Arthur arrived back home feeling exhausted. His last class of the day had been history which would normally be manageable if he wasn’t already exhausted from a full day of classes.

He’d barely had time to get lunch during his thirty-minute lunch break. Thankfully he’d found a sandwich shop as he was walking to his next class. Maybe he needed to start prepping meals in advance and bringing them with him. He’d have to ask Tom about it.

Arthur dropped his backpack on the couch and quickly slumped into the thick cushions.

It must have been the transformation and foundations classes. He felt mentally exhausted from all the information, which was expected, but the physical weariness from using new abilities and doing drills in the morning left him feeling like it was Vincent’s summer school all over again.

He heard a knock at the door which surprised him. Tom must have forgotten his key.

Arthur got up with a groan and opened the door to see the girl from his English class who had used been floating her suitcases on move in day.

“Hello!”

“Hi. What can I do for you?” Arthur asked.

“You’re Arthur, right? You put down that you got the special challenge slip this morning in class.”

“Yes. What about it?”

“Can I come with you to take the photo?”

“Um, I mean, I guess. Why do you want to come along exactly? Also what is your name by the way?”

“My name is Shona. I want to know what the special prize is for photographing the deer.”

“Why not just wait and see if I even manage to photograph it? You’ll be able to get the prize if you get a photo yourself after six months.

“I don’t need any prizes. I just want to know what it is.”

“Ok… I guess curiosity is fair since it’s been so long. But what makes you think we’ll be able to photograph it at all if people have been failing for five years?

“Challenges are given to those who are worthy. You’ll be fine.”

“I appreciate the confidence, but wouldn’t that mean the last sets of people were worthy too and they failed?”

Shona seemed nonplussed, “Maybe technically, but that’s why I’m here. We’ll get photos for sure.”

Arthur seemed unsure, “I suppose two heads is better than one. Since school just started let’s plan on going in a few weeks maybe on…”

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“Why not today?” Shona interrupted.

“We just started the school year though… I probably need to focus on looking ahead for classes and preparing for exams…”

Tom’s voice rose out of nowhere saying, “I think tonight sounds great,” and Tom appeared standing next to Shona.

“I heard everything. We don’t have anything to do tonight since it’s the first day of classes. There’s no way you got homework since it was mostly orientation stuff today,” Tom continued.

Shona nodded along eagerly in agreement and they both stared at Arthur with expectant eyes.

“I guess you’re right that it was mostly orientation stuff… What if we get behind though?”

Tom rolled his eyes, “Arthur. We just finished the most grueling summer of our lives just getting here. I’m not going ignore a chance to enjoy everything we’ve been working toward. Don’t you want to wander in the woods looking for a deer?”

“The brocket deer actually lives in mountainous regions. It won’t be in the woods,” Arthur responded.

“See! You already know where it is. Let’s go.” Tom said with a smile.

Shona chimed in saying, “I’ve already explored some of the areas around campus and students are allowed in the mountain areas. If we leave now, we’ll be there and have a few hours of light left to look around.”

“Doesn’t that sound nice Arthur? It probably is the best time to try. And you always do say it’s better to knock out work as it comes to you. Don’t you want to get ahead?” Tom questioned.

“You’re just trying to use my type a personality against me. Why do you want to go hiking around the woods for some random deer anyway?”

“I dunno. It sounds entertaining. Plus, I want to know what’s so special about this deer that it has a five year streak.”

“Well,” Arthur shrugged, “I guess we can go find it then. Let me get my boots. You can come in Shona.”

Tom entered with Shona trailing behind him while Arthur hurried to his room to grab proper footwear.

Tom turned to Shona, “Is it alright if I ask our other roommate to come too? He’s probably here right now.”

“Sure! Having more people improves our chances of finding the deer.”

“Awesome. Sorry I added myself along without asking first. My name is Tom and I’m roommates with Arthur.”

“Nice to meet you,” Shona replied.

Tom walked over to Ez’s door and knocked, saying, “Hey Ez you there?”

Tom heard bed springs creak from inside and Ez’s door opened moments later.

“Hey. What’s up?”

“Do you want to go look for a deer with us in the woods? This is Shona by the way.”

Ez shook his head saying, “Don’t think I can make it. I have a side project to work on. Maybe next time though,” before he closed the door.

Tom turned back to Shona, “Guess it’s just the three of us then.”

Arthur spoke up from his room saying, “Why does he get off so lightly?”

“Ez probably has important things to do. Unlike you.”

“Fine. Let’s get going then,” Arthur replied. He came back from his room freshly equipped with new boots provided by the school before promptly exiting the apartment with Tom and Shona following closely behind.

In the hall, Arthur asked, “Where are we going by the way?”

“I can lead the way,” Shona said, “I explored some of the areas around campus yesterday after moving in. There should be a map around her somewhere too if you want. Our best bet is the mountain area based on what you said earlier Arthur.”

“Maybe the front desk has some maps,” Tom guessed.

“I bet. How was you’re the first day for you guys by the way?” Arthur asked

“Very informative,” Shona stated.

“It was terrible,” Tom groaned, “I had to sit in the metal ring for like an hour since I couldn’t sense the rock. I hope I can feel it tomorrow.”

“Yeah…” Arthur replied knowingly, “I’m sure you’ll feel it soon.”

The group continued chatting about their first day all the way to the lobby. Arthur asked the man at the front desk for a map which he provided.

Arthur opened the map for the group to analyze.

“Once we exit the apartment building, we just head straight to the woods and then up to the mountains,” Shona instructed while looking at the map.

With their destination determined, the group exited the main doors and set off along the campus paths to reach the woods.