God Yet Lives

Yue feels a cold chill and sneezes.

---

"Let's find her before she finds us" Kujaku suggests.

"Yes" Karasu had been put on cat duty and had retrieved a docile looking black cat that was currently contently sleeping in his arms.

E"Relax, hon, it happened nearly 20 years ago. It would be ridiculous if I couldn't talk about it now."
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S"Oh, you're hilarious. Actually, my regeneration works the same as my original Hollow form, albeit smaller, until it has to add the skin. So we can actually determine how scary it is."

*Senthose turns around to face Aroma before doing some motion that looks like he's ripping his own face off. She stares at him with an unflinching expression as he turns around, fully regenerated.*

S"That'll be shock, give her a moment."

*Aroma starts crying.*

S"There we go."

Astarte kept on moving ahead of the group without speaking or turning around.
What they may have realized, however, was that an Astarte clone was behind them as well.

Sab went to Aroma's side to console the crying girl, "Don't worry, everything is fine."

Mortal glanced behind at to catch sight of Sab and Aroma and smiled slightly before turning back around to look at Astarte, "So, any reason for the clone Astarte?" Mortal asked, calmly.

--

Noctis let out a sigh, "I guess you're right, I'm sorry. I'm the only one who gets belligerent when it comes to their parents." Noct then felt a spiritual pressure she had not noticed before, two actually. Noct furrowed her eyebrows, then set herself on ignoring them for the time being.

*Aroma sniffles.*

A"Thanks, Sab."

S"I don't know, but now that I get a clearer look at her, I think she needs better clothes. Sab will have to do it, because I just traumatized Aroma."
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E"Oh...no. I didn't mean to insult you, Noct."

L"Ugh, I never thought I'd say this, but I agree with Senthose. 'You people and your feelings.'"

Noct shook her head, "No, no, I didn't mean anything by that... wow, we do need to sit down and have a talk. I feel like we've been doing nothing but stumbling over our words for a while now."

--

"Don't mention it," Sab said with a smile. "Wait, who do I need to make clothes for?"

S"This...Astarte woman. Her dress is just atrocious."
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E"I thought that was how love worked."

"The clone is just a precaution I usually take while travelling through the forest," Astarte explained, ignoring Senthose. "A less intelligent hollow shouldn't know which Astarte to strike at. It isn't really necessary right now, but it makes me feel better."

Aera: <Oh, you're walking there? All right, see you there.>

*She opens a Garganta and steps through.*

Mortal let out a knowing, "Ah," then continued with, "Whatever makes you feel safe I guess."

Sab looked ahead at Astarte's dress, "I guess I could make her something nice. Would you like a dress, or something, Astarte?"

OOC: Don't know Astarte's body type, so I can't give any good insight really. Noct, Lilith, and Euryale should go dress shopping, I'm sure that won't go horrifically, what with Noct being a jeans girl, Euryale rocking cut offs, flip flops, and little else, and Lilith... actually, I don't know if Lilith doesn't like dresses.

--

Noct blushed a bit, then smiled, "I wouldn't really know, you're my first," Noct said.

--

Atae... keeps doin' her thing... with the doctory stuff... that needs doing...

OOC: I imagine Lilith would wear a dress before Euryale. But "dress" is such a broad term that there have to be a few she'd be willing to wear, at least on some occasions. Either way, there are reasons why dresses aren't really casual wear.

S"A less intelligent Hollow also would not use such a wasteful defense strategy. Do you know why this is known as the "Forest of Menos"? Or, rather, why so many of the Menos live here? Living on the surface means you can see threats coming for a great distance. Menos have a need to conceal themselves so they can stalk their prey. A regular Hollow will hide in plain sight. If you were to be attacked by a Hollow worthy of being called a threat, not only would it know which one is real, but it would be at full fitness, while you would not."
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*Euryale smiles.*

E"The same goes for me."

L"Well...shall we be going now?"
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*Everyone assembled for Soi Fon's awakening leaves. Hanataro comes in with a black eye & a broken nose.*

Hanataro<I think I need some treatment.>

Isane<Good--what happened to you?!>

Hanataro<Well, Captain Deluge called from the World of the Living, saying his lieutenant was knocked out in battle and needed treatment. While I was attending to her, she suddenly woke up, said myself & her Captain had no right to humiliate her like that, punched me in the face, & left.>

*Iris turns back and sees her open a Garganta.*

Iris: <Eh? Hey! Wait!>

*Iris runs back and jumps through the same one that she made.*

"How do I do that? The last time I tried...it didn't last long."

Urahara<To be perfectly honest, I suspect the Hollow reacted to the Hell Miasma the invaders brought with them. Without that, it might have remained sealed. But now that the miasma has been introduced to your system, we need to find a way to deal with it.>

*The elevator deposits them in a house-sized cavern with no sky overhead, instead it uses paper lanterns for lighting.*

Urahara<We've just started digging this one.>

"Okay... Do you know if Rangiku is okay?"

Urahara<You should go by her house & see for yourself.>

*She turns to Venezuela.*

"Will you go with me?"

"Sure."

Urahara<Take all of the time you need. As long as you are back in no more than 4 hours.>

"But you just said--"

Urahara<Science!>

"Thanks."

*Rangiku's house is about 1.5 times the size of Taiyo's, but other than that is not much different. Venezulea knocks on the door & Rangiku cracks it open, looking out of it with a reluctant expression.*

*Taiyo stands a few steps away from the door ready to hide behind Venezuela at any moment. She gives a nervous wave.*

"Hi, Rangiku..."

<What do you want?>

"I wanted to see if you were okay."

<"Okay"? OKAY?! That...rhymes with "sake"!>

*Rangiku suddenly cracks an enormous grin & kicks the door open to reveal that she has two bottles of Sake in her other hand. She then reaches out, pulling Taiyo & Ven inside the house. Faces pressed to her chest, of course.*

<Get in here!>

"I think she's okay. Should you be drinking after...well, you know."