Late Night Stories Vol. 16 Eren Yeager "A Story of Looking Back"
Midnight neared as the soldiers occupied the former Survey Corps headquarters. The armed members of the Survey Corps Special Operations Squad, better known as Squad Levi, were gathered in a room where they prepared to test the abilities held by Eren, the subject of their observation.
"Hange and the Captain are late," Eren nervously muttered.
"They're probably busy explaining things to the brass. Doing experiments at night is dangerous, after all," Petra said, trying to put him at ease.
"That's right, Eren. All we've ever seen are your records. We don't know much about who you are as a person. Why don't you tell us about that while we wait?" their leader, Eld, said as everyone turned to look at Eren.
"What? But I don't know what to talk about…"
"Anything, even something trivial. Like a story from when you were in the Training Corps," Günther casually replied, inviting him to talk. No matter how special Eren's abilities might have been, he couldn't disobey his seniors.
"You'd better entertain us, newbie …"
"Stop sounding so disgusting, Oluo. Just be quiet and listen to what he has to say."
Eren took a sip of his tea before opening his mouth again…
"My father was a doctor…and I think I was born into reasonably well-off family. It didn't even really affect our lives after we took Mikasa in when she lost her parents."
Eren started to go back over his short but eventful life.
"Oh, you mean that recruit who was staring daggers at the Captain when he kicked you?"
"Yes, she's family… And family is something she's lost twice."
The others now understood. If her wild actions had come out of a desire to protect those closest to her, it made sense.
"She's had to experience a happy home being destroyed in front of her, after all…"
"Yes. And after that, we went to a settlement."
A young Eren and Mikasa, together with their childhood friend, Armin, helped each other survive in the settlement that tilled its barren land and tried to grow whatever food it could.
"Even then…Mikasa had amazing strength. She could clear rocks that even adults had trouble with using a single rod."
"So she made sure to live up to her reputation once she joined the Training Corps."
"That's right. The three of us applied to join at the same time. Training was tough at first…but we learned the skills we need to face off against Titans thanks to it."
Eren clenched his fist and thought of his many days of training. He was so desperate to keep his own head above water then that he barely noticed what went on around him.
"That's right… I was able to meet lots of other people my age from lots of different circumstances… I guess that was a good experience, too."
Annie, who acted quiet but taught him practical hand-to-hand combat skills. Reiner, who acted more like a soldier than any of them, and earned trust from them all. Jean, whom he never agreed with, but whose Vertical Maneuvering abilities he could learned so much from…
When Eren thought about it, he realized that it may have been the Training Corps where he first learned how to be social.
"Oh… Yeah, I guess you were just a regular recruit. The recruits in my year were important to me, too."
"Hey, Petra. What about your buddies here in the Survey Corps?" Eld joked as Petra smiled now that Eren had finished.
"You already know the answer to that! You're all important to me."
When Eren saw the trust his seniors showed for one another, he suddenly lowered his gaze. He still didn't know anything about the other recruits who had become Survey Corps members.
"Am I…going to become…someone you trust, too?"
"Hmph. That's up to you…"
"I thought I told you to stop talking like that… Honestly, we barely know you yet. But I feel like it's possible after hearing what you just said."
As soon as Eren said this, they heard the door open. Everyone looked in its direction.
"Sorry for making you all wait!"
"We got permission. We'll start the experiment."
The members of Squad Levi saluted their returning superiors. Among them, Eren had become one of many soldiers.
SOURCE: Attack on Titan: Short Stories 2
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