Chapter 2: I'm Home
Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin
Previously: The group wonders if the ninth Shifter and the Coordinate are the same. Connie and Sasha worry for their families.
[Trost District]
An overhead shot of the city appeared.
Connie felt disappointed and impatient, but also somewhat relieved. Much as he wanted to know what happened to his village, he was also nervous about it.
"Commander Pixis!" A man yelled, running into the room. Inside the office, Pixis sat behind his desk with a piece of paper in hand. Anka, Hannes, and two other Garrison soldiers were also present. "Titans have been spotted!" His words were met with startled looks. "Wall Rose has been breached!"
Pixis's expression became serious. "Hmm."
"Do you think there are other Shifters on the island besides Eren's...uncle? Relative?" Jean thought out loud. "Then again, that would be a total of seven out of nine Shifters on this island."
"If I was in charge, I wouldn't leave myself undefended and without at least one Shifter at home," Mikasa said. "But we'll see." She could at least see them keeping the War Hammer Titan back so they had a Shifter to protect them. According to Ymir, the Cart Titan was not a combatant-type. Seems useless to keep her back to protect the country.
[Stohess District]
It was nighttime and soldiers walked around with torches in the large courtyard, horses neighing.
"What the hell does all this mean?" Eren placed the 3D gear against the side and took a spot beside Mikasa. "Damn it!"
"But…" Armin approached the wagon they were in. "Would Titans break Walls with Titans in them?"
"It's happened before. They busted the Wall into our city."
Erwin's thoughts turned to a comment Candy had made during the first episode last time, implying Titans had breached the Walls once before the breach in 845. We never got an answer to that. He was convinced his father's theory of the Royal Government erasing humanity's memories had something to do with it. Maybe it would be revealed later.
"That was a gate."
"Armin?" Mikasa spoke up. "What are you saying?"
"The thing about the Walls… There's no crevices between the rocks or any signs of cracking. We can't really tell how they're made. So what if they're made of hardened Titan skin? It must be pretty versatile if Annie can encase herself."
"Titans…in the Wall…" Eren muttered.
"Can you do it?" Sasha asked Ymir. "Crystallize your skin like Annie can?"
Somehow, Ymir doubted it. "I don't know. I don't think so. I'm pretty sure I can't."
"No harm in at least giving it a shot," Hange said.
Armin nodded. "If it's possible, we could close the hole in Wall Maria using the hardening ability." Retaking that lost land would not only boost morale massively, but it was also necessary to acquire as many resources as they could in preparation for whatever came next with their conflict with Marley. And potentially the rest of the world.
"You think so?" Connie perked up.
"But Ymir's Titan's speciality is its crushing power," Petra pointed out. "Is it possible for Shifter Titans to have more than one ability? Especially contradicting ones?"
"The Female Titan seems closer to Eren's, in terms of physicality," Christa said. "But she had her cry that attracts Titans and she can crystallize while Eren's Titan can't do either."
It'll work out even if Ymir can't harden her skin. Levi thought. She can take out the Armored and he sure as hell can harden. The fact their enemies had no idea the Jaws Titan was on their side gave them a huge advantage. They won't see it coming.
Eren tried not to feel too insulted or hurt that they didn't bother asking him. Not that he could blame them too much after floundering so much last season. You're not the only special one anymore. He shook his head at the jealous feeling. Another Shifter was good for their side. It drastically improved their chances. Especially since it seemed Ymir had more experience with her powers. At least compared to him.
Hange stood surrounded by books, peering into a microscope with a lantern providing light. Moblit ran to her, holding some large papers in his arms, "Squad Leader! What are you doing? We're supposed to leave in five minutes!" He yelled as he ran off. "Please hurry up!"
Hange continued staring into the microscope. "There's something I need to confirm—" Something caught her attention and she straightened, looking surprised.
"It'll be interesting to see how we discover information without Candy," Christa said. "Wonder how long it'll take us to figure things out for ourselves."
Too long. Along with a loss of numerous soldiers. Erwin thought.
