teguhbnn80: :)
Aacent: I plan to! Thanks!
JJMana: Thank you! And that's fair. I know the beginning has been rough and I rushed through some bits only because I didn't want to have every scene from the Anime/Manga. I wanted to focus more on original scenes. This chapter will mostly be expository but will be very IMPORTANT later and set up a lot. But going forward, expect a more slower pace and character relationships and more subplots. The next chapter will have the last big time jump for a while.
Now for the story...
Chapter Three: To You, Then and Now
Late at night, a five year old boy sat on his knees and watched a burning house. He didn't know where he was. He didn't know who he was.
He felt a hand on his shoulder. And turned to see a young woman standing behind him. She had long wavy black hair and gray eyes and wore a black dress. Her face was small and gaunt but youthful.
The young woman gave him a small, sad smile and held her hand out to him. The young boy took her hand. Together, they left behind the burning house.
Neither noticed the blonde little girl who had been watching them.
(AoTSI)
"We need to talk," Reiner said.
No... They couldn't have known... Couldn't they... Since that day, I've never transformed. I knew the government and military were searching for the 'Bone Titan'. No doubt, some knew what the titan's real name was. But I had been careful... Had I been...
But standing in front of me was Reiner, Bert, Annie, Ymir, Pieck, and Zeke. All Titan Shifters like me. Three who destroyed Wall Maria. One who had been a pure titan for who knows how long and took the Jaw Titan from Marcel. And two 'loyal' to Marley, here on Paradis years early. And they looked far younger than they did on the show... They looked to be around our age...
"Uh... hey?" I swallowed.
They said nothing. But then Pieck slowly took a few steps before she ran and threw herself onto me. I realized she was sobbing and holding onto me...
What was happening...
"Pieck?" I asked quietly. She raised her head up and looked at me with tearful eyes filled with hope and a small smile.
"You remember?" Pieck asked.
What...
"I only remember waking up in Shiganshina but I remember names and a few other things from before... like about us all... and what we all have in common..."
Zeke stepped forward while Pieck remained holding onto me. Was he... shy?
"Ah... Have you forgotten our mission?"
Wait... What...
"Our mission...?" I asked weakly.
What the fuck is going on?!
Reiner stepped forward next and placed his hand on my shoulder. There was... concern in his eyes? And the others? About me?
"Yes. To find the Attack Titan, replace the false king Rod Reiss with his daughter Historia Reiss, and free our people of Marley and Paradis." Reiner declared.
Oh.
Oh fuck.
(AoTSI)
Later that night, the boy laid in his makeshift bed while the young woman sat beside him. His 'bedroom' was located in the basement of a large manor, hidden away behind several crates of old heirlooms.
The young woman had explained she had to hide him from her brother for now because he would not be allowed to stay. She told him she would 'hire' him as a servant and then he would be allowed to stay.
The boy did not mind. He liked the young woman. He told her this and the young woman smiled. He smiled too.
Neither noticed the blonde little girl sitting beside the young woman on the bed.
(AoTSI)
"Ah…" I began weakly. I had no choice but to play along. Eventually, they would find out it was Eren and me being close to him would not help if I lied now. And I needed answers. "Well, I've found our Attack Titan… It's Eren Jaeger."
That shocked the group but got quite a reaction from Zeke. He looked… sad? Oh yeah… I really needed to be careful with this. Or specifically, him.
"You mean… my half brother?" Zeke asked.
"Yes. It's him. I'm sorry, Zeke." I said.
"Our father…" Zeke began weakly before trailing off. I noticed the tears in his eyes and placed my hand on his shoulder. He looked thankful but… mournful?
Had his relationship with his father Grisha Jaeger been different… Now that I thought about it, he only looked a year or two older than Eren… Around my age… Had he been working with his father against Marley… And Grisha never returned after the fall of Wall Maria but a few weeks after, Eren did disappear for a day… Zeke probably put two and two together just now…
"I know. But Eren is okay now. That's all that matters, right?" I asked.
I really didn't want a 'Sterilization-Zeke'. If he really was on my side, having both him and Eren would make this so much easier…
"Yes… You're right… Thank you, Sir." Zeke said mournfully.
Sir…?
