The First Step of Many
The same day they were recruited was the same day they were shipped off for training.
While they were in their respective groups a soldier handed out to each of them three sets of the trainee uniform, the crossed swords insignia prominent on the jackets. "Listen up!" A large, commanding figure spoke to all assembled, his voice powerful and loud prompting silence, "You have thirty minutes! Gather your valuables, say your good byes, use the latrine, kiss the Wall – I don't care. Your asses better be here ready to board the wagons. After that, you officially belong to the Corps."
The officer stood straight and tall, placed his left arm behind him while making a fist with his right, thumped the bottom of his hand over chest, then placed it over his chest. "This is our salute: it is a symbol of our sacrifice and willingness to dedicate our hearts! Whether it's for the advancement of humanity, for the safety of civilians, or for our brethren, we do not hesitate to do what must be done! Learn this salute and carry it with you proudly!"
The officer left, signalling with his departure the return of casual conversation.
"Did we leave anything in the camp, Mikasa?"
She shook her head, "We don't really have much, and anything important," The girl clutched at the red scarf tenderly, "is with us."
The key dangling from his neck felt cold against his body, and although light, Eren felt a metaphorical burden coming from it that caused his chest to tighten. I need to reach the basement, which means I need to cross the land between Rose and Maria. After that, Shiganshina needs to be cleared of titans so that we can bring equipment to move the rubble. In order to transport that equipment, the land between the Walls need to be cleared so that it can be done safely. The teen felt his head pounding at the impending migraine, This is not gonna be easy, and even then, who in their right mind would dedicate themselves to this task?
You will.
His mind definitely had a sense of humour.
Eren felt a gentle tapping on his shoulder making him turn, revealing it to be Armin, who gave him a wide smile that reached his eyes, "I made it!"
Fighting through his anxiety he returned the smile as best he can, "Knew you would. Is there anything you left in the camp?"
The blond shook his head while Mikasa interjected, "Your grandpa's hat."
"I gave it away; someone else can use it while working in the fields."
He felt an odd sense of pride at his friend's pragmatism, "Let's head to the wagons then, no point standing around here. Conny isn't with you?"
As if on cue, he saw the very person he was asking about waving at them from a distance, approaching the trio with a taller brunette in tow smiling awkwardly. "This is Sasha, we just met." They introduced themselves amicably, the five new acquaintances walking towards the same destination, conversation polite and non-invasive. That is, until the subject of motivations came up.
"Why did you join the Corps, Mikasa?" Conny asked innocently enough.
"I go where Eren goes, we're family."
Sasha Blouse frowned, "Umm, are you two married?"
The brunet tripped and nearly fell, "Wha-"
The girl in question blushed and hid her face under the red scarf, while Armin laughed openly at their reactions, "They're not married." He supplied, glee on his features.
"We're siblings." Eren added after regaining balance.
This only prompted more questions from the inquisitive girl, "But you two don't look alike."
The shorter and balder recruit nudged her gently, "Oi, isn't that a bit too personal?"
Worry on her face, Sasha sputtered out an apology, various accents bleeding through her dialogue, "I-I d'int mean ter, I mean- sorry 'bout, apologies." Bowing her head she walked faster ahead of the group, leaving the four behind her.
They shrugged among themselves and Eren decided to leave the subject alone, thinking that the strange girl was none of his concern. With that train of thought, he therefore found it absolutely baffling that his legs broke off into a jog and caught up with her, eventually matching her strides. What the hell am I doing? She gave him a look of confusion that he reciprocated, and eventually slowed her steps, an unpleasant silence hanging between them for a considerable amount of time.
She's from Dauper, "You're from Dauper." He suddenly blurted out.
"Y-Yeh, how'd you know?" The girl mistook it for a question.
"Accent gave you away." Conny's voice startled the pair. Turning slightly, Eren noticed that the trio they left behind eventually caught up, Mikasa eyeing him with irritation. "I'm from Ragako myself."
"Are you trying to hide your accent?" Armin inquired with a tilt of his head, "There's no need for that."
The recruits eventually reached a wagon, Eren swiftly climbed aboard first and held out a hand for his friends – old and new alike. The blonde smiled gratefully and took it, clutching his uniforms tightly, followed by Conny, Sasha, and lastly Mikasa, whose hand lingered on his just a little too long. With everyone loaded he was about to sit, until a gentle voice interrupted his attempt, a twinge of familiarity tugging on his mind.
"Is there space?" A girl inquired, looking up at his towering figure from atop the carriage.
He offered his hand and a friendly grin, "Of course."
"My name's Krista Lenz." She reciprocated a bright smile that had Armin blushing, but only served to creep Eren out, "You're quite tall, umm..."
The teen bent down and reached for her hand, her short frame having difficulty reaching him, "Eren Jaeger."
A sharp, painful sting on his arm made Eren suddenly recoil his outstretched hand, barely grazing Krista's fingers.
A bright, tall tree, stood before him, its illumination a stark contrast to the surrounding night sky.
