A bright flash of white faded into a sprawling green field, one of those perfect Minecraft spawn plains where the grass shimmered as if someone had freshly polished every blade. The VR enhancement pack made everything feel crisp and lightly warm, like stepping onto a sunlit lawn in real life.
Hopper spawned in first, stumbling half a step forward.
"Okay—woah—okay," he said, waving his hands dramatically as the VR recalibrated. "The grass has… grass texture. The grass is more grass than grass has ever grassed."
Hadrian spawned right behind him. "Hopper, buddy, you good? You sound like you're losing a fight against photosynthesis."
Another flash—Faye appeared, already mid-eye roll. "Of course he's the first one to glitch into a poetic crisis."
"Poetic crisis? I'll have you know I'm simply appreciating the nature around us," Hopper declared proudly. Then he looked at her. "Faye. Punch me."
"No?"
"I just need to know if the haptic feedback still works."
Faye snorted. "I'm not starting Season Five by hitting you."
Then Marlow spawned a few blocks away—immediately half-sliding down the tiniest incline like gravity had a personal vendetta against him.
"HEY, I lived! I thought I was gonna fall into the void again," he yelled, scrambling back up the gentle hill.
Griffin spawned next, hands up as if already calming a room.
"Okay, okay, everyone's here, everyone's breathing—oh my gosh, the lighting is beautiful—Hopper, don't touch that bee, please—"
"I wasn't gonna touch it," Hopper lied, inches from the bee.
Another flash.
Tessa arrived and instantly squinted at Hopper and the bee.
"Are you really about to get stung in the first thirty seconds?"
"I would never—" Hopper moved his hand away. "I respect bees."
"You were absolutely about to poke it." Tessa crossed her arms.
A soft "whoa…" echoed behind them as Melina spawned in. She turned slowly, taking in the sky, the trees, the sharpness of the leaves. "The VR textures… this is insane. I feel like I can smell the dirt."
"You can," Griffin said. "There's environmental aroma simulation now."
Melina's eyes widened. "Are you joking?"
"Nope."
Melina inhaled dramatically. "I'm smelling… grass. Happiness. Something… vaguely lemon-scented?"
"That's probably Hadrian," Hopper said. "He showers too much."
Hadrian gasped. "Excuse you, I shower the perfect amount. Five. Times. A day."
Another flash. Sterling spawned silently, looking around with that calm, serene expression he always wore, like nothing could ever go wrong in his world.
"The render distance is crisp," he said simply, nodding in approval.
Hopper placed a hand on his chest. "King."
"Absolute king," Griffin echoed.
Sterling blinked. "I just said render distance."
Ren spawned next—of course with a dramatic pose, one knee bent like he was emerging from a portal in a fantasy novel.
"Ah," he intoned, "my fellow adventurers… the Fifth Season foretold by the Oracle of—"
Oliver spawned mid-laugh right beside Ren. "Ren, please, you can't start the lore before we even collect wood."
"I can and I will," Ren insisted, flicking imaginary hair. "The stars have aligned. We stand at the beginning of the Epoch of—"
Marlow tripped again on nothing. "Oh my gosh, we're not even five minutes in, dude."
Another flash—Flint appeared, stretching his arms with joy.
"Yes! I can walk again! Okay, okay, this feels amazing. This is—oh my—oh—wait—uh—where—can someone help? I spawned inside a bush."
He was indeed half-merged into a berry bush.
Melina rushed to help him pull free. "Don't worry—it's okay—it happens."
"It happens to ME," Flint corrected.
The final flash produced Cyrus—who spawned in with quiet dread, checking his hands, then the menu, then his surroundings like he expected something to already be wrong.
Hopper waved. "CYRUS! You made it! How's our favorite intelligence beacon?"
"Oh—uh—I'm good," Cyrus said, startled. "Just… checking things."
Tessa pointed at him. "Suspicious behavior. He definitely spawned a thousand blocks underground and clawed his way up."
Cyrus blinked rapidly. "What? No—wait—can you even spawn underground—?"
"Yes," Ren said confidently. "In the lore."
"No," Sterling corrected. "Not in actual mechanics."
Faye clapped her hands together. "Okay, everyone, it looks like we're all here, right? Twelve out of twelve?"
They all instinctively drifted inward, forming a natural circle—some standing, some half-jumping, Flint still brushing leaves off his shoulders.
Hadrian raised both arms. "Okay, okay—we need a proper Season Five opening moment. Everyone look inwards. Circle formation. Gather. Touch grass. Mentally. Literally. Emotionally."
Oliver spun in place, overshooting the circle, then spun back with dizzy triumph.
"This VR… it's too good. I feel my stomach spinning."
"That's because you spun," Tessa said.
"Your logic is cruel and uncalled for."
Ren stepped into the center of the forming circle, holding an imaginary staff. "Let this be the Convergence of the Twelve—"
"Ren." Faye snapped her fingers. "Not now."
Ren sighed. "Later?"
"Later."
Griffin smiled at everyone, hands clasped. "Guys… happy Season Five."
Marlow lifted both arms like he was welcoming the sun. "SEASON FIIIIIVE!"
Hopper cupped his hands around his mouth. "WOOO!! Another year of questionable decisions!"
Cyrus murmured, "Maybe less questionable this time…"
Tessa smirked. "Cyrus, sweetie, this group once built a TNT cannon that fired us into unloaded chunks. We don't do less questionable."
Even Sterling laughed quietly at that.
Hadrian stepped into the center, shoulders back, commanding presence radiating. "Alright. Before we start punching trees like the professionals we are, I need to ask a very important question."
Everyone leaned in.
Hadrian placed a hand on his heart.
"Who missed me the most?"
Groans. So many groans.
"You're insufferable," Faye said.
"I missed you a medium amount," Melina said honestly.
"I missed your commitment to the bit," Hopper said, giving him a thumbs up.
"Thank you, Hopper." Hadrian took a dramatic bow. "Your support sustains me."
They all laughed, the circle tightening, the warm sunlight washing across them in that unreal VR glow.
For a moment, nothing was wrong.
No fear.
No glitches.
No corruption.
Just friends, gathered around a new world, ready to play.
The grass rustled softly beneath their feet.
The circle was complete.
And then—right there, in that bright, perfect moment—
Hadrian inhaled sharply as if preparing to deliver a grand speech.
And the world waited with him.
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