[OP-F24] Everyone needs a break in the summer! Open for everyone. (Scavenger hunt have started!)

[Acanthus 0]

Acanthus paused, confused by the invitation to share more. Hadn’t she already overshared? About real life no less. She didn’t get the impression he was laughing at her expense, but she hadn’t ruled out the questions as social obligations. She resolved to be much more composed this time.

“Yes, relatively new. I doubt I’ll be ready for the next floor boss, but I intend to support the frontliners however I can, even if it’s just having some performance crystals ready for them.”

She dug her feet into the wet sand, doing her best to bury them before the next wave came in. A sharp pain exploded in her left foot, and she yelped as she nearly flew off the ground. She gingerly fished a blue crystal out of the sand. “Zandra really did hide these everywhere,” she remarked. And so much for being composed. She tried to avoid eye contact with the man as she quietly pocketed the crystal. She still had aims to win, after all.

Trying to rein in her wandering sense of curiosity, she limited herself to questions about the game itself. Anything else would probably be rude, or at least unwelcome. “So how long have you been on the frontlines? Any advice for a newcomer? I’ve been thinking about trying for a ‘damage over time’ build, but those seem to require a lot of rare enhancements and abilities to make it all work. What’s your playstyle?” She was rambling—again.
 

Post Action: Dig dig dig
236396 | BD 5 | CD 9 | LD 12. One blue crystal found.

Score: 7
Crystals left in the area:
Red: 13/30
Blue: 10/15
Transparent: 3/3

Edited November 5 by Acanthus

[Cobean 0]

     Cobean was not expecting to get nicknamed immediately. He hadn't had such an interaction since he met Lisha. ...But why "Bluebean"? Was it because he was short and blue haired? It wasn't like people read spoken words instead of hearing them, right? ...Right? Regardless, the fellow blue haired player introduced herself as Adelyte. "Nice to meet you too, Adelyte." Cobean replied with a cheerful smile. Bliss stammered a little, though she remarked that Cobean's username was...cute. Cobean blushed slightly. He wasn't expecting his choice of username to be considered cute...but hey, it was a positive opinion; a compliment, so Cobean was happy to receive it and felt a bit more confident in this username he'd made up.

                    Adelyte made a remark in regards to Cobean's claim of Dexterity, nudging at Bliss with her elbow while doing so, then wondered if he must be a hit with people. Cobean wasn't really the popular kid, mainly due to being the adopted kid with a troubled past. He also failed to understand how dexterity could play a role in popularity, other than acting or performing. He blinked innocently, and his head tilted to the right. "I'm sorry, I don't understand what you're talking about..." He noted. Adelyte would spot something and rush over to grab it, and Cobean would notice Bliss picking up a pretty shell and slipping it into her inventory. Maybe Cobean should grab himself a nice shell too...

     Bliss suddenly wasn't looking very calm. She unlinked her arm and told the group to go on ahead, that she'd be over by the water. Bliss took off towards the water. He was worried for her, so he took off after her, but tripped over...well, something in the sand. He moved the sand out of the way to reveal a large rock. Cobean got up and dusted himself off. Before he could resume heading towards Bliss, he noticed someone else had gotten to her first(not that it would stop Cobean), and then he was approached by Adelyte, whose words didn't exactly help his mood. "I-I didn't do anything, I swear!" He reacted, waving his hands as he backed away, feeling threatened. Adelyte did not attack Cobean, instead she lightly tapped him and shook her head, revealing that she didn't see him as the type of person to do such a thing. Cobean let out a relieved sigh. "Geez, Adelyte, you don't gotta scare me like that..." He added as his breathing slowed down and restabilized as the adrenaline went down. "I'm not sure if she's ok, I was actually headed for her..." He responded when Adelyte asked if Bliss was alright. He then looked to the rock, and lightly balled fists went to his sides. "Someone should probably break this rock before more innocents trip over its deceptively sandy surface." He remarked, then he was back on his way to try and reach Bliss, hopefully without further interruptions.

             Cobean saw Bliss sitting down by the waves, the other player had only still begun his approach, though he definitely seemed interested... Cobean slowly approached Bliss. "Bliss, are you ok?" He asked, concern clear upon his face.

 

ID# BD: 3(Nothing Found)

Current Score: 2

Edited November 12 by Cobean

[Bliss 0]

The waves lapped rhythmically against Bliss's body, the cool water grounding her, calming her racing mind. She let out a shaky breath, feeling the swell of emotions she'd kept buried too long rise up within her. She didn't want to bottle them up. She knew all too well that in here, that could be deadly. With each breath, she focused on releasing some of that tension. Breathe in… breathe out. She was so lost in the sound of the ocean and the distant laughter of others that she didn't even notice the silent tears streaming down her cheeks. She felt bad for leaving the others behind but she needed a moment. A moment where she could breathe.

