File: character list.jpg (104 KB, 1217x913)

104 KB JPG

>>1176601

Last thread, the requirements were met to unlock the next character so now two are available for play. Owen, the ex-track star supermart worker or Lee, the Jill-of-all-trades waitress.

>Please select your character!

File: third room item.jpg (23 KB, 300x269)

23 KB JPG

>The continuation of an ongoing quest, with previous iterations available here;

http://pastebin.com/E9Eu48Kz

>>1176613
shit uh

where's Owen at right now OP?

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>1176606
Rolling for it
>1=Owen
>2=Lee

>>1176606
Lets goo with Lee
Should be a nice change of pace

Sorry for the delay, had to help someone out for a bit.

>>1176918

Both Owen and Lee are at their respective homes currently.

>>1177208
>>1177235

So that's one for Owen and one for Lee, any care towards tie-breakers?

>>1177240
I'll change >>1177208 to Lee just to get started.

File: RNH.gif (1022 KB, 640x480)

1022 KB GIF

>>1177235
>>1177261

You are Lee, a 21-year-old lifelong local of Diamond Shoals, and current waitress of a nearby restaurant. You don't have to work today though, but that didn't stop you from getting up nice and early to get ready for the day! Even besides things like getting washed and dressed, you have lots of little details to see to like messaging your friends, checking your Facepage, and reading over your Tweeter and others'. While laying in bed and hitting a bunch of likes and subscribes though, you hear your dad calling from downstairs to come on down for breakfast.

>Hop to it, go down the stairs two at a time!
>Grab a plate but take it back to your room, dad won't mind.
>Skip breakfast, you're actually headed out anyway.
>[Write-in.]

>>1177400
>>Grab a plate but take it back to your room, dad won't mind.

>1177400
>Grab a plate but take it back to your room, dad won't mind.
Sit by you'r window and people watch or something.

>>1177400
>Grab a plate but take it back to your room, dad won't mind.
>Shitpost

File: dad breakfast.jpg (19 KB, 313x208)

19 KB JPG

>>1177459
>>1177458
>>1177422

Food yes, family time no! You make your way downstairs and greet dad who's at the counter serving up some fresh-cooked eggs, bacon and whatnot. He was expecting a sit-down together but respects your freedom and tells you as much, just reminding you not to leave the fork and plate in your room as you head back upstairs.

In your room again, you sit by the window to eat, as you watch outside. The occasional car passing, people walking, it's pretty peaceful since you're living in the island's equivalent of the suburbs so traffic is low on these streets. Down aways though, you do see Ritchie in his driveway with his friends, around their beach buggy... so cool, more and more you regret not having a car of any kind.

Finishing up with the food, you set the plate aside and get out your laptop, listening to the little startup sound when you open the screen. Time for some morning funposting on Read-it, and maybe even the place with the forbidden memes.

>Read-it is really just a beginner's club house, you're more interested in that... other site.
>Funpost for a bit, but then go out and see what Ritchie is up to.
>Check and organize your calendar while you're at it, you've got a lot of events coming up as usual.
>[Write-in.]

>>1177585
>Read-it is really just a beginner's club house, you're more interested in that... other site.
>Check and organize your calendar while you're at it, you've got a lot of events coming up as usual.

>>1177585
>Read-it is really just a beginner's club house, you're more interested in that... other site.
Its time to get dank
And while we are at it.
>[Hum a little tune while you're at it.]

>>1177585
>Read-it is really just a beginner's club house, you're more interested in that... other site.
>>Funpost for a bit, but then go out and see what Ritchie is up to.
>>Check and organize your calendar while you're at it, you've got a lot of events coming up as usual.

>>1177585
>Check and organize your calendar while you're at it, you've got a lot of events coming up as usual

File: average 4clover user.jpg (829 KB, 900x675)

829 KB JPG

>>1177600
>>1177623

Kid's stuff this is, it even has a system of upboats that renders and true conversation meaningless! No, Read-it is not a legitimate discussion platform. You've been a regular user for a few years, but after being banned a few times, you've seen the light...

Yes, 4clover. Already a seasoned user, you've been here all summer! You understand the ins and outs like the best of them, now if only you could bi-force. First stop is the Arkanine board to make fun of the losers there and ask why girls can't fit in, then after that it's the Kid's Shows board to browse threads about your favorite cartoon Stewart Multiverse, and lastly to the Story board to find a story thread about it to play in! Having great fun you hum to yourself all the while, but you're starting to get headache, a very strange meta feeling overtaking you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkvxiTEhNsM

For now you turn your focus to your calendar and with Facepage open on the side to help with the planning. You're involved in a lot of events around town, and are even the head of a few local groups, including but not limited to; the MMA Club, the Diamond Shoals Koi Keepers, the Stargazers Society, the Weekly Latin Meet and Greet, the Boomerang Snipers Corps, the Ten Pin Tidal Waves, the Mass Debater Club, the Roller Death Derby team, the Amateur Regata volunteers, and the local book club.

It takes a good while but you manage to set everything right for the coming month, and without any work conflicts either! While you were busy, your phone did buzz a few times, but you didn't want to get distracted and it was probably friends anyway. For now though, you think maybe it'd be nice to see how the day is at least. Looked nice out, from your window!

>Right, what is Ritchie up to then?
>Spend a little time with dad, to make up for breakfast.
>Head outside and find somewhere to sit, check your phone while you're at it.
>[Write-in.]

>>1177791
>Spend a little time with dad, to make up for breakfast.
Let's throw the man a bone.

File: set.jpg (36 KB, 530x313)

36 KB JPG

Also a heads up, this will be my last post for the night. Will resume tomorrow from here >>1177893 , hopefully earlier to make up for the late start today.

>Thanks all for playing!

>>1177791
>>Spend a little time with dad, to make up for breakfast.

>>1177791
>Spend a little time with dad, to make up for breakfast.

File: stair fall.jpg (37 KB, 1217x913)

37 KB JPG

>>1177893
>>1178650
>>1178727

You can head out for the day but first you want to spend some time with dad after abandoning him at breakfast. Unfortunately on the way down you slip and tumble down the stairs, landing in a heap. Trying not to curse from the pain, you hear him call from the garage asking if you're alright, and with a commotion of moving equipment he's soon there to help you up. Judging by the look of things and the grime left on your arm where he picked you up, he's working on something.

"I'm fine, really! If it's alright though I'd like to help out, if there's any way I can?"

"Hah! Sure thing hun', I could use an extra set of hands."

You follow after him to see a hanging boat motor in the garage, parts all around and tools on hand. Some you're actually familiar with since plenty of times he's showed you the way around an engine. Cars you're more familiar with, but boats you're at least a little experienced with.

"Jerry brought it around last night, maybe I can convince him not to spring for a whole new boat. You remember right, how to...?"

Not the most elegant work but that's always been his thing.

>Join right in, you don't mind getting dirty.
>Watch as he works and maybe hand him the occasional tool, you're headed out eventually so don't want to end up covered in grease.
>Helping was mainly just an excuse, you'd rather just talk with him for awhile. He won't mind though.
>[Write-in.]

>>1181487
>Helping was mainly just an excuse, you'd rather just talk with him for awhile. He won't mind though.

File: garage floor.jpg (29 KB, 1217x913)

29 KB JPG

>>1181696

You're not too keen on helping out right now, that was just an in-road to spending time with him. Not that you're not interested of course, but you'd rather just talk for now and let him know as much. As expected, he doesn't mind at all and pulls up a chair to take a seat amid all the clutter of the garage. You clear an empty spot to plonk down on the floor, though find yourself inadvertently fiddling with a nearby tape measure while you talk.

"What's on your mind, Lee Jeans? Everything going ok, work's good? You know you can always come to work at the shop if you get tired of waitressing."

"It's all good yeah, but I told you I like working at Holly's! Maybe if it washes away with the next hurricane, I'll ask you for a job. Actually though..."

He's always hoped you'd follow after him in fixing things, but while you're not opposed to that idea, you just don't want to be working for him. You know he was never handed anything by anyone, and you hope to make him proud by making your own way, eventually. What you really had on your mind though, was...

>Talk about anything, just whatever comes up so you can spend some time together.
>Ask for his advice on some things, he doesn't know about any gem stuff but you can still talk about it indirectly.
>See how he's doing, he's usually so busy and without much in the way of friends so you like to act as a willing ear to the goings on of his life.
>[Write-in.]

>>1181993
>>See how he's doing, he's usually so busy and without much in the way of friends so you like to act as a willing ear to the goings on of his life.

File: grimy.jpg (96 KB, 1000x427)

96 KB JPG

>>1182010

You've never minded acting as a sounding board to him, it's still time spent together and you know he appreciates it even if he's not always aware of your intent. And of course, it's much more appealing listening to him talk than for you to talk about yourself. So with the right questions and knowing how to get him to carry on, you try and see how he's doing. Without any real friends anyway, you're glad to be able to fit that role.

---

A good while passes as you hear about how things are down at the shop, various things on his mind like current interests and current events, notably including the fiasco with the water tower that Owen was involved in. And not to leave out him possibly meeting new lady friend, which you strongly encourage him to follow up on. He's always been hung up on mom, but you've always tried to get him to move on for his own benefit. It'd do him good you think, and you just want him to be happy...

At any rate you listen to him the whole time and let him bounce opinions and ideas off you, which you know from experience is better than if he just lets them dwell inside and never expressed. By the end he comes to realize how much time has passed and apologizes for keeping you, but thanks you dearly. With that he gets back to work livelier than before, but extends the offer to actually help out if you're still interested.

>Sure you can help out for a bit, then go about your day.
>You don't want to get in the way, in the meantime offer to get any groceries that might be needed for the house to save him a trip.
>Maybe later, for now just get a hug in and be on your way.
>[Write-in.]

>>1182333
>You don't want to get in the way, in the meantime offer to get any groceries that might be needed for the house to save him a trip.

>>1182333
>>You don't want to get in the way, in the meantime offer to get any groceries that might be needed for the house to save him a trip.

