-C-
A day had passed since the incident in the Trost district, and many events had already transpired as a result of the whole ordeal. For one, during the Garrison, Survey Corps, and Cadet Corps' joint effort to rebuild the Trost district, Hange Zoe and her team captured an abnormal titan that managed to survive Eren, Kumonga, and Gigan's attacks, and she decided to name him "Gigan Junior," as a loving homage to the cyborg giant. Another development involved the new gate that Gigan had created. The Survey Corps attempted to break off a piece of it so that they could study it, however, the Church of the Walls prevented them from doing so, treating the new gate as a gift from the gods. Not that it mattered, since on the one occasion where they were able to attempt to get a sample, they ended up breaking all their tools while leaving the gate unscathed.
However, one of the people affected the most by the incident was Eren, who was locked up in a jail cell by the Military Police due to the discovery that he was a titan shifter. However, the fact that he was imprisoned didn't hurt Eren quite as much as what it implied, which was that even after all he and Gigan had done for humanity, the people still didn't believe that they were allies of humanity. As he was being held in captivity, the public was made well aware of his existence, and the knowledge of him began to spur new hope in the populous. And with that hope came rebellious thoughts among the people. Because of this, a trial was being prepared to determine the fate of Eren Jaeger, whether he live in the hands of the Scouts, or die in the hands of the MPs.
While the trial was being prepared, commander Erwin Smith and his second in command, Levi Ackerman, decided to investigate Eren's family to see if they could acquire any information regarding Eren Jaeger. They eventually arrived at her house in Trost, which she had settled back into as soon as it was deemed safe for people in her area to return. Erwin gave the door a firm and sharp knock, and the two men waited until they heard the click of the door unlocking before Daisuke Serizawa peeked out to see who it was.
" , I presume?" Erwin asked, assumingly.
Serizawa promptly corrected Erwin. "I'm afraid you're mistaken, sir. I'm just the caretaker for Carla Jaeger. My name is Daisuke Serizawa."
"Ah, my apologies."
"It's quite alright. By the way, aren't you the men who saved Carla's son and his friends? Commander Erwin and Captain Levi, I believe it was?"
"Indeed we are," Erwin replied in confirmation. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Now, if you don't mind, we'd like to speak to concerning the position her son is currently in."
"Ah, I see. I'll go get her," Daisuke then shut the door and went to Carla's room, where he found her resting on her bed.
"Who was at the door, Serizawa?" Carla asked, not looking up from her book.
"It was two of the soldiers who saved your son," Serizawa replied. "Levi and Erwin. They wish to speak with you about Eren."
"Oh, well, let them in," Carla replied.
Serizawa nodded and returned to the front door, where he allowed Erwin and Levi to come inside, before escorting them to Carla's room. Upon entering, Erwin pulled up a chair and sat by Carla's bed, Levi leaned against a wall, and Serizawa stood on the opposite side of the bed as Erwin.
"Thank you for your time, ," Erwin said.
"Well, it's the least I could do for the men who saved my son from being blasted to oblivion," she replied. "I must admit, I am a bit hesitant to speak with anyone from the military about my son, but I'm willing to hear you two out."
"In that case, I'd like to begin by letting you know that before we talk to your son, I'd like to ask you a few questions about your life."
"Really? Nothing else?"
Erwin nodded, "Nothing else. I believe that knowing more about your past could give us some insight into how your son managed to obtain this power."
Carla nodded and began answering all of his questions, believing they wouldn't provide anything in the way of useful information. Most of Erwin's questions revolved around Grisha, as from what he knew about Grisha from what Keith had told him in the past, he seemed like a suspicious character, being a man that just suddenly appeared outside the walls, and so he had a suspicion that Grisha had something to do with these powers manifesting in Eren. However, the questioning led to some rather disappointing results, as all the information Carla could describe a relatively normal marriage, with nothing seeming out of the ordinary. Still, Erwin remained cordial despite the disappointing lack of information Carla could provide.
"I see. Well, that's about everything we have to ask of you, ," Erwin said with a slight sigh. "Thank you for answering our questions."
