THE (SHARD)BEACH EPISODE 🌊🛹

[lavenfallen]

After a grueling two weeks filled to the brim with pain and suffering, a break is more than deserved. So while Gyles is far from a planner of activities, he'll make sure everyone (even the NPCs. stares directly at Redd.) knows about a world he accidentally stumbled upon. As far as he knows, it doesn't have a name, but do the details really matter???? Absolutely not.

What matters is that this is a beautiful beach by the ocean. The sun's shining, the water's warm enough to swim in, and there's plenty of critters and shells to find among the tide pools and beneath the waves. If you're brave enough, you could even take a boat out on the water! ... but maybe don't do that alone?

Don't have a swimsuit? No problem! There's a beach shack with all the swimwear and beach-goer attire you could possibly want, along with things like sunscreen, fishing gear, inflatable beach toys, and snorkels. Basically if you want it, it's there, I'm sure as hell not gonna stop you. The shack also sells whatever cold treats and snacks your heart desires.

There's also a fire pit, perfect for late night s'mores and stories around a bonfire, and a charcoal barbeque for the cooks among the group. The nearby convenience store doesn't have as wide a selection as W*lmart, but there's a decent selection of meats, veggies, and drinks to choose from.

If you're not one for the sand, then a very short walk away from the shore is surely the biggest skate park anyone's ever seen. If you didn't bring your skateboard or hoverboard with you, that's a-okay because there are plenty that're free to borrow. There's also some rollerskates, if that's more your style.

Relax, unwind, and enjoy the (shard)beach episode, Shardbearers.

Comments

[divinevoid]

[ A curious glance, but he is going to get a smile like the others. ]

Truth or Dare, Lark?

[saltofthesea]

[ ...

Man, both options feel like playing with fire, for some reason. ]

Truth.

[divinevoid]

[ Don't worry, what's the worst thing they can ask? ]

Pick a person here and gush at length about their positive qualities~

[saltofthesea]

[ This is what he means! But like, shit, now he has to pick someone???

After a long pause of consideration, Lark takes a deep breath. ]

Bas is the sweetest guy I've ever met, and I've met a lot of people. [ The bar is also arguably on the ocean floor, but he won't say that out loud. ] I know he says he's not clever, but he's perceptive and in my experience it's the sorta thing that deserves more credit. He tries to look out for other people and he's done a lot to look out for me. ...Sometimes I think he and Oscar are what it'd be like to have actual big brothers.

Also, he's an amazing cook, ridiculously tall, and good-looking, it's unfair! I'm pretty sure if I told my sisters 'bout him at least one of them would ask if he's still single.

[divinevoid]

[ Oh good, this means that they chose well in their Truth. Please feel free to grant them a round of applause (no) ]

Oh, two for one! Aren't I so fortunate?

But, of course, I'll accept both responses just the same. I'm sure the two of them may in fact think of you as their little brother. [ They say, without knowing that's the case. But they think so because Lark is small. Like an egg. ] You look like the type that would cause others to think so, anyway~

[saltofthesea]

[ ...Lark can't even refute because he would have said more or less the same thing about Oscar, damn it.

He also won't comment on whether they think of him as a younger brother because it's really not his place to say. ]

Well, I am a younger brother. [ Like, literally, so it's not exactly that much of a stretch. ]

[divinevoid]

[ Can't believe that they were right all the way through and back about this subject in particular...just not in the way they expected.

Rather than those two calling him a little brother, he is in fact a real little brother. They need to get a million gold stars, stat. ]

Oh? Well, somehow I am not surprised.

It did seem entirely plausible, though I had not based the presumption on logic.

Is it just one other sibling in your family?

[saltofthesea]

[ Voidkipedia pls it's not that hard to guess, ]

More like half a dozen.

[divinevoid]

[ Voidkipedia continues to pat themselves on the back, arrogantly, on making even such a simple observation- ]

You have quite a big family...

Is it a source of pride for you, would you say? Or happiness? Or are they all irritating nuisances that trouble you with each passing day?

[ Not that they personally know what that's like or care too much about experiencing it themselves, because the Divine Keys are not sentient (but honestly if they were, Honkai would have probably gone for something like that.) ]

[saltofthesea]

Wait, wait, you're not getting that many free truths for one. Truth or dare?

[ He'll answer eventually, but this should be a fair(ish) exchange! ]

[divinevoid]

But, don't I deserve to get free truths?

[ They're absolutely joking about that, though... ]

I will choose 'Truth', naturally.

[saltofthesea]

It wouldn't be fun.

[ Lark knows VA is joking, but he has to say it still. ]

...I dunno how to ask this without it being kinda rude, but what are you, exactly?

[divinevoid]

[ They are certainly joking. But, they merely look amused in the face of Lark's comment - that of course is just their usual nonsense in action.

That being said... ]

I am quite difficult to offend, so you may not bother with such trivial worries. As for 'what', I shall reintroduce myself properly:

I am the Void Archives.

I am, at heart, an information archive of humanity's civilization. But, please do consider myself as a example of the pinnacle of technology - particularly since it is something that updates on a consistent but constant basis. Perhaps it should also hardly surprise you that along this main function, I am an artificial intelligence that surpasses all others.

[ Okay, looks like the confidence has not quite died. But if that happened, that wouldn't be them. ]

Does this satisfy your curiosity~?

[saltofthesea]

[ At least twice during this conversation, one gets the sense that Lark is trying to understand certain words or concepts via context and not because he's actually sure what they are. Being from a fantasy wuxia world is suffering. ]

So, basically, you're a walking repository?

[ He's guessing what "artificial intelligence" means from the words themselves. ]