File: shopping list.jpg (46 KB, 1217x913)

46 KB JPG

>>1182410
>>1182449

Mechanical stuff is his thing, you know he wouldn't mind but if you got involved you'd just muddle the process. Maybe you'll learn more sometime, but not when he's doing someone else a favor with their motor. Still wanting to help though, you offer instead while you're out, to pick up any groceries for the next few days and save him having to stop by later. He's appreciative and says to take the list on the fridge and some money with you before you leave, wishing you well for the day as the two of you say goodbye.

So after a quick trip inside, you get on your bike and pedal off. The list itself isn't that large, but you also don't have to see to it right away. As long as you take care of it before you return home, it's a low priority. For now, it's a lovely day out as you bike down the road towards town proper at an easy pace.

>Head for town hall, apparently the mayor is doing some speech about the water tower.
>Stop by the marina, see if the fishing competition is still set in a few days time.
>Visit the sports store, your set of roller skates for work broke so you'd want to order a new pair.
>[Write-in.]

>>1182803
If it's not so late that the stores will be closed by the time the speech is over,
>Head for town hall, apparently the mayor is doing some speech about the water tower.
Then
>Visit the sports store, your set of roller skates for work broke so you'd want to order a new pair.

File: podium.jpg (37 KB, 1217x913)

37 KB JPG

>>1182991

There's time enough definitely, it's only about midday now after getting up to a long breakfast and spending time with dad. Stopping by town hall shouldn't risk closing time of any stores by a long shot.

So since you're headed into town anyway, you're interested in seeing what the fuss is supposed to be about involving the water tower. It takes awhile to pedal over there though you are able to take shortcuts down side streets of a little off-roading, and eventually you reach the Richard Gears Town Hall. A pretty old building from the early days of the town, though recently refurbished and dedicated by the mayor to a famous actor who shot a pretty big movie in town a few years back. You hop off your bike and lean it against an adjacent building, to make the short distance to the little plaza in front of the town hall where a small gathering of people are.

"...and with emergency reserve funding, the council will approve of a plan to rebuild the town water tower bigger and better than before. Our town has ever been at the forefront of hardship, but it's always been our nature to endure. As your duly elected representative, I vow to give Diamond Shoals the utility system is deserves, and has been so long overdue for. After all, hurricane season is always a day away."

Mayor Fairweather appears to be in the middle of a speech up on stage, and doing a pretty good job of it by the look of things. With a few professional cameras of local news stations, and a phone camera or two of independent news blogs, the little crowd is quite impressive given the size of the town especially in the off-season. That's the mayor though, always one to spoil the town, even with the spectacle of politics. He even dressed the part, but then you've never seen him not dressed amazingly. Only the buzzing of your phone draws your attention away from charismatic Mr. Mayor and the usual concern for preserving Diamond Shoals and its traditions.

All the while you can't help but notice nothing is spoken of the actual cause for the water tower destruction though, leading to some obvious curiosity on your part. You did arrive a little late though, maybe you just missed it.

>Ask a question when the chance comes, try and figure out what actually happened if you can.
>Check your phone, now that you get the general idea of the gathering.
>Try to see if anyone you're friends with are there.
>[Write-in.]

>>1183276
>Check your phone, now that you get the general idea of the gathering.
>Try to see if anyone you're friends with are there

>>1183276
>Check your phone, now that you get the general idea of the gathering.

File: phone.jpg (55 KB, 1217x913)

55 KB JPG

>>1183485
>>1184111

Having grown up here you technically know everyone pretty much, but those whom you'd consider friends are a fair few less. Not entirely your or their fault either, just that most of the adults in town are older. Despite all this though, you do notice a couple friends amid the small crowd, Nick and Kay though the latter seems to have been dragged here by the large pack of dogs she's walking.

You figure to go over and say hello and see what they're up to, but finally get around to checking your phone. Weird, some messages from other friends earlier before you left home, but also several voicemail from the gem house. Just listening to the most recent one, it sounds like a developing situation that Emma keeps updating you on with subsequent messages and is seeking help with if you are available. You can't imagine what for though, that she couldn't get Soleil's help with.

Well, it is your day off, but you did have some things to do. By the sound of things it's just a request to be fair, not like you have to help.

>Back to what you were doing before, see how Nick and Kay are doing.
>See to some errands first, like ordering replacement roller skates.
>Get your bike and start heading over to the lighthouse, you can take care of the other things later.
>[Write-in.]

>>1186107
>>Get your bike and start heading over to the lighthouse, you can take care of the other things later.

File: no time at all.jpg (49 KB, 1217x913)

49 KB JPG

>>1186230

Part of the point of going through the whole process of being cleared to help out with gem stuff was that you'd be on call when needed. Honestly it happens so infrequently though that it's never been a bother, this is the first time really it's cut into things you wanted to do instead. Still, you can't complain for as much as you've enjoyed the work, and you can always take care of the errands later. At least if this doesn't last for too long.

So hopping on your bike you start to pedal through town and out the way of the lighthouse, but as you're passing by a few stores it occurs to you that you could maybe get some help along the way? The Mega World Mart is a short detour along the way so it wouldn't be too much a hassle to stop by along the way and ask Owen if he wants to tag along. He also recently passed the test to be cleared for gem work, so it could be a neat first time on the job for him. Well, besides his real job.

>Keep going, you don't want to bother him at work with something like this. And so soon after he passed the test, it might seem overwhelming.
>Stop by, it couldn't hurt to ask if he wants to come with.
>Don't get Owen involved, but stop by some other place along the way. Might be good to have a snack handy later on, during the work.
>[Write-in.]

>>1186420
>Stop by, it couldn't hurt to ask if he wants to come with.

>>1186420
>>Stop by, it couldn't hurt to ask if he wants to come with.

File: lighthouse road.jpg (34 KB, 1217x913)

34 KB JPG

>>1186792
>>1186835

You figure it's worth a shot to stop by since it's roughly on the way, and you'd certainly enjoy the company. Within a few minutes you pedal into the parking lot of the supermart expecting to have to go looking for Owen, but there he is pushing carts outside. Part of you considers this divine providence, but part of you remembers that's what his job mostly is.

So mustering your courage you ride over and try to skid to a stop and look cool, but end up over sliding and falling off your bike sideways. You hit the asphalt pretty hard, but try not to let it faze you as you jump to your feet with an uneasy smile. The entire time though he just watches you with a deadpan expression.

"H-Heeey Owen! So I got a uh... a phone call, yeah, and like there's this job... a gem thing if you wanted to like... y'know, you could come with maybe? I mean, only if you wanted to! Oh and it's not... just you and me, Emma will probably be there too? So it's n-not weird, like it would be if it were j-just the two of us together alone... or not!"

You wrack your brain for the right thing to say and struggle to do so, but all the while try to maintain your confident visage. He just listens and let's out a groan, looking at his wrist for a watch that isn't there. Maybe he's actually busy?

"Maybe I can go on break. How long do these things usually go for, you said half an hour, about?"

"Ah, right! That's right, no more than thirty minutes for sure! An hour at the very most, maybe three!"

Seemingly caught in a position of not wanting to go with you, but too lazy to come up with a good reason to say no, he takes a deep breath and starts pushing the carts again back towards the store.

"Let me run these back, and I'll ask Mike if he can cover for me if this runs over.

---

Some twenty-odd minutes later and together you reach the lighthouse via bike, Owen standing on the back and hanging onto your shoulders. Something of a nice massage for you, even if you have to work twice as hard to move both of you along. Pedaling up to the keeper's house where Sarah and the gems live, the two of you get off as you lean the bike against the side of the house. If it were in-season you'd probably want to actually leave it inside so it doesn't get stolen, but at this late in the year there's little in the way of tourists passing through.

"So do we just go in then? I'm still not sure of what terms I'm on with these... people." Owen asks, clearly waiting for you to lead the way.

>That's right! Just barge in through the backdoor like you always do.
>Head around to the cellar, Emma is more likely in the vault than the house.
>Try calling the house phone to let anyone know you're here.
>[Write-in.]

>>1186961
>>That's right! Just barge in through the backdoor like you always do.

>All that spaghetti spilled
Lee is pretty cute

>>1186961
>That's right! Just barge in through the backdoor like you always do.

File: bottle of....jpg (23 KB, 1217x913)

23 KB JPG

>>1186986
>>1187241

You're too cool for rules, just going to kick your way in through the backdoor and walk in like you own the place. He's sure to be impressed by this!

"Oh Owen, don't be so naive! I'm practically part of their family at this point! Commence Operation Spe- oof!"

You try to push your way in but end up slamming hard with your whole body against it. That's right, it opens outwards. If anyone didn't know you weren't here yet, they do now.

Anyway, opening the door you head inside, Owen following close behind and clearly a little uncomfortable wandering in uninvited. You try to put his fears at ease though, as you make yourself at home and grab a bottle of milk from the fridge and hop up to sit on the kitchen counter, picking up a pair of sunglasses laying by while you're at it.

"Just kick back and relax Owen, pull up a chair and take a load off! I'm sure Emma will be here any minute, and- PFFFFFFFT" as tip the bottle back to take a glug and promptly spit everything out all over the floor, "This isn't milk!"

Impressively Owen managed to dodge your little spitting mishap, but his followup reaction concerns you, as he recoils suddenly in alarm as if he saw a ghost behind you or something.

File: cc.jpg (56 KB, 1217x913)

56 KB JPG

>>1187373

"Are you going to clean that up?"

You hear a voice from behind you and in a panic jump forward off the counter, ending up slipping in your shoes all over the "milk" on the floor and falling forward. You'd have landed flat on your face if Owen wasn't there to catch you, grabbing onto him yourself for support. Turning in his arms, feet still kicking and flailing against the wet floor trying to find some stable footing, you see a very large and tall blue lady.

"Chalcedony! I uh.... we were just-"

"Did you break that door to get inside? I heard a breaking door sound."

