I do not own Young Justice or any of the characters.
Injustice
Cassius remained silent as they flew. His goo still wasn't working, a full week later. He could only barely control them enough to change what he was wearing. However, his break was over. A group of villains known as the Injustice League had begun to conduct simultaneous attacks across multiple cities around the world. The Injustice League consisted of Joker, Poison Ivy, Count Vertigo, Atomic Skull, Wotan, Black Adam, and Ultra-Humanite. They had demanded ten billion American Dollars as a ransom, thankfully with no time limit, so the Justice League had begun to fight the massive, Kobra-Venom-powered plants they were controlling, some of which had Joker Venom mixed in. They were just the distraction, though. The Team was being sent to deal with the Injustice League directly. It was a huge step up from being assigned missions to keep them busy, and it was also proof that the Justice League was ready to trust them. But most of all, it was dangerous. Cassius had no ability to use his powers, and was worried about letting Cassandra and Rose be on the mission. However, as they were the only people in the world that he truly cared about more than himself, he supposed worrying about them was natural. He took a deep breath, letting out a long inhale to keep from sighing. He needed to get used to letting them defend themselves. Both were exceptionally skilled, and more than capable of defending themselves. He needed to be able to have faith in them, rather than allowing his worry for their safety to control him. He smiled. Far cry from a heartless assassin.
"We're entering Bayou Bartholomew," Megan reported.
He opened his eyes, looking around at the others just as Kaldur, who apparently had nearly been replaced as leader over not telling the rest of the team there might be a mole, turned to him.
"Void, are you able to use your goo at all?" Kaldur asked.
"No," Cassius said. "Nothing. I'll be sticking to normal people fighting for this."
Kaldur nodded. "Orphan and Ravager, you two will remain with Void at all times. The three of you will protect each other. Void, if anything happens with your group during the mission, you have my permission to make a decision and inform us when able. I trust your judgement enough to give you command of your own group within the team, and as this is the first mission Orphan and Ravager have gone off, it will be better if you are in charge of them, as they trust you exclusively."
"Understood," Cassius nodded. "Don't worry. Both of them will be assets."
Kaldur nodded.
"What's in the duffel?" Wally asked.
"Plan B," Kaldur said, just as Megan groaned.
"You alright?" Connor asked worriedly.
"Dizzy," Megan said.
"Martians get airsick?" Robin asked.
"She does look a bit greener than usual," Wally said.
"Not me, her," Megan said.
"I feel fine," Artemis said.
"Not her," Artemis said. "The Bio-Ship. She's trying to shield us, but..."
"It's Vertigo," Cassius said. "His powers allow him to give anyone, well, vertigo. Dizziness, nausea, fainting. Everyone better brace for a rough landing."
Instantly, everyone's restraints tightened just as the ship began to shudder and shake, rolling first one way, then the other. Finally, something crashed into the underside of the Bio-Ship, sending it flipping and rolling before it crashed to the ground, bouncing along the river. Just as it stopped, massive roots burst out of the water, wrapping around it, beginning to drag it under. Then, Black Adam ripped a hold in the ship, only for Megan to grunt in pain and report that he was hurting the ship, prompting Connor to drill a punch into his face, sending him hurtling away. Then, the hole was underwater and water began to flood in through the hole, the room rapidly beginning to fill.
"No," Artemis said flatly. "No way I'm nearly drowning three missions in a row."
"But you should be an expert by after this one," Cassius said, running his hand along the wall beside himself. "It's alright, girl. We can take it from here."
He glanced at Artemis and Wally, Robin having already disappeared into the water, as Artemis held out a rebreather to Wally.
"Wow," Wally said, accepting the device. "Uh, thanks."
"M'gann!" Connor said, pulling Megan out of her head. "We need to get out. Open a hatch."
"Hello, Megan!" Megan said, forming herself gills. "Of course!"
She dove under and Cassius turned to Rose and Cassandra.
"Take a deep breath," Cassius said, both nodding.
Then, the three of them followed the rest under the water and through the large hole in the floor, including Connor's newest pet, a shoulder-height white wolf that he had, fittingly, named Wolf. They swam for a long ways, far enough that Cassius's lungs were burning for air, and rounded a bank before surfacing. Cassius, Cassandra, and Rose all gasped for breath as soon as they were clear, watching the Bio-Ship be dragged the rest of the way under.
"She's in shock," Megan said. "She'll need time to recover."
Just then, Vertigo's power slammed into them all, dropping them to the ground.
"Vertigo!" Wally groaned.
"Count Vertigo, to you peasant!" Vertigo corrected him.
Connor began to stand just as Black Adam arrived, drilling a punch into his face.
"You're fucking lucky I can't use my powers right now," Connor growled, struggling to ignore his nausea enough to get up.
"Ah yes, the two runaways and the traitor," Vertigo said. "The League of Shadows will be very grateful when we give them you three."
