The idea hit me somewhere between watching Rocco ransom another tool from Carson’s crew and realizing that the realm had been *heavy* lately.
Tornado relief. Naval warfare. Resurrection mechanics. Real blood on real decks.
Important stuff. Necessary stuff.
But not *fun* stuff.
I was standing on the observation deck overlooking Tasogare Bay, watching the seals lounge in the sun like they didn’t have a care in the world, when it clicked.
“Yuna,” I said through our bond.
*Oh no,* she replied immediately. *That’s your ‘I have an idea’ voice.*
“I want to do something ridiculous.”
A pause. Then: *How ridiculous.*
“Realm-wide hide-and-seek. Ten people hiding across Dinosaur Island, Pirate Bay, and Fox Point. Guests have three hours to find them all. If they succeed, we throw the biggest parade this realm has ever seen and give everyone free plushies.”
Silence.
Long silence.
Then: *You’re insane.*
“Is that a yes?”
*That’s a ‘you’re going to drive me crazy but I love you anyway.’*
I grinned. “I’ll take it.”
-----
ANNOUNCEMENT — MAIN STREET
-----
I materialized on the Main Street platform—the one usually reserved for official realm announcements—and the crowd below started gathering immediately. Word spreads fast when a god appears in public.
Yuna joined me a moment later, arms crossed, trying very hard to look stern and failing because I could feel her amusement bleeding through the bond.
I raised my hands, and the murmur of the crowd quieted.
“Good afternoon,” I called out. “I have an announcement.”
A few hundred faces turned toward me—guests, staff, pirates, kitsune handlers, a British officer still nursing wounds from yesterday’s battle.
“This realm has been through a lot lately,” I continued. “Heavy stuff. Important stuff. But today, I want to do something different.”
Yuna’s mouth twitched.
“Today,” I said, “we’re playing hide-and-seek.”
Silence.
Then a kid in the front shouted, “WHAT?”
I grinned. “Realm-wide hide-and-seek. Ten people are going to hide across Dinosaur Island, Pirate Bay, and Fox Point. You have three hours to find them all. If you succeed—if you find every single one—we’re throwing a parade.”
More silence. Then whispers started.
“Not just any parade,” I continued. “The *entire realm* will march down Main Street. Dinosaurs. Pirates. Naval forces. Kitsune. Dragons. Lizardkin. Everyone. Species that have never cooperated like this before, all together, celebrating *you*.”
The crowd started buzzing now.
“And,” I added, raising my voice, “everyone gets a free plushie. Adults pick one. Kids get two, or one life-sized plushie as big as they are.”
A little girl in the front gasped so hard she almost fell over.
“But,” I said, holding up a finger, “only if you find all ten. Miss even one, and the event ends with a polite ‘good try’ and normal operations resume.”
A man in the back shouted, “What if we can’t find them?”
I smiled. “Then I did my job well.”
Yuna leaned over and whispered, “You’re going to make this impossible, aren’t you.”
“I’m going to make it *challenging*,” I corrected.
She sighed through the bond. *You’re the worst.*
*You love me.*
*Unfortunately.*
I turned back to the crowd. “Rules: All hiding spots are guest-accessible. Green bracelet wearers can search safely—the island will protect you. Yellow and red bracelet guests can take more risks if they want. No dangerous zones. No staff-only areas. Fair game.”
“Three hours,” I repeated. “Starting in one hour. Good luck.”
The crowd erupted.
-----
SELECTING THE HIDERS
-----
Thirty minutes later, I’d gathered the ten people who were about to have the worst—or best—afternoon of their lives.
Skifra stood with her arms crossed, grinning like she’d just been handed a tactical exercise. “I’m going to make them *suffer*.”
Dr. Bishop looked like he wanted to run. “I didn’t volunteer for this.”
“You’re volunteering now,” I said cheerfully.
Carson was glaring at me. “I have work to do.”
“You have hide-and-seek to do.”
Lord Rockfeathers adjusted his coat with smug confidence. “They’ll never find me.”
“We’ll see.”
A kitsune handler named Hana with four tails and a mischievous grin. “Can I shapeshift?”
“No.”
She pouted.
A dinosaur handler named Marcus who looked both excited and terrified. “I know the terrain. This is going to be fun.”
