Attack on Titan. A popular manga and anime series. It caught a lot of attention with its strange but intriguing premise, its shocking violence, and its surprisingly complex themes and political intrigue. That's not even counting the flashy visuals and incredible music. So while it may not have been a perfect series, no one could deny that it was an enjoyable and popular series.
Now, I was a fan of the series too, at least for the most part. I wasn't too into the more political parts of the story so I kind of fell off as the series went on, but I always took a look every once in a while because I really liked the technology and powers. Plus, Attack on Titan had some great characters and I wanted to see what happened to them.
Anyways, I wasn't obsessed with the series but I was definitely a fan. Would I want to live there? Oh fucking hell no. Unlike Pokemon, or Yugioh, or Fairy Tail, or something like that, Attack on Titan didn't even try to hide the fact that it was a hellish death world. The initial premise is literally about humanity trying to survive in a world filled with giant naked human-looking monsters that eat people. No thanks. If I was asked about a series that I would want to live in, Attack on Titan would probably be near the bottom of that list.
SO WHY AM I IN ATTACK ON TITAN?! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-
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Alright. I'm calm. I am calm. Now, let me think about my situation. I used to be a normal person. I lived a normal life and I happened to like anime and manga. This included Attack on Titan. I remember riding my bike to work and getting hit by a speeding car that tried to run a red light.
After that my memories get blurry. I remember flashes of things. I think I was reincarnated into Attack on Titan as a baby. My blurry memories after my death are probably because my brain was still developing as a baby. Even after I became a toddler things still felt foggy. That actually kind of makes sense. Even if I retain my memories of my past life my brain physically wouldn't be able to comprehend anything until I grew up a bit.
I'm about seven or eight years old. The fact that I'm basically fully coherent and able to process my past memories properly at this age is probably still pushing it a bit. I can tell I'm in Attack on Titan because I recognize the giant walls surrounding us. I even saw Eren, Mikasa, and Armin running around. They're my age, meaning I'm in Shiganshina District and this is before the Colossal Titan first appears.
I'm pretty sure the Colossal Titan appeared when Eren was around ten years old but I'm not fully sure. If I work under that assumption I have about two or three years before things start going to hell. But even with that knowledge there isn't much I can do. I'm no genius and I'm in the body of a kid. I can't think of a way to prevent the wall from being breached or a way to warn people without making myself seem either suspicious, crazy, or both. Plus, the conflict with the Titans isn't simple either. There's an entire complex conspiracy and political plot that I didn't really pay attention to.
My best bet then, isn't to pretend like I can be some mastermind manipulating events in my favor. I should focus on doing what I can and using my limited Meta Knowledge to try and survive the events of the series and set myself up so I can live my life as well as I can.
Until the walls get breached the first time there isn't much I can do. So I guess I should focus on enjoying my new childhood while I can and preparing myself to join the military. Basic exercises and using the excuse of playing to stay fit is probably the best I can manage. Geez I'm not cut out for this. I don't even have some kind of OP gamer system to help me.
No use complaining. Might as well make the best of this new life. Maybe I can even become friends with the main characters? Silver lining, right?
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It's been about a year now. I turned nine about half a year ago. It turns out I have the same birthday in this life, funny coincidence. I managed to make contact with Eren, Armin, and Mikasa and befriend them so that was cool. I'm not really a fourth member of their tight knit group, but they see me as a friend and we hang out sometimes.
Eren is hot headed and gets in trouble a lot, but he's a loyal friend and always has your back. Armin is pretty timid but he's smart and comes up with great ideas. Really supportive guy too. Mikasa is kinda stoic but not in a mean way as long as you don't mess with Eren or Armin. She can worry a lot and likes to take care of everyone. Overall they match what I know of them from the series but they also feel so much more… real I guess.
It's kind of obvious in hindsight but until I actually spent some time with them and interacted with them, I couldn't help but still see them as just characters. Now they feel like genuine human beings and it's pretty surreal. Eren and Armin have told me all about their dreams of exploring the world outside the walls. Mikasa is always sticking close and trying to keep everyone safe. Even Mrs. Yeager is always doting on all of us when she sees us hanging out. It makes it hard to think about what happens to them once the walls breach. Maybe I can still figure out a way to at least save Eren's mom.
I haven't met Dr. Yeager yet. Apparently he's constantly going on trips due to his job and whenever he does visit, I either missed him or decided not to visit so that they can enjoy spending time together as a family without me being nosy.
I've gotten a bit of a reputation in Shiganshina, nothing too crazy thankfully. People just think I'm really responsible and well behaved, which is fair considering I'm supposed to be a literal child. Mrs. Yeager is always asking me to help Mikasa look after Eren and Armin and thanking me for being their friend. It's a bit embarrassing but in a good way.
