Chapter 3 | Video

[neverfeltthatway]

[Armin looks immensely better than he did the last time he appeared on the network. He's wearing clothes that are both cleaner and in better condition, and no longer has any visible injuries - but the biggest difference is in demeanor. He no longer seems lost and afraid, but is both more confident and happier, having spent the last weeks recovering and in the company of his closest friends.

Plus, he's gotten a job now with a company that's trying trying to help people - and so he has direction in his life again, even if just a little. More than that, he no longer has to feel he's a burden on Eren and Mikasa.

He smiles at the camera, only a little uncertainly.]

Hello. I guess I was rather upset when I arrived here a couple weeks ago - [A drastic understatement, but Armin doesn't want to draw attention to the condition he arrived in.] - so I never properly introduced myself.

I'm Armin Arlert. I'm from the same world as Eren and Mikasa, if anyone knows them. It's nice to meet everyone.

I also have a question. I now have a position as an administrative assistant at Schnee Company Welcome and Travel Services - but I come from a world without computers. Therefore, I'd like to try and learn to use a computer properly as quickly as possible - and w-while I could do it on my own, I'm sure it would go a lot faster if I had a teacher.

S-so if anyone would be able to teach me, I'd be very grateful. I'd compensate you somehow, of course! If you're interested, w-we can talk about what would be reasonable. Thank you.

Comments

video;

[shslprogrammer]

[Did someone mention computers? There is a reason Chihiro got the title he has.]

Y-You really never used a computer before. [Take a deep breath.] I'm pretty good with computers, so I could probably teach you a thing or two. Only if you want though.

[ video ]

[halffreckled]

Armin, it's good to see that you're doing a lot better--

[ he stops himself, blinks, then leans in to the camera ] You're working for the Schnee Company too?! So am I! I currently don't have to deal with a lot of...technology-type things. [ which he could probably manage if Armin ever gets it ]

I'm working for the HR department though! It's a lot of paperwork to go through as of right now... But maybe we could find someone to teach us both and learn together how to use a computer.

video, private

[frostheartedrose]

[Awww! Her cute little hamster is getting better! Yay!!]

You certainly are looking better than death warmed up, Armin. There should be a number of the displaced who can teach you about computers better than myself so don't even think about asking me.

video, private

[neverfeltthatway]

[He's not a hamster! And he's a soldier, he shouldn't be cute, either! He's totally a cute hamster, as you were.

He looks down, a little embarrassed.] Yeah, I... wasn't at my best when I arrived. [In fact, 'death warmed up' is a surprisingly accurate description of his condition at the time.]

Were there computers in the world you came from?

[ video ]

[neverfeltthatway]

Th-thanks.

Yeah, I was hired a couple weeks ago. [The interview a few scant days after he arrived. He knew Marco had applied - Weiss had asked him about Marco, though he doesn't really want Marco to know that - but he hadn't wanted to say anything in case he didn't get in.] S-sure! I'd like that...

video; teach Armin to be a master programmer pls

[neverfeltthatway]

That's right. [Technically, he's been on a computer twice, but it's not enough to really matter, so he doesn't correct the boy.

He smiles at the offer, more genuinely than the one in his intro.] Th-that would be great. If you're okay with it, I'd l-love to learn from you.

[Video]

[lookprofessor]

[He could try and use the text function, but he will pass.]

Um...if you learn how to use a computer well, Armin, can you let me know how?

[There's a pause, and he sighs.] I'm better than I was, but only a little...

[Video]

[neverfeltthatway]

[He smiles a little more genuinely into the camera.] Of course, Luke. I'd be more than happy to.

Though it'll probably be some time before I'm ready to be any sort of teacher.

Re: video, private

[frostheartedrose]

There were though I tended to use them a bit more casually than they could be. I can do a little hacking and play card games. I had other matters to attend to so I had a team for computer duty. Keeping our species from getting discovered, keeping an eye on the human governments, keeping an eye on the crime bosses, that sort of thing.

video, private

[neverfeltthatway]

...Hacking?

[He's new to this, all right? But then the rest of what she says ends up being fascinating too - and more than a little sad.]

You... have to hide from humanity in your world?

Re: video, private

[frostheartedrose]

It's like spying and stealing, but with computers.

[Crap, awkward. It was far too easy to let her guard down around him.]

Humans as a whole never fully accepted us. Certain events happened a thousand years ago and the Bloodline was almost completely exterminated. After that it seemed better to simply not exist to humanity.

video;He will try his best to be a good teacher.

[shslprogrammer]

I'm fine with teaching, though I will admit I've never actually taught anyone before... S-So this will be a first for me.

