Hey, all, this is my first fanfic ever, so I'll be really relieved to read any tips or reviews for those who will read it. (Including grammatica, not native english speaker)
It's a story that follows Rumbling Arc Jean being back in Boot Camp with all the knowledge of the future. What will he do to save his loved ones ? What future will he be able to forge ?
Attack on Titan and its characters are property of Kodansha and creation of Hajime Isayama.
Year 854:
In Fort Salta, southwest of Marley, The Rumbling has just been stopped after Levi decapitated Zeke. The Alliance observes the strange centipede-like creature that clawed its way out of Eren Jaeger's neck after Jean blasted it. Watching the warriors of Marley reunite with their families, Connie couldn't help but think it was worth it. He writes: "We do have some regrets, but in the end, we did what was necessary, we stopped the Rumbling". Jean nods as he watches Annie run to her father.
A few moments later, after Eren's colossal titan appears and the source of all living matter released the spinal gaz, Connie and Jean watches the sky as Falco's Jaw Titan fly away to the battlefield with Mikasa and Levi. Connie and Jean are embracing the moment and nostalgic for the good old days.
Connie says: "So this is the end…"
Jean finishes his sentence "For us, they leave us. An end worthy of the scout regiment".
Connie recalled "You remember, during the ceremony."
Jean remembered "Yes…"
Connie finishes: "We ended up saving the world….Thanks to you."
They looked at each other as the spinal fluid gas took effect and turned them into titans.
Then everything went black. Was this really the end? Jean never imagined that he would die like that. He had a lot of ideas about his potential death from the day he joined the Scouts including being eaten by a Titan, killed by the Corrupt Government sbires, being shot by Marleyan soldiers and so on. He undertook for a short moment a starry turquoise sky with a tree with a thousand branches, and thought he felt sand under his body.
Then he woke up, he felt an extremely familiar comfort, a comfort he hadn't felt in years. It was strange, is it the afterlife? It had a ironic taste of childhood. Then he heard a much too familiar voice, he hadn't heard it for months. He didn't think he'd hear it again one day when he was standing what seemed like only a few seconds ago at the top of the canyon of Mount Salta, that voice was that of his mother.
She cried from the next room "Jeannie! Honey, come to the table".
The sweat on his forehead, Jean did not understand.
What was happening to him ?
Was he seeing his life pass before his eyes before dying as a titan?
No, that didn't make any sense.
He stood up, saw his reflection in the window and his heartbeat quickened. He has the same body as when he was 12, with his skinny rotten head spoiled brat from Trost.
He exclaimed in shock "What the fuck!".
At the same time, her mother, Valerie, came into her bedroom and heard the words "Jeannie!" Anyway, where did you learn those nasty words? No swearing at home," she said, pulling his cheeks tenderly. Jean didn't answer, too upset because what was happening, he didn't understand: how can he be 12 again?
Valérie Kirstein is a simple mother, always happy to take care of her only son, since her husband cheated on her with an aristocrat from the District of Utopia, her son is her only joy in life. To her, her son was her little baby, and she couldn't be more thrilled that he decided to join the Military Police. She wouldn't have imagined her reaction if he had wanted to join the Survey Corps. Hopefully they could move to Sina. She enjoyed her life in Trost, before that famous day when Wall Maria fell, since the refugees gathered in Trost and throughout Wall Rose. She doesn't blame these poor people, it's not their fault, but Wall Rose had become unliveable for everyone very quickly even after the Wall Maria Retrieval Attempt. But life became unlivable for her and her son, although being among the wealthiest in Trost, starvation was not far off. This morning, when she woke up her darling Jeannie, she noticed that he was behaving strangely, she didn't know how to explain it, but his look was different... His expression so mature, and his face tense, as if he was surprised to wake up this morning. "He must be anxious" she thought, "After all, he starts his training to join the army tomorrow"
She pushed her worries away from her mind and exclaimed, "Jeannie, your omelette is ready! Come eat"
Jean shot a look at his mother, a look filled with confusion and incomprehension, his mother had lost weight again, as it had been when she caught a stubborn flu in 847, a few weeks before he had to enlist in the army. How was it possible?
