Chapter 11:

Legend of the Titan's Son

Carla was tough on the three trainees within the first week. To improve their stamina, Carla makes Aimi, Eleanor and Milo do cardio in the morning with huge backpacks filled with sands to run for about 20 minutes a day. Then to strengthen , Carla then makes them follow after workout doing a spilt routine (two body parts per day) segmented into super sets to maximize hypertrophy (muscle growth).

The circuit training consisted of;

-Lunges

-Pushups

-Squat

-Pullups

-Burpees

After lunch they do strategy work, something that Carla did admit wasn't her favourite thing to do but done her best to teach it. Giving the understanding of the purpose of titan weapons, the roles within the Military, and eventually the history of Paradis Island, the walls and history. It was fun for Carla then because Milo, who already knew briefly about the islands' history began to talk about the future. It was interesting for Carla to listen to Milo, especially when it came to talking about the ODM gear and the various titan weapons, being able to comment on various faults of the equipment and how we would improve it.

Before Milo, Aimi and Eleanor knew it, the first week was already up. Carla had instructed them that the maneuver work will begin the second week, allowing the weekend to take it more easier to rest up. Milo for the first week found it incredibly challenging, eating more also at making it close on multiple occasions to throw up. But thanks to Carla, she allows him to rest a little longer than Aimi and Eleanor in order to let his stomach settle.

For the trio, they still missed home greatly. However because of many days of training, spending time and getting to know Carla made the pain of missing home that much easier. It was almost like the world of the titans was everyday life for them. Their days were bright, fun, and familiar like the weeks before they were sucked into this world with Titans. Aimi Ackerman, sitting outside the windowsill in the early hours of the morning; watched the sun rise for another day. Memorised by the golden sun beginning to give life to the world around her. Aimi then is sitting, hoping to herself as Milo and Eleanor were still sound asleep. Her face relaxed even though Aimi's grey eyes showed depths of concern, seeking for answers from the rising sun as she goes; " I hope Kai and Emet are okay..."

"Step forward Kai Arlert and Emet Ackerman." Commander Hunter ordered, waiting for the two men to stand beside him in front of the members of the Survey Corps.

They were still within the titan forest. For the past week, Kai and Emet hadn't done much, putting more stress on mister Arlert to figure out how to prove they were from the future. Kai had no longer just proving his truth, but he almost began to stress about how he was going to train Emet, realising if he did try to work with Emet- it meant exposing the rest of the Survey Corps about his friend's abilities. It was something he had to consider to the Commander and in response Hunter assured his soldiers will keep their mouths shut, allowing Kai and Emet to do their thing if it meant they can prove themselves.

There all the shoulders stare coldly at Kai and Emet, all of them looked as tough as the other. It was rumoured in the training academy that the survey corps were a cruel branch ever since Hunter was the commander. He wanted the toughest, resilient and ferocious men. They're energy makes that point clear to Kai as he felt out of place, for he was a confident and cheerful sort of guy. However Emet looked a better fit, looking disinterested in the Survey Corps as they shared the same feelings towards him.

"Yous will be exposed to something unearthing. You are bonded together to bring freedom to humanity, seek knowledge about the outside world and risk your lives to kill the titans. It is today you will gain knowledge. Emet Ackerman..." Hunter finished, making Emet turn his violet eyes to look at the Commander, "You are to reveal your identity to them. For my men to trust you, they must know who you truly are."

Emet wasn't keen on how the Commander requested to show who he 'truly' is. To him, Emet knew himself as was a young man, minding his own damn business and in less than a month ago ended up in a timeline where these giant ass humanoids apparently try eat everyone on sight. To then recently, above all wonders, he's one of them. Emet sighed in his thoughts groaning, 'I don't recall wanting to eat Aimi whenever I was a kid...'

Emet began to walk off, allowing Hunter, Kai and the following soldiers out into the open of the Titan forest. When all soldiers reach the open as the sun hits the lower body, the trees above them still shadowing the rest of them. Hunter halts his fist mid-air as a signal, making everyone stop in line with him bar Emet who was ahead to continue on.

Eventually Emet noticed the sudden stop of many footsteps as a sign to stop walking. There he turned to face the crowd , waiting for him to show what he was hiding. Emet then tried to find something to use to do what he needed, realising he didn't have it and shouted over to Kai;

"I need a knife."

"No you don't!" Kai replied, "you can inflict any form of pain- as long as you have a clear goal. You should be able to do it!"

"What, so snap my neck?" Emet sarcastically implied, tilting his stiffened neck to one side and let's it stretch for a moment.

"No!" Kai eye rolled, remembering something from his past when he answered to Emet. Kai excitedly clicked his fingers in confidence and suggested, "Bite your hand."

"What the actual fuck-"

"Emet." Kai passively warned, extending his arms low-key to indicate all the soldiers particularly Hunger impatiently waiting.

Emet huffed. His eyes began to naturally drift to his right hand, now a chosen victim. To him he wondered why was this a technique on how to transform, it was stupid. Couldn't not just be a call of demand? There Emet opens up his hands, arching his arm up just so his hand was beneath his chin. There in seconds Emet snapped his teeth viciously onto the soft part of his hand (the mount of venus); whilst his blood was spluttering everywhere.

Everyone gasped when sudden lightening and thunder from above struck the earth, making them cover their eyes as a bright light blinded them, the strong gushes of wind smacking their bodiesl. Eventually the storm ended, allowing everyone to try see what's in front of them only to gasp once more in mixture of amazement, horror, fright and all mutually shocked to see a Titan in front of them growling down at them.

