genessia | Chapter 2 | Closed to Weiss

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Chapter 2 | Closed to Weiss | Audio + Action

[It's been a couple days since he's arrived, and though he's not all right - it'll be a long time before he will be able to truthfully claim that - he's well enough to realize that, without a job, he's nothing but a burden on Eren and Mikasa. And he refuses to be a burden.

Looking up jobs in the paper, he has to admit to himself how life as a soldier did little to prepare him for this - but sees a number of promising ones at the Schnee Company, and after doing a little more research, decides that he likes what they are trying to do.

He finds the number to contact, and after taking a long moment to composes himself, makes the call, trying to sound as confident and professional as possible. After his experience in the theatre last month, he's surprisingly good at it.]

Excuse me, Ms. Schnee? My name is Armin Arlert. I arrived here a few days ago. and I'm interested in applying for a few of the positions listed available for your company.

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[ Weiss had considered not answering. Not because of Armin, but because she still wasn't feeling 100%. But she knew better than to let her emotions get in the way of her responsibilities. Even if her friends would likely strap her down if they knew she was attempting to work already. ]

Which positions were you interested in, Armin?

[ He didn't sound very old, so Weiss defaulted to first names. She was always a little more free-form with people she considered closer to peers than adults. In the same sense, she usually preferred to be called Weiss, though because it was a professional setting she wouldn't correct him. ]

[Armin's not feeling the best either, and his own friends would likely strap him down too if they knew he was trying to get a job so soon.]

There were four I would consider, if they're all still available - cleaning/maintenance, human resources management, administrative assistant, and security.

[Unfortunately for Weiss, Armin is more used to a military setting - you were never on a first name basis with your superiors. Also, he doesn't know how close to his age Weiss is. As such, it hadn't even occurred to him to use her first name.]

In assuming some of those are back ups in case you don't get the one you want.

[ it was a smart decision in some aspects, but it also told her that he wasn't prepared to risk himself completely on the position he actually wanted. Which wasn't a terrible thing, but it made her hesitant to put him in a position in charge of others if he couldn't assert a position before he even had the job. Which meant she was leaning away from the hr position for him. ]

Which position is your preference?

[His reasons are different than she might expect. He hates being a burden more than anything, so right now he cares more that he has a job at all than that he has a job he likes. But she's not wrong that he sometimes had trouble asserting himself when it isn't an emergency. The hr position may not be the best for him - but then, he only had a vague notion of what the higher positions entail.

Strangely, business was not a part of his military education.]

From the descriptions I saw, I'd definitely prefer the administrative assistant position - although to be honest, I suppose I have more relevant experience in security.

If you prefer it, then I'd rather try for what you want to do. It usually guarantees that you'll put more effort into it and enjoy it more than if you didn't, but if you don't qualify we can look at a security position based on your security experience.

[ Weiss would normally have been taking notes, but her writing hand wasn't at 100%. She was just going to have to focus on remembering what he said... which she wasn't terrible at-- after all, she was the smartest girl in her class, remembering things wasn't a difficult task. (Even if they often stuck more if she wrote them down.) ]

Do you have any relevant or equivalent experience in administrative assistance or clerical work?

All right.

Not exactly, no. I was f-first in my class for military logistics, but that was just in training. I don't have any actual field experience with that type of thing.

[Unless you count making the plan that allowed them to defeat the titans around HQ and refuel so they could make it up the wall. But Armin doesn't.]

I suppose that the record I kept of the past year might be considered clerical as well...

[But he's barely ready to talk to his best friends about that year. Explaining that to a stranger...]

In that case, here's what I think we're going to do: You're going to take the next few days to fully research and practice appropriate clerical techniques and information to make certain that you can use the skills you do have in an administrative assistant position. At which point, I'll give you a written test, a practical, and a few more verbal questions. I'm sure you understand that I need someone who's up to the task and, given that we can't exactly obtain an accurate employment and experience history here, the need to examine your skills in a more practical sense.

[ That was the tricky part of not being able to hold records from other worlds, after all, since she had no idea if someone was actually capable of a job even if they said they were. That he's not pumping up his verbal resume, so to speak, is a good sign that he's not a complete liar, but she still needs him to be able to do the job. ]

Understood.

