Marcel was walking through the internment zone, following one of the walls without really paying attention to where he was going.
He was relieved, because based on what he had overheard the previous day from the Marleyans it seemed that his half truths had been successful. Reiner was going to be chosen for the Armored Titan, and not his little brother.
But he couldn't help but feel a little bad. He was sorry for Reiner, given that his life would be shorter than it otherwise would have been if he hadn't interfered, and he hoped that his little brother would never find out about what he had done.
He paused, as he realized that he could hear Zeke and Mr. Xaver talking on the other side of the wall. He kept walking, as he didn't want to eavesdrop…
"Listen, this is something I've kept secret from Marley. There's a way to break the vow renouncing war. And, well, as luck would have it, you're the one person who can make use of it. If a Titan who has royal blood comes into contact with the holder of the Founding Titan, then the Founder's full power can be drawn out. However, that power won't be yours to direct. What it's used for will be up to the Founder's host. Essentially, you're like the key to a lock, which means you need the Founder to be held by someone you trust, someone who can understand our euthanization plan. I know you'll find that someone."
Zeke and Mr. Xaver's footsteps receded away from the wall, while Marcel was frozen where he was.
He didn't know what to think. On the one hand, the two of them were clearly planning something behind Marley's back. If he strictly followed his duty he should report them.
But if he had strictly followed his duty he wouldn't have misled the Marleyans into thinking that Reiner was the better candidate.
After a moment of silence Marcel walked away, deciding that, for now at least, he would keep what he had heard to himself.
Several weeks later, after Zeke had inherited the Beast Titan, Marcel managed to find him alone in the spot where he and Mr. Xaver used to play catch.
He steeled his resolve, and decided that it was time to confront Zeke about what he had heard.
"Zeke? Can I talk to you?"
Zeke smiled. "Sure, what can I do for you?"
Marcel glanced at the nearby wall. "Um, well…first, I'd like to say, I'm sorry about Mr. Xaver…I didn't know him very well, but I know you two were close."
Zeke's smile faded. "Yeah, well, it was his time. The curse is relentless after all."
Marcel hesitated.
Zeke gave him a puzzled look. "Was that all?"
Marcel let out a shaky breath. "No. I…there was something I wanted to ask you about. You see…I overheard a conversation you had with Mr. Xaver a few weeks ago."
Zeke stiffened. "You did?"
Marcel nodded slowly. "Yeah. What…what is the euthanization plan?"
Zeke was silent for a moment, but after realizing that Marcel could have reported him and didn't, he decided to share his true thoughts.
"Well, it's just an idea I had. I figured, as long as Eldians exist, Titans will exist. And as long as Titans exist, humanity will continue to live in fear, and the Eldian people will continue to be exploited, whether by the people of the world, or by other Eldians. The only way to stop that is for Eldians to no longer exist. But killing them all would be wrong, and cruel. So instead, I thought that perhaps we could use the power of the Founding Titan to affect all of Ymir's subjects, and render them unable to have children. This wouldn't harm anyone, and would instead allow the Eldian people to gradually fade away, slowly, peacefully, and within a century the Titans would be gone, and humanity could enjoy a better future."
Marcel frowned "I see. But…why keep this from Marley?"
Zeke scowled. "Well, as much as I despise my first father, he was right about one thing. Marley is a corrupt, oppressive nation that needs to be held accountable for the atrocities it has committed. I mean think about it. The Eldian Empire used the power of the Titans to conquer and terrorize the world, and now Marley is turning around and doing the exact same thing. Seems rather hypocritical, don't you think? Plus, I don't believe that they ever intend to actually free the Eldian people, no matter how much we atone or how much good we do. They'll just keep dangling that promise in front of us just beyond our reach forever, and when they have no more use for us they'll kill us all."
Marcel was quiet for a moment as he considered this.
"Mr. Xaver…he said that you had royal blood…and now that you have the Beast Titan you're a Titan with royal blood, which means you could unlock the full power of the Founding Titan. All that's missing is a host for the Founding Titan. Someone you can trust."
