Better Left Forgotten

"No," Astarte shook her head. "How else could we check?"
"Apparently Thiera and whoever she is with are 'stuck in the dorms' by another creature outside," Hector said. "Things are speeding up."

S"I was out running an errand & I kept catching glimpses of this short guy following me in the distance. I didn't want to head straight home because, creepy midget following me, so I came into town."
===============================
*He swats his arms aside & then elbows him in the sternum. The monster crawls off of Monu, sitting near the assailant like some kind of dog. From his upside-down field of vision, Cameron can see a shadowy figure stalking closer through the streets.*
===============================
*Thiera & Lilith head out, followed by Euryale & presumably Taiyo.*

L"I don't really feel much in the mood for cordiality. What is going on?"
===============================
A"I don't know...but there must be something we can do to help!"

*Eve turns to face Lilith*

<Monsters. Monsters that followed us from the forest. That's what we've been hiding from everyone.>
===
*Cameron's breath whooshes out and he elbows the man in the stomach*

Mortal laughed, "What, afraid he might bite your shins or something?"

"What is the word for that, racist... heightist?" Gabe asked.

Mortal let out another small chuckle, "I'm meant no offense to small people, I'm just saying I wouldn't exactly be afraid."

"What if he had a gun?"

"Oh, well, there is that."

--

"Well, we can't go back," Noct said, "The Shadow might still be there, and now a new monster is there too."

"So what? The dorms are off limits forever now?" Sab asked.

Noct let out a sigh, "I don't know, maybe. I think staying away from monsters is just a bit more important than that."

"Noctis is correct, it would be a bad idea to go back," Hector said. "Though if there is something penning them in the dorms we could try and scare it off. Maybe an anonymous tip-off to the police that an armed person is loitering outside the dorms?"
"You could stay here for the night," Astarte said, looking at Noct. "All of you."

L"That's ridiculous."

T"But you saw that thing, how can you deny it?"

L"That was...I don't know what that was. But can we not use the 'M Word' so flippantly?"

*Thiera swipes her card, opening the door to her room.*
============================
S"Ableist. The word is ableist. And he definitely had some manner of weapons, because the outlines of his arms were unusually long. Come to think of it, he might not have been a midget, he might have just been crawling around on all fours. Creepy. Also, I didn't want him knowing where I lived. He could steal something, or do something to my mother while she's sleeping."
============================
A"Thank you very much for your hospitality."
============================
*Cameron finds he can't get that kind of leverage, so the man just rolls him over & curb stomps him. Through swimming vision, he sees himself bleeding all over the place & the boots of the man. He gets down in a kneeling pose, bowing his head as the Shadow drifts over to Monu. The slight rise & fall of his chest indicate that he's not done yet, & probably still conscious. The Shadow stares down at Monu for a moment, then plunges its hand in his chest. Though there's no visible wound & his scream is barely audible, the pain & burning are excruciating.*

Azuma: "Best explanation we got."

<I've searched and searched for a different explanation, however one has yet to presented itself.>
===
*Cameron lays still, frozen in fear*

No...No...

*Monu's breath whooshes out, however he doesn't have the strength to scream*

I wish I could have told my family how much I care about them...Tirea...Cameron...don't forget me...

"Thank you," Sab said.

Noct nodded her head, "Thanks, Astarte. I was just going to go home... but I don't think I want to be alone right now." She then looked at Hector, "The cops have so far proven to be less than helpful, but if you want to give it a shot, be my guest."

--

"On all fours?" Gabe asked, a shiver running down her spine.

"Yeah, that is creepy..." Mortal said with a nod.

"You're welcome, I don't think it's okay for anybody to be alone right now," Astarte said.
"Well, I'm not expecting the cops to slay the beast and save the day, but hopefully if more people turn up it might see it off," Hector said, dialing the emergency number.

L"What research have you done, besides looking up creepy ruins?"
==============================
<What's your emergency?>

*Aroma pointedly looks at Sab.*

A"Me neither."
==============================
S"Yep."
==============================
*Monu, the Shadow, the monster, & the man all vanish, as if into thin air.*
==============================
*Monu is suddenly thrust into freezing, dark water.*

<We've looked into myths of this area and newspaper articles. The Shadow did something impossible to explain though. It erased someone from everyone's memory except those that were on the trip.>
===
*Cameron, bleeding and half conscience, reaches for his cell phone, dialing 9-1-1*
===
*Monu tries to swim to the surface*

"I saw some big guy following behind students to the dorms at Ulm," Hector said, putting on a more worried and hushed tone. "He stayed out after they went inside, but now he's just loitering around outside there and looking through windows. I think he's got a gun."
Astarte finished her water and walked off to the kitchen. She leaned back out of the kitchen doorway holding up a bottle of peach schnapps and looking at the others like, 'Yes or no?'

