Takes place when the islanders have discovered the outside world and have visited Marley, but Eren hasn't left yet or else this story wouldn't work XD

Day 9: Time Travel

Mikasa hurried through the hallways of the estate her squad was staying in while they were visiting Marley. They had only arrived yesterday, and Lady Kiyomi has already arranged for Mikasa to see half of the city, by her side of course, and to take some time to discuss Mikasa's relations to the Shogun clan.

Mikasa wanted anything but that. As much as she was elated that her people hadn't died out like history on Paradis claimed, she was still an Eldian above all else and no fancy Oriental bloodline was ever going to change that. In fact, it would probably make the people of Hizuru wish their loyal bloodline stayed away. Mikasa was no savior, not to them, and certainly not to Paradis, so she doesn't understand the fuss over this discovery. She was only a soldier fighting for her homeland.

She pushed open the door to her room that she would be sharing with Sasha, and closed the door, locking it. As much as she adored her comrade, she was gladder than ever that she had no control over her stomach and she was still around the courtyard eating from their "welcome" feast. Mikasa didn't feel very welcome, and she doubted any of her squad did either. They all know that every person that walked those streets wanted to see the Eldian blood splattered all across the cement. Mikasa didn't know how they were going to convince these people that they were good people, just fighters in this cruel world, just like them. But she doesn't see any of them willing to give up a position of power over such a vast bloodline.

The black-haired warrior sat on her bed for a minute, then flopped down onto her back, lifting her wrist to look at the burned mark that adorned it. She barely remembered the day her mother had burned it on her, if she did, maybe she could remember the words her mother had said when she wiped Mikasa's tearful eyes, her now wrapped up arm letting waves of stinging sensations travel all the way up her arm. She remembers telling herself not to cry, but she couldn't help letting a few tears escape.

Her mother said this mark was special, but she doesn't see how this mark would help her with this impossible task. Alone, she couldn't do a thing.

Mikasa made herself comfortable on her bed facing the wall, preparing for a slight nap before she was dragged out of her room by one person or the other.

Turns out, she didn't even get to do that, as her door slammed open, making her shoot up in slight surprise. She sighed out an annoyed breath when she saw her commander in the doorway, grinning like a madman.

"Hanji, one day you're not going to be quick enough to dodge the blade I throw at your head the next time you do that," Mikasa grumbled, sitting properly on the side of her now disheveled bed.

"Maybe not, but I know you are quick enough to realize what a mistake it would be and could probably freeze time with those reflexes of yours," Hanji stated, closing the door and facing her again. Mikasa didn't answer, just waited for Hanji to explain why she was here.

"Alright, now, I know you've been struggling with this whole Ackerman revelation," Hanji began.

"I'm not struggling..."

"A commander needs to learn the moods of her soldiers and you, my dear, are deep in thought and very conflicted, but I can only say that because I've known you for long enough, otherwise I still wouldn't have a clue what you're thinking," Hanji started to babble.

"Hanji."

"Right! Anyway, it got me wondering why you were so down about it, and then it came to me! Well, technically, I bugged Armin about it for about 10 minutes, until he finally said to talk to Eren, who told me to back off, at first, but then I started to explain that I wanted to help, not be nosy, so he told me that you might be feeling this way because you don't remember the day you got that mark! SO!"

Mikasa was starting to direct her attention elsewhere. It could take Hanji between 2 minutes and an hour to finally tell you what she wants from you. She was just wondering what dinner was going to be, when Hanji said, "-take a trip into your past!" Mikasa's head snapped toward her.

"What?"

"Were you not listening!? I said that I was playing around with some medicines that Hizuru had in stock here and I think I came up with a concoction that will release your most repressed memories. Almost like the opposite of amnesia, we can take a trip into your past!"

The girl just simply stared at the scientist, going over what she had just told her.

"Hanji, there's no way that's possible, how can you-"

"I can! Trust me, you could find out a lot more about yourself, something maybe even useful. Won't know until you try!"

"I still-"

"I believe that after the death of your parents, and the titan attack, there's part of you that didn't want to remember the past you had held so dear. You didn't want to dwell on the good times or they would distract you from the bad. I think this will work, Mikasa, I really do!"

Brown eyes stared down silver, and usually the former would give in right away, but in the name of science, her resolve is as stubborn as diamond.

"If something goes wrong..." the black-haired girl trailed off.

"I promise I will sort it out, not rest until I do, but you'll be fine." Hanji took out a small vial no bigger than Mikasa's index finger. "Drink the whole thing, I will be here the whole time," Hanji assured.

Mikasa took the vial and stared at the violet contents within. She uncorked it and smelled it slightly, and almost gagged.

"Ugh, it smells like 3DMG gas," Mikasa stuttered.

"Plug your nose," Hanji suggested.

Mikasa gave the vial one last weary glance, before tipping back the whole thing. Hanji was vibrating on the spot watching for any hint of change in Mikasa. A minute went by, two, three. Mikasa shrugged.

"I guess it didn't work," she said. Hanji gave out a loud whine.

"I don't understand, it should have done something." Hanji took the vial from her, examining it. "There's a special chemical in there that's supposed to trigger childhood nostalgia, but I guess-"

Suddenly, Mikasa keeled over, almost throwing herself off the bed. "Oh, shit." She got up and stumbled toward the door that led to a small bathroom. "I hate you, Hanji! What was-" She was cut off, as the bathroom door snapped shut and Mikasa started to gag and heave on the other side.

Unfortunately, the first thing going through Hanji's mind wasn't, "I hope Mikasa is okay", it was "Oh shit, Mikasa is going to murder me!"

