Entry tags:
APPLICATION FOR ZODION
✖ PLAYER:
Name & DW Journal: Ciara DW![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
fairycakes
Plurk: N/A but AIM is splitpsychosis
Birthdate & Age: Jan 27. 21.
Characters played in Zodion: Alois Trancycontrarious
✖ CHARACTER:
Name: Armin Arlert
Canon: Attack on Titan/Shingeki no Kyojin
PB/Image: [Here] [Here]
Info links: [Here] & [Here]
Canon Point: Chapter 24.
Gender & Sex: Male/Male.
Age: 15. Will be aged up to 18.
Birthdate/Sign: February 20th Info here also. – Pisces (on the cusp of Aquarius) [Not Canon] DISREGARD ALL THIS APPARENTLY HE'S A SCORPIO. Nov. 3 represent!
Pisces are said to live in two worlds – the reality around them and in their idealized dreams. This is true for Armin who, ever since he was young, has been driven by fanciful thoughts and the ultimate dream to see the world outside the walls humanity has been trapped behind, while every so often being quite literally, beaten down back to reality by fists and cries of heresy. Pisces are known to be emotional and sensitive individuals and Armin is most certainly emotional – he feels other’s pain, especially that of his two best friends and even those of his comrades, and he feels it intensely. Pisces are also known to be good at understanding people, having formidable memories and intuition – traits that Armin showcases throughout the series in various situations ranging from making the right intuitive choices in stressful scenarios to figuring out who the traitors are amongst their group of trainees before anyone else does. In addition, although not scoring highly on the physical aspects of his training, he consistently had the highest scores when it came to the tactical and theoretical aspects. Needless to say, he’s one smart cookie. While being sensitive however, Pisces are also individuals who may, at first glance, seem to be pushovers, but in reality have the strength to stand up for what they believe in and do what it takes to follow their dreams. This rings true in Armin’s personality who, despite being physically weak, has always had the guts to stick to what he believes in, regardless of whether it was bullies in the past or his comrades he had to stand up to. Pisces are also incredibly loyal and it comes as no surprise that in turn, Armin is incredibly loyal to his best friends, Eren and Mikasa. He would do anything for them, even at the cost of his own life.
The downside however of being a Pisces is that they are prone to being self-defeatist, self-blaming and self-pitying. This is extremely apparent in Armin’s personality for he has for years thought of himself as someone who relies on his friends when in turn he cannot provide anything of substance in return. While Eren and Mikasa were always protecting him and saving him from bullies or saving his life, all he could do was be a damsel in distress. This mindset is something that becomes crippling at times for Armin, for he hates being thought of as a burden, and it takes his best friends putting their lives in his hands for him to realize that his perception of self was warped for years. While his loyalty is something to be admired, at times Armin can become too emotionally involved when it comes to Eren and Mikasa. Every hardship that they face, especially Eren, weighs down on him in full, causing additional stress and worry. He’s constantly worrying about Eren and while that worry may be warranted, sometimes it can become a handicap in stressful situations.
Being born on the cusp of Aquarius, these Pisces individuals are seen as explorers who have the courage and guts to analyze not only themselves but yearn, above all else, to go above and beyond. Impressions of the outside world drive their passions and this is true for Armin whose dream to explore beyond the walls is not only his but in turn one he shared with his best friend Eren. His sensitivity is not only strength but a weakness in a struggle to find personal inner balance of not losing himself to his dreams and in turn, not drowning in the depths of self-imposed worries and concerns.
Tattoo: Nape of his neck. 1 inch in length.
Suitability:
Although Armin Arlert may be a young teen it goes without saying that the kid has seen some fucked up shit. Living in a world where humanity is on the verge of extinction because horrifying, deformed creatures called titans (which are, in essence, uncanny valley giants) have eaten most of the human population, Armin has not only had his parents die but also his grandfather when he was younger. He’s endured harsh bullying for being a heretic, simply because he speaks of the outside world beyond the walls that protects the remainder of humanity from destruction and wanting to see it. He’s also experienced firsthand the horror of the titans themselves, ranging from watching them devour his friends and teammates but also his best friend Eren. On top of that he’s experienced what it’s like to beinside the mouth of one of these horrific creatures before Eren pulled him out of the titan’s mouth and was eaten instead. (Luckily Eren didn’t stay eaten.) When he was twelve he entered into military training alongside his two friends and managed to endure the brutal training regiments set in place for three years, where many had either been sent away due to failure or had died in the process. Needless to say, he’s a lot more grown up than your average fifteen year old boy and a lot smarter than one too. He’s known for his intelligence and ability to, despite immense pressure, make the right decision and keep his wits about him. Surviving, despite the odds and situation is what Armin is good at and the same rings true for his stay in Zodion.
