The Town I Loved So Well

Disclaimer: I own nothing. All copyright and honours go to Hajime Isayama, and to Phil Coulter and Paddy Reilly (who have both sang 'The Town I Loved So Well'. I would suggest you play it whilst reading and picture the world of Attack on Titan to create some atmosphere). A few tweaks have been made to the lyrics to make it more realistic to Attack On Titan.

Set after the recapture of Wall Maria and the reading of Grisha Yeager's journals, the Survey Corps are about to set out from Wall Maria to the Ocean.

One night I imagined Eren and Sasha playing on the acoustic guitar and the violin on top of Wall Maria over ShiganshinaDistrict, playing to their comrades before their excursion to the ocean, recalling Eren's childhood and memories before the fall of Wall Maria, and his hopes for the present and future.

Hope you enjoy :)

The remnants of the Survey Corps and the Garrison forces backing them up had camped amongst the ruins of Shiganshina District, preparing for the first Expedition outside of Wall Maria in six years. The abandoned and disrepaired buildings, providing better refuge and shelter then the usual open ground of the fields and forest when on past Expeditions.

A few members, including Eren Yeager, Mikasa Ackerman, Armin Arlett, the last remaining members of the former 104th Training Corps wandered on top of the Wall, keeping watch and walking in a small crowd, passing time. Suddenly, Eren and Sasha peeled away from the group, moving towards some boxes of their private belongings.

The others, Mikasa, Armin, Jean, Connie and Floch watched on in confusion. Levi and Hange stood away from the group, both cocking eyebrows with curiosity. All watched on as they saw the man and woman pulled out a guitar and violin respectively. Eren took a seat on a nearby crate, as Sasha stood close by. Nodding to each other, Eren plucked away at chords on his instrument as the girl chimed away on her Father's violin.

At first, the sound of music was faint, then as the duo progressed, it grew louder and clearer. As the sound carried down to the town below, all activity stopped and all of the people looked to the top of Wall Maria, listening to the two musicians and their music, remembering memories, good and bad, old and new. And for a time forgetting everything but the harmony they were listening to.

Smiling to herself, Sasha closed her eyes and sped up her tune. In turn, Eren took a deep breath and began to sing in a clear, deep voice, remembering the times he had lived in the town below with Mikasa, Armin, his Father and his Mother.

In my memory, I will always see
The town that I have loved so well
Where our school played ball by the Wall
And we laughed through the smoke and the smell

Going home in the rain, running up the dark lane.
Past the jail and down behind the fountain
Those were happy days in so many, many ways
In the town I loved so well

In the early morning the shirt factory horn
Called women from Creggan, the Moor and the Bog
While the men on the dole played a mother's role
Fed the children and then walked the dogs

And when times got rough there was just about enough
But they saw it through without complaining
For deep inside, was a burning pride
In the town I loved so well

There was music there, in the Shiganshinaair
Like a language that we all could understand
I remember the day when I earned my first pay
And I worked in a small pick-up band

There I spent my youth and to tell you the truth
I was sad to leave it all behind me
For I learned about life and I'd found a wife
In the town I loved so well

But when I returned how my eyes have burned
To see how a town could be brought to its knees
By the wrecked Wall and the bombed houses
And the smoke that hung onto every tree

Now the army's installed behind the Wall
And the damned barbed wire gets higher and higher
With their Titans and their Warriors, oh my God, what have they done
To the town I loved so well

Now the music's gone but they carry on
For their spirit's been bruised, never broken
They will not forget, still their hearts are set
On tomorrow and peace once again

For what's done is done and what's won is won
And what's lost is lost and gone forever
I can only pray for a bright, brand new day
In the town I loved so well

As the song ended, everyone listening erupted into applause, even Levi and Floch clapped with modesty. Eren and Sasha each took a bow, turning to watch the setting Sun on the horizon. Ready to fight again.

Hope you enjoyed :)