Time for me to get triggered with high school memories.
Year One: Camp SHIELD
[Yesterday - 8:48 AM]
[Mass email for all first-year students in all programs]
Cadets:
This email serves as a reminder. The following weeks will be the mandatory excursion at Camp SHIELD. Classes, training sessions, lectures, and labs have been rescheduled and modified to cater to your timetable for the next weeks. For your updated schedule, log in to your student account. Attached is the list of what to pack and the rooming arrangements; divided by program.
Service and internet access will be limited. Make sure to tell your families you may not be able to contact them for the weeks to come.
Should you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact any of your professors or counsellors.
-o-
Present Day - Wakanda's Palace - 7:16 AM
"Are you ready?"
Imanu looks up and sees Iqadi walking out of their ensuite. She's dressed in a dark pantsuit and heels, straightening wrinkles that weren't there. It was a solid piece with a neckline that plunged enough to see something but still had professional regality. There was a muted silver belt around her waist that draws Imanu's eyes. Wow. He was dressed fancy as well but he didn't look that good. Imanu looks up and sees Iqadi staring at him. Wow again. But she was waiting for an answer to a question he didn't think about. What was it again?
"You just have to sit there and look pretty," Iqadi says although he didn't answer. She knows him that well because he would've alluded to saying no. She was trying to be reassuring and he loves her for that. "I will never make you do a speech if you don't want to."
Imanu is taken aback. "You're serious?"
Iqadi takes a seat beside him on their bed and brushes off his shoulders. "I always am. Besides, you're still adjusting to roles and responsibilities around here. My mother had to take on duties ever since she walked through the gates. I would never do that to you."
"But you've been giving speeches since you were sixteen."
"That was two years ago and I spent sixteen years preparing for it. You've barely been here for half a year and I know you wouldn't like it."
Before Imanu could respond, Iqadi turns her back to him and hands him a necklace. Imanu takes each end in a hand as she bunches her hair over a shoulder. She looks over, watching him fumble with the clasp which he didn't want her to see. He hasn't even put the necklace around her neck and he's already screwing up. Imanu loops the necklace around her, resting the chain on her collarbones before connecting the ends. He exhales as she lowers her hair. Iqadi turns around to face him again and she sees his worry.
Because he's seen her put on necklaces by herself before. She didn't have to ask him to do it but she wanted him to.
"Let's go," he says, ushering her out of the room to avoid a conversation on what occurred.
"Imanu," she says, stopping him. She puts her hands on his arms which forces him to directly look at her. She's so beautiful. He doesn't deserve her. "Are you ready?"
"No," he responds. "Can I redo your necklace?"
He points at the charm around her neck. Iqadi glances down at it and smiles. Although there's nothing wrong with it, she removes her necklace and hands it to him.
-o-
Atlantic Residence - 2:20 AM
They're leaving in an hour. Everyone's packing for Camp SHIELD. They were all sent a list of what to pack but that didn't matter when nobody could find anything and they had no time to look. From Angela and Merida's dorm, they could hear closets and drawers slamming shut, footsteps running across rooms, and roommates yelling at each other.
Merida yawns as she tosses her training uniforms in her bag. Were they clean? Oh well. She throws in some toiletries, every portable charger she owns, and snacks for survival.
"Did you pack sunscreen?" Angela says. If someone was paying attention to the list provided, it's her.
"Only because I burn easily," Merida responds.
"What about a jacket?"
"Get off my ass about wearing a jacket."
"It's October and we're going into nature. It will be chilly."
Merida mocks her with a high-pitched voice and crinkled facial expressions as she throws in a jacket. Angela narrows her eyes at Merida before folding everything in her bag so that it'll close properly. God help her. They won't waste time by sitting on the bag and zipping.
Merida and Angela look up at the sudden thumping noise coming from the room above. God help all of them.
-o-
Hudson Residence - 2:22 AM
It wasn't comforting that their RA was awake and giving them all personalized farewells, especially since he's a survivor of Camp SHIELD. If anyone should pity them, it's him. But he'll still get paid for watching an empty residence because the whole floor will be at Camp SHIELD. Lucky bastard … he gets paid for babysitting nobody.
