Chapter 20: Story

Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin

Previously: Erwin has Berg Newspapers and Reeves Company join forces to fight the Military Police. He tricks Sannes into confirming Hange's theories. Hange figures out where Eren and Historia are. Historia is eager to inherit the Founding Titan but Kenny interrupts.


Eren had never felt so miserable or confused in his entire life. He nearly wept in relief when Eren II joined him for the first time in what felt like forever.

"What's going on?" Eren II was alarmed, sensing his distress.

Rather than tell him, Eren decided to show him.

A wave of memories washed over Eren II, quickly bringing him up to speed. The happiness and tranquillity he felt from living through Eren's best memories evaporated as he was dragged back into the sad cruel reality of his own life.

Eren felt strangely better, sharing his grief and offering the comfort of his presence to his twin. He felt guilty for retreating into the fact that it was Eren II who ate his father. And it wasn't his father, the one who had raised him, that Eren II had killed. Quit being selfish, he scolded himself. All he could do to provide Eren II solace was trying to share his pain. Being there for him, with him.

"I... He..." Eren II mumbled, having trouble coping with the truth.

It suddenly clicked in Eren's head, what he had written in his Titan form that day and Hange had told him: "Dad turned...Me. Hate him." His mind quickly filled in the blanks. I must've been trying to write "Dad turned Other Me. He ate him." But his brain functions had been decaying and the first couple of words of the "He ate him" part had merged and come out looking like "Hate him."

Eren II stared at Rod and Historia dispassionately through Eren's eyes. "Maybe it's for the best," he said quietly. "This power wasn't supposed to be mine. It belongs to Historia."

"What're you saying? That...you want to die?" Eren asked, shaken.

"It's for the best. What good am I?" Eren said bitterly.

"Where's this coming from?" It did not seem to fit the headstrong image he had of the other boy.

"I'm a failure. In the Forest of Giant Trees, you did what I wanted and look what a catastrophe that was. But when you decided to handle the situation your own way, you were able to come up with a plan to capture Annie and it worked perfectly and no one died. Maybe if we'd fought the Female Titan like you wanted when we first saw her, we could have prevented a lot of deaths, including Gunther's and Oluo's."

"We don't know that! And don't forget you defeated Reiner! You're not useless!"

"So what? That mission was another failure. Admit it, I'm not deserving of these Titan powers. Or capable of wielding them properly. Historia has the drive and it's her family's legacy. She'll liberate the Walled people and protect them. My life is not worth much compared to that."

"But—"

"You could go home. Back to your own body. Your good and happy life instead of this hellhole of a world I live in."

That gave Eren pause. Could that be the way for him to return to his own body? "It's not a guarantee," Eren finally said. "What if I die with you in this body? What then, huh?"

"What else could do it? My death might be the only thing to set you free."

"Shut up! We don't know anything, alright? So stop spouting nonsense about giving up your life. If anything— Look! Something's happening," Eren said suddenly to distract the other boy. And himself. So he wouldn't have to think about Eren II's unsettling words. What if he truly was stuck there until Eren II bit the big one? I don't want to stay here for decades. Especially not like some parasite hijacking another person's body.

"Kenny, what's the meaning of this?" Rod asked calmly.

"Father?" Historia turned to him.

"C'mon, Historia," Kenny said, approaching them with his second-in-command, "surely you ain't buyin' the nonsense this chubby bastard is tryin' to sell ya. He's never given a rat's ass 'bout ya and he sure as hell ain't startin' now."

Historia hesitated and said, "I don't know what you're talking about. Actually, I don't care. I'm doing this for me. For Frieda. I'm going to become the—"

Kenny was on her suddenly, snatching the syringe from her hands.

"Give that back!" Historia protested but stopped when the blonde-haired woman pointed a gun at her.

"Kenny, you can't become king," Rod told him plainly.

"Hear that, Traute? He thinks he can stop us."

"I've known for a long time that you wanted the Founding Titan for yourself and become king. But you'll never be able to use its power. For only those with royal blood can use it."

Confused, Eren listened to Rod explain about the Founding Titan and its powers and its limitations. "If that's true, then how were you able to use it that time?" His mind went back to when Eren II had ordered the mindless Titans to devour the one that had killed his mother.

"Maybe it's cause of you," Eren II guessed. It was the only thing that could explain it.

