DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ATTACK ON TITAN/ SHINGEKI NO KYOJIN.
Date Uploaded: March 27, 2016- Sunday.
Note: Advanced apologies for the OOC's.
It's kinda slow-paced isn't it? *nervous chuckle* Sorry about that. I'll try to speed things up but at the same time stick with the character development. I've read some complaints about the characters that dying did not have much screen-time or lacks character development then dies. Which is why there wasn't much emotional effect on viewers. Which is why I will try not to commit that mistake.
WARNING! This chapter contains violence and blood! Viewers Discretion Advised!
Ultimate Boredom: Thank you for your review! You're the first! Hope you like it as it goes!
Read on!
CHAPTER ONE: THE LAST DAY WE SAW SMILES
Eren was half-sleep when he heard the door creaking open. He fell asleep last night. He's been waiting for his father to come home. But hearing the door downstairs open just now.. it means he just got home.
"Dad!"
He got up from bed and ran downstairs to greet his dad. He was carrying to briefcases with him. He placed them down so that he could catch his son that was running towards him. He caught Eren and lifted him up before hugging him.
"I missed you!"
"I missed you too!" Grisha placed Eren down when he saw his wife walking from the kitchen. "Did you take care of the house and your mom for me?" he whispered to his son.
"Yeah." Eren whispered back, smiling.
"Good boy." He kissed Eren's forehead before standing straight and greeting his wife with a kiss on the lips and an embrace.
"It's good to have you back, Grisha." She greeted. "How's work?"
When the couple parted from their embrace, Grisha sat in the dining table and Eren followed, sitting beside him.
"Still no cure for those who are infected." Grisha sighed as he reported. "But I've discovered new herbs that I could probably use for the allergies running in town." He added as he reached for the plate and prepare himself a meal. Eren assisted him.
"Armin's neighbor has those allergies. It was scary." Eren commented.
"Really? What's it like to see it?" Grisha asked. While Karla was serving the two of them some food she just cooked.
"They had red spots in their skin! Even their face!" Eren said, shivering at the thought of it.
"You didn't catch any of it, did you?"
"Absolutely not! I have a strong immune system!" Eren said with pride and Grisha chuckled.
"That's my boy!"
When Karla was done serving them and herself, she sat down to her seat, facing her husband. She had a smile on her face as she brought up a new topic.
"Eren helped the brought-ins yesterday. The Garrisons were proud of him."
"Really?" Grisha pretended not to believe as he turned to his son, refraining from smiling yet.
"Yeah. Armin and I brought the ball you bought us last year."
"Ooh. Were you able to play it with the other kids?"
"We shared it."
"That's nice."
"Yeah. The kids weren't so bad once they were all smiling."
Grisha chuckled as he patted his son in the head and ruffled his hair. He couldn't be more proud of him. He was sure that Karla felt the same. They were proud of their son.
"What about you Karla, anything new?" he said, shifting his attention to his lovely wife.
"Not much." She shrugged.
"Mom assisted in cooking food for the brought-ins." Eren said.
"Oh, they must love your cooking then?"
"A lot!" Eren added and Karla chuckled.
"I'm sure they loved it."
"What about you Dad? What do you have for us?" Eren asked. His eyes were excited and filled with joy.
"Well.." his eyes played for a while, darting in many different places before looking back at Eren. "..I got you this scarf." He pointed at the red scarf he was wearing.
"You're wearing it." Eren whined.
"Of course! I want you to see how good it looks on dad! Then it must mean it also looks good on you!" he tried to manipulate since he really brought nothing.
Eren fell for his trap and reached for the scarf. Grisha wrapped it around his neck and Eren gleefully hugged the soft fabric.
"Anyway, I have another trip coming up." Grisha inserted. Hoping it was the perfect timing to bring it up.
"Again?" Eren sounded disappointed he's leaving again.
"I'd be going with the Survey Corps this time." Grisha bragged. He knew how much Eren admired the Survey Corps. "They found this village that we could scavenge. But it wasn't like any other villages they've scavenged before. It was filled with survivors and most probably equipment and other supplies. They need me to treat the survivors."
"Can I come?"
"Not really an option." He chuckled.
"When will you be back then?" Karla asked.
"One month max. But if things got easier for us, I'll be here in weeks." He sounded hopeful.
"When you get back, I'd be big already! Then next time I'll be with you on your adventures!" Eren announced and his parents laughed.
"I'm sure you'd grow up just fine." Eren's father patted him again. Karla could only smile in joy. "I'll be off now. I just came by to give you gifts and pack my things."
