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[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?]
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. ]
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?
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. ]
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. ]
[ 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. ]
Having fun down there?
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?
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.
[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.
Annie!
[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.]
[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.]
[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 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.]
Are you alright?
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?
Armin?
[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?
[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?
I climbed my way down.
[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?
[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?
I see...
[ 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. ]
[ 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...
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...
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. ]
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. ]
[Standing, Jean meets Armin's seriousness.]
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?
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?
[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...
[Jean's coming with right???]
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???]
Or we could just get out of here.
[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.
[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.
There could be answers down here.
[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.
[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.
[It may be dangerous if they set foot off the dune but Jean doesn't mention that. Doesn't feel he needs to when it's Armin he's talking to. Still, the pointed comment is heard and frowned at on his end, setting off after Armin.]
I'm more concerned about the lack of food.
[There's no telling at this point if there will be any, nevermind the availability of water. It seems reckless, heading off without considering any of it and if he were with anyone else he would voice that. But Armin has a tendency to think ahead. A mysterious ability to consider all the options. Jean trusts him.]
That sun is freaking me out.
I'm more concerned about the lack of food.
[There's no telling at this point if there will be any, nevermind the availability of water. It seems reckless, heading off without considering any of it and if he were with anyone else he would voice that. But Armin has a tendency to think ahead. A mysterious ability to consider all the options. Jean trusts him.]
That sun is freaking me out.
[And thinking ahead is something he's definitely doing now. Granted, his ideas were always so wild and out of the box that he was never quite sure if they'd pull through just like he'd hoped they would, but... His friends believed in him. Wasn't that enough?
Even planning ahead... this was reckless.
He doesn't comment on the lack of food (because it's a worry and a bet he's already got in his mind), but the sun comment does earn a frown. He raises a hand to shield his eyes from it as he looks up. He can't tell where the light of this 'sun' is even coming from, but there's no way it's coming from that hole before. It wouldn't be this blindingly bright.]
It's almost like it's coming from every direction at once. [While saying this, he uses his free hand to dig into a pocket, pulling out the pocket watch and glancing down at the screen as he rifles through recent posts. Maybe there's something about this place here...]
Even planning ahead... this was reckless.
He doesn't comment on the lack of food (because it's a worry and a bet he's already got in his mind), but the sun comment does earn a frown. He raises a hand to shield his eyes from it as he looks up. He can't tell where the light of this 'sun' is even coming from, but there's no way it's coming from that hole before. It wouldn't be this blindingly bright.]
It's almost like it's coming from every direction at once. [While saying this, he uses his free hand to dig into a pocket, pulling out the pocket watch and glancing down at the screen as he rifles through recent posts. Maybe there's something about this place here...]
That's not possible, right?
[Jean continues on behind him, blades out and curiously prodding random dunes as they pass. Watching how the blades leave trails in the sand.]
I guess a lot of impossible stuff happens here.
[It's unclear if Jean is talking to himself or trying to converse with Armin. Either way, he's not looking in Armin's direction, moving on from the dunes to the pyramids, squinting at them from afar.]
[Jean continues on behind him, blades out and curiously prodding random dunes as they pass. Watching how the blades leave trails in the sand.]
I guess a lot of impossible stuff happens here.
[It's unclear if Jean is talking to himself or trying to converse with Armin. Either way, he's not looking in Armin's direction, moving on from the dunes to the pyramids, squinting at them from afar.]
[This exchange of half-thinking aloud and half-talking to each other continues one for some time. So much sand and yet nothing eventful... Aside from a gaping hole in the ground that lead them here to begin with. It didn't make any sense, and with hardly any clues on the network to go off of, Armin was trying to puzzle it out himself.
What were these strange buildings? They seemed to be some sort of focus point at the center of it all, and so they'd likely hold more than the sand surrounding them, but...
One pyramid is right before them, now, and Armin stops to press a hand against the side and glance up it curiously. What could they be for? In the middle of nowhere, but so extravagant...--
It's right in the middle of his thought process that he catches the sight of sand tumbling slowly down the slope of the pyramid. Nothing too much at first, but after having it be so quiet for so long, he's stepping back defensively quickly enough. The bigger shaking of the ground comes next, as muffled as it is by the soft sand beneath them, and in a few spots peppered around the area, arms claw out of the sand and grab for anything near them, ankles included.]
Jean! [Immediately Armin is worried and moves to alert his friend of the hands clawing their way out followed by bodies from the looks of it, but his first step outwards is interrupted too soon. A bandaged arm wraps around his neck from behind (when did it get there?!) and he finds himself being pulled backwards harshly.
His hands reach towards his own neck to try and rip away the arm and struggle free, but it doesn't seem to help much. What he does pick up on is that he's being pulled back into the pyramid.]
What were these strange buildings? They seemed to be some sort of focus point at the center of it all, and so they'd likely hold more than the sand surrounding them, but...
