Note: This is the new updated version of chapter one. Chapter 2 will also be edited and re-posted when it is completed. Thank you and I hope you enjoy!
On that day…humanity was suddenly reminded…of the terror of being at their mercy…and the humiliation of being trapped inside a birdcage.
In a deep, dark forest, rain cascaded down from above as men and women charged through on horseback, their emerald green cloaks flowing behind them like the blue and white wings that were embroidered onto them. There were many colorful characters among this group of heroes, from a tall, slightly pale man with immaculately placed blonde hair, to a shorter man with piercing gray-blue eyes, and the teenage girl riding next to him with reddish blonde hair and light brown eyes that appeared amber in the sunlight. Many walks of life formed this group of rebels, for that is what they truly were…the ones who rebelled and decided to give it all, including their lives, for the sake of humankind.
At the front of this group was a man with a slightly tan complexion, a long yet hollowed face, thinning brown hair, and golden eyes that could pierce right through to someone's soul. This man was Keith Shadis, 12th Commander of the group he was currently leading. And that group was none other than the expertly trained soldiers of the Survey Corps.
The Survey Corps themselves were the strongest of the strong when it came to the members of the three military branches, mainly because they were always in direct conflict with them. Hellish, humanoid creatures whose lust for cannibalism was never satisfied. It was also the reason for the Corps' ever-constantly dwindling numbers. After all, even expertly trained soldiers can't predict what'll happen outside in the field.
"All troops, prepare for combat!" Shadis shouted to his soldiers, "The target appears to be alone! Let's take him down and make this humanity's first base outside the walls!"
From his horse some ways back, the tall blonde man shouted, "Target's approaching, sir!"
Sure enough, there it was…the creature spawned from the fires of Hell. The devil whose footsteps shook the earth and thundered over the land like an earthquake. Eyes lifeless and uncaring for all the lives it slaughtered looking for its next meal. Yes, they truly were the most damned creations on the face of this earth.
Extending his left hand, Shadis yelled, "Here we go! Split into five groups, just as we practiced! My squad will act as the bait! All other squads, switch to your ODM gear!"
The assault squads then pulled out handles from their harnesses, where, with the press of a button, two grappling hooks fired into the nearby trees. With strong steel wires holding them up, the men and women jumped off their horses and flew through the air towards their dreaded threat. With skill and ease, they flew all around the monster, hoping to keep it distracted long enough for Shadis' squad to come in undetected.
"We'll attack it together from all angles!" Shadis ordered.
As the troops prepared their assault, the teenage girl launched her anchor into a nearby branch, but soon found that the device wasn't anchored properly. She began to fall at rapid speed, but was still quick enough to launch her second hook into another tree so that she wouldn't hit the ground and die. While she regained herself, the man with gray-blue eyes zipped behind her and gave her a shove back up towards her anchor.
"You alright?!" he shouted to her.
Nodding, the girl answered, "I'm fine! Thank you!"
"Stay close to me! This is only your third expedition, Petra! Maria would kill me if anything happened to you!"
"I will, Levi!"
Elsewhere, another blonde man placed the handles of his gear onto some blades, pulling them out of their holster with a metallic ring. He then swung over to the back of the beast's neck, allowing his anchors to release as he went in for the kill and shouted at the creature in front of him.
"Don't you dare underestimate us!" he shouted, "Behold the power of what mankind can do!"
Wall Maria, Shiganshina District; Year 845
The sun was shining and the birds were singing on this beautiful early summer day in the southernmost district of Shiganshina. A calm peaceful place, many people lived and worked here, from blacksmiths to farmers to well-renowned doctors. Every once in a while, you'd get the odd member of the Order of the Walls preaching about how the walls were "divine" and "not to be sullied". Most people ignored them, as not many still believed in what the Order preached. Yes, it was a peaceful life for all who lived here, no matter who they were or where they came from.
At one of the houses closest to the inner gate of Shiganshina, a woman was currently receiving a package from a girl, a smile on both of their faces.
"Oh, thank you so much for this, dear," the woman graciously thanks, "How can my family ever repay your kindness?"
"You don't have to," the girl replied, "Sometimes we all need a little bit of unconditional kindness and love in our lives. Especially when we least expect it."
"That's very true indeed."
"Maria!" a woman behind the girl called, "Please hurry! We still have other stops to make!"
"Okay, Mom!" Maria called back, then turned to the woman and bowed, "I hope you and your family enjoy our gift!"
"We certainly will, Maria," the grateful woman responded, "Don't be a stranger, you or your mother."
Smiling and waving, Maria Stone turned around and ran towards the sound of her mother, who was waiting nearby with a smile of her own. The girl in question had just turned twelve only a month prior, but she already seemed to have intelligence and wisdom just beyond her years. Her fiery orange hair certainly helped her to stand out from the crowd, but it was a feature that Maria always loved about her appearance. But anyone who met Maria always commented on her most striking feature: her neon green eyes. Truly, no one could explain just how she was born with them, other than it was a rare trait from her family's genetics. Add the aforementioned to her porcelain skin and humbling yet sometimes rash personality and you've got a child who's the epitome of a well-raised rich girl.