Hundreds – thousands – of branches sprouted to the top, further dividing into more branches; splitting, separating, bifurcated. There were no leaves, only tendrils that curled unto itself, or embraced other offshoots, blurring together into unrecognizable shapes and inhuman geometry. It boggled his mind and sanity, a thing which defied all definition.
It should not be real but is.
It should not exist but does.
He welcomed it.
He felt a sense of familiarity.
The voice that loomed behind his mind echoed throughout the world, giving an impression of being there, yet also not.
"Prote-"
"Think you're smooth, lover boy?" He found himself being shoved rather aggressively into a seat as the tall, freckled girl from earlier forced her way into the wagon. "I'll help you up." And with a light grunt the blonde climbed with ease, finding herself seated beside the girl who helped her.
"Thank you, Ymir, but you shouldn't have slapped Eren like that, he was just trying to help!"
Mikasa looked particularly murderous, protective instincts causing her to stare at the rude individual. He patted her knee in an attempt to placate the situation, "I'm fine, it's not a big deal. So Sasha, what made you join the Corps?"
Being put on the spot caught the girl off guard, resulting in very candid speech due to her nervousness, "My pa sent me, he figures it be th' best way fer me to eat an' grow as a person – sendin' me out to th' forest so to speak." She remained silent for a bit, hand tentatively on her lips, before continuing, "An' you, Armin?"
"I want to see the ocean." And the scholar spent the next several minutes describing what it was to all present (except for his two friends), to varying degrees of reactions, ranging from skepticism to awe.
"That sounds made up," Conny said, "no way something that big exists outside of the Walls. Nothing but titan country out there."
Krista stayed on the fence, diplomatic, "We just don't know, so we can't say for sure. There are known unknowns, and unknown unknowns; nothing is guaranteed when it comes to outside Wall Rose. And right now, we can't even be sure of what's happening outside Wall Maria."
Ymir grunted in response, seemingly uninterested in the entire topic, But she knows, she'll never admit it though. Eren rubbed his temples in response to whatever the statement in his head meant.
Sasha wholeheartedly believed in the ocean, citing old folk tales, "Everythin' flows to that big basin, that ocean. An' coz' it's big, the fish are also big. One can feed a whole village."
Armin smiled at the discourse, valuing the different perspectives he was hearing, "How about you, Krista? Why did you join the Corps?"
"It's the right thing to do," The girl answered, "we need to help others; whether it's to guard the remaining Walls, or to join the scouts and try to take back Rose for the benefit of everyone."
All present (minus Eren) looked at her with admiration; even Ymir felt decided to hug the girl and dote over her fondly. He did his best not to scoff or roll his eyes; the urge to do so confuses him, It's a good answer, very selfless and admirable, so why does it repulse me?
Because she's lying.
The boy found that he couldn't tolerate such deception and focused on what he needed to do instead, staring blankly at his lap. I've always wanted to join the Scouts, the fact that it's the only viable option to do what dad's asked me to do, well, that's a lucky coincidence. But it doesn't change how impossible it seems right now, and it feels like I'm forgetting something very important. Every time he looked or touched the key his father bestowed upon him, he always remembers the basement, how the truth is supposedly there, but nothing else.
Another mystery that has plagued him for many years was the whereabouts of Grisha Jaeger, and the lack of understanding as to why his dad couldn't just tell him the truth. It would've been easier for sure, but now it's too late, and Eren has accepted that all he could do is just keep moving forward – one step, one day, one plan at a time.
"Room for one more?"
The teen was diverted from his musings by the arrival of another person, the listless voice familiar; he knew who it was without having to look at the girl's face.
Krista spoke, "Last seat, just for you."
She mumbled her thanks and sat down in front of the other petite blonde, physical appearance somewhat similar yet temperament polar opposites. Silence settled in the wagon, everyone unsure of what to discuss with the new arrival, an uncomfortable air permeating the atmosphere. The hooded figure gave a cursory glance to each of the occupants, as though sizing them up, until her eyes reached his.
The two made eye contact – blue met green.
"Eren." The blonde spoke, clear as day, voice cold as ice.
"Annie Leonhart." He replied with mild trepidation, very much aware that he didn't make the best impression back in the recruitment office.
She smirked (sneered?), "You never gave me your last name."
"It's Jaeger," Mikasa interjected, "But I don't see how that's any of your business."
"And I don't know why you're speaking, when I'm clearly talking to someone else."
Mikasa looked scandalized, and ready to retort when shouts from outside the carriage interrupted her response, "Prepare to move out!" The wagon shook momentarily and began moving, headed for the barracks.
Armin gave a nervous laugh, diffusing the situation as Conny, Sasha, and Krista joined in. "Sorry," the blond groaned as he scratched the back of his head, "this just feels unreal."
The boy beside him patted his back comfortingly, "For you and me both."
"Hey," He stared accusingly, "you asked us why we're joining the Corps, but you haven't answered your own question!"
Conny shrugged, "I want to join the Military Police and move my family deeper in the Walls."
And with that statement the eight of them remained quiet during the entire trek to the barracks, Eren throwing furtive glances at Annie Leonhart the entire time.
Curiosity in his mind regarding the girl who felt familiar yet should not.
