[video]// backdated to right after malik's post, filtered from Malik and Rose

[neverfeltthatway]

[Armin's expression is hard and angry, but his words are clear and considered.]

I want to make something clear. It's true that Eren may not have acted well with respect to learning red magic. But those spells Malik keeps going on about - ripping someone's heart out, or giving them cursed wounds - those are things Malik can do, not things Eren can. Eren has not and would never attempt to learn such things.

His most powerful spell gives him the ability to fly. His most dangerous spell lights his blades on fire. Neither are things Malik considered or even bothered to learn before mentally violating Eren and Mikasa with a forcible interface after seeing Eren flying. He has said since - openly, on the network - that it was somehow his only option short of ripping Eren's heart out.

[Ripping Eren's heart out - because the boy learned how to fly. Armin falls silent for a moment, as he lets Malik's words speak for themselves.]

Even if I understand why Malik acted the way he did, it does not excuse his actions. And Eren is not careless or vicious with his power, as Malik is trying to make him out to be.

Comments

[happyhalloween]

Red's always been a big meanie.

[neverfeltthatway]

He's just not thinking about this logically. It's too close to him, because of things that have happened to him in the past.

[happyhalloween]

Well, I don't think he's being fair. And if he tries to hurt Beatrice I'll hurt him.

[neverfeltthatway]

No, he isn't being fair.

But don't worry. I stopped them from fighting, and I won't let him hurt anyone.

[canbebrave]

He---

[She stops. What can she even respond to this with?]

[neverfeltthatway]

[Armin mostly just looks sad and tired when Sansa responds. He doesn't want to fight with her, and she was a major reason he'd tried to stay out of this in the first place. But he couldn't just let Malik slander Eren that way, couldn't just let everyone believe the worst of his best friend.]

I'm sorry, Sansa. You don't have to get involved - I'm trying not to fight with him.

[canbebrave]

He just wants to keep all of us safe. You know that.

[neverfeltthatway]

I know. But so does Eren. And I can't let him turn Eren into some sort of monster when that's just not true.

Private (psychic protection II)

[rustyhonesty]

[Jean's not touching the subject at hand. It's something he doesn't want to use too much energy on just to get more frustrated. Instead, he figures something else to do would be a good idea.]

Hey. Would you have time for a magic lesson?

[Sure it's the same color magic that the mess is about, but different color at least.]

Private (psychic protection II)

[neverfeltthatway]

[Armin gives him a tired look that's trying to be a smile.]

...Give me half an hour?

Private (psychic protection II)

[rustyhonesty]

If you're tired, you don't have to push yourself. I can think of something else to do, really.

Private (psychic protection II)

[neverfeltthatway]

It's all right. I... could use the distraction, honestly.

[bite_the_hand]

[One of the most frustrating things about this mess for Eren was his inability to speak up and defend himself. Saying anything to Malik during the man's outburst on the Network would likely only have convinced Malik to actually rip his heart out. But making his own announcement without other prompting would just as likely only come across as childish after Eren's own ill-advised outburst last time.]

[Yet just when he thought he'd be unable to defend himself at all, the face and voice of his best friend appears in his thoughts, openly standing up for him on the Network. Giving him the opportunity to stand up for himself. ...A small part of him is frustrated that once again he could only rely on Armin's strength, but after his dungeon it's a very small part. Mostly, he's just glad his friend is here for him to rely on at all.]

[While he addresses the Network Eren's voice is determined and... While not exactly calm, he's not yelling either.] I want everyone to know my side of this. I won't make excuses for the way I acted last time. I acted like an idiot about everything and I... I'm sorry.

But I went home during the last Jaunt and I'm not that person anymore. I'd wanted to try to make things right with Malik. I really did. But he didn't give me a chance. He started yelling at me before I even knew he was there. Guess seeing me enjoying myself with my new wings pissed him off. He started screaming at me that if I used one spell like that I'd use them all like that - which I won't, because there's a hell of a difference between growing wings to fly with and setting someone on fire! I told him that, and I told him I wasn't going to let him steal my freedom or make me give up another of my dreams when I have the power to make that dream a reality. He's admitted to the fucked up way he tried to force his will on me for that. This time, he's the one who attacked first. And then he did the same damn thing to Mikasa when she'd tried to help me!

And one more thing. What I can do with my Red Magic is nothing compared to what I am. I'm a Titan Shifter. Someone who can become a giant monster called a Titan. I've been a Shifter since before I became a Traveler. If I was going to snap and kill anybody, it wouldn't be with Red Magic and it would've happened by now.

