Chapter 7 Wish
Rod Reiss returned with a satchel in his hand. "At last, there's nobody here but us."
Historia turned to her father, "Father..."
"Sorry to make you wait." Rod put his hand on Historia's shoulder. "Listen, Historia... This may sound very strange to you, but Frieda is not entirely dead."
"Wait, what?" Hange asks.
"But how? We saw how Dr. Yeager killed her and eat her..." Armin asks.
"Something tells me it might have to do with Eren..." Erwin says.
"Eh?" "The memories of Frieda still live on. Would you like to meet your sister?"
Historia was slightly delighted. "Yes!"
Rod kneeled and took a syringe out of his satchel. Eren widened his eyes as he remembered the past.
"Understand, Eren!?" Dr. Yeager said while taking the same syringe. "You'll be the one to avenge your mother!"
Eren was now struggling after seeing the syringe, with his mouth being bound, he could only make some muffled noises.
"Oh my goodness...so I was right. Rod wanted Historia to become a pure Titan and then eat Eren to gain his powers!" Hange gasps.
"Why would Father want to do that to me?" Historia asks with horror.
"Because of my Titan power, if he used Historia to make everyone forget again, then the coup d'etat will be nothing." Eren says.
Levi kicked the door open. They got in? Caven and the other Anti-Personnel Control Squad hunkered down and prepared for an attack.
3 Barrels were rolling down from the gates. That's...What are those?
Just then, Levi, Hange, Mikasa, Armin, Sasha, Jean, Connie, and Moblit rushed in. With Sasha holding a bow and arrow with her arrows on fire.
"The brawls must contain gunpowder." Erwin says.
Fire Arrows? Caven thinks as Sasha shot a flaming arrow at the barrels. They explode causing a giant black smoke cloud to appear.
"Great aim, Sasha!" Connie says.
"Thanks." Sasha says.
"Gunpowder? By the burning pattern, they must have scattered bags full of oil... This could get ugly!" Caven had sweat drop from her face.
Levi and Mikasa used their ODM gear to charge at them. "Here they come!" "Shoot them down!" Suddenly they saw green smoke shooting out.
"Anyone else thinks they looked really cool just flying out?" Connie says.
"Yeah, they looked pretty cool." Historia says while smiling.
"Smoke Signal flares?" Caven said as she turned and saw them shooting flares. "Tsk! We'll never hit a thing in all this smoke."
"I see there using signal flares and the smoke from the explosion to block there vision." Erwin nods.
Levi swung as he looked around. "Twenty-four. Thirty-two. Thirty-five enemies! They're gathered behind the pillars! Continue the plan! We'll take 'em all out right here!"
"Wow, he counted fast." Historia says in amazement.
"Can we really take down thirty-five people?" Sasha asks.
"There are only 8 of us..." Connie says.
"If we kill four to five people, we might be able." Armin says, and they frown as they realize how many more people they're going to kill.
"You guys have captain Levi and Mikasa so I'm sure you'll be fine." Eren tells them.
"But Kenny hasn't shown up yet." Hange says.
"Yea and if he does show up things will get ugly." Levi adds.
"All troops, spread out! Surround them one at a time!" Caven yelled. Connie, Jean, and Hange all swang into battle. Sasha continued to fire at the barrels causing more explosions and smoke to appear.
"More smoke? Shit! Where'd they go?!" Just then Jean appeared on top of him with sweat on his face.
Jean flinches and looks away while trembling. I know I have to but I really don't want to...
"The big weakness of the Anti-Personnel ODM gear is their line on fire and anchor trajectory are both faced in the same direction. In other words, the area directly behind them is completely out of their reach." Armin explained.
"Good analysis Armin." Erwin compliments while Armin smiles.
"So they're defenseless from attack from behind." Hange adds.
"So we're going up against people with guns?!" Jean shouts.
"When we close the gap we have the advantage, so I wouldn't worry." Mikasa says.
Jean cut the man with his neck, letting out a scream.
Jean looks terrified and says, "I knew I have to do it, but damn..."
"Now we can't tell if we're the good guys in this anymore..." Armin mutters.
Two more enemies were swinging until they found Connie behind them. "Over there! Fire!"
A smoke flare covered Connie, and when the person shot, he found out that Connie wasn't there. "I missed? Where are they?" Connie appeared behind him and slashed him through the back.
"Shit..." Connie mutters, he just killed a person on the screen.
"But there's another one..." Eren says.
Another one aimed the gun at him and said, "You're mine!"
Connie widened his eyes until an arrow managed to shoot at the girl. "Sasha!" Connie said.
