4 To You 2000 Years from Now

"Full name please?"

"Gohan Son."

"Do you know why you are here?"

"Uh…not really sir. I thought I had already told Hannes everything he needed."

The man opposite Gohan snorted. He was a member of the military police, sent all the way from the inner wall. He hated his current task with a passion. He'd been told that morning that some nobleman's brat had made his way down to the district of Shiganshina. Allegedly anyway. He'd spoken to one of the garrison troopers when he arrived with his partner. As it turned out, it was just some hunch of a local doctor. Sure the kid said he was from there, but one look at that tail of his and there was no way a freak like him could live in the inner wall. Most likely he was just some punk who wanted out of this dump. Not that he could blame him.

The MP stared at the boy opposite him for a little while longer before turning to his partner. A slight nod from her was all he needed. He turned back to the kid and let out a frustrated sigh. "The question is, did you tell him the truth."

"Umm…I don't understand sir…"

"Of course you don't… Are you lying to me kid?"

Gohan felt very nervous. "N-no sir. I would never-"

"Do you realise how long of a trip it is from the inner wall to get here? No, you wouldn't. 'Cause you're not from there are you?"

The boy's ear began to grow red. "Sir, I wouldn't lie about-"

"I know you're lying kid." The MP was shouting now. He'd had it with this kid. His day was wasted all because some freak was telling tall tales. And then the garrison "soldiers" were dumb enough to believe him.

"Leave him alone, you're scaring the poor kid."

That was Hannes. As one of the first to know about Gohan's situation he'd insisted on being present for the interrogation.

"You're supposed to help find his mother not interrogate him."

"And you're supposed to be smart enough to know when some kids telling lies. Let's go, Nina."

The MP's walked out of the room, Hannes giving Gohan an apologetic look before chasing after them.

"Hey, what the hell are you doing?" The MP's paused and gave slight growls. "That kid was found beaten to near death and you two aren't even gonna try and help him?"

"Listen, what happened to that kid isn't our problem, it's yours. As for his mother, even if she is in the inner wall, I doubt she wants that freak back."

Hannes growled at them as they walked away. This wasn't what he had asked for. He'd messaged Dot Pixis about getting some MP's to try and find the kid's family but instead he got these assholes. His fists clenched together. Those two had been worse than useless. If anything, all they had done was bully a small child into feeling bad about himself. Speaking of which. Hannes turned around to go and collect Gohan but the boy had already left and was walking towards him.

"Ah… Sorry kid.

"It's alright, Mr Hannes. It wasn't your fault."

"Yeah sorry they couldn't find any documents on your mother."

Gohan gave a warm smile just like his father's "It's okay I have faith I'll see her again."

Hannes couldn't help but think to himself. 'Sheesh one smile from this kid can brighten up your day.' The garrison soldier's smile then turned into a straight line when he looked back at the MP officers walking away. "Still, they were supposed to help you. Don't worry, I'll talk to my commander and get him to send someone else."

Gohan didn't look too enthused, only giving Hannes a weak nod before walking off. Truthfully Gohan didn't know what to expect with the MP's. Part of him was disappointed with them. In the weeks it had been since Gohan had woken up, it seemed that the young boy had learnt all he could in Shiganshina. In reality, it was in his best interest to leave, even if only to investigate somewhere new. But he was also happy that the MP's had been useless. If they had taken him straight to the inner wall then it was doubtful he would learn much more than he already knew anyway.

Apparently this world had been at war with beings called titans for 100 years. Something which greatly disturbed Gohan. Not just because humanity was under threat of extinction currently, but he knew of nothing like that in his history studies. That meant that he couldn't somehow be in the past. He couldn't be in the future either since all technology he had seen had regressed from what he knew.

He had thought for a while that he could simply be on another planet, one that also inhabited humans, but that didn't work out either. There were too many similarities to Earth. Many of the flora and fauna he'd seen he recognised, even if they didn't have quite the range of wildlife his home had. There was also the fact that everyone called the planet Earth, something which was way too unlikely to be a simple coincidence. This had left Gohan stumped, though it did provide possible explanations for other things, like his diminished strength.

While Gohan had healed quickly, he hadn't been able to fully access his powers, Try as he might, he could neither turn Super Saiyan nor could he form any significant ki blasts. All was not lost though, he was certainly stronger than anyone he'd met so far. Gohan had concluded that whilst his normal wealth of ki was being inhibited somehow, perhaps by the planet itself, his Saiyan heritage meant that he was still naturally stronger.

