Parldro , thank you for leaving a review, it's so wonderful to see a familiar face again! Thank you soooo much for reading!

This chapter won't have as much action as usual, but I promise the next one will be lemony ;)

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The first day was crazy. My body was buzzing on its own high, my thoughts all over the place, rushing from all the information my body was sensing that I never felt before. Every single movement or word didn't go unnoticed by me. I registered everything.

My room was the one I woke up in. The quickest way to get to it was from the main common room on the ground floor and directly up the stairs on the right. It was the first door, right next to a huge bookshelf. The rest of the house seemed sort of abandoned at first glance, but that was a silly illusion. The house was filled with men.

Men in training slept together, in one bedroom, two doors from mine. Sometimes Bane made them sleep outside, in the snow and cold. How they managed to survive those nights, was beyond me. But those who didn't apparently didn't have a place in the League of Shadows anyway.

They were all young men, some even under 20 years. They were all determined, slightly brainwashed and completely and utterly loyal to Bane. Those who weren't didn't survive.

The men spent most of their time in one of the basic training rooms, that was accessible from the main common room on the ground floor. The first basic training hall was huge, filled with usual and advanced gym equipment. There were boxing bags hanging from the ceiling and MMA props everywhere.

I only managed to see one other training room, that was more advanced. They had a sort of »level-up« system. Once you conquered the first room, you were upgraded to the next. Each of them more physically demanding than the previous one, or such were the rumours.

The second training room I saw was to my surprise and disappointment empty. I wondered why that was but knew I was probably going to find out too soon anyway.

There were even more training rooms, to which I didn't have access yet. But apparently, the fact that I already got to see the second one without even training here before, angered a lot of men. Especially the guy whose nose I broke so easily.

From the common room you could access the kitchen that was right beneath my room. There was dry black wood everywhere in the house and the kitchen was no exception. It had a few large counters, huge stoves and refrigerators. No cooks. No women. No maids. The men ate what they prepared themselves and nothing went to waste. They had to learn how to survive on their own and to cook nutritious but simple and easily made food.

I couldn't find a bathroom at first and I dreaded that maybe they just go shit in the forest. To my pleasure, there was a separate, small barrack behind the house. It had many natural baths, with steaming hot water, like a damn geyser was nearby. But it was just one huge space, no privacy, no separation for men and women. Not that there were any women here to begin with... At the back, there were a few simple toilets, which were thankfully private.

All throughout exploring the house, I spied on the men. Most of them were quiet, especially the men that were here longer. They wore black clothes, clean, efficient for use - military with a traditional asian feel to them.

They all eyed me oddly, unused to a female presence. Nobody dared say a word, as Bane's presence was looming in the air. They kept a respectable distance from me, except for the guy whose nose I broke. He belonged to the new, rookie group. He was loud, always chatting, unadaptable.

How he ended up here, was beyond my intelligence. How Bane hadn't killed him yet, was one of the great seven mysteries of the world.

I learned his name was Eric. He was sort of the leader of his tiny pack of beta men. They followed him blindly, although only to a certain degree. They didn't feel like they belonged here yet, so they felt safe with a familiar face, with Eric.

His eyes never left me as I explored the house, his hurt gaze filled with annoyance especially once I came out of the second training room. I knew they all disapproved of me being allowed there yet. I hadn't earned it in their eyes.

I felt like I was high, like I didn't belong on this world, let alone in fucking Tibet. So I skipped dinner, went to my room and stayed there for good. I wanted to just fall asleep, but I couldn't get my eyes to shut for the entire night.

I was pacing around, quietly, my mind thinking overtime. I had too much energy. And nothing to do with it. I heard how a small group of men went outside and began their night out in the snow. I didn't know if this was one of Bane's punishments or just a part of the training. I tried to avoid him since I wasn't in my right mind yet.

My skin was on fire. My brain racing. My body was going to explode if I didn't do something... anything.

I didn't have a clock but I estimated it had to be nearly four in the morning and I was still pacing. In the end, I couldn't take it anymore. I sneaked outside my room, watching the open hallway and glancing past the fence, down to the main common room.

It was all empty. The men outside had chattering teeth, but no complaints. The rest slept like dead. I had no idea where Bane's room was. The house was like a damn labyrinth apart from the few rooms I managed to memorize.

