RAEVANNA'S EYES WERE DOWN AS SHE SAT IN AN SUV, HER HANDS IN HER LAP AS SHE SHIFTED UNCOMFORTABLY TO ADJUST FOR HER WINGS. The SUV was part of a police convoy as it drove beside the river Spree, and amidst the convoy was a gray armed truck, which contained a restrained Bucky inside a prison pod. Inside the SUV the man (who Raevanna found was prince T'Challa of Wakanda) sat in front of Steve and Raevanna, who sat in front of Sam and Blake.
"So, you like cats?" Sam asked the prince after several minutes of tense silence.
"Sam," Steve warned, giving Sam a look.
"What?" Sam said. "Dude shows up dressed like a cat and you don't wanna know more?"
Steve shook his head slightly before looking at T'Challa. "Your suit... it's Vibranium?"
T'Challa was silent for a moment, his eyes narrowing as he glanced sideways. "The Black Panther has been the protector of Wakanda for generations," he said. "A mantle, passed from warrior to warrior. And now, because your friend murdered my father, I also wear the mantle of king. So, I ask you... as both warrior and king... how long do you think you can keep your friend safe from me?"
Steve was silent, his face stony as the convoy headed underground. But then, Blake spoke, her voice calm but venom laced into each of her words.
"If you really think I'll let you lay a hand on him," Blake told him, "you, sir... are sadly mistaken."
Raevanna glanced back at Blake, shaking her head before facing the front. Her friend was really only going to make things worse.
Eventually the convoy entered a light gray-walled bunker. As the cars slowed to a stop, Bucky's pod was carried away by a forklift, and nearby Steve, Raevanna, Blake, and T'Challa got out of the SUV. With their friends and T'Challa, Steve and Raevanna approached Sharon, who was standing with a diminutive, gray-haired man.
"What's gonna happen to him?" Steve asked.
"Same thing that ought to happen to you," the gray-haired man said. "Psychological evaluation and extradition."
Sharon gestured to the man. "This is Everett Ross, Deputy Task Force Commander."
"What about our lawyer?" Raevanna asked.
Everett laughed at her words. "Lawyer. That's funny." Turning to the guards, he told them, "See their weapons are placed in lockup." Then he looked at the four Avengers. "Oh, we'll write you a receipt."
"I better not look out the window and see anybody flying around in that," Sam said, nodding at his falcon suit as someone carried it away.
As they left, Steve looked back and caught Bucky's eye. Raevanna saw the exchange, sighing to herself. Did none of her friends have any sense?
Everett led them through the bunker, heading for wherever they were going to be held. T'Challa followed behind them, not saying a word, so Raevanna fell back to speak to him.
"I come from a people who has never needed a leader," Raevanna said to him as they walked. "Not a king, not a president, not anything. So I may be a bit naive when it comes to how ruling works. But from what I gathered, being a king means that you're supposed to be just and fair - to all people, not just your own. You represent your people, so you're supposed to set an example. And I don't think chasing down a man to kill him in revenge is the example you're supposed to be setting."
"Barnes murdered my father," T'Challa told her.
"Maybe," Raevanna said with a nod. "But murdering Bucky in return won't bring him back. And you and I both know that."
T'Challa simply stayed silent, choosing not to reply.
Eventually they stopped on a covered skywalk. Everett turned to them, nodding as they faced him. "You'll be provided with an office instead of a cell," he said. "Now, do me a favor, stay in it?"
T'Challa crossed his arms and shrugged. "I don't intend on going anywhere."
Everett held his gaze for a moment, then turned and walked off. As he left, Natasha walked up, shaking her head at the group before her.
"For the record, this is what making things worse looks like," Natasha said to them.
"He's alive," Steve replied.
Raevanna shook her head, looking over and seeing Tony nearby, obviously a bit flustered as he spoke on his phone.
