AN: Historia grew up on a farm... Where most of her troubled memories and her false persona were laid... How could I be so blind... The farm-girl growing up to marry a humble, hard-working farmer. It's GENIUS! Well, that's me converted. When would you like me to introduce Farmer-kun? Such a shame his name isn't in the characters drop down menu... And when Eren and Historia had the table convo in Chapter 54, he said she put on a facade, (ahem, façade) My God... The Eren from 01-138 wasn't actually developing or evolving from NPC into a classical Byronic anti-hero, he just put on a façade and fooled us all! SWEET- JESUS, WHAT INCREDIBLE WRITING! We're not worthy! We're not worthy!

CHAPTER III

THE HIEROPHANT

The crisp, spring morning air greeted Historia on the orphanage grounds. This was where she felt most at home. Where she could do the most good for the smallest and weakest among the people of the Walls. And today was a rare day when the Heroes of Shiganshina would all visit the abode to help around the property. Eren sent her three to four letters a week now but they could not compete with his physical presence. Though both had changed. There was an earnest fire and impassioned, self-assured confidence to him that she hadn't seen since his speech to their whole company on that night of their graduation from military training.

But it was accompanied by bouts of sombre melancholy too. She could not help but sympathise when he had related his reliving of Faye's grisly end, Dina's Titanization, Zeke's betrayal of their father and his securement as War Chief because of it. This was all common knowledge to the military of course. But Eren's lived experience of the past; when memories would find cracks in his psyche and seep through to douse him unexpectedly, were only ever really shared with her.

How does one mind contain others and all their cares even for an instant and not break under the strain? she often wondered and she had even theorised that if time was not linear among the Founder's powers, then it explained an unknowable influence on Eren's formative years. The rage, the fever that turned a kind, vivacious boy into a pariah among all the other children in Shiganshina. Eren would huff and grumble and mutter: "I am me. Always have been." And she would titter and remind him that those experiences, whether emanating from past or future had to be random. Otherwise their whole lives, even those who were not connected to the Coordinate, danced on the whims of Ymir's mirror shard broken thoughts - and that route lay madness.

She wanted nothing to do with the Paths and forsaken child gods or the Titans, or even humanity past the Walls; (thought that would not have probably gone down well with Eren). She just wanted Marley to leave them alone. To forgive their impossible inheritance and live for something more than money, oil and war. She knew it was necessary, dammit. For them to defend themselves when the next invasion inevitably came. But all fighting ever caused in the end was the desaturation of a bright soul like Eren's into one who convinced himself he enjoyed it. To adapt his wanderlust to bloodlust even though she considered him a better caretaker than a soldier.

And then there was poor Armin, who she could see already was not fit to adapt to the world he had awoken to. A world that would not care for rhetoric and declarations of goodwill. Only the size and scope of their standing military. Paradis had no such branch of government. A standing military among nations was millions strong and the combined forces of the Military Police and Garrison hovered just under ten thousand. And among even those, who of them could fight on the same tier as the Levi Squad?

In this regard, Floch Forester was the rising star in the Survey Corps. Establishing the need for an efficient, small but elite para-military force that could strike behind enemy lines. His proposals were always rejected by Hange's stern admonishments that striking first, before diplomacy could be established would result in the unification of further enemies against them. That defence to the south was the priority. Grisha's small windows into the outside world not being enough to act as reliable Intel to dare step off their island. Besides, many of the public still clung to the belief that they were alone amongst humanity and had nothing more to fear. For they knew not what the ocean was or what it represented.

Historia knew otherwise. Although she agreed with both parties on certain points, she had seen the sea alongside Eren, within his memories during their sessions. Where they had stood on the borderline parapet that Marley had built for execution by Titan injection under a vermilion sky as Eren Kruger was eaten alive.

"The expanse... It's so big." she wondered, wind whipping around them as he held her to his side and the setting sun glittered off the endless plane of water; both trying to ignore the withered Shifter, who was about to be pulled from the wall by Grisha's bearded fifteen metre Abnormal. They had heard Kruger's final words as well before he had made to inject the doctor. Nothing needed to be said between them as they walked away from the scene along the wall.

"It covers seventy percent of the world's surface." Eren replied. "So many other nations exist outside these lands that we could explore them all our lives on foot and never see every square patch of it."

"And they all hate us..."

"Yep. Well... Hizuru merely loathes us for being our closest ally during the Great Titan War and being hit with economic reparations for a hundred plus years to this day."

