Chapter 30
Gabriel followed Heinrich out of the hospital as MPs swarmed the area. The damage didn't seem too severe, aside from the roof and Titan footprints in the road there didn't seem to be any casualties. Whatever that Titan was clearly had human lives in mind.
"Nice work Anna!" Heinrich sarcastically said to his comrade. "You really restrained Yaeger!"
"Shut up you!" Annalise said, rubbing dirt off her arm. "I didn't think that brat would be able to take it like that!" When Eren transformed, it killed two MPs that were holding him. Anna had survived due to walking a good distance behind them. Eren had waited till he was in an open area to transform to reduce damage.
"Wait? That Titan was Yeager?" Gabriel asked.
"Yeah." Heinrich replied. "He is able to transform into a Titan at will and can control it."
"But how? That's impossible!" Gabriel replied.
"Oh Gabby." Anna said seductively walking up to him using the nickname she gave him ten years ago. "So naive, yet soooooo big."
"Please forgive me if I'm interrupting, but can we focus on tracking down where they went? You can try to fuck my brother later." Heinrich said rolling his eyes.
"Wait? What?" Gabriel asked, confused as Anna bit her lip. Heinrich slapped his head as he remembered. Gabriel had essentially skipped experiencing puberty due to his mind coma, he had no idea what Anna was hinting at.
"Ah looks like I got to tell my little brother the birds and the bees." Heinrich laughed.
"Why tell when I can just show." Anna said, running her hand down Gabriel's arm. Gabriel noticeably seemed uncomfortable.
"Enough!" Heinrich barked seeing his siblings nervousness. "Look, we have two priorities right now, report to Kenny and track down where those bastards went."
"Ugh such a cock block for your brother. You need to get laid Heinrich." Anna insulted.
"And you should close your legs." Heinrich retorted. "Let's move!" The three didn't have ODM gear so they got on horseback to report to their superiors. It was gonna be a long ride so Heinrich decided to fill in what Gabriel had missed.
"After the conflict I searched everywhere for you but I found no leads. It seemed Anna and I were the only ones left until two years ago, we heard word of a cadet that was nearly Levi's skill with ODM gear. Intriguing for sure but not proof enough. When we heard about that same cadet overpowered a Titan with his bare hands and carried a wagon with thirteen wounded soldiers to Wall Rose, that's when we knew it was you." Heinrich explained. "We would have come sooner but the unexpected Titan attack in Wall Rose had interfered with our plan."
"It's frustrating, the last thing I remember was being called to the assembly area, next thing I know it's six years later." Gabriel grunted. "What the hell was I doing all that time?"
"The king wiped your memories and reduced you to a mentally disabled child with the cognitive skill and intelligence of a five year old. This was done supposedly to protect you from being hunted down. A story was fabricated about your mother dying at childbirth and your father abusing you in order for a couple to take pity and adopt you. Wilhelm and Eva Mueller took you in believing you were an orphan. Wall Maria was destroyed in a Titan attack where they both died. From there you joined the cadet corps which leads us to now." Heinrich said.
"Why me?" Gabriel asked. "Why was I spared while the rest of our comrades were hunted down and exterminated?"
"Can't say for sure, if I were to guess since you were the youngest one the king took pity on you." Heinrich continued. "After that Anna and I were offered a royal pardon and a position in the king's inner circle. Obviously we weren't too happy working with the man who ordered our execution."
"What changed?" Gabriel asked.
"The man who ordered our execution was not the king, yes that's his official title but he is not the true royalty of the walls. The king who gave us an offer and altered your memories was the true king."
Heinrich explained. "Not like Anna and I had much choice, we were trained literally since birth to fight, it is all we know. We've been working with the innermost MPs since."
"Wait? So there's two kings?" Gabriel asked. "And how does he 'alter memories'?"
"Oh Gabe, there is so much going on here it would take hours to explain it all." Heinrich said. "I'll explain it in full later but for now all you need to know is that the man currently sitting on the throne, the one who ordered our execution, is not the true king."
"Very well." Gabriel relented. "One more thing, why did you say those people were my enemies?" Heinrich frowned, now he really needed to bullshit.
"They learned who you were and tried to kill you, you wonder why when you woke up you were restrained and in a hospital bed? They attacked you, betrayed you." Heinrich lied. He didn't like lying, especially since those scouts took care of his brother when he was at his most vulnerable but orders were orders and they had to be carried out. Gabriel would never agree to help if he knew the truth.