Zeke looked uncertain. "Yes…"
Marcel looked at him seriously. "I…I'll admit the idea of defying Marley is rather terrifying. But I think you're right. We can't trust Marley to do the right thing. If we want to secure our human rights we have to seize them ourselves. And I do think your plan is the best way forward. I'll do it. I'll eat the Founding Titan, and fulfill your plan."
Zeke's eyes widened, and for a few minutes he was speechless.
"Marcel…thank you. I know this can't have been an easy decision. But together, we'll save Eldia, and the world."
The two of them shook hands, their paths set.
A flash of light illuminated the grassy field, and a second later a fifteen meter Titan materialized out of nowhere, crouching low to the ground.
As soon as it appeared its form began to crystalize, the process spreading throughout the whole body until the entire thing had hardened.
The nape shattered, and Eren tumbled out. Mikasa caught him before he hit the ground, and Hange's squad remained nearby in case anything went wrong.
Further back, next to a fence, Levi and Kenny were watching the hardening experiments, though Levi was only half paying attention.
Kenny eyed Eren's Titan curiously. "Fascinating."
Levi looked at him cautiously. "So, are you serious about helping us with the mission to retake Wall Maria?"
Kenny shrugged. "Don't get the wrong idea. I don't really give a shit about saving humanity or anything. Everything dies in the end. I'm just coming because I think it'll be entertaining. Hopefully the Titans will provide better sport than the MPs."
Levi scowled. "This isn't a game. Mistakes out there can be deadly."
Kenny grinned. "And how is that any different from here in these cramped walls?"
Levi opened his mouth, but couldn't think of a counter and closed it.
Kenny jerked his head. "So, who's the brat with the Titan boy?"
Levi looked over, and saw her fussing over Eren, who was still recovering from his latest transformation. "Oh, that's Mikasa Ackerman, a fellow cadet of his."
Kenny glanced at Levi sharply before returning his gaze to the girl. "Really?"
Levi sighed. "Erwin thinks she'll be useful, but I have my doubts. I understand that we need Eren because of his Titan powers, but she's just a kid. She'll only be a liability on the battlefield."
Kenny smirked. "I wouldn't be so sure of that."
Levi eyed him suspiciously. "What makes you say that?"
"Instinct."
Kenny continued to watch Mikasa closely for several more minutes. Levi wasn't sure why, and he didn't like the way the older man was looking at her.
A few days later, Erwin and Niles held a brief meeting in Ehrmich to discuss some of the supplies the Scouts would need from the interior.
"So, how are the Titan experiments going?" Niles asked.
Erwin smiled. "Incredibly well. With Eren's abilities we stand a good chance of successfully sealing the breach in Wall Maria. And thanks to the technology you seized from the interior squad we've been able to develop several new techniques for fighting against the Titans."
Niles scowled. "It's outright disgraceful, all the things that the higher ups had been hoarding and keeping secret for the past few decades. Honestly, what the hell were they thinking? I can understand punishing disloyalty and dissent, but actively suppressing technological advancements that could help humanity? I don't understand it."
Erwin shook his head. "Well, given that the people in charge of these insidious policies are all dead, I suspect we'll never know for sure why they did it. Still, at least they merely hid these things rather than destroying them. They'll be extremely useful for our upcoming mission."
Niles glanced down at the paper in his hands. "Um, I did have one question about the supplies and materials you requested."
"Oh?"
"Well, most of it makes sense, but there were certain items that seem rather odd. Tell me, why do you need so many mattresses and pillows?"
In a field just outside of the Scouts' headquarters a strange makeshift arena had been set up. The arena was made up mostly of several layers of soft mattresses, with a few thin crystal pillars dotted throughout.
Eren's Titan stood in the center of the arena, with numerous pillows tied to various parts of his body. There were also a bunch of extra pillows scattered throughout the arena.
