J'ohnn eagerly watched as Chey-Ara studied the inside of his house. For some reason, he really wanted her to like it. He looked around. The decoration was minimal. The house was painted white. His walls were bare for the most part. A few picture frames of himself in his human disguise were scattered throughout. He frowned. There wasn't much to like about his bare place. She was bound to be unenthused.
Chey-Ara inspected the bare house. She looked back at J'ohnn. Instead of a green alien with red eyes, she was staring at a dark-skinned male with no hair on the top of his head. Bald is what the humans call it. In this human form, he was called John Jones; he was also a homicide detective. He had her remove her wings before entering the house just in case a neighbor was watching. She walked the downstairs. It was roomy and empty. Spacious.
She turned back to him. J'ohnn motioned for her to follow him upstairs. Reaching the second floor, she looked around with interest. There were four bedrooms, each sporting one full-sized bed and one dresser. "Why do you have such a big house?" Chey-Ara asked. "You live alone."
J'ohnn shrugged his shoulders. "It was the only house available at the time," he stated calmly.
"I would like to live here," Chey-Ara stated firmly. "With you. Not alone. Not because I'm scared, but because I am new to this planet." She crossed her arms.
J'ohnn gave her a subtle smile. "Of course," he said. "We can move your things here – "
"I don't have things," Chey-Ara said. "The clothes the League provided me, along with the ones I came to Earth wearing, are all I have. The knives you personally confiscated are also mine," Chey-Ara fixed J'ohnn with a hard stare. "But that is all I possess…and Coco cookies."
"Well," J'ohnn placed his arms behind his back, "I believe the next logical step is for me to take you shopping.
"Shaw-ping? What?" Chey-Ara was very confused.
"And if you intend to stay on Earth, you will need an identity – a new name. What would you like to be called?"
"I don't know," she frowned.
"Well, I'm sure you'll think of something. For now, let's make a list of things you'll need."
Shayera rotated the two, thin long swords in her hand before facing her opponent. "Are you sure you don't want me to use the practice ones?"
"You need to get used to using these weapons. They're lighter than your mace."
"They will snap in half once they come into contact with Thanagarian weapons."
"No, they won't," Bruce said, gripping his bo-staff with two hands. "Clark forged them from metals found on his planet. They won't break."
"You asked him to do that…for me?"
"You always look surprised whenever someone, mainly me, does something nice for you."
"I am just used to earning everything," Shayera explained. "I have never had anything given to me out of kindness."
"You need to get used to it," Bruce said as the two began to circle each other. "You're dating a billionaire. Depending on the day, I may drown you in gifts."
"Are we dating?" Shayera asked. "I was not aware," she smirked.
"Now you are," Bruce replied.
All humor left Shayera's face. "I do not want to hurt you," Shayera said, holding up her two weapons.
"You won't hurt me. I trust you."
"Are you sure?" Shayera wanted clarification.
"Yes, now let's begin."
Shayera charged at Bruce, who easily dodged her attack. He rolled underneath her before swiping her legs with a bo-staff. "Ugh!" Shayera landed on her back.
"I have never seen you move so slow," Bruce stated smugly.
Shayera rolled to her feet. "It is the wings," she said. "They are hindering me." Concern marred her features. "What if I cannot get used to them?" she asked Bruce.
"Maybe it's a mental thing," Bruce said, attacking first. Shayera successfully blocked his first punch and at least 80% of the other combination attacks he threw at her. Unfortunately, not even one of her swipes, strikes, or kicks landed. He dodged, blocked, evaded, parried. She felt faulty, and the wings felt heavy and awkward. Flying through large hoops was easy, but fighting was a different story. She felt slow, defective, and tired.
The fight came to an end when Bruce's bo made contact with her leg, then upper arm, which he followed with a spinning kick to her face. Shayera's head hit the mat hard, bouncing a few times. She glared at Bruce from the floor, blowing a strand of hair out of her face. "Your guard was down," Bruce smirked.
"You are lucky I no longer have a helmet. Your foot would be broken," she motioned to Bruce's bare feet as she stood to her feet. A giant, red mark covered the side of her face. She brought her swords up once more.
"Maybe we should stop," Bruce suggested. "You only just completed the obstacle course."
"Don't get soft on me," Shayera pointed a sword at him.
"Fine," Bruce didn't argue. This is what she wanted. They lunged for each other at the same time, with Bruce easily gaining the upper hand. Seconds later, he had Shayera in an easy arm bar. She fought to get out of it, but with her wings flapping out of sync with each other, tapping out was her only choice. Bruce released her, and she screamed into her hands in frustration. "Let's try something else," Bruce suggested. He sat cross-legged on the mat and motioned for Shayera to do the same. She sat across from him, mimicking his position. "Close your eyes," Bruce ordered gently.
"Is this some type of yoga thing?" Shayera asked skeptically as she obeyed.
"No," Bruce scoffed. "Something I learned while training at a hidden monastery in the Himalayas."
