The Raven

Introductions - Chapter One

Agent Coulson escorted her onto a jet, which took off as soon as she and her things were on it. Of course, she immediately had her nose in a book, choosing to ignore the agent. It wasn't that she didn't like him, but that she didn't like who he answered to.
He'd already done his job collecting the others yesterday. But this one was different, though, he knew.
He'd seen a mere video and heard of what this so-called 'necromancer' could do. Frankly, it frightened him, but, he trusted Director Fury. If Fury was willing to allow her in, then he would accept that.
Edith opened up her backpack, of which she'd loaded with books. She pulled out a book containing the works of the famed poet, Edgar Allan Poe.
So, that's where the name came from.. Coulson thought to himself, clutching a bar on the ceiling of the jet to keep from falling.
"Are you excited about meeting your teammates?" He asked her when the silence got to he irritating.
"Not particularly," She didn't hesitate to reply, glancing briefly at him over the top of her book.

It didn't take long for them to reach their destination...or at least, Edith didn't consider it long. Then again, she was always pulled into literature just enough to become oblivious to everything around her.
She was naturally the first out the quinjet, her two bags slung over each shoulder, and pulling her rather large suitcase behind her. No one needed to know that the suitcase was empty, she figured.
"I'll be showing you to your room," Coulson finally decided to speak up.
Edith merely nodded in response, letting him guide her.

Of course, the room was nothing but metal. She didn't know what she expected, really...Just maybe they'd at least have a soft bed? But, no. They didn't. Shameful, truly.
"You'll be called when you're needed, m'am," The agent told her, nodding briefly before leaving her.
She set her backpack carefully on the floor, then sat on the hard bunk bed. She grumbled to herself, irritated with this whole ordeal. Then, she reminded herself: This was to be expected when she chose to live on Earth, and then become a vigilante.

By the time she was summoned, she was sat in deep meditation. - Well, sort of sat. She was levitating in a sitting position, not too far from the ground.
Deep meditations were a normal practice for a necromancer, such as herself. She often wondered why her species were chosen to harbor this unusual ability; Unlike sorcerers, necromancers couldn't learn how to create their magic. They only learned to control it.
Since she was a child, Edith was taught by her otherworldly parents. Both necromancers, of course.
It was rather strange, she thought; The way some necromancers were born to completely normal families, while others sprung from sorcerers, witches, or necromancers themselves. No need to mention the rarity of her kind, at all.

