Summary: With the jewel back in her body, Kagome has been reborn. As a child, she's found and taken in by Levi. The daughter of Humanity's Strongest Soldier, she certainly lives up to that legacy. Possessing abnormal abilities, she's aware fighting is destined for her future. Still, she doesn't mind. With him, she's content with this life. Well… as content as one can be.
Pairing: Undecided.
Disclaimer: I do not own either series. Each belongs to their rightful owners.
Note:
Flashbacks/Past are written in bulk Italics.
Chapter One
Their first training, and probably the most basic, yet most important, was learning how to use the maneuvering gear. The task of maintaining her balance was easy for her, and she accomplished it almost instantly when she got in the gear. She remained there, motionless even as the wind swayed her, as she listened to the sounds coming from all sides. More and more people slowly got the hang of it, but her attention shifted the moment she heard Shadis shout, glancing over her shoulder towards the poor soul who'd gotten his unfortunate ire-laced attention.
When she looked, the situation at hand was as clear as the sky overhead. A boy her age had somehow gotten turned upside down whilst in the gear- a feat she was wondering just how he'd accomplished.
"What are you doing, Eren Jaeger!?" Shadis barked, "pick yourself up!"
In a moment, she'd learned his name without ever truly longing to, and she turned her disinterested gaze away from him.
Even as she did, his vibrant blue-green eyes remained present in her mind. She closed her eyes and stifled a sigh.
The want and desire to do something didn't usually matter, but it was up to your body's decision if it was plausible. Perhaps this was the easiest and nicest way for him to learn.
000
When training ended for the day, she was keen to note Eren was still at the training grounds. A part of her encouraged herself to ignore him as she walked by him, but another part- one much louder and more commanding than the first- pulled her towards him. His back was to her as she came to a halt behind him, setting a hand to her hip as she waited for him to turn towards her.
She could tell that he knew she was there.
A minute or two passed, and he finally turned to face her. It didn't surprise her when she had to look up to meet his stare- most of the other trainees her taller than her with her not even reaching five feet yet.
"Yeah?"
She looked to meet his eyes when he spoke, and, for a moment, she was left struggling for something to say in response. That nagging voice in her head to go over to him had yet to shut up. After a second or two, she shifted her posture, folding her arms across her chest.
She could feel how complicated he felt. Deep down, she knew that was why she hadn't just been able to go on her merry way following passing the first trial of their training.
Kagome sighed, reaching up to rub the back of her head and unintentionally knocking her hair from the messy bun it was held in. Almost instantly, inky locks of raven spilled over her shoulders and down her back to the swell of her hips. She ignored it as she spoke, "if you need some help, I'll lend a hand."
His determination and refusal to give in were prominent, but she could feel another surge of emotions beneath them at her words. Confusion was easy to place, but so was reassurance.
"How come?" Eren questioned her, and she looked back up at him, neat brow arched. "I don't even know your name…" he admitted then, and she nodded.
"Well, we've never spoken before this, so I'm not surprised by that," she stated calmly. "Just call me Kagome," she said then, a small smile lighting up her otherwise doll-like features. "Eren, right?" she asked, repeating the name she'd heard earlier. He nodded, and her smile grew a fraction more. "As for why I want to help you…" she paused and shrugged before looking up to meet his gaze once more. "Well, I suppose I don't want someone so determined to have to give up like this."
It would be a shame, she figured.
000
That decision resulted in her sticking back for the better part of two hours.
"You don't have to worry about being perfect at it," she remarked, arms folded over her chest as she looked up at the boy. "Find your balance," she continued, "and keep your weight centered. Don't rush it either," she stated. "If you're too quick, you'll lose balance easily. Once you find your balance, stick and remain still."
Eren nodded. "Right, I got it," he stated, and she offered him an encouraging smile. She'd spent enough time talking to him, and she could tell that his emotions had settled enough. She walked to the side and set her hand on the lever to raise him up.
"It's simple," she encouraged. "I know you'll get it in no time."
Eren nodded a second time, the gesture encouraging her to raise him up. "I think I can do it this time," he stated. "Raise me up."
Kagome did as he said and slowly lifted him, keeping her pace level as his feet left the ground. She watched as he wavered a bit, and she flinched when he fell forward, his face smacking into the dirt beneath them, hands moving too slow to catch himself. She lowered him a bit quicker than she'd lifted him before she circled around to kneel in front of him. Her hands braced her weight on her knees, and she spared him a worried look.
"You hit your head pretty hard," she stated, blue eyes flooded with her concern. "You're not hurt too bad, are you?"
He trembled a bit as he pushed himself up on his hands, and Kagome could note the splotch of red that now appeared on his forehead, and her frown deepened. He lifted one of his hands to rub the crimson away, and she could spot the cut there. "I think so…?" Eren grumbled, and Kagome shook her head.
