video;

[eatsyourscience]

[Souji's in the diner, sitting at one of the booths. At the edge of the shot is a half-eaten order of french fries, because sometimes he actually eats the things he cooks. Quality assurance. You know how it goes.

He looks thoughtful as he addresses the network.]

I've been here a while. Over time, I've kind of come to like it. I don't feel like it's urgent to go home anymore.

[He frowns.]

I miss home. But I don't really mind being here.

[The words Stockholm Syndrome come to mind, but he's not going to say them.]

So...why is it you want to leave? Or stay, if you'd rather do that.

Comments

[angewiesen]

Once you lose the one person that always believed in you, and you end up really alone... Yeah. You learn.

[eatsyourscience]

You know from experience.

[It's not a question. Jean wouldn't have been that specific if he didn't know from experience.]

I had to finally have people around me to realize it.

[angewiesen]

Then we both have experience, huh?

[eatsyourscience]

Yeah. But that might not be a bad thing. It lets us appreciate things more.

[Which sounds pretty sappy, but it's true.]

And it gives you something to fight for.

[angewiesen]

...You've got a real knack for having the right words at the right time.

[eatsyourscience]

I've had some practice.

[angewiesen]

You usually end up being the voice of reason?

[eatsyourscience]

Pretty often.

[Especially when his friends want to get murdery.]

But my team is pretty great, too. They all have their moments.

[angewiesen]

Are any of them here?

[eatsyourscience]

There are a couple people from my world, but not my team. I've had a few of them here on and off over the years, though. I don't know if you remember Kanji, but he's one of them.

[angewiesen]

Oh, right. I remember. You've got that weird same place different time thing going on with Minato and Ryuji, right? You didn't know them, but you're in the same timeline?

[eatsyourscience]

Right. I'm somewhere between the two of them.

[angewiesen]

And you all have the same kind of powers. That Persona thing. That's something in common you can get together over anyways.

[eatsyourscience]

Yeah. Something like that. Although there are still differences with that, too.

[angewiesen]

Comrades are comrades. Even if they're not technically from your team. I've had to patch things together here like that too.

[eatsyourscience]

That's extremely true. I think most people here have that same experience.

[angewiesen]

...You've probably met Armin by now, right? Keep an eye out for him. He ruminates when you leave him alone for too long.

[eatsyourscience]

It's the second time I've met him. I didn't know him well the first time, so hopefully I can get to know him better this time.

[angewiesen]

That's right-- He was here years ago... And you were too. So you knew him?

--Ah, don't like... Tell him he's been here before. He'll obsess about it forever. Don't lie if he asks about it, but... Yeah.

[eatsyourscience]

I didn't know him well, but we spoke a few times.

And I won't. I've been talking to him a little, and it definitely seems like something that would bother him.

[angewiesen]

He's really big about free will. I know he already hates being penned up anywhere-- even if it's not that bad a place.

[eatsyourscience]

I can understand that. It must be hard for him to understand why people might want to be here.

[angewiesen]

Even people who just tolerate it are weird to him.

[eatsyourscience]

Does that include you?

[angewiesen]

Probably. He knows I'm not the biggest fan, but... Well, I just joined the Corps after Trost. Armin's wanted to be one of them since he was a little kid. He's always wanted to go outside the Walls.