[Adjusting to so many things was strange enough as it is. A completely different world-- no, universe, it seemed. Something he had only been able to dream of back home, and now it was some sort of reality, even with its own downsides left and right.
He'd spent a lot of his time looking around. Admiring the water, the buildings, the technology, even the forest for a bit-- there were some things that were similar, but some that were so strange and so like the things in the books he'd read that it was unbelievable.
Of course he'd be out and looking around when there was rumor of some ruby appearing in the museum. The museum was interesting enough on its own. But the time he arrived there, the floor had collapsed in one of the rooms, and what it revealed was even stranger.
Carefully maneuvering around the debris at the edge, he jumps his way down (or something idefk this is a musebox) into the cavern, hand touching down onto the sand as he stumbles a bit in the softness. Straightening himself, he picks up a handful and lets it fall through his fingers, watching with curiosity before his gaze raises to stare across the incredibly large cavern. How...? And was that the sun?]
[ It's creepy enough here to be constantly checking over his shoulder. Everything's shady here. The buildings are shady, the people are shady, even the trees are shady. Green's darting his eyes around the area, moving deeper in to... wherever he's going (meh musebox). Away from town, for one. These creepy ghost people are probably going to give him nightmares. Geez. Not that he gets nightmares. Nope.
He has his Arcanine by his side though, in case something does pop up. He's no fighter, like some of the other's he's come across here, but he's a Pokemon trainer. Which means that he's going to put his bet on whatever is going to give him the best chance of survival. But his Arcanine's just as tense as he is, taking extra caution to stay a step ahead of Green. They go down that same cavern, and that seems like a clearing, just after those bushes... ]
....? [ He's not alone. Arcanine's crouches down and his ears flatten, ready for sudden movements. ] You're...?
What are you doing here? [ Best first impression. ]
[Armin turns when he hears the bushes rustling in a way that no wind could have caused. He's learned that while Titans aren't an immediate threat in this place, it didn't make the world peaceful and there were plenty of creatures prepared to attack him when he did his rounds of searching about.
But this time, it's a person. A boy and... some sort of dog? A very strange looking dog with stripes. Not to mention how huge it was.
He can't help the uneasy look on his own face as he straightens more for the greeting. Not entirely hostile, but not exactly pleasant either. He's all too used to that sort of greeting.]
I was just looking around. [It's true, and he says it simply enough.] Aren't you doing the same?
[ After a moment's inspection, it's clear that whoever this boy is, he's not a trainer. He also seems to be apart of some weird organization or another, with that uniform. The boy doesn't look that harmless, but he can never be too sure. He reaches to gently put his hand on Arcanine's side, and like that, the Pokemon straightens up. While staring at Armin. ]
More like trying to get away. Didn't you notice how weird this place is? [ He flicks a nod in the general direction of the town. ] Something's not right here.
I don't have time for dealing with this, either. [ Shrug. Faster he finds a way out, the better. ]
Did you think wandering off would bring you somewhere safer?
[It's a little blunt and harsh out of nowhere, but Armin is just asking honestly. The forest felt unsafe and he had no idea how to handle the large body of water. There weren't any titans around from the looks of things, and though it was weird and dangerous, this city clearly held keys and knowledge about itself inside.]
There might be some key to finding out how we got here.
Not wandering off. Away. [ There's a very specific difference. ]
It's easy to tell that whatever this city is, it's only bad news. Don't you want to get away from here, too? [ He cocks an eyebrow, taking a step closer to the boy. Arcanine naturally follows. ]
Tch. What's the point of finding that out? It won't help me find a way out. I have a gym to run, you know. [ He says that with a kind of pride, because well... it's a big deal. In his world. But he doesn't know that other worlds don't have gyms. ]
[ Annie hadn't meant to follow Armin for as long as she was. She only wanted to see what he was up to and then leave it at that and go on her own separate way, but just like how things have been with her since she got here - nothing ever goes as planned.
And this is how she finds herself standing at the edge of the hole which lead to the cavern (and Armin) below. Honestly she didn't expect him to be so reckless as to go down there without checking what was down there in store for him first. Hesitating herself, she crouches down over the edge. Things looked to be okay. ]
[The name blurts out in short surprise at the voice as he turns to look up. She's not coming down with him, so it's clear she has some reluctance to just jump down and look around with no sure way of coming back up. Their gear is very much limited here-- it only makes sense.
