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seasonsgreetings2023-04-14 10:33 am
seasonsmods) wrote in seasonsgreetings2023-04-14 10:33 am
Entry tags:
Test Drive Meme #2
Test Drive Meme #2
LOGS | NETWORK | OOC | MEMES | NAVIGATION
You arrive in an unknown space, dressed in white clothes (player choice what kind of clothes, as long as they cover everything). Whatever was happening to you before no longer happens. It's like everything was put on a pause and you were transferred away from the situation without you realizing it happened.
The space that you find yourself in is one of these four options:
An empty landscape filled with snow and ice, almost like a blank canvas.
A field with cherry blossom trees and spring flowers.
A sunny beach near an ocean that seems never ending.
A quiet forest with falling autumn leaves.
All of the spaces seem to continue endlessly. No matter where or how far you walk it almost seems like you're not moving at all. There are no animals here - just those who happened to wake up there at the same time, in the same place. Everyone is wearing the same kind of plain, white clothes.
Despite the possible rollercoaster of emotions you might be feeling, the place somehow feels familiar. Like somehow you belong there.
And it looks like you're not alone.
After half an hour has passed the surroundings change as everyone is teleported into a room with all the other new arrivals, no matter what space they woke up in. It's a large place with plenty of seats to sit in and beverages to enjoy. Medical attention is offered to those who need it and the doctors here are very prepared for any challenging situations.
Here, in this room, everyone gets an answer to where they are and why. A hologram of a man appears at the center of the room, waiting to be heard. He brings a message on behalf of the leaders of Ellipsa.
The Message [ Click to Expand ]
Hello, my name is Olwen. I'm one of the leaders of Ellipsa as it currently is. I'm also one of the four who summoned you here.
Our world is in trouble and we need your help. I apologize for tearing you away from your world and forcing you to come here but I hope you understand. The magic we used doesn't let us ask in advance, nor does it let us choose who we bring here.
This world is composed of four Seasonal Segments. All of them represent one of the seasons. They were the places we used to get our resources from, but now they're dangerous places no one should go into unless they have the power to fight back. All of them have their own sets of powerful monsters and natural catastrophes.
We used to have plenty of people here who could control the powers of the four Seasons. We called them Seasonal Power Holders. Unfortunately, due to a tragedy you can read about later, we lost almost all of them. Now only four of us remain and the world is in chaos. We have done our best to protect the world, but we need more power holders to do that.
That's where you come in.
All of you have been assigned to one of the seasons. Whatever space you were in just now is what season you represent. You will learn different skills based on the season and those skills are going to help you save this world.
These powers don't interfere with your own natural powers. They use a new energy that has formed inside of you. It's harmless to your health, but it's vital to your seasonal powers. Your own powers should still work, even if the dark energy outside the city might interfere with them.
Unfortunately bringing you here wasn't as simple as it sounds. We couldn't do anything about how to keep you anchored to this world other than making a simple spell that helps with it. That is, you need to touch someone else who is not from this world ideally at least once a day. It will help you stay in control of your powers and boost your magical energy. If you don't, the consequences aren't very good. But as long as you hold someone's hand or give someone a handshake, you should be fine.
That's all I have to say about the situation. The staff of the Research Center will give you more information about housing and other necessary things. I will, however, promise that you will be sent home once the situation becomes better. That's the least we can do.
The hologram can be viewed in private in a separate room later, should someone wish to look at it again. For now, the staff of the Research Center hands everyone their new smartphones with their small flower lucky charms (the flower is anything the player decides). They're also told that the building next door is where everyone can find a room assigned to them with some of their belongings there and possibly even any animal companions. Those concerned about their mount-sizes companions are welcomed to the stables downstairs to see if their friends are there. The mounts are allowed to stay there until you find a place more suitable for them.
Once you get your smartphone and necessary information, you're urged to go out and find your apartment. After that whatever you want to do is up to you.
Part 3
The building next door is where everyone can find their new apartments. As you enter, you're told by a friendly native that for the first two months you can live anywhere rent-free and five meals a day are paid for you. After that they get a monthly payment that helps with some of their living expenses, but otherwise they have to have a job to support themselves.
