Ski'Lira Hol had been working on a list of undeniable facts about herself, starting from the moment she was able to understand complex sentences and capable of basic problem solving. Facts were good, facts were almost always unchanging, they could be depended upon. Thanagarians dabble very little with fantasies. Their near complete lack of any kind of false mythologies were certain proof of that. Civilizations across the stars put their faith in things they believed, but could not be proven.

But not Thanagarians. Her people celebrated the truths of their history, telling tales of very real warriors, scholars, politicians, criminals, craftsmen, and every type of person in between. Their epics were retellings of grand battles and impossible journeys, kept as close to their original source material as was possible to retain their credibility. Some civilizations might find it strange, but Thanagarians knew that the truth was often stranger than any fiction.

Back to her list...

As of her ninth birthday, the most recent iteration of her list, it read as follows.

One, her name was Ski'Lira Hol, daughter of Katar Hol and Shayera Hol. Katar Hol was one of the Wingmen of the Hawk Police, and Shayera Hol was a lieutenant in the military, specializing in infiltration. But now they were both stationed on a permanent outpost position on a different planet.

Two, her birth was both a gift and an inconvenience. Her mother had fallen pregnant while still on active duty, forced on leave until her daughter had been born. As was a common occurrence on Thanagar, her birth was no excuse to leave their duties.

Three, as her parents were sent back on active duty (on a mission that would eventually result in their permanent outpost position), she was raised by Da'my Maye and Da'my Tildi. Maye was Shayera's half-sister and Tildi was Maye's wife. Maye was a craftsman specializing in glasswork (both practical and artisanal) and Tildi was a baker. She was told that the woman was once a decorated sniper before retiring from combat, but now she held a monopoly on their hometown of Hei'Thir's supply of savory pastries. Apparently there were even people from the capital that requested deliveries of her spiced creations.

Four, as previously mentioned on the list, Katar and Shayera had found a home on Earth. After several long hearings and a great deal of bureaucracy (going so far as to involve the ruling of the Thanagarian High Council), they were granted leave to remain on planet. From what she understood, Earth had been declared a 'lynchpin planet', a hive for extraterrestrial and multi-dimensional activity that needed to be watched carefully. But since their new planet was so far away, Ski'Lira was lucky to receive a visit at least once a year.

Five, she wanted to be just like her parents when she grew up. She wanted to be a strong warrior, one who wasn't afraid of anything or anyone. It was Tildi who told her that if she dedicated herself to her studies now, it would aid her in her goal when she was able to actively seek it.

Six, when she turned nine, her parents were going to take her to live with them on Earth. In order to prepare her for the change, her parents had compiled an additional lesson plan. By day, she would attend her standard lessons with Thanagarian children, learning basic history, language, mathematics, and combat forms in the vast outdoor courtyards in the places of learning. In the evenings, and on her off-days from school, she would self-study. Thus, Earth languages (namely English, Mandarin, and Arabic, the three her parents were most fluent in), history, and other basic lessons about Earth society and practices were slowly ingrained into her young mind.

Seven, Earth was weird and she had no idea how her parents expected her to live there. So many little customs and societal niceties she learned about made zero sense to her. And don't even get her started on the mess that was the English language. Its grammar rules were all over the place, and those lessons often gave her a headache. When she was informed it was the language she'd have to learn the best, she nearly cried. Nearly.

Eight, tomorrow morning, she was going to be leaving Thanagar.

Nine, she'd never admit that she was scared.

H

The designated plaza for Boom Tube travel was sequestered away in a quieter part of the city, well defended and heavily monitored by armored Thanagarians watching from hidden alcoves above. Regulations for Boom Tube travel were strict, and even the most minor of delays on creating or taking one could result in hefty fines or arrest. At the moment, Ski'Lira, Da'my Maye, and Da'my Tildi were the only ones in the plaza (other than the ever present personnel, of course). Her hands were held tightly, one by each woman, and she was savoring as much time as she could with them.

