Evil Dead

"Maybe they got possessed or something," Astarte suggested. "I can't say for sure, but I didn't think the priest seemed like he was against us when we met him, and Stefan was one of us before we thought he died in the forest. I'm guessing it took more than a convincing conversation to make them both start attacking us."

Stefan quickly wrote a note and then, suppressing a cringe but still blushing slightly, spoke to the receptionist again, "Can I beg a favor? If I give you this note and walk away- I won't look to see- will you read this note and consider passing it on to people who may or may not be in this hospital? I won't know if they are, I'll walk out. Please consider it?"

"Huh? Elisia? Elisia?!" Sidon spun around and looked for the source of the voice, hobbling over to the door to look up and down the hall. "...Am I losing my mind?"

Azuma: "Oh yeah, because you've been in any real danger at any point. Where are your radiation burns or broken bones? Anyone close to you die or be put in immediate danger?"

*Lilith grits her teeth & advances on him, then just waves him off.*

L"You know what, it doesn't matter what you think. Come on, Tirea, let's find another room to discuss this in."

T"I really don't think that splitting up is a good idea."
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*The empty house does not answer him.*
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<Uh, sure.>

*She takes the paper & reads it.*
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N"He can't just control random people, otherwise he'd have taken care of us by now. Can the Shadow control people?"

R"Not that I know of. But Ira did say that his powers come from the Shadow."

Kentaro: "The hell was that about?"

Azuma: "Nothing. Just go find Kari. Make sure she's okay."

Kentaro: "What? Why would she be in danger?"

Azuma: "Because we all are."

"What makes him so special that this thing would help him?" Astarte asked peevishly. "It'd be really great if it just took it all away from him and let somebody else have at him for a while. I guess not for you, though."

Stefan made good on his promise by walking away and leaving the building as soon as she took it. It read; To Azuma and Tirea and all the others I've wronged: I'm sorry. You don't believe it but I am and I don't have time or the brains or the guts to help you. I don't think I'll ever bother you again. Please win.

Sidon shivered, took one more look in the dark gym and slammed the door before going to have a sit down in the living room.

Tirea:<Hey, my parents, Monu, and Cameron are dead and I'm still willing to fight! Would Mimiru want you to give up?>

R"If you're willing to do whatever it takes to help the Shadow and not feel bad about it, maybe it will come to you next."

*Arriving on campus in the middle of the day, of course it's pretty crowded.*

N"Can you narrow down where Schreiber is at all?"

R"Not really. You mentioned she might be carrying around something radioactive, so if we had a Geiger counter--"

N"Where the fuck am I going to get a Geiger counter?"
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*She just throws it away. Outside, the parking lot is oddly deserted.*
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*Lilith waits at the doorway, tapping her foot impatiently.*

T"You act like we're doomed, but we've all survived close encounters. It's...true that not everyone got away, & I'm sorry about Mimiru, but we can only change the future, not the past."

"There might be one somewhere on campus," Astarte suggested.

Stefan stepped about 10 paces away from the door and looked slowly around.

Sidon inspected his leg for any signs whatsoever of the injury he thought he had and went for the phone, calling work.

Azuma: "I'm not giving up. Instead I'm going to kill Roatha."

Kentaro: "Wait, what? Whatever is going on, killing someone won't bring anyone back."

Azuma: "It'll give me closure! No one will suffer again."

Taiyo: "That's not right...."

Eve:<Indeed. Ira could just jump into another host. At least when he's possessing Roatha we know who to look for.>

*Lilith glares daggers at Eve.*

L"It defeats the point of trying not to look crazy if you keep talking about possession to strangers!"

T"Perhaps we may as well just agree to full disclosure with Azuma's brother. After all, he has already overheard a great deal."

L"That's a terrible idea, I thought you were supposed to be the smart one."
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*He sees movement as something slips back behind the corner of the building.*
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Gruff voice<Pforzheim PD, how may I direct your call?>
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R"Physics or radiology might have one."

N"Where is she more likely to be?"

R"Probably radiology. The biology building is just past the central building."

*Nero starts walking, Roatha following, but quickly falling behind.*

N"So how would we get to use this thing?"

R"I don't know."

Azuma: "How many of you would actually be here if the doctors didn't already think we're not all there?"

