"We all have big changes in our lives that are more or less a second chance."

Harrison Ford

Chapter 5: A Second Chance

"So...that's our...destination?" Eren grumbled, his Titan straining to get the words out. He would have to work on that later.

"Yes. Argus, if I'm reading this right," Cinder said, looking at the Scroll she stole from one of the dead soldiers. "It's supposed to be the largest non-capitial city in the world and a major trading center between here and Solitas."

Steam began to rise as Eren emerged from the nape of the Titan. Strands of red and black flesh were ripping away from his face. "And it also has a military presence here as well," Eren said as he looked over and the nearby island installation "They'll spot a giant Grimm coming from a mile away. We can't go any further on my Titan."

"So...we have to go the rest of the way ourselves?" Cinder hesitantly asked as she looked down at the body of water. "Are you sure?"

"Right now, we need to keep a low profile. And not just from Salem either," Eren explained as he pulled himself out of the nape, the Titan beginning to dissolve into black smoke. "After all, we did just fight against a major military power in one of the most secure and advanced kingdoms in the world. And I doubt they've ever seen a giant humanoid Grimm that talks either."

"..."

Eren looked over and saw the nervous expression on Cinder's face. He reached over and gripped her hand causing her to look up towards him "Together, now."

Cinder sucked in a deep breath before nodding. A determined expression on her face told Eren that she was ready.

"1...2...3...NOW!"

Both Eren and Cinder jumped off the partially evaporated Grimm Titan and into the water, the two of them surfacing up with a deep breath and beginning to swim their way to the shoreline. Although Eren never really needed to swim back in his old world, he was thankful that he learned how to swim regardless, both from military training and from the phantom experiences from his father and Kruger. He noticed that Cinder seemed to be having a bit of trouble at first, but soon found her stride.

However Eren began to realize a terrible mistake he made. Because he saw the shoreline from his Titan it appeared to be closer than it really was. He forgot to take his original body into the equation and therefore miscalculated just how far they actually needed to swim.

Eren's arms were beginning to tighten and ache the further he went. His younger body wasn't used to the strain, and Cinder felt like her chest was about to explode as she tried to regain breath. She finally began to run out of energy and couldn't keep herself from falling under the water. Luckily, Eren was able to grab hold of her and swim with one arm.

"Come...on...Cinder," Eren panted. "Not...much...farther now."

"Can't...feel...arms-ACK!" Cinder sputtered and spat as water accidentally filled her mouth, her aching arms falling limp in the water as she found herself unable to move.

Eren continued to swim, pulling Cinder over his back and her arms around his neck. "Use...your legs..." he begged. "Help push me..."

Cinder realized she still had some strength in her legs and began to paddle in tandem with Eren. Immediately he felt himself move faster with Cinder's help, and eventually managed to feel a sandbar under his feet. "Stop!" he yelled. Cinder complied, and as she did she felt her legs hit the sandbar too. She untangled herself from Eren's back, her strength returning just enough for her to stand up.

The children were panting heavily. Their arms aching and their legs shaking, but they managed to reach land. They turned around and gazed out back to their previous position, a faint column of black smoke rising.

Eren wiped the sweat from his brow. "We made it Cinder," he mumbled and looked over to the city in the distance, now within reach. "We made it."

*THUD*

Eren whirled around at the faint sound of something impacting the sand. His eyes widened when he spotted Cinder collapsed on the ground, eyes closed and unconscious. "Cinder!" Eren tried to reach her when he was suddenly hit by a wave of vertigo. His vision began to darken, his legs were unable to keep supporting his body as he fell to his knees. He tried to reach out to her. His arms shaking, until the rest of the body met with the ground. "Cin...der." Eren crawled across the sand, his hand reaching out just inches away from Cinder's own. Black soon engulfed his vision, what energy remained left him as Eren finally passed out.

"Oh, this one's a woman. Too bad, if only you weren't a Devil."

"Why'd they bring you here? I told them every last thing there was to know!"

"Grisha...I promise...no matter what form I might take...I swear I'll come find you."

*BOOM*

"GAH!"

