Mikasa wiped the sweat off her forehead, while looking up to the sky. A whole year had passed ever since wall Maria had been breached. During that time, she stuck together with Armin's family. Best way to describe that period, was uneasy, uncertain peace. The social unrest was overwhelming, the banditry was devastating to the outskirts of the exterior and a looming civil war was always just one step away.
Yet, for some reason, it never actually happened. The harvest was greater than ever, and the satiated population decided not to stick with the gangs or the rebel groups anymore. Instead, everyone seemed to be content with how the government was dealing with all those problems.
Everyone, except for Mikasa. While the Arlert family was enjoying the peaceful time, the only thing that she was focused on doing was looking for clues regarding Eren. Asking around turned out to be fruitless, so she adopted a different strategy.
"Hey!" She heard in the distance "Mikasa!"
After turning around, she saw that Armin was running towards her.
"Hey, Armin" she greeted her friend while placing her wrench down and wiping her dirty hands on her trousers.
Currently she was working as an associate in Armin's parents' company.
"Mother's calling you for dinner" her blonde friend said before motioning for her to come along.
Mr. and Mrs. Arlert were very particular people. While intelligent and skilled in many crafts, they were most interested in building machines. One of their notable inventions was the flying balloon which could enable anyone to fly beyond the walls. While it wasn't capable of long-range flight, it carried a huge potential for any kind of external expeditions.
The invention, however, was found out by the military police. While they confiscated the blueprints and the prototype, the government was so impressed with their abilities that they were granted their own workshop. The only condition was that they would focus on manufacturing agricultural machinery from then on. And thus, Arlerts' Industries was born.
Due to the vast expansion of agriculture the last year, the company turned out to be very profitable. The demand for Arlerts' brand-new mechanical plough was rapidly increasing and they were already thinking of hiring new people.
"Oh, there you are, Armin, Mikasa" Eva Arlert said as she saw the two kids entering the kitchen "come!"
Mikasa took a seat next to Armin's grandfather. The man was grumpy to the rest of the family, but the girl liked to talk with him, especially when she found out that they both shared a discontent for the government.
"How's it going girl?" The man smiled warmly at her.
"It's good" she responded, "I think I found out what was wrong with Hermann's machine."
"Oh really?" Armin's father, Hans Arlert asked, looking up from a newspaper "what is it?"
"One of the gears was misplaced" Mikasa replied, while taking a bite of her meal.
"Really? That's a surprise. I was checking it the whole morning!" Hans wailed "oh well, good job Mikasa! I would've never guessed…"
"See, you're not even that good at being the king's little prostitute" Armin's grandfather exclaimed.
His son looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"What's so bad about this life, huh?" he asked him "would you like not to have a meal every day, old man?"
"I'm too old to be a freedom fighter" the grandfather retorted "but I would never sell myself…"
"That's enough" Hans said, while standing up "Armin, Mikasa, go to your rooms. We need to have a few words with my father…"
As the two kids departed from the kitchen, the shouts could be heard all around the small house.
"He's way too cruel to them" Armin said, once they were in his room "I mean, they are supporting him and all…"
"He's kind of right" Mikasa spoke "the royal government cannot be trusted…"
"Listen, Mikasa" the blonde interjected, raising his arm "I've heard enough from you about how the government kidnapped that Eren you keep talking about. How do you even imagine erasing memories?"
"I just know it" she responded simply.
"Then please" he insisted "explain to me how you plan on proving all this?"
The dark-haired girl looked towards her friend. He never really believed her, but previously, he wouldn't comment on that.
"I mean" Armin continued "don't you think it's crazy?"
Never before, had she been called that.
"Armin" she started "where have I been living after my parents were killed?"
The boy looked down. Of course, he didn't know, because his memory of Eren's family had been erased.
"It still doesn't prove anything…"
"Let me tell you what I think" Mikasa exclaimed with conviction.
"Around a hundred years ago, humanity had taken refuge within the walls. It's strange that no one ever told any of us what was before that time. Even if we never got to hear any of those tales, our elders would certainly get to listen to what their elders had experienced one hundred years ago."
"It's logical" Armin admitted "but doesn't prove your beliefs."
"This is correct, but alteration of memories doesn't seem so unbelievable anymore" Mikasa stated with determination "does it?"
"It still…"
"Furthermore" she continued "let's call the person who possesses this power, the Manipulator, okay?"
"Well," the blonde replied "according to your theory, it might as well be some kind of god. Would searching for 'Eren' have any purpose, then?"
"This is no doing of a god" the dark-haired girl deadpanned "a god would have no problem with erasing my own memories. This is a doing of someone who has certain limitations. Therefore, a person. The Manipulator."
"Okay, it does add up" Armin said.
Seeing that he understood some of her reasoning, Mikasa continued.
"Any person who possesses this kind of power would have no trouble with bringing down any authorities. Therefore, I think that the Manipulator must be someone who controls the government."
"Woah, I never thought of your stories like that" the blonde spoke with wonder "it all sounds logical. But wouldn't that mean that king Fritz is the Manipulator?"
The residing king didn't seem real to Mikasa. All he ever did was parading around and trying to look good.
"I don't think so" the girl responded "king Fritz looks like a stand in. The Manipulator is probably the real king…"
"Wait, Mikasa" Armin interjected "if what you're saying is true, then how do you even plan on finding 'Eren'?"
"I will join the military police" she exclaimed "I will spy on the government and eventually, I will find him…"
"You don't get me, Mikasa" the blonde spoke "how can you be sure that this 'Eren' is even alive?"
Silence filled the air as the girl realized that she didn't even consider that single possibility. Emptiness filled her heart. No. She would never believe that Eren could be dead.
"Eren's alive" she said slowly "there's no way he isn't…"
"You know that it's possible, right?" Armin asked.
The girl looked at her friend with the vilest expression that the boy had ever seen.
"It's impossible" she retorted.
The blonde, looked away, seeing that he wouldn't accomplish anything like this. The girl turned around and started walking towards her own room.
'I won't give up' Mikasa thought with determination 'I will find you, Eren…'