That was something else that was bothering him. His Saiyan side had begun drawing unwanted attention. Whether it was from his tail, something he kept firmly hidden as often as possible, or his enormous appetite. A downside of living in Shiganshina was that food wasn't as plentiful, or cheap, as Gohan was used to. His first meal with the Jaegers had been very embarrassing. Although they had put it down to malnourishment and being unjured, truthfully it had been a normal sized meal for Gohan. After that first day he had reduced his serving size to the bare minimum which, thanks to his human size, was only three times as much as any normal person ate.

"Gohan!"

Eren's excited call snapped the boy out of his thoughts. Accompanying Eren was surprisingly Mikasa and Armin. What were they doing here?

"Uh, hey guys? What brings you down here?"

"What? Did you forget? I thought you were teaching me martial arts?"

Eren's enthusiasm was punctuated by him doing some punches and kicks in the air, much to Mikasa's embarrassment. Ever since Gohan had rescued Armin in that alleyway, and Armin had subsequently told Eren, the boy had been getting Gohan to teach him at every opportunity.

"Oh, no I remembered. I was just wondering how come Mikasa and Armin are here. You guys were never really interested in learning."

"Oh that. Mom sent Mikasa out after me, and we rescued Armin from those bullies on the way here."

Armin gave a nervous chuckle and rubbed his arm, clearly nursing a bruise hidden beneath the sleeve. Gohan, however, turned to Mikasa for clarification.

"Eren ran out after Mrs. Jaeger told him off."

"Mom only told me off because you couldn't keep your mouth shut."

Ah, that explained a lot. "So your mom didn't take too kindly to you wanting to join the scouts then."

Eren gave a grumble and looked away, but gave no clear reply.

"Eren, you know you should consider what she says."

"I know, I know. But there's got to be something better than this! Waiting around like sheep. Just letting the days pass by, hidden behind these walls."

Eren took his frustration on a nearby pebble. Kicking it down an alley where it bounced of a bin with a small clang. The silence dragged on for a moment before Gohan talked again.

"So, do you want to train?"

Eren seemed to pick up but didn't speak, only giving a small nod of his head. The small group walked off towards their usual training spot in silence. Eren had mentioned a few days ago about joining the scouts. It had been after he was late to one of their training sessions, apparently he had been waiting to see the scouts arrive, something which had taken a while. Gohan didn't know what to think of the scouts. On the one hand they were fighting the titans, something that Gohan instantly approved of, on the other however their casualty rate was horrific. The smart thing to do would have been to use the impenetrable walls to their advantage, advance out only a short distance from the wall instead of the excursions they made deep into titan territory. Maybe they were under pressure to come up with big results, Gohan didn't know. All he did know however was that Eren shouldn't join.

He wouldn't tell him to his face, but Eren wasn't particularly exceptional in martial arts. His poor self-control left him making hasty actions in their mock fights, often leading to his loss. Gohan had been warned when he had first met the boy that he was "hot-headed", though he hadn't realised quite the extent that Dr Jaeger had meant. And yet, Eren wanted to join the scouts. A group which technically had never accomplished a victory against the titans, and with whom only the best survived, although even the best still died on occasion. There was no doubt in Gohan's mind, if Eren were to join the scouts, he would be killed.

…

It was a short while later when the two boys took their first break. Armin was reading a book in silence nearby, whilst Mikasa sat silently, having been watching and studying intensely. This was his chance. He needed to talk to Eren soon. He'd given him a chance to blow off some steam so maybe he'd be more willing to listen.

"Hey, Eren."

The boy turned to look at him.

"I don't think you should join the scouts."

Eren stood speechless. Even Armin looked up from his book in surprise. The awkward silence dragged on before Erens face contorted into one of rage.

"Oh so what, you're gonna tell me off, too?"

"It's not like that. I just don't think that you realise quite what they do."

"They're paving the way to our freedom! So that we won't spend our whole lives trapped here like animals!"

"I know, but their methods…they don't work." Eren huffed and turned away. "Listen to me Eren, if you join the scouts…you're going to die!"

"So what? You don't think I can do it? That I'm not strong enough?"

"It's not like that!"

