Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls In The Desert?

Citizens of Harbor Town crowded the sides of the roads as they wait in anticipation of the departing of the young lord for his mission. Loud thuds could be heard as huge figures appeared from the edge of the town and walked down the streets towards the dock. It was a parade of sorts composed of 37 fifteen-meter tall titans, livestock led by farmers, a large fish tank, and humungous crates on trolley carts pulled by horses, and on the very front, Heishi & company.

The crowd on the streets cheered on and bid him good luck. They walked till they arrived in front of a small wooden cargo boat that was docked on the pier. The thirty-seven titans separated and went near different things. One went for the cattle, another went for sheep, the other went for the pigs, a different one went for the goats, another went for the chickens and ducks, the other went for the fish tank and the rest went for a crate each. The farmers calmed the animals as the titans approached and began swallowing a different one each. For the crates, the titans in charge of them had to cut open their stomach and stuff their crate in before it began healing.

It is a known fact that titans had stomachs but had no digestive systems, once they got full, they would vomit what they ate out. Heishi's mission would start by heading to Paradis through the sea because of the tunnel's collapse. He would then enter the walls and head for the territory of the Ryoshi's within Wall Rose and stay there until he was old enough to join the training camp. Heishi was warned by Nasuko of the horrible taste of the unappetizing things they call food in the training camps and that was the reason for all the livestock. Because of the lack of digestive systems, the stomach of the titans was perfect for acting as storage.

Heishi and his family stopped at the docks as the titans stored their supplies. Hoenn, Arianne, Miyuki, Colline, Holly, and Kiryuu bid him good luck and goodbye one last time before he would leave.

"See you Heish. Don't worry, you can leave Sausage to me. I'll take care of it." Garou reassured his friend as the reins were passed to him.

"Heishi! Wait up!" Heishi's uncle Tamajin rushed towards the docks on Mount while holding the reigns of a black horse with a white snowflake-shaped mark on its forehead and 4 large birds of prey perched on its saddle. "You almost left behind my gifts. Sorry, I'm late, there was another false alarm with Recluse. We thought he was dying since it hadn't been moving much. Turns out, the stag was just being lazy again. Anyways, here are my gifts for you. This majestic stallion here is Kuroumamonogatari, you can just call him Kuro if you want to. He's the best one of the herd. This falcon here is Hermes, he's the fastest falcon we have with the best stamina. You've already met him a few months ago. He was the one who delivered the message to you back when you were having your trials. This hawk is King, that eagle is called Emperor and the vulture is Tyrant. They can assist you well, they can understand human speech since I've already taught them."

"Thanks, Uncle Jin!"

"No problem kid, I wish you good luck on your mission."

Heishi led Kuro and the birds on the ship with Guri and Terrence following behind. After they got in, the captain, a middle-aged man with a cleanly shaved face ordered his men to untie the bowline, forward spring line, stern line, and after spring line before he had them start the engine. The ship left the docks and Heishi waved at his family until he could no longer see them.

The thirty-seven titans were too big for the ship and since they did not need to breathe nor could they run out of stamina, they simply walked on the seafloor and followed behind the trail of the boat. Titans are very light despite their size, making them float once the water level was high enough but because of the heavy things they stored in the stomach-like cavity in their bodies and by hardening parts of their bodies, they were still submerged and could walk instead of swim.

...

Sometime later at the border of Paradis island...

"Hoover, you will be in charge of opening a hole on the outer gate, Braun, you will be the one to create the hole for the inner gate, Leonhart will lure the pure titans to the holes while also helping Galliard by taking turns to bring you all there. Remember, get the founding titan from the King of the Walls as quickly as possible then return got it? I hope you all succeed and return safe and sound along with it." A man in his late middle-ages with light eyes and a thin beard, mustache, and short thinning hair said. He has visible wrinkles from age but an overall healthy build and appearance. This man is Theo Magath, commander of the Eldian Unit of the Marley Army and one of the chief overseers of the first warrior candidates during their training.

