When I saw that I had over 100 follows on this story, I knew I had to finally sit down and finish this chapter. Though I had very little time to write it with my other projects, I managed to pump out this beast over a couple months. I really don't deserve all of this attention. I haven't even hit 15k words on the actual story! But thank you anyways. Y'all are the only reason I'm continuing this. This is not beta'd chapter, also. Sorry about that.

I don't plan to add another chapter anywhere in the near future. My schedule is honestly too busy. So if anyone wants to type out the episode descriptions so I can write the reactions quicker, I'd really appreciate it (please PM me if you're interested). But I know it's a hard task and relatively thankless task, so it's alright if you guys don't want to. The chapters will just be further apart this way.

I'm going to try out putting my responses to reviews at the beginning of the story, and answering only the ones that really can be answered. Even if I don't answer your review, it has been read and very much appreciated.

Reviews:

Solangelophangurl—Sorry. I tried to make the explanation as simple as possible. I included a summarized (and hopefully easier to understand) recap of the last chapter here.

HeroSeekerFrost—That's pretty cool! I hope you're happy with the rest of episode 1 being in this chapter. I'll be honest, I probably would have had this chapter out by August if I only published the first half, but I'd promised myself that I'd finish episode 1 here.

Guest—That's a cool translation. Too bad I don't take this story seriously enough to care (I probably should, but by now We're an Anime?! is my stress relief project). :-)

Grapester—Advice taken seriously. Again, you fans are the only reason I haven't abandoned this story.

Anime100—This may be very early, but Happy New Year! XD *Sigh…* I am a horrible author.

Chapter 4:

It took awhile for Gohan and Pixel to explain everything again, this time a bit slower. In a paraphrased form, there were three main components that made up a universe: the characters, the setting, and the plotline. The first two parts were fairly self-explanatory; it was the last one that was a bit confusing.

A plotline was a set of events that were followed by the characters in a universe, who played it through in the setting of their world. During this period of time, they have had no free will to do what they wanted (but at the same time, they don't know that they don't have free will, if that makes any sense). After the plotline was finished, the characters gained free will, and were then introduced to the Cloud and the other universes.

But their universe, 'Attack on Titan,' was different. Created without a plotline, their universe was extremely unsteady. Anything, even the most basic of mistakes, could cause it to implode in on itself. The people in the Cloud had to find a new way for the universe to stabilize. In the end, they'd been chosen to see their future.

Eren stood up as Gohan and Pixel finished.

"So… we really can change our future?" he asked. "Learn the secret to defeating the titans? Destroy them all and save humanity?"

Gohan and Pixel shared an uneasy look, and the former answered.

"Yes…" the man answered. "As long as your enemies don't finish you off first."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Erwin questioned, frowning. Levi sat back in his seat, an uneasy feeling curling in his stomach. How could the titans get their advantage, and must less act on it?

"It'll come up later on," Gohan responded, with an air of finality that signalled that the matter was closed. "I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry."

Pixel's eyes lingered on Reiner for slightly longer than they were supposed to. The teen stiffened, as Annie and Bertolt shared a terrified look. There was no doubt to them that these two Guardians knew exactly what they were and their mission. The question was, then, whose side were they on? For even though they were claiming that the Survey Corps were the ones seeing their future, that meant by proxy they, as Warriors and Honorary Marleyans, were as well. Bertolt laced his hands together tightly. Either way, if what Gohan had just said was true, then what was going to happen when their deceit was discovered? Would they even live to report their findings back to Marley?

"Anyways!" Pixel's voice had a forced cheerfulness to it, but it managed to draw back everyone's attention to her. "We'll continue the first episode in a moment. Gohan has to make a call; we're going to have to cancel some meetings so we can stay with you."

