Follow the Yellow Brick Road...Follow Follow Follow!

[Abigail Asteria Anderson Rare Rare]

CTF RPC 8.) Follow the trail.

"Lydia? Is that you?" Abigail called out, her voice echoing through the dense forest. The trees towered above her, casting long shadows that danced in the fading daylight. The air was thick with anticipation, each rustle and crackle amplifying her growing excitement. As a 20-year-old with a passion for strategy and a knack for unconventional methods, Abigail had chosen to utilize her unique talent in the game of capture the flag. Her ability to communicate with the dead had always set her apart from others, granting her insights and guidance from dead long gone. It was an ability she had honed and kept hidden, waiting for the perfect opportunity to showcase its potential.

But now, amidst the chaos of the game, Abigail found herself separated from her teammate and best friend, Lydia. The unfamiliar surroundings and the uncertainty of her surroundings heightened her senses. Still, she remained determined and focused, ready to put her skills to the test. Mumbling to herself, Abigail scanned her surroundings, looking for any sign of the hidden trail that would lead her to the rival team's flag. The sound of her own voice provided her with a sense of reassurance, as if the spirits were listening, waiting to guide her towards victory.  Just as she was about to resume her search, a sudden noise broke the silence, causing her to halt in her tracks. It was a subtle rustling, a barely audible whisper carried by the wind. Abigail's heart raced with anticipation, realizing that she was not alone in the vast wilderness.

Stopping, she took a deep breath, her voice now clear and resolute. "Who's there?" she called out, her voice carrying a mix of curiosity and caution. "I know you're out there. If you're a friendly spirit, guide me towards victory. If not..." Her voice trailed off, the unspoken threat hanging in the air. Abigail stood there, waiting, her senses heightened, ready to embrace whatever awaited her in this mysterious game of capture the flag.

@ Lydia Hawthorne

[Lydia Hawthorne Rare]

RPC #8

Lydia, ever her head in the clouds, had been right next to Abby when the game started. She wasn't exactly certain how the two of them got separated. She remembered Abby forming some sort of plan involving their shared ability to commune with the dead, and then Lydia's mind wandered off to what some of her ghostly friends might be doing today. She hadn't checked in on William Abercrombie in a while--he had been a militia man during the Revolutionary War, and his ghost often sought out Lydia when she was alone at camp for a chat--perhaps he was regaling Elizabeth Shoemaker with his heroic tales--she was a lady from the late 1800's who had died of 'consumption' and seemed to haunt the camp as well. She had been lost in the thought of what one of their conversations might look like, and then she remembered she ought to be playing a game. When her focus returned back to the present, Abby was gone.

She had been searching for near an hour now, trying to catch up to her friend. Finally she heard a voice. "I don't think I'm a spirit. Yet." She said with a gentle smile as she stepped out from behind the tree. "Sorry, I was thinking about William and Elizabeth again. Don't you think they would make a sweet couple..." She once again got that daydreaming look on her face as she began to think about the two ghosts.

[Abigail Asteria Anderson Rare Rare]

Abby's eyes widened with a mixture of relief and exasperation as Lydia emerged from behind the tree. She couldn't help but shake her head, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Lydia, we're in the middle of a game!" she exclaimed, a hint of amusement in her voice. "As intriguing as William and Elizabeth's potential ghostly romance might be, we have a flag to find!" She giggled as she knew how easy it was to get caught up in the lives of the dead. She too had dead friends that she loved to listen and chat with!

Shaking off her momentary distraction, Abby took a step closer to Lydia, her determination resurfacing. "I'm glad I found you, though," she continued, her voice earnest.  Abigail's gaze swept over the surrounding forest, her mind racing with new possibilities. "Let's focus on finding that trail," she suggested, her voice a blend of excitement and intensity. "Our connection to the dead can guide us. Keep your senses open, Lydia. Look for any signs or whispers that may lead us to the other team's flag. We have to act quickly and outwit them."

[Lydia Hawthorne Rare]

RPC #8

Lydia smiled as Abby chided her. "Do you think the ghosts play capture the flag, too?" She asked whimsically, following Abby with her eyes as she began to walk closer to Lydia. As Abby guided her on how to best find the trail, Lydia began to listen to the world around her, searching for a sign of where they might need to go.