In front of him were four of the six graduates who were chosen to inherit the titan powers of Marley, Reiner Braun, Bertholdt Hoover, Annie Leonhart, and Marcel Galliard. They all nodded in acknowledgment before jumping down from the wall used to trap the titans in Paradis. Marcel cut his hand, turning into a 5-meter titan with long black hair, a thick black beard at its chin, sunken eyes, a small, agile body, and visible sharp teeth with no visible lips. The other three got on his shoulder and back before he dashed away towards the direction of the walls. Magath bid them good luck on their mission once more before he and the other Marleyan soldiers boarded their ship and left to return to Marley. They would send a ship to transport the kids back sometime later.

Unknown to the Marleyans, soon after they left, another ship arrived at the borders of Paradis. Heishi led his animal companions followed by Terrence from the ship and towards the wall. The water behind them surged as the thirty-seven titans rose from the sea and towards them.

With the help of the 15-meter titans, they crossed the wall and went towards the other side. Kuro and two mares were placed down before being mounted by Heishi, Guri, and Terrence. Along with the titans, Heishi and co. rode towards the walls as well while the ship that transported them returned to Ryoshi Island.

...

Nightfall soon came and the four kids decided to camp out for the night till sunrise as Marcel reverted to human form. "We didn't cover much ground tonight," Bertholdt said while poking the fire with a rather thick branch.

"Can't do much about the clouds," Reiner said.

"Will the King really not use the Founding Titan, even if we break the wall?" Bertholdt asked as he looked into the fire seemingly in a daze or deep in thought.

"What's the use asking now? Trust Marley's research," Reiner replied.

"That's right, we can't turn back," Marcel added while Reiner turned towards him somewhat surprised. "Tomorrow, we reach the wall... and then..."

Seeing all three of his teammates looking down in silence "Huh? What? Are you having second thoughts about killing the devils? Have you forgotten what they've done?" Reiner asked while turning his head and looking at each of them.

"We're the world's chosen Warriors sent to punish the island devils!" Reiner continued as he stood up.

"I'm sorry," Marcel said with a troubled looked on his face.

"Huh?"

"Reiner, I'm sorry. You were never meant to be chosen as a Warrior. I talked you up and criticized my brother to influence their decision." Marcel continued.

"Huh?"

"I... just wanted to protect my brother. I'm sorry, Reiner... I'm sorry!" Marcel said as his tears fell down.

'Why... are you apologizing?' the ground shook as the question formed in his head. The ground behind Reiner broke as a 5-meter titan with a large head emerged. It had rugged hair, small black eyes, a large nose, small pointed ears, long arms, and a prominent ribcage. He turned his head and looked as it aimed for him with fear numbed his thought process.

"It's a Titan! Run!" Marcel shouted but Reiner was shaking in terror and wasn't moving. The titan looked at him before dashing towards the boy. Just as the titan reached for Reiner, Marcel pushed him away only to be the one to get caught in its hands instead. All four of them, having seen a pure titan for the first time, we're unable to remember that they possessed the ability to turn into titans themselves.

He looked at his friends in terror as the titan opened its maw and moved him closer towards it until his upper body was already inside and the titan bit down on him. It chewed and swallowed until nothing remained of Marcel but his blood that splattered on the ground and the titan.

Reiner, Bertholdt, and Annie immediately made a run for it before the titan would turn its sight on them. Soon after they left, the titan began to glow and disappear, leaving a girl almost the same age as them (technically) lying on the ground unconscious.

Not long after, Heishi and his team arrived in the area and noticed the girl who wore a pale halter dress with a belt. Heishi dismounted and went closer to inspect the girl. "Young lord, be careful! It could be a trap!" Terrence warned.

"Can't you see she's unconscious? Plus, there's no one around for as far as I can see. Look at this place. Looks like some people were about to camp here but something happened. What happened? Did they all die? Is that why there's blood? But that doesn't make sense. Why so little then? and why would they leave behind this girl? Wait...are these titan marks on her?" Just as Heishi said that his eyes suddenly glowed as a scene played out in his mind of what happened.

He saw the titan emerging from the ground, a kid probably the same age as him was eaten after saving another and the rest running away. He could not see the kids for their images were blurry while everything else was clear including the titan. The scene that was playing in his mind ended with the titan glowing.

'So the kid the Titan ate was a shifter then? Does that mean the others are as well? Wait...Are the rest the titans that will breach the walls? Poor girl, she was a titan for who knew how long, but at least she's back to a human now.' After he finished thinking, he lifted the girl and carried her in a princess carry before bringing her to his horse.

