Sorry it's been awhile since my last update. I've had a bit of writer's block coupled with school, exams and my Internet Modem breaking down on me. I'll try and update more frequently now that everything has been sorted. Sorry if this chapter comes across as sloppy. I just wanted to upload it as soon as possible so I didn't read through it. That aside, here's the third chapter of Second Chances.
Recap of Events
After Eren Jaeger was eaten by a Titan, his will to be reunited with his family triggered a transformation into a 15m Class Titan. Mikasa, after learning of Eren's death, lost the will to live and was almost eaten by a Titan when Eren came to her rescue. Inspired by the roar of the Rogue Titan, she vowed to carry out Eren's dream of killing the Titans and escaping the walls. Eren, as the Rogue Titan, killed many Titans before collapsing from exhaustion. The remnants of 104th Trainee Corps now plan on using the Titan as a weapon.
The Rogue Titan began to regenerate faster and within the span of a few minutes, was on its feet again. Sasha and Connie spent the majority of the time coming up with names for their new ally while the others watched them bicker in boredom.
"Killer Titan," Connie threw out.
Sasha shook her head and said, "Chomp."
"Titan Traitor!"
"Crunchy."
"Hell Spawn."
"Pork."
"Rogue."
"Potato," Sasha suggested, mouth drooling at the thought of food.
Connie frowned at how Sasha was easily distracted when it came to food. Jean stood up, having had enough of the banter between the two.
"We'll go with Rogue for now if that shuts you up. Shouldn't that thing be done by n-," Jean abruptly stopped his sentence when he noticed the Titan was gone. "What the hell?"
The others snapped out of their daydreams when they heard Jean. They followed his gaze and were met with the same confusion as him.
"How didn't we notice it get up?" Connie asked.
"Maybe because you and Sasha wouldn't shut up about naming it," Jean said.
"It's there! Near the wall!" Reiner exclaimed, pointing in the direction of the running Rogue.
"After it!" Mikasa ordered as the team departed with their 3DMG.
"And what exactly do we do once we reach this thing? We don't have anything to capture it with," Marco pointed out as they neared the creature.
"If we can injure it to the state it was in earlier, one of us can go and request a team with capture gear. We can pull this off, I'm sure," Armin said.
Mikasa grappled onto the Titan's left leg and slashed its ankle. The Titan staggered but continued its course. Reiner, along with Mikasa began slashing both of its ankles until it fell. They then proceeded to slash its arms when it let out an ear-numbing roar. The team covered their ears in pain as the Rogue quickly regenerated and made it to the wall where countless Titans were situated. The Rogue fought its way through the weaker Titans who were generally 3-4 meter classes with the occasional 15 showing up now and then.
"Damn it! It's gone past Wall Rose!" Jean cursed as he and the rest of his team pulled back to an area without Titans.
"Well there's the possibility of having a Titan at our disposal down the drain," Armin muttered bitterly.
"Why we can just report what we found to the Scouting Legion. I've heard they're into shit like this," Connie suggested, only for Armin to shake his head.
"Don't you remember why the Titan took so long to regenerate? The other Titans were eating it, as if it were an oversized human," Armin pointed out. "That Titan won't survive five minutes in Titan territory," he finished solemnly.
"Don't forget that freak started on the others so maybe it was a revenge thing. It's still something worth reporting, don't you think?" Jean stated.
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Armin sighed, exhausted from the recent events.
Mikasa noticed that some of the Titans near the wall were advancing once more.
"We should go," she said, monotonously as ever.
The others complied and they set off past the gate.
Eren's POV
I'll erase them from this world. I'll kill every single one of them and then, I'll devour them.
I woke up, surrounded by night, skeletal body parts and ruined houses. Where was I? When I attempted to get up, a sharp pain coursed through my head, preventing my movement. I swore I had the strangest dream but I couldn't remember it. Where was Armin? And Mikasa? I was put through more pain at the thought of her name. Memories swam through my mind, too fast to make them out but something stood out: "I'll never be able to tell Mikasa that I-." Tell her that I what? I really couldn't remember anything. I attempted to get up once more and was shocked with what I saw. I was lying in the skeleton of a Titan! What the hell happened? My gear was destroyed, my clothes had bite marks around my arm and leg. I then remembered that I had been eaten by a Titan. Then how was I there? Wherever there was. After resting for a few hours, I got up from the giant skeleton and looked around. Blood everywhere, ruined houses and buildings around every corner. The area started to look familiar. I started to walk around, limping as I did so, still feeling fatigued. The area was really starting to look familiar. I turned left around a bend and then went right. I was even more shocked when I stumbled upon something that brought tears to my eyes.
"Home..."
"You must go to the basement!"
