Attack on Titan/Shingeki no Kyojin belongs to Hajime Isayama and is currently being animated by Wit Studio.
A/N: Up ahead will contain heavy spoilers for the manga. I recommend getting caught up with the story before reading. On another note, this fic is inspired by ii-Phoenix-ii's Power to Strive series which you should also check out! I don't intend to leech off their work or steal anything.
Please note that I'm also not having them react to the openings for my convenience. I apologize if you expected them to but I might have them look at specific endings at some point. Anyway, there are more notes at the end if anyone wants to read it. Now to start this story~
The Warrior Headquarters in Liberio rarely had a day where it was not bustling with activity. From cadets doing backbreaking training to staff rushing through the halls to complete their duties. Eldian and Marleyan alike had something to keep their hands busy with.
For three young Warriors, however, today was one of those exceptions.
"Where is everyone?" Bertholdt asked to no one in particular, uneasiness growing with each step down the hallway. His brief glance at a window showed him that the training field was devoid of life. Even their instructor's shouts and insults, which could be heard indoors without the use of a speaker were absent.
Though that should be comforting, it sent off alarm bells in their minds. "Maybe everyone is having a meeting somewhere else or has a day off today?" Reiner said but his words lacked any certainty in them.
Annie who had been quiet until now flatly pointed out, "That doesn't make any sense." She tilted her head to the seemingly endless amount of shut doors. "We should have been able to hear voices at some point, and if anything this place would be more crowded than usual with the Paradis Operation so near."
Reiner and Bertholdt frowned at her observations as they neared a door at the end of the hall. The tallest of the group pulled out a letter they all received earlier in the morning to read over the instructions again.
"'You and other selected Warriors are summoned for a gathering in the room located past the custodial office in Wing A this afternoon. Do not be late or reveal this letter to anyone not participating.'"
Bertholdt paused for a moment after reading. "Is this the right room? I don't think I've ever seen it before." He looked back and forth between the paper and very plain door. Strange...there aren't even any signs on it to identify what this area is used for.
"...Don't you two find any of this suspicious? No previous notifications sent to us have been this short or sudden before," Annie said.
"You're not wrong," Bertholdt replied while a bead of sweat rolled down his face. He willed down the urge to suggest for them to turn back.
Reiner shrugged. "Let's just go in already guys. Better to not risk upsetting our superiors by not showing up now. This could be about important information against the devils we're about to face," he said with a bit of worry in his voice.
The unspoken threat of facing punishment made Bertholdt hesitantly reach for the shiny brass knob. Secrecy and oddness today or not, they weren't stupid enough to risk it. That is until a voice behind the trio cut through the silence around them.
"Oh, so you got a letter too." Their fellow trainee, Porco, said as he strode towards them. Disdain for a certain other Warrior was palpable in the air.
Reiner didn't back away like he used to before his inheritance of the Armored Titan. His new powers were a thing to be proud of and despite all odds he earned it. Sure Porco almost beat him up a few times and jabbed him with the reminder that he was once the bottom candidate, but his brother always held him back in time.
Speaking of, "Is Marcel here?" Reiner asked.
His lips quirked down, "Marcel's back at home asleep. The letter had only my name on it." He took out the folded paper from his uniform and waved it for them to see.
Puzzlement washed over the trio. If Marcel wasn't invited then the meeting couldn't be about the operation.
"Pock! I didn't expect you to be here," said Pieck. Everyone looked back to see her and Zeke round a corner down the hall.
Wait but they had orders to stay behind on the mission. Did the plan suddenly change or something? Reiner thought dumbfounded.
"Hey, I told you to stop calling me that!"
Pieck didn't seem to care about Porco's protests. Instead, she and Zeke, who had a thoughtful look on his face, approached the group.
"Hmm, did any of you see a single Marleyan authority around?" The latter asked.
They shook their heads in unison. Zeke scratched the back of his ear and eyed the door in front of them. "Is that so? Interesting…"
None of them had time to question his behavior as a nearby tower's chime echoed in the distance. Realizing it was currently twelve in the afternoon, Bertholdt quickly opened the door for them. One by one the Warriors entered the fairly spacious room.
"Is that food?" Porco asked as everyone examined their new surroundings, his mouth-watering.
Sure enough, a coffee table in the center had numerous trays on it. It each had a variety of snacks stands on the street would sell, fruits, steaming coffee filled mugs, donuts, and there were even some dishes from foreign nations. One item that stuck out to them and was definitely not edible, was a pencil and pristine black notebook lying beside all the foodstuffs.
Not a single one of them dared to touch it. They may have been invited but it could all belong to a Marleyan authority as ridiculous as it sounds.
