Vengeance Of A Human

Interlude: Red Swan

We believed that there is an ocean beyond the Walls. That our freedom truly begins once we make it there. That it would mean I have avenged my parents, killed the Armored Titan, retaken my home, and can finally live my life with my friends.

How wrong we were.

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Armin

"Armin." I look up, seeing Eren and Mikasa walk along the Wall to me. I stand as they pause right beside me, looking out to the horizon. We stand silent for a moment before Eren speaks again. "It isn't gone. Our hope did not fall with Joshua. We'll bring back our home...for him."

Mikasa nods. "For Joshua."

I nod, then look down to the land. "For Jo-" I look down, squinting my eyes as I spot a brown dot fifty meters below us. It forms the shape of a horse with a green cloak on its back. On that cloak… Mikasa must've seen it too as she's first down the Wall, followed by Eren. I dash after them, landing on the ground and breaking into a run as the horse pauses. Mikasa holds the animal as Eren and I take the unconscious hooded rider, lowering him or her to the ground. I raise my hand to the hood, hesitating, not wanting to get my hopes up. "Eren...you do it."

Eren looks to Mikasa to see her nod her cupped head, and he lowers the hood. "...No way…"

"It's...a miracle."

Mikasa kneels down with us, her eyes pouring tears as she tightly holds the returned Scout and their beloved friend. "You made it."

"...Damn right I did…."

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In a slightly crazy dreamworld

"What took you two so long? We're going to be late!" I stand outside the Jaeger residence, my arms folded as Mikasa and Eren walk out their house in quite the hurry. They run past me as Eren continues to put his uniform on, so I chase after them.

"Eren overslept."

"As usual."

"Where's Armin?"

I sigh. "I couldn't convince him it is springtime, so I let it go."

"Ah, come on!" Eren shouts to the heavens. "I can't be late on our first day! Hey, Mikasa, I need you to swear you caught me drooling in my sleep!"

"I swear. I won't tell anyone you put your pants on backward either. Well, except for Joshua."

"Ah! Don't remind me! And you swear too!"

I look down, seeing Eren's pants are indeed on backward. "Oh, I'll swear to keep this to myself as well, and why were you drooling? Hey, Eren, look ou-" Too late. In his embarrassment, Eren doesn't see the young blonde girl he crashes into. We rush up to them, Mikasa checking up on Eren while I go to the cute girl. "Hey, you okay?"

"Yes, I am fine."

"My bad," Eren says as he helps the girl to her feet and I pick up her bag. "I was in a hurry."

"Uh, that's okay. I guess I was, too. Hm? Oh no, my breakfast!"

I reach into my bag, taking out a grilled cheese sandwich. "Here, you can have mine. I have another one, so no worries."

The girl smiles as she takes the sandwich happily. "Thank you."

"Hold up, Romeos! Bumping into my precious Christa while she has toast in her mouth and giving her your breakfast so you've got an excuse to put the moves on her?" The new person, a medium-toned girl with brown hair and is a little shorter than I am, splits us from this Christa. Eren and I fall back to Mikasa.