Sorry for the long wait, The start of this year was rough for me and that's all I'll say about that. Anyway, sorry for the long wait again, hope this was worth it.
Oh and someone PM'd me to ask about the timeline of this fic since it wasn't clear enough that Jean and Marco's subplot wasn't happening at the same time as Floch so I went back and added indicators to show how much time has passed in each scene, I have no idea why I stopped doing that after chapter 15.
Other than that I figured that If I wasn't writing a new chapter, I might as well try to update my existing ones to remove any errors. It wasn't fun finding bad grammar and spelling mistakes on chapters that have been up for nearly two years and I probably still missed a few lmao.
Day 20
Floch liked to think he had great intuition, it's what kept him alive all these years prior to Mikasa plunging an ODM hook straight into his throat, bless her heart.
All he could feel from this man was dread, he knew better than to ignore his gut feeling and right now, it screamed at him to run. Mikasa was quick on the uptake, her hand covertly reaching for a dagger beneath her cloak just in case. The imposing man looked down at them with an unreadable expression. Floch's stomach sank, eyes narrowing with wariness, only captain Levi and Mikasa ever made him feel this uneasy in the past.
"Wearing cloaks in a crowded area defeats the purpose of trying not to stick out, don't ya think?"
"If it's not prohibited then I don't see the issue here, sir." Floch replied cautiously.
"Ya're right, but I'd feel much safer if I knew. Just in case y'know? I can't help but wonder if ya're both fugitives or not, ya wouldn't mind pulling down that hood for me would ya? It never hurts to be too careful about these things."
Floch narrowed his eyes. "That's quite the tall order from a stranger, and just who might you be exactly?"
"Who, me? Just a concerned patriot, is all." The man smiled disarmingly.
Floch tensed at the familiar words, mouth ajar in apprehension, before composing himself in the face of this growing danger. It was one of Rod Reiss' men, he was absolutely certain of it. And something was definitely wrong, for someone who was supposedly wary of them, he looked too relaxed standing there, almost to the point of toying with them.
Mikasa seemingly caught onto this and shifted her weight a little on the other leg, enough for the man to take notice in return. Floch reached up for his hood, slowly grasping the fabric to pull it down, a plan already in mind, he could only hope Mikasa would follow through on time.
"Fair enough, old man."
He always did like to strike while the iron was hot, and it'd be a hundred years too early for him to lower his guard like this. Sensing something wrong, the man reached forward to apprehend Floch only to step back as sharp metal swiped across the air and grazed his cheek a little, Floch immediately followed up Mikasa's attack by hurling a cup of ale at him from a nearby table, before bolting out of the tavern with the girl in tow.
Kenny Ackermann caught it easily, getting splashed in the process, the wooden cup was crushed under his grip as he watched the two flee impassively.
Floch's plan concluded the second they stepped out of the tavern, with no idea where to go next and having no sight of their squad members anywhere. It didn't take long for the duo to realize there was more than just one after them, who took immediate notice and gave chase. Mikasa took charge and lead the way, both weaving through the bystanders, a horse-drawn carriage suddenly blocked their path, the driver yelled obscenities at them while attempting to control the startled horses.
Mikasa's voice pierced the air, "Through here!" She yelled, swiftly ducking into an adjacent alleyway with Floch right behind her.
Navigating the convoluted network of paths in the Stohess slums, the duo nearly fell to an ambush awaiting them—two men sprang from cover. Much to his amazement, Floch witnessed Mikasa's agile maneuvers as she vaulted off a residential stair and narrowly avoided being shot, landing a precise, powerful kick to the nearest aggressor's cheek, knocking him unconscious instantly.
Floch momentarily winced at the ugly thud, he would have hated to be in his place, in a past life it was almost a reality for him.
Without hesitation, he sprang into action, pouncing on the second man who was preoccupied with Mikasa and tackled him to the ground. The struggle was fierce, and Floch was on the brink of being overpowered when Mikasa's boot came crashing down on the man's face, neutralizing him. Harried footsteps echoed close behind, prompting the duo to weave through the alleys with no particular direction, driven only by the need to escape.
