Romanova, Natalia "Natasha" // Black Widow

APPEARANCE:

PETITE, STANDING ALONGSIDE HER SHIELD AND AVENGERS COUNTERPARTS, NATASHA SHE CAN MORE THAN HOLD HER OWN. SHE HAS A SLENDER ATHLETIC BUILD WITH JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF CURVES TO RETAIN THAT FEMININE SILHOUETTE. HER RED HAIR HAS BEEN WORN AND STYLED IN VARIOUS WAYS THROUGH THE YEARS HOWEVER PRESENTLY SHE IS SPORTING IT WITH HER RED HAIR SHOULDER LENGTH. OFTEN GARBED IN DARK TO EARTHY COLOURS SHE IS UTILITARIAN IN HER CIVILIAN CLOTHING AND ONLY IF NEEDED FOR A COVER OR MISSION CAN SHE BE KNOWN TO DRESS IN A FASHION FORWARD OR STUNNING MANNER. ESSENTIALLY WHILE SHE DOES HAVE A GOOD SENSE OF STYLE, THE FASHION PLATE IN HER NORMALLY DOES NOT SHOW ITSELF UNLESS IT IS REQUIRED OF HER. OTHERWISE SHE PREFERS TO DRESS IN PRACTICAL ATTIRE THAT WOULD BE LESS LIKELY TO HAMPER HER MOVEMENTS IF EVER THE TIME WAS NEEDED AND SHE HAD TO ACT IMMEDIATELY. NATASHA HAS BLUE-GREEN EYES WITH A PALE PEACHES AND CREAM COMPLEXION AND A STOIC RESERVED LOOK ABOUT HER. HER FACIAL EXPRESSION IS ALWAYS A NEUTRAL REPOSE THOUGH ON OCCASION SHE WILL SPORT AN ENIGMATIC SMILE. SHE POSSESSES A NATURAL BEAUTY AND IS NOT KNOWN TO WEAR TOO MUCH IN TERMS OF MAKEUP UNLESS NEEDED TO FOR A MISSION. HER SHIELD ISSUED WIDOW'S UNIFORM IS A FORM FITTING BLACK SUIT THAT FITS ALMOST LIKE A SECOND SKIN WITH VARIOUS BELTS, BUCKLES, POUCHES AND STRAPS TO HOUSE ALL HER WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT.

PERSONALITY:

Enigmatic is the best was to describe Natasha. With a quiet reserve and a neutral repose which gives nothing of the true emotions bubbling beneath, it is difficult for anyone to get a true read on her. She's had years of conditioning and training in mastering her emotions that she's learned to even control her own body's reactions to them. Having lived her life lying in one way shape or form it has become so second nature to her and she does not see it as necessarily an evil or bad thing to do to lie either. The consummate actress, Natasha despite her usual neutral repose is able to emote a full spectrum of emotions to suit her needs as a spy and master manipulator. She is what some would call a social chameleon; able to adapt to any social environment. Natasha from her years as a spy is able to take on a plethora of personas to meet her needs. However if not on a mission or trying to work some angle on something, the 'natural' Natasha is quiet, introspective and reserved. She is certainly not shy but she is just not forthcoming with information at any given time and even less if people are prying or if something is troubling her.

Natasha is strong willed and independent and with that it means she's not a strong team player. She can work with others if she needs to but she doesn't depend on anyone and doesn't expect others to cover her back; she covers her own. She also has a hard time trusting people as her line of work and her history itself is full of lies and betrayal. Though it isn't impossible to break down those barriers of trust it is a difficult one for most to get through though. Natasha is a solitary and private individual, preferring to tackle her own problems alone. She is fractured and tortured by the things she'd done in the past and the heavy guilt of all the deaths and destruction she's caused weighs on her and although she's had years to perfect the means to mask the effects of guilt and regret it's only a facade. Sometimes she will RECEIVE flashbacks like memory's recall that sometimes frighten her or keep her awake at night in torment, but she keeps it all hidden beneath a stoic expression and an enigmatic smile.

Pragmatic and logical, Natasha rarely allows emotions to get in the way of a mission or a target. She is focused and decisive with a sharp intellect and a cold calculating nature that allows her to see past the emotions or morality of a situation and just assess the facts and decide accordingly. She does not hold the same moral standards that others or society does. Natasha lives in a world of shades of greys, not blacks and whites. To her good and bad is just perspective. She weighs her odds and assesses the situation before acting. Natasha is careful, manipulative and cunning. She has a good understanding of people and is well versed in playing them if she has to. She is has a quick wit and with the few that she has allowed to get close she even displays a bit of HUMOR or in the least some dry wit.

Through her time working with SHIELD and the Avengers, she has grown to believe that she's been 'compromised' and while she won't readily admit it to anyone she has grown fond of some of her teammates or fellow agents. This type of fondness does concern her a little since in her line of work it is best to have no attachments of any kind; friendship included. For the longest time she'd lived by a code of not being attached to anything she cannot readily walk away from. But time had worn away at some of her hardened edges. Even her conscience over killing had eroded her. And while she has been moving towards a path of redemption, Natasha still does not see herself as a hero but rather the opposite. Her very identity is drenched in blood and her very moniker -Black Widow- is testament enough of what she once was and still is known for. However being one of the world's deadliest assassins and spy carries with it a certain amount of guilt that causes her to have a personal ledger that she uses as a benchmark in making amends. It is her hope that one day she will be able to wipe her ledger clean.

At this point with the revelation of hydra within SHIELD MANIPULATING things, Natasha has found herself questioning everything that she's done for SHIELD. The feeling of betrayal and disillusionment is high with her right now and for the first time in her life she feels almost listless and is struggling now to find out exactly who she really is. 

