Chapter 11: A Decade long Meeting
Ai was driving to the studio with everyone in her car, minus Eren who had to take his own car since they were having issues with space. That being that Mikasa and kawachi were coming along as well since they couldn't be home alone in the evening.
Although, that meant she had to get there early in the evening since traffic in Japan could get bad. Especially during the morning and evening times when everyone was either going to work or leaving. Most people, even with cars, still decided to take the train since it was just faster and easier.
Ai knew Eren was getting nervous all day since he was going to meet Reiner. Ai wondered if her personally knew Reiner or someone in his family. Which would be strange since Reiner would be a toddler when they met since Eren has always been in Japan in the past decade, minus a few overseas trips.
At first, she assumed that Eren was just being a worried papa. She expected it since he could sometimes be very overprotective, but this was entirely different. This wasn't "No man can date my daughter", this was "He specifically can't be around us". It was so weird to her.
But she wanted to wait until they met before she could make any kind of judgement. She didn't want to make assumptions that could be wrong, especially since it made no sense how he could possibly know Reiner. The only idea she could accept was that he knew a family member of Reiner's.
Unless... he did work for an intelligence agency. Was Reiner secretly an international criminal? He seemed so nice and polite, if a bit forward. She felt like she doubted that.
Ai drove into the small parking lot and parked near the door, since she technically owned the building. Well, President Saitou owned it, but who cares for semantics.
"So, what's the plan today?" Ruby asked.
"We're getting ready for the interview this Friday." Ai said as she got her bag and closed the car door. "I got you girls an interview with a talk show that will help get more recognition."
"I'm surprised it happened so quick." Ruby said.
"Well, you girls are being compared to my old B-Komachi group." Ai said.
"I don't see how." Kawachi said. "Was B-Komachi really so big back then?"
"Of course it was!" Ruby yelled out.
"Eh-" kawachi jumped back slightly, not expecting her partner to suddenly scream like that.
"B-Komachi was at the top of the industry. The best of the best. Literally their faces were everywhere." Ruby said.
"I still don't see-" He tried to say.
"Because mama was amazing!" Ruby said. "Her fame and talents were almost mythical, making her the most amazing idol."
"Well, I was never that amazing." Ai waved off the compliment.
"Yes you were mama!" Ruby said.
"I only had a pretty face and a sweet and innocent personality." For effect, Ai posed with double peace signs, winked, and stuck her tongue out. "Meimei was always a much better dancer."
"I just never realized you were so big." Kawachi said.
"I'm not surprised." Ai said. "You weren't even born when I was still at the top of my career. Your generation is going to completely forget me."
"I think you should be much more important today." Ruby grumbled.
"Well, we can't change what happened." Ai said. "I'm sure if we kept the secret, I could have gone further and bigger. But sadly, that's not what happened."
"Do you ever regret it?" Kawachi asked.
Ai stopped right before she opened the door to their common room. She thought for a moment, wondering just what could have been if things were different.
"No, I never did." Ai said. "I am happy with how my life turned out, even if I do sometimes miss being an idol."
"I feel like some of our issues started when Eren came about." Aqua chuckled, remembering how the Yakuza attacked them because of Eren.
Then again, the actual secret was revealed due to his own mistakes with Hikaru, so a lot of the blame was on him as well.
"It was a secret that would have come out eventually." Ai said.
After everyone got inside the room, Ai went over to her desk to start working on her emails and preparing for the interview. Ruby was just going to rest for now and Aqua was just going to wait until Eren and Reiner got there.
Eren should be arriving soon, and Ai assumed he'd be the first to show up since Reiner insisted on taking the train. Mostly because he said he didn't want to burden them. How can a nice and polite boy like that be such a problem? Maybe after Eren meets him, he'd change his mind.
With a small knock, the door opened revealing Eren, who was dressed in more casual clothes since he said he took the day off from work to meet Reiner. He was dressed in simple slacks and a T-shirt. His hair was down, unlike normally where he swept it back to style it.
