Attack on Titan: A New Path

by The Court of Talons

Ozma and Salem have been at war for millennia. The fight has taken many lives and taken many years. The champion of the Brother of Light has failed countless times to complete his task. Now, more than ever, Remnant needs a new protector. It needs a man who knows the cruelty of life. A man who doesn't falter in doing the unthinkable. A dark guardian. Remnant needs... Eren Yeager.

37. Chapter 37

"The best journey takes you home."

Anonymous

Chapter 37: Homecoming

"I don't like this. They've been gone for too long."

"Too long? It's only been ten minutes. Relax, will you?"

"Don't waste your time, my dear. This one doesn't take the idea of 'relaxing' seriously."

"No, Nora's right. Any time we spend here not knowing what's going on out there is too much time passed."

True to Ymir's word, Nora had been waiting for Eren's return for about ten minutes. She had elected to stay at their airship with Watts, Ymir, and Winter while Eren and everyone else searched for Ren, Emerald, and Midori. But like Winter agreed, they had all spent too much time doing nothing but wait.

Nora was especially nervous, since she hadn't seen Ren since he was stabbed by a unique Grimm.

More than that, the young girl hated not being able to do anything to help. She had run out of ammunition for Magnhild, and a close encounter with one of the freakish Grimm made Nora see that she couldn't help by simply swinging her hammer. Now she was simply reduced to standing guard and listening to the silence.

But enough was enough.

"You're right, Winter," Nora said as she took the first steps towards the room's exit. "We've been waiting long enough."

"Nora, wait!" Winter implored. While she was happy to be in agreement with Nora, Winter didn't want to act recklessly. "What are you doing?"

"I gotta find Ren," Nora replied. "We're not doing any good by sitting here anymore."

Winter moved to catch up to Nora. "Maybe so, but we have no idea what else might be out there. We're in no condition to fight."

"I know, but..." Nora took another look at the exit before she replied to Winter. "Just listen for a second."

"..."

"..."

After a moment of compliance, Winter broke the silence. "I don't hear anything," she said.

"Exactly," said Nora. "We may not be ready for a fight, but it sounds like there's nothing out there to fight."

While Winter wanted to play things as safe as she could, she couldn't argue with Nora's logic. But between the four of them, Winter and Nora were the only ones capable of fighting whoever or whatever came through the door. Fortunately, Ymir and Watts seemed to realize this as well.

"If you think I'm walking out that door, you're crazy," said Ymir.

"If you must do something, consider just having a look instead of running off," Watts insisted. "Last thing any of us need are more dead 'heroes.'"

Winter didn't have the same attitude as her company, but she decided that Watts had a point. "Let's just have a look," she suggested. "We shouldn't risk ourselves more than we need to."

Nora groaned at the request, but she didn't do anything to argue against it. Winter may have changed her outlook on a few things, but Nora had heard enough arguments between her and Cinder to know that fighting with the Atlesian would be like talking to a wall. And so, she reluctantly looked out into the hall instead of running outside.

And just like she believed, there was nothing to see.

Nora sighed as she walked back towards the ship. "Are you happy now?" she asked.

Winter sighed as well, which gave Nora the answer she wasn't really looking for. "Nora, I know you're worried," she said. "But we have to keep the big picture in-"

*THUMP*

*THUMP*

*THUMP*

Winter stopped talking and snapped her head towards the doorway. The sound of quick and close footsteps had caught her attention, just like it caught Nora's attention.

"Someone's coming!" Nora yelled as she readied her hammer.

"Stay behind me!" Winter ordered as she stood in front of Nora. Like she was saying, Winter had the big picture in mind. And right now, the big picture was protecting the airship and everyone inside the room from whoever or whatever was coming their way.

Fortunately, a group of familiar faces told Winter that there was nothing that needed protecting.

The sight of Eren, Cinder, Mercury, Vernal, Ren, Emerald, and Midori made Winter gasp as she lowered her guard. "You're back!" she said with relief.

Nora was also relieved, and she couldn't help but gasp as well. And when she laid eyes on Ren, Nora formed a wide smile as she felt her worry and concern fly away. "And you found Ren!" she said as she pushed past Winter.

"Oh, thank... whoever," said Ren, who was more than happy to see Nora. "We were all worried something happened."

"Me too! I saw that freak attack you, I thought you were-!" Nora was going to hug Ren, but she stopped when she saw that he was holding something in his arms.

Or rather, someone.

"Whoa!" Nora said as she looked at the unconscious woman. "Who the heck is that?!"

"We don't know," said Cinder. She and everyone else finally stepped into the room when Winter and Nora gave them room. "We found her upstairs. She needs help."

"Found her?" Winter asked skeptically.

"It's a long story," said Eren. He gestured towards an empty spot of the room and pointed to it. "Ren, that spot looks good."

Ren kneeled down and gently put the woman he was carrying down as well. There was more light in the hanger, so everyone could get a better look at her than they did before. There wasn't really much to say about the woman, other than the fact that she looked a little older than Winter.

Though they were still a little wary about helping someone who... used to be a Grimm, one look at the woman was enough for Eren and his friends to see that they did the right thing by bringing her with them.

Midori and Vernal were especially convinced, given their experiences with Salem and Grimm alike.

"Oh, yay!" said Ymir, who also took a look at the mysterious woman. "You should have told me you were bringing me a present! Ha, ha, ha, ha!"

Winter rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Why is that always the first thing that comes to your mind?" she asked. Given that Ymir had spent more time in her head than she was willing to accept, Winter had to hear all of Ymir's ramblings.

And in turn, Ymir had to always hear Winter tell her to stop imagining such things in her head.

"Why isn't it the first thing that comes in yours?" Ymir retorted with a smirk.

"Alright, alright," said Eren, who was focusing on the task at hand. "Midori, do you think you can help her with Healing Wish?"

Midori kneeled down to the woman and looked her over. She had a few cuts and bruises all over her body, mainly at her torso. They weren't major or life-threatening wounds, so Midori wasn't worried about that. However, there was something about the woman that left the young medic concerned.

"I could heal these cuts and bruises no problem," Midori insisted. "But I don't think that'll help." Midori gently touched the woman's face and moved her head. "She looks really malnourished. Maybe even dehydrated."

"I agree," said Watts, who decided to offer his own medical opinion. He wasn't too concerned about saving a life, besides his own, but he saw an opportunity with this stranger. "You can't help her here, Eren. She needs actual medical attention."

Midori looked up to Eren and nodded. "He's right. There's nothing we can do for her here."

Eren understood what Midori and Watts were saying; they had to leave right now.

"Okay," he said calmly. "We're all here now, we can go. How's the airship?"

"It's still in one piece," said Nora. "We didn't see any more Grimm or freaks."

"But it's still missing that one part," said Winter. "The one we needed the tool for."

"Aw, crap!" said Mercury. "I forgot all about that!" He quickly reached towards his waist and grabbed the wrench he had taken from Watts' lab. "Ah, still in one piece. I'll get that part now."

"I'll go with you," said Eren. "I can help with the Grimm."

"Cool. Let's go!"

Mercury quickly moved towards the exit with Eren following closely behind him. While he didn't have any weapons, Eren was confident that he could help with the Grimm.

"Good luck!" said Nora.

"Be careful!" said Emerald.

Nora immediately looked over to Ren and Emerald to see how they were doing. "Are you two okay?" she asked. "Ren, I saw you with that freak, and I-"

"I'm okay, Nora," Ren calmly insisted. "It did catch me off guard, but I had my Titan powers. And a little help from Midori."

Nora looked at Ren's shirt to see that it was ripped where the monster had stabbed him, but there weren't any wounds. After that, she looked over to Emerald. "How about you, Em?"

"I'm fine," Emerald insisted. "I got jumped by that lady over there, that's all."

"Wait, jumped? What do you mean?"

Ren put a hand on Nora's shoulder. "Like Eren said, it's a long story," he said. "But to put it plainly... she was one of those monsters."

"Say what?!"

Emerald flinched from the yell, since Nora had screamed into her ear. But when she recovered, Emerald helped Ren explain what had happened to Nora.

Cinder and Vernal were explaining the story to Winter, Ymir, and Watts. Midori had lived through the events herself, so she simply watched over the resting stranger. Watts also kept to himself, given his most recent encounter with Eren.

"He actually saved one of Salem's experiments?" Watts thought to himself. "What can't that boy do?" Watts shuddered at the idea. "It seems I was right about him being worse than Salem. And that god of his wasn't any better. But at least that's over now, and he's not going to kill me. Still, the sooner I get away from this lot, the better. Maybe helping this woman will ease some of the tension." Watts looked over the woman once more. "Did Salem really need this one? She doesn't seem to be up to par. Unless..."

Watts moved his hand to the woman's face, right towards her eyelids. He opened both of them one at a time to get a look, where he noticed dilated pupils.

But Watts was more concerned about the color of the woman's eyes.

"Ah, yes," he thought to himself. "Silver."

---

Eren and Mercury had managed to reach the Dark Wing once again. Fortunately, there were no more human-Grimm hybrids to contend with or hamper their progress. But when they found themselves outside, Mercury and Eren were greeted by a few Grimm.

This, however, proved to be not as much as a problem as Mercury thought. After Eren stood in front of Mercury and pointed away from the destroyed car, all of the creatures moved away without hesitation.

"Whoa!" Mercury said after he watched the Grimm disappear. "They're actually listening to you! That's insane!"

Eren had told Mercury about his newly-found ability to command and connect to Grimm. Though he was fully aware of this "gift," it was still hard for Eren to believe.

"I know," Eren replied as he walked with Mercury to the Dark Wing. "I have no idea how it happened, but it works. And my Titan's stronger too."

"Damn," Mercury said as he kneeled down with his wrench in hand. "Wait, does that mean you could control the freaks?"

"I tried that, actually." Eren leaned against the car close to Mercury. "But it didn't work. I tried to make the first one I saw stop attacking me, but it wouldn't listen."

Mercury looked up from the car and thought about it. "Huh, that's weird." He suddenly snapped his fingers. "Hold up, didn't something like that happen before? Yeah, when we found Vernal as a Deathstalker... uh, thing?"

Eren recalled the experience; he had tried to control the monster by throwing his blood at it, but the connection between him and Vernal didn't come to fruition. And the same thing, minus the blood, happened with the hybrids.

"Oh, yeah," Eren remembered. "Well, those freaks were people too. I guess the connection doesn't work on people." If this was true, Eren would be satisfied; the last thing he wanted to be was a keeper of slaves.

"Yeah, maybe that's it." Mercury looked back to the car again. "But it works on the Grimm, right?"

"So far. There were a bunch of different Grimm down the base of the mountain that didn't attack me. And when I told them to back away, they did."

Mercury smiled at the idea. "Guess that bullshit Darkness pulled back there has some perks after all. I guess 'God' decided to stop shitting on us, huh?"

Eren chuckled at the idea, but then felt guilty for laughing. Mercury wasn't wrong about the acts of Darkness, how he made Eren his puppet. Everyone was healed and recovering, but Eren still felt responsible for the ordeal.

"Listen, Mercury..." Eren began. "I'm really sorry all of that happened to you. If I had known about Darkness, I would have-"

"Why are you apologizing?" Mercury asked. "You're not the one who tried to kill me." Given everything he had seen and heard from Darkness, Mercury could tell that Eren was in no way involved.

And after the incident in Vale, Mercury knew better than to think that Eren would want to hurt him or any of their mutual friends.

"Besides, you said it yourself," Mercury continued as he looked for the part he needed. "You tried fighting Darkness to get back, right?"

"Yeah!" Eren replied. "He had me chained, but I tried to-"

"Ah-bahp-bahp-bahp!" Mercury silenced Eren with a raised hand. "That's all I need to know, Eren." He looked back at his friend with a smile. "Trust me, we're cool."

Eren couldn't help but smile at the idea. He still felt guilty, but it was good to see that Mercury wasn't blaming him. He too remembered the incident in Vale when Mercury believed he had been attacked by Eren. That night wasn't good for anyone, and it caused a major rift in the group. Eren was certain to be expecting another one, given the similarities between the two events.

But to see that he was worried about nothing was all he needed.

"Thanks, Mercury," Eren said. "That means a lot."

"Yeah, no problem," Mercury replied as he started to remove the part he needed. "I mean, if anything, I'm grateful to you, Eren. You stopped Salem, you gave us back our Titans the moment you got your body back, and you saved Vernal again. Thanks for that, by the way. I owe you big time."

Eren accepted the gratitude, since it made him feel a little better, but he shook his head at the idea of Mercury "owing" him anything. "It's okay, Mercury," Eren insisted. "I mean, you would have done the same thing if I needed to find Cinder."

"Oh, for sure." Mercury formed a cocky grin at the mention of Cinder. "Speaking of which, you two make quite the couple, huh?"

Eren laughed at the idea. "Yeah, I guess so." His face grew a little red as he thought about his moment with Cinder, and how everyone had seen it.

Mercury playfully tapped Eren's side. "Don't worry, bro. This kind of thing is easier than it sounds. Tell you what; if you ever need relationship advice, I'm your man."

Eren laughed again as he continued his light-hearted banter; it was a good break compared to everything he had gone through.

"Thanks, but I think I'm good," he said. "I feel like I'm in a good place with Cinder right now. You're probably thinking it just came out of nowhere, but it all feels... natural. It's like I'm right where I belong."

"...Wuss."

Eren snapped his head in Mercury's direction. "Hey!" he said.

"I'm kidding," Mercury said quickly with a laugh. "Nah, I'm happy for you two, really. And I wouldn't say it came out of nowhere." He turned back to the car and focused on the part. "If anything, the first thing that popped in my head was 'It's about time.'"

"Heh, heh, heh... yeah."

"..."

"About time for what?"

Mercury didn't stop working as he spoke. "You know, for Cinder to stop screwing around and get it out there."

Eren stopped smiling and gave Mercury his full attention. Instead of feeling guilty about Darkness or happy about his relationship with Cinder, Eren was feeling confused by Mercury's words.

"...What are you talking about?" he asked.

Mercury finally looked away from the car and up at Eren. "Duh," he began with a smirk. "I'm talking about the massive crush Cinder has on you!" The young mechanic laughed once again, but Eren didn't join in.

He was more confused than ever.

"Wait... you knew?"

"Yeah, of course I knew! I mean, I heard about it from Nora, but it was easy to tell. Yeah, we knew about it. Ren, Emerald, Vernal, all of us!"

"...All of you?"

Mercury laughed again. "Yeah, all of us!" He turned to the car again as he began to loosen the last piece holding the part to the Dark Wing. "Eren, this isn't news. I mean, Cinder told you how she felt, didn't she?"

"Well, yeah. But... I didn't know she... I mean, she could have said-"

*CLANK*

"There we go!"

Mercury removed a mechanical part that was large enough to fit in his whole hand. It didn't look like much, but Eren was sure Mercury knew what he was doing.

"Oh, uh, that's it?" Eren asked as he focused on the car once more. "That's what you need?"

"Yep," Mercury confirmed. "We'll be good to go once we hook it up."

"Great." Eren began to walk back into the castle. "Is it gonna take long?"

"Nah, it should take about ten minutes." Mercury joined Eren as they spoke.

"Okay. I just want to do a few things before we go."

"Oh, yeah? Like what?"

"Well, I know we have Salem's body in that crystal shell. But I don't think I should just leave it out in the open for someone to see."

"You really think someone's gonna see it?"

"If they ever come this far, maybe."

"Well, what are you gonna do with it?"

"I don't know. Probably throw it in a cave and seal it."

"Cool. Anything else?"

"Well, I was thinking... You know how Ren and Midori found Raven's body in the castle?"

"Yeah, in the room where those pods used to be."

"Right. I guess when Darkness left, Raven turned back into a human. If that happened to her... it might have happened to Hazel too."

Mercury stopped dead in his tracks. While he had forgotten about Hazel turning into a Titan, the young man couldn't forget Hazel himself. Mercury knew firsthand that Hazel Rainart was a dangerous enemy, one with the strength of ten men. Mercury had fought Hazel about three times, and each fight was closer than the last. Blows had been traded on both sides, with Hazel ripping the Flashstep Titan apart to Mercury mutilating Hazel's face. But through it all, they kept getting back up.

Mercury knew that Eren was right. If Raven had been reverted back to her normal self, then there was indeed a chance that Hazel was back too. And with his whereabouts unknown, that made Hazel even more dangerous.

