Waller continued, “Remember when you were not yet students here and you toured Super Hero High?”
Everyone nodded. They did remember. For most of the Supers, it had been their goal since childhood to attend this prestigious institution of learning for super heroes. When Wonder Woman was homeschooled on Paradise Island, she watched and rewatched the recruitment video hundreds of times. For Supergirl, it was her cousin Superman who had suggested she enroll in Super Hero High to learn how to control her powers. And for Katana, upholding the legacy of Samurai warrior super heroes had brought her here.
Bumblebee leaned forward, soaking up every word Waller said. As a child, she had read all the super-hero fan magazines, poring over them so many times that the pages fell apart. Most of her favorite super heroes had gone to Super Hero High, and yes, even a few super-villains. Bumblebee had just created her super suit and was working on perfecting her shrinking when she heard about Super Hero High Visit Day. She begged her parents to take her. When they finally agreed, she was so excited she couldn’t sleep the night before—or the night after.
Meeting the legendary principal Amanda Waller and the super-hero students was a wish come true. Young Bumblebee had wondered if she dared to dream to be among their ranks someday.
“Each of you will be given an assignment,” Waller was saying as she paced the stage. Several students were taking notes. Cheetah and Frost were trading secrets. The Flash and Cyborg were playfully shoving each other while Hawkgirl, who was sitting between them, tried to ignore them.
Bumblebee focused on the principal. “Some of you will be tour guides; others will help run seminars. There will be a special program for students considering transferring, and we will also have a program for parents, who always have a lot of questions.”
Bumblebee had to laugh at that. She remembered that her mom and dad had each had a long list of concerns they needed addressed before they allowed her to attend.
“Achoo!” When Police Commissioner Gordon sneezed, Waller shot him a cool look. “Excuse me,” he mumbled.
She had begun to speak again when Liberty Belle emitted a series of surprisingly loud sneezes, followed by Coach Wildcat sneezing so violently the room shook. Waller’s steely look caused Crazy Quilt to freeze mid-sneeze. Several students started to snicker. Especially when Mr. Fox started pulling out his handkerchiefs with each oncoming sneeze. Soon the entire auditorium erupted in sneezes.
“Enough!” Principal Waller demanded. Then a strange look came over her face. Her nose began to twitch, and the harder she tried to hold it back, the more rigid her already-ramrod-straight posture became.
No one in the auditorium dared to breathe. But when Waller let out a surprisingly dainty sneeze, it was as if everyone was given permission to join in. Soon the room sounded like an echo chamber of sneezes.
“The pollen must be back!” Bumblebee said to Ivy. “Achoo!”
Poison Ivy covered her mouth, then let out a series of sneezes. “Achoo! That’s for sure,” she said. “Achoo! Achoo! Achoo!”
Just then, the alarm sounded. Bumblebee looked up onstage. Principal Waller nodded to her. “Save the Day drill! Save the Day drill!” Bumblebee shouted. As Waller’s trusted assistant, it was her job to inform the student body of all events, warn them of impending doom, and alert them to Save the Day drills, as well as the real thing.
Waller looked at her watch. “Let’s give the teachers a thirty-minute head start for this drill, and then…Supers, go Save the Day!”
As Bumblebee and Beast Boy headed out, they were joined by Batgirl. In sets of three, the Supers were charged with thwarting a natural disaster that the teachers had created. Only, this wasn’t on paper or in the classroom. This time, teachers and staff had placed themselves in actual perilous conditions. It was up to the Supers to use what they had been studying to test their skills and save them.
Past drills had had teachers in out-of-control vehicles, including cars, trains, rockets, and hover boats. Another had put them in the path of stampeding animals. And yet another had placed them in a forest surrounded by poisonous talking plants and mutant aliens.
“A tornado is heading straight toward Coach Wildcat!” Beast Boy exclaimed when he read their assignment. “We got this, right, Bumblebee?”
“Right!” she said happily. “We’ve been working on tornadoes,” she explained to Batgirl.
“Well, that makes me lucky to be on your team,” Batgirl said. “What are we waiting for? There’s a Wildcat to be rescued!”