karluli

Wally could not recall the last time he’d seen Superman upset. Ok, he’d seen his pissed off a number of times at various evil henchmen and real big baddies like Darkseid, but not upset. Not like this.

The ‘Man Of Steel’ was, at the moment, wearing the reading glasses he used in his day identity of Clark Kent. It was an odd picture, especially with the tome he was scouring for any sign of the jewels that took Shayera. His brows were knit together and the look in his eyes bellied his worry. Wally knew how he felt. Shayera had always been there, allowing the Flash to flirt and charm all he could to no avail. She made witty comebacks to his playful come-ons, listened to his ideas, and generally treated him like a….her word for it was Cha’ne, or little brother. She was also one of the original seven, and her redemption in recent months made her an inspiration to those who felt they’d fallen out of grace forever. Wally couldn’t count the number of people he’d seen in his hometown who’d told him how Shayera’s strength had inspired them to kick habits ranging from drug abuse to gang activity and become something. Those same people, he was certain, were now searching just as had for any news. Their e-mails were in his PDA, with a sound to alert him to any messages.
“Any luck?” He asked. Superman removed his glasses, sighing.
“Not a bit. I’ve got to get to work, too, or Perry will get suspicious. Lois too.”
“Ok. Go get a few hours sleep, ok? You’re not much use running yourself ragged, Supes.” Superman smiled weakly and nodded, yawning.
He walked passed Wally sleepily and down the stairs. As soon as he left, Wally slumped down in the seat the Kryptonian had occupied minutes before and put his head in his hands. A month and a half and nothing had come up.
At first he was so sure they’d get her home by weeks end. Now Wally was losing hope that he’d see Shayera in life ever again. Wrapped up as he was in his sorrow, he didn’t hear John until the man laid a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see the dark eyes of the un-powered John, who’d changed into his street clothes earlier that evening. He set an iced Chai Tea in front of Wally and a couple of Oops! Oreos and sat down next to him.
“Hey.” Was all he said. Wally, for a moment, wanted to rail at him, but instead he turned his eyes down.
“I miss her.”
“So do I. Not that I don’t deserve the worry after what I did. I—I haven’t been sleeping too well.” And he looked it. From the red-rimmed eyes to the weak pallor of his skin, John looked as if sleep had forever abandoned him.

“You have nightmares about Rex, don’t you?” For a moment, John was startled by the insightfulness of his young friend. He had indeed been seeing his child in his nightmares, cursing him for his stubborn refusal of his future.
“Yeah. He is---would be---a great warrior. He was so serious, though.”
“Remind yourself to make me Godfather. I’ll fix that.” John laughed, hoarse but heartfelt. Trust Wally to do such a thing as make a depressed man laugh.
“Yeah. I will. Assuming his mother returns…..” He fell back in his seat, one of the old cultural books in his hands, staring at the pages. There was silence for a long time, a companionable one, unlike that in recent weeks. Wally had hated the man before him, turned so much against him that the rest of the league could feel it. But now…now they were united once more in their search for Shayera. For the one who completed their odd, minor trio.
It was ten minutes later that Wally’s PDA began flashing wildly, alerting him that he had an incoming call from a top-priority contact.
“Flash here.” he said, as a deathly silent John looked on,” Oh, hi Olivia. Yeah…yeah…wha—wait, what? You sure? You really, really sure? No, I haven’t been talking to Kar, I’m normally like this. Right. Oh, man….hey, call me after this is over. I so owe you dinner. Yeah, I’ll call Linda. Yeah. Ok, thanks! Ye…yeah..I’ll bring her when we get her back. No, she won’t be interested in Kit’s brother, give him to Kar. OOk, bye.” He hung up and grinned at John, though his look sank at the highly amused look on John’s face.
“Incredible, you’re phone calls are weirder than your normal conversations. Whos Kit, Kar, and Olivia?”
“Long story. But they got something. Have you ever heard of the Hojo clan?” John shook his head. Wally whipped out his PDA/phone and flipped it sideways, revealing its use as a mini-laptop. Typing in ‘Hojo Triforce.’ he hit enter and a webpage popped up. Seeing as how it was too difficult to try and show John and read at once, he read it aloud:

“In the fictional world of the Legend of Zelda series: books, the Triforce is a legendary relic consisting of three triangular fragments, called the Triforce of Power, the Triforce of Wisdom, and the Triforce of Courage.The shape of the Triforce is based on the mon (crest) of the Hojo family in Japan.The Hojo family claims that the three triangles represent the three scales of a Shinto dragon.” He stopped,” John, it’s a BOOK. Written ages ago, when this family was in power.”
“A book.” John said, “ but what about the three stones?”
“ Also in the book. It’s the legend of three jewels that open a door in some temple of time and allow the Hero of Time to save a mythical land from extinction. Three jewels…”
“A Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald!” John jumped out of his chair and ran towards the mess hall, where the others were taking much-needed breaks. Wonder Woman and Mari were in one corner, eating what looked like spaghetti. J’onn was about to put one of his much-loved oreoes in his mouth when John flew in, eyes wide and breath erratic. The whole room of about 30 superheroes fell silent at his appearance, all holding their breath.
“John, please tell me your face means what I think it means..” Superman asked softly. John nodded just as Wally practically skipped into the hall, grinning ear to ear.
“The Goofy Trio does it again. First they find me the limited edition of Half-Blood Prince and now they got me info on the jewels!” Wonder Woman let out a breath, thankful that her failure to find what they needed wasn’t the end of the line.
“Tell those three I’ll fly them to Tokyo for a weekend.” Superman said, relief evident. The rest of the group went back to their meals, slightly happier for the news. Shayera may have had a troubled past, but she was still one of them.
“What did you find?” Asked Diana, when they’d taken seats in a secluded corner of the hall. Wally shoved the PDA her way and watched happily as she read the information aloud.
“So theres the how….if these things posses the power to unseal magic….but the why and the where are still unaccounted for.” Superman mused, sitting back in his chair.
“Exactly.” Muttered John, mood falling with every word the Man Of Steel spoke. He’s felt so elated just a moment ago, thinking they’d solved the mystery.
“Could she be in this..” Mari squinted at the font,” This Hyrule place?”
“Possibly, but that doesn’t account for where Hyrule *is*.”
“Someone go get Zatanna. We need a Sorceress for this.”
“right-o!” Quipped Wally, still grinning like a madman. He zipped away, PDA and all, before anyone could offer. John stared at the seat he’d been in moments before, slightly uneasy looking.
“What's the matter, John?” Mari asked, noticing his renewed gloom.
“I just..” he turned to the two women, “ I don’t want him to get his hopes up only for us never to find Shayera. He’s so damn attached to her, I worry it’ll destroy him if…” Superman, silent through all this, steeled his gaze as he stared out into space.
“Well then, we’ll just have to not fail…”

*****************************************************************************************************

“ Well, that was a fine calamity.” Zelda drawled, one hand covering the bleeding cut over Shayera’s brow. Link laughed uproariously, almost falling off the courtyard wall in his mirth. Shayera grimaced. Having met the young Hero of Time the next day after her arrival, Shayera had taken to his love of swordplay like a little green alien to Alpha Centauri.
In the first week, Shayera had been gaped at while at Court, her wings sticking out just as they did on Earth. But she’s begun to actually socialize, finding people among the mass of Hylian nobility who were not so stuck up as to snub the newcomer, though much of that good fortune was certainly a result of her friendship with the Crown Princess.
By the second week, Shayera had become worried about home, not comforted at all by the thought that the gorgeous land of Hyrule might be her home. She missed Wally and Stargirl, even Mari and John coming into her thoughts every so often.