About half of the Scouts were lined up in front of the arena with their ODM gear equipped, and almost all of them appeared somewhat confused about what was going on. Some were frightened by Eren's Titan, while others were trying not to laugh at the sight of a Titan with a bunch of pillows tied to it.
Erwin stepped in front of the group, and the murmuring amongst the Scouts died instantly.
Erwin surveyed them all seriously. "Until recently all the Titans we have fought against were dumb, mindless, and somewhat predictable. As you can imagine, fighting against a Titan with intelligence is entirely different, and much more dangerous."
Erwin gestured behind him at the arena. "So today we will be giving you practice fighting against a Titan shifter, with Eren serving as your target. Obviously, he will be holding back and moving more slowly than normal, and we've added extra cushioning to the area so that, hopefully, the risk of death or serious injury will be minimal while still giving you the practice you need."
Eren raised his fists and turned his head slightly.
"As you can see, Eren has a pillow tied to his nape. In order to win, you must slice through the pillow tied to his nape. If Eren grabs you, or if he causes you to lose control of your gear and you fall, then you lose. You'll take him on in groups of four. Now then, begin!"
The Scouts lined up, and the first group of four hopped into the arena. They used their gear to latch onto the nearby crystal pillars and soar into the air.
One of the Scouts tried to go straight for Eren's nape, but Eren swiftly ducked and caught the man in his hand.
"Darius, you're dead." Erwin said calmly.
Darius scowled. "Damn it."
Eren set him down gently, and Darius walked out of the arena dejectedly.
Ilse swooped near Eren, trying to go for his nape, but Eren grabbed several of the nearby pillows and tossed them at her. As they hit her she shrieked and fell down onto the soft floor of the arena.
"Ilse, you're dead."
Ilse gingerly rubbed her arm. "Isn't that cheating?"
"Does it matter? It's something the enemy might do."
Ilse groaned, but didn't protest further.
The next few groups also lost to Eren, but after a while the Scouts learned from their mistakes and the mistakes of their comrades, and gradually got the hang of it, getting better and better with practice.
Eren walked into the dining room with a yawn.
Mikasa smiled warmly. "Morning Eren."
Eren sat down, nodding gratefully as Mikasa handed him a plate full of food. "Morning. Are we doing more Titan training for the Scouts?"
He'd spent the past few days helping the Scouts practice fighting a Titan shifter, and while at first he'd been afraid of hurting them and did his best to hold back, before long they were able to adapt and often defeated him with ease.
It stung his pride a little to know that he could be bested like that, but he knew that it was good, since if they could defeat him, they would have a good chance of beating the enemy shifters.
Levi shook his head. "No, today they'll be training with a new weapon Hange invented that she calls thunder spears. Hopefully they'll be able to take down the Armored Titan, though we won't know for sure until we actually try."
Eren set his fork down. "So, what will we be doing?"
"ODM gear training. You two have less than a year of training under your belt, and I want you to be at least somewhat competent so that we don't have to constantly babysit the two of you."
After they had finished breakfast Levi took them to a nearby forest and had them run through a course he had set up the previous night, trying to determine their exact skill level.
To his surprise, Mikasa performed the course nearly flawlessly.
As the two young soldiers reached the end, Levi stepped forward.
"You did well Mikasa. Just try to be careful with some of those turns, you're using more gas than you strictly need to."
Mikasa dipped her head.
Levi glanced at Eren with a scowl. "Eren, that wasn't bad, but you still have a lot of room for improvement. Do it again."
Eren gritted his teeth, feeling annoyed that he had been outdone by Mikasa, but he knew that Levi was right, and that he needed to get better.
"Yes sir."
They spent the rest of the day training, and by the end Levi was relatively satisfied.
"Well, as long as you two keep training hard for the next few weeks, you should do fine out in the field."
