A new student is coming to Gotham Academy – someone who goes by the name of Nico di Angelo. He seemed like just your average 13 year old with minor anti-social problems, that is, until an unfortunate run-in with a monster had Dick Grayson think otherwise. Starts off like your average high-school story fanfic, but will turn into something else as the story progresses. Rated T for bits of excessive swearing, violence, dark themes and mild gore.

Time set: A month after Percy Jackson & the Olympians series, before Heroes of Olympus, after Episode 17 of Season 1 of YJ (Disordered), before Episode 18 (Secrets).

I dedicate this story to my best friend, Alyce Lonsdale.

Disclaimer: I do no own the Percy Jackson series or Young Justice.

Please note: Demigods know about superheroes but superheroes don't know about demigods, save for like Wonder Woman.

Italics outside of quotation marks by itself = thoughts

Chapter 1

"You want me to what?!" yelled Nico di Angelo in frustration with a hint of anger.

"You heard me," stated Hades calmly as he smoothed out his elegant robes.

"Okay, fine. I have no problem with going on a mission for five months, but you want me to go to school during the mission? Are you kidding me?" said Nico, exasperated.

"I don't kid," stated Hades with a stoic face. "Trust me, son, this wasn't my idea."

Nico's expression changed in an instant, however, before he could voice his confusion, black smoke suddenly exploded in the middle of the throne room.

"Lady Hecate," exclaimed Nico in surprise as the goddess was revealed as the smoke cleared.

The goddess of magic nodded in reply, and that was when Nico noticed the black duffel bag in her hands.

"I'm sure your father has told you about going on a mission, and he is correct – the mission you're going on is for me," she said.

"…couldn't you just get someone like Percy to go? He's more experienced...he's older and he's actually been to school before," said Nico after a pause.

"No, because the son of Poseidon is not suitable for the job," she stated dryly.

Nico frowned. Not suitable for the job? How? Percy could practically do anything.

"I want you to embark on this solo mission to Gotham City, where several disciples of mine have reported illegal acts of necromancy taking place within the city," explained Hecate.

Hades rolled his eyes at his son's blank look, "Someone has been raising people from the dead using forced magic. It hasn't been working very well, as the soul that the person had tried to summon barely took form before it came back to the Underworld."

"So you want me to find this person, and bring him down or something?" asked Nico.

Hades stepped forward and handed Nico his skull ring.

"Your sword and your ring has been merged together, and it will work like the sea spawn's pen. A different key of Hades has been implanted into your sword. I want you to cut the person; one cut will kill him, yes. But his soul would then be transported straight to me, where he will stand trial against the judges of the Underworld and I," said Hades.

Nico nodded obediently.

"And what if those mortals with the costumes – like the bat dude or whatever his name was – comes and gets in my way? Doesn't he like, guard the city or something?" asked Nico.

"I wouldn't want to meet some unnecessary souls, but do what you must if they become a problem," stated Hades.

"All right, the mission sounds fine to me, but I'm just wondering…why the heck do I have to go to school?"

Hecate sighed.

"Because, as you said, Gotham City has been heavily patrolled and guarded by mortal 'superheroes', it would seem suspicious for a 13 year old to be wandering around the streets during the day, and forced necromancy magic only works at night."

Before Hecate could continue however, a loud beeping sound was heard, and said goddess exhaled in weariness.

"I apologise, but I have a meeting with Zeus to attend to. I must go at once, but I'm sure you can figure the rest of the mission out."

Hecate then handed the duffel bag to Nico, before the same heavy black smoke that signalled her arrival appeared once more.

"Good luck, son of Hades,"

Dick Grayson slid smoothly out of the back of the sleek silver Porshe at the entrance to Gotham Academy, Barbara Gordon following behind him; it was a regular occurrence for them to car-pool when Commissioner Gordon was busy.

"Thanks Al," said Dick as Alfred handed him his backpack.

"Have a good day, Master Dick. Same to you, Miss Barbara." He said with a nod, and with that, the man stepped on the gas petal and was off.

"So, did you hear about the new student?" said Dick casually as the pair headed towards their lockers.

"New student? Since when?"

"Since, like, Saturday. Bruce had offered another 'lucky' student a full scholarship to Gotham Academy," stated Dick with a shake of his head, "Don't understand why though…"

"But, school started like a month ago, why didn't he give it out then?" she wondered.

Dick shrugged.

"Yeah, well, I also heard from Bruce that he's gonna be joining my year."

Barbara, being just a few weeks older than the age cut-off to Dick's year was in the year above, which meant that she was a 9thgrader while Dick was still an 8th.

"A scholarship so early?" she wondered again, getting a slight bit suspicious. Dick noticed and chuckled.

"Babs, why are you suspicious? He's just a student."

"Still…" she said, but decided it was pointless to dwell on it as she shut her locker and had her books for the first two lessons in hand.

