Homecoming

Gabe gives Azuma a small wave, and carries on towards the gym, not wanting to stay too long in the rain when all she had to protect herself was a school hoody.

--

Sab follows but stops when Mortal calls out to her. "Hey, you, Aroma here too?"

She turned and smiled, "Uh, yea, she's right there." Sab pointed to her.

<It's not that I have a lot of work, however the work I do have takes a lot of time.>

*Eve grabs the books she needs*
---
Tirea:<How about something basic, like cheese? Oh, do we all want soda?>

Not knowing how the planning'll turn out, Taiyo doesn't say anything content with whatever she gets.

Azuma waves back.

Mimiru: "Meet someone new?"

Azuma: "You could say that. By some contrived coincidence I ended up having breakfast with Roatha & Friends. There was few people there they seemed to know. Don't recall their names."
Mimiru: "Fascinating. Can we go somewhere indoors now? This is unbearable."

Azuma: "Fine."

The two begin looking about for a coffee shop or somewhere nearby.

"I'm fine for whatever with the third," Hector said. "I'll probably get a Sprite if they have it."
"I'll get a Gerolsteiner," Eduj said.

*They're pretty close to the dorms, so they can either keep going north or east, hoping to find something on the street, or they can walk around for a bit to see if there's a cafe attached to one of the buildings nearby.*
===================================
*Euryale shrugs.*

"Then I guess if no one objects, we'll have a meat lovers, a cheese, & a Hawaiian."

*A man in an apron with a pencil & notepad stops by the table, nods, & jots these things down.*

<And anything to drink?>

"I'll have a cola."
===================================
*Thiera & Roatha consult a map.*

R"There's a computer lab at the end of the stacks."

T"I don't want to go down that way. It's...dark."

R"Thiera...it's not going to come after you. Okay, I understand how you feel, but sometimes it's dark out. You can't just lock yourself in your room with the light on & wait out the night. Besides, it's not like that would stop--forget that last part."
================================
*Aroma steps out of the aisle now with tomato sauce & ravioli.*

"Oh, hi, Mortal. Noctis."
================================
*The fitness building is a relatively small building just down the street from the dorms.*

Noct gives her a small wave, but Mortal walks over and checks out what she's got, "Hi. So, what are you cooking?"

Noct walked over with Sab, who said, "We were going to make ravioli."

--

Gabe heads into the building and shakes off some excess water before pulling down her hood.

Taiyo: "Orange juice."

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

The opt to walk around a bit looking for somewhere nearby.

"A Sprite and two Gerolsteiners."

Cameron:<I'll have a coke.>

Tirea:<Same.>

Monu;<Another sprite please.>
---
<I do not think it would attack here. There are too many people around.>

R"It hasn't come out of the woods since we left."

T"Look, let's just find another one, okay?"

*Roatha sighs. Senthose stands up, putting his book under his arm, & walks over.*

R"There's one just downstairs from here."

S"Excuse me. I couldn't help but overhear...you're part of the group that was lost in the forest recently, are you not?"
=================================
"Do you want to have dinner with us tonight? I can get more, it's no problem."
=================================
*There happens to be an attached cafe on the other side of the dorm buildings. They can see through the glass doors that it's all white & black checkered tile, with black chairs & tables. The people working there all dress in tight jeans & flannel. Hipster cafe.*
=================================
<I'll be back in a bit with your food.>

*Euryale drums her fingers on the table as he leaves.*

"So...what have you guys been up to?"

Taiyo: "I just woke up a little while ago."

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

Azuma: "What a swell looking place."

The two go inside.

"Not a lot, really," Hector said. "It feels a little weird, you know, being back. We weren't gone for a really long time but it's still kind of disorienting. Do you guys feel like that?"

*Eve nods*

<Yes, we were.>
---
Tirea:<I've been working out, trying to get unstressed.>

Sab frowned a bit, but nodded, "You're certainly welcome to come join us."

At the same time Noct said, "No thanks," Mortal said, "Yea, sure." They looked at each other for a second before Noct said, "We're here to get our own things for the room."

"Yes, but that'll just be ramen and hot pockets..."

"But you like ramen and hot pockets."