For the next ten or twenty minutes, everyone just relaxed in the studio. Ai kept herself busy with work, Aqua, Kawachi, Mikasa, and Ruby talked, but Eren found himself sitting on the couch, his arms crossed, and tapping his foot repeatedly.
Ai noticed that nervousness of him. She was seriously starting to feel concerned. She never saw him this agitated before last week. Just what exactly happened on his overseas trip?
Knock. Knock.
A small knock on the door, which was probably Reiner. Ai announced that it was unlocked and that he could come into the studio. After the door opened, Ai noticed that Reiner stepped in.
"Sorry I was a bit late; the train was delay-" Reiner stopped as his eyes widened.
Ai now was very curious. Reiner knew Eren, and not only did he know him, but he was also afraid of him. At first, she assumed maybe the reaction was due to meeting the Akuma no Ko, but Reiner showed very little interest or knowledge about the fact that her husband was a criminal.
This was different. This was a fear of recognition, one that almost paralyzed Reiner.
"Eren..." He said in surprise.
So it was true, Aqua and Ruby thought to themselves. Eren knew Reiner in his past life. And based on his reaction, they both had a very rough past.
"Reiner." Eren said in response.
The stare down was intense. Both men refusing to move from their spot as they stared at each other. Eren's stare one of anger and suspicion, Reiner's was one of shock and surprise. Though not really fear, more just complete surprise.
"Ok, how do you know each other?" Ai asked with a small glare. She was getting to the bottom of this.
How were they going to explain that?
"His father nearly killed me, before I went to Japan." Eren said.
"Y-yea, that's right." Reiner said.
That made no sense to Ai. Reiner's father was an assistant to a politician in Germany, she checked when she did his background check. He'd have no reason or means to try and do anything to Eren.
Right? Then again, Eren still never told her where he's from. He couldn't be from Germany.
"Papa, you're bleeding." Ruby said, looking down at Eren's hand.
"Eh?" Ai asked, looking over.
There was some dried blood on Eren's lip and a cut on his thumb, as if he bit it to draw blood. The blood leaked out of his thumb and started to drip on the floor.
"Let me get a first aid kit." Ai said.
"No." Eren said.
"Eh?" Ai asked.
"Ai, I want to talk to him alone." Eren said.
Ai was silent, not sure of what to say. Clearly, there was something that happened between them. Ai didn't buy the story of Reiner's father trying to kill Eren, but what was the alternative? That Eren had a bad relationship with a toddler? Or that Reiner was lying about his age.
"Eren, he is a teenager. I understand if you're worried about him around Ruby, but-" She began.
"That's not it." Eren said.
After composing himself, Reiner reached up and bit his hand, hard. Ai had to wince as blood was drawn from the bite. Eren tensed, prepared to do... something, but she had no idea why.
For a few moments, they just stood there. Both her husband and Reiner were bleeding from the bites on their hands. There was another staring contest, both men daring the other to do something that Ai had no idea what it was.
"Don't make me Eren." Reiner said.
Don't make him what?
"Seriously, enough! Both of you!" Ai yelled out. "This is getting out of hand! You two are going to get an infection if you just hurt yourselves like that!"
"Maybe you two should tell them the truth." Aqua suggested.
For the first time since Reiner walked in, Eren took his eyes off of Reiner and looked over towards Aqua. Reiner did the same, their eyebrows were raised.
"Are you crazy?" Ruby whispered.
"This meeting went really poorly; they weren't subtle at all." Aqua said with his arms crossed. "I think, you should try and tell Ai everything."
"Tell me what?" Ai asked.
"I have Aqua." Eren said. "No one believes me here."
"Agreed." Reiner said, thinking back to his own times of telling people the truth.
It was a crazy idea from Aqua's perspective, to just explain the truth. He knew Eren had the evidence with his unique powers, so it should be easy to convince everyone. Ai and the younger twins would need the most convincing.
