Chapter Text
You looked at Professor Ewald Winkler, who was kneeling on the ground as he carefully plucked the herbs you needed. He was the man who raised you. Or so you believed, at least. You can't remember the life you lived before meeting him.
Your earliest memory was of waking up on the steps leading to an old house. It was raining heavily. Your clothes were soaked, your body shivering from the cold. That was when Professor Winkler rounded the corner. It had been his house that you were sitting in front of. He helped you up and brought you inside. Speaking to you with a gentle voice, as he handed you a towel and fresh clothes. Since that day, he had guided you with a warm hand through every hardship.
Life in Shiganshina was never easy. It was one of the four cities built outside Wall Maria to draw Titans away from the outer wall. They said the farther you lived from the center, the poorer the people became. Those who could afford, always chose to settle behind Wall Sina, the innermost and safest Wall.
Once, you'd caught the Professor staring beyond the Wall with an expression you couldn't name. It was gone in a moment, replaced by the calm, steady gaze of your teacher, but it left a question echoing in your chest ever since.
While your Professor had the statues and money to be able to live behind Wall Sina, he had decided against it. The reason for that was unknown to you, but you liked living in Shiganshina better anyway. The few times you had visited the Inner District with the Professor, you'd felt only unease. The people were upright, and the vast, beautiful landscape your home possessed was missing from the scenery.
No flower fields bloomed there. And how can someone live happily without beautiful flowers to look at?
"Professor, what flower is that?" you asked, your eyes bright as you pointed to one in full bloom.
The older man smiled warmly. "A daffodil."
"It is so beautiful, Professor! But the hibiscus in your book is even prettier. It's a pity it doesn't grow here..." you said sadly. You would have loved to see this flower for yourself. Even as a painted picture, its beauty was unmistakable. You couldn't imagine how beautiful it must be from up close.
"Don't be sad, dear. When you're older, we can look at many more beautiful flowers," the professor replied. The warm smile did not disappear from his face for a second, as he lovingly patted your head.
You spun around in circles, surrounded by colorful flowers. "Yes, definitely! I want to see the whole world."
"Did you know," he began. "That flowers have their own language?"
"What? Flowers can talk?" you gasped. You had never heard a flower speak, but you would love to know what they have to say. Or maybe it was that none of the flowers wanted to talk to you, and they preferred to talk to Professor Winkler when you weren't around. This thought made you sad. After all, you loved flowers so much.
"They can't speak with words," he said, amused. "But each flower has meaning. When you give one to someone, it expresses something. For example, the daffodil says, 'You are vain!'"
"But it's so beautiful! Why does it have such a mean meaning?" you asked. "It must be crying every day because people are giving daffodils to each other to express something like that with it. Just because they can't do it with their own words!"
Professor Winkler laughed slightly when he saw how upset this, for your children's eyes, injustice made you. What he didn't tell you was that it had a slightly different meaning and that the one he told you was merely more well-known. A flower whose actual meaning fit you well, he thought to himself. "Yes, but it's fortunate that there are people, like you, who can appreciate its true beauty, dear."
You grinned and turned toward the flower. "Yes, I'll tell it every day how beautiful it is, and that it shouldn't listen to others. Just like Nora always says."
"I'm sure it will be happy if you are as good a friend to it."
You nodded eagerly. "That would be great. But Professor, what does the hibiscus tell you when you get it as a gift?"
Winkler thought for a moment before answering, "The hibiscus says, 'You are a marvel of beauty."
"It fits that flower," you agree with a smile.
"You're right about that," he said, before his gaze fell on his pocket watch that he always carried with him. Thinking back, you had never seen him without it before. "It's about time. We should head home."
You nodded and waved to the flowers. "We'll be back soon. See you later!"
Another warm smile sneaked onto Winkler's lips as he saw how much energy you possessed, as you skipped ahead. You were truly a little whirlwind, but also a real ray of sunshine, infecting everyone around you with your cheerful mood.
