"...Wow."
That's the only word that escapes from me in this moment. Any other has eluded me, and I can't even think of anything else to say. I can't believe that it's been ten years since this franchise began, and now...it's all over. To think that I only got into it was because I watched it on a whim on my phone. Although, I'm not sure why they made it into a theater release, but I'm happy with how it ended. The dark theater finally lights up as the movie allows its final seconds to play out, reminding me that it's gonna be a bit of a pain once the four of us leave the theater. Speaking of...
I look over to my right, smiling to myself as I see the reactions of my best friends at the end of one of our favorite series. As usual, Armin is already on his phone and looking up the usual reviews and theory sites he has ready whenever we watch these sorts of things. I thought I told him to stop looking at those kinds of things, it totally takes away all the fun with all the negativity.
Mikasa got a little emotional and she currently wiping her eyes with a pair of tissues so that her tears wouldn't ruin all of her makeup. I won't lie, I got a little emotional when I saw all those people trying to save that baby when the Titans were cornering them off of that cliff. It made me think of my little sister, Anna. I wonder what she'll think of this franchise when she's old enough to watch it.
As for Eren, my dumb best friend could only eat the rest of his popcorn with a contempt smile on his face. I guess he liked it too. Either that, or he's just really enjoying that popcorn.
"Well," I say before I stand, and I feel a few of my joints pop as I stretch my arms over my head. "Let's go, you guys."
They silently follow me as I lead us out of the theater room. I throw away my popcorn bucket and soda cup as I keep the door open for my friends. As we quietly made our way toward the exit, I saw one of the custodians cleaning up one of the movie displays with an overly skilled spin. Either that guy is too good for that job or he's just been doing it for a long time. Either way, it was impressive as hell.
Once we were outside, I was immediately blinded by the sudden sunshine. It took me a good thirty seconds before my eyes readjust. I forgot this is my least favorite part about coming to the movies. The city was as noisy as ever as the four of us walked down the sidewalk, but it wasn't too overwhelming to cause much discomfort. I may not enjoy it here often, but I do find myself liking it at times. It's peaceful...
"It's over..." Eren was the first to speak once we stopped and waited at the crosswalk.
"Yeah..." Mikasa agreed with him as Armin continued scrolling on his phone, but she still had a smile on her face.
"What'd you think?"
"Hmm..." Mikasa fiddled with her hands behind her back, trying to put her many feelings into the right words. "I liked it." She smiled with a blissful blush. "Sure, it was a long story, but all the foreshadowing still paid off. Plus, we got to say a proper goodbye to all of our beloved characters."
Yeah. I couldn't have said it better myself. It was a nice wrap-up, all things considered. Truly an amazing story.
"Yeah, you don't read the theory sites, Mikasa."
"I think my dark, gloomy friend said something, but I couldn't hear because he didn't speak up."
Oh, boy... Here they go again.
"There are still mysteries left unanswered!" Armin raised his voice at Mikasa. "I mean, look, it was what I expected, but I figured there'd be something that would betray my expectations in a good way!"
That's Armin for you. Always wanting more even when it's all said and done. At least he's not as bad as those fans who support genocide and that xenophobic group.
"Well... I think it's reasonable to say that they left some things open to interpretation!" Mikasa offered a reasonable retort for Armin. "Or that they wanted it to have a nice, simple ending! Sometimes it's easier to appreciate someone's flaws and the same thing could be said for art! Can't you see that?!"
"Of course, I can, but those words aren't enough to erase my doubts and dissatisfaction! Do you know how long I've waited for this day to come?" Armin is nearly driven to tears by this, and Mikasa is too. "Ten...years!"
"Okay, guys, let's not be overdramatic about this, oka-"
"Let's hear what they have to say!" Armin and Mikasa look to Eren and me in hopes that we will side with their claim.
"You guys didn't think it was that bad, right?"
