I know this is for artists and cosplayers, but I am crap at art and I don’t do cosplays. So I thought might as well write a short story for fun.
Character: Hannes (I so badly wanted to do Sasha but I felt like she would be a popular pick, so I went for the old man)
I changed some (most) of the stuff in the manga scenes to better fit my story. And because I don’t much. Ha.
Before
“It’s time to avenge your mother,” Hannes promised, setting his jaw.
“Hannes, please—be careful...” Mikasa croaked, crawling forward and reaching a hand for him. He gently took it, squeezing her palms caringly, then whirled around and shot into the air. He circled the lanky Titan, dodging and swooping to avoid its gnarled fingers.
The monstrous beast seemed to have a perpetual wicked grin on its angled face, a cruel, twisting feature that had tormented Eren’s nightmares for far too long.
The air hissed with the sound of iceburst gas releasing into the air. The Garrison soldier narrowly avoiding being swiped by latching on at the last moment to its muscled shoulder. He grit his teeth blatantly, lashing his feet wildly as he swerved chaotically back and forth, clinging to his ODM gear as though were a lifeline. The Titan made to swat him down like a fly, but he lunged back, dropping to the ground and rolling into the grass. He panted heavily, and Mikasa stared wide eyed. Eren clenched his fist tightly, ing Mikasa with his other arm. They watched, worriedly, as Hannes breathed in and out deeply. The Titan crouched beside him, curiously eyeing up its prey.
Eren sucked in a sharp gasp, then promptly screamed in pure, animalistic fury and clamped down on his thumb.
Nothing happened.
He tried again and again, frantically looking up to see the Titan ease closer. He hollered again, sinking his teeth into the worn flesh enough to draw blood. The shiny red liquid spilled down his wrist, oozing over his knuckles and slipping into the folds of his palm. But as he was overwhelmed with stress and fear, hyperventilating and losing concentration on the world around him, Mikasa unsteadily grabbed his shoulder and pointed weakly to the blond man.
Hannes curled his fingers around the hilt of his steel sword, carefully taking into the enormous beast abreast to him. In a flash, the monster brought its hand down, prepared to crush Hannes. He scrambled up and ran along its grounded arm, torpedoing up to its shoulder and readying his blades with a sort of menacing aura that reminded the two exhausted teenagers this man had, indeed, made the cut for the military. He roared an inhuman sound and boldly slashed his weapons down deep into the Titan’s neck. It opened its mouth to bellow in pain, but it fell backwards, lifeless, before any noise could escape.
“NO!” Eren screeched as Hannes was forced under the toppled corpse.
Eerily, its haunting smile was still plastered onto its bloodied face.
Mikasa let out a choked sob of relief as Hannes emerged from the messy wreckage of the Titan’s corpse.
“You’re okay,” she breathed, cautiously hobbling closer. Then again, louder. “You’re okay!” She broke away from Eren sprinted towards him. She tiredly collapsed against the brave man with a cry. He humbly wrapped her in his arms. Eren gazed, dumbfounded, for a moment, his shaking hand riddled with bite marks. The once-vibrant vermilion of his blood has crisped to a shabby purple brown.
Hannes was hysterically laughing, his eyes blinking tears off of his wet lashes.
“Yes, I’m okay. And you are too. And I finally....” tears rose to his pale, amber eyes. “I finally atoned for my sins. I payed off the debt I owed.” He kneeled before Eren and Mikasa, clasping their hands between his. “Thank you.” He whispered thickly. “Thank you for forgiving me.” He bowed his head, and more tears fell from his lidded eyes.
“You didn’t do anything wrong,” suddenly Eren and Mikasa were full on-sobbing as well. “You did what Mom wanted.” Eren pulled the blithering soldier to his feet and they all drew together tightly. The three of them stood there for a quiet moment, hugging what was left of each other close.
4 Years Later
“...no.” Mikasa whispered. Connie hung his head low, shoulders quivering. He lifted the brunette girl, and when Mikasa looked closer she saw an ugly red blotch on Sasha’s torso. She whirled around and looked ready to kill someone. Her breath was erratic and her eyes were fierce, searching for the girl who had fired. They surprisingly landed on the handcuffed boy with calm green eyes and an unnerving demeanor. She looked ready to scream, but managed to keep quiet. She finally settled for slumping against the wall of the blimp, resting her hands on the cool metal of the bench.
“Who—“ she whispered, looking.
“I did.” Everyone on the airship whipped around and saw the frightened black haired girl, clutching a rifle. A timid blond boy hid behind her.
“WHO ARE YOU?!” Connie shrieked, cradling Sasha’s body in a desperate manner. Each time she breathed in shakily he would shoot her a hopeful look.
