Swan Song ✧ STEVE ROGERS [✓]

3 - Welcome to Brooklyn

MOMENTS LATER, THE SERENE SKIES OF ELYON WERE GONE, REPLACED WITH THE RAW, BRUTAL, BOISTEROUS AIR OF CHAOS. Wind whipped around them, and thunder and lightning crackled and snipped through the air. To say it looked dangerous was an understatement.

"Hey, angel!" Howard shouted over the noise. "Are you sure this is safe?!"

"Relax," Raevanna said. "Remember what I told you? This is one of the many passageways which connects Elyon to the rest of the world. It is an antechamber, if you will. It may look dangerous, but you are perfectly safe as long as you are with me. And since you are with me, that is how we can hear each other over this noise." Howard was quiet for a moment, so she asked him, "Feel a bit safer now?"

"Maybe," Howard said. "When do we get out?"

Raevanna grinned. "Right now."

A bright light flashed in front of them, and then moments later they passed through the clouds and appeared over Brooklyn. Raevanna extended her wings, gliding over the city before turning to Howard. "Where should I land?" she asked.

Howard pointed to a large cluster of structures. "Between those two buildings right there. No one should see us."

Raevanna nodded, descending down from the sky. With a few beats of her powerful wings, she landed lightly on the ground between the buildings and let go of Howard.

"Thanks for the lift," Howard said, stepping backwards before starting to leave. "I think I can take it from here."

"No," Raevanna said firmly.

Howard stopped, turning around to face her. "Come again?"

"My job is not done," Raevanna told him. "I am staying here, and I am coming with you."

"Really?" Howard asked, raising an eyebrow. "And how long are you planning on sticking around?"

Raevanna was silent for a moment, thinking over his words. Then she shrugged and said, "As long as this war lasts, I am guessing."

Howard crossed his arms. "Hate to break it to you, angel, but this is a human war, not a magic war. The end of it could be months away, even years."

Raevanna nodded. "Yes, I am aware."

"And you're sure your aunt would be okay with you being gone that long?"

Raevanna shrugged again. "What she does not know will not hurt her. And besides, time passes differently here. A year here is only a month in Elyon."

Howard met her eyes for a moment before he sighed and looked away, nodding his head and rubbing his face. "Alright, fine." Gesturing to Raevanna, he added, "But lose the wings. We don't have those here."

Raevanna nodded, rolling her shoulders and making her wings disappear. Then, she followed Howard out of the alleyway, her eyes widening when she saw what Brooklyn was like. Whenever she had visited the human land, she had always watched from the skies, never going down to the ground to observe. This was her first time she had ever been in the city itself, and it was quite intimidating. The machines she figured were called cars strolled down the street, and people in dreary clothes walked along the sides of the road. Posters advertising the war adorned buildings and streetlights, and old newspapers littered the streets.

"Alright, first thing's first," Howard said to Raevanna. "Wardrobe."

Raevanna cocked her head. "What do you mean?"

Howard sighed. "Your clothes, Raevanna. We're getting you some new clothes."

Raevanna looked around, seeing that the women in the city were wearing dresses and skirts in pastel colors. Then, she looked down at her own clothes, suddenly feeling very out of place in her bare feet, bold red tunic and bright pink leggings. "I see."