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[Wirt has never addressed the network directly, or on purpose. He's never felt the need to, and he's not much of a public broadcast kind of guy. The whole public speaking thing usually leaves him weak in the knees, but this is different. It's an emergency.]

H-Has-- Has anyone seen my brother, Greg?

[Wirt quickly turns the camera away from himself and shows the room behind him. The view is shaky, due to his unsteady hands, but it gets the point across - it's back to the default, like Greg was never there at all. Even his frog is nowhere to be found.]

I-I-I...sure he runs off on his own a lot, but-- but! But I would have heard from him by now, o-or there would be some sign of him somewhere, right? It's like he just...disappeared, out of nowhere! Spirited away somewhere!

[He's panicking. He's absolutely panicking and he's still kind of half-expecting Greg to just pop out somewhere and be like "Oh hey Wirt! I wound a WAY better room!" or something. Wirt knots his fingers in his hair, which knocks his hat slightly out of place. He can't help thinking of every horrible possibility. Didn't someone say there was a serial killer on the loose, or a cannibal or something? Or what if he's hurt somewhere, or worse? Does that make all your things disappear? Wirt hasn't been in Wonderland long enough to know.]

He...H-He's about this tall. [Wirt gestures accordingly, bending down a little.] He's six years old, a-and he's-- teakettle! He's been wearing a teakettle on his head! And there's...there's this frog he's been carrying around everywhere - I think his name's James right now? Greg might've changed it by now b-but you can't really miss them. Has anyone seen them? Anyone? Please, if someone knows where he is...!

[They're not going to know. Greg's gone. Greg's gone and this is useless. Wirt looks down, not sure what else to ask, or what else to do. But, there's only one thing he can do.]

I...I have to go. But please, if anyone sees him, let me know? Um, thank you. ...I appreciate it.

[He shoves the device in his pocket, but forgets to shut it off. The last few seconds on his broadcast are just the sound of Wirt running as fast as he can down the hall. There's only one place he hasn't looked yet, so maybe...maybe he's in the woods, where they first arrived.]

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[ It doesn't take her long to find a coat and make her way outside. It feels like it does, to her, because she can't seem to make herself move fast enough. Once she's out there--oh, poor Wirt. He looks even more anxious than he'd seemed over the network.

Without a word of greeting, Beatrice hurries over to him and pulls him into a hug. It doesn't last long but it's firm and fierce. She's never had one of her siblings disappear completely, but she's seen her mother worry when one the younger ones run off without telling anyone. She can only imagine how much worse Wirt must feel. ]

Come on.

[ Once she lets go she grabs his wrist and tries to pull him along. It reminds her, very briefly, of Christmas. But instead of good cheer this is the exact opposite. ]

Edited 2015-03-29 03:54 (UTC)

[Wirt doesn't even see Beatrice coming until she's a couple feet away, and there isn't time to react or even say a single word before she hugs him tight. He still feels like he's in a fog and the hug is over before he can really react and hug back, but he still eases in her arms a little.

Early in their journey, there was a period where Wirt was content to follow Beatrice's lead. He felt so lost and it was just easier to follow someone else and to do what he was told to do. Everything was simple. All he had to do was follow the bird. Follow the bird and they would get home...

Both of them have grown since then, but there's a comfort in letting someone else take the reins, to let someone else be in charge for a little while. He's been on edge all day, ever since he realized Greg was missing, and he's been heading the search party himself. He's thankful for Beatrice now, grateful to have some of his burden relieved.

He isn't expecting to be tugged and stumbles a little at first, but he ultimately makes his feet move and follows, letting her pull him along. And into the woods they go. There's a few minutes of quiet, but once the mansion can't be seen in the distance behind them, Wirt starts calling out for his brother and actively participating in the search again.]

G-Greg! Greg! [A pause.] ...Any sign of him up ahead?

[He kind of knows there isn't, and that she would have said something already if there was, but it feels better than not saying anything at all to her.]

Greg!

[ Beatrice calls and keeps moving, her grip on Wirt tight. Part of her thinks this is a pointless endeavor, that Greg is just gone somehow, but she doesn't let it stop her. She'll keep looking as long as Wirt needs her to. ]

No, there's no sign of him anywhere.

[He knew that would be the answer, but he still tenses when he hears it. His blood runs cold and he nearly pulls back, but Beatrice has a tight hold on him and as soon as he meets resistance he stops.

Soon enough, they start moving once more, and start calling Greg's name again. This last about ten, maybe twenty minutes, but then Wirt slows to a stop, standing firm so that Beatrice has to stop too. He looks down.]

...This is dumb. He's-- he's not out here, is he.

[It's not really a question anymore.]

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