"Shit," Mercury finally said. "You're right, Eren. We gotta find him. There's no way in Hell I'm letting him roam free."

"Me neither," said Eren. "But listen; you just focus on the airship. You've gone up against Hazel more times than either of us are comfortable with. Let me handle him."

"Eren, you can't take that bastard down alone. I don't think anybody can."

"Then I'll ask someone else." Eren pointed at the part Mercury was holding. "Nobody can do what you can do with that ship. But we can fight Hazel."

Mercury was reluctant to let someone else fight Hazel, given the memories of pain and struggle he had while fighting him on his own. But he couldn't deny the fact that everyone needed his help fixing the airship.

"...Okay," Mercury decided. "You should probably take Emerald with you. Her Titan really did a number on Hazel, she can help."

"Thanks for the tip," Eren replied as he moved towards the castle again. "I'll ask her. But first we have to find Hazel."

"Yeah, that's true." Mercury began to follow Eren once more. "I mean, it's not like he's just gonna fall right out of the sky."

*CRASH*

Eren and Mercury turned around fast when they heard something unexpected behind them. When they did, they saw that the Dark Wing had suffered more major damage. But rather than being thrown down a cliff, something had been thrown on top of it.

*SNARL*

The object immediately stood up, which revealed itself to be a Grimm. At first, Eren and Mercury thought it was a Beringel, since it had a similar body and large arms that it walked on. However, instead of the face akin to a gorilla's, the creature had a more human face. And its body had more skin than fur.

The duo could see that the Grimm was another hybrid; one that was almost like a walking tank.

Neither of the young men had any time to process the freak's sudden appearance, since they noticed the danger they were in. Mercury got into a fighting position while Eren prepared to bite his hand, but neither of the warriors threw the first strike.

Something else fell from the sky that got their attention.

"RRRRRAAAAAAHHH!"

*BAM*

*BAM*

Instead of another Grimm, a large man came down from above and struck the creature with his bare hands. And those strikes were strong enough to knock the creature back a few feet. But the large man wasn't content with this victory; instead, he leapt towards the hybrid and continued to throw his fists at it.

The creature returned these strikes, which led to a punching match between the human and the Grimm.

*BAM*

*BAM*

*BAM*

*BAM*

*BAM*

Eventually, the punching stopped when the combatants grabbed each other's arms and pulled tightly on them. This allowed Mercury and Eren to get a closer look at the man, who was bleeding but not severely injured.

But the blood hadn't caught their attention. Instead, Eren and Mercury focused on the man's face; a face they recognized instantly.

"Holy shit, it's Hazel!" Mercury shouted in surprise. "And his face is all healed up!"

"It must have been from the Titan powers!" Eren surmised after his shock disappeared. "But where did that freak come from?!"

"It must've found Hazel before us, I don't know! Aw, man! A freak and a pissed off Hazel?! Can this shit get any worse?!"

*ROAR*

*BAM*

Another abnormal Grimm had just descended from above and charged at Hazel. While it also moved like the other creature, by pushing itself with its arms and legs, there was hardly anything human about the beast. Its arms were like punching bags, its legs didn't even have feet, and its head was like an open jaw.

It was an amalgamation of things and people unknown, and it had the strength of a wild brute.

*BAM*

The creature attacked Hazel and caused him to fall down, but he managed to grab the beast's torso and prevent it from moving any closer. He then sent a strong punch to the creature's face just in time to make contact with the other Grimm.

All while failing to notice Eren and Mercury.

"This is bad," said Eren, who couldn't take his eyes off the fight.

"No shit," said Mercury, who also hated the situation. If Emerald was with him, she would surely say something about him and his mouth. Not that Mercury would blame her, since the creatures and Hazel came at rather impeccable timing.

But now, they had overstayed their welcome.

"Well, I guess this is why God gave us Titans," Mercury said as he lifted his hand to his mouth. "Let's show 'em what we can do."

"Wait," Eren said as he put a hand on Mercury's shoulder. "Maybe we don't need them."

"..."

At first, Mercury was ready to say that Eren was out of his mind. Like he said, Hazel could tear about Titans with his bare hands. They may have been good for a shield whereas Hazel was concerned, but that didn't mean they weren't needed for fighting the hulk of a man.

Unless... there wasn't any fighting to be had.

When Mercury followed Eren's gaze, he saw that all three combatants were focused on themselves and each other. None of them had noticed either of the two boys, which gave them the element of surprise.

And Eren was wise enough to know that he and Mercury could use this element anytime they liked. Specifically, they could use it against the winner of the fight.

And that winner would be determined in a few moments.

*BAM*

*BAM*

*ROAR*

*SNARL*

*BAM*

All three combatants shared their own unique punches and strikes, each one more powerful than the last. The hybrid Grimm were working together against Hazel, but the man wasn't yielding just yet. His time as a Titan not only healed his body, but it also allowed Hazel to recharge his Aura. He didn't have any Dust to enhance his strength, but he could use his Semblance to block out pain and focus on fighting.

It was this focus that led Hazel to make a plan.

He knew that he couldn't handle two beasts like this at once. So instead, Hazel decided to focus on the larger Grimm after he removed the other Grimm from the equation. He did this by catching the human-like Grimm by the hands and pulling it towards him rather than push against it once more. In turn, this allowed Hazel to use the momentum he created to toss the Grimm aside like a bale of hay.

*BAM*

*THUD*

The Grimm hit the ground a few times before it stopped moving, which gave Hazel a chance to focus on the monstrous Grimm. He didn't have much time to defend himself, but he was able to catch the beast's arms and push against them. The monster pushed against Hazel as well, which brought the man dangerously close to the cliff's edge.

Hazel couldn't strategize like he did before if he wanted to win this fight. The Grimm was too strong to simply hold on by its hands, and it was moving Hazel closer and closer to the edge of the cliff. If Hazel didn't act now, he would fall and break every bone in his body.

And so, Hazel acted in retaliation. But unlike most fighters, Hazel relied on reckless impulse to get him out of the situation. He became like a savage as he pulled on the beast's arms with all of his strength, he gave in to animal-like instinct as he screamed and fought against the monster.

For a moment, Eren saw a reflection of himself. He recalled how he gave into instinct and rage multiple times during his years on Paradis, especially when he struck against Dina's Titan. And Hazel was doing that now, which led to a tremendous feat.

*SNAP*

*SNAP*

*HOWL*

The monster howled in pain after Hazel ripped off its arms. Blood sprayed across the area and on Hazel himself, but the man couldn't care less about that. He used the severed arms as weapons against the dying beast, focusing more on the back rather than its front.

And when the monster finally stopped moving, Hazel turned around just in time to stop the other monster from hitting him. He once again used the severed arms as weapons, which he used to strike at the Grimm's face.

This didn't seem to hurt the Grimm, however. In retaliation, the monster ripped a large piece of stone from the ground and threw it right at Hazel.

*BAM*

*CRASH*

Hazel crashed into the metal pile that was once the Dark Wing after he was hit by the stone. He saw that the beast was charging at him once more, ready to finish the fight once and for all. Hazel could see that sheer strength alone wasn't going to handle this Grimm, but the metal had given him an idea. After he used his Semblance to block out the pain, Hazel grabbed the largest and sharpest piece of broken metal he saw and swung it at the Grimm's torso.

*SHICK*

Once again, blood poured from the creature's large wound. The pain and the amount of blood being lost was enough to make the beast lose focus, which left it wide open to a barrage of fists from Hazel.

*BAM*

*BAM*

*BAM*

*BAM*

The hybrid Grimm stopped moving after Hazel struck it a few times. On the fifth strike, Hazel could see black ash rising off its body. He knew right then and there that the Grimm was as dead as a doornail.

"..."

After the fight was over, Hazel was finally able to rest. His Aura shattered as soon as the ash from the bodies began to rise, but Hazel didn't care. The fights he had just been involved in were perhaps the most important fights in his life. He remembered what Darkness had done to him, how weak he was in that moment. He didn't have an answer as to why he became human again, or where the new and mysterious creatures had come from, but Hazel didn't care anymore.

He just wanted to rest. In his mind, nothing mattered more to Hazel than resting for as long as he could. However, he abandoned this idea when he heard something.

"Yoo-hoo!"

Hazel turned towards the entrance of the castle, where he saw Mercury waving at him with a smug grin. Hazel remembered the young man as clear as day, as well as the numerous injuries he had been given from him. A burning rage overcame Hazel and made him stand once more, with an intense glare and two curled fists.

But Mercury wasn't afraid.

"Bring it on, old man!" Mercury taunted as he gestured for Hazel to come. "Bring it on!"

With a yell, Hazel charged towards Mercury and prepared to grant the young man his request. He didn't care that his Aura was broken, he simply just had to kill the young man who had brought him pain and suffering. And soon enough, all of his friends would follow. Hazel was going to kill everyone in the castle, whether Salem commanded it or not. And in his mind, nothing was going to stop him.

However, a wake-up call from this delusion came in the form of a glowing Eren Yeager and a fist at Hazel's face.

*BAM*

*CRACK*

The plan had worked perfectly. Eren had hidden from view so Hazel would charge directly at Mercury, which would lead Eren to using his Semblance in order to deliver a hard punch at the man's face. While he wasn't able to knock the man out cold, Eren definitely disoriented Hazel after he had received an iron-like strike to his face.

Fortunately, Eren had Mercury's help to knock Hazel unconscious. After he ran towards Hazel and jumped in the air, Mercury quickly and proudly swung his leg at the man's face to deliver a strong and powerful kick.

*BAM*

And this was enough to knock the vulnerable man unconscious and send him hurtling to the ground.

*THUD*

Eren and Mercury stood over their foe in victory. Eren wouldn't normally have anything to say after an attack like this, since his aim was just to beat Hazel rather than gloat. The same, however, couldn't be said for Mercury.

He knew exactly what he wanted to say next.

"...That guy was a dick."

---

After the encounter with Hazel, Eren and Mercury got to work with their respective tasks. Just as Mercury said, he installed the final piece into the airship without much trouble. In turn, Eren returned to the lowest level of Salem's castle to find her crystal shell.

And true to his word, Eren used his Titan to seal the shell within a cave. His Hardening served as the perfect tool to seal the cave, which left Salem right where she belonged.

Alone and a prisoner in the darkness.

Cinder had been busy as well. While Eren and Mercury completed their tasks, Cinder decided that there was something she wanted to take with her on the airship. Something that she believed would help her and her friends

Through her endeavors with Salem and Darkness, Cinder hadn't forgotten about her promise to Councilwoman Redwood. Though being a member of the Hunt Inquisitorius was temporary, Cinder knew that she had a duty to bring Arthur Watts back to Mistral to face justice for his crimes. She was a little puzzled by the scientist's rather neutral attitude about being brought to prison, but Cinder was more concerned about how long the mission had actually taken.

Salem was a top priority, of course, but nobody would believe an immortal witch was the reason for an overdue drop-off.

But when Cinder heard from Midori that Raven had been mauled to death, she had an idea. Nobody would believe a story involving Salem... but they might believe a story involving a notorious bandit and a known murderer.

So in addition to bringing Hazel, Cinder decided to bring Raven's body to Mistral as evidence. She planned to tell Councilwoman Redwood that the group's efforts to bring Watts in had been hampered by Raven and Hazel, who had tried to kill them.

This was technically true, even though it wasn't the whole truth. However, when they realized that they couldn't explain their mission with Salem, Cinder's friends and allies all agreed to her plan.

Watts swore to remain silent about the whole thing.

When Eren returned from sealing Salem away, he found Mercury putting on the final touches to the airship. The work wasn't perfect, but Watts proved to everyone that the transport could still fly. Confident with what they were seeing, everyone boarded the airship and prepared to do one last thing.

Finally go home.

Mercury was the one piloting the ship. His experience with flying the Dark Wing over the ocean was limited, but it was enough to see that flying an airship wasn't too different. He did, however, have Watts close up front since he had more experience with flying. But Vernal had volunteered to watch him in case he tried anything to avoid prison.

That, and she wanted to stay as close to Mercury as possible.

Everyone else in the airship had mostly paired up to keep each other company. Emerald and Midori were close to the unknown woman they had saved, along with Raven's covered body. Midori knew the woman would need medical attention when she woke up, so she wanted to be ready when that time came.

Winter and Ymir were together watching Hazel. He was still unconscious, so watching him was easy. Winter still had Omen, which she had decided to keep for herself. Her old sword had been lost long ago, and Omen was a perfect replacement.

Ymir was given one of Eren's pistol, but she wasn't as watchful or rigid as Winter was being. Instead of watching Hazel like a hawk, Ymir simply sat down and fiddled with the gun.

Ren and Nora were naturally together, and they were the only ones talking while everyone rested. Out of the group, they were the most excited to return to Kuroyuri after delivering Watts and Hazel to the authorities. They both wanted to see An Ren again, but Ren also wanted to do something he should have done a long time ago; pay proper respect to his dead father.

When he brought up the idea to Nora, she immediately supported Ren. Nora, while happy to see that she had her old Ren back, knew that he was still healing from his loss. So she made sure to tell him just how good paying a proper respect would be. And that somewhere, somehow, Li would hear him.

Eren and Cinder were also on board. They too were together, and they were both resting. There weren't any beds in the airship, but they were sitting together against the wall with their hands entwined.

Cinder was resting her head against Eren's shoulder while holding his hand, and she had been smiling from the moment Eren had joined her. She had a multitude of things to be happy about, from Salem and Darkness being locked away where they couldn't hurt anyone ever again to finally finishing her job with Councilwoman Redwood.

But Cinder's greatest blessing was that she had not only told Eren how she felt, but also that he felt the same way.

It was true that Eren reciprocated Cinder's feelings, and it was true that he was also happy about being free of both Salem and Darkness. But despite smiling at Cinder whenever she looked at him, Eren couldn't help but feel... mixed.

He was happy to be with Cinder, but Eren was unhappy that he was the last to know how she felt. Mercury's words rang through his head, which made Eren curse himself for being so blind. But more than that, he still felt bad that Cinder felt that she needed to keep her feelings hidden.

Eren always told Cinder everything, ever since she found out he was from another world. He felt comfortable enough with Cinder to tell her anything that was on his mind, and he believed that she could do the same with him. Eren never wanted Cinder to feel that she had to hide anything from him, so it was hard to think that everyone knew a big secret that he didn't.

Eren wasn't angry at Cinder for keeping her secret, he didn't feel betrayed or anything like that. Instead, he felt disappointed that Cinder believed she couldn't tell him her secret. Because of this, it was easy for Eren to draw the conclusion that he had said or done something to Cinder to make her hide her feelings.

But for the life of him, Eren couldn't think of what he had said or done to Cinder. And now, he was starting to become unsure of what she saw in him.

Eren was able to hide these thoughts behind a smile each time Cinder looked at him, but there were two people who noticed Eren's feelings.

"Hey, Ren?" Nora asked to get Ren's attention. "Does Eren look a little... down to you?"

Ren looked over to Eren, who was sitting far enough to be unable to hear either of them. After he took a moment to study Eren, Ren looked back to Nora and replied.

"He looks a little tired," Ren replied. "But after what happened today, who can blame him?" The young man stretched his arms up for a moment. "I mean, I'm tired too."

Nora let out a small sigh of exhaustion. "Yeah, me too."

Ren raised an eyebrow at Nora with a smirk. "You? No way."

Nora giggled at the sarcasm for a moment. "Don't worry, I'll be up and at 'em tomorrow!" She then shared a laugh with Ren before she looked back to Eren. "I think you're right, but... I don't know, Eren looks a little off."

Ren took another look at Eren, but didn't see anything unordinary. "What makes you so sure?"

"I just noticed he only smiles when Cinder looks at him. I don't know, I just thought he should be happier. You know, with everything that's happened to him."

"...Everything?"

Nora immediately recognized her mistake. "Okay, maybe not everything. But you don't notice anything off?"

Ren took one more look at Eren, which caused him to see what Nora was talking about. Cinder had turned to Eren to tell him something, and he was smiling as she spoke. But the second she turned away, Eren dropped the smile and looked more melancholy than he just appeared.

Ren didn't want to pry into Eren's personal business, but he decided to take a small glance at him through his Semblance. Once he did, Ren could see that a multiple of petals were surrounding Eren. Cinder was only feeling happiness, but Eren's happiness was being diminished by other feelings.

Negative feelings.

"...Huh," Ren said after he turned off his Semblance. "Eren definitely has something on his mind."

