Sinners and heroes
Two weeks after the Rumbling, the ravaged world was starting to restore a little bit of order…
The leaders of the nations agreed to select one city in each country as the only settlement, considering the immensely reduced population they now had.
Marley, as the nation less damaged by the Rumbling because of it's size and resources, agreed to be a safeheaven for all refugees, without distinction, renouncing all expansionists aspirations and exclusion politics… the leaders that were left did not wish for a minute more of hate…
The Marleyan eldians were now the majority of the population of the nation, and of the world…
The leaders of the nations agreed to protect the former titan-shifters, Gabi, Levi, Connie and Jean, as they became the greatest enemies of Paradis.
Annie, Reiner, Falco, Gabi and Pieck stayed for the first few months reconnecting with their families and helping rebuilding their homes… meanwhile Armin, Jean, Connie and Levi were under protection of the military until any civil unrest was put under control…
Armin was invited to stay at Annie and Mr. Leonhart's home; Jean with Pieck's family; Connie with Reiner; and Levi refused to be at anyone's home, so he stayed at an assigned home under the care of Falco and Gabi… he was most displeased about this.
One year after the Rumbling
Armin and the rest spent the majority of the time helping in the rebuilding of the cities and helping people in need.
All of them had become quite respected in the new unified society, but Armin was concerned, as many problems were becoming alarming: hunger was growing as there weren't enough people to tend the farms and most of the machines had been destroyed with repairs and construction of new machinery moving at snail's pace; Marley had an enormous amount of displaced refugees worsening the problems and most worrying of all, there was an emerging sentiment of hatred among the Marleyan minority against the eldians…
Through Mr. Leonhart's influence, Armin was allowed to intervene in representation of the eldians at the governing councils. His suggestions about reconstruction, handling of the refugees by constructing small settlements around the territory, new system of education and the temporary suspension of all national border were essential in the rapid recovery of the nations. His efforts resulted in the formation of the Allied Nations.
Armin, although not having any official post at the government, had become the builder of the world's new society. This caused for the majority of the population to have great admiration for the Eldians, as their lives started to rapidly improve when they started to intervene more directly in government decisions. But this also resulted in a rapid growth of nationalist and anti eldian sentiment in the minority sections of society…
Two years after the Rumbling
The cities had started to take shape, many of them had started to function, as well as the other nations had restarted to gain some sovereignty. But the same problems from last year were still present… Armin realized they were going to need help… from Paradis.
Governing Council
Armin: Ministers, the problems we have been facing for these past two years have become more manageable yes, that's true, but you have to realize this is only temporary… We are seeing more and more people getting sick or injured because of how hard they have been working to provide food; the repaired machines are not helping, there are simply not enough, we lack the materials that we need to do repair them on the scale that is needed; we need help… we need to reestablish relations with Paradis.
The council is distressed by this suggestion.
Armin: You know this is something that must be done, if we don't, then all the sacrifices that were made would have been in vain… there is a growing sentiment of nationalism and intolerance in some sectors of society… if we do not respond to the needs of the majority, they will look to them for solutions… We cannot go back to that, we just can't. We can't live oppressed by violence again… please ministers, you have to consider this...
Three years after the Rumbling
After months of deliberation, Armin's suggestion was accepted. Hizuru representatives were given the task to reestablish relations with Paradis. These were going slow, but managed to reestablish limited communications between the nations.
For the first time in 3 years, Connie and Jean could contact their families, and Armin could contact Mikasa and Queen Historia…
Jean and Connie had been assisting Armin in his work as a politician. Annie had began training new cadets and teaching personal defense at Marley's school. Pieck had been doing social work and entertaining the orphaned children. Reiner had dedicated his life to help in the construction of the settlements and assisting the refugees, traveling all over the continent for this.
After a few months, Historia and the Allied Nations agreed to celebrate a summit between them, with the condition that Armin, Annie, Connie, Jean, Reiner, Pieck and Levi serve as the ambassadors for the nations. All of them accepted, except Levi… he did not give any reason for this decision…
The day before the journey
Armin is preparing his speech at Liberio port's inn. Him and Annie were the first to arrive, as all the ambassadors were requested to arrive one day early to receive diplomatic preparation…
Annie: Armin, are you sure it's a good idea for all of us to go? Some of us were considered enemies way before the rumbling…
Armin: It's for the best for all of us to go… it presents a stronger message of unity and reconciliation… It might not work now, but it must start from somewhere. But I understand your concerns Annie… you don't have to go if you don't want to…
Annie: So… that easy huh? Why do you really want to go back there Armin? It's not just for politics. I can tell.