All of the apartments are comfortable, two bedroom apartments with all necessary utilities. They are also completely soundproof. Sometimes the magic system, however, does glitch and you might find yourself rooming with a stranger. This is not the intention and the staff will immediately prepare you your own room if you ask them. But maybe having a roommate isn't all that bad?
Once you get your smartphone and necessary information, you're urged to go out and find your apartment. After that whatever you want to do is up to you.
The building next door is where everyone can find their new apartments. As you enter, you're told by a friendly native that for the first two months you can live anywhere rent-free and five meals a day are paid for you. After that they get a monthly payment that helps with some of their living expenses, but otherwise they have to have a job to support themselves.
All of the apartments are comfortable, two bedroom apartments with all necessary utilities. They are also completely soundproof. Sometimes the magic system, however, does glitch and you might find yourself rooming with a stranger. This is not the intention and the staff will immediately prepare you your own room if you ask them. But maybe having a roommate isn't all that bad?
April is the time for a strange weather effect that affects all of the districts, save for the one in the middle and Frostreign. It's not weird that it rains, but it's what the rain does that has been dubbed as the Rain of Affection.
Anyone who stands in the rain will feel the need to get close to someone. It starts with a need to gently touch someone gently, but can escalate into needing to hug someone. The ultimate craving of the rain is kissing in the rain but that's the most it can make happen. It's a very Safe For Work Rain Effect.
After a successful kiss in the rain, the cravings slowly become less urgent, but the effect can start all over again at any given time.
Of course, there are individuals who don't get too affected by the rain (at all or not as badly) and it only works if it directly hits someone. So staying in a shelter or being in Nightwake Center or Frostreign is definitely a way to avoid this whole phenomenon. Even avoiding the worst of the effect is easy by just going under a shelter or purchasing a nice, maybe even a color changing, umbrella.
It's raining very often until the end of the month at different times in each districts.
After the rain, a rainbow usually appears. Rainbows formed by the Rain of Affection are special, wish granting ones. The natives will explain that if you hold someone's hands and make a wish that wish will come true in some capacity.
Someone wishing for wealth may win a gift card for a shop while someone wishing to see a loved one they're missing may get pictures sent to their mobile devices (how? magic). Those wishing for world peace may find their very presence be calming to others. But the biggest prize is a free regain of a non-magical item or an animal companion. If someone asks for a magical item it will come as a non-magical item and the magical part of it would have to be purchased by a magical-regain, so it's cheaper to just not.
Be careful what you wish for, as each character only gets one wish, no matter how many rainbows they end up seeing during the rainy season.
Solarpeak has a new way of battling against the hot summer days (you know, when it isn't raining). Many shops along the streets sell ice cream mochis of varying flavors. You have your very normal flavors like different berries, fruit and chocolate, but also some very excotic and weird ones.
There's even a flavor called random mystery that is literally that. A randomized flavor that is a mystery to all. It can even be a flavor that no one has thought of before or even something that definitely should not be in any kind of food. Anyone who buys a pack of two mochis will get a free mystery one if they want it (and sometimes even if they don't).
Other districts also have some treats out for different climates. There are various flavors of hot cocoa in places like Amberfall and Frostreign, and nice light treats like macarons in Blossomcrown. Of course various restaurants have their own menus that fit their own season, so you could definitely have a gourmet journey all over the city of Nightwake if you wished.
One morning, on all of the bridges leading outside into the segments, round gates appear. They're portals that bring in monsters. They look normal from the outside looking in, like portals to a lovely garden. But the gardens are the problem as they are infested with different monsters, waiting to attack the city. This isn't the first time natives have seen these portals and before they had people to deal with them, but now? They need otherworlders.
All of the monsters inside need to be defeated for the portal to disappear. No one knows exactly how many there are, but with the defeat of the last one, the portal will disappear from around anyone inside of it, leaving the characters on the bridge.
The portal can be entered from both the city and the segment side and it looks flat when looked from sideways. Like it's just a random 2D structure in the middle of the world.
Those who explore the portal further will notice that they will loop around. It's very similar to the place they started in, back when they arrived, as it doesn't seem to have an end, no matter how you explore the place.
For noncombatants, natives have set up stations to help with first aid and making food for the fighters so they can occasionally come back from the portals to take a much needed rest.
Anyone helping with the fight, either in the portals or outside, will receive a hefty 5000 Moon Coin reward for their hard work. A good way to earn some starting funds!
