nothing changes here and nothing improves; [OPEN]

[blondtactician]

WHO: Armin Arlert and YOU!
WHERE: various locations in Heropa
WHEN: throughout March
WHAT: meeting up with people, dog walking, going to the gym, real intense, edge-of-your-seat stuff. i missed the plotting meme but if you'd like to interact with armin now's the chance! please check out the open post options or shoot me a PM (or ping me on plurk alienchrist) and i'll write you an opener!
WARNINGS: dog poop. minor injury. possible mentions of canon and in-game violence, will warn if it goes beyond PG-13

3/7 - Afternoon at the library; closed to zodbob

[The important thing about recovering from troublesome incidents is to reintroduce a routine. At least, that's what Armin tells himself. He doesn't want to be laid up feeling sorry about his life when there is work to do. He had his day at the beach, now it's time to get on track and get back to doing what he does best: helping people understand books and to a lesser extent, computers. Not that he's become an expert in spite of Skye's tutelage, but the search function and reserving books is relatively simple, such as these things go. Sometimes Armin still finds himself in awe of the smell of the books, the gentle hums of the flourescent lights and the whir of computer fans. It is always brightly lit and cool in here. Armin finds it relaxing.

Today he's at he desk most in view of the door, logging returned books and sorting them. He wants to make sure he's within plain view for whenever his imPort visitor arrives. If Armin doesn't recognize a new face looking clueless and poking around, maybe the imPort will recognize him.]


3/9, lunch time - at an Indian restaurant with a lunch buffet, closed to quinque

[Armin takes a sip of his water. The concept of ice clinking up against his teeth is still odd to him after all these months, but then, this whole situation is.

The last person he visited this restaurant with hated it, and they ended up in an argument, so Armin hasn't been back for awhile. He likes the spicy smell of the place, the friendly staff and the plentiful, surprisingly inexpensive food. India seems like it would be a fascinating place to visit - his initial exploratory interest is what led him to this place to begin with. He's getting a little hungry, so he's excited to start the meal as much as he sort of dreads seeing Suzuya again. Suzuya turned out to be incredibly strong and dangerous from what he remembers, which means he could be a powerful ally or a dangerous enemy when the situation pushed. As much as Armin sincerely wants to make amends for suddenly going off and attack him like that, his invitation is not just about that. Suzuya seems like the kind of person who could use some looking after, and maybe a friend, if he's even interest in such things. Armin can be that sort of person, if the situation calls for it.

He's curious about Suzuya. People often talk a lot more casually when there's food in front of them. It's worth a shot.

The server indicates he's free to visit the buffet whenever he's ready, and Armin smiles politely.] No, it's okay. I'm waiting for someone. [Armin spies Suzuya in the door, and waves.]


3/13, early evening - a small and brightly colored burrito stand; closed to welcome

[Armin likes this place because it's on his way to the bus stop from his work at the library. It barely has enough room for two tiny tables inside, but he likes its cheerful atmosphere and affordable prices. Armin sits by himself, slurping a horchata from a paper cup and people watching. It is almost too sweet, but he likes that sometimes: the presence of something utterly unknown to him before coming here.

He watches people file in and out of the place. It's fairly busy because it's dinner time, and he catches his fair shair of unpleasant glances because he's taking up a seat and not even eating a burrito. Armin is getting up to leave when he hears someone making an order. The voice is masculine and distinctive. More importantly, it's strangely familiar. He turns around to see the man making the order but doesn't recognize im. Maybe he's mistaken, but something about the stranger makes him stay. Armin waits for him to finish his order and queue up to wait for it before he approaches.]

You can stop me if this is too strange, but I feel like I've heard your voice before. Maybe the internet? Like on a podcast, or a video or something... [Puzzling through it aloud, Armin comes to it on his own:] You're the voice over for that movie trailer, right? [He seems happy to have figured it out.]



various evenings and mornings in March, please specify - OPEN TO ALL

[With Skye gone, Armin's taking care of Trotsky, her adorable little brown dog. He actually rather adores the dog and already spends a lot of time with him around the house, but he's aware that dogs have needs to keep them fit and happy. Games of fetch. Trips to the dog park. And walks as often as possible. Armin tries to make time in his day to walk Trotsky twice. Being a polite and environmentally conscious person, this also means picking up dog droppings. Armin sighs as he crouches and carefully rolls the waste into a plastic bag with a gloved hand.]