ENCHANCEMENTS
Through Red Room's variant of the Super-Soldier Serum Natasha's body was augmented. Subjected to similar treatments as Captain America Natasha's physical and mental abilities had been improved to beyond the peak human limits. The following are a list of her enhancements:

• Enhanced Human Strength: Natasha's physical strength is at the optimum level for a woman her height, weight and build. Her max lifting capacity is 500lbs.
• Enhanced Human Speed: Natasha's speed is at optimal human capacity. She is able to run as fast as humanly possible without being considered as superhuman. 
• Enhanced Human Agility: Natasha's agility has been enhanced an optimal level exceeding the agility of an Olympic athlete, with the ability to fluidly coordinate her body with balance, flexibility, and dexterity.
• Enhanced Human Reflexes: Reaction time functions with near superhuman efficiency and capability. 
• Enhanced Human Durability: Due to the serum and Red Room's experimentations, her body has been enhanced to the peak of human development. Because of this Natasha's durability, stamina and endurance has been augmented. NOTE: This in no way means she has superhuman resiliency as she does not. Natasha can still be injured in the same ways a normal human being can. 
• Enhanced Human Senses: Natasha's five senses have been augmented to perform at the pinnacle of human capacity but in no way is it superhuman. 
• Enhanced Human Immune System: Enhanced by Red Room's serum, Natasha's body is resistant to aging and disease, healing at an above normal human rate. What takes months to heal it only takes her body weeks, what normally takes weeks would take only days and what would take a day would only take hours but in no way is her healing instant. It is simply better than the standard human but below super-powered individuals. 
• Extended Longevity: As a by product of Natasha's enhanced immune system, she has developed and extended lifespan. It seems the serum given to her has also slowed her natural aging process so while she looks no more than a woman in her late twenties/early thirties, she's actually in her eighties. 

Weakness
Although more resilient due to the tampering of her body, Natasha is still susceptible to all the fatal trappings a normal human can die from and she can still bleed out so critical wounds are still fatal for her. Her healing ability may slow things down but without medical attention she would die just like anyone else and a clean headshot would equal death. She is also susceptible to telepathic attacks much like anyone else though any attempts to dig into her mind, alter or reprogram her results in extreme biological reactions like vomiting and blackouts on her part. Dig too deeply and it would destroy her mind ; safeguards implemented by the Red Room Academy during her 'unmaking & remaking' as the Black Widow. Though the Super Soldier serum has kept her in her physical prime, its effects on her body have rendered her sterile. And altHOUGH IN HER PHYSICAL PEAK, NATASHA'S MIND IS ANOTHER STORY. WITH ALL THE TAMPERING, WIPING AND REPROGRAMMING NATASHA'S MIND IS BROKEN WITH FRAGMENTS OF MEMORIES AND PAST 'LIVES' PROGRAMMED INTO HER SHE HAS A HARD TIME DISCERNING REAL MEMORIES FROM FALSE IMPLANTED ONES SET BY RED ROOM.



ABILITIES
Natasha was trained extensively in various forms of combat.she has a vast array of skills and an above average intellect. natasha is deceptively strong and fleet of foot, though not superhuman. the following are a list of her skills:

• Expert Martial Artist: Natasha is a master in various disciplines of martial arts both in weapons and hand to hand combat, ranged as well as close quarter fighting.
• Expert Acrobat: Her time with Red Room had her working her body and training like an Olympic calibre gymnast, Natasha is capable of acrobatic and aerialist feats, with grace and ease.
• Expert Marksman: Trained at a very young age, Natasha is comfortable around guns and a very accurate marksman, skilled in sharpshooting and knife throwing.
• Multilingual: She is fluent in Latin, Russian, English, French, German, Italian, Arabic, Japanese and various other languages.
• Expert Tactician: She is a very effective strategist, tactician, and field commander.
• Master Interrogator: A prodigy of Red Room, Natasha was trained at a young age to listen and learn, she has since adopted unique style of interrogation that is subtle. While well versed in the standard methods of interrogation, Natasha is also known to lead her subjects into a false sense of security as she gains the Intel she needs. Her methods are often unconventional and very subtle such as having herself captured and interrogated while she gathers the information she needs from the man interrogating her. While most will opt for a more violent means to break a person's will and divulge information, Natasha has learned it is easier and more reliable if the subject thinks they are the ones in control of the moment and divulges the intel freely.
• Expert Hacker: Natasha has the ability to hack into most computer systems and has a very solid understanding of firewalls and security.
Gifted Intellect: Natasha possesses the ability to quickly process multiple streams of information streams such as threat assessments and rapidly respond to changing tactical situations. She learns quickly and able to grasp most concepts easily with little to some effort.
• Trained Dancer: Natasha is a gifted ballet dancer. As part of her regimen as a child to gain flexibility, dexterity and control Natasha along with the other girls at Red Room were ballet trained. It later became her cover life as a Red Room sleeper agent posing as a Ballerina for the BOLSHOI Ballet Company.
• Expert Tactician: Natasha is a very effective strategist and tactician. Her ability to detract her emotion from the situation helps her to make level headed decision.
• Expert Manipulator/Seductress Natasha is adept in the art of seduction and is well versed in techniques utilized to get a person to do what she wants. Not everyone can be coerced with sex, but everyone has a 'button' that if pushed will get a certain reaction. She had been trained at a young age to read a person and from that learn the means and ways in which to exploit those tells and get a person to do what she needs.
• Master Spy/Assassin: Natasha is a dangerous secret agent trained in espionage, stealth, disguise, infiltration, and demolitions. Her talents and years of experience with Red Room and then a freelance mercenary enabled her to reach a high rank as an agent of SHIELD.

PARAPHENALIA
• Black Widow Costume: A Specialized synthetic stretch fabric that has been augmented to be highly resistant to damage from things such as small firearms and high temperatures. Microscopic suction cups on her costume allow her to scale walls and cling to ceilings.
Transportation
• Quinjets, assorted SHIELD. aircraft or vehicles.
Has her own Ducati motorcycle to get around in when not on SHEILD missions.