"Oh, shit, thank god!" Connie shrieks.
"I was scared!" Armin says.
"Same." Mikasa whispers.
"Wow, I just shoot her. I don't regret it cause it saved Connie but still." Sasha whispers.
"You got blood on your hands to save Connie. Don't feel bad about that." Levi tells her.
"Connie! Hide in the smoke and fight!" Armin yelled as Sasha prepared another arrow.
"Take this!" A man tried to shoot at Hange, who dodged into the smoke and the bullet missed. "Damn it!"
"But their greatest weakness is... once they've fired off two shots...it takes a while for them to reload." Armin explained while Hange charged and killed the man.
"Eww, did his blood really have to splatter all over my face?" Hange says in disgust.
"Is that what you're concerned about?" Sasha asks.
"I have to agree with four-eyes, it was disgusting." Levi says.
Sasha continued to fire at the barrels. This ain't looking good. Caven thought.
"The hell with this girl!" The squad tried to fire at Mikasa, who dodged every single bullet and slashed all three of them.
"Wow Mikasa, you're so strong and fast." Eren says.
Mikasa slightly blushes while looking at the screen.
When they manage to get this close, swords have the advantage! Caven thought as Mikasa kicked another person. We've gotta stop 'em!
Three people behind Caven were killed by Levi, much to her surprise. "At this rate, we'll get wiped out!"
"Woohoo!" Kenny arrived and fired at Levi, who dodged as the attack hit the pillar.
"Looks like he finally made his appearance!" Hange says. Levi just glares at Kenny.
"Yo. Levi. Not that I've got time to waste on you, but... If you get past here, it'll all be for nothin'." Levi stared at him with sweat on his face.
Kenny reloaded the gun and said, "So be it. Guess I'll have to play." He then swung around and yelled, "Neener, neener, neener!"
"Looks like he hasn't changed that much." Levi says.
When he got behind the pillar he looked for Levi, who wasn't there. Levi was below and swung up trying to slash him. Kenny blocked his sword with his gun.
"You're a spunky one, damn." Kenny said while firing a bullet at Levi, who dodged. "Tch."
Levi looked down at all the broken barrels. Mikasa came out with blood on her face and she tried to slash Caven. She barely managed to dodge as she cut some of her hair.
"So close." Mikasa says.
"Beside Kenny she definitely the most troubling one." Armin says.
"Not sick of playing yet? Good grief." Kenny said to Levi while swinging behind one of a pillar. Levi found him missing as he heard his voice, "Didn't I teach you?! When chasing an enemy, don't just stare straight ahead!"
Kenny headed backward and shot a wooden platform. It fell and Levi narrowly dodged it. "Over here, dimwit!" Kenny shouted as he charged a knife at him. He cut some of Levi's face.
"That was also close." Eren says.
"His skills weren't overexaggerated." Erwin states.
"Just as dangerous as he used to be." Levi says.
Levi then threw a bag filled with oil. Kenny shot it, causing a massive explosion. Kenny backed up and Levi came through the flames. Kenny tried to block Levi's sword with his knife but failed and Levi slashed his stomach.
"That was awesome!" Connie says.
"Yeah! The way he emerged from the fire is so cool!" Sasha shouts.
"Did you kill him?" Eren asks.
"No. It will take a lot more than that to kill him." Levi states.
"You... bastard..." Kenny muttered while holding his stomach. "That really hurt!"
"See." Levi glares at Kenny on the screen.
"What is he made out of?" Hange says with surprise.
If I can force one of them to show a small opening... Caven noticed Hange approaching as she shot beside her. "Huh? Both of your shots were way off! You like to live recklessly, too?!"
"Hange! Watch out!" Armin yells as he knows what is going on.
Caven shot her hook at Hange's shoulder, allowing her to swing Hange across the field until momentum tore Hange free and threw them against one of the crystal cavern's pillars.
"Shit, if I killed her earlier than-"
"Don't worry I'm sure that's not lethal." Erwin says interrupting Mikasa.
"Yea. I'm not gonna die from it! I'll only allow for a titan to take my life." Hange says to everyone.
"You really need to learn to be more careful." Levi tells her.
"Aw, do you care about me?" Hange teases him.
"Shut it, four eyes! You're putting us in danger from your recklessness."
Levi looked back and all of their eyes widen in shock when Hange fell motionless. "Hange!" Jean yelled.
"Now! Fall back to the final defensive post!" Caven yelled. "Time to regroup!"
Levi looked at Hange and snarled. He hid behind another pillar as Kenny tried to shoot him again.
"Stay out of the way, you little runt!" Kenny yelled before retreating with the others.