"We can wait," Erwin nodded. Pixel smiled and walked over to Eren, Mikasa, and Armin as Gohan pulled out his phone, touched it a few times, and then began talking to it. Hanji was babbling to Moblit, already coming up with several new theories as to how the phone worked and their situation. Levi, who'd been rather quiet throughout the explanation, summoned his squad and began talking to them in a low voice. Marco and Jean moved over to Sasha, Connie, and Mina, discussing possible outcomes for the show, as Mike and Nabana did the same a short ways away.

Armin, Eren, and Mikasa looked up as Pixel walked over to them. The latter of the three scowled, not trusting her just yet, but Pixel gave her no mind, simply kneeling down so that she was at the same eye level as them, who were still sitting.

"I think you've figured out what happens in the first few episodes," She said quietly. Eren looked away as Armin stiffened. They'd all been trying to avoid that particular thought for as long as possible. "And I'm not going to ask you to watch the fall of Shiganshina again, this time in much greater detail. If you want to, I can take you outside and wait until your group reaches the present day to come back. You'd only be missing a little bit; the others can fill you in."

"What would we be doing?" Armin asked, quite taken aback by the offer, and seriously considering it.

"I could show you around this apartment complex, if you want," Pixel offered. "It's really big and supposed to be a sort of embassy for each universe when they come to visit the Cloud. Basically, a place for them to stay. I think you'd like it. It'd only be for a few hours at the most."

The three childhood friends shared a look, debating without words what to do. Mikasa still didn't trust her and was much more comfortable staying with the group, but also did not want Eren to go through his mother's death again, this time probably with much greater detail. Armin mostly wanted to avoid the fall of Trost altogether, and seeing the Cloud for real. Eren was already completely on board. He didn't think he could stand losing his mother again.

"We'll go with you," Eren announced after they reached their consensus. Pixel nodded and stood up, the three following her.

"What are you guys doing?" Mike asked from his place next to Nabana. Hannes looked over to them as well, sitting in the next seat. Pixel quickly explained the situation, and Mike and Nabana nodded. "I'll tell Erwin for you."

"Could I come as well?" Hannes asked nervously, standing. "I don't think I could deal with facing my biggest failure, either."

Pixel nodded. Armin gave the elder man a comforting smile, which Hannes returned. Together, they walked over to the door they had come in. Pixel opened it with ease, and the five stepped out of the room.

Several more minutes passed as Gohan finished up his call and Moblit explained Eren and his friends' situation to Erwin, who spread the word. Once the dark-haired man hung up, he sat down on one of the free chairs off to the side. The episode started up again and everyone leaned forwards, now knowing what exactly hung in the balance.

"Then stop calling yourselves the Garrison and become the Wall Repair Corps!" Eren shouted at Hannes, angry.

"I wouldn't mind that," Hannes laughed. "But listen, Eren. If we're fighting, that means things are bad. As long as everyone's laughing at us and calling us freeloaders, that means we're all safe."

"That's actually a pretty good deduction," Petra mused. "I don't agree with it considering what happened later that day, but I see where he's coming from?"

"Better than the Military Police," Eld added. "They're still considered freeloaders even today."

Eren clenched his fists.

"Even if we can never leave these walls for our entire lives," he gritted out. "As long as we eat and sleep, we'll survive. But doesn't that make us just like cattle?!"

Hannes started as the other Garrison soldiers laughed.

"That's a brave kid you got there!" One called out.

"Not like he could do anything about it, huh, Hannes?" Another added.

Apparently he could, or else he wouldn't be the main character. Armin leaned forwards, deep in thought. What made Eren so special, besides his determination and anger? How would it help them in the war against the titans?

"Y-yeah," Hannes answered. Eren began stalking away, and Mikasa followed him. "Oi, Eren!"

"Burned," Ymir laughed. Krista shot her a look. "What? He wasn't going to convince them anyways."

"Strange kid," the first soldier remarked.

"Does he want to join the Survey Corps?" Hannes asked himself, surprised.

"Did he?" Petra echoed. "Even as a child?"

