AN: My so-called girlfriend (transition to fiancé pending approval) threatened to break up with me if I didn't stop faffing about and finish writing this chapter. Now mind you, that was back in February and we're still together, so I don't think she was serious in her threat but she had a point.

So... apologies for the almost year long hiatus, life's been busy and god is constantly punishing me for my hubris. But I finally have some time to myself and I'm gonna use it wisely. That being said, chapters are going to be significantly shorter from now on. I'm hoping this will allow them to come out on a more regular schedule, and the formatting will have to change slightly. All in all, I'd really like to get things moving in the story especially since I've been planning things ALL YEAR.

Thanks for coming to my TED talk, and thanks for continuing to read.

#04.3: Familiar Faces

Seven Years Before the Founding

Having had his fair share of run-ins with enforcers, Eren liked to think that he had a pretty solid grasp on how to handle them. Granted, most of his interactions with Piltover law enforcement involved either stealing, bribing, stealing back the bribes, and (most recently) stabbing them in the throat. Even so, Eren had had to deal with enforcers for most of his life, so when Historia and he had concocted their plan for crossing the checkpoint into Zaun, he had told her that he'd do the talking.

That plan lasted for all of five minutes.

Historia was pulling off the sweetest expression that Eren had ever seen in his entire life. Her eyes were almost sparkling, and her smile radiated a sort of soft warmth akin to an angels'. It was sickeningly sweet, and he had no idea why it seemed to work on all the officers they'd talked to so far. "I keep telling you officer, there's been some sort of mistake."

The enforcer - most likely a cadet seeing as how he was close to their age - was trying his absolute hardest not to directly look at Historia. "I really am sorry, but I keep telling you, ma'am, mistake or not, everyone looking to seek passage to the undercity has to go through this same process." His voice trembled with embarrassment, though Eren couldn't tell why.

It was then that Historia did something that looked like... was she- was she pouting? "But you picked us out of the line!"

The original plan to get to the undercity had been simple. The Eyes of Zaun bribed many airdocks in the city to look the other way when gang members needed transport across Piltover. It wasn't how Eren normally got around, as he preferred keeping his feet on solid ground, but it was always useful to have such a convenient escape route handy. Unfortunately, the district was under lockdown, and both air and foot travel was being closely monitored. Eren knew exactly why - the bodies of the corrupt enforcers had been found. None of the officers that had taken to stalking the streets were outright saying it, but he could tell by their grim expressions and narrowed eyes that they were on the hunt for anybody suspicious.

Once Eren realized that the airdock was no longer viable, he briefly thought about meeting back up with his friends and sisters. He tossed that idea out of his mind almost immediately. Although Violet knew of the best routes on getting to Zaun from the overcity (including a sewer slide system he couldn't remember the location of) there was no way he'd risk their safety. He had already seen the lengths that Rod Reiss would go to kill Historia, not to mention the man apparently had it out for Eren himself. No, until he got back to Zaun and was able to safely deliver his charge to Silco, he was on his own.

Once he had exhausted all options, Eren decided to take a page from his godfather's book. Refuge from prying eyes can be found in even the most audacious of actions. In layman's terms, the best plans were the ones so simple the enemy would consider it beneath their notice.

For instance - waltzing right up to the border crossing at the Bleeding Bridge.

On the surface, it sounded ridiculous. But in reality, the crossing was the least guarded spot in the district precisely because the enforcers had assumed that Eren would use a more inconspicuous exit. There were only a few enforcers really watching the bridge, and a few cadets were posted at tents, randomly calling out and inspecting IDs of passerby.

It was the perfect plan - right up until they had been randomly selected.

Eren, not for the first time that day, cursed his abysmal luck.

They could have bolted across the bridge. Eren knew for sure that he could outrun any enforcer in the city, but with Historia the odds became far too unlikely for his liking. So it was with reluctance that he followed after the girl and made their way into one of the tents, the enforcer posted outside barely sparing them a glance.