Azuma: "It's pretty hard to see that whatever that was wasn't something normal."

Sab looked at Aroma, and blushed slightly. She scooted closer to her so that she could rest her head on Aroma's shoulder, "I'm so glad I have you, Aroma."

Noct smiled at the show of affection, then looked over at Astarte. She gave a small nod, figuring a drink to calm the nerves wouldn't hurt.

--

"So what happened," Mortal asked, "He just up and leave, or is he waiting for you outside?"

Gabe frowned, "That is creepy too."

Mortal wiggled her fingers menacingly at Gabe, and made an 'Ooooooh' sound.

*He gets some kind of error beep because Germany.*
=========================
*When he comes out, he's in a burning room, with the Shadow blocking the only exit. Its form twists & contorts wildly, as its opacity is affected by the shifting light of the flames.*
=========================
L"That's...what? Well, surely someone's heard of this before!"

T"And then it found out, and made it so it never happened."

L"Are you telling me it's unstoppable?"

T"Well, not necessarily. It has some weakness, we're just not exactly sure what it is. It was weakened by being struck by lightning & also when it was shot by a 'special bullet.'"

*She enters, motioning them in. Lilith follows.*
==============================
<We'll send someone to investigate.>

*Aroma nods at Astarte, before nuzzling Sab.*

A"Me too."
===============================
S"I don't know."

They all follow in.

Azuma: "Except the magic bullet thing, only one other person can tell us about that and she's a loon. Although talking about magic bullets, I probably sound crazy."

Hector ended the call with a 'thanks' and sent a message to Thiera, I've called for the police to investigate an armed man creeping around the dorms, I hope that helps. Are you okay there?
Then he looked up and nodded to Astarte, who disappeared back into the kitchen and came back with six glasses and the bottle.
"There is a guest room," She said as she poured into each of the glasses. "But it can only really fit two. Then there is the couch. That still leaves one person."
"I will sleep on the floor," Eduj announced with a little resignation.

Sab lets a happy smile dance along her lips. When Astarte did her little head count Sab counted on her fingers for a second, "Wait, no. Hector has a room, I'm guessing, Eduj can sleep on the sofa, Aroma and I can take the guest bedroom, and that leaves you and Noctis in your room."

Noct put her hands up, "I wouldn't want to overstep. I'm fine with the sofa if you'd be more comfortable that way."

--

"Well, that is unnerving," Gabe said, flicking Mortal's nose so she'd stop her finger wiggle shit.

"Ow," Mortal rubbed her nose, then gave a small shrug, "I'm sure everything is going to be fine."

More-or-less, thank you. Lilith knows about the Shadow now.

*And then a moment later.*

But I'm not sure that was a good idea.

*Aroma looks from Noctis to Astarte with some weird sense of hopefulness.*
=========================
S"I'm not worried, he can't keep following me in public."
=========================
L"You do."

T"Well, thanks for your blunt honesty, Sis."

*She closes the door once everyone is inside, then answers a message.*

L"So...one of you shot at it?"

Azuma: "If we did, wouldn't we do it again?"

Mimiru: "A few of us we're trying to get to the road when we were attacked by 'the shadow' and someone living in the woods shot it."

"Oh, well," Astarte blushed and flicked her eyes around the room. She noticed Hector giving her a grin and tiny nod. She looked back to Noctis. "Sure. That could work."
Hector chuckled at his sister's awkwardness and looked back at his phone, then replied, Why not?

"I guess so," Gabe said.

Mortal flexed her arms, "And even if he did, I'll take care of him."

"Yeah, sure..."

--

"Great, then it's settled, and Eddy doesn't have to sleep on the floor," Sab said.

Noctis chuckled, and rubbed the back of her neck, not entirely convinced Astarte was comfortable, but resigned not to press the point until later. She walked over to the counter, and took her drink, and Aroma's as well, passing it to her on the way back to her seat.

S"Are you implying that I would need you to beat up a creepy guy who may or may not be a midget for me?"
=============================
A"Thank you...oh, Sab, do you want one?"

*She holds the cup out to her.*

What if it kills them?
=============================
L"Someone living in the woods? Who? Details!"

*Thiera does not look up from her phone.*

T"Your completely noninfectious enthusiasm is matched only by your naivety."

Azuma: "Some weirdo survivalist, I don't know. The only other person to have made contact with them goes missing every other day and is a loon."