That dream again. The purple world. The monsters from the sky. The girl, just far away enough for her face to be concealed. The darkness, bent by the girl like a well-trained pet.

The boy woke up, shivering. Which would have been normal if his dream had been scary, but it was relatively normal compared to some of the dreams his friends had described to him.

He sat up, brushing down the fur of the large plush dragon he was sleeping on and sweeping some hair out of his eyes, only to have it settle right back in front of them. He yawned and pulled his red jumper up around his shoulders.

He took a look around his room. The cards on his wall had changed again, in much the way they did every day. He had, one day, spent the whole day watching them, but to his dismay, they changed the second his sister burst into his room, disturbing him.

His computer was buzzing. One of his friends was trying to contact him. He knew who it was. She always knew when he woke up.

CrypticConundrum [CC] began cheering AnonymousAugury [AA] at 09:24

[AA]: Hey Theo!

[CC]: Ah, yes, hello there Earl!

[CC]: How are you?

[CC]: Have you acquired the beta yet?

[AA]: No, not yet. I was asleep, so I haven't had time to check the mail yet.

[CC]: Oh! You were asleep, of course! It slipped my mind completely! I must look dreadfully foolish to you!

[AA]: Well, you would look foolish if everyone had the precognitive ability (or creepy spy cameras hidden in my room) to know I was asleep, but it's only you, so no, you don't look foolish.

[CC]: Oh, good! Now, I must go, I was simply checking if the beta had arrived yet.

[AA]: Why are you so interested in this game? Any other time I tried to get you to play a game with me, you always sidestepped it in some way, what so special about Sburb?

[CC]: let's just say that many elements of it piqued my interest.

[AA]: There you go again, giving out just enough information to remain helpful, but keeping everything else hidden! Like a verbal iceberg!

[CC]: hehe! A verbal iceberg. I like that!

[CC]: I'm sorry, I really am busy, and no I must take my leave!

[AA] I'll message you when I get the beta.

[CC]: Good, as you must be the first to enter.

[AA] Wait, what?

CrypticConundrum ceased cheering AnonymousAugury at 09:29

Earl sighed, that girl was a handful. As soon as you tried to ask her anything, she logged off and didn't talk to you until you'd forgotten your question. He scrolled through his pesterchum, checking if any of his other friends had messaged him. Oh no.

GrouchyAntagonist [GA] began trolling AnonymousAugury [AA] at 09:30

[AA]: What do you want?

[GA]: I KN0W Y0U HAVE BEEN C0MMUNING WITH THE GIRL

[AA]: No need to shout. Which girl?

[GA]: THE HAPPY 0NE WH0 TELLS Y0U LESS THAN Y0U WANT T0 HEAR

[AA]: Oh, Theo. Yes, I have been 'communing' with Theo. She's my friend

[GA]: SHE IS N0T T0 BE TRUSTED!

[GA]: SHE IS A DERSE DREAMER AND UNDER THE C0NTR0L 0F THE H0RR0RTERR0RS!

[AA]: The whats?

[GA]: THE H0RR0RTERR0RS! EVIL TENTACLE BEASTS LIVING IN THE FURTHEST RING! NEVER HEARD 0F THEM?

[AA]: I'm blocking you.

[GA]: THAT W0NT ST0P ME!

AnonymousAugury blocked GrouchyAntagonist at 09:32

Those trolls have become more active recently. there was a long period of time where nothing happened with them. It was a good time, all your friends think so. Speaking of your friends, here's another one who wants to talk to you.

[TyrannicallyTertiary [TT] began pestering AnonymousAugury [AA] at 09:33

TT: have you got the beta yet?

AA: No, I was asleep, I have to go check the mail.

TT: Well, do it! CC won't let me enter the game until you do! God forbid that girl told us her motives! Sometimes she is just insufferable!

AA: yeah, sorry. I'll go check.

AnonymousAugury ceased pestering TyrannicallyTertiary at 09:35

Earl climbed out of his seat and grabbed his weapon, a rather large and pointy crochet hook. It fits into your strife deck and allocates it to Hookkind. Now you cant change it until you get another. It is important to carry a weapon when your sister is home. You never know what she might spring on you.

You silently open your door and kid scamper you way down the hallway. Your plan is going quite well, your sister is presumably off polishing one of her silly clocks. Blast those clocks and their infernal ticking! She has them synchronised so your house is filled with a single massive tick or tock every second! You go to punch one of the clocks, but stop yourself. You do not wish to feel the consequences of damaging a clock.

Insted you pull yourself away and tiptoe down the stiars, almost at the front door when BAM! There she is! Just gotta be quiet and... In his haste to escape, Earl walks face first into a beautiful mahogany grandfateher clock, causiing it to ring out, alerting his sister to it's prescence.

While Earl is dealing with consequences, let us move on to another of his friends. The friend her was talking to earlier. No, not CC.