Trials of Love : Part 2
Chapter 27 : The Testing of Truth
The winged horse landed on the roof top where the bat suit armor was spread out. He bent his knees and rested his stomach on the cement as the church bells began to chime. It was noon. The creature winced and started breathing heavy as he started to morph back into a human form.
Bruce laid on the cement roof bare chest trying to catch his breath. He sat up and swiped the sweat off his face and then he grabbed his armor and started pulling it over his body. He winced.
"I hate magic."
After ten minutes of putting on the armor and the cowl, Batman moved to the ledge and jumped down smacking his feet on a rusted gated fire escape. Then he began to climb down the latter. The attacker the he knocked out prior to the transformation was sitting lying on the ground unconscious.
Batman pressed the radio transmitter in his cowls ear. "Alfred," he growled.
Alfred Pennyworth was in the penthouse kitchen preparing lunch when he received the call from his master from the wireless ear phone.
"Master Wayne," The old butler said. "Where have you been?"
"I was flying above roof tops."
"Flying?"
Batman shook his head as he listened to his butlers comment. "Yes Alfred I was flying because there was a moon last night and he transformed into the winged horse."
Alfred looked at his watch. "My word and it is noon. That means that you are back as a human."
"Yes." Batman replied rubbing his arms. "It was a painful transformation. I really hate magic. It just feels like I'm trapped in a vivid nightmare that seems to give me to point of waking up from."
"Come back to the penthouse. I have lunch prepared for you. Oh and by the way Lucius Fox called and he stated that he wants to see you later in the afternoon. Something about a DNA scan you sent to him."
After disconnecting with Alfred, Batman silently walked through the shadows of the alley way hoping that no jaywalkers would notice him. Under the cowl Bruce hated been seen in broad daylight dressed in a armor and cape. On rare occasions he was forced to have brawls outside mostly with the Justice League but he preferred the darkness because darkness defined his character and it was also his greatest ally when in stealth mode.
He found the parked Batpod behind a trash dumpster and then carefully slid his sore body on the saddle. He tried to work through the pain but inside he knew that the transformation was a thing he could never get used too. He remembered briefly of one transformation that was a surprise attack. It was one he was in Gorilla City with Clark and Diana helping Deadman save the souls of all the monks that Grodd stole for his purpose of turning every human into an ape.
Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman were fighting the henchmen of Black Manta when the force field hit them and instantly transformed their bodies into Gorilla forms. Of course being stubborn, Bruce did not think anything of it not tell he saw his own reflection in the glass and looked at his torn costume? It was painful experience for him because the armor was cutting his body.
After that time Batman stayed away from any missions that concern magic , he made up excuses saying to his teammates that he had work do to in Gotham . Some of it was true while most of it was a way to be free from battles of witches and supernatural things. But if the missions involved life and death he made sure that he was there to fight along the side with the rest of League.
Batman fired up the engine and sped out of the alleyway heading to the train yard were his underground bunker was located.
Perched on the cement ledge was the white dove of Eros observing the crusader as he zoomed through the streets passing parked cars and crowds on the sidewalks cheering him on with amazement on each of their faces.
"There goes our hero!" A construction worker shouted working on a water main.
Batman was not paying any attention to the people shouting after him. He kept his eyes focused on the road.
Diana was in the bunker performing her round house kicks when she heard the roaring engine coming closer. She turned and saw Batman driving the Batpod out of the tunnel and onto the platform. He looked at her with a steady gaze as he got of the saddle of the bike.
"Princess?" He asked surprised. "What are you doing here?'
"You're lift was open so I decided that this would be a perfect place to so of my combat training. I hope you don't mind?"
Batman remained silent as he pulled off the cowl.
Diana looked at the messy haired billionaire who was drenched with sweat.
"I can see that you endured another transformation?'
Bruce rolled his eyes. "I really don't want to talk about it princess."
Diana crossed her arms with frustration. "Bruce I can tell that you're hiding something from me. You're acting out of character."
"I'm not in mood to talk right now."
Diana formed her hand into a fist.
Bruce looked at her expression on her face. "Getting angry at me isn't going to solve your problems." He said moving to the cabinet.
"Bruce what happened to us?"
"Why are you asking this right now Diana?"
"I just want to know. First you kiss me and then you push me away. What is really going on and I want the truth."
"Are going to use you magic lasso on me aren't you?"
Diana's face became cross. She was ready knock off his feet.
"It's the curse, its making you become careless about your own feelings. You're letting the spirit of Pegasus take over you. Soon I won't even know you."
Bruce gave her a scowling look.
"I can control it Diana. I don't need a lecture from you. I get enough of that from Alfred and Fox."
