Disclaimer: I do not own nor am I part of the Attack on Titan franchise. I do not own any of the franchise's characters, ideas, or concepts.

Author's Note:

If you are reading this it means you are giving my story a chance, which I appreciate with all my heart. Please read this with care and consideration as I am a fan just like you showing my appreciation of the show through this story. I rated it T for the language, character descriptions, and possible romance in the near future.

This is a re-post so if you feel that you have read some of this before than you will notice some of the slight changes I have made to the story.

Please leave a comment, a review, or PM me your opinions and critiques. I love to see criticism and the things you guys have to say about the story.

I would like to dedicate this to all of my friends and family, who are character inspirations, my dearest cousin Vivian, who introduced me to this wonderful show called Attack on Titan, and, of course, the anime and manga series Attack on Titan/Shingeki no Kyojin.

Please enjoy.

Prologue

(Narrator)

The current year was 845, three walls were built almost a 100 years prior, for a sole purpose, to keep them out, so the architects of the walls built them at a monstrous 50 meters height to prevent the possibility of any of them being climbed over; Wall Maria, Rose, and Sina were built for the single purpose of keeping out the Titans – the Titans were a species of gigantic human-eating monsters varying in height from 3 to 15 meters; all the information that has been collected and written about the Titans have come from the various reports made by the prestigious military branch who have risked their lives travelling outside the safety of the wall called the Survey Corps; in these numerous reports, it states that the Titans' physical appearances strongly resembles that of humans; most Titans appear to be male though all of them have lacked any presence of sexual organs; their intelligence levels and cognitive thinking is unknown due to their variety, but most have been said to be dim-witted; each Titan has a distinctive facial expression and fighting style; the Titan's origins is currently unknown and how they have been able to survive without a human food source for about 100 years is an entire mystery in itself, but one thing is certain about them and cannot be stressed enough in the reports; their ability to kill, no matter the size, none of them should ever be underestimated in any situation that is at hand; they have brought humanity to the brink of extinction, and it still seemed inevitable before the building of the 3 walls; the reasons for their deadliness was not only because of their height and strength, but primarily because of their ability to regenerate, making them seem invincible, but they are not; they have one known fatal weakness; the nape on the back of their necks, which if severely wounded (1 m tall, by 10 cm wide), will kill them quicker than they can regenerate the wounds – with the building of the walls, the last survivors of humanity, from all walks of live, fled to the safety of the walls. A 100 years of peace since the building of the 3 walls; the specific construction of the walls to decrease the cost for wall protection and limit the amount of guards on the 3 walls was perfected by building walled districts on the outer layer of each of the three walls in each of the four cardinal directions.

As humanity seemed to reach the brink of desolation and total annihilation an improbable sense of hope appeared. Eren Yaegar, a survivor of the Titan invasion of Shigashina District, located on the outer wall of Wall Maria, in 845 who was ranked 5th in the 104th Trainee Corps out of his fellow cadets, possesses the ability to summon and control a 15 meter Titan known as the Rogue Titan, primarily known for Eren's ability to lose function of the Titan in extreme situations. Eren has been able to help humanity stop any further advancement of Titans at the Battle of Trost by plugging the hole in Trost's wall with a giant bolder and helped in the capturing of Annie Leonhart, the Female Titan, with help from his friends Mikasa Ackerman, Armin Arlert, and his fellow soldiers, but what about the rest of the survivors that grew up to be soldiers? What did they experience on the day of the Titan Invasion of Shigashina District? This is not the story about Eren, Mikasa, Armin, Annie, Reiner, Ymir, or Krista. This is the story of a journey taken by the other survivors and how they have been cursed to call this their meaningless lives. This is their experience of the betrayals and false hope they have been accustomed to. This is the tale of Nate Orne, Jade Calle, Norbert Ven, and their fellow soldiers.

Ch 1: The Day the World He Knew Changed – Titan Invasion of Shigashina Part I

(Nate Orne)

The year was 845, yet it still feels like just yesterday I was just born. Nothing seemed to have changed since the day I was born; not my green-hazel eyes, not my short chocolate brown hair. Nothing had changed, except for my sudden realization that everything I had learned growing up about our way of living was wrong. It had always been wrong. Even before my birth; heck, before my parents had even thought about having kid, before they were born, before my grandparents were born. But yet I still felt that everything would change one day, though, I try not to think about it too much. I'm only 11 years old anyway and I barely stand 1.65 meters and 60 kilograms. I should be thinking about what military branch I want to join when I graduate from the 103rd Trainee Corps, or what the girls in this district think of me. It wasn't so easy growing up in Shigashina District. Everyday, such as today, everything would seem so calm and peaceful, even though it wasn't; only a 50 meter wall stood between us and the Titans, but it wasn't that important to me right now.

