Harsh Glory

   Graceful, poised, and endlessly radiant, Diana Prince walked through the halls of Metropolis High.  Despite her natural beauty, however, she went mostly unnoticed.  Although she could have easily taken advantage of her looks to rise among the school's social ranks, she preferred to keep quiet.  She made every attempt to merely blend into the background, and took care not to wear attention-grabbing clothing.  Except for the boots.  She loved tall boots, usually black.  But, boots aside, she avoided being outwardly noticeable.  After all, she was there to learn, not to make a show of herself.
   The "popular" girls at Metropolis High had several things in common: heavily dyed hair, large doses of eye shadow, and a chronic need for attention.  Diana had none of these things.  She preferred to avoid the attention of those whom she deemed to be themselves undeserving of attention.
   However, Diana still made sure to take note of all her peers' behavior.  This being the first day of the Fall semester, the school was abuzz with activity.  New students were working through the confusion of finding where they belonged—both in a literal and metaphorical sense—while returning students were busy reasserting their statuses in various social circles.
   Listening intently to every voice around her, Diana waited.  She waited for the one voice—the one sentence—that would prove her beliefs about the world correct.
   "Hey, did you see the Sharks game last night?"
   "Oh my god! My new jeans are ruined!"
   "I think my next class is... over there?"
   "Hey, Nelson, would you mind helping me with a little something?"
   There it was.
   Off to her left, Diana saw a girl that was apparently using her femininity to persuade a handsome young man to help her open a jammed locker door.  "Hey, sure," the boy smoothly replied.  Diana read his face and instantly saw that he reciprocated her shallow affection.  The nerve of them! Hiding their lustful motives in plain sight! Before the boy could even attempt to open the probably-not-jammed locker door, Diana walked between them, firmly grabbed the door's handle, and pulled.  She nearly tore it clean off the wall.  "There," Diana said firmly, giving the girl a quick-but-icy glance.  She walked away, leaving the two shallow teens slack-jawed and confused.
   As Diana continued her walk through the hall, she suddenly felt a deep sadness, both for the world and for herself.
   I really screwed that up.  They were acting stupid, it's true, but it wasn't my job to correct them.  Or is it?  Why must people hide their true selves?  Why must the world revolve around lies?  Why must I be tasked with setting it right?
   The bell rang.

The New Transfer

   The new transfer is coming in today.  The one from Kansas.  Ugh; do they even teach journalism out there? What the hell would they report on, exactly?  The rising price of fertilizer?
Not that we don't need more help, but this is Metropolis. How could anything in the hick town of--what was it called again? Ugh; whatever--how could anything in a hick town like wherever-he's-from compare to Metropolis?

   The young editor looked up from her desk.  She was in charge of the school paper at Metropolis High, which, despite the fact that it was a public school, had one of the best high school journalism programs in the country.  The paper, The Daily Star, reported on more than just the school goings-on.  The Star was, essentially, a local professional newspaper written for the youth of Metropolis.  The very best student reporters from the Star were often immediately hired at The Daily Planet upon their graduation. This particular student had made it her life goal to get into the Planet at all costs, and most everyone expected her to do just that.  After all, she was effectively running the paper, and its success reflected extremely well upon her.  It was immensely frustrating to her, therefore, that the one transfer student that Metropolis High accepted into the journalism program this year was a farmboy hick who likely knew nothing about writing and could jeopardize her entire career.
   She heard a knock on the office's door.  Looking up, she saw a boy that looked as out-of-place as anyone could possibly be in this city.  He stood up straight--which was a rare sight in this school full of slackers--and wore a red plaid shirt that screamed "I LIVE ON A FARM."
   Nervously, he spoke.
   "Hi, um... I'm Clark Kent.  From Smallville."
   Lois Lane couldn't help but smile a little at that name.  It couldn't have been more stereotypically midwestern if it tried.
   Clark Kent.  From Smallville.  That is just perfect.
   A few seconds later, Lois still had a grin on her face.  She stared at Clark almost like a predator—he was a heaven-sent target for mocking.  Lois was known for her sharp tongue and relentless verbal abuse.  The dozens of different derogatory nicknames she could use for him almost made her dizzy with joy.
   Clark just looked awkwardly back at her, perplexed by the look he was getting.  It had been nearly ten seconds now, and he had no idea why she was staring at him.  They were alone in the Daily Star office, and it was getting more uncomfortable by the second.
   Lois's thoughts were a blur of excitement.
   What should his nickname be?  "Kansas Kid?" Ick.  That sounds stupid; come on, Lois, you're a better writer than that.  He seems kinda nerdy; I wonder if he wears sweater-vests? "Sweater Vest" would be GREAT.  He'd hate me for that.   No, wait a second... what was the name of his town?  Smallville.  Wait a second.  Do I know that name?  Smallville... nope.  Don't know it.  But it's perfect...
   He's looking at me funny. Why is he doing that? ...Oh my god; I forgot to actually RESPOND when he made his little introduction!... ... ...Why am I still not saying anything?!
   Clark broke eye contact and looked bashfully at his feet.  Lois suddenly realized why she had frozen earlier.
   Oh god; I think I was stuck looking in his eyes.
   She quickly shook herself free of her mesmerized state and cursed the color blue under her breath before abruptly and cheerfully returning Clark's introduction.
   "Hi, I'm Lois Lane. You're the new transfer?"
   Clark brightened up and flashed a big smile.
   "Yeah! That's me."
   Great. He has an amazing smile, too?
   Lois quickly rolled her eyes when she next blinked, getting annoyed at Clark's farmboy earnestness (and its accompanying attractiveness). Switching back into her usual abrasive persona, she set Clark in his place.
   "Well then, Smallville, you work for me now. Grab a desk; I've got work for you."

Teen Justice

There is a tale you know. One of heroes and villains, and the struggles that define them.

You know these heroes:
Our adopted savior, sent from another world.
An Amazon princess, the ambassador of peace.
An orphaned knight, fighting from the shadows.
A king of the seas, protector of its denizens.
A man with the speed of light itself.
An emerald guardian, tasked with protecting many worlds.

Theirs is a tale of myths and legends, locked in neverending battle for the lives of innocents.
Their stories have been writ a thousand times over, and their triumphs are known the world over.

But this is a different story.

In a world far separated from the one we know, those same heroes are but mere youths. Though they may resemble their familiar counterparts, their destinies are not the same. Some will still rise up as heroes, but others may not.

This is a tale of love, betrayal, anger, hope, desire, and woe.
(syn: high school)

Summary

Everyone always complains about The WB/CW, and how their adaptations of superhero stories inevitably end up butchering the continuities of the tales we know and love with cheesy dialogue, unecessary love triangles, and all manner of unholy teen drama.
So I thought, "hey, why not embrace it?"

This is a story that centers on the characters from the Justice League as teenagers in high school together. It takes place in a completely different universe than the mainstream DC Comics universe, so the characters can go in totally different (and deliciously melodramatic) directions.
It's going to be a fun story that embraces witty-yet-cheesy dialogue and great character moments.

It's called Teen Justice. Yes, you are supposed to laugh. :)