Orion sat alone for ten whole minutes, the ticking of time dragging on like hours. He sat slouched in the corner, fiddling with his fingers, sometimes bouncing his knees, sometimes staring at the floor. Ten minutes wasn't much on paper, but in that silence it stretched into eternity. The base was noisy in the distance, boots stomping, voices echoing, metal clanging, yet in Orion's little corner it felt like the world had forgotten him.
After that, a few people finally started approaching.
The first one to arrive was an older guy, his steps firm but his face half bored. He had dark green hair, unusual enough to make Orion blink once. The man's expression was stiff, his jaw clenched like he had been chewing on bitterness all day. Still, Orion wasn't one to let appearances drag him down.
So, as the man approached, Orion raised a hand in an eager greeting, flashing a bright grin to kick things off. He wanted to make a good first impression, to start things on the right foot.
"Heya teammate, how's it hanging? Excited for the expedition?" Orion asked, voice cheerful, eyes sparkling with optimism.
The response was immediate and sharp.
"Tsc." The man scorned, clicking his tongue as though Orion's very existence annoyed him. Without another word, he walked past Orion and sat in the farthest chair possible, dragging it with an unnecessary scrape before sinking down stiffly.
"…"
Orion froze in place, his raised hand slowly lowering until it rested awkwardly in his lap. His smile wavered, but he tried to keep it up. Not the best start for a team introduction, huh?
Inside his head, though, his mood soured. "Bah! I can already tell this guy is gonna be a killjoy." He thought, lips twitching into a pout as he crossed his arms.
A few minutes later, another figure arrived. This time it was a short dude with plain brown hair. He looked younger than the green-haired man, though still older than Orion. His footsteps were lighter, quicker, maybe even impatient. Orion's spirits lifted immediately — second chances existed, right?
Once again, Orion forced himself to be optimistic. This was his chance to reset, to make a real friend before the expedition began. His hand shot up in another cheerful wave.
"Hey dude, what's up! Nice to meet you, I am Orion!" he said, raising his hand further this time, even leaning forward a little to offer a handshake. His grin was back, genuine and energyzing.
The short guy glanced at him. His eyes were dull, uninterested. Then, just like the first man—
"Tsc."
The sound hit like a hammer. The short one scorned too, dismissing Orion in the exact same way. He turned his back, scanning the chairs. When he realized the farthest seat was already occupied by the green-haired man, he sighed loudly and sat in the next farthest instead.
"….."
Orion's hand hung in the air, left dangling in an empty handshake that no one took. Slowly, painfully, he retracted it, scratching his own cheek as if that could erase the embarrassment.
"This isn't a good sign…" Orion sweat-dropped in his thoughts, feeling his optimism sink like a stone.
But then he shook his head quickly, forcing himself upright. "No wait! This can't be it! This was just bad luck, yeah absolutely, the next guy over will be fun to be with! This will be such a fun expedition! Everyone will have a great time!!!" He pumped himself up mentally, refusing to accept the gloom settling in.
A few minutes later, salvation seemed to arrive. A girl walked over.
Orion's eyes locked onto her immediately — and widened. His jaw dated to drop. She was so PRETTY!! Beautiful, even! Her face was soft and round, framed by strands of silky hair. Her nose was small, her skin pale and fair, and her eyes… her eyes were a deep ocean blue that seemed to pierce straight through him. But what shocked him most was her hair: a silver color. Shining, unreal, almost metallic under the light.
Orion had never seen anything like it. Impossible, wasn't it? At least, impossibly rare. But then again, his own eyes were orange, and he had never met anyone else like that either.
Still, the sight stunned him.
Orion jumped to his feet, raising his hand once again with doubled enthusiasm. "Nice to meet you!!! I am Orion, how're you?" His words spilled out in a beam of sunshine.
The girl stared at him. Her gaze lingered for a moment before shifting past him, toward the green-haired man in the farthest seat.
The green-haired man stiffened and looked away, his face caught between nervousness and fear. "S-Seat is taken…" he muttered quickly, trying to dismiss her.
But the girl didn't care. She didn't waver, didn't blink. Her blue eyes sharpened, turning from soft waves into icy daggers.
"Move."
That single word carried weight. And just like that, the man moved. No hesitation. He stood up instantly, almost instinctively, like a soldier obeying command. He grabbed the short brown-haired man by the shoulder, muttered something under his breath, and forced him to scoot one seat over.
Now, the silver-haired girl sat int he farthest seat from Orion.
Now besides him, the brown-haired man, now besides orion, show him a dirty look then pinched the bridge of his nose, glaring at Orion with barely concealed frustration. His stare screamed accusations Orion didn't understand.
"How rude!! What did I even do to you, sir?!" Orion cried on the inside, biting his tongue to keep from shouting it aloud.
Looking at the three members of his new crew so far, Orion felt his heart sink. He had dreamed of lively teammates, exciting companions, a group full of laughter and camaraderie. But this? This felt cold, distant, hostile. He really expected to have some fun… had he done something wrong? He replayed his greetings in his mind. No, he didn't think so! He had greeted them with genuine excitement, with open hands and open heart. That wasn't wrong… was it?
A few minutes passed in thick silence. The air between them grew heavier, the tension wrapping tighter and tighter like an invisible rope. Orion fidgeted with his fingers again, unsure whether to try speaking or stay quiet.
Then, finally, a fifth person entered.
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
When he stepped into the area, all eyes turned toward him — and stayed there. Even Orion, disappointed as he was, felt his attention drawn like a moth to flame.
The stranger had light brown hair, almost blonde when the light caught it. His armor was light, unlike the bulkier gear worn by the officials of Thirsting Agony. That alone made him stand out — he clearly wasn't one of them. Draped across his left shoulder was a green cape, short and rugged, not reaching past his hips. His body was firm, broad and buff without being exaggerated, the kind of build that came from real training, not vanity.
His posture was loose, almost careless, as though he didn't care where he was or who he was with. Aloof, unworried. His expression wasn't tense like the others', but instead carried the faint irritation of someone dragged somewhere they didn't want to be. At first glance, he looked exactly like the stereotypical "cool uncle" — relaxed, uninterested, the type to lean back and shrug off responsibility.
But his aura was undeniable.
It pressed against them, heavy and sharp, the kind of weight that came only from power. Invisible but undeniable. Orion's chest tightened instinctively, his pulse quickening.
"Uh, hi guys, I am Ashka from Commando… Nice to meet you." The man's voice was steady, casual.
Orion's thoughts blazed. This uncle was strong!!