Lost in the Cruel World (Mikasa's Second Chance) (AOT)

5. To You, In 2,000 Years

After a few minutes of running, they reached at the gate of Shiganshina.

Eren couldn't see properly, so he stood up on a crate.

His face was hopeful while Mikasa had an emotionless expression.

But when Eren saw everyone's defeated look, his smile dropped.
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Almost every single soldier walked broken, bloodied, and bandaged.
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Then everyone started talking ill about the Survey Corps.
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"They're the only ones who made it back?" A man from the crowd said.

"Everyone else must've gotten eaten."

"This is what they get for going outside the Walls."

Then a old woman came from the crowd.

"Moses! Moses!" She shouted. Then she spotted the commander and walked up to him. "Excuse me, I don't see my son, Moses, anywhere. Do you know where he is?" She asked desperately.

"This is Moses' mother. Go get it," The then commander, Keith Shadish said.

She stared down at the bloodied sheet with confusion. Then she began to unwrap it.

She gasped, looking at her son's hand. She quickly covered up the appendage.

Pain filled whimpers escaped her as she sank to her knees, clutching what was left of her son.

The commander knelt before her. "It's all we could retrieve."

"But my son... he carried out his duty, right?" The old woman asked with desperation. "Even if he didn't achieve direct greatness, surely my son's death helped humanity to fight back, didn't it?!"

"Of course!" Then the commander faltered, looking dejected. "No... On this latest scouting mission, we... No! Just like all the other missions we achieved nothing at all! My incompetence has done nothing but needlessly send soldiers to their deaths! We haven't found out anything about them!"
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Then the crowd again started talking ill about them.

"What a mess." A civilian said.

"You can say that again."

"Our taxes are basically going to feeding and fattening those things up now."
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Hearing those words, Eren started to get angry.

He turned to Mikasa. "Tsk. Let's leave before I do something stupid." He walked away.

Mikasa nodded and walked behind him.
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The walk home was silent.

Mikasa turned to Eren. "Do you still want to join the Survey Corps, Eren?"

"Yes..." Eren said and sighed.
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After a few minutes of walking, they arrived at their home.

Eren opened the door and the two of them entered.

"We're home, Mom!" Eren shouted.

"Welcome back." Carla greeted and smiled, looking over her shoulder.
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When Eren was empting the fire woods into a wooden box, Carla was examining his work.

"My, Eren, I see you've worked harder than usual!" Carla remarked with a smile.

"Yeah." Eren replied.

Carla patted Eren's head. "Good."

Eren just smiled, looking at his mother.
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