Chapter 7
When Armin and Annie are talking with Reiner and the others, a bird manages to fly through the window and it turns out to be Freiheit. He returns and tells Eren everything.
Eren frowns, "I see. Armin still spills the beans to Reiner and the others. Looks like trusting him is a bad idea..."
Aya widens her eyes and mutters, "Just great. They are going to be here to harass us. I told you it is a bad idea to put the trust in him when he decides to stab us in the back."
Jean says, "I'm not saying this just to stand by Armin's side, but shouldn't Connie and Reiner know that you're still alive?"
Eren glares and says, "Nobody asks you, horse face. Reiner is still my enemy even though we aren't Titans anymore. And what's good when my enemy knows that I'm still alive?"
Jean flinches as it has been a long time since Eren called him a horse face, usually he would try to pick a fight with him, but for some reason, he can't. Mikasa asks, "So what are you going to do with Armin?"
Eren says, "Considering how he easily breaks the trust, I guess he wasn't my best friend anymore. Acting as strangers is enough to deal with them."
Mikasa and Jean frown, but they can't blame Eren. Eren was given a second chance at living, and now he just wants to live peacefully with his children. At the same time, Gloria comes and says, "Now, now. How about we change the mood? Why don't we visit Historia today? I'm sure little Ymir will like to see us again."
"Sounds great." Aya says.
Then all of them decide to ride their horses as they head to the Reiss Farm. But just as they are moving, they were noticed by Armin and the others, who were trying to head to Eren's living place.
"Wait, that's Mikasa and Jean." Connie says, and they realize a group of people, along with the kids, are rushing north.
"The one with the hood, it's Eren, isn't it?" Reiner asks.
"Where are they going?" Pieck asks, then they decide to follow them.
While riding the horses, Carla is riding on the same horse as Erich, she is hugging Erich tightly since Mikasa or Jean never trained her to ride a horse before.
Once they arrive at the Reiss Farm, Historia and Ymir are already there. Historia hugs Eren. "Eren! Aya! And everyone is here!"
But then she also notices Mikasa and Jean, she gasps, "Wait, what are those two... did you guys-"
"They know the truth." Eren says. "And I have to guess Armin, Reiner, and the others also know that I'm alive, which is not good for us. 10 years of peace are interrupted again."
Historia frowns and says, "I see... so that time has come."
"Uncle Eren! Aunt Aya!" Ymir also hugs the two adults and Eren asks, "How did you do, Ymir?"
"I'm doing well, Uncle Eren!" Ymir says with a proud tone.
"Uncle?" Jean asks.
"Turns out that Founder Ymir not only revived me, he also gave me the same blood as Historia. That technically makes me Historia's blood-related brother."
"And since he has Frieda's memories, that makes everything believable as well." Historia says. "At least he's there with me after my husband's death..."
The others frown as they remember Historia's husband died 5 years ago. Eren and Aya had attended the funeral, but they were forced to hide their identity since the other nations were also present.
"So other than informing me that Mikasa and the others know the truth, is there anything else you're here for?" Historia asks.
"Did you forget that we still need to give some orphanage kids some music practice?" Katrina asks.
"Oh yeah. The talent show is around the corner after all." Historia smiles.
"Talent show?" Mikasa asks, and Aya says, "It's an activity for the kids to perform. They will either sing or dance, and or maybe do some magic tricks.
"And some of the songs are actually made by Papa himself!" Fay says. "We're also invited to perform as well!"
"Wait, Eren wrote songs? Never thought you were the type." Jean says.
"I have to do something when we were hiding in the forest after all." Eren says. "But some of the songs are actually based on what happened 10 years ago or even earlier."
"Let's all head inside, I'm pretty sure that the kids are going to see you again." Historia says as they all enter the orphanage.
When Armin and the others arrive, they notice that Eren is talking to Historia. "Wait, so Historia knew they were still alive this whole time? And little Ymir is hugging Eren as well." Connie says.
"Historia was one of the few except for the Yeagerists that supports the Rumbling plan, so I'm not surprised Eren trusts her enough to tell her everything." Armin says.
Just then, they hear some music from inside the orphanage and they decide to see what Eren and the others are up to.
In the building, Eren is standing in front of the children as he's ready to command, and Aya is playing the piano while the others are watching the rehersal.
"Now let's do it." Eren says as the children are ready, and he begins to command with the kids singing and Aya playing the piano.
Daichi to ōzora wa naze wakareta no darou (Why did the earth and heavens separate from one another?)
sekai wa zankoku de saredo utsukushī (Though the world may be cruel, it can also be beautiful.)
And while commanding, Eren also joins in the song and sings with them.
Ishi o nageru mono to nagerareru mono ni wa (Those that throw the stones and those who are in turn hit by them,)
yōi ni koerarenu saku ga aru (between the two sides stands a fence not crossed so easily.)
tachiichi ga kawareba seigi wa kiba o muku (But by changing where we stand, justice will come to bare its fangs.)
ori no naka de hoeteiru no wa hatashite dochira ka (So who is it really that's been left howling within the cage?)
