Chapter 13

_So, how long are we supposed to wait?

Hange blinked and turned to Levi. The short man had a deeply bored expression, arms crossed while he looked at the well Eren was in. They had been waiting for him to transform for a while, but nothing happened. The woman scratched her head.

_I don't know, really. Maybe if we wait a bit longer... -she said hopefully. In that moment a horse appeared far away and made its way to them. Alastor stopped and dismounted, walking and eyeing the well.

_No progress? -he said, although they knew it wasn't a question.

_Shut up. We've been waiting for ages to see if the brat does something.

_Maybe we should check on him. -Hange turned to shout at the well- Eren! We're coming!

_O-okay!

Standing by the deep hole the trio looked down, where the teen stood watching upwards. Even in the darkness, Alastor could see his hand and mouth were covered in blood.

_Why didn't you give him a knife or something? He'll turn into a damn cannibal at this rate.

_Then why don't you get down there and help him you asshole? -Levi growled. Bane tilted his head while still looking at the teenager, then nodded.

_Sounds like a plan. Wait back there, i'll see if i can get an answer from him. Alone, Hange. -he said without looking at the woman, who clearly deflated.

A few seconds later, he was standing in front of Eren; the teen visibly upset in his current situation.

_I can't transform.

_Obviously. Otherwise i wouldn't be here. -Alastor said raising an eyebrow.

_I'm sorry. It must be disappointing for you and...

_Cut it. I'm not here for an apology, but to find what's wrong with this. An element must be lacking for you to be unable to use your power. How many times have you bitten yourself?

_Fiv... no six times. -Eren looked at his bleeding hand- But nothing happens. I don't know why.

Alastor hummed, his back against the well's cold stone wall, arms crossed. He looked at the ground for a few seconds before shaking his head.

_Being hurt might be a requirement to manifest your power, but it can't be the catalyst. Something else must be the trigger.

_Trigger?

_Remember our training. You got hurt often, everyone did. But i don't remember you turning into a giant thing no matter how much you bled. Although -he said pensively- i was curious about your capability to heal faster than most people from your injuries. By then i thought it was your stubborness speaking and simply pretended not to be hurt, but now...

_So my powers were active, but subtly... is that what you mean?

_Indeed. But... why did it show fully at Trost? Why not before? There has to be something we are missing.

_Maybe it was the danger, i was about to die the first time i...

_But not the second. It was during a dangerous mission yes, but there were many people in place ready to protect you. The stress? But i saw you, injured and quite upset and anxious from time to time back in camp when you thought you were screwing up. So why...?

Alastor stopped, blinking repeatedly while staring at nothing.

_Why... -he whispered.

_Alastor? -Eren asked, slightly worried. The other eyed him.

_How's your hand?

_My-my hand? -Eren showed it to Bane, with several bite marks and bleeding- It hurts, actually. And it isn't really healing.

_Make it heal.

_Make it? But i don't know...

_I'm not asking you if you know how. I'm telling you to do it. Look at your hand, and will it to heal. Focus on the task.

Frowning, Jaeger stared at his hand, unsure of what to do. He adopted a concentrated expression and waited but nothing; he eyed Bane, whose eyes were fixed on his. The older spoke slowly but confidently, his voice full of command.

_Don't give up. Concentrate, impose your will to your power, i know you can do it; i've seen you train and endure, seen you challenge and fight everything and everyone and triumph against the worst odds. Don't you dare lose against yourself.

Eren blinked at his words, a sudden rush of pride and decision driving him to focus again on his wounded flesh. Mentally, he told his hand to heal with all his might, tiny droplets of sweat actually appearing on his forehead.

Then, thin streams of white began to rise from his injures. His emerald eyes went to Bane's face to find him watching fixedly at the slowly rising steam with a minuscule smile, barely a twitch in the corners of his mouth. Encouraged, the teen went back to his task, watching the wounds seal quicker by the second. In less than a minute, not even the bite marks were there and Jaeger was exultant.

_I did it! -he said, smiling openly and watching his hand from all angles- I'm not sure how, but i made it heal!

_Your will to use it made it manifest. As for your shifting... i have an idea that just might work. I think i know what's missing now.

_What?

_Tell me: how did you heal?

_Uh? Well, i focused on my hand and...

_And why did you focus?

_Because you told me?

_Because you had a reason to do so. Given by me, yes, but that's irrelevant. The point is that you needed a motive to heal faster. And that is what i'm guessing you need to transform.

_A reason? -said Eren, looking again at his hand. Alastor nodded.

_Think about it. The first time, you aimed to, you wanted with all your strength to save Armin, who was in a life or death situation. The second time , you shifted to fullfill your mission because you wanted to do it with all your heart; although you lost control momentarily, while conscious you chose to shift. But now you lack a truly strong purpose; what did they exactly tell you to do?

_To get in here and see if i could use my titan power.

_If you "could", which lets the option of failure slip in your brain. There is no "could" no more. You shift, period. To help the Corps, to aid humanity or whatever, i don't care. Understood, Jaeger?

_Yes, sir! -Eren answered, salute and all.

_Excellent. I'll give you the signal from outside. And Eren?

_Yes?

Bane stepped forward, placing both hands on his shoulders and fixing his brown eyes on his green ones.

_Take that damn power and make it yours. -With a smug smile, he gave Eren a wink- I'm positive it'll make Hange go nuts.

Once outside, he walked towards Levi and Zoe. The first waited, arms crossed and frowning; the second breathed quickly and her eyes wandered between the young man coming at them and the well.

_Well, you went to the well! -she said quickly- What's the news? Is he going to do it?

