That Day, Again, and the Days After
Within the all-encompassing darkness were shards of broken glass, each piece displaying an event:
A torrential swirling of images.
Cacophonies of screams, panicked dialogue.
A river of blood.
And in the midst of it all…
A blonde girl, eyes brimming with tears.
"She's the key."
Was that his voice?
"Protect the key. Finding her is not the issue, protecting her is."
Darkness encroached from all sides, his view focusing on the girl's visage.
"If you want to save Mikasa, Armin, and everyone else, don't lose the key."
Nothingness.
"Protect Annie."
With a sudden lurch Eren Jaeger sat up, gasping, scanning his immediate surroundings. What's happening? Heart hammering furiously against his chest, the boy struggled to make sense of everything, his barely-adolescent mind unable to comprehend what took place in the unintelligible realm of his own dreams. The more he tried to remember, the more the details slipped from his mind, like trying to grasp water with his bare hands. Shaking his head, only then did he notice another girl, very different from the one whose mystery bothers him.
"Mikasa?"
"Let's start heading back." She softly suggested.
"Why am I here?"
Mikasa gave him a quizzical look, "You were sleeping that soundly?"
"No," The boy moved to stand up, "it just feels like I was having a really long dream."
A gust of wind parted the clouds and revealed the brightness of the sun. The Ackerman adjusted the bundle of firewood on her back and turned to face him, before gasping lightly. "Eren, why are you crying?"
He raised a couple fingers to his eyes and felt the onset of tears, confusing him further. A tearful blonde flashed through his mind's eye before disappearing just as quickly; a forgotten snapshot, a wisp of a whisper. That girl, he mused, something about a key? Deciding that it would do him no good to preoccupy himself with an undecipherable message, Eren promptly forgot the whole thing, thinking nothing more of the nightmare.
Because reality was much more terrifying.
The reality that humanity is cattle to the roaming titans of the world.
And they were about to receive a grim reminder of this fact.
XXX
A flash of lightning revealed a titan taller than the walls, stunning all those who could see its skinless face and grotesque visage. Time stood still for the inhabitants of Shiganshina, disbelief and terror etched into the very fibre of their being, too stunned to make any movement. A thunderous explosion followed by the shower of boulders and debris pierced their trance, and screams filled the air. Eren and Mikasa ran home fearing – and seeing – the worst: under the rubble that used to be their house was Carla Jaeger, trapped and immobile.
Practically dead.
"MOM!" The pair raced towards their demolished home, despair clawing at their souls. "We need to move this pillar!" Eren cried, and the girl nodded as they struggled to lift the impossible weight.
The approaching thuds of gigantic footsteps signaled the advancing titans, and his heart sank as one of the frightful monsters gazed upon him, a macabre smile etched on its face. No matter how much he shouted, pulled, struggled, cried, the pillar refused to budge. The titan didn't acknowledge any of his pleas or efforts and continued to stalk forward with a bizarre slowness that did little to cloak a sinister purpose.
"Eren, take Mikasa and run. Hurry!" The fear and pain was evident in her voice.
"I want you to run too! Hurry up and get out!" He wailed.
Carla stared blankly ahead as her voice trembled, "My legs have been crushed, I can't run even if I get out. Do you understand?"
The boy refused to accept reality and continued his futile struggle, until Hannes appeared with a hiss from his 3D Manoeuver Gear. The drunkard made bold remarks about killing the titan and saving them all, charging at the towering creature, sword drawn, bolstering Eren's hope for a split second. That was until the blonde ran back and grabbed the pair, hoisting them both in his arms, a dark look clouding his features.
"What the hell are you doing, Hannes?! My mother's still back there!"
Hannes continued bolting at lightning-speed, whether due to fear of the smiling creature or shame at Carla for his failed bravado, the boy didn't know. The only thing that registered in his mind was that his mother was being lifted into the air by the abomination, her arms pounding and legs flailing (mom, you liar) in defiance to her fate. Anger and despair welled into his chest and burst out of his mouth in the form of a scream – the only way he can rebel against this moment of inevitability.
"STOP! DINAH!"
When he could scream no more, the boy watched on in silent horror as the woman who raised him was eaten alive, blood spraying everywhere as the titan bit and tugged at Carla's legs, bisecting her from the waist. A small part of him still refused to believe that what he was seeing is actually happening. And an even smaller part of him felt something other than the overwhelming wrath and desire to kill.
