I do not own AoT.


Chapter 1: YOU DID WHAT!?

As the group get closer and closer to Riese, the sun slowly rises...

During the journey so far, it was going smoothly- they discussed they plans thoroughly and just had a nice time enjoying nature. Conny had been growing a bit of a scruff. He didn't have time to buzz his hair so he just let it grow out into a crew cut for the time being. Eren's hair covered his face most of the time and he also grew facial hair. Mikasa had cut her hair even shorter and Jean sported slightly longer hair. Armin looked more masculine with a more chiseled face, facial hair, and tied back hair. The others hadn't changed. Much.

"How come I have to be alone!?" Jean suddenly snaps. "Everyone is traveling in twos except Eren, Armin, and Mikasa... Why can't one of them be with me?"

"Dude if you're lonely just talk... we're all traveling together." Conny says.

"Would you want Eren to be your partner, then Jean?" Levi remarks.

Jean immediately chokes. "Urk...! No! I meant Armin or M-Mikasa! To even up the groups!"

"They're doing fine as a trio... I don't think Armin OR Mikasa would like to band together with you anyway..." Sasha says as she stuffs her face with food.

"Ugh. How about you be nicer to me? You've already eaten half of MY rations. I didn't have to share them with you!" Jean says as he leans back on the coach.

"Yeah. You didn't." Armin mumbles. "We only have little ways to go. Just deal with it for a little longer?"

"Eh."

By the time they arrived at the front gate of Riese, the sun had risen. It was nice and sunny outside. The travelers were halted by the village watch-guards.

"Halt. Who are you and what is your business here?" One said, studying the large group of strangers. Everyone got off of their carriages and grouped together to speak.

After they all introduce themselves, Armin and Hanji explain their "situation". "We're all traveling together... It's been a long journey. We escaped when our village got raided and we stopped by the first village we saw... We would like to live here. Please. We have nowhere else to go."

The guards look at each other for a moment, then one that spoke to them first sighs. "I'll have a talk with the Chief, then. Stay put." He says, then leaves. The other watches cautiously.

The guard that left returned a few minutes later with an older looking man.

"I heard you fellas are looking for a place to stay?"

Everyone nodded.

"Daren here explained to me your situation, and well... You may. We're missing a few residents to keep a stable economy so I'd be glad to welcome you all here."

"Thank you so much!" Hanji says, bowing to the Chief.

"I'm happy to help. Let me give you all a tour. Before you settle in."

Surprisingly, the village had a big enough vacant hut that could house the 8 of them. After they settled down, Levi called for a meeting.

"...So what now?" Armin says.

"We wait. Just lounge around until the Marley come blasting through." Levi answers.

"Don't cause any trouble. We can't get kicked out or raise any suspicions."

"Roger."

The next day

The next day everyone was awoken by a bell. It was loud and went on for a full 5 minutes. They tossed and turned, hoping that it would stop and they could go back to sleep. Eventually they gave in and got up. When the squad exited the hut, they noticed that their neighbours were gathering to the dining area outside.

"Wait, they have dinner bells... for breakfast?" Jean says.

"Just be happy they cook it for you." Eren says as he scratches his ass.

"Dude, ew. You're gonna eat with those hands. That's hella nasty."

Eren snorts. "There's something called washing them."

Sasha interrupts, shouting, "Guys, lets just eat! I'm starving!"

"Yeah I agree. We didn't have any dinner- we just went straight to sleep yesterday." Mikasa says. "Eren, come with me, I'll get the best foods for you."

After they finish breakfast, the chief tells the newly arrived residents what to do.

"Just because you're new here doesn't give you a pass to relax, now! For now, just help out with labour work and assist with other tasks if someone asks. That's all I ask from y'all. Thanks."

Sasha was banned from preparing lunch and Levi refused to do anything else but clean. Hanji left with gatherers to explore and Mikasa did all the heavy duty. Armin aided in the knowledge department- helping the village with new farming techniques he read in books. Eren tried his best to outdo Mikasa and Jean tried his to outdo Eren. (Infront of Mikasa)

They all were worn out from hard work by the time it was dinner time and went to bed immediately after.

