CHAPTER ONE

GODDAMN FLINSTONES

Lying on her bed hugging her pink stuffed bunny, Melaina was taking a small break from packing. Her family was set to got for a three week long trip to Central City to see some old friends and hopefully make new ones.

Melaina really needed this trip, the past couple months had been horrible. For one she'd been hiding the worst secret from her boyfriend, Courtney had been making the whole team go out for patrols 24/7 for the past couple months, her said boyfriend had been away and not answering her texts making her more worried than she already was and her family had been acting as if nothing had happened all those months ago.

The curly haired girl had to get out of this town and breath even if it was just for a few weeks, she couldn't stay here any more. Every moment she was there she was reminded of all the death, tears and torture of watching her oldest friend die.

Over and over, like a scratched record, she would see Henry die, she couldn't get it out of her head no matter how hard she tried.

It wasn't always like this though, she started going to see Molly, who wasn't only an ancient witch but a registered therapist. For the first few days she just sat on the couch and cried but after that she managed to talk about him.

Even though it was getting easy, it wasn't happening fast enough. So as she got better she also got worse.

With her family acting as if nothing had happened didn't help and when she thought she could turn to her supposed best friend, she was greeted with the reality that Josie wasn't who she was before and that now she was on her own.

In a few more hours she'd have to suit up and go on another pointless patrol. One that she really didn't want to go on but had to be there in order for Josie to stop thinking that she's doing something suspicious.

The girl took a deep breathe before sitting up and placing her bunny on the bed. She got up from her bed, kneeled down and pulled out a big black briefcase.

Nope this wasn't her suit, it was something that she had been working on since she started going to see Molly. The brunette recommended she'd try as hard as she could to keep herself distracted from everything that had happened.

Most would start a small hobby but Melaina wanted to challenge herself as much as she could. So she called an old friend of her mother's and asked for some of his suit specs, the ones he was struggling to get right and said she'd give one of them a try.

Bruce Wayne back when he was Batman had been trying to upgrade it to an advanced nanotech suit but once Gotham crime had been settling recently ( I know shocker ) he reduced his cowl wearing days but always wondered how it would've been like to actually have a suit like that, so when his former teammates daughter stepped up to the challenge he decided to give her a shot.

So far Melaina had made a bit of progress but with the specs she had, it was taking much longer than expected but her summer break in Central City might help.

Just as she reached to get more tools the sound of the Skype ringtone filled the room. Melaina quickly pushed the briefcase underneath her bed before climbing back onto it and answering.

"Hey stranger." Harley greeted the girl with a smile.

"Hey CJ." She responded. "How's Central City this time of day?"

"No robberies or end of world scenarios, it's pretty quiet for a city filled with Metahumans." Harley answered. "What about you? How are you doing?"

"I honestly don't know anymore, one day I feel like absolute shit and then the next I feel as giddy as I did when they released I went to go watch Ice Age. I just wish it could all stop." Melaina said as she grabbed her bunny.

"Wow you really need this break don't you."

"Yeah, I'm sick of this town."

"It can't be that bad. I mean you grew up there."

" I was born in Paris, moved to Gotham and then came here. I mean sure it used to be amazing and then last year happened."

"It's not the same anymore, is it?"

"Nope not at all. My oldest friend is dead, Josephine is probably off making out of with Courtney and my family are as jolly and the God damn Flinstones." Melaina ranted as she squeezed her bunny. "Not to mention I have to go on another patrol for this place that doesn't need the bloody protection."

"Why do you care about Josephines opinion? Last I checked a he's being a bigger bitch than The Fiddler."

"She's still my best friend." Melaina responded, saying the last part in a whisper.

"Best friends don't treat each other like that. Maybe you two just need some space."

"I live with her, there's literally no space." The curly haired girl huffed.

"I mean you need to give yourself a break. If she really cares about you she'll come to  you. Until then stop beating yourself up." Harley told the girl who smiled back. "Enough talk about your teammates, we need to decide what to do when you get here." The ginger added with a smile.

"I'm honestly fine with whatever, I really don't mind."

"Great because I was thinking you could meet the team and then I might need your help with something." Harley started before a small frown formed on her face. "Damn it."