Just then, Kaldur pulled water from off to the side using his Water Bearers and sent it crashing into Vertigo, hurling him away.
"Robin, Miss Martian, disappear!" Kaldur ordered through their telepathic link. "We will keep them busy. You two fulfill the mission objective."
Just as Kaldur finished, Black Adam slammed a punch into his head. Then, Rose and Cassandra's feet both crashed into Black Adam's face, knocking him back a step before Cassius managed to finally regain his feet, leaping forward and Superman Punching Black Adam in the nose. It did very little besides hurt Cassius's hand, but it distracted Black Adam just long enough. Just as he lifted Cassius by the throat, Connor's fist crashed down on Black Adam's forearm, freeing Cassius before he punched Black Adam, hurling him away. However, he only staggered back a couple steps this time. He rocketed forward, grabbing Connor and slamming him to the ground before beginning to plow him through it. At the same time, Vertigo's power slammed into them all again, once again dropping them to the ground. This time, however, Cassius collapsed to the ground, groaning as his head spun before darkness flooded his mind, claiming him.
As he stirred, he felt himself moving, though he was lying on something solid, like metal. He groaned softly, and within seconds, a set of hand was holding each of his. He smiled. Cassandra and Rose, at a minimum, were okay. He opened his eyes, seeing the inside of a cage made of glowing, orange, magical energy with bars connecting the upper and lower plates. Kaldur tried to use his tattoos mystical power to pry two bars apart, but achieved nothing but tiring himself out. Cassius sighed, giving both girls' hands a squeeze, warning them to be ready. Both smiled, and he sat up, looking around. Wotan was maintaining the cage, Black Adam was carrying it, judging by the feet trailing behind them, and Cassius had a feeling Vertigo was on top of the cage. Currently, their chances of escape were essentially nothing. He'd have to wait. Just as a building with two large rounded walls leaning away from each other and a green dome making up the rest of it came into view, the Bio-Ship suddenly shot over them, slamming into Wotan's head and knocking him out, freeing themselves. Cassandra and Rose flipped instantly, both sticking a small bomb to Black Adam's chest as they passed him. Cassius smiled. Such a well-behaved ship.
He looked up at Black Adam just as the bombs exploded, sending him flying, leaving behind a trail of smoke. Vertigo crashed down into a tree, off to one side, and just as Cassius pushed himself to his feet, Ultra-Humanite stepped out from behind a tree, holding a grenade launcher with a large cylinder to hold its rounds. The great white gorilla's hair was caked in mud, and his brain was exposed, making Cassius grimace slightly, though he could worry about being grossed out by an exposed brain later.
Cassius lunged instantly, knocking the gun aside before he could be shot, then slammed a fist into its face, knocking it back a step. Then, he jumped, slamming a roundhouse kick into the side of its head before dropping into a low crouch. Cassandra and Rose both stepped off of his shoulders and leapt forward, slamming a pair of drop kicks into Ultra-Humanite's face, knocking him back several more. Then, Connor crashed into the him, tackling him.
Kaldur and Artemis turned as Poison Ivy stepped up onto a raise chunk of ground off to the group's right. They both reached for their weapons, only to realize they'd been taken, as had Rose and Cassandra's guns and swords.
"Ugh, I feel naked," Artemis said. "And not in a fun way."
"You're a bit young to know about the fun way to be naked," Cassius said, stepping up beside her.
"We will make our own fun," Kaldur said, leaning out of the way of a massive root that Poison Ivy tried to impale him on, "as we have been trained. Maneuver Seven!"
He and Artemis both sprinted at each other as Cassius charged. Ivy sent several roots at him, only for him to dodge out of the way, then leap onto one. As he did, Kaldur hurled Artemis into the air. Then, Artemis slammed a drop kick into Ivy. Both women landed on their feet in the water, but just as they did, Cassius slammed his fist down into Ivy's head. Off to one side, Cassandra and Rose were voiding Vertigo's line of sight, which was how he aimed his power, along with Black Adam, mostly keeping him distracted. A moment later, Wally sped past both, dropping off their weapons in the process, before both drew their blunted swords, instantly changing tactics. Cassius grabbed Ivy by the arm as she was distracted by trying to attack Artemis with her roots, then spun, hurling Ivy into a tree and knocking her out. Then, he looked back to Cassandra and Rose as Cassandra managed to get close enough to Vertigo to slam her blunted wakizashi into his gut, dropping him before kicking him in the head to knock him out. At the same time, Rose slammed her swords both down into Black Adam's shoulders at the point where it transitioned into the neck. As a result of striking perfectly, Black Adam went down hard. Just then, the mass of roots growing out of the top of the domed building exploded, Robin and Megan standing where it was.
"Timber," Robin said.