"This is bullshit!" Traute snarled, gabbing Rod's collar. "You're lying!"

"You really think I'm lying?" Rod asked Kenny.

"No. No, I don't think you are," Kenny said, staring at him. "You're a terrible liar. Alright, then." He opened his hand, holding out the syringe. "By all means, take it. If Historia wants to inject herself then I won't stop her."

"What?" Traute turned to him. "Kenny, you—"

"Don't interfere, Traute."

"Take it, Historia!" Rod urged, desperately grasping his daughter.

Eren held his breath. Oh fuck. Then, to his shock, Historia shrugged off her father's arms.

"Historia," her father said, confused, "what are you..."

Kenny grunted. "I knew it. She's been pretendin' the whole time."

"W-What?" Rod snapped his head toward him. "No. No, that can't be. That's not—"

"He's right," Historia replied, irritation clear in her voice. "Kidnapping Eren, releasing Ralph, meeting you, claiming to hate Eren, and joining you, it was all bullshit."

"Okay, this I didn't see coming," Eren admitted.

"What the hell is she thinking?" Eren II said, puzzled.

Historia glanced at Kenny. "But how did you know I was lying?"

"Ya knew about the chapel and everythin' cause ya got it from the Survey Corps. But ya only warned Ralph about 'em suspectin' the Reiss family, never tellin' us they knew 'bout this place."

"I see," Traute said. "If she'd warned us initially that they already knew about the chapel, her friends would never be able to find us because we never would have come here. In case something went wrong, she wanted them to be able to find her and Yeager."

"I don't believe it!" Rod shook his head in denial "She would never—"

Eren couldn't see what face Historia was making but whatever it was, it made her father blanch.

"I told you, didn't I?" Historia said in a cold voice. "I remembered all of Frieda's memories that I had. Including how she would suddenly change, as if becoming a different person entirely. I once tried to leave the farm and do you know how she reacted? She was enraged. My beloved sister, who never once raised her voice, ever, in all the time I'd known, screamed at me. Raged at me. The things she said, about leaving the walls, about sins... I'm not an idiot. I know there's something you're not telling me. And I'm no longer some weak-hearted fool blindly searching for scraps of affection from the father who abandoned her and only reached out when he needed her."

Pale-faced, Rod took a step back, staring at her with wide, disbelieving eyes.

"So tell me, Father," Historia bit out, "why is it that no monarch in all these years has ever used the Founding Titan's power to save us all?"

The king stared blankly at her.

Historia continued, "Maybe they all did truly believe humanity should live in cages, like livestock. But the Frieda I knew? The one before she began having her strange spells? She would not have sat idly by as the Titans laid waste to our lands and slaughtered innocent men, women, and children. She would have done everything in her power to save her subjects. But she didn't even lift a finger. Why is that? If the Founding Titan has such great power, why didn't Frieda use it to save her people? I know she wasn't a psychopath who didn't care about human lives."

Silence filled the air once she was done.

"Because..." Rod finally said. "Because of the first Reiss King who built this world within the Walls, Karl Fritz. He wished for us to be controlled by the Titans."

"Controlled by Titans?" Eren II echoed, unable to understand. "What was kind of delusional bullshit is that?"

"He believed it was the only path to true peace. But I do not know why. 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."

"What garbage is that?!" Eren said as he listened to Rod incredulously. "The hell does 'God' have to do with this?"

"And my duty is to bring God back to our world and offer my prayers. I'm praying, Historia! For God to lead and guide humanity! Help me bring God back! You want to see your sister again, don't you?! Historia!" Rod tried to seize her again, but she grabbed his shoulder and brought up her knee, burying it into his gut. He cried out, doubling over, gasping for air.

"You're pathetic," she said, voice dripping with scorn. "And you're insane if you think I'm going to help you."

Crushed, Rod fell to his knees and began to weep, curling up on the ground.

"This warms the soul," Kenny said, smiling delightedly at Rod's misery.

"We have to get out of here," Eren II said. He was willing to be cannibalized by Historia if it meant the Walled people's freedom and vengeance against Reiner and Bertolt and their allies. And also out of a sense of guilt for the Reiss children his father had killed. But now that he knew what Historia taking the Founding Titan meant, he couldn't allow it to happen. She'll become another puppet for Karl Fritz.

