Chapter 1: The book whom opened
Chapter 1:
(Creator: I hope you people like this first chapter, simple but easy so enjoy and buckle up!)
Context: this timeline is not close to episode one of attack on Titian , instead the day of a new friend ship that was born.
Late 844
Within the shadowed confines of a horse stable in Shiganshina District, Victoria woke trembling.
Dust drifted through thin beams of light slipping between wooden planks. The smell of hay and animals clung to the air. Curled deep inside a pile of dry straw, she hid her pale body from the world.
Her hair was white as frost.
Her eyes burned red like embers.
Her skin looked almost translucent beneath the dim light.
To her parents, her albinism was proof of something evil.
To the church, it was a curse.
To the town, she was something better kept unseen.
She had never known the sun.
She had never known kindness.
Footsteps crunched outside the stable.
Victoria shrank further into the hay, heart racing.
They had called him again-the only man in Shiganshina skilled enough to "fix" her.
Dr. Grisha Yeager.
The heavy wooden doors creaked open. A tall man stepped inside, carrying a large medical bag over his shoulder. His dark hair fell to his shoulders, and green eyes peered out from behind round spectacles.
"Victoria," Grisha called gently.
She did not answer.
He knelt near the hay and set down his bag. "It's alright. I won't hurt you."
He came every few days with creams and bandages. He treated her bruises from field work and covered her skin in a strange-smelling lotion to protect it from the sun. He was the only adult who didn't flinch when he looked at her.
But today... he wasn't alone.
Behind him stood a boy.
Black hair. Sharp green eyes. Rough posture.
Probably her age.
Victoria froze.
She had never seen another child before.
The boy scowled. "Why do I have to come here?"
"Eren," Grisha said firmly. "Be patient."
Eren crossed his arms. "You never make me come with you to the butcher."
Grisha ignored him and looked back toward the hay. "Victoria?"
Eren's eyes followed his father's gaze. "Is someone there?"
Annoyed, he marched closer.
Victoria shrieked and scrambled backward until her head struck the wooden wall.
Eren jumped. "Whoa!"
Her reaction startled him. The arrogance vanished from his face.
"I-I didn't mean to scare you," he said awkwardly.
He hesitated... then slowly held out a hand.
Victoria stared at it, shaking.
Grisha stepped in quickly. "That's enough, Eren. You frightened her."
Eren pulled his hand back, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sorry..."
Grisha knelt beside Victoria again. "You're safe."
After a moment, her breathing slowed.
She peeked out from the hay and stared at Eren like he was some strange creature.
"...A... dad?" she whispered.
Eren blinked. "Huh?"
"That's my dad," he said, pointing to Grisha. "I came to help."
Grisha opened his bag. "Eren, hold this."
"Yeah, yeah..."
He began treating Victoria's bruises and scratches from farm work. Then came the lotion.
"Why do you put this on me?" she asked quietly.
"To protect your skin from the sun," Grisha replied.
Eren watched her closely.
She reminded him of the white lab rats his dad once showed him.
After that day, weeks passed.
Eren went back to fighting bullies with Armin.
Mikasa joined them.
Carla forced them to take a new path home to avoid trouble.
One afternoon, they walked past the farm near the stable.
Victoria was outside, working in the field.
Mikasa glanced over. "Do you know her?"
Eren squinted. "Kinda. She's... one of my dad's patients."
Armin caught up, panting. "So this is the new path?"
He looked around at the quiet fields. "I like it. It's better than the main road."
Victoria noticed them watching.
She froze.
Victoria froze when she realized they were staring at her.
Three figures stood at the edge of the field.
Not adults.
Not farmers.
Children.
Her grip tightened around the hoe until her knuckles hurt.
They weren't whispering.
They weren't pointing.
They weren't throwing stones.
That scared her more.
She took a step back.
Mikasa noticed first. "She's moving away."
"Hey-" Eren started.
Victoria flinched hard and nearly dropped the tool. Her breath came out in a sharp gasp. She stumbled backward, boots catching in the dirt.
Armin winced. "We scared her."
"I didn't even do anything," Eren muttered.
They stopped walking.
Victoria stood frozen, chest rising too fast. Her eyes darted between them like trapped prey.