"Yes… Well, I need you all to tell me more about our mission. I need to remember everything. Leave nothing out." I said. I tried to project some level of confidence. It seemed to work as Reiner took it upon himself to take over for them.
"Yes," Reiner began. "Marley sent us here to find the 'Attack Titan' and the 'Founding Titan' while our true mission was to find the 'Attack Titan' and learn more about Paradis. Officially, Zeke, Pieck, Bert, Annie, Marcel Galliard… and I left Marley. Unofficially, you and another group left with us. We were given five years to find them. Should we fail, we are to return to Marley. Except, we already knew you were the Founding Titan, but they didn't. And now, we know Eren Jaeger is the Attack Titan."
That… actually makes a lot of sense. If they were really working against Marley, holding that information about me being the Founding Titan would mean death for all of them. They kept that a secret to protect me…
"And Marcel…" I left the unasked question open while I glanced at Ymir, who seemed… uncomfortable. But regardless and surprisingly, she was the one who answered.
"I had been a pure titan… and I ate Marcel… After I became human again, all of you found me. Some…" Ymir's eyes went to Reiner and Annie. "...wanted to kill me. But you allowed me to join you all in your mission. I'm an Eldian and I don't know if you remember what I told you about my old life…"
I could tell it was difficult for her to continue so I took over.
"I remember. I know. And Wall Maria?" I could tell it was difficult for her to continue so I decided to change the conversation. She seemed thankful. And there were questions that had bothered me for two years. I needed to know. "What happened? Who destroyed the wall? And where were all of you?"
This time, Bert stepped forward. He seemed… nervous?
"After we infiltrated Wall Maria, we planned to wait two years until we could enlist in the Military while our other allies infiltrated other fields. The purpose was to find out as much information on Paradis. But a few days after we entered, someone or something destroyed the wall… and the house we were hiding in… And…"
"We thought we lost you…" Pieck said tearfully.
(AoTSI)
The now seven year old boy was sad. The young woman was still nice to him. But her brother was still mean to him too. He tried to do his chores the best he could but her brother didn't care. But his daughter was nice to him. The young woman and the daughter liked him.
But the other children didn't. When he asked the young woman why, she told him they didn't like him because he was different. Even when he met others who were 'different' like him, he still didn't understand what made them different from the children who disliked them. And he had to wear the stupid brownish gray armband.
Now, the boy sat on a park bench and watched those same children play together. He asked if he could play with them but they saw his armband and said no. Now, they were happy.
And he wasn't.
He then noticed a small girl sitting beside him. She had disheveled shoulder-length black hair, brown eyes, and a large nose. And he noticed that she had a yellow armband. He still didn't understand what the colors or armbands meant, but he knew this girl was like him. They weren't allowed to play with the other children, have fun, or be happy. Finally, she noticed him staring. He smiled. She smiled too.
And neither noticed the blonde little girl sitting beside them.
(AoTSI)
Annie spoke next. There was… regret in her eyes.
"Zeke and Pieck had infiltrated Wall Sina. Our allies infiltrated Wall Rose. And Bert, Reiner, Ymir, you, and I infiltrated Wall Maria. We were together when the wall was destroyed and the titans entered but…" Annie began.
"But the house we were hiding in was destroyed." Bert continued. "We were coming back from exploring. You stayed behind… We should have stayed with you… Or come back faster when we saw the wall had been destroyed… You were buried underneath all of it… We saw you… But then you transformed and saved Mrs. Jaeger. After, we joined the survivors on the boat but we lost you from there."
"Eventually, we did find you," Reiner said. "We tried to give you a signal, one of our codes, but you didn't notice any of them. After a while, we realized you didn't remember anything. If you had, you would have seen the signs or got any of the codes we gave, or found us at any of our hideouts. But we did keep an eye on you. We made a pact to protect you. And we always will."
"Pieck said if we lost you, she would devour all of us…" Bert chuckled nervously.
I felt Pieck tighten her hold on me. Her head rested against my chest. Her breathing had relaxed since the beginning of our conversation.
This was too much. Not only was I the Founding Titan but I came from Marley with the Warriors, the same Warriors who came here to liberate the Eldians of Paradis and Marley…
Did you know?
Elliot…
(AoTSI)
The now eleven year old boy was happy. He had a group of six friends. People still disliked him but not his friends. He thought it was because his friends all had red armbands now while he still had the same brownish gray armband. He didn't care though and his friends didn't either. No one bothered him anymore either because of his friends.