A pirate named Red Jack who was missing two teeth and had a laugh like rusty hinges. “I’ve hidden from the navy for years. This’ll be easy.”
A British naval officer named Lieutenant Hayes who still looked annoyed about losing yesterday’s battle. “This is beneath me.”
“Noted,” I said.
An earth mage from Bouncing Bunnies named Terra who could manipulate stone. “Can I make a hiding spot?”
“You can *improve* an existing spot, but you can’t create a new structure.”
She grinned.
And finally, Jackson.
The historian stared at me in horror. “You can’t be serious.”
“I’m very serious.”
“I’m supposed to be *documenting* this!”
“You can document it *while hiding*,” I said. “Consider it immersive journalism.”
Yuna was trying so hard not to laugh.
Jackson opened his mouth to protest, closed it, then sighed in defeat. “Fine.”
“Good,” I said. “Now. Here’s how this works. I’m going to help each of you get to your spot. You pick the location. I’ll use my abilities to make sure you get there safely and—if needed—make the spot just a little harder to find.”
Skifra’s grin widened. “Now we’re talking.”
“One rule,” I added. “The spot has to be physically accessible to guests. No teleporting into walls. No phasing through floors. Real hiding spots that real people could reach if they thought hard enough.”
“Understood,” Skifra said.
I looked at each of them. “You have five minutes to decide where you want to hide. Then we move.”
-----
HIDING PHASE — SKIFRA
-----
Skifra didn’t hesitate.
“Pirate Bay,” she said. “The powder magazine of the *Black Wind*.”
I blinked. “You want to hide in a *powder magazine*?”
“It’s dark. It’s cramped. It’s technically accessible because tourists can tour the lower decks during off-hours.” She smiled. “And nobody thinks to look in the most dangerous room on a ship.”
“It’s not actually dangerous,” I reminded her. “The powder is inert unless I allow it to ignite.”
“I know. But they don’t.”
Fair point.
I teleported us both to the *Black Wind*—a massive pirate galleon anchored in Pirate Bay’s main harbor. The lower decks smelled like tar and salt and old wood. The powder magazine was exactly as cramped and dark as she’d described.
“Perfect,” Skifra said, settling into a corner. “They’ll check the captain’s quarters. The crow’s nest. Maybe the brig. But the powder magazine? Last place they’ll think.”
“You’re terrifying,” I said.
“Thank you.”
I adjusted the shadows slightly, making the door blend just a little more with the wall. Not invisible—just easy to miss if you weren’t looking carefully.
“Good luck,” I said.
“I don’t need luck,” she replied. “I need three hours.”
-----
DR. BISHOP
-----
Dr. Bishop wanted to hide in the research lab.
“Absolutely not,” I said. “That’s staff-only.”
“Then the—”
“Also staff-only.”
“What about—”
“Still staff-only.”
He groaned. “You’re enjoying this.”
“Immensely.”
Finally, he settled on the marine observation deck at Fox Point—a glass-enclosed platform that jutted out over the bay, accessible to guests but often overlooked because it required climbing stairs.
“Fine,” he muttered. “But if your seals find me—”
“They probably will,” I admitted.
“I hate you.”
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
“You’ll forgive me when you see the parade.”
I teleported him there, and he settled into a corner behind an information display that was just large enough to conceal him if he stayed very, very still.
“Don’t move,” I advised.
“I wasn’t planning on it.”
-----
CARSON
-----
Carson picked the construction zone behind the aquarium’s east building.
“Really?” I asked.
“It’s accessible,” he said. “Guests can walk through there—it’s not blocked off. But nobody goes there because it’s boring. Just materials and equipment.”
“That’s… actually smart.”
“I know what I’m doing.”
I teleported him there. He settled behind a stack of lumber, pulled his hat low, and crossed his arms.
“Three hours,” he said. “Then I’m back to work.”
“Deal.”
-----
LORD ROCKFEATHERS
-----
Rockfeathers wanted to hide in the Devil’s Canyon crystal caves.
I stared at him. “You know about those?”
“Skifra told me.”
“Of course she did.”
The crystal caves were hidden deep in Devil’s Canyon’s back passages—accessible to guests who were persistent and clever, but rarely found. The chambers glowed faintly with amethyst and quartz, lit by the gas giant’s refracted light.