Just then, a beam of golden energy slammed into Megan's back, Joker and Atomic Skull, a withered husk of a man with a helmet to channel his power's energy into a beam, turned to chase both her and Robin, who went to help her up. As they did, Cassius, Rose, and Cassandra moved to meet the pair.
"Handle Atomic Skull!" Cassius instructed.
Both nodded, branching off to meet him as Cassius charged Joker. As they neared their targets, however, Wotan returned, a bolt of blue, electric, mystical energy crashed into each of their chests. Cassius grit his teeth against the pain, struggling to move, only for the force of the beam to hold him pinned tot he ground. Then, the Bio-Ship suddenly dropped Kaldur's duffel bag in front of him as he held both his and Megan's beams back. He unzipped it and pulled out the Helmet of Fate.
"No, Aqualad!" Wally shouted. "Don't!"
A moment later, there was a flash of golden light and Aqualad was wearing Doctor Fate's blue and gold costume. Wotan's beam had ended as soon as he saw the Helmet of Fate, so Cassius stood, charging at Joker again, Cassandra and Rose likewise continuing toward their designated target.
"Wotan, you are mine," Doctor Fate said, before easily overpowering Wotan's attack, binding him in glowing gold chains.
"Wonder Boy, you are mine," Joker said, mimicking Doctor Fate's voice, as he stepped up over Robin, who was still struggling to stand.
Then, just as Joker laughed, Cassius reached him, stripping the knife from his hand and hurling it into a tree before spinning and slamming a windmill kick into the side of Joker's head, hurling him. Joker stood, drawing two more knives just as Cassandra reached him, Atomic Skull unconscious off to the side already, Rose already cuffing him. Cassandra moved to fight Joker, except something was off. He slashed at her, but her sword was too far away. His knife cut shallowly into her. He stepped forward and turned his hand, so she prepared to block a stab, only for Joker's other hand to slash. The knife tore down across her chest, fortunately sparking off of a promethium plate, before his first knife stabbed amid Joker's slash's follow through, driving itself into her side. She shouted in pain just before Cassius jumped, slamming a foot into his face. He crashed into a wall before Batman stepped out from behind it, dropping Joker almost instantly. Cassius turned to Cassandra as she pulled the knife out, holding her hand to the injury.
"You should have left that in," Cassius said, Cassandra waving her off.
"I don't understand," Cassandra signed. "His movements didn't make sense. He looked like he was going to kick when he stabbed, and like he'd headbutt me when he slashed the second time, but the first slash looked like it would be a knee before he actually attacked. I couldn't read him."
"Joker's known for being unpredictable," Cassius said. "Seems that's even true for you."
Cassandra nodded, both looking around as more Justice League members arrived.
Cassius walked over to Joke, ripping some of his suit off and folding it several times before pressing it to Cassandra's side. She applied pressure and nodded, and they walked over to the others.
"There will be another day," Vertigo said as he and the rest of the Injustice League were surrounded, minus Joker.
"That's what you think!" Joker suddenly snarled, raising his hands and moving his fingers like he had strings attached.
Sensors and wires glowed white on the insides of his gloves as massive roots burst out of the ground. Pods along them exploded, spreading Joker Venom into the air. Batman shot forward, punching Joker and knocking him out a second time just as Doctor Fate flew into the air.
"Fear not!" Doctor Fate said, a massive, shining, golden ankh forming in the air in front of him, sucking in the Joker Venom. Once it was gone, he let the ankh disappear. "Fate has intervened!"
The Justice League gathered up the Injustice League and left with them, minus the main members.
"What were you thinking!?" Connor demanded, glaring angrily at Megan. "How could you let him put on the helmet!?"
"Nabu will never release him now," Wally said. "Kaldur will be trapped inside Doctor Fate forever."
Doctor Fate watched them for a moment before reaching up and pulling off the helmet, a blinding golden light obscuring him before leaving Kaldur behind, holding the Helmet of Fate.
"Nabu let you go?" Wally asked.
"He almost did not," Kaldur said. "But your friend Kent was most helpful. He says hello."
Wally grinned, just as Batman walked over to them.
"We're done here," Batman said. "The Injustice League has been neutralized. As for your performance...It was satisfactory. In particular, Orphan and Ravager, you two did well. Better than I would have expected of your age."
"Agreed," Robin nodded. "Nice work you two."
Both girls smiled proudly, each taking one of Cassius's hands, Cassius smiling and rolling his eyes, giving their hands a light squeeze. Batman was apparently done speaking because he turned, walking back to the rest of the Justice League members still present and they all left. Megan brought the Bio-Ship in to allow them all to board and Cassius took Cassandra to a room in the back where she could take off her suit in privacy for him to clean and bandage her injuries for her. Then, once she was dressed again, they returned to the others and settled in to fly back, all of them congratulating each other on their performance, all of the others heaping praise on Cassandra and Rose for taking down a member when the rest of them struggled to do so.
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