Somnium (PMMM/AoT Crossover One Shot)

[Position Zero]

A/N: Welcome! I am new here, but I've been eager to share some of my writing! To start off, I'd like to share a very old crossover piece that I enjoyed writing over 10 years ago. This story was one of my most popular back on Fanfiction.net. Unfortunately, that site is so archaic and it's dying. Doesn't seem like it has much staff there either, spam is rampant over there. I wouldn't be surprised if it shuts down within the next year or so.

This story was written when the first season of Attack on Titan was airing back in 2013. Somnium takes place in the last time loop of PMMM, and right before the Female Titan arc in AoT. I felt the protagonists from AoT and PMMM were alike in many ways at the time, and I was invested in both franchises. Hence, the creation of this story. How much have things changed since publication of this fanfic.

I edited and rewrote some parts from the original. I am not sure if I am completely happy with it, given I wrote this back in high school. I still find the writing in this clunky.

Just know this story was a product of its time. I am well aware of how much things have changed for both franchises since this story's conception.

Crossposted from Fanfiction.net. Also available on Archive of Our Own.

---

Eren opened his eyes. How long was he asleep? He groggily rose and felt the dew of morning grass. The water trickled his fingers and he found himself amidst an open field. There were flowers all around. Lilies, roses, hyacinths, daisies, tulips. It was mesmerizing to see the myriad of colors on display. Above was the open blue sky that he dreamed of reaching beyond the walls. Yet, why was he here?

He glanced toward the horizon and noticed something routine was missing. The walls… the walls that protected humanity from the titans. They were nowhere in sight. Odd, he wasn't used to seeing the outside world without walls. This field outstretched for how long... like an endless path. Nothing around but the sky and the flowers. Eren frowned. This was so strange, so he went to investigate.

He found a narrow path surrounded by trees, aspiring to find someone around the area. He must have been deep within the walls. Maybe his teammates were nearby. Captain Levi, Auruo, Petra, Gunther — maybe Mikasa and Armin. He went further into the path, seeing a lake on the horizon. Not a single human in sight. No one. He mused if he should turn back until his eye caught something. At the lake was a tree where a figure leaned against it. To this discovery, Eren ran down to meet with it. Adrenaline ran through his veins, he hoped it would be a person.

"Hey!" He called out.

The figure turned itself, then back at the lake. Eren stopped a few inches behind, his vision sharpening at the figure.

A girl? He thought.

She was in a frilly pink and white dress. Her pink hair was tied in ponytails with red ribbons. Her hands held a bow, the shape of a rose branch with a pink bowstring. Eren had never encountered someone dressed in such attire. He was puzzled and shook her shoulder. She let out a gasp at the sudden shake.

"Sorry," Eren mumbled.

"You startled me!" The girl cried.

"I know," Eren lamented. "But, who are you? What is this place?"

"That's my question," the girl answered. "Who are you? Where am I?"

Eren raised his eyebrow suspiciously. He assumed the girl would know about this place, but she was stuck in the same situation. He sighed and sat next to her. "I'm Eren. Your name?"

"Madoka, Madoka Kaname." Her eyes grazed over the fresh lake. "I have no idea where we are. All I remember is that I woke up here. I tried looking for help, but couldn't find anyone. Not even my friends."

"Funny, same for me. Then I found a path that led me here. I was also looking for people, my teammates to be exact. I've never been here before."

"Me neither. This is weird."

Or maybe I am dreaming? Madoka thought, looking at her surroundings. She turned to the boy, curious over his outfit. "What are you wearing?"

Eren looked down at his clothes. "Oh, this? It's my uniform."

"Uniform?" Madoka inquired. Her eyes examined up and down at his attire covered in a green cloak. "Are you enlisted in some sort of army?"

"Something like that — wait, ever heard of the Scouting Legion?" Eren asked.

Madoka shook her head. "No, I don't know what that is."

You don't look like someone from my place. Eren thought, musing on the reason for Madoka's ignorance. He stood back up. "Well, I am out. Nice meeting you."

Madoka was dismayed by the sudden declaration. She just met the only human being here and he already wanted to vanish? "Wait! You're leaving?"

"Yeah, I have no business here. Good luck in finding your friends."

"D — don't go! Please!" pleaded Madoka, clutching Eren's hand. She blurted out, "W — we just met and I need help! You're the only one who might be able to!"

"But you're not even doing anything," Eren muttered. "You're just sitting down. If you wanted to find your friends, you would be searching."

"Ah — but we can search our friends together!" Madoka suggested, she clapped her hands. "I am sorry — I already tried looking for my friends alone. It didn't work."

She stood up and smiled nervously. "What do you say?"

There was silence between the two for several seconds. Eren broke the tension by agreeing. "All right, fine."

"Thank you," Madoka answered. "That makes me happy."

Eren turned his back away from her, walking off. "Yeah… sure. Let's go, sitting around will not get you anywhere."

"Yes, Sir!" Madoka swiftly followed him instantly. Eren chuckled at her salute as if she was a soldier herself.

...​

The two embarked on another path away from the lake, one surrounded by tall trees that blocked the sun and the never-ending blue sky. "So, what's the Scouting Legion?" asked Madoka.

"It's a branch of our military," Eren answered, inhaling the cool air around them. "It is dedicated to slaying titans."

"Titans? What are those?"

Eren stopped in his tracks, to which the girl stumbled behind him. Another whip of silence hit between the two, along with a sudden breeze. Madoka let out a small quiver, not just at the wind… but at the tension between her and the young soldier.

"D — did I say something wrong, Sir?" She asked timidly, nervous about what his response would be.

"No," the soldier answered bitterly. "But…" He closed his eyes, recalling all the events he faced with his teammates against the giant humanoids. "…they're monsters. Horrible beings. They take the dreams of the humanity… their hopes… and their lives."

"M — monsters?"

"And…" Eren trailed off. Images of fallen, blood-spilled comrades being eaten by the titans entered his mind. "…wherever you are from, I hope you never have to encounter one."

"Are your people at war with them? Are you fighting these monsters?"

"Yeah, you could say that but enough about me." He turned to Madoka and narrowed his eyes, changing the subject.

"What is that ridiculous outfit you're wearing?"

