Guardok will go looking for the others.

"Hey everyone. I'm back and I brought some snacks for the camp. Are we still going?", he calls out as he walks along the fourth floor, heading to check the communal spaces.

“Coommming!” Knap shouts as he quickly rolls up his bedroll. 
He bursts from his room wearing flowing linen dungarees. “Let’s do it.” 

Mei exits her room, slightly hesitant at first to be seen, but approaches the other two with a self-conscious smile. Her long hair has been brushed silky smooth and gathered into a low ponytail that reaches past her waist, tied with twisted paper. She wears an intricate costume of sorts, ritualistic in appearance with its beautifully intricate patterns and fine adornments. Her Unseen Helper follows slowly behind, seen only because of the small box, bag, and flowering wisteria branch it carries. 

At Guardok's question, she tilts her head and looks from Knap's breezy dungarees to the snacks. "Oh! Are you two going camping?" she asks.

Guardok glances at Knapp a little confused, and then back to Mei, taking in her almost costume like garb. He could imagine it being worn by someone at the circus as part of an intricate act.

"Well, um, we were going to come to the pond with you. To keep you safe whilst you sleep and try and dream up some more clues", he says tentatively. "I didn't know how long it would take, so thought we could use some snacks", he says honestly.

"We were going to meet Mal there, remember. And maybe Mae if Mal gets chance to ask her", starting to wonder if he was going mad or if she was teasing them. 

Mei stares dumbly for a moment, gears turning, before a Light spell clearly flicks on inside her head. "Oh. Oooh! I--well--oh, Stars, I didn't explain very clearly, did I? Sorry!" she gestures for the Unseen Helper to step forward, which it reluctantly does. "I don't need to sleep there--well, I probably will fall asleep--" she laughs, "--but it's um.. a ritual of sorts? Like lucid dreaming. It only takes about an hour." She then takes the box to open and show them, the contents of which are various occult items like incense and sprigs of mistletoe.

As she shuts the box and returns it to the Helper, she smiles brightly and waves her hands, the long sleeves billowing. "But--! Camping sounds fun! I've never been camping! Do we need anything else?" Warmth spreads through her chest with the sentiment of Guardok's words; To keep you safe. It truly does sound like an exciting night, spending it all together beneath the autumn stars. "I hope Mae comes too."

"Ooooohhhh!", Gaurdok exclaims as Mei explains. "Yup, I had no idea you would be awake. Mind you, an hour is more than enough for snacks", he says with a grin.

He looks from Mei to Knapp. "Well, being an earth genasi I am quite comfortable on the ground, but you might both want to take something a bit softer to rest on. I guess blankets as well in case it is cold", he suggests.

Mei grins back then nods, hurrying off to collect some bedding and nearly tripping in her wooden geta. She piles a few blankets and pillows in the Helper's already quite full "arms" as well as a pouch of toiletries then returns. "Ready!" she announces. 

She looks to Knap in case there was anything else he needed (or if not, chats as they exit the dorms), then remembers something Guardok mentioned. "Do you camp a lot at home? I was wondering if genasi feel... different? When they're near their element? Like you with earth and Zanther with fire." 

"Well, we live in tents, so it is always a bit like camping", Guardok replies. "And I always sleep on the floor, it is just more comfortable for me. And being up in the air does feel a bit strange, I much prefer being connecting to the earth. I don't know if it is the same for Zanther and fire. I am not sure he is immune to it's effects, but I would imagine he likes the feel of the heat close to him".

He ponders for a moment, "I will ask him at our next gymnastics practice".

A thoughtful expression softens her brow as she takes that in, wondering what it would be like to be tied to and touched by the Elemental Planes. She's glad Guardok has Zanther to talk about it with.  

"We should camp out more often, then," she offers, already excited at the prospect, especially given Guardok's preference for it. "If--oh... i-if we're allowed? I think we're allowed... right?" 

"Well, I did bump into Lesviel in the refectory and mentioned we are camping out. She didn't seem to know whether it was allowed or not", Guardok replies to Mei with a little shrug.