When it comes to matters of sexuality, Armin probably hasn’t thought too much about it. That’s not to say that he’s not a teenage boy who probably still has teenage boy needs or urges, but it’s safe to say that unlike his classmates he’s got other things on his mind (aside from killing titans and staying alive – they all think about that, certainly) such as his dream to one day see the ocean and in turn the rest of the world. Although he would initially be alarmed by the whole concept of Zodion, he’d quickly realize that it’s simply something that has to be done to survive in this world and would take it in stride as best as he can. Surviving is more important than anything else and it would be a kick in the teeth to those he’s seen die alongside fighting with him if he didn’t continue to do just that, especially in a world lacking the oppressive threat of titans. After all, there are far worse things once can experience than being forced to have sex with others and in all honesty, Armin would probably take the former over other things he’s experienced any day.
Power:
Armin is, at least physically, a normal human teenage boy. There isn’t anything remarkable about him in that aspect – in fact he’s called weak on various occasions. Even so, while he may not be the most physically adept, he’s still skilled enough to use 3D Manoeuver gear and graduated as a soldier amongst the rest of his comrades. What is notable about him is his mind, which is sharp and always calculating, thinking, and theorizing. He’s on his way to becoming a master of strategy and uses his intuition to his advantage. That said, there’s nothing out of the ordinary here for Armin that a human teen boy would be in possession of and so I would like to give him the power of Water Healing.
Personality:
“You’re weak as hell, but you’ve definitely got guts.”
A simple sentence couldn’t speak greater volumes when it comes to Armin Arlert – a slender, sweet looking teenaged boy whose seemingly innocent face frequently expresses unbridled terror and worry. While he may let his emotions show through without a second thought and physically isn’t the strongest, there is no doubt in anyone’s mind for those who know Armin that he is anything but a coward. Quick witted and outspoken about his beliefs, not once has Armin let anyone tell him his dreams are foolish or discourage him about his goal – to obtain freedom and journey on beyond the walls that protect the last remaining population of humanity from an incredibly powerful outside threat – Titans.
This is the reality of the world Armin found himself born into, a world where humanity is on the brink of extinction and the only thing between the quite literal giants who make a meal of humans and the humans themselves are colossal walls that reach skyward. Any mention of the world before Titans didn’t exist and any talk of lands outside the walls are deemed heretical. Books pertaining to the history of humanity before the walls existed or even nature itself such as the ocean, deserts, and the artic are forbidden. It was these forbidden books and very tales that Armin grew up on, his parents feeding his curious mind with grand fancies and facts about the world beyond. When they died from journeying outside of the walls, orphaning Armin at a very young age, it was Armin’s grandfather who continued to encourage his curiosity, sharing with him forbidden books he’d kept hidden away.
Like any child who learns something fascinating they talk about it – something that was, in essence, heresy. Armin found himself bullied, beaten by those older than him who called him a heretic for speaking of his dream of going outside the walls, for his excited babbling about the ocean. Despite finding himself with scraped knees and black eyes, fists didn’t stop him from believing in his dream. Just because other children were frightened of his talk of the outside world, of getting in trouble and in essence, being afraid of what they didn’t understand rather than being intrigued by it didn’t mean Armin would keep quiet. It was because what he was saying was right that they were afraid, that he was smart and could read where so many his age and caste could not. A simple village boy shouldn’t be speaking of such things. No one should be speaking of such things.
