The World Changes

Annie felt Bertholdt shift a heartbeat before the fateful blast of lightning fell before the outer gate. Like the rest of the squad she was assigned to, she turned and stared at the blood-red head of the Colossal Titan emerge from a brief plume of steam. They watched, powerless, as steam burst forth, clearing the wall's top, and tiny dots fall from their positions atop the wall. She swallowed bile as a rumbling swept over Trost, wind rippling through the southernmost district.

The outer gate had been breached. It was done.

"Not again," growled a Garrison soldier.

Annie glanced at him and frowned. He was middle-aged with short blond hair and the making of a mustache. He had the look of a former drunk, judging from his loose jowls and the reddish hue that lingered in his cheeks. He had clearly shaped up, if he was given command of several cannons upon the wall here at Trost.

"What'd'ya mean?" asked one of the other cadets. Annie didn't know his name, nor did she care.

"I was there on that day in Shiganshina," their Garrison commander murmured, rubbing his jaw. "Nothin' scarier than comin' face to face with a Titan. Nearly pissed myself, but I had a duty."

Annie looked away as memories of Marcel's death flashed in her mind. Sometimes she wondered what would've happened if Reiner had been devoured instead. Would they have gone back? Would Marcel have pressed forward with the mission despite knowing a key component of breaching the first wall had been lost?

Would they have waited for whoever killed Reiner to emerge from their squat Titan form instead of fleeing, running on hot emotion instead of cool logic?

"Did you see a Titan eat someone?" asked another.

"In a way," the commander admitted. "I saved a couple brats whose mother got trapped by debris from when the wall got breached. I… I took them, and ran. The boy, Eren, was angled wrong over my shoulder. He saw it rip his mom out of the wreckage, and then eat her."

Annie looked over. She vaguely remembered that Eren had been—

"He'll be there then," she said, gesturing towards where the Colossal Titan remained. When she looked closer, she spotted someone buzzing about. He was but a dot, flying about in the air like a gnat bothering a man.

"That… I think that's him out there."

Be safe, Eren, she thought as others spoke and cheered. And to you, Bertholdt… Run if you wish to save your life. He won't be merciful once he knows who you are.

"I've got you now!" Eren shouted as he reeled his way through clouds of steam expelled by the Colossal Titan. Annie had warned him about it, but it had still taken him by surprise when it was deployed at such close quarters. It hadn't been enough to sear his skin and leave behind burns, though it stung his eyes something fierce. He brought his blades back, ready to carve a long, deep slice into the enemy's nape. He would extract whoever it was within the enemy form and expose them to the world, regardless of what it might mean for him.

Before he could reach his target, though, he was met by a great, disorienting blast of steam. It was the most powerful by far, disrupting his inertia and forcing his eyes closed, even only for a few heartbeats.

When Eren opened his eyes, swinging his blades wildly, the steam blew away and revealed the Colossal Titan had vanished. He lingered in the air for a few heartbeats before finally firing a tether at Wall Rose. Once his boots hit solid stone, he looked down and scanned not only the walls around him, but the ground where a titan corpse should be as well.

The Colossal Titan had vanished as suddenly as he appeared. There wasn't even a body, to reveal the truth of what he had fought. Only three craters were where his feet had been. Eren desperately hoped the enemy shifter made a mistake and could be spotted, but there was no sign of a figure fleeing by land or, as terrible as it could be, by air. But then he needed to remember that were it not for Annie selecting him as an ally, he doubted he'd even consider for a moment a human could transform into a Titan.

And he especially never would've thought the Colossal Titan was technically human.

Is he a traitor…or merely an enemy? Eren wondered, staring at the three massive imprints before the breached gate.

He gritted his teeth, turning upwards to the wall's lip. It was a simple matter, scaling the dozen meters between him and the top. Annoyingly, Eren found a pair of disgruntled Garrison soldiers waiting for him. One of them opened his mouth to ask a stupid question, but he could be quicker.

"It got away," Eren growled, meeting the man's glower. "Vanished, just like at Shiganshina."

