The Arrival

Taiyo: "Bye."

Shr begins to follow Euryale.

*And so they lead the way to Tirea's house*
===
*Eve waves*

<See you two later.>

Sab slows to a stop to catch her breath, then looks around, "I... I don't know..."

--

"Thanks for spending some time with me," Noct said, "I'm sorry I pulled you out of class."

"It's no problem," Astarte smiled. "I've missed a bunch of classes already for reasons nothing like this nice."

Hector looked back at the bar tender like 'see?' before they followed Monu and Cameron to Tirea's home.

*When she looks back, she can see the Shadow walking down the stairs just a few steps behind her.*
================================
*They eventually make it to the gym. Euryale heads straight to the locker room & starts changing.*
================================
*Noct's phone starts to ring.*
================================
*And that takes however long it takes for them to get there from downtown.*
================================
*After they've said their goodbyes, Lilith remains in the bathroom while Thiera asks if Eve would like anything.*

*Eve shakes her head and says that she's fine*
===
*Upon arriving, Monu knocks on the door*

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself," Noct said, choosing to believe that she was indeed having a good time, and not that she was simply more fun than being trapped in a cabin in the woods for weeks.

Suddenly her thigh vibrates, "Oh, excuse me." She pulls out her cell and looks to see who is calling.

--

Sab screams again, and continues to run down the stairs. She stops for a split second because she doesn't want to drag Aroma, causing her to trip and fall down the stairs, "Hurry! Let's go!"

Taiyo begins rooting through her bag for her own gym clothes which are essentially the same as Euryale's only the top is blue. As she changes she tries not to stare.

Astarte silently watched the movie, trying not to blatantly listen to Noct's call.

Hector and Eduj lingered behind them.

*Euryale quickly slides her shorts & top on, then begins stretching, starting by crossing her arms behind her back & pushing her chest out.*

E"So, we're mostly going to have you beating up the punching bag."
================================
*No one answers the door.*
================================
*They just barely avoid not falling as they approach the landing for the next floor.*
================================
L"Hello, Noctis?"
================================
*Thiera sits down on the couch, crosses her hands in her lap, & twiddles her thumbs.*

T"Um...so, what would you like to do?"

Taiyo reties her hair into a ponytail then lools to Euryale, biting her lip.

Taiyo: "Okay."

Sab continues running down the stairs until she reaches ground floor.

--

"Hey, Lilith," Noct said, "What's up?"

*Eve stares at the ground, then shrugs*

<What you want is fine.>
===
*Monu tries the door to see if it's unlocked*

Cameron:<You have a key right?>

*Monu nods*

*The house is however the family usually leaves it. Once they get in there, they can see Kylie's mom passed out in the doorway to the living room.*
================================
L"I'm afraid I've got some bad news. The cops didn't...well, they're pretty much denying that anything happened in the first place."
================================
E"You've gotta limber up first, or else you might hurt yourself."

*She next runs one of her legs parallel to the bench & tries to touch her toes.*
================================
*It's a long way down, & the Shadow bores of the chase. It streaks past them, the next landing darkening as it impacts the ground. The Shadow expands & twists until it regains its former shape, "looking" up at them.*

A"Not that way!"

*Aroma tugs on Sab's arm to get her attention, aiming to lead her back up to the door they'd just passed.*
================================
T"Well, I don't know...I'm not sure what we could talk a--oh, I haven't been updating everyone. Well, let's see...you, Taiyo, & Euryale obviously know I'm fine. Roatha just left not too long ago. So that leaves..."

*She digs out her phone & starts typing.*

T"Nero, Cameron, Astarte, Hector, Eduj, Tirea, & Monu. Am I missing anybody?"

OOC: Tirea, not Kylie.

Monu:<Aunt Rebecca!>

*Monu runs over and checks for a heart beat. Cameron slowly enters*

<Something's wrong...>
===
<Azuma and Mimiru.>

Taiyo follows Euryale's lead, likely to bite through her lip.

"You don't say," Hector said, coming in behind and looking over at the passed out woman. Eduj stayed at the doorway.

Sab followed after Aroma.

--

"That's bullshit," Noct said plainly. She put her drink down on the table, and stood up. Noct walked over to the hallway, and continued her conversation, "You were there, you know that that is bullshit. What reason did they give?"

L"Basically, they think that we're making the whole thing up, to get back on someone. Like an ex, or something. I called a few times, but the only officer who had my back was that lady officer, Jane."
================================
*Aroma just keeps running down the hallway, without stopping.*

"Whatdowedowhatdowedowhatdowedooo?!"
================================
T"Right, right. I'll just say that you're here with me & my sister."

*She sends a message to Hector, Azuma, Nero, & Monu.*
=================================
*Once they're done stretching, Euryale leads her out to the punching bag.*

E"Alright, show me how you'd fight off an attacker."

*She crosses her arms over her chest, then under it, then just sticks her hands in her pocket.*
==================================
*She seems to have a normal heartbeat.*

"Get back at who!?" Noctis ran a hand through her hair, to calm herself down, "Sorry, I didn't mean to yell, but it is frustrating. I mean, 'an ex'? Really? I'm gay, how could I possibly be getting back at an ex-boyfriend?"

--

"I don't know!" Sab said, "You're not supposed to use the elevator in emergencies."

*Cameron and Monu move Tirea's mother to the couch, then they go further into the house, Monu responding to Thiera*

With Cameron, Hector, and Azuma. Tirea has gone missing, and something's attacked my aunt. Stay alert.
===
*Eve nods*

<I hope everyone is alright...>

Astarte sat awkwardly on the couch.

Hector made his way to the kitchen.

A"I don't think they factored in shadow monsters when they made that warning!"

*And so she stops at the nearest elevator & starts hammering the button for the first floor.*

A"Wait, no--what about Mortal, Noct, & the others?!"
============================
T"I'm afraid they aren't. Monu says Tirea is missing, & Nero says Roatha never came home."
============================
*In the next hallway, they find the man of the house, similarly unconscious. Hector finds that all of the knives have been laid out on the counter, turned towards the entrance he just walked through.*
============================
L"I don't know, they gave me a bunch of excuses that didn't really make sense. So, looks like I'm going to be going after them with my sister & her friends. A deal's a deal, I guess. I just don't see what they expect to find in some crappy old abandoned buildings."

"We can call them later," Sab said, "That thing was in our room, so maybe it is after us. Going to anyone else's room will just lead that monster to them... Like Roatha... Oh god, that is my fault." Sab puts her hands on her head and starts weeping.

--

"Oh, well..." Noct let out a long sigh, "Let me know how that goes, I guess."

*Eve freezes*

<No...No...No...What are we going to do?>
===
*They carry Tirea's father to the couch, then go deeper into the house*