Godfather Owl: Guardian of Batman

Bruce ran his hand over the sleek surface of the Batmobile, caressing it like one might a cherished lover.

"This is perfect," he murmured, utterly captivated. For him, life felt complete in this moment.

The origin of this Batmobile wasn't particularly mysterious—it was a commission from a version of Batman who lived hundreds of thousands of years ago. After that Batman returned to his own timeline, the car was left in Hephaestus's possession. Now, fate had brought it back to Bruce.

Hephaestus had built this Batmobile to the standards of a divine chariot. It came equipped with features like impenetrable armor, remote summoning, spatial warping, and even interstellar travel.

However, it wasn't the car's baseline specs that intrigued Kathoom.

"What if we added a space expansion spell inside?" the owl mused. "It would turn this Batmobile into a fully functional spaceship."

Kathoom's thoughts didn't stop there. If Halley, their tiny dragon companion, merged with the Batmobile and imbued it with Speed Force energy, it could solve their longstanding problem of transporting multiple people across dimensions.

Kathoom also noticed an additional feature—a Batcycle hidden inside the car. It could be launched at a moment's notice, a detail sure to send Bruce into a frenzy of delight.

How does a motorcycle even fit inside a car like this? Kathoom wondered.

On that note, Kathoom had a sudden idea. Reaching into his feathers, he pulled out the Hellbat suit.

"Why didn't I think of this sooner?" he mused. "With a transformation spell, I could turn the suit into a swarm of metal bats that fly to Bruce and assemble themselves on him when he shouts, 'Suit up!'"

While this transformation wouldn't actually be faster than putting the suit on manually, it would look undeniably cooler.

Satisfied with his vision, Kathoom resolved to keep it as a surprise for when Bruce next needed the Hellbat suit.

---

Bruce and Diana spent a few days near Hephaestus's forge. At first, the oppressive heat was nearly unbearable for Bruce. He had to conjure cooling spells every few minutes just to function in the extreme environment.

By the second day, however, Hephaestus had fashioned him a simple solution: an air conditioner.

It wasn't revolutionary—air conditioning had existed since 1902—but it got the job done.

Three days later, Hephaestus returned with the reforged Mjolnir in hand.

"You're really only taking these two things?" Hephaestus asked, glancing at the secret lasso and the Batmobile. "I wouldn't mind if you grabbed more."

Technically speaking, the Batmobile didn't even count—it had always belonged to a Batman.

"No, this is enough," Bruce replied, content.

In truth, Bruce was wrestling with whether to warn Hephaestus about his inventory. Over the past three days, he had caught Kathoom flitting around the forge's storeroom, casting duplication spells on various artifacts. Each original was left intact, but Kathoom used the duplicates to pull off subtle swaps.

When Bruce confronted him, Kathoom played innocent.

"You can't do this," Bruce had scolded. "These are Diana's brother's treasures. What you're doing is stealing."

"I'm doing this for a noble cause!" Kathoom had protested, feigning tears. "I can hear the cries of these weapons! They're begging to escape this musty storeroom and return to the battlefield."

"Save it," Bruce had snapped, cutting through the owl's dramatics. "Your excuses won't work on me. Put everything back. Hephaestus is our friend."

Reluctantly, Kathoom complied under Bruce's watchful eye. But even then, Bruce couldn't be sure the owl hadn't kept something particularly valuable. He simply couldn't monitor him every second of the day.

Now, as Hephaestus handed over the reforged Mjolnir, Bruce examined it closely.

The hammer retained its cracks, giving it an appearance of fragility, as though it might shatter again at any moment. However, the largest crack formed a bat symbol at the core—a deliberate design by Hephaestus.

"I reforged every piece of it," Hephaestus explained. "Each fragment has been polished into a unique shape, connected by the lightning that serves as its new core. You can reshape it however you like—a sword, a spear, even a whip of lightning."

"Thank you, Hephaestus," Bruce said, gripping the hammer. Immediately, he felt its immense weight. The hammer slipped from his hands and crashed to the ground, immovable.

"…This is awkward," Bruce muttered, puzzled. Did Hephaestus somehow recreate Odin's enchantment?

How had Hephaestus lifted it earlier, then?

"Hahaha!" Hephaestus laughed heartily, producing two rings from his massive hand.

"There were some leftover scraps from the reforging process, so I made these," he said. "Whoever wears one can wield the hammer's power."

Rather than bypass Odin's enchantment, Hephaestus had created a clever workaround. The rings, forged from the same material as the hammer, allowed the user to wield its powers without directly lifting it.

"I learned a lot from reforging this," Hephaestus added, clearly proud. "Thanks to your hammer, I've gained insights into using celestial bodies as forging materials. My craft will reach new heights."

