Across the sea
Waves rippled across the azure sea, crashing onto the golden sand and splashing up sprays of water. A salty sea breeze carried the unique scent of the Ocean.
The beach was already crowded with Soldiers in Wings of Freedom uniforms, almost all of Soldiers excitedly and cautiously touching the seawater in front of them.
Armin took off his boots and gently stepped onto the sand that had just been washed by the sea. It was unusually soft, and he could feel a faint tickle between his toes. This unprecedented and wonderful feeling made Armin's eyes sparkle.
"Eren! Mikasa! Everyone come and try it, it feels so good to step on!" Armin shouted, waving his arms.
The Survey Corps Soldiers, who had never seen the Ocean before, immediately followed suit, and shouts and yells began to rise from the beach.
"Eren, wait for me!" Mikasa was a little nervous, walking cautiously in the seawater. Eren, wanting to hurry and meet Armin, grabbed Eren 'Mikasa hand and said as they walked, "Mikasa, let's hurry. Armin can tell us stories about the Ocean later."
Mikasa's attention, however, was elsewhere. Her cheeks were flushed, Mikasa was completely absorbed in the moment, thinking, "Eren took my hand! ٩(๑^o^๑)۶"
Sasha dipped her finger in the seawater and put it in her mouth. Her eyes lit up, and she exclaimed, "Wow, this water really tastes salty, like it's been seasoned with salt!"
Connie scratched his head and said, "Sasha, how come you dare to try everything?"
Sasha pointed at Armin and said, "Armin said this was the Lake of Salt, but I didn't expect the water to actually be salty. If it's all salt, it'll be worth a lot of money."
Aren't you afraid of being poisoned?
"How could the lake water be poisonous?" Sasha said confidently, hands on her hips.
Just then, a barefoot man walked by and said with a malicious smile, "Sasha, you just came down, didn't you?"
Sasha nodded, pointing to the groups of Survey Corps Soldiers on the beach, and said, "Everyone went down barefoot before you, so Sasha, you basically drank... foot bath water?"
Upon hearing Rang's words, Sasha's face paled, and she stiffened as she turned to look at the Soldiers, "No!!"
On the other side, Levi followed his subordinates onto the beach. Although the fine sand clinging to his legs made the germaphobic Levi frown slightly, seeing the happy smiles on the faces of his subordinates and Soldiers, even the cold-blooded Captain couldn't help but smile.
"Ouch! Ouch! What is this?!" Hange suddenly raised her hand and screamed, as something she had never seen before was clamping down on her finger.
"Is it a sea crab?" Yago, who was not far away, noticed what Hange was holding and couldn't help but chuckle.
Beside Yago was Annie. For Annie and Yago, the Ocean was nothing new or unusual, so they weren't as excited or surprised as the Survey Corps Soldiers.
Annie mostly gazed quietly at the vast sea, wondering how her father was doing on the Other Shore. For no reason, Annie felt a sense of emptiness and subconsciously wanted to move closer to Yago.
Yago also noticed Annie's actions, and needless to say, his loving embrace was already open.
The two sat on a rock, Annie's head unconsciously rested on Yago's shoulder, while Yago also put his arm around Annie's waist.
"What a wonderful feeling," Yago thought to himself, unaware that the footsteps around him were disturbing Yago and Annie.
"Commander, that's not right. Can't you just leave couples alone?" Yago teased, though he didn't let go of Annie's arm. They were old friends, what was there to be shy about?
Erwin, who was being teased, just smiled and didn't say anything. After all, it seemed that he was in the wrong. However, the person standing next to Erwin took a step back awkwardly.
Yago glanced at him and asked, "Captain Mike? You've recovered from your injuries?" Indeed, standing next to Erwin was Squad Section Commander Mike, who had recovered from her injuries and returned to the team—humanity's second strongest Soldiers!
Mike, still wrapped in thin bandages, nodded awkwardly, but said sincerely, "Yes, speaking of which, I should Yago you and Annie for saving me from the Titan last time."
Yago waved his hand and said, "Of course, of course."
"Speaking of which, Yago, you said that the land we live on is surrounded by the Ocean, right? So what's on the other side of the Ocean?" Erwin asked meaningfully.
"The other side of the sea?" Yago paused slightly upon hearing this familiar question, then smiled and asked Erwin, "Commander, what do you think is on the other side of the sea?"
Erwin raised his head, looking at the Survey Corps Soldiers densely packed along the beach, and said quietly, "There are humans on the other side of the sea, but, Yago, do the humans in the outside world really harbor deep hostility towards us people within the Walls?"
Yago didn't answer Erwin's question, but instead said, "Humans and Titan are enemies, but who says that humans can be allies? Commander, across the sea lies the world."
The same question came from Eren's mouth as well, "Armin, Mikasa, what's on the other side of the sea?"
Armin gazed into the distance, his excitement still lingering. "Across the sea? There must be many more wondrous sights! Flowing flames, frozen plains, snow-covered sands..."
"Really? Even more beautiful scenery..." Eren fell silent for a moment, because he remembered his father's notes in the basement, the country called Marley, and that Older Brother seemed to have never met, Zeke Jaeger.
Seemingly sensing Eren's dejection, the usually shy Mikasa, finding Courage from somewhere, took Eren's hand and stammered, "Eren, no matter what's on the other side of the sea, I'm here. Please let me go see it with you."
Eren's green eyes widened as he looked at the hand Mikasa was holding, and he murmured, "Shall we go see it together?"
"Okay, let's go see it together!" Mikasa looked up and met Eren's gaze.
A slow smile appeared on Eren's face as he nodded and said, "Okay, let's go see it together."
Armin stood there, feeling inexplicably superfluous.
Meanwhile, a Marley Guard was getting closer and closer to its destination Paradis Island. As night fell, a group of more than a dozen people quietly gathered on the deck of the Guard, led by Yelena.
Yelena handed a Signal Pistol, one that the Marley Soldiers had never seen before, to a Soldiers. "Ruth, this is for you. Use this to contact the Eldians on the island. The speedboat is ready. You are one of the best Soldiers in our Volunteers; I believe you can complete the mission."
The Soldiers Ruth saluted solemnly and said, "Don't worry!"