In the week leading up to her departure, the women had gone to every length to make her last days on Thanagar (for now) as memorable as possible. They went on long flights, went swimming, visited favorite restaurants and cafes, took last trips to the museum and the zoo, visited both their workplaces final times, and every night they'd cuddle up on the couch and Da' My Maye and Da'my Tildi would take turns telling or reading stories until their voices went hoarse.

Any questions she'd had about them visiting Earth had been gently rebuffed.

Precisely on time, there was a burst of percussive sound, accompanied by a spiraling tunnel of light. Calmly stepping out were two, instantly recognizable people. Both of her parents were in their full armor (recently polished judging by the gleam). The tunnel snapped shut behind them, waiting to be reopened until they gave the signal.

Despite the anxiety of the moment, Ski'Lira couldn't help the broad smile that spread across her face. Her hands were gently released by her guardians, Da'my Maye nudging her in the back to prompt her forward. That was all the encouragement she needed, hurtling across the space at a dead sprint.

Katar crouched down as she threw herself at him, and he snagged her just before impact, vaulting her up into the air and catching her again, a shriek of laughter leaving her. His own laugh was quieter, rumbling, and he perched her on his hip as she threw her arms around his neck. "I missed you, Ta'me!"

"I've missed you more, fledgeling." He replied, as he had done every single time he had visited before.

"Look how much you've grown!" Shayera moved to stand close, running a hand across her much tinier wings and straightening a few feathers that had been knocked out of place. She followed it up by giving a teasing tug to the end of her braid. "Soon you will be too heavy even for... Ta'me to carry."

"Never, Da'mi!"

With that declaration, she burrowed herself even further into Katar's grip, inadvertently headbutting his jaw in the process. He let out a soft grunt, but still didn't flinch.

Her two Da'my had wandered over by this point, having been quietly watching the reunion play out. When Maye stood next to Shayera, the family resemblance was clear, sharing the same vibrant red hair and feather pattern. The stark difference was Maye's short-cropped hair, and her nearly-black eyes instead of Shayera's own bright jade. Tildi, on the other hand, was nearly their direct opposite, with her willowy frame, dark skin, and long black hair carefully tied back into countless braids. Her jet-black wings were spread wide, providing ample privacy from the watchful eyes of the guardsman.

Hugging her half-sister and sister in law in turn, Shayera inclined her head towards where Ski'Lira was inspecting the razor sharp claws of her father's gauntlets.

"Ta'me and Da'mi, hm? Last time we spoke, we were both still Ya'ti."

"She picked them herself." Maye held her hands up defensively. "I had no interference, I can assure you. After you mentioned in your message how she'd have to adopt Terran titles for both of you, she took... offense at that. She spent weeks picking proper Thanagarian titles instead. There was a written list with pros and cons. It was pretty adorable."

Shayera made a face. "I should have guessed. Even trying to explain that children on Earth have limited vocabulary to describe a guardian's role, nor do they often get to choose, was... challenging."

"She's going to be fine," Tildi spoke up, her low voice reassuring. "You all are. Ski'Lira is strong and adaptable, something she inherited from both of you. Remember that she chose this willingly. We all gave her the option to stay here on Thanagar and she chose to go with you."

Nodding, some of the gloom left Shayera's face.

"You have raised her well in our absence," Katar stepped forward, handing Ski'Lira off to Shayera, whom she latched onto just as tightly. Her Ta'me clapped a hand on Da'my Tildi's shoulder. "And you will always have our gratitude for that."

"There is no need for thanks." Tildi insisted.

Stepping closer to her wife, Maye wound an arm around Tildi's waist. "We love her just as much as you do, and we are honored to be her Da'my."

The mood turned bittersweet then, as Ski'Lira felt the end of an era approaching. As if sensing her growing stress, Da'mi ran a hand through her hair. "Ski'Lira, have you said your goodbyes?"

"Yes, Da'mi, before we left the house, but..." She wiggled, and her mother obediently put her down.

Darting back over to her two Da'my, she flung her arms around them both, getting one last hug, taking in the scent of the glass forge that always lingered around Maye, and the strong spices that always coated Tildi's hands.

"I wish we could stay longer, but..." Shayera apologized once her daughter had scampered back over.