"I love you Dad."
"I love you too, son."
A moment that Eren wished would never end.
Eren volunteered to escort his father towards the walls. Or more like tag along with him as they go there. He wanted to see the Survey Corps. Karla stayed behind, the usual.
When they got to the walls, Hannes met up with them, along with few of the other Garrisons.
"Another quiet morning I assume." Grisha greeted.
"Yep. I just hope it goes on like this forever." Hannes said, dreamily.
"I hope so too, Hannes." He laughed. "Anyway, take care of my boy for me, alright?"
"It's more like he's the one taking care of us, Grisha." Hannes joked.
"I'm sure he is."
Eren watched as his father was escorted by the Survey Corps, riding horses as they exited the walls. He didn't recognize the faces of the Survey Corps, probably new recruits. But one day.. one day he dreamed that he'd be one of them, saving people and fighting off Titans.
That's his dream.
On his way back, he meets up with Armin who seemed lost. He was staring off at some distance that he didn't notice Eren walking closer to him.
"Hey Armin, what's wrong?" Armin was startled, almost jumping back and Eren laughed. "Hiding again?"
"Uh no. I was actually looking for Hannes-san." Armin said.
"Hmm? Why?"
"About what your mom said. About the brought-ins. They will be taken by the Military Police, right?"
"Oh it's that girl again!" Eren hit the bullseye.
"I- It's not what you think!" Armin panicked and Eren laughed.
"It was a lucky guess." He teased. "Why are you even looking for her? No wait, thinking about her?"
"Uhm.. I don't know."
"Is this true? Armin Arlelt doesn't know?!"
When Armin didn't respond in a way Eren thought he would, he figured that he was serious about this. So Eren had to change his mood too.
"There's something about her that bothers me, that's all." Was all Armin could say.
"Alright then. Let's go together!"
"Really?"
"Yeah. I just saw Hannes-san earlier when I escorted Dad to the walls."
But just about the two were running towards the wall, they halted when they saw a Garrison guard from the wall who fell from the top. His neck was severed by something sharp but at the same time blunt. They froze as they saw the sight of it. The first time they saw it. Death. Murder.
They looked up and saw Garrisons fighting off familiar figures. They were also humans but.. there some something about them that differentiates them from humans. Something that forms the disparity between them…
"TITANS!" yelled a Garrison from above. "THEY'RE HERE!"
All passerbys and Garrisons nearby heard it and sounded the alarm. DING! DING! DING! The towers sounds the alarm. DING! DING! DING!
The two boys froze in place. Terror had seized them.
Blood was dripping from the mouths of the Titans and both the dried and fresh blood was all over their body and clothes. They all had menacing smiles in their faces as they killed the humans they fought. They use their bare hands to fight. And once a Garrison was knocked down by a Titan, he ends up a meal.
They witnessed as another Garrison on top of the wall was screaming in pain as the Titan on top of him started to bite on his shoulder. Chewing even.
The Titans teeth were sharper and denser than a normal human's teeth. Their eyes looked as if they were only staring into one place. Their target. Their food. It was as if they were mindless as they do their raids but surely they're not as mindless as everyone would think. They have blunt fingernails, covered in coagulated blood from their past kills and they were all bare-footed.
So this is… these are… these are Titans?!
Eren had never seen or encountered one before. But now that he's seen one right before his eyes. He felt his whole body trembling, his legs choosing not to move, his mouth agape as his eyes were locked on them. In fear.
He never knew that Titans could scare him like this. Just as they've scared others.
Armin felt the same. He couldn't move as well. His fingers would twitch as he forced himself to move but that was all he could do. His feet were stuck from where it was stepping on. He was scared. Scared to the point that he wished he wasn't standing there to see everything. Everything cruel.
We live in a cruel world.
That's what the girl had told him. She spoke as if she's been from the outside world. But has she really been there? Is Titans the only thing waiting for them in the outside world?
I don't want this.. I don't want this..!
While the two boys were stuck in thought, they failed to notice that a Titan jumped from the wall towards them. He stepped on the dead Garrison before them, drooling as he walked towards the boys. He didn't say a word but he lets out growling sounds as he stretched his hand towards them, wanting to reach them.
Eren and Armin's eyes widened in fear.
He's coming!
They thought. Yet their bodies refused to move. Was it the end of them? Was it how it ends? Eren couldn't let it happen. He told his father he'd join the Survey Corps. He promised his mother he'd be home. He promised them he'd grow and help save people and kill Titans.. he promised himself..
