Shadows Swarm

They depart, heading back to town and the alley with the moogles.

*In a not-at-all contrived coincidence, the groups all intersect just outside of town at the same time. Lilith stares at the ground, avoiding making eye contact with anyone. Euryale waves, then slowly stops.*

E"We're back! ...Did--did something happen...?"
=================================
*That doesn't really do anything, & Artexi is consumed by the darkness before eventually reawakening in her room.*

*Safian places the apple on the ground*

<Lady Gaia, I have your apple!>

Monu:<No, nothing happened.>
---
*Artexi stands up slowly, more than a bit disorientated*

Azuma: "You're not a good liar."

*The giant hill in the shape of a woman rises out of the ground & plucks the apple in her 2 fingers.*

Gaia<Great, breakfast!>

*She tosses the apple in her mouth, chews a few times, & swallows.*

Gaia<Okay, you're in.>

*She crumbles apart just as quickly as she'd arrived.*

*Monu stares at Azuma*

Safian:<So everyone on a team?>
---
*Artexi heads out*

Taiyo: "No...."

Azuma: "Just sayin'."

*Thiera looks around.*

T"Where's Roatha?"

*Lilith looks at her with heavily lidded eyes, then looks down. Thiera grabs her by the shoulders & shakes her.*

T"Lilith! What aren't you telling us?!"
===================================
*Outside, a Dusk drops down from the sky, handing her a note.*

Taiyo: "He's gone."

*Monu puts his hand on Lilith's other shoulder*

<He seemed possessed though. He was not himself.>

Safian:<That fits what we saw of him.>
===
<Thanks!>

*Reads note*

*She gives Lilith, who continues to avoid making eye contact, another shake.*

T"That only makes it worse! What do you mean he's gone?! Where did he go?!"

L"...My guess would be...that he left to join the Organization. We haven't seen any sign of Mortal, either...."
==================================
Gather at the Altar of Naught at Sundown, where a new comrade will be chosen to wear the coat. ~S

Monu:<Though, again, I do not believe it was of his own choice.>
---
*Checks time*

Azuma: "So what do we do about him?"

*Thiera's glare darts over to Azuma.*

T"What is THAT supposed to mean?!"

L"...There's nothing TO do. We couldn't stop it. We can't stop anything."
===========================================
*Assuming there is a clock in her room, it reads 8:17 PM.*

*She heads out to the Alter of Naught*
===
*Monu gives Lilith's shoulder a squeeze*

<We'll find a way to bring the real him back.>

Azuma: "He knows a lot about the Order, right? So either come up with a way to turn him back or you may have to consider him an enemy. Doing nothing is not going to make anything better."

*Atop the castle, the Organization should be gathering. Senthose has not arrived. Nero is sitting on the railing near the staircase, while farther off, Saix approaches Axel.*

Saix<These Mushrooms are becoming a nuisance. I want you to chase them off.>

*Axel scratches his head while Nero looks around.*

Axel<Man, why do I always get stuck with the icky jobs?>

"I don't see Noctis here anywhere, do you?"
===================================
T"If you attack one of our own, maybe I'll consider YOU an enemy!"

L"Couldn't make anything worse. None of this would be possible if we hadn't left home for the Mark of Mastery Exam."

*Eve is there unless you have other plans. Meanwhile, Artexi glares at Nero*

Artexi:<I haven't seen her.>
===
Monu:<But if we hadn't, many worlds would have fallen into darkness.>

Azuma: "Problem is, he isn't one of our own. If he defected, he is not a member of The Order. You need to push aside whatever hang ups you have and realize that our enemies are not exclusively Heartless or anything else of the sorts."

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

Xyuskuse: "Who or what is a Noctis again?"

*Lilith smacks his hand away.*

L"I already told you, we didn't save any worlds! Stop spouting empty platitudes!"

T"Are you deaf or did I stutter? I will not hesitate to attack you if you pose a threat to any of us, including Roatha. That also applies to anyone who would try to stop me."

E"I'm with Thiera. In Atlantica, we don't kill someone who attacks us while mad from pufferfish poison. We have more loyalty than that."
========================================
N"Some cranky emo lesbo."

Safian:<We saved the Pride Lands, didn't we?>
===
*Artexi resists the desire to punch him in the face*

Azuma: "You're not grasping the concept that he is no longer one of us, are you?"

Asking a stupid question.

Azuma: "He's not mad from some fish. If he attacks us, he is our enemy."

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

Xyukuse: "No one important then."

T"And if you attack him, you're ours. This is not up for discussion. I highly suggest that you keep your inane opinions to yourself. We can no longer afford to waste time here. Quickly finish whatever business that you have, so we can return to the Land of Departure. I'll be in the library."

*So she heads into town.*
=================================
N"I guess not, not really."

*Meanwhile, Axel has materialized his Keyblades & is waving them at the shorter members, who are actually Mushrooms. They run around as fast as their stubby legs will carry them. A Dark Corridor opens & Senthose emerges, followed by his ever-present Mushroom Impersonator & 2 others in black cloaks, their hoods drawn up.*

"Good evening, members of the--"

*He looks over as his Mushroom closelines Axel & the other Mushrooms hide behind it. Axel stands & dusts himself off.*

"Are you, uh--"

Axel<FINE.>

"Right. Well, forget the Mushrooms, for now. This is an important announcement."

Azuma: "Why join The Order if you have no intention on fighting your enemies?"

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

Xyukuse: "Then get on with it?"

*Eve looks intently at the proceedings, while Artexi glares at the pair of assholes*

<(You're both dumbasses.)>
===
*Safian follows Thiera*

Monu:<Azuma, quit while you're ahead.>