"I'll kill you" Eren said, barely lucid. He looked as if he wasn't fully aware of his surroundings
Armin just gaped as he looked at his best friend, supporting him "Eren?"
Once he heard his name, Eren finally came back to his senses
"If it wasn't bad before, he just had to go and say 'I'll kill you' great job Eren" said Jason bitterly
"He wasn't aware of his surroundings. He seemed as if he were in a trance or something" Tim countered
Mikasa looked over her shoulder at him "Eren!"
Around them, every single Garrison soldier had their eyes on the group
"Eren! Can you move on your own? Are you yourself again? Tell them everything you know! I'm sure they'll understand!" Armin said
'Them? The close-minded and terrified soldiers ready to shoot us? Unlikely they'd listen to us. Especially since we're basically protecting what they believe is a Titan disguised as a human' Jason though with narrowed eyes towards the Garrison soldiers
Eren turned to him "Armin?" he asked clearly confused with what was going on 'Last thing I remember is sacrificing myself for Mikasa and Tim'
By now a couple of soldiers were mumbling to each other
"Did you hear him? He said he's gonna kill us!"
"Yeah, I heard it, too"
"He's planning on eating us!"
"What're they talking about?" Eren said as his eyes trailed towards the blades 'Why're they pointing those swords at us? They're meant for killing Titans. Why are they glowering at me like that? What's going on here?'
Meanwhile, other side of Wall Rose
"You trainees will prepare your equipment and remain on standby!"
"...and that's how we got ahold of some gas and got out of Trost" Connie told the story of how they retook the supply room, sitting surrounded by his friends
"You went through all that? I'm sorry... We kept volunteering to help supply you guys, but..." Christa said as her shoulders slumped
"We'd even managed to secure some gas, too" Ymir said
"D-Does that mean everyone who isn't here is...?" Christa said trailing off as if the word were a taboo to say
"Yeah"
"Even Mikasa?" Ymir said with clear surprise if Mikasa did in fact die
"No. I'm pretty sure she came after us, with Jean and the rest" Connie said
"Jean" Ymir called out as he, Annie, Reiner, and Bertolt were all sitting at the same table "Don't tell me Mikasa got hurt or something?"
"Hey, what's wrong?" Connie asked
"I can't tell you. We've been slapped with a confidentiality order" Jean said as he had taken a slip of water, wiping his mouth 'I have no idea what's going on over there either. I thought only Mikasa and Armin would stay behind due to being childhood friends with Eren... imagine my surprise when Jason and Tim also decided to stay'
"A confidentiality order?"
"What the hell?"
"There's no way it's staying under wraps though." Jean recalled the lift ride down the Wall, finding Garrison soldiers everywhere. "The news is gonna spread across humanity like wildfire. Assuming humanity lasts long enough, anyway"
Meanwhile
"Trainees Yeager, Ackerman, Arlert, Todd and Drake! Your present behavior is an act of high treason!" Weilman yelled
"Does he even know the meaning of treason?" Jason whispered to Tim
"Perhaps a new dictionary is in order" Tim replied as Jason smirked at that
"What do you have to say in defense?" Weilman demanded with Eren clearly still puzzled by what was happening "Should you try anything funny or attempt to move from where you are, we'll blast you to bits immediately and without hesitation! This is a direct question! What are you really?! Human?! Or Titan?!"
"Such a way with words. Bruce could have done a better job" Tim harshly whispered as Jason fought back a snicker knowing now wasn't the best time to even crack a smile
"Who cares about his words, remind me why he's even in charge to begin with?" Jason questioned as the two former Robins continued their whispering
'Wh-What kind of question is that? What's with that look?! It's almost like they're looking at some kind of monster. Is that what they think of me' Eren thought as he turned back to the Garrison captain and answered as honestly as he could "I...I don't understand the question, sir!"
"Playing innocent, huh?! Just try that again, monster! We'll blast you into pieces in the blink of an eye before you can reveal your true form!"
"True form?"