The sense of desperation crescendoed as they met with a dead end, the echoes of their pursuers amplified by the enclosing walls. Floch and Mikasa shared a look, their only objects of defense being that of a dagger and a stolen flintlock pistol with only a single bullet in it.
Just as their hopes seemed to wane, a rope abruptly fell between the two startling them. Henning's head emerged from above, his motions hurried as he beckoned urgently, "Climb, hurry!"
Once on the roof, Floch's knees buckled, his breath ragged. Beside them, Henning pulled the rope away from view and tossed it to the side, with Mikasa offering a hand to help the redhead regain his footing. "Thanks."
"Come on, we need to get out of here, it isn't safe." Henning said.
"What happened to the two that were with us?!" Floch inquired worriedly, fearing for Jean and Marco.
"They're fine, now get going, the others are waiting for us." Henning said before the trio fled the area.
The driver of the horse-drawn carriage finally managed to calm his horses down and began to steer them back on the road towards the gate, as they passed by the few men in black gathered near the alley, a hand pulled the fabric of the tent concealing the back of the carriage and took a peek at the street outside. Ymir's lone eye narrowed at the group of men before she hastily concealed herself by sealing the curtain.
The air felt different nowadays, Erwin could practically feel it in his bones. To some degree, the suffocating tension of the losses they experienced a couple of weeks ago seemed to be dissipating but he knew full well that these fleeting days were but a precursor to another impending storm.
Presently stationed in Stohess, he busied himself with preparations for the evening's banquet within this district's Survey Corps headquarters. Seated across from him was Hange, clad in casual attire, a leather doctor's bag beside her on the sofa. Silently perusing the reports, Erwin noted that after a thorough investigation, all of the new recruits had been swiftly cleared of suspicion.
"How are Moblit's efforts coming along, Hange?" he inquired, lifting his gaze from the paper.
"He and the rest of the fourth squad should be in the capital by now. I expect we'll hear from them by the end of the week. We'll hopefully have everything we can find on Rod Reiss by that point." A subtle sadness flickered across her features as she thought about her subordinates. "I told them to be extra careful, if Reiss truly is the king of the walls and the holder of the sixth known titan power then he could easily wipe the slate clean and erase our memories again, worse yet... even turn some of us into titans as punishment."
It was a marvel how Reiss hadn't done it yet as a precaution, now that they were aware of the reality of the titans, but maybe there was a certain condition that needed to be met beforehand. Thinking about it sent a shiver down both of their spines.
"Indeed." They had considered the possibility of the titans outside the walls being the king's doing but they were quick to realize that it didn't answer the question of Bertholdt, Reiner, Annie and Ymir. "And what of your experiments with Eren and our captive? Any progress on that front?"
Hange's weary face lit up with brief excitement at the mention of the boy's name. "Eren has been progressing superbly, I must say! If he continues like this, we'll no longer have any room for doubt about his control over his abilities. However, it did lead me to an unfortunate discovery. It seems that all Titan shifters carry unique capabilities so we haven't been able to replicate the crystallization effects of the Female Titan."
A shame, Erwin thought. They all wondered if it was possible for Eren to activate such power as well, and how far the crystallization extended. Beyond application in combat, it seemed like a great way for them to be able to seal the breach in Shiganshina.
Her expression suddenly shifted. "As for Bertholdt... We may have completely broken him."
"I beg your pardon?" Erwin frowned, it's only been two weeks, the few times he checked on the captive himself he did seem fine. "Broken in what sense?"
Hange could barely conceal her grimace, scratching the back of her head sheepishly. "I'll admit, we got a little carried away by his healing factor. That said, having to cut off his limbs every so often has driven him to near insanity. It's gotten quite difficult to get words out of him lately—He barely even reacts to pain anymore." She sighed, shoulders slumping. "We weren't able to get anything out of him; he's been tight-lipped this entire time... his will is... commendable, I'll give him that."
"I see."
