My first fanfiction ever, and its mainly centered on John and Shayera and its in the Young Justice universe.
Shayera Hol is Hawkwoman because she's married to Carter. She loves John though, and can be more open and herself with him. Or something
Anyways... be gentle, this is my first time...
The dripping of some unknown liquid could be heard somewhere in the distance, its lone echo filling the dark, open space of the holding cell. The dank air was uncomfortably warm, as if some giant beast were breathing its warm breath upon the occupants.
The peace negotiations on Rimbor had gone unfavorably for the League members. Those concerned with the 'Missing 16 Hours', as well as two extra bodies sat huddled within the alien cell; none moved or spoke. Stillness dominated the small 10X15 foot space, save the repeated drip of fluids from a leaky pipe or caved in ceiling. There was little room for privacy of conversation, though the occupants had little to speak of at the moment.
Each leaguer had suffered brutal beatings at the hands of their captors. Bruises appeared dark and swollen along visible portions of their skin not hidden by tattered uniforms or the shackles that held them. Pressed forcefully to their knees, the captive heroes were imprisoned with specialized holding collars, braced to the floor with cuffs at the back. Each was programmed to neutralize the specific powers of the leaguers.
The cell was one of many in an open room fashioned from what appeared to be an old laboratory, converted since then due to lack of use. Transparent walls appeared to be dirtied glass, recently reinforced with some sort of electrified force field to prevent any unlikely escape. The only entrance and exit was a solitary steel door, which didn't match the surrounding walls. Outside the small enclosure, various counters and tables with broken or misused lab materials dominated the space of the former room of study, a creaky stairwell leading up into who knows where. The ceiling sagged from rot and water buildup, clearly neglected. Their holding cell was simply a waste basket for the league members to be thrown into while their fate was decided.
Most of the Leaguers were unconscious due to the brutality of the beatings, their weaknesses exploited and taken advantage of to the utmost extent. However, Shayera Hol found herself blinking through a single eye into the dim-lit cell, her other swollen shut by a well aimed blow and a considerable amount of blood. Dull pain thudded through her entire body, most particularly around the joints at her back, and she could only assume her wings had been fractured. Her mask lay beside her, tossed carelessly upon the filthy floor, cracked across the front. Of course, her mace was nowhere in sight.
With a suppressed groan, the Thanagarian lifted her head, assessing the damage done by the Rimbor authorities shortly after their ill-fated trial. She could remember the planet's very large public trial room, filled with thousands of writhing bodies shouting angrily at their small group. The sentencing had been swift, made so by majority rule. The odds had been poor for them, though John and the Green Lantern Corps had tried to intervene. However, they had no power over the matter. Imprisonment for intergalactic violence of no reasonable provocation was the decision.
Shortly after they were escorted from the trial to where she assumed was above the filthy cell they now found themselves in. Humiliated publicly by the law enforcement through physical abuse, and then dragged into a heavily guarded storage facility where more beatings ensued. Shayera had watched her fellow league members go down from the heavy rain of blows dealt by crude weapons. Bound with specialized shackles, the team was helpless against the onslaught. It was then that she suffered a severe blow to her temple, leaving a sizable gash and causing her to black out.
The hawk woman sat forcibly hunched over, numbly testing her restraints and gritting her teeth as the metal wrist cuffs chafed over her raw skin. She squinted through her one useable eye, counting the bodies of the other bent over figures within the cell. The number matched up correctly, and she looked to her right and left, recognizing the winged form of her spouse on one side, as well at the darker skinned Lantern on the other. Grunts and sighs could be heard from both bodies, and she breathed shakily, finding a bit of comfort knowing they were still alive.
Shayera listened intently, hearing only the echo of the fluid dripping from the neglected ceiling, before turning with an effort to inspect Carter. He too had suffered a savage blow to the head from the blunt end of some energized weapon. The tissue upon his right temple had been burned severely, though had managed to bleed down his gaunt face and onto his jaw and neck. Shayera whispered urgently to her husband,"Carter! Carter, can you hear me?" concern and a bit of panic in her voice. Normally cool in most situations, this was different. The closeness of the small space was triggering her claustrophobia, and the winged woman began to hyperventilate, the rushed sound of breathing filling the misused laboratory.
The panicked sound of the woman was enough to bring John Stewart into consciousness. Eyes of dark brown without the Ring shifted cooly about the dank room, and the former Marine soon recognized the throaty breaths as Shayera's. Head turned painfully to gaze at the bruised and cut up form of the Thanagarian. He winced, concern plastering his dark features as he caught sight of her wings, now mangled and filthy with the contents of the floor from being dragged. Feathers littered the space around the two winged figures. With a pained effort, the Green Lantern called out in a hushed tone,"Shayera, is that you?" his voice rough and throaty, damaged with massive hands that had choked him into unconsciousness.
The fearful Thanagarian paused for a moment from her panic, emerald eyes glancing gratefully to the now wakened Green Lantern; her rock in times of need despite all that had happened before. He was a pitiful sight. They all were. Now that his head was lifted and visible in the dim light, she gave a horrified gasp as she saw the swelled and beaten face of her companion,"Shit John-" He was quick to silence her, cutting in sternly,"Shh, it's nothing. Don't worry about me. How are your wings?" he gazed over at the once beautiful appendages, now mangled and filthy with abuse. Carter's were no better. The woman gave a grunt as she flexed the joints at her back, and the massive wings flapped pained and awkwardly. John quickly ordered her to stop, and she stilled, breathing heavily from exertion.