"Hey." Levi stood in the doorway. "Get moving."
"Ah, sorry! What about him?"
"Him?" Connie repeated.
"Pastor Nick, probably," Christa replied.
"He's been ready for a while now."
Hange grabbed a small bluish crystal from the desk and left.
A flickering torch appeared.
Erwin was in the lead with Keiji, Nifa, Jean, and Abel behind him, and a host of Scouts behind them.
"Eren." Mikasa wrapped a green cloak around his shoulders. "Wear it tight. It's cold at night."
Eren automatically rolled his eyes. Then he felt guilty, recalling her last promise to his mother and his own vow to protect Mikasa. At least she's living up to it.
Meanwhile, Jean sighed. Wish I had a girl who was devoted to me like that. Stupid Yeager was too dense to appreciate it. For once though, it seemed he wasn't being obnoxious about it.
"Sorry to keep ya!" Hange approached, waving, with Levi walking next to her and Pastor Nick behind her. "Took longer to prepare than we thought."
Armin watched them settle in across from them. "Um… Isn't this a priest from the Order of the Walls?"
"Yeah." Hange threw an arm around the man. "Nick and I are best buddies. Right?" He didn't look any of them in the eye. "Don't let him bother you. The whole makeup of this squad doesn't make any sense. Does it, Levi?"
"No, I think it might. Erwin picked them out for a reason."
"Open the gate!" The commander called out.
The gate began to rise.
Will they all make it back? Petra thought anxiously. The recruits had only gone through one battle. A horrific one, but only one. Watching yourself die was an incredibly uncomfortable and awful experience. At least she had years' worth of exposure to death, of facing her own morality and several close encounters to shape her mindset and accept it was something that could very likely happen every time they left on an expedition. But they don't have that kind of practice. She wondered how they would bear it. If they could bear it.
Erwin's horse moved forward and he turned to stand before the soldiers. "The situation within Wall Rose is unclear. But everything up until Ehrmich is safe. We'll save time going through there. Move out!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Take us out," Levi told the driver.
"Yes, sir!" The cart driver whipped the reins and the horses began to move.
With Erwin leading the charge, the Scouts followed, carrying torches to light their way.
The wagon passed through the gate and Armin looked back. This whole time, Titans have been protecting us from Titans.
"I wonder how they, the TV versions, will react when they find out the truth about the Titans," Mikasa said. "The circumstances and the context will be different."
"I think the horror and irony will remain the same," Eren replied gloomily.
"Huh? He knew?" Eren said with wide eyes, Mikasa looking equally stunned beside him. "There's Titans inside the Walls and he's known about it?!"
"Yes, though…" Hange glanced at Pastor Nick, who was sweating. "He's kept his mouth shut this entire time. But now he's coming with us to witness the harsh reality. Will his beliefs be strong enough for him to stay silent? Or will seeing it with his own eyes make him question himself?"
"Think he'll spill the beans?" Ymir eyed the man critically.
"He was trusted with the truth about the Titans and the world, I don't think he'll break that easy," Levi answered.
"I can't imagine there hasn't been one individual who didn't agree with the Royal Family's philosophy." It just didn't seem realistic to Petra that everyone who was told kept their mouths firmly shut and never disagreed. "Though I suppose they only chose those whom they were absolutely certain they could control and would keep the secrets and not tell a soul."
"And even if someone did rebel, I'm sure they wouldn't have any trouble making someone disappear or kill them in an 'accident,'" Armin added.
Or erase their memories. Erwin thought.
"No, no, no, no!" Eren stood, slamming his hands on the small table. "This is all backwards! If there's something you know, tell us about it! Nothing's more important than keeping humans from going extinct!" Wincing, he clutched his head and fell back into his seat.
"That one still stings," Jean said. How many poor souls had given their lives because they thought they were helping humanity survive when most of humanity would probably cheer at their deaths?
"Eren, settle down," Mikasa said worriedly. "You're still not fully healed."
