Chapter 9: Wasteland seeds.
N.B : If you'd like to get early access to the next 9 chapters of Universal hope (Chapter 10-18) Chapter 10 (The weight of promises), Chapter 11 (When Jade meets steel blue), Chapter 12 (Eyes in the dark), Chapter 13 (Eyes in the day) and Chapter 14 (Fissures), Chapter 15 (The hollowing), Chapter 16 (Night of terror), Chapter 17 (Counter) and Chapter 18 (Sunrise) why not consider supporting me at Patreon.com/Weeb Fanthom. Your donations will be very much appreciated.
Six Months Later…
Wasteland Work Site, Southern Wall Rose
The midday sun hung like a molten coin over the wastelands, baking the cracked earth and the backs of the refugees toiling under its glare. A faint wind carried the smell of churned dirt, sweat, and desperation- the smell of survival. It scraped dry soil across the scarred wastelands of south Wall Rose; once lushed farmlands that were now cracked and gray with ash, dotted only by hastily dug trenches and struggling crops. Refugees, hundreds of them, stooped low, hacking at the dusty ground as ordered by the Interior. "Ensuring more food supply," they'd said. It was just another way to make sure the broken kept breaking.
Mikasa Ackerman's spade struck the ground with mechanical precision, rhythm sharp and unbroken. Her sleeves were rolled past the elbow, dark hair tied back in a short ponytail that clung to her nape with sweat, a small sun hat on her head to shield away the scorching sun's heat. Her red scarf was faded but intact, though the cloth now bore several dirt stains. She wiped sweat from her brow with her elbow, small fingers tightening around the handle of her spade.
She along with Armin and Eren were among the pair assigned to a small corner of the fields near the edge of a shallow ravine. The work was hard, repetitive. Hoeing, tilling, watering, planting, again and again. She glanced to her right, wanting to check on Eren—only to find his post empty…Again.
Her lips pressed into a thin line as she glanced at Eren's abandoned work station. A half-tilled row of dirt, discarded hoe which was barely used. What caught Mikasa's eye was the bundle of rags placed strategically, if one looked from afar it resembled a…crouching boy?
Mikasa exhaled through her nose. Third time this week.
He was supposed to be here. She'd told him. Carla had told him. Three times. He'd even nodded, did that fake serious salute he thought made him look grown-up.
And yet…
No dust-covered head. No grumbling. Just empty air, a few weeds, and a deceptively placed disguise. Mikasa bore it silently, but Eren; he disappeared again. She sighed; her sigh is equal parts exasperation and fondness; wiping her brow with the crook of her elbow. The small sun hat she wore cast a soft shadow over her cool gray eyes as she scanned the surrounding land.
Mikasa quietly turned to one of the nearby neighboring child also assigned to the field. "Armin, have you seen Eren?" Mikasa asked. Armin paused his digging, blinking up at her. "He said he was getting water," Armin said.
"And how long has he been gone to get water exactly?" Mikasa inquired.
"Not too long. Maybe he's… uh, probably just taking a break?" The blonde boy offered weakly, though they both know Eren's "breaks" involve anything but actual work. Mikasa pointed wordlessly at the rags disguised as the dummy. One flopped over in the wind, revealing a stick propping it up. Armin wasn't expecting that, when did Eren prop that up?
Armin winced as the propped stick snapped in two and fell with a pathetic thump to the soil. Armin and Mikasa both looked at each other, knowing what this meant. "…Okay, yeah. He definitely didn't go out for water."
"Eren..." she muttered under her breath. "I'll go look for him." That was Mikasa said as she set her spade down and walked off. Her footsteps barely made a sound as she made her way past the cracked water drums and abandoned carts until she reached the edge of the work zone.
She checked their toolshed, the shade under the tree he liked to nap in, even the watering station. Nowhere. Mikasa's eyes narrowed in thought. Where could he be exactly? Before she could spiral down in thoughts, something caught her eye. A flicker of motion in the ravine below, followed by an odd shimmer. The earth shifted unnaturally, like liquid sliding against itself. Mikasa crouched and peered downward, catching a glimpse of something small and hunched moving along the cracks and stones with eerie silence.
