Deep underground the district was a large dungeon cell, larger than most others of its kind. Two Military Policemen, as usual, were keeping guard of what the Scouting Legion had claimed to be their most important source of information.
Important information that they never had a chance to find out, for inside the humongous icy chunk bound with chains and mystery was the girl that had been a participant of a mission that dated back to the year 845.
A mission that had failed. A mission that her accomplices had failed.
Said girl had pale blond short hair, the loose strands glimmering dimly along with the sheen of her crystal. Her cold blue eyes were closed, leaving her blind to her surroundings and the world beyond. She didn't know where she was.
She may have looked like she was in an eternal slumber, but she was awake and conscious. Perhaps not all the time since sleep was a necessity to her in human form. But right now, she was awake, recounting her memories as she waited for time to pass until she'd phase out again.
She had noticed something with every new day that she awoke to, though. She felt groggy, and not just any type of groggy. She felt as if she was losing her strength, little by little. She was exerting as much of her power as she could in order to maintain her crystal prison. She would wake up exhausted and fall back asleep feeling even more exhausted. She would renew the hard layers of her shell daily, but for some reason, it didn't feel they were working right.
Annie Leonhardt was weakening.
And today, she was questioning herself with the same question she had asked herself yesterday and the day before.
Why did I do this? she thought. I've acted on impulse. . . I shouldn't have. If I get out of here, everyone will try to kill me, or they'll surely interrogate me. If I don't get out, though. . .
I'll never return home. . .
She had yet to face the worst.
Crack.
The two guards jolted and whirled around to face the source of the sound. Their eyes widened when they realized what was happening.
Crack. Cr. . . crack.
If Annie had not been confined within the crystal on all sides, she would have jumped as well. Her ears had not heard a single sound in a long while. Her eyes nearly snapped open.
No. . . this can't be happening. . .
The crackling sounds were slowly growing louder and louder.
Crack, crack. Crack. . . CRACK. CRA-ACK!
Annie shut down everything in her mind and focused on pulling herself together, using up all the power she could muster to try and seal the cracks. However, her attempts were for naught. She could not delay the breaking of, let alone patch up, her crystal.
"Come on!" she heard a soldier bark. "We have to do something!"
She barely heard them running out before the crackling overrode everything else, including her own thoughts.
CRACK. CRACK! CR-CR-CRA-CK!
No. . . no! This can't. . . ! Stop, STOP!
The cracking refused to cease.
Annie's breathing grew uneven with panic. This wasn't supposed to be happening. Not at all. If only she'd thought of something else before freezing herself, if only circumstances were better. . . if only. . . if only—
CRACK-CRACK! CR-CR-RRR-AAAAACK!
Her mind begged feverishly, Stop, please stop, I don't want this, not this. . . please. . . no. . .
Someone. . . anyone. . .
Help. . .
"HELP!" cried out an extremely tall, black-haired boy as he ran as fast as he could, his long limbs carrying him, not too gracefully, over the ruins of Shiganshina.
He was sweating profusely from all the running. There were so many of them behind him, those titans, chasing after him as if he were their prey—which he technically was. He was a human now, not the notorious Colossal Titan that all had come to fear.
That all had come to hate.
"Reiner, Ymir!" he called out, gasping. "A little help here?!"
Right at that instant, a coil of rope lashed out in the boy's direction. He wasted no time in grabbing ahold of it. With a strong yank, he was pulled through the air to the top of a partially crushed wooden cottage, which looked as if it were to fall apart. Well, what would one expect from such a structure that had remained abandoned for five years?
With a crash, he tumbled onto the roof, landing on his knees and hands, panting for breath. He looked up. Two pairs of eyes peered out of the shadows. Golden and brown orbs met his sad, murky green ones.
"I-I'm sorry," the boy stuttered.
"You should be," the owner of those brown eyes huffed. "You nearly killed us from worrying so much."
Ignoring the glare she received from the golden eyes beside her, she began to retie her short, dark brown ponytail. "Really, Bertolt, I would have expected even you to be a little more dignified."
"You're one to talk," growled the golden-eyed boy, shifting to stand with his stocky build. "It took you the longest to renew your energy and to get used to this."
"I was expecting a more relaxing trip, thanks," the girl retorted. "Being titan shifters and all, I thought we'd at least get out of here unscathed."
"Bertolt and I aren't the only ones who can't transform right now, Ymir."
Ymir whirled on the gold-eyed boy. "I know that, I just expected us all to recover better, you ungrateful mutt."
"Who're you calling—?!"
