Chapter 17: Theories

Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin

Previously: Hange digs into the Reiss family. Eren practices hardening his skin. Rod orders Kenny's squad to help kidnap Eren and Historia. Zeke tells Ymir they'll do the trade. Erwin is being stonewalled from seeing Annie and plans a coup with Zackly.


"Have you remembered anything yet?"

Eren sighed. "No."

Fives days had passed since he and Historia last shook hands and nothing had come to him. Meanwhile, Historia had dreams where she remembered more moments with Frieda. But why haven't I had any new memories? Eren II had shown up during the spar which had happened the day after he and Historia shook hands, yet there was still nothing. Eren II had spent the longest he ever had in his body. As a result, Eren had not heard a peep or sensed his twin's presence for days. Now he was trying to spend as much time around Historia as possible, awaiting Eren II's return hoping both's presence would coincide.

"Maybe we should have you and Historia shake hands again," Hange thought out loud, sitting on her horse. "Anyway, we can try that later. Let's start." She moved away and he waited for her signal.

When she raised her arm, Eren nodded and pulled out a small, flat knife. Unlike Eren II, he was squeamish about biting his hand and would prefer not to if it could be helped. So he had casually mentioned to Mikasa how much easier it would be to have a blade in order to transform. Lo and behold, being the beautiful, resourceful unicorn that she was, Mikasa had somehow produced a small, flat knife for him that he could use instead of gnawing himself.

Seconds later he was inside his Titan body, towering over the humans who stood a small distance away.

Hange's experiments consisted first of physical tests then intelligence. Since they were trying to remain hidden, they couldn't go through all the tests she'd had in mind.


Eren felt drowsy when he woke. His limbs were heavy and he felt the sluggish feeling that came with sleeping too long. Yawning, he sat up and wandered downstairs, feeling slow.

"Eren, good morning," Armin greeted.

"Did I sleep in again?" Eren rubbed his face. "Man, I had this weird dream that I was in my Titan form and trying to harden and failing. Even in my dreams I suck at it," he grumbled.

His squad and Hange exchanged a look. "Eren," Mikasa said from behind, holding a tray of food. "You're awake."

"What's going on?" Eren asked, picking up on the weird atmosphere in the room.

Mikasa eyed him in concern. "You mean you don't remember?"

That didn't sound good. "Remember what?"

"Sit down." Levi gestured to the empty chair. "We'll explain."

Eren relaxed once Hange caught him up on the previous day's experiments. It wasn't brain damage, but a side effect of transforming taking a toll on his human body. "So I can transform up to three times. My first form was 15-meter, the second was 13-meter, and the third was only 10-meter. And my intelligence also drops with every transformation. But soon after she escaped you guys in the forest, Annie was able to transform again and fought me and the squad, still retaining her intelligence."

"She's got more practice, better stamina," Hange replied. "Obviously she's had the Titan powers longer than you have and has more knowledge and experience. The answer is to keep practicing until you're able to transform several times in a short amount of time without losing intelligence. Or height."

"Did you learn anything else? What?" Eren said when a crease appeared in her brow.

"It happened during your first transformation. We were running intelligence tests and having you communicate through writing since your Titan can't talk." She held up her notebook. "The x is for a word I didn't understand. I think you scratched it out."

Dad turned [x] Me. Hate him.

Eren figured he'd had enough sense to distort the word "Other." Else they might have become disturbed and thought he was delusional and believed he had a second personality. A chill went through him, wondering how they wouldn't immediately dismiss it since plenty of people could vouch for his drastic shift in personality. Not to mention the times I ran my mouth off like a dolt. Also there were all the video game and movie and other references he had made. I was about as subtle as a sledgehammer.

"Hate him?" Mikasa read the note uncertainly. "No, that can't be right."

"Did I write anything else?" Eren asked. "Might sense more sense in context." Due to his and Eren II's shared connection, he knew Eren II didn't hate their dad. Was he upset with him? Yes, for not speaking up about whatever he knew about the Titans and the outside world, but Eren II didn't hate his father for it. Though if his Titan had been losing intelligence by the second, then maybe the "Hate him" part was nonsense. Or something else and Hange had just misunderstood.

"Most everything else you wrote was too illegible."