From the perspective of the shoulders, Emet straightened up, grumbling away as he analysed his surroundings before taking a few steps closer to them all. The soldiers then panicked all starting to back off, some of them even pulling out their ultra steel blades ready to attack.

Hunter on the other Hand walked forward till he was engulfed by the Titans shadow, turning to face his comrades explaining,

"Emet Ackerman is cursed as a Titan. However, he has given his power to us. He'll be under our control alongside Kai Arlert. No one else is to get involved."

Everyone looked to Kai, making him chuckling awkwardly with the many eyes on him.

"If any of yous are to repeat a word of this outside the Survey Corps. You'll deal with me with no trace of mercy." Hunter growled, making some of the shoulders nod quickly to him.

There was something in Hunter's expression that made him look he'll do anything to get things his way. It was rumoured he'll put many shoulders to their death, reaching a goal of whatever it may be even his own comrades lives.

"Kai Arlert." Hunter named coldly, "You may have the freedom to work with Emet. Go get started and return to where we first were earlier this week."

Kai nods and shouted up the titan, "Lead the way, Emet!"

The attack Titan, or Emet Ackerman doesn't answer or grumble a sound as he begins to stomp forward. The shoulders spilt apart both ways, wowed to see Emet and Kai return in the forest. Their voices giving mixed opinions about the whole situation. Kai used his ODM gear and lands on the top of Emet's shoulder close to his neck, stabling himself as he laid his hand against Emet's thick titan neck.

"I have no idea how we're gonna do this." Kai spoke to the titan, "I mean, we can try see how often you can transform, if you can talk... or-"

Emet snorted, trying to communicate but the answer revealed the attack titan wasn't able to so.

"Well , you understand don't you?"

Emet growled in a low rasp, giving his answer and was now squeezing the odd time in between the trees due to his size.

"Well that's great, not talking to myself like I usually do with you!" Kai joked, patting the nape of the titan before signing aloud, "I'll figure out something. I'm going to have to figure what thing I should tell Hunter about the future. It needs to be something I can show... "

As Kai is listing things to show, what him or Emet doesn't notice is high above the trees is a hooded figure peering down on them, watching them wonder deeper into the woods.

Completely oblivious to this figure, Kai tapped on "We can tell them about the walls! Oh no.. I shouldn't do that, would have to break thought it and I am sure that will cause one big uprising... ahhh... this is so much harder than I thought. Well, let's do this instead! In case someone saw you, maybe even tried to kill you. You have to protect yourself, right? Such as when captain Carla whooped your ass!"

Emet stopped, turn his head and growled, unliking what he heard as Kai gave a playful smug to the titan, "well, the only way to kill you is to cut you open from its nape. We'll do a breach of attack exercise. I'll pretend to be the attacker and you defend your nape at all costs. Got it?"

Withoutagreeing, Kai shoots for the nearest tree, pulling out two ultra steel blades as he was now airborne. There Kai changed directions and was now coming in full speed for Emets neck. Emet dodged Kai's charge by ducking and immediately began to sprint through the forest. Kai chased after Emet, the pair roaming in the forest. The hooded figure watched, due to being so high up, they couldn't hear the conversation. When they watched Emet try to run away from the other soldier, the figure swinged out their ultra steel blades and too started the chase.

Kai was enjoying this, back flipping for the tallest branch before soring like a bullet in the air. He stopped himself by landing on a branch, grinning in complete bliss. To him he felt like he can fly, he eyed for Emet down below. There Emet stopped running, searching in midst the trees for Kai.

Kai hunched over, smirking when he grips tighter against the handle of his sword, "Well, let's see if I can take a Titan down myself while we're doing this."

He jumped, flying down without the use of the gear as he avoided to make a noise with the gas due to the ODM gear. He counts to 5, sapping one of the hooks for the tree closet to Emet as the other impelled Emet's spine, causing a roar to follow from the titan. Kai laughed, pulling both blades across his left shoulder as he prepared to cut through Emet's nape.

"I told you to protect your nape!" Kai laughed, seconds away from successfully beating Emet, only for a figure from behind swoop past and slice at Emet's nape themselves.

Emet felt a rush of air expose his back along a slice of blades managing to cut right across his own back as wheezed in pain,

"WHAT THE HELL KAI!"

"EMET!" Kai's voiced from behind shouted, sounding panicked, "LET GO OF ME!"

"Huh?" Emet questioned, confused on what was happening and pushes himself up from his titan. Now exposed to the air, Emet looked behind him to see a figure holding Kai in the air taking him into the trees, not realising Emet's human appearance from the supposedly dead titans as Kai continued to shout out,

"HEY! THE COMMANDER TOLD NO ONE TO GET INVOLVED! YOU COULD'VE KILLED HIM!"

"What are you talking about? I had to kill that Titan! How did it get inside the walls?!" A young male young demanded, letting Kai go when they land on a very high up branch.

Emet gritted his teeth, oblivious that he could've got killed and wondered, "Who's that guy.. Asshole. The commander must've wanted someone else to tag along in training.." He pushes himself back in in his titan, feeling it's nape sealed itself up again and like a toy switched on he awakens his titan by unleashing a fierce roar.

Both Kai and the hooded man turned their attention to the roar. The man underneath the hood appeared to be shaken as he gasped, "But I cut its nape. Why isn't it dead?"

Kai shook his head, shouting down to the titan, "EMET WAIT DOWN THERE, I GOT THIS!"

The hooded figure was about to attack but froze when he heard Kai's orders, seeing that the titan barely moved an inch as it's purple eyes were on to them like prey. Kai stands up, brushing off the moss that covered him all over, "Look, you related to Carla or something? This happened to us last time being sprung up like that."