It was strange though because the young woman had explained to him that her family was the same as him and his friends, but she didn't have to wear an armband. He told her none of it made any sense and the young woman simply smiled.
One day, he and his friends were sitting by a tree under the shade during a hot summer day. The voice of the little girl whispered to him again, this time telling him to tell his friends and the young woman he was like them. He told his friends and when they asked what he meant, he pointed to their red armband and told them he was the Founding Titan. He was shocked to see that they were worried.
Though for some reason, they always seemed to listen to and follow him. He didn't know why. He was quiet and shy like some of them. But they said he made them feel safe.
Afterwards, they followed him home. Together, they told the young woman what he said in his 'bedroom' in the basement. That was the first time he saw that the young woman was scared. His friends and her told him to never tell anyone what he told them.
The boy said he wouldn't. The young woman hugged him tightly. And his friends made a pact to protect him. He felt safe.
None of them noticed the young woman's brother had been listening.
(AoTSI)
"Is there anything else I need to know? What did you learn over the past two years?" I had to know everything...
Stop…
"Christa Lenz's real name is Historia Reiss. She's the Illegitimate child of the royal family. But she came here and we don't know why… We think her father didn't want anyone to know the truth." Ymir said quietly.
"And did any of you learn what happened to Wall Maria? Some say a bomb went off and that it wasn't the titans who destroyed it." I said weakly.
"Careful. They say some citizens have gone missing from even suggesting that. We don't know if it was the military or government. But don't talk about it in the open." Reiner said.
It wasn't them…
"Are you okay?" Pieck asked. She had held onto me the entire conversation and said very little. We must have been close…
"I'm fine… I think I'm just tired." I said. That seemed to put them at ease but they still seemed unsure. I needed to say more. "Now that I remember our mission, let's all be clear on our objectives. If we're going to do this, we need to use the remaining three years wisely. We continued as we are now. We train. We build our allies and resources. We recruit Eren and Historia. And anyone who we think will fight with us. We place Historia as Queen of Paradis. And then we begin our real mission. I know what's on the line for all of us. Family… Friends… We will save our people. I swear it."
Their faces hardened and they gave me a familiar salute. Even Pieck. "Dedicate your heart!"
Silence followed. But comfortable silence. We were united.
Then Pieck spoke.
"Mother would be proud of you.
Mother…
"Mother…?" I asked weakly.
Their eyes were filled with… concern and sadness…
"Oh…" Pieck began tearfully with a small, sad smile. "Lady Lara Tybur. Your adoptive mother. You took her last name… Your real true name is Leon Tybur."
…
I'm sorry…
(AoTSI)
The boy stared in fear and shock from the opened doorway. He didn't know what happened. He had been sleeping when he woke up from a loud noise upstairs. No one should have been home but the young woman and him. Her brother and his family went away for a few weeks. But when he went upstairs and to the brother's small office, he found the door opened. And what he saw shocked him.
The young woman stood over the body of her brother. Her face and body was covered in blood. And she held a knife. She told her dying brother that he had fulfilled his duty but that she would not allow him or anyone to use her son.
The boy panicked. His breathing became harder and louder. The young woman heard him and turned to see him standing there in the doorway. Her eyes widened in shock. After a few seconds of silence, she whispered for him to come to her.
Slowly, he did. And she knelt down and hugged him tightly. He stiffened for a moment before he returned the hug. She tearfully whispered to him that it would be okay.
Neither slept that night.
The young woman explained everything to him.
And the boy swore he would protect her and his friends. His family.
And again, they never noticed the blonde little girl standing beside the body of the brother.
(AoTSI)
Later, I sat alone beside the same tree. Zeke, Pieck, Bert, Reiner, Annie, and Ymir had left me alone. Not before I received a goodbye hug from Zeke and Pieck. I knew they wanted to stay longer but they had to return to their cover. It would have been bad for us to fail after everything that's happened so far. I could tell they all wanted to stay with me after what happened. I could see the concern in their eyes. But I told them we would talk again soon. I told them that I was fine.
But my thoughts were elsewhere.
Elliot… Please don't…
I'm sorry, Ymir. TELL ME THE TRUTH!
