When the Princess is away Part II
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Hippolyta's subtle smile lingered as the laughter of the Amazons echoed through the temple. The joy of seeing Diana so free, so at ease with her companion, was infectious—even though the queen of the Amazons would never admit to feeling quite so indulgent of her daughter's antics.
But before the moment could pass entirely, something shifted in the scrying pool. The image of Paris's rain-soaked streets, with Diana and Bruce still racing the police, shimmered for a moment, as if the magic itself sensed a change in the winds.
The rippling surface slowly transformed, showing a new scene: a dark, expansive cave—massive stalactites looming above a series of computer monitors and sleek, high-tech equipment. In the center of it all stood Bruce Wayne. He had just stepped off a raised platform, a soft hum of technology signaling the activation of what could only be some sort of advanced teleporter.
"Where is he now?" Donna asked, curiosity piqued as she watched the scene unfold.
"Is this his home?" Audrey added, leaning closer to the scrying pool. The excitement of the car chase was suddenly overshadowed by this unexpected shift in perspective.
But Hippolyta's eyes had narrowed in suspicion. The Amazons were warriors, tacticians, and they had learned to recognize signs of deception, of hidden lives. The cave—this vast, high-tech fortress—it spoke of secrecy. And Bruce Wayne, who had played the fool with Diana just moments ago, now moved with a calculated precision that suggested he was no mere actor.
Bruce's posture was different now, more deliberate, as he approached a massive console—the heart of what could only be some kind of command center. He tapped a series of buttons, and the Batcomputer whirred to life, its screens lighting up with streams of data. But something else caught the Amazons' attention.
On a nearby platform lay an array of armor. Not just any armor—but black, sleek, and unmistakable: the armor of the Batman.
The atmosphere in the temple shifted immediately. The casual amusement that had filled the air just moments ago was gone, replaced by a sense of growing realization.
"Is that...?" Donna began, her eyes widening as she took in the sight.
"It can't be," Audrey whispered, though even she sounded uncertain.
Hippolyta, ever the sharp strategist, said nothing at first. Her eyes remained locked on the pool, watching as Bruce, now fully alone, began the transformation. He removed the leather jacket and the casual clothing he'd worn during their escapades in Paris, revealing a much more battle-hardened physique beneath. His movements were fluid, practiced—too practiced for someone who spent his days pretending to be a mere actor.
Piece by piece, Bruce donned the Batman armor, pulling the cowl over his head, his entire demeanor changing as he did. Gone was the easy-going charm, replaced by the cold, calculating focus of Gotham's Dark Knight.
"He's... Batman?" Donna whispered, her voice tinged with disbelief.
Hippolyta's expression remained unreadable, but internally, a storm of thoughts swirled. Bruce Wayne—charming, playful Bruce—was one of the world's greatest vigilantes? And Diana had no idea?
Before any of them could fully process what they were witnessing, an alarm rang out across the Batcave. The Batcomputer had detected something, and the Amazons didn't need to hear the alert to understand what it was.
"He knows we're watching," Artemis said, her tone one of cautious approval. "He's sharper than we gave him credit for."
The Batcomputer's screen flashed a warning: MAGIC SCRYING DETECTED. SOURCE: UNKNOWN.
Bruce—now fully in his Batman persona—looked up sharply, his eyes narrowing behind the mask. He stepped toward the console, his gloved hands moving quickly across the controls as he initiated a scan to trace the source of the scrying. His expression was calm, controlled, but there was an intensity in his gaze that sent a shiver down even Donna's spine.
"Is it possible for him to find us?" Audrey asked, her voice carrying a hint of nervous excitement.
Athena, still standing beside the other goddesses, shook her head with a knowing smile. "He may be brilliant, but even the greatest mortal mind cannot trace a scrying pool as old as this one."
Bruce's fingers flew across the Batcomputer's console with a speed and precision born of years of training. His face, hidden beneath the mask, betrayed nothing, but the Amazons could feel the tension building through the scrying pool. Data streamed across the massive screens, algorithms running at breakneck speed as Batman initiated a series of countermeasures.
In the temple, the air grew thick with apprehension. The goddesses and Amazons exchanged uneasy glances. They had long been accustomed to watching the world unseen, but this—this was different.
Bruce's eyes narrowed as he activated a protocol labeled SCRY-NULL, a defense mechanism designed for exactly this type of intrusion. He clearly had experience with magic, or at least knew enough to combat it. Instantly, the scrying pool's image began to blur, the clear vision of the Batcave flickering as if the connection were being actively severed.
"He's... shutting us out," Donna said, her voice rising with sudden realization. "How is that even possible?"
Hippolyta took a step forward, her brow furrowed in disbelief. The Amazons had faced magic before—powerful magic—but this was something else. Bruce Wayne, a mortal, was managing to resist their ancient scrying. Not even the most brilliant tacticians of Man's World should be able to detect, let alone counter, the magic of Themyscira.
