Young Justice: Brightest Day [Solstice Book Two]

Nine

I floated above the city for a while, hiding in the sunlight that beat down on the metal skyscrapers that faded outward into modest homes of clay and wood. The crowded streets bustled along in the summer heat as if my life hadn't been completely turned upside down.

What was I going to do? Turn my back on Kaldur and the League? Or turn my back on the myriad of peoples and cultures that I was destined to protect? Even before now, countries like my own were often overlooked on a global scale, despite boasting more languages, more people, and a richer history than most of the rest of the world.

My mind flashed back to Nightwing. Was it really a coincidence that Nightwing all but asked me to leave the League right before President Patil did? Batman and his apprentices wouldn't interfere with foreign policy, would they?

I flew home as fast as I could. I needed to talk to someone, but who?

I walked in the front door, and into a hurricane of cardboard boxes and newspaper. The TV was blaring the news in Tamil, Dad was shouting on the phone in Punjabi- probably to one of his brothers, then- and mom was haphazardly wrapping the plates and dishes in paper and shoving them into boxes.

"What's going on here?" I asked.

They stopped what they were doing, as if they hadn't heard the door open, and charged through the mass of cardboard and newspaper to throw their arms around me.

"Oh Kiran!" Mum cried, caressing my hair to get rid of some of the tangles.

"We saw on the news," Dad said as if that explained why the house was a mess. "Your bags are in your room. Go, pack."

"What? Why? I thought you loved it here?" I exclaimed.

That made them pause. "Did you not want to be a hero anymore? What about Parliament's AVA? Isn't that what the president wanted to speak to you about?"

My shoulders relaxed, and I could have cried tears of joy for my family.

"The Anti-Vigilante Act?" I said, cracking a smile.

"Kiran, do you have a fever?" Mum pressed the back of her wrist to my forehead

"I'm fine, Mum, I promise," I said, fending her off, "but you don't have to move on my account."

"But you can't be a hero if you live in India!" My father exclaimed, "you said it was your destiny!"

"And that hasn't changed," I said, "but there are some other options I want to explore before we totally uproot our lives. Again."

Mum and Dad laughed, looking around the mess that was our kitchen.

"I'll order some takeout for lunch," Dad grabbed the remote and turned off the TV. Now we could finally hear ourselves think.

"Kiran, would you help me here?" Mum asked, picking up one of the boxes at our feet.

"I have to make a call first, but I promise I will come back down and help you." I kissed her forehead.

"Aya," Mum sighed, "Calling boys now, are we?"

She said that as if she didn't want me to spend every waking moment planning my imaginary wedding to Karan. I rolled my eyes so she couldn't see and hurried up the stairs.

I didn't realize how tense my legs were until I sat down on the bed. My muscles sang with relief. I opened and closed my mouth a couple times to loosen my jaw. Dealing with politics made me more upset than I remembered.

I pulled out my phone and scrolled through my contacts.

What was I going to do?

Cassie was out of the question. I loved her to death, but she was already going through too much. I couldn't threaten her with me leaving the League after Tim had just walked out. I felt bad about ignoring Cassie's texts. Really, I did. But I had my own stressors to think about at that moment, and trying to help her with her problems only made it worse.