"It was the reason he joined the military," Jean spoke up. "I don't know what he thought of you guys as a kid—he doesn't really talk about his time before he joined the military—but he's always been set on joining."

Levi frowned. He hoped that wasn't the case. He hated those new recruits who were basically star-struck and naive idiots. Not only were they annoying, but the first mission always tore their innocence away and they tended to mentally collapse if they weren't eaten.

The scene changed. Eren and Mikasa walked up a hillside path to their home.

"Eren, you should stop considering the Survey Corps," Mikasa said.

"What, you're going to tell me they're stupid, too?!" Eren exclaimed, looking over at her.

"That isn't it…" A bell rang in the distance, cutting Mikasa off. Eren looked up.

"The Survey Corps are back!" He cried, grinning. "The front gate is opening!"

Star-struck it was. Levi sighed.

The scene changed again, now showing the legs of slow-moving men and horses. Panning upwards, a crowd watched as the soldiers walked through Shiganshina. Eren jumped behind them, trying to see. Finally, he and Mikasa found a pair of boxes to stand on, and they seized the opportunity to see what was going on.

Erwin Smith rode by, two soldiers at his sides. He looked up to see Eren's face, hopeful, and simply sighed and looked away once again. Eren's smile fell as he looked to see the rest of the expedition.

Erwin blinked. He'd seen Eren before? He didn't remember. Then again, it was only a small instance in what was already a horrifying day.

Dozens of injured soldiers staggered in the street, many missing limbs or sporting large wounds.

Mina winced back, horrified. Most of the 104th recruits did the same.

"These are all that made it back?" A person asked.

"Everyone else must've been eaten," A second person responded. "That's what happens when you go outside the walls."

"Moses! Moses!" A woman ran out from the crowd and towards the expedition force as two soldiers come to meet her. "Um, my son, Moses… I don't see him. Where is he?"

Erwin winced. Across the room, Gunther looked down, hand over his mouth as Eld put a comforting hand on his shoulder. The two had trained in the same division as Moses back when they were cadets, and had been good friends.

Gohan bit his lip, wavering slightly, but said nothing.

"This is Moses' mother," the man closest to the woman said in an emotionless tone. He turned to his companion. "Bring it."

The woman watched in shock and grief as the man gave her a wrapped parcel. The woman unwrapped it slowly and with fear. The cloth fell away, exposing a half-eaten, human arm. The woman, Moses' mother, gasped and cried out.

Gunther, despite his experience, looked slightly green, not daring to look up at the screen. Eld murmured something into his teammates' ear, and he calmed slightly. Sasha, noticing this, sent a questioning glance to the nearby Nabana, who simply motioned for her to not ask.

"That is all we managed to retrieve," the commander announced in the same voice as before.

The woman collapses, holding the arm to her as if it was her son, live and whole. Eren and Mikasa watch in shock and pain.

"But my son," the woman sobbed as Keith knelt next to her. "He helped, right?" Keith started, now beginning to express emotion. "Even if he didn't do anything directly, my son's death helped humanity fight back, didn't it?!"

Bertolt leaned forwards, curious as to what the Survey Corps reacted to situations like this before the fall of Wall Maria.

The commander's pain was evident on his face. "Of course!" Then he looked down, and paused for a moment. "No. Our expedition today didn't… No, we never learn a thing! It's my fault! My own incompetence killed our men! And we still don't know what they are!"

The group was in silence now. Erwin sighed, leaning back in his chair with a hand over his eyes, as Levi simply watched the television with a stone-cold face. Krista looked as if she was about the cry, and even Ymir looked a bit shaken. Mina's expression indicated that she felt like she was going to puke.

"There's a trash can in the back you ever need it," Gohan announced, voice deafening in the silence as he caught sight of the young recruit. Mina nodded numbly, but didn't move.

Scene change. The Survey Corps turned the corner, out of sight.

"What a mess," the man from earlier grumbled.

"You got that right," his friend responded. "It's like all our taxes go to fatten them up."

