Kevin & Abi And The Secret Of The Stolen Sun

Kevin & Abi And The Secret Of The Stolen Sun is the second Kevin and Abi album, released on December 20, 2022. It is the sequel to Kevin & Abi and the Secret of the Golden Pendant and it is intended as a send-off for the city of New Albion. The album features Oliver Marsh, Kiera-Marie Somers, Lauren Osborn, Hayley Warner, and Kerttu Aarnipuu. Juan Manuel provides a guitar solo for Rockamania and the cover art was made by PixelWayve.

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(WARNING: This page has spoilers for the murder culprit.)

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## Plot

Kevin, Abi, and Ryvyr are driving through New Albion while discussing the merits of various film sequels, Kevin’s catchphrase, and a potential new theme song. The group are on their way to a new murder case at the home of Santiago Winters, the CEO of VV Enterprises, but there is some doubt about who exactly called them. Ryvyr pulls out a mace and uses it to knock on the front door. (Theme Song 2)

The door is answered by several security robots who are suspicious of the group, but Kevin explains that they were called by Mrs Xiao-Li Winters due to an incident with her son, Kem. The robots insist that the group surrender all their weapons before they enter, at which Kevin begins to protest that they don’t carry weapons, before Ryvyr relinquishes a surprising number of weapons (and then a few more). Ryvyr notes that the security robots all have fairy sigils on them, and Kevin remarks on how big the Winters’ mansion is, which begins a discussion about the current rise of the internet. They arrive at their destination, and Mrs Xiao-Li Winters introduces herself. (Entrance)

Mrs Winters reflects on her seemingly-perfect life, and how her family manipulated her into an arranged marriage to Santiago Winters after her college boyfriend was imprisoned following a protest. She shares how she relies on her drug addiction to get her through the day, and Mrs Winters laments that her son, Kem, spends all his time brooding and working at his computer. However, she believes that will be able to withstand any trial if she remembers the promise of Elysium. Mrs Winters also explains how her husband, Santiago, has spent a fortune on building his online school, and is using Kem as a guinea pig on which to test its effectiveness. She closes her song by explaining that she is okay with Kem being murdered, because now he can be happy in Elysium. (Xiao-Li Winters (Song))

Kevin is taken aback by this sentiment, but asks how long it took Mrs Winters to make the phone call after discovering Kem’s body. Mrs Winters explains that she never called, and she’s only just found the body. Kevin asks to be taken to the body, but Mrs Winters first asks Zippy if he called the detectives. She explains that Zippy, an AI created by Mr Winters, is responsible for controlling the home security. Zippy appears and introduces himself, before lamenting how sad Kem was and saying that “someone has taken the sun.” Zippy then leads Kevin, Abi, and Ryvyr to the body. (Take Us to the Body)

Immediately, Abi notes that Kem died due to the large dagger stuck into the top of his head. Ryvyr and Abi both wonder why he is strapped to a chair, and Kevin questions why there are other people at an active crime scene. These people are Alyssa and Geoff, two of Kem’s schoolmates.

Alyssa asks Kevin what happened, while Geoff makes several remarks regarding the various heights of people in the room. Ryvyr also makes a point that the dagger is correctly known as the Sword of Demetrius, which is a goblin relic. Alyssa explains that Kem is strapped into his chair as part of Mr Winters’ virtual schooling experiment, the Voodooverse, which is rumored to be built from old Arcadia Corp technology. The straps are used to keep the students from leaving, and they automatically release the subject at the end of the school day.

Kevin notes that the dagger used to murder Kem would require considerable height and strength to wield. Alyssa explains that she and Geoff became concerned when Kem suddenly went offline so they came over to check on him. Zippy says Kem’s body has been here for exactly 47 minutes, and Mrs Winters says that she thinks she was the first person to find the body, but she didn’t call anyone as she went to take one of her pills. Alyssa and Geoff explain that they got into the manor through a window that Kem leaves open, but Kevin questions how they left their restraints when the school day isn’t yet over. Kevin notes that the Sword of Demetrius has the same fairy sigil as the robots and Alyssa explains that the online classroom is down, but offers to get the system back online. Kevin takes a look and notes that there are several strange noises coming from the system. Zippy repeats that the sun is gone, before Mr Winters arrives at the crime scene. (The Crime Scene)

Mr Winters tells everyone to leave the house as they are trespassing. Kevin explains that they were called to investigate the murder, but Mr Winters insists that the family will handle the matter internally. The detectives leave the house and return to the car, where the group each note that the whole case feels suspicious. Kevin asks Ryvyr about the dagger. (Exiting the Winters' House)

Ryvyr tells the story of the Sword of Demetrius to Kevin and Abi. (Storytime 3)

The group discusses the case further and Kevin proposes that they continue their investigation, despite Mr Winters objections. They drive to Alyssa’s home to get a better look at the Voodooverse. They find Geoff and Alyssa there, and Geoff reintroduces himself. Abi notes that there is a distinct smell of magic, but Alyssa says that she doesn’t know anything about magic. Kevin asks for help getting the Voodooverse back online, but asks to know more about Alyssa’s relationship with Kem. (Let's Go Back)