Levi pointed a gun at the pastor through his jacket. "There's more than one way to get answers. I may be injured and useless right now, but it doesn't take much to watch one man. I'm hoping we can settle this without blasting a hole in anyone. Aren't you?"
"Threatening him doesn't work, Levi," Hange said. "Believe me, I've tried. It seems to me that this priest is capable of sound judgment. That's why I wonder… What if the reason he doesn't talk is because he knows something more important than the fate of humanity?"
He's probably laughing at us. Levi thought. The stupid Survey Corps idiots running around getting killed, yelling about saving humanity when humans were nowhere near extinct. Countless men and women had given their lives in the effort to further humanity's cause, to learn the truth about the Titans and the outside world, while Pastor Nick and others like him watched from the shadows knowing everything. Every time he thought about that senseless loss of life it never failed to spark fury and sadness in him.
Sasha raced on her horse alongside another Scout. "See that? It's the village!"
"Is that the last one?"
"No! My village is deep in the forest! I'll go there alone!"
"Are you stupid? You have no gear!" Connie chided. "What if you run into a Titan?"
"I can outrun a Titan on a horse. Long as it's not one of those weird Abnormals." Sasha was more concerned with arriving too late to save her family.
"Wonder where those freaks came from," Levi muttered. Had Zeke gone around and gathered all the Abnormals?
"Alright! Leave this village to me!"
"Got it!" Sasha watched him veer off to the right. She gazed intently forward.
Words echoed in her mind. "Hey! Quit it, Sasha!"
In the woods, two log cabins behind them, Mr. Blouse yelled at his daughter. "Sasha! You been nabbing snacks again?!"
Sasha growled, ripping into the meat in her hands.
"Stop! Spit it out!" They continued to struggle. "Get it out of yer mouth! We fixin' to smoke that for winter, ya moron!"
"Why would you be eating from your winter storage?" Jean said. "You'll starve later!"
Eren snorted, "Typical Potatoes-for-Brains."
Sasha groaned and their friends laughed.
"Potatoes-for-Brains! Good one, Eren," Connie snickered.
The piece of meat fell from Sasha's grasp and her father stood before her, trying to keep her from grabbing it. With a mad cry, she ducked down and pushed up her arm, shoving his face away, greedily ripping at the meat.
I look like I'm rabid! Sasha's face burned from humiliation, made worse by the others' laughter.
He wasn't one to waste food but, Levi wrinkled his nose. "At least wipe off the dirt."
"You damn dumb girl! Fine!" Sasha's father walked away. "Have it yer way. Dagnabbit."
Sasha ran to a tree and hid behind it, watching her father sit on the steps to one of the storage cabins.
"Sasha, have you asked yerself why the world is a-changing? Why these past few years the forest be shrinkin' and game harder to find? Have you ever thunk about it?"
Sasha's heart fell, stomach squeezing in dread, recalling her answer. Remembering Eren, Mikasa, Armin, and Levi's histories, their lowest points being revealed for them all to see, she hoped that her thoughtlessness and ignorance was the worst thing TV the revealed about her. Please, please let my parents and the other villagers have escaped.
Sasha swallowed the bite and answered, scowling, "It's 'cause more people be comin' and taking food and game from the forest. That's why I'm hungry."
"That's true. But, hey... They lost their homes and got no place to go. They got no other choice."
"Their fault for losing it. They oughta leave ours."
What they must all think of me! Sasha was too mortified to look up. Especially Eren and Mikasa. Had the situation been reversed, she was sure they would have easily accepted refugees into their town. "Guys, I'm sorry I—"
"We've all acted like little shits," Eren interrupted. "Don't worry so much about it and beat yourself up."
"I was half expecting you to blow up at her," Armin admitted.
"He's finally growing," Mikasa said.
"I can hear you two."
Sasha's father glared and said strongly, "Titans took it from 'em. They knocked a hole straight through Wall Maria. Where else can they go? You can feed a hell of a lot more people by clearin' the forest and plantin' grain." He crossed his arms, glancing at the bow and arrow placed against a tree stump. "Maybe it's time for our family to let go of the forest and give up huntin' for good. The government said they would pay us. Every horse that we raise is money in our pockets."