"Ugh." Gabriel said. "I just don't understand! Dammit, why can't I remember anything??? It's like my mind is fracturing!"
"Gabriel, it's norm-" Heinrich tried to say.
"No, you don't understand Heinrich!" Gabriel interrupted. "I've been dead for the last six years, I have no memories of those people but, I have emotions, I look at them and feel happy and fulfilled. Why CANT I REMEMBER!!!??"
"Brother." Heinrich said consolingly. "I can't imagine what this must be like for you. After we were taken from mom and dad I've done everything I could to protect you. You are the only family I have left. What they did to us, and what they turned us into was evil. We are the strongest, and we will escape this hell, one day we will laugh and drink at each other's weddings, hang out with each other's children, grow old and die happy. That was the promise I made to you."
"Oh no other family? Screw me I guess!" Annalise stated angrily.
"Anna stay out of this!" Heinrich yelled. "You're harassing my little brother trying to get him to have sex with you! Dammit can't we just have one single fucking moment together?"
"Oooooh big bad Heinrich I'm soooooo scared." Anna said sarcastically. Heinrich scowled, Annalise had always been the more sadistic and calloused of the two. Heinrich killed because he was following orders whereas Annalise seemed to take pleasure in it. He often was frustrated and annoyed by her but for the longest time, they were all they had so they stuck close.
"Right, shut it, we're coming up on HQ." Heinrich said as the trio halted their horses in front of a large majestic building.
Xxx
Once Eren had cleared enough distance from the city he quickly exited his Titan as the Levi squad made their way to the forest. Once they felt they were safe, they decided to camp for the night out here.
"What the hell was that?" Connie asked. "All this talk of super soldiers and mind altering?"
"You don't think it's true what they said right?" Christa asked. "That the Gabriel we knew wasn't real?
"Of course they're full of shit!" Eren said. "I don't care what they say, our Gabriel is still there!"
"Enough!" Levi ordered. "Right now we have bigger fish to fry. For reasons unknown the scouts are being arrested and they want Christa and Eren."
"What about Gabriel!" Mikasa yelled. "We can't just abandon him!"
"We can't afford that right now." Levi said. "We don't know what the hell is going on, until we do it would be idiotic to try to go back, especially when they are after our most valuable asset." He continued looking at Eren. "Right now we have to assume the Commander and all the other scouts have been arrested-" Levi paused in panic remembering Petra, she was vulnerable in her wheelchair!
"Captain?" Eren asked. Levi sighed as he collected himself.
"We have to assume all other scouts have been imprisoned. Meaning we are on our own here." Levi continued. "We will set up camp here tonight, not that we have much to work with. Mikasa, you and I are on patrol making sure we are clear, Jean and Connie, you stay here with Eren and Christa, try to find something to make a makeshift tent with. Sasha, you and Armin try to hunt or gather us some dinner."
"Sir, I can help go out and gather-" Christa tried to say.
"Not a chance, have you forgotten they are after you? You and Eren need to stay in the cover of this forest." Levi said. "Now get moving, we don't got a lot of daylight left."
"Yes sir!" The squad said in unison as they got to work. Levi and Mikasa stayed low and hidden as they observed the area making sure they were in the clear.
"Not much to gather for tents here." Connie said.
"If only we could sneak into town and get some supplies." Eren said. Jean stayed quiet, knowing the resentment from everyone else. He sighed as he looked for any kind of sheet.
"Jean?" He heard the gentle voice of Christa behind him.
"Yeah? I know I'm an asshole. Don't need it rubbed in anymore." He said without looking.
"No, I didn't come here to do that." Christa said as she came up beside him. "I just want you to know I understand why you did what you did. Of course I'm heartbroken about Gabriel but I know you were only protecting Sasha."
"R-really?" Jean asked. This was the first positive talk he'd had with anyone since the operation.
"I know everyone is upset now but they will see in time you had no choice." Christa smiled sweetly.
"Thanks. I needed that." Jean said. "Just wish everyone else didn't hate my damn guys right now."
"Armin doesn't hate you." Christa said. "He's actually the one who helped me understand your situation."