"...Uhh... I..." Eren didn't really know what to say at first, he didn't want to upset them even further, especially Mikasa. But I know he'll think of a way to satisfy them both. "I'm happy I got to see the movie with you guys," he simply smiled. "If there's a sequel or anything, let's all go see it together, yeah?"
Not exactly how I'd put it, but Mikasa and Armin seemed to be a bit touched by Eren's words. This made me happy. "Besides," I finally speak up. "I think it was great to see it all end. Sure, I'm sad it's over, but that just means it was an amazing experience, right? If we didn't enjoy it, then we wouldn't even be here. So…let's just be happy with that it happened instead of being upset that it's over."
They all stare at me in thoughtful silence before Eren gives me a knowing smile. "Yeah, you're right," Mikasa says as she smiles too, agreeing with me.
Armin simply nods his head, a small smile on his face as well. "I guess you got a point... Maybe I'm just overreacting."
"It does suck that it's over, but… it was a good ride while it lasted." Eren rubs the back of his head, trying his best to cheer everyone up.
"Well said, man." I pat his shoulder just as the light turned green. "Plus, I think there's one thing I think we can all agree on..." I look up to the bright blue, partially cloudy sky with a satisfied smile across my face. "The music."
The three nod agreeably to that. As we cross the street, I think back to the song that was played during the ending scene and credits. "It's hard to believe, isn't it?" Eren adds. "That Titans really existed all those centuries ago."
"I don't know how much of it was based on actual history, though," Armin noted.
"Let's hope not," I say. "I don't know if I could handle living in a world like that."
"Still, I hope those four childhood friends really existed."
"Yeah, me too." Eren smiled at Mikasa's words, and I have to agree with her.
"…Well, if they really did exist, I just hope they found peace…wherever they are now."
This statement sends a slight wave of melancholy over the four of us, and a brief silence fills the air as we all think about what I have said. We all feel the same way, but there's nothing we can do about it. After a few more moments of silence, Eren finally speaks again once we reach the other side of the street.
"Hey, you guys?" We all turn to him, silently waiting to hear what he has to ask. "…We'll always be together, right?"
This question catches us all by surprise. It sounds a little childish to just ask, but based on the look on his face…I can tell he's really worried about this. "Where is this coming from, Eren?" asked Armin.
"W-Well…" Eren rubbed the back of his head, sheepishly looking away and not daring to look any of us in the eye. "I guess just seeing how those childhood friends' story ended… It got me thinking, I guess. Sorry, I know it's stupid."
"…It's not stupid, Eren" Mikasa assures him, her voice softer than ever. "I get scared of that, too…"
I see his expression soften and hear him breathe a soft sigh of both relief and guilt. I decided to add my two cents. "But we don't have to worry about that, because I know that the four of us will always be together. Nothing in this world could ever tear us apart, right?"
My words bring a smile to both Mikasa and Armin's faces, and Eren eventually joins in and smiles as well. "…Yeah, you're right."
"Come on, let's go hit up our favorite cafe. Just like old times."
Their eyes light up at that. "Hell yes," Eren cheered. Even Armin is in favor. Mikasa just smiles and nods in approval, and they all start to lead ahead as I follow close behind.
As we walk, I can't help but get a small sense of nostalgia. I feel around for my wallet, I should have enough for… Wait, why does my pocket feel lighter? I check my pants, and I feel my wallet, my house key…but my phone is nowhere to be found.
"Ah, crap…"
My sudden exclamation makes the three turn around to see what's wrong, and they catch me checking my pockets like an idiot. "What's wrong?" Mikasa asked.
"I think I left my phone at the theater." I groaned.
They all silently gape at me once I told them this, with Mikasa's look of shock, Armin's disappointment, and Eren's unimpressed but amused expression. "Dude. Seriously?"
"Shut it. Just…go on without me. I'll meet up with you guys in a bit."
Eren snickered with a smirk while Armin sighed. "Be careful going back in, alright?" I get a nod of agreement from Mikasa.
