The Arrival

Mimiru grabs her gym bag from a locker and leaves.

"Ah... huh... and do you have any idea what 'it' is?" Hector asked.

Mortal continued to laugh.

"So why did you think he was 'evil'?" Gabe actually uses air quotes.

--

"I don't know... but I want to find out," Sab said, taking a breath as well. Sab leans in and gives her another kiss before backing away to pull up Aroma's shirt.

--

Noct didn't bother to look behind her as she walked, and pulled out her phone, she sent a text to Aroma saying, "Still on for cake today?"

She then noticed the new contact she had, and smiled, sending Astarte a simple, "Hello" with a cute little smiley face. Bitches love smiley faces.

*Eve sits down and begins to study*
---
*Tirea also heads to changing room, not wanting to be alone right now*
---
*Monu pays for his food then exits*

*Senthose sighs.*

S"They seem to think there's some conspiracy against them."

R"Listen, you, I--"

N"Don't bother, if he doesn't want to believe it, that's his problem. This guy's annoying, I'm going downtown to find something to eat."

*He turns, heading for the door. Roatha looks at Thiera, who shrugs. Then they follow him.*
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*She catches Mimiru leaving, & hears the banging noises fade.*
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*Aroma doesn't answer because she's having sex. 2 creepers are walking behind Noctis.*
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"Something we should run away from."

*Vanessa turns, & does just that, as something can be heard jumping from branch to branch, getting closer to them.*
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*As Eve is doing whatever, she sees movement in the stacks.*

Hector turned and waved at Astarte to go, and started running towards her. She put her phone away and turned, fleeing ahead of Hector.

As Mimiru is leaving the gym, Azuma spots her.

Azuma: "In a hurry?"

Mimiru: "Weird things are happening. Again."

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

Taiyo is now just staring at an empty plate.

"Is it me, or does that guy seem like the type that runs away from his problems?" Mortal asked, "Anyway, why would there be anything out to get them? They just got back to the land of the living in the first place."

--

Noct frowns as no one answers her texts, and continues on her way home.

--

Sab gives Aroma a reason not to answer her phone.

<Hello, who's there?>

*Eve stands up and looks around*
---
*Tirea quickly changes out and heads outside*

*Once they get out of the woods, it doesn't follow, but Vanessa keeps running.*
============================
*She continues to see a dark shape moving around in the stacks, but no one answers.*
============================
"As I explained to Noctis the other day, being lost in a dark wilderness for an extended period taps into the primal fear that some unidentifiable predator is watching you, waiting for the chance to kill. But when they got back to civilization, they were informed that the delusions they invented do not mesh with the reality--including, in one instance, mistakenly believing that there was still another student missing--& so that monster or killer morphed into a form to represent lack of control of civilization--a conspiracy theory."
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*I don't know about Monu, but Brainy turns away when she gets to the gate to the campus.*
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*Euryale stands up to clear the table.*

"Was it good? Do you want any more?"

Taiyo: "No, err, yes it was. No thank you."

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

Azuma: "What kind of weirdness?"

She shows him the picture on her phone.

Azuma: "You need to do more squats."

Mimiru: "Shut up!"

Damn it. Really?

*Eve picks up her books and hurries out of the library, spooked*
---
*Monu returns to his apartment*
---
*Tirea hurries to Monu's apartment as well*

Astarte and Hector continued running until they got back to the tree they were previously under. They both looked back the way they had come, Astarte shakily leaning on the tree for support. She took out her phone and once again tried to call Euryale.

"That is actually kind of sad," Gabe said, "They manage to survive, but the lingering effects are still messing with them. Maybe they should see a therapist or something."

--

Creeper free, Noct heads up to her dorm, and starts to put away her groceries, save for the ones she needs to bake the cake. Before she actually gets that far she turns on her computer, and puts on some music.

--

Sab rolls over after sexy time has concluded, still breathing a bit heavily, "That was amazing, you were amazing, this is amazing..."

*She hears footsteps descending the staircase after her.*
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"That's what I said."
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*Aroma puts an arm over Sab's waist & smiles at her.*

"I know what you mean."
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"I'm going to go get changed, let me know what you want to do when I get back."
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*Vanessa keeps on going, heading for the parking lot. Euryale finally picks up.*

"Hello?"

The two head back to their dorm.

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

Taiyo: "Okay."

As Euryale is changing in the other room, Taiyo resolves to change some other room.

"Maybe they will if it comes from someone they don't think is evil," Mortal said with a chuckle, "So, you going to sit down and eat, or just keep standing there?"

--

Sab gives her another kiss, then looks up at the ceiling, grinning broadly, "This is perfect Aroma. I love you." Sab is too hopped up on sexy time afterglow to realize that she just told Aroma that she loved her.

"He- uh, Euryale?" Astarte stuttered. "Vanessa is, uh, we found Vanessa. And there was something in the trees. We're at the park. We were on a nature trail. It's me, Astarte. Vanessa is running away."
Hector gave Astarte a slightly concerned look and turned to watch Vanessa run away, then back at the nature trail.

*Eve runs out of the library, and heads for the cafeteria, as it's sure to be populated*
---
*Tirea and Monu meet up outside the front door of Monu's apartment*

Monu:<What's wrong?>

Tirea:<I'll tell you when we get inside.>

*They enter*

*As she's running, the occasional pedestrian gives Eve a strange look.*
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"Yeah, just let me grab a burger, or something. I already ate breakfast."

*He heads off, then returns shortly with a bag from a fast food place.*
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"I love you too, Sab."
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*He sees a pair of glowing red eyes sticking out of a treetop.*

"Wh--well...uhh...can you, um, stop her? Or....or get her to come with you, that would be even better...?"
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*Taiyo can hear Euryale talking slightly tensely to someone in the next room.*

Mortal and Gabe give him a nod as he returns. "So, what's up? Aside from being evil apparently?" Mortal asked.

--

Sab looks at Aroma a bit shocked, but really happy, "I love you too!" She wraps her arms around Aroma, and plants a few kisses on her.

*Eve heads into the cafeteria, looking around for anyone she might know*
---
*Tirea explains what happened to Monu as he puts away the groceries*

Monu:<So now we're being stalked? Excellent.>

Tirea:<What if it's the shadow man?>

*Monu tenses*

<Well, there was a rabbit found on campus this morning that reminded me of something from the forest.>

*Monu shows Tirea the picture, and she gasps*

Taiyo looks over to the other room, but doesn't go in or near.

"Uh, I don't know, she used the mace again," Astarte said. Hector turned and grabbed Astarte by the shoulder, then started running off after Vanessa with Astarte in tow. "We can try and keep her in sight but she's still running ahead of us."

*At the parking lot, she just keeps heading along the road.*

"It'd take me almost an hour to get up there."
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*There is Senthose. If she knows Mortal or Gabe, then she is also in luck.*

S"Nothing, really."
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*Aroma is smothered.*