genessia | Chapter 1 | Intro

[Mikasa has been adjusting to the sudden arrivals of Marco and Jean, but after five months of being here alone with Eren from her world, it was so strange. She should have expected more people to arrive, but this voice... This quivering voice was painfully familiar.

Dropping what she was doing -- and possibly breaking a plate or something while washing dishes -- she fumbled for her communicator to trace back to who sent this.]

[Mikasa appeared to be flustered and in a hurry, but it was exactly who she thought it was.

Armin... Was it really him? Was her other best friend here now too?

Sure Marco and Jean were nice to see, but nothing beats Armin of all people.]

Armin?! Is that you?! H-Hold on! I'm.. I'm coming to get you!

[Flipping to audio, she hurried to grab her 3DM Gear and set it down. In the background, he might hear clanging as she's putting on the gear. Why did it have to be so complex?]

I don't know what you mean by Travelers, but I can only assume you mean new comers like us. We don't have a telepathic networks so... you're not really making much sense right now.

Listen to me Armin... This is important. We're not at home anymore and there's no way out of this place.

[And with that, it seems the clanging has stopped as she grabbed her jacket to put on, not bothering to button all of the buttons, but enough to keep it on as she's going to get him. Soon after, there are a few more sounds before an obvious slam to the door.]

[It wasn't much longer until he might notice the sounds of usage of the gear, kicking it in hyper drive to make it faster. It was a good thing she'd refueled the tanks after getting Marco.

She could get to Armin faster this way and... there was something about his tone of voice... He seemed to be shaken and not the normal way someone would feel about being taken to a new world.]

You don't sound like you're in good shape though. What's wrong? What happened? Is there somebody that I need to hunt down?

[She knew there was something wrong. She may have been here for nearly half a year, but she knew Armin well enough. She knew when he was on edge or uncertain. And she knew if something was bugging him. That didn't set well with Mikasa at all.

But he was here.. He was really here...]

Listen to me... It might take me a while to get to you because I live in Nova City, but I need for you to stay by The Bay, where you woke up from. To pass the time while I get there, there is a pamphlet that has been redone to be more useful by one of the people who's been taken here. You'll need that pendent you received to pass by archways and get into other cities. And those red bills... I'll explain what those are when I get there, because they won't be nearly as important right away.

[Which usually money is, but for the time being, Mikasa and the others could take care of him financially. Still, feeding 3 extra mouths and taking care of them was really putting a dent in her wallet by now. She'll just have to make sure that Eren goes on a few more bounties to help her out.]

Edited 2015-02-06 11:12 (UTC)

[There's an audible gasp, and a small splash - he may have just fallen to his knees, though in shock or relief or horror or disbelief, even he couldn't say. When he finally finds his voice, it comes out in a hoarse whisper.]

...Mikasa??

[That one word is all he manages for a long time, though his breath gets both louder and less controlled. He may be crying, but even for Mikasa it's hard to tell for sure.

But she continues talking, and... it's her. It's really her.

It's been so long, and he's been through so much, wished and hoped and ached for her at times, even though he knew he shouldn't, knew she'd be better off not being a Traveler, that she was needed in their world the most.

He doesn't even really process most of what she's saying, though he'll remember it later. He's already read the pamphlet, and he's been away from home with everything out of his control and no way back for more than a year now, so that's not even unusual.

Then she offers to hunt someone down for him, and if there hadn't been tears in his eyes before, there certainly were now.]

Edited 2015-02-06 11:36 (UTC)

I... th-that's all right. I'm n-not going anywh-where.

[He's still crying, but the overwhelming joy and relief in his voice start to show through as well - emotions not explained by the simple kidnapping.

Everything else she says goes unexamined and unanswered. They were both here. They would see each other again. They had time. That's all that could ever matter.]

I've... I've m-missed you, Mikasa...

[It sounded like he was crying but... it was hard to tell right now. In all honesty, it really wouldn't surprise her. If nothing else, it encouraged her to get there as soon as possible. And then as he kept talking it became clear.

She couldn't say she was going to cry, but she was certainly a lot more emotional than she has been in a long time. And then... what he said... She missed him so much these past months but... that's not something that someone says like that when they just saw them a while back..]

Armin... Something is definitely wrong with that. I mean...

I missed you so much since I've been here but.... That's not something someone says when first arriving in a new world. Not when time works differently and you most likely saw me before coming here otherwise.

[Mikasa's too sharp, and that just brings back everything of the past month, all the horror and loneliness and sadness... And then, beyond that, all the pain and terror of that past he didn't even know how long, all the time he's been a Traveler.

There was good in there as well, a lot of it, but right now it's hard to focus on that.]

What? I-I... [His voice is shaking harder now, though he's trying to hold it together will all his might.] I've b-been away for a wh-while.

