Chapter Text
“Do you really think this will work?”
“Of course. Without a doubt, the knight will appear” Mikasa assured, lighting the final candle of the summoning circle. Only candle light and Armin’s dim flashlight illuminated the dark basketball court, the light reflecting off his lens.
She tucked her violet lighter into her black mini purse. Her eyes glittered with intrigue as she admired her work. She placed her leather bound “spell book” in the center. This incantation was sure to summon a Dark Knight to put some distance between her and the overly persistent, can’t-take-a-hint, letterman jacket-wearing jock, Jean Kierstein. Her eyes gleaned the pages of the book. She memorized the verse and practiced the latin pronunciation time and time again, and they made sure they would have the entire school gym to themselves that night. It took weeks of planning to make sure they wouldn’t run into the janitor, Levi on his night shift. She was sure that tonight would be the night she would meet her knight. Someone who could protect her from creeps. Someone who could be by her side. Mikasa smirked, her cross earrings dangling as she righted herself. Who knows, maybe he could make good friend.
“Let’s check over the list.”
Armin adjusted his glasses, looking over a handwritten list of ingredients. “Black cat’s bones…. Check. Yellow flower… check. Your photo?”
Mikasa nodded, removing a small polaroid from her purse, placing it in the center.
Armin gave a thumbs up. “Check”
Mikasa exhaled, feeling jittery. This was her first time attempting a summoning. She clasped her hands together. “Let’s begin.”
The two sat on their knees as Mikasa began chanting, her eyes closed, Armin’s wide open on the lookout.
Blessed be
O knight who appears before me
Blessed Be
One who shalln’t forsake me
May fate never beseech you
May sorrow never unsheath it’s sword
Blessed be
Who appears before me.
The air became frigid, their extremities growing rigid. Her breath was seized, every candle blown out. Wisps of spoke dissipated as the pages of her book blew over. The sound of paper rustling. Mikasa’s mouth grew dry as she watched the circle open into a gaping hole in the ground with no apparent end or beginning. Her heart thumped. It’s working. It’s happening. Armin coughed hoarsly, covering his face with his hands.
“Mikasa..”
Mikasa swallowed thickly. Just a bit longer. Just a little more. The air moved as if it was the consistency of jell-o. Time stood at a standstill, every moment creeping by like a tortoise, painstakingly slow. Her vision obscured as she lost the ability to breath for a moment. Everything was a blur. Her stomach lurched, the hole engulfing the rest of the gym. The last thing she remembered was a flash of light.
That’s when it stopped. The pressure in her ears released, a pain shooting through both their ears. Armin winched and put his hands over his ears.
“Are you alright?” She asked.
“Yeah.” he breathed, recomposing himself and plugging his nose. “Geez.. thought my lunch would make a guest appearance ” He said, his voice nasally.
He tore his glace from her and pointed to the figure standing in the center. A boy. Brown hair. Half-lidded eyes. Around their age. He wore some sort of tight strappy mechanism that clung to his figure while boxy metal equipment hung off his hips. He gripped two swords, and sported a cropped beige coat on top of a green v-neck, along with knee high boots. He appeared to be in a daze. The boy groaned, his eyes shut. His knees buckled. Armin gasps.
“Mikasa! He’s going to-”
Mikasa ran to the center, stopping the boy from falling. He slumped over Mikasa’s shoulder, his head drooping. The two cautiously laid him on his back, his metal equipment clanking against the hard gym floor.
Armin brushed his bangs out of his eyes in amazement, kneeling. He inspected one of the boy’s blades. “Swords, Armour.. Or something of the sort. Mikasa. You did it! You summoned your dark knight!”
Mikasa stared in awe, still shaken from the turbulent occasion. She kneeled down on the opposite side, brushing the dark hair out of his face. A handsome face. Thin, feathery eyebrows framed wide eyes. A small nose with a gentle curve that complimented his supple jawline. Armin frowned skeptically.
“What’s wrong?” Mikasa asked.
“Nothing.” Armin knit his eyebrows. “He just looks familiar. Haven’t you seen a guy like this around? He seemed like a loner.. I thought about approaching him. He just looked so scary.”