A knock was heard upon her door, and Edith sprang up, nearly falling as she did so.
She cursed beneath her breath. Her parents had taught her better than to be snapped out of her meditation so easily. "The door's not locked."
So, the door opened. There, in the hall, stood Assistant Director Maria Hill.
"Director Fury demands your presence," was all she said.
Hill turned on her heel, and walked off, assuming Edith would follow.
Of course, Edith did, seeing as she had nothing better to do. Hill led her into the briefing room, where what seemed like thousands of agents were at work on their computers. Edith had one thought on this, of course. That singular thought being: Capitalism. With a tinge of disgust.
There, at a large glass table, were who she assumed were The Avengers. They didn't wear uniforms, after all.
Maria left Edith to do whatever she pleased, which in this case, was to sit as far away from anyone she could. She hadn't been noticed yet, as all of them were rambling.
"Iridium? What do they need Iridium for?" said the man she recognized as Doctor Bruce Banner; She admired his mind.
Edith watched as Tony Stark entered with Agent Coulson. She greeted Coulson with a nod, who returned the gesture.
"It's a stabilizing agent," answered Stark.
She only knew him from perhaps one television ad she'd seen a long while ago. From that, she decided he seemed punchable.
"I'll fly you there. Keep the love alive. Means it won't collapse like it did at S.H.I.E.L.D." said Coulson.
Tony continued, tapping Thor's muscular arm;
"No hard feelings, Point Break. You've got a mean swing." Tony then returned to the subject of iridium, "Also, it means the portal can open as wide, and as long, as Loki wants,"
At this point, Edith was completely ignoring them. She came back to when she heard Stark say,
"I'm a huge fan of the way you lose control and turn into an enormous green rage monster."
Edith stiffled her laughter as Banner mumbled "Thanks."
When silence fell upon the room, she decided to introduce herself.
"Ahem," She spoke loudly, as if her appearance hadn't already caught their attention. "Bonjourno," A smirk decorated her face. "I'm supposed to be the new addition to this 'team', or whatever it is you're calling it,"
Edith leaned back and put her feet on the table, simply to study their reactions to it. Her leather jacket opened as she placed her hands behind her head, revealing her Black Sabbath t-shirt.
Tony immediately took a liking to her, at the sight of her shirt...and, well, her pretty face.
"Nice shirt," He commented.
"Yeah, thanks," She dismissed him, reading him as if he were an open book. She knew his type...The Playboy: Runs his mouth, thinks he's the shit, and is horribly annoying - Also probably harboring some dark secret. This came from the way he carried himself. No one stood like that and didn't have a dark secret, she figured.
"Anyways, I'm Edith. You might know me as 'The Raven'," She flashed a pearly white smile. She hardly noticed Thor staring her down.
"Are you...mortal?" He quizzed, seeming confudled. She turned her venomous gaze to him, arching a brow.
"Human? No. - Why do you ask?"
"Your clothing confused me...What realm are you of?" Thor questioned. The way she carried herself, seemed...unearthly, or at least, that was his assumption.
Banner chimed in, "We probably shouldn't ask so many questions." His glasses, he pushed farther up his nose.
Edith's gaze went to the doctor, then back to Thor.
"It's fine, actually; And, I'm not 'of' a specific realm. My parents didn't like to stay in one place for too long. On the other hand, I was born in some place called Asgard. That's what my Mother says, anyways,"
Thor beamed, "I am Thor Odinson, Prince of Asgard."
She raised a brow once more, quizzical, "Good for you, I guess?" Maybe she didn't socialize enough, maybe she just didn't care enough to be too nice.
Edith turned and looked around the table,"Right, Barbie's not helping me here, so, you, fellow Black Sabbath fan," She gestured to Stark, who was chuckling at the 'Barbie' bit. "Do you wanna tell me who the fuck Loki is? 'Cause I zoned out during the boring stuff,"
Tony couldn't help but grin. He was thankful for another jokester on the team.
"Loki's this guy," He slid her the tablet that displayed Loki in his cell. "He's trying to take over the planet, apparently."
At this, Edith snorted.
Natasha raised a brow, adding,
"He's also killed multiple people,"
This only earned a chuckle, "I like him," She said, smirking once more as she watched him stare into the camera. "Giving me more soldiers for an undead army when I need one. What a lovely man,"
Bruce let out an inaudible sigh of relief, as did just about everyone else, when they realized she was being sarcastic.
Then, Banner stiffened again, "—Wait...Did you just say 'undead army'?" The doctor asked.
Edith looked up at him, grinning.
"They didn't tell you anything, did they?" She quizzed, sliding the tablet back onto the table.
"No, not really," Stark answered for them.
"Good," Edith acknowledged, nodding. She didn't want people in her business, anyways.
"I couldn't even access your file,"
"Right, someone explain?" interjected Steve Rogers, a man Edith recognized as the famed Captain America.
"Well, Mister Spangles," She began.
Of course, this earnes another chuckle from Tony.
"I'm what they call a necromancer; A master or mistress of death, a rogue sorcerer, or as some races tend to call us, 'a vile demon'," Her grin remained upon her pale face, though her gaze was rather cold. It wasn't precisely directed at him, but at the universe, more or less.
"Necromancer...?" Steve repeated, looking to Tony, then back to Edith.
This time, Natasha spoke up again,
"A necromancer is someone who can raise and manipulate the dead,"
Steve nodded slowly, taking this information in.
"Indeed," Thor spoke up, "Although, I had thought necromancers were just a fable parents told their children to frighten them into behaving," It was impossible to tell whether Thor was blushing or paling. The only thing evident was his embarassment. "Er-"
"It's fine. I'm used to it at this point," Edith shrugged, despite the sting she felt within. No matter what, it always stung a bit. "So, anyways, when can I meet goth christmas tree hair?"
Tony bit his tongue to stifle his laughter this time.
"Not at the moment," Coulson replied. "Unfortunate. I wanted to thank him, and tell him to maybe change hairstyles," Edith examined her painted black nails, simply for the dramatic effect of it.