AN: I can't believe how close I am to reaching 1000 followers. That is huge! Thank you all so much. :)

Also, message to Ahsoka Jackson: I would like the chance to speak with you if you have time. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to contact you.


Chapter 73: Choices

Historia found herself pacing back and forth, unable to stand still while she waited for her father to return. She was overwhelmed by everything she had learned. The existence and death of a family she never knew, the truth behind Eren's powers, and her sister. Frieda taught her how to be a kind lady in this dark world. She owed so much to her, but Grisha made it so they would never see each other again. It was like her existence was a cruel, sick joke. Every time hope came around in her view, it was snuffed out. Frieda, her mother (in spite of the horrible things she did), Ymir…

Her eyes drifted up towards Eren. His eyes were red from sobbing so hard earlier. She didn't blame him for any of this. He was just as much of a victim as the Reiss family was, forced into a circumstance he didn't ask for. Unfortunately, there were no words of comfort she could think of that would help him. Krista would probably have the right thing to say, but she was long gone now. No more than a distant memory.

Footsteps called for her attention as Rod returned with a sizable bag in his hands. Once he was close to Historia, he placed it on the ground. "Historia, I know that you have many questions, and I promise I will answer them." With a grunt, he reached into the bag and pulled out a small, black case. "Unfortunately, time is not on our side right now. We must hurry."

Her eyes widened upon seeing the contents of the case. They were the components of a medical syringe used for injection or removal of fluids. The bottle containing golden fluid made it abundantly clear on how it would be used in this instance. "Is... is that-?"

A muffled scream made her yelp as Eren struggled against his chains once more. His eyes, wide and fearful, were locked on the serum.

Rod ignored him and answered his daughter. "Yes. This contains the spinal fluid of a Titan Shifter. Injecting someone in the arm will turn that person into the same kind of Titan you see wandering in Wall Maria's territory. The only way to return to human form is to eat another Titan Shifter."

The pieces were starting to come together in Historia's mind, and a sinking feeling developed in her gut. "That's why those Titans eat every human in sight."

He nodded in confirmation as he filled up the syringe. "It is the only instinct they have, the only thing that drives them. But do not worry, Historia. For you, that will only be temporary."

"F-For me?"

"You can take back our Holy Inheritance once and for all."

Historia was at a complete loss for words. Becoming a Titan Shifter and… eating Eren… the thought horrified her. Despite how much her legs were shaking, she managed to take a couple of steps back from her father. "No. No, I can't do this."

"You have to, Historia," Rod stated, walking towards her. "The Titan must be returned to the family at all-."

"Then you do it!" The rate of her breathing quickened. "You know how this whole thing works better than I do."

"I can't!" There was so much bitterness in those two words that it caused them to stop their movements. Rod clenched the syringe in his hand, though it did not break. "I'm… not allowed to be. My father and brother, the ones that came before Frieda, made it clear what my role was to be: a submissive advisor to their will. Nothing more."

Historia managed to stare at her father in his eyes, feeling sympathy for him. However, it did little to ease her strife. "You're asking me to kill my friend," she whispered.

"I know." With his free hand, he laid it gently on her shoulder. "You will carry that weight with you for the rest of your life, but because of your heritage, you will have the power to end the Titan threat once and for all. You can save humanity, and… you will be able to see Frieda again."

Historia gasped at the thought of seeing her sister. There was so much she wanted to say to her, so many questions she had. There was no guarantee she would ever see Ymir again, but her father provided her with the opportunity to gain one, good person she had lost so long ago. And there was so much more she could do.

Everyone within the Walls feared the Titans above all else. That threat could be exterminated by Historia's hand. They could all be free to live their lives without monsters seeking to devour them. All that power contained in one, simple syringe, which somehow found its way into her hand. And the price? One life.

Once again, Historia found herself gazing at Eren. His screaming stopped a while back, but that fear remained in his eyes. However, there was something else that she could see: resignation. He expected to die by her hand. What was the point of protesting the inevitable? He had done good things with the power of the Titans, but now… it was her turn. The years of neglect and abuse have come to an end at last. She could finally rise above all that.