Illegible could be used to describe his usual chicken-scratch that he called handwriting. "Did you copy what I wrote by any chance? Maybe it'll make sense to me."

"No. I doubt it. It was just a bunch of squiggles. You were really upset."

Eren wondered what memory had come to him that had led him to break down as he had. And why had he forgotten it?

"We can't seal up Wall Maria until Eren's Titan can harden. This is a shitty situation," Levi summed up, ever so eloquently.

"It's not Eren's fault," Mikasa jumped in. "He's trying his best."

"I know. I'm not blaming him. I'm just saying it's not looking good for us. We've got enemies both inside and outside the Walls. Sealing Wall Maria is a game-changer but we can't do that until Eren can master hardening his skin."

Hange sighed deeply. "Well, we'll just have to keep trying. There's nothing else to be done about it."

"Maybe it's something that has to be taught," Armin proposed. "It's not intuitive."

"I've considered it could be that," she said. "Though I hope it isn't the case."

"What about his ability to control Titans?" Historia asked. "Isn't that more useful than hardening?"

"That's right! He doesn't need to protect himself from them if he can control them," Sasha spoke up.

"Only problem is that there're no Titans around," Jean pointed out. "We'd have to leave Wall Rose and venture into Titan territory so he can test it out."

"And Reiner and Bertolt and that Beast Titan are still running around free somewhere," Connie muttered darkly.

"Might be easier if we brought some in..."

Eren stopped paying attention to the conversation, sensing Eren II's return. "Finally! You're back!" He quickly caught Eren II up on the week's events.

Eren II listened quietly. "I can't hang around for long," he said, voice dull, as if he'd just woken from sleep. "I'm still exhausted from staying for so long last time. I just wanted to check in really quick. Make sure everything was okay."

"Before you leave, let's have you take over and—"

An image flashed through Eren II's mind of a family in white and he felt anger and wild desperation before he forgot. Was Eren saying something? Eren II couldn't remember. Did I space—

"Whoa! What the hell was that?" Eren asked, startled at the image he had just seen.

Eren II suddenly recalled the memory that had slipped through his mind as his twin conjured it up for him. "How did I forget? I just thought of it a second ago!"

"Eren, you're making faces. Are you remembering something?" Mikasa leaned in.

He held up his hand. "Wait," he told her. "Who were those people?" Eren asked his twin.

"I don't know. But that woman..." Eren II focused on the black-haired woman's face. She seemed to be the target, the main focus of the memory, he knew it. "She looks...so much like Historia."

"Can you take over?" Eren asked urgently, not knowing when Eren II and Historia would be in the same place again.

"Sorry... Tired..." Eren II replied drowsily, moments before he disappeared.

"Ahh!" Eren messed his hair in frustration. "Dammit! So close!"

"What's wrong?" Armin asked. "What's going on?"

"That was of no use! And it doesn't make sense!"

Mikasa placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Tell us."

"I just remembered something. I saw a family. They were all dressed in white and in some sort of crystal cave. One of the women looked a lot like Historia. Except she was tall and had dark hair. She was standing protectively in front of the others. It's gotta be my dad's memory. But it doesn't seem relevant. I wish it could have been something more helpful. Like how to harden. Don't," he said when Connie opened his mouth.

"Hange?" Levi turned to her. "Something on your—"

"Shh!" Hange's brows were furrowed.

"She looked like me?" Historia paused, looking thoughtful. "Come to think of it, Frieda looks a lot like me."

"Does she have straight black hair and blue eyes? Tall, slim, and very beautiful?"

"Yes! That's her! But how strange. When did your father meet her?"

"I don't know." Eren shrugged. "But he was a doctor. He made trips into the interior all the time, I remember that." He glanced at Mikasa and she nodded.

"Dr. Yeager treated a lot of people in the interior," she confirmed. "The family you saw could have been his patients."

A dreadful feeling suddenly made Eren feel uneasy.

Historia must have read the look on his face because her expression turned. "What? What is it? Do you know what happened to Frieda?" From her tone, she wasn't expecting it to be good news. "Is she alive? I want to see her again."

