Holy shit. We made it to chapter 100. I honestly didn't think I'd be here so fast (it's September 2020 as I'm typing this) but all the time home and cancelled plans helped. But we're here. It's a milestone, a big one, and we're bringing in someone new.
Year Three: Communications
Communications Lecture Hall - 14:29 PM
Merida never wanted to drop out of the Academy more than when she walked into the Communications sector of campus.
She dreaded the start of her Communications classes because she didn't want to be here. When the girls on her floor found out, they laughed at her. It didn't help that every Communications kid on-site stared at her the moment walks through the building. It's definitely her Operations training uniform because she just came from a training session.
It was weird for Communications to entangle with the other Academies. Operations and Sci-Tech didn't like each other but they agreed on excluding Communications simply because they're Communications. Within the Academy, Communications was the jack of all trades. They mostly did everything and thought themselves as superior, which is why Operations and Sci-Tech ignored them and left them out of the annual Camp SHIELD prank wars.
Merida can't help but notice how awake everyone is here, despite it being the middle of the afternoon. Operations kids are usually stressed or tired, wanting to punch a hole in the wall. Sci-Tech kids, which she only knows about because she's been with Daniel and James, are weird and always talking about math, science, and Emily Stark.
Merida ignores everyone looking at her as she heads to her class. She walks through the door and sees Agent Iyu at the front. Her SO gives her a small grin that could pass off as her poker face, making Merida pause. She gives a small wave back before walking through the auditorium like rows, sitting near the middle but right at the edge.
Merida ignores Agent Iyu's lecture on body language. Ironically, she slouched in her seat and tried to cover her face with her hair. If her SO looked her way, she probably enjoyed watching her wither. Merida much preferred the exciting stuff which didn't exist here.
-o-
That was the longest 3 hours of her life.
Her body aches as she gets up from her chair since she was slouching the whole time. She stretches her arms and back as her classmates walk past her, giving her looks as they head out. Merida narrows her eyes, grumbling under her breath in Russian as she slides her stuff into her backpack. She has never been happier to leave a class and she's always happy running out those doors. The next time she sees Fury, she's teaching him how to play poker.
Merida swings her bag over her shoulder and turns to see a thin yet figured girl standing on the step of the row before her, grinning evilly as if she's been watching her the whole time. She's dressed in tight yet modest clothing like she wants to show off her body but keep it hidden. Her face is sharp and big pale blue eyes that still pop against her porcelain skin. Most notable, her long hair is a dramatic silver, way closer to dark grey than white.
Either way, Merida knows she's been spied on and not done very well since Merida can clearly see her.
"Mind your own business," Merida shoots at her.
"Go back to your program," the girl responds, her voice a deep Slavic accent, curling her dark purple lips.
Merida glares and the silver-haired girl mocks it with a small smile as she steps down to be at the same level as her.
"So, you're Russian?" Silver-haired asks.
Merida nods. She's been observed at least since she started cursing to herself in Russian, so likely since the beginning of class. "Born in America but yeah. You?"
"Sokovian."
Merida sucks in a breath and the silver-haired girl narrows her eyes this time. Merida knows enough about Sokovia to understand that it's not peaches and cream over there, especially with the American government trying to intervene and settle Sokovia's civil issues with western ideals and a problematic government. She doesn't think too much about the issue, especially since it's been going on for so long.
But the silver-haired girl grins snidely behind locks of her hair. Her eyes look ahead and Merida turns to see Agent Iyu approaching them.
"Ah, I see you two have met," Agent Iyu says.
Merida wrinkles her brows and sees the other girl with a straight face. Some nerve Communications has by making someone spy on her first day. She isn't surprised, the more she thinks about it.
"Cadet Merida Barton," Agent Iyu starts, "meet my other subordinate, Cadet Victoria Kovanova. You two play nice."
Victoria smiles sweetly in a way that her lips were stretched forcibly. "Of course, I'm her silver-haired Sokovian sister."
Merida shrugs. "And I'm the Russian redheaded one."
-o-
Merida thought she could bolt out of this building the moment Agent Iyu dismissed her, but Victoria was following her. At first, Merida thought they were conveniently walking in the same direction but knew something was up when Victoria matched her pace and walked right beside her. Merida doesn't know or care why she's being followed by Agent Iyu's other cadet since it wasn't their first assignment to become friends.
None of her friends' SO had other cadets. It wasn't fair that she has another cadet on her hip and that she's in Communications. Someone in the Academy really hates her … and she'll have trouble narrowing it down.
Merida didn't even think they wanted to be each other's friends. They were snippy to each other and only did the sisterhood bit at the end to appease Agent Iyu who saw through them.
"So what did you do win a spot in Communications?" Victoria asks. "Who did you sleep with?"
Merida cringes. "Nobody. I was a prize in poker."
Victoria purses her lips together. "Interesting. It'd be more fitting if it was a round of Russian Roulette with knives. Speaking of, is your mother Russian or is your last name westernized?"
"Mother."
"And your father?"
"Rasputin."
Victoria gasps. "Funny, he's my father too."
Merida fakes a gasp to mock her. "We really are sisters."