She cuts you off with a direct question, stern more than angry. In a panic you look to the door to see what she means, knowing you didn't break it before looking up to Owen for support. Your attention is drawn sharply back to the big blue lady though when you feel her sudden grip around around you, pulling you to her as you shriek in response. Owen tries to fight against it and you hold onto him for dear life, but neither of your strength can compare. Your whole world is turned upside down as she holds you up in the air by the leg, and though Owen would try to struggle against her to get you down, you just hold onto your hair to try and keep it from hanging down and touching the wet floor.

"I told Sunstone I don't want strangers inside the house when she's not here."

>Try to explain yourself and defuse the situation, before she ends up grabbing Owen as well.
>Ask about Emma, she's why you're here after all.
>Concoct a wild scenario to try and confuse her, and gain the upper hand in the situation!
>[Write-in.]

>>1187380
>Try to explain yourself and defuse the situation, before she ends up grabbing Owen as well.
>Ask about Emma, she's why you're here after all
>Play her the messages
>"We beat the trials! Doesn't that make us not strangers?"

File: the mess.jpg (22 KB, 1217x913)

22 KB JPG

>>1187470

You imagine this going poorly, even Soleil from what you've seen is wary of Chalcedony. Rather than trying to struggle against this force then, you think it best to calm things down with words. You're not burglars, after all.

"Wait wait, look the door isn't broken and we're not here to cause trouble or anything! This is all just... a big misunderstanding!" you say with quite a smug look, though hanging upside down it probably looks like a small frown. Indeed though, your honeyed words will surely convince this alien rock woman of your superior logic and ways, and encourage her to set you down and apologize post haste.

"Then why are stealing things from the fridge, Lee?"

Well, so much for that. In his attempts to get you down, she ends up trying to grab Owen as well but he's too fast for her and manages to dodge a few times. Before things get worse, you rummage through your pockets with one hand (the other devoted to trying to hold your hair off the floor) for your phone, and finally manage to get it out.

"Chalcedony, please! Where's Emma? That's why we're here, she asked me to come over. Listen, here's a messag- gah! Oh nooo not the floor!"

With one hand you try to get to your voicemail and set it to speaker, though in the process end up dropping it to the floor in the "milk". Fortunately you got it to play before losing grip of it, and despite sitting in a puddle it sounds well enough to be intelligible. The big blue lady doesn't seem concerned at first, but ends up looking at the phone with a puzzled look.

"So is she... stuck inside the thing then? That's why she needs help?"

"Uh, no it's... just a phone, like the one on the wall there."

Eventually making sense of things at least somewhat, Chalcedony lifts you up more and uses her other hand to turn you right side up again, before setting you down on your own feet. Backing away from her, you intentionally faint into Owen's arms, feigning terror and lightheadedness so that you can feel his embrace. Naturally he must be furious at the big blue lady, and he will surely rise to defend your honor!

"You're a fast one, aren't you?" she addresses him specifically.

"Fast enough." is all he responds, entirely unconcerned with your honor, or even wellbeing it seems. For now you'll just have to settle for feeling his arms around you in loving embra- oh wait nevermind he helped you to stand up on your own again.

File: owen work.jpg (51 KB, 510x309)

51 KB JPG

>>1187829

---

"We beat the trails! Doesn't that make us not strangers?"

"What trials?"

A little while later and you're sitting in the breakfast nook, waiting for Emma to get there as Chalcedony stands by merely watching till that time. Apparently she's not too concerned about Owen, particularly since he's busy cleaning up the "milk" mess you made across the kitchen floor, but you she doesn't trust. Stealing from the fridge, might do that you suppose.

Still, you try small talk with her to pass the time and maybe try to smooth things over, but she seems genuinely unaware of what you're talking about. It takes a bit for you to realize this, initially assuming she's pulling your leg, now more figuratively than literally.

>The test trial? Down in the vault, that Soleil (for the most part) made for you and Owen to see if you were ready for gem questing?
>Forget the trials, you've met more than once before and know each other by name. You're not friends, but you're definitely not strangers.
>Tell Owen he missed a spot.
>[Write-in.]

File: side set.jpg (225 KB, 564x769)

225 KB JPG

>>1187839

Also a heads up, this will be my last post for the night. Apologies for the later start, was unexpectedly busy. Will resume tomorrow though as usual.

>Thanks all for playing!

>>1187839
>The test trial? Down in the vault, that Soleil (for the most part) made for you and Owen to see if you were ready for gem questing?
>Try to remember if you've ever done anything that may have made Chalcedony mad at you.
>Tell Owen he missed a spot in a completely genuine way because you're helpful and want to help.

>>1187845
Thanks for running, Kon.

Bump post, got a bit side tracked but am writing up a proper response now.

>>1187924

It's obviously a bit odd for her to not know what you're talking about. You thought all the gems were involved with it in some way.

"You know... the test? The one Soleil made for me, and Owen and Sarah down in the vault?"

"No, I don't know. Besides, I... don't go down there anymore."

Well it's a bit hard to explain things when she's so unfamiliar with what you mean, and it seems you took her close proximity living and gem nature for granted. An unsuccessful attempt to establish some familiarity with her, you try and fail to recall any reason you've given her to be upset with you, apart from just now when you technically broke in and technically stole from the fridge. To be honest though, she's the least familiar of any of the gem ladies, to you. Only in passing have you seen her a few times, and never downstairs before. From your experience she seems more like a ghost haunting the house, than a member of this strange family. Certainly the most distant of the gems, but then you've known people, humans like that in your life.

Either way, while informing Owen about missing a spot which he doesn't seem to mind having pointed out to him, you hear the back door open properly this time. As you might have expected in comes Emma, hurrying for the phone as she picks it up to dial some number, and sure enough your phone starts to buzz. Cleaning it off with your shirt one last time, you answer it out of habit.

"Hello, is that you Lee? Wonderful, I trust you got the earlier messages I left you? If you're available, you'd do well to hurry over to the house. We've got... well, a bit of a situation here!"

"Uh, Emma... yeah, we're right behind you."

You kind of half speak into the phone, half say aloud, certain that she can hear both.

>...

>Really weird, wouldn't let me post with any images. Problem with the site?

>>1191539

At first she instinctively just looks behind before turning back to the phone and expressing confusion. She shortly does a double take though, seeing you with the phone and awkwardly waving at her, to which she laughs and promptly hangs up. She does jump a little when she sees the big blue lady though.

"Ah! Chalcedony, you are..." she regains her composure and nervously tries to be civil about things. The big blue just responds as flatly as ever though, before turning to leave, "Waiting for you to get here, they're on your hands now."

With that, Emma lets out a breath before turning back to you with a more confident look. She approaches you to talk, but nearly trips over Owen and steps back a bit, lowering to try and get a better look at him.

"Aaand who is this? What are you doing down there on the floor? It's real tile floor I can assure you, Soleil cares about things like that! Or do you think we've got an infestation? Well I can say with certainty we don't, I try to see to that! Or maybe you dropped something? Do you need help looking for it?"

That's right, Owen and Emma have never met before. In fact, you're not sure if he's ever even seen her.

>Introduce the two of them, probably a help to Owen that way.
>Let them get to know one another, you don't want to butt in.
>Explain the situation at least, then figure out what she needs help with.
>[Write-in.]

>>1191544
>Introduce the two of them, probably a help to Owen that way.
>"I spilled some, uh, milk? Nobody cried over it though!"

>>1191544
Yeah, the image thing seems to be a site wide problem. Also, is Emma a gem or a human?

>>1191596

A gem, which would have been evident by the picture. I'll try to provide some description at least to hold things over in the meantime.

>>1191585

You know how Emma is so it might be a bit overwhelming as a first time, and you decide to step in. Maybe not literally, though you do get up after pocketing your phone again.

"Emma, Owen. Owen, Emma. I brought him along after I got your voicemail, I figured some extra help might be nice."

Getting up to his feet again, Owen is clearly a little taken aback by the tall gem lady. You know the feeling, her long blonde-ish hair a strong contrast to her darker skin, similar to the difference between the vibrant greens and yellows of her outfit, looking closer to some sort of uniform than Soleil's actual clothes. Her stature of course is imposing, not as large as Chalcedony but still fairly taller than you or Owen. Focus is easily drawn though to her lone visible bright blue eye, the other half of her face unseen behind the fall of her hair.

"Aaaah, the Owen I've heard so much about! I'm Emerald, of course! How intriguing, to meet the human who completed Topaz's portion of the test.." although Owen cautiously extends a hand in greeting, she grabs his entire arm without warning in the process of studying him over closely. Lifting up his arm to examine the length, pulling at his clothes to try and feel what they're made of and see the label, attempting to get a closer look at his face and mouth if he weren't too fast for her and managed to dodge any such attempts, "And how do the two of you know one another Lee, is he your boyfriend?"

"Yes!" you blurt out in excitement.

"No." he immediately responds.

"No."

You scramble to try to change the subject in embarrassment, figuring at least to answer her original question and give some explanation. It would also explain what Chalcedony was doing here, waiting with you.

"I spilled some, uh, milk? Nobody cried over it though! Owen was just cleaning it up."

"Ooooh dear, it wasn't the white stuff was it? That wasn't milk, and it wasn't for drinking..." her initial concern, like that of a worried parent after their child ate a silicon packet, soon gives way to curious interest, "...did you drink any though? What did it taste like? I kind of want to know now."

>Like a mix of lemon juice and chalk, should you be worried?
>Nevermind that, what's the problem that needs your help?
>Well, technically speaking Owen is your friend and a boy, so in a sense he's your boy friend.
[Write-in.]

>>1191767
>Nevermind that, what's the problem that needs your help?

>>1191767
>Like a mix of lemon juice and chalk, should you be worried?
>Nevermind that, what's the problem that needs your help?

>>1191885

It doesn't matter, none of it matters. You remember that Owen is still on the clock so get down to brass tacks, rather than getting into a whole lot of detail about the white stuff and a conversation of it for the sake of Emma's curiosity.