"I don't know if she's alive. I was just thinking about how I felt in that moment. So much anger. And hopelessness. An overwhelming feeling of desperation and dread." Eren unconsciously clutched his hand over his heart.

Historia turned her gaze down, frowning, confused.

"Ugh, my head is spinning." Sasha lay her head flat on the table.

Jean sighed, pinching his nose. "There's just more questions than answers."

They glanced at each, puzzling it over.

"Historia." Hange's voice broke the confused, thoughtful atmosphere. "Ymir only said she stole the Titan power from one of Reiner's friends, is that right? No other references as to how?"

"No." Historia shook her head. "Just that. And she was distressed about it. That's all. Why're you asking?"

"That's it. Nothing else?" Hange pressed.

"No—no, nothing."

"What? Why did you hesitate?" Levi questioned, tilting his head.

"Well, there was something she said that was weird," Historia admitted and they all straightened, listening curiously. "But I probably misheard. I thought she said she suffered through a sixty-year nightmare but it was worth it because she could meet me." She blushed as she said that. "But she probably said sixteen."

"Hey, Four-Eyes, is this relevant? Wanna share with the rest of us?"

Eren didn't like the way Hange looked at him briefly before turning to Levi.

"I have some theories. Let me think about them some more. I think I'll go see Erwin tomorrow and run them by him first. Get a second opinion."

"How is he?" Levi asked.

"He's in Sina right now. The Assembly wanted to yell at him for the impromptu expedition to get Ymir."

"Of course they're upset," Historia grouched, rolling her eyes. "Heavens forbid we get another Titan on our side and learn what's going on."

"They want us to remain sheeple," Eren agreed, wrinkling his nose.

Jean turned to him. "Did you just make up a word?"

"Nope. It's a real word. Sheeple. It means people who're stupid and obedient and accept whatever crap that gets fed to them."

The discussion wrapped up and Levi then sent them off to do their chores.


"You don't have to help me out. Not that I mind the company." Eren rinsed a plate and handed it to Mikasa to dry. "But you should be resting. You're still hurt. It's why Captain Levi gave you the easiest chore and had you do the dusting." He wanted to convey Levi as someone capable of sympathy and gradually help lessen Mikasa's dislike of him. At least it wasn't outright hostility anymore since Levi had helped get him back after the Female Titan had kidnapped him.

"I'm just checking in." Mikasa accepted a cup. "Any new memories?"

"I remembered how I met Armin."

"Do you remember our first meeting?" Mikasa asked hesitantly.

"That's not something easily forgotten," Eren said, not quite answering her question. Most of what he knew came from what Nile had reported during the trial. Eren II never told him anything about it. And Eren hadn't felt like he had any right to pry into their private business. Noticing her sad mood, he was quick to change the topic. "I'm going to take a shower after this. Unless you wanna join me cause you're worried I'll slip and crack my head open?" Eren said suggestively, smirking.

Mikasa's face turned red and she almost dropped the cup.

So easy for me to make her blush, he thought smugly. And fun, too.

"Mikasa," Armin called from the doorway. "We have to relieve Sasha and Connie from sentry duty."

"Well, you see, Armin, Mikasa can't do that cause she has to help me take a—"

"I'll go," Mikasa interrupted hastily and dropped the towel, fleeing quickly.

Armin gave him a curious look before trailing after their embarrassed friend.

Whoops. Despite trying not to flirt with her too much, it sometimes slipped out. Eren couldn't help it, though. It came out naturally. And it didn't help her reaction was always so entertaining and never failed to make him smile.

"Eren." Hange joined him, notebook in hand. "Mind if I ask you some questions about the memories you've recovered so far? I want to take detailed notes."

"Sure thing."

She nodded and clicked her pen. "Don't leave anything out, no matter how irrelevant it seems."

"Did you figure something out? I saw your face during the meeting."

"I'm sorry, right now I'm still compiling information."

"Alright," he accepted. He had just finished answering her questions when Moblit came bearing a letter from Erwin, informing them of him being placed under house arrest by the Assembly and warning them to leave the cabin.

Anxiety made Eren feel sick. It was one thing fighting Titans. A sort of underdog optimistic feeling came at that. Humanity, an oppressed group, fighting to defeat monsters, overcoming odds, and regaining their freedom. It was the kind of plot he loved reading in books or watching in movies. But he didn't feel entirely comfortable fighting other humans unless they were really truly bad.