There he was.
A tiny, alien-like creature with smooth grey skin, big glowing eyes, long dexterous fingers… wearing a tiny, form-fitting like jumpsuit that was brown in color along with a small miniature red scarf (It's not Mikasa's scarf. Just added that because it looks adorable). It was holding a stick twice its size as it darted between rusted barrels and broken crates like a shadow with purpose.
It wasn't quite Eren, but it was him. Or… something.
Mikasa stared. Then blinked. "…You've got to be kidding me." Mikasa jumped down the slope with practiced ease, landing with a soft thud on a stone ledge.
Where was he going to exactly?
Following closely, Mikasa tracked the small grey creature to a secluded creek behind a ridge; far enough to avoid patrols, close enough to sprint back if needed. It was an abandoned Military shed; and Eren was using the stick it had to pry open the doors of the shed. Mikasa crept closer, then ducked behind a pile of broken barrels. She watched as the frog like creature checked its surroundings before proceeding to enter inside.
"What exactly is he doing all the way here?" Mikasa wondered to herself. Well she would be getting the answers from said person directly.
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Inside the dim, dust-choked shed, stacks of crates labeled "Classified" towered over a tiny grey figure perched atop a barrel as it frantically scribbled notes on stolen parchment with a quill twice his size.
"Okay, okay…" It muttered in a high-pitched, rapid-fire voice. "If this machinery's energy output spikes when scanning Titans, then maybe—GAH!"
The shed door slammed open. Sunlight framed Mikasa's silhouette, her shadow swallowing the tiny alien whole.
"Eren."
The frog like creature froze at the mention of his name. Slowly, his head twisted a full 180 degrees with a faint crrrrkk to see Mikasa looming over him, arms crossed. His large, green bulbous eyes widened further in surprise; notes fluttering to the floor due to wind entering the dim shed.
"…N-NOT Eren," the creature replied in a high, distorted voice, like a squeaky whisper through an echo chamber. "Definitely not him!"
Mikasa's Expression barely changed, the only shift being her Left eyebrow arching slightly. The most "Really?" energy radiating off her in waves. Obviously not buying it, Mikasa knelt down and plucked Eren up with one hand by the back of his jumpsuit like a misbehaving kitten. Holding him at eye level.
"Hey! Warning next time—!" Eren squeaked in protest while dangling in the air, limbs flailing pathetically as he tried to escape Mikasa's grip.
"You're light," Mikasa said. "Like a cat made of wet paper."
Eren squirmed. "I'm not a cat—!"
"Your mother told you not to use the device recklessly." Mikasa said sternly. Eren crossed his arms, indignant and defensive. "This isn't reckless! This is research! I'm learning its full capacities—ack!"
Mikasa shook him lightly. "You ditched work. Again. And didn't you promise Aunt Carla you wouldn't transform unless it was an emergency."
Eren grumbled at the reminder. "Tilling dirt won't reclaim Wall Maria. Science will…and this is an emergency! I'm this close to unraveling this contraption's secrets!" He gestures with tiny hands, nearly dropping his quill that he was still holding onto.
"Science won't stop the posted soldiers from noticing you're gone." Mikasa countered with a deadpan voice. Eren crossed his arms once again, nose wrinkling. "They're too busy lazing around. Besides, I left a decoy!"
"A pile of rags."
"Correction. A strategically placed pile of rags!"
Mikasa sighed, but the corner of her mouth twitched. She placed him on the palm of her other hand like the tiny creature he is and grabbed his notes on the floor, glancing through the Note Excerpts:
"Titans' DNA (Probably) = corrupted?? Device keeps glitching scans.""Armored Titan's plating = weak at joints (Obsidian spikes worked!).""Do titans have photographic memory?!"- Case smiling memory.Counters for Armored and colossal titan-Titanfist (Probability less than 60%, colossal titan is 60 meters tall…steam could be its weapon?), Inferno (Between 50-83.2%. Risk of overheating due to backlash)
A single strike out sentence stood out for Mikasa.
What if I fail again?
Mikasa's gaze on him softened while Eren's eyes lowered to the floor. "...I can explain." He said in a small frail voice, almost like he was guilty.
