12.58pm,
13th July, 2001,
SHIELD Headquarters,
Moscow, Russia
Natasha rubs her eyes and groans in frustration, with the book that she has grown to despise laying on her lap. The book itself was worn, years of overuse leaving the pages frayed, dog-eared and torn (and she will unashamedly admit that most of the abuse directed towards it was by her. Hurling the book against the wall, out the window, or anywhere really is a daily occurrence.)
It wasn't so much that she hates reading; she loves it. She can read in Russian, English, French, Spanish, German...any language, any author, any plot. She spends most of her spare time reading. What she hates about this particular book is the content and how she struggles to understand it.
She was given this book...ten years ago? It must have been ten, because she came when she was eight, and she is eighteen now...so, yes. Ten. After ten years she still cannot bring herself to absorb the message it gives. She can blame her father for that.
She remembers being a young teenager, and she remembers realizing that the thoughts she experienced were not normal. She asked many times, she begged and pleaded for Coulson to help her. The thoughts she still experienced every day were slowly driving her insane. She would cry herself to sleep at night, thoughts of becoming a victorious soldier next to her father almost burned into the back of her eyelids. She received the same reply every time. That brainwashing at such a young age can never be completely undone.
That answer was never good enough for the young Natasha. She went as far as to request SHIELD to counter-brainwash her. It seemed like a reasonable enough solution. Coulson did not think so.
"Never." He replied, colder than she had ever heard him.
"Why? It worked for my father."
"Exactly. Taking out someone's thoughts and replacing them with your own is not only defying nature, it is a crime. And it will never work. Brainwashing is never effective in getting people to be passionate about something. You can tell them, and you can hurt them if they don't think the same way as you, but you can never force someone to believe. They can pretend, but deep down they will resent that cause more than anything. And that is why we will never do that- under any circumstances."
And so she was given this book.
"The World As We Know It."
The title is self-explanatory, really. It describes in unbiased terms how the world we live in and how the people who live in it function. It is completely neutral. And Natasha isn't. She cannot understand how so many believe all people to be equal. She was taught to fight for her and her family, their friends and those on their side. That was all. She was not tutored in defending civilians, or defending anyone except the set list of people her father had compiled. It hurts her to have to think like this.
She has been reading this book a lot more recently, as she is due to graduate soon. Later this evening, in fact. And nothing would please her more than having some of her own ideas and beliefs before she becomes an agent. There's not a whole lot she can do about that, other than trying to find her own thoughts. They are in there somewhere, she can tell. Buried underneath all the propaganda and the messages her father instilled in her, she has a conscience which she would very much like to find.
7.00pm,
13th July 2001,
The Main Hall,
SHIELD Headquarters,
Moscow, Russia
No longer a trainee, Agent Coulson has taken the role of the proud father as Natasha Romanoff receives her credentials. She has put more effort into this organization in her ten years as a student than most agents have in their careers, and the Director acknowledges this. Natasha is the only graduating student of '01, and the ceremony is brief. Many distinguished SHIELD members are in attendance; however, this does not stop Phil Coulson rising to his feet and applauding her as she makes her way down the steps. She grins.
Director Fury shakes Natasha's hand, commending her on her achievement. He spots Coulson, and makes his way through the crowd, taking Phil to a small patio area outside.
"Keep an eye on her." Fury orders. His blunt tone, despite being his usual timbre, surprises the agent.
"Why? She has proven herself-..."
"Yes, but...I'd be inclined to be a bit suspicious towards people of her background." He puts emphasis on the last word of the sentence. "The success rate in counter-brainwashing does not seem to be in her favour."
"We are not counter-brainwashing, nor will we ever employ that method in this agency. You told me that." Flushed with anger, Coulson glares at the Director. Fury seems impressed.
"Fair enough. Just don't let her slip under the radar, Agent. Don't let your affection impair your judgement."
6.42 am,
14th July 2001,
The training rooms,
SHIELD Headquarters,
Moscow, Russia.
"You weren't kidding, were you? SHIELD really does need all the agents it can find."
Phil nods, smiling.
"You leave tomorrow, Nat. First mission."
"Where to?" She questions.
"Budapest."