Unlike most of the group, he could easily imagine all too well the kinds of horrors people could inflict on one another. And he'd seen one too many movies about a corrupt government institution going rogue and the main character being painted as the bad guy and forced to go on the run. The main character would have to fight to prove his innocence and make sure justice was served. And it always ended with a happy, hopeful ending. But those were movies. Real-life, sadly, was not that fair.

As the sun set, Eren watched the MPs warily from a distance before listening as Levi continued to explain their situation to the group.

"...Corps is ordered to cease all activity immediately. They also want us to hand over Eren and Historia."

"Not a chance," Mikasa growled.

"I'm going to meet up with my squad tomorrow before Moblit and I go see Erwin," Hange said, rummaging through her satchel. "I'll tell them to meet you at the rendezvous point in Trost and provide additional assistance." She handed Levi a piece of paper. "It's my theories. I don't know if it's right, but I thought you should at least know. Look it over when you have the chance."


"Did everyone make it out in time?"

"We were all able to beat the MPs and get away before they swarmed the cabin."

Erwin turned away from the window to face her. "The Assembly is wasting time trying to come up with a suitable punishment for my gross incompetence that resulted in dozens of soldiers being killed, all for a traitor."

Hange didn't buy the Assembly's "outrage" for a second. "They don't care about those lives. They're just terrified at how close we came to learning the truth they've tried to keep hidden for a century."

"The house arrest is all for show," he said dismissively. "They'll have to let me out soon."

"It's not substantial enough to remove you," she agreed.

Erwin left the window and joined her in the sitting area. "If asked on what grounds they want Eren to be handed over to them, they will use the same 'chasing after Ymir without permission' excuse. Zackly won't hand over custody of Eren over such a weak reason, of course. But the Assembly's intention, I'm sure, isn't actually to officially get their hands on Eren, but only to learn where we have him so they can kidnap him."

By kidnapping Eren, they could subject him to whatever fate they wanted without having to answer to the public. "Levi's taken his squad to Trost," Hange informed him. "It should be safer there." In a city, a group of people was less likely to stick out than in the middle of nowhere in the wildness.

"I met with Commander Pixis. I thought Zackly would be harder to convince but it's the other way around. The chief is with us. The Garrison is the largest division and they widely respect Pixis. This coup will go a lot smoother with his help. But he's reluctant about taking part in a revolution that might spark anarchy if the military tries to overthrow the monarchy and causes endless bloodshed. He's coming to see me today and I'm hoping I can bring him around."

"I may have a solution for you on that end." Hange was eager to get their opinions on her theories. Some seemed outrageous even in her own head.

That seemed to pique Erwin's interest. A knock came from the door before Pixis entered.

"Commander Pixis," Hange said respectfully, standing.

"Pixis," Erwin said, shaking his hand. "Thank you for coming. I wasn't sure you would accept my invitation."

"I came to see you out of respect for you, Erwin. I hope you won't try to persuade me again."

"Don't worry, I won't."

Pixis relaxed as he sat. "Good."

"Hange will do the persuading."

"I should have seen that coming."

"There might be a way to replace the current incompetent leadership without overthrowing the monarchy," Hange said, getting their attention. "A way to—well, no, I doubt it'll be completely bloodless. But I think it can be done without causing a civil war within the Walls."

"What do you propose?" Pixis asked cautiously but curiously.

"Keep in mind this is just my theory," Hange warned before she began. "There's always a chance I might be wrong."

"Let us hear you out first, then we can contemplate about it being right or wrong. So tell us," Erwin urged.

"Commander Pixis, I don't know if you know but the Assembly has ordered we hand over two of our members: Eren Yeager and Christa Lenz."

"I could guess about Eren Yeager. But who's the girl?"

"She's the solution I was referring to. First, I must share some information so it'll make sense. Christa Lenz isn't her real name. She was born Historia Reiss."

"Reiss? As in the noble family?"

"That's the one. She was a bastard child who was given the option to live if she assumed a fake name and lived a quiet life. Here's where it gets interesting. You remember, Erwin, on the Wall when Historia grabbed Eren's hands, and suddenly, memories they both had forgotten popped up in their heads?"