But for the sake of possible answers...]
This area is wide open and huge. It looks like it may stretch beyond just the museum itself.
[Rather than react to what he can only assume is a playful jab at his position, he wants to inform her of this.]
[ Despite Armin’s information, she still hesitates to go make any movements that may imply that she’s going to join him down there. It’s still a ways back up and from the looks of it from her angle, there’s no clear-cut way back up to where they would have entered. Though, realistically thinking, there had to be a way out. ]
How far do you plan on exploring? [ She’s leaning in to get a closer look, and it does look as impressive as he had described. ]
[He watches her silently for a moment, judging her hesitant peers inside before he turns to look out into the desert once more. This could go on forever. Who knew how long, or what he'd find...
But at the same time, it was something different. Something promising.]
Until I find something. [He turns back to look up at Annie.]
Those things are some kind of structures. I may be able to enter them. I'll have to get closer to see, but...
[In a way, it's convenient. Only a couple minutes after Armin falls into the hole, Jean walks in–drawn to the building by his own curiosity. Time passed by slowly when he wasn't training, anyway. A look at a gem shouldn't do any harm (especially when he had never seen one).
The thought of seeing it distracts him enough that he misses the beginning of the gap in the floor, stretching out a foot and missing the floor entirely, tumbling on in with a trailing shout. Gracelessly, he lands in the sand just behind Armin; he pushes himself out of the small dune, spluttering and scowling down at sand that kindly cushioned him.]
What the hell?
[No, he hasn't realized Armin's there yet. Shut up.]
[The shout attracts Armin's attention immediately, and he whirls around with a sudden tenseness in thinking it may be danger-- but before he can even process what's causing the noise, a figure falls before him and into the sand.]
Jean?! [What was he doing here?
Ah, but setting that question aside for later observation and possible questioning, he steps forward for now, half-hunching over to see if Jean needed any sort of help up and inspecting him for any obvious injuries.]
[He says that seriously, but what he really means is more like carefully jumped and... sort of climbed debris. Details.
Jean seems to have all of his bones in place, so Armin stands up straighter and turns to follow his gaze at the source of light from beneath the museum.]
I'm not sure. It's lighting up the whole area, and this seems to stretch on even past the museum... [Slowly, he turns back to Jean, seriousness settling into his features past the concern.] We're just beneath the museum itself. Could something like this go beneath the whole city?
[That question gets a slow blink from Armin before he looks back out into the desert.]
Not aside from that hole up there. I thought I'd take a look around at things down here, first.
[He'll figure out how to get out of here later. In his curiosity, he steps forward in the sand a few steps, eyes locked onto a pyramid in the distance.] Those are some sort of structures ahead. We may be able to enter them...
[Just saying. Not that he won't just follow Armin anyway. He'd feel bad if he didn't. Begrudgingly, he slides down the dune, already expecting Armin's answer to his suggestion. He's known the guy long enough for that.]
If you want to look around, I'll help, but I'm not setting foot in any weird buildings.
[He says that so pointedly it's clear that he's bothered that Jean would want to leave, but he leaves it at that and keeps walking once Jean has slid down to meet him. As for the building comment... He hesitates, and then nods without a glance back.]
That's fine. It may be too dangerous if both of us try to enter.
[ If there's anyone he was far too protective of already, it was Armin. Which was kinda dumb, because his friend's always had his head screwed on far tighter than he did— even if Armin's weaker, no one would've put money on Eren outsurviving him.
But he's seen him follow them into the Survey Corps and bullies slam him into walls and a Titan swallow him without a fight and all he can do is worry. Finding a tombstone with his name on it and a grave with his body was enough to send his instincts into needless overdrive, and when he loses sight of Armin in the cavern he panics.
There's the sound of shifting sand and hissing air as Eren lands into the cavern besides the smaller boy. He grabs at his arm, grip digging into his jacket and voice tense. ]
[The grip startles him out of his observations and he half turns immediately to face it, a concerned expression spreading over his features.]
I'm right here.
[The response is immediate enough, and it's not irritated or anything close-- just reassuring. But he'd noticed since his arrival in this place that Eren had been strangely tense in everything he did. Whether it was poking around in the shops or even asking about checking out the forest... There were subtle things, and then there were moments like this.
