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The Skellytext that all DETH members had gotten was urgent. 'Meet me back in my office, now. Avoid fighting. '

Fighting that odd Reaper had yielded nothing but more questions and confusion, not to mention, a little bit of outrage. What did they really have to achieve from fighting all the things, those thick skulls that represented the Defenders should not just charge head first into everything, especially considering how badly their reputation may reflect on Humans!

Speaking of Humans and Human rights, SCREAM too was doing very little to contribute, instead, talking about looting caves and then about helping the attacking Reaper. While in general, anyone who threatened Amityville was probably up to no good and very harmful, there was something about they way that particular Reaper had worded their words. What if, the Reaper was friends with that injured Human? What if it was just trying to protect that very Human?

Where would that place DETH?

There were so many questions to ask, and as for time, always, not enough. Head back first, and then as always, ask for help. The professor would know what to do. He always knew what to do.

This time Vanth entered Quibble's office in tears, following Sophie. The power that reaper had wielded didn't entice her, it horrified her. It horrified her on a level she never realized existed before. Maybe because she had never been up against something so powerful and so unstoppable, and so ready to crush her like she and everything she did was for nothing. They tried to warn them. They put up signs, which only got vandalized. Why didn't the others listen?? SCREAM just did things because they were contrary and 'edgy' and stupid, and Defenders attacked without a thought to the consequences, and it was terrible, it was so terrible. And on top of it all there was probably a dead human out there and no one was doing anything about it but them. If they were lucky, that reaper was looking out for the human. That would show the others, wouldn't it.... it would show Rengath and Murdoch and all of them. Right in their lousy misguided ugly faces.

Janus padded into the room beside her but said nothing yet. It wasn't the time. Vanth eventually made an effort to speak and had to choke back a sob instead. She remained quiet if queasy-looking. Professor Quibble would know what to do. It was a universal constant she could rely on, at least. Help would come, to those who sought it. And DETH was seeking the hell out of it right now.

The appearance of a crying Vanth startled Tarot. She began to step forward to comfort the ghoul, but found her phone had a new message. A slow smile spread across her face when she realized it was from a certain elemental. She shook her head as she pulled up the photos. The boil could never spell correctly, but it was sort of endearing. Tarot sent him a reply, paused midway, and then finished her message before pressing the button.



When she looked up, she headed toward Vanth. She didn’t say anything. She just placed a gentle hand on Vanth’s shoulder.

Vanth felt the support even if she couldn't blink the shimmering, shifting landscape out of her eyes. Wordlessly she turned and buried her face in Tarot's clothing, latching on to the ghoul in an embrace of thanks and a futile effort to hide how vulnerable and defeated she felt right then.

[enter]

Throughout her time at Amityville, Taru had remained stubborn in her strength and her beliefs, fighting for friends, fighting for their school. She'd faced quarrels and questions with her peers - her friends - by their side. They'd emerged ahead, time and time again, proving their worth. Proving that their values were the right ones to follow.

But this had gone too far. This was beyond just a little hidden cave and a bunch of weird treasure lost in some forbidden, forgotten area of their school. This was more than a handful of graduating students could handle, regardless of their prior triumphs and the great distances they'd all grown and traveled. This was something that would require all of the help they could get, she was sure, and DETH always seemed to be good at finding that sort of assistance.

She offered a little nod to the others as she stepped into the room, gaze skimming over them.

Some of them looked terribly afraid.

Maybe now was the one time that they should be.

Skylar entered the office and slumped against the wall. The expression, given the gravity of the situation, was upset. Zeke may be all smiles right now, now that Ava was tagging along, but Skylar was still worried about the other students that had left earlier.

Were they safe? Were they dead?

He didn't know and he likely wouldn't know until they went out and looked for them.

If they looked for them.

"Do you think we should of followed them?" He asked Zeke, brushing a hand through his own hair. Glad to see it wasn't still coated in slime.

Sophie had arrived just ahead of Vanth, and long enough to give the other ghoul a comforting pat before she turned to cry into Tarot. Poor Vanth, she was so upset...! The little Mirror Ghost had nothing for it, no calming words, no bubbly promises of eye scream or a round of sleepover games to cheer them up; she was at a loss, for perhaps the first time in her life. This strange Reaper was dangerous, and everything about what he was offering just screamed like a bad idea, no matter how enticing it was.

"What are we going to do? We can't let them follow that Reaper...give the stuff back, yes, but...the rest of it..." Her usual happily keening voice faltered, growing quiet.

Ava walked along side Zeke and Skylar, deep in her own thought of what all had occurred today. It was only when they reached the office that she broke her train of thought.

Shaking her head at Skylar's question, her shoulders sagged a little as she spoke. "Even if we did..what could we have done? If I've learned anything by now, its that Amityville's students are stubborn, especially for when staying out of trouble." Most likely, they would run in to more trouble, and the idea tore at her. Maybe they should have followed..?

"What do you think, Zeke?" She asked, hoping that his idea on the situation would help.