"Young lord, what are you doing? We don't know who this girl is." Terrence said.

"Don't worry, I do," Heishi replied as Kuro sat down to help him get on while carrying her. He maintained the position as he held the reins and they continued on their way.

...

At the same time inside the paths...

The same girl Heishi was carrying in his arms in the material world was also here, lying on the desert of sand completely naked but curled up. She opened her eyes and sat up as she saw the beautiful but mysterious phenomenon in the night sky. The girl awakened in a barren field with strange formations of light in the sky. She gazed at in amazement before laughing for some reason, opened her arms wide before lying down on the sand once more.

'This...is freedom. Is there really such a thing as fate? If there is, I can only laugh at how fickle it can be. Hmm...I'm done with telling lies. I'm not going to lie to myself anymore. From now on, I'll proudly live for myself only. This is the best revenge against all those who hated me for my mere existence, and those who had used me for their own purposes.' As she finished with her thoughts and completed her promise to herself, Her consciousness was pulled back to the real world with a new resolve in mind.

...

Back in the real world, Ymir opened her eyes as she awoke in her clothed body once more after 60 years. The first thing she saw was a boy the same age (technically) as her. The boy had blonde & black slightly long hair and violet irises. Realizing her situation, her face immediately reddened. After all, she was technically still the same age as him and this was her first close contact with a boy of the same age, not to mention waking up in his arms after 60 years of being put in a sleep-like state.

Heishi noticed she was awake and after seeing her red face, he held out a hand to her forehead. "You're finally awake, Is something wrong? Your face is all red, are you okay?"

"Umm...Can you put me down?" She asked.

"Huh? Oh sorry, can't do. Were riding a horse right now. But I can help you sit up." He said as he helped her sit properly on the saddle in front of him. "So, What's your name?"

"Its...Ymir," the girl replied after some hesitation.

"You know that to be a lie and yet you insist on believing that it is the truth. Why?" Heishi asked her.

She did not know that while she was hesitating, Heishi's eyes lit up as his violet irises turned bright green while his black pupils turned white. His vision changed as instead of the normal sight, he instead saw only a bright red outline of everything in the dark including Ymir but those with life had mist-like luminescent energy in the form of lines flowing throughout their bodies. Inside the girl, the energy condensed and gathered the most in where her heart is located and pulsated with the same rhythm as her heartbeat. He noticed that as she said her name, the pulsing of the energy increased in speed but quickly returned to normal. From his one year worth of experience, this meant that she could be lying.

The girl was surprised and turned around to look at him. "How did you know?" As she looked at him, the girl was surprised to see the changes in his eyes.

"As you can see, I can tell. I am sensitive to truth and lies. My vision allowed me to see your heartbeat quickened when you said your name but it immediately slowed back." He calmly replied to her.

The girl looked at him for a moment longer before she looked down. "It wasn't a lie. It's just... a man took me in and gave me that name. He did so to turn me into an object to direct his cult's belief to. I got caught along with them and this name is the reason for my sufferings."

Heishi noticed that the pulsing increased once more at an abnormal rate and decided it was the other reason for it was different from when people are lying. The pulsating increases when a person is lying or when their emotions are riled up. The light in his eyes dimmed as the color of his eyes changed back to normal and his vision reverted back as well.

He wrapped her in a hug from behind to comfort and assure her. "Don't worry, I'm here now. From now on, you will no longer have to suffer again. As long as I'm alive, I'll make sure of it. I promise you that. Come live with me, I'll take care of you. Live the life you want to live and be who you want to be."

Ymir was surprised by his words and action. Her heart that has felt only coldness for so long that it itself has begun to turn cold has finally experienced the warmth it saught for. The thing she craved for so long was suddenly given to her from out of nowhere, that thing was the feeling of being wanted, cared for, and appreciated for who she was and not who they want her to be. Feeling both physically and emotionally warm, she began to silently doze off in his arms.

Terrence who watched everything that happened from the sides sighed as he felt pity for young lady Andrea. As time goes on and with his young lord's charisma which he himself was oblivious of, the number of her rivals will grow. He wondered how she would take care of this and what would happen seven years later while feeling sorry for her, he also felt expectant. This was going to be quite a show.

...

An unknown number of days later...