But his schemes against Hikaru taught him something. It's best to seek help now than to wait and do nothing. If he had went to Eren sooner and acted on his thoughts of Eren's supernatural circumstances, maybe Ai could have had a better career.
What Ruby said to him last night also made him think. Maybe it was important that everyone knew the danger they were potentially in.
"Aqua... tell... me... what?" Ai asked in an annoyed and serious tone.
Eren didn't want to explain it. Even if Ai believed him, Reiner could reveal everything. The war, the rumbling... everything.
"Eren and Reiner are from different worlds." Aqua said.
Silence fell over the studio for a moment, before Ai just exhaled in annoyance.
"Seriously?" Even kawachi and Mikasa asked.
"If you don't want to be honest then-" Ai began.
"Eren, show her." Aqua said. "The family has a right to know if we're in danger."
Ai raised her eyebrow at Eren. He looked down towards the ground, almost ashamed of what Aqua said. It made no sense to her. That stupid joke that he told for years, did Aqua really try to lie about that so Eren didn't have to explain that he knew Reiner?
Eren said nothing as he took out a pocketknife that he carried. He flipped it open, causing his family to look at him in confusion.
Aqua was right. They needed to know. Two times enemies from his past wormed their way into his families lives. Got close to them and could have killed them while he was gone. He needed them to understand, to know the truth.
"Eren!" Ai yelled as Eren stabbed the knife right through his forearm.
"Papa!" Mikasa yelled.
"Otosan!" Kawachi yelled as well.
Eren barely grunted as his family crowded around him. Even Ruby. Aqua stayed back, a bit confused since he didn't understand what was going on. Eren realized he never explained the healing aspect of his powers.
"Let me see." Ai said.
Eren grunted as he pulled the knife clean out. There was a large hole in his forearm, clearly showing that it went all the way through.
"We need to stop the blee-"
The sound of what could only be described as steam filled the room.
Everyone watched in amazement, surprise, and even horror as the wound slowly started to close. Steam came off the wound as they saw muscle and sinew stitch itself back together, right in front of their eyes. The hole got smaller and smaller, until there was only a smear of dried blood.
"What the..." Kawachi looked on in amazement.
"I wasn't kidding when I said I was from another world Ai." Eren said. "You just never believed me." He looked down in shame.
Ai grabbed Mikasa and Kawachi away from Eren, for a moment, she was terrified. Not at Eren, but at what that meant. Eren had super healing, how else could she describe it? He could heal in seconds. Was he poisonous, did he have diseases she could get? What did this mean.
"You're not lying." Ai said.
"No." Eren said.
Ai turned to look at Reiner, and then at his hand. His wound was gone as well, only a trace of dried blood.
"And you?" She asked.
"In a way." Reiner said.
Ai looked between the two men, holding her youngest children to her. She didn't know what to think. A small part of her remembered that anytime Eren said he was from another world, she could tell he wasn't lying. She could always tell when he lied, except that. She always assumed it was because he was always joking, but no. Eren was from another world.
"Why didn't you tell-" Ai stopped herself. It was a dumb question.
He did tell her, and she never listened.
"When you came to Japan, that was the day you came from your world, wasn't it?" Ai asked.
"Yes." Eren said.
That explained everything. How he knew nothing of their culture, how he had no digital footprint. And how technologically illiterate he was. It all made sense now. It was hard to believe, but there was the evidence right there. His super healing.
"Does that mean I have powers too?" Kawachi asked.
Ai felt herself have a heart attack. What did that mean for their children? Were they ok? Were there downsides to having these powers?
"No, you don't." Eren said. "These powers are not passed through blood, at least not from parent to child."
"What are these powers?" Ai asked.
"Remember that video of the giant naked man in China?" Aqua asked his okaasan.
"That wasn't fake, was it?" Ai asked.
"It was me." Eren said, his voice still sounding ashamed.
"You can turn into a giant monster!?" Kawachi wrestled himself out of his okaasan's arms and ran up to his otosan. "That's so awesome!"
