AN: I do not own Attack on Titan. I am also an anime-only, so don't expect anything from the manga.

Chapter 1: The Orphan From Shiganshina

A young ten-year-old boy had just awoken, rising with the morning sun. It was still early in the morning, but people were still out and moving around. The boy rubbed his eyes, clearing the dreariness from sleep out of his eyes. He pulled a large piece of cloth off of him, exposing his body to the cold morning weather. The boy would be considered a cute kid if he cleaned himself up, he had yellow-gold spiky hair, with most of it falling on his forehead. His eyes were a very light blue, they really stood out against his hair. His hair was cut short on the sides and on top, to prevent lice from becoming a problem. If he bathed more often and let his hair grow out, he would be considered the pride of any parent. Unfortunately, his lack of baths was not his fault and his parents were not around to be proud of him. If anyone asked him his name his only answer would be Naruto and then he would curse the fact his parents couldn't give him the last name.

If someone looked away from his face to his body, they would be able to tell why he looked so dirty. He was a street urchin, he had a frail body, which stemmed from a lack of food and nutrition. His diet consisted of stolen pieces of food and some water, if he was lucky he could scrounge together dinner after only a few hours. If not, then he would go hungry. His clothes weren't in much better shape than he was, it would be better to call them rags, rather than clothing. He had a brown shirt, the bottom was in tatters, strips of cloth just barely hanging on. He had blank pants that had large holes where his knees are. Both shirt and pants were too big for him, but he made due anyway. On his feet were sandals, a present for his birthday, from the few people that cared about him.

Naruto stood up, he couldn't wait to spend the whole day with Eren, Mikasa, and Armin, they were his light in this bleak world. He would go to hell and back for them, they were the first people to care about him. Naruto looked over to some boxes that were next to him, finding nothing. Sighing, Naruto wondered where his breakfast went; he would put good money that it was a rat, but he couldn't count out a stray dog or cat. All in all, it didn't matter to him which had it, he just wished he could've had something to eat before he goes out.

Naruto walked out of the alleyway and looked around, he needed to find some food before he did anything with his day. He saw a fruit stand that was being set up and that became his target. He crept over, trying to be discreet as possible and waiting for the right time. He saw the owner of the fruit stand turn his back and he made his moment to strike, his hand flashed out and grabbed one apple. Whenever he stole, he made sure there weren't that many people around, meaning he could only really steal in the early mornings or late evenings. He always liked stealing at night more than in the morning and he seemed to be a lot better at it too.

Naruto was already walking away when the store owner turned back around, seeing as only one fruit was gone the owner would never find out about the stolen apple. Naruto waited to turn the corner before he took the apple out and chomped down on it. It filled his mouth with the sweet juices and quelled his hunger, at least for now. With his job of finding breakfast done, Naruto made his way over to the Yeager residence. When he reached the house, he hopped onto a tree nearby and watched people go by.

As the hours passed, Naruto didn't move from the branch he was sitting on. If one was to ask him what he was doing, he would try to shrug off the question. One would have to force an answer out of him and then all they would get would be, 'to protect what's important to me.'

Naruto was trying to guard over the Yeager house, to protect them. Well, as best as a ten-year-old can. His secondary objective was to wait for Mikasa and Eren to come out, he would accompany them on whatever they had to do.

A young Eren Yeager had just awoken from a nightmare, opening his eyes, he looked up into the face of arguably one of his closest friends, Mikasa Ackerman. Sitting next to him, there was another boy around his age. Eren was still a little groggy from his nap, but he could still recognize his best friend. Eren and Naruto were closest of friends, even if sometimes they didn't act like it. They would fight and tussle over little things but each time they would get over it and go back to being best friends. If one got in a fight, the other would be right there to back the other up. Naruto knew that Eren tended to pick a fight with anyone, no matter their size or age. Naruto and Mikasa always had to stay nearby, just in case he needed support in a fight. The one noticeable difference was a drive to do something with their life. Eren wanted to leave the walls and explore everything there was to see outside of Wall Maria. Naruto didn't care about any of that, he just wanted to protect his friends.

Yawning, Naruto looked over from his side of the tree, "Oh, Eren you're finally awake. Also, Mikasa if you ever need help, just let me know. I can pick up the slack that Eren doesn't do. It's the least I can do for the two of you."

Mikasa just stood there with the wood strapped to her back, after a few seconds she opened her mouth to respond but then Eren cut in, "Huh? Mikasa? Naruto,"

Instantly Mikasa responded, "Let's head back."