"No," Tony was saying. "Romania was not Accords-sanctioned. And, Colonel Rhodes is supervising cleanup."
"Try not to break anything while we fix this," Natasha told Steve.
"Consequences?" Tony went on, still on the phone. "You bet there'll be consequences. Obviously you can quote me on that 'cause I just said it. Anything else? Thank you, sir."
Steve turned to Tony, frowning as the billionare hung up the phone. "'Consequences'?"
"Secretary Ross wants you three prosecuted," Tony told him. "Had to give him something."
Steve sighed. "I'm not getting that shield back, am I?"
Natasha shook her head. "Technically, it's the government's property." She looked at Sam and Blake. "The axe and wings, too."
Sam huffed. "That's cold."
Tony smiled. "Warmer than jail."
══════════ ◦◦◦✥◦◦◦ ═════════
Raevanna shifted uncomfortably in her seat, moving her wings so she could get in a more comfortable position. She sat inside a glass-walled office overlooking the control room, waiting for the evaluation of Bucky to be over. Steve stood near one of the glass walls, watching the activity below. Raevanna could tell by the crease in his brow that he was lost in thought, and even though her first impulse was to ask him about it, recent events had told her that she shouldn't.
"How long was she seeing him?" Steve asked after a few minutes, his face still facing the glass wall.
It took Raevanna a minute to realize he meant Blake. So she shrugged, sighing softly. "I don't know. Over a year, at least. I mean, she knew him before Sokovia."
Steve exhaled slowly. "Why didn't you tell me, Raevanna?"
"Steve, I only found out about that today," Raevanna said to him. "I was in the dark just as much as you were."
"Then how do you know that she knew him before Sokovia?"
Raevanna's heart jolted; he had a point. "I..." She hesitated. "I saw them together in Sokovia. They looked like they were friends."
Steve sighed loudly, turning around to face her. "You mean Bucky was there? He was on the floating city with us and you didn't think to tell me?"
"I'm sorry," Raevanna said. "I wanted to tell you, but I could tell Blake didn't want anyone to know."
"Why?" Steve demanded. "Why wouldn't she want anyone to know she was friends with him?"
"Steve," Raevanna said, trying her best to keep her voice calm. "Blake has been around for thousands of years. There have been a lot of things that have happened to her, and because of that she's learned to make choices in what she shares and who she shares it with. I've known her for years and even I know she's barely told me a fourth of all her secrets. She has her reasons for everything, so I've learned to accept that and just wait for when she's ready to tell me."
Steve nodded slowly, sighing and lowering his head. Then, he walked over to her and sat down next to her, making note of her tense shoulders and slight fidgeting. "Are you okay?" he asked.
Raevanna smiled softly. "Yeah. It's just... nothing here is really made for a girl with giant wings."
Steve smiled back, shaking his head. "Yeah, I know."
Raevanna bit the inside of her cheek to hide an even bigger smile. Looking down bashfully, her cheeks tinted pink, she briefly closed her eyes, overruling a flood of feelings, before she looked at Steve and said, "Um... Listen. I just wanted-"
"Save it," Steve said, his face falling. "I don't want to hear it."
Raevanna's heart dropped. "Please, Steve. You have no idea how-"
"Sorry isn't going to fix it, Raevanna," Steve snapped. "And it isn't the truth."
"Steve, you have to believe me," Raevanna told him. "I am telling you the truth."
"Oh, really," Steve replied flatly. "Can you prove it?"
Raevanna hesitated. "Well, I'm... I'm trying to, but so far-"
"That's what I thought." Steve laughed dryly. "Get out of here, Raevanna."
Raevanna frowned. "What are you-"
"Leave, Raevanna," Steve told her, then looked away and muttered, "Just... just go."
Raevanna stared at him for a moment, unable to find words. Then, she inhaled sharply, swallowing her tears. "I love you, Steve. I always have and I always will. I understand that you're hurt, and it's justified. But what you saw... was not my choice. I would never do anything to hurt you. And even though you're mad at me, we both know that that's the truth."
