16 Mikasa

<<Karl POV>>

"Karl! We're leaving now!" My ears perked up at Grisha call, at which I hurried down to the door, only to be greeted by an annoyed Eren and a stoic Carla.

"Why can't I come too?!" He argued, as Grisha shook his head. Well, I can't blame him though. After yesterday's incident, it's a miracle that Carla even allowed us to go.

Still don't know why we're going though. Well, I'll just ask Grisha on the way.

"Let's go together next time, Eren." I consoled him as I ruffled his hair, which he indignantly shook off. Sigh… Children, I guess.

"Bye Mom!" I said, turning to Carla. She was still quite mad, but all she did was pinch my cheeks.

"Don't make too much of a ruckus." She said as with a soft and menacing smile. Was this a new kind of intimidation, or something?! Cause it's working alright!!

With that, Grisha and I hit the road, surfing through the crowded streets. Soon enough, we left the district as Grisha listed out some basic rules.

"As I've said, the Ackerman household is quite deep into the outskirts, so it'll take a while to get there." He waited for me to nod, before continuing,

"Also, I expect you to be on your best behavior as well, for both of our sakes." Grisha mumbled the last part, as he shivered ever so slightly. But, unbeknownst to him, I could hear it quite clearly.

Relieved that I was not the only one who was terrified of Carla's 'Dark Side', I focused on more pressing concerns, as of this minute. Specifically, this exact quest.

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[Quests ;]

[Vengeance*]

[Type: Sub-Main]

[Summary: After witnessing the suffering borne by your dear friend Armin, you have decided to take matters into your own hands. Exercise your powers over those that abuse their own, crushing them both physically and mentally.]

[Rewards: 700 Gene Points, C-Rank Custom Skill.]

[Penalty: Loss of Armin's trust and Eren's respect. -250 Gene Points.]

[Progress: 135%**]

[*This quest has been completed. Quest Rewards yet to be accepted.]

[**Quest Progress Rate: Exceptional]

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This here is one of the few reasons why I had been particularly ruthless, neutering and torturing all three children. I had to spend 60 extra Gene Points on 3 more potions, because I went a little overboard, but it was worth it!

50 Gene Points per [Blood Pill] and 20 Gene Points per [Health Potion-Minor] cost 270 Gene Points in total. But, the rewards were especially bountiful, and I would also receive 35% bonus for that juicy [Exceptional] completion rate.

Meaning, I'd get around 945 Gene Points and a C+ Rank Skill. Pretty neat trade-off, if I do say so myself.

All in all, it was a great harvest, and all I had to do was traumatize a few children! One of the best bargains I've ever made!!

And, as for the skill, I was thinking of something along the lines of Stealth. It should be quite useful when I'm taking a walk in a highly classified Top-Secret Military Base, right?

I did feel quite satisfied with my handiwork yesterday and I certainly didn't regret it. But still, there was something in the back of my mind, constantly itching my sore spot.

It's just that Armin had tried to avoid me in the clinic yesterday. Even when I called out to him, he hastily turned away, outright ignoring me.

'Maybe I should've handled it privately, then he wouldn't have had to see such a gory scene.' I thought reminding myself that all of us were just seven year olds.

Although Eren and I had no qualms about letting certain trash suffer, Armin was different. An innocent, maybe purer, in a way.

The gist of it was, that it would be a while before the rift between us would close. Although it's a bit disheartening, this was reality and I had no choice but to live with it.

Just then, I was abruptly woken from my stupor by Grisha, as I realized that we were already on an unusual slim forest trail.

With the sounds of birds chirping the background, coupled with the cool breeze, I turned to look at Grisha who asked me a question.

"Karl, one of the boys yesterday woke up screaming, almost wrestling me, in order to protect his genitals… You wouldn't have anything to do with that now, would you?" He asked, with a grim look on his face.

Contrary to his countenance, I forced myself to not laugh as I quickly composed myself. With an innocent face, I looked into his eyes as I answered him.

"No, Dad. I didn't do anything of that sort." I lied through my teeth, as a quiet chuckle escaped my lips.

Grisha kept quiet for a few seconds, then nodded solemnly. We didn't talk much after that, as we just enjoyed the serenity offered by nature. Well, at least we tried to.

Soon enough, we found ourselves in a clearing with a small wooden shack in the distance. A small farm with exotic vegetation could be seen, right next to a sparkling stream of water circled around the back, adding to the picturesque view.

With quick steps, we made our way to the shack, as Grisha reached for the door.

"Mr. Ackerman! It's me, Grisha!" He called out as he knocked the door. The striking sound of footsteps was neared, until finally, the door burst open.

The recipient was a tall man, with blonde hair and tired golden eyes. His clean shaven face clearly accentuating gaunt cheeks, it was evident that he had a few sleepless nights

"It's good to see you Dr. Grisha! Have you been well?" He said, with a weak smile.

"That should be my question, Valir. Have you even seen yourself in a mirror?!" Grisha frowned as he examined the man's droopy eyes. Brushing it off with a laugh, he finally noticed my presence

"Ah, is this your son? Well, nice to meet you! I'm Valir Ackerman, one of your father's old friends."

"Hello Uncle Valir." I greeted with a respectful bow, to which Valir smiled as Grisha gave a satisfied nod. Guiding us inside the fairly furnished room, Valir offered us a seat with a glass of water.

"Mikasa! Come greet the guests!" He called out, just as another person entered the room.