Monster List [ Click to Expand ]
All of the Monsters listed here will be in all of the portals and there will be several of each to fight.The danger level is indicated with Stars. The lowest level threat is 0 while the highest is 10. From 7 and above, the likelihood of a beast going for a kill increases significantly.
| Name | Description | Stars |
|---|---|---|
| Bubblefish | Bubblefish are lumbering, two-legged creatures, with fins for arms, a long, muscular, finned tail, and a big fish face. They are fast, dangerous predators while in water, but do not count them out while on land, as regardless of whether they are above water or below it, they can blow large bubbles which capture their targets. Once inside the stretchy bubble, victims begin to go numb, their body feeling like it's on pins and needles as the Dragonfish begins to cast various debuffs on them. The bubbles are tough to escape despite their appearance, but the debuffs are lesser when shared, and can be escaped with the propper application of mint or minty treats! Mint has the effect of weakening the bubble to allow it to pop, although you may then find yourself being charged as the Bubblefish goes wild trying to get that minty goodness. | 5-8 |
| Bugboars | These are really more like rhinocerous beetles, but they are the size of wild boars, and they act similarly, roaming about in family groups together, rooting through the ground to unearth any edible material. They are highly territorial, and charge at anything or anyone who gets close. Their eyesight might be poor, but they make up for it with their antennae and the fact that these massive beetles do have wings, and they possess enough control over wind to lift themselves off of the ground at great speeds, or send powerful gales at those who come too close to their young. | 6 |
| Crockodile | Crocodiles with elemental powers of earth, leading to them being able to travel through dirt and stone as if they were water, these large reptiles often hide beneath the earth with only their eyes and nostrils peeking out, resembling the stone they hide within. They are ambush predators, popping out of the ground, large stony jaws open to crush their prey, but even once dragged out of hiding they are hardly easy to defeat. These crocks are stony in appearance and their hide is just as hard to pierce. In addition, they're a little closer to the size of a small car than your average crocodile. | 6-9 |
| Flurry Flock | White birds acting like a swarm that may deceive you into thinking they are harmless doves at first. Upon closer inspection, they more closely resemble a vengeful murder of crows with pure white feathers that they can use to reflect light so brilliantly that one can be blinded, leaving the flock's victim open to attack as they descend upon their prey like a group of voracious piranhas, claws and beaks as cold as ice as they try to tear their foes apart | 3-6 |
| Lavapotamus | These large hippo-creatures seem to be either made of or covered in molten rock that hardens over time when in the air. Usually they prefer to soak in lava and be left alone. Pulled through portals in an environment far too cool for their liking and with people so nearby has them aggressive and dangerous, charging down anyone who gets too near and leaving a red-hot trail of lava in their wake. | 3-8 |
| Minosaur | This creature seems to be a horrific mash of other creatures, similar to a traditional chimera; it possesses the body and horns of a bull, a head like a Tyrannosaurus, the plates of a stegosaurus all the way down it's powerful back and becoming spikes as they trail down it's tail, which ends in a very angry snake head. There is no end of this creature's body which is not hard, sharp, and completely pissed off. If you manage not to get bitten or gored at it's head, you will still need to contend with the powerful hooved legs attempting to stomp down on you, and take care to dodge as the snake head on it's tail spits fire. | 8-10 |
Even after the defeat of the Portals, there's still a lot of things to do! All of the Guilds are open. There's a good training space outside of them to test our powers and computers where you can learn all about what kind of powers you can unlock.
All guilds also have the same Questboard open! Why not take a look and see what adventures await?
- Ask your questions related to the TDM here.
- The TDM is available only to friends of the mods and their friends. If you're not a friend of the mods and want to play in the TDM, please leave a note here to inform us who invited you over. We will get to you as soon as possible!
- Feel free to visit the EMP/ATP - meme!
- New characters can add TDM on their subject line to indicate they're new! They can also comment HERE to promote their new top levels.
- Test Drive is open for current characters to make a top level as well.
- Current characters cannot access the starting area again to meet new arrivals. They can, however, be at the Research Center when the newbies are teleported in.
- The TDM is game canon so anything in the TDM can happen for your character(s) in the game as well.
