Chapter 14.

Eren sat in silence, a feeling of slight uneasiness he couldn't really give a source crawling on his mind: he couldn't tell if it was the dark, stone-walled room, the tense glances his friends were giving both Alastor and him, or Bane's lifeless eyes simply staring at him; it didn't help Armin and Mikasa were sitting in front of him while the cold recruit was right at his side. Jaeger looked around to find Erwin and Levi lost in their thoughts, each gazing into nothingness while the Captain's squad exchanged looks and whispers waiting for Hange.

Just as Jaeger thought about the easy-to-excite researcher, the door opened and she strode her way to the table greeting them warmly.

_Hi everyone! -she said happily- Well well, i guess i'm the last one!

_Again. -grumbled Ackerman- If punctuality could be bought i'd get a whole cargo only for you, god fucking damnit.

_Thanks, i guess? So what is this about? -the woman turned towards Bane- You said it was about a theory of yours involving... titans. -she finished the phrase almost chirping in joy, while Alastor barely nodded.

_I told Erwin about some thoughts i had recently, a short time after our meeting when we devised our plan to capture and eliminate the shifters; while he knows the general aspects, i couldn't explain my reasoning in depth, because i needed you all to be here: you are the leader researcher, Levi and his team are in charge of protecting Eren and well, this is directly related to him in any case so he also needs to hear all of it, as well as his friends since they are trustworthy.

_I... see. -she answered scratching her head- Or rather not, since you didn't explain anything yet! So please, begin.

_I'll start by what brought the idea to me. If you remember our last meeting, i mentioned how mindless titans went after Jaeger instead of us after he transformed to try and devour him. -Zoe nodded enthusiastically- The question is why did they do that? You see, a while after he started helping us he was being targeted even before attacking other titans, without any need of aggression from his part: they simply came and tried to eat him. Why?

_You said it yourself -said Levi when Hange didn't answer, just blinking at Bane- they saw him as a better prey.

_But that's not his point. -Zoe replied looking at Levi- He says that they considered him a more valuable target, but we never stopped to think what made him so and instead ran on the idea he was simply a bigger threat.

_Yet i couldn't help but to think on the titans's most known feature: their hunger for humans despite not really needing to eat. So why do it? It doesn't make sense... until you put him in the picture. -he added pointing at Jaeger.

Hange glanced between Bane and the teen, not really following him, while Eren simply stared at the cold soldier in utter confusion.

_What? What do you mean putting me in the middle of it?

_The first time you shifted i dug you out without delay despite there was no proof you were in that spot; yet a part of my brain insisted on doing so, and once my blade sunk in your titan's flesh i lost all doubts even before reaching you. I can't really explain it, strangely... But the second time you used your power, i also knew you were in there despite having no way to know it for sure, just assuming it because that's how titans are: you appeared to be where they have their weak spot, but why? Why follow their same design?

_I don't know!

_Neither do i, but something bothered me since then. What makes that spot so special? In your case well you are there, vulnerable to attacks but they have no such issue. However, they have the same weakness and while it's a vital zone for any living thing, so is the head and they can regenerate it without problem. It makes no sense until you consider it the other way around.

_The other way around? -Erwin repeated, raising an eyebrow.

_All this time we studied and regarded Eren as something unique: a human who can shift into a titan. Perhaps our focus was slightly wrong.

_In which way? -Hange asked, ignoring the other three: her attention was completely on Alastor.

_That he is an exception instead of the rule: he is a human who can become a titan... and remain a human.

_What?! -both Hange and Eren said loudly as one.

_Listen to me: something i learned when i was little is that nothing, absolutely nothing happens without a reason, all things have a place in this world; you can see it in the nature, or in society because the principle is the same: each being has a place and a role to fullfill, their actions have both a motive and an objective.

_How is that related to me? -Eren asked, quite confused- To this... being a shifter thing?

_We always labeled titans as mindless because they act, for us, without a reason to do so: theory has proved so far they don't need to eat; but that could be a simple mistake on how we see it. Perhaps they don't seek nutrients from human prey but something else, something much more uncommon that we never found or thought about.

_Like Eren's power? -Erwin said not looking at anyone, and Bane nodded severely.

_Most likely, since it's the only thing that makes him different from any of us: not only he can transform into one of them, he remains human through all of it even if unconscious.

_Are you saying... -Zoe mumbled while looking at him wide eyed- they wanted Eren's ability to... be human?

_To be human again. -Alastor answered shocking them further- Look i know it sounds insane, but how come they are so tremendously human-like in shape? Yes, some of them are deformed aberrations, but humanoid nonetheless and seeking only humans to eat for unknown reasons; if you give them a goal like i just did, it makes sense. Terrifying and disturbing it might be, but still makes sense.

For a few moments everyone was silent, trying to understand what he implied; it wasn't until Armin lifted his eyes from the table to look at his comrade that the others came out of their contemplation.

_Are you saying -he said so tense everyone but Bane looked at him in concern- that titans are... humans?

All around the table people reacted differently: Petra gasped and covered her mouth with wide eyes while Gunther and Oluo exchanged a shocked look, the latter covering his bleeding tongue; Eld grasped the table's border so tightly his knuckles were white while Levi frowned angrily... and Erwin covered his mouth. Bane wasn't sure if he was just thinking or hiding a smile.

_It can't be -Levi said shaking his head- titans can't be human, why haven't they tried to communicate...

He fell silent, instead staring at Hange wide eyed and paler than usual; the woman nodded slowly before turning to look at Alastor and Eren.