"The Himalayas?" Shayera asked. "You traveled a lot."
"Yes. I- "
"Did you make it to the top of Everest?"
"I wasn't there to climb- "
"Wait. There's a hidden monastery in the Himalayas? Do you know how many times I flew- "
"Are you going to keep interrupting me or can I continue?"
"Sorry," Shayera apologized bashfully.
"As I was saying. I think the problem is you. You're fighting your wings."
"What?"
"Through my many conversations with Carter, in which he did all of the talking, I learned some things about Thanagarians."
"Like what?"
"Well…you guys don't lay eggs, contrary to popular belief," Bruce said with a smirk.
"Seriously?" Shayera said, "People really think we lay eggs?"
"Since you are bird-people, people assume you lay eggs."
"Humans call us 'bird-people' and hawks. Everybody else calls us Thanagarians because that is what we are."
"Back to what I was saying - for the wings to work, you have to form an emotional connection."
Shayera immediately burst out laughing. Bruce raised an eyebrow, not that she could see. "Oh, you were serious," Shayera said when Bruce didn't respond.
"Yes. Sit up straight. Breathe deeply. Answer my questions. First thing that comes to mind. What do you like most about flying?"
Shayera sighed. We're really doing this. "The freedom it brings. The feeling of weightlessness. The wind in my face as I soar through the air," Shayera answered honestly with a smile. "I also enjoy looking down on everyone else. I feel…powerful."
"What do you like most about your wings?"
"They are white and soft and fluffy. My favorite thing to do is curl up in a ball and wrap my wings around myself," she finished enthusiastically.
"Hmm…Imagine yourself soaring. Imagine yourself wrapped in the safety of your wings. Imagine all of the things you just told me." Shayera again listened. "Breathe into your memories. Dive into them. Allow them to surround you." Shayera did. She relived every flying moment that brought her joy; Bruce's soothing voice helped. After a few minutes, he asked, "Are you okay? You relaxed?"
"Yes."
"Good. I want you to remember that I am right here with you. You are safe with me," Bruce emphasized.
"Okay, yeah."
"Good. So…are you soaring, or are you wrapped in a ball?"
"Soaring," Shayera answered immediately.
"I want you to imagine yourself soaring through the clouds when suddenly…your wings are torn off your back," Bruce finished quickly.
"Bruce!" Shayera shouted in horror. She was not going to do that.
"Trust me, Shayera!" she felt Bruce grab her hands. "Just do it."
"We've already had this conversation!" Shayera retorted. Her breathing became shallow as her mind brought her back to that wretched day.
"Shayera- "
"Why do you want me to relive this?" Shayera almost cried as she began to panic.
"Shayera," Bruce said her name firmly. "Trust me." Shayera felt Bruce caress the palms of her hand with his thumbs, trying to calm her. "You're strong, and you're safe here."
Shayera's panicky breathing returned to normal. "Okay," she whispered.
Bruce interlocked their fingers (something he never thought he would ever do with anyone). "You were soaring," he continued. "Your wings were just torn off your back. What's the first thing you do?"
"I start screaming…and – and – and flailing."
"What are you feeling?"
"Fear…p-pain." She saw herself on the ground, screaming in pain. Inconsolable. "Alone," she paused. "D-death," she breathed out as she felt Bruce gently kiss her knuckles. "And then darkness."
"What's the one thing you would wish for in that moment?"
"My wings," Shayera said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Okay," Bruce intertwined their fingers again. "Your wings are back. You are now standing on the edge of a cliff, ready to test your new wings. Can you see it?" Shayera felt Bruce's fingers slowly slip from hers.
"Yes," she answered.
"You want to leap. You prepare to leap. But something is stopping you? What is it? The first thing that comes to mind," Bruce ordered.
"I – I – I am scared," Shayera admitted.
"Why?"
"I don't want to lose my wings again," she admitted. "It hurt so much the first time around. I…I cannot go through that again." She felt Bruce gently wipe tears from her eyes, which were still closed. She felt weird…different. "How do you feel?" Bruce asked.
"Weightless," she answered immediately.
"Shayera, open your eyes." She slowly blinked her eyes open, adjusting to the bright lights of the gym. Her legs were still crossed, and she was face-to-face, eye-to-eye with Bruce. Only, Bruce was standing on his two feet. If he was standing and her legs were still crossed, but she was at eye level with Bruce, that must mean – Shayera gasped as she looked down. She was floating, and she wasn't even trying. It was as if her real wings were…there. "How – how – " she looked at Bruce.
"This is all you," he said with a smile.
"How did you – "
"Something I learned at the monastery."
Shayera immediately wrapped Bruce in a tight hug. "Thank you," she whispered.
"Shayera," Bruce said in a strained voice, "you're still slightly stronger than me. You're crushing me."
"Sorry," Shayera said, quickly pushing him away. She landed gracefully on the floor.
"Want to have another go at sparring?" Bruce asked.
"You're going down," Shayera said, flying to the center of the mat.
"We'll see," Bruce followed.