Selina Kyle, known to Gotham's underworld as Catwoman, stretched nguidly on the queen-size bed as the early morning light filtered through the curtains of their opulent apartment. She was cd only in her pristine beauty, the sun rays flowing along her graceful contours. She yawned prettily, slid out of bed, and made her way barefoot to the wardrobe. Across the room, Priscil Ann Domaine, better known as the Cheetah, stood in front of a full-length mirror, putting on her costume with years of practiced ease. The air between them was thick with unspoken tension, a daily ritual as they prepared for their vastly different missions.

  Priscil gnced at her lover as Selina began pulling her bck catsuit from the cupboard. "Big pns for today, honey?" she asked, her tone light but her eyes sharp. There was a hint of something darker in her voice, something she tried to mask with a casual air. Selina, ever the enigma, smirked as she slid into her suit, the leather hugging every curve.

  "Just the usual," Selina replied, zipping up her suit with a practiced motion. "Thought I might pay the Gotham National Bank a little visit. See if they're in a generous mood today."

  The Cheetah's eyes narrowed, a flicker of jealousy passing through them. "And by 'visit,' I suppose you mean a run-in with him?" She tried to keep her voice steady, but the underlying edge of jealousy was unmistakable. Selina paused, her hands adjusting her whip, before turning to face her girlfriend with a teasing smile.

  "Maybe," Selina replied, her tone dripping with pyful sarcasm. "But it's not like I pn these things. If he shows up, he shows up."

  The superviliness crossed her arms protectively over her chest, the tension in her slender frame visible. "I bet you hope he does. You always seem to have a way of attracting his attention, don't you?" There was an unmistakable bitterness in her words, a vulnerability that she rarely showed. Selina's smile faltered slightly, a sign that Priscil's words had hit too close.

  "Well, I don't see you compining when Wonder Woman shows up," Selina shot back, her eyes narrowing as she turned the tables on her fellow feline. The room was suddenly thick with unresolved emotions, and neither woman was being honest with themselves or the other. The Cheetah's lips tightened over her fangs, and for a moment, it seemed like the conversation might spiral into something more heated.

  But instead, Priscil sighed, shaking her head. "Alright, fine. Go rob your bank," she said, her tone softening slightly. "Just… be careful, Selina?" Giving her girlfriend a lingering look, she moved forward, pnting a possessive kiss on Catwoman's lips.

  "Always," Selina whispered, her voice full of affection and arrogance. She pulled her cat-eared hood up over her head, and with a graceful leap, she jumped out of the apartment window, disappearing into the morning light. The Cheetah watched her go, her heart heavy with the fear of loss and jealousy.

  Once Selina was gone, Priscil turned back to her preparations. After finishing up, she pressed a button on the bracelet around her wrist, activating a transport beam that whisked her away to the Legion of Doom's headquarters.

  On top of a tall building in Metropolis, the Cheetah was standing face-to-face with Wonder Woman. The two fierce warriors were locked in a battle of wills and strength. The csh was brutal and intense, with neither side willing to give an inch.

  The fight raged on, but Wonder Woman's superior strength began to turn the tide. "You win this one, Wonder Woman, but I will be back, and next time I'm going to be on top!" the Cheetah snarled in defiance, just as the Amazonian princess was about to deliver the final blow. Using the st of her strength to press a button on her bracelet, the Cheetah disappeared in a fsh of light to avoid being caught.

  Meanwhile, in Gotham, Catwoman sprinted across the rooftops, her heart pounding as Batman chased her through the city's byrinthine skyline. She had successfully robbed the bank, but now she had to deal with the Dark Knight's relentless pursuit. She gnced over her shoulder, a mixture of exhiration and annoyance coursing through her veins as she pushed herself to move faster.

  Later that night, the two women y in bed together, their costumes discarded on the carpeted floor. Selina rested her head on her lover's shoulder, the day's events weighing heavily on both of them. Priscil stroked her girlfriend's long hair absentmindedly, her mind clearly elsewhere. The tension from the morning had yet to fully dissipate.

  As they y in the dark, Priscil broke the silence. "You're not really here with me, are you?" she asked quietly, her voice tinged with sadness. "You're still thinking about him." Selina stiffened slightly but then forced herself to rex, her face turning away from Priscil's knowing gaze.

  "I'm just tired," Selina replied, her voice unconvincing even to herself. But her girlfriend wasn't fooled. She gently turned Selina's face back towards her, their eyes locking in the dim light.

  "I can tell when you're lying, Selina," Priscil said softly. "But it's okay. I get it. We both have our… distractions." There was no anger in her voice, only a quiet resignation. Selina looked into her eyes, feeling a pang of guilt.

  "Well, you're not exactly innocent either," Selina murmured, her tone matter-of-fact. "Wonder Woman's always on your mind, isn't she?" The two women exchanged a weary look, both understanding the unspoken fears and doubts that haunted their retionship.

  After a long moment, Priscil sighed. "Can this thing we have really work, my kitty?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Selina didn't answer immediately. Instead, she leaned in, pressing a desperate kiss to Priscil's lips, trying to push away the doubts and fears. The night stretched on, filled with the quiet sounds of the city outside and the heavy, unspoken emotions between them. They clutched each other tightly, both hoping that their love would be enough to survive the challenges they faced, but neither was entirely sure of what the future would hold.

