Hello everyone! Thank you everyone who reviewed! Please enjoy this next chapter and remember any criticism or encouragement is heartily welcome! Once again, I don't own DC Comics, the Justice League, or any of it's characters.
Beep beep! Beep beep! My communicator's insistant blaring roused me. Could I not wake up on my own just once? I fumbled around for the device and flipped it on. "Hello?" My voice sounded scratchy from sleep and I glanced at the clock to find it was only three in the morning. Seriously? Martian Manhunter's seemingly emotionless voice answered. "I have been asked to summon you to the meeting room for an emergency briefing."
"I'm on my way." I climbed from my bed and dressed quickly. In mere moments I was standing beside an irritated Clark and an indifferent Bruce. "What's going on?"
Bruce's voice was controlled when he spoke, completely Batman-like. Usually I could read him, but tonight I couldn't. "Disturbance in Gotham." I stilled. There was no way I was stepping into this mess once more. Instead, Clark responded. "What kind of disturbance? Still the Joker?" He glanced at me warily. "No. Joker is back in Arkham where he belongs. This is something else...something mythic."
His choice of words confused me. Though after all we had been through he couldn't deny that there was a mystical element in the world, Bruce was usually hesitant to embrace it head on. Clark took a seat at the table, gesturing to the empty seats. "Maybe we should call in the others."
Bruce waved him off. "I don't want them in my city. It's best this stays on the down low." Yeah, since he doesn't even want me there. I couldn't keep the spitefulness out of my own thoughts. It was silent for a moment before Clark spoke again. "Well, what exactly are we dealing with then, Bruce? Monsters? Gods? Sorcerers?" Bruce turned towards me and his cowl's blank eyes pierced me. "That's not exactly my area of expertise. I have live footage in the Batcave. If we get to the bottom of this now, we can all go to bed."
Bruce stood, clearly expecting us to follow him. "Well?" I tried to think of an excuse to keep me out of Gotham once more, but I couldn't think of any. Clark, however, threw me right under the bus. "Well, Bruce, this isn't really my area of expertise either. I think that I would only be in the way. I think it's better if just Diana goes in." This time I could read Bruce loud and clear. He gave Clark a look that said he knew exactly what Clark was doing and that Clark would pay for it once Bruce thought up a fitting punishment. Bruce finally just walked out and I followed behind, none too happy about how the morning was going.
When the transporter beam dispersed the cool air of the Batcave hit me full force. It had seemed so much warmer just a few days ago when only half the tension had been in the air. Bruce sat down in front of the Batcomputer, sorting through what seemed like a dozen different programs before pulling up the live feed he had mentioned. It showed a woman in the armor of the ancient world sporting a six foot spear and a square shield. She strode down the street, shouting and swinging her weapon.
Bruce reached for a dial and fiddled with it for a few minutes before sound cackled through the speakers. The armored woman's voice echoed through the empty Gotham streets. "Night will fall! Death will call! She will conquer all!"
"She's been spouting off like this for six hours now, according to the few security cameras still working in the Narrows. I assumed, by her attire, that she's one of yours."
"Well, what do you want me to do about it, Bruce? Last I heard I was supposed to keep out of your city." He didn't meet my eyes.
"This is different. I don't want to wage a war with your people by attacking an Amazonian emissary. And, as you so clearly pointed out, I am out of allies."
"Well, she's not from Themyscira. Can you zoom in?" Bruce monkeyed with the controls for a few moments before the camera view shot toward the woman's face. "She still doesn't look familiar." I glanced toward him, his cowl making it difficult to read his expression. "Am I allowed back into your city long enough to see what this is all about?"
"Just this once, Diana. Don't push it." He paused for a moment before speaking again. "Is there anything you can tell me about her?"
I zoomed the camera out, before pointing toward her shield. It was black on black with an odd shimmery aura to it. A crescent moon stood out as her coat of arms. "See that moon? That's a symbol of Artemis, which is one of our main goddesses, but like I said she's not one of ours." Bruce clicked out of the software and stood. I smiled sheepishly and lowered my voice to an imitation of his. "Come, Diana, to the Batmobile!" He didn't even crack a smile. "This isn't a joke, Diana. This is my city. Do you know how many crimes happen every day in Gotham? There is nothing funny about it. And you'd better watch your back this time!"
I took a deep breath before following him quietly. This was definitely one of those days where he was more Batman than Bruce.
We drove in complete and utter silence down the quiet, winding roads which led from his mansion into the heart of the city, which just about made me want to rip the door off of his ridiculous vehicle. Just a few days ago we couldn't get enough of each other and now I was trying to think calming thoughts. Finally, I did what I did best, put my nose into Bruce's business. "Why did you call me in? You literally threw me out of your mansion just a few hours ago and now you want me to bend over backwards to protect your city! Why?!" His knuckled tightened on the steering wheel. "Answer me!" He recklessly pulled the Batmobile to the side of the abandoned road.
"Because maybe I thought about what you said and realized you were right, Diana! I am fighting an endless battle with my allies out of commission. Who else was I supposed to ask? I've backed myself into a corner that not even I can dig myself out of. Go ahead. Tell me 'I told you so'. I placed a hand on his gently. "I'm not going to do that, Bruce. I'm sorry I hurt you, but you are so bullheaded! I needed to get my point across and make it hit home. I enjoy your company immensely, but if you clam up and throw me out every time we have a disagreement or angry words we will never work." Bruce's nodded before speaking hesitantly. "I...apologize...for being stubborn."