"This is not a goodbye," Maye chided. "Far from it. If you don't message us at least once a week I can and will complain to the Thanagarian High Council to revoke their ruling about invasion of your Earth."

"Send pictures," Tildi added.

H

Going from the sunny, outdoor, well-kept plaza of Hei'Thir's Boom Tube access point to a dark, dingy building was something of a shock. Dark blue eyes wide, she was nearly stunned to silence by the change, from her beautiful home to a clearly abandoned building direly in need of serious repairs. Without further ceremony, her ta'me picked her up and hoisted her onto his back so she was slotted neatly between his wings. As she had done countless times before with both sets of her parents, she locked her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, keeping her wings in tight to reduce drag.

Her da'mi offered a little finger wave as she took off, leading the way through an open hole in the roof, Katar following suit a moment later. Once aloft in the night sky, she couldn't help the loud whoop of joy. Unable to help herself, her wings fluttered from happiness, her downy feathers catching in the cool breeze.

Stars glittered overhead, their positions unfamiliar, but still their shine was a comfort.

Before today, she had spent countless time worrying and fretting about exchanging a planet she loved for another, wondering if she'd made the right decision. Despite the years she'd spent preparing for this moment, she knew that she still had a great deal to learn before she could ever feel wholly comfortable here.

But right now? At this moment, tearing through the star-laden skies with her parents? It made her think that the risk was worth it.

Gliding in close, her da'mi reached out and booped her gently on the nose. "How do you find the skies, fledgling?"

"Not as pretty as Thanagar," she piped back. "But I think I can get used to it."

H

On the way, her da'mi had explained exactly where they were going. Apparently, the Hol family had settled on a beachside home in a city called St. Roch, in the state of Louisiana (the one shaped like an L, that was easy to remember). The city in question was connected to a much larger and far more well-known place called New Orleans, that had an incredibly rich history and culture.

The property that the Hols had bought and renovated themselves was secluded, giving the Thanagarians free reign of the skies over the beach and the sea.

Once, the house had belonged to a lighthouse keeper, said lighthouse long since crumbled away and fallen into the waters below. Apparently there had been a great deal of repairs needed, and several members of their kast here on Earth had volunteered to help. In particular, her father praised the amount of construction work done by one called 'Clark', who he described as a 'farm boy through and through'. The detritus left from the lighthouse's destruction had been completely cleared away, leaving a circular path of dirt that was perfect for sparring matches.

They had also worked on a room just for her, asking for input from her Da'my about her preferences for style and color. Obviously it would be different from what Thanagar had to offer decoration wise, but they tried their best to match as closely as they could manage.

On their descent, Shayera pointed out the house now that they were close enough. Seeing it for herself, it was... quaint, she guessed. The house itself was pretty big, all grey stone brick with dark blue roofing, and the newly dubbed sparring circle about twenty meters away from the house. There was a thick dirt and gravel path leading away from the house, eventually connected to a worn paved road that went even further. Sitting in front of the house itself were a collection of Earth vehicles, one significantly shinier than the other.

"Oh damn it all to hell," Katar grumbled as he landed on the grass, already reaching back to help her clamber off his back and onto the ground. "I thought I told him to come alone!"

"We should have seen this coming. That's the last time we have important conversations in the Mountain's kitchen, no doubt he overheard and got excited. Honestly, we should be glad there aren't more." Catching sight of the worried look Ski'Lira was giving her, Shayera smiled reassuringly. "We asked one of our kast to stop by to help you settle in. We thought introducing you to a native Terran familiar with Thanagarian customs first would be best... But it seems he didn't come alone."

Before she could ask, the front door was thrown open wide, the light from inside spilling out onto the darkened yard, illuminating the Thanagarian trio. Ski'Lira blinked rapidly as her eyes adjusted from night vision.

The man was muscular, brown hair cut neatly and styled, eyes only a slightly darker hue of brown, smile lines at the corner of his mouth and eyes. A well-worn dark jacket with some kind of fur on the color was worn over a simple white shirt, a few patches visible on the sleeves."I'd like to point out that I technically did come alone."

