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[That's rough, buddy. In the grand tradition of impeccable conversation that has been established—]
FROM: jaeger.eren@cdc.org
why?
[He understands not liking to be idle. But they've just wrapped up a mission in a less than graceful way, vanished a planet and a people and lost comrades in the process, and he's not feeling too inclined to go above and beyond for their "employers" at the moment.]
FROM: jaeger.eren@cdc.org
why?
[He understands not liking to be idle. But they've just wrapped up a mission in a less than graceful way, vanished a planet and a people and lost comrades in the process, and he's not feeling too inclined to go above and beyond for their "employers" at the moment.]
[could bleed it out all he needed; the length of time the reply takes to arrive frazzled Hinata's nerves, but when it does, all tension dissipates.]
[Armin. Transferred too quickly.]
[he recognized the name, though--- well. Did the specifics realt matter? Any close friend would count the same.]
[mikasa was a good teammate to have. As the cdc knew: better the enemies you knew than the ones you didn't. They had no control. That didn't matter.]
FROM: Hinata.shouyou@cdc.org
It can't.
She'll be back before long.
[Armin. Transferred too quickly.]
[he recognized the name, though--- well. Did the specifics realt matter? Any close friend would count the same.]
[mikasa was a good teammate to have. As the cdc knew: better the enemies you knew than the ones you didn't. They had no control. That didn't matter.]
FROM: Hinata.shouyou@cdc.org
It can't.
She'll be back before long.
[Seeing that name ping into his inbox hits like a kick in the head. After weeks, (after the evacuation, the death of the planet she'd fallen ill on—]
FROM: jaeger.eren@cdc.org
where are you
[(That's a yes, by the way.)]
FROM: jaeger.eren@cdc.org
where are you
[(That's a yes, by the way.)]
[Not very helpful. He stops where he is to try pulling up the tracker, to see if it's still working, if she's in range.]
FROM: jaeger.eren@cdc.org
nothing but a bunch of stray cats and sand
[It's dangerous here, the environment is harsh, the water is poison. But there's no sign of the locals, on day 126. No sign of the monsters, above ground.]
FROM: jaeger.eren@cdc.org
stay there. I'll find you.
FROM: jaeger.eren@cdc.org
nothing but a bunch of stray cats and sand
[It's dangerous here, the environment is harsh, the water is poison. But there's no sign of the locals, on day 126. No sign of the monsters, above ground.]
FROM: jaeger.eren@cdc.org
stay there. I'll find you.
All right. Be careful.
[ With that she stays put, halting her slow wandering. She settles herself along the wall of the closest building, with nothing but her clothes and her cuff with her. She doesn't know how much Eren has by way of supplies, but she's tragically empty handed, without even her Juggernaut.
It's a pain. And if anything stronger than the average human decides to pick a fight with her, she might find herself in trouble. ]
[ With that she stays put, halting her slow wandering. She settles herself along the wall of the closest building, with nothing but her clothes and her cuff with her. She doesn't know how much Eren has by way of supplies, but she's tragically empty handed, without even her Juggernaut.
It's a pain. And if anything stronger than the average human decides to pick a fight with her, she might find herself in trouble. ]
[Well, she's officially more of a cat expert than he is, congrats.]
FROM: jaeger.eren@cdc.org
if it bites me you can come deal with it
[But there's a smallish silence as he tries to follow her advice.]
FROM: jaeger.eren@cdc.org
if it bites me you can come deal with it
[But there's a smallish silence as he tries to follow her advice.]
FROM: misaka.mikoto@cdc.org
you'll be fine! I don't think they bite much anyway
[ Goes to show what she knows, huh. ]
you'll be fine! I don't think they bite much anyway
[ Goes to show what she knows, huh. ]
[He doesn't waste time. It's dangerously close to the top of the hour, when the winds kick up and send the sand flying in blinding, choking storms through the air. By the time he finds her folded against the wall—]
Mikasa!
[—it's already starting. He skids to a stop in front of her, grabs for her hand to tug her upright.]
Come on—
[They'll need to wait it out before they go anywhere else. They can't say out here even if they wanted to. Without waiting for an answer, he pulls her toward the entrance of the nearest building.]
Mikasa!
[—it's already starting. He skids to a stop in front of her, grabs for her hand to tug her upright.]
Come on—
[They'll need to wait it out before they go anywhere else. They can't say out here even if they wanted to. Without waiting for an answer, he pulls her toward the entrance of the nearest building.]