It was pity.
But why?
He couldn't give an answer to that.
When the screams sounded more distant and the tremors of titanic footsteps didn't feel as prominent, Hannes dropped the teenagers unceremoniously on the ground, before falling on his knees to rest and catch his breath. Eren picked himself up slowly, as did Mikasa, rubbing the parts of their bodies that collided painfully with the hard ground. Tears flowed freely from their eyes, yet what separated them was the boy's unadulterated look of fury, feral rage causing him to bare his fangs at their saviour.
"Look, there's nothing you could've done to save your mom," The older man rasped, "you're just a kid, you're not strong enough." Eren's face contorted further and swung a fist at Hannes, which he caught with ease, "And I… I couldn't do anything because I'm not brave enough." Only after his declaration did the man's tears flow with theirs.
XXX
Eren and Mikasa don't remember boarding the boat headed for Wall Rose.
They were stupefied following the events of the day. They barely registered meeting their diminutive friend, Armin Arlert, and his kindly grandfather. "You guys made it!" The relief expressed by his voice wavered as he stared at his companions, "Are you alright, what happened?"
Before they could answer his question the very earth shook, loud explosions more prominent than cannon fire could be heard from behind the closed gates of Wall Maria. Questioning murmurs erupted within the crowd, unease filling the atmosphere. Tremors intensified and suddenly, an armored figure burst through the structure resulting in panic. The boat began its exodus, eager to leave behind the new creature – a harbinger of humanity's end.
"We're done for!" A man wailed, prompting a multitude of others to join him.
Fear, hopelessness, despondence ran rampant.
But a single defiant soul felt hatred.
With righteous fury Eren Jaeger stood and walked to the edge of the vessel, shrugging off Armin's hand that moved to hold his shoulder. He gripped the railings until his knuckles turned white, stared at the armored looking titan with venom in his eyes and made a vow.
"I'm going to kill them all! Every last one of those animals!"
The blond looked at his best friend with fear as he listened to the whispers no one else could hear.
"I've got to do what I can… to make you guys suffer and die in the worst way possible."
Armin felt terror and revulsion at Eren's oath.
Another nightmare.
Grisha Jaeger grabbed him roughly, his features hysterical and filled with desperation – he'd never seen his father in such a state. Were they in the mountains? A key was thrust into the boy's hand, the string wrapped on his palm several times, securing the object.
"Dad, what's happ-"
"Keep that key on you at all times and remember: you must reach the basement." His dad interrupted his query and procured a large syringe. He filled it with clear fluid from a small vial before turning to face his son, countenance resolute despite the constant flow of tears.
"Recapture Wall Maria and reach the basement, no matter what. This power should help you when the time comes," Grisha took several steps towards Eren and roughly grabbed his arm, "I'm sure their memories will teach you how to use it!"
The needle was was jabbed painfully into the clutched limb, causing him to cry out.
"You'll learn the truth when you reach the basement! It'll be a long, hard road, but you must reach its end! If you want to save Mikasa, Armin, and everyone else, you need to master this power!"
A flash of lightning. Everything was becoming blurry. A ravenous hunger overtook his senses.
"The key!" His father screamed, "The truth is in the basement!"
Darkness.
Silence.
Calm.
A tearful blonde figure suddenly appeared, and a disembodied voice reminiscent of his own spoke.
"She's the key – protect her."
The darkness returned and ended the dream.
The following years were not kind to Eren, Mikasa, or Armin.
Losing Wall Maria was a blow to humanity's continued existence, its destruction resulting in losing vital land for crops, livestock, and living space. Food shortages claimed even more lives than the initial breach, and due to cramped quarters, disease was rampant throughout the makeshift refugee camps. The trio was lucky enough to stick together under the care of Armin's grandfather, who looked after them as though they were his own children.
Unfortunately the familiar setup would not last long.
After a particularly gruelling winter the government decided on a harsh measure to preserve the most amount of people. When the fields were tilled, soil fertilized, and crops planted, all refugees above a certain age were forcibly conscripted into the scouting regiment, with the intention of recapturing what had been lost. They mostly comprised of the chronically sick and elderly, those who would not be able to contribute due to their limited abilities – unfortunately this included grandpa Arlert. With a heavy heart he left his grandchild and his best friends to their uncertain future, head held high, proud of his sacrifice.
