Doradilla Garden

The Encounter

WX had truly gone missing.

Because surely, they wouldn't have just disappeared from the entire face of this forsaken world!

At first, the survivors were only mildly concerned. That was on the second day of the automaton's absence. But now, it's the third day, and the lack of their loud person became awfully evident...

Something wasn't right, the people could feel it. Because even if the bot sometimes left the group for a couple of days, once even for an entire week! (excluding, of course, any time prior to their first arrival.) They had always eventually came back. Usually completely battered from the many failed attempts at surviving alone, or being unnecessarily reckless.

But this didn't feel like an intentional "departure". No. This was different. They seemed far too eager to return when they set off, so it wouldn't make much sense they would change their mind so suddenly. Even if WX did choose to randomly not return, their wounded ego wouldn't allow them to be away for long, especially after that argument with Willow.

At this point literally everyone knew about their need for superiority and proving others wrong. After all, they were shouting it at people's faces any chance they got.

So If this predicament really wasn't of their own accord...The survivors felt obligated to assemble a "rescue party"

...Well. Some of them at least, others didn't feel all that eager to help someone they less than liked.

Therefore, those who cared about them enough, or didn't hate them that much, were spread out in small search groups all over the island.

It soon became clear, however, that no matter where they looked, the automaton was nowhere to be found. Not in the evergreen nor deciduous forest. Not in the quarry, nor desert, nor swamp! They weren't in the apian valley, mosaic, or Savanna either...The braver members even toured the caves a bit, but still. Nothing...

Now this...Was very worrying.

-"Oh come on, they couldn't have just disappeared! ....Right..?" The handywoman asked.

Wickerbottom's brow creased in thought "I certainly hope not. If people began spontaneously vanishing to who knows where...That would be less than ideal for us."

-"Sooner or later we'll all disappear anyway. Maybe their streak of death has finally reached its limit." Wendy pointed out.

This has obviously only caused people to panic more.

-"You-you're not implying that we can actually- like permanently die here, right?!" Wilson shouted before looking towards Maxwell for solace.

The man frowned, a somber look on his face. He seemed to be engrossed in his thoughts. For a moment, the group felt dread seeping through them... Could they actually truly die at some point?!

That is until the Magician laughed.

-"Hah, I'm just messing with you. No, as far as I'm aware of. We can't "perma" die here. They wouldn't have allowed that to happen. They need their puppets to be intact for whatever They're planning next."

-"I swear I will throttle you one of these days..." Willow threatened. The others alike glared at him with similar scorn. The man simply shrugged, unbothered by their scowls. Not like he ever was.

-"But then...Is WX really like...dead? Robo-dead..? I mean, they're not exactly like the rest of us and all..um.." Walter asked, unusually soft.

The survivors all went silent, before Warly piped up.