Eren found a silent corner all to himself. He'd run away from the ghosts pouring off of the ferry, back towards the restaurants and the formless, darker ghosts that haunted those rooms. The wall of the nearest building was cool against his back and the grass was dewy under his legs. It was a wonderful contrast to the steam that was still pouring off of Eren's body. Huddled into a ball and there his form was nearly obscured by that white cloud. He didn't know anymore if it was sweat or tears that ran down his cheeks.

Eren told himself he'd get up any minute. After all, he had people to beat up. Maybe even a lot of people. Whoever had done… that to his family was going to get it bad. Even worse than Davey, who'd only called his mom that name because he'd heard it from Rian the day before. Even knowing that, Eren had still forced his arm into the drainage pipe until it stuck. So yeah, this would be so much worse. And he would find the people who were responsible, just as soon as he got his face dry. Any minute now.

The steam was getting thicker though. Thick enough that Eren didn't realize someone was there until a hand clamped around his wrist.

"Lemme go, you creep!" Eren thrashed, dissipating a lot of the mist around him. When it cleared enough he realized that he knew they guy manhandling him. It was shorty.

"You!"

"Yeah, brat. Me." Up close Eren wondered how he'd ever thought this guy was young. The circles under his eyes were small craters. "Didn't I tell you to get the fuck out of here?"

"I—"

"Tried no doubt." The guy's expression didn't change, but the fingers around Eren's wrist loosened slightly. "He called the river faster than your shrimpy legs could get you across, huh?"

Despite it all, Eren felt his eyes narrowing. "I'm still taller than you."

"Fuck you, brat."

"And I'm not leaving without my parents. Or Mikasa!"

"Yeah, yeah just… shit. I'm not a babysitter, alright? Use that gob of yours for something other than yapping." The guy dug around in his sash. As he did Eren got a better look at those swords and was surprised to see that they were immaculate. Hadn't the guy said that he was going to defend him? There wasn't a speck on the pair.

"Here," He held out what Eren could only assume was a bit of food. It was blue and round, about a third the size of a gobstopper. The guy nodded.

"You need to eat some food from our world or else you'll dissipate completely." Eren sucked in a breath and looked down at his arm. It didn't look any less there but the steam was coming off his shoulder now too. "It tastes like a three week old dump but you do what you gotta do." He started trying to force the blue thing down Eren's throat.

It was true that he was still steaming but Eren was also getting a clearer picture of everything that was going on, or at least the danger he was in. Here he was without parents or sister, surrounded by ghosts, and stranded. To top it off some crazy guy with swords was trying to feed him something that—indeed—smelled like literal shit. Eren decided that if ever there was a time to implement the, "Don't Take Candy From Strangers" rule, it was now.

"I'm not eating that," he said.

The guy's face scrunched like a lemon.

"Yes you are, dipshit."

"I'm not!"

"Remember cutting you down to size? That's still an option."

Eren just tilted his chin up and sealed his lips. It was odd really. He had no desire to take food from this guy but at the same time he didn't think he'd really hurt him. He was still holding Eren's wrists, yeah, but the touch wasn't painful. If Eren wanted to, he could run.

Shorty raised his eyes to the sky. Then he slumped a little. Then he gritted his teeth. "For fuck's, fucking sake, brat. Do you want to die?—No. Don't answer that. Just eat the goddamn food before I shove it down your throat. Or better yet, we'll take the shorter route and I'll shove it up your ass."

Eren was tempted to point out that if he was supposed to eat the food then that wouldn't exactly work… but he refrained. "You think I'm stupid, huh?" he said instead and had to talk over the guy opening his mouth—no doubt to agree. "I saw everything! They ate food here and…" Eren sealed his lips again. That didn't need repeating.

"That food was enchanted." Shorty said calmly. "This isn't. Eat."

"No." When it looked like he might get a slap Eren bit out, "It's not like I know I can trust you." There. Let Shorty talk his way out of that one.

