Part 52
Stories
"Eren will be eaten?!" Exclaimed Armin. He sat around a table with Jean, Connie and Sasha whilst Mikasa leaned against the wall with widened eyes as they listened to Hange's truth. Levi and Fury both standing near to her.
"Eren remembered a conversation between Ymir and Bertholdt." Hange spoke with a raised finger. "Speculating based on Ymir was a Titan wandering outside the Wall. Bertholdt, Reiner and Annie had a comrade that she ate. But when a Titan eats someone, they don't turn back into a human. But, what if a Titan ate someone who was a Titan Shifter? They're humans that can transform into Titans. What I'm saying is that if a Titan eats someone that can revert back to a human, then they consume that eaten power and can then revert back into being a human as well."
"Remember when Reiner began throwing mindless Titans over at Eren when we were all trying to retrieve him?" Fury recalled aloud to further support Hange. "Eren has an ability that can control Titans when he roars. Just like how a Bloodborn can control them but without the need to be a Titan themselves. But what Reiner was trying to do was hoping one of the Titans that he was throwing at Eren would eat him and consume his power."
Hange nodded. "And if that was in fact the case, then Eren is nothing more than a vessel who is waiting to be replaced. And if the Government has a Titan of their own, they'll be the one to eat Eren."
Unable to hear more, Mikasa began to storm her way towards the door, only to be grabbed on the shoulder by Levi which built a frown to appear on Fury.
"Calm down." He ordered her as she listened with gritted teeth. "If you go on a rampage, they're not going to give Eren back to us." Levi then released his grip and turned to the rest of them. "We also won't be safe here for much longer. We need to keep moving."
"I can suggest a place that we will most likely be safe…" Fury muttered, shifting her gaze to look down at the ground. "They've lived among the danger of Titans for years and yet their homes are still intact. However, I'm not sure they'll welcome us with open arms. Not with the threat we could bring to them."
"You know somewhere?" Hange asked Fury, pushing her glasses up as Fury solemnly nodded.
"A small village." She revealed. "Where I safely spent my four years when I left to go beyond the Wall for my own answers. Despite being recluses, their Elder certainly knew a thing or two about Titans." Fury then sighed, closing her eyes. "If we decide to go there, I should tell Erwin what we've learned about the Reiss family too. He'll be expecting an update."
"I'll come with you." Hange proposed. "The rest of you should get ready to leave for this so-called village."
The party saluted Hange as they left the room, followed by Hange herself. Levi took a seat for a moment. His face showed strain as he lifted his grey shirt, revealing his lower abdomen that had shrapnel scrapes over his skin from his encounter with Kenny and his men. The blood had seeped through his shirt and yet he was more concerned about the stain than he was in his injuries.
"Might need a couple of stitches." Fury told him, walking over to a cabinet that held medical items. This place being an old jail, there needed to be a supply of medicine for the prisoners.
"I'll heal." Levi muttered, turning his head to his shoulder to see that blood had leaked through his shirt there too. How much shrapnel did he withstand?
"Stop being modest." Fury nagged, bringing over a medical box. "Take it off, they'll at least need cleaning. If they get infected…-"
"You sound like Hange." Levi cut off, his face remaining stoic. He pulled his shirt off over his head, revealing his toned upper body, littered in scratches and open wounds. "Don't take too long."
It was certainly a sight to savour, for most women. Fury seemed to react more to seeing his wounds than his body. She dipped a cloth into some sterilised consistency and began to wipe at Levi's wounds. His body flinched slightly at the sting. It hit home for Fury. He was human like the rest of them. Still capable of being injured, still capable of even dying. "Hm. You wipe away most of the grit and they're just grazes." She muttered, tracing her fingers on his warm skin as she inspected him just to be sure. "Yeah… You'll be fine this time."
"Alright." Levi muttered, raising his arms as he placed his shirt back over his revealed torso. Best not to make things more awkward between the two. "So this village… Does it even exist?"
"Yes it exists!" Fury hissed followed with a sigh. "Even if I'm not there, tell them… Ugh, just say Aya told you of them. That should be enough for them to let you in to their homes."
"So you used your real name out there, huh?" Levi then questioned, standing up and tucking his shirt into his black trousers.
"They didn't want me hiding behind a façade." Fury responded, keeping her eyes off Levi.
"Well at least they have common sense." Levi huffed. He couldn't help himself. Not after he had been told everything about Fury knowing Kenny and that her name was in fact Aya. "Don't take too long with Erwin. We do have the MP's on our asses after all."
Fury frowned. "And what exactly do you mean by that?"
"You know fine well what I mean by that." Levi muttered, leaving her in the room alone as he then left to meet up with the others.
"Sorry for this late update…" Fury sighed as she was brought in to see Erwin who was currently stacking reports on his desk. The cadet who brought her in then left the pair to themselves by closing the door. "I had… Levi issues to deal with. But I've come to see you with more thoughts of my own than a report for you." Fury then helped herself to a seat, lifting her leg up over to rest on her other as Erwin used his only free hand to draw his office curtains closed before he himself then joined in sitting near to Fury. Only the timid flare of candlelight now lit the room they were in.
"I just have to ask… Are you sure about this?"
"I am, Fury." Erwin spoke. His tone as professional as always. "In order to retake Wall Maria, the current Government needs to be overthrown."