A woman with short blonde hair woke up with a start and took a few quick breaths. Looking around, she could see that she was in a small bedroom, with one window shining sunlight on her face. Along with the light, there were two lines of tears coming down her cheeks.

The woman sighed as she wiped away the tears. "It's alright, Dina," she said to herself. "Just another dream."

Pulling the covers away, the woman exited her bed. Stretching as her muscles loosened up, sighing in relief at feeling the small cracks her joints made. She then made her way to a built in wardrobe and pulled out a body-length gray robe with a small flower decal along the waist and sleeves as well as some fresh underwear. With new clothes now in hand she made her way to the bathroom and began to disrobe, tossing her sleepwear into a nearby hamper. After having a nice hot shower, a few eggs and steamed vegetables for a good breakfast and she was ready to seize the day.

Stepping outside, the woman made her way behind the small gray homestead she lived in, passing the small garage with a three-wheeled cargo vehicle inside. In the back were two large trees, each with healthy and ripe looking apples and pears, and four long rows of growing fruits and vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, melons, and eggplant. The last few days had been kind to Dina's farm, and even kinder to the crops she had a few feet away from the house. And now was the time to collect what she grew.

Once she did, the farmer made her way to a small town she lived just outside of. She entered through a small arch in a stone wall were people were dressed in a similar fashion to her. While men wore some silk shirts and pants, the women were brighter colored robes, but the same style as Dina had on. As she passed through the town, Dina stopped at an empty street vendor's booth. Once she did, she began to unpack the cart she took with her and fill the stand with apples, vegetables, and ears of corn. And her first customer had just arrived.

"Hello, Dina," said a smiling brunette woman in a green robe. She walked up to the booth with a small child in a green shirt and white pants.

"Good morning, An," Dina said with a smile. She looked down at the child who was examining her produce. "And good morning to you, little Lie. See anything you like?"

The child reached into his pocket and pulled out a plastic card, a small amount of Lien. "What can I buy with this?" he asked politely.

"Well..." Dina looked at her produce and picked up a small red apple. "How does this look?" The child's eyes widened and he nodded with a smile. So Dina took the Lien and handed him the apple. "And what can I get for you, An?"

"The usual, please."

Dina reached down behind her booth and pulled out a basket. She began to fill that basket with vegetables, a few pieces of everything she had. As she did, An began to strike up a conversation. "I see the farm life is rewarding you."

"The hired help does good work on the crops, I'm afraid I can't take credit for that." Dina looked at one carrot and examined. "Now this, I can agree with you." The women shared a short laugh as she filled the basket.

"I just wish it wasn't outside the city," An confessed. "A lot of people feel that your farm makes...an easy target for the Grimm."

"It doesn't really matter," Dina said. "I have the storm cellar if worse comes to worse. And the Grimm never scared me easily. I've...seen worse."

"Oh, dear. I don't mean to pry, but are...are you dreaming again?"

Dina sighed as she finished filling the basket. "A little, here and there. You know it was worse when you knew me as a child, so it's become...tolerable."

"I know. But it's important to remember that they were just dreams."

"I just never understood why they seemed so real. And why they were always...the same. I mean, wouldn't they be different every once in a while? No, I still dream about a husband and child I never had, and I practically...live the rest of it." Dina looked away from the basket to a saddened An. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"No, it's alright. You're starting to be a little more open about it, which is good. If you'd like, we could talk a little more over a cup of tea."

"I'd love to, but today's the day I take my produce to Argus. The airship from Mistral will be here before noon and I still have some produce to sell here."

"Maybe another time," An said as she took her son's hand. "Lie, what do we say to Ms. Fritz?"

"Thank you for the food, Ms. Fritz!" the child said as he walked away. Dina smiled as her friend walked back to her house.

The rest of the morning as a street vendor turned very profitable for Dina, and as she said, an airship from Mistral came to the city to take her to Argus. The ride was a long one for the farmer, but she brought along a book to pass the time. She had started the story of The Man with Two Souls a week ago, and she found it a very interesting read. But it didn't do much to take her mind off her dreams.