I can't wait until your owner returns so she can do this, really. I bet she's already near to inventing a machine that disintegrates your dumps for you.


3/15, late afternoon - a gym - OPEN TO THE FIRST REPLY closed to earnedmystripes

[Armin trains in various ways.

He couldn't say that he's particularly fond of it, especially now when it's not exactly as necessary in his day-to-day life as it once was. Armin prefers exercizing his brain, but he needs to stay in good condition to operate his gear and in case he's called on as a Hero. It's nothing like being pushed to the physical limit like he was during training, but Armin can never be sure when he might need to do something like that again, so he keeps going. He's grown to enjoy the sort of routine maintenance he does, the sort of blank minded clarity that can come with doing ordinary things like oiling his gear or running in the morning. Today Armin at the gym, attempting to work on some of his weaker points. Or maybe he just wants an excuse to wail on a punching bag. Mikasa would probably be able to kick this thing off its chain, but Armin is lucky to even get it to move a little. Still, he works himself into a good sweat, running through a routine he's mapped out in his head, trying to burn off angry, nervous energy and tell himself he isn't being foolish and unfocused. That's not like him. He always has a plan, always has a result to achieve.

It's going to be about helping yourself to feel in charge again, isn't it? That's what someone said when Armin asked for advice for how to get over having his mind controlled. But Armin is as in charge as he could possibly be in a place like this, having been abducted from a brutal world where he lacked the belongings of this one but held a far stronger sense of purpose - or so he thinks. Armin chews on this thought again and again as he moves through his routine, and thinks about his fights wih Suzuya, X, and Skye. He thinks about how he stabbed Jaime and nearly killed him.

This is my body now. I'm not an angry person. I'm rational. I wouldn't hurt my friends

(except I have)

I've been cured and it won't happen again

(except it could)

(shit shit shit)!

Distracted, Armin lands a poor punch, rolling his right wrist and immediately feeling a sharp pain.]

Damn!

[Armin whispers, cradling his wrist. He sits down on a nearby bench where his gym bag rests, careful to pick up his water bottle with his left hand.

There are tears in his eyes. It's not really because of the pain.

I knew better than that! Armin berates himself mentally.]


3/19, evening - residence 024 - closed to huntergames

[Armin arrives carrying a large refrigerated grocery bag and Skye's small brown dog on a leash. He offers a smile when the door opens, bright and cheerful and only a little bit put-on. Sasha will be easier to talk to, he hopes, thoug he has his worries about how long she was kept in the hospital after her injuries.] Sasha! It's good to see you. [Armin can't help but take on a nearly apologetic tone of voice.

Trotsky, unaware of any worry or tension, simply wags his tail, expecting attention.]


3/19, later that evening - residence 022 - closed to isaytheeneigh

[This is the more difficult of the two deliveries Armin planned for tonight. He decides to drop off Trotsky before heading over to Jean's with a lines grocery bag full of food. Thinking deeply on the discussion he had with Sasha about the nature of his relationship with Jean, Armin shifts his weight from foot to foot as he listens for the sound of Jean coming to the door.

This probably wouldn't be the best time to have a serious conversation. Armin's had a lot to evaluate after having turned on friends and strangers alike. Knowing his comrades were both injured and that he failed to help them at that same time only increases his feelings of guilt and helplessness. But they need him now, so he considers it his duty to contribute. First and foremost his friends need to recuperate, and not stress out about strategizing their next move until Armin can be certain of the effectiveness of it.

So he'll keep things light. Right. Like he and Jean ever manage that.]