He ignored the suspicious looks the Garrison soldiers shot him, focusing instead on his fellow cadets. Connie and Thomas had climbed up to the top of Wall Rose, watching him with jealous eyes. They must have had hope to take a swing at the Colossal Titan as well. In a way, it made sense with Connie, given he had the skills of those under Eren's command to take to the field against a shifter and potentially emerge victorious. Sasha, despite having been present, was supposed to be elsewhere instead of at his cannon. She had technically been in dereliction of duty when she came over to show off the meat she had stolen, but the breach meant her crime would likely go unpunished, if noticed at all.

"Man, you are crazy!" shouted Connie, almost impressed. "Can't believe you went up against that massive sunnavabitch alone!"

Eren snorted. "I did say I was going to kill every Titan I can. Starting with the Colossal Titan would merely be to avenge what happened to Shiganshina, and now to Trost."

The other cadets blanched at the reminder of what had occurred before them. Thomas especially appeared panicked, and Eren realized he was a native of Trost. His expression reminded Eren too much of himself upon that day in Shiganshina.

"Head back to Headquarters," barked one of the Garrison soldiers. "Refill your tanks, then join your assigned squads to cover the evacuation."

They nodded and departed, following the wall towards where the Trost District met Wall Rose proper. It was safer compared to heading straight into the city from their position.

During their entire trip to Southern Command, Eren's mind couldn't help but fixate upon the fact the soldier had said evacuation and not defense.

Cadet Squad 34 followed the central broadway southward, heading towards their assigned position among the upper blocks of Lower Trost. The five-person squad was being deployed to assist the devastated vanguard. Eren Jaeger tightened his grasp upon his weapons, knowing the four with him were under his command, and thus his responsibility. He glanced back at them, hating that he dared to wonder if he was capable of ensuring they all survived without his Titan power. He was the strongest of them, and possessed a power that he feared would need to be used.

Armin Arlert, his childhood friend, gave him a grim nod.

Mina Caroline, Annie's bunkmate during training, smiled weakly, as if she might vomit.

Thomas Wagner, who had declared his intent to join the Corps right before the breach, kept his attention upon the horizon, focused and intent.

Milieus Zeremski, the only one present whose future path was still uncertain, had a pale face with hints of green in his cheeks.

If Eren made a mistake, if his judgment became clouded, all four of them would die. Their blood would be upon his hands.

He brought them to a halt a few minutes south of Headquarters, a block or three from the back of what should be the vanguard line. The rooftop they stood on was still intact, though he doubted it would remain so for long. Seeing the bloodstains just before them, the half-eaten bodies left behind by the Titan horde, he had a sudden thought. It had to be done, for those with him and those still trying to flee the walls of Trost.

Annie is going to kill me, but I have to do this.

"Eren, why did we stop?" asked Armin, clearly concerned. The others watched them, thinking the same question Armin dared ask.

His hands clenched the handles of his swords as he said, "I…I have a secret weapon. For, well…fighting Titans."

The other cadets gave each other uncertain glances before Thomas asked, "What is it?"

Eren opened his mouth to reply, but found his answer caught in his throat. Old fears of being viewed as a monster came spiraling back, polluting his mind and clouding it with fear. Annie would do more than just kill him once she found out he even considered using his powers. She would break him, or even betray him to their enemies.

Yet if he didn't move forward and use his Titan powers, the four relying upon him could die. It was only as his green eyes focused on an increasingly nervous Armin that he decided his fears needed to be set aside. He had already admitted he had a secret weapon. Now was the time for Eren Jaeger to fulfill his promise—to destroy the Titans.

"I can transform into a Titan. A fifteen-meter class."

"Okay Jaeger," grumbled Milieus, nearly sneering. "Now pull the other leg."

He blinked. It had never crossed Eren's mind that he wouldn't be believed when the truth came out. But then he had always assumed it would be a reveal of action, not words. He had never considered his secret would come to life in this manner, in a place like this. Eren had been more concerned he would be spotted shifting or torn from his titan form, revealing his shifting ability by accident or mistake.

"Those footsteps…" Armin murmured. When he noticed the attention of everyone else, he continued. "Down by the lake during training. Was that you?"

Eren nearly let out a sigh. "It was." Don't ask about Annie. Don't ask about Annie. Please don't ask about her.