Levi lets out a groan in annoyance at his nickname while Hange tries not to laugh.
Their remaining forces flew through the entrance. "Let it down!" Caven yelled as they cut down a net at the entrance. "Guard the ritual site, captain!" Caven told Kenny.
"Yeah, that's where I'll be!" Kenny replied.
Back with Eren, Rod, and Historia, Rod said, "It seems the enemy is nearby. Let's hurry, Historia."
"Right." Historia said, with Eren continuing to struggle. Historia showed a dark face at Eren. "What, Eren? Why are you glaring?"
Everyone looks horrified at Historia's face, and Historia herself is also terrified at herself.
"It's because... he has perceived his fate." Eren said. "That the stolen power will return to where it belongs. Historia... That means inside you."
"Eh?" "This cavern... It was built around 100 years ago by the power of a certain Titan. Those three walls were built by the same power. By creating those enormous walls, humanity was protected. The power of that Titan reached out to touch people's hearts and alter their memories. However, several bloodlines were excluded from that. But their descendants and the rest of humanity retain no history of the world past a century ago. Except for one, Frieda Reiss. Frieda possessed more than her power as a Titan. She knew how this world came about and all the details behind it. She was 15 years old when that knowledge became hers. Right here, 8 years ago in this very place, after she ate her uncle, my younger brother."
The scene showed how Frieda was injected with the syringe and turned into a pure titan, biting Rod's brother with the others watching with fear and worry. "Frieda inherited the Founding Titan and the memories of this world."
"So that's the name...the Founding Titan..." Eren mutters. "It has the power to rewrite people's memories and use the Colossal Titans to build the walls..."
"This sure is a great discovery." Hange says. "If Eren can control this power, it will be unstoppable."
"As had been done for 100 years, repeated and passed through generations." Rod said.
"Father..." "Yes...Basically, if Frieda had just used her power, there wouldn't have been any problems. We might have eliminated Titans from the world entirely. If only his father hadn't stolen the power from her. Now, that power resides within Eren. However, that power...It can't truly manifest unless the blood of the Reiss family runs through them. As long as he remains a vessel for that power, this hell will forever continue."
Everyone widens his eyes, and Eren can't believe what he's hearing. He wants to eliminate all the Titans, but from what Rod said, he has been hindering the goal to eliminate the Titans.
"Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!" Kenny walked in.
"Kenny?" Rod was surprised.
"So unless it's a Reiss who eats Eren, they can't become a true king?" Kenny asked.
"That is correct." Rod said.
"Th-then... even if I turn into a Titan and eat Eren, it'll mean nothin'?" Kenny continued to ask.
"What are you-?" Kenny grabbed Rod's collar and aimed his gun at him. "Father!" Historia cried out.
"Wait, is Kenny going to betray Rod?" Armin asks.
"Tch, I knew he wasn't just working with them that easily. He also wanted Eren's powers..." Levi mutters.
"However, it is impossible for the Ackermans to turn into Titans since they already have the power of one." Ray says.
"Wait, you mean Kenny, Mikasa, and Levi won't be able to turn into Titans even if they were injected by the same syringe?" Eren asks.
"Yeah." Ray says. "But there is also something that is now actually true with what Rod said. It doesn't need to actually be the Reiss family to activate the full power of the Founding Titan."
"Then how?" Historia asks.
"Eren could use it, as you saw from the last episode, Historia just needed to touch him to have him activate it." Ray says.
"I see..." Eren nods.
"Do you think I'm lying to you or something?" Rod asked.
"Nope. I wanted long for this day 'cuz I knew you weren't lying about the succession ritual. For crying out loud! You used me this whole time knowing full well what I was after, you sleazy playboy!" Kenny glared at him.
"I'm grateful for you." Rod said. "You may have been a stray dog that my whimsical younger brother took in, but-"
"Keep on insulting Uri, and you can say goodbye to half of your head." Kenny yelled. Historia snatched the gun and yelled, "Stop it! Let my father go!"
"Huh? You're plain pitiful, Historia." Kenny said. "Don't you get it?!"
Kenny slapped Historia to the ground. "This father of yours wants to turn you into a monster and make you eat Eren."
Historia then said, "Because that's my duty."
"You agreed to this? Even what Kenny said was true?" Connie says to Historia.
"You really want to eat Eren?" Sasha asks.
"I won't let you, nobody will eat Eren." Mikasa says while standing in front of Eren.
Historia is slightly terrified, she says, "This is happening in the future, right? I am not going to hurt Eren!"
"Yeah. I'm going to eat Eren and bring my sister back." Historia said. "I'll inherit the world's history and exterminate every last Titan! That's my duty!"