For all the individuals who didn’t want to listen, who shied away from Armin’s talk of life outside the walls, there was one individual who listened with ears and eyes open wide. Eren Jaeger – Armin’s best friend in the entire world – came to share his dream of someday venturing outside the walls with him and the two made a promise to one another to see the ocean together. When the wall that protected their town was breeched and Titans began to devour everyone inside, including Eren’s mother, this dream took on a more serious undertone. Eren vowed to kill every last Titan and Armin could only agree to follow him. Living as refugees in the next city over, Armin along with Eren and his adoptive sister Mikasa, Armin’s other best friend, the three children suffered. As refugees they were looked down upon as a burden, unwanted and filthy. The three became the only family one another had after Armin’s grandfather was killed in a failed attempt to take back the fallen town that had been attacked by Titans. It had been a ploy by the government to lessen the burden and food shortages by sacrificing lives, and while it did make the food shortage slightly better, the fact still remained that people had been sent to their deaths. After this event all there is left for Armin to do is follow Eren into the army, along with Mikasa. They would become soldiers and join the scouting corps, entering training at the tender age of twelve.
A soldier’s life isn’t an easy one. It was survival of the fittest and Armin was anything but fit. He fell behind his peers in physical training, yet still managed to pass and meet the rigorous demands that were expected of him. However, while he lagged behind others physically, he outshone everyone intellectually. His scores were continuously high and no one could deny that Armin was, without a doubt, quick witted and intelligent. For the first time too, over the three years he spent in training he made friends other than Mikasa and Eren. For the first time, people would listen to what he had to say instead of beating him up for it.
Although quiet in nature he is in no way antisocial and he isn’t shy to speak up when he feels it’s necessary to. He asks leading commanding officers and strategists to listen to his ideas to retake Trost using Eren’s titan power, he gives an awe inspiring speech, standing before a slew of armed soldiers with blades drawn and canons pointed at him, Mikasa and Eren in a desperate attempt to save their lives and in the heat of the moment of battle, listens to his intuition and comes up with a brilliant plan to retake the supply warehouse overrun with Titans so his comrades and other soldiers can refuel their gas tanks for their 3D Manoeuver gear. If there’s one thing those in the 104th trainee squad can agree on it’s that Armin’s opinion when it comes to tactics or a plan in general should be respected. If anyone knows what they’re talking about, it’s him.
Despite this, it takes Armin quite a while to respect himself and be confident in his intelligence. While everyone around him is strong and capable of staying alive his whole life Armin has found himself time and time again saved by Mikasa and Eren whether it be from bullies or being eaten alive by Titans. He hates above all else to be seen as a burden, someone that others have to baby and take care of, lest he wind up dead. He doesn’t want to hold others back and wants to be seen as just as important as everyone else, even if his physical abilities aren’t up to par. It’s only after Eren and Mikasa quite literally stake their lives on his ability to talk his way out of trouble that he realizes it was his own warped misconception of self that lead him to believe he was useless in comparison to them – neither of his friends ever saw him that way. It’s after this and other successful attempts of his plans being implemented that Armin’s self-confidence begins to grow and with it, so does his ability to effectively plan and analyse situations in the heat of the moment.
Armin is no coward. Despite the amount of tears he sheds and the very obvious fear he feels, he still wills himself into battle. His and Eren’s dream is worth fighting for – humanity is worth fighting for. Once asked if he would die if he was told to, he replies that he wouldn’t want to die, but if it were necessary, if it would be a sacrifice that would need to be made, he would do so. While he may be driven by his dreams, Armin’s grasp on the reality of the situations around him are always at the forefront of his mind. When he, Jean and Reiner end up stuck outside the walls with only one horse between them and Armin with a head wound (and probably a concussion) while the other two are debating who should be left behind he offers without hesitation, so long as they pass along vital information he’s deduced to the commander. Brave as it is, Armin does let his self-defeatist and self-sacrificing nature become troublesome when he loses his footing and doubts himself. When Mikasa runs out of fuel for her 3D Manoeuver gear in the heat of battle after they both think Eren is dead, Armin without a second to spare gives her the remainder of his, simply asking her that she leave him with a broken blade so he can kill himself instead of being eaten by Titans. She refuses to leave him behind and with Connie the three of them make it to the Titan infested warehouse. In that moment Armin had seen himself as useless compared to Mikasa, the best soldier amongst all of them, but the reality of the situation is that if he had been left to die, he wouldn’t have been able to come up with the plan to retake the warehouse and in turn, save countless lives of other trainees. He may not be worth much in brawn but in brains he’s a heavyweight champion.