I sneaked down the stairs, across the main room and entered the first training room, that I later called »gym« plainly. It was empty, no person in sight, nothing but a deadly silence in the air.

Never in my life was I a runner or an athlete. I avoided sports of any kind if I had a choice. I hated P.E. in school, apart from when we played games or fun sports. So if anybody told me, I'd be running on a treadmill at 4 am, I would have died of laughter. Yet here I was, my body moving on its own, pushing me on and on, faster and faster. I waited for the moment when I would grow tired, but I didn't. Not a single muscle felt sore and physical activity felt like a blessing.

Before I noticed minutes turned into hours, my breathing got louder and louder, but I still wasn't tired.

At some point, the first men came in. Some went on, to the next level training rooms, the majority remained here with me. They were boxing, learning the basics of MMA and other fighting arts and disciplines. Some ran next to me, others pushed weights. There was a basic gym feel to it, except there was no music, no fun.

After some time I saw Bane enter and he merely gave me one glance before he disappered into the other hardcore rooms. Eric came in half an hour later, and to my satisfaction he was radiating cold. So, he was one of the men that spent the night in the snow. Good.

We only shared one look, my eyes landing on his bruised and enlarged nose, and his eyes threw daggers at me. I didn't mean to be hostile. I truly didn't want to have bad blood between us, in my mind, the punch I threw was because of a simple misunderstanding. It didn't let me be. The thought wouldn't leave.

I grew more and more frustrated with myself, still running, playing chicken whether or not I was gonna go over and apologize or not.

My legs made the decision for me when after an hour or so, Eric began leaving with his little horde of beta men. I rushed off the treadmill, fastly approaching. The ground felt like it was moving by itself after hours on the treadmill. But I kept a steady foot and got to him from behind.

»Hey, excuse me,« I said, huffing and panting, without feeling exhaustion.

He reluctantly turned around, his followers staring at me wide eyed. Unfortunately, since I blessed him with attention, he only grew in their eyes. The only female for miles around, and I talked to him of all people...

»I just wanted to apologize for yesterday. I didn't mean to hurt you, I don't know what came over me. I'm really sorry,« I said, completely sincere.

»Hurt me?« He snickered and glanced at his men.

»If you weren't fucking Bane I'd have sent you down to the ground with one finger, bitch,« he said arrogantly, trying to shadow over my small frame.

He had light brown hair, dark blue eyes and annoyance written all over his face. He was pretty muscular and about the same age as me. Perhaps a year or two older.

I tried to ignore the insult. You came here to apologize. Don't lose your cool. I could feel that weird rage coming back, but I controlled it.

»I'm not fucking anybody. Look, I really didn't mean it, I'm sorry. I don't want-.«

»Fuck you,« he spat in my face and I could swear I felt some of his saliva land on my cheeks as I flinched.

His face was inches from mine before he stormed off, along with his men.

I stood there, dumbstruck. I was not expecting this. I was not expecting this at all. My anger was completely overpowered by surprise. It got even worse when I saw Bane enter the room.

I cursed under my breath. He didn't see too much... at least I hoped so. I hopped back on the treadmill, anger coming back. It pushed me forward, I had never ran so much in my life before.

Fuck, why did Bane seemed to be getting bigger? Was he really coming closer? Or was it just my imagination? At that point it hit me that I really was fucking Bane at one point in time. Well goddamn... I felt like shit. Stupid Eric was right. I felt so defeated, so lost.

Bane suddenly stood there next to me, his breathing loud through the mask, patient. I pretended I didn't see him. My determination was fuelled with annoyance and disappointment and rage.

»How long have you been running?« He asked calmly, not moving.

I didn't stop.

»I didn't keep track.«

His silence was pure threat, louder than my panting and sweating.

»A few hours? Maybe three?« I said, still going, after it became clear I had to obey.

His hand came down, pressing the stop button.

I couldn't look at him as the machine slowed down and stopped altogether. I was so emotionally hurt and unstable I couldn't stand what his sight would do to me on top of all things.

»You will damage your muscles. As far as I remember, you haven't been physically active regularly before. Venom is but an illusion,« his voice boomed, and I stared straight ahead, to the black wooden walls, past all the men that looked at us.

Great, just what I needed. More attention from him and a loud educational speech in front of all the other men. Just lovely.

