Honorary Scout

Epilogue

When Evelyn opened her eyes again, she found herself to be standing in the Paths; heart not bleeding and eyes fully functioning.

Fully functioning to be able to register the faces of Ymir, Rose and Sina Fritz. Ymir Fritz was now the woman in her twenties whom Evelyn, or rather Maria, had missed the most. Rose and Sina Fritz were the little girls in their single digits whom Evelyn, or rather Maria, had missed the most.

The four females stared at each other for a moment, before Ymir suddenly grabbed Evelyn and began to hug her tight, nearly squeezing the life out of her.

"M-Mother! Hold o-"

Evelyn barely managed to choke out while Rose and Sina simply giggled on watching the scene. They quickly stopped though, when their mother finally broke the hug and revealed the tears streaking her face.

This is all my fault.

She signed using her hands.

You are here today because of me.

"Yes, because you took the Rumbling forward and tried to destroy the world that I have always loved as both Maria and as Evelyn."

Evelyn replied while gently taking Ymir's hands into her own.

"I did what I did to make you realize that. Yeah, I'm dead, but that isn't what matters right now. What matters right now is that you understand how far down you had fallen into your darkness."

Evelyn smiled softly.

"And that you need to rise back to that woman with the golden heart who had raised the three of us."

How?

Ymir signed.

How do I leave all this behind? How do I free myself from all of this? I am tired, my daughters. I am tired. For two thousand long years, even my soul could not die in peace and I was trapped here to do the bidding of my descendants.

"As a result, you trapped us here as statues too."

Sina chimed in.

"Yeah."

Evelyn raised a brow.

"What are you two doing here? Shouldn't you have been sand statues?"

"Sister."

Rose stepped forward and held one of Evelyn's two hands while Sina stepped forward to hold the other one.

"Tell us honestly. Do you forgive us for what we did to you?"

"Oh."

Evelyn chuckled.

"Maybe under any other circumstances, I probably wouldn't have. Your betrayal had really hurt me. But."

Evelyn drawled out before Rose and Sina's hearts could sink.

"If you hadn't killed me before my time was up, Mother would have never made Maria Fritz be reborn as Evelyn Jaeger. And if Maria Fritz had not been reborn as Evelyn Jaeger, then I would have never known the family that had loved me so unconditionally for all the nine years that I got to live as Evelyn Jaeger."

Her heart clenched tightly at the realization of never being able to see her precious family ever again. But at least they could be safe and happy with each other now. Mikasa would never lose Eren again.

"Besides, I still love the two of you as much as I did two thousand years ago. So, yes, I do forgive you."

"That must be why we are not sand statues anymore!"