Erwin stood up, about to leave with Levi, but before they left, Carla stopped them.
"Before you go, I think there's one more thing I would like to discuss with you," she said.
Erwin sat back down and Levi took a position against the wall once again. Carla then reached into her shirt.
"The night that my husband disappeared, he gave this to my son," she pulled out a brass-colored key attached to a string that was wrapped around her neck. "I thought it was meaningless at the time, but now… I think it might be more valuable than I thought. This key leads to the basement of our house in Shinganshina. My son had it on him that night, but I took it from him so I could keep it as a memoir of my husband. But with everything that's happened to my son, I suspect that whatever Grisha has done, the answers can be found in that basement."
"Have you ever been down there?" Erwin asked.
"No. He told me it was his private office, and I assumed that was just where he kept his medical supplies, documents of his patients, etcetera. Though, he did say he would show it to Eren one day."
"Interesting… is your son aware that you had that key in your possession?"
Carla shook her head in response, explaining that he had it wrapped around his neck while he was asleep when he was found, and figured that Grisha probably put it on him while he was asleep.
"I see. Well, I believe that now it falls onto you to decide when Eren is ready to receive this key." Carla was confused by this comment, but Erwin continued. "If your husband intended to show your son the basement 'someday' without specifying, I believe that day would be when your son learns of his powers. Until that day was to come, he entrusted you to hold onto that key for safekeeping so you could give it to your son when he was ready. Whatever was in that basement, Grisha must have only wanted your son to see what was inside if he was this secretive about it."
"What could possibly be that important?"
"That's something we'll have to find out. Hopefully, your son can lead us there."
Carla sighed softly and put the key away. "You know, , I'm putting a lot of faith in you. Eren has always wanted to join the Scouts, and I want to be sure no harm will come his way. If he is able to join you in your expeditions… please keep a careful eye on him."
"Don't worry. Your son is a valuable asset to humanity right now, and I'll do everything in my power to protect him at all costs."
"Thank you…"
Erwin nodded and stood up once more, then left the house with Levi. Serizawa meanwhile went over to his room and gathered some tools so he could take Carla's measurements for her prosthetics. When he came back, he found her staring up at the ceiling, so he set his equipment down so he could talk with her.
"Carla? Is something bothering you?" He asked.
"I'm just worried about Eren," she replied. "I don't know what's going to happen to him, and that terrifies me, made even worse by the fact that no one is explaining anything."
"Maybe we should try asking Armin and Mikasa?"
"They're helping with the reconstruction right now. I don't want to bother them while they're working."
"I'm sure they'd be willing to take some time off to see you. Besides, you deserve to know what's happening to your son."
"...Okay. We'll go tomorrow, though. I need to rest for a bit."
After Serizawa took her measurements, Carla slowly closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, while Serizawa went right back to work.
-M-
The next day, the cadets sat in the mess hall on their break, most of them taking the time to kick back and enjoy their break time. However, Mikasa and Armin couldn't stop thinking about Eren's fate, Mikasa especially. Despite doing everything she could to protect Eren to the best of her ability, she felt as though it was all for naught. Sasha, who was sitting at the table with Mikasa as per usual, looked down at her meal, which consisted of a steamed potato, a grilled piece of beef, and a quarter of a loaf of bread. Sasha picked up her uneaten potato and broke it in two, with one piece dwarfing the other at nearly two-thirds the mass of the original potato. She sighed softly before handing the larger piece to Mikasa, catching her attention.
"Here, Mikasa, have half," She said.
Mikasa looked down at it and then back over at Sasha.
"W-wha… why?" She asked. Sasha simply smiled at her in response. Mikasa slowly reached out and took it, then took a bite of it.
"Thank you…" Mikasa muttered. She then placed a hand on her cheek when she felt it growing warmer.
After the three finished their meals, Mikasa and Armin were called outside by a Garrison soldier, who let them know that they had visitors. The two left the mess hall and found Carla and Serizawa waiting for them by the military checkpoint. The two immediately ran up to her and hugged her tightly.
