Trost District,
Year 845
Ash walked through the bustling noises of the tight crowd. Apparently there's some rations being given. Sure the atmosphere is tense. It's like the population doubled. But he knows that they are in someone else's walls now. The outsiders are him and the people who got evacuated from Shiganshina. Now the Garrison' are doing the damage control. There are talks.
People of trost doesn't appreciate them. The main reason is the food shortage. Trost is as big as Shaganshina. But imagine another one of those number of population invades that space. It's suffocating.
Eventually he saw Armin running back with some bread in his hands. Armin' eyes brightened up when seeing Ash. "You look tired, my little brother." Ash said stopping in front of the blonde.
Armin sighed. "It's so crowded up ahead. They are fighting for food. It's a real mess, Brother." Armin said. "Grandpa was able to convince them to give more bread. I'm glad we're just kids in this situation. Because only kids are getting at least some of consideration." Armin said.
Ash nodded. "But those breads aren't enough for all of us." Ash said. "You go join Eren and Mikasa. I'll look around for more food." Ash said.
"Wait." Armin called him. Ash looks back.
"Yes?"
"What happened? You look a bit off." Armin asked.
"Maybe, you know, I didn't get to have a long beauty sleep. And I think everyone looks a lot off than me." Ash said.
Armin shook his head. "You were fine on the boat. Something must happened." Armin said.
Ash sighed. "I couldn't find someone. That's what happened. Now go, wait with Eren and others. I'm sure he'll cause some problems." Ash said shooing his little brother away.
"Be careful out there, brother. I'm afraid there's gonna be a fight soon." Armin said and walks away.
Ash moved forward and was looking around. Sneakily he got another bread and was casually walking away when he bumps into someone. It was a surprise. But looking straight he saw the person who ran into him. A blonde girl who looks like a foreigner. She got blue eyes too. Her skin tone was pale too. Defination someone that looks like a foreigner.
"Damn. I know you're hungry. But the bread is not gonna run away. Slow down and chill." Ash said and the girl looks totally taken back by this sudden interaction. Her cheeks reddened a bit when seeing him up close. Because he ain't heard the concept of personal space it seems. But he chuckled soon.
"Don't mind my rude comments. It happens when I'm met beautiful girls. I say things out loud and honestly." He said making the girl's eyes widen.
The girl slowly moved to a side and he chuckled. "You're a gentle lady. Usually it's the gentleman who prioritise the lady. But I think I met someone more cooler than a gentleman. Marry me when I reincarnate in my next life as a girl. You'll be my boyfriend then." Ash said and the girl just looks at him, totally overwhelmed by his carefree nature. And they're in middle of a terrible crisis and he's just joking around.
"What's your name?" He asked grinning ear to ear.
The girl didn't say anything. He still looks at her expecting an answer. But still nothing. So he shrugged. "I'll call you, Blondie, then." He said. "Okay, bye Blondie. Gotta go." He walked away and then waves at her.
The blonde girl looks at him dumbfounded. She totally wasn't expecting something like this.
Ash sighed as he walked. So he decided to visit one place again. He didn't have to go far. Eventually he reached a place where a person sat on a barrel. "Still no sign of her?" Ash asked concerned.
The old man shook his head. "Coral was supposed to be here, young man. She was supposed to open her own bakery in two more months." The man said. He's the same man who runs the tea shop where Ash delivers bread.
"I have this feeling. She made it. But then again, my mind is clouded. She's somewhere here." Ash said sadly.
The man nodded. "I'm sure she made it too. Because I think I saw someone that looks like her. But I'm old, kiddo." The man said and looks at the little piece of bread in Ash's hands.
The man smiled and reached in his satchel and brought out another loaf of bread and offered it to Ash. Ash looks at the man confused. "Here take it." The man said.
"It's yours, old man. I can't take it." Ash said.
The man smiled. "I'm Enzo. We never got a chance for introductions. What's your name?" The man asked.
"Exchanging names in a situation like this is funny. I'm Ash." Ash said and Enzo smiled.
"Kids like you need a lot of food. Old people like me won't make it in this situation. Here take it. You need it more than me." Enzo said handing over the loaf of bread.
Ash sighed. "Why would you do this? Why would you give away something valuable as food like this?" Ash asked.
The man shrugged. "My tea shop was everything to me. I love to feed people. And second of all, I'm too old. And there's a talk of getting rid of some of us. It's better if I throw away my life. Just accept it, kid. I mean it." Enzo said.