(AoTSI)
The boy, Leon Tybur, laid under the destroyed house he and his friends had been hiding in for their mission. The house had collapsed from a nearby titan. He was sprawled under rubble in the living room. He turned to the broken glass on the floor around him. He could see his reflection. Dark skin, black hair, and brown eyes. But something was different. His reflection looked like him. But it wasn't him. It was someone else. He looked ten… They looked older… But he had numerous cuts across his body… They did too… And both their eyes looked the same… They were filled with sadness…
And he briefly caught the reflection of the same blonde little girl who whispered to him more than once over the years.
Her eyes were the same. But they were filled with sadness, and guilt.
He then felt memories returned to him. Fire. House. Father. Mother. Little sister. Safe… No… Gone... They were all gone… He dropped his head.
He remembered that night six years ago. He had fallen to his knees and watched his family's house burn in Liberio. Then the young woman, Lara Tybur, found him. She made him a bed in the basement and he realized she reminded him of his mother. And Lara's brother's daughter Fine Tybur reminded him of his little sister. He felt safe.
But he never did figure out what caused the fire at his old home.
He remembered being sad and lonely until he met Pieck. She was sad and lonely like him. She became his first friend. He remembered meeting his other friends. Zeke, Bert, Reiner, Annie, and Marcel.
He remembered when he told his friends and his mother he was like them. They told him to never tell anyone and he told them he wouldn't. His friends made a pact to protect him too. And that same day, his mother killed her brother to protect him. How could he not want to protect her or his friends?
But he never did figure out how or when he became the Founding Titan.
He remembered saying goodbye to his mother before he left Marley a month ago. She had wanted him to stay with her and Fine but he told her he wanted to keep her safe and free their people. When they hugged, they both cried.
He remembered a few days ago after arriving at Paradis, Marcel had died. His friends were sad. Reiner and Annie were angry too at the frightened girl who killed him. But she told them her story. And he decided he would help her. He understood her. He understood the girl who had been forgotten.
He remembered entering the town and staying at the safehouse for a few days. He thought the town Shiganshina was nice. But then a titan appeared and the house they had been hiding in collapsed on him. The boy was now trapped.
He wondered why some of his memories were coming back to him now. He believed it was because he was dying.
He hoped that when he died, he'd see his father, mother, and little sister again.
He took one last look at the blonde little girl, her eyes still filled with sadness and guilt. He gave her a small, sad smile.
Leon Tybur closed his eyes.
…
Then lightning struck the destroyed house.
(AoTSI)
Elliot… I'm so sorry…
My family… His family…
Your fates were tied… To pull you here… It had to be… Neither family survived… The loss blackened his heart over time… He wanted the same as Eren Jaeger… But he would have followed the same path… He would have grown up to be worse than him… I had to erase his memories… I had no choice… There are some things I can't tell you yet… Three secrets… If I told you now… You would follow the same path… Eren's path… And you would succeed where he failed… The Rumbling...
…
I'm so sorry… I promise I will tell you everything one day… You have to believe-
GO AWAY!
…
I didn't sleep that night.
But my mind had been quiet.
And the woods had been quiet too.
No sound but the sobs that escaped me.
A/N: So a few things going forward, as I explained before this chapter, the next chapter will be the last big time jump for a while and then there will be a much slower pace. Also expect a new chapter every few days.
Now about this chapter, this was the hardest chapter I've written for this story so far because I had debated how much I would reveal. Originally, there had been much more but that would have revealed way too much, way too early. Now the stage is set and the story is about to really begin.
These first three chapters have only set up the mysteries for this story. Elliot (the self insert/me who I will be referring to in third person because it's much easier lol) now realizes while he had the benefit of future knowledge, there is a lot he doesn't really know. And with some questions answered, he finds himself with more questions. Who or what destroyed Wall Maria and why? What role did Ymir Fritz have in Leon's life? How did she discover him? When and how did he become the Founding Titan? Why did Lara Tybur take him? What caused the fire? And most importantly, what are the three secrets...
Next is Chapter Four: The Struggle for Trost. Elliot reflects on everything he has learned from the Warriors and Ymir Fritz, graduation from the Cadet Corps, the struggle for Trost and Wall Rose, and the 'Bone Titan' returns after five years... And this time, he isn't alone...