Dick had also shut his locker, but it wasn't long before a group of bulky seniors slouched passed. One had stuck his hand out intentionally and knocked all the books out of Dick's hand.

"Aw, look at that. Little Grayson was too weak to even carry his own books around! Do you need your girlfriend to help you out there?" sneered one while the rest of them sniggered.

"Girlfriend? Pfft, probs' stuck in the friendzone like a loser!" The group roared with laughter as the others students stopped to watch.

Dick balled his hands to fists, but couldn't do much as he had to play his part as 'Richard Grayson, the adopted son of billionaire play-boy Bruce Wayne'. Sure, Robin the Boy Wonder could easy take them down, but Dick Grayson, the weak and skinny spoilt thirteen-year old shouldn't even know how to throw a punch properly.

"Oh! You wanna fight me? Grayson? Ha! Grayson and fighting just really shouldn't go in the same sentence," sneered the leader, Dylan, as he noticed the younger boy's clenched fists.

"Leave him alone," said Barbara, a glare menacing enough to match the Bat-glare.

"Or what? I can, if you give me a favour in return, doll face," said Dylan menacingly, his lips curling into a disgusting leer as he eyed her blouse. Barbara abruptly took a step back as she crossed her arms over her chest, and Dick was at a point of anger where he seriously contemplated the consequences of blowing his cover, when everyone around the vicinity froze at the sound of a new-comer's voice.

"Hey! How about you take your fuck-buddies somewhere else? The sexual tension between you guys are really getting on my nerves,"

Dylan froze, his hand that had slowly made its way around the collar of Dick's school stilled abruply.

"What did you say?" he hissed, turning around slowly.

"I said, go pick on someone your own size, or are you deaf and stupid?"

Dick peered over Dylan's shoulder, and was slightly surprised to see a student standing several metres from them.

The boy had jet-black hair, but it was jelled back and pressed down, a bit like Dick's hair. His Gotham Academy uniform looked new but rumpled and he shouldered a black backpack; his skin seemed impossibly pale, but there was a tint of olive-skin tone as well. But the thing that stood out the most, were his eyes. They were obsidian-black and seemed to belong to someone far too old for the boy's age. He had wide shoulders, but his uniform and thin fingers told Dick that this boy was probably skinny and shouldn't have taken on a senior.

At the sight of the boy, Dylan threw his head back and laughed, his herd of 'friends' laughing along with him.

"Wow, two nerds in one day? I must be a lucky man!"

"You call yourself a dude? With hair like that?" said the boy with a smirk, and Dylan's face turned red with indignation.

Dick was abruptly dropped to the ground as the senior turned around to face the newcomer fully, and without warning, lunged for him. Dick winced as he prepared himself to hear a crack of bones as the boy would've been crushed by the 200 pound senior, but his eyes widened in genuine surprise when the boy rolled to the side seconds before the collision, and balled his hands into fists in a boxing stance. Dylan turned with a growl, his arms coming out at lightning speed as he aimed for the boy's face, but said teen deflected the hit and released a jab of his own. The single punch slammed into Dylan's jaw, and the resulting crack echoed throughout the courtyard. The older teen fell backwards onto the lawn with a thrud, and the other students watched in awed silence and surprise at the turn of events.

Then, the boy merely turned and picked up his backpack, before disappearing into the crowd of students. The teacher arrived moments later, demanding to know what had happened.

"Uh, I fell and hit my jaw." stated Dylan, for he wasn't the most favourable student amongst the teachers, and even he was smart enough to know that telling the teacher about the boy would merely raise more questions, and Dylan was certain the teacher wouldn't believe him if he said the boy randomly punched him.

The teacher rolled his eyes, but sent him off towards the nurses' office to get it iced.

"That was..."

"…interesting," said Dick as both his and Barbara's eyes were stilled glued to the spot where the meanest bully of Gotham Academy was taken down with a single punch, by a boy five years his junior.

Not that Dick was…impressed or anything.

The bell for homeroom suddenly rang out loud and clear, and the students snapped out of their daze and began to rush to their homeroom.

"See you at break," said Barbara quickly, before she hurried to her class and Dick did the same.

As he settled in his usual seat at the back of the room next to the window, Dick noticed that the seat next to him was empty, and the usual person who sat next to him was moved to the front of the room. Everyone chatted with their desk partners animatedly before the teacher came, but it wasn't long before Ms. Bailey strolled into the room, and the class was silenced.

"Class, I'd like to introduce to you our newest member to our school, we are fortunate enough to have him in our class." she stated.

The students barely paid her any attention, the chatter repeatedly going back to the spectacle in the courtyard moments before. However, it wasn't long before a familiar-looking boy with jet-black hair and pale-olive skin stumbled through the door, and all talking within the classroom suddenly ceased.

"Sorry, I got lost."

"That's alright. Class, meet Nico di Angelo."