At first she could hear nothing but the sound of the breeze passing through the trees, and the birds chirping. However, soon enough, she began to hear whispers. Before long, Lydia could just make out a few more voices. "You can't all talk at once or I won't be able to understand. How about you each place a pinecone down and point a tip towards where we need to go?" She calmly asked the spirits. If she had really wanted to, she could summon a full-bodied apparition to just guide them to the flag. But that would use up a large amount of her energy and she didn't think that Abby would want her to fall asleep at the opposing team's base.

A few moments later, a pinecone fell at her feet and spun to point a little off to the northwest. "Thank you so much! Abby and I will follow the pinecones. I promise to listen to each of you individually tonight." She smiled sweetly at the air. Anyone besides Abby might think she was a little crazy, but Lydia knew who she was talking to. They were there, even if they weren't visible for the moment. Walking in the direction that the tip of the pinecone pointed, she found the next one. "Come on, Abby. Here's the next one."

[Abigail Asteria Anderson Rare Rare]

Abby grinned at Lydia's question, appreciating her whimsical nature even in the midst of the game. "Who knows, maybe they have their own spirited version of capture the flag in the afterlife, like on their death day" Abby replied playfully, her eyes shining with amusement. Abby observed her friend's connection to the spiritual realm manifesting once again. Watching Lydia communicate with the spirits, Abby felt a sense of comfort. As she was not the only weird one at camp that found comfort with the dead. She marveled at how effortlessly her friend could engage with the supernatural, weaving a tapestry of guidance from the other side. Abby nodded approvingly as Lydia suggested the spirits mark the trail with pinecones. That was one of the many reasons she found herself close to Lydia....she made her feel normal in a way. They could share the things they learn from the dead and not get freaked out!

As the first pinecone fell and pointed northwest, Abby's excitement grew. "Excellent work, Lydia & Spirit!" she exclaimed, her voice laced with admiration and her hands clapping together with joy. With renewed determination, she followed Lydia, her gaze fixed on the ground in search of the next guiding pinecone. True to Lydia's word, another pinecone lay ahead, pointing them in the right direction. Abby quickened her pace, anticipation coursing through her veins. "We're on the right track!" she exclaimed, a mixture of exhilaration and focus in her voice. "Let's keep following the signs, Lydia. We're getting closer to that flag!" It was nice to follow the trail with her best friend. 

[Lydia Hawthorne Rare]

RPC #8

Lydia glided softly through the forest, her footsteps barely making a sound. There was something very otherworldly about her, as if she wasn't completely in the mortal world, but also wasn't entirely outside of it either. She was completely corporeal--there was no doubt about that--but she always seemed to be observing a world that wasn't entirely the same as those around her. She smiled as her friend guided her through to the next pinecone and the next. Before long she could see the opponent's flag waving in the distance. With a smile, she looked over at Abby. "Blood on the horizon." Lydia often had a macabre way of conveying information. It would have been just as simple to say that she 'saw the red flag' but it wouldn't have been Lydia to say it that way.

"We're no longer lost souls. We've found our final...uh..." She couldn't exactly call it a resting place. They were there to play a game, and were likely to experience significant resistance. Biting her lower lip as she thought, Lydia turned to her friend. "Ah, I know! We've come to our grave conclusion." She seemed proud of herself for being able to come up with an appropriate phrasing.

((End RPC, but can continue general RP if you want))

[Abigail Asteria Anderson Rare Rare]

-4-

Abby's heart raced with anticipation as they followed the trail of pinecones, their steps growing more purposeful with each passing moment. The sight of the opponent's flag fluttering in the distance filled her with a surge of determination. She nodded at Lydia's peculiar choice of words, understanding her friend's unique way of expressing things. "Indeed, Lydia," Abby replied with a smirk, appreciating her friend's dark humor. "Our grave conclusion awaits us." She couldn't help but chuckle softly at the play on words, grateful for Lydia's ability to lighten the mood even in the face of a challenging game. With the red flag in sight, Abby's focus sharpened. She exchanged a determined glance with Lydia, silently acknowledging the obstacles they were likely to face. They were on enemy territory now, and the opposing team would not give up their flag easily. They followed the trail to the end....would they get the flag?

THE END