"Were you just laughing at me the whole time you've been teaching me? Knowing I'll never accomplish anything?"

"Eren, you've come a long way in a really short amount of time, you're not weak."

"Then what is it then?"

"I just don't think the scouts are strong enough. You've seen how few of them return."

Eren growled. "You're just like mom, you don't realise how important what they're doing is!"

Eren gave a final growl before picking his coat up off the floor and running off.

"Eren!"

Damn it. He shouldn't have pressed the issue! He should have left it alone! Maybe he'd have just changed his mind anyway? Now he'd lost one of his only friends.

Mikasa laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. "He just needs some time to cool off, I'll go get him."

Mikasa swiftly ran off, the end of her red scarf fluttering in the air. Gohan sat on the floor in misery. Damn it, Gohan, you stupid boy. You just keep screwing up, don't you?! You couldn't save your friends because you were toying with Cell! Your dad had to step in and sacrifice himself for you because of your mistake! Now Eren's never going to speak to you again and it's all your fault!

Gohan felt a small tear brim in the corner of his eye, Armin came over and awkwardly patted him on the back. Eren was one of the first ever friends he'd ever had who was his age. He just didn't want him to die! Why couldn't he see that?

Gohan took a deep breath. It's alright. You're just overreacting. Mikasa is going to calm him down, then they're both going to come back and you can apologise. He let a small smile cross his face as he looked up from the floor. It was going to be okay.

A crack of thunder echoed through the air. A lightning strike hitting just behind the wall sending up a cloud of smoke.

A large red hand appeared on the wall. Slowly followed by a monstrous head of muscle, all sign of skin absent.

Gohan sat staring at the beast. Was that a…titan?

A heavy boom drowned out Gohans thoughts. Boulders whistled through the air, crashing randomly throughout the city. Except for one.

Gohan grabbed Armin by the shirt and darted out of their training area just as a monolith of stone crashed where they had been sitting. Just what was going on? Gohan stood and ran around the corner, trying to get a better view. He saw nothing, but he heard screaming. Everyone was screaming. In terror. In pain. But then he heard it, one person screamed in warning.

"The titans are coming!"

The titans had broken the wall!? How? Then he felt them. His ki senses had improved vastly since he first woke up, but now he almost wishes that they hadn't. Monstrous beings were closing in, all approaching from one hole in the wall. Their ki felt sick and twisted, whilst all those around him were terrified. Then they weren't. They began to disappear. One by one he felt them die.

No. This was horrible. It was like Cell all over again. Feeling all those lives begin to blink away.

"It's all over…countless titans…are going to overrun the city."

Gohan turned to see Armin shaking in fear. No. He had to do something. He had to act now.

"Armin, listen to me."

The boy ignored him, frozen in his spot. Gohan grabbed him by the shoulders, snapping his attention away from the wall.

"Armin! Get your grandpa and get out of here. Now!"

The boy gave a hesitant nod before turning and running away, quickly disappearing into the panicking crowd.

Gohan turned away from them. He had to make sure the Jaegers got out, he owed them that much at least.

He ran down the street, dodging between the screaming residents. He could feel them. He felt sick to his stomach at all of the destruction around him. Those not yet dead, those still suffering. He looked around at the city he had begun to call home. Tears sprung to his eyes. Damn it! If he had his Super Saiyan powers this could all be over! He could wipe all of the titans away in a single blast!

He focused his mind, forcing it away from the dead and dying around him. Focusing only on the Jaegers. He found them at their home around the corner from him. Eren, Mikasa, and Mrs. Jaeger were there. But something was wrong. She was in pain.

He rounded the corner to see the ruin of their home. A boulder sat victoriously over the remains of their house. And Mrs. Jaeger lay half underneath. Eren, and Mikasa were sat by her, fruitlessly trying to lift the roof from on top of her. The ground beneath Gohan's feet seemed to tremble as a titan stomped around the corner at the end of the road. Its face stretched into a psychopathic smile. The beast fixed its eyes on its soon to be victims before it.

Gohan broke into a sprint. He had to save them! He had to get them out of here!

"Guys! There's a titan coming!"

They glanced to him momentarily before gazing at the titan that was approaching. Eren and Mikasa began to desperately tug at the roof, trying with all hope to free their mother.

"Gohan, help us!"

He wasted no time grabbing onto the roof, however a hand latched around his arm. Carla's.

