PSL / MEME CONTINUATION

[rollcharisma]

Comments

[headhooligan]

[Armin’s first comment gets a light huff of a laugh out of Aubrey. She feels a bit like someone just slapped a her with a nametag and dubbed her a tour guide. Not the worst thing to happen lately, by a long shot. Sure, maybe it’s a little too casual too fast, but it’s not like the bounceback is new....]

[“…don’t you, Aubrey?”
That almost makes her suppresses a flinch, though. But it’s Armin talking, not the disembodied voice. Nothing to lie about, anyway.]

Some of it. The basic stuff, like clothing, food, books… I didn’t browse much. [A little too busy ramming carts into things, the works.] Like, all this [—and here she lets one hand go, to gesture around—] is bizarre to me, too.

[The hand then reaches for one of Eren’s, as she finally steps back; it’s a casual thing. Aubrey’s tempted to start tugging him along like she did Armin earlier, but she doesn’t want to tempt the world again… The urge is channeled instead through a couple steps in that directiom.] Describe some of the other strange things, though. I might know about them.

[abandonhumanity]

[Everything in this universe seems to go from "casual" to "decidedly not casual" in the blink of an eye. It's the only way to cope with the turbulence. Aside from that, Eren's options are to either ice up again, to talk honestly about his feelings, or to look around Wal-Mart and pretend neither of the first two options exist. Let's go with that.

[He's not ready for Aubrey to be away from his chest, but he takes her hand as a consolation, and lets her start leading the way.]

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[rollcharisma]

[Armin follows, noting the way that Eren keeps his hand in Aubrey's. Is that more for her benefit, or for his? He's never really seen him act that way around someone else. Who knew Eren Jaeger could still find love after all of this?

[Armin knew that, actually. Armin knew that, because he knows that Eren Jaeger loves fast, and hard, and desperate, and violent. Armin also knows what it can mean to be loved by Eren Jaeger.

[Aubrey's a nice girl. He hopes this place will be gentle with them. Recalling the thousand bloody screens only a few minutes ago, he doubts it. In that, he hopes that Eren will, at least, be gentle with her. He is right now. That's all Armin can see, though.

[Focusing on Wal-Mart does sound like the easiest option right now, yeah.]

I was passing through this one aisle - I think it was mostly children's toys, but some of them played music, lit up, or even moved. Then, with the cooking utensils, there were all sorts of strange, colorful contraptions. I couldn't even begin to tell you what they do.

[He bets Niccolo and Sasha would really get a kick out of--

[Ah...

[Nevermind...that...]

[headhooligan]

[Aubrey’s a little surprised that Armin’s not asking about… a lot of things, really. But it’s fine. They’ve both seen a lot. For now, life is like this, and maybe it really can stay fine. Just don’t try to introduce some wild new thing, don’t dredge up everything, keep it relaxed… steel up, don’t lose footing. Eren’s hand is in hers, and maybe everything will be okay.

[Plus, the thought of Armin poking around kids’ toys is frickin’ hilarious.]

Hah, maybe blenders or mixers? Mashes up food quick for ya. [This whole ordeal is giving her some questions about technology levels. Surely a society menaced by those things can’t waste resources on power lines; the ODM gear looks advanced, but it’s fuel-powered…

[Hopefully this is a safe topic.] Are you guys familiar with electricity? I mean, you didn’t seem too surprised by the diner, Armin; and Eren— [The elevator.] —well, we’ve been in other rooms with lights and all that. [There, vague is better.]

[Aubrey doesn’t notice anything amiss. If Armin and Eren aren’t looking, they’ll just hear a weirdly-timed pause. If they are looking, Aubrey (who isn’t facing either of them, walking slightly ahead of Eren) doesn’t seem to stop talking.
[But they won’t hear part of it.]

oh hello?? 1/2

[abandonhumanity]

[Eren still has Aubrey's hand in his. Subconsciously, he squeezes it when he notices Aubrey's words go quiet - no sound, lips still moving. His expression goes tense. He looks at Armin. They both stop walking.]

Aubrey. Say that again.

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[rollcharisma]

[It can't be nothing. Aubrey's voice disappeared. Eren saw it too; they aren't mistaken. This will precede something. Armin's sure of it...]

[headhooligan]

[Oh boy.]

[Aubrey stops as soon as Eren talks. Why are they looking at her like that?]

Uh, about lights…? [She points up at the fluorescents.] I asked if you guys have electricity. Sorry. You don’t have to answer that.

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[abandonhumanity]

It's not that.

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[rollcharisma]

Your voice stopped making noise while you were talking. Eren's did the same thing earlier.

[headhooligan]

[Dread hits like a kick to the gut.]

