themainframe | action + video;

[action;]
[There's a young, blond haired boy sitting at a bench outside of the small (although it's extremely large to him) Tokyo Tower with a blue dog beside him. The Gaomon refuses to stand still, punching and kicking and jumping around, even as Armin sits as still as he can. He's silent, staring at the ground as a million thoughts run through his head (why him? what is this place? he got the explanation but it just brought more questions. was he the only one here? how would he survive here, he's never known anything outside of the walls that wasn't out to eat people.) He sits there for almost an hour until he finally gets to his feet, taking a deep breath and clenching his hands into fists to keep them from shaking. He's got to figure this out. He begins to walk, the Gaomon pausing its training to follow him as he begins to look for anybody he would be able to talk to.

And that person is you! Clad in a dark green cloak with the crest of a pair of wings embroidered into the back, Armin's expression is both serious and nervous, and he manages to stay calm as he walks up to you, raising his arm to show his D-Terminal.]

Excuse me-- I just arrived here a short while ago, and I'm afraid that I'm having trouble figuring out how this works. If you're familiar with how it works, would it be all right if I asked you to show me? As well as... a few tips on how to get by around here, if it's not too much trouble.

[video;]
[The video is later in the day, hours after Armin left the Tokyo Tower and learned some locations in Terminal Tokyo and found his way to the newcomers' apartment. He hasn't entered his room yet, but instead seems to be standing in one of the corridors, holding his device to show his face on the camera.]

... This is Armin Arlert of the Scouting Legion.

I've arrived at the housing prepared for newcomers to this world. If there is anybody from the Scouting Legion, Garrison, or Military Police -- or anybody who recognizes those names, I would like to request correspondence.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

If that term means lost and confused, that is what you can call it.

I don't know where to even begin. I've managed to light up this glass-like square once or twice, but I don't understand anything beyond it.

It pretty much encompasses every kind of discomfort after being thrown out of your normal environment and into a new one. It gets easier, I promise - Lopmon, get down for a sec before you fall...

All right, you know how to turn it on? Do you want to record audio or video?

That's-- exactly what it is, yes. Cultural shock...?

[He mumbles to himself before shaking his head at Kaoru.]

I'm sorry. I don't think I know what a video is, either. I can guess that "audio" must have something to do with sound..?

[A small laugh, but not a mean one, though Lopmon speaks before he does]

Oh, boy. You really do need help, don'cha?

...Lopmon, what have I told you about going easy on people when they first get here? Be nice.

Look, I'm assuming they don't have cell phones where you're from, and if that's the case it's pretty awesome you're on the right track. Don't listen to Lopmon, just because she knows everything she has no patience for people who are still getting used to things. Audio will let you send your voice to other peoples' devices - video sends your voice and your image as you're saying the words so don't... do anything daft like record from the bathroom or anything. Unless you don't care about that kinda thing, I don't know. You can type messages, too, but that might be slow if you're unfamiliar with QWERTY...

[a slightly awkward pause as he realises he might have bombarded this poor, unsuspecting stranger with too much new information] ...uh, well for a start, get into the video function. That one there, it looks like a little box with a circle in the middle...

[Armin listens silently, eyes flickering between his machine and the man in front of him. It's definitely a lot of information, and information he doesn't understand most of at that, but he manages to remember everything he is told so if the topic should arise when he has more knowledge, he would be able to figure it out. He separates the words he knows from the keywords he doesn't recognize, and decides that what his mind instinctively responds "impossible!" to with, he'll figure out later and accept for now.

For now, he turns his attention to the image Kaoru is pointing to and raises his own finger to it.]

This one, you mean? This is the one with the images?

That's the one! It will record you. We can do a test run, if you want.

So if you press that, it will turn on the camera and you should be able to see yourself on the screen... [he doesn't want to get all up in Armin's space so he tries to point out what he can without being too intrusive] This is the camera, here. That's the thing that... sees you, kinda, and records your movements. The tiny hole there picks up your voice. They both sort of work together and you get walking talking pictures.

The circle will make it record, the square will make it stop, and if you want to play it back, you want the sideways triangle. Wanna try it?

Yes. I'll try it, to see if I could get this right.

[He doesn't understand how something this small and seemingly simple could record images and even... voices? He tries not to think too hard as he presses the camera button, blinking in surprise when the the thing called a screen does, as Kaoru said, suddenly show his face. Was it like a mirror?]

What happens if I make this recording?

The world won't end, don't worry! You should be able to watch it back after you record it but... glitches happen, sometimes.

[kind of like a mirror, Armin, yes. But don't try to beat your camera-self, you'll just look like an idiot on tape]

So you just want to speak normally, no need to shout or anything. You could always do a 'Testing, Testing' kind of post if you want to see if it works first?

((I'm sorry I'm sorry for being late! I'm back now!!!)

Glitches... [He mumbles under his breath, further confused. He wonders if there might be a book of sorts on all the words these people use.]

I think practice would be useful, but I would like to try it without it sending to everybody who has access to this, first. Could I send it to you?

Glitches. Unexpected technical difficulties.

Sure, all right! [whipping out his own D-Terminal] Try to remember the pointers I gave you - but don't worry, I'll help out if you need - Lopmon. [barely even pausing to chastise his digimon, who is busy prodding Gaomon. She looks up at him and moves to sit on his feet, grumbling all the while]

I'm Kaoru, by the way. Sorry. In all the excitement I kinda forgot.

[The Gaomon doesn't seem to mind at least! He watches as the Lopmon moves away and sulks on Kaoru's feet before moving to stand next to Armin.]

It's fine -- my name is Armin Arlert. Kaoru...

[He looks down at his device, looking for the button mentioned earlier and pressing it. He doesn't know what to say though so he ends up staring at it unsurely for a few seconds before he finally presses the STOP button to end the recording. (How do people do this?)]

.. How do I send this to you specifically?

[at least Lopmon's not trying to butt in on his business. That's a good start!]

Hitachiin! Try typing in my name, since these things are linked I should come up.

Not Cow-Roo, by the way, I know how you foreigners think. It's Ka-o-ru. Kaoru.

[He will definitely try. The young man has a unique sort of facial feature he's only seen on one person in his entire life -- Mikasa, the only survivor of the clan of the east. Her name also had a similar sound in his name. The alphabet written on the buttons is strangely easy to understand, and he starts pressing them. K-a-o...]

... Is it this one?

That's right! [trying not to clap in delight.] See, you're getting the hang of this already! So you wanna pick my name, and then you should be able to send it.

All right. I think that's this button-- [He selects Kaoru as the recipient as his message, and he stares at the machine. What does he even say?

He ends up tapping it and then sending so Kaoru will get a bunch of tapping noises.]

Yep, yep, I got it I got it! [this is fun! See Armin? Isn't this fun?!]

Try approaching it with some idea of what you want to say. Even if it's just who you are, where you're from, and what you're looking for, if anything - it's a good place to start, anyway. Any other questions?

I think I'll know what to say. There are people I need to see if they're here with me, too.

[He sighs, lowering his device, jumping only slightly when he feels the Gaomon reach up to turn it off]

Well, there are so many questions I'm not entirely sure what to start asking from.

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