"It tasted like chalk washed down with lemon juice. Anyway forget that, what's going on? What do you need help with?"

"I need help with something? I'm not sure if... oh that's right, I do! Yes, weeell as it turns out the work with the warp hub has been a success, isn't that exciting?! Ah, but to test for sure I need someone with solid mass to... spot for me, I guess you could say. Just make sure I can use it properly, there and back again. If we can manage to do that, then we'll be able to start using warping as a normal means of travel again. So you see? Great importance!"

Although Emma doesn't really lead the way, rather she just keeps talking as she leaves out the backdoor again, you and Owen follow after her anyway to keep up with what she's expecting you to do. Now very little of what she says, do you actually understand, but bits and pieces you can glean. Basically it sounds like she needs you to stand by or something and make sure she doesn't blow herself up. At least that's what you take it to mean. You wonder though, how many of a person job is that?

Already outside and making your way around to the cellar, now would be the time to figure these things out.

>Could you do it on your own? Maybe Owen doesn't actually need to come along, if it'd be better for him to get back to work.
>What about one of the other gems? Couldn't they help with this?
>How long is this going to take, does she think?
>[Write-in.]

>>1191983

Also a heads up, this will be my last post for the night. Another unfortunate late start, but will try to make up for it tomorrow. Also a reminder that now the thread is in auto-sage, play won't be at a set time anymore, in favor of just whenever I am able to post.

>Thanks all for playing, hopefully picture posting will be back soon!

>>1191983
>What about one of the other gems? Couldn't they help with this?
>How long is this going to take, does she think?
>This isn't going to explode, right?

>>1192002

The more she explains, the more you start to wonder if her calls earlier were as dire as she made them sound. Maybe it is important work, but did it really need your help as soon as possible?

"I mean, I'm not against helping out Emma, but wouldn't another gem be better for this kind of thing?"

"Weeell, normally yes. In this case though I need someone with solid mass, a hard body-" she lightly raps against your shoulder at this with a fist. It looks like she'd have tried to go for Owen first but she gave up before trying, probably expecting a dodge. "-to act as an anchor. Now Sarah could have helped, she has a solid body around her gem, but I haven't the slightest as to where she's off to at the moment!"

All this talk of hard forms and complex gem nature is confusing to you, so you can only imagine how it must be for Owen. By the look of things, it's so far beyond him that he just tuned out and is thinking about other things probably. At any rate though you continue to follow after Emma as she attempts to explain better (or maybe just overwhelm you more), and eventually upon reaching the cellar door to beneath the house she heads on down, having to duck down not to hit her head. You and Owen though have no trouble with your own heights, by comparison.

Going down into the cellar though, raises some concern for you.

"Wait, we're not taking the chopper?"

"Oh my no, where we're going is not that far away! No need to overdo it, hah!"

That's a little disappointing, but it's probably for the best. Taking the chopper on Owen's first time, would probably scare him out of his wits and convince him never to come back.

>...

>>1193999

Into the vault it is, as Emma leads the way through the bluish, dark hexagonal corridors. You've only been down here a couple of times and have tried to make sense of it, but it all seems the same to you, with little to no details to discern anything by. She does come to a stop though suddenly, causing the two of you to bump into the back of her.

"Careful now! I don't mind it, but you'd not want to run into the wrong door in here! Now, here we are then, we'll take an escape pod to get over to the warp hub. No time at all!"

Pressing against the wall here, an illuminated panel appears behind the wall as if it were glass, but she still operates it just by making contact with the wall. Another hex gives way, to what you'd guess at first to be a small room. On closer inspection though, it is indeed a little pod of sorts, complete with bench seats running around the inner wall. For just you and Owen it would be a nice size but for Emma (and all of you together) it'll be a close fit, though she doesn't seem to mind at all as she attempts to usher the two of you in.

"Hold up Emma, about how long is all of this going to take?"

"Well obviously the size of the occupants matter but normally it can seat around four. Naturally this is a smaller examp- oh wait, you mean how much time? Not much at all, only a few minutes to reach the hub and it shouldn't take me even close to an hour to test the system."

That's not too bad you suppose, though Owen is still a little skeptical and you don't blame him. He steps into the pod first, but cautiously so and ever wary as if expecting you and Emma to suddenly slam him shut inside. Following after, you stop short with a hand on the edge, giving Emma a suspicious glance back.

"This isn't going to explode, right?"

"I hope not!" she responds with enthusiasm.

Well that's reassuring.

>Find a seat in the pod, next to Owen if you can.
>Ask Emma how familiar she is with this thing, compared to other methods of transport.
>Does this thing have a sound system? Got any good beats?
>[Write-in.]

Also, is image posting back?

>>1194004
>>Find a seat in the pod, next to Owen if you can.

>>1194010
yeah its back.

File: 1439291006125.png (144 KB, 863x558)

144 KB PNG

>>1194004
>Find a seat in the pod, next to Owen if you can.
>Does this thing have a sound system? Got any good beats?

>>1194010
Yes.

>>1194004
>>Does this thing have a sound system? Got any good beats?

File: pod interior filling up.jpg (35 KB, 1217x913)

35 KB JPG

>>1194020
>>1194056
>>1194128

Not much else to it then, you move through the small pod to sit next to Owen, which works because Emma will probably take up most of the other side. You try to look around for any sort of seatbelt to buckle in with, but you notice Owen already found the equivalent by sitting properly in the seat against the back. In doing so, a safety harness lowers, as far as you're comfortable to allow it to go. Oddly it kind of feels like sitting in a roller coaster.

Now, as the two of you were getting situated, Emma is at what you'd guess to be the front of the pod and working at the controls. She seems experienced enough to know her way around and maneuvers through options quickly, which is a big relief to you.

"What are you doing up there? Trying to get the music playing?"

"The music? Oh, choice idea Lee! I'm actually just calibrating the life support system for you two, so you survive the trip, but some music is just as important! Let's see who was using the system last, and what they were listening to... oh, some human music it looks like? Must have been Soleil."

Using her free hand for a few moments to a second control display, she does a a few movements before whisking it away, and music can be heard to start playing. How appropriate it is for the situation, you can't rightly say though, because you're more concerned about the pink liquid flowing into the bottom of the pod now. In response both you and Owen lift your legs up to keep them out of the rising liquid, though naturally you're both quite concerned. Emma finalizes her efforts with the main controls, and whisks those away as well, and the whole pod jolts with movement as she goes to sit down across from the two of you.

"H-Hey Emma... is this thing supposed to be filling up?"

"Filling up... oh right! That. Well, it's part of the life support, to keep you alive. Don't worry about it too much, you won't have any trouble breathing! At least I think not, you're both mammals, you both have lungs, right?"

In a panic you and Owen struggle against the the safety harnesses, but locked in place as they are now for your comfort, you're quite stuck. By now the pod is quickly filling up, and is up to the point where your lower halves are submerged. Owen is attempting to maneuver and otherwise contort his way out of the restraints and failing, while you fitfully try and bargain or talk Emma out of this. She continues to assure you though that there's nothing to worry about, as long as your human physiology is correct, or at least the system is correct about it. Her second guessing isn't helping, and nor is the rising liquid now nearing your necks.

>Panic even harder, the adrenaline marks the path to survival!
>Take Owen's hand, try to calm down together and accept the inevitable. Hopefully the inevitable isn't death.
>Poor choice with the music, off off!
>[Write-in.]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9c0M6yMn8kY

>>1194363
>>Take Owen's hand, try to calm down together and accept the inevitable. Hopefully the inevitable isn't death.

>>1194363
>"Y-you tested this on a mouse or something, right?"
>Take Owen's hand, try to calm down together and accept the inevitable. Hopefully the inevitable isn't death.

>>1194363
>>Panic even harder, the adrenaline marks the path to survival!

File: pod flight.jpg (57 KB, 1217x913)

57 KB JPG

>>1194371
>>1194417
>>1194668

Raising your head as far as the restraints will allow, you try to speak to Emma one last time and sputter, as the pink liquid reaches your mouth.

"Y-you tested this on a mouse or something, right?"

"Weeell I tested the mouse setting on a mouse."

And before you can get anything else out, the liquid level rises above your head, submerging you entirely. Fortunately you took a deep breath, and you close your eyes, trying to wait it out while you feel the whole pod in motion as if being pushed or guided along by something on the outside. Before long your racing heart starts to get the better of you though as your breath runs out, and you truly panic and start thrashing against the restraints as hard as you can. You'd scream if you could and start to slip, start to lose clarity, until you feel something stable. Something supportive, something human. Straining to open your eyes against the liquid, you immediately notice it doesn't sting or feel unpleasant.

Most of all though you realize the support is Owen holding your hand. He looks to be... drinking the stuff? Or breathing it, however you want to imagine it, and while he doesn't look to be enjoying it at all he also isn't dead. With little choice otherwise, you finally give in to your screaming lungs and take the stuff in. A sharp and decidedly unpleasant feeling, and beyond strange, but after an initial struggle against it you soon as well come to to get used to the liquid flow to and from your lungs. The biggest help of all is Owen who seems calm as can be, and once you adjust, you similarly settle down. Together you notice Emma who doesn't seem perturbed at all by the situation even continuing talking and appearing to congratulate you, though you can't hear her clearly through the fluid, and over the still blaring music.

At any rate, before long you feel the pod shudder to a halt, and start to notice light coming in through the pod window from somewhere up above. You don't get long to check it out though, when with a sudden deep thud felt down to your bones and the sound of which ringing in your skull, the pod is blasted upwards towards the light. The sheer force of it all renders you immobile, pinned against the seat and were it not for the restraints, you'd think your extremities and perhaps even your head to fly right off your body.

>...