"You gotta be kidding! If we give up huntin', we be givin' up who we are! Why should we give a hoot about the people who make fun of our lifestyle?" Sasha demanded.
"I'd never make fun of your lifestyle," Eren declared.
"I totally would," Jean said honestly.
"That's cause you're a dick."
"At least I have balls, unlike you."
"You wanna go, Horse-Face?"
"Bring it, Titan breath."
"That's enough now." Petra's words quieted them, but they still shot each other glares over Armin's and Mikasa's heads.
"Maybe not as much as we thought," Armin said to Mikasa, who sighed and nodded.
"I'll tell ya why. It's because…we're all part of the same world." Mr. Blouse stood and walked away. "We humans… We've always been pack animals. Sure, we all live our different ways." He stopped, staring down. "But when space is this short, we gotta join the group and do what's best to—"
"No! I refuse! We've lived here all our lives, just like the way our ancestors taught us! We don't owe nothing to any outsiders!"
Ugh, shut up! Sasha wanted to hit her youngerself.
"You were just a kid," Hange told her. "Kids say mean, ignorant things."
Mr. Blouse looked back at her before staring off. "I see… So be it." He tilted his head toward the sky. "Ya can live here in this forest, along with the others who think the same. But, Sasha... Are ya willin' to die for that choice?"
Sasha blinked, straightening.
"No matter what trouble comes yer way, ya can't go beggin' for help. If you're not there for them," he told her, "don't expect them to be there for you. I'm willin' to give up our traditions if it means I can live with my family. Goes to show ya our world's connected, whether you like it or not."
"Your dad's an amazing man," Christa said.
"He's certainly wise," Armin agreed.
"I just want him to be alive."
"Sasha, are you that much of a scaredy-cat?"
His words struck a note with her.
"Is it that hard for you to leave this forest behind and get along with others?"
Sasha raced through curving dirt path in the forest. It's been 3 years since I've been back. Surely he realized something was amiss and fled… She gasped, noticing the massive footprints. It can't be! Way out here?
Sasha's stomach dropped.
"Maybe they made it out," Petra offered. "Yours is a village of hunters, right? Your dad and the others might have noticed something off in the forest."
"I hope so."
They've already come this far?! This place isn't safe for people anymore. Sasha rode with a grim expression on her face. Exiting the trees, she saw the small village. What's that? A new village? One half of the wooden bridge was drawn up but her horse easily climbed it and jumped, landing on the flat side and continuing to gallop into the village.
A house appeared on the screen. Through the doorway, a Titan could be seen crouching. The wet sound of chewing was heard. A little girl with short blonde hair sat, eyes glossed over. To her left, the Titan gnawed on someone's leg. It opened its eyes. Kaya continued to stare at nothing.
"She's in shock," Mikasa muttered. She knew all too well what that was like, the light-headedness, the cold, the feeling of being out of touch with reality and having no control. Her fingers brushed the soft red scarf around her neck, taking comfort in its warmth.
Outside, a bird flew off a branch that was impaling a frog.
Sasha stood outside the house.
"Just grab the girl and run," Hange said solemnly, "too late for the mother."
The woman struggled to free herself from the Titan, face covered with sweat.
"Why isn't she screaming in pain?" Christa said, confused.
"That is strange," Erwin said. "Perhaps she injured her spine."
Tiring out, the woman's head hit the floor, watching her daughter. Kaya slowly turned her head and Sasha cried out, bringing the axe down on the back of the Titan's neck.
"Are you taking on a Titan with an axe?" Petra watched in awe.
"Holy shit, Potato Girl," Jean said, gaping.
Eren nodded, wide-eyed. "She's braver than I thought."
"Go Sasha!" Christa cheered.
"It's not gonna work," Levi said. "Better to take the girl and run."
