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[reparator]

Who: Cerealians from all over!
When: Various
Where: Various
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GENERAL OVERFLOW
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Comments

I somehow knew I'd like him from the moment I heard the kid screaming "heretic!" at him..... XD

[canteatcurry]

Hunting. That's an interesting way to put it, and not something Mika's cared to think about before. Though now that it's been brought up, however, it makes an unfortunate amount of sense. Before the virus wiped out most of mankind and the vampires made the remaining human children into their 'livestock', they probably did hunt in some way or another.

Which doesn't do anything to reduce the strangeness of thinking of those terms applied to himself, of course.

"It's not," he says.

it's always the quiet ones

[goodtome]

Being considered prey is nothing new to Armin, so it's the natural way to identify the situation. He's unaware, upside down and backward as he happens to be at the moment that he's said something so disconcerting to Mika.

Rather, he's relieved to hear the response. It's more of a confirmation than surprise at this point, honestly. If Mika happens to be a monster, then that's how it is, a happenstance. Certainly, it isn't because that's the essence of Mika himself. If it is, Armin has seen absolutely nothing to suggest it so far.

He finds himself relaxing, even in a situation like this and during such an awful conversation. "Then I'm sorry about before."

quiet and unassuming and potentially the deadliest character in the series, yep

[canteatcurry]

Mika notices that, of course, it would be hard not to when he's carrying Armin like that. He's not certain what he should think of it; is it really a good thing to let a stranger get the impression that Mika's safe to be around, or would it just make Mika seem weak?

Regardless, Armin's apology surprises him.

"For what?"

just stay on his good side you'll be fine

[goodtome]

"Looking at you that way."

It comes out a lot more bitter sounding than he means for it to, but hopefully that won't obscure the intent behind it.

haha yes be nice to the quiet kid lest he plot against you >D

[canteatcurry]

"..."

Mika doesn't know what to say to that. It's not like he'd thought Armin had been wrong to react that way in the first place.

"... Why?" he asks after a moment, honestly unsure what to think.

it's for your own safety

[goodtome]

As far as reactions go it is reasonable. Fear itself is often a very reasonable emotion. It isn't particularly useful though. And, when it's given a wrong direction the results can be terrible. It's important to weigh fear just as carefully as trust.

"You ascribed humanity to me."

That's an oversimplification of course. Mika had helped him, had chosen not to leave him to be eaten by the strange creature, had fought for him, deny it though he might. Simply, he'd been given a certain amount of trust and importance right away, simply as a fellow being in trouble, with no need to prove anything in that moment.

A reaction like that? It was very human. Perhaps saying it like that would insult someone who was a vampire, perhaps it was akin to calling men content to be caged cattle. To Armin, though, the term isn't meant in a negative way. He shrugs, silly as the unseen gesture is, given the situation. "I could have done the same for you, but I was afraid."

I can only imagine how much trouble he can cause with access to Cerealia's tech now..... :D

[canteatcurry]

Again, Mika really isn't sure how to respond. Really, he's not certain how he feels about it in the first place. As far as he's concerned, vampires are something to be feared and hated, and that attitude has changed little since unwillingly becoming one himself.

"Don't be stupid," he says carelessly. Though it's not that he doesn't care, exactly, just... he isn't sure what to think of it himself.

eh don't worry... http://cerealia.dreamwidth.org/113878.html?thread=19226582#cmt19226582

[goodtome]

Hmm. Maybe it is considered an insult after all. Or maybe that don't be stupid means don't be so trusting. Either way, Armin quiets down again and mulls it over. He doesn't know enough about the situation to take a guess. He's only just met the man after all.

No, the vampire. He'll have to keep that in mind.

HAHAHA poor Armin...

[canteatcurry]

The lapse in conversation is fine by Mika, even if he does find his mind wandering back down familiar paths. What's Yu-chan doing right now? Is he here somewhere? If what that presentation said was true... Well, Mika doesn't like to think of some of the worst possibilities.

Besides, he has more than enough to pay attention to just here in this swamp. Especially when what looked like a mostly solid piece of ground proves to be just a thin veneer of mud and moss covering the liquid below. Fortunately, a vampire's enhanced abilities means Mika manages to avoid taking a headlong spill into the swamp; unfortunately, doing this requires a fair amount of twisting direction here and kicking off a floating log there and general high speed midair acrobatics before he finally lands on a reliably solid surface. (A low but sturdy tree branch, as it happens.) At which point Mika pauses for a moment, wanting to glance around the area before taking off again.

change is hard

[goodtome]

Likewise the lapse in movement is fine by Armin. He can't complain when it's part of being rescued from a swamp creature, but the ride is rough on him. He draws in some long, slow breaths and tries to calm his still flipping head and stomach while Mika looks their surroundings over.

"Do you see something yet?"

Ugh, that sounds a little weak. He doesn't want to give the impression that he's feeling impatient, so he amends it a little, hoping he sounds less woozy on the second try. "Besides the swamp lands?"

I'm sure he'll learn.... XD

[canteatcurry]

"Nothing different from before."

If Mika sounds a little frustrated, it isn't directed at Armin, at least. He just has no idea what to do at this point.

give him some time he'll be a whiz. maybe.

[goodtome]

Armin sighs a little himself, though that's obviously not directed at Mika either. The situation is just plain rotten.

"It can't be endless... There must be something eventually."

He's clever he'll figure it out I'm sure. also only a few more days to new chapter!! :D

[canteatcurry]

The situation stinks. Both figuratively and literally. Mika doesn't reply immediately though as he's considering what to do now.