For a time, Hanji just stood frozen, panicking, wondering if she should grab someone. Then it occurred to her there was no one to help her. If it was anyone but Mikasa, someone could help, but this girl wouldn't want to be seen in the state she's in. If she even suggested to grab Eren or Armin, she knows it would be a "hell no".

The room suddenly got eerily quiet and Hanji stepped toward the closed door.

"Mikasa?" she called in. No response. "Mikasa!" she called again, knocking on the door. Silence. "Oh, this is not good! I think I just killed the woman worth a hundred soldiers!" Hanji screeched. "Oh, my God! What am I going to do! What would I tell her squad!? AGHHH! What am I going to tell ERENNNN!" Hanji dropped down and started to sob on the floor, destroyed mentally from the image of Eren eating her or crushing her to death in his glorious titan hands, when the door slowly creaked open and Hanji stopped abruptly. As she took in the form from the slightly open door, dread pooled in her stomach, but a feeling much more powerful took over almost immediately. Hanji gasped, absolutely delighted. "AHHHH! Mikasa! You are sooooooooooo CUTE!" Hanji got up, but didn't run to her. She could tell that Mikasa looked terrified. "It's okay, honey, you can come out." The girl hesitantly opened the door, and Hanji got a full view of her. No taller than her own waist, long black hair spilling over her shoulders and she only wore the large red scarf and her white button up blouse, which hung around her ankles. Which made sense as Mikasa, now, was no older than 7.

Hanji started to hyperventilate from excitement and terror. Part of her wanted to run around the estate showing off her conclusive project, but she realized that wouldn't be fair on Mikasa. From the blank expression she gave, Hanji had a feeling there were worse things to address. Things such as: she just put their best chance of winning pretty much anything out of commission, Levi's going to kill her, Mikasa will find a way to kill her, even if she's the cutest child Hanji had ever seen, and of course the image of being crushed into dust by Eren replayed in her head.

"Okay, I'm not entirely sure what to do here." Hanji knelt to Mikasa's level. "Sweetie, do you know me?" She asked. The little girl took a second to observe her, but shook her head. Hanji felt panic rise again. "Do you know Eren? Armin?" At the two boys' names, Mikasa lit up, nodding.

"Where are they?" she wondered. Hanji almost squealed at her tiny voice, but composed herself.

"They are around here somewhere, but-" Before Hanji could even finish her sentence, Mikasa dashed out the door, quicker than a rabbit. "Oh, crap! Mikasa!" Hanji raced after her, who knows who she could run in to.

Hanji hastily searched hallways, waiting to catch a glimpse of her, more details of her situation sinking in, causing her to tear up the whole west wing in a panic. As Hanji was searching through a sitting room, she heard a shout coming from a couple halls over.

Without a second thought Hanji ran toward the source, then came skidding to a halt as she took in the scene. Mikasa was sitting in the middle of the hallways, munching on something, and behind her, staring bewildered and horrified, was Connie and Sasha.

"Sasha, are you...seeing this?" Connie stuttered out.

"How could Mikasa not tell me she had a daughter!?" Sasha wailed. Hanji hurried over to them, and scooped up Mikasa, who squealed in surprise.

"This is Mikasa, you dolts!" Hanji had such a high arrange of emotions, all leading her to the idea that Mikasa needed protecting and she would never leave Hanji's sight.

"That's not-"

"Potion. Went wrong. Child Mikasa. Going to die. Find the cure. DON'T TELL EREN!" Hanji charged off with a waving Mikasa in her arms.

Sasha and Connie stared after her retreating form, before turning to each other.

"Did you catch that last part?" Connie asked. Sasha shrugged.

"Something about telling Eren?" she wondered aloud.

"Well, that doesn't seem like the best idea, but if that's what the commander wants. I think he's with Armin and Jean in the estate garden, let's go!" Connie started to run, Sasha following as they upheld their "part" of the mission. They couldn't believe they got the HONOR of telling Eren about this. His reaction was going to be priceless.

Meanwhile, Hanji had taken Mikasa to her room, or what should've been her room. Hanji had books and files and jars, vials, beakers, all kinds of objects that's sole use was in the name of science. It wasn't the safest place to have a child, especially one as curious and passionate as Mikasa had been, apparently, because the minute Hanji turned her back Mikasa had dropped and shattered a jar that held some pink berries. She picked one up off the floor that had a large shard of glass impaling it.

Hanji shrieked and snatched the berry away, causing Mikasa to give her a disapproving look.

"I was going to eat that!" she complained.

"Not without your mouth being torn to pieces, you wouldn't have!" Hanji countered and grabbed a broom to clean up the mess. "Go and sit on the bed, Mikasa, while I try and figure out how to undo the potion." Hanji gestured to a bed sitting in the corner of the room, with only a small sliver of space, just big enough for an adult body to lay, if they lay still like a corpse all the way through the night.

Nevertheless, Mikasa hopped onto the bed, feet dangling from the height, and watched Hanji crouch down to sweep up the glass.

"What potion?" she asked, suddenly. Hanji said nothing while she dumped the contents of the broken jar into a box.

"I don't think you'd quite understand if I told you," Hanji explained, dusting her hands together and moving over to the desk in her room. She started to flip through a book, muttering to herself as she paced the room.

"No, that won't work..." she murmured just loud enough for Mikasa to hear.

"You look busy, why do I have to stay here? My friends are probably looking for me," Mikasa said, trying not to sound whiny.

