The Guardian's Tale (AOT fanfiction)

-A Sound Argument-

My bare back against the stone cold wall, I silently watched as the flame danced around my hand, leaving it unharmed as though its very presence was to be cherished. The air was tense yet quiet, the only sounds resonating through the cellar being the occasional crackle of the fire as well as the water slowly dripping from the sink.

"Huh ? Yuki ?" Hange suddenly called out, breaking the heavy silence. "Aren't you supposed to be in bed recovering ?"

"Oh...hello Hange-San." I greeted before slowly getting up. "I'm doing just fine don't worry."

Almost immediately, a chill ran down my spine and I could feel Eren's emerald glare burn into my back, as if he was trying to get through me in order to get to Hange. The Commander calmly walked past me and placed her hand on the steel bars, clearly trying to make conversation with Eren despite his frightening silence. 

"We spent all night talking about Titans the first time we met, didn't we ?" Hange asked, stirring up painful memories from back when I could still recognize my friend. "You stayed quiet and listened through my whole story. I always knew that you wouldn't sacrifice Historia."

--- Flashback ---

For a brief moment, I examined the woman that had become the first foreign embassador to walk on our land, Kiyomi Azumabito, before bowing slightly not only as a sign of respect but as a desperate attempt to hide my face from the people my clan had left behind. 

"I recognize those eyes." The woman spoke up. "Princess...it is an honor to finally met you."

"The pleasure is all mine Miss Azumabito." I simply replied before straightening up. 

After a few moment of awkward yet oddly calm silence, she held out a strange piece of fabric with what seemed to be a family crest on it before asking if we recognized it. As if to ask what she should to, Mikasa looked over at Eren and I, and I simply nodded, knowing that there was no point in hiding it now of all times. Under the shocked gaze of the embassadors, she unraveled the bandage on her wrist to reveal that same crest, before explaining that it had been passed down to her by her mother and her ancestors. 

With a relieved expression on her face, Miss Azumabito went on to explain that about a hundred years ago, there was a Shogun's son from the Azumabito lineage that was on good terms with the Fritz royal family and visited Paradis often. However, after the great Titan War, the great nation of Hizuru was defeated and lost its standing in the world. Amid all of the confusion, the remaining members of the Shogun family as well as my clan were left on this island, leaving them with no rulers and no army. According to her, Mikasa was a descendant of the nation's lord whom they lost, making her and I Hizuru's hope.

-----

"Today is a historical day for both of our nations." Miss Azumabito stated as she sat on side of the table opposite from us. "This day would never come if not thanks to Zeke Yeager who brought us together. I would like to report that in exchange of letting us meet Lady Mikasa and Lady Uchiha, we met the man in secret and agreed to certain conditions."

As soon as the shifter's mention left her mouth, my eyes flickered between Scarlet and Gold as I tried to hide my hatered towards the name alone. According to the embassador, in exchange for cooperating with Zeke's plan, he had promised Hizuru an industry big enough to win over the big nations. In her eyes, the resources that slept on our island, which Zeke had called the iceburst stone, was akin to a gold and silver treasure. They just used Mikasa and I as an excuse ? 

"So what kind of arrangement have you made with Zeke Yeager ?" Historia asked.

"As you know, Zeke Yeager claims to have a secret plan." The embassador repeated as her assistant handed us all pieces of paper. "And that plan requires Hizuru's mediation. These are the three steps required to protect this island using the Rumbling."

She went on to explain that the first step was the experimental use of the Rumbling, where we had to show a part of its power to let the world know its destructive potential. The second was Hizuru's mediation, whose goal would be to raise the military strength of Paradis to the point where it will no longer require the Rumbling to protect itself. The last step was the continuous possession of the Founding and a Titan of royal blood during that period, which meant that Zeke would need to pass down the Beast to a person with Royal Blood. That person would have to spend the 13 years thay had to bear as many children as possible.

Despite my attempt at seeming as calm as possible, my body begged to differ and the paper started slowly burning away in my hand. What kind of sick joke is this ?

"I understand." Historia finally spoke up. "I agree to inherit the Beast Titan, as long as the Rumbling is necessary for our continued existence."

Before I could protest, Eren stood up and slammed his hands on the table as rage filled his emerald eyes, which reflected mine as perfectly as a mirror.

"If broken walls, trampled land and children bred and killed like livestock are what we must pay just to stay alive...I absolutely can't accept Zeke Yeager's plan." He stated. "It is dangerous to entrust our fate to the possession of the Rumbling. Wouldn't it be better for us to use all the time we have left to think of the best option possible ?"

--- End of Flashback ---

I looked down at the puddle of water that had leaked from Eren's cell and caught a glimpse of my scar, still as visible as it was 9 years ago. Ignoring Hange and Eren's conversation, I dipped my finger in the water and started tracing odd shapes on the floor while the water faded as quickly as it had appeared.

"I ate the Warhammer Titan." Eren suddenly spoke up. "This Titan can freely use hardening while deep underground and create weapons or anything it needs. In other words, it's pointless to lock me up, no matter how deep underground the cell is. I can leave this place whenever I want and of course, you can't kill me as I have the Founder. No matter what threat I pose, you can't kill Zeke either. Hange...just what can you do ?"

Just as he was about to grab the Commander's collar, I pushed her out of the way and his hand came to wrap itself around my neck instead, immediately cutting off my air supply. He looked at me dead in the eyes and I froze, more frightened than I had ever been by just looking at the rage that now filled his gaze. I quickly regained my senses as my vision started to fade and I pushed myself away from him, forcefully ripping his hand away from my throat.

For a moment, I just laid on the floor coughing and gasping for air, I could feel several of my wounds being reopened as blood started to stain the bandages covering my chest. I don't recognize him anymore...

-----

As Jean started changing my bandages, I looked outside at the setting Sun which cast a strange yet beautiful orange light into the room. The remainder of the Levi Squad all sat together, just as we did every night since most of us were either insomniac or scared to go back to sleep because of what we saw every time we closed our eyes.

"Hey guys." Connie called out. "Did that look like Eren to you ? Not me, that wasn't Eren. If he's made up his mind to side with his half-brother over us...We've gotta be prepared to cut him down if necessar-"

"I won't let you !" Mikasa objected. "Eren cares about us more than anyone. You guys should know that. Maybe that's why he's so hostile to anyone who isn't one of us. He cares too much."

"That's not it." Jean interfered. "No matter how strong you were, the old him tried to keep you off of the front lines. But he made Armin destroy the port and pulled Yuki and you into the fight All of us too, the ones he called important."

Suddenly, Connie turned to us with a distraught look on his face, as if he had just witnessed his worst nightmare play out right in front of his eyes over and over. 

"Mikasa, Yuki...When Sasha dies, what did Eren do ?" He asked. "Did he cry ? Did he regret his actions ? He laughed. What part of it was funny to him ? What part of Sasha dying ? Explain it to me, why was Eren laughing ? You know everything about him right ?"

Exhausted and unable to comprehend why the world seemed to be falling apart, I buried my face in the crook of Jean's neck, as if I was looking for a safe place to get away from it all. Just as I closed my eyes, I felt Jean's arm wrap itself around me and Mikasa's hand intertwine with my own. I just want this nightmare to end...I want to die.

TO BE CONTINUED !