Sasha continued to hack away at the Titan. Droplets of blood squirted out and steam blew from the nape but the Titan ignored her. Damn! If I don't slice it off, it'll just heal back up! The axe slipped from her hands, hitting one of the wooden support beams.
"It's still distracted, you still have a chance, run!" Connie urged, waving his arms.
Sasha screamed in disbelief. She stepped back and noticed the girl. "A child?" Cautiously, she moved away from the Titan, watching as the woman's gaze followed her. "I'm so sorry…"
"Maybe she was only holding on for her daughter. At least now she can go in peace," Petra told Sasha.
It brought a smile to her face along with a sense of pride.
The two tore out of the house, Sasha holding Kaya's hand. "What's your name?"
Kaya didn't reply, still dazed.
"Don't worry. It'll be okay." Sasha began to untie her horse from the post.
"What will?"
"Huh? What? I mean… Um…" Sasha fumbled for an answer. Behind her, her horse made a sound. "Steady…" She held up her hands. "Steady…" Sasha turned to face the girl. "Um, you see…"
The horse neighed and took off.
"I just knew that was gonna happen," Jean sighed.
"Oh no!" Sasha whimpered. "What're we gonna do now?!"
"Huh?" Tears filled the corners of her eyes. "You're kidding me! Hey!" Sasha jumped up and screamed. "Please wait for us!" She whistled for her loudly. "There's no need to worry," she assured Kaya. "Please stay calm. It'll come right back."
Kaya looked at her, blank-faced. "Why are you so nice when you talk?"
"What?" Then Sasha noticed the 3-meter exiting the house. Eyes darting around, she snatched a bow and some arrows sitting on a small crate. "Run away from here!" Taking the girl's hand, she ran. "It'll be okay!"
"Why? Everyone already left. The whole village knew my mother's legs were bad. But not a single person came to help."
Armin knew humans were like, but he still couldn't help the disappointment. Maybe they were all too panicked to think straight.
"All I could do was watch."
Eren's stomach turned. All he had been able to do was watch and cry, too.
"At least Hannes came for us," Mikasa muttered. "Thanks to Armin's quick thinking."
Sasha tossed the bow and arrows over the drawn side of the bridge and helped Kaya over. Glancing back, she noticed the Titan approach the bridge and cried out when the wood beneath her cracked and fell.
The group flinched.
She quickly climbed over. The Titan's foot when through the hole and it grabbed onto the drawn up half of the bridge, pulling itself up.
"It'll be okay! It's okay." Sasha looked back.
Petra felt paranoid. Too many reassurances. Things never ended well when someone made claims like that too much. Logically it made no sense, real life wasn't like that, but she couldn't help it.
Sasha pulled up a bucket of water from the well.
"You're really starting to tick me off."
"What?"
Ymir walked up to Sasha and Christa, one hand on her hip. "That stupid way you talk politely to everyone. Why don't you talk to other trainees like normal?"
"Um… Well, you see…"
"You don't have to be such a bitch," Eren said, frowning.
Jean rolled his eyes. "As usual, you're missing the point."
"I think," Mikasa interrupted quickly before Eren and Jean came to blows, "Ymir was calling Sasha out on being embarrassed about her accent and not being true to herself."
"In her own way," Armin said, "Ymir was trying to tell her to be herself."
"Wait." Ymir smiled tauntingly. "Let me guess. You're embarrassed by the way people sound from your village. Bull's-eye? I'm surprised an idiot like you cares so much." Mikasa and Hannah walked by a few yards behind them. "You can't do anything but hunt, and you're afraid of people, to top it off. I bet you don't have a single good reason for aiming to become a soldier."
"I know you were trying to help, but you still could have been nicer about it," Christa told Ymir.
"Not my style."
"Your parents probably—"
"Stop it, Ymir! You're being—"
Ymir talked over Christa, leaning down on her. "Sasha! You gonna care what other people think and be someone you're not your whole life? What a crock of shit. You're fine as is, so talk in your own words for crying out loud."