Well, one wouldn't know that Maria was rich if they looked at her, though. She always dressed below her status, preferring to wear blouses and skirts, chemises and kirtles in hemp or cotton over the silks and satins that governed the clothing of those in the upper classes. It was the same situation for her mother, too.
Sylvia Stone, a woman of only thirty-five, was still as beautiful as she had been earlier in her youth, but with a much more mature appearance and wisdom to match that beauty. Her once caramel colored hair (always in a neatly compacted bun) was now starting to become more subdued in tone, but she too had the same neon green eyes and porcelain skin as her daughter. Her figure was still quite fit and hourglass-like, as having only one child wasn't enough to make any drastic changes to her body all those years ago. Sylvia was also quite tall for the average woman at around 170.2 cm in height without her low heels on. Like her daughter, she wore blouses and skirts, the former having some lace detailing on them the majority of the time.
Welcoming her daughter with a loving embrace, Sylvia commented to Maria, "Come along, my dear. We need to hurry and get these care packages to the soldiers on wall duty. Goodness knows if they've had anything to eat all day."
As Sylvia and Maria walked on, the former adjusting the satchel across her shoulders, Maria responded, "I heard Mr. Hannes has that shift today. Knowing him, he's probably already drunker than the Survey Corps before an expedition."
Laughing lightly, Sylvia agreed, "Oh, how true that is, darling."
At the gate, Maria and Sylvia were greeted by three men outside of the entrance, all of them drinking as if they were in a tavern after a long shift. Glancing at each other with knowing looks, the mother and daughter could only sigh in hopelessness at the scene in front of them.
"We've already lost them, Mom," Maria joked in a hushed tone.
"Looks like it," Sylvia confirmed before taking her satchel off and opening it, "Afternoon, gentlemen of the Garrison!"
The three men looked up and smiled upon seeing Maria and Sylvia, one of the men replying, "Ms. Sylvia! You're always a sight for sore eyes!"
"Careful there, soldier. I'm married to a lieutenant in the Survey Corps," Sylvia playfully warned, flashing the gold band on her left hand, "My husband wouldn't hesitate to kill you if he saw your feeble attempts at flirting."
The other two men guffawed at their comrade's horrible flirting skills while Maria took one of the packages from her mother's satchel and walked closer to a tall man with short, unruly blonde hair. It was someone Maria had known for most of her life, like many soldiers in all three branches of the military. This man was Hannes, a dear family friend to not just her, but to the Jaeger family as well.
"Mr. Hannes!" Maria called, earning his attention, as well as the attention of a boy and girl in front of the man in question, "Eren! Mikasa!"
Hannes smiled at Maria and said, "It's always good to see you and your mom, Maria. You two have a way of bringing aging soldiers like us a little bit of joy."
"It's just our way of giving back to those who risk their lives for us," Maria explained, handing Hannes his care package, "Except for the MPs. I think we all agree on what to think about them."
"Yep." Hannes then turned back to Eren and Mikasa and said, "Been awhile since you two have seen Maria, hasn't it?"
"Sure has!" Eren exclaimed, "How've you been, Maria?"
"Pretty good, all things considered," Maria answered honestly.
A scowl developed on Eren's face, "Seriously, though. I know the Survey Corps is doing what they can to help us, but taking an eleven-year-old on an expedition?!"
"It was all that could be done at the time, Eren. Sure, I lost two of my only friends on that expedition, but I still learned a lot from those few hours outside the Walls."
Hannes patted Maria's head and said, "What matters is that you're here, safe and sound. None of us would really be the same without you in our lives."
"That's a truth we can all agree on," Sylvia quipped, walking over to the small group, "How've you been, Hannes?"
"Quite well, Mrs. Stone."
"You reek of booze," Eren annoyingly retorted.
"And that's why I chose champagne for his care pack and not wine," Sylvia lightly teased.
The other men from the Garrison laughed once again before Sylvia addressed Eren and Mikasa, "Eren, is your father still at home?"
"Yes, ma'am, he is," Eren replied.
"Then let's walk back together. I have one last package that I need to deliver to him."
"Sure!"
Eren and Mikasa followed Sylvia and Maria out of the entrance tunnel, but the boy soon stopped and turned back towards Hannes, his cyan eyes burning with determination.
"Mr. Hannes, just remember this: even if we're confined inside these walls, we'll all just keep on eating and sleeping. But, if we continue to do just that…it would make us nothing more than cattle."
The Garrison soldiers let out a third laugh, one commenting, "That's some valiant effort for a kid who can't do anything, eh Hannes?"
"Y-Yeah," Hannes semi-agreed, watching as Eren and Mikasa took off once again, Sylvia and Maria following alongside them. It was there that an epiphany struck Hannes' mind and it was one he didn't want to dare bring himself to imagine.
"Don't tell me…Eren actually wants to join the Survey Corps."
As the group walked up a hill that would lead to the road towards the Jaeger residence, Mikasa said, "Eren, I think you should give up on joining the Survey Corps."
"Why should he?" Maria inquired, surprised, "It's his life. Eren should be allowed to join if he wants to once he's my age."
"Maria's right!" Eren exclaimed, "Are you going to look down on the Survey Corps too? Maria's father's a part of them!"