"That's been on my mind, yes," Erwin replied seriously. "I have some thoughts on that myself."

"Wait, are you saying when they touched, it somehow caused them to remember forgotten memories?" The Garrison commander glanced between them.

"That's right, sir. We've had them shake hands and Historia will recall memories of a woman named Frieda, and Eren has started getting more of his father's memories, too. But it's slower for him."

Pixis crossed his arms, looking confused. "How is that possible?"

"I'll get to that in a minute. Now, the other day we were having a discussion when Eren remembered a large family, all dressed in white. They were in some sort of cavern made of crystal. He said he remembered feeling desperate and angry and scared. His focus was on one person in particular. And she seemed to match the description Historia gave of Frieda."

Erwin appeared to be starting to piece some things together.

Pixis, not having as much prior information, said, "You're saying Eren's father has met this Frieda. And she is connected to Historia, who can cause Eren to remember his father's memories."

"I noticed something interesting. On the Wall when they first touched, Eren mentioned he saw his father's face and he looked desperate. But if it was his father's face he was seeing, that means whoever this memory came from was standing opposite of Grisha."

"That wasn't Grisha Yeager's memory," Erwin deduced, leaning forward.

"No, I think it was Frieda's. I've sent Moblit to check the names of the Reiss children. Most of the Reiss family, except for Rod Reiss, was killed in a chapel."

Pixis's eyes widened, having put it together. "In Eren's memory, you said the family was wearing all white. Because they were at a church to pray." His brow furrowed. "But how could Eren have Frieda's memories? And what does it have to do with this Historia girl being a solution?"

"The Reiss family was supposedly killed because of bandits. But the year was 845 and it was the same day when the Colossal and Armored Titans attacked. Eren told me Grisha had gone to the interior earlier that day. And when we were doing intelligence tests on his Titan, he suddenly starting writing this," she said, show them the two sentences, "before it became gibberish because he was so distressed."

"Hange, how is this all connected?" Erwin asked, not following along.

"Bear with me here. The final piece of the puzzle was something Historia mentioned yesterday. She already told us Ymir felt guilty because she somehow stole the Titan power from one of Reiner's friends. Historia didn't mention one thing last time. Something strange Ymir said that Historia dismissed because she thought she misheard. Ymir said she suffered a sixty-year nightmare and Historia thought she said sixteen. But I think she really meant sixty. Because that was how long she was a mindless Titan." She turned to Pixis to fill him in quickly but he spoke up before her.

"Erwin told me last time when we met in Trost that Titans were humans," he said gravely. "And about the island, too."

"You think Ymir spent six decades as a Titan," Erwin said, realization clear on his face. He had figured it out. "Then, when Reiner, Bertolt, and Annie came over in 845, she ate one of their friends and stole that power."

Hange nodded. "That's right. I think what Eren was trying to tell us was that his dad turned him into a Titan, then Eren ate him."

A look of sympathy appeared on Pixis's face.

"I think it was the combination of his decaying intelligence inside that body and his horror at the knowledge he killed and ate his father that caused him to forget." It would be a difficult conversation but she knew she had to eventually tell him.

"It makes sense why Ymir initially wanted to hand Historia over," Erwin said. "There's obviously something special about Historia's blood. The Reiss bloodline. So if Ymir gave Historia up, she would be pardoned for killing that fourth person. The Assembly," he said suddenly. "They've been pushing Zackly hard to keep Annie isolated so we can't make her talk. The chief's been fighting to get an audience with the king to overturn the decision, which they claim is the king's will, but they keep rejecting him from seeing King Fritz. For some reason, they don't want him to meet the king."

"I've been thinking Rod Reiss has a lot of influence, even for a noble. Perhaps it's a leap," Hange confessed, though she had a feeling Erwin was already with her on this, "but we do know for a fact there's something special about the Reiss bloodline because just making contact with Historia had an effect on Eren's memories. And Reiner and his friends also badly wanted her. She was a hostage valuable enough that it could earn Ymir a pardon for eating that fourth person with Reiner's group. So, what if, and again, I have no solid proof here, Historia—"

"Are you suggesting that the Reiss family is the true royal family?" Pixis interrupted in shock. "And this girl is an heir to the throne?"