[Private to Armin:]

[With all of that finally said, he switches to a private line and lets out a heavy sigh as he allows the mask he'd presented to the Network to fall away. A sigh that sounds both incredibly frustrated and incredibly tired. But when he speaks, the gratitude in his voice outweighs both those things.]

Hey... Thank you.

[private; unprotected]

[papacerberus]

I'm sorry.

[Also private and unprotected]

[bite_the_hand]

[Eren had gotten a good impression of Lupa during Cassandra's dungeon, but hasn't really talked to him much yet.]

...Why are you sorry?

[papacerberus]

Malik is my comrade and also… part of the cause of his mistake is because of my dungeon, I think.

[callyourname]

[ Mikasa has two options for Malik's post; stay the hell away from it or be all over it ...She decides to take the staying away route to not make anything even worse and to avoid shit, that she really doesn't want to even hear.

Then there's Armin telling this on the network.

Ripping -- well that's. If Mikasa was even going to consider going on some other color magic route, or to avoid dangerous stuff in Red's list? Fuck that. She's here to protect Eren and everyone else, who she decides to protect and she'll do whatever she wants to keep them safe. Not that she needs Red Magic for ripping hearts; she has blades, her gear and now even metal elementalism for that. But still.

Eren needs to calm her down after she hears the post and she doesn't actually intend to say anything at all in it.

Except she could correct one thing now if they're talking about her on this too. ]

... Wait.

I went after him to ask what the hell did he do to you and he asked if I'm sure I want to experience being the Red Illuminant too. And my answer was yes if that's what you saw too.

[ Just saying! Not that she is defending Malik, that's impossible for a girl like her everything considered... But if hearing that is another way for Eren to calm down a bit more, then that's good. ]

[bite_the_hand]

[Even with Eren's focus on the Network, he's been sitting right next to her since she came and found him. Their sides touching, he's still holding tightly to her hand, relying on her to keep him calm and avoid making the mistakes he did last time. But when she corrects him he jerks upright and whips around to look at her, expression shocked.]

WHAT!? Why!? What if he'd done something else to me!? Why would you take that chance!?

[He's yelling, but only because he's afraid of what she could have let happen to herself.]

Private (psychic protection ii)

[neverfeltthatway]

[As he retreats to a private conversation, all the anger drains out of him, leaving him drained and looking utterly exhausted. While he hadn't looked great when Eren last saw him, he looks much worse now.

He tries to smile at Eren, and mostly fails, but his voice is infinitely gentler than it had been previously.] You don't have to thank me. You're my best friend. I could never let someone lie about you like that and get away with it. And I know you'd do the same for me in an instant.

Private and protected forever

[bite_the_hand]

[Seeing that Armin's doing worse doesn't surprise him. Eren had been worried about his friend before, and knew this certainly wouldn't help matters any. What surprises him is how much worse Armin looks now. He doesn't say anything about it, but he can't help the slight change in his tone of voice that betrays how worried he really is now.]

I know, but it wouldn't feel right to not say anything. And... Sorry I made such a mess of everything. I knew that bastard would be pissed if he saw me using Red Magic but I did it anyway.

[neverfeltthatway]

It's true that you didn't handle the situation well before, and maybe we would all have been better served if you had spoken with him before using it openly. But he didn't have any right to try and decide what you could or couldn't do, or to attack you for it. It wouldn't be right for anyone to expect his anger to control you.

You used wings to fly. He attacked you. That is his fault, and not yours.

[In other words, somewhere deep inside, Armin still hasn't given up his ideals about freedom, for all he rarely practices them for himself.]

...What was it like? Was it everything you imagined? [There is a quiet, almost wistful tone to his voice.]

[private; unprotected]

[papacerberus]

What Malik did was rash, and not honorable. I'm sorry.

I only ask that you don't declare him an enemy of yourself or the Travelers.

I believe--

[There's a pause, because Lupa doesn't want to share what Malik has become, because of him.]

--that my dungeon has momentarily compromised him.

[private; psychic protection ii]

[neverfeltthatway]

Yes, it was.

[He sighs, much of the anger draining from him and leaving naught but exhaustion in its place.] I'm not declaring him anything. I'm just not letting him depict Eren as a monster without telling everyone what really happened.

[private; psychic protection ii]

[papacerberus]

Thank you. Malik doesn’t deserve to be attacked or to die for a mistake that wasn’t entirely his fault. Some of the blame has to be mine.

[private; psychic protection ii]

[neverfeltthatway]

[Armin nods, but his attention sharpens on his response.] Then perhaps, when he has calmed down, you will try to explain to him that it was a mistake. I know he will not listen to me, and I will not tolerate another attack against Eren or Mikasa as kindly.