And for now, Eren is the main lead while the children are singing background vocals.
Shinzō wo sasageta modosenai tasogare ni (The hearts offered to a dusk we can no longer get back.)
susumitsuzuketa yoru no hate rakuen wa doko ni aru? (Will paradise wait for us at the end of this ever-continuing night?)
Requiem! Requiem!
kono yoru ni chitta namonaki hana yo (O' nameless flower who lost its petals tonight.)
dōka yasuraka ni akatsuki ni nemure (Please, rest peacefully when dawn breaks.)
And since they're in the second part, the vocals are going to be the same as the first one.
Akatsuki to tasogare wa onaji sabishī iro daite (Daybreak and twilight embrace the same lonesome colors.)
sugisarishi tori no kage daichi ni yakitsukeru (The birds flying by paint shadows on the earth below them.)
Ishi o hofuru mono to hofurareru mono ni wa (Those that slaughter the will of others, and those whose wills are slaughtered,)
yōi ni aiirenu kabe ga aru (between the two sides stands a wall not so easily taken down.)
shinjitsu o nozomeba sekai wa kuzuresaru (But if you wish to know the truth, the world will come to collapse.)
ori no naka de miageta sora wa hatashite "jiyū" ka (Is the sky you've admired in your cage really the freedom you seek?)
Hanataba wo sasageta hatasenai yakusoku ni (The flower bouquets offered to a promise that won't be kept.)
susumitsuzuketa michi no hate rakuen wa tōzakaru (Paradise slowly recedes from sight at the end of this ever-continuing road.)
Requiem! Requiem!
kono yoru ni chitta hakanaki hana yo (O' fleeting flower who lost its petals that night.)
dōka yasuraka ni akatsuki ni nemure (Please, rest peacefully when dawn breaks.)
"Shin no jiyū" o motomete (If you wish for freedom, what will be taken away?)
nanika o ubau no nara (Will we get back again what has been taken away?)
ubawareta mono o mata ubaikaesu deshou
iki o hikishibori (The《killing intent》(bow) is drawn out to its limit...)
Sekai wa tanjun de
sore yueni nankai de (The world is simple to understand, but that it is exactly why it's so complex.)
onaji higeki nando mo kurikaesu (The same tragedies keep repeating time and time again…)
Requiem! Requiem!
Kono yoru ni chitta toganaki hana yo (O' innocent flower who lost its petals one night.)
semete yasuraka ni akatsuki ni nemure (I wish you'll get to rest peacefully when dawn breaks.)
Soshite itsuka katarunara (And if one day my wish will come true,)
karamitsuku inga tachikitte (and the entwining karma will be severed,)
nā tomo yo kabe no nai akatsuki ni aou (then, aa, my dear friend, let us meet at daybreak where there are no walls around us...)
After the song ends, the children all decide to take a break while Eren and Aya meet up with others. "So what do you think, Historia?" Eren asks.
"It's amazing, Eren. To think you're able to make children who can't sing into this beautiful melody." Historia smiles.
As for Mikasa, she asks, "Eren... the song that you were practicing... did you write the song?"
"I did. This song is made for a vision that I saw." Eren closes his eyes. "The moment I saw the future, I saw a lot of possibilities. But when I first saw the memories of the Rumbling... let's say that I saw something first before that. At first, I was sitting next to the tree that I liked to stay under in Shiganshina as my nine-year-old self. Just then, I saw myself, 19 years old, and I'm standing in front of the gravestones. I was confused as I go closer, I see that my 19-year-old self is standing in front of the grave grieving.
He notices me and tears start to burst into his eyes, and he kneels to the ground, words he's saying "I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."
I don't understand what is going on, but I decide to follow him, and then I notice that we're standing in front of Capital Mitras, the guards bow at my 19-year-old self and we enter the building. After opening the door, I saw Historia and Ymir, I mean Historia's own daughter, who rushes to my 19-year-old self. Even though it was supposed to be a happy reunion, but I could see that my 19-year-old self is kneeling and crying again.
I decide to touch him and see the memories, and then I saw, how I started the Rumbling and killing everyone in sight. I notice a parent holding her baby with tears, and I still kill them without any mercy. I am disgusted by myself, and then the scene turns to the battle in Liberio. I found myself walking around the destroyed buildings and dead people. I also see how I'm the one killing them. I grit my teeth as I want to find another way, it shouldn't be like this. But no matter how hard I try, I notice that there is no other way, and more graves appear in front of me, and eventually... I gave up thinking another way... and go with the flow."
After Eren finishes the story, Mikasa and Jean start to imagine how Eren is feeling, and they say nothing. But outside the window, the others listen to Eren's words, and they can't help but wonder about Eren's words.
"However, I don't want the song filled with grief and pain, so I decide to have Historia help me with the first part, and she told me about how she met her husband. And that's how the first part of the song appears." Eren says.
"I see..." Jean says.
And here is a new chapter, and I decide to put Akatsuki no Requiem song into this fic and I hope you like it.