"Gohan. You can't free me. Even if you did, my legs are crushed. There's no way for me to get out. I need you to do something for me. Take my kids away. Get them out of here. Please!"

Gohan stared at her in shock. A tingling sensation creeped up his neck. The titan was getting closer. Gohan stared at it in horror. It was almost here. He turned back to Carla, pleading clearly visible on her tear soaked face. Should he do it? Take them and leave?

He clenched his hand. No. He would save her. He would save them all! He bent his legs and began to tug at the roof.

"Gohan!"

She screamed at him, desperate for him to follow her wishes. He ignored her and pulled, a loud creaking reverberating through the air. The boulder that had crushed the house was also weighting down the roof. Gohan let out a shout as he pulled on the roof harder. The creaking grew louder and louder. As did the titan's footsteps.

Do it, Gohan! You have to!

He pulled with all his might, the creaking intensified to its maximum as the roof began to lift.

C'mon Gohan! Just a little more!

The titan's footsteps sounded like thunder now. Booming with each step as it grew closer and closer.

A puff of steam could be heard behind him, followed by a few quick steps as someone steadied themselves.

"Hannes, please! You've got to help!"

Gohan heard nothing as he focussed on lifting the roof. With that boulder on it, the thing was ludicrously heavy, Gohan cursed himself for slacking on his training for these past six weeks. But the roof was rising millimetres at a time it rose. Until…

"There! Hannes, grab mom!"

A small scuffling could be heard, punctuated by sharp yells from Carla as she was pulled from underneath the house.

When he felt she was clear, Gohan dropped the roof. Turning around to see a combination of awe at Gohans accomplishment...and horror as the titan closed in.

The smiling beast's hand reached out and wrapped itself firmly around Gohan's body, trapping his arms in its grip and raising him into the air.

"Gohan!"

"Run!"

Hannes grabbed Eren in one arm in a way that had Eren facing forward, he held Mikasa's hand in the other and told her not to look back, and had Carla on his right shoulder where Eren once was. He was determined to make sure neither of the kids saw another kid get eaten. Even if they knew that's what was going to happen. "What are you doing!? Why didn't you grab him!?" shouted Eren.

"I can only carry three people!" exclaimed Hannes as tears were rolling down his face. He just left a kid to die. What kind of monster was he. 'I have faith that I'll see her again.' Hannes remembered the the Boy's words, only furthering his guilt. The soldier continued to carried them all off to safety as Eren struggled to free himself and save Gohan who saved his mother. And while Eren was doing that, Mikasa felt tears brim in her eyes and told herself not to look back. Carla placed her hand over mouth and silently cried as they got further and further from the scene with nobody looking back, except one.

As Gohan was lifted towards the mouth of the Titan, he reflected that this had not, in fact, been the greatest plan of his life. The beast stared down at him, its twisted, monstrosity of a smile still glued to its hideous face. Its hand was wrapped tightly around Gohan's body. Regardless, he began to jerk his arms with all his might to free them.

Gohan's attacker opened its mouth wide, ready to enjoy its meal. 'Oh no. C'mon, arms, just a little more!' The Titan's mouth drew closer, until he was practically inside of it. Just a little more. The Titans jaw began to swing shut. "There!" Gohan threw his arms out with as much of his incredible speed that he could muster, blocking the Titan's jaws from clamping down on him. Gohan pushed back, slowly forcing the menacing sets of teeth away from him.

Almost. There. Just. A. Little. Arghhh! The Titan squeezed Gohan's body. White hot pain shooting through him as he felt his ribs being crushed. Air was being forced out of his lungs at a horrific speed.

No. This couldn't be. He wouldn't die here. What would Mr. Piccolo do?

Then an idea popped in his mind. Gohan placed his index and middle finger up to his forehead and charging enough ki to attack.

"SPECIAL BEAM CANON!"

Gohan extended his two fingers forward, and two thin energy beams were unleashed from his fingers. One remained straight while the other coiled around the straight beam, heading straight into the back of the smiling monstrosity's throat, exploding violently and destroying part of the beast's head.

It let out a cry of pain, only audible as an angry gurgle as smoke billowed from the hole in its throat. The Titan's grip on Gohan weakened as he slipped between its fingers and fell to the floor.

Despite his rough landing, Gohan quickly scrambled to his feet and began to run away. The smiling Titan's hand missing him by millimetres as it attempted to recapture its prey.