"I should be the one thanking you," Bruce said sincerely. After a moment's hesitation, he added, "But… Hephaestus, you might want to check your inventory. Aren't you worried something might be missing?"

"No need," Hephaestus replied confidently. "I've set up safeguards. Nothing leaves this storeroom without my permission."

"And if something did?" Bruce pressed.

"Then they've earned it," Hephaestus said with a grin. "Anyone who can outsmart my defenses deserves to keep what they take."

"Your words, not mine," Kathoom quipped in a language Hephaestus didn't understand.

At this point, Bruce realized further warnings would only come across as rude. Let's see how this plays out, he thought. Either Kathoom gives Hephaestus a lesson in humility, or the owl finally gets caught.

"Relax, kid," Kathoom whispered. "I shrank the items down and hid them in Halley's stomach. By the time Hephaestus notices, we'll be long gone."

"What did you take?" Bruce asked, exasperated.

"Nothing from the storeroom," Kathoom said, feigning innocence. "I just grabbed some forging materials and a single forge."

Apparently, Kathoom had used this opportunity to collect rare metals—including Amazonium, the material used to forge Wonder Woman's bracelets.

Bruce couldn't fathom why Kathoom had gone to such lengths for a mere forge.

"You could've just asked for it," Bruce said, exasperated. "Hephaestus probably would've handed it over."

"No!" Kathoom protested vehemently. "It's not the same! The thrill of acquiring it this way is priceless!"

Bruce sighed, resigned to the owl's peculiar logic.

---

After bidding farewell to Hephaestus, Bruce drove the Batmobile away. Just as Kathoom had boasted, Halley's assistance ensured Hephaestus never discovered the stolen forge.

In a flash of red lightning, Bruce and Diana returned to the mortal world.

Diana sat in the passenger seat, her golden armor gleaming from Hephaestus's upgrades. "Let's go take down the Sea Queen," she said eagerly. "I can't wait to test my new gear!"

"Not so fast," Bruce cautioned, letting go of the wheel as the Batmobile switched to autopilot. "We need to analyze our opponent first."

He opened his notebook, flipping to his detailed observations from their previous encounter with the Sea Queen.

"She's from Earth-11, a matriarchal world where women rule and men are subservient," Bruce began. "Her power comes from two sources: Poseidon's Trident and the Atlantean army."

The Atlanteans, he explained, were bound to the trident's will. Their strategy was clear—neutralize the trident first, then handle the rest.

"Got it!" Diana nodded enthusiastically. "Take out her weapon, then everything else will follow."

Bruce hoped she truly understood his plan. He couldn't help but worry that once the battle began, Diana's excitement might make her forget everything.

With a press of a button, the Batmobile began transforming. Its wheels retracted, protective armor enveloped the windows, and it morphed seamlessly into a sleek submarine, diving into the depths of the ocean.

The onboard scanner soon detected a massive cluster of lifeforms ahead.

"There they are," Bruce announced, steering the Bat-sub toward their target.

"Wait!" Diana suddenly exclaimed. "Bruce, can you even fight underwater?"

Bruce smirked. "Don't worry about me. I've got a suit for that."

As he glanced at the shifting light above, his mind briefly wandered to the face of the Deep—a hero who had once lent him the ability to fight underwater.

Thanks for the assist, pal, Bruce thought wryly, before focusing back on the task at hand.

---

The Sea Queen sat on her throne, tightly gripping Poseidon's Trident, her eyes closed as if resting.

This was no Atlantean palace but a newly constructed war outpost, hastily erected for her campaign.

As she sat there, a figure draped in flowing silver silk approached—an ethereal woman with long, silver-white hair, her appearance as radiant as a goddess.

The Sea Queen's eyes fluttered open, and for a moment, an unguarded expression crossed her face.

"Moth—"

She stopped herself before completing the word, a pang of realization pulling her back. This wasn't her world, and the woman before her wasn't her mother.

"Atlanna," she said instead, addressing the figure. She shifted on her throne, creating space beside her. "Come, sit with me."

Before the Sea Queen had arrived in this world, Atlanna had been the queen of Atlantis. But the moment the Trident of Poseidon had chosen the Sea Queen, Atlanna had willingly relinquished her throne—not just because of the Trident's overwhelming power, but because she felt an inexplicable kinship with this mysterious woman.

It was a bond she couldn't explain, as if the Sea Queen were her daughter.

Atlanna took the seat beside her, and the Sea Queen's hand naturally rested on Atlanna's shoulder.

As mentioned before, Earth-11 was a world dominated by heroines and villainesses. Male heroes had been reimagined as women, while female heroes remained women.

This gender dynamic had led to some unusual changes. In Earth-11, relationships like Superman and Lois Lane's couldn't exist. Instead, Superwoman and Lois had developed a deep friendship, giving rise to a unique culture of sisterhood.

