3Hi. So... beforeyoukillmeIcanexplain! I have promised you a new chapter of Invisible Empathy. I lied. Instead, you get a new chapter in a new book! And who knows if I'll finish it. Maybe, Maybe Not. On another note, Does anyone else think it's freaking AWESOME that Alina is just listed as "Alina" in the characters. Not "Councillor Alina" or "Dame Alina"!? I love that not even the fandom respects her! Anyway, On with the story! P.S. Seraphina might just be one of my most amazing characters yet.
4-year-old Seraphina Foster laughed and giggle as she spun and twirled around in the backyard under the watchful eye of Mr Forkle. Her mom and Dad had gone out with Sophie and Amy and had asked Mr Forkle to take care of Seraphina because she didn't want to come. To be honest, she just didn't want to be left behind when they left the shopping centre. Again.
"Miss Foster?" Mr Forkle called to Seraphina," I think I hear my phone ringing inside. I need to go take it, can I trust you to stay out here and not talk to strangers?"
"Yes, Mr Forkle!" The girl replied obediently. Mr Forke smiled as he went inside to take a call from Squall, the girl truly was a delight. The young girl continued to twirl around, listening to music and playing with bubbles. She noticed a little kitten lapping water from the middle of the road, where a spilt plastic water bottle was left. She didn't notice the car. The girl ran up to the kitty and covered her with her body, getting hit by the car as the kitten hissed and ran off. Her vision went blurry, liquid pooling around her head.
"Help her, Oceana!" A boy shouted.
"I'm trying, Amon." The girl snapped," This isn't easy!"
Blue eyes. Ocean blue eyes.
"Forkle's coming!" Another girl spoke, peering over her.
"So What, Astra!?" A black haired, pale banged boy spoke," It's not like he can see or hear us!"
"He can feel us though, Shadow!" Astra? snapped back," He can touch us. Come one, let's go."
"But-"
"He will help her, Kairos!" Another girl shouted," Let's go."
"Miss Foster!" Forkle shouted as he reached her," Swizzlespice!"
When Seraphina woke up, she was in a sterile white hospital gown. Pretty.
She wondered where that had come from. it was like, she was seeing what it could be. She looked at the needle, Danger. The Room, Pollutionary. She screamed, whining and pleading, "Make it stop!"
"What?" A guy in a surgeon's outfit demanded, grey." What's happening, kid?"
The man was grey. Bad. Good.
"Hurts." Seraphina murmured, falling into blissful unconcsiousness.
When Seraphina woke up, she didn't know how but she just knew. She was different. She couldn't tell anyone, images of black vans and needles filled her head. Potential. She could sense potential.
"How are you feeling?" A girl asked, with a start Seraphina noticed her eyes, Ocean blue eyes with hair the exact same shade.
"Who are you?"
"It doesn't matter. Only you can see me."
"Yes it does."
"...Oceana."
"That's a really pretty name."
"Thankyou, Phina.
"Phina?"
"Well, Seraphina's a bit long," Oceana blushed," I thught it was a nice nickname... You don't have to use it but-"
"I like it."
Oceana smiled," How are you feeling?" She repeated.
"Hurt."
"You'll feel better soon." Oceana smiled," I should go..."
"Wait!" Seraphina called," Are you coming back?"
Oceana smiled," Maybe. But not for a while. I will see you tonight though, I have some friends to introduce you to."
"Really!?"
"Yes, but after that I don't think we'll be seeing each other for a while." Oceana smiled," But I promise one day, I'll see you again and I'll explain everything."
Seraphina was content. Scared? Yes. Fearful? Also yes. Happy? No. But Content? She was content. She smiled and reaced into her bag, her hand reached a bottle she didn't remeber putting in there.
Drink only from here. It won't run out. ~Oceana
Seraphina smiled. Having met Oceana in her dreams last night. She hadn't expected that. She thought maybe Oceana would find a way to sneak into her room. But to meet her in her dreams. No. She wondered what Oceana was. She Certainly wasn't human.
She took a peek at the label on the bottom. Youth in a Bottle.
Seraphina stared at Sophie in shock, Sophie who'd just told her that she'd beein reading minds for a year and a half. Sophie who she'd just told she could read potential.
"What's my potential?" Sophie asked.
Seraphina smiled and took her younger twin sister's hand. She didn't need to but it made it much clearer," You have good and bad. You're potetial isn't good or bad. It's Strong. Light and Dark, whatever you choose, whoever you turn out to be, good or bad, you will be very strong.