Gohan swung around momentarily, releasing a small ki ball into its perverse face. The Titan reeled back. The smoke clearing just long enough for Gohan to see its mutilated face. All distinguishable features burnt and melted away, revealing the blood red muscles on its skull. Patches of clean, white bone were visible in random places. Half an eye stared back at Gohan as he froze in horror. He'd seen people die before, some of them his close friends. By comparison to the horror that stared back at him, it had all been relatively clean.

Steam covered the Titan's face again as it begun to heal. Gohan turned back and began to run again. Pouring all his ki into his legs in a bid to escape from the nightmare that stomped after him.

He rounded the corner, his ki senses reassuring him that he was escaping. The others of Shiganshina were not, however. Close around him, Gohan could feel the twisted ki's of the Titans closing in on the city's surviving residents. He could feel their terror as they were plucked from the streets. Those who couldn't escape were attempting to hide in their homes, praying they would not be spotted.

Gohan could see a Titan in the distance thrust its arm into the top floor of a house. Withdrawing it a moment later, a screaming woman in its grasp. Furiously, desperately she beat against its hand with her fists, tears streaming down her face as she drew closer to its hungry mouth. Her end approaching.

Gohan looked away, wishing to whatever deity was listening that he would not bear witness to the murder. He felt her ki disappear sharply after. Gohan continued to run through the streets, tripping over and landing roughly on the floor.

He turned to see what had tripped him. It was an arm. A small one with a bracelet on it. It was the arm of a little girl, just lying in the road. Gohan was hyperventilating now. Crawling away, yet unable to avert his gaze. Tears began to stream down his face.

What was this? Some horrific nightmare? Was this what Trunks had lived through in the future? Spending years in hiding to avoid the monsters that haunted the world? He scrambled to his feet, petrified at the thought of being caught again by the Titans.

His ribs had almost been broken, he was certain. They screamed in pain for him to stop and rest, but his mind kept him going. Knowing that to stop for even a second meant being snatched up by those…things. He had escaped once, he didn't know if he could do it again.

…

Hannes just kept running. He didn't even realize how far he had been running. All he knew was that he had to get himself and the others out of there. He, at least, had owed that much to the boy he just saw. That is, until Eren managed to squirm around to the point that he was able to bend himself enough to punch him in the jaw.

"Hey! Stop!" Shouted Hannes with heavy breaths as he began to feel the fatigue of running so far with so much extra weight.

"You jerk! We could've saved him! He saved her and you just left him there to die!" Eren cried out as he was devastated from being unable to help anyone. He wasn't able to help save his mother and he was not able to help Gohan who gave his life to save not only them but his mother.

"I told you to stop!" Hannes exclaimed as he dropped Eren onto the ground.

"Eren!" Shouted both Mikasa and his mother as Mikasa squirmed out of Hannes' other arm.

"Look. There's nothin' you nor I could've done for him you understand? We saw him lift up part of a fallen house on his own. I don't know how he did it, but compared to that, we're weak." Hannes said in a sad voice as he sat Carla down on the ground to give them all a few seconds of rest.

"We should have saved him! We could have helped him escape!"

The green eyed boy eyes were stinging with unshed tears. Hannes stared in silence. Carla's eyes tearing up in pain. Not of her body, but for her son. As the silence dragged on, Hannes opened his mouth to speak again.

"Eren. There wasn't anything we could do."

"There wasn't anything we could do!? Gohan managed to free my mom!"

Carla bowed her head in shame.

"He shouldn't have been able to do that! But he found a way. We should have done something. We should have found a way too!"

"There wasn't any time! I'm sorry, Eren. I didn't know what to do."

"You didn't know what to do? You're a soldier! Gohan did more than you! It should have been you back there, not him!"

"I know!"

Hannes' voice caught in his throat, the wave of tears flooding down his cheeks making it difficult to speak. He forced the words out regardless.

"You're right! I failed! I'm a soldier, and it's my duty to protect people. But when push came to shove, I was too frightened to hold my ground. Your mother almost died because of me! Im nothing but a coward! And to top it off, I let Gohan a kid save her while I ran! And how did I repay him? I let him die!" Hannes said as tears once again flowed down his face in pure anguish.

This in turn, caused both Eren and his mother to tear up as they also felt guilty for not being able to help Gohan.