The Sea Queen had no trouble forging a similar bond with Atlanna.

"Aurora, do we really need to continue this fight?" Atlanna asked softly, her expression clouded with concern. Though she respected the Sea Queen—Arthuria Curry—as ruler of Atlantis, she couldn't understand why they needed to interfere in human wars.

Many warriors of the seven seas had already perished.

"We must," the Sea Queen replied with a heavy sigh. "I came to this world with a mission. But it pains me deeply to see my soldiers fall."

"Can't we stop?" Atlanna asked, gently running her fingers through the Sea Queen's golden hair. "Let's return to the deep sea. That is where we truly belong."

"For now, it's impossible," the Sea Queen said, her tone resolute. "But there might be another way."

"What way?" Atlanna asked, hope flickering in her voice.

The Sea Queen's gaze hardened with determination. "I came to this world because of a wish. If I can discover how to make another wish, perhaps I can break free from my mission and remain in this world forever."

Her original world was engulfed in darkness, a place she had already died once to escape. To live a new life in this brighter, more vibrant reality was an opportunity she would gladly seize.

But she had yet to discover how to make such a wish.

Atlanna opened her mouth to respond, but before she could speak, Poseidon's Trident began to glow, pulsating with golden light.

The Sea Queen's expression instantly shifted to one of icy focus. She snatched the Trident and stood, her voice cold and commanding.

"There are intruders," she declared. "Atlanna, alert the soldiers. Prepare for battle."

Atlanna hesitated for a brief moment, then rose, her silver skirts flowing behind her as she hurried away to deliver the order.

The Bat-submarine had deftly navigated through a barrage of Atlantean defenses and now surfaced in front of the Sea Queen's war outpost.

"No water?" Bruce observed curiously as he stepped out of the vehicle.

The air was thick and humid but breathable. He reached out, grasping at the damp atmosphere.

The Sea Queen's gaze fell upon the two intruders—Bruce and Diana—with a shadowed intensity.

"Who are you?" she demanded, her voice sharp.

"I—" Bruce began to answer, but the Sea Queen cut him off with a dismissive wave.

"I wasn't asking you," she said coldly, pointing at Diana. "Let your woman speak."

To the Sea Queen, combat was strictly the domain of women.

Though she had already fought Black Adam in this world and learned that men here could participate in battle, she found the concept utterly distasteful. In her eyes, men were a vulnerable group, meant to be cherished and protected, not thrown into the fray.

Bruce, with his youthful appearance and composed demeanor, struck her as no exception—a young, delicate boy who had no business on a battlefield.

However, as her gaze lingered on Diana, her expression twisted with disdain.

What kind of person drags a boy like this into war?

Yet, as she studied Bruce more closely, the Sea Queen couldn't help but notice his striking features. Among men, his looks were undoubtedly exceptional—elegant, sharp, and regal.

What a waste, she thought.

While the Sea Queen's perspective might seem absurd to Bruce, it aligned all too well with Diana's own upbringing. As an Amazon warrior raised in a society devoid of men, she saw no issue with the Sea Queen's words.

"I've come to challenge you," Diana declared, stepping forward with her sword and shield. She stood firmly in front of Bruce, shielding him instinctively.

"For the honor of the Amazons, I will drive you out of this world!"

"That's not up to you," the Sea Queen replied icily.

Her gaze shifted back to Bruce. "Find a safe place to hide. I don't want you caught in the crossfire."

To the Sea Queen, men needed to protect themselves when venturing outside. It was just common sense.

---

Ahem! Esteemed audience, gather closer! You stand in the presence of brilliance, the likes of which Fontaine has never seen! Truly, you're witnessing a masterpiece in motion, a living legend in the making, an—

Oh! But wait! Where was I? Right, me! As you all know, such brilliance doesn't manifest from nothing! It takes effort, dedication, and a sprinkling of your… oh, how shall I put it? Generosity! If you desire to be immortalized alongside my unparalleled splendor, do step forward here: [patreon.com/WiseTL].

And yet, I must ask: why do mortals so often hesitate to seize an opportunity like this? I mean, really, supporting me is tantamount to—oh! Imagine if I personally rewrote every law in Fontaine! The brilliance! The upheaval! The dramatic courtroom soliloquies! And naturally, I'd—

"Furina, enough. The audience is here for the translations, not your Fontaine fantasy chronicles."

Wait, Wise! I wasn't done captivating them!

"You've captivated them plenty. Now, mortals, if you wish to contribute to something truly extraordinary, the link is there. Support and bask in the glory of my—"

—our—

"my hard work."

Hmph! Fine! But I'm still the true star of this end note. Obviously.

— Furina ✨ (reluctantly sharing the stage with Wise 👑)