"The last thing I remember is that the glowing centipede emitted spinal fluid gas and turned all the Eldians of Mount Salta into Titans, him and Connie included" he thought "Am I to dream, is my life flashing before my eyes right now….Did Armin, Mikasa and the others manage to stop Eren?..."
He calmed down and decided to follow his mother to the dining room. He looked at the table and felt his fondest childhood memory come back to him. But it was way too real to be just a memory, it felt so material. He sat down at the table, on his favorite chair, and grabbed his fork to eat a piece of the omelette that his mother used to do so well. The taste was exactly the same.
His mother observed him "He's behaving strangely this morning…." she thought "He's gorging like he's been missing that omelette for years…I made one yesterday morning though….Must be a teenage problem, or the stress of going to South Camp for his training"
Jean savored this delicious omelet and began to realize what was going on as he looked at his mother's confused gaze. "It's very real….I…I went back in time…Just before the beginning of my training…2 years after the Fall of Wall Maria…." he thought
Just before he could think any longer about the implications of this, his mother interrupted him in his thoughts.
"Jean, are you okay? You look very pale."
Jean looked at her, "My mother, how long have I not seen him…It must be just after the expedition to Liberio…." he thought "Why don't I visit her more ?". She who had always supported him, she must imagine that her son intends to join the Military Police, that's why she is so at peace. He wondered if he should tell her the truth "With the flu raging in Trost due to the influx of refugees and the atrocious hygienic conditions, it is better to spare her. Not the time to assail him with revelations that will completely change his vision of the world"
"It's okay, just mum you should think about resting. You can't spend the day doing everything at home in your condition. " he said
His mother seemed intrigued, almost surprised by this delicate attention. Not that her son didn't pay attention to her, but that he didn't dare express affection towards his mother. A desire to act tough perhaps, lest the neighbors make fun of him, but there….It seems almost…weird.
"Mom" he said "What is your opinion on me wanting to become a soldier?"
She was amply more intrigued, why was he asking her opinion?
"It's your choice Jeannie. Whatever you do, I will support you. You made a choice for the future that even some adults can't make. The future was already uncertain for the inhabitants of Wall Rose, and it hasn't gotten better since the Fall of Wall Maria...Joining the Military Police is the only way to enter Ehmrich University for people like us... .But let's rejoice, we didn't have to go through what those poor people at Wall Maria went through."
Jean smiles, his mother was so nice….He can't help but wonder what she would have thought of him trying to stop Rumbling… "Now that I think about it,...I didn't even check if she was safe after the Walls came down" he thought "If anything happened to her because of that suicidal…." He was rambling. He refocuses and responds to his mother.
"Do you think that one day this hell will end?..."
His mother was more puzzled by this question….."He really speaks like a veteran….If his father could hear that…." she thought.
"Why the question, Jeannie?"
Jean looked down, looking at her half-empty plate. He didn't know what to answer, he was going to take his time to think and try to look as natural as possible. He had to leave his mother out of all this.
"For nothing mom, for nothing"
The rest of breakfast passed in silence. When Valerie got up to go and take care of the many tasks that awaited her. Jean grabbed her arm and said "No mum, go and rest, I'll take care of the chores"
There, Valérie was speechless, Jean had never offered to help her. Although it never bothered her, she thought it was normal for a child, especially in these troubled times. Her son really matured overnight. She took her son's cheek and pinched it. And she was just as surprised by her son's lack of reaction and the smile that showed her in return.
After a long day of cleaning, shopping, cooking and drudgery, the house was like new. "We could eat off the floor" he thought "Like what Captain Levi's teachings are not totally useless".
He glanced at his sleeping mother, and smiled. It didn't take much for him to collapse into sleep in his bed. He wanted to be able to think about what to do with his situation, but he hadn't slept since the Yaegerists blew up Zackley's office. He says to himself "I will think about it tomorrow…." and fell asleep.