"You're right. You can't."

Eren blinked. "Say what?"

"You can't trust me." This guy was too intense. Leaning in close his eyes caught Eren's own gaze and wouldn't let go. Black as his eyes were they should have been lost in the darkness, but instead they stood out sharply against the steam, ever growing around them.

"You can't trust anyone," he continued, voice still monotone but also… sharper. "Not here. He has eyes everywhere." Following a small prompt Eren looked up. Even through the smoke he thought he saw something circling up around the stars and he shivered. "So you've got two options here, brat. Either take the food or don't. Either way I'm wiping my hands of you."

Unbidden Eren felt his whole body beginning to shake and the tears, so many stupid tears, started again. What the hell was he supposed to do? He didn't trust this guy and apparently he wasn't supposed to, but who else did he have? No Dad chastising him, no Mom ruffling his hair, no Mikasa to hold his hand. Eren had always thought he'd been okay with being alone, what with so few friends, but he'd never actually been alone. And now? Alone was the very last thing he wanted.

Gently, with salt tears slipping between his lips, Eren opened his mouth.

"There you go, brat." The words were almost comforting. The guy popped the food onto his tongue and god, it really did taste rancid. Eren struggled to swallow it all. For such a tiny morsel it filled up his mouth unpleasantly.

"See? All fucking better." Scrubbing his eyes Eren opened them again and gasped. The smoke was nearly gone. The slight breeze on the air blew it away and, as there was no more rising from his skin, Eren could see his friend better now. Well, not exactly a friend, but with his chest still feeling overly tight with the threat of being left alone, Eren was feeling unreasonably grateful.

"Wait," he murmured. Though Shorty didn't appear to be going anywhere. He dug into his pant's pocket and drew out the chocolate Mikasa had given him. It was all mushy from his time in the sun but at least it was something he could give in turn. Eren held it out just as Shorty drew away.

"The fuck am I supposed to do with that?"

"You eat it, stupid." And Eren shoved him, hard. Not that it did any good. It felt like trying to shove a brick wall. Huffing in frustration he tossed the chocolate away so that it landed between their feet. "Whatever," he said.

Drawing out that cloth again Shorty quickly picked up the melted treat. His nose wrinkled and then his breath morphed into a sigh. "Well this is disgusting," he said. Yet he proceeded to unwrap it, tucked the foil into his boot, and swallowed the chocolate in one hard gulp. Eren saw him running his tongue over his teeth uneasily.

"Happy now, brat?"

He was, oddly. Not that he'd admit it.

"—better be because I'm not eating that shit aga—" He suddenly stiffened and Eren froze in turn. Lunging so that they were both pressed against the wall Shorty pointed silently. There, up in the sky was another one of those birds but this time Eren could see it clearly. It was a hawk, larger than any he'd seen before. Like a wolf with wings.

"He's looking for you," Eren heard muttered against his neck and not for the first time he wondered who this 'He' was. "Fuck. Double fuck. 'Course he's not satisfied with just your parents and a brat little sister. He's going to turn you too unless…" His friend trailed off. Eren remained silent. He was a little busy trying to breathe properly.

"So my family really was turned into those… things." He asked. Stated. Shorty nodded anyway.

Eren had known of course. He'd seen the evidence. Still, that was all a little different from actually hearing it said aloud. Eren didn't know this guy, but in that moment he was incredibly glad that someone was pressed close to him, comforting unintentionally.

"Come on." Too soon the body above his drew away. Eren swallowed back the impulse to reach out and demand a hug. He rationalized that such an action would only get him stabbed.

"We need to go," Shorty insisted and tried to drag Eren to his feet. For a second Eren thought that grief had made him sluggish, but no, his legs were actually stuck.

"I can't move."

"Not the time, drama queen."

"I'm serious!"

