AUTHOR'S POV:
.
.
.
.
The dreaming person saw as beautiful Campanula flowers moved beautifully with the flow of wind.
Then the beauty was replaced by blood, a Titan's teeth, a stone building with a windmill that became overrun by Titans, a red uniform, children's toys, a bee in a human eye, a close-up of a creepy Titan smile and Founder Ymir turning around.
.
.
.
Two birds suddenly flew away from the lone tree.
Eren, who was sleeping under the tree while his head was on Mikasa's lap woke up with a gasp.
The first thing he saw was Mikasa who was stroking his hair, looking down at him.
"Eren...?" Mikasa softly called out, still stroking his hair. "Nightmare?"
"Mikasa?" Eren said, confused.
Mikasa smiled. "It's about time you wake up, sleepyhead." She pinched Eren's cheek. "We should head home now."
Eren sat up. "What are we doing here?"
"You were that deep asleep you don't know what we are here for?" Mikasa asked and stood up.
Eren held his head. "No... it just feels like... I was having a really long dream."
"Do you remember it?" Mikasa asked and went to grab her firewood.
"I don't... remember anything..." Eren replied and stood up.
Mikasa hoisted up the firewoods on her back. Then she looked at him. "Eren, you are crying." She stepped towards him.
"Huh?" Eren said and touched his tear strained face in confusion.
Mikasa stopped before him and gently wiped his tears. 'Today is the day...' She let out a sigh.
She turned around. "Let's return home now."
"Hm..." Eren said.
Then both of them started walking towards their home.
.
.
The atmosphere was peaceful.
People moved about without worry, going on with their lives.
.
The two of them continued to walk in silence.
"Please don't tell Mom about me crying." Eren said, head down as he walked.
Mikasa looked at him. "I won't. But Eren, don't you think at this point you should have uncle Grisha give you a check up? I mean, you have been crying in your sleep since a long time."
"I don't want him to worry about me so much so I won't tell him, Mikasa." Eren said.
"What are you crying about, Eren?" Hannes said.
Eren looked up. "Hannes-san!"
"Did Mikasa scold you again?" Hannes asked. His cheeks were pink and his words a little slurred.
"Huh?! What makes you think I was crying?!" Eren said. "Whoa!" He jerked away, hand over his nose. "You reek of a booze!"
"Come on, it's cool." A voice came from behind Hannes.
Three Garrison soldiers were playing cards, a bottle of alcohol in plain sight, laughing without a care.
Eren stared at the scene with wide eyes. "You're drinking again?"
"Why don't you three join us?" Hannes teased.
"Well, uh... don't you have work to do?" Eren asked, looking up at him.
"Yup, we're guardin' the gate today!" Hannes said proudly. "We're stuck here all day, so we end up getting hungry and if some booze happens to get into our drinks, so what? It's no big deal."
"And will you be able to fight if something happens?" Eren asked firmly.
"And when would that be?" Hannes asked, confused.
"Isn't obvious?" Eren asked. "When they break the Walls and storm the city!"
"Damn, Eren." Hannes said and touched his forehead. "Don't start yelling so suddenly."
One of the Garrison soldiers stood up and walked to them laughing.
"You're lively, doctor's son!" The other Garrison soilder said. "If they do bust down the Walls, we'll take care of business, don't worry. It's never happened, not once in the last one hundred years."
"Still, my dad says there's nothing more dangerous than being complacent like that." Eren said.
"Dr. Yeager, huh?" Hannes said.
"Yeah, he got a point." Another Garrison soilder said. "He once saved this town from an epidemic. I can't argue with him."
"Still, they're another story." Hannes said. "When you're a soldier, you get to see those things roaming around outside while you're on Wall reinforcment duty and stuff. The Walls are fifty meters high, though. I can't see'em do anything about it."
"W-Wait..." Eren said with wide eyes. "So you're saying you don't even have the resolve to fight them to begin with?"
