Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice or any superheroes brought up or mentioned in this story. Please note that I am not currently caught up with the series, so this fanfiction takes place at the beginning of the show's run.

Chapter 1: Arrietty

"SURPRISE! Happy birthday!" My family screams at the top of their lungs. I sit up in my bed, quick as a flash, scrambling to cover myself with the blankets. "Mom! Dad! Oh my God! Hi! Um…why are you in here at eight in the morning?" I ask groggily.

"It's your birthday, sweetie, that's why!" My mom says cheerfully. I shoot her a sarcastic look, and she sighs. "Fine…Sam's soccer tournament got moved from 2:00 to noon and I wanted to make sure he was here for waffles and presents."

I nod and heave myself out of bed, shooing my parents out the door. "I'll be down in five minutes, okay? Just let me throw on some clothes." They grin cheerfully at me, and my dad yanks out his camera, snapping a quick picture of my birthday morning: bedhead and a loose t-shirt. Aren't parents wonderful?

Slipping into some shorts and a tank top, I pop my window open and gasp as the hot air hits me: when you live in North Carolina, you get used to the summer humidity.

I tromp down the stairs to find blue and green streamers all over the ceiling, hallway and living room. My older brother Carson and my little brother Toby sit cheerfully at the table, pounding their fists on the wood when they see me come down. Toby gives me a bear hug after I take a seat in my chair, and Carson wolf-whistles. "Well, aren't we wearing a little too little today?" he asks, raising his eyebrows.

I throw my plastic spoon at him. "Shut up! Nobody's here who cares!" I snap. He glares at me, throwing his hands up as he puts on his innocent face. "Well, here I thought I was doing something nice. Nathan's coming over around ten. You'll probably wanna change before he shows up."

The blood drains from my face. Glancing at the clock on the wall, I breathe a sigh of relief when it only says 8:15. Carson shoots me a wicked grin, and I glare at him. "Why the hell did you invite your only friend who has a crush on me?" I demand.

My father's voice echoes in from the kitchen. "ARI! Do not swear in front of Toby!"

I roll my eyes and sink into the chair, grinning at my innocent seven-year-old brother. "Are you nicer than he is? I'm pretty sure you are," I tell him, and his face lights up at the compliment. For reasons I don't understand, I'm his hero instead of his 18-year-old super jerk of a brother.

"Ari, honey, don't forget you have a recording session up at Eclipse Records at four," my mother calls.

Right. That would be it. I'm a vocal prodigy discovered at the age of ten by talent agents roaming through Charlotte. Now, on my fifteenth birthday, I've released an album, am working on a second, and I've been nominated for two of this year's Grammy awards.

"Okay, I'll take the train downtown later," I respond. My father walks in with a heaping plate of birthday waffles: in the Karmin family, rather than cake, this is what we serve. Buttermilk waffles topped with melted butter, chocolate chips, a cup and a half of whipped cream, four kinds of berries, and bacon on the side.

"Happy birthday, sweetheart," he says, plopping a kiss on my cheek. "Thanks, Dad. Everything looks great!" I tell him. The moment he's gone, I dig in. Carson's already swallowed a quarter of his plate.

I slap his hand with my fork. "Slow down, piggy! You'll grow a snout and tail!" I snap. He glares at me but doesn't stop chewing.

After we've finished all our waffles, my mother sweeps in with a cry of "Present time!" and shoos us all onto the couches.

Box after box from distant relatives is thrust in my face, but at last I reach MY family's gifts. Toby gives me his favorite soccer medal, made into a necklace, and I clasp it around my neck immediately. "I wanted you to have something really special, so I gave you the one from the national tournament!" he says proudly. I tousle his hair. "I'll wear it forever and ever, buddy, I promise," I tell him.

Carson throws a bag covered in tissue paper at me, and I pull out a baggy dark gray T-shirt with my favorite TV characters on it, and I gasp when I recognize it. "Dude, I've been after this shirt for months! I couldn't even find it online! How did you get it? The Young Justice black market?" He smirks and nods at me. "That's for me to know and you to never find out," he laughs. I pull it on over my tank top, ignoring the immediate heat rolling over me. "It's awesome. And look! It totally matches my necklace!" I say with a grin, gesturing to the dark gray against the silver of Toby's second place medal. They didn't win Nationals, but they came damn close.

My parents laugh aloud, and my mother slides a box to me from the end of the table. "Open it up, sweetie! Your father and I hope you like it."

I rip off the paper and yank the box open to find something I definitely didn't expect.

"Oh, Mom, Dad, it's beautiful!" I gasp as I lift the dress carefully out of its wrappings. Layers of deep blue silk, trimmed with silver threads, layer one over the other, tumbling like the petals of a flower. I hold it up to my body as it unfolds, cascading from a sweetheart neckline to a flowing paler blue hem at the bottom. The top of the dress is almost navy, but fades to lighter shades of blue as your eyes move down the dress, blending with the silver trimming.

"It's amazing! I've never seen anything like it!" I stutter, amazed at the detail and craftsmanship. My parents smile. "We figured you could wear it to the Grammys," my mother says. "It'll help you look a bit older than your age."

"Thanks, Mom. Thanks, Dad. It's amazing. I couldn't ask for anything better." I lay the dress out gently on the couch and wrap one arm around each of their necks, my knees resting on the ground.

"Hey, there's something else in the box!" Carson exclaims. "What?" I ask. Crawling over, I peer in, and sure enough, there's a piece of deep blue fabric at the bottom. When I pull it out, I realize it's one of those things women attach to their legs under their dress, but it also has some sort of container. "Um…what is this?" I ask, holding it up to my parents.

My mother rolls her eyes as my father smiles. "That would be a gun holster you can attach to your leg, under your dress," he says cheerfully. "In case of protection. Of course, you'll need a gun first, but we'll deal with that later."

I laugh at my father's overprotectiveness and hug him again when suddenly a blinding white light floods the room, and our front door explodes off its hinges.

When I open my eyes again, a beautiful woman in a flowing white gown has entered the room, glaring at my parents. "Frederick and Jessica Karmin- fifteen years ago you promised me your eldest daughter in exchange for your survival of the great Hurricane caused by the god Corinthes. I have come to claim her as my own."

I gape widely at this divine, lovely, and probably crazy woman. Her gaze shifts to me, and she smiles gently. "Ah- so you are to be my new apprentice." She snaps her fingers. "Not to worry, my dear. All your things are packed. But I'm afraid you'll be coming with me for a while, pet."

I glance at my parents, confused and frightened, but when I turn my head everything has vanished: the living room, my parents, Toby and Carson. "What the hell is going on?" I scream at the woman.

She simply smiles at me again. "I will tell you when we arrive," she says simply before turning her back to me. I want to speak again, but something tells me she won't respond, so I sit back and wait.

After a few moments, a huge castle looms before us, nestled among the clouds. Orange wisps of fire flash against the walls, and small waves of water lap at the edges of the palace. "Welcome, my dear, to your new home. Here you shall train to be my apprentice.

She glances at me. "What is your name, my dear?" she asks softly.

I swallow hard and collect my confidence. "Arrietty," I tell her. "Arrietty Karmin."