As long as Dina could remember, she had been haunted by dreams where she was the hero in her own story. Only, the story was surreal. She was a member of a kind of people who were treated like dogs for simply existing. Everyone called her a 'Devil' for having the ability to turn into a 'Titan', and she always craved for freedom. The rest of her dream played out happily, falling in love with a brave idealistic man and having a child of her own. Except, everyone turned for the worse when her son got her arrested.

The last thing she always remembered, the worst thing she remembered, was being eaten alive by giant people after a small boy punched her hand.

Her parents and friends did everything to help her, from taking her to childhood psychologists and simply talking about it. The dreams became less frequent as she grew older, but the best thing her parents did to help her was let her sleep with a smiling rag doll. The first night she slept with the doll, Dina woke with a start to a smiling, comforting face. The permanent happiness the doll had made Dina fall asleep again. She kept it through the years, the doll becoming a sort of talisman for the woman. She didn't know why, but Dina liked the name 'Vasilisa' for the doll.

She even packed it in a small sack, just in case she fell asleep on the flight. But once she felt the ship land and the door open, she saw that Vasilisa wouldn't be necessary. So the farmer pulled her produce out with a cart and walked up to the Atlesian escorts that were waiting for her. "Hello, gentlemen," Dina addressed the soldiers with a smile.

"Hey, Dina," one of the soldiers greeted the farmer. He turned to see the cart behind her. "Wow, quite a load this time. You need some help bringing it around Argus?"

"Oh, I'll be fine. But if you'd like..." Dina reached into one of the sacks and pulled out two apples. "You two can help lighten the load."

"Aw, thanks!" a younger solider said as he took the apple. His partner joined him and took a bite.

"So, how's it taste?" the farmer asked.

"Dina, you know these taste great," the first soldier said. "More people need to eat the stuff you grow, I'm telling you." Dina smiled at the compliment and decided to get to work. Since it was regulation to be escorted outside the base, the two soldiers joined her and continued their conversation. "So how are things in the wild?"

"Why do you always call it that?" Dina asked. "The cities outside the kingdom are just as safe as Argus."

"I dunno, Dina. The lack of Huntsmen scares me. I'm surprised it doesn't scare you."

"Well, trust me...I've seen worse."

"No, you haven't."

Dina turned to the younger soldier. "Excuse me?"

The older soldier cut in before his partner could continue. "Private, I don't think we're at liberty to talk about that."

"Why not?" the soldier asked. "The Atlas Eye wouldn't stop talking about it. If Atlas knows, people here should know too."

Dina spoke up. "I'm sorry, what are you talking about?"

The soldiers shared a quick glance and the Private shifted his head to Dina. After a sigh, the experienced soldier spoke again. "Last night, the city of Atlas was partially destroyed in a Grimm attack."

Dina's heart skipped a beat. "Des-? Oh, my God. How bad was it?"

"Pretty bad. The Grimm destroyed a bunch of office buildings and apartments."

"Did a lot of people die?"

"...Yeah. But the worst part was that...it killed two platoons of soldiers."

"That's terrible! And...you were there?"

"No, but the Atlas Eye told us everything. Although, I'm not sure I can believe most of it."

"How so?"

"..."

The soldier said nothing as he continued to march forward. His partner could see that he was still shaken up from the news, and so was he. But he took it upon himself to tell Dina what they heard. "Well, apparently, it wasn't a group of Grimm," he explained. "It was...one."

The trio stopped at the gate, but Dina still had more questions. "One?" she asked. "How...how is that possible?"

"We don't know. But last night got even weirder when we saved two kids."

"Two kids?"

"Yeah, we were patrolling the city one night, me and my partner." The soldier pointed to the older man next to him. "We found them on the shoreline, passed out from exhaustion. I was going to check on them when our shift was over, but if you're in the city..."

"Of course I can find them. Where are they?"

"So this is it..." Dina muttered under her breath, her eyes going from her Scroll to the building in front of her. "It's bigger than I thought it would be."

According to the soldiers, the children had been brought to Glory Dawn. Glory Dawn operates out of a multi-story building and functions as both a medical clinic and an orphanage. Apparently it earned a reputation for bringing in and caring for children who lost their homes and families to accidents or Grimm, children who were abused both physically and mentally, and children who lived on the streets their whole lives. There were even some cases where there were children who were living in the wild before they were given a place to recuperate and live at Glory Dawn until they were either adopted or were old enough to take care of themselves.

