[OP-F24] Everyone needs a break in the summer! Open for everyone. (Crystals violently vibrating)

[Colette 0]

You're making me roll.

 

ID# 239412 BD: 6, CD: 4, LD: 8(Found 1 Red Crystal)

Edited December 30, 2024 by Colette

[Morningstar 0]

He fell back, crystal in hand, and sunk into the sand. Occasional splashes of waves soaked the sleeve of his shirt, but he didn't mind. He followed along with the white clouds that floated by, sometimes dropping his gaze to Willow. She was still about ankle deep, crouching as low as she could without getting her shorts wet. Something was in her palms—a shell or a crab, maybe. From behind, he couldn't tell what she was thinking. He huffed, climbing to one knee. 

"Will you marry me?"

Maybe he had taken in too much sunlight for one day, but in that moment, his words rang clear.

Willow spun, a red flush growing in her cheeks. "What? Now? Here?" She stammered, dropping the whatever-it-was back into the water.

Star wasn't sure what to say. "Uh," he cleared his throat, "no. Like, later. After Christmas, maybe. In the Spring?"

Instead of a ring, he held out the blue crystal, deciding that Zandra wouldn't notice one missing rock. Willow was quiet, as if frozen in a single frame. Star's chest tightened; he was right back in that awkward crowd of players, his mind blank.

Until she said yes. A dozen times, yes.

He blinked, standing to meet her in the water, lifting her into an unbidden embrace as the waves lapped against them. Saltwater clung to their skin, the sun warmed their backs, and for a moment, the distant party fell away.

---

-> Rolling for crystal | ID239416 | BD: 1 | No crystal found

[Mishiro 0]

she watches her for a second more, silent.

on her worst days, an is the type of person who believes that everything is out to mete judgment on her. this is far from it, far from anything that mishiro can still recall, but her mind makes the match-pair equivalent when an snaps her head up and her red eyes trace mishiro upwards from her shadow. an levels her with a misdirected glare. "i told you to go. why won't you listen?! you never listened--"

"are you sure you want me to?"

an's lips part over words she doesn't give air to. mishiro wouldn't have read them from her silence even if she could. she's trying to pull an away from another source of regret in less than a quarter of an hour.

this is why they don't talk.

an's eyes drop. slippered feet digging into the sand, she inches away from her. mishiro almost thinks, resignedly, that an is getting up to leave herself. but the other simply retrieves a plate and drink from her other side and sets it down on the now vacated space between them. an has moved further down the length of the table to hide her from the crowd, too.

she sits, folding her legs in front of her, and just as they had done at the start, they watch the movement of the waves. minutes pass, then she feels the cold edge of the plate nudge the back of her hand.

"um." an starts, measured and hesitant. "can you help me finish the sandwiches...?"

 

-> scavenger hunt: 239679: BD 2

Edited January 4 by Mishiro

[Acanthus 0]

Acanthus excused herself from the group quickly and quietly. Although she would sooner die than admit it to strangers, she found herself irked that she had been outpaced by a child. Try as she might tell herself to grow up and move on, Acanthus caught herself looking over her shoulder at the boy’s impressive project. What I need is a change of scenery. Acanthus hoisted her shovel and continued her perfectly spaced rows, further away from the tables aaaand maybe not, that looks like Morningstar over there, he seems to be having a moment.

Everyone appeared to be having lots of wonderful moments. The group she had just left seemed to be getting along very well. Another group of people Acanthus had not introduced herself were locked in the ritual of “just a little too much eye contact.” Whether they knew it or not, unspoken feelings were forming in the space between their glances. Whether it was love or not was up to them.

Acanthus made a disgruntled noise. Her scavenging efforts were being boxed in by lovebirds and flirts. For the briefest of moments, she debated swallowing her pride and joining the young child in his enviable endeavor to dig out of here. But the quest parameters hadn’t changed—find the crystals. Every last one.

It’s time to practice being flexible, she concluded. Stowing the shovel, she scanned the treeline for any leads on crystals. Eliseris had the same idea as well—she popped out of the highest branches of a tree, red crystal in her grasp. Then I’ll go low. Moving her gaze about five meters west of Eliseris, the brush in that direction looked promising. Lots of heavy undergrowth that could easily hide a crystal or two. Maybe even a transparent one.

