Adult Eren stared at the crystal that Annie Leonhardt had trapped herself in. He couldn't help but think of the time when Annie had taught him on why people fight.
"D... did that Titan win?" Teen Eren had asked as he and had continued staring at Adult Eren's Titan backside. Adult Eren did not move his Titan body for a single minute.
"I don't know." Petra said, honestly.
Adult Eren within his Titan form then slowly turned his Titan head around toward the left. Showing his Titan left face to both Teen Eren and Petra Ral.
Both Teen Eren and Petra Ral gasped, surprisingly when they see Adult Eren in his Titan form staring at them. Within a moment, Adult Eren had begun approaching them.
"Hey. He's coming this way." Teen Eren pointed at Adult Eren within his Titan form.
Adult Eren had taken a few steps toward Teen Eren and Petra Ral. He then raised his Titan left hand toward them and showed the two Survey Corp. soldiers the crystal in his Titan left hand.
Both Teen Eren and Petra looked closely at the crystal that Adult Eren was holding within his Titan hand. Their eyes had grown big for a moment as they stared at the crystal, or... whom was inside the crystal.
"W-who is that?" Petra asked, not knowing the identity of Annie Leonhardt.
Teen Eren's eyes had fully widened in horror as he had recognized Annie inside the crystal. 'N-no way... it can't be! Annie? Annie's the Female Titan?' Suddenly, memories of Annie Leonhardt during the academy had begun to flood Teen Eren's mind. 'But, why? I-I don't understand! This isn't like her to-' Teen Eren then thought of the moments when the Female Titan had killed Survey Corp. soldiers while chasing him and Squad Levi on horseback. 'Why would she want to-how did Annie become...' Numerous questions were asked within Teen Eren's mind, but none of the answers he asked were answered. He then grasped his head. "This can't be real... Annie would never-'
Petra Ral stared at Teen Eren who seemed shock within disbelief. She attempted to open her mouth and speak to him, until...
"Eren!"
Teen Eren gasped when heard his name be called by a feminine voice that he instantly recognizes. 'That voice! Could it be-' Teen Eren then looked to his right and noticed that it was Mikasa Ackerman, who called his name. She was vertically maneuvering toward him at top speed, until she landed on the same giant tree branch along with Teen Eren and Petra.
"Eren! I'm glad that you're safe!" Mikasa then hugged Teen Eren shortly after she landed on the same large tree branch as Teen Eren and Petra.
"W-what are you doing here?" Teen Eren asked Mikasa.
"I heard you roaring as a Titan, so I thought that I would come by and make sure you-" As Mikasa was answering her question, she suddenly glanced down at the ground and noticed Adult Eren within his Titan form. "What?"
"What is it, Mikasa?"
Mikasa stared at Adult Eren's Titan face for a moment. 'That can't be! This Titan... it looks a lot alike like Eren's.' Mikasa thought as she stared down at Adult Eren's Titan form. She gained a small flashback of when Teen Eren had attacked her within Trost District. She had also gained a scar on her right cheek under her right eye. As soon as she snapped out of it, she then looked up at Teen Eren's face. "There... are two of you?"
Teen Eren looked at Mikasa, confusingly. "Two of me? What are you talking about, Mikasa?"
"That Titan right there." Mikasa then pointed down at Adult Eren's Titan. "Is what you would look like whenever you transform." Mikasa had stated.
Petra had gasped after learning the news from Mikasa.
"Wait, hold on a second! "That's" what I look like when I transform into a Titan, Mikasa? Are you telling me that my Titan looks exactly like that Titan?" Teen Eren asked in shock.
"Mm-hmm." Mikasa easily nodded.
As Teen Eren and Mikasa are chatting... Adult Eren had stared at them, calmly. 'Mikasa. You haven't changed a bit. Always trying to smother me with your protection. Even if had the strongest Titan in the world.'
"Come on, Mikasa. My ears are not that sharp-nor is my jaw that messed up! There's no way my Titan can resemble that!" Teen Eren said in denial.
"Look, Eren. I don't know who's inside that Titan... but what I'm saying that whoever's inside their... his or her Titan looks exactly like yours..." Mikasa stated as she stared at Adult Eren's Titan.