"Mom!" Mikasa cried, "I'm so happy to see you again!"
"I'm happy to see you too," Carla said softly with a weak smile. Her tone was enough to tip the two of them off that something was wrong.
"Mom, is something wrong?" Mikasa asked.
"She just wishes to talk to you two about Eren," Serizawa answered.
"I really didn't want to bother either of you," She added. "But if you know something about what's going to happen to him, then I would-"
"He's going to be held on trial," Mikasa said without hesitation with a dark look in her eyes. "We were told this morning that the MPs will be working to take Eren into custody, and the Survey Corps will be defending his case."
"M-mikasa!" Armin shouted as he placed his hands on her shoulders frantically, "I don't think we're allowed to spread that information out to the public!"
"She deserves to know, Armin. Orders be damned," Mikasa argued before turning back to Carla, "Mom, I don't know whether you'll be able to participate in the trial or not, but Eren needs you. I know you'll be able to save him from execution."
Carla paused for a moment to register all this before replying. "I-I'll try, but I'm not sure I can, Mikasa. Even as his mother, I suspect that the Military won't care much about my relation to him, other than seeing me as the witch who birthed a titan…"
Mikasa and Armin were reminded of how Kitz had threatened and harassed Carla. Serizawa noticed this too, but he knew that something else was bothering her, as he remembered that she believed Grisha was connected to Eren's ability to transform into a titan and wondered if that thought was also taking a toll on her psyche. Eventually, a garrison soldier approached Mikasa and Armin, telling them to get back to work, and the two parted ways with Serizawa and Carla. As they left, Carla clutched the armrests on her wheelchair, now filled with a sense of anxiety and dread from the coming trial.
-E-
"Dad? Are you okay?" Eren asked as he climbed up a hill with his father, who bore a distraught look on his face.
"I wish I was, Eren…" Grisha replied. "But I hope that after doing this, humanity will be."
"D-dad, what are you talking about?"
Grisha took a knee in front of Eren, avoiding his question as he looked into his son's eyes. He ruffled the top of Eren's head as his eyes filled with tears. "Eren… whatever happens… promise me you will protect everyone..."
Eren slowly opened his eyes, finding himself in the same jail cell he had fallen asleep in. However, this time, when he woke up and looked around, he saw four people standing behind the bars. After he fully came to, he realized that those people were Carla, Serizawa, Erwin, and Levi.
"H-he's awake!" Carla pointed to Eren while tearing up. "He's finally awake!"
"M-mom? What are you doing here?" Eren asked as he sat up on his bed. He then looked over at Erwin and Levi and became even more confused by the situation.
"Don't worry yourself, Eren," Erwin said. "We're here to support your case in an upcoming trial that will determine your fate."
"In other words, we're here to save your ass from the Military Police," Levi explained.
"Save me? What do you mean?" Eren asked them.
"The trial will be to determine what will happen to you now that the people of the walls know your identity," Erwin continued. "Darius Zackly, the general of all three military branches, will resolve your case by deciding to either hand custody over you to us, or to the Military Police. However, we were given the chance to speak to you in hopes that you could provide some information that you believe could help us support your case."
"If it isn't too much trouble, commander, could Serizawa and I perhaps have a seat in the court?" Carla asked.
"Of course. I'll have you both join our side as witnesses. That way, you will both have a say in the case. It is vital that the court see your side of the story, and have some insight on your husband's possible involvement."
"Dad? What does he have to do with this?" Eren asked, looking at Carla.
She and Eren shared a glance before Carla pulled out the basement key, and displayed it in front of Eren. "I found this around your neck on the night your father left. I have a feeling that your father might be the reason you can turn into a titan, but I want to know if you remember anything from it."
Eren squinted at the key for a moment before his eyes widened. "W-wait, I do remember something! It's… a bit difficult to remember, but he said that I need to get to the cellar and that whatever was down there would be the key to saving humanity!"
"Saving humanity from what?" Levi asked.
