I'm Home (Chapter)

"Now! Go! Git movin'!"

- Sasha defends a child

I'm Home (ただいま) is the 2nd chapter of the 9th volume and the 36th chapter overall of the Attack on Titan manga, written and illustrated by Hajime Isayama.

Overview
Titans have been found in the southern part of Wall Rose and four messengers are sent to the major Wall towns. Dot Pixis is notified of the attack and the north squad is shown approaching Sasha's village. Sasha remembers a time when her father tried to take away some meat she was eating and told her that the forest was getting smaller and that they may have to change their hunting ways soon, much to Sasha's dismissal. While riding towards her village, Sasha sees Titan tracks. In a new village, she finds a small Titan eating a woman's legs and when she is unable to kill it, due to lack of weaponry, she takes the woman's child and escapes with her. When her horse runs away and the child does not take her advice to run, she remembers a time Krista's friend Ymir criticized her way of talking and then urges the child to go on ahead, speaking as she did those years ago. She shoots arrows at the Titan, one landing in its eye and she then stabs her last arrow in its other eye. The Titan wraps its arms around her but she is able to slip away as the Titan is covered in blood. Sasha runs to escape and then runs into her father and village members who have the girl and then give her a horse to ride.

Summary
After Titans are discovered in the southern regions, four messengers are immediately dispatched to the districts of Ehrmich, Yarckel, Krolva, and Trost. In Ehrmich District, Thomas warns the townsfolk of the breach before continuing his ride to Stohess District to warn Commander Erwin. In Trost, Pixis is informed by another messenger that Titans have appeared. Five hours after the Titans were spotted, the north team spots the last village on their route. Sasha mentions that her own village is deeper in the forest, and she goes off alone to warn them. Sasha reminisces about the time many years before when she spent time with her father. In her memory, she is eating emergency winter food supplies to her father's dismay. They get into an argument about the number of people encroaching on their forest, refugees from the attack on Wall Maria. Sasha feels that the people should leave. Her father, however, is more understanding and thinks they should give up their family's hunting tradition. This appalls Sasha since it would mean giving up who they are. Her dad would rather adapt as it means survival for him and the clan.

As she is riding to Dauper, Sasha spots Titan footprints in the dirt and is shocked that they've made it this far into human lands. In a newly built village not far from Dauper, a small building is shown with a Titan eating a child's mother. The Titan continues eating as the child sits helplessly on the other side of the room. Sasha sees this, grabs a nearby firewood axe, and heads into the house. She swings the axe and hits the back of the Titan's neck, but the Titan regenerates too quickly for her to land a killing blow. She grabs the child and runs toward her horse, apologizing to the helpless woman in the house. Her horse becomes afraid and takes off, leaving Sasha and the child to fend for themselves.

The Titan leaves the building as Sasha has remembers the time where Ymir, Krista's friend, is mocking her for talking the way she does. Ymir tells Sasha that she should speak as she normally does because there is nothing wrong with being yourself. Krista tells Sasha the same thing as Ymir, but scolds Ymir for being so harsh with her words.

Still running from the Titan, Sasha tells the child to run ahead until she meets up with people who will rescue her. She then turns to face the Titan with a bow as her weapon. She yells at the child to run and fires the first arrow at the Titan. Shaken by the Titan advances, she calms herself to fire the remaining arrows at the Titan's eyes. She hits one eye and has one arrow remaining. Not wanting to risk missing, she leaps at the Titan and stabs his second eye with the last arrow. Using the Titan's blood, she slips away, running into her father along the way. Her father is with a group of people who ran into the child Sasha saved. Sasha's father comments on her becoming a fine woman for taking on a Titan by herself to save the kid. Sasha smiles, happy to finally be home.

Navigation
Chapitre 36