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What in the five hells?! That thing's alive?!

The assassin jumped at the sudden declaration of blindness from such a lifeless-looking "creature," her left hand looking like it wanted to reach for the dagger on her waist before deciding against it. Thankfully, having seen nothing but strange sights, she was able to understand that she doesn't have too much to be concerned about besides searching for the long-lost Jikial.

"...Don't see what?" came the obvious follow-up question from Chance.

Duo's regular eye fixed on the girl in front of him, as she jumped back. She was asking about the words he said before. "I don't see anything note-worthy about the groundskeeper." He said, then turned to Umbraja. "Who is Vay?" He asked, meaning the name she had spoken of earlier. She had already explained that Jikial was the groundskeeper, but did this Vay have something to do with him?

"I'd wonder if there's any preparation in the world that'll help you in a forest you've never been to," Chance remarked in a half-mutter.

If the assassin had any interest in the white-clad woman's description of Vay or her suggestion of stopping by the cafeteria, she failed miserably to show for it. Chance had neither appetite nor patience for another person. She did, however, take the lady's cue to follow behind her, and wasn't a moment too slow to match her steps.

Chance briefly turned her head about, as if hoping for one of the three to follow. She dared not spend long gazing behind her while she's walking forward, of course.

As Florina watched the three of them leave, the first woman actually skipping along, she wondered if they would really need her help. It wasn't like Florina knew this groundskeeper. But he was missing, and if Florina didn't go, thoughts of him would be in the back of her mind and cause her worry. She made up her mind there; she would help them look. She quietly followed behind the man with the bag on his shoulder.

Umbraja glanced back to check who was following but for the most part she just hummed to herself as she lead the group through the halls and colonnades of the Academy's Student Center. They began to get a feel for the expansive size of the campus by the time it took to walk across just one building of it and were given glimpses through frost shaded windows at the other buildings outside. It had the look of a very old institution with ivy covered walls and white marble columns against weathered stone. The building they were in though seemed newer, at least from what they could see on the inside. The heating was quiet and effective, the walls were a warm eggshell shade with dark wood trim, the carpet was a soft burgundy and gold pattern reminiscent of a nice hotel, even with the same sort of industrial clean smell.

Every now and then they passed strange shadows - the ghost-like forms of the many Lurkers that shuffled about the campus, sometimes muttering, sometimes acting out, but mostly just lingering in darkness and silence, ever watching with dull eyes. Umbraja ignored them like they weren't even there as they all shied meekly away from the group's approach. It was a common sight and standard behavior in the Academy but anyone unfamiliar with the breed might be a bit more wary.





Eventually though Umbraja pushed open a wide set of double glass doors and lead the little posse into the Cafeteria. It was nicer than most schools but still very much a cafeteria. Long wood tables made rows through the center of the room with smaller tables in booths along the two side walls while the back was a long counter that separated the eating space from the kitchen. A few Lurkers sat at tables and stood in corners as well but there were a few living inhabitants. A rather surly looking. . . person loomed behind the counter stirring at a bubbling pot on one of the stoves. A quiet student huddled over hot chocolate in a booth on one side and an adventurous halfelf was talking with a hipster in a booth to the other side. That booth had a sign tacked to it: "Registration & Awards Booth, Sign up for Awesome Prizes" written in red paint with hearts dotted about.

Umbraja arched a brow at the hipster lounging in the registration booth then gave a glance back at her entourage. She gave Duo in particular a studying look before huffing a little laugh with a nod and nudge to the robot. "Come on, buddy. Got someone to babysit that sack. Probably shouldn't take it out into the cold," She told him wryly before starting for registration the booth with a motion for him to follow.

(OOC: Quoting everyone cuz we're now all in one spot. Also, sorry it's long but ~Description~)

Upon entering the Hall he looked at its Shadows "Great Ceaser's Ghost" he muttered to himself stunned at the sight of an actual ghost. Entering the cafeteria with the group he saw some others huddled around what smelled like chocolate "oh sweet divinity " he said walking over to the pot

Lupin watched the doors as a group of people waltzed through the cafeteria doors. One of which was carrying a large sack which was suspiciously wriggling as if something was trying to escape from it. Instinctively, Lupin hopped up from where he had been sitting and rushed over to the person who was holding the sack. Once he had reached the boy, he launched into a confrontation. "What's in the bag? Have you kidnapped someone or something?" The pessimistic side of Lupin was kicking in. Someone could have bought their lover a puppy or something. Why did he assume there was someone kidnapped? If someone was actually kidnapped, why would they tell him? That would just make more work for them. Sometimes he could be such a dunderhead.

Umbraja had started humming to herself again on the way toward the booth but the newcomer's question made her stop with a little jerk and turn sharply to stare with an arched brow. What an oddly accurate yet completely inappropriate question she thought to herself as she tilted her head to watch Duo's reaction which got a wry little grin for his stumbling.

"I think somehow you've even less social skills than my mechanical friend here," Umbraja purred at the curious wizard as she stepped up giving Duo's shoulder a light pat to comfort his concern. Her dark red eyes roamed freely over the boy, taking him in with a measuring study as if to decide if he were a problem or just nosey. She decided on the latter with a laugh and shrug.

"Oh, don't you worry none bout that," she purred shaking her head with a little wave to the bag. "Her kind isn't protected by any sort of rights laws. Least not in the place I took her from and no place that would protect her has any jurisdiction here. Besides, she'd been causing trouble for a village, luring men off to die, wrecking homes, stealing. Generally bad things. So. You should consider her more a prisoner than kidnapping victim."

[spolier]