Disclaimer: I do not own nor am I part of the Attack on Titan franchise. I do not own any of the franchise's characters, ideas, or concepts.

Author's Note:

This chapter is my favorite so far, I still can't believe I killed off 2 of my main characters. It makes me so sad since I created these characters myself and based off me and my brother. Read to see who the Talking Titan is.

Please leave a comment, a review, or PM me your opinions and critiques. I love to see criticism and the things you guys have to say about the story. Enjoy.

Also read/follow SwiftFire100's A Story About Love and it's mid-sequel Her Year of Happiness; and read/follow our collab account SwiftOre and our story Through the HellGate - Verity's Choice

Also I have started another fanfiction based off of Nate's poems. It's called Hell, Through Their Eyes: Nate Orne's Poetry.

Ch 10 The Titans - Outside Wall Rose Part III

(Norbert Ven)

We all stood in silence and distraught after hearing Jade tell us the news of Nate's death as Swift was trying to follow the Titan that had eaten Gino, hoping she could somehow try and save him. As we stared at the Titan that had eaten Nate, a sudden blast of lightning struck it and a huge explosion followed. As the smoke began clearing up, something began emerging from the Titan. It was another Titan, roaring the words, "I'll kill you all!" The Titan, it was talking.

Everybody was left in shock, Ethan started to mumble, "What did it say?" he began to stumble forward falling to his knees, "Did it just talk, I didn't know that they could talk. I didn't." The Titan continued screaming and began attacking and squashing the Titans around it.

Jade began to laugh, almost maniacally, screaming, "It's Nate. I don't know for sure, but I think the Titan is Nate somehow. It even has his chocolate brown hair. And, and it has his cute nose and thin chin. I think we got to help it, Nate could be inside of it." The Titan continued fighting until the Titans attacking it were pummeled to nothing more than evaporating flesh. It stood still and began to turn green, starting to blend into the grassy plains surrounding it until it became completely invisible. After it was invisible, we could only see the steam emitting from its wounds, until they were fully healed.

Anthony began sniffing, as he would to detect any other Titan, "I can't smell it anymore, not even a little," he began to cough, nearly on the edge of barfing as he spoke, "I can smell Swift though. She has something with her and it fucking smells like shit." We all turned to see Swift covered in blood and other indescribable fluid, holding a small and familiar looking figure. It was Gino, who was now unconscious and without his feet.

I grabbed him from Swift's hands, yelling, "Let me bandage his feet up! If we don't then he'll bleed out and die!" I began examining his appearance, trying to see what kind of condition he was in. I realized he was turning pale white, meaning he had lost a lot of blood, but he was extremely hot, almost feverish and I noticed that steam was emitting from where his feet once were, almost like he was regenerating like a Titan, but that couldn't be the case. I turned to Swift and asked, "Swift, why are his feet steaming? How hot was it inside of the Titan's stomach?" Everybody turned to see Gino's steaming nubs, but as Swift came to observe, Gino's feet had grown back, in front of everybody's eyes. He was also beginning to regain his tan color as I began touching his feet, saying, "What the fuck just happened to his feet? It's almost like he's a Titan." I nearly puked at the thought of it, but instead I put him aside and peered under the branch, seeing Titans underneath, trying to climb the tree, "How long have they been here? I'm surprised that other Titan hasn't gotten to them yet. Unless it actually disappeared. It would explain what happened to the Colossal Titan and Armored Titan back in Shigashina."

A sudden roar echoed across the forest as the camouflaging Titan screamed "I'll kill you all!" As it suddenly appeared next to the other Titans, beginning to attack the Titans underneath us, delivering blows and tearing apart their flesh as it continued to scream, "Nobody is going to harm my squad!" The Titan was definitely Nate as Jade had presumed, "I'll kill you all before that ever happens!" Nate was ripping the Titans apart, limb by limb, leaving only shreds of Titan flesh, then stomping down on the remains with great force, until Nate began breathing heavily. He slowly fell to his hands and knees, but still he continued punching the Titan flesh on the floor for another 10 minutes as we just watched in amazement and wonder of the Titan before us was actually Nate. He finally collapsed with one final roar, "I'll kill all the Titans! Even if it kills me!"

As Nate fell to the floor, Cua jumped down next to the Titan, kicking it while saying, "I think he's dead," Then a sudden sound of ripping flesh echoed, followed by steam emitting from the Titan's nape and in it was Nate attached to the Titan's spinal cord by flesh without his gear. Cua in a clear sign of happiness screamed, "I'll get him!" He was the only one of us that didn't fully understand the seriousness of the situation, but he was followed by Jade and Swift. Nate and Gino were both alive, but they were human Titans. They were Titan-Shifters.

(Nate Orne)

I could hear my father's voice as he screamed to me and Jade, 'If you two don't learn to control this, everything will wither away in your hands. Everything around you, everything you will fight for, everything you have ever cared for, will be nothing more than ash and dust in your hands.' My father's voice echoed through my head as I began to remember what he had said to me and Jade that day, the day I last saw him, but where was he now? My vision slowly faded as I remembered being eaten by the Titan wondering what had happened. Where was I? Was I dead?

