Late in the afternoon within a shrouded forest, the sounds of a screaming child echoed along with the yells of a man. The child was being held down by the man and struggled desperately to get away, but the man's grip on the child was strong although he struggled to accomplish what he set out to do on the child properly due to the relentless struggles of said child.

The most surprising aspect of this situation were the identities of the man and the child. The man was in fact Grisha Jaeger and the child was his son, Eren Jaeger.

"Eren!" Grisha exclaimed.

"Dad! Stop it, dad! What are you trying to do!?" Eren shouted tearfully.

"Just give me your arm!" Grisha shouted as he held up an injection.

"Have you lost it!? Let me go, dad!" Eren shouted.

"This is for your sake!" Grisha stated and he proceeded to inject whatever was in the injection into Eren's arm.

"Argh! Dad!? What are-" Eren was cut off by Grisha handing him a key.

"Don't forget the key, okay!? You must get there..." Grisha instructed as Eren's vision began to blur, "Someday, you'll understand...until that day..."

Eren started to go numb and whatever Grisha was saying to him was muffled with white noise. Eren turned his head as he slumped to the ground, and although his vision was blurry, his eyes widened upon catching a peculiar and horrifying sight.

Deep within the bushes watched the monstrous eyes of the monster he'd sworn to kill. The eyes of a demon that had bathed in the blood of his fellow man. They were unmistakable. Those were the eyes of the Nine-Tailed-Titan!

That in itself was horrifying, but what sent chills running down his spine was the fact that although blurry, the glowing red fox eyes belonged to Akuma.

Something told him that she noticed the fact that he spotted her, because she grinned at him right after, brandishing her sharp animalistic teeth.

"Eren."

Eren jolted up from the haystack he was sleeping on with a gasp and sweat running down the side of his head. He looked up to see Mikasa standing over him with her ever neutral look, although she was frowning.

"Eren, are you okay? You were tossing and turning the whole night." Mikasa asked.

"I saw my dad...and..." Eren muttered as he looked down.

"And?" Mikasa asked.

"A monster." Eren stated.

"It was probably just a nightmare." Mikasa rationalized.

"Was it?" Eren asked, looking back up at her.

Mikasa was unsure on how to answer that so she opted to change the topic and not dwell on the subject for the time being.

"Let's go. They said they're going to distribute food." Mikasa informed.

Eren nodded and he got up, following her out of the barn. The both of them were met by Armin, Carla who was now in a wheelchair and Armin's grandfather.

"Hey, Eren!" Armin greets with a smile.

"Good morning, Eren." Carla greets with a smile of her own.

"Took you long enough, kid. We gotta hurry before the rations run out." Armin's grandfather said as he started walking.

Armin helps Carla by pushing her wheelchair to which she thanks him in kind for. They all manage to catch up with Armin's grandfather and continue their way to the ration line.

Eren looked around, noticing that someone was missing from their little group.

"Hey, where's Akuma?" Eren asks and Mikasa clenched her fists with a shaky breath at the mention of her name.

"We haven't seen her all morning." Armin explains, "We're not really worried that much though. Akuma can take care of herself."

Carla noticed that Mikasa was indeed worried and she held her hand, giving her a gentle smile.

"It's okay, Mikasa. I'm sure Akuma is fine and she'll be back soon." Carla said and Mikasa somewhat relaxed, but the worry wouldn't dissipate.

The managed to reach the line and it was already long. Armin's grandfather let out an annoyed sigh, but he knew there was no whining about it and they had to wait and hope that the rations wouldn't run out before they reached the front.

"Are we even gonna get any once we get there?" Eren asked in annoyance.

"Count yourself lucky." The man in front of them said, gaining their attention, "The line would be ten times longer if more people had made it out. The reason there's still a line right now could be that there's more food than expected."

"So, we just have to wait before we get our fill?" Carla asked.

"Seeing as how far back we are...I don't like our chances." The man replied and Carla frowned in worry.

They wait for a while and while the line was moving, more people lined up behind them and the food was starting to run out.

Suddenly two soldiers approached them, bringing an air of confusion, worry, surprise and even fear.

"What the hell do you guys want?" Eren asked defensively with a glare.

"Eren! Stop being so rude!" Carla reprimanded.

"Tch." Eren clicked with gritted teeth.

"We need the five of you to come with us." One of the soldiers states.

"What? Why?" Armin asks.

"No way! We still gotta get our food!" Eren exclaims.