One pyramid is right before them, now, and Armin stops to press a hand against the side and glance up it curiously. What could they be for? In the middle of nowhere, but so extravagant...--
It's right in the middle of his thought process that he catches the sight of sand tumbling slowly down the slope of the pyramid. Nothing too much at first, but after having it be so quiet for so long, he's stepping back defensively quickly enough. The bigger shaking of the ground comes next, as muffled as it is by the soft sand beneath them, and in a few spots peppered around the area, arms claw out of the sand and grab for anything near them, ankles included.]
Jean! [Immediately Armin is worried and moves to alert his friend of the hands clawing their way out followed by bodies from the looks of it, but his first step outwards is interrupted too soon. A bandaged arm wraps around his neck from behind (when did it get there?!) and he finds himself being pulled backwards harshly.
His hands reach towards his own neck to try and rip away the arm and struggle free, but it doesn't seem to help much. What he does pick up on is that he's being pulled back into the pyramid.]
Armin!
[It takes Jean a minute. Back turned and examining another ruined wall, he doesn't catch the motion before it wraps around his friend, only turning around once his name is called. After that, he starts forward, face panicked and blades out. Hands grab at his feet and trip him up but they're easy enough to cut through; he can't stop. Not before he saves Armin.
Yet the faster he runs the less it seems to matter–the monster's already gotten a headstart. There's no way to catch up with it before it drags Armin inside. All he can hope for is to slip in before the door closes–something that seems less likely as Armin descends into the pyramid and a stone slab threatens to slam down.
Jean cuts himself free from another hand, speeds up and slides in just in time. The stone slams to the ground behind his head, trimming a few loose hairs. Jean scrambles to his feet, staring into the darkness of the pyramid with a growing sense of dread.]
Armin?!
[It takes Jean a minute. Back turned and examining another ruined wall, he doesn't catch the motion before it wraps around his friend, only turning around once his name is called. After that, he starts forward, face panicked and blades out. Hands grab at his feet and trip him up but they're easy enough to cut through; he can't stop. Not before he saves Armin.
Yet the faster he runs the less it seems to matter–the monster's already gotten a headstart. There's no way to catch up with it before it drags Armin inside. All he can hope for is to slip in before the door closes–something that seems less likely as Armin descends into the pyramid and a stone slab threatens to slam down.
Jean cuts himself free from another hand, speeds up and slides in just in time. The stone slams to the ground behind his head, trimming a few loose hairs. Jean scrambles to his feet, staring into the darkness of the pyramid with a growing sense of dread.]
Armin?!
[Armin's pulled back further, the arm squeezing so tight it threatens to steal his breath right out from him. The light gets shut out by the closing of the door, but he hears Jean's voice call out clearly.
One of his hands shifts downwards to grab at one of his swords, bringing it out and forward before stabbing it back behind him. It's enough to puncture the stomach of whatever was holding him captive, but he still spins a bit roughly out of the way, back smacking into a wall with a grunt.]
I'm over this way! [The most important thing right now was to make himself known. Make sure Jean knew he was alive and which way he was-- but before he can add any more, he's dodging claws with a duck and stumbling out of the way of the mummy with a tense expression. His free hand pulls out a sword as well.
Were these.. human?]
One of his hands shifts downwards to grab at one of his swords, bringing it out and forward before stabbing it back behind him. It's enough to puncture the stomach of whatever was holding him captive, but he still spins a bit roughly out of the way, back smacking into a wall with a grunt.]
I'm over this way! [The most important thing right now was to make himself known. Make sure Jean knew he was alive and which way he was-- but before he can add any more, he's dodging claws with a duck and stumbling out of the way of the mummy with a tense expression. His free hand pulls out a sword as well.
Were these.. human?]
Armin!
[Jean dashes forward only to be pulled back by hands that erupt from the darkness to grab him. One grabs his cloak, the other his shirt, another his gear and he fights against them all. The hand on the gear he manages to knock away but the claw on his chest pierces through his shirt and scrapes at his chest, breaking the skin. The other on his cloak tightens its hold, and it's all he can do to raise his blade and cut the fabric it's holding away.
The instant release makes him stumble forward, which tears the piercing hand off too but not without sacrifices. His shirt is torn, his chest might be bleeding and he has to pause in his escape to cough and catch his breath.]
We-[Another cough.]–we need some light!
[Jean dashes forward only to be pulled back by hands that erupt from the darkness to grab him. One grabs his cloak, the other his shirt, another his gear and he fights against them all. The hand on the gear he manages to knock away but the claw on his chest pierces through his shirt and scrapes at his chest, breaking the skin. The other on his cloak tightens its hold, and it's all he can do to raise his blade and cut the fabric it's holding away.
The instant release makes him stumble forward, which tears the piercing hand off too but not without sacrifices. His shirt is torn, his chest might be bleeding and he has to pause in his escape to cough and catch his breath.]
We-[Another cough.]–we need some light!
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