My father's voice echoed through my head. I fondled the key around my neck for a short while before making my way to my house. As I got closer, I noticed a 10 m Titan lying lazily behind my house. Its large feet were visible from my position. I then remembered what life was like before that day.
Shiganshina District, Wall Maria, Year 845
"And then I'm going to see the sea and the burning water and everything else!" I exclaimed while telling Mikasa and Armin what I'd do once I had joined the Scouting Legion.
Mikasa was as stoic and quiet as every while Armin's eyes were lit up like the brightest star.
"Wow Eren! I'm so jealous," Armin said.
He then looked down, the light gone from his eyes.
"I only wish I could join the Legion," he said sadly.
"Why don't you?" I asked, confused as to why he wouldn't because after all, he was the one who had told me about the outside world.
"Because unlike some people, Armin doesn't want to through his life away over a dream," Mikasa butt in, showing no emotion.
"Huh? Why the hell would you say that?" I asked, anger rising.
"Never mind," Mikasa said, probably to avoid starting a fight.
I didn't realize this at the time and urged her to answer.
"Why do you want to join the Scouting Legion if all that awaits you is death?" Mikasa asked.
"I thought you knew! It's so I can escape these cramped walls! Don't you feel caged? This world should be open to anyone but we're trapped in here because of those damned monsters! I want to see the outside and break free from the grasp of the Titans!" I said, starting to tear up.
I was very touchy about my dreams and ambitions and the fact that someone as close to me as Mikasa was questioning them hurt me.
"I don't care if I die trying to achieve this dream. If I so much as take a step outside of the walls, I'll be content."
Mikasa frowned and stormed off to our house.
"Why is she getting angry?" I asked.
Armin answered with a sigh and shook his head at me.
"So dense," he said before going home.
"What? What'd I do?" I asked before giving up and going home.
Everyone was acting so weird that day, or so I thought.
I met my mother on the terrace where she was hanging up clothes on the line.
"Eren? Shouldn't you be out with Armin?" my mother asked when she noticed me behind the clothes.
"I got bored so I came home," I lied, my ears going red in the process.
My mother smiled knowingly and pinched my right ear.
"How many times have I told you? I'll always know when you're lying. So why are you really here Eren? Something to do with Mikasa?" she asked, letting go of my ear.
"Not all my problems are about Mikasa you know!" I yelled, my face heating up from embarrassment.
"Ever since she's moved in its been 'Mom! Mikasa won't stop crying! Mikasa can't sleep! Why won't Mikasa smile?'" my mother teased, visibly satisfied with how red my face was. "Now why is it that Mikasa stormed right up to your room without a word earlier?"
Sighing, I told my mother about what I had said about the outside world, excluding my desire to join the Scouting Legion, knowing full well that my mother would change from her relaxed and teasing state to a more overprotective and forbidding parent. My mother started laughing uncontrollably leaving me in confusion once again. Even she was acting strange. When my mother regained her composure, she pinched my cheek playfully.
"Oh Eren, let me tell you something..."
I reluctantly made my way through the hall to the door of mine and Mikasa's shared room. I couldn't believe I was doing this. I knocked on the door, slowly and cautiously. I then opened the door to find Mikasa sitting on her bed. I sat down next to her and held her hand.
"I'm not actually going to die you know," I said after about a minute of silence.
Mikasa rested her head on my shoulder as I continued to speak.
"It's just, I really want to escape these walls, you know? I feel like the world outside of them is waiting for me to explore it. But I promise you Mikasa, I will not die. One day, I know I'll be able to leave the walls and see the sea. And when that time comes, I want you to be there with me," I said.
Mikasa's face became red and I wondered if she had a fever. Despite that, I continued.
"Imagine Mikasa. You, me and Armin at the sea. Doesn't that sound great?" I asked.
Her fever appeared to go down and her face returned to its usual pale complexion.
"Yeah," she said, sounding just like Mikasa.
"The outside world..."
Present Day
Just one day before that day. No one even dreamed of the wall being destroyed. No one dreamed of being reminded of the fear and humiliation of being ruled by them. We should have been prepared. But we weren't. And because of that, my family had been torn apart. My mother dead, my father missing and god knows what happened to Mikasa after I was eaten. But there was no time to think about that. I had to get to the basement. But I spent to long resting and reminiscing. The Titan that was lying down behind my house, had gotten up. I started to feel sick. Overwhelming pain coursed through my veins as my skin began to crack and wounds began to open. I looked up, my eyes being hit with a bright, blinding light. The sun had risen.
What's happening to Eren? How will the 104th's Trainee's superiors react to the news that there is a Titan that targets other Titans? Will Mikasa ever be reunited with Eren? All will be answered soon.