I was with Jade Calle right now; my childhood friend and the girl of my dreams, "Hey Nate are you okay?" And yet, we are still friends, but right now it was still too early for us to be together, I would have to wait until I graduated the 103rd Trainee Corps because a relationship at a our age was considered taboo and would have been frowned upon by our parents.

I stared at her with a confused and clueless face, but I still responded "Yeah. I apologize, I was just thinking." I reexamined her as she took my breath away. Her beautiful emitted from every aspect of her body, but especially from her big brown eyes; she was about 1.6 meters and 50 kilograms and she had a very curvaceous body, which is probably why she was very protective of herself, but right now it didn't seem to matter to her as we were laying on the grass inside of Wall Maria, about 100 meters from the gate to the Shigashina. The Titans, the numerous of failed expeditions, the mass consumption of soldiers, all of my concerns went away when I was with her. Our families lived together, so there was never a day where I was tense or extremely tensed. I watched as the various colored flowers surrounding her seemed to fade away, becoming insignificant and shadowed by her beautiful raven black hair and the innocence of her big beautiful brown eyes. Life seemed like it was finally going good, but I felt it wouldn't be as good if I didn't tell her what was on my mind. Hopefully she didn't "Jade, I was thinking of probably not joining the 103rd Trainee Corps, you know. I was thinking of maybe becoming a writer, and if people like me I can probably live in Trost District with my cousin in the Garrison, Vivian Sevi and her younger brother Gino on Wall Rose, you know deep inside the walls, or maybe even live inside the interior of Wall Sina, if the king and the royal family like it." I paused shaking my head, "I know it sounds kind of optimistic and a bit childish, but I wanted to know what you thought about the idea?"

She stared at me for a few minutes. With each second I grew with anxiousness, but the silence was broken with the relieving sound of her voice as she exclaimed, "That is a lot better than joining the 103rd Trainee Corps. I'm sorry, I just, can't imagine what I would do if anything bad happened to you. I just don't know if I could continue living if I ever lost you. You're like the last family I have, ever since my dad bailed out on me and my family when I was born and my brother when he ran off to join the 94th Trainee Corps when I was 3 and he still hasn't come back either." there was a slight pause, "Nate I have to tell you something, I think it's really important."

I said in an anxious manner, "Sure, what is it Jade?" I felt today was the day the world I knew would changed, the world between me and Jade, today was the day I waited for. The moment was killed with the loud ring of the bell from Shigashina which could only mean one thing.

A familiar voice shouted in our direction, "Nate, Jade the Survey Corps are back!" Typical Norbert Van, he stood 1.65 meters and 60 kilograms with shadowy black hair and bright blue eyes, but was widely known in Shigashina District for his escalating intelligence and awareness of his environment. He was also my best friend, but I hated how he was always crashing in on me and Jade at the climax of everything. On the other hand though, my father was in the Survey Corps and I really needed to see him today. He said there was something he needed to show me. It really seemed important to him, but I always hated how Norbert always bursts in on conversations between me and Jade. I mean me and Norbert were almost exactly the same; same height, beliefs, weight, and even similar plans for our future; Norbert wanted to live further inside the walls to feel more secure, but he doesn't want to because it would mean leaving his grandfather, Mr. Ven, who was part of the Garrison in Shigashina District, but, aside from everything, I really needed some time alone with Jade right now.

Just then Jade stated, "Alright Norbert let's go see Mr. Orne right now; C'mon Nate but we really got to talk later, if you don't have anything else to do."

I looked at her and nonchalantly, trying to speak in the manliest voice I could, "Jade like you said, we are family. If it's important to you, then it's just as important to me." I immediately regretted saying that as I thought it sounded hell of a lot better in my head, but she still smiled and blushed so I guess she seemed to like it, but we needed to leave, so I immediately interrupted the moment by saying, "Anyway let's hurry to see my father." I hadn't seen or talked to my dad for at least a week because recently the Survey Corps have been going on additional expeditions, more than they usually do because of the numbers of their supporters were dwindling after each expedition seemed to fail, but whenever he does come back I'm generally out working most of the day, or with Jade. The last time my father was at home resting, he told my mother that when he came back it might be the day he could show me something secret about what Dr. Grisha Jaegar had been keeping locked-up in his basement. I knew Dr. Yaegar's son Eren, who was a year younger than me and had a distinctive chestnut colored hair, but we never really talked to each other, he's very stubborn and is determined about going outside the walls, but why would someone want to leave the safety of the walls? It just seemed so much safer then out there and I always see how many of the Survey Corps soldiers that barely make it back with their lives, like sometimes when my father comes back late, but because he usually gets separated from the group or his squad, but he always makes it back.

Norbert with a haste yet tired tone exclaimed, "Nate, Jade hurry! We don't want to miss the Survey Corps like we did last time!"