My own family is pretty nice too. No one from canon as far as I can remember, just a random couple with me as the only child. I inherited my dad's red hair and got my mom's blue eyes. I'm a little tanned from spending a lot of time outside running around and my most noticeable trait is probably my hair being wild and spiky like an anime character even though most of the characters in Attack on Titan had fairly normal hairstyles.
My dad is a smith who does work with the Garrison and my mom is a seamstress. I've managed to learn a bit from both of them since I felt it might come in handy, plus it worked as some good bonding time. I also spent time with my mom helping her cook and do chores around the house, and I even got to see my dad work with some ODM gear! That was probably one of the most exciting things that happened so far.
Overall my new life has been pretty great. I wish things could stay like this but I know better. That's why I'll have to do what I can to prepare. So I can try to make things work out better in this new timeline. I just hope I can make a difference.
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Mikasa POV
It hadn't been long since her life had changed forever. Less than a year ago she had been living peacefully with her parents. The only other person she really interacted with outside of them was Dr. Yeager when he visited occasionally. He would tell her about his son Eren and during his last visit he had even promised to try and introduce them so they might become friends.
Then her parents died and she was kidnapped. If it wasn't for Eren saving her and helping her kill the people who attacked her and her family, who knows where she'd be by now. Instead, while she lost her old family and her old life, she also gained a new life and a new family. She had Eren, Dr. Yeager, Mrs. Yeager, and Armin too.
She was content, and for a time she thought this was all she needed and nothing would have to change again. So it came as a surprise to her when Eren, Armin, and herself made a new friend. His name was Alan Schneider and while he wasn't as close to them as they were with each other, Mikasa could say with confidence that he was a good friend.
The first time they met was when some other kids were trying to bull Armin again. Eren jumped in like he always did and the two needed Mikasa to bail them out. This time was different though. The bullies had gotten some older kids to help them and while Mikasa was sure she could still have beaten them, she was worried for Eren and Armin.
That was when Alan arrived yelling out how he had called the Garrison soldiers about a murder attempt. It was an obvious trick but it was enough to get the bullies to run off. That had been the start of things and since then, Alan would sometimes show up and hang out with them. He was a bit of an airhead, sometimes zoning out and thinking about weird things. Why would he want to eat raw fish? Why did he call it sushi and sashimi? If it's both raw fish why give it different weird names? Alan was silly like that.
But despite being a goofy airhead, Alan could also be really smart and mature. He never seemed lost when Armin talked about something complicated and would even add on his own comments which would make Armin really happy. He was also really good at talking with people and even helped when she got into arguments with Eren. Thanks to that, they didn't argue as much and learned to understand each other better. She knows to try and not baby Eren TOO much and Eren doesn't get as mad when she worries because he knows it's because of how much she cares.
Overall, Mikasa can say she's glad to have met Alan and glad that they befriended him. He might be silly but he's a good person. Looking up from where she was lying on the grass she could see Armin, Eren and Alan had already fallen asleep. They had all come to the field to play and after running around Alan had suggested lying on the grass and watching the clouds. Lying back again, Mikasa smiled. Yes, she was definitely glad they decided to become friends.
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Alan POV
It's been another year. I'm now ten which means that the Colossal Titan should be showing up at some point to breach the walls. Either the series didn't specify the exact date or I just can't remember, but either way It's got me pretty paranoid.
I've been wracking my brain trying to figure out how to keep my family and the Shiganshina Trio's families safe but it's hard when I don't even know when the attack will happen. Because of that I'm mostly limited to really general plans like trying to keep Eren's mom out of the house by encouraging them to go on family outings. I even roped Armin into a long discussion that had me ranting about levers and they can help us lift things we normally can't in the hopes that Mikasa and Eren might remember it if Mrs. Yeager still gets trapped under debris.
I've also tried to get us all more fit by being enthusiastic about more physically taxing games. Mikasa is still a beast in terms of physical ability so I'm not sure it really did anything for her, but I think it was pretty helpful to Eren since his competitive nature makes him try really hard. Even Armin has gotten a bit tougher, though not by much.
I've met Hannes and man, the guy really is a mess at this point of the story. He's nice enough but the guy's got zero sense of urgency and is almost always at least a bit tipsy.
Anyways, the best I can do for now is try to spot events from the first episode. I'm pretty sure the breach happened while Dr. Yeager was away. Right, he promises to show Eren the secret basement and stuff when he returns. Eren and Mikasa were also collecting firewood or something before getting into a fight to help Armin. Finally, I'm pretty sure Eren rants at some Garrison soldiers and talks about beating the Titans so they can all explore the world outside the walls.
Alright, I'll keep an eye out for those events and try to plan accordingly. Although, now that I think about it, Dr. Yeager left for another trip not too long ago didn't he? And wasn't Mrs. Yeager saying something about them being low on firewood a few days ago? The firewood thing happened early in the day and it's well into the afternoon by now.
…
…
…
OH FU-
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Eren POV
For as long as he could remember, Eren had wanted to see the world beyond the Walls. He hated how they made him feel trapped, how they made him feel helpless. But most of all, he hated the Titans for being the reason humanity needed the Walls in the first place.