The friend stops as a stick slams down on his head. He cries out and turns to see Eren growling at him.

"Okay," Jean announced. "For once, I'm completely agreeing with Eren on this. I'd punch them if I were there, too."

Marco and Connie sent him a shocked look, and Sasha choked on nothing. Jean scoffed.

"Just because I hate the kid doesn't mean I don't have the capacity to empathize with him! I'm not some monster!"

Marco snorted into his hand. Jean slugged him.

"What are you doing, you stupid brat!" The man grunted. Eren raised the stick again, but Mikasa grabbed him and pulled him into a nearby alley, dragging him away.

"Mikasa, always the mom friend," Connie chuckled loosely, not really humorous but wanting to lift the atmosphere a bit. The joke fell flat, however, and he shrunk back into his seat once he sensed it.

"Hey, Mikasa!" Eren exclaimed as the man he'd attack shouted at them to come back. "What are you doing?!" Mikasa said nothing, continuing to drag him away. "Mikasa! You can let go now!"

With a grunt, Mikasa threw him against the alley wall. Sticks flew everywhere as Eren collapsed to the ground.

Levi blinked as Petra started. That was an astonishing amount of strength for just a child. Levi pursed his lips. The only person known to have almost supernatural strength like that was him. Could they truly be related, as their name suggested?

And if so, where did that put Kenny, his mentor who had the same abilities?

"What was that for? The firewood spilled everywhere!"

"Eren," Mikasa began softly. "Do you still want to join the Survey Corps?"

Eren looked at her in surprise. He froze for a moment, but in the end said nothing, simply bending over and collecting the firewood.

"Help me pick these up…"

"There isn't enough to bother."

Scene change. Eren and Mikasa walk up to their house and open the front door.

"Back," Eren calls, stepping inside. Mikasa follows him silently.

"Welcome home," Carla smiled, turning as Grisha looked over at his son, working on a project. Eren dumped his wood in a box as Carla walked over to him. "Oh, Eren! You actually worked hard for a change!"

Krista smiled slightly into one hand as Erwin leaned forwards. Here was Grisha Yeager, one of the best doctors the Walls had ever known. And now was a prime chance to discover what had happened to.

"Yeah…" Eren looked away. Carla tugged on his ear. "What was that for?"

"Your ears are red. That means you're lying. Mikasa helped you, didn't she?"

Jean filed the information away for later use. That would be useful when trying to figure out whether Eren was trying to pull a fast one over him or not.

Scene change. The family was eating now as Grisha packed. Eren spoke first.

"Huh? Are you going somewhere, Dad?"

"Yes, I'm going inland to see some patients," Grish responded. "Probably for two or three days."

"That's right," Nabana mused aloud. "He visited a nobleman's house to check in on his daughter, then took a horse into Wall Sina on his own. What happened to him after that?"

"That's the mystery right now," Erwin replied slowly.

"Why should we care about this man?" Levi questioned. "He's a good doctor, but he probably just got jumped on the road for his goods."

"Call it a feeling."

Gohan twitched slightly. Mike caught the movement, and motioned to Erwin that he was going to keep an eye on their Guardian for any further clues.

There was couple seconds of silence.

"Eren wants to join the Survey Corps," Mikasa announced abruptly. Carla turned from where she'd been washing dishes, Grisha twitched, and Eren slammed his plate on the table.

"Mikasa! I told you not to tell them!"

"Eren!" Carla scolded, grabbing her son by the shoulders. "What are you thinking? Do you know how many people have died outside of the walls?"

Here it comes, Jean thought. Why exactly did Eren want to join the Survey Corps, even before his mother was killed by the titans?

"I do!" Eren shot back, their faces close together.

No, you don't, Eld replied mentally. No one did until they went on their first expedition.

"In that case—"

"Eren." The two turned to face Grisha, who spoke calmly. "Why do you want to go outside?"

Erwin leaned forwards, listening intently.

