A New World, year 2022

14 Meeting people from the future

  So... - Annie said looking at the adult-looking Armin. - Are you Armin Arlert, but from a different dimension?

  The boy smiled at her.

  You got it, surely you know the one from yours... - The boy answered looking at them.

  Ah, you know man? Yo' look like a girl in this dimension... - Pieck answered in a tone of laughter while his back was turned, an answer that made Armin and Mikasa laugh and annoy Annie.

  He looks the same as you when you were 15... - Mikasa commented from her place looking at Armin with a very neutral face.

  But in addition to the interesting talk they were having, Hange was intrigued by the other Annie, the one from the world of SNK, who instead of being attentive to them, kept away from them, without saying anything, avoiding any kind of interaction.

  They were about to reach the cars, ready to leave for Los Angeles, which Armin was quite intrigued about, he did want to know what cities were like in that dimension, but he saw that the adult Annie was slow to arrive, walking at a slow pace.

  Quick Annie! - He suggested making a sign with his hands.

  Annie arrived at the same pace, making the rest wait a few seconds, Annie arrived and looked at Armin, who was with her when she was in the crystal.

  Don't hand me orders, you son of a bitch. - She answered looking at him with a murderous look that had almost no description, automatically heading towards one of the cars, leaving everyone very surprised.

  Holy sh... - Young Annie reacted looking at the scene amazed and terrified.

  Just... Let her have her space... - Hange commented, swallowing a little nervously getting into the car.

  On the trip, there were two cars, and the entire group had been split between both cars, Eren was unconscious in one of the cars along with Annie, Hange, and the adult Armin. Meanwhile, they were talking during the trip to Los Angeles.

  What's year...? - Asked Armin, settling into the trip, he never imagined that time's cars would look like that, although Hange had nothing special, it was just a Chevrolet Onix Sedan, not impressive for a country like the United States.

  We are in 2022... - Hange replied with a very cheerful tone.

  Wow ... We come from 854 in our alternate reality, or at least on those dates we killed Eren... - The adult Armin answered somewhat impressed.

  You come from... The Middle Ages... Right? - Questioned Annie, she was very surprised after hearing that.

  Contemporary age... - Armin corrected.

  But if the contemporary age just started in 1700... - She answered somewhat incredulous.

  Where we came from, in the 850s we already had bolt-action rifles... - He refuted.

  For real!? - The teacher answered amazed. - We just started rocking those in the late eighteen hundred! - Hange looked very surprised.

  I see... - The adult Arlert answered.

  Hey Armin... - Young Annie called attention, somewhat shy when speaking.

  Yeah? - He asked showing curiosity.

  Why...? Why did the other Annie throw shade at you? - The question alarmed the blonde boy, but it was no problem for him to keep calm.

  Where do we come from... - He answered, immediately getting stuck, he didn't know what to answer because it was a complicated topic for him and also because of the tension in the environment. - She has business to handle with me...

  You don't seem like the type who'd catch bodies, man... - Annie answered, looking at him with curiosity and intrigue.

  We come from a war context, ain't nobody in our world back home innocent, believe me it is so... - He answered trying to finish the sentence, without success, while looking at the desert landscape behind the window.

  But the way she rolled on you, more than a patriotic rivalry, she seems to have a personal beef... - Hange thought as she drove, without flinching or leaving her activity aside.

  Armin couldn't help but look at the young Annie, she was very similar to the adult, he wondered if he would be able to tell them apart when they were together.

  Yo, Armin, I'm a teacher in a high school on the west side of the city, and your friend's version from this world, Eren and Mikasa, they both are my students... - Hange commented with a nostalgic tone out of nowhere. - You're acing almost everything, except PE for some reason... - She commented as an ending, making both Annie and Armin laugh.

  And what about Eren and Mikasa? - He asked curious and relaxed.

  Mikasa's a beast in sports and academics grades, half the school likes her, and everyone respects her, even the vice principal and the principal. - After that she made a short pause. - And Eren, because he used to be kind of hated and loved at the same time back in the day.

  Why hated? - Armin asked with intrigue.

  I don't know if hated, but rather they are envious of him. Lots of guys because he gets the"""Almighty""" Mikasa Ackerman's attention and is also targeted by a few girls for the same reason. I mean, if Mikasa Ackerman likes being with him so much, it must be for a reason, right? - Finished her explanation giggling, Armin did the same while looking at Eren in his sleeping human state resting.

  Eren was an asshole... But also, funny. - Annie replied with a little smile.

  When he loves something or someone from the depths, he can make a genocide to protect 'em...

  I find that very attractive huh... Having character and loving authentically... Not everyone is like that, you know...

  Armin didn't feel like debating what Eren had done, it's something that was left in the past, so he just smiled warmly.

  Yeah true. - Responds the blonde boy with a smile that Annie just had the bad luck to turn around and see, despite being an adult she still has a beautiful smile.

  Something caught the Blond's attention just at that moment, he heard a groan from the brown-haired man next to him, Eren started to move there.

  Hey, Eren! - Armin greeted with a remarkable joy but relaxed, causing curiosity and intrigue in the other two.

  Eren little by little opened his eyes of a bright emerald, green color noticing that he was in a car, he gently turned his head and saw that right next to him he had Armin, smiling at him, but the Armin that he really knew.

  The one who wanted to reach the sea, the one who discovered Annie and ambushed her, the one with big, beautiful eyes who never lost hope, the one who sacrificed himself to defeat Bertholdt, the one who prevented Kitz Weilman killed him and Mikasa, the one who even after making an enemy, managed to keep fighting and somehow win, the one who looked like a child, but then had the guts to endure anything.

  Eren didn't say a single word, not caring about his surroundings he just pounced on Armin and hugged him, giving him a very pleasant surprise, Eren tightened the hug and closed his eyes strongly.

  I love you Armin... I love you so much...

  That was the only thing Eren could think of to apologize for everything he forced Armin to go through in that damn dimension. Both, Eren and Armin, enjoyed that almost paradisiacal friendship's moment between them while Hange and Annie looked at them with deconcentration, there was no way to describe how much...