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

[Still in the hallway, Armin is watching the device so he gets the response immediately. For a moment he's dumbfounded, trying to understand why Eren is so cheerful after everything that happened and why Eren seems more comfortable in this city than he definitely feels. And "finally"? What did he mean? The Gaomon stares up at the device as Armin stares down and it takes him a moment to find his voice.]

Eren! You're here, too? Where are you?

I'm-

[He's cut off as his Tentomon wiggles out from underneath him, hitting him in the stomach with its elbow.]

We're in his room! Are you his friend from back home? The nice one?

[Eren grumbles, snatching the D-Terminal away from his Tentomon.]

Yeah, we're in my...apartment. [Is that the right word?] Where are you? I'll come find you!

[... For a second, he though the sound echoed, like he was hearing it faintly from another source, too. But then a large bug of sorts is talking at him and his dog has hopped to hang off his shoulder to get a better look and Armin staggers under the sudden weight.]

The apartments... that's where I am too, I think. The place where they assigned me somewhere to live...

Eren, are you feeling all right?

[No, he's feeling pretty left.

He nods, shuffling up and disappearing from the video.]

I'll come find you!

H-hey! Put your shoes on or something!

[And that's when the feed goes dead, but that's alright because moments later Eren comes barreling out of his door. (Barefoot, because fuck you Tentomon you're not his real mom. His real mom is DEAD.) It takes him a handful of seconds to realize that there is someone right there and in an impressive maneuver that would make Shadis roll over in his grave if he were...actually dead...Eren trips and twists, nearly trampling his poor Tentomon as he tries to stop his momentum.]

[Eren you're not Marco.]

W-wait, Ere--

[Don't just nod at him, why are you awake already? Why are you so calm? Why aren't you talking at all about what just transpired before we arrived here?! But Eren is gone before he can get any of those questions in and before he can even close his device to wait until his friend arrives, he hears a door slam open only feet away and he looks up to see something flying at him at the speed of Mikasa on her maneuver gear. The Gaomon reacts faster than him and throws himself off Armin's arm but Armin has no room to twist around -- he gets smushed between the stumbling body and the wall as Eren's shoulder rams right into his chest and he gasps--]

... Eren!?

[If only by virtue of still being alive.

He doesn't have much time to react, hands going out to protect him just a little bit as he goes down. At least he doesn't smack his head on the floor, but his hands and wrists ache from the impact. Soon enough he's scrabbling up to his feet, Tentomon hovering the the side and looking as concerned as a lady bug possibly could.]

A-Armin! You're right here?!

[It hurts. His elbows hit the hard surface of the floor and the back of his head the wall -- the injury from the expedition reminds him of its existence as the pain explodes behind his eyes, more intense than most other times he accidentally greeted the ground with his head, and his response to Eren is delayed from it. He's slower to get up after Eren, his Gaomon reappearing beside him to grab the back of his shirt in an attempt to be helpful.]

Y-yeah... I'm here. [He rubs his head tenderly, then ignoring the ache he snaps his eyes up to his best friend and grasps his shoulders.] Eren! How are you feeling? Do you hurt anywhere? When did you wake up?

[He's about to reach out to him, but then Armin is grabbing him and he's not sure what to do. He's pretty sure his friend has lost his mind.]

Th-this morning? Not as early as I would during training, but I didn't oversleep!

[This morning? Not as early as during training? What was he talking about?]

... Eren.

What is the last thing you remember?

[What is he talking about?]

We- There was the female titan. We couldn't complete are mission as planned.

[The expedition? Armin's eyes widen, and he feels his heartbeat quicken as his stomach sinks. There's something absolutely wrong. How? Eren's memory was perfectly fine. Was it because of the fight in Stohess? Did the shift during that battle damage his mind? How could this be--?]

... Had you already returned from the expedition?

[He shakes his head, slowly.]

No...I was still in the trees.

[A pause, and he rubs at his arms awkwardly.] But I know that things would have turned out fine. Everyone knew what they were doing.

[Armin steels the muscles of his face. He mustn't let is show. He mustn't. Did Eren not know?]

... I see. So, you're--

You're right. You were with Corporal Levi's squad. They're very skilled, after all.

[Armin just keeps acting stranger and stranger. He must just be overwhelmed, Eren decides. After all, Eren had a very hard time adjusting to this strange world.]

They're some of the best. I know they're going to do their best, just like everyone else.

... Eren.

Actually, I don't know how this works, but I think we're from different points in time.

I'm-- for me, the expedition already ended.

[What.]

What? What do you mean, Armin? What happened?

... The expedition is over.

Our memories don't match up... but I don't understand why that's the case. I don't know if sharing information would be safe.

[His face drops. From...after the expedition? That's impossible.]

It's over? What do you mean? What happened while we were out there? You can tell me, can't you? It...wouldn't change anything, if I knew, right?

I don't know.

[If Eren knew -- if they all knew, would the expedition be a success? No, Eren's already in the forest and dozens of soldiers are already dead. If Eren knew who the titan was, would he hesitate less to right, or would he be unable to fight at all? Would they be able to use her without having to trick her, without her fighting back, without all those people in Stohess dying...]

... I don't know.

[He shakes his head, looking away. All of those soldiers died for nothing gained, so Eren and Erwin were summoned. They cornered her in Stohess so their summons would be canceled. It worked. They caught her. Erwin kept his post. Eren was free. Mostly.

He doesn't know if things will go that way if Eren knew.]

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