"...We're not here to hurt you," Armin said quickly.
Silence.
Victoria didn't answer.
Mikasa tilted her head slightly. "Why is she holding that like a weapon?"
Victoria realized what she was doing and lowered the hoe... but didn't let go.
"...You're Victoria, right?" Eren asked.
No answer.
"...Dad's patient," he added, pointing vaguely.
Her throat tightened. "...Yes."
The word came out barely louder than the wind.
Armin crouched slowly, like approaching a frightened animal. "We take this road home. We didn't know you worked here."
Victoria shook her head. "Don't... tell."
"Tell who?" Armin asked.
"...Anyone."
Mikasa frowned. "Why?"
Victoria swallowed. "They... don't like me."
Eren blinked. "That's dumb."
She looked at him sharply, confused.
"That's just dumb," he repeated. "You're just... white."
Her shoulders tensed. "I'm cursed."
Armin stiffened. "Who told you that?"
"...Everyone."
They fell quiet.
Armin hesitated, then pulled a book from his bag. "I read this. It's about what's outside the walls."
Victoria flinched when he held it out.
"...You don't have to," he said quickly. "I just thought... maybe you'd like to see."
She stared at the cover like it might bite her.
Slowly, shaking, she crouched a little.
Armin opened it.
Blue filled the page.
Victoria sucked in a breath and covered her mouth.
"...That's water?" she whispered.
"An ocean," Armin said. "It goes forever."
Her fingers hovered over the page, not touching.
"...People like me?" she asked.
"Different people," Armin nodded. "Different skin. Different hair."
Her eyes glistened.
Eren crossed his arms. "Still don't get why you'd want to see it."
Victoria hugged her arms to herself. "...Because it's far."
From the stable.
From the field.
From the whispers.
They didn't stay long.
But the next day, they passed by again.
And the day after that.
Victoria never spoke much.
She always stood a little too far away.
Always looked ready to run.
But she listened.
The days grew longer.
The path past the farm became routine for them.
At first, Victoria only watched from far away.
Then she stayed near the fence.
Eventually... she waited.
But she never stopped being afraid.
She flinched when Eren laughed too loudly.
She stiffened when Mikasa looked at her too long.
She only relaxed when Armin spoke.
That afternoon, the heat was unbearable.
The sun burned white in the sky. The dirt cracked beneath Victoria's boots. Every breath felt thick, like she was inhaling fire.
Sweat ran down her neck. Her hands trembled around the handle of the hoe. Her skin stung where sunlight touched it.
She tried to keep working.
Step.
Lift.
Strike.
Her vision swam.
The world tilted.
She barely heard footsteps on the road.
"Victoria!"
Armin waved as usual.
She didn't wave back.
Her body felt heavy. Her chest rose too fast. The tool slipped from her fingers and struck the dirt with a dull thud.
Armin slowed. "She's not moving."
Armin noticed the breathing . "Something's wrong."
Before they could reach her, shouting exploded behind them.
"HEY! WAIT!"
Eren came sprinting down the road, dirt flying under his boots. A group of boys chased him, faces red with anger.
Eren spun and swung wildly. One boy stumbled back. Another rushed him.
Mikasa ran forward and shoved herself between them.
"Stop," she said.
The boys hesitated.
Then they saw Armin.
Then the fence.
Then the pale girl standing alone in the field.
"...Isn't that the cursed one?" someone muttered.
They slowed, eyes shifting from Eren to Victoria.
A grin spread across one boy's face. "That thing doesn't fight back."
Victoria lifted her head.
Four shadows loomed at the fence.
Her breath caught painfully.
"No..." she whispered.
"Why are you outside?" one boy called. "You ruin crops."
Another leaned over the fence. "My mom says touching you makes you sick."
Victoria stumbled backward, heart pounding in her ears.
"I-I work here," she said weakly.
"Who's gonna stop us?" one sneered.
Eren moved without thinking.
He stepped in front of her.
"Me."
Mikasa followed instantly, fists clenched.
"Touch them," Mikasa said, "and I break your arm."
Armin jumped over the fence and rushed to Victoria's side. "Sit down," he whispered urgently. "You're overheating."