Plus as a medical clinic it also offers aid to both the young and old, treating injuries and disease. So the fact that two unconscious children had to be brought here made Dina feel concerned.

Just what happened to these children that warranted them to be brought here?

Pocketing her Scroll, Dina steadied her nerves and pushed open the door. The interior was a mix of warm Mistralian color and cold Atleasian function-over-fashion furniture and equipment. Over on the side was a small waiting area with a variety of single chairs and couches with a bookshelf and magazine rack against the wall. A large reception desk near the center of the room with several filing cabinets behind it. Up on the wall was a large artwork depicting Mistral against an early morning sunrise.

But surprisingly, there was no one around. Not even a receptionist.

"Hello?" Dina called out but to no response, approaching the reception desk as she looks around. "Is anyone there?" Again, there was no response beyond the faint hum of the computers. "Strange... are they on break? But there should at least be one person out wouldn't there? Or a sign explaining there absence?"

As Dina looked around, she spotted something near the desk. It was a small box with a button adorned with a bell icon on top.

"Hm? What's this? A buzzer perhaps?" Dina thought in curiosity before shrugging and began to reach over to the button. "Well, it wouldn't hurt to try at least."

But just as she was about to press it...

*CRASH*

Dina yelped, whirling around in alarm. "What was that?!"

*CRASH*

Dina looked over towards an entrance to a hallway. The noise came from that direction. The sign above read 'Recovery Room/Doctor's Offices'. Both curious and worried about what caused the noise, Dina began to walk down the hallway. She could see a few doors leading to what could only be the Doctor's Offices if the nameplates were any indication. A few doors had signs above the locks with the words 'Out to Lunch' written on it, which explains why there wasn't anyone around when she called out. Near the end of the hallway was a set of double doors that Dina assumed lead to the Recovery Room.

As she got closer she could hear voices coming from the other side.

"-ease! Just calm down," a female voice pleaded, perhaps a doctor or caregiver.

"STAY AWAY!" Dina jumped when another female voice cried out, this one much younger.

"I'm not going to hurt you, I promise!" the older voice said. "I was just checking for any further injuries!"

"LIAR!"

"Cinder, please calm down. We're safe," another voice said, a boy this time. This voice however... sounded familiar.

Dina carefully pushed the door open and peaked through the crack. It was a hospital ward, with lines of beds and curtains on either side of the room and side tables next to the beds. Inside the room were three individuals.

The first was unmistakably a doctor in her late twenties. She had black hair tied back into a ponytail and almond shape blue eyes. She wore a white doctor's coat over teal colored scrubs and had a name tag pinned on her front pocket, though Dina couldn't make out the name. Around her neck was a stethoscope. She had her arms raised in a non-threatening manner.

The second was a young girl, at least ten or eleven years old if Dina had to guess. She had slightly messy short black hair that only just reached her shoulders, and bloodshot amber colored eyes. She was wearing what looked like an employee uniform you would normally see in a inn or a hotel. That was worrying enough, but what alarmed Dina was that there seemed to be faint traces of blood on her front.

The third was-

Dina inhaled sharply. Her eye's widening as she looked at the last person in the room.

"STOP IT! NOOOOOO!"

It couldn't be.

"AHHHHHHHH!"

It was just a dream. A fantasy made up in my head. But here he was

A strangled cry escaped Dina as she stumbled away from the door. Her back impacting against the wall. "It's not possible! It was just a dream! A figment of my imagination!" Her legs gave out and Dina slid down the wall and onto the floor, her chest heaving as she began to hyperventilate. "Dreams can't affect reality!" Dina brought her hand to her chest trying to steady her breathing. Her mind racing as she tried to come up with an explanation to what she is experiencing.

But at the moment, all she could do was run.

She found her way to an empty bathroom and into a stall. She felt sick, she began to uncontrollably vomit into the toilet. Her body began to shake, her eyes flowed with salty tears. After what felt like hours, she began to gain a level head.

