Commander Pixis looked over the edge of the wall, surveying the titans that were frantically clawing at it.
"Nope, not any of you." He said. He had a sickly smile plastered on his face. "Eaten by a titan wouldn't be so bad, if it was a sexy lady one."
Annabeth exchanged a worried look with Jason. This "Commander Pixis" guy didn't seem very serious, even though they were in the midst of a crisis.
"So you know everything that's going on here sir?" Annabeth said.
"Of course I do, that's that. So, visiting this cellar should clear everything up?" The commander said.
"Y-yes sir," Eren replied. "At least I think so."
The commander turned to look at the five cadets. "For the moment there is no way to validate your claims." He tapped his head. "For now I'll just catalog them in here. With that said, I can usually tell the difference between the untruthful and the sincere. Which is why I personally guarantee your safety."
The cadets relaxed, not even knowing they were tense. Armin breathed a sigh of relief, a small smile crossing his face.
"Cadet Armin Arlert, is that correct?." Commander Pixis said.
"Yes, sir!" Armin responded, slamming his fist over his chest in a salute.
"You mentioned a plan to harness this so-called 'Titan Ability', and then utilize your friend's power to help retake the city. Do you believe it could work or were you grasping at straws to try and save your hides?" The commander asked.
"Oh, well." Armin frowned, then met Commander Pixis's eyes. "Both, Commander. I was going to suggest that Eren, using his strength as a titan, could lift that giant boulder. We could use it to block off the wrecked gate. That was the best idea I was able to come up with on the spot."
He's a genius. Jason thought. Pure, genius. Maybe he's a descendant of Athena or something.
"I just wanted to make everyone see how Eren's ability could provide a solution to the problem we all face," Armin said hurriedly. The commander gave him a small nod and turned back around, surveying the smoking city of Trost.
"Granted, I was pretty desperate to survive," Armin added.
"...Desperate to survive, huh?" Annabeth could practically smell the dry smile on the commander's face. "That's as credible a reason as any." He lifted a flask to his mouth and drank a swig before turning around and facing them. He walked forward and knelt down in front of Eren, his small golden eyes sparkling like that of a bird of prey.
"So, what do you think Cadet Jaeger?" He asked.
Eren tilted his head. "Say, sir?"
"That hole." The commander prompted. "Do you think that you could plug it up, son?"
"Uh-" Eren blinked. "Well, I...I dunno." He lowered his head shamefully. "It's possible, but at the moment, I don't understand my power any more than you do. It's just...I sort of feel irresponsible giving you an answer, 'cause I don't really know."
"Ah yes." The commander chuckled. "My apologies. I asked you the wrong question."
What does he mean? Jason wondered. What else could he have asked in this situation?
"Are you willing to, Cadet Jaeger?" The commander frowned, though his voice sounded as though he were making a statement, not asking a question. "Or not."
Eren jerked his head up, his eyes wide with surprise. Commander Pixis's eyes shifted away from Eren and focused on something behind him.
The cadets followed his gaze to see the town within Wall Rose, existing peacefully.
Eren could do it. Jason thought. I know he could. He has more sheer determination than an entire Roman squadron combined. Surely he'll say yes.
"...I'll do it," Eren said, lifting his head back into the sunlight. "I'll do it. I don't know if I can seal that hole, but, I'll do it, I swear."
Jason smiled softly. Eren was as fiery and reliable as ever.
The commander grinned. "Excellently said. You have the heart of a lion." He got to his feet and spun to face Wall Rose. "Staff officers, hup! We have a plan to flush out."
Armin gasped in surprise. "Wait, we- we can't actually be moving forward with this as our strategy, it was just something I tossed out there."
"I was thinking the same thing," Eren remarked. "Except, he seems like a guy who knows what he's doing. Has it all under control, like we can't see the forest of trees but he's got a bird's eye view."
"You think so?" Armin said.
"I agree with Eren," Annabeth said. "Anyone with as much power as him will definitely know what he's doing, and he knows your plan is one that could be carried out."
"Either way, though," Eren continued. "We've got a whole other problem to address before we can get your plan off the ground. And my gut tells me that the commander's keenly aware of it."
"Which would be…?" Armin said shakily.