[ She jerks as soon as she notices him, like a current, like magnetism that draws her toward him. Not that she needs to make any movements, he's in front of her fast enough, and she's got her scarf already tugged up to her nose, irritated by the dust grating against her skin and pinching against her eyes.
His presence is enough to distract her from it, and she lets him grab her, tugging her inside the building, the door falling shut behind them with a merry jingle.
She's focused, watching for signs of injury or strain—even though she knows they won't last on him. But he seems fine, if particularly committed to his default state of agitated.
It's a relief. (She's happy to see him.) Her assessment of Eren done, she shifts her attention back outside, both grim and confused about their current circumstances. ]
Eren, what's going on?
His presence is enough to distract her from it, and she lets him grab her, tugging her inside the building, the door falling shut behind them with a merry jingle.
She's focused, watching for signs of injury or strain—even though she knows they won't last on him. But he seems fine, if particularly committed to his default state of agitated.
It's a relief. (She's happy to see him.) Her assessment of Eren done, she shifts her attention back outside, both grim and confused about their current circumstances. ]
Eren, what's going on?
[He pulls her through the door and stalls for a few seconds, gripping her tight and coughing sand into his sleeve. Then the door rattles against the wind, the bell at the top of it kicking up into an alarm, and he raises his head, drops her hand, shoulders it closed and turns the lock to keep it that way.
As he does—]
We're not on Macha anymore.
[Which she'd probably guessed long ago, but starting from the top—]
Something went wrong. Dagger's dead.
As he does—]
We're not on Macha anymore.
[Which she'd probably guessed long ago, but starting from the top—]
Something went wrong. Dagger's dead.
[ Something went "wrong". Though the instructors had seemed fairly nonchalant, if mournful, of Dagger being killed. It's still a shock to her to know that CDC employees can kill one another like that, and she mulls it over for a moment watching the sands outside, absently unwinding her scarf from around her neck to shake out the dust.
Eventually, she sighs, drawing away from the door and nudging Eren to indicate that he should wander further in as well.
It's then that she gives their location some actually attention, taking in the large mirrors and cushioned chairs. Save for the supplies, it's abandoned like everything else.
Then, ] How was Macha destroyed?
[ The destruction process had been rather tedious last time. ]
Eventually, she sighs, drawing away from the door and nudging Eren to indicate that he should wander further in as well.
It's then that she gives their location some actually attention, taking in the large mirrors and cushioned chairs. Save for the supplies, it's abandoned like everything else.
Then, ] How was Macha destroyed?
[ The destruction process had been rather tedious last time. ]
[An evac order coming down from HQ—Even if they know (sort of) what caused it, that doesn't seem like anything but something going wrong. Even the CDC can't take it kindly when their officers are offed by their supposed comrades.
He follows as Mikasa urges him further into the room and away from the storm, rakes his hand through his hair to shake the sand from it, pushing it back away from his face.]
HQ sent out an alarm a while after you went out. We evacuated. [The neraki had bid them goodbye, safe travels. His jaw draws tight, the line of his spine drawing stiff. It hadn't been an easy handful of days. He hasn't forgotten them. (But that Mikasa has, unlike Armin, woken from stasis after the planet they'd been on was destroyed is no small thing. He keeps close enough to brush shoulders with her while they wander into the unfamiliar shop.)]
It was gone the next day.
[He doesn't know if the actual method of destruction was different, this time. He'd spent Ajna's destruction bleeding out in the hangar after hopping the last shuttle in, so he hadn't seen it.]
He follows as Mikasa urges him further into the room and away from the storm, rakes his hand through his hair to shake the sand from it, pushing it back away from his face.]
HQ sent out an alarm a while after you went out. We evacuated. [The neraki had bid them goodbye, safe travels. His jaw draws tight, the line of his spine drawing stiff. It hadn't been an easy handful of days. He hasn't forgotten them. (But that Mikasa has, unlike Armin, woken from stasis after the planet they'd been on was destroyed is no small thing. He keeps close enough to brush shoulders with her while they wander into the unfamiliar shop.)]
It was gone the next day.
[He doesn't know if the actual method of destruction was different, this time. He'd spent Ajna's destruction bleeding out in the hangar after hopping the last shuttle in, so he hadn't seen it.]
[ HQ? That sounds like a big deal. It all seems rather surreal, that a high ranking officer from their crew would be murdered, especially after so many attempts had been made to wipe out the Neheda already. (She remembers quite clearly what Armada had said about the harpies.)
