1st | Audio

[tinystitches]

[It's not a very long post, or even a very interesting one. The boy's voice is not one that people here are probably going to be familiar with, and his tone is unconcerned, verging on bored.]

Did you notice that the sun's wrong?

Comments

[Video]

[redsnowangel]

Nope.

[Most helpful reply ever.]

[Audio]

[notsoholyspirit]

[The sound has turned on before there is any speaking directly into the device. There is a very quiet "you're kidding right?"]

Stein?

[Why is he asking? He'd recognize Stein's voice anywhere.]

Just. Stay by the bay. I'm coming to get you.

[Video]

[tinystitches]

[Give him a second to figure out the video. Stein's a tired-looking boy in his early teens, with grey hair and green eyes.]

Are you blind?

[Not accusatory, just curious.]

[Audio]

[tinystitches]

[That sounds like Spirit, but Stein doesn't want to stay put. He wants to go exploring.]

Senpai. Where are you?

[Audio]

[notsoholyspirit]

[When he answers, it sounds like he's moving.]

Coming there, which is why I want you to stay put.

[It isn't only that he recognizes Stein's voice, of course. He recognizes the tone. The age. It's why he's responding so firmly. Stein, when they'd met as kids, was a proverbial loose canon. There was no way to tell when he was on the cusp of losing control.]

[Video]

[lookprofessor]

[Hi there. Have a little kid smiling politely at the camera.]

It looks all right to me. Maybe it's in a different position, since the sun's position to where we are now is different from where it is at home for you?

[action]

[tinystitches]

[It's for the best, really. Stein's currently incapable of staying put. He has to look around, he has to try and figure out what's going on.

When Spirit finally gets there, Stein will be up a tree, trying to get a better overview of the landscape.]

[Video]

[tinystitches]

[A little kid, maybe, but he's probably not much younger than Stein.]

That's not it. It's brighter than it should be, and it's further away.

Video

[monkeystowaway]

What are you talking about? There's nothing wrong with me.

[Video]

[lookprofessor]

[He contemplates this momentarily. Luke will puzzle this out, because above all else that is who he is. On that, he and Stein are at least somewhat similar. Insatiably curious, but with a different understanding of limitations.]

Do you live somewhere where it's usually cloudy, then? I don't think the sun is much brighter here than I'm used to at home.

[action]

[notsoholyspirit]

[He isn't sure if Stein's noticed him, but Spirit stands under the tree staring up, arms crossed.]

I'm not climbing up there.

[action]

[tinystitches]

[Stein looks almost innocent, sitting on a branch, legs swinging free over empty space. He drops down, and has to look up at Spirit. That's not unusual, his weapon's always been taller, but that's too far up, and Spirit's face and build and voice are all wrong.]

What happened to you?

[action] I literally ache at the thought of them having to have that conversation *again* ;_;

[notsoholyspirit]

I grew up.

[He'd just had a conversation with someone about how time can be so easily manipulated here; that is the only reason he believed what he heard when Stein made a call on the network.]

Or you grew down, whichever you want. Time evidently works differently here. It isn't linear.

well they won't have it tonight 'cause im going to bed

[tinystitches]

Why? [He'll accept that, for now. Spirit seems to have more of an idea of what he's talking about than Stein does.]

Re: [Audio]

[frostheartedrose]

I've never seen it.

[Audio] This should go badly in 3...

[blackkirin]

Ah... It is?

[Taiki's going to just... have a look. It's bright, in the sky, warm, and... whatever else the sun does best.]

I don't see anything.

voice;

[gullwingsgunner]

Something's wrong with the sun?

[She is... going to actually check that out.]

voice;

[shslprogrammer]

I-I do not believe there is anything wrong with the sun. Did you notice anything?

Re: [Video]

[redsnowangel]

[Zelos, meanwhile, is around 10 years older, with wavy red hair and a red crystal embedded in his chest.]

Blind? Nah, just saying it looks fine to me.

[He hasn't actually checked. That would be effort.]

I wasn't far behind you!

[notsoholyspirit]

Why did I grow up, or why does time work differently here?

[He shrugs.]

Growing up is inevitable, like it or not. I've got no idea add to why time works differently here. Ask around and you'll find that most people don't really know what the heck is going on with this city.

voice;

[witchofsnakes]

The sun is... wrong?

[That seemed like really odd thing to say. But she gives a small laugh never the less.]

I kind of highly doubt that one unless suddenly everything goes dark. Are you sure you aren't seeing things?

voice;

[behindthefakesmile]

I would ask if you were a native of this place, but they don't seem to have these devices, so I am assuming your sun is different in your world, correct?

Video

[tinystitches]

Is that your name? "The sun"?

voice;

[tinystitches]

You're the smartest person I've talked to so far. [His tone makes it fairly clear that he thinks this person is still an idiot.]

voice;

[tinystitches]

Maybe you're the one seeing things. [Stein sounds amused, but not really in a kind way.]