Weapons
• Black Widow's Gauntlets - wrist cartridges containing various tools of the spy trade: tear-gas pellets, knockout pellets, a radio transmitter, spring-loaded cable. Also delivers a highly potent electric shock with a maximum of about 30,000 volts called the Widow's Bite.
• Widow's Kiss- an aerosol instant knock-out gas modified to come out of her wrist cartidges.
• WIDOW'S LINE - A GRAPPLING HOOK WITH A RETRACTABLE LINE, TO SWING ALONG ROOFTOPS FOR INCREASED MOBILITY.
Utility Belt - The belt houses various items and pouches used during any given mission. They are known to carry electro static discs, smoke pellets, small explosives and the likes; anything she might need on a mission.
• Taser disks
• Flashbangs
• Garrote
• Daggers
• Handguns
  - Walther PPK/S 
  - Glock 26 

WEAKNESS:
despite what some may think about natasha and her abilities she is not in anyway superhuman. she is your standard 'baseline' human with all their trappings and frailties. she is in top physical form for a woman of her age, but she can still be killed and injured just like any other human. 

REFERENCE NOTES:
References used in this app are found in the following:
Marvel Links -
marvel.wikia.com/Natalia_Romanova_(Earth-616)
marvel.wikia.com/Natalia_Romanova_(Earth-199999)
marvel-movies.wikia.com/wiki/Natasha_Romanoff
My own old character app from a site that has been closed almost a year now

EARLY LIFE
TO THIS DAY NATASHA COULDN'T TELL YOU EXACTLY WHO SHE WAS BEFORE RED ROOM TOOK HER IN. SHE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT HER REAL NAME WAS, JUST THAT THEY ALWAYS CALLED HER NATALIA. FOR THE LONGEST TIME SHE HAD NO RECOLLECTION OF HER PAST SAVE FOR SNIPPETS OF RANDOM FLASHBACK IMAGES . MUCH OF HER TRUE HISTORY HAD BEEN STRIPPED FROM HER MEMORY OR HIDDEN DEEP BEHIND LAYERS OF RECONDITIONING SO THAT SHE COULDN'T REMEMBER THE DEATH OF HER FAMILY THAT TOOK PLACE IN A TRAGIC BUILDING FIRE WHERE SHE WAS ORPHANED AT A VERY YOUNG AGE. TAKEN IN BY A COMPASSIONATE SOLDIER AND TURNED OVER TO A GOVERNMENT RUN ORGANIZATION CALLED RED ROOM, SHE WAS GIVEN THE NAME NATALIA AND TRAINED TO BE A SPY. RED ROOM TOOK IN ORPHANED GIRLS, UNMADE AND RECREATED THEM; EXPERIMENTING ON THEM ALL IN THE HOPES OF CREATING PERFECT SPIES AND ASSASSINS FOR THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT TO UTILIZE.

IT WAS A GRUELING PROCESS THAT STRIPPED HER OF WHO SHE WAS. ALL HER MORALS AND HER BELIEFS; STRIPPED AND UNMADE TO THE POINT OF NOT KNOWING UP FROM DOWN, DAY FROM NIGHT, RIGHT FROM WRONG. UNMADE AND REMADE, HER WHOLE WORLD BECAME RED ROOM, WHAT THEY TAUGHT, WHAT THEY SAID, SHE FOLLOWED; SHE BELIEVED. HER GIVEN NAME THEN AFTER THE RE CALIBRATION OF HER MIND WAS NATALIA ALIANOVA ROMANOVA. THE TURN-AROUND OR DEATHS OF THE YOUNG GIRLS WITHIN RED ROOM WERE QUITE HIGH BUT IN A WAR TORN COUNTRY FINDING OTHER ORPHANED GIRLS TO 'TRAIN' WASN'T DIFFICULT AT ALL. NATASHA SAW MANY GIRLS COME AND GO SO MUCH THAT MUCH LIKE THE OTHERS IN THE PROGRAM SHE HAD GROWN ACCUSTOMED AND DESENSITIZED TO DEATH AND NEVER GOT ATTACHED TO THOSE THAT ENTERED INTO THE PROGRAM. IT WASN'T ALL DEATH AND VIOLENCE THOUGH, THE YOUNG GIRLS WERE GIVEN PROPER EDUCATION AS WELL AS STUDIES IN THE ARTS. FOR NATASHA, DUE TO HER GRACE AND FLEXIBILITY WAS SENT TO STUDY AT THE IMPERIAL BALLET SCHOOL IN ST. PETERSBURG WITH HER 'HANDLER' ALINA WHO POSED AS HER AUNT TAKING CARE OF NATASHA. SHE EXCELLED IN HER STUDIES, HER TRAINING WITH RED ROOM AND EVEN BALLET. DANCING GAVE HER A BIT OF AN ESCAPE FROM THE HARSHNESS OF HER TRUE LIFE BUT IT ALSO KEPT HER BODY FLEXIBLE AND LIMBER.

NATASHA'S TRAINING DIDN'T JUST STOP AT DANCE AND FIGHTING, RED ROOM WAS EFFICIENT IN TRAINING THEIR YOUNG SPIES SO IT WAS A MIXTURE OF THE SOFTER SKILLS LIKE ETIQUETTE AND SOCIAL BEHAVIORS TO THE MORE BRUTAL WEAPONS AND DEMOLITIONS TRAINING. SHE WAS TRAINED TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT AND ADAPT NOT ONLY TO HER ENVIRONMENT BUT TO THE SOCIAL CONDITIONS AS WELL.

Even at such a young age Natasha showed promise and resiliency and able to hold her own even among the older girls. and with such promise and potential, Natasha was selected as a test subject to develop a 'super spy'. much like the way the united states were developing 'super soldiers', Red Room wanted enhanced spies of their own that they could control. Natasha being young enough and fit enough to withstand the grueling process, the young girl was put through The GRUELING enhancements that at the end of it had her at the peak of human condition.

KGB
RED ROOM BROKE HER AS A CHILD, UNDID EVERY OUNCE OF MORALITY, IDENTITY SHE HAD; UNDID EVERYTHING AND MADE HER A CLEAN SLATE. THEY TRAINED HER WITH SPECIFIC SKILL SETS IN MIND, MOLDED HER INTO AN IMAGE FITTING THEIR NEEDS AND THEN UNLEASHED INTO THE WORLD. THEY HAD HER DOING SPY AND RECONNAISSANCE AT A VERY YOUNG AGE THEN AS SHE GREW UP PROGRESSED TO INFILTRATION AND SABOTAGE RIGHT UP TO ESPIONAGE AND ASSASSINATIONS. IT WAS A SPIRALING INTO A RABBIT HOLE SHE COULDN'T CLIMB OUT OF BUT AT THAT TIME NATASHA BELIEVED SHE WAS DOING IT FOR THE GOOD OF HER COUNTRY. SHE KNEW NO DIFFERENT.