A short distance away from Wall Maria, A fourteen-meter tall titan was running towards it. The titan had yellow hair while its body consists mainly of exposed muscle tissue, with noticeably limited skin coverage, and fingers made out of bone. Its face is laden with muscle lining, notably underneath the cheeks, along with yellowish teeth. Compared to most titans, it seemed much stronger and more physically fit, bearing a lean build with visible muscle definition and a feminine form.

On the female titan's shoulder stood the two boys who fled from the scene of their comrade's death, Bertholdt and Reiner. Behind the female titan were numerous pure and abnormal titans that were chasing after it.

After arriving in front of the walls, Annie, the only girl from their team emerged from the titan's nape noticeably exhausted. She passed out as soon as her whole body separated from the female titan. Reiner and Bertholdt both jumped as the titan collapsed and cut their hands at the same time. The wind suddenly ceased blowing just before humungous lightning bolts struck down at them causing them to quickly transform.

Berthodlt transformed into a titan at the staggering height of 60 meters and possessed a very distinctive appearance and a number of unusual features that made it look heavily deformed even compared to normal titans. It appeared to lack skin entirely and its jaw and facial structure seemed to be heavily altered from his human form. Its feet were also quite different from those of a human and other Titans, as they were swollen and pillar-like in appearance. He had slim and disproportionately long arms in comparison to his head, body, and legs.

It was so heavy that once its feet landed on the ground, it caused a shockwave on the ground so strong it sent people inside the walls to stumble, stagger, and a few were even thrown into the air.

It looked at Reiner who transformed into a 15-meter titan with Annie with him inside the titan's nape. His titan had white plates of hardened skin covering the entirety of its body, except for muscles in its cheeks that become exposed when it opens its lipless jaw, as well as the muscle tissue behind its knees, elbows, and feet. Its eyes are covered by white, organic lenses, and it has short, blond hair.

Bertholdt's colossal titan placed one hand and grabbed the top of the wall while continuously releasing steam from his body as he watched Reiner's armored titan hardened its hands and feet which created sharp claws that it used to climb the Walls. Before the armored titan began climbing, the colossal titan tightened its grip on the wall as it stood up and looked at the district behind the walls. He leaned his body forward while raising his right foot before using the inertia to increase the power as he kicked a hole on the outer gate. The force was so strong it sent boulders and even the top of a church where a bell is placed flying, the glass of windows shattering, and air pressure kicking up dust while sending near everything and everyone close to the gate flying as well.

After finishing his task, he got out of the colossal titan's nape and turned his head only to find a creepy smiling titan walking towards him but it ignored the boy and continued forwards. With Reiner's urging, he hurriedly jumped towards the armored who caught him and placed him inside the nape as well before it began climbing the walls while the pure titans chasing after them entered the district through the hole.

A distance away from them, Heishi and his group witnessed the whole thing. Ymir, who was comfortably sleeping in his arms was immediately awakened by the shockwave. "It's time to enter," Heishi said to her when suddenly, the scenes of Carla Yeager buried underneath a house that was smashed by a giant boulder being found by Eren and Mikasa, Her trying to get them to leave, Hannes arrival and departure bringing along Eren and Mikasa on his shoulders, Her being eaten by a creepy smiling titan, and Eren using this as a motivation to fight played out in his mind.

"Hmm...Looks like there will be a change of plans. Ymir, don't be scared alright?" He said to her who as she looked at him, only now noticed the thirty-seven titans behind them and got a scare. He quickly comforted her and explained the situation before dismounting Kuro. "As I said earlier, don't be scared alright?" Heishi said before he clenched his fist which caused electricity to course throughout his body.

His entire body lit up, blinding everyone and when the light finally disappeared, an eighteen-meter titan with black hair, thick limbs, a small head (compared to its body that is), and holes on its shoulders and back where smoke was continuously coming out of, appeared. It knelt down and placed an open palm beside the shocked Ymir. "Don't be scared, it's me Heishi. Get on, we're running out of time." The titan said in a rough voice as if its throat was burned...which it kinda is.

After she got on his palms, he placed her in one of the holes on his shoulders while closing the duct to prevent her from falling. The part that opened and closed was slightly deep inside, just enough to hide an adult's body. He then placed both Terrence and Guri on a separate duct as well before standing up and leading his titan warriors to the breach on the outer wall. 'It's time to pay a visit to Shiganshina.'