net over her and snatched Cassie out of her hands.

'Cassandra, no!' Diana yelled as he went to take her daughter back, only to receive a nasty blow to the head from a club that the centaur was carrying. Bruce tried to make a grab for little Cassie, but received the same treatment.

With their captive safe in their clutches, the gang of centaurs disappeared as suddenly as they appeared.

The Magic Quarter, a short while later-

The Batmobile streaked through the Magic Quarter, a district of Gotham City that specialised in magic shops and fortune tellers amongst other things. It was also one of the places that the more magically-inclined heroes could be found. As soon as Diana and Bruce had changed into their work clothes, the World's Greatest Detective had called a friend for some help. Zatanna has more than helpful during the incident when Diana had been changed into a pig. Plus, she could keep a secret.

The Batmobile screeched to a halt outside a club that Zatanna was appearing at. Batman and Wonder Woman stepped out and headed for the back door. The door swung open as soon as Diana raised her hand to knock.

'You're just in time, guys.' Zatanna greeted the pair as she waved them in. 'I was just beginning to cast a location spell. All I need now is something that belongs to your daughter.'

'I brought Cassandra's locket just in case we needed it.' Diana said as she held out a golden eagle-shaped pendant.

'This will be fine.' Zatanna nodded as Diana gave her the pendant. 'I should find where the centaurs have taken your daughter in no time at all.'

'You don't happen to know why they kidnapped Cassandra, do you?' Bruce enquired. 'You happened to mention that there was something suspicious going on.'

'Nobody really knows what's going on, Bruce.' Zatanna explained as she began to cast her spell. 'All the other magic users have been able to find out is that something big is going down. Something involving dark magic. Maybe that's why those centaurs have turned aggressive all of a sudden. Perhaps somebody is controlling them.'

Cassie's pendant began to glow as Zatanna's location spell neared completion.

'Raeppa sruatnec!' Zatanna commanded.

The heroic trio shielded their eyes as the room was illuminated in a burst of light. Once the light had faded, they noticed that a segment of a map on the wall was illuminated by a beam of light emanating from Cassie's pendant.

'That's where the centaurs have your daughter.' Zatanna told them, pointing to the illuminated spot on the map. 'A patch of woods near the Gotham-Blüdhaven border.'

'Then that's where we'll go.' Diana nodded in understanding. 'Bruce and I are more than grateful for your help.'

'Hey, think nothing of it.' Zatanna shrugged off the compliment. 'Just make sure that my goddaughter gets back safe, okay?'

The Gotham-Blüdhaven border-

On the border between Gotham City and it's sister city Blüdhaven was a patch of woods that had a reputation for all sorts of magical shenanigans. People could often be found there during the Summer and Winter Solstice trying to contact other planes. However, most people thought that the rumours of magic permeating the place were little more than urban myths.

In a cave right in the middle of a forest, the gang of centaurs studied their young captive.

'Finally, it sleeps.' One of the centaurs sighed in relief. 'I was beginning to think that the creature wouldn't shut up. Any more of her wailing and she would have given away our location.'

'Who could possibly find us here, Roonwit?' Oreius, the lead centaur enquired. 'The only ones likely to hear us are those foolish humans who try to speak to the dead with their primitive magic.'

'If only that were true, centaur.' Wonder Woman said as she and Batman walked into the cave. 'Give us back our daughter and you shall not be harmed.'

'Intruders!' A third centaur whinnied and rose up on his hind legs.

'Glenstorm, hold!' Oreius commanded. 'We were not supposed to harm anybody. That was not part of the plan.'

'Plan? What plan?' Batman frowned in suspicion. 'What's going on here?'

'I cannot lie to you, Princess of the Amazons.' Oreius bowed his head in shame. 'We were merely meant to distract you.'

'Distract me?' Diana blinked in confusion. 'Why were you meant to distract me?'

'It was Circe.' Oreius confessed. 'She is behind it all.'

'That witch!' Diana grimaced in rage. 'She shall pay dearly for this!'

TBC…

Next: This Is Themyscira

What is Circe planning, and what do her plans have to do with Themyscira? Tune in next time to find out.