"Pretty much!" Hannes replied cheerfully.
"Wh-What?!" Eren said indignantly. "Then drop the 'Garrison regimen' name for 'Wall Construction Squad' instead!"
Mikasa covered her mouth and giggled.
The other Garrison soldier thought it was funny, too.
"That doesn' sound half bad."
"But you gotta understand, Eren, if a soldier's doing his job, things have seriously gone to hell." Hannes said. "It's better when everyone's calling us useless freeloaders. It means peaceful times for us all."
"Sure, we can stay inside the Walls our entire lives and do nothing but eat and sleep!" Eren said. "But that basically makes us cattle!"
His words seemed to click something in Hannes's mind although the others soldiers laughed.
"Man, you're one plucky kid! For someone who's totally helpless, right Hannes?"
"Huh? Y-Yeah." Hannes said.
Eren kept his head down and walked away, Mikasa right behind him.
"Hey, Eren." Hannes called out, but he was ignored.
"What a strange kid." One of the soldiers commented.
"Don't tell me... does he wants to join the Survey Corps?" Hannes said, staring after him.
.
.
The two children continued to walk in silence.
Mikasa looked at Eren. "Eren, are you sure about joining the Survey Corps?"
Eren looked at her. "Not you too, Mikasa."
"I'm just asking, Eren." Mikasa said.
"I'm sure that I'll join the Survey Corps." Eren said confidently.
"Hmm..." Mikasa said.
.
Then bells began ringing in the distances.
.
Eren's face lit up. "The Survey Corps is back!" He exclaimed, excited. "They're gonna open the front gate!" He grabbed Mikasa's hand. "Let's go see the heroes return!" He took off running, holding Mikasa's hand.
.
.
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.
.
Almost every single soldier walked broken, bloodied, and bandaged.
.
Then everyone started talking ill about the Survey Corps.
.
"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!"
.
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."
.
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.
.
The walk home was silent.
Mikasa turned to Eren. "Do you still want to join the Survey Corps, Eren?"
"Yes..." Eren said and sighed.
.
.
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.
.
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.
.
.
Eren then sat at the table with Mikasa, and Grisha, eating his lunch.
Eren looked at Grisha. "Oh? You're leaving, Dad? Is it for work?"
"Yes. Some checkups in the interior." Grisha replied. "It'll take a couple of days."
Silence fell upon them for some moments.
Carla turned to them. "Why were you kids late today?"
"Oh. Eren fell asleep after collecting firewoods and we stopped on our way to see the Survey Corps' return." Mikasa replied.
"The Survey Corps' return?" Carla said and let out a sigh. "I still don't understand who on their right mind would want to join the Survey Corps."
"They just want to bring a change and explore the outside world, Mom." Eren said, looking at Carla.
Carla sat down at the table. "But still, it's too dangerous to even step a foot there."
"Even so, they are ready to take the risk to be free." Eren said. "And I'll join them in the-" He stopped as he realised what he just said.
The atmosphere of that room changed immediately.
Carla's eyes widened while Mikasa shook her head.
"Uh..." Eren said, eyes wide.
Carla abruptly stood up. "Eren! What are you thinking?!" She said, walking over to him. Then she grabbed his shoulders. "Do you have any idea how many people have died outside the Walls?!"
"I do!" Eren replied, looking at Carla.
"Then why-" Carla said and was interrupted by Grisha.
"Eren, why do you want to go out there?" Grisha asked, looking at Eren.
Eren looked at him with furrowed eyebrows. "I want to know what the outside world is like! I don't want to live my entire life in ignorance inside the Walls! Plus if no one else is willing to take their place, then the lives of all who've died will be for nothing!"
Grisha was looking at him intently for a moment. Then his expression changed back to normal. "I see." He stood and walked to the door, holding his hand bag. "The boat's about to leave. I better get going."
"Hold on, dear!" Carla called out, following after him. "Talk some sense into Eren!"