Steve didn't reply; he stayed silent. Realizing that he wasn't going to answer, Raevanna sighed and got up, leaving the office without another word.
Sighing softly, Raevanna leaned against the wall, crossing her arms and tilting her head back. All of this was taking a toll on her, draining her of all her energy and emotions. She felt tired, and numb on the inside, and she knew before long she wouldn't be able to function the way she used to.
Raevanna looked up, staring at the sky through the glass ceiling. "I don't know what I'm doing anymore," she said softly. "I thought I knew where my future would lead, but now... now my life feels like it was turned upside down. My friendship, my relationship, my family - everything is falling apart. And I don't know what to do to fix it." She briefly closed her eyes, a single tear falling down her face. "I... I need your help. Please, Mum, Dad... tell me what I'm doing wrong."
Raevanna waited for a moment, hoping for some sort of response. But when nothing happened, she sighed, lowering her head and shaking it. You promised you'd be there if I called, she thought. So why can't I hear you?
There was still no answer. So Raevanna sighed again, pushing off the wall to walk away. But, just as she started to leave, she heard a voice - soft and barely audible, but still there.
Someone was calling her name.
Raevanna looked up, seeing a pair of silvery-blue wings disappearing around the corner down the hall. Perking up, Raevanna frowned; she recognized those wings. "Mum?" she asked softly.
"Follow...," came the soft reply.
Raevanna ran forward, following the wings and rounding the corner. "Mum?" she called. "Mum, wait!"
"This way..."
Raevanna kept running, weaving throughout the bunker, heading deeper and deeper into the massive building. She pushed past people and narrowly dodged plants and tables, but no matter how fast she went, she couldn't seem to catch up to her mother. Raevanna's heart began to pound at the realization that she couldn't catch up, but it only made her go faster.
Still running, Raevanna went through an open door and down a flight of stairs into a dark room - a basement of some kind. Realizing that there was nowhere else to go, she skidded to a stop, looking around frantically. It was nearly pitch black, and even with her enhanced sight, she could barely see her own hands in front of her. So, she took a few steps backward until she was nearly against the wall, then felt around until her fingers brushed against what felt like a light switch. Raevanna quickly flicked it on, and as the lights slowly flickered to life, her jaw nearly fell to the floor.
All around her, there were things from Elyon. Dried plants and taxidermy butterflies were encased in glass jars. Weapons, sculptures, and carvings were littered on the Elyon-made tables and chairs. Maps and charts of the island were all over the walls, some finished and some not. It was as if the island wasn't even a secret at all.
"It is shocking, isn't it?"
Raevanna whipped her head around, facing the back of the room. Standing a few feet away was her mother, smiling at her despite the fact that her body shimmered and went from opaque to solid every few seconds.
"Mum?" Raevanna said. "Is that really you?"
Her mother nodded, smiling even wider. "In a way, yes."
Raevanna sighed, deciding not to question what she meant. Instead she looked around again, unable to comprehend what she was seeing. "I don't understand. How did all this get here?"
"Howard Stark was not the first human to crash onto the island," her mother said. "There was another before him - a Cuban boy named Adán Reyes."
"Adán Reyes?" Raevanna repeated.
"Yes." Cadmi nodded. "He was barely ten years old then, traveling the globe with his father in search of adventure. His father was a pilot much like Howard was, and was flying around Themyscira with Adán when the magnetic field caused their plane to crash on Elyon."
Raevanna cocked her head. "Did they make it?"
Her mother shook her head. "Sadly, Adán's father was not as lucky as Howard. He was killed in the crash, but Adán survived." Cadmi sighed, lowering her head. "Your aunt and I were the ones who found him."
Raevanna started in shock, taking a step back. "Y-you mean you and Maeve met a human?"