"Then I'll go back! I'll save him!"

"NO!"

It was his mother now. Her voice hard, but laced with fear.

"You aren't strong enough, Eren. None of us are. You're a child, you're weak. Only Gohan could save me. Do you remember what he said?"

Eren hung his head in shame. He did remember. He just hadn't wanted to accept it as truth.

"He said to run."

The words that came from his mouth sounded more like a whisper than his previous hate filled speech.

"Run. And that's what we did. We did what he told us to do. What he wanted us to do. Eren, look at me. I'm sorry for what happened. Believe me, if there was any way that I could save him, I would. But there isn't. And…damn it all, I don't want you to die!"

She tried to hold in her sobbing for Eren, to try and seem strong for him. It didn't work. She was openly weeping onto Hannes now. Burying herself in his arms in a desperate bid to escape view. Hannes held her carefully. Stroking her hair as she cried.

Eren looked away in shame. How could he have been so selfish? Only caring about how HE felt about what they had just done. Of course everyone else felt atrocious. What they had done was unforgiveable. Leaving a friend to die in their place was practically murder.

Of course his mother felt the worst. In her mind, it was her fault. If it wasn't for her, then Gohan would have escaped. It wasn't her fault, of course. But Eren could say the same about himself. In his mind, he knew that Gohan had told them to go. Ordered them to leave him. But in his heart...

Why did it hurt so much?

"Eren."

There was Mikasa again. The only one who was able to hold back her tears.

"There is something we can do. Your mom is injured. We can get her on the boat. We escape, and we live. That's what Gohan wanted."

It was. In his final moment, Gohan had cared for them. Wanted them to survive. And he'd be damned if he would disappoint his friend's final request.

"Yeah. Okay. Let's go."

Carla looked up at her son, his face morphed into one of begrudging determination. Hannes picked up Carla again.

"C'mon, lets go. Hey! Give me a hand over here! I've got injured."

…

With a quick leap through the air, Gohan nimbly dodged the Titan's hand. Its hungry eyes following him as he ran. They were everywhere. Literally, everywhere. Their vile ki signatures were constantly breathing down Gohan's neck, sending shivers down his spine.

He could feel the survivors as well, however. The survivors and the soldiers were all gathered near the gate. Either holding off the Titans or attempting to flee. He must be close to feel them so vividly.

Another Titan stepped out in front of him, forcing Gohan through an alley. He had to get to those people. He had to get out of there. He stepped out onto the main road, twisting around to get his bearings. There! He could see the soldiers by the gate, diligently reloading their cannons. Gohan took down the street, pumping more and more ki into his legs for the final stretch. He was almost there, he was almost free.

Then he felt it. Like someone had dropped a weight on him, a pit formed in his stomach. Just behind him was a Titan. But it was no ordinary Titan. Its ki was…overwhelming. Frozen to the spot, Gohan turned to see the towering behemoth.

It was a 15 metre tall Titan. But unlike the others, its body was covered in yellow-golden plates of hardened skin. Its short hair was a grey-white colour, and its golden eyes were fixated on the gate.

It bent its knee, digging its foot into the ground. No! It's going to charge the gate! He could feel its ki rising, charging as it prepared itself. No! It couldn't! With its power level there was no way that the gate would stop it. Gohan could feel its ki level out. It was ready.

"NO!"

It took off sprinting. Charging towards the gate with single minded determination. A small, nearby Titan was knocked off its feet as it ran past. As it approached Gohan, a cannonball struck its chest. Disintegrating into nothing, its charge not even slowed by the attack.

No. It's going to hit them! A ki ball formed in Gohans hand. It was the largest he'd made since arriving, all that he could spare. The Titan was closing in on the garrison who had now turned tail and ran. He had to stop it. He couldn't allow it to breach the gate! He screamed passionately as he released the attack. The ball of yellow light streamed down the road towards its victim. The Titan never slowed down as the ball grew closer. And then…it struck.

The ball exploded violently against the Titan's back, sending up smoke that blocked it from view. Gohan could sense it though, its ki had…dipped. Slightly. No! The Titan was almost upon the soldiers. He couldn't believe it! He'd failed! The Titan barrelled through the gate. Its stone construction providing no resistance as it was torn apart.