- Smut is not allowed on the TDM. You can play situations leading to it, but if the thread is turning into smut, please move it to a private space such a post in your character's journal, or a locked post in the game's log community if you decide to app!
- Check Locations: City to find more areas to explore inside the city. Every place in the districts are open. Similarly, Locations: Segments is useful for outdoors adventures.
- You can find monsters to encounter on Beastiary.
- FAQ has information on characters' smartphones as well as general things about the world that might be handy.
helloooooooooo
Well, I was just taking care of some chores, but then all of a sudden, I was standing in this forest! Then, I was in another building with all of these other people, and somebody started talking to us. Everything he said sounded totally unbelievable at first, but then he mentioned that he brought me here to save the world. It started to make a little bit of sense at that point, because if you were looking for people to save the world, obviously, I'd be one of the first people you'd go to!
[She says it so matter-of-factly. Maybe she just missed the part where he said it was random. It's fine. That's fine.]
But, more importantly...
[She seems to have finished inspecting him at this point. Her eyes land on the crutch. She then looks him in the eyes and lets out a loud, skeptical breath through her nose.
She immediately looks real suspicious of his claim that he "got better". Over the last three years, Gabi had made it her business to get very familiar with Levi's physical condition. With the level of medicine available to them and with no more Ackermann Clan powers, there was no getting better, they were making the best of what they had. Which is why she looks a little upset just seeing him on two feet at all right now. Her posture says she's expecting the crutch to give out at any moment. She's positioned herself to get ready to catch him, because she thinks he could fall over at any moment.]
You're pushing yourself right now, aren't you?
[She doesn't sound too surprised by it, either.
This close, under the umbrella, it'll be easier for Levi to notice, they're a lot closer to each other in height, now. She's not the slight girl that, from his perspective mere hours ago, if that, he practically had to lay on top of to help her control the recoil of her massive anti-Titan rifle.]
gabi? in this economy?
[ His frustration gradually gives way to fondness -- damn kids, honestly, spouting all that crap about saving the world as if they don't know better, and he knows for a fact they do, and he's almost considering ruffling her hair and telling her she's an idiot when she moves closer and he realizes she's taller than he remembers. ]
[ Well. That figures. Wonder how long it's been for her. ]
...You, too? What's with you all and uncontrollable growing?
[ He grumbles, just a little accusatory, because it's so much easier to act bitchy about brats spiting you by having the audacity to grow than acknowledging his pitiful condition right now. He's still missing the fingers, and his eye is still covered by the patch. He doesn't know if the surgeons were able to do anything about it or not. And while they may have fixed his leg, he's definitely not doing himself any favors walking around on it. ]
[ Watch him fuck up his own magically procured recovery because he's a stubborn piece of shit. ]
...
[ Unbelievable. He's, like, three times her age or something and she's scolding him. Or it definitely feels that way for some reason. ]
[ The lack of answer is, unfortunately, probably an answer enough. ]
I'm practically GIVING this gabi away!!!!!
...
[The grin doesn't last more than a second or two though and she quickly meets his silence with more silence.]
Geez, did you fall on your head when you got here?
[She lets out a sigh as she looks at the bandages on his face - she was so concerned with his leg, she almost missed that. He almost looks like...back then. The thought of that battle, makes her realize, with a huff and a downward look...]
Yeah, I guess if they were going to ask me to save the world, of course they would ask you too, huh?
[Gabi is never shy to talk about the part she played in The Battle of Heaven and Earth (although every time she tells it, the distance between her and that Okapi Titan gets further away, Falco is doing an increasingly complicated upside-down corkscrew maneuver, and she says some really cool line before she does it...), but if you wanted a world savior, who could you ask for better than the man whose blade literally saved humanity? Which, by the way, is also something she is also never shy to let people know about, since it's not like Levi is ever gonna brag for himself.]
[But in this case, she doesn't look too happy about it.]
Well - come on. [She offers him a hand to support him and is already trying to lead him elsewhere. She doesn't....actually know where anything is, but she's just automatically confident she'll find it.] We'll just have to go tell them that you're retired, so they can send you home.
[It's becoming less and less clear how much of the opening message she actually heard.]
i want five!!!