"Did we do something wrong?" Carla asks.

"Please just come with us." The other soldier states.

Although hesitant to do so, they step out of the line and follow the soldiers, Mikasa having to drag Eren out by his collar.

The people in line notice them and are also confused as to what was occurring. Only when the two soldiers led them to the front and turned to address them did it click in some others' minds.

"Take as much as you want." One of the soldiers stated.

There was a brief pause of stunned silence until those lined up erupted in angered questions and complaints.

"Huh!?" One exclaimed.

"What the hell!?" Another shouted.

"What is this!?" Another asked.

"Is this some kind of joke!?" Another exclaimed.

"What about us!?" Another shouted.

"Why them!?" Another shouted.

"Silence!" A higher up soldier demanded, quieting the enraged crowd, "These are the orders from the higher ups! Any attempt at interference will be regarded as treason and will result in jail time or getting issued to the front lines!"

"Uh, excuse me, sir," Carla asks and he looked down at her, "Why is it that we're receiving such special treatment?"

"We're just following orders, ma'am. Hurry up and take your fill." The soldier informed.

"Well, you don't have to tell me twice!" Eren exclaimed gleefully as he started a bountiful amount of bread along with Armin's grandfather.

"Armin! Get over here, we're getting as much as we can carry." Armin's grandfather instructed.

"Y-yes, sir!" Armin exclaimed, grabbing the milk and cheese.

Mikasa picked up a loaf of bread, but her arm was suddenly grabbed by someone in line.

"Hey! Just what the hell is wrong with you people!? Can't you see we're all hungry too!?" The woman that grabbed her arm asked angrily.

Mikasa shoved her hand away and looked her in the eyes, taking a big bite of the loaf, rendering the woman stunned.

Carla felt guilty by doing all of this though and she only took a one loaf and one bottle of milk.

"If you've taken enough, then follow us." One of the soldiers ordered.

The two soldiers started walking down a street and they followed them, having to walk past the glares, the shouts, the yells and the curses the angered crowd was giving them.

The walk was a short way down the street and at the end of said street was a modest house with two surprising people situated in front of it. Erwin Smith stood with a stern gaze and Akuma sat on the steps to the house with her signature smirk plastered on her face.

The group, besides the two soldiers, were surprised to see Akuma which arose many questions among them. Mikasa didn't care though, she was elated to see Akuma overall and she sped up her pace, running towards her with a smile that could only be brought upon by Akuma herself.

Akuma frowned in annoyance and opened her arms, letting Mikasa engulf her in a hug.

"You really need to stop this habit of yours." Akuma said to her.

Mikasa gripped onto her tighter and shook her head, "N-no..."

Akuma scoffed and rolled her eyes with a smirk, "You're a stubborn one, I swear."

"The mission was a success, sir." One of the soldiers informed.

"I can see that." Erwin said, looking over at all the food the group had gathered, "Good work."

"Alright, what the hell is going on?" Eren asked.

"Eren, language!" Carla yelled.

"What? I wanna know." Eren said.

"It's good you're trying to learn some things for that empty brain of yours." Akuma teased.

"Not the moron telling me how empty my brain is." Eren said angrily.

"Glad to see you're not denying the fact that it is empty." Akuma retorted with a smirk.

Eren glared at her with gritted teeth, "You wanna go!?"

"Anytime anyplace!" Akuma shouted as they slammed their foreheads together.

"Guys, really? Can we not fight so early in the morning?" Armin asked, knowing that there was a minor chance that they would listen to reason.

"He/She started it!" The both of them shouted.

"Well, I'm ending it. Enough squabbling, you two. I'm sure these brave men have more important things to handle then having us waste their time." Carla stated and the both of them reluctantly stopped.

Erwin cleared his throat gaining their attention, "Welcome. From this point forward, you five will be residents of this house."

That statement alone shocked them all, besides Akuma, who just smirked in response.

"There are enough rooms for each of you and every day a shipment of food will be delivered to you." Erwin stated, shocking them once more.

"But why? Why such special treatment?" Carla asked.

"She's right. We're only refugees. What have we done to get treated this well?" Armin asked.

"Well..." Erwin started, taking a brief glance at Akuma and his eyes growing hard as he looked at all of them, "This is just another step at ensuring humanity's survival."

They were all stunned to hear this and Erwin took this chance to take his leave with his fellow soldiers.