"Whoa."
Seraphina gave a half-smile.
"I'm gonna go home," Sophie said," And… I'll cover for you. Mom and Dad don't have to know."
And 7-year-old Seraphina was left alone still twirling to the music, graceful like a ballerina. A black van pulled up beside her and a russian man stepped out, he turned to see if anyone was watching before dragging her into the van and sedating her.
Seraphina stirred.
"She is graceful and her family doesn't even notice her," A russian accented voice spoke," She vill make a fine vidow. Perhaps zee best ve have every had. Better than Romanova."
"Yes, Sir."
"Throw her in the back."
"Yes, Sir."
Seraphina felt herself being thrown onto a thin foam mat. A 9-year-old girl was beside her. Kind. Cruel. Trustworthy. Beloved." Wh-What are they going to do to us?"
"You do not know vhy you are here?" The Blonde girl asked.
"N-no. Please... Where is "he-here"?"
"First. Lose the stutter, it is a sign of fear and you will be punnished. Second, Do not ask questions to anyone but me and only if we're in private. Third "Here is the red room. A terrorist organization that raises young children to be killers. The perfect Assassins. Are you athletic?"
"Yes."
"Good. You need to be the best. Only one in twenty survive. Finally, Show no emotion. Emotion is death, do not refuse orders. That is how you die. If you are told to fight, you fight or die. If you are told to kill, you kill or die. Basically, morals dont matter survival does. Vhen ve get to headquarters I shall introduce you to my older sister. Natalia. She is one of the best."
"Good job, Belova." The russian man's voice came as the back of the van opened," You and Romanova will be training together with her. This girl is... special. I believe she may even surpass Romanova if she trains for over a year. Thank you for educating her Belova, you an Romanova will be her guides."
"Yes, General Dreykov."
"Follow me." The General ordered, Seraphina quickly sttod up, back straight and face emotionless as possible, remebering Yeleana's words." A fast learner. Not great but, you are new. You will learn or..."
Seraphina nodded her head, acknowledging the threat.
10-years-old
Seraphina twirled and pirouetted, her face not betraying an ounce of emotion as she performed the routine perfectly, a gun in hand as she shot targets, captives and rejects. Girls who had been deemed to weak and were to be killed. Yelena and Natalia were right beside her, dancing a different beat to the same rythym.
"Fire." Madame B's voice came.
Natalia, Yelena and Seraphina immediately shot a gun each, hitting their targets dead centre. Having been at the red room for a little over 3 years Seraphina could officialy beat Natalia and Yelena in a spar, two to one. Her face was that of a dolls, an emotionless facade that was never broken, only cracked.
"Fire." The girls threw their knives this time. Once again each hitting their targets. Seraphina's was most accurate." Good work White Widow."
The Widow sisters. That's what they were called. Natalia Romanova, The Black Widow. Yelena Belova, Brown Widow. And finally, Seraphina Dreykov. The White Widow or False Widow. Dreykov had adopted her as her name was "too American for a russian organization".
Each had their best field. Natalia and Sraphina rivaled for best at Ballet. Quite an accomplishment considering Natalia was 16 and Seraphina 10. Yelena and Seraphina tied with hand to hand comabt, spars going on for hours between the two without a winner. And Seraphina was best at weaponry, unrivaled. Guns? Perfect aim. Throwing Knives? Piece of Cake. In other words, Yelena and Natalia were her family, but she missed Sophie. Sophie who didn't push her. Sophie who gave her a choice and was always kind as opposed to Natalia and Yelena who pushed her to be better, were harsh in a sisterly way and never gave her a choice. Expecting what was expected. The three sisters were together through thich and thing. 10, 12 and 16.
As the music ended, the girls stopped standing with their back straight. Their feet ached so hard they thought they would burn off, their arms tired from constant shooting and their necks stiff from straight posture.
"Brown Widow." Madame B called. Yelena stepped forward, receiving a knife slash of her face," You need to get better at dance."
"Yes, Madame B."
"Black Widow," Madame B called again, sending a cane to Natalia's legs" Your graduation ceremony is in less than a week. Then you shall be a fully pledged widow. I want you to work on hand to hand combat with the White Widow."
"White Widow," Serephina stepped forward and a burnign hot chain hit her in the back twice." Watch your Posture. You slouch you die. I expect only the best from the best."
Seraphina almost gasped, this was the first time the chain had been hot. She remebered when they first hit her with the chain, she had gasped in pain and had been beaten within an inch of her life, she still had the scars. So she held it in." Yes, Madame B."