John's attention quickly turned to the rest of the Leaguers within the cell, assessing the scene as Shayera had. Unlike her, he had been the last to go down, aided till the end by his power ring which the Rimbor authorities had failed to remove before the trial.
Though he had tried to help his fellow members, John had watched them go down one by one. Superman had been exposed to concentrated amounts of Kryptonite by their captors, Diana brought down by an incredible wave of attackers despite being bound. Batman had been taken out of commission while trying and failing to aid Icon, who was defeated soon after. J'onn's weakness to fire had been exploited quickly by a torch-wielding officer, and Hawkman was blasted point blank by a freeze ray upon his wings, which had been viciously roped together behind him.
It was then that John saw Shayera crawl from his side to aid her fallen spouse, her struggle clear as she tugged and pulled in vain against her restraints. Wings were of no use, tied savagely by a wire to prevent motion. Carter was too late to warn her of the guard that stood behind her, holding a nasty looking electrified staff. The tip struck her forcefully before John could throw himself between them, and she gave bloodcurdling cry before slumping to the floor. Smoke rose from the charred fabric and flesh between her wings on her back, and John clenched his jaw, jumping to his feet despite his bound hands, savagely attacking the staff-wielding guard with kicks, head butts, and teeth. He fought valiantly, but eventually was brought down, his limp body beaten mercilessly even after he had blacked out.
Now John and Shayera looked over the slumped figures of their companions. None of them had come to, even after hushed calls. John had succeeded in calming the panicking woman down from her fear of small spaces. They now talked in hushed tones, stating the situation and various options and plans for escape. A considerable amount of time passed, yet none of the other Leaguers awoke. The pair found themselves talking of simple things from the past just to prevent silence from returning.
"How many times have you actually watched that Old Yeller movie anyway?" a smirk appeared on the winged woman's beaten features despite the situation. A chuckle was given by the deep voiced Lantern,"Well we watched it every time you stayed at the apartment, so quite a lot." he peered at her battered but still beautiful face, his soft brown eyes reminiscent of old times. She grinned in return, wincing as it strained and disagreed with the swollen, crusted shut-eye,"Son of a b-, Oh Chinese sounds so good right now... from that place down the street." she began listing their favorite foods, John cringing at the less than savory ones that she valued so much. Eel heads, really?
They conversed for hours until they found sleep. It wasn't refreshing, and provided little energy. By now Diana and J'onn had woken battered but alive, and the four worked to try and revive the remaining members. Superman had been exposed to a great amount of Kryptonite, and it was no wonder he didn't wake for another day. Batman, being an above average human being, had recovered soon before Clark, using strange monk techniques to replenish lost energy. Icon soon came through too, and eventually so did Carter, though he had lost use of his artificial wings, rendering him flightless. The conscious leaguers now sought an escape plan, and most information was brought by the genius mind of Batman. The situation was assessed thoroughly once more.
It was estimated that a little less than four days had gone, and the captives were succumbing to the effects of malnourishment and lack of hydration. Almost on cue, before the majority of the team had fainted from maltreatment, footsteps were heard upon the sagging stairway. Dust crumbled from the ceiling, and heavy boots brought echoes throughout the holding cell. A hulking mass emerged from the stairwell, visibly clad in battle armor and holding some sort of protective helmet at his side. His skin was a darkish green, scaly and reptilian. Features were like that of a fish or lizard. Massive, armoured winged protruded from his back.
A Gordanian, no doubt important. Obviously male, he was flanked by two smaller lackeys of the same species, dressed similarly to their commander. They carried military grade ray guns, and stood behind the glass, blocking out much of the light that previously shone through the transparent barrier. The rest of the leaguers had seen Gordanians before, but didn't know them right away. Shayera had recognized what they were immediately, and grit her teeth, remaining silent for now. In a deep, cruel voice, the chief in command spoke,"The Justice League, Rimbor officials tell me. Once famous throughout the cosmos. Now intergalactic criminals." a throaty chuckle was given, and he prodded the force field outside the glass with his ray, distorting it and blurring the image on either side.
Superman, assuming the role of leader, spoke up,"You obviously know who we are, but who are you?" he strained against his restraints, weakened by the secretions of Kryptonite which were exposed within the holding collar. He was answered with a dismissive grunt, speaking to his lackey's,"We are only here for one. The Thanagarian." he stared through the glass, visibility now restored, adding,"The real one, not just a man with fake wings." he motioned with a claw, pressing a sort of code into a keypad hidden from sight beside the glass.
Gas began to fill the chamber, noxious stuff that induced light-headedness and temporary slumber. Weak protests were made from the occupants, but eventually they began to fall to the fumes. The force field then disappeared, and the glass shifted aside, allowing the lackey's to step in. One, who was taller and thinner than the others, walked between the row of prisoners to the secured Thanagarian, bending down to insert another encryption into a keypad. The other Gordanian lackey, short and wider with a particular limp, watched with ray gun hefted to make sure nothing happened. The captives were nearly unconscious, but the last thing the half-shut eyes of the Lantern saw was the winged woman being removed from her bonds and dragged away by the Gordanians; creatures who had nearly wiped out the Thanagarian race. All except one.