DAY ONE OF RECONSTRUCTION

As the morning sun rose into the sky above the walls, the air was heavy with tension. Everyone had been warned about this day ahead of time, but even so people were still nervous. City streets that would have normally been bustling with activity were empty, with a few stray cats and dogs being the only signs of life. Fields where farmers would have been out working were likewise deserted, and roads connecting the various towns and cities of the walls were devoid of any travelers.

Connie swallowed nervously as he looked out the window of his home, his gaze fixed on Wall Rose, which was not too far away. About a month had passed since they had retaken Wall Maria, and after extensive experimentation with the Titan powers, the government was now going ahead with their plans to use the Founding Titan to rebuild the island's infrastructure.

Connie didn't know all the details, but one thing was clear; for the first time in a century, the Wall Titans were about to wake up.

In order to avoid a panic and minimize the damage caused by the walls being broken down, the government had warned the population a full two weeks in advance. Those living right next to the walls had been moved and had been offered compensation if their homes were destroyed by the walls collapsing. There had been some protests, but luckily no violent incidents had occurred.

As for the rest of the population, many were skeptical about the idea of Titans dwelling within the walls, but after the many warnings and notifications that had been distributed by the military, most reluctantly obeyed the government, and were prepared to keep their heads down on the day the Titans were awakened.

As he had seen the Wall Titans at Shiganshina, Connie knew full well that the government was not joking, and he wondered how the people would react when they saw the Titans with their own eyes. He was grateful to have been stationed back in his hometown, though he knew it was mostly to ensure that the people there didn't panic.

He slowly descended the stairs and found the rest of his family gathered in the living room. His younger siblings Martin and Sunny were in their usual high spirits, because while they had been warned about the Titans like everyone else, they were too young to really understand what was going on. His father and mother, though, were noticeably more tense and quiet than usual.

Connie couldn't blame them. Even though he had seen the Titans beforehand, even though he knew they would be under Eren and Historia's control, he still felt rather nervous about hundreds of Titans waking up practically in his backyard.

Martin protested. "Sunny, give it back!"

Sunny giggled as she held one of his toys just out of reach. "You'll have to catch me if you want it that bad!"

She ran out the door with Martin following close behind.

Mrs. Springer called after them. "Make sure you stay inside the village! Stay well away from the walls!"

"We know!"

She sighed, trying to keep the worry off her face.

Mr. Springer looked over at his eldest son. "Morning Connie. The rest of us already ate, but there's still some eggs left for you."

Connie got himself a plate and ate without saying much.

Mr. Springer glanced at the newspaper, a forced smile on his face. "So, today's the big day, huh? If I remember correctly, the military said that it would begin at 9 o'clock."

Connie nodded. He glanced at the clock on the wall, which read 8:06. As he observed the hands, the ticking sounded louder than usual.


Sasha breathed in the morning air as she walked through the woods. Feelings of nostalgia welled up inside of her as she stepped among the trees, as it had been years since the last time she had been there.

Such simple times. She thought as she recalled her father teaching her how to hunt with just a simple bow. Now, though, much of the forest was gone, and the world had become much bigger and more dangerous.

She heard the rustling of leaves behind her and turned around to see that she had been followed.

Her father smiled softly. "I figured I'd find you here. Brings back old memories, doesn't it?"

Sasha averted her gaze. "Yeah. I…I never really apologized. For what I said back then. And…"

He chuckled. "It's alright. You were just a dumb kid. Still are in some ways. But you've done a lot of growing up since then."

Sasha looked up at the trees sadly. "Yeah. I know…we must leave the forest eventually."

The two of them admired the trees for a few moments, listening to the birds calling to one another, and enjoying each other's company.

"So, it's supposed to begin today, right?"

Sasha nodded slowly. "Yeah. Given the sheer scale of it all, they said it could take several days before it's all done."

He peered through the trees. "It's too bad we're way out here. We might not get to see any of the Titans given how far away from the walls we are."

Sasha let out an involuntary shiver. "You're not really missing out."

"Heh, well if there are any fools lurking around on the edges of this island, they'll be in for a major surprise if they stick around for too long."

He looked at her seriously. "I know the Survey Corp's job is to explore the world out there. But don't wander too far, you hear?"

Sasha let out a small smile. "I won't."


While most of the walls were about to be broken down, the walls surrounding the outer districts would be left untouched. Consequently, many civilians had sought temporary refuge within these districts, as the more credulous members of the population were understandably terrified of the idea of countless Titans being woken up simultaneously.

But while some were terrified, others were curious, and so had traveled to the outer districts for a different reason.

At Karanes district, Petra and Eld were still recovering from the injuries they'd sustained during the operation to take down Rod Reiss and his men. But on this fateful day, they had been permitted to join some of the more daring civilians and soldiers on top of the district's wall to watch and see when the Titans woke up.

Petra peered at Wall Rose, her gaze starting at the point where it connected with the district, and following it as it faded into the distance. A mixture of nervousness and excitement coursed through her.

She glanced at Eld. "The view is nice up here. We'll be able to see everything."

Eld nodded. "Yeah. I just wish they could be here to see it."

Petra's gaze lowered, as she knew he was referring to their deceased squad mates Gunther and Oluo.

A woman walked up behind them, looking anxious. "Eld, don't get so close to the edge!"

Eld raised an eyebrow. "This isn't close, there's plenty of room in front of us."

Her face paled slightly. "You think this is plenty? You crazy Scout."

Eld smirked. "Well, Catherine, you agreed to marry me, so who's the real crazy one?"

Petra eyed her with new interest. "Oh, is this your fiancé?"

Eld nodded, looking at Catherine fondly. "Yep, this is the future Mrs. Jinn. Not really sure what she sees in me, but I'm lucky to have her."

Catherine silently nodded, still looking pale.

Petra frowned. "Something wrong? Are you afraid of heights?"

"…yes, actually."

"Then why did you come up here?"

Catherine placed her hand over Eld's. "Because…I wanted to be with Eld today. I mean…we are safe here, right?"

Eld nodded. "Yep. The Scouts have everything under control."

While the Titans would be under Eren and Historia's control, as a precaution several squads of the Garrison had been stationed throughout the territory of Wall Rose, and several squads of the Scouts had been stationed throughout the territory of Wall Maria, and would quickly report if the Titans displayed any abnormal behavior or disobedience. Given that Eren had been able to successfully control the Titans without fail whenever he and Historia activated the Founding Titan's power, though, it seemed unlikely anything would go wrong with time.