Dina took a deep breath as she made her way to the door. But a part of her was still unsure what to do. Should she leave the orphanage and never come back? Or should she meet the child who shared the same, unspoken understanding?

If she chose the former, she wouldn't get all of her questions answered.

If she chose the latter, she may not like the answers she got.

Her head was still pounding as she tried to figure out what to do, but it seemed to calm down once she opened the door and saw the young boy staring up at her. His eyes were wide, as if he was still reeling over the fact that she was with him. His sister was behind him, who also stared up at the woman in confusion. Dina knew that she didn't have much of a choice. The children wouldn't let her by without an honest conversation. So with great reluctance, Dina made the first move.

"He...hello," she said, unable to keep her nerves in check. "My...my name is-"

"Fritz," the boy blurted out. "You're...Dina Fritz."

"Y...yes." Dina felt tears coming down her cheeks. "You...you do know me."

"Yeah." Eren turned to an empty room behind him. "We should talk."

Eren and Cinder were sitting at a table with Dina, who was still breathing heavily and crying. Eren was patiently waiting for her to calm down, he knew this had to be a stressful time for her. Cinder was still confused as to what was going on, so she decided to find out. "Eren, who is this?" she asked.

"Someone from home," he replied. "Someone who...changed my life."

That statement caused Dina to look up at Eren. She decided not to waste anymore time, so she dried her eyes and took one final breath. "Who...who are you?" she asked calmly.

"This may be hard to hear, but my name is Eren. Eren...Yeager."

"Yeager?" Eren nodded and Dina spoke again. "That...that name was..." She put both her hands on her head as she was trying to remember everything.

"Your husband's," Eren finished for her. "Ms. Fritz...I have a lot to tell you. But maybe you should tell me with what you remember."

Dina removed her hands and placed them on the table. "Well...I wouldn't call them 'memories'. Ever since I was a child, I've been having these dreams. They tell me of a life that-"

"Wait a minute." Eren leaned closer. "Since you were a child? How long have you lived here?"

"All my life. My parents were farmers, I grew up in a small town in Mistral called 'Kuroyuri'. As I was saying, I've been having dreams since I was four. My parents and friends tried to tell me they were only dreams. I began to believe it as they became less frequent...but they always felt so real."

Eren knew he was going to break the woman's heart by what he was going to say next, but he knew he had to do it. "Ms. Fritz...those weren't just dreams. And I can prove it." He took a deep breath before speaking again. "You met a man named Grisha Yeager, who lived in a restricted area of a place called 'Marley'. It was his goal to free himself and you from Marley by restoring the nation of Eldia."

"..."

Dina could confirm all of this. She had the dreams hundreds of times and she could recite them from memory, which was what Eren was doing. She didn't interrupt as he continued.

"Later on, you married Grisha and had a little boy. His name was Zeke. He was raised to be a tool for your people's freedom, but things...went wrong. Zeke, he-"

"He turned us to the authorities," Dina finally interrupted. "They took us away...they tortured us." Tears fell down her cheeks again. "They turned me...into a-"

"A Titan."

Dina nodded, unable to talk through her crying. So Eren continued the story, despite her emotional state. "You wandered the lands of an island for years. Until you came to a walled city with a hole in it. The other Titans came in and started...eating people."

Dina looked up again. "That's where I first saw you," she remembered. "You were the same age you are now. And you were...at a broken house." Dina gasped for a moment after coming to a realization. "Did...did I-?"

Eren nodded, tears coming down his face now. "My mom," he confirmed. "A rock pinned her under my house. You came, dug her out, and...you ate her."

Dina buried her face into her hands and cried even louder. Eren was starting to cry as well, the last memory he had of his mother were coming back and haunting him. Cinder wasn't crying, but she was concerned about Eren so she gave him a hug to comfort him.

Dina was the first to recover, wiping her tears and sitting up properly. "Eren...is there anything else I need to know?"

Eren stopped crying...and told her the rest of his story. How he inadvertently used the Founding Titan to kill Dina, how he found out about Grisha's past from his book and memories, and how he freed Paradis.