She walks over to one of the chairs to sit not, sparing a short glance at the items on the shelf under the mirror, her gaze remaining fixed on Eren otherwise. Iwaizumi had mentioned that the Neraki had wandered into camp shortly before the destruction in an effort to make reparations, and she's noticed that Eren hadn't mentioned it. He would've been angrier for it, more torn up about it but.
Well, that's a problem in the past now, and their crew is down an officer, abandoned in this bizarre place as far as they can tell. Who knows that it isn't another attempt to just eradicate the Neheda's crew.
She nods, solemn. ] I see.
[ For now: ] How much do you have by way of supplies?
She walks over to one of the chairs to sit not, sparing a short glance at the items on the shelf under the mirror, her gaze remaining fixed on Eren otherwise. Iwaizumi had mentioned that the Neraki had wandered into camp shortly before the destruction in an effort to make reparations, and she's noticed that Eren hadn't mentioned it. He would've been angrier for it, more torn up about it but.
Well, that's a problem in the past now, and their crew is down an officer, abandoned in this bizarre place as far as they can tell. Who knows that it isn't another attempt to just eradicate the Neheda's crew.
She nods, solemn. ] I see.
[ For now: ] How much do you have by way of supplies?
[Eren's not good at being nothing. He's a polarizing person, he tends to hit in extremes when he spends enough time around someone. (He wouldn't want to live that way, anyway. Being nothing, making no impact where he passes through, leaving no mark on the world.)
It's not actually bad, for an impromptu meal made of alien...something. He's not exactly used to eating with an audience, though. Misinterpreting the staring, he breaks the skewer in half to offer some of it over. (You seem to be twice as invested in this as he is.)]
If you're that hungry just take some.
[Instead of staring like a creep...]
It's not actually bad, for an impromptu meal made of alien...something. He's not exactly used to eating with an audience, though. Misinterpreting the staring, he breaks the skewer in half to offer some of it over. (You seem to be twice as invested in this as he is.)]
If you're that hungry just take some.
[Instead of staring like a creep...]
[He hasn't forgotten what happened with the Neraki. He could keep dwelling on it (he did, for days, it sticks in his throat, hangs around his neck like an albatross,) or he can get her up to speed. He paces past her, turns on a heel.]
Just what we could take with us.
[He's got his gear at his sides and as much compressed air as the tanks will hold. Everyone was scattered upon arrival, but they're doing their best to keep the crew in food and clean water. He frowns.]
Did you just wake up here?
[He would have noticed if she was up and about on the ship.]
Just what we could take with us.
[He's got his gear at his sides and as much compressed air as the tanks will hold. Everyone was scattered upon arrival, but they're doing their best to keep the crew in food and clean water. He frowns.]
Did you just wake up here?
[He would have noticed if she was up and about on the ship.]
[ It's a relief that Eren had at least had time to prepare himself for the relocation. She trusts that he has enough supplies to sustain himself for at least a day. If they end up stranded here for longer than that... Hopefully the food and water here isn't as bad as it really seems then.
Her hands move to lace in her lap, replying first with a nod. ]
Yes. I just woke up inside another building not too far from here.
[ Woken up to messages of Macha's destruction, and the subsequent evacuation of the Neheda. (As well as Iwaizumi's totally uncalled for drunken questioning. But that was all right, at least he'd filled her in on what was going on.) ]
Her hands move to lace in her lap, replying first with a nod. ]
Yes. I just woke up inside another building not too far from here.
[ Woken up to messages of Macha's destruction, and the subsequent evacuation of the Neheda. (As well as Iwaizumi's totally uncalled for drunken questioning. But that was all right, at least he'd filled her in on what was going on.) ]
[They'd gotten very little in the way of an idea of what they were in for. But food, weapons, water filters. That had been made clear, at least. Half an hour is more time to prepare than none at all. The storm outside has picked up into a full gale, by now, visible through the windows, the door they'd ducked through. In case she hasn't yet noticed—]
It does this every hour.
[No telling why. Already restless under the roof of their erstwhile shelter, he paces past her chair again.]
We can't leave until it clears up.
[Too hard to breathe. Definitely too hard to see.]
It does this every hour.
[No telling why. Already restless under the roof of their erstwhile shelter, he paces past her chair again.]
We can't leave until it clears up.
[Too hard to breathe. Definitely too hard to see.]