"I heard that usually there's something that has to be done to move on..."

Like the shack with the weird drinks. But what is it they're supposed to do now?

yep!

[goodtome]

"Like a puzzle?"

That sounds fun, if only it weren't for the misery of the running and the swamp monsters. Armin used to be really good at puzzles, though. It's the first encouraging thing that he's heard in a long time.

which will probably mean subjecting my friend to more ramblings as usual oops

[canteatcurry]

"Like a game."

As in, video game, though even Mika hasn't seen or played something like that in years, so it doesn't occur to him to explain the concept.

"In the room with the drinks, you couldn't leave without drinking one. And... other things like that." He's not going to say anything about the doll. Besides, he's focused on continuing the train of thought he's on.

"But if that monster was the boss and we already beat it..."

That part, at least, didn't make logical sense. In as much as a video game can ever make sense.

what a good sport

[goodtome]

Ah. No, now it doesn't make sense again. Armin starts to ask but stops himself, giving up with a shake of his head. He's quickly learning that the vocabulary in place here is unfamiliar. There's no use wasting time asking for explanations when they need to find a solution first.

"What comes after that?"

I apparently am REALLY BAD about shutting up about series I like

[canteatcurry]

"Then the game's done, you win."

Kind of like that very first ViViD experience, whatever it had been meant to be, though Mika has no way of knowing that everyone went through it.

"Though I haven't played a game like that since I was eight..." he mutters, frustration and distraction of trying to figure out what to do causing him to speak before he thought to stop himself.

see previous sentiment

[goodtome]

Have they won, then? That...doesn't seem right. Shouldn't something change, in that case?

Though that last aside is interesting. Armin glances over at Mika curiously. "Why did you stop?"

*insert long-winded essay on various characters' development (or lack thereof) here*

[canteatcurry]

"Stop?"

For a moment, Mika's confused, thinking Armin was asking why he'd stopped moving onward through the swamp. Which would be a silly question, as the answer's obviously the same reason they're having this discussion now. It takes a few seconds before he realizes Armin's asking about that offhanded remark he'd let out without thinking.

"When the virus wiped out all the adults eight years ago, there wasn't anyone left to run or take care of things like power plants," he says in the sort of matter of fact tone of someone who thinks he's talking about something obvious. "So of course things like that don't work anymore. The vampires aren't interested in that sort of thing, either."

fandom is work

[goodtome]

They're about the same age, then. Power plants aren't any sort of foliage Armin is familiar with, but he gets the gist of it. The games stopped because no one was looking after the children. Then, Mika had to grow up quickly as well. That's familiar.

Mika must have reasons for cautioning Armin about vampires, and the fact that they feed on human flesh is a good enough one on its own, but that story...well, he knows that one very well. It's hard not to feel a little spark of connection there, though he doesn't think the other man would appreciate it if he said as much.

What stands out is the way that Mika talks of vampires. Separately. Armin mulls that new information over quietly for a while. "Which was your favorite?"

yes. but FUN work. that's the important part :|b

[canteatcurry]

Mika should perhaps be glad that Armin can't see his expression right now. While doubtless Armin hadn't intended it to, his question had brought to mind memories that, while they were some of the happiest times of Mika's life, they're also now tainted with loss. Nearly all the family Mika had cherished at the time are dead and gone now.

"I don't remember," he says, a bit gruffly. "It doesn't matter now anyway."

fact

[goodtome]

"I had a story book." It was an unfair question, so Armin offers something in return. It's true that doesn't matter now, and neither does the book. Neither do the walls. None of those things truly matter here. They're all strange memories with sharp edges now. Perhaps in time they might dull to feel like bad dreams, but they're fresh at the moment. Prodding at them is effective, but unkind.

"A history book, I guess. About the world and everything that was out there. My favorite thing was to dream about going to see it on a big adventure."

Here he is, and beyond that, into a world that isn't even a world. A made up world that felt realer than the one Armin had left behind in some ways. It isn't what he'd pictured, but maybe it's more like what Mika used to like to play. The question wasn't as innocent and out of nowehere as it might've seemed, after all. Someone who'd played a game like this before might be able to recall a better strategy.

Armin himself is out of his depth. This is like absolutely nothing he'd ever even dreamed of.

...also these two are so hilariously fail yet adorable it makes me wanna keep them stuck longer :D;

[canteatcurry]

"What's that got to do with anything?" Mika asks, with perhaps a trace of annoyance in his tone. He's getting impatient; not necessarily with Armin specifically, but with being stuck here in general. He'd been perfectly willing before to endure and bide his time until he had an opportunity to reach Yu again, but then he'd always had a rough idea of where Yu was and how to get there. Here, he doesn't even know where to begin looking.

It doesn't help any either that nothing in this place seems to make any logical sense. If it were a videogame, it should be done by now, or at least there should be something to hint at what to do next, right? That lack only frustrates Mika further, joining forces with the nagging worry in the back of his mind to fray at his patience.

the swamp monster eats them both ig

[goodtome]

"Let's get out of here."

That's as plain as you can say that, isn't it? If subtle is easily misunderstood, then it's best t switch tack for now. They can discuss vampires and childhood games later, but the relevant pieces are their desires to leave. That much they definitely agree on, right?

that would be pretty traumatic for Armin huh

[canteatcurry]

Mika still doesn't see what that has to do with what Armin had just been talking about. Instead, he gives an exasperated sigh.

"How? Just running through here wasn't any good."

At least, it didn't seem to have gotten them anywhere.