Comments

[huntergames]

[ Sasha's been in better spirits since she left the hospital. While she has been dwelling on her near future after her conversation with Jean just before their discharge, she finds it's easier to shift her focus to something more light-hearted, or at least not so morally conflicting when she's with someone else.

She hasn't been able to hang with Armin properly either in a while. She seizes the opportunity ― and the fact he brings food is a delightful treat. ]

Hi, Armin! [ She moves aside to let him and the dog in, beaming at the excited canine. ] Is this Trotsky? He's cute! You should see the dog I get to dogsit over the weekend.

[ She beckons him forward with her one good arm. It's no longer in a sling, but the cast is still there. She's got some names on it and random doodles. ]

[blondtactician]

Hi! I brought you a few different meals, all you'll have to do is heat them up in the microwave.

[Trotsky is more than happy to hop up and sniff at her when Armin lets himself in, wandering into the kitchen area.

Armin's being lenient and not scolding him. He digs into the bag.]

Oh, I also brought you these!

[A bouquet of daffodils.]

[huntergames]

Armiiiin!

[ She pounces toward her friend, wrapping her arm around his shoulders to pull him in for a tight hug. ]

You really went out of your way for me!

[ She's honestly touched by the thought. Her grip on Armin is strong, but she eventually pulls away so she can take a look at the bag, bouncing back and forth on heels excitedly to see what goodies Armin has brought her.

The bouquet catches her off guard. For a moment, Sasha looks completely stunned by the gift before she's filled with even more gratitude. ]

They're really pretty! Armin, you didn't have to do that.

[blondtactician]

Be careful of your arm! [Armin returns the hug. He doesn't quite have Sasha's upper body strength, but it's a warm and affectionate gesture.

Armin seems just as surprised that Sasha is so excited about his gifts.]

You deserve it! Do you have a cup or a vase to put them in?

[huntergames]

A cup will do. I never thought about getting a vase before.

[ She paces over to the pantry to get the largest cup she can find. Once she's pulled it from a high shelf, she pours water into it and then offers the glass to Armin carefully. ]

Don't worry; my arm's getting a lot better. Now I can get around without much trouble. The sling made it hard.

Evening, 19th March

[enucleation]

[ though kaneki no longer has sparring partners and has become strong to the point of not really needed to be taught any more, he still trains quite a lot on his own. Running is still something he does, though he often uses buildings as obstacles - climb them, jump around, jump down - and sometimes he jumps from a building and lands right in front of someone he shouldn't.

Like a dog. At least it wasn't on top of the dog poop, but it was close enough to scare the dog, and in response Kaneki immediately stops and steps back ]

I'm sorry-- [ and he sees who is walking the dog.

Ah.

Armin ]

Hello.

[blondtactician]

[Armin immediately picks Trotsky and is ready to bolt at the disruption. He carefully sets the dog down when he realizes it's Ken - after all, he's the one in danger from Ken, not a small dog.]

Hi.

I saw that you're back. I hope you're feeling a little better now that you're not having to keep a secret.

[enucleation]

[ "Feeling better" doesn't exist for kaneki anymore. He is either "crappy" or "really crappy".

In either case, he keeps distance between himself an armin since he doesn't want to stress the other out ]

I suppose. it doesn't matter anymore. [ a lot of things no longer matter. ]

How have you been? [ can he even ask that? ]

[blondtactician]

["It doesn't matter anymore" is never a comforting thought, especially since something that big must have been festering within Ken for ages. Armin frowns. He knows a little bit about holding things in, but he's never needed to hide his very identity.

Nothing about Ken's body language seems threatening, but Armin still keeps tense and alert, which Trotsky can sense, so the dog is anxious.]

Not great. I didn't die, but some people got hurt. [Armin doesn't say he hurt them not because he deflects the blame of it, but because he counts Sasha and Jean's injuries as partially his fault too. He didn't come to help them.]

I tried to murder a of mine, but fortunately he was able to restrain me and get me to help.

[Armin thinks about how he stabbed Jaime again: the boy wouldn't have survived if not for his own Hero nature. And yet he managed to let Armin live, even tried to reason with him and get him to snap out of it.