"I…" Eren clenched his fist in frustration. "I don't remember."
"Well, that's helpful."
"It's fine if you can't recall anything else, Eren. We just need to make sure that you at least have the right intentions," Erwin said.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Carla asked in an upset tone.
Erwin glanced at her briefly before looking back at Eren, "Whatever reason you have for using your powers is beyond my knowledge, so I would like for you to tell us right now: what is it that you want to do in life?"
Eren's mind was a flurry of thoughts as he tried to come up with exactly what he wanted to say. It's a simple question, but one that he found himself struggling to answer, as not once did he ever think about what he would say if asked.
"Hurry up and answer already. It can't be that damn difficult," Levi said.
Eren looked up and answered, finally deciding on what he wanted to say. "I want to join the Survey Corps because I want my mother to live the best life she can live… even if I have to kill all the titans to ensure her safety, I'll do it. I'd give my life so that she can live the rest of hers in peace."
Eren's answer warmed his mother's heart. She placed a hand over her chest as tears welled up in her eyes. Serizawa and Erwin were quite impressed by Eren's response, and they knew deep down that he had a good heart. Levi meanwhile was more just surprised than moved by his devotion to Carla. He thought back to his own mother, Kuchel Ackerman, but his memory of her was quite hazy. He remembered how much she cared for him in his youth, how much her death tore him apart, and how he waited weeks until Kenny came and raised him, but he couldn't say he had any actual memories with, or even really of her, but more just general feelings he had about her. Seeing Eren's devotion to his own mother made him wonder if he would have cared for his mother as much as Eren does for Carla had she not been taken by her illness.
"The kid's alright," Levi said. "I can tell his intentions are at least somewhat pure. I'll look out for him if he joins our group, and if I need to, y'know," Levi makes a tearing noise with his mouth while dragging a finger along his neck. "If he thinks about going on a rampage."
The rest of the meeting was spent with Eren and Carla talking to each other until it was time for them to leave. Despite getting little information from Eren, the two scouts believed that they had enough to support their case.
Sometime later…
The day of the trial soon arrived, and both military groups took position within the courtroom where the trial was held. Carla sat beside Mikasa, Armin, Sasha, and Rico Brazinska. She and Rico shared an awkward glance before wordlessly agreeing to not speak to each other unless absolutely necessary. Serizawa sat right next to Carla, while Erwin and Levi stood to their left. On the other side of the courtroom were the Military Police, including their commander, one Nile Dock, as well as Dimo Reeves, and a member of the Church of the Walls, Minister Nick. Eren was escorted into the room by Hange and Mike, then knelt in the center of the court as a metal pole slid between his arms, his handcuffs preventing him from moving away or even standing up.
General Darius Zackly took a seat at the judge's desk and cleared his throat, then began to speak, "Alright, let's begin this trial. Eren Jaeger, as a soldier, you have sworn to give up your life for the good of humanity. Is that correct?"
"Yes sir," Eren replied.
"As an enlisted soldier during a time of war, military doctrine requires that your trial be held as a court-martial, and as commander of armed forces, this matter is left to my discretion. Thus I will decide whether you live or die."
Sweat trickled down the back of Eren's neck, and he gulped a bit of saliva.
"Any objections?"
"N-no, sir."
"Your astuteness is appreciated. Now, let us proceed. As we had anticipated, covering up your identity has proven fruitless, and lest we disclose your existence one way or the other, we risk the outbreak of widespread civil unrest. A choice must be made, and the regiment that takes custody of you, the Military Police, or the Scout regiment, will determine your fate. To begin, the military police will now present their case."
Nile Dock stepped forwards. "Thank you, your honor! My name is Nile Dock, I am the commander of the Military Police, and I hereby present our proposal! Following a thorough examination of his physiology, subject Eren Jaeger should be disposed of immediately! We acknowledge that he has played a major role in stopping the latest titan incursion, however his presence within the Walls as we speak is only creating suspicion against the monarchy. For the greater good, after we have gathered all information we can on him, we would see him made a fallen warrior."
"And now, the Scouts."