Levi glanced at Eren. "Having said that, let me make something clear, Eren. When not in Titan form, do not engage with the enemy. We cannot afford to put you at risk, and since you have limited strength and stamina when it comes to shifting, you're only to transform into a Titan when ordered to, or if your life is in immediate danger. When not in Titan form, you are to leave the fighting to the rest of us, no matter what happens. Understood?"
Eren nodded grimly. "Yes sir."
While Trost was still recovering from the effects of the Titan incursion, the city was slowly returning to its old routine. One of which was to host the Scouts the night before they went on an expedition.
This time, though, was different, as the expedition that was about to happen was not just a simple excursion, but the mission to reclaim Wall Maria.
Some of the Scouts were celebrating or partying, trying to live it up while they could, knowing that they might not survive the coming battle.
Two of them, however, had found a quiet stairway to sit on, well away from the more crowded and noisy areas of the city.
Mikasa fiddled with her scarf. "You okay?"
Eren sighed. "Yeah. Just a little nervous."
Mikasa nodded.
In truth, Eren felt more than a little nervous.
For one, he and Mikasa felt incredibly awkward among the Scouts. While they had proved that they could be useful soldiers with Mikasa's combat abilities and Eren's Titan powers, the bald fact was that they were still a pair of twelve year olds, and as such constantly felt out of place amongst all of the adults who had more life experience than both of them put together.
On top of that, not only was the upcoming mission crucial to the future of humanity, Eren knew that he was the key to their victory. If he failed…
"Ah, there you two are."
Eren and Mikasa looked up, and were stunned by who they saw.
"Hannes!" Eren exclaimed.
Hannes chuckled and sat down next to them. "Thought I'd say my goodbyes now, since we might not get the chance tomorrow given how busy everything will be."
Hannes looked at Eren curiously. "So, you're the Scouts resident Titan now, huh?"
Eren looked down. "Well, Titan shifter, but yeah."
Hannes shook his head. "I always suspected Grisha was hiding some big secrets, but I never imagined they were this big."
Hannes looked at them carefully. "How are you two doing?"
The two of them were silent for a moment.
Mikasa tugged at her scarf. "I miss Armin."
Hannes winced. "Oh, right, I heard about that. Well, I wouldn't worry about him too much. I'm sure you'll find a way to get him back."
Hannes glanced at Eren. "But I have a feeling that's not the only thing that's on your mind."
Eren sighed. "I…I know we've done a lot of training, a lot of planning. We're as prepared as we can possibly be. But…what if it's not enough? What if we fail? What if I fail?"
Hannes looked at Eren seriously. "Do you remember what I told you, right after your mother died?"
Eren stiffened. "You…you said…I couldn't save her…because I was weak…"
Mikasa tucked her scarf up so that it was covering more of her face.
Hannes nodded gravely. "Right. Well, when I said that, I was talking about your physical strength, not your inner strength. In terms of inner strength, you're far stronger than I could ever hope to be. And now, thanks to the gift your father gave you, you've got the physical strength to back up that inner strength. With those two working together, I'm sure you can overcome anything."
Eren's eyes widened, and after a moment he let out a small smile.
"Thanks Hannes."
Hannes nodded, before quickly pulling the two of them into a hug. "Still, you two look after each other, okay?"
"We will."
A few minutes later Hannes left, leaving the two of them alone once more.
Mikasa silently held out her hand, and Eren gently took hold of it. The two of them said nothing more that evening, simply enjoying each other's company during that final night.
Author's Note: Didn't get this chapter out quite as soon as I wanted, but at least I got it out before the end of the year.
I apologize if this chapter is rather boring, since it's mainly set up for the next chapter.
Next chapter will be this AUs version of the Battle of Shiganshina, and I'm looking forward to writing it. On the one hand, the Scouts will be up against six Titan shifters instead of four, but on the other hand the Scouts still have most of their veterans and heavy hitters. While the battle will have some similarities to the canon Return to Shiganshina arc, it will also have a number of unexpected twists as well.
Anyways, be sure to leave a review, it helps me stay motivated, and Happy New Year!
