A Glimpse into the Past (2)

Mina's POV

The sound of an explosion interrupted my peaceful and surprising slumber. I opened my eyes to see a red sky, which was so common to witness during the war in my original world. Slowly, I pulled my heavy body that was draped in military and medical equipment as dust continued to fall on my petrified state. Then came another explosion, one that resulted in thousands of humans screaming in agony. 

It's a nightmare, one that I will never forget.

"Yeager!" A hand came in contact with my shoulder, and a scream almost came out of my mouth. But upon seeing who it was, I gasped. "What are you doing? Get up!"

"B-but my team," Tears began to flow through my messy and ashen face as my gaze eventually wandered to the ground that was filled with human flesh and bones, stomped, and destroyed. At that point, I lost it. "Father, m-mother, I-I want to go home!" 

"You have no home! All of us don't!" His grip tightened around my arms as pain flooded through my physical and mental well-being. His amber-colored eyes shone brightly in contrast to this damned world, one that I have come to cherish and respect. He, the only person I can ever share my vulnerability with, tightly gripped my shoulder as if it were enough to make me realize that life won't stop on my command.

We could only adapt and move on, just like we always do. "Now stand, ******, and fight!" 

But before he could pull me up, another stomp fell right in front of my desolate figure. When it came up, and the titan continued marching onwards, what was left of his body were his bones, crushed eyeballs, and a massive pool of blood that also splashed on my face. 

"…"

"Cyrus…?"

I extended my trembling arms, hoping that what had befallen me was simply a dream, one that I could escape from.

But it wasn't.

Little did I realize how hoarse my voice became after screaming so loudly, hoping that it could reach someone's ears, hearing my plea. 

There was nothing I could do but scream in this madness. 

"Someone," I whispered, hunching over the pool of blood that was surrounding me, one that belonged to my most cherished friend. "Help us. Someone, please!"

End this war.

And just as I wished, my eyes immediately opened, showing me a blurry yet different scenario. My left hand continued to tremble even after I had pulled myself up from the sofa, making me realize that I must have slept for a few hours. 

I groaned, relieving myself from the past that continues to haunt me up to this day. 

"It's been years…" I whispered to myself and tried to exhale whatever pain was engulfing my heart. "Yet I can still vividly remember your eyes."

Damn it, moron. Just why did you have to die that way?

My headache seems to have worsened after getting some rest, which is a common and usual experience. So, instead of making it a big deal, I simply sighed and proceeded to fix my tied-up hair, forcing myself to push those amber-colored eyes away. While doing so, I gazed toward the window that illuminated the orange and setting sun.

"Look at that," I whispered. "Even the sun is on your side."

Now isn't the time to reminisce, especially if it's about where I originally came from. My mission of saving my parents is of utmost importance, and I can't allow myself to be swayed by that kind of nightmare. 

Move on, Mina. Don't become sentimental.

I must have stayed here for a few hours, yet no one came to see me. It's a relief because I wouldn't know if I was muttering in my sleep.

Just when I finally finished tying my hair up once more, the door opened, revealing Sir Moblit. I stood up and was about to salute him when several other figures began to step inside the room. My eyes widened upon seeing the three humans that I have come to respect the most. 

Erwin Smith, the 13th commander of the Survey Corps.

Levi Ackerman, the squad captain of the Special Operations Squad.

Lastly, Hange Zoe, the leader of the fourth squad, is in charge of researching Titans. 

My nails continued to dig through my flesh as the salute I performed could only stand even more straightforward as it was. Who knew that having the opportunity to meet the three of them could come so quickly? No matter what questions they may ask of me, I must make them realize my worth as a soldier. 

Doing so will aid in accomplishing my plan here at Paradis. 

However, more than nervousness, the beating of my heart continues to burst out from the intensity of the auras that these people bring. Stay still, my heart! I know you're getting excited, but don't show it!

The first one who reacted after seeing my figure standing in this room was Captain Levi. With a click of his tongue, he briskly walked towards the sofa that I was sitting on earlier, ignoring my salute. "I've had enough of brats for one day." 

As rudeness goes, he might just take the throne already, which I am eager to give him. I had to hide the grin that was forming on my lips and neutralize my expression more after noticing Commander Erwin's stare at my face. 