When Natalia came back from the graduation ceremony she looked upset, not noticable to anyone but her sisters but they could read her. As the three retired to their room, Yelena and Seraphina allowed themselves to be handcuffed to the bed. As soon as the door locked the three sisters slipped out of their chains, Natalia gasping in pain and clutching her lower stomach. Weak.
Seraphina gasped, horrified," They didn't."
Yelena looked confused and Natalia let a tear trickle down her cheek, scaring both her sisters as she never cried. "They did. I will not be able to bear children."
Yelena mirrored her horrified look. "No... Nat..."
The two sisters hugged their eldest sister as tears trickled down their faces. Seraphina was once again glad that none of the cell/rooms had camera's. Dreykov worried that someone might hack into them and discover the truth of red room, so the only camera's were in the hallway.
"May I?" Seraphina asked, gesturing to where Nat's womb would be. Natalia and Yelena were the only one's in red room that she had allowed to find her greatest secret. Her ability. Nat nodded as Seraphina rested her palm on her womb." We'll find a way. You will have a child."
"Who with?"
"I do not know. But your womb still has the potential to carry a child. Weak but there."
11-years-old
Seraphina didn't know what to do. She was going to be the youngest widow to graduate. She was going to graduate in 3 weeks.
"We'll figure something out." Nat reassured the distraught girl in the confines of their bedroom.
"I don't even know if I want children. Maybe I should..."
"No." Yelena interrupted," You should not, do not proceed with the ceremony. We will help you escape. Okay? When you're older you can make the descision to have children or not, but don't say no now. I know that Nat and I had some of the best moments of our lives teaching you how to survive in red room. You're our little sister, Маленький Паук and we helped raise you. We love you and we will help you escape."
"I will not run like a coward." Seraphina spoke fiercly in a hushed whisper.
"You will if it keeps you safe." Nat ordered." I am your older sister, maybe not by blood but the last 4 years with you have been amazing, sister. You may be better than us but you are also younger. I will not have you losing something so important. You will let us help you escape and when you do, you will run and you will never look back. You will leave us behind."
"But-"
"We survived without you before you got here and we will survive without you after you leave." Yeleana put her foot down," Just... Don't look back."
"And how do you suppose I escape?" Seraphina challenged, not dropping the argument, just... halting it temporarily.
"There is a hidden vent from our room to a storage room," Yelena whispered," There are two camera's, each facing dow and 5 meters from the entrance and exit. Guards switch shifts at 11:25-11:27. You will have two minutes to get through the vent and reach the storage room. There is a secret passage from the storage room to a clearing right in front of the academy. You'll have to run for it and hope you don't get shot."
"Yelena, Nat," Seraphina started,"I'm not leaving you. You've been here for me, all this time and I want to be there for you. So, either we all leave or none of us leave."
"...You're sweet," Yelena smiled, a rare sight for anyone, even her sisters," We'll go with you. On one condition."
"Anything."
"Go back to your family," Nat finished," Your birth family."
"You guys are my family."
"What was your birth family like?"
~Flashback~
The seven-year-old girl stood in front of her parents crying.
"Why weren't you there!?"
"I didn't know! I'm not magic!" Seraphina protested, Some of the kids in their class were making fun of Sophie, calling her a freak and saying she was a nerd. She paused when she saw her parents faces," You think I knew? I would've let them hurt her!?"
"You were always jealous."
"Yeah! Of how much attention you paid her. Her getting bullied would've only made you pay more attention to her!"
"We would pay more attention to you if you would do something to make us proud of you for once!" Her mother scoffed, shaking her head disbelievingly.
"Mom, Dad. You don't mean that... You are proud of me." Seraphina protested, tears filling her eyes." ...Aren't you?"
"I wish that I could say I'm proud." Her father shook his head.
"WHAT-But... I-" Seraphina looked at both her parents and wilted, her distraught protests dying on her lips," I'm sorry that I let you down. Let you down..."
"That's better." William Foster said," Go apologize to Sophie. You're grounded for three months."
"But-"
"Do I need to make it 4?"
"No." The girl sighed, turning and storming up the stairs, she wasn't going to apologize to Sophie. She'd done nothing wrong.
She sneered, climbing out the window and down the vines on the side of the house, storming down to the park. She sat down on the swing set, tears leaking down her face.
"It's not your fault," Sophie's voice came, figures she'd be here, she always knew where to find Phina when she was upset and just how to cheer her up," I brought your I-Pod."
