Batman despised women, but years of education had taught him to respect them—a blend of European chivalry and the old knightly reluctance to raise a hand against them.
His attitude toward women was one of indifference. Talia bore him a son and then stabbed him. And it wasn't a metaphorical stab—it was a real blade piercing his flesh. His response? To endure it.
Catwoman betrayed him, and he simply forgave her, as if he hadn't even noticed.
Even the half-crazy Harley Quinn, in later years, received only criticism and attempts at reform—a stark contrast to how he beat the Joker to near death.
A confrontation between someone with mild mysophobia and Lady Shiva? Predictable.
There were too many places he couldn't hit! The chest? Off-limits. The waist? Too sensitive. The face? Staring into Shiva's cold, beautiful expression, he found himself unable to continue.
His hands were tied by his own code, his feet restricted by hesitation. His martial skills—already inferior to Shiva's—were now completely disadvantaged. He could only remain standing thanks to the durability of his suit.
He wanted to check on Catwoman, unaware that Felicity had hacked all the surveillance cameras. Any second now, the police could storm in, armed to the teeth. Distracted, he took two blows from Shiva. Nervously, he turned to look at Catwoman, about to shout, "Hurry up!"—but nearly bit his tongue when he saw her.
At that moment, Catwoman and Thea stood side by side. Their previous fight might as well have never happened. They were leaning on each other's shoulders, watching him as if this were entertainment. They looked ready to pull out popcorn and chairs to enjoy the show.
Little did he know, behind the cameras, Felicity was munching on snacks and silently cheering him on.
From time to time, he caught snippets of their conversation:
"Shiva's punch to the face was weak. Hasn't she eaten today?"
"No, you're looking at it wrong. That was a feint. The real attack was the kick! Look at that—beautiful! That side kick was perfect!"
Bruce wanted to kneel before these women. Why am I even trying? Who am I fighting for?
The conviction that he'd never fight a woman again grew stronger. He considered calling a ceasefire, but Shiva was enjoying the fight too much to let him.
Thea, meanwhile, studied their movements—their footwork, their shifting stances. This was true martial arts. At best, she was just a fighter, not even an enthusiast.
"Thea, back up—police incoming in one minute!" Felicity's urgent voice crackled in her earpiece.
"The police are coming!"
Thea hesitated. They were all warriors; abandoning them felt wrong. But she had no choice. She shouted toward the battlefield.
To be fair, none of them were exactly heroes. Thea had to protect her public image. Catwoman was a thief. Shiva, an assassin. And Batman? One of Gotham's most wanted. If they were caught, they'd all be in the spotlight.
The fight ended instantly—not because Batman stopped, but because Shiva did. Batman had wanted to run ages ago.
Shiva, a bit dissatisfied, smirked and called out to Thea:
"Training continues tomorrow morning."
Before she could finish her sentence, she vanished into the night.
Batman gave Thea a nod. It was clear now—she never intended to turn them in. If she had, the police would've arrived much earlier.
Without hesitation, he wrapped an arm around Catwoman's waist and fired his grappling hook into the sky. Within seconds, they had risen thirty meters and disappeared into the darkness.
As the night blurred around her, Thea caught a glimpse of the Batfighter. Long, sleek fuselage, propellers positioned under the wings… That must be the key to vertical takeoff. She tried to get a better look, but before she knew it, the craft had vanished.
"Next time, I'll study it more closely!"
In the distance, sirens wailed. She quickly followed Felicity's escape route.
Back at the event, Thea had feared that Catwoman's interference had completely ruined her plan to restore the Queen Group's reputation. But to her surprise, Moira had handled everything brilliantly.
The reporters and politicians were still there, and Moira had launched into full-blown crisis management. By the time Thea arrived, she caught only the end of her speech:
"We must not cower! We will not be defeated! We must unite against these criminals who threaten and intimidate us. They fear us—they fear our collective strength! Inspector Edward and I have already submitted proposals to the government and parliament. The Queen Group will donate $5 million in equipment to the Star City Police to help fight crime!"
"Join us! Let's keep Star City safe and secure!"
"Additionally, the Queen Group and the city government will each offer a $1 million reward for any leads on tonight's criminals! We urge the media to spread the word—let's put a stop to this lawlessness!"
Some of the celebrities in attendance hesitated, but no one dared refuse. No one wanted to look stingy in front of the cameras.
Watching her mother turn a crisis into a PR victory, Thea silently applauded her political genius.
As for whether the promised equipment or rewards would ever materialize? Who knew? Star City wasn't Thea's ultimate goal anyway. Their sights were set much higher—on the sea of stars.
After the fundraiser wrapped up, the police inspector took the stage. With a heavy expression, he declared that the criminals would be caught. But in reality, everyone knew he was just ensuring he met his yearly fundraising quota before transferring to a better post.
Thea, tired of the political theatrics, waved at Moira from across the room and dragged Felicity out before they got roped into more press questions.
As soon as they stepped outside, they heard the reporters swarming the officials:
"Ms. Queen, can you update us on your cooperation with the Police Department?"
"Inspector Edward, what's your crime-fighting strategy for the coming year?"
"Detective Lance, any comments on the disappearance of your youngest daughter and your eldest daughter's boyfriend…?"
Thea heard an indignant yell from the hallway.
Oh… that reporter has never been punched before, has he? Who even brings that up right now? Bold. Or just plain stupid.
Out in the open air, she and Felicity spoke in hushed voices.
"Felicity, did you record everything from tonight?"
"Of course! But Thea… Batman is so handsome. Do you know who he really is?"
"How would I? We just met. All I know is… he's a man!"