Frowning, Shorty bent closer… and then sucked in a breath. "Make that triple fuck. He wants your ass badly, brat, if he's setting up spells for you to trip through. Watch your step why don't you." Before Eren could scream that it was hardly his fault that there were traps set, the guy's hands were pressing onto his legs. Eren could feel them but it was like the pressure was muted, coming from somewhere far away.

"In the name of the fucking wind and the fucking water you've got stuffed in that fucking meat suit of yours, unbind the kid. Now."

With a grunt Eren was hauled to his feet. "What kind of spell was that?!"

"One that worked, brat. March."

Then they were running. Not the childish sprint Eren had been indulging in all day but something impossible that felt like flying. He caught glimpses of rundown alleyways before a door was thrown open before them. Not by anyone's hand, merely through his companion's commanding gesture. Despite all that he'd seen Eren found himself gaping. Twisting his neck he could just make out the door closing again behind them—equally unaided—before they rounded a sharp corner.

Eren saw many things then, most of which he didn't want to. There were things creeping through the shadows and lurking at the corner of his vision. They passed through a freezer larger than any other room they'd encountered yet. Eren enjoyed the chill on his skin after all that steam… until he realized that it was packed full of meat. Stupid, he told himself. Of course a freezer has meat. But he couldn't recognize the cuts and whenever he caught a glimpse of blood Eren had to swallow down bile. He was more than happy to have Shorty pulling him through so quickly.

That is, until they flew into the next room.

Eren let out a strangled squeak when they found themselves between hundreds of those… things. The same things his parents and Mikasa had been turned into. All of them were fenced in with chains and ropes encircling their limbs and even as Eren urged his legs faster he was searching desperately for a glimpse of his family. There were too many though and they looked too similar. There were distinguishing traits, but all had the same lumbering build and snapping maws. Calling up whatever courage was hiding within him, Eren tried to dig his heels into the dirt.

"Wait!" he called. "We have to look for my parents!"

"Not now, brat." Shorty glanced his way. "Besides, they're not here. There's ano—" Then he snapped his mouth closed.

They sprang back out into the open air and Eren tried not to feel too relieved at leaving that room behind.

"Here," They finally stopped, hidden behind some bushes. Eren realized that he was right back where he'd been an hour or so before: the entrance to the bathhouse, located just beyond the bridge. However, where before there had been nothing but sunlight and silence, now the area was positively bustling with activity. Torches and lanterns were lit, just as Shorty had said they would be. It seemed as if every ghost from the restaurants and down by the river had converged in one place. They made their way steadily towards the baths and Eren could only stare, bug-eyed at their number and variety.

"Listen up, brat." Shorty's lips were pressed right against Eren's ear. "I need to get you inside, though fuck all knows why I'm helping you. So don't screw things up, yeah? The way you don't screw things up is by holding your breath."

"Holding my breath?" Eren parroted. He didn't much feel like doing that. Hell, he didn't even know if he wanted to go inside. Shorty picked up on his hesitation.

"You want to live? Get your family back? Then in you go. And yes, brat, hold your breath. I know that'll be a struggle, what with your love of spouting stupidity, but make a fucking effort, if not for your sake than at least mine." After a second's hesitation Shorty huffed and conceded, "You only need to hold it while going across the bridge. If you don't the spell here will break and every last shit-eating spirit here is going to see you. Understand? Every. Last. One."

Eren nodded. He didn't know what he wanted, but he didn't want that. Besides, it wasn't as if he actually knew anything about… magic? Spells? Whatever. If this guy said holding his breath would work then Eren would hold it until his lungs exploded. No problem at all.

"You ready, brat?"

"No."

"Excellent. Move your sorry ass."