Madoka blushed in embarrassment, gazing down at her outfit. "I don't know why I am wearing this. This looks like a magical girl outfit, but I haven't even made a contract with Kyubey."

Eren blinked. "Magical girl? Kyubey?"

"Ah, it's a long story!" Madoka explained. "Where I come from, there are these beings called magical girls. To become one, you must have a wish, and you make a contract with this creature named Kyubey to have it fulfilled." She laughed nervously. "But I don't think any boys can become one — "

" — hence the title magical girl," Eren finished. "But a wish? Any?"

"Yes, in exchange for becoming a magical girl, Kyubey grants your wish! Once you become one, your task is to fight — these beings called witches. They cause a lot of destruction to my world, so they must be stopped."

"So they're like titans."

"Ah, not exactly — maybe. Well, I am not that much of an expert. My friend Homura-chan could tell you more about them."

"And you haven't made the contract with this... Kyubey thing yet?"

Madoka let out a solemn expression. "No."

"Why?"

Images of fallen magical girls entered her mind. There was a hefty price for such power with a horrible fate. She witnessed the deaths of a few friends. There was Mami who became one out of desperation to save her own life and not her parents. She died from her selfless role as a magical girl in protecting others. Next, was her best friend Sayaka. She made a wish for the sake of a loved one and was willing to protect others. Yet, she fell into despair due to discovering the gruesome reality of magical girls. Once the contract was formed, their bodies became machines. Their souls were placed within the soul gems, making the girls unable to live normal lives without them. In such grief, she became a witch with a broken heart.

Kyoko became a magical girl for her family. Eventually, she lost them to her father's discovery. Then, she sacrificed herself for Sayaka out of sympathy… or rather, love.

Finally, there was Homura — the only magical girl left in the area. Madoka did not know much about her, except she recalled her saying she had seen her die many times. Madoka did not quite understand what she meant, but something felt familiar in connecting with Homura. Madoka offered to help her on the day Walpurgisnacht would come, but Homura fervently denied it. Thus, she had been one of the reasons why Madoka hadn't come into a contract with Kyubey.

Her friends suffered, and she couldn't do anything to stop it. At this point, Madoka considered Kyubey an enemy rather than an ally after what it had caused her friends. Even so, she needed to come up with some answer.

"Ah, well… because — I haven't decided on a wish yet!" Madoka blurted out. She walked past Eren. "We should keep going!"

Eren frowned suspiciously. "But that outfit must mean something. If you haven't made the contract then you wouldn't be wearing that."

"That's right," Madoka answered, walking further away from him. "Like I said before, I have no idea why I am wearing this."

This outfit strangely looks a lot like the one I drew in my book — eh?!

She tripped on a rock, falling to the ground. Madoka winced from pain as Eren scurried toward her.

"You all right?" He asked, pulling out his hand.

"Yeah I'm fine," Madoka answered. She grabbed his hand and pulled herself up. "Sorry, I guess I got caught up in my thoughts, hahaha!"

"Yeah." The soldier released his hand from her. "Let's see where this path leads."

"Right!"

...​

There was silence throughout the rest of the trip. The two teens reached the top of a rather high cliff. Mountains spread around the horizon and they saw a lake below. The same one where they met.

"Wow, the view is so high up from here!" Madoka shouted.

"Looks like the sun is setting," Eren added, pointing at the sky. The colors were changing from blue to light orange and pink.

"Oh, it's beautiful!" Madoka cried in delight. She smiled. "Don't you think so, Sir?"

There was no answer, the young soldier stared straight at the mountains. Madoka's smile faded. "You don't like sunsets?"

"I don't mind them," he said.

"Oh."

The two continued to lay their eyes toward the horizon. The sun began to fade and the night sky was creeping up. Madoka wanted to speak again, but then she hesitated. She turned her pink eyes to the boy she recently met.

He's so young… and he's already in the military. I wonder why.

Then, a question formed in her head. A few seconds in, she finally broke the silence.

"Um, may I ask you something?"

Eren who was in a trance snapped out of it. "What?"

"Erm, forgive me for asking, but why are you in the military? You're so young. I know your people are up against these monsters, but others can handle them. You don't have to risk your life for that. Why are you fighting? What I mean to say is — "

The wind began to pick up once more, and Madoka let out the words:

"What are you fighting for?"

The wind stopped just as that sentence finished. A gulp entered through Madoka's throat, she hoped that question did not intimidate Eren. Silence hit again and it stayed for a while. Madoka quivered. Maybe she went a little too far. After all, she barely knew about the boy who was staring at her for a long time. She just asked such a personal question.

"Sorry — "

"I could ask you the same thing."

"Eh?" Madoka became off guard by such a response. What did he mean by that? Eren moved his body toward her. His face was stern, which made Madoka intimidated by the act.

"You haven't made a contract with that Kyubey creature right?" A serious tone escaped in his voice. "You may not have a wish now… but if you ever decide what it will be, and you become a magical girl dedicated to fighting those witches for the sake of that wish to come true; what would be your wish? What would you fight for?"

The pupils of the astonished girl's eyes widened. "My — wish? What would I… fight for?"

Madoka could not remark on Eren's inquiries. As a result, she concealed herself in silence. Her mouth made no development, and she turned away in embarrassment. The young soldier could detect the self-disgust she held for not answering. He let out a long sigh.

How could she not grasp what wish to ask for? To become a magical warrior dedicated to fighting malicious beings that affected her world? To Eren, it seemed so simple. He did not understand, what caused her to hold back? How could Madoka cover herself from the dangers around her while others sacrificed their lives in fighting the witches? If he was a girl with an opportunity to form a contract with this Kyubey; he would wish for the elimination of all the titans so that no human lives would be lost ever again. Even if he had to dedicate the rest of his life to fighting a new evil, as long as the titans were extinct from his world… all would be fine.

After all, it was not like the magical girls devoted their entire time to combat. Eren wasn't so sure about that, but he assumed that was the case. If so, then he would find the time to meet his dream of exploring the outside world with his friends. To escape beyond those long walls that protected himself and the rest of humanity from the titans.

Was it that difficult to come up with a wish?

Despite it all, he was completely unaware that were was more to the magical girl than wishing, making a contract, and fighting witches. The disturbing consequences Madoka saw of her friends with the agreeable bond they made with Kyubey. She had kept quiet, making Eren oblivious and forming his conclusions.

