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[enduringwinter]

[text;]

I understand that there has been a rash of kidnappings recently... I'm also aware that people who return to their home worlds also disappear.

[he's always hated asking for help... But with only a month and a half's experience in Exsilium, the only thing he can do right now is ask;]

Can anyone tell me how you can tell the difference?

Comments

[voice;]

[knightofcourage]

No. You don't think he was...

[Aster, taken? Oh, no.]

[voice;]

[enduringwinter]

[for a while, there's no response]

I'm trying to figure that out.

[either way, it's not going to be good news]

[voice;]

[knightofcourage]

I, um...

[There were ways of determining this, right? He'd found friends gone before, even if it's been months since the last time - oh, that was right. It had been around the time he'd decided to tell the truth about himself to his friends.]

If you try to send him a message, and you can't...it'll be like he's not here at all, I think. There have been other people from our world before, who were returned home after a while.

[voice;]

[enduringwinter]

... I see.

[and that's it. That's all. Excuse Richter while he goes mope in a corner because he needs a moment]

[voice;]

[knightofcourage]

[It's a few minutes before Emil tries again.]

...Richter?

[Yeah. He's checked by now.]

I'm sorry.

[Emil knows he's still probably the last person Richter wants to be hearing this from, but Emil can't help but worry about him.]

[enduringwinter]

[while a part of Richter knows that this is Emil talking, that the boy was worried about him (of all people), he still can't help that bitter feeling. He wouldn't be this upset if Aster wasn't already gone in their world]

[Emil doesn't get a reply, but that was probably an expected response]

[knightofcourage]

[Yeah, Emil was sort of expecting something like that. He's also assuming that Richter would rather not talk to him right now (and who could blame him, really) so Emil leaves it at that and goes to end the conversation.]