"She's the heir," Hange corrected. "All the others are dead. Again, this might be a leap," she said, holding up her hands. "The chapel the Reiss family was praying at was supposedly destroyed by the bandits. Considering most buildings, especially in the interior and a church built by a noble family at that, are made up of stone, how would the bandits destroy it?"

"It's possible dynamite was used," Pixis provided. "Although considering everything else, it seems very suspicious. Not to mention strange that they would prepare and bring dynamite to rob a family at a chapel of all places. But what's the significance here?"

"Wait for it, I actually have another crazy theory," Hange continued. "Pastor Nick knew about the Colossal-type Titans in the Walls and told us to make sure it never saw sunlight. I'm thinking, how did they get there in the first place? What if they woke one day and attacked?"

"What are you trying to say?"

"I think they're two Titan powers at play here."

"You think the Reiss family had a Titan of their own?" Erwin's eyes were wide, a look of complete surprise on his face, Pixis sitting equally stunned next to him.

"I don't see how else Eren could get Freida's—if it was, in fact, her—memory that he saw. On the Wall, Eren said his father looked desperate and worried. This time, he felt it. I questioned him thoroughly about both memories before we separated. The first time he knew because he saw those emotions on his father's face but he felt annoyed. The second time, when he was watching the Reiss family, he felt those emotions and saw Frieda glaring at him. I think he remembered the same scene but from two different people, thus two different perspectives and emotions."

"If Frieda had a Titan power, then it explains why he could access her memories," Pixis spoke, sounding amazed. "Because his father killed and ate her then passed the powers and memories on to him. Wait, is this why you brought up the chapel's destruction? You think it was destroyed because of a Titan battle?"

"The bandit excuse was just to cover up the killing and the destruction," Erwin exclaimed.

"We would have known for sure once we studied the wreckage, but Rod Reiss had it quickly rebuilt so we can't," Hange said in disappointment.

"Be very careful how you move," Pixis cautioned. "If you're discovered snooping, I'm sure they won't hesitate to kill you to shut you up if your theories are true and you've discovered their truth."

Hange nodded seriously. It was why she had taken to traveling in disguise. "If I'm right about the Reiss family, it all fits. Maybe Rod is capable of fathering children still, but it'll take time for the kid to be born then grow up strong and capable. In the meantime, he can't risk the only heir he has left. Rod's desperate. So he wants to keep Historia close to him in case he might need her to continue the Reiss line in his stead."

"Rod Reiss must have the same serum Grisha Yeager did that turned his son into a Titan," Erwin stated, brows furrowed in deep thought. "His plan must be to turn himself to take the Titan power, or powers, away from Eren. Perhaps Grisha was too late to stop the destruction in Wall Maria because he was in the interior at the time. By the time he heard the news, it was already too late so he went to confront the Reiss family because somehow he knew the truth about them. We don't know much about him so we have no clue as to how he figured it out. Eren said Grisha came over in a ship so it's possible he's from the same place as Reiner and his friends."

"Grisha confronts the Reiss family," Hange said slowly, "begs them for help, desperate because his home is being invaded, and he's angry they're refusing to help, so he kills them in a rage. He could have become afraid Rod and his people would hunt him down so he turned his son and had him eat him and went missing, never to be found."

"There are still some things that don't make sense," Erwin said, puzzled. "Why would the Reiss family refuse to help if their bloodline has some special power?"

"Maybe it has something to do with why they want to keep us in the dark about the truth? Not that we have a way of knowing what that is," Pixis said, shrugging.

"I think I understand Grisha passing the Titan power on to Eren if Rod only saw his face." Erwin brought his hand to his chin. "Because if he had known Grisha's name then Eren would have been kidnapped a long time ago. But if he only saw Grisha's face, maybe he gave Eren those powers so Rod wouldn't be able to trace him."

"My guess is Rod has probably been searching for Grisha all this time without knowing he was dead," Hange said. "Six weeks have passed since the Battle for Trost and the Assembly would have demanded Eren be turned over to them if they'd known who Grisha was and that Eren was his son, thus he was housing two Titans."

