1991, Magical America VI
Shayera closed the door to the infirmary behind her.
She honestly was happy Barry Allen hadn’t died, it was lucky the kid had more heart than smarts. One-hundred-seventy pounds of Fifth-year athlete at terminal velocity versus the skinniest kid in their year? It wasn’t a surprise.
But the kid was ALSO too popular for his own good. It was the first day of Winter Break and somehow the place was packed. Iris West, Clark Kent, Hank and Don Hall, Lyla Michaels, and that one kid... John Stewart. Among many, maaany others.
When she looked up and saw another half-dozen students were heading her way, she wandered in the other direction.
The halls were emptier, the grounds quieter blanketed under the snow, but her mind was still full of the same thought. Of course Wampus got massacred. Again. They had yet to win a single game all season.
Shayera found herself at the base of the Owlery, someone’s steps already imprinted in the snow. She lifted her foot, to test the size difference.
“Don’t be dumb, Hol. You’re not scared of anything.”
When she entered the Owlery and saw the tall silhouette, she started. Then forced herself forward.
Shayera grabbed the other student’s shoulder, and was met with Diana Prince training her wand on her nose.
“Shayera?” Diana chuckled and stowed her wand. “Thankfully Slade’s not here. ‘Rule one of Dueling Club: Wand’s out? Battle’s on.’”
“Why are you even up here?” Shayera asked.
Diana indicated a pile of letters, half opened, half unopened. “All for this J’onn J’onzz kid. No one’e seen him in quite a while.”
Shayera sat on the opened ones. “Bruce has you wrapped up in that, now? That Justice League of his and Clark’s is growing.”
The Owlery was quiet for a moment. “Wampus’ Quodpot Team is doing really well in practice. It’s just, it seems like--”
Shayera clicked her teeth. “Thanagar!”
Two owls descended, one landing in her lap, which she cradled, and the other landed on her head, which she couldn’t bring herself to shoo away per usual.
“You have two owls?”
“One’s mine. That I named as soon as I got. The other is Katar’s. Who he named as soon as he got... two years ago.”
Diana’s eyebrow crept up, puzzled. “And you two...?”
“Are not related.” She’d never heard of him while she was at the orphanage. And to her knowledge his orphanage had been somewhere in Egypt, half a planet away.
More time in silence passed. Shayera sighed heavily, anything was better than spending the next month of break wrapped up in her own head.
She picked up one of the unopened letters and started sifting.