The biggest act Eren could do was swat the Titan's hand away from Armin. Since the Titan was reaching for Armin. Armin snapped back to reality, feeling that he's able to control his own body again at last. He looks at Eren in awe. He could move. He even had the guts to touch a Titan, stare at him with brave eyes.
"Leave my friend alone!" Eren shouted at the Titan.
The Titan wasn't affected by it. It just turned its attention on Eren, reaching his arm to grab him instead. This time Eren was planning to tackle him but at the same time his body was shaking in fear. Armin admired Eren's bravery but he wanted to say that they just run. Run for their lives.
SHWING!
Hannes cuts the arm off, the blood dripping out of the Titan's cut-off arm. The Titan screamed but didn't scream for long because Hannes cuts his head next. Titans has the ability to regenerate. The only way to kill them was to…
He plunged his sword at the brain of the head he cut off and looked back at the boys with a worried look. His 'sons' were in danger. They were almost killed.
"What are you two doing here?! It isn't safe here!"
"H- Hannes-san.. we.." Eren could barely speak. The shock was present. Not only did they see Titans kill humans but they saw humans kill Titans. Right there.
He sighed. Hannes couldn't bring himself to be mad at them for long.
"Come on, let's take you home." He told them.
"But what about my father? H- he.. He went out earlier.." Eren remembered it wasn't long ago that his father left with the Survey Corps.
"He'll be fine."
"But—"
"You'll meet with him in the inner city. You'll be evacuated there." He didn't want to waste anymore time. He can explain later. "Come on!"
As he led the kids back to their houses, Armin found his house burning. A group of Titans gruesomely eating his neighbor who was right outside their house. Armin turned to another side to look away from the scene but it was all the same. Titans were still eating humans.
The Titans on the other side were eating the bullies who bullied Armin a lot. He hated them but he didn't want them to die like this. In the hands of such creatures.
"Armin." Eren pulled Armin away from the sight.
"Come on, we can't be seen." Hannes told them. And Armin hesitantly followed them.
As they run back towards Eren's house, Eren hears a scream from nearby.
"That came from one of Mom's friends!" Eren exclaimed.
"We don't have time to save everyone." Hannes told him. Prioritizing Eren and Armin's lives.
"But that's your job isn't it?! To protect everyone!" Eren reminded him and Hannes was out of words.
Armin was afraid, he couldn't do anything but follow. He didn't want to separate from them. But trying to be a Survey Corps to risk lives and save others.. Armin wasn't sure he could do that.
Hannes instructed the kids to hide in a corner, where fallen debris hides their presence. He killed the standing Titan nearby and checks the house where the scream was from. There were a few CLINGS and CLANGS from inside as a battle went on.
Eren was nervous. He needed to get home too. He needed to get to his mother. But chances of his mother being in this house was also present. She has a schedule to be here anyways. While he was playing with his hands, he spotted a girl with black hair wearing a white nightgown came running out of the house next door.
He saw a Titan tailing her. He got worried. He picked up a shard from the broken debris and ran after her. Armin didn't realize he left until he heard loud footsteps fading from behind.
"Eren!" He called to his friend but he was ignored. He kept his screams to himself, afraid to attract any attention. He was afraid. There was no one to protect him. He didn't want to die.
The brave Jaeger boy attacked the Titan from behind before it could touch the girl. Just as he saw Hannes did earlier. He slashed the shard in its neck as soon as it fell on the ground, landing on its chest. Eren was on top of him from behind and slashes on its neck hard and rough, dried and sticky blood dropped down from it.
The girl stared at Eren, afraid of both him and the Titan.
Eren wasn't aware of the wound regenerating. But he was smart enough to know that seeing the wound close up again was a sign of restoration. He stabbed the shard in the Titan's head and the healing stopped.
"Are you alright?" he asked her. The girl nodded but her eyes kept looking at the Titan. Eren followed her gaze and taps the Titan. "He's dead, see?"
"Thank you." The girl said.
He smiled knowing he'd saved a life. He stood up and stretched his hand towards her. The girl stared at him for a while, hesitant about touching him.
"I'm Eren." He said with a smile.
"Mikasa."
"It's a pleasure meeting you Mikasa."
The two walked back to where Hannes was, which is not so far, but when they got there, Mikasa's eyes widened as she saw a familiar woman attacking Hannes. Hannes struck the woman down effortlessly. Mikasa screamed and ran towards them.