That... wasn't the reaction Eren was expecting.
"Yea, he's like Antman!" Mikasa yelled.
"What?" Eren asked.
"A superhero. He can make himself really small or really big." Mikasa said.
"I saw the movie, it was good." Reiner said.
Eren's attention went back to Reiner, his glare back on his face. Reiner stepped back, prepared for another standoff and a fight in necessary.
Whack!
"Ow!" Eren yelled as Ai smacked the back of his head.
"Before you do another staring match, how about an explanation of you two?" She asked angrily. "There's no way he's from another world. He actually has videos on social media as him as a kid."
"I was reborn here." Reiner said.
"Reborn?" Ai asked.
"Yes." He nodded. "After I died in my world, I wound up here. Freshly born and starting a new life."
"So, you were fully reborn." Ai said.
"You believe that?" Reiner asked, surprised that she would.
"I'm processing." Ai said. "I don't know how else to explain what we saw."
"Eren and I knew each other in our previous world." Reiner said.
"How?" Ai asked.
"We were enemies on opposite sides of a war." Reiner explained. "Last thing I remembered-"
"Reiner." Eren threatened.
Eren knew Reiner survived past the rumbling, but he didn't want Reiner to reveal anything about the rumbling.
"Was Gabi shooting his head off." He finished, despite Eren's warning.
What? Eren thought to himself.
"Who's Gabi?" Eren asked. Mikasa cut his head off, not anyone else.
"The girl you tied to Pieck." He said.
"Who?" Eren asked. "You mean the Cart? So that means Gabi is the brat who shot Sasha." Eren said out loud.
"Sasha died?" Reiner asked. "I guess that's why I didn't see her in the battle."
That made no sense. Reiner didn't die when he activated the rumbling. Reiner didn't die at all. He should have lived after the rumbling. If anything, he would have died some other way. Maybe a disease long after the rumbling, or maybe he died of old age. Maybe he even died due to the new Eldian Empire. He shouldn't have died then.
"You died before I could reach Zeke?" Eren asked.
"Zeke... so he's from your world too." Ai said to herself.
"I don't remember dying." Reiner said. "I just woke up here."
"So... you two fought each other." Ai said.
"On a few occasions." Eren said. "Which is why I'm concerned now."
"What?" Reiner asked. "You think I'm here to take revenge? To continue a fight that I want nothing to do with?"
"I don't know." Eren said. "What are your intentions with meeting my family?"
"I didn't know they were." Reiner said.
"So I'm to believe you just happened to have started working with them?" Eren asked.
"If I knew they were your family I would have avoided them." Reiner said.
"And asking my daughter on a date?" Eren asked.
"She's cute." Reiner said.
Ruby had the decency to at least hide her face from what he said. Seriously, how does he just go out and say that.
"Enough!" Ai said, standing between the two men. "I contacted him Eren, not the other way around. So, he's not responsible for meeting us."
Eren just scowled and turned his eyes away from his wife.
"So, for now, let's trust him." Ai said.
"It's not like I could do anything. Marley doesn't exist here, or Eldia." Reiner said.
"Yet you still have the Armor." Eren accused.
"As you have the Attack Titan." He said.
"How long have you had it?" Eren asked.
"Since I was born." Reiner said. "I got a cut when I was an infant and willed it to heal. That's how I knew."
Eren was surprised to hear this. Zeke didn't activate his powers until half a decade after he arrived, but he did admit that he actively avoided using his powers. Eren only recently got them, but Zeke assumes there may have been some underlying issue, such as a lack of focus at the time.
But Reiner could since he was an infant... which means.
"Then the Curse of Ymir no longer applies." Eren said.
"Curse of Ymir?" Ai asked.
"Everyone who gains the power of a Titan Shifter dies thirteen years later." Eren explained.
Ai looked horrified at that.
