two: text

[drubbings]

1 H4V3 S3CUR3D 4NOTH3R POK3B3AST
TH4NK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT 4LL YOU WHO SCHOOL3D M3 ON TH3 1MPORT4NC3 OF C4TCH1NG MOR3 POK3MON
1T H4S B33N 3NL1GHT3N1NG 4ND 1 C4UGHT 4 C4WB34ST
SH3 1S FL4WL3SS 4ND NO ON3 W1LL 3V3R B34T H3R
4LTHOUGH SH3 1S 4 L1TTL3 SK1TT1SH 4ND H1D3S
W3LL WORK ON TH4T
4NYW4Y TH1S M3MO H4S 4 PO1NT B3S1D3S TH3 BR4GG1NG!
1T H4S COM3 TO MY 4TT3NT1ON TH4T 1 4M HOP3L3SS OUTSTR1P3D BY MY FR13NDS 1N T3RMS OF POK3MAST3RDOM
SO WH4T 1 PROPOS3 1S TH1S: 1M GO1NG TO T4K3 MY B4D S3LF ON 4 JOURN3Y
DO TH1S TH1NG PROP3RLY 4S 4 R34L TR41N3R WOULD
(th1s h4s b33n k3pt 4 s3cr3t you c4n und3rst4nd why 1f youv3 3v3r m3t k4rk4t)
1 W1LL GO FOR THR33 MONTHS 4ND R1GOROUSLY TR41N FOR TH3 DUR4T1ON
1T W1LL B3 TH3 BOMB >:]
SO 1 PUT FORTH TH1S QU3ST1ON F3LLOW POK3M4ST3RS
WOULD 4NYONE L1KE TO T4K3 TH1S JOURN3Y W1TH M3?
1 COM3 W1TH TWO POK3B34STS
4 GR34T S3NS3 OF HUMOR
4ND SOM3 W31RD R3D H41R
PL34SE R3PLY 4S4P TO TH1S!

Comments

[schachmeister]

It is a thought...

[Listen, at this point, Armin is willing to entertain every possibility. Being too close-minded would only keep them from finding some way to win. There is no safety in stagnation, no victory in just redoing the same old thing over and over again. Commander Smit, he knows, must feel like that too.]

Sometimes I wonder if there aren't forces within the walls wanting to keep us from finding out.

[drubbings]

A conspiracy? Perhaps they are organic war machines. Crazier shit has happened!

[schachmeister]

I've heard a story once...

Before the titans came, humanity was constantly at war with itself. It was thought that in order for humanity to unite, they'd need a common enemy. But if someone created the titans for that purpose, I think they were pretty naive.

[He's pretty certain that is just a story though. A way for someone to give the titans some sort of purpose, a meaning. Probably some people find them easier to deal with if they think of them like that.]

[drubbings]

Hmmm, it doesn't really seem prudent to shoot oneself in the frond just to stop something like fighting. I think it is in the nature of a predator to fight. My species took the skies and started taking over other planets. Same shit, different name. Whatever these titans are, something bigger will eventually come along and eradicate them.

[schachmeister]

[Honestly, Armin hopes something bigger won't come along. The titans are enough of a mess to deal with. Perhaps it is better to switch to another subject.]

Have you been up into space as well?

[drubbings]

Hmm good question! I guess technically. I lived on a meteor for one and a half sweeps. There wasn't all that interesting now that I think about it.

[schachmeister]

I'm sorry, but... what's a sweep?

[It must be some measure of time, but he has no idea how long.]

[drubbings]

About two years in human time. I think it might be a bit more.

[schachmeister]

[That is one mystery solved.]

I see.

If you don't mind another question... earlier you mentioned pupating. What exactly did you mean by that?

[Were you once a cute fat caterpillar, Terezi?]

[drubbings]

I was a wiggler. Then I cocooned and lost my grub legs. It was messy and traumatizing. Would you like to hear more?

[schachmeister]

T-traumatising? Ah, I'm sorry, I wouldn't want-- I was too forward.

[He's definitely very curious, but not enough to make her recount something traumatising.]

[drubbings]

Hahah, I'm fucking with you, Armin. I honestly don't remember much. Creating the cocoon was as natural as scratching an itch. I blacked out and then I came to months later and my middle legs were gone. I was bipedal and instead of a squish teal body I had my outer harder grey skin.

[ She pauses. ]

I fell down a lot.

[schachmeister]

I can imagine it must have been.

So, when you were first born, you looked somewhat like a caterpillar?

[Wait, does he know what a caterpillar is? Who knows what sort of fauna they'd have on an entirely different planet.]

[drubbings]

I looked like a tube of jello with a head.

[schachmeister]

[That answer takes Armin with enough surprise that he ends up laughing, snorting softly behind his hand.]

I'm sorry, I'm sorry.