SHE BECAME IN ESSENCE THE PERFECT OPERATIVE FOR THE KGB AND was handed over to them to be UTILIZED AS SUCH, THIS TIME WITHOUT RED ROOM. NATASHA FURTHER TRAINED WITH MORE OF THE BEST OPERATIVES WHILE WITH THE KGB. NATASHA WAS FINALLY ABLE TO 'SPREAD HER WINGS' A LITTLE AND HAVE A TASTE OF LIFE OUTSIDE OF RED ROOM BARRACKS AND TRAINING FACILITIES. HOWEVER, BEING APART FROM RED ROOM'S INFLUENCE SHE STARTED TO RELAPSE FROM HER PROGRAMMING. NATASHA STARTED TO DEVELOP EMOTIONS AND ATTACHMENTS to some she worked with, particularly ONE OF HER KGB INSTRUCTORS. AND WHILE THEY TRIED TO KEEP THE RELATIONSHIP A SECRET IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME THAT THEY WERE DISCOVERED AND RED ROOM STEPPED TO INTERVENE TAKING NATASHA BACK INTO THEIR CARE, WHERE SHE WAS RECONDITIONED ONCE MORE. HER MEMORY OF THE AGENT WIPED FROM HER RECOLLECTION.

BACK WITH RED ROOM
AFTER HER RECONDITIONING SHE WAS PUT BACK INTO THE FIELD ON SMALLER MISSIONS ONCE MORE UNTIL RED ROOM FELT CONFIDENT THAT SHE WAS NO LONGER COMPROMISED. AFTER TAKING ON GRADUALLY MORE DIFFICULT MISSIONS WITH NO SIGNS OF HER PROGRAMMING BEING COMPROMISED NATASHA WAS RELEASED INTO THE WORLD WITHOUT THE ACCOMPANIMENT OF A HANDLER. SHE BECAME A SLEEPER AGENT for the russian government; ACTIVATED WHEN NEEDED FOR SPECIFIC MISSIONS OTHERWISE SHE LIVED A SEEMINGLY 'NORMAL' LIFE. HER COVER, NATALIA ROMANOVA; A BALLERINA TRAINED AT THE IMPERIAL BALLET SCHOOL IN ST. PETERSBURG. FROM THERE SHE WAS ACCEPTED INTO THE BOLSHOI BALLET COMPANY AND TRAVELED THE WORLD. AS ONE OF THE FINEST BALLET COMPANIES IN THE WORLD NATASHA DANCED FOR CELEBRITIES, DIGNITARIES, WORLD LEADERS AND POLITICIANS; THE RICH, THE INFLUENTIAL. BUT BENEATH THE SHROUD OF A DANCER'S FAME SHE WAS RED ROOM'S LITTLE 'SPIDER', ONE THAT WORE THE UNASSUMING MASK OF AN INNOCENT PRIMA BALLERINA AND WHO ALSO WOVE WEBS OF DECEPTION TO GATHER INTEL, ONE THAT ALSO STOLE SENSITIVE GOVERNMENT SECRETS AND KILLED FOR HER COUNTRY; AT RED ROOM'S BEHEST. NATASHA HAD GIVEN EVERYTHING TO THEM AND YET IT WAS STILL NOT ENOUGH. HER MISTAKE IN THE WHOLE THING WAS BELIEVING IN THE ILLUSION OF HER SO CALLED 'GRANTED FREEDOM' AND SLOWLY SHE STARTED TO REGRESS FROM RED ROOM'S CONDITIONING ONCE MORE AND SHE STARTED TO FALL VICTIM TO THE FANTASY OF A 'CIVILIAN' LIFE. BEING OUT IN THE REAL WORLD FOR SO LONG CAUSED HER RED ROOM PROGRAMMING TO UNRAVEL.

IT WAS A CHILD'S HOPE REALLY, AN INNOCENCE OF BELIEF THAT SUCH A THING WOULD BE 'ENOUGH'; LOVE . HIS NAME WAS, ALEXI SHOSTAKOV A TEST PILOT, AND THE SON OF THE SUPREME COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES; MINISTER OF DEFENSE OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION. NATASHA WAS SENT TO SPY ON THE MINISTER AND ALEXI, HIS SON, WAS NATASHA'S ENTRY POINT THOUGH SHE NEVER COUNTED ON FALLING IN LOVE WITH ALEXI. NATASHA WAS IN THE EMPLOY OF DECEIVERS AND KILLERS, RAISED AND TRAINED BY THEM TO BE LIKE THEM; ONLY BETTER. LOVE OR EMOTIONS SUCH AS THAT WAS TO HAVE NO PLACE IN THE EQUATION AND HER MISTAKE WAS WARNING ALEXI OF AN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON HIS FATHER. SHE HAD THOUGHT HE WOULD UNDERSTAND, AND FORGIVE HER. SHE HAD THOUGHT THE LOVE THEY HAD WOULD BE ENOUGH, BUT SHE HAD SINCE LEARNED THAT LOVE IS FOR THE INNOCENCE OF CHILDREN IT HAD NO PLACE IN THE REAL WORLD, IN THE HEART OF AN ASSASSIN, IN THE HEART OF A SPY.