"Impossible," Hippolyta murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. Yet, before her eyes, the image was fading, the connection between the scrying pool and the Batcave unraveling with each keystroke Bruce executed.
Beside her, Artemis watched with begrudging admiration. "He's more than just mortal. He's planned for this... for everything."
As if to emphasize her point, the scrying pool flickered violently before stabilizing once more. The image was weaker now, distorted, but Bruce had not yet fully succeeded in cutting them off. The Amazons could still see him, standing tall before the Batcomputer, his hands pausing briefly over the keys as he considered his next move.
And then he initiated something that sent a ripple of panic through the temple.
"He's not just blocking us," Athena observed calmly, though her eyes sharpened. "He's tracing the magic."
Audrey took a step back, her hand gripping Donna's arm. "Can he find us? Can he trace it back to Themyscira?"
Athena hesitated for the briefest of moments, her gaze fixed on the shimmering pool. "He's trying," she admitted. "But no, he won't find us. Our magic is too ancient, too vast. He may sense it, but the location of Themyscira is beyond the reach of any mortal."
Hippolyta, however, was not as reassured. "If he can trace the magic, even partially, he could still learn enough to raise suspicions. Diana's trust—her loyalty—could be compromised if she learns of this through him."
The image in the scrying pool flickered once more, Bruce's face coming into clearer focus as he stood before the Batcomputer. His eyes were sharp, calculating, as he watched the data on his screens.
And then, he spoke.
"I don't know who's watching me, but you're not going to like what happens next," his voice was cold, cutting through the distorted scrying link like a blade.
As if on cue, Bruce activated a new command on the console—one that sent shockwaves through the temple.
The pool flashed violently, the waters trembling as the energy from the Batcomputer surged against their magic. A glowing red light enveloped the scene, obscuring Bruce's figure. Whatever he had activated was far more powerful than anything the Amazons had anticipated.
"Mother," Donna whispered urgently, "he's forcing the connection shut. We need to—"
"Quiet!" Hippolyta snapped, her eyes fixed on the pool. "We need to see how far he can go."
Bruce's face appeared one last time in the pool, his expression unreadable but focused. The red light pulsed brighter, growing more intense until the connection finally shattered. The image disappeared entirely, the scrying pool returning to its usual calm surface.
The temple was deathly silent.
For a moment, no one moved. The goddesses exchanged glances, and even Athena seemed unsettled by what had just transpired. Artemis folded her arms across her chest, her lips pressed into a thin line.
Hippolyta, however, was the first to break the silence. "He nearly traced us."
Athena stepped forward, her tone measured but serious. "It was closer than I expected. For a mortal to detect, block, and attempt to trace Amazonian magic... he is no ordinary man."
"Batman," Donna murmured, still in shock. "He's the Batman."
Audrey let out a low whistle. "Well, that explains a lot."
But Hippolyta's face was set in grim determination. "This... complicates things. Diana cannot know of this. Not yet."
Athena looked at her curiously. "You plan to keep it from her?"
"For now," Hippolyta said, her voice firm. "Diana's loyalty to Themyscira and her sense of justice are intertwined. If she learns that we were scrying on Bruce—on Batman—without her knowledge, it could fracture the trust she has in both worlds."
"She'll find out eventually," Donna said, though there was no challenge in her voice—only a quiet understanding.
"Perhaps," Hippolyta conceded. "But not today."
Artemis stepped forward, her voice low and respectful. "If I may speak plainly, my queen, this Bruce Wayne—this Batman—he is not like other men. He is prepared for threats, even those from beyond Man's World. He is dangerous, but I believe he respects Diana more than we realize."
Hippolyta met her gaze, then turned her attention back to the pool. "Respect is one thing, Artemis. Trust is another. And trust between Diana and this man will be tested—especially now that we've seen the truth behind his masks."
Audrey, ever the pragmatist, raised an eyebrow. "So, what do we do now? Pretend none of this happened?"
Hippolyta exhaled softly, her eyes still on the scrying pool as if expecting Bruce to somehow reappear. "We watch. And we wait. Bruce Wayne is not our enemy, but he is unpredictable. And if he is to remain close to Diana, we must be prepared for whatever may come."
Athena's voice cut through the tension, calm yet firm. "Secrets have a way of surfacing, Hippolyta. Bruce may have hidden behind his mask today, but he cannot keep it from Diana forever."
Hippolyta turned toward her, her gaze resolute. "When the time comes, Diana will learn the truth. But it will be on our terms—not his."
The temple remained quiet, but the unease in the air was palpable. The Amazons had seen much that day—far more than they had expected—and the implications of what they had witnessed would ripple far beyond the walls of the temple.
As they stood in silence, watching the calm waters of the scrying pool, one thing was certain:
Bruce Wayne—Batman—was far more than they had anticipated. And the delicate balance between Diana's two worlds was about to be tested like never before.