Alyssa explains how she grew up poor and without a father, and without any of the headstarts that wealth offers. She studied late most nights to better her situation, but she’s only ever gotten second place in everything. (Scratch Cards That Don't Win)

Kevin confirms that Kem was the best student, but Alyssa says that she always worked twice as hard as he ever did. Geoff begins to explain that she’s now better off because Kem is dead, but Alyssa argues with him that Geoff wouldn’t say those things. Geoff insists that he gets to talk about his relationship with Kem, because everyone else got to. Geoff says that he’s gay and loved Kem, but Kem never noticed. He explains that he’s slow and is only around to support Alyssa, who angrily asks if he has any shame.

The group travels back to the Winters' house, where Alyssa asks Zippy to let them back into the classroom. She shares that Zippy was Kem’s only true friend, and Zippy explains that Kem wanted to escape from his situation. He then sends them into the virtual classroom. (Back to the Winters' House)

The Voodooverse start-up sequence plays, which is filled with high-energy audio and graphics. Kevin remarks that this sequence doesn’t seem suited to teenagers like Kem, Alyssa, and Geoff, and Alyssa complains that this plays every morning. Abi notes that the graphics in the Voodooverse are surprisingly good, and Alyssa explains that the technology behind it is several decades advanced of the time period. Abi wonders if there is magic involved in the program, and Alyssa says this is why Rob Stillwell, Winters’ main rival, is willing to pay so much for the technology, before Geoff insists she be quiet.

Zippy points out Kem’s virtual desk, repeating that the sun is gone, and the group note a black box covered in powerful fairy runes on top of the desk. Alyssa explains that this was Kem’s obsession and he was always working in the box, which functioned like a hidden level in a game. Kevin insists that Alyssa and Zippy get the box open, and Abi catches his attention. Abi and Ryvyr explain that there are many fairies trapped in the walls of the classroom. (The Voodooverse)

The group looks inside the box, but it’s too dark to see anything inside. Zippy explains that they need to bring the sun back, and Abi surmises that he means a literal light source. However, Kevin tells them to be quiet, as he can hear someone singing inside the box.

Mr Winters encounters the group and tells them to leave again, while Ryvyr complains that all the melodies in this case are annoying. Mr Winters threatens to shoot them, but Abi freezes his arm with a spell. Kevin works out that Mr Winters isn’t likely to call the police and demands answers. Abi asks how he got fairies into the computer, and Kevin threatens him with some of Abi’s spells. Mr Winters relents and offers answers. (The Open Box)

Mr Winters explains that he is willing to do anything to stay on top of the market, and that he believes only the gutsiest will be successful. He paid a mage to build a trap for the fairies so that he could put them to work on powering his products. This resulted in more profits, and Mr Winters predicts that the Voodooverse will be top of the market for years to come. He also reveals that his technology is so advanced because he gutted the old Arcadia Corp facility for their abandoned experiments, which he then passes onto his team to reverse-engineer the findings into saleable products for the current market; he predicts that he could keep up this ruse for at least another twenty years. (Rockamania)

Mr Winters explains that he got the tip off about the old tech from an old drunk called Connor a few years ago. Zippy explains that the sigils seen on the black box, security robots, and other things prevent Rob Stillwell, Mr Winters’ main competitor, from touching anything. Kevin asks Mr Winters how he came by the knife that killed Kem, and he explains that he acquired it legally, and keeps it in a secure room; he also insists that if what happened to Kem gets out, it would ruin his business.

Zippy interjects and insists that Mr Winters turns the sun back on. However, Mr Winters argues that the Voodooverse is his product and he can turn it off at any time, before threatening Zippy with the knowledge that disobeying a direct order will result in his death. Zippy explains that he stood with Kem as he discovered the trapped fairies, but couldn’t help Kem to free them. He helped Kem as he worked obsessively on his box in hopes of saving his newfound family, the fairies. Zippy laments that now Kem is dead, he doesn’t want to be here and he couldn’t bear to serve anyone other than Kem. Disobeying Mr Winters’ direct order, Zippy turns the sun back on, and self-destructs. The group decides to enter the black box, now that the light has turned back on. (Zippy)

The group enters the box, and inside is a virtual forest filled with fairies taking refuge from the Voodooverse. (The Online Fairy Forest)

A fairy appears and asks what the group is doing here, as they are outsiders. Kevin explains that they are trying to find out what happened to Kem, and the fairy, Pixel, says that Kem was a friend of her people. Kevin asks about how the fairies were trapped in the first place.

Pixel explains that the fairies were minding their business when a mage, Robert Stillwell, laid a trap using soft sugar-sprinkle cookies, which fairies love. Santiago Winters then uploaded the souls of the fairies online and coded them into the Voodooverse, which is powered by their magic. Kem eventually found out and began to build his box as a refuge for the fairies when they were exhausted by their work. His plan was to eventually join the fairies and they would all escape into the wider internet. However, the fairies knew something bad had happened when the sun in the box went out, and Zippy stopped visiting the box regularly as he was meant to.

