Chapter Text
“Milky, get up-” Wind Archer wheezed, tugging Milky Way’s arm. “It’s nearly time for that campus tour.”
“What…? No, five more minutes…” she mumbled sleepily. “Or ten…”
Wind Archer sighed. “This is why you don’t sleep at twelve. Especially when you have to get up at seven.”
“That’s still enough sleep…”
“And yet, you’re acting like this. C'mon we’re gonna be late.”
“Fine…” Milky Way grumbled, flopping out of bed.
She quickly got changed, choosing an oversized star-themed sweater that nearly swallowed her whole, paired with denim shorts. Then, she got a dark blue messenger bag, complete with a little planet keychain.
“Is this alright now?” she asked, rubbing sleep out of her eyes. “I don’t want to wear anything so formal in the morning…”
“It’s good enough.”
Wind Archer unlocked the door. He was dressed in a sweater vest, with a white shirt underneath. It looked awfully plain compared to Milky Way.
“Ready?” he asked.
“No.”
“We’re leaving anyway.”
The two made slow progress across campus, mostly because Milky Way wouldn't stop complaining about the walk. To be honest, it was only about seven minutes to get from their dorm to the meeting point.
“Why is it so early in the morning…” she complained. “They could have just done it in the afternoon…”
“Well, when orientation ends, you’re gonna need to wake up early if you signed up for morning classes. You can’t escape it.”
“I just won’t do them then.” Milky Way declared determinedly. “I’ll go for the night and afternoon classes. I mean, I AM majoring in astronomy.”
Wind Archer looked at her in surprise. “You study astronomy? Isn’t that like a science-y subject?”
“Yep! Astronomy is really easy though. You just gotta memorize stars, planets, blackholes, orbital mechanics, stellar evolution. OH! Can’t forget the horrifying amount of physics you do after ALL that.”
An eruption of noise greeted them. Freshmen were running around, talking to each other and their friends while upperclassmen volunteers and teachers were trying to restore order. Wind Archer sighed. It seems like everywhere he went was chaotic.
Thinking back on it, he probably should’ve just stayed in his dorm. This was turning out to be SUCH a bother.
“FRESHEMEN! SETTLE DOWN!” Everyone quietened down. The teacher waited a few seconds before continuing. “Alright, we will be splitting you into several groups. There is a list pinned on the pillar over there, check it and go over to your chaperone. There will be signs pointing towards your group, please try and do this in an orderly fashion. Thank you.”
Naturally, students started swarming around the piece of paper, elbowing and pushing each other to take a look.
“C’mon, we need to see that paper.” she urged him. “Hurry upppp.”
“Okay, I’m coming, you don’t need to tug on my arm like that.”
By the time they arrived, most of the freshmen had already gone towards their guide. Only a small crowd surrounding the pillar were left.
“Why is the font so tiny?” Milky Way squinted her eyes. “I can’t even read it from here.”
“It’s not small.”
“It is from all the way over here.”
“I’m standing right next to you and I can see it.”
“But I can’t…”
”Then just move closer.”
“It’s so far away though…”
“Oh, just get over here,” Wind Archer muttered, trying to sound annoyed while hiding a smile threatening to peek through.
His eyes scanned for his name. And for Milky Way’s of course. There it was:
TEAM 3
- Wind Archer
- Sea Fairy
( insert random cookies i can’t be bothered to name :< )
But no Milky Way.
Wind Archer frowned.
He double-checked the list.
Still no Milky Way.
“You and I were separated,” he told her.
She gasped. Then gasped again. Then a third time for dramatic effect.
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE AREN’T TOGETHER?!” Milky Way shouted, loud enough for people to turn their heads.
Wind Archer pretended he didn’t know her.
“It’s only one activity…”
“I WAS GOING TO CRUSH THIS SCAVENGER HUNT WITH YOU,” she whined. “And we’re roommates; at this point, we’re a package deal.”
“I don’t think that’s how random selection works.”
“Well it should work like that.”
A bell rang throughout the courtyard.
“Attention freshmen! Please make your way to your assigned groups now.”
Milky Way looked horrified.
“This is where we part,” she said. “REMEMBER MEEE!”
“I’m going to see you after this.”
“BUT I HAVE NO BUDDIES.”
“You could literally befriend anyone in two seconds flat.”
“Still.”
“Milky.”
“Okay, okay, I'll go.” Then she was gone.
For the first time that morning, Wind Archer was completely alone.
Silence.
Then-
“OI! WINDY!”
Wind Archer froze. He’d recognize that way-louder-than-necessary voice anywhere. Of course, of ALL the places he could be in he chose to be here.
Wind Archer seriously contemplated switching universities.
“OVER HERE!”
He walked over to his group. Fire Spirit grinned. “Looks like you’ll be stuck with me for the rest of the morning. Welcome to Team 3”
“Can I switch teams?”
Somehow, that grin became even more bright. “Nope!” Fire Spirit said cheerfully. “There’s no way out.”
Wind Archer groaned. “Out of all the chaperones I could’ve gotten I just HAD to get you.”
“Aww, don’t sound so disappointed Windy. I thought we had something special,” Fire Spirit placed a hand over his heart flamboyantly.
“We don’t.”
“You’re so cruel.”
Fire Spirit turned to face the rest of the group. “Now, gather round freshies. The first clue is… drumroll please.”
Nobody did it.
