[1] 𝘿𝙀𝙑𝙄𝘼𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉 | 𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙨

➘ 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧𝐞: сумерки ( 𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐤 )

➸ 2005
📍 THE RED ROOM
A/n
THESE NEXT FEW CHAPTERS ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE SINCE ITS SOLELY TIME SKIPS
THE TIME SKIPS WILL NOT BE HAPPENING SO FREQUENTLY AFTER THIS SECTION
Russia
╚════▣◎▣════╝

AT AGE three, Galina had an understanding of ballet and acrobatics.

At age four, she learned how to dismantle, mantle, and shoot a firearm.

At age five, she was an expert in artillery and knew the names of every weapon like the back of her hand.

At age eight, she killed for the first time.

At ten years of age, she's the most skilled in her Red Room class of Widows.

"Positions." one of the head agents/trainers, Ivan instructed.

The young women, ages ten to seventeen stood in a scattered formation like soldiers as they began the sequence.

Their body is faced straight ahead before they kneeled down on one knee and then turned to the opposite one.

With their right leg, they roll on it and then move back up on their feet, walking backwards and aiming the weapon.

"Небрежный!" Ivan shouted sternly at them, a small wad of spit escaping from his curled up lips due to the projection of his voice.
[ "Sloppy!" ] He then looked at Galina who was as still as stone. "Widow #389, step forward."

Galina took a step forwards obediently — shoulders square, head high, emotionless expression.

"Do the sequence for everyone."

She got back into position and started the sequence. She could feel the eyes burning holes into her back and she could sense the jealousy within the training gym.

"See! This is how you're supposed to do it." he said as he paced the room. "Take Galina as an example. She is the ultimate Widow yet what are you? She's the youngest one here yet the eldest cannot out fight her." after a beat of silence he snapped his fingers. "Put the weapons back in their cases and go to the showers."

...
LOCKER ROOM

Her eyes were glued to the ground as half of the girls were naked and roaming around the room either to grab a towel or to search for an unoccupied shower.

Galina felt out of place...she always has — never felt acceptance or gratitude through companionship with the fellow Widows rather, through killing and being rewarded by the headmasters.

She's been with the older girls ever since she was eight due to her success in training and advanced fighting technique but they were never kind to her or at least speak to her without insults.

She carefully stripped from out of her training gear and stepped into the shower, letting the ice cold water cascade down her body.

Her shower was fast. Just as she shut the water off, she went to grab her towel from over the stall but...it was missing.

No.

This can't be happening.

Tears of humiliation began to gather in her eyes as she turned around fully to see a bunch of the girls staring at her. She could hear the faint giggles and their thoughts.

—'How pathetic.'

— 'She can't even defend herself properly!'

— 'What a pussy, already starting to cry.'

"Shut up." she murmured and covered her ears as she slid down onto the ground, holding her legs and rocking.

The girls looked at one another in confusion but only began to laugh more at the strange behavior.

"Aw, is Ivan's little pet finally breaking down? So pathetic!" Cassie, one of the Widows taunted.

—'She's crying over her towel being stolen, how does Ivan expect her to carry out a mission?'

— 'She'll never be a strong Widow.'

"You are worthless...and you're nothing."

The giggles intensified before the only thing that Galina could hear was white noise.

"SHUT UP." she screeched out.

A wave of light pink energy escaped from her small body and caused the other Widows to fall onto the ground.

Galina's eyes were as wide as saucers as she stared at her hands, ears ringing. She quickly moved to the far corner of the shower and hid her face, terrified at what just occurred.

That's when one of the older Widows, Yelena Belova, angrily found the towel that was hidden from the young girl and quickly covered her as a crowd began to form around her.

"Отвали." she glared at them. [ "Fuck off." ]

The girls scurried away as Yelena helped Galina onto her feet and wrapped the towel tighter around her.

"Спасибо." Galina said shyly. [ "Thank you." ]

Yelena just nodded and went on with her day, slightly concerned at what had just transpired but choosing to ignore it.

• • •
IVAN'S OFFICE
"You were called in here for two reasons." Ivan started, putting up two fingers for emphasis. "One, I am sending you on your first mission very soon and two, what happened in the showers today."

Galina looked down at her hands in guilt. "I don't know what happened." she admitted in a small accent heavy mutter.

Ivan grinned lightly at her. "Yes you do."

Her head snapped up in confusion, eyebrows furrowing. She chose to stay silent, too scared to say much.

Ivan stood up from his seat and walked around the table to stand directly in front of the girl.

Galina kept her gaze on his torso which happened to have been directly in her line of vision, refusing to make eye contact.

His finger hooked under her jaw to lift her head up, line of sight meeting his. "You are special." he emphasized. "You will make the mother country stronger with your abilities. You will be the perfect asset — none of the Widows have what you have, you're unstoppable."