XXX
"Women's barracks are over there," The officer bellowed, pointing towards a large building on his left side, "men's are over there. They each have a corresponding communal bathroom; modesty is a luxury. That is the mess hall and the kitchen is attached behind it."
Their entire group was currently being toured around the camp, the setting sun signalling the long wagon journey they undertook to reach it. They all marched steadily, not missing a beat, the instructor's aura demanding attention throughout the fresh recruits.
"That's the infirmary and right beside it is the lecture hall. In that same lecture hall is my office – you better hope you do NOT get sent to me for any reason other than a commendation."
He eventually led the batch into a barren field, a dusty yet uniform plane, where they all stood nervously. Four triangular structures caught their attention, Eren noticed that Armin wanted to inquire about it, but would not be given the chance, "I am Keith Shadis, you are members of the 104'th Trainee Corps, and I am in charge of turning you maggots into something worth more than titan fodder."
His head moved to scan the group, piercing glare reducing many of those assembled into nervous wrecks, scrutiny carrying a heavy weight that they couldn't comprehend. Eren felt more than knew that this man was hardened, has stared into the eyes of titans (death), and lived to fight another day. Keith Shadis is a man that commanded, earned, and is deserving of respect.
"Now, head to your respective barracks, claim a bunk, go to the mess hall for dinner, shower, then sleep. Tomorrow, you will assemble here for morning muster bright and early, you should ALL be in uniform – clean and pristine. Dismissed!"
The tanned instructor left them to their own devices, his instructions concise and direct.
XXX
Eren was in a daze, the contents of the day all blurring together, the sheer volume of the things that passed left his mind reeling. He stumbled towards the barracks flanked by Armin and Conny, the pair looking on with slight concern, but choosing to remain quiet out of respect. They eventually reached their destination along with all the other male recruits, and he sighed wearily upon sitting on the lower part of the bunk bed.
He watched as the blond placed his uniforms atop the bed beside his own, while Conny climbed the ladder and settled on the upper part. Mildly curious, the boy wondered who would be the one to sleep on top of his own bunk. The answer made him realize that having no one up there would have been a thousand times more preferable.
"Hey," The blond ox interrupts his thoughts, "Mind if I take the top bunk?"
Once again unrestrained anger welled in his chest as he stared at person in front of him, the carefree smile infuriating him. His right hand formed a fist and he stood up, prepared to swing and destroy the figure in front, "You fucking pest!" And his fist flew.
Eren Jaeger couldn't explain the motivation for his emotions or actions, all he knew was that this person needed to disappear, both from his sight and existence.
Yet.
And yet.
Nothing he thought he did actually transpired.
"Feel free." Were the words that escaped from his mouth, "Eren Jaeger."
Instead of a fist, his right hand was held out in peace, for a handshake.
His grip strong, he offers, "Reiner Braun."
Another place.
Another time.
Another life.
The pair clasped hands, and Eren saw in front of him the same man but different – kneeling and crying.
So very different.
"I was right. I'm the same as you." He hoisted Reiner's kneeling form, "I think... we were born this way."
"Huh?" The tearful man uttered pathetically.
"I just keep moving forward." Sparks of yellow lightning pervaded his vision, "Until my enemies are destroyed."
"I'll try not to snore." He said with a hearty laugh, before lifting himself with ease and settling on the upper bed.
Eren sat back down and shook his head, noting with mild interest that Reiner was becoming acquainted with Conny and Armin from the neighbouring bunk. However, the vision was at the forefront of his mind, We've never met, so why is it that I want to kill him when I see his face? And what the hell was that? Did he see it too? The boy glanced discreetly above him, No, if he saw I'm sure he'd be surprised as well.
Lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice Armin's hand waving in front of his face for several moments, "Are you there? I've been trying to get your attention for almost a minute."
"Sorry," Eren replied apologetically, still absorbed in his own thoughts, "did you need something?"
A beaming Conny rested a hand on his shoulder, "We're getting food, c'mon, it might help you feel better."
"No, it's alright," He palmed his eyes and rubbed gently, seeing stars, "I just need some rest, you guys go ahead."
Armin approached the subject with only concern, "Are you sure? You haven't eaten."
"I'll be fine, today's just been… overwhelming. I'm sure some sleep will do me good."
Eren laid down and shut his eyes as his friends bade him farewell, "We'll let Mikasa and Sasha know."
As they were leaving, he heard Reiner trail off with, "You guys have lady friends already?"
It took about half an hour until the clamor and din of the barracks dissipated, the rest of the cadets ignoring him to his contemplation. Eren found himself alone with his disarrayed thoughts, the silence of the room both comforting and foreboding. Mulling over everything that seemed relevant did not assuage his confusion and instead only further incensed his frustration – he fought the urge to scream into his pillow.
A voice from the deepest recesses of his mind spoke, finally sedating his agitation, lulling him to rest.
Believe in yourself.
Author's Notes:
Annie interactions are ramping up starting next chapter, look forward to that. These initial chapters are mostly reiterations of the original plot with small, but significant, changes in order to facilitate the upcoming Alternate Universe. Chapter 3 in another 1-2 weeks, going to try and keep updates regular.