The tent itself had plenty of space on the inside, with a row of chairs on one side of a wooden table that had been hastily set up. On the other side of the table sat the cadet, surrounded on all side by piles upon piles of legal documentation and folders. A gas lamp hung precariously over their heads, casting long shadows upon the tent walls.

Historia seemed to get with the program rather quickly and was... Eren thought it was some sort of verbal jousting, but he wasn't quite sure. The girl was flashing smiles and letting out small sighs, actions that seemed to fluster the cadet for whatever reason. She crossed her arms and let out a small huff. "I'm just saying, it seems like you singled us out if anything..."

"Random inspections are perfectly legal within the jurisdiction of Piltover law enforcement branch," the cadet recited sheepishly. He was absently scribbling something into the reams of paper that were stacked upon the wooden desk. "If you have any issues with the process wherein officers of the law conduct their business, you can write a letter addressed to the Sheriff and he will respond to you within 14 business days-"

"Great, then we'll just go and do that-"

"- as soon as the random inspection is complete." The cadet gave Historia a nervous smile. "So if you could, please take a seat, Miss...?"

"Her name is Carla." Eren chose that moment to inject himself into the conversation. "And we'd be more than happy to cooperate. We're very sorry, officer...?"

It was almost as if the temperature had dropped a degree. The nervous yet agreeable demeanor the cadet held was instead replaced by annoyance. "It's Cadet. Cadet Jean Kirstein. And we appreciate your understanding." It really didn't seem it. "The inspection won't take that long, we'll be out of your hair in no time." The words themselves were friendly, but the way the man was looking at Eren conveyed anything but.

What's with this guy? Eren thought. He glanced over at Historia to see if she knew, only to find her rolling her eyes at him. What the- what'd I do?!

Jean cracked his knuckles before clicking a pen in his hands. "First things first - name, occupation, and place of residence?"

"Carla Rose," Historia stated. It was the only alias Eren could think of on such short notice. "I'm a maid for the Erschwell foundation. My residency is at the Wellton Winds in Zaun, apartment 13."

Eren stepped forward. "Grisha Kruger. I work at the airdocks down on the southside of the Pilt. Same residency as my girlfriend here."

For a split second Eren could've sworn that Jean's grip over the pen slipped. The cadet looked up from his paperwork and stared at him coldly. "... you two live together?"

"Uh... yes? Is there a problem with that, sir?"

The man's eyes narrowed, his face stuck in an expression that reminded Eren of some sort of jealous horse. "... no, that's perfectly fine. And I'm assuming that you both crossed into Piltover this morning for your respective occupations?"

"Yeah. Carla does it more regularly than me, but sometimes my boss needs me to cross up with the merchandise to make sure it arrives safe and sound. You know how it is."

"Do I ever." Jean hurriedly scribbled down into his paperwork. "Now, your girlfr- ahem. Miss Rose mentioned earlier that you two didn't currently have any identification on your persons. Could you please explain that?"

"Well once the merchandise arrives safely to this side of the crossing, I usually just hitch a ride back to Zaun. Wasn't expecting a full scale lockdown, but I should have been carrying my papers just in case." It was an excuse Eren had used countless times when he was in the overcity, an excuse that worked precisely because so many dock workers were prone to do exactly that. "It won't happen again, sir."

The cadet seemed satisfied with that answer, then glanced over at Historia expectantly.

"Oh, uh..." Historia was clutching at her skirt, looking down at the ground. "Being a maid, there are so many things I need to keep track of that sometimes they take priority over my own personal things. I tend to misplace things here and there." She lifted her head to look directly at Jean, her eyes somehow sparkling with innocence. "I hope that that isn't some sort of problem, officer Kirstein?"

Whatever it was Historia was doing was throwing the cadet off. He coughed into his hand, his face flushed red. "Uhh- well, that is... I mean, normally it is... but you two aren't the first to misplace your papers today, so it's not out of the ordinary. But it is nevertheless still important to carry some type of identification on you at all times! Smugglers and criminals tend to look just like you or me, so having something on your person that verifies that you are who you say you are is vital to ensuring the safety of our city."