“Hmm.” Mikasa mused, placing a hand under her chin. She did remember a guy like this. Rather cute, mind you. He took different classes, so she knew nothing about him. How could they start a conversation? Mikasa shrugged. Doppelgängers aren’t all that strange. Mikasa placed a hand over his heart. She felt a steady beat through the cloth.
“Well, he’s alive. Thank goodness… maybe we can ask him about that”
The boy stirred, groaning once more. His eyes scrunched up, teeth gritting out of discomfort.
“What the…”
Mikasa’s breath hitched. Armin stiffened.
“What should we say?” He half whispered, Half shouted.
Mikasa’s face grew red. “I don’t know! I’ve never summoned a dark knight before.” She harshly whispered back.
Her voice sqeaked as she was startled by the boy's sudden movement. She stepped back from the boy as he sat up. He gingerly placed a hand to his temple, retracting his right leg.
“..Who...What are you two mumbling about.”
Armin’s skin went pale. He gave her a look that said You go first.
Mikasa shook her head vigorously. No way in hell. You say something first! I’m totally intimidated, and he's so my type. Can you imagine how nervous I am?
Armin shook his head back, his hands shaking. No way i'm saying something before you. You’re the one who wanted to summon him so badly. You talk to him first!
The knight looked up, eyes pacing up Mikasa’s countenance. Heavy eye makeup, long eyelashes curling upward. A loose shirt, hair in an updo with two small pig tails. She wore several necklaces, one being a cross that hung just below her chest, along with a choker and silver chain. A dark pigment tinted her lips.
“Mikasa? Is that you”
“Y-yes?” Mikasa replied, a bit more eager than she wanted. Wait, how did he know her name
“Why are you dressed like that?” His voice was deeper than expected.
Mikasa grabbed the hems off her burgundy skirt, fanning it out.
“Um..This is just my style.”
The knight rubbed his eyes, as if he believed his vision to be foggy.
“Your… style.” He raised an eyebrow, unconvinced.
Mikasa grumbled. “Well, It’s how I dress… if you don’t like it-”
The knight’s eyebrows turned upward. “What? No, I mean. Yes I like it.. it’s nice I suppose… I just usually see you in the Survey Corps uniform. But civilian clothes are good too”
“What’s the survey corps?” Armin chimed in, curious. The knight turned his head.
“Armin… you look different too.” He said.
Gears turned in Mikasa’s head. “How do you know our names?” she inquired.
The knight looked quizically at them. He hiccuped. “What? You two are my best friends. My comrades. The most important people to me.. Of course I know your names.”
Mikasa blushed. Armin stepped forward
“But.. we have never met. Sure, I’ve seen you around our school. But how could we possibly be important to you?”
The knight was silent, lips pursed. “I don’t know.. What to say to that. As far as I know, I’ve known you two all my life.”
Armin sat beside him, eyes sincere. “Can you tell us your name?”
“Eren….,” He replied. “Eren Jäger.”
Armin pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. He shot a glance at Mikasa.
Eren cracked his neck, stretching. “Well.” he sighed. “If you don’t remember me, can you tell me where, and why I am here?”
“I summoned you,” said Mikasa. “To be my knight.”
“Your knight?”
“There’s this guy that won’t leave me alone.”
“Jean? That bastar-”
“How did you know it was Jean?”
Eren puffed air in his cheeks. ”Everyone knows he likes you…. But I don’t remember him bothering you”
“Well, he does…” she sulked.
Eren nodded. “Well… I have no problem with that. I mean, I have no problem with helping you. I definitely have a problem with Jean being all over you”
Mikasa smiled, her cheeks rosy.
Eren cleared his throat. “My second question…. Where am I?”
“Our school gym.” Armin looked up to the skylight, the full moon bathing the gym in an eerie silver glow. He pushed his glasses up again, the glass reflecting the moonlight.
“Huh… Gym ” he mulled over the world as if it was foreign. “Alright, where is the captain? Where are Hange and the others?”
“You mean our science teacher?” asked Mikasa. “How do you know so much about our school?”
Eren grimaced, as if the very concept was alien in nature. “Science teacher?”
Armin brightened up. “Guys… I think I know what’s happening. Eren, Mikasa. We need to leave the school now.”