"Armin? He was Gabriel's oldest friend, how does he not want to stomp my guts out?" Jean asked, confused. Then again, while Eren, Mikasa, Sasha, and Connie had been very vocal about their current distaste towards him. He never heard Armin say anything.
"Armins always been the smartest, he can see things that the rest of us can't in times of passion." Christa explained.
"Thanks." He said. "Say, um about Ymir, I'm sorry."
"It's okay, I've come to peace with it. At the end she saved Gabriel, she's a good person, even if she did get on people's nerves. I just hope Reiner and Bertholdt don't hurt her." She explained.
"Those bastards." Jean said angrily. The taste of their betrayal still burned his soul. "If it weren't for them none of this would have happened. Wall Maria would have never fallen and so many who have died would still be here."
"Yes but they had to have had a reason-" Christa tried to say.
"Are you really about to defend them?" Jean asked.
"Of course not, I'm just saying, Reiner and Bertholdt aren't mindless killers, they hesitated to kill us when they could have easily done so meaning they didn't break the walls for the fun of it. They had a reason and while we may never know what it is or ever sympathize with it, they must have had no choice." Christa explained.
"Eh." Jean said as the two continued to search for impromptu tent supplies. "Frankly whatever the reason was the two of em should rot."
Xxxx
Sasha and Armin slowly looked over a hill observing a herd of deer grazing the grass. Sasha was the best hunter of the group and skilled with a bow and arrow but had to settle for a handmade spear comprising of a long stick and a knife Levi lent to her.
"There's so many." Armin noted. He wondered if the deer viewed people the way people viewed titans, monstrous creatures who devour them. Humans at least ate the meat to survive, titans only ate to kill.
"I'm looking for an older or weaker one." Sasha said. "They will be easier to take down than a young and strong one."
"Got it." Armin said, scanning the herd. They couldn't afford to make a single loud sound until they had their target or the herd would run away. "I think I see one on the edge, looks small and frail."
"That's a faun Armin, we can't kill a baby one." Sasha said.
"But-" Armin tried to say.
"Gabriel refused to ever kill a baby animal, even for food!" She said gritting her teeth like she was holding back tears.
"Sasha, are you okay?" Armin asked. Sasha broke and sat down against the rock.
"I want him back." She weeped. "He's been through so much, a child soldier that was experiment on, had his memory wiped, saw his aunt and uncle get crushed."
"I miss him too, Eren, Mikasa and I met him only a few days after Wall Maria was breached. He looked so malnourished and we got some rations for him. He was so grateful he never left our side." Armin explained.
"Do you think he's still in there? The real him?" Sasha asked wiping the tears from her cheeks.
"I know, before he punched me when he was at his angriest, I saw his eyes. They were terrifying, and full of rage but for the slightest second, I saw hesitance. He pulled his punch cause if he hit me as hard as he could it would have killed me." Armin said. "I think his real self is the one now, the one that grew up in the project."
"T-then we'll never see him the way he was again?" Sasha sadly asked.
"No and yes." Armin said. "The Gabriel we knew, the one that stuttered and got confused? No, it's not likely we'll see him again but his personality now hasn't changed. He's just more knowledgeable now."
"But what about how angry he would get?" Sasha asked.
"Since Heinrich said those fits of rage were just him trying to break the memory coma. I think it was just years of pent up natural rage all coming out at once due to his gentler and kind self. Now that the barrier is gone, his rage and kindness can coexist in a balance, meaning now, he is just like everyone else." Armin explained. "Sorry I know it's confusing but that's the best easy I can explain it."
"We have to get him back Armin, I love him and I never got the chance to tell him before he changed." Sasha said sadly. "If Jean hadn't gotten in the way I could have brought him back!"
"About that Sasha." Armin said. "You shouldn't hate Jean for what he did."
"How can you say that? That was your adoptive brother he left for dead!" Sasha said in shock.
"I know I wasn't there to see what happened." Armin said. "But from what I read in the official reports, Jean saved your life. It's been eating him inside for what happened but you need to put yourself in his shoes. What if Eren went crazy in his Titan and was trying to kill Mikasa, wouldn't you step in?"
"Well yeah I would…." Sasha said, realizing what Armin was getting at.
"I've talked with Jean and he feels so awful about this but he says he doesn't regret saving you. Hearing those comments about hating him is only making him feel worse." Admins explained. Sasha sighed as she realized she was in the wrong.