You go through the inner gate of Wall Maria, to the Shiganshina District, where your house is located. Shiganshina is in the southern part of Wall Maria and is one of the twelve outer Districts. Behind the inner gate, you could see soldiers of the Garrison drinking and playing cards, as they often do, instead of performing their duties. The professor shook his head slightly at the sight as you walked past the soldiers.
"Professor, don't they have to keep an eye on the Titans?" you asked in surprise. Because Shiganshina was one of the outskirts, the city was more at risk for Titan attacks.
"People feel safe because nothing has happened for a hundred years," he said quietly.
For 100 years, the wall had been standing. Never has it been breached, nor was anyone inside the walls eaten by a titan. Most of humankind didn't even know what they looked like anymore.
"But that's no reason. What if they suddenly come?" you persisted.
"Let's hope they don't," he murmured. "But that's the way people are..."
The conversation between the two of you was interrupted when the big bell started ringing. You knew what it meant. "Professor, the Survey Corps is coming back! Can we go to the main gate?"
"All right, but stay close to me. Don't run in front of a horse," he agrees.
"Got it, Professor Winkler!"
The soldiers of the Survey Corps were the only people who regularly left the protection of the walls and ventured into the territory of the Titans. In doing so, of course, they inevitably encountered the Titans, resulting in countless soldiers returning injured from an expedition or never coming back.
You joined the crowd at the main gate. The soldiers returned, battered and few in number. Their faces were heavy with loss.
The usual chatter broke out. Most people gave up their hopes for the Survey Corps and saw them as nothing more than a waste of money. Most even thought that it would serve the soldiers' right to die if they voluntarily left the protection of the walls.
Suddenly, an old lady broke from the crowd. She was calling out her son's name, searching for him desperately. But her son never answered her cries. The commander could only give her the detached arm of her deceased son. This is all they could save of him.
Crying, the woman sank to her knees, while holding the arm, wrapped in a cloth, tightly against herself. Sobbing and crying, she asks if the death of her son has brought any benefit. The commander began to stutter. All those present knew what that meant. The Survey Corps failed to achieve anything. And with that, the opinion of the masses was confirmed once more.
Winkler gently touched your shoulder before he lightly pushed you in his direction. "(Y/n), let's go."
You followed quietly, head bowed.
As you walked, you whispered, "I'd like to know what it looks like behind the walls... I wonder what flowers and plants are there? Maybe there's a city somewhere, like ours..."
Ever since you can remember, you have always felt that you could not be the only people. Of course, you didn't share these thoughts with anyone except the professor, because it was forbidden to talk about things that were outside the walls. That was how the government wanted to protect people. If there was no interest in the world outside, there was no interest in leaving the walls.
Ewald hesitated for a moment before asking you, a little concerned, "Are you toying with the idea of joining the Survey Corps, my child?"
The professor's question startled you since you thought you were just speaking in your mind. "No, definitely not, Professor! I'm too afraid of the Titans. It's only because of them that we're locked up here and only get to see the world in our limited means. I think that's sad. I would like to discover a new flower or a new animal every day, but I cannot. I am too afraid. For that, I envy the Survey Corps... They're not afraid..."
"Can you promise me something?" Professor Winkler suddenly asked.
"What is it?"
"Don't join the Survey Corps. Stay within the protection of the walls."
"Professor... I'm sorry, but I can't promise you that. Who knows what will change when I'm older? I can't promise you something like that now. Otherwise, I would always feel like I'm betraying you..." you said in a soft voice. Even though you admire the soldiers of the Survey Corps, it was not a dream of yours to join them. After all, you were sure that you would never be able to fight a Titan. Even if you were interested in what was hidden behind the walls. Freedom? Realization? Or only death?
"As I expected ..." he laughed slightly. "Then, at least promise me that you do it out of your own conviction."
You looked at him with renewed energy and replied in a firm voice, "I can promise you that."
When you arrived home, the professor went about his work while you read one of your favorite books.
Slowly, the dusk settled as the professor spoke, "(Y/n), dear. I have to go out again to get something. Do you want to stay here alone?"