"Ceej, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, ugh I just have to pack an overnight bag because my mom has to take me somewhere."

"Will you be back by the time we get there?" Melaina asked the girl.

"I hope so. Hey I should go and pack. Talk later?"

"Yeah. Bye." The brown skinned girl said.

"Bye." The ginger said before hanging up.

✦✧✦✧

Hours later Melaina waited around the corner with Rick, Beth, Yolanda and Josephine waiting for Courtney's signal.

The curly haired girl leaned her left shoulder against the wall, suited up with her shield and sword in the harness on her back with her arms folded and an annoyed expression on her face.

"She said all clear guys." Beth told the group before the walked around the corner into the alley way where they found the girl with the glowing staff.

"So... no super villains?" Melaina started making Josie glare at her.

"Did you check inside the trash can?" Rick added.

"Sarcasm. Duly noted." Courtney responded with a chuckle. "So I've got 27 minutes until curfew. How 'bout we do one more loop around the Sub Shack?" The curly haired blonde suggested making Melaina let out a sigh.

"Beth, Jo any sign of trouble?" Courtney asked the two making Beth clear her throat.

"Goggles. Checking in. Again. Ha. Anything out there?" Beth started before she started to walk around the group. "These things just aren't as much fun without Chuck. Yep, nothing, no trouble alerts, no trace of the Gambler or Cindy Burman or Solomon Grundy."

"Yeah and I haven't had any visions in months so..." Josie added as the group walked up a set of stairs.

"Hey, guys! I beat Grundy, okay and the Gambler's a wimp and Cindy Burman probably got crushed with Brainwave when the dish caved in." Rick said making Melaina and Josie glance at Yolanda as she tended up.

"I doubt it." Courtney started. "The others could..."

"What others, Court? Icicle was shattered into a thousand pieces, Dragon King is dead, Tigress and Sportsmaster they're locked up. The ISA are done. All of them." Rick added on.

"I think we should call it a night, Court." Yolanda suggested.

"Me too." Beth added.

"Yeah I got a 9 hour road trip to Central City I gotta prepare for." Melaina said.

"Yeah. Come on."

"We're the Justice Society of America. We can't quit!" Courtney yelled, not believing what her teammates were saying.

"We aren't quitting. We're still the JSA and if something happens we'll suit up and we'll be there. But right now we're protecting a town that doesn't really need it." Yolanda assured making Melaina nod her head in agreement.

"Okay maybe we can cut patrol back from seven nights a week to six."  Courtney suggested making Melaina stifle a laugh.

"Oh you're serious?" The girl asked has her teammates looked at her. "Yeah no that's not gonna work for me. Goodnight Court." Melaina said as she walked past her and patted her shoulder.

"Good night." Yolanda said as she followed Melaina.

"Later." Rick right behind the two and Beth behind him.

"I'm gonna do that last loop, so if anyone changes their mind, meet me at the Sub Shack in ten." Courtney told the four as they walked away. "Okay no problem. I got it. See you tomorrow."

The staff glowed to try brighten up her mood while Josephine leaned against the wall as she watched her girlfriend.

"I guess it's just the staff and I tonight." Josie teased as she walked up to her.

"Well it would've been better if we had the rest of the team but I guess you'll do." Courtney teased before Josie planted a kiss on her forehead.

"Let's make this quick because I would like some actual sleep before my geometry final tomorrow." Josie said as they started to walk away. "Don't stay up to late you're writing History tomorrow and those finals can kick ass."

"I'll be fine. Race you to the Sub Shack?" Courtney suggested.

"You're on!" Josie replied before the two launched into the sky.

✦✧✦✧

The following morning Melaina got up, showered and changed into a white button up shirt with polka dots and her red corduroy overalls and her black ankle boots.

She put her hair into a bun at the back of her head before packing her Math and American Literature textbooks into her bag that she had left out the night before from studying.

She glanced at the framed picture of her, Henry and Joey with a sad smile before spraying on some perfume and going downstairs.

"Good morning my fellow Prince's and how are we doing on this fine morning?" Melaina greeted enthusiastically earning a confused look from her younger sister.