...It's a l-long story.

Been away... What do you mean... "you've been away"?

[It was possible he was like other people who may have come from a previous world much like this place before coming here instead of home, but she herself hasn't come across this.]

[His breathing steadies a bit - he can't keep freaking out about it. And it helps, thinking about all his time as a Traveler - if that's truly behind him - and not just the past month in Harrogate. It clears his mind, if only a little.]

It's a l-little hard to explain. B-but... I w-was kidnapped, I g-guess, and have b-been visiting o-other... other worlds, every m-m-month or s-so.

[There's a long pause, and then, in a quiet voice -]

I haven't s-seen you, or the w-walls, or any s-sign of a t-titan, in more than a year.

[Mikasa was silent for a while as she tried to collect her thoughts. So she was right.... But... visiting other worlds every month? Did some of these places allow for that?]

I see... It all makes sense now. I've never actually spoken to someone who's done it, but I know it's possible here.

[She went silent again for a moment.]

Armin.... You're not new to this kind of thing... Which explains why you speak so... [What's a good word...?] distantly. I've been here for about half a year now, maybe shy of half a year. There are no titans here, but there are other dangers that come with a place like this.

You're in a world called Genessia, and you're not likely to be traveling like you have previously while you're here.

[And by doubling the speed she used to get Marco, she's getting there faster. Although having enough to get back home the same way was a different story.]

Everywh-where has it's dangers. [Given the number of worlds he's lived in, he can say that with some confidence.

He's quiet for a moment in return, not crying so much.] I don't... I'm not sure if that's a relief or not. Being a T-Traveler was it's own s-sort of a cage, but...

[He takes a deep breath.] If we can't leave, now it feels like we're stuck inside the walls again.

They do have archways that people can sacrifice something important to them to open though; May it be a memory, item, or other things like it. I haven't tried it myself for obvious reasons... Genessia doesn't need a possible titan threat on top of everything else. Although it does seem to be more of a clone as to the real thing, or so I've heard.

[And the moment he said that last part, she went silent. After a moment of silence, she couldn't help that laugh from escaping from her lips; It wasn't a genuine laugh and obviously carried some bitterness to it. "Stuck inside walls again." It was just so ironic.]

That's funny.... When I got here, that's exactly what I said. There may be no visible walls, but walls are still walls and we may as well be in another set of them.

Archways that... s-sacrifice a memory? [He sounds puzzled, in that it's not something he's heard before - but not in that it sounds impossible to him.

Then she laughs, and he goes totally quiet. She... laughed. It had been so long since he had heard that sound. But it wasn't... it wasn't a good laugh.]

I don't think it's funny.

I haven't tried it myself, so I couldn't tell you all of the details.

[And then sent went silent again for a moment.]

No, I suppose it's not. It's just ironic...

[And there was a slightly change in background noise. It sounded.... quieter. Maybe she stopped for a moment? Or maybe she had finally arrived? Turning off her audio, she shoved it into her jacket pocket as she entered The Bay.

There she finally saw him. It was Armin right in front of her and yet... Her worries weren't without reason. He looked like he'd been beaten to hell over time and he seemed.... different in some way. The only difference that Mikasa really had to show for being here was the fact that her hair hadn't actually been cut since she'd been here.

Once she saw him, she remembered hearing his crying. Without another word, she hurried over to him to wrap her arms around him tightly. It's been so long since she'd last seen him and especially knowing how he sounded before.]

I'm sorry it took me so long. Nova City is a fair distance from The Bay here.

[He frowns, uncertain, still not liking what he had heard in that laugh - and in his moment of hesitation, the phone clicked off. He feels a moment a desperate panic - but before it can truly set in, she's there, her arms wrapped around him.

He freezes for a long moment. Even though he had heard her voice, known she was here, somehow, he hadn't quite believed it. It had been so long, so very, very long.

Slowly, oh so slowly, he puts his arms around her too. Then they tightened, and tightened more, and minutes passed - yet he didn't let go. Gradually, she'll become aware that he's trembling. Though his tears are silent, her shoulder may start feeling a little damp.]

[She did notice and even if she didn't feel the dampness, she knew he had been crying before. She didn't know everything about this other place he was in before, but it was clear it had done a number on him. Just like he didn't like her bitter laugh, she hated to see him like this.

He'd always been weaker compared to her or Eren when it was something emotional or something of the type, but that didn't mean she felt he was weak totally for it. In fact... She rarely showed much emotion mostly because it was hard to mourn the death of every single person everyday... at every time it happened. And of course she did. She wasn't as cold and heartless as some people made her out to be. She just knew that if she took the time to mourn every death of her friends or comrades, nothing would ever get down and it would get to her even harder over time.

