Bird Set Free | Natasha Romanoff ✓

Chapter Three

Aquila stood nearby while Agent Coulson and Captain Rogers talked. It was quite funny to watch Agent Coulson was completely enthralled to meet Captain Rogers, it was almost like watching someone meet a celebrity.

"I mean, if it's not too much trouble." Agent Coulson said. 

"No, no. It's fine." Captain Rogers responded. 

"It's a vintage set. It took me a couple of years to collect them all. Near mint, slight foxing around the edges, but..." 

Agent Coulson never got to finish describing his beloved vintage Captain America cards as one of the S. H. I. E. L. D. agents sitting nearby interrupted him. 

"We got a hit. Sixty-seven percent match. Wait, cross match, seventy-nine percent."

"Location?" Agent Coulson asked. 

"Stuttgart, Germany. 28, Konigstrasse. He's not exactly hiding."

"Captain and Miss Cadman." Director Fury as Captain Rogers and Aquila turned to look to Director Fury. "You're up."

Aquila shared a look with Captain Rogers, who was led away into a different room, where supposedly his new Captain America outfit lay.

Aquila looked down at her current attire and shook her head slightly as a chuckle escaped her lips. She never needed a special uniform for herself, once she shifted back from her eagle form, she would be wearing exactly the same attire. It contradicted the idea often showed in pop culture or people shifting and them ripping their clothes. It was just what made Aquila's culture so different. 

Eventually, Aquila met back up with Captain Rogers in the Quinjet, with him fully changed into his new skin-tight outfit. 

Aquila gave the Captain, a small smile. "It's gotta be strange, right? All of this." Aquila asked, gesturing to the Quinjet around her. "You didn't get much of a choice, just a long as sleep and a new century."

Captain Rogers nodded along in agreement with her words. "It's definitely different but some things are quite familiar."

A few hours later, the Quinjet was pulling into their location, the back door opened as Aquila jumped out, shifting into her eagle form in a few seconds. Captain Rogers would be following her not too long after. 

"Look to your elder, people," the Asgardian, Loki said below Aquila, pointing his scepter towards the older man. "Let him be an example." 

Just as the blast from the scepter was about to hit the old man, Captain America jumped in front of the man, the blast easily ricocheting off the vibranium shield and knocking Loki down the ground.

Captain America began approaching Loki as Aquila swooped down extending her winds before landing on Captain America's shoulder, her talons bared. 

"You know, the last time I was in Germany and saw a man standing above everybody else, we ended up disagreeing."

"The soldier." Loki slowly spoke. "A man out of time. And a giant eagle."

Captain America and Aquila watched as Loki's lips slowly spread into a smile that covered his face, letting out a small laugh.

"How patriotic." Loki mocked. 

"I'm not the one who's out of time." Captain America said as the Quinjet arrived behind them. 

A machine gun from the Quinjet was pointed at Loki as Agent Romanoff's voice filled the air. 

"Loki, drop the weapon and stand down."

Aquila took back to the skies watching as from below as Captain America and Loki began to fight, waiting for an opening. After a few moments, she found it, swooping down her talons outstretched before Loki carelessly tossed her to the side as civilians scrambled out of the way. 

Aquila shook her feather out, gathering her thoughts, before extending her wings and taking flight again. She watched as Loki tried to get Captain America to kneel. 

"Kneel!" Loki shouted. 

"Not today!" Captain America shouted back. 

Aquila swooped back down, successfully knocking Loki over with her talons before flying back up again out of reach about to attack again but before she could, Iron Man suddenly appeared, knocking Loki back down to the ground.

Aquila watched as Iron Man's repulser powered up as well as every piece of weaponry that his suit had. The god was more than outnumbered now. 

"Make a move, Reindeer Games."

Captain America moved to stand beside Iron Man as Aquila swooped lower, just above the heads of the two men. The three of them watched as Loki put his hands up to surrender as his armor materialized away.

Iron Man's weapons and repulsers powered down. 

"Good move." Iron Man said. 

"Mr. Stark."

"Captain."

Aquila let out a small caw to announce her presence. "An eagle?" Iron Man asked. "That's a new one."