"It isn't about what I think about them, Eren," Mikasa started, but was soon interrupted.
"Eren! Mikasa! That's enough!" Sylvia scolded, "Stop fighting, both of you! I'm not above parenting someone else's children, you know."
Before Eren could retort, a ringing bell sounded throughout the city, which immediately put a smile on everyone's faces except Mikasa's. The bell could only mean one thing…the Survey Corps had returned.
"It's the Survey Corps! They've returned!" Eren shouted with unbridled joy, "They're going to open the front gate any second now!"
"Wanna surprise Dad when he comes back through, Mom?" Maria questioned.
"Of course," Sylvia confirmed, "I'm hardly ever there when Hunter returns, so it'll be a welcome change for him, I'm sure."
"Then it's settled!" Eren kept exclaiming before grabbing Mikasa's hand, "Let's hurry, Mikasa! It's the triumphant return of the heroes!"
Eren then began pulling Mikasa towards the front gate, the girl just stunned at his eagerness. Maria hurried to catch up to her friends while Sylvia chuckled and followed behind at her own pace. Her expression soon fell as a thought came to her.
"Not every return is a triumph, Eren," she muttered, "The sooner you learn that, the more you'll be prepared for what's really out there."
At the front gate, members of the Survey Corps came walking through into the town, their heads hung low with sadness. To everyone who saw them, that only meant that their most recent expedition ended in failure once again. Some were battered and had bandages covering their newest wounds, others lay in carts with more serious injuries like missing or broken limbs. But, near the front of the crew, was one man whose head was still high despite the devastating loss they had just suffered. That man was Hunter Stone.
Hunter Stone, the thirty-seven-year-old Lieutenant of the Survey Corps and leader of Squad Stone. Born in the Underground City, he literally worked his way up to the surface, into the military, and beyond. Not even getting his lower right leg bitten off by a Titan and earning a steel prosthetic leg could stop this feircesome man. And feircesome he was. Hunter's eyes were a medium gray color that housed every emotion under the sun, ranging from love to undisputed hatred. A squared jaw that kept a full yet trimmed moustache and beard gave him a slightly older appearance than his actual age, as did his slightly graying near-black hair. His well-toned physique and tall stature only added to this perception the people had of him. To anyone who saw him, he was the epitome of a perfect soldier. So perfect, in fact, that the public had decided to grant him the nickname of "Humanity's Strongest Soldier"
But Hunter never forgot one thing in his life: who he was fighting for and why he was fighting for them. His wife and daughter. They were always his motivation to keep going and survive every expedition he'd been on, which was now in the dozens at this point. For him, the highlight of these expeditions was always his triumphant return home to see the smiling faces of his girls as he walked through that door. It would never be a sight he'd ever grow tired of seeing.
"Dad!" Maria shouted as she ran towards her father and his mighty steed. Hunter's smile immediately brightened as he halted his horse and dismounted it so he could embrace his only child.
"Oh, my girl," Hunter cooed as he held Maria close, "It's always wonderful to see you when I come home."
Pulling back slightly, Maria replied, "I'm just glad you made it back again, Dad. Mom and I never stop worrying for you."
Hunter chuckled lightly, "So, where is Sylvia? Is she out checking on the homeless shelter's progress?"
"Why don't you ask her yourself, darling?" Sylvia responded, walking over to her family.
Maria patted her father's arm, letting him know she was going to leave them alone, then ran further down the line of soldiers. Hunter smiled and watched his daughter before returning his attention to his wife. The couple shared a loving kiss, savoring the moment for a few seconds before parting and resuming the walk down the road.
"And, to answer the question, the homeless shelter's coming along beautifully," Sylvia added, "It's going to be completed in the next couple of days."
Wrapping an arm around his wife's shoulders, Hunter replied, "Wonderful. I'm always so proud of you for helping others, my dear. Seeing your kindness towards others is truly admirable."
"Is that why you fell for me all those years ago?"
"And your immeasurable beauty, of course."
While her parents continued to converse, Maria kept walking further down the line of incoming soldiers, her eyes searching for a few people in specific. They soon lit up as she spotted one of them, the man with blonde hair that was now slightly disheveled. His own eyes looked tired and forlorn, but Maria was determined to change that.
"Erwin!" she cried out as she ran towards him, hoping to get his attention.
Upon hearing Maria's voice, twenty-nine-year-old Erwin Smith glanced up at the girl who was fast approaching and smiled. He'd known Maria since she was born and loved her as if she were his own, despite her viewing him as more of an uncle than a father figure. Leaning down, Erwin was able to effortlessly lift Maria up onto his horse and hug her with one arm.
"It's good to see you, Maria," Erwin's warm voice said, the tiredness he felt showing there as well.
Maria could see said tiredness in his bright blue eyes and commented, "The expedition failed, didn't it?"
Erwin slightly laughed, "Nothing ever gets past you, does it? But, yes, it did. We almost secured the area for a new base, but got ambushed after what we thought was the final Titan in the area. Many of our fellow soldiers died in a matter of seconds."
Worry now evident on her face, Maria asked, "Erwin, are Petra and aniki okay?"