The mention of a woman's name made the man turn his head, the blackness within the hood of his cloak revealed a reddish brown eye glaring and yelled at Kai, "Now is our chance. We have to put a stop to this titan."

"That's not necessary."

The reddish eye man pulled out his swords, "A titan has gotten inside the walls, we have to stop him. What team are you in? I have never seen you before, you new?"

"Team?" Kai raised his eyebrow, uncertain what the figure meant.

A sigh escaped the hood, shaking it's head before he left from the branch going, "We don't have time for this. Stay here then."

Kai reacted quickly, pouncing for the hooded man's wrist and yanked him back. The man cursed, using the wrist Kai had grabbed to swing back and managed to smack Kai in the face. Kai stumbled away, recomposing quickly and uses a duck under technique in order to body slam the man against the truck of the tree. There the man's hood exposed his face, showing numerous scars, particularly a damaged right eye, rendering it useless. The young man had pale skin and reddish shoulder length hair. He appeared to be around the same age as Kai, clenching his teeth as he manged to punch Kai from under his stomach;

"What on earth is wrong with you!?"

Kai stepped back, spitting excess salvia lifting his fists to a fight like stance, "I was asking you the same thing."

The man looked down, seeing the titan hadn't flinched at all and was watching from below. His expression loosened a little, wondering why the monster wasn't trying to pull them under or attack. Nothing was making sense.

"Look, that titan isn't a regular titan." Kai explained, "He's a titan shifter."

The reddish eye man was confused, arching his eyebrow at Kai who looked deadly serious; "A titan shifter? What's that?"

"A individual who can become a titan."

For some reason, the man appeared offended as he barked at Kai; "Are you trying to mock me?"

Kai lowered his stance, wondering how he managed to offend him; "Mocking you, how am I?"

There the man glared, marching his way up to Kai head on and warned as the only eye he had flared like fire; "Listen, I saved your life and here you are mocking something that isn't even real. When I'm done with this titan, you and I will head back to speak with Carlo Pikale. I'm not putting up with that."

The man jumped in great speed away rom Kai, swinging out his blades and shouts down, "I KNEW YOU TITANS WILL BREACH THE WALLS! WELL NOT ON MY WATCH!"

Emet inside his titan form spots a man falling down to him, frowning as he sees it wasn't Kai and was then unsure what to do. It appeared to be a member from the Survey corps. But why was he going against the Commander and looked like he was ready to slaughter him? 'Maybe this part of Kai's training exercise..' Emet's inner voice wondered, deciding to play along and prepares for the attack, lifting his titan arm and slammed his hand on his nape. The man above him gasped, his voice shaking to see the titan was protecting itself.

'He knows I was going for its neck..' The man's voice within his head whispered, his red toned eye shaking in confusion.

"STOP!" Kai yelled, falling after the man ahead of him. Kai wasn't sure what to do, thinking that if the man didn't believe what he was saying, he had to get Emet out of the situation. The only thing Kai was relieved about was Emet was unintentionally covering his nape, preventing the man to go in for the kill.

"GET HIM!" Hunter, who appeared out of nowhere ordered his men to go after the figure who was after Emet. Shock appeared on the strangers face, making Kai curious as he snapped one of his hooks onto a branch and perched himself there to see the man do the same 5 metres below. What came to surprise was the man doesn't resist, he froze in confusion, looking at all of the soldiers appear around him and grab hold of his arms.

"Why.. Why are you's stopping me? That's.. a titan.. don't you see it? Wait, who even are you's guys?" The man's voice barely spoke, staring down at the titan that lifted his hand away from its nape.

Hunter pounced in front of the man, taken aback to notice the individual was in a Survey Corps uniform; "You. I have never seen you before. How are you in my regiment?"

Wanting to hear better, Kai moved his way to Hunter, the soldiers and the now retained man. The bewildered man screwed up his face, looking at the Commander as if he had two heads going, "No, who are you? You can't be in charge of the scouts."

Hunter scoffed, "Soldier, I am Commander Hunter. Don't play dumb with me, I have enough of yous random men just appearing out of nowhere with ignorance."

"But you can't be? The commander is Carlo. Where is he?"

"Carlo? Carlo, who?" Hunter's face was confused, wondering if the man in front of him was mentally unwell. "Have you hit your head son?"

The man gritted his teeth, starting to lose his temper; "Look enough playing around. I am Kuklo Mansel, leader of Team One within the Survey Corps. I want to be released and for someone to explain to me why you's are letting a titan lose amongst the walls!? Are you's now part of the titan worshippers?!"

The soldiers, Kai and including Hunter were now muddled up by this man claiming who he was. In Kai's mind however, he couldn't help but want to ask a certain question. Before Kai does he started to examine Kuklo Mansel, knowing something was off. He noticed his ODM looked more rusted, plated in gold rather than hard steel silver, indicating it was an older model. His gut was onto something,

"Wait, you said you're in the Survey Corps, right?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Kuklo implied, his uniform giving it a clear answer.

"What year?"

"795." Kuklo answered, making the soldiers and Hunter aghast on what they heard. "But that doesn't answer any of my questions, the hell is a titan doing inside the-"

When Kuklo was wanting answers, he happened to hear sudden ripping from below him, the smoke oozing out behind of the titan and what brought pure horror to him was a man growing out of it. The figure in the smoke walking out, revealing Emet Ackerman as he reached the end of his titans shoulder. The two make eye contact, leaving Kuklo face to go complete pale, almost to a death like colour to what he has just seen.