Eren began to struggle, trying to catch Historia's attention. He attempted to scream "Get me out of here!" but the gag muffled his words.

Historia turned to him before sending a wary look Kenny's way. "You said you'd let me have the serum."

"Nah, I said if ya wanna inject yerself then you can have it."

She seemed to be considering whether to attack him or not.

"Ya know what?" Kenny said brightly, snapping his fingers. "I got an idea!" He moved a small distance away from them. "How 'bout a game? Historia, you have the bag with the keys for Eren's chains. Let's see who's faster, you or Rod? Can ya free Eren before yer dear ole papa crawls ta me and injects himself to eat Eren?"

Rod stopped crying and looked at him, a glimmer of hope on his face.

"Ya wanna see them again, don't cha? Yer little brother and yer daughter?" Kenny bribed him, holding out the syringe. "Then come'n get it."

"Uri... Frieda..." A new determination seemed to fill Rod and he began to drag himself toward Kenny.

"I don't think so." Traute pointed her gun at Historia as she moved toward her father to stop him. "No cheating. If you attack your father or Kenny, I'll have to put a hole in that shiny head of yours."

"Better get movin' now, girl," Kenny called. "Or are ya givin' yer papa a head start? Ain't ya sweet."

Hurry, Historia! Eren continued to struggle, but it was futile.

Historia snatched up the bag and ran, glancing once to see how far her father had made it. Less than two yards remained between Rod and Kenny. Historia was barely a third of the way up the stairs.

"He's going to get to him first!" Eren II thought, panicked.

"Damn it! That's not fair! We're way further from her!" Eren cursed up a storm inside his head.

"And you better free him instead of trying to help him turn," Traute warned, a steady hand following Historia, gun aimed at her head, while the other one was pointed at Eren. "Else you'll both be eating lead. I wonder what would happen if a bullet were to pierce the brainstem of someone with Titan powers."

Green eyes wide in horror, he watched as Rod came almost within arm's reach of Kenny. "Give it to me... Kenny..." Rod begged, holding out a trembling arm.

Eren thrashed wildly against his restraints. "He's going to get it!"

"Fuck!" Eren II yelled. "It can't end like this!"

Kenny placed the serum on the ground. When Rod's fingers were centimeters from it, he stepped on it, crushing it under his boot. "Whoops! Clumsy me!" Kenny threw his head back and laughed.

Eren slumped in relief.

Rod let out a horrified, strangled scream. "No!" He sobbed, trying to move Kenny's foot to no avail, calling out for his brother and daughter.

Historia finally reached him, but he was too busy watching Kenny kick Rod with his free leg, sending him flying back, landing harshly on the ground.

She quickly undid the chains and Eren was glad to finally be free. "Historia, you—"

"I was upset Hange and Levi didn't tell me about my sister and my siblings," she said, unlocking the second chain. "But I suppose in their defense they don't know me that well. Though I'm still offended they would think that I, of all people, would punish a child for his father's crimes. Children can't be held accountable for their parents' actions."

"You really were acting this entire time?"

She stood up after freeing him. "I'm something of an expert in lying and creating false personas. It was only a matter of time before we were captured. Our enemy was the Royal Government itself. How were we to win against that without taking bold action? So I thought it best to be proactive."

"Why didn't you at least tell Levi and Hange what you were planning?"

"Because if they wanted to, my father's people could easily confirm Hange and Levi's real panic and think I'd truly left the Corps. We were getting nowhere with Sannes and I decided to take matters into my own hands to get what we needed by using Ralph. And if by some chance he ended up delivering us to my father, I figured my willingly joining their side would then at least give me the chance to ask if the Founding Titan could be passed on to me instead. That he would be more likely to accept if he thought I was fully on his side and out for your blood."

"You were right about that."

"I'm not stupid. Ralph said they had already kidnapped Annie—"

"They have Annie?" Eren interrupted, suddenly putting together why the Military Police wouldn't allow them to even see her.

"Yes. After hearing about her is when I committed to sticking with my lie instead of incapacitating Ralph after he verified Hange's theories were right and before he delivered us to his friends. I had his trust and he was weakened from being held captive so I could have subdued him easily by surprising him. But I decided to see the charade through in hopes of getting the Female Titan before my father tried to get the Founding Titan from you."

"But what if he decided to eat me first?" Eren asked, pointing out the flaw in her plan.

