Oh, I guess I haven't done this yet and I probably should have, but DISCLAIMER: I obviously don't own DC or Young Justice. Don't sue me beautiful people, i'm innocent. Mostly.
"I think the key indicator for wealth is not good grades, work ethic, or IQ. I believe it's relationships. Ask yourself two questions: How many people do I know, and how much ransom money could I get for each one?"
The Cave
September 22
6:00 EDT
Olivia felt a bit nervous, you could say. Going up against supervillains and heroes alike seemed like a better option than going to a high school. All she had to go off of was television shows and those made school seem like utter hellholes.
What's worse is that her wig ripped while she was working on her little tunneling project the day before. It caught on a snagging rock and she forgot about her increased strength as she went to pull it off. At least she finally broke through, the good news for the day.
She didn't exactly know why she needed the wig anymore, but it definitely felt weird not having it on. It was her mask, of a sort. She could slip right into a new personality when she put it on. Without it, she felt unsure of herself, like she misplaced a large part of her identity and didn't know how to compensate.
Walking into the bathroom, she stared into the mirror. Her hair wasn't as long as it was when she escaped Cadmus, having cut it herself a few weeks ago. At the moment, the tips were above her waistline a few inches. Usually she couldn't care less what she looked like (as it was far lower on her current list of priorities). It was a total hack job, though. The ends weren't straight in the least.
But she was going to be walking into a pompous school full of children of the rich and famous. And you just had to assume they would think something as stupid as looks would be top priority. Batman gave her strict orders not to assault anyone today, but if the people in that school were anything like the TV shows . . .
Olivia was smart enough to realize that this could be a horrible experience. Unfortunately though, she didn't have a say in the matter.
Shaking her head, Olivia gathered up the bookbag full of supplies, maps and schedules Batman had left her. She was worrying about this too much. It was her fault she was in this mess, sort of, she might as well make the best of it.
Maybe she'll even find a few people she could call friends. Already, she was slowly beginning to see some of the teammates that way, much as she detested the idea. Trying not to be too obvious, Olivia was avoiding them more, preferring to stay in her room.
They hadn't outright asked her to join them yet in any of their activities, which she was relieved about. Perhaps it wasn't too late to shake off these growing feelings. Of course, only two so far had really talked to her.
Aqualad didn't seem to harbor any negative feelings, but he didn't initiate any conversations either. Superboy still seemed angry at the teasing she directed at him before she joined and avoided her. Artemis was a harder person to figure out. Olivia couldn't tell what the archer's feelings were regarding her, and she never saw her around often enough to ask her.
Robin was . . . elusive. Not surprisingly. Obviously he would be upset that she managed to steal from the person who was closest to the father figure in his life. Reasoning that he knew she knew his and the Bat's identities was also probably a touchy subject.
What would he be like at the school? Oh, it didn't matter. She would try to avoid talking to or looking at him as much as possible anyway.
Olivia glanced up at the clock; time to go.
The zeta beams were now open to her, but only for thirty minute intervals in the morning and afternoon so she could travel to and from her new school. She wouldn't have time to look at the brilliant scenery Gotham provided or take part in any unsavory afterschool activities.
Not that it mattered, she supposed. After all, there was still a tunnel leading to the outside in her room. Which reminded her, she needed to find a better cover for the hole. It wouldn't do to have anyone find it before she got her money's worth from it.
Pushing the thought aside, Olivia stepped into the machine. As the bright flash from the zeta beam subsided she stepped out of an old phone booth and in front of Robins civilian identity, Dick Grayson.
"Come on," he said calmly. "School will start soon."
Groaning, she followed the acrobat reluctantly to the door of a limo. "What's this?"
"It's too late to walk to the school, if we want to get there on time we'll have to drive there."
"Oh, right."
Even though a limo was a very roomy, spacious vehicle, Olivia felt . . . cramped and awkward sitting there in silence. Robin wasn't saying anything and she couldn't find anything to say. She couldn't even bring herself to look at him. What was wrong with her?