"No. No... He's.. He's a titan.." Kukulo stuttered, becoming more and more faint as his legs began to give in, his vision almost blurred by black dots. Kai stepped forward, his voice becoming unavoidable to Kuklo.

Kai, trying to reach out to the Kuklo asking, "Kuklo, you alright? Double checking if that's your name. Hey Kuklo, don't-"

It was too late, Kuklo Mansel, a solider who clamed to be from the year 795, had collapsed to the ground like a rag doll cut from its strings. The soldiers who had him by the managed to prevent him from smacking his head. Kai too felt uneasy, thinking about what the man had told before he fainted was true. Hunter ordered the soldiers to take Kuklo back to camp whilst telling Kai to get Emet, leaving no time for juvenile Kai to think on what just happened.

"Kuklo..." Armin mused, "I feel like I recognise the name."

"You never mentioned anyone you knew called Kuklo, though." Eren beside commented, "He says he's from 795. That's less than 50 years the walls existed in Paradis."

Eren had recovered after his meltdown, he walked in what felt like hours. Though through the trudges, Eren had to accept what he had committed and if it meant watching his mother alive, watching her oblivious to her fate and the stress of Armin and Mikasa's children lost in time (powerless to even help them). Eren had to push forward, bite the bullet and get on with it. When he returned, Mikasa had been waiting for him patiently. No words were exchanged between them bar Mikasa's kind eyes conveying her understanding, remembering of what she knew and how she felt about. That was what drove him in a deep frenzy about Mikasa, her loyalty never seems to die, even after all these years. He wanted to know everything about her current life, dying to know how she's been. Even though he was dead, he still felt connected to her through spirt, something he wanted to tell Mikasa the past while but couldn't when Armin was around. It wasn't because of it being uncomfortable, it's because both of them were prioritising their children; watching them religiously to ensure their safety. Eren completely understood, but couldn't help but struggle to connect, almost as if he was out of the picture. It made Eren realise his friends truly did live on, moving forward- even without him no longer being a part of it.

"Do you believe him?" Mikasa asked, "I mean it's strange that when Kai and Emet are from the future, some random person says their from the past straight after. It's going to make things harder for Kai to prove what he saying is true."

"But why would Kuklo say that though?" Armin interjected, moving to face Mikasa and Eren, "Why did he try to attack a titan against his commander, against his whole regiment, not to mention- he stated team.. Survey corps don't use the word teams, it's squads now. Quite old fashioned. Then Kuklo confidently goes against Hunter to say he's not the current leader, and his ODM gear looked well off too. It almost looks like it's one of the first ones developed."

Eren folded his arms, titling his head to the side as he recalled when Kuklo got defensive about Kai's statement about the idea of a titan shifter. 'Mocking..' That word was an interesting remark, "He mentioned about being mocked, too."

"That's right." Armin agreed, scratching his chin pondering in his thoughts. "Now I really feel like I heard his name.. It's not a common name, but I heard it from somewhere... I wonder... If we can find a way ourselves to see who he is, whether or not if he is from that year."

"We could, but we can't"." Eren sighed, "My abilities have became dormant ever since we got in here."

"You can try again." Armin insisted, "I mean, it's going back in time, whereas when you were trying to reach Kai and the rest during a present event... If.. that makes sense?"

"It does." Eren accorded, closing his eyes to focus, envisioning Kuklo to ensure he had a clear image in his head. There Eren can see Kuklo Manson perfectly as he stood alone in a dark orb. He had slim build, and an average height. His visible reddish brown eye, the same as his hair, which is shoulder length was staring straight head on in Eren's point of view. "Suppose it's worth a shot."

"Do you have to do anything in particul-oh.! Mikasa was startled, memorised to see the paths seemingly change into a landscape. the The stars disappearing into blue, forming various clouds above them and there the sand begins to rise into walls and those walls grew bigger and bigger. Mikasa watched everything around her form a town, seeing Armin too was entranced by it all until eventually they realised they were in Shiganshina District. Eren opened his eyes, taken aback to see his founding abilities had worked this time. Not a single chain, nothing, was holding him back.

"It worked!" Armin praised, facing Eren in bliss and held his friend by the shoulders.

"Guess it did," Eren smiled meekly, looking over to Mikasa who was still awe after what she saw. His eyes seeing her memorised by it, making him feel a sense of accomplishment.

Mikasa was aware of how incredible Eren's founding abilities were after access by Ymir in both horrible yet amazing ways, he announced the rumbling, but also was able to create different realities like he did with her in Switzerland. Now he was able to get into other people's memories throughout time. It was honestly a gift for such power, but yet a curse when used wrongly. However, this memorising moment ended quickly as figures of black cloaks were walking through the three, led by a heavily pregnant woman with long dark brown hair towards the gates that led to the outside world. Peaking Eren's interest, he leads the other two closer to the scene. There stood by the gates were the survey corps, now faced by the pregnant woman.

"My wish...Our wish is simple; To open the gates at once. That is all!" The woman demanded, her face sunken in, the depth of nothingness in her eyes at the soldiers who were led by two young men.

Eren, Armin and Mikasa were stunned at this woman. No one, not a single soul would want a titan to enter the walls, why does she want them inside?

"ELENA!" A dark haired man shouted, running over to her in panic, "What are you doing?! Why are you leading these lunatics?! I thought you were-"

There the man stopped, feeling as if he was staring into a corpse as she blankly didn't respond. Mikasa stood closer to Eren, feeling a sense of discomfort and when she looked up to see how Eren was feeling he was already looking down at her. His eyes were calm, reaching for her hand and gently squeezes it. "This isn't like you."