"Don't worry, they're just fine. Petra got a sprained ankle, but that's the worst of their injuries. They're a little ways down the line."
Maria nodded and slid off of Erwin's horse to try and find her friends. Erwin could only smile at her as her form retreated farther down, knowing that her spirited nature couldn't be broken no matter how hard anyone tried.
Glancing up, Erwin watched Hunter and Sylvia interact, his heart aching a little at the sight. He knew it was wrong to love a married woman (and had several talks with Hunter about it), but Erwin just couldn't stop the feelings he had for Sylvia. Yes, he'd been in love before in his youth, but Sylvia was a complete mystery to him. That coupled with her kind-hearted nature made it incredibly easy for him to fall deeply in love with her. Shaking his head to rid himself of those thoughts, Erwin pressed on, catching Eren's eye for a second before looking away.
Meanwhile, Maria kept looking through the throngs of downhearted soldiers, hoping to find the two people she was looking for. Her only two true friends left in the world: Levi Ackerman and Petra Ral. They were more than friends to Maria, for they were also her family. An older brother and sister she never got to have. After a few more minutes of searching, Maria was finally able to spot Levi's figure, hunched over slightly thanks to him carrying Petra on his back while they held their horses reins.
"Aniki! Petra!" Maria called out, rushing over to the pair as they realized who had called them.
"Maria!" Petra called back, waving while holding onto Levi with her other hand.
Once Maria had caught up to them and started walking next to them, she said, "Erwin told me Petra only sprained her ankle. She can still walk, aniki."
"I wasn't going to take any chances," Levi responded, his voice rather stoic and tired.
"So he took it upon himself to carry me once we arrived back at the entrance," Petra quipped, "I know he does his best to look after me because of you, but this is ridiculous. Like Maria said, I can still walk, Levi."
"And walking will only further aggravate your injury. Besides, I'm older than you both in age and experience, so you should listen to me."
"Yeah, by nine years in one and one year in the other."
"Should I leave you two alone if you're going to keep bickering like an old married couple?" Maria jested, her tone light and teasing.
Petra blushed a little while Levi only glared at his surrogate little sister. This earned a small laugh from Maria, but her expression soon turned to concern when she heard the familiar voice of Commander Shadis shout from further up the line.
"We've failed to achieve a goddamn thing!" Shadis shouted to a woman on the ground, kneeling in front of her, "Because I was incompetent, my soldiers all died for nothing! And we've failed to learn anything new about them!"
Silence permeated the area, soldiers halted in their tracks as Shadis admitted his folly in front of them and the people of Shiganshina. Maria couldn't help but feel sorry for him, knowing he must've been under immense pressure to lead the most hated branch of the military. As if on impulse, she began walking over towards the commander and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, earning his attention.
"Maria," he said, standing up.
"You're doing the best that you can, Commander," Maria spoke, surprising the man in front of her, "That being said, I really think you should listen to what the newer recruits have to say. Fresh eyes and perspective can really change the game if you're open enough to new possibilities."
Shadis could only stare in disbelief at Maria's words; further up, Hunter and Sylvia were just as stunned but Erwin simply smiled. The latter knew of Maria's uncanny perception abilities and hoped deep down she'd utilize them for good away from the military. Still, he couldn't deny the interest Maria had been showing in joining the military for the past year. Her friends' deaths must've been a bigger influence on her career path than he originally perceived it to be.
Despite his shock, Shadis placed a hand on Maria's shoulder and responded, "I'll keep that in mind, Maria. We're really going to need it in the future. Especially with your father retiring after this expedition."
The only word Maria was able to get out of her mouth was a simple, "What?"
"So, when were you going to tell me you were retiring, Hunter?" Sylvia said, her tone irritated and slightly hurt. The Survey Corps was now long gone, heading back to their base in Trost, but Hunter stayed behind to talk to his wife about Shadis' revelation.
"Once I came back home," Hunter admitted, "It was supposed to be a surprise."
"Why not talk to me about it? This is a serious decision you're making, darling."
"Because I knew you'd tell me to say when, in reality, I'm tired of fighting. It's keeping me away from the people I love the most."
Cupping Sylvia's face, Hunter continued, "I've already picked a suitable successor and I know he'll do a wonderful job carrying on the cause. Please, just trust my judgement on this, Sylvia. I want to be a better husband and father to you and Maria. For the majority of my life, I've spent it fighting for humanity and the betterment of it. Now, it's time for me to hand up the cloak and let someone else take the reins. Like Maria said, fresh eyes and a fresh perspective will be the key to changing the game against those Titans."
Sylvia touched her husband's face and questioned, "And you won't regret this decision in the long run?"
"Not at all. I've thought long and hard about this for months. And it's time for my tenure in the Corps to end."
With a sigh, Sylvia smiled at Hunter and said, "If this is what you truly want, then I'll support you until the end."
Hunter sighed with relief and kissed Sylvia's palm as he held it to his face, "Bless you, Sylvia. Sometimes, I still don't think I deserve to be married to you."
"And yet, I chose you out of everyone else within the walls. Trust me, rich people don't do anything for me. I much prefer hard working men who actually care about the world around them."
