Canary Cry

Chapter 3: Drop-Zone A

Chapter 3: Drop-Zone A

STAR CITY

July 22, 14:00 PDT

"Today is the day." Dinah smiled in pride, going straight to fixing Kate's outfit. The teenager practically the spitting image of her mentor. Just younger.

Pulling on the sleeves of her leather jacket – an item from her past that Kate had refused to let Dinah replace. It was too small in the shoulders but it acted like a weighted blanket. Dinah continuing on to try and pull the wrinkles out of Kate's shirt, to little success. 

"You're gonna be great." Oliver grinned from behind Dinah with a thumbs up. Their words of encouragement did nothing to quell the nerves and dread in Kate's stomach. This would be the first time she had ever spent time with the protégés without Roy, and there were two new faces apparently. All of which had been bonding as a team for weeks at this point. She didn't have any idea how it was going to go.

"Relax Kate, everything is going to be fine." Dinah read the girl as she straightened out the velvet choker around Kate's neck.

"Shouldn't I wear my mask?" Kate signed, not vocalizing.

"You won't need it; you can trust the team." Dinah sighed, tucking a stray strand of blonde hair behind Kate's ear, exposing one of Kate's hearing aids. She almost didn't want to let Kate walk through the zeta beam, suddenly feeling like she was throwing her into the lion's den. Like she was abandoning the girl. It didn't sit right in her stomach at all.

It was like Oliver could read her mind in that moment, the man placing a calming hand on her shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Like Dinah said, you're gonna be among friends so you won't need the mask. But you will need to talk to them to get to know them better. You think you can do that?" Oliver tried with an easy going smile. Pulling Dinah back into his side gently while he spoke.

"Y-Yeah." They were looking at her with so much joy, so much hope. Kate didn't want to disappoint him, to disappoint them. She had to at least try.

"All we can ask is that you try. If you feel overwhelmed at all you can leave at any time, okay?" Dinah almost sounded panicked, Oliver squeezing her side in comfort.

"Okay." Kate nodded with a small smile, wetting her lips as she turned to face the large zeta tube that looked into the Arrowcave and put in her code like Dinah had showed her.

"Recognized; Goldfinch, B-0-4."

"I'll see you later."

"Pizza tonight, from Little Italy." Dinah promised as the light swallowed Kate whole. It was so odd; that was the only way Kate knew how to describe it. Kate hadn't gotten used to being transported by Zeta beam in the handful of times she had had to with Dinah. But before she knew it her feet were on solid ground once again, while also feeling as if she never left it.

~~*~~

MOUNT JUSTICE

July 22, 17:03 EDT

"Recognized; Goldfinch, B-0-4."

Wally elbowed the Boy Wonder with a smirk and the shorter male only glared at his best friend while red creeped up the back of his neck and ears. When the light around Kate faded and she could see again, she was greeted by Aqualad, Wally, Robin, and who she guessed was 'Miss Martian'. All standing in a line, waiting for her.

"Look who finally decided to show up." Robin smirked.

"It's been a while Goldie, looking gorgeous as ever." Wally flirted, using his speed to appear in front of her and grab her hand before she knew what was happening. Robin running forward and knocking the older boy away.