As my friend 'Rush says "Curses on you and your ideas."
The Bare Bones: Dick / Artemis / Cameron - AU Drama. [no those aren't promised pairings, not really, they're just the main three characters for POV purposes], however Artemis is the main-main character.
Author's Note: Be aware I use a lot of side characters for things – or characters that don't even exist in YJ, but YJ has so many cameos anyway so whatever - so if I am being OoC please let me know. Keeping track of everyone has been tricky.
/
/
It was an oddly sunny morning that late September day.
Artemis was half in a dream filled with blue eyes and roof top hijinks, as her alarm buzzed in her ears. She opened her eyes and let them graze across her estranged sister's old Alice and Wonderland poster. The last time Artemis had seen her sister Jade, was nearly six years ago. Artemis was nine. She still didn't have the heart to remove the old poster from the walls or the cream and purple sheets from the empty extra bed.
Just then Artemis' mother, Paula, appeared in the open doorway. "Artemis," Paula said, "get up. I don't want you late for your first day of school." Artemis sat up in her bed, and content with this, her mother rolled away. Immediately after her mother was gone, Artemis flopped back under her covers to hide. She wished she could just live in her dreams sometimes, dressed all in green, going on covert spy missions and saving the day like some kid of indie action movie, but it just wasn't her reality. Not on this Earth anyway.
Grunting, she rolled gracefully out of bed and walked over to her vanity chair, where her new navy blue school uniform jacket was draped, and began to get ready for the first day of the rest of her life. Where see deemed herself ready with a lame "this is as good as it's gonna get" comment, she grabbed her satchel out from under her chair and swiped up her precious rail pass.
/
Artemis was sitting on the subway fidgeting with her skirt – because why, at a high society prep school would they ever let the girls wear the uniform trousers, when clearly having students wear their white shirts and red ties with either the sweater vest or jacket on top was clearly not a problem at all. It was a mystery lost on her.
As Artemis sat there, another girl about her age, sat down next to her. "Hey." she said. Artemis turned to look at the new girl beside her. The girl was shorter than her, and perhaps a bit younger too, with deep black hair and bright blue eyes.
"Are you also going to Gotham Academy?" Artemis asked, noticing the alternative uniform sweater vest half. The girl nodded.
"That's why I decided to sit next to you." the girl said, "I've never seen another Gotham Academy student on this line before. My name's Zatanna. You must be a new student."
"Yeah, I am. That's not a problem is it?"
"Not at all." Zatanna smiled at she spoke and had a laid back air about her, "We get a lot of foreign exchange students every year. The new scholarship kids are normally shooed in with them for orientation stuff since most of the population is trust fund kids and they just go straight through from 7th on up, where as the scholarship and exchange kids start up with whatever year they get dealt."
"Sounds like you know a lot about how the system works."
"Well, I should. I am one of those scholarship kids. Started two years ago. I was lucky though, mine came through in 7th year. So it was less obvious I wasn't a trust fund kid, since I started with everyone else. But I'm sure you'll be fine. Brenda was."
"Excuse me?"
"Oh, Brenda was the girl who got the scholarship last year. She's a year or two ahead of me." Zatanna paused before continuing, noticing Artemis' deadpanned expression. "But that's not what you meant was it? Well, there's no reason for a trust fund kid to take public rail is there? Logic dictates you must be the new scholarship kid for this year. Congratulations by the way. It's really difficult to get."
"That's what my mom said."
"Mmhm. One of those kids. Didn't want to come did you?"
"What? Not go to Gotham Academy? But it's so prestigious."
"Oh I know right? Come on then, what's your story?"
"Well..."
/ FLASHBACK.
It was raining that night and Artemis was sitting there in the middle of the living room floor, arrows spread out wide on a green cloth between herself and the sofa, while her quiver stood leaning into it. She was twisting new field point broadheads onto her arrows to match their fresh fletching while a Hello Megan! marathon played off the Comedy Classic Network. As she did this, the TV suddenly stopped at which she slightly turned her head.
Her mother, Paula, was there, holding out a piece of fancy parchment paper, and a torn envelope. She said, "This came in the mail for you!"
Artemis turned, still crouching, "You opened it? Mom..."
"Just read it."
Artemis glanced at her mother before looking at the letter, which read:
Dear Miss Artemis Crock,
I am delighted to inform you that you have been awarded a full Wayne Foundation scholarship to the Gotham Academy. This will include TUITION and all EXPENSES.