[Sorry, Weiss, he's not familiar with non-military situation where one person is in a position of power, so how things are in the military is his only cue for how he's supposed to behave.

Also, guess who's not quite up to date on the possibilities of the internet, and thus will be spending much of the next few days at the library?]

Where and when would you like me to report back, Ms. Schnee?

Edited 2015-02-11 09:39 (UTC)

Thursday at 8am at the front desk of Schnee Company. If you do get the Administrative Assistant position, I should let you know that I've been out since the end of January, so expect to be busy.

[ She pauses for a moment. She doesn't mind being the one in charge at all-- she's wanted to be a leader since she decided what she was going to do with her life. It was far from what she was doing now, but that was because being a huntress wasn't exactly a paying career choice here. So she was doing what she would've done if being a huntress wasn't her option. ] Do you have any questions about the company?

I'll be there. And I understand.

[It's not the healthiest behavior, but in a way this is perfect - here's something he can wholeheartedly throw himself into to distract himself from the past month. Possibly for an extended period of time, if he gets the job. He just needs to put some distance between him and what happened.

He considers the possible questions carefully. He knows from his research all the logistical details of the company - what services they provides and how, how much they charge, other organizations they have relations with, things like that. But there was one thing he didn't really find in his research - and that he'd like to hear straight from the source.]

I do have one, actually. Why did you start this company - and what do you hope to accomplish with it?

[If he's going to work for a company, he wants to know about its goals founding principles - he'd prefer a company that exists to do more than just make money. He thinks this company fits the bill - but without actually asking the question, it's hard to know for sure.]

Edited 2015-02-11 23:15 (UTC)

Before Schnee Company Welcoming and Travel Services was started, the materials left at the entrance consisted of a single page flyer from a man who wasn't here any longer, started with "Don't Panic" in all capital letters as though that's somehow relaxing, and provided little to no information. Back in my home world of Remnant, I'm the heiress to one of the largest energy propellant companies. I've spent my whole life in a business setting until I realized I could fight. From then on, I knew it was my duty to protect the people of my world from whatever they needed protecting from and I decided to become a huntress.

[ She leaves that vague- most people would say from Grimm or from criminals. Her reasons are a little different, though those are both valid threats. ]

I have my family's legacy to uphold back home and I have the job of protecting the people, but here? The number of threats is far lower. My reason for my actions back home doesn't exist here, so staying on the track of being a huntress would've been a waste of my time in Genessia, though I refuse to let my training slip as long as I have a choice. However, in the same right, I want to be able to help people and do the right thing. What this world needed most was someone to make sure that the people who arrived weren't left unattended, lost, and confused. Genessia needs someone to make certain that people are taken care of and end up sleeping on the street in the winter because they don't realize that the red bills they're given is currency. So if there's anything I can do to do right by others and prove that my family name means something good no matter what world I'm in, then that's what I'm going to do. That's why Schnee Company exists, and why I started it.

[He listens quietly, and though there are things he'd like to ask about, he refrains. This is a professional setting, and the rest of his questions stem from mere curiosity - as such, they should wait until he knows her better, especially the ones with the potential to get personal.

Besides, he has the answer he needed, and he doesn't hear any lie in her voice. She's doing this to help people and to uphold her family name - and while the second means little to him, she's doing this for reasons he can appreciate and support.]

I think that's very admirable. Thank you for telling me, Ms. Schnee. I'll see you on Thursday.

[Armin throws himself wholly into learning clerical skills and techniques over the next couple days, all but living at the library. There's a lot to learn, though it's closer than he had thought to his training in logistics. He picks it up quickly, though there are some aspects of business and how it functions in a normal world - read: not his - that are a little too in depth to pick up in two days. Still, he does his best, though when Mikasa drags him home a little early the night before to get some rest, he doesn't fight her.

Since he's never been to the Schnee company before, he leaves a little early, to make sure he gets there on time. His clothes are a close approximation of business casual, though they were definitely thrown together by someone who knows nothing about fashion, and they're all a few sizes too big for Armin - he'd intended to go clothes shopping, but he'd put it off for his clerical studies, so for now what he's wearing is entirely Eren's.