Before Hunter could respond to Sylvia, a voice called out, "Hey, get your ass back here, kid!"
The couple then noticed Mikasa dragging a struggling Eren away, Maria shouting as she followed them, "Mikasa, hold on a minute!"
"What did Eren do this time?" Hunter wondered.
"Better go and see," Sylvia said, her and Hunter rushing to follow the children as they disappeared down a pathway.
"Mikasa, this is far enough, isn't it?!" Eren shouted as Mikasa continued to drag him towards a house. Seconds later, she practically threw Eren against the building behind him, scattering the wood he had been carrying on his back.
Having managed to catch up, Maria said, "Mikasa, what's wrong with you?!"
As Maria rushed over to check on Eren, Mikasa asked in a serious tone, "Eren, has that changed your mind about joining the Survey Corps yet?"
Eren stared at Mikasa in shock, Maria rubbing his slightly sore back as a means of comfort. Moments later, Sylvia and Hunter arrived, both of them having heard Eren's crash into the building.
"What in the hell is going on here?!" Hunter's voice boomed over the children before turning to Mikasa, "Did you throw Eren against the wall, Mikasa?!"
"I did," Mikasa confessed, "Eren needs to give up on joining the Survey Corps."
"That's not for you to decide, young lady! Now, go apologize to Eren and clean up the mess you made!"
Her face becoming desperate, Mikasa tried to counter, "But Eren could…"
"Mikasa Ackerman," Hunter said, his voice now low and dangerous, "Do. As. I. Say."
Eren and Mikasa cowered in fear of Hunter, but Maria knew that her father only got like this when he was being disrespected or someone else was being disrespected. In this case, he knew it was Mikasa's fault and acted accordingly.
"You might want to listen to him, Mikasa," Maria advised the scared ten-year-old, "Trust me on this one."
Knowing she had lost the fight, Mikasa walked over to Eren and started picking up the wood she had made him lose. Eren heard a faint "sorry" escape from her lips, which was more than enough for him.
"Come on," Eren said, "Let's get this cleaned up. Two people are better than one."
"Better make that three," Maria volunteered, grabbing some wood close to her.
"It's not that big of a mess," Mikasa muttered.
Hunter and Sylvia watched the children clean up the mess, the former sighing in exhaustion. Sylvia rubbed her husband's arm, resting her head on his shoulder to try and cheer him up.
"Never a dull moment with an Ackerman around," Hunter quipped, taking his wife's hand in his.
"And you thought Levi was bad at first," Sylvia joked back, "His cousin just might give him a run for his money."
"I sure hope not." Sighing, Hunter said, "So, where were you and Maria going before we came back?"
"Eren's house. I've got one last package to give Carla and Grisha."
"Been a while since I've seen Grisha. Mind if I tag along?"
"Of course. I think he'll be happy to see you."
"Mr. Hunter, we got all the wood," Eren announced, gaining the attention of the two adults, "Mikasa apologized too, so we're all good now."
"Good," Hunter replied, "Now, let's hurry and get you kids home. I'm sure Carla's wondering where you are by now."
As the group headed back for the Jaeger residence, Eren's stomach growled loudly, earning a hearty laugh from Hunter as the boy blushed in embarrassment.
"Let's hope Carla has some lunch ready for you, Eren. Sounds like you need it after the day you've had."
Not even two seconds later, Hunter's own stomach growled, which made his wife and daughter chuckle at the turn of events. Eren simply smirked.
"Maybe you should think before commenting about someone's hunger," Eren lightly jested, "Especially when you're hungry yourself, old man."
Eren didn't even have two seconds to enjoy his small victory before Hunter picked him up and slung the boy over his shoulder. Before Eren could even think about protesting, he started laughing hysterically as Hunter began tickling his sides. Sylvia, Maria, and even Mikasa could only smile at the sight.
"He had it coming," Maria commented, which earned a light pat on the shoulder from Sylvia.
"A little bit," Sylvia conceded, "Come on, we can't keep Grisha and Carla waiting any longer. I really hope Carla made enough food. She's going to have two hungry boys on her hands."
The Jaeger residence resided near the top of a hill close to the beating heart of Shiganshina. A modest looking house of brick and mortar, the two story abode currently housed the Jaeger family and Mikasa, who had been staying there since her parents' murder the year prior. Mikasa could have been taken in by Levi, one of her only known relatives, but his occupation made a stable home life impossible for her. So, Levi let Mikasa choose where she would live and she ultimately chose Eren. And it was this humble home that the Stone family was currently approaching, along with the home's two youngest residents.
It always made Hunter smile every time he came and visited this house. He'd always envisioned a home like this for his family and was grateful that he had a home similar to this back in Trost. Still, there was something about the Jaeger home specifically that he always adored, but never could place his finger on it. Maybe it was the way the home's mortar was starting to crack. Perhaps it was the way the bricks had aged, giving them a beautiful terracotta countenance. Regardless of what it was, it would never fail to bring him joy.
Walking up the steps leading to the doorway, Eren opened the door and called to his parents, "We're back."
Carla Jaeger turned her attention away from making lunch and replied with a smile, "Welcome back."