Erwin stepped forwards. "My name is Erwin Smith. As the commander of the Scout regiment, I propose the following: reinstate Eren as a full member of the Scouts, and we will utilize his titan abilities, and ability to communicate with Gigan to retake wall Maria. That is all."
"Gigan? The giant creature made out of metal? How does he relate to Eren Jaeger?"
Pastor Nick slams his hands on a table, interrupting proceedings. "It obviously doesn't!" He shouted. "The Black Angel is the mighty blade of the gods, and would never fraternize with that abomination!"
'The black angel?' Armin thought. 'Where have I heard that name before?'
After Nile calmed Nick down, Darius spoke up. "Let's get back on track. We're specifically talking about Eren's case. We'll worry about Gigan later. Now, Eren, do you have any difficulty controlling your ability?"
"No sir," Eren replied with a bit more confidence in his voice. "Each time I used my power, I was able to retain full control."
"I see." Darius turned the page. "The report states that you were speaking to Gigan immediately prior to him patching the Trost gate. While Gigan was shown to be capable of understanding human speech, you seem to have been holding a full conversation with him. Would you care to explain this?"
"My powers allow me to understand what Gigan is saying, so he and I are able to communicate."
"I-Impossible!" Pastor Nick shouted. "The Black Angel, the blade of the gods, would never speak with a creature like you! He is our savior, and you are an abomination!"
Carla clenched her fists and snarled softly as Nick continued to yell at her son, soon to be joined by some members of the MP. Eventually, Darius slammed his hand on the desk like a gavel.
"Order in the court!" He shouted, silencing the crowd. "Now, I would like to give the witnesses the stand."
After a bit of deliberation between Mikasa, Carla, and Armin, Carla decided she would go first.
"Your honor," she said. "As the mother of Eren Jaeger, I must hold myself responsible for any actions that he has taken. However, I argue that my son has done nothing other than proving his usefulness to humanity."
"Usefulness?!" Nick interrupted. "He has brought fear among the innocent, and defiled the sanctity of the Walls with his very presence!" He then pointed at Carla. "And you! You are the vermin that birthed him! How is it possible for a parasite like you to have evaded the eyes of God and infect the gift he has bestowed upon us?!"
Carla grew uncomfortable hearing his venomous words, but continued regardless, "I was born and raised within these very walls, just like my son. Never in my life would I have expected for his path in life to lead here, only for him to be insulted and discriminated against by his own people."
"His people?! How dare yo-"
"Pastor Nicolas!" Darius raised his voice over Nick's. "One more interjection out of you, and I will have you removed from this courtroom!"
Nick scoffed but chose to keep quiet. Carla felt relieved that she didn't have to hear what Nick was about to say next. She glanced down and saw Eren's boiling anger subside, before looking up at Darius and continuing her testimony.
"Your honor, I believe I do know the truth behind my son's power, however, I can't be certain of it at the moment."
"Proceed."
"I… I believe… that it was my husband, Grisha Jaeger, who is responsible for giving my son this power."
The entire room, barring Serizawa, Erwin, and Levi, were all shocked by her words and began muttering amongst themselves, while Darius had a very curious look on his face. Eren, on the other hand, was unsure if his mother was telling the truth, or if she was just making it up to protect him. However, after recalling the memory that he recalled when he was shown the key, he began to come to a similar conclusion in his head.
"Could you please clarify your statement?" Darius asked.
"Two days after Shinganshina fell, my husband took Eren away, but never returned, and Eren was apparently found out in the woods somewhere. Eren struggles to recall what happened that night, and I have my suspicions that my husband has done something to his memory, possibly in order to cover his tracks."
"Is that all the evidence you have?" Darius asked.
"I… ah-"
" , I must inform you that if you are unable to provide concrete evidence of your claim, I will have to conclude your say in this case."