"Then I would have waited for my father to let his guard his down and taken the Founding Titan from him," Historia responded without hesitation.

"So she was willing to sacrifice me if it came to that," Eren II muttered. He couldn't really fault her for that. "She would have used the Founding Titan to crush her enemies." She had the will to make a tough decision while he'd floundered against Annie in the Forest of Giant Trees even after it was abundantly clear she was the enemy. "If I would have been the only sacrifice to ensure our enemies get defeated and our people saved, I could have lived with that."

"No, stupid. You couldn't have. Cause you'd be dead," Eren groused. "Historia," he began, "you don't hate me but you were still willing to—"

A scream interrupted him, making them jump. Warily, they watched the two MPs play with Rod, taking their frustration and failure out on him.

Eren had a bad feeling about what was about to happen next. "Should we stop them?"

"No. We can't stop them without transforming. Doing that here could severely injure or kill Historia if she's near us. We need her alive to become the queen. And for that same reason, we can't leave Historia's side either to transform in case that woman decides to shoot her dead."

Kenny stalked toward a whimpering Rod, who was crawling on his belly, trying to escape.

Neither Eren nor Historia moved to help, Rod's pleas for them to save him falling on deaf ears. Eren had to avert his eyes, unable to watch Kenny slowly slit the man's throat.

"Do you think they'll come after us?" Historia asked nervously. "I don't think we can take them, much less the rest of their squad."

Surprisingly, Kenny only tipped his hat merrily at them before turning to leave, Traute following loyally.

"Wait!" Historia yelled suddenly, racing down the stairs.

"What the?! Historia, stay back!" Eren chased after her.

"This idiot! They were leaving! Does she have a death wish?" Eren II said incredulously.

Traute had her weapon ready but Historia ignored her, staring defiantly at Kenny. "Where's Annie?"

Kenny glanced at Traute. She shrugged. "Forget it," she said. "Just tell them."

Eren gaped, watching them leave using their 3D gear. "I can't believe they told us and left. Just like that!"

As he flew away, Kenny turned back and yelled, "Tell yer midget captain we'll have our rematch later!"

"Let's go," Historia ordered once they were sure the two were long gone.

"Wait! What about..." Eren turned his head in the direction of the corpse.

"He's dead. We have to secure Annie first and foremost."

Right. She can't save Ymir without Annie. He trailed after her. Eren was surprised by Historia's callousness, her father's still warm body lying in a pool of blood not far from them.

She must have noticed his weirdness because she asked, "If it was Mikasa's life on the line, would you have strayed from your mission?"

"No," Eren II replied, "I would have torn the world apart to find her and save her."

"I see your point," Eren conceded. "Let's get out of here."

They wandered through the carnivorous cavern, trying to find a way out.

What is this material? Eren stopped to touch it, curiosity getting the better of him. It just came to him that it was the only source of light in the underground cave. "It's glowing."

"What is it?" Historia asked almost impatiently. "We have to go."

"If we're going to retake Wall Maria, it'll be a long ride. If we mine this stuff, we can travel through the night," Eren II said excitedly and Eren relayed it to Historia.

That seemed to get her attention. "It could help us save time and avoid Titans if we travel at night... We'll come back for this," she decided, leading him once more.

"Hey, how long do you think you can hang around this time?" Eren asked his twin. "Do you think you could come around in a few days' time maybe?"

"Why?"

"Historia's the only surviving Reiss now, so that makes her queen. I don't think it'll be necessary but if there's a ceremony where we have to swear fealty to her, you need to be the one to do it. I like Historia but my one true queen will always be Daenerys Targaryen."

Eren II rolled his eyes and was about to retort when he suddenly said, "What's that sound?"

"Did you hear that?" Historia said a second later.

Countless crystal pillars surrounded them in the massive cavern and they ran through them, following the noise. There was a small explosion. "I hope they didn't come back to finish us off," Eren muttered, hiding behind a pillar, at a safe distance from the dark gray smoke.

Suddenly, a couple of familiar figures flew through it.

He and Historia stepped out from behind the pillar and out into open view. Eren grinned and cupped his mouth, yelling, "You're late! The party's already over!"

Armin and Mikasa immediately ran up to him, catching him a hug, Sasha and Connie doing the same with Historia.