It was a young girl with a petite figure sporting raven black hair and a set of grey eyes, similar to Carla. With pale skin and shoulder length hair, she looked quite like an Asian doll.

"Hello Uncle. Hello." She said, waving at Grisha and I with a bright smile. It was too cheerful in comparison to the Mikasa shown in the canon. Well, this should be normal, considering that this is still pre-incident.

"Valir, let's see the patient. Karl, you should play outside with Mikasa." Grisha said as he left with Valir, leaving Mikasa and I to each other's company.

"My name's Karl Yeager. What's yours?" I asked, flashing a soft smile.

"Mikasa Ackerman. I'm seven years old." She said returning the gesture a bit stiffly, at which I inwardly chuckled.

"Shall we go outside?" I asked pointing to the door, receiving a nod of confirmation from her. Once outside, she gave me a short, yet enthusiastic tour of their farm, naming almost all of the fruits and plants grown there.

Walking by leisurely in the muddy path, as the soft breeze fluttered past us, I came to appreciate then fresh smell of the wet soil. It was a refreshing experience, to say so in the least.

The tour continued, as the distance between us closed a little bit. After all, I was quite literally the only other kid she knew, meaning, that I would be her first friend.

'Is that a basic MC template or something?' I mused to myself, as I recollected an important tidbit. I forgot to ask Grisha why we had come here!

'Let's just ask her then.' I thought to myself, waiting for her to finish talking about how sweet the orange fruit in her hand was.

"So, Mikasa… Is your mother sick, by any chance?" I carefully prodded, ready to change the topic at moment's notice.

"Huh? Not really. Mom's been pregnant for a few months. That means that I'll have a younger sibling, you know!" She said with a beautiful smile, while I was stunned at the news. More like utterly dazed, as my mind tried to digest the news.

"Karl, what's wrong? Are you sick?" She asked, tugging my sleeves. With palpable disbelief in my tone, I tried to reaffirm if I had been hallucinating or not.

"Mikasa, is your mother really pregnant?" I asked with a hint of desperation, hoping that I heard incorrectly. But, to my dismay, I heard the exact same words…

"Eh? Yes. Mom said it will be a boy, but Dad wants another daughter. I don't know why though..." She said, tapping her chin as her head tilted to one side in genuine wonder.

On the other hand, I was having another existential crisis, just a week after the first one. Relationship goals, I must say…

As far as I knew, there was no mention of Mrs. Ackerman being pregnant for the second time. Hell, there was barely any backstory for Mikasa, except for the Kidnapping Incident.

Yet, now that this is happening, it can only mean one thing.

'My very existence is actively causing changes to the future...!' With that thought cementing in my mind, I took a deep breath, forcing myself not to sigh.

If this was true, then that would mean the longer I waited, the lesser my advantage of future knowledge would become...

'If so, could there be other changes as well? Such as Porco inheriting the Armored Titan instead of Reinass, or the Shiganshina raid pushed ahead in time.'

'Then what should I do? Without the Attack Titan, I wouldn't be able to make any concrete choices, lest people might die. And yet…!' My mind raged as I clenched my fists hard. With such a degree of distortion, the future could very well be equally disastrous.

Forcefully woken from my stupor, I could see Mikasa shaking my shoulders with a worried expression. Quickly breaking into a smile, I reassured her of my well being, to which she reluctantly nodded.

'We'll get there when we get there!' I calmed myself, throwing all the conspiracies to the back of my head. I had already expected this 'Butterfly Effect' to happen sooner or later, so it shouldn't affect my plans too much.

"Let's hope it's not a boy. Trust me, I speak with experience." I continued, with a cheeky smile, making her cheeks puff up cutely in return.

"But, I want a brother!" I chuckled as she crossed her arms and continued to pout.

"Suit yourself. Don't say I didn't warn you." I said, with a simple shrug. Actions always spoke louder than words, so I just hope she doesn't regret her wish.

Anyway, after that we played by the riverside, throwing rocks and spotting fishes as we talked about any little topic we could think of and before we knew it, playtime was over.

"Did you two have fun?" Grisha asked, as he called us over. Valir was standing next him, with a relieved smile on his face. Looks like he would get some sleep today.

"Yes!" Mikasa bobbed her head, brimming enthusiasm as I nodded in turn. With that, Grisha and Valir exchanged some small talk and soon enough it was time for goodbyes.

"Bye Uncle Valir. Bye Mikasa. I'll be back soon!" I said, causing Grisha to cough in surprise.

"Bye Karl! I'll see you soon then!" Mikasa beamed with joy, knowing that her first friend would be back again. Any pedophiles that think otherwise will be neutered, personally by yours truly...

Waving at her one last time, Grisha and I exited the clearing, entering the clustered forest path. I had lots of fun today, if I didn't consider the literal mental breakdown that randomly happened.

Job well done. I congratulated myself. I had properly completed my goal of getting acquainted with the Ackermans'. Now, I have to work towards changing their fates as well.

Well, in , it has been an enjoyable week, free of that dastardly [Training] Quest, which would begin once again from tomorrow onwards.

But this time, I'll strictly adhere to it, for mine and for everyone's sake as well. For my fight would begin in due time…

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A/N: This chapter had the fastest pace I could currently write with. 2.1K BTW...

Also, would you like an Auxiliary Chapter or a Fourth Wall Break like in Chap 7, for a description of Karl's powers. Let me know,

Fourth Wall Break.

Auxiliary Chapter.