It was easier to just.... go numb... Go numb and don't feel a thing. But Armin was different. He wasn't Eren, but if anything ever happened to Armin, she wouldn't know what to do. He's offered to stay behind and die for them plenty of times and every time it took everything in Mikasa not to slap him silly for that suggestion. She wasn't going to let him die. He was too damn important. If not for Eren and Mikasa, than he definitely was as far as leading and strategising went. He was damn smart and absolutely brilliant when it came down to the more important things. Even if Mikasa and Eren didn't go on for whatever reason, he had a damn good future ahead of him.

Feeling his grip grow tighter, she didn't bother to say anything. All she did was gently pat the top of his head with one of her hands as if trying to sooth him. She had no idea what he's gone through, but all she knew was that she wanted to comfort him however she could.]

Everything is okay now. I'm here for you.

[He let out a shuddering sob, truly surprised at how much the words soothed him. He'd been alone for so long, in danger for so long, trying to be strong and stand on his own, to not be a burden, for so very long... he'd forgotten how comforting it was to be held by Mikasa. To be told by someone strong and confident, someone you trusted with all your heart, that everything would be all right.

He's said before that he'd rather die than be a burden. But he's already done that, so right now, he really can't bring himself to care. Mikasa's here. She'll take care of him, like she always used to.

He was safe.

Eventually he pulls back, sniffling a little and wiping his eyes - but then he smiles at Mikasa. A tremulous smile, to be sure, but a genuine one.]

I know.

[You can only be strong for so long. Mikasa knew that feeling very well and even though she didn't show it quite as easily, sometimes she struggled with it too. She had to be strong for those she cared about. She had to show that she wasn't afraid when there were times she wanted to be.

Telling everyone that they were all cowards for choosing to do nothing... Telling them she was stronger than the others and that it was either she continued fighting, risked dying, but had the option to live... Or she could back down and die for not doing a damn thing... She spoken that speech so confidently when she didn't feel confident at all. She wanted to curl up and just give up. It was a wonder why she didn't show any signs of shaking.

Because when it came down to it.... the only choice they really had was to take the risk of dying head on if they were going to live or try to save other innocent lives before those were stolen away too. She couldn't show weakness, but she reminded herself that she had to be strong for those she cared about. It wasn't just for her sake, but everyone's sakes that she chose to do what she did. And yet maybe she shouldn't have when those lives had been taken and she nearly gave up herself..?

But one things was for damn sure. No matter how much Eren bitched or complained about her protecting him, she was going to do it no matter what. Because Eren and Armin were all she had left. She was going to make damn sure they were both safe and sound before anything would happen to them.]

Let's go home, okay?

[Which was reminiscent of her own past there, but at least she managed a faint, genuine smile for him as she reached for his hand to lead the way. Surely he didn't need to have his hand held, but if it could provide any extra comfort, she could do that.]

[Luke watches the communicators frequently. He does so in the hopes of spying a familiar face, though by now he's resigned to not seeing one.]

Um, excuse me.

[He's opened the feed again despite Armin having turned it off, looking nervous but trying to sound friendly.] I'm not sure what Travelers are--since I know you don't mean just the word traveler like a person who travels--but...

But...you aren't alone. There are a lot of people here that will help you. I can try and help you, too, if that's okay.

[He reached out for her hand as soon as she offered - later, maybe he could try again. But he was done being strong. After everything that had happened - going crazy, Chizuru bashing him over the head, Leonardo's hands around his throat - he just couldn't do that right now. If Mikasa had picked him up just then he would have let her. There wasn't a thought in his head about being a burden.

Sometimes you just need your hand held. No matter how strong you are.]

Home.

[He lets out another shaky sigh, trying out the word. It had lost its meaning for so long - but that's because to him, the word had meant Eren and Mikasa for so long. Now that he had one of them again, he was home.

There are tears in his eyes again, but this time they're not all bad.]

All right. Let's go home.

[And if that's what he really wanted, she wouldn't mind doing that too. She's never thought of him as a burden and he should know that by now, but when she had his hand in hers, she gave it a gentle squeeze as if it let him know he wasn't alone anymore.]

It's a pretty far distance from here if we walk, but I'm okay with that as long as you are.

[And unlike before, a real smile meant to hopefully make him feel a little better and maybe a little more secure crossed her lips as she thought about something.]

I wonder what he'll say... when I say I found a puppy and I want to keep him as a pet?

[Joking, of course, but by "he" she obviously means Eren.]

[Armin smiles a little wider, relaxing with his hand held firmly in hers. He likes this smile a lot better, and doesn't mind the walk if it's with her. He's about to say so when she speaks again.

His eyes go wide once more and his hand clutches tight around hers when she speaks once more.]

E-Eren... H-He's here t-too??

Edited 2015-02-06 20:42 (UTC)

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