Dropping to her hands and knees, Acanthus scrambled into the undergrowth with renewed zeal. She lamented her attire: why had she decided on a swimsuit and large hat when she knew there was a scavenger hunt? If only she had time to go home and change. The prickly leaves of the oversized saltbush snagged at her swimsuit cover, causing her to stop and untangle herself at times. Hopefully the undergrowth was heavy enough to not only hide crystals, but her repeated, awkward attempts to shake off the wiry plant.

All thoughts of decorum washed away in the faint blue light before her. The small thing beckoned to her, whispered promises of victory in the scavenger hunt. Acanthus snatched up the crystal with a feverish vigor, and immediately popped out of the bush with a failed attempt at nonchalant whistling. After pulling the remaining foliage out of her hair and hat, she smoothed down her outfit and casually worked her way back toward the picnic tables, ever hopeful for an elusive transparent crystal.

Post Action: Dig dig dig
239684 | BD 6 | CD 10 | LD 15. One blue crystal found.

Current Score: 13

Crystals Remaining
Red: 5
Blue: 5
Transparent: 3

Edited January 1 by Acanthus

[Andromeda 0]

Because Mishiro was still right in her guess that An said things she didn't mean in the heat of the moment. Because An didn't know what to do with herself and her friend who wouldn't leave her alone, then, and in front of her (beside her) was a party sized plate of sandwiches that she had unwittingly swiped from the table. She didn't think she had the energy to put them back. She had just yelled at a girl who was trying to help.

"All of them?" Mishiro suddenly sounded so intimidated that An almost laughed despite herself.

"Yeah." She didn't look away from the waves. "Come on. We've been through buffet experiences so much worse. I just don't think anyone would want food from a plate someone else has already touched."

An imagined Mishiro was still too polite to roll her eyes. She saw a vague movement in her peripheries and heard the rustling of paper as Mishiro peeled back a sandwich's wrapper, careful to not so much as graze any of the food with her bare fingers. An picked up the topmost one after, then she did a double take. Why was the center of the plate glowing a bright alien blue?

"Uh. Mish." An awkwardly spoke up. "I'm sorry. Please actually stop eating. Someone, uh, put a rock under the sandwiches."

 

-> Scavenger Hunt: 239692: BD 5: CD 9: LD 15: (1) Blue Crystal

Current Score: 1 Red Crystal, 1 Blue Crystal

Crystals Remaining
Red: 5
Blue: 4
Transparent: 3

Edited January 2 by Andromeda

[Bliss 0]

Bliss could feel herself slowly returning to a state of calm. Her breathing was steadying, no longer shaky and shallow. The weight in her chest had begun to lift, allowing her to think more clearly. “I-I h-hope t-to o-one d-day h-hear the r-reason,” she said softly, glancing between Astra and Cobean with a grateful but timid smile. “T-Thank you b-both f-for b-being here. I-I d-do l-like b-being a-alone s-sometimes, b-but h-having b-both of y-you h-here seemed t-to c-calm m-me down f-faster t-than usual.” The words tumbled out of her mouth with her usual stammer, but there was warmth in her tone, a genuine appreciation that shone through despite her nervousness.

When Astra reassured her that she was doing great, Bliss couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face. Those words. Simple, but meaningful. It had been so long since anyone had told her that, and it stirred a bittersweet feeling deep within her. Amazing how a few kind words can take you back. Memories of her father flooded her mind, unbidden but welcome. She could almost hear his voice, see his encouraging smile, and feel the warmth of his presence. Pulling her knees to her chest, she let herself linger in the comfort of those memories for just a moment.

Bliss’s attention shifted to Cobean when he spoke. “N-No? W-We j-just m-met sh-shortly after I-I s-split from t-the group.” Her head tilted slightly as she looked at him, her expression curious but not overly concerned. She wondered what he might be thinking. Maybe that’s just how he processes things? I wonder. Hmm. She offered him a small but reassuring smile before her gaze drifted back to the horizon. 

It was then she realized her hands were still clutching Astra’s shirt. The same one he had so generously offered her to dry her tears. Her fingers tightened slightly as a wave of embarrassment washed over her. Oh no… Slowly, she turned to Astra, holding his shirt out to him. “T-Thank y-you f-for letting m-me u-use y-your s-shirt f-for m-my tears,” she said, her voice quieter now, almost shy. Her cheeks grew warm as she spoke, and she kept her gaze fixed on his shirt, avoiding eye contact. “I-It w-was a v-very s-sweet g-gesture.” Bliss could feel the blush creeping further up her face, and she silently hoped it wasn’t too obvious.

