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“Director Fury?”
“Yes?”
“Are you sure sending those two to the Academy for training is the best move? There’s no telling how the other trainees will react to them.”
“I trust they can handle themselves.”
“Very well, sir.”
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“Oh C'mon M6, unpack your bag so we can explore! Our training doesn’t start until tomorrow, so we may as well get familiar with the place.” M6 clutched their duffle bag tightly, staring at the room in from of them. It was mostly empty, save for a work desk-slash-bench, a bed and some closet space. On the workbench was their tail, repaired by SHIELD and in supposed working order. Stepping quietly to the workbench, they tossed the duffle bag on the bed, leaving the unpacking for later. They hadn’t seen their prosthetic tail in a long time, at least a year and a half, since SHIELD had captured them and finally managed to break the brainwashing. SHIELD had help of course, in the form of Shuri, the teen genius who broke Bucky’s Hydra brainwashing.
M6 pulled their shirt off, revealing a mass of scarring on the lower back, where their natural feathered tail had been cut off decades ago by Hydra. They couldn’t remember what it even looked like. A small patch of downy feathers was all that was left, located at the top of the scarred tissue. The down was the same dark grey as their wings. Picking up their prosthetic, M6 twisted around to attach to the base centered in the scar-covered flesh. M6 hissed slightly as it attached securely, and then waited a moment before flexing it, making sure it was operating correctly. The panels that made up the tail had been repainted by SHIELD to match M6’s wings. They shuttered slightly before fanning open and closed a couple times, satisfying M6 that it worked. Putting their shirt back on, they turned around and nodded at the android-looking cyborg in front of them. Ares was their first true friend, after they learned what friendship was.
“Awesome! Let’s gooooooo!” Ares whirled around and opened the door, leading the way out of the dorms and to the outdoor training grounds of the academy. M6’s feathers caught the wind as they stepped outside, prompting them to open their wings a bit and enjoy the breeze. As the due walked around, trainees stared and whispered.
“Look at those two.”
“Who’s the robot?”
“Why is Hydra’s pet here? Why is SHIELD allowing this?!”
“Ha, check those freaks out.”
M6 flinched slightly upon hearing unkind words, their wings pressed tight to their body now. Ares acted as though she had heard nothing.
One trainee, a towel slung over one shoulder, gestured towards the two and whispered to his friends, before striding over to Ares and M6.
“Wow, SHIELD is really dropping their standards. I mean, letting in Hydra’s attack sparrow? That’s a new low, especially after we got Hydra’s Ice Princess.” He claimed loudly, his friend chuckling. M6 backed up two paces, as Ares stood her ground.
“At least M6 can-” she started to say, before getting interrupted by the same trainee.
“Can what? What can that broken little bird do that could possibly be of use-” His words choked off as he started gasping for air.
M6 has dashed forwards, using their wings to push them quickly towards the trainee. Locking one arm around his throat, M6 squeezed tightly. The trainee tried to drop to his knees, his fingers clawing at M6’s bare arm.
“M6! Drop him! Drop him now!” An instructor yelled, running over.
Super soldier muscles tightened more around his throat, his vision swimming from the lack of blood flow and oxygen.
Gun drawn, the instructor took aim at M6.
“I said drop him!”
No response.
“M6! Отпусти его!” Let him go. Ares yelled at her friend, who promptly released their hold on the nearly unconscious trainee. He hit the ground like a sack of wet concrete. M6 backed up, eyes flicking around to all the staring faces, before taking off, flying up to sit on top of the building away from people.
“Fucking…. Hydra…” The trainee choked out, gasping deeply for air. Looking up at the expressionless face of M6, he scrambled back, away from the mutant, eyes wide.
“They respond faster to Russian orders. Also, you told them to kill him.” Ares looked the instructor dead in the eyes, no visible expression on her face either.
“How was I supposed to know?!” The instructor barked at Ares. “It’s not like that was in the file on your little friend there!”
“Maybe you just didn’t read the full file.” Ares replied, turning on her heel to walk away, and to go find M6.
“Fuckin Sex bot! Defending a damn Hydra soldier!” Someone yelled. A friend of the trainee that M6 attacked. He was crouched next to his friend, making sure that he was okay after being nearly killed.
“What did you say?” Ares hissed, unsheathing one of her swords. Quickly striding over, she pointed it at the one who insulted her. “What did you fucking say?”
“You heard me! You’re nothing but an overhyped sex bot!” The sword jabbed forwards, pressing against the trainee’s throat.
“Ares! Stand down!” The instructor screamed, exasperated at how much chaos occurred in only moments. M6 jumped off the roof of the building, gliding over and landing next to Ares. A rapid series of clicks and short whistles came from them. Ares listened, not taking her eyes off the one who insulted her.
“Hmmm… Guess you have a point M6. Thats a gold star idea, actually.” Ares withdrew her sword and sheathed it, before giving a sharp shove to trainee prior to walking away with M6. The winged mutant cast a glance over their shoulder, a small smirk on their face.
“Well, this is going to be one hell of a year…” The instructor muttered to no one in particular.
A little while after the duo left, the announcement screen in the main hall lit up, a video countdown playing on it.
3…
2…
1…
A video clip started rolling, showing videos of the two trainees who had insulted Ares and M6, in various situations of misconduct. They were using SHIELD property for joyrides and drinking games. Parties. Fights in public. More. And more.
As suddenly as the video started, it ended.
“Agent Williams, Davis! To the headmasters office, now!” A voice screamed over the intercom, clearly furious with what had been played on the announcement screen, and as it turns out, on every screen in the Academy.
About half an hour after those two trainees were called in, a knock sounded on Ares’s door, before it opened to reveal the headmaster of the Academy.
“I understand that there was a… Misunderstanding. On the training field between yourselves and two other trainees. Now, I appreciate the fact that you both neither killed nor maimed the two of them. I appreciate the fact you revealed their misconduct to me. But…” The headmaster pinched the bridge of their nose, and sighed deeply.
“Did you have to show the entire Academy?! You’re on thin ice, Ares. You too, M6. Good day.” The headmaster finished curtly, spinning around to leave.
“Oh, and another thing. Don’t do that ever again.” The door slammed shut, leaving Ares and M6 standing there. The two didn’t even look at each other, just stared at the door, before high fiving one other.