Chapter 7:

Warmth. Warmth and darkness. That was all Eren could feel, numbing any pain and easing any worries. A pleasant dizzyness he didn't want to let go, away from the struggles, the loss, the loneliness.

Suddenly, a tug. From behind him, something tried to pull him out, away from his sleep. Stop! he complained drowsily Let me rest! I don't want to... leave... But the pulling didn't abandon him. It grew stronger, and with it came faint light. Eren wanted to fight back, sink into the shadows but whatever tried to bring him out didn't give up. The light grew brighter, and he began to hear... something. His mind could not distinguish any particular sound. It felt like centuries passed and their weight rested on his eyelids. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, he pried his eyes open.

A shadow loomed above him. The first thing he saw clearly was the sky, bright and clear. When his sight improved, he could se features on the shadow. It was...

_A-Alastor? -he mumbled weakly.

_So you were there after all. -he said- Now don't move...

Eren felt something press against his throat, cold and sharp, and his brain startled into attention when he realized it was Bane's blade.

_... or i'll bleed you like a pig.

_W-what's going on? Why...?

_Why i have you like this? I'll answer that when you answer this: How did you create a titan's body?

Jaeger blinked in confusion. A titan's... he looked down and would have screamed if Bane hadn't pressed the sword against his neck; from his torso extended a giant body, his arms still attached to its hot flesh. Disgusted, he tried to pull free only to he held by Alastor hand.

_Don't. You. Dare. You made this...

_I don't know how!

_Can you control it? -the teen gaped at him- CAN YOU?!

Eren looked at where his hand arm joined the flesh. He tried to move it, and the enormous arm followed its movement. Bane gave an appreciative hum before turning to Eren.

_Bane -he said pleadingly, tears welling up- what's happening? Why...?

_What's the last you remember? -the other cut him.

_The last... let me think, please! -Eren's face showed his struggle to concentrate as his memories came back- I... we were moving on the roofs, and then there was a-a titan and Tho... Thomas! Is he...

Bane shook his head, eyes fixed on Jaeger. The green eyed teen swallowed and let out a soft sob. A friend already lost, and who knew...

_Where are the others? The squad?

_Right behind us -Bane answered uncaringly, pointing vaguely with his head without losing eye contact- waiting to see if i let you go or cut your throat. Now keep talking. Your last memory.

_I chased the titan -Eren said hurriedly- and then i was... i lost my leg, but now i can feel it... maybe i...

_Keep. Going.

_So-sorry. Everything is a blur, but i remember voices... Yours mostly, yelling orders. Where there more titans?

_Three with the one that took your leg, -he said in an unamused tone and Eren's eyes bulged- which you would have noticed if you had NOT been in a murderous frenzy. We took two down, no losses. Now finish your answer before i get tired and kill you. I'm rather busy.

_Okay, okay! Um, voices, yours and... Armin's. Calling for me -he said almost whispering- I tried... to get up, and saw you all -he narrowed his eyes- fighting a titan, and then Armin tried to come to me and you tried to stop him because...

_The jumpy titan was below. Yeah, i thought Arlert was a goner too. And then...

_I... can't remember anymore.

_You turned into this. Punched the other right in the head, and Mina killed the last one while it was trying to bite your shin. I like her iniciative. You just stood there, not moving, so i took my chances and cut the flesh on your nape and slid my hand in. By the way, it's fucking hot in there. You're welcome. Now get back in there and help us...

_I-i don't know if...

_Or i'll kill you right now. One last question -he said, as Eren began to sink again in the nape-. Did Armin know of this?

Eren blinked and shook his head.

_Not even i did. I still don't get it.

_Fine. Get ready and follow my orders cadet. I'm taking command of the squad.

Without another word Bane swung back to his comrades, waving their questions off and telling them to be ready to fight the titans with Eren's new form as aid.

_You've seen his lust for titan blood remains the same. Now he's back in the world of the living, he'll assist us. No more questions until this operation is over, understood squad?

_Yes sir! -they answered in unison.

From that moment on, they spent the remaining time under Alastor's gaze as he let Eren approach other titans before letting him or the squad (or just Bane himself) kill them. They seemed drawn to Jaeger, which in turn allowed for easy takedowns. Soon whatever doubts the others showed almost disappeared, with only Arlert looking at him from time to time. Nack suggested using Eren as transport to save gas and Bane nodded in approval, travelling on his shoulders and head while no titan was found.

_Listen! Someone's in trouble over there!

Everyone looked where Mina pointed; Bane shouted and the squad jumped off Jaeger when he charged towards the zone of the desperate screams. Alastor was the first to arrive after him to find a scene that mad him blink in surprise by its sheer weirdness.

A steaming titan body laid on the ground, nape torn apart; Eren standing aside with his hands held in front of him, as if showing something to someone. In front of him and covered by his giant shape a person -a woman it seemed- screamed frantically, babbling incoherently. Moving to a better spot, Bane saw Hannah knelt on the roof in front of the teen titan, arms outstretched to receive Franz, who sat in fear and confusion in his palms until he managed to crawl towards his girlfriend who hugged him tight and both turned to watch in awe and gratefulness to Eren, their unknown savior.

Alastor couldn't help a smirk at the strange view.

_You there! -he called. Eren turned to face him- Good work. Hannah! Franz! Come here, now! You're joining my squad, and helping with the fighting until we're done.

Blinking, the young couple stood as the rest of the team arrived and their leader explained quickly the situation, including Eren's situation, to which the rescued gaped and proceeded to thank him profusely. Once he was finished they resumed their task, now more motivated by Jaeger's help to the otherwise doomed duo.

The sudden and loud call of a bell signed the time to refill and retreat to the inner wall. Sighing in relief, Mina knelt on Jaeger's head and Myllius pumped a fist in the air from the left shoulder.

