Homecoming

After hearing the good word, they head out, Taiyo's waiting outside.

Azuma: "Howdy. Take it we were all told the same thing?"

Taiyo: "Yep! We still have places to stay."

Mimiru: "We were just heading to our room now."

Taiyo: "Me too."

And so the three set off to their respective dorms.

Mortal stopped running and let the treadmill slide her off, then stepped behind Euryale when she stumbled. "You alright there?" She asked, ready to catch her if she fell. When she turned off the treadmill Mortal hopped back onto her's, and waved to the newcomer, "Hello."

--

"So, do you have any plans after class?" Noctis asked as she packed up her shit.

--

Sab took a peek at her phone to get the time, then began to wonder when Aroma got out of class that day, and if she could walk her home. She looked up at Roatha and smiled, "Well, I think it is about time I got out of here. It was nice meeting you, um, I'm sorry, I didn't get your name." She extended her hand, "I'm Sab, by the way."

Sidon dropped off the trio at Ulm and bid them farewell before driving back home. Hector lead the way to the administration building.

*Same deal with the building.*
====================================
*He shakes.*

"Likewise. I'm Roatha."
====================================
"Nah, I don't have to go to the forensics lab today. Why, did you have something in mind?"
====================================
"Uh, yeah, fine. Hello, Tirea."

*She looks over at Mortal.*

"She was on the trip with me."
====================================
*They arrive at their dorms to find everything as they left it, only with an extra layer of dust.*

Azuma: "Not much different than when we left."

Mimiru: "Shut up and get dusting."

Azuma: "Because dusting that cabin wasn't enough for a life time."

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

Taiyo dusts off a ceramic urn sitting on a corner shelf. Around its base is a dark blue collar with a mouse shaped tag on it. Wiping the dust off reveals the name Kitters and a phone number.

Taiyo: "Hi, kitty."

She begins dusting the rest of her room.

"Nice to meet you," She said with a smile, "Anyway, I should get going. I don't want to mess up again." She waved and began to head off towards where Aroma's class was.

--

"So you were both incredibly lucky," Gabe said.

"So were we," Mortal said, "I'm glad we weren't able to go on that trip. I'm Mortal, and that is--"

"Gabriel," Gabe interrupted, "I can introduce myself every once in a while. Anyway, glad you guys are alright. It was kind of a media spectacle for a while."

--

"You owe me a drink," Noct said, "I don't have anything to do, and all of my friends are probably going to be busy, so I figured we could hang out, and get to know each other a bit better."

*Tirea waves*

<It's nice to meet you both!>

*She looks worriedly at Euryale*

<I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you.>
---
Cameron:<Um, hi, I'm Cameron Sorenson and this is Monu Aakin. We were wondering if we were still enrolled here. We were part of the group that disappeared.>
---
*Eve does the same thing*

<Thank you again for letting me stay here.>

"I left behind money to use on drinks the other night."
======================================
<Yes, as I've told the others, you have not been taken out of the system yet.>
======================================
"It isn't a problem."

*Thiera hurriedly puts the stuff away.*
======================================
"I wasn't startled, apparently, I'm not coordinated enough to look behind me & run at the same time."
======================================
*Roatha stays behind, confused. Not long after she leaves the classroom, she runs into Aroma at the base of a stairwell. This lecture hall is built on a hill, so it has a large set of stairs leading down to a niche where the library can be entered, or an arch can be walked under, to get to a shaded courtyard path.*

A"Oh, hello. How was it?"

*Eve helps her*

<What class are you heading to?>
---
*Tirea smiles, reassured*

<I'm sure you're just tired.>
---
Cameron:<Awesome, thanks.>

*They head out*

"Then I owe you one as thanks," Noct said, "Listen, I'm not that great at this whole thing. Do you want to hang out or not?"

--

Gabe and Mortal chuckle at that.

--

"It was fine," Sab said, "I met a boy today named Roatha, he seemed nice. How was your day?" She went down the stairs and gave Aroma a quick kiss hello. A small peck, hoping to avoid doing what happened last time in public.

Hector, Eduj and Astarte probably arrived at the reception desk right after Cameron and Monudon.
"Ah, hello," Hector said, smiling. "We three were among the group that went missing. Are we able to just go back to our classes, or...?"

<Yes, it should be fine.>
============================
A"It was okay. Nothing really happened."

*Nero passes Sabroma & chuckles. It's the kind of laugh that sounds like he's plotting something malicious.*
============================
"I have introductory biology. Mom will drive us to campus."

*Once everything is put away, Thiera heads out the door.*
============================
"Sure. Lead the way, Noctis."
============================
*They pass Hector, Eduj, & Astarte on the way. The administrative building's courtyard is about the same as they left it. People rarely come here, for multiple good reasons.*
============================
*Euryale looks at the people laughing at her, then back to Tirea.*

"That or the 'radon.'"