Eren had always believed that everything had an inherent right to freedom. That everyone had the right to choose how they lived their life. Those who wanted to live peacefully with their loved ones should be allowed to do so. Those who wished to explore the world should be allowed to do so. The only time Eren thought someone's way of life was wrong was when it oppressed the freedom and happiness of those around them. The people who attacked Mikasa's family were such examples, killing and enslaving others, stripping them of their freedom and happiness for their own selfish gain. He hated it, which was part of the reason he fought so hard to kill them and why he wanted Mikasa to fight back. Because while he hated those who oppressed those around them, he also hated those who refused to fight, who refused to try. If you couldn't even be bothered to care about the things that made you human, then what right did you have to call yourself a human being.
To Eren, those who would willingly abandon their pride, their will to fight, their desire to dream, could no longer be considered human beings. They were more akin to mindless cattle wasting their lives in a pen.
That's why he was going to join the Survey Corp! He would join the Survey Corp. and explore the world beyond the Walls while killing the Titans. That way he could help free humanity from the cage they had put themselves in out of fear of the Titans. Then he could take Armin and Mikasa with him to explore all the places they read about in Armin's books. He can bring his parents too, and Alan because while he isn't as close to Eren as Armin and Mikasa, there was no denying the guy was his friend. He can even bring Hannes to rub it in his face that Eren was right!
This was what Eren was thinking to himself as he went about his day doing chores with Mikasa for his mother. Speaking of Mikasa, he had been getting along better with her recently. It's not like they ever disliked each other but sometimes they had trouble communicating and that led to arguments. It was thanks to Alan stepping in with Armin's help that they managed to get a better understanding of each other and were now closer than before. He still got frustrated from how overprotective she could be but Eren now knew she wasn't trying to treat him like a kid or belittle him, so it was harder to be mad at her about it. Best of all, Mikasa was also learning to trust him a bit more to take care of himself.
That's why Eren could say he was content with his life. He had a dream. He had people that he cared for and that supported him. He had a purpose. And that's also why he could never forget that fateful day or forgive the Titans for what they did.
He had just finished his chores with Mikasa and helped save Armin from some bullies. They were just walking around the streets, talking and goofing around. Then the Colossal Titan appeared and broke a hole in the Walls.
It was chaos. Everyone was screaming and running. He remembers running back home with Mikasa to look for his mom. They found her a bit aways from their house. She must have been taking a walk around town, something she had picked up after listening to Alan nag at him, Mikasa and Armin about regular exercise being important for their health even if it was something small. At the time he was doing it to try and help Armin toughen up and because he argued that if Eren wanted to have the best chance at achieving his dreams he had to be strong enough to survive outside the Walls. He only included Mikasa so she wouldn't feel left out.
But that wasn't important. The important thing was that his mom was out of the house which he could see in the distance had collapsed with a Titan walking around it. That could have been a disaster but they weren't safe yet. Now that he was closer he could see that one of his mom's legs were bent weird. This wasn't good, the Titan walking around their house was still fairly close. They needed to get to safety before it could notice them and catch them.
He and Mikasa tried to support her but they were too short and they were all moving too slowly. It almost seemed like they wouldn't make it until Hannes showed up and helped them by carrying his mom and leading them to an evacuation boat. It was the first time in his life that Eren was glad to see Hannes.
As they got on the boat they managed to find Armin and his grandpa. As Armin's grandpa helped his mom with her leg, Eren couldn't help but look back to Shiganshina. Their home, the place where they grew up and made so many memories, was being torn apart and set ablaze before his very eyes. His mother was hurt and nearly died.
It was then that he heard Armin speak up. Turning, he saw Armin with Alan. It seemed like he managed to get away too but something was off. He looked like he was in a daze and while he usually had his head in the clouds, this was different. Eren also realized he couldn't see his parents anywhere. Did they get separated? As he got closer it seemed Armin was asking the same thing but he wasn't ready for what he heard.
"They're gone. The Armored Titan. When it broke through the other Wall, one of the pieces came flying at us. My parents pushed me out of the way but they…"
He looked haunted, like he was having some morbid realization before he continued.
"A soldier found me. They brought me here before leaving to try and help the other Garrison members."
As Armin and Mikasa tried to console Alan, Eren couldn't help but grit his teeth in frustration. He hated the Titans. It's because of them that humanity is trapped inside the Walls. It's because of them that Eren had lost his home. It's because of them that he almost lost his mom and because of them that his friend lost his entire family.
As he gazed over the horizon, looking back to Shiganshina district as the Titans rampaged freely, Eren made an oath to himself. He swore to himself that someday, he would join the Survey Corp. He would kill all the Titans. He will free humanity and he will free himself from this man made cage. He would reach the outside world with his friends. He swore it. No matter what.
He will be free.