He’s an incredibly loyal individual, more so to Eren and Mikasa than anyone else. They’re his best friends in the whole entire world, the two individuals who always look out for him and are always fighting by his side. They inspire him and fuel his desire to make them proud and help them fulfil their shared dream. He would die for them in a heartbeat if needed, if it meant that they could go on living. He would, quite literally, do anything for them. He also does his best to believe in the good in people, this most notably showing through with regards to Annie. It doesn’t take long for Armin to deduce that she’s the female Titan who attacked them during their expedition outside the walls, but it takes him a month to act on his assumptions due to the desperate belief he has that his intuition is, for once, wrong. Even after she’s admitted it he still tries to desperately talk to her, alongside Eren, trying to process just why someone they trained with and fought alongside with would betray them and humanity.
While many individuals live in a world that only consists in black or white, Armin finds himself seeing that the world possesses a grey area. Not everyone is just bad or good – there are reasons for everything and many things are never clear at first glance. What is perhaps important about Armin is that he’s unafraid to ask questions or question the motivations of people in his life. After all, the moment an individual stops asking questions and stops asking why, they lose their freedom and in turn, what makes them essentially human.
At the end of the day, Armin is a young soldier fighting for his fundamental right as a human being – his freedom – and that of everyone else. He’s smart, quick witted and driven, emotional and above all else, a survivor. Whatever the challenge, whatever the task at hand, he’ll do his best to overcome it and live, despite the odds that usually work against him. He’ll loyally stand by his friends and in turn, die by their side if that’s what’s required of him.
✖ SAMPLES:
"Zodion" First-Person Network Entry:
[Here] & the post in full [Here]
Other threads: [Here] & [Here]
If these aren't good enough I'll provide another!
"Zodionlogs" Third-Person Prose Entry:
Culture shock was putting it lightly. It was one thing to dream of going beyond the walls and exploring the lands once inhabited by humanity; it was another thing entirely to end up on a whole other planet, in a whole other world. Armin could barely process it. In fact, it he was still trying to come to terms with it, to grasp it and wrap his mind around it. He’d read the letter he’d received over and over again until he’d memorized the contents to the point he thought his gaze would burn holes in the paper if he stared any longer.
He’d come to conclude three very important facts in a short time span: titans didn’t exist here, “Worship” as he had come to learn meant engaging in sex of some sort with another individual and he’d been branded with a tattoo on the back of his neck as if he were livestock. Needless to say he’d spent the past couple of days wandering around in a daze, swept up by equal parts of worry and unshakable curiosity. There were sights and sounds he never could’ve even dreamed of – electricity being one of his favourite discoveries thus far – and more importantly, above everything else, there was access to the ocean.
The thing he’d dreamt of seeing his entire life, ever since he read about it in those dusty forbidden books owned by his grandfather, was within walking distance. He could see it for himself, he could taste and see just how salty the sea waters really were and walk barefoot on the sand. He’d been granted the opportunity of a lifetime and yet it wasn’t walls or titans preventing him from going there to experience the ocean; Armin couldn’t even fathom going there without his best friend. It wasn’t just his dream anymore and it hadn’t been for a long time. The dream for freedom, for walking along the shoreline of the ocean, it was shared with Eren and it just wouldn’t feel right if he saw it without him. It’d be wrong – unthinkable.
Practically betrayal.
Armin would never forgive himself.
Instead he takes it upon himself to continue exploring, continue learning as much as he can about the new world he’s been thrust into. As for “Worship”…well, he’d deal with it eventually. For now he’s preoccupied with exploring and keeping his mind off the encroaching loneliness that tries to settle like dust upon his heart. He’s never been without them, without Eren and Mikasa, and when in doubt they’ve been there for him to depend on. Orphaned, they had become his family. Here he has no one and that thought is more frightening than the less than pleasant reality this world carries with it. After all, they functioned as a single unit – with two pieces missing just how long could hereally exist effectively before breaking down?