Mr Winters scoffs at all this, and tells the fairies to get back to work. Mrs Winters begins to talk of how happy Kem must be in Elysium, and Alyssa and Geoff also talk over everyone. Kevin asks Abi to shut everyone up, and she uses a spell to create a thunderclap. Kevin says that he’s ready to reveal who the murderer is. (Pixel the Fairy)

Kevin begins the process of elimination on each suspect:

* Mr Winters sees Kem as a commodity rather than a son, and he has the size and strength to use the knife. However, there is no motive for him to murder Kem.
* Mrs Winters believes that her son will be happier now he is dead, and she had access to the knife. However, she is not strong or tall enough to stab Kem.
* Pixel, the fairy, believed that Kem would be better off if he uploaded his mind online to live with the fairies. The knife also has fairy runes, but Pixel was trapped inside the Voodooverse at the time.
* Alyssa would benefit from Kem being dead as this could allow her to receive scholarships as the best student in the school. However, she is not tall or strong enough, as mentioned by Geoff.
* Geoff has no motive of his own, but he could have stabbed Kem at Alyssa's behest. However, Kevin has deduced that the Geoff currently in the room is not the same Geoff as appeared at the crime scene; the person currently in the room is actually Rob Stillwell disguised as Geoff, who is looking to steal the code for the Voodooverse. Additionally, Rob Stillwell couldn’t have used the knife, as it is covered in sigils that would turn him mad.

Kevin reveals that the murderer is Zippy, despite him being dead. Zippy is the only one who has access to the knife, a motive, and the strength and size to stab Kem through the top of the head, as Zippy controls all security at the Winters’ mansion. Zippy knows that Kem would like to live with the fairies, who were uploaded onto the internet; Zippy did the same with Kem’s mind, which then entered the Voodooverse. However, Mr Winters then shut down the Voodooverse, and Zippy needed a way to turn the sun back on, which is why he called Kevin and Abi.

Kevin then calls out to Kem, who can hear and responds. Kem compliments Kevin’s detective skills, but says that he’d rather Kevin hadn’t disclosed that he’s still alive, so no one would come looking for him. He says that the fairies have been slowly leaving the Voodooverse through a backdoor into the wider internet, before insulting his father and telling his mum that he loves her. Kem tells Kevin that if he or a descendant of his ever wants to learn some computer skills, to come find Kem. Kem then leaves with the rest of the fairies.

To cheer Mr Winters up, Kevin tells a joke, and the group leaves to discuss the case over a pint at the Gryphon’s Tail. Ryvyr questions whether they should call the police, but Kevin shrugs it off as there is nothing the police can do anymore. (The Reveal (Kevin & Abi 2))

## Cast and Characters

### Main Characters

Oliver Marsh as "Kevin the Mouse"

Kiera-Marie Somers as "Abi"

Kerttu Aarnipuu as "Ryvyr"

### Minor Characters

Oliver Marsh as "Santiago Winters"

Lauren Osborn as "Xiao-Li Winters"

Hayley Warner as "Alyssa"

Paul Shapera as "Geoff", "Zippy", "Kem", "Pixel the Fairy", the Online Fairies, and the Security Robots

## Trivia

* The album cover features a number of coded messages and references to the series, which are easier to see on this version of the cover.
	+ The images clockwise from the top right are: the Sword of Demetrius; Mrs Winters' pills; the open window; the symbols for add, divide, multiply, and subtract; a starburst of magic; some chains; a keyboard; a frog; Kem's locked box; a stream of money; and the Arcadia Corp logo.
	+ The encoded chunks of text going clockwise from the top right read:
		- "I’m Zippy I’m your virtual assistant can I help you out with something on this bright and lovely day"
		- "School is fun"
		- "We do some reading, writing, dividing, multiplying, geography and science"
		- "School is fun"
		- "It's a pasta rigatoni, it's spaghetti, it's a cold, it a holy, it's stromboli, carbanara superbowl"
		- "School is fun"
		- "School is fun"
		- "Learning learning we learning"
		- "friends and knowledge al" (the end is cut off)
		- "School is fun"
		- "School is fun"
		- "Boom shaka ma ka laka shaka laka boom boom boom shaka laka laka la ka boom boom"
	+ There is also some very small text on the yellow bar behind the locked box which is encoded using a Vigenere cipher using the keyphrase "newalbionhasnosun". The decoded string reads "Bing bang boose, cause the moose is on the loose."
* This album is known as "Kevin & Abi 2: The Secret of the Stolen Sun" on Spotify.
* This album features three characters named after PixelWayve: Pixel the Fairy, Alyssa, and Xiao-Li Winters.
* Geoff, Robert Stillwell, and Santiago Winters are all named after Patreon supporters.
* The story for this album was written by Kevin Hulburt, a friend of Paul.