"Of course officer, I completely understand!" Historia's smile was practically radiant. "It's good to know that the city is being protected by diligent people such as yourself."

Jean chuckled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head at the slight praise. "Aha, well, it's certainly nice to be appreciated here and there." He took a few moments to write something further down, before he took one of the folders and placed the paperwork inside, finishing it off by stamping it with an inked seal. "Well, seeing as how nothing's out of the ordinary here, I'll just let you two get back on your-"

Before the cadet could finish, someone else entered the tent. "Oi, Kirstein."

The newcomer was a fellow cadet. She wore the same uniform, and her black hair was much longer than regulation standards. Unlike other cadets, two sheathed ceremonial swords hung at her hips, the mark of a junior squad leader. But whereas Jean was lax in his demeanor, this woman was... there was something dangerous about her. Her stance was relaxed, and nothing about her screamed dangerous. But as Eren saw her eyes, he could tell. It was the same look he saw growing up in the streets of Zaun. They were the eyes of a hunter. Of a killer.

And as Eren stared at her, the newcomer's eyes similarly locked onto him.

And for just a brief moment, they widened. Almost in... familiarity?

Jean lazily waved at his fellow cadet. "Oh, hey there Mikasa. Your shift ended already?"

And just like that, whatever spark of recognition Mikasa had seemed to fade as she nonchalantly moved to Jean's side. "No, I'm just on break now. Paperwork isn't my forte. Just wanted to give you a heads up that the captain is on his way, so make sure you're double-checking your forms."

Her demeanor was outwardly relaxed, but Eren saw it - she had moved one of her hands to the sword on her hip. Her palm was rested on it's pommel in rest, and to any normal person it would be an unremarkable gesture. But he saw it for what it was. She could draw that sword at a moment's notice if she wanted to.

Jean smiled at her, oblivious to the tenseness in the air. "Oh, you're a lifesaver, Mikasa, I owe you one. Oh, Miss Carla, Mister Grisha? You two are free to go. Just remember what I said about carrying your identification!"

Historia gave a small bow of her head, and made her way to the tent's opening. "Of course. Thank you again, officer Kirstein! We really appreciate-"

Quick as lightning, Mikasa's hand shot out, blocking Historia's path. Her face was blank, but her eyes were ice-cold. "Just a moment there ma'am. What did you say your names were again?"

Historia backed away, a small bead of sweat falling down the side of her face. "Oh, um... I'm Carla," she nervously stated while looking towards Eren for assurance, "and this is my boyfriend Grisha-"

"Carla and Grisha." The names were stated coldly, clinically. Suspiciously. Mikasa held her sword hilt in a loose grip, and she moved to outright block the entrance of the tent as she stood between them and freedom. "Those aren't Piltovian names. You two are from the undercity?"

Eren strolled forward, putting himself in front of Historia as he calmly stared the cadet down. "Yes, we are. How'd you know?"

"I spent some time in Zaun, back when I was a kid. Got to know a lot of faces down there." Mikasa had dropped the pretense of friendliness altogether. She was staring directly into Eren's eyes, almost glaring, a piercing look he firmly locked eyes with. "Knew another Carla. She spent a lot of time volunteering at the soup kitchen. Fed a lot of hungry mouths."

It would just be his luck that this cadet was familiar with his mother. "Really now? What a coincidence-"

"Knew a Grisha down there too," Mikasa interrupted him coldly. "He was a doctor, the humble sort that really cared about his patients and didn't ask for much money. Either of you familiar with them?"

Eren chuckled, though on the inside he was already forming an exit strategy. I can tell, she won't hesitate to use that sword of hers. No doubt she's good with it too. It'll hurt like hell, but if I can get her to stab me with it then I can catch her off guard with my regeneration. That should give Historia enough time to run. It wasn't the best plan, but the situation was rapidly deteriorating. "Uh, well, I can't say we are..."