"Visitors are here," Mikasa added, handing her backpack of sticks to Eren as he took off his.
Before Carla could ask who the visitors were, her smile brightened even more upon seeing the Stone family in the doorway. Maria gave a wave to the adults while Hunter and Sylvia smiled back in kind.
"Oh, well this is a pleasant surprise!" Carla exclaimed, "Please, come inside. It's been far too long, Sylvia."
"Likewise, Carla," Sylvia greeted, the two women exchanging cheek kisses before Carla turned her attention to Maria.
"And Maria, look at how tall you've gotten now! You'll be your mother's height in no time!"
Maria blushed and muttered, "I don't know about that."
"It's good to see you again, Hunter," Grisha greeted, acknowledging the other man in the room, "Did you just come back from an expedition?"
"Yes, I did," Hunter confirmed, "And it'll also be my last one. I'm retiring from the Survey Corps."
Grisha and Carla's eyes widened in surprise, the former replying, "Retiring? Not many soldiers from the Survey Corps get to do that."
"Why are you retiring now?" Carla inquired as she filled some plates with stew for her family, "You've already gone this long in the Survey Corps. Why back out now?"
"I want to be there for my family," Hunter explained, wrapping an arm around Sylvia's shoulders, "Because of my dedication to my job, I feel like I've missed so many milestones in my wife and daughter's lives. Now that Maria's almost thirteen, I feel like I shouldn't miss all the new milestones she's going to have. Getting married, having children, all of that."
"Well, I don't think that I'll hit any of those milestones, Dad," Maria admitted, "Because I've decided that I want to join the Survey Corps."
No one said a word in response to Maria's declaration, but the mood was soon broken thanks to Eren deciding to dump the firewood that had been gathered into the storage bin. Carla was grateful for the distraction, as was everyone else, and she walked over to her son.
"That's a lot of wood, Eren," she said, "You must've worked really hard today."
"Y-Yeah," Eren stuttered back, still a little nervous from the remaining tension.
Carla then pinched Eren's ear, which made him yelp, "What was that for?"
"I can see your ear's red," Carla said, "That means you're lying. Mikasa helped you, didn't she?"
Eren said nothing in response, which gave Carla her answer. She smiled then walked back over to the stove to finish preparing lunch while Grisha let out a sigh.
"Well, since you're here, let's get your yearly check-up in, Maria," he said, "You just turned twelve last month, after all."
About twenty minutes later, Grisha finished his examination, declaring to Hunter and Sylvia, "Maria's still in perfect health. Everything appears to be functioning properly, so she shouldn't have any problems being accepted into the Training Corps. Granted, if she's even allowed to enroll."
"I'm not happy about it," Carla voiced as she washed some dishes, "Maria's still young and has her whole life ahead of her. Why waste it by becoming a soldier?"
"So that the people who died before me wouldn't have sacrificed their lives in vain," Maria explained, "There needs to be new generations of soldiers to carry on the will of the fallen. And I want to be one of those soldiers."
Even though Carla still had an expression of slight disgust, she sighed and said, "Going on that expedition last year changed you."
"It'll change anybody, ma'am."
Silence once again permeated the room, the only sounds being made coming from Eren as he ate his stew. Feeling like she had to say something, Mikasa spoke up to the room full of people, her voice a little louder than it usually was.
"Eren says he wants to join the Survey Corps," she revealed, horrifying Carla.
"Mikasa!" Eren exclaimed, nearly slamming his plate down, "I told you not to tell anyone about that!"
Rushing over to her son, Carla knelt in front of Eren and said, "Eren, what are you thinking?! Do you know how many people die going beyond the walls?!"
"Of course I do!" Eren argued back.
"Then why on earth do you…?!"
"Eren," Grisha spoke up, earning his family's attention, "Why do you want to go outside the walls?"
Turning to face his father, Eren answered, "Because I want to see what all's out there. I know that I can't just live my life inside the walls like everyone else can. And it's like Maria said, if no one follows in the footsteps of those who've fallen, then their sacrifices for humanity will have all been in vain!"
Grisha gave a seemingly blank expression, but Hunter and Sylvia both knew what that look meant. Sylvia glanced at her husband, worry evident in her eyes. Hunter simply smiled and took her hand, reassuring her that everything was going to be alright. This didn't go unnoticed by Maria, but she chose to keep quiet about it for the time being.
Standing up, Grisha said, "My ferry's going to depart soon. I need to be off now."
"Heading to the interior for work again?" Hunter inquired.
"Of course."
Carla was quick to follow her husband to the door, saying, "Hold on, darling! Say something to Eren!"
"My dear, you can't stop human curiosity that easily. It's not something you can talk out of a person." Grisha turned towards his son and called, "Eren."
Eren and Mikasa stood up once Grisha addressed his son, both curious as to what he had to say. Maria also glanced at him while Sylvia started to pull a package out of her satchel.
"When I come back, I'll show you what's inside the basement that I've always kept a secret," Grisha declared, pulling out a gold key on a leather cord that he wore around his neck.
"Really?!" Eren asked, his eyes lighting up with glee.