»You will exercise and train like all the other men. I will give you one more day to adapt, then you will begin tomorrow morning.«

»Yes, Bane,« I said, clenching my teeth together.

I felt like a child, unable to control my energy and body. I just got schooled in front of the entire League and I felt like exploding but had no space to do so. Damn it. Damn it all to hell.

I could swear I heard Eric's muffled laugh from a corner.

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As soon as he let me go, I stormed off. Straight into my room, where I had at least some privacy. I wanted to scream. I wanted to run again. I was pacing, restless. My veins and skin burned. My ears were ringing. I felt like I was going to go insane. If I wasn't already...

Suddenly I stormed right out of the room, not even knowing I had been in there for less than a minute. Men stared at me as I nearly ran out of the house, not even knowing where I was headed. I will give you one more day... His voice boomed in my head and I clenched my teeth together harder.

I kept walking through the snow as it kept getting deeper and it was probably comical to see my short figure storm through all that snow that was up to my knees. I went into the forest, walking on, nearly running. There was nobody in this part of the forest, they were all training elsewhere.

As the house kept getting smaller behind me, my frustration grew. Venom got the better of me. My emotions exploded. My lungs shrunk as I began screaming, yelling all the pain out.

FUCKING ERIC FUCKING BANE FUCKING VENOM AND THE WHOLE FUCKING WORLD! I thought and yelled some more.

I collapsed to my knees, the rage ripping my lungs apart. My skin was so hot the snow melted into water and fell down in pure drops off my hands immediately. I was in no sense properly dressed for this weather. But I couldn't even feel the cold. Which made my agony and pain stronger. I had known this body since forever. This was me. And now I was a stranger to myself. The world around me seemed different because of venom. It affected my thoughts and emotions. It changed me and it hurt more than anything. If I lost even myself, what was left? If I didn't even know my body anymore, how was I supposed to live with it?

I screamed until my throat couldn't go on anymore. But I was far from finished. I began running again, uphill, killing my muscles, but could barely feel it. I kicked at the trees with my feet, smashing the snow around. My anger was unending.

And then I had a brilliant thought. I will fucking shit and piss all over your sacred League forest!

I pulled my black pants down and pushed my legs apart to piss on their beautiful snow. I looked down and saw blood drip on the white background. I had gotten my period.

My yells of uncensored rage echoed in the mountains as I trashed the forest.

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When I got back, it was already late. The sun just set and the men were gathered in the kitchen and the main common room.

My lungs were empty, my throat destroyed, the heat of my skin nearly making smoke appear. Without a word, I went to my room and completely skipped eating again. I paced my small room, lost in thought.

I had no idea what I was gonna do about my period. In Gotham, I always had pads somewhere or I could always steal some. Here, I knew I was never gonna find a pad or a tampon and I would die before I would utter a single word of it to Bane.

I silently trashed the room, looking around for sheets or anything useful. I forced my body to a full stop and sat on the ground, pulling on the sheet from my bed. I didn't want to destroy it, but I couldn't find anything else.

I tore strips off with my teeth and placed them on the floor in front of me. I knew my pants were already past salvation at this point, but they were black so the men didn't see a thing.

I started tying a few strips together, improvising a pad. I prepared about five of them, and left the rest of the sheet for sleeping. I was gonna have to do what women in middle ages did. Wash and reuse the five pieces cloth.

The thought made me sick and nauseous, but there was no helping it.

I waited in my room, spying through the window. After a few hours the men went to the barrack to bathe and shower and I waited for them all to finish.

It was the middle of the night, when they were all long asleep, when I sneaked outside my room and into the barrack.

The water was filled constantly in the natural baths, and falling in the improvised showers. I took my clothes off and soaked the pants under the falling water in the shower, making sure all evidence of blood got disposed off immediately. I washed myself with soap and thoroughly cleaned the black pants.

When I was done I left them to dry in the wind outside, while I waited hidden in the barrack. Surprisingly, I became tired. I forced myself to stay for another two hours, until the pants were semi-dried.

I put on the homemade cloth pad and damp black pants over it. I hoped it couldn't be seen through the dark fabric. The feeling was disgusting.

When I got back to my room, I feel asleep like a log. But just 47 minutes afterwards I was rudely awakened.

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