Fire Spirit looked around at all the freshmen. “Really?” He raised an eyebrow.
“Just tell us the clue already.”
“Fine… it says ‘go to the place where knowledge rests, where students panic before every test.’ and now you have to figure out what this place is to get the next clue.”
“It’s the library,” someone piped up.
“Correct! Good to know someone here cares about their education. And what’s your name?” Fire Spirit asked, pointing at her.
“Sea Fairy,” she said timidly.
“Nice to meet you! Team 3, onwards!”
The group began moving.
Wind Archer found himself walking in step with Sea Fairy. For a few moments, neither of them spoke. Then, she adjusted the strap of her bag and started speaking.
“You’re Wind Archer, right?”
“Yeah.”
“You take Environmental Science right?”
Wind Archer was stunned. “How did you know that?”
“It was on your orientation badge yesterday.”
“You remembered everyone’s?”
Sea Fairy sheepishly turned away. “Not exactly everyone…” she mumbled.
“Hm. What’s your major?” he asked.
“Marine Biology.”
“So I guess we’ll have a few classes together.”
Their conversation was swiftly interrupted by Fire Spirit. “We’re here at the library freshies, where you will be in a caffeine-induced state for the rest of your time here!” He presented the library with jazz hands, looking like an absolute idiot.
The group did NOT seem reassured by this description.
“Anyway, here’s the next clue. It literally just says ‘find the oldest resident on campus.’ What kind of clue is that?!”
“It might be a professor?” someone asked.
“Nope!”
“The dean?” another student asked.
“Wrong again.”
Finally, Wind Archer spoke. “A tree?” he offered.
“GOOD ANSWER!” Fire Spirit announced. “Off to the arboretum!”
And of course, after JUST a few steps, the group already took a wrong turn.
Fire Spirit leaned against the fountain dramatically. “We are so lost.”
“We literally have a map.” Wind Archer pointed out.
“Yet here we are.”
“It would help if you weren’t holding it upside down.”
Fire Spirit looked down. “In my defense-”
“There is no defense,” Wind Archer cut in.
Sea Fairy and the rest of the group laughed.
He looked offended. “Okay, genius, if you’re so smart, take the map and get us there.” Fire Spirit challenged.
“Bring it on.”
The rest of Team 3 followed behind as Wind Archer studied the map.
“Left.”
“Already? You only glanced at it for like, I don’t know, three seconds?” Fire Spirit squinted at him.
“Maybe it’s because I can actually read a map, unlike you.”
“Hey!”
Sea Fairy laughed quietly again.
“OH! Witness! Sea Fairy laughed!”
She nearly tripped over her own feet. “I-I did not!”
“You definitely did!”
Wind Archer pinched the bridge of his nose. “Can we just get on with this before next year’s orientation comes along?”
At last, the arboretum was in sight. The oldest resident on campus was, in fact, a tree. A plague sat at its base. Written on it were the words: ESTABLISHED 1892.
“Huh,” Fire Spirit hummed. “Turns out you were right.”
Wind Archer shrugged. “It was the most logical answer.”
“You figured it out incredibly quickly though.”
“My major is Environmental Science.”
“Really?”
Fire Spirit stared at him. Wind Archer stared back.
“...What?”
“Nothing…”
“You’re thinking about something.”
“I’m just realizing you’re actually really smart.”
Wind Archer was flabbergasted. ( idk i just really love this word it sounds so funny… )
Sea Fairy doubled over laughing.
“AHA!” Fire Spirit pointed at her. “THERE IT IS AGAIN!”
The next two hours passed by in a flash. The science building. The music hall. A statue that had enough legends about it to officially qualify as its own mythology course.
Somewhere between clues seven and eight, Fire Spirit managed to get them lost three more times.
Wind Archer was beginning to suspect that this was on purpose.
“CONGRATULATIONS TEAM THREE!” Fire Spirit exclaimed, handing out completion stickers to the group.
When Wind Archer received this, there was writing on the back.
MAP BOY
Wind Archer looked horrified. “Are you kidding me?”
Fire Spirit was delighted. “You’re NEVER escaping the nicknames,” he chuckled.
-------------------- ⚝ --------------------
Later that evening, Wind Archer returned to the Hearth & Grind. Fire Spirit, as per routine, was there, leaning against the countertop. The coffee shop was practically empty apart from the two and a few customers at the back.
“Medium black coffee again?” Fire Spirit asked, already having the order memorised.
“Yes.”
They engaged in playful banter. Wind Archer was complaining about the scavenger hunt while Fire Spirit listened intently, butting in with his own opinions at times. After a few minutes, he slid over the cup to Wind Archer.
“Here’s your liquid misery.” Fire Spirit smiled at him.
Wind Archer sighed in mock annoyance. “Would you stop calling it that?”
“Never.”
And just like the last times he’d gone, there was more writing on the side, in the usual dark green marker.
MAP BOY ( the one who didn’t get us lost )
Proud of you, Windy.
Wind Archer froze. The joke was still there.
But this time, it felt different.
Then-
“You’re looking at it again.”
Wind Archer nearly jumped. “N-No I wasn’t,” he stuttered.
Fire Spirit laughed. “You totally did. I saw you.”
“I was reading it.”
“Same thing.”
Wind Archer left the cafe, cup in hand. The heat was warming his hands and fingers as he read the message again.
He rolled his eyes.
But the smile tugging at the corner of his mouth was ruining the effect entirely.