I should've been dead, but all I could hear was whispers and murmurs, but internally I could hear, "I'll kill them all!" It was a familiar voice, but I couldn't remember who's voice it was or how I even knew it was familiar. I opened my eyes to see blades drawn at my face with everyone from my squad at the other ends of the blades, except for Jade and Norbert who were probably dead or missing. I could feel a flare-gun pressed against my head. Where ever I was? I wanted to know what the fuck was going on. I looked around and could see the green scenery of the forest, so I had somehow ended up in the forest, but I wanted to know why did I have blades pointed at my face? And why was my Maneuver Gear and uniform suddenly gone?

I tried to move my hands, but they were excellently tied up with rope, probably tied by either Jade or Swift. I was dazed as I tried to stand up, but I was kicked down hard as I heard a sudden blast of a sharp voice, "Squad Leader Nate, stay were you are. If you make any sudden movements, I will have no choice but to give the order to have you killed," it was Swift, "Now I'll ask you this once, so think carefully about the answer you want to give us. What are you? Are you a human or a Titan?"

I began to laugh, they were trying to fuck with me, I blurted out, "Okay guys, this is very funny, but seriously, put your blades down. You're going to seriously hurt me." As I stopped laughing, I realized that nobody had budged. I then realized that Gino was laying besides me, unconscious and tied up. I screamed at Swift and the rest of my squad, "What the hell is this guys!? Are you guys fucking kidding me!? Why the fuck is Gino tied up!? What the hell is going on here!?"

Swift stepped forward and kicked me, square in the head, as she drew one of her blades and said, "Let me show you this. It should probably jog your memory." She untied me, grabbing my hand and, with all her strength, dropping her blade down on my hand, cutting it clean off. I screamed in pain, but I suddenly stopped as I saw steam starting to come from my wound, followed by a weird sensation that my hand was still there, and once the steam was gone a new hand had filled the stump. I began to move it, trying to see if it was real or just a figment of my imagination as Swift continued to talk, "Now tell me, are you a Titan or not!?" I sat silent, unable to respond due to the pure shock of my hand regrowing, still trying to contemplate what had just happened. Swift shook her head and said, "Oh, so you don't want to talk, huh," She kicked me in the side of the head again, sending my head straight into the tree behind me, I was beginning to lose consciousness after I hit the tree, "We'll ask you again later. This should give you enough time to think of your answer." I passed out as the person behind me caught me, screaming something at Swift that was intangible to me. I woke up after what seemed like forever, again tied up with rope, but loosely. I looked back up and Swift was still staring at me as she spoke, "Nate, can you hear me? Sorry for the kick, but this squad is my first priority. Just as it was yours, so I'll ask you once more and I want you to think real hard about your answer. Are you a Titan or a human?"

I shook off the headache that I had on my right temple, immediately, as I looked up at my squad members, thinking of both Jade and Norbert. They both were probably dead because of something I did in the dream I was a Titan. I needed to tell Swift the information, for Nate and Jade. I started to tear as I talked "I guess I am, but believe me, I have never known I was one, at least not until now, I give you my honest word. Do what you must with me, I understand the present risk of harboring me. Kill me, but say I died for humanity's sake, it's the closest to the truth without being false and causing any further problems for the squad and yourself." Everybody lowered their blades from me and the person behind me removed the flare-gun from my head. I turned to see who it was since everybody else was in front of me, except for Norbert and Jade. The person was Jade with a sign of relief on her face.

Swift nodded and turned to Gino, saying, "I believe you Nate, I really do, but what about Gino?" I looked at her with shock as I realized she was now accusing Gino of being a Titan as well. Or was she accusing him of helping me? She spoke with the same harshness as before, "Have you been keeping knowledge that your cousin and our fellow soldier, Gino Sevi, was also a Titan?"

I couldn't tell if she was serious or testing me so, I needed to be honest with her. I shook my head as I spoke in a calmer voice, "No, I haven't because he isn't. I never saw a sign or anything that would deem him suspicious of being a Titan. Neither have I ever concealed information about him, nor any other member of my squad. He isn't a Titan as far as I know." She was bluffing, she probably wanted to see if I would use Gino as a scapegoat for my own benefit. At least that's what I hoped she was doing.

She nodded, sighing before she spoke, "Well, we'll have to ask him ourselves, since we can't take your word for it. As it turns out, unfortunate as it seems, that we don't know as much about each other as we thought we did. I think it would be a shame if we had to kill either of you off for lying." She stopped as Gino began shaking. He was waking up. Swift turned to Jade and said, "Jade take Nate away. Gino is starting to wake up and I don't want Gino to suspect Nate is alive. As far as he knows, Nate is dead. We are going to use that basis to see if what Nate was saying is true." Jade nodded, grabbing me and swinging to the next tree. I looked back to see Norbert behind Gino, loading a flare-gun. They were willing to kill us if they thought we were lying. I had to hope that Gino wouldn't try to pin this on me, or conceal anything that Swift and the rest already knew about.