Diana was showing with her ocean blue eyes that she wasn't going to let him work all over her. While thinking about the right words to say she remembered the time from she was almost naked and he came from her and kissed her without warning. Surprised by his actions she slammed her fist into his jaw after figuring out that he was under love spell from the island. Right now she was ready to repeat that moment.
Instead she removed her lasso and swung it into the air as it wrapped around Bruce's body.
"Diana!"
"I need to know Bruce."
"Know what?" He growled in disprovable.
"Why did you break off our relationship when you were with the League?"
Bruce knew how to fake the truth from his skilled training in the Asian mountains. "You want to know the reason?"
She nodded.
"Fine," He spat. "I didn't let like when you are more concern about me than the missions Diana, you were beginning to lose focus."
"That's not true."
"Admit it princess. You almost got yourself killed because you let your emotions get the best of you. A true warrior never loses focus when in battle."
Diana paused.
"Look at what you've become Diana, you've have grown soft and it's because you are in love with me. Snap out of it princess. You need to keep your emotions in check or else it will cost you as it did for me." He said thinking about Rachel and Selina. "You're not an average woman princess. You're a goddess. I want the old Wonder Woman back not this so called house wife that lusts after me and only thinks about my welfare."
Diana released the rope from his body.
"So you're saying that I've changed too?"
"No. I'm saying that you need to focus on the mission for now. There are too many lives at stake and we can't be worrying about our own emotions towards each other."
Bruce stood up and moved in closer to her. He placed his hands on her arms and looked at her with a deep steady gaze and then he did something that knocked some sense back into her.
He pushed Diana to the ground.
"Why did you do that?" Diana growled.
"Come on and fight me." He said preparing his body into a fighting stance.
"If you insist?"
Diana lunged at him doing a round house kick and then she spun around and aimed her foot into his chest knocking him to the floor. He grabbed her by the ankle and pulled her down and then she rolled onto his body until they were face to face.
Bruce held her hands down as he lifted his head and crashed his m shaped lips onto hers and then he pulled away.
"That's the princess that I know."
She smirked.
On Paradise Island Artemis was in the combat ring training with Cassie with wooden swords because the child was not fit to wield a proper blade.
"So are you the queen's daughter?" Cassie asked striking at the tall red head.
"No. I am not."
Cassie looked at her confused.
"I was just like you Cass, a child who had lost her mother from ruthless violence. My mother was taken from me at a very young age and I was left to defend myself on the streets. Then I made my choice to run away, hopped on a cargo ship and left my home with remorse making a vow that I will be the toughest women on the face of the earth and defend all women who are threaten by man's cold hands. Then the ship was attacked by pirates and I was thrown overboard by the captain and left to thrown in the unforgiving waters." She kicked Cassie to the ground. "I washed up shore and Hippolyta found me and nursed me back to health. After that my life changed forever. I was given Amazon strength by a magic spell and trained until my knuckles bled."
Cassie looked at Artemis with excitement in her eyes.
"To be a true Amazon warrior little one it takes time, blood, sweat and tears and a lot of training. Once you grasp the sword in battle and see the first drop of blood from your enemy it becomes so clear that this was what life you were meant to live."
The child smiled.
"I want to be just like you."
Artemis smiled in return.
"No you have to be your own woman on the battle field."
"When will I be ready to join you in battle?"
"Not for a while, little one. You still have a lot to learn and I doubt the queen will approve of you wielding a sword at eight year old."
"Well I am going to be nine soon."
"You will know when it is the time."
Cassie lifted herself off the ground.
"What about Diana? Do you think I could be like her?"
"No one can ever be as good as Diana. She is the ultimate warrior."
"I would like to see you're in action."
"Trust me you don't want to see her in a fight."
In the subbasement of the Applied Science Division an image of a reconstructed face scan was on a screen. Lucius Fox was at the desk looking over the results of the scan and DNA test trying to figure out what kind of blade cut slice flesh off as if it was used a laser. He heard footsteps coming closer. He turned around and saw Bruce Wayne dressed in a tailor made suit with his hair gelled and eyes intense.
"Good afternoon Mr. Fox," The dark haired billionaire said. "Sorry I am late."
"It doesn't bother me, Mister Wayne." Fox applied with a smile.
"Did you get the DNA test results back?"
Fox nodded as he pressed on a few keys of the key board.
"Here's the original scan that you sent me."
A image of DNA strand appeared on the flat screen.
Bruce looked at the results.
"The faceless victims have some kind of pain inducing toxin injected into their bodies before their faces are peeled off."
"It would appear so , Mister Wayne." Fox answered. "I have to be honest I have never seen anything like this before in my entire life. This is something you would only see in a horror movie."
"Well Mr. Fox," Bruce stated. "This is Gotham City , things are always going to get worse before they can get better."