What truly caught everyone's attention though was the sleek, rectangular object sitting on top a...chest? It was certainly a chest judging by the latch, but a thin slot was located on the side. A smaller black object rested on the chest too and had strange little, multicolored buttons on it. For some reason, they were reminded of cameras used to take photos. If they were thinner, less box-shaped, and had a lens over ten times as big, that is.
"What could this be?" Zeke adjusted the glasses he seemed to wear more and more nowadays. "Is this a new gadget the government invented?"
They crowded around the devices like children examining an exhibit. "Dunno, but it doesn't look like anything I've seen before," Porco said, caution and curiosity mixing in his voice. He circled around it to get a better idea of what the larger object could possibly be.
Standing together on the side, Reiner and Bertholdt theorized its purpose. "Do you think it's a weapon of some sort Bert?"
"But it looks too heavy to carry around." His friend shrugged his shoulders and made a little face. "Maybe it's a new type of camera? It has a lens, uh, I think."
"If it is then gathering all of us here for a photo is a complete waste of our time," Porco grumbled.
A list of other theories ran through Zeke's mind faster than a bullet, but he dismissed each of them just as quick as they felt too inaccurate. He gave the walls of the room a brief glance. There's no one to tell me otherwise. And with that he promptly picked up the smaller device and looked over the numerous buttons, turning it this way and that. Some he could guess the function of without much effort, such as "power" and "mute". Others were more obscure to him, examples being a button called "sub" and four arrows pointing in a way similar to a compass.
Examining the rest of the room, Pieck saw a note stuck to one of the two couches facing the object and table. Splitting from the group and plucking it off the cushion, she proceeded to read it out loud.
"Attention: All of the food and items are free for anyone to use. The bathroom in the back is unlocked and the windows are shatterproof. Once the door closes none of you are able to leave for twelve hours. Please make use of the notebook for the time being. Signed by Y.F.," Pieck read, her eyes widening.
Its contents sent chills down everyone's spine. This began to sound more like an elaborate trap or prank than a meeting.
"Who could this Y.F. be? Hold on a second, what did it say about the door?" Zeke whirled around. "Don't let it shut!" he snapped.
Reiner reached for the knob, but it was too late. The door shut by itself with a little click.
"Don't panic everyone! I'm certain that our absence will be noticed at some point. For now we should sit down and keep our guard up," Zeke tried to reassure the younger Warriors.
Their nerves did calm a bit until a sudden churning noise caught their attention. Even the normally stoic Annie stepped back when a card fell out of the slot on the chest.
"Your absence will not be noticed. Now sit down and wait for the T.V. to turn on. The following episodes will show the lives of the Island Eldians." Zeke read after he picked it up. "So that's what the device is called."
"It'll show us the devils? How is that possible?" Reiner voiced one of the many questions running through their heads.
He ignored him and kept reading, "Your actions from this point on will change the future."
Bertholdt fidgeted, "What does that mean?"
"I don't know, but if this is true perhaps we should follow its instructions. I have to admit I'm a bit curious to see what this could be," Zeke said and sat himself down on the couch to the left. He picked up a banana and the smaller device on the way. Proceeding to hunch over while eating and act as if this was any other day much to their growing confusion.
Not seeing any other option, they all sat down in groups: Reiner, Bertholdt, and Annie took up the couch on the right. Porco and Pieck joined the older boy on the remaining seat. Zeke examined the buttons on the remote and pressed the one that was labeled "power".
They waited for a moment before jolting back when the screen flickered to life. Gasping, the Warriors watched in awe as it showed geese flying in the sky.
It's like a window to another place or world even...Porco thought in amazement as he grabbed a sandwich off the table.
Though Annie never took one herself, she was reminded of photographs if they could move.
An eye filled the screen. It cut to a group of people wearing old-fashioned clothing, horror clear on their faces.
"The devils of Paradis," they all said under their breaths. Reiner's face darkened and he gritted his teeth.
Zeke adjusted his glasses again. "So it wasn't lying after all," he muttered, his own expression becoming serious.
A dog barked at an unseen force above. The view panned over to show a massive wall.
"Bert that's you!" Reiner cried out as soon as it showed a giant, skinless hand grabbing the Wall.
Bert nodded but kept his eyes glued to the screen. This is showing us our mission, isn't it? This is the day we take down the Wall and retake the Founding Titan.
People of various shapes and sizes watched as a shadow loomed over them. A head rose over the Wall meant to be the protection to the people of Paradis. "On that day, mankind remembered…" A young sounding narrator's voice rang out.
Beads of sweat rolled down Bert's face as he witnessed his Titan outside of his shifted form in real life. Is this what our enemies see when I transform? A strange churn in his gut almost made him look away. Almost.
Reiner and Annie were waiting for the moment their Titans and Marcel would show up. "It's all up to you," Reiner muttered and thought the devils resembled ants from that height.
On the other couch, Zeke snatched up the notebook from the table. "I can take down the notes if you want," Pieck suggested from his side, her face lost the usual serenity on it.
