EPISODE EIGHT
COMMENCEMENT

Jenna slammed her fists against the table, the sound echoing through the room. Her frustration was palpable, but Momoko’s sigh of resignation softened the tension. Both sisters exchanged a weary glance before turning their eyes back to the untouched food on the table. The scent of the meal lingered, teasing them with what could have been a much-needed moment of reprieve.

“It’s not like we have a choice,” Momoko muttered, her voice heavy with resignation. She began covering the dishes with plates, ensuring the meal would be preserved for later. Jenna nodded solemnly, her irritation giving way to duty. They both bowed slightly to the table, their movements synchronized, and in unison, they murmured, “Sorry for the delay.” With that, they left the house.

Jenna and Momoko headed toward the basement beneath their home. The air grew cooler as they descended the stairs, the faint hum of machinery breaking the silence. Within moments, they arrived at their bikes. Sleek and streamlined, the vehicles gleamed under the basement’s artificial lighting, ready for action. Without hesitation, the sisters donned their helmets in unison, a seamless motion that radiated confidence.

The engines roared to life, cutting through the quiet as the two expertly maneuvered their bikes out of the hidden exit. They rode through the shadowed alleyways, avoiding main roads and populated areas. Their route was deliberate, weaving through paths that only the most seasoned travelers would know. Every turn was calculated, ensuring they remained untraceable.

The alleyways soon gave way to the dense, sprawling forest surrounding the area after which lined the JEO headquarters. Here, amidst towering trees and the soft rustle of leaves, they could finally breathe a little easier. The forest was heavily guarded, with JEO officers stationed discreetly to ward off any intruders. The sisters drove deeper into the woods, the cool air rushing past them, until the silhouette of the eastern building came into view.

Jenna and Momoko dismounted their bikes with synchronized precision. They placed their helmets on the handlebars, their movements sharp and deliberate. After securing their bikes, they strode forward with purpose, their booted steps crunching softly against the forest floor. Their gym outfits, sleek and practical, clung to them like second skins—Jenna’s in black, Momoko’s in yellow.

As they approached the building, both sisters reached into the pockets of their leggings and retrieved small cubical devices. With a practiced flick of their wrists, the devices flipped into the air and transformed mid-spin into black cloaks. Catching the cloaks effortlessly, they swung them over their shoulders and fastened the buttons at their necks without breaking stride.

The interior of the building loomed ahead, dimly lit and lined with shelves holding an array of equipment. Jenna veered to the right while Momoko moved to the left, each grabbing a mask from the shelves. The masks were lightweight yet imposing, designed to conceal their identities entirely. They placed the masks over their faces, completing their transformation into anonymous agents of the JEO.

Ahead of them stood a transparent capsule suspended within the open central shaft of the building. It hovered midair, connected to no visible machinery yet perfectly balanced. Jenna and Momoko stepped inside, the door sliding shut with a soft hiss. The capsule ascended smoothly, gliding upward through the central column.

From within, they could see the building's design—a series of interconnected floors, each lined with railings and bustling with agents moving efficiently about their duties. The capsule moved between floors, floating gracefully until it reached the desired level. It paused momentarily before shifting sideways toward a specific room, aligning perfectly with the floor. As the capsule settled into place, the sisters exhaled together relaxing their nerves.

Their mission had officially begun.

Jenna and Momoko stepped out of the capsule and into the room where it had dropped them. The atmosphere was charged with anticipation. The air was thick with focus, the room lined with agents standing at attention. They were all lined up in neat, orderly rows, their hands placed behind their backs, their posture impeccable. As the sisters entered, they instinctively joined the lines, falling in according to their agent numbers, their movements fluid and synchronized.

Momoko scanned the room, her sharp eyes taking in the scene. She quickly located Shimin standing a few steps ahead of her, her posture unwavering. Further ahead, at the very front of the first line, stood Yone, her silver hair easily visible above the rest of the agents. The rows seemed endless—more than a dozen of them stretching across the room, filled with agents who stood as still and unyielding as statues.

Before they could settle into place, the door to the room swung open again. Footsteps echoed as a group of figures entered. At the front of the group was Kagaro, flanked by the captains of the other units. There were three male captains, standing in stark contrast to the majority of the female captains. As soon as the captains entered, the entire room went still. Every agent straightened and stood in perfect attention. Their boots hit the floor in synchronized precision, the sound crisp and commanding. The room held its breath in respect.

Nao, one of the captains, stepped forward, her presence immediately commanding attention. She stood with her hands behind her back, mirroring the posture of the agents around her. Her voice rang out, cutting through the silence with authority. “Everyone doing good?” she asked, her tone direct but calm.

“Yes!” the agents responded in chorus, their voices ringing in perfect unison, loud and clear. Their cloaks rustled slightly as they stood poised and ready, their masks covering their identities, their expressions unreadable.

Momoko’s gaze flicked over the room once more, her eyes settling on the familiar figures of Shimin and Yone, who stood among the crowd. With so many cloaked figures, only subtle details like body structure or the silver strands of Yone’s hair allowed her to distinguish them from the others. The room was a sea of uniformity, all of them agents of the JEO, ready for the mission that awaited.

Nao stepped forward once more, her voice rising to fill the space. "Today, all teams will be dispatched," she announced, her words firm and unwavering. “The war between Jenemes and humans will begin the second you go out as an agent of the JEO. Today is the day of do or die.” Her voice carried the weight of the gravity in her words, and the tension in the room thickened as her statement sank in.

She paused for a moment, letting the significance of her message settle before continuing. “All citizens will be informed, and Commander Semen Kisuke of the SA units will personally oversee the evacuation,” Nao added, her voice now resonating with the certainty of impending action. “This is the war that will decide humanity’s freedom. Guard this country and free it from the Jenemes who plague it. Salute agents!”

At her command, every agent raised their right hand to point at the badges pinned beneath their cloaks. Their movements were swift and synchronized, each agent’s finger landing on the badge in perfect alignment with the others. Jenna, a Star Agent, followed suit, raising her hand but pointing directly at her Star item instead. The other Star Agents did the same, acknowledging their distinction with a subtle nod from Nao.

The captains, standing tall and composed, all spoke in unison. “Units, dispatch!”

With the command, the agents moved as one, the sound of their boots hitting the floor in perfect synchronization. They jogged out of the room, their cloaks fluttering slightly behind them, the urgency of their mission driving them forward. Jenna and Momoko fell into step with the others, their steps in rhythm with the crowd as they made their way to their designated units, ready to face the war that was about to begin.