"Yeah, yeah," I dismissively wave my hand at them, "I'll be fine. Just don't let those two get into any trouble." They nod as I turn back around and begin making my journey back towards the theater. My steps were slow but consistent as I mentally cursed at myself this entire time.
What kind of idiot just leaves their phone at a movie theater, anyway? This one, apparently.
A few more minutes go by before I reach the theater again, and I quickly make my way inside the lobby, heading towards the same place our movie was being played. Thankfully, there weren't many workers around so I just walked right in. I'm just looking for my phone, so it shouldn't take me long. The theater is mostly dark, since my movie had just ended, and the cleaning crew had yet to arrive. I just had to find where I was sitting. I looked around the floor before finally finding my spot, and I quickly got on my knees to look under the seat. After shifting around some loose popcorn on the ground, I find my phone sitting there all by its lonesome.
"There you are…" I picked it up and turned it on, and thankfully, it was still working despite being on the gross theater floor. "Good," I said to myself before shoving it in my pocket.
With my phone no longer lost, I figured that I'd head out without any more hassle. I left the theater room with no trouble… That is, until I found myself accidentally bumping into another person in the middle of the hall, making us both fall to the floor.
"Ow…" I groan once I hit the ground, but I quickly pick myself back up and look to see who bumped into me. I see…a girl. She looked around my age, and I couldn't help but stare for a few seconds as she fixed her now messy brown-reddish hair. No. stop thinking like that, Elijah. Apologize first. "Sorry about that, I didn't mean-"
"No! No, it's fine, it's fine." The sound of her voice snapped me out of my thoughts, and it didn't help that she was…really cute. "It was my fault, I wasn't watching where I was going…"
"Here," I offer her my hand. "Let me help you." The girl pauses before slowly looking up at me, and I'm able to get a better look at her face to see a pair of beautiful golden-brown eyes. She takes my hand, her fingers gently wrapping around mine as I help her stand back up.
"Thanks…"
"N-No problem…"
The girl was close enough for me to notice the pinkness of her cheeks. I'm pretty sure my face had also begun to turn red from this as I kept staring at her. She was pretty short in comparison to me, and despite that, I still felt pretty intimidated. After a few more seconds of awkwardly staring at each other, I realized that I was still holding her hand. Quickly, I let go as a nervous laugh escaped my lips.
"Sorry..."
She quickly pulls her hand back too before clearing her throat. "No, no, don't worry about it. I, um…" The girl awkwardly turns away from me, and I get a look at her attire. She was wearing a forest green off-shoulder sweater and dark leggings. Such simple clothing…and yet it looked amazing on her. "Wh-What movie did. you just see?"
"Oh," Her question breaks me from my trance. "I…just finished The Last Attack."
The girl's eyes seemed to widen once she heard the name. "Really? I did too. What did you think?"
I'm genuinely surprised by this. "Honestly, I had a great time. I loved the music, the art, and…well, I just think it was a good ending to the franchise. Not every fan is gonna be happy, but I think it was-" My rambling is interrupted by the unexpected sound of her giggles. "What's so funny?"
She covers her mouth to hide her smile as she collects herself, but I can still see the amusement on her face. "Sorry, sorry, it's just…" she lets out another giggle. "It's kind of nice to meet someone else who thinks the same, that's all."
"Oh, really? Well…." I shrug casually while shoving my hands in my pockets. "It's…pretty cool to meet someone else so open-minded. Who was your favorite character?"
She ponders that question for a few seconds before thinking of her answer. "Hmm… Well, I've always favored Elias, I guess. Even though his story had a ton of heartbreak, he always found a way to push forward and do what was right. Plus, I think he's so badass."
"Yeah…he was pretty cool."
The girl nods in agreement before tilting her head curiously. "What about you?"