Maria turned back to her parents, who both shared a worried expression on their faces. Her confusion became more prominent than it had minutes earlier. Why would her parents be worried over something as trivial as a basement? Is there something inside that Grisha wasn't supposed to have? Something was going on here and Maria was now determined to find out what it was.
"Have a safe trip!" Eren called out to his father as he walked down the hill away from his home. The boy was waving to Grisha, along with the Stone family as they all stood outside of the Jaeger residence together.
"I still don't approve of it," Carla then said, earning Eren's attention, "Only fools would think to join the Survey Corps."
"That explains why you don't like me," Hunter quipped.
"You're a good man, Hunter, just a fool for joining a cause that's impossible to obtain."
"As long as one person believes in the cause, it's not impossible, Carla."
"He's right!" Eren shouted, "And why should they be considered fools?! The only fools I see are the ones that are content living like cattle!"
Eren then ran in between two houses and turned a corner, Carla and Hunter both calling out for him. Hunter sighed, knowing that Eren's mind wasn't going to be changed at all. Carla, on the other hand, placed her hands on Mikasa's shoulders and addressed her.
"Mikasa, that boy has a bad habit of running into trouble," she said, "Please, be there for him whenever something bad does happen."
With a determined look and a nod, Mikasa then ran off after Eren, leaving only the adults and Maria behind outside of the house. Carla sighed and smiled apologetically.
"I'm sorry you had to see and hear all of that," she apologized, "You probably weren't even here for a casual visit, were you?"
"Not at all," Sylvia admitted, revealing the care package she'd been holding for several minutes, "We came to give this to you and your family."
Accepting the parcel, Carla said, "It's always a treat to see people who are above most of us show some kindness. Not many people are like you and do this out of the kindness of their hearts."
"I know. For them, it's always to save face and put on an act."
"Well, thank you so much for your continued kindness towards us, Sylvia." Carla then turned to Hunter and said, "And Hunter,...I really am happy you made it to retirement. Treasure the moments you have left with your family."
Hunter smiled back and said, "Don't worry, Carla, I will. But we should be heading back to Trost very soon. I still need to finalize everything with Shadis before I can come home for good."
"Then we should be going," Sylvia agreed, "It was wonderful seeing you again, Carla."
"Likewise," Carla replied, "Have a safe trip back home. And happy retirement, Lieutenant."
Hunter saluted Carla before leading his family away from the Jaeger household, ready to head towards the inner gate that would take them back home to Trost.
As the sun began to set, the Stone family were now close to the inner gate, ready to head for home. But Maria's mind continued to race after what she'd witnessed back at the Jaeger's house. Should she bring it up to her parents? And, if she does, how would she go about asking them? The questions in her mind were endless.
"Maria, are you alright, love?" Sylvia inquired, "You've been unusually quiet since we left the Jaegers'."
"Is something wrong?" Hunter added.
Figuring now was as good of a time as any, Maria asked, "Why did you two look so worried when Mr. Grisha mentioned his basement? Does he have something that he isn't supposed to have? Why does it make you two so scared?"
Sylvia and Hunter stopped dead in their tracks, which prompted Maria to do the same. The girl in question now had a look of mild fear on her face, concerned that she had said something wrong to her parents. When Sylvia sighed, however, her fears eased just a little bit.
"Maria, darling," Sylvia said, placing her hands on her daughter's shoulders, "There is something that Grisha isn't supposed to have down there…and we know what it is."
Eyes widening in shock, Maria whispered, "What is it, Mom?"
"Answers to every question you have about our family," Hunter explained, "There's a reason your mother and I never mention them."
"Why don't you?"
Sighing, once again, Sylvia started to respond, "Well, you see, dear…"
"Oi, Lieutenant!" a voice called to them, "Hurry it up, will ya?"
Turning in the direction of the gate, the Stone family was surprised to see Levi and Petra waiting for them at the exit. Knowing that it would be impossible to have any sort of privacy now, Sylvia simply patted her daughter's shoulders and weakly smiled.
"We'll tell you when we get back home," she reassured.
Despite not being satisfied with her mother's answer, Maria nodded and allowed her parents to lead her towards her friends. To her surprise, Petra was on both of her feet instead of on Levi's back.
"Levi finally let you walk, huh?" she questioned to the older teenager.
"Turns out it was just a bruise and not a sprain," Petra explained, "Levi's still not happy about me being on my feet, though."
"Like I said, walking will aggravate the injury," Levi retorted.
Petra gave a dismissive wave and said, "Stop being such a worry-wart, Levi. After what happened today, it's not like things can get any worse."
"That's for sure," Hunter agreed.
Before anyone could say anything else, a flash of lighting appeared at the outer gate of Wall Maria, the ground suddenly starting to shake after the impact. Hunter held onto his wife and daughter while Levi caught Petra as she fell from the five-second long earthquake that vanished as soon as it started. Once the group was certain it was now safe, they glanced around to see just what had caused the phenomenon they'd just witnessed.
"What was that?" Petra wondered as Levi helped her to her feet.
"I don't know," Maria answered, holding onto her father tightly.