_We have... we have a posthumous report of a member of the Corps, Ilse Langner; in it she mentions a titan... speaking to her.

Bane tilted his head, considering her words before finally speaking.

_Is that why you insist so much in your experiments with titans? -he asked, surprising her- You want to find out what brings these outbursts of intelligence?

The woman made an unreadable movement with her head, still more focused on her own train of thought than anything else.

_Yet your theory Bane is so... so strangely sound, despite the horrifying implications, in the fact it gives titans a new dimension, a deeper meaning to their behaviour. -she closed her eyes and laid back on her chair- Former humans, somehow turned into those creatures. But how...?

_That is what we should try to find out if we manage to capture Leonhardt, but until then we should considerate if such... consumption is how they try to get his power and return to being humans.

_Do you think they are aware? -said Hange, eyes fixed on Bane's- In case what you say is true, are they conscious of their actions?

_Most likely not, their senseless way of acting doesn't belong to a creature aware of its surroundings and capable of developed thoughts. Eren -he said suddenly, catching him off guard-when you were unconscious in the titan's nape, how were you? Do you remember anything specific?

The recruit, surprised at the question, frowned in deep concentration trying to recall his time spent transformed; after a while his frown turned into a grimace at the memories.

_I, uh... -he said hesitantly- It was like being asleep, but not so much... more like been in a constant battle to wake up; i felt drowsy and warm then... angry i think? And at times something told me i shouldn't stay like that but couldn't get out of it, like there was some kind of blanket made of... of darkness enveloping me and... -he swallowed and looked aside- until you woke me up both times.

_And you remembered nothing of what you experienced. -pointed Smith- Do you think this will be a recurrent situation Hange?

_I can't say for sure... but i suspect not. If the other three shifters managed to accompish so much they are most likely able to use their power in a coordinated way, since being unconscious wouldn't let them use the tactics they showed at Trost.

_I'm guessing it's a matter of practice. -Alastor agreed nodding- But i need to bring you back my theory regarding the... acquisition of the titan's power. In short, i think if a titan ate and digested Eren they would return to their former human state; perhaps the same can be done with others.

_What do you mean? -Mikasa asked aggressively, standing up- I you plan to feed Eren... or feed pieces of Eren to the titans, then i'll...

Bane lifted a hand asking for silence and to everyone's surprise the asian obeyed, despite her clearly hostile glance towards her comrade; he eyed her briefly before speaking.

_I would never suggest something so reckless and hazardous. Eren is our only shifter so far, and i can't say for sure if the consumption needs to be partial or total for it to happen; what i want you to realize is that we can use it to our advantage.

_Really? -said Petra, voice slightly shaken- How?

_Killing the shifters and have Eren's titan eat them to get their powers.

_WHAT?!

Eren's outburst caught them by surprise, startling almost everyone except Levi, Erwin and Bane; the teen looked extremely upset when he stood, throwing his chair to the floor.

_If... if you think i... i can't do that! -he hissed, face showing clear disgust.

_Actually you can. -Alastor pointed, fixing his eyes on him- And you should, if it gives you their abilities; it would be a hell of a tactical advantage to gather their strength so we can use them for our goals.

_But still, it's them! -he nearly shouted, unaware of Armin holding his arm and Mikasa's shocked and saddened face- I know them! We were...!

He suddenly went silent, his fire extinguished; his hand moved to grip the chair, not knowing it had fallen, so Arlert got it up and Jaeger finally sat.

_We were friends... -he whispered, heartbroken- we were friends.

_Now you're enemies, Eren. -Erwin said, imposing- It must be painful to you but you must do all it takes to ensure victory; do not forget what's at risk, or how much it has and will cost us: we're speaking of our people's survival. You can't let your feelings cloud your judgment.

_As for eating them... -said Alastor, giving Eren an unnerving gaze.

_What? -he answered tensely; he'd learnt long ago his comrade never looked at anything or anyone like that without something in mind.

_You have voids within your memory from when you used your power, don't you? -he asked and Eren nodded- Each and every time, yes?

_Yeah, both times. Why?

_Are you sure it was only two times you used your power?

_What do you mean? -Armin piped in, confused- He only did it twice, you where there both times!

Bane didn't answer immediately; instead he looked around as if giving an apology, working his jaws before finally turning to Eren.

_You... you don't know what happened to your father, am i right?

_Wh-what?

_Answer me.

_No... no i don't. What of it?

_Both times you were asked for details about it, you collapsed; once when i did, then when Hannes mentioned it after graduation. It looked like you were having a damn nightmare, something was wrong with your mind to make you react like that. Only recently you were capable of remembering something more... precise: your dad's secret about the titans hidden in your old house, and that he was somehow connected with you acquiring your power.

_So?

_How do you think you got it?

_What do you... Armin?!

Eren turned suddenly, shocked by Arlert's shriek when he heard Bane's question; the blonde looked both horrified and sad when he eyed his friend and then Alastor.

_You... do you think he... that Eren...

_Armin? -Mikasa said upset and nervous, looking at him and her brother- What is going on? What is Alastor talking about?

_I think Eren's power wasn't just given to him. -he said while eyeing the asian- He got it from a fresh source.

Hange gasped and covered her mouth; both Erwin and Levi exchanged a worried glance.

_A fresh source? -Eren said, his confusion and fear growing; Alastor faced him.

_From Grisha. -he said placing a hand on Eren's shoulder- You ate your father as a titan.

End of Chapter.