"Everyone saw it! You emerged from the carcass of a Titan! We've allowed an unknown being— you—to infiltrate Wall Rose! Even if you are a member of the Training Corps as sanctioned by the king, it is well within reason for me to eliminate any risk as quickly as possible! I'm not wrong!"
"All I hear are excuses" Jason mumbled as Weilman had enough and turned sharply towards the two bats
"Do you have something you wish to say trainee Todd and Drake?"
"Eren emerging from a Titan and saying 'I'll kill you' I can understand the shock of that. But wanting to literally blast the poor kid when he has no idea what's going on himself is just inhuman! If he was a spy, even Eren wouldn't be that stupid to blow his cover that easily" Tim angrily stated
"As we speak, the very survival of humanity is at stake! Understand?! We can't afford to waste any further manpower or time on you! I will bombard you with high explosives if I have to!" Weilman said as he was shaking like crazy
"Indeed, their defiance is obvious"
"What defiance? We're just standing here defending our friend from the likes of you! Besides you're not even able to stop shaking like a nervous wreak and want us to take you seriously?" Jason shouted
"It's unlikely we'll get any beneficial information from them. As you said, this is a waste of time and resources"
"Sir! Now is our best chance!"
"We should destroy him while he's still in human form!"
Mikasa stepped forward, in front of Eren and Armin to stand by Jason and Tim, her swords drawn "My specialty is slicing up flesh. I'll gladly demonstrate it, if need be. If anyone wants to experience my technique then please, by all means, step this way" she said with a clear murderous glint on her face as if daring anyone to attack
"Sir, Mikasa Ackerman was assigned to escort duty with us elite soldiers. Her prowess is equal to that of a hundred ordinary soldiers. Losing her would be a great setback for humanity. Heck even losing Todd and Drake would be bad due to what I've seen and heard of them" Ian said looking at the trio he mentioned
"Hey, Mikasa! Armin! Jason! Tim! What is all this?!"
"Mikasa," Armin said, ignoring Eren as he tried to reason with her "Attacking people won't help! There's nowhere to run inside these Walls!"
"I don't care who my opponents are. I won't let anyone kill Eren. I couldn't care less about anything else!"
"We need to talk with them! None of them understand the situation! That's why fear's spreading among them!" Armin shouted
"They rather blow us to bits than try and understand the unknown. It's always this way with people. Only the open-minded are those who would be willing to hear us out! All I see are a bunch of cowards who are to thick headed to see what's actually going on" Tim angrily said as Jason wondered how much he might have influenced the younger teen
'Am I the only one who doesn't think I'm a Titan? Damn! I have no memory of how I got here! I'm too weak to stand, and I could end up dead if I say the wrong thing' Eren gritted his teeth with his eyes closed at this thought
"At this rate whatever the answer given will end up with us all dead and six feet underground" Jason sighed as Eren wondered yet again how Jason seemed to know what he was thinking
Suddenly a cannon was seen pointed straight at them. The soldiers on the ground all held up their blades, glaring at them
Tim in turn, glared at Jason "You just had to say that, didn't you?"
"You were also thinking it!" Jason countered back seriously
'Being killed by humans? That's absurd! What is this about me coming out of a Titan's body, anyway?! What the hell are they talking about?! How is that possible?!'
"I'll ask one more time! What are you really?!" Weilman screamed.
"Hey dickhead! Why bother asking again if you've already decided?" Jason shouted in annoyance as everyone just ignored him
Everyone stood still, not even making a single noise now, all waiting for Eren's answer
'I can't answer this wrong. I won't be the only one who'll die' A memory of him with Armin and Mikasa, as children running in the street, looking happy and then one of him training with Jason and Tim flashed before his mind 'Yeah, I've always been the same as you...'
"I'm human!"
