author's note: here's chapter two!
Armin was not inside his own body. He realised that when he looked at his reflection in a mirror at least sixty-nine times. What looked back at him was not his face. It was Historia's.
The two of them had swapped bodies. Swapped bodies. And, judging by how everyone else had been acting, they had as well. It was impossible. Like something out of a book. There was no realistic reason that this could happen. But still, it had.
"I don't understand," Historia mumbled in Armin's voice. He would never get used to that.
"I don't either," he replied.
He picked up the handheld mirror and took it over to the person who was waiting outside in the hall.
"You should have a look in the mirror," Armin told who he thought was Eren. Thought. He wasn't sure.
He handed Eren(?) the mirror.
"What the hell? What the hell?!" he screeched. Yes, it was definitely Eren. "How am I him? How is that horse-face's horse face in this mirror?"
"I think you two have swapped bodies," Armin said matter-of-factly. "If it's the same as it was for Historia and I, then I think Jean's... mind will be in your body."
Eren—previously Jean's—eyes widened with horror. "I do not want him in my body! It's bad enough being in his!"
"No, wait a second... I met your... body. And it was not Jean who was in it. It was Squad Leader Hanji."
Eren did not look comforted by those words. In fact, he just looked even more horrified.
Armin too realised what this meant. Hanji, for sure, would take advantage of this opportunity.
"We need to hurry," Eren said. "Before my body is experimented on." Or worse, were the unspoken words.
Armin and Historia nodded. Armin knew what else she would do. Hanji had the chance to not only be close to a titan, but to be a titan. It was probably her biggest dream come true.
The three of them ran to Hanji's lab, peeked through the ajar door and thankfully saw her reading some papers at a desk. Her glasses slipped down her—or Eren's—nose. "Why aren't they staying on? Did I bend them or something?" she muttered to herself. If she was saying that, then did she not know she was in Eren's body? That was lucky. They were all expecting to find a Titan standing in what would have remained of the room. Seeing this made them all pleasantly surprised.
"That's my voice. That's my body," Eren said, staring.
"We need to tell her before she figures it out and does turn into a titan," Armin said.
"I agree," said Historia.
"I'll never get used to seeing this," Eren sighed.
"Squad Leader?" asked Historia.
"Oh Armin. Historia and Jean, too. What can I do for you? Would you like to hear about my research?"
"No thanks," said Eren. Armin noticed him shudder.
"Oh," Hanji said. "Well, are you feeling any better, Historia?"
"Yes, much," replied Armin."We have something to show you."
"What is it?" asked Hanji, standing up and walking over to them, eyes wide. An excited look appeared on Eren's, now her, face. "Is it about titans?"
"Unfortunatly no," Armin said. "Have a look in this mirror."
Hanji looked confused but obeyed. She jumped back when she saw her reflection.
"Historia and I have swapped bodies. That is Eren in Jean's body. You are in Eren's body."
"I can turn into a titan?"
After what seemed like decades of trying to convince Hanji not to turn into a titan, they managed to get everyone to meet up in the dining room.
"You're saying we've all swapped bodies?" demanded Levi in Mikasa's voice. Armin had explained everything and passed the mirror around, leading to varying levels of shock and horror in everyone.
"Yes," said Armin.
"How did this happen?" asked Mikasa in Levi's voice.
"I don't know. We can't think of any explanation."
"There has to be one," said Hanji. "It's just not scientifically possible."
"I agree," said whoever was Connie's body.
"How the hell are we supposed to fight titans like this?" questioned Levi.
"I don't know. But as it stands, we're stuck like this for time being. At least until we find some kind of a solution, if we do at all," Armin replied.
"Nobody knows who anyone is," Eren put in.
"All soldiers, state your names one by one," said the person that was in Connie's body. Armin was 99% sure that was Erwin. "I am Commander Erwin Smith." It was so strange to hear those words in the voice of Connie. Of all people.
"Armin Arlert, sir!"
"Eren Jaeger, sir!"
"Historia Reiss, sir."
"Mikasa Ackerman, sir."
"Connie Springer, sir." Connie was in Sasha's body.
"Sasha Braus, sir." Sasha was in Erwin's body, as Armin had suspested due to her behaviour earlier.
"Hanji Zoe!"
"Levi."
"Is that everyone?" asked Hanji, looking around. "Something important is missing."
"It's your body, Squad Leader," said Sasha.
"Judging by how everyone swapped, the only option left is that Jean's mind is inside it," Armin said. "But there is always the possibility that something else happened."
"All forces, begin searching for Squad Leader Hanji's body!" commanded (geddit) Erwin.
Armin, Eren and Mikasa were sent off to look in Hanji's bedroom, while Connie, Sasha and Historia looked in the boys' bedroom (in case it was Jean who was inside her body) and Levi, Hanji and Erwin did a sweep of the rest of the base. If nobody found Hanji's body/Jean's mind/both then they would all search the grounds.
"I keep thinking you're Captain Levi," sighed Eren. "I every time I look at you I think you're going to tell me to do some cleaning or something."
"I would never tell you to clean, Eren," said Mikasa.
"Hearing that is his voice isn't very comforting," Eren replied.
"How do you feel being in Jean's body, Eren?" asked Armin.
"Terrible! Every time I look in the mirror I want to have an argument with myself."
"That's understandable," Mikasa told him.
"I think this is Squad Leader Hanji's room," Armin said. The door was shut, but Mikasa pushed it open.
"Well, we've certainly found her body," Eren remarked when he saw the motionless figure lying rigidly on the bed.
"My body!" screamed Hanji when Eren and Mikasa dumped it on a table. "Be more careful with it!"
"So there's nothing in it?" questioned Levi.
"I'm sure, sir," said Armin. He looked at its glassy eyes and unmoving chest. Definitely empty.
Connie, Sasha and Historia returned. "We couldn't find anything."
"We found Squad Leader Hanji's body," said Armin, motioning to said corpse.
"Hanji, Levi and I found nothing as well," said Erwin.
"Then," Sasha began, "where's Jean?"
Damn it, thought Jean. What's wrong with my legs?
He fell back onto his hands and feet. He couldn't stand up. About two hours ago, he'd woken up in the stables and to his horror, found out that something was terribly wrong with his body.
He'd got to the point of giving up now. It was like he was trapped. He couldn't even speak. Every time he opened his mouth only sounds came out, not words.
But, he'd found that he could somehow walk easily on his hands and knees. Why that was, he didn't have the slightest clue.
He'd managed manoeuvre over to a window and through it he could see Eren, Mikasa and Connie. He couldn't make out anyone else, but thought there were others.
"Then," came the voice of Commander Erwin, "where's Jean?"
Jean opened his mouth and said, "I'm right here!" Or at least, that was what he'd been trying to say. Instead, all that came out was, "Neigh!"
sorry jean.
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