[voice]

[childrenoflilim]

[shinji breathes into the microphone, static erupting through the speakers in short bursts.  he sounds as if he's been pushed past the verge of tears and onto the brink of absolute panic, but he has to do this.  he has to.]

Kaworu-kun...he's gone.  It was strange that he was gone so early this morning, but I didn't think about it.  Now it's been hours and he's not back.  I called his job and his phone.  They haven't seen him and he won't answer.  All his things are here.  Even his violin is here.  He'd never leave without it.  I can't find him.  He disappeared.  Kaworu left.

[an audible gulp, a shaky sigh.] And I can't find him at all.  Tell me you've heard from him.

Please.

Comments

voice;

[jailbirds]

[ there is a long pause. the crackle of breath over the audio. the sound of shifting, and a chair scraping across cement. a tense, buzzing silence. ]

... What did you say?

[video]

[croibhristeoir]

What do you-...what? I How can he just be gone?

[voice always]

[childrenoflilim]

I don't know. Yesterday, he was here and nothing was different, but now he's not and--what if something happened to him? What if he's....

[permavideo because he's an idiot]

[croibhristeoir]

D...don't panic. I'm sure there must be a reasonable explanation behind all this.

[What that could have been, Lancer couldn't begin to guess.]

We should just stay calm and try to think rationally.

voice;

[childrenoflilim]

Minatsuki, has he called you? [shinji is desperate for good news.] Or visited you or--anything?

[poor lancer]

[childrenoflilim]

Kaworu-kun wouldn't just leave! [he wouldn't go. he wouldn't leave shinji alone. (again.)] That isn't like him at all! There isn't anything reasonable about it!

[isn't it sad]

[croibhristeoir]

Then he surely has to be around somewhere. People don't simply vanish, there must be something we can do to find him.

[jailbirds]

No, I— [ something starts creeping into her voice, sharp and angry. ] What do you mean, he's gone? How the hell could he just disappear?

[ voice ]

[stillneedawish]

[ the way Shinji sounds, Madoka doubts he's up to reading text replies right now. and. and hearing someone else's voice might be good for him even while he's so worried, right? ]

Gone missing...!? [ possibilities fly through her mind, but she can't voice them aloud - that'd be too cruel. ] I - Shinji-kun, I'm sorry, I. I've never really talked to him before, but I don't think I've seen him since that night on the ski trip when everyone was in the big cabin.

[voice]

[dekillerqueen]

... I'm afraid I don't really know him. What does he look like?

[ voice ]

[timey_wimey]

What? Kaworu, gone? [ WELL THAT'S. MILDLY PERTURBING. there's the sound of someone sucking in a thoughtful breath. ] That can't be right. I can have a poke about if you like, see if he left a trail of some kind?

[ voice ]

[regalbearing]

[ oh, god. ]

Are there no other clues to his whereabouts?

[brokethecamera]

Ah...Shinji-kun? I don't think I know who you're talking about, but I'm sure they're alright. Try to stay calm, okay?

[childrenoflilim]

[quietly,] I wish I knew.

[rank e luck, man]

[childrenoflilim]

Someone responded they might find his trail. Maybe that'll work and we can bring him back.

[ voice ]

[childrenoflilim]

[giving concrete facts is less stressful than contemplating all the wrong answers to 'where has he gone?' he lists without much inflection,] Kaworu's tall and has white hair and red eyes. He's really pale, too. You'd never forget him if you saw him.

[ voice ]

[childrenoflilim]

[slowly, cautiously, hopefully,] Y-you could do that? You can find Kaworu?

[ voice ]

[childrenoflilim]

No. No notes, no calls, no...anything.

[childrenoflilim]

[thank god, an order. he can do that. directions can be followed without much thought. shinji takes deep breaths in a vain attempt to calm his racing heart, but he won't tell mai it's not working. better to let her assume than tell the truth.]

Okay. Okay, I'll try. Don't worry.

[jailbirds]

[ there's the slam of her hands hitting the table, her metal chair clattering to the floor - ] SO WHY HAVEN'T YOU FOUND OUT YET?!

[ voice ]

[dekillerqueen]

[An albino...? Yes, that would be a face not to forget.] Very well. I will be sure to inform you if I see him.

video

[heavenlyhome]

He's--? Oh, I'm sorry, I haven't heard from him in a long time. But, I will let you know if I see him, Shinji-kun.

Is there anything that you need in the meantime?

[ voice ]

[regalbearing]

... You are right. I do not know him so well as you, but that does not seem like him.

... Is it possible that this community was involved, somehow? When I first met him, it was because we had both been transported elsewhere due to a virus. Perhaps something similar has happened here?

[Video]

[material_guy]

Community dropped him, eh? Least it left his stuff.

[ voice ]

[timey_wimey]

Well - I'll be honest with you, I can't make any promises, but I can give it my best shot. Chances are I might be able to discover what direction he went in at least, even if I can't find him, and that'd still give us more clues than we've got right now.