Each year the Wayne Foundation selects a single student, who they choose with great care, taking into consideration both the candidate's academic achievements as well as the individual's character and extracurricular strengths.
Naturally, the finial decision to attend remains yours, but we hope that you will choose to join us at Gotham Academy.
Sincerely,
Philip Wilcox
Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid
Artemis raised an eyebrow and turned her head, saying "I've been awarded a full Wayne Foundation scholarship to the Gotham Academy? But...I didn't apply."
"It's not that kind of scholarship. You qualify or you don't." Paula said, wheeling over to where Artemis was sitting. "Gotham Academy is very prestigious, you should be thrilled."
Artemis just crumbled up the paper and tossed it carelessly, saying, "Yeah, I'm not switching schools. All my friends are at Gotham North.", as the paper arched over her shoulder and onto the coffee table.
Paula picked up the letter and tried to flatten it out as Artemis went back to inspecting her broadheads. Paula then snatched the arrow right out of Artemis' hands and said, "You're going. Or you give up your extracurriculars."
Paula held out the paper to Artemis, but Artemis only stood up and said "Mom, don't make threats you can't enforce." as she leaned down and carefully took the arrow back. As Artemis went to walk away, Paula grabbed her wrist declaring "Artemis, this is a chance to better your life." Adding quietly after, "A chance I never had." as silent tears rolled down her face.
At this Artemis sat back down in front of her mother and grabbed her hand, and said "Ok mom, I'll go. I'll go for you." Paula smiled and enthusiastically hugged her reluctant daughter at hearing this decision.
/ END FLASHBACK
"...The whole thing still fells a bit like a dream to me, but it not. I'm really here, talking to you, and going to this crazy school."
"Oh you wont know the half of it until you get there."
"Do you think we'll have any classes together?"
"I'm not sure. What year are you?"
"10th, I'll be in 10th."
"Oh." Zatanna looked at her hands folded in her lap, but then quickly looked back at Artemis, "I don't think we will. I don't think I'm taking any mixed level classes, but if you see a short, pale boy with slicked back black hair and a phone fancier than some people's houses, tell him his hair is stupid for me will you? He never believes me when I tell him."
Artemis gave a low laugh. "Yeah, sure. What's this kids name?"
"Dick. Dick Grayson."
/ LATER
After both girls had arrived at Gotham Academy, Zatanna disappeared off to go find her other friends so that she wouldn't interfere with Artemis' required time with her liaison. Artemis, now alone, fidgeted with her skirt as she stood in the main courtyard around which all the academic buildings were placed.
"Artemis," another student said to her. Artemis turned, straightening up, as the girl continued speaking. "I'm Bette your new student liaison. Welcome to Gotham Academy." Bette was about Artemis height with slightly curly blond hair and blue eyes.
"Thanks." Artemis said, "I'm, I'm Artemis, but you knew that."
Now as Artemis said this, a boy near a head shorter than her, ran up to the pair of girls. And before either could respond, the boy wrapped his arm around Artemis, saying, "We'll laugh about this someday." as he took as picture of the pair of them before suddenly running off.
After this random act occurred, Artemis blinked a few times before asking Bette, "Uh, who was that?"
"A freshmen, ignore him." Bette said, and the pair began to walk away. However, as Bette chatted on to Artemis about school activities and this and that, Artemis was looking slightly over Bette's left shoulder. There was a tall boy with skin so pale it that was almost gray and hair the colour of melting snow. He was watching her, and Artemis knew it. There eyes meet for just a second and the boy gave a slight nod of the head.
"Hey Artemis, Artemis." Bette waved a hand in front of Artemis' face.
"Mmh?"
"Distracted much?"
"Just you know, checking out the scenery."
Bette let a smile sneak onto her face as she put and arm out around Artemis' should and pulled her along. "If by 'checking out the scenery' you mean checking out the student population, sure. Come on, there will be loads of time for that when you're bored in class. But we've got to get you to class first. What do you have?"
Artemis stopped and opened her satchel, pulling out a rumbled paper, squinting at it she said "Looks like a double language block. French with a Miss Mahlia?"
"Great! I've got German though, which is in the same hall. I'll introduce you to Brenda. She'll be in your class."
"Sounds great."
/ MEANWHILE
Leaning on the archways, watching the whole scene was a red-headed girl who seemed to be glaring at the whole situation. As the short boy appeared behind her, typing away at his phone, she spoke.