He turns up at the building about ten minutes early, telling himself that after everything he's been through, after titans and dragons and madness and death, it's ridiculous to be nervous about an interview - but the butterflies in his stomach don't listen. He does his best to hide his nervousness as he waits, trying hard to look professional.]

Edited 2015-02-12 15:08 (UTC)

[ She hadn't quite figured out the best makeup that could cover up the scar on her hand and while she'd managed to get a few pairs of gloves, they were frankly uncomfortable to wear inside of a heated building. They made it harder to get work done as well, which meant that the fresh scar on her hand was clearly visible since she was holding a clipboard up with her left hand as she left. Truth be told, she probably shouldn't have been working this week at all, but the world didn't stop because she needed it to. And if Armin was worth it, it would make things easier on her if there were any incidences in the future.

She looks at him for a moment, not all too impressed by his outfit. She's dressed simply, but professionally, in a black and white dress, a capelet, and boots. Her hair is tied back perfectly as always, though it's clear that the scar on her face is much more practiced at being covered with makeup, only looking like a faint line.

Since Armin looks like he matches the voice she spoke with over the phone, when she comes out exactly on time for the interview, she starts the conversation with: ]

Just so you're aware, if I decide to hire you, I'm going to introduce you to my friend. He recently started a fashion coordination business and you absolutely need to wear at least clothing that at minimum fits if you're going to represent this company.

[ She held out her right hand to shake his. It wasn't her dominant one, but considering most people shook with their rights anyway, she'd grown accustomed to it. ] I'm Weiss Schnee.

[Armin stands up to attention when she comes in, though he (barely) doesn't salute - then flushes, a little embarrassed, at her first comment.]

S-sorry, I'd planned to go clothing shopping earlier, since I'd only come with my uniform, and that's pretty beat up, but... I guess I got carried away when I was studying at the library.

[He shakes her hand, portraying a confidence he doesn't really feel.] It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Armin Arlert.

[Armin noticed the scar, but didn't say anything - he had more than his fair share scars himself. One, which Weiss may or may not have noticed, on his left hand - a deep scar across the palm of his hand and each of the fingers. Other things she might notice that are just a little strange would include a golden necklace is the shape of a life-sized aspen leaf, the grey scarf he's wearing indoors, despite the uncomfortable heat, and a small spot of almost pure white skin on his right cheek - noticeable even against Armin's pale skin.]

Well, I'd rather have you well-prepared for the job than the outfit since appearances are something that can be easily remedied.

[ Besides, he didn't look like he had stains everywhere or anything, so as long as he kept to it once they got him cleaned up so to speak, it wouldn't be an issue. Weiss shakes his hand for a good moment, letting go before it gets awkward. She doesn't exactly smile at him, but that's more just her. She hates smiling when she doesn't feel like it, even if she knows how, which is something he's going to have to deal with if he works for her anyway so she's not going to try to hide it.

Weiss looks him over, taking in a few more details and making notes about them in her head, but she doesn't ask. This is a professional relationship, so she won't ask unless it becomes relevant, especially since she's been around her fair share of people with scars, self included. She doesn't want to talk about hers any more than she's sure other people want to talk about theirs, with a couple of rare exceptions. ]

Before you go getting any misconceptions about this job, I can be difficult, bossy, demanding, and I expect perfection but I'll always try to be fair and this is an ethical company, so I won't tolerate any form of criminal activity or poor business practices. Since you'd essentially be my personal assistant if you get this job, I need to know that you're willing to accept all of that before we go forward with this interview.

[He nods at that, glad it's not too much to his detriment. He's not smiling either - with the military as his only basis of comparison for a professional setting, it wouldn't seem appropriate.

He listens and considers her words carefully. Difficult, bossy, and demanding he can handle - if she manages to hold a candle to Instructor Shadis or Captain Levi in that respect, he'll be deeply impressed. Perfection - well, he can only do his best. And being fair and ethical are positive, and make him feel a little more confident. Plus, it's good she's up front about all of this - it doesn't mean that it'll be any easier, but he can believe that she really is fair, and there's less likely to be unpleasant surprises later on.