Ash smiled. "Coral knows some good people. Except for her husband." Ash said.
Enzo chuckled. "It would've been better if she never married that bastard. She got betrayed." Enzo said.
Ash nodded. "I'll leave you to it. Gotta go. There's a guy I know who loves trouble." Ash said.
"Take care kid. I hope you'll be okay." The man said waving at him.
Ash waves back and walked towards his group. Upon reaching, he saw a funny sight. Mikasa is shoving a bread in Eren' mouth as he's pinned to the ground. Armin is right next to them trying to figure out what to do.
Ash chuckled. "Why not shove that somewhere else of his?" He asked.
They looks back. "You got more?" Armin asked looking at the bread.
"Yeah. Not much. But in this situation, it's plenty." Ash said and looks at Carla, who's sleeping with a rug covering her body.
"She's fine. You did a good job with aiding her. She doesn't seem have a fever either." Armin said and handed over the bread to him.
"Store it in a satchel. We'll save it for her." Ash said and turned his attention to Eren and Mikasa.
"So, what happened this time?" Ash asked.
"He's mad at a Garrison. For you know what. They've been talking a lot of mean things. Eren said he didn't want their pity. He was refusing to eat anything. Rest is as you see." Armin explained.
Ash nodded and walked closer and crouched in front of Eren. He's sitting on the ground with Mikasa standing next to him. "Don't worry about the bread Eren. I don't think those garrison guys even know how wheat looks like. It's not their pity. It's a hard work of some farmers and the people who made it. Garrison guys eats it and that's their pity. Eating that bread is necessary for us. It's not something Garrison' fathers made. They'll talk. It shouldn't be new for us." Ash said and Eren looks at him.
Ash grinned. "Why bother with some useless grunts when you have to worry about your mother and yourself?" Ash asked.
Eren didn't say anything.
"He wants to join the Scouts." Mikasa said.
Ash looks at her wide eyed. "it speaks?" He asked mistaking her for a tree stump again. Mikasa blushed.
Eren nodded. "I won't sit still now, I lost my home. I nearly lost mom, too. I can't sit still anymore. I don't want to take chances like that without being strong. I can't rely on you, Ash. I want to end this. Once and for all." Eren said determined.
"Okay, I guess." Ash said shrugging.
The three kids looks at him stunned. Usually Ash will say something against it. "You're letting him?" Mikasa asked. She was hoping that Ash would discourage him.
"I'm not his dad. Up until now he didn't have enough reason to. But who am I to keep him away from things like that?" Ash said. "I don't give a damn." Ash said and walked towards Carla and sat next to her.
He then closed his eyes.
Trost District
Year 846
'Take back wall Maria'. It's what the new mission sounded like. But how it was executed was the different part. Instead of only Servey corps, Garrison' and military police, the people who was gone was half the civilians of Shaganshina. Half men of all ages were sent.
Armin clutches the straw hat his grandfather gave him for the last time before he was joined in the March towards Shaganshina. It was pushed off as a hope of retrieving their home. But instead they knew it was just some scheme. Because they knew those civilians stand no chance.
Armin sat and with his back on the wall and hugged the hat. Eren, Mikasa and Carla sat there silently.
"I'm joining you too." Armin said and they looks at him.
Armin looks at Eren. "I'm going with you." Armin said.
"But it's dangerous, Armin." Eren said.
"I don't care. I'm joining." Armin said.
"Join, what?" Carla asked cautiously.
They didn't reply. "Eren answer me." He didn't. She looks at Mikasa. "Mikasa?"
"I tried to discourage him." She said sadly.
And Carla knew what she's talking about. Carla' eyes widened and looks at Eren. "Eren, you-"
"Before you say it. We can't sit here and do nothing. We're not home, mom. But if someone don't do anything then this place won't hold much longer either." Eren said.
"You're not a scout, Eren. It's not your fight." She said.
"It's OUR fight mom. These people don't like us. So it's on us to recapture Shaganshina. Our home is destroyed. I thought I lost you too. Thinking that it's not our fight is stupid." Eren said.
Before Carla could say anything. "Shut up. Stop yelling." Ash said. He wasn't there. He only just arrived.
Everyone looks at him. He has that usual grinning face. "Those garrison guys will show up if you keep blabbering. They're too annoying to deal with." Ash said and sat down in front of them.