File: view outside pod.jpg (38 KB, 1217x913)

38 KB JPG

>>1194925

As sudden as the pod blasted off is as sudden as it landed, though the flight in between was some minutes. A flight indeed you came to realize, as straining to look out of the window during the trip, you only barely managed to make out what you figure out were clouds and the ocean below. Emma was probably right then in making sure the pod was calibrated for you, and filled up with the liquid. Whatever strange properties it had besides the obvious of being breathable to you, it also must have had some sort of dampening effect against the force or else you and Owen would be little more than jam splatters on the inside of the pod even just from the initial blastoff.

Either way though, it seems you survived, despite all odds. Well, mostly survived, you still at least feel like you died and maybe even wish you had rather than to have gone through that experience. With the pod more or less stationary now (but your head still spinning), you see Emma get up again to the front controls. A few movements and the door to the pod blasts off, skipping across the water a few times before sinking. A sudden rush, as a torrent of the pink liquid filling the pod flows out of the open door now, the restraints keeping you and Owen from being washed out with it.

Eventually with the pod finally emptied enough that now only the bottom about up to your shins remains flooded with the fluid, you can feel the air again and see the outside as the restraints raise, allowing you to move freely again. The bobbing sensation of the pod is explained, as you see what looks to be the ocean and light waves just outside the door.

"I'm glad that worked! At least I think it worked, you're still alive aren't you, Lee? Owen?"

Emma for one reason or another, is just fine despite the trip, and gets down on her knees to check both you and Owen, vital signs and all that.

>Just sit there and wait for the trauma to fade.
>Get outside as fast as you can, you don't want to be inside this thing for another moment.
>Vent some... annoyance at Emma.
>[Write-in.]

>>1194935
>>Just sit there and wait for the trauma to fade.

>>1194935
>Cough what's left of that crap out of your lungs
>Vent some... annoyance at Emma.
>"Please tell me we aren't taking that thing back!"

File: looking up at plateau.jpg (46 KB, 1217x913)

46 KB JPG

>>1194939
>>1195076

At first chance you are able, you and Owen take to expelling the fluid from your lungs, feeling not unlike puking but without emptying your stomach. Still coughing and hacking up excess for awhile after, despite the freedom to move again, you both end up just sitting in the seats for awhile. Still feeling the aftershocks of the trauma from the trip, it's nice to just take it easy for a bit and give your minds the chance to catch up to your skulls.

Emma is of course glad that the two of you are alright, but it's obviously a little annoying seeing her seemingly unaffected by the whole ordeal.

"Tell me Emma, you think putting Sarah through all that would be a good idea? You think if you did, she would be at all interested in doing any of this stuff ever again?"

She hesitates for a moment, thinking about what you said and getting rather tight-lipped.

"...yooou're probably right. I'm sure it's not so bad though once you get used to it!"

"Please tell me we aren't taking this thing back!"

Both you and Owen shoot angry glances at her, causing Emma to withdraw a bit in unease, and try to make light of the situation.

"Eeesh, if looks could kill... but no, you don't have to worry about that. This is just a single use vessel, meant to get the occupants to safety. Like a lifeboat, but it's run its course now." she pauses to ponder aloud, before shifting focus to the matter at hand, "Well, I suppose you could always try paddling with it to move it along... but anyway, we're here now! Care to check out the warp hub?"

Standing up again, she holds onto the interior roof of the pod for support against the bobbing and rocking motion from the water outside, as she moves towards the open door. Looking around, she marvels at the sight before stepping out beyond, and you can see her walking around on something. Out of curiosity you crawl over to the opening and look out after her, and find yourself agreeing with her wonder at the sight, it really is quite impressive. Some sort of giant plateau reaching far up out of the water, the waves washing against it and many other (though much smaller) rocky formations breaking the ocean surface. Emma is currently standing atop one such smaller rocky protrusion that the pod landed near, looking confusedly up at the main central plateau and likely wondering how to get up there. At least you think that's what she's wondering, because you definitely are.

>Get out of the pod, see if you can't find your own way to get closer along the rocks.
>Try and paddle the pod closer to the central plateau, maybe find a closer rocky bit out of the water.
>Ask Emma if she has any idea how to get up to the top, maybe some handy gem object or power?
>[Write-in.]

>>1195413
>>Ask Emma if she has any idea how to get up to the top, maybe some handy gem object or power?

>>1195413
>>Ask Emma if she has any idea how to get up to the top, maybe some handy gem object or power?

>>1195413
>Ask Emma if she has any idea how to get up to the top, maybe some handy gem object or power?

File: amber stairs.jpg (54 KB, 1217x913)

54 KB JPG

>>1195494
>>1196492
>>1196642

It looks like you could get outside on the rocks and follow after Emma, maybe that could lead to a way up to the plateau. You'd probably want to get closer first if you did though, but you wonder if there's an easier way.

"Hey Emma..." you call from the pod, hanging onto the inside and looking out while Owen looks out the window behind you, "...you wouldn't happen to have a way of getting up there? I mean like any gem powers that would help?"

Acknowledging you without looking back, she brings a hand to her chin in contemplation, looking up at the plateau.

"Weeell the last time I was here I just climbed up on my own, but that might be difficult for you two. Maybe I could come up with something though."

Changing her positioning and moving over to a bigger rock, she takes a knee and brings her hands close together in concentration. Clearly preparing for something, her long hair starts to lift a little before she drops her hands to the ground and conjures up some sort of goopy viscous substance. It most closely resembles honey, and where she's drawing it from isn't entirely clear, but there doesn't seem to be a limit to how much she can summon as soon the glob of it greatly increases in size. Shaping it herself all through the process, she gradually moves back as more and more is summoned, and finally you start to recognize the developing shape as a long, large amber staircase from the rock she's on up to a high point on the side of the plateau.

"As quick as you can now! I'll hold it in shape for the two of you!"

>...

File: rest of the way up.jpg (52 KB, 1217x913)

52 KB JPG

>>1197712

Giving a knowing glance to each other, you and Owen don't waste time and clamor out of the pod to drop to the nearest rocks below. Running and jumping along them, the rocky protrusions from the water between here and where Emma is, you slip and fall a couple times but never off completely as to fall into the ocean besides. Still, in some places the rocks barely touch out of the water so your feet get wet from the lapping waves. At any rate though Owen reaches the amber stairs first (having never fallen or slipped) but you catch up not long after, and make the ascent after him. The stairs themselves give way a little to pressure as you run up them, and they're quite sticky, but more than solid and stable enough to get up to the side of the plateau. It's still a little disconcerting to be running along them though, and see clear through to the water and rocks below, at the height you are.

Finally when you reach the top of the stairs you make a running jump across the small gap and smash right into the side wall of the plateau itself. Fortunately though Owen is there to catch you. Catching your breath together, you look back and watch as Emma releases control of the stairs and they turn viscous again, and quickly drop to the sea and rocks below in a goopy mess.

"Well that's a handy trick she has." Owen comments, looking back down below. Emma can be heard calling up to you two but over the waves you can't really make it out clear, and anyway you're busy looking up to the very top of the plateau. It's not that much farther above, but it's too high just to reach on your own, either of you.

>Try to find your own way up together.
>Wait for Emma to reach where you are, and help from there.
>Owen can wait here, you'd like to walk along the edge though and see how far you can go. Maybe there's a way up farther around.
>[Write-in.]

>>1197719
>Try to find your own way up together.
>Try to boost each other up? (Step on his hands to give you the extra height then pull him up from there?

>>1197719
>>Try to find your own way up together.

File: warp hub.jpg (333 KB, 1110x1920)

333 KB JPG

>>1197791
>>1197908

Up on this tier of the side ledges along the plateau, you stand and look around while Owen is on his knees, watching Emma down below. From the look of things he seems rather uneasy and gripping the edge for support. To be fair it is quite high where you are, but whereas Owen is fearful of it, you love the view. The ocean breeze, the sound of the waves washing against the rocks, and the sun only occasionally obscured by random wandering clouds. Getting out of the pod at first was unpleasant enough from being soaked with the pink dampening fluid, but surprisingly by now its since dried. No residual effects you notice either, apart from a pleasant smell of strawberries.

"Hey Owen, you want to try getting up to the top? We can probably manage if we do it together, maybe you lift me up and I help you after?"

"Wh-What? Oh yeah, sure..."

Leaning down a bit to put your hand on his shoulder, you try to give the same support he gave to you when the pod was filling with liquid. He's clearly nervous but your presence seems to help a little as his breathing steadies, and he agrees to the plan. Offering him a hand up then, together you walk along the wall portion till you can find a part that rises up high enough so you can reach the top together.

Once you do, it's not too difficult for you to step on his hands, and then up to his shoulder while he keeps as steady as he can. Barely you manage to grab the ledge above, and with his help to push, you are able to hoist yourself up. Turning back around to help him after, you have to be careful since the edge is smooth, in case you end up getting pulled back down. With a few attempts on his part to run and jump though, the final try he succeeds in running a bit up the wall and catching your hands. It's a definite struggle on both your parts, but you do finally drag him up top with you.

"I got ya, I got ya... whew, there we go!"

"That was a close one, thanks Lee."

Although pretty strenuous, you feign exhaustion from the effort and fall over to try and lay against him. A great feeling for sure, but if only he welcomed it. At that moment, his focus is elsewhere, on the top of the plateau up here where you are.

>Get up to check it out together, you've come all this way after all.
>No no! Too tired, just lay here for awhile.
>Check out how Emma is doing, see if she needs any help or anything.
>[Write-in.]

>>1198164
>Check out how Emma is doing, see if she needs any help or anything.

>>1198164
>Check out how Emma is doing, see if she needs any help or anything.
>Get up to check it out together, you've come all this way after all.

File: crystalline pad.png (79 KB, 643x352)

79 KB PNG

>>1198212
>>1198322

As much as you'd like to lay there longer against him, you remember you're not alone together. Sitting up again, you crawl over to the edge and look down to see Emma far below. It looks like she's also trying to climb her way up, but like you before, is moving around the base of the plateau (or as close to the base as she can get) in search of a portion of the wall low enough to climb up on her own. Given her height though it shouldn't be too hard.