(Gino Sevi)

I could hear a voice speaking to me in tears as I began waking up, 'Gino don't hate me for the choices I have made. Believe me, I am trying to undo the atrocity I have helped cause. Please forgive me for this.' Vivian's voice echoed through my head realizing I wasn't dead or in the Titan anymore as I opened my eyes. I woke to see at least 6 figures in front of me, none of them were Norbert or Jade, so it meant they were probably dead. As I tried to get up I was immediately struck down with a foot, unable to block it since my hands were tied up. Everybody immediately aimed their blades at me, to my surprise, and another person from behind pressed a flare-gun to my head. I could no longer feel that I was wearing my Maneuver Gear on. Swift was the only one without her blades drawn at me as she walked towards me, speaking in a sharp voice, "Gino we have a few questions for you. If you answer my questions truthfully, I'll spare your life. But if you don't, well I'll have you killed at the spot." I gazed up, wide-eyed, wondering what the hell Swift was talking about, "I'll ask you this once, are you a human or a Titan?"

I gasped, looking for any sign of a bluff on everybody's faces, but I found nothing I simply replied, "No. I am not. I swear it on my life and the life of the rest of the remaining members of the squad and also on the deceased." I bowed my head, ready to lose it, "If you don't believe me, do as you wish to me, especially since I wish to be with my cousin now. If he didn't deserve to make it, then why should I?" I began sobbing lightly as I remember that my cousin was dead and how there was nothing I could've done to save him.

I looked up at Swift, who was lightly smiling as she spoke in a calm voice, "Alright everyone, put your weapons down." Everybody simultaneously withdrew their blades from my face and the flare-gun that was pressed to my head was now off. I turned back to see Norbert, now standing at ease as sweat began falling carelessly down his face. Swift tapped on me, continuing to speak, "Now I'll ask you one final question and, if you answer this truthfully, you will be spared. Did Nate ever conceal anything about you? Anything that might suggest you are a traitor in any way?"

I shook my head, speaking in a low voice, "There is nothing that Nate had to hide about me. If he ever did, then I wouldn't know what it was, especially since he's dead now.

I then continued to sob heavier than before as Swift now began hugging me as she screamed, "Alright, I believe you. Jade! Bring Nate over!" I looked over at the direction Swift had yelled towards. I saw Jade swinging with Nate in her arm, tied up just like me. I quickly glanced back at Swift, as Norbert began to untie the ropes. She got up and said "Jade, let Nate loose as well." Jade nodded and cut Nate's restraints as Swift continued to speak, "I believe that there is no doubt that both of you are telling the truth, but I can tell you both have remembered something the minute you woke from whatever memory you were reliving." I looked at Nate, he was now untied like me with the same look in his eyes as mine. We both turned back to Swift and nodded.

I tried to talk, but Nate's voice broke out first, "I actually remember more about the last day me and Jade saw my father, but I don't remember much of what he said, but he said if me and Jade didn't learn how to control it, everything would wither away in our hands. So Jade must be a Titan too, but so far it hasn't affected her. I remember though, I had to bite my thumb, self-mutilation helps the transformation." Nate lifted his hand, "I could help us get out of here, but it kills me to do it, so I have to wait to transform again."

Everybody nodded and turned to me, as I revealed my memory, "Vivian had me injected, just like Nate and Jade, as she said she was sorry for what she had done in the past, but she never said what she was actually sorry for. I think that I can infer that it has to do with the breaching of Wall Maria, though." Everybody stood silent, flabbergasted by the new information I had revealed as I continued, "But she said she was working to undo it. She might be trying to prevent the Titan's advancement into the wall for some weird reason."

Nate stepped forward as he spoke, "Maybe, but we need to get back to Trost, now. They need our help their because the wall has been breached by the Colossal Titan again, probably with the help of Vivian, now that we know what she has done." Everybody, including myself, were left motionless with our mouths agape, but Nate simply shook it off, "Norbert, how long have we been out here since I arrived?"

Norbert looked up to the sky with his sundial in his hand and answered, "About 4 hours since you got here, 8 since the expedition started. It'll be night in about 4 hours. It'll be our best and safest decision if we camped out here for the night."

Nate nodded and then shook his head, "No, we can't try to play it safe right now. If the wall has really breached and if we've been out here for 4 hours since the wall's been breached, then we can't wait for tomorrow. There might not be anything left of Trost tomorrow. We have to go today, so ready up the horses and give me and Gino our Maneuver Gear back."

Swift and Norbert came back with a single gear, covered entirely in an unfamiliar fluid and blood. Swift walked towards me and spoke with a calm voice, "Gino this is yours." Then she turned to Nate, "Nate you lost your gear when you became a Titan, I guess it evaporated from the heat and pressure of the Titan's interior, but we'll worry about it later. We have to go now." I put on my gear and Swift grabbed Nate and swung down to the horses. We were off to Trost. Vivian would have to answer to us for her crimes now.

Yes, they are all alive and now you get to meet the suspect of the crimes against humanity, Vivian Sevi. Come back next chapter to see if Vivan is what Squad SwiftOrne expect her to be.
Thank you for reading.