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-Vlad Drako Pov-
- February 23- 1942-
It has been a year since I started training under Sir Zemo and Hydra.
To be honest, the first few weeks I wanted nothing more than to get out of this place but after a month, I understood the motive of Zemo's training, it was to turn us into our perfect self.
I agree his methods were tough but it came with a result, if I endure it, I can become the perfect being.
Zemo was not a bad guy, he was driving us to our limits, so we can push further than that and surpass it, even though his methods were harsh, it was effective.
He was not totally rough with his training either, just as much as he pushed us till our body broke. He awarded the top cadets equally high, it made us compete with each other for the top spot but those rewards were never enough for me.
Over this period, we learned multiple things from him, his classes were separated into two parts, one being combat, which he himself mainly trained us on.
We were educated with an advanced level of hand-to-hand combat, arms training, weapons training, pain endurance, physical enhancement, adaptation, improvisation, quick thinking, stealth, thievery, toxicology, pharmacology, manipulation and assassination.
All these arts of war made me excited, I surpassed myself each time and excelled in every one of them.
The other training mostly felt like school. He called it the skills of passion. It contained linguistics, history, dance, musical instruments, data management, body language, geography, politics and communication, all these came under one big category as 'Blending in' or 'Crowd Control' as he likes to call it.
Those subjects were a piece of cake compared to the combat training and I was Zemo's top student in every class.
I think the other cadets were unable to achieve my feets because they were training to not incur the wrath of our instructor while I did it to gain his recognition to rise above everyone.
Their lack of will made them grow jealous of my achievements and rewards, they all tried to pick a fight with me but I silenced anyone that challenged with a punch to their face and a broken finger to remind them that I was stronger and better.
Zemo doesn't care about the infighting on the group, he says civil disputes and competitive nature are the factors that make us stronger, it creates an standard for the weak and a goal for the rank one to keep his fellow cadets in check and below in.
Speaking of cadets makes me remember Jona, he kept weeping for the first few days but after a while, he grew tired of his pathetic self and broke out of his shell, he trained till his knuckles bled, until his knees broke in pain, his combat powers leaped high but somehow his wits stayed the same.
After Jona, the only other person I acknowledge in the group was Ophelia.
From an ordinary acquaintance, she is now my friend but I would never call her that because she is annoying.
She would always cling to me and always try to be around me, other than the training times and she imposes that she has to be with me wherever I go and whatever I do.
Zemo even informed me in private, that she kept yelling my name every time they hit her in the pain control session, something is definitely wrong with her head.
Other than her mental problem, she is quite exceptional, always scoring the second place, right behind me on the rankings but there was one subject she always takes the rank one spot, toxicology or also known as the study of poison, she is extremely interested in it and it was the one thing I couldn't beat her in.
"Attention!" I was brought out of my thoughts by the commanding voice of Instructor Zemo.
"""Hail Hydra."""
We said in unison.
Today was the promotional test for the top six cadets.
I stood in the centre of the dome with my eyes locked on Zemo, on my right Ophelia was smiling at him and behind her stood Jona.
The first time I met Zemo I didn't even reach his chest but now I'm seeing him eye to eye, the combat practice had made my muscles rigid and I grew a few inches taller and stood at 5'10, my uniform was changed from the whites to the black and if I pass this test, I would enter the rank of an special officer.
"Face your opponents."
I stepped into the duel ground and my match today was with a captured American soldier, he stood on the other side with his chest bare, a knife unsheathed, growling at my presence.
"Fight!" Zemo yelled and moved back.
"Come on you Nazi bastard!"
"Have you ever been at mercy?" I asked calmly, shifting the knife in my hand.
He stayed silent as he launched forward to gain momentum but I was ready to face him.
"You are now."
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-Zemo Pov-
I stood back and gazed at my star pupil launching towards the bloody American.
Vlad was a really gifted kid with a talent for learning, a born soldier and a perfect tool for killing, he had overwhelming ambition and a thirst for power, his will for strength higher than Helmut.
That kid was smart but lazy, I hope he takes after Vlad, when they spend their time together on the next mission.
I smirked as Vlad dodged the slash, clutched the knife and planted it back into the American's throat, this battle was over before it even started, I waited till the idiot fell on the floor and stepped in.
"Cadet Vlad is promoted to the rank of Special officer." I announced proudly. Vlad took a step back and turned towards me, he raised his hands high in the air and saluted.
"Oohhh!"
My eyes shifted towards the cheering figure of Ophelia, it was clear as day that she was obsessed with Vlad, it was an easy leash to control her impulses but it made her extremely vulnerable.
"Congrats officer Vlad." I stretched my hands and he shook it with a grin.
"Thank you Instructor Zemo." He smirked while gripping my hand tighter, this kid, he would definitely rise above than most.
"Step back officer, you have orders." I informed, I smiled under my mask as I watched his eyes widened for a moment before he returned to his cold facade once more.
"Yes sir."