"The Memories"

Aiden woke up in his own room, but something felt different. The bed beneath him, the room surrounding him—everything was familiar, yet it carried the weight of an unfamiliar feeling. He sat up slowly, placing a hand on his forehead, feeling a dull ache as if memories were crashing into him all at once. He squinted as they poured in, unrelenting, fragments of lives that were not his, rushing in like a flood.

His head throbbed, and as he tried to make sense of it, names floated to the surface of his mind. Mikasa... Armin... He clenched his fists, bewildered. Who are these people? Faces flickered behind his eyelids—Mikasa, a woman with strong features, looked at him with concern. Is that... my mother? He could see another man too, someone who resembled him slightly but older, harsher. Is that... me? He tried to push the questions away, but they persisted, the pieces of the puzzle slowly falling into place.

Then, in the midst of it all, came memories that were not his own—those of a man he didn't recognize, a man named Kruger. His heart pounded as he saw through Kruger's eyes. Pain. Guilt. Torture. Aiden flinched, feeling the weight of what Kruger had done—thousands of Eldians condemned to endless suffering. The emotion overwhelmed him, the regret of a man who had sentenced his own people to death. The memories coursed through him, forcing him to relive Kruger's actions, the betrayal, and the horror of it all.

And then came Grisha's memories, laced with the agony of Kruger's torment. Aiden felt his body tense, shuddering as he experienced the pain of the tortures inflicted upon Grisha. The despair of a man trapped in an endless cycle of cruelty. He watched as Kruger explained the power of the Titan, how Grisha would have to bear that burden. Kruger's voice echoed, "You must protect Armin and Mikasa." Aiden blinked, confusion twisting his thoughts. Who is this man standing here and why is hair unkempt? And why does he resemble dad a lot? Can't Kruger see us? Why can't he see us? And what did he tell his man to protect mom? Why can't they see us?

In that moment, he watched as Kruger injected Grisha with the Titan serum, transforming him. Grisha's eyes widened in terror before he shifted, the horrifying transformation consuming him. And then... the devouring. Grisha ate Kruger, his eyes lifeless as he staggered away, carrying the weight of a new life, a new burden.

More memories rushed in—Grisha, the doctor who saved so many from a disease that threatened to ravage the population. This man... he was good too. Not just a monster. Aiden's breath hitched as he witnessed Grisha's kindness, his attempts to make things right. But who is he to me?

A new wave of memories surfaced—Grisha getting married, his new life taking shape, and then... the birth of a son. Grisha named his son Eren. The realization hit Aiden like a ton of bricks. Is that... my father? The image of Grisha naming Eren, the pride and joy in his eyes, twisted something deep in Aiden's heart. This man, my grandfather... he went through all this...

Time shifted again, and now Aiden saw Eren—his father—standing up for a young girl, Mikasa. Aiden's chest swelled with emotion, a deep admiration for his father taking root. Father was strong, he fought for her. The memories were brutal, violent, but something inside Aiden stirred. As the scenes unfolded—his father's bloody struggle, his transformation into a Titan—Aiden felt the pain and pride mix inside him.

But then came the darkest memories, the moments when Eren wrestled with the decision to commit genocide or spare the world. Aiden saw it all—the agonizing choices, the unchangeable future bearing down on his father. But then, in the midst of it all, Mikasa appeared again, her voice soft yet firm: "I love you." The future shifted, the weight of the inevitable was lifted. The future can change... Aiden thought, but a new idea took root in his mind. The future changed... because of love?

His mind spun, faster now, as he saw flashes of another future—one that did not happen but was supposed to. Aiden saw paths diverging, roads that would have led to different destinies. He saw a man that remained loyal till his death to his father. He saw the annihilation that was meant to come, a blood-soaked future that was averted. Why didn't it happen? His father's memories showed him the answer. It was Mikasa. Her love for his father had shifted fate itself.

Aiden's hands trembled as he realized the weight of the truth. If one person's love can change everything... what else could change?

He stood up slowly, his breath uneven as his mind raced. The realization hit him harder than the flood of memories. He knew what he had to do.

He whispered to himself, his voice barely audible. "I see... I know now what to do."

His heart darkened, the temptation growing in him. If the future can be bent... A wicked thought crept into his mind. Why should I let it be bent by love? What if I shape it with power? With my own hands?

Aiden's gaze hardened, the images of the other futures—futures filled with fire and destruction—lingering in his mind. He felt a pull, a calling. His father had chosen mercy. But what if Aiden chose differently?

Then, the door creaked open, and Levi stepped into the room, snapping Aiden back to reality.

Levi's sharp gaze took in the scene. "You're up now, brat. Took you long enough."

Aiden blinked, his thoughts still swirling in the darkness of his mind. "What... what's going on?" His voice was deeper, more mature than before, laced with an edge of something darker.

Levi crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow. "We've got a meeting. Everyone's waiting. We need to talk about your transformation."

Aiden's mind was still spinning, the weight of his realizations pressing down on him. He nodded, but a dangerous gleam flickered in his eyes. "I'm ready," he said quietly, though inside, he was already plotting. The future has changed before. And now, I'll make sure it changes again.