Gohan stared in horror at the new hole in wall Maria. They…they were all going to die. The Titans were going to kill them all! He broke out of his entrancement as a Titan lumbered behind him, stretching its hand out to grab him. He hopped away, noticeably slower with his ki drained. He fled down the road, frantic for safety.

…

Eren sat shaking on the boat. Reality slowing sinking in for him. I'll...never see our house...ever again…Why?! Why'd I argue for no reason like that?! Why was that all I could do?! And now Gohan's gone! He's never coming back! Why…?! It's because I'm weak...Because humans are weak...Is crying the only thing the weak can do?! I'm...going to…

Mikasa watched as Eren walked to the edge of the boat. "Eren." Armin grabbed him by the shoulder. "What's gotten into you? Eren?" He shoved Armin away. "Eren..."

"I'll get strong like him and...drive them out!" Eren clenched his fists, raising one into the air as he screamed in rage. "I'm going to drive out...every last Titan from this world!"

"Eren…"

…

Gohan sprinted through the gate, Titans hot on his heel. The Titan covered in armour was simply standing around in the open, just watching the panic ensue. As Gohan crossed the open ground between himself and the fleeing residents of Shiganshina, the Titan stared down at Gohan. He returned eye contact as he ran past, engrossed in wonder as to why he wasn't being attacked. When he had finally made it past, the Titan turned to walk off, and Gohan turned his attention back to the people who remained.

A soldier from the garrison noticed him and grabbed him.

"Hey! What are you doing?"

Too tired and stunned to effectively fight the man off, he was helpless as he was dragged off the road and away to the side.

"What the hell were you thinking, kid? Running past a Titan? Are you asking to be killed? Here." The soldier swung Gohan around and lifted him up, planting him firmly on a horse. "Go on! Ride out of here!"

"What? B-but, what about you?"

"I'm here to hold them off kid, now go!"

Before he could argue any more, the soldier slapped the horse's ass and sent him galloping. Holding on tightly for dear life.

A carriage raced recklessly through the forest. Its occupant deep in thought. Eren...Carla...Mikasa…Gohan...Please be alright!

Gohan didn't know how long he'd been riding. It had taken him some time to control the horse, it having been fixated entirely on running. Eventually though, he'd gotten it under control and changed its course. They were too far out to save anyone. Everyone having either escaped on their own horse by the time Gohan had arrived, or been too slow to leave, and were eaten by the Titans. He felt horrid, knowingly changing course. But he could do nothing for them. He was neither strong enough to kill a Titan with ki alone, nor fast enough to rescue anyone on their own.

So he rode. He rode to the one place he could hope to get answers. The place where he had been found. Hannes had never gotten the chance to investigate the forest. His job as garrison making it difficult to secure permission. He had been ready to leave when Gohan had first woken up, but his superiors hadn't been notified. When they had been, they'd furiously denied him. He was to defend Shiganshina. An investigation like that was best left up to the military police. A load of help they had been.

The forest was in sight now. A small dirt road leading through it. There. That must have been the route Dr. Jaeger had taken when he'd saved Gohan. He'd simply follow that path and try to find where he had arrived.

He hoped that Eren and his family had made it. He'd told them to run, and thankfully they had. That at least gave them a chance. And Dr. Jaeger himself had a patient in the inner wall, apparently. The two had talked briefly that morning, just before he'd left with Hannes to meet the MP's.

It was an hour later that Gohan found the site. It was surprisingly undamaged, his outline and the carriage tracks still visible in the dirt. It was faded though, having been a weeks and all. Gohan climbed down from his horse, surveying the scene with his scientific mind. This is where he'd turned up. There was no sign of drag marks, even faded ones. So he couldn't have been dumped here by someone. Yet there was no sign of Cell, thankfully. The sludge that had remained of him must have destroyed itself through whatever had happened to bring him here.

So he looked around the area. There must have been some sort of sign. If he was here, then couldn't his friends be there, too? He looked feverishly through the entire night, combing the entire forest for answers. Yet finding none.

…

Three Years Later…

My name is Ilse Langnar.

The woman scribbled furiously in her book as she ran across the open field. Her green cloak of the survey corps fluttering heavily around her neck.

I was part of the 34th expedition. 2nd brigade. In charge of the west column. We encountered Titans on our return.

The woman's mind flashed back to her comrades, the ones she'd seen eaten as she lay helplessly in the river.