He didn't object. Pieck is observant enough to catch every detail. Additionally, this will give me time to adjust my plan if needed while I watch. Besides, what can go wrong? He reasoned and handed her the notebook and a pencil.
"The fear of oppression under them,"
They all wondered who or what exactly them were. Titans, perhaps? Or were they blaming the nations outside of the island?
"and the humiliation of being caged like birds."
Some of the Warriors felt a hint of anger flicker in them, especially Reiner. The devils caged and oppressed? You're the reason why there is evil in the world! He balled his hands to tight fists.
The screen cut to a horse racing through what looked like a forest in the middle of a storm. "All hands prepare for battle!" ordered the commander of the troops.
"These must be their forces," Annie said. She took note of the wing emblem on the rider's billowing green cloak. A lesson from her father popped into her mind to observe the enemy for any weaknesses.
Pieck, meanwhile, wrote down everything she saw on screen as fast as she can. Uniforms, methods of transportation, etc. Their horses are moving far faster than the ones Marley has.
"I wonder how strong they are," Porco said out loud and doubted they could beat shifters. But like the rest, he was at the edge of his seat. One odd thing they noticed was the bulky metallic boxes strapped to their legs.
"We have one target! We will slay it and claim this as humanity's first stronghold beyond the Walls!"
Everyone was confused for a moment when he mentioned humanity and the fact they were going outside of the Walls. First the suggestion of being caged and oppressed, now this. Were they crazy or something?
"Approaching target!" said one man with blond hair. A Pure Titan lumbered into view, its face shadowed out.
"Split into five groups, just like training! My group will act as the decoys! Assault squads, switch to three-dimensional maneuvers!" The commander shouted.
Three-dimensional maneuvers? They all questioned until one of the soldiers whipped out hilt-like devices connected to the metallic boxes they saw earlier.
With a single press of a switch, a hook shot out and embedded itself into a tree.
None of the reports mentioned they had equipment like this! Bert thought. His jaw dropped open at the sight.
Pieck's hand raced across the paper to write down the gear they were seeing. The zoom in on the wires coursing through the device was a big help for her notes.
The soldiers launched themselves into the air. One of them circled around the Titan to its back, unsheathing metal blades. Focusing on the nape, "Behold the power of mankind!" he cried while bringing down his blades.
Behind his spectacles, Zeke narrowed his eyes. "So they're aware a Titan's weakness is its nape." He looked over at the other couch and said, "You three should be twice as careful now."
The trio nodded and turned their attention back to the screen. Their foes wouldn't go down as easy as expected. Not that they expected the Founding Titan to go down without a fight anyway.
A view of beautiful blue flowers appeared only to become splattered with blood. Images flashed the screen for a moment. The teeth of a Titan, a uniform, toys, a bee crawling on an eye, a smiling Titan, and someone being lifted from the ground.
It all came to a halt when a young boy from the beginning woke up.
Porco raised a brow. "What kind of kid dreams that kind of stuff?" he asked incredulously through a mouthful of sandwich. All of the cadets had seen their fair share of horror, but what that boy dreamed was just...creepy for a lack of better words.
Reiner was about to say only the devils on the island could think of such terrors at a young age even in their sleep. "Of course they would-whoa, wait a minute! Am I going blind or is that girl Asian?"
A young girl around their age stood over the boy, her face sharing features with the people of the other nation across the sea.
"Huh? Mikasa?"
Looking over the remote, Zeke pressed the one that was labeled "pause" and briefly got up to discard his banana peel. The group was taken aback when the show abruptly stopped but the older Warrior waved at them not to worry.
"Why is there a non Eldian in Paradis?" Porco asked his couchmate because he didn't really want to risk getting answers from the boy who stole the Armored Titan from him.
"She looks young too. I think there might be even more Asians if her parents are around," she replied. Though people say she's the type to have her mind wander, a thoughtful look gleamed in her eye. "Regardless of where she's from, even places like Hizuru might not be happy if we kill some of their people by accident."
He looked off to the side with furrowed brows. "And they're the only ones that don't think we're a pest," he grumbled.
So long as no one knows 'bout her everything should be okay I guess. But if news about her ends up spreading somehow, would her nation actually care? Then what, he wondered? It isn't too hard to see her as another excuse to hate us even more from wherever she's from.
Bertholdt frowned at what he overheard. The moment he transforms would make chaos break out among the masses. Telling him to go pick flowers as the Colossal Titan would be far easier than being careful to not kill anyone not Eldian in the ensuing stampede. Annie and Reiner could at least see the people clearly on the ground, unlike him sometimes.
"I think the bigger question is how they got there in the first place," Zeke stated and unpaused the show. "Let's finish this before we discuss this any further, no objections?"
No one spoke up. Everyone was curious to see how their mission would turn out, and if they were lucky then their questions would be answered along the way.