After a long moment, he nods decisively.] Yes, Ms. Schnee. I understand and accept all that you've said.

Good.

[ She's not military strict, to be certain. It's more of a warning about how difficult she knows she can be. Better to get that out of the way and then if he likes her when she's having her silly moments, then that's better for them both. Weiss starts walking further into the building, expecting him to follow. She's set out a test for him, basically involving disorganized files, a schedule with multiple conflicts on it, and a business letter that needs proofreading and being put in a better customer service-oriented attitude-- only the last of which she is really worried about, but she decided to make sure he had all of those skills. There's a video of a meeting on the computer in the office as well, with instructions to 'take minutes during the meeting' and lastly, there's a simulated budget based on donations and partnerships with other businesses with a list of 'requests' from various parts of the business.

Once they're in the room, she turns swiftly and looks him directly in the eyes. ]

There are a number of tasks in this room that you'll be performing, both on and off of the computer. What I want you to do is make a complete list of the activities in this room that you believe would be your job, in order of priority, and the time you believe that you can complete each task in the form of a time management plan. Consider that all of the tasks need to be completed within a single day.

Edited 2015-02-20 07:57 (UTC)

[Armin follows promptly, but gets an uncomfortable look on his face as soon as they get into the room, especially when she mentions the computer.] I will work hard to improve in this respect, but I should t-tell you... until two days ago, I had never even touched a computer before.

[Technically true; he'd worked with computers at The Spark, but those were so advanced they could hardly be recognized as such - responding to the merest thought. And he'd been brainwashed to believe he was an anti-technology revolutionary at the time. He was back to himself after a month or so, but the experience left an impression - and as such he has an instinctive aversion to some of the newer technologies.

Obviously, he'd now have to rectify that. But though he tried using the computer at the library, the librarians was too busy to really show him how, so he hadn't had much success.

He spends a good thirty seconds simply looking around the room, getting a feel for the office and everything it contained, before diving into it. Within the first ten minutes, he has a list of all the tasks she'd prepared for him. They're in the correct order, with conservative but nevertheless impressive estimates of how long he will take to complete them, and fit nicely into an extremely logical and orderly time management plan. There's only one thing missing. He spends another two minutes making absolutely sure he has everything, and has it right - and then, with no small amount of trepidation, approaches the computer.

Here, he does not do so well. It takes him several full minutes to locate and figure out how to start the video, and it's clear that his typing skills are extremely sub-par. Furthermore, unless she stops him, he spends another twenty minutes searching the computer to see if there's anything else she would have him doing on there - and at the end, it's unclear if he would have found it if there was.

He puts the video in the correct place in his plan, though.

Biting his lip and trying not to look too worried, he hands her his time management plan for inspection. That... could have gone better. He thinks he did okay otherwise, but his display with the computer - well, he just hopes it's not a deal-breaker.]

[ Fortunately for Armin, Weiss wasn't entirely unsympathetic to people without experience with technology. Once upon a time here she might've been a harsher critic of it, and most certainly was, but dating someone who had all of zero experience with it had opened her up a little more. She was more than willing to have someone train him to use the computer, at least, and he managed to find the video and was thorough enough to keep looking even after that.

Weiss scribbles down a couple of notes from time to time- things to watch out for if she does hire him, things to train him on, and when she finally sees his list, she's pretty impressed with it. Except for the computer, he did fairly well. Of course, she doesn't say that yet. She wants to ask him a few more questions first. ]

Alright, now that we've finished that: Tell me about a time that you worked on a team to accomplish a task. Be sure to include what your role in the team was and how using a team was beneficial to accomplishing the task at hand.

[Armin would improve quickly once he started studying - he's always been a quick learner, and if he gets the position he'll be motivated to do the best he can.

He bites his lip, thinking. A time they worked as a team - nothing innocuous comes to mind, all the examples he could give are pretty grim. And he doesn't really want to have to explain the titans... ah.]

Several years ago, I was on a training exercise with the other members of the 104th trainee corps. The exercise was simple - split into two groups, travel by different paths and meet in a designated spot in the forest 40 km away, recording everything as we go. Then we exchange notes with the other team and travel back by their route, all within a given time. The objective was to evaluate how we handled ourselves in a non-crisis situation, I think. To see if we would grow bored, become lax, or let our guards down. I was in charge of the record-keeping for Marco's group.