Was this what had been on his mind since? That day was still eating at him till this time?
"You're scared." Mikasa said, her voice gentle with a lace of concern. Eren was about to defend himself. He wasn't scared! He was just-…just…
The armored titan backhanded Obsidian midair, crashing hard into a building.
The crushing grip of the smiling titan as it raised him to its mouth level, ready to devour him.
The abject feeling of helplessness.
He gave up the uprising ruse and sighed. Green lines along his elongated grey temples pulsed dimly. "I just… hate feeling useless. Tilling dirt won't take back Wall Maria...I need to be stronger. Before the next attack." Said Eren in what could only be described as a guilty alien warble.
Mikasa didn't answer right away. Instead, she just sat with him on her palm, the wind whispering through the ravine outside the shed, a pair of sparrows fluttering by overhead. Then she said quietly, "I know you hate pretending it's all okay." Mikasa looked down at Eren who haven't still raised his head yet. "It's not okay. But that doesn't mean you can disappear. Besides…"
"…You're ten." Mikasa reminded as she flicks Eren's forehead gently. "Don't beat yourself too much about it. You're just Eren. A very annoying, disobedient Eren who still needs to finish tilling his side of the upper field."
The mood lightened up as Eren gave a laugh; a weird snorting chirp in this form; but it was what Mikasa was aiming for.
"…But what if danger comes and I'm not ready?" Eren murmured slightly. Mikasa tucked his notes into her pocket and carried him toward the door. "Then we train together. Not alone, sneaking around." She tilted her head slightly. "What if someone else saw you, Eren? What if someone from the MPs was nearby?"
Eren's bulbous eyes blinked in confusion. "No one ever comes this far…"
"But they could." Mikasa pulled his mini sized scarf up around his face. "You're smart, Eren. Smarter than this." Eren bristled at that notion, his ears (do Galvans have ears?) twitching.
"Excuse you?! I am intellectually smarter in this form!"
"But you're acting without reason, Eren. Going around without acknowledging you could be spotted." Mikasa said bluntly, hurting the child galvan's pride.
"Precisely why I chose this form. That's the advantage!" he snapped, throwing his arms up in his alien form. "I'm fast, quiet, small, I can slip into places, learn things and map terrain. You know how much of the refugee zone I've charted already? I know where all the supplies are stored. I even found the MPs' secret smoke break spot."
Mikasa's brows twitched. "That's your excuse right now?"
Eren puffed up his little chest in indignation. "Cerebrus is the perfect creature for lone operatives. And I was just about to finish decoding this—hey!"
Mikasa dumped him into the water trough beside her as soon as they reached outside. A green flash later, a sputtering, human Eren emerged, clothes completely soaked.
"What was that for?!," Eren yelled in annoyance. Mikasa tossed him a dry towel, "No reason actually, just thought you needed to cool yourself down." That was a total lie, she just did that for fun.
"…Thanks," Eren said quietly, surprising Mikasa, "I needed that."
The raven haired girl nodded slightly. "You're welcome. Now come on. You still have your rows to finish." She stood and offered her hand. Eren took it, and together they climbed back up toward the field, the afternoon sun warm on their backs, the weight of secrets briefly forgotten.
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The sun had dipped just low enough to cast long, crooked shadows across the wasteland they called farmland. Dust swirled in the air with every dry gust, clinging to sweat-slicked faces and the tattered sleeves of the refugees who worked without pause.
Eren trudged beside Mikasa, his sleeves rolled down awkwardly over the fresh bandage wrapped around his wrist. The Omnitrix; once glowing with alien promise; was now hidden beneath rough linen and silence. Eren had wrapped a strip of old cloth around his wrist, carefully hiding the alienated device beneath layers of bandage.
He flexed his hand absently. Armin's grandfather and his mum said it would be best to hide it like this. To avoid unwanted attention.
"You wrapped it too tight," Mikasa said, glancing down.
"Doesn't matter," Eren muttered. "I won't be using it again. Not today."
"You're bad at lying," Mikasa said quietly, though her tone held no real scolding, the distant sound of wooden tools scraping dry soil filling the silence. Eren shot her a glance. "I'm not lying."