Slowly, she pressed the needle against her arm.


The phrase "up the creek without a paddle" could not even begin to describe the situation Caven found herself in. The MPs held the upper hand and managed to capture a Titan Shifter, but thanks to a suicidal Scout, all was lost. The explosion caused several of the cables holding her down to snap. With a loud roar, the Female Titan flung the cannons in the direction of the nearest soldiers despite her blindness. One got away, but the other two were crushed. Only eight of them left.

"What do we do!?" one of the MPs exclaimed fearfully.

Outmaneuvered. Outgunned. Outmatched. Caven knew that none of them would live to see tomorrow. That left only one choice. "Hold your ground and fire everything you've got at the Female Titan!"

"But we can't beat her!" the same soldier protested. "I don't want to die."

Caven glared at the coward. "I gave you an order, soldier."

"LOOK OUT!"

Kenny's second-in-command narrowly dodged a chunk of crystal that was tossed at her, though one of the catapults was destroyed by the impact. With her soldiers panicking, holding a last stand seemed to be very unlikely.

The Female Titan removed the blades from her eyes and forced one of them to heal as soon as she could manage. She still was missing her foot, but given that she could finally see, it was a small price to pay. Once she was up, she slammed her body directly into the nearest MP, smashing him against the side of the wall. Flintlock rounds attempted to take out her eye, but they were far too weak to do any real damage. To her amusement, a blade-wielding MP attempted to make a run for her nape. His blood-stained corpse matched the one from before. With their nerves completely shot, the MPs began to zoom deeper into the caverns without looking back. No amount of threats from Caven could stop their retreat, leaving her alone with the Shifter.

Quickly, she dashed towards the only catapult left, a skinless fist missing her by inches. The punch threw the Female Titan off-balance, giving her the opportunity to fire a barrel directly at her head. Only one shot from Caven's gun was needed to cause it to explode on impact. The Scouts barely survived on luck, so maybe it was on her side and the bitch within the nape was dead. Unfortunately, the only thing it accomplished was part of the Female Titan's face charred from the flames and two massive eyes glaring down at her.

For the first time in her life, terror gripped Caven's heart. Her legs refused to move away from the giant fist that charged straight for her.


How long had she been standing there? Minutes? Hours? All it took was a simple push and it would all be over. She could fix this country's problems in the blink of an eye, so why was she still so hesitant?

"What's wrong, Historia?" Rod asked in a concerned tone as he approached her. "Do you need assistance?"

Over three years of being in the military and having Ymir as a friend taught Historia to pay attention to her instincts. Currently, they were telling her something about this whole situation was wrong. Something she couldn't put her finger on… at first. But then, a question began to form within the back of her mind, taking shape through her doubts and what her father told her about the Reiss family. Finally, she opened her mouth and said, "We've had this power in our family for so long, Father. If we had the power to end the Titan threat…" She locked eyes with him. "...then why didn't we?"

Another sigh escaped from Rod before he answered her. "The King who built these Walls a century ago wanted us to live in fear of the Titans forever. He said that it was the only way this world would have peace, though I'm unsure as to how. When my brother and I asked my father why he didn't use his abilities to end the Titans, he would never give us a clear answer." Suddenly, he gripped her wrists with both hands, his expression morphing into desperation. "Only those with the power of the Titans can know, Historia."

She couldn't back away from him even if she tried. "They did nothing?" She was so quiet that it was almost impossible to hear.

"Historia, do you know what happens to those who bear this power? They become God. They know more than we can possibly imagine. They see things we can't. My father, my brother, even your sister rose above humanity, so if they chose not to—"

SMASH!

And just like that, a choice with no regrets was made.

Whatever Rod was going to say died in his throat when he witnessed Historia knock the syringe to the ground. It shattered completely, allowing the fluid to leak out. He was flabbergasted by her sudden actions as well as the hardened expression her face had become. "What the hell have you done!?" he roared.