Suddenly, the surroundings around the two teens were tarnished. The forest setting was replaced by a much grim environment.

"What's happening?!" Madoka cried.

"The setting changed!" Eren yelled. "What the hell?!"

The two observed the new area. They stood on a rocky street, where a couple of homes and buildings lay on each side of the course. As if this illustrated the street of a rural village in a storybook. The colors were also sucked out, everything was in shades of black and white, except themselves. The two teens still had color, only faded. Near the end of the street, was a giant white staircase. It led to a huge black bed covered with curtains. The sky was night and starry, with clouds rolling by.

"What… what is this place?" inquired Eren.

"This… this — looks like…" Madoka lagged her sentence from a sudden fear that charged throughout her body. No, it could not be — there was no way…

Eren's eyes moved to the girl, hoping for answers. "Do you know what this place is?"

Madoka shuddered at the question. She took a deep breath, she had to affirm it. "We're — in a witch's barrier."

"What?!" exclaimed Eren. He could not accept such a demented claim! He just met the girl, learning about magical girls and witches! Madoka expressed her assurance to it with a nod.

"Damn it… how do you escape a witch's barrier?" Eren asked. The pupils of his eyes shrunk in denial. No fucking way!

"Ah, well…" Madoka began to explain, quite petrified of this discovery as he was. "…it is usually the job of the magical girl to dispose of the witch. Otherwise, we're stuck here."

Eren blinked. "So we have to fight it?"

"Yes."

"Then I'll kill it off," Eren growled.

"I don't think an ordinary human such as yourself can kill it," Madoka argued.

"Then you do it."

"Eh?!"

"Look, I know you haven't made a contract with the Kyubey thing yet," recalled Eren. "But you have that bow with you, right? You're dressed as a magical girl. You must have some magic power within you to defeat it."

An intimidating glare swept across his face. "There is no fucking way I am going to stay here. You better get us out of this."

"I… suppose you're right," Madoka replied nervously. "And I don't see any other magical girls around." She examined down the street. "The path to the witch is so far from where we are standing."

Eren let out a snort of annoyance. "Does it matter if it's a long-ass trip there? I don't mind as long it leads us to the witch. And from there you'll kill it."

"But the way might be dangerous!" Madoka proclaimed. "Maybe there are traps. We mustn't act so carelessly! The witch also has familiars that might be wandering around!"

"You think we're going by foot? You're wrong." Eren pointed at his attached 3D maneuver gear. "I have this, using the hooks it has I will pull ourselves to the top of that building across from us. I'll use my maneuver gear to move throughout the street, but I can't carry you along with me. This gear can only withstand one person. You have to run and leap through the buildings you encounter. If you reach one that's too high for you, I'll help you get to the top. And look, the buildings lead to the stairs that connect to the witch's lair."

"That's it?"

"Yeah. If anything comes your way, I'll get rid of it. I'll make sure you get to the witch safely. Is that a deal, Madoka?" Eren sternly pulled out his hand for a shake of approval.

Madoka contemplated taking the ordeal. Even if this young man planned to help in defeating the witch, he depended on her for their freedom. For the first time, she was going to go on a mission, and wouldn't rely on anyone else. She felt uneasy. What if she failed? Even though she had witnessed fights between magical girls and witches, she had no experience.

Nonetheless, since no other magical girls were around, she finally agreed. "Yes, I will do it!"

"Let's go."

---

"I don't see anyone," remarked Eren. He and Madoka hid in a spot between two homes, and he poked his head out. He examined their surroundings. "…the coast is clear." The two left the spot and went into the street.

He was incorrect as he forgot to look behind, a large shadow slowly crept up behind them. The shadow of a giant humanoid.

A titan.

Appearing frozen in-state, Eren waited a few seconds before commencing their plan. He finally snapped out of his trance, took hold of the frightened girl by the waist, and aimed his hooks at the building across. "Hang on tight!" The gas ignited, and Eren reeled themselves to the top using his gear. Madoka closed her eyes, anxious by the amount of acceleration she went. Once at the top, the soldier released Madoka. He redirected his wires to the back of the titan.

"Go! Now!" Eren demanded, flying off with his gear.

"You bastards! I never thought I would see you guys in a place like this!" He shouted. The desire to kill encircled his entire being. He pulled out his blades. Using his momentum, he slashed the nape of the giant monster, and it collapsed.

Eren watched with astonishment at the titan vanishing. "W — was that… an illusion?"

He had no time to think of an answer to that question. He had to fulfill his duty of protecting Madoka, so he ignored it and cocked his anchors at a building. Reaching the top of the building, he ran. He used his gear to propel him to the next.

Madoka sprinted through another establishment. She sprung to the next one and continued her motions. The girl hoped that Eren would follow her suit soon since she left him behind at his orders. To fight off that giant creature they recently saw.

Just — what was that thing?

She had never seen anything like it. It was ginormous, frightening; could it be one of those giant monsters — those titans the soldier told her about that he fought? It had to be. Madoka noticed that when Eren took her to the top of a building, he was as terrified as she was when their eyes viewed the creature. He was so intent in killing it. Perhaps the most frightening thing about those monsters to Madoka… were unlike witches, they had similar qualities to humans.

If that thing she saw was a titan, the Puella Magi never wanted to see another again. It was a monster.

To her luck, nothing had come in contact with her yet. She saw the titan slayer flying to her.

"Eren!"

"Just keep going!" He yelled, landing on a flat surface. He ran along with her for a few seconds until he reeled himself to another building with his gear.

"Right!" Madoka exclaimed. Although, Eren did not hear her as he was going farther away. The alarmed the pink-haired magical girl and called out his name. "You're going too fast!" She added. "I thought you were going to help me get through any buildings that may be too high for me to jump! Ah!" She stopped in her tracks, noticing a huge wide gap between the building she stood of and the next.

I… I can't jump through this!

Madoka made a small glare, cursing herself for not having the ability to fly or have one of those 3D maneuver gears Eren had. Even so, she decided to take a couple of steps back and went to do a short sprint and jump as high as she can. As she was about to leap, a sudden sharp pain released from her left shoulder. A shock of cold steel sliced the skin. Madoka slumped to the floor, cringing in pain. She held on to the shoulder that poured blood from the cut, and moved herself to the one who wielded a sword. A dark silhouette slid across the surface and stopped itself.