[ They really did pick the most hospitable location to drop them off. It's strange that they wouldn't just leave them on Selena—not that Selena hadn't had it's own fair share of issues and attacks while they'd been in attendance. Never a dull or easy day in the CDC.
Her eyes follow Eren as he paces for a moment, and then she's reaching out to take hold of his arm. Still against his angry energy. ]
Take a seat. We should save energy while waiting it out.
Her eyes follow Eren as he paces for a moment, and then she's reaching out to take hold of his arm. Still against his angry energy. ]
Take a seat. We should save energy while waiting it out.
FROM: yamanaka.ino@cdc.org
Something just grabbed my foot while I was trying to sleep and I'm pretty sure I grew at least five gray hairs because of it.
I'm over this place.
FROM: yamanaka.ino@cdc.org
So what was it like, living with Mikasa when you were kids?
Something just grabbed my foot while I was trying to sleep and I'm pretty sure I grew at least five gray hairs because of it.
I'm over this place.
FROM: yamanaka.ino@cdc.org
So what was it like, living with Mikasa when you were kids?
Edited 2015-06-02 04:45 (UTC)
FROM: jaeger.eren@cdc.org
your foot?
[Thanks for the update, Ino. Well. Presumably she's ok if she's texting him for nosy smalltalk, so—]
FROM: jaeger.eren@cdc.org
what do you mean, what was it like
your foot?
[Thanks for the update, Ino. Well. Presumably she's ok if she's texting him for nosy smalltalk, so—]
FROM: jaeger.eren@cdc.org
what do you mean, what was it like
FROM: yamanaka.ino@cdc.org
Um, yeah? My foot. That's what I said.
I don't know exactly what grabbed it, but if it crawled out of the TV like everything else creepy around here then I don't really want to know.
FROM: yamanaka.ino@cdc.org
Seriously?
I mean what was it like? You know, to like hang out with her all the time and just
I don't know??
It's a normal question.
Um, yeah? My foot. That's what I said.
I don't know exactly what grabbed it, but if it crawled out of the TV like everything else creepy around here then I don't really want to know.
FROM: yamanaka.ino@cdc.org
Seriously?
I mean what was it like? You know, to like hang out with her all the time and just
I don't know??
It's a normal question.
[From what they gathered, this place isn't exactly the same sort of downtime as their last pit stop. Hospitable does not seem to have been the point, really. She takes him by the arm to stop him, settle him, before he can resume pacing the floor. And that's no small feat on a good day. (They have been short of good days for a long time.) But he...stops. Maybe doesn't quite settle, but he does not pull away from her on the kneejerk.
(She'd been out a long time, during the uncertainty of the evacuation and the death of the planet and the murder one of the officers and everything that came with it. Eren's attachment to Mikasa is not a clear mirror of her devotion to him, it does not show itself in the same ways. That does not mean it did not get to him.)
He hangs by her side for a while before reaching to tug her fingers away so he can settle in another one of the high swiveling chairs that are spaced in increments across the floor. Set deliberately across the cracked mirrors on the walls.]
(She'd been out a long time, during the uncertainty of the evacuation and the death of the planet and the murder one of the officers and everything that came with it. Eren's attachment to Mikasa is not a clear mirror of her devotion to him, it does not show itself in the same ways. That does not mean it did not get to him.)
He hangs by her side for a while before reaching to tug her fingers away so he can settle in another one of the high swiveling chairs that are spaced in increments across the floor. Set deliberately across the cracked mirrors on the walls.]
[ Silence hangs between them for a moment after Eren sits. It doesn't bother her, words had never been the primary mode of communication between the two of them, and she is normally content to let them sit in peace (or as close as Eren can get to such a thing) without any disruptions.
Except that she's still baffled by everything that had gone on while she slept. To think so much would change during a two week nap. ]
Did everyone evacuate without injury? [ Or, serious injury. It would be a rare day that any of them would go a mission without accumulating some scrapes and bruises.
It's a strange thing for her to ask about them anyway - comrades though they may be. But she's learned now that the CDC's medical capabilities are not all-powerful. They hadn't been able to give Marco his arm back. ]
Except that she's still baffled by everything that had gone on while she slept. To think so much would change during a two week nap. ]
Did everyone evacuate without injury? [ Or, serious injury. It would be a rare day that any of them would go a mission without accumulating some scrapes and bruises.
It's a strange thing for her to ask about them anyway - comrades though they may be. But she's learned now that the CDC's medical capabilities are not all-powerful. They hadn't been able to give Marco his arm back. ]
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