Chapter Text
A Shift:
S.H.I.E.L.D.
Female Narrator: In Midtown Manhattan sat a public school. Many unique people went to this school. Down the hall, to the right. Four door pass the water fountain. Inside the classroom sat a bored teenager. The teenager has honey tanned skin and her curly dark brown hair was tied back in a loose ponytail rather than the normal braids that day. Russet brown eyes scanned outside in a middle of a daydream, her work already done before her.
Heyyy! Over here, yeah, apparently this is going to be a story completely about me, which is great. I suppose I should start with my name… Evangeline Siwili. Call me Evan. Yeah, I go to Midtown High School as a junior, in advanced classes thank you very much, and currently I am very, very, VERY bored.
I looked away from the spider in the window, my thoughts returning from, does the silk contain DNA, to my finished work as I raised my hand, gaining Mrs. Johnson’s attention. “Hands down until you finish your quiz, Ms. Siwili.” My teacher, a crotchety old woman trying to play 30 with piles of hair on stacked neatly on her head, huffed out with not a small amount of exasperation.
She’s such a crab and not the good, fun, kind.
"But, Mrs.Johnson, I'm done." I explained, waving my paper in the air for her to see; she scoffed disbelief plain on her face. I really hate new old teachers, they don’t conform to the needs of the students. They expect us all to be the same level of stupid, it’s like their flexibility and drive to teach died somewhere about 10 years ago.
For example: “These answers are all correct, that isn't possible!” She screeched. Well, it is if the office accidently placed you in this class instead of the advanced one you hag… “"You cheated, there's no way you got all of these right!" She claimed, glaring at me.
"How- no, why would I cheat?!" I wondered, out loud. Honestly, I have a 4.5 GPA on what planet would I need to cheat?
"You have a phone. I saw it, you little cheater." She decided. That's very unoriginal, if I were to cheat I’d do it some other way, like James Bond, I'm sure.
Two desks from the back, the guy has the answers on a sticky note on his shoe.
Is that really original..?
“ That’s stupid.” I responded, plainly. She should have retired while she was still competent.
"Go to the office, I'm calling you in." Mrs Johnson demanded, harshly walking over to the classroom speaker. A few of my classmates gave me sympathizing looks, this isn't the first time she's tried to pull this bull. I just sighed, gathering my stuff and walking out, heading to the office...
Female Narrator:
But who knew that moment would to change her life forever?
HEY! That was my line! Who are you anyway?
Female Narrator:
Oh, I’m introduced later on.
Well… you’re a pain in the ass.
Female Narrator:
You won’t always think that of me.
Try me.
"Ambrosia." A deep voice made me stop mid-step. The only people who know about that are my Mama and Eugene, and only Mama knows the truth- no one else. I turned around looking at the tall black man standing there. "I've heard great things about you. I wonder how much of it is true." He questioned, walking towards me. I glanced over his apparel and took in his appearance. He seems to favor his right side ever so slightly, and the eye patch could hinder him. However he oozes confidence from every pour and that has my metaphorical hackles drawn.
On a more positive note, he resembles what I imagine a modern day pirate would look like.
Of course you think that. I do sense something off about him.
"I’m sorry, who? I believe you’ve made a mistake, sir." I smile sweetly, attempting to walk away and leave this stranger as soon as possible.
Stranger danger.
"Evangeline Siwili; almost 17 years old, a scientific prodigy, with talents that also lie in the literary arts; a tendency to excel, with a highly focused mind. Your father is full blood Native American, but multiple tribes run in his blood. He is an ex-boxer, who taught you how to fight. He mysteriously disappeared and is believed is dead, from a hunting trip gone awry. Your mother is in intensive care at the local hospital. You work three jobs, but only two exist on record."
I spun around glaring at him. How could he possibly know that? No one but my mom knows that stuff!
STRANGER DANGER! R-- Oh, something shiny!
"I am Nick Fury. Will you talk to me now?" I nod my head, glancing back to the office where I'm supposed to be heading. I still need to have them transfer me out of that class. "Don't worry we have you covered." He assured me.
I followed him to the roof and sat down. He stood facing me with a more serious expression. "How do you know of my other job; of Ambrosia?" I ask, cautious of his answer. I know I had covered my tracks thoroughly with her. Ambrosia has a lot of people after her for various reasons.