"So, dearest sister, any plans for tonight?"
Merida shakes her head. "No."
"Cool. Let's go drinking."
Merida almost says no since her three hours at Communications exhausted her and she wants to pass out and wake up thinking this was a nightmare. She's about to decline the offer but stops when she feels her phone vibrate in her back pocket. Merida pulls it out and sees that it's an unknown number telling her to change for Concrete Beach in an hour. Merida glances at Victoria who grins as she slides her phone back in her bag. When did she have time to send that? They were talking and she didn't even have her phone in her hands? Merida is already overwhelmed by Communications, even when exiting the premises.
"Iyu gave me your number," Victoria says. "Wear something nice."
Merida narrows her eyes. "I know how to dress. I'm Operations and live at Concrete Beach."
"You're in a training outfit."
"It's a more common look there than you'd think, and I'm training."
"Fair, but don't wear that." Victoria blows Merida a kiss before walking ahead. "An hour, Barton!"
Merida didn't expect Victoria to repeat it in Russian but hearing час! was her finishing point with Communications.
-o-
Concrete Beach - 20:36 PM
When Merida returned to her dorm, she quickly showered and changed into an outfit that was appropriate for Concrete Beach and Victoria Kovanova's standards, whatever they are. God, she hates that girl already. To think that Merida was stuck with a SO in Communications who happens to have a silver-haired nuisance she's supposed to be friendly with. At least in Operations, they were allowed to hit each other. Communications probably has singing circles.
Merida walks into Concrete Beach, seeing it start to warm up with the people who chose to party tonight. Pool tables are being set up as chairs and tables are being moved to the side for the dance floor (since Concrete Beach doubles as a campus restaurant up until 7 p.m.) Looking ahead, she sees Victoria sitting at the bar. It wasn't that hard to spot her since nobody else has silver hair.
According to an ongoing text conversation Merida didn't want to have with Victoria while they were both getting ready, the reason Victoria chose Concrete Beach to hang out was for fairness. Victoria said that it would make Merida feel at home in her sweat-scented neck of the woods to which Merida agreed since they met in Victoria's porcelain doll program.
Merida walks past people and sits in the stool next to Victoria who looks her up and down when she notices.
"Nice outfit," Victoria says.
Merida's instinct is to be defensive since she thinks Victoria's jabbing at it not being her training outfit, but then Merida sees her outfit and catching on. Merida chose high-waisted black jeans and a cropped and strapless white V-neck and combat boots. Victoria's wearing the same outfit but a black top, white bottoms, and small wedges.
"Oh god…" Merida mutters. This will be a long night.
Victoria snickers before signalling the bartender. "Get some shots for me and my sister!"
"You're very keen on a sisterhood."
"Sokovia is."
Merida takes a breath, remembering her reaction when Victoria first mentioned she was from Sokovia. "Okay, if I offended you back in class, I didn't mean to."
Victoria looks at her strangely as their row of vodka shots arrives, clinking in front of them. "Offended? No. Sokovia is a mess but it's my mess."
Merida and Victoria take a shot each, putting their glasses down at the same time. Neither of them reacts to the substance and they notice.
"So, Sokovia hates us, don't they?" Merida asks. She knows the answer but wonders if Victoria would tell her more.
"There would be graffiti of the Avengers although they did nothing," Victoria says. "I guess they're an American metonym so it's easier to hate them because they're people to point at. The worst would be seeing Captain America with the word fascista scribbled across. It's like they never read a proper history book."
That last sentence feels like a slap to the face. Merida is offended that Sokovia would call Captain America, the person who fought fascists, one of them. It hurts her and she wonders if he knows that's happening there.
"That's my godfather," Merida tells her as if they would change anything.
Victoria glances at Merida, cocking a brow as if to ask if she's serious and Merida nods, rolling a shot glass between her thumb and pointer finger.
" … I love that for you," Victoria says, holding another glass up. "For Captain America."
"For Captain America," Merida agrees.
They take another shot and exhale when their glasses hit the counter.
"Is that why you came to school in the one country Sokovia hates?" Merida asks. "To spite them?"
Victoria nods. "At some point, that country will fall from the sky and I don't want to be there when it does."
"Makes sense. So why are you here? What do you want to do?"
"Interrogator or the middle man for US-Sokovia relations."
"If you wanted to be the middle man, you should've stayed in the ocean."
Victoria smiles with a small laugh. "One thing Sokovia will never understand is that just because an American builds a missile doesn't mean he fired it. That's why they're also mad at Tony Stark. His name is on all those weapons despite him not building them anymore. They're still floating around the black markets when they're not fired."
Merida nods. "Stark's daughter is my best friend."
Victoria isn't surprised. "I love that for you as well."
Merida holds up a shot glass. "For Emily Stark."
Victoria copies. "For Emily Stark."
They pick up another set of glasses and take it.
Merida exhales. "You know, we don't have to be friends."
"I lost all my friends in Sokovia's war-ridden state."
Merida pauses, unsure what to say and she sees Victoria grinning.
"I'm kidding … not all of them," Victoria says. "I lost some when I dyed my hair and the rest when I came to school here."
