Welcome to the Extracurricular Story from our event A Change of Art! If you are curious why this is in a forum post and not in game. Please read about it here. Part 1 - Kiran comes into the Common Room... In the Common Room . . . Kiran: Did you see that? I just passed Zander in the hallway, he was stomping down it like he was mad at the floor or something! (You look up from your textbook.) YOU: Huh? Oh yeah. I think he and Carly had another fight. Kiran: Saw Alexa and JD this morning, and they both seemed really stressed...everyone seems stressed lately. YOU: You can add me to that list. Too much studying to do, and not enough time to do it. I think it's making people grumpy. Marco and Cordi had a big fight, too. Kiran: Well, I mean… YOU: Yeah, I guess that's pretty normal...Hey, how come you're the only one around here who isn't stressed? I know you've got just as much coursework as the rest of us. I mean, even JD's started just screaming all the time! Kiran: Well, yoga helps a lot, but I think the one thing that keeps me centered the most is my art. You just go to a different place when you're creating. Helps leave all the other stuff behind. YOU: ** sigh ** I wish I had that kind of artistic ability. I could really use a good destresser about now. Kiran: Oh, you don't have to be an artist to reap the benefits of engaging in artistic pursuits! Kiran: ...In fact...that gives me an idea... Part 2 - Marco and the rest of the squad are gathered in the Common Room... In the Common Room . . . Marco: ...Artists' retreat? What's that? Kiran: It's kind of like a mini-vacation where you destress by doing art. I know everyone's stressed, but y'all are starting to get ANGERY. JD: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!! Alexa: But I'm not an artist! I don't know how to...art!? Carly: When is this due again? Kiran: No, this...isn't an assignment, you're not in class right now! And you don't have to be a professional artist, that's not what this is about! Kiran: I have some friends who have a big farmhouse outside of town where people can go to draw or paint or whatever while surrounded by nature. Kiran: We'll all go down there this weekend, and I'll show y'all the relaxing, centering power of art and creativity! I guarantee when it's over, you'll be walking on air! Who's with me! Zander: That...sounds incredible… JD: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!! Part 3 - Kiran takes a deep breath of fresh, country air. At the artists' retreat.... Kiran: Ahhhhhhhh...smell that country air! YOU: I'm feeling less stressed already...or I would if Zander and Carly hadn't gotten into another fight on the ride here… Alexa: Shhh, here they come… Carly: ...Can you not just let it go for FIVE minutes? Zander: I'm not the one who keeps bringing it up...oh wow, look at this place… Marco: Bro, seriously...fresh air, a lake, trees...makes you feel good just looking at it. I think even JD's starting to loosen up. JD: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh… YOU: Yeah, he's even started screaming more quietly. Kiran: Okay, let's take our stuff into the house, and then we'll get started! Part 4 - Kiran has assembled everyone outside the farmhouse... At the artists' retreat... Kiran: Okay, everyone got your supplies? Marco: I still don't get it...what do we DO? Kiran: Just find a place around the area...somewhere out in the open where you feel relaxed and inspired by your surroundings...and start creating! Alexa: But I don't know what I'm doiiiiiiiiiiing! Kiran: Look, there's no way you can do wrong here. Create something! A drawing, a doodle, a poem, a collage, anything you feel like! There are no mistakes here! Let nature and your emotions inspire you and go from there! JD: AAAAAAAAAAAAGHokay… Kiran: I'll go around and visit each of you so if you have any questions or need more materials, just let me know! YOU: So...no mistakes, right? Kiran: Right! There's no right or wrong way to do this! Let your heart move your hands! Now get out there and create! I promise you, you'll all feel better afterwards! Carly: If you say so… Part 5 - Kiran pops her head into the converted barn... At the artists' retreat... Kiran: Hey, how's it going in here? What are you working on? A collage? It looks amazing! YOU: Thanks! I just focused on my emotions, my stresses, my anxieties, and it just sort of formed itself! Kiran: Interesting use of color! Lots of reds and