Stephanie logs in to her computer right after school on Friday. Immediately, she opens Skype and sends a group message to her eight buddies. Three of them haven't done this before, so she is looking forward to showing them the ropes.
There are a few replies right away, like they were waiting for her (like every week). Then, there are the messages from those who get home later who still know the drill.
HeyItsSteph: Hellu guys! Are ya ready?
RoxanneWinchester: You know I always am!
brianisawesome: Comeoncomeoncomeon! Ugh, people sometimes...
HeyItsSteph: Brian, you KNOW that the rest have a longer trip home.
brianisawesome: It's too long...
DominikIsAnnoying: I'm here! Did I miss much?
RoxanneWinchester: Yeah, you missed the whole thing. Maybe you should leave... -_-
HeyItsSteph: Roxi, just because YOU hate Dom doesn't mean he can't join us...
DominikIsAnnoying: Why do you hate me so much, anyway?
RoxanneWinchester: Because you are you! 'Nuff said.
AlyssaStar: Ugh, are Roxanne and Dominik at it again? Just like old times!
RoxanneWinchester: Yup! :D
cupoftoby: And I always have to hear about it...
HeyItsSteph: Hey Toby, you finally got your computer to work! Hurrah!
brianisawesome: Spamspamspamspamspamspamspamspamspamspamspamspamspam
DominikIsAnnoying: Brian, stop it. You have to stop spamming... Without me doing it too!
DominikIsAnnoying: Spamspamspamspamspamspamspamspamspamspamspamspamspamspamspamspamspamspamspamspamspamspamspamspamspam
RoxanneWinchester: ._.
TheBookworm: Fine, I'll join in on your gaming today... But it better be quick! I just started a REALLY good book!
RoxanneWinchester: Don't worry, Evelyn. We only game until 11:30! :3
HeyItsSteph: Eve, she's kidding. Actually... She's not... But feel free to drop out at any time!
greengrass1022: Hi guys!
AlyssaStar: Bonjour, Cassie!
RoxanneWinchester: Cat, I summon thee to arrive to this group chat to join us in our gaming expedition...
dreamingdaily14: Hi.
RoxanneWinchester: O.O I didn't think that would actually work... I... HAVE... POWER!
brianisawesome: Good, everyone's here! Now... Let's start this thing! I've waited FAR too long...
HeyItsSteph: xD Alrighty then. I will start the call... WE MAY BEGIN!
brianisawesome: That's MY line!
Stephanie chuckles as she grabs her computer mouse and hovers over the call button. She clicks it, and the distinguishable tone of Skype fills her earbuds. A lot of "hello?"s and "can you hear me?"s are said before everyone becomes quiet and the 'meeting' starts like it always has. Well, except for the new additions... And a small twist.
"So, the Minecraftian world awaits," Steph starts off saying. "But since we have used the same world for so long, and we have Cat, Eve, and Alyssa joining us, I thought we would start with a clean slate and create a whole new world! Questions? Comments? Concerns?"
Dominik's voice pops up from the silence. "If it's a new world, will we have a new IP?"
"Nope. Same IP, different world." Steph answers.
"Waitwaitwaitwaitwaitwait just a second here!" Toby's confused exclamation shoots from the computer. "You DELETED our would that we've been working in for this long!? I had a HUGE mansion!"
Everyone knows that Stephanie would always think something like that through. "Yes, Toby. I did delete the world. But I backed up the world file. If you really want your mansion on your computer, I can e-mail you the file. Along with anyone else who still wants their creations."
Toby's voice comes up again, sounding a bit stunned. "Oh... Well, thank you."
"Soooo... Are we all ready? 'Cause I am!" Steph says excitedly.
There are many cheers and chants from the rest of the group, indicating they were ready as well.
"Alright then! Let's goooo!" After saying this, Stephanie minimizes her Skype window and opens Minecraft. As it loads, the group makes small chat, along the lines of 'How have all of your weeks been?' and 'We REALLY need to get together someday. It's been forever since I've seen you guys!'
"Hey..." Cassandra starts saying, "What would happen if we all joined the server at the same time? Like, all at the same exact second?"
Roxanne answers, "We'd probably all join just fine, since all those huge servers have hundreds of people on at one time. But let's try it!"
"Yeah, it sounds fun!" Catarina's voice chimes in.
"I'm in." Brian joins along in the conversation.
The rest of the group agrees that it would be cool to do.
Steph lets out a sigh. "Fine, we can try to see if anything is different... But I'm telling you guys, nothing special is going to happen!"
All the teens in their different houses (except for Roxi and Toby, since they're siblings) have their cursors ready to click the 'Join Server' button.
"Alright, on the count of three?" Alyssa asks.
Evelyn starts the countdown.
"One... Two... Three."
Everyone simultaneously presses the left-click of their computers' mice...
And nothing special happens, like Stephanie predicted. They all see the loading image that appears when joining a world. The chunks generate, and the group spawns in a forest biome.
"Ahhh... That new-world look... Alright, first things first!" Announces Steph to the group. "What we have to do first is punch a tree."
Evelyn, Alyssa, and Catarina all become a chorus of confused noises.
"Just... Ugh, I'll walk through the process. Just follow my lead."
Stephanie reaches for the WASD on her keyboard... But it's not there. Instead, she sees her left arm appear in the side of her vision. Her cube-like left arm.