Nora frowned at the idea. "Aw, really?" she asked in disappointment. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know." Ren shook his head. "But I don't think Eren would like us prying into his business."

"..."

Nora could see where Ren was coming from, especially since he was already upset. If she tried pushing him, it might cause more harm than good. However, Nora desired to see her friends be happy that they were finally leaving.

Especially Eren.

Nora couldn't help but focus on Eren and think of reasons as to why he seemed upset. Perhaps it was his fight with Salem, or his possession by Darkness, or even the close call he had with the freaks. Nora's mind raced with all the possibilities, but she couldn't decide on one of them. In fact, it seemed possible that all of them were bothering Eren.

Nora knew she couldn't decide on a single factor, but she suddenly knew that there was something she could do to help.

Back at Salem's castle, when everyone was looking for Eren, Nora felt guilty about him. Namely, she felt guilty that Eren went out of his way to say good things about her and everyone else while she said nothing. Nora had hoped that finding him would give her the chance to make things right, but she was distracted by Darkness' cruel trick and attack.

But now, Nora saw the opportunity before her. Now, she knew that she could return Eren's favor and make him feel better. And so, Nora walked straight over to Eren so she could talk to him. Ren followed her, since he didn't know what she was about to do.

But when he found out, Ren had no intention of stopping Nora.

"Hey, Eren," Nora said calmly when she stopped in front of him. "Got a minute?"

"Huh?" Eren asked as he snapped out of his thoughts. When he saw that Nora was standing in front of him, Eren focused on her instead of his thoughts. "Oh, sure. Do you need something, Nora?"

"Uh... sort of."

"..."

Nora didn't exactly plan this out. She just leapt into the situation without thinking how she was going to say what she wanted to say. In fact, she didn't even plan on what she would say. However, Nora wasn't nervous. She knew that she wanted to say something to return the kindness Eren gave her earlier. So instead of overthinking or choking on her words, Nora decided to stop sugarcoating and speak from her heart.

Eren deserved that, after all.

"Eren, I just wanted to thank you," Nora began. "For everything that you did back there. You did a lot of really great things, you know that?"

"..."

Eren wasn't expecting something like this so suddenly. He didn't forget how he stopped Salem or saved that woman, but he also didn't forget how Darkness took hold of him. So it was easy to not be prepared for gratitude.

"Gee, uh... thanks, Nora," Eren awkwardly replied. "But I'm not that great."

"Yeah, you are!" Nora immediately countered. "You've been great from the first moment I met you!" Nora looked over to Cinder as well. "You too, Cinder! You guys helped me with those bullies, you saved Kuroyuri time and again, and you didn't give up on me when I had seconds thoughts about going after the SDC!" Nora looked to Eren again. "I know things went sideways back there, but you didn't give up. You never give up. And that's what's so great about you, Eren."

"..."

This definitely came as a surprise to Eren. After all, the praise and admiration came out of nowhere. He wasn't just grateful for what Nora had said, but also grateful for how it made him feel.

For a moment, things didn't sound so bad for Eren. For one moment, he had forgotten to doubt himself. And that moment would soon turn into a long time, thanks to what happened next.

"Nora's not wrong, Eren," said Ren, who decided to follow Nora's example. He could see the positive effect she had on Eren, and now Ren wanted to help with that effect. "The things you've done all seem impossible. There was a time when I would have been too scared or too ignorant to think about doing what had to be done, but that changed because I met you. You showed me what could happen if I decided to be brave. And you gave me the chance to keep being brave." Ren smiled at Eren. "I'd like to thank you too."

"..."

Once again, Eren had forgotten how he had been previously feeling. Ren and Nora made him feel humbled and happy; he had no idea that he had left such an impact on them, just like how they had impacted him.

It was something Eren didn't know that he needed to hear.

"...Wow," said Eren. "I mean, thanks, guys. I'm glad you feel that way." Eren couldn't help but laugh for a second. "Sorry, I'm just surprised that came out of nowhere."

"Well, I was thinking about the stuff you said about me earlier," said Nora. "I thought you'd like to hear something back."

Eren indeed liked hearing this truth, and it only got better when another voice filled the air.

"I was thinking about it too," said Midori, who turned to look at Eren. "I heard how you went after that Hound when it grabbed me. And you stood in Salem's way when she started talking to me." Midori smiled at Eren. "Thanks for keeping the promise you made me, Eren. It's good to know I can trust you when it really counts."

"Me too," said Emerald, who joined in with her friends. "You saved my life in the best way possible, Eren. I can't wait to test my Titan again." Everyone laughed for a moment before Emerald spoke again. "I'm sure you were thinking it was a big risk. I mean, everything we did was a risk. But I think I learned that risks are what make life worth living." Emerald smiled. "Thanks for teaching me that, Eren."

Once again, Eren was humbled by the gratitude of his friends, as well as the honesty they were all sharing. To know that he left such an impact on them, one that didn't require violence or death like the Rumbling did, was something he would cherish forever.

Cinder was about to share her own feelings and gratitude, but Mercury spoke up first. He didn't mean to interrupt Cinder, all he wanted was to say his piece.

"You saved my life too, Eren," Mercury said. "More times than I can count, actually. But after you took care of my dad... I was free. I mean, I could do whatever I wanted without having to look over my shoulder every three seconds." Mercury chuckled as he looked over to an assortment of tools. "Who would've thought I would find my passion because of it?"

Eren chuckled as well. "It's like I said, Mercury," he replied. "There's nothing you can't build or fix."

"Glad you think so. Because it looks like I'll be pretty busy with Soaring Freedom for a little while. Can't believe your guns were the only things to make it out in one piece."

"You and me both."

Eren and Mercury shared a laugh once more, one that was shared by everyone else in the cabin. Vernal decided to follow her boyfriend's lead, even though she didn't have too much to say about Eren. However, she had a plan to fix this.

"Yeah, I guess you're saving people left and right, Eren," she said. "My ass included. I owe you one."

Eren smiled as he shook his head. "It's fine, Vernal," he insisted. "No big deal."

"We'll agree to disagree. Besides, I said we'd get to know each other better when we get back home. How about a sparring match after Merc fixes up your weapons?"

"Sounds good. Can't wait."

"..."

Silence filled the cabin of the airship when all eyes fell onto a specific person. Everyone had recognized that they were all talking in the same order Eren spoke to them in the Dark Wing. And now, that pattern had fallen to Winter Schnee, who was oblivious to the similar pattern they were following.

Whether it was to help or simply for fun, Ymir elbowed Winter's side to get her attention. Winter was annoyed at first, but she understood what was going on when everyone looked at her.

"Oh!" Winter said as she realized what was happening. "I, um... I..."

Nora and Mercury couldn't help but laugh a little at Winter's silence. Eren thought it was a bit funny as well, but he didn't laugh. "It's okay, Winter," he said calmly. "You don't have to say anything. I mean, it's my fault you were out here in the first place."

"Maybe so," Winter agreed. "But looking back, I think it was for the best. I've mentioned how unorthodox your methods have been, but I think that's what helped you succeed. I think I'll try to keep that in mind, whatever happens to me in the future."

"..."

Eren had almost forgotten that Winter had been arrested in Atlas. That Lieutenant he had met was certainly no pushover, and news of Winter helping him arrest Watts would certainly draw some bad attention to her.

But Winter didn't seem to be concerned about that. Instead, she had something else she wanted to say.

"I can see that unorthodox method passed on to your friends as well," Winter continued. "Especially you, Cinder. Infrigdando was correct about some people not liking revolutionaries, but I think your heart is in the right place. Of course, I've never gotten into politics before. So all I can do is urge you to be careful... and wish you good luck."

This time, it was Cinder who was grateful and humbled by Winter's words. She knew she had her differences with Winter, but Cinder had grown to respect the Atlesian for what she had done in the past couple of days. And there were times when her dreams and plans regarding Huntsmen and Huntresses felt that they would be hard to accomplish, so Cinder was grateful for the wish of good luck.

Cinder knew without a doubt that Eren supported her, but it was nice to hear someone like Winter wish her the best.

"...Thank you, Winter," Cinder said politely. "I mean it. Something tells me I'm gonna need that luck." She laughed a little at the idea, which caused Winter to laugh in return. "But I think delivering Watts to the Council is a good start."

"On that, we agree," said Winter.

Ymir suddenly spoke next, but she decided to talk to Cinder first. "There's no such thing as luck," she said cynically. "But even if there was, you probably wouldn't need it. You got the looks, so you're fine." She then looked at Eren with a sly smirk. "You have terrible taste in men, but I'm sure you got your charm to make up for that."

Eren immediately retaliated against Ymir's comment, but not out of hostility. "Terrible taste, huh?" he repeated sarcastically. "I guess it's better than no taste. Right, Ymir?"

"...Meh."

Everyone laughed at the banter between the two Eldians. Ymir laughed too, since she believed that she had won the argument. But despite it all, and despite her personal opinion of Eren Yeager, there was something else Ymir wanted to say.

"I gotta say, though, if I hadn't come along, I wouldn't have gotten my body back," she said. "So I guess it's a good thing I did. Oh, and by the way... it's good to see you too, Eren."

"..."

Everyone laughed again, since they recalled how Eren didn't have anything positive to say about Ymir at the time. He should have seen that comment coming, but all he could do now was laugh.

But the idea of Ymir and Winter suddenly made Eren grow serious.

"Oh, yeah," he began. "What do you think you two are gonna do now? I mean, you have your body back, Ymir. And Winter, Raven broke you out of Atlas. Are you two gonna be okay?"

"Eh, I'll be okay," said Ymir. "But yeah, what about you, Winter? What's your plan?"

"I've been thinking about that too," said Winter. "But I expect the military would have contacted the Mistral Council by now. If I explain how Raven used her Semblance to break me out, so she could gain information on you all, I should be fine. And since we'll be going to Mistral, perhaps the Council will protect me. For now."

"..."

Everyone had their own opinion about Winter, but they all shared a wish to not see her behind bars. She had displayed bravery, skill, and dedication at Salem's castle. These were qualities that called for reward, not punishment. And since Eren already felt bad enough about Darkness, he knew that he had to help out somehow.

"Maybe we can back you up," he said. "To the Council and Atlas."

"Yeah!" Cinder included. "I think we're supposed to talk to the Council about our work as a part of the Hunt Inquisitorius anyway. We could put in a good word for you."

Winter was surprised to hear such an offer, especially from the likes of Eren and Cinder. She was especially grateful, since she didn't have too much faith in her own plan.

"That... would be appreciated," she said. "Thank you."

Eren decided to take the offer a step further. "And if you need a place to stay, maybe you could come home with us," he said. "I mean, I know how everyone reacted when they saw you, but if we-"

"Let's just focus on getting to Mistral. We'll figure it out later. Again, thank you."

Eren nodded before he looked at Ymir. "What about you, Ymir?"

"Uh... let me think about it a little," she said. "I mean, I still wanna leave sometime soon. But I guess there's gotta be some way I'll get roped in with you lot again. So yeah, I'll think about it."

"..."

"But, you know... thanks for the offer."

Eren was about to accept the gratitude Ymir and Winter had given him, but he suddenly focused on something hugging his arm. When he looked to his left, he could see that it was Cinder, who was looking at him with a smile.

"Being nice like this is only one of the things I appreciate about you, Eren," she insisted. "I've got a lot more to say. It might take up the rest of the trip."

"Ten Lien says you could write a book about it!" Mercury said. Everyone laughed again, but Cinder couldn't help but blush at the idea.

In her mind, it was probably true.

"Okay, I guess I'll make it short, then," she said before she made eye contact with her new boyfriend. "Eren... you once said that you thought that I was better than you. Even though I constantly tell you how much we're alike. But I don't really think I'm better than you. I think that because... because you're my hero."

"..."

"And I'm not saying that just because I love you. I'm saying that I think you are a hero. Everyone always gave you crap for jumping head-first into danger, but I never saw them being the first to face danger. They'd probably say they were being smart, but they were never as brave as you. And everything you do has been to protect the people who love you."

"..."

"I know you might thinking about the Rumbling and all, how it destroyed most of your old world. But that doesn't mean you weren't protecting everyone on Paradis. Nothing's gonna change the fact that you know how to protect people. And one of those people was me."

"..."

"I read so many stories about heroes when I was a kid, when I lived on that poor excuse of a farm. But they never changed or inspired me like you do. They never showed me that I could be brave, or strong, or anything more than I was when I was an orphan. Not even the Huntsmen could inspire me. Because they're not you, Eren. You're my hero."

"..."

Cinder knew she was getting very personal and showing vulnerability in front of everyone else in the airship, but she didn't care. She felt secure with Eren, she felt that she could be her most honest self when she was with him.

"Again, I'm not saying that because I love you. Mercury's probably right, I could fill up a book about that." This time, she laughed with everyone after she said this. "But it's true. You're my hero... and I love you."

Once again, Cinder knew that she was being very vulnerable by using that word. There was actually a time where she would keep such feelings to herself, that she was afraid of how people would act if they knew the real Cinder.

However, Eren showed Cinder that she didn't have to be so withdrawn or protective of herself. And now, he gave her a reason to show that her trust had not been misplaced.

"I love you too, Cinder," Eren said honestly, expressing the same kind of vulnerability as he gently caressed her face. "And you are better than me."

Cinder accepted the kindness and honesty from Eren by happily giving him a kiss, one that he eagerly reciprocated.

"Aww," said Nora, who was immediately followed by the rest of her friends. The rest were a little more comical than Nora's, but Eren and Cinder didn't really mind. They knew that everyone was still happy for them, and Eren knew that everyone had been very honest with him.

And this actually helped Nora feel better, after Ren whispered in her ear.

"Psst, Nora," Ren whispered calmly. When Nora gave Ren her attention, he pointed back to Eren and spoke again. "He's much better now."

Nora immediately remembered that Eren was feeling sad a little while ago, right before she and everyone else talked to him. She was worried about him at first, but Ren's words made her feel better.

"Really?" she asked hopefully. "Are you sure?"

"I can see it," Ren replied as he looked at Eren. After he saw much more colorful petals fall around Eren, Ren took Nora's hand with a smile. "You're great too, Nora. Don't forget that."

Nora found herself speechless from Ren's praise. She felt just as humbled and grateful as Eren did when everyone talked to him. She also began to feel a little better about herself, since she recalled how she doubted herself when she was looking for Eren.

But now, all Nora could feel was happiness as she silently held Ren's hand with a smile.

"Yes, yes. You're such an inspiration, Mr. Yeager."

All eyes turned to a cynical Arthur Watts, who had been watching and listening to the whole thing with mild annoyance. "Now if you're all down fawning over the young man, I'd like my last moments of freedom to be spent in silence," he said as he turned to the window.

"Wow," Mercury said slowly. "Way to ruin the moment, Artie."

"Buzzkill," said Nora.

Vernal joined her own boyfriend and looked out the window again. "Whatever," she said as she sat beside Mercury.

Eren and Cinder were a little annoyed by Watts' behavior. But they knew that such a thing should have been expected from him. He may have helped them, but Watts was still their prisoner. Any semblance of alliance and truce were all gone now, despite the fact that Watts promised to take his knowledge of the day's events to his grave. Nobody would believe him if he told the truth, anyway.

However, Eren wasn't as annoyed this time. For in his mind, he had unfinished business with the scientist.

"Actually, Watts..." Eren began as he walked towards the scientist. "I wanted to talk to you before we landed." Cinder instinctively joined Eren, even though she was unsure what he wanted with Watts.

"...Oh?" Watts asked hesitantly. He recalled how his experiences with Eren were rarely pleasant, and he was rather angry about Salem's experiments. So anger was definitely to be expected.

But Eren was past the point of anger now. His friends were mostly to thank for that, especially Cinder. Now, all Eren wanted was something similar to what he wanted before he died back home.

He wanted a chance to talk to Watts personally.

"I can't forgive you," Eren said calmly as he looked upon the scientist. "For helping Salem all that time. Especially with your work with the Titans."

Watts simply shrugged off the idea. "I don't recall asking for forgiveness," he calmly retorted. "I know I helped Salem, but I do stand by my work. All of it."

Eren simply nodded. "Right. But I'm not demanding any repentance or anything. I can't forgive you, but..." Eren suddenly extended a hand to Watts. "You have my thanks. For turning against her. For helping us kill all the Titans."

"..."

Neither Cinder nor Watts were expecting Eren to display any kind of respect like this. However, Cinder was the only one who understood why Eren was doing this. After all, Eren managed to find the time and ability to talk to each and every one of his friends before their fight. He may have erased their memories of the conversations, but he still made peace with them all.