"Y-your honor, I-"
"That's enough out of you, witch!" Nick cried. "You've had your chance to speak, and you have done nothing to persuade any of us that you and your son are nothing but monsters!" The crowd on the opposing side muttered in begrudging agreement. "You're only delaying the inevitable! You and your son are a threat to the sanctity of the walls, and must be-"
"SHUT THE HELL UP!" Eren screamed as he slammed the chain of his handcuffs against the steel pole, startling the entire jury. "YOU DON'T GET TO SPEAK TO MY MOTHER THAT WAY, YOU SON OF A BITCH!"
Carla began to worry that Eren would ruin the trial if he continued like this, and wracked her brain trying to come up with some way to stop him. She knew that in order to do this, she would have to do something drastic. She tugged on Serizawa's sleeve and whispered in his ear.
"You're an idiot… You're all idiots, willing to throw away the only chance we have at victory! JUST SHUT UP, AND PUT ALL YOUR STUPID FAITH IN M-"
SMACK! The sound of a loud slap reverberated throughout the building. Eren recoiled from the hit, then turned to see his mother and Serizawa in front of him. Everyone was shocked by this act, Levi especially, as he had his own plan to save Eren. Carla proceeded to wrap her arms around Eren, slipping out of her wheelchair in the process. The hug lasted for about a minute, before she finally let go and looked him in the eyes, her hands gripping his shoulders tightly.
"Eren, I'm grateful that you want to defend me… but I should be the one who defends you this time."
Darius leaned forward and rested his chin in his folded hands as she continued. "No matter who you get sent to, this may be the last time we'll get to see each other, so I have to tell you this now," She wiped her tearful eyes on her sleeve before continuing. "I love you so much, but I can't be there for you anymore once the trial is over. So don't just try to make a peaceful life for me, but for yourself as well."
Eren was left speechless by what his mother had just said. She then turned around and looked up at Darius. "Your honor, I don't believe my words prove to be valuable in this case, but I highly suggest that you turn him over to the Survey Corps."
"But what if your son went rogue?"
"I believe I can answer that, sir," Erwin interjected. "We are able to control Eren Jaeger by placing him under the supervision of Captain Levi. With his skills, he will be able to eliminate Eren Jaeger should he cross that line."
Carla's heart sank when she heard the word "eliminate," as she realized that Eren's fate was sealed regardless of wherever he was sent off to.
Darius pondered Erwin's contingency plan before looking down at Carla. " , do you agree with this proposition?"
Carla looked back at Eren hesitantly, before sighing softly, and giving a begrudging "yes…"
Mikasa and Armin gasped in shock and horror at Carla's acceptance of this, however, Eren simply nodded in understanding. Though it hurt for him to hear his mother accepting his own death, he understood that when given the choice, it's better to take a chance at death than certain death.
"Very well. , I will hand custody of your son over to the Survey corps."
Mikasa, Armin, Eren, and Carla gave a collective sigh of relief, but the tension rose again when Darius added to his statement.
"However, I must inform you that if I am to complete this action, then I must also hand you over to the Military Police."
Erwin's eyes widened and he spoke up. "Sir, with all due respect, may I ask why the Military Police should hold custody over Carla when the trial is about her son?"
"Because of her relation to Eren, she needs to be placed under supervision and interrogated for everything she knows. Also, because civilians are expressly forbidden from crossing the wall, Carla Jaeger legally can not be placed under the custody of your regiment, hence why she is being sent to the Military Police. During your next expedition, Carla Jaeger will be detailing any knowledge she possesses to the government until you return."
Before Erwin could speak, Mikasa quickly responded to Darius. "Sir! What if she provides no useful information? Will she be let go?"
"Unfortunately, no. If she fails to provide any useful information, she will be placed within the inner walls, where the Military Police will monitor her activity until the suspicion has been cleared." Mikasa clenched her eyes shut, but then they snapped open when Darius spoke up again.
"However, if the Survey Corps manages to return from a successful expedition using Eren's powers, then I shall release her right away. But if Eren and the Survey Corps fail their expedition, both Carla and Eren will remain in the hands of the Military Police."
Mikasa tried to argue against this, but Armin held her back before she made things worse.