"Ray! Is that a good idea to continue?" Historia stares at her with a pleading eyes.
Ray sighs, "Guys, stop glaring at Historia. I promise you, Historia is still on Eren's side, she's still on your side. Just calm down and continue the episode."
"Indeed. What if Historia is doing the same thing as Commander Pyxis back in a few episodes ago? She said that just because she can get her father's trust?" Erwin asks.
"I trust Historia, she won't try to eat me." Eren says, much to everyone's surprise. "So guys, just calm down, and let's finish this episode."
The others reluctantly calm down as the show continues.
"Hey, hey, Historia!" Kenny put down the man and said, "Have you forgotten everything this guy has done to you? The only thing he cares about is the blood inside you."
Kenny tried to put the blade into Rod's mouth. "He doesn't want to become a Titan himself! He's just trash that forces his brother and daughter too! That's this father of yours!"
"Yeah, if he just wanted Eren's powers, why would he use Historia instead of becoming a Titan himself to do it?" Hange asks.
"He's just a coward." Levi mutters.
"He's wrong, Historia..." Rod grabbed the knife. "I must not become a Titan myself. Do not believe... what anyone else says..."
Historia was now conflicted, and Kenny let go of Rod. "Oh, is that right?"
"Father!" Historia rushed to Rod, who turned and said, "Kenny. You've served well up until now. You're free now. Go find another purpose in life... and live out your years."
"Way to say you're fired in a nice way." Jean mutters.
Kenny stared at him before saying, "That would bore me to death." He walked towards Eren. "Kenny! What are you doing?"
"Go ahead and turn into a Titan." Kenny said. "I won't interfere anymore."
Kenny grabbed Eren's head, and Eren's eyes looked lifeless. "However, no head starts."
He freed Eren from his mouth bindings and grabbed the knife. "You both become Titans and have at it. If Historia wins, you'll have your peace. But if you lose to Eren, the situation stays the same."
He slashes Eren's forehead, causing blood to come out.
"Did he just cut your forehead?" Armin asks.
Mikasa is feeling angry and she says, "Family or not, he's so done when I find him."
"So do we have to ignore the fact that both Eren and Historia are going to fight each other in their Titan forms?" Connie asks.
"No way..." Jean says.
Eren and Historia look at each other, they are not sure how to feel. Eren says, "You know, maybe it will be better if you just eat me instead..."
"Eren? What are you talking about?" Historia asks.
"Starting from the first episode, I have been useless, you guys have been overthrowing the fake king, fighting the Interior Police, and I was just there imprisoned..." Eren frowns. "All I have been been a burden."
"Don't say that, Eren." Mikasa says. "We're doing this because you're the one who can help us."
"Yeah, Eren. You are our hope to retake Wall Maria." Hange says. "We can't lose you as well."
"Keep drawing breath till I run out and die?" Kenny asked. "Can you even call that livin'?!"
Rod rushed to Historia with the syringe in his hand. "Historia! With this injection, you can become a powerful Titan! Then you can eat him, but in fact, it's more than that! You must bite his spine and consume the spinal fluid!"
Historia now felt scared as she started at the syringe in her hand. Kenny swung and said, "Whoops, better step back."
"Hurry up, Historia!" Historia struggled to inject herself.
"Don't do it, Historia!" Connie says.
"Yeah. Both of you are comrades, and comrades shouldn't fight each other!" Armin says.
Historia looks uncomfortable, seems like, in this episode, she has become the others' enemy.
Historia turned to see Eren, who was doing nothing. "Eren, why?! Why aren't you transforming?! If I become a Titan, you'll get eaten! At this rate..."
Eren stared at Historia, with her father yelling, "Do it, Historia!"
"It shouldn't have happened..." Eren muttered. "Me... My dad, too... If five years ago, he hadn't done that here... Your sister... would have been able to do something, right? But my dad stole the Power of the Titans from its rightful place. Just how many died for that?"
"Armin's grandpa..." The past with everyone had been shown on screen. "Thomas, Nack, Mina, Milieus... Marco... Those guys on Squad Levi... The people in Stohess, those soldiers who came to save me... Mr. Hannes..."
Everyone looks down as the screen shows everyone who died, Eren also grits his teeth as he sees their faces on the screen again, it is his fault that they died.
"I can never atone for it all. It shouldn't have happened... Those days of training..." Eren had tears in his eyes, "That dream beyond the walls...I... shouldn't have happened."
Historia started to feel pity for Eren, as she remembered her mother. "So, at the least... let it end at your hand. Eat me. Save humanity. It's all... up to you."