Cadmi nodded. "We were around his age by human standards. But we were young and naive, and had never seen a human before. We did not know what they were like then. So when we found Adán, naturally we rescued him and healed him of his injuries. Then, we brought him back to our home with us, and we became his friends. Adán spent the rest of his childhood with us, becoming like family to me. He became like my brother. But to your aunt, he was something much more."
Raevanna frowned. "More?"
"Yes." Cadmi nodded. "Maeve and Adán fell in love, and that love was strong. But despite the peaceful life he had here, he was an adventurous spirit like his father had been. So, one night, he took a boat and left the island, never telling anyone that he was leaving. He left us behind without so much as a goodbye. And it broke your aunt's heart. Her faith and view of humans became shaped and fueled by this heartbreak, and so she grew to resent them much more than the other faeries."
Raevanna couldn't believe it. "So that's why she hates humans so much?"
Her mother nodded. "After Adán left, Maeve fell into a state of deep depression. But every so often, he would return and claim to be coming to see her, but in reality, he was coming to steal things from the island to bring them back with him as proof of his time with us. He sold most to the highest bidders, but the rest he kept for himself. Eventually, however, the government found him and all that he had stolen, and took everything he owned, and tracked down everything he had sold and brought it here."
Raevanna shook her head softly. "If he really spent time with you, then why did he betray you? He basically revealed the location of the island to everyone."
"But he didn't," Cadmi said, then gestured to the maps and went on, "Despite his actions, Adán still cared about us. So he made it so these maps can only be read by faeries, or someone who has seen the island. To anyone other than us, these maps show an island that does not exist, in a location that is not true."
Raevanna closed her eyes for a moment, pinching the bridge of her nose as she tried to process everything. "Why have you brought me here?" she asked.
Her mother stepped back, revealing a mannequin to be standing behind her. On it was a set of armor - armor that was obviously from Elyon. It was black and dark purple, with an owl-like T-shaped visor on its helmet and three bright silver claw marks running across the right eye. A dark silver sword was strapped to the belt, and the gloves had small spikes on its knuckles, as well as a strange device on the left wrist. Raevanna had never seen anything like it.
"This is the Champion's armor," Cadmi said. "Adán took it with him after one of his visits, and made some modifications to the weaponry. He tried to wear it himself, but this armor can only be worn by a Champion." When Raevanna looked at her in surprise, her mother smiled. "Until Adán took it, this armor was passed from Champion to Champion, and provided them with protection whenever they needed it. Now, I believe it is high time you took it back, and wore it yourself."
Raevanna turned to the armor, staring at it for a moment before stepping up to it, then grabbed it in her hands. Almost immediately the armor turned into a flurry of violet sparkles, which then spun around in the air before swirling around her wrist and turning into a black stone bracelet.
"In my entire life," her mother said as Raevanna looked at the bracelet, "I was most proud of one thing. Having you as my daughter. And that has not changed since."
Raevanna looked up, seeing that her mother was beginning to fade. "Mum, no," she said frantically. "Please don't leave me."
"I never left you," her mother said, cupping her daughter's cheek. "And I never will. Be strong, Raevanna. And always remember the things that made you are who you are."
Then, her mother vanished in a flash of silver light, causing Raevanna to cover her eyes. When she opened them, she was shocked to find she was back in the hallway in front of the office, standing right where she had been before she had run off. Raevanna looked around, momentarily confused, but quickly got over it when she saw the bracelet was still on her wrist. So I didn't imagine it, she thought.
With a soft sigh, Raevanna turned around and went back into the office. Now, Sam and Blake were there with Steve, and they all turned to face Raevanna as she entered.
"Where'd you go?" Sam asked.
Raevanna shrugged. "I needed to clear my head."
Sam met her gaze for a moment before he simply shrugged and turned away.
Raevanna took a seat next to Blake, folding her arms over the table. Then, moments later, Sharon came in, handing slips of paper to Sam and Blake.