Armin slowly crawls towards him and hugged Ash. Ash chuckled and let Armin cling on to him. He safely put a hand around comfortingly which Armin scoots closer into. "Hey, Armin?" Ash mumbled.
"Mm?"
"Have you eaten anything?" Ash asked. There's no reply.
Ash looks up at others. "Have you eaten anything?" He repeated his question.
They shook his head a no. Ash chuckled and ruffled Armin' hair. "Why not?" Ash asked.
"Because Grandpa...he.. he." Armin didn't know how to answer.
"Grandpa, what? That he gone out there to die only watch us starve to death?" Ash asked and other's noticed his smile dwindling like a candle. "He was sent out there because of our numbers. He went out there, so we'll have more food and place to live." Ash said and they were shocked.
"W..what?" Armin asked.
"I've been hearing it from various regiments. The mission was a sacrifice to save the the remaining of us. With them gone, we'll have more food." Ash said and they are silent.
They didn't know what he's feeling. His words were gentle yet cold at the same time. He's not upset. At least visibly that is. Ash looks at Mikasa. "Mikasa, pick those bread and apples from the satchel and hand over to each of us. We're having a decent feast tonight." He said and Mikasa hesitantly nodded.
Carla was heartbroken. He's only an year older than Eren, Mikasa and Armin. Yet he's dealing with as if it's nothing. She doesn't truly know him like she thought. Ever since she saw him as a 6 year old at that pond. She knew he wasn't like them. He was alone to a point he was basically hanging around with a small tortoise in hopes to being happy. He grew up to be a perfect big brother.
"How can you be so calm? Aren't you sad?" Armin asked still hugging Ash.
"Why would I be sad?" Ash asked.
"Our grandpa." Armin mumbled.
"Don't worry. I'll eat his share too." Ash said as if it's obvious.
"Brother." Armin said with his voice breaking.
"I mean, he won't mind." Ash said. "Now, sit up. Take one bread from Mikasa and eat. I'm talking to everyone." Ash said as he took a bread from her hand.
Armin slowly sat upright and everyone slowly evenly split the small portion of their stored ration.
"I want everyone to eat. No buts." Ash said taking small bites of his piece of bread.
"Will you join the Servey corps? With me?" Armin asked looking at his own piece of bread.
Ash just casually munches on the bread and he didn't reply.
"I'm joining." Armin said.
"Good for you, I guess." Ash said.
"What do you mean? " Eren asked. "I'm joining too." He said. "For our home. For your grandfather." Eren said.
Carla shook her head. "Eren!! You are not joining." She said.
"I am. And that's final." Eren said.
"Me, too." Mikasa said and Carla was shocked. "I'll accompany him." She added.
"No, you don't." Eren said.
"I'll be with you out there." She said and Eren sighed.
"You kids. Stop saying that. You're not joining anything. It's suicide. And I won't let you." Carla said.
"It doesn't matter anymore. We're gonna work on some field anyway." Ash said.
Others looks at him confused. "What?" Carla asked.
"I mean that's what the garrison guys are talking about. We're gonna harvest more food by working on fields." Ash said.
"It's better than joining the scouts." Carla reasoned.
"Only that we'll work a lot harder. Those military police guys expects young guys like us to join in any of the regiments. Turns out they don't want to feed those who doesn't do anything. Harvest is only about food. Without any other use, we'll end up die too. I mean they'll get rid of us. So yeah, we're gonna be at military recruitment camp soon enough. Whether you like it or not." Ash said.
"So, will you join us?" Armin asked hopefully.
"In the fields? Absolutely." Ash said.
"No. I meant the survey corps. Will you join with us?" Armin asked. Ash looks at him.
"Eat your food, Armin. I haven't thought about it yet." Ash said and looks at Carla.
"Don't speak about it. Nobody likes to die. But we're in someone else's home. Better play with their rules than to be sacrificed too." He said. And she's totally convinced that he's a matured person inside a 12 year old' body. "Survey corps or not. We're pretty much dead already." Ash said
Crop Fields, Trost
Year 846
Survivors of Shaganshina. Never got the proper care or appreciation. Not from the government or people of Trost. The life currently was harsh. Like Ash said few months ago. He was right about everything. The expedition of those 20% people sent to reclaim Shaganshina never made it back. It was a sacrifice after all.
Right now, to live they have to work on these crop Fields for hours each day. It doesn't matter what gender or age. If your a Shaganshina survivor, this is the only place you'll end up in. However, things aren't as unforgiving as the day they arrived in trost. People got used to them being there. The food shortage was no longer an issue. But it was still pretty harsh.
