"We rise, only to fall."
The red room has taken girls from all over the world and made them killer assassins, including Theodora Reyes. One of the Red Room's toughest.
After years on the field, Theodora manages to catch not only the Avengers eye's b...
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"Turn, spin, pile, repeat." The phrase was carved into each girl's head as they danced. It was like they where almost robots, with heads, held high and repeating on command. None of the girls paid any attention to the bloodstains on the ground. Staining the hardwood floor. Fools where the others, who thought they could define Madame B. Fools they truly where.
On the left-hand side was a young girl. Only fourteen years of age, and murdered those twice her size. She kept her head high as her long dark hair was tucked into a tight bun on the top of her head. Her eyes never left the mirror as she watched herself and the others twirl. No one spoke except for one voice, commanding them to repeat the steps.
"Again." Madam B's voice rang out into the empty room as each girl followed through the steps carved in her brain. "Again." No student dared defy, or they would be killed. "Again." No student dared to mess up, or they would be selected to spare.
The girl with fiery red hair next to her, Natalia Romanova was obviously the best student. In which it made Theodora Reyes jealous. The two girls had to act like they knew nothing of the other. If they got to close or hated each other too much, they would be spared against the other. Emotion was weakness.
Theodora's hands still hurt from the night before, as she had slept on her handcuffs oddly. It was looking swollen and a line outlined the tip of it. But she said nothing. She knew better than to cause a problem.
"Stop." With the last turn, each student fell into a simple position. Both hands behind their backs with their head held high. Madam B walked further into the room, stopping in front of all the girls.
She pointed to a single girl, making her step forward. She was about fourteen as well, she hasn't spared before, seemed strong but so did the rest of the girls here. Madam B's eyes fell onto Natalia and Theodora. She clicked her tongue, making a decision. With an amused smile, she pointed to Theodora.
The girl stepped forward, facing towards her opponent. Madam B nodded. "You have ten minutes. Then be out in the courtyard." With a swift turn, the old woman was gone.
Theodora and the other girl bowed to one another before turning away. One of them was to die, it was the rules of sparing. Theodora turned to Natalia who now came up her. "You can win." She spoke softly, not wanting to be heard in case an instructor was lingering.
"So can she," Theodora replied, staring blankly at the only person she could ever call a friend. "She's sloppy, Madam B was to pick her soon."
"She was." The dark-haired girl nodded, agreeing. "Her footing isn't clean. Hit her there."
"I'm well aware, Natalia." Theodora's tone was harsher than she meant to, but she didn't need to be pointed out the obvious. The redhead sighed, nodding. Other girls looked at Theodora nervously, wondering if she would win. And if she didn't, who would lull them to sleep at night?
Theodora wasn't popular among the girls, otherwise, she would be a target for sparing every day. But when the last instructor shut the light off, Theodora would begin to sing, lulling the girls to sleep. Her voice was almost like a siren's, but calmer and soothing.
The other girl, Anna, was the kindest though, most girls liked her. Even Theodora. Truthfully she didn't want to fight her, she didn't want to fight anyone. But if she defined Madam B, it would be her blood on the hardwood floor.
A dark-skinned girl turned away from her friend. "I should probably get going to the courtyard," Theodora told her, stalking away and out of the room.
—•—
Each of the girls lined the outside of the map, with Madam B in the center of them. Both Theodora and Anna stood face to face, in position. They waited for the signal to begin, looking at each other with empty eyes.
Madam B nodded once, signaling them to begin. Theodora swung first, aiming up towards the head. Anna dodged, grabbing her arm and twisted it backward. Theodora's face showed pain, but she knew better than to yell out.
That's when Theodora went for her legs, on was sticking out, giving her the opportunity. She kicked Anna's legs out from underneath her and held her by the next in between her arms. Anna began to squirm, trying to get out of the position as she was having trouble breathing.
Theodora didn't let go, she looked up at Madam B, waiting for the approval. The woman nodded.
"CRACK!" Theodora let go of the limp body, letting it fall to the ground as she stared emptily at her instructor. Both hands rested behind her back. Madam B cracked a face of approval. "Well done. Theodora. Well done."