Historia responded by flipping her father over her head. When he landed on the floor, there was a loud crack. His spine was fractured, not that she gave a damn about that. Not anymore. The fire that had been lacking in her soul was awake at last. "I watched my friends and comrades get devoured by Titans!" she exclaimed, panting with rage. "And you say it was for the greater good!? Go to hell! I won't let you destroy who I am because you want your precious god back!"

Rod could do nothing but watch her take the bag containing the serums and the key holding Eren in place. She was taking everything he had worked so hard to build away from him.

As for Historia, she couldn't believe how her own father managed to dupe her for this long. He never cared about her from the start. He only wanted a deity to worship. And since everyone else in the Reiss family was dead, the illegitimate spawn would have to do. At least her mother, in all her ugliness, was upfront with how she felt about her.

"...I'll be damned if I turn my back on her at the drop of the hat like you did with your father!"

The blonde nearly stumbled upon remembering those callous words she delivered to Dillon. Without hesitation or remorse, she did exactly what she accused him of. Granted, she didn't know her father as long as she knew Ymir, but still. She made a mental note to apologize to him once they got out of this.

"Easy, Eren," she urged, removing his mouthguard.

Coughing, the Shifter asked hoarsely, "Historia, what are you doing?"

"Betraying my father and getting you out of here," she replied as she tried to unlock his restraints. She had several keys to choose from. "Come on. Work!"

"I don't… I'm so confused."

"We can figure out what the hell that idiot was on about later!" With a grunt, she unhooked one of the chains, freeing his right leg. Now, for the left.

Below the altar, Rod used his energy to crawl towards the disappearing serum. There was only one way to make this right. It was contrary to what his role was meant to be, but he had no choice. "Uri… Frieda… I'm coming…"

He opened his mouth and licked the serum.


(A few minutes earlier)

Annie panted heavily as she attempted to stand again, shaking the bits of Caven from her hand. Her foot was almost healed, but she felt worn out. Multiple transformations, even if it was just a partial transformation from before, made the Titan feel heavier on her body. Regeneration could heal wounds, but it increased her exhaustion with every usage. This is why she fell on her hands and knees, the caves rumbling from her collapse.

"Annie!" Armin immediately rushed over, landing in front of her. "What's wrong?"

"Even I have my limits, Armin," she replied tiredly. She crawled towards the caved-in entrance where Mikasa and Levi were being held, gently nudging the blond boy aside. "Stand back. I don't want to crush you by mistake."

"Nifa, Abel, take a squad and track down the surviving MPs," Hanji ordered tersely.

"Yes, Section Commander." The adult Scouts grappled in the direction the MPs went, leaving only the cadets.

Slowly, she lowered herself to the ground, finding the mangled, burned body of her assistant. He was barely recognizable from all the damage he took. Sacrifices were to be expected in the Scout Regiment, but this… she never saw this one coming. She remembered how exasperated the man got every time she did something that others would call foolish. Most of the time, she would do those things anyway, but he was always there to pull her out of a jam when she needed it most. Maybe she asked too much of him, and this was the price that was paid as a result.

"Bye, Zoë."

When was the last time anyone had used her first name? He really did care about her.

Footsteps echoed behind her as Moblit's killer finally worked up the spine to approach her. "Section Commander, Ah-"

"Did Moblit order you to shoot him?" Hanji didn't even spare the girl a glance, and her clipped tone didn't help matters.

"...Yes." Sasha bowed her head in shame.

"Then there's nothing to talk about."

With a grunt, Annie managed to yank out the crystal rocks, the shrine open once more for the world to see. She and the others were shocked to see the condition Levi and Mikasa were in, but at least they were alive.

"What the hell took you so long?" Levi snarked with a cough.

"Levi!" Hanji didn't know if she was relieved that the captain still lived, or frustrated with his condition.

"Don't get all weepy on me, Four-Eyes," he said, finding a working piece of ODM gear from a dead MP.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "And just what do you think you're doing?"

"We have a mission to complete, remember?" With a grunt, he attached it to his back. "No blades. It'll have to do. You got one, Mikasa?"