"It did lead us to another discovery, the same as we've seen with Eren. Energy and will power are a major prerequisite in achieving transformation and maintaining it so there is a limit to how much one can transform and successfully at that. Bertholdt's regenerative abilities have been severely crippled due to the repeated amputations." Hange knitted her brows a little. "It makes me curious if we still need to dismember him but I'm not willing to put that to the test."
Hange reached for her bag, searching for something within. "With that dead end, I went ahead with our next phase of experimentations, this did rattle him a little. He's still cognizant enough to recognize what we're trying to do." Hange pulled out a small vial of clear liquid; Erwin strained his eyes to make out the negligible quantity within it.
"It's an... underwhelming amount, but it was all I was able to acquire with the current tools at my disposal. For whatever reason, this liquid instantly evaporates if not properly sealed, so extracting this quantity was a pain in the ass."
Erwin reached forward and took hold of the vial, examining it in his hand, it looked like it had been accidentally spilled and this was what was left of it, still, it was foolish to underestimate it.
This was liquid death.
"From Floch's own words, even a single drop from this that comes in contact with an orifice or even an exposed wound is enough to meet the conditions for transformation. Not exactly a pleasant thought, given how often I get cut on the job; we've all had to wear many layers of protective clothing as a precaution," Hange replied before receiving the vial back and securing it within a container.
Erwin's eyes hardened. "Now it is only a matter of selecting a candidate to inherit the power,"
Hange nodded at him. "Preferably soon, it's getting ridiculous having to cut off and dispose of all those extra limbs, some of the men have been getting some... unsavory ideas due to the food shortages recently. We just have to take into account the whole... you know what."
Erwin hummed, knowing full well what she was implying. Bertholdt had outlived his usefulness and needed to be separated from his powers, still, It wasn't an easy choice, even less so now that they were finally made aware of the curse that accompanies said powers.
"Hange, I'd like for you to return to Headquarters for now. That vial must be kept well-guarded until we decide who will inherit the Colossal Titan."
A knock suddenly came on the door, and a soldier stepped in. "Members from Squad Mike have arrived, sir!"
"Tell them I'll be meeting them shortly," Erwin said. The man saluted and left. Erwin stood up, as did Hange. "Best get going now, I'll see you soon."
"Very well, Erwin."
Hange took her leave as Erwin made his way out of the room shortly afterwards, if things went his way, they'll stand unopposed with a fearsome arsenal at their disposal. A greater future would become a reality for them, under a new fair Queen, in a world where a thirst for knowledge and an urge for freedom are rewarded rather than punished with death.
It felt too perfect, and it was.
"So, Reiss has made the first move," Erwin declared, his figure casting a commanding presence among the members of Squad Mike and Mikasa. He pivoted towards Floch with a stern demeanor. "This confirms our suspicions; they have discerned your involvement and are now seeking to sever any connections. The current subtleties will soon be abandoned for more overt actions."
A visible tension gripped Floch; his brows knitting into a frown. "It looks that way..." His eyes locked with Erwin's with an intensity that Mikasa, seated closely on the sofa, couldn't ignore, especially the unmistakable tension in his clenched fists. "I think we may have a traitor among us, Commander. They couldn't have predicted our location without insider knowledge, and I can confidently exclude Jean or Marco from suspicion." The air thickened with unease at his words.
Erwin contemplated their limited circle of trust, "In that light, it's improbable. The only individuals privy to our arrival in Stohess were those present in my office that night, alongside Pixis, and the premier who personally handled our invitation," he paused, briefly glancing at Mikasa, dismissing the notion of her betrayal as ludicrous. "Well, certainly not her either."
"Then...who?" The silence was shattered by Nanaba.
"Indeed, who?" Erwin's gaze turned steely. "Given this, attendance at the forthcoming banquet is out of the question. The risks far outweigh any potential gain. We'll establish contact with Pixis and the premier through alternative means." He offered a final, meaningful look to his team before exiting. "Rest and remain vigilant. We depart in a few hours. I'll ensure our cancellation is communicated." With those parting words, Erwin departed, leaving them with much to think about.