As the two Survey Corp. teens had kept chatting, a vertical maneuvering grappling hook had attached itself to the back of Adult Eren's Titan's right leg. Adult Eren within his Titan body looked back as he heard the sound of a vertical maneuvering hook latching. 'Hm?'
Suddenly, Adult Eren's right leg behind the knee had been slashed, multiple times by a Survey Corp. soldier.
Adult Eren's Titan right leg had then collapsed causing Adult Eren's Titan to kneel on one knee.
Teen Eren, Mikasa and Petra had gasped as they watched Adult Eren's Titan fall on one knee.
"What was that?" Mikasa asked.
'This speed. There's only one person I know who can move this fast.' Adult Eren then thought of Levi Ackerman, his mentor and the man who's trust he's broken. 'Could it be-'
Suddenly, Captain Levi had then vertically maneuvered from behind trees and straight toward Adult Eren's Titan's nape. Assuming that Adult Eren was an enemy.
Adult Eren had quickly hardened his free left Titan hand and covered the back of his nape with it. Captain Levi came in fast and slashed at Adult Eren's Titan's left hand which was covering his Titan nape. 'It is him! It's Levi.'
Captain Levi had slashed at Adult Eren's Titan left hand, only for his vertical maneuvering blades to break apart. Levi was a bit surprised as his blades had broken apart. He then maneuvered his way to a nearby giant tree and grappled its tree bark with his hooks. After landing, Levi had stared at the Fourteen-Meter Titan he had just attacked. 'A new Titan, huh?'
"Stop, Captain!" Petra had cried out to her Captain.
"Hm?" Levi then looked over toward Petra's direction and spotted Petra Ral, Mikasa Ackerman and a Teenage Eren Yeager. "Petra? Eren?" Levi said as he spotted Teen Eren standing next to Petra. "What's going on?" Levi then looked down at Adult Eren's Titan. "And who the hell is this Titan?"
Petra gulped. "That Titan right there is the one that protected us! He fought and defeated the Female Titan!" Petra yelled to Levi as she pointed toward Adult Eren's Titan which is kneeling on one leg.
"What?" Levi looked a bit surprised.
"His name is Kruger! And he had taken down the Female Titan with ease!" Petra shouted as she informed Captain Levi.
"Kruger, huh?" Teen Eren then stared down at Adult Eren's Titan.
"What? He defeated the Female Titan?" Mikasa muttered as she looked at Petra's backside.
"I know it sounds crazy, Captain, but I'm telling the truth! He's on our side!" Petra said. 'I hope...'
"If what you say is true, Petra, then... why the hell didn't he come forward a lot sooner and help us stop the Female Titan? We could've used his power and saved all of our comrades who died!" Levi asked Petra as he yelled back.
"I..." Petra then looked down in a bit of disappointment. "I don't know. I don't know why he waited so long." Petra then looked back up to Levi with confidence. "Maybe, he didn't want to be discovered so soon? But believe me when I say that he's on our side! I would not be here if not for him!" Petra said as she placed her right hand on her heart.
"I see..." Levi then jumped and vertically maneuvered his way down to Adult Eren's Titan's right shoulder.
Adult Eren's Titan eyes followed Levi and saw him land on his right shoulder.
"Hey, you. Pointy-eared freak. Can you hear me?" Levi asked Adult Eren, whom was inside his Titan.
Adult Eren's Titan eyes blinked, once.
"If you can understand me, nod your head. Once." Levi asked.
It had taken a few seconds, but Adult Eren had nodded toward Levi.
"It can understand Captain Levi." Mikasa said as she watched Adult Eren nod to Levi within his Titan body.
"No. He can understand Captain Levi." Petra said, correcting Mikasa.
Levi pointed one of his blades directly at Eren's right Titan eye. "Listen to me, as I'm only going to say this, once. You're going to come back with us to the walls and explain to everyone who you are and your actions. Try to run away or show the slightest signs of rebelliousness and I will carve you up inside. And when I say, "carve you up", I'm talking about carving up your actual body. Understand?"
Adult Eren thought as Levi threatened him. 'Captain Levi is as cold as ever, no matter which place I go to.' He kept looking at the male Ackerman on his right Titan shoulder.