"I can assure you, child, that they are not looking for you," Hanji said, and immediately started to argue with herself again. The little girl crossed her arms, annoyed.

For a couple minutes more, Mikasa waited, until one of the Hanji's finally won the debate and she turned to the girl.

"I know you're wondering why you have to stay here, and I've also been debating how I should tell you this," Hanji started. Mikasa tilted her head. "The potion effects I'm trying to counter are on you," she said.

"What do you mean?" Mikasa wondered, not quite grasping the revelation.

"I mean, that you are the one that drank the potion, Mikasa. You are the one I'm trying to change back," Hanji said, walking closer with a face of wariness.

"Change me back? To what?"

"Your normal self!" Hanji said exasperated. She never realized how frustrating it was to explain things like science to a child. Then she realized this was the only time her subjects could actually talk back and give feedback. Working with titans back then, she assumed they had no idea what was happening to them, or she was trying to prove otherwise. She would talk about the experiments like they were an amazing discovery, but this is the first time where that discovery has led to someone's life at risk, even if it wasn't physically. "You aren't actually this young, you see. You are really 20 years old. Those two people you saw in the hall earlier, they were 2 of your best friends and comrades, you've faced death with them!" Hanji explained.

Mikasa seemed to start to understand what was going on, but she didn't seem to believe it. "How come I don't remember?" she asked, starting to tear up a little at the implications.

Hanji sympathized and crouched to her level. "I don't know. But I know that Eren and Armin are also 20 years old so they would be very shocked and scared to see you like this," Hanji said. Mikasa looked down, seemed to contemplate this.

"They would be scared?" she echoed. Hanji nodded.

"In a way. I just don't think it's a good idea to go flaunting around when everyone knows you as the tough and scary Mikasa Ackerman who has saved the Eldian empire a hundred times," Hanji smiled slightly. Mikasa's eyes widened and she seemed to brighten.

"I saved the world a hundred times?" she asked, excitedly. Hanji laughed.

"Well, maybe not that many, but there were quite a few times. Bottom line, little Mikasa, is that we need to get you back to your formal glory, so we can do it again."

Mikasa gave a look of determination. "I can help, my mother taught me to read, I can help look for the counter-potion," she offered.

"That's the spirit! I'll give you a simple book to start, while I-" Hanji was interrupted by the sound of pounding footsteps and shouting coming from down the hall.

At first, Hanji wondered what all the fuss was about, then her eyes landed on Mikasa and she realized that the situation just got a whole lot harder. SHE was what all the fuss was about.

"Those idiots..." Hanji had only time to mutter that one phrase, before her door came crashing in, blowing papers around and sending more jars and books tumbling to the ground in a large crash.

Eren stood in the doorway, absolutely burning with rage, but the rage turned to horror when he saw his blast from the past sitting beside Hanji.

Armin came in close behind and also stood frozen in horror at what they had stumbled on. Soon, Mikasa's whole squad was in Hanji's doorway staring shocked at the scene.

Only Sasha and Connie reacted to the situation, by laughing nervously and looking anywhere but at the seething Hanji.

"Okay, so maybe we misheard you when you said 'don't tell Eren'," Connie said, nervously.

"You think?!" Hanji bit out.

"Hanji, what have you done to her?" Jean snapped coming into the room farther. "Do you have any idea what you've done! We've only just found out about Mikasa's relations to Hizuru, I'm sure part of the reason they've been so accepting is because of Mikasa. If they found out that you've completely turned back time on them, they'd send us packing!" Jean was in full panic mode, running through scenarios that always ended up with all of them either dead, captured, or all of them end up as children.

Armin finally gained control of the situation, simply by placing a hand on Jeans shoulder to have him sit down and breathe properly.

"Hanji, seriously though, how did you do this to her?" he wondered. Hanji sighed and came clean. She explained her plan to help Mikasa's memories resurface of the day she got the mark on her wrist, and how Mikasa at first was hesitant about it, and was then interrupted...again.

"Why did you push it, Hanji. It must be painful to suddenly get a wave of repressed memories all at once," Armin said. "Especially if it was enough for them to be repressed in the first place."

"I understand that, but again, it didn't work in the end anyway, and also, she isn't even the right age!" Hanji said, exasperated. "She was way younger than this, plus she didn't know Armin, or even Eren when it happened. I guess it just revealed the first repressed memory that happened the most recent. When she was eight." Hanji tapped a finger to her chin, then turned to Mikasa.

"Do you remember what happened 12 years ago? I mean, today?" Hanji asked Mikasa. The girl seemed to think and said,

"I can't really remember, it's a little murky, I know we collected firewood in the morning, and then on the way to the house something distracted us, and we went deeper into the city. Armin was there, and some others, but that's it," Mikasa concluded.

"Interesting, there were others, you say." Hanji started jotting down notes after she saw Armin doing the same. "I would ask you two if you remember, but I highly doubt it," Hanji waved a hand at Eren and Armin. Armin shrugged, obviously clueless, but Eren stepped forward, eyeing Mikasa, who reddened under his gaze.

"It was the day Mikasa saved me from the bullies for the first time," he stated nonchalantly. "I shouted for 10 minutes that day. I never felt so...helpless." Mikasa started to tear up.

"I remember..." she muttered.

"But you didn't when you were...well, you. Which means, I traumatized you so much, you blocked out the memory completely. So deep you buried it, that only a potion could make you remember. Remember, the first time I thought-" Eren cut himself off, and turned away. He felt his heard twisting and lurching, the memories arising for him as well. He couldn't bear to look at her, that innocent girl, which he scarred, which he transformed into this broken, dedicated girl, no, woman. For, now Eren saw just how much Mikasa had truly grown, how much she had experienced.

