Insanity

Chapter 4

Song: When Fire Meets Fate by Ruelle

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"Like gravity from underneath, 
we can't outrun our destiny."

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Natalia Alianova Romanova despised her name. She despised where it came from and she despised the man who used it. That was why she used the name Natasha Romanoff so often; it was close to the name she was given, but it was her own.

Over the years she had grown tired of hearing men like Mr. Murdock, Ivan Petrovich, or that god-awful Alexi Shostakov saying her name with that familiar Russian purr accentuated with empty promises like, "You're a special girl, Natalia." No, Natalia wasn't special. Natalia was sent off to this god-forsaken prison camp, and not to become the ballerina she had always longed to be. She was sent here to be stabbed with thousands of needles, to be kept awake for days at a time trying to perfect a new skill trapped under the threat of being yelled at or beaten for not being good enough. Natalia was weak and vulnerable and an utter failure to her parents, bless their souls.

But Natasha on the other hand, Natasha was strong. Natasha made her parents proud. Nastasha was a fierce fighter that made even the strongest of men quiver in their boots. Natasha defended her people and her country with pride.

Natalia sighed as she patted her hair dry; Natasha was but a name. Just a silly alter-ego she had made for herself when she was most desperate for a purpose for herself.

But now, maybe she had a chance of bringing her beloved alter-ego to life. Natalia and the other operatives began their fight training today, and she was due to be down at the gym in one hour. She was so elated that she had even awoken bright and early to make herself presentable, an action of which she usually brushed aside as an afterthought.

Natalia threw on her athletic training shirt and pants, tying her damp hair back into a tight ponytail. A few loose, scarlet red strands hung around her face, but she didn't mind; she had always imagined that Natasha wouldn't need to put her hair up to fight, so maybe this could be her first step towards that.

As her finishing touch, she applied a bright red lipstick. None of the other operatives ever wore any make up, so Natalia always used the lipstick as her own little signature. She thought it to be her personal trademark, envisioning her mantra to be that her bright red lips would be the last thing people see before she pulled the trigger.

She gave her reflection a once over in the mirror, nodding with satisfaction. She left her room and took off towards the gym, ready to start her busy day.

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Barnes leaned against the back wall of the small gym, deciding that perhaps he should have come up with some sort of a lesson plan. He had nothing prepared, and he wasn't entirely sure what he was supposed to be doing. He always did the fighting, so he had no idea how to train someone to fight who was inexperienced. He supposed she could try and fight him, but he figured that may not end well. In fact, it would probably end up with a funeral.

The door to the gym flew open and Barnes looked up. Natalia Romanova strutted in, looking as athletic as ever in a tight long sleeve shirt and pants. Both were a dark black, and in very Stark contrast to her bright green eyes and scarlet hair.

Natalia glanced around the fairly empty room, abruptly stopping in her tracks when her eyes landed on Barnes's shadowy figure lurking in a corner. "What's going on?" she asked hesitantly. "Where are the others?"