"Ha! Ha! Ha!" Armin's grandfather laughed as he jumped around happily, "What good fortune! Whatever gods are up there seem to be betting it all on us! Ha! Ha! This is amazing!"

"Akuma," Armin starts.

"Hm?" Akuma asks.

"Was this the reason you weren't around all morning? Did you somehow convince the soldiers to give us special treatment?" Armin asks.

Akuma gave him a hard stare for a moment and he nervously looked away from her.

"S-sorry, I-" Armin was about to say until Akuma interrupted him by a laugh.

"I was out looking for food." Akuma responded, "I assumed the rations we would get would just be a bunch of scraps so I went out looking for more food for us. Erwin found me and brought me here to wait for you guys to show up."

"That makes sense." Eren said with a smile.

"I recommend not going out alone, but thank you for looking out for us once again, Akuma." Carla said with a smile.

"C-Cool..." Mikasa muttered with a blush, masking herself with her scarf.

"I guess that makes sense..." Armin muttered.

"Oh, man. Armin you're hilarious. Akuma would rather fight the soldiers than try convincing them." Eren laughed.

"I know right..." Akuma said with a smirk.

~

At early noon, Akuma sat nonchalantly on a crate with Erwin sitting on a crate opposite of her as he read through a paper.

He finished reading the paper and looked up at her, keeping his cool in her presence since he knew what he was really dealing with.

"Your handwriting is horrendous." Erwin stated.

Akuma's eyebrow twitched in annoyance and she sat up, "Shut it! Do you realize how long it's been since I've written something down?"

Erwin sighed, "Are these all of your demands?"

"Yup. A comfortable house, not that crap hole of a barn you jackasses put us in, and food provided to us every day. Oh, and let them take as much rations as they want today, that'll stop their incessant whining for a while." Akuma stated.

"You're going an awful long way to keep the humans you despise happy." Erwin noted.

Akuma stopped smirking and narrowed her eyes at him, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing really. Just an observation." Erwin said with a shrug, and although he seemed calm, he was increasingly nervous that he may have angered her.

"Well, I'd appreciate if you kept your observations to yourself. Are we clear?" Akuma asked, brandishing her fangs.

Erwin took a glance at them and looked back into her eyes, "Crystal."

Akuma turned them back into human teeth and she chuckled, "So, you gonna meet my demands?"

"It's certainly a tall order." Erwin said, looking back at the paper.

"I at least made it easier for you. Overpopulation is the least of your problems now because of me. I'm sure you have enough food in store for us." Akuma explained with a smirk.

Erwin clutched the paper tightly and grit his teeth in anger, "So many people didn't have to die that day."

"So many people didn't have to survive that day either." Akuma retorted, and Erwin noticed that she had grown serious, "Meet my demands or the next wall will be brought down by my own volition."

Erwin shut his eyes and sighed, abruptly standing up whilst folding the paper "Your demands will be met with haste. Please...follow me."

~

"Hey!" Armin's grandfather called from the front door, "Get up here already. That food you're holding ain't gonna eat itself."

"Yes, sir." Armin said, but then he turned to Carla, "Uh, Mrs. Jaeger, I'll have to try to carry you up now..."

"I got her." Akuma said as she walked past Eren.

But then she suddenly stopped, "Oh, and Eren,"

She turned to him with a smirk that sent chills running down his spine, "Nice key."

Eren watched as she kept walking and helped his mother out of the wheelchair with a disturbed look. He shakenly clutched the key hanging around his neck and looked down at it with a mix of emotions flowing through him.

~

The following year, in 846, the central government used many refugees in an operation ostensibly to recover Wall Maria. Two hundred and fifty thousand in all, approximately twenty percent of the population. But there were only just over a hundred survivors.

Armin's grandfather was one of the two hundred and fifty thousand refugees called to arms, and no matter how much he begged, he was the only one eligible for the position since a crippled woman and children were considered unfit for battle.

Armin's grandfather was not among the hundred survivors.

~

"Why the hell not!?" Eren shouted.

They were all gathered around the dinner table one night and another argument between Eren and Carla had ensued.

"How many times do we have to go over this Eren? Becoming a soldier is much too dangerous!" Carla shouted.

"I'm tired of living like livestock, mom! Every day those things take more of us, and you expect me to just take that lying down!?" Eren exclaimed as he looked at everyone else, "It's all because of the Titans! If we destroy them, then we can retake our home!"