He even made peace with Reiner, who had attacked Paradis on multiple occasions. Eren had managed to put aside his personal feelings to do this, and now it seemed he wanted to make a sort of peace with Watts.

And Watts, while highly skeptical of Eren's intentions, decided to play things safe and shake the young man's hand.

"Yes, well... it seems I made the right choice," said Watts. He would never forget that Eren had done the impossible, that he had stopped an immortal woman who could control Grimm. Standing by him, despite ending up in prison, was definitely the right choice.

"It seems that way," Eren said as he let go of Watts' hand. "Still... it's hard to believe she's gone."

"...Were it so easy."

"..."

The silence that followed was immediately broken by Cinder, who saw an opportunity to do something she suddenly wanted.

"You know, Watts..." she began calmly. "That's something I've been wondering about."

"What's that?" Watts asked.

"Making choices." Cinder sat down next to the scientist. "You're smart, we all know that. You've made a lot of choices, but there's one I don't really understand. What drove your choice to join Salem?"

"Ah, yes." Watts began to relax in his seat. "That choice seemed very easy at the time. It's a rather long story, actually. One I doubt you'd be interested to hear."

Eren suddenly disproved Watts' idea. "No, I actually would," he said as he sat down. "I mean, we both would. Right, Cinder?"

"Yeah, definitely," Cinder replied. "Tell us what happened."

Watts was mildly surprised by the interest, but he accepted the offer to explain himself. After all, any story he had would become moot after he was arrested.

"As you might know, I was a scientist from Atlas," Watts began. "Also a doctor, mind you."

"Yeah, Winter told us," said Cinder. "She said you worked with the military."

"Indeed I did. The army, the Huntsmen, even under General Ironwood. I even helped him upgrade his prosthetics."

"Prosthetics?" Eren asked. "What prosthetics?"

"He's missing his right arm and leg. He refused to tell me the details, but his right arm and leg are entirely metal."

"Really?" Cinder asked in amazement. "Huh. Can't believe I never noticed."

"Me neither," said Eren. "So you worked closely with him, then?"

"I did," Watts confirmed. "I gave him everything he asked for. Weapons, armor, even the Atlesian Knights." Watts sighed as he thought back on his work. "Though, looking back, I suppose it was never enough for the man."

Something sparked within Cinder as she heard this. "I know what you mean," she said. "I've only been to Atlas twice, but I know how greedy they are." Eren nodded to back up Cinder's claim.

"I'm afraid 'greed' doesn't do those people justice, my dear. The lengths people go in order to stay in power even had the potential to surprise me. I mean, that's what happened to me, in the end."

"How so?" Eren asked. "You wanted more from Atlas?"

"No, I was mostly content with my position. It was the imbeciles beneath me that I couldn't stand. But no, the General apparently saw something in all of them."

"You were working with a team?" Cinder asked.

"Unfortunately, yes. I insisted that my work was for my eyes alone, but Atlas wanted more. More scientists, more results, more things to have work for them."

It was easy for Cinder to see how greedy Atlas could be. And it seemed they wanted more machines and products to make them stay on top of the world. To make themselves "the greatest Kingdom."

"So, what happened?" Eren asked.

"There was... a conflict of interest," Watts explained. "General Ironwood turned his eyes to some fat bastard named Polendina. He had a project of his own that caught the man's attention. And believe me, it wasn't just senseless or idiotic; it went against the very laws of nature! For no purpose whatsoever!"

"What was it?" Cinder asked. "The project?"

"Let's just say it was an evolution of artificial intelligence. Something better left alone, unless man wants machine to replace us."

"...But the General didn't agree," Eren concluded.

"No, he did not. When I tried to stop the project, Ironwood not only rejected me. He disgraced me. Humiliated me across the entire Kingdom! After everything I gave him!"

Eren knew that Watts was angry just by the memory of the events, but he remained completely calm. And it was this peace of mind that allowed Eren to draw a conclusion.

"...Salem offered you revenge," he said.

"Yes," Watts confirmed. "When I saw the things she could do, the kind of person she was, I thought I would be an idiot not to accept her offer. To have Ironwood grovel at my feet was all I ever wanted. It's still all that I want." Watts sighed as he shook his head. "Though, I suppose I should have left Ironwood a long time ago. It's not like he ever trusted me."

Another sigh was heard, but it was from Cinder this time. Watts' story had a much bigger impact on her than she believed, since she had her own perception of Atlas and its people.

"Atlas, Atlas, Atlas," she said as she shook her head. "It's all a load of crap. I've seen it myself. Even the military is screwed up. All they want is more, more, more! Gods, the whole thing just drives me-!"

"..."

"...Yes?" Watts asked.

Cinder fell silent when she realized what she was saying. She couldn't believe that she was starting to sympathize with a man who had worked with someone like Salem. It was something that made her feel sick to her stomach, so she stopped immediately.

"Uh... it's nothing," she said. Cinder had a feeling someone was going to ask her about her tirade, but she managed to change the subject before anyone could ask her. "Oh, what about Hazel?"

"Hazel?" Watts asked as he turned to the unconscious man. "What about him?"

"What's his story? Why'd he join Salem?"

Cinder's plan had worked with Watts, but Eren could tell that something was off. "Cinder?" he asked. "Were you about to say-?"

"No, it's not important," Cinder quickly replied. "Let's hear about Hazel."

"Well, I don't think there's too much to say about him," Watts insisted. "Hazel wanted revenge as well."

"Against Atlas?"

"Against the Huntsmen. For what happened to him years ago."

Eren, while mildly concerned about Cinder's outburst, became curious when he heard about Hazel. "What happened?" he asked.

"Hazel had a sister named Gretchen," Watts explained. "Twins, I believe. Despite her brother's wishes, Gretchen enrolled at Beacon Academy to become a Huntress."

Cinder shook her head. "Well, she made a poor career choice," she said dryly.

"Indeed. And she didn't even see it through."

Cinder became curious again. "You mean she quit?"

"No, she died."

"...Oh."

Cinder felt a little bad for disrespecting the dead like she did. And so, she decided to remain silent as Watts told the rest of the story.

"Yes, on a training mission," the scientist continued. "I don't know how it happened, I only know she's dead. But Hazel never got over it. He blamed every Huntsmen and Huntress on Remnant, but mostly Ozpin."

"Ozpin?" Eren asked. "You mean Ozma? Why does Hazel blame him?"

"Well, Ozpin is still the Headmaster of Beacon. He's been there for a long time, even during young Gretchen's time. So it's easy to understand his rage."

Eren began to understand Hazel now. "He thinks they should have done more for her," he believed.

"Well, yes," Watts confirmed. "But he also believes Gretchen should have never been at Beacon in the first place." Watts looked over to Cinder. "He's actually like you, Ms. Fritz. Not very good with Huntsmen or Huntresses."

"Why?" Eren asked.

Watts looked back to Eren as he answered the question. "He and Gretchen had some sort of conflict with corrupt Huntsmen," he said. "He only talked about it once, I don't remember everything. But I know the corrupt Huntsmen hurt him somehow, and so he..."

The rest of the conversation began to fade out for Cinder. She didn't raise her voice like before, but she began to feel another connection with the story. First, it was her own perception of Atlas and its corrupt nature. And now, Cinder was comparing her feelings regarding Huntsmen and Huntresses to what Hazel was feeling.

But she wasn't happy about this. Cinder wasn't happy to know that she had more in common with Watts and Hazel than she previously knew about. It made her feel disgusted, it made her doubt everything she believed in.

And more than that, it reminded her of a conversation she had with Darkness.

"I can see how much you hate. How much you loathe Atlas, the Huntsmen, and everything in the world that makes you unhappy. You don't want to make things better. You just hate things the way they are."

Cinder couldn't help but question herself when she thought about that conversation. Just like she couldn't help but question herself when she listened to the stories Watts had told.

Was Darkness right about her? Was she really as bad as people like Watts?

Like Salem?

"Cinder?"

"Ah!" Cinder yelped when she heard the sound of her name. This small yelp alarmed Eren, who was the one that tried to talk to her.

"Whoa, are you okay?" he asked. Watts said nothing, but he was caught off guard with Cinder's reaction.

But Cinder was able to play it off.

"Uh, yeah!" she said quickly. "I'm fine. Sorry, I just got distracted. What were we talking about?"

"Watts just finished telling us about Hazel. You sure you're-?"

"Aw, dammit!"

Eren and Cinder, as well as everyone else in the cabin, had their eyes on their pilot when he cursed something that had bothered him.

"Merc, you okay?" Nora asked.

"Uh, yeah," Mercury said as he rubbed his eyes. "Sorry, I just hate it when the sun glares up the windshield."

"Oh, yeah. I've been there a few-"

"Wait a second," Ren quickly said. "Mercury, did you say the sun? You can see the sun?"

Mercury pointed towards the window, unsure why Ren seemed so serious. "Duh, of course I said the... sun..."

At that moment, Mercury began to understand why Ren was so serious. In fact, everyone in the cabin shared Ren's feelings. Cinder had forgotten about her worries as soon as she heard the word "sun." It normally wouldn't have much significance, but there was something everyone knew about the object in the sky.

The sun never shined in the Land of Darkness.

All of a sudden, everyone rushed towards the windshield to see the sight for themselves. Once they did, they could see that the red sky was finally dissipating. There were no Grimm or any signs of red anymore. Instead, everyone could see the normal clouds in the sky, a perfectly blue ocean beneath them, and the sun beginning to set in the sky.

At first, everyone was surprised to see that they had been gone for so long. They left for Salem's castle at daybreak, and now it was early evening. But that wasn't the important thing. The sun, the clouds, and the sight of land within the distance told everyone something they had been waiting all day to see.

They were finally home.

---

As soon as the airship crossed over the first trees of the mainland, Cinder made a call to Councilwoman Redwood. As she predicted, the Councilwoman was alarmed by how long Cinder and her friends had apparently been missing. She had been informed by the Atlas Council of Watts' arrest, but she was surprised that Cinder hadn't arrived with him by now.

After apologizing for the delay, Cinder promised that she had Watts in custody as well as a good reason as to why they were behind schedule. She mentioned that they were on their way to Mistral now in an airship, so Councilwoman Redwood prepared to meet them at a landing pad near the capital building with members of the police.

That was where the airship had landed, where Cinder greeted Councilwoman Redwood personally. The Councilwoman shook Cinder's hand and remained polite, but it was easy to notice how she was beginning to lose patience and faith in Cinder's group.

"Welcome back, Ms. Fritz," Councilwoman Redwood began after she shook Cinder's hand. "I see you've returned in one piece."

"Thank you, Councilwoman," Cinder replied. "And we did. Mostly."

"You have your prisoner?"

"We do."

Cinder turned around and beckoned for someone to join her. That someone was Winter, who was keeping a firm grip on Watts' shoulder. Watts was currently handcuffed and had Omen pointed at him, so he didn't resist.

Councilwoman Redwood got a good look at Watts and compared that to a picture she had received from the Atlas Council. When she saw that the faces matched, Redwood turned to the first police officer she saw.

"I'm sure you remember Detective Montoya, Ms. Fritz," she asked confidently. "She volunteered to carry out the arrest when she heard you were involved."

"Oh, of course," Cinder said as she extended a hand to the police officer. "It's good to see you again, ma'am."

"Looks that way," said Detective Montoya. "We just keep on meeting under these circumstances, after all." When she got a look at Watts, and then compared his face to the picture Councilwoman Redwood shared with her, the detective turned to her partners. "Alright, take him away."

Two uniformed police officers took Watts away from Winter and nodded at the soldier. The scientist was then taken away from the landing pad, where he would be taken to a prepared cell.

Cinder was happy to see that Watts had been taken care of, but she was a little nervous about the lack of other officers.

"Um... were those the only officers you had?" Cinder asked.

"That's right," said the detective. "Watts doesn't need that much of a security detail." Montoya suddenly noticed how nervous Cinder looked. "Why do you ask?"

Cinder turned back to the Councilwoman. "Well, I tried to explain over the phone that we had a reason for being late. And uh..." Cinder pointed towards the airship she arrived in. "We might need some help putting him away."

Councilwoman Redwood raised an eyebrow at the statement. "Him?" she asked. "Who are you-?"

*BAM*

*BAM*

"Get off me!"

"Dammit it, stop!"

"Hold him still!"

"We're trying!"

Councilwoman Redwood and Detective Montoya looked back to the airship in surprise when they heard a commotion and voices. When they did, they saw Eren and everyone else the Councilwoman met struggling with a much larger man, someone twice than everyone's size.

Eren and his friends were working together to try and get Hazel out of the airship and prevent him from escaping but this was very hard. Unfortunately, Hazel was making that quite difficult by resisting and trying to shake everyone off of him. But everyone held on as tight as they could, and Eren was even using his Semblance to make his hold stronger.

Unfortunately, Cinder couldn't help her friends right now.

"He's part of the reason," Cinder replied calmly. "Watts wasn't working alone. You can ask Watts if you don't believe me, but that's-"

"Whoa, whoa, wait a second," said Montoya, who was looking at Hazel very carefully. She was just as surprised as Councilwoman Redwood, but Montoya was the first to see how serious the situation had become. "I know that guy, he's..." Montoya quickly reached for a radio she was wearing. "Dispatch, we have a code thirteen at the capital building. Requesting immediate backup."

"Say again, Montoya," a voice on the radio replied. "Code thirteen?"

"Confirmed, Dispatch. One of Remnant's Most Wanted is here. Send backup and an airship."

"Copy, Montoya. Calling all available officers right now."

As soon as Montoya let go of her radio, she looked back at Cinder in disbelief. "First two Councilmen, and now this?" she asked. "How do you kids do it?"

Cinder was a little embarrassed by Montoya's disbelief, which led her to awkwardly laugh as she rubbed the back of her head. "I... I don't know," she said. "I-"

"Wait a minute," said Councilwoman Redwood. "Detective, did you say 'Remnant's Most Wanted?'"

"That's right, ma'am," Montoya replied as she became serious once again. "The Kingdoms have a shared list of wanted men and women who've been nothing but trouble all across the world, and-"

"No, I know about the list." Councilwoman Redwood pointed towards Hazel. "Are you saying that man is on it?" She then looked to Cinder. "Are you saying that she found one of Remnant's Most Wanted?"

Cinder was still feeling awkward about the shared reaction between Redwood and Montoya, but she put in one more detail.

"Uh, we all did," she said as she pointed to her friends, who had managed to pin Hazel on his knees.

Montoya acknowledged this fact silently before she answered the Councilwoman. "That's Hazel Rainart, ma'am," she said. "He's wanted for murder across all four Kingdoms. There've been reports of sightings across the Kingdoms, but anyone who pursued him ended up missing. Or dead."

"..."

Councilwoman Redwood didn't know what to say. She was a little annoyed with Cinder for being late with Watts, but now she could see that her annoyance was definitely misplaced. If Hazel was as dangerous as Detective Montoya said, then Cinder and her friends had gone beyond all expectations.

It seems her faith wasn't misplaced after all.

"He's getting up!" Mercury said. "He's getting up!"

"I got him, I got him!" said Eren, who was pushing down on Hazel with all his strength.

All three women were equally alarmed by Hazel's resistance and strength, and they knew something had to be done.

"I better go help them," Montoya said as she reached for a taser she was carrying. As she ran over to help Eren and his friends, the officer reached for her radio again. "Dispatch, where's that backup?!"

Cinder also wanted to help her friends, but she didn't think her conversation with Redwood was finished. Fortunately, the Councilwoman sensed Cinder's desire to help as well as the gravity of the situation. And so, after she was told to meet Redwood in her office after the situation was under control, Cinder ran towards Hazel to help Eren and her friends.

The airship Montoya had provided came about five minutes after she made the call. The detective had used her taser on Hazel and Eren had used some of the wire that survived Soaring Freedom's destruction to tie Hazel's hands, but Hazel still made his arrest difficult. However, they were all able to hold their own and prevent the murderer from escaping.

A team of ten officers had managed to properly secure Hazel and lock him in the airship. Montoya would have called a Huntsman on the scene as well, but she saw that Eren and his friends had done a much better job keeping Hazel from escaping than possibly anyone else could.

After Hazel was detained, Montoya asked for an official statement from the group. Eren decided to take the lead and explain that Hazel was an accomplice of Watts, which was technically true. They had worked together under Salem, after all.