As the room emptied, leaving only him and Mikasa, Floch bit back the myriad of thoughts threatening to surface. His web of deceit, spun from necessity, now tangled him further, reflecting on the paths not taken—Had it not been for Reiner and Annie, it would have been incredibly easy to just have Eren crush everybody in that false king's circle to a bloody pulp.
"I'm guessing this isn't where you wished to be," Floch commented towards Mikasa.
She hummed, "Hm, but I have nothing to complain about. I can't help but worry if they'll be targeting Eren like this too while we're away."
"They've been targeting him since his trial. Of course, none of you knew so everybody expected the 'Execution' to be the end of it. Nile Dok was also oblivious to the fact that hanging a titan shifter achieves nothing; there's really only one way to kill them."
Mikasa's features softened, her gaze averted as the gravity of their situation settled in. "Oh, I see..."
After a moment, Floch expressed his gratitude. "Thank you, Mikasa," he said, though not meeting her gaze.
"For what?" she inquired, slightly puzzled.
"For saving my life, not once but twice, and Sandra's back in Trost." He said, before looking sheepish for a moment. "It's kinda ironic saying it now, if you think about it."
"Don't mention it, I did what I had to do," She said gently, before her eyes widened, turning quickly to clarify her intentions. "Saving you both, I meant... not the other thing."
Floch allowed himself a momentary glance at Mikasa as she took her leave before his gaze fell to the ground, marred by frustration. The certainty of Marco and Jean's loyalty clashed with the lack of explanations, an unsettling notion dawning upon him—was he not the sole person to have returned in time? Is someone out there working with information that they logically shouldn't have? Like... him?
He took notice of the trembling in his right hand, and frowned, what was he trembling for? Floch began to breathe heavily, distraught by the implications of this train of thought. He did not like that possibilty a single bit.
A few hours later.
To say that Jean and Marco were confused by what was happening around them would be an understatement, one minute they were with Floch discussing matters that went beyond their pay grade, the next they found themselves briefly in hiding before being dropped off at their MP district headquarters. It seemed like things had already gotten serious, talk about some bad timing.
"One shitty day after the other, I'm gonna go take a shower." Jean grumbled as they walked back to their room, Marco quietly trailing behind him.
They shut the door behind them and Jean began to remove his shirt, throwing the letter Floch had given him on the bed, it wasn't until Marco walked by that he noticed writing on the outside that Jean had missed. Marco raised a brow at this. "Huh? What is that?" "
"What? Did I miss a bruise somewhere?" Jean asked with his head obscured, still in the middle of taking off his shirt.
"No, not that. There's writing on the outside of the letter Floch gave us." Marco noted, as he reached for the parcel and began to read it.
Dear Jean, and Marco. I lied, you have to read this, open it. :)
Jean, now shirtless, shared an exasperated look with Marco after he read that outloud. "This fucking guy..." Jean mumbled in mild annoyance.
Marco opened the packaging to discover a folded paper and another letter. He opted to read the folded paper first.
I have no idea how to put it, but the two of you alone will not be enough for this mission to succeed.
As I've must have told you by now, our enemy isn't some brainless titan out in the wild, but an entire
government with massive influence and power, these people own the horse, the track and the finish line.
You have always been good judges of character, so I trust that the people you do welcome into the fold
can be trusted to watch your backs and help us in our struggle, of course, I would appreciate if you'd
keep the whole 'you know what' to yourselves for now, so figure it out will ya? As for the other letter,
that's what you'll be delivering, my contact will be waiting for you near the Stohess District Garrison HQ,
don't worry about finding them, they'll be expecting you. Get to know each other well, because you'll be working
together in the future, which by my estimations, is very, very, soon. Good luck and don't get caught (or die).
-FF
"A contact?" Marco questioned, "So it looks like we're not the only ones."
"This keeps becoming a bigger and bigger headache, I'm gonna go shower now." Jean sighed and grabbed some fresh clothes from his closet before taking his leave.
Marco wasted no time tearing the paper apart to pieces and disposed of it, "Looks like we have even more responsibilities on our shoulders now." He threw himself on his bed and gazed up at the ceiling. "Huh, well, what do you know? This is actually getting me a little excited."