"Have you ever been here before? Emma made it sound like it was some fancy place, but I don't see... well, anything up here."

"No, not here before. We might find something if we look around though, I know- I hope Emma didn't drag us all the way out here for nothing."

Getting up from the edge to join Owen, together you wander around the top of the plateau. A number of circular pads spread out across the top up here and elevated from the floor a bit, are obvious to you even from the edge, but moving along you start to notice some sort of pattern on the floor. Lines, circles and grooves running around and sometimes connecting between pads. It's an interesting design but you can't really make any sense of it. All you can tell is that everything up here seems very well made, very smooth and flat like glass almost, probably intentionally and meticulously cut or shaped in this way.

Even the pads seem to be the same, though a closer inspection as you move to and from some of them, and you notice that they're all damaged. Cracked or chipped, or broken into pieces, the general shapes of them hold true even from the damage, but they lie incomplete.

Well, all except one that is, on the far side of the plateau. You and Owen end up coming to, and looking upon it's faintly reflective surface, gleaming in the light of the afternoon sun.

"This one looks fine, why do you think that is?"

"Maybe all of them are supposed to be broken, and... they? Whoever, forgot about this one."

>Test it out and see what happens, maybe it's special?
>Leave it alone, it could be dangerous. Especially without Emma here.
>Whatever it is, it looks super cool. Go grab some pieces of one of the broken ones to pocket, and take with you.
>[Write-in.]

>>1198692
>Test it out and see what happens, maybe it's special?
What could possibly go wrong?

>>1198692
>>Leave it alone, it could be dangerous. Especially without Emma here.

Apologies for no posts today, or yesterday depending on timezones, it was the full busy day of the week.

>>1198708
>>1199479

Maybe this pad was forgotten, or maybe it's special. Whatever it may be though, you're interested in finding out, as you kick it a few times to make sure it doesn't explode.

"...you think maybe we should wait for Emma before doing anything?"

"You can wait, I'm going to mess around with it and see what happens!"

Owen is obviously weary of the pad and cautions you against any actions, but you're much too curious for that. Leaning down, you quickly smack at the top surface a few times to see if anything happens. With no response though, you slowly bring a foot down on top. Still no response, so you step up on it and start walking around. A little boring, you start jumping up and down on it. Again the pad remains as inactive as it has the whole time, and you eventually give up trying to provoke a response and finally just sit down at the edge, thoroughly disappointed.

"That was a nice effort, but you weren't trying to activate it were you? Eeeven if it were working, you'd need to be a gem to do so." you hear Emma from off to the side, and look up to see her having reached the top finally and making her way over. "Good eye in finding the unbroken one though!"

You get up when she reaches the two of you, giving her room to approach and examine the pad. She thanks you and takes a knee, using her hands to create a small array of various (and odd-looking) tools out of the golden glass-looking substance, like before with the stairs. Between using them and making contact with the pad herself, she appears to be testing it for any sort of activity though you couldn't say for sure. Aside of her, you notice Owen has wandered over to another nearby pad, nudging the cracked portion with his foot.

>Ask her what the thing is for. It must be important if an entire structure as bit as this, was made out in the middle of the ocean for it and the others like it.
>See if she could use any help. That is why she asked you out here in the first place, after all, otherwise she could have just come on her own.
>Just give her some space, go hang out with Owen till she's done.
>[Write-in.]

>>1201744
>>Just give her some space, go hang out with Owen till she's done.

>>1201744
>See if she could use any help. That is why she asked you out here in the first place, after all, otherwise she could have just come on her own.
If not,
>Just give her some space, go hang out with Owen till she's done.

>>1201992
>>1201850

You think to try and help her at first, and with the tools out and whatnot, it ironically reminds you of your dad earlier this morning working on the boat engine. Remembering that, and seeing how well Emma seems to know her stuff, you think you'd just get in the way again if you tried to help.

So for now you giver her some space, and try to approach Owen in the meantime, over by the broken pad. Weird, that while working together against obstacles and problems you have no problem getting along with him but just trying to approach him and hang out till Emma finishes her work, takes more courage than anything else so far today.

"S-So... how's it going Owen? Oh h-hey, that rhymes! You don't... regret coming along then, right?" you try and laugh about it, but want to kick yourself from the rhyme observation.

"Honestly, I could actually do without ever going in that pod thing again, that might have been the worst experience of my entire life." he responds flatly and without hesitation.

Fortunately he doesn't seem to notice the awkwardness or just doesn't care, though you're much more worried about him taking a bad impression from going on a gem quest, than if he notices your trouble talking. Part of the reason you invited him along to begin with, was for him to get a feel of what going on a quest was like, and hopefully if it wasn't too bad and he liked it he'd be willing to go on others. More time together, you'll take what you can get. Hearing that he hasn't much enjoyed himself so far though, you spring to the defense of it.

"O-Oh well hey, it's normally not that bad! I mean, normally we take the chopper, this is the first time I've been that we didn't so it's a weird case."

While you continue to try and make things seem better than they are and paint the quest this time as a bad example, Emma appears to be done with her work on the pad when she calls you over. When you rejoin her with Owen in tow, you can't tell what she did, if anything but the result is clear. The surface of the pad is giving a soft glow, just barely discernible above the light of the afternoon sun. With the tools dissipated, Emma rises to her feet and marvels at her efforts.

>...

>>1202251

"Did you fix it then? Are we going to use it to... well, whatever it's for?"

"Weeell I don't know about fixed, but it's active now. I wouldn't risk anything yet, without first calibrating it for the two of you, but I'll test it out myself. That was the whole point of this, to see if we could gain access to the old warp network." while speaking Emma brings her hands together and summons a length of the golden glassy substance, drawing it out into a long, thin cord. "Aaaand that's where you come in! With your mass, you can remain here as an anchor! I'll attempt to travel to another pad, likely it'll be some unfamiliar location, and just take a look to make sure it worked. Then, with you waiting here and this tether connecting us, I can come right back. See? Simple, but important to have you here for safety. I wouldn't want to get lost in warp space after all!"

She hands you the yellow translucent tether, whatever it's made of you notice is quite flexible but strong. With that she recommends tying it to yourself somewhere and if anything goes wrong to give it a whip, otherwise if you didn't have any questions she ties her end of the tether around her wrist in preparation to leave.

>Everything sounds good to go, you're ready.
>Ask Owen for help in this, hand him a length of the tether as well.
>Tell her to bring back a souvenir!
>[Write-in.] Ask any question you might have.

Also, when next I post, ideally I'll be at my regular computer so can include pictures again.

>>1202254
>>Ask Owen for help in this, hand him a length of the tether as well.

>>1202254
>>Ask Owen for help in this, hand him a length of the tether as well.

>>1202254
>Ask Owen for help in this, hand him a length of the tether as well.

File: warping.jpg (6 KB, 300x168)

6 KB JPG

>>1202487
>>1202877
>>1203679

Maybe there's some things you'd want to know about this process before committing to it, but you can't think of any decent questions at the moment so don't bother. Instead, you ask Owen for help which he's fine giving, and he takes a length of the tether. While he gets a good grip of it though, he doesn't tie it around himself like you or Emma do.

"Aaaalrighty then, let's see where I end up! Here's hoping someplace cold!"

Either way, seeing as everything is in place she steps up onto the pad and tells you to get ready. With her hands together in concentration, the crystalline platform begins to glow brighter and starts to hum now, till finally a great pillar of multi-colored light erupts skyward from the pad surface. Emma is lost in the sound and glow of the impressive display, and you can't help but laugh and marvel at the sight of it all, looking up to try and see where the light beam ends.

"Wow... how far up do you think it goes?!"

"What?!

You try to shout over it all though it doesn't do much good since even right behind you, Owen can't hear. Still, you could just sit and watch the light show for awhile, it's so impressive. Something tugging at you though draws your focus back, and it isn't until you actually get pulled forward and lose your footing that you realize what. The amber tether is drawing you towards the pad, and up to the rising beam from it. Owen grabs you to help you get a proper standing again, but your shoes start to slide across the smooth surface of the ground here, inching you ever closer.

"H-Hey... you are pulling right?! you ask back in a bit of a panic.

"What?! Oh, yeah! Everything I've got!"

Glancing back now too, you see Owen throwing his whole body weight into it, actually facing away and leaning down at a steep angle with the tether against his shoulder pulling back. It seems only the good grip of his running shoes are keeping him too from sliding, and you from being dragged away at speed.

>Whip the tether. Whatever's happening on the other side, Emma is dragging you after her.
>Try to undo the tether tied around your waist, and slip free of it.
>Get Owen to hold onto you rather than the tether, maybe your weight together can hold fast.
>[Write-in.]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDoAMFpEIsk

>>1205071
>Get Owen to hold onto you rather than the tether, maybe your weight together can hold fast.
>Is there anything at all to hold on to? Anything you could brace yourself against like another Warp Pad, or enclave in a Warp Pad?

File: landing against the pad side.jpg (35 KB, 1217x913)

35 KB JPG

>>1205291

Struggling to undo the knot in the tether around your waist without any luck, you give up your fight against the length of amber and instead, as best you can try to turn and grab onto Owen himself. He seems to understand well enough when he feels your grip from behind, and letting to of his end, he instead grips you as well. The change in his stance sends both of you to the ground, but together your combined weight slows the pull of the tether into the pillar of light. Still though you inch closer, the both of you now being dragged despite Owen sitting upright against the pull and the both of you holding onto each other.

"It's... not working! We have to come up with something fast, or else..."

He tries to fight it with his shoes against the ground again, but in a panic you look around for something, anything to brace yourself against. Unfortunately the other warp pads are too far away, and in hindsight it would have been so much smarter to ask Emma to make the tether longer so you could indeed anchor yourselves by another warp pad. So no luck there, and the ground itself is too smooth for anything, unless Owen happened to bring along a spike and hammer to drive into the floor against the tether. Getting pulled closer to the pad though, you look it over and realize maybe that's your best chance, with no other options available. It's elevated off the floor by a little bit, so bracing against that edge may work.

