There was a click and my body got thrown forward. Or at least it was supposed to have been like that. I felt the pull the second I went up and counterbalanced by throwing my body back.
And there I was completely stationary in the air.
More stable than anyone else.
::XXX:: (timeskip, different scenes)
Until my body began to swing again. Between trees. A rope projected itself at blazing speeds and dug into a bough, metres ahead of me.
A gust of steam blew from behind my back, combined with the pull from the ropes. My body became weightless.
I flew into the air.
The canopy of the forest was in sight. And so was the sight of my unit emerging from the forest.
I was free up here.
The rope flew yet again and attached itself to a tree. I descended into the forest I just emerged from.
I turned eighteen.
XXth July 847
The final day.
::XXX::
"Eren, which regiment are you picking?" Reiner asked.
That was supposedly the final meal we would have together as cadets. The next time we would be full-fledged soldiers.
"The survey corps." I proclaimed.
The canteen turned its attention to me.
"Why the survey corps?! You should be able to go in whatever squad you want!" Connie came into the conversation.
"I made a deal."
"A deal big enough for you to sacrifice your life over?!"
"The deal itself? No. But the deal was borne from my responsibility. There's no way I can give it up." My responsibility to save those near to me. There was no point in being free if you had to be alone.
"So what will you do there?" Jean asked. "They just go around exploring the woods and dying. Is that really all you'll do?"
"No..." I almost sighed. "While I'm there I'll kill every titan." The voice that came out of my mouth was cold. Cold enough to freeze the room. No one moved.
It was probably because my words were way too out there as well.
"What will you get by doing that?" Jean looked uncomfortable.
"I'll give my people freedom." By my people I didn't mean the people of the nation, I meant Mikasa, Armin, and Mom.
The only way I could ever be free was if everyone I wanted to protect didn't need protection anymore. I wanted to be unnecessary. This had to be the stupidest dream ever. I would sacrifice myself just so that I wouldn't have to be sacrificed anymore.
The happiness I've lived in for the past two years has been fake. I was just filling the role of the Eren Yaeger who wasn't there anymore.
"I'll be a scout." I put my hand down.
"Me too." Mikasa joined in. I'd much rather have her be inside the walls. But I couldn't imagine doing anything without her. And if it was her, then maybe it should be fine. A justification I gave to my weak self.
If anything went wrong, I would protect her. I was above a titan in the hierarchy. I was born to kill titans.
"I'll do it too." Armin said naturally.
'This can't go on.'
"No, you won't. You'll stay inside the walls." I shut him down as soon as he got his confidence together.
He became startled for a minute.
"Wh-what are you talking about, Eren?"
"You'll stay inside. I can't guarantee my own safety. I need you inside, so you can take care of Mikasa and Mom in case something happens to me."
"You're telling me to stay in safety when the both of you are risking your life?"
"Us going to the scouts would be useless if we all die."
"Why me, then?!" He was on the verge of crying back then.
I wished that I could've assured him that he wasn't a burden. That I just wanted him to live on his own happiness. But that would've been awfully hypocritical of me.
"You are weak." I said.
Everything escalated from there.
"EREN!" Mikasa shouted at me for the first time in a while.
"Is that what you really think?" No, it's not.
"You wouldn't survive a day out there." I lied. And as soon as I did, a punch comes straight at me. Not from Mikasa, not from Armin, but Annie.
'See? You already have someone who would take care of you.'
I could've dodged the punch. But I took it.
"Think of it as repaying your favour to me." I rub my cheek.
I left the canteen and headed to the assembly area.
The torches lit the entire field and the commanders of the squads were stationed upfront.
"Did you have to do that, Eren?" Mikasa caught up from behind me.
"He would've joined us if I didn't go at least that far."
"Did you mean what you said?"
"No, I didn't. I just needed at least one of us to be safe." I lined up front. "If something were to happen to me, then he would have to take care of both you and Mom. He should be more than capable of doing that."
Mikasa nodded her head. Or rather she couldn't think of a reply.
The crowd slowly trickled out of the canteen and lined up behind us.
"Now for the commanders to introduce their squads." Keith was awfully docile that day.
"Dhalis Zachary... Military." A man announced.
"Nile Dawks of the military police."
"I am Dot Pyxis, the Garrison Unit commander. I hope for your cooperation."
After all the bigger names introduced themselves, chattering started among the back.
"Titans are a threat!" A clear distinct voice resounded across the field. "The titans are a threat that humanity has been ignoring for centuries!" The voices in the back quieted down abruptly.
"We have become comfortable living in our tiny cage... and decided that our safety mattered more than freedom! We have become sheep in a pen, living inside in the fear of titans. No one dreams to see the ocean, no one dreams to reclaim Paradis! Humanity has lost their will!" Commander Erwin gasped for breath.
"Yet there are some that still fight! They fight to see the world outside! They sacrifice their lives to kill just one more titan! And they will do so until not a single titan remains. This is the duty of the survey corps! WE WILL ERADICATE EVERY TITAN FROM THIS WORLD AND RECLAIM OUR LAND! THAT IS MY PROMISE!"
The crowd got riled up but no one said anything. No matter how much they were told the truth, sheep would still be sheep.
"JOIN ME AT THE SURVEY CORPS IF YOU WANT TO LIVE AS A HUMAN!"
'What does that make me then?'
The unsettled crowd had a fire in their eyes, but their skin was too thick to let the warmth out. Everyone was moved, but nobody cheered.
It took a minute for Commandant Keith to take charge again.
"With that out of the way! Let me announce the rankings!" He looked down at us and opened his mouth. "The top-ranked cadet of the 104th cadet corps is-
EREN YAEGER!"
