themainframe | 002 [video]

[Eren looks considerably happier this time around. Which, considering his default state is "pure, righteous anger", isn't much of a feat. He's sitting next to his Tentomon with the D-Terminal in his laps, and he's actually...smiling, looking like the fifteen year old he actually is.

Then he opens his mouth.

The language he speaks is odd - more like a mishmash of languages than anything else. People who are particularly observant might notice a few influences - a lot of German, a bit of English, French - pretty much every European language ever condensed with some Asian languages and turned into what Eren's saying right now. He gestures as he talks, and he doesn't seem at all deterred that he's speaking complete and total gibberish. His Tentomon seems to understand him, at least.]

Don't you think it's amazing that it happened so soon? It's done wonder's for your mood!

[Eren makes a face at the Tentomon, turning back to the scream and mumbling some more of his strange language before the feed ends.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Armin is sitting on Eren's bed watching in wonder as his friend talks into the device like it's perfectly normal, to a faceless audience that will see this and respond anyway. He still can't fully figure out how it works, but he's at least trying to get used to the fact that it does work. It's frustrating not to have everything figured out.

He of course understands Eren perfectly fine and doesn't even realize something is wrong. If he's touched by the change in Eren's mood pointed out by the tentomon, he takes it without looking flustered and just looks up, attention caught by the mention of the ocean.]

... That's right. This world-- it doesn't have walls.

[Hopefully he doesn't bother the bouncing too much, but he's probably used to Eren's constant state of motion by now.

He looks over, grinning brightly and looking just a bit...hopeful? Like everything hinged on what Armin would have to say.]

Not that I can see. And...And I've heard of far off places we can get to go to, and I think it might include the places we've dreamed of.

[He doesn't mind at all although he was surprised. Beds back home were never this cushy and he's been rather unwilling to move off of these ones, whether his own or Eren's, whoever's room they were in at the time. He responds to1 Eren's optimistic expression with a calmer one -- not pessimistic, but thoughtful, and also a little sad. A world without walls, a world without titans, a world they might be able to see an ocean in... but not their own.]

... The ocean that we dreamed of was the one beyond the walls. [It won't be the same. But he wants to see it. He wants to see.] But if we find it here, then there might be a bigger chance that we can find it back home, too.

If we find it, than we know that they're real. That the book was right.

[He seems to calm a bit, shifting so he's facing Armin fully. He wants to push forward, say that they should leave right now, but Armin has been...acting strange lately, and it was setting Eren on edge. He wants to ask him, grill him on anything and everything, but he's not sure he really wants to know. Maybe he'd be better off living his life as it happens, and not wanting to know what happened when he was gone.]

It could still be great.

[Armin's still sitting sideways on the bed, back against the wall even as Eren turns to face him. He draws his knees up and wraps his arms around his legs, fingers curling around the fabric of his pants.

Eren has no idea. Or if he does, he hasn't realized that he has yet. He's only seen the expedition; he hasn't been to Stohess -- does he even know the date of his summoning yet? He wonders if it would be better to let him know, have him know who the female titan really is, if it would make him more prepared to fight. But would it? There was nothing they could do about what as long as they were here. He doesn't know if Eren will e any more prepared to face up against someone he called a friend just because he knew everything earlier than just a couple days beforehand.

... He can't tell him. He can't risk something going different and going wrong.]

Yeah. It would be. I'd like to see it, too.

[Eren doesn't notice anything wrong about Armin. He's always been more thoughtful, more cautious, than Eren himself, so the way he's acting doesn't make him suspicious at all. He's just been assuming this whole time that Armin is from the same time as him, because why would he not be? That wouldn't make any sense at all.]

Well, we can go there. I think we can go whenever we want.

I don't want to set off on a trip too recklessly, unless you're more familiar with the region.

[He'd love to go. It was their dream, after all. He would never say no, but they have to be careful.]

There're maps in this world, right?

Isn't that why we have- [He motions to his Tentomon, who's gotten pretty comfy on Eren's lap.]

I think so.

[He hasn't looked.]

I was told they're here to help us, too, but it's still better if we know more, too. We can react faster if anything dangerous happens.

[He turns to the Gaomon, and then to Tentomon, waiting for an answer. Gaomon just... shrugs because he's very helpful.]

[This is Tentomon's time to shine.]

We're here to help and protect you! We have a mutually beneficial relationship! We help you, and then you can help us grow and improve, too.

[He buzzes happily, so pleased with himself.

Eren just looks kind of baffled, and nods dumbly.]

[He glances at Eren, then turns to Tentomon.] I was told each of you were waiting for someone to arrive. A sort of partner?

What are you supposed to be protecting us from?

[Tentomon shifts, tilting his head and looking it up at Armin.]

Dark digimon, wild digimon, things like that! Or from yourselves, in case you do anything dumb.

[It's that simple.]

["So you called us here for your own benefits but you'll at least keep our lost asses safe." He can almost hear Jean's grouchy response.]

... Quite an equal exchange, then. So, how do you grow, anyway? Are you like him-- [he gestures to Gaomon] -- and you want to train all the time?

002 [video]

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;