Power of the Unseen|DC/Young Justice

Chapter 2 : High School Suffering

The sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm glow over Northridge High School, nestled at the base of Mount Justice. Viraje, Asriel, and Celesta stood at the entrance, dressed in casual attire—jeans and hoodies—blending in seamlessly with the bustling student body. The air was thick with youthful excitement as students chattered about their new classes and schedules.

"Are you sure we can pull this off?" Asriel asked, adjusting the brim of his baseball cap to obscure his face. "High school wasn't exactly our forte."

Viraje smirked, leaning against the brick wall. "We'll be fine. We've faced far greater challenges than navigating teenage drama. Besides, we have a mission."

"Right," Celesta replied, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "But we need to blend in. If anyone recognizes us, it could complicate everything."

Viraje nodded. "Our goal is to gather information about any disturbances in the area. There have been whispers of something brewing near Mount Justice, and if Young Justice is involved, we need to know what's going on."

As the trio approached the school's entrance, a banner reading "Orientation Day" fluttered in the breeze, further amplifying the anticipation in the air. The school was abuzz with students, many of whom were excitedly sharing their expectations for the upcoming year.

"Let's split up and see what we can find," Viraje suggested. "Asriel, you check the cafeteria for gossip. Celesta, you're good with the arts; maybe check out the drama club for anything unusual. I'll head to the library; it's usually a treasure trove of information."

Asriel shrugged, a cheeky grin on his face. "If I get caught in the cafeteria, I'll just blame it on my 'hunger for knowledge.'"

"Just try not to draw too much attention to yourself," Celesta advised, giving him a mock stern look. "We're here to be discreet."

Viraje chuckled, watching Asriel trot off toward the cafeteria. "Let's meet back here after class and share our findings. Remember, we're not here to save the world—just to gather intel."

With a final nod, Celesta headed toward the art wing, while Viraje made his way to the library.

As Viraje stepped into the library, he was met with the familiar scent of old books and polished wood. Rows of shelves stretched out before him, each filled with stories of knowledge and adventure. He found a quiet corner and sat down, pulling out his phone to scan the news for any recent occurrences related to Mount Justice.

While scrolling through articles, he couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. He looked around, his senses heightened. A group of students sat in the corner, whispering and glancing in his direction. Their laughter echoed softly, tinged with curiosity.

"Just act natural," he muttered to himself, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves.

After a few minutes, he overheard snippets of conversation from the group nearby.

"Did you hear about the weird lights at Mount Justice last night?" one girl asked, her eyes wide with excitement.

"Yeah! And they said it wasn't just a normal power outage," another boy chimed in. "There's something going on up there. I heard it might be related to superheroes or something."

Viraje's interest piqued. He leaned closer, trying to catch more of the conversation.

"Superheroes? Please! It's probably just a publicity stunt," the girl scoffed. "I mean, how often do they actually do something meaningful?"

"Yeah, they're just trying to keep their image intact," the boy replied. "It's like they think they're untouchable. I bet they don't even know what's really happening."