Chapter one: Beautiful eyes fluttering open to a cruel world

Warning! Parent's death might be slightly graphic!

It was a beautiful afternoon up in the mountains. An amazing forest stretched down the mountains, covering everything except the path, which swirled around the mountain almost perfectly. At the bottom of the mountain was huge fields with very few trees, which had gorgeous flowers blooming, but they would soon wither away since it was getting colder.

In a cabin on the side of the mountain, there was a young Asian girl who was waiting outside her mother's door, one of the biggest events of her life happening right at that moment. Her blue eyes kept anxiously glancing back at the door, before looking down. She felt her shoulders tense and her hands clench every time she heard a scream of agony coming from the room.

She sunk to the ground, her black hair falling over her pale face slightly.

Mikasa was waiting for her new brother. At least, her mom said it was a boy. She said although she didn't actually know, it felt nothing like the way it felt when she was pregnant with Mikasa.

They were having a home birth since all doctors lived far away anyway, so they'd never be able to make it to the hospital in time. They rarely got any contact whatsoever with people, but there was a nearby city known as 'Shiganshina.'

Mikasa felt her heart pound strongly when the screaming stopped and everything went earily quiet for a few minutes. But then, with a jolt of relief, she heard the soft sound of baby cries. The door opened, and a Mikasa jumped to her feet worriedly.

"Ottosan! Ottosan, is Okasan okay? What about my brother?" Mikasa asked, randomely saying words from her native country, Japan. Mikasa's father stood there, his brown eyes shining brightly. He rubbed his light brown hair before answering.

"Actually...you have two new Ackermans to meet," he answered happily but also a hint of exhaustion in his voice. Mikasa's eyes widened.

"Twins. Miana Ackerman and Jonah Ackerman. Miana is the oldest. You can go in, but your mother passed out from exhaustion," her father said. Mikasa nodded, excitement coming in as she rushed into the room.

On the bed was her mother, who looked identical to Mikasa with the same black hair and pale skin, and if her eyes were opened, you'd see they're blue like Mikasa's.

Mikasa's heart skipped a beat when she saw the crib. She rushed over, her heart pounding in her ears when she saw them.

Under a pink blanket, two babies were sleeping. Both had brown fuzz as hair, and would look the same if one's cheeks weren't chubbier than the other's. Mikasa couldn't see their eyes since they were sleeping, so she'd wait until later.

She felt a small smile form at the sight of them, feeling heat rise to her cheeks. She was a sister now...

Mikasa reached her hand in, gently squeezing her sister's. Her fingers wrapped around her's, feeling small and fragile compared to Mikasa's. Mikasa gently rubbed the top of Miana's head, smiling lovingly when she saw her eyes flutter. She must've been dreaming, dreaming such innocent dreams.

Suddenly, Jonah began wailing in his sleep. Mikasa panicked, picking him up and rocking him, whispering a soft, "Shhh..."

Suddenly, his soft brown eyes fluttered open, meeting Mikasa's blue eyes. He looked up at her in a peaceful way as she rocked him, cuddling him close to her heart. When he had fallen back to sleep, Mikasa placed him back down, putting a small blanket over him before turning the nightlight on and leaving.

She walked out of the room, shutting the door quietly. She looked at her father, and smiled.

"They're...beautiful..." Mikasa whispered. He smiled, nodding.

"They really are...oh, Mikasa...you're going to be a perfect sister..." Mr. Ackerman said, hugging her tightly.

Mikasa smiled, wrapping her small arms around him.

"Arigato, Ottosan..."

The next day...

Mikasa was sitting in the dining room. She was sewing while her father cooked dinner, and her two new siblings sat in the crib.

Mikasa's mom was resting on the couch, drinking mint tea. Mikasa kept glancing at her mother worriedly, and every time, she would send a sweet smile to the worried girl.

"Hey, Okasan...where did the babies come from? How did they get into your stomach?" Mikasa asked curiously. Her mother smiled nervously.

"I'm too tired to answer...how about you ask your father?"

Mikasa turned, about to ask, when he spoke before her.

"I'm not quite sure...I know! Doctor Jaeger is coming again today! How about you ask him?" he suggested.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

"Would you look at that! He's here!" her father said, walking to the door. When he opened it, he met a cruel surprise. Standing at the door was three men, all holding guns. One shot her father in the stomach, and Mikasa stared in shock, watching as he fell to the ground and blood seeped through the rug on the ground.

Mikasa trembled, as her mother stared at her husband's dead body before hearing her baby twin's soft cries.

She then got up, grabbing a pair of scissors from the table and charged at the men, pushing their hands up so the gun was facing up.

"Mikasa! Mikasa, run!" she screamed as her children cried louder. The men struggled to point the gun back down at her.

Mikasa just stood there, the shock of what was happening only getting stronger.

The man then managed to shove her mother back, making her fall to the ground.