"Hey, who exactly is making dinner here?!" A second man shouted from within, poking his head out into the hallway just enough for her to catch sight of blonde hair and a neatly trimmed goatee.

The first man shrugged, "He did bring steak."

Letting out a sigh, Katar grunted as he stepped past the man, shoulder checking him. "As long as he doesn't traumatize my daughter, he can stay. Ski'Lira," her head shot towards him as he spoke her name. "This is Hal Jordan."

"Hal Jordan," she parroted, satisfied when she earned a head nod of approval.

This 'Hal Jordan' smiled at her, stepping out onto the lawn and crouching down in front of her, hand held out with his palm facing sideways, and elbow bent. "It's an honor to meet you, daughter of my kast."

Ski'Lira's eyes went impossible wide at the familiar gesture and the seamless way her language rolled off this man's tongue. She found herself mirroring his position, clasping her hand around his and squeezing as tight as she could. Her small wings flared out behind her, stretched to nearly their full (albeit meager) span.

Hal grimaced as the bones in his hands creaked a little, but returned the pressure as much as he was able, completing the standard Thanagarian greeting.

"You... can speak Thanagarian? Da'mi said that humans can't."

"Not quite, sweetheart," Hal apologized, releasing her hand from his grip. "It's just the ring." He held up his other hand, revealing the gleaming, carved emerald shining on his finger.

A noise left her then that sounded more akin to an eagle's scree than anything a humanoid could produce. "You're a Green Lantern?!" As the realization left her lips, she whirled to glare at her mother. "You are kast with a Green Lantern and you didn't tell me?! Betrayal!"

"It's nice to meet a fan," Hal quipped lightly as Shayera was visibly smothering her laughter with the palm of her hand.

"We thought it would be a nice surprise, a reward for being so good about all this." When her mother ruffled her hair, Ski'Lira's ire faded, refocusing on the Green Lantern right there in front of her. "I'm sure Hal would love to answer some questions. Why don't you two head inside and talk on the couch while I change... and make sure Katar doesn't kill Oliver."

"Good luck with that, I'll be chatting with my biggest fan."

H

During Hal Jordan's ever-patient responses to her increasingly specific questions, the house had slowly been filling with the scent of cooking meat. Her parents had returned soon, both wearing more comfortable clothing and completely maskless. They were in the kitchen helping the mysterious 'Oliver' with food, occasionally checking in, sometimes just to look at her, as if they couldn't believe she was here.

She couldn't believe she was here, either.

When she'd reached a lull in her questioning, Hal had gently interrupted her before she could get started again. "So, I heard you picked titles for your parents. That's pretty important."

"Very important," she nodded eagerly. "If I have to use stupid Earth names for them for stupid Earth people, I can use whatever names I want when I can."

Hal went into a laughing fit, one so severe it summoned a grinning Shayera. "What did my fledgling do?"

"Nothing, she's... She's definitely your daughter." Hal composed himself. "So, what did you end up picking? Or is it a secret?"

Ski'Lira mentally weighed that thought. On one hand, he was a human, but on the other, he was a Green Lantern and a member of her parents' kast. So that meant he could probably be trusted with such important information. "Da'mi and Ta'me. It fits much better than Ya'ti. Da'my Tildi agrees."

Hal's brows furrowed a little. "Hey Shayera, translation? The matrix isn't picking up on the nuance."

Shaking her head softly, "It seems even the all knowing Green Lanterns have their limits. Ya'ti, her original name for us, is a blanket gender neutral term meant for biological parents the child cares for. Da'my, Maye and Tildi's title, means 'female surrogate parent'. Ta'me is 'male protector' and 'Da'mi' is 'female creator'."

"The translation was right after all, but I'm guessing there's more to it?"

Shayera hummed, "In this case, 'protector' means more 'individual she thinks will go to the greatest lengths to defend her during battle'."

"An apt description for Katar, I'd say."

"And 'creator' doesn't mean that I gave birth to her, even though I did. More..." Shayera trailed off. "It means that I'm the one she feels... most like. Personality, behavior, things like that."