"Joy... we can't win against them conventionally, can we?"

"With our population size?" he chided, firm but gentle and she had to concede it was a pipe-dream. "Maybe if my half-brother had it in his heart to Titanize every Eldian on the mainland as an apology for the many kidnapping attempts on my person. But no, not really, that route leads only to defeat."

"What about if we hit a large enough target with Armin to bring them to the negotiating table?"

"If we had a way to reliably insert him and extract him, maybe. But we wouldn't be able to do it clandestinely and in that time they would probably retaliate with everything they have. And I doubt they have any such pillar that holds their corrupt temple up. If anything, we're the only lightning rod that binds them together."

"So, instead of the heroes fighting the monsters. We are the children of monsters who need the Rumbling as a deterrent. But one which we can't even use. Not without impassable caveats."

"...Absolutely. It's entirely off the table as well."

"Something you want to tell me?"

"Nu-uh. It's not very pleasant thought."

"Hmm... Your ear lobes are turning red. That's your keeping things bottled up tell after all; Mikasa told me so I could keep you in line if you thought to heroically over-work yourself."

"She what?!"

"AHA!" Historia shrilled. "she told me no such thing! Caught red-handed! Or should that be red-eared?"

"Pitch, woman! You nearly blew my ear-drum!"

"So what's your secret master, five chessboard games at a time, mega, chocolate-syrup covered, raspberry sprinkled plan?"

"To figure out why the ladies in my life are all expert Titan killers and I just happen to be a Titan."

"Oh, the tragedy!"

"I came with a lot of baggage." he shrugged idly. "You knew this when you decided to love me but if you want to check me in at claims..."

"Oh, so we're playing it that way, huh, crybaby? Want to find out what happens when I push you off this wall?"

"You couldn't..." But instantly her hands were all over his clothes, yanking at him like a puppy. "Hey! Watch the merchandise! This is futile, His-ooph!" She'd head-butt charged him in the belly like a ewe, winding him even through his bricklayer abdomen. What's her skull made off?! he groaned internally, she was now clambering over him like a golden squirrel. "You're a tiny titch! A pygmy peewee! A microscopic shrimp!" he managed to gasp as he wheezed through deep belly laughs.

Historia mock gasped in outrage, mortally offended. She hopped off him in a perfect dismount, then adopted an exaggerated, aristocratic noblewoman's voice and bearing.

"Why you lanky, scruffy, scarecrow-looking! Stealing Armin's verbose vocabulary won't save you now! I threw my father over my shoulder with one hand and a hip turn! I'll show you!"

"Alright! Alright!" He cried out hands held up in the universal gesture of supplication. "You can fling me but I get to drag you with me, deal?"

Historia returned to her tougher, rural accent.

"Only if your martial arts are all they're cracked up to be, buster."

"Changed my mind, Won't need them for this!" He answered smugly, before shucking his coat off and holding it up like a matador's cape.

"No more head-long dashes for you, missy!"

"Oh no... Don't you dare..." she warned, sounding far too sunny and expectant to be intimidating.

"Dare this!"

"EReghggf!" she managed before he engulfed her whole head and body inside the coat, feet kicking the air uselessly as he swung her about like a merry-go-round.

She had just managed to pop her head out over his shoulder, when even through the dizziness and joy she realised that Eren was about to spin them over the edge to the rocks below.

"Eren! We're going to - !"

"I knoooooooo!"

Why is my scream so UNDIGNIFIIIED?! she thought ridiculously and inappropriately as she clutched him to her chest while they fell not down but up into the sky, though the ground had disappeared and there was no direction to orient anymore.

They were going at a speed faster than any ODM-Gear could carry them and eventually Historia had to concede that screaming wasn't affecting how they were floating in a burnt orange void, fading into blue with stars and branches of cosmic dust reaching out in far gone trails.

"The normal laws of the world work pretty different in lucid dreams, don't they?" Eren chuckled, his voice soft and quiet yet eminently hearable despite the passage of buffeting air, vibrating humour and warmth into her.

"You didn't think to tell me that before?!"

"Where would the fun and surprise be?"

"Grrr!"

"Watch out for the whip-la-"

They awoke with a jolt, sitting, hands still joined across the tabletop. And like any false slumber when you suffered a phantom fall, your whole body flinched violently.