"She's prickly on the outside and has a mean attitude, but she really cares about her friends." Petra smiled. "Reminds me of you, Captain Levi."
"Except taller," Hange added, earning an elbow from Levi.
Sasha drew up her shoulders, eyes wide, before smiling nervously, "Th-Thank you…very much."
"C'mon," Connie sad, "say it loud and say it proud."
"What?" Ymir leaned in.
"I'm sorry. I'm not…yet…"
"Cut it out!" Christa shoved her head into Ymir's back.
They giggled.
"There's nothing wrong with the way she talks!" Christa shoved the taller girl. "Sasha is who Sasha wants to be. Her words will always be her own. And I happen to like her."
"Hmph!" Ymir joined Sasha. "Have it your way. Still, even if she changed the way she talks, it won't change the fact that she's annoying."
"You know," Christa said as she approached Ymir and put her hand on the taller girl's arm, "not everyone is as insensitive as you."
The shot began to move up to the sky and the clouds.
"Excuse me? You little… You little…"
Sasha couldn't hold back her laughter.
Christa had a bad feeling that things might not end well. Part of her felt guilty for being happy that she, that her friendship, might be one of the last things Sasha remembered. It meant she had an impact, her life meant something to someone to be remembered in their last moments.
"Hey! What are you laughing at?!" Ymir demanded.
"Ah! I'm sorry!"
Sasha ran on the dirt path, leading Kaya, as the Titan followed. Why do I remember, now of all times about silly, pointless days in the past? She smiled slightly, tears gathering. It's all…I can think of.
I'm so dead. I'm so dead. Sasha doubted that unlike with Mikasa, no Shifter was going to show up out of the blue and save her. And her skills were nowhere near the other girl either to potentially give her a chance to survive without gear. At least let the kid escape.
Sasha looked down at the girl. "Hey, listen up." Kaya looked up. "You'll be fine. Keep following this path. Run as far as you can. I promise someone will be there to help you. You might not find them right away… But still, keep running until you do!" Sliding to a stop, she turned, shoving the girl in the opposite direction as she faced the approaching Titan. "Now, go! Run!"
Kaya watched, stunned.
Sasha readied an arrow. "Get runnin'!" She tilted her head to see Kaya running away, the girl's eyes clear, no longer dazed.
"Are you seriously going to take on a Titan with a bow and arrow? Mad props, Potato Girl." Ymir whistled.
"Most people give up in your position. It takes an impressive will to keep going." Levi nodded, feeling grudging respect for the perpetually hungry teen.
"Helps that she has someone to protect," Petra said.
"That's only cause she's a good person," Christa insisted. "Otherwise she wouldn't have bothered to help."
"Guys..." Sasha blushed, feeling embarrassed by their words. "I haven't even done anything."
The arrow pierced the Titan's neck and it continued to move.
"Go for the eyes," Jean advised without thinking, even though she couldn't hear it.
Sasha sprinted, looking back. If I take out both eyes, it'll buy us plenty of time. She climbed a short incline, taking aim once more. The arrow nicked the Titan's ear.
"Focus! Don't just shoot impulsively," Levi found himself chiding her.
Hange shot him a smug look. He was always complaining about her talking to the TV. "She can't hear you," she pointed out.
Levi didn't take the bait and Hange pouted.
Only…two left. Sasha loaded the third arrow. Relax… The Titan's head bobbed as it walked. All it is…is a big…slow moving…target! The arrow hit the Titan's eye. Got it!
"Yeah!"
"Nice shot!"
"You've got one! Now get the other!" Christa commanded.
"If you take out it's other and escape, it might be closest anyone's come to taking on a Titan and winning." As far as Jean was concerned, surviving against a Titan without 3D maneuver gear was enough to be considered a win.
One more arrow. But, if I miss this… The ground shook as the giant stood at the edge of the incline. …we can't escape. If I miss, me and… Sasha closed her eyes, recalling Kaya running away. …that girl…
They held their breaths.
With a cry, Sasha threw away the bow and clutched the arrow in her hand, getting in position to stab.