"I know! I'm gonna need to apologize! I just- I let my feelings get in the way." Sasha sniffled.
"He will be happy to hear that." Armin smiled as the two resumed their hunt.
Xxx
"Oh back are we? AND missing the targets!" Kenny groaned.
"Stuff it Kenny, there were unexpected circumstances." Heinrich replied.
"Yeah like what?" Kenny inquired.
"Levi was there." Anna replied. This peaked Kenny's interest.
"Oh so the runt got the best of ya huh? HAHA! I knew I taught him well!" Kenny laughed. Gabriel tapped Anna on the shoulder.
"Anna, what does he mean by taught?" Gabriel asked.
"Kenny here is Levi's uncle, taught him how to survive the underground." Anna replied. This made Gabriel angry.
"Hey? What's your problem??" Gabriel asked angrily, stepping forward.
"Oh? 009 I presume?" Kenny replied while lighting a cigar.
"He's your own family! You raised him! How could you wanna kill him?" Gabriel roared.
"Ah shit, look I didn't raise him like a parent would, all I taught the runt was how to not get killed." Kenny replied.
"But don't you love him? He's your own nephew!!" Gabriel yelled.
"Look kid." Kenny said, taking a puff of his cigar. "I get you've spent the last six years as a drooling moron but sometimes people do stuff that you youngsters don't understand! Frankly, I'm excited to see him in action!" Gabriel growled making a fist before Heinrich stopped him.
"Don't, Kenny is a cunt but he's an Ackerman, like Levi." Heinrich explained. Gabriel relented lowering his fist remembering the power of the Ackerman clan.
"What's got you all worked up about it anyway? Ain't you 'sposed to be some super soldier killer?" Kenny asked.
"Because!" Gabriel yelled. "When I saw Levi I- I felt comfort.."
"Ooohh I see." Kenny laughed. "How bout that Levi? Found yourself a adopted boy huh?" He thought to himself.
"Look, point is we lost Yaeger and Lenz when Yaeger transformed. We don't know where they went." Heinrich said.
"Well shit I have to do everything myself around here!" Kenny said taking one last puff of his cigar before tossing it away. "Get the squad together, I'll find the runt!"
"Oh yeah? How can you be so sure?" Annalise asked, crossing her arms.
"Hehe did you mutants forget? I trained the runt, taught him everything I knew to survive, even where to go when hiding from pursuers." Kenny laughed.
Xxx
"Well what a bang up job you did making tents." Levi sarcastically said noting the absence of any tents at all.
"Sorry sir, there just wasn't any material to make one." Christa said embarrassed.
"Looks like we'll have to make do with sleeping on the ground." Levi said disgusted at the thought of the dirt and insects. He turned to see Armin and Sasha hauling back a dead deer Sasha had killed.
"Heh, at least we won't be sleeping on empty stomachs." Levi said. "Eren, get a fire going!"
"Yes sir!" Eren said as he prepared a fire pit while Levi and Sasha gutted and cleaned the deer. Meat was a rare treat due to its price, if you wanted meat without bankrupting yourself you needed to hunt it yourself. Eren struggled making a fire with his survival kit he had been issued with as he struck the flint till finally, a spark turned the leaves to flames which in turn, began burning the wood creating a furnace.
"Alright shits." Levi said "There is well more than enough for everyone so no bullshit from you Potato Brat!"
"Ugh! I thought everyone forgot about that!" Sasha cried to her friends' amusement. While waiting for the meat to cook, Sasha saw Jean sitting by himself looking up at the sky as the sun began to set. Sasha sighed as she walked up to him.
"Hey Jean." She said."
"Yeah yeah I know you hate my fucking guts." Jean replied.
"No, I don't, I came to apologize." She said nervously. Jean turned his head to look at her.
"Really?" He asked.
"Yes, you were right Jean, you saved me. I was too full of emotion to see it but I realize now what you did for me. Thank you and I hope you can forgive me." She said full of shame. She gasped when she felt Jean's arms around her, embracing her in a hug.
"Thank you." He said full of relief. "This means so much to me, I've been wrecked with guilt, knowing you don't hate me can at least allow me to sleep peacefully again, thanks potato girl." Sasha smiled, returning the hug.
"You're welcome Jean-Boy." She giggled.
"Ah fuck Eren!" Jean groaned remembering how Eren spread the news of Jeans embarrassing nick-name given by his mother.