“They’ll never think to look here,” Rockfeathers said smugly.
“You’re probably right.”
I teleported him into one of the deeper chambers—beautiful, quiet, glowing softly.
“Comfortable?” I asked.
“Very.”
“Good. Enjoy your three hours of solitude.”
“I intend to.”
-----
HANA (KITSUNE HANDLER)
-----
Hana wanted to hide in the hot springs on Fox Point, specifically in one of the natural alcoves where steam obscured visibility.
“Can you make me look like a rock?” she asked.
“No shapeshifting.”
“Not shapeshifting. Just… draping some moss on me?”
I laughed. “Fine.”
I teleported her to the springs. She settled into an alcove, and I carefully arranged some natural moss and damp stones around her until she looked like part of the landscape.
“Perfect,” she said. “I’m a rock now.”
“You’re a very suspicious rock.”
“They won’t notice.”
-----
MARCUS (DINOSAUR HANDLER)
-----
Marcus wanted to hide in the Maiasaura nesting grounds on Dinosaur Island.
“They’re gentle,” he explained. “And guests can visit the nesting area during supervised hours. I’ll just… sit among them.”
“You’re going to hide *with the dinosaurs*?”
“They like me.”
I teleported him there. The Maiasaura looked up as we arrived, recognized Marcus, and went back to their business.
He settled into the middle of the herd, and one of the larger adults shifted slightly to give him cover.
“See?” he said. “Teamwork.”
“You’re insane.”
“I prefer ‘creative.’”
-----
RED JACK (PIRATE)
-----
Red Jack wanted to hide in the market stalls on Pirate Bay—specifically inside a barrel labeled “SALTED FISH.”
“You’re hiding in a *barrel*?” I asked.
“Classic.”
“It smells.”
“I’ve smelled worse.”
I teleported him there. He climbed into the barrel, pulled the lid over himself, and settled in with a satisfied grunt.
“Comfortable?” I asked.
“Not even a little.”
“Good luck.”
“Don’t need it. I’m a *professional*.”
-----
LIEUTENANT HAYES (BRITISH OFFICER)
-----
Hayes wanted to hide in the naval museum on Pirate Bay—a small building showcasing maritime history, accessible to guests but usually empty.
“I’ll pose as a mannequin,” he said.
I stared at him. “You’re going to stand still for three hours?”
“I’ve stood watch for longer.”
I teleported him there. He positioned himself beside a display of naval uniforms, stood at attention, and froze.
“Impressive,” I admitted.
“Discipline,” he replied without moving his lips.
-----
TERRA (EARTH MAGE)
-----
Terra wanted to hide in the slot canyons of Devil’s Canyon—specifically in a narrow passage she could partially seal with stone.
“Can I close it off?” she asked.
“You can narrow it, but not block it completely.”
“Deal.”
I teleported her there. She positioned herself in a tight crevice, then used her earth magic to shift the stone walls slightly inward—not blocking the path, but making it look like a dead end unless you looked very carefully.
“Perfect,” she said.
“You’re terrifying.”
“I know.”
-----
JACKSON
-----
Jackson was the last one.
“I don’t know where to hide,” he admitted.
“You’re a historian,” I said. “Where would *you* look last?”
He thought about it. “…The library?”
“The library’s staff-only.”
“Then the archive building?”
I blinked. “We have an archive building?”
“You built one last month. It’s near the hotel. Nobody uses it because it’s boring.”
“That’s… actually perfect.”
I teleported him there—a small, quiet building filled with records and documents about the realm’s history. He settled into a reading nook behind a shelf, pulled out his notebook, and started writing.
“Are you seriously going to work while hiding?” I asked.
“Immersive journalism,” he said.
I laughed. “Good luck.”
“Thanks.”
-----
THE HUNT BEGINS
-----
I returned to Main Street and raised my hands.
The crowd—now massive, hundreds of guests gathered from across the realm—went silent.
“The hiders are in position,” I announced. “You have three hours. Find all ten, and you get the parade and the plushies. Miss even one, and the event ends.”
I paused.
“One hint: they’re spread across Dinosaur Island, Pirate Bay, and Fox Point. Beyond that… good luck.”