Her knees buckled.
She grabbed the hoe as the world dimmed.
Eren threw the first punch.
The boy yelped and staggered back.
The others froze.
"You don't get to pick who's human," Eren shouted.
One bully scoffed. "She's not your friend!"
"Too bad," Eren snapped.
They backed away slowly, throwing hateful glances.
"This isn't over, devil," one muttered and ran away.
Victoria slid down the fence and collapsed.
Armin knelt beside her. "You're burning up."
"I... couldn't see them," she whispered. "The sun..."
Mikasa held her scarf over Victoria's head to block the light.
Eren clenched his fists. "They shouldn't talk like that."
Victoria stared at them.
"...Why?" she asked softly.
Armin answered without hesitation.
"Because they're wrong."
Eren's fists were already clenched.
"I'm not done with them," he growled, taking a step forward.
"Eren, stop," Armin said quickly. "Victoria-"
Too late.
One of the bullies rushed him again, shoving him hard in the chest. Eren stumbled back into the fence.
Mikasa moved.
She didn't shout.
She didn't warn them.
She grabbed the boy's wrist and twisted it down, forcing him to the ground. Another lunged at her-she turned and kicked his legs out from under him. He hit the dirt with a cry.
"Get away from him," she said coldly.
Two more tried to surround her.
Mikasa stepped between them and Eren.
One swung. She blocked it and shoved him backward into the fence. The last boy froze, eyes wide.
"She's crazy!" he shouted.
"Run!" another yelled.
They scattered, tripping over each other as they fled down the road.
The field rang with echoes of shouting and pounding feet.
Eren stood there breathing hard, knuckles scraped and face flushed with anger.
Victoria slumped against the fence, her vision darkening at the edges.
Armin caught her before she fell completely. "Victoria-hey-stay awake."
"I... can't see," she whispered.
The heat wrapped around her like a blanket of fire.
Then another voice cut through the chaos.
"EREN!"
Carla Yeager stood at the road's edge, frozen in shock. A basket of laundry slipped from her hands and hit the dirt.
Her eyes darted from the scattered footprints...
to Mikasa standing tense...
to Eren with bruised knuckles...
and finally-
to the pale girl sagging against the fence.
"What happened?" Carla demanded, rushing forward.
"They were chasing Eren," Armin said quickly. "And then they went after her-"
Carla knelt beside Victoria immediately. "She's burning up!"
She touched Victoria's forehead and hissed. "Good grief... she's been in the sun too long."
Victoria tried to sit up. "I-I didn't mean-"
Carla shook her head gently. "Don't talk."
She turned sharply to Eren. "And you-look at you!"
Eren looked away. "They started it."
"I don't care who started it," Carla snapped. "You're all bleeding and half fainted!"
She lifted Victoria carefully, supporting her weight.
"This child shouldn't be out here in this heat," Carla muttered.
Victoria stared up at her, terrified.
"...I'm sorry," she whispered.
Carla paused.
Then sighed.
"You don't look sorry," she said softly. "You look sick."
Eren watched, stunned.
No one had ever carried Victoria before.
Carla stood frozen for a heartbeat, Victoria's weight heavy in her arms.
Three thoughts battled in her head at once.
The bullies will come back.
Eren is hurt.
This child has passed out in the sun.
Carla tightened her grip on Victoria.
"She's barely breathing," she muttered. "What were you all thinking, letting her stand out here like this?"
Armin swallowed. "We didn't know it was that bad..."
Carla looked toward the road, half-expecting the bullies to return.
"...This is a mess," she whispered.
She knew who this girl was.
Everyone did.
The pale child born in Shiganshina.
The one people whispered about in church.
The one kept in the fields instead of school.
Carla remembered the day Victoria was born.
She remembered the rumors.
She remembered how quickly the town decided the girl was wrong.
And she remembered who her parents were.
The Stern family
Wealthy.
Respected.
Untouchable.
Bringing Victoria onto Yeager property was dangerous.
"They'll accuse me of stealing her," Carla thought bitterly.
"They'll say I corrupted her."
"They'll say I hid a curse."
She looked down at Victoria's face.
Burning hot.
Lips dry.
Eyes fluttering weakly.
