Chapter 3:
Deep below the military headquarters, Eren sat on the floor of an empty stone cell. 'You let them lock you up, Human,'
"You expected me to fight them?" Eren asked out loud.
'I would have,' Gojira replied in his head, 'And you claimed to be me. Excellent bluff by the way, Human.'
"Aren't I you?" Eren blinked in confusion.
'Yes and no,' Gojira replied, "We share a body, we share memories, but personalities, we still seem to be separate … for now.'
"For now?" Eren furrowed his brow.
'My power isn't fully unleashed, perhaps when that happens You will become me, or I will become you,' Gojira replied, 'Or we will become something else. Time will tell.'
"Might not be wise to tell your Mate that part, Human," Gojira added after a moment.
"…My what?" Eren asked after choking a moment.
'You have to ask that?' Gojira asked in confusion. 'Your mate. The human you call Mikasa.'
"What?" Eren stammered, "No, she's not… We're not… I… Don't call her that!"
'Whatever you say, Human,' Gojira chuckled, 'Humans are dense sometimes…'
"Having a good conversation there, Yeager?" Eren looked up to see Captain Levi leaning against the cell door.
"Is it time?" Eren asked, glancing up at the Scout.
"Yes, and don't do anything stupid like turning into a giant, rage monster," Levi said, jerking Eren off the ground, with his hands still chained behind his back. "Do something stupid, I'll have to do something painful."
'I could take him…' Gojira noted as Levi dragged him toward the stairs.
"Shut up…" Eren growled, and Levi pushed him against the wall.
"What was that?" Levi asked, getting in Eren's face.
"Wasn't talking to you…" Eren replied, "The giant, rage monster…"
"hmm…" Levi said, jerking the younger man along.
Eren grunted as Levi kicked open the door to the courtroom, and he saw it completely packed out with soldiers and civilians alike. Levi dragged him to the center of the room and chained him to a pole in the center. Eren looked around at all the angry faces till he spotted his friends, particularly Armin and Mikasa standing nearby looking concerned.
At that moment, Dhalis Zackery, the high commander of all three branches of the military took his place at the high desk. "Alright, let's get to this…"
"Eren Yeager, Scout of the Survey Corps," Dhalis read the briefing before him, "It seems you were witnessed by many to have somehow transformed into this… massive Titan-like creature. You then proceeded to cross the warzone, defeating at minimum twenty Titans before changing back to the appearance of a human. When questioned by a superior officer, you stood against them and stated you were neither human nor Titan. Referring to yourself as Eren Yeager AND a being you called Godzilla. Is there anything missing?"
"No, sir," Eren replied.
"You also were recorded as saying that you have stood with and opposed to humanity in the past," Dhalis continued, "But there are no records of this happening within the walls."
"There's more to the world than the walls, sir," Eren replied, "I've discovered there is a lot of history that has apparently been forgotten…"
"BLASPHEMY!" A priest called from across the room.
"Scout Mikasa Ackerman," Dhalis ignored the priest, "from what I understand, in his beast form, Yeager saved you, is that correct?"
Mikasa blinked, before turning to the commander, "Yes sir, technically twice."
"I see…" Dhalis made a note.
"Hasn't anyone seen her fight? They grew up together! She's probably a monster too! Kill them both! It's the only way to be safe!" one across from Mikasa said, and several of the armed guards aimed their weapons at her.
"Touch her and I'll burn you all to dust…" Eren growled as his back began to smoke and a blue glow began to shine through the back of his shirt.
"See! Monster! Kill it!" The priest pointed a finger at Eren who was beginning to show signs of growing.
Before any of the guards could respond, Levi moved in and kicked Eren in the face.
Everyone stood shocked as a bloody tooth went flying across the courtroom.
Eren growled and turned his attention to Levi who proceeded to stomp his face into the ground.
Mikasa watched in horror as Levi repeated kicked Eren in the face, sending blood flying. "EREN!" Mikasa cried out, and started to rush to Eren's aid, but Armin grabbed her arm.
She turned her rageful eyes on her other best friend in a glare that said 'if you don't take your hand off my arm, it will be the last thing that hand ever touches'.
Armin shook his head, "Mikasa… trust us."