"Thanks." It was all Seraphina said, but it was alls he needed to say to her twin, Sophie understood the emotion behind it.
"Anytime." Sophie said," I mean it. You know I would do anything by for you if you just asked.
"I know." Seraphina gave a half smile.
"I'm gonna go home," Sophie said," And… I'll cover for you. Mom and Dad don't have to know."
~~~End Flashback~~~
That was the last time she and her parents had spoken to each other. It hadn't ended great.
"Not great." Seraphina answered," Only Sophie was nice."
"Sophie?"
"My twin sister." Seraphina had avoided talking about her, and the rest of her family to her sisters. She found that the memories were to painful.
"Tell us about her."
The rest of the night was spent talking about Sophie. About how kind and smart she was, about her telepathy and even the bond the two shared.
"She sounds amazing." Nat and Yelena decided.
"She was. She is."
The three fell asleep, knowing that the next night the widow sisters would escape. And the Red Room would lose their widows.
Seraphina made a run for it, running through the open field in front of the secluded Ballet Acadmey.
An alarm sounded and Seraphina knew they had gotten word of their escapes, the other assassins would all be locked in with a limited oxygen supply, not that they noticed, after all they were supposed to be asleep. Yelena and Nat ran slightly behind her as Gunfire started, sending loud bangs through the field, despite this Seraphina kept running across the vast field, her sisters on her heels. She ran until her legs burned, until her ears ached from the resounding gun shots and her breath seemed to have been stolen by the wind long ago. She didn't stop, only faltering when what the guards were shooting started to get hot and one hit her, they were shooting her with burning arrows. She almost snorted, as if they could use her own element against her. Wait, her own element?
Where did that come from?
Yelena stumbled slightly, a wound forming on her leg as she took a hit. Nat paused," Keep Running! I'll stay with her." She shouted, bending over and slinging Yelena's arm around her shoulder," We'll be just behi-"
She was cut off by a bullet through the stomach. Her eyes widened with fear as she turned to Seraphina," Run."
"But-"
"Run and don't look back. Find a family, people who love you as much as you love them. People who treat you with kindness, but before that... find Sophie."
"Nat..." Seraphina let out a choked sob.
"RUN!" Nat screamed as guards took her and Yelena.
"Please... No..."
"RUN!" The sisters screamed.
"Don't come back for us... and whatever happens... don't let your past—let us—hold you back." Yelena ordered.
Suddenly arrows and bulltes were landing around her, flaring up and forming a circle of fire.
The girl stumbled, heat forming around her heat as she grounded, smoke slithering into her lungs like a snake slithering into a hole underground.
She coughed and hacked, wheezing. Summoning all the strength she could, Seraphina let out a roar, fire surrounding her, slithering up her arms and burning her, a primal rage shot through her," NO!" Flames slithered around her, sending balls of fire towards the guards, Red shot trough her body, burning where it touched. Burning. Burning her and her enemies in ways that would surely scar, if not kill.
It wasn't until one of the guards pressed to Yelena and Nat's heads that she stopped," Enough."
Seraphina felt as the fire left her lungs, her chest constricting with panic as the burning was replaced with numbness. Numb. Everything was Numb.
"Go." Nat ordered," Run. Run like the wind and never look back and whatever happens... Don't let the past, let us define you."
Yelena flipped her guard over her shoulder," I will hold them off." She ordered as Seraphina summoned a portal, thinking she would help set Nat free and they would run together.
"This wasn't the plan!" Seraphina denied.
"This was always the plan." Yelena corrected," You just didn't know it. Promise me you won't let your past define you."
With those words she shoved the girl through a flaming portal and as the portal closed, Yelena whispered one final word," Goodbye."
"I don't think I can..." Seraphina whispered solemnly staring where the portal was before darkness consumed her.
The next day Seraphina would be found at the San Diego zoo covered in ash, burns and soot. A museum guard would call the police and Seraphina would wake up to discover that her fingerprints had been matched with those of a girl that went missing 4 years ago. With the fingerprints of Seraphina Foster.
It was unnecessary to say that Seraphina's reunion with her family wasn't the best. It was pointless to say that after the way things had ended the Fosters just assumed she ran away and called her a spoil brat. Seraphina wasn't about to correct them by letting them know she'd actually been taken by a terrorist organisation and was responsible for around a thousand deaths. She had a feeling that wouldn't go over so well.