He’d survive, surely. That wasn’t the question. Not surviving would be an insult, a kick to the teeth to everyone who had died alongside him. Whether he could find a way back to where his friends and comrades were still fighting…that was a whole other question entirely.
Name & DW Journal: Ciara DW
fairycakesPlurk: N/A but AIM is splitpsychosis
Birthdate & Age: Jan 27. 21.
Characters played in Zodion: Alois Trancy
contrarious✖ CHARACTER:
Name: Armin Arlert
Canon: Attack on Titan/Shingeki no Kyojin
PB/Image: [Here] [Here]
Info links: [Here] & [Here]
Canon Point: Chapter 24.
Gender & Sex: Male/Male.
Age: 15. Will be aged up to 18.
Birthdate/Sign:
Pisces are said to live in two worlds – the reality around them and in their idealized dreams. This is true for Armin who, ever since he was young, has been driven by fanciful thoughts and the ultimate dream to see the world outside the walls humanity has been trapped behind, while every so often being quite literally, beaten down back to reality by fists and cries of heresy. Pisces are known to be emotional and sensitive individuals and Armin is most certainly emotional – he feels other’s pain, especially that of his two best friends and even those of his comrades, and he feels it intensely. Pisces are also known to be good at understanding people, having formidable memories and intuition – traits that Armin showcases throughout the series in various situations ranging from making the right intuitive choices in stressful scenarios to figuring out who the traitors are amongst their group of trainees before anyone else does. In addition, although not scoring highly on the physical aspects of his training, he consistently had the highest scores when it came to the tactical and theoretical aspects. Needless to say, he’s one smart cookie. While being sensitive however, Pisces are also individuals who may, at first glance, seem to be pushovers, but in reality have the strength to stand up for what they believe in and do what it takes to follow their dreams. This rings true in Armin’s personality who, despite being physically weak, has always had the guts to stick to what he believes in, regardless of whether it was bullies in the past or his comrades he had to stand up to. Pisces are also incredibly loyal and it comes as no surprise that in turn, Armin is incredibly loyal to his best friends, Eren and Mikasa. He would do anything for them, even at the cost of his own life.
The downside however of being a Pisces is that they are prone to being self-defeatist, self-blaming and self-pitying. This is extremely apparent in Armin’s personality for he has for years thought of himself as someone who relies on his friends when in turn he cannot provide anything of substance in return. While Eren and Mikasa were always protecting him and saving him from bullies or saving his life, all he could do was be a damsel in distress. This mindset is something that becomes crippling at times for Armin, for he hates being thought of as a burden, and it takes his best friends putting their lives in his hands for him to realize that his perception of self was warped for years. While his loyalty is something to be admired, at times Armin can become too emotionally involved when it comes to Eren and Mikasa. Every hardship that they face, especially Eren, weighs down on him in full, causing additional stress and worry. He’s constantly worrying about Eren and while that worry may be warranted, sometimes it can become a handicap in stressful situations.
Being born on the cusp of Aquarius, these Pisces individuals are seen as explorers who have the courage and guts to analyze not only themselves but yearn, above all else, to go above and beyond. Impressions of the outside world drive their passions and this is true for Armin whose dream to explore beyond the walls is not only his but in turn one he shared with his best friend Eren. His sensitivity is not only strength but a weakness in a struggle to find personal inner balance of not losing himself to his dreams and in turn, not drowning in the depths of self-imposed worries and concerns.
Tattoo: Nape of his neck. 1 inch in length.
Suitability:
Although Armin Arlert may be a young teen it goes without saying that the kid has seen some fucked up shit. Living in a world where humanity is on the verge of extinction because horrifying, deformed creatures called titans (which are, in essence, uncanny valley giants) have eaten most of the human population, Armin has not only had his parents die but also his grandfather when he was younger. He’s endured harsh bullying for being a heretic, simply because he speaks of the outside world beyond the walls that protects the remainder of humanity from destruction and wanting to see it. He’s also experienced firsthand the horror of the titans themselves, ranging from watching them devour his friends and teammates but also his best friend Eren. On top of that he’s experienced what it’s like to beinside the mouth of one of these horrific creatures before Eren pulled him out of the titan’s mouth and was eaten instead. (Luckily Eren didn’t stay eaten.) When he was twelve he entered into military training alongside his two friends and managed to endure the brutal training regiments set in place for three years, where many had either been sent away due to failure or had died in the process. Needless to say, he’s a lot more grown up than your average fifteen year old boy and a lot smarter than one too. He’s known for his intelligence and ability to, despite immense pressure, make the right decision and keep his wits about him. Surviving, despite the odds and situation is what Armin is good at and the same rings true for his stay in Zodion.