"Street fighting like that is illegal, but makes good money. How much of it do you get?" Fury asked, evenly.
"As if you don't know…" I stated, flatly, keeping my eyes level with his own. I refuse to submit to this man.
Fury laughed; I wanted to strangle him. "You cheat. How many of them know you have regenerative healing abilities? Or know that you can change give your body animal characteristics, so long as you possess its DNA? Like your bracelets…" I glared at him. I'm a mutant but no one should know. I can't be taken away from my mother. I'm a skinwalker. I have to protect. I have to keep balance. The man wasn't phased by my glare. "I want you to join SHIELD as a junior agent you will get to work with the top scientific minds of our time." Fury tossed out, throwing me for a loop. Not what I was expecting from Mr. Foreboding. "You've heard of us?"
He DEFINITELY knows the answer to that.
Smart ass.
"SHIELD as in The SHIELD that makes the FBI and CIA look like little kids playing pretend? They cover up everything that goes bump in the night just so the world will have some peace? That SHIELD?"
Slight panic attack happening…. right now.
Fury smirked at me and the one eye you can see sparkled slightly. "Rising Tide follower; but a fan of us, I see." He has me and he knows it. "You have good instincts for this kind of thing, I assume?"
SHIELD!
Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division
AS IN THE KICK ASS ASK QUESTIONS LATER SHIELD!?
Hell yeah.
"Why would THE Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division want me?" I asked, evenly standing up to look at his one eye. Fury looks vaguely amused.
I'm not sure, but I think I can grow to like this guy.
I don't know about you, but I want to grow up to be like him. Or at least like his eyepatch.
"Good, you already have the agency’s name memorized," Fury did another annoying smirk of amusement, "Let's go." He motioned me to follow him.
"I would love to but I can't leave scho-..." He cut me off, throwing me something. I caught it just in time to see a phone with a message up. It's to my principal saying that I was called out of school for personal reasons, if he has questions to contact the man at this number. "Whose number is that?" I ask, though now a bit apprehensive about finding out.
"Agent Coulson. You will meet him." Fury informed me, motioned me to follow him.
Great…. Here I am skipping school because a Super Spy wants me to.
Super Spies are supposed to be sexy, he's not even sexy.
The hell are you whining about?! ITS FUCKING SHIELD!
This sucks.
Idiot.
We walked out of the school building only to see a non-descript black car waiting for us. He motioned me to get in and I did, though I was fidgeting with the bottom of my shirt. I closed my eyes. I knew I should have worn my other outfit. It's not like I care what others think about me but this outfit will make me stand out wherever he takes me.
I look down to black v cut shirt and blue jeans that has tears all in the legs from years of abuse. I abuse my clothes because of work and my side job, street fighting. Without the abuse they are harder to move in. My shoes are slip on shoes, that I can take off in a heartbeat if I need to transform. No socks, I can't ever wear socks, I don't like wearing socks, and I blame the fact that they are annoying to take off when I have to just takes too long.
We stopped after a few minutes; I didn't even notice where we were. I really should have been paying attention. I stopped fidgeting with the hem of my shirt and instead played with my bracelets on my arms. One is rough scales, snake skin, to be precise it's Cobra. The next one up is thicker and the length of its width is smaller, it's so soft I almost couldn't recognize what it is supposed to be when I first got it; it's wolf. My fingers slid over it to the one that's around my elbow under my shirt. It's rough and kind of reminds me of sandpaper, Shark Skin.
Fury doesn't look at me but I know he's expecting me to follow him. The bracelet on my other arm that is visible is white with soft fur on top of it, white tiger. Beside it is my black one that's nearly identical to it, Black Panther. My last two are actually tied together, my mother's favorite animal and my dad's spirit animal, what our last name is. My mother's favorite animal is a bear, black bears, she acts like one at times. My father's spirit animal, my last name, is Fox. My name is more complicated than that but that's the rough meaning of it.
We got into a helicopter and sat down. I kept naming my bracelets mentally over and over again. For each I thought over the pros and cons of the transformation.
Cobra: Excessively large. Fast. Feared by most. Venomous. Easy to slip into dark damp places where no one will see me. Can't stand the cold. Will find sunny places instinctively.
Wolf: Slightly larger than average. Fast and somewhat strong. Teeth can tear through flesh. Feared by most. Mistaken as a dog at times. I can wander openly and most won't recognize me as a wolf…. at first. Will be shot at if recognized. Going extinct. Protective.