"Yeah," the Asian assured, though her movements were a bit slower than Levi's.

"Mikasa, you're in no condition to continue," Jean protested. He shouldn't have been surprised by now, and yet, here he was again.

"He's right," Hanji confirmed, stepping in front of her. "You're no good to Eren if you get yourself killed."

For a moment, Mikasa stopped, considering those words. Despite every bone in her body wanting to save him, the fight with Kenny weakened her greatly. Maybe, for once, she could step back and trust the others to do what she couldn't.

All that was tossed out the window when a bright light emitted close by. The Scouts shielded their eyes and felt the caverns begin to rumble.

"That's not good," Connie commented with worry.

"Eren!" Ignoring the protests of her superior officer and her own body, Mikasa zoomed straight for the light.

With a frustrated grunt, Hanji turned towards the others. No point in trying to stop Levi when the situation was this dire. "Let's go! We're out of time!"

"Right behind you." Concentrating, Annie healed the rest of her foot and followed them towards the light. This definitely wasn't a normal transformation occurring. Something was going wrong fast. If the crumbling pillars were any indication, they were all about to be buried alive soon. Hopefully, she could carry them all out of here before that happened.

Her footsteps slowed as she considered something. For all intents and purposes, she was rushing to her death on the off-chance Eren was still alive. The odds of them making it out of this was slim to none. Those were not chances she ever wanted to take. Self-preservation demanded she get back to the surface before she joined the Scouts in their attempt to enter into an early grave.

Growling to herself, Annie forced the temptation away. She faced worse odds than this. Hell, Reiner and Bertholdt nearly got her killed last time with all those mindless Titans roaming around. This was no different.

At least, that's what she thought until she arrived at the clearing. The Scouts had managed to reach Eren, but that paled considerably to what was before her.

Throughout her life, Annie had witnessed many abnormal things when it came to the power of the Titans. However, the massive flesh building up before her was completely new. Transformations were usually instantaneous, but this one was taking a while. There seemed to be no end to the growth this Titan was undergoing. Her first instinct was to destroy the nape, but it was out of her reach. Maybe she could climb it. She was rewarded with an intense heatwave that sent her recoiling back. Not even the Colossal Titan could generate this much heat.

"Guys, you have to get out of here!" Eren pleaded as they all worked in tandem to unlock the rest of his restraints. "You'll be buried alive if-"

"We fought all this way to save you, you idiot!" Jean shot back. "We're not turning back now!"

"His feet are free," Connie declared.

"Hurry!" Hanji commanded, shielding her eyes from the bright light Rod's Titan was emitting.

"The minute Eren gets free, I'll take him back to the surface," Mikasa stated.

"That Titan was smaller when we arrived," Levi pointed out grimly. "You really think you can get around him now?"

She bristled at that remark. "We have to try!"

"Annie, look out!" Armin shouted over the noise.

The Female Titan screeched in pain as a large chunk of the ceiling impacted her nape. Dizziness threatened to overtake her as she lost her balance. She was fortunate her Titan skin was dense enough to protect her, but repeated shots like that would probably crush her human form.

She looked at the crumbling altar, the situation becoming clear. The Scouts were trapped with Eren and there was no way around the monstrosity. Even if he transformed, it was highly likely he would accidentally kill them all. There was also the matter of the caverns collapsing around them. Once that Titan stood up, it would all be over. Looking back, she noticed that the way she came in wasn't destroyed. If there was a moment to run, this would be it. There was still time.

But she could hear them among the din. They were panicking. Not Hanji and Levi, of course. They faced death like it was a recurring guest at their house. No, it was her friends. Armin, Jean, Connie, Eren, Sasha, even Mikasa. Historia… well, she didn't have to like everybody. But these were people she knew. People whose lives were affected by her. People that she just couldn't abandon even when all sense dictated otherwise.

It was this mindset that caused Annie to lunge at the altar. She loomed over the group and planted her arms on either side, using her body to protect them from the falling debris. Sure enough, more rocks landed on her head, though at least they missed the nape this time. Still, her wincing indicated that it hurt like hell.

