The Dishevelled Group of Presumptuous Time Travellers

Where Grey Clouds are Full of Maliciousness

         First impressions are so important, and some people sadly don’t realise this. Think about it; the things you say and do when you first encounter someone will be burned into both your memories forever, and if you act stupid, that’s how they’ll see you for a long time, perhaps forever. Of course, you could always prove them wrong, but that takes quite a lot of meaningless effort and it’s simply better to just do it right the first time. Most people don’t, though, but mucking it up is okay sometimes, right?

Vincent dragged Viola after him for what seemed like a really long time to her, but was really only 5 minutes (Viola hated to run). Just as she was getting tired and whiny and debating whether to ask him to slow down, he stopped altogether and turned to Viola.

“We’re here,” he said, glancing at her sweaty brow and trying to hide his look of amusement at the unfit specimen that stood before him. Viola noticed his snideness, and couldn’t help feeling both self-conscious and bitter.

She looked around, and saw nothing but a few scraggly trees and a rather large rock. They were still in the same barren, desert-like environment as before, but with a bit more plant life.

“Um, okay,” she said, noticing that the alarming noise was getting louder and louder. If what Vincent had previously said was true, that something ‘bad’ would come, it seemed dumb to be standing around, waiting for it.

“Is that it? All you’re gonna say is ‘okay’? Aren’t you gonna ask where the headquarters is? You know, I thought you’d be exciting, but you’re proving to be passive so far,” he said, laughing at Viola’s immediate denial.

“I-I’m not passive! Shut up! I can be super exciting, I swear! Where are the headquarters? Is that exciting enough for you, or do I have to be even more exciting? WHERE ARE THE HEADQUARTERS?” Viola spouted immediately off the top of her head.

She was feeling so embarrassed to be thought of as passive; you see, Viola could sometimes be quiet and act sort of shy (and in extreme cases, apathetic), but she liked to talk and to be thought of as extroverted, which frequently conflicted with her behaviour. The fact that Vincent had already noticed that she could sometimes be passive infuriated her, because it was a habit that she immensely disliked. No heroine in any great book was passive; passiveness was not endearing, interesting, or relatable.

“Alright, I take it back, you’re insane. Anyway, I’ll tell you! Come here,” Vincent led her to the largest tree and stood next to it, beaming slightly at Viola’s bemused expression.

Sighing, Viola begrudgingly said, “I guess you want me to ask what that tree has to do with your dumb headquarters?”

“Well, since you want to know so badly, I guess I have no choice but to show you. Climb the tree,” he pointed to it, and Viola sized it up, telling herself that it would be an incredibly easy task.

Reaching up, her arms grasped the lowest branch, and she tried to heave herself up, feeling her arm muscles straining. This was the most athletic thing she had ever been forced to do, besides running 10 laps in gym class. Her legs had ached so much after, that she hadn’t gone to school the next day. Her muscles just weren’t used to such strain, but she couldn’t give up, otherwise she’d risk embarrassing herself in front of Vincent.

It was far too late for that, though; after trying, unsuccessfully, to lift herself onto the branch, she felt a pair of hands around her waist, lifting her up quite easily. Freaking out, she started to wiggle around, and she felt her foot come into contact with something hard.

“Ow! Damn it!” Vincent cursed and let go of Viola, dropping her to the ground. She landed at an awkward angle, with her face near his elbow.

“Why’d you kick me?” Looking utterly perplexed, Vincent gets up, staring down at her.