Episode 2: Eve in Wonderland II
To your bewilderment, you uttered the forbidden words you never thought you would. "The attack titan.." You mumbled low to yourself. You swear Dr. Jeager's eyes almost widened in surprise but he did not say anything. Not a single word. Except that second surprised expression of his is immediately replaced with a gentle smile.
"How are you feeling child?" Your father asked you his eyes voicing his concerns. "I heard your mother say that you look confused at everything you lay your eyes on." Your father added confirming that your mother had been closely observing you while she gave you your breakfast earlier. Dr. Jeager finally spoke to explain your current condition, "This is completely normal, Mr. Cromwell, she may experience mild memory loss and confusion during recovery due to her injury and the medicine but all will return to normal including her memories in time. Don't worry Mr. Cromwell." He said with an assuring smile.
'What is he planning? He definitely heard me, didn't he?
Am I really here? Right here?
If that's so then, what I said earlier...
Will it change the future the Attack Titan sees?
For what end?
I have to be careful...
Dr. Jaeger and your father's conversation faded into the background as your thoughts continued to swirl. Then you were interrupted by the doctor, "Does your head still hurt? Do you feel headaches?" You nodded and answered some of the questions Dr. Jaeger asked all the while you watched him administer the medicines you needed. You're confused and everything at all that transpired just now. How were you able to get there ? or now here? What manner of madness is this? Are you finally going insane at seeing the blood of your allies being shed back then?
You feel the slight coarseness of the sheets of your bed. It feels all too real. So, so real...
Just as Dr. Jaeger left, and your father about to escort him outside, you pinched and tugged your father's sleeves and asked.
"Father," Calling him that feels so new and warm it reminds you of your father back in your home world.
'Homeworld huh…'
"What year is it today Father?" You finally asked after a long pause. Your father smiled as his heart ached for the injuries you suffered. He answered you, "Silly child it's the year 839." He chuckled. "Don't waste the medicine child and get plenty of rest so you can get better faster." It did not take long enough for the said medicine to take effect.
Your eyes begin to feel heavy and your back finally feels tired. The not-so-soft bed now feels so cozy, so warm, so welcoming. And here you are again. The endless expanse of the desert beneath your sitting figure. The mystical air graced by the starry skies of varying hues came into view. Then that, light that has multiple branches that towers over you, its branches spread far and wide. You were too caught up in the internship, the culprit, your death to recognize this place the first time you were here. It's the paths.. the one on the series. Now that you're here the place feels so otherworldly beautiful.
'It seems my stupidity in my home world really got me killed huh…'
You were interrupted by a girl walking towards you a bucket of water in hand. She looked like she was having difficulty lifting that.
'Ymir..'
You tried to help her but she suddenly brought the bucket down beside you too. Then with some sand and water, she began molding, filling up the space between the gash on your leg. The sand, you expected it to sting but to your surprise, it feels very cool to the touch. She was soon finished then moved to mold some sand to the wound on your head. Her gentle and innocent countenance makes you feel so bad about what happened to her all those years ago.
"Thank you," you told her, your voice gentle and sweet. She didn't say anything and only smiled slightly. You were shocked that she did. The Ymir you knew wasn't smiling, not until she was freed.
'Wait freed? What does that mean?'After she was done with your head, she gave it a gentle caress with her thumb. You hear a high-pitched sound the kind that you hear when someone faces their microphone towards the speaker. Then all of a sudden it feels like you were falling into the darkness.
Then you woke up, it was afternoon. Your leg is now nearly finished healing. You tried sitting up and it seems you can walk even with a bit of pain.
'That girl in my dreams.. who was she again?'
For some reason that feels very important, you can't help but feel frustrated that you forgot again. You suddenly felt your head stung as you were reprimanding yourself. You try your hardest to remember only for your head to hurt more. A bunch of memories from "Eve" flow down on your mortal mind. You now remember much of your childhood.
You or well Eve, was a child of nature. You always loved wandering around the forest, exploring whatever you could find, climbing whatever tree you could find. You enjoyed a childhood of being an only child. As your parents had trouble conceiving you, you were treasured too dearly. You watch your young 4-year-old self run towards your father. Your home then, was but a small cabin near the woods. At some point, your family moved into the town as they hoped to give you a brighter future with the success of their vineyard.
"A spoiled brat huh.."
You muttered to yourself. A spoilt brat maybe but you were loved, and a child raised with love will only approach things with love. You suddenly remembered your father from your home world. Back there, you grew up with a single parent and a sibling. Your father worked himself tirelessly to the bone just so he could raise the both of you. He did not waste a second as well for you to learn to protect yourself and your younger brother. Eve here, and you from the home world were both raised with love. And you are thankful for that.
You feel something warm trickle down from your nose. Huh? What's this?
You wiped whatever that was, and you guessed right. Your nose was bleeding.
Just as you are finished with introspection, you find a weird hologram from the side. It's faint but it's there nonetheless. You had the nagging feeling that you should click on it. So, you did.
And it popped a drop-down window showing your current status.