RED ROOM FRAMED NATASHA FOR ALEXI'S FATHER'S DEATH, TURNED ALEXI AGAINST HER AND FORCED NATASHA'S HAND SO AS TO HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO KILL THE MAN SHE HAD BEEN IN LOVE WITH AT THE TIME AND IN KILLING HIM, SHE KILLED THAT CHILDISH BELIEF IN THAT EMOTION. NATASHA HATED RED ROOM FOR MANIPULATING EVENTS TO FORCE HER HAND IN KILLING ALEXI AND SHE HATED ALINA FOR IT MOST OF ALL. THE TRUE SPIDER, THE MISTRESS OF THE WEB, NATASHA HAD LEARNED FROM the woman ALL THAT SHE KNEW AND ONCE NATASHA THOUGHT ALINA NEAR CLOSE TO A MOTHER TO HER, UNTIL OF COURSE ALINA DROVE HOME THAT PROVERBIAL DAGGER AND FORCED NATASHA TO RIP OUT MY OWN HEART BY KILLING ALEXI. THERE WAS TO BE NO TRUST AMONG ASSASSINS AND SPIES, ONLY VEILED ALLIANCES. THEY WERE A BREED OF DECEIVERS AND MANIPULATORS, THEY WERE TO HAVE NO HEART, NO COMPASSION, NO LOVE. IT WAS ALINA'S FINAL LESSON TO NATASHA AND ONE SHE HAS NEVER FORGOTTEN OR FORGIVEN.

NATASHA BURIED HER HATRED FOR RED ROOM AND ALINA THEN AND BIDE HER TIME. IT HAD TAKEN MANY YEARS BUT FINALLY SHE HAD BROKEN FREE OF HER, OF RED ROOM GAINED HER FREEDOM THROUGH THE VERY TOOLS OF DECEPTION AND MANIPULATION SHE HAD BEEN TAUGHT. NATASHA THREW BACK AT ALINA ALL THAT SHE HAD LEARNED AND BLACKMAILED RED ROOM AND ALINA FOR HER FREEDOM. IT WAS A STRAINED AGREEMENT BUT SO AS NOT TO EXPOSE THE BLACK WIDOW PROJECT OR RED ROOM TO THE WORLD, THEY WERE TO LET NATASHA GO; ALIVE AND FREE OF THEIR CONTROL. AND SO STARTED NATASHA'S 'FREELANCE' WORK AS A MERCENARY.

ON SHIELD'S RADAR
SHE HAD A SPECIFIC SKILL SET THANKS TO RED ROOM AND NOW ENTERING THE WORLD A FREE AGENT AND A WOMAN SCORNED, NATASHA DIDN'T CARE WHO SHE WORKED FOR, WHO SHE USED HER SKILLS FOR OR ON. SHE DID WHAT SHE DID TO SURVIVE AND SHE DID IT WELL. OVER TIME SHE MANAGED TO MAKE A NAME FOR HERSELF AS ONE OF THE BEST SPIES AND ASSASSIN FOR HIRE. HAVING AN EXTENSIVE INTERNATIONAL CLIENTELE AND NOTORIOUS FOR HITS AND ESPIONAGE WORK THAT HAD GLOBAL RAMIFICATIONS MEANT THAT IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE IT WOULD GARNER THE ATTENTION OF SOME RATHER POWERFUL PEOPLE AND SUDDENLY SHE WAS ON SHIELD'S RADAR IN A BAD WAY.

IT WAS THROUGH FLUKE AND HAPPENSTANCE THAT HAD HER MEETING UP WITH ANOTHER MASTER ASSASSIN WHO WAS SENT BY SHIELD TO KILL HER. A CAT AND MOUSE GAME WAS PLAYED BETWEEN THE TWO DEADLY ASSASSINS FOR MONTHS; EACH ONE AVOIDING THE 'TRAPS' SET OUT FOR THE OTHER. IT WAS AN INTRICATE GAME OF CHESS THAT HAD THE TWO SHADOWY COMBATANTS OUTWITTING ONE ANOTHER AND FOR NATASHA GROWING A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF RESPECT. SHE HADN'T YET MET ANYONE THAT WAS ABLE TO COME EVEN CLOSE TO CATCHING HER BUT THIS PARTICULAR SHIELD AGENT WAS A DIFFERENT 'BIRD' ALTOGETHER. THEIR CLOAK AND DAGGER GAMES STARTED TO BECOME MORE PLAYFUL IN AND AS MUCH AS THEY COULD BE WHEN EACH WAS TRYING TO OUTSMART AND KILL THE OTHER BUT IN THE END WHEN THE AGENT HAD THE CHANCE TO TAKE NATASHA DOWN AND KILL HER, HE DIDN'T AND NATASHA HAD NEVER FORGOTTEN THAT. IT BECAME THE BASIS FOR HER THEIR WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE AGENT KNOWN AS HAWKEYE AND FORMED A BOND WITH HIM THAT WAS AS COMPLICATED TO EXPLAIN AS SHE WAS.

NATASHA ENDED UP JOINING SHIELD NOT THAT SHE HAD MUCH OF A CHOICE; IT WAS THAT OR DIE, BUT BARTON MADE A GOOD CASE. DOING WHAT SHE DID BEST SHE WAS A PERFECT FIT IN SHIELD AND SHE HAD GONE INTO MANY MISSIONS ON HER OWN AS WELL AS ALONGSIDE OTHER AGENTS. HER SKILL SETS AND BARTON'S WORKED WELL TOGETHER SO THEY HAD DONE VARIOUS MISSIONS TOGETHER WHICH CEMENTED HER BOND WITH HIM. THERE WAS NO ONE THAT SHE COULD THINK OF THAT THAT WAS ANY CLOSER TO HER THAN CLINT; HIS CONSTANT JOKING AROUND WAS THE PERFECT BALANCE TO HER SERIOUSNESS. HE WAS THE CLOSEST THING NATASHA EVER HAD TO A FRIEND NOT THAT SHE EVER REALLY USED THAT WORD TO DESCRIBE ANYONE BUT HER BOND WITH HIM RAN DEEP. IT WAS A RELATIONSHIP BORN OF BLOOD AND DEATH, WALKING ON A CONSTANT TIGHTROPE OF DANGER AND FORGED BY A TRUST WHICH GREW FROM THAT FIRST DAY WHEN HE LOWERED HIS BOW AND MADE THAT CHOICE NOT TO KILL HER. SHE OWED THE MAN HER LIFE AND FOR THAT HE DIDN'T JUST HAVE HER RESPECT, HE HAD HER LOYALTY.