"I want to know what it's like out there!" Eren responded passionately. "I don't want to spend my life within the walls, not knowing anything!" His voice took on a determined tone. "Also, if no one carries on their work, all the casualties up until now would have been in vain!"

"That's… actually really insightful," Marco mused. Jean shot him a look. "F-for a ten-year-old, I mean."

Petra on the other hand, really was impressed. Even she hadn't had such a good reason for joining the Corps when she first had, and she'd been five years his senior.

"I see," Grisha murmured after a moment. He stood up. "The ship is waiting. I'll be going now."

"And father of the year goes to…" Ymir drawled. Krista sent her a look. "What? The kid wants to get himself killed, or at put in mortal danger on a regular basis."

"I guess you have a point," The blonde conceded. "Still, it's rude to insult the dead!"

"Dead, shmead," Ymir muttered. This time, however, she was wise enough to keep it to a whisper so that the Survey Corps soldiers couldn't hear her.

"Wait," Carla protested, moved to her husband as Grisha pulled on a hat. "You need to talk to Eren!"

"Carla," Grisha responded simply. "Human curiosity is not something you can restrain with a lecture. Eren. When I get back, I'll show you what's in my basement." He pulled out a key tied around his neck, and it glinted in the sunlight.

"The basement? What's in the basement?" Hanji questioned brightly. Gohan gave her a very serious look.

"Everything," He replied seriously. The room silenced at that, but Gohan said nothing more, turning back to the television even as Erwin shared a look with Levi, Mike, and Hanji. The show started up once again.

"Really?!" Eren exclaimed, grinning. Grisha tucked the key away, and he left, waving to Eren as he shouted his farewells. As soon as he was out of sight, Carla turned to him.

"I won't let you," she announced. "Joining the Survey Corps? Don't be stupid."

"Huh? Stupid?" Eren exclaimed, instantly angry again. "I think people who are fine being cattle are way more stupid!"

"Someone who is determined to throw away their life is stupid," Jean muttered.

With that, he rushed off in a fit of frustration, turning around a corner and out of sight. Carla reached out for him, obviously worried, then turned to Mikasa and clasped her shoulders.

"Mikasa," she pleaded with her. "Sometimes he doesn't think things through. When you're in trouble, you must help one another!"

Mikasa nodded. "Okay."

"That explains a lot…" Mina murmured, looking down. "Why she's so protective of Eren, at least."

"So that's why she guards him like Sasha does her food," Connie muttered at the same time. Either way, most of the cadets suddenly felt like they were delving a bit too deep into the psyche of the top trainee in the 104th.

The scene changed to that of an alley. A young teen's voice rang out over the screen.

"What's wrong, heretic? If you don't like it, fight back!"

A ten-year-old Armin was slammed roughly up against the wall. He grunted, grabbing the arm of the kid who had shoved him. The camera panned out to see three older boys having cornered him.

Marco winced, having used to be bullied as a child. Jean ducked his head as well, having once been a bully. Training and the 104th in general had mellowed him out a lot, but this scene still brought back unwelcome memories.

"No way," Armin replied determinedly. "That would put me on your level!"

Levi raised an eyebrow. Noble, but in the end only a thinly veiled confession of the child's natural weakness. There were times to fight, even if it meant putting yourself at the "level" of those you were fighting. Sometimes it was necessary.

"What?!"

"You know what I said is true! That's why you're hitting me instead of arguing. Doesn't that mean you admit that I win?" The kid holding Armin balked.

"Shut your damn mouth!" He reached up for another hit.

"Stop it!"

Eren turned the corner into the alley, a tiny ball of rage and fury.

Sasha chuckled to herself, finding the image amusing.

"It's Eren!" One of the boys announced. He and his friends prepared to fight. "The fool's back! He wants to get his butt kicked? Let's give him what he wants!"

Mikasa appeared from behind Eren. The boys froze.

"I-It's Mikasa!"

"Let's get out of here!"