He wasn't sure what to make of it. But bringing it up may cause even more tension, and so he kept quiet about it for now, instead gesturing with his free arm across the cavern.]
It's almost like there's a sun down here. And look how far it stretches...
[ Eren looks Armin over, checking for injuries before letting his shoulders and chin fall slightly. They hadn't talked about what happened before— he was honest in almost all matters, but he didn't mind hiding the truth from time to time. When it counted. He hadn't explained why he looked so shocked to find Armin back at the traintracks, or why he and Mikasa had dragged him into a hug that was several beats too long.
And he didn't plan on it now. His gaze follows Armin's gesturing, a small look of wonder crossing his face at the second sun. ]
Yeah... [ He looks over the cavern, blinking at the sun before averting his gaze. He kicks at the sand and stone, silent for a bit. ] It's [ kind of amazing, huh? ] weird. We should probably get out of here.
[The question is sincere, and his eyes drag back to Eren curiously.] I know you must be thinking it's dangerous, but look at how vast it is. It must stretch out beneath the whole city and beyond... If just one spot could collapse like that, shouldn't it be a worry that the rest of the city will follow with it?
[It's just one of the things that comes to mind, and he takes an idle step forward, raising one hand to shield the light as he eyes the pyramids in the distance.]
It may be better to see what we can find out while it's quiet like this.
[ Eren's gaze slides over to Armin as he speaks, lips forming a thin, grim line. It was logical, because Armin is always logical. He always had the best plans, and Eren trusted them more than Hange's, more than Erwin's. No matter what, at whatever cost.
So he lets out a tiny, soundless sigh, tapping the tips of his boots against the ground to try and disperse the debris before waving absently with one hand and starting off towards the 'sun.' ]
All right, all right— you've got a point. [ He relents, in part because it'd be odd of him not to. Eren is all for reckless venturing into the unknown with more boldness than he should, even if it's a little harder to reach that conclusion here. ] But lemme go first.
Edited (screams at word repetition) 2013-11-26 08:17 (UTC)
[That request is especially concerning when the back of his mind can't rid himself of worrying he's too weak and a burden. It's something he strives not to be. Never wants to be-- and now he's realized that Eren and Mikasa never once saw him as one. But they had this determination to be strong for him...
It was a bag of mixed feelings, but in the end, he couldn't help but feel fond. His gaze moves back out to the desert, nodding slightly.]
Fields of sand... It's just like my parents said. [And it was so strange to be standing in it. ...But right, he'll turn back to Eren with a firm expression next. He wasn't going to run off first if it would cause problems. He wasn't that stupid.] I'll follow you.
Okay. Good. [ Telling him to hold back or extending a hand when he needed help standing had never been about looking down on Armin. Sure, he rarely extended the same to Mikasa, but everything about the two different duos was separate: she'd follow him around and nag and tried to hold him behind a safety net from the world he'd loved so much. And he cared for her, unconditionally, but it frustrated him.
Armin was the one who he'd find and share stories with, shoulders bumping against each other as they'd read lines aloud and jab fingers at pictures in faded yellow books. Protecting him was always because he was important, and not because of any weakness on his part.
He reminds himself of that, finally letting a smile cross his face as he starts to walk. Their footsteps make the softest sounds, and Eren finds himself treading heavily. ]
It's a 'desert,' right? [ He speaks over his shoulder, careful not to let his attention wander too far. ] I know we're here to find some answers, but it's kinda cool.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
no subject
He'd spent a lot of his time looking around. Admiring the water, the buildings, the technology, even the forest for a bit-- there were some things that were similar, but some that were so strange and so like the things in the books he'd read that it was unbelievable.
Of course he'd be out and looking around when there was rumor of some ruby appearing in the museum. The museum was interesting enough on its own. But the time he arrived there, the floor had collapsed in one of the rooms, and what it revealed was even stranger.