A starting bell rang—loud, clear, echoing.
And the realm erupted.
Guests scattered in every direction. Families split up to cover more ground. Kids sprinted toward Dinosaur Island. Adults headed for Pirate Bay. Some made straight for Fox Point.
Yuna appeared beside me. “Think they’ll find them all?”
“Honestly? No idea.”
“You made it hard.”
“I made it *fair*.”
She smiled. “We’ll see.”
-----
THE SEARCH — FIRST HOUR
-----
DISCOVERY #1: RED JACK (45 minutes in)
A kid—maybe eight years old—was wandering through the Pirate Bay market, looking bored, when he stopped in front of the barrel labeled “SALTED FISH.”
He sniffed.
Made a face.
Then, because kids are agents of chaos, he opened the lid.
Red Jack blinked up at him.
The kid screamed.
Red Jack climbed out of the barrel, laughing. “GOTCHA!”
The kid’s parents came running. A crowd formed. Someone shouted, “WE FOUND ONE!”
Red Jack bowed dramatically. “Aye, ye found me. Well done, lad.”
The kid was beaming.
One down. Nine to go.
-----
DISCOVERY #2: HANA (1 hour in)
A teenage girl with a green bracelet was soaking in the Fox Point hot springs when she noticed something odd.
One of the rocks had moss growing in a very… symmetrical pattern.
She leaned closer.
The rock’s eyes opened.
She screamed.
Hana burst out laughing, shedding moss. “You found me!”
The girl was laughing too, half-scared, half-delighted.
Two down. Eight to go.
-----
THE SEALS INTERFERE
-----
Rocco and his gang had been watching the chaos with professional interest.
Then they noticed Dr. Bishop on the marine observation deck.
Rocco barked once. *Target acquired.*
The gang mobilized.
They swam to the observation deck, hauled themselves up onto the platform, and began barking at the door.
Loudly.
Guests heard it. “What’s going on over there?”
Dr. Bishop, hiding behind the information display, closed his eyes in defeat. *Of course.*
A family approached. The seals barked louder, slapping the platform with their flippers like they were pointing.
“I think they’re trying to tell us something,” the father said.
The mother peered around the display.
Dr. Bishop waved weakly. “Hello.”
DISCOVERY #3: DR. BISHOP (1 hour 20 minutes in)
The family burst out laughing. The seals barked triumphantly.
Dr. Bishop stood, brushed himself off, and glared at Rocco. “I *hate* you.”
Rocco barked again. *You’re welcome.*
Three down. Seven to go.
-----
SECOND HOUR — THE HUNT INTENSIFIES
-----
Guests were getting creative now.
A group of teenagers split up across Dinosaur Island, checking every observation platform, every cave, every trail.
One of them noticed Marcus sitting perfectly still among the Maiasaura herd.
“Is that… is that a *person*?”
They approached carefully. The Maiasaura watched but didn’t react.
Marcus grinned. “Took you long enough.”
DISCOVERY #4: MARCUS (1 hour 45 minutes in)
Four down. Six to go.
-----
Lieutenant Hayes stood perfectly still in the naval museum.
Guests walked past him three times.
On the fourth pass, a sharp-eyed woman stopped. “Wait.”
She leaned closer.
Hayes didn’t blink.
“…Is that a real person?”
Hayes finally smiled. “Well done, madam.”
DISCOVERY #5: LIEUTENANT HAYES (2 hours in)
Five down. Five to go.
-----
Terra was discovered when a family exploring Devil’s Canyon noticed the “dead end” looked… wrong.
The father pushed on the stone. It shifted.
Terra sighed from inside. “Clever.”
DISCOVERY #6: TERRA (2 hours 10 minutes in)
Six down. Four to go.
-----
Carson was found when a construction-obsessed kid wandered into the aquarium work zone and started asking questions about the lumber stacks.
Carson stood up. “You’re supposed to be looking for hiders, not learning about framing.”
The kid grinned. “Found you anyway!”
DISCOVERY #7: CARSON (2 hours 25 minutes in)
Seven down. Three to go.
-----
FINAL THIRTY MINUTES — THE HARD ONES
-----
Skifra, Rockfeathers, and Jackson were still hidden.
The crowd was getting desperate.