"Owen! Let it pull us to the edge of the thing, then get your feet against the side of it!"

"You sure about that?! Well try and get your feet on it too, together maybe we can push back!"

You can tell he's a little doubtful but with no other plans to speak of, after a few moments of hesitation he lifts his feet off the floor. Together the two of you get dragged rather quickly towards the pad but as planned he manages to land with his feet against the side and stand against with all his might it by lying back to the floor. Fortunately you were able to hold on despite the sudden stop as he hit the side with his feet, but you weren't able to get a solid footing like him. The plan works at first, but now that you're right below the skywards beam of light, you start getting dragged upwards and before long you're holding on for dear life as your legs are flailing in the air to try and avoid being pulled into the light.

"Oweeen! Please don't leeet-" you scream against the glowing unknown above, licking at your dangling feet until you hear and feel a sudden snap, "-go?!"

>...

File: farewell pants.jpg (43 KB, 1217x913)

43 KB JPG

>>1206528

Suddenly something breaks, as the tether falls off you and is ripped away into the glow. Without the pull on you anymore, you land on Owen below just in time to see the pillar of light fade away starting from the base of the pad, and continuing upwards into the sky until it's gone entirely. Off to wherever Emma went, or the strange beyond, who knows. The important thing is you were left behind, and clamoring to your feet you jump up and down in celebration, even doing a little triumphant dance in place. Owen too seems glad you weren't dragged away into space or wherever else, but when he reaches his feet as well and you throw your arms around him in a hug of gratitude, he has only one thing to say.

"...are those boxers?" he asks, doing his best not to look down at something.

Letting go of him and glancing around in confusion, you finally realize when you look down, where he's refusing to. The ocean breeze makes you feel it too but it looks like rather than the tether breaking as you were pulled upwards, instead it just ripped your jeans off as it flew off into the warp light, taking your shoes as well in the process. Probably not the smartest idea now you realize, of tying the amber length around your waist through the belt loops of your pants. At least you still have your socks though.

Either way, left standing there in your underwear from the waist down, you ponder fate and the nature of the universe. The question of, what cruel god reigns down from above or what evil person were you in a past life, that you deserved to end up in this situation?

>Defensive. They're not boxers, they're boy shorts, and they're in season!
>It's no big deal. The important thing is you both made it through alright, and nobody was sucked away into space! Or at least, nobody besides Emma.
>Panic. Maybe something as drastic as running to the edge and swan diving off the plateau altogether. Maybe you'll hit the rocks below and die, saving you from this nightmare.
>[Write-in.]

>>1206540
>>Defensive. They're not boxers, they're boy shorts, and they're in season!

>>1206540
>Eh. I wear less during the MMA meets.
Is what we try to say before spaghetti explosively decompressed from whatever pockets we have left.

File: ....jpg (65 KB, 1217x913)

65 KB JPG

>>1206597
>>1206740

Although you'd want to do the mature thing and not mind the situation, you can't. Beset upon by many emotions in a short time, you end up acting defensive to try and prevent the encroachment of any more strife.

"What?! Y-You've never seen boy shorts before? Well it's fall time now... s-so they're suited for the season! And anyway, I wear less during the MMA meets."

"Less than that? Does uh... "MMA" stand for something else then, that I'm not aware of?"

You snap back at first and turn it on him, and though you try to smooth over it nonchalantly by changing the subject, you almost choke at hearing the words after you said them. Immediately wishing you'd never said anything to begin with, Owen's response just makes it worse. How dearly you want to bury your face in your hands, since you do a good impression of a lobster and turn feverishly red. In an attempt to avoid being noticed, you whip around to face the warp pad again and try to change the subject properly this time.

"D-Didn't Emma say she was just going to take a look around, there and back in no time?"

"Well without the yellow rope thing connecting us, can she even come back? How long do you think it'll take her now?"

A worrying prospect indeed, if the amber tether actually was necessary to the task at hand, though even if it was you're not sure how you were supposed to have kept it anchored here. Given what little preparation and time you were afforded, Emma wouldn't be in a position to fault you anyway. It's unfortunate especially for Owen though, since he's still on break from work. The later along the afternoon sun gets, the more of a reminder it is of this.

At any rate you feel bad for not being able to give him an answer, and you'll have to come up with some way to make it up to him. In the meantime though, you might be waiting here for awhile. For the moment you busy yourself with collecting up your phone, wallet, and some other personal belongings strewn around off the pad that got discarded from your pants when they were ripped off. You're grateful for Owen's help in this, but after that you may need something to do till Emma returns.

>You've got your phone still, maybe you can call home or Owen can call work?
>Try to get back down to the pod. It might be difficult, and trying to get back up here after will be even harder, but maybe there's something inside you can use to contact Emma or even any of the other gems.
>Take inventory, and look around for anything usable just in case. You may have lost your pants, but there's still bound to be some useful things between the two of you, and possibly lying around this place.
>[Write-in.]

>>1207537
>Take inventory, and look around for anything usable just in case. You may have lost your pants, but there's still bound to be some useful things between the two of you, and possibly lying around this place.
>Try to get back down to the pod. It might be difficult, and trying to get back up here after will be even harder, but maybe there's something inside you can use to contact Emma or even any of the other gems.

>>1207537
>>Try to get back down to the pod. It might be difficult, and trying to get back up here after will be even harder, but maybe there's something inside you can use to contact Emma or even any of the other gems.

>>1207537
>>Take inventory, and look around for anything usable just in case. You may have lost your pants, but there's still bound to be some useful things between the two of you, and possibly lying around this place.

File: multitool.jpg (11 KB, 300x176)

11 KB JPG

>>1207614
>>1207931

While collecting up your stuff together, you have the idea of seeing what you've got between you in case there's a need for well, anything. Unfortunately bereaved of your pants, you haven't much besides your wallet and phone, not even your keys just some gum and lip balm. Owen on the other hand though is surprisingly well equipped even without prior preparation. Besides what you'd expect, he's got a lighter, a bunch of protein bars, a pen and pack of sticky notes, a deck of cards, a multitool and a pocket flashlight. Maybe being a cart pusher and supermart worker is more complicated than you thought.

"Whoah, you came prepared... no phone, though?"

"No phone."

Together you look around the top of the plateau and don't turn up much, other than broken chunks of a few warp pads. Looking over the edge far below however, on some of the various rocks in the water about the plateau you can see the occasional piece of driftwood or seagull.

And then the pod, you remember. It's still bobbing about down there, so after some convincing of Owen to climb down, together you carefully make it down there. It takes a good half hour at least just to manage, and there are some close calls. When you reach the lowest tier of the side of the tower though, you find that all the way around, it's too high to be able to climb back up if you were to drop down to the water. So coming up with a plan, the two of you decide to have Owen stay up on the side and wait, while you jump down and swim over to the pod. Maybe even grab some driftwood in the process.

"Hold onto my stuff then, and don't look till I get back? Or... maybe if you really need to, for whatever reason..."

Without your pants you've already been embarrassed enough for one lifetime, so you don't see why any more should stop you from having dry clothes waiting when you get back. Taking off your shirt and socks then, you bundle it up with your stuff and hand it to Owen, and he politely obliges making a gesture to cover his eyes even though you don't expect him to look anyway.

With that, you lower yourself down by holding onto the edge, and taking a deep breath and mustering some courage you drop down to the sea below.

>...

File: horizon view from the top.jpg (1.26 MB, 3840x2160)

1.26 MB JPG

>>1210856

Several hours later and still neither sight nor sound from Emma.

Your trip to the pod went along fine and you did manage to gather a few chunks of driftwood, but the pod itself proved pointless. You were able to get back inside and found the control panel, but it was either no longer active, or wouldn't work for a non-gem.

So returning to the side of the plateau, with some struggle Owen managed to pull you back up again using his jacket and your shirt tied together as a makeshift rope. After that it was the same process as before with the two of you climbing back up the side together, though obviously taking much longer this time since you were starting from the bottom tier of the side.

Still, you made it back to the top together, and had plenty of time pass. Eventually you both figured it could be more than a couple hours till she returned, but by then you'd already gotten situated by the working warp pad. Even the bits of wood drying, in case you want to make a fire come nightfall.

For now though you sit together atop the crystalline plateau watching the setting sun, a loose game of cards between you and a couple protein bar and gum wrappers strewn about.

>Talk about yourself, what you feel like telling him.
>Ask about him, why he's in Diamond Shoals to begin with?
>Talk about what got you both here to begin with, the gem situation.
>[Write-in.] Anything else you want to say or ask.

>>1210872
>>Ask about him, why he's in Diamond Shoals to begin with?
Guys like it when you show interest in their stuff

>>1210872
>>Ask about him, why he's in Diamond Shoals to begin with?

>>1210872
>Ask about him, why he's in Diamond Shoals to begin with?

>>1210872

>Ask about him, why he's in Diamond Shoals to begin with?

"That Emma did she knew a heavy weight would have worked better, right?

File: Image-1 (3).jpg (333 KB, 2048x1536)

333 KB JPG

>>1210994
>>1211033
>>1211084
>>1211553

Well you're enjoying yourself immensely, spending time here together with Owen. And to think, you're both stranded here together, alone and with relative privacy for possibly the rest of your lives. Assuming, or hoping that Emma just got obliterated, even if she is just late or waylaid though by even a few hours you couldn't have asked for a better time. If nothing else, at least you got to hang out together, and he let you wear his jacket against the wind. Maybe you'll even end up having to repopulate the island... plateau together, if you really are stuck here indefinitely. Before that though, you'd like to get to know him better. You feel like friends for what you've been through together since you met some months ago, but you've actually not spent all that much time together, and you don't actually know him too well.

"So how'd you end up in town anyway? Summer is well over, shouldn't you be back in college by now?"

