The Guardian's Tale (AOT fanfiction)

-Midnight Train-

"Oh...Angel watch out for the stairs...here I'll go first." Eren warned.

"Stop being such a worrywart I'll be fine." I said as I let out a small laugh. "I'm used to it now."

I memorized his footstep pattern and made it up onto what seemed to be some sort of balcony. I could hear the buzzing of voices on the streets and the joy of what seemed to be women. Probably because their husbands had returned home. I let the cool breeze hit my face but almost immediately reeled back. This...was nothing like home at all. I felt something get placed on my head and I lifted my hand up to touch it but a rough hand placed itself over mine.

"Your hood." Eren informed me. "You really shouldn't be walking around with odd hair like that. I really don't get why you followed me."

"Well that's cuz you're a suicidal maniac and you'd d-" My voice trailed off when I heard a familiar sound. "...Hey, who are the people walking right below us ?"

He didn't answer but I didn't need him too. I memorized the voice of all our comrades...and this was definitely Reiner's voice. I shook my head and leaned my forearms on what seemed to be the handrail. No...it had been 4 years...and I had to focus on the task at hand. This war had gone on for far too long...and we'd seen far too much hell to sit back and watch everything we love slowly disappear. Over the past 4 years, we'd sunk 32 battleships that Marley had sent as scouts...now it was time to finish this once and for all. 

"After all...I almost killed him once." I thought. "There's no reason that I wouldn't be able to end him this time...for my comrades."

(.........)

Eren and I were standing in a line of what seemed to be injured soldiers. I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, nervous about what would happen if he and I got caught. Suddenly, a small voice sounded and I slightly tilted my head. A child ?

"Are they injured soldiers, Mr. Koslow ?" The small voice asked.

"Huh ? Stay outta the way brat." An annoying voice, which reminded me of the people in the Interior, replied. "They're Eldians with emotional trauma."

The annoying voice, which seemed to belong to a large middle aged man, then explained that they had spent too long digging up the trenches and how the bullets and bombs messed with their heads. I clenched my fist, annoyed at the fact that he sounded like an MP who had never seen a single Titan in his life.

"BOOM !" He suddenly yelled.

My heart skipped a beat and Eren fell to the ground, dragging me down with him. I heard people laughing and Eren softly grabbed my shoulder. Those bastards...how could they use someone's trauma against them ?

"Your armbands are on the wrong arm." The small voice, probably a 12 year old boy, suddenly spoke up. "It's ok, I'm sure you'll get better. You don't have to fight anymore."

I heard a rustling of fabric next to me and assumed he'd moved Eren's armband. A few moments later, I felt mine get moved as well. I heard Eren grab his crutch and he gently pulled me up as I listened to the boy's small footsteps get further and further.

"A child..." I thought. "This world really is cruel...far beyond our repair."

I turned my head sideways in one sharp move as I felt a familiar presence. Could it be...Jean ? What in the world was he doing here ? Eren tugged on the rope around my wrist and I slightly flinched before following after him. As we walked, I caught a glimpse of a conversation which made me both sad and angry.

"Once we get kill every single one of those rotten devils on Paradise Island, we'll finally be free mother." A boy who couldn't be older than 16 stated.

Devils ? What did we ever do to them ? They're the ones who started this war by sending Titans to kill us all. We never even knew about them to begin with...so why were WE the devils when all we ever did was try to survive ? They were the true Devils...the ones who put us through hell. And we were going to end it once and for all...by killing them even if it meant it would strip us from the last bits of humanity we had.

TO BE CONTINUED !
(I know it was short I'm sorry but I wanted to use the most I could of Eren's screen time in this episode.)