Petra tried to push down the feelings of jealousy she felt as she watched Eld and Catherine, and returned her gaze to Wall Rose. While she still felt grief over the Scouts who had died, at the moment she was just happy to be alive. And with everything that had been happening lately, she was hopeful that the high mortality rate of the Survey Corps would soon come to an end.


While most of the walls were quieter then normal, there was one place that was much busier than normal, and that place was Trost.

The military had temporarily taken complete control of the town, and almost all of the important high ranking officers were present. This included Erwin, Pixis, Niles, and the Commander in Chief Zackley.

At present they were standing on the section of the wall directly above the outer gate, and they were not alone. Off to one side stood Jean, Marco, Marlowe, and Boris, who had escorted Historia through the city, and were now on standby. While their assistance hadn't been strictly necessary, Niles had wanted the Military Police to at least look like it was doing something today, since most of the important events that had been going on lately had been accomplished by the Scouts.

Off to another side, Zeke and Dina stood together, and were being closely watched by Mike's squad.

And standing in the center directly above the gate were Eren and Historia. Ymir was standing near Historia, while Mikasa and Levi were standing near Eren.

Behind Erwin and the other commanders stood several other members of the different military branches, one of which was Armin.

As he took everything in, Armin let out the breath he'd been holding.

This is it. The moment we've been planning for.

While he tried to savor the moment, he felt his heart sink as he noticed Levi. While Mikasa was simply watching Eren, Levi was noticeably on edge, with his hand hovering over one of his pockets and his fingers twitching every few seconds.

Armin grimaced. I understand your concern, Captain, but there's no need for that. Eren is on our side. He has to be…

He glanced away, his thoughts returning to the meeting they'd had two weeks ago.


TWO WEEKS AGO

Armin was rather nervous as he surveyed those gathered at the meeting.

After reclaiming Wall Maria and doing extensive experiments with the Founding Titan's power, all of the key government officials had gathered to finalize their plans for the Walls going forward. Naturally the heads of each of the branches, such as Erwin, Pixis, and Niles were present, as was President Zackley. Historia, as the holder of the Armored Titan, was also present, but notably, Eren was not present.

Armin felt slightly sick when he thought about why his friend was not there, and hoped that the assembly wasn't considering what he feared they might.

The first part of the meeting was spent with Hange detailing the experiments they'd run and the results, all of which were very promising.

When she was finished, everyone else gathered their thoughts on the matter.

Zackley stroked his beard. "So, based on the results, it seems that Eren and Historia will be able to control the Wall Titans perfectly, and make them do whatever we want them to. This is excellent news, assuming we can trust Eren."

He frowned. "However, this raises the question, can we trust him? There's no denying that he has been an invaluable help to the people of the walls, and so far he has cooperated with us. But what you uncovered about these Paths, and the fact that Eren has deliberately withheld information from the rest of us is troubling, very troubling indeed."

Erwin nodded. "I agree. But Arlert here has come up with a possible theory about Eren's behavior."

All eyes turned toward him, and Armin had to fight down his nerves as he began to present his theory.

"Well, as you know, after we began to experiment with the Founding Titan's power, several of us experienced extremely vivid dreams about events that didn't actually happen. From what we uncovered in the Yeager's basement, we concluded that these were not actually dreams, but memories. Specifically memories from another time, where things played out very differently. We also deduced that Eren had seen some of these memories before obtaining the Founding Titan, which would explain how he knew things that he shouldn't. But we still didn't know how he saw these memories, nor why the rest of us began to see them after he started using the Founding Titan. However, after reading over Grisha's books, I think I have an idea. From what the Owl said, there are invisible paths that connect all Eldians together, and that memories can be sent through these paths. With this in mind, it could be possible to use these paths to alter the past, and, consequently, the future."

Armin swallowed nervously. "When he was visiting Petra and Eld, the surviving members of the Levi squad, he seemed to blame himself for the others deaths, and said that they shouldn't have died again. Again. At the time I was confused about what he meant, but in light of everything we've uncovered, it's starting to make sense. I think Eren lived through this other timeline, a timeline in which things didn't go as well for us. At some point during this timeline, he came into contact with the Founding Titan. He then used its power in order to send his memories through these paths, transferring his knowledge of the future to his past self, essentially traveling back in time."

He smiled weakly, trying to gauge the others' reactions. "I realize this sounds a little crazy, but it would explain a lot. Eren claims that when his father gave him the Attack Titan, he inherited all of his memories, and his mission. Naturally gaining someone else's memories should have a significant impact on someone's outlook and personality. But Eren didn't exhibit any major changes until we started training, about two years after he supposedly inherited his father's memories, which makes no sense. However, it's possible that when we started training happened to be the point in time that his future self sent his memories back to. That would explain why he changed at that time instead of after he inherited his father's Titan."

To his relief, the others seemed to consider his idea seriously, rather than scornfully as he had feared.

Pixis looked thoughtful. "Hmm. It sounds like a solid theory, given the facts. But it raises the question, why didn't he just tell us the truth?"

Armin shook his head. "I don't know. My guess is that he was worried we wouldn't believe him. Saying he just inherited his father's memories is much simpler then trying to explain about paths, especially since even he might not fully understand it. He would also have to tell us at least some of what occurred in the previous timeline. And if things went much worse for us in that timeline, talking about it could bring back thoroughly unpleasant memories that he would rather not recall."

Pixis folded his arms. "Hmm. While your theory seems plausible, it still doesn't change the fact that Eren withheld information from us. Regardless of what his reasons were, we cannot fully trust him. And given how powerful the Founding Titan is, that's a serious problem."

Armin felt a trickle of dread run through him.

Erwin leaned forward. "I agree. But we do have some contingencies."

Hange nodded. "While Eren is the one in control of the Founding Titan, his control isn't absolute. For one, he cannot activate it by himself, he needs Historia nearby. And as long as he and Historia maintain physical contact, Historia can also use the Founding Titan, though admittedly only if Eren allows her to. Furthermore, as long as they maintain physical contact, Historia will always be able to tell exactly what Eren is doing with the Founding Titan's power. And if, for whatever reason, Eren is rendered unconscious, Historia would be able to take control of the Founding Titan and override anything Eren may have done."

Erwin looked at them calmly. "Therefore, I think we can go ahead with our reconstruction plans. Eren has been cooperating with us so far, and I think it's unlikely that will change. But if he does go rogue, or has some ulterior motive, Historia will be able to tell us immediately. Captain Levi can then use a tranquilizer we've prepared to knock Eren out, and Historia can take over from there. Hopefully it won't come to that, but we're prepared if it does."