_Listen everyone! -Bane called for attention, also atop Eren's head as he moved towards HQ- When we reach HQ, not a single word about Jaeger. I'll speak if i think it's necessary. Otherw...

The words died in his throat. He looked at the amount of people sat on the roof halfway from their target, then gazed at the building and saw the titans attacking it. In a second, he formed a plan.

_Alright, listen. HQ is under siege, and the surviving troops are over there -he pointed at the roof full of people-. I'll try to convince them to fight their way to the warehouse, but they must trust Eren. So remain on him, to show he means no harm.

That said, he jumped down and made his way to the crowded roof, landing neatly among a few recruits. They turned to him, only to shout and point at the new titan coming down the street, with half a dozen people on it, waving at them from its shoulders and head. Bane let his eyes wonder over the crowd and saw their disbelief, but not outrigt hostility.

_A... titan? And it carries people?

_Is that... Mina? And Nack and Myllius? Aren't they in your squad Bane?

_Armin comes too! -said Jean, squinting- And also... what the heck, Hannah and Franz? What's going on Bane?

_That titan is on our side -he explained, shrugging- and has been helping us on the way. I know it's hard to believe but that's the truth. It could have killed us but it didn't, and it's smart, unlike the rest. Now...

_Smart? -Reiner snapped once he broke off trance- What do you mean smart?

_Understands our language. Can follow orders. That's what i mean. And agreed to help us reach HQ by attracting and killing titans along the way. Which we'll do now; delaying will only allow more titans to reach the building.

_Bu-but how can you tell us to trust that... thing! -shouted a cadet- It's one ot those damn monsters!

Bane barely glanced at Jaeger before turning to the speaking recruit.

_I can, because that's what my judgment dictates. Unlike you, i base it in facts and not fear -he said, watching the other as one would watch an insistent fly- and the fact is we've received tremendous help from him. And, in case you didn't notice, he can hear you.

The other flinched and looked nervously at Eren before mixing among a group of recruits in the farthest corner. In that moment the sound of a gear cut through the air and Mikasa arrived, standing on the opposite side of the roof where Bane and Jaeger where, eyes wide at the titan carrying a whole squad on its shoulders. Bane walked towards her and she blinked, as if not believing her own eyes.

_Mikasa, that titan is friendly! -said Sasha excitedly- It... i mean he's willing to help us reach HQ!

_S-shut up! -said Connie in a hushed tone, eyeing Eren nervously- Don't get its attention!

_Help us? -the asian frowned- Where did it come from?

_Alastor knows -said Marco, eyes still fixed on the titan- he brought, um, him a while ago. Ask him.

As he spoke a few cadets approached the green eyed titan warily, standing a few meters from him. One dared to stand on the roof's edge and stretched a hand out, trying to touch his arm. Slowly, to avoid scaring him, Eren moved his limb until it made contact with the young man, who let out a long sigh and brushed his hand against him a few times before retreating hastily to his friends, who started chatting excitedly.

_Mikasa.

Alastor's voice brought her out of her contemplation. The male grabbed her by the arm and took her with him.

_Bane, what's happening? Where is...?

_Not now -he warned in a low voice-. Come with me.

He dragged the confused girl away from everyone, both looking towards HQ. Bane gave a look around to ensure no one was nearby before speaking.

_I know Eren's a titan. Armin told me everything.

Silence. Gazing at her, he saw her jaw drop. Good thing she was looking at him, and her face was out of the rest's view.

_Wh-what? Eren's... what do you...?

_Don't turn to him! -he hissed, and she froze in place- Yes, it is him. He can turn into a titan. Armin told me of his... ability.

_Armin... but how did he... when...?

_So you didn't know? -he said rising an eyebrow

_No! But if they did... why didn't they... tell me -she whispered, voice hurt.

_They didn't know -Bane said softly. Mikasa lifted her gaze from the street and fixed it on him- I was lying. I needed to know if it was true what they said, that they didn't know where Eren's ability came from. Can't be too careful. Regroup with the rest. We're storming the quarters.

Right when he finished, a shout was heard from the group, followed by another and another. Turning to face them, both cadets saw how their comrades were crowded in the middle of the roof, yelling at one another.

_What the fuck? -muttered Bane.

_I WON'T RISK MY LIFE RUNNING AFTER A TITAN! -screamed a pale-looking boy.

_HE'S TRYING TO HELP, IDIOT! -yelled a girl with goggles; Bane remembered her from the first day of training- DIDN'T YOU HEAR WHAT ALASTOR SAID?!

_OH YOU AND YOUR PRECIOUS BANE! -answered someone else- WHY DON'T YOU MARRY HIM TOO?! I'M SURE YOU CAN HAVE ABNORMAL BABIES TOGETHER!

_YOU ASSHOLE!

_SUICIDAL DICK!

Mikasa and Reiner went into the thick of the fray while Bane's squad, down from Eren's shoulders, tried to convince the reluctant ones of their titan's good intentions. Jean stood aside without saying anything, his glare going from the screaming group to Jaeger to HQ in a worried loop; Connie and Sasha shouted in favor of storming the warehouse while calling all kind of names to the rest. Marco along with Bertholdt attempted in vain to calm the atmosphere.

_ENOUGH!

All arguments died at once. Surprised into silence, all people turned to the source of the booming shout; it wasn't its energy what stopped them, while it had been potent. Neither was the tone, although some found it familiar to the one Shadis used when disciplining cadets who stepped out of line. Instead it was the fact that no one ever imagined such sound coming from where it did that shut everyone up. No one among them could have seen it coming.

No one, in fact, had ever expected to someday witness Bane's wrath.

End of Chapter.