𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕆𝕟𝕝𝕪 𝕎𝕒𝕪 𝕆𝕗 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕎𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕣
Ronal X Reader! short! thicc!POC X Tonowari
I always wanted to be important in life — to discover, to see, to understand, and of course to be treated like some sort of important person. Growing up, I was nothing more than a nerdy marine life fanatic. The sea — the extended, vast water, the animals — everything was so weird, cool, and pretty.
I dedicated my whole study life to capturing, recording, and drawing marine life and the sea. Drawing is a straight passion that I could never trade for anything. I just need my book and pencil, maybe some watercolors, and I would be set for life.
My mother and father always told me I had options in life. I could be a bum, or I could try and make something out of myself.
“I can't give you any more work when you still haven’t finished the ones I have given you, ___.” The professor said, frustrated.
“But sir! I am almost done with the work. I just need some more work! Please understand that I am trying to do this! This is my dream, this is my everything!” ___ pled, but to no avail. The professor turned to her with a stern look.
“Get it together, Miss ___. This isn’t high school. You barely started your PhD and you are seeking to drown yourself. Take some time off. Skip a few classes. Go out with friends. Get a new hobby — anything but this. Finish what you’ve got and we will see after.” The professor sighed, dropping his shoulders. “I know I’m being hard, but you do not want to be stuck here during your young years. I did that and it left me with a lot of missing spots in my life. Now in my old age, I crave what you have — youth, energy, little responsibility, and of course a love life. But at my age those things get thrown away for other things. I’m doing this for your own good, ___, not as a punishment. Look at the club board or some program. Maybe you’ll be able to find something that could interest you. Have a good night, Miss ___, and remember — enjoy what you have now.”
___ looked down at her feet. Of course she would be denied. He was not the first professor to tell her that she overworked herself. She carefully adjusted her shoulder bag and her art binder and started walking the opposite way. Easier said than done. She did not have friends. She was so focused on becoming somebody — the best, the top of the top — that she forgot she is just 21 years old. How can you fault her when her parents made sure she was always first in every class she was in?
In a way she was disappointed for an unknown reason. She would think that the praises of professors or them sending her more work would help that tiny heart of hers, but no. The denials just made her ache. She was alone. Nothing ever so exciting ever happened to her or in her life.
She dragged her feet over to the board where she was met with an overwhelming amount of options for clubs and other activities. Some of the flyers lay on the floor, others were pinned one on top of the other. “Maybe getting a bigger board would be a good option for them,” she mumbled. Nothing really captured her eyes — until it landed on a small rectangular piece of paper tucked in the lower corner.
Join us to find our new home.
“A new home? This sounds sketchy, but it sounds better than Sloppy Slope Toppy Loppy Club.”
She carefully opened her binder and slid the small rectangular paper inside, then started walking her way out of campus to her car.
‘Enjoy life.’ It echoed in her mind almost like a haunting mantra.
Thankfully she did not live with her parents. She was in a rented apartment that her parents helped her move into.
She held the steering wheel and rested her forehead on it, staying still for a while before looking again at the binder and the rectangular piece of paper. She reached out for it, reading it again and again. She let out a light, frustrated growl-like sound before pulling up her phone and dialing the number from the paper in hand.
“Thank you so much for calling our Avatar Program. Please hold before we connect you…”
Inside she was panicking, but outside she was trying to remain calm. She is calling this number regarding a weird Avatar program which seems like a highly likely scam, but here she was getting herself into it.
“Thank you so much for holding. Were you interested in participating in the Avatar Program? If so, what would you be able to bring to the program?”
Over the period of four years, now being 25, I was versed in the Avatar Program so much that I was assigned to study and capture the reef, the corals, the deep ocean. Four years passed since I finished my PhD. Four years have passed since she started the Avatar Program as a part-timer. Now being full-time, she was going to be sent to Pandora in a week.
“Oh come on, ___, you haven’t changed. Come on, we are trying to go out for dinner. Never know when we will ever have good meat once we go to Pandora.”
“Eric, please. I just — I don’t know. I’m scared. I’m excited. I’m horrified. We are going to be in a cryo pod for five to six years. Technically we will still look the same, but our ages and the fact that we are forced to sleep during that time is crazy. I guess I bury myself in work when I am nervous.” She said, taking off her lab coat and hanging it.
“Maybe I should rest. Come on, I guess let’s go before I change my mind,” ___ said with a small nervous chuckle.
“Atta girl. I knew you had it in you to get out of your comfort zone and relax.” Luca smacked her back, making ___ wheeze out.
In her time with the aquatic Avatar Program, ___ was able to make some decent friends. They were all unique in their own way, but she appreciated them a lot. It was their own crazy, odd little family. The group of five laughed at ___’s reaction before Mei Lou grabbed her by the arm and pulled her.
“Come on, don’t be too harsh on her, big guy. Come on, honey, let’s go have some food. I don’t know how you can work for hours without food, snacks, or anything. It’s like you almost photosynthesize yourself to not need it.” Mei Lou — or Mei for short — let out a sucking-teeth sound like a disappointed mother.
“Mei Mei, I think out of all of us you are able to eat more. You think about snacks between breaths, silly.” Rowna giggled while Mei pouted before pinching Rowna’s arm. “Food is good for you.”
Eric, Luca, Mei Lou, Rowna, and me — our little team of aquamarine life scientists for Pandora. We were all excited, but deep down I know that we were all scared. Was coming back an option at any point? Will we be able to do as the propaganda says? How successful is the Avatar Program going to be? So many questions, little time.
‘Enjoy life.’ There it is again — those words. Her companions’ laughter faded as she was deep in thought. ‘Enjoy life. You never know when it ends.’ It was a weird, beautiful message that was ingrained in her head. She always felt like time was running faster than she could. She has reached the top of the top, and now it is time to at least relax before the true hard work comes.
She walked to the exit door with a smile. “Come on then, let’s go eat and have fun.” It took some time for ___ to understand the concept of fun, and she is still getting used to it, but she gave herself some wiggle room for that matter.
Today we enjoy. Tomorrow we work more.