Fox turned and looked at the young man. "Speaking of the term better," He said. "How have you been feeling?"
Bruce smirked. "I tell you the truth Mr. Fox, I've been better."
Fox looked at him with a face of concern.
"Care to tell me what is really going on?"
"If I did you would just think it was a joke."
"Mister Wayne?"
"Yes, Mr. Fox?" Bruce asked.
"I build weapons and vehicles from a rich kid that dresses up as a bat so there is nothing that will surprises me."
Bruce nodded. "I'm cursed to be something."
Fox lifted an eyebrow.
"What ?"
"It's hard to explain it only happens at night." He paused. "I will show you tonight on the roof top of Wayne Tower."
"Alright what time?"
"Midnight," Bruce said.
Fox looked and saw the Bruce was walking away. He gazed at the billionaire with an uneasy gaze.
Bruce Wayne was in the underground bunker sitting at the massive computer desk observing DNA scans and he autopsy report from the victims that had some of their faces sliced off and covered with medical bandages. He typed in the word Image-treatments.
He turned at Alfred who was standing behind and indicated the screens.
"Whoever this killer is old friend, he has a medical experience in the term of plastic surgery. He is targeting the right people that have similar facial structures and the same flesh tones. Usually I am used to sick minded freaks that have an act of inflicting pain onto others, but this is different. He's crossed the line. Killing people for body parts is something only a wild animal would do Alfred." Bruce explained. "We need to find his motive before other person on the streets becomes a faceless victim in a trash can."
"Many of people have crossed the line, sir including the Batman. Remember when you squeezed the Falcone and the other mobs of Gotham into the point of desperation? With that outcome they hired that massing murdering clown to do their dirty work and to get you out of the way."
Bruce pressed a button on the side of the desk and arose from the chair.
"Like I said before the criminal mind is not complicated. We just need to figure out what this freak is after."
"You sound like a broken record, sir." Alfred said. "Those were the exact words that you said about the Joker and look at what happened because you misjudged your own power and thought that your creation would withstand anything that was thrown against him. But you are wrong and that mistake cost many lives."
"Rachel," Bruce said in a silent tone. "She was the one that hit home the most."
"Well you stop taking pity on your guilt sir. You finally know the truth that Miss Dawes didn't love you. So get over it and move on with your life. You dwell too much into the past Master Wayne that it is slowly eating at your soul. Look at what happened between you and Miss Kyle."
"Leave her out of this?" Bruce snarled.
"No. It's time that you choke on the truth sir."
Bruce was squeezing his hand.
"All Miss Kyle ever did was love you, Master Wayne. She wanted to share a life of reformation with you but instead you just pushed her away until finally she got the idea that you were too prideful with your heart."
"Alfred I can't be with Selina. I can't cross my line with her."
"What about Talia?"
"I can't love woman that worships her father like a god and only follows his wishes. Is there anyone else you want to add on the list?"
"Now there is a beautiful woman that has a good head on her shoulders and is strong both in the body and the heart."
Bruce walked to the steel cabinet and unlocked the door. The sharp angled suit was staring back at him. "Diana and I are just good friends Alfred. That's what I told the rest of the men in the League. We dated for a few weeks but it didn't work out because my work is too important."
"Now she is back in your life and so far I believe that you're taking your dating level to the next step."
"All I did was kiss her, Alfred."
"Did you do it for her or yourself?"
Bruce reached for the graphite cowl and looked down at the mask.
"Do you love her?" Alfred asked waiting for the truthful answer.
Bruce nodded.
"Then tell her."
He lifted his head and looked at the bat symbol on his dark grey plated armor.
"Not yet."
"And why not? Don't make an excuse that it's because you turn into a winged horse at midnight. She had far worse than you."
"Diana is going to have to prove to me that she will not interfere with my crusader of cleaning up Gotham. When she proves that then I will tell her."
Alfred shook his head. "You're a man of many things, Master Wayne but confessing your love to a woman is a whole different story all together."
Bruce pulled off his black shirt and threw it onto the cement floor. He reached in the cabinet and grabbed the armor.
"My heart is a weakness that my enemies will not share."
"No it's your pride. You don't like it when people try to help you when deep down you know that you need it. Miss Prince and you are about to face unspeakable evil and you will have to lose this senseless pride in order to let her work with you."
Bruce pulled on the cowl. He head for the parked Batpod.
"And where are you going? There might be another moon tonight?"
"I don't care about my curse Alfred. I've got work to do."
"See there you go with your pride again." Alfred pointed out. "You're as stubborn as a horse. It's no wonder why the gods decided to make into a Pegasus."
Batman turned his head and gave his butler a deep intense gaze and then curled his m shaped lips into a scowl. "I don't have time for this." He growled sliding onto the saddle and switching on the engine.