The next morning, as the Garisson soldier in charge of taking the new recruits to Boot Camp knocked on the Kirsteins' door. Valérie hugged her son
"Be a good soldier Jean. And never be a burden to others. I will visit you from time to time." she says.
Jean nodded and headed for the exit. He sat in the back of the cart with a few other new 104th recruits from Trost. The cart pulled away and headed for Trost's outside entrance and saw his mother wave in the distance. He smiles and wave back to her.
A few hours later, as the convoy stopped in a small village south of Wall Rose, several soldiers got into the cart.
He couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the person sitting at the other end of the convoy. The same freckles, the same innocent eyes full of positivity and kindness….No, he didn't want to believe it, he didn't want to wake up from this dream if it was one. The boy noticed Jean staring at him and confused, exclaimed "Excuse me…uh….are you okay?".
Jean recovered from his emotions and tried to appear as natural as possible. It couldn't be true…Marco is there, alive, safe and sound…He couldn't utter a single word, unable to take his eyes off this ghost that seemed unreal.
Marco, confused, wanting to break this awkward situation continued the conversation despite Jean's lack of reaction "My name is Marco, and you?"
Jean picked himself up and answered "Jean…Jean Kirstein".
Marco smiled and answered "Nice to meet you !".
The rest of the trip to boot camp passed in silence. Jean had time to reflect on the situation. "So if this isn't some very bad taste dream or Eren's manipulation using the power of the Founding….It means I'm back in the past, while retaining my memories. I know about Marley's Warriors, the Royal Family, Rumbling, Trost, Shiganshina, Liberio and all those deaths" he thought before glancing again at the unconscious Marco "All those deaths, those millions of people who are going to die….I can change that, I can fix all of that….But how can I do this on my own?"
In Trost, at the Kirsteins, Valérie wonders why her son's behavior changed in a single night. "He behaves like an adult…Maybe it's an effect of adolescence but still, he didn't finish his omelette yesterday….He doesn't react when I call him "Jeannie" and he asked me these questions so weird and precise."
She sighed "I have to worry for nothing….after all I know he can do it. He will make a good soldier."
In the afternoon, while Shadis was busy psychologically destroying the new recruits while Jean was staring at someone, he had the same expression as earlier when seeing Marco again. She was alive….Sasha.
Jean thought "I can save her too."
"Hey you there! Who the hell are you?"
"Armin Arlelt from Shiganshina District, sir!"
"That's so. What a ridiculous name! Did you father name you that?
"My grandfather did, sir!"
"Arlelt what did you come here to do?"
"To contribute to humanity's victory, sir"
…
"We'll use you as Titan bait"
Jean sketched a smile, Shadis couldn't be more wrong, Armin is a gifted soldier, who will give everything to stop the Rumbling. A fine strategist who will lead them to victory more than once, he thought.
Shadis noticed that smile, and wrinkled the wrinkles on his forehead and glared at him, he walked past Thomas, Mina, and Samuel and stood in front of Jean.
Jean didn't move an inch, looking Shadies straight in the eyes "If I was the same as that day, I'd be pissing myself… It's funny to have this facade of Shadis in front of you when we know his insecurities and his regrets… He and Magath would get along wonderfully" he said to himself.
Shadis, disturbed by the lack of reaction, raised his voice "You! WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?"
Jean remained unfazed, couldn't feel the slightest shudder of fear, he remembered the last time he had seen Instructor Shadis, when he led the new recruits and helped them kill the army's top brass. to rid Shiganshina of their titan forms. Despite what he imagined, Jean thought, Shadis was a leader at heart.
Shadis began to lose patience "I'M TALKING TO YOU CATTLE!"
Jean thought about how he is supposed to react. He couldn't do it like last time, he had no desire to stuff his headbutt with that bald head of Shadis once again.
He glanced at Connie, then at Sasha. He says to himself "Is it a good idea to answer differently? What if that completely changes the turn of events?"
