jikan_rpg | [Closed] But you won't see me fall apart

[Experiencing bonds breaking was simply a consequence of staying in this world for a long time. Not everyone always stayed long, and those who were left behind were often left to pick up the pieces of their spontaneous departure. It's something Aether's already experienced once. But this time, he doesn't have to watch them disappear to understand what's happened. And once more, he finds himself standing in a now very empty home, all warmth drained out of it as he finds himself left behind once again, with only a painful ache throbbing in his chest.]

[A few hours pass.]

[Ultimately, it's Paimon who ventures out, recalling the way he reacted to losing Lumine. But this time, something seems different. And as much as she doesn't want to leave him alone, it's different enough that she needs a second opinion. But who to call? Well, given these past few weeks, it wouldn't hurt to just check outside, right? She already came to his rescue once already, so maybe she can be someone he can depend on in this place?]

[Somewhat anxiously, she pokes her head outside and floats around the nearby trees, calling out:]

Uhm... Miss Birdie? Are you out here today? Paimon could really use some help right now!

[ There isn't an immediate response, which isn't to say Paimon isn't heard.

From within the brush beneath the trees, a small, pitch bird has only just thrown its head back with a beak full of delectable treats and it isn't about to spit out its newly foraged meal, not for anyone. But then, it doesn't take long for it to gulp it down and cant its head in the direction of the call, after which it hops into the air with a flourish of its wings and proceeds to follow the sound.

It lands quietly within the shade of a tree nearby and chirps a simple -- ]

Chi chi chi!

[ -- as it cants its head once more, an eye focused on Paimon.

With the exception of the color of its eyes, it's near identical to Setsura and looks somehow curious if expectant. ]

Edited 2022-04-01 09:19 (UTC)

[She immediately perks up, but-- then frowns, bringing a hand to her chin as she leans in closer for a better look.]

...uhm. Well, you do look like her, but Paimon's looking for a different Miss Birdie! Oh... maybe Aether has her number on his magi-comm...

[ It stares at her. ]

[Paimon just shakes her head.]

Paimon doesn't have time for this! Aether's hurting! So shoo, and Paimon will bring you some seeds later!

[Alas, she's just going to float off and check another tree. She can't spend too much time out here -- should she call his friends in Kyoto, maybe? Or someone else from Teyvat? She's conflicted.]

[ One might think that would be the last Paimon would see of the bird. One might be very, very incorrect.

With a chirp, the bird takes off after Paimon to... claim her crown as a perch?? And before she can say a thing, it begins to open its beak. And it continues to open its beak more and more until it is open impossibly, horrifically wide, wider than any bird should be able to open its beak and be proper alive to reveal... the sound of a familiar someone very lightly, sleepily mumbling between soft breaths.

The thing is, it's perfectly clear and a little on the louder side than one might imagine. ]

Gotta.. clean behind your ears...

Wait, that voice-- Setsura! Setsura, are you... are you inside this bird?

[This is a valid question okay.]

[ Give her a minute. Setsura is sitting up, blinking rapidly into wakefulness as she reprocesses the voice and question. ]

If I said yes?

[ She's sleepy, but teasing and somewhat regretting being woken up. That had been such a promising dream, but Paimon wouldn't call for no reason, hm? ]

Well, then you better find a way to get out of there! Paimon needs your help-- it's Aether! He, uhm... the friends he was staying with aren't here anymore. And he seemed to be taking it pretty well, but-- then something really weird starting happening? And Paimon doesn't know what to do!

[That sure is nice and vague and worrying -- but Setsura would likely know by now who Aether was living with.]

Slow down.

[ She certainly sounds more awake now. ]

What do you mean by "something really weird"?

It's hard to explain! He just stopped moving, but-- not like he was hurt or anything. And when Paimon tried to check if he was okay, Paimon started feeling all weird. So Paimon can't even get close to him!

It almost like... he's frozen?

[Time surges that freeze people in time are uncommon, but not unheard of. But Paimon doesn't know how to explain it in those terms, so it might sound a little more concerning as a result.]

[ Oh, it still sounds plenty of concerning, but Setsura is generally a quick thing. ]

It sounds like he might be experiencing a time surge. How long has he been like that?

Only a few minutes, but-- Paimon wasn't gonna just wait around while he's stuck like that! It's too cruel!

["Cruel" because no matter how well Aether is handling the departure of Childe and Zhongli, that doesn't mean he's not hurt and upset about it. And now, he's seemingly frozen in that state.]

Would the NRL be able to help him?

[ She's a good girl. Aether is lucky to have her, she thinks. ]

Possibly. I'll swing by there on my way over. In the meantime, I need you two to monitor Aether closely. Do you understand?

Of course! Paimon won't leave his side!

[Even coming this far to search for help -- she could still see Aether from the window, her eyes having flickered between Aether and her search for Setsura. Perhaps that's why Setsura was her first thought.]

Very well. My familiar will remain with you. You'll know when I'm there.

[ She'll wait for confirmation from Paimon before she allows her familiar to 'hang up,' and put its beak back in order. Then, she's off to the NRL. ]

[It's a quick chat with a receptionist, and she's directed to the office where Shigure is going over literal mountains of paperwork. Don't worry about it. Either way, he doesn't seem bothered by being interrupted.]

Well, this is a surprise. Hello, Yamagu-- oh, right, it's-- Light-san now, yes?

[ She observes the room using her peripheral before settling her gaze on Shigure. There's pictures obviously drawn by children on the walls and -- is that the "thank you" card she gave him framed on the wall?

A smile tugs at her mouth despite the urgency behind her visit. Really.

It tugs a little wider when he corrects himself regarding her surname. ]

Yes, that's right. I hope I didn't catch you at a bad time?

[ She sees those mountains of paperwork. Unfortunately, whether he is or isn't, she's come about a matter she won't see dismissed. ]

Not at all! I've just been condensing reference material today.

[100+ years worth of dozens of people rewriting scientific notes every year in the hopes that someone will remember it in the next loop-- and then, out of an abundance of caution, having people do the same for last year. That's a lot of notes to condense.]

Is there something I can help you with?

[ She does not envy him his job, but then, she's always preferred field work. ]

I have reason to believe a friend of mine may be afflicted by a time surge. Frozen, actually. I was hoping to tap your expertise on the matter.

[The smile on his face fades quickly, and he stands to move towards a large mechanical file cabinet at the end of the room. He'll be tinkering with some buttons and gears on a side panel as he speaks.]

A time surge... and they're frozen, you say? How long have they been affected? And did it occur in any particular place, like an old mountain road or an abandoned building?

It hasn't been more than an hour, I think. It's occurring at his apartment in Kyoto. I'm not sure if anyone else in the vicinity is affected.

[ She won't venture to say she doesn't think so. Paimon hadn't wandered far enough to notice, she thinks.

What's Shigure up to? ]

An apartment in Kyoto... ah, looks like that's all I need. There weren't that many within the past hour.

[As he types in some chains of numbers, the machine whirrs to life, as the sound of files shuffling and gears turning can be heard. Eventually, one of the drawers opens, and a mechanism lifts a file out for Shigure to grab.]

All magi-comms are capable of detecting time surges to a miniscule degree. Someday, they hope to refine it into a national alert system, but for now, it's one of the systems we use to track refugees who disappear from Nippon. The space they once occupied creates a very small time surge, you see-- but with this feature, we can also track other time surges, as well! It looks like... three time surges reported in Kyoto within the past 24 hours, all within the same-- oh.

[His expression falls, as he turns to Setsura.]

Your friend is... Aether-san, yes?

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