"You turned into a four-armed giant to carry one bucket of water yesterday. Armin told me about it."
Eren face turned red from embarrassment. "Tha-That was for efficiency!"
She gave a faint hum, the closest thing to a laugh from her since all day. "Off course. I believe you." She doesn't.
As they crested the slope overlooking the tilling grounds, rows of bent-backed refugees moved like shadows under the burning sky. Children too young to lift shovels gathered stones, while elders coughed into sleeves that were more hole than fabric. The ground they toiled on was cracked and barely held moisture. It looked more like a grave than a field.
Eren's jaw clenched. It wasn't rebuilding. It was barely surviving. His watched as an elderly woman paused mid-dig, coughing hard into her sleeve. A boy not much older than himself was limping across the row, dragging a makeshift hoe behind him.
Eren's gaze dropped. "We're not fixing anything," he said quietly. "We're just… rotting slower." Mikasa didn't respond. She simply placed a hand on his wrist; the one with the bandage. A quiet reminder to stay calm, brief but grounding.
"We're still here," she said. "That has to count for something." The two were nearly to their assigned plot when a familiar voice barked through the dry air, the calm fraying quickly.
"Move it, idiot—!" A teen stumbled by, lugging two crates of rotting grain. He nearly collided with them resulting in him dropping one of the crates with a heavy thud, the contents spilling into the dirt.
"Shit!" the boy snarled, glaring up at them. It was Bran; one of the older boys from town; the one who'd always made Armin's life hell back in Shinganshina. Thin and hollow-cheeked from rationing, bruised from too many fights, but still wearing that same mocking sneer, still carrying himself like a sneer wrapped in skin.
(Remember the blonde kid that was among the trio bullying Armin back in S01E01 of AOT…yeah that's him)
"Well, if it ain't the runt and his watchdog," Bran scoffed. Eren stiffened, shoulders twitching and his teeth gritted. "Watch it." Eren said as a warning.
Bran gave a mock shrug. "What, you two loitering in the shade. Some of us actually work. Don't blame me for saying the truth, mama's boy." Mikasa stepped forward without a word, her eyes cold. "Back off."
Bran glanced at her with a sneer, sizing her up… then wisely took a step back. "Still hiding behind your bodyguard, Yeager?"
"Still pretending you matter?" Eren shot back. Bran raised a brow. "Far better off than that pathetic bookworm of a friend you've got."
Eren's hands balled into fists, his eyes darkening in anger. "Leave."
"Oops," Bran said flatly. "Didn't mean to strike a nerve there." He bent to scoop the grain back into the crate, muttering. "Figures you'd get soft once the walls fell."
"You don't change," Eren said, voice quiet but with a dangerous edge. "Even now… you're still the same coward, picking on people smaller than you." Bran looked up, eyes narrowing. "Yeah? And what're you gonna do, huh?"
Eren opened his mouth, but Mikasa gently tugged his sleeve. Not here. Not now. So Eren just looked at Bran, a fire burning in his gaze. "You'll be the first one to run when the Titans come back."
Bran flinched; barely; then turned away with a muttered curse, dragging the crates off toward the storage shed.
They stood in silence a moment longer. "You didn't punch him," Mikasa said. Eren sighed. "Didn't feel like getting assigned latrine duty again."
"Armin wouldn't want us to fight over him." Mikasa said softly. "Yeah," Eren said, quieter now. "But sometimes... I really want to."
As he watched Bran leave, a resounding memory hit Eren like a kick to the ribs. Its memory unable to die down even as he reached the field.
6 months ago, the day of the fall of wall Maria…
He can't believe he just left his family back there. Eren thought. He was Obsidian at that time, a crystalline juggernaut carving a path through Shiganshina's ruins. Titans fell to his diamond shards and civilians fled under his cover. But amidst the chaos, a scream had cut through the smoke; one he'd recognized instantly.
"GET OFF ME! SOMEONE—HELP—!" It was a blonde teen that had spiky hair. Obsidian stood at the edge of the street watching as the titan finally cornered teen, its grubby hands reaching for the poor lad who had nowhere to run to.