"Your hair is different," Robin remarked. "I never would have pegged you as a redhead."
"Um, yeah." Olivia could have smacked herself. Why did she have to be so awkward? Where were the witty comebacks she had been practicing on? All coherent thoughts seemed to have flown out the door today and she hated it.
"Better not let Kid Flash find out, he might start a club," he grinned.
Looking up from her lap she studied the boy sitting across from her in mortification. "Would he really?"
Robin laughed at this and shrugged. "I don't know actually. Probably."
At that moment Olivia could feel the car slowing down. The driver cleared his throat, "We've arrived, have a pleasant day at school, Master Dick."
"Thanks, Alfred," Robin replied and then gestured to the car door. "Ladies' first."
Cautiously, so as to not trip in front of everybody on the first day, Olivia slithered off the leather seats and onto a bright concrete sidewalk. The building in front of her was large and grandiose, large arches cambering over the front doors and windows shining brilliantly. Students were milling about or walking with purpose to wherever with their snowy white smiles and expertly groomed hair.
Olivia unconsciously pulled her own hair into her perspiring hands and began twisting it. Once she realized what she was doing she dropped her hands immediately. It didn't matter if you were truly confident or not, as long as you pretended then you were fine. This would just be another mask, easy as pie.
"Where do I go first Ro- um, Richard?" she asked blandly. Before he could answer a well-dressed man walked up to the pair.
"Are you Olivia Fawcett?" the man asked.
Did he mean her? Better roll with the punches, she figured. "Er, yes," Olivia answered, "I'm Olivia Faustus."
"Do you mean Fawcett?" the adult asked.
"That's what I said. You'd think I didn't know my own name!"
He paused then pasted on a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Of course you do. My apologies, I haven't introduced myself. My name is Phillip Wilcox, I am the Academy's Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid. I'm here making sure all our scholarship students are settling in."
"Oh, yes," she said brightly, "everything's just peachy." Faked enthusiasm was much harder than faked confidence. It was exhausting.
"I'm glad to hear that. If there's anything you need my door is always open, as well as the counselor's. Don't be afraid to stop by." With that, Wilcox turned and left.
Not wanting to stand on the edge of the sidewalk like the complete idiot she knew she was, Olivia began walking towards the front doors. There was no point beating around the bush. She would go from class to class as fast as possible and get this whole stupid thing over with.
At least, that's what she planned but as everyone knows, nothing ever goes according to plan. As she pulled the door open a student running full blast ran straight into her, knocking her straight onto her butt. Hard.
"Ow," she objected, completely aware of the laughter around her. Looking up, she saw her bags contents fluttering in the light wind.
"Watch where you're going," the boy that barreled into her said roughly. Standing up, he brushed off his school uniform from nonexistent dust, since he landing right on top of her, before finally taking a look at who he slammed into. He caught a glimpse of her face underneath her tangled hair and held out his hand.
"I mean . . . sorry about that. It was my fault. What's your name Red Delicious?"
Olivia blushed at the comment, but by the time she got the hair out of her eyes and mouth, it was gone. What was with people giving her nicknames lately?
"Olivia Faustus."
"Fawcett," muttered Robin.
"Fawcett," she corrected.
The boy grinned down at her, being almost six inches taller, and winked. "Nikolas Dare. Let me make it up to you with dinner sometime, Red."
"Um, sure . . . ?" She wasn't one to pass up on, possibly, free food.
Nikolas pulled her up and said, "Sounds like a date. See you around, Red."
Olivia watched in confused fascination as the golden-haired boy walked away. Perhaps school wouldn't be all that bad after all. Picking up her scattered papers she quickly followed Robin into the school as the warning bell rang.
It turned out that her first class was History, which was exceptionally easy for her in part because of the 'schooling' Cadmus gave her. So, instead of giving her full attention to the teacher droning on (who jumped right into the lesson, never mind it was the first day) she looked out the window to gaze at Gotham's upperclass neighborhoods. Or, what was considered upperclass for Gotham.