"I assumed it should have killed me." Reiner said. "I didn't know if I had four years remaining when I was born or if the counter reset. After waking up on my fourteenth birthday, one whole year after the Curse should have killed me, I knew it wasn't around anymore."
Ai took a step back and sat on one of the couches, this revelation is too much for her. The fact that not only was her husband from another world, but that she believed it. Not only that, Reiner was reborn from another-
"Wait." Ai quickly stood up. "Braun-San, how old are you?" She asked with narrowed eyes.
"I was nineteen when I died." He said, confused.
Ai didn't know if that made her feel better. On one hand, she was glad an old man didn't flirt with her sixteen-year-old daughter, though nineteen was still a little older than she would have liked. But did that mean he was technically over thirty, even though he was reborn?
"I don't know how I feel about your age now around my daughter." Ai said.
Really? Aqua thought to himself. That's her concern right now, not the whole, he could be a danger to the family thing?
Reiner stayed quiet though, since he didn't want to reveal that Ruby was technically closer in age to him than Ai thought. Reiner correctly assumed that Aqua and Ruby still wanted to keep that a secret from her.
"That being said, Aqua said that we were in danger." Ai said to Eren. "I'm assuming, that Zeke and Reiner means there could be other people, right?"
"Yes." Eren nodded.
"And that would mean, that they could want revenge against you, right?" Ai asked.
"You're taking this surprisingly well." Reiner said.
"I'm still trying to come to terms with all of this." Ai said.
"I figured it would be important if you all knew." Aqua said. "Two times now someone dangerous from Eren's world got close to the family, so if we knew what to look out for, we could avoid the problem."
Ai sat back down on the couch and sighed. This felt overwhelming to her. First, she learns that her husband really is from another world and now apparently, they're in danger.
"How did you know Aqua?" Ai asked. "There's no way you could have believed this."
"I saw Eren heal once." Aqua lied. "He had to explain."
He didn't want to tell Ai him and Ruby were reborn. That was irrelevant, especially since if she learned her son was the doctor that helped her trough her pregnancy, it would get awkward.
"Fine, don't tell me the truth." Ai said, not believing the lie. "For now, I'll ignore it."
"So, what do we do now?" Ruby asked.
"I think you should tell us the threat we're dealing with." Ai said to both Eren and Reiner.
"Depends." Eren glanced at Reiner.
"I'm not interested in fighting Eren." Reiner said.
"Only trying to bed my daughter." Eren growled.
"Don't phrase it like that!" Ruby yelled out.
"I will fight back if you attack me Eren." Reiner said.
"You lost every battle we fought, even when you had help." Eren said.
"Do you hate me that much?" Reiner asked.
"I forgave you for the past Reiner, but I refuse to let you be a threat to my family." Eren countered.
"I said enough you two!" Ai yelled out. "Whatever happened in the past is over between you two. So, let's figure out what to do from here."
"Well, if I'm not a threat, and Zeke isn't, what else could there be?" Reiner asked.
"The Jaws." Eren said.
"Porko?" Reiner asked. "He's here?"
"I didn't see him, but yes." Eren said. "I assume he snuck into the country by boat. And he clearly is trying to take revenge against me."
"Do you think so?" Reiner asked. "It's not like Galliard to target someone's family."
"That doesn't matter." Ai said. "I don't want anyone trying to hurt my husband either."
"I suppose he may try something. He talked a lot about wanting to kill you for the Liberio attack, while we prepared to invade the island."
"Liberio?" Ai asked.
"They declared war on us in the Liberio district of Marley, after they did, we destroyed their port and high command." Eren said.
"As well as-"
Eren pushed Reiner against the wall, pinning him there, a clear threat to Reiner not to reveal the whole truth. Not to reveal to his family, that Eren massacred innocent people in the attack.
"Eren!" Ai yelled out.
Reiner went silent, looking down in shame since he was no better than Eren. How many innocent people did he kill when they breached the walls that day.
"Sorry." Reiner said, and that made Eren relent.