"Let's start heading back."
"Why am I here?"
"You were that deep asleep that you're still only half-awake?"
Porco wondered for a moment if she was watching him sleep. He may not be the most sociable person but even he knew that was weird.
"No," the boy replied. "It just feels like I was having a really long dream."
"What was it again?" He rubbed his eyes, "I don't remember a thing."
Mikasa heaved a stack of wood onto her back. She looked back at the boy with surprise on her face. "Eren, why are you crying?"
"Huh?" Eren touched the tears at the corner of his eye.
Zeke's brows furrowed. The boy on screen made a strange feeling churn in his gut now that he got a better view of him. Something felt...familiar about him. In addition to the event they just watched, his interest only grew. Could this be Paths at work? Just who exactly are you?
[Year 845 Shiganshina District]
Despite the Titans pawing at the Wall outside. People walked without a care in the world.
"The Walls were made with the wisdom of God!" preached a man in brown robes to anyone who would listen. "The Walls are the works of God! No matter the person, none may desecrate the Walls!"
Porco snorted into his glass, and then he immediately choked on the water he was drinking. Reaching across the couch, Pieck gave him some gentle pats on the back. Which didn't help him whatsoever.
The other couch ignored his coughing fit. "They...worship the Walls?" Bertholdt asked quizzically.
"From their viewpoint, I guess that makes sense," Annie replied. Though they should be worshipping the Founding Titan. Not the Walls full of mindless Titans.
"Don't tell anyone," said Eren as the camera panned over the vast land below. "About me crying." He sulked as he walked with her.
Most of the boys could understand where he was coming from.
That didn't stop Porco from letting out a snort, however.
"I won't," Mikasa replied. "But crying for no real reason, you should have your dad give you a checkup."
"Don't be stupid! As if I can tell him!"
"What're you crying over, Eren?" A blond man asked the two children. Unlike the wing emblems from before, his displayed roses.
"Hannes!"
"Did you get scolded by Mikasa?" he slurred out. The pink dusting his cheeks practically shouted to the world he was drunk.
With the exception of Zeke and Annie, most of the Warriors felt either disgusted or uncomfortable. Sure they may have seen their superiors drink before, but for this man to do it in broad daylight. In front of civilians no less. Not a single Warrior would ever dream to do so unless they wanted to get reprimanded and stripped of status.
"Huh? What makes you think I'd cry? Wha-" Eren's hand flew to his nose, "You reek of booze!"
"Come on, it's cool." A group of men dressed in the same uniform said behind Hannes. Booze visible in each man's hand and cards in the other. A blush also adorned their carefree faces.
Though Annie's expression didn't change, she felt a bit of disapproval at the sight of these so called guards.
"You're drinking again?" Eren stared at them with wide eyes.
"Why don't you join us?" Hannes teased the upset boy.
"Well, uh don't you have work to do?"
"Ah, we're gate guards today!" He said with pride. "Having been here all day, hunger and thirst were bound to catch up with us. The fact alcohol happened to be in our drinks is no big deal."
"I can picture Magath walking up and scolding him for his behavior right now," Zeke chuckled mirthlessly.
The younger cadets, minus Annie, winced a little. Even if his presence was absent in the field earlier while walking through the halls. They could still hear the Marleyan in their minds perfectly. To get on his bad side, no matter the race was no laughing matter.
"But will you be able to fight if you need to?" Eren asked with his chin raised up to Hannes.
Hannes was taken aback, "And when would that be?"
"Isn't it obvious? When they break the Walls and storm the city!"
Pieck stopped writing for a brief moment. The way everyone lived in fear of the Pure Titans while also venturing outside left her confused.
The sudden chop of a fish's head made her and the others flinch.
"Oh, damn." Hannes touched his forehead. "Hey, Eren don't go yelling so suddenly."
A soldier stood and approached them, laughing, drunker than a man aiming to drown his sorrows with booze. "You're real lively, doctor's son! If they do bust down the Walls, we'll take care of business, don't you worry. It's never happened, not once in the last one hundred years."
Much to their credit, they took in the information with stride.
"Hah!" Reiner laughed aloud. "One hundred years of hiding behind walls must've made them weak and ignorant! Making them pay for their crimes shouldn't be that hard if the rest act like this," he said excitedly.
"True, but you shouldn't underestimate the enemy just like that," Pieck pointed out to him, which resulted in him pouting and sinking into the cushions.
"Something else about what he said sounded wrong though," Annie frowned deeper than normal.
Zeke turned to face her side of the room. "Good catch Annie. I noticed they act as if the Walls themselves aren't full of the beasts they fear so much. For what reason they seem so ignorant, you might ask. Well this could be explained by one theory the Titan Research Department told me years back."
"...Does this have something to do with their memory?" Bert spoke up hesitantly, memories of the Founding Titan's possible abilities being revealed to him in one mission meeting resurfaced.