Mercury took over and explained that Hazel attacked them after they detained Watts, which was also technically the truth. He then explained the destruction of the Dark Wing, something that Hazel was capable of lifting on his own, that prevented an early return to Mistral.

Cinder and Winter then worked together to explain the last factor of their delay. They explained how Winter had been abducted by Raven Branwen, an enemy of the group, in order to plan and conduct an attack on them. Cinder explained that they had met Raven before, after she tried and failed to plunder their hometown of Kuroyuri.

But before they could detain her, Raven was killed by an incredibly strong Grimm.

Detective Montoya was no stranger to the aftermath of a Grimm attack, since the capital of Mistral had some isolated incidents of Grimm breaching the city defenses. And when she got a look at Raven Branwen, who had been brought out of the airship, she could verify that the culprit was indeed a Grimm. She wasn't a doctor or coroner, but the telltale signs of a Grimm attack were more than evident.

Thankfully, no damage had been done to Raven's face. This made it easier for Detective Montoya to identify the notorious bandit.

When she decided that she had everything she needed, between the evidence and testimonies everyone gave her, Detective Montoya took her leave. She still didn't know how a bunch of teenagers were able to deal with people like Watts, Hazel, and Raven all at the same time, but she didn't have any complaints.

She was going to tell everyone that Mistral needed people like them.

Everyone was very proud to hear this, especially Eren and Cinder. Eren was happy that he had completed a mission that made him feel like he was a soldier once again, that he had gotten in touch with his roots as a member of the Survey Corps once more.

That, and Salem's influence over Remnant was fading away at an incredible pace. Without her, Remnant was free of the witch's power over Grimm and man alike.

Cinder was happy that she had managed to not only keep her reputation, but also expand on it. Montoya's promise to spread the news of the success made Cinder feel that she was one step closer to her goal of societal reform. She had proven that Huntsmen and Huntresses weren't the only solutions to the world's problems, that there were better options than them.

If she kept working like this, then perhaps society wouldn't revolve so much around Huntsmen and Huntresses. Especially the ones that were corrupt and negligent.

After Montoya left with Hazel and her fellow officers, the members of the Hunt Inquisitorius went into the capital building to meet Councilwoman Redwood once again. Midori, Ymir, and Vernal were the only ones who stayed behind on the airship. Ymir and Vernal didn't have licenses like everyone else, and Midori wanted to keep an eye on the sickly passenger.

With that, Councilwoman Redwood was joined by Eren, Cinder, Ren, Nora, Mercury, Emerald, and Winter.

"They just walked in now," said Councilwoman Redwood, who was on the phone. "Yes, I have all the details from your report right here. Yes, I'll be sure to tell them. Thank you for your assistance, Detective. Give the commissioner my regards. Take care, goodnight."

*CLICK*

After she put away her Scroll, Councilwoman Redwood looked up at her company with a smile. "Good evening, everyone," she said. "Before we begin, I'd like to apologize for the rather... unwelcome greeting you had upon arriving." Redwood looked directly at Cinder. "Especially you, Ms. Fritz. Had I known about the details of your delay, I wouldn't have been so pessimistic."

Cinder, like everyone else, easily understood why the Councilwoman had been impatient. Eren knew that there was a risk of not bringing Watts directly to Mistral, but he had to keep the bigger picture in mind. Cinder was also aware of this risk, which was the reason she understood Councilwoman Redwood's attitude.

"We understand," she said politely. "I know they were never part of the plan, it just... sort of happened."

Surprisingly, Councilwoman Redwood found this easy to believe. "Well, the outskirts of Mistral never had the security we have in this city. I'm sure you know all about that."

"Yes, ma'am."

Eren put a hand on Cinder's shoulder as he stepped forward. "That's why we're here," said Eren. "To make things better for everyone. And with Cinder's help, I know things will be better already."

Cinder couldn't help but let her cheeks grow red as Eren gave his opinion, which he believed to be nothing but the truth. And they grew even redder when Councilwoman Redwood spoke again.

"Detective Montoya was just telling me that," she said as she looked at her phone. "We finished going over the details of your mission. Seems like you and your friends had quite the adventure, Mr. Yeager."

"...You have no idea."

Councilwoman Redwood believed Eren's claim. She also believed that everyone was extremely tired, that all they wanted to do now was rest. However, she had a few things to go over before she could let anyone go.

"Once again, I must apologize for my earlier behavior," she said. "I had two Councils breathing down my neck after they heard about my idea."

"Two?" Ren asked calmly.

"Yes, the investigation with the rest of the Mistral Council is just about over. But that didn't stop them from keeping up with the news of recent events. They, like the Atlas Council, were... skeptical of reviving such an old practice, despite the evidence you brought me."

Cinder felt bad about this, since the delay of Watts' arrival probably played into this skepticism. Eren was aware of the bigger picture, but he could see that the delay had some consequences for Councilwoman Redwood.

"I hope arresting Watts can fix some of that," said Nora. "We didn't mean to cause you any trouble."

"Well, between Watts, Hazel Rainart, and Raven Branwen, I think things will look a little brighter," the Councilwoman insisted. "And now that the mission is over..." Redwood looked at her Scroll and pressed a few buttons.

*BUZZ*

*BUZZ*

*BUZZ*

*BUZZ*

Everyone looked to their Scrolls and saw that the licenses they were given by Councilwoman Redwood had disappeared.

"As we agreed, the temporary licenses are being revoked," Redwood finished. "Both Councils will hear about this to ease their minds."

Everyone recalled how their titles were merely temporary roles, so they understood that the Councilwoman had to remove them immediately. There was something else that Winter remembered, something that she brought to everyone's attention.

"You said there would be a hearing as well, ma'am?" Winter asked calmly.

"Indeed," Councilwoman Redwood insisted. "You will all be given the chance to share the details of your mission to defend your actions and help us decide what is to be done next. I hope you understand."

Mercury was the only one who was skeptical of this idea, since he believed that everything he did with his friends was necessary. He also believed that this sounded like a setup, that he and everyone else were to be scapegoats in case things went wrong. However, he didn't jeopardize everyone's chances by sharing his opinion.

"We understand," said Cinder. "Will that be right away?"

"I'm afraid I haven't had the chance to set up a date, given that you've just arrived," said Redwood. "Which is why I have to ask you all not to leave the Kingdom any time soon."

This idea made everyone feel a little on edge. Normally, they wouldn't have thought about leaving Mistral, but now they could see that a sort of barrier had been made between them and the outside world. It was a little intimidating, but Eren decided to make things a little easier for everyone.

"Can we go home?" he asked. "To Kuroyuri?"

"Your village?" Councilwoman Redwood asked for confirmation.

"That's right," said Emerald, who also wanted to return home. "It's just an airship ride away from the city."

"And we have just enough fuel in our airship to take us there," Mercury insisted.

"We'll be staying within the Kingdom's borders," Cinder promised. "And you have my number, you can keep tabs on us if you want."

"..."

Councilwoman Redwood took a few moments to think about this request. Normally, she would have people of interest stay within the city of Mistral so she could keep tabs on them. However, the map of Mistral she had on her Scroll told the politician that Kuroyuri was indeed a single airship ride from the city. And she indeed had Cinder's phone number so she could keep tabs on her.

If anything, she could also contact the Mayor of Kuroyuri about the whereabouts of Eren and his friends, if push came to shove.

"...That sounds fair," she decided. "You can go."

Everyone was happy to hear that they could go home. They all shared a brief celebration, mostly high-fives and pats on the shoulder, but they quickly calmed down to thank Councilwoman Redwood personally.

"Thank you, ma'am," said Cinder. "Trust me, we really appreciate it."

"I can see that," said Redwood with a smile. "And it seems I should be thanking you. Apprehending one person in another Kingdom was already good enough, but two more on top of that? It's honestly quite a surprise you haven't considered law enforcement as a career."

"We've always had to fight to protect our home," said Ren. "Before and after we seized the chance to upgrade."

"And we wouldn't be able to do anything without this guy!" said Nora, who hugged Eren's arm with a smile. "He's the best fighter Remnant's ever seen!"

"Oh, is that so?" Redwood asked curiously.

"I, uh, may have shown them a few things," Eren insisted. He didn't want to toot his own horn, but Nora was hardly impressed with the idea.

"No way!" she argued. "He's been training us since day one! He's the best!"

Every one of Eren's friends laughed at the idea while Councilwoman Redwood simply smiled. "Well, Mr. Yeager, it seems you have your work cut out for you," she said. "I'm impressed." Eren nodded at the Councilwoman before she spoke again. "Ms. Fritz, Ms. Schnee, I'd actually like to speak with you alone. But the rest of you are free to go. Goodnight."

Nobody knew what else Councilwoman Redwood needed to talk about, but they all began to take their leave. Eren asked Cinder if he wanted to stay with her, since he remembered that she wasn't keen on talking to the Councilwoman alone when they first met. But Cinder said that she would be fine, so Eren took his leave.

With that, Councilwoman Redwood began to speak again.

"Once more, I have to thank you for your efforts in apprehending Watts," said the politician. "I haven't heard any more reports about these 'Titans,' but we'll keep our eyes and ears open."

"We'd be happy to help search for them," said Cinder. "We've fought them before, we know the best way to fight them."

"And Atlas has experience with Titans as well," said Winter. "Though the Kingdom was unprepared for its arrival, the military is confident in their ability to subdue another one after learning from the first attack."

"Yes, the Atlas Council mentioned that," said Redwood. "It's fortunate that you brought me that contraption and I received that video of the Titan in Vale. The Council was more open-minded about my idea when they heard about your experience. However, they've brought one issue to my attention."

Cinder found herself to be prepared for something like this. "If it's about the program itself, ma'am, I actually took a few notes about it," she said as she took out her Scroll. "It's mostly what worked, what didn't work, things like that. I can share them with you if you'd like."

"Why don't you hold on to that? It could help you for the hearing. No, I'm afraid the issue... is with you, Ms. Schnee."

Both Cinder and Winter were surprised by this claim. Neither of them recalled a time when Winter did something wrong during the investigation, so they believed an explanation was necessary.

"Excuse me?" Winter asked.

"I spoke with a member of the Atlas military along with the Council," Redwood explained. "A Lieutenant Infrigidando, to be precise." Winter stiffened at the sound of the name, and now she had a reason to be nervous. "She shared a rather... alarming story."

"..."

The duo were starting to become uncomfortable now. They had almost forgotten about meeting Lieutenant Infrigdando, the no-nonsense officer of the Atlesian military. Cinder mostly remembered how Infrigdando had torn apart the speech she made in Mistral while Winter remembered Infrigdando taunting her when she brought Jacques Schnee to meet her.

But there was one thing Councilwoman Redwood was concerned about.

"Lieutenant Infrigdando told me that she made a deal with you," Redwood began. "That in exchange for letting Watts be held in Mistral, you would all meet some conditions. Namely being present at the trial and hearing, but also... keeping Ms. Schnee in Atlas. And yet, here you are now."

Cinder and Winter not only remembered the deal, but now they knew how bad this looked for the both of them. Winter was practically a fugitive now, since she was supposed to be placed in custody. And Cinder was apparently harboring a fugitive.

This didn't look good for either of them.

"Councilwoman Redwood, this isn't what it looks like," Cinder insisted.

"I want to believe you, Ms. Fritz," said Redwood. "But the Lieutenant told me that I should expect Ms. Schnee to be accompanying you when, or if, you would be arriving with Watts. This... doesn't seem like much of a coincidence."

Cinder was growing nervous by the accusation, which was completely understandable. She knew she could try and reason with Councilwoman Redwood, but Irae Infrigdando was a different story.

Winter was aware of this as well, but that didn't stop her from trying.

"Ma'am, Cinder and her friends had nothing to do with my presence here tonight," she insisted. "I was abducted by Raven Branwen after I agreed to stay in Atlas. When Lieutenant Infrigdando had her back turned, Raven took me away to use me as bait for Cinder and her friends."

Councilwoman Redwood was skeptical of the story, but she listened to it closely. "And how did she accomplish this?" she asked.

"Her Semblance. She can... I mean, she could create portals that can transport her anywhere on Remnant. She used a portal to abduct me from custody, and then she used another to find everyone else."

"...Do you have proof of this?"

"I, um... No, but-"

"I do," said Cinder, who immediately took a chance she saw. "Eren told me he saw Raven use one of those portals. And so did Ren and Nora. Including Winter, that's four people who've seen Raven use her Semblance."

The Councilwoman slowly nodded as she carefully analyzed the story. "Let me see if I can find evidence of Raven's Semblance," she offered. "Detective Montoya has some files about villages that were attacked by the Branwen Tribe. Apparently, a few representatives came to the capital for help in dealing with her."

"Do you think they've seen her use her Semblance?" Cinder asked hopefully.

"I'd be surprised if they didn't. We can bring this to light at the hearing."

"So... what does this mean?" Winter asked cautiously.

The Councilwoman sighed again. "Ms. Fritz, you're free to go. But Ms. Schnee, I'm afraid Lieutenant Infrigdando has insisted that you be kept in Mistral's custody."

Cinder couldn't help but gasp at the news. She wasn't Winter's biggest fan, and it was true that they had a difference of opinion in most matters. But given what had happened to her, and what she had done to help with Salem, Cinder didn't believe it was fair to punish Winter for something that wasn't her fault.

Everything she did was deserving of a reward, whether Councilwoman Redwood knew or not.

"Councilwoman Redwood, wait a minute," Cinder begged. "This isn't Winter's fault! She doesn't need to be locked up with Watts and Hazel!"

"I'm sorry, Ms. Fritz," said Redwood. "Both Councils were insistent at following this command. I can't allow Ms. Schnee to leave with the rest of you."

Cinder could tell that this wasn't a request, and she didn't want to test the Councilwoman's resolve. But she didn't want to see Winter tossed in a cell either; not after all she had done.

"I understand, ma'am."

Cinder almost didn't believe her ears. She quickly turned to Winter after she heard her speak, which was something she doubted. However, when Winter spoke again, Cinder knew she had heard correctly before.

"I'll stay here," Winter promised. "If it's needed to keep peace between the Kingdoms, so be it."

Councilwoman Redwood was impressed by this act of selflessness, which was surely no easy decision for anyone to make. But Cinder couldn't accept it right away.

"Winter, wait!" she said. "What are you doing?"

"Making things right," said Winter. "She's right, Cinder. I'm not supposed to be here. My presence is jeopardizing everything."

"But that wasn't your fault! We can talk to the Council, we can-!"

"We can do that at the hearing. No earlier."

Councilwoman Redwood stood up from her seat. "Ms. Fritz, I know this is hard to hear," she said. "I would help if I could, but the fact of the matter is-"

"She helped us!" Cinder insisted. "That's the fact of the matter! Even if she wasn't supposed to, she helped us! It's not something she should be arrested for!"

Winter was surprised by this defense, since she was also at odds with Cinder. However, she was able to see a bigger picture in this case; something she didn't want to jeopardize any further.

"Cinder... remember what I said in the woods?" she asked the younger girl. "What I said about you and all your friends? I know you want to make change, that you don't want to waste any chance you may have." She put a hand on Cinder's shoulder. "I'm not going to let you waste that chance because of me. You didn't let that chance be wasted on Watts, Hazel, or Raven. Don't let me waste it."

"But... But what about everything we did?" Cinder asked. She was referring to Salem more than anybody else, so she made sure to keep that a secret. "What about everything you did? You pulled your own weight, you helped us all! I can't just leave you here after everything you did!"

"But you're not leaving me. I'm staying. And nothing's going to change that."

"..."

"Cinder, we've argued enough about... Well, just about everything. I don't want to argue again. So, please. Go home. Be with your friends." Winter shook her head. "And don't let someone like me slow you down."

"..."

While she didn't know what Cinder and Winter had argued about, Councilwoman Redwood was impressed with Winter's ability to make the right choice under dire circumstances. And Cinder was impressed as well; she couldn't recall a time when Winter had acted this selflessly, when she acted like someone worthy of her respect.

Whether she was Atlesian or not.

"...I'll come back," Cinder promised. "I'll bring Eren and everyone else too. We'll get you out of this mess."

"As will I," said Redwood. "I will do everything in my power to help you, Ms. Schnee. And you as well, Ms. Fritz."

Winter nodded in gratitude to the Councilwoman before she looked back to Cinder. "...Go," she said calmly.

Cinder had no reason left to argue or fight this decision, so she decided to grant Winter's request. After all, after everything she did, Winter deserved that much and then some.