Their jaws dropped.
"Well, that's one way to ensure it'll meet its mark," Erwin remarked.
"I was not expecting that," Mikasa said, astonished.
Sasha stuck the arrow in the Titan's other eye, causing blood to fly out, leaning into its chest. Its arms wrapped around her and she struggled.
At least I'll die protecting someone. Sasha thought, waiting for that inevitable snap.
The group braced themselves for those horrific cracking sounds, Eren and Petra looking particularly grim.
Sasha's death will have had meaning. Christa thought. If she died she hoped it would be be the same, in service of humanity or to save innocent lives.
Sasha slipped down, shoving the Titan's head up as she did so.
"Wow! Epic maneuver!"
"Okay, that was pretty fucking awesome."
"Sasha, you have never been cooler than in that moment."
"I can't believe you gave it the slip!"
"I really thought you were done for."
"I thought I was done for too!" Sasha cried in relief.
Sasha slid down the incline and ran away as the Titan searched blindly. I slipped out thanks to that blood. She looked at her hand. Now I've gotta find that girl!
Horse hooves raced across the screen.
The group let out sighs of relief.
Sasha stopped running and looked at the short inline. "Huh? Sasha?" Her father gaped. A man beside him had Kaya.
Sasha could only stare.
"Phew." Sasha sank back against the couch. They're safe!
"I'm glad they're okay," Christa said warmly.
"Me too!" Sasha nodded.
Connie desperately hoped the same for his family.
A group rode through the forest. Kaya sat silently, a saddened expression on her face and tears in the corner of her eyes. Sasha smiled at her, relieved.
"We been givin' horses to everyone in the area," Mr. Blouse explained. "That girl told us someone was still back there. Who'da thunk it was you? You fought off a Titan for that girl, didn't ya?" She grunted. "Sasha… Yer all I hoped for."
Sasha gasped and smiled, "Father… I'm home."
It hurt to grin so much but Sasha couldn't help but beam in pride, eyes watering.
"You're really lucky, you know. Luckier than all of us," Armin said. "Both you and your parents have survived encounters with Titans."
Eren nodded. "Most of us never even had the chance to make our parents proud."
"Connie, wait!" Reiner yelled, Bertolt and two other Scouts riding behind him.
Irrational as it was, Mikasa couldn't help but feel that since Sasha's family was safe, Connie's wouldn't be. Based on what they had seen, it seemed they could never be allowed to be happy and celebrate a supposed victory before something spoiled it.
Connie rode ahead of the group.
"Calm down!" Reiner yelled. "There could be Titans anywhere!" They reached the village and Connie raced in. "Get back here, Connie!"
Connie looked around, frantic. "This can't be…" Parts of the homes were destroyed all around him. "Anyone?! Is anyone there?! It's me! Connie!" He screamed. "I came back!"
Silence greeted him.
"There are no bodies or blood or Titans. How odd," Hange muttered. But there is destruction. Her eyes widened as she put it together before anyone else, seeing the wrecked houses, broken from the inside. It could only mean one thing. But how?!
Sweating, Connie's head snapped in the direction of his home and he yanked the reins. "My house!" He closed his eyes, their faces flashing across his mind. "Dad…Mom… Sunny…Martin! Please be okay!" Opening his eyes, he stopped his horse.
A Titan lay on its back inside the wrecked house.
Connie stared, eye wide, mouth open.
He knew what he was seeing. Understood it. But it was too horrible to believe. No way. No way... Connie gaped at the TV. Mom?
"Does that mean," Petra said softly, "she's become a Titan?"
Hange gave a stiff nod. "I believe so."
"But how?" Levi crossed his arms, fingers squeezing his biceps. "Did someone give them the serum?"
It had to be the Beast Titan. Erwin couldn't think of anyone else who had the means, motive, and opportunity to turn the people of the village into Titans.
Christa hugged Connie's side, squeezing reassuringly.
Not that he noticed. It was as if the world was shifting beneath his feet. Good thing he was already sitting or he might have fallen to his knees, feeling faint.