Eren sat there for a few moments, staring out across the open planes before he responded, "What am I doing here?"

Naruto jumped up and laughed, "You're here to collect wood, you forget that already? I could stick my finger through one ear and it would go out the other." A shit-eating grin then stretched across his face and he flicked one of Eren's ears.

"That hurt! You bastard," Eren jumped up and started to chase Naruto around the tree. Eventually, Mikasa had enough and grabbed them both.

Mikasa sighed, then turned to Eren, "Are you sure you're okay? You seemed really out of it." Eren just stood there, and then she realized something, "Eren, you're crying."

He dabbed away the tears before Naruto would notice, "Don't tell anyone I was crying, I don't even know why I was."

"I won't," was all Mikasa said in reply. She turned and called out to Naruto to come down from the tree, he was attempting to climb it and had made it a good 10 feet up. He jumped down and landed on his feet.

As they all started walking back, Naruto heard his stomach grumble, "Come on guys let's hurry, I want to find some food when we get back." Mikasa and Eren both sighed inside, despite their best efforts, Naruto did not go back to their house with them for meals and a bed at night. Even Eren's parents talked to him, trying to convince them that they wanted him off the streets. Always, he declined, always saying he doesn't want to intrude or something along those lines.

Mikasa started, "Look, Naruto we have-"

Naruto cut her off, "No, I can't take anymore from you, you guys and Eren's parents do enough for me. Between the checkups from Eren's dad and everything you guys do for me, I cannot accept anything more." Naruto truly believed that his circumstances were his own fault and that relying on others could only let you down. Mikasa on the other hand was always trying to help out her favorite blond. She would always try to take care of Naruto, much to his chagrin. The circumstances of their meeting were painful for both of them, they had yet to revisit that terrible night. However that night brought them close together, they were almost siblings.

Together, Mikasa and Eren were the single most important people in his life. For them, he would gladly lay down his life to save either one of them.

He tried to comfort them, "Don't worry Mikasa, I promise I'll always be here for you. I won't run off and disappear for years or go get myself killed. I will always be by your side, it's not like I can let Eren get into too much trouble. And wherever Eren is, you'll be nearby. Also, I got to help Armin see the ocean with you guys, it sounds beautiful." After hearing this, Eren started to sputter, vehemently believing that it was never his fault for the fights he got into.

As they approached the town, they saw some garrison soldiers hanging out drinking and playing cards. Naruto ran over to them and jumped onto the back of another blondie, a man named Hannes, "OY! Hannes, I'll get you this time," laughing, Hannes grabbed him and threw him off.

Hannes walked over and looked down at him, "Nice try, kid. You won't be able to take me down for another hundred years." His face was red from alcohol intake and he was in a good mood. Eren was going to complain that Hannes wasn't doing his job but seeing how happy Naruto is with him. He decided to keep his mouth shut.

Naruto then shouted from where he was with Hannes over to Eren and Mikasa, "Eren! Mikasa! I can hear the bells! The scouts came back." Eren's face instantly lit up when he heard about the scouts, seeing as it was his goal to go outside the walls. He grabbed Mikasa's arm and started running over to where the gate was. When he finally got there, his expression darkened.

The scouts that had managed to return had their heads down, others were wrapped in bandages. A certain blond was simply looking down. An older woman came up to them, asking for her son. Eren couldn't hear who specifically she was asking for, but no one responded to her. Eventually, she understood she would never see her son again. The woman fell to the ground and started to sob, "my son, my son! I hate you, dammed scouts! You guys always take away many lives, for what? You guys have done nothing!" Eren was going to go over and stop the woman from disrespecting the scouts, but someone grabbed his shoulder.

Turning around, he saw Mikasa standing there, "Eren, don't. It's not going to get any better if you step in." Grunting, Eren relaxed and turned to look for Naruto. The boy in question was catching up to him and Mikasa. When Naruto finally reached them he said, "Ay, still daydreaming about joining the scouts Eren," there was a hint of resentment in his voice.

Eren turned to him and replied with some venom in his voice, "you can't blame them forever, it's not your fault she went and got herself killed."

Naruto clenched his fists and turned to look away from Eren and Mikasa and towards the scouts that were still going by. He started to speak slowly and said, "Don't go there. Yeager," Eren flinched and pulled a fist back.

However before the fist could move forward, Mikasa intervened, "Guys, please don't fight. Please," Mikasa hated when the two got into arguments, she wouldn't however, let them start to fight. Ever since that night a couple of years ago, she was inseparable from Eren and to a lesser extent, Naruto. Mikasa did not like revisiting those memories, so she tried to keep them in the back of her mind.