Ashton and Xavier were the only two on their floor who were smart enough to pack last night. They could've gotten at least two extra hours of sleep but there was so much noise from their neighbours.
"Why do I still feel like we'll be the ones dying at Camp SHIELD?" Ashton asks as he and Xavier head for the elevator.
"Because we thought we could prepare in advance for this," Xavier responds.
-o-
Edison Residence - 2:27 AM
Daniel couldn't wake up James. He was too nice and James wouldn't be productive. As if he was ever. The noise from their neighbours in every direction didn't faze James because he was wearing noise-cancelling headphones and an eye mask with the covers and a pillow over his head. Daniel knows he'll have to wake James eventually, but he can do that later. Preferably at the last minute because that's usually when James gets his shit together.
Usually.
Daniel even has to make sure that he texts their parents and Emily about them going MIA for the next bit. He repeats the process on James's phone. Because god help them if Emily Stark and Janet van Dyne worry about them together over mimosas.
-o-
Somewhere in the Air - 4:17 AM
They're on jets heading to their unknown destination. Nobody knew where Camp SHIELD since the location changes annually. The only information they got was that it was somewhere in the United States and that they will be in nature. Those are the reasons why they could leave their passports and pack for a camping trip. But nobody would be singing camp songs and making s'mores. Everyone's heard the horror stories of Camp SHIELD from older students and their RAs. To put it nicely, it's bootcamp on steroids. Most say that Operations students would be begging to return to campus and run laps in an ice storm. Others say that Sci-Tech students would plead to get their calculators taken away for the year. Then the Communications students bargain to get their data software exchanged for a pen and paper if it meant they didn't have to come here.
It didn't help that the plane ride there were full of wind turbulences and the counsellors (third-year students) were thriving on their innocent fear. They laughed amongst themselves, exaggerating their worst experiences, and bragged about how they're lucky to finally be on the other side.
In a row of three, Merida, Xavier, and Angela were lucky to be assigned next to each other. Merida snagged the window, Angela the aisle, and Xavier didn't argue against the middle. Merida looked riled and Angela was stressed. Besides, he heard it would be a short flight.
"Can we just admit that we're scared?" Angela whispers to them.
Merida turns away from the window. "Why?"
"Because shared human experience. If we all admit that we're scared, we'll feel less scared."
Xavier nods. Whatever will help her. " … I'm fucking terrified."
Merida shrugs. "I have no fear."
Before Angela could respond, the counsellors stand up from the front of the plane. One of them blows a whistle to get their attention. Some sleeping students jump a little in their seats, grunting and cursing as they look ahead.
"Alright, who are the assholes here on Director Fury scholarships?!" One counsellor asks.
Angela, Merida, and Xavier don't react. They continue looking straight ahead and do nothing that will give anything away that they were the recipients. Students start looking around, peeping over their seats to see who's going to put up their hands, and the three of them copy to divert suspicion.
Apparently, Director Fury never gave out a scholarship. He never interfered in The Academy's affairs because The Academy was its own institution with recruiting agents. But now rumour got around that he poked in this year. And Angela, Merida, and Xavier know why. It wasn't anyone's business they got the scholarships and they didn't want the spotlight on them. Especially at Camp SHIELD.
"Come on, we know there are five of you," another counsellor badgers. "Five out of, was it eight or nine? Who's dumb enough to reject a scholarship here?"
Two Asgardians, likely the Princess of Wakanda, and Emily Stark. The Academy would've never been able to handle them.
"Probably Sci-Tech or Communications kids," a counsellor reasons before they all sit down.
-o-
James was sleeping on Daniel's shoulder so he didn't hear the question and Daniel sank into his seat. They were on a different compartment of the plane but their counsellors grilled them about the Director Fury scholarships as well.
Daniel readjusts his glasses as everything settles. He tries his best to tune out the whispers from everyone around him. When that fails, he takes one of James's airpods and cranks up the music.