Historia looked slightly anxious, but said nothing.

Niles let out a sigh. "That's a relief. While Eren has undoubtedly done a lot of good for us, it's rather scary when you consider the power he now wields."

He shuddered. "Especially the power to erase or alter memories. Can anyone really be trusted with such power?"

Zackley nodded. "Indeed. And that is why, regardless of what happens, we should keep our usage of the Founding Titan to a minimum. Once the reconstruction is completed, we should keep Eren and the Titans with royal blood separate, and only call upon the Founding Titan if there is a national emergency, such as Marley invading once more. Unfortunately that may very well happen in the not so distant future, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

The discussion moved on to the reconstruction plans, and Armin felt extremely relieved about how things had gone. While they were still wary of Eren, there had been no explicit talk of trying to take Eren's Titan powers and passing them on to someone more trustworthy. And as long as Eren didn't do anything suspicious, such a discussion would never need to take place.

Eren...please don't do anything dangerous…


Back in the present, Armin was interrupted from his thoughts as Eren and Historia stepped forward, and the atmosphere noticeably shifted.

Armin's eyes widened. So, it's time.

Historia looked slightly nervous, while Eren appeared calm. Slowly, they raised their arms and clasped their hands together.

Instantly, countless loud splitting sounds penetrated the air, forcing everyone to cover their ears.

Along all the walls apart from the outer districts, cracks began to form, traveling up and down the wall, releasing more and more debris until it all came crumbling down, revealing the Titans that had been slumbering underneath for the past century.

Connie's eyes were wide as he took in the long line of Titans that had emerged from the Wall he'd seen every day growing up. The sight was alien, terrifying, and if he hadn't been told about it ahead of time he was sure he would have panicked.

He could see many of his neighbors were looking nervous, and so after pushing down his feelings of apprehension he walked over to ensure nobody else panicked.

But before he could, he was interrupted by a loud boom that echoed throughout the village. It didn't take long for him to figure out the cause.

The Titans had begun to move.

It was surreal what she was seeing. All her life, Petra had feared and hated Titans, and when she'd joined the Survey Corp she'd been given the chance to take back what humanity had lost at the hands of these inhuman monsters.

Yet now, the Colossal Titans that had made up the Walls were not only not attacking humans, they were obeying their orders.

In single file the Titans circled around Karanes district before continuing East in a straight line.

She'd initially tried to talk to Eld some more, but the loud booming footsteps of the Titans meant she had to yell in order for him to even hear her, and after a while she gave up.

She winced when she considered how long Wall Rose was. And when she factored in Wall Sina, she let out a weary sigh.

This is going to take awhile, isn't it.


The process took several days, and by the end the island was almost unrecognizable.

After breaking down the three walls, the Wall Titans then began to move outward, rebuilding the walls as they went, but with several key differences.

Firstly, the Titans got down on their hands and knees, so that when they rehardened their skin the Walls wouldn't be as tall, and fewer Titans would be required to rebuild Sina, Rose, and Maria, leaving more Titans leftover for other areas.

Secondly, new walls were built directly connecting the outer districts of Sina, Rose, and Maria, once again with the Titans on their hands and knees. The purpose of these walls, and of most of the new walls in general, was not to keep Titans out, since that would no longer be a problem, but to build new roads connecting the various regions of the island. Initially they would primarily be used by horses and carts, but they had also taken into account the intel they had received from Zeke, Dina, and the Eldian Restorationists about railways. When the Titans rehardened their skin, they would also create two sets of tracks along the top of all the walls, with the intention being that once they got their hands on some engineers from outside of the island, they would be able to use these new roads to create their own railways, and thus dramatically improve the efficiency with which they could transport people and resources from one region of the island to another.

In addition to rebuilding the original three walls, they were also building a fourth wall about 80 kilometers out from Wall Maria. It was built in the same manner as the others, complete with it's own outer districts and new walls connecting these new districts with the outer districts of Wall Maria. After some debate the government decided to name this new wall Wall Historia, much to her chagrin.

Once Wall Historia was complete, the Wall Titans would then begin to march outward toward the very edges of the island, building four roads connecting back to the fourth wall's outer districts as they went.

When they reached the edge of the island, they would then build four final districts, one along the south coast, one along the north coast, one along the west coast, and one along the east coast. These coastal districts would be used for both defense and exploration, as they would make it easier to guard against any future invaders, and they would serve as a gateway to the outside world as soon as they were able to build their own harbors and ships.

They weren't sure how many Colossal Titans would be leftover at this point, so once the districts were built, twenty thousand Titans would be set aside for each district. They would harden into a single mass relatively near the coastal districts, ready to be awakened if the island was ever attacked again. If after this there were still any Colossal Titans leftover, they would be turned into Pure Titans, and then confined within the newly built outer districts for the time being.

While the Scouts were not able to witness it directly, the Colossal Titans did exactly as they were told, and once the remaining ones had been turned into normal Titans and had placed themselves inside one of the four rings of Titans that would become the new coastal outer districts, as one the Titans rehardened their skin.

Starting from Wall Sina and moving outwards, the long lines of Titans on their hands and knees were suddenly encased in a layer of hardened skin. This new layer spiralled outward at phenomenal speeds, erasing the Titans from sight in an instant as it traveled from Wall Sina, to Wall Rose, to Wall Maria, to Wall Historia, and finally to the coastal districts.

In a matter of minutes the new walls were completed, and the island was once more silent.


DAY FOUR OF RECONSTRUCTION

While the biggest part of the reconstruction was now finished, the work was far from over.

The walls had been rebuilt to improve how quickly and efficiently people could travel from one part of the island to another, but there was still a significant problem that the government needed to address. Namely, the issue that they didn't have enough manpower to properly utilize and defend all of these new walls.

After Wall Maria had fallen the old government had sent approximately 250,000 people to be killed by the Titans in order to improve the food shortage crisis. The people of the walls still had not recovered from this disaster, and defending and maintaining even just Wall Maria would be difficult given the current population.

Fortunately, they happened to have an easy way to rebuild their population and to settle and defend the new walls and outer districts that had just been constructed: the pure Titans currently being held within Shiganshina.

They didn't have an exact figure, but based on several observations and calculations, there were somewhere between 500,000 and 600,000 Titans, plus however many of the Wall Titans were leftover from the initial reconstruction. All of these Titans could be turned back into humans, and they would be more than enough to repopulate and rebuild the island.