"I'm coming back," Cinder promised as she began to take her leave. "I'm gonna fix this."

"...I know."

---

While Cinder had been trying to fight for Winter's freedom, everyone else was ready to go home. The airship was just about ready, and everyone was on board.

Almost everyone.

Cinder was on her way back from Redwood's office, but Eren had stepped off the airship to be alone for a few minutes. The idea of going home not only made him excited, but it also made Eren think of something he hadn't thought about for a while.

His mother.

Eren remembered the day he left Carla. She was in a hospital bed with two broken legs and a broken heart. She didn't want to see Eren go, but Carla insisted that she knew why Eren had to leave.

All she could do was hope for his swift return.

Eren knew he had a lot to tell his mother. Between being a fugitive thanks to Lionheart, being a member of the Hunt Inquisitorius, stopping Salem, and being possessed by Darkness, there was a lot he had to tell her. Eren didn't plan on lying or keeping any more secrets from Carla, but he didn't want to cause her anymore pain from his stories.

He knew he had to be better than that. Better than he was on Paradis.

This way of thinking gave Eren an idea. Despite all of his fighting, Eren's Scroll was still working. He knew that he could make a quick call to his house and tell Carla that they were all coming home. He wanted to fix whatever heartbreak he caused from leaving as well as make sure Carla would be prepared for him and his friends.

But he wasn't exactly sure what to say.

Eren felt like he had been staring at his Scroll for an eternity as he reflected on everything. But eventually, he managed to work up the courage to press on the phone number for his house.

"...Okay," he said after he took a deep breath. As soon as he pressed the screen, Eren gently held his Scroll to his ear and waited.

*BUZZ*

*BUZZ*

*BEEP*

"Hello, this is Ambrose Farms," a woman's voice calmly replied on the other end.

Eren immediately realized that his mother had answered the phone in the kitchen; it was the only phone in the house that didn't display the identity of a caller. Oddly, this made Eren feel a little more at ease, since he was expecting a million questions all at once.

But he knew he would be getting them eventually, so Eren decided to let it all happen naturally when he said two words.

"...Hi, Mom."

"Eren!" Carla yelled on the other side. "Oh, my Gods, Eren! You're alive! Where are you?! Are you okay?! I've been worried sick!"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Eren said as he wiped his forehead. "We all are. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, I-"

"No, no, it's fine! I'm just..." Carla let out a small sigh. "It's so good to hear your voice again."

Eren began to smile, since he could say the same to his mother. "Yeah, you too, Mom. I'm, uh, I'm sorry I haven't really kept in touch. Things have, um... Well, things have been pretty busy."

"I know. I saw you on the news, Eren. I mean, that whole story with you and the Headmaster of Haven Academy. What was that again, he was an accessory to murder? How did you get involved in something like that? And what's this about a 'Hunt Inquisitorius?' That was on the news too! Are you involved in that?"

Eren scratched an awkward itch at the back of his head, which was a reaction to all of the questions coming at him at once. He knew he had a lot to catch his mother up on, but he couldn't do it over the phone.

"It's... It's a long story," Eren replied. "A really long story."

Carla sighed one more time. "I'm sorry, Eren," she said. "I'm just... surprised, is all. I mean, I always thought your plan was to stop... you know... her."

Eren knew exactly who Carla was talking about, so he prepared to set the record straight once and for all.

"Yeah, that's right," he said. "That was always the plan, you're right. Everything you've seen on the news was involved with the plan. That's... That's actually why I'm calling you."

"It is?" Carla asked. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah, it's okay." Eren let out a chuckle. "It's, uh... a little better than okay, actually." Eren took a look around to make sure nobody was listening. "Our plan worked, Mom."

"Wait, it worked?" Carla gasped on the other end. "You mean... you did it? You stopped her?"

"Yeah. Yeah, we did it. It's finished."

Carla couldn't help but gasp on the other end one more time. But once she recovered from the surprise, pride and joy overcame her quickly.

"Oh, Eren!" she happily said. "That's wonderful! That's the best news I've heard all week!" Carla took a breath to calm down, but this allowed doubt to come to her mind. "I mean, you told me that she... she couldn't be killed. Are you sure it's over?"

"I'm sure," Eren replied, taking no offense to the skepticism. "She's not dead, but she won't be hurting anyone anymore. Especially not with the Grimm."

Carla sighed once more. "Eren, that's great. I'm so happy for you. For all of you."

Eren couldn't help but smile, since he was happy for everyone else too. "Thanks, Mom. That means a lot."

"I mean it, sweetheart. I'm so proud of you."

Eren couldn't help but blush a little as he laughed. He never told anyone, but he was always happy to hear his mother use terms of endearment when she talked to him. It made him feel close to her, closer than he had been to her since Paradis.

"So, what's going on?" Carla asked. "Where are you?"

"We left a while ago," Eren explained. "We're back in Mistral. I called to let you know that... we're coming home."

"You are?! Tonight?!"

"That's the plan. We're just getting ready to leave. But if this is too soon-"

"Perfect! I was just about to start dinner! It should be ready by the time you get home! We can all eat together!"

Eren was happy to hear that Carla would be just as accepting as she was the day he found her in Argus. He immediately forgot why he was worried at first, but now all of that was over and done with.

But there was one thing Eren wanted to ask.

"Hey, Mom?" Eren asked. "Do you think you could do me a favor?"

"A favor?" Carla asked. "Sure, what's the matter? Do you need money for your trip?"

"No, we're all set with that. I was just wondering if... maybe we could keep this to ourselves."

"Keep what to ourselves?"

"Us coming home. We, uh, don't want to make it a big thing."

"You mean you don't want everyone to know?"

"Yeah, that's right. Is that okay?"

Carla could understand where Eren was coming from, but she couldn't help but sense that something was off about Eren asking this favor.

"...Are you okay, Eren?" she asked.

"Me?" Eren asked. "Um, yeah. Yeah, I'm fine, I-"

"Eren, please don't lie to me."

"..."

Eren wanted to grant this request, but he didn't know where to start. Stopping Salem, nearly dying, and being possessed by Darkness had left its toll on the young man, and he knew he would have to talk about it.

But he just wasn't ready to do that with everyone in Kuroyuri. He had made the choice to tell them everything about Salem, and now he was expected to do the same upon his return. But he just wasn't ready for that yet.

"I'm sorry, Mom," Eren said. "I'm just really tired, and I don't think I'm ready for everyone to starting asking me questions all at once."

"Oh," said Carla. "I know what you mean, Eren. That's fine, I won't tell anybody."

After Eren explained himself, he suddenly remembered something else. "Wait, what about you?" he asked. "Has everyone been doing that to you?"

"Well, all of my employees had their questions," Carla explained. "The Mayor did too. But I answered them as best as I could, and everything went back to normal pretty quickly. They just needed some time, like I did. I think they're a little more worried than afraid. I mean, worried about you all."

This made Eren feel a little relieved. "That's good to hear. But you're sure you're okay?"

"Oh, I'm fine. We're all fine. Actually, would it be okay if I told Dina and An? They're a little worried too, and I know they'll be happy to hear that-"

"Oh, sure! Yeah, tell them. Cinder's pretty excited to see Ms. Fritz again."

"I'm sure she is. So you'll be home soon?"

"Yeah, we're just about to head out. We should be there in a half hour."

"Okay, Eren. See you soon!"

"See you soon. Bye."

"Bye."

*CLICK*

"..."

Eren had some mixed feelings about returning to Kuroyuri. It was true that he was expecting a million questions about his trip, maybe even about his past as well. Eren didn't know how he was going to explain such things, to people who had never seen Salem or Darkness before. He was sure there would be doubt, uncertainty, and maybe even paranoia among the people.

But Eren knew seeing his mother again would make all of it worth it. That was why he made his way back to the airship with a big smile on his face.

---

Eren and Cinder returned to the airship at the exact same time, where they told each other what had happened. Cinder had to tell everyone that Winter needed to stay behind, given that she was supposed to be detained in Atlas. And like Cinder, they were all disappointed by this turn of events. They too believed her actions in Atlas and Salem's castle, like theirs, should have been rewarded instead of punished.

Whether Ymir was disappointed or not was unknown to anyone, since she remained silent while looking back towards the building.

Fortunately, Eren was able to deliver good news that was enough to make everyone feel better. He told them that he had called his mother, and that she was ready to see everyone again. He also told them that Dina and An would also be welcoming them back home, much to the delight of everyone.

Cinder was excited to go home and see her mother again, just like Ren and Nora were to see An again. Mercury, Emerald, and Midori knew that they had no family at Kuroyuri, but they knew they had a home there. And right now, there was nowhere else they would rather go.

And so, Mercury set a course for Kuroyuri. Just as the young man said, he had just enough fuel to reach the advanced village in the outskirts. And just as Eren said, the trip took close to a half hour. Kuroyuri had a landing pad for airships, but Eren suggested that Mercury land as close to Ambrose Farms as he could. After all, only Carla, Dina, and An knew they were coming.

Mercury was able to land the airship not far from the pond on Carla's property. It didn't make too much noise upon landing, but Nora made all the noise instead. She jumped out of the airship with a cheer and started kissing the ground multiple times. Eren and his friends laughed at the sight, and laughed a little harder as Ren helped Nora off the ground.

It was relatively early in the night, just around time for dinner. Eren had told everyone that Carla was preparing dinner, so he invited everyone to join him at the farmhouse. Most of them accepted the offer, but Midori, Vernal, and Ymir were the only ones who declined. When she heard that Kuroyuri had a small hospital, a place where the town doctor she knew worked at, Midori decided to take the unconscious woman everyone had rescued from Salem's to get the help she needed. Vernal said that she would help Midori take the woman there, to see how well things had been holding up there after her first transformation.

Ymir simply stayed on the airship.

And so, Eren and his friends ventured to the farmhouse. Their trip was relatively short, but they were all equally exhausted. Fighting against Salem was one thing, but their entire adventure had taken its toll on them. They had all been challenged in one way or another, both physically and mentally, but they had survived. Not only did they survive, but they also grew from the experiences. They grew stronger, faster, smarter, and a little wiser from everything they did.

They also grew closer to one another, especially after the challenges they all faced. Ren recalled how his depression helped him learn from his mistakes and grow closer to Nora. Emerald learned that she had a family with Eren and the rest of her friends. Mercury had learned not to let violent thought and actions overcome him and open himself more to his friends. And Eren and Cinder grew closer to each other as well.

Things definitely wouldn't be like they were before everyone had left Kuroyuri. Instead, things were going to be a lot better for them. They were going to take what they had learned from their adventure and apply to the future they were going to share together.

The future looked a lot brighter for Eren and his friends.

"Hey, look at the farmhouse!"

Nora was the first one who could see the entirety of Carla's farmhouse, which was indeed something to behold. The house was one of the places that had fallen victim to the Wyvern's attack, the day before Eren and his friends left. They all remembered how the house had been partially damaged, and Eren especially remembered how his mother had been trapped under some of the debris.

But the mental image Eren had of his home didn't match with what he was seeing.

It was clear that preparations had been made to fix the house while Eren had been gone. The debris had been replaced with new wooden beams and planks, which were waiting to be put into place. The side and top of the house was sporting some of those new beams, to make the house look like it did before the attack. Some of it had even been repainted, to match with the parts of the house that had been spared destruction.

Eren couldn't tell if the inside of the house had been fully repaired, but this was a welcome surprise.

"Hey, not bad," said Mercury. "They didn't waste any time while we were gone."

"Yeah, it's nice," said Emerald. "It actually looks just about done."

"You think more houses in town got fixed too, Ren?" Nora asked hopefully.

"Most likely," Ren replied. "This actually isn't that different from when we were attacked years ago. You know, when we first met Eren."

"Oh, yeah," said Cinder. "Everyone picked themselves up after all that."

"Looks like they're doing it again," said Eren. "I guess Kuroyuri was fine while we were gone."

"That's good," said Emerald. "Not gonna lie, I was a little worried about how things would be without us."

"Me too," said Nora.

"Ah, you guys got nothing to worry about," said Mercury. "The walls are still standing. I mean, they got that hole in the front to deal with, but I'm sure it's fixed by now. Besides, Eren's got the Grimm handled. Right, Eren?"

Eren had no trouble understanding what Mercury was talking about. "That's true," he said. "Maybe I could try to expand my... influence on them. Or I could just use the Founding Titan to make them back off."

Mercury nodded in approval. "There, you see? We're solid from here on out."

Ever since he came to Remnant, Eren was careful to never fall into overconfidence or develop a big ego. But between the state of his house and his new abilities, Eren didn't feel so worried about the Grimm.

"I think you're right, Mercury," Eren said. "I mean, my biggest worry right now is if everyone found the time to fix my room."

Everyone laughed at the idea, since Eren recalled how his room had been destroyed by the Wyvern. Fortunately, Cinder stepped in to offer her help.

"That's okay, Eren," she said. "If they didn't, you can sleep in my room until it's fixed."

Eren was about to thank Cinder for her thoughtful offer, but Mercury's voice filled the area first.

"Jeez, Cinder, at least buy Eren some dinner first."

Cinder immediately became embarrassed when she heard Mercury's joke. "What?! No! No, no, not like that!" Her whole face became red while Mercury laughed. "No, I was just-I didn't mean... Shut up!"

"Okay, okay, that's enough," Eren said as he looked back to Mercury. "Thanks for the offer, Cinder. I'll see if I can sleep on the couch or something if my room's not ready though." He then looked forward once more to see that he had arrived at his front porch. "And it looks like I'll be able to find out."

"..."

Eren stopped walking when he was right in front of the door. Everyone was right behind him, waiting for him to make the first move. But Eren didn't do anything right away, since he was a little nervous about seeing Carla again. Not that he was worried she would be angry with him or anything like that, but Eren was concerned about her current state of wellbeing.

Eren remembered that he left Carla with two broken legs in addition to some bumps and bruises. He pictured his mother being confined to a wheelchair or trying to walk around on crutches, both of which were severely impairing to a person. It made Eren believe that he could have at least stayed a little longer to help her adjust to the temporary state.

But Eren knew that he was going to help now, whether it was with the farm, the house, or anything else that Carla might need. So with his resolve fully charged, Eren knocked on the door and waited for a response.

*KNOCK*

*KNOCK*

*KNOCK*

Eren didn't have to wait long, since the door opened quickly to reveal a welcome surprise. The door had been opened by Carla Yeager, who appeared to be the picture of health. Her bruises were gone, there were no casts on her legs, she looked perfectly fine.

And she was also elated to see her son had returned home.

"Eren!" Carla said with a smile as she wrapped her arms around her son. "Welcome home!"

"..."

Eren was very surprised to see that his mother looked fine, that she had no sign of injury whatsoever. But this surprise died down after a few seconds, and Eren happily returned the hug he had received. After all, there was a time when he didn't think he would see her again. So Eren was happy to see that he was mistaken, and he immediately seized his chance to show how happy he was.

"Hi, Mom," Eren said as he held his mother. Tears began to form in his eyes as he smiled and relished the feeling of being here once again. "I missed you."

"I've missed you too, sweetheart." Carla let go of her son so she could get a look at him. However, she didn't like seeing that Eren's clothes were in tatters and he looked completely exhausted. "Oh, look at your clothes! Eren, you look like you've been to Hell and back again! You must be exhausted!"

Eren quickly shook his head. "I'm okay now," he insisted. He then took one more look at his mother to see that she looked the complete opposite as him. "But look at you! You... You look great, Mom!"

Carla couldn't help but laugh a little, since it hadn't been that long since they saw each other. "Thank you, Eren," she said. "But you haven't been gone for that long."

"No, I know. It's just that... you were hurt! You had all those cuts and bruises, and you had casts on your legs! You recovered that fast?"

"Oh, the casts!" Carla laughed again as she recalled how she looked the last time she saw Eren. "Don't worry, I'm alright. I'll explain later, come on in!"

Eren stepped inside, which led Carla to greet everyone else in a similar manner. She hugged Cinder, Ren, Nora, Mercury, and Emerald before she moved back inside and spoke to someone else.

"Dina! An! They're here!"

Everyone looked towards the dining room of the house, where they saw Dina and An setting up the table for everyone. When they heard the news of their children coming home, they went straight to work to prepare. An had brought two dishes of food from her house, which had Ren and Nora's favorite meals. Dina had helped Carla cook at home, since Carla knew exactly what she wanted to make for Eren. Dina had another idea for Cinder, so she helped her friend make the meal.