After a month and a half, hope had failed her, and she’d finally come to terms with the fact that she may forever be simply Lady Shayera of the Hylian Court. Not Shayera Hol of Earth, and certainly never Hawkgirl. To her shock, it didn’t bother her when she thought of it. What did she really have on Earth besides her few friends? Rex, her child, would never come to be, and John would marry Mari. Hro was dead, and hated her anyway, and Katar…Carter, was still too creepy to ever be boyfriend material. People still hated her even though many didn’t know the true story, and her homeworld was a bloody mess. Yet on whatever planet Hyrule was on, Shayera had Link and Zelda, Holly, several Gerudo including their leader and Sage, Nabooru, and the nobles at court who were of a decent sort. So she’d gradually let go of her desire to return to Earth and adopted the dress of Hylian women quite easily. She’d even begun to enjoy styling her hair, for goodness sake!
“Well, that’s that. Now I think it wise that we abandon our sport for today and head into the gardens. Holly said she’d leave out a picnic!” Zelda said, pulling Shayera to her feet and grabbing Link’s arm. Together, the trio laughed their way into the main courtyard, where the roses were in full bloom for their enjoyment. Zelda sighed happily as she lay her head on Shayera’s leg and stared up at the blue sky.
“Hey Shy?”
“Yeah, Zel?”
“I talked to Father this morning with Link…and..” Link grinned, ready for the surprise he’d had to keep to himself all morning at the Princess’s request.
“You know how the common folk have reacted to you, right?”
“Well, yes. They seem to truly like me.” Link snorted.
“Adore, more like.” Shayera blushed.
“Well….Father seems to think you need a more…permanent place in Hyrule, especially after the way you commanded the Sorcerers against Lydelia.” Lydelia had been a once-prosperous kingdom to the south of Lake Hylia who’s King had decided he wanted the Triforce for himself. Shayera had plunged into battle, commanding the Sorcerers to victory against Lydelia’s powerful Witch of the Waters. The power-hungry dynasty was desolate now, its people given citizenship as Hylians and it’s nobles locked up for their involvement in the short battle. Shayera had been a hero.
“What would you say to, to---“ A thunderous crash interrupted her words, and Link sighed.
“Save it for later, Zel. We got company!”

Current Mood:

bouncy

Shayera Hol’s room at the headquarters of the Justice League, a collection of hundreds of beings from all over the world (and the stars) in an attempt to protect the innocent and the good, was not sparse as would be expected, but held many things of interest. There was her Hawkgirl mask, on a mannequin head on her vanity, the pearl fiancé’s earrings she hadn’t the heart to throw out, and doodles and drawings she’d done over the years on the walls. It was by no means a place for the drooping-winged, thoroughly depressed woman.
He had denied her. Had denied THEIR SON. Shayera hadn’t realized she’d wanted a boy until she’d begged the truth out of Batman about Rex. He was a tall man in the future, with pale skin like hers, and eyes and lips like hers, but his father’s thick black hair and facial structure. He’d been a serious man, reassuring John that Shayera hadn’t actually laid an egg. Her lip twitched as she lay on her bed at the though of future-Virgil’s jokes.

“ Shayera was one cranky pregnant lady! Then again, if I’d laid an egg THAT size…”. She’d made a mental note not to worry when Wally and Virgil started hanging out once the teen joined the League. If she was still there.
Shayera replaced the brush on the vanity and stared out the window. Up in space, the stars and blackness were comforting in their uniformity and their stark beauty. Now the clouds and sky she loved was there, and she knew she could easily go for a fly without being accosted. While the people of Earth still remembered her race’s attempts to destroy them, Superman had given the official story of how she, foolishly, had helped her people, thinking it would, in the end, of saved them, and of her fight against Hro with John. Lois Lane had printed the article, and her reputable career and honestly won over many people. And the Mexican woman and her child had followed with the story of how Shayera saved them. The clipped article was on her foam board. After that, a few more people came out telling of the good she’d done, and the hate mail had stopped. Those who truly hated her didn’t do anything after their battle with Darkside. Whose side she was on was clear.
But flight, and everything else, seemed pointless in comparison to Rex’s never-born status. His father saw to that.
Someone knocked on her door.

“Shayera?” It was Mari. Shayera felt a smile tug at her lips. While they loved the same man, Mari had been nothing but nice to her since they met. And there was worry in her voice now.
“ Come in, Mari.” She said. The door opened, and a worried Mari walked in, followed by an uncharacteristically subdued Wally. Shayera sighed.
“ Hey you.” Mari said, “ we’re getting worried out there. You haven’t come out of you room in two days, you haven’t eaten and—“
“—BATS is worried!” finished Wally, eyes bugging, “ He never worries. Well, not that we see.” It was true of Batman, but Shayera knew that he was a man who hated to see others as lost and broken as he had once been. No doubt he regretted telling her so much about her never-born son. She made a mental note to seek him out later on.
“ I—“

“ ---am not ok” Wally cut in before she spoke two words, frowning.
“ Exactly. But you don’t have to worry. I’m heading for Fate’s Tower in a few minutes…see if I can find my center again.” She rose from the vanity and turned to smile weakly at them. Both looked thoroughly unconvinced that she’d find it again, or ever. For that matter, so was Shayera. Her calm had been gone the second John saw the face underneath the mask.