While being controlled by the Founding Titan, the Titans would be used to build and construct the towns and cities in and around each of the new outer districts. They would then be turned back into humans, with the towns and cities they'd just built becoming their new homes.

After some deliberation it was decided that these people would have their memories wiped when they were turned back into human. They would still be told the truth about where they came from, but starting with a clean slate would make the transition smoother and less painful, at least in theory.

While the Founding Titan was being used to rebuild, the bulk of the Scouts would explore the island in order to fill the gaps in their knowledge about the lands outside of Wall Maria. A handful of squads would also follow the new roads all the way to the coastal districts in order to keep an eye out for any outsiders. It was believed that the presence of the Wall Titans would scare anyone who happened to be around away, but it was better to be safe than sorry.


It sounded so simple, but Eren was keenly aware that it would be a gradual and tiring process.

As he and the Scouts rode back toward Shiganshina, he felt a headache coming on as he thought about what was coming next.

Just commanding the Wall Titans had been rather exhausting. It wasn't so bad at first, but given that the whole process had taken several days, it quickly became both tiring and boring. He and Historia needed to stay nearby and keep touching in order to make absolutely sure that the Wall Titans continued to do what they were supposed to. As such, even sleeping was difficult, as they had to take turns, with one of them always awake and maintaining control of the Founding power.

And Eren knew it would only get more headache inducing once they started building the new towns and cities. At least with the Wall Titans the orders he'd given had been fairly simple, basically just build a wall in these places, and don't step on anyone. But constructing the new settlements would require more specific and complicated orders. Worse still, he wouldn't get a break until all of the reconstruction was finished, since he had the Founder and therefore would be needed every step of the way. Whereas Historia might be allowed to take breaks if Zeke behaved himself, since he was also a Titan with royal blood.

Speaking of which…

Eren turned to his left and saw that Zeke had pulled up next to him on his own horse. A short distance away Levi was keeping an eye on the Beast Titan shifter, but otherwise didn't move to stop Zeke from speaking with his half brother.

Zeke looked at Eren curiously. "So, Eren. We haven't really had a chance to talk yet. Shiganshina is your hometown, yes?"

Eren nodded slowly. "Yes, it is."

Zeke smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."

Eren shrugged halfheartedly. "It wasn't your fault."

Zeke glanced ahead before returning his gaze to Eren. "Before that day...what was your childhood like?"

Eren's eyes softened. "It was fairly normal. It was less restricted than yours I suppose, given what you had to go through in the internment zone. But growing up I did hate living behind the walls, and being cut off from the outside. I've always strode for freedom, and I'm glad I have been able to help our people regain their freedom after it was taken away five years ago. Plus, I want to help fulfill Armin's dream of seeing the outside world."

Zeke frowned thoughtfully.

For a while they talked about fairly neutral topics, comparing their experiences growing up, reminiscing about the fun times and lamenting the bad, and discussing what they hoped to see and do during the remaining years of their respective tenures. Eren tried to avoid talking about their father as much as possible, as he assumed it would be a sore topic for his brother based on what he had read in his father's books, and what he had seen in his father's memories.

"Did you have any other siblings?"

Eren shook his head. "No. But my parents did take Mikasa in when I was nine."

Zeke looked at him sharply. "Mikasa? Isn't she your girlfriend?"

Eren winced slightly, as "girlfriend" was insufficient to describe what Mikasa meant to him, but nodded.

"Yes."

"But why did your parents take her in?"

Eren averted his gaze. "Well...one day when my father and I were supposed to visit Mikasa's family...her parents were murdered by a trio of sex traffickers. They tried to kidnap Mikasa, but I wasn't going to let that happen, so... I killed them."

Zeke's eyes widened. "What?"

"Well, Mikasa killed one of them."

Eren's eyes hardened. "There are many things in my life I've regretted, but this wasn't one of them. They were scum, animals in human form, and they got what was coming to them."

Zeke was visibly disturbed, and Eren smiled apologetically.

"Sorry, I know that was rather dark."

Zeke slowly shook his head. "Oh, no, I understand it was self defense. You did what you had to do."

Eren nodded. "Yeah. I'm sure you know all about doing what needs to be done. Turning your parents into Marley must have been hard, but it was a very clever idea. I certainly wouldn't have thought of it."

Zeke glanced away. "Yes…"

Outwardly Zeke tried to remain calm and continued to converse with Eren, but inside his thoughts were very troubled.

So, it's just as I feared. Once again, Grisha pushed his ideology onto his child. Only this time it appears he was more receptive, and doesn't understand that he's been brainwashed. To the point that he was able to kill several people in cold blood at such a young age. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if it was some kind of twisted test that Grisha devised to see how dedicated Eren was to the cause. And now he has the power of the Founding Titan. Brother...what are you planning? What did Grisha tell you?


DAY SIX OF RECONSTRUCTION

A week had passed since the Wall Titans had torn down and rebuilt the walls. While for many people life carried on as it had before, for others things were quite different.

After Eren and the other Scouts returned to Shiganshina, they had once more taken control of the Pure Titans contained within the district and moved them, ordering most of them to relocate to the eastern outer district of Wall Historia, while a smaller number were directed toward the southern outer district, which was the first set of towns and cities that would be built.

With Shiganshina now empty, and all of the pure Titans now within Wall Historia's territory, Wall Maria was officially declared safe to resettle, and a mass migration of people had occurred, consisting of people returning to their old homes, or residents of Wall Rose or Wall Sina seeking out new lands and opportunities in the newly available territory.

Meanwhile, at the southern outer district of Wall Historia, which had yet to be given a proper name, several engineers, architects, and designers were overseeing the process of building the new settlements. Like the outer districts of the Maria, Rose, and Sina, the outer districts of Wall Historia were surrounded by fifty meter high walls, in contrast to the rest of the walls which were now fifteen meters high, and would be the foundation for the resettlement process.

While the Titans were extremely useful, as they were essentially an enormous supply of workers who never got tired and would do whatever they were told, making sure they worked as efficiently as possible, stayed out of each other's way, and didn't accidentally ruin what they had just built was proving to be rather tricky.

Fortunately, they had found a fairly simple solution. Zeke had a fair amount of experience directing Titans while in his Beast Titan form, and so had been enlisted to help. After Eren had instructed the Titans to do whatever Zeke told them to do (within reason) things began to go much more smoothly, and already the first town was beginning to take shape.