"Carla Jaeger, I must apologize for this, but you must understand that this is for your own good, as well as the good of your son. There may be people in the walls that will want to use you as leverage against your son, and I can not leave you in such a vulnerable position. If you agree to remain under the jurisdiction of the Military Police, then I shall ensure your safety, close your son's case, and send him to the Survey Corps. What is your final say on the matter?"
Carla felt as though she had no other choice but to accept these conditions. If this was the only way to save her son's life, she would do it in a heartbeat.
"I accept this arrangement," she said. "However, I would like to know if my caretaker, Daisuke Serizawa, could come along with me to the inner walls."
Darius nodded before looking to Serizawa. " , as the official caretaker of Carla Jaeger, do you wish to continue caring for her while within the inner walls? If you wish to remain her caretaker, you must know that your activities will be monitored as well."
Serizawa was hesitant to take the offer, especially since he needed to avoid the offer for the sake of his friend, Huang Meng. However, looking down at Carla, he could tell that she wanted him by her side so she could have someone familiar in an unfamiliar place. Even though he only gained her trust so that he could find Grisha at first, the time he spent with her led him to see her as a true friend, and he began to genuinely care for her, just like Huang, Erika, Ymir, Stefan, Junichiro, Jurgen…
Emiko.
"I accept this arrangement," Serizawa answered. "It is my duty to look after her, and I shall continue to do so for her sake."
Carla gave Serizawa a warm smile which he couldn't help but reciprocate.
"Very well then. That concludes Eren Jaeger's case."
With one final slam of Darius' hand, Eren was sent off to the Scouts. He gave his mother one last hug goodbye before he was taken by Levi and Erwin back to the base.
-S-
Later that night, Serizawa was packing up all his belongings at the Jaeger household, with the help of a few MP soldiers. Huang floated in the air nearby, his body fully in its mist form and taking the shape of a cloud to avoid suspicion, as he surveyed the scene. After the soldiers placed everything into a carriage to be transported to Sina, Carla looked at her house somberly, before a soldier pushed her towards the carriage while they waited for Serizawa, who stood inside the house. After checking to make sure no one was there, he pulled out his cell phone and called Huang, who lowered himself to the ground and returned to his human form in the woods, where he pulled his phone out of his pocket and answered it.
"I'm guessing whatever's happening isn't good news," Huang commented.
"You're right about that. I'm going to be under military supervision for the foreseeable future, so things will only be more difficult from here on," Serizawa said.
"You know, you could always just bail, doc. It's clear we're not getting any closer to finding and killing that fucker like this."
"Things have… gotten more complicated."
"Uh-huh. Sure."
"And we're not trying to kill Grisha, Huang. We still need him to help us save Erika."
"Right… and then we kill him."
Serizawa sighed. "I'll admit, I do want him to pay for what he's done, but I'm not taking any part in that. I'll be washing my hands of him once it's over. If you and Erika still want to kill him after we save her, I won't stop you."
"Appreciated. But back on topic, why would you put yourself in that situation just for her? It's not like we have anything to gain at this point."
"Carla can't be left alone in the hands of the Government. We have no idea what these people would do to her. And besides that, I made a promise to her that I would take care of her until her children return."
Huang smiled. "You're a good person, Serizawa. You know that?"
Serizawa simply sighed in response, prompting Huang's smile to fade.
"So, um… did you manage to get any clues as to what Grisha was up to behind these walls?"
"Yes. I managed to learn from her that Grisha was hiding something in his basement-"
One of the MPs suddenly opened the door, startling Serizawa and causing him to hang up on Huang and put his phone away quickly.
"Hello? Serizawa?!" Huang clenched his fist and hissed with frustration. "Damnit!"
Huang turned back into his vapor form, his phone shut off and nested within the center of the cloud as he took back to the skies. Meanwhile, Serizawa was escorted to the carriage with Carla.
Carla was looking at the key to the basement while Serizawa took the opportunity to reach into his pocket and turn his phone off. He then watched as Carla lowered her head and held the key in both her hands while resting her hands on her lap. Tears began dripping into her cupped palms, but then she suddenly saw a hand grasp hers. She looked up and saw that Serizawa had moved to her side of the carriage, and a bit of happiness broke through her saddened expression.