Grisha turned around and looked at Carla. "Carla, words can't hold back human curiosity." He looked at Eren. "Eren, when I get back, I'll show you the basement that I've kept secret all this time." He pulled out the key hanging from his neck.
Eren smiled excitedly. "Really?!"
Grisha tucked the key back under his shirt and left with a frightened expression.
All of them went outside their house to bid goodbye to Grisha.
"Take care!" Eren said happily.
"Just forget it." Carla said, suddenly, looking down at Eren. "Joining the Survey Corps is a stupid idea!"
Eren looked up at her with furrowed eyebrows. "Huh?! People who don't mind living like livestock are the stupid ones if you ask me!" With that, he took off running.
"Eren!" Carla called out, looking at him.
Eren rounded the corner, out of everyone's sight.
Carla then turned to Mikasa. "Mikasa, he often gets himself into trouble. If anything ever happens, you need to be there for him, ok?"
"Okay." Mikasa said.
.
.
In an alleyway, three children were bulling Armin.
"What's the matter, heretic?!" A bully said and pushed Armin into a wall. "If you don't like it, let's see you hit back!"
"Y-Yeah, right! That would be stooping to your level!" Armin replied
"What was that?"
"You know I'm right! That's why you have to resort to violence!" Armin said, angrily. "Because you can't argue back! Which means you concede defeat to me, does it not?!"
"Shut up, smart-ass!" Another bully said and raised his hand to strike Armin.
"Stop that!" Eren yelled while running.
The bullies turned around to see Eren and got excited.
"It's Eren!"
"That idiot's back for more?!"
"Does he want his ass kicked?!"
"We'll tear you a new one!"
Behind Eren, Mikasa was running with a deathly glare.
When the bullies saw Mikasa, they got scared.
"M-Mikasa's with him!" One bully said with fear.
"We're screwed! Run!" One bully said.
Then all of them ran away in fear.
When Eren was near Armin, he stopped, panting heavily. "One look at Mikasa and they ran off! I definitely have to learn fighting from her."
"Yeah.. Me too..." Armin said and winced.
Eren turned to him. "Hey! You okay, Armin?" He offered him a hand.
Armin looked at his friend's outstretched hand and hid his emotional face by looking at the ground. "I can get up on my own."
"Oh, alright." Eren said.
Armin stood up and dusted himself off.
"Let's go to the canel now." Eren said, looking at Armin.
"Um... You two go. I'll help Aunt Carla today." Mikasa said.
"Alright." Eren said, looking at Mikasa.
Mikasa nodded, turned around and left. 'I have to take Aunt Carla out of our home somehow...' She let out a sigh.
.
.
Golden-orange rays highlighted the houses as Eren and Armin sat near the water.
"Why were they bulling you, Armin?" Eren asked.
"I said humanity needs to venture into the outside world at some point and then they beat me up and called me a heretic." Armin replied.
Eren let out a sigh. "Why does everyone look down on people just for wanting to go outside?!" He tossed a pebble in the water.
"Well, because we've had a hundred years of peace by staying inside the Walls." Armin said. "They're worried that going outside carelessly will invite them in. The Royal Government's policies have made having any interest in the outside world a taboo."
"It's our lives! We can risk 'em if we want!" Eren said angrily.
"Will your parents approve?" Armin asked, looking at him.
Eren let out a sigh. "Well, I accidentally blurted it out earlier before them."
Armin chuckled. "So, what did they say?"
Eren looked down. "They're less than pleased.
"It figures." Armin replied and looked ahead.
Silence fell upon them as the wind began to blow softly, clouds moved lazily in the sky.
.
Mikasa was sitting on the couch, fiddling with her fingers.
Then, she abruptly stood up as if she felt the disaster coming.
Quickly, she approached Carla who was sitting at the table, knitting.
"Aunty." Mikasa called out.
Carla looked up at her with a smile. "Yes Mikasa?"