'This…'
You are perplexed, you're so weak! The majority of your base stats are ranked average, some 20 something, some below average like 10! With your STR stat and AGI stat being the highest in 30! If you're this weak, how are you gonna catch up with Levi Ackerman? Then it dawned on you. Not only that, you'll meet the other characters too! You can't wait to share all the sciencey stuff you know with Hange and talk for hours on end about titan theories. Then play chess with either Armin or Erwin! The thought alone sounds so scary! The only way the prove this is real, is to see them! An excuse you made in your mind to fangirl on your favorite characters.
Still that aside, looking at the status window, you can't help but feel as though you made this status system, this interface to feel tethered to your home world. A manifestation of your homesickness and unfinished business. Just as you were drinking in the thoughts of your self-aware overthinking, you noticed something on the status window.
[ SP:1 ]
You have one SP unused in the status window. You wonder why only one and how to get more of these. Because you knew you were only gonna be spending that on STR stat.
You hear a clanking noise downstairs. You got up breathing in the homey feeling of your room. As you were about to reach the door, you caught sight of yourself in the mirror. Happy are you that you still look like you were from your home world. You can't imagine just how depersonalized and detached you'd feel had your face changed drastically from what you're used to seeing in the mirror.You carefully touched the bandage wrapped around your head. You try to take a peek at your wound and find awful-looking stitches that stretch down your right eyebrow.
'Eek! That looks like it was a serious injury… So the real Eve died right then and there.
That's definitely gonna scar so bad, ugh…'Then you feel your head throb again as new memories come back to you and you're assaulted with the overly familiar uncanny feeling. Flashes of a memory flew through your eyes. The view of the dark forest as your vision is painted red. Warm hot blood trickling to your eyes, everywhere. You lay down in the cold grass as your life slowly leaves you and your vision grows dark.
The uncanny familiar feeling of death.
You staggered and your hand reflexes went on to grab onto the wooden dresser nearby. You're assaulted yet again by Eve's memories as you remember her or remember yourself opening that dresser with a gentle smile when you were alive. This would make it the second time that you've experienced death. You stopped yourself from choking and vomiting as memories of your deaths flashed right before you. Your nose bled as your head throbs.
'I've got to stop thinking about this first.'You tried to search Eve's memories for something warm and happy. Happy thoughts, happy thoughts. You think to yourself as you try to catch your breath. Then you try to remember more fond memories of Eve. Her childhood, as she played in this room as a little girl. You follow the memory as you try to stand up and open the door. Each smell and touch that you experience here, you try to feel with your heart.
'This still feels unreal to me…'With your hands supporting your descent down the stairs of your home you walked down very carefully. Memories of your childhood happily exploring your new home with your parents. Warm fuzzy feelings washed your uneasy heart in this strange, strange world. Your hands guide you to the ever-familiar smooth surface of the wooden staircase. You could almost see your young self, running down happily. The giggling voices of a little girl that was Eve, echoed through your head. "Oh, you're awake!" Your mother exclaimed, noticing your presence as she was doing the dishes. "You were sleeping so soundly I didn't want to bother you, come eat early dinner. Your father will be returning late from the vineyard." She gently said her expression loving and serene towards you as she hastily fetches your warm hearty dinner.
You can't help but feel bad at the realization that Eve is gone and you're not her daughter anymore. You cast your gaze on the warm food she's prepared for you. You muttered a small "Thank you," before picking up the spoon and eating your food. She replied with a smile and a "Get better soon child."
It was nearly 24 years ago when your mother and father were having difficulty conceiving. They tried nearly all they could for years but no signs of pregnancy yet. She felt as though it was her fault. Like she was a faulty woman who couldn't bear a child. Oh, how many nights she hid her tears from your father. While self-deprecating thoughts surround her. She felt as though she couldn't give him the happiness that he deserved. Years they waited and tried again. Nielss, your father was nothing short of supportive. He never gave up hope on having you or on your mother and in times that it seemed impossible, he would always tell your mother that he loves her all the same.
She was this close to giving up when one dawning morning she felt the first signs yet for a few days now. "Nielss!" She called her husband, your now father in a frantic hurry. That same morning your mother, along with your father decided to visit a doctor to get a confirmation. Joyous they are when they receive news like the new year, birthdays, or holy days of the three walls.
You were such a bundle of adoration and joy in their life.
Anne, your mother couldn't help but reminisce about that time, when you were born and they watched all of your firsts. You were a young girl of ladylike features but as rambunctious as a boy. She was worried that you'd get in trouble someday or that you wouldn't be able to get married in the future.
Her worst nightmares had never become truer.
Just some five years ago you ran away from the matchmaking coming of age your parents and their neighbors arranged for you and that boy announcing that you don't want to marry and that you never will. The year before that, you challenged the boy you were paired with in an arm-wrest and nearly dislocated his joints! Poor kid had to go home crying.
Anne sighed as she looked at you eating the early dinner she made for you.
'Oh, just what am I going to do with you child…'
Still, she didn't want to give up on you marrying one day yet nor did she want to rush your future husband into taking you away from them too soon. Life was simple, they only wanted to have their only child stay with them just a bit longer. Then there comes trouble. A few days later you went to your parents to deliver them the grimmest of news with your shiny and sparkly eyes that dream.
You wanted to join the Survey Corps.
Year 839