"I'll come with you, Professor," you said immediately, already putting on your shoes, which the Professor does likewise.
Together you walk through the peaceful streets of the city. There were some other children playing in the street, and many adults were on their way home from work. On your way, you also encountered one of those wall preachers. You moved a little closer to Winkler because these people kind of scared you.
Everything was quiet and peaceful, as always.
You turn to Winkler, who was walking a little farther behind you. "Professor, what do you need-" your question is interrupted when suddenly some kind of yellow and bright lightning seemingly crashed into the ground before the Wall. A loud bang echoed through the air, making your ears ring. At the same moment, the earth began to shake, causing you to lose your footing and fall to the ground, just like everyone else around you.
You struggled back to your feet and looked up.
The people around you looked distraught. You follow their gazes and see a huge red hand resting on the wall. Its weight was pressing against the stone, causing cracks to splinter beneath it. But to your dismay, you realized that the hand wasn't the worst thing that was going to happen.
You realized it when the hand started to squeeze, damaging the wall even more. It was alive and had a body that functioned magnificently.
A head of incredible scale looked over the wall. "A... A... Titan....," you stuttered in fear as you tumbled back. You stumbled and fell to the ground again.
Shortly after, another explosion could be heard, and boulders flew through the air, raining down on the city.
You didn't know what was happening until it suddenly shouted:
"A hole in the wall! The Titans are coming! Save yourselves!"
You couldn't comprehend what was happening. Your legs didn't move an inch, and you're still sitting motionless on the floor with a distraught look on your face.
Your numbness dissolved when suddenly someone lifted you up in a rushed motion. It was Professor Winkler who reacted immediately. "We have to get out of here!"
With you on his arm, he runs down the streets. "Are you all right? Are you hurt?", Winkler asked worriedly, but still with his warm voice that gave you so much confidence and courage, and at the same time calmed you down.
"No, I'm fine. And you?" you answer, still dazed by the situation.
"Nothing happened to me either."
Panicked people and terrifying Titans roam the streets of Shiganshina, and in all the commotion, a professor with his student in his arms ran for survival. More and more Titans invaded. Blood and scattered body parts are everywhere, and together with the agonizing screams of the eaten, a shiver ran down your spine.
Those who were not eaten were crushed to death by fragments of the wall. It was a terrible sight. And far too much for a little girl like you.
Winkler pressed your head against his shoulder so that you didn't have to see the horror, but even he couldn't prevent you from catching glimpses of the scenery here and there. Not knowing exactly what was really going on and only seeing something here and there and otherwise only hearing the sounds was almost even more frightening.
"Everything will be fine. Don't be afraid," the professor whispered under all the shouting, soothingly to you as you clung tighter and tighter to his jacket.
People are running to the boats to get inside Wall Maria, where they were safe from the Titans. You and Winkler ran after the masses. Finally, you arrived at the boats. There was a huge crowd in front of the docks. The soldiers of the garrison had a lot of work to do to keep them under control, while new Titans continuously entered through the broken gate.
After waiting in line, the two of you got onto one of the crowded boats, pressed among sobbing strangers. Ewald set you down at a free spot. The Titans came closer and closer to the docks, leaving the soldiers with no option but to let the boat leave the harbor, sealing the fate of hundreds. People screamed and shouted to at least let the children on the boat. Desperate people tried to jump on the boat, clinging to the sides, as it departed, before eventually falling into the water.
As the boat moved, you saw the garrison desperately trying to fire cannons at the Titans, but the Titans cared very little. Their injured body parts regenerated quickly, and they carried on as before. They have an easy game and feed on the humans as if it were an "all-you-can-eat" buffet.
Suddenly, a huge and muscular titan arrived. It placed itself in front of the gate and simply rammed through it. Thus, the Titans were also able to get inside Wall Maria.
Wall Maria fell, and the Titans entered. From then on, people lived behind Wall Rose. 10,000 died.
This day should be remembered by all. For decades, people relied on the stability of the walls. Without worry, they lived there. But all this changed in a few hours. Everyone knew again what it means to be trapped in a birdcage...
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