Orion
It felt like he was walking through a tunnel. The darkness was immense and impenetrable, wrapping him like a cocoon and drinking in the sound of his footsteps and quick breaths. Groping for even the smallest sign of reassurance, a hard powdery sensation met his outstreched palm and sent tiny plumes of dusting spraying through the gaps between his fingers. Thank God.
If cavern walls had handlebars, Orion would be gripping them for dear life. For now, though, simply pressing his fingertips into the bumpy surface and resolving to never let go had to suffice.
With small, premeditated steps, the adventurer tiptoed through the passage, stopping abruptly at a sight that made his heart lift with hope. In the distance, like the struggling flame of a single matchstick, shone the slightest and most surreptitious light, so miniscule that only those who knew the terrifying experience of being entrenched in shadow would instantly notice it.
Enthusiasm without knowledge makes mistakes, Orion.
The words came to him like a distant echo, and at that point he couldn't tell if it was real or just another figment of his desperate imagination. He found that the words had burrowed their way into his heart regardless, tempering his joy and sharpening his perception. Never losing contact with his destination, in fear that it may vanish as quickly as it appeared, he kept moving.
Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast, son.
The adage had slotted into Orion like a missing jigsaw piece. As he kept his movements steady, the golden dot of lumiescence grew into a circle, expanding, rising. Fighting the temptation to break into an all-out-sprint, he closed his eyes. It was getting so bright now. He didn't open them again until he felt a gentle warmth on his skin.
"．．．Ｏｒｉｏｎ．．ｂｒｅａｋｆａｓｔ ａｎｄ ｓｃｈｏｏｌ．．． Ｙｏｕ ｄｏｎ＇ｔ ｗａｎｎａ ｍｉｓｓ ．．． ｆｉｒｓｔ ｄａｙ ．．． Ｉ ｃａｎ ｃａｒｒｙ ．．．"
The waking boy raised his head slowly, and his hand found Tsugikuni's outstretched forearm.
"T-Thanks, dude..." He managed to exhale, though it took everything he had. With his dormmate's support, he slowly rose to his feet. After a few unintellgible groans, accompanied by a jerked thumb toward the bathroom, Orion span around languidly and trudged into the chamber.
A few rivers of cold water and a pep talk later, Orion emerged from the bathroom and scrambled for the bedroom, freeing up the bathroom for Tsugikuni, or even Marcel if he was evil enough. Desperate to shake off the chill circulating around his body, Orion threw on whatever clothes he could find, which (as it always did) ended up being a masterpiece worthy of runways worldwide.
The outfit in question, for the fashionably-inclined, was a plain white t-shirt under a black denim jacket, ripped jeans of the same colour, and his favourite pair of Timberlands. Throw in the stud earrings and dog tag necklace, and we have a winner!
With this invincible
sophisticated bad boy vibe, there wasn't a woman on earth who could resist.
As he sat down on the common room sofa, Jake already having likely left for class, the drowsiness finally started to vacate. The mysterious dream he'd had whilst still knocked out came to mind. He began to scramble around his person for his phone to jot down the details of said dream before he forgot them - only to find his mobile was missing! Well, if you count 'laying uselessly on the common room floor' as missing.
Reaching over and picking it up, Orion was mortified to find that the tabs he'd visited last were still open. How much did they - you know what? Didn't matter.
Orion had nothing to justify!
The squirrels here were clearly planning something, and he sure was heck wasn't gonna be the among the poor dopes sent to the acorn factories once they enacted whatever scheme they were cooking up.
And that Ralyegh guy -he said he was an Innsmouth. From what Orion could gather, they were a fairly prolific family of archaeologists, and had a hand in some pretty big discoveries. If that was the case, then it wasn't too much of a stretch to say that Orion's parents might have known them.
But 17 or so years ago - which would've been around when Orion and his classmates were born - they disappeared. No trace, nothing. Just like Orion's own parents a few years after.
It was unnerving.
Of course, there was that last research topic, but that was just to send corrections to the article's author! Promise! When one is gifted with great talent, especially on the topic of dealings with the opposite sex, isn't it only right to share that gift with your fellow man?
Orion sat back down and ruminated, writing down what he remembered from his bizarre dream until Tsugikuni would appear back in the common room.
Interactions: Tsugi @Cryronn the Mudkip , Marcel @MarcelGalliard790
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