They started walking, Shorty keeping Eren pressed flush against his back. It was a little weird and Eren was more than half tempted to pull away (he'd already had his mushy moment today, he wasn't a complete baby), but it seemed as if the closeness was keeping off the stares of others. As they walked Eren took in the creatures around him, only now really appreciating the detail, the true diversity of them all. There were things large with tiny beaks and things small with huge, floppy feet. Things in robes and things in slippers and things wearing no clothes at all. They weren't anything like the ghosts he'd seen back at the restaurants. Where they had been shades of black these beings were full of color. Where they had been silent these things talked up a storm. Eren passed what look like two toads, barely a hair's breath away, and their calls of "Welcome! Welcome!" rang uncomfortably loud in his ears.

Then they hit the bridge.

"Breath. Now." Eren sucked a breath in and held it, puffing up his cheeks. It was easy at first. They strolled casually, Eren's eyes continuing to wander. But the bridge was long and the crowd was too thick for them to just push through. Eren's lungs began to burn. Normally he wouldn't have cared—he'd have opened his mouth and released the pressure—but that wasn't an option this time. They got trapped behind a spirit that resembled an obese rabbit and, dawdling there, Eren started noticing other, unpleasant symptoms: a slight tingle in his extremities, saliva building under his tongue. He almost did gasp when he recognized the feeling. It was too much. Too much like that time at the beach.

He'd sunk beneath the waves, Mikasa's body weighing him down. His muscles had burned exactly as they did now. Eren had been dying, he was dying now, of course he was. No one could survive something like this. And yet… somehow, he'd awoken on the sand just minutes later. Alive.

Here and now, Eren tightened the muscles in his throat and his shoulders, holding tight onto the present.

"Almost there, kid."

'Kid' again. Eren nodded in acknowledgement. They passed creature after creature and he tried to distract himself by observing them. One stood out, dressed as he was all in black. His face appeared almost mask-like in its stillness and there were strange, triangular markings above and below each eye. The only color on his person came from tufts of golden hair peeking out from beneath his hood. What really made Eren pause though was that this spirit looked right at him.

Eren hurried along. That proved to be a mistake though. His chest ached more than ever and as he passed a spirit in flowing, blue robes the sensation of being underwater crashed over him again.

"Five more fucking seconds, kid, just—"

But Eren had to block him out. He could see the end of the bridge just a few steps ahead but it might as well have been a mile. Throwing aside his independence Eren twisted his hands in Shorty's tunic, gripping hard enough bruise. Eren felt cold. Wet. Sluggish and weighted. He couldn't focus his thoughts and above all he couldn't breathe. Oh god, oh god, he couldn't breathe—

"Corporal!"

A frog dressed in blue robes jumped up and as he did a spray of pond water hit Eren's face. It was too much. The actual feeling of water against his skin had him sucking in a desperate, terrified breath.

"Corporal," the frog said. "Oh I'm so glad you're back. Hanji's been—is that a human?!"

"Let's go!"

Shorty drew his sword, slashing it down in an arc. At first it looked as if he'd sliced the frog in two but at the last second, when the blade touched its green skin, a bubble spread from the sword's tip, engulfing him. He hung there suspended and that was their chance.

Eren was taken by the hand and then, unlike that time before, they were literally flying. Three inches off the ground Eren watched as the world blurred around him and all he could think about was how Shorty wasn't 'Shorty' at all. He was, apparently, 'Corporal.'

Barely seconds later they were around the side of the bathhouse, crouched behind some bushes. Corporal wasn't exactly seething… but he definitely looked far from pleased.

"Fucking, Moblit. Fucking… fucking… frog." Corporal shivered. "Slimy. Filthy. Disgusting. Trust him to go and screw things over." He cocked his head towards the sound of chaos within. "Fan-fucking-tastic. Now every half-witted spirit is looking for you." The Corporal nudged Eren briefly under his chin. "Brat. Throw up on my shoes and I will actually gut you."

"I'm fine." It was mostly true too. With dry dirt beneath him and small branches sticking into his back, the feel of the ocean was fading away. "Corporal?" He questioned. "Corporal of what?"

"Nothing. It doesn't concern you, brat. You'll be out of here too quickly for something as stupid as my name to matter."

