When Time Stopped

Surreal

The radiant sunlight dances on Fay's eyelids, disrupting her slumber. She shrugs as her muscles are awakened, then comfortably, greedily relaxes back down. But the pungent smell of herbs and ointments stings her nostrils. 'That's right! Trost was invaded by titans, we were on war!' She remembers and her eyes immediately blink open puzzled at the peace. White walls, beds, curtains and floors are her alien surroundings. 'So I was injured? But I survived? Or is this the afterlife?' Then, they meet a pair of chestnut brown ones behind a thick black frame, belonging to a woman with long, messy hair of the same shade, tied into a ponytail. "Good morning."

From stealing glimpses of the scout's returns and expeditions in the past, Fay recognizes that it is Hange Zoe from the Survey Corps. She immediately tries to sit up, but is brought down by the aches and stiffness all-over her body. The senior scout assures her that no such formalities is required and helps her ease her way back to bed.

"Well then, I hate to bring this upon you so early but let's get down to business," Hange turns serious as she reclaims her seat in the nearby armchair, picking up the papers her assistant, Moblit, passed to her. "Do you remember anything from Trost, Fay?"

"I remember receiving orders from the deputy officer and stationed with support squad 4 but that's it..." Fay replies weakly, her vocal chords warming up from the recent unused. Hange furrows her brows as she looks back and forth between Fay and the papers in her hand. "Is something the matter?"

Finally, as though coming to a conclusion, Hange hands Fay the papers, "this is an exert of the report from the battle of Trost district, what do you think about it? Does anything ring a bell?"

Fay's eyes widen in surprise as every sentence is read, at a loss of words, she pauses for a second, "Senior Hange, I'm not sure how to put it but, everything following the witness of the fall of my comrades and citizens appeared as a dream to me. I remember this event stated here, but, it didn't feel like a first-hand experience. It was like a dream, surreal - is all I can say. I'm sorry."

"A dream, huh?" Hange murmurs and studies the papers again. She does not speak for a while, as though in deep thought. "All right, I understand. We hope you recover soon."

With that, Hange rises and leaves. Fay sinks to her side and hides beneath the covers. She always feels more comfortable lying on her side. There is something that she did not tell Hange: she had woken up from that dream just before she blacked out completely. It was when she felt secure hands gripping on her shoulders and the warmth of another's body. Not to mention, those pair of steel grey eyes. 'So, those belonged to Captain Levi? I guess... I ought to thank him...'

"Erwin. It's Hange." Hange announces, knocking on the wooden door to the office of Erwin Smith, commander of the Scouts. "Ah, Hange, come in." The office is neat, but also worn and tired-looking: symbolizing the life of this regiment and many changes in office. "So, how was it?"

"I've decided to classify it as a case of 'survival instinct,' a flight or fight response kicked in that caused her killing rampage. Her explanation matches previous studies of similar cases, and it's probably the safest measure for her against the Military Police. You know how they are, always wanting to secure the stronger soldiers for themselves when they do nothing but hide and if they can't, they kill them. It's the same concern we have with Eren, isn't it?" Hange reports back, taking a seat on the leather armchair, in front of Erwin's desk.

"That's true. It's probably the best measure we can have for her at this moment, considering how her records show nothing of the extraordinary, we should just keep it that way," Erwin agrees as he skims through the report of the Battle of Trost district one more time. "Fay... Just Fay? So she's an orphan, huh? Levi, you came in contact with her, anything you'd like to add?"

"Who knows?" A short figure leaning against the wall steps out from the shadows and takes his seat on armchair next to Hange. Arms crossed, tired and irritable. "I think you guys have taken enough precautions with that girl, maybe even too much. You know, we have other things to worry about."

"But I can't help but feel unsatisfied with the answer," Hange whines. "For me 'survival instinct' and to that degree may make sense if she is an elite cadet, but her results show otherwise."

Erwin casually tosses the report aside and organizes a separate pile of documents. The shuffling of papers acting as a silencer. "You have a point, but Levi's right, at the moment we have bigger things to have our hands busied with. That girl's currently hospitalised anyway, I doubt she'll be able to pull off something bigger than transforming into a titan. So, let's move on with our delivery for the court..."

In the end, the Scout Regiment became successful in their fight for Eren's custody against the Military Police. Though, it was under the perception that Eren's titan powers can be controlled and utilized to restore humanity, in other words, to reclaim Wall Maria and discover the truth of the titans. At the same time, it also opened the question of: where are the other titan shifters?