"Hmm…" I pretend to think for a bit, but it really doesn't take me long to think about that answer. "It'll always be Sascha. There's something about the characters who give the audience that humor and hope that makes the franchise feel…alive, you know? Plus, she too, can be a badass."
A smile forms across the girl's face as she nods, satisfied by my answer. "Yeah, I get that."
"Plus, I'm glad she and Elias got their happy ending though, you know? Considering…"
She nods at my implication. "Yeah… They deserved it, after what they had to go through."
"…" I don't want things to get awkward again, plus I have to get back to my friends…but I also want to talk to her more. "Hey, uh… What exactly are you up to now?"
The girl looks to the side, seemingly thinking about her answer before replying with a shrug. "Oh, honestly, I don't have anything planned for the rest of the day. I was just gonna head back home. Why?"
"Well… I was actually on my way to catch up with my friends, do you…want to come with me?"
"Huh?" Her golden-brown eyes lit up in surprise, she clearly wasn't expecting me to ask her something like that. Despite her surprise, however, she gave me a curious smile. "Really?"
"Yeah." I shrugged. "Think of it as me…saying sorry for bumping into you earlier."
The girl pauses for a moment, as if silently thinking it over. Then, after a few more seconds…she smiles at me again and nods her head. "Sure, I wouldn't mind tagging along."
"Cool." I mirror her smile. "It's not that far of a walk. And the place we're heading to has the best fries in the city."
The girl perks up once I mention the fries as I have finally caught her full attention. "I love fries so much…"
I laugh a little at how blissful she looked at the mention of the deep-fried potatoes. "You weren't thinking about food before I bumped into you, were you?"
The redhead seemed to freeze up once I said that and a sheepish look crossed her face. "I, um… Well, you see…" She's having a difficult time forming an answer, obviously not expecting me to guess it correctly. I simply let out a snicker at her reaction. "Sh-Shut up!"
After a few more chuckles, I decided to stop teasing her. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry."
She pouts, pretending to be annoyed, but then a small laugh escapes her lips. "You're such a meanie..."
"Yeah," I smirk knowingly. "I've been told that a few times."
"It suits you." She says teasingly, a sly smile playing across her face, but it soon turns curious as she leans a little closer to me. "What's that?"
"Huh?" I looked down to where she was looking. "Oh, this thing?" I pull out what I consider one of my most valuable possessions. A necklace with a beautiful sapphire crystal. "It's just something my mom gave me a long time ago. She found it at an old antique shop, owner said it's almost a century old, but I'm sure they were just exaggerating. It's pretty cool though."
The girl looks at the necklace with wide-eyed awe, clearly entranced by the glimmering sapphire crystal. "It's beautiful..."
I smiled at her compliment, but I noticed the accessory around her neck as well. "What do you have there?"
She blinks in surprise once I ask this, but she follows my gaze to her neck. "Oh, this?" She gently fidgets with the small wooden carving around her neck. "It's just a necklace my father got me when I was younger. He said it's pretty old, too."
"Wow…" I got a closer look, entranced by the precise handiwork of the wings carved into the wood. Whoever made this was really dedicated to their craft. "That's so cool."
She smiles softly as she looks down at the carvings herself, holding the wooden necklace with a sort of tenderness one would have with any other treasured memento. "Yeah. I love it… I never go anywhere without it..."
"…Oh," I feel like a complete idiot. I've been talking to this girl for at least five minutes, and I don't even know her name! "Sorry. I'm Elijah."
There's a brief moment of surprise on her face before she lets out a soft laugh. "It's okay. I'm Sasha."
The way she smiled at me as she said her name only made my own grow in size. I don't know what it is about this girl, but I just feel…happy. "Nice to meet you, Sasha."
"It's nice to meet you too, Elijah."
Author's Note: I recently saw The Last Attack and saw the post-credit scene, and it made me want to make this! This was just a fun little extra that really meant nothing, but I had fun writing it!
As always, I'm Average, and I appreciate your existence!
P.S. You are loved!