Scenario:Mikasa - Dawning of a New Me

Dawning of a New Me

Katalina tells Mikasa that she rescued Lyria from the Erste Empire because she wanted Lyria to see the outside world, just as Mikasa wishes to do for a certain someone. Rackam quips that smiles can be empowering—when Mikasa sees Eren's smile later on, she sees a ray of hope in this oft cruel world.

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Mikasa: ...

Katalina: You're... with the Survey Corps...

Mikasa: I'm Mikasa Ackerman.

Mikasa: I... want to talk to you...

Katalina: Hm? With me?

Rackam: She came to see us. The least you can do is let her in. Why are you making her stand outside?

Katalina: You make a good point. I wasn't thinking properly...

Mikasa enters the room, and her eyes find blueprints spread out on the table.

Mikasa enters the room, and her eyes find blueprints spread out on the table.

Mikasa: ...

Rackam: You interested in this? This is our airship, the Grandcypher's blueprints.

Mikasa: An airship...

Rackam: We're in trouble... We've got you and the captain going around getting us parts, but...

Rackam: Sigh... Things are not looking up for us.

Mikasa: We don't have anything like your airships in our country.

Rackam: Yeah, we heard that you all have never left Estioss before.

Mikasa: Never mind Estioss, we'd never even left the walls of our home until recently.

Rackam: But... What are those things? The huge monsters...

Rackam: No matter what we did, they just kept getting up to fight again.

Katalina: Rackam... She hasn't come to inform you of the state of affairs.

Rackam: Right. My mistake. I almost forgot.

Rackam politely smiles although he seems embarrassed. He sits on a nearby chair and continues his work.

Katalina: I... I apologize for that. So what have you come to ask us?

Mikasa lets out a heavy sigh and stares intently at Katalina.

Mikasa: I heard about it from Lyria. She told me she was a secret test subject for a large empire...

Katalina: She told you...

Mikasa: You were the soldier in charge of watching over her.

Mikasa: But... you rescued Lyria and betrayed your empire.

Mikasa: I would like to know why you would risk your own life to do something so reckless.

Katalina looks up and loses herself in thoughts of the past.

Lyria: Um, what's that?

Katalina: Hm?

Katalina: Oh, this is a... a book. You've never heard of a book? Never read one?

Lyria: ...

Katalina: Cough... All right. Then I'll just read it to you.

Lyria: Okay...

Katalina: Haha... When I saw the smile on Lyria's face, I knew what I had to do. I knew I would save her.

Mikasa: So that's why you... did it?

Katalina: Yes. I suppose you were expecting a different answer.

Katalina: I wanted Lyria to know the world not through a book... I wanted her to see and experience everything from the outside world for herself.

Mikasa: Everything... from the outside world...

Mikasa: (If there were a world less cruel than this, I'd want Eren to see it.)

Katalina is able to guess what Mikasa is thinking and lightly smiles.

Katalina: Haha... Just as I have Lyria, there is someone special to you as well. Someone you wish to protect even at the expense of your own life, correct?

Mikasa: Huh?

Katalina: That is why you came to speak with me, is it not?

Mikasa: I guess... I mean...

Not used to being read like an open book, Mikasa is taken aback and tries to change the conversation.

Mikasa: I... have one more question. Your travels must have been perilous until we met.

Mikasa: Yet why is it that you can all smile as you do? Even today...

Mikasa recounts the events that occurred during the vertical maneuvering gear training.

Mikasa: Eren and Armin smiled like they haven't in ages. They... were so happy...

Katalina: I'm glad. Always being on edge is enough to make anyone grow weary.

Mikasa: Agreed. Even in the midst of this despair, they were smiling... I was so happy...

Mikasa: I think I have you all to thank for that...

Mikasa: It's not as if I could ever make them smile...

Seeing the sadness in Mikasa's eyes, Rackam stops his work.

Rackam: Now that you mention it... Weren't you smiling too?

Mikasa: Huh?

Rackam: Sigh... Does that come as such a surprise to you? Just smile. Smile.

Rackam: Haha. A smile becomes power. That's what I believe anyway...

Mikasa: A smile... becomes power...

Katalina: If I may... That special person you want to protect is...

Katalina: Cough... Your lover?

Mikasa: Lover?

Mikasa: He's family.

Rackam: Sure! That's what you say, but you really mean lov—

Mikasa: Family.

Rackam: Oh... I didn't mean to offend ya.

Mikasa: I'm sorry...

Rackam: Hold on! I'm the one who was poking fun. I'm sorry.

Mikasa: That's okay... It's time for me to leave...

Mikasa thanks Katalina and Rackam and sees herself to the mess hall.

In the mess hall, Eren and Armin are eating lunch with (Captain), Lyria, and Vyrn.

Armin: Hey, Mikasa! Over here!

Eren: You should have been eating with us. Where were you?

Mikasa: I had something to do...

Lyria: Nom nom...
This steamed sweet potato is really tasty!

Eren: Haha! The only one who eats potatoes like that is Sasha!

Mikasa: ...

Vyrn: Hey. What's up? Why so serious?

Mikasa looks across the table at all the smiling faces and begins to understand Rackam's words.

She squeezes her scarf and beams a smile at Eren.

Eren: ...

Armin: Mikasa... Are you okay?

Mikasa: Eren... I will always protect you. I will exterminate the Titans from this world and then...

Eren: And then... Let's go back home. Together...

Mikasa: Okay...

Mikasa fights desperately against the tears about to stream from her eyes.

Mikasa finally understands that a smile is the only thing that has the power to change this cruel world.