"...To Stay by Your Side..." (AOT Alternative Universe)

13. The World the Girl Saw

AUTHOR'S POV:

"We lost... Eren." Armin quietly said.

Thomas and Mina's eyes widened.

They soon stopped on a rooftop.
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Armin was staring at the blood splatters on the ground. 'This is hell... No, it hasn't become hell... I was just mistaken until now... This world has always been hell, from the very beginning...' He remembered his childhood, being picked on by bullies. 'The strong prey on the weak. It's such a simple, straightforward world.' He remembered how little Eren, Faye and Mikasa would always save him from the bullies. 'It's just, my friends... They tried to be strong in this world... They saw me as someone who needed to be protected.' Tears ran down Armin's face. 'I wanted to live in this world like them... I wanted to be strong and stand-' His thought process was interrupted when Connie's squad landed on the same rooftop.

"Are you guys alright?" Connie asked and looked around. "Where are the rest of your squad?"

Armin flinched.

"Give it a rest, Connie." Ymir said, not looking at them. "The rest have been wiped out."

Connie glared at her. "Shut up! They haven't said anything!"

Ymir looked over her shoulder. "Just look around. It's obvious. We don't got any more time to waste here. It sucks that they ran into multiple Titans and that only these incompetent made it out alive."

"You bitch!" Connie said. "Want me to make it so you never talk again?"

"Stop it, you two!" Christa said and ran between them, arms out. "We're all shaken up here. All our friends are suddenly dying left and right. It's natural we're upset."

Ymir threw an arm around her. "That's my Christa! Marry me when this is over!" She laughed loudly. It sounded forced.

"Yeah," Connie said, "She is clowning around more than usual." He kneeled before Armin. "Armin, we can't stay here for long." He stood up and looked at Thomas and Mina. "Let's leave."

All of them nodded and left.
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A massive crowd had formed infront of the gate, waiting to be let through the gate. But, it was blocked by a cargo.

"H-Hey, now!"

"Don't you guys realize how bad the situation is?!" One civilian yelled.

"Yeah!" Reeves yelled back. "That's why we're doin' this! And if you guys wanna live, you'll give us some damn help!"

"The hell with that!"

"It's gonna get stuck!"

"Letting people through comes first!"

"We're all gonna get eaten standing here!"

"What are you doing, soldier?!" Someone said and pushed a Garrison soldier forward. "Go and arrest them!"

"B-But-" The Garrison soilder shuttered.

"Just try it, small fry!" Reeves dared him. "I'm the boss of this town's merchant association!"

"Uh, err-"

"Who do you think pays for the meals you soldiers shit out? Do you have the money to provide for the soldiers in this town? Push, all of you!" Reeves yelled. "This cargo's worth more than you can earn in your entire measly lives! Help, and you'll be rewarded!"
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"It'll be okay." A mother assured her daughter. "Your dad's going to use his cannons to make the Titans go away."

"Mom." The little girl said over her mother's shoulder. "Look." She pointed behind her.
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