DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SHINGEKI NO KYOJIN.

Note: Advanced apologies for the OOC's.

This is AU, the cast of AOT are prisoners of Marley Empire because they lost the war. Now they are locked up in Marley Prison being forced laborers for Marley. But they won't be laborers for long, because they overheard what their fate be in the upcoming feast. The prisoners need to escape before that happens.

March 12 - Marley Prison

A blonde boy wearing a plain gray shirt and dark gray jogging pants was tied up and escorted by two huge men wearing a green soldier's uniform with an emblem patched in their chest, indicating that they belong to Marley.

My name is Armin Arlert. I am a citizen of Eldia, a country said that was cursed by our ancestor Ymir, because Ymir was a powerful woman and yet those powers she had was not bestowed on us. Instead, Marley, the country who hated us and took that power from us. They took the "Coordinate" - Ymir's power - and still they want more from us than that. They want the whole country of Eldia wiped out of existence.

The blonde boy had dried bruises in the side of his face, a bruised lip and a scar on the side of his neck, reaching down to his chest. He was in between the two men who was leading him into a dark hallway towards a place he wasn't sure he'd be happy to know of.

His heart was beating rapidly, his sight was blurred, his sense of hearing was inaudible as he walked. Fear crept up from his rapid heartbeat and chokes the air out of him. He was having a hard time breathing, he was having a hard time seeing - a hard time facing reality - but even so, his body moved automatically, still moving forward to where he was being led to go to.

We did not bother to fight them after they stole the Coordinate. But to attack us and kill hundreds of people in the process just so they can make a statement, it led to the prolonging war between us and them.

And this story is not about Eldia falling or Marley rising, this story is about the survivors of the 96th brigade wherein they sent over 50 squads in battle and another 50 for reinforcements. Our commander, Erwin Smith, took the gamble that by gathering these numbers and hitting Marley with these numbers will bring us to an advantage. And we all believed in him. That's why, the frontliners - 95th brigade - who were sacrifices, despite knowing what they ought to end up in, they agreed to go in battle and be decoys while Erwin gathers his numbers. Until finally he was able to form the 96th brigade.

He wants to block out all the noises as much as he could. But the closer he gets to the other side of the door, the louder the noise shatters his wall blocking the sound. But more importantly, the closer he gets to that door, the stronger his memories of the previous battle clings to him.

They had to hold up the front for us.

That's why we can't let their deaths be in vain.

The memory of their failure.

I happen to be part of the 96th brigade, assigned tactician of the 104th squad. I lead a squad with over 30 people in it. Our squad was assigned to cover up the Recon Squad on their infiltration of the enemy's biggest weapon - the Titans. These Titans are huge battleships that once powered on, we had no chance of winning. Not even with our numbers.

Hearing the shouts, the explosions, the gunfire... it all echoed in his head as he got closer. No matter how hard he tries to block it, the sound kept on coming louder. As if it was the bell ringing, telling him it was Judgment Day.

He remembered everything clearly. People dying, not just any people, these are his comrades. Right in front of him... he'd see their bodies fall. They'd be lifeless in seconds out in the battlefield. Blood spilled wherever they are positioned. The front. The back. There was no safe place. He knew it was part of his job (their job) to do what they must and not turn back regardless of what happens to the others.

To sum up our job, it was the riskiest and heaviest out of all the others. Because we are the key to winning.

Back then he thought he'd done the right thing.

But seeing where he's headed now... maybe he didn't do the right thing at all.


"Armin run!"

"Darn it!"

"Don't look back!"

"Don't stop!"

"EREN!"

...

..

.

Armin shot up from his bed, waking up from another nightmare. Ever since he was brought to Marley Prison, he's been suffering these nightmares. He was drowsy at his sudden movement and held his head for a moment before clutching on his chest tightly.

He wanted to calm his breathing, his heartbeat... his anxiety.

"Hey get up man." his roommate tells him. He was a brunette boy with piercing eyes. "If you oversleep for even just a minute you'll miss breakfast."

It wasn't a big deal to miss it if their portions were actually fair and if they were actually being treated fairly. But they're not. They're being forced to serve their enemy to keep themselves alive. And food rations is something that they are fighting for in prison. Without enough strength they'd weaken their bodies.

Now they can only have two possible deaths. To die of starvation or to be killed because they're useless. Dying wasn't something they'd be freely okay about. They believe the war is ongoing. As long as they breathe, they are not going to give in to what Marley wants.

"I'm sorry."

Eren threw him a loaf of bread that he was hiding underneath his bed. Armin caught it in surprise. His face bewildered at the bread in his hand. "Don't ask. Just eat." Eren tells him as he fixes his bed.

Their bed was nothing but rags piled together. For them, that was bed.

"This is too big for their usual rations." Armin said in panic. He was afraid for his friend. If Eren were to be caught, then he'd end up dead and fed to the birds or something.

"It's better you don't know."

"I'm just concerned for you. You know what they did to Sa-" Eren cuts him off by grabbing the loaf from his head and putting it in Armin's mouth.

"I know that." Eren said with a grin. "I won't get caught. But if things gets crazy, then I won't rat you out. And they don't need to force you to say anything." he says and Armin chewed on the loaf of bread.

He divided it into sections as he listened to Eren. "B- But why me?"

"You're a tactician, aren't you? Find a way to get us out of here and we'll be even."


So first chapter is up! I hope to hear from you guys!