That night, when we made camp, we were ambushed by bandits. They stole our maneuvering gear, and kidnapped one of us to be sure we wouldn't try to come after them. We decided to go after them anyway - but they had wagons, and without our gear we didn't know if we could catch them, or where they were even going.

Sasha had the idea of climbing up a nearby bluff so we could find them. When we spotted them by their dust trail, that's when I came up with a plan. Given their actions up to that point, I was able to deduce where they would likely be going - someplace nearby where they could sell our gear on the black market. Cutting through the forest, we sent a couple people to beat them to the crossroads, concealing the fork in the road and making sure they took the longer route, giving us time to set up our trap.

At his suggestion, Marco was the one to listen for the rattling sound that would tell us which carriage held out gear, and he signaled the others. Then Jean and Eren jumped into that wagon from above, and took out the bandits.

Unfortunately, they shot out the wheel of that carriage - and Krista was in the other carriage. We had our gear back, though, so we could pursue them properly. I was still worried about a direct assault, though - even if we outnumbered them now, they still had a hostage. So I used a signal flare to tell the other team which direction we were going in before we set out after them again.

We managed to catch up with them again, and to cut the hitching lines tying the horses to the carriage. It crashed, but before we could get in there, one of the men had a sword at Krista's throat. He ordered us to give up our maneuvering gear again, and we had to comply - until Mikasa and Annie from the other team took them by surprise and took them out.

[He says it all rather matter of factly, albeit in a subdued tone. He seems to downplay his own role in events, not mentioning how Jean and Eren would have simply charged in and gotten themselves killed without a plan, or how Annie and Mikasa only made it in time because he thought to send up a signal flare.]

It's something none of us could have managed by ourselves, or even probably in a smaller group. Sasha lead us up the bluff to spot them, I c-came up with a plan, Sasha, Mina, and Connie got to the crossroad first and blocked off the other path, Marco told us which carriage to attack, and Jean and Eren were there to carry out the actual attack - not to mention Mikasa and Annie coming in at the end to disarm the last two. Even Krista helped, when she struggled with one of them and he ended up shooting the carriage wheel instead of Jean or Eren.

Because we all worked together, we managed to come out without any casualties.

[ Weiss listens quietly, scribbling a few things here and there while he speaks. Hearing the story told her a lot about Armin, more than simply the course of the story. It told her that he was the one who did the thinking, even if the majority of his story was about his teammates. That told her that he focused on the other people on his team more than himself. He was either humble or he didn't think he deserved the credit. A bad thing typically during an interview, since he's supposed to be playing up his capabilities, but Weiss appreciated that he worked it into a team effort instead of focusing on his role in the team. That showed her he had the mentality of someone who thought about the group more than himself if she gave him the benefit of the doubt. ]

So I take it you're more of a strategist than a man of action?

[ She wouldn't let him know what she thought of his story until after she'd finished her follow up questions. ]

[Since this is his first ever job interview, Armin's not really up to date on the proper etiquette and techniques for such thing - but he'd probably have trouble talking himself up too much even if he was.

Armin doesn't really know what to think of Weiss' question - was that a good thing or a bad thing, in her mind? Actually, that's how he's feeling about the whole interview - he has no idea how it's going. But there's nothing to do but keep moving forward, so that's what he does, as confidently as he can (read: not very).]

That's right. I'm u-usually the one to come up with the plans, but though I'll do what I have to, I'm not as good at carrying them out myself.

[Or if he does follow through on the plan, he's usually not one of the main players in it. Climbing that bluff at Sasha's suggestion? He damn near collapsed, before coming up with his plan to save Krista.]

[ So far she knows he has good time management, may not give himself enough credit, but puts his teammates above himself. Add onto that now that he's a brains-over-brawn person-- which for the job, is perfect. ]

Alright. Tell me about a time that you've had a disagreement with a coworker and how you resolved it.

[A disagreement? Armin frowns, considering. He doesn't generally get into a lot of disagreements - that's more Eren and Jean. Or Eren and Mikasa, or Jean and Connie, or Reiner and Annie - come to think of it, he's been around for disagreements between most of the members of the 104th. But he can't think of any that he himself has been in. Maybe...]

