To you, 2000 years from now.
My name is Tomone.
Tomone Unami.
I live outside the Third Wall, Wall Maria.
I live in Shingashina.
I am a human.
I am weak.
We are weak.
Humans are weak.
I am weak.
My footsteps crunched on the rubble of the cobblestone path beneath my feet, my footsteps tiny and slow. I wanted to take it all in.
These woods were beautiful, yet sparse, and it was getting late. Mother had wanted me home before noon- Probably to help make lunch - but I loved these woods. Really, truely I did. The sound of birds singing as they flew past and the way the tree's shook gently in the wind. The smell of Honeysuckles in the spring... It thrilled me.
Yet I hated it.
Deep down I had that feeling of contempt. Envy. Jealousy. Though, it was rather confusing at the time.
I lived in a town called Shingashina. A small, poor town built along the outside of the Third of the Three 50 meter Walls, Wall Maria. The Second Wall, Wall Rose, was where the... 'Middle-Class' of sorts lived. Though they were certainly more wealthy than us, and even the citizens of Wall Maria. The innermost Wall, Wall Sina, was where the King lived. Where the rich feasted on roast and partook of delicate wine's every evening, and where the Military Police lived their comforted lives. They had no worry of fearing even the slightest earthquake. It sickened me.
Meanwhile, our town, one of four outerlaying towns, was meant to draw the attention of the Titans. Titans. They seemed like an old wives tale, ment for keeping their troublesome children out of trouble, yet every day the air was filled with the faint sounds of cannonfire. A Titan had approached the walls.
I hated being locked within these walls, I want to see the 'Sea' many children spoke rumors of. My mother had dismissed them as a myth made up to fuel our imaginations but... I believed it.
But while I hated being stuck here, I wanted to move farther within them. I wished we had been rich enough to live in Wall Sina.
To be honest... The cannon's always made their way into my dreams in some way. And it scared me. I wanted to be comfortable and not live in fear, even though I could never truely fear a Titan. I've never seen one.
At least... Not until that day.
Year 845, Shingashina District.
I had helped mother with lunch, eaten my fill, and left again to wander the streets.
I had completed my few chores for today and Father... Well... Mom told me then, that he went to 'Live with his parents'. But now, I feel like thats not the case.
My eyes glitter in the light of the sun as I make my way through the marketplace, passing stands that smelled of apple pie and others of fish. I even passed a girl around her age handing her father a basket of bread to sell at his shop. The girl's light blue eyes sparkle as she shoots her father a cheeky grin, her brown hair floating gently to the side as a gust of wind blows past.
Although I loved/hated my life here, I loved the community. And I couldnt help but laugh as a woman frantically chases a chicken down the street. Life here was... Amusing, to say the least. Even if it could get rather dull.
Hearing a loud crank, my gaze turned to the Gate built into our wall, which was now opening, and I paused. I blink.
The Survey Corps. is back...
My gaze falters and I look to the ground, starting slowly off again. I ignore the rushing crowd about me as the go to greet the regiment or... See what the damage was this time.
I couldn't watch them as they returned, not again. Not after last time.
*Flashback*
"The Survey Corps. is back, Mom!"
"The Survey Corps. have returned!"
"I wonder how bad it is this time?..."
My little feet carry me swiftly over the cobblestone streets of our town, towards where the crowd of civilians was gathering near the opening gate. I shove someone aside, rather ruedly, and grab a box to stand atop of. Even then, what with my horrendeous genetics cursing me to be short forever, I have to stand on my tippy-toes to see.
Slowly, Survey Corps. members file in. Their eyes are tired and glazed over, as if they wanted to forget today, and they trudge along with no plan of hurrying.
But then I noticed the bandages, and the blood.
Men and women, covered head to toe in bandages, gause and band-aids walk past. Some more bandaged than others...
And some covered by white blankets.
Many are splattered with blood and their clothes are torn. One man in particular carries a small, red stained cloth. About the size of an arm.
My eyebrows stitch together and I shy back slightly, my heart sinking down to my tiny feet. Confusion racks my brain.
These guys were supposed to be the strongest, right?
It cant have been that bad for them, right?
As one man passes, my gaze locks onto his bright blonde hair out of the sea of dul tones. A strand dangles in front of his face but he makes no move to fix it. His dark green cloak is stained with red and small scratches and patches of dirt cover his uniform and skin. He leads his horse quietly along.
Almost as soon as I find him, he seems to straighten a bit, and he turns. His icy blue eyes blink as he finds my own peridot green ones. He seemes... Shocked...
Although his precense frightens me slightly, I cant help but be drawn to him in some way.
He notices my confused expression and he turns away, seemingly ashamed. I blink, now more confused than ever.
*Flashback end*
A woman had screamed bloody murder that day, over her son Moses. The only part left of him was his right arm, which they presented to his mother upon their meeting.