Eren let Historia catch them up on what that had transpired. He had been unconscious during a lot of it and was still missing some things.

"That was extremely risky what you did," Levi scolded her. "You practically handed them Eren on a silver platter. What if he had been eaten and his power stolen? What were you thinking?"

"I made what I thought was the best choice. With their resources and influence, they would have found us eventually. I heard about Stohess, by the way. You were all outsmarted and ambushed once already. My way I gained their trust."

"You didn't account for Kenny's sudden betrayal. What if he had decided he wanted to try and take the Founding Titan still?" Hange asked. "Just out of spite."

"His betrayal was a surprise, yes. But you wouldn't have predicted that in any of your plans either. I had the serum and I was about to get Annie's location when Kenny interrupted. If he hadn't, I would have defeated my father, taken the Titan serum, and freed Eren. And the Anti-Personnel Squad's bullets would have been useless against Eren's Titan so he could have protected us and gotten out of here easily. Ralph was very talkative and answered all my questions once the three of us were on our way to Stohess. I knew their gear was only good against humans."

"Maybe your plan wasn't completely ill-thought-out," Hange acknowledged. "But you—"

Levi wasn't satisfied and interrupted before she could finish. "It was still incredibly foolish and risky. You still don't—"

"If you're going to have a problem with my decisions, go find yourself a new monarch," Historia snapped, losing patience and clearly done with the conversation.

Their jaws dropped at her back-talking.

"Now let's stop wasting time and go get Annie."

Hange sighed deeply and held up her hands. "Aright, alright, what's done is done. Things turned out well enough, I suppose. So let's take care of the next issue instead of getting bogged down over something that can't be changed."

"I'll lead the team to retrieve the Female Titan," Levi said, still obviously unhappy but prioritizing retrieving their hostage. "I doubt it'll be a trap, but just to be safe I'll go."


"Captain Levi!"

"You're back!"

His squad gathered around him.

"Did you get her?"

"Where's Annie?"

"Yes," Levi responded, "we got her." They were gathered in the capitol building to discuss how to move forward. "She's in the underground cells. She's sedated and we're going to keep her that way." When they'd arrived at the location, they'd found her abandoned but deeply asleep. Many vials of what he assumed were sleeping drugs to keep her unconscious were scatted around her. From the state of the place, her captors had fled very recently.

"Commander Erwin said he wanted to see you as soon as you returned," Jean told him.

"Last I know they were in Zackly's office," Mikasa provided.

Levi nodded and made his way to the top floor. Only Historia and Hange remained from the group he had been expecting to see.

"How'd it go?" Hange asked at once.

"She's locked up deep underground." Levi took a seat to Historia's right, Hange sitting across from him. He was used to seeing either Erwin or Zackly at the head of the table. Seeing the midget fifteen-year-old was unusual. He recalled her blunt words in the cavern. At least she had some backbone and wasn't a doormat or utterly incompetent like her father, even if she was a bit reckless. "So, where're the others?"

"They're getting everything ready for the plan," Historia answered, shuffling some papers.

"What's the new plan?"

Hange leaned back in the chair. "After a long discussion, we've decided to go with the truth. Mostly. But we'll put a little spin on it. Erwin and Pixis are talking with Berg Newspaper so they can get the story out as soon as possible."

"We don't want to give the Assembly sympathizers time to gather their wits so we're quickly pushing everything through," Historia said.

"And Zackly?"

"He left to question the Assemblymen. Historia will give a public address tomorrow after she's crown Queen of the Walls."

"I understand doing the ceremony and sticking a crown on Historia's head as quickly as we can in case any nobles get any idea," Levi said, "but what about the rest of the population? Won't they find it strange? What exactly are we telling them?"

Historia made a face. "Like Hange said, it'll mostly be the truth but we'll tweak some details. The kidnapping of Eren Yeager and myself, and the Assembly's treasonous actions, they are all true. So is the fact someone tried to overthrow my father and become king. We're going to combine the stories, change some details, and add a little embellishment."

Hange picked up from there. "We'll tell the people the Assembly tried to take control and have the king killed. And they succeeded. The Interior Squad, who answers to them, was sent to kidnap the only heir and Eren Yeager, as they were the only two people so who posed a real threat to their plans and were capable of stopping them."

"Smart." Levi inclined his head. "They weren't perfect but the royal family kept the peace and the people together under one reign for over a century."