"Us…?" Mikasa furrowed her brow, before her eyes widened when she heard Eren's cry of pain. She turned quickly and pressed herself against the railing, hoping that at least her presence would give him comfort.
Levi rested his foot on the barely conscious Eren's face. "He only killed twenty titans. As you can see, and you can see by my record… I can handle a would-be monster like this."
Eren growled but was silenced by a spin kick by Levi that sent him the rest of the way to the ground.
Erwin Smith stood up, "If I may, Commander," Erwin said, "I would like to set up a special unit from the Survey Corps to watch over and be responsible for Eren Yeager. I believe we could use his Godzilla form to remove the Titans from within the walls and take back what belongs to us. Perhaps even extend our range.
"Captain, are you confident you can control him?" Dhalis asked. Levi answered by kicking Eren in the face again. "Very good. The course of the next mission will decide if Eren Yeager is an asset or a liability. Court dismissed!"
-G-
Eren groaned as Hange Zoe pushed a small cloth dipped in alcohol on his bruised face. "Kick the shit out of a boy who can transform into a giant fire breathing monster," Hange said in a chipper tone, "That'll go in your top five brightest ideas, Levi."
"Eh, he's harmless," Levi waved him off, "Just needed to show my dominance to the bureaucrats."
"Harmless?" Hange looked at Levi over her glasses, "He slaughtered twenty Titans."
"If Titans scared me that might impress me," Levi's unimpressed face glanced at Eren, "Now his little girlfriend, that look she was giving me did make me nervous for a second. Unlike the overgrown iguana, she may be a real danger."
"My what? Who? Huh?" Eren blinked rapidly, before Hange grabbed his jaw and forced his mouth open.
"Shhhh, let me see where you lost a tooth," She said, silencing the flushed teenager. "It… It grew back…" Hange's eyes light up. "Oh… you are so very interesting!"
"I'd be afraid if I were you, kid," Levi walked over to sit next to him, and Eren flinched at the movement.
"Hate me, kid?" Levi said seriously to Eren.
"No, I understand why you did what you did…" Eren said, "I'd be locked up by the government, if not tried to be dissected by now if it wasn't for that… can't speak for the other guy in here though…" He said tapping his head. "Doesn't hurt it doesn't look like you've slept in days and could fall over any moment…"
"Understood," Levi smirked. "And I can sleep when I die."
A moment later, Erwin Smith walked into the room with several folders in his arm. "All has been cleared and set in motion for your Unit, Captain."
"Unit?" Eren asked.
"Still want to be part of the Military, Yeager?" Erwin asked.
"Yes, sir." Eren nodded.
"As I expected and planned for," Erwin said, placing the folders on the table between them, "Welcome to Special Offence Survey Unit G-Force."
"G-Force?" Eren blinked.
"Special Unit born from the Survey Corps made to retake our lost territories, The study of Godzilla, and explore within and beyond the walls," Erwin smiled at Eren, "And I suspect with your help, we will go farther than any Survey has ever gone."
"I've invited and we have several accepted already," Erwin stated, motioning toward the folders, "Levi will be field command, and Hange will be command of scientific study. Now, allow me to introduce you to the squads that will be assisting you while you do your thing. While in your human form you'll be floating around mostly."
"Squad Alpha," Erwin started. "Petra Rall, Rainer Braun, Gunter Schultz Krista Lenz."
"Squad Beta: Connie Springer, Jean Kirschtein, Sasha Braus, Ymir."
"And Squad Gamma…" Eren's eyes widened at the list. "Mikasa Ackerman, Armin Arlert, Luke Cis, Dieter Ness."
"Mikasa… Armin…" Eren smiled, then thought of the rest of the team, most of which were in his graduating class.
"You'll see them soon enough, going to be a big party to celebrate the creation of the new group, then we all get together at the new HQ," Hange smiled, "Mean time. I wanna know more about your bigger side. It's so different than the Titans I've studied!"
"What do you know about the Titans?" Eren asked, and Hange's eyes lit up behind her glasses. Levi and Erwin both wordlessly stood up and left the room as Hange began her rambles.