The children looked at each other in uncertainty before Zeke called for their attention. "It seems it's true memories can be altered after all. Besides Bertholdt, Annie, and Reiner here, I'm sure you two have heard of the control the Founding Titan has over our minds." They nodded and waited for him to continue. "The extent of alteration the Eldians had gone by their king and when is anyone's guess at this point. Their memory of Eldian history might be lost on them, or they could possibly still be aware of the world outside of their island...Though from what I watched so far the latter may not be the case," Zeke explained.
While his former bully grumbled something about their cowardly king, Reiner's face twisted in anger. How dare they forget the sins their ancestors committed! This doesn't change anything, we'll still reclaim the Founder and teach them that they can't escape their crimes!
Noticing the atmosphere change around him, Zeke scratched the back of his ear and after a moment nudged Porco with his elbow, which he brushed off. "Maybe we'll find out more in the future," he said before unpausing the screen.
"Still, my dad says there's nothing more dangerous than being complacent like that!"
"Dads always seem to know what to say, huh," Porco sighed, but the irritation he felt still remained.
Bert and Pieck thought of their own dads. Both happened to have bad health and were the only parental figure they have left in their lives. For them, they would do anything like becoming a Warrior. I hope he'll be okay while I'm away… Bert thought.
The subject of Annie's father was a complicated one. Day in and day out he forced her to kick away at dummies, beating the same padded poles over and over again without caring how tired she was. Normal fathers always know what to say, thought a blank faced Annie while recalling the "praise" he gave her. She wasn't blind to what he was doing, but what other choice does she have? Retaliating doesn't work, believe her she tried once, and that once was enough.
Reiner sulked and turned away from the group for a second. None of them would understand that he didn't have a single memory of his father he could relate to with them. His missing parent wasn't dead, at least he hoped to god he wasn't, but rather his father was a Marleyan. Before he was chosen, the dream of a complete family was merely that- a dream. Every single thing he did was for the sake of his nation and family, and now more than ever did his dream seem so close to becoming a reality. Once I come back from the mission, we can reunite with dad and live the rest of our lives in peace. Reiner nodded with confidence. The wall separating Eldian and Marleyan crumbled in his imagination, sending him a rush of determination.
On the other end of the scale, Zeke had to resist the urge to roll his eyes and grimace. If subjecting me to countless hours of lectures and pain is what you mean by knowing, then by all means-
"Dr. Yeager, huh?" Hannes' tone became wistful. "Yeah, he's got a point. He once saved this town from an epidemic. I can't argue with him."
"Wait-Dr. Yeager?" Reiner was taken aback as were the rest.
"Isn't that Zeke's last name?' Pieck put down the notebook in her hands.
Bert nodded slowly, possible explanations racing through his head. "Maybe this could be a relative of his who got separated when the king fled?" he suggested.
"Hey morons why don't you just ask him? He's right over-" Porco cut himself off when they collectively turned to face the older Warrior.
For the shortest of glimpses they caught how his eyes were as wide as saucers and his mouth gaped open. Noticing that everyone was staring at him, he coughed into his fist and smoothed his expression into a somewhat strained calm. "We can discuss this another time." His voice hoarse as if he forced the wad of words past his lips. Trying to be great again father? If it's truly you, how is it possible you're still alive?
They turned back to the T.V. but questions still floated in the back of their minds.
"Still," Hannes said, "they're another story. When you're a soldier, you get to see those things roaming outside while you're on Wall reinforcement duty and stuff. The Walls are fifty meters tall, though. I can't see'em do anything about it."
"W-wait...so you're saying you don't even have the resolve to fight them to begin with?"
"Pretty much!" Hannes replied cheerfully.
"Wh-what?!" Eren cried out. "Then drop the 'Garrison Regimen' name for 'Wall Construction Squad' instead!
Despite the tension present in the air. Porco pretended to cough into his fist to cover his chuckle at Eren's joke. Damn him.
"So they're called the Garrison Regimen," Zeke muttered, his composure coming back bit by bit.
Be reasonable and think about it for a moment will you, his thoughts echoed and blocked out everything around him. Out of everyone who's possibly named Yeager on that cursed island what are the chances that it's him? The doctor part is an odd coincidence but use some logic here. Grisha Yeager became a dead man the day you ratted out him and his group and there's no changing that fact. He glanced over the boy's features; his wide, expressive eyes and rounded face looked nothing like the man.
The other Garrison soldier looked amused. "That doesn't sound half bad."
"But you gotta understand, Eren, if a soldier's doing his job, things have seriously gone to hell. It's better when everyone's calling us useless freeloaders. It means peaceful times for us all."
I think I understand what they mean, but still...Bert's thoughts trailed off.
Guards and Warriors were always working for Marley, so none of them could truly picture the peace he's describing.