The silhouette lifted itself up, smirking.

Although it had no face, Madoka jerked in agitation at the body shape of the silhouette. It was outlined in blue and had a similar appearance to a former friend…

"Sayaka-chan?!"

"Play with us, and we'll play with you…" The silhouette said tenderly. Its voice distorted.

"She is so bored..." The Sayaka silhouette mumbled. "…she wants company, I can't let her stay like this. So come… come with me Madoka… let her play with you."

"Who… is bored?!" demanded Madoka. "Who are you talking about?!"

"Don't worry, we will bring your Eren friend too. But, you're first."

"No, don't you dare — ah!" Another fierce slash was unleashed by the silhouette's cut class sword that swiped the right of Madoka's shoulder. The injured girl collapsed. The silhouette laughed deviously and accelerated towards Madoka with its blade. It bounced up and angled the weapon down to the pink magical girl. Out of reflex, Madoka summoned her bow to block out the sword. The silhouette struggled to remove it as Madoka fiercely gripped her weapon that the sword was smacking on.

No, I won't let you hurt me! Madoka thought, eager to not let her guard down. Threatening stomps entered her eardrums. Madoka's eyes moved up to another titan who was a few feet away from her.

Oh no!

A masculine cry broke the air. A pair of hooks hit the titan's neck and Eren reeled himself to it, slicing off the nape. He latched himself to another building and leaped to the top, scurrying to Madoka. This distracted the shadow silhouette. It ended itself in trying to discard the bow Madoka held on to with its cutting edge. Seeing the opportunity, Madoka shoved the silhouette off of her. She took out a magical pink arrow, where she latched it to the bowstring. Pulling the bowstring back she targeted the silhouette and released her string, sending the arrow to accelerate toward the target. The target collided with it and dissolved in the process.

Madoka became amazed by her accomplishment. She managed to defeat a possible minion of the witch.

I did it — I actually did it! She smiled in delight. She heard a thump beside her. Her supposed guardian was disgruntled at the scene.

"I came a little late, did I?" Eren muttered.

"You did, but I took care of it," Madoka answered, winking her eye.

"You're bleeding! You okay?" Eren cried, noticing her cut shoulder.

"Ah — it's no big deal! It's not so bad. I can still move, I am fine!"

"Sorry, I got carried away," Eren lamented, feeling guilty for going ahead of himself. It had left Madoka unprotected and injured. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes, I am fine. Please do not waste concern on me." Madoka said. "Um, what you fought back there… those things — "

"They were titans."

"I see," Madoka mumbled.

"Frightening, are they? Ah, I wanna ask you something."

Madoka blinked. "Yes Sir?"

"Did you notice something weird in what we just fought?" inquired Eren. "That they dissolved so quickly… after we struck them?"

Madoka let out a puzzled expression. "You're right, they look so realistic that their actions seem to affect us." She pondered. "When that silhouette attacked me, it felt so real. I mean, look at these injuries."

"Yeah. It's strange, those titans looked real but they disappeared once I killed them than just staying there and rot. I can't help but think that something is wrong here."

"Could be the work of the witch," Madoka concluded, she touched her chin. "Is she creating illusions for us? She must have a familiar doing her dirty work."

"Is that how it works for witches?"

"Ah, well I know that from observing magical girl battles with them. Usually, a witch uses a minion that works for them or follows suit." She let out a sad smile. "I have, well I had a few friends that were magical girls. When they took me out to see them battle, I learned some things from them. What I said was one."

"I see. What happened to your friends?"

There was no response. Madoka refused to tell a stranger about their horrible fates, and rather keep it hidden. Instead, she changed the topic.

"Can you go a little slower with your gear? It is like ten times faster than the average human speed."

The young soldier frowned, why did she ignore his question? Was it personal? He did not know, but he shrugged it off and answered her question instead. There were more important matters. "But I don't use it too much, I rely on my own speed. I have a feeling you're the slow one."

Madoka pouted at the remark, feeling quite mocked. "Is that so?"

"Just saying," muttered Eren, he rolled his eyes. "Don't take it personally."

"Yes Sir, but can you take me across the gap? It's a little too wide for me to jump."

"All right — " Eren stopped midsentence. He jumped himself away from a yellow bullet that aimed toward him from behind. " — now what?!" He growled.

Another dark silhouette bolted throughout the architecture. This time its weapons were percussion locked rifles, it then bounced up high in the sky. It released duplicates of its weapon, firing down large bullets.

"Get down!" commanded Eren, pulling Madoka down to the surface. He covered himself and her with his cloak as the bullets sent out large explosions. Smoke rose throughout the street. With no time to waste, and the smoke still intact… Eren clutched Madoka by the waist using one of his arms. He launched his anchors to a tower he saw nearby. He used his gear to accelerate themselves to the next architecture.

"Change of plans!" He yelled. They landed on the roof of a house and proceeded to run. "I underestimated this damn thing! I believe the gear can withstand two people! You're too slow to go on your own, so I'll just take you there! Besides you're not that heavy!"

"Are you sure?" Madoka called out. "What if it breaks!"

"No, it won't! Trust me!"

"What if those titans return?!"

"Then I'll take care of those! Now come on!" He lunged himself and Madoka to the next building with his gear.

The smoke was fading. The silhouette, who had the body shape of Mami Tomoe; looked around for the targets. From afar it saw them flying and leaping throughout the establishments of the street toward the witch's lair. It screamed in horror, its master is going to be harmed. It had to leave and protect the witch, its scream caused the surroundings to rumble. "NO ONE ESCAPES ME! LEAVE MY MISTRESS ALONE!"

It proceeded to follow the two targets. They were not to be released, and they were certainly not going to harm its mistress!

"We're almost there!" Eren announced. Madoka let out a relieving sigh, so far nothing came into their way and they were almost to their destination. She predicted that they would reach the witch easily.

Oh, how wrong she was.