As the sun rose the next morning, Eren sat with bags under his eyes, staring blankly forward as Hange continued to explain in the exact same excited tone of an excited star struck five year old that she started with over twelve hours earlier.
"So, that's just the tip of what all I know about the Titans, but what I'm more curious on is YOU!" Henge finished. "Ready to get started?!"
Henge took Eren outside and Levi was awaiting with a pair of horses. "You look tired," Hange noted of the captain.
"Went to the new base they gave us last night," Levi said as the two mounted their horses, "It's been in the mothballs for a long time."
"You spent the night cleaning," Hange smirked.
"Maybe…" Levi didn't look at the scientist, "Let's get moving…"
The castle that would be established as G-Force Headquarters was just a short ride outside of the central town. Hange hopped down and looked expectantly at Eren, "Well, come on, don't be shy! Drop down and show us the Big Guy!"
Eren climbed down from his horse and looked inward, and before he could ask he heard the voice in his head speak, 'Don't think she'll give us peace till we do, let's do it.'
Eren closed his eyes and clinched his fists as he felt his back began to grow hot. Suddenly he felt his uniform growing tighter then began to rip and tear.
Levi and Hange's jaws dropped as the King of the Monsters rose from where Eren Yeager stood. The towering beast glanced down at Hange and Levi expectantly.
Hange began to drool and blush. "Oh… My … God…"
"-Zilla," Levi finished.
"He's so…" Hange flushed brightly, "so… so… Beautiful!"
She fired a small grapple to the top of his forehead, between his eyes, making the monster take a step back and make a high pitch yelp-like roar. She pulled the cable to the ground and looked at the markings. Twenty-one meters… but according to reports you were just slightly bigger than the fifteen meter Titans you took out…" She pulled out a notebook and began jolting down notes, "Theory mark I, subject grows in size and possible power with each transformation. Further study to be had."
Godzilla dislodged the grapple and looked to see the mad scientist running toward a large Titan target used in training exercises. He tilted his head as she plunged several things in the ground and attached one to the target. "Alright, that fire breath thing you do, I want to know how hot it is," Hange said, as she ran back to the towering monster and Levi's sides. "HIT IT!"
Godzilla snorted, before looking toward the target, and his fins began to glow as he charged up his power.
"Should… we be standing this close?" Levi asked, a hint of concern in his voice.
"It's ok, we've got goggles," Hange said, pulling her goggles down over her eyes.
"You have goggles… I don't…" Levi replied.
"Oh…" Hange touched her pointer finger to her lip as the humming was close to its fever pitch. "You might want to move back then…" but it was too late, as Godzilla released the flash of atomic breath on the target, completely atomizing it.
"THEY'RE GONE!" Hange squealed, "I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! IT COMPLETELY ATOMIZED IT! OH WOW! THIS IS THE COOLEST THING EVER!"
"My Eyes…" Levi groaned.
"DO IT TO THOSE TARGETS OVER THERE!" Hange pointed to four more Titan targets. "DO RAPID FIRE! RAPID FIRE!"
Godzilla gave another unimpressed snort and began charging his fins again. But this time he twisted his body, and slung his tail toward the targets, releasing the charged energy from his tail in a energy slash attack, destroying all four and several trees in the process.
"OHMYGODYES!" Hange screamed, scribbling in her notepad. "More tests! I need to know how fast you are! How strong you are! How you you are! YESLORDYESHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"My eyes…" Levi continued to blink rapidly.
Hours of training and note taking took place till it was time for the rest of the Unit to arrive and the, as Hange called it, housewarming party was to take place.
Eren stepped outside of the front door and stretched as the first of the horses and wagons.
"EREN!" Eren glanced up to see Mikasa running toward him.
"Mikasa!" Eren smiled as she ran to him, taking his hands and looking him over.
"Are you ok?" She asked in concern, "Did they hurt you?"
"I'm fine, Mikasa," Eren replied, as Armin joined them.
"The short guy…" Mikasa growled as her eyes narrowed, "If he so much as touches you again, I'll kill him… slowly…"
"Easy…" Eren said carefully.
"I'll make him pay for what he did to you," Mikasa said, glaring through her bangs, "I'll never forgive and I'll never forget…"
"I'll show you to your rooms before the dinner starts," Eren said, being careful to lead them in a way that would avoid Levi.
