You're Not Real

15. Truth about E001R0129E-N

"Levi, this is what makes Eren my greatest creation. Why he feels and acts the way he does. Eren is not a robot, he is human."

Freezing in my place where I stood, I looked up staring at Eren's creator with wide eyes. "What did you just say?" My question came out as a whisper, thinking I must have heard her wrong.

"Eren is human, he isn't a robot." She smiled at me as she moved Eren and opened the plug in port at the back of his neck. Remaining silent as I think over what she said, I watch her remove some memory cards from his port before cleaning them and placing them back in.

"You're fucking insane, you do realize what you just did right? Humans don't have machine parts in them! Look at him! You powered him off. He isn't even breathing! He isn't real!"

Staring at his lifeless body, my heart pounds hating this sight. How I want him to be awake, seeing him breathing, watching a smile appear on his lips. Hearing his beautiful laugh, to gaze into the most gorgeous eyes I have ever seen.

"Levi please, you have to believe me. Eren is real."

"If he is real as you say, then how the fuck did I describe his looks perfectly!"

"There is a reason Farlan and Isabel got him for you. You met Eren before Levi, that's how you knew his face. It was years ago, he was only a child back then. Him and I were shopping when you ran into Eren. I took him to the small town, for a change from the bustling city. We were walking down the street. It was Autumn, the trees were all changing colours, the wind was getting cold. You ran into him outside of a flower shop, you then..."

My eyes opened wide as I recalled this memory she spoke of. That day, I recall bumping into a child when I was walking with Farlan and Isabel. I remember him falling clearly in my mind, he started crying. So I bought a single rose from the shop, and gave it to him. In my mind I recall his tanned skin, his chestnut brown hair, his turquoise eyes.

"How, how is this possible?" I whisper as I gazed down at his lifeless face, only to realize he was that very child. The child I bought the rose for. "How?"

"You see, the thing is. Eren's parents both were robbed and murdered, when he was just a young boy. So he moved in with me. He is my Nephew. His mother was my step sister, and after they both died." She left out a heavy sigh. "He had no other family but me, I was his only guardian left."

"That still doesn't explain how he is a DOLL." I muttered confused.

"When Eren turned eighteen, he was in a car accident. A driver hit Eren's car, his car flipped and crashed hard into a tree. Eren was barely breathing at the time, in the hospital the doctors said there was nothing to be done to save him. That his organs were all ripped to pieces and bleeding internally. That his bones were crushed, they told me he was dying. I couldn't just sit there, and watch my only family member die."

"Wait, what are you saying." Looking at Hanji, she was gazing at Eren. "You did this to him? You turned him into this?"

"Yes. I brought him here from the hospital. I did the biggest operation any doctor could never imagine. I opened him up and removed all the damaged bones from his body, only to replace them with the skeletal structure of a robot. He does still have many human bones still, but the main ones are robotics. Then the next part was removing his damaged organs, which I replaced with machines."

"You could have killed him doing all this." I blurt out shocked.

"He was already dying anyways Levi. I was giving him another chance to live. He didn't deserve to die, he was too young. He deserved to live, to find love, to find you."

"How much does he know?" I whisper as I graze his still cheek with my fingers gently.

"None of it. Eren believes he is a DOLL."

"So all his memories are gone?"

"Yes and no. I put a program in him, that blocked out any of his old memories. I wanted him to start fresh. I wanted him to live a happy life. Then Farlan contacted me about making a DOLL for his best friend, he gave me the exact looks you described."

"Which was of the young boy I gave the rose to." I whispered quietly, my eyes not leaving Eren. "I always remembered that boy's looks. How deep down I would love to see him grown up, how handsome he must have become."

"Yes. Then Farlan told me of the boy, and I knew instantly it was Eren. He was getting sad staying here with me, I knew he craved freedom. So I removed his memories of living here with me, I blocked them all and gave him a fresh start with you. It hurt to give him away, but you make him happy. I can see it in his eyes, his smile. He loves you Levi, and you love him."

"Yes, I love him. What would happen if Eren got his memories back?"

"I'm unsure. He would be startled and scared I am sure of that much. I can always give his memories back, but it might be a huge shock to him."

I nod my head. "Naturally, he thinks he is a DOLL, a robot." I gazed at his face. "I have one more question. What is his real name?"

Hanji let out a soft little laugh. "His DOLL name wasn't chosen at random. I used the letters of his true name, in hopes you would realize what it spelt."

Hearing this oddly made me happy. So the name I gave him was nothing but his true name after all. "You're real Eren. You're real. May I turn him back on now? I hate the sight of him like this."

"Yes, but Levi. I feel it best to keep this conversation between us, for now at least."

Nodding my head in agreement, leaning over I press the power button. Slowly I watch as he once more starts to breath, through the assist of his mechanical organs he now has. Watching as he let his eyelids flutter open, I smile instantly gazing into those eyes I truly love.

"Welcome back Eren." Leaning down I softly kiss his lips.

...