The carriage suddenly halted, confusing the two. They both heard voices outside the carriage, so Serizawa stood up to check and see what was going on. He peeked outside and found that the Survey Corps was there. Carla wiped her tears away while Serizawa was approached by Erwin on horseback.
"Does Carla have a moment to talk?" Erwin asked.
"I do," Carla answered as she pushed herself towards the ramp, where Serizawa helped her down. "What do you need?"
Erwin climbed off of his horse to speak to her. "I would like to thank you for your help in our case, despite the unorthodox methods you used. However, I also came to apologize for your situation. I know you did this for Eren, but I had hoped for a much different outcome."
"Maybe things could have been different if I just wasn't there," Carla said. "I feel like my involvement in the case was never meant to be."
"And yet, you managed to save your son. If you hadn't calmed his outburst earlier, lord knows what would have happened."
"I appreciate your kind words, Erwin, but we must get going. I wouldn't want to upset the officers."
"Before you leave, you should at least say goodbye to your son."
Carla's eyes widened and her back straightened as Erwin moved out of the way, revealing Eren, draped in the Scout regiment cloak. He quickly ran up to her, before stopping right in front of her as tears of joy began to escape from her eyes.
"Hey, mom." Eren greeted.
Carla lunged forwards and wrapped Eren in her arms, staining his blazer with her tears. "Eren, I-I'm so sorry for hitting you! I was just so afraid that you would have said something wrong, and I just-"
"Mom, it's okay! I kind of deserved it, anyway." Eren scratched the back of his head and smiled. "I thought I could convince everyone if I told them what was on my mind, but in hindsight, it was pretty stupid, and I'm glad you knocked some sense into me."
Carla released Eren from her grasp, then saw Levi walking up next to Erwin. "That Captain Levi… He's not really going to kill you, right?"
Eren huffed awkwardly. "He certainly can," He began. "But as long as I stay in line, things should be fine." Eren then noticed Carla's worried expression.
"I know that job is dangerous, but the people themselves seem a bit… threatening."
"That's what makes them so capable of fighting the titans head-on! And they promised that they'd defend me to the best of their abilities!"
Before Carla could reply, the coachman of the carriage shouted from the front, "Hey, hurry up back there! We gotta get to wall Sina before my boss gets pissed at me again!"
Carla sighed softly before hugging Eren again. "I never expected you to be destined for greatness, Eren. I always believed that you were special just for being born into this world, and for being my son. I'm so proud of the person you're bound to become."
Eren smiled and hugged her back. "Thank you, mom. I'll never forget that promise. I'll be back for you, and I will bring you back home." Eren then watched as Carla removed the key from around her neck and wrapped it around Eren's.
He smiled as he looked down upon the key, then looked at Serizawa. "Thank you for dedicating your time to looking after my mom, . I truly appreciate it."
"Of course, Eren," Serizawa then helped Carla return to her seat.
As the coachman moved the carriage forward, with the wagon following along, and Eren and the Survey Corps turned and left, Huang watched from the skies and smiled at them. Watching Eren's interactions with his mother reminded him of his own parents. A tear then formed in his eye however as he remembered their deaths vividly, but he stopped his train of thought right before he reached the part where he was "recruited" into Project: Atlas, and simply followed the carriage for the rest of the night.
-Author's notes-
I don't really have much to say about this chapter, so I'll just skip to the reviews.
Guest Account: "Honestly, I personally think Battra just needs to be humbled cause he's an idiot and not realizing that the creatures hunting humans ARE HUMAN"
No, he knows. Gigan does too, actually. It's just that in their time, they never discovered a way to turn pure titans back into humans, so pure Titans just aren't considered human anymore until they eat a titan shifter.
Ideal Man: "Damn, I thought this was about MechaGodzilla"
MechaGodzilla will be in this fan fiction, it's just going to take a while for him to show up.