Near sunset the team called it quits, and the Titans were confined inside the outer district for the night, while the Scouts and handful of human workers headed for bed inside some of the newly constructed houses.

As Zeke exited his Titan form, Levi was waiting for him, looking over the newly built town with a slightly impressed expression.

"Shit, this is a lot more complicated than I thought it would be."

Zeke smiled tiredly. "Well, be grateful you're not the one having to do the bulk of the work. It seems that the Founding Titan is great for bigger feats, such as build a wall, or, kill everyone in this country. But when it comes to smaller, more complicated things such as constructing a city, well, it requires more time and care."

Levi shook his head. "It is pretty damn weird to watch, though. I'm so used to Titans destroying everything they touch, seeing them actually building stuff is so strange."

Zeke wiped his glasses off before putting them back on. "Though they're only building stuff because of Eren's influence. If the Founder's power wears off, they'll go right back to being mindless monsters."

Levi nodded, glancing at the nearby outer district warily. "Yes, which is why we're keeping a close eye on things."

Zeke looked at Levi hopefully. "So, given that I was put in charge of this project, I take it this means you guys trust me?"

"Not exactly. It's something of a test. I mean, I think you're trustworthy, but the higher ups aren't completely convinced yet. If you help us throughout the reconstruction process without incident, hopefully that should win them over."

While the government was still wary of the Beast Titan shifter, Levi knew that Zeke's familial ties with Eren and the Eldian restorationists had convinced them to give him the benefit of the doubt for now. It also helped that the contents of Grisha's books had corroborated his story.

Zeke shrugged. "Well, I suppose it would be foolish of you to trust an outsider too quickly. But I hope I can prove to you all that I am not an enemy."


DAY TEN OF RECONSTRUCTION

Dina tried to swallow her nerves as she stood near the entrance of the newly constructed outer district.

Zeke looked at her sympathetically. "You okay?"

Dina smiled softly. "I'll be fine. I just...I just hope things go okay."

Zeke patted her on the shoulder. "You'll be fine."

Zeke returned his gaze to the massive town that was just inside the inner gate, still marveling at how quickly it had been built.

With the settlements in and around the outer district completed, the time had come to return the Titans that had built them to their original human forms.

There had been several preparations made. The first was that a name had finally been decided upon for the southern district. After taking into account the invaluable contributions the family had made to the people of the walls, the area had been christened District Yeager. Eren and Dina had felt slightly self conscious about this decision, but ultimately went along with it, while Zeke said nothing either way.

They'd also calculated the approximate number of people that the new district could support, with the final estimate being around 80,000. Consequently that was about how many of the Titans they would turn back into humans.

When it came to their memories, it had been agreed upon that all of their memories of their old lives would be wiped except for their names. On top of this, some things would be added.

In preparation for this day, Dina had been practicing a speech she would give to the former Titans, explaining about who they were, where they came from, and where they were now, and reassure them that they were now safe. As she had been a source of comfort and stability for the Eldian restorationists when they were still operational, she was deemed to be a good choice to help the Titanized Eldians transition back to a normal life. But while she had been doing well, she admitted that she was nervous about speaking in front of so many people.

That was when Hange had come up with an idea to help things go a little smoother. Rather than forcing Dina to give a speech to thousands of people who would still be disoriented after being Titans for so long, she proposed using Eren's Founding Titan abilities to transplant the memories of Dina's speech into the Eldians as soon as they awoke. That way they would still get the necessary information they needed, it would be faster and more efficient, and Dina wouldn't have to speak in front of thousands of people.

After some discussion this idea was agreed upon, and at last the moment of truth had arrived.

Thousands of Titans stood along the main road of the town just within the inner gate, standing stock still next to the houses and buildings they'd spent the past week building.

As Eren and Zeke approached one another under the watchful eye of Hange and the other Scouts, Dina knew that how today went would determine their plans for the other districts. If all went smoothly, they could continue the reconstruction process without delay. But if something went wrong…

Eren and Zeke clasped hands and reactivated the Founding Titan.

The next second, as one all of the Titans slowly laid down on the ground before their bodies began to dissolve in a cloud of steam. Initially they had planned to just let the Titans collapse, but one of the architects had pointed out that if all the Titans collapsed at once, they would destroy many of the nearby buildings, which would mean more work later.

As the steam rose into the air, the Titan bodies began to vanish one by one, replaced by the naked form of an Eldian. As Dina surveyed them all, she saw a large number of men and women of all ages, including a heartbreaking number of children.

She felt her hands trembling, though she couldn't tell if it was out of anger or sadness.

How could they...

Dina glanced at Eren, who gave her a slight nod, telling her he had already passed on the memory to all of the Eldians present.

The Eldians slowly started to stand up, and began to look at Dina with various expressions of curiosity, trepidation, and awe.

Once the steam cleared, several dozen members of the Garrison began walking among the Eldians, passing out food and clothing for everyone. The Garrison, along with some civilians from the other walls, would remain in the District to help guide the resettlement process.

As the day went on, Dina was relieved that things seemed to be going smoothly, as the Eldians were so trusting and cooperative. She felt slightly guilty about manipulating them, but reasoned that it was moral because they were looking out for the Eldians best interests, unlike Marley or the former rulers of the walls.

By the end of the day the resettlement of District Yeager was well on its way, and with the process declared a success, Hange and the rest of the Scouts under her command, including Eren and the other Titan shifters, were authorized to head for the eastern outer district of Wall Historia the following morning.


DAY TWELVE OF RECONSTRUCTION

With Hange left in charge of the resettlement and reconstruction, Erwin and the rest of the Scouts were tasked with exploring the rest of the island and charting the unexplored lands beyond Wall Maria and Wall Historia.

After mapping out the regions near District Yeager, several of the squads headed south, following the southern road all the way until the coast, making note of the terrain and environment as they went.

As they followed the road, riding on top of the newly made fifteen meter high wall in single file, both Sasha and Connie were in awe as they looked to the right and left. So many new and unfamiliar sights greeted them, as well as the bizarre knowledge that they were perfectly safe. After three years of training to fight the Titans, of constantly being warned of how dangerous the outside world was because of the Titans, it was surreal to know that this danger no longer existed. There were no more wild Titans on the island anymore, and even if there were, the new wall they were on ensured they would be safe from all but the tallest ones.

After many long hours of riding, occasionally stopping in order to get a bite to eat and give the horses a chance to rest, they reached the end of the road, and saw with their own eyes the southern coastal district.

