Forty Fourth Summons: People are missing

[miss_enma_ai]

 
[She can't find Aaron. She can't find Aisling. They haven't been droned, they've just "vanished". Ai is remaining calm and looking around. She's noticed the strange statues. But seeing as she hasn't been so much as "walking" as teleporting large distances, she's been able to avoid them so far.

A. Do you know Ai? Are you still in town? If you know

Comments

A

[strike_you_out]

[She'll find Slugger alone in Edward's study, looking around the room for any signs of where Edward might have gone to and how. Luckily, the mysterious angel statue found its way out of the house somehow not long after Edward vanished.

When Ai arrives, he greets her with a nod.]

[miss_enma_ai]

Are you missing people?

[strike_you_out]

Edward. Since yesterday.

Do you know what's happening?

[miss_enma_ai]

I'm not sure. But many people have been vanishing.

[strike_you_out]

[He takes a few paces toward the spot where the angel was last seen.]

...

When it happened, there was a statue here.

[miss_enma_ai]

....A statue?....

Of an angel?

[strike_you_out]

Yes. Hiding its eyes...

[Mimicking how the statue had looked, he covers his face as if playing peek-a-boo, then moves to stand in the doorway.]

We were here. The statue disappeared. Then it reappeared and Edward was gone.

[miss_enma_ai]

[She nods.]

I've seen some around the town.

[But she's been teleporting around so they probably haven't noticed her.]

[strike_you_out]

Has anyone you know disappeared?

[miss_enma_ai]

Scout, Ema, Aisling, Aaron and Japan.

[strike_you_out]

But their belongings are still here?

[miss_enma_ai]

Yes.

[strike_you_out]

[So are Edward's. Slugger considers this for a long moment but arrives at no conclusion as to where they could have gone. He does, however, come to a solid conclusion about something else...]

Stay away from the statues.

[miss_enma_ai]

[She nods and looks thoughtful]

If it had killed them, they would be back by now....

I wonder if the town is punishing us again.

[strike_you_out]

[It's entirely possible this is a punishment but Slugger doesn't say as much. He doesn't know what to say, in fact. He's aware that Ai is worried; of the people she mentioned, he knows Scout is one she cares about.

That in mind, he steps into the room again and takes something from his pocket. In searching Edward's room, he'd found something hidden behind a dresser which reminded him of her. It rests now in his palm as an offering -- a white marble.

...He figures she could use it.]

[miss_enma_ai]

[Looks at it and then takes it. Oh....]

.....Thank you.