She let out a shriek as a titan lunged itself toward them with amazing speed. Not being able to release his weapons do his restriction of Madoka holding on to him, Eren released the wire he had to hit the ground. The titan missed its targets and ended up colliding with a tower, dissolving away as a result. The force was so strong from the plunge that the two teens crashed down to the surface of the street. They accelerated a few feet forward to their destination. Once harsh landing finished, they noticed the staircase in front of them.

Madoka smiled weakly. "We made it."

She was quite exhausted by the amount of running she had to do. In addition, being able to handle the speed of Eren's gear.

Eren lifted himself up. He hoped his maneuver gear was not damaged by the impact. He inspected it rapidly, looking for any missing parts or opened cartridges of the boxes. Or a missing gas tank. He got his luck, there were a few scratches. He secretly thanked the ones who invented such durable gear.

"All right, time to kill off that witch!" He announced. They were in the last stage of escape, to enter the witch's lair and kill it.

"Yes — ah!"

Bam! Bam! Bam! Rounds from guns sent bullets flying down to the staircase, polluting the air with more smoke. Eren briskly took hold of Madoka's hand and hustled themselves up the stairs, ignoring the recent attack. Adrenaline rushed throughout their veins, fear consumed their hearts, but they had to reach the witch's home. They would present her with the death sentence and finally free themselves from the barrier.

Although, it wouldn't be such a simple task.

Yellow ribbons arose from the floor's surface and flew at the two running teens. One ribbon twisted around Madoka's ankle, pulling her away from Eren. The girl screamed in terror. The young soldier clutched her hands with his own strength, refusing to let go. He strained himself to keep her in his grasp. The ribbon was forceful, equaling Eren in strength on tugging Madoka.

As this tug of war was going nowhere, Eren's eyes aimed at the blades within his maneuver gear. He released one of his hands while keeping the other a firm grip on Madoka, to pull out a cutting edge. Now in his grasp, he prepared to lurch it to the ribbon for a cut. To his dismay, the ribbon became too fast for his movements and drew Madoka away. He missed his target and yelled out the girl's name.

Madoka was sent to the Mami silhouette who stood at the top of a cloud. It sent a cold touch to the soft skin of the magical girl's cheek. "Shh, don't be scared. Come and play with us…" The silhouette whispered in a sinister tone to Madoka's ear.

A pair of cold anchors hit the back of the silhouette. It yelped in pain from the discomfort of the anchors that dug deep into it, causing it to lose some balance and stability. Propelling upwards with his maneuver gear, Eren revolved himself to the shape. He sliced it in a quick blow with his swords.

Madoka became released by the ribbon. The soldier captured her in his arms, they landed back on the staircase. Once in touch with the surface, they ran up.

"So much bullshit!" The titan slayer complained. "I just want to get the hell out of here already!"

"I understand. I am sorry. If my friend Homura-chan was here, she would have defeated the witch in about a minute," Madoka admitted. "This barrier is so huge and long! I've never seen one like this!"

A burst of devious laughter echoed throughout the barrier of the witch. Madoka looked up to the source, which was the bed.

"YOU CAN'T ESCAPE!"

At this point, another silhouette emerged. It speedily flew beside its targets. This time… the shape of one of the most experienced magical girls known, outlined in red.

"A Kyoko one!" Madoka warned noticing the dark Kyoko profile.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" shouted Eren. Extremely irritated, he was getting bored of seeing these stupid things over and over.

The Kyoko profile stopped its movements. It twirled around its modular spear in a position desired, which was toward Madoka. The handle of the spear broke into chains and the silhouette sent it reeling around her ankles, wrapping them tightly. Madoka was forcibly dragged down by the amount of pressure the chains enclosed around her legs. Eren, who was running farther away from her, turned the course of his direction. "Shit!"

The poor magical girl yelped in pain. The weight of the chains was crushing her ankles.

"NO! NO!" Using his piston shoot grappling hooks, Eren shot them toward the Kyoko silhouette. He lifted himself, extracting his swords. He reeled his body toward it. "DIE!"

"Eren! Look out!"

The spear tore through the soldier's abdomen, sending a shock wave as it pierced his body. He bit his tongue vigorously, blood discharged from his mouth and the new flesh opened from the wound. The spear was promptly removed from Eren. The Kyoko profile released the hooks that implanted on its chest and violently kicked the injured body down. It hit the hard surface of the staircase.

Madoka hollered his name but to no avail. Devious laughter rushed to the sky, the Kyoko silhouette laughing in the union.

"Eren! Please get up!" pleaded Madoka, tears flew from her eyes. "Please! EREN!"

The laughter intensified. This pleased the witch, concealed behind the bed curtains and praised her familiar. She enjoyed seeing her new victims in pain. In torture, in possible despair.

Madoka wailed in fear, the feeling of hopelessness entered her heart. She knew this feeling too well. The distress, the horror, the agitation… she held those feelings when her friends died right before her eyes.

Mami.

Sayaka.

Kyoko.

Now, her precious friend Homura could die from the upcoming battle with Walpurgisnacht. And it was possible, that these emotions would rise if Eren were to die. No, they were already in play.

It wasn't fair, Madoka always had to rely on others. But because of her incompetence of being able to do anything, they always ended up losing themselves to despair and eventually… death. She always wanted to help but was held back. As the others wanted to protect her. Pathetic. Yes, Madoka considered herself this, and useless. She hadn't even defeated the witch yet, which the other magical girls would have by now. It was official, Madoka believed she failed her mission. After all, she was confided by someone to complete it, and look where she was now.

Nevertheless, she tried. She did what she believed she could. Madoka began to apologize to her former guardians for her failure.

Mami-san, Sayaka-chan, Kyoko-san — I am so sorry. I am so pathetic. I am trying my best to defeat this witch…. but I can't seem to reach it. I even got someone possibly killed. Another person tried to help me, but he might die now. If only I was strong as all of you were. If only I had any special talents… If only I was the one who could've protected you all… and fought those witches for you.

The pink magical girl reminisced on one of her most important friends. The only surviving Puella Magi she knew about.

Homura-chan, you have fought so hard. You're going to face Walpurgisnacht soon. I want to help you, even if you refuse… you are the only friend left. I don't want to lose you… but how will I be able to? If I can't… defeat this witch… how will I be able to protect you?