"Dick? What was that about?" she asked.
"Nothing Barbara," Dick said, "just being friendly to the new girl."
Barbara rolled her eyes and walked away, with Dick trailing behind, his phone still out.
Dick:
I meet your new friend. The Asian girl from the train.
Zatanna:
Oh, did you?
Dick:
You sound turbed.
Zatanna:
I can't sound "turbed" - we're texting, not talking.
Dick:
Since when did the semantics matter?
Zatanna:
Since never apparently.
Dick:
Oh come off it, it's the first day of school. You have a whole year to rag on me.
Zatanna:
Who says I don't want a head start? Scholarship kid remember? Can't fall behind in classes.
Dick:
BYE ZATANNA.
Zatanna:
Yeah, ok. Tell Wally I say hello.
Dick:
Sure, sure, he is your red-headed prince after all.
Zatanna:
I will end you.
Dick laughed at this under his breath as he slid his text screen over to bring up a new window. He smiled to himself, a bit evilly, and opened up another window on his phone for pictures.
Dick:
[Image attachment of himself and Artemis.]
New year, new maths teacher to disprove, and new words to embowel. Also, new students.
Wally:
I. Hate. You. It's barely past 7am here, I'm not even AT school yet. I'm still on the bus. The PUBLIC school bus.
Dick:
Yeah, but you also started school nearly a month and a half ago.
Wally:
Ugh, don't remind me.
Dick:
So what do you think?
Wally:
What of the girl? She's pretty I guess. Zatanna's prettier though. And also not a whole head taller than you are, short stuff.
Dick:
I'm not short, I'm fun sized. Like candy.
Wally:
Don't mention food to me.
Dick:
Oh don't worry I'll send you pictures all through lunch.
Wally:
You're lucky you're my best friend.
Dick:
Don't I know it.
/ ELSEWHERE
Inside the school's language wing, multitudes of students mill about talking to each other, gathering things from lockers, and making their way to classes. Bette, now leading Artemis through the hallway, spots a group of three students leaning against a set of lockers. Bette waves, and the red-headed girl in between the two Hispanic-looking boys waves back.
"That'll be Brenda now. The taller, skinner boy with the messy hair is Jamie Reyes. The shorter one is Paco Testas. They're all in our grade."
Artemis nods at Bette's explanation as the two walk over.
"Is this," Jamie said, "going to end with 'Jamie who's right? Jamie who's right?' because I'm not gonna settle -"
"You learned to say 'spawn camper' in Swedish!" Brenda said as she leaned over, pointing in his face.
"Because," Paco added, "the Swedes are filthy spawn campers!"
"Hey everyone." Bette said. The look on both boys faces turned a bit skeptical, but Brenda seemed indifferent to the interruption. "This," Bette said while indicating Artemis beside her, "is Artemis, one of our new students." Everyone said their expected greetings, as the bell warning for class rang.
"Alright, come on Paco. Let's go before we get grilled for being late."
"It wont matter if we turned up on time anyway."
"Just go please." Brenda said. "It will be better for my headaches if you do."
"It was nice to meet you." Paco said to Artemis, walking backwards as he and Jamie started off down the hall.
"Right then, Brenda you'll take Artemis with you to French wont you? I'll be in German, just right down here."
"Yes Bette. I've got it." Brenda turned towards Artemis as Bette walked away. "Girl will talk your ears off if you let her. Not that you haven't already noticed, I'm sure."
"Oh yeah, got that one."
"Don't worry, I'm not going to coddle you as much as she will."
"Did you have her as a liaison when you started last year?"
Brenda looked at Artemis with a quizzical expression. "How do you know about that? Bette tell you my whole life story already?"
"No, actually. That was Zatanna. We meet on the train."
"Oh Zatanna! She's a class act." Brenda said as they walked into the class room, making their way towards the back.
Artemis took a seat behind a short, blond girl with an extreme widows peak and faded green eyes.
"Hey Greta." Brenda said to the girl. Greta turned right to face Brenda, who was sitting next to Artemis. She nodded, and tilted her head a little to indicate Artemis, but said nothing. "Oh, this is Artemis." Brenda said.
"Hey. Nice to meet you, I'm Artemis like she said. Greta was it?"
"Yes. My name is Greta. Greta Hayes."