Despite it all Eren smiled. Probably for the first time in hours. Amidst all this craziness he appreciated the optimism. It sounded like something Mikasa would say.

"—that is, unless he catches you and turns you into a titan. Then you're screwed."

Ah. Well.

Instead of screaming and socking this guy Eren shook off the rest of his terror. Straightening he tried to harden his expression too. It was about time he demanded some answers.

"Who exactly is 'He'?" Eren barked. Well, tried. His voice wobbled a bit. "What the hell is a 'titan'?"

The Corporal's eyebrow said he wasn't impressed… but he did answer. "'He' is Irwin Smith, brat, the sorcerer of these parts. He's a dick." Eren choked. "Powerful and ruthless. Don't be like those fools—" Corporal pointed at the silhouettes, running behind the bathhouse's screened doors. "—and underestimate him. He's the one that turned your parents and brat sister. Those," he widened his eyes, imitating the monsters' hungry stares. "—are titans."

Whatever trace of the ocean that still clung to Eren was burned away. White hot anger flooded his veins, causing him to shake for a very different reason than before. Now he had a name and soon he'd have a face to go along with it.

Irwin Smith.

"What do I have to do?"

Eren got an approving nod for that. "You need a job. Yes, you heard me. If he catches you that fucker will do exactly what he did to your family, but if you get a job here…" The Corporal shrugged under Eren's skeptical look. "Don't look at me, brat. Irwin likes order. He follows even his own rules to the fucking letter, so long as it keeps everything in its place. Get a job and he can't touch you… much."

Reaching forward Corporal placed a finger against Eren's forehead. It was odd really. He looked so imposing—hard expression, weapons at his hip—yet his touches had all been gentle. In a day of tragedies it was one small thing to be grateful for.

Still, cool fingers against his head was weird and definitely not necessary. He was fine now. Eren opened his mouth to say so when his mind was flooded with images.

"The hell?" he yelped.

"Hold still, brat." Corporal pressed hard—so much for gentle—and the pictures solidified. Eren saw a path, the very one he was sitting on, curving down towards a grey portion of the bathhouse, smoke billowing from its top. He saw steps so steep they were nearly vertical and a door that opened into darkness.

"Run to the back," Corporal's voice said from afar. "Stay low and keep to the bushes. Follow the steps down to the entrance of the boiler room. There you'll find Sasha and Connie. Ask them for a job. Those fucking fools will say no ten times over but just keep bugging the shit out of them until they change their mind. Fail at that, I can't help you."

Eren swallowed. "Right." The finger was removed and Corporal's face came back into view. Eren blinked a few times until everything smoothed out again. "Right," he repeated. "Job. I can do that. But what about my family?"

Corporal hesitated. "… Leave them to me."

"You'll turn them back then?"

He stood quickly, straightening his sash. Under the shadows of the trees Corporal gave what might have been a nod and Eren relaxed. He even smiled.

"Great. That's awesome! How are you going to—?"

"There's no time for that now," Corporal snapped. "I'll distract everyone while you get to the boiler room. Remember, you can't take no for an answer. Got it?"

"Yeah. Yeah, yeah, okay. I got it."

Corporal hesitated once more, his back a series of hard, lined muscle. "Good luck, Eren." He said.

Suddenly, Eren wanted to call at him to wait—don't leave me alone here, help me get my family back now—but he forced himself to stand and start stumbling down the path. He was six steps on his new journey when he realized what had felt wrong about that goodbye.

"Wait!" Corporal paused with his hand on the sliding door. "How did you know my name?"

"… You said it, brat. When we met."

Eren shook his head. "No… no you interrupted me, remember? How—"

But Corporal slipped inside. Eren heard voices calling him, telling him that Irwin wanted to see him. The Corporal's response—if there was one—was lost as the door closed. In moments his silhouette blurred into the others and Eren was left standing there, brimming with confusion and fear.