"Annie, what are you doing?" Sasha questioned with wide eyes.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" she snorted, trying to ignore that her back was heating up quickly. "I can't take you all and run, so this is the only other choice I have."

"Your body can only take so much," Levi informed her. "I appreciate the effort, but it's only delaying the inevitable."

A steam-filled sigh exited the Female Titan as she steeled herself for what was to come. "Guess I'll have to be creative, then." Gritting her teeth, she concentrated with every fiber of her being into the Titan. It was the same tactic to use when she shifted: focus on a goal. Nothing else mattered except saving them. She felt the crystal creep onto her hands, slowly covering her arms.

It dawned on Hanji and Levi as to what Annie was doing, and it stunned them that she would go this far for them. There was nothing that they could say in regards to this.

The cadets, however, had plenty of things to say.

"Annie, don't do this!" Armin pleaded.

Armin Arlert. The mouse with high intelligence. She always admired his cleverness, even when he used them against her back then. He never knew just how vital his existence was to the others, and not just because he had a knack for tactics. He proved that even the weakest link could bring so much hope to others. To Annie, he was like the little brother she never had.

"We can't lose you, too," Jean added, his eyes darting around the crumbling caves to search for a way out.

Jean Kirstein. His very presence proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that people could change. Once a self-centered snob who wanted to hide in the Interior, now he was someone that put his life on the line for his friends without a second thought. That loyalty amazed her, which is why she always trusted him with Dillon's life when push came to shove. Even though she helped kill Marco, he managed to put that aside for the sake of others. Honestly, she doubted her capability to do that.

"You'll be trapped in there for the rest of your life," Sasha pointed out.

Sasha Braus. Behind the never-ending hunger, she seemed to have lurked the soul of a very capable woman. Annie had always wondered if Sasha's "stupidity" was real or an act to get people to lower their guard around her. The hunter managed to see her in a way no one else could and accepted her into her life. That acceptance was something she would never forget.

Their protests were cut off by a deep rumble. Judging by the mirth on Annie's face, she was genuinely laughing. "I used to be the most hated creature among you. People were lining up to kill me. Now, here you are begging for my life. It… it means a lot to know you care about someone like me. Thank you." Now, her feet were beginning the crystallization process.

Of course, her mind drifted to the most important person that affected her life: Dillon Amsdale. Despite the hell he put everyone, especially her, through as of late, he was the reason she lived. Not just to fight for the other side, but to experience what it was like to be alive and happy. He risked his life for her when it counted, and truly believed in her against all odds. He really loved her with all his heart.

And Annie threw all of it in his face, calling their relationship nothing more than a fantasy. Even though she had every right to be upset with Dillon for his actions, tearing him apart the way she did was the worst thing she could have done. The guilt threatened to overwhelm her, but she had to push it away for just a little while longer. They were counting on her.

That being said, there was something she could do. "Do me a favor, guys? Tell Dillon... I'm sorry and that I love him." So simplistic, but she wasn't a poet.

With tears in his eyes, Eren took a couple of steps towards her face. The truth had to be known before it was too late. "Annie, don't throw your life away for my sake. You've done so much for us, more than I ever did. You're in complete control of your Titan form, you opened our eyes to the truth about this world, and you have the capabilities to bring us to freedom. I'm begging you." He fell to his knees in a last-ditch effort. "We need you!"

It had to be Eren Yeager, of all people, to make her decision harder. Her heart was torn hearing his pleas, but her mind was made up. When she spoke again, it was soft and gentle. "You have much more to offer this world than you could ever believe, Eren. You may not have the same abilities as I do or the same training, but your heart and soul has always been to free the Eldians. You have the power to back it up, so don't you dare lose sight of that. Do you have any idea who you are?" The process was halfway to completion. "You're humanity's best chance, and you always will be. So dry your face, focus on your dream, and be the warrior you always have been."

