[Audio]

[newmemorywhodis]

Where's Zelda?

Have you seen her?

[He knows the answer. But he doesn't want to admit it. Not yet.]

Comments

Audio

[crystalmaster]

I'm so sorry. I haven't.

[newmemorywhodis]

Tell me.

If you do.

[crystalmaster]

I will....

When was the last time you saw her?

[Radley is moving to look through the user list to see if she's still there.]

[newmemorywhodis]

Yesterday

[crystalmaster]

Well, that wasn't so long ago....

... I'm sorry, I just don't see her under the user list anymore....

[newmemorywhodis]

...

[The audio's still on. But Link's not saying anything.]

[crystalmaster]

[Radley isn't too surprised after all these months of being around Link. He wishes he could do something, but he knows there's really nothing to make it better.]

It looks like she's been sent back. I'm really sorry.

[newmemorywhodis]

[Still more silence.

No.

No, he doesn't want her to be gone. She can't be.]

[crystalmaster]

[Radley is never quite sure how to handle the silence, since he is such a talkative, social person.]

I know it probably sounds hollow, but ... if there's anything I can do, please let me know.

[switch to text]

[newmemorywhodis]

Just tell me if you find her

Re: [switch to text]

[crystalmaster]

[Radley sighs to himself.]

Okay.

text;

[sinistral]

What does she look like?

[text]

[newmemorywhodis]

Long blonde hair

Green eyes, pale skin

Little taller than me

Normal ears, like mine

[text]

[sinistral]

I will look for her.

[text]

[newmemorywhodis]

Thank you

[text]

[sinistral]

If she's here I will find her.

[Audio???]

[in_extremis]

Hey, sweetheart, what's the best thing that could have happened to her?

[newmemorywhodis]

...Finding a giant secret stash of ancient technology, mysterious undiscovered plants, and fruitcake?

[in_extremis]

Sounds like an absolute blast. How likely is it that she's making these discoveries back home? I assume the fruitcake is a given, someone's got to be making that gal fruitcake every day of her life.

[newmemorywhodis]

[For a long moment, there's silence. No, she can't be back home. She can't]

I... I make her fruitcake.

[in_extremis]

Of course you do. You cook? That's not important, don't answer that. You must have shared that recipe with someone.

[newmemorywhodis]

...Gotter knows.

[And yet, Link sounds absolutely miserable about that fact]

[in_extremis]

Hey, great, Gotter. He's going to make it just the way she likes it, and by the time you see her she'll have all kinds of batteries and transistors to tell you about.

[newmemorywhodis]

...I don't want Gotter to make it just how she likes it.

[in_extremis]

Oh, uh, okay. It'll be the worst fruitcake she's ever had and she'll be so annoyed with you.

[newmemorywhodis]

[Silence. The audio is on, but Link's not saying anything.

This attempt to reassure does not seem to be helping.]

[in_extremis]

Here's the thing, this place is purpose built to bring together the most extraordinary people in the multiverse. This one, you know her better than anyone else, you've seen her in action, you know why she was picked, and by the nature of that selection process it's going to feel like a nuclear reaction to lose her again. She's the best thing you ever saw.

Thing is, here's the really unfair part, you know as well as I do that all of that power, all of that heat and light of her, and all of the good she's going to do, trying to hold onto it here is doing a disservice to all of those people back home. If you had the choice, if it was up to you, you'd make sure she was there, too.

[switch to text]

[newmemorywhodis]

[The audio turns off. A long pause. It almost seems like Link won't respond, until...]

I miss her

[text]

[in_extremis]

I know.

Audio

[spinsandneedles]

Sorry, bud, I haven't seen her since the whole monster fight thing. When's the last time you saw her?

Re: Audio

[newmemorywhodis]

Yesterday.

Re: Audio

[spinsandneedles]

Well, that's not exactly that long ago... I'll take a look around, tell you what I find. Cool?

[newmemorywhodis]

[Not long ago, no - but it doesn't take long for Link to notice when it comes to Zelda]

Thank you.

[spinsandneedles]

No problem, bud. You think she'd just be in Temba, or does she hit Sh'ka a lot too?

[newmemorywhodis]

Probably Temba?

But...maybe Sh'ka.

[Maybe that's why Link hasn't found her yet. He just...needs to look in more places.]

[spinsandneedles]

Sure. I'll do a quick sweep of Temba and then head over to Sh'ka. I'll keep you posted! Call you back later.

[newmemorywhodis]

Thank you.

[But depending on how much later Sonic calls back, Link might not be there to respond...]

[spinsandneedles]

Don't mention it, bud.

[and with that, sonic's off to do laps until he finds Zelda

Which unfortunately he completely fails to do, so off to Sh'ka it is!
...Where he also fails to find Zelda. And since Sonic's actually taking his time to search carefully, it is pretty late by the time he calls Link

And now he can't get through to Link??? Hahaha it's probably fine??? Now he just needs to futilely search for BOTH OF THEM... ]

[pursuitofcappiness]

No. Have you tried calling? Maybe we can look for her.

[newmemorywhodis]

...Calling?

Out loud?

[pursuitofcappiness]

I mean on the devices.

[newmemorywhodis]

I...

[A long pause]

...it doesn't work.

[pursuitofcappiness]

I'll still help you look for her. Where does she usually go?

[newmemorywhodis]

Hotel.

Greenhouse.

Hospital.

[pursuitofcappiness]

Okay, well, she's not at the hospital. Where are you closest?

[newmemorywhodis]

Greenhouse.

[It went without saying, that she wasn't there either]

[pursuitofcappiness]

I'll try some of the other buildings.

[newmemorywhodis]

Thank you.

Tell me if you find her.

[pursuitofcappiness]

I will. Good luck.