Was the tragedy that befell Ken because of Suzuya's inability to take a live prisoner? He doesn't seem the kind to concern himself with that. Or is Ken truly so awful? That could be true, too, considering Suzuya seems at least cognizant enough to not want to deal with the trouble of having murdered someone.]

So, as someone who also did a lot of things I regretted... I'm sorry you went through that.

3/7

[zodbob]

[When school ends at Maurita Falls, Zod hurries to get to Heropa to meet with Armin as they arranged. Luckily travel is fast and he only needs to ask direction from locals a couple times before finding his way to the building. He's a little nervous, unuse to speaking with complete strangers, but he swallows it down and remembers this person offered to help.

He pushes the door open and closes it carefully behind him, making sure there's not a sound, and quietly steps through the main hall. It only takes him a moment to remember the blond bob-haired boy from the feed and match it with the person behind the front desk. He comes up, hands loosely wrung together behind his back.]

Hello. Are you Armin by any chance?

[blondtactician]

That's right, I'm Armin. [Armin is sure to give the boy a bright, assuring smile. He stands up from the desk, offering his hand to shake. Of course there's always a risk that this person is from somewhere that hand shaking isn't done, but one has to assume some level of predictable human interaction and work from there.]

Would you happen to be the person I spoke to yesterday who wanted to pay me a visit?

[zodbob]

Yes, that was me. [He nods once and takes Armin's hand to shake. He at least is familiar with that much of a greeting, though he has to restrain himself on shaking too hard because of his abnormal strength.] My name is Zod. I'm sorry for not introducing myself before, but I am unsure how much the communication networks are observed.

[blondtactician]

It's wise to keep a low profile. [Armin agrees, then speaks in a low voice:] But libraries are public and government funded, so, keep that in mind as well. [Then speaking in a more normal voice:] It's nice to met you, Zod. Are you registered? If you are I can look you up and have your library card ready in a moment. Do you know about checking out books here at the library?

gym.15th. gently pounces on this...

[earnedmystripes]

[Kotetsu doesn't have any particular exercise regimen, per se, but contrary to popular belief (cough. cough.), he does work out pretty regularly. He's doing some weight training over in another part of the gym while Armin beats the crap out of that bag, but he does happen to coincidentally walk toward the bench where Armin's sitting in the middle of a break, and he stops in his tracks when he spots the teen.]

Heyyyyy, Armin! It's been awh--

[It's as he's closing the distance between himself and Armin, preparing to sit down, that he notices the tears. And that cheerful greeting dies right there in his throat, a concerned frown in its place.]

...What's wrong?

[blondtactician]

[It's like Kotetsu has a habit of being nearby just when Armin hits a low point. He's glad he didn't run into Kotetsu while he had the virus. He doesn't really want to look up at Kotetsu, but he forces himself to. He knows Kotetsu won't go away if he ignores him, and he can't bring himself to yell at him to leave.]

I think I sprained my wrist. I was being careless. [Armin sniffs.] It's not that bad, I'll just have to wrap it.

[earnedmystripes]

[Yeah, guess who's not buying that? Armin's being through some awful crap. He's fought in the army against man-eating giants, and he remembers that one memory he saw of the teen's arrival. The idea of Armin crying over a simple sprain is absurd.

He's not sure whether he ought to press, though. Kotetsu knows he looks at the world in a pretty different way than Armin does, and he doesn't want to make him feel any worse while he's already down.]

Ahh, that happens sometimes. It sucks. [He hesitates a moment, then asks, casually as he can--]

You ever try a fruit smoothie? The, uh, cold should help.

[Because it's not like he's obviously suggesting comfort food or anything, this is just. Practical. Yeah.]

[blondtactician]

[There's something about how hard Kotetsu tries that throws Armin off. Maybe he's really growing up and changing, but Armin is surprised he doesn't feel like shouting at Kotetsu that he doesn't need any help. Maybe because of the softness of this place. Maybe because he's starting to understand that sometimes relying on others is just utilizing a tool in an arsenal.