"Eren! You could die! Did you ever take a second to think about how that would make me feel!? I already lost your father, losing you too would destroy me!" Carla shouted tearfully.

"You won't..." Eren stated, falling to his knees and holding her hands with tears streaming down his face as well, but his look of determination did not falter, "I promise you, mother! I will not die! I'm gonna grow into a man you can be proud of! A man that will liberate everyone!"

Carla continued to cry as she shut her eyes, "Nothing I say will change your mind..."

"I need to do this, mom. I have to." Eren stated.

"And I'll be joining you." Armin stated, surprising them all, "I won't let my grandfather's sacrifice go in vain...we have to retake our home."

"Armin..." Eren muttered.

Akuma burst out in a fit of laughter, gaining their attention and she smirked at them, "I'm in. Let's go kill those of sons of bitches."

"Language!" Carla exclaimed and Akuma rolled her eyes.

"I'll go, as well." Mikasa stated.

"Mikasa..." Carla muttered.

"You don't have to, Mikasa." Eren said.

"I'm going to keep Akuma from dying." Mikasa stated.

"Oi!" Akuma exclaimed in offence.

Eren looked at all of them and stood up, "Then it's decided. All four of us."

Carla looked at all four of them enthralled by their determination, but her heart aching with worry and fear for the lives of her children.

~

Akuma sat up, awoken from her slumber by the irking sensation of taking a piss. She looked to her side and saw that Mikasa had moved off of her bed once again, to sleep with her.

With an eye roll, Akuma hopped out of bed, careful not to wake her up and went to the bathroom.

After her piss, Akuma yawned and started walking back to her and Mikasa's shared room, but stopped when she noticed a light from the dining table.

She approached the light and saw that it was a candle lit by Carla who was sitting at the table and praying. She stopped praying when the creak of the floor announced Akuma's presence.

"Oh, Akuma, sorry if I woke you up, I was just..." Carla muttered as she sighed.

"Nothing's gonna change our minds, y'know? We're serious about this." Akuma stated.

"I know...I know..." Carla said sadly, "Can I ask you to do something for me?"

"What?" Akuma asked.

"Please protect them. Protect each other. If I have to believe in you then I have to know that my children will be safe out there." Carla stated.

"Fine." Akuma responded, starting to walk back to her room, but then she stopped and looked at Carla with hard eyes, "I'll keep them alive, but they'll have to protect themselves."

With that, Akuma left her alone. The impact of those words both assuring her and somewhat worrying her.

~

The following year, a lot had changed.

All four of them had grown and enlisted in the military. Carla was left alone, but she was promised to be taken care of, per Akuma's orders.

Eren had grown taller, but not much had changed with his appearance besides that. His eyes still shined an emerald green and his dark brown hair was still short, although he looked more serious now, more determined and much angrier.

Armin also just seemed to have grown taller since his appearance had not changed, but he did seem more mature in his efforts.

Mikasa's growth wasn't that significant either, but it was quite noticeable. She was older and more mature, having grown more beautiful with fuller lips and longer hair.

Akuma had also grown taller with a curvier physique and well-developed bust. Her hair was wavier, but kept short and her eyes seemed to have adopted a more golden hue than the regular brown.

They all stood at attention with their fellow recruits as their instructor stood in front of them announcing to them with a powerful speech. Their instructor being a familiar face to Akuma, one she didn't expect to see in charge of the new recruits of all things.

Their instructor was none other than the former Survey Corps commander, Keith Shadis.

"We now begin the enlistment ceremony for the 104th Trainee Corps! I am Keith Shadis, and I had the misfortune to be assigned to train you bastards! And I'm not here to welcome you at all! Right now, you're mere cattle, fit for nothing but Titan food! No, less than cattle!" Shadis shouted as he looked around at the new recruits, "In three years, we'll take you worthless pieces of crap and train you! Give you the means to fight the Titans! In three years, when you stand before a Titan, will you still be food!? Or will you be a noble wall, shielding the king!? Or perhaps, one of humanity's glorious soldiers that slays Titan!? You will decide!"

'Yes...That's what I'll be. I will kill every last Titan in existence! Especially you!' Eren promised himself as he glared forward and aimed his sights on his memories of the Nine-Tailed-Titan.

These words ignited the determination within multiple of the recruits. There was no turning back now. This was the start of their war with the titans and Akuma actually felt excited. This was not her fight. This was not her war. She could've been a spectator in all of this and let them destroy each other, but honestly...what would be the fun in that?