"I see. Don't take this personally" at this, Weilman's hand was seen beginning to rise as Armin gasped
"Is it wrong that I'm not surprised?" Tim asked without emotion
"Can't say I am. Called it while back after all" Jason responded with the same tone
"This is just how it has to be. Because no one can prove that they aren't a monster"
"Eren! Armin!" Mikasa ran back, abandoning her swords "We're going up the Wall!" She continued picking Eren up in one swoop
"Wait!" Eren exclaimed
"Any bright ideas baby bird?" Jason asked running after the trio
"Unless you got a giant gun that can knock out all these soldiers... no. We wouldn't even be able to take them all down by the time they fire either" Tim sighed as all his plans unfortunately required more than they had
Suddenly time seemed to slow down for Eren as he saw the bronze key dance around his neck, triggering memories
Weilman's hand came down
'If you want to save Mikasa and Armin, and everyone else...' Eren by now had an arm wrapped around his two friends, Jason and Tim right behind them '...you must learn to control this ability!'
Eren suddenly just bit his hand. A golden-orange sphere encircled them and lightning flew. A spine erupted among the smoke and a skeletal arm. Red muscles wrapped around the bones of the hand, catching the iron ball
With the Trainees
"Marco, I can't do this anymore. I can't fight Titans anymore!" a trainee called Daz cried out
"What's gotten into you?" Marco questioned the distraught teenager
"My friends got eaten right in front of me! My friends got killed, yet I didn't feel any sadness or hate at all!" he continued crying out
Sasha sat head down, with a plate full of bread loaves a few feet away. What was unusually was the fact that her plate was... untouched. Sasha never left her food untouched!
"Deep down, I just felt glad it wasn't me! But it's my turn next. I've realized what our job is! It's basically fighting and fighting until we eventually get eaten!"
At this, whether due to timing or whatever, a cart with five injured and mutilated soldiers was passing by on the street "Well, screw that!" Daz screamed as he went to go reach for his blade. "I'd rather end things-"
Marco seemed to have enough of Daz's attitude as he grabbed him "Stop! Pull yourself together! You aren't the only one, you know! We're all fighting back fear! Just look at Sasha! Even after what she went through, she's still an upstanding soldier!"
"Um, my stomach hurts. Could you please consider me one of the wounded?" Sasha suddenly said
Once again Daz decided to try and pull out his sword again "I can't go on!"
"Stop! Stop it!"
Jean, Reiner, Bertolt, and Annie were just silently watching the whole thing not saying a single word
"That gag order is definitely warranted. With the way things are if they found out about Eren..." Jean started to say...
Except suddenly they all heard the explosive sound from the other side much to the shock on everyone
"Cannon fire? Why only one shot fired?!" Jean wondered
"Look over there! Smoke! It's inside the Wall!"
"Hey! What's happening?!"
"What's going on?!"
"Did they break through the water gate?!"
"Impossible! That's the sturdiest place of all!"
"They must've just set off a shell by accident!"
"Still, why's there so much smoke?!"
"No way. Is it Titan steam?" Jean wondered
Reiner immediately took off, Annie and Bertolt following after him without hesitation. Jean was next to chase after the trio
Back with the cow- Garrison Soldiers and the Trai-misunderstood teens
"Did we get him?" Weilman asked as he gazed at the steam and smoke
Mikasa and Armin were staring in pure shock and fear at the bones wrapped around them. Tim looked at it in complete awe, his brain trying to make sense of how Eren did what he just did. Jason on the other hand wasn't sure what to make out of this, but knew one thing... at least they weren't dead!
A female Garrison soldier's eyes widened in horror at the scene. Weilman was just as shocked and frozen, unable to wrap his head around the sight before him
"It's not possible..."
The soldiers cried out in panic and fear at the half-skeletal half-muscular Titan that had appeared before them
Is it wrong that I hated the Garrison soldiers here when they wanted to just blast Eren, Armin and Mikasa in the anime? I mean seriously! Not even listening to them at all! Heck Tim and Jason represent me in this chapter! Anyway it's time to negotiate, see ya next year with this story!
P.S. the next chapter is actually where Tim steps in to change an event, which you might guess