HIDDEN ─ marvel

V. A Pure Soul

Chapter Five:
Soroya

'My loneliness is killing me
I must confess I still believe
When I'm not with you, I lose my mind
Give me a sign
Hit me, baby, one more time.'

I continue stretching on the mat of the training room, wondering how this song ever became popular. Brittany Spears is not someone I would listen to on my own free will. But for Shuri I continue on, hating the next song of hers even more:

Oh, The taste of your lips
I'm on a ride
You're toxic I'm slippin' under
With a feeling of a poison paradise
I'm addicted to you
Don't you know that you're toxic?
And I love what you do
Don't you know that you're toxic?

I pause the song, taking my earbuds out. I let out a groan, needing to take a break from the torture I am being subjected to. Thankfully, Okoye walks in, but she looks like she's here for a purpose other than to train with me.

"The king and I are leaving today for a mission. I will not be able to train with you today."

"Is there something wrong?" I ask, beginning to feel worried.

"Nothing is wrong. We are bringing one of our undercover spies back here for the ceremony tomorrow."

"Do you need any help?"

Okoye shakes her head, touching my shoulder gently. "You should take the day to yourself. Walk around, meet some new people, find a hobby."

I let out a scoff. "Trust me; I have the day planned. Shuri has given me a list of things I need to watch and listen to catch up on the 21st century."

"How long of a list?"

"Sixty items."

Okoye pats my shoulder, walking back towards the door and holding it open for me to exit. "Good luck with that."

I reluctantly grab my iPod, walking out of the training room with Okoye following behind. She bids me farewell with a small nod. I make my way back to my room, listening to the rest of my required Brittany Spears songs. When I open my door, I turn the tv on and pop open the DVD player. Shuri showed me how to use it yesterday, so with genuine excitement, I put in the second Harry Potter film. I feel the eleven-year-old girl inside me fill with utter joy, forgetting for a moment the other fifty-eight things I have to endure.

-

Alex

Crouching down low, I watch the bird perch on the log. It looks so peaceful, so oblivious to the wolf observing it from behind a tree.

I never actually hunt in animal form. I like to practice control while in this form, as well as how to sneak up on prey. Soroya likes me to practice as much as possible. God, it was a long road to get to where I am now. The fact I'm able to think as myself and remember who I am while in a different form is incredible. I never thought I'd be able to do that. Soroya spent every day with me for three hours, training me to be in control. 'Hold onto your humanity,' she said, and for the most part, she was right: that is how you keep the control. I think of her, and Mama and Papa to stay in control. They are what keep me grounded. They're what keep me Alex.

Alex. How foreign it sounds when people call me that. For so long, I've just been 'prisoner' or 'the untamed' or 'mutt.' Its been two years since Soroya and Bucky rescued me, but in so many ways, it feels like yesterday. Soroya told me that the animal part of us, the beast within, will always be there. She was right about that too. Even though my powers listen to me now, I feel like I'll never escape the prison that HYDRA put me in. The prison that is my powers.