Annie closed her eyes and focused solely on her task, ignoring everything else they were saying to her. The crystal was getting close to her nape. It wouldn't be long now. And yet, oddly enough, she felt more powerful than she had in a long time, like she could take on the entire Titan army herself. There was no way for her to know why she was experiencing this. Maybe, for once in her life, she believed that she was doing the right thing, and she wasn't even being forced to do this. Knowing that made what was coming easier to take.

With all that in mind, Annie Leonhart allowed the crystal that had always shielded her when she needed it to consume her completely just as the caves collapsed.


After what felt like hours, the Scouts could breathe again. The massive Titan that was once Rod Reiss had finally departed. The underground chasm was completely demolished as a result. And yet, they were still alive thanks to an unexpected event. Tendrils of crystal that looked like vines sprouted from the ground, attaching the ceiling to form a protective barrier. They separated the group from the cave-in, keeping them safe. Against all odds, the Scouts survived the madness, but at a great cost.

Above them stood the Female Titan in all her frozen glory. From head to toe, she was encased in crystal. Whether she was alive or dead, her fate was sealed the moment she refused to get out of the nape.

Eren was beside himself with sorrow, weeping on his hands and knees. Mikasa soothingly rubbed his back in an effort to comfort him, but she surprised herself that she, too, felt pained at losing Annie. Sasha was desperately trying not to break down, clenching her teeth so hard, it was likely they would break. Jean bowed his head in respect and decided that he would be the one to break the news to Dillon once they got out of there. Historia was at a complete loss for words. This was a far cry from the Annie she believed her to be. Connie couldn't bear to face the giant figure, so he turned away in an effort to ease the pain he felt. Armin could only stand and stare at her face in shock. Once the situation found its way into his heart, it would hit him hard.

At that moment, the cadets all shared one thing in common: they had lost a comrade and a friend.

Hanji broke the silence by grappling to the nape, her blades at the ready. She already lost Moblit. There had to be a way to save Annie. She slammed them hard against the crystal surface and only succeeded in shattering her weapons. When that failed, she tried again. And again. And again.

"Hanji!" Levi's voice broke through the desperate haze she was in. When he spoke, it wasn't out of cold detachment. His voice carried so much sympathy. "Blades can't cut through. Nothing we have can penetrate that crystal."

Letting out a shaky breath, Hanji detached her broken blades, their landing echoing throughout the caves. "I pushed her too hard," she lamented quietly, returning to the altar. "I took her abilities for granted."

"So did I." Levi turned to the mourning cadets. Being the strong one amidst suffering was always the hardest thing a soldier could do, but it had to be done. "I know you want to grieve, but right now, we need to get out of here. There's a Titan roaming the surface, and we have to kill him before anyone else dies. Once this is over, we'll do everything we can to get Annie out of that body."

That seemed to placate them for the moment. They've all gone through more than any soldier could ever dream of experiencing. Just a little while longer. Then, they could let go.

Armin, however, couldn't accept that as an answer and zoomed onto the frozen Titan, surprising everyone. "Not yet," he said, detaching one of the gas tanks. "Annie can't have been the only person to ever accomplish this. There had to be a way out." With all of his energy, he began bashing the tank against the nape.

Levi sighed and grappled to his position. "Armin, now isn't the time for this. We have a job to do. If you want to do this later, then—"

A resounding crack filled the air, making several of them jump in surprise. Their first thought was that Armin broke his tank, but that wasn't the case. The nape now had a decent-sized rupture in it.

"Well, I'll be damned." Shaking off the shock, he joined him with his own tank. "Put your back into it."

The two men worked together, breaking off pieces of crystal with every hit. Swords were only good at cutting things, but a hammer, or something used as a hammer, provided a greater force and power towards a specific spot. Granted, the Scouts would not arm themselves with hammers to take on the Armored Titan, but it was at least something they could work with.

After about five minutes, the crystal finally gave way to Annie's motionless body. Levi took the lead and grabbed hold of her. With the crystal sufficiently weakened, it was simple for him to pull her out of there with his abnormal strength. Quickly, he moved her to the altar, not wanting to be on the Titan that would crumble to pieces without its host.