“ I’ve got to get over there now. Izna is expecting me, and it would be rude to make her wait.” She got up to leave, her bag in one hand, but was stopped after about a foot by Wally hugging her around the waist. She looked down at him fondly, patting the mop of red hair that so perfectly suited him.
“ Wally, I can’t move with 200 lbs of Superhero around my wait. I’m not Superman, you know.” She teased. Wally only hugged her tighter in response.
“ Wally.” She said, a little more of a command in her voice. He looked up at her, and the puppy-dog look nearly made her want to unpack. He had that odd ability to endear himself every time one came in contact with him, until even the Batman had voluntarily come to the Flash Museum opening upon request.
“ Please? I really need this. I promise I’ll call you. After all, I do have your home and cell phone numbers.” He let go, but looked down in a pout worthy of a petulant toddler. Like a little brother, Shayera noted, trying to keep his big sister from going away to college.
“Thanks.” She bent down and pecked him on the cheek, pleased to see the sisterly affection brightening the younger hero’s face. She didn’t usual give open displays of affection to her friends. Except for Wally, J’onn, and Superman, she didn’t really show much at all. Mari had been the first since the creation of the new League to earn even her deep respect. And such things did not come without a lot of work.
“ Bye, Mari. Take care, alright?” She gave the woman a half-hug and a smile.
“ Ok, Shayera. Just don’t drop off the face of the Earth again. Flash drove the guys crazy last time, I’m told.” She threw a humorous glance at Wally, the aforementioned Flash. Shayera nodded.
“Alright.”

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“Shayera, welcome back.” Came the soft voice of Izna Cramer-Nelson as Shayera entered the garden after returning her mace to Fate’s pocket universe. She smiled gently, dropping to the ground beside Izna before her shoulders sank and she half-fainted into the other woman’s shoulder. Izna put an arm around Shayera as she began to tell her exactly what occurred. When she got to Rex, Shayera began crying in earnest, her tears dropping into the flowerbed in almost perfectly timed intervals.

“ The future is always in motion, Shayera. What was may still be. Has he denied he loves you still?” Shayera shook her head.
“No. He never said it….”
“Then there is hope. If he cannot say he does not love you, then he either cannot because he really does love you, or he cannot lie and tell you you no longer hold a place. Mari will know this, for she will ask him. Then she will know he cannot fully love her. And she is a woman not to be content with such a man.”
“ Thank you, Izna. But I cannot help but feel wrongness as of now. Something drives me ill inside, something…..like I need to be somewhere else.” Izna nodded.
“Perhaps a good book will help, for now. Feel free to browse my collection in the study. It’s the gold-colored shelf.” Izna gently lifted Shayera to a standing position, and shooed her on her way. The Thanagarian woman laughed at the mothering as she made her way into the study.
Izna was a godsend, most assuredly. For a moment, despite the ill feeling in the pit of Shayera’s stomach, she felt calm. Izna was right about Mari. John, regardless of whether he loved Shayera or not, was too conflicted with himself to ever be the supporting man to a woman like Mari, a strong woman who had her weak moments just like everyone else.

The study of Dr. Fate was filled with archaic magic books and items from all across time and space. Many of them were of great interest to Shayera, especially those from her birth-planet. She winced when she passed the spell book used to raise Solomon Grundy, but stopped to sigh at the miniature relief of an Egyptian Queen with wings.
Just as she passed the relief, the ill feeling in her stomach disappeared. Shayera stopped, perplexed. Turning her head, she saw a glow emanating from behind a shelf of potion ingredients. Despite her normally excellent judgment, she found herself walking steadily towards the source of the light, the rightness of her actions dispelling the ill feeling of being in the wrong place. The light brightened tenfold as she pulled aside a curtain.
The object in question was small, only a few inches high. Shayera could make out three golden triangles stuck together as the light softened and then dissipated altogether.

It was a series of three gold-laden jewels, now that she could see clearly, of symbols she couldn’t identify. For aError running style: Style code didn't finish running in a timely fashion. Possible causes:

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