"Mikasa! Ru-"

Suddenly, with the sound of three gunshots, her mother fell to the ground, her hand reaching out to Mikasa in her last moments

Mikasa's heart seemed to shatter at that moment

The men stepped forward, and one punched her, knocking her out.

When Mikasa awoke, she was lying on the hard ground. Her dark eyes scanned around. She was in a cabin she didn't recognize, with the two of the three men who had killed her parents sitting around, talking.

"You know…I'm not even quite sure about selling her, but…the babies? I don't think the brats will sell…" one said uncertainly, glancing over at the crying children.

"Eh, someone will want them. It's the black market, after all. Everyone wants something from there," the other said.

Mikasa spaced off, still in deep shock of what just happened. Her head felt as though it was killing her.

She moved her hands, but realized that they were tied together tightly.

'Samui…'

Suddenly, the door opened. A boy with dark brown hair and a maroon scarf was standing there. One of the men got up and walked over, his eyes burning with anger but also fear.

"What are you doing here, you brat?!"

The boy's green eyes filled with tears, but Mikasa knew that they were clearly fake.

"I got lost in the mountains…and…" he trailed off.

The man's face turned into the most deceiving smile he had.

"Ah…kids shouldn't be wandering around these areas! There are scary wolves, you kno-"

He was cut off when the boy shoved a knife he had been hiding behind his back into the man.

"I get the drill…now die, you monster!" he pulled the knife out, and the man collapsed, dead.

The other man turned, terrified.

"Hey! Brat!" he yelled, pulling out his gun, but it was too late. The nine-year-old boy ran at top speed, and shoved the knife into his chest.

The man gasped breathlessly for air, and collapsed. The boy lunged on top of him, stabbing him over and over.

"DIE! DIE! THIS IS WHAT YOU GET! THIS IS WHAT YOU DESERVE! NEVER GET UP AGAIN!" he screamed.

When he confirmed the man was dead, he sat up, wiping the blood and sweat off his face.

Mikasa stared, scared. The babies cried loudly.

"It's okay…you're safe now. You, and your siblings," he said softly. He walked over and cut Mikasa's ropes off.

"I'm assuming that you're Mikasa. I'm Eren. Eren Jaeger. We were on the way to your house to check up on your mom after giving birth…but…" Eren trailed off, as Mikasa massaged her hands, the ropes having left marks.

"There were three…" Mikasa said. Suddenly, the door opened behind them. The third man stepped out, looking mortified.

"Did you…did you do this?!" the man yelled, kicking Eren, sending him one way and the knife the other.

The man lifted Eren up by his neck.

"Did you do this!?"

"F-fight!" Eren cried, and Mikasa tensed.

What was he saying?

"Fight! You have to fight to survive! If you don't fight…we'll die!" Eren cried, trying hard to breathe.

Mikasa stumbled up, picking up Eren's knife, trembling.

"I-I-I can't!" Mikasa cried, tears slipping down her cheeks. She looked around, seeing Eren's hands fall limp. Seeing her brother and sister, whom had so much more life to live.

At that moment…my body froze. At that moment, I saw nothing else in the world except Eren, Miana, and Jonah. They all had…so much more life to leave…and I couldn't be the one to ruin that. I could save them from this.

But that's when memories came flooding back. Memories of predator hunting prey. I saw it so many times in the forests I lived in. I'd seen it…many times before.

But…I was blinded…I always…

Looked the other way.

That's right…the world…is a cruel place.

And it's home.

At that moment, my body stopped trembling. I was in complete control.

'Fight!'

'Fight!'

'FIGHT!'

Mikasa charged forward, releasing a battle cry as she ran.

Grisha Jaeger was scolding Eren for what he had done.

Mikasa wasn't really paying attention. Her eyes were nonchalant as she cradled Miana and Jonah in her arms, calming them.

What would she do now? Where would she go? What about her siblings? Would they get put into foster care?

Mikasa looked down.

"Mikasa, do you remember me? I've been your Mother's friend since childhood," Grisha said, kneeling down to get a good look at her.

"…Jaeger-Sensei…where do I…we…go now? Samui-desu…I have no where to go…" Mikasa said. Eren, knowing just a little of Japanese since many in the area spoke it, heard her say she was cold.

Eren stepped forward, unraveling his maroon scarf from his neck. He then wrapped it around her. Mikasa looked up, surprised.

"You can have it…it's warm, right?" Eren asked.

"Hai…" Mikasa answered, some color reaching her pale cheeks.

"Mikasa…how about you and your siblings come live with us?" Grisha asked. Mikasa looked at him, surprised.

"Huh…?"

"Your mother and I were close…I'm sure she would've wanted this…" Grisha said. Mikasa stared, shocked.

Eren then grabbed her sleeve and tugged at it.

"What? C'mon. Let's go home…to our home," Eren said.

Tears streamed from her eyes, one falling onto Miana's cheek. Miana looked up at Mikasa with her innocent blue eyes.

"Yeah…let's go home."