Homecoming

<We've all had some boring classes.>

*Tirea smiles*
---
*Cameron reaches out and touches Astarte name with his own, looking kindly at her*

"I'd like to eat your cooking."

*Aroma smiles, sitting down.*
==========================
"I've always been fond of purple."

Astarte looked back at him, raising her eyebrows a little. She slid her hand back towards herself slightly.

*Cameron shakes himself, and quickly removes his hand*

<I'm sorry, i was trying to be comforting.>

"It's alright..." She replied softly, looking back at the bar. "I'm just not in a great mood... Sorry."

<It's fine.>

*He stares at the bar as well*

"How kingly," Noct replied, trying not to swoop in on whatever was failing to her side.

--

"Comes with going to college I guess," Gabe said, "Never know what is a fun elective until you take it."

--

Sab bit into her food and smiled, "So good. Now I really have to repay the favor."

Astarte knocked back some more of her drink, glanced at Cameron and then back at the bar, "So, how is your sister? Since we got back I mean."

OOC: Flash forward to around 8 PM. Just post what you're doing, it's too complicated to get information from everyone before posting.

*Euryale knocks on Taiyo's door, dressed in a reddish-pink sweatshirt that's a bit lower in cut than usual.*
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*Roatha & Nero are in their dorm.*

R"Besides, I have someone else in mind, anyway."

N"You mean you slept with Thiera & you're still not together? Jesus, you 2 are hopeless."

R"You slept with Astarte & didn't ask her out!"

N"Only because I literally had no opportunity!"
===================================
*Vanessa is drinking at the bar.*

Taiyo answers and throws her arms around Euryale. She's wearing a pretty typical outfit, although the top is short sleeved rather than long sleeved and jeans instead of shorts.l

Taiyo: "Hi."

===================================

The two go to their dorm.

Azuma: "Any big plans for a...whatever day it is today evening?"

Mimiru: "Why are you asking me?"

Azuma: "No one else to ask."

Astarte was at home, on the couch, falling in and out of sleep while trying to watch TV. Her father was sitting next to her.

Hector and Eduj were at the bar too, sitting away from Vanessa and drinking beer.

*Eve sits with her parents at a restaurant*
---
*Tirea watches the news*
---
*Monu and Cameron are both in their apartment, with Cameron on the couch and Monu working on homework at the table*

Cameron:<I should have gotten her number.>

Monu:<It's not like we won't see them again.>

Cameron:<I guess.>

Mortal is at her dorm, sleeping, as Noct gets back from the bar.

--

Gabe is at her dorm, doing homework. Nerd.

--

Sab is sitting on her bed. "...When is our next break?" She asks Aroma.

"A couple weeks from now, I think."

*Aroma is hungry, so she heads into the kitchen to fix herself a bowl of that salad from earlier, & a cup of tea.*
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"Hey. You sure you won't be cold in that?"
=================================
*Vanessa gets up & leaves.*
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*The news is some reporter woman from this morning standing outside of the black forest, talking about how it's easy to get lost in, but otherwise not dangerous.*

"That is so far away..." Sab said with a frown, "Oh, a bowl of that sounds nice." She got up and walked over to get herself a bowl as well.

--

Mortal wakes up because Noct wasn't that quiet, "Oh, hey, where were you today?"

"I went out drinking with a guy from class," Noct answered.

"Uh, cool, making friends?"

"I suppose so," Noct replied, "We get along pretty well."

*Eve nibbles on her plate of chicken and pasta in a fancy sauce*

Dr. Tantus:<Are you sure that's all that happened?>

Eve:<Yes.>
---
*Tirea bursts out into laughter*

<Why can't a monster jump out now?>
---
*Monu puts down the book he was reading and heads into the kitchen*

Monu:<And thus we have nothing to eat.>

Cameron:<Thank you for nominating yourself to shop.>

*Monu shrugs, grabs his coat, and heads out*

Sidon furrowed his brow and looked over at Astarte. She appeared to be awake for the moment, so he thought he would speak, "Hey, Astarte... are you sure you're alright? Getting lost can be a traumatizing experience, I know, I see it in my line of work, but it seems like something happened that neither you or the boys will tell me about."
Astarte looked over at him, rubbed the back of her head and looked down to the floor, "...No, nothing strange happened..."
"...Well, that's not true," Sidon sighed and looked back at the television. "But it's okay. You guys can tell me whatever happened in your own time, pressuring you won't help."
Soon after this exchange, the telephone in the kitchen rang and Astarte got up to answer it.