"Sure, we can stay inside the Walls our entire lives and do nothing but eat and sleep! But that basically makes us cattle!" Eren shouted at them, scowling.
Zeke felt dread rise up and hoped that his father didn't push his views on another child. A voice in the back of his mind pointed out how unlikely it is he changed.
His words seemed to strike a chord with Hannes, but the other three soldiers laughed. "Man, you're one plucky kid. For someone who's totally helpless! Right, Hannes!"
"Huh? Y-Yeah…" Hannes said as the two walked away from the four adults.
"Hey, Eren," Hannes tried and failed to get his attention.
"What a strange kid," a soldier commented.
"Don't tell me...does he want to join the Survey Corps?" Hannes stared at their retreating figures.
None of them found it particularly strange. After all the Warrior program accepted Eldians from a young age, and the benefits of being selected for a Titan power made many join. Both willingly and unwillingly.
Eren and Mikasa walked down the paths in silence, until she finally spoke, "Eren, I'd forget about the Survey Corps if I were you."
"What? Are you gonna look down on them, too?"
"It doesn't have anything to do with how I see them-" Bells ringing in the distance interrupted her.
"The Survey Corps are back! They're gonna open the front gate!" He grabbed her hand and dragged her along. "Let's go see the heroes return, Mikasa!'
A bead of sweat rolled down Bert's face. "I have a bad feeling about this guys," he muttered.
"Damn! I can't see!" Eren stepped onto a nearby crate to get a better view. The same blond soldier from the forest caught the boy's bright expression and quickly turned away.
Confused, Eren looked at the rest of the Survey Corps and was at a loss for words. Soldiers marched down the path broken in more ways than one. Horror and defeat was painted on almost all their faces.
The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. They all experienced their fellow Warriors not coming back at some point. The remains of people who devoted their life to Marley was never something they could easily get over, for the younger cadets at least.
I almost feel bad for them. Bertholdt shook his head. What am I thinking? Feeling bad for them...Still he could not wipe the deep frown off his face.
"They're the only ones who made it back?" A member in the crowd asked.
"Everyone else must've gotten eaten."
"This is what they get for going outside the Walls."
A cry came from the other side of the crowd, "Moses! Moses!"
"Excuse me, I don't see my son, Moses, anywhere. Do you know where he is?" The mother walked up to the commander they saw earlier.
"This is Moses' mother. Go get it," he ordered.
A blood-stained sheet was handed to her. She rushed to unwrap it and gasped at the dismembered arm. Whimpers escaped her as she sank to her knees. The arm she feebly attempted to cover was clutched to her chest.
Annie felt her heart sink like a stone in water. This woman may be a stranger and an enemy of Marley, but she couldn't help picture in place herself and her father. Would he still think I fought hard for us to have a better life if he saw that was left of me? Or would he think I was just a waste of his time and effort? Her lips pressed down into a thin line when she realized she didn't know which answer.
Bertholdt sank into his seat and Pieck looked down at the floorboards, a small frown marred her usual expression. An uncomfortable feeling swelled inside them the longer they stared at the woman's display.
The sobbing for a son who never came back home filled the silence around the six. Each wail carrying the heartbreak of knowing your child's chances at living a full life were ripped away without any power to stop it tugged a small, invisible string buried in most of their chests. It was too relatable. Too human for the monsters in front of them.
"What…" Reiner muttered, eyes wide. He felt himself become detached from the event he was witnessing. It was far too easy to think of his mother being disappointed at how he failed. No! They're all evil! He scolded himself. I'm not going to fall for any of their pitiful acts!
Zeke and Porco didn't look away. The latter had an expression as blank as a sheet of paper, but curiously he did not mock the scene before him.
"It's all we could retrieve." The haggard commander knelt down.
Tears streamed down her cheeks. "But my son...he carried out his duty, right? Even if he didn't achieve greatness, surely my son's death helped humanity to fight back, didn't it?!"
"Of course!" He faltered. "No… On this latest scouting mission, we…" He gritted his teeth and screamed out, "No! Just like all the other missions we achieved nothing at all!" A stream of tears flowed down his face. "My incompetence has done nothing but needlessly send soldiers to their deaths! We haven't found a single thing about them!"
They collectively winced at his words. If and when they died, they highly doubted the Marleyan government would be sympathetic while breaking the news to their families.
This, however.
"He should've kept his cool in front of a grieving parent," Porco said. He didn't notice who exactly his words were being addressed towards at the time.
"What a mess," another crowd goer said. Their tone not at all friendly.
"You can say that again."
"Our taxes are basically going to feeding and fattening those things up now."
Her eyes widened a fraction. Annie couldn't help but stare in disbelief at the insults being thrown.