Mikasa narrowed her eyes. "Hmm. Grisha had a kid of his own, you know. Took him along whenever he had to make house calls. I don't remember much about him, he was kind of standoffish, but he was nice enough." She took a step forward, and somehow the temperature in the tent seemed to drop by ten degrees. She was outwardly radiating hostility now. "I can't remember his name though. Usually I'm pretty good with recalling names and faces but for the life of me that kid's name just... escapes me. I don't suppose you'd know who I'm talking about, would you Mister Kruger?"

Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuuuck. "... no. I wouldn't." Eren laughed sheepishly, scratching his nose. He made sure that his thumb was close to his mouth, and prepared to bite down at any moment. "Sorry about that, officer."

"Cadet." Mikasa allowed a small smile to cross her face. It was the most terrifying thing Eren had ever seen. It was the smile of a predator that knew it's prey had nowhere to run. The click of her sword just barely leaving it's sheathe, while almost imperceptible, was deafeningly loud for Eren. "And that's a shame. Because you know... I think that-"

"Excuse me cadets, I'm not interrupting anything am I?"

The man had come from nowhere, silently standing behind Mikasa.

He was smiling, his hands crossed behind his back as he took in the tense atmosphere. He wore the unmistakable uniform of the enforcers, yet adorned with gold trim that marked a superior officer. There was no weapon about him, but the man radiated a dominating presence that belayed the need for arms. And though his expression was one of joviality, there was a dangerous edge to it.

And just like Mikasa before him, the man's eyes immediately locked onto Eren's own.

Jean, who up until that point had been watching their interaction with befuddlement, snapped to attention. He hurriedly clicked his heels and gave a rigid salute towards the man, his voice an octave higher than it had been earlier. "Lieutenant Talis, sir! You're not interrupting anything, we were just clearing these two for crossing, is all."

The Lieutenant chuckled good-naturedly. "Good to hear, Kirstein." He glanced back to Mikasa, who suddenly looked like nothing more than a startled animal. "Ackerman. Why are you blocking these two citizens from leaving?"

"... Lieutenant Talis." Mikasa's hand had left her sword as if it were poisoned. She made the same salute at the man Jean had, though her eyes were glued to the floor. Her voice, previously threatening and cold, now held the unmistakable timbre of trepidation. "I was just... making some inquires."

Talis raised an eyebrow. "But not at your assigned station? I was sure this was Kirstein's post when I walked in. Is anyone manning yours?"

"... no, sir." Still holding the salute, Mikasa glanced back at Eren. "But sir, I believe that the man we're looking for-"

"Yes, they caught him trying to slide down the sewers all the way to Zaun. Isn't that just the oddest thing?" The Lieutenant cupped his chin in equal parts thought and bemusement. "The gall of the underdwellers never ceases to amaze me. Just this morning my brother's apartment was robbed by Zaunite children, if you can believe it. They'd made off with a large amount of his equipment by the time his assistant managed to get a hold of us, so as soon as I wrapped that up I came over here to hasten the process. So don't worry, the suspect Eren Jaeger was apprehended some time ago. We don't want to alert the public that there was a manhunt going on underneath their noses, so we'll have to man the bridge crossing for just a bit longer." He walked past Mikasa, shock clearly evident on her face. Talis gave her a light tap on her back, his smile never wavering. "Speaking of which, you'd best get back to your post Ackerman."

There was a moment where Mikasa looked as though she would raise an objection. The moment passed, however. Her shoulders deflated and she turned to exit. "... yes, sir." She took a glance back at Eren in curiosity, before taking her leave.

"Always a handful, that one. Though, I wouldn't expect much else from one of Levi's." Talis shifted his attention towards Jean. "Kirstein my boy, I'll handle the rest of the processing for these two. Unlike Ackerman, I can tell you've been diligent in your work. Go ahead and take the rest of your shift at your home station."