Mikasa nodded yes. “Let’s eat something. This summoning business was more draining than I thought.”
“ I’m feeling hungry too. How about 7/11?”
Eren glanced back and forth between them. “Seven Eleven?”
Mikasa extended a hand to Eren. “Come with us, Dark Knight, erm, I mean. Eren.”
Eren accepted her hand, standing up beside her. She finally got a good look at his face. His eyes were large, and a brilliant jade green. His lips were thin and delicately shaped, his cupid's bow pronounced.
“Are you going to wear your cosplay to the store?”
Eren turned to Armin. “Huh? Cosplay? What the hell is a cosplay. ”
“Your outfit.” Armin motioned to his manuever gear and cropped jacket. “Lots of straps… are you into some sort of kink?”
“This is my uniform! And you keep using words I don’t know.”
Mikasa stifled a laugh, Armin grinning.
“Sorry, sorry. I hope we can resolve this confusion.” He giggled. “Let’s go to 7/11.”
“Yeah, yeah… I don’t know what the hell is going on here. You’re lucky you’re my closest friends. Or I wouldn’t trust you at all”
They sneaked out through the back door, careful not to make it creak too much. Damn, did it need some oiling. They trudged along the pavement, the occasional car whizzing by as the three walked side by side. Eren’s manuever gear shifted, the wires grazing the ground as he walked. His back was strangely erect, seemingly unfazed by the heavy weight. They followed the streetlights until they arrived at a start white building with fluorescent lettering. Lo and behold, 7/11. Known for being open 24 hours 7 days a week. Perfect for deliquent teens who just participated in witchcraft. If you’re not living in a way that would get you burned alive during the medieval times, are you really living? Besides the point, the trio walked inside. Eren froze in place, stepping back.
“What’s wrong?” asked Mikasa.
“The door. It just opened. By itself..”
“Yeah.. it’s an automatic door.”
Erens mouth fell open, stepping back and forth, triggering the sliding door’s mechanism over and over. “Auto..matic?” He said, fascinated.
“Yes, now come inside. There’s much cooler things than an automatic door. Like snacks”
Eren hesitantly entered, eyes widening upon laying his eyes on the vast array of snack food and drink. The assortment of neon green chips bags, translucent pastry raps, the whir of the slushie machine. All things unwordly and strange.
“All this is food?”
Armin grabbed a basket from the front and began walking through the store, converse clacking on the sleek tile and he walked.
“Yes.”
Eren gasped softly, shuffling toward the hot food section.
“Impossible... Is that meat?”
Mikasa walked by his side. “Yeah. Beef and chicken. Here is chili flavor, barbeque flavor, orange-”
“You must be rich.” He mumbled, pressing his face close to the glass.
“It’s 2 for 4…. ”
“Two of your currency? What? No way. This whole section would be a month of the survey corps salary. Sasha would go crazy for this”
Another familiar name. An employee approached the counter.
“Can I help you with anything?” he said in a monotone voice.
You could almost hear the eye-roll when he saw Eren. He most likely thought he stole some discounted air conditioners and was strapping them on to himself as a fashion statement.
“Two potato croquetes, two beef kebabs, two spicy chicken and three corndogs.” She requested. The employee sluggishly fished out a pair of tongs and prepared the order, brown paper bags crunching as he tossed in the various items.
Eren’s stomach rumbled. He didn’t know what any of those things were. He had no clue he was here. Or why Mikasa was wearing so much black. Or why her eyelids were dark purple. Or how he got here in the first place. But he wasn’t going to complain.
“Thank you.” said Mikasa as she paid and collected their order. Armin joined them, a cart full of chips and cookies. Pure junk food. He plopped it on the countertop, much to the dismay of the cashier.
“Do you need a bag for this?”
Armin shook his head, bringing out a reusable sonic themed one from his cargo pants pocket. The cashier began scanning the items, the machine beeping every so often.
“Armin.. I have no idea how you’re going to explain this to me.” Eren sighed.
Armin snickered, forking over his wrinkled cash money while Mikasa placed the goods inside. He noticed nails were painted black, a vivan westwood sheath ring decorating her right middle finger. Mikasa gestured toward the green tables on the far side of the store.