"It's even worse than I was expecting," Jean said, Armin nodding seriously next to him.
"Connie!" Reiner reached him and grabbed his arm. "Get back!"
"It's my…house," Connie said as Reiner appeared startled, following his gaze. "My…"
"Connie…"
His stomach was in knots. Don't throw up. Connie swallowed, a metallic taste in his mouth.
Gelgar stopped between them and the Titan. "Fall back, you two!"
"I'll scout the area!" Lynne raced by.
"Wait, it's…" Gelgar observed the Titan's almost dried up looking limbs.
Armin's eyes widened. He felt sick. Oh no...
Bertolt's voice was heard. "It can't move?"
"Not with those legs…" Lynne commented.
"My mother's legs are bad." Connie's voice sounded far off to his own ears.
"Quit freaking out, this is the future remember?" Ymir said pointedly. "It's in our control. So your family's safe," she said that a bit more gently.
Connie slapped his face with both his hands a few times, the stinging helping him to think clearly. "You're right," he said and nodded fervently, holding onto that hope tightly. "You're right. They'll be okay."
Jean had a distributing thought. He wanted to consult with the commander or Hange before bringing it up, unwilling to shatter Connie's hopes. This is only a few days into the future. Unlike the expedition, where they could change the future by changing their actions, they might not be able to change the upcoming events in this case because it wasn't directly under their control.
Hange was also having the same thoughts. We won't be able to do anything if it has already come to pass... Or even more horrifically, if it was necessary in presevng the timeline so they could use their knowledge and have the future go a certain way, they may even be forced to let it play it out as it originally did. For Connie's sake, Hange really hoped not.
"Th-Then…" Gelgar stuttered. "How? How did it even get here?!"
The Titan's ribcage was visible, the lower half of its body almost skeletal.
Erwin wanted to know any observations they made to ensure nothing was missed. "Let's do a fact inventory once more. What do we know and what have we learned?"
"Ragako lay in the Beast Titan's path and he's the only Shifter unaccounted for," Petra said.
"He turned the villagers into Titans through whatever means," Christa added.
"Maybe it's connected to how he controls them," Armin said thoughtfully.
"We know there's a serum that can turn Eldians into Titans, but how would he infect the entire village?" Sasha asked.
"He could have drugged the water supply," Levi suggested.
Connie shook his head. "But we get our water from a river that flows downstream from the mountains. Sasha's village should have been affected as well and before us, too, because it lies north of us."
Eren shifted nervously in his seat. "You don't think he can do it through an ability, do you?" His words sent a shiver down their spines.
"I don't know," Mikasa disagreed, "that seems like the kind of thing the Founding Titan-Shifter would be able to do."
"We've got to find whoever that is," Jean said. "Do you think it's King Fritz? It would make sense."
"Let's save that for later," Erwin said. "I don't think we'll be able to glean much about that subject without the TV's help."
Hange crossed her arms. "One thing's for sure, the Beast Titan will be our most serious adversary. Even if he can't force Eldians to transform through will, he can control Titans. That makes Zeke Yeager even more dangerous than the Armored or the Colossal."
Eren flinched at the use of his last name.
"He's older, Zeke is." Ymir frowned deeply, straining her mind, grasping to hold on to the image of the man. "And since Marley tends to create Shifters young, it means he's had years and he's gonna be very experienced with it. Shifting takes a toll and you need serious practice to be able to do it more than once."
"So even if we managed to beat that giant hairy shit down once he could transform again," Levi concluded. "Fresh and ready to make our lives hell. Fantastic."
Could his ability also work on Shifters? Erwin certainly hoped not. "We need to take care of the other three Shifters first before attempting to fight Zeke." The others nodded and he shared a meaningful look between Levi and Hange. Their chances would increase dramatically if they had five Shifters on their side. "Now, since there are fifteen episodes, does a five-minute break every three episodes sound fair to everyone?"
The group muttered their assent.
Erwin nodded. "On to episode three, then."
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