"Thank you very much, Captain Talis!" Jean beamed, making his way to the tent. He gave Historia a small wave and a smile as he left. "You have a great day Miss Rose!"

Eren watched the two cadets go in disbelief. The dangerous situation he had found himself in not two minutes earlier had completely disappeared. Granted, this Lieutenant could be just as dangerous, if not more so, than Mikasa. Although, unlike the cadet, Eren couldn't sense any sort of hostility from this man. Nor suspicion, nor any sort of negative emotion or bearing. And if anything, that put Eren even more on edge.

"Always has his head in the clouds, that one." Talis shook his head in amusement before turning towards Historia. "More useful than you'd think. Now then, onto the matter of you two."

It was only then that Eren remembered that Historia was behind him. He had been so preoccupied with squaring up with Mikasa he had almost forgotten his charge. He glanced back at her.

And Historia was glaring at the man with nothing but hate in her eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"Now now, there's no need to be so hostile, Christa. We may have our differences, but ultimately we're on the same side."

It was then that Eren decided he had enough of this. "Alright," he bit out, "and just who the hell are you? You a friend of Historia's?"

"Hardly," the girl in question spat. "He works for my father."

Talis let out a sigh, before crossing his arms. "Everyone works for your father, Christa. I just happen to be a bit further in his graces than usual. Which happens to benefit Silco just fine." He reached into his pocket and withdrew a single gold mark, flicking the coin at Eren with a practiced motion. "That should be sufficient enough to prove that I'm a friend of the cause."

Catching the coin mid-air, Eren made sure the lieutenant was far enough out of reach before inspecting the item. It was a standard Piltovian gold mark. Only except... it wasn't. He squinted his eyes to get a better look. On further inspection, the coin was only gold-chased. The edge revealed that the coin was actually forged from bronze. And on the Piltovian crest, the where the Tower met with Cog, the sun was scratched out and replaced with an eye. It was one of Silco's many favors that were passed along to topsiders that were sympathetic to the cause of Zaunite independence. Forged from the very copper mined in the undercity's many caverns, and nearly convincing enough to pass off as one of numerous gold marks - unless you were one of the Eyes of Zaun.

Eren took another look at Talis. The lieutenant didn't quite radiate trustworthiness. This could be an elaborate trap. Come to think of it...

"Quite a coincidence, you walking in just as one of your cadets was about to figure out who we are."

Talis smirked. "It was hardly what I'd call a coincidence. Once I realized why Erwin had locked down the district, I sent some of my men to track you down. You almost gave them the slip, but once I realized where you were headed, I made the call to divert some of our more seasoned officers from this crossing. You're welcome for that, by the way."

Well that was a scary thought. Not only did this lieutenant have other enforcers working under him that didn't report to the sheriff or Levi, but they were also skilled enough to tail him without notice? Eren made a mental note to ask Silco about Talis as soon as he got back to the undercity. It was a bit irritating to know that a man with so much power had been hidden from him. Reluctantly, Eren tossed the coin back to Talis. "Well, if you're such a friend of the cause, letting us across the bridge shouldn't be much of a hassle, right?"

"But of course." The lieutenant pulled out folded letter, an unbroken crimson seal upon it's lip. He held out it to Eren with a flourish. "In addition, I have some information that would be of much use to our mutual benefactor. If you could see that it gets to him safely, I'd very much appreciate it."

Eren gingerly took the letter. It was made of some expensive stationary that was buttery smooth to the touch, the sort of vellum only nobles and high-class merchants used. And the wax seal was undoubtedly that of the Reiss Merchantry Company. "Alright then, Lieutenant Talis. Anything in here I should know about, or is this for Silco's eyes only?"

"Oh, there's no need to be so formal."

The lieutenant took a step closer, extending his arm for a friendly handshake. The smile on his face was oddly welcoming, as if he'd been waiting for Eren his entire lifetime.

"My full name is Ezekiel Talis. But my friends and family call me Zeke."