Morning Ritual

Ariadne: Before Inception

Author's Note: Lyrics for Pull Shapes belong to The Pipettes, I'm not trying to claim it as my own. It's best if you listen to it while you go; the lyrics don't convey as much as I thought. Any better song suggestions for Ariadne would be greatly loved; I searched forever but I can't find the right one. I think it would be either a British song like this, or an indie rock.

Can't...open...eyes...Ariadne reluctantly pries her eyes open. Remember, you love college. You love architecture. Love, love, love it. She's staring at the ceiling for another ten minutes, trying to adjust herself to reality, and rolls over reluctantly to take a peek at the alarm clock (she knows it's probably not going to be good). Alas, she sees she actually has no excuse for being late this time.

Another sigh. She sits up, takes another five minutes to adjust, and reluctantly shuffles to her kitchenette area. (At times like these, she wishes she had a wicked roommate who'd have coffee and breakfast ready already.) Along the way, she stops at the stereo and turns up her music up almost as loud as it can go.

Dance with me, pretty boy tonight
Dance with me, and we'll be alright
There's a whole floor before us, just for you and me,
So follow my lead, and we'll 1-2-3

She savors each swallow of coffee, concentrating on how the beat of the music pulses through her, until she's to the bottom of the cup (You awful dregs...can't you have liquidized? A little more coffee would be nice...) and realizes she's only got ten minutes left until her first lecture.

Pull Shapes,
I like to Disco
I like to Rock n' Roll
Well I like to Hip-Hop
We can do it all, just don't let the music stop

Eyes widened, and body buzzing with the hype of caffeine, she races to the bathroom, twists her hair up into the semblance of a bun, and drags a toothbrush through her teeth (Two minutes...two seconds...what's the difference?). As she releases a mouthful of mouthwash, she washes her faces swiftly.

Pull Shapes,
I lead with my left hand
I stomp with my right foot
Well I just wanna freak out
I just wanna move, I don't care what the song's about

As she turns the corner into her bedroom, she croons along with the song, singing with the glee of someone who can be best described as tone deaf (though perhaps a dying, caterwauling cat would best fit as a description).

What do you do when the music stops?
Pull Shapes
Clap your hands if you want some more,
Pull Shapes

By far the longest part of her morning is not putting on makeup (a swift dash of mascara and Burt's Bees is all that's done in the bathroom), or even choosing an outfit; it's which scarf to wear that day. She hmm's over a red one, ahh's over a purple, but as the chorus goes by

(Dance with me, pretty boy tonight
Dance with me, and we'll be alright
There's a whole floor before us, just for you and me,
So follow my lead, and we'll 1-2-3
Pull Shapes)

it's final: it's going to be one of her favorites. A soft gray one, with frayed strings and links of faded metal falling down and studs of metal on the sides. She sweeps it up and ties it around her neck afghan style, then glances at the clock. Five minutes until lecture time. "Shit," she curses, and races toward the door, opening it only to find her best friend leaning against the doorway with a gleam in her eyes.

"Early again, Ariadne, aren't we?" Her friends grins.

"Oh shut up," Ariadne smirks.

"Mind shutting up that stereo?"

Ariadne laughs, and hops back inside to shut off. A minute later, she's back outside, grabbing her bike and racing her friend to the metro.