"Um... Sorry to say this but..." Mikasa said and held her dress a bit. "This one tore off a bit earlier. So..."
"You want a new one, Mikasa?" Carla asked, smiling.
Mikasa nodded. "I'm sorry, Aunty but..."
Carla stood up and grabbed her shoulders with a smile. "It's ok, Mikasa." She turned around. "Let me just take the money then we'll go."
"Hmm..." Mikasa said.
Carla went to her room to get some money.
After a moment, she came out. "Let's go." She went towards the door.
Mikasa nodded and followed after her.
Once outside, Carla closed their door and turned to Mikasa. "Let's-"
.
Just then, a huge blue lightning flashed outside of Shiganshina.
.
Carla starred at the direction with wide eyes. "What was that?"
Mikasa held Carla's hand and dragged her to the middle of the road. "We should go now, Aunty!"
.
At the distance, Eren, Armin and a lot of people had knocked off their feet by the sheer force of the explosion.
They looked at the smoke coming from the other side.
"Wh-What was that?" Armin said, standing up.
"An explosion?" Eren said, turning around.
.
"That way!" Someone behind them pointed.
"Did something fall?!" Someone said.
"I'm not really sure." Another answered.
.
Armin ran after them.
Eren called out to him. "Hey, Armin!"
They followed him into the plaza.
The four of them then stared at the wall.
A massive red hand clutched the Wall, creating cracks, making everyone scared.
"It can't be! Th-That wall is fifty-meters high!" Armin stared fearfully.
"It's one of them. A titan!" Eren said and gasped.
.
A large shadow fell over them as giant skinless face stared down at them.
.
"What is that?!" Carla exclaimed in fear, looking at the giant faceless titan.
"Aunty!" Mikasa said. "We should go now!"
.
Then the Collosal titan broke the Shiganshina gate which sent some people flying.
Boulders flew up in the air and fell off here and there.
.
Mikasa and Carla gasped, standing in the middle of the road as a giant boulder hit their house.
"Our home!" Carla said with wide eyes. Then she turned around. "Mikasa, we need to find Eren!"
"No need, Aunty!" Mikasa said, holding Carla's hand. "We have to leave this place before titans could enter!"
.
Armin fell to his knees. "Th-They b-blew a hole in the W-Wall."
.
The first Titan entered, a wide grin on its face.
.
"They're inside!" People panicked and ran.
.
"The Titans have gotten inside! We need to run, too-" Armin exclaimed and turned around. "Eren!"
Eren started running towards his house. "Our house is... Mom and Mikasa are..."
.
"How can you say for sure?!" Carla asked, distressed. "We have to go find him now!"
"Wait for him here then!" Mikasa said, holding Carla's hand tightly, not letting her go.
"Mikasa!" Carla yelled. "What are you doing?"
"Please Aunty!" Mikasa said. "Wait for him!"
.
'There's no way our home got hit.' Eren thought while running.
He stared in fear at the chaos around him as he ran.
.
People screaming, children crying, blood, boulders, and destruction, everywhere he looked it was a nightmare for everyone.
.
After a few moments, he got closer to his house and saw Mikasa and Carla.
"Mom! Mikasa!" Eren yelled, running at them.
"Eren!" Carla said with teary eyes. Then she ran towards him with Mikasa behind her.
Once they were closer, Carla hugged Eren tightly, crying. "Eren..."
"Mom..." Eren said, hugging his mother.
After a moment, they pulled away.
Eren quickly rushed towards Mikasa and hugged her tightly. "I am glad you're ok, Mikasa."
Mikasa smiled and hugged him back.
After a few moments, they pulled away.
"Eren, Aunty." Mikasa called out. "We should leave now."
"You're right. Let's go." Carla said.
Eren looked at his home one time and nodded.
Then the three of them started running towards Wall Maria.
Carla looked back at their home with a saddened expression.
'Home...'
__________________