For the one person who is reading this: I added a prologue. Also, chapter 2 features Cissie/Arrowette.
Oops. I left out a disclaimer; sorry for the confusion.
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to DC/Warner Bros. There are no OC's in this story. All characters are DC characters. The first few chapters are re-imaginings of the characters' origins. In conclusion, just to be clear, this is fanfiction.
I really like Mia's origin, so I didn't change much...but there are elements from her comics origin and her Smallville origin mixed in. I just reread her comic debut and rewatched her Smallville debut to get a better feel for her character, but I prefer the comic book Mia. In other words, this is not a Smallville/YJ crossover. This is a different Mia, like how the YJ characters are similar to but not exactly the same as their comic counterparts. Cissie's origin is more different, especially since it takes place in Star City and the Arrow Family is involved.
Story summary: A new generation of superhero is emerging, and the up-and-coming archers haven't escaped the current group's attention. Star City seems to be a magnet for archer heroes, but the current Team Arrow can't just let anyone operate in their city. Who will make the cut?
Characters: The Team, Wally West, and Team Arrow
Team Arrow- Oliver Queen/Green Arrow, Roy Harper/Red Arrow, and Artemis Crock. And introducing… Mia Dearden, Cissie King-Jones, and Connor Hawke
Connor is Connor Hawke and Conner is Conner Kent/Superboy. Hopefully it's not too confusing.
Canon Pairings.
Chapter 1: Mia
Mia Dearden walked into the Star City Youth Center, collapsing onto the sofa next to another teenager. She sunk into the cushions, but she was not ready to relax yet.
"You clean?" a tall, beefy, African American woman asked her.
"Come on! You know I've been clean for a while." She crossed her arms around her chest and tried to evade the woman, but the older woman grabbed her by the wrists.
"Roll up your sleeves."
She obliged, pulling the sleeves of her sweatshirt up to her biceps. Track marks scarred the crook of her elbow, but the scars were beginning to fade.
"Follow me."
They walked towards the bathroom, and the woman handed her a small cup.
"You know the rules. Urinate into the cup. No locking the door." She kicked open all of the stalls and searched around, but the bathroom was empty.
Mia stared at the cup self-consciously, but proceeded to the nearest stall. She wished that she'd had more to drink earlier because she did not particularly feel the need to pee.
A loud bang shook her stall. "Hurry up, Mia. I don't have all day. There are other kids waiting outside."
"I'm coming!" she shouted. Capping the lid, she handed the urine sample to the woman and exited the bathroom.
"You can go join the activities," the woman informed her. "I'll talk to you later."
Nodding, Mia jogged outside to her favorite place in all of Star City: the youth center's archery range. When she shot her arrows, the whole world would just disappear around her, and she could forget who she really was for a moment, what she really was.
"Hello, Mia!" Connor called, smiling serenely in her direction. He was the archery instructor at the youth center, and he wasn't even the type that volunteered part time; it was his full-time job. The most popular rumor was that he was a former monk who traveled the world before deciding to donate his time to disadvantaged youth. Mia had to admit that she had the biggest crush on Connor. He was only around eighteen or nineteen, and he was in killer shape, blond, and multiethnic. Nearly every girl, and even some guys, agreed that he was the hottest person in Star City, but he was still a monk at heart and had sworn off romance. His real love in life was archery and helping others. He was almost too perfect.
"Hey, Connor. What's up?" She grabbed a bow and some arrows from the shed, setting up at the target next to Connor's.
"Mia…" A dark look came over his face, a look that was unfamiliar and disturbing on someone as calm as Connor. "What happened to your face?" He dropped his equipment, and pulled her face in nearer to examine it more closely.
She jerked away from him, twisting his arm. "It's nothing."
Connor's concerned expression turned angry in an instant. "It was your pimp, wasn't it? You told me that you left him—that you were staying at a women's shelter."
Immediately, Mia's blood ran cold. "I lied," she said, her voice level.
"I'm trying to help you, Mia. And I can't help if you're not completely honest with me," Connor explained calmly.
A figure approached the archery range, catching both Connor's and Mia's attentions. It was the woman from earlier who had taken Mia's urine sample, and the stern expression on her face did not bode well at all. "Mia? I'm afraid it's time for you to leave now."
"What? Why?" Connor spoke for the teenager.
"The results from Mia's last urine test have come in. She tested positive for cocaine."
Connor turned around to ask Mia for confirmation. He didn't want to believe it, but the deer in the headlights look on her face was enough to tell him that it was true. "You've been shooting up again?"
"It was just that one time! I swear I've been clean since then! I'm trying so hard. You've got to believe me!"
"I'm sorry, Mia. You know the rules." The disappointment on Connor's face hurt Mia more than his words did.
A stabbing pain of guilt and frustration pierced Mia's heart. She had made many mistakes in her fifteen years, but she had never had anyone to let down before. Now, looking in Connor's eyes, Mia couldn't handle the regret, so she ran. She left the youth center. She passed the street corner where she frequently found herself propositioning herself night in, night out. She ran to the dingy apartment where she lived and straight into her pimp's arms.
"Hey, girl. Where you been at? Richard's been looking all over for you." He leaned against the door frame and leered down at Mia.
A shiver passed down through her spine, but she chose to ignore it and instead replied cheekily, "Well, Mia thinks that Richard sounds like a fucking lunatic when he talks in third person."
Richard lashed out violently, sending Mia reeling. She stumbled down the front steps, landing on the cold, hard pavement. The wind was knocked out of Mia's stomach, but then, Richard helped her up and led her into the apartment. He guided her over to a bed and lay down beside her. "Mama Mia, you are just so beautiful. Why do you you always make me hurt you? You know it hurts me more than you," he purred, stroking her hair. "I love you."
Mia shifted in the bed to get a better view of Richard. "I love you too," she said, wrapping her arms around his torso, but inside, she was picturing a different man, any other man, a man who would treat her right.
"Wake up, Mia! Ain't picking up your slack for you tonight, that's for sure."
Someone thrust a skimpy dress into her arms, but Mia pulled a lump of blankets over her head and went back to sleep. An hour later, she realized that there was no way she could possibly bring in enough money to please Richard tonight with a late start like she was getting. When she returned early the next morning, he would greet her with a severe punishment, unless she never came back. Looking around, it registered in Mia's head that she had no belongings, no money of her own, and nowhere to go. Richard was the only one in the world who cared about her. Being with him was still better than living with her dad. Anything was better than being with her dad. Her life was severely fucked up. Sighing, she pulled on the skimpy outfit.
She stood shivering on her street corner. She trailed her arm down her body, half sensually and half in a feeble attempt to warm herself. By now, she was used to the disdainful glances from some of the more refined members of Star City's society, but it didn't make it any easier. Tonight was a slow night, with most men passing her by with only a derisive sneer in her direction. She was probably too old for them anyway.
Finally, a green Ferrari pulled up right next to her, and she got in. Like most of her clients, the man driving the car was far older than her tastes. He had a full head of blond hair and a very distinct goatee. She had never understood facial hair.
The blond man rolled up the windows of the car and floored the accelerator. Grinning, he turned to his passenger.
"Hello, Mia."