Jade with a slight laugh chuckled, "Yea Nate, hurry up! Norbert's more excited to see your dad then you are!"

I gave a little smirk, "That's not true! I'm just extremely tired from sitting down for so long. It takes a lot of my energy to be able to be with you for an entire day Jade."

Jade looked at me half disappointed "Are you saying you don't enjoy my company?"

I was frozen in words, "No I was ugh," fuck why'd I say that?

Jade let out another cute yet sarcastic laugh "I'm only joking Nate, I know you love my company."

I gave her kind of a devious look as she ran on my right, "Man Norbert, just when you think you got girls figured out, they go and change right on you, but you're lucky that you don't know the half of it."

(Jade Calle)

Everything was weird right now. When did it start feeling like this? Or did everything always feet like this? The feeling where I felt like maybe I should never have born, like as if anybody should've been born into a world like this, but still one question always lingered in my head: does Nate love me like I love him, or is it just a type of family love? It didn't matter to me if he loved me like I loved him or not, just as long as he knew that I had feelings for him, but right now I knew it could wait a little bit longer. Seeing Mr. Orne was more important to Nate, heck seeing Mr. Orne was more important to me than these feelings. They could always wait. When we got there it was really crowded, we were barely able to move around, and there was a lot of uncontrollable screaming and crying. The expedition must have been a failure again.

I looked straight at Nate then to Norbert and said, "Guys, I don't think the expedition went as it was supposed to again."

Nate stood for 20 seconds, examining what little was left of the Survey Corps, "I don't think so either, but let's just go find my dad. He'll explain what happened out there."

We all scanned the area silently until Norbert broke out and nearly screamed, "I don't know Nate, I don't see him, do you Jade?"

I ignored the first part, but I just kept on gazing around, but I couldn't find him in the area, "No, guys I don't see him either," I continued scanning, losing faith with each second I could not find him, but there was someone I could see who would definitely know where Mr. Orne was. It was the current commander of the Survey Corps, "Hey guys! I can see Commander Shadis from here! C'mon let's go ask him if he knows where Mr. Orne is." We started off at a fast pace, nearly jogging towards Commander Shadis until we saw him with a familiar but grim face. He was talking to Mrs. Orne, which meant that whatever they were talking couldn't be good news, "Nate he's talking to your mom."

Nate shot a gaze into the direction of Commander Shadis and his mother, "What! But that must mean that, that he got severely injured, or maybe he got separated from his squad during the expedition, or maybe he was killed or eaten." Norbert and I fell completely silent. I felt lost without Mr. Orne. He was like a father figure to me and Norbert; he was Nate's father, he was a husband. He didn't deserve this, but he chose to help humanity knowing that this would happen, it was his choice and he wouldn't like it anyway. Nate in a grim tone said, "Jade, let's go see what happened to him."

I nodded, but I marched a step and I looked straight back into Norbert's eyes. His now faint blue eyes were full of shock and complete disbelief, nearly on the verge of tears. I could tell he wanted to come with us, but he wanted to leave at the same time. I knew how he felt, unwanted and useless, but did he deserve to come with us? Yes he could come with us, no, he needed to come with us. I looked at him and said in a low but caring voice, "Nate wait, Norbert, I know you want to leave, but please stay. It would really mean a lot to me and Nate. I also know that Mr. Orne meant as much to you as he does to us. Since you're like family, it wouldn't feel the same without you there." With each step we began walking slower and with every step the tension in me started to build but it didn't hit its peak until the moment we reached Mrs. Orne and Commander Shadis.

Both Mrs. Orne and Commander Shadis turned to our direction, Mrs. Orne opened her mouth, but only a faint cry came out. Nate looked them both in the eyes trying to hide his pain as he tried to speak, just like his father would have, "Commander Shadis, Mom, did something go wrong with dad during the expedition? Is he dead."

Mrs. Orne wiped the tears off her face, "No Nate. Well actually, me and Commander Shadis aren't sure. They say he got separated from his squad again during the expedition. They all got caught up in the fight that he ended up getting separated."

Commander Shadis stepped forward and put his arm on Mrs. Orne's shoulder, "Mrs. Orne I'll take it from here, it's better this way. He should hear what happened from me." he cleared his throat and knelt down to Nate with both of his hands on Nate's shoulders, tears started raining down his face as he spoke in a low and firm voice, "I cannot officially say your father is dead because I wasn't the last person to see him. It was Squad Leader Erwin Smith who addressed it to me, right after we had pulled out. He said that he saw your father in the middle of a fight with a numerous amount of Titans. He must've killed at least 6 of the Titans surrounding him, maybe even more, but then a 13 meter Titan attacked him from behind and we heard a loud cry, but by then there was nothing Erwin or anyone else could do, I had already shot a flare and signaled our expedition a complete failure, ordering the troops to retreat back to Shigashina. We can't confirm if he is dead because even as we were retreating we could hear him killing the remaining Titans, but he never caught up from us at the resting point. I know it isn't the first time he's been separated from his squad, but it is the longest. I just want you to know, this was entirely my fault! I should've gone back to recover him, but I wasn't thinking about him, I was thinking about the failure of the mission! I was too careless! I just hope you all can forgive me for this!"