"The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing." They were his final words to Armin before he placed a worn hat lovingly on the boy's head, patted his shoulder, and marched to oblivion.
The casualties were catastrophic, but thanks to their deaths, humanity was able to soldier on. There was just enough food for everyone, living conditions were nowhere near as cramped, and the strain of having to care for those who could not care for others was extinguished. Needless to say, the expeditions failed, and no additional lands were claimed for the side of humanity.
All of this took place within a year, and Eren counted the days when he could act on his revenge. Fifteen was the minimum recruiting age for the Corps and they had all recently turned fourteen. It was the only viable option for many of the refugees and those living in the poorer areas if they wanted decent boarding and three meals per day. The training was hard, death a possibility, permanent injuries were common, but it was that, or toiling in the fields for scraps, freezing in the longhouses while lying on a thin cloth on the floor. Eren didn't want that life, and it didn't take much convincing to persuade Armin to join them due to his inquisitive nature (Mikasa would have followed him to hell and back).
The three of them would stick together – or die trying.
XXX
One summer afternoon he noticed a particularly muscular teen around his age, blond and built like an ox. Eren inexplicably felt a twinge of annoyance, bordering on anger, and it intensified as his vision caught a tall, nervous looking boy close by. Feeling reckless he wanted to confront them for no reason whatsoever, when Mikasa grabbed his arm and beckoned him to continue plowing the fields. He almost ignored her until he saw in his periphery a short and petite blonde girl with a striking nose; a sense of familiarity overcame him and all animosity ebbed away. Curiosity piqued, he moved towards her when he realized that his feet actually took him further away.
What the hell? The teen looked at his feet quizzically, hoping to find an answer.
"You OK, Eren?" Armin's voice chimed in with concern. Giving a noncommittal grunt he continued his work with the shovel, ignoring the ripe and earthly smell of fertilizer, frowning in confusion.
Not yet... An eerie voice whispered.
Eren chose to ignore it, attributing everything to the heat of the day and the exhaustion from such an arduous task.
Not yet...
Another year passed.
The light snow from the previous year had recently melted, the frost not as bitter, resulting in a lower turnout at the recruitment office. Eren observed the line up of those ready to dedicate their hearts to humanity and frowned, Less people because more are willing to do field work instead, now that the weather is more cooperative this year, he scoffed, cowards. Glancing at his friends, he noted with mild interest that he's now slightly taller than Mikasa, whereas a few years ago the roles were reversed. Armin hasn't changed much, except the blond was a bit less optimistic these days.
Or maybe the reality just prevented him from being so.
The queue was slow, each person was asked a series of questions, and was either sent through or turned away. The criteria for selection seemed to be based on physical appearance, as the hopeful recruits who looked like skin and bones were rejected, although there were a few questionable acceptances – from his own personal judgment anyway.
In particular the petite blonde from that strange summer afternoon; he observed her from a line further down the recruitment building. It appears she came with the ox and the tree as well, resulting in the same inexplicable ire bubbling to the surface of his emotions. He decided to ignore it for now and focused on the girl.
She's tiny, her eyes look tired and irritable. Is she strong enough to be a soldier?
As if in response to the query in his head, Eren heard chuckling from behind him, deep and mirthless. It prompted him to turn around suddenly, surprising his friends and the person he was now facing, "Something funny?" He asked irritably.
The shorter, nearly bald boy tilted his head in response, "No…?" He answered tentatively, confusion evident.
"Eren?" Mikasa asked.
"What were you laughing about?"
"I wasn't."
"You were."
"He wasn't laughing, Eren," Armin spoke, "No person on this line has made a sound."
He shook his head, "I heard him."
The mild commotion brought unwanted attention to the four people in line, eliciting murmurs and whispers about them. A particularly tall and freckled girl stared at him in annoyance, sucking her teeth in the process. Staring back at her in defiance a flash of an ugly face – large, grotesque, with a mouth full of knives – obscured his sight for a split second. He almost recoiled in fear until his attention switched to the initial person of interest.
"Eren, right? Name's Conny. I swear I didn't laugh; no reason to."