Carefully maneuvering around the debris at the edge, he jumps his way down (or something idefk this is a musebox) into the cavern, hand touching down onto the sand as he stumbles a bit in the softness. Straightening himself, he picks up a handful and lets it fall through his fingers, watching with curiosity before his gaze raises to stare across the incredibly large cavern. How...? And was that the sun?]
no subject
Not that he gets nightmares. Nope.He has his Arcanine by his side though, in case something does pop up. He's no fighter, like some of the other's he's come across here, but he's a Pokemon trainer. Which means that he's going to put his bet on whatever is going to give him the best chance of survival. But his Arcanine's just as tense as he is, taking extra caution to stay a step ahead of Green. They go down that same cavern, and that seems like a clearing, just after those bushes... ]
....? [ He's not alone. Arcanine's crouches down and his ears flatten, ready for sudden movements. ] You're...?
What are you doing here? [ Best first impression. ]
no subject
But this time, it's a person. A boy and... some sort of dog? A very strange looking dog with stripes. Not to mention how huge it was.
He can't help the uneasy look on his own face as he straightens more for the greeting. Not entirely hostile, but not exactly pleasant either. He's all too used to that sort of greeting.]
I was just looking around. [It's true, and he says it simply enough.] Aren't you doing the same?
no subject
More like trying to get away. Didn't you notice how weird this place is? [ He flicks a nod in the general direction of the town. ] Something's not right here.
I don't have time for dealing with this, either. [ Shrug. Faster he finds a way out, the better. ]
no subject
[It's a little blunt and harsh out of nowhere, but Armin is just asking honestly. The forest felt unsafe and he had no idea how to handle the large body of water. There weren't any titans around from the looks of things, and though it was weird and dangerous, this city clearly held keys and knowledge about itself inside.]
There might be some key to finding out how we got here.
no subject
It's easy to tell that whatever this city is, it's only bad news. Don't you want to get away from here, too? [ He cocks an eyebrow, taking a step closer to the boy. Arcanine naturally follows. ]
Tch. What's the point of finding that out? It won't help me find a way out. I have a gym to run, you know. [ He says that with a kind of pride, because well... it's a big deal. In his world. But he doesn't know that other worlds don't have gyms. ]
no subject
And this is how she finds herself standing at the edge of the hole which lead to the cavern (and Armin) below. Honestly she didn't expect him to be so reckless as to go down there without checking what was down there in store for him first. Hesitating herself, she crouches down over the edge. Things looked to be okay. ]
Having fun down there?
no subject
[The name blurts out in short surprise at the voice as he turns to look up. She's not coming down with him, so it's clear she has some reluctance to just jump down and look around with no sure way of coming back up. Their gear is very much limited here-- it only makes sense.
But for the sake of possible answers...]
This area is wide open and huge. It looks like it may stretch beyond just the museum itself.
[Rather than react to what he can only assume is a playful jab at his position, he wants to inform her of this.]
no subject
[ Despite Armin’s information, she still hesitates to go make any movements that may imply that she’s going to join him down there. It’s still a ways back up and from the looks of it from her angle, there’s no clear-cut way back up to where they would have entered. Though, realistically thinking, there had to be a way out. ]
How far do you plan on exploring? [ She’s leaning in to get a closer look, and it does look as impressive as he had described. ]
no subject
But at the same time, it was something different. Something promising.]
Until I find something. [He turns back to look up at Annie.]
Those things are some kind of structures. I may be able to enter them. I'll have to get closer to see, but...
no subject
The thought of seeing it distracts him enough that he misses the beginning of the gap in the floor, stretching out a foot and missing the floor entirely, tumbling on in with a trailing shout. Gracelessly, he lands in the sand just behind Armin; he pushes himself out of the small dune, spluttering and scowling down at sand that kindly cushioned him.]
What the hell?
[No, he hasn't realized Armin's there yet. Shut up.]
no subject
Jean?! [What was he doing here?
Ah, but setting that question aside for later observation and possible questioning, he steps forward for now, half-hunching over to see if Jean needed any sort of help up and inspecting him for any obvious injuries.]
Are you alright?
no subject
[One eyebrow raised, he gives Armin a quick look before glancing upwards. Was the floor really that high up and–
Jean squints past Armin's shoulder.]
–Is that a sun? Where are we? How'd you get down here?
no subject
[He says that seriously, but what he really means is more like carefully jumped and... sort of climbed debris. Details.
Jean seems to have all of his bones in place, so Armin stands up straighter and turns to follow his gaze at the source of light from beneath the museum.]