I can't think of any disagreements I've had with a - a coworker. [The terminology is obviously a bit awkward for him.] But there was a time, when we'd just become refugees, a couple of years before we joined the trainees. When they were handing out food, we overheard one of the soldiers complain that more of us hadn't been ea -

[He falters suddenly, an almost frightened look on his face, before an abrupt look of determination overtakes it. He continues, though he changes a little of whatever it was he'd been about to say.]

- complained that more of us hadn't died. There was already a food shortage, you see, and people who lived in the outer districts were always looked down upon. When Eren heard that... he went up and kicked the man, saying that he didn't understand what we'd been through. They kicked him down, and were about to do a lot worse...

I got in the way, apologizing to the man and drawing the attention of the crowd before he could get beat up any further. He didn't want to make a scene, so he let us go. It's not that I disagreed with Eren - but there was nothing we could do about it at the time, and Eren getting beaten or worse wouldn't help anyone.

Eren was angry with me for that, though Mikasa and I talked him out of doing anything rash. But in a way, they were both right. The soldier was wrong to wish for the deaths of the people he should have been protecting, obviously... but it was true that at the time, we were nothing but a drain on resources. There just wasn't enough food to go around. [Nevermind that they were only ten at the time. In a way, that story ends when they became soldiers - when they started contributing and fighting back.

Armin knows he's leaving a lot out of the story - it doesn't make as much sense without knowing about the titans. He'll explain further if she asks - but he really hopes he doesn't have to. For both their sakes.] I'm s-sorry, I guess that's not quite what you asked...

[ Weiss knew from the second that he said refugees that this wouldn't be a story she could understand on an in-depth level and relate to. She never had that unfortunate circumstance to deal with, given her upbringing and her family's situation. But she knew those who had to deal with difficulties- even if she didn't know any details that would've lead her to believe it was as bad as this. She couldn't relate, but she wasn't unsympathetic.. but regardless of her feelings about the situation, this was an interview. It wasn't a feel-good party.

Steeling herself a little better, she continued listening to the story. The fact that Armin recognized that there were two sides to that story was a huge positive in his checkbox. He would be capable of playing devil's advocate and thinking without bias in a job- something that was important. Something Weiss needed because she tended to get caught up in her own biases from time to time. Something like that in an assistant.. ]

No, it answered the purpose of the question, so it's fine for an answer. Is there anything you can tell me about why you would be good for this job, above other candidates? Clerical experience of any kind, the ability to anticipate needs?

[Armin nods, glad that the story had answered what it was supposed to. He bites his lip at her next question, thinking. A little hesitantly, he reaches into his shirt and brings out a small, worn, leather notebook.]

I suppose... this kind of answers both of those questions. I'm good at adapting quickly to new situations, working things out and making hard choices with little information. Genessia... isn't the first world I was brought to after being taken from my home world. For more than the past year, I've been thrown from world to world, one every month or so, with a group of people much like the populations of the cities here. There, there would be some event, some turning point for a city or a country or even a planet that we were intended to influence - but we were never told what the event was or how we were meant to shape it.

Given how little information we had... I did my best to write all of it down - the places we went, the situations we faced, the people I traveled with, and the deeper meanings behind everything, along with my thoughts and speculations. I figured eventually we'd have enough data to start seeing patterns and figuring out the larger picture.

[He hands the notebook over to her, albeit with a little trepidation. With no object permanence in liminal space, he's used to having to pay careful attention when he hands his notebook to someone else, lest it vanish and all his work be lost.

The notebook itself is superb - containing careful and meticulous notes and accounts on all the subjects Armin mentioned, and more. Most is written in Armin's small, neat script, though a couple passages - mostly about worlds that other Travelers came from - were clearly written by someone else. There are even some illustrations on a few of the pages, and what they lack in flair they more than make up for in detail.