The others looked between the childhood friends, varying emotions displayed on their faces. Most were doubtful or scared, but none were ones of hatred. Even so, it was easier for Eren to focus on Armin.

"And the other person?"

He blanched, looking away. "It isn't my secret to share, Armin. I won't betray he—them so."

"I still don't believe you, Jaeger," stated Milieus. He gestured with his head towards a nearby street. "Prove it to us. Transform into a Titan, assuming you aren't bullshitting us."

Eren stared for a moment, wondering why Milieus was so insistent despite his doubts. The others had similar looks, with only Armin appearing to believe his claims.

He glanced down to the rooftop, kicking at a loose tile with his boot. His gaze shifted to his right hand, still tightly holding onto the hilt.

No time like the present.

Eren sheathed his blades, earning a few gasps. He marched to the nearest roof edge and raised his hand to his mouth. In the same moment he jumped, his jaw clamped down and teeth tore through flesh, meeting bone. Hot metallic blood filled his mouth, coating his tongue and overcoming the slight smoky tang native to Trost.

I must liberate Trost, he thought, envisioning the great form he would take up.

A moment later, lightning cut through the day sky. Steaming flesh formed around him, binding his hands and limbs, torso and face to the larger body molding around him. His human eyes closed, and then his Titan's eyes opened. Eren turned to face the others, staring at him with the awe and dread of new believers. With a rumbling gurgle, he announced his arrival upon the battlefield of Trost.

One shifter had ruined the city. He shall put the devastation to right.

Annie watched Reiner and Bertholdt turn around, suppressing terrified expressions as a stray, singular bolt of lightning struck elsewhere in Trost. The sky flashed green for a second as far away from them, another person shifted into a Titan. They briefly glanced at her, uncertain and distrusting, rightfully suspecting she knew the other shifter's identity. She wasn't terribly surprised by the glint of pain and betrayal in their expressions.

A striking pulse of pleasure shot through her at their expressions, and had she less control over her person; she might have smirked at them, knowing something they were in the dark about. Annoyingly, the feeling for that impulse came from the same part of her that had succumbed to Eren's pleas to join the Survey Corps and to train him as a Titan Shifter.

"What was that?" asked Marco Bodt, standing near Jean Kirschstein. Annie thought it was irresponsible to put five members of the graduating Top Ten on the same squad, but then they weren't meant to be deployed the closest to the vanguard's failed line. Command was hedging their bets with them, compared to Eren's squad comprised mostly of Titan-bait.

"Looked like what happened before the Colossal Titan struck…" said Jean, voice trailing off with realized horror. "We… We should head back to HQ…"

"Why?" Reiner asked. Annie resisted the urge to frown. "Shouldn't we go investigate what that was?"

"And risk a run-in with the Armored Titan?" Jean asked, unaware of the cosmic irony his question posed. Annie nearly lost control of her lips at the realization, but she held her apathy together long enough to suppress a twitch. "If you want to die here, then be my guest."

"Eren's squad was over there," added Marco, giving Annie a pointed look. "I think we should at least see if they're safe."

She frowned, as the others looked her way. While she wasn't sure what Marco or Jean expected her to say, her gut screamed that Reiner and Bertholdt were already on to her. The latter glanced away guiltily, before strangling his emotions.

Reiner remained Reiner, loyal and committed to Marley's mission. He would take them over, to investigate the bolt and what it meant. It was in his nature, the sniveling bastard.

"I'm not worried about Eren," Annie said. Her blue eyes flickered across the four expectant faces before her. "It's his squad we should be concerned about."

"That's true," muttered Jean. Annie wondered if he was more frustrated over Eren being given a command before him or being overlooked in favor of Reiner. Had she only known him through training on Paradis, she would have agreed with giving Reiner a command so early after graduation. But Annie still remembered the Reiner Braun of Liberio, sycophantic for Marley's cause.

He couldn't be trusted.

Yet she knew Eren would need protection from Titans, both shifter and feral.

Her lips opened as she made another decision bound to be fateful.

Armin spotted Squad 23 first. He signaled with his swords, glinting in the sun, for Mina and Thomas to tether onto Eren's titanic shoulders while Milieus joined him in heading off the incoming cadets.

"What do we tell them?" Milieus asked nervously. Ever since the transformation, he had been quiet, as if deflated of his self-worth.

