Judgment of the Endless (MarvelxDC)

The atmosphere inside the meeting room of Mount Justice was heavy with tension. The Young Justice team had gathered to discuss an unusual topic—the recent unease among their Justice League mentors.

Kaldur, the team's de facto leader, stood at the head of the table, his expression serious.

"It's clear that something big is happening," Kaldur said, folding his arms. "But they're keeping it from us. If we're going to help, we need to understand what's going on."

"I don't see what the big deal is," Wally West, Kid Flash, said as he lazily leaned back in his chair. "They always act secretive when it comes to major threats. It's their thing."

Artemis frowned. "But it feels different this time. My mentor, Green Arrow, looks…worried. That's not normal."

"Superman's been distant," Conner Kent, aka Superboy, muttered, his voice tinged with frustration. "He won't say a word about what's bothering him."

As the discussion continued, no one noticed the faint shimmering distortion that began to form in the center of the room.

It was subtle at first, but in an instant, the room exploded with color as Verity, Aurama, Zuri, and Whimsy appeared out of thin air.

The Young Justice team immediately jumped to their feet, startled by the sudden appearance of the newcomers.

"What the—?" Robin exclaimed, reaching for a smoke pellet on his utility belt.

Zuri let out a low growl, her massive form towering over the young heroes. Whimsy floated lazily in the air, his wide grin unfazed by the hostility surrounding them.

"Who are you?" Kaldur demanded, his hand already summoning water from the air.

Verity, completely unbothered by the tension, beamed at the group. "Hi! I'm Verity! This is my cousin Aurama, my panther Zuri, and my very best friend Whimsy!"

Aurama gave a small wave, her mismatched eyes curious as she looked at the gathered heroes. "Hi."

"Charmed," Whimsy said, spinning lazily in the air. "No need for hostility, little heroes. We're just passing through."

The group, however, didn't lower their guard. Conner, his usual short temper bubbling to the surface, narrowed his eyes. "Who sent you? Are you working for someone? You don't just 'pass through' Mount Justice."

Verity tilted her head, her expression still cheerful. "No one sent us. We're just exploring! Whimsy thought this place looked fun."

"Fun?" Conner snapped, his frustration boiling over. "You think you can just waltz in here and call it fun?"

Before anyone could stop him, Conner blurred forward, his Kryptonian speed carrying him across the room in an instant.

He grabbed Verity by the collar of her dress and lifted her off the ground, his face inches from hers. (Do dresses have collars? Like kid dresses.)

"Who are you really?" he growled. "No one just appears here without a reason. Are you spying for someone? Are you a shapeshifter?"

The other Young Justice members gasped, their protests drowned out by Conner's rising anger.

Despite the situation, Verity remained perfectly calm, her cheerful demeanor unshaken. "You're very strong," she said, tilting her head slightly. "But you're also very rude. My papa says it's not nice to grab people."

Whimsy, who had been floating idly nearby, arched an eyebrow. "I'd put her down if I were you," he advised, his tone playful but laced with a hint of warning. "You don't want to upset anyone who might be watching. Or anyone standing right here."

Conner scoffed, tightening his grip slightly. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Aurama, who had been quiet until now, stepped forward. Her small frame radiated an energy that was both chaotic and intense. "Let. Her. Go."

Conner barely had time to turn his head before Aurama's fist connected with his torso. The punch landed with an earth-shaking force, sending Conner hurtling through the walls of Mount Justice and miles into the horizon.

The room trembled from the impact, dust and debris falling from the ceiling.

The Young Justice members stared in stunned silence as Aurama lowered her fist, her mismatched eyes glowing faintly with raw power.

"Cousin or not," she muttered, her voice filled with quiet fury, "nobody touches my family like that."

Before anyone could react, a deep, commanding voice cut through the tension.

"What is going on here?"

Everyone turned to see Batman and Superman entering the room, their expressions grim.

Batman's sharp eyes immediately took in the scene—the gaping hole where Conner had been thrown, the two young girls, the massive panther, and the floating Cheshire Cat.

His mind worked at lightning speed, piecing together the events that had just transpired.

Superman, however, froze the moment his eyes landed on Verity. His heart skipped a beat as recognition dawned. "Verity?" he murmured, his voice barely audible.

Batman's jaw tightened. "Conner attacked her, didn't he?"

"Not just her," Whimsy chimed in, his grin wide and mischievous. "He got a little handsy, and our dear Aurama here handled it."

Superman stepped forward, his voice filled with urgency. "Are you hurt?"

Verity shook her head, her cheerful demeanor undiminished. "Nope! I'm okay. But he was really rude. Papa wouldn't like that."

Batman turned to Kaldur. "Why didn't you stop him?"

"We tried," Kaldur said, his voice defensive. "He acted before we could intervene."

Aurama crossed her arms, her expression defiant. "He shouldn't have touched her. I don't care who he is."

Before anyone could respond, Superman's communicator buzzed. He glanced at it, his expression shifting to one of relief. "Conner's fine. He's…stunned, but fine."

"That's lucky for him," Whimsy said with a chuckle. "If Verity wanted to, she could've turned him into stardust."

Batman's sharp gaze shifted to Verity. "Darius prohibited you from using your powers, didn't he? I would have expected you to erase him"

Verity nodded, her smile bright. "Yup! Papa says no world-ending stuff unless it's really important. I don't like fighting anyway."

Superman let out a slow breath, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "We need to handle this carefully," he said, addressing Batman. "Darius doesn't take kindly to his family being mistreated."

"And for good reason," Batman replied. "We need to apologize. Immediately."

Moments later, Conner returned, escorted by a slightly exasperated Flash. The young Kryptonian was scuffed but unharmed, his expression a mixture of embarrassment and simmering anger.

"You," Batman said, his voice cold, "owe her an apology."

Conner hesitated, his gaze shifting to Verity, who looked up at him with a cheerful, almost forgiving expression. "I…I'm sorry," he muttered, his voice barely audible.

"It's okay!" Verity said brightly. "Just don't do it again. Papa doesn't like it when people hurt his friends or family."

Aurama huffed but said nothing, her posture still defensive.

With the situation de-escalated, Verity turned to the Young Justice team. "Can we start over? I promise we're not here to cause trouble. We just wanted to explore!"

Kaldur nodded slowly, his stance relaxing. "We can start over. But next time, maybe give us a little warning before you appear out of nowhere."

Whimsy chuckled, his grin widening. "Where's the fun in that?"

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