Then, a gentle voice interrupted her solitude, and she blinked, snapping back to the present. She looked up to see a young man standing beside her, his kind eyes warm and comforting.  Bliss still hadn't realized she was crying, the waves crashed against her, her face already damp. His presence was calming, like the waves themselves. He was adorable, his smile was pure. "O-Oh! Yeah," she stammered, her voice soft but a little shaky. "I-It is pretty beautiful out here." The man's smile seemed so genuine, so effortlessly kind, that her nerves eased a bit. She managed a small, shy smile of her own. "Hi, A-Astra. I'm B-Bliss." She felt the familiar warmth of nervousness creeping up, but somehow it was different, less tense. There was something about Astra's demeanor that set her at ease, even though she couldn't put her finger on it.

She patted the water next to her, where the waves rolled gently against her chest. "I-I wouldn't m-mind a little company," she admitted, her words hesitant yet sincere. "I was j-j-just… feeling a bit overwhelmed, so I came here to have a moment alone." She began twirling a strand of her hair between her fingers, a nervous habit she couldn’t seem to shake. "Sometimes, it's a lot to be around so many people, y'know?" she added with a sheepish smile, her gaze dropping to the waves as she let herself relax.

It wasn't long after Astra approached her that Bliss noticed another presence approaching, the familiar figure of Cobean, his expression filled with concern as he looked at her. Bliss gave a soft laugh, though it was shaky. "O-Oh. Y-Yeah, I'm fine," she stammered, still twirling a strand of hair nervously around her fingers. "I just… get real n-nervous when I'm surrounded like that." She reiterated so Cobean would be a bit more at ease. Her gaze shifted to the horizon then the water, but when she looked up at Cobean, a small shock hit her, her cheeks were wet. She only now realized she'd been crying this whole time, the tears going completely unnoticed in her attempt to stay calm. FUCK, she thought. Her face went hot as her hands immediately flew to her face to cover it. Please, please tell me no one noticed. She quickly wiped at her eyes, her heart racing from the mix of embarrassment and vulnerability. "I-I'm sorry. I... I..." Bliss was struggling to form the words. She gave a look to both of them, "I-If you wanna join me... both of you. I wouldn't m-mind."

 

Edited November 13 by Bliss

[Astra 0]

"Hi, A-Astra. I'm B-Bliss," the beautiful girl enveloped in the waves said with a shy smile. As Astra looked closely at her blue eyes, he couldn't help but notice a dampness on her face, as if she'd been crying. Bliss patted the water next to her, and expressed that some company wouldn't hurt, so Astra began to sit down in the rolling waves next to her. As he sat down he unbuttoned and took off his linen shirt. Now, with shirt in hand, he was sitting in the water next to the seemingly popular blonde-haired beauty. 

"Bliss, that's a lovely name! I like it a lot. Seems fitting," he said with a soft smile. He had just met her in this moment, but he had a feeling of comfort just sitting next to her. Maybe it was the way she smiled, or maybe it was the way her words came out with a slight stutter, but he already felt a bit of a kinship with her. 

"Here, this might help, if you'd like" Astra said while offering his shirt to her, wiping some of the wetness from her cheeks. "Sorry if that's too forward, if you want you can use my shirt to cry into. I don't mind!" 

Bliss twirled her hair between her fingers and explained to Astra that she had been feeling overwhelmed, and needed a moment alone, away from the attention and jubilee of the rest of the beach goers. It was a feeling he knew too well. Hell, for two years in Aincrad he had felt overwhelmed and stricken with a deep anxiety. It took a lot just for him to walk alongside it. 

"I know exactly what you mean. I get that way sometimes too. Taking a moment for yourself to recalibrate and take in your surroundings can really help. You made the right choice coming and sitting here." Astra looked off towards the azure sky in front of him. "You picked the perfect spot to come to, it's lovely. Just take some time, and focus on your breathing. Maybe the clouds rolling by too. You're doing great!". As he provided the words of affirmation, he had hoped that it would give Bliss some comfort. Even though he had just met her he couldn't help but feel magnetized to her, and wanted to build her up and see her smile. He looked at her once more and smiled with a genuine kindness. 

Just then a blue-haired young man approached both Astra and Bliss, and Astra recognized him as one of Bliss' companions who was locked arm and arm with her. Astra could see the concern on his face, it was clear that he cared for her as well. Maybe the two of them could provide a strong support system for her. 

"The water is beautiful, you should take a seat with us!" He said to Cobean.