John thinks the whole weekend was a success. The boys and him have researched hostels for cheaper accommodation than a hotel and while they managed to list down possible places for them to stay, there has yet to be a decisive pick. Their parents should also be noted in advance on the time they’ll leave and arrive home as other updates for the duration of the tournament. 

He also asks if their parents were wary of having him as their temporary guardian and if it’s best to meet them a couple of times to talk about their trip. Which both Anthony and Jo reluctantly denied stating that if Luis’s mom, Melissa, agrees on the trip then there’s nothing to worry about. 

It only makes John worry even more. 

He moves his characters at the edge of the town, watching a group of anthropomorphic NPCs crowding around the shore; fishing. John did get a notification that it’s currently mackerel season.

The NPCs were people he talked to earlier and so there’s not much of a change in their chat bubble when he converse with them again. Leaving him nothing else to do, his berries weren’t ripe yet to harvest and scouring for honey was time-consuming - and John admittedly malds whenever a bee pops out of a bush or tree. 

A notification pops up and John reads; ‘there’s someone at the port! You can add the person in your special friend’s list and that will enable negotiation and dealings with each other’s inventory.’

Colorful Island did include a feature that enables everyone to visit their friend’s island. John assumes it’s only that - friends, someone who you give your code to. He didn’t think the game would let others visit a stranger’s island. 

There wasn’t even an option for that. 

“Strange,” John comments but still went to the port to check up on the visitor. 

The person had an edgy appearance; the frown, the eyebags, and the overall black clothing that fits the aesthetic. There’s even a skull on their shirt and a cape that moves whenever the person walks.

John was the first to greet, ‘hello???’ 

The text box was limited but the emphasis on his question mark could help get across his confusion. 

‘Wrong house lol…’ the other person replied before chatting another message, ‘it’s a glitch in game.’ 

His visitor showcases a crying expression before producing a pout to John. He wouldn’t force someone to leave when it’s not entirely their fault and the person would have left already when they noticed that John wasn’t his friend - nor the island he visited wasn’t the intended island to visit. 

‘Well, i can show u around,’ John offers, which his visitors smile immediately and the two leave the port to go to the closest area; the town. 

‘I’m John.. wbu?’ John introduced himself. 

‘Chase,’ the visitor replies back. 

Chase runs to the edge of town and ventures to the river, with a bridge that travels them to a vacant lot John decorated with weird art statues and flowers. He has yet to figure out how to design the entire place but it’s a start.

‘Wud ur friends be worried that ur gone?’ John asks as Chase runs around a marble statue of a man then stops to face John with a thinking expression. 

‘I told them im here on Discourse,’ Chase replies afterwards, ‘so its good, chill…’

‘Oh, but would they want u there?’ It’s obvious where John was talking about. 

‘Nope, they want turnips for themselves.’

So, John offers, ‘you can have some of my harvest.’

Chase couldn’t refuse a great offer. ‘Will trade pumpkins for turnips, deal?’ 

John tries the outward expression option and proceeds to display a thumb’s up from his character. Chase, in return, sends a friend request that John accepts and now the two are friends - in the game, that is, John wasn’t sure if such a thing extends in real life. 

‘Can i have ur Discourse too?’ Chase asks and John hesitates for a moment but Discourse has that extra anonymity that Facebook can’t offer; there wasn’t a profile for Chase to check and his friends, a short list of people  as it is, wouldn’t be seen by a stranger so Luis was safe. 

Still, John prods for an answer, ‘y???’

‘we can deal our harvest out-game,’ Chase reasons

Finally, John agrees.