That earned another chuckle from the man. "I guess that means my comment about her definitely being your daughter was more accurate than I knew." He paused, "I think I got it. How many options for guardian titles are there anyway?"

"So many," the woman answered. "Qualifiers for all genders or lack thereof, along with feelings and views based on the child's perception of their guardian... It can be a bit messy. I find myself thankful that my daughter was methodical about her choice and selected carefully. Some children spend years trying out different titles before finding ones that fit. Now the difficult part is going to be breaking her down into using 'mom' and 'dad' in public."

"I do not envy you that job," Hal joked. "Hey, while we're at it, maybe we can add on 'Uncle Hal'."

"That's mighty presumptuous of you," it was clear Shayera was teasing from the shine in her eyes.

"I'd say I at least have the advantage over Ollie on getting the title. I'm calling it now, this kid is going to have a slew of honorary aunts and uncles and I am determined to cement my role as favorite uncle early."

"Speaking of Ollie, I believe dinner is about ready." Her mother turned to her. "Hungry, fledgeling?"

"Starving," a well-timed grumble came from her stomach, and she hopped off her spot on the couch, following her mother into the kitchen.

The room was cozy, walls painted a cool blue, thick curtains drawn over the windows to allow the present Thanagarians free reign to walk around with wings in full view. It was unlikely that anyone would make it out this far without them knowing, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

Already on the table was a spread of cooked meats and vegetables, the scent of meat the only familiar one, accompanied by a plethora of new foods to explore. A few she recognized from her lessons, but most were complete unknowns.

But her attention was focused primarily on the blonde man in a pink apron.

"Well hi there," he greeted, kneeling down to be face to face with her. "Aren't you just the cutest little thing? You've definitely got your dad's eyes." He grinned, showing off perfectly straight and white teeth. "My name's Oliver Queen, but you can call me Ollie."

"Hello, Ollie," she responded politely, one of the words she knew best followed by a slightly harsh repetition of his name.

"Now, I have been lectured very thoroughly how impolite it would be to say your name since I am incapable of pronouncing it correctly, so is there something you'd prefer to be called?"

At a loss, she looked up at her parents for help.

"It's up to you, fledgling." Katar shrugged, distinctly unhelpful.

"Have you not picked out a more... Earth-y name for her?" Ollie asked, now looking at the Thanagarian name.

"... No? That might have... fallen by the wayside on the list of priorities."

Ollie tutted, "Typical, well, if your parents didn't think of it... How about something close to your name? It'd make it easier to remember. It certainly works for your folks."

"Are there any names like Ski'Lira?" Shayera asked.

The blonde man thought for a moment, giving an exaggerated tap of his chin. "Well... To my horribly untrained ear, that sounded a little like Skylar."

"Skylar," Hal deadpanned. "Really? That's the best you can come up with?"

"Actually..." Shayera was pensive. "I kind of like it. There's a nice double meaning. And it is pretty close to her real name. Or at least, as close as you can get with your unevolved vocal chords."

"It will suit," Katar grumbled. "But it's not up to us. Fledgeling, what do you think? Does it meet your approval?"

Skylar. Skylar. Skylar.

Testing it aloud for herself, it didn't feel... bad, just... new.

"I... It is different," steeling herself, she gave an approving nod. This was a name she could find herself getting used to. "My name is Skylar, it is nice to meet you, Ollie."

Ollie grinned, getting up from his crouch. "It's nice to meet you too, Skylar. Now, I don't know about you guys, but I'm more than ready to eat."

"And ready to watch the kid's face when she tries Earth food for the first time." Hal added. "I already promised Barry at least one photo when she tries broccoli."

"If you send them to me, you can take as many as you want," Shayera bargained. "Our kast will never doubt how adorable our child is."

A part of her was still sad, of course. Leaving Da'my Maye and Da'my Tildi was heartbreaking, but Hal Jordan and Ollie were fun, and they told good stories. And above all else, she loved her parents. Here, sitting at the dinner table with them and members of their kast, the last vestiges of doubt about her decision to leave Thanagar vanished.