Unlike the outer districts of the four walls, which were in the shape of a half oval, this district was circular, and just a short distance away from the shore.

In order to accommodate the anticipated railways, the fifteen meter high walls did not directly connect with the fifty meter high districts, instead circling around them before descending to the ground.

Leaving the horses at the base of the wall, the Scouts switched to their ODM gear to scale up the fifty meter high walls of the coastal district.

Once at the top, Connie and Sasha found themselves blown away by two views.

The first was the view inside of the district. Like with Shiganshina, the district was temporarily acting as a cage for a large number of pure Titans, which were originally the Wall Titans that had been leftover once the new walls had been built. At present these Titans were not under the control of the Founding Titan, and were already clustered at the base of the wall directly below the Scouts, gazing up at them with their creepy and hungry expressions.

Connie felt an involuntary shiver run through him as he watched the mindless Titans, though he knew that as long as they stayed up there the Titans couldn't hurt them.

Sasha nudged Connie and pointed toward the east. Connie turned away from the Titans and looked out at the land to the east of the district, and quickly spotted what Sasha was pointing at. A few kilometers away, an enormous plateau rose out of the ground. It was very large and very wide, and had an unnaturally flat surface. It also appeared to be made of the same substance as the walls.

From what they had been told, Connie knew that there was another plateau to the west of the district, and that these two plateaus housed the 20,000 Colossal Titans that were on standby should the island ever be attacked again.

"Attention soldiers! If we follow the wall of the district, we should be able to get a good view of the ocean! But remember, we are not here to sightsee! While it is unlikely we will encounter them, keep your eyes peeled for any stray Titans or enemy forces!"

Connie and Sasha affirmed their squad leader's orders before following them along the top of the wall.

After about twenty minutes of jogging, the Scouts stopped at a sight none of them were quite prepared for.

Connie breathed. "Wow."

Sasha's eyes widened. "It's so...beautiful."

A short distance away, waves of water were slowly moving in and out, passing over the sand before retreating back from where they had come. And stretching out to the horizon was the clear, shimmering mass of the sea. With the sun setting to their right, the light it cast upon the water was captivating.

Connie blinked. "Armin was right. It is real."

Sasha inhaled. "The air...it smells different here."

Connie sniffed. "You're right...it is different. I wonder why that is?"

Sasha's gaze softened. "Well...I'm sure we'll have plenty of time to figure it out."

For a long while the Scouts simply stared out at the sea, savoring the sight that no one within the walls had been able to see for a hundred years.

After a few moments of silence, Connie gently grabbed Sasha's hand, and their fingers interlaced. They remained like that for some time as they watched the waters ebb and flow upon the shore.


DAY NINETEEN OF RECONSTRUCTION

Throughout the reconstruction process, Zeke and Historia alternated being the royal Titan that was used to activate the Founding Titan. While poor Eren was stuck working until the resettlement was completed, whichever royal Titan was not being used was periodically given some time off to rest and recuperate.

During one of her times off, Historia and her bodyguards went to Shiganshina in order to help the residents rebuild, since the district had been somewhat overlooked in the reconstruction plans.

They'd settled near the edge of Shiganshina and were doing repairs on an abandoned house that had fallen into disrepair during the five years of Titan occupation.

On the ground level Boris and Marlowe were carrying several wooden boards into the house.

Boris panted, looking slightly annoyed. "So...remind me...why are we here again?"

Marlowe scowled at him. "I already told you...Historia wants to do her bit to help...so she's pitching in and helping rebuild this place, since it was hit hardest by the Titan onslaught."

Boris rolled his eyes. "But we're soldiers, not construction workers. We should leave this sort of thing to people who know what they're doing."

Marlowe sighed. "Look, you're not wrong, but it's what Historia wants, and while she's within the walls it's our job to protect her. And since we're here, we might as well help too."

"Whatever." Boris muttered. "Still seems rather stupid."

On the other side of the house a ladder was resting against it, reaching all the way to the roof. At the moment Marco was on the roof nailing down some boards, while Jean was monitoring him and handing him supplies as needed.

Marco called over. "Hey Jean, could you pass me some nails?"

Jean passed him a small bucket containing the nails without saying anything.

Marco looked at him in concern. "Something wrong?"

Jean shook his head as he gathered his thoughts. "Oh... I... I was just wondering...how things might have changed if we had joined the Scouts instead."

Marco was silent, as he also remembered the night of choosing when they had both joined the Military Police. At the time he had been confident in his choice, but he did wonder sometimes what would have happened if he had chosen differently.

Jean's face darkened. "I mean...the whole reason I joined the Military Police was to get away from the Titans, but because of...Bertolt...and Annie...we ended up getting roped into that whole mess anyways."

Marco grimaced, once again recalling that fateful day.

Jean lowered his eyes. "Since Eren got the Founding Titan, the regular Titans are no longer a threat, and the Scouts high mortality rate is officially a thing of the past. And now, we're the bodyguards of Kris-I mean Historia. Not a bad position, but it could get really dangerous down the line, since the Armored Titan will be a high priority target for the enemy."

Marco frowned. "Would you rather some random and most likely inept MPs be her bodyguards instead?"

Jean shook his head sharply. "Of course not. It's...I just can't help but wonder how things would have turned out if I had chosen differently."

Marco shrugged. "It's natural to ponder the what if's, but there's no sense dwelling on what you can't change."

Marco smiled softly. "All in all I'd say I'm pretty happy with where we've ended up."

Jean nodded. "Yeah, I can't really complain."

He let out a small smirk. "Looking after two beautiful girls isn't half bad. It's kind of nice actually."

It was also a nice distraction from his unrequited feelings for Mikasa. While it was pretty obvious from the beginning that the half asian girl would end up with Eren, it still stung.

Although, Eren does only have about eight more years to live, so after that, just maybe…

Jean stopped himself. It still probably wouldn't happen, and regardless that kind of thinking was horrible.

"Problem?"

Jean forced a smile. "Oh, nothing. Let's get back to work."

Inside the house on the second floor, Historia and Ymir were busy fixing several holes in the wall and floor.

Ymir held up a water canteen. "Historia, here."

Historia accepted it gratefully. "Thanks."

After she had her drink, Ymir placed her hands on her hips. "Babe, why are you doing this?"

Historia looked at her uncertainly. "Huh?"

Ymir gestured out the window. "There are plenty of other people who are more qualified to do this work. Why did you insist on coming here?"

To an outsider Ymir's tone would come across as rude and condescending, but Historia knew her well enough to know that she was simply curious.