*She makes air quotes.*

After finishing dusting and changing the sheets, Taiyo flops down on the bed. Fumbling around in her pocket for her cellphone she gives Euryale's number a call.

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

The two sit down on their respective beds after dusting the room and changing the sheets.

Azuma: "Next time, I'll just live with the dust. Get acquainted with it for one day I will join it."

Mimiru: "Sooner than expected with all the whining you did."

Nero is ignored, because Sab doesn't really pay much attention to random people she passes on campus. "Can I hold your hand?" Sab asked.

--

Noct nodded triumphantly, "Good, for a second I thought I'd have to use my feminine whiles or something." She then began to head back to the bar that they first met at.

--

Gabe stops laughing, but Mortal says, "Sorry, I just thought it was kind of cute, imagining someone tripping for looking around. Reminds me of a friend of mine."

"Uh, what is a 'radon'?" Gabe asked, also making air quotes, "If you don't mind me 'asking'... I don't know why I air-quoted that."

"I'm sure that wouldn't be awkward at all."

*Senthose follows her.*
===============================
"I thought you'd never ask."

*Aroma offers her hand.*
--------------------------------------------------------
*Nero meets Roatha at the top of the steps.*

N"I just ran by this girl who says she just met you & you 'seemed nice.' She's totally into you, you should ask her out."

*Roatha squints at him.*

N"Why are you looking at me like you don't trust me?"

R"Because you are the Father of All Lies."
================================
"A radioactive gas that builds up in old houses."

*She digs out her phone when she hears it ringing, pulls it out, & checks the name.*

"One minute."

*She walks to the corner of the room & answers it.*

"Hey, Taiyo. What's up?"

Taiyo: "I found out I still have a dorm room. We all do."

"Why, you gay or something, or do you just not find me attractive?" Noct's tone didn't seem to indicate that either option would bother her greatly, and just seemed more curious than anything else, "I have feminine whiles, you know. I can be really seductive when I want to be."

--

"...So, you guys dealt with radiation or something?" Mortal asked Tirea.

--

Sab smiled, and laced her fingers between Aroma's, "I really like this, Aroma. You make me happy." She looked towards the sky, "It is supposed to be rainy for a while, so I guess we should stay in. What do you want to do?"

*Eve follows*

<That's very nice of your Mother. Introductory Biology is a very fun class.>
---
*Monu and Cameron wave*

<How are you three?>
---
<Um, yeah.>

*Tirea looks at Euryale, then back to Mortal*

Hector thanked the receptionist and turned to Monu and Cameron, returning the wave. Eduj and Astarte each weakly returned their own waves.
"You know, as well as we could be," Hector replied. "Probably won't be back to normal for a little while. And yourselves?"

Cameron:<Alright I suppose. Where are you off to?>

OOC: "Mom," "Mother," "Dad," "Father," etc. are only capitalized when being used in place of a name, as in, "Hi, Mom." Otherwise, such as with, "My dad," they are in lowercase.

*Senthose folds his arms.*

"Maybe I just don't think you have it in you to seduce men. Of course, you're welcome to try to prove me wrong."
===============================
"Well, I should hope so, I slept in it last night."
===============================
*Sure enough, Binah is climbing in to the driver's seat of a little blue car.*
===============================
"We could just talk."

*Eve grabs her stuff and climbs in the back*

Taiyo: "Oh. I was at my parents. It was weird sleeping without you. I guess I just got used to you being there the last few days."

"I don't want to prove you wrong, though I'd say that you are," Noct said, "I'm sure there are men who would fall victim to me, should I care to prey on them."

--

"Sure," Sab said, "Got any homework?"

--

"...How?" Mortal asked, "What in the forest is irradiated?"

"Oh, yes, I'm sure you're right."

*He doesn't sound remotely sincere as they come up to the bar.*
====================================
"Yeah, a bit."
====================================
"Yeah, I can see that. To be honest, I was so tired that I fell right asleep without even turning the light off, but I was still a bit lonely. In spite of all of the bullshit we went through in that forest, I'm glad I at least met some friends."

*She covers the phone as she listens to Taiyo's reply. She figures it's just easier to go along with the official story, as it is at least partly true.*

"Sometimes there are natural radiation spikes. Radon is all around, it's just that it builds up if your ventilation is poor. We found this old cabin to stay in."
=======================================
*And so they are driven to the campus, the road letting off at a cul-de-sac & a lightly forested path that leads to the lecture hall building.*

<Have a good day, Honey.>

"Thanks, Mom. You too."

<Eve, I can let you out somewhere else, if this is too far away from your intended destination.>