"Here, let me," she mumbled softly, crawling a bit closer to him. Once she was within reach, she set her hand on his head. She didn't miss the way he looked at her, beyond puzzled. She merely paid it no mind.
After a few slow seconds, the pain he felt had faded entirely. When she lowered her hand, he could easily see the blood that now stained her porcelain skin. She ignored it as she smiled at him.
"There," she commented, voice soft, "how's that?" she asked. "Any better?"
He nodded and sat up entirely, crossing his legs as opposed to how she sat with her legs folded under her. "Yeah, actually," he responded. When he lifted his hand, there was no more blood to be felt, and he looked at her, puzzled. "What'd you do?"
Kagome smiled. This one was different- it was much more radiant than any of the other ones he'd seen from her. "I healed you," she stated with a light-hearted tone. She didn't miss the confusion that plagued his aura, nor did she miss the way his expression faltered with it, as well.
"Yeah," he stated, "but how?"
Kagome shrugged, her expression softening as she looked down at her hands. "I'm… not really sure," she admitted. "For as long as I can remember, I've had these strange abilities," she hummed softly.
"What can you do?"
"Aside from healing, I can also sense people's auras," she stated. "I don't know how or even why I have them," she admitted. "I just know that I have them." She paused, lifting a hand to rest it over her chest. As she did, that dull ache from before came back, stinging harsher than before. She bit back her wince of pain, blinking back the tears it brought to her eyes before Eren could notice them. "That's why I decided to come here," she said. A second later, she looked up with a bright smile plastered across her face. "After all, there's not really a point to them if I don't put them to good use."
Eren nodded, finding himself in agreement with her statement. "So where do plan to go after training?" he asked. "Which branch?"
Kagome was silent for a moment, downcasting her gaze to her lap. "I plan to go into the Survey Corps." She knew most disregarded that branch, but there wasn't anything that'd change her decision. It just felt right, after all.
"Me too," he stated. His response took her by surprise, but not in a bad way. Kagome met his stare, unable to help the small, genuine smile from appearing on her face.
"Then hopefully you don't give up," she remarked as she pushed herself up from the ground. A second later, she dusted herself off. "Remember what I said," she stated. "I don't have any other advice to give you other than that," she added.
With those words, she departed from the area at last, leaving him sitting there. She could feel his attention on her as she got further and further away, but she didn't falter in her steps.
Hopefully he'd pull through tomorrow successfully.
Dinner that night was lively, and the dining hall was full of conversations from all sides. Kagome found a spot unoccupied and claimed it before anyone else could. When someone sat across from her, she was surprised at first. Then she realized who it was. Her attention landed on Eren's familiar face as she greeted him. Not long after he sat down, two more people joined him on the other side of the table. She didn't know their names, but she knew she'd seen them with Eren often before.
"Oh, hey there," she remarked, tone light-hearted. "Did you make any progress after I left?" she asked, referring to their time earlier spent down at the training grounds together. She didn't miss the few scratches that now littered his skin, and she breathed a silent sigh.
"No…" Eren responded, folding his arms on the table and ignoring the food in front of him. Kagome frowned at his disparaged tone. "I don't know what I'm doing wrong."
She could feel his frustrations. Before she could try and say anything, the blonde boy sitting beside Eren beat her to it, offering him an encouraging smile.
"There's no point in worrying," he said. "You'll figure it out tomorrow."
"I'm pathetic," Eren groaned into his hands. "I'll never kill them all if I can't even manage to do this."
"You should give up on that idea," the girl on his other side stated. Up until now, she hadn't spoken, nor had she lifted her gaze from the surface of the table. Her words made Kagome frown, but she could feel the concern in her aura. It came from a good place, sure, but…
"What?!" Eren picked his head up, turning to glare at her. "Mikasa what's that-!"
"You should give up on being a soldier," the girl she now knew as Mikasa said. "There are several other ways to fight than by throwing away your life."
"Listen here…" Eren began, but Mikasa didn't seem fazed by his harsh tone. "I saw what happened that day! You really think you'll be able to convince me like that?!"
"It doesn't matter how much you want it," she responded, much to his annoyance.
"What?! Why not?!" he challenged her claim.
"Because you don't decide whether you become a soldier or not, Eren," she stated.
As much as she hated to say it, Kagome was in agreement with her. Her prior thoughts came rushing back, leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. If one's body wasn't up to it, then that was it.
"I'm not saying you should return to the frontier alone," she stated, but Eren had stopped listening to her as he stood up.
"Let's go, Armin," he said. Kagome looked towards the blonde, finally knowing his name, and she offered them both a smile.
"See you later, Eren."
"Yeah…" he responded. "See you, Kagome."
Silence fell over them, and Kagome resumed eating in the company of the quiet girl. She'd all but finished eating before she finally spoke again, and a wry smile appeared on Kagome's face.
"I'll go back with you," Mikasa said after a few minutes of silence, picking her head up, only to realize that neither of the boys she'd sat down with were there anymore.
