Attack on Vampire

Conflicting Feelings

Harajuku

Eren sighs.

   The brunette's anger has simmered down somewhat as the group's journey drags on until the setting sun casts shades of purple, pink, and orange on the clouds above.  Eren is worried about the others– is Mikasa alright?  Are Erwin and Hange looking for Levi?  What about the Titans, and Wall Rose?

   The teen hopes that they won't be stuck here– after all, the only way Yūichirō and the others had gotten back to Tokyo was through his basement.  Did one of them have a secret past that will help him, Armin, and Levi get back to Wall Rose?  Eren shakes his head as the group settles down for the night in an apartment building; he, Armin, and Levi in two adjacent rooms while the vampire extermination unit rests just down the hall.  Late into the night, the brunette glances over at Armin, who sleeps in a bed parallel to his against the opposite wall.

   "Hey, Armin.  Are you awake?"  The brunette asks quietly, loud enough for the blond to hear in the case that he is awake.  His friend shifts, turning on his side that enables him to face Eren as he nods silently.

   "Yes.  What's wrong?"  Armin asks in an equally quiet voice, keeping his tone light so as to not wake his superior in the room right next to theirs.

   "How do you think we'll get home?"  At Eren's question, the room fills with silence.  Armin doesn't know how to answer his childhood friend, for he has been wondering the same thing since they learned they're in Tokyo.

   "I honestly don't know, Eren.  Countries aren't even supposed to exist."  The blond finally speaks, sky-blue eyes focusing on his hands as they play with the sheets beneath him.  "And I have a feeling we aren't in the past, or the future– the differences are just too great."

   "Then where are we?"  Eren ponders, a little louder than he intends.  He chuckles sheepishly when Armin shushes him, before silence falls over the two once more.  The blond bites his lip, unsure of how to voice his theory as Eren waits for his response.

   "I think we're in an entirely different world."

~~~~

   Eren is starting to notice the little hints that support Armin's theory.  Granted, he hadn't exactly been looking for them before.  The brunette was skeptical of the idea in the beginning, but as the group sets out the next day, everything begins to pop out at him.

   Vampires would still exist in my time if this is the past...  And there are no Titans anywhere.  Eren gazes at the buildings around him.  And why don't we have these weird buildings in the walls?  Probably because Armin's theory is CORRECT, AS ALWAYS!  The whole concept is making Eren's head hurt, and he growls as he glares at nothing, trudging onward.

   "Hey, you alright?"  The teen turns and spots Yūichirō walking beside him, a couple feet away.  Eren can't keep himself from glaring at the black-haired boy, huffing angrily.

   "Just great.  Hey, you don't happen to have a secret basement that conveniently has a portal back to Wall Rose, do you?"  Yūichirō whirls and glares straight back at Eren, who furrows his brow in confusion at the sudden change in attitude.

   "Look, I'm sorry Eren.  But we had to get back!  We were transported to your world in the middle of a battle, who knows how it turned out in the end?!"

   Anger coursing though his veins, Eren turns to face Yūichirō, gritting his teeth.

   "And you think it's okay to just gain and throw away my trust because of that?!"

   "No!  But there were no other leads to get back here!"  The boys are right in front of each other, their voices rising in volume.  The rest of the group has, by now, turned to glare at the two teens.  "And we couldn't just tell you that we had no experience against Giants– that our enemies were vampires from the very beginning!"

   "Yu!"  Mikaela hisses, hand on his sword as his gaze shifts from his brother to the road ahead.  "Quiet!  This may be a neutral area, but there are still reported Horsemen sightings!"

   "Idiot, if you attract vampires with your shouting–"  Kimizuki begins, swords drawn in caution.

   "Eren, we don't know what we're facing here!"  Armin calls, standing near the three members of the Shinoa squad in addition to Guren, as if they will protect him from whatever will be attracted by the boys' shouting.

   "Yu, that's enough!  Get control over your emotions, or you won't be seeing much action when I confiscate your sword!"  Guren states, his tone holding a dangerous threat.  Yūichirō gasps.

   "Really Guren?!  He started it!"  Eren huffs and crosses his arms, turning away from Yūichirō as conflicting emotions swirl in his stomach, causing the brunette to become even more riled up.  As he faces away from the other teen, Eren is met with a fist in the face from Levi.  A stunned silence falls over the group.

   "Think about the situation we're in before you go having a shouting match with our only allies, brat."  Eren holds his throbbing cheek in one hand, keeping his angered gaze firmly on the ground beneath his feet.  Levi moves to stand beside Guren, glaring down at the teen.

   "How long until we reach our destination?"  The short man inquires coldly, directing the question towards Guren.

   "Not an hour.  Let's hope we don't run into any Horsemen on the way."

   Eren moves quietly behind the group, and Yoichi shoots him a sympathetic glance over his shoulder.  The brunette sighs, his anger diminishing slightly as he picks up his pace, walking alongside Armin.  Eren doesn't say anything as Yoichi walks on his right, Kimizuki by the slighter brunette's side.  He thinks that, as long as he's in this messed-up world, he can tolerate their presence.

   I guess.  Grumbling to himself silently, the brunette stops along with the rest of the teens and their superiors as Guren raises a hand.

   "We're here."