A certain but familiar coldness crept up each of their backs. Before entering the program, the degrading comments from Marleyans was all too common. Now there was a shaky trust formed between them as members of the army. Insults still happened frequently, but seeing the hatred for the devils' own troops among members of the same race on screen was jarring.
The man squawked and rubbed his head. "What the hell, you little shit?!" He shouted at an angry Eren clutching a stick.
Fear and worry spiked in them for the boy. Spawn of the devil or not they don't want to witness a senseless beating so early in the day. The afternoon hardly just started.
A pale hand yanked Eren away. "H-Hey!" Eren cried out. "What're you doing, Mikasa?!"
"Get your ass back here!" The man yelled while Eren was dragged by his companion.
"Mikasa, this is far enough, isn't it!"
Instead of replying, she threw him into a wall as though he was a sack of potatoes.
Annie's eyes widened a fraction at the young girl's display of power. I can flip over people bigger than me but this girl however...I don't even have the raw strength needed to toss someone around my height as easily as her, and we're both around the same size too.
"What was that for? Now the firewood's all over the place." Eren began to gather the scattered twigs.
"Eren, have you changed your mind about joining the Survey Corps?
He ignored her question. "Help me pick these up."
"There isn't much to begin with," Mikasa said before helping him.
A Tudor-style house came into view. "We're home," Eren called out. A woman with brown hair draped over her shoulder greeted them. His father, Grisha Yeager, smiled back at them.
It can't be...Zeke felt his heart stop at the sight of him. His features changed over time, but the resemblance was still there. You're alive father...but how? Why?! By all accounts you should be a Titan roaming around endlessly outside the Walls!
"My, Eren, I see you've worked harder than usual!" Carla remarked while her son poured the wood into a container.
"Y-yeah." Carla pinched his ear. "What?"
"Your ears are warm. I can tell you're lying. Mikasa helped you out again, didn't she?"
A small smile grew on Reiner's face. Not at the scene exactly, but at the memory of his own mother somehow knowing his quirks.
Porco, on the other hand, scrunched his nose. Can all mothers just tell when we're lying?! How the hell is that even possible?
"Oh, are you heading out, Dad? Is it for work?" Eren asked at the table with Mikasa and Grisha, shoveling freshly prepared food into his mouth.
Grisha stuffed his bag with some books before he spoke, "Yes. Some medical examinations in the interior. It'll take a couple of days."
So you still have the habit of leaving your children. Zeke almost let out what could have been the most bitter laugh in the world. What is it now that your Restorationists are gone? Are your 'medical examinations' actually attempts to steal the Founding Titan. Oh, how devious of you Grisha.
His two couch mates glanced at him, and were surprised to see his ice cold expression. But the tension radiating off of him in waves was enough to make them instinctively lean away a fraction.
"Eren says he wants to join the Survey Corps," Mikasa said, eyes downcast.
Bert blinked once then twice, and still couldn't believe how sudden the girl ratted out her...friend? Or were they siblings? Eren's parents don't look like her at all. Maybe she was adopted by them. He tried to wrap his head around their relationship but ended up just shaking his head. After all, he could tell a storm was about to come with the news she revealed.
"What a snitch," Porco said.
The built up peace was once again destroyed. "M-Mikasa! I told you not to say anything!" He slammed his plate down.
"Eren! What are you thinking?!" Carla rushed over to her suicidal son in her eyes. "Do you have any idea how many people have died outside the Walls?!"
"I do!" The little boy shouted back.
All the younger Warriors felt a mix of confusion and uncomfortableness at Carla's concern.
"When I joined, my mom was completely happy and supportive of me. Why is she so upset over her son wanting to be a soldier? He's even older than us when we first entered the program," Reiner said, honestly lost.
Bert shrugged his shoulders at his friend's question. He thought back to the grief of Moses' mother and felt a strange pang in his chest. Though his father worried for him before and after entering the program, most Warrior cadets' parents didn't share the former. They would most likely see Eren's behavior as admirable, an example for their children even.
"Then why-"
"Eren," Grisha interrupted their heated argument, "why do you want to go out there?"
"I want to know what the outside world is like!" Eren replied. "I don't want to live my entire life in ignorance inside the Walls! Plus if no one follows their footsteps, then the lives of all who've died will be for nothing!"
Zeke held his breath and waited for his father to either punish or enforce his half-brother's belief. At his side, Pieck noticed the striking resemblance Zeke has with the man but didn't comment on it.
"I see." Grisha stood and walked away. "The boat's about to leave. I'll be off now."
"Hold on, dear!" Carla followed after him. "Talk some sense into Eren!"
"Carla, words can't hold back human curiosity."
Zeke went slack jawed at his father's nonchalance. No shouting, no lectures, nothing to force him to be apart of one side or the other.
A rush of envy and anger threatened to overtake him. Only after a full minute of taking in deep breaths and forcing his nerves to calm down did the emotions stop bubbling under his skin. Yelling at the screen won't do anything. Losing your composure is something your former father would have done at a time like this. Not. You.