"...Would they even care?" Carla wondered.
Mikasa spoke softly. "She needs shade."
Eren clenched his jaw. "And water."
Carla shut her eyes for a second.
Then opened them.
Decision made.
"I'm taking her home," Carla said firmly.
Armin blinked. "But her parents-"
"I'll deal with them," Carla snapped. "Right now she's a child who's fainted in the sun."
She shifted Victoria higher in her arms.
"Mikasa, help Eren walk."
"I'm fine," Eren protested.
"You're bleeding," Carla shot back.
She started down the road toward home, heart pounding.
Every step felt like trespassing.
Victoria stirred weakly.
"...Don't... tell," she whispered.
Carla paused.
Then whispered back, "I won't let them hurt you."
Victoria closed her eyes dizzy.
Victoria woke with a sharp gasp, her lungs burning as if she had been dragged up from deep water.
Heat clung to her skin. Sweat soaked the collar of her dress, and a cool, damp cloth lay across her forehead. Her vision swam in pale blurs as she tried to sit up, only to sink back with a weak groan.
Voices drifted in from another room.
A woman's voice-firm, angry, and shaking with worry.
"I don't care who those boys think they are," Carla Yeager snapped. "If I see them lay a hand on you again, I'll march straight to their parents myself!"
A softer voice answered. Armin.
"They... they ran away when Mikasa hit them."
"They'd better stay gone," Carla said. "And you-" a pause, then a gentler tone, "-you three shouldn't be fighting like that at all."
Eren muttered something defensive.
"They started it," he said.
"That doesn't matter," Carla replied sharply. "You're bruised, Eren. Bruised. And that girl collapsed in the dirt from the heat. Do you have any idea what could have happened?"
Victoria squeezed her eyes shut.
That girl.
They were talking about her.
Her fingers twitched against the blanket beneath her. It was softer than hay. Softer than dirt. It smelled faintly of soap and bread.
She shifted again, accidentally knocking the metal basin beside the bed.
Clink.
Silence in the other room.
"...Did you hear that?" Armin's voice said.
Footsteps approached.
The door creaked open slowly.
Armin peeked in first, blond hair catching the light from the hallway. His eyes widened when he saw her sitting up.
"Victoria!" he whispered. "You're awake!"
She recoiled instantly, pressing herself back into the bed as if it were a wall. Her breath quickened. She hadn't meant to be seen yet.
Eren and Mikasa appeared behind Armin.
"She's up?" Eren said, leaning forward.
Victoria flinched hard at his voice.
Mikasa noticed and immediately stepped back, placing herself slightly in front of Eren without thinking.
"Don't crowd her," she said.
Carla entered last, her basket set aside, sleeves rolled up, her expression softening the moment she saw Victoria conscious.
"Oh, thank goodness," Carla said gently. "Easy now, sweetheart. You fainted from the heat."
Victoria stared at her, wide-eyed.
An adult... not shouting.
Not whispering "curse."
"I... I..." Her throat felt raw. "...Where am I?"
"At my house," Carla said. "The boys found you outside the fence. You were burning up."
Victoria's hands clenched in the blanket.
"Y-you shouldn't," she whispered. "My parents-"
"They weren't there," Carla said firmly. "And you needed help."
Eren scratched the back of his head, suddenly awkward.
"You scared us," he said. "You just... stopped moving."
Victoria's eyes flicked to him, then away.
"I'm not supposed to stop," she said quietly. "They get mad."
Armin swallowed.
"You don't have to work when it's that hot," he said. "That's dangerous."
She gave a tiny shake of her head.
"They say the sun is my fault."
Carla's jaw tightened.
"That's nonsense," she said, kneeling beside the bed and adjusting the cloth on Victoria's forehead. "You're a child. Not a curse."
Victoria froze at the word child.
Mikasa watched her closely.
"Do you... hurt?" Mikasa asked.
Victoria nodded once.
"My head."
Carla handed her a cup of water.
"Small sips," she said.
Victoria obeyed carefully, hands trembling.
Eren glanced at Armin.
"She doesn't talk much."
Armin knelt beside the bed, keeping distance.
"It's okay," he said softly. "You don't have to. We just... wanted to make sure you were alive."