"Reiner, stop!" Bertolt interrupted. "Ymir, please stop. . ."
The gold-eyed boy sat back down, running a hand through his blond hair. "Sorry. Just. . . I'm a little messed up. . ."
Ymir's stiff muscles relaxed. "We're all messed up. Not that I blame you, Reiner."
Reiner sighed, "How much longer do you think it'll take to get us all across?"
"How should I know? Didn't think it would take so long, that's for sure." Ymir threw her arms up in the air and grumbled. "Is it supposed to take this long to renew our health? How come none of us are in the condition to transform right now?"
Reiner and Bertolt both exchanged glances.
Ymir was silent for a while before she rested her face in her hands. "Admit it, you two."
"Huh?"
"Y'know. I'm not the only one here who wants to go back inside Wall Rose."
"W-well," Bertolt started, "I guess I do miss. . ."
He couldn't finish his sentence. He knew he would break down trying.
Reiner couldn't even speak at all. Guilt crashed over him in great waves. During his time inside the walls, he'd honestly felt like he was one of them, his comrades. . . his friends. How he had yearned to join them permanently! He wanted to be a soldier!
He couldn't forget the amount of times that he had tried to abandon his mission. At one point, back in Trost, he nearly had.
But that battle led to discovering a certain somebody's powers.
Which lead to the next step of the mission.
He thought he heard sniffling and turned around.
"Whoa, Ymir. . ." Reiner couldn't help but gawk. "Are you. . . crying?"
"It was that obvious, huh?" Ymir forced a smile and wiped away her tears. "Feh. . . I just hope they're OK. . . whatever they're doing. . ."
Bertolt curled up into a fetal position. "Me too. . . I really miss them. . ."
Reiner grunted, silently agreeing with how his companions felt. He looked up, gazing at the far-off horizon, where the sun was setting. "You think she's OK?"
"Who, her?" Ymir scoffed. "Of course she's fine. . ."
"Of course I am content, sir," a girl cooed, setting her teacup down on her saucer and straightening her brilliant blond hair. "I only wish the same to my old comrades."
A man with pale blond hair was sitting across her. He raised a thick eyebrow, his blue eyes slightly widening. "You still refer to them as comrades. . . ?"
"Well, it seems appropriate that I credit them," the girl replied. "I have spent a great deal of my life with them, after all. Actually. . . I miss those days. . ."
The man chuckled, lifting his cup to his lips with his left hand. His right arm was missing. "Days when your life was on the line with titans constantly chasing after you?"
"Better to be chased with my friends than to walk around the castle alone," she giggled. "Really, though. . . I wish I had the chance to bade them farewell. . . I haven't even invited them for a visit yet, just so I can see their faces. . . at least there is the chance to meet you, Commander Erwin."
"Ex-Commander," Erwin pointed out. "Hanji is in charge now."
"Well, yes, I suppose. Even so, I wish I had had the chance to see them for. . . possibly the last time. . ."
The girl grew quiet.
"Well, Queen Historia," Erwin said, "I am happy to see you are adapting to your new royal life nicely."
Historia laughed. "Do stop addressing me like that! I am still much younger than you. . . it has only been about a fortnight since I became—who I am," she finished after searching for the right words.
She leaned on the small tea table before them and rested her chin in her hands. "I am grateful for your guidance, sir."
"Guidance as in. . . ?"
"Hmm. . . both ways, in fact. One, for your and the other Commanders' help in governing the nation. Two, for getting me this far."
"So you do enjoy your current lifestyle?"
"Heh, that is something I cannot deny."
Tranquil silence spread over them both as they looked out across the balcony. Historia noticed a dark bundle in the air many miles away.
"There is a storm outside Wall Maria."
"I see."
Silence.
"Do you think it was a wise decision?"
"Hm?"
"You have sent the Scouting Legion on an expedition to venture outside Wall Maria. You have requested of them to bypass Eren's basement. You have ordered them to go past the breach in Shiganshina. It has been four days or so since you sent them out; many must have died already.
"Do you think it was a wise decision?"
Erwin rubbed his chin in thought. "I'm not sure. . . but I believe this is a step forward. We have stayed within Wall Maria for far too long."
It was Historia's turn to mutter, "I see."
Historia and Erwin continued to gaze out at the storm clouds clustered together outside Wall Maria.
A sudden flash of violet lightning in the distance alerted the two. The lightning had been large enough for them to see.
In the next second, it was gone.
Silence settled over the two again, but this time it was tense.
"Do you think," Historia breathed, "they will safely return? For that matter, will their expedition be worth it?"