"The people hold love for the monarchy so we thought it best to use that," Hange continued. "It'll be easy to vilify the Assembly. Especially since their directive when they heard about Wall Rose's 'breach' showed their true colors to many high-ranking, non-Survey Corps officials. With the Military Police, the Garrison, and the Survey Corps united, it'll be hard to dismiss what we're saying."

"I don't like that we have to make my father into some tragic hero," Historia grumbled disdainfully. "The poor, beloved king who was unjustly murdered by a greedy group of scoundrels that lusted after his power. But it'll sell easier and people will be more likely to accept me if I, the good daughter, got 'vengeance' for my father and took my rightful place on the throne."

"The story's got a certain appeal," Levi agreed. It had a feel-good factor that would make the people want to believe it. "Everyone loves an underdog."

Hange sighed and said, "However, there's still the issue of the Walled Titans, the Founding Titan, and the island. If we sell the whole noble, beloved royal family shtick now, it could be troublesome later once we can legitimately prove we're on an island and the Reiss family was purposefully keeping everyone in the dark. That's what I think what the Yeager family basement will delve into, so it could cause some problems down the road."

"I think as long as we're honest—well mostly, or at least from here on out—and I show them I'm more about transparency than the previous monarchs, they'll accept it," Historia said confidently.

"We've got plenty of time before we head out to retake Wall Maria," Levi said. "We'll be spending a lot of that time cementing your position and dealing with any troublesome nobles that might act up. Then there's the usual amount of time it takes to prepare for an expedition."

"Meaning we won't be leaving for five to eight weeks," Hange said, catching on to what he was saying. "That should be enough time for the people to get used to your reign and know you as a ruler. Then, regardless of whatever we find in the basement and reveal to the public, it shouldn't reflect too badly on you since unlike the previous royals, you didn't keep them in the dark and refuse to help them."

"It wasn't that they refused to do anything," Historia interjected, "they couldn't."

"Right," she muttered, and Levi remembered Historia's fondness for her older sister. "You should get some sleep," she advised Historia. "Expect a lot of uneasy sleep once you become queen."

Eventually the three split up, Historia going to find the squad and Hange to help Erwin. Levi went off in search of food. As he walked down the empty hallway, he felt a subtle shift in the air. A glance over his shoulder showed one of the doors was cracked open. One hand finding the switchblade in his pocket, he pushed the door all the way open. It was a clerical office.

In the opposite wall, sitting in the open window was his mentor, casually twirling a knife in one hand.

"Kenny," Levi said evenly, running through potential scenarios in his head. "Come for the rematch you promised?"

"Not today, brat."

"Are you after Historia?"

Kenny scoffed. "If I wanted ta kill that midget she'd be dead next ta that pudgy, playboy papa of hers."

"I figured. So why're you here?"

"If yer gonna be a hostile little twerp I'mma take back my gift."

Confused, Levi followed Kenny's gaze to a rectangular container on one of the desks. "What is it?"

"Somethin' that's useless to my plans now. Figured ya might want it."

Levi kept his eyes on the older man as he wandered over to the desk. When he opened the box, his eyes widened. "Is this..."

"Titan serum."

He couldn't believe what he was seeing. When Historia reported Kenny had crushed the syringe, they'd thought that was it. That only the "armored" serum in the bag was all that remained. And the only one who knew how to create more was dead by his mentor's hand. He must've filched the stuff from Rod. When he questioned Kenny, his mentor confirmed as much. Levi snapped the lid shut. "What're you gonna do now, Kenny?"

"Little bit of this. Little bit of that."

"What about your squad? If they left Eren and Historia alone in the caravan and followed you, I take it they were loyal to you, not Rod." The Interior Police was still loyal to the monarchy and accepted Historia. But Kenny's squad was loyal only to their captain.

"Ya worried about 'em?"

"A group of highly trained operatives loyal to a serial killer? You're right. Nothing to worry about there," Levi deadpanned.

"Most of 'em decided to go their own way."

"Why did you take me in?" Levi asked suddenly. He had spent a great deal of his childhood trying to figure it out. Come up with many theories and explanations, but he'd never known which one was right in the end, if any, having never had the guts to ask Kenny directly. If Kenny was feeling generous right now, he might as well go for it. "What was your relation to my mother?"