"I know. This may be in the past, just feels... To real." Mikasa admitted, looking now back to the sequence taking place.

When listening further, the woman Elena happened to of experienced a tragic background after she lost her husband Heath Mansel, a squad leader of the Survey Corps due to getting eaten by a titan as his head swung across the wall. It left the widow traumatised, resulting her to join with a titan cult.

"OPEN THE GATE!" Eleanor screeched, "DELIVER US TO THE TITANS!"

"OPEN THE GATE! OPEN THE GATE!" The cult chanted after Elena, their hands the air like a praise, begging for their wish to be granted.

"For fuck sake." Eren cursed, feeling slight disgust at the cult, "I'm struggling to feel sorry for them."

"I do." Armin thought aloud, "It's truly devastating. It doesn't surprise me, the fear the titans left the early remains of humanity to chaos. If it is true about Kuklo, humanity only lived in the walls for around 30 years."

"Look!" Mikasa pointed up, showing three cloaked men had hostage a man who looked like an official from the royal cart by the roof of the gate. The middle cloaked figure framing his axe behind the feared suiter's neck.

The liberty bell of Shiganshina began to gong and caused the atmosphere to darken quite quickly. The crowd of worshippers were still chanting demonically, Elena now joining their cries. Armin, Eren and Mikasa only watched the man who was kneeling, crying as behind him the black fabric worshipper swung his axe in the air, slamming it viciously as the offical was beheaded before the very eyes of the Survey Corps, the public and too the worshippers. Armin winched at the sight, closing his eyes in cringe. Eren and Mikasa grabbed their hands tighter, feeling as those they've been slapped in the face or facing a reflection in a mirror. Eren could feel his neck soften, almost like he felt Mikasa's blade slice his neck all those years ago again. As for Mikasa, she felt her chest sink to the pits of her stomach, remembering beheading and sacrificing the one she loved more than anything. Who knew, watching it from another perspective felt close to home.

"GIVE US FREEDOM!" Eleana hollowed like mad woman, "TRUE FREEDOM!"

Eren was phased by the concept of true as he flatly recited to himself, "True freedom." It was something Eren didn't fully understand anymore, thinking to himself what it is to be truly free.

Right there, the gates of Shiganshina began to rise, following with thuds of something huge emerging from exposed opening. From where Eren, Armin and Mikasa were watching; a titan crawled through. It was 10 metres, grabbing many members of the survey corps, all members of the cult and now the citizens of Shiganshina. There the titan continued to dominant the town, stamping on children, devouring many. The sky above them darkened as the clouds covered the sun, suiting the energy of devastation that was brought to Eldians of Paradis.

"The cycle repeats... As Humanity faced the titans inside the walls... even before Bertolt came." Armin sighed, almost un-phased by it along with Eren and Mikasa. Their thought agreeing with Armin, feeling like they were reliving their day as well in the year 845.

Thankfully the gate was sealed immediately after the titan was welcomed in, and eventually that titan was put to an end. It was evident the soldiers struggled, as Eren Armin and Mikasa realised the men didn't have the ODM gear to handle the situation, only one man had one, a very early developed version of it.

"If this is Kuklo's past. Then it's true." Eren concluded, "But.. Where is he?"

It wasn't long until they followed two soldiers, one of them being the man who begged Elena to catch on to their senses stare fearfully at titan vomit, containing the many lives who were devoured.

"Look at that! It's Elena!" A soldier pointed out, disgusted to see her body distorted with the pile of the dead.

Eren had noticed one of the soldiers was staring particularly at the woman who was responsible for this catastrophe and to realise Elena's stomach was moving. Eren had to catch his breath, getting Armin and Mikasa's attention to see what he just saw.

"What is it Carlo?" The soldier from behind asked the other, the one who two saw Elena's stomach move.

"Carlo! That must be who Kuklo was talking about!" Armin pointed out.

"Hey... You don't think.." the soldier whispered, shaking terribly at the sight as the sweat tripped down his forehead.

"It's possible... that new titans are born from titans vomit?" Carlo implied, pulling out his sword- a more traditional knight looking shape.

For us readers, vitians are not reproduced in that way. Though for Eldians who lived in Paradis and did not know much about Titan physiology- you couldn't blame them on that theory. For the Subjects of Ymir used to become Titans after being injected with Titan spinal fluid, triggering a near-instantaneous transformation, A technique admistered mostly in Marley or within the secret life of the Riess Family to carry on the founding titan.

"Wait." Armin gasped, "I.. I rememeber now."

"what?" Mikasa asked, seeing Armin's face drop.

"It's not a legend after all."

"What?" Eren questioned, unsure by what Armin meant by 'legend.'

The unbearable tension in the air as Carlo slashes the woman's swelled stomach, the gush of blood spewing out. But what struck the soldiers was the thing that flowed out of Elena's bodily fluid. Mikasa, Armin and Eren too were stunned, walking closer to get a better look as they doubted themselves. Armin was closest to where the thing laid on the ground, beginning to cry on the stone floor, but was unattended to because the soldier and Carlo were in disbelief. Armin eyes softened, wishing he could lift the poor thing as he narrated;

"There's a legend.. a folktale talked amongst many of those who lived within Shiganshina... It was mainly a legend of a boy..A boy born from a dead body packed into the the vomit of a Titan..."

"A... baby..." Carlo muttered, leaning down to the baby. "It was alive.. Still alive inside of Elena. After the titan ate her! Why... only you? It's...

