Destiny of Paradise

Sides

Warning! A part of this chapter could get very uncomfortable for many readers, so you have been warned.

Ryan

"I'll kill them all!" was all I remembered after that moment. Everything else became a blur. Eren saying that one sentence. That was it.

Mikasa and I were sitting on the floor of an empty warehouse, watching the sleeping Eren in front of us. I couldn't find him last night, but he randomly showed up again acting really weird. He was mumbling something really quietly as he slept before gasping awake.

"Mikasa, Ryan, where are we?" He asked. I stood up and offered my hand to him.

"Are you okay, Eren?" Mikasa asked. "You looked like you were having a nightmare."

"I just felt like I saw Dad." He answered.

"To answer your question, Eren, Wall Rose." I answered. He took my hand, and I pulled him to his feet. Mikasa and I led him out of the warehouse. I noticed that he was holding onto the key that hung around his neck. It was the key to the basement. When did he get that? Maybe his dad gave it to him last night when I couldn't find him. After opening the door, the cool breeze of the air blew through my dark hair.

We now stood in a packed courtyard with about a dozen soldiers and hundreds of refugees.

"They're starting to hand out food." Mikasa explained. "All the boat refugees are in this area right now." We saw many people fighting over food. I then saw... her. It couldn't be... her? That blond ponytail. The short, athletic frame with the gray hoodie. It was Annie. She was in line for rations.

"Ryan, you okay?" Eren asked. I looked over at him. I don't think I blinked once since laying eyes on her. "You're crying. Don't think I've ever seen you do that before." I didn't even notice I was crying. I quickly wiped the tears away.

"Excuse me." I squeaked out before running back into the warehouse.

"Ryan!" I heard Eren call out.

I stumbled to a corner of the warehouse and put my hands on the wall. I leaned my head downwards and began to lightly sob. I wanted to say something to her so badly. I was doing everything within my power to not go over there and wrap her in the biggest hug I could possibly muster. I couldn't reveal myself to her. It's already enough that I'm terrified of what could happen to Big Bro, but now I have my old friends infiltrating my home and living among us.

I sniffled and quickly tried gaining my composure again. I wiped my eyes and exited the warehouse again. I saw Armin standing next to Eren and Mikasa on the outer edge of the courtyard. Eren was sitting on a ledge with a piece of bread in his hand. Armin had three visible in his pockets.

"I'm going back to Wall Maria and destroying every last one of them!" Eren snarled.

"Y-You can't her serious, right?" Armin asked.

"I am serious!" Eren yelled as he got of the ledge and stood up. "I'm not one of those guys who only acts tough!" He looked at the bread in his hand. "I don't need this shit!" He chucked it at Armin who fumbled it before securing it in his hands.

"Eren! You'll starve if you don't eat!" Armin explained.

"This doesn't bother you?!" Eren asked. "We won't beat the Titans if we keep taking everyone's charity!"

"It's just not possible, Eren!" Armin argued. "We can't beat them! We have to live in the walls in safety! If we try to do anything, we'll die! Just like my parents!"

"So you're just gonna grovel to them?!" Eren yelled. "That's not shameful?!"

"It's the only thing we can do!" Armin retorted.