"Do you know why you're here, Mina Carolina?" He asks, clearly not in the mood for small talk. 

But for me, I gladly accepted it and replied, "No, sir."

He hums. "Not even a guess?"

A guess? My posture eventually calmed down as logic once again entered my head. "Was it my action towards Eren Yeager's titan form?" 

"Oh?" Commander Erwin finally sat on a chair that was placed under the table and crossed his arms. "You guessed right."

Curiosity. The gears in my head yearned for the reason why their interest in me was suddenly piqued just after performing an emergency action towards a rampaging titan. If they were looking for skills, they should have called Mikasa instead, or when it comes to strategy, then Armin should have taken my place. 

So, why me?

But before I could even ask him that question, an arm was slung directly on my shoulders. I looked up and saw curious eyes staring right into my soul. 

"Ease your shoulders, Mina!" Hange Zoe tried to calm me by forcibly dragging my whole body in, swaying with her. "You're so serious! You must have rested while waiting for us, right? You look… even deader. How is that possible?"

Now, I had to hold my laughter. If not for Commander Erwin's stare, I would have laughed along with her. So, to ease her mind, I simply gave in by showing her a small yet noticeable smile. "Sorry, Squad Leader Hange, please excuse my fatigued state." 

Her eyes behind those glasses visibly brightened. "You know me?" 

"I'm a fan of your titan research." 

Who knew that those words would bring down the calamity brought by the woman named Hange Zoe? Her lips, which were expressing a polite and energetic smile suddenly turned malicious, one that was filled with passion, which I deeply respect. 

"You're interested in my work?"

I nodded my head and gleefully replied. "I am, yes." 

"Say no more," Hange, once again, wrapped her arm as tightly as she could manage around my shoulders. "Erwin, she's mine, okay? Please say yes!" 

"Oi shitty four eyes," Captain Levi sat more comfortably on the sofa with a noticeable frown forming on his face. "We're not even sure if she plans to enlist in the Survey Corps. Besides, don't you think she's suspicious as hell?"

Squad Leader Hange pouted while the commander once again claimed our attention. "I asked for your presence to ask something, Trainee Carolina. Are you willing to cooperate?" 

No hesitation was needed. "Yes, sir." 

"Good," He shifted on his seat and proceeded to discuss my 'suspicious' emergency activity. I can't blame them for doing so because I would have thought the same way. "What you did was dangerous and risky, so what made you sure that he won't kill you upon contact that day?" 

So, he's asking if I have a logical reason behind my actions that day or if I was just stupid enough to rely on my emotional state. 

Good thing I've thought this through while walking behind Sir Moblit earlier. I figuratively pushed myself forward and spoke, "Coincidentally enough, I have witnessed Eren's emerging figure from his fatigued titan form after fighting off the Titans in HQ. Based on his reaction upon waking up, he doesn't seem to have remembered doing so."

My eyes then wandered towards the floor as my mouth continued to spit reasons to defend myself. "However, after being threatened by the canon, he must have remembered something because the next thing we knew, a titan shell surrounded the four of us, forming a barrier between the Garrison soldiers and us." 

"There was a difference between his two transformations," I lifted my right arm to serve as an example for my next statement. "The first one is that he's unconscious the whole time, yet his titan form is complete. The second, however, was instead conscious, yet the form of his titan only consisted of bones, ripped flesh, and one eye. It's enough for me to deduce the next thing,"

"What thing?" Hange zoomed in on my face, curious about what I was about to say.

And so, I continued, "What if he transforms for the third time - in full form - he'll be unconscious as well? That theory has been proven correct after witnessing him blindly attacking the nearby walls instead of doing his task to lift the boulder."

"So, you risked your life in hopes of bringing back his consciousness?"

I rebutted. "No, there's nothing to risk in the first place. Eren doesn't have the heart to murder human beings," A statement that was proven wrong as seen in World Two. "And his ability to turn into a titan is something new to humanity. We're not exactly sure if he'll be able to control such an ability from the get-go."

"I'm just glad that he's not hurt. Does that answer your question, commander?" 

After hearing my response, the room became silent, enough for us to hear the noise outside of the room. Sweat trickled down my head as I continued to ponder if I had said anything that might behead me after this. 

However, the next words that came out of Commander Erwin's mouth eventually made my day. 

Even for a week, if that's even possible.

*****