It was true, Mr. Orne was gone and right now we all knew there was nothing we could do to bring him back. I now knew that there was no waking up from this bleak and hopeless dream with my realization that eventually one day, if Wall Maria was ever breached by the Titans, everyone I know and love so dearly would die and be consumed by the Titans. All the Titans ever do is take from us and yet, there isn't anything we can do about that would make a difference. Absolutely nothing could help change the situation we have been placed in for the last 100 years. It never was the 100 years peace and prosperity of life we have all came accustomed to know, it had been 100 years of collections of meaningless and phony hopes and illusions of a life we have never actually lived in, and for what? So we can live in our own delusions until the day the Titans breach all the walls and ruin our little fantasies of what we believe are our normal lives? No, we would have to do something differently. We can't stay locked-up in these walls for another 100 years, we would have to venture out of these enclosed prisons into the outside world, the world that we know absolutely nothing about.

(Narrator)

An hour after all that happened they each had gone their separate ways to try to get pass the possible death of Mr. Orne; Jade went home to help her mother prepare supper; Mrs. Orne went to the market to get groceries, but in reality she was trying to cope with the realization that her husband was either outside the wall and all alone or he might have ended up being a Titan's meal; Norbert and Nate were on the way to meet Norbert's grandfather Mr. Van and his colleague Mr. Cap at the entrance of Wall Rose. Nate was on the verge of tears, "Norbert what if my dad is dead or being devoured by the Titans right now."

Norbert stopped, shaking his head as he reassuringly stated, "Nate calm down, they said he had gotten separated from his squad again. There's a chance he could still be alive. Heck by the way Commander Shadis described the situation to us, your dad was killing Titans before he could get hit. Don't worry, he's a warrior and he's definitely alive. They could even still hear him fighting as they left. Since, nobody saw him die and they even categorized him as Missing In Action. There is no way anyone could say he is dead without having proof."

Nate looked up at Norbert with a sense of annoyance in his eyes, "Norbert my father told me that if they can't recover a body, they categorize the deceased as Missing In Action, just to give the family a false sense of hope that their loved one is still alive, fighting somewhere outside the wall!" Norbert bowed his head in a crushed manner with his failure in cheering up Nate. Nate could see this and immediately said, "But you make a good point though, my father is a warrior and he's probably outside the wall right now, climbing as we speak." That's when a sudden flash of green lightning struck and an enormous explosion. Nate and Norbert sprinted around the corner only to see a cloud of steam coming from the other side of the outer wall of Wall Maria surrounding Shigashina. Their mouths fell agape with the clear sign of what seemed to be a large hand gripping the wall, followed by the skinless head of a Titan rising as it was trying to peer over the wall.

Norbert walked slowly forward, muttering, "That's, that's, impossi- impossible. That wall is, it's 50 meters tall." They just stood there with the rest of the city as everything around them seemed to freeze in place. Their dreams, their families, their mere existence in the walls, everything they knew and lived for had seemed to have fallen apart in front of their eyes as they gazed up at the Titan.

Nate nearly stumbled and fell, he nervously let out what was no more than his thoughts, "I didn't know they could get the big… can they get that big? Norbert is that Titan real or am I, are we just dreaming this all-" Before Nate could finish his statement, an explosion sent chunks of the wall gate flying in all directions, followed by the wind from the impact of the Titan's kick, knocking nearly everyone, including Nate and Norbert, off their feet. The wall had been breached. Everyone was screaming and running from the wall, except Nate who in shock was walking towards the wall, he looked back at Norbert and said, "Norbert, I have to go over there, my house is over there; Jade, Ms. Calle, and my mom are there."

Norbert in panic looked around for any answer that could better their current situation, when finally it hit him, "I'll go get Mr. Cap and my grandfather to go help you."

Nate nodded, "Alright see you after I get my mother, Ms. Calle and Jade." Everything Nate knew had changed. Today was the day the mysterious 60 meter Titan had appeared and breached the once monumental wall. Today was the day everything had came into a clear and complete focus. Today was the day the world he knew changed.

Well this is my where I'll leave off, sorry for the cliff-hanger and if you found the prologue paragraph to be a bit boring and if you were upset that this wasn't action-filled. Trust me, there will be action in the future and tune into the next chapter. Life-changing events occur and people are covered in blood.
Thank you for reading.