She already had transformed before his very eyes; he just looked the other way. Too dedicated to his own ambitions to realize what was happening around him, meaning, he also was blind to the fact that he was the one changing her.

By pushing her away constantly, caused her to be distant; by getting himself into reckless situations, caused her to be anxious and cling to his life much tighter than even he did, and ignoring the obvious admiration and love she held for him, he had caused her to shove it down and pretend like her feelings didn't exist. That had caused the down spiral of all her emotions to get sucked down into the black hole Eren was creating, getting wider and deeper after every fight, after every harsh word, until she was nothing but a broken shell that had shattered at his feet.

She had tried desperately to get the feelings back, to make Eren understand how much he meant to her, even if they were about to die, and that had caused Eren to unleash the power from within him. The true strength behind his father's sacrifice, and had gotten them both to safety, but he was too distracted by his newfound talents, and the Scouts plans to use it, to really take into account and consider what it was Mikasa had revealed to him that fateful day.

It was her confession that had drawn that power out of him in the first place and he had only cared about what came from it, not how it came from him. But she did, and she kept quiet, letting Eren, once again, be led astray by his own ambition, and leave her. And what was it he was planning to do this time? Leave her. Again.

"Eren!"

The titan-shifter gasped, coming out of his thoughts, and turned to his squad.

"Geez, man, you were really far away! We called you, like, seven times!" Connie stated.

"Sorry, I was just thinking. Listen, I'm really tired. I'm going to rest before the presentation tomorrow. See you." With that, Eren left Hanji's room and was gone. Mikasa got off the bed, about to follow, when Armin halted her.

"It's okay, Mikasa. It's...not you," Armin lied. "He just needs some rest. Why don't we all help Hanji find a way to change you back, huh?"

Mikasa looked like she wanted to argue, but she decided that maybe being back to whatever their version of "normal Mikasa" was, was better than the current one.

"Okay, but can we find him later?" she asked.

"We will see him at dinner," Armin answered, which seemed to satisfy her enough to start opening books again.

They worked well past dinner time, too caught up in their research to even consider eating. Mikasa had long fallen asleep, but when Sasha's head smacked against the table, out of exhaustion and boredom, loud enough to cause Armin to yelp and Connie to fall off his chair, she stirred and rubbed her eyes, waking up.

"I'm hungry..." she mumbled tiredly, sitting up.

"Oh goodness, it's well past even lights out!" Hanji realized looking outside at the sleeping city. "I hope Lady Kiyomi isn't too concerned."

"I don't think so, she seemed to understand that Mikasa wanted space, and we were all preparing for the presentation tomorrow. But tomorrow, Mikasa was supposed to be with Lady Kiyomi for a meeting and tour of the city. She can't escape suspicion then," Armin explained.

"Good point, so we have to work until we find the cure before tomorrow!"

"But that could take hours!" Connie whined. "We've already searched more than half of your collection!"

"Why didn't the book tell you it's counter-curse?" Jean wondered, hungry and tired.

"The book Is super old! The writing is faded or was eaten away over time," Hanji explained opening said book to the page that supposedly once held the counter-curse. "The only person that would know if there was another book, or generally knew the counter-curse, is Lady Kiyomi," Hanji said, and let out a defeated sigh.

"Can we talk about this later and get some dinner? I can't hear any of this conversation over my rumbling stomach," Sasha said, rubbing her abdomen.

"Might as well. This isn't the first time I've had research episodes like this, I'll grab some grub later. You can take Mikasa down and get her fed as well as yourselves," Hanji said, and dived into another book.

The squad shrugged, confident that their commander could take care of herself, and headed out to find the kitchen.

They found it easily enough and searched through crates and cupboards to find something quick to chow on. When Jean opened a door on the far kitchen wall, he let out a whoop of delight at the fridge filled with food. There was fruit, vegetables, meats, pastries, ice-cream, all the things that they have been introduced to slowly as they've been here. There was even a few bottles of alcohol that had Jean reaching for them. Armin stalled his arm.

"You really think that's a good idea with a child around? Even if the child was getting drunk with us only a few days ago?"

Jean seemed to want to argue, but one look at Mikasa's face had him sighing and lowering his hand.

"This seems pretty simple. Cut up some fruits and veggies, the familiar ones, that is, some cheese, slice some bread and we got ourselves some nice sandwiches and fruit salad," Sasha explained, carrying ingredients out of the fridge. The squad split up the chores of prepping food and worked silently and efficiently.

Sasha allowed Mikasa to core the red berries, which Armin reminded her were strawberries, and Mikasa seemed delighted to be included. It seemed her ability to stay on the sidelines while others worked were just as awful as older Mikasa. She couldn't stay still without lending a hand.

They proudly presented the food on one of the dining tables adorning an attached room. It wasn't the official dining room, just a few small tables for the staff of the estate as they waited to clear dishes and ate their own.

No talking had taken place during the making of their meal, but right away Armin had announced that he was going to check on Eren to see if he had eaten. He walked away, Mikasa happily stayed behind, too distracted by her hunger and the funny faces Sasha and Connie were making at each other with the food. The blond slipped out and sought out his room that he shared with Eren.

Said boy was indeed still awake, and Armin's suspicions were correct in assuming that he hadn't eaten. He had intended to go down to dinner, preferably before his squad got there, but was too deep in thought and queasy with them, to even consider food. Sasha would be horrified.

