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She listened carefully to his warning about what the first signs would be. Whispers, voices..... she was pretty sure she'd be able to pick up on those signs. If she had those develop, she would seek Jericho out further - given he hadn't gotten worse by then. That wave of emotion struck her again and she nearly recoiled from him, just blinking a few times, slightly teary.

"I understand...now don't say anymore about it, Jericho. At least while we're here. Later, some other time. The less said in public about this, the better. Then there is less to be overheard." she urged, before adding; "I'm....not mad at you for any of this. So if that is bothering you, don't."

Shehk sighed, pulling away from him for a moment, before she paused and again leaned in to embrace him. "Thank you for telling me. I....." she trailed off, brain reeling. She had somewhere to start that wasn't the horsemen. She knew something they didn't know; but could she figure it out in time to help?

Jericho nodded to her, feeling some sense of relief that she wasn't panicking or urging him to go see the nurse or anything like that. And she was right. They shouldn't say much more on the matter while they were out here. A few students had keen ears after all.

"thank you.." he sighed again, "Riley.. and I... we'll be talking to Invictus tomorrow. I'll..update you if we find anything out about.. this."

Hugging her in return, he was also glad that she wasn't angry at him for this. All of the above sort of helped ease his nerves a bit.

Was someone say her name...oh wait...no, just someone named Emileeach. What a pretty name it really...

...

The small witch's body suddenly vibrated, as if she was a gong, fiercely struck by the percussionist of love.

That voice had belonged to Johnny Danger.

It wouldn't be unusual for Emily to pass out at this point. Or even dissipate from the sheer, penetrating power of JD's voice. But she couldn't even manage that. She just froze. Turned to stone. Perhaps this is what had happened to Red, she'd heard rumors about it, and people blaming hunters, but really it was probably Johnny Danger. Red eyes began to roll up in their sockets, oh, oh was it time to pass out now? Oh good because...but then they happened to glance at the sign up board.

JD and Emily

Oh jack. Oh sweet candy coated jack on a stick.

She was Emileeach.

He hadn't even met her and he already had a petname for her.

Eyes shining with unshed tears, Emily slowly glanced around for her idol. Tentatively she took a few steps forward...and then back. Where...where was her? Oh jack had he seen her and run? Consider those tears no longer unshed. Or wait, what if...what if she was hearing voicing again. Oh cruel voices! Why do you taunt this witch so-

"Ah-ohjack-I-amsos-s-s-s-sorry!"

In the midst of her personal anguish, Emily Device had tripped over someone lying on the floor in a toga-cloth.

Her emotions warred within her, the conflict now open and visible through her eyes. The paranoia surged through her body, foreign and yet all-consuming, but without it, Riley's heart fought to believe what Malodore was saying.

You, you'll try to stop us. You'll bring us down if we turn. I can't, how can I trust you, how can I believe.. anything.

Her eyes finally lowered as her entire body sagged in defeat, and she leaned forward, her weight pressing against it.

Malodore. The voice that no one but it and Jericho had ever heard wormed it's way into the plague doctor's head, soft and quiet. I'm scared. Everything.. all my plans, all my desires, everything. Everything is in danger.

Muka tilted his head to watch his friend grow flustered with talk of dancing. Joachim had never seemed so nervous before. The owl boil wasn't quite sure of his friend's thought processes but he felt he needed to alleviate them in some way.

"Well it's the asking that's the hurdle, I am told." He chuckled. "And while you are stuttering and asking, some other boil didn't ask and is alone." He grinned wider, reassuringly.

Muka then had a lack of conversation. He stared and grinned at Joachim and you could aaaaaalmost hear the crickets. No wait... there were crickets... did someone let actual crickets into the dance? Muka snapped out of it.

"Joachim! Come with me!" He grabbed his friend's hand and dragged him away.

[ EXIT TO PHOTOBOOTH ]

DEACON wants to get to know somebody!
YUKI wants to get to know somebody!

"What?"

"I didn't say anything..."

Deacon's brow furrowed as he frowned, taking a moment to wiggle a pinkie finger into an ear, as if he was convinced that there was something lodged in it. "Could've sworn you whispered something... Whatever."

Yuki only shrugged, offering the demon a small smile in apology from over his shoulder. "Nope, you must be hearing things!"

It was a good thing that the ghost boil turned his attention from the feline to open one of the auditorium doors, or he might have recoiled at the terrible glare that simple statement had earned. If that was supposed to be a joke, it wasn't funny. It wasn't funny at all.

The two moved through the doorway and into the auditorium, both anxious for entirely different reasons. Yuki was impressed with the setup, and excited at the prospect of finally meeting some of the other students one on one. Passing greetings and short words only went so far; hopefully he could hit off some new friendships here. No better time than now, right?

To Deacon, it was familiar, and he had managed to fail in spoiling Yuki's mood by assuring him that this wasn't going to be nearly as exciting as he thought it was going to be. The last time someone had tried to put some dash dating event together, it had failed horribly.

Or, maybe that might have just been him... He snorted at his own inner thoughts, his ears falling back in irritation as he mentally shoved the idea away.

"Isn't Astra going to be upset with you, coming here first and without her?"

Yuki's smile faultered for the briefest of moments, before he waved a hand absently. "Nah. She'll be fine with it, I'm sure. I hope she decides to show up, though, if she isn't here already."

The way the idiot grinned at the mere mention of the fae made Deacon wish he could vomit on cue. He rolled his eyes, before adverting them from Yuki all together to look upon who was seated at the tables, and who was just standing around socializing.

Shehk took the tissue, smiling. "Thanks..." she whispered, taking a moment to wipe her eyes - and her nose, why did tears lead to running noses all the time? She hated that. Still, a little bit of clean up and she was good to go, a little pink around the eyes, but otherwise, she didn't look too shabby.

"Yeah, we should. I think we've gotten things settled out here to the best of our abilities." she nodded once, taking a deep breath before she slipped her arms around his again. "How about we go get a picture at the photo booth together? I mean, if you wouldn't mind...having a ..picture with me.." she looked away from him for a moment, but there was a slightly pink tinge to her face.

Malodore brought its arms up to encircle Riley automatically, keeping the touch light so she wouldn't feel trapped. "I'm afraid too, mia cara," it admitted, quietly. "I don't want to lose you, your brilliant mind... but we will fight this with all we have. Lo non lascerà il tuo fianco." One hand dropped to lightly touch the bracelet around her wrist, warmed by her skin. "Or Jericho's, either."