"Eren... you can't give up for now..." Mikasa mutters.
"But why? If Dad didn't steal the power of the Founding Titan, maybe... all of those deaths wouldn't happen..." Eren says.
"It's too late to change the past." Ray frowns. "But that's why you're here, so you can change the future."
Historia stared at Eren, she remembered the conversation back before they were kidnapped. "When you called me a normal person, I was so happy."
And then she remembered Ymir, "So you're trying to do something "nice," huh?"
Historia hesitated to inject herself, Rod asked, "What's wrong, Historia? Are you scared? All you have to do is inject that liquid into your body."
"Father..." Historia asked. "Why? Why didn't the Reiss family... in that whole 100 years... eliminate the Titans and liberate humanity? All while possessing the power to control all the Titans..."
Rod frowned, "Because, the first Reiss King who built this world within the walls... wished for us to be controlled by the Titans. The first King believed that was the only path to true peace. But I do not know why.
"Is he serious? Basically, he just left us to die from the Titans?" Connie asks.
"True peace? Quit joking! This is not true peace at all!" Jean adds.
Rod grabbed Historia's arm. "It's only known by those who see the world's memories. Long ago, I...along with my brother, pleaded with our father to free humanity from the Titans... time and time again. However, he would not fulfill our wish. Eventually, it came time for my father to pass on that role. When my brother inherited the Power of the Titans and I looked into his eyes...I understood what that meant. To create this world... To govern its very foundation... To be an omnipotent being is to be what my brother became. Do you know what we call that? God. What we call that... is God. And my duty is to bring God back to our world and offer them my prayers. I'm praying, Historia. For God to lead and guide humanity!"
Before Historia could inject, she remembered Ymir's words, "Christa. I have no right to tell you how to live your life. So actually, this is nothing more than a hope of mine... So actually, this is nothing more than a hope of mine... I want you... to live a life you're proud of."
Just then, Historia threw the syringe to the ground, breaking it.
"Nice!" Ray says as everyone is surprised at Historia's decision to break the syringe.
Rod gasped in surprise as he grabs Historia's shoulder. "Historia!"
Historia threw him over her shoulder and he landed on the floor with a sickening crack.
"Woah! Nice moves!" Armin gasps.
"That was awesome!"
Everyone is cheering for Historia, who sighs in relief at her decision. She would not live well if she really eats Eren.
"God, my ass! You're just giving yourself an out and manipulating other people!" Historia yelled. "I've had it! I won't let you kill me!"
She rushed to Eren with the satchel, and Kenny just laughed, "That's the spirit! This is gettin' good!"
Historia was grabbing the keys and trying to free Eren. "What are you doing, Historia?!"
"Eren, we're leaving!" Historia replied.
"Hey, stop it! If I go on living, everyone will keep suffering!" Eren said. "Hurry up and eat me! I can't take living like this!"
"Shut up, idiot! Just shut up, crybaby!" Historia punched Eren by the shoulder. "Exterminate the Titans?! Who the hell wants to do that bullshit?! I'm starting to hate humanity! Let 'em get wiped out by Titans! I'm humanity's biggest enemy! Got it? I'm the worst girl who ever lived!"
"Wow! Historia! You looked badass!" Sasha says.
"I have never seen this side of Historia before..." Armin says with surprise.
"But nice to see that you're still on our side." Jean says.
Historia blushes after seeing what she's doing. Eren also smiles at her since she is not living in a Christa facade, but herself.
Historia freed Eren from the chains, "You escape from here. I'll destroy everything else!"
Just then, Rod pulled himself across the floor to the pile of fluid on the ground.
"Oh shit! Is he going to do what I think it is?" Levi mutters with wide eyes.
"He's going to transform!" Eren yells in horror.
"Father... Uri... Frieda... Wait for me. I'll now..." As his tongue touched the fluid, he started to grow big and become a Titan.
"Oh my god..." Everyone watched in horror, but then the screen just goes black.
"Oh come on! Why did it end here? I want to see what Rod's Titan looked like!" Hange yells.
"The time is up, but don't worry, 10 more minutes and you can see everything." Ray says.
"Historia, I'm sorry... I thought you were going to stand by your father's side and eat Eren..." Mikasa lowers her head.
"It's fine. Eren is also my friend, and just as what my father said in the episode, maybe I wouldn't be exterminating the Titans if I ate Eren."
"But finally, we're going to see some Titan actions instead of us killing people..." Levi mutters.
"Though I wonder how big is Rod's Titan, and would we be able to get out of there safely?" Armin asks.
Here is a new chapter, and I hope you like it.