For her reaction, Historia slammed her knees into the under-hanging lip of the table at full-speed; while Eren only flinched minutely.

"MOTHER... FUUUuuu..." she couldn't complete the curse as pain bloomed right from the twin spots to her gut and her head in a dizzying swirl.

He was around the table and beside her in a flash. "Historia! What happened?!"

"Whacked - my kneee-caps... and my shiiins... whooole leegs it feeels liike..." she whimpered, half giggling as the endorphins kicked in.

"We need to see if you broke the skin."

"I didn't. Just rub them better, you bozo."

"As you command, your grace."

Historia had been just about to reach the highest shelf in the pantry. Standing atop a chair to reach the biscuit tin, the door only slightly ajar to warn her in case one of the tykes tried to peak around the jamb and locate the secret stash. When she heard the altercation in the kitchen area and couldn't help but freeze. Gossip-mongering had been Ymir's favourite past-time when off training and she'd corrupted her.

"Armin! Just the man I wanted to see!" she recognised Floch's playful voice anywhere.

"Floch, you're looking well. How - how's the work with the recruits going?"

"Oh, it's fantastic. Show them the 99% death toll we suffered last mission and they barely bat an eye. Victory breeds popularity like flies to a Titan pellet. I literally have hundreds of early applications for the Corps to hand over to the commandants and the captain. He and Shadis weren't best pleased!"

"Heh, that's wonderful, Floch. Wh-what did you need me for?"

"Well, it's like this. We're having an outdoor biergarten this weekend to drum up more support and get those key positions in the Corps filled up. Eren's attending... You're game, right?"

"Is it in the Interior?"

"Mm, nope, all the way over in Krolva District. Shame, I mean that's the fifth time you've turned me down, man. I'm guessing you have work in Mitras?"

"No, i-in Stohess actually. Annie's been moved to a new cellar under the Survey Corps' jurisdiction finally, since the old guard burned a lot of documents that held state secrets when the coup turned against them, she was effectively lost in a bureaucratic kerfuffle because the Interior Police had moved her in the interim-"

"Annie."

"What?"

"You called her Annie... Like she's a friend or something." Even through the crack in the door, Historia could see Floch was smiling, but it didn't reach his eyes; it was a tense, ugly thing.

"Well - "

"Didn't that traitor murder your class teacher? Ness, was it? Good man, loyal, friendly, true. He gave those of us in the Garrison Regiment advanced ODM-Gear seminars. Ringing any bells?"

"I - I j-just w-w-"

"Stop stuttering you mop-headed chuckle-fuck!"

"Floch... I - I know that you hate me for- "

"I don't hate you, Armin." Floch gritted out. "I hate what you've become. Hange told you that Erwin's life was yours to shoulder and yet you haven't come to a single meeting I've organised to restructure the military and our tactics. You haven't trained the Colossus's power in the quarries provided. You haven't even written up one report of Hoover's memories when Eren has made dozens with his father's recollections, urging the brass to shake-down the Cadet Corps and transition from Titan-slaying to anti-personnel training. More time has passed than you've ever had at your disposal since Trost and you've done nothing to better our situation."

Armin looked at his shoes, shame-faced. "You're right, Floch."

"I don't want to be! I want you to prove me wrong! Me and Eren could use your help! He told me you've always been a great speaker. How you intimidated that lunatic, Weilman, into silence long enough for Pyxis to arrive. But you're not a diplomat who should wait for the call, you're a soldier who should jump at it! Or have you forgotten?!"

"...No."

"Could have fooled me. Nearly no-one in the Walls knows about your part in bringing down humanity's single greatest threat because you won't accept your laurels and instead hide away from your responsibility. And you died well, Armin. As well as Erwin or Marlowe. Better even, because you fought through fear faster than us and endured that much pain without your heart exploding. And now I doubly wish you'd never clung to life."

"...Didn't ask to be -" he muttered.

"What was that?"

"I didn't ask to be brought back!" Armin challenged, stronger this time.

Floch was dumbfounded.

"Didn't... Ask... To be... Brought back." Floch stepped right up into Armin's personal space, glowering down at him, face a rictus of fury.

"Every one of my friends died in that charge. Comrades I'd convinced to join up for the reclamation died in that charge. For this... So you could resent the life you were given. The second chance that you and no-one else - were given. I guess the world can have you throw away all the most precious things to you and still have you gain nothing in return. You're living proof. But that's all right, because now I can forget all about you. The man who will lead this country will be a lot more impressive. A lot more powerful. Tell you what, Armin... If your life is such a - burden, then die... Go up to Eren and ask him to eat your sorry ass alive. The island only needs one icon, one hero and it would be cool to see if he could change his height on a whim." He snarled, barging past Armin who was now sobbing pitifully.