When it comes to matters of sexuality, Armin probably hasn’t thought too much about it. That’s not to say that he’s not a teenage boy who probably still has teenage boy needs or urges, but it’s safe to say that unlike his classmates he’s got other things on his mind (aside from killing titans and staying alive – they all think about that, certainly) such as his dream to one day see the ocean and in turn the rest of the world. Although he would initially be alarmed by the whole concept of Zodion, he’d quickly realize that it’s simply something that has to be done to survive in this world and would take it in stride as best as he can. Surviving is more important than anything else and it would be a kick in the teeth to those he’s seen die alongside fighting with him if he didn’t continue to do just that, especially in a world lacking the oppressive threat of titans. After all, there are far worse things once can experience than being forced to have sex with others and in all honesty, Armin would probably take the former over other things he’s experienced any day.
Power:
Armin is, at least physically, a normal human teenage boy. There isn’t anything remarkable about him in that aspect – in fact he’s called weak on various occasions. Even so, while he may not be the most physically adept, he’s still skilled enough to use 3D Manoeuver gear and graduated as a soldier amongst the rest of his comrades. What is notable about him is his mind, which is sharp and always calculating, thinking, and theorizing. He’s on his way to becoming a master of strategy and uses his intuition to his advantage. That said, there’s nothing out of the ordinary here for Armin that a human teen boy would be in possession of and so I would like to give him the power of Water Healing.
Personality:
“You’re weak as hell, but you’ve definitely got guts.”
A simple sentence couldn’t speak greater volumes when it comes to Armin Arlert – a slender, sweet looking teenaged boy whose seemingly innocent face frequently expresses unbridled terror and worry. While he may let his emotions show through without a second thought and physically isn’t the strongest, there is no doubt in anyone’s mind for those who know Armin that he is anything but a coward. Quick witted and outspoken about his beliefs, not once has Armin let anyone tell him his dreams are foolish or discourage him about his goal – to obtain freedom and journey on beyond the walls that protect the last remaining population of humanity from an incredibly powerful outside threat – Titans.
This is the reality of the world Armin found himself born into, a world where humanity is on the brink of extinction and the only thing between the quite literal giants who make a meal of humans and the humans themselves are colossal walls that reach skyward. Any mention of the world before Titans didn’t exist and any talk of lands outside the walls are deemed heretical. Books pertaining to the history of humanity before the walls existed or even nature itself such as the ocean, deserts, and the artic are forbidden. It was these forbidden books and very tales that Armin grew up on, his parents feeding his curious mind with grand fancies and facts about the world beyond. When they died from journeying outside of the walls, orphaning Armin at a very young age, it was Armin’s grandfather who continued to encourage his curiosity, sharing with him forbidden books he’d kept hidden away.
Like any child who learns something fascinating they talk about it – something that was, in essence, heresy. Armin found himself bullied, beaten by those older than him who called him a heretic for speaking of his dream of going outside the walls, for his excited babbling about the ocean. Despite finding himself with scraped knees and black eyes, fists didn’t stop him from believing in his dream. Just because other children were frightened of his talk of the outside world, of getting in trouble and in essence, being afraid of what they didn’t understand rather than being intrigued by it didn’t mean Armin would keep quiet. It was because what he was saying was right that they were afraid, that he was smart and could read where so many his age and caste could not. A simple village boy shouldn’t be speaking of such things. No one should be speaking of such things.