Groups combed Pirate Bay again. Someone finally thought to check the *Black Wind*’s lower decks.
They found the powder magazine door—barely visible, blending with the wall.
Inside, Skifra sat in the dark, grinning.
“Took you long enough,” she said.
DISCOVERY #8: SKIFRA (2 hours 50 minutes in)
Eight down. Two to go.
-----
With five minutes left, panic set in.
Then someone remembered: “Has anyone checked the archive building?”
A group sprinted there.
Jackson looked up from his notebook as they burst in. “Oh. Hello.”
DISCOVERY #9: JACKSON (2 hours 57 minutes in)
Nine down. One to go.
-----
THE FINAL FIND
-----
Two minutes left.
The crowd was frantic. Where was the last hider?
Then a little girl—the same one who’d gasped about plushies earlier—tugged on her father’s sleeve.
“Daddy… what about the glowing caves?”
“What glowing caves?”
“In the canyon. The pretty ones.”
The father’s eyes widened. “Devil’s Canyon. The crystal caves.”
They ran.
One minute left.
They reached the back passages of Devil’s Canyon, squeezing through narrow slots, following faint light.
Thirty seconds.
They found the chamber.
Lord Rockfeathers sat among glowing quartz and amethyst, looking smug.
“You found me,” he said, standing. “Well done.”
DISCOVERY #10: LORD ROCKFEATHERS (2 hours 59 minutes, 30 seconds in)
-----
THE ANNOUNCEMENT
-----
I appeared on Main Street again, and the crowd roared.
“They did it!” someone screamed.
I raised my hands, grinning. “All ten found. Congratulations.”
The cheering was deafening.
“Which means,” I continued, “you’ve earned the parade.”
More cheering.
“And the plushies.”
A kid in the front fainted from excitement.
“Give me one hour to prepare,” I said. “Then we march.”
-----
NEGOTIATIONS
-----
I gathered the species leaders in a quiet space behind Main Street.
Dragons (represented by Dragon Master): “What do you need from us?”
“Fly in formation overhead. No showing off. No dive-bombing guests for laughs.”
“Agreed. What do we get?”
“Exclusive hunting rights in the northern expansion for two weeks.”
Dragon Master’s eyes gleamed. “Deal.”
-----
Seals (Rocco representing): *What’s in it for us?*
“March with the parade. No stealing hats. No photobombing. Behave.”
Rocco barked skeptically.
“Premium salmon for a month.”
Rocco’s ears perked.
“And,” I added, “I’ll build you a dedicated fish market stall where guests can buy treats for you legally.”
Rocco barked agreement immediately.
-----
Allosaurus (the matriarch): Low rumble. *Why should we participate?*
“Because,” I said, “this is your chance to show the realm you’re not just predators. You’re *people*. Intelligent. Capable of choice.”
The matriarch considered.
“And,” I added, “if you do this—if you march peacefully, interact with guests, show them what you really are—I’ll give you exclusive hunting rights in the new expansion territory for a full month. Prime game. No competition.”
The matriarch’s eyes gleamed.
She rumbled again. *Agreement.*
-----
THE PARADE BEGINS
-----
Main Street had never seen anything like this.
The music started—drums, horns, strings, a full orchestral arrangement I’d composed on the fly.
First: The Kitsune.
Handlers in ceremonial robes, tails fanned, moving with grace. Medical teams. Performers doing acrobatic displays. Fox-folk of every tail count, showing the diversity of their people.
The crowd cheered.
Second: The Pirates.
Full crews in their finest—which meant their messiest. Captains leading. Skifra at the front, cutlass raised, grinning like she owned the world.
Red Jack waved. Someone threw him a bottle. He caught it mid-air and took a drink.
The crowd roared.
Third: The Naval Forces.
British, French, Spanish—marching together for the first time. Officers in full regalia. Sailors in dress uniforms.
Lieutenant Hayes looked uncomfortable but dignified.
The crowd applauded respectfully.
Fourth: Lizardkin.
The Gilded Wake flew overhead, slow and majestic. Mages on deck waving. Their scales caught sunlight and threw it back in brilliant flashes.
The crowd gasped.
Fifth: Dragons.
Twenty dragons in perfect formation overhead. Not showing off. Just *present*. Majestic. Powerful.