"The receipt for your gear," Sharon said.
Sam read the receipt, then gave her a look. "'Bird costume'? Come on."
Sharon rolled her eyes. "I didn't write it." Then, after a moment, she looked around before discreetly pushing a button on the table, stopping the restriction on the audio from Bucky's evaluation and allowing the four to hear. Steve gave Sharon a grateful look and turned to the video.
"I'm not here to judge you," the evaluator was saying. "I just want to ask you a few questions. Do you know where you are, James?" When Bucky didn't answer, the evaluator told him, "I can't help you if you don't talk to me, James."
"My name is Bucky," Bucky told him.
As the evaluation went on, Steve studied the blurry photograph of the man who bombed the congress in Vienna, then looked up at Sharon. "Why would the Task Force release this photo to begin with?"
"Get the word out, involve as many eyes as we can?" Sharon replied.
Steve nodded. "Right. It's a good way to flush a guy out of hiding. Set off a bomb, get your picture taken. Get seven billion people looking for the Winter Soldier."
"You're saying someone framed him to find him," Sharon said.
"Steve, we looked for the guy for two years and found nothing," Sam told Steve, then motioned to Blake and added, "Even though Oldie knew where he was the whole time."
Steve shook his head as Blake looked down guiltily. "We didn't bomb the UN. That turns a lot of heads."
"Yeah, but that doesn't guarantee that whoever framed him would get him," Sharon said. Then, something seemed to hit her, and she added in a softer voice, "It guarantees that we would."
As Sharon's gaze fell on the evaluator on the screen, her eyes narrow, Steve frowned and looked around. "Yeah."
"Tell me, Bucky," the evaluator went on. "You've seen a great deal, haven't you?"
"I don't want to talk about it," Bucky told him.
"You fear that... if you open your mouth, the horrors might never stop," the evaluator replied. "Don't worry. We only have to talk about one."
Suddenly the video feed went black, and alarms began to blare. Raevanna, Steve, Blake, and Sam all leapt to their feet, instantly on full alert.
"Sub-level 5, east wing," Sharon told them.
The four immediately bolted out of the office, running down the hall towards the chamber. When they reached it, they saw that it was open. Red emergency lights flashed all around, and there were many agents slumped on the floor, all of them out cold.
"Skoros se qogralbar," Raevanna said flatly, looking around at the unconscious agents.
"Help me," a voice weakly cried out. "Help."
Steve and Raevanna exchanged looks before they rushed into the chamber. The evaluator was in a heap on the floor, and looked up at them as they ran in.
"Get up," Raevanna snapped, grabbing the man and shoving him against the wall before demanding, "Who are you? What do you want?"
The man smirked at her. "To see an empire fall."
Suddenly Bucky appeared, swinging his fist just as Sam entered and causing Raevanna and Steve to spin around. Sam ducked as Bucky's fist smashed through the wall, but before Sam could fight back Bucky grabbed him by the jaw and threw him at the open pod. Blake rushed after Sam, kicking Bucky's leg out from under him and attempting to roundhouse kick him, but he grabbed her leg and threw her to the side, and she slammed into the wall with a sickening crack.
Steve quickly lurched into the fight, drawing back his fist and landing a punch, but Bucky barely seemed to feel it. Then, he kicked and punched Steve out of the chamber. Raevanna lunged, jumping on Bucky and wrapping her arms around his neck. However, Bucky reached back and grabbed her hair before yanking her off of him and flinging her over his head. Raevanna landed hard on her side, the wind knocked out of her, and she looked up just in time to see a punch from Bucky send Steve through the elevator door. Steve blocked the next punch, but the power of Bucky's fist sent him tumbling into the darkened elevator shaft.
"Steve!" Raevanna shouted, pushing herself to her feet. Then, she looked down, seeing the bracelet on her wrist, and that was when she remembered the armor. It could help protect her from any serious damage, but she had no idea how to activate it. So she tapped the bracelet a few times, trying to activate the armor. Yet nothing happened. She used her fist to bash it, but still nothing happened.