“We will soon find out!” Knap says excitedly with bedroll under his arm and smile on his face. “I like to sleep close to the ground as well. I swear I can feel Dresar hall sway on windy nights.” 

“It *sways*?” Mei chirps and looks down mistrustfully at the floor. “Well now I’d much rather be on the ground,” she laughs and heads with Knap and Guardok to their impromptu camping site.

“And you’re right! I guess we’ll find out, huh? If Lesviel didn’t say nooo then… better to ask for forgiveness than… permission?” she hedges with a cheeky smile. That was not at all her motto—in fact, she had to ask for permission in nearly all aspects of her life at home, but here… here was *different.* “Let’s go maybe-possibly get in trouble!” she giggles, then tugs the two boyos along, the overburdened Helper trailing after. 

"Well...", Guardok says with a conflicted look on his face. "Lesviel wasn't entirely on board with us going, but Piero and I persuaded her it should be ok. Mostly Piero actually, although he didn't want to come himself. But yes, let's go and see what happens".

The group of Mei, Knap, and Guardok make their way out of Dresar Hall with the heavily burdened invisible servant trailing after. They make their way back towards the Firejolt Cafe, though veering off towards the pond where they had investigated earlier in the day.  It's a cool night, though not much of an issue now as you walk along.  In the darkness, you can hear the faint croaks of a couple of frogs as you approach the spot.  There is no sign of others around the spot.  It is not yet midnight, but the hour is quickly approaching.  

Guardok looks for a nice spot to sit and lay down the boxes of food from the refectory, and then looks to Mei.

"Is there anything we can do to help you prepare?", he asks Mei. "If not, I can play some music to help pass the time until midnight. Would you sing along, Knapp? And of course there are the snacks".

“No, no,” Mei says with another wave of her sleeve-engulfed hands. “Thank you though! You two just relax and snack and jam.. sesh?” she smiles, testing out the slang she’s heard at the tavern, then steps nearer to the prints they found. The Helper sets down the bedding with Guardok and Knap before joining Mei with the other items. 

Stalling while she musters the confidence for a ritual she would otherwise be forbidden to perform at home, Mei retrieves the hooded lantern from orientation and fusses over its precise placement. Eventually, in its dim light suffused by the glow of the moon, she takes the ever-blooming wisteria branch.

After a deep breath and self-conscious peek at the others, she begins a slow, hypnotic dance—a graceful sensuality to the movements. Petals fall from the branch, gradually encircling the diviner in clouds of soft lilac. This is the first step of Dreamweaving—that the space be cleansed and blessed.

As the trio starts to get themselves set up, and Mei begins her dance, Malvyn and Aurora appear from along one of the paths leading near to the pond. 

It appears the purple-skinned Tiefling is carrying some blankets as he walks beside the raven-haired performer. He seems both a bit excited and nervous as he nears the others but stops and watches the graceful and sensual dance of the dreamer. Briefly caught by the sight, Malvyn snaps out of it and gives Aurora an embarassed glance before quietly walking over to join Knap and Guardok, laying out the blankets on the ground, motioning for Aurora to sit down on one of them. "I hope you don't mind I brought along Aurora." He says quietly to the satyr and the genasi to not disturb the oracle's ritual, briefly laying an affectionate hand on the raven-haired performers shoulder, then taking a seat on the blanket next to her. "I asked Mae to join us here, I hope she'll decide to turn up." He continues quietly, looking around for the radiant Aasimar. "I see Mei has already started, did we miss much?" He then quietly asks Knap and Guardok.

Guardok sits down comfortably and takes out his flute after Mei assures them they can't help. He watches her slow graceful dance, enraptured for more than a few moments. He is just about start playing his flute to accompany the dance, when he sees Malvyn and Aurora approaching.

"Hey Mal, Aurora", he says giving them a little wave. "Mei said the ritual starts at midnight, and we are not quite there yet, so I think she might be getting in the zone. Did you know she will be awake when she dreams?".

The flower petals float down, soon covering the grass around Mei in a light blanket of purple.  Other than a pleasant fragrance, no other effect is really observed. Although you no longer hear the croaking of any frogs.  The night beyond the group seems still and peaceful.