-G-
Armin Arlert was a wall flower. He would happily admit it. If it wasn't for Eren and Mikasa he'd be perfectly happy in a nice corner with a book… preferably his grandfather's journal.
He sat at a table watching Eren chat it up with some of their other teammates. To no one's surprise at all, Mikasa was glued to his side. He had barely been able to hold her back from ripping the entire world apart hunting for where the government had taken him after the trial if you'd call that one. Then when they received the invitation for the unit to work with and assist Eren and his new form, she didn't even hesitate a breath. Granted, he might have hesitated half a breath.
He took a swig of his drink and made a face. "Drinking a hard drink?" He glanced up to see Annie Leonhart in her usual white hoodie under typical Police Brigade uniform. Which honestly was the same as the Survey Corps uniform but instead of the Wings there was a green unicorn.
"Only thirty percent odds of coming back," Armin smiled at his as usual frowning friend. "If I'm old enough to die fighting Titans, I'm old enough for rum."
She rolled her eyes and walked away for a moment. Moment later she came back with two wine glasses. "If you're going to drink; drink something that isn't shit."
"Figure with you the percentage would be … less…" She said swirling her wine in its glass.
"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence, Annie," Armin replied, taking a drink of the wine she gave him. "this is better… and I'll be fine."
"Famous last words…" Annie glanced at him and frowned even deeper than normal. "been said a lot before Scouts went beyond the walls, and never came back."
"I've got something they didn't," Armin nodded.
"And that would be?" Annie quirked a blond eyebrow.
"A sharp mind," Armin pointed to his shaggy blond-haired head, and then thumbed toward Eren, "And Godzilla."
"A knight riding into battle alongside a fire-breathing dragon?" Annie snorted and rolled her eyes, "All you need is a lady's colors."
"Got a handkerchief?" the flushing, slightly intoxicated Armin asked.
"I think you've had enough…" Annie said, sliding a paper toward him.
"What's this?" Armin blinked trying to push the buzz away to focus on the form she had.
"Transfer request," Annie replied, "To the Police Brigade."
"Why would I do that?" Armin blinked at the blond headed girl.
"Higher percentage of not dying?" Annie noted seriously.
"First, I don't want to… and second, I can't anyway… I didn't make top ten of the class…" Armin reminded her.
"There's ways around that," Annie stated.
"Like what?" Armin asked genuinely interested.
"I've already made a good impression on my supervisors," Annie said, glancing around to make sure no one was listening, "fill out this, and I slide it to them, tell them it's my lover. And you'll be safe behind Sheena."
"Your…" Armin flushed hotly, "Annie, I can't possibly stay inside and hide while my friends try to retake our home…"
"Eren isn't all powerful, Armin!" Annie's temper flared as her annoyance at his stubbornness. "Eren and Mikasa and the others can't do what they have to do and keep you safe! You're a genius but you don't know how many titans you'll encounter or what kind!"
"I'm not dead weight, Annie," Armin was starting to lose his temper too. "I may not be top ten like you but I'm not helpless!"
"I know you're not helpless!" Annie grunted in frustration, "I just don't want to see you rolled back in a wagon, if they even recover your body at all!"
"I'm not going to die, Annie!" Armin made a mental note on understanding why alcohol had been called liquid courage.
"You don't know that!" Annie leaned forward, "You already froze up once."
"And then I saved Mikasa," Armin noted, "And even IF I was willing to go along with your plan, I don't want to lie about us being lovers."
"Who said we'd be lying?!" She shot back, then clamped her mouth shut as the two stared at each other.
The two noticed the whole room had gone quiet, and except for the sound of someone munching across from them at the same table. The two blonds glanced to see Sasha sitting with her elbows on the table staring at them all the while munching on a baked potato. "Oh, don't stop on my account. Keep going."
"Can we talk somewhere private?" Annie asked as she glanced toward Armin.
"Sure…" Armin nodded, and took her hand and lead her toward the exit of the banquet room. He glanced back to Eren and Mikasa. Mikasa was eyeing Annie wearily, it was no secret that they always rubbed each other wrong. Meanwhile Eren just looked confused as to what was happening. Before he glanced toward nothing and exclaimed 'They're going to what?!'