“G-Gabi.” She stammered. “That’s F—“
“Gabi! Don’t answer!” He hissed, shoving her aside. He bowed deeply, on the verge of apologizing when Connie kicked him.
“Get off.”
“Off what?” He whimpered.
“The ship. Now. LEAVE!”
“Sir we’re very sorry—“ he bumbled.
“No we’re not.” Gabi growled boldly. “You ruined our city! Killed innocents! Hurt Reiner...” she whispered, regaining her confidence when she noticed Eren leaning in the corner. The blond boy stumbled back.
“You again!”
“Eren?” Snarled Mikasa, asking him an unspoken question.
“That’s Falco. He’s a warrior candidate. Right? You get the Armor?”
“I-I-I...!” He stepped back again.
“So that’s what they do?” Demanded Jean, his eyes furiously darting around the room. “They take a boat to Paradis and kill half a population, then go home and eat their seniors to on the power? That’s sick.”
“No, it’s practical.” Gabi proudly lifted her head. “And if anyone is going to get Reiner’s Titan, it’ll be me.” She jabbed a thumb at her heart. Connie’s nostrils flared. “Tie ‘em up. We’ll deal with them later.” He higher Sasha closer, eyeing her pale face.
“Wait! Mr. Kruger sir!” Falco cried.
“My name is Eren. Eren Jaeger.” He smoothly delivered. Then he stood and walked into a back room, making sure to slam the door harder than necessary. Falco stared, crestfallen, at the empty space. Mikasa and Armin followed with a gloomy air.
“Argh! Someone tie them in with the supplies and make sure they don’t blow themselves up!” Connie roared, clutching his head in frustration once he had set Sasha onto the bench next to Mikasa. The girl twitched her fingers slightly.
“WE HAVEN’T LOST YET!” Gabi bellowed as Jean stiffly bound up the children’s wrists. “WE’RE GONNA CARRY ON ZEKE’s WILL! WE, TRUE ELDIANS, ARE GOING TO CURSE YOU IN YOUR GRAVES!” Jean pulled on the rope around her arms, tightening it. “AND ONCE YOU KILL ME, TELL THAT TO THE RINGLEADER BEHIND ALL THIS!” She writhed back and forth in pure hate, protesting with every ounce her dignity could manage. Falco, on the other hand, went down without a fight as Connie easily wrapped his limbs in bonds.
“No need.” Jean plainly replied, knotting the rope with a little more vigor and shoving her a step forward. “I’ll take you straight to him. And you can say this all to his face again.” His cold eyes fell onto the door leading from the edge of the main one. Jean promptly kicked open the steel door, pushing the two kids ahead of him and into the cramped space. They fell to their knees in shock as they saw a serene Eren casually propping his foot up on the steel wall. Mikasa and Armin stood at the door, and Levi was glowering in the corner, trying to maintain a peaceful attitude.
Next to Eren with their hands behind their back was a short haired woman, standing in a slightly defensive position over...
“Zeke?!” Falco and Gabi exclaimed in utter horror. The temporarily disabled man gave a half-armed shrug.
“B-but...how are you alive! I swore they killed you!” Gabi let out a hysterical laugh of relief. Falco, on the other hand, was much more interested in why Zeke was there.
“Gabi...Falco....what are you doing here?”
“I could ask the same of you, sir. How did you happen to be captured?” His eyes searchingly conquered Zeke’s. The bearded man glanced to the woman beside him.
“Yelena.” Eren growled. “You failed, didn’t you?”
“I...troops were lost, but—“
“Those troops had lives!” Levi roared, banging the side of his fist into the wall. The clang reverberated through the room.
“Yes, it’s a true loss.” Her gaze rolled in an eel-like fashion across everyone in the room. “I managed to trap those two in the hole, but they escaped.” Her eyes lifted to Levi. He scoffed, b made not further move to insult the two.
There was a loud CLANG and everyone spun to face the door, in defensive positions with their weapons at the ready. But it was only Connie, tearful and hiccuping.
“SASHA’s DEAD!” He screamed. His hateful eyes flared at Gabi and Falco, but he just stoned back into the main area.
The rest of the flight proceeded in a respectively heartbroken silence.
“Oh, hey!” A voice from below cried out. Everyone on the blimp rushed to exit as they were greeted by a bustling crowd. Through the midst of congratulations and happiness was a ripple of hurt and anger when Eren walked down the steps. Boos and yells ensued his wake as he was calmly led into the basement of the building by Hanji Zoë, where the prison was. He was shoved roughly into the cell. Mikasa and Armin watched him from a tense distance that was a representation of the rift between them in itself.
Hanji waved an awkward goodbye and made for the door, leaving the three lifelong friends to themselves.