Now that I think back, when they passed the stench of blood had filled the air. I guess I never noticed.
As I continue on my way, I pass a preacher. There were a few who supported the Wall's having been built so strongly that they believed it had been an act of God, a gift that we take for granted and should praise every day as if they were Gods themselves.
"The Walls are an act of God, and they shall never break! We have no need to worry!" He chants as I pass. I reach up a hand and curl my short blonde hair around my ear. I look up at the wall... No, past it. To the birds flying amongst the clouds in the distance.
Those who believe the Walls will hold up forever, in my opinion, need to have a reality check.
I want to get out. I want to go... I want to go home. To the outside. To... Home.
Suddenly I am sent careening head over heels onto the ground, my head smacking painfully into the dirt. Around me, merchant carts tip and fall. People screech and topple, gasping in shock as an unearthly glow lights up the area with a boom. As the shaking ceases, I push my arms back and use them to prop me up as I push into a standing position. Rubbing my head, my eyebrows furrow as other citizens stand around me.
"What was that?"
"Whats going on, whats happened?"
People stand frozen, waiting in silence, while others jog from nearby parts of town.
But something didnt feel right. No, something felt unnatural...
The air is thick and I take a nervous step back. Smoke rises slowly from where I can only assume the light hit.
Then slowly, a red, muscly looking something reaches up over the wall. My eyes widen.
A hand.
Huge, heavy fingers clutch the wall, cracking the stone and sending cannons flying. Another reaches up and I feel my heart pound, sinking down to my stomach.
It cant be...
A beefy head pokes over the wall and stares, at us with its small, dark eyes. Almost... Glaring at us pittiful humans with a look of contempt.
"No way!" I hear someone gasp. "That wall is 50 meters tall!"
Eyes wide in fear, I let out a whimper and my feet shuffle back again.
Its huge!...
Time seems to slow as the head seems to arch a bit, before a gale of wind sends me flying back again. I tumble down the street, my finger nails splitting against the stone as I try to stop myself.
Around me, people scream and flee, others weep. The preachers continue to preach.
As I lift my head, I notice something large and dark shooting towards me. The boulder lands a few feet away and sends a jolt down my spine.
"The Wall's been breached!"
"Everyone run!"
Fear overtakes me and I sit up. I can only stare as smoke rises around me and houses crumble from rocks.
Bodies are crushed beneath boulders and houses and the girl from before stands crying in the middle of it all, crying into her hands.
A small wimper escapes my lips, curled back and revealing my clenched teeth. But no matter what I see, I cant seem to cry. I guess the shock was too much.
Cannonfire fills the air as two children run past me, heading straight towards where the Titans were entering. The Titan's ugly heads were just visible over the destroyed houses, grins plastered to their faces for all eternity. A woman with dark hair pulls on a woman's arm.
"Please, miss! You need to come with me!" She exclaims. "Dont let your baby die before you can even give birth to it!" The woman sobbs and hobbles along the best she can.
Suddenly my body leaves the ground and I am slung over a shoulder. Snapping out of my stupor, I turn and to get a look at who grabbed me.
I blink.
Its the man from back then...
Although I cant see his face, I know. His blone hair stands out amongst any crowd. My heart lurches.
"W-Wait! What about my family?" I demand.
He shakes his head.
"I'm sorry, but this is all I can do for now..." He mutters quietly. I dont protest. As we pass a market, I spot a woman crying beside a man trapped under his house. The man's grip tenses on my back and I hang my head. "Dont blame yourself..." Is all I can muster.
And thinking back on that event, those were some pretty damn wize words for a kid!
This blurr as we rush past and suddenly I am on a tram-boat, heading for Wall Sina.
I turn to thank my savior, but he had already vanished.
The door is closed and Garrison members wave off the boat that was stuffed to the brim with citizens of Shingashina. So many were crowded by the dock that they pushed and shoved eachother, more focused on leaving. Fear had overtaken them. So much so, that many jumped, trying to reach the tram-boat.
I back up and my back hits the engine room wall. Sinking to my knees, I curl into myself, pulling my legs up to my chest.
Beside me, a man shakilly pulls out a pocket knife.
"I cant take this..." He mutters. In a flash, he slices his throat. Blood spatters across the wooden deck of the boat and across my left side and my eyes widen. A woman screams as the body falls to the ground, the blade sliding over to me.
I stare at the blade with wide eyes, almost wary, before reaching out with a shaky hand and picking up the bloody blade.
I flip it over, closing it and looking at the insignia engraved onto the side. Wall Sina's symbol surrounded by roses.
My thumb rubs the image gently and my gaze hardens.
"I'll join the military and take back what I've lost..." I mutter darkly. "I'll get myself out of this cage."
Resting my chin on my knees, I fiddle with the knife for the rest of the ride.