"I'm... it's complicated." it takes him a good while to respond, as if he has to consider what would be the best answer, though in the end he seems to give up and just sighs in defeat "Ugh, I'm pretty sure you already know by now, but.... I was suspended. Academic probation, I can't go back until I get my act together. I'm staying in town for now, Coach Bradford worked out a deal with Ms. Warren, the bookstore owner to let me rent the room upstairs. Please don't tell anyone about it though, I don't want to be known as that guy in town."

Probably a mistake to have asked him that, you certainly regret it. In truth, you did have your suspicions about Owen and what his situation was, why he was living in town. It's interesting to wonder what he did that would have caused him to be suspended, but it's really not your business so you don't dwell on it. It does sound though as if the arrangement is temporary, which is a little worrisome to you. Maybe not as temporary as you'd thought before, but still.

>...

File: last light.jpg (174 KB, 680x510)

174 KB JPG

>>1211984

"How long until you go back then? You're pretty famous, weren't you a track star? That's got to be better than working at the Mega World Mart."

Out of curiosity you have to know what his future in town looks like, though you regret denigrating his job. To be fair though, while you would have him stay forever if he could, as a friend you have concern for his own wellbeing and success. And being realistic, his potential future as an athlete would obviously be for the best. Once again though, as long as it takes him to come up with an answer, worries you at first.

"It'll happen sometime I guess... for now though, I like what I've got going here. Or, in Diamond Shoals, you know what I mean. I don't think Tar Heel U will miss me too much if skip a semester... or a few. Besides, who's Mr. Nguyen going to get to push the carts without me?"

You kind of felt bad for bringing any of it up, seeing as how it clearly bothered Owen at first. By the end though he lightened up and even laughed it off, appearing not to mind as much as you thought. And hearing he likes it in town enough to stay, is a relief to hear given the... difficulties with all the gem stuff. Now you just feel guilty about dragging him out here away from work for so long, when he seems to like it as much as he does, and it being his source of income and enabler of his living in Diamond Shoals.

Even that though, you can't tell if he's actually bothered by. For the short time that you've known Owen, he's never not chill about anything. Now more than ever, as he leans back against the edge of the warp pad, watching the fading light of the soon to be set sun.

"You know, it's actually really nice out here, even if we are stranded... I'm glad I came."

Well... you might feel a little guilty for dragging him along, but not so guilty now. Maybe Emma can take her time getting back.

>[Write-in.] Whatever you want to do for the rest of the evening, before turning in for the night and trying to sleep up here, stuck on some strange gem structure out in the middle of the ocean.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6Dv0h9DdBc

File: 1441941657110.jpg (56 KB, 237x330)

56 KB JPG

>>1212003
Two (I'm assuming) reasonably attractive college-aged individuals watching the sunset over an impressive ocean vista and spending the night together, having to stay close together for warmth? What could possibly happen in this scenario?
>Let the night continue on its course.
>Attempt to hold spaghetti in.

>>1212003
Sing a song about a sailor leaving his home by the shore to find love on the open sea.
He searches for years, too lonely in this world to give up and too stubborn to admit he doesnt know what he's looking for.
When all hope is lost he finally finds the woman of his dreams.
This woman is the ocean itself, and in the end the sailor decides to spend the rest of his days, and all of the next in her loving embrace.

>>1212041

It's windy but not that cold actually, especially with wood and a lighter to make a fire. Though, having only one pair of pants between them, doesn't help for sure.

Otherwise though, there's no set course without player input. It's been a pretty strenuous day so if left to their own devices, they'd probably just have a dinner of protein bars and go to sleep. At least Owen would, and Lee is too spaghetti-stricken to try anything, like huddling together for warmth.

>>1212052

If you can come up with lyrics for such a song, then it'll count towards the unlock goal for Sarah.

>>1212068
God damn my dude its 1 something in the AM, I burned all my creativity on the pitch.
Can you just say she sings the song and not count the point to unlock so i can make the lyrics when my eyes aren't blood shot from looking at this screen in the dark

>>1212078

Well I'm probably not going to make another post tonight anyway, but the thread is only on page 9, it's still got another day in it at least, I figure.

When next I post, lyrics or no if players agree, singing can be the action at least. Will need lyrics though at some point, for the point to count.

>>1212068
>especially with wood and a lighter to make a fire
Since when do we have wood? Is there a ton of drift wood around the rocks?

>>1212104
Deal
I already got started.
Also is Owen Irish. I would help me a wee bit if he was Irish for completely different reason than this song, I'm writing now.

>>1212107

There's some around, and when Lee got down to the rocks level of the water, she picked up a few pieces to bring back. It's not nearly enough to have something like a bonfire to last all night, but it'll keep them warm for a little while.

>>1212118
Owen and Lee are both generically "American" so there's nothing to say they aren't part Irish, or part anything for that matter.

>>1212153
Fair enough my dude
I'll check you later this afternoon with the song.

>>1212156

Sounds good. And in keeping in-theme with the setting, songs pertaining to the situation or events at hand are worth more.

Not to discourage your efforts, they're all worth a point no matter what, as long as it's an honest/good attempt at a song.

>>1212162

Looks like it reached page 10 sooner than expected. Hopefully the thread is still up when I return later, but if not, thanks all for playing!

>>1212501
ITS DONE
Not sure if you'll see this or not but ill repost in the next thread either way.

On a night much like this, by an ocean so clear
In his home by the sea, on a coast not so farway
There was a sailor named Dis, with a half chewed up ear
And a banged up left knee, with a look that cause great dismay

This Dis was a proud man, but his brow was quite wary
The fisherman was tired, struck by a great depression
So the sailor made a plan, he would find a girl to marry
But the girl he desired, would be in the sea's direction

So Dis packed favoured things, his rods and his net
He had little use for much else, surely nothing can go awry
Set for all the sea brings, he place his life bet
He was all by himself, to no one he'd say goodbye

Dis traveled the deep blue, looking for his mate
many day and many night,his drive moved him forward
And oh the time, it flew, In his gut set a weight
The man continued his fight, as his ship when wayward

If the sailor was lost he would never admit, if the old man was scare the world would never know
cause on a night much like this, in an place so farway
He had found it, the dream girl he was looking fo

So down the poor man went, into his new lovers embrace
Old man was truly lost, gone without a trace
And so the sailor went, with little pride, and little grace
Below the water he did plunge, a man easy to replace

I'm back, will try to wrap things up before the thread drops off the board.

>>1212515

I see it, great stuff!

File: warp hub night.jpg (245 KB, 1121x1920)

245 KB JPG

>>1212052
>>1212041

Having watched the sun set and now the creep of night together, you find yourself humming a tune you know. With the stars starting to speckle in the sky and the ocean all around, you were reminded of it. You're not the only one who notices though.

"Hmm? What's that?"

"Oh it's... just an old song I heard from Captain Carlyle. Growing up around sailors and fishermen, you pick up a few things."

You're a little embarrassed to have been noticed, but Owen doesn't seem to mind and has some genuine interest so you talk about it a little. Although you'd never say, there's ways to tell if someone is a local or a tourist without having to ask them. Spending time with anyone who has a boat around here, makes that clear enough.

"Has it got any words? Would you sing it?"

An odd request that catches you off guard, and it takes you a moment to figure out if he's serious. Mustering your courage though, you try to remember the words right and run it through your head quickly just to make sure you recall it. It's tough to start, since when was the last time you sang for anyone to hear? Still though, it comes easier once you get into it, and Owen takes the chance to get a fire going with the few pieces of driftwood.

>>1212515

Together you have a nice evening together, and when the moon is out you both come to the conclusion that Emma isn't making it back tonight. So eventually you try to get comfortable on the hard surface of the plateau, and try to get some sleep. Some initial awkwardness about possibly sleeping close, that you'd hope for, but Owen doesn't seem to care enough to and you don't have the courage to attempt it or ask. Maybe next time.

>...

File: homeward.jpg (207 KB, 2000x1333)

207 KB JPG

>>1212941

The next day, well into the afternoon having spent all morning and after together, you're out of food and really feeling the effects of dehydration. Without having any water and exposed to the sun, it's starting to look pretty dire. It's around this time though that you're starting to discuss your options, when you hear and see a new arrival in the form of another pod blasting through the sky towards the plateau. The original one you used to get here in the first place ended up sinking sometime in the night, but this new one lands near the same place.

The both of you run over to the edge, in time to see the door blast off the pod and skirt across the water, and eventually Emma emerges from the open hatch.

"Ooooh thank goodness! You two are alright, you had me worried sick! Well, figuratively speaking!" you hear her call up.

Jumping out of the pod and hopping her way across the rocks to the plateau, she climbs up the side and before long reaches the top where the two of you are.

"Sorry for the delay, I got a little lost! Nothing to do with you, no worries there, the problem with the tether was my fault. You can't imagine my concern when only a pair of pants and shoes came through the other end, I thought maybe you'd been vaporized!" indeed it does seem she was quite worried, but that concern quickly fades as she catches up on things with you, and tries to look the both of you over and gauge your conditions, "Ah but it wasn't so bad, right? How did your night out here go? You both are... well, let's get you out of here and back home!"

You and Owen slowly glance over to one another, before looking back at Emma. There's some things that can be said to her, could be expressed to her, should be done to her, but for now you're too too hungry, too thirsty, and too tired to care enough. Home sounds good.

File: chair set.jpg (608 KB, 1920x1440)

608 KB JPG

>Credits Roll

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuDCTzqJc40

I think that's a good place to end things for now. Thanks to everyone for playing, hope you enjoyed it!

>>1212956
Thanks for running

>>1212988

No problem! And I said before but just to reiterate, the song counts as an unlock point towards Sarah.

Also since the thread hasn't yet entirely dropped off the board, in what time remainds I'd be open to any advice or recommendations, or even just questions about things. Any sort of feedback or input is always welcome.

>>1213029
Thanks for running Kon.

I think one of the reasons the quest isn't more popular is because of the way updates work compared to the other quests on the board. It's not necessarily a worse format, just that it's different from the afternoon marathons most anons are used too.