"About Eren?" asked Armin. Milieus nodded. "We tell them the little we know. That Eren can transform into a Titan and he's willing to use this power for humanity." He paused, then added, "Don't inform them that it's likely he's been able to do so for a year or more."

"What about Leonhardt? They're close. You think she knows about Eren?"

Armin frowned. His gut told him at the bare minimum that she knew about Eren's power, but he was too afraid to confront her without a backup plan. Her apathy was more of a mask than an honest portrayal of herself these days, and he had no clue what she might do with Eren's secret exposed. His mind still struggled to come to terms with the fact his best friend not only had this strange power, but had gone further and kept it a secret from him and Mikasa.

If Annie knew about Eren's power, perhaps even possessed it as well, it meant one of two things: she was a trusted ally, or she was a greater threat than the Armored and Colossal—

He nearly froze, horrified and disgusted and terrified by his sudden realization. The bolt of lightning from Eren's transformation was identical to the Colossal's right before he appeared to breach Wall Rose.

If the Colossal Titan is like Eren, then it means there were traitors among humanity.

It was tempting, the thought to order Milieus and the others to say nothing about Eren being a Titan. But if there were traitors among humanity, then they needed to bait those traitors into revealing themselves. Eren was strong enough to defend himself, and he would have allies aplenty once the day was through. Their foe only had to make the mistake of exposing themselves.

Armin shoved away his worries about those revelations, for there was a chance, a terrible one, that one of his fellow cadets was a traitor. It was strange just how different the moment he currently lived in, the future he moved into, was from the world he had woken up to that very morning. He hadn't considered Trost being breached this day. He hadn't thought Eren might be able to transform into a Titan.

He hadn't believed that one of his closest friends could keep such a significant secret from him.

Jean and Marco reached the rooftop Armin waited on first, followed by Reiner and Bertholdt. Annie was the last to land, yet ended up being the closest to Armin. Her blue eyes briefly trailed past him to Eren's Titan form, Mina and Thomas tethered onto him as he searched for Titans to kill, before meeting his.

"Where's Eren?" asked Annie as though she didn't already know the answer.

"What's with that Titan?" asked Jean before Armin could reply to Annie. "And why are Mina and Thomas just…standing on it."

"Him," Armin corrected. "That Titan is Eren."

"You're kidding, right?"

Reiner and Bertholdt stared at Eren, expressions masked while Marco gaped.

Annie sighed and muttered, "I was worried he'd get eaten first. Bloody idiot."

Armin blinked, taking note of what she had said. Not her last comment, but the word before them. First. Had Annie thought Eren would get eaten before turning into a Titan? Was she, even by accident, confirming his suspicion she had known about Eren's mysterious ability? Could it be that she possessed that power as well and understood it better than Eren?

They had spent a great deal of time together—time alone, he reflected—away from anyone else. They had even slipped away from camp during storms, especially the ones that boomed and flashed in the distance, only coming close enough to the training grounds to force everyone indoors and out of the storm.

"Did you know?" asked Marco, as though he knew Armin's train of thought. He stared at Annie with a guarded look, odd for the gregarious boy. "Did you know about Eren?"

"Maybe I did," whispered Annie, looking away from them. Armin didn't bother to follow her gaze, knowing she was looking at Eren. He didn't believe what she had said, but she was rarely sincere as it was. Only Eren seemed to draw anything real out of her.

"So if that's Eren, then what's the plan?" asked Reiner. "The retreat bell hasn't—"

As though summoned by his words, bells ran throughout Trost. They all knew what it signaled—they were commanded to retreat behind Wall Rose. The evacuation had ended, the gate was closed, and none wanted to entertain the severe civilian losses inflicted by the prior Titan incursion.

"We pull back for now," Armin decided. "We regroup on the other side, then have Eren plug the breach. We don't have the supplies or the manpower to launch a campaign to seal the wall."

"We should resupply first," suggested Reiner, tapping the gear at his waist. "I doubt any of us have enough gas to make it back over. And we can gather any surviving cadets. I don't like the idea of leaving our comrades behind to be devoured without trying to save them."

Armin nodded, even as Annie frowned. How odd.