Right after (the other) Eren's dungeon

[rustyhonesty]

So uh... I found Eren in a dungeon? I kind of jumped straight into one once Liminal started and there he was. Though he's acting weird and I'm not sure what to do by this point.

[Please tell him this is their Eren and not a second one. Just. Please. The world can't handle two.]


Also, uh... thanks. For being friends with Eligius. I think he was very happy to meet so many good willed people.

Comments

[video]

[neverfeltthatway]

[Armin can't quite keep the joy from his voice and face - nor does he really think to try. If he's still not sure what it means to have two Erens here, it doesn't change that he'll never be anything but happy to see his best friend - and he's glad that this Eren is all right, and that the memories of their time Traveling together weren't simply lost, on his end.]

It turns out it's, ah, actually a different Eren. The one that was with me when we started Traveling.

[audio]

[rustyhonesty]

[Due to his mixed up feelings about visiting home and Armin in general, Jean will keep out his senses. Well, also because he's getting a headache from this.]

... I was hoping you'd say it's not a second Eren.

[While it's good to hear Armin so happy, Jean's not very amused by this.]

How? Why? I thought with the theme in the dungeon it would be Captain Levi, but then I had to drag out another Eren.

[video forever]

[neverfeltthatway]

...My theory is that when they take us from back home, whatever they do creates a clone or a copy of us somehow. That's why bringing us here doesn't do anything to change events back home. So there's nothing stopping them from taking the same person twice, or more.

That's the how. As to the why, I really couldn't say.

Re: [video]

[thornsofmalkav]

So wait, we really do have Double Eren All The Way Across The Sky?

[Thorne takes a moment to digest this.]

... I declare my Eren is Peanut Butter Eren and the new old Eren is Jelly Eren.

[meatpotatogirl]

... your Eren? [ Jealous Rage Monster Mikasa is going to kill her, isn't she? ]

More importantly, what are peanut butter and jelly?

[video]

[neverfeltthatway]

I... have no idea what that means, Jiejie. What about the sky?

[He's sorry, Thorne. Sometimes the context is enough to figure out what you're talking about. But not all the time.]

I don't think that's the way to go about this, though.

[audio]

[bite_the_hand]

[He has no idea what the sky has to do with there being two of him, but Eren's going to assume that's just Thorne being Thorne and not think about it too hard. And while he doesn't say anything, he's actually relieved when she calls him "her" Eren. He's unsure what having too of him is going to mean for his friendships and now really nervous about how happy Armin seems about this. So having something like a confirmation from at least one person that he's the preferred the Eren is nice. ...Although he's not admitting that over the Network and there's something else that needs to be addressed here anyway.]

Seriously? I know I ask for a bunch of PBJs whenever we get back to Liminal Space, but I don't like peanut butter that much!

[canbebrave]

Two Erens.

[private]

[bite_the_hand]

[It's not fair.]

[In some ways it feels like he'd only just gotten his best friend back. Everything that had been messed up between him and Armin since he'd arrived in Liminal Space was finally sorted and there was no longer any reason to feel uncertain or insecure in their relationship. Then this happens. Armin... He looks and sounds so happy. And Eren's not blaming himself for most of what had happened anymore, but he still can't help but think about how much they've accidentally hurt each other. How quickly after his arrival in Liminal Space Armin had been brought to tears. How upset Armin had been whenever Eren tried to ask about the things he had "forgotten" from the first time he'd been a Traveler. Now it turns out there'd been another version of him the whole time and this other Eren is the one Armin had been missing and wanting. That explains why it'd felt like he and his best friend didn't fit together the way they should anymore. Seeing such pure joy on Armin's face because of his other self feels like someone's twisting a knife in his chest and it's not fair!]

[...Briefly he considers not saying anything. Just walking away and avoiding his friend because even if that would hurt more than any physical pain ever could, Eren can't help but feel like Armin would be happier that way. But... Isn't that the kind of thing that got them into such a terrible mess for all those months in the first place? They have to talk about this.]

[The first clue Armin will have that something's off with this Eren is that he's not streaming his voice. And on top of that he's keeping his mental "voice" as neutral as he's ever able to. Not always a bad sign, but it often is, and almost certainly is this time since he's streamed his actual voice for everyone else in this conversation.]

So what does this mean?

[private]

[neverfeltthatway]

[Even as happy as he is, Armin would be hard pressed to miss the warning signs. Something isn't right.]

...I'm not sure, exactly. We'll have to figure that out together. Eren, what's wrong?

[video]

[reachforthekey]

Armin.

If it's better for the squad that I stay away, I'll just go and work with Hijikata instead.

[angelicaltruism]

But... Isn't he always acting weird if we ask your opinion, Jean?

[rustyhonesty]

No, this is entirely different kind of weird--

Historia? When did you get here?

[angelicaltruism]

Weird how? [ Besides everything is weird right now and two Erens just means more yelling and fighting everywhere. ]

Just now for this to be the first thing I ... hear. Aren't you guys supposed to be somewhere else anyway?

[bite_the_hand]

Krista? You're here now too!?

[So has anyone explained the time anomalies to her yet?]

[angelicaltruism]

...Krista?

[ Eren, are you okay? No, no one's had a chance to explain anything to her, not yet. ]

[video]

[neverfeltthatway]

Krista? Is that you? [He sounds surprised, but hardly displeased, the smile on his face growing broader.]

[angelicaltruism]

[ The video thing is a surprise, but not the most important question here. ]

Armin... Why are you and Eren calling me Krista?

[ She is so confused, not that she isn't glad to see friends but hearing that name from them again is umm... weird sounds like an understatement. ]

[reachforthekey]

Why would we be asking that guy's opinion in the first place? I'm here. Everyone can just talk to me.

[audio]

[bite_the_hand]

Because that's not me, moron!

[Somehow, he sounds even less pleased about there being two of him than Jean does.]

And what were you thinking jumping into a dungeon without saying anything like that!? I was starting to think you were gone!

[Wow underneath the anger there that comes dangerously close to sounding like he was really worried about Jean.]

[rustyhonesty]

I COULDN'T HAVE KNOW, YOU DUMBASS!

[That's a genuine thing and he sounds very pissed off at TWO ERENS and you're not making it any better. He's glad Eren's not fine with this either... though he guessed that to be the case since who would be happy about another version of themselves?

Though wow, is that... Eren's way of saying he was worried? It almost feels like it could be, and it sort of makes Jean happy, but who knew for real, really.]

I didn't have time to say anything! Besides I'm back now aren't I?

[kickstodeath]

Two makes things too easy.

[ Hello. Guess who? ]

[rustyhonesty]

[... oh shit.]

Annie?! When did you get here.

[reachforthekey]

You again.

[bite_the_hand]

...Annie.

[This is a side of Eren that most people probably haven't heard before. He's not yelling, but instead his relatively-quiet tone is dripping with an anger that holds far more threat in it than the familiar loudness.]

Where are you? I have some questions that need answered.