THAT WAS THAT START OF HER CAREER AS AN AGENT OF SHIELD DOING VARIOUS MISSIONS ALONE OR IN PART WITH OTHERS DOING WHAT SHE COULD BUT SHE WOULD NEVER CONSIDER HERSELF A HERO. THERE WERE TOO MANY THINGS SHE NEEDED TO MAKE RIGHT BEFORE SHE COULD BE EVEN CONSIDER HERSELF ANYTHING CLOSE TO THAT. THERE WAS A LOT OF RED ON HER LEDGER AND SHE WAS AIMING TO WIPE IT ALL OUT.

LIFE WITHIN SHIELD
The first year with SHIELD proved tedious as she was kept on a rather short leash but over time she had proved herself to be an asset for SHIELD. Through the years with SHIELD, Natasha rose in the ranks and even became one of a handful of agents Fury regularly deployed on the field for covert missions. It wasn't even unheard of for Fury to give Natasha mission parameters outside of the standard ones given to other agents joining her on a mission. She is a solo act first and foremost; working best on her own. Natasha was also comfortable with doing things most other agents may be squeamish about and so she was utilized many times on more morally questionable or politically sensitive missions.

On one of these politically sensitive missions Natasha was tasked to find and protect a Nigerian scientist and get him out of the country. It was then she crossed paths with the Winter Soldier who eliminated his target -the Nigerian scientist Natasha was tasked with protecting- by literally shooting through Natasha when she tried to shield the man. The bullet went clean through Natasha and killed the man behind her she was trying to protect. The incident not only left Natasha physically scarred but the memory of that day remains wither her as it was one of the few times she'd ever actually failed on a mission.

However, not all her assignments were darkly layered, some were also the straight forward infiltration and reconnaissance type jobs such as her mission to infiltrate Stark Industries and get closer to Tony Stark.

STARK INDUSTRIES
Fury ordered Natasha to keep an eye on Tony and report to him what she'd witnessed. So, in an effort to insinuate herself into the man's life, Natasha got employment as a temp within the legal department of Stark Industries and upon first opportunity to come face to face with the man, she slipped a pill into the coffee of a woman that was charged to be the notary responsible for the legal documents handing over control of Stark Industries to Pepper Potts. Natasha stepped in as the new notary and delivered the documents to Stark himself. After being asked to step into the boxing ring with Happy for a 'boxing lesson' Natasha managed to make enough of an impression for Tony to make her his new assistant. From there Natasha kept tabs on the man reporting to Fury what was truly happening to Stark as he was continuing to deteriorate from palladium poisoning.

Later at Randy's Donuts where a hung over Tony Stark was found. It was revealed to Tony that Natasha was a SHIELD shadow, tasked by Fury to keep an eye on him once SHIELD learned he was ill. At Fury's orders Natasha retained her cover as Natalie Rushman and continued to work as an assistant for Stark Industries. Natasha even managed to smooth things over with Pepper as they initially had a rocky start; insinuating herself once more to become the woman's assistant making Tony question how Natasha can do what she does and asks her if there is anything actually real about her even putting to question her ability to actually speak Latin. The man's comment about being nothing real touched a nerve in the usually stoic spy as even she sometimes questioned the same thing about herself. Her mind tampered with and programmed so much even she wasn't sure who she really was so his comment to her elicited an uncharacteristic emotional response of annoyance as she replied back in Latin to prove she could speak it ' Fallaces sunt rerum species' which meant 'the appearance of things is deceptive' however her anger at the man showed more when he asked her to translate and instead of doing so Natasha warned that Tony could either leave the office or she would have him collected.

Even if the man annoyed her, Natasha had a job to do and never stopped watching over Stark. So when Ivan Vanko took control of Justin Hammer's Drones and War Machine, Natasha along with Happy headed to Hammer Industries to stop Vanko. Natasha waded deep into Hammer Industries systematically taking down the security detail only to find Vanko had already escaped but his control systems were still online. Natasha used the computer systems there to reboot the War Machine suit thereby giving back control of it to Col. Rhodes while she gave Stark radio tactical data warning them of the incoming drones and Vanko's battle suit. Natasha then proceeded to retrieve pertinent Hammer development projects from the computer system before Vanko's bombs went off.

Returning to SHIELD HQ with the data from Hammer Industries retrieved, Natasha handed it over to Fury along with her assessment of Ironman and Tony Stark for the Avengers Initiative. Afterwards Natasha was given orders by Fury to go to Culvers University to trail a runaway scientist, Bruce Banner.

THE BIG GUY
Natasha found Banner during the military siege at the university when he transformed into the Hulk right before her. Fury had ordered her to not allow General Ross to take the Hulk away but there was little Natasha could do at this point but to simply report to Fury the fight with Emil Blonsky. She later headed to Harlem where she continues to prevent Banner from being taken by the military however Natasha arrived too late. Fury sent her to meet Dr. Sterns and then tasked Natasha with ensuring Banner didn't leave anything he could work with. She found Sterns disfigured and raving mad. Her answer to his request for her to join him was a bullet to the kneecap.

She returned to Fury after witnessing the Hulk's highly destructive battle with the Abomination and she was then sent to Eastern Europe to interrogate General Georgi Luchkov. During her interrogation of the general Natasha gets a call from Coulson informing her that Barton had been compromised and that her new assignment; approach Banner and convince him to help SHIELD find the Tesseract. Despite her fear and reservation (she knew what the man was capable of as the Hulk) she carried out her assignment and managed to get Banner on board the Helicarrier

WADING INTO A WAR FOR A FRIEND
It became personal. Loki had made it personal by enslaving Barton's mind and making him his own personal goon. Assigned with tracking down the Asgardian along with Captain America and Ironman. Once they apprehended Loki and took him back to the Hellicarrier, Natasha was tasked with interrogating the god of mischief managing to utilize her unique techniques of interrogation to extract the information needed to discern Loki's designs. She carefully managed to trick the trickster into revealing some valuable information however the exchange did not end without it first leaving its mark. The Asgardian god had picked up on her concern for Barton and even brought up her near obsessive drive to make restitution for her past transgressions. While the encounter left her without a means of discovering Barton's whereabouts or how to break Loki's control, she was able to discern the man's next plan of action; unleashing the Hulk.
It was then that the Hellicarrier fell under attack by Barton's commando team and the explosions sent Natasha and Banner falling from a higher observation deck. The fall triggered the Hulk to emerge and she barely escaped the Hulk's rage with her life. During the din of chaos she was called upon to take down Barton. Accepting the order, Natasha engaged Barton in a lengthy but deadly brawl that ended with Natasha knocking Barton unconscious.