Historia glanced out the window. "Well...out there, I'm mostly important because of my Titan and my royal blood. It's just kind of a nice change of pace to be able to do something useful that doesn't involve either of those things."

Ymir's expression became serious. "Do you regret agreeing to inherit the Armored Titan?"

"...sometimes." Historia admitted. "The curse of Ymir...it's rather frightening…"

She looked at Ymir, her gaze softening. "But...after learning that it would happen to you...I didn't want you to be alone."

Ymir's eyes widened, visibly touched.

After hesitating for a moment Ymir pulled Historia into a slightly clumsy hug, which Historia eagerly reciprocated.

They held each other for a few minutes, before the sound of Boris dropping something heavy on his foot and the resulting imprecations brought them back to reality.


DAY THIRTY TWO OF RECONSTRUCTION

Several weeks had passed since the reconstruction process had begun. At the beginning the southern coastal district stood still and silent, a solemn reminder of the Founding Titan's power that had yet to be visited by any humans.

But over time, more and more people began to arrive near the district, until eventually the number had grown to include most of the Scouts and a large number of other military personnel, including the Commanders of each of the branches. There were also some civilians who had come as well.

The reason for their presence was clear. All the outer districts of Wall Historia had been built and settled by the newly restored Eldians, and all of the other coastal districts had likewise been completed. Only the southern district remained, and so many had come to witness the completion of the reconstruction.

Eren, Historia, and the other workers were already directing the remaining Titans to work, and while they mostly seemed bored, since they had done this seven times already, those who had not seen the construction of the other districts were in awe, and even the more reserved soldiers couldn't keep their looks of curiosity and amazement hidden.

A short distance away from the other civilians Zeke and Dina stood side by side, watching the construction unfold.

Dina smiled softly. "Well, this is it. The last one."

Zeke nodded. "Yes. The end is in sight. I'll be glad when this is all over."

Dina turned toward him. "What will you do then?"

Zeke folded his arms. "I'm sure there will still be work to do when it comes to securing Eldia's future. But it would be nice to take a little break. From the reports, there hasn't been a single sighting of any ships along the Southern coast, indicating that Marley was indeed scared away by the presence of the Wall Titans so close to the ocean. And since the Titans didn't go beyond the island, Marley will have a hard time convincing the other nations that the Founding Titan actually is a threat now, and so should leave us alone for the moment."

His eyes darkened. "I just hope we never have to make good on that threat."

Dina frowned. "Indeed. War is an ugly thing. But I can't say I have much sympathy for Marley after everything they've done."

Zeke grimaced. "But Marley's actions are somewhat understandable given the Eldian Empire's bloody history."

Dina looked at him sharply. "But that doesn't justify the atrocities they've perpetuated against the Eldian people for the past 100 years."

Zeke sighed. "I know. The point is that, as long as both sides continue to hold a grudge, the cycle of hatred will continue. Someone has to end it, and I intend to do what I can during the few years I have left."

Dina's eyes widened for a moment before closing. "I'm proud of you."

They stood in silence for a few moments before Zeke spoke again. This time his voice was full of concern.

"Erwin...what did he talk to you about the other day?"

Dina blinked. "Oh...well...he wanted to let me know about the government's plans for the royal bloodline."

Zeke scowled. "They're planning on having you inherit the Beast Titan, aren't they?"

Dina looked at him sharply, shocked at his intuition.

"And not only that, they probably want you to start having more kids as soon as possible in order to maintain the royal bloodline into the future, since it's necessary to activate the Founding Titan."

Zeke looked at his mother anxiously. "Did you agree to their plans?"

Dina's silence was a clear answer.

Zeke looked away with a sigh. "I can understand their reasoning, but it's a lot to ask of someone."

"Yes." Dina spoke quietly. "But...if it's not me, they would probably place that burden on Historia, and she's still so young."

She looked at Zeke calmly. "It may not be fair, but if it's necessary to protect our people I am willing to do what is necessary. Besides, we still have time, so I don't plan to rush into anything. If I marry again, I'll do it for love."

Zeke shook his head. "How idealistic."

He held back some of his other thoughts. While he could see where they were coming from, he still wasn't happy about the idea of Dina being used, in essence, as a breeding animal.

He looked at her softly. "Though I suppose that's to be expected."

He grinned. "I've seen the way you've been staring at Levi."

She blushed, looking mortified. "What?! Was I that obvious?"

Zeke laughed at her expression.

Strange...even though she's my mother, because she hasn't aged during all this time, she feels more like my sister now. Either way, I'll have to keep an eye on Levi just in case. Though he seems like a good man, and if it does happen I'm sure he would treat her right.

His smile faded after Dina returned her gaze toward the district.

Dina...I can't promise that I will never hurt you...but I can promise that I will do what is best for our people.


DAY THIRTY THREE OF RECONSTRUCTION

Mikasa gazed out at the ocean, watching the waves as the light from the setting sun slowly faded away.

As night began to take hold of the sky, Mikasa shifted her gaze toward the massive wall that surrounded the southern Coastal District, the newly christened Port Dina.

At long last, it was over. The resettlement process had officially ended that morning, with the last of the pure Titans being returned to their human form and settled into their new homes.

There was still work to be done, of course. Much of the island was still uncharted, and there were still some logistical details that would take time to sort out.

But none of those required the use of the Founding Titan, and so Eren at long last would be allowed to rest.

She smiled softly and began to head back to their tent.

While she and Eren had been sharing the same tent over the past few weeks, most nights Eren was too tired to do anything other than sleep. She'd respected this and did her best not to bother him too much, but she was hopeful that now that his power was no longer needed, they would have more time to spend together.

She lifted up the flap of the tent and stepped inside.

She'd expected to find Eren asleep, so was surprised to see that he was still awake, and appeared as though he had been waiting for her.

She sat down next to him. "You okay?"

Eren nodded. "Yeah. I'm glad we're finished."

Mikasa hummed in approval.

Eren leaned forward. "Mikasa...I...I have something I want to say."

Mikasa blinked. "Oh?"

As she looked at him up close, she noticed that he looked extremely nervous, which made her slightly worried.

Eren lowered his eyes. "I...I want to apologize for the fact that I'll be leaving you in about eight years. I don't want to, but…"

Mikasa rested her hand on his shoulder. "I know. It's not something you can control."

