Bruce never imagined the Batcave was sentient.
The cave had been there since he was a child, but he only became aware of it after falling into that dark place full of bats.
Back then, he was so scared he cried for his mother. Years later, he returned and turned it into the Dark Knight's base of operations, the "birthplace" of Batman.
Everything went off the rails when he brought back an unidentified object.
Bruce, also known as Batman, rarely found his mind completely blank. He stood frozen, watching his Batmobile turn into a giant robot and rescue Jason from a warehouse about to explode.
All his reason could manage was a wary, instinctive question: "What are you?"
The robot gently bowed its head.
"My child," it said. "Bruce, I am your mother. (I'm your MOM)"
...What?
"Cool!" his son shouted excitedly from nearby, having just escaped death.
Bruce could only feel that everything happening today was a dream.
"So you're the Batmobile? Hey, I hope you won't hold it against me for taking one of your tires off!"
"I won't," it replied softly in a mechanical voice. "Besides, the Batmobile is only one part of me."
"I am what you call the 'Batcave.'"
What did that mean?
"It means," it said, its steady voice seeming to carry a hint of laughter, as everything in the high-tech cave began moving as if it had come to life,
"there are many versions of me here."
And Mom would keep you safe.
Notes:
1. Pairing undecided. We'll see where things go.
2. Since she's Mom, the Batcave is the female lead, right? () But the protagonist isn't Martha, and she won't replace Martha.
3. Inspired by Legends of the Dark Knight #69
Theme: The love of a nonhuman mother is just as great