"There's also the fact Eren was such a public figure and everyone's attention was on him that they had to move very carefully," Pixis shared his own theory on it. "But once they got the reports of Eren using that strange power to control the Titans, the Royal Government couldn't sit still anymore and became more aggressive about getting him."

"I think you're right on the mark there, Pixis," Erwin said. "And another thing that doesn't make sense to me is that if Frieda had a Titan and Grisha ate her to steal her power, why didn't he use it? When we went to get Ymir back, Eren was able to command the Titans. That had to be Frieda's Titan's power. If Grisha was able to do that from the beginning he would have gone back to Shinganshina to get rid of all those Titans himself instead of going to the Reiss chapel."

"And Eren's only actively been using his Titan powers for less than two months now—aside from any small injuries of his that were healed without him even noticing," Hange stated. "So it can't be that it was just an ability Eren could do but his father couldn't. Eren's barely been training with his Titan and he could do it. But Grisha's probably had that power for a lot longer before passing it to his son. So Grisha should have been able to do it as well." Hange wondered if maybe it was just something that came easier to Eren, like the Female Titan and her hardening ability. "I think it's gotta be the Reiss Titan's power."

"You've already established the Reiss bloodline is extraordinary, even as regular humans," Pixis pointed out. "Historia is a normal human girl, but touching her has caused Eren to get his father's memories and flashes of possibly Frieda's."

"So, what, you think only the Reiss family can use the power of Frieda's Titan?" Hange asked skeptically. "But Eren was able to do it."

"That's yet another thing that's stumping me," Erwin said, holding up his hand and adding a third finger.

"Maybe someone without Reiss blood can do it, but it's just easier or more intuitive if you do have it," Pixis speculated. "Or access is limited without the right blood in your veins."

"There's guesswork and leaps involved here," Hange reminded them, arms crossed. "There could be flaws in my reasoning, obviously. We still don't know a lot. Like where Grisha got his Titan power, why he kept quiet, or how the royal family—if it is the Reiss family—had a Titan power."

"You're right." Erwin let out a long sigh. "I doubt we can decipher all the secrets with the information we have right now. Let's focus instead on what we can do. Because if you are correct, then it means Rod Reiss will try to cannibalize Eren. Obviously, we can't let that happen."

"Everything I told you I've written down and given to Levi," Hange told him. "I'll go meet with him after this. Squad Levi will 'secretly' move through Trost today and let them kidnap two people pretending to be Eren and Historia. Once we capture the kidnappers, we can confirm at least some of my theories."

"We must take down Rod Reiss. If he gets Frieda's Titan back, even if we survive our cause is finished."

"What do you mean, Erwin?" Pixis asked.

"I mentioned I had a theory about Eren and Historia suddenly recalling forgotten memories, remember? Let me tell you something my father once told me..." Erwin recounted his father's observation about the contradictions in the history books, or that not even oral histories could be found anywhere, and his father's theory about humanity's memories being manipulated, as it was the only explanation for why anything about the history before the Walls went up was blank for everyone. "I think it was because of this second Titan Eren possess. Like her predecessors, I think Freida also had the power to alter memories because of the Reiss Titan and used it on her sister, Historia. And if my father was right about the memory erasure, it further lends credibility to the Reiss family being the true royal family since they would have that power in their possession. The power to rewrite humanity's history."

They were silent, churning it over.

"Now that you've heard everything we have to say, what will you do, Pixis?" Erwin finally broke the silence. "Will you help us?"

Pixis was quiet, thinking before he answered. "I need more than wild theories because we are talking about a coup here, not Sunday brunch. Can you prove that Historia Reiss is, indeed, the heir?"

"Don't worry. As Hange said, Levi's on it," Erwin assured him confidently.

"I'm going to meet up with Levi and the others after this to help with just that. We'll get confirmation," Hange promised.

"And your plan to put Historia on the throne won't leave a trail of blood and death behind you?"

Erwin quickly filled him in on the plot he'd hatched with Zackly to trick the Assembly into showing their true colors and having them arrested for treason. And all the military heads would be there to bear witness.

"I like the way you think, Erwin. Go get me the confirmation about Historia and you have my full support."


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