It was Bran.
The ringleader bully who'd tormented Armin for years, who'd beaten him up for defending his friend when he was 9, who'd sneered "Weaklings attract weaklings" like it was gospel…now sobbing like a child as a 7-meter Titan dragged him toward its jaws by his ankle.
The other two don't seem to be with him, given the chaos. Guess they weren't as close as they thought. Or maybe…they were already eaten by titans.
For one dark, glorious second, Eren hesitated.
Let him die.
The thought slithered through him, venomous and sweet. Bran deserved it. He'd made Armin's life hell. He'd laughed when he got pummeled. He was nothing.
But then Bran's eyes locked onto Obsidian's crystalline body. Not with hope, but with horror. The same look he'd given Armin when cornering him in alleyways. The realization hit Eren like ice water:
He thinks I would walk away.
…Maybe he should…
…And that's why he couldn't.
With a snarl, Eren lunged. Diamond spikes impaled the Titan's wrist, forcing it to drop Bran mid-air. The boy hit the ground hard, scrambling backward as Obsidian dismantled the Titan with brutal efficiency, decapitating it with a crystalline blade, then turning to face him.
Bran stared up at the alien warrior, trembling. "Y-You…W-What are you?!"
Obsidian's voice was a glacier's rumble: "Run."
Bran didn't need telling twice. He fled, not even a "thanks" thrown over his shoulder. Just pure, animal terror. Eren had let him go, already turning to the next crisis…but the shame of that hesitation festered like rot in his chest.
Present Day: Wasteland Work Site
Eren's fingers twitched around his hoe handle. "You'll be the first to run when the Titans come back," he'd spat at Bran.
Hypocrite.
He'd run too; straight toward the danger, yes, but he'd still left his worried mother behind. Left Mikasa and Armin to evacuate without him. Nearly died for nothing at the end.
Was saving Bran worth it?
The boy was still a bastard. Still sneered like the asshole he is. Still made Eren's blood boil.
But that day, for one fleeting moment, Bran had been human. Just a terrified kid who didn't want to die. And Eren; despite every fiber of his being screaming to let karma take its course; had chosen to be better.
"Eren? You're zoning out." Mikasa said aloud beside him, pulling Eren back from his thoughts. Eren blinked. The wasteland, the dust, Bran's retreating figure; all snapped into focus. "…Yeah. Just thinking."
Mikasa studied him, then nodded toward his half-tilled plot. "You really need to speed it up."
Eren groaned. "I know." Now he's regretting why he had even gone out in the first place. Even if Mikasa was helping him at the moment, given she had finished her own side long since. At the far end of their assigned field, a man collapsed mid-dig. Nobody stopped to help, not from cruelty, but from exhaustion. At the same time, three full grown men were fighting over something but couldn't really tell what it was from the far distance.
Armin joined his two friends looking at the commotion; brushing sweat from his brow. "Third fight today near the grain tents."
"Over food?" Mikasa asked.
"Over maggot-free food," Armin corrected. "They're getting worse."
Eren's hands curled into fists. "We're supposed to be rebuilding. Not starving. Those damn MPs aren't making it any better, they keep taking half of the produce and expect us to work overtime."
Armin and Mikasa glanced at each other. "There's not really much we can do right now. All we can do is hope for the best." Eren exhaled, gripping the hoe tighter.
"Yeah, guess you're right."
"I need to grow stronger, so that I can really make a difference."
That was all Eren could think of as he watched the dim environment that looked devoid of liveliness.
Alien countdown: Heatblast (Inferno), Wildmutt (???), Fourarms (Titanfist), Ghostfreak (Phantom), Diamondhead (Obsidian), Greymatter (Cerebrus).
Chapter 10-18: Chapter 10 (The weight of promises), Chapter 11 (When Jade meets steel blue), Chapter 12 (Eyes in the dark), Chapter 13 (Eyes in the day), Chapter 14 (Fissures), Chapter 15 (The hollowing), Chapter 16 (Night of terror), Chapter 17 (Counter) and Chapter 18 (Sunrise) are already available on Patreon.com/Weeb Fanthom.