She focused her attention back on Cobean when he spoke again. His words brought her back to the moment. “I-It s-sure i-is pretty today,” she said in agreement, her voice soft but steady as her blue eyes scanned the horizon. The waves glistened in the sunlight, crashing rhythmically against the shore. This peaceful moment shared with two kind people, it was something she never thought she’d experience again. And yet, here it was. Bliss allowed herself to sink into it, letting gratitude and calm wash over her like the waves at her feet.

[Mishiro 0]

the point flies far above her head and lands somewhere in the sand behind her, because in mishiro's assessment, the sandwiches had been fully encased in the plastic wrap anyway. standard practice for snacks that might be left unattended at a refreshment table.

"i see," she says.

they remove the top layer of the sandwich pyramid and uncover the treasure hiding in its hollow: not one blue crystal, but two. mishiro looks at the red crystal beside an's legs and tries to imagine her digging for them whilst running away from the earlier crowd. she takes the new pair and helps an put everything else back in place. "congratulations. but i don't believe this is how we're meant to play scavenger hunt."

in an's increasingly distressed perspective, mishiro does not stop eating because she never listens to her.

"huh? yeah, no, put that down right now!!" an scolds. she reaches for mishiro, but her hand stops short of grabbing her shoulder. she snatches one of the crystals on mishiro's lap instead. "who puts weird, glowing things next to food? what if it's cursed? mish, just don't do anything for a sec, i'm going to do an appraisal!"

 

-> scavenger hunt: 239725: BD 7: CD 11: LD 2: (1) blue crystal

current score: 1 blue crystal

Spoiler

Crystals Remaining
Red: 5
Blue: 3
Transparent: 3

 

Edited January 14 by Mishiro

[Morningstar 0]

ph

---

-> scavenger hunt: 239743: BD 8: CD 3: LD 10: (1) red crystal

current score: 1 blue crystal, 1 red crystal

Spoiler

Crystals Remaining
Red: 4
Blue: 3
Transparent: 3

 

[Astra 0]

"Cobean," Astra repeated when the blue-haired boy pronounced his name. "Nice, I like that." When Cobean extended his hand, Astra offered his in return to complete the handshake. Generally speaking Astra was more used to waving at people as opposed to giving handshakes, and that was due to his ability to overthink the smallest of actions. Was it a good handshake? Was it secure? Firm enough? Too limp? Oh well, in the end it didn't matter, it was just a cordial gesture between the two. 

When Bliss had handed Astra's shirt back to him, it had taken a moment for him to register that he'd even be taking it back. When he handed it to Bliss for her tears he had completely abandoned any sense of ownership over the shirt, and considered it hers at that point. She needed it more than he did anyhow. "Oh! Don't mention it," Astra said with a smile as he took the shirt back. He had noticed Bliss looking away, so he didn't want to make her uncomfortable by staring at her, so he turned his attention to the skyline ahead. "I'm happy to help. I hope you're feeling a bit better." 

Once there was a brief respite from conversation, Astra mulled over the events at the beach so far. He was making friends and new connections, which was something that filled him with warmth. Originally he wasn't even planning on coming to this event, as he felt like he'd have nobody to socialize with. Nobody would really notice if he was there or not. Here he was though, sitting in the calm waters as the waves lapped around his ankles and wrists. Enjoying the company of Bliss and Cobean. 

"Have you both been keeping up with the scavenger hunt? It looks like people are finding crystals. I haven't even looked for one yet." Astra looked towards his companions as he asked his question. Originally Astra was so focused on his conversations with Bliss that he hadn't even started to partake in the search for crystals. Maybe he'd look and see if he could find one or two, but for now he would just soak in the moment and enjoy the company of his new friends. 