I smirked. "And arrogant, manipulative, self-centered, and just plain rude." This time he smiled with me. "At least you know, Bruce, that I'll always tell you how it is. I'm sorry I spoke so cruelly." He nodded once more. His right hand uncurled from the steering wheel and enveloped my own as he maneuvered the car back onto the road. I didn't know what we were going to discover in Gotham's underworld, but now that Bruce and I were back on the same side it didn't stand a chance.
The dark consciousness squirmed. The conflict had been resolved too quickly for it's liking. If the Princess returned to Gotham now all their hard work would be for naught. The shadows which had been rising in the city had already seeped slightly back into where they belonged. A single ray of light pierced it, and the black shape knew what it had to do. If a mortal didn't do the trick, surely an immortal would.
In the blink of an eye, the shadow flew high into the sky, temporarily blocking the light of the rising sun. If the princess was going to be stubborn, she would pay dearly. Soon, the darkness slipped into the presence of the six goddesses. They stood surrounding a large gem concentrating on the very princess whom the shadow so desperately despised. The consciousness infiltratred the room unnoticed, planting her dark vision in their minds. One by one their minds were warped and twisted...Hera, Athena, Hestia, Artemis, Demeter, Aphrodite...all swept into the spider's web. Aphrodite was the first to speak. "How dare this mortal man woo our champion! She is an Amazon! Only a man worthy of her should be allowed to be her prize."
Hera nodded. "He will take her heart and stomp on it. He is as Zeus. Loyal one day, traitor the next." Hestia placed a hand on the gem solemnly, gazing at the girl in question with a sweet, sorrowful expression. "He will force her to become his servant, a mere instrument. And she will allow it. What say you, Athena? How should we move forward? She must be protected."
Artemis growled. "I say we hunt him down. My maidens will make short work of him." Finally, Demeter, the one the furthest away from the dark presence, spoke. "How do we know this, sisters? Perhaps he knows the value of her, perhaps he will treat her better than the men of old. What then? Maybe he is worthy of our champion."
They, in one accord, turned toward Athena for an answer. The wisest among them stayed quiet, gazing into the gem with unseeing eyes. Finally she met each of their eyes.
"With one as blessed as Diana, we must be certain that he will not abuse her power. He is not like the Superman, sharing her burden. What if he claims her as his own merely so he may possess her powers? Or what if, after he has won our champion's heart, he casts her aside?" The group nodded, agreeing with her. "We must find a way to prove that he loves Diana for herself, not for anything else. Diana's love must be proven as well."
Aphrodite's green eyes gleamed. "I have an idea of how we can settle both." Hera's critical gaze latched on to the Mistress of the Doves. "If either one fails your test, they should both be punished.
"Trust me...they will be." The darkness smiled. Surely this would put an end to their infernal meddling.
I was still holding Bruce's hand when we arrived at the location depicted on the security cameras. After the last couple days I was afraid that if I let go we would be back where we started, staring at each other during League meetings when we thought the other wasn't looking. I was forced to drop it, however, when a shop window shattered behind us. We leapt from the car to see the woman standing next to the scene of the crime. The window had pull down bars over it, like the ones I had seen in the malls, but her spear was slid through the slats.
"It's about time that Batman came out of the shadows! I was beginning to believe you were a coward!" She removed her spear from the now empty window frame, and turned the point toward us. "And Wonder Woman! I've been waiting for you! I have come with a message from my mistress." She banged the handle of the spear on the pavement and her voice sounded as if millions were speaking with her. "Night will fall! Death will call! She will conquer all!" I rolled my eyes. This again? "Who are you? Why have you really come?"
The woman loomed about my height, with hair as blonde as mine was dark. She had sharp green eyes and a permanent frown etched upon her face. "I am Akantha, hunter of prey and bane of the light. You will bow before my mistress!" Bruce motioned for me to keep her occupied, and he began to run scans from a device built into one of his bracers.
"I refuse!" Her green eyes glinted silver and she moved to near me, but something in the shadows seized her attention. A few seconds passed and her eyes returned to their previous state. "You are lucky, Amazon, for my mistress requires my presence. Next time you will not be so fortunate." With a mighty yell she hurled her spear at me. I crossed my manacles in front of me, blocking the javelin. It clattered to the street uselessly and I whipped my head back toward my opponent, only to find a wall of thorns separating her from us.
I lowered myself to the ground, ready to launch into pursuit, when Bruce placed a hand on my shoulder. "She's gone, Diana. She disappeared from my radar the moment the wall went up. Our time would be better spent at the Batcave decrypting data from my scans." I shook my head. "I can catch her, Bruce!"
"Diana, don't go in half-cocked. Remember the last time? I don't want to see you hurt." I looked over at his hand and calmed. "You're right. Let's return to the cave."
The drive back to the cave was much shorter than the previous car ride. Without the tension in the air, it felt as if a weight had been lifted. And, having not slept peacefully for what seemed like ages, I felt exhausted. I was surprised I had enough energy to climb from the car, let alone make my way to the Mansion's parlor. I didn't remember sitting on the couch, nor Alfred placing a cup of tea in my hand. I didn't even notice as my hand slowly lowered and lowered until the cup landed softly on the floor and my eyelids slid closed.
Thank you again for reading and stay tuned, next chapter will be interesting... I want to thank my beta reader and second opinion, Fantasyandlogic. You're the best!