  ---

  The portal closed behind him with a gentle flicker. Ultimate Bruce Wayne stood on a sidewalk beneath an early morning sky. He took a slow step forward, scanning the unfamiliar streets of this Gotham City.

  A movement drew his gaze upward. High above the skyline, a lithe figure leaped across rooftops — with the unmistakable grace of Catwoman. He watched her nd, roll, and vanish down a fire escape.

  *Even here,* he thought. *She is around.*

  Then he heard it — not the cry of the innocent, not the csh of criminals — but something deeper. Angrier. Human.

  A mob.

  He moved toward the sound. People poured into the streets — mothers, fathers, neighbors — wielding bats, hammers, and torches. Rage unified them. One name echoed through their voices: *Freddie.*

  Ultimate Bruce sub-vocalized to the Batcomputer embedded in his elevation tech — an advanced system capable of accessing any database or network. "Give me information on what's happening with this crowd."

  The Batcomputer responded at once. "People in this Gotham are targeting an individual named Cougar Freddie — a known serial killer and pedophile who has murdered children for years. He's evaded justice repeatedly due to his mother's influence. She's a high-ranking judge with deep political connections. This is the twentieth time he's been set free."

  *They want justice,* Bruce thought. *No... they want closure.*

  And they were going to get it — by burning Freddie alive in the same house where he once lured children to their deaths.

  "Computer, does this universe Batman share my philosophy?" Bruce asked.

  "Based on current records and past activity," the Batcomputer replied, "his methods align with yours by 99.9% — prior to your abandonment of the mantle."

  He knew what needed to be done. By the time he reached the Batcave, the Batman of this universe — noble, idealistic, so much like his former self — was already preparing to save Gotham from itself. At least, that's what he believed.

  "You're going to stop them," Bruce said from the shadows.

  The other Batman didn't flinch. He stood at the center of the cave, mid-suited.

  "I have to," he said, sliding the cowl into pce. "They're about to commit murder."

  Bruce stepped forward. "They're about to take back the power your system denied them."

  "That's not justice."

  "No," Bruce admitted. "But it is a consequence."

  Silence fell over the cave.

  Batman turned toward him, eyes narrowing behind opaque lenses. "You think I should let them burn him?"

  "I think," Bruce said slowly, "that you *won't* stop him. You *can't.* You've tried. Over and over. And every time, he slips through."

  "I won't kill him."

  "I'm not asking you to." Bruce stepped into his path. "I'm asking you not to save him."

  Batman stared at him like he'd spoken a foreign nguage. "That's the same as killing him."

  "No," Bruce said. "It's letting the world correct a mistake it can't afford to keep making."

  A moment passed — fragile as eggshell. For a heartbeat, the other Bruce considered it. Then he shoved past his multiverse counterpart.

  "I won't let it happen."

  Bruce sighed. *So be it.*

  The fight was inevitable. It was precise. Brutal. Neither man held back. Each blow was a decration — of belief, of trauma, of loss turned kinetic.

  They fought like mirrored opposites — one in a sleek Batsuit, the other in a sharply tailored business suit. Bruce blocked a roundhouse kick to the head and countered with a sweeping leg strike that sent Batman crashing into a workbench.

  "I'm not doing this because I don't believe in what you believe," Bruce said between gasps. "I'm doing it because I believe in the world we protect. And right now, protecting that monster means betraying it."

  The Batman rose, face bloodied. "You're justifying a murder."

  "I'm preventing several," Bruce shot back. "Ones he *will* commit."

  "You don't know that. You can't see the future."

  "Come on, Batman. Don't be na?ve. This isn't a prophecy. It's probability. And probability has made one thing clear — Freddie won't stop. This is what he does. This is who he is."

  They cshed again. Fists met armor. Feet struck ribs. But Bruce had one advantage: experience. Not just in combat — in pain. He knew when to break, when to hold, when to stall.

  And that was all he needed — time.

  The low digital voice of the bat computer interrupted the fight. "Fire engines and ambunces dispatched to 1428 Elm Street. House in fmes. Recently released F. Kruger believed to be trapped inside."

  Both men froze, chests heaving.

  Batman turned toward the exit. Bruce didn't stop him.

  They arrived at the fire. The house was already engulfed. Around it stood the mob — not shouting, not celebrating — just silent, as if something distasteful but necessary was finally done.

  Batman dropped to his knees.

  Bruce stood beside him, watching the fire consume what remained of Freddie Kruger.

  "He's gone," Batman whispered. "You let it happen."

  "I didn't save him," Bruce replied. "There's a difference."

  Batman looked up, eyes hollow.

  "She'll mourn him," Bruce added. "That mother. Just like these parents mourn their children. The world won't make sense of this. Maybe it's not supposed to."

  "I won't ever become you," Batman said.

  "I hope not," Ultimate Bruce Wayne replied. "But one day, you'll face something you can't solve with the rules. And you'll remember this."

  He turned away.

  Walking back into a city where, at long st, a monster had finally been stopped.