Chapter Text
********* This story will have alternate endings.. ~~~~ I know this isn't cannon, this universe is a parallel dimension to the regular SNK Universe, one that is extremely similar, but has a few changes. YAY alternate timelines! Okay, let's get moving here with the story!************
You look back at your village, your (e/c) eyes trickling at the edges with tears. You aren't ready to leave, you never imagined you would be gone. Who will defend them? Who can stop the monsters from the outside? What about the ones from the Titus your neighboring village?
You will have to trust that your absence will help to maintain the peace between your villages. The events of last night echo in your mind. You had no idea what fate awaited you. All of it began only four days ago.
~~~~~ Flashback ~~~~
Another supply run to Titus. They are bleeding us dry, barely leaving enough for our own people. They take our food, equipment, supplies. But what are we to do. The defenders like me, we can’t even keep the enemy from coming anymore.
The hunger… No everyone but you calls them the titans… They always were dumb, slow… the ones who came to the village those years ago, they were nothing like that. They were fast, smart, and strong. They used tools, avoided and triggered our traps! We didn’t know how to fight them. US! We’re the defenders, we should have known.
You shake your head, wanting to get today over with. Supplies to their village again, why? They had saved us. Their warriors claimed to have heard the calls of the raging beasts, the screams of our people. They swooped into the middle of our city, helping those of us who were still standing.
With them aiding us in the fight, together we killed many titans. We won back our city, but were warned they would come again. That was the start of our uneasy pact with the Titus. Them taking almost half of everything, and us, getting paid only in protection from those smart titans.
That day, we defenders hung our head in shame. We would be nothing more than scavengers raiding the forests nearby for supplies from the dead, returning those same bodies for proper burial within our cemeteries. We would all marvel at the strange clothing and equipment they wore.
You liked the strange equipment, which you had learned to use after watching failed battles against the titans in those same forests. You still had some scars from your adventure in learning, but had finally taught the other defenders to use it. You were a strong people, before the smart titans came… now your kind, those who fight were nothing more than hungry rats, preying on the carnage below. You felt… defeated…
After delivering the supplies you were told to leave with your group immediately. They said that it was almost evening and the monsters would be out again soon. Taking their words to heart, your companions rushed you into the wagon for the ride home. You all stopped a short way from their village to rest. The wagon trip had left you with nothing to eat.
Thunder cracked and lightning struck the village nearby. Your curiosity got the better of you and you ran to the edge of the clearing to see what was before you. There was a titan, his yellow hair and sharp green eyes. Then you saw another appear, where a man stood next to him. You gasped stepping backward.
They are titans? How can they be titans? For the first time in your adult life, you let out a terrified scream and took off towards your companions, who had never seen you scared. You tried to explain what you saw when one of the humans from the village approached your caravan.
“Is everything okay, I thought I heard a scream.” He asked.
"It's fine, I just have a strange fear of thunder." you replied curtly trying to draw off any suspicion of what you saw… The man standing here had blonde hair and those same green eyes, filled with the deep hunger and fire. This… this was that titan.
You remember very little, you were stabbed several times before being thrown quite unceremoniously onto the wagon, along with your unresponsive companions. You felt him join you a moment in the wagon, before his large hand took the side of your head, leaving you dizzy, but mildly aware of your surroundings.
He removed himself from the wagons, then slapped the horses, sending them running towards the camp. No doubt, the camp would think it was bandits…
~~~~~~~ Onward to last night ~~~~~
You had awoken three days later, only to be told by the elder that your friends were dead and the Titus asked him to execute any survivors, saying that you had attacked them! Thankfully this village elder had raised you and did not believe the story, or perhaps he wanted your view on it. The other elders respected his decision and let you live to find out what had happened. After all, we were a people who loved and respected the truth.
He asked your story and you had told him, and he hugged you tightly.
“You talked, while you were unconscious.” He says softly. “You spoke of the walls, the monsters within… of wings that fly free… and that they could help our village. You spoke of the end of the titans… You said so many things. That our prison is not different from theirs in the wall city.”
“I… Don’t remember.” You reply, shaking your head lightly. You clutched the bandages on your stomach, hoping to ease the pain there.
“You are injured but you’ll heal fast, you always do.” The elder said. “It’s not a time to talk child, you must go to the wall city. Learn about them, learn how they can help us… they must save us from our enemies.” He touches your head lightly muttering something low and quiet. “You are the only one who can go... and we were ordered to kill you or hand you to Roderich as a slave… but I convinced him sending you to the wall city would be your death and that if it wasn’t you would return with secrets for him.”
Roderich… the scum who leads the Titus, had a liking to many of the females. Often whisking them away to very short, fatal marriages. Seeing you staring and saying nothing he continues.
“Find us answers, find this flying army and ask them to help us. Travel with them to the city of walls… See what they know about these titans, about the ones like you saw. See what they can teach you.”
You nod in understanding of the situation. The elder kisses your forehead gently, just as he had when you were a child. “Now… rest, I will gather your things, you set out in the morning.”
You fell into an uneasy sleep that night.
~~~~~~~~ Back to now ~~~~~~~~~~~~
You are overlooking the north village still, when you realize you have no choice. Death, or something worse, or you can go back to the forests. You had already seen the smoke in the sky. The strangers from the walls couldn't be too far behind. They never were and as always with them would be traveling Death.
You approached the forest with caution, only having to kill two or three smaller titans along the way. The largest was seven meters, hardly enough to be a bother. Another green smoke signal flew through the air from the edge of the forest. You trace the sky, seeing both green and black smoke and wonder what that means.
No time to waste… you continue into the depths of the forest trying to find the ones who you would be studying… Strangely you have a feeling you may be more help to them than they are to your tiny village. Still, you can’t lose hope; you can’t lose your home.
You hear them, off in the distance. The sound of titans in pain, the sound of their weapons breaking reached your ears. You hear screams and anguished cries of loss. Yes… the strangers are here. You come closer to watch them in battle, hoping to find someone who seems kind to be the first you introduce yourself to.
You move closer to the battle, following the steam and bracing yourself for what you are sure to find. You clear your mind and calm your nerves… the nausea from the sight you were going to come upon later would be enough without your nerves in the way.
Slowly, ever so slowly you ease yourself closer to this group, trying to understand what they really are.