The cadets gathered around her, all eyes locked on her burned face. She looked so peaceful, almost as if she was asleep. Hanji was about to check her pulse when Annie's eyes shot open, gasping for breath. Her chest heaved as she tried to breathe amidst her coughing. Immediately, Sasha and Armin rushed to her aide, the latter asking repeatedly if she was okay

"Okay, okay. Give her room," Hanji ordered, kneeling to her level. "Easy there, Annie. Deep breaths."

Annie struggled to control herself and found herself unable to move. The extensive hardening took so much out of her, she couldn't even stand. She felt completely drained, ready to collapse any second. "What… happened…?" she managed out.

"You saved our lives," Levi explained, his tone indicating great respect for her, "and in return, Armin figured out how to break you out."

Annie's eyes locked on Armin's relieved face and gave him a small smile. "Thank you, Armin." Her gaze drifted to the others, frowning a bit. "Don't tell me you idiots were crying over me."

Jean rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help but grin slightly. "Yeah, she's gonna be fine."

"Guys, look!" Connie exclaimed, pointing up.

All eyes turned to the frozen Titan, expecting it to crumble. However, it didn't. Aside from the hole Levi and Armin made, the body remained completely intact with no signs of breaking. Even the hardened barrier that was formed stood strong. The implications of the situation were not lost on Hanji, who broke into a smile of pure excitement she hadn't felt in a while. After all this time, they finally reached the breakthrough they had been looking for. Wall Maria could be saved.

In response to this miracle, Annie gave the only response deserving of such a grandiose moment before she passed out. "Yay." It was the dullest cheer ever recorded in history.


AN: FINALLY! After all this time, I have broken through the toughest section of the Uprising Arc. I am so happy. It feels like a great weight was lifted off my shoulders. Time for my explanations.

The hardest part of the story was Historia, Rod, and Eren's scene. I didn't want to do a copy/paste of their conversation, but I definitely made it harder when I removed Kenny from the scene. Upon rewatching the scene, I became perplexed that neither Eren nor Historia seemed to focus on the fact that every Reiss who became a Titan would succumb to the First King's Will. Sure, they bring it up later, but it made no sense that Eren would be begging Historia to eat him and save the world after hearing that bombshell. So, I decided to lean into that. I know that sacrificed her remembering Ymir's words about living a life she could be proud of, but this seemed more logical.

As for Historia herself, I have mixed feelings about the character in general. On one hand, I do find it interesting how she compartmentalized herself into two, different people: the cheerful, selfless Krista Lenz, and the depressing, selfish Historia Reiss. That had a lot of potential. However, I think she leaned too hard in the "I'm a bit of a jackass" stage when Eren was having his freak out upon seeing the serum. I thought that was unnecessarily bitchy. Kind of odd considering she thought of him as her friend. And then there's her statement about "being an enemy of humanity and that she's the worst girl who ever lived." To this day, I still don't know what the heck she was on about.

To cap all this, there's her belief that everything about Krista Lenz was a lie. Personally, I don't buy it. I don't really have anything to prove it, but I do believe there are some aspects of Krista that were true to who she was. Best types of disguises are ones with elements of truth in them. So, I decided to keep the fact that she does care about people. Granted, she's not overtly selfless like she was in Season 1, but still.

And that was all just one part of the story! We still have more to talk about.

I think one of the most widely-agreed elements in this fandom is how Eren getting the hardening ability was complete bullshit. Instead of figuring out how to do the hardening himself, he stumbled upon it. I know recent manga chapters bring forth some sort of explanation to this, but A.) It raises more questions than it answers. B.) The explanation came far too late. And C.) It was still a lazy plot convenience. In light of that, I had Annie step up to the plate. I know you probably have questions as to why it worked here and not before. Don't worry. The explanation is coming in the following chapter.

As you have probably guessed, this was a major event for Annie, one that will not be forgotten by her peers. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, I look forward to your reviews, please consider adding to the TV Tropes page, and I'll see you all in the next one.