Welcome To S.H.A.D.E

The Start of the Trio

"Okay then!" Agent Harold's voice boomed through the hallways as the two caught up. The cadets and the agent stopped before a brick wall, "Welcome to S.H.A.D.E!" He waved his hands before it, and the wall slid open. Yuhari's eyes widened, and she heard amazed gasps around her. Agent Harold chuckled at their awestricken expressions and motioned the group to move forward.

To Yuhari's curiosity and dismay, they walked straight into what seemed to her as the main area of S.H.A.D.E. The air hummed with a faint electronic buzz, and the soft glow of holographic displays illuminated the space, casting shifting patterns of light and shadow across the polished surfaces. As the cadets around her looked on with awe and excitement, she scanned the area with trepidation. The sleek, futuristic design of the facility left her momentarily speechless. Everywhere she looked, there were high-tech consoles emitting a faint hum, holographic displays projecting vital information, and agents, varying of age, moving with purpose. Adjusting her attention on the aura, she noticed the interior being bathed in a soft, ambient lighting, casting shadows against the polished surfaces, adding an air of mystery.

Taking her attention off the interior design, Yuhari couldn't help but feel a wave of scrutiny wash over her as she walked further into the bustling space. It seemed like every agent they passed cast a curious glance in her direction, their eyes lingering on her longer than necessary. Subconsciously, her hearing sharpened, hearing the comments that followed Yuhari as the group of cadets and agent made their way.

"Who's that?"

"Is that a girl?"

"Why did S.H.A.D.E allow a girl?"

"Damn. That girl must be a menace to society if S.H.A.D.E..."

"She would make a great..."

Yuhari glanced at Agent Harold, who seemed flustered. She turned her head to the side, where her eyes met with Nathan. 'What's up with you?' Nathan mouthed. Yuhari shrugged and turned her attention back to Agent Harold, whose back was against the group.

"What's happening?" Yuhari asked, glancing at Nathan.

"He's leading us to our dorms, but he forgot," Nathan replied, barely concealing a smirk. Yuhari looked incredulous, sensing an undercurrent of tension.

Agent Harold quickly recovered, "Right this way!" leading them forward. The group followed eagerly, ready to explore their new home at S.H.A.D.E.

Eventually, they reached the dormitory area. Agent Harold pulled out a tablet, "I'm assigning roommates now. You'll be with whoever I assign you until you guys graduate to agents, then you'll be transferred into a dorm with your team." And with that, he began calling names.

"Ethan, Noah, and Lucas"

"Oliver and Benjamin"

"Alex, Jason, and Liam"

"Jasper, Nathan, and Yuhari"

Yuhari and Nathan tore their gaze to see a boy with a friendly smile waiting beside Yuhari. "Hi, it seems we're roommates!" he greeted warmly, extending his hand.

Nathan sized him up, returned his smile, and shook his hand, "It seems like it." Yuhari nodded, smiling softly.

As they followed Agent Harold down the corridor, Nathan and Jasper fell into conversation, exchanging stories about their lives before S.H.A.D.E.

"So, where are you from?" Nathan asked, tilting her head.

"I grew up in a small town in the middle of West Virginia," Jasper replied, his eyes lighting up with enthusiasm. "It was pretty quiet, but I loved tinkering with gadgets and exploring the woods nearby."

Yuhari perked up, intrigued by Jasper's background. "Sounds like you're used to adventure then."

Jasper grinned, "Yeah, you could say that. What about you? What's your story?"

Yuhari hesitated for a moment, her mind flickering back to the memories of constantly moving from place to place. "I've lived in a few different places," she said, her tone carefully neutral. "But none of them felt quite like home."

Jasper nodded, sensing the depth behind Yuhari's words. "Well, you're definitely in the right place for that now," he said with a smile.

"I suppose you could say that."

~

Before long, they reached their dormitory-a spacious room with sleek, modern furnishings and three neatly made beds. Nathan grinned as he saw his clothes and the uniform standards on one of the beds. "Home sweet home, huh?"

Yuhari chuckled, "Definitely beats a cramped apartment," she replied, settling into her new space. But as Yuhari walked to her bed, which has nothing but the uniform standards and a small bag, she couldn't help but notice Jasper's curious gaze on her. "Don't you have clothes?" he asked, his tone filled with curiosity.

Yuhari paused, her mind racing as she tried to come up with a response. She didn't have much to unpack, just a few essentials hastily thrown into a bag before she left. "I... uh, I do," she replied cautiously, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "Just... didn't bring much with me."

Nathan furrowed his brow, a flicker of concern crossing his features. "Are you sure you're good to go?" he asked, "If you need anything, I'm here to help." Jasper nodded as well.

Yuhari forced a smile, "Thanks, boys," she said, her voice soft. "I appreciate it." She turned her attention back to her belongings, hoping he wouldn't press the issue further.

"We should probably get some sleep?" Jasper stated, his sentence becoming a question at the end. Nathan look at him, a look in his eyes that Yuhari couldn't identify.

"We better get to it. We do have a long day tomorrow."

Sorry for not updating! I had a crapload on my plate, so I couldn't do much writing. I'll try to do better, but don't come at me.