Before Carlo finished his sentence, Armin looked to Eren, "He was then seen a threat, a cursed one. Which earned him the minker-"

"The son of a titan." Carlo proclaimed, struggling if he should pick up the baby on the cold ground.

Mikasa without hesitation tried to run to the child, only to feel a slight tug of Eren's hand that prevented her from running further. It was that she reminded herself she's in the paths, unable to help the poor infant. Eren, conscious on stopping Mikasa from reaching the child, maintained to look down at Kuklo of him as a baby. It was a sad beginning to something so precious. Kuklo was born into a world and was seen as a monster, a titan. Unlike Eren, he knew he was born into a loving home, raised with care and acceptance- special in his own right. His birth right to be loved, because he was born into this world. It sadly wasn't like thay for Kuklo. He faced fear, and shame for his birth for many, many years of 15 in total.

There Eren, Mikasa and Armin learn about Kuklo and where his story began as it happened several decades before the fall of Shiganshina District. A boy until the age of 15 was shamed and disgraced for being a Titan's son, Kuklo faces many hardships throughout his early life and is eventually purchased as a trophy for a noble family in Wall Sheena when he was only 13. Kuklo was then abused by a older boy called Xavi Inocencio, using the titan son as practice to get better at 'fighting titans' in order for him to join the military. For the three within the paths seeing the poor boy beaten for something so far fetched, accusing a child of what he was from the moment he was born, it was a difficult pill to swallow. Just like humanity outside the walls and Marley had viewed those from Paradis as 'Island Devils.' Yet, here are those from Paradis treating a baby to a boy as the devil itself, a titan's offspring. Then one night, Kuklo meets Sharle Inocencio, a nobleman's daughter and sister of Xavi, who at first wanted to kill the boy, but due to their impactful interactions. Sharle was the first to realise Kuklo was in fact human. Her sweet soul then desired to teach Kuklo the history and ways of the people of the Walls. Their bond growing strong for the next 2 years of Kuklo's life that Mikasa , Eren and Armin saw quite quickly as they continue to walk through the boys life within the Paths.

Kuklo learnt to become literate quite quickly and desired to see life outside of his cage and wanted to run away to do so. Until one night, a break in occurred by cult activists wanting to free Kuklo, resulting in killing Sharle's family in hopes that Kuklo would become their new leader. It was a wrong place at the wrong time for Kuklo, for when he finds Dario; Sharle and Xavi's father walk in, seeing Kuklo next the body. In rage, blaming Kuklo, Xavi then attacks Kuklo with a sword and permanently damages the latter's right eye before Kuklo is able to subdue him. With nothing left for either of them there, both Kuklo and Sharle escape and make their way to Shiganshina District. At least Eren, Mikasa and Armin knew how the man was given his scars all those years.

With determination in his heart, Kuklo decides that he must free himself from his bondage and set out beyond the Walls to prove to himself and the world that he is not a Titan's son. Little does he know, through his journey- he encounters new freiends, ranking himself up quickly as one of the members of the Survey Corps itself, leading to great changes for humanity in their struggle against the Titans. It was quite remarkable how much of impact Kuklo had made. Even his dear beloved Sharle, helping a man called Angel Aaltonen who invented the 'the device' know we know as verticle manuver gear. Angel Aaltonen, a weapon-smith and was nutorious as "King of Inventions." Anything that was created to fight the titans, was more or so invented by Angel.

As Kuklo's life continues, he married Sharle when he turned 16, continuing his life onwards as he lived in Shiganshina where Eren, Armin and Mikasa are reaching his recent memories. There Kuklo is now 21, waving goodbye to Sharle as he is ventured off to do a following expedition. All seemed normal. Eren, Mikasa and Armin watch Kuklo kiss off his wife goodbye, still together after all those years. As Eren and Armin were watching Kuklo ride off to join the survey corps as they head off within the gates. Mikasa had her attentions to Sharle, her sweet very large eyes and long blonde hair with two braids on each side that are pulled to the back of her hair, with her bangs parting down the middle and cascading down each side of her face. Sharle Mansel was gorgeous. The right sort of person who pulled Kuklo out from the darkness. Mikasa sighed, feeling tension in her chest as she turned her head to Eren, feeling as though could've pulled Eren out from his darkness before it was all too late...

You're going to be killed. By a great power.

Mikasa stopped walking, the voices were intruding her head again. It has been a while since sheheard that voice, that feeling of isolation swarming over her and was completely unaware that Armin and Eren were walking ahead of her- following what happened to Kuklo.

Eren carries death within his body.

"I... Know that." Mikasa sighed, remembering that day she came to accept her choice. "But why... why does he?" There Mikasa felt surrounded by water, feeling as though she no longer knew where she was. The tenseness in her body swarms her, beginning to freak out as the voice sounded more and more her child like self as it sobs;

I shouldn't have let go of him that time. No matter what anyone said. No matter how much Eren would've hated it...

Even if.. It meant turning the whole world against me...

I shouldn't have let him go.

I haven't have given up.

"But.. It had to be done." Mikasa's eyes watered, gasping seconds after as a sudden force pushed her mid-air and slammed her body against the sand.

Coughing from the granules of sand, Mikasa was now back into reality. Mikasa was no longer in Shiganshina district and had now returned back in the paths as the stars above her twinkled. What happened? Armin scurried over, kneeling over Mikasa with his eyes panicked; "are you ok?!"

"Y-yeah... What happened?"

Mikasa could hear Eren growl in frustration, cursing the chains had caught hold of him once again. Mikasa tried to get up, unable to do so when Armin tells her to lie down due to being smacked in the head. Eren was now in Mikasa's sight, his eyes panicked as he scooped his hand below her head.