Victoria looked at him, startled by the word.
"Alive...?"
Armin nodded.
"Yeah. Because if you weren't, Mikasa would've murdered those boys."
Mikasa blinked.
"I would have," she said simply.
Victoria let out a tiny, confused sound - not quite a laugh, not quite a cry.
Carla stood.
"You're staying here until you cool down," she said. "Then we'll decide what to do."
Victoria curled her fingers into the blanket again.
"...You're not sending me back yet?"
Carla hesitated.
"...Not yet."
Carla sat at the small kitchen table, fingers wrapped tightly around a cup of cooling tea she had forgotten to drink.
Her eyes kept drifting toward the closed bedroom door.
That child nearly collapsed in the dirt...
Those boys again...
And Eren-bruised-
Her jaw tightened.
If I hadn't been on that path today...
She exhaled sharply through her nose.
What am I supposed to do with her?
Victoria wasn't her responsibility.
And yet... she had been burning with fever when Carla touched her. Skin too hot. Breathing too fast.
Carla glanced at the window.
If I send her back... they'll put her right back in that field.
In the next room, the children whispered.
Eren sat on the edge of his chair, legs swinging restlessly.
"That was crazy," he said. "Those idiots came out of nowhere."
"They were watching us," Mikasa replied calmly. "They waited until you ran."
Armin hugged his knees.
"They only ran because Mikasa fought them."
Mikasa blinked.
"They were hurting Eren."
"That's not the point," Armin said. "They didn't care about us as much as they cared about... her."
Eren frowned.
"You mean Victoria?"
"They saw her as an easy target," Armin said quietly. "They called her... things."
Eren clenched his fists.
"That's stupid. She didn't do anything."
Mikasa tilted her head.
"She was working alone."
"Yeah," Eren said. "And she looked like she was going to pass out before they even showed up."
Armin hesitated.
"...She looked scared of us too."
There was a pause.
"Maybe everyone scares her," Mikasa said.
Eren crossed his arms.
"That's dumb."
But his voice wasn't convinced.
The front door opened.
Carla's head snapped up.
"Grisha!"
Footsteps, the rustle of a coat being removed.
"What happened?" Grisha asked, immediately sensing something was wrong.
Carla hurried to him, gripping his sleeve.
"Grisha, you need to see this child. She collapsed from heat, and-"
He was already moving.
The bedroom door opened. Grisha approached the bed where Victoria lay, her chest rising and falling too fast. Her skin glistened with sweat despite the cloth on her forehead.
He knelt instantly.
"Pulse is rapid," he murmured. "She's overheated."
"She was working in the fields," Carla said. "In this heat."
Grisha's brow furrowed deeply.
"...Alone?"
"Yes."
He pressed cool fingers to Victoria's wrist.
"I need privacy," he said. "I'll stabilize her."
Carla nodded and ushered the children back to the kitchen.
The house fell quiet.
Long, heavy quiet.
The kind that comes after shouting and fear.
Carla stood with her arms crossed.
"I'm going to talk to those boys' parents," she said. "This is unacceptable. I won't tolerate this behavior."
The trio nodded sheepishly.
Then Eren raised his hand slightly.
"Mom?"
Carla sighed.
"What now, Eren?"
"Why is Victoria in the field in this heat anyway? Her parents shouldn't allow that."
Carla looked away.
"...It's complicated."
The children leaned in.
Carla sat down slowly.
"That girl was born different," she began. "Her skin can't handle the sun like ours. Her hair and eyes... people noticed immediately."
Armin frowned.
"That's not her fault."
"No," Carla said. "But people are afraid of what they don't understand."
She folded her hands.
"Her parents are wealthy. They own land. And when she was born... they believed something was wrong with her. That she was cursed. The church didn't help."
Mikasa's eyes narrowed.
"They believe them."
"They listen to them," Carla said. "So they hid her. They keep her out of sight. They make her work where no one will look too closely."
Eren slammed his palm on the table.
"That's messed up!"
"They don't see her as a child," Carla said softly. "They see her as a problem they need to control."
Armin swallowed.
"So... that's why she's never outside the fence."
Carla nodded.