Just then a women in her late twenties walked into the room with an air of complete authority. "Alright then class, quite down. I am your teacher Miss Mahlia. Welcome to your first day of the new year."
/ LATER.
Artemis and Bette were just leaving Artemis' mini-orientation lecture – for which they got to skip gym class – in head to their science class.
"We've really lucked out you know with this teacher." Bette said.
"And why is that?"
"Because Miss Melon is the cool science teacher. She loves forensics and has a thing for Sherlock Holmes and her classes are much more fun than some of the other sciences teachers are. And, and I overhead Kaldur talking to his student during the orientation lecture that he'll be in that same class too. Oh, it's so exciting. See this, this is where you can check out some great scenery."
"Yeah I guess. Which one is Kaldur again?"
"Which one. Which one is Kaldur. Girl do you have eyes or not?"
Artemis just gave Bette a blank stare.
"Ok, ok. New girl. I get it. You've lots of faces and names to keep track of. He's the super stud from Morocco. Well build, flawless skin. Eyes like the Caribbean Sea. I bet I wont eve have to point his out to you when we get to class, you'll just know."
"Sounds like his pretty popular around here."
"Oh he is! One of the most popular guys in the whole school. Though there is this girl Anita Fite, calls herself Empress, whose been after his affection for a while. Poor girl can't get a break, but almost no one else will bother asking him out or anything because Anita's got that whole scene on lockdown. So best to just admire from afar."
Bette reached out to open the class door for Artemis, and both girls went inside. The room was half traditional class room and half a lab. The front half had the regular chalkboard and desks, but the back half had several round stations with each with sinks, test tubes, and other science equipment. Jars of several pickled things lined the back shelf, as a skeleton with a confused hat stood in the corner with a sign "My name is Al" pinned over it on the wall. All of the students however, just seemed to be standing in the middle of the room, between the two halves.
After the bell rang, Miss Melon stood up from behind one of the sinks, holding a tray of dead sharks. "Alright class." Miss Melon said, "we've got a lot of science to be doing and not enough time to be doing it. So we're going to start right off by getting you into your lab groups. Listen for your names please, then pick a station. That'll be your area for the rest of the year, as will your group. No complaining, and no switching. Ok everybody?"
Everyone sort of vaguely nodded. Artemis looked around the room, seeing if she recognized anyone else other than Bette. She saw the boy she figured was Kaldur – he was the closest fit out of everyone in the room to Bette's description anyway – talking to a skinny boy who seemed a bit twitchy. Almost like a rabbit.
"Savannah Azn, Courtney Whitmore, Gwen Brella, Ariella Kent, Bette Kane."
Bette nudged Artemis as she went over to her science group. Artemis nodded to acknowledge their lack of being partners. Artemis continued to look around. Then her eyes narrowed. Short boy, stupid black hair. Wait, was that that freshmen?
"Ok, next group. Anita Fite, Warren Rabbit, Kaldur Ahm, Artemis Crock, Dick Grayson."
Artemis looked around, and seeing who she now knew was Kaldur move towards a station by a window, followed him. She looked at her five group mates, and sure enough that freshman was one of them. Not like there could be more than one Dick Grayson in a school after all. And Zatanna was so right, his hair was stupid. "Alright, so whose who then? I'm Artemis." Artemis asked.
"Hey. Name's Anita."
"My name is Kaldur."
"You can call me Dick."
"And I'm Warren. Nice to meet you."
Anita turned towards Warren, leaning on the table as he was across from her. "So you British then?"
"English actually, they're not the same thing. You can be British without being English, but all English people are British."
"Whatever rabbit boy."
"So," Artemis said, looking at the English boy next to her, "are you a new student this year?"
"Yes actually. I'm still getting used to everything."
"Yeah, me too." Artemis said under her breath, which was subsequently squished out of her as Warren was nudged into her side, as Dick pushed him over. "Say carrots!" Dick said, as he took a picture of the three of them with his phone.
Anita folded her arms over in front of her. "Can you believe this?" she asked Kaldur.
"Yes. I think it will be good for our work if we all become friends."
At this, Anita just rolls her eyes.
/ LUNCH TIME
Artemis, now standing in the middle of a cafeteria full of people she has either never seen before or only are vaguely familiar with the existence of, looks perfectly lost while holding her lunch tray waiting for Bette.
"Sorry about that." Bette said, appearing behind Artemis, "Let's go."
Bette lead them to a table where a tan girl with brown hair was sitting. "Artemis, this is Ariella, she was just in science with us."