“Let’s sit down.”
The three ambled over to the seating area, styrofoam plates squeaking as Mikasa tore the stretchy plastic film from it. Eren watched as they set their “dinner table”.
“Do you usually eat like this?”
“Only when we’re feeling rebellious,” said Armin.
Eren drummed his fingers against the table. “Rebelling against..”
“You know, our parents.” Mikasa smiled.
Eren’s fingers stopped moving, his expression darkening. Mikasa’s smile faltered.
“Um..”
“They’re alive?” His pupils shrunk, profound confusion filling his eyes.
Mikasa dropped her croquette. “Why wouldn’t they be...”
“Hold it.” Armin took a long sip of his monster energy and firmly sat it on the table. “I’m going to ask you a couple of questions. And you have to answer them as honestly as possible. I have a theory as to how you know us.” He took out a notebook.
Eren exhaled. “Alright.”
“What is your nationality?”
“Eldian.”
Armin scratched something down.
“What direction does the sun rise?”
“The west”
He leaned closer, scooting the chair back.
“Eren...What year is it?”
“850.”
He sat back in his chair. “Uh huh…. Yeah ok.” Armin turned his book to face them.
“I have no idea what Eldia is. There is no Eldia here. But…” Armin pointed to a diagonal line that spanned across two pages.
“What’s that?” asked Mikasa.
“A different universe” Armin declared. “And perhaps.. a different timeline”
“So basically….”
“In another world, things are different. The sun rises in the east here. We’ve never had a year called 850. But you live in a timeline that does have those things. Those changes. A timeline where you do know us. You grew up with us, in another world. In this other world, there is another Mikasa and Armin. That is why we do not remember you, but you know us.”
“Then why do we recognize him?” Mikasa added, thinking of the lonesome classmate.
“Because there is another Eren. This world's Eren.”
“So that means…”
“We’ve switched.” Eren stated. “I took the place of the Eren of this time, and in turn...”
“Do you think..” Mikasa recalled her incantation. “No way.”
“Your spell.” Armin enunciated. “It must be something to do with your spell. It somehow made our worlds meet and trade our Eren for an Eren that can be a dark knight . At least, that’s what you set out to do. I don’t know what we’ve gotten ourselves into now.”
“If that timeline’s Eren is here, then the one belonging to this timelines has taken your place.” Mikasa confirmed.
“We can’t be sure. We’ll look tomorrow to see if the other Eren is still here.”
“Well.. is this a bad thing? Are you very important in your world.”
Eren’s lip tightened. “You could say that.”
“Like… how important.”
Eren averted his gaze. ”Forget about it.”
Armin and Mikasa began eating, Mikasa slowly chewing the kebab.
“Are you not hungry.”
“I’ve sort of lost my appetite. Sorry”
“That’s alright.”
“I do have one question.”
“Go for it.”
Eren straightened his back. “I know I seemed surprised when you mentioned your parents earlier, because where I come from, None of us have parents. Mikasa lost her parents and came to live with me, and then..” He trailed off.
“And then, I lost mine. My mother.” He finished. Armin nodded.
“So, I’m asking if my mother is still alive here. In this world.” His voice quaked slightly. “I’d really, really like to see her.”
“Well. I didn’t get a chance to get close with.. Let’s call him normal Eren. And you’re knight Eren. Anyway, I never got close to him. So I never went to his house. Hey, don’t make a sad face.”
Mikasa put a hand on his shoulder. “I think I saw him with a lady on the first day of school. Brown hair, looks like you.”
Eren perked up. “Really?”
“I’m sure you can meet her.”
“But I don’t even know where I live.”
“We’ll find out tomorrow. As for now, you should come over to my house.”
“Why not Mikasa’s? Or all of us together?”
“Differen’t households, remember?”
“Right..”
“Sorry, I just-”
“I get it.”
“And Mikasa is a girl,you know, you wouldn’t want her parent’s to get the wrong idea.”
Mikasa’s face turned red, looking away from Eren. Eren stared blankly at Armin.
“What wrong idea? What’s wrong with it?”
Armin chuckled. “Nevermind.”