He then looked at Marco and his gaze fixed, determined "No! Fuck that, I have to change the outcome, for him, for Sasha, for mom, for all of them!"
"I'm Jean Kirstein from the District of Trost! I'm here to protect those I love and save humanity!" He cringed at those words. Who is he ? Eren ?
Shadis was surprised, he doesn't know why but something about this new recruit seems off. He straightened up, said "I see" and gave Jean a last look before continuing his round of humiliations.
Jean sighed, he managed to avoid the headbutt but looking further, he saw that Connie was staring at him, amped with amazement. Their eyes met, and they stared at each other for long seconds, before Connie was interrupted by Shadis.
"Hey! you there! Who are you?"
"Connie Springer from Ragako Village, southern wall rose!"
Jean tensed when he noticed a detail, Connie had made the salute correctly, and had not taken it the wrong side! He thought "How come? Are my actions already starting to take effect? Not having seen Shadis headbutt me… Connie managed to keep his composure and salute properly."
"Good morning, Springer. With some luck, you'll maybe survive one hour outside the walls."
Shadis seemed just as disturbed as with Jean. Jean looked away from Connie and was even more distraught…Sasha isn't eating a potato ?
"How is it possible ? My justification to Shadis can't have had any impact on that? How would that have stopped Sasha from stealing a potato from the kitchens earlier ?"
He saved his questions for later when he saw Shadis turn to Marco.
"You there! Who are you?"
Marco answered enthusiastically, like the last time, Jean couldn't help but feel warm at seeing his friend, so enthusiastic.
"Marco Bott from Jinae Village, Southern Wall Rose! I've come to enlist in the Military Police Brigade, and devote myself to serving the king, sir."
Shadis mock him "The king has no desire for your body" he says approaching too close to Marco's face.
Seeing Marco again fills Jean with joy, even if he can't help telling himself that Marco's dream is a lie, "that asshole king being just a puppet of Rod Reiss", he thought before take a look at Historia. His gaze then rested on Ymir.
"The Jaw Titan" he thought, looking at Ymir. "I will have to keep an eye on this one, it could be useful"
He then looked at Reiner, Annie and Bertholdt. A contradictory feeling comes over him, he doesn't know what to think, Reiner and Annie were there during the Battle of Fort Salta, and somehow Bertholdt's ghost too. He said to himself "How am I going to take care of these 3?..." he thought "Am I gonna have to kill them ?"
His gaze passed by Mikasa, he couldn't help staring at her, he who had been in crush on her for so long.
And finally he settled on Eren. Still that same determined look…. This suicidal who will go so far as to annihilate humanity… "Eren, you suicidal bastard….Don't worry…I'll make everything I can to save you too, ….from becoming the Devil the World fears so much. "
In the evening, as they prepare to go to bed just before the meal in the canteen. He looked away as Ymir and Historia got to know each other. Sasha is further away than last time, eating bread she probably stole. "She didn't change that one"
Connie arrives and looks at Sasha too, Jean thought it was strange, he's not supposed to know him yet.
Connie says "My name is Connie Springer."
Jean, surprised by so much initiative on Connie's part, smiled and said
"Jean Kirstein".
Connie continued
"Do you remember during the introduction ceremony? You said you wanted to save those you loved and save humanity? What motivates you to do this?"
Jean was surprised by this question, he knew that his change of answer in front of Shadis would lead to changes but not that much.
"I want to save the people I love from this cruel hell and dark future that awaits us"
Connie smiled
"The same."
He looked at Sasha too and said
"This girl is really amazing all the same. You saw how she eats that bread. She would be able to peel a whole lobster with her teeth and bite into ice cream like an animal."
Jean jumped, his eyes wide with shock. He doesn't believe what he just heard.
Connie saw his reaction and did the same. They stared at each other for what seemed like long minutes.
"Connie….Did you just mention…lobster…and ice cream?"
They continued to stare as the sun went down.