"Eren, when I get back, I'll show you the basement that I've kept secret all this time." Standing in the middle of the doorway, Grisha pulled out a key hanging from his neck.
That cellar is no doubt full of evil and fiendish secrets they have been festering for generations, Reiner thought, giving the item a hard stare.
Eren's eyes lit up. "R-Really!"
"Holy shit can they make it any more obvious that key is important?" Porco snorted. "Hey, Pieck, did you sketch it just in case?" She nodded and kept scribbling away instead of replying.
Zeke leaned down as much as he could to Porco's eye level. "Language, Galliard," he whispered into his ear.
Porco gave him a look that can only be compared to being told dad jokes were the only good type of humor in the world. And just like dad jokes, he was left unamused. "Seriously who cares? There's no one in here but us," he hissed.
"Oh, don't be like that now," he replied in a smooth voice. "You're bad enough as is, you don't need a foul mouth adding to everything else that's wrong with you." With that said he straightened his back and left a speechless Porco staring agape at him. The casual (smug in actuality) grin on his face didn't help.
Eren waved farewell to his father but his mother was another matter. "Just forget it," Carla demanded. "Joining the Survey Corps is a stupid idea!"
"Huh? Stupid?! People who don't mind living like livestock are the stupid ones if you ask me!" Eren said before running away. Ignoring his mother's calls.
She turned to the little girl with hopeful, expecting eyes. "Mikasa, he has a habit of getting in trouble. So when something happens, you need to be there for each other!"
"Okay," Mikasa nodded.
Meanwhile, in the space behind a building. A blond boy was pushed against the wall by three kids. "What's the matter, heretic?! If you don't like it, let's see you hit back!"
"T-That would be stooping to your level!"
"What was that?"
"You know I'm right! That's why you have to resort to violence! Because you can't argue back! Which means you concede defeat to me, doesn't it?!"
Porco couldn't help roll his eyes at the boy's little speech. "As if they have enough brain cells to listen to him. The coconut headed devil over there just guaranteed a beating for himself. One he deserved, I might add."
On the other couch, Reiner cringed. Hard.
"Shut up, smart-ass!" He raised a fist at him.
"Stop it!"
"It's Eren!" The boys didn't feel threatened at all until Mikasa revealed herself. Her face darkened while she ran.
Bert shivered, not because it was cold though. She reminds me of Annie on her worst days right now, he thought as they fled.
"One look at me and they ran off!" Eren said arrogantly.
The boy nearly told the whole truth, but his wounds interrupted him with a wince. Seeing this, Eren offered him a hand. "You okay, Armin?"
He looked at his friend's hand and his face tightened, "I can get up on my own."
The sky was painted orange and gold as the trio sat on the steps near some water. "I said-"
Everyone's focus was broken when the screen suddenly stopped. The image of Eren throwing a pebble was stuck in place as if time itself had froze.
"Oh no! Zeke did you press anything?"
"Did the damn thing break already?!"
"No! I wanted to see Bert take down the Wall!"
Sharing the other's panic, he frantically scanned over the tiny labeled buttons. If he had to kick a Marleyan in the groin to make the T.V. work again he would do it. There was no way in hell he would miss the lives of his somehow alive father and apparently his new family!
"Wait," Annie's voice made them turn their attention to her, "the churning sound is back."
They all quieted to listen to the same noise come from the chest in front. Once again, a small white card was spat out of the slot. This time there was a little ding when it finished.
Pieck walked up to where the paper was, the notebook full of names and information left behind on the couch. Tilting her head to the side, she read the new card out loud to the room. "Sorry to cut this short, but so far you have been introduced to the main characters. The story you are watching will continue in ten minutes. Signed by Y.F. again."
Relief washed over the group. "Whew, so we just have to wait then," Reiner let out the pent up worry with a deep sigh of relief.
The Cart Titan holder scurried back to her seat and held up her notes. "We should look over what I gathered from what we watched so far. Does that sound okay, Zeke?...Zeke?"
The Boy Wonder's attention seemed to be somewhere else even as Pieck addressed him. "Hmm," he absentmindedly scratched his ear when he realized the group was staring at him again. "Oh, apologizes for that. Go ahead and review without me, I'll just be in the bathroom."
Without waiting for them to ask why, he stood and walked over to the back of the room. The bathroom door shut behind him in silence, leaving the five to talk amongst themselves.
I know people usually hate it when chapters end like this and so early too, but it was getting really long. As in 28 pages plus long with the font I'm using.
Hope it was okay so far, this is my first fic after all. With that in mind, if anyone bothers reading this then feel free to point out any inconsistencies character or canon story wise. Oh and if my motivation hasn't dried up like a desert by then, I'll have them react to the manga chapters that aren't animated yet.