No, it didn’t… to me, anyway.... [The hand in Eren’s holds just a bit tighter.] Eren actually stopped; you knew you did, right?

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[abandonhumanity]

It's happening again.

[He looks back at Armin.]

My voice didn't disappear like that. I couldn't speak at all.

[rollcharisma]

[Remaining calm...]

Aubrey, could you...repeat back exactly the words you just said? All of them?

I want to see if your voice cuts out at the same section...

[headhooligan]

[Aubrey is rapidly losing whatever chill she had.]

I said I— it hasn’t gone silent to me at all. [Free hand on her throat. It is vibrating.] And I asked if Eren— I’m sorry, these aren’t the exact words at all....

[You’re making it worse! Just shut up and stop making it worse!]

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[abandonhumanity]

Aubrey.

[He takes her other hand. He squeezes them both.]

Calm down. [It's gentle.

[Internally, Eren is in the same boat that she is. The way her voice fades in and out makes him wonder if she'll start doing the same. He isn't ready to lose her...There's a deep, thick dread that wonders if something is trying to pull her back home. He keeps a tight grip on her hands.]

Can you bend your way around it...?

["Bending" reality. They haven't been practicing long, but...]

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[rollcharisma]

[Armin doesn't question them about the "bending" right now. He's midway through a thought, and he finishes it out loud.]

Earlier, this universe tried to teach us all a lesson. It wasn't subtle...

There's some purpose to this. We need to figure out what...

[headhooligan]

[Okay. There. Focus on Eren’s hands, breathe. Aubrey swallows back panic and looks up to him, ever grateful.]

[Still…] Last time I did that it all went to hell.... [Who knows if they’re hearing any of this. It’s too late. Maybe the filter should come completely off.] What kind of lesson was that?

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[abandonhumanity]

[Eren's interested to know what "lesson" Armin is referring to as well, but he keeps his eyes on Aubrey for the most part, only glancing back briefly at his friend. Armin's smart. His brain is his greatest weapon. He'll figure something out...Maybe he already has.

[Eren's not sure he really wants to hear what he was supposed to "learn" from all that, though...]

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[rollcharisma]

[Maybe..."lesson" really wasn't the right word to use. Eren is being...civil with him. That, and Armin just blew up at him (which he maintains was deserved - might do again at some point). He doesn't want him to feel...lectured? But...]

"Lesson" might not have been a good word, but what I mean is, the universe showed us memories to...provoke a reaction and push us in a certain direction. It's all very...calculated, somehow.

Whatever's happening to you, it serves some purpose.

[He frowns in thought.]

It would be helpful if you could hear when your voice stops making sound. If we could figure out what words aren't coming through, I'm sure we'd find the answer.

[headhooligan]

Calculated? [The indignation, sudden as it is pointed, isn’t strictly aimed at Armin. Gotta go somewhere, though.] I’ve seen Eren with… [He hates the very name.] How is that calcu—

[Aubrey shakes her head quickly. Stop being unfair.] Maybe you guys can signal…? [There. Move.]

[abandonhumanity]

["Calculated" isn't a word that Eren wants to hear right now either. He doesn't like the implication that there is something pulling the strings for the express purpose of manipulating them - just watching them squirm, maybe. Then again, there'd have to be, wouldn't there? It feels like trying to decide whether or not God is real; though, what's been happening to them is realer than any God Eren's ever known.]

We'll hold up our hands.

[rollcharisma]

[Armin, quite frankly, has no idea how he managed to set Aubrey (and possibly Eren, judging by his expression) off, but here he is.

[They'll focus on the signaling.]

That's a good idea. When your voice cuts out, we'll each raise one of our hands. Try to pay attention to what you're not able to say, okay?

[And they will indeed do just that.]

[headhooligan]

[Aubrey nods. It’s a good plan. She hates to lose Eren’s warm grip, though, even a little.]

Right. Sorry, it’s just— This world…it’s an escape, but it’s been cru— Wait, that?!

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[abandonhumanity]

[Eren and Armin exchange another sharp look. Eren squeezes Aubrey's hand again.]

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[rollcharisma]

["Wait, that?!" There's some level of distinction there.]

You noticed something. What was different about the words you couldn't say? Anything?

Try again if you need to.

[headhooligan]

[Okay. This is still upsetting, but that’s information. There was a topic shift, there. They can work with this.]

You know, I think this world doesn’t like us talking bad about it. Or at least not me. [What’s that book they’re always talking about, with the big eye and the surveillance? Aubrey wasn’t even trying to trash-talk it, but now…] I don’t get it. It’ll put our memories on blast [oh, whatever, small word] but I can’t… say anything about it?

You guys try.