"Why are you so slow?" Astarte demanded of Roatha.

Stefan just stood there watching.

"This is Inspector Cyprus and I need to speak to the Chief immediately please."

*Eve raises her hands and shrugs, not really giving a fuck*

Tirea:<I agree with Thiera. Even if he doesn't believe us we mind be more prepare if someone goes after him. Which it will...if Azuma pisses something off...>

*Gonna be standing there for a while.*
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*Shuffling noises.*

<...Chief Allman, speaking.>
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L"Fine. Whatever. Tell him. But don't come crying to me when he testifies that you're all a bunch of crazies."
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R"I hadn't noticed...."

N"Alright, so where in the building would this thing be?"

R"If it's there? Probably in the basement."

N"I REALLY don't like the sound of that...."

*They start walking up the stairs to the entrance of the bio building.*

Eve:<Well, he's Azuma's relative, so let him decide. We aren't going to accomplish anything standing around for any longer.>

*Eve moves towards the door, checking her phone as she walks*

Astarte wrinkled her nose, "So what do we do if you suddenly become a terrifying serial killer again while we've got our backs to you?"

Stefan stood for a while longer, then started slowly walking away from the hospital with his eyes wide and shifty.

"Chief, it's Cyprus," Sidon tried to sound casual and not as on edge as he was. "I was wondering if you could tell me if an officer called 'Jane... something-or-other' was currently on call?"

Kentaro slumps against a wall, running his hands through his hair like he might start tearing it out.

Kentaro: "First time we speak since you were found in the woods and it's like this? What the hell?"

Azuma: "It was for your's and Kari's safety."

L"Well? Which one of you is going first?"

*Thiera opens the Case Files on her phone, passing it to Kentaro.*
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R"Probably die horribly."

N"Glad we're all optimistic. Elevator or stairs?"

R"Ira could probably shut off the elevator. But he could also probably throw you down the stairs. Or just bash your heads into the concrete."
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Chief<I've been working here for 30 years & I've never heard of an Officer Jane.>
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*Nobody seems to be following Stefan.*

*Eve sits down near the door and starts bordely refreshing her email. Tirea leans back, eyes closed*

"Let's take the stairs," Astarte pulled Roatha in front of her. "And from now on you stay in front of me and if you step behind me for a moment I'm going to attack you."

Stefan eventually stopped and turned to start walking slowly back to the hospital, looking different now in that he was perspiring at an alarming rate and jerking his entire head around to look in various directions.

"...Really, sir? I could swear I remember one," Sidon furrowed his brow, then shrugged pointlessly and looked relieved. "I guess I just had a really, really vivid dream. Thanks chief."

Kentaro skims through the notes, his expression showing disbelief.

Kentaro: "None of this makes any sense."

*Aside from the typical E-mails about due dates & such, she has a message from iaufhdsi@gmail.com. The title reads "M#@TIN6."*

Th"That isn't possible, my notes are as detailed as they are concise. I'm sure you're simply mistaken."

L"I think he means that he doesn't believe the stuff about monsters & possession."

T"Oh. Yes. That. Well, I must assure you, that is all based on first-hand research, as well."

L"Research we can't produce, because it always gets destroyed or taken back. But the fact remains, Mimiru & a few other students you don't know won't be coming back. And that is why."
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*As he gets into the parking lot, he does catch a glimpse of a shadow moving behind a van, just for a moment.*
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<You called me over a dream? Maybe you should take some time off.>
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*Astarte is now stuck behind Roatha's slow, trudging walk. It's a little bit faster since he's going down the stairs, though. As they go, obviously the lights get dimmer, the bottom landing being about half in shadow.*

Kentaro: "I'm not saying I don't believe you because presently I don't know what to believe. But this is quite a bit to take in all of a sudden."

Astarte pushed Roatha to try and make him move faster, though careful to catch him if it looked like he was pathetic enough to let her knock him down the stairs.

Stefan gasped like a drowning man and started running towards the hospital.

"You might be right, I should see a doctor, I had some kind of hallucination after I woke up too," Sidon absently fiddled with his earlobe as he spoke. "Come to think of it, I think I passed out in the hall. Yeah, I should see my doctor."