After hearing the boy speak, he realized that the chuckling he heard couldn't have possibly come from this person, his voice very much different in pitch and tone. The brunet scratched the back of his head awkwardly, "Sorry, must be hearing things."
"It's alright, I get it, this line's long and boring." Conny smiled at them, "So, what's your names?"
Having already introduced himself, he allowed Mikasa and Armin to get acquainted with the friendly recruit by moving ahead in line, his attention back to the blonde girl from earlier. Eren caught sight of her just in time as the soldier beckoned her to continue towards the back of the building, where the accepted trainees were being gathered. Guess she made it, I'm surprised.
Conny Springer turned out to be quite talkative, engaging in conversation about inane topics. Yet he was easy to get along with, friendly, personable – Eren almost felt guilty about the initial impression he made. With the flow of chatter, time passed imperceptibly and he found himself in front of the recruiter, prompting the group to become silent. Without looking up from his clipboard, he parroted a learned script of questions.
"Name?"
"Eren Jaeger."
"Age?"
"Fifteen."
"District?"
"Shiganshina."
The soldier looked up and made eye contact before grunting, "Back there, Jaeger." He handed him a piece of paper, "Hold on to that for now."
He waved at his friends who returned the gesture, then proceeded to the back of the building. Despite the volume of people assembled, the only noise that could be heard were the murmurs of soldiers and medical personnel examining them. It appears they were being checked for any irregularities in their health and sizing their bodies.
"Papers, recruit." A female soldier took the sheet clutched in his hands, read the contents, and quickly passed it back. "You related to Grisha Jaeger?"
"My father."
She looked him up and down before nodding, "See that nurse? Go see him, get a check-up."
Eagerly, Eren approached the nurse in question who sat him down on a stool hidden behind curtains. While the routine examinations were conducted (heart rate, chest sounds, reflex, vision, lung capacity) he wondered how his friends were faring with everything. I hope Armin's alright, and Mikasa's stronger than me so… The boy thought with a bitter pang, Conny too I suppose, he's an honest guy, being trainees together should be good.
"Your vitals are optimal, Jaeger." The nurse spoke, "Put your shirt on and join group B."
Complying with orders the boy hastily clothed himself and thanked him.
Scanning his surroundings Eren caught a glimpse of Mikasa and her red scarf headed for an examination, while Connie and Armin stood together awkwardly awaiting orders. He smiled with relief and walked towards his intended group, unexpectedly seeing the blonde from earlier. Deciding that he couldn't refer to the girl as "the blonde" during their entire time in the Corps, he struck up conversation.
Or at least tried to.
"Hey."
She offered no response.
"Hey."
This time it elicited a reaction; the girl glanced at him, boredom heavy on her features.
"I'm Eren."
"I didn't ask."
Such a rude response should have had him walking away, but something nagged at him, Keep trying.
"Figured you should know, since we'll be trainees together."
She grunted and faced away from him, donning her hood as if in an attempt to shut him out.
Rather than feel slighted, disrespected, or irked, the stubborn teen merely tapped her shoulder and asked (demanded), "What's your name?"
Sighing (Defeat? Exasperation? Annoyance?), she spoke over her shoulder, not even bothering to look at him.
"Leonhart. Annie Leonhart."
That's good for now, walk away, "Good to meet you."
Turning to see the back of group B, he noticed Mikasa staring at him from afar all by herself, and so began to make his way to her. He greeted the girl with a smile and settled beside his adopted sister.
"Eren." She returned the smile.
"Where's Armin and Conny?"
"Group A, they're organizing us by size."
He raised an eyebrow, "How do you know that?"
"Look at the groups: A has the shorter recruits, D is full of tall people, C is stocky, and we're in B. It's probably so they can assign our uniforms easier."
Eren beamed, "As perceptive as ever, aren't you?" She blushed at the compliment.
"By the way, who were you talking to up there?"
"Annie Leonhart."
Mikasa's dark eyes narrowed suspiciously, "Do you know her?"
And he really had to think about it, search deep within his mind before he could answer her question.
"No," Eren concluded, though not very confidently, "I don't think so."
Author's Notes:
Big thanks to Lucadina for making this chapter better than it initially was! Please go check her stories out (no particular recommendation - they're all good!) and keep an eye out for the next chapter in 1-2 weeks.