Marco chuckled to himself before he used the opportunity to nap a little, inwardly thinking of where to start with their recruitment, there were already three promising candidates. There was suddenly a knock on the door and Marco sat up on his elbows briefly, before hurrying to check on it. The door opened to reveal a distraught looking Hitch, Marco felt a pang of worry as he spoke. "Hitch? What's the matter?"
"Where's Jean? They're calling everybody to the courtyard for an announcement, but there's already rumors going around, it's really bad!" She frantically spoke.
He raised his hands in a placating gesture. "Calm down, what's wrong?"
The next few words that came from her mouth made Marco's eyes go wide in horror.
"The premier Zackly has been found dead in his office!"
Day 21
"No! No! Stop it! Floch, Don't do this! I beg you! Armin, he's-... He's the only one who can do this not me! You can't kill him!"
"I'm sorry, Eren. Armin was a good friend, but we need the Commander more than we need him, I hope you understand."
A few hands restrained the titan shifter, thwarting his desperate lunges towards the crimson-stained remnants of his childhood friend. In moments, he found himself being forcibly transported away from the rooftop, where Floch and Captain Levi stood amidst a few fallen individuals. His eyes caught the sight of Floch, stooping with a syringe poised above Erwin's fading form, before a blinding white enveloped everything.
"AAAahhh!" Eren awoke, shivering in the cold sweat of another nightmare, his breaths erratic as his eyes darted around, recognizing the familiar confines of his room within their Headquarters.
"Not that dream again..." Eren whispered to the void, sitting up with legs dangling over the bed's edge, his body hunched forward as he fought for air.
It seemed more than mere coincidence that these visions had plagued him since that accidental bump into Historia. His dreams replayed the grim events of their return to Shiganshina, Floch choosing Erwin's survival over Armin's, the latter's lifeblood seeping out on their birthplace's rooftops. A chill ran through Eren, his gaze steeling, the muscles along his jawline tensing at the ominous possibilities. These visions... could they be premonitions of the future?
The thought wasn't entirely implausible, given their vivid, lifelike quality. Besides, Floch was from the future so was this a glimpse into a catastrophic outcome that necessitated his return? If so, did it fall upon Eren to alter the course of their history and save Armin instead? The notion of confiding in Floch flitted through his mind, yet the dismissive attitude towards Armin's life that he exhibited in those dreams—or were they visions? Prophecies?—discouraged him from taking such a gamble with the blond boy's fate.
A memory then surfaced, a cryptic message from Floch concerning Historia.
"...Oh, and if I die before we get the chance to speak again just seek out Krista."
The connection to Historia was undeniable. Something about her triggered these ominous dreams, and Eren resolved to uncover the truth. With newfound determination, he rose to find her, barely making three strides out of his room in the basement before Captain Levi's voice halted him.
"And just where do you think you're off to in such a hurry, Eren?"
The sudden query froze Eren in his tracks, causing him to pivot towards the source to find Captain Levi nonchalantly leaning next to the doorway. "C-captain," Eren stammered.
"That was quiet the intense look in your eyes just now. Care to tell what's ignited such passion?" Levi's inquiry came sharp, piercing.
Eren hesitated, faltering under Levi's scrutinizing gaze. "I-It's nothing, sir, I just... I had a matter to discuss with Historia."
"Historia?" Levi echoed, his acute perception catching the brief flicker of alarm in Eren's eyes before swiftly piecing it together. "Ahh, I understand now. Lovely."
Pushing off the wall with a casual ease, Levi approached Eren, who tensed, expecting confrontation. However, Levi simply passed by, indicating for Eren to follow with a wave of his hand. "You're coming with me. We've received new orders."
"W-what?" Eren protested, confusion clouding his features.
Without breaking stride, Levi clarified, "It's no longer safe for you in this castle; let's not dally." Eren opened his mouth to object, but a stern glance from Levi quelled any resistance. "Hurry now."
Reluctantly, Eren complied, though thoughts of meeting Historia lingered, it looked like he had to wait until next time... or not.
"Eren?" Historia's puzzled voice reached him as he, along with the members of Levi's squad, congregated in the courtyard, poised for departure.