Blinking a few times, Mikasa repeats her question; "What happened?"

"We don't know. We saw Kuklo on a horse, his team reached quite far from the walls during the expedition. But there was a storm, leaving Kuklo being singled out as he tried to make his way back home. There was even titans after him. Then suddenly we ended up back in the past. That's when Eren got chained, didn't you see it happening?" Armin said, pulling along with Eren to help Mikasa get back onto her feet.

"No.. I was out of it for a moment."

"Are you sure you're alright, Mikasa?"

The sound of Eren's voice was subtly protective, still holding her by arm incase she fell again. Mikasa nodded, not enjoying the attention getting fussed over. Mikasa lightly brushes Eren off, her smile telling him to stop worrying. However Eren wasn't buying Mikasa's response, but choose to let it go until another time. There was something off with Mikasa's response, why was she out of it?

"So, we ended up back here when Kuklo was riding outside the walls?" Mikasa elaborated, ensuring she was following Armin's explanation.

"Yeah, there was lightning. Which come to think of it, that occurred back with us as well. Lightning... That must be the source that's teleported everyone to the current event. Maybe, that explains why Eren can't do anything... You were able to go to the past memories of time, Eren. But until that lightning came, your founding abilities are declined. Almost like when you couldn't access them unless you were in contact with royal blood."

Armin, brainstorming as usual as he couldn't help but seek knowledge. Eren was processing Armin's theory, it made sense; "That means I can potentially only access past events? That means I won't even have a faint idea what will happen in the future if I wanted to... Unless, I somehow reach Emet's memories."

"That may be a possibility, but we'll wait and see. Simply because of the supposed force may stop you."

"Right." Eren and Armin nodded to each other, planning a strategy whilst Mikasa was within in her thoughts again. Armin sensed Mikasa's withdraw from the discussion, wanting to see if Mikasa would perk up when he goes, "Well I think we should see if our kids are breathing, don't you think Mikasa?."

"Hm." Mikasa inclined, waiting as Armin requested for presence of the aura. In which it answered through projecting its light.

Question and question rattled in Eren's mind, quietly seeing the aura form its image. The paths never done that before, the tree- still glowing behind the aura only shown snippets of memories or visions of future events. It was Eren himself who was able to see the future through his mind, and the past as well. It was almost the question of whether or not Eren was in the paths or not. The image starts to show a tent, sitting inside was Emet Ackerman, Kai Arlert and now Kuklo Mansel who woken up from being unconscious. They were isolated from the rest of camp as they were being watched over by soldiers to ensure they didn't attempt to disappear, yet that didn't bother them. Earlier that day, Kuklo had woken up and was shaken by what he saw. He was then introduced to Emet, in which as the day went on Kuklo became more relaxed. Many of the soldiers were lowkey judging Kai, Emet and no Kuklo for their claims on time travelling as well as Emet for having the abilitiy to turn into a titan. When Kai, Emet and Kuklo got to be alone for the night, it allowed the individuals to get to know one another, figuring out how a man from the past, as well as a group from the near future were brought to a centre piece of what we would describe as the present ended up there. While all of that is happening within the aura, Eren inside the paths thinks back to when Kuklo was outside the walls, the year 796, galloping through the torrential rains. Kuklo didn't look worried, being chased by the humanoids, but it was the storm from behind that looked frightening. He recalled Armin pointing out how vicious it looked, like it too wanted Kuklo. But the visual of the storm didn't last long as sudden flashes of white along with the sound of the lightning followed with thunder transported Eren and his friends back to the paths. It was a strange occurrence indeed.

"So, you were outside the walls, then somehow ended up inside the titan forest?" Kai with his hoodie over his head , sitting beside Kuklo passing over some hard tack for him to eat,

"Yes.. At first I thought I was day dreaming, but there was this white light.. and I guess that's all I can recall." Kuklo takes the military snack, soaked enough for him to chew down.

"White light.." Kai noted, eating his own.

"Sounds like what we experienced at Aimi's birthday." Emet pointed out, downing his bottle of water.

Kuklo face couldn't help but stare at Emet, seeing him casually sitting there, Emet noticed, The two men awkwardly looking at each other unsure what to do. Kuklo shook his head, looking annoyed at himself and apologised, "Sorry. That was rude of me, it's just.. well, it's sort of crazy sitting next to someone who can transform into a titan..."

Emet shrugged, using his hand to dismiss Kuklo; "It's alright. I didn't ask for this."

"You didn't? Sure if you were born that way it can't be helped."

"I wasn't born that way, I somehow became one." Emet clarified, "From what I know about titans they can't reproduce."

"What! They can't!? Well then how?" Kuklo wowed, "How did you become a titan?"

Emet glanced over to Kai, knowing the young Arlert was going to step in with his knowledge like a encyclopaedia; "Interestingly, for example...By extracting Emet's spinal fluid and it inside you. You would turn into a titan. But, you wouldn't turn into Emet's exact look or ability of his titan. You'll become the pure ones outside the walls, without complete consciousness and seek to find a titan shifter to regain your human form."

The puzzled man sat quietly, listening to Kai ramble out about how the shifting worked. "Return to human?"

"Kai, you're forgetting he's over half a century in the past." Emet rolled his eyes, eating his food.

"Shoot, sorry. I'm sure this is alot to take in." Kai chuckled, getting ahead of himself.

"No, your good. It's definitely an interesting day... Would need more days to talk about it, I'm not exactly the brightest.. Have you told this to Commander Carlo- I mean Hunter about how titans worked?" Kuklo smiled warmly, trying his best to to work things out in his head.