Despite her assurance, Mikasa couldn't deny that it hurt. She understood why Grisha did what he did, and why it was necessary. But she couldn't help but feel distraught. Eren was the one who had saved her, who had given her a second lease on life. He and Armin had been the only ones she had left after the fall, and both of them meant the world to her. Knowing that she would lose him…

Eren looked at her solemnly. "But even so...I want to make the most of the time I have left. You and Armin are the most important people in my life. That's always been true and always will be true. And I'll do whatever I can to protect you...and to make you happy…"

Eren reached into his pocket and pulled out a small package. As he opened it, Mikasa's eyes widened.

Eren swallowed thickly. "I don't know what these next eight years will bring. But I want to spend them with you. So…"

"Yes." Mikasa whispered.

Inside the package was a small but beautifully ornate ring. On closer examination, Mikasa could tell that the ring was made of hardened Titan crystal, and when she tried it on she found that it fit her perfectly.

She didn't know how he had made it, but in that moment she didn't care. Tears in her eyes, she threw her arms around him, embracing him tightly.

Eren…

While it wouldn't last forever, knowing that he would remain by her side for as long as he could helped soothe her aching heart.


THREE DAYS AFTER RECONSTRUCTION

Hannes looked out at the ocean, genuinely impressed. For his first trip outside of the walls he'd hoped to see something grand, and it didn't get much grander than this.

All along the shore countless civilians were enjoying the sunshine and the waves, basking in the new and enthralling environment. A number of soldiers were also present, officially to keep an eye out for any enemy ships, but mainly also there for recreation.

Getting to Port Dina had been surprisingly easy, if a bit time consuming. As he had been stationed in Trost, all Hannes had to do was keep following the new southern road, passing right by Shiganshina district and later the new Yeager District before finally making it all the way to the coast. While he had been content to live his life behind the walls, he couldn't deny that being able to freely travel beyond them was quite the liberating experience.

As Hannes made his way along the shore, it didn't take long for him to spot the ones he was looking for.

With their feet immersed in the water and bright smiles on their faces stood Eren, Armin, and Mikasa. Once three frightened children, they had grown into fine young adults.

Hannes grinned and called over. "Well, it's been a while since I've seen the three of you."

They turned around and were pleasantly surprised to see him.

"Mr. Hannes!" Armin cried. "What are you doing here?"

Hannes chuckled. "I requested some time off to come and see the newest districts for myself."

He looked out at the sea thoughtfully. "It's so strange. Once upon a time Shiganshina was the furthest south you could go, and look at us now."

For a moment the four of them gazed out at sea, enjoying the peaceful moment.

Eren reminisced over everything he had done since he had returned.

I wasn't perfect. I made some mistakes, and there were still sacrifices that had to be made.

He glanced back at Hannes, his eyes softening. But...in the end...it was worth it...

A moment later, Hannes' expression became more serious.

"There's a war coming, isn't there."

Eren nodded grimly. "...yes."

Hannes sighed. "Those troublemakers from Marley were driven off, but they'll be back at some point, won't they."

Armin frowned. "Probably yes. But at least we're in a position of strength now instead of being helpless and ignorant like we were five years ago."

Hannes folded his arms. "True. But that's no reason to let your guard down. Whatever happens, make sure you three watch out for each other, okay?"

Mikasa gently grabbed Eren's hand and let out a small smile.

"We will." She said softly.

Hannes smiled when he noticed the ring on her finger, though he said nothing.

After a bit Eren, Mikasa, and Armin headed back toward the city.

As they passed, Eren turned toward him.

"Mr. Hannes. I just wanted to say...thank you. For what you did back then."

Hannes nodded silently. A moment later he was by himself in front of the endless expanse of blue that stretched all the way to the horizon.

I don't know what the future holds. But given how far we've come in such a short time, I doubt there's any challenge we can't overcome.

He reached into his jacket and pulled out a flask, and for the first time in five years enjoyed the taste of alcohol passing his lips.


Author's Note: ...so, first of all, really sorry about the long delay. Real life has been a bit crazy the past few months. Part of it has been normal issues and problems, but there was some more serious stuff, in particular a death in the family. I didn't really know them that well, but they were important to my family, so that was a bit stressful and draining. It did teach me a lesson that I will now pass on to you: If you have cancer or some other serious illness, don't lie to the people who care about you and insist that you're fine out of pride or embarrassment or whatever. Don't hide the truth about how you're doing. Because you never know when the disease will suddenly get worse and you just drop dead one day, leaving your loved ones stunned and horrified without warning.

Anyways, moving on to happier topics. This chapter was basically about setting the stage for Paradis's future, and improving the island's infrastructure using the Founding Titan. I hope I did a decent job of explaining how the walls were rebuilt, let me know what you thought. Also, fun fact, one of the new districts was named Ackerman District, though I haven't made up my mind about which one yet.

I actually had the idea for rebuilding the walls fairly early on in the story, and even did the math regarding how many pure Titans there were, how many Wall Titans there were, how long the wall could be if the Titans were on all fours instead of standing up, and so on. Of course a lot of the math is based on speculation, since the original story is a bit vague when it comes to some of these details.

At the moment Zeke is conflicted about his future goals and plans, though he is worried since he now believes (incorrectly) that Eren has been brainwashed by Grisha. And unlike in the canon, he won't be getting a chance to scour through Grisha's memories and find out that this is in fact not true. And Zeke and Levi are now friends in this timeline, which I'll admit I did on purpose because of how hilariously ironic it is in light of how things played out in the canon.

As for Eren's proposal, I know some people might not like it, but I think it fits. Because of the time traveling Eren is older and more mature, and since he traveled back in time instead of seeing a vision of the future, his outlook and goals will be quite a bit different from how they ended up in canon. Plus, it's obvious in the canon that Eren does love Mikasa. Whether this love is romantic in nature is debatable, but he does clearly care about her. And since he's been given a chance to do things over again, I think Eren would be more open to reciprocating Mikasa's feelings. And don't worry, while there may be some hints here and there, romance is not and will not be the focus of the story.

On that note, next chapter will have a time skip, focusing on the characters on the other side of the ocean. Since Reiner is dead, this time Annie will be the main focus, though you'll have to wait and see for the details. Hopefully the next chapter won't take as long to get out, but we'll see.

Oh, one last thing. If you like time traveling AoT stories (And I'm not sure why you would be reading this if you didn't) be sure to check out Not This Time by Rowboat Girlyman. It definitely gets my seal of approval.

Anyways, be sure to leave a review and let me know what you thought.

Oh, also, special thanks to Miqila for beta reading this chapter. Okay, now I think that's everything. I think.