Naruto just hung his head, "I'm sorry, Eren. I didn't mean to go at you like that," Naruto felt bad for getting mad at Eren, they were like brothers. Even though they haven't known each other as long as Eren knew Armin, the spiker blonde and the black-haired boy had gone through a traumatic experience together.

Eren just held out his and apologized too, Naruto shook his hand and slapped him on the back, "Come on, let's get you guys home. I also need to thank Mrs. Yeager for washing my clothes the other day."

The three of them started walking towards the Yeager's home, Eren and Naruto chatting while Mikasa was stoic as normal. When they got back, Naruto waved goodbye and walked off to find or rather, steal food.

Mikasa and Eren both entered the house and Eren called out their return, "We're back!" Both Eren and Mikasa set the wood down in a box for later.

Carla Yeager, their mom welcomed them back, "Welcome home." Carla was an attractive, fair-skinned woman of medium height with a slender build. She had large light eyes, long dark hair tied loosely, hanging on her right shoulder with bangs on each side and only a few short hairs kept loose on her forehead. When she greeted Eren, Carla wore a cream-colored sweater with frilled sleeves and a long red skirt with a white apron and small tan boots.

She walked to where Eren was putting wood away and said, "Oh Eren? You actually worked hard for a change."

He responded with a weak, "Yeah…"

Carla then reached down and grabbed Eren's ear and then yanked. This caused him to groan in pain, wondering why she did this he asked, "What was that for?"

She knowingly said, "Your ears turned red. That means you're lying. Who helped you this time, Naruto or Mikasa," he just looked out the window in shame.

Fifteen minutes later, Eren, Mikasa, and his dad, Grisha Yeager, were eating food on the table. Eren saw his dad packing his bag and questioned him. "Huh? Are you going somewhere, Dad?" Grisha was a fairly tall, slender man with straight black hair neatly parted down the middle, a thin beard and mustache, and gray eyes. He wore a gray suit with a black vest and a white shirt, a plain bolo tie, and round glasses.

He simply replied, "Yes, I'm going inland to see some patients. I'll probably be going for three to four days."

Mikasa used the comfortable silence to speak up, "Eren said he wants to join the Survey Corps." Carla instantly turned around from doing the dishes to look at Eren in disbelief.

Eren turned to her and just gave her a look of betrayal, "M-Mkasa, why would you tell them that? I told you not to tell them."

Carla just ran over to where Eren was sitting in his chair by the table and grabbed him by the shoulders, "What are you thinking? Do you know how many people died outside those walls?"

Eren just looked back with some anger in his eyes, "Of course I do!"

Carla started with, "In that case…" They were practically yelling at this point, but Grisha cut his wife off.

In his calm tone, he stated, "Eren, why do you want to go outside?"

"I want to know what it's like out there. I don't want to spend my life inside the walls, not knowing anything. Also, if no one like me or Naruto carries on their work, all the casualties till now will have been in vain!"

"I see," he stood up and grabbed his bag, "The ship is waiting. I'll be going now."

Carla tried to convince Grisha to stay and lecture Eren, to convince him to stay away from the scouts. He simply smiled and said, "Human curiosity is not something you can restrain with a lecture."

Looking over at Eren, he made a promise, "When I get back, I'll show you what's in the basement. I'll show you everything I've kept secret in the basement."

With those words, he walked out and shut the door. He walked down about 20 steps before he called out, "I know you're there, come out now, Naruto."

Naruto, even though he was a small boy, had managed to make it onto one of the branches of the trees that littered the pathways of the district. He jumped down and made his way over, "Hello, Mr. Yeager."

Grisha simply reached down and ruffled the boy's dirty, unkempt hair, "Hello, Uzumaki. May I ask what you are doing outside my family's home?

Naruto simply blushed and turned away, "Nothing, sir."

Grisha simply smiled, and asked, "You wouldn't by chance, be trying to protect us?"

Naruto hung his head, "M-Maybe, sir."

Grisha simply shook his head and looked at Naruto, "We do not need protection, and that is no disrespect to your abilities. It is just that we are not in danger, you do not need to waste your time on us."

Naruto countered with, "It's the least I can do for you and Mrs. Yeager, without you guys I'd be off a lot worse than before." Grisha then reached into his pocket, and pulled out a piece of bread, and gave it to him, knowing that Naruto would not accept any more. His refusal of more than a small piece of bread was not due to having an abundance of pride, it was more since he would rather the bread go to Mikasa or Eren.