"We've sent out the best soldiers we could think of," Erwin answered, although some doubt lingered in his eyes. "While I cannot guarantee their security, I can hope they will find something useful. Something that may help us.
"Something that may help humanity."
"It's not like we're gonna find something that'll help humanity anytime soon!" a boy with two-toned hair yelled as he and his companions rode through the forest.
"I'm gonna have to agree with Jean on this one," a bald boy of shorter height called through the thunder and rain. "Why exactly are we out here? Shouldn't we be heading for Eren's basement?"
"It wasn't my decision, cadet," huffed a short raven-haired man. "I'm not one to mull over every possibility unlike Erwin. Just stick with his plan, Connie."
"But, Corporal Levi, sir!" a girl with a brown high ponytail hollered. "What is the point of scouting out here when our squad does not know what is going on?"
"We don't have to know, Sasha."
Everyone in the group stared at the Oriental girl who spoke, her red, threadbare scarf pulling in the tips of her short hair.
"An order's an order," she continued. "We don't need to know why we're out here; we just need to fulfill our duties."
"Mikasa. . ."
"Hmm?" The girl turned to the boy that said her name. "Yes, Armin?"
The blond boy ran a hand through his mop of hair. "I think you need to check on Eren in the wagon there. . . something's wrong. . ."
Mikasa bit her lip and slowed her horse down, letting the supply wagon catch up to her. When it was near enough, she jumped off her horse and fell in. She looked to see a brunette boy covered in blankets.
"Eren," she said, her tone slightly tinged with concern. "Are you OK?"
Said boy barely managed to open his turquoise eyes, groaning. "I. . . I'm fine. . ."
"Oh, thank goodness you're here, Mikasa," a voice exclaimed. Mikasa looked up to a woman with brown hair, tied into a ponytail. She was somewhat short and was wearing glasses.
Mikasa frowned. "How is he, Commander Hanji?"
"I'm afraid he's grown a little more ill than yesterday," Hanji sighed. "Pity he had to get sick just when our expedition began."
"Mi. . . kasa. . ."
Mikasa knelt down beside Eren and held his hand tight. "It'll be OK, Eren," she whispered, although she was very doubtful of that. "It's going to be alright."
"How. . . how am I. . . supposed. . . to fight. . . titans. . . if I—" he panted out.
"You'll get well soon," Mikasa said, albeit sternly. "You can start killing titans again after you've recovered, you—"
CRASH!
The sudden noise came with a brilliant burst of purplish light, startling the horses; the terrified equines whinnied and began to run faster.
"Whoa—whoa!" Hanji cried as she struggled to retain balance. "Levi! What the heck was tha—"
"It's just lightning from somewhere off in the distance," Levi called back loudly. "Squad, keep the horses under as much control as possible. We don't want them running all over the place and getting lost like the last time."
"UNDERSTOOD!" the cadets yelled in unison. Mikasa and Eren, though, remained silent.
". . . Mikasa?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you think. . . it's possible?"
"What is, Eren?"
Eren took a few deep, ragged breaths. "I've. . . been thinking. . . on how. . . we'd be living. . . without. . . titans. . . in our world. . .
"Do. . . you think. . . it's possible?"
Mikasa bit her lip. "I. . . don't know," she finally sighed out, truthfully. Soon, she heard snoring, and tightly smiled, partially relieved that Eren had gone back to resting.
If only he'd recover faster. . .
She looked out, taking in the sight of her comrades, riding in the rain; they looked so pitiful.
If there were no titans, Mikasa thought, we wouldn't be suffering like this.
She got ready to jump back onto her own horse. Peering out the land schooner, she whistled. Just as she jumped off and landed on her horse, Eren's words began to play over and over in her mind.
Mikasa pursed her lips together.
A world without titans. . . is that really possible?
FINALLY IT'S OUT! For those of you that don't know what I'm talking about, take a look at this: art/TEASER-New-AoT-SnK-Fic-in-the-Works-472592673
Anyway, here's the prologue of my new project, "It's Our Story Now"!
I am fully aware that I have many unfinished fanfics, but THIS is one that I've been discussing with some friends of mine for a long time. I don't wanna make 'em angry, so, yeah.
I'll just go ahead and warn you all that there will be a large amount of OCs within the story. Expect this thing to have 30+ chapters in the end.
Anyway, tell me what you think, and tell me what you think will happen to our beloved characters!
Or you can just suggest ideas for me, as the fic is not FULLY planned out.
Special thanks to icyfalls (via deviantART) and zairia17 (via deviantART) for helping me out!