Shark: Fast swimmer and strong. Feared by most. Capable of tearing flesh from bones. Most animals leave it be. Is easily distracted. Smells blood and instinctively tries to find the source. Going Extinct. Sensitive nose.
White Tiger: Fast runners and strong. Feared by all on a subconscious level. Going extinct. Aren't found in wild for inbreeding in captivity. Self developed vanity complex due to white coat. Requires sustenance often. Protective.
Black Panther: Fast runners and strong. Feared by all instinctively. Going extinct. Lean. Great climber. Natural night camouflage. Sharp teeth/claws. Protective.
Black Bear: Not fast but excessively strong. Feared by all instinctively. Hungry... always. Gentle, despite reputation. Curious animal. LARGE. Highly protective.
Fox: Slightly larger than average. Fast, but not very strong. Intelligent. Not feared by many. Can be mistaken as a pet. Sly and tricky, instinctively. Highly protective..
Finally, my Fruit Bat spirit animal: Excessively large. Fast flier but not strong. Hates being in the light but can be. Nocturnal, Sight is not bad despite common misconceptions. Uses Echolocation to find food, family and anything else that it may need. Highly effective creature to be. Natural fight or flight instinct
We are flying over water and if something happens I know at least I'll survive thanks to my shark skin. If I can't get out of the helicopter fast enough I can always transform into my cobra form first then slither out and after that get into the water. Transform back to human, and then to Shark.
I need a dolphin one….
No, not need, want.
I want. Dolphins are fast and highly intelligent.
"What animals do you have?" I heard someone ask, grabbing my attention. I look up, my eyes landing on a woman in her early twenties standing beside the open door looking to me. I blinked a few times and looked around. I noticed that Fury was walking away from me. "Come on." The woman beside me motion, with a slight smile. "I'm Maria Hill, just call me Hill though." She introduces herself. "I have a lot to tell you and not much time to do so." She went all formal, but she's nice it seems like. She's warmer than Fury was anyway.
"Just call me Evan." I told her, with a smile. She nodded her head and smiled leading me into this big thing.
Where are we?
Wait, are we in the air still?
Oh fudgesicles! I love heights but this is creepy!
"Where are we?" I ask, freaking out mentally.
"Helicarrier, above the Atlantic Ocean. Don't worry we’re safe here. Best minds there are put in their two cents for this thing so it's safe for us." She assured, it calmed me down slightly. "Plus don't you have a bird or something like that you can change into if something does happen?" She raised her eyebrow at me.
"Only my bat." I told her, then cover my mouth real fast.
Ms Hill laughed warmly. "Hey, it's fine." She said waving off my freak out. "I read your profile. You are a mutant, one whose labeled as a legendary creature. Skinwalker, correct? So I get the gist; if you have animal DNA you can transform into that animal.”
I went wide eyed and look at her then face palmed. "Thus why you asked what all animals I have?" I ask her, she nodded her head.
"So what all do you have?" Ms Hill repeated her question, I started to walk with her again. She led me throughout halls of nothing but labs and random agents running around like ants in a colony.
"I have a lot; too many to name and no offense, but I don't know you well enough to share that information." I told her, with a slightly uncomfortable smile. She nodded her head in understanding. Ms Hill remained quiet for a few minutes so finally I asked. "You said before you have a lot to fill me in on, so what all will I be doing here?" I asked, curiously.
She smiled nodding her head in understanding. We're getting to an area with no windows looking into the rooms. barracks, maybe? "Firstly, you will be monitored for a while, whenever you are on the ship. Consider it a probationary period. You may not see us, but you'll be constantly monitored." She informed me, leading me to one rooms placing in a code then motioning me in. "This will be your room while you’re on board. Please change into the suit in the closet, behind you. You also need to read as much of this as you can before someone comes to collect you. It should take about an hour." She said, handing me a little booklet. I frowned slightly at it but shrugged. Reading fast is a blessing at times like this. "You will mostly be working under one scientist or with a group of young adults that will be joining us soon." She answers my previous question, with a smile.
"Thanks." I told her as I look over the booklet just flipping the pages to random at first. "See you in a hour?" I ask her, she nodded her head.
"You will." She replied, leaving out of the room. I could hear her walking down the hall and wondered what to come next.