As he started to walk away, he thought about some memories, That boy has started to grow into a fine young man. His parents would be proud of him

Naruto finished eating his bread and was just laying back against the tree until he saw Eren run out. Eren was yelling something at his mom, who was following close behind, at least until Eren made it past a few steps outside. Naruto then saw Carla grab Mikasa and tell her something, which she nodded in response to. Mikasa then turned to run after Eren, who was no doubt sprinting about in a fit of rage.

Naruto took this chance to sneak over behind Carla, who was watching Mikasa leave, and reach up and tap her on the shoulder. She turned around and looked down at him, "Oh, Naruto it's good to see you."

He replied, "It's good to see you too. I saw that Eren probably got into another fight, what happened this time."

She sighed and sat down on the steps that lead down to the street, "I just learned about Eren's ambition to join the scouts, and I probably overreacted a bit."

Naruto looked out to where his two best friends have gone and said, "You know, I'll always have Eren's and Mikasa's back. if it's the two of them against the world, I would be right along with them."

She looked over to him with a softened expression, "There is no reason too, what happened wasn't your fault. What they chose to do was entirely their own choice."

"It's not just that, we've grown to become as close as siblings. I see Eren as my brother and Mikasa as my sister. I'll always be there for them, and you and too," he gave Carla a small smile.

"Thank you, Naruto. You should probably go find Eren before he gets in another fight," Naruto giggled at that, then he took off and started to look around for the two people he is closest to in his life.

It was getting late in the afternoon and four kids were sitting on some stairs. The stairs lead down to the riverbank. The river that they were next to ran right through town and was always a good place for the four of them to hang out. A black-haired boy was questioning a raven-haired girl, "Come to think of it, why did you tell my parents?"

Another blonde kid just laughed, "Come on Eren, you have to ask that? She doesn't want you to get hurt, and what's the one place you're most likely to get killed? The damn scouts." He then turned to Mikasa and said, "You know, if you want him to be happy. Let him follow his dreams, just help him along the way."

The last of the group just questioned Eren, "H-How did it go?"

Eren responded with, "Well, they weren't that happy. It's ok though Armin, I don't need their permission to join the military."

Naruto looked over at Armin, even after knowing him for a couple of years he still wasn't sure what to make of him. He wanted to know about the outside world, but he was still bullied. Naruto didn't dislike the fact that he had such big goals, he applauded him for it. Naruto however did dislike that Armin needed help to stand up for himself, it was like Armin did not truly believe in his dreams and that they would just stay dreams. However, Naruto and Armin were still close friends, while not to the extent of Eren or Mikasa, Naruto would help Armin in any possible way.

Armin turned to stare at the river and hugged his knees close to him, "I wonder about those who think that staying inside these walls will protect us forever. Just because the walls haven't been breached-"

A growling Naruto stood up, "stop acting like those damn titans are the only threat to humanity, humans can be some damn monsters too," he started to pace when a loud boom was heard.

Looking up, he saw smoke rising from outside the walls, he motioned to the others to follow him to where people were pointing. Running over, they looked up to see a big cloud of smoke rising above the walls, then a hand grabbed the wall. It looked like a muscle, an oversized hand without any skin or blood. Then a shadow fell onto the people in the plaza looking up. Staring at them, was the face of a titan, steam seemed to come out of his jaw as he looked down at them.

An explosion seemed to rock the earth and debris was flying everywhere, rocks bigger than the size of a normal human were flying everywhere. When the smoke cleared, there was a gaping hole that titans could fit through at the bottom of the wall.

Mikasa, Naruto, and Armin just looked at it in shock, but Eren started to move. He was running back towards his house and just screamed one thing, "Mom!"

AN: It's a short chapter, I know. It will be updated in the near future, at least before chapter two comes out. I just wanted to see what people are thinking of this. Also, if you read my other story and come from there, I'm not abandoning it. This story just seemed to jump to mind, and it's going to be one hell of a ride. Also, there will be AU arcs eventually, but I'm going to follow the original story for a bit, although most scenes will be different than what's in the show. Please leave critics and ideas for future arcs or something to improve on. Especially a romantic pairing, no harems. I would like to do something unique, so you have any suggestions, just let me know in the reviews.

If you see any grammar errors, even if you're not sure if they are errors, please let me know I am still improving.

Updated chapter 1: Fixed grammar, added more about all 4 main characters. Minato and Kushina are not mentioned as Naruto's parents.

This is still the prologue, it was just mainly to introduce the characters and get the backstory on Naruto. Meaning all following chapters will be a lot longer.

-alex