BATTLE OF NEW YORK
FOLLOWING LOKI TO MANHATTAN, NATASHA AND THE OTHER AVENGERS BORE WITNESS OF THE HORDE OF CHITAURI WARRIORS POURING OUT OF THE TEMPORAL RIFT. ONCE AGAIN NATASHA FOUND HERSELF BATTLING ON THE STREET AT CLOSE QUARTERS ALONG WITH HAWKEYE AND CAPTAIN AMERICA. EVENTUALLY NATASHA TIRED OF THE ENDLESS BATTLING AND FEELING LIKE IT WAS NOT GOING TO END, SHE TALKED TO CAPTAIN AMERICA AND OFFERED A SOLUTION THAT DIDN'T INVOLVE ANY FURTHER VIOLENCE AS SHE SO SIMPLY PUT, "SOMETIMES IT ISN'T ABOUT THE GUNS."
HITCHING A RIDE UPON A CHITAURI SPEEDER NATASHA MANAGED TO GET INTO STARK TOWER AND RETRIEVE THE SCEPTER AND LATER USED IT TO CLOSE UP THE PORTAL TO PREVENT FURTHER ENTRY BY THE CHITAURI. WHEN THE BATTLE FINALLY ENDED NATASHA JOINED HAWKEYE, TONY, AND BRUCE TO SEE THOR AND HIS BROTHER LOKI OFF. WITH THE CHITAURI THREAT NOW NEUTRALIZED THE AVENGERS ALL WENT THEIR SEPARATE WAYS WHILE NATASHA RETURNED TO SHIELD.

SOLDIERS & SPIES
IT WAS BUSINESS AS USUAL THEN WHEN BACK WITH SHIELD. NATASHA HAD BEEN SENT ON COUNTLESS MISSIONS, SOME ALONE, WHILE OTHER TIMES TEAMED UP WITH OTHER AGENTS. NATASHA DID BECOME A FREQUENT PARTNER WITH CAPTAIN AMERICA; SHIELD OFTEN PAIRING THEM UP OF SPECIFIC MISSIONS. DURING ONE SUCH MISSION THEY WERE SENT TO FREE SHIELD CAPTIVES FROM A HOSTAGE SITUATION. ALL THE WHILE FURY HAD NATASHA RETRIEVE CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION FOUND ON THE SHIP. IT TURNED OUT THE DATA HAD EXTREMELY SENSITIVE ENCRYPTED DATA THAT EVEN FURY HIMSELF COULD NOT UNLOCK THE SENSITIVE MATERIAL OF THAT DATA WAS ENOUGH HOWEVER TO HAVE FURY ASSASSINATED.

NATASHA WAS FORCED TO WATCH HELPLESSLY AS ONE OF THE MEN SHE GREW TO RESPECT SEEMINGLY DIED BEFORE HER EYES AND WITH FURY'S DEATH, STEVE ROGERS AKA CAPTAIN AMERICA BECAME A FUGITIVE FROM SHIELD UNDER THE ORDERS OF ALEXANDER PIERCE FOR HIS ELUSIVENESS REGARDING THE REASON FOR FURY'S VISIT TO HIS APARTMENT. NATASHA SENSING SOMETHING WAS UP RETURNED TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE STEVE HID THE USB KEY OF SENSITIVE DATA AND RETRIEVED IT FOR HERSELF ONLY TO BE CONFRONTED AFTERWARDS BY ROGERS. IN THE END NATASHA AGREED TO HELP ROGERS FIND OUT WHAT WAS ON THAT FILE. HOWEVER SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO HACK THE PROTECTED SOFTWARE BUT WAS AT LEAST ABLE TO DISCOVER WHERE IT WAS CREATED.

FOLLOWING THE TRAIL LEAD THEM TO AN ENCOUNTER WITH THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF ARNIM ZOLA WHO TOLD THEM ABOUT HYDRA'S PLANS FOR WORLD DOMINATION WHICH INCLUDED THE INFILTRATION AND INFLUENCE OF SHIELD. NARROWLY ESCAPING THAT BUNKER WITH THEIR LIVES NATASHA AND ROGERS ENLISTED THE HELP OF SAM WILSON AND THE THREE INTERROGATED JASPER SITWELL TO UNCOVER THE BROADER CONSPIRACY FESTERING WITHIN SHIELD.

TAKING DOWN SHIELD
WITH HYDRA COMPLETELY ENTRENCHED IN VIRTUALLY EVERY RANK OF SHIELD, THERE WAS NO CHOICE OTHER THAN TO TAKE SHIELD DOWN AND EXPOSE THEM TO THE WORLD AND THERE BY EXPOSE HYDRA. WITH ROGERS AND WILSON SENT DEAL WITH THE TARGETING SYSTEMS ON THE THREE HELICARRIERS, NATASHA WAS TASKED WITH INFILTRATING THE TRISKELLION. SHE DID THIS BY IMPERSONATING COUNCIL WOMAN HAWLEY OF THE WORLD SECURITY COUNCIL.

WHILE TAKEN HOSTAGE WITH THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS BY PIERCE, NATASHA REVEALED FURY'S SURVIVAL AFTER TAKING CARE OF THE GUARDS AROUND THEM AND FORCED PIERCE TO ENTER HIS TOP LEVEL CLEARANCE SO THAT NATASHA COULD RELEASE THE INFORMATION OF SHIELD AND HYDRA TO THE WORLD. NOW EVERYTHING WAS OUT IN THE OPEN, INCLUDING INFORMATION ON HER, NATASHA WAS FORCED TO LAY LOW AND GO OFF GRID.