Raevanna snorted in frustration. "Screw this," she muttered. Then she ran off after Bucky.
She followed the trail of unconscious agents until she reached a large open lobby-type space. Skidding to a stop, she arrived just in time to see Bucky flip Sharon head over heels, and she smashed onto a table before Natasha leapt onto Bucky, legs around his neck. However, he rapidly slammed her onto another table and grabbed her throat in an attempt to strangle her.
"You could at least recognize me," Natasha choked out.
Raevanna rushed forward, lunging and kicking Bucky off Natasha. Then she began fighting him, punching and kicking at him - all of which he blocked. Then, he seized her neck and threw her across the room, and Raevanna slammed against the wall before falling to the ground. Raevanna quickly scrambled to her feet just as Bucky stormed up to her, then crossed her arms in front of her face as he brought his fist down to strike her. Her eyes squeezed shut as she tensed up, preparing herself for the blow.
But it never came. So she opened her eyes.
A pale white-purple force field was now extending out from Raevanna's crossed arms, preventing Bucky from bringing his fist down on her head. And, much to her shock, her vision was now filtered like she was wearing a helmet, and when she looked at her arms she saw the black and dark purple armor extending out across her skin. Somehow, someway, she had activated the Champion's Armor.
Raevanna smirked and looked up at Bucky. Then, she thrust her arms down to her sides, breaking the force field and sending Bucky flying. Bucky's back hit the opposite wall hard, and he fell to the ground, but got back to his feet and charged at Raevanna. Raevanna ducked under his first swing, then spun around and jabbed her elbow into his neck, knocking him back. He stumbled backwards, but as Raevanna lunged for him he stopped her by grabbing her neck, then throwing her across the room again. Raevanna fell to the ground; however, just as she started to get up, Bucky grabbed her again and slammed her back against the wall, gripping her neck tightly in his metal hand.
"Bucky," Raevanna choked out, making her helmet disappear so he could see her face. "Please - stop."
Bucky didn't stop; instead he just stared blankly at her. However, T'Challa then appeared out of nowhere, kicking Bucky away from Raevanna. As she slumped to the ground, he fought with Bucky, landing lightning fast kicks and some punches. Bucky managed to get a counter punch in and T'Challa fell, but quickly recovered as Bucky hurried up some stairs. T'Challa leapt up the levels and vaulted a railing, landing in front of Bucky before he spin-kicked Bucky and grabbed Bucky's metal arm, then tried to twist it - only to gain a look of worry as he realized it wasn't going to work. So instead he threw Bucky backwards, keeping hold on Bucky as they both tumbled down the stairs. Then, they resumed fighting on the small landing until a leg sweep from T'Challa sent Bucky over the railing. T'Challa quickly leapt down after him but found that the wide reception was empty. Bucky had vanished.
Raevanna, who was still on the ground, pushed herself up with a loud groan, her armor disappearing completely and turning back into a bracelet. Then, she stood up, seeing that Bucky was gone, and dread flooded through her.
"Shit," she hissed.
Then she ran out of the bunker to look for him.
══════════ ◦◦◦✵◦◦◦ ══════════
A/N: this ending sucks but i guess it'll have to do for now.
in other news, i watched beyonce's movie black is king a few days go and i actually liked it?? like the album is a bop and i'm mad at myself for it because i don't like beyonce. like at all.
(maybe i liked it cause i'm totally up the original lion king's ass. but not the remake, [unpopular opinion alert] that whole movie was a capitalist money grab and i'm still bitter that beyonce was nala when it should've been alicia keys).
also this is what i imagined the champion's armor to look like
(yes it's actually mandalorian armor. judge me.)
TRANSLATIONS (from Valyrian):
Skoros se qogralbar : What the fuck