Dragon Master led, wings steady, eyes forward.
The crowd went silent with awe.
Sixth: The Dinosaurs.
This was the moment.
The gentle Maiasaura came first—massive, calm, family groups moving with care. Kids screamed with joy.
Then the Styracosaurus—Hammer, Boulder, and Titan leading, horns gleaming, moving like living tanks.
The crowd’s noise became a continuous roar.
Then the raptors—packs moving in coordinated lines, handlers beside them but not controlling them. Showing discipline. Showing intelligence.
The crowd was losing its mind.
And then.
The Allosaurus.
-----
THE ALLOSAURUS STEAL THE SHOW
-----
The matriarch led.
Six apex predators, moving down Main Street with a grace that made the world hold its breath.
Handlers walked beside them, but the Allosaurus didn’t need guidance.
They knew what this was.
Halfway down Main Street, the matriarch stopped.
The crowd froze.
She turned her massive head toward a group of kids standing with their parents.
Parents tensed. Security moved. I felt the shift and… didn’t intervene.
The matriarch lowered her head. Slowly. Carefully. Until she was eye-level with a little girl holding her father’s hand.
The girl stared, trembling.
The matriarch just… waited.
The girl reached out, tiny hand shaking, and touched the matriarch’s snout.
The Allosaurus closed her eyes. Patient. Gentle.
The entire parade stopped.
The other Allosaurus followed suit—approaching families, lowering their heads, kneeling, letting kids climb on their backs for photos.
No handlers. No commands.
Just *choice*.
Parents were crying. Kids were screaming with joy. Cameras flashed like stars.
Then the matriarch noticed something.
Rocco and his gang were on the sidelines, barking indignantly.
*We’re supposed to be the cute ones!*
The matriarch tilted her head. Calculating.
Then she approached Rocco.
Rocco froze. *Oh no.*
The matriarch opened her massive jaws, positioned her teeth with surgical precision, and gently picked Rocco up by the scruff.
Rocco dangled, utterly helpless, looking betrayed.
The other Allosaurus followed suit—each one carefully collecting a seal, lifting them with impossible gentleness.
The seals couldn’t escape. Couldn’t wiggle. Could only accept their fate as the dinosaurs paraded them down Main Street like trophies.
The crowd EXPLODED.
Laughter. Cheering. Screaming. Cameras everywhere.
Core (through the bond): *“I can’t breathe. This is perfect.”*
Yuna: *“Your dinosaurs just kidnapped your seals.”*
Core: *“I KNOW.”*
The Allosaurus carried the seals all the way to the end of Main Street, then gently set them down.
Rocco barked once—indignant, defeated, utterly upstaged.
The matriarch’s eyes gleamed with what could only be described as *amusement*.
-----
AFTERMATH — PLUSHIE DISTRIBUTION
-----
After the parade, guests lined up for plushies.
Adults chose carefully—some picked seals (Rocco was the most popular), some chose dinosaurs, some chose dragons.
Kids went wild.
One boy chose a life-sized Rocco plushie. It was bigger than him. He dragged it away, grinning.
A girl chose TWO raptor plushies and named them on the spot.
Another kid chose an Allosaurus plushie and immediately started crying because it was “too perfect.”
Parents took photos. Families hugged. Guests thanked me, thanked the staff, thanked each other.
It was chaos.
Beautiful chaos.
-----
CORE & YUNA — QUIET MOMENT
-----
Later, after the crowd dispersed and Main Street returned to normal, Yuna and I stood on the observation deck, watching the gas giant turn.
“That,” she said, “was insane.”
“That,” I replied, “was *perfect*.”
She leaned her head on my shoulder. “The Allosaurus kidnapping the seals was not part of the plan.”
“Best part though.”
“Agreed.”
We stood in comfortable silence.
Then she said, quietly, “You’re building something good here.”
“*We’re* building something good.”
Her fingers found mine. “Yeah. We are.”
Below us, the realm glowed in eternal dusk. Seals lounged on rocks. Dinosaurs roamed their islands. Pirates drank in taverns. Dragons circled overhead.
And somewhere, a kid was falling asleep clutching a life-sized Rocco plushie, dreaming of the day the realm threw a parade just because people worked together.
That was worth everything.