[ More silence, because he did, in fact, fall on his face like five seconds after arrival. It wasn't painful or anything! Or maybe he just didn't feel it because of how banged up in his entirety he is at the moment. ]
[ He doesn't really think of himself as any kind of a "hero", but he's certainly been thrust into that role enough anyway. He did what he had to, and often enough of those were things that nobody else could do, but he saw no point bringing it up. ]
[ And anyway, it was all down to luck and chance here, wasn't it? Did Gabi even listen to her welcome message or just boast her way through it? Was she always this bossy? ]
[ He stares her hand down with a scowl. This again. All of these children telling him to chill the fuck out. And they're all probably right. It's not like humanity needs him anymore. But he's been turning the idea of "retirement" over in his head since he got here and he still has no more clue what to do with it. ]
[ He never expected to reach it. ]
[ He supposes he's being a huge hypocrite at the moment. If someone under his command was insisting of dragging their injured ass around, he'd probably tell them to sleep it off until they're not a detriment to the team, but here he is, doing the opposite of that. ]
[ He sighs in defeat and sticks his elbow out for her to take for support, though if she wants to hold the umbrella too she'll need to take it from him herself. ]
Hold your horses. [ His voice is in the usual dull tone, like he's tired of talking already even though he's barely done any. ] Who said I want to go back?
[ As far as he knows, there's nothing left for him there. Maybe he'd live, maybe he'd find new people to care about, he always did, but if what Gabi is implying is true, it sounds like he'd just be a burden on them anyway. ]
[ He can take care of himself here. Sort of. Nobody needs to put their life on hold for him. ]
[ (And he might also have the tiny hope of seeing his friends again without dying for it. This place seemed to exist outside of life and death in that way.) ]
no subject
She opens her mouth to object immediately when he implies he's not going anywhere. She wants to tell him, of course he's going back, this place is dangerous, that's why they tried to bring us here in the first place!, but she stops herself.
Is their world really a, pardon the phrase, paradise worth immediately running back to at the moment? It would be a massive understatement to call it a work-in-progress right now, from basically every standpoint, from structural to environmental to political....
But one thing it had, as uneasy as it was, as dependent on their friends, currently on a ship traveling across the sea, was peace. One thing it had was an absence of a need for Levi Ackermann to fight anymore. So, she doesn't rebuke his question. She just stares ahead at the rain and asks a question.]
That message said this place has monsters in it. Monsters and catastrophes.
If you're here, are you going to want to fight?
wow you're just casually destroying my heart over there,,
[ Okay, so, maybe it is, but Levi has a hard time imagining it's more dangerous than their world. Of course, he hasn't had the chance to see it at lasting peace, but then, would the threat of war actually ever really go away? ]
[ Not to mention the place where he'd actually spent most of his life. Nobody has tried to stick a knife between his ribs here just for walking around at an odd hour, which is a definite win. There was that asshole policeman, but other than that... ]
[ (He briefly considers telling Gabi about Hijikata. She'd definitely want to give him a piece of her mind. He wouldn't know what hit him. Grudges, Levi? Why he would never.) ]
[ She's right about that much, though. He's done with fighting back home. Even if he could still do it, there's little it could achieve anymore. The game was going to be politics and shushed weapon development now, pushing relics like him out of relevancy, and it would have to be freeing, in a way. ]
[ Here? Who knows. Things seemed quiet so far, but if they were really brought in to help, that was likely only temporary. As always. Will he fight? Will he be able to? He's been given real hope regarding that, but at the same time, he's worried that if he leans to much into it, it'll crumble. ]
[ He doesn't look at her, instead staring out into the rain in parallel. ]
Maybe. [ There's no point in denying it. He can't run away. Surely she understands that. Of course, he also has no intention of just yeeting himself into the fray in this state and getting in the way of everyone else, but... ] If I can.
that's what I do, that's my thing
...
...oh, to heck with it.]
You know, there's something I never told you. About that last battle. At Fort Salta.
[Because, honestly, who wants to talk about it? Even three years on, it still feels like a nightmare that just refused to end.]
...when that smoke came.
[She looks down and lets out a low breath.]
I remember everybody else just being...stunned. I remember, even Pieck-san, who's normally so calm and quick-thinking, was panicking. I just stood there not even fully understanding what was even happening until you were all gone. Obviously, I don't remember much of what happened after that, because... [YA KNOW.] ...but I talked to Falco about it afterwards.
