Homecoming

"Eduj, could you go with him? I kind of..." Hector glanced at Astarte, who was drinking her drink and staring at the floor. "Don't want to be leaving her unattended right now."
"Okay."

Grimm handed her the money and found a table.

Out of the loop again.

Azuma: "So we're gonna go take a look at that tree. Which building do you live in?"

<So who's going with me?>

*Eve stands up and stretches. Cameron heads over*

*Roatha starts to head out.*

R"You coming along?"

N"Nah, I'm gonna go with Astarte."

T"Hmm. Would you mind if I go with you, Euryale?"

E"Oh, yeah, sure. You want me to drop you off at the dorm, Taiyo? I'm not sure what we'll find out there. So I don't really want to expose you to anything disturbing."
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*Eventually, 67 is called.*

Taiyo: "All right."

Azuma: "So what's the game plan? Half of us go see some weirdos and a few of us scope out a tree?"

<I suppose so.>

*Eve starts heading for the door, making sure those who are coming with her follow*

Cameron:<Oh, hey Astarte.>

E"No, anyone going with me is going to look for Vanessa."

*Eve stops and walks back, confused*

<I guess I'll go with you then.>

I did say weirdos.

Azuma: "All righty then."

Eduj followed Roatha.

Grimm went and got his order with a 'thank you', then took it back and began to eat it.

*Euryale's group decides to travel with the group heading to investigate the tree.*

"As I mentioned, I'm going to drop Taiyo off at my room. While we're there, I can point out the tree to you, & ask if anyone knows where Vanessa's room is."
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*It doesn't take Roatha long to get to the church.*

"So, I guess we just go inside & see if anyone is there?"

*He tries to open the door.*
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"So...wanna go to the bar, or something?"

<Sounds like a good plan.>
---
*Cameron looks at Astarte*

<Are you alright?>
---
*Monu heads to the library, Tirea to her next class*

The door is locked.

Grimm finished his lunch and began heading back to the church.

"Yes."

Azuma: "All right, lead the way."

"Is that 'yes I'm all right' or 'yes I want to go to the bar'?"
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*The outside of the dorm building is strangely devoid of activity. Apparently, everyone would rather be elsewhere. Euryale moves around to the side of the building, where they note that there's a quartet of tall trees that are close enough together that some of their branches intersect. Euryale points to the one outside of Taiyo's room.*

"There aren't any branches until the 2nd or 3rd story, so I'm not sure how someone would have climbed it."
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"Great, now what do we do?"

*Roatha kicks the door.*
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*The library is also pretty devoid of people.*

Azuma: "Must have been a good climber."

He looks up at the tree and then his presumably still bandaged up hand.

Azuma: "Which won't be me."

As climbing is out of the question, the two look about at the base of the tree and its trunk.

"Umm... both?" Astarte said. Hector was still there, arms folded.

"Do you think that's wise?" Eduj asked.

Grimm was now coming into view of what looked like scoundrels attacking his church. He called out to them.

"Yes," Sab said, "Gabriel Elizondo is. She is really good."

"The lanky one with brown hair, and slightly tan skin," Noct said, then clarified, "From the day we first met at the bar."

S"Ah. I thought as much, otherwise, not many people really care about track."

A"That's kinda mean...."

S"Would you go if your friend wasn't competing?"

A"Well...probably not."

S"I rest my case."

*It is at this point that the food arrives.*
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*The bark is sheer, with no evidence of any handholds.*
=============================
"There's nothing I can't get to work by kicking it."

*He kicks it again, then hears Grimm & turns.*

"Hey yourself! Are you--"

*He checks his phone.*

"Isaac Grimm? The guy who's been creeping on my friends?"
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"Alright, let's go."

*Nero sets off.*
=============================
*Meanwhile, Euryale takes Taiyo & co. on the elevator.*

"So it's a little messy, & I only have 1 bed. I hope you won't mind."

"Excuse me?" Grimm asked as he came up to them, folding his arms before his chest. "What on Earth are you blathering about, boy?"
Eduj stood next to Roatha, wishing he would be less aggressive.

Astarte and Hector went along.

Taiyo: "That's fine. Afterall, one bed was fine for us."

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

Azuma looks around the base of the trunk while Mimiru stares up at the branches nearest to the building.

Mimiru: "Could it be possible they climbed out of another window to the tree?"

"Track runners have the best bodies next to soccer athletes," Noct said, "I went to look at track in high school."

Sab couldn't get the image of Noctis preying on a bunch of track runners out of her head and decided to concentrate on eating. She took a bite down the middle of her pizza and made a face that spoke of disgust. "Ew, pineapples are gross," she said.

Noct didn't say 'I told you so', cuz she is a nice lady.

*It looks somewhat likely, the branches up top are close together. Most of them are trimmed before they get to the windows, but for a few, it looks possible, albeit dangerous, to jump onto them. There aren't any footprints or anything at the base of the trunk, either.*
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"I suppose. Not about the pineapples, you clearly just have no taste."

*Aroma is too busy looking down & blushing.*
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"I'm just saying, I hope you won't be bored or anything."

*When the elevator dings, she starts down the hall.*
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"You heard me. First you look them up, call them, tell them you want to 'talk,' & then 'someone' records them in their dorms. You pervert."

*He does air quotes both times.*
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*They walk into the bar, which by contrast to the other locations, is pretty bustling. There are 3 seats open at the bar, but they aren't right next to each other.*

"Alright, everyone, what do you want? Drinks are on me. And by 'everyone,' I obviously mean just Astarte."

"How dare you- I have no idea what you are talking about," Grimm snarled. "Explain yourself in detail, immediately, or kindly leave."
Eduj was starting to get nervous, not at all comfortable with the possibility of a physical confrontation.

Astarte hesitated, not sure what Nero meant, and then asked for a peach schnapps.

Taiyo: "I'll be all right."

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

Azuma: "Well, what do you think?"

Mimiru: "Possibly. Wouldn't be easy, but there isn't a lot to work with. Unless you want to give it a shot."

Azuma: "One broken bone is enough for me."