Madoka turned to the fallen soldier. Another protector for her, maybe a friend, even if she didn't know him well. She released more tears. "And Eren… I am sorry. You relied on me to take you out of here. But I can't — "

"Shut up."

"Eh?"

The laughter calmed down. Madoka gasped at where the voice came from. The voice came from no other than Eren himself. He was injured by the blow, but he was still breathing and conscious.

"Hey," He murmured, his voice was raspy. "Don't say such bullshit. Don't tell me… you want to give up."

"I — "

"Over my fucking dead body… you're going to give up! I won't allow it — Madoka!"

They came such a long way here, and the girl already wanted to quit. It enraged Eren. How could Madoka want to do such a thing? To him, allowing failure was one of the worst things ever to happen. Instead, one should always fight to get what one wants. If something had to be done, it had to. There was no such thing as giving up. He had to do something to change her thoughts. Otherwise, they would be trapped in this hell hole. He had to push the girl to fight. He did it for Mikasa when he killed off one of those disgusting humans that kidnapped her and killed her parents back when they were children. He could certainly do it for this girl.

"You… wanted to know, why I joined the military… what I fight for — right?"

Madoka's tears dried up, was puzzled by that sentence. However, she let out a slight nod. "Yes."

"You're… sure?"

"I do."

Eren closed his eyes. The cold step he was on began to warm up by his own body heat. He breathed steadily, ready to explain.

"I joined… because… I want to eliminate all the titans… every single one. All the titans that have caused humanity nothing but pain and despair… that caused us to be locked within walls… oppressed by the world. I want to explore outside the walls… I don't want to die behind them."

He trailed off, those memories returned. The memory of losing his entire squad on his first mission. Saving Armin from an almost near-death experience with a titan. The deaths of hundreds fallen beneath him that they risked their lives to protect him during the mission. When he carried the boulder to cover up the hole of the Wall Rose in his other form. When he was declared as hope for humanity. His friends, his comrades, their accomplishments… all came rushing into his head.

One gruesome and saddest memory appeared. The day he lost his mother and when his life became part of the war. "And I want to protect the weak — from those damn monsters. I will end each one… so that humanity… will never have to see another one of those horrible beasts, AGAIN!"

Madoka was stunned by such a reason. An incredible, indomitable, reason. At first, she thought that maybe the boy was forced to enter the military. Either that, or for fame, or whatever ludicrous reason. She was never fond of war, and always pitied those who died in combat. It pained her to see others leaving their loved ones for war. Yet, here was this boy who enrolled himself. But his reasons were none of those that came up in thought.

To protect the weak. To end the source of despair of civilization. To embrace hope. To be free from despair. Eren Yeager embodied those ideas.

And it caused Madoka Kaname to embrace a new view. She wasn't sure if she would put it to the test — but if this young man could do it, then so can she.

"Madoka… fight. You can't give up," Eren continued. "If you don't fight, you can't win. So tell me.. do you still want to give up after what I just said? Or do you want to stand up and battle? Tell me… do you have anything that makes you want to fight? I know you said… you don't have a wish… but there's gotta be something — you want… don't be afraid to do it. What about the other silhouette you fought earlier... can't you do that again?"

The chains that held Madoka down released. The Kyoko silhouette prepared itself for another aim. Now that Eren was out, Madoka was easier to tackle down.

Twirling the spear, it was going to the Puella Magi. It flew down at an incredible speed, with the spear aiming right toward Madoka.

"Madoka..." Eren breathed. His eyes unfastened, with the intent for battle. "…FIGHT!"

The pink Puella Magi clutched her rose bow and dodged the blow at her. The silhouette growled in anger, eager to take Madoka down. It unleashed its chains on her, but the magical girl promptly moved away from them. She pulled out another arrow, aiming at the Kyoko profile. She pulled the bowstring back with an arrow and released it. The arrow swiftly broke through the chains. Without warning to the silhouette, it was knocked down by the arrow's tip that pierced through. The Kyoko profile fell off the staircase and disappeared in the air.

Madoka inhaled quickly, feeling intense. "I… I did it. I killed it off."

"You did," said Eren, a faint grin crept in. "Good job. Now, go and slay that witch."

Madoka's breathing returned to its normal state. She asked, "But what about you?"

A dreadful scream was heard throughout the barrier, shaking it in its entirety. Due to the intensity of the wails, it caused irritation to Madoka and Eren. They covered their ears with their hands, the witch was showing signals of pain and anger. Couldn't her victims just stay put for once? Why did they resist her? Why couldn't they let her play with them?

The screaming came to an end. Afterward, the soldier spoke again.

"I don't think I can do much at this point. I'll recover soon…" His voice faded off. Eren mused on telling Madoka of a secret.

Being a titan himself and the ability to heal quickly.

However, it might discourage the girl from fighting. That would waste his big speech earlier! His titan shifting abilities would show Madoka that it contradicted his own desires. Perhaps, she would consider him a liar. Well, he had such a train of thought. Eren told himself best to keep quiet for their own benefit.

"Just go on — !"

His eyes widened. Among the horizon, he saw giant humanoids marching through the street. Titans made their way to the staircase. The witch refused to lose in this game. She was going to play with their victims one way or the other.

"FUCK! M — Madoka, get the hell out of here!" shouted Eren. He wrestled with himself to rise up. To take hold of his metal blades, anxious in a brawl. He slumped back down due to the pain that was still inflicted from the wound.

It was strange, it should have been healed by now. Why was it taking so long? His anxiety was rising, what should he do? Madoka could not defeat these things! She had to fight the witch. Should he, transform into a titan and eliminate them? No, Eren couldn't. If he did, how would the girl react?

He did not view Madoka as a tool for his escape. She was a human too, an innocent one the least. How would she feel if she knew the truth, could she handle it? She would probably see him beyond a liar. A terrifying leviathan himself. He didn't want to frighten her, he didn't want to risk the chance. There lay in the conflict, he could not bear to witness another death. Madoka was an innocent human! She didn't have to go through this! She had no experience with these titans! Wait, were they even titans? He recalled his victories against them in this barrier. They faded away once destroyed. Could they all be illusions by the witch? Another one of her bait?

A hand caressed the lock of his brown hair. Eren looked up at the sudden gesture. Madoka connected her eyes to his with the face of solemnity.

"Thank you, Sir Eren. You have done what you could."