He couldn't grasp the reasoning behind his sudden internal conflict. Just this morning, he had looked at Mikasa the same way he always did. A little hostility on his part, absolute dedication and adoration on her part, and almost always at an impasse where she struggles to contain her love for him, and he struggles to contain his frustration with her.

He didn't want to be frustrated with her, and it didn't happen all the time. Only when it seemed that she was looking down on him, or at him with concern and passiveness on her face. She seemed to never be able to decide how to treat him, with care? He dismissed it. With concern? He countered it. It was almost like he loathed any kind of affection from her, he hated when she treated him like an equal, like a comrade. When really, it was him who hated being seen that way. He didn't see himself as Mikasa's equal, no one could! She was another level to herself in more than just the way of physical prowess.

She loved unconditionally, even if she hardly showed it, Eren learned how to see it. She would put her life on the line and do it ten times over if that meant protecting one of her friends. She was loyal, strong, compassionate, supportive and disgustingly selfless. The only time her perfect image was tainted, or when people questioned her abilities or her focus, was when Eren was involved.

If something had happened to him, or if he had ever done something, Mikasa was the one picking up the pieces and acting irrationally while doing it. Driven by her dedication to protect him. It made him loathe her even more.

She put herself on the line, in the field and in the walls. She could've died so many times on his behalf, could've been kicked out of the Scouts, she even committed insubordination with him when they were deciding who to give the serum to. They were the only two fighting for Armin's side, and he had been the one saved. Not that Eren was upset about that, not by a long shot, but Mikasa had followed his lead. She hadn't pinned the captain down until Levi had delivered a blow to Eren's face. She didn't think to try and kill him.

So Eren had convinced himself that Mikasa was better off without him. She wouldn't be the soldier humanity needs if she's constantly chasing him around, putting out his fires. Eren needs her to. So, what changed?

Why doesn't he feel that burning rage inside of him whenever he thinks about her now? Why does this worse feeling, this feeling of his insides turning to ice, feel so much worse than that fiery hatred?

Eren, laying down on his bed, snapped up at the knock on his door. For a horrible second, he thought that Mikasa had come looking for him and he would have to shut her out, but calmed instantly at the sight of his best friend, alone.

"Hey," Eren greeted, moving to sit on the side of the bed. Armin waved, came in, and closed the door.

"Hey. Did you eat yet?" he asked. "We were working pretty late, only just finished a few minutes ago, and are down in the kitchen having some food."

"Oh, yeah, I ate," Eren lied. Armin simply crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. "Okay, fine, you got me, but I'm not that hungry," Eren said. His stomach chose that perfect moment to let out a groan in protest.

"Eren, what's going on? I thought you'd be desperate to get the old Mikasa back-"

"Not desperate!" Eren countered.

"Either way, you'd want her back to her normal self. You know we can't win this without her," Armin explained. Eren felt a little bit of that old resentment crawl back up his throat and he was about to comment on Mikasa's obvious importance to the squad, when what Armin said next had him biting his tongue.

"You finally got it then, huh?" When Eren said nothing, Armin pressed on. "Realized that you were the one being frustrating, and maybe a little hard-headed." Still nothing from the green-eyed titan-shifter. "I'm not going to get into it with you about it, Eren. I've known you long enough to know you won't take anything I have to say seriously." Eren opened his mouth to protest, but Armin held up his hand. "You think instinctively, not rationally, you always have. So, I have to do the same thing I've always done when you get yourself into this kind of trouble. Trust your instincts, and believe you'll fight until your last breath. She isn't going anywhere, Eren. You can't get rid of her that easily. You have to face her."

"How can I? She's a child," Eren said.

"We will turn her back." Armin narrowed his eyes defiantly. "One way or another."

"Even then, I can't look at her the same. It's like my whole view of her has been switched upside-down. I see the same girl I rescued 13 years ago, God, that long? She grew up right before my eyes, and I couldn't see it. I can't stop this ache in my chest whenever I think about what she's done since she was that young. And, Armin, do you know what she's done since that age?" Eren asked, standing up now, emotional. Armin simply looked at him. "SUFFER! Ever since she met me, ever since we fought together for the first time, she's done nothing but suffer under my stupid mouth and "instincts". I can't face her, because...I created her. Turned her into this machine that will kill anything in my path."

Armin punched him extremely hard in the gut, causing Eren to retch and keel over. He knelt on the ground gasping for air, while Armin seethed.

"You do NOT think that, Eren! You are still denying the truth. Mikasa isn't just strong, she isn't just someone who nags you, and frets over you. That has to come from somewhere. She is just as conflicted as you, Eren. Wondering what to do with that ache in her chest. Mikasa isn't the only one who cleans up after you, Eren. I am the one to comfort Mikasa whenever you've fought. I'm the one who let's Mikasa cry on my shoulder because you've been kidnapped, or beat up, or you've run into the fray! Who was the one to find her whenever you got yourself into trouble! ME! I'm the one that sees the love she has for you, and by this point, the whole squad has too! You're the only one that doesn't. She isn't a machine, Eren, and you didn't create her. You INSPIRED her. You are her driving force, the one she grew up to love, and admire." By this point Armin was on a roll, and Eren was still on the floor. He hadn't moved, or looked up the whole time Armin had been lecturing. But only because the beating of words he took from him was enough to overwhelm him, completely immobile.

"You don't have to marry her, or even consider her a girlfriend, but if you just be honest with her and tell her how you feel-"

"Armin."

Armin stopped mid-sentence and watched as Eren got up. When they made eye-contact Armin could see the absolute torture on his friend's face.

