Watchtower; November 25th, 06:54 EST
Wonder Woman, Superman, and Batman stood on one of the Watchtowers levels, looking out at the view of the Earth. The Amazonian was the first to break the silence among the three. "Times like these, one feels the very weight of the world upon us." They turned when they heard footsteps approaching.
"Everyone is here," Aquaman informed.
They walked into the room to find Flash, Red Tornado, both Green Lanterns, Captain Marvel, Captain Atom, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Martian Manhunter, Zatara, Hawkgirl, and Hawkman all in the conference room waiting for the meeting to start. The other four Leaguers walked in, stopping to look among them. "Our Agenda is clear. What's at stake should not be underestimated."
"The decisions we make today will reverberate for years to come," Superman added.
"And influence whether or not the world continues to put their trust in the Justice League," Wonder Woman chimed in.
"Please, take your seats, we have work to do," the Dark Knight finished
Every Leaguer began to surround the table, taking their seats as they were informed to do. Once everyone was seated, Manhunter stood, being the first to speak. "Another expansion of the League could generate another escalation of hostilities from our enemies. No one needs or wants another Injustice League."
"Point taken but the option remains to vote no to all candidates. So, i vote Icon for League membership," Superman said as he looked to the screen of the hero.
"Why? 'Cause you suspect Icon might be kryptonian like you did with Captain Marvel," Green Arrow questioned.
Marvel was surprised. "You thought I was kryptonian? Cool."
"Icon interests me also," WW told him as she placed a hand on his wrist. "As does his protégé," a new image replaced Icon on the screen with a dark skinned girl. "Rocket. Athena knows the League could use more female members." She glanced to the other ladies with a knowing smirk. The two agreed as Marvel looked at Arrow and Atom who were slightly wide eyed. Batman pulled up an image of a small man.
"Seriously? The Atom?" Marvel asked. "Well, how useful could he be at that size?"
"It's the size that makes him useful," the Dark Knight stated.
"Absolute," Flash agreed causing the two Leaguers to look at him. "Still we could use some more raw power and Earth has a third Green Lantern." The speedster typed into his screen pulling up an image of the other Lantern. "Guy Gardner-"
The two Lanterns were quick to shut him down. "No!"
"But we could really-"
"No!"
They moved on, continuing to Blue Devil which to no one had an issue with. Green Arrow stood, looking amongst his allies. "If we're considering Blue Devil, then I nominate Red Arrow. Roy has more experience and he's no kid anymore, he's eighteen. A legal adult. He's ready."
"Is he?" Aquaman questioned. "Red Arrow has been uncooperative and disrespectful. If we award that behavior, what message does that send to the rest of the Team?"
"No," the Kryptonian deadpanned. "Red Arrow may be eighteen but the rest of the Team is too young." Marvel pulled around the hem of his uniform. "We're not conducting children into the League.
Zatara spoke of Aqualad as well as Kid Flash, deeming them ready. "What about Zatanna?" Canary asked.
"Absolutely not!"
"And Wanda?" Wonder Woman asked.
"Wanda's skill level is advancing, at the rate we are going i believe she will surpass me."
Manhunter stood, pulling up an image of the brunette. "I have reason to believe she already has. Her telepathic skill level is far more advanced than anything i have seen before, something that could be of good use to us. Though she has much to learn, i see her to be a fitting candidate."
"Wanda has proven time and time again that she doesn't need to rely on her powers. Her hand to hand combat is excelling. She's able to adapt to any given situation you throw her into," Canary added. "Wanda isn't someone who is easily moved." She paused for a second, thinking back to their therapy session, when she had watched her completely break down. If it was any other person then the blonde was sure that she'd able to move past it, but the fact that it was someone who had never shown their vulnerability just proves that even after what Wanda has been through, she was still human. "She is cunning, resourceful, courages-"
"Reckless," Batman stated.
"Perhaps a bit of recklessness is what the League needs," WW spoke out.
Captain Atom tilted his head. "I'm sorry, isn't she the one who's brother works for Sportsmaster?"
"Her brothers' actions do not define her," Red Tornado defended.
They put her into one of the fitting candidates before moving on. The Dark Knight pulled up a picture of a man in sunglasses and a red bodysuit. "Plasticman." Captain Marvel put his hand to his mouth, letting out a small chuckle.
"I don't know, the guys got a pretty substantial criminal record," Flash pointed out.
Marvel continued to laugh. "Sorry, sorry. The guy just cracks me up." He glanced around the room to find the League looking back him.
The speedster sighed. "Maybe it's time we talked about the elephant in the room. Should Captain Marvel stay a member? Now that we know that he's really only ten years old." An image of the Captain appeared.
"He does possess an adult body," Tornado informed. "And the Wisdom of Sullivan."
"Wisdom does not equal maturity," Aquaman stated.
"Hey, i'm sitting right here."
Canary leaned forward in her seat, offering him an apologetic grin. "Then, Billy, maybe you should leave until we've hashed this out."
"No, Captain Marvel is a member and is entitled to participate until and unless he is voted out-"
"It's not just his age," Wonder Woman said, interrupting Batman. "It's the fact that he lied about it."
"I didn't lie, exactly, i just left out the part about being a kid.
"A lie of admission is still a lie. You kept an important secret from us, no one in the League knew the truth."
Marvel looked at his hands feeling defeated. That was until the Dark Knight spoke up. "I did." The Amazonian looked at him, clenching her fists on the table.
"I shouldn't be surprised, since you adoptinated Robin into crime fighting at the ripe old age of nine. She pulled up an image of the Boy Wonder.
"Robin needed to help bring the men who murmured his family to justice-"
"So he could turn out like you?"
He remained silent for a moment. "So that he wouldn't."
The tension between the two was clear, so Manhunter stood once again in hopes of breaking it. "You seem to have reach consensus that eighteen years is a suitable minimum age for joining the League. Yet what of Miss Martian?" He looked to the image of her. "Though she is a biological adolescent of martian standards, she was born 48 earth years ago."
"So, what is the deciding factor?" Tornado asked. "Chronology or biology?" The image switched to one of Conner. "Take Superboy."
"Exactly," Canary agreed. "He's less than a year old. Does he have to wait seventeen more to stand beside us?" Wonder Woman glanced at Superman who looked down, away from the image, deep in thought.
The meeting soon came to a close. "No other ideas?" The Man of Steel asked as the Amazonian and Dark Knight stood at his side. None of the Leaguers said a word, giving him conformation. "Then here are our candidates or new or continued membership. Screens appeared around the room with Captain Marvel, Robin, Aqualad, Miss Martian, Kid Flash, Wanda, Superboy, Rocket, Icon, the Atom, Zatanna, Red Arrow, and Plastic man each on them.
"We've debated origin, gender, size, experience, age, temperament, and background," the Leaguers looked around at the screens. "but what is the fundamental criteria of membership?"
"When all is said and done," Wonder Woman stepped up. "the question must be, who do we trust? Trust to fight beside us, trust to have our backs," mini screens appeared in front of the seated members for them to vote on. "Trust to uphold the high standards and ideals of the Justice League."
They all looked back to Batman. "Time to vote." The three gave them time to pick and eventually it was time to announce the new members. "All those in favor of ratifying the results."
"I!" Most of them called out.
"All oppose," he looked around the room to find no one raising their hands. "Then we are adjourned."