I did remember, as soon as you realized what was happening, you started yelling what to do to everybody. Falco said...it was pretty much the same afterwards. You were shouting orders, keeping everybody focused when things were at their absolute worst.
I thought about it and I realized...you probably saved the world, right then. Because you just knew what had to be done. And I realized it was probably like that for you for a really long time. Just...doing what you have to do. No matter what's happening to the people around you. Because you had no other choice, there was no place for you to stop or rest.
[Now, she looks at him.]
Well, I'm telling you now, as somebody who overworked the heck out of themselves for way, way worse reasons than you -- you're allowed to rest while you're alive too, you know.
[She then abruptly looks away. She's really hesitant about this next part, but -- screw it. The rain that did get on her is pushing her to do it, so she just. Kinda leans into him and hugs him for a second, then lets go.]
Alsothankyouforturningmebackintoahuman.
[From his perspective, that's all still fresh, of course. From hers - she's been holding it in for a while.]
Just. Keep both of those things in mind! While you're figuring out if you can or not!
ðŸ˜
[ All that she said is true, more or less, even if he's lowkey surprised that she or anyone paid that much attention to him. He doesn't know about saving the world, but... He had been the one with the most experience there, and the one with nothing left to lose. The people closest to him were all already dead, and he'd even lost most of the strength that had defined him all his life on top of it. For those with families up on that hill, he's sure the realization that they'd really lost and everything would be over could throw a wrench in their wheels. For him? If you're going to die anyway, might as well die fighting. How many of the Survey Corps missions had be utterly hopeless? You never really get used to people dying, but you learn not to let it slow you down. ]
[ He's done what he had to his entire life. From the moment Kenny put that knife in his hand and told him it'll be up to him to survive. He's never done anything else, even if the last few years with the Survey Corps had been a whole other beast in scale, where multiple people's lives could depend on his split-second decisions. He always tried to do his best, because what else could he do? He'd found meaning in it. Purpose. It came with a great weight that eventually wore him down, but he didn't regret it. ]
[ He certainly never thought he'd live to see the day where it wasn't needed anymore. ]
[ He glances back at Gabi, briefly. He knows. He knows that, and it's still too damn difficult to get himself to slow down because he's just forgotten, or maybe never even knew how. But she's not being pushy about it. ]
[ Well. He has time to try now, he supposes. ]
[ He tenses up when she hugs him, but it's short enough that he's not too uncomfortable, so he just stands there awkwardly until it's over. He's not good at things like this. ]
You don't need to baby me. [ He says in response, because of course he does, but his face does look less grouchy than usual. ] But... thanks.
[ Shit, he's going to try. Can't have all those kids worrying about him when they could finally be having some semblance of a normal life, even if this place is suspicious in its own right. But it's hard to imagine anything worse or even on par with the hell that their home has been for all too long. ]
[ Speaking of which... he has to know. No, maybe not has to, but he thinks he wants to. ]
It's been a while since then for you, hasn't it? [ That battle. It certainly sounds like she's been sitting on this a while. He struggles to find the next words. ] What... what's it like?
[ The world now, he means. ]
[ Please tell him all of his friends', all of their sacrifices were worth it. That humanity really prevailed. ]
no subject
How is this possible? They pulled both Gabi and Levi from their world, but...from different points in time? From what she knows of the Paths, they could link people across different points in time, but aren't the Paths....gone?
While she's trying to puzzle that one out, she suddenly notices something else - not so much what Levi asked her, but the way he asked her. She's not sure if she's ever heard him ask him something with that kind of...hesitance? Like, he wants to know, but he's not sure if he wants the answer.
It makes her want to tell him, immediately.]
Um.
It's. [She takes a second to make sure.] 857.
What is it for you? I can tell you everything!
no subject
[ But here and now, it still seems fresh. There's no blood sinking through, at least, but the fact that he's still all wrapped up means it's not safe to open yet. ]
[ And he looks surprised when she tells him the date, as surprised as his face can look anyway. It makes sense with the way she looks, but... it's still a lot to take in. It's been three years for her. She knows things he doesn't. Just like the others must feel when they speak to him, he realizes. Perhaps it's for the best that they don't do that much. ]
...854. [ Again, he seems to hesitate for a moment, but decides to just spit it out. ] I know we've won. I wasn't... sure I would survive.