And Dina sat through the whole thing. She cried at some parts, but she continued to listen. She took in every detail, trusted every word that came out of the young boy's mouth.

And all she could say was...the truth hurt.

Eren dried one more tear before speaking again. "Ms. Fritz, I actually have some questions for you...but do you have any for me?"

"A few," Dina replied. "What...happened to Zeke?"

"He's dead."

Dina sniffed at the response, doing her best to hold back any tears. "And...Eldia?"

"Well...I don't exactly know. But I have faith that my friends will survive, and earn their freedom for the world." Eren moved a hand to the woman. "I couldn't have done it without Grisha. He...knew what he had to do, and it pushed him to the edge of breaking. But he did it. And through it all...he still loved you."

"I...Eren, I...I am so sorry about your mother," Dina apologized. "And your friends...I-"

"I know. Titans can't control themselves." Eren stood up. "Would you...excuse me for a minute?" He walked outside the room, leaving Cinder with Dina. The situation made her uncomfortable, she had no idea what to do or say.

So Dina spoke for her. "I don't...I don't remember seeing you. Are you...from Remnant?"

"Y...yes," Cinder shyly said. "Eren and I met at an orphanage. He stood up for me, against all odds. We've been helping each other ever since."

"Helping?"

"It's...actually why I didn't want to be here in the first place. The last time Eren and I were taken in...a woman made us slaves in a hotel." Cinder pointed to a long scar on her neck. "If we didn't do what she said...she hurt us."

Dina gasped again. "That's terrible! Are you okay?!"

"I'm...better now, knowing that we don't have to go back there. I just don't want to stay here."

Dina suddenly had an idea. "So don't." She stood up and walked over to the young girl. "What did you say your name was?"

"Cinder."

"Cinder...you don't have to stay here. I can take you away from here, back to where I live." Cinder's eyes widened at the idea. "I know with Zeke, I was far from a good mother. But I can't leave this place knowing the two of you are here."

Cinder put a hand to her neck. "To do what?" she asked.

"Wha-?" Dina's confusion vanished when she remembered what happened the last time Cinder was taken in. "Nothing. Cinder, you're not going to be a slave again."

"What about your farm?"

"I have hired help. I'm not going to make you do anything you don't want to do. Because it seems...I made that mistake before. And I won't make it again."

Before Cinder could answer, the door opened up again. Eren walked inside and sat himself down. "Ms. Fritz, I was doing some...thinking, and I think I know why we were sent here," he said. "Do you remember when I hit you, and the other Titans attacked you?"

"That's...how my dreams always ended," Dina answered.

"Well, I inadvertently used two of the Founding Titan's powers. You may not remember, but you were a member of the royal Fritz family, who could use the power of the very first Titan. When I punched you, not only was I able to summon Titans with it, but...I may have also sent you here."

"You did? How?"

"The Founding Titan...can control souls within the Titans. I may have controlled you and sent you here when you died." Eren looked down. "I'm...sorry."

"Don't be." Dina moved closer to Eren and kneeled down. "You're not the only one who made these mistakes, Eren. And in all honesty, I couldn't be more grateful." Eren looked up at the woman, who was smiling for the first time since they met her. "Being here, on Remnant, gave me a second chance at life. I've made new friends, new family, and I have a wonderful home. And as far as I'm concerned, I don't think I wasted it." Dina gripped Eren's hand. "But...there's one more thing I need to do with my life. I was a terrible mother to Zeke, dreaming about him may have caused me not to have children of my own."

Cinder spoke next. "Eren, while you were gone, Ms. Fritz gave us the chance to live with her instead of another orphanage."

Eren looked back to Dina. "Are...are you sure? I don't want-"

"Eren, like I said, this is a second chance for me. I know you may not see me as your mother...after what happened. But I can't leave the two of you here. You deserve a better home, one that I want to provide for you."

"That...would be great," Eren said with a smile. Eren looked back to Cinder, who seemed incredibly nervous. "But I'd like to talk with Cinder, before we make any decisions."

"Of course," Dina said as she stood up. "I'll be outside this room when you're ready." She walked to the door and left the room. Eren walked over to Cinder with a smile on his face, but Cinder didn't return one of her own.

