Listening keeps its reactive waveform. But thinking drops the dead bars for an indicator that actually travels, and speaking drops the fake wave — the typing words and the oxblood _ are the highlight.
Motion that progresses, not pulses. No amplitude to fake. Pick one.
Three dots rise & warm to oxblood in turn. Universally legible as “working”.
A dot circles the status ring — reuses our own motif. Distinctive, calm, clearly in-progress.
A light passes along a line — “scanning the files”. Quiet and linear.
No waveform. Her words rise in serif trailing an oxblood underscore. A discreet pause sits top-right for long answers; when she finishes, a Reply button fades in (which re-opens listening). Watch it run:
Pick a thinking indicator (orbit pre-selected) and confirm the speaking changes feel right (_ cursor, no wave, pause + Reply). Then B is locked into the guide and we go to C · settings & native consistency — and revisit D now that voice has its own home.