"They left several minutes ago," she said, voice soft. Mikasa blinked before looking at her, and Kagome was quick to notice her disparaged expression. As she stood up from her seat, dinner time wrapping to a close, she offered her a gentle smile.
Once she'd handled her dishes, she made her way to the door, only to bump into someone on her way out. She nearly fell, only to catch herself before she could lose her balance. At the same time, a hand caught her by her wrist and helped keep her upright. Once she was steady, she pulled her arm away and looked up at the person she ran into.
"Sorry about that," she commented softly. She recognized him immediately. On the first day, he'd been unlucky enough to get a headbutt from Shadis. "Oh, Jean, right?" she continued, questioning herself on his name for a moment.
Silence answered her, and she craned her head to the side in confusion. At the sight of her confusion, he reacted, nodding his head.
"Yeah, that's me," he responded quickly. "Sorry… I just…" His cheeks took on a flush of red as she looked up at him. "Y-You have such pretty eyes…"
Kagome blinked owlishly before offering him a kind smile. "Thank you," she responded to his compliment, feeling warmth invade her chest at his genuine words and the earnest feelings she could feel in his aura.
"W-What's your name?"
"I'm Kagome," she responded. Not long after, she walked around him and made for the door, glancing over her should and back at him. "And thanks for catching me, before I go," she said.
"N-No problem," he answered quietly after she'd gotten out of earshot. While he didn't know the meaning behind her name, he did know one thing- that it was just as beautiful as she was.
The following day, they returned back to the training grounds. Kagome situated herself beside Armin as Eren was subjected to their first trial all over again. Once everything was all set up and ready, Shadis looked at Eren.
"Eren Jaeger," he stated, "are you ready?"
Eren looked up at him with a nod of his head. "Yes!"
Kagome, while she could feel he was nervous, could also feel his determination outweighing it. She wore an encouraging smile on her face as he was lifted up in the setup. It was quiet as he managed to keep his balance stable for several seconds, but it ended up going south when he ended up falling forward again- once more landing flat on his face.
Kagome let go of the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, shoulders slumping a little.
"Let him down," Shadis stated. Once he'd been lowered fully, Shadis ignored him as he turned towards a boy close by. "Wagner, change belts with Jaeger," he ordered.
"Y-Yes Sir!" Though startled, Thomas did as he was told, and handed his belt off to Eren. Once it was put on, Eren was lifted back into the setup. This time he was able to remain upright with very little struggle.
As he remained in the setup, Shadis examined the belt Eren had been using, twisting it in his hands. Not long after, a scoff came from him.
"The equipment you were using was defective," Shadis explained, and he lifted it up to show them all how it was damaged. "The fitting on your belt was damaged." He paused and lowered the belt back to his side. "I've never heard of this part getting damaged," he continued, "I'll have to add it to the maintenance checklist."
"S-So… do I pass?" Eren asked, and Shadis gave a small nod.
"You're fine," he stated. A second later, he turned and started to walk off. "Commence training!" he commanded, informing them that it was time to move on to the true training for the day.
Kagome smiled, unable to help it when Eren's own was so overpowering. All the worrying was for nothing, it seemed.
"Guess it all worked out, then," Reiner said, and Kagome glanced up over her shoulder to eye him. Armin nodded.
"Right," he said, in agreement with the other boy. "It's as if he's looking at us to say "See?"
Kagome nodded in agreement. She spared Eren another look before she finally turned on her heel to follow along with the rest.
Auroua-chan: New update for this! Sorry it took so long. I had a bit of writer's block on this.
I've thought a lot about the pairing in the time I've been away from this story.
Eren is currently my number 1 option to be with Kagome. They'd have an interesting connection and relationship, especially as the story progresses [and whether it sticks closer to the side of canon or diverges from it…] I won't give any major spoilers for this story, but it honestly might stray from canon more than it abides by it. What, with the Shikon no Tama being present [even if it's only in her body right now.]
Armin, while not my top choice, would still be an interesting pair to her. I could see them working well together and balancing each other out at the same time.
Jean is another great one. Even if it's only him having an obvious crush on her throughout the story- one that she's oblivious to and only sees it as him being friendly.
Another option I've thought about would be Reiner, even if it's just an unrequited crush from him or something similar. I'm not too sure about this one, yet, though.
Either way, Levi will have some thoughts about anyone who likes her a bit too much in his eyes.
Kagome doesn't really know the depth of her abilities. She knows she can heal and sense people, but she doesn't know yet about her purification since she's never been in a situation that called for her to unlock it. That'll change much sooner than later, though. Same with her ability to create barriers.
Anyway, that's it for now! Thank you all for reading, and I hope you all enjoyed. Hopefully I caught all the errors before posting, but if not sorry.
Please remember to review&favorite&follow, thank you!
Bye for now~