Armin just nods a little, sniffling.] You know I think that might work. So long as there's no dairy in it. Just give me a moment, I need to wrap this.

[Armin offers a placating smile, and starts rifling through his bag for an ace bandage.]

How have you been? I feel like it's been ages since I've seen you again.

3/9

[quinque]

[ There are no hard feelings about what happened and no apology necessary. It's far from the first time he's been attacked out of nowhere for no apparent reason, and it probably won't be the last? He just sees it as something that happens occasionally; it isn't a big deal, and it isn't worth apologizing for.

But hell if he's ever going to pass up a free meal, and he comes trotting through the doors with a bright, childlike amazement, grinning widely as he makes a straight beeline for Armin and their table. ]

Good afternoooooooooon, Survey Corps!

[blondtactician]

[There's something kind of charming about Juuzou's enthusiasm. Having seen him fight, Armin feels he understands him a little better. He also understands why he had to kill Ken. He's curious about Juuzou's feelings on that, too, but he's not going to press.

Everyone shoulders things different way. And the weight differs, too.]

Good afternoon, Juuzou. Have you ever been to a buffet like this before? There are a few rules, but I promise they're simple and they don't interfere with how much food you get.

[quinque]

[ He'll be disappointed to find out that there are no strong feelings one way or another about it. He killed a ghoul, so what? That's just his job. And here he is on probation for it, reduced to vigilante status.

Oh well. Who cares about that when he's getting free lunch? ]

Eehhh... what are the rules?

[blondtactician]

[Armin leads Juuzou over to the display, picking up a plate to demonstrate.]

You take a plate at the end here and fill it up. [Armin dishes himself some rice from the end of the buffet.] Each dish has its own spoon or tongs, take care not to cross-contaminate. It's best to move around each table in a slow line, taking care for anyone in front of you and not jumping ahead. When you're done with the plate, leave it at the table for the server to fetch and get a new, clean plate. Make sure to leave your dirt silverware on the table, if you leave it on the plate they may take it away.

[Armin moves on to spoon some palak paneer onto his rice.]

And that's about it. Any questions?

[welcome]

[Malts are good self-medication for homesickness, but Cecil misses the tacos of Night Vale, too. This burrito stand is a poor substitute -- the fillings don't even try to escape -- but the chicken is decent.

He turns to the voice addressing him with a smile. At least someone here isn't trying to kick him in the shins or blow him apart with psychic force or something.]

Oh! Yes, that's me. I've done several trailers recently. [He rubs his chin.]

Fifty Shades of Mauve? Or was it ochre? Also, Bloodfeast II: The Endless Buffet, probably. I can't really keep track of the titles.

[He sighs. It's not very satisfying work.]

[blondtactician]

The one that was based on the book, I think. I don't really watch movies. [Armin tends to put the noisy thing out of his mind. He prefers books. Curiosity had simply gotten the better of him this time.] I thought you did a really good job! Your voice is really nice to listen to. Did someone teach you how to speak that way, or is it just your natural voice?

I'm Armin, by the way. Sorry again to bother you, I can leave if you'd rather eat in peace.

[welcome]

[What heady praise! Cecil puffs up a bit, taking a pleased bite of his burrito.]

You know, I just grew into it. Just like the ancient stone tablets said I would!

[Another bite.]

Please, you're not bothering me at all, Armin. It's so nice to talk to someone. Other than the faceless, nameless masses I reach every day, that is.

[blondtactician]

[Cecil's enthusiasm is contagious, and Armin finds himself smiling even though he doesn't have the faintest clue what he's talking about. Stone tablets? That doesn't sound like someone from Heropa. That sounds like something from a book. Something ominous. Then again, Armin hardly has a stone to throw when it comes to unbelievable origins.]

I'm happy to talk, then. I like meeting new people. [Mostly.] I'm still trying to get my head around the concept of multiple reality, and I've been living here a little over six months. I think talking helps.