"NOO!" she yelled and Hannes was startled by her cries. "How could you?!"
"She's turned." Hannes explained. Realizing that it's probably her mother. Then he eyes Eren. "You didn't stay in place, did you?"
"Oops." He smiled innocently. Hannes was about to let him slip but he saw Eren's bloody hands and sleeve.
"You.." killed a Titan? Was what he was supposed to say but he stopped without him realizing it. "We need to go."
Hannes had a terrible feeling about it. Shiganshina was no longer a safe place to be. If the Titans got as far as their location, then surely many of the Garrisons failed to hold them down until reinforcements arrive.
Of if reinforcements were really coming.
They ran back home but did not find Karla. Eren was worried. He ran in and out of the house, checking every inch, every room just to find her. Armin was quiet. Still in shock. But he glanced at Eren every now and then. He admired Eren's bravery a lot. His courage.
He killed a Titan! Good for him.
"She's not here." Eren reported sadly. Hannes also got back and shook his head.
"I'm sure she's alive." He assured. "Her body isn't here. And there's no sign of struggle."
"Then we have to find her!"
"The only thing we can do is go to the gate. We need to go to the inner city now and evacuate."
"But-!"
"Your mother will be alright. Just like your father is."
Hannes wished his words were true. Eren wished too.
They ran towards the evacuation area, a large boat was boarded with a huge number of people and at the pier there are still more, they were panicking, pushing each other and shouting and demanding that they be saved first. It's about survival now.
Eren hated it the most when humans would turn against each other because they want to live. But then.. would he have done the same?
Hannes led the three kids there. Mikasa was quietly following them around, especially Eren. Eren was sad that his mother wasn't around. Armin nudged his ribcage all of the sudden and his face lit up. He wasn't know how he would feel when he saw it. But he had one goal in mind. He followed his instincts.
At the side of the pier, there was a woman being pushed off by the Garrison. She was covered in blood and was pale already. Eren ran to her side, hugging her tightly.
"Mom!" he sobbed in her arms.
"Eren.."
The moment Hannes and Armin saw this, they ran their eyes to where her wound was. Seeing her ankle and arm had bite marks and dried blood around it. She will not be permitted to enter the inner city.
"Please, you have to let her in!" Eren begged the guards.
"She can't. It's too risky!" the Garrison yelled.
"She'll be fine! My Dad is finding a cure for the Titans! He can cure her!"
"We don't have time to argue about this, you can enter or stay here with her!"
"Let her in." Hannes tried to negotiate. He can't let this be the end of it.
"You know we can't do that."
"Squad Leader Hanji Zoe would be glad to take her in." Hannes tried again.
"Yeah but not now. We can barely protect ourselves from the Titans. How worse would it be when we bring one inside?"
"The Military Police are there. They can help."
"Just a few of them. Most are inside Wall Rose. Hannes, you know how this works. We CAN'T and WON'T allow this. No one's an exception."
When Eren heard it, he continued to hug his mother. Mikasa somehow felt what he felt. Her mother turned and she wasn't even able to do much about it.
"Eren please listen to them.." she told her son.
"Mom please don't."
"I'll live off somewhere and find me when there's a cure. For now, I want you to live."
"I can't." he sniveled. "I can't leave you Mom."
Karla could feel the pressure and rush to push Eren away. They needed to evacuate. And she was about to turn. The Titans are coming.
"Yes you can." She caressed his cheeks. Her hands have gone rough.
"Mom.." Eren had no other words to say. He just sobbed and sniffed as he didn't let go of his mother.
"I love you Eren." She kissed him in the forehead, returning his hug before looking at Hannes, silently telling him to take Eren by force. As much as Hannes didn't want to do it, he had to. He grabbed Eren and pulled him away by force.
"MOM NO!" Eren screamed as he struggled from Hannes' hold. "Don't do this!"
"Live on." Karla told him, smiling even in her last breath.
"Mom I love you!"
"I love you too."
"I won't leave you! I won't leave you!"
Hannes stopped the tears from coming out of his eyes as he carried Eren as he pushed through the crowd to enter the boat, Mikasa and Armin following after him. They took the plank so no one can enter the boat and before the Titans got anywhere near.
It was the last time Eren ever saw her.
XXXXXXXXX
It got long than it was supposed to. Sorry if it's predictable. And yeah, the death. Sorry about that.
Anyway, I won't be copying much of SNK's original plot. Just a few or probably the storyline or something. I don't know. I guess I'll see as it goes. See you in the next chapter!