I lost both my squad mates and my horse. I abandoned my 3D-Maneuver Gear. I'll run. Heading north. I've lost my horse in Titan-controlled lands outside the walls. It's impossible to escape Titans on foot.

She'd made it to one of the giant tree forests now. She steadied herself against one of the trees, her hood over her head to protect her from the rain, yet she still wrote furiously in her book.

No comrades I can rely on. The return to the city… Survival is almost hopeless. But, I may be able to reach the wall without encountering any Titans. That's right. Right now, I must not allow fear to overcome me. The situation is one that I've been prepared for since the day I chose the Survey Corps.

She headed deeper into the forest. The bright light of the full moon illuminating her pages as she continued.

I am humanities' Wings of Freedom. I do not fear death. A member of the Survey Corps. I will fight to my last breath, even if it means the end of me.

The sun was up as she continued through the forest. Silence all around her except for the crashing of water in a small, nearby waterfall.

I have no weapons, but I can still fight. I will mark my words on this paper, to do whatever I can with all my strength.

She burst into a small clearing.

I will not be defeated.

As she ran past a tree, she turned to see the gaze of a Titan fall upon her. She continued to run, too aghast to change her movements. The titan leapt at her, almost catching her in its jaws before she dived out of the way, taking refuge by the foot of a tree.

The titan advanced upon her, herself paralysed in fear. It came close, its face almost pressed against hers. But it did not attack. A tear trickled down her cheek.

"I…will not be defeated."

Hands shaking, she put her hand back to the notebook.

Encountered a Titan. 7… No, 6 metre class. It won't eat me right away… An abnormal?

She turned her head away to look at the titan. It was still gazing at her. The sound of its breathing still echoing through her ears. She turned back.

My time has finally come. This is it. I've been doing whatever I want. I haven't even given anything back to my parents. I'm so unsatisfied! It ends…

"Ymir's…"

Ilse looked away from the notebook. The Titan's lips moving uncoordinatedly.

"People…"

She saw the way its mouth moved. It had spoken. The Titan had spoken to her!

Just now… It talked.

She refused to avert her eyes from the Titan. Her hands moving mechanically across her book.

That's not possible.

"Ymir."

It spoke again. Bowing after it finished.

"Greetings."

It spoke words with meaning. Ymir. Greetings. There's no doubt about it. The Titan changed its expression. It bowed towards me, like it respected me. I can't believe it.

She wiped away the tear that she had cried.

For the first time ever. I, a human, spoke with a Titan?

"What...are you?"

I enquire him of their existence. Moaning sounds. Not words.

"Where did you come from?"

I enquire him of their origin. No response.

"Why…do you eat us?"

I enquire him of their objective.

The Titan refused to answer, its moaning only increasing in volume. Ilse snapped.

"Why do you eat us!? You wouldn't die even if you didn't eat anything! Why!? You guys are meaningless chunks of meat! Disappear from this world!"

The Titan looked up at her. Its moaning now a cacophony of wailing. Blood dripped down its face as it furiously gripped at its cheeks, nails digging into its skin.

"What the…"

It ripped the skin from its cheeks. Blood spattering the ground all around it.

Ilse turned and ran, taking any opportunity to escape.

The Titan's gaze followed her, watching as she bolted.

"Why… What is…?"

The Titan pounced, seizing her tightly in its grasp. She screamed as she was lifted to its jaws.

It's grabbed me! It has a big mouth.

The Titan placed her head inside its mouth.

Lots of teeth, but not sharp. Its breath stinks, but isn't moi-

She was thrown to the ground. The Titan wailing as steam hissed from the back of its neck. She dodged out of the way as it stumbled around, screaming incoherently before it finally collapsed.

There was something on its back. A sharp stick embedded into its neck, straight into its weak spot. Ilse turned her attention to the being holding the stick.

It was a boy! No older than 13, perhaps. Dressed in nothing, but fur rags, a green Survey Corps cloak, and a white band wrapped around his head.

I'm saved.

…..

AN: Thank you all for reading this chapter. I feel like I should explain something btw. No, Gohan is not going to become a super saiyan or become fully powered again anytime soon. If I did this, then ask yourself, would you care? What sort of danger would Gohan be in if he has the power to blow up a planet with the flick of a wrist? Gohan will however, get stronger. I already have a plan in place to make this both exciting, and as true to DBZ as reasonably possible. But in the MEANTIME Gohan is at like kid Goku level.