"Blink twice, slowly, if you understand." Levi asked.
It had taken a moment, but Adult Eren had blinked, twice.
"Good." Levi said, while still pointing his blade toward Adult Eren's right Titan eye. Levi then looked up and pointed his nose toward his surviving comrades, such as Teen Eren, Petra and Mikasa. "All of you! As soon as this Titan's leg recovers... we're leaving this place and heading back to the walls! I suggest you keep up if you don't want to get left behind."
"Sir!" Adult Eren, Petra and Mikasa had replied.
"Especially you, Eren." Levi said as he looked at Teen Eren.
"Captain!" Teen Eren had replied as he saluted toward Levi.
Ten seconds had passed and Adult Eren's right Titan leg had yet to recover from Levi's attack. As they waited for Adult Eren's Titan recovery... the Survey Corp. soldiers had suddenly heard rumbling from the distance.
"What is that?" Mikasa gasped as she asked while turning her head east.
"Huh?" Teen Eren looked at Mikasa.
Petra then looked left and right as she had begun to hear rumbling sounds from all sides.
Levi can hear it, too. 'This rumbling sound... it can't-' Levi gasped as he realized what's about to happen. He then screamed at his Survey Corp. comrades. "ALL OF YOU! BE ON YOUR GUARD! DON'T LET THE TITANS GET NEAR THIS GUY!" Levi had ordered, then thought of what happened earlier. When the Female Titan had screamed, a number of pure Titans had rushed toward and devoured the Female Titan's body.
"The Titans?" Teen Eren had gasped. Then, he looked at his comrades, such as Mikasa Ackerman and Petra Ral who had already withdrew their blades from their maneuvering gear. Prepared to fight Titans. Teen Eren grabbed the hits of his vertical maneuvering blades. Then suddenly... a thought had appeared in his mind. 'Wait. I don't need to use my blades. I can just back this guy up by transforming into a...' Teen Eren then raised his right hand up to his mouth and was prepared to bite it.
"NO, EREN! YOU'LL ONLY BE QUICKLY SWARMED AND DEVOURED BY THEM IF YOU TRANSFORM! USE YOUR MANEUVERING BLADES!" Levi yelled.
As Levi was yelling to Teen Eren... one male pure Titan that was at least eleven meters tall had rushed toward Adult Eren's left and begun to bite Adult Eren's Titan left forearm.
The Survey Corp. soldiers saw this action and quickly gasped.
Adult Eren seemed unfazed by the attack as he had already hardened his left Titan forearm before it could bite into his Titan flesh. He still held Annie's crystal within his right hand and decided to place Annie's crystal close to his Titan chest. 'I gotta be careful not to lose Annie.' Adult Eren thought, then attempted to shake the pure Titan off his left Titan forearm. But before he could shake the Titan off...
Captain Levi quickly maneuvered his way from Adult Eren's right Titan shoulder to the pure Titan's nape and slashed it without mercy.
Adult Eren seemed a bit surprised as he watched Levi kill a Titan. That action made him think back of when he met Levi in Trost District.
"He's fast." Mikasa noted as she watched Levi quickly kill a Titan.
"Hey! Don't start daydreaming! There are more of them coming!" Levi yelled and alerted his comrades.
"Mmph," Petra muffled. "Right!"
"For the next five minutes... the four Survey Corp. soldiers, such as Captain Levi Ackerman, Petra Ral, Mikasa Ackerman and Teen Eren Yeager had spent slaughtering the remaining pure Titans within the Titan forest, one by one as they had rushed Adult Eren's Titan body. And after all the remaining Titans had been slaughtered..."
All of the remaining pure Titans had been slaughtered and the Survey Corp. soldiers that protected Adult Eren are fatigued and covered in Titan blood. Adult Eren's Titan right leg had fully recovered and was standing on his feet. There were a total of eighteen Titans that rushed and tried to attack Eren.
Teen Eren sat on his butt on top of one of the giant Titan tree branches as his Survey Corp. comrades stood.
"I think that's all of them, Captain." Petra said as she walked behind Levi.
"Good. We have no reason to stay here any longer. Let's meet up with Erwin as soon as we can." Levi ordered as some of the blood on his cheeks begun to evaporate.