They had just finished setting the table when Carla called to them. After they practically ran towards the front door, Dina and An shared the same feelings of excitement and warmth when they saw their children again.

"Mom!" Cinder cried with a smile as she ran to Dina.

"Cinder, darling!" Dina said as she wrapped her arms around her adoptive daughter. She couldn't help but rock back and forth a little as she held Cinder close, not wanting to let go for a second. But she decided to give Eren a hug as well, and Eren gladly reciprocated the gesture.

"Lie, Nora!" An said as she rushed to her children.

"Mother!" Ren said as he accepted his mother's hug. He knew that he had seen his mother a little more recently than Eren or Cinder saw their mothers, but he missed her all the same. Nora joined in to hug An, but she also hugged Ren just because she wanted to.

"Hi, everybody," said Emerald.

"Hey, good to see you again," said Mercury. He and Emerald decided to keep things casual, so they wouldn't interrupt the reunion their friends were enjoying.

But that didn't stop Dina or An from greeting them the same way.

The duo were a little uncomfortable with being hugged at first, but they quickly eased into the feeling. Emerald was once again reminded that she had a family at Kuroyuri, and Mercury was reminded that he would always be welcome in the household.

And they wouldn't have it any other way.

"I hope you're all hungry," said Carla, who started walking into the dining room. "I don't mean to brag, but we put together a wonderful meal."

Everyone followed Carla into the dining room, and Eren walked right by Carla's side. "Mom, you didn't cook too much, did you?" he asked. "I could have made myself a sandwich or something like that."

"A sandwich?" Carla asked in disbelief. "After everything you've all done? Absolutely not, Eren. I've been dying to have dinner with you and everyone else again. Besides..." Carla gestured towards the table. "I made your favorite."

When Eren looked at the table, there was one plate of food that caught his attention. There were some vegetables on the plate, but there was something on top of the vegetables. This was a food Eren discovered on Remnant, something that Carla had made for him after they found each other in Argus. Ever since then, Eren would look forward to the next time Carla cooked it, which was usually on his birthday or some of the holidays he learned about on Remnant.

The food Carla had made was a piece of cheese hamburg steak.

"No way!" Eren shouted in surprise. This earned a laugh from everyone around him, but Eren couldn't care less how silly he must have sounded. He couldn't remember the last time Carla had made cheese hamburg steak for him, which was why Eren was going to savor every last bite.

But not before he told Carla how much he appreciated it.

"I knew you'd like it," said Carla, who looked at a spot where she would be sitting. "I even made some for myself too."

"Like it?" Eren asked. "I'm gonna love it! Thanks, Mom!"

"You're welcome."

Dina sat down at the table and gestured for Cinder to join her. There were two plates of food where she was looking, one for her and one for her daughter. But they both had the same food on it.

"Oh, my gosh!" Cinder said with delight. "Mom, you made chicken pot pie!"

"Of course!" Dina said with a laugh. "When Carla told me she was cooking Eren's favorite, I knew I had to make your favorite."

An turned to her children and gestured towards two more plates, both of which had something special for Ren and Nora. "This one is for you, Lie," she said as she pointed at a plate on the left.

When Ren looked at his food, he couldn't help but smile with delight. "Sake!" he said as he stared at a piece of salmon with rice underneath it. "I haven't had it since-"

"Pancakes!" Nora yelled as she looked at her plate. "Yay! Breakfast for dinner!"

An simply laughed as she sat down at her own seat. "Enjoy, dear," she said.

Carla pointed to two more spots at the table with food. "Mercury, Emerald, we didn't forget about you," she said with a smile. "Have a seat."

Mercury and Emerald looked at two plates and each smiled with satisfaction. Emerald had been given a grilled cheese sandwich while Mercury had been given a meatball sub. Both of the teenagers stared at the food with wide eyes and an incredible appetite.

But they made sure to remember their manners.

"Thank you, Ms. Yeager," said Emerald. "This looks delicious."

"Yeah," Mercury agreed. "I haven't had one of these in ages."

"You're welcome," Carla replied. "And there's plenty of bread and vegetables, everyone help yourselves." The rest of the table indeed had rolls and vegetables, enough that was fit for a king.

There wasn't much conversation to be had at first, given that Eren and his friends were starving. When they weren't fighting for their lives, they were all camping in the woods while sharing common meals that were nowhere as homemade or exquisite as what the three generous women had provided them.

And so, it was easy for them to want to shovel their mouths with food. Ren did his best to display some proper eating etiquette, but he too was extremely hungry.

"Goodness," Dina said to Carla. "They're eating like they haven't eaten in weeks."

"I know," said Carla, who was just as concerned as her friend. "And have you seen their clothes?"

"I saw them. I'm not sure I want to know what they had to go through out there on their own."

An sat up from the table to put her plate away, but she took the chance to join Carla and Dina in their conversation. She didn't know what they were saying, but she could tell they were concerned.

"I'm just happy to have them home," An whispered to her friends. "I was so worried about Lie."

"I'm happy too," said Carla. "And I couldn't help but worry about Eren, especially after what I saw on the news."

"At least we got to see what that was all about," said Dina. "And I'm just so proud of Cinder for taking a stand like she did."

"It's about time somebody did," An agreed. "But I'd like to know what the rest of their... quest, for lack of a better word, looked like for them."

"I'd like to know the whole thing," said Carla. "But Eren said he was really tired from it all. I'm not sure how to bring it up."

Dina and An were about to offer some ideas on how the teenagers could open up to them, but another voice answered this question.

"You can ask," said Eren. "I'm ready to talk."

"..."

Carla, Dina, and An all looked to Eren with surprise and disbelief. However, Eren made things perfectly clear.

"You know I could hear you, right?" he asked. "I'm sitting right here."

"..."

All three women shared an awkward laugh as they accepted the reality of the situation. Eren simply smiled and put down his fork and knife.

And then, he and his friends shared their story.

Eren began recounting the adventure with the arrival at Maykr, where they hoped to find a working airship. However, a chance encounter with remnants of the Branwen Tribe made this task a little more difficult. But the discovery of an Atlesian military vehicle capable of hovering a few feet of the ground made traveling a little easier.

Mercury took over and explained how he spent nearly a whole day transforming the vehicle into the Dark Wing. He had a few pictures of it on his Scroll, so he let Carla, Dina, and An have a look. Needless to say, they were all impressed by the transformation. Mercury had to admit that the Dark Wing was no longer with him, but Nora cheered him up by saying that his next invention would be even better.

As long as he installed a toilet next time.

Eren then explained that they all took the Dark Wing to Salem's castle, where they found Midori and three humans working for Salem. Carla, Dina, and An were all familiar with Midori, so they were surprised to hear that she had been found. They were also excited to hear that she came with them and wondered why she didn't come to the house. Eren promised to explain later, since that was further down the line of the story.

Everyone then took turns of explaining how they infiltrated the castle in hopes of stopping Salem that day. Mercury explained his grand entrance, Nora explained Midori's rescue, and everyone talked about the fights they had with Salem and her three underlings.

Eren then explained that Salem had been prepared for the return of the Titan, her "creation" that ran amok years ago. She had created a giant Grimm capable of devouring Titans that needed more help to be beaten. And so, after taking an injured Mercury and stealing Watts' Scroll, they escaped and changed strategies.

Everyone had decided to take out Salem's underlings before they returned to the castle, since they were all scheming to destroy Remnant together. At first, they wanted to warn Headmaster Leonardo Lionheart of his name being on Watts' Scroll, but later investigation showed that he was also one of Salem's henchmen.

Emerald still had a copy of Lionheart's discussion with Watts, so she played it for her hosts to hear.

"Unbelievable!" An said in disappointment.

"A Headmaster of all people," Dina joined in. "And someone who sat on the Council!"

"That's how you got involved with Lionheart," Carla said to her son. "You knew exactly what was going on."

"We wanted to confront him privately," said Eren. "We snuck into Haven and found him in his office."

"But things didn't work out," said Ren. "Which was my fault, actually. I lost my temper, which allowed Lionheart to lock himself in a panic room and sound an alarm. After that, he twisted the story to make it look like Eren was the bad guy and he was the victim. Things... weren't so great that time."

"..."

Everyone remembered what happened to Ren when they were forced to flee. They recalled his anger, his outburst, and the terrifying event that nearly killed him. Nobody wanted to say anything, since they all wished to keep moving forward. But that didn't stop An from rubbing her son's shoulder or Nora holding his hand.

Carla and Dina had been told about Ren's visit by An. They weren't aware of what happened in the woods, but they knew that their children were innocent of any crime that the news reported.

Ren and Eren then shared the story of how Rod Reiss had not only returned, but had also been transformed by the Grimm into a powerful monster. After they dealt with him, everyone decided the best thing to do was take the evidence they had of Lionheart and give it to the police. The evidence was enough to not only clear Eren's name, but also arrest the Headmaster in his stead.

"We were so relieved when we saw the news," said Carla. "It seems your strategy of robbing Salem of allies payed off."

Dina looked over to her daughter and smiled. "And we all saw your speech at the press conference," she said as she rubbed Cinder's shoulder. "We were so proud of you for taking a stand like you did."

Cinder's cheeks grew red once again as she smiled. "Thanks, Mom," she said. "But it wasn't that great." She recalled her speech being torn apart by Irae Infrigdando, so she didn't think too much of it now.

"Sweetheart, that's nonsense!" Dina insisted. "You said what's been on everyone's minds for ages!"

"Especially with those Huntsmen who came to help us against the Wyvern," An included. "They didn't even focus on the Wyvern! For them, it was just damage control. And don't even get me started on how long it took for them to get here."

Between the praise from the women and Eren smiling at her, Cinder began to regain her confidence in her speech. She had used her chance very well that night, and now it seemed she would simply have to wait until another opportunity revealed itself. However, Cinder believed that her work with the reports of Huntsmen Councilwoman Redwood showed her would help with that; so she made a reminder to follow up on those reports.

"They did their job, but it's not always enough," said Carla. "And Dina's right; that's been on our minds for ages. I just wish the press conference didn't end so abruptly."

"Huh?" Cinder asked. She didn't know what Carla meant at first, but a brief glimpse into her memories helped Cinder see that the event indeed ended abruptly. "Oh, right! Tyrian."

"Oh, man," Mercury said with a sigh. "Don't even get me started on that guy."

"That was not a good time," Ren recounted.

Eren took over and explained what had happened. He explained that one of Salem's henchmen was a mad Faunus named Tyrian Callows, who had made a living by killing people all over Anima before he met Salem. And before the press conference, he kidnapped Midori so she could be brought back to Salem's.

Eren was forced to kill Tyrian to save Mercury's life, at the cost of information regarding Midori's whereabouts.

However, with the right help, they were able to track Midori's trail to Vale, to the Forever Fall. And with the help of a Faunus named Blake, they found Midori in the captivity of Hazel Rainart and the White Fang.

"You found Midori with the White Fang?" Dina asked with a gasp. "The White Fang?"

"That's right," said Eren. "Focusing on Salem's allies before Salem herself was actually the right call."

"Salem had Lionheart in Mistral, and the White Fang in Vale," Cinder explained. "I don't know how she did it, but she spread her influence all over."

"That's shocking," Carla included. "I knew she was powerful, but I never expected something like this."

"Neither did we," said Ren. "We couldn't find out what Hazel and the White Fang were planning together, but we stopped them from accomplishing it."

"Eren and Cinder focused on the White Fang while we did a number on Hazel," said Emerald. She decided to leave out Mercury's... extreme method of incapacitating Hazel. "But we found Midori and got out of there."

"Oh, thank goodness," said An. "I was afraid something bad had happened to her."

"Nah, she's alright," said Nora. "We were too, for a little while."

"A little while?" Carla asked.

"Yeah," said Eren. "Our plan was working, but we had a setback."

"What kind of setback?"

"...The Titan kind."

Eren explained how Salem decided to strike back against everyone and unleash more Grimm Titans upon the world. But unlike last time, Salem created Pure Titans that looked just like Eren's Titan. This was hard for Dina to hear, since her dreams about being a Pure Titan still haunted her.

Cinder was aware of this, so she sped things along and shared the discovery that machines were controlling the Titans from the inside; machines made from metal belonging to the Schnee Dust Company.

All three women were surprised to hear that the SDC was apparently conspiring against the world once more. Cinder explained that she and everyone else had a similar idea, and they knew that they had to go to Atlas to discover the source of the machines. In order to do that, they needed "Winter" to vouch for them to the Mistral Council. Which was how Councilwoman Redwood decided to temporarily revive the tradition of the "Hunt Inquisitorius," to do what Huntsmen and Huntresses couldn't.

Cinder decided to skip over her story of abuse on the train and go straight to discovering Arthur Watts and his work.

It was Midori who believed that Watts was responsible, and it was Winter who led them on the right path to finding and apprehending him. But rather than taking him straight to Mistral, Eren had made the choice to use Watts' control over the machines to destroy the Titans.

In order to do that, they needed to go back to Salem and finish the fight.

"So with everyone keeping Hazel and Raven busy, Cinder and I went to find Salem ourselves," Eren explained. "Salem made her own Titan out of Grimm, but I was able to rip her out and stop her. After that, we brought Watts and Hazel to Mistral and came home."

"Amazing," said Dina. "I can't believe you all did that much in just over a week."

"Me neither," said An. "But how exactly did you stop Salem? Carla told us everything about her. Mainly, um..."

"Oh, right," said Eren. "Mom, you might be able to understand this a little easier. Remember when I told you about someone named Annie Leonhart?"

"Annie Leonhart," Carla repeated as she searched her memories. "Oh, she was the Female Titan, right?"

"That's right. And remember how I said she put herself in a crystal to avoid capture?"

"Yes, you said she used the same Hardening you use for your Titan." As soon as she said that, Carla began to put the pieces together. "Wait a minute. Eren, are you saying you did the same thing with Salem?"

"I did. I used my Hardening to create a prison she can't break. Only my Titan can break it, and I'm not gonna be doing that anytime soon." Everyone at the table laughed at the joke before Eren finished his story. "And just to be sure nobody could find her, I threw the shell in a cave and sealed that up. Nobody's gonna find her now."

"Incredible."

Dina and An agreed with Carla about this. An only knew what Ren and Nora told her about the Titans, but she was still amazed by all of this. And she was even more amazed with what Nora said next.

"Hey, that's not it!" she said. "There's still more to the story! Like how Eren-"

"Uh, how Eren helped us with the hybrids!" Ren quickly stepped in. "Right, Eren?"

"Oh, yeah!" said Eren. "Yeah, after we stopped Salem, there were these things that..."

Nora looked over to Ren in slight annoyance for interrupting her. However, when Ren repeatedly moved his finger in front of his neck, to tell Nora not to finish her statement, she understood. She was about to tell everyone how Darkness had taken hold of Eren and paid the price for it, but Ren knew that Eren didn't want to talk about it. So Nora respected this decision and stayed quiet.

But not before Carla noticed what Ren was doing.

Everyone decided to end the story with the rescue of a former Grimm hybrid, an older woman who was currently at the town hospital with Midori and Vernal. They still had no idea who the woman was or how she ended up with Salem, which was the only mystery left to solve.

"I should probably head over there," said Mercury. "See how Vernal's doing too."

"I'll come with you," said Emerald. "I'm actually pretty curious about who that woman is. Maybe they found something." Emerald looked back to Carla and smiled. "Thank you for the food, Ms. Yeager. It was delicious."

"Yeah," said Mercury. "I can't believe we ate it all."

Everyone looked at the table to see that all of the food was practically gone. They all laughed at the sight and watched as Mercury and Emerald took their leave. They would come back later, since they still lived and worked on the farm.

Ren and Nora worked on the farm too, but they had their own home to go to.

"I think we'd better head home too," said An. "You two look like you could sleep for ages."

"You said it," said Nora.

"Agreed," said Ren. "Thank you for having us, Ms. Yeager."

"My pleasure, Lie," said Carla. "I'm just happy to see you're all home."

"That makes two of us," said Dina. "An, I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow at nine," An promised. "Good night, everyone."

"Bye, guys!" Nora said to Eren and Cinder.

"Bye, Nora," said Cinder. "Bye, Ren."

"See you tomorrow?" Eren asked.

"You got it," said Ren. "See you then."

With everyone gone, the house was occupied by Eren, Cinder, Carla, and Dina. Together, they all began to clean the table and talk some more.

"Well, that was quite the story," said Carla.

"I'll say," said Dina. "You should be proud of yourselves, both of you."