Armin led his former classmate to his quarters, and she walked over to the window. "Sorry," She finally said, "I just don't like the idea of you running right into a death trap."
"Well… um…" Armin kicked his shoe against the floor. "statistics of scouts surviving do go up when said scout has something… someone to come back to…" Armin glanced to the blonde's back.
"That's complete horse shit, and you know it, Arlert," Annie replied.
"Pretty sure a towering monster as a best friend going into the death trap with me should raise it up a few points," Armin stammered.
"Maybe a few," Annie glanced back to him, before looking back to the full moon.
"Why me though?" Armin asked, sitting down on his bed, "Not that I complain about finding out you actually care. But You've always been kind of aloft… figured you would be more worried about Reiner…"
"Reiner is a dumbass, Armin," Annie shook her head, "And not many people have treated me like a person, like you did all through training… and also you kept getting back up when I took you and Eren down when I was teaching you both a few things. I think you did more than Eren. That's… a little impressive. I… I don't have many friends. So, excuse me if one of them acting like their lives are expendable kind of pissed me off."
"So, I'm a friend?" Armin flushed, and glanced anywhere but at her. "What's up with what you said downstairs … I mean… I just…"
"Armin…" Annie said, now stalking toward him. "Shut up."
-G-
Godzilla roared in pain as he fell back into a skyscraper, and it fell in pieces around him. He struggled to get back up, glaring daggers at his enemy standing with him in the burning city.
His fins glowed as he charged his attack and released a blast of atomic breath that the golden beast dodged easily and hit him again with three bolts of lightning-like energy.
Godzilla leaned forward and coughed, blood falling from his mouth and hitting the ground. He glanced up just in time for the three heads' jagged teeth to sink into his flesh.
Eren woke up with a start, gasping for breath.
"What was that…" Eren breathed.
'Old memory… old enemy,' Gojira replied in his head, 'With luck it'll remain only in the past and in our nightmares.'
"Hope so too… that was intense…" Eren replied, getting up and dressed. He made his way down to the dining hall and found Mikasa alone at a table.
"Good morning," She greeted him as he went to get a plate of breakfast.
She watched over him before another movement caught her eyes. She stood up and stepped in front of the disheveled Annie as she was making her way to the exit. "Annie."
"Mikasa…" Annie replied, the two young women staring each other in the eye. "Are we going to have trouble?"
"Depends," Mikasa replied, narrowing her eyes.
"At the moment, we're alright…" Mikasa stepped closer, getting in Annie's personal space, and it irritated Mikasa that she could smell a hint of Armin's cologne on her. "Hurt my friend... and I will destroy you."
"Then we'll be ok," Annie replied, glaring right back.
"Then we're ok," Mikasa said, without any hint of kindness. "You have a good day."
"You have one as well," Annie replied in a growl, stepping around her and leaving the headquarters.
Mikasa turned back as Eren was returning with his food. She smiled and the two sat down together. "Are you ok?" They asked at the same time.
"Yes, I'm fine," Mikasa replied, before nodding toward him.
"Just… getting used to all the changes," Eren replied, looking at his bowl of oatmeal.
"Eren…" Mikasa whispered, "What's it like?"
"Becoming Godzilla?" Eren asked, he took a breath, then a bite of his breakfast before he spoke. Once he swallowed, he looked at his life long best friend. "All the anger, pain and … and fury I've felt since Mom…" Eren said, "When I become him… it's like I'm letting it all go, yet embracing it at the same time if that even makes sense…" Eren glanced away, "It… it's terrifying…" He whispered, before glancing back at her, "And yet… it feels good."
"Eren…" Mikasa said barely above a breath, as she reached toward him and took one of his hands, "Promise me… you'll be careful when we leave on the mission tomorrow."
"I promise, only if you do, too." Eren said, and she smiled back at him. They began chatting as they ate their breakfast; enjoying their last day of peace before they both went to war.
To Be Continued …
Next Chapter: The Female Titan. I've kept it pretty close to canon to this point, but going to start sliding it off the rails soon.