"Titans…" Eren growled. "Aren't our only foe."
Armin let out a little whimper of shock.
"Look sharp soldiers." Commander Pixis called. He was flanked by two people, a male and female soldier. "The fate of mankind rests on your shoulders."
~:~
"Can you stand?" Piper asked nervously, extending a hand towards Leo.
"Y-yeah." Leo took her hand and shakily go to his feet. He had constructed a very makeshift prosthetic limb for his missing leg. It wasn't very easy to use, but all the soldiers who could fight titans were required to join a Trost recovery mission. Leo wasn't about to let one titan chomp render him useless.
"I still think you should stay here and rest. Or try to improve that peg leg." Nico said drily.
"It's not a peg leg di Angelo," Leo replied. "It is a fully functional prosthetic limb."
"It's a stick of metal with the flat part of a frying pan as a foot."
"No! See, here's the knee joint."
"That's a ball you screwed onto the metal and stitched onto your stump of a leg."
"Shut up di Angelo."
"Boys." Piper snapped. "We need to go. Leo, if you believe you can perform your duties as a soldier with that leg, you can go. However, I'm with Nico on this one, I think you should stay here and make that leg as close to the one you lost. We want you to be able to run away if need be."
Leo frowned. "Fine. But as soon as I have a functional leg I'm going to find you guys."
"Fine by us." Nico shrugged. He started towards the door, then turned around and looked at Piper. "Are you coming?"
"Yeah," Piper replied. "I just have something I want to do first. Wait with the others, I'll find you."
Nico nodded and walked out. Piper turned and stepped into a separate room and pulled Katropis out of her pocket. All the demigods kept their signature weapons in the ODM gear with the rest of their titan killing blades, just in case.
She stared at her reflection in the blade. Dark circles swept under her eyes, and she had gotten much thinner. This place was taking a toll on her for sure. However, she didn't draw her knife just to stare at herself. She took out the braid in her hair and slid the feather into her pocket. Her hair was too long for her to cooperate with, even in a bun, braid, or ponytail.
Piper pulled all her hair to the side, and in one clean slice with her knife, her dark brown hair fell to the floor. She looked at herself in Katropis once more. Her hair didn't even scrape her shoulders. She redid her braid, inserting the feather into it as well, before leaving the room.
"You cut your hair," Leo observed.
"What gave it away?" Piper smirked. She tugged the door open and glanced over her shoulder. "Are you sure you're going to be okay?"
"Is my nose on fire?" Leo retorted as a flame flickered to life on the center of his face.
Piper chuckled softly and stepped out of the medical bridge.
"IF YOU'RE GONNA KILL ME, JUST DO IT AND GET IT OVER WITH!" A man cried frantically.
"SHUT UP! DON'T THINK I WON'T!" Another man yelled back.
Piper blinked, surprised. She spotted Nico waving her over out of the corner of her eye, and she tried to shuffle over unnoticed.
"Where's Annabeth and Jason?" She whispered, instantly noticing the lack of blonde heads in the group.
"With Eren, Mikasa, Armin, and the commander," Percy whispered back. "They're good. Some soldiers here are freaked out, though."
Piper frowned and stood next to Nico, then turned her attention to the wall, where she could barely see two figures standing in front of the billowing flags.
"ATTENTIIOOOOON!" One figure, that Piper assumed was the commander, shouted. The crowd silenced and snapped to attention.
"Take note," he continued. "The blueprint of the Trost Recovery Operation is this! Our primary objective is to reseal the hole. Yes, you heard right. What's more, it will be done manually!"
Gasps and mutters of fear rippled through the crowd of cadets. Piper kept her multi-colored gaze fixed on the commander.
"As for how the task will be done, that's where this fellow comes in." The commander gestured to the other figure.
That must be Eren. Piper realized, remembering both Frank and Nico's explanation. That's how we're sealing the hole, isn't it?
"Allow me to introduce, Cadet Eren Jaeger!" The commander said, confirming Piper's suspicions. Eren stepped up and saluted.
More fearful talk broke out amongst the cadets, even some soldiers were looking suspicious.
"Don't let appearances deceive you." The commander instructed. "This young man is, in fact, the successful product of cutting edge science. Fantastic as this may sound, Cadet Jaeger possesses the ability to fabricate and control a titan body at will!"