Now there was laughter, though more because any lighter mood was better than the despondent and serious one they seemed to be stuck in ever since arriving here.

In a flash, the boys were gone, racing out of the alley. Eren stopped by Armin, grinning.

"They all ran when they saw me!" He announced triumphantly.

"That's cute," Petra chuckled.

"No, they ran away when they saw Mikasa," Armin corrected him quietly, standing up and wincing. "Ouch..."

"Hey, are you okay, Armin?" Eren asked, walking over to his friend and reaching out a hand. Armin looked at it, then winced and looked at the ground once again.

"I can stand on my own."

"Okay."

Levi blinked, silently retracting some of his previous assessment. So the kid had some pride in him. Not enough to blind him, but just enough to prompt him to push himself. He liked that.

Meanwhile, Erwin was thinking something along the same lines. This Armin thought critically and didn't follow the standard society set, both from what he had seen as a cadet and a child. He made a mental note to follow the kid.

The scene changed to look over the canal running through Shiganshina. Armin, Eren, and Mikasa all sat together near the edge, watching the water as the sun set.

"So I said humanity should go out into the world someday," Armin was saying. "And they hit me and called me a heretic."

"Course they did," Connie sniffed. "I remember my little sister came home once with a black eye because she said that the Survey Corps would one day take back Wall Maria."

Even the older adults nodded in private agreement. Most had been subjects of this kind of prejudice after joining the corps. Erwin, however, couldn't help but relate the most to these three cadets. He had been very much the same in his childhood, save for the fact that he'd had no friends to share his beliefs.

"Damn it," Eren muttered, throwing a rock into the canal. "Why does everyone act if you're crazy if you want to go outside?"

"Because staying in the walls has brought peace for over a hundred years," Armin answered quietly. "They're afraid that if too many of us venture out, we'll run the risk of letting the titans in. So the government declared any interest in the outside world taboo."

"He had all that figured out as a kid?" Moblit mused aloud.

Eren scowled. "That's our lives we're risking; it's our business!"

The Special Ops squad and Hanji nodded to themselves.

"You can't," Mikasa announced firmly. Armin and Eren looked to her. "No."

Marco nodded to himself. You couldn't just throw away your life for nothing. What about everyone who cared for you, and how bad they would hurt?

"Come to think of it, why did you tell my parents?" Eren demanded.

"I don't remember saying I'd help."

"Sassy!" Hanji chortled.

"H-how'd it go?" Armin asked tentatively.

"Well… they weren't happy," Eren admitted.

"I bet." Armin sighed. "But you're right. I wonder about those who think that staying inside the walls will protect us forever. Just because the walls haven't been breached in a hundred years doesn't mean they won't be today."

There was a moment of complete silence. The camera panned to a shot of Wall Maria.

"I have a bad feeling about this…" Petra murmured.

"Déjà vu," Nabana agreed.

Then a large burst of lightning shot down from the sky with a thunderous crack. Eren, Mikasa, and Armin were all thrown into the air from the force of it; people in the nearby street toppled over as well. Smoke rose from behind Wall Maria.

Mina and Connie let out dual cries as Mike stiffened reflexively. Erwin leaned forwards and Levi clenched his fists. Hanji, on the other hand, practically started foaming at the mouth. Moblit easily and gratefully accepted two notepads with pencils from Gohan, who had somehow had them on hand. The young man prepared to sketch what he saw, as Hanji snatched the other notepad.

"He's here!" Hanji squealed, already scribbling down notes as fast as she could. "Moblit, you know what to do!"

Bertolt wilted into his seat. He, Reiner, and Annie had all stayed very quiet throughout the screening by this point precisely for this very moment. They could not draw attention to themselves right now.

Armin winced as the three friends got up, speaking first.

"What? An explosion?"

They looked to the nearby street, where people were beginning to look to Wall Maria and shout.

The tension in the room was thick enough to slice through with a knife.

"Over there!" Said one man.

