You wake up in a motel, your hands shaking and eyesight hazy. You try to decipher if it was the jet lag or the nightmare that was causing your hands to shake. No use in dwelling on it so you stand up and go to the shower before heading to your new HQ.

With a soft creak, the warm water of the shower rained on you, calming your nerves and waking you up completely. After that quick shower, you pack your clothes and leave the motel. Maybe it was the cultural difference but you could swear that the motels here were far more comfortable than the cheap ones back home.

The streets were unnerving, extra-species; half-human and half-something else, were waving to you like it was nothing. You remember the day it was made known to the world, it was just like any other.

Inside the fairly small building, specially made for the SWAT team. The city you worked in fairly likes your team for making quick and clean work when called in. When you entered the meeting room, the rough smell of smoke entered your nostrils. To be honest, you wouldn’t have really cared but that day was a bad one and you’ve always disliked the stench.

You sat in the corner to avoid the fumes of the other members. Your C.O. spoke in his usual condescending tone, assigning his specialized training regimes for every member that takes their weaknesses and strengths in account. He looks smug enough to be annoying but you know that he just asks the secretary to make the regimes anyway. A group unbefitting of the usual ‘gentlemen’ the English were always known for.

After getting briefed, you all head to the building’s gym to train. No drills today, just plain old working out. As always, even the gym is an undesirable environment. The other members are loud, obnoxious and always smell too much like sweat. You look at the television to avoid paying it too much heed. One has to adapt.

At this particular time in the morn, the news broadcast always start making training every day bearable. But today, the news broadcast made everything come crashing down.

‘’This just in!, the ‘Cultural Exchange Between Species’ bill has been accepted and signed. Various extra-species are coming into the country to, as the bill stated, experience our culture. More on that news later.’’

The other members flocked to the television and gave their loud comments.

But you just froze on the pull-up bar. That nightmare you have every other night or so, maybe. Just maybe. It wasn’t just a nightmare.

You snapped back to the present, not wanting to remember any more.

Your first walk to the new headquarters is always nerve-wracking, you need to make a better impression and deep inside, you’re hoping the team isn’t filled with meatheads that only knew how to smoke and work out.

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Even now, there were gyms run by kobolds and some construction sites that require manual labor often treasure ogres and orcs that are physically strong by nature. They’re now, what is considered; the norm and as should you.

Though you find them alluring and even cute at times, scales are still too much for you to take. It makes you uneasy and when you stare too long, you get anxiety attacks. Where the smell of tea is the only thing that calms you down. The motherly aroma always gave your nerves ease.

You arrived at the new HQ in time to be broken in the team. Your former C.O. told  you that the transfer was special and that they ‘’didn’t want to let you go’’ as far as they were concerned. They said that you were going to make history either way so they gave in and accepted the transfer request. Or rather they were pressured into it by higher authorities.

You find a woman leaning on one of the brick facades of the HQ and by her slight movements you noticed that she was in fact, sleeping. Her long black hair and further monochrome motif let you know that she was your boss since your last C.O. kept talking about a ‘’woman-in-black’’ being so skilled at her job that she got appointed to a special task force which was also the one you were going to be transferred to.

Easily, you pieced the information together and thought that this was her. Even her sunglasses were convincing to the point that she almost emitted an intimidating aura. While trying to be considerate, you call her out and she wakes up from her sleep signalled by an expression of surprise.

‘’Ara, so you’re the transfer?’’

Amazing. She even kept her cool through that. Of course you answer appropriately with a formal bow.

‘’Yes, I’m ....’’

She yawns ‘’Ahh~ I’m a bit bad with names so let’s just call you transfer-kun for now’’

‘Eh?’

A bit too familiar but it was fine, you couldn’t care less. She’s your boss anyway so what would complaining over a name do.

‘’Anyway, let’s just go inside and get you acquainted with the team, transfer-kun’’

The name still bugs you a bit but you follow her into the building regardless.

The tiles were white, as was most of the decor leaving a plain taste in your mouth. Nothing but a water dispenser adorned the intersection the room served as. There were halls to the left and right and the emptiness was accompanied by silence.

‘’My bad for the lack of greetings but the girls usually wake up a bit later than you do. You’re a pretty diligent worker to wake up this early. If my paycheck wasn’t in danger I wouldn’t have gotten up this early either’’ she said as she stretched, emphasizing her already noticed grogginess.

‘Wait, girls?’

‘’Girls?’’ you say abruptly

‘’Yeah?’’

‘’What do you mean by girls’’

‘’What I just said’’

Of course you both spoke in Japanese. Even if it was your first time in Japan, your grandfather that practically raised you taught you everything you know including that Japanese language which was strangely specific.

Yet this is a first, because there aren’t usually female members in S.W.A.T. teams, much less more than one at least as far as you’re concerned. Nonetheless, you didn’t want to be offensive and accepted the fact trying not to pry deeper into it. It was a Special task force after all.

She took a right so you followed and eventually you reached a small work out station. Various brand-new equipment were scattered around and glittering in a silvery beautiful manner. Even the smell was of the packaging boxes.

‘’Fufufu, I was told you liked to exercise quite a bit. Yawn~ Well, I’ll leave you to it. You can do some lifting here or go wake up the girls, your choice. I’ll be in my room’’

And just like that she left you to your devices.

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So guys, what do you think? Give your suggestions on how the story should go. Any criticism and comments are all accepted. Btw the cover was barely edited, I'm lazy with covers. Thanks for reading~