OFF GRID
APPEARING BEFORE A SENATE SUBCOMMITTEE NATASHA WAS GRILLED ABOUT EVERYTHING FROM SHIELD, TO HER FELLOW AVENGERS, RIGHT DOWN TO HER OWN CHECKERED PAST. AFTER THE SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING, NATASHA SAID HER FAREWELLS TO CAPTAIN AMERICA, with her saying she wasn't going with fury this time. WITH SHIELD now IN PIECES AND ALL HER COVERS BLOWN, it was too dangerous for her to stay, and most likely a liability now for nick due to the long list of enemies she has who no doubt would now be out on the hunt. natasha needed TO FIND A NEW IDENTITY; a NEW PERSON TO BECOME.

***NOTE: Mentions of characters as part of natasha's history are from her dimension and Does not necessarily Represent the characters played on this site.****

FLASH!

The stark white brilliance of lightning lit up the sky, as the bright lancets of light seeped through eyelids slowly opening and then came the roaring thunder that rumbled and cracked in the air; the sound reminiscent of an explosion that sent her semi-conscious form into a flash of memory.

BOOM!

The heat of the explosion behind her could be felt as orange plumbs of flames leaped out just as she jumped the barricade on to opposing traffic. Gunfire rattled in the background in controlled spattered rounds nicking the concrete barrier behind her as they splattered small chunks of cement and debris around her as she landed on the other side. They had barely escaped the deathtrap of a vehicle when the hail of gunfire and explosions started. She'd headed one direction behind a vacated grey sedan, while the others scattered to opposing sides. That was the last she'd seen of them as chaos and gunfire erupted again. Good news was this meant they were on the right track and HYDRA was now threatened. The bad news was, HYDRA was now threatened. They sent out the death squad for them and at the sight of a metallic arm that flashed silver through the smoky haze of explosions, Natasha got up from her crouched position behind a sedan, fired a few rounds out with her twin Glocks and then hit the ground running, literally.

At her feet bullets that barely missed their mark struck asphalt, Natasha leaped into in a controlled tumble rolled to her feet scrambling just in time to dodge an oncoming car; she needed distance from the hit squad. Bullets continued to spray, the passing vehicle providing a bit of reprieve from the bullets allowing her to make one last and crazy ditch effort for survival; she leaped over the bridge railing. There was a moment of pause from the guns, she wanted to think it was because she surprised them with her seeming leap into death, but the logical part of her brain said they simply stopped firing to run into position on the side of the bridge no doubt to make sure she really did die or in the very least shoot her as she falls. Damn, she hated a smart goons.

She fired a grappling hook and swung out and under the bridge just in time to feel the rush of wind from a small rocket fired from above which hit an SUV and sent flames and shrapnel spraying from behind. The heat the of the explosion could be felt as she landed on her feet and ran to the opposite side of the bridge where she thought she'd be safe but the silhouette of his shadow told her, A) he was smarter as he was expecting her to come out from that side and B )She was a dead woman if she did exit that way, so she made a detour.

CRACKLE.... BOOM!

The sound of thunder again, pulled Natasha back into the present time. She really didn't want to wake up, her body felt like hell, plus if she woke, it would force her to face the facts that everything about SHIELD was a lie; everything she thought she was doing for the 'greater good' was really all for HYDRA. All the Intel gathered, all her missions, all her targets and marks ordered by SHIELD to stop or neutralize put to question whether it was really SHIELD or HYDRA really calling those shots, making everything she thought she was striving for all for naught. Every part of SHIELD was compromised all the way up to the top brass, how could it not be doing HYRDA's work? And suddenly her ledger just got murkier; it was now weeping red.

Why didn't his bullet to her shoulder hit just a little lower instead? It would have been fatal then; put her out of her misery. Instead she was left to live longer with the guilt of knowing everything she'd done for SHIELD amounted to nothing in the end. She hated herself for being duped but she hated HYDRA more.

Cold droplets of rain started to fall prickling her skin and run down her forehead and onto her eye lids seeping through lashes forcing her eyes to open. Natasha stirred, blinked and tired to focus as a silhouette loomed over her. She felt a hand grab at her jacket and another blinding flash of light caused her to wince at its brilliance only to fall once again into memories.

FLASH!

She was choking. 'He' was choking her; caught in a death like grip as he held her up off the ground like she was just a rag doll worthless and about to be cast away. But she wasn't done yet and god damn him if he thought she'd just roll over and accept defeat like that. A Widow's disc to his arm shorted out circuitry and that was all she needed to loosen his grip and with a little spite she hoped it hurt as hell too.

CRACKLE.... BOOM!

Thunder reverberated, closer this time. Enough to feel it as if it shook the earth beneath her and enough to bring her back to the present with an alarming suddenness. Hands on her jacket that weren't hers and the silhouette of a man looming over head. Rain poured down over skin. Eyes flared open but it wasn't fear that was reflected back and it wasn't a scream the came from her lips as cartilage cracked. It was instinct and nothing personal; spawned from a reverie she'd wished she hadn't had to relive and the urgency of a reality from waking that she was just about to get robbed or something worse. So her body had reacted with instinct and a ruthless efficiency that had the man rolling on the ground moaning from the injuries.

Flipping back the mass of red hair from her face Natasha stepped out of the alley way she woke up from and out into the city lights to get her bearings. People around her ran past trying to find shelter from the pelting rain but the former SHIELD agent remained stoic as if unaffected as her blue-green eyes took in the sights.

Bustling metropolitan, tall buildings reaching up to the sky lit up like Christmas except it was Spring. The coronas of headlights of a busy street littered by flecks of yellow cabs, the flash and flicker of fluorescent lights and their neon allure; consumerism at its best. The buildings were UNMISTAKABLE, there was only one place that looked like this at night.

New York.

<Impossible.> Natasha muttered in Russian.

It just couldn't be....

USER NAME: NAT OR NATASHA

YEARS RPING: 6+ years

REFERRED TO BY: Marvel TS

OTHER: N/a