"I know that, alright. I just, can't."

Armin stared at him gob smacked. "So, you're going to go on, like nothing happened? Shove down your feelings until the day you die." Eren turned away. "You coward!" Armin said. He grabbed Eren and turned him around. "If you feel so guilty about making her suffer, STOP making her suffer. She deserves to know more than anyone some truth and compassion from you. Just let your guard down this once!"

"What do you want me to say? 'I love you! Let's be together, at last!' I don't think so!" Eren snapped. Armin suddenly took a step back.

"'At last'?" he questioned. Eren felt dread pool in his stomach. "You've thought about it, haven't you? How long have you actually loved her?" Eren turned red.

"I don't know if it's love, Armin! It just doesn't feel the same as it did before," Eren explained. "Every time I think about her, I-"

"I think 'love' is the only way to describe it, Eren. You can't live without her, and she can't live without you. She needs to know that you know that, too."

Eren let tears pool slightly, as his guard came crumbling down. Could he really do this to her? Give her the hope of a future together without even knowing what he intends their future to look like? Would that sway her to agree with him on this more? Could he seal her loyalty with this confession? Or...

Eren suddenly thought. Could HE be swayed not to go through with it? To let himself care about her so much, not to let her be pulled into another war?

Eren shook his head. He couldn't think about that now! He couldn't do anything at all if this feeling never went away. If confessing to Mikasa was the only way to make his head rid himself of her and the slowly disappearing image of what she used to be, then he would do it. He wondered what his first words to her would be when she regained her usual body and mind. He would have to get her alone, of course. No way was he bearing his heart and soul in front of his squad.

"I'm guessing you didn't find the counter curse yet?" Eren asked. Armin shook his head.

"Nothing. Hanji has the book with it inside, but the words are ruined and unreadable."

"Couldn't you ask Lady Kiyomi about it? I'm sure she'd know the counter-curse, or at least another book on it," Eren said.

"Hanji doesn't want her to know. Part of it is that we don't want the Lady cross over the fact that her prized pupil has been turned into a child, and there's also the paranoia of being sent back to the island if that's the case." Armin shrugged his shoulders.

"That's ridiculous. Lady Kiyomi would want more than anything to get the old Mikasa back, the sooner the better she'd say," Eren said. "We can ask her in the morning."

Armin agreed with Eren, and together they decided to go down the kitchen for dinner.

When they arrived, they noted that the others had gone to bed and two plates were covered on the table for Eren and Armin.

They approached the table and saw a note scribbled on one of the napkins.

"Mikasa wanted to stay until you got back, but her head almost fell into her fruit salad a couple times when she fell asleep. We assume Armin got you out of your little gloom session, Eren, so eat up. By the way, sorry about the strawberries, Sasha is addicted and only ate a salad of strawberries. Enjoy and see you in the morning!"

-Jean

Both boys felt warmth spread at the image of Mikasa delicately protesting that she wouldn't go until she saw Eren and Armin eat their meals, even twenty-year-old Mikasa caused them to slightly redden, as she insisted they eat her portion of bread, too, as, being men, they had more body to fill and strengthen.

They ate their meals with no complaints, and not a lot of talking. The conversation that happened just minutes ago, that had led to Armin punching Eren in the gut, lingered heavily. Neither wanted to address it quite yet.

The plates were cleared and washed, put away, and both boys started back up to their room.

As they walked, Armin sighed and broke the ice.

"Sorry, I punched you. I just hate when you talk like that, especially about Mikasa." In fact, thinking back on it now, Armin felt that anger rise a little.

"I should apologize, and also say that you shouldn't be. I deserved that and much more. I guess I didn't want to commit myself to something like this, but now I'm realizing it's hard to commit to anything but this. Even when I shouted and snapped, part of me wondered what she was doing after I stormed away. Was she upset? Did she care? Did she cry?"

They stopped at their room, but didn't go in.

"Then, thinking that, I would get angrier and berate myself for caring about what she thought. I didn't think she needed me, in fact, she would be better off without me pulling her through hell over again. Again, I realized I wasn't pulling her along with me, she was leading me, guiding me through hell over and over. Giving me the light I needed to find my way out myself, without even knowing I was seeking out the hells she's fighting to keep me out of. I can't keep this pain sizzling inside me any longer. She needs to know. I need her to know."

Armin gave him a smile that looked both delighted and relieved. "I'm glad to hear it, buddy. It's about time, too. I think she needs to hear it more than ever."

The next morning, Armin and Eren were sleeping soundly, when they were awoken by their door crashing open.

"What!" Eren shouted as he bolted upright, drool running down his chin.

"Sorry, it's just-" Sasha, who stood in the doorway holding the frame, panted and held up a finger. Before she could continue speaking, a small figure jumped onto Eren's bed.

"You're okay! Did you eat the dinner we made? Did you get the note Jean left?"

Eren took in Mikasa's small form, bouncing slightly on his bed. He couldn't speak, for he had the memories of Armin and he's conversation last night come crashing in.

"Mikasa! I told you to wait until we knew they were awake," Sasha moaned from the doorway, having sank to her knees. "That girl is quick."

Armin collected his thoughts and got himself up and lead Mikasa off of Eren's. "We did get the note, Mikasa, and the dinner was great! Why don't you go find Hanji, she will tell you what to do for now. I need to talk to Eren about something," Armin planned, escorting Mikasa to the door.

"But I want to stay with you," Mikasa protested, letting go of Armin's hand.

"We'll see you shortly. 10 minutes," Armin promised, and they both walked out allowing the door to close.