Taken without context, it all seems a fantastical tale - stories of crashing space stations, star crossed lovers of warring crime families in 1930s Brooklyn, fighting both dragons and half-immortal master mages in a strange, magical medieval kingdom, even a story about pirates and mermaids - told mostly from a mermaid's point of view. There was a place where a ceremonial dance supposedly drove the movement of the celestial bodies. Except instead of told to entertain, the stories were told from more of a historical and personal perspective, and how they all fit into the larger narrative of the Traveler's journey.

Most of the stories seem to imply that, for a time, Armin or some of his companions believed themselves to be denizens of whatever world they were in, with their own lives and memories and motivations, not remembering their time as a traveler or even their home worlds at all. There were also accounts of fantastical places that seemed to be not so much worlds as waiting rooms - places where the Travelers rested and recouped for the next jaunt, though reality in these places was malleable. It never made sense, and it was shaped, at least in part, by consciousness - beyond which, rules like gravity were easily broken.

The whole things tells of a harrowing and at times tragic or even traumatic experience - but though Armin's own role is often minimized, the notebook clearly shows that he's a clever, perceptive, caring, and methodical individual.]

[ Weiss pages through the notebook, quickly scanning through any emphasized words, headers, drawings. A habit of previewing things she'd picked up from having excellent study habits. The amount of detail was interesting. She obviously couldn't read it all right now but she.. definitely wanted to.

It showed her what she needed to know- different traits that made him an ideal candidate, that he had experience with at least doing detailed and effective work. Though she did want to ask one thing: ]

Can I borrow this?

[Armin looks frankly taken aback by the question. She... wanted to borrow it? Was that because she wanted to take longer on deciding whether his work was good enough for the position, or because she genuinely wanted to read it all? The latter, in all likelihood. He's not quite sure how he feels about that - but he supposes it doesn't particularly matter too much, because there's no real reason to say no.

If he's going to remain stuck here, it's not like it's probably of much use to him anyway. Still...] All r-right - as long as you're very careful with it.

Of course! I'm just the type of person who likes to learn about anything I can.

[ She pauses for a moment, looking at something before closing the notebook carefully and tucks it under her arm for now, safe and sound. She looks back to Armin and holds her hand out to shake his. ]

I think you're qualified for the job so I'm going to hire you on a trial basis. The lack of knowledge regarding technology may be a problem, so I'm going to give you two to three weeks to get at least basic skills down. If you can manage that, you can consider the position yours.

[He nods - that is something they share, though survival and other larger concerns have taken precedence over Armin's dreams and his desire to learn for many years now. Still, it's nice to hear in someone else as well, especially when that someone is going to be his boss.

Which happens to be the next thing he finds out as he listens. A small, happy smile slowly spreads across his face at the words. For the moment, he looks sharper, more confident than she's seen him yet.] Yes, Ms. Schnee. Th-thank you. I'll do my best.

When would you like me to start?

Tomorrow. Today, you need to go shopping for new clothes.

[ She's not going to let up on that. Look professional or get fired. That's non-negotiable. ]

All right. I'll do that. Tomorrow, then.

[He gets up to leave, ready to leave, but pauses in the doorway.]

Eight o'clock?

Nine to five would be standard hours for the position, but you're welcome to come in earlier if you'd like. I might be here earlier on some days, but if I'm not here by 9 you can typically assume something happened if I didn't call to tell you otherwise or make not of it ahead of time.

If you need time off, please try to notify me at least a week in advance unless you're really ill. If you come into work and make a sickness-related mess because you have a really strong work ethic, I'll dock your pay.

[ It sounded dramatic, but she wasn't kidding. She didn't want to get sick and she didn't want anyone else to get sick. ]

[Armin nods again - everything she's said makes sense, and he's fine with it. It might seem dramatic to some people, but Weiss has nothing on the military as far as that goes. For Armin, the rules here are going to seem positively lax - though of course he won't let himself do any less than his absolute best.]

I'll see you tomorrow at 9 then, Ms. Schnee. Thank you again for the opportunity.

[ Weiss only gets incredibly strict when things are being done wrong. If they aren't going the way she wants them to, that's when Armin will start seeing how much of a pain she can be. As long as that doesn't happen though, a happy Weiss is a semi-relaxed Weiss. ]

You're welcome. I'll see you tomorrow.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Chapter 2 | Closed to Weiss | Audio + Action

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