So it is true. Piper thought. Eren can become a titan.
"Recall the massive boulder roughly a league from the gate, having assumed titan form, Cadet Jaeger will hoist said boulder on his back, shove it in the hole and voila! And this is where you all come in. Your job will be to defend him! Yes, defend a titan against his own kind."
"So, why are only Annabeth and Jason up there?" Piper asked.
"Well, Annabeth stalled that Captain Vorn guy long enough for Commander Pixis to arrive, so Eren, Mikasa, and Armin felt obliged to take her. " Percy answered. "And Jason was the only one out of all the demigods there that actually saw Eren emerge from the titan corpse, so they took him too."
"...Do you think Eren can lift that boulder?" Piper asked.
"Yes." Percy said immediately. "He could lift that boulder with the sheer force of will. He can do it."
"THEY'RE LYING!" A man in the crowd shrieked. "I'M NOT GONNA BE DRAWN INTO SACRIFICING MYSELF FOR THIS CRAP! WE'RE JUST DISPOSABLE TOOLS FOR YOU PEOPLE! YOU EXPECT US TO LIVE OR DIE FOR WHATEVER COMES OUT OF YOUR MOUTH!"
Piper grit her teeth and located the man.
"Hey, didn't he pick on Eren after the Aptitude test?" She muttered.
"Yeah, his name's Daz," Percy growled. "Coward."
Talk spread through the cadets, and in no time flat, people spun on their heels and began marching away. Piper clenched her fist and tried to trip every cowardly soldier that walked by her.
"So help me God I'll execute you on the spot!" A soldier clapped his hand on Daz's shoulder as the cadet began to retreat.
"Screw you, my family gets the time I have left!" Daz retorted, smacking the soldier's arm away and continuing his exit.
"Traitors, I'll kill you where you stand!" Captain Vorn exclaimed, whipping his blades out. "Desertion is answered by death!"
Piper heard people frantically scream or whimper in fear, shoving frantically to put as much distance between the psychotic captain and themselves.
"ANYONE WISHING TO LEAVE," Commander Pixis suddenly barked. "WILL BE, BY MY PERSONAL ORDER, NOT BE CHARGED WITH TREASON!"
Piper looked back up at the wall in surprise. They were literally breaking their oaths as soldiers by leaving, what was he doing?
"Those who have seen a titan firsthand will not be expected to visit such horror again." He continued. "Whomever this applies to, you may leave with my blessing! Additionally, anyone with family or loved ones they would spare from the same trauma may also leave! The crown will continue to recognize your service, thank you and good luck!"
Clever, Piper thought. He's got a way with words and humane feelings. He's guilted them into staying.
Slowly, the soldiers who had retreated strode back into the crowd, some looking ashamed, others with their heads held high.
"Now, think back four years ago!" Commander Pixis shouted. "Namely, the operation to retake Wall Maria! I bring it up because you all deserve to have your suspicions confirmed. Officially, we labeled it recognizance, but in fact, as most of you probably know, it was little more of a purge, a thinly disguised exercise in population control."
Piper's breath hitched in her throat. Didn't Armin's grandfather, the one who had practically raised him, die in that mission?
"We knew this in our hearts, of course, we did." Shame leaked into the commander's voice. "Yet we turned a blind eye! We supported the state sponsored myth because the deaths of our fellow human beings allowed us to survive, pure and simple. The guilt is ours, we share the blame, all of us. The citizens of Wall Maria sustained themselves on the slaughter of the refugees who had flown to us for help, but turn about as fair play is it not? If Wall Rose succumbs the population will fall by a whole other order of magnitude! The lands comprising Wall Sina wouldn't support half the people now living! If we're wiped off the face of the earth, the culprits will not have been the titans I assure you! Oh no, we will have done it to ourselves. If the line isn't drawn now It won't be drawn at all. IF WE MUST DIE, LET US DIE HERE!"
~:~
"Let's get this straight right now," Ian, the squad leader said. "Whatever you are, all I care about is you getting that rock in place. Can we count on you?"
"Yes sir, I won't let you down!" Eren replied as he ran alongside Mikasa.
"You're absolutely sure you're gonna be alright to do this?" She asked frantically.