For all the individuals who didn’t want to listen, who shied away from Armin’s talk of life outside the walls, there was one individual who listened with ears and eyes open wide. Eren Jaeger – Armin’s best friend in the entire world – came to share his dream of someday venturing outside the walls with him and the two made a promise to one another to see the ocean together. When the wall that protected their town was breeched and Titans began to devour everyone inside, including Eren’s mother, this dream took on a more serious undertone. Eren vowed to kill every last Titan and Armin could only agree to follow him. Living as refugees in the next city over, Armin along with Eren and his adoptive sister Mikasa, Armin’s other best friend, the three children suffered. As refugees they were looked down upon as a burden, unwanted and filthy. The three became the only family one another had after Armin’s grandfather was killed in a failed attempt to take back the fallen town that had been attacked by Titans. It had been a ploy by the government to lessen the burden and food shortages by sacrificing lives, and while it did make the food shortage slightly better, the fact still remained that people had been sent to their deaths. After this event all there is left for Armin to do is follow Eren into the army, along with Mikasa. They would become soldiers and join the scouting corps, entering training at the tender age of twelve.
A soldier’s life isn’t an easy one. It was survival of the fittest and Armin was anything but fit. He fell behind his peers in physical training, yet still managed to pass and meet the rigorous demands that were expected of him. However, while he lagged behind others physically, he outshone everyone intellectually. His scores were continuously high and no one could deny that Armin was, without a doubt, quick witted and intelligent. For the first time too, over the three years he spent in training he made friends other than Mikasa and Eren. For the first time, people would listen to what he had to say instead of beating him up for it.
Although quiet in nature he is in no way antisocial and he isn’t shy to speak up when he feels it’s necessary to. He asks leading commanding officers and strategists to listen to his ideas to retake Trost using Eren’s titan power, he gives an awe inspiring speech, standing before a slew of armed soldiers with blades drawn and canons pointed at him, Mikasa and Eren in a desperate attempt to save their lives and in the heat of the moment of battle, listens to his intuition and comes up with a brilliant plan to retake the supply warehouse overrun with Titans so his comrades and other soldiers can refuel their gas tanks for their 3D Manoeuver gear. If there’s one thing those in the 104th trainee squad can agree on it’s that Armin’s opinion when it comes to tactics or a plan in general should be respected. If anyone knows what they’re talking about, it’s him.
Despite this, it takes Armin quite a while to respect himself and be confident in his intelligence. While everyone around him is strong and capable of staying alive his whole life Armin has found himself time and time again saved by Mikasa and Eren whether it be from bullies or being eaten alive by Titans. He hates above all else to be seen as a burden, someone that others have to baby and take care of, lest he wind up dead. He doesn’t want to hold others back and wants to be seen as just as important as everyone else, even if his physical abilities aren’t up to par. It’s only after Eren and Mikasa quite literally stake their lives on his ability to talk his way out of trouble that he realizes it was his own warped misconception of self that lead him to believe he was useless in comparison to them – neither of his friends ever saw him that way. It’s after this and other successful attempts of his plans being implemented that Armin’s self-confidence begins to grow and with it, so does his ability to effectively plan and analyse situations in the heat of the moment.
Armin is no coward. Despite the amount of tears he sheds and the very obvious fear he feels, he still wills himself into battle. His and Eren’s dream is worth fighting for – humanity is worth fighting for. Once asked if he would die if he was told to, he replies that he wouldn’t want to die, but if it were necessary, if it would be a sacrifice that would need to be made, he would do so. While he may be driven by his dreams, Armin’s grasp on the reality of the situations around him are always at the forefront of his mind. When he, Jean and Reiner end up stuck outside the walls with only one horse between them and Armin with a head wound (and probably a concussion) while the other two are debating who should be left behind he offers without hesitation, so long as they pass along vital information he’s deduced to the commander. Brave as it is, Armin does let his self-defeatist and self-sacrificing nature become troublesome when he loses his footing and doubts himself. When Mikasa runs out of fuel for her 3D Manoeuver gear in the heat of battle after they both think Eren is dead, Armin without a second to spare gives her the remainder of his, simply asking her that she leave him with a broken blade so he can kill himself instead of being eaten by Titans. She refuses to leave him behind and with Connie the three of them make it to the Titan infested warehouse. In that moment Armin had seen himself as useless compared to Mikasa, the best soldier amongst all of them, but the reality of the situation is that if he had been left to die, he wouldn’t have been able to come up with the plan to retake the warehouse and in turn, save countless lives of other trainees. He may not be worth much in brawn but in brains he’s a heavyweight champion.
