When You're a Mystery Kid

Hunger Awakened

Disclaimer: I only own the story and my OCs.

The light that spilled over from the makeshift campsite behind them quickly dwindled. Now, the only thing keeping the group from being plunged into darkness were the light from Wybie's flashlight, the faint purple glow from the tip of Coraline's psychic baton, and the runic glow from Dipper's gloves. Even though it put most of them on edge, Norman had to admit Coraline's order to proceed down the tunnel with as little light as possible made sense. If they could catch the StrexCorp employees by surprise, then things wouldn't have to get messy, and he really didn't want things to get messy. Still, the darkness unnerved him. Scratch that, this entire structure unnerved him. Ever since he first laid eyes on the macabre gateway, there was a growing, gnawing sense of unease from the pit of his stomach. But, a strange, vague whisper at the back of his head told him to descend.

So, he did.

The group would stop intermittently, so that Raz and Lili could scan the darkness ahead for any kind of cerebral presence.

"Anything?" Coraline would impatiently ask in the silence that followed.

"Nothing yet," Raz would always answer, visibly growing impatient as well.

Within the next five minutes, that sentiment quickly spread to the rest of the group. As usual, Dipper was quick to voice exactly how that should be remedied.

"This is taking too long! If our mystery stooges haven't got the stone tablet before, they sure as hell have now." At least he still had the common sense to keep his voice to a loud whisper. "Let's get the lights back on and rush in after them!"

"Ey, cool it, Pines," Coraline hissed. "We don't know what they can do, and since this is StrexCorp, I'm guessing they can do a lot."

"Who cares what they can do?! We have Norman."

Norman blinked at the sudden mention of his name. Everyone's eyes were immediately drawn towards Norman, towards the constant elephant in the room that has been left mostly unmentioned since the end of Weirdmageddon. Even though they were all his closest friends, Norman couldn't help but wilt a little where he stood. Coraline's gaze softened, before hardening once more as she shifted her attention back to Dipper.

"Who, last I checked, wants to keep his powers as a last resort," she practically spat. The glare on Dipper's brow faded, his gaze locking with Norman's for a moment, before he looked away with a guilty frown.

Norman sent his leader a small smile of gratitude. "Thanks, Coraline," he said.

Coraline acknowledged it with a nod. "We're keeping the element of surprise. End of discussion." She spun on her heels. The group continued their descent, following her lead.

Tense silence quickly took over once again. Call him selfish, but Norman welcomed it this time. Better than questions about his least favorite subject in the world, at least. Besides, the silence only lasted until Raz and Lili's next presence check. The others could bear it.

Five minutes later, the tunnel opened up to a large chamber. The low light made it difficult to discern any specifics, but as Wybie hastily pointed his flashlight around the room, Norman could at least tell the room was circular, with a dome-like ceiling. There were at least four pillars within the room; two near where the group entered, two at the far end of the room. The group had only taken three steps into the room when they came to a sudden, immediate halt. The light from Wybie's flashlight stopped at the center of the chamber, illuminating the shape of a lone figure.

A man stood at the center of the chamber, his back facing the Mystery Kids. The jacket he was clothed in carried the familiar bright yellow of StrexCorp, so there was no mistaking it; he was one of the four men they were searching for. However, something felt off. When the group entered, their footsteps echoed throughout the cavernous chamber; a noise the man must have heard, but for some reason, didn't react to. Even now, with a light shining on his back, the man remained completely, unnervingly still.