_That's what we'll find out. Is everyone ready, Levi?

The Captain narrowed his eyes at Bane; his casual speaking bothered him if only slightly. As the younger had said once, titles and ranks were meaningless to him because they didn't really define a person's worth of being followed and while Levi had proven his skill, he wasn't part of his team; Erwin was the only one whose rank he used and the only one he spoke to in a more respectful manner, and this was out of respect for his qualities as strategist, his keen mind and skill at reading people. Levi nodded without having to look around at his team.

_Of course, brat.

Alastor nodded, then turned to the well. He took air and shouted.

_NOW!

There was a single moment in which everyone held their breath as one, a second in which everything seemed to freeze like when someone sees the lightning in a storm and the world pauses before the thunder shakes it back into motion. Then a burst of light came from deep within the earth; an explosion shook the ground when the upper part of a titan's body appeared in front of everyone, sending chunks of dirt around. Levi and his squad stood ready to strike at the slightest sign of threat. Hange's whole body trembled in excitement as she stared at the creature, face red and mouth open, drooling.

Alastor just watched as Eren looked around, huge emerald eyes fixed on the people in front of him. He moved his arms, breaking the ground around him and the scouts tensed, unsure of how to react; Alastor heard them and lifted a hand to stop them from moving, not taking his eyes from Jaeger. Then he turned to Zoe.

_Hange? -he said, reaching with his hand to take hers- Would you like to try talking to him first?

She took a deep breath, clearly touched by his gesture, and hurried to clean the drool with her sleeve. Levi squirmed a bit, uncomfortably.

_Oh for fuck's sake, four eyes.

Oblivious to him she walked by Alastor's side while guided by the hand like a child, chest going up and down quickly. Once in front of the shifter Hange cleared her throat, inhaled, coughed on her fist softly and looked at the titan.

_E-Eren? Are you there? Can you understand me? -she said, voice shaking slightly.

The creature in the well blinked, and then... he nodded. Suddenly the tension relieved a lot. Levi's squad let out a collective sigh of relief while their Captain allowed himself to relax a little bit. Alastor smirked while Hange jumped in the air, squealing.

_Oh walls! -she said hopping in place- You understand me! I spoke, and you listened and...! Can you speak? Can you?

Eren opened his mouth and a low, deep growl came out. He tried to vocalize, but after a few attempts he groaned in frustration and shook his head. Cautiously, he moved his arms free and got out the ground, dusting nervously while eyeing Levi; the small Captain nodded in approval and turned to Zoe.

_What now, four eyes?

He regretted the question as soon as she turned to him with big, sparkling eyes and a smile wide enough for three faces.

_Now... now it's time FOR SCIENCE! Eren, let's begin with a few tests!

Bane chose to hang around in the background while the excited woman told the titan to carry out several tasks, from simple coordination excercises to real hand-to-hand combat displays. Alastor paid close attention to it and along Levi helped Eren correct some mistakes in his technique.

_Remember whom you'll be using these techniques on. -Alastor said loudly.

Eren stopped mid punching and turned to him. The titan's face was hard to read, but Bane guessed by his furrowed brows and his lowered ears (he was like a dog) that the teen was sad at his comment.

_I know you and her became close in the camp, i remember her teaching you how to fight. I sparred with her too, and she's earnt my respect; that is more than most people could ever hope from me. But whatever you think of Annie matters no more, she is our enemy and if we are forced to confront her, have no doubts: she will fight with all her strength and cunning. She'll use whatever tricks she has to, and won't hold her punches. And neither will you. Now continue, and focus, our very survival might depend on it.

Jaeger looked down, then at Levi's squad standing at a safe distance. His eyes wandered more or less in the direction where the Legion's HQ was, where his friends waited for him and where Reiner and Bertholdt lived, unaware of being watched discreetly. The titan sighed, an incredibly rare display for such a creature, which was hastily written down by Hange in her notebook between muttered observations. Levi crossed his arms, whistled for Eren's attention and looked at the giant right in the eye.

_Alright brat, enough angst. Back to fighting.

_I guess you will be fine Eren. -said Bane, nodding appraisingly- I will return to training. Oh, and Mikasa says hi and wants to know if Levi's doing something awful to you.

While Ackerman scoffed at the comment the creature tilted his head, looking at Alastor curiously, who shrugged.

_We've been training lately for new maneuvers. Don't forget we have two more shifters to deal with... and about that Hange, i've been sharing a few thoughts with Erwin. We'll be having a meeting tomorrow first hour, concerning a few theories about Eren and... our targets.

The woman perked up, clearly interested and following him as he moved towards his horse.

_New theories? Can't you tell me now?

The other shook his head as he mounted, eyeing the titan throwing punches and kicks in the air.

_Right now his training is the main concern. And i have delayed training with miss Ackerman long enough. Tomorrow Hange, and it's for the best. I need Eren to listen, and he must be well rested and aware. After all, my ideas may well not be of his liking... or anyone's for that matter.

_How do you know that? -she asked frowning as he turned around. He stopped and looked at her.

_You'll understand once you hear me.

With that he left; in his mind he heard his conversation with Erwin that morning, a while after the others left with Eren and short before he went on to train with the asian.

_Won't you tell them now, Alastor? Hange will be more than interested in your theory.

_It's not the best time, Commander. I'd like to request a meeting tomorrow morning, though. This might change some plans.

_Is that the only reason?

Bane looked down, frowning and shaking his head before glancing back at the blonde giant.

_No. It's because i find the implications slightly... disturbing. And if it bothers me, of all people... -he said looking through the window- i can't imagine what it'll be for them.

End of Chapter