Attack on Prime: Change
Link to story: https://archiveofourown.org/works/36583423/chapters/91243426
Eren and Mikasa couldn’t help but notice the solemn expression on Armin’s face as he stared out the window of the driver’s side of Optimus’ alt mode. The three of them were heading towards Shinganshina to help with the migration into Wall Maria, and while Mikasa and Eren saw it as they returned to the basement, Armin didn’t come. This was Armin first time back to their hometown in over five years. And so far, the only thing that Armin did was stare out the window, watching the old abandoned homes zoom past as they continued forward.
Eren and Mikasa looked at each other with concern. They wanted to reach out to Armin and comfort him, but it was still surreal for them to come back home. Even though they came back months ago, they came under different circumstances, and left with Reiner and Annie trying to capture them.
Meanwhile, Optimus decided not to say anything and let Armin process his thoughts. He offered to take the three of them with him because he knew how important this was to them, and as far as the trio knew, they were the last survivors out of Shinganshina. He wanted to support them in any way that he could.
Armin lifted his head from his hand as something caught his eye as they drew closer and closer to the town. “It’s...still there.”
“What is?” Mikasa finally asked as she and Eren peered out the same window Armin was looking through. They were a little confused, but gasped in surprise as they realized what Armin was talking about. It was...that tree. That small old tree that lingered just outside of Shinganshina’s gate, was still standing tall.
“Optimus, can you take us to that tree?” Eren asked the Prime. The Prime adjusted his windshield to see the tree Eren was pointing to, and turned the wheel to head straight towards it. Optimus pulled to a stop at the base of the hill the tree resided on and opened the door. The three stepped out and stared at the tree, but made no move to approach it, still trying to process the fact that this old thing was still here after all this time.
“Is this tree of importance to you?” Optimus spoke up.
“We...we used to play here,” Armin explained, “We’d race up the tree on the hill. I’d never win the races, but I enjoyed the morning breeze.”
“...I took naps under here all the time,” Eren spoke, “It was nice.”
“We’d collect firewood for home around here,” Mikasa added, “But...I don’t understand. Everything in our lives changed so much, but this tree is still standing here. I don’t understand why.”
“...Change is inevitable and unavoidable,” Optimus said, “However, there are some things that can stand the tests of times. And in moments of change, we should take comfort in that.”
Armin looked down at the grass blown by the wind. “We should continue with our mission.”
“We can remain for a few minutes,” Optimus reassured, “If that is what you want.”
The trio looked at each other before Eren took the first step, followed by Mikasa, and finally Armin. They trudged up the hill towards the base of the tree before sitting and lying down on the grass. The three stared at the leaves, slightly shaken by the breeze of the wind. They felt the rays of sunlight seep through the spaces in-between. They caught glimpses of the birds flying in the air, and the clouds moving through the sky.
Armin picked up a leaf already on the ground and brought it to his face, fiddling it with his finger tips. Mikasa still found this whole situation surreal, still staring up at the leaves and picking at the end of her red scarf. Eren welcomed this familiarity, this constant in his life that he had once taken for granted that was ripped away from him the day he lost everything. He felt his eyes droop before they shut completely, and light breaths left his mouth as he began to take a nap.
Optimus let them reside there for thirty minutes, before activating the holoform and telling them that they needed to leave. When they got back to the truck and Optimus drove off, the three couldn’t help but look back at that tree, that tree that stood the test of time in their ever changing world.
(I drove by my old house a few days ago, wanting to see if anything about it changed. I moved out of there when I was in second grade. The house was green instead of pink. The grass my father tended to was replaced by a broken wooden ground. The flowers he tended to were replaced by Aloe and other desert plants. The chain link fence was replaced by brown metal bars. The bars against the windows were removed. I barely recognized it when I saw it, but in my heart, I knew that it was my old home. The memories I had in there are now quite vague and distant, only living in there for about 6 years. And even though the house changed over time, it was still there.
Change is unavoidable and inevitable. Take comfort in the constants).