"I think something fell from the sky!" Another added.

Armin ran ahead. Eren and Mikasa rushed after him. When he reached the street, Armin only looked up and stared.

Nothing was said, and no one moved except for Hanji's scratch of pencil on paper.

"What's wrong?" Eren asked. "What can you see?"

Then he looked up. The camera panned up to Wall Maria, where a giant, skinless hand gripped the wall. Suddenly, it grew bigger, and broke the stone with its grip.

Moblit quickly sketched the transformation.

"No way…" Armin breathed. "That wall… is fifty meters tall!"

"It's one of them," Eren replied. A giant shadow overlooked the district. A giant, skinless head, took shape, emitting steam from its mouth and skin. "A titan!"

Hanji nearly fainted, but wasn't blind enough to not sense the crippling tension in the room. She managed to keep her nerd-out to herself. Barely.

Meanwhile, Mina was really beginning to understand why Eren and the others had left with Pixel. She was probably going to have nightmares for days now, and she wasn't even there in real life!

The Colossal Titan shifted position, one leg raised in the air, then dropped it down, tearing into the gate of Shiganshina. A woman was blown away and houses torn down from the initial blast. A tower fell through the air, crushing several people at once. Outside the wall, numerous titans began walking towards the now open gate. The Colossal Titan lowered its head and disappeared.

"It broke…" Armin murmured, having been thrown to the ground yet again. "A hole in the wall." A titan walked through the gate and into Shiganshina. People began screaming and running for the inner wall. "We have to get out of here!" He paused, then exclaimed: "Eren!"

"My house is over there…" Eren replied, in shock as he staggered forwards. "My mom!"

A small gasp went throughout those who didn't know the basics of Eren's past. Bertolt turned green and covered his face with his hands. Annie positioned herself so that Sasha and Connie, also nearer to the back, wouldn't see, and couldn't help but be grateful that everyone else was in front of them and completely focused on the television.

Mikasa raced after him, and Armin raised a hand. "Mikasa!" He made as if to follow, but his hand shook violently, and he drew back. "It's all over… The titans are going to take over the city!"

Realistic as well, Erwin noted, trying to keep his mind off of the scene he was seeing.

Eren and Mikasa raced back to their house, bumping into people running the opposite way. A woman cried over a crushed body.

"Don't worry, Bertolt," Reiner murmured into his friend's ear. "They're the bad guys, remember?"

That phrase did not help at all.

Nothing hit my house! Eren's thoughts rang out on screen. Once I turn the corner, My house will still be there! They turned the corner. Eren's house had been crushed by a boulder. "Mom!" He screamed. "Mom!"

Even Levi was affected by cry, if only slightly. Mina looked as if she was about to cry.

Carla twitched, half covered in rubble, at her son's voice. She looked up as Eren and Mikasa reached her and began trying to dig her out.

"Eren," she began.

"Mikasa, grab that side!" Eren interrupted her, screaming. "We have to get her out of this!"

Denial, Levi sighed, not averting his eyes. The woman was as good as dead. There was nothing the kid could have done. But no doubt he was still agonizing over it five years later, seeing how his friends were reacting. Pity. Soon enough he'd have to get over it if he ever wanted to be a good soldier.

They tried to no avail. Slow, heavy steps began to vibrate the street. Eren and Mikasa looked up to see a 15-meter titans walk through the streets adjacent to them. One foot landed on the ground ahead of them, shattering a well. It's mouth was held up in a permanent smile as it looked down on the three people.

"Hurry, Mikasa!" Eren screamed as they tried once again to get Carla free.

"I know!"

Carla looked at her two children, eyes wide with fear. "The titans are inside, aren't they?" She asked, but waited for no answer. "Eren, take Mikasa and run! Now!"

That was it. Mina burst into silent tears. Eld, who himself had a fiancée, looked very shaken as well. Though he had discussed many scenarios of his death with his wife-to-be, it'd never been in a situation like this. He suddenly wondered how she'd react if he was in Carla's position.