Armin nervously: Well… of course it's not just for politics… I want to visit Historia and get to know her daughter and see how she has been… and I want to visit Mikasa too… I'm worried about her…
Annie, trying to hide she is annoyed: Ha! So, it is because of Mikasa… I see…
Armin a bit irritated: Well of course it's for Mikasa. She is my best friend… and I left her there alone for 3 years… to deal with everything… I barely know how she is… and there is the subject of her letters…
Annie: Tsk… yeah… what's up with the letters? Why is she signing them as Mikasa Yeager? I know she has always been a bit crazy but this…
Armin: Yeah… you see why I'm concerned?... I feel guilty… I didn't think Eren… would do even more harm to her…
Annie clearly annoyed: Well Armin, don't worry, you'll see Mikasa soon and you can clear everything up with her… I won't bother you. But I'm still coming. You are still a weakling… someone has to protect you…
Annie leaves for the common room of the inn, leaving Armin alone to his thoughts…
Armin: sigh… there she goes again… this is so frustrating…
Jean and Connie had arrived moments earlier and had been spying Armin and Annie's conversation…
Jean: Annie still giving you a tough time huh Armin?
Armin ashamed: You guys have to stop that…
Connie: I'm sorry Armin, it's just that is too entertaining seeing you and Annie fight. It reminds me when she used to beat us up… except that it's you getting beat up… by emotions…
Jean: Connie... shut up. I still don't understand how is it that you are the only one of us who has a girlfriend.
Connie laughing: Yeah… I don't understand it either haha
Jean: Now that I can believe. In any case, don't worry Armin, I'm here now to teach you how to understand girls!
Armin: No thanks Jean, I actually want to get married someday.
Jean goes to cry in a corner: You bastards…
Connie: Jean how come you are not with Pieck?
Jean flustered: Bah! that woman has been a pain in the ass for 2 years. She keeps nagging and bothering me all the time!
Armin: Seriously Jean… you are even more clueless than Eren was… and that's saying something.
At that moment, Pieck and Reiner arrive to the inn.
Pieck: HI GUYS! OHHH ANNIE YOU ARE HERE! I have some gossip to share with you
Annie while being dragged away by Pieck: For fuck's sake Pieck, how many times I have to tell you I don't care about that stuff!
Reiner: Hey guys, long time no see.
Armin. Hi Reiner, I have been told your work in the settlement has improved the lives of the refugees a great deal! You must be so proud…
Reiner: Well… I do what I can…
Jean: Yeah, that's good and all Reiner, but tell me, you think I suck at understanding girls too?!
Reiner: What? You are just realizing this? You are going to die a virgin Jean.
Jean dying on the floor: why didn't I stay being a titan….
Reiner: So, on that subject… Armin, are you married to Annie yet?
Armin and Annie, who is at the next room, start shooting blood from their nose.
Armin: WHAT? What kind of question is that?!
Reiner: Not yet? Really? Wow, you all suck at this.
Connie: But Reiner, I don't see you having a girlfriend either?
Reiner: Shut up you…
Jean: YOU SEE!? IT'S NOT JUST ME! It must be this place, just wait until we get to Paradis. The girls will be lining up for us guys… maybe… I'll even find someone special…
Armin: Mikasa is not going to pay attention to you Jean… ever.
Jean blushing: Who said anything about Mikasa!? In any case, who knows right?
Connie: Well, I don't know Jean, I mean she signs her letters as Mikasa Yeager…
Jean: Yeah, that's weird, they were not married the last time they were together…
Connie: Well, I always assumed they were a couple. They shared such deep stares at each other that it seemed that there were no other people other than them… they did everything together and Mikasa was always taking care of him... no matter what stupid thing he did…
When Eren came to talk me in that weird place in my mind, the whole time I was there felt like days… so I always assumed that when Eren talked to Mikasa, they spent probably an eternity together… maybe living a whole life as a married couple to the point that Mikasa killing Eren was more an act of love that any other, as she chose to give Eren peace than to keep him in pain… so her signing the letter as Yeager did not surprise me… or maybe she married another Yeager?
Armin, Reiner and Jean are shocked, meanwhile Pieck and Annie are tearing up in the other room, having heard everything.
Armin reflecting sadly: So that's why….
Annie blushed and tearing up: Armin…. You idiot…
Pieck sobbing: Aw… I want to get married… She stares at Jean, who does not look back…
Pieck: Hmpf!
Jean and Reiner are in utter shock facing the floor, and both utter to themselves: So that's what love is…
Connie: Huh guys? What's going on? Guys?
As the sun sets down, everyone had recovered from the emotional shock and happily shared stories of their lives… reconnecting a friendship that had been stalled by the cruelty of the world…