"No." Kai denied, "Only because your seeking to get back where your from, therefore I think it's best we're on the same page. I'm working on trying to build Hunter's trust right now. Then.. maybe I'll tell him myself."

Kuklo hummed, scratching his head with his eye closed. He opened it again, the red undertones looking at Kai with curiosity "How come.. you trust me? I mean, you believe I got stuck in the future.. or I am from the past? Why?"

"Well, if you were able to be stand up against Hunter today, that's enough for me. Am I right, Emet?" Kai joked, making Emet grunt lightly as they recall their time at the training corps. "Anyway, I believe you because of your ODM gear, then your reactions to everything in what was going on-especially Emet. Just trusted my gut to believe you, do you believe us?"

"As in, you're from the future?" Kuklo specified, chuckling to himself, "Well, everyone around me is apparently from the future.. So, I guess i got no choice, eh? But, you mentioned someone's name earlier, who is Aimi?"

"My sister." Emet replied, now wondering to himself if she was ok. Emet was never someone to express his worries, but internally he was concerned if she was safe. In this world, in his eyes anything could happen.

"Is she a titan?" Kuklo wondered, but corrected quickly, "No sorry, I suppose it doesn't work like that either. The whole reproduction thing."

"Well, I hope not regardless." Emet sighed, "So.. what's the plan?"

Kai, getting inside his rucksack, looking into their small lantern that barely gave them much light laid out, "Well, now that we have Kuklo.. We're expected to now prove Kuklo's identity and of course our current situation. So we now have two hurdles. Kuklo, is there any way we can find a way to show who you are?"

Kuklo paused for a moment, figuring out how he could. Immediately his eyes lit up, "I can!"

Emet and Kai waited to hear what we had to say, "how?"

"Sharle!" Kuklo chirped, beaming a form of radiance to the men who said confusingly on what the man meant.

"Sharle..?" Kai rolled the name of his tongue, hinting Kuklo to say who this person is.

"Oh, she's my wife!"

"Your... wife? You're 21 right?" Kai checked, a little taken aback by Kuklo's relation to the woman he mentioned.

"Yip, we've been married for 5 years now."

Kai and Emet exchange looks, positively surprised that Kuklo was a teenager when he married his partner. However, back in the time Kuklo was alive, it was a lot more common for younger marriages to occur, still- Kai couldn't help but joke about himself saying how far behind in maturity he was, single as can be. Kuklo took his comment well, grinning at Kai as he shook his head. Emet was rather quite about it, his face still towards the lantern centred between the three in a trance only to be brought back to reality as Kai mentioned his name;

"Emet is with a girl though, surprised you haven't placed a ring on her yet."

Kuklo averted his eyes to Emet, waiting to hear what the Ackerman had to say. Emet, barely even looking at Kai or Kuklo answering flatly, "No, not yet."

Kai arched his eyebrow, suspicious to Emet's reply. It was then obvious, knowing Emet Ackerman's nature that he was already stressed about the girl he loved. A girl Emet doesn't speak much off, but when in her presence he never left her side. Kai at that moment realised the reason behind Emet's bluntness was because talking about the woman he cared for would only miss her more.

"You'll see her again, don't worry." Kai smiled, seeing Emet's eyes lift to him and down again almost in eye language going, 'hope your right.'

Kuklo had a feeling it was topic to move on from, which he easily done so as his face dropped in pure horror, "Sharle.. Oh no."

"What?" Emet wondered, resting his head on his hand across the floor as he now settled into his rucksack to eventually sleep.

"If.. I am in the future. That means.. I left.. I left.." A sweat formed quickly down Kuklo's face, the pain in his eyes in deep against. Kai and Emet was unsure where Kuklo was getting at, only to realise a second before where Kuklo's voiced cracked, "I didn't come back to Sharle ever since I left the wall..."

Author's Note:

Hey my loveliess, can I just say. I am shocked, for now, I am sitting with 20 or more accounts reading this fanfic. To me, this number is beyond my expectation. I genuinely thought 1 person would be like, "mmkay, its eh." But no, there's people, you guys giving this fanfic a shot. It makes me so happy, trusting the process as I build this story layer by layer. Btw, Kuklo is not a character created by the GOAT Isayama. Kuklo was written by Ryo Suzukaze. In a Manga (along a novel series I have yet to read) called Attack On Titan: Before The Fall. Please give it a read if your interested, search up "Read SKN" click on the link and then the tab with the section called "Before the fall." There you can check out the manga for yourself for FREE! It's a prequel before the main character's story. Honestly it is worth a read. Kuklo is definitely a role I want to experiment with for this fanfic. I wonder how you's all feel about someone else trapped in time... but from the PAST SUCKED INTO THE FUTURE... Fun fun. Well, I will be working on the next chapter possibly next week, I am thinking of working on my other fanfic, a side project if you will. But I will also be away next week as well from Thursday-Sunday on a little citybreak. (sorry if my grammar too is bad in this chapter, super stressed with stuff but I wanted another chapter out to make up for my time away)

Disclaimer:

I do not own the characters of Shingeki no Kyokin, they belong to the rightful owner. Other characters later mentioned in the story will be referenced also as the fanfic progresses. The only characters I have ownership are ones created from scratch. Also, IF YOU ARE ANIME ONLY OR HAVE NOT COMPLETED THE MANGA, PEASE DON'T CONTINUE TO READ THIS STORY. Unless, you love spoilers then that's fine by me!

We are now 2 chapters away from the release of Volume 4. See you soon for the next chapter!

And also, *salutes*

Shinzou o Sasageyo!