Mulling over the consequences of going outside just to see glowing moss, Alex decided that it just wasn't worth it going outside. He also knew about Richard's natural curiosity, so he knew better than to try and convince him otherwise.
"Sorry Richard," Alex lamented, "but I'd rather not get in trouble."
Upon hearing this, Richard's face became downcast.
"Oh," he muttered, "ok..."
"You can go outside though," Alex amended, "I'm not gonna snitch on you."
Visibly brightening up again, Richard offered Alex a quick thanks before bolting towards the exit door. The promenade (again, why couldn't they call it a cafeteria?) had a total of three floors, and Richard was currently on the second one. Taking great care to not make any noise (the teachers were sitting together near the stairs), he quickly snuck down the dark stairway and made his way to a hallway, which led to the promenade's entrance.
Once there, Richard opened the door to the outside, only to recoil from the wind. He had underestimated just how cold and hard it was raining, and now he was was having second thoughts about going outside.
But he ignored them and pushed through...
The harsh winds pelted him with rain, his clothes quickly grew wet, and his shoes were starting to get moist, but Richard did not falter. He kept on running across the field separating the University from the wilderness and did not stop until he was beneath a tree that shielded him from the rain.
By the time he was out of the field and in the forest, his clothes were already soggy, his shoes were filled with water, and his socks were moist. He shuddered as the harsh cold winds hit his already soaked body. Things were already looking bad for him.
There was no turning back, and Richard knew it. So, he made his way deeper into the forest in search of the fabled moss.
Thankfully, he didn't have to search for long. The dark shadows casted by the trees amplified the glow's brightness, making it extremely easy to locate. Eventually, after trekking through the thick foliage, Richard found the glow's source.
It wasn't moss, but rather a small pond. It emitted a beautiful bluish-green glow that looked ethereal.
"Wow," Richard breathed, "it's so pretty..."
As he looked, Richard noticed something deep withing the pond. Intrigued, he slowly approached the lake, only to slip and fall down. The entire area had been covered in mud, and he had forgotten just how slippery it could be.
Richard yelped as he slid down the pond's bank; hands and feet digging into the mud. Unfortunately, the mud was too soft as it slid between his fingers.
Before he knew it, Richard had fallen into the strange glowing water. Thrashing in confusion, Richard slowly moved around until he rightened himself. For a moment, he floated(?) there in place, taking notice of his tranquil surroundings.
Until he remembered where he was (and that he wasn't a fish). As he slowly swam towards the surface, he noticed the strange object at the bottom of the pond that he had seen.
It was...