"You feeling okay, Armin?" Eren asked leaning the shovel handle.
Armin was laying on the grass under a tree. Exhaustion was really intense. No matter how hard they worked, getting used to the situation was hard.
"A bit light headed. But I'm fine." Armin said.
Eren sighed. "I heard it's next year. The recruitment." Eren said.
"We're gonna be 12. So I guess it's it's nearly there." Armin said looking up at the cloud. "One step closer to being out there."
Eren nodded and sat next to Armin. "I wonder if it's as vast as that book says. Desert. You know anything about desert?" Eren asked.
"The book says it's a huge body of dry sand, which spreads across really far. Almost as if there's no end to it." Armin said.
"I guessing it's really hot outside there." Eren said.
"More than what we experience here. And we can barely handle the heat." Armin said.
Eren shrugged. "We should get used to it. I'm sure survey corps could handle heat." Eren said.
The there was a silence. "You two resting?" Mikasa asked as she walked closer.
"Yeah. We're not as physically strong as you and Ash." Armin said with a smile.
Mikasa then looks around. "Where is Ash?" She asked when Armin mention the older boy.
"I haven't seen him." Eren said.
"Look at that group of girls." Armin said pointing at a group of girls watching something. "He's in there." Armin said.
They looks closely at the situation and saw Ash slowly walk out of the crowd laughing. They see him wave at the girls as he walks around and eventually his eyes landed on them. Ash is more taller than before. And he's so popular among people. Especially girls. He befriended so many people already. It's like he was born here. They saw his smile as the older boy walked closer to them.
"You three look alike from afar. I gotta watch really closer to figure out who's less stupid looking." Ash said with his mischievous smirk.
They have admit one thing. He hasn't changed that much.
"Stop making fun of us, Brother." Armin said.
Ash chuckled and crouched in front of his little brother. Ash ruffled his golden locks. Armin blushed and pushed away his hands. "Stop doing that. I'm not a kid anymore."
Ash raised a brow. "Let me think. You don't wet blankets anymore. So I guess you have grown." Ash said.
Armin immediately pounced on Ash making the older boy laugh. Ash just simply caught Armin and tickles him. Armin couldn't stop laughing. Eventually Ash just let him go.
"D..don't..say things like that. It's embarassing." Armin said panting.
Ash chuckled and looks Eren and Mikasa. "Do you two ever chill out and laugh. I mean you two seriously becoming post." Ash said and stood up. He walked closer and observed both kids. "I heard that if you are serious all the time you'll crack like a flower pot. I know, it's scary." Ash said.
"Where did you hear that?" Eren asked.
"I was dreaming of your mother last night. She was a pottery woman. She said quote, 'look at those wonderful shapes. It won't crack because it's made with fun.' She's secretly was trying to tell me to calm down and be someone easy going." Ash said. "She'll be sad to know her two kids are gonna crack like pots soon." Ash said.
"But don't worry. I don't think I'll ever have the same dream. So telling her is impossible. I guess." He said and they looks at him dumbfounded.
"I don't understand." Eren said.
Ash shrugged. "I figured out that. Hence why you're a cracked pothead." Ash said poking his head. Eren slapped away his hand.
"First tell me something. Why are you here?" Eren asked.
Ash blinked a little. "You mean, here?" Ash asked pointing at the ground. "I guess it's the harvest season, my friends. On top of that, I'm supposed to be here. Those Garrison guys will chew my ear off if I'm not here." Ash said.
Eren rolled his eyes. "I didn't mean that. I asked you, why haven't you gone to recruitment. You're 12. You were supposed to leave two days ago." Eren said.
"Recruitment?" Ash asked.
"Don't play dumb. You know exactly what I mean." Eren said crossing his hands.
"Oh, recruitment." Ash said as if he's enlightened.
"Yeah, recruitment. Why haven't you gone yet?" Eren asked.
"You said you'll think about it, brother. Do you not want to go?" Armin asked.
Ash just chuckled and sat down followed by the three. They waited for his answer. Because they really want him with them. "What's the hurry?" Ash asked.
"Huh?" Eren said confused.
"I mean you three are going next year. Why bother going there alone." Ash said and looks at them with a smile. "And also, there's a lot of weed growing around. At least someone has to watch over you three so a weed won't grow up in your ass." Ash said.