Kyle, Josuke, and Maya arrived at the headquarters of Unit Zero, their new base in the bustling capital city. The sleek, high-tech design of the building stood in stark contrast to the smaller facilities in Soryu town. Josuke could hardly believe how advanced everything was the holographic displays, and the sheer size of the place. It was overwhelming, to say the least.
Upon entering, Kyle approached the receptionist, a ranger in her early thirties. She sat behind a sleek, holographic desk, typing away on a transparent keyboard.
"Yo, Abigail where are the four I'm supposed to be training?" Kyle asked with his usual carefree tone.
The receptionist smiled, used to Kyle's playful nature. "I'll send out a general call, Kyle. They'll meet you in your office shortly."
"Good!" Kyle nodded, flashing a grin before turning to Josuke. "I've gotta head to the office for a bit. Bento will show you to your room."
Josuke glanced at Maya, who had already started walking toward the residential wing. "Where are you going?" he asked her.
"To rest," she replied, without slowing her pace. "I need a break from dealing with idiots. The long I stay around you the dumber I feel "
Kyle snorted, unfazed by Maya's usual grumpiness. "Oh, come on, you love us and you precious little boy you're not show a good example especially to you new son as a mother."
Maya sighed, not bothering to respond as she disappeared down the hallway.
At that moment, a man in his late 40s approached Josuke. He had a kind face and was wearing the standard ranger uniform, with a name tag that read Bento.
"Josuke, right?" Bento asked with a smile. "I'm here to show you to your room."
"Yep, that's me," Josuke replied, nodding.
As they walked, Bento carried Josuke's bags and chatted with him to make him feel comfortable. "You must be excited to join Unit Zero, huh?"
"Yeah, kind of. It's a big change from what I'm used to," Josuke admitted, glancing around at the futuristic corridors.
Bento smiled. "You'll adjust. I've been here for twenty five years now, and it still amazes me how advanced everything is."
Curious, Josuke asked, "What can you tell me about the other trainees? The ones Kyle is training?"
Bento thought for a moment before answering. "There are four of them two boys, two girls. The oldest is seventeen, and they've all been here for about five years. They've grown up in this environment, so they're pretty experienced."
"Wow," Josuke said, feeling a bit of pressure now. These trainees had years of experience, while he was just getting started.
Eventually, they arrived at Room 707. Bento opened the door and motioned for Josuke to enter. "Here's your room, Josuke."
"Thanks, Bento," Josuke said, stepping inside.
"Oh, and call me if you need anything!" Bento added before heading off to attend to other duties.
Josuke closed the door and took a moment to look around. The room was simple but cozy, with a bed, a desk, and a large window overlooking the bustling city below. He began unpacking, carefully placing his clothes in the wardrobe and organizing his few personal belongings.
One item, in particular, caught his eye a framed photograph that Noelle had given him before he left. It was a picture of the orphanage, taken two years ago, with all the kids and Shiro smiling brightly. Josuke smiled as he placed the photo on the nightstand beside his bed, a small reminder of home.
After unpacking, he took a quick shower, feeling refreshed as the water washed away the stress of the day. He changed into clean clothes and tied the headband that shiro had given to Kyle for him earlier, a sense of connection to his past filling him with renewed determination.
Sitting on the bed, Josuke pulled out his phone and began scrolling through it, waiting for Kyle to call him for the meeting. The room was quiet, save for the distant hum of city life outside his window.
He gazed at the picture again, wondering what challenges lay ahead in this new chapter of his life. New teammates, a new environment, and the ever-present burden of his hidden demonic heritage. But for now, he was just Josuke a ranger in training, ready to face whatever came his way.