"What?"

Madoka smiled feebly. "You have done your job. Now it's my turn." She faced the titans that climbed up the staircase, summoning her bow.

"What?! Madoka, get the fuck out of here!" yelled Eren. Was she going to face the giant humanoids herself? "Go and kill that damn witch! I'll take care of these bastards!"

"I'm going to have that disobey that order, Sir," responded Madoka, refusing to leave her post. "Because… it is my turn to protect you."

"Huh?"

"I thought about what you said," Madoka explained, aiming her weapon at one titan advancing. "About fighting… and I finally found an answer. I maybe not completely sure on what I need to do…"

She released her arrow from her bow. It entered the body of the titan, breaking it and dissolving.

"…I may not have a clear-cut wish yet — but, I think I have an idea. I know my friend Homura-chan… may not like it… but…"

Another titan climbed up the stairs, Madoka repeated the procedure. She ended its life by her weapon.

"…I wish… to eliminate all witches! Every single one throughout space and time!"

She fired more shots at the titans that continued to escalate. Not one would reach within distance.

"You see, they are the reason why it's tough in being a magical girl! It's more than just fighting witches in exchange of a wish coming true! Many girls embrace hope in their wishes but it will go wrong! In the end, a magical girl will fall to despair and become a witch herself! A witch is fueled by the despair, hate, and grief a magical girl endures! Becoming a magical girl can be fatal. I don't want to see anymore fall! I don't want any more girls to end up like one of my friends!"

Memories fallen magical girls she considered her friends crept her mind. "They suffer so much. I don't want that to happen ever again! I will save all of the magical girls and I will erase every single witch in existence! I… want to become a magical girl's ray of hope, that her wishes will not end in despair! I will protect them!"

Eren's eyes widened in disbelief. Unbelievable…

Indeed, he just discovered the dangerous truth. If a magical girl were to fail, she would transform into a witch.

What a cruel, twisted, and pitiful fate.

He had embraced a new view. Witches were just as horrible as titans… but becoming a magical girl was horrifying as joining the military! Their lives were at the stake. They had to fight off monsters, and if the pain was too much… they would end in despair. The only difference was that a magical girl could end her life as a witch or disappear forever. A soldier, on the other hand, would just die. Which was crueler? There was no comparison, soldiers and magical girls were at war with titans and witches. And humanity depended on them.

He understood why Madoka struggled with a wish. She had to choose carefully what to fight for because her life was at stake. It was a very complicated and frightening procedure.

The last shot was hit at the last titan, and it dissolved. Madoka let out a sigh of relief. For the first time, she defeated an army of monsters and was able to protect someone. She turned back to Eren and to the rest of the steps of the staircase. They were almost to the heart of the barrier, the bed. She took a few steps forward. The magical girl pulled the boy up by the hand and dragged him with her up the stairs. "You're coming with me."

The soldier winced. His pain was not so intense as before but caused discomfort. It seemed that the wounds were healing. He was quite impressed by the girl who defeated those titans with single shots. Maybe, they were just illusions after all.

"So Eren… tell me, is what I want… a good reason enough for me to fight?" asked Madoka.

Eren confirmed his answer with a smirk. "Yeah, it is. A very valid reason. I understand everything now, especially why you didn't have a wish in the first place. If you want to save those magical girls from the witches, then do it. Eliminate them. Make sure no magical girl will ever have to fight again. Do what you believe is right. And — "

"What, Sir?"

" — fight. No matter what happens, fight. You can't win if you don't."

"I will."

Eren admitted shamefully, "I'm sorry, Madoka. I didn't know that becoming a magical girl could be so dangerous. I thought you just had to fight and your wish is granted."

"No, it is much more complicated than that. But it's okay, you're not from my world after all."

Reaching the final step, the two teens made it to the witch's furniture. They climbed up using the surrounding drapes of the bed. They lunged themselves through the curtains, falling on the soft black covers of the mattress. It was quite dark inside behind the curtains. The witch was a silhouette with half of her body up to her waist. She stood on the mattress, a nightgown to cover her top half and a nightcap. Her hair was extremely long, It extended down to the bottom of the bed with nothing on her face but a smirk. A flock of raven silhouettes flew around her, letting out loud noises.

"Welcome, do you want to play?"

Eren's face wrinkled in disgust. Quite an ugly creature in his sight. So, this is a witch…

A rumbling came through. The bed began to lift, revealing to the teens that it was actually part of the witch's body. Her bottom half stood on the stairs.

"Madoka! Now!" exclaimed Eren.

"Eh?"

"Do it! Kill it before it does something!"

The witch let out a disturbing laugh, signaling Madoka that time was crucial. Petrified at the scene, Madoka summoned her rose branch bow. She directed it at the witch.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "But I must do this."

"KILL IT, MADOKA!"

Madoka released the arrow using her bowstring. It accelerated to the witch's chest with a pink flash of light following it. The witch screamed in terror, creating an explosion.

...​

"Hey, Sir Eren?"

"Yeah, Madoka?"

"Will we meet again?"

"Don't know, but… until then — "

"Let's work hard?"

"Heh, yeah. I am going on an expedition soon. We have to take back a wall that a titan destroyed. So, I will be busy."

"I see. Walpurgisnacht, one of the most powerful witches ever is coming soon. She plans to destroy the world. I will be busy as well. I will make the contract."

"Just do what you can. And always strive for what you will fight for."

"That's right. I will make sure that no magical girl will ever have to face despair again. Because there is nothing wrong with hope when someone makes a wish. Eren, thank you."

"You're welcome. And thank you, for getting us out of that barrier."

The two future heroes smiled at each other. Madoka held out her hand. "Let's do our best, okay?"

Eren shook her hand in approval. "Okay."

...​

Eren opened his eyes. His hand felt soft fabric, realizing he was on his bed. A certain corporal stared down at him.

"What?"

"About time you woke up," Levi muttered as Hanji chuckled. "Get up and dress. Today begins the expedition."

"Wow! Eren I had no idea you were such a heavy sleeper," Hanji added. "Make sure to get some breakfast too." The two superiors walked out, leaving their weapon for humanity in the room.

Eren rose up from the bed, quite confused.

Wait, that was…

…a dream?