"She's been told her whole life that she's dangerous. That people will hate her if they see her."
Mikasa stared at the floor.
"...That explains why she flinches."
Eren's jaw tightened.
"So they just... let her burn?"
Carla closed her eyes briefly.
"They think work will make her useful. And if she gets hurt... they think it's deserved."
Silence fell.
Armin whispered, "That's horrible..."
Eren stood up.
"That's stupid. She's just a kid."
Carla looked at him.
"Yes," she said firmly. "She is."
The bedroom door creaked open.
Grisha stepped out, wiping his hands.
"She'll be alright," he said. "But she can't go back out today. Or tomorrow."
Carla looked relieved.
"...Good."
Grisha glanced at the children.
"You three didn't do wrong," he said. "But this situation is... delicate."
Carla looked back toward the room.
"And dangerous," she added
That night, the house felt too quiet.
Eren paced in small circles near the table, restless energy still trapped in his limbs.
"She just... dropped," he muttered. "Like she was made of paper."
"She was overheating," Armin said. "Her skin isn't like ours."
Mikasa sat with her hands folded.
"She looked scared before the bullies even came."
Eren stopped pacing.
"...She looked scared of us."
Armin nodded slowly.
"People who are scared all the time don't know who's safe."
Mikasa lifted her eyes.
"Then we show her."
Eren blinked.
"Huh?"
Mikasa stood.
"If she sees us often... she won't be afraid."
Eren grinned suddenly.
"Yeah. We'll just be around her."
Armin smiled faintly.
"...That might actually work."
Victoria slept through the night.
When she woke, the room was dim and cool. A window curtain filtered pale sunlight across the wooden floor. Her skin no longer burned, but her body still felt weak.
She sat up slowly.
The door creaked open.
Dr. Grisha Yeager stood there with a cup of water.
"You're awake," he said gently. "Good."
Victoria froze.
Her red eyes darted to the door, to the walls, to the unfamiliar bed.
"I'm not... in the stable..."
"No," Grisha said. "You collapsed yesterday. Carla brought you here."
He offered the cup.
"Drink."
Her hands trembled as she took it.
"You overheated," he continued. "You shouldn't be in the fields in this weather."
Victoria stared into the cup.
"I... have to work."
Grisha frowned.
"You're a child."
Victoria didn't answer.
Grisha knelt beside the bed.
"You'll stay today. Rest. After that... we'll decide."
Victoria's eyes widened.
"...Decide what?"
Grisha didn't answer immediately.
"Where you go next."
Carla sat at the table long after breakfast.
Her hands were still.
Her thoughts were loud.
If I take her back... she'll be in that field again.
If I keep her... I'm taking someone else's child.
She glanced toward the bedroom.
But what kind of parents do that?
Grisha joined her.
"She's stable," he said. "Weak, but safe."
Carla nodded.
"...Grisha. If I return her... they'll hide her again."
"And if you don't?" he asked.
Carla exhaled.
"They'll talk."
Grisha met her eyes.
"They already do."
Carla was silent.
Then she stood.
"She stays until she's strong."
Grisha nodded once.
"Then we'll handle the rest."
A few days later, the path home became familiar
Victoria saw them before she heard them.
Three shapes walking together.
She froze at first.
But they didn't stop.
They didn't rush her.
Armin waved.
Eren shouted.
Mikasa watched quietly.
Victoria did not run.
She stood still, heart racing... and waited.
They passed her fence.
The next day, she waved back.
The tree stood alone on the hill.
Its branches curved wide like arms.
Armin sat beneath it, book open in his lap, the pages filled with drawings of places he'd never seen.
He didn't notice her at first.
Victoria climbed the slope slowly, her bare feet brushing the grass.
She stopped a few steps away.
Armin looked up.
"Oh-hi."
Victoria hesitated.
"...Hi."
The wind rustled the leaves above them.
Armin tilted the book so she could see.
"It's about the world," he said. "Outside the walls."
Victoria stared at the page.
"...Outside?"
Armin nodded and smiled.
"Yeah."
End of chapter one
( Creator: this is the end of chapter one! The next won't be a chapter, but some short stories to stabilize the friend group of four, before we jump into the actual anime lore)