Armin and Mikasa gave him a sad look, a look filled with painful meaning. They didn’t glance over their shoulders to watch their lifelong friend as they ascended the damp stone steps to the main level. They didn’t look back at the boy caged deep underground by his own people.
The three of them sat around a table, the air oozing emotion. One more girl trembled I’m her chair, struck silent by fear.
Mikasa was carefully watching her friends. Unbidden tears managed to squeak down her face, thumping quietly onto the carpet beneath them.
“We going yet?” A nasal pitch stained the air, and three knocks befell the door in a quick succession.
“Yeah we’re leaving soon, don’t worry,” he called back, and Mikasa’s eyes sharpened.
“Was that Floch? You were here with him?”
“Eren, talk to us,” Armin tried gently, but when Eren stayed silent his fists clenched under his knees.
“I called you here—“
“Requested,” There was an edge to Mikasa’s voice, but it melted away when Armin gave her a pointed look.
“Tch.” He looked away. “To be honest, Mikasa, I’ve always hated you.” Her eyes grew and more water escaped.
“Eren!” Armin screamed, propping a foot on the table and lunging forward. Just then, Hannes burst in.
“Eren I—“ the old man choked up when he saw the boy he had practically raised alongside Grisha and Carla. Then he noticed Armin springing you to brawl, and Hannes’s face fell.
“Eren.” Mikasa rasped softly, swiping the back of her wrist over her eyelashes. He looked away from her, as if to hide the change that had eaten his soul alive and spat it out dark and misshapen. To hide the new Eren Jaeger.
The old Eren Jaeger, valiant defender of humanity.
The old Eren Jaeger, strong-headed, fierce willful boy.
The old Eren Jaeger, ionate and protective of his friends.
The old Eren Jaeger that was no more.
You bet my lazy butt I put a Time Skip to the Rumbling OwO
“Are you willing to kill Eren?”
Annie’s harsh words rang out through the small encampment. Mikasa let out a snarl, feeling a twinge in her heart as she gripped her blade.
“What are you implying,” she growled.
Annie sighed, eyeing Mikasa carefully. “All I’m saying is Eren has to be stopped. I don’t want him to die, it’s just—my father. He’s in the interment zone, and that’s where Eren will hit first. Hundreds of thousands of colossus Titans. You think a couple Marley and Eldians stand a chance?” Mikasa sheathed her weapons and sat back down heavily. Annie, too, eased her tense position.
“Never thought I’d see the day when Devils and I sat around the same fire,” chortled Yelena.
“Hm.” Jean looked away as he licked his bowl clean.
“Reiner. I wonder how many Eldians you killed? Oh and Annie? How many Scouts did you numbly trample?” Her voice was slick with malicious intent. “Jean, how bravely did you point a thunder spear at Falco in your attempt to destroy Pieck? Vicious Gabi bravely slayed Sasha with a shot to the chest, if I am correct.” Yelena smirked darkly. “Yet you all get along and play like fools, like the power of forgiveness can bring back your comrades.”
“Thanks, Yelena, for that wonderful bout of stirring hate.”
Hanji glanced around at the tense setting, then scooted forward and dipped the ladle deep into the pot full of simmering stew.
“Seconds, anyone?” Hanji’s voice cracked with all the heavy looks aimed right at the boiling liquid.
“Sure,” Jean held out his bowl as Hanji spooned some more into it. He drained the food within seconds, strained gulps filling the air. Jean set his bowl down.
“Mmm, delicious, Hanji.” Yelena, too, placed her wooden dish on the hard packed soil.
“What was his name again?” She tipped her head in mock curiosity to Jean.
He visibly grit his teeth.
While he and Reiner somehow ended up fist to fist in a one-sided brawl, Mikasa sat, shaken, at the edge of the loose circle that encomed the smoldering pit.
That’s three times now.
First it was her mother and father.
Then Grisha and Carla, her second set of guardians.
And now her military friends, from Sasha to Marco to Thomas and Mina and—and Eren.
Sure he wasn’t dead.
Sure he was human.
Sure he existed.
But did he have her in his heart?
The Mikasa and Armin, loyal defendants?
Nothing to him.
Nothing.
How many times will I lose those I love? Well?
Mikasa despaired, clutching her head.
Eren had abandoned humanity to rise above the monsters.
But in doing so, hadn’t he become one?
Mikasa slowly drifted off to sleep with her head aching and spinning in a whirlwind.
She was awoken from her drowsy daze when Armin brushed her shoulder.
“It’s time,” he whispered. The tacit agreement was as implied.
Time to take back what was theirs.
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Thanks for reading!
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Oh and if it was unclear the secret was Eren’s founding ability lol. He fully discovered it at Hannes’s death so he learns about it from Zeke is what I’m implying.
Comments (1)
I love this.