I'm not sure. It's lighting up the whole area, and this seems to stretch on even past the museum... [Slowly, he turns back to Jean, seriousness settling into his features past the concern.] We're just beneath the museum itself. Could something like this go beneath the whole city?
no subject
If it has I've never heard of it before.
[Which doesn't exclude it from the list of possibilities. He dusts his sleeves off as his gaze wanders, surveying the area open to them.]
Any chance you've seen a way out?
no subject
Not aside from that hole up there. I thought I'd take a look around at things down here, first.
[He'll figure out how to get out of here later. In his curiosity, he steps forward in the sand a few steps, eyes locked onto a pyramid in the distance.] Those are some sort of structures ahead. We may be able to enter them...
[Jean's coming with right???]
no subject
[Just saying. Not that he won't just follow Armin anyway. He'd feel bad if he didn't. Begrudgingly, he slides down the dune, already expecting Armin's answer to his suggestion. He's known the guy long enough for that.]
If you want to look around, I'll help, but I'm not setting foot in any weird buildings.
no subject
[He says that so pointedly it's clear that he's bothered that Jean would want to leave, but he leaves it at that and keeps walking once Jean has slid down to meet him. As for the building comment... He hesitates, and then nods without a glance back.]
That's fine. It may be too dangerous if both of us try to enter.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
drama and actions it up sorry not sorry
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
no subject
But he's seen him follow them into the Survey Corps and bullies slam him into walls and a Titan swallow him without a fight and all he can do is worry. Finding a tombstone with his name on it and a grave with his body was enough to send his instincts into needless overdrive, and when he loses sight of Armin in the cavern he panics.
There's the sound of shifting sand and hissing air as Eren lands into the cavern besides the smaller boy. He grabs at his arm, grip digging into his jacket and voice tense. ]
Hey—! Stay close.
no subject
I'm right here.
[The response is immediate enough, and it's not irritated or anything close-- just reassuring. But he'd noticed since his arrival in this place that Eren had been strangely tense in everything he did. Whether it was poking around in the shops or even asking about checking out the forest... There were subtle things, and then there were moments like this.
He wasn't sure what to make of it. But bringing it up may cause even more tension, and so he kept quiet about it for now, instead gesturing with his free arm across the cavern.]
It's almost like there's a sun down here. And look how far it stretches...
no subject
And he didn't plan on it now. His gaze follows Armin's gesturing, a small look of wonder crossing his face at the second sun. ]
Yeah... [ He looks over the cavern, blinking at the sun before averting his gaze. He kicks at the sand and stone, silent for a bit. ] It's [ kind of amazing, huh? ] weird. We should probably get out of here.
no subject
[The question is sincere, and his eyes drag back to Eren curiously.] I know you must be thinking it's dangerous, but look at how vast it is. It must stretch out beneath the whole city and beyond... If just one spot could collapse like that, shouldn't it be a worry that the rest of the city will follow with it?
[It's just one of the things that comes to mind, and he takes an idle step forward, raising one hand to shield the light as he eyes the pyramids in the distance.]
It may be better to see what we can find out while it's quiet like this.
no subject
So he lets out a tiny, soundless sigh, tapping the tips of his boots against the ground to try and disperse the debris before waving absently with one hand and starting off towards the 'sun.' ]
All right, all right— you've got a point. [ He relents, in part because it'd be odd of him not to. Eren is all for reckless venturing into the unknown with more boldness than he should, even if it's a little harder to reach that conclusion here. ] But lemme go first.
no subject
It was a bag of mixed feelings, but in the end, he couldn't help but feel fond. His gaze moves back out to the desert, nodding slightly.]
Fields of sand... It's just like my parents said. [And it was so strange to be standing in it. ...But right, he'll turn back to Eren with a firm expression next. He wasn't going to run off first if it would cause problems. He wasn't that stupid.] I'll follow you.
no subject
Armin was the one who he'd find and share stories with, shoulders bumping against each other as they'd read lines aloud and jab fingers at pictures in faded yellow books. Protecting him was always because he was important, and not because of any weakness on his part.
He reminds himself of that, finally letting a smile cross his face as he starts to walk. Their footsteps make the softest sounds, and Eren finds himself treading heavily. ]
It's a 'desert,' right? [ He speaks over his shoulder, careful not to let his attention wander too far. ] I know we're here to find some answers, but it's kinda cool.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)