"What's going on? Why are we leaving, and why is she coming us?" Eren's query hung in the air.
"Kid, you've got an annoying knack for questions. Just roll with it this time," Eld advised, clapping Eren's back before mounting his horse.
"Trust us, Eren. It's for the protection of you both," Petra reassured.
Levi, assuming the lead, promised, "I'll explain everything en route, now put a lid on it and let's get moving." With that, the two cadets, now scouts, mounted their horses, following the command. Eren frowned, casting side glances towards Historia and then back at his squad as they departed the castle at a brisk pace. Many questions racing through his mind.
"Whatever that damn ape is, I'll never forgive it." - Connie Springer 850 AD, after learning the fate of Ragako village.
Day 22
"Louise, darlin'! Could ya come help me with this?"
Louise stood up from her seat in front of the freshly peeled vegetables and exhaled contently, a smile plastered on her face. It's been a couple of days now since she moved to Dauper, and life here was already starting to look better than it ever did in that gloomy town she had been born into. She looked around the field outside her new parents' quaint home out in the countryside and walked over to Mrs. Lisa Blouse who was in the middle of hanging a few clothes on the clothes line.
"Yer such a good girl, thanks a lot, darlin'."
Lisa Blouse patted the girl's head a bit and the two resumed to hang the rest of the clothes, some of which have been recently bought for the girl. "Y'know, Arthur's been thinkin' of takin' ya ta learn how ta hunt, I know it's too soon ta ask, and ya don't have to accept of course, but it's a family tradition after all."
Louise looked up at the woman with an excited look. "I would love to, actually!"
The older woman smiled at her, "I'm sure he'll be glad ta hear that."
Louise smiled and the two carried on with their chores, the girl has long since decided that she'd never turn down any good opportunity that may come her way. After all, it was a part of that promise she had made to a certain redhead to enjoy her life to the fullest.
"Is it time to welcome the residents back?"
Amidst the expansive plains of Wall Rose, three Garrison soldiers navigated the town of Ragako on horseback, vigilantly surveying for any lingering effects of the hazardous air left from the recent wildfires. One soldier briefly removed his face covering, inhaling deeply, then craned his neck towards the inquiring young woman.
"Yup, the wait has been sufficient; the risk of illness has faded by now," he affirmed.
"Finally," she exhaled with relief, removing her mask. "The constant bitching from the mayor's been exhausting."
"Let's head back to Ehrmich; I'm starting to feel famished," The man declared, urging his horse forward, with his companions following suit.
As they approached the boundary of the forest leading to the city, the third soldier discerned an unusual presence. "What's that?" he called out, squinting towards the anomaly along the treeline.
"You see something?" the first man queried, turning in his direction.
"Yeah, It... It looks like a-"
Before the sentence could be completed, a sudden flash and an echoing crack interrupted, instantly claiming the life of the observant soldier. He fell backwards and dangled from the horse, his legs caught on the sitrrup of the saddle with a leaking hole between the eyes. Horror-struck, the surviving pair attempted escape as subsequent gunfire narrowly missed them, until a fatal shot hit the woman in the back. She leaned forward on her steed, her cries of pain quickly being drowned out by the build up of blood obstructing her airway, her spasms weakened until she succumbed to her injuries and fell off to the side.
The terror for the lone soldier intensified as the ground trembled increasingly underfoot. Upon turning, he witnessed a four-legged titan charging, and before a scream could escape his lips, he was devoured alongside his steed.
Emerging from the shadows, six men with Helmets, donned in gas masks and equipped with light attire and bolt action rifles, accompanied by Zeke Yeager, proceeded to discreetly move the casualties. Lighting a cigarette, Zeke surveyed the deserted town, as the men obscured the gruesome scene from any potential onlookers.
He took a deep drag then blew smoke into the air, those kids must have done one hell of a job "infiltrating" the walls if every town and village they came across was as deserted as this one. An officer marked their current location on a map obtained from Shiganshina, hinting at their next target. Zeke, lost in thought with a lit cigarette, speculated what could be waiting for them in Dauper.