He’s an incredibly loyal individual, more so to Eren and Mikasa than anyone else. They’re his best friends in the whole entire world, the two individuals who always look out for him and are always fighting by his side. They inspire him and fuel his desire to make them proud and help them fulfil their shared dream. He would die for them in a heartbeat if needed, if it meant that they could go on living. He would, quite literally, do anything for them. He also does his best to believe in the good in people, this most notably showing through with regards to Annie. It doesn’t take long for Armin to deduce that she’s the female Titan who attacked them during their expedition outside the walls, but it takes him a month to act on his assumptions due to the desperate belief he has that his intuition is, for once, wrong. Even after she’s admitted it he still tries to desperately talk to her, alongside Eren, trying to process just why someone they trained with and fought alongside with would betray them and humanity.
While many individuals live in a world that only consists in black or white, Armin finds himself seeing that the world possesses a grey area. Not everyone is just bad or good – there are reasons for everything and many things are never clear at first glance. What is perhaps important about Armin is that he’s unafraid to ask questions or question the motivations of people in his life. After all, the moment an individual stops asking questions and stops asking why, they lose their freedom and in turn, what makes them essentially human.
At the end of the day, Armin is a young soldier fighting for his fundamental right as a human being – his freedom – and that of everyone else. He’s smart, quick witted and driven, emotional and above all else, a survivor. Whatever the challenge, whatever the task at hand, he’ll do his best to overcome it and live, despite the odds that usually work against him. He’ll loyally stand by his friends and in turn, die by their side if that’s what’s required of him.
✖ SAMPLES:
"Zodion" First-Person Network Entry:
[Here] & the post in full [Here]
Other threads: [Here] & [Here]
If these aren't good enough I'll provide another!
"Zodionlogs" Third-Person Prose Entry:
Culture shock was putting it lightly. It was one thing to dream of going beyond the walls and exploring the lands once inhabited by humanity; it was another thing entirely to end up on a whole other planet, in a whole other world. Armin could barely process it. In fact, it he was still trying to come to terms with it, to grasp it and wrap his mind around it. He’d read the letter he’d received over and over again until he’d memorized the contents to the point he thought his gaze would burn holes in the paper if he stared any longer.
He’d come to conclude three very important facts in a short time span: titans didn’t exist here, “Worship” as he had come to learn meant engaging in sex of some sort with another individual and he’d been branded with a tattoo on the back of his neck as if he were livestock. Needless to say he’d spent the past couple of days wandering around in a daze, swept up by equal parts of worry and unshakable curiosity. There were sights and sounds he never could’ve even dreamed of – electricity being one of his favourite discoveries thus far – and more importantly, above everything else, there was access to the ocean.
The thing he’d dreamt of seeing his entire life, ever since he read about it in those dusty forbidden books owned by his grandfather, was within walking distance. He could see it for himself, he could taste and see just how salty the sea waters really were and walk barefoot on the sand. He’d been granted the opportunity of a lifetime and yet it wasn’t walls or titans preventing him from going there to experience the ocean; Armin couldn’t even fathom going there without his best friend. It wasn’t just his dream anymore and it hadn’t been for a long time. The dream for freedom, for walking along the shoreline of the ocean, it was shared with Eren and it just wouldn’t feel right if he saw it without him. It’d be wrong – unthinkable.
Practically betrayal.
Armin would never forgive himself.
Instead he takes it upon himself to continue exploring, continue learning as much as he can about the new world he’s been thrust into. As for “Worship”…well, he’d deal with it eventually. For now he’s preoccupied with exploring and keeping his mind off the encroaching loneliness that tries to settle like dust upon his heart. He’s never been without them, without Eren and Mikasa, and when in doubt they’ve been there for him to depend on. Orphaned, they had become his family. Here he has no one and that thought is more frightening than the less than pleasant reality this world carries with it. After all, they functioned as a single unit – with two pieces missing just how long could hereally exist effectively before breaking down?
He’d survive, surely. That wasn’t the question. Not surviving would be an insult, a kick to the teeth to everyone who had died alongside him. Whether he could find a way back to where his friends and comrades were still fighting…that was a whole other question entirely.