"Ms. Fawcett," the teacher said suddenly.
Olivia turned her head sharply to the man that introduced himself as Mr. Burner. "Yes?"
"It seems as if the window is more interesting than what I'm teaching. Would you mind telling me what I just said?"
She contemplated ignoring him, but the sniggers from her classmates changed her mind.
"Corto Maltese is comprised of the main island and several small archipelagos off the coast of South America that possesses fertile soil and mountains that serve as natural defenses, making it a desirable region to control. Pratt is the current capital city since 1592 and contains a populous that is not particularly racially diverse."
Pausing to take a breath, she continued.
"The island has been the center of many civil wars and rebellions throughout its history to modern times. In 1962 there was a conflict between Soviet soldiers and Superman, which effectively caused the Soviets to launch the warhead widely referred to as the 'Coldbringer missile" . . ."
"That's . . .," Mr. Burner said, "was exactly what I said, word for word. Thank you for . . . your attention. Now, class, back onto the subject of Corto Maltese . . ."
Olivia went back to staring out the window. It made her feel self-satisfied to be able to show someone up like that, especially considering how articulate she was this morning. Adapting to obstacles was important to hero and villain alike, but she was lost on how to act in these situations that were completely normal for other people. At least demonstrating her ability to wise off came easily most of the time.
Recalling her school schedule she sighed. Latin for next class, then break, and after chemistry she could have lunch. Afterward it would move to English, math, PE, and her elective. She sighed again; it would be a long day.
Thankfully, Mr. Burner's monotonous lecture ended relatively fast and she was finally free to move around.
Exchanging her books in her locker, she just pulled the last book she needed when her locker door slammed past her face.
"So," a bubbly voice said, "you're the girl that ran into my Nikki, huh? Can't say I know what's got him so impressed. A poor, little commoner if I ever saw one."
The voice Olivia heard belonged to a girl with obviously bleached blond hair and brown eyes who was pretty, in a touched up model sort of way.
"No," Olivia answered. "He ran into me."
"Don't you dare try to blame him! And if you ever touch him again you'll be sorry. Nikki's mine."
At this point, Robin spoke up. "Christine, you guys broke up two years ago, he's hardly yours." In a voice too low for her to hear he added, "Don't know why you'd want him anyways. He's repugnant, heavy on the re."
"Butt outta this, charity case. I'm not talking to you."
Olivia noticed a hard glint enter Robin's eyes but he didn't do anything besides turning back towards his locker. His shoulders were set rigidly. She didn't know what this whole 'charity case' thing was, but it was obvious Robin didn't like it. That was enough for her.
Stuck on Robin now, she kept talking. "Is the charity case you're boyfriend, hackjob? Just wait til I tell Nikki- ah!"
Her voice raised in exclamation as she fell onto the hard tile floor. Her legs had been swept out from under her by one, now immensely satisfied, Olivia.
"Oh I'm sorry," Olivia said in an overly high, saccharine voice, "my foot somehow, accidentally, made you fall over. I hope it didn't injure you're elephantine ego."
With that, she grabbed her bag, walking around Christine the Holy Terror and pressed on to the direction of her next class.
Robin jogged to catch up and thought about how difficult it would be to keep Olivia out of trouble. He hoped that Black Canary was right about her, otherwise this would be a lot of wasted effort. But, he did notice how she stood up for him, in her own weird way. If Canary was right about one thing, then maybe she was right about the rest.
He could only hope.
A/N: Hey, hope you guys liked this. I wasn't quite sure what to let Olivia go through on her first day, but it looks like she made a possible enemy lol! Anyway, same as always, lemme know what you think! Thanks for reading :)
If you like either Christine or Nikolas I can give them more appearances if you want. The plot will continue soon too, I promise :D
~Piggy out