Red Swan

Breaking from Reality

Hange had gotten injured so she couldn't ride horseback and wouldn't be able to fight against the Titans that were awaiting to fight us.

Armin, Mikasa, Levi, and I were riding horses along side a wagon. The atmosphere was somber among us.

Eren was feeling conflicted about the whole thing. I don't know what Rod Reiss had done, but I could tell the whole ordeal had impacted him badly. He was staring at the ground the entire ride back to Wall Sina.

"Eren?" I wanted to talk to my brother, to know what he was feeling.

"What, Greta?" his voice was flat and morose. I was taken aback by his sudden change in demeanor.

"What are you feeling right now?" this would be the most important question I would ask him.

Eren's answer wouldn't be what I expected, "I don't know anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"Everything we've gone through has been because of me. I don't know why Dad gave me the Titan powers, he ultimately made things worse for the world."

"Eren, stop." I couldn't stand hearing him talk like that. "You are the most important person in my life, and I believe everything happens for a reason. Dad saw something in you to pass his power along to you."

"The Doctor Jaeger I knew would've done it only if he didn't have any other choice," Mikasa added.

"We look up to you, Eren. You're a good person." Armin told him.

That didn't help him, because he just stared at all of us with sadness, "I want all of you to live long and happy lives. I never wanted any of this, I didn't want anyone to die for me."
"Eren, from what I've learned while part of the Survey Corps, people die in battle, because they believe in what they're fighting for." I tried to cheer up my brother.

"All those years ago, you inspired me to not only be part of the Scouts, but to also stand up and fight." I informed him.
"You're the only family I have left, we only have each other."

Little did we know that Eren was deteriorating mentally faster by the minute.

Eren wanted to go to Marley by himself, and would stop at nothing to do so.

Seeing the Ocean...

Turns out, Armin was right; the sea was very much real, and it was breathtaking.

The blue water seemed to go out for miles and it was touching the skyline. I was in awe of how massive the ocean was.

After taking my boots off, I hesitantly stuck my toe in the water, and it was freezing! However, I got used to it after a while.

"This is amazing," I whispered to myself.

"I didn't think any of this existed!" Sasha cheered, her brown eyes were wide with awe and happiness.

She sprinted into the water and began to play, and Connie happened to be standing by, getting splashed.

"Hey! You're gonna get it!" but he laughed. He ran into the water and he and Sasha began to have a water fight.

The two were laughing as they played their silly fight.

I decided to do the same thing to Jean. He was standing in the water, taking it all in.

Smirking to myself, I took a hand full of water and splashed him. "Gotcha!" I laughed.

"Greta!" he jumped, startled at my prank.

He smiled at me, "Okay, you better run!" "Not if you can catch me!" I bantered, making an attempt to run away. It was hard to move in the water, and Jean was able to catch up to me, and he splashed me with a big handful of ocean water.

Levi and Hange were having fun of their own. She was building a sand castle, and Levi was overseeing the project. It was nice to see him having fun after all the pain he went through.
Cara hesitantly stepped in the water, and somehow she got Levi to get in the water with her. The couple were playfully splashing water at each other, and then they kissed each other sweetly.

Feeling the cold water from Jean's little prank, I screamed, but then I began to laugh because it had been so long since I had any fun with my friends. My fellow Scouts were my family, and I loved them so much and I would have given my life for them. We had been through a lot together.

Jean was hugging me, and I returned the embrace while looking up and smiling at him. He beamed with smitten eyes and then he kissed me.

There was something about this kiss that felt different in a good way. We were outside the Walls, and we were free.

"Greta, can I ask you something?" he asked, holding me. "Of course," I replied. He took my hand and led me back to the beach. I was confused, but I didn't think anything of it.

The rest of our friends watched, wanting to know what was about to happen.

"What's going on?" I asked nervously. "It's nothing for you to be nervous about, this is something I've wanted to ask you for a long time now," he was searching his pockets for something until he found a small wooden box.

"Greta, you are the love of my life. You are the strongest and most beautiful woman I've met, and I'm so lucky to have been able to fall in love with you. Greta, you have inspired me to keep fighting and to not let anything cut me down," Jean opened the box, and a diamond ring was shining.

My heart beat with excitement, I knew what he was going to ask me next.

"Jean..."

"Greta Jaeger, will you marry me?" He was holding my hand as he proposed. All we had been through flashed in my mind like a tidal wave. Jean was the love of my life, and I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him.

"Yes!" I exclaimed, and I watched him put the ring on my left ring finger. He was grinning like an idiot, and he got to his feet. "I love you," "I love you too." we both shared our first kiss as an engaged couple.

"Woooo! Jean and Greta are getting married!" Sasha cheered happily. She rushed up to me to hug me after Jean and I had finished kissing.

"I'm so happy for you," she hugged me, nearly crushing me because she was so strong. "Thanks best friend," I smiled and hugged her back.

"I'm happy for you, man." Connie told Jean, giving him a high-five. "Thanks Connie."

Eren smiled a brotherly smile, "You're really getting married to Horse Face?" I knew he was teasing, "Yes, I love him," I told my brother. "I'm happy for you, Greta." Eren stepped forward to hug me. "Thank you, Eren." Little did I know that this would be one of the last happy moments we would share together, before the world would go down the drain.

He looked at Jean with a smile, "You better take good care of my sister or I'll come after you, Horse Face." Eren threw the insult he would always use as a term of endearment this time for his friend.

"I'll protect her with my life and love her forever, Psychopath." Jean stepped forward and hugged my brother.

Armin, Mikasa, Hange, and Cara and Levi were the last people to congratulate me and Jean.

Eren stood in the water, taking in the view, and I couldn't tell whether he was feeling happy or scared.

It was all happening so fast, I'll give him that.

I'd fail my brother for the last time.