outer_divide | Video: 004 Calling all children!

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Video: 004 Calling all children!

[Armand waves at the camera, then shrugs.]

I, uh, have seem a few extra children around lately. If you have unexpected children on your hands, I could watch them. Sometimes anyway.

It's Armand, if you remember me. If you don't, I just woke up again about a week or so ago. I'm good with children.

[Another embarrassed shrug, then he switches off.]

[private to Todd]

[Armand is less nervous for this message.]

Todd, I hear you still have one of those huge beasts. I've been wanting to say 'hello' again. Do you have time to come by? I'm staying above Callahan's for now. Until I get my bearings again.

I hear a lot has happened, and I'd love to hear what you think about it all.

[He gives a sudden smile before turning the device off.]

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[Todd looks a bit frazzled, but still pleased, at being thought of, him and Thing One. He grins at the message, if a bit sheepishly.]

Hey. Uh, sure. I'm kinda busy a lot, but if you wanna come down to the mammoth pasture, I'm there, like, every morning. Or almost every morning.

Or I guess I could meetcha, I dunno, at the west fields around sevenish? Can't bring Thing One into Callahan's, you know. He's kinda too big, and he freaks people out.

[Not that he really minds freaking people out, but Pepper gets upset, and she's kind of his boss.]

...are you sure you want to start offering free babysitting services?

Do you think I should charge them money?

Careful. You're going to earn us all another lecture on contraceptives.

[He knows what Armand means. He's noticed the anomalies. But until he's managed to work out what's causing them, the only real recourse he has is flippancy.]

[Armand has to review the options a few times in his head before answering.]

How about the fields? I should be able to find my way there. How is Thing One doing?

Of maybe I should ask you that later. Are you working with the--wait a moment--you said mammoths?

They don't talk do they? [He's heard of the wild dinosaurs around here, but he also remembers talking to Darwin before.]

Oh, I hope not! These children seem to be big enough to run around on their own.

And get into scrapes.

Naw, they're like the Things, just animals. Cool animals, but still animals.

[Yeah, he remembers Darwin, too, vaguely.]

So see you tonight, bro?

Hey now, I didn't say that. Of course, this is from someone who might end up taking you up on that, so I might be a little biased there.

I wish I could say that's not possible.

Do you recognize any of them? [Things that would be very useful: a record of people who are suddenly, inexplicably five year olds.]

I am looking for permanent work, but I don't think this would be it unless the natives need nannies.

I only wanted to help out since I think some of these little ones are without their families here. [Since they might be his friends as children.]

I'll see you then!

[Action]

[Armand found the western part of Poseidon easily enough, and then some fields. He walked out into the opening, looking through the growing dark for his small friend.]

Todd! Are you here yet?

I haven't yet, but do you want a list if I do end up seeing enough to them?

[He exhales slowly, not quite a sigh, but telegraphing something between weariness and concern nonetheless.]

Yeah. If we're going to fix this, we're going to need to know just how far it reaches.

I'll do my best.

If-if something strange is going on, is it something we must fix by ourselves?

[Though he thinks it would be awful to be stuck as a child forever. That's all the thinks is going on.]

[It wasn't hard to find him, really. He was perched up on Thing One, who was much larger than Armand would remember him-- roughly the size of a clydesdale, at this point-- and lounging on the edge of the field, giving Todd a sizeable boost to get to various flying evening bugs. His tongue shot out once, within Armand's view, to catch a particularly large mosquito.

Then, after gulping it down, he waved.]

Hey, bro. Over here!

Children? Someone's gotta protect them!

[Says the one who is still twelve even if everything else is different]

Usually. We might have some help with Salvation back online, but I wouldn't want to count on it.

[Hearing the voice, Armand ran toward the shapes he can see across the field. He deliberately didn't take much notice of Todd catching his supper. The other teen had some strange habits which Armand didn't quite understand, but he didn't have any idea what to say about them. So he kept his mouth shut and pretended not to notice.

He waved.]

You were right. It's amazing what a few months growth will do for a creature like that.

How are you? It seems you're busy. Busier than I am anyway.

[He didn't want to get to close to the creature until after he'd learned how much it had learned during the last few months.]

I wish I could do more to help then.

Yes, children. That's why I offered to help watch them until this is resolved.

But... aren't you one of them? [Armand isn't that much older himself.]

Yeah, but I'm and X-Man and that makes it totally different.

[Obviously the most important distinction]

[Yes, Armand has lived on Verdana before, and he still has no idea what an X-man is.]

You're a what? You don't look like any sort of a man to me, miss.

[He adds in a smaller voice.]

What is an X-Man?

We're a team of mutant superheroes! I'm way stronger than most people!

You are? Then maybe you can help me and Mr. Stark. Have you seen any other children? Lost perhaps? [He means the ones that used to be adults, but Armand has not even dared trying to say that out loud yet.]

[Lost sounds like ship]

Everyone from the ship is older than me.

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