Eren still sat frozen upright in bed, while Armin moved to the armoire in the room.

"Thanks, I don't know what came over me. Still half asleep, I guess," Eren said, getting out of bed himself.

"I'm sure that's what it was," Armin answered, missing Eren's narrow look directed at him.

"So, what did you want to talk about with me?" he asked, coming over to search for clothes as well.

"Not with you," Armin said, grabbing his chosen set and moving to the film separator that blocked him while he changed. "We are going to tell Lady Kiyomi what happened."

Eren paused mid-strip behind his own film. "I thought Hanji didn't want her to know," Eren said.

"It's like you said, Eren. If anyone were to know what to do about this, it's her. And that's why we aren't telling Hanji about this. She would try and stop us, turn us into children if she had to," Armin explained, fully dressed, and stepping out from the separators cover. Eren did the same, and together they exited their chambers and went to find Lady Kiyomi, and hopefully a conclusion to this drama.

Hanji had been sleeping dreamlessly, before she was rudely awoken by some impatient soldiers. She had barely slept a wink that night and was not in the mood to start back again at the very activity that caused such restlessness.

But she had no choice. If she was to cure Mikasa of her childness before noon today, then she had to work until she figured out just how to do that.

Mikasa had tried her best to be helpful, but Hanji could tell she was struggling with the whole thing. She was helping them find a cure for her to turn back into a person she didn't even know, a person they were telling her she was.

She couldn't imagine being in that position herself, and wasn't nearly as physically gifted as Mikasa, so being stuck in such a state must be awful.

Her squad wasn't faring too well either. They had an image of a woman they could trust with their lives tarnished by Hanji's foolish experiments, and now, Mikasa would come back to them, hopefully, to her friends treating her completely differently.

"Come on, Hanji, we don't have much time," Sasha said, snapping the commander back. "Lady Kiyomi might want an early start, or go looking for her at breakfast."

As Sasha said this, the door creaked open, causing the whole room to freeze.

A woman of grace and authority entered the room, with two impassive faced boys behind her.

"L-lady Kiyomi," Hanji greeted. "How are you this morning?"

"Where is she, Commander Hanji?"

Hanji sighed, defeated, and stepped aside gesturing to the far corner of the room, where Mikasa lay on her stomach, thumbing through an herbal medicine book. Kiyomi approached the little girl slowly and stopped with her shadow looming over her.

Mikasa looked up and quickly stood straight. "Hello," she said. The lady knelt to her level.

"Hello Lady Mikasa, how are you?" Mikasa thumbed the red scarf around her neck.

"Good..." she mumbled. Realizing that Mikasa might now have much to say to her, Kiyomi turned to the squad their commander.

"I appreciate the passion and talent in science, I also approve of its advances and experimentations, but I don't think even Mother Nature approves of her way being altered. This Mikasa does not belong here, and this experience will be remembered not only by you, but by her," Kiyomi explained, gesturing to said girl.

"You mean, the old Mikasa is going to remember herself being a child? Here? In this time?" Jean asked.

"Indeed. Anything that has happened to her since she's changed, will remain with her conscience when the spell is reversed."

"It can be reversed?" Hanji asked, hope rising in her chest.

"I do know how to reverse these effects, but I'm afraid it is not me who can do it. The spell gives us a slight hint of the cure, but I'm sure you saw the copy you received from our public library is a little worn so you wouldn't have seen it. It simply says,

'Memories sought through fear and fright,

Won't be revealed until all is put right

With love comes heartbreak, and with it comes pain,

You must conquer all to see present again

Heal the broken, mend the break,

For then you'll see the bearer's fate

Open the gates, destroy the walls,

And heal the heartbreak this memory caused.'"

The room was silent, as the words Kiyomi had spoken seemed to echo inside the enclosed space, before Connie spoke.

"What in the hell is that supposed to mean?" he asked aloud.

There were a few murmurs of confusion before Armin started to write down the incantation on a chalkboard Hanji had set up. Once he did, everyone gathered around the board, with the exception of Mikasa as she was growing bored and tired, and was wondering when breakfast was being served.

"'Memories sought through fear and fright' translates to Hanji wanting to help Mikasa remember the day she got her clan mark, but for some reason there was no way to direct the spell to that exact memory so it instead latched onto the last memory Mikasa had ever repressed." Armin tried not to look at Eren, but everyone else didn't, and they're accusing stares caused him to step back a bit. "Which happened to be the day Eren and Mikasa fought for the first time. The line after, 'won't be revealed until all is put right' confuses me, as there is nothing within this memory that is needing revealing, unless..." Armin started to dive into his head, when Hanji stepped up.

"'With love comes heartbreak and with it comes pain; you must conquer all to see present again.' Seeing present might mean turning Mikasa back to her present self, but again, there's the conquering heartbreak. 'Heal the broken, mend the break; for then you'll see the bearers fate...'" Hanji continued, making a similar face to Armin now, deep in thought.

"Open the gates, destroy the walls," Eren continued, stepping up the board now. "And heal the heartbreak this memory caused.'" Everyone looked at him, skeptically.

"What are you thinking, Eren?" Armin asked. He was playing dumb, but Armin damn well knew what that script meant. The heartbreak the memory had caused. Eren knew how to break the curse, Armin did, too, but everyone else simply waited for him to explain.

"I think I know what needs to be done," Eren said, and turned to Mikasa. Feeling eyes on her, the girl looked up.

"What is it?" she wondered. Eren approached her and knelt to her level. He willed himself to look at her face, into her eyes, as he spoke his next words.