Again, Merida isn't sure what to say. She couldn't believe that Victoria was spilling this information because she was drunk. After all, as if they were drunk only after two shots. Merida knows she isn't since she could still see straight. If she was asked to walk in a straight line, she could do so with her eyes closed.
Victoria clears her throat. "This is the part of the conversation where you tell me something about yourself. It'll make this feel more like a growing exchange rather than an interrogation. I've decided that if this is a new friendship or sisterhood, call if what you will, I'll start it honestly."
Merida holds another shot glass. "To whatever the fuck this is."
Victoria cheers her glass before they down them.
-o-
After finishing their row, Merida and Victoria turn around in their seats so their backs are against the counter. They look at the dance floor, watching some of their classmates go off on the blasting music. They're not sure if they were hazed by the alcohol or dizzy by watching people chant and grind on each other. Merida glances over and sees Victoria watching people, eyes narrowed as if she's studying them.
"Ugh, he's like a bad case of herpes," Victoria grumbles, turning in closer. Her knee bumps against Merida's leg.
Merida blinks. " … what?"
"You think he's gone and bam, he's back."
Merida is still processing the first sentence.
"I've never had them but I've seen them," Victoria continues.
Victoria said she recognized people here because she's hooked up with them. She's an open book but knows when to stop reading herself aloud. Merida watches her chat, wondering how she could just go on about certain things without really saying anything. Like she's saying words but there isn't any substance. Maybe it's a Communications gift combined with intergenerational trauma. Merida glances at Victoria and notices that Victoria is already looking at her, waiting for a response.
"Oh…" Merida mutters. "I thought you weren't done. What were you saying?"
"Your red hair makes your look alive," Victoria says.
"You dyed yours the colour of ashes."
"Post-bombing is my aesthetic."
"Have you been in an explosion?"
"Maybe. Have you?"
Merida shrugs. Define explosion because she's definitely been through shit.
-o-
After a game of pool and getting annoyed by everyone on the dance floor, Merida and Victoria walked back to their spot at the bar. Victoria wasn't wrong about the sweat scent so Merida ordered and will pay for their new row of shots. Victoria claps excitedly as they arrive.
"Agent Iyu is the scariest woman I've ever met," Victoria states.
"Really?" Merida's surprise that Victoria finds someone scary.
Victoria nods. "And that's me saying that. Sokovian protesters are terrifying, hell, even I'm terrifying. Hear me out, she managed to score you, an Operations student in a poker match against her boss, and an Operations and Sci-Tech hybrid student slash double Avengers offspring with a stupid video game."
Merida nods. She told Victoria that story when she asked how she got a Communications SO. " … damn."
"But she looks like an accountant."
"Fury told me that after she graduated in Communications, she didn't become a SHIELD agent right away. She was a Special Forces operative for the military and can dismember a man in less than a minute with nothing more than a rubber band. Or no, she'll only need the rubber band to tie her hair back."
Automatically, Victoria raises her shot glass. "To Iyu."
Merida follows. "To Iyu."
They end up finishing their row and ordering another one in tribute for their SO.
-o-
Suttner Residence - 8:14 AM
The next morning or a few hours later, Merida's eyes shoot open and she sees black spots. She looks around and recognizes that she's in a dorm room but has no idea whose. Merida tries to get up but her entire body is in pain, especially her head. She's hungover and feels like she was run over by a snowplow. Instead, she ends up rolling on her side, realizing she's on the floor. No wonder she's in pain. Merida sees Victoria, looking as wrecked as her, sitting against the wall on the floor nearby. She's looking past her so she must be talking to someone but Merida couldn't be bothered to see or hear who it is.
"Oh, you look cute today," Victoria says to the other person. "Are you going on a date?" She waits for a response and looks underwhelmed. "Oh, just picking up a paper. Still sexy."
Merida hears footsteps and then the door closes. That's the moment Victoria looks at Merida and gives her a sick smile.
"My roommate just tiptoed around us," Victoria explains. "How sweet of her. You look fucked."
Merida groans in agony instead of saying fuck you too, trainwreck because words hurt to say. As if she looked any better. But she has to give Victoria some credit since her white jeans are still crisp and stainless.
"I'm fucking hungover too," Victoria says despite not acting like it. "I don't remember coming back to my dorm, especially from Concrete Beach which is across campus. According to my roommate, we woke her and my entire floor up while singing. My RA didn't even bother dealing with us since we were chanting to Agent Iyu with the tune of Rasputin before passing out on the floor. My roomie is terrified of me so I love her. Once you've had roommates, every new one is better than the last."
Merida isn't sure which part of that sentence to latch onto but she ends up making more painful sounds. She wants to vomit but knows that will hurt even more.
Victoria scoots over, sitting cross-legged beside Merida. "So does this make us friends?"
Merida glares at her, huffing. Every hangover feels like the worst hangover anyone's ever had. After sharing shots and passing out on the dorm's floor, it was decided: they're friends.
*coughs* the roommate is important for later *coughs*
I had to introduce her here in the big 100 which is now one of my favourite chapters. She's that bitch. Allow me to introduce you to our fifth rando, Victoria Kovanova.