"The only ones I can confirm that are a threat is the Jaws Titan. I don't know if Annie or the Cart Titan is here."
"And Berthold?" Reiner asked, hopeful that his friend was alive.
"Only Armin is here." Eren said.
"Armin?" Mikasa asked.
"Armin Arlert." Eren confirmed. "Apparently he was on a dating show recently."
Mikasa jumped up and squealed. It had to be the same one her papa was talking about. Her celebrity crush probably knew her papa, which means he could get his autograph.
"Armin could be a threat?" Ai asked.
"Armin was my friend." Eren said. "He's Eldian, like me. Well, from Paradis." He clarified.
"What is an Eldian?" Ai asked.
"Eldians are descendants of the Founder Ymir, the first Shifter." Eren explained. "Only Eldians can possess these powers, so I guess we're a race of people. But, on the island of Paridis is the new Eldian Empire. At least, it was being established before I died."
"I was a Marleyan warrior, and we fought against the "Devils of Paridis" as we called them." Reiner explained.
"Despite being an Edlian?" Ai asked.
"We were raised to believe everyone on the island were devils." Reiner explained. "We were good Eldians, who used the powers of the Titans for good."
"Which is why we can't assume every Shifter here is intent on peaceful intentions." Eren explained. "Either they'll want revenge or to save this world from the devils of paradis."
"Maybe." Reiner said. "I want no part in it Eren. That's all I'll say. I like this new life, and I'm content with just finding a wife and starting my own family. To live a normal life."
"Well, don't even think about trying to court Ruby." Eren threatened.
"Papa!" Ruby yelled out.
"Focus, both of you." Ai said. "What exactly are we going to look out for?"
Eren and Reiner explained each Titan powers in detail. The Jaws, Cart, Female, Colossal, Armor, Warhammer, Beast, Attack, and even the Founder. The abilities and unique attributes of each one, as well as the people who are likely to have them.
"So, what is the Attack Titans power?" Ai asked. "That's yours, right Eren?"
Eren didn't want to explain how he could see future memories, how it's ability allows glimpses of the future, which could lead to uncomfortable questions relating to the rumbling.
"The Attack Titan moves forward in the vanguard, and for freedom's sake, it fights." Eren said.
.
.
.
"Is that your way of saying it sucks?" Kawachi asked.
Eren's eye twitched as Reiner had to hold in his laughter.
"Now we all know what to lookout for in the event of anyone coming to harm us." Aqua said.
"Yea, my husband is from another world with giant monsters." Ai said. "Still going to take a few days to process that."
"I'm sorry." Eren said.
"Don't be." Ai said. "I can't say you never told me, because you did. It's my fault for not believing you."
"I can't blame you for that." Eren said. "If someone told me as a kid that people could land on the moon, I'd be very skeptical."
"But you have giant monsters!" Ai said.
"That was a fact in my world since the day I was born." Eren said. "It's no stranger to me than you saying there are flying machines in your world."
"True." Ai said.
"I think it's cool." Mikasa said. "Papa is like a superhero. He has powers."
"Yea, that is cool." Kawachi said. "Could I ever get powers?" Kawachi asked.
"No." Eren said.
"Aw." He looked down, sad that he couldn't.
"It is pretty cool." Ruby said. "And you're has armor, that's fitting I think." She smiled at Reiner.
"Really?" Reiner asked. "How?"
"Well, you're a fighter, so it makes sense. Plus, you're big and muscled. I think it suits you." Ruby said.
Reiner actually blushed.
"Ruby." Eren warned.
"What?" She asked.
"Stay away from him." Eren said.
"I told you papa; I'm not going to date him." She said. "We're friends."
"I don't want you to be friends." Eren said.
"That's unfair!" Ruby yelled. "I'm allowed to make friends if I want."
"Find other people." Eren said.
Ruby glared at Eren before standing up and stomping outside. She wanted to get away from him after how he was treating her. She understood her papa and Reiner had issues in the past, but they were both Soldiers. She understood Soldiers fight and if they were on opposite sides, of course they'd fight each other.
