Welcome To S.H.A.D.E

The Start of a Journey

As the noises from the streets settled down, Yuhari walked around the streets with no-one in sight. Suddenly, lights flashed and casted her shadow before her. Tilting her head, she turned around, holding up her arm to shield her eyes. As her eyes adjust, Yuhari could make out a black vehicle.

A figure stepped out to greet them. As Yuhari's gaze fell upon his clothes, she noted its sleek monochrome hues, adorned with tactical features, discreet emblems, and a modular design, radiating an aura of secrecy and functionality. Assuming it to be the uniform of S.H.A.D.E, she turned her eyes to the figure.

"Yuhari Lin, is it?" The figure spoke with a grating tone. Staring dead in his eyes, she nodded while keeping silent. "I'm Agent Thompson, codename Blackjack," He then ushered her into the vehicle. As she stepped into the vehicle, she was met with dead silence and eyes on her. All of the recruits looked at her, then soon the vehicle started to move along. Conversations were started once again; however, they would constantly stare at her, some with confusion, others with judgment.

"Hey!" A recruit, whose clothes seemed perfectly tailored to his fit, caught Yuhari's attention. Cautiously, she walked towards him and sat down with him. He then, to her discomfort and surprise, took her hand and shook it. "I'm Nathan Donovan. What's yours?"

Yuhari's initial hesitation melted away as Nathan's warm smile reached his eyes. She returned the handshake tentatively. "Yuhari Lin," she replied, her voice soft but steady.

Nathan's gaze lingered on her, a hint of curiosity in his eyes. "Yuhari Lin... I haven't seen a girl recruit before. What's your story?"

"I received a letter," She admitted hesitantly. "They said I was chosen."

Nathan's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Chosen? That's intriguing. S.H.A.D.E never in their history recruited girls. What makes you so special?"

Yuhari shifted uncomfortably, unused to the spotlight. "I'm not sure," she murmured, feeling self-conscious under his scrutiny.

Nathan leaned back, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "Well, whatever the reason, you're here now. And I'm sure there's more to you than meets the eye."

As they continued to chat, Yuhari found herself drawn to Nathan's friendly demeanor and genuine interest in her. After 5 different topics, Yuhari noticed Agent Thompson stand up. She nudged Nathan and faced her head to Agent Thompson.  He cleared his throat; All conversations died immediately, and all recruits gave their attention to him.

"Listen up, recruits," Agent Thompson began, his tone commanding attention. "You've all been chosen for a reason. But make no mistake, the road ahead won't be easy. S.H.A.D.E. demands nothing less than excellence from its members."

He paced in front of them, his gaze piercing. "Once we reach headquarters, you'll undergo intensive training. Physical conditioning, combat simulations, survival exercises—you name it, you'll do it. And that's just the beginning.

"Your training will push you to your limits," Agent Thompson continued, his voice unwavering. "But remember, each challenge you face is an opportunity to grow stronger, to hone your skills, and to prove yourselves as the elite operatives S.H.A.D.E. expects you to be."

With that, he concluded his briefing, leaving Yuhari with a sense of both apprehension and excitement for the journey ahead. She turned her head towards Nathan, who laid back, a spark of excitement played in his eyes. Both their eyes met, and soon conversation striked up once again.

"Excited?" Nathan teased her.

"Could be better, could be worse."

~

After what felt like hours, the vehicle finally came to a stop, and Yuhari's heart skipped a beat as the vehicle boarded a car carrier. What felt only a few second after the boarding, she caught sight of the mysterious island that loomed before them. Catching S.H.A.D.E's headquarters stood like a fortress amidst the swirling mists of the Bermuda Triangle, Yuhari thought to herself, 'Hmm... Interesting,' as she gazed upon the upcoming fortress.

Nathan looked at her, his spark of excitement more clearer than ever, as the vehicle came to a stop. The doors opened, and everyone began to file out, becoming a sea of recruits. Being sure to stay by Nathan's side, Yuhari looked up at the S.H.A.D.E's headquarters' infrastructure, until she noticed someone come out of the headquarters.

"Oh, there the recruits are!" A man wearing the same uniform as Agent Thompson ran up to them, "You guys took forever!" He then turned his head to observe the recruits. "Welcome to S.H.A.D.E! I'm Agent Harold, codename Black Sheep."

"Follow him in," Agent Thompson said in a commanding tone." With a mixture of excitement and trepidation, Yuhari and her fellow recruits passed Ageng Thompson to follow Agent Harold. Once again, Yuhari met eyes with Nathan. She smirked, and chuckled. Unbeknownst to her, Nathan looked at her with curiosity.

"Come on," He murmured, holding her shoulders, urging her to go faster, "We wouldn't want to be late, hmm?"