"Eren...I don't know about this," she said. "I'm not saying I don't want a home, but I don't want things to end up as they did before. Mrs. Fritz said she has a farm, what if she decides to-"

"Cinder, I wouldn't worry about that," Eren said. "I saw the woman Mrs. Fritz was before she became a Titan. She's not like that bitch in Atlas, she's not someone who would want to hurt anyone. She may have made some mistakes with Zeke, but she never abused him. If we go now, things will be okay." He took her hand. "Besides, it's much better than another orphanage, isn't it?"

"Well, it is. But you don't trust her, do you?"

Eren's smile vanished. "Huh?"

"That's why you lied about why Darkness sent you here."

Eren turned back to the door to make sure it was closed. Sighing, he turned back to Cinder. "You're right. But it's not that I don't trust her, I think the truth will just hurt her more. But there's something else you should know. Darkness was the one who brought her here."

"What? Why?"

"He wouldn't say too much, but he didn't do it on purpose. Before meeting me, Darkness got in some kind of argument with his brother. I think...it was about Salem's curse, and trying to prove his brother wrong."

"Well...what do we do?"

"..."

After making the proper arrangements with the staff, Dina took the children back to the Argus military base. At the moment, they were riding in the cart Dina had when she brought her produce. The ride wasn't very long, Dina made sure not to make any delays to get back home. While she was talking to the soldiers, about the unexpected passengers, Eren began to think about his new home. It was strange, being taken in by the woman who killed his mother. Not that he held any malice against her, the nature of the Attack Titan and the Founding Titan opened his eyes to the reality of the situation. He just hoped things would calm down for a little while, so he could refocus his plan against Salem.

"Is Cinder alright?"

Eren snapped back to reality at the sound of Dina's question. He turned to Cinder, who was...shaking. She couldn't describe the cold she was feeling, it was as if all of her nerves, both physical and mental, were in overload, her fear pushing her to the brink of insanity.

"I'm...I'm not sure," Eren sadly said. "This isn't the first time we were...taken by someone."

"..."

Dina knew what happened to them, and didn't want to probe any further. But Dina couldn't bear to see someone with the fear of God in her eyes, so she had an idea. "Cinder...you don't have to be scared," Dina promised as she stopped walking and kneeled in front of the child.

"..."

Eren looked up at Dina again. "I don't think that's good enough," he bluntly said. But Dina didn't disagree with him, so she continued her plan.

"Maybe this can help." Dina began to reach into a bag in her cart. As she was doing that, Cinder immediately backed away and put two hands to her neck. Dina quickly looked back and pulled both her hands out. "It's okay," she softly said.

"..."

Dina reached into the bag again, much slower this time. Once she made a firm grasp with the bag's content, Dina slowly pulled out a rag doll. It was the same doll that she took from Kuroyuri, the one that helped her sleep better as a child. She slowly walked back to Cinder and extended the doll.

"..."

Cinder put her hands down and moved closer to the doll with an observant look on her face. She examined the doll's triangle nose and sewn smile. The doll was old, but Cinder was entranced by it. She stopped walking when she was arm length from the doll. She began to reach out for it, but stopped when Dina spoke again.

"I called her 'Vasilisa'," Dina explained. "I had her when I was about your age. I always liked seeing her smile, day and night. It actually helped me sleep better after my bad dreams." Dina held out the doll further. "It's okay. Take her."

Cinder took the doll and looked at the smile again. Dina's words replayed in her mind, and she began to realize how nice it was to see a smiling face. The doll was smiling more in a few seconds than Cinder was all week.

"It's even better when you hug her," Dina included.

Cinder took her advice and hugged Vasilisa, embracing how soft she felt. She began to smile and stop shaking. Once she stopped hugging the doll, Cinder began to hand it back to Dina. "Keep her," she said with a smile. "I think she looks better with you."

With that, the airship took off once again, this time with more than the farmer could ever had expected or hoped for.

Author's notes: thank you for being so patient. It's been hard to find time to write another chapter with finals going on. But I'm almost done so I made this. The Avenging Titan and his ideas helped me write everything faster so please support him. Hope you enjoy this chapter!