"Right." Petra nodded.
Teen Eren begun chuckling, which caught his comrades attention.
Mikasa turned to Eren, whom was chuckling. "Eren? What's so funny?"
"I did it, Mikasa. Today, I made my first ever Titan kill while using vertical maneuvering gear." Eren smiled.
Mikasa just stared at Teen Eren as he continued chuckling.
"Hey."
Teen Eren suddenly looked up and saw Levi gleaming at him. "Captain?"
"Celebrate your Titan kills after we reach the walls." Levi ordered.
Teen Eren quickly stood up and solute to Levi. "Sir!"
Adult Eren within his Titan form just stood and stared at his comrades from below. While all the deceased pure Titans bodies continued evaporating around him. Leaving nothing but steam and bones.
Later That Day...
As the sun were showing small signs of setting... the surviving members of the Survey Corp. were at their campsite out in the open field, packing all of their equipment and throwing the corpses of their dead comrades into large wooden horse carts.
As when Adult Eren had arrived at the campsite within his Titan form, Levi had quickly explained the situation to Erwin Smith and most of the Survey Corp. soldiers about Adult Eren whom had defeated the Female Titan. In other words, Annie Leonhardt.
Adult Eren Yeager had carefully placed Annie Leonhardt's crystal onto a wooden horse cart. Then, decided to carefully eject himself from his Titan body.
Many of the surviving Survey Corp. soldiers stared, including the Commander, Erwin Smith. Adult Eren slowly walked toward the group of Survey Corp. soldiers, excluding the graduates of the One Hundred and Fourth Cadet Corp. whom were distracted by the fact that Annie was the Female Titan.
"No way." Connie said as his eyes flooded with fear.
"It can't be... It just can't..." Sasha had thought as her face had a smile of disbelief. Her face had a look of fear.
"So, that giant female Titan that was murdering all of our comrades... it was Annie?" Jean asked, then thought of the moment when Annie had almost killed him as the Female Titan. If had not been for Armin's bluff, then Jean would have been killed.
Bertoldt Hoover and Reiner Braun were standing right next to each other as they stared at their comrade, Annie who crystalized herself. They both had looks of horror on their faces, especially look of horror was not only because Annie was discovered... but because Bertoldt has romantic feelings for her.
Armin Arlert looked at Bertoldt from his right side and noticed the look of extreme horror for a second. Then, he quickly looked directly at Annie inside her crystal.
Reiner grabbed Bertoldt's left wrist as a sign of telling him to keep it together, despite Annie being crystalized. 'Keep it together, Bertoldt. Now's not the time, nor the place.'
"But why? Why would she do this? I mean, killing our comrades..." Teen Eren asked, feeling a bit depressed.
"Because she's a traitor and murderer. That's why." Mikasa said, coldly. Answering Teen Eren's question. She caught the attention of most of her friends.
This outburst caused Bertoldt's eyes to quickly shift toward Mikasa.
"Mikasa?" Connie had called.
"Look. We don't know why she did it or how she became a Titan... but all of that's over, now. As long as she's trapped within that hardened crystal, she can't harm another person within the walls. That's what matters." Mikasa said with no remorse.
Bertoldt blinked as he stared at Mikasa. His heart begun to beat a nano second fast as he silently glared at Mikasa without her notice. He felt that Mikasa had disrespected Annie.
"I don't know what it is that made her want to come after me..." Teen Eren said, which caught his friend's attention.
"Maybe, it's because you were a Titan and Annie thought that capturing you would add to their ranks? I don't know." Armin had guessed.
Reiner stared at Armin and Eren.
"Maybe... but all of this doesn't add up to me." Teen Eren said.
As Teen Eren and his friends were conversating and gathered around Annie's Titan crystal... Adult Eren was surrounded by six Survey Corp. soldiers who had withdrew their blades drawn from their maneuvering gear.
"Tell me. Who's side are you on?" Erwin asked Adult Eren.
Adult Eren gave the question some thought, then begun to open his mouth, slowly. "I'm on the side... of humanity." Adult Eren stated as his emerald, green eyes stared into Erwin's sky blue eyes.