Endgame

Noct begins to do this, trying to get the proper shape without making it look convincing enough to be obviously manufactured.

--

"If we could separate them all, send them to different parts of the city at once," Mortal said, "Then we wouldn't have to worry, because they'd be spread thin."

*Tirea starts helping Noct*

HES took to the guest bedrooms to rest their battered bodies, while Astarte followed Roatha up to the roof and tried to help Noct and Tirea, glancing awkwardly over at Roatha a couple of times.

Dalia walked to the door of her room and peeked out, looking to see how many people were about and if she could get to the telephone without Thiera or Aroma sending her back to her room.

*She finds Thiera standing there, arms crossed, & tapping her foot.*

Thiera<Are you plotting something?>
============================
R"...What? Is there something behind me?"

*Roatha looks behind him, forming balls of fire around his fists.*
============================
E"Maybe."

*A searchlight illuminates a [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] behind Euryale, which seems to be roughly over Keter's estate.*

"There's what?" Astarte looked back over at Roatha, her mist stopping still.

"I want to call my family," Dalia said. "They could be in trouble, too."

"Well, it is done," Noct said, looking at it, "Now to see if she sees it."

--

Mortal did in fact see it. She smiled, and was about to point it out, but thought that it might be a bit out of place to talk about pretty clouds at the moment, so she kept quiet.

*Tirea smiles for the first time since her sweepstakes got taken away*

*Thiera studies Dalia carefully.*

T"Hmm...I guess that would make sense."
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V"...I don't think it's working."

R"Wait, that Sky Bison, that's gotta be them! Maybe Keter has a bison whistle. I'll go down & check."

*Roatha runs to the stairwell.*

V"I'm going too, it's freezing up here, & I'm not dressed for this."
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*Bimo takes an abrupt turn, throwing everyone to one side of the saddle. Lin tugs on the reigns several times.*

Lin<What in the world?! No, not that way, you crazy beast!>

*Tirea and Monu follow*

Noct really wasn't either, so she followed Ven down.

--

"What's going on?" Mortal asked, confused as hell. She looked around for a cause.

Astarte waited on the rooftop to watch for the sky bison, but ended up just rubbing at her eyes and biting down hard on her bottom lip.

"So... may I?" Dalia stepped out of her room.

R"What's wrong?"

*Soon after Roatha comes back to the roof with the bison whistle in-hand, the Sky Bison lands, throwing snow everywhere.*
=======================
*I don't know about the rest of them, but Ven heads over to the room where Keter's throwing an impromptu dance party, & sits down on one of the red couches. She takes some Fire Flakes off of a table & starts eating them. She looks behind her, seeing the phonograph that's playing the music, though the lights are dimmed, with the space lit by faint red lamps around the room.*

Astarte looked over at Roatha, her eyes red and wet, but was distracted by the massive creature landing on the roof. She was likely hit with snow and flung it off of herself with a wave of her hands.

Dalia went to the phone to make her call home.

"Roatha?" Mortal asked, looking down at him from the bison, "What is going on?"

--

Noct sits next to Ven, and eats some Fire Flakes as well, a bit exhausted. Having finally gotten a chance to sit and think, Noct found herself worrying about the allegations of her involvement with the Monsoons. She gave Ven a quick glance, then let out a sigh, unsure of what to do.

*Tirea sits on the ground, looking around for Gabe*

*Roatha waves Mortal off as he approaches Astarte. He ignores the fine layer of snow that he's now covered in.*

R"Yeah, yeah, in a minute, Mortal. Astarte, is something wrong?"

Lin<Are your friends always this rude? Well, no matter. You're finally back together, but I have other jobs to do. Saikhan! You're coming with me.>

Saikhan<Yes, chief!>

*He salutes.*
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*Behind Noctis & Venezuela, the phonograph scratches a few times before changing to [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]*

V"...Why are your police fighting each other?"
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*The cop has been moved somewhere, & there are now guards everywhere, some helping the janitorial staff clean up the mess with their Earthbending. Other than that, things look pretty much the same. The cops must not have gotten to Dalia's house yet, because one of her parents picks up.*

Monu:<When did the police go bad anyway?>

Tirea:<After Cheif Beifong got attacked.>

"I don't know," Astarte managed to say, reaching out as if to touch Roatha's chest but pulling back her hand, the layer of snow coming with it off of him.

Dalia warned them that dirty cops were probably on their way and that they should try and slip out of the city as soon as they could.

Mortal just stands there, confused. She then whispered to Euryale, "Did he just call us here so he can ignore me in favor of Astarte? Is he mad about the flowers?"

--

Gabe is standing at the table, eating Fire Flakes direct from the source.

Noct answered, "Because some of them are corrupt."

V"Corrupt how? Are they under the influence of evil Spirits?"

*Her hunger ravenous, Ven next turns on some slices of teriyaki chicken.*
====================
*Roatha frowns.*

R"Oh...well...if you don't want to talk about it, I guess that's okay, too."

*Euryale claps Mortal on the shoulder, big shit-eating grin plastered on her face.*

E"I think you've been replaced. Oh well. Let's all get some food & sleep. We can make plans in the morning."

*She turns around.*

E"Thanks for everything, Chief. Good luck."

Lin<Likewise. I'll leave the Sky Bison with you.>

*And so she & Saikhan jump over the wall.*

*Tirea goes over to Gabe*

<Hey...>

Monu:<I don't think that's it.>

"I... can we talk in private...? I mean, once you've..." Astarte gestured to Mortal and Euryale.

Dalia ended the call and returned to her room, shutting the door behind her and pulling closed any blinds that would let staff and patients see in.

"No, just their own ambitions," Noct said, "By corrupt I meant to say that they are traitors to the police force."

Gabe swallows her flake, and waved, "Oh, hey. Is everything alright?"

--

"That is good," Mortal said with a smile.

*Presumably, Roatha quickly explains that he tried to call them there with a dragon cloud, but it didn't work, so he used a bison whistle that Keter had bought at some point because rich people are fucking weird, & then follows Astarte to some secluded room.*
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V"Why would they turn against their own?"

*Mortale are presumably led into the room to eat & warm up.*

E"We're going to fill you in on that detail tomorrow. As well as plan how to take them all down."

"But... why would I think the cloud was for me?" Mortal asked, looking at Euryale, "I mean... I saw it, but I just thought it was a pretty could."

"Ah, I'm glad to see you two are okay," Noct said.

Gabe nodded, and let out a sigh, "I'm glad you're safe, too. You're alright, right?"

Mortal nodded.