Attack on Titan: A Promise

Beyond the Walls was Hell. But beyond that, a certain young and smart boy believed that a beautiful world existed within it. A land covered with ice, mountains of sand, and a vast body of water that meets with the setting sun.

All these things Armin believed to exist beyond the Walls. He told his childhood friends Eren and Mikasa about these wondrous places that one could only imagine to exist in a children's book or a myth. But to Armin, he wanted to believe that it all existed out there somewhere. That there was beauty in the world beyond the bird cage they were trapped in.

He knew that still wanting to believe in the stories he read when he was still a child is a bit naive, but he didn't care. Even if these things didn't truly exist, he wants to explore the land the Titans stole from Humanity and to discover what truly lies out there.

Armin is normally shy and escapes himself from reality by reading books checked out from Trost's Library. But he did manage to befriend a certain girl back from his trannie years. Her name was Kiyomi.

She was shy at first, a lot shyer than Armin actually. But having talked to Armin, Eren, and Mikasa a lot and getting to know them, she began to open up more and more. And now, everyone is always going on about how Armin and Kiyomi and inseparable and the girl is like Armin's duckling who's constantly following him around.

Armin found this embarrassing, but he couldn't bring himself to nag Kiyomi about it since she always seemed to be happy by his side, and he didn't want to hurt her. Plus, she was kinda cute. Almost like a second version of the Angelic Goddess, Christa Lenz.

The two gotten really closer over the years, even after graduating from the 104th Cadet Corps. Especially since they ran into each other often with them both being in the same regiment, the Scouts.

Eventually they got close enough, that Armin shared his dream of seeing the Ocean and what else lies beyond the Walls with Kiyomi. Of course, there's always the chance that the Ocean doesn't exist, but he doesn't care. He still hopes and wishes to discover it if it's really out there.

Armin's stories of what could possibly exist beyond their birdcage seemed to light something inside Kiyomi, Armin could tell. There was enthusiasm and excitement that burned in Kiyomi's eyes. Just like it did for him.

Armin promised Kiyomi that he would take her with him when he and Eren would discover the world he told her about, and nods happily and excitedly. She wanted to see this world Armin described so we'll to her. And she was glad that Armin trusted her enough to tell her these things.

Armin wanted his dream to come true with Eren, Kiyomi, and Mikasa. But now...it may not come true.

As beautiful as the possibilities of the world beyond the Walls sounded in the way Armin explained it, it was anything but beautiful in reality. It was merciless and cruel.

Many soldiers were currently losing their lives to the Titans and things were running sour for all the Scouts who was sacrificing their lives for the cause of saving Humanities future.

A retreated signal was fired by Commander Erwin and every surviving member was issued the order to retreat.

Armin was currently with Jean Kirstein on steed, and their mounts ran as fast as they could across the battlefield to make way back home.

Armin looks back, the one thing a soldier should never do, and he finds Kiyomi without a steed, completely out of gas, and collapsing in the fray as horses mounted with soldiers who could care less about her, basically trampled over her.

"Kiyomi!" Armin screamed. Almost immediately after his sudden outburst, Jean clamps a hand tightly against Armin's palm and gravely stares deep into Armin's frightened blue Ocean eyes before saying...

"Don't do it Armin. We were ordered with a retreat. Going back will only cost you your life and it would have been in vain. We can't lose you-- your strategies are valuable to us. You've saved us in dire situations time and time again. Including today. Don't turn back."

It took Armin a moment before replying to his friend...."J-Jean...I-I'm sorry. I have to go back. I can't abandon her. Because I made a promise!" With that, Armin turns his steed around and hurries after Kiyomi.

Jean bites his lips and curses under his breath before getting mixed in with the retreating crowd. Jean wasn't the man he used to be. If he were able to, he'd go along with Armin. He knew saving Kiyomi would be in vain, but he can't just stand to do nothing when watching a comrade be killed or left behind for dead.

But he was too crowded around with soldiers, there was no openings for him to retreated from behind. It wasn't this crowded because many soldiers survived. Honestly not many have survived this expedition.

The reason it was so crowded....was because the soldiers that were left alive were desperate to escape from the death that chase after them from behind like the grim reaper on it's black steed-- the Titans.

Kiyomi was fallen on the ground, uncautious. She was seriously hurt and wounded from not only the Titan fights she was engaged in earlier, but from countless of horses trampling over her like a fleeing herd of Wildebeest.

"Kiyomi!" Armin shouts once more before jumping off his horse when in close enough range, and he kneels down by her side. He observes the wounds and cuts that covered Kiyomi practically everywhere. But even knowing how seriously injured she was, he continues to cry out to her desperately as he shook her body lightly in an attempt to wake her up.

Her shut eyelids trembles before they open lightly. Her vision was at first blurred, but once they adjusted, she could see that the once before her was Armin.

A smile curls across her face upon seeing him as she speaks his name, as if forgetting about all the death and destruction that was occurring before them.

"Armin, weir....are we returning to the Walls now? Let's go....I want to live long enough so I can see the Ocean with you. Along with the rest of those many other places you've told me out..."

Kiyomi's voice we're quiet and slow. She was barely even cautious, but managed to stay awake knowing Armin was here. Whenever Armin was by her side, no matter the location or situation, she always felt safe.

"K-Kiyomi..." Armin's voice trembles as he tries to search for the words to say, but came up with nothing.

Inhuman and disturbing sounds are what snaps Armin out of it and he gazes around his surroundings to see many tall and hungry Titans surrounding the two with the mindset to rip them in shreds and to devour them.

Armin immediately picks up Kiyomi in his arms, places her first on top his horse, gets on last, and his horse speeds off for the Wall as the Titans chased after from behind.

The whole situation seemed hopeless. It didn't seem like escaping would be possible now. Not with the Titans so close on their tail. It would only be a matter of time til Armin's house ran out of energy and that the Titans would catch up.

But luck was on Armin's side, and he managed to catch up to the remaining survivors to the Scouts and the two escaped back inside the Walls with their lives.

"I promised you that we would see the Ocean. I'm not going to go back on my promise, you hear? I promise..."

The End