Historia stayed perched on the stool in the pantry until she heard Armin leave.

She later managed to find the puffy-eyed blonde later that day and hand him the royal writ she'd penned and sealed. It gave him permission to access their Warrior prisoner. Armin had made the request by proxy, using Eren to ask on his behalf through his many letters.

"Liberio is right by the sea. Annually, select Eldian families would be granted permission to go to a segregated area of beach. That's how my father, how I, through his eyes saw the ocean for the first time, alongside Faye and my grandparents. That was one of their last halcyon days."

"Yet you showed it to me?"

"Seeing it with you would make it new again. You ground me even within the memories, make me feel present, whole."

"Stop it, you can't just say things like that and not expect me to - !"

"You're gorgeous when you turn strawberries and cream like that. And it's true! I am a truth teller."

"Heart-breaker more like! What decree should I pass to punish you once Mikasa snatches you away for a romantic stroll on the beach? You offer her the real deal right and I get moving colour photographs?"

"You've got me there, majesty. I did protest vehemently to Premier Zackly that you be allowed to ride with us in full battle regalia, like the Valkyries of legend. Alas, alack, he booted me on the backside out of the door at the suggestion. I wonder why?"

Historia harrumphed, pouting adorably. Then changed the subject.

"You say your predecessors, or should that be descendants have collated into a single being who... tutors you in Titan physics like I teach the children their A B Cs?"

"I wouldn't call it something as banal as tutoring..." he griped, scratching his head. "The memories are locked away to prevent "cache overload" of my brainbox, as he, I, It says, but I get the strong association that he beats the living shit out of me every night under the guise of combat training. Probably for a good few months. The learned experiences are retained."

"There wouldn't be much point now would it if they weren't. Well go on, show me your moves!"

Eren grinned and took up a stance, feet pointed perfectly straight and perpendicular, fists pressed to his jaw-line, elbows covering his floating ribs, loose, pantherish.

Sexy. Historia caught herself thinking.

With what the queen could only consider ludicrously good technique to her admittedly inexperienced eye, Eren threw five different three-hit combination punches like lightning. His arms a blur, across his central line but his shoulders, clavicle and eyeline frozen in place like arctic tundra. Puffs of dirt and torn grass exploded under the balls of his feet as he channelled that energy through his legs and trunk in dynamic but impeccably controlled footwork. His explosive puffs of heavy breathing, like some lean bullock, were also doing something to her.

"Bravo! Excellent display but Gerald won't be pleased with you. He just trimmed and even cleared the cut grass there this morning so well."

"Who? The flat-capped lad with the big nose? Fuck him."

"He's the only one you will at this rate. And - wait... a minute ago, you said... it felt as if you'd been in just the one dream for months? And you have them every night without fail?"

"Yes, I do and longer, probably than I can discern. There's a universe's worth of scope in a sunflower seed within that realm. No life, no death, no time and space."

"And you can come back from that place? Not drown in it?"

"I told you already, didn't I? You're the lifeline that pulls me from that abyss. No matter for how long I'm consumed. Or whatever wreckage I leave behind me."

There was a rumbling all her own in Historia's breast at that and she could feel her face burning.

"Alright! You'll pay for that, Eren! I want a reward, that'll be your punishment if anyone spies us." she declared as she pulled his grinning mug by his father's old black jacket around the corner.

AN: Next chapter will be the decider, guys! Does Eren convince Mikasa and Armin to his point of view after the famous point to the horizon scene? Meaning I'll be going full AU compared to the last three arcs and snowballing into Emperor Eren territory probably because of it. Or should Eren keep his cards close to his heart still? From what we know in the manga these Ereh simps would kill the whole world alongside him if he actually tried to argue his point even once on the matter. Yet he never does and nothing occurs between them, in fact they are alienated almost entirely from this moment on. With the railroad scene being the ONLY character moment between them all again post time skip. Oh, Armin you used to be a Unit in Season 1, then you became Yams' writer's pet and 21st century moral pundit; like Tyrion was for Dumb & Dumber. "But don't worry... I'll just make a few..." (draws gelding knife) "Alterations."