By Name Only

6)

    "But with the beast inside,
    There's nowhere we can hide..."

    (Tenshi's POV)

    Agent Romanoff gestures for me to take a seat on one of the leather armchairs scattered throughout the common room. I sit down, quickly taking note of my surroundings.

    Everything is modern and complimentary to everything else. The walls are a nice white color; easy on the eyes. The furniture is made of dark leather, naturally contrasting with the light walls and creamy carpet. A huge flat screen takes up the wall directly in front of me, behind the Avengers standing in front of it.

    My gaze returns to Agent Romanoff,  who has been scrutinizing my body language and posture since I sat down. My face is still empty, betraying nothing.

    "So. Let's get started shall we?"

    I nod.

    "You said your name is Tenshi. Is that true?"

    "Yes."

    She looks at Wanda, who is standing behind me. She must have nodded, because I am asked another question.

    "How old are you?"

    "Sixteen," I immediately answer.

    "Mhm. Now for the hard questions. Why were you with H.Y.D.R.A.?"

    "They created me."

    "For what purpose?"

    "I'm a weapon."

    "Against?"

    "S.H.I.E.L.D., ultimately. I was to take you all down first."
 
  She glances back at Wanda. Apparently, I'm not lying. She returns to her questioning.

    "Are you human?"

    "No."

    "What are you then?"

    I take a moment to decide how to word my response.

    "I'm a preternatural angelic creature."
 
  "And that is...?"

    "A demon."

    She cocks an eyebrow.

    "A demon?"

    I nod gravely. "A demon."

    "Are you possessing someone?"

    "No."

    "Is this your real form?"

    "No. I can shapeshift. This is merely the form I prefer to take."

    She considers for a moment.

    "Show us your real form."

    I nod again. "I need to get off the chair."

    She steps back to allow me to stand. I move forward a few steps and pause.  Lowering my head, I take a deep breath, close my eyes and concentrate. With a shimmer of silver light, my illusion of a grey uniform drops to reveal a simple knee-length black dress and innocent looking flat black shoes. My five foot raven wings shimmer into place between my shoulder blades, forming a span of ten feet across, the soft feathers glinting slightly in the light of the room.

    My hair remains the same golden blonde that it's always been, but when I raise my head and open my eyes, the usual forest green is replaced by a deep, bloody red. The Avengers gasp and step back, some drawing  their weapons. A few look curious. I can work with this.