"Nice to meet you." Ariella said. "It's always wonderful to make new friends."
"What would be better." said another girl who had appeared beside the table. A tall boy with short black hair stood silently next to her. "would be if we planned out a time to practice."
"Have you found a new doubles partner then?" Bette asked.
"No, not yet. But we can still practice one on one. How's this weekend for you?"
"Perfect. See you then." Bette said, and the girl smiled and walked away.
Bette turned back to face Artemis, explaining, "The girl was Maddie Night, she's the tennis co-captain with me. We went to Nationals last year, but didn't end up winning. The boy with her is Jerro, but people call him Merboy. He's one of the swim captains, along with Garth and Tula. Are you into sports at all, Artemis?"
"A little," Artemis said, "mostly archery and martial arts and things like that. I like basketball, but I wouldn't say I'm any good at it."
"Oh, not now." Ariella said. "Not to interrupt," Ariella added noticing her companions distorted faces, "but here comes mister crazy-iciclepop." Ariella nodded her head to indicate a very pale boy with almost gray skin and hair like melted snow. Artemis' eye widened. It was the exact same boy she had seen in the courtyard that morning.
"Hello girls," the boy said, leaning on the table, particularly in Artemis' personal space. "Or shall I say, two girls and one very pretty lady?"
Artemis sat frozen is her seat. She knew that voice, like a dusty, broken memory. She just couldn't believe she was hearing it, especially in this place. In the distance Artemis heard Bette say, "Oh, shove off", which brought her back to reality.
"I'd rather not. And it's not your place to say. Hey new girl, why don't you come and take a walk on the frozen side of life with me without these wet rags."
"Cameron," Bette said with a edge in her voice, "stop harassing her and go be a stalagmite in someone's cave."
Cameron moved more towards Bette, "That's alright dollface," he said while running two fingers down the side of her face, "I can just be a stalactite for you if you're more into tops."
Bette sneered and she spoke, saying "I said shove off Cameron.", as she pushed Cameron back, causing him to stagger a bit. This this happened, Artemis who was previously holding a sandwich, suddenly found her hands empty. She bare managed a "Wha-" when she heard a voice from her other side.
"Hey." it said. The voice belonged to a boy about Dick's height, who was wearing his uniform pants tucked into knee high black combat boots. The tips of his hair had been dyed green to match his eyes.
Artemis turned towards the boy, "Do you mind?" she said.
"Not at all, it's barbequed chicken, one of my favorites."
"Cricket," Bette said, "everything is your favorite."
"Hardly dear. Hardly. You, for starters, are certainly not."
"Well go off – the both of you – and annoy someone who is."
"Come on Cricket," Cameron said, now standing up straight, hands shoved in pockets, "before miss priss blotches up her pretty face."
"Bye ladies!" Cricket said, taking Artemis' sandwich with him.
Bette sat down with a sigh. "Don't mind the idiots. They're part of a group calling themselves 'Injustice Unlimited', total whacks if you ask me."
"I didn't, but thanks."
"Ah," the group of girls turned to see Dick now standing at their table holding two trays of food. "Not even a whole day in and already the IJU is on your tail. What a riveting start you must be having around here. You must be pretty whelmed."
"Is that even a word?" Artemis asked.
"To him it is." Ariella said.
"Now, now. I'll explain the semantics if you really want, but I offer you up your lunch." Dick then placed one of the food trays down next to Artemis. It was exactly what she had ordered previously.
"Oh, um, thanks I guess."
"No worries." Dick said, with a smile. He turned his head a bit and seeing a flash of red hair said, "that would be Barbara now. We'll be over with Jason and Cass if you need us." And faster than Artemis could blink, the boy was gone. Sinking into her chair, she groaned. This was going to be a day and a long, long year.
/
/
First Note: I know Bette talks a lot in the school section of this compared to all the other characters, but that's just part of what she does you know? [at least pre-52 reboot. I haven't read the new Batwomen yet.]
Second Note: I used Ariella instead of Kara [as a Supergirl representative] because of her connection to Klairon, who will be around later.
Tumblr Cameos / Mentions: Miss Mahlia (mizmahlia) / Miss Melon (missmelon12) / Savannah Azn (aznvanna) / Gwen Brella (1oooumbrellas) / Warren Rabbit (dreamrabbitwarren) / Maddie Night (awakeforthenight)