Dragonscales

Chapter 64|Who the Hell is Bucky?

Tourmaline pushed a checker's piece into place with her claw, staring down Clint as she did. "I refuse to be beaten by a lizard." Clint moved his red piece, capturing one of Tourmaline's. The dragon growled, gingerly using her claw to slide a checker across the board. "She says to king her." I translated, turning a page in my book. Clint let out an exasperated sigh as he placed the extra checker on top to complete the action. "It looks like you're losing to a lizard." Natasha leaned over from her spot on the couch, scanning the checkerboard. A few minutes passed and Clint ended up winning the game. "Ha! I told you a lizard wouldn't beat me!" Clint yelled as he did a little victory dance. 

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Loki chuckle at Clint and Tourmaline's antics. "Are you enjoying yourself, Ms. Frost Princess?" I leaned against my betrothed's shoulder. "Maybe." Loki's lips curled into a smirk. She hooked an arm around my waist, pulling me closer and pressing a kiss to my forehead. "Ugh, can you go two minutes without being so lovey-dovey?" Tony scoffed from his seat. "I think you're just jealous of Thistle and my sister," Thor said deadpan from his spot on an armchair, polishing Mjolnir. "Not true. I have a girlfriend, remember?" Tony pointed out his relationship with Pepper. 

Alarms interrupted our free time. Marigold clapped her hands to her pointed ears, trying to block out the sound. Khepri cast a worried look in the elf's direction. Steve pulled out a rectangular device I had come to know was called a cell phone. "Fury has a new mission. Suit up, team." I squeezed Loki's hand before leaving the common area to change into my mission outfit. 

The quinjet rattled as we flew to our destination. There, snow still covered the ground despite the weather pointing towards spring. We landed outside the HYDRA base, far enough away to not be noticed yet but close enough for a quick escape. Steve had debriefed us on our mission while we were in the air. I immediately climbed the nearest tree while Loki climbed onto Tourmaline and they took off. 

Branches creaked underneath my weight as I hopped from tree to tree. I lept into the air, using my viridian wings to give myself an extra push, then made them shrink back into their magical tattoo before anyone could see. I muttered a spell under my breath. An arrow made of light appeared already notched to my bowstring. I fired, the arrow piercing the skull of a HYDRA agent driving a type of metal box Tony referred to as a car.

"Almost to the doors of the compound," I pressed a finger to my com. "Be on guard, Legolas. This HYDRA base is said to be producing individuals with powers from wacky experiments." Tony Stark's voice crackled through the earpiece. "Nothing I haven't dealt with before, Tin Man." Snow crunched beneath my boots as I dropped from the trees to the concrete entrance of the base. "I thought I was Legolas!" Clint Barton chimed in, faking a melancholic tone. "Thistle's an elf, so she has more points," Tony explained. His repulsors and screams were heard from Tony's side of the com. "Sorry, Clint." I shrugged as separated my bow into dual swords.

Just as I was about to fight the last two guards remaining by the door, a stream of fire blasted from the sky. "Hello, Tourmaline!" I greeted my dragon cheerfully. She landed, crimson-splashed snow underneath her claws. "My lovely flower," Loki slid off Tourmaline's back. She pressed a chaste kiss to my forehead as a greeting before blasting away the concrete door with a bolt of magic.

Flashing red lights immediately met our eyes. Tourmaline shook some snow off of her inky black scales as she entered. I gripped my swords as we stalked through the grimy halls. It was a labyrinth of concrete and half-rusted metal. "I sense magic," Loki said telepathically. I stretched out my own magic, searching for a glimmer of something unfamiliar. A red spark lit up at the edge of my senses, but it was approaching fast. "I sense it, too, Lokes."

Something blurred at the edge of my vision, and I realized one of the thistles weaved intricately into one of my braids was yanked out. I cursed in Elvish, noticing it was the flower that represented my father. "Give that back or I'll shove my sword so far up your ass-" I started, until the blur I witnessed earlier focused into a man holding the thistle. "That's not very nice." He frowned, each word enunciated with a heavy accent. I growled, charging at him. The man successfully dodged all of Loki and I's attacks until Tourmaline tripped him with her tail. She cocked her head, grinning as she wrapped her tail around him to keep him in place.

I plucked the flower from his hands. Loki stowed it with her magic until I could weave it back into my hair. A red bolt of magic flew past my face, making me yelp with surprise. "Let him go!" A teenage girl yelled, summoning a ball of scarlet magical energy between her hands. Her accent was the same as the person wrapped in Tourmaline's tail. I blinked, realizing they were around the same age. 

Steve entered the concrete building, his suit ripped and skin bleeding in several places. "Tell us where you do your experiments, and we won't have to hurt you." The supersoldier tried reasoning. "Why would we tell the Avengers?" The teenage boy with platinum blond hair scoffed. Steve gritted his teeth, raising his shield in preparation for a fight. 

Heavy boots thudded against the concrete as a man with a shiny, metal arm entered the room. He was the same person who was forced to fight me when I was captured by my mom. The Winter Soldier cocked his gun, aiming for Steve. I stepped in front of the patriotic human. The soldier's blue eyes widened and I knew he recognized me. "Hey, Winter Soldier. Care for a rematch?" 

I charged, hands curled into a fist. He caught my hand. I winced as the iron in his metal arm stung. My eyes flicked to Loki and Tourmaline, who were locked in a battle with the two teenagers. I kneed the Winter Soldier in the jaw while he held my arms. His black mask skittered to the floor. "Bucky?" Steve asked incredulously, looking like he had just seen a ghost. I pinned the Winter Soldier to the ground, using all of my elven strength. "Who the hell is Bucky?" 

A/N: 

And that my friends, is the last chapter of Dragonscales. Hehe that plot twist, eh? I update this once more to let you guys know when the first chapter of the sequel is out, which might take a hot second depending on my schedule. 

Love y'all,

Toadstool <3