[He isn't even sure how to start anyway.]

So just name a time and a place and I'll see what I can do. I'll even bring my trusty helper.

video; I realized that once he learned, Armin would actually be *really good* at this

[neverfeltthatway]

That's all right - I'm sure we can figure something out. [Almost anything would be better than trying to learn alone, with technology hundreds of years more advanced than he's used to.

A time and a place, hmm...] Umm. I don't actually h-have my own computer, except at work. So I guess maybe the library? Anywhere we could actually get access to a computer is fine with me. And m-maybe sometime this weekend, if that works for you?

video, private

[neverfeltthatway]

Stealing with computers...

[Sorry, he's working it out, but these concepts are strange to him. Used to living his life without computers, it's hard to imagine what all computers would have that are worth stealing.]

I guess that makes sense.

[That story is a little too familiar - it sounds a little like what happened to humanity 100 years ago, when the titans first appeared. They were almost exterminated, and they've been hiding away in their walls ever since. Armin feels a strange sort of empathy for her.]

I'm sorry to hear that. Nobody should have to hide that way in order to survive.

[Video]

[beautifulmidboss]

[Papa instinct go!]

I'm glad to see you are doing a little better... and I apologise I could not be of more assistance to you when you first arrived.

I am Vyers, the City Guardian of Attleton. I am not too well versed in computers, but if there is any other way I can help you, do contact moi.

[Video]

[goddessinthefog]

Hey, guess we're working in the same place now, then. Don't think I introduced myself, did I? It's Kurosawa, Sen.

[Totally innocent night-shift front desk attendant here.]

Re: video, private

[frostheartedrose]

Once you learn more about the kinds of information stored in computers it makes a lot more sense. Like... Hm. Think of all the paperwork it probably takes to record all of the food, clothing, and maintenance just on your unit. It takes a minimum amount of resources just to keep one soldier able to function well and that doesn't include getting that soldier from one place to another or dealing with injuries, repair, or deaths. One computer could store a whole warehouse full of such paperwork. And for someone like myself, it only takes a monthly supply report to get an idea of what a military base is housing.

[A slightly bitter smile.]

I didn't want to worry you. You said before that your grandparent was sent on a futile mission in order to reduce population... We had the opposite problem. Birth rates average one child every thousand years and even one death was devastating. Normally a person could join the full military after completing puberty but I had to change it to producing one child or living 200 years for the first five hundred years after the fall. I still carry the guilt of practically turning my own people into a breeding stable for several centuries. At least we could pass as humans for a short amount of time, unlike yourself with the titans.

video;

[shslprogrammer]

Then anywhere could be fine. I have an extra laptop that I have we could use anywhere, but the library will be fine.

[He does have an lot of laptop, which with various programs he;s been testing, but he has one he keeps for other things... He'll make sure to take that one.]

This weekend will be fine. I don't have anything to do as far as I am aware. Maybe at 3 in the afternoon maybe, or earlier?

video;

[neverfeltthatway]

...what's a laptop?

video;

[shslprogrammer]

It's like a portable computer. Here I'll show you. [He picks up the device and turns it around to show a laptop that was currently closed. Just looks like a flat rectangle.]

This is a laptop.

video;

[neverfeltthatway]

Oh. [He feels a little silly now, like it's something he should have known.] I've seen them around, I guess, I just didn't know what they were.

If we could go anywhere, then maybe one of our apartments - whichever you'd be more comfortable with - would be better? That way we don't bother anybody else. And I don't have any plans this weekend, so I could go earlier - whenever you like.

[ video ]

[halffreckled]

Oh, you've been there a long time then. [ he nodded ] We'll have to find someone to teach us first, but learning together would probably help a lot.

[ video ]

[neverfeltthatway]

I had an interview about a week after I arrived, yeah.

[Not that he was in any kind of shape for it. But there's nothing Armin hates more than being a burden.]

I've actually found a teacher - but he seems kind of shy, and I don't want to impose too much before I get to know him... I'll ask him if he minds another student when we meet this weekend. But even if he does, I can teach you what I learned from him when I get back.

[Video]

[neverfeltthatway]

It's very nice to meet you, Ms. Kurosawa. You work the night shift at the front desk, right?

[Armin may have familiarized himself with all the employees, even if he hasn't gotten around to introducing himself yet. All in the job description, right?]

video;

[shslprogrammer]

That's fine. I mean not all worlds have them.

[That's some conclusion he came up with anyway. But he looks around slightly for a moment. he didn't think it was a good idea for him to come to his place, it was neat but he had a lot of electronics laying around and that could be a tripping hazard.]

I-I think it would be best if we did that, that I come to yours.