Frogs In the Well

In the darkness of the cell, streaming tears helped themselves out of the corners of Ymir's eyes, sketching shimmering paths along her cheeks. That weary face reflected the white light filtering in through the gaps between the steel bars lining the empty space in the square cutout unrightfully called a window. It was the moon's, a celestial face as freckled as Ymir's. I can never forget it. Opened eyes, but still dreaming. Shuffle. Sand shifting beneath her sprawled legs, chafing the bare skin set against it. The feeling of waking up. Endless, the undulating expanse of desert she found herself in. When I opened my eyes… What I saw was freedom spread before me. Her mouth hung open, those gently sloped lips curving into something between an awe imbued smile and shock. It was moving. The moon blurred out of focus, revealing the backdrop, a constellation of glinting crystals interspersed among the stunning gaseous formations in the sky. Below, sparse clouds drifting by. Ymir stretched her arms forward, opening her hands. Mirthless laughter. Absurd, absurd, it was totally absurd. Shook her body as she swept her arms outwards, outstretching them to her sides. I could only laugh at how fickle 'fate' could be. Nude, she fell back onto the ground which kindly received her. Historia... Just then, it felt cold. The sensation intensified until she retrieved her senses, finding her cheek immersed in a pool of drool on the concrete floor. Clatter. A metal tray carrying food fell in through the door's rectangular slot, bread and butter. "Last supper, Ymir." A voice of derision from a nameless guard. Even in that state she couldn't help herself. How am I meant to eat with these blocks in my mouth? "You could use a last supper yourself." Glimpses of the guard's rotund figure could be seen in the slot.

"It's fitting that the inheritor of the Jaw Titan tends to talk too much." Keys jangled before the door was flung open, in entered a Marleyan soldier. "Keep on talking Eldian bitch, see what happens." Defiance lit Ymir's eyes, but her tone was level. "Not Eldian, not a bitch. I'm myself, true to myself." Spit. "Polish your eyes with that and see clearer." In response, the soldier pointed the end of a quaking barrel at her forehead. "Make sure to not miss, your hand's shaking." Ymir leant in, eyeing the circular void closing in. Is that… Is that the moon? Immense force disrupted her thoughts. Thwack. They butted her head with the stock instead, flicking blood to the ground. "You're sick. You thought I wouldn't catch on?" Ymir's face was pushed to the ground, stopping in front of her pool of drool so she could observe the reflection. "Look, you're even smiling like an idiot." She was. Locks of hair messily curtained her bruised face. Blood didn't cease to pour, she smiled with blood-stained teeth. Staggering back, "Y-You really are a devil!" The guard made a prompt exit. Slam. Door closed. ...Historia, I'll try a little harder. Retreating footsteps were heard for a few moments before their sound faded. "Hey, you stepped on my bread d-damn." Crushed bread was smeared on the ground.

Passing by in the background of Ymir's persecution, a blonde-haired man who drew out every syllable of the name. "Eren Yeager?" The glint of circular glasses peering in through the slot caught Eren's eyes. "If I am, what then?" Click. The door opened, ushering in dust. Their frilly curtain style hair fidgeted slightly. Low set eyebrows, thin wireframe glasses. "Zeke Yeager is my name." Zeke moved closer, his beige trench coat billowed as his leather boots squeaked. Eren looked up to Zeke who stood infront of him then knelt down. "Look at me, Eren Yeager." Zeke gradually leant in, his and Eren's eyes tremored as if magnets of identical polarity in close proximity "Is my name familiar to you?" Eren shook his head. "I see." Scratching his prickly chin with his index. "Do you know where you are?" Again, a shaken head. Zeke's shoulders dropped. "I'm glad he hasn't reached your mind." Removing his glasses, he ran a hand over his face, massaging the creases out of it. "Am I meant to know who you are? Sure, we have the same surname but that isn't proof of any relationship." Prior to their meeting, Zeke had conferred with Reiner, Bertholdt, and Annie who divulged the details of Eren's background. Inside of a ship, the three of them sat opposite Zeke in a small cabin. "…If I'm not mistaken, Eren said his father used to be a doctor and is now missing." It was Bertholdt who spoke up, Reiner followed up. "There's still an even chance of the Founding Titan being possessed by either Ymir or Eren. Neither of them have displayed any signs." Annie stood off to the side with folded arms, looking through the porthole with a flat look as fragments of light entered the room via it. "I'm tired." Her eyes had taken on a deeper shade of blue, of the same hue as the ocean's. She left.

Those voices vanished from Zeke's mind as he returned to the scene at hand. If I touch him. Will it happen? "Eren, welcome home. We have much catching up to do." Zeke put on a pair of gloves, taking out a pair of pliers. "This will be painful, but I'm sure you're used to it by now. That's to be grieved." Eren's eyes widened. "Oi! What're you doing with those!?" Disregarded. Zeke reached in with the pliers, gripping the molars to which the bite blocks were attached. "I'm not your enemy, that's why I'm doing this." Rip. All four of his rear molars yanked out with the nerve endings somehow still attached. The magnitude of the scream required to convey Eren's pain proved too much for his vocal cords, a hoarse croak sufficed. "Transform when the time is right. Seek me out." Zeke made his exit, shutting the door behind himself. Eren was left in the dark. This is just too much. A brother? 'Jaw Titan'? He'd overheard the commotion in Ymir's cell. There are more than just the Armoured, Colossal, and Female. This world is too large. I wonder how Mikasa's doing. No, I don't even have the right to think about her. Humanity, I've betrayed humanity by allowing myself to be caught! He almost bit his lip. Ymir, will she survive my transformation?

While this all occurred, Mikasa found herself staggering along the gritty backstreets of Marley after having climbed onto shore. I'm fortunate the wound is shallow. Her thigh had a slight chunk of flesh claimed by a bullet, a piece of her torn uniform was wrapped around it. There was a hole in her stomach, hunger. Tightness in her throat, thirst. These people seem so care free. People of all manner passed by the alleyway next to the bustling pedestrian area by the accompanying dock which harboured massive ships. Suits, top hats, flowing dresses. Rumble. A wheeled mechanical construct spewing smoke rolled by with a person sat in it. What sort of horse is that? Overlapping chatter filled the air alongside pleasant scents. Driven by deprivation, Mikasa was lured out and greeted with the sight of market stalls lining a narrow stretch between terraced buildings, as she came out, the volume increased to deafening levels. "Enjoy the festival Udo! If you're not eating anything give me your wallet, I'll do so on your behalf!" The voice of a young woman currently smacking a bespectacled youth's back. "Gabi, ask Reiner for pocket money instead of leeching it off me." Gabi shook his arm. "But he's stingy, you both are." An accusatory tone and eyes which flitted between Udo and the boy on Gabi's other side. "Both? You're looking at me too? Z-Zofia, back me up here!" Zofia, a pony-tailed girl with slanted eyes. "What Falco? I stopped listening some time ago." She had hands over her ears. The commonality between these youths were the armbands they wore which were coloured yellow, having a white negative in the shape of an explosion. Also, the khaki shirts, trousers, and black leather high boots. They quietened down at the sight of Mikasa walking into the open. All eyes were on her peculiar attire.

They're just kids, so I should… Smile, her smile looked as though she were grimacing with happy eyes.