Everyone was sound asleep. Well, Hanji was snoring and Levi was close to throwing them out the hut to sleep outside. But they were all asleep- until Sasha and Conny come barging in the hut, shouting as quietly but loudly as they could.

"Guys! Guys!" They run around the beds, waking up everyone by shaking them.

"What!?" Eren whisper shouts. "What's wrong!? Are the Marley here!?"

"No! Look!" Sasha says, and runs over to the entrance of the hut, motioning the others to follow her. Everyone follows them groggily.

"..."

"..."

"What the fuck!? Why is the chieF ON THE FLOOR IN OUR HUT!?" Levi whisper shouts.

"Listen!" Conny shushes him.

"Explain this!"

"We were doing little night raid outside! Sasha got caught by the Chief and he started yelling at her! You said we couldn't get kicked out so I panicked and knocked him out! We couldn't leave his body on the floor so we dragged him here!"

"YOU DID WHAT!?" Everyone yells, grabbing both Sasha and Conny.

"You IDIOTS!" Levi says.

"We weren't ready!"

It was then they heard shouting outside of their hut.

"Outsiders! Come out immediately! We need to talk!"

"Oh shit!" Hanji says, panicking.

"Dude, don't let them see the Chief!" Conny says.

"No shit, idiot! If you guys thought thought for one second we wouldn't be in thi-"

"Outsiders! Come out NOW!"

"Shit, shit, shit!"

"In a second!" Mikasa yells out to the guards.

"Ok, guys we need to-"

"We are coming in now!"

"OK, OK!" Jean says, and then they all exit.

They try to cover up the fact that the village Chief is knocked out on the floor in their hut.

"Y-yes...?" Hanji says.

"Our Chief is missing. Do you know anything about this?"

"Uh..."

BOOM!

The village gate flies open and troops come marching in. The guards that were questioning the group run over to the troops. They argue, then the guards suddenly drop their weapons and kneel down. The neighbouring villagers around the group's hut come out and immediately surrender. Everyone does the same. As they kneel and put their hands over their head, Levi says something to Conny and Sasha.

"You guys are so fucking lucky..."

Conny gulps. "Uh.. yeah..."

Three men with large rifles then come over to the squad members and chain them together. Then they were forced onto a wagon full of the villagers. Levi obviously is very uncomfortable with the dirtiness, as he struggles to keep calm. His eye twitches and he is visiably shaking. Women and children cry throughout the journey to Marley. The main group however, stay silent.

After two grueling weeks of barely any food and water, the wagon stops. This was especially hell for Sasha. She looked tired. More than everyone else. The squad members look up expectantly and is greeted by the towering gates of the Wall of Marley. They all look at each other.

Then, all of the prisoners are forced off of the wagon and into a line.

"Haha... We did it..." Eren whispers to his comrades.

"Yay..." Sasha says weakly.

They follow the guards into a town. They pass through many different places, but the line doesn't seem to stop. Eren sees that more shipments of slaves are coming in quickly, and almost loses his temper. He couldn't do anything. After an hour of traveling on foot, the line stops suddenly, catching everyone's off guard.

"What's going on, Heichou?" Jean asks.

"I don't know."

It was then that a tall, tan woman stepped out of the line...

"T-that's... Ymir...!" Armin says, catching everyone's attention.

"Lucky!" Conny whispers.

"Wait... There's Reiner!"

"They're leaving...! We can't lose them!"

"We're chained! What can we do?"

"Ugh..."

The line starts moving again.

"On with it, Eldians!"

Another hour passes by of walking. Off in the distance is a facility... A labour camp...

"Aw hell no..." Eren says.

Time passes by and it's finally their turn to get scanned and let into the camp. They all get put in a lodging house, thankfully together. It is the evening, and they're all circled together around a fire to keep warm.

"We need to get to Ymir!"

"We don't even know where she is. Plus we have to worry about ourselves! We're in a slave camp, mind you!"

"Conny's right for once... but I have an idea..."

"And that is?"

"Easy. We kidnap some guards, take their uniforms, and get out."

"Uh, I think you're missing a few steps."

"I know, but that's the general idea!"

"That's the only chance and choice we have... But it's not exactly easy to pull off..."

"We'll finish this conversation tomorrow. We're all tired, so it's best to put this off for now."

"I agree. Let's rest."