[004: Audio]

[spellsdeadwrong]

[A long, long pause--long enough that it seems as though maybe this entry was just an accidental touch.

But then Asuka speaks.]

Hito's gone.

[He's not looking at his journal. He's looking at the empty room around him. When Hito hadn't responded to any amount of nagging or cajoling or pounding on his door, he'd set his expression and teleported

Comments

[thii2ii22tupiid]

iit happen2 here, you'll get u2ed two iit, iit2 not that weiird two fiind a place that cull2 people for no rea2on.

*Well, it isn't for him.*

[spellsdeadwrong]

I don't know that I'll ever really get used to that.

[..."culls?"

For once, Asuka dismisses the unfamiliar word as unimportant.]

I'll just have to go after him, is all.

[thii2ii22tupiid]

You can't, its not up to you and I don't think anyone has figured out why the lord gets rid of some people and not others.

[spellsdeadwrong]

The only thing I can't do is sit around pretending that everything's okay.

If there's a way to find out what happened, then I'm gonna try.

[thii2ii22tupiid]

I told you what happened. The lord culled him. Removed him. Got rid of him.
Killed him.

*Yesh, Asuka, and Sollux thought you were dumb before.*

[spellsdeadwrong]

[Shut up, Sollux. Just shut up, he doesn't want to hear that!]

People have disappeared from this place before and come back. What about all those people who got stuck in the tunnels? You all came back, right?

Just because he's not here doesn't mean he's dead. I won't believe that.

[thii2ii22tupiid]

Those are different versions of that person, though, from a different point in the timeline.
So, not really.
And the tunnels are different, they're still attached to this place.

He's not really dead if you want to be technical, he's unmade.

[spellsdeadwrong]

So then maybe he's in the tunnels.

The point is, he's not dead, or unmade, or whatever it is you want to call him. He's alive, somewhere, and I'm going to find out what happened.

[thii2ii22tupiid]

No one ever wants to believe what's obviously the truth. Fine, wear yourself out looking for him. It won't do you any good. Everyone who got sucked into the tunnels when the light was gone is back now and all the other entrances to those things are sealed.

*Well, his seal isn't that great, but its still something.*

Just remember I told you so when you're done wearing yourself out and finaly start to move on.

[spellsdeadwrong]

I'll remember.

[Remember that you are waaaaaay, way too cynical for any kid, jeez. He's gonna have to remember to ask Sollux about what kind of world he grew up in, because it blows his mind how grumpy he can get.]

We'll just have to see what happens, won't we?

[thii2ii22tupiid]

Whatever. Have fun chasing after dreams.