[ His injuries, he means. He supposes it hadn't really been than much worse than the thunderspear, but with everything combined, with seeing his dead comrades and friends in the steam... He'd really thought, perhaps, on some level, even hoped that he was breathing his last in that moment. ]
no subject
[So that was. Right after that battle, huh. The moment when Gabi had returned to being a human and was busy reuniting with Falco (by giving him an overhead suplex, but that's neither her nor there) while Levi saluted his comrades. Gabi feels her lips tug downwards at the idea that Levi didn't know if he would survive or not. The next bit spills out of her mouth before she has a chance to think about it.]
Y - you did! You're still around, I see you almost every day!
It's...it wasn't always easy, dealing with your injuries and with...everything that happened. [The general state of the world, despite them narrowly avoiding extinction, was still....not great. But Gabi still manages a small smile.]
But...we're all still trying our best, ya know?
no subject
[ Alone. ]
[ (He loves the kids, sure. It's just not the same.) ]
[ He's not sure if he's relieved or disappointed. As usual, neither shows in his expression, though he may be leaning on her just a little harder for a moment. ]
Did your folks die?
[ It's the best reason he can think of for Gabi to be spending time with him, because sure, he wouldn't leave a kid alone in a world that was very nearly broken completely, but surely it must mean she has no better options. And he's not tactful in asking about it either, he's not good at it, but there's genuine sympathy there. ]
[ It does make sense that he wouldn't go back to Paradis, at least. There's nothing left for him there. Just more of the goddamn clowns discrediting everything the Survey Corps ever stood for. He doesn't want to see it. Maybe he'd like to visit Erwin's grave, one day, when the pain has dulled enough to withstand it, but he's probably already turning in it seeing what their regiment back on the island has become. ]
[ There's no more Scouts, as far as he's concerned. He's the last of them. ]
[ Cruel irony, isn't it. ]
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[Her eyebrows fall to a half-lidded position. It's easy to get the feeling that she's heard something like that at least once.]
No. Actually...Annie-san's dad managed to fight his way through the guards and steal a train. He got a bunch of Eldians from the interment zone out of Liberio and all the way to Fort Salta, including a bunch of our families. I couldn't even believe it when I saw them...it was like a miracle. I was positive that even if we stopped the Rumbling, I'd never see my parents again, but...after everything, we all got to be together again.
[There's a but coming, here.]
....but.
I couldn't talk to them about the stuff that was inside my head, then.
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[ The story impresses him just a little bit. Must be where she gets it from. He doesn't actually know much about Annie, but he's heard and seen enough to have an idea of her abilities. Well, that and she's managed to destroy his squad in her Titan form. He doesn't think he can ever get past that, even if he accepted working together out of necessity, even if he always tries his best not to hold things against people that they had no control over. The Warriors were just... well, definitely not on Eren's level, but the devastation they caused was nothing to forgive and forget, either. ]
...I see.
[ He just says, gently, and doesn't push it more. He still wants to hear about 857. About the technology, the libraries, the rebuilding of the world, what exactly their relationship is. But there's no rush. She can do it at her own pace. Eventually, at some point, they can sit down with some tea and catch up. ]
[ He doesn't know if he's someone who can really comfort anyone else when they're going through things. But he can be a decent listener, he supposes. And then, they both were some of the people that had gone through hell that day. Maybe that was enough. ]
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[Of all things, Gabi lets out a laugh.]
At first I just kind of. Hung around you, because I knew you didn't like Reiner or the others, and he wouldn't ask too many questions about it, but. It stopped being about that pretty fast.
[She glances at him.]
Tell y'what. I'll tell you anything else you wanna know about the future...
[There's an if coming.]
If you let me take you somewhere where you can get off your feet for a while!
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[ And as much as he'd like to insist that she doesn't need to worry, that he's perfectly fine, he also really does want to know... and sitting down doesn't honestly sound too bad. Maybe it could even be nice to catch up. ]
...Alright. You've got a deal. [ Bet she wasn't expecting that. ]
[ Does she have someplace in mind? If not, he does know a sort of pub near here, one that looks as much like a run down hole popular among criminals as it's possible in this part of town, but they actually serve pretty good tea. He'd been there before with Daigo, like the social butterfly he is. ]