"Thanks, Mom," said Cinder. "We are, really. But we're mostly just tired."

"Heh, heh," Eren chuckled. "Yeah. But that's enough about us." He looked towards his mother as he took some plates from her. "How have you been, Mom?"

"Oh, fine," said Carla. "We've mostly just been rebuilding after the attack. You probably saw the outside of the house, and we have a few rooms to work on." Carla pointed towards a tarp in the next room, which was blocking out the cold air.

"Yeah, I saw that. What about the rest of Kuroyuri?"

"It's not as bad as you might think," said Dina. "A few of houses were hit and the wall still has a hole in it. But that's about it for major damage. Those pools of Grimm mostly landed on the fields, and they're gone now."

"They're gone?" Cinder asked. "How'd that happen?"

"I'm not sure. Grimm just stopped coming out of the water and they disappeared."

Eren and Cinder were both surprised by this, since they never saw a Grimm pool stop creating Grimm. The pools at the Land of Darkness never stopped, so they weren't expecting the pools at Kuroyuri to stop.

"Maybe Grimm pools made by a Wyvern don't last as long," said Cinder.

"Yeah," said Eren. "That could be it." Satisfied with this logic, Eren looked back to his mother. "So things have been fine here?"

"More or less," said Carla. "The defensemen are guarding the hole while it's being rebuilt, but that's about it. Other than that, we've been fine."

"And the farm?"

"Thankfully, none of our produce or crops were hit by the Wyvern. We had to clear the fields of Grimm, but it was just the house that got hit. And Dina's school is still in one piece. So like I said, we're all fine."

Eren was happy to hear that, but there was one more question he had. "Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that," he said. "You know, how you recovered so fast."

"Oh, that!" Carla said as she remembered what Eren was saying about her casts. "I recovered quickly, that's true. But... I had a little help."

Carla took a step away from Eren and closed her eyes. Suddenly, her body began to produce a golden glow, one that began to shine the room. Eren and Cinder gasped at the sight, but Dina wasn't too surprised; she knew what was going on with Carla.

And so did Eren.

"Mom!" Eren said in astonishment. "You... You unlocked your Aura?"

"I did," Carla replied as she opened her eyes. The glowing light quickly disappeared when she did so, and Carla explained further. "Mayor Fa believed that it would be safer if we all had our Auras unlocked, in case there would ever be another attack. It was optional for everyone, but I decided to have mine unlocked."

"I decided to unlock mine too," said Dina, who closed her eyes and displayed a white Aura. "You might know the man who helped us, Cinder. August Cedar?"

"Oh, yeah, I know August," Cinder replied. She knew that he was a former Huntsman, someone who felt dissatisfied with the job and decided to live in Kuroyuri. Cinder respected the man for this choice, as well as everything he did as a member of the town's defense team.

"August and the doctors taught me how to use my Aura to heal my legs," Carla explained. "So the time of my recovery changed from a few weeks to a few days. I stayed overnight after they took the casts off, but I was out by the morning."

"Wow," said Eren. "That's great! Does this mean you found your Semblance?"

"Oh, no," said Carla. "I don't want to make a big thing out of having an Aura. It's just for protection, after all."

"I feel the same way," said Dina. "This is just a precautionary measure. No need to get out of hand."

"That's right." Carla moved toward the sink and put away the last few dishes. "Between the Grimm, Salem, and having you all back, I think I'm ready for things to finally go back to normal."

"Me too." Dina began to let water go into the sink so she could start washing the dishes. "It's good to see that not everything here has changed."

"..."

Eren and Cinder couldn't help but look at each other when Carla and Dina said what they said. Because there was something about their story they hadn't told yet.

Namely, how their relationship had changed.

"Uh, Mom?" Cinder said to get her mother's attention. "That's not... entirely true."

Dina looked over to Cinder with mild surprise. "Oh?" she asked calmly.

"Yeah."

Eren took over for Cinder. "Yeah, there's actually something else we wanted to tell you," he said.

This statement had gotten Carla's attention as well as Dina's. Given what she had seen between Ren and Nora, she became mildly concerned and attentive to her son. "What is it, Eren?" she asked.

"Well... this whole thing took a lot out of us all," said Eren. "Fighting Grimm every day, looking for whoever was loyal to Salem. It was hard, but..." Eren turned to Cinder. "I couldn't have done it without Cinder."

Cinder smiled and picked up where Eren left off. "And I'm glad I was there through it all," she said. "I have no regrets, especially helping my best friend."

"And, along the way... we got a chance to know how much we really needed each other. How much we really meant to each other."

"When we finally got the chance to talk, we found out that what we're feeling was mutual. So... we wanted to tell you that..."

"..."

Carla and Dina were paying close attention to what their children were saying, despite the fact that Eren and Cinder didn't exactly have the right words. However, when they joined their hands, they both shared the best thing that had happened to either of them on their quest.

"We're together."

"..."

Carla and Dina didn't say anything at first. However, silence as a result from the surprise was something Eren and Cinder were expecting when they shared the news. After all, the evolution of their relationship was rather sudden; especially to people who only knew that they were friends.

But now, Eren and Cinder weren't sure how their parents would react. There was bound to be some confusion, but the possibility of needing time to process the news existed as well. They were willing to explain how this happened, since they had been answering questions all night.

Fortunately, Carla and Dina showed their children that answering questions wasn't going to be necessary.

"I knew it!" said Dina, who wore a smile on her face. "I knew something was different about you two!"

"Oh, that's wonderful!" Carla said with a smile of her own. "I'm so happy for you two!"

Eren was surprised to see that joy would be the first reaction from his mother. Not that he didn't appreciate it, but he thought that she would need time to understand this development. But he accepted his mother's happiness and returned his own.

"Thanks for understanding, Mom," he said. "That really means a lot."

"Of course I can understand!" said Carla. "I mean, I already knew that Cinder had a crush on you."

"Wait, you did?"

Cinder paid less attention to Eren's confusion and more attention on her own embarrassment. "Mom!" she said. "I told you that in confidence!"

"I didn't tell her!" Dina quickly defended. "I didn't know you knew, Carla."

"Well, it just seemed obvious," Carla insisted. "Mikasa was actually the same way with Eren, you know."

"Wait, so everyone knew about this?" Eren asked. "Mom, why didn't you tell me?"

"I'm sorry, Eren, but it wasn't really my business at the time." Carla smiled and hugged both teenagers. "But for what's it worth, I'm glad you both made it my business. And I'm glad this happened to you."

"Me too," said Dina, who joined Carla in hugging Eren and Cinder.

---

After a brief conversation about Eren and Cinder's evolved relationship, everyone finally decided to call it a night. Cinder knew her room hadn't been destroyed from the Wyvern, but she was happy to see that it had been kept the same since her departure. She had Dina to thank for keeping it clean and organized, which was exactly what the young girl did. Sleeping in the same place as so many other people was exhausting, so Cinder was happy to see that she had her room back.

Fortunately, Eren was ready to receive the same luxury.

Carla had insisted that Eren's room would be the first part of the house to be fixed, in order to prepare for the day he would come back home. And so, Eren was standing in a brand new bedroom that was waiting for him to claim it.

There was a new bed, a desk, and a lamp in the corner, as well as a cardboard box containing various items. These items were actually some of Eren's belongings that survived the Wyvern's attack. Not everything in the room was salvageable, but what was saved was greatly appreciated by Eren.

"Well, what do you think?" Carla asked. She was standing in the doorway as Eren looked around his room, patiently waiting to see if he liked it or if he needed anything else.

"It looks great," said Eren. " But you didn't have to focus on my room first, Mom. I mean, isn't the living room still destroyed?"

"It is, but that's almost finished. Don't worry, you deserve to have your room back."

"Well, thanks." Eren looked back at the box once more. "And thanks for saving all this stuff. Glad to see it's not all gone."

"You're welcome." Carla invited herself into the room so she could talk to Eren more. "So... how do you feel? About being back home?"

Eren decided to sit down on his new bed as he talked to his mother. "It feels great, Mom. Like a huge weight off my shoulders." Eren looked out his window as he continued to talk. "I feel like I've done everything I could do. You know... for you. For all of us. And now, I feel... free."

"..."

This was true, given that Salem and Darkness were gone. And with the Grimm no longer attacking him, Eren felt that there was nothing that was going to jeopardize his freedom now.

Carla was glad to hear that Eren felt free, but there was one other thing she was hoping that her son felt.

"Eren... are you happy?" she asked. "I'm glad you're feeling... free, but I want you to be happy too. About being here, with me. Are you happy with that?"

Eren smiled. "Yeah, of course I am. I love being here. I mean, with you, Ms. Fritz... and especially Cinder."

Carla could understand that Eren felt especially happy with Cinder. A relationship such as theirs, something Carla once had with Grisha, was bound to make anyone happy.

But she couldn't understand why the smile on her son's face had vanished.

"What is it?" Carla asked calmly.

Eren knew he had something on his mind, something that hadn't been able to stop thinking about for hours. It was at the back of his mind at first, but now he decided to move it to the front. This was a wise choice, since Eren believed that he could fix his problem right now.

And right now, he knew he needed his mother's help.

"Mom... can I get your advice on something?" Eren requested.

"Of course," Carla replied as she moved closer. "What is it?"

"Well... it's about Cinder." Eren sighed as he began to explain his problem. "I don't know what I did wrong."

"Wrong? What do you mean?"

"Everyone knew how Cinder felt about me. You said it yourself downstairs. And before I came here, Mercury was telling me that everyone else knew too." Eren scuffed as he rested his chin on his hand. "Everyone but me."

"..."

"Cinder and I always talked about everything together. Whether it was good or bad, there weren't any secrets between us. I was proud to be someone she could rely on. But... I don't understand why she didn't tell me how she felt earlier. She could have told me, we could have talked about it. We can talk about anything."

"..."

"Unless... she didn't feel like she could." Eren sighed again. "I feel like the only reason she would feel that way... is that I hurt her somehow. That I did something wrong."

Carla felt that she had listened enough, that she knew what she had to say to her son. And so, she sat down on the bed beside Eren in order to say what she wanted to say.

"No, Eren," she began. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"How can you be sure?" Eren asked. "I've done all the wrong things before. I killed people. I hurt Armin and everyone else back home. And I trusted Darkness of all people. I must have done something to make Cinder unhappy."

Carla couldn't deny what Eren had done back on Paradis, but she decided to focus on Cinder. "Unhappy? Eren, Cinder did not look unhappy tonight. She even kissed you goodnight two minutes ago."

"I know. But it doesn't make sense. If she's so happy with me, then why did she wait so long to tell me?"

"..."

After taking some time to ponder Eren's question, Carla was able to see that the answer wasn't entirely hard to find. Of course, Eren was new to this kind of relationship, so the answer was harder for him to find.

So Carla decided to help Eren on his way.

"Eren, it's not a matter of happiness or unhappiness," she began. "It's more of a matter of whether or not someone's ready for a relationship like yours." Eren was about to counter once more, but Carla put a stop to it with an idea. "Let me tell you a story."

"..."

Eren felt that his counter-argument was strong, but he allowed his mother to share her tale.

"When my parents first met, they were very young. My father was working on the farm while his parents managed it, and my mother was in between jobs in the village. But when they met, they took a liking to each other. That turned into a relationship of their own, and two years after that... he decided to ask her to marry him."

"Two years?" Eren interrupted. "Isn't that a little too soon?"

"Actually, yes." Carla chuckled for a moment before she continued her story. "My mother wanted to say yes, she knew that my father was the one person she wanted to live happily ever after with... but she said no."

"..."

"It wasn't that she didn't love him, far from it. No, she declined because she knew she wasn't ready. And I think my father knew too. They were both young, they didn't have their own houses or anything like that. They were happy together... but they needed more time."

"..."

"A few years later, when they had their lives in order, my father proposed again. And that time, my mother took the offer in a heartbeat."

"...Because they were ready?" Eren asked.

"They both were," Carla confirmed. "There are some things in life that people have to wait for, Eren. Especially when it comes to matters of the heart. Cinder may have known how she feels about you... but I don't think she was ready to tell you immediately. I'm sure she wanted to, but she just didn't feel ready."

"..."

"In fact, let me ask you something, Eren. Between being at a young age, burdened with a Titan and what Darkness thought to be glorious purpose, or whatever... can you look me in the eye and tell me that you would have been ready as well? If Cinder told you all those years ago?"

"..."

Eren would have said "Yes" to that question, if Carla hadn't reminded him of Salem or Darkness.

Before he left Kuroyuri, fighting Salem and building up his Titan's strength was always at the front of Eren's mind. The work he did at his farm was always a distraction, but his mission on Remnant always came to his mind. This happened every day until Eren trapped the witch in a crystal shell.

There was plenty of time to think about Titans and Salem... but not something like a relationship.

"...No," Eren realized as he shook his head. "No. There's no way I was ready back then."

"And what about now?" Carla asked. "No Salem, no need to worry about using your Titan again. Do you think you're ready now?"

"...Yes." Eren made eye contact with his mother as he answered this question. "Yes, I am."

Carla smiled as she nodded. "I know you are."

"..."

Carla stood up off the bed, but didn't look away from Eren. "Feeling better?" she asked.

"Yeah, I am," Eren confirmed. "Thanks, Mom."

"You're welcome." Carla was about to leave, but she had one more thing to ask. "And I guess you're done with him, too?"

"Huh?"

"You said that trusting Darkness was wrong. Does that mean you're not going to think about him anymore?"

"...Oh." Eren realized that he hadn't told Carla about what happened between him and Darkness. "Um... something like that. There's something else that I didn't tell you at dinner, something that-" Eren suddenly let out a long yawn, indicating how tired he was.

"It can wait," Carla decided as she began to take her leave. "We can talk about it tomorrow if you want."

"Yeah, that'd be better. Goodnight, Mom."

"Goodnight, Eren. Welcome home."

*CREAK*

*CLICK*

Carla had closed the door to Eren's room, which left Eren to turn off the light. He decided that he would take a shower and get some fresh clothes in the morning; right now, he needed to sleep.

Eren moved back to his bed and immediately felt himself drift closer and closer towards sleep. As he did, Eren couldn't help but think about his mother's generous advice. It was true that Eren was hardly ready for a relationship before he stopped Salem, but now he knew that a relationship with Cinder was something he wanted greatly.

And he was happy to know that Cinder wanted the same thing.

Eren reminded himself of the promise he had made when he shared his first kiss with Cinder. He remembered how he promised to dedicate his heart to the future he was going to share with her, and with everyone he cherished. Tomorrow, he decided, would be the perfect time to make due on that promise.

After all, Eren Yeager was free now. And it would take a lot to have this freedom robbed from him.

"My son."

Eren's heart nearly jumped out of his chest when he heard a familiar voice. He lifted his head off his pillow and looked around, but he couldn't see anything. His first response was to believe that he was imagining things, which prompted him to move back into bed.

Until he heard the voice again.

"You are unwise to think that I am truly gone."

Eren looked around once more, but failed to see anything. He even turned towards his new window to see if someone was outside, but all he could see was the night coming into the room.

But the failure to see anything wasn't enough for Eren to not recognize the voice.

"I will always be with you. And I will be free. Free by your own hand."

Confusion and fear turned into anger, which prompted him to lie back on his bed and cover his ears with his pillow.

"You know just as well as I do. Peace doesn't last. It never lasted on Paradis. Here will be no different."

Eren groaned as he pushed his pillow against his ears, hoping that the voice would stop. It did, but not before it said one more thing.

"You will see. You will see how much we need each other. It won't be today. It won't be tomorrow. But you will see. And when you do... I'll be waiting."

---

Author's notes: hey, everyone! Hope you're doing good. We hope you liked the latest chapter, AT and I worked really hard on it.

In addition to a new chapter, we have some good news for you. We also finished working on earlier chapters to make some segments line up with the rewrites, just like we said we would. You can probably see a notification that we updated them, but they're not major (like Chapters 1-10). No, this was just to connect things better (as well as include a few other things you might like).

And speaking of things we like, AT and I want to give a special shout-out to predator1701 and atreides1225 for doing something very special. They both decided to write stories that were inspired by Attack on Titan: A New Path and bring our story to life through art on DeviantArt! AT and I were amazed and honored by what they created, so definitely check out their work. You're gonna love what you see.

Thank you for your support and patience, you've all be a terrific audience. Don't forget to leave a comment before you go, those mean a lot more to us than you might think.

Have a great day, and we'll see you next time!