[Zandra 0]

Zandra sat on one of the tables as her eyes scanned across the area. Most people seemed to have been drawn to the beach, were they thinking she had hid all the crystals under the sand? Well some were there of course. A faint smile appeared on her lips as she opened the screen in front of her. Her eyes darted back and forth to make sure no one was watching her way. She even let out a silent little giggle as her hand danced across the floating screen. She had been waiting long enough now, time to give them all a little surprise. She had made sure there were no wild mobs in the area, but that didn't mean there were any non-wild mobs. “Did they think there would only be a treasure hunt? Well then they don't know who I am or have forgotten who I am.” she said with a smirk as she pressed a button on her screen that said START with big letters.

Suddenly, all the crystals that people had found started vibrating violently. The players that had gone out into the water suddenly got thrown up back on the sand. Those that had entered the forest felt themself being pulled back to the field by some strange force. What the heck were these crystals? They totally were not just some shiny stones. Zandra did another swipe on her screen and three weapon-racks appeared close to the tables. On the first rack, there were more than a dozen different spears. The second one was filled with axes and on the third, there were a bunch of hammers. Zandra pointed at the racks as she shouted. “Guys and girls, you should all come and pick up some weapons. You can take a main one but you can also take a second one to have as backup.” There was plenty of weapons on the racks, so it would easily be enough for everyone to pick two for themself, even if everyone went for same pair. There was also some hard to hear music playing the area.

Pick two weapons, one as main and one as backup:
-Spear
-Axe
-Hammer

If anyone would open their screen they would be met by:

[Acanthus 0]

Another crystal! And judging by the reflection, possibly transparent. Acanthus reached through the thick foliage to wrench the thing free. She was so close. If she wasn’t already winning, this would cement her lead for sure. Acanthus stretched her arm as far as it could, grasping at the miniscule glimmer. Her fingertips brushed the smooth surface, and the cool, hard exterior confirmed the crystalline status. “I’ve got you,” she grunted, extending her fingers into the brush as far as they could stretch. “Just hang on and I’ll..."

An unseen force began to pull gently at her waist. “Not now,” she said to no one. “I’m busy.” The pull grew stronger; she lost contact with the crystal. “Hey!” She yelled. “I’m—busy!” The force grew so strong that it pulled her slightly off the ground, trying to drag her back to the picnic tables. Flung a few meters away from her payload, she dug her bare feet into the sandy embankment, attempting to trudge towards the crystal like a mountaineer in a snowstorm. One foot in front of the other. Left; dig in. Right; dig in. Left…

The force grew stronger with each passing second. What exactly was happening? Acanthus couldn’t spare the time to look around, but whatever it was, it was either a prank or it was part of the hunt. But that could wait until she recovered the crystal. Sweating from the effort, she clawed her way back to her original position. Acanthus couldn’t see the glimmer anymore, but she recognized the leafy undergrowth. She must have pushed it deeper into the plants by accident. Not a problem. I just have to find it before the pull gets any stronger. She submerged her ankles in the sand to anchor herself. The force made her feel like the stone in a child’s slingshot, mere moments away from being unleashed.

She could no longer resist the ever-growing tension. With a comical *pop*, her left foot came loose from the sand. In the fraction of a second before her right came free, she thought, god fucking dammit. I was so close too. Hopefully I still won.

The force shot her back to the picnic tables with a vengeance. She bounced once, skidded briefly across the sand, and then spun around two or three times before colliding with one of the (thankfully empty) tables. Acanthus stood up, dazed, confused, and a little annoyed.

“I didn’t enjoy that.”

Their host, Zandra, began to address the group. At the swipe of a finger, racks of weapons appeared.

Quote

“Guys and girls, you should all come and pick up some weapons. You can take a main one but you can also take a second one to have as backup.”

“That’s fine,” she replied. “I have my own weapons, thank you.” She opened her battle inventory, and was confronted with an unusual sight; a brain and a cat doing a silly dance over even sillier music. She waited patiently for the intrusion to stop.

And she waited.

 

And she waited.

 

And waited.

 

She shot a brief, dirty look at Zandra that she hoped nobody saw. Closing the menu, Acanthus looked over her options. Axes weren’t really her thing; spears looked like a good pick. Good distance, simple to use…

But the hammers reminded her of her friend Edict. If swords weren’t an option, maybe she could try these out. It would give them something to talk about next time they met. She tested the weight of the hammer closest to her. A little heavy, but she could get used to it. But she grabbed a spear as backup, just in case.

Fully ready, Acanthus drew up a seat at the picnic table closest to Zandra, and waited to hear what in hell was about to happen.