"You remember the fight we had?" he asked. Mikasa slightly nodded.

"The town bullies had stolen Armin's book and threw it in the river, I was in the market buying groceries when Armin had told me about it. I ran over to help, gave the bullies a swimming lesson. When I turned to see if you were hurt, you were gone." Eren listened to every word she said, his own version of the memory haunting him.

"I ran home to see if you were there, you were. In your room, and you looked very angry. I didn't understand why at first, but then..."

"I started to yell," Eren finished. He could feel his squad watching him intently, but focused only on Mikasa.

"I didn't know what to do, so I just stood there. You were so angry about me intervening that your own mother could barely stop you from yelling. She got mad and tried to get you to apologize for hurting my feelings, but you refused, and stormed off again." Mikasa's eyes went far away, as if reliving the entire ordeal. "You didn't come home at sundown, so I went out looking for you with your father, we found you in the meadow, asleep under the tree. He carried you home."

Eren let his bangs cover his face, as he could no longer bear to look at her tearful face, scarred from the idea of him being angry with her.

"The next morning you woke up, and-"

"And I acted like nothing happened. I acted as if you wouldn't have cared what I thought. You were too strong to let anybody get you down. I thought you didn't need me."

"I need you," Mikasa countered, trying to get him to look at her. Eren didn't.

"You brought down bullies for me, chopped the most wood, carried the most, kept me from starving when I was too stubborn and angry to go to dinner after an argument with my mom, you cared for me in a way I couldn't for you, because you didn't need me to." Eren started to let the tears threatening him, loose, and continued to speak to her as if she was the old Mikasa. The one he grew up with, the one who'd saved him countless times from his own recklessness, the one who would do anything for him. But no matter what age she was, she was always going to be the Mikasa he knew and... loved.

"I was so blind, Mikasa. To everything. Everything you've done, everything I've put you through. I thought I could hate you; I thought I could keep you away, and for a while, it is easy. After I became a titan, I could focus on making my contribution, focus on avenging my childhood, my mother, but every time I tried to fight, I would mess up or end up captured and immobile, useless, and you'd show up and outshine me again by dragging me back to safety, like it was no big deal."

Eren was on a roll at this point, and everyone was too shocked by this side of Eren to dare interrupt him.

"Everyone looked to you for guidance, looked to you to save the day, but you ignored everything and everyone so you could check on me, comfort me, berate me for being hot-headed, and I thought that you caring about me was taking away to your contribution to humanity, and I hated it. That you put me on such a high pedestal, when it was you who should've been up there." Still looking down and overwhelmed by his own thoughts, Eren missed the collective gasp that was given from his audience behind him. He kept ranting.

"I thought I hated you, and that made me even angrier, I didn't want to hate you, especially when you cared so much about me, but no matter what I did, or what I said, you came back to me with the same dedication that you always did. I was just too jealous and outraged to see it. You never gave up on me, you never let me stay away for long, I thought I wanted to. But the truth is, I miss that Mikasa. I miss the girl who never left me alone, who always gave me the rest of her dinner, lying to me that she wasn't hungry. I miss the girl who would leave a trail of destruction in her wake just to get to me, or save me.

"I never realized how much I relied on you, how much you pushed me to fight. How much you inspired me to be strong, I never realized, that I wasn't fighting to avenge my mom, I wasn't fighting to avenge Shiganshina, I was fighting to make sure you never had to see the destruction of your home ever again. I wanted you to live the life you deserved, when all I did was traumatize you and force you to shove down the very reason you kept fighting. Because you loved me, because you needed me. And I need you, too, Mikasa. I need you just as much."

He had finished. He breathed heavily, whilst staring down at the floor and pool of tears that he was unaware of until now. He was expecting Jean to start laughing and poke fun at Eren crying, but instead Hanji sniffling was the first sound he heard.

"That was...so beautiful," she said, dabbing her eyes with her sleeve. "Eren, I didn't think you could...well, let me just say that was so brave, Eren."

"And it looked like it paid off, handsomely," Lady Kiyomi said. "Look up, Eren Jaeger."

Eren did, and stumbled back in shock when Mikasa, grown-up with tears streaming down her face, stared back at him. "Mikasa? You're...you're back to normal!" he stammered out. She nodded, too consumed with emotion to even speak.

"You did it, Eren! You broke the curse!" Sasha cheered, dancing on the spot.

"I don't think that was the only curse that was broken," Armin said, nodding toward the couple again. Eren was gazing at Mikasa's face, as if he's seeing it for the first time. She was absolutely inconsolable under his intense gaze, as Eren as never paid this much interest in her. Realizing his actions, Eren quickly stood up and held out a hand for Mikasa. Sasha threw Mikasa a small throw blanket to put around herself, as she was still only wearing her blouse and scarf, and she let Eren help her up.

"I'm really happy that Mikasa is back to her usual self, but we still don't know much about the day you got that mark," Hanji said, coming over to examine the burn mark again.

"I don't think it matters how I got it, Hanji, or when, I think all that matters is how I use it. I have no problem with knowing who I am, I just have to accept that there are multiple things that make up who I am. Even the repressed memories play a part in that." Mikasa looked at Eren, smiling, and he returned it easily. "It doesn't matter where my history came from, or what I gain from it. I just want to protect and fight with the people who've supported me and helped me grow, because that IS who I am."

With a loud agreement all around, the soldiers decided to continue their celebration into the dining hall. Eren and Mikasa took up the rear, hand in hand, and glowing at the idea of fighting for just one more thing.