Chapter Text
One minute, Eren embraced death with complete conviction.
Another minute, he didn't.
Now he's staring at the bright blue sky and the clouds blocking out most of the sunlight and thinking this is all some kind of fucking joke.
Because, what part of sacrificing yourself and more than half of the Earth's population to keep your friends safe isn't comprehensible?!
He inhaled and exhaled for a full minute when he felt a commotion forming in his chest.
This could be a memory from the future, but no, the memories of the future are always like a long, heavy dream, which he definitely doesn't feel now.
He can breathe and hear his heartbeat, and the sand under his tired body stings him a bit. He listens to the sounds of seagulls and the flow of sea water like the tides and— wait, sea?
He quickly opened his eyes and immediately sat down to see the sea in front of him, concluding that he had woken up on the beach.
Great.
Just great.
"Is everything okay?"
He turned back and his eyes cautiously fell on a dark green-haired woman standing at a distance from him with her hand on her chest with a worried expression on her pretty, young face.
Opening his mouth, “I-” he began to cough loudly. His throat was so dry it was as if he had never spoken in his life.
"Oh my God!" The woman slowly approached him, and he reluctantly resisted being pulled away from her, for she quickly took out a can of water from her basket and hastily handed it to him.
He drank it silently, ignoring the trembling of his hand, but the woman doesn’t seemed to ignore it if she said with her hand pityingly on her cheek, "Poor thing, what happened to you?"
Oh no, he's the last person to feel sorry for.
"I... got lost... can you tell me where I am?" He finally asked because what need he needed to keep his distance? As long as his name is not mentioned, he is now safe from being tied to a stake and being burned alive.
The woman frowned sadly, “This is too bad.” She sighed and extended her hand to help him stand but he wouldn't accept it and stood on his own (even if he stumbled a few times.)
She didn't seem bothered by not accepting her hand, as she answered his question, "You're in Foosha Village." Perhaps the confusion was evident on his face at the strange name so she let out a chuckle, "No wonder you don't know it, it's a small village in Down island, a part of Goa Kingdom." It only made him more confused, "In East Blue?" This sounded more like a question than an answer.
His lips became a thin line of frustration. He does not recognize any of these names.
"You poor thing..." Then she gasped and her eyes widened, placing her hand on her mouth in shock, "Is it possible that you have lost your memory?!"
Well, now that's a good excuse.
Eren looked away trying to look pathetic and slowly nodded, “I… I don’t remember anything…”
"Even your name?!"
He nodded.
"That must be very frustrating!" She unhesitatingly grabbed his arm and began to carefully pull him away from the beach, "I’ll to take you to the doctor!"
He finds it annoying that she treats him like a child, she is about 15 cm shorter than him? And they even look the same age!
The doctor shoved a light in his eyes and a stick in his throat, then stared at him for a full minute and finally decided, "He's suffering from malnutrition and a slight concussion, which must be the cause of his memory loss and no doubt it will be temporary."
The green-haired woman sighed in relief and dropped her shoulders. She worries as if he was a family member or friend.
After a simple discussion with the doctor, it ended up forcing him to rest. Unfortunately, the doctor had another patient, a child, who injured his knee while playing, so the bed would not be available for Eren to lie on and think about all his life decisions.
But he bumped into a good person, so she offered him to rest in his home, which he refused without hesitation.
“Don't be silly! I found you so you are my responsibility!” Her big, black eyes narrowed fiercely and insistently, with her hands resting on her waist.
This made an image of his mother scolding him immediately pop up in his mind.
Damn it. Isn't it enough that he killed more than half of humanity and now sees his mother in a woman his age?
"Anyway, I'm used to people since half of my house is a bar!" I protested again.
He exhale.
“Fine,” he agreed resignedly.
When they went to her house, she hurried to prepare food for him and put it in front of him and told him that she had asked to borrow clothes in his size from a neighbor of hers and that he could take a shower when he came.
He looked at her with sincere gratitude. It's not every day that you find someone doing good for free.
"Ah! I didn't tell you my name, did I?" She groaned and shook her head amusedly at having forgotten about it, "I'm Makino! And I hope you remember your name soon!"
He nodded to her, "Thank you, Makino-san."
“Oh no, we look the same age so stop the honorific already!”
"Makino then..." he said reluctantly and she smiled brightly.
As he ate, Makino spoke again, "Should I mention some facts to you in the hope that you will remember?"
This is actually a good idea if he was truly suffering of amnesiac.
He expects that only days after the ramming, the year 854-
“It is the year 1511, 11 years after the great age of pirates began.”
What.
Eren widened his eyes and immediately choked on his food.
A THOUSAND AND WHAT NOW?!
"Oh, my God!" Makino ran over and slapped his back to help him spit out the food.