Madoka rose up the mat she was sleeping on. She, along with her family was in a large shelter within Mitakihara.

"Oh! Good Morning Madoka," Her father greeted. "Had a nice sleep?"

"You were sure tired," Her mother, Junko added. "You slept throughout the trip here by car, that your father had to carry you."

Madoka ignored what her parents said. She walked away to the windows of another room, a storm was brewing. The clouds outside were beginning to spin. The wind began to blow, and the city that she saw cleared, devoid of any activity like a ghost time. She gasped as she realized what day it was.

A white creature with pointy ears, long tassel appendages, with a tail walked to her. Madoka noticed the presence.

"You have had a recent encounter with a witch," it said. Madoka's eyes widened.

"Someone helped you defeat it… I hope you thanked that person. I was able to retrieve this once you woke up." Kyubey pulled out the recent grief seed with its tail.

Kyubey narrowed its eyes. "Who helped you? As we all know only a magical girl can defeat a witch. I sense this person must have some sort of power. You haven't even made a contract yet. How was this possible?"

Madoka glared at the incubator. "None of your business."

"Please answer."

Madoka placed her hand on one of the windows. "He's — he's not from this world."

"His name was Eren, correct?"

This startled the girl. "How — ! If you knew then why did you ask — "

"I was just making sure," the incubator answered sternly. "You didn't think I sensed this witch, did you? Unfortunately, I arrived at the last minute when you defeated the witch, but I saw him. Hmm, it's possible that the witch's power can bring other entities from different worlds and universes into her barrier. She brought you quite an interesting companion. This Eren boy intrigues me, I am surprised that he was able to survive the barrier. I can see you Madoka surviving due to your own potential power, but him? He must have some sort of energy, and it's quite enormous. Perhaps enough to overcome entropy, and rival your own power."

Kyubey tossed the grief seed in the air using its tail. It ate it once it landed. "Moving on, you know what day it is… right, Madoka Kaname?"

"Yes, I do. And Kyubey — I… I would like to make a contract. I have a wish."

The incubator's eyes widened. This was surprising to hear. Was it possible that the Eren person had something to do with the sudden change in Madoka's thoughts?

So the time has finally come. Kyubey thought. Well, well… Eren. Wherever you are, I thank you for what you may have done to change Madoka Kaname's mind. It would be interesting… if we were ever to cross paths. You seem like another perfect experiment to play around with.

"Thirty seconds until we open the gate! Humanity will now step forward, so show me all that you can do!"

The army stood waiting by horseback, ready for their expedition. It was a to be a dangerous mission. They were ready to put their lives at cost, hoping for humanity to succeed.

"Bring me to Homura-chan," Madoka commanded to Kyubey. They ran down the streets of Mitakihara. The incubator was leading her to the most powerful witch known.

Homura-chan, I am sorry, but I must do this. I know what I must do.

The gate opened, the army left the walls in droves. They needed to carry out the expedition no matter what. Eren was determined to make it happen.

He took a good look at one of his hands. The hand that took the girl who he met in that strange, inexplicable dream. He wondered if he'll ever see her again. Wait, was she even real? Was she just a figment of his imagination? No, he lacked the creativity to create such a dream. The sense of realism from it was outstanding. Somewhere out there, existed a girl named Madoka.

And wherever she was, he hoped that she would succeed in her goals.

Madoka reached her destination with Kyubey. There was Homura, her leg crushed beneath debris and rubble. She was badly wounded and crying, possibly turning to despair as her soul gem began to darken. Above was the dreaded witch Walpurgisnacht, laughing deviously.

Fight.

That word invaded her mind, Madoka knew who she got that from. Wherever Eren was, she smiled and thanked him who taught her such a valuable lesson. She walked to her precious friend to begin the battle.

The battle for hope.

— End

"If you win, you live. If you lose, you die. If you don't fight, you can't win!" — Eren Yeager.

"If someone tells me that it's wrong to hope, I'll tell them they're wrong every time." — Madoka Kaname.​

---

A/N: Thank you for reading! This is officially the longest one shot I have ever done. Next, brief bios of the witch and minion that Eren and Madoka fought against. These are my creations and were fun to write!

...​

Witch

Name: Melaina

Type: Nightmare Witch

Nature: Sadistic

Appearance: Dark silhouette dressed in a nightgown with a nightcap, with very long hair. There is a gothic bed that is part of her body. It covers the entire top half of the witch, using the drapes/curtains to cover her face. When she sits, the bedsheets cover her legs. That is if crossed, making her look like an average bed from a distance.

Description: This witch can bring people into her barrier through dreams and illusions. Even from different universes! She is very clever, as she only invades people through dreams. She invades dreams by creating a forest illusion. Once the dreamer gets accustomed to these settings, it will transform into her barrier. It is a village street that leads to a long staircase, and she sits at the top, pretending to be a bed. There, she will play with her victims. She will torment and torture them by creating illusions of a victim's weak points. One example is fear or hatred of something, while the victim is asleep. Once the victim is in the witch's barrier, they are trapped and never wake up again. There have been cases where people have found their loved ones dead after they went to bed one night. It was likely that they had been a victim of Melaina.

It is implied that when this witch was a magical girl, her wish involved vengeance. She enjoyed tormenting people in her previous life. She would rely on others to do her dirty work and make threats if not done. She may have lived in a rural village that was located deep within the mountains. Hence, the forest illusion and her barrier. However, she must be careful about what type of person she invades using the realm of dreams. Some people have mastered lucid dreaming, making it hard for the witch to play around with her victims. She is more inclined to easier targets, such as those who cannot control their dreams. But not always. There have been cases where her victims are lucid dreamers. They feel brave enough to fight her, thinking they're having a nightmare… but the case is futile, and they die in their sleep. She has devoured a couple of magical girls as well.

Minion

Name: Kalpana

Type: Nightmare Witch's Minion

Nature: Obedient

Appearance: A distorted raven bird (when not in use).

Description: The Nightmare witch's minion is used to create illusions. She can shapeshift into anything the witch wants. She can also create duplicates of herself. Anything to lure the victims to her witch's barrier. She is also very protective of her mistress and cares for her deeply. When Melaina gets bored of playing with her victims, Kalpana will dispose of them by killing them. Either that or Melaina will eat them.