"I want to run!" Eren shot back, trying with all his might to move the beam. "So hurry and get out of there!"

"My legs were crushed by the rubble," Carla responded quietly. "Even if I get out, I can't run." Eren looked at her with a horrified and heartbroken expression. "You understand, don't you?"

There was nothing now, except a horrified silence. Even Reiner seemed affected by it, sitting back in his chair with shadowed eyes.

"Then I'll carry you!"

They were both crying now. "Why won't you listen to me?! At least listen this one last time!" Mikasa bent down, tears beginning to fall as well as the 15-meter titan approached. "Mikasa!"

This was such a hard thing to ask of a normal child. Levi knew that from experience, having watch similar scenarios from his time in the underground. Perhaps he couldn't really understand it, but he had seen it happen many times.

"No!" she whispered fiercely, also refusing to give up.

"If you don't go…" Carla murmured. "All three of us will…"

Hannes raced towards them on his 3DM gear.

"Hannes! Take the kids and run!"

And suddenly Erwin understood why Hannes had left with the three cadets. He could certainly understand why. Even now, he didn't like being reminded of his many failures as a commander of the Survey Corps.

Hannes forced a smile. "Don't underestimate me, Carla," he replied. "I'll defeat the titan and save you all!" He leapt to go face the titan, even as Carla screamed at him to stop.

She's right, Hannes thought. If it were just the kids, I could save them. But I'm going to repay that family for what they did for me!

What did they do for him? Hanji questioned. But she filed the question away for later, once again knowing that now wasn't the time to ask it.

But then he stopped, taking in the titan fully, his expression morphing into one of terror as he seemed to grasp just how far out of his depth he was. He sheathed his swords, grabbed Eren and Mikasa, and began to run.

"Wait, Hannes!" Eren pleaded, fighting desperately. "What are you doing?!"

"We all froze up like that when facing our first titan," Moblit murmured, having finished a rough sketch of the Colossal Titan. He had noticed Jean's shocked and slightly disgusted expression. "But we had backup to keep us alive. He didn't."

"It's for the best that he didn't face it," Levi added. "He would have gotten all of them killed."

Carla smiled softly, tears still in her eyes. "Thank you," she whispered.

"My mom is still back there!" Eren pleaded.

"Eren! Mikasa!" Carla screamed, reaching out her one free arm. "You must survive!"

There was a brief flashback to Carla cleaning Eren's face as Grisha read a book and Mikasa held out a basket. Carla stopped speaking, drawing back her hand to her mouth as she began to cry in earnest.

"Don't go…" she whispered, just as the 15-meter reached her house.

Eld himself had to blink back tears, once again thinking of his fiancée.

Eren gasped as he watched form over Hannes' back, the 15-meter tearing into his house. It grasped Carla by both hands.

"Stop!" Eren roared.

Carla struggled in vain as she was lifted up. The titan grabbed her head and lower body, snapping it in half. Eren's pleas stopped as he watched in horror, unable to look away. Mikasa turned herself to stare ahead of them. Then, the titan devoured Carla as Eren watched, blood spraying everywhere.

Bertolt staggered to the back and threw up into the wastebasket. Thankfully for the "Titan Trio," those who even noticed just assumed he was flashbacking to the attack of the titans in the village.

"That day," The narrator (Armin?) continued. "Humanity remembered. The terror of being ruled by them. The humiliation of being kept in a cage."

The screen turned off, leaving a silent crowd in its wake.

Episode One was finished. And with a bang at that.

Edit: Okay, so as of right before I publish this story, I apparently now have 101 favorites?! I... I just can't right now. I do not deserve this!

Huge thanks and shout out to NariDragoCat44 and khamzat00, who are my 100th and 101st favorites respectively, and the rest of my follows and favorites as well. I really thought that I'd never get this far, especially on a story that I came within an inch of leaving for dead.