Ruby had no understanding of war or what it was like. She didn't even understand it in movies since war movies was one of her least favorite genre's. But just because Reiner was a Soldier didn't mean he was a bad person. It's like saying her papa was a bad person for being a Soldier.
Besides, Soldiers were respected. Not too much in Japan since the JSDF didn't really do anything, but people still looked favorably towards them. It was seen as people still volunteering to protect Japan, though most people understand the only time the JSDF do something is during extreme cases of crime or natural disasters.
Even countries that did fight, like the United States, was seen favorably by a lot of people. Most Japanese people understand that the United States protects Japanese sovereignty in the pacific from countries like China. Ruby knew that much, but didn't know much about it since she never really watched the news.
So how can Reiner be a bad person? He was just a Soldier. Sure, maybe he killed some people. Ruby wasn't naive, but just because he had to kill other Soldiers shouldn't make him a bad person.
It made her papa seem so unfair since he judged Reiner for the same things her papa did. And her papa was a good person, which means Reiner is too. So, she refused to listen to her papa and wanted to be friends with Reiner.
Only friends though. She couldn't ever date him. Not as an innocent and pure idol. She wouldn't make the same mistake her mama did that ruined her career... well, it wasn't a mistake since it gave Ruby a second chance at life with her favorite idol, but still.
She would befriend Reiner whether her papa approved or not.
Ai was worried as she saw Ruby leave. It was something she read in a lot of books about raising children, since she didn't really have what most people would call a normal childhood. President Saitou only ever disapproved of boys because of his business, not necessarily that he was like an otosan to her.
However, Ai read that girls would often rebel against the wishes of their otosan's, especially when it came to boys. She was worried that Ruby might try to rebel simply because Eren told her no.
Plus, Ai could tell that Ruby did like him, only letting her career get in the way. Before, Ai was comfortable with the idea of the two of them dating, but since Reiner was mentally older than his actual age... a fact Ai was having trouble coming to terms with... did concern her.
Eren and Reiner were staring each other down again. Both distrusting of the other. Whatever happened to them must have been rough. Eren said he beat Reiner multiple times, which means they must have fought. Considering they can both apparently turn into monsters and have super healing, means their fighting would have been destructive and violent.
"So, what are you going to do Reiner?" Eren asked.
"Like I said, I have no issues with you here." Reiner said. "We won the battle and defeated you, so my home is safe."
Eren's brow twitched. If Reiner was reborn from the moment that brat shot his head off, then he must assume that Marley won and the Rumbling was prevented. Which was good for Eren since he didn't need to worry about Reiner taking revenge.
"I guess you're right." Eren said. "But if the Jaws approaches you-"
"I don't give a damn." Reiner said. "Porko was my comrade, but I'm not getting into another war. Not while I'm here and have a chance to do something other than fighting."
"Fine." Eren said. "As long as we're clear on that. And don't you dare try to bed my daughter."
"I won't." Reiner said, though Eren didn't feel convinced.
"Papa, what does being bed mean?" Mikasa asked.
Eren turned to her, then looked over towards Ai. She had a realization on her face and mouther to Eren not to do it.
"Ask your mama." Eren said.
"Mama, what does-"
"It means dating!" Ai said quickly. "A special kind of dating. but it's impolite to say out loud. It's like a bad word."
She needed to find a way to both give her a satisfying answer while making sure she doesn't bring that up in conversation. Damn Eren for putting that on her.
"Oh, then you shouldn't say that papa." Mikasa turned back to Eren.
"Sorry Mikasa." Eren said.
"At least now everyone knows the danger." Aqua said, hoping to shift the conversation.
"Yes." Ai said.
"I'm surprised you took it so well okaasan." Aqua said.
"How do you explain magical healing-" Wait. "You could have done that this whole time!?" She yelled at Eren.