Is it in memory of the future?!
But.. it feels very real. He's choking to death right now in this very moment and it's so real to him.
“Th-thanks..” He muttered hoarsely and drank the water.
"I'm sorry, did you remember anything?"
He shook his head, and her shoulders fell in frustration.
Did he awaken another power of the founding titan? Has his ability evolved from seeing past and future to travel fucking time?
He swallowed his saliva and felt dry again.
It's almost 657 years into the future.
A 657 years passed.
Oddly specific number.
And— what the hell is the great age of pirates?
“Sorry, but what do you mean by Great Age of Pirates?” he asked, trying to sound as neutral as possible.
“Uh, is your memory really that bad?” She put his hand under her chin and explained, "It is the age that began after the King of the Pirates, Gold Roger, was executed, and pirates all over the world began searching for his treasure, the One Piece."
Okay.
Cool.
I mean, it's been hundreds of years, so of course a lot of things have changed.
However.. from what he saw as he walked through the village behind Makino, it seemed that technology was greatly backward! No cars, no phone booths, or anything modern in any way.
Could it be just because it's a small village? Perhaps if he went to that Goa kingdom, he would see the technology he was looking for.
And now, for the most important question.
He opened his mouth hesitantly, “Does… does the name Eren Yeager.. mean anything to you?” He straightened his back willingly.
Makino furrowed her brows and murmured with a look of deep thought on her face, “Eren.. Yeager?” She finally decided, "I'm sorry, I've never heard of it," and she seemed sincere.
Eren let out a sigh he didn't think he hold back. He said, "That's my name, Eren."
Makino gasped and smiled brightly, "That's great! Nice to meet you, Eren-kun!"
He nodded to her.
"Makino! Makino!" They were interrupted by a loud voice that belonged to a kid.
His green eyes fell on a black-haired, simple-looking child who appeared from behind the bar door. His cheeks were flushed with excitement and his smile was childishly happy as he hopped on his feet again and again.
"Shanks is coming! I saw the ship in the distance!" He said, his eyes shining.
Makino placed her hand on her cheek fondly at the sight, "Is that so? How about you help me get the drinks ready for them?"
The kid seemed hesitant but the woman knew what was going on in his mind as she said subtly, "You know it's going to take a while for the ship to arrive right? We can finish quickly and watch the ship together."
"Okay!" He approached hurriedly, “Come on! Come on! Come on!” He started to pull Makino by her dress and she laughed.
The kid stopped doing this and finally seemed to notice that there was another adult in the empty bar. He tilted his head curiously and wide black eyes stared at him.
No thoughts behind these eyes, huh? (Eren would never admit it out loud but for a moment he felt nervous at that look, like he was being evaluated or something.)
"Oh that's Eren," said Makino when she noticed the curious stare of the boy, "I found him on the beach not doing well and offered to help. He's suffering from temporary memory loss so he'll be with us for a while."
Uh, is he her little brother?
“Eren,” she smiled sweetly and placed her hand on the kid’s head tenderly, “This is Luffy, he’s a friend’s son and I’m taking care of him. I hope you two get along well!”
"Hello!" Luffy smiled carelessly and waved at him.
Weird. Most kids would be wary and shy around new people (especially since he doesn't look friendly at all. With his long, disheveled brown hair, empty eyes, and wary expression.)
"Makino-chan! I brought what you asked for!" Another person showed up and handed the bar owner a bag and then apologized hastily to go fast because his wife had a fever.
"Poor Mary..." Muttered a passive Maikno as she approached him, then smiled and handed him the bag, "These are the clothes! I hope they fit you!"
"Makino, come on!" Luffy grumbled and impatiently stomped his foot on the ground.
"Hai! Hai!" She sent an apologetic look at him but he nodded reassuringly.
"Enter the door behind the bar and the bathroom will be at the end of the hall, on your left!" She directs him as she goes to fulfill the impatient kid's request.
Eren looked at the clothes in the bag and sighed.
Nothing really to think about or worry.
Six and a half centuries have passed and people have forgotten about him for sure.
He just hopes that his friends have lived a long and happy life.
It's a timeline where pirates are plentiful and technology probably lags badly.
What could be stranger than that?
Eren put the white towel over his wet hair and opened the back door of the bar to meet Makino's back as she prepared a drink.
It wasn't what caught his attention though, it was the throng of boisterous men around the bar. This must be the crew of Shanks' ship that Luffy seemed so excited about.
“What do we have here, Makino? did you sneak your boyfriend in?” asked a loud, amused man's voice.
Erenlooked at the source, and his eyes fell on a man in his late twenties with red hair a little shorter than his own and a scar like a cat's fist over his left eye, which was looking at him intently.
"Captain Shanks!" Makino gasped in embarrassment, her cheeks reddening.