"I got it." Eren hissed.
"Seriously-"
"How many times do you want me to say it?" Eren snapped. "You just go do your job and I'll do mine."
"Look," Rico said as she butted between the two. "Now's not the time to be playing house."
"Come on it isn't like that!" Eren protested.
"I'm going to say what we're all thinking here." Another soldier, Mitabi said. "The fact that the fate of mankind depends on a little brat like you doesn't make me hopeful."
"Shut it, will you?" Jason barked. "We're all scared, but that gives you no right to lash out at Eren."
"All of you, stop it right now," Ian commanded. "We're about to be in range of the giant boulder. I'm not seeing any titans nearby, the decoy strategy must be doing the trick."
Jason glanced at the far corner of Trost. A huddle of titans was gathered there, and was frantically clawing at the wall, where the next to invisible forms of miniscule people hung down using ODM gear.
"There's something I want you to be aware of Jaeger," Rico said, her eyes set straight forward and her tone icy. "Make no mistake, more than a few of our comrades are going to die today trying to pull this off. Their blood's on your hands."
Jason scowled. It might be true, but telling Eren this now wouldn't help anything.
"I'm talking friends, captains, lieutenants, cadets. Yes they are soldiers, they are prepared to die, but remember, everyone one of them is a flesh and blood person. Every one of them has dreams, hopes, fears, every one of them has a name. Aliosha, Dominique, Phenai, Isabel, Ludwig, Martina, Gwido, Hans. They're not pawns, they're people. Some of them living together like family since their cadet years. This may well be the end of them. Whole families snuffed out in a moment. Whatever you think your mission is Jaeger, your first and foremost concern today is to make sure their deaths mean something. Whatever happens, you keep that lodged in your mind. Take everything that comes with deadly seriousness."
Like you? Jason thought drily. Though he couldn't pretend Rico's words weren't untruthful.
"Right!" Eren's eyes gleamed with determined fire.
Jason saw the boulder. They were getting close, and they were no titans in sight.
I've gotta do this right. Jason thought. Armin's trusted me, and Eren's too precious to die. I can't let either of them down.
Armin insisted to Commander Pixis that Jason be in Eren's protection squad, since he had the ability to fly. Armin also made Jason promise that as soon as they had time to talk, he would explain all the weird powers the demigods had. Nico's ability to summon the dead, Jason controlling the air, Hazel summoning the crystal barriers, and Annabeth's sharp wit. Even though Jason feared the truth would be straining for Armin's mind to wrap around, the boy deserved to know the truth.
"This is the place, let's do it!" Ian yelled, and with that, leapt off the wall, every soldier excluding Rico following.
Jason willed the air to shove him forward as he shot wires and zoomed through the sky. He had to at least pretend to use the ODM gear, since he didn't want to explain the fact that he was a demigod to all of humanity.
There was a great bang! and plumes of green smoke rocketed into the air.
We're a go. Jason thought.
Eren moved the fastest, zipping under and around towers and bridges. Jason was right behind him, keeping a respectful distance so he wouldn't be caught in the blast of heat that followed Eren becoming a titan.
Jason's feet hit the roof of a house and he instantly shot upwards once more, flying through the air with cords shooting from his gear.
Then it happened.
There was a great explosion, turning the world green and black. A ripple of heat shot out from where Eren had been. Jason only got a glimpse of the huge beast, it's green eyes glowing and jaws stretched open, before it was obscured by smoke.
Jason settled onto the roof with Mikasa, watching and waiting for something to happen.
Eren the titan stepped out of the smoke, fifteen meters of raw muscle, skill, and determination. His dark, ragged hair ended just after his elf like ears in uneven locks. His mouth opened and he turned towards the sky as he released a mighty roar, a battle cry riddled with all the rage the boy contained.
Eren closed his jaws and seemed to study the boulder for a second, before turning to lock his luminescent green eyes on Mikasa and Jason. He looked murderous.
"What is he doing?" Jason muttered. "Does he just want to make sure we're here?"
The massive creature took two steps, and against his impression of Eren being kind, Jason realized what was going to happen mere milliseconds before it did.
"LOOK OUT!" Jason screamed, just as Eren's fist collided with the roof.