"What?" Eren asked.
"All those times I was worried about you when you got hurt!" Ai accused.
"I wasn't able to use my powers until recently." Eren said. "So I couldn't heal. To be honest, I was more annoyed by the persistent pain of healing."
"Is that the truth?" Ai asked, annoyed that she was always so worried about his health.
"I've never lied to you." Eren said.
That was true. In the years she's known him, the only time she ever caught him lying was about his origin, which looking back, makes a lot of sense since no one would have believed him without proof. Even when he did tell her the truth, she never believed. Even now she still has trouble believing. If it wasn't for that healing of his, she would have never believed.
"Hey papa, can I ride your shoulder in your monster form?" Mikasa asked.
"Yea, that sounds awesome!" Kawachi said.
Eren couldn't help but chuckle. He was worried about how they would react. He guessed right now; it was something cooler and more exotic than horrifying. As long as they don't know what he used those powers for and the crimes he committed, Eren didn't worry too much.
"No." Eren said. "We can't ell anyone about it."
"Damn." Kawachi said.
"Excuse me!?" Ai turned angrily at her son.
"I-I mean-"
"You follow me young man." Ai said sternly. "We're going to have a talk about that in private."
Ai grabbed Kawachi's arm and almost dragged him into the dance studio, getting some privacy so she could lecture him about having a foul mouth.
After an awkward silence, Reiner decided to leave. He really didn't want to be around Eren, especially with the distrust Eren had towards him. To be fair, they were enemies. Reiner assumed he'd feel the same way if he was in Eren's position.
As Reiner stepped outside, he saw Ruby waiting in the chilly night air.
"Hey." Reiner said.
"Braun-San, sorry for that." Ruby said.
"It's ok." Reiner said. "I guess, well, now you know the truth."
"Yes, another world. That's unbelievable." She said. "But really cool too."
"Oh, I finally was able to do something that impressed you?" Reiner smirked.
"Well, not really." Ruby giggled. "You were still a Soldier, and that's too scary for an innocent and pure idol like me." She winked and gave him the peace sign.
"We wouldn't want your dozens of fans to get scared of me." He laughed.
"Just wait, soon it'll be millions of fans!" She yelled in excitement. "And then I'll be much too famous to ever associate with you." She said in a mockingly arrogant tone.
"But I still have more followers." Reiner said. "So right now, I shouldn't associate with someone as unpopular as- ow." He said as Ruby pinched his arm.
"You'll regret that." She smirked. "I'll remember this when I'm famous."
"I sure hope you do." Reiner said. "Well, I need to go before Eren shows up again."
"Don't worry, papa isn't normally angry." She tried to say.
"Ruby, I knew him when we were both teenagers." Reiner said. "Believe me, I know what he's like when he's angry. This is just caution."
"That's true I guess." She said. "This rebirth stuff is so weird."
After that, they parted ways, and Ruby knew she needed to go back inside before her mama or papa came out to get her.
She smiled and waved goodbye to Reiner, wishing him a good night sleep.
More instances of the butterfly effect.
Aqua learned his lesson from his fight against Hikaru, how even if it's risky to reveal the truth, it might actually be helpful. Especially on two occasions the family was probably in danger without realizing it. He learned his lesson.
With proof, Ai and the children were able to at least be convinced, though she's still processing. It's really hard to make in convincing to make a believable way for someone from our world to accept something like that. I hope it was believable.
I debated early on whether to reveal it later or sooner. I chose sooner because I feel like the characters lessons and previous trials would make them choose a different course than would be expected. Plus, technically it's been like sixty chapters before the truth of Eren's origin is revealed. Don't worry, more will be revealed in time.
Of course, there are still mysteries the family doesn't know. As far as they're concerned, Eren was a Soldier who served honorably in a war. They still don't know the darker things he did, and he'll try hard to hide it.
I hope it met expectations. I didn't want to go too comedic, so I hope it's believable and satisfying.
Hope you guys enjoyed.