The group soon got their answer as they spotted a steaming red hand appearing to be clutching Wall Maria, right next to the outer gate. Moments later, a steaming head made of muscle and bone appeared, towering over the fifty meter wall in all its glory. There was no mistaking it to anyone who laid their eyes on it…this creature was a Titan. Everyone's eyes were immediately filled with horror at the sight they were unfortunate enough to be witnessing.
"That's impossible," Maria whispered.
"But…that wall's fifty meters tall!" Petra shouted, "There's no way it could be taller than it!"
"No," Sylvia whispered, her eyes filling with tears, gaining Maria's attention, "They shouldn't be here. Why are they here?"
Before Maria could ask her mother what she was talking about, a loud BANG sounded throughout the city, large boulders now flying through the air. Hunter knew what this meant immediately…these were the remnants of Wall Maria's outer gate.
"Hurry and get through the gate!" Hunter ordered, "Those boulders will kill you instantly!"
The group wasted no time rushing through the inner gate and outside of Shiganshina, listening to the screams of the people who were now running for their lives and being crushed to death. Maria could only go on auto-pilot as she ran, memories flashing in front of her eyes from the expedition she was forced to go on one year ago.
"Farlan!"
"Isabel! Hurry and get Maria to safety!"
"Don't worry, Little Sis! Aniki will be here soon!"
"Maria!" Hunter shouted, breaking Maria from her memories. She followed her father as he ran over to his horse, which Levi had brought with him when he and Petra had decided to wait for them.
Not wasting a single second, Hunter took off his Survey Corps cloak and put it on Maria before hoisting her onto the horse, confusing her.
"Dad, what are you doing?!" Maria demanded, confused and scared as to what was happening.
"Just keep heading north and you should reach Trost!" Hunter shouted, "If you can't make it by nightfall, take cover in the Forest of Giant Trees! There's an old abandoned house in there you can seek shelter in! I've left some spare gear and gas in there!"
"Why are you telling me this?!"
"If anyone has to live today, Maria, it's you! You're the future of this family and we cannot have you die! Do you understand me?!"
Shaking her head in disbelief, Maria pleaded, "Dad, please tell me what's going on!"
"There's no time! Hurry and go!"
Hunter slapped the rear of his horse, the creature taking off instantly while Maria protested as she looked back at the swiftly disappearing figures of her family. Her arm reached back for them, tears now cascading down her face in a futile attempt to call out to them one more time.
"Mom! Dad!" she screamed as loud as she could, "Petra! Aniki!"
"Live on, Maria!" Hunter shouted, saluting his daughter, "Shinzou wo sasageyo!"
Hunter watched as his daughter began disappearing from view, his heart filled with agony over having to leave her on her own while the world around them was falling apart. Calming his mind and heart, he turned to Levi, his eyes now steeled with determination.
"How are your gas and blades, Levi?" he demanded.
"Still good," Levi answered, understanding where Hunter was going, "What are your orders, sir?"
"Levi, you and I will go back into Shiganshina and take out as many Titans as we can before our gas and blades run out." Turning to his wife, he added, "Sylvia, you and Petra help get as many evacuees as you can onto the boats. If the boats get full, find as many carts as you can and load the people onto them. We have to limit the number of casualties that are going to be suffered here today."
"Hunter, please!" Sylvia pleaded, clutching Hunter's shirt, "Don't go back in there! It's far too dangerous!"
"I'm still a soldier, Sylvia. My job is to protect the people, no matter how dire the situation may be. Someone has to give them a fighting chance."
Pulling Sylvia's hands off of him, Hunter added, "If I don't come back, take care of our girl for me. And tell Maria…that she has my blessing to join the Training Corps."
Hunter then gave Sylvia one last kiss, making sure to put as much love and passion as he could into the gesture. Moments later, Hunter pulled back and flew away on his gear, Levi getting ready to do the same when Petra unexpectedly hugged him. The act caught him off guard, freezing him in place for a few seconds until Petra finally spoke up.
"Come home, Levi," she whispered, trying her hardest to not cry in front of him.
Levi was speechless for a couple of seconds, but eventually wrapped his arms around Petra in response. A few seconds later, he pulled away from her, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder, then followed Hunter over the wall into Shiganshina. Petra stared at Levi's retreating form for a few moments before wiping her tears away and turning to Sylvia.
"We need to help the people as much as we can," she said, her voice as calm as she could make it, "Let's hurry and get the people who are already coming in onto the boats.
Knowing what needed to be done, Sylvia nodded and got to work with Petra to help the people starting to come in through the inner gate. All she could do was pray that her husband and daughter were going to be okay after this day was over. But, deep down, she knew one of them was almost certainly going to die. The only question was…which one would it be?
And here it is! After almost eight months of planning and conceptualizing, To Live with No Regrets is finally here! I'm so excited to finally share this AU story with the Attack on Titan community, as they've been so warm and welcoming since I got into this series. You guys are nothing short of amazing. Hopefully I can get the next chapter up soon!
As per the usual, any constructive criticism is always appreciated. No hateful comments of any kind will be tolerated, such as telling me off for preferring one ship over another or just saying that my writing sucks without giving any proper feedback on how to improve. Let's be kind and supportive of one another. We need more of that in the world these day.
"Attack on Titan" and its characters belong to Hajime Isayama. The Stone family are the only characters that are mine.