"Since when are you in a good mood? You've been grumpy smurf for months now." Hestia noted making Melaina role her eyes.

"For one it's Summer, two I'm done packing to leave at 6AM tomorrow and I'm going to see CJ for the first time since... ya know." Melaina said as she made herself some coffee.

"You have not told her? Have you?" Hippolyta asked her parents. "Mom, Dad, she deserves to know."

"Did you lose the mixtape? I have backups, on a CD, flash drive and whatever the hell an SD card is but I have it." Melaina babbled as she served her eggs.

"We aren't going to Central City." Diana blurted making Melaina drop her knife and turn to her.

"What! Why? We've been going there every summer since we moved to this damn town." Melaina ranted.

"We just thought we should do something different this Summer." Diana started.

"Different because you're here?"

"Melaina!" Edward yelled.

"Why does Josephine get to go see her mom but I can't go and see any of my friends in Central City?"

"Don't drag me into this!" Josie responded to the girl who glared at her for a moment.

"Pat let it slip out the other day that he called you to come and you came. Meaning you didn't even come for us."

"Your grandmother's and cousins and a few friends of yours are coming if that helps?" Diana replied trying to ease the situation.

"No it doesn't and I really don't care if they are. For one this town is driving me insane, two you both lied to all of us again. You didn't tell us that you were the younger brother of freaking Aquaman and that I'm a combination of two of the most powerful species on the planet that happened to have a war a couple thousand years. Not to mention that all of you except Josephine who thinks I'm gonna eat the whole JSA out to Cameron who I haven't talked to since he left have been acting as if everything is normal." Melaina ranted

"Melaina..." Eddie spoke trying to calm down his daughter.

"No dad, my oldest friend is dead! Josie and Courtney not to mention the entire team maybe including you didn't bother to tell me that Jordan was Icicle and before I could process anything he just died. Okay just like that. I don't even recognize that girl who's been living in our house for months now and Blue Valley just became a walking target."

"Melaina, you're going to enjoy it." Her mother assured.

"What I would enjoy is leaving this place for a few weeks. Please." Melaina begged.

"I'm sorry kiddo, but your grandmothers are already on their way, Lisa is bringing Willow and Wylan and Donna is already on her way back. The decision has been made." Edward told his daughter.

"That's just great." She sighed to herself before sitting next to Hippolyta and eating her breakfast.

✦✧✦✧

"All right praire dogs, off you go to your last lunch break of the semester. As a reminder please have your lockers cleaned out by 3:00 p.m, and beside to have a safe and healthy summer vacation." The woman said on the telecom  as the class packed their things away.

Melaina was walking beside Rick towards the door. "Mr Harris." The teacher called making the two of them stop in their place.

Melaina turned to her friend. "I'll wait for you outside." She told them before walking out the door.

Her gut told her to stay just outside the door and she was right. With the help of her powers she managed to listen on the conversation and next thing she knew Rick was storming out of the classroom.

"I will Mr Harris." The teacher yelled.

"Rick?" Melaina called as he walked past.

"I'll see you later." He said bluntly making the girl frown.

So she took it upon herself to march back into the class room. "Miss Turner, I couldn't help but over hear your conversation with Rick."

"Oh I'm so sorry, you had to hear that. Do you have a question about your test because you did amazing as usual." The woman responded.

"I'm actually here to talk about my friend. He didn't cheat."

"I'm sorry Miss Prince but you and I both know Mr Harris's work ethic."

"With all due respect I don't think you do know Rick Tyler's work ethic. He's been through a lot and he's also been really working hard. I've seen it myself." Melaina started as the woman glared at her. "Again with all due respect you don't know anything about him. He's one of the best people I know and he's gone through unimaginable things. I also know that he's been working 24/7 for every good grade he's earned this semester."

"I'm sorry Melaina but I can't take your word for it."

"Fine then, go ask every other teacher he has then." Melaina responded as she walked out the door. "Oh yeah and have a good summer."

QUESTION
how do you think Mike will be recruited into the ISA and why??

AUTHORS NOTE!!!
Lmao this took a lot longer than expected to write but yeah
Next chapter will finish episode 1

I'm so excited for this

Anywhoo hope you enjoy