Surprisingly, Kenny actually answered.

Levi was even more surprised when the name Ackerman came up. But all the pieces fit with their ridiculous physical prowess.

Levi wondered if Mikasa had also experienced the phenomenon he and his mentor had—or his uncle, which was a strange thought. That coupled with the fact some of the Ackermans had moved to Shinganshina made it highly likely he and Mikasa were related. Again, Kenny confirmed it.

That's going to be an interesting conversation, he thought, leaving the room with the box held close to him.


Eren rolled his eyes, reading the dedication to Rod Reiss. "Can't believed that wimpy little worm is going to be remembered fondly," he complained, folding up the newspaper.

"It can't be helped," Jean said, leaning against the wall, glancing out the window. "It'll help segue the reign from the previous king to the new queen."

Outside, Eren saw the massive stage that had been quickly and specially built for a couple of reasons. Yesterday, Nile Dok had talked to the crowds on that stage and assured them the military was not taking over. Rather as the newspapers had stated, they had simply all banded together to take down the Assembly in their greedy attempt to overthrow the monarchy by supporting the heir. In Mitras, in Wall Sina, the Military Police was still the most trusted so the MP commander had been the best person to address the public's concerns. Based on the crowd's reaction, their fears seemed to have been allayed.

The second purpose for the stage was to hold a royal ceremony.

Today, Historia would officially be crowned queen. The higher-ups had decided to wait one extra day to assure everyone and make sure the majority of them were on their side before moving forward.

"By all accounts, most of the population seems to be taking it well," Armin supplied. "It's been two days since the news of the Assembly's betrayal and Historia stepping up to take her father's place got out. There've been no riots or resistance or deaths yet so things are looking good. The vast majority of them are on Historia's side."

"It also helps," Mikasa added, "that she's opened the royal coffers and has decided to use some of that money plus all the wealth she seized from the Assembly to better the living conditions of the entire population."

Historia had vowed to take in all the orphans into a large orphanage she was having built out in the country. She would also pave roads, send free vaccines to far away and poor villages, and have wells dug up. People actually believed she wouldn't back out after making such a public and tangible declaration that was in many newspapers. The populace was feeling optimistic about a long, peaceful reign under an altruistic queen.

Jean grunted. "Moving out the homeless will at least make the snooty rich bastards here happy since it'll clean up the streets and they won't have to look at the 'filth' anymore."

"Yup, things are looking pretty good. Eren, when're you taking that tonic to help you harden?" Sasha asked innocently.

Eren blinked at the sudden change in topic and blushed at their snickers. "Shut up, you assholes!"

"It's nothing to be embarrassed about," Connie said in mock assurance. "Some can harden naturally and some need a little help."

"That's true, I think."

"Armin, don't you start, too!"

"No, no. I was just thinking about how all the intelligent Titans have their own special abilities."

Once they realized he was being serious, they listened curiously.

"The Colossal has its size and steam. Reiner's Titan and its armor. The Beast Titan and its ability to control the mindless ones to an extent plus long-range projectile attacks. The Founding Titan can fully control mindless ones and even erase memories. So for Eren's Titan, I think hardening is just not something it's physiologically capable of doing."

"What about Annie, then?" Mikasa asked. "What's her Titan's specialty?"

"Some abilities overlap between Titans but only one Titan can use it best, to the fullest extent. Like the Beast and the Founding. Both share a similar power but the Founding Titan is the one that wields it best. And there's the hardening shared by the Armored Titan and the Female Titan. Annie's Titan's specialty is probably that it has the abilities of several Titans but they are, of course, not as powerful. She can harden like the Armored but not fully. She can attract Titans using her scream but not control them like the Founding Titan. Her Titan also has a combat-type physique like Eren's Titan."

"So what you're saying is my Titan will never be to able to get that crystal armor on its own." Eren was disappointed but not too terribly so. At least if Armin was right, it wasn't that he couldn't master hardening, it wasn't a failure on his part, it was just something that was beyond his Titan's capabilities. So what exactly is a special thing my Titan can do?

"It's just my theory." Armin shrugged. "I don't have any solid proof. But yes, I think the only shot you have is to drink that armor serum we found in Rod Reiss's bag."

"And then Eren can finally harden!" Sasha cheered, throwing up her arms.

Eren complained loudly as they continued to tease him.


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