Creation began on 05-22-18

Creation ended on 05-22-18

Neon Genesis Evangelion

Hope from the Sky: Marley Losses

"…It's been too long," said a man to several other men in a room, discussing a serious matter over a map that depicted an island away from a continent. "Five years after the initial launch of the operation and no reports from the Warchief or Warriors. How hard can it be for a Colossal, Armored, Female or Jaw Titan to breach the Walls of Paradis and take the Founding Titan?"

"And the aid of the Beast Titan should've ended things after we found a way to make our Titans larger," added another man.

"What do you suppose happened… Grausam Zanki?" A third man asked a fourth, who was standing in attendance away from the table near a wall. "This is your area of expertise."

Grausam Zanki, an Eldian exile from the island of Paradis, serving as a gifted expert to the Titan Biology Research Society after his contribution to the military powers of the nation that enabled them to use their Eldian population more efficiently when turned into Titans in exchange for asylum and citizenship, stepped forward and inhaled.

"I'm afraid I can't answer that question," Grausam expressed. "Whatever the reason for the delay in the Warrior Unit's return, it must be on their end."

The men at the table then looked at one another and before nodding in agreement over their unanimous decision over his suggestion.

"That creature that showed up took over eighty of our latest Subjects of Ymir you injected with the Jaeger Serum to bestow the power of the Titans to them so we wouldn't have to risk losing any of the remaining Titans we had spent centuries using…and they've yet to return," one of them told him. "It has been the only good thing to ever improve our usage of the Eldians and install a stronger influence over their loyalty."

Grausam was dismissed to his lab to continue his work on the serum afterward. In the solitude of his work space, he pondered a thought he rarely focused on for the last five years since he came to Marley. He reached into his pants' left pocket and pulled out a folded photo.

"I thank you ever so much for your participation in my research," he uttered at the image of the young girl being held by her mother…and his son. "The chances of you being alive after all this time are very slim to nonexistent. I just needed to make sure the serum worked well enough to restore my leg. Anyone that knew what you were would have likely killed you or experimented upon you before executing you. Greatness always requires sacrifice…and your sacrifice helped me perfect my serum, harvested from the Titans."

He then looked down at his right leg, forever grateful to have it back in his possession…and then back at the gray-haired girl.

Wall Maria, he thought back to that eventful day the wall was breached and the Titans invaded Shiganshina. My window of opportunity and freedom came that day, and I answered. And if I had to do so for my freedom, I'd do it all over again, Kaede Sogen.

The day Wall Maria fell at the hands of the Titans, the very same day Grausam saw the fruits of his work show in his granddaughter-in-law turning into a Titan and attracting the other Titans while he made his escape. It was the first time he experienced the world through the eyes of a Titan…and the first time his prototype serum gave him back his ability to stand on his own, unaided by crutches. He risked the life of a little girl to get back what was taken from him…and regretted none of it.

That accursed island, he thought of Paradis, surprised to have found out that he had lived on an island the whole time when he saw the ocean and escaped on a nearby boat. I never want to go back there.

-x-

"Each of them all had the same story," said Levi to Erwin, reporting on the captured men and women that were once Titans brought to the island by the Angel. "They were injected with a serum and turned into Titans by Marleyans. They were considered a unique case because they didn't need to eat anyone and could transform at will."

"Same as Ms. Sogen," Erwin stated. "Where is she now?"

"She and the Ikari boy are by the pier, keeping watch in case the Angel they dealt with tries to come back for a rematch."

"We might need to have a conversation with her family about her step-grandfather."

To be continued…

A/N: Now we know more hidden secrets, including the one that gave Kaede her Titan power. Her step-grandfather is alive and affiliated with Marley. Which path will it put her on should she ever discover this fact? Will she desire vengeance…or let him be the Survey Corps' problem to deal with? Or will Shinji do something about it?