--

Gabe heads over to the locker room, and starts to change into some workout clothes, nylon shorts, and an oversized tee shirt with the sleeves removed. She then heads over to the indoor track, and begins to run some laps.

S"Well, congratulations on making it back."

R"Uhh, thanks."

S"My apologies. I'm Senthose. I've been following the story, & the story about what happened to the investigators. I've heard some...interesting things about it, so I've decided to look into the mythology of the area."

*He shows them the book he has, entitled "Tales of the Black Forest."*

S"However...I'm having a difficult time narrowing down which reading materials are relevant."

R"Why should any of them be relevant? We weren't abducted by fairies, or anything."
=====================================
"Over a month seems like an awfully long time to be lost in the woods. I mostly feel weak. I think I'm even coming down with a cold."
=====================================
*Aroma frowns a bit as well, confused by everyone's reactions.*

"Err...you don't have to feel like you have to. I mean...I want to extend the invite to everyone, but I'll understand if some of you can't make it...."

*She scratches her head.*
=====================================
*There is no line, just a guy at a counter watching them to see what they'll do.*

<I'm Eve Tantus.>

*Eve holds out her hand*

<What do the books say?>
---
Cameron:<I wish we got a little time to relax before having to go back to school.>

At 'I'll understand if some of you can't make it' Noct actually put effort into her scowl, and crossed her arms, "Fine then, Mortal, nothing I can do to stop you from going, but I won't go." With that she grabbed a basket and walked down one of the aisles.

A girl looks at her walk away, and picks up another basket and grumbles something as she passes the merry band of lesbians.

"Mortal, is something wrong? Did I say something?" Sab asked.

Mortal just shrugged, not sure if Noct would be insulted if she still went over to eat at Aroma's and Sab's dorm.

"Working out would probably be a good idea," Hector said. "Getting back into basketball or something, at least. And I wouldn't be surprised that you're getting a cold in this weather."

Taiyo: "Were we really gone that long? And our going out in the rain yesterday probably didn't help any."

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

The two approach the counter and place their order. Azuma orders a coffee, and Mimiru orders tea and soup.

<Cool. Have a seat & we'll take them right to you.>
=======================================
"But...I've never played basketball...too much jumping."

*The man comes back, distributing all of the food. Euryale looks at Taiyo.*

"Yeah, it was a really long time. Good thing we got back before winter. But don't worry about it, the rain was fun."
=======================================
*Aroma is now really sad.*

"I was...I was just trying to be nice...."
=======================================
S"Well, this one is mostly just old wives tales & medieval fables. The ones I think are promising are the ones about large animals. Such as this."

*He opens a book to a copy of a newspaper clipping depicting a large flying creature.*

T"We saw that newspaper in the cabin!"

R"Yes, but the newspaper said it was a bird."

S"Are you suggesting that your friend was implying that it wasn't a bird?"

Taiyo: "That's good. I guess."

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

The two sit at a table as far from the other patrons as possible.

Azuma: "Should've tried to find a place with beat poetry sessions."

Noct is angrily picking out hot pockets.

--

Mortal shook her head, "Uh, no, no, not really." She rubbed the back of her neck, "Its a bit hard to explain, and I'm definitely not the one to explain it. She is just a bit upset at the moment, and is cranky." Mortal nodded a bit, and congratulated herself mentally. Cranky was the perfect word.

*Aroma is still hurt & confused.*

"I'm just...going to go pick out...stuff..."

*She grabs some more pasta & tomato sauce, & then heads off away from the microwave stuff because Noctis is scary.*
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*A girl with a green streak in her hair drops off their orders.*

<We offer that at nights.>
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*Euryale eats pizza.*

"I think so. I'd really like to do it again some time."

"What is Noct so upset about?" Sab asked.

"I think she had feelings for Aroma, but before she could act on them you stepped in," Mortal said, "I think she'll get over it though."

"Why would you tell me that?!" Sab asked, "I feel awful!"

"No, its fine, she just cranky."

--

"I wonder what kind of Hot Pockets Mortal likes..." Noct said, looking through the half dozen boxes she tossed into her basket.

Taiyo looks out a window to where it's presumably still raining.

Taiyo: "It probably won't stop for awhile. How about when you're feeling better?"

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

Azuma: "I'm sure it's fantastic."