Hector and Eduj take no notice, because fuck Vanessa.

*Of course, this means he has to walk all the way to downtown. It being fairly dark & most of the lights not working, he's primarily guided by the sea of slowly moving headlights down below.*
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"Yeah, I guess it is."

*She sits down to eat it.*

"I just want you to know, I can cook meat too. That part doesn't bother me too much."
=================================
*It does not.*

<The largest carnivore in the forest is the fox, which generally won't attack humans. Fox attacks, like those of any wild animal, can be dangerous, but are rarely fatal.>

*After a few seconds, the screen changes to an anchorwoman.*

<Thank you. Again, City Hall wants to assure you of the Black Forest's safety. We still aren't sure what caused the crash. Crashes on that road are rare, and there is no evidence of a rock slide, or a tree collision. The bus, driver, and professor still have not been found.>

*Tirea's continued laughing draws weird looks from her parents*

<SAFE?>
---
*The other Dr. Tantus pays the bill and the family heads out*
---
*Monu groans and looks around for the closest place he can buy dinner, as he really doesn't want to walk all the way to the grocery store*

Astarte answered the phone and found herself hearing an unfamiliar voice. The man identified himself as Isaac Grimm, a man of God and a priest of the nearby church.
"Is this a bad time?" The man asked.
"Um, I guess not..." Astarte replied.
"Excellent. I would simply like to extend an invitation to you and your family to meet with me tomorrow at the church," Grimm paused and Astarte continued to be confused. "In regards to the events within the Black Forest."
"...I'm not sure I understand," Astarte began to reply, quite surprised.
"I'm aware of the unnatural claims made by your party on returning from that place, and I am willing to hear more of this," Grimm went on. "You see, I could believe you. I have long been leery of that foul place, and it is my desire to discover just what lurks within."
Astarte stuttered, trying to find her response.
"Of course, this is entirely up to you," Grimm spoke soothingly, like a parent. "If you do wish to come, you may choose when. It is not an easy time for you, I quite understand."

Hector and Eduj eventually left the bar. Each of them lit up a cigarette and began walking home.

"It is fine," Sab said, "I don't want you to feel like you have to cook something special for me to be happy. I'm fine with whatever you decide to make. I mean, I eat meat, but I'm not Mortal or something, I don't mind not having it."

--

"Well, I'm glad you're out making friends, and being social, but could you not wake me up when you come in?" Mortal asked.

"Yea, sorry about that," Noct said, pulling on some PJs after pulling off her day clothes, "I'm going to head to bed early today anyway."

Taiyo: "I guess it's a little chilly outside, isn't it?"

She lets go of Euryale and leads her into the dorm room as opposed to just inviting her in like a normal person or letting her wait in the hall while Taiyo retrieves a hoodie from the closet.

Taiyo: "So what's going on tonight?"

===================================

The two decide to stay in, playing Killer Instinct on an old SNES.

"Not too much, actually. Lately I've pretty much just been eating, going to class, & working out at the gym."
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*The property right outside the gate happens to be an old Catholic cathedral, so it's pretty dark on that section of rode &, more importantly, it's a bit of a walk to any place that sells any food. The closest places are the fast food restaurants. There's a convenience store nearby, but it's not really much closer than the grocery store, & is in the opposite direction of it.*
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*If Hector & Eduj keep walking, they may run into Cameron.*
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*They next show footage of the burned portion of the forest being searched.*

<As you can see, the fire has destroyed basically all evidence of the crash. Investigators aren't sure how it started--one theory is that the gas tank was ripped free of the rest of the bus.>
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"Are you sure? I mean, won't you have to make special dishes for me?"

*Tirea goes in, gets a glass of water, then runs back to the TV*

Rebecca:<Tirea, are you alright?>

<I'm EXCELLENT!>
---
*Eve's father goes about hailing a cab*

Dr. Tantus:<Are you sure you'll be alright alone tonight?>

Eve:<Yes, thank you mother.>
---
*Monu waves at Hector and Eduj*

<Just the people I wanted to see!>

Taiyo puts on the hoodie she wore during the trip.

Taiyo: "I guess I've been doing the same. Well, except going to the gym. Not frequently at least."