Fury then rubbed her temple. "Can't help but feel this was bound to happen one day. You know me, Sir. I always did question why these fools were in charge. In their eyes, this cramped world can only sustain people for so long before everyone starts to lash out. And when the time comes, will I need to point my blade at this fake King too?"
"Fury…" Erwin placed his hand over her own. "There's no need to address me as Sir right now." He assured her, his thumb stroking her pale skin as she then looked up at him. Though his affection was soft, his expression was not. "If my guess is correct, however, this plan will not require the military to take any action. Nor will anyone need to die. But the groundwork for this to all happen is not set yet. And if everything is not in order, myself and others will be hanged, no doubt."
"Oh. Hanged? Really. Is that all?" Fury snarled. Yet she couldn't help but get worked up over this. Erwin was gambling with not just his own life again but with everyone else's. "You and your gambles…"
"I'm a betting man." Erwin smirked, keeping his hand gripped onto Fury's. "We seem to have a small moment as of now. Would you do me a favour… and listen to something regarding my childhood?"
"Of course. I'm all ears." Fury accepted. Her features softening as she noticed Erwin appearing to hold some form of guilt around him.
"Remember when I told you that my father often told me bedtime stories about Titans and Bloodborn's?" He recalled, earning a nod from Fury. "Well, he was in fact a teacher…-"
"Pardon me!" Came the bellow of Hange as she opened the door open, causing Fury to pull her hand away from Erwin's. "Have you told him yet, Fury? Doesn't look like it! I'm here with the update. It has been confirmed. A First Interior soldier made his confession. The King on the throne is a fraud, Commander. Reiss is the true royal family."
"So I can assume that Levi and his squad will now be doing what they can to retrieve both Eren and Historia?" Erwin questioned. "Once we have them back, we need to have Historia enthroned as the Queen. As she possesses true royal blood."
"And this will force the fake to give up the crown?" Fury speculated. "But this needs to be done without spilling blood. We should do it in front of the people. Let them know of the system that has been a lie."
"I have no doubt that the First Interior Squad will also be acting upon trying to have me arrested for conspiracy. I need to allow myself to be arrested when they come for me. It's all part of the gamble. Furthermore, Hange, you will be the next Commander of the Scouts should this gamble fail to work."
"But, Commander!" Hange retaliated, unsure of how to potentially take on such a role of importance.
"Fury." Erwin continued. "I know you've always struggled in accepting to fight for others and yet you seem to have done so. Take the promotion I'm giving you to Squad Leader."
"What are you doing…?" Fury questioned, though she did not show as much shock as Hange.
"Sir, I should return to Levi and his squad. He'll also need to know of this gamble of yours." With her salute, Hange left in a stunned manner, causing Erwin to then go and close the door after her as she had forgotten to do so herself.
"You're not the only one the Government wants rid of, you know." Fury reminded. "Was a promotion really required? I was quite happy just being a Scout…"
"Will you allow me to continue where we left off?" Erwin bypassed, taking his seat once more, which earned him a sigh from Fury. "One day, my father was teaching History in the class I was in. He spoke that to protect themselves from both Titans and Bloodborn's, humanity took refuge inside the Walls and gained 100 years of peace. Yet in doing so, any records of our earlier past had been erased. That's what every History teacher taught their students. But I had my doubts and I asked my father a question in the middle of class. At first, he evaded my question and ended the class as normal. But it was when we got home that my father decided to answer my question. He said that the history books given to us by the Government were full of contradictions. Yet there was a reason he did not share this with the entire class, but I was too blind to realise this. I told others my father's story and it one day gained the attention of the Military Police. My father didn't come home that night… It was claimed he died in an accident. But based on what I knew, my father was killed by the Government."
"Erwin…" Fury muttered as she reached out her hand to be the one to stroke his for comfort.
Erwin closed his eyes and took a small breath. "Over a century ago, Humanity that fled to these Walls had their memories altered by the King to make his rule easier. That was my father's theory."
"I was told something similar by Hexis." Fury recalled. "How could I have skipped over this? He also speculated that the King once altered the memories of Humanity within these walls. But it was also more than just making their rule easier, it was to make the people forget about the mistakes the King and the Government made for why they had to hide behind walls in the first place.
The Blood Purge.
If people remembered that it was the Government and their King that convinced them that Bloodborn's, the ones who kept Titans away, would turn on Humanity, then they would turn on the King and blame him for being wrong. So life within these walls would never had succeeded if he didn't alter memories."
Erwin nodded. "Yes, Fury. Ever since I was a child, I've been made to wonder why my father had to die for nothing more than speculating the truth. Even those who do support the King would just believe what they're doing is right. However, it made me realise more about them… What they're trying to protect is not Humanity, but their houses and gardens. If anyone dares threaten their authority, they'll be killed, no matter who they are. In the end, there was nothing to justify my father's death. My father was killed by human greed… And by the foolishness of his own son. I knew in my heart that my father's theory was true. And it was furthermore strengthened when it was revealed that you were a Bloodborn, Fury. You were no devil in disguise; you held no threat to us. And that my father's bedtime stories about the Bloodborn's were real and that they were purged out of fear and a need for the Government to be the ones with power. Now, my mission in life… Is to fully prove my father's theory once and for all."
Fury then stood up, causing Erwin to be the one to look up at her for once. She then leaned forward and gave the man a gentle kiss whilst she patted his cheek softly. "You have my support. We'll make sure the truth is revealed."