When the fires first started appearing, Seraphina was in denial. Having not even told Sophie about her newly discovered ability—or her past—given the traumatising experiences, she didn't know what to do. At first, she was in denial, not wanting to admit that she was scared. Scared of the smell, the stinging in her eyes, the soot and the smoke... not wanting to admit that it brought memories she'd rather forget to the front of her mind. Than she was angry, angry at the world for the deal she'd been dealt in life, angry that no matter what trauma and pain seemed to follow her everywhere. Next she was bargaining, bargaining with the fire, with her ability... trying to put out the fires, to make them go away. The pain of being burnt felt worse than she remembered.
After that, she was depressed. Unable to forget how bad her life was, sinking into a hole of darkness and misery. Begging every night for some divine entity out there to let her forget. After depression came acceptance, accepting that she would never be loved—never be enough—that it was always her fault. That the pain... the past would never go away—never stop haunting her. And finally she was vengeful, Revenge was her driving force. She promised that she wouldn't waste time trying to find an arsonist when the police were already doing that, instead she would wait. She would let time reveal them, making them slip up and taking her chance she would strike. She would make them suffer and watch them scream and die in agony, but only after she got every bit of information out of them. She needed—wanted—the truth. Only once had she ever smelt fire with a smell so intoxicating that her throat choked at the sweetness.
That the sugar cried at how much it was being overworked. And chances were, they smelt sweet for the same reason. She would find this other fire controller and she would rip every ounce of knowledge straight from their heads before finally granting them the mercy of death.
Seraphina stood beside Sophie in the back of her class, the red room had made sure she was still receiving an education so she didn't seem like an idiot while she was undercover and on missions. She twirled strands of her fiery red hair around her fingers (and it was a completely natural fiery red, with orange ends and bright red roots like fire), her green eyes, flecked with light turquoise and azure blue showed only boredom and her heart shaped lips were slightly parted revealing straight white teeth.
She tried to focus on what Sweeney was saying despite the man's monotone voice but she couldn't make out a word. She was strangely distracted for a girl who was never distracted. The girl forgot all about Sweeney's lecture when she noticed Sophie was missing from the tour group and without a second thought she dashed for the doors when the rest of the class moved to the next room. One of the perks of being constantly forgotten, no one noticed you enough to snitch.
"Fine," Seraphina conceded blandly as they appeared in Lumineria," We're elves."
Seraphina didn't necessarily like admitting that change shakes her but, finding out she's not human and is instead a freaking Legolas Elf sure shook her, add to the fact that apparently all elves have blue eyes but Sophie's are Brown and Seraphina's were green, only having blue flecks.
Yep. Seraphina was shaken.
Seraphina stood next to Sophie as the two entered the house, immediately Sophie's face scrunched up. Their mothers thought bombarding their head, after a long leture consisting of Seraphina getting blamed for once again not being the perfect big sister Sophie was dismissed, Seraphina... well she had to endure mor of both her Mother and Father.
"Why would you let Sophie run off like that?" Her father demanded," She could've been hurt!"
"I didn't notice until she ran off."
"Excuses." Her mother scoffed," Go pack a bag."
"Wha-What?" Tears sprung to the usually stone cold girls eyes.
"You heard your mother." Her father snapped," You have ten minutes."
"But..."
"But what?" Her mother demanded," You continue to be a failure, you accomplish nothing and you can't even show basic care to your siblings."
"Nothing..."
"That's what I thought." Her father nodded," Remember, Ten minutes."
"I'll be gone in five." Seraphina countered coldly as she walked upstairs, her face once again a cold, emotionless mask. One that would make even Antarctica flinch at it's coldness.
So... this is really more of a background on Seraphina's life before she appeared in the lost cities. Not really the start of the story yet, but I am already working on a Chapter, There is a Poll for Seraphina's love interest up now. Please vote! I'm really struggling. I want her to be more involved in the KOTLC universe tham MARVEL, so please no Marvel votes. I'm kind of hoping none of you put Fitz as a Love interest for her. No hate, just don't really feel any chemistry. As I said before, I think Seraphina may just be one of my best characters yet. Let me know what you guys think in the reviews! And for those of you who are unsure, Seraphina is a pyrokinetic and has yet to actually tell anyone (including Sophie) given the traumatic circumstances of her manifestation. Also, the whole "being raised by Red Room and neglected by her family" is really important for the plot. I don't think Seraphina will end up telling anyone for a while and she'll probably end up openign up to her love interest about her past in red room a bit. Anyway, I should go before I end up giving you a 1000 word AN. Eleanor Asher Out!