blacks...I see a lot of images of clocks, hammers, boiling tea kettles...skulls...uhh, it definitely radiates emotion! (At the table next to you, JD is punching a large block of modelling clay over and over again.) JD: HYAH!! HAHH!! HUNGHH!! HAAAARNG!! HWAWAWAHHH!! Kiran: And over here we have JD, who's been...punching clay...wait a minute! You've punched it into the shape of a man's head! That's amazing! JD: The shape of...HYAAAH!!...the head of...HWAAAAHHH!!...Professor Jacobsen, my econ teacher...HUUUUNH!!...to be precise… Kiran: You just keep...punching the head into that shape, then punching it into a blob, then punching it back into shape… JD: STOP!! GIVING!! US!! QUIZZES!! ON!! SUPPLEMENTAL!! READING!! MATERIALS!! Kiran: Ooookay...I guess I'll just leave the three of you alone, then… JD: AAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! I FEEL AMAZING!!! Part 6 - Kiran drops by the field behind the farmhouse... At the artists' retreat... Kiran: Hey, guys! How's it going over here? Need more supplies? Zander: I'm good! Marco: Me too. Fam, I'm feeling more chill than I've felt in WEEKS! Zander: Agreed, man. The view, the air, the whole vibe of this place is making me feel more creative than I've felt in a long time. It was a seriously good idea to bring us here, Kiran. Kiran: That's great! So glad to hear it! So what have you boys been working on? Hey, is that a poem, Marco? Marco: Yeah! Zander's been helping me with it. I'm still working on it, but so far I've got "BRAIN BURROWER!! BURROWING IN MY BRAIN!! DRIVING ME INSANE!! DRILLING MY SOUL FULL OF HOLES, GONNA RAM MY HEAD INTO A WALL!!!..." Zander: It's good, isn't it? Don't let him tell you I helped, that was all him. I'm thinking of getting him to write songs for my band. Kiran: Uhhh...yeah! Good...poem, Marco! I can tell you're...loosening up...Um, hey, so can I see what you've been sketching, Zander AAAAAAAAH!! Zander: Yeah. It's a dream I've been having. Every night for the past two weeks. (Backing away slowly.) Kiran: I...that's great! Um...I'm gonna go...check on...the others. Keep up the good...work… Part 7 - Kiran drops in on Carly and Alexa by the lake... At the artists' retreat... Kiran: Um...hey girls. How are you two doing over here? Carly: Great! We're...hey, are you okay? Alexa: What happened, you look shook! Kiran: It's...nothing, heh heh. Sometimes I forget the places art can take us. Um...so what are you two working on? Alexa, I see you've got a coloring book?... Alexa: Yeah! SO relaxing! It's TOTALLY taking my mind my giant courseload! It's kind of like meditating, you know? Your mind just shuts off and you're one with your surroundings… Kiran: ...I notice you're...only using one color… Alexa: Hm? Oh yeah, I didn't notice, ha ha! Hey, if you're going back to the supplies store, could you get more more "aneurysm red"? Kiran: Uh...Carly, I see you're doing a watercolor...is that a landscape of the lake?...Oh, I see...it's something else. What exactly… Carly: It's a giant bloody human heart being crushed under the weight of a giant flaming baby named "obligations"! I just sort of let my brush lead on this one...even I'm not sure what it means. Kiran: I'm...just gonna go inside and have a lie-down… Part 8 - Marco and the others are way more relaxed now... On the ride back... Marco: Yo, that was FIRE!! YOU: Seriously! I feel a hundred times better now! I feel like I can tackle any amount of schoolwork they throw at me! Alexa: And JD's stopped screaming! JD: Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...feeling so much better, y'all. Back to feeling like I wanna hug everyone all the time. Marco: Looks like you're not the only one, heh heh… (Zander and Carly are snuggling together in the back seat.) Zander: Hmm? You say something? Carly: Kiran, this was a fantastic idea. Thank you. YOU: Yeah, you're a hero, Kiran!...Hey, Kiran? You okay? Wow, you're looking STRESSED! Kiran: Huh? Yeah, um...I am a bit, now that you mention it… Alexa: You need to learn to RELAX, baby! WOOOO! ART!
JD screaming is SUCH a mood. Poor Kiran… Carly’s “When is this due again?” killed me. I could practically hear the deadness in her voice.
I actually love these being written down like this. I never get to read the stories since I'm always busy so I just skip through really fast. Maybe in the future you guys could keep this going or make the stories fully replayable while the hunt is still going?