"I...am...Eldia."
"Eldia," Eren repeated, between the tree and this earthen avatar warily. "You have been there since the beginning, and you made Eldia what it is. I guess that makes sense, using that name."
Eldia twisted in place a bit, seemingly waiting for Eren to say something else.
"What do you want?" Eren asked, blunt and to the point.
Eldia did not answer at first, the many limbs fidgeting in the sand.
Then, like the ghost of a life almost forgotten, a child's voice screamed through the void.
"I will kill every last one of them!"
Eren started, not expecting to hear his younger self screaming into the Paths. Then, a scowl worked onto his face. "You want me to do the Rumbling, don't you?"
To his surprise, Eldia shook its head.
"Then who? Who do you want to kill?" Eren asked before something insidious crept up his spine. "Don't tell me you want to wipe out all Eldians."
Eldia rose higher, limbs tense and poised. Eren got the impression it was angered by the suggestion.
"Then tell me. Why did you help me? What do you want?" Eren asked forcefully.
He suddenly hissed as he felt a burning, pulsing pain in his neck as something...no, as Eldia tried to force an answer directly into Eren's mind.
The Paths went white, but not before Eldia echoed a final message.
"Sorry."
Eren fell backward out of his chair, landing on the floor with a start. "The fuck was that about?" he muttered, shaking his head as he stood back up and sat the chair up.
"Yeager? Is everyone alright?" a guard outside the room called.
Eren almost felt annoyed at their presence but let it go. "Everything is fine," he answered simply, looking outside the window.
It was dark out now. It had been night already when Armin and Mikasa left. Sunrise could only be a couple of hours away.
Still, Ymir Fritz might be an enemy now, and the Source of All Titans was self-aware. One was a problem, and the other was a mystery. He was going to need help on this one, and he had a short list of options. Zeke, Armin, and Hange were the only ones smart enough to consider. And Zeke wasn't an option for many reasons.
He sighed and decided he'd try and figure out what "Eldia" wanted before roping Armin or Hange into this. Granted, Hange would probably jump at the chance to learn about or even speak to the Source of All Titans.
But first?
He sniffed the air. "I smell like shit," he deduced.
Founder or no founder, he needed a quick bath and something to eat.
Meanwhile
"You want us to join the Yeagerists?"
Jean's question rang over the room.
"Honestly? Not really," Floch admitted. "Though, not for the reasons you think."
"And what reasons do we think, Floch?" Armin asked with a frown.
"Well, I have to assume you think I'm either becoming deluded with power or, more likely, am worried about you influencing Eren," Floch predicted.
"Are you?" Connie asked, legitimately curious. "Cause I wouldn't have thought of that."
"We know, Connie," Floch said, ignoring the glare that earned him. "And honestly? No, I'm not. In case you all forgot, I didn't like Eren after...what happened."
Everyone paused in remembrance of everyone they lost in Shiganshina all those years ago.
"And yet, here I am, literally his biggest supporter and the one who helped gather the Yeagerists," Floch reminded. "Now, why do you think that is?"
No one answered.
"Because unlike all of you, I haven't ignored how Eren has changed over the years. I also didn't think it was a bad change," Floch explained. "I mean it when I say that Eren is the best hope we have, now more than ever. So no, I'm not worried about you influencing Eren's decisions."
"Then why don't you want us to join while asking us all the same?" Armin asked, despite his hunches.
"Because everyone loyal to Eldia is welcome to join us," Floch answered bluntly. "But at the same time..."
Floch sighed heavily to their surprise.
"I'm the second in command of the Yeagerists because I can't let anyone else do it. Either because I don't trust them, or don't trust their skills. But if I could, I'd gladly retire early. You've all earned that even more than I have," Floch acknowledged. "Don't get me wrong, it'd be great for morale and everything to have you all join, but no one will blame you. You're all part of the reason we were able to get this far. It's fine if you're too tired of fighting or of blood to keep pushing. Eren certainly won't hold it against you, and neither would I."
There was a long silence. "I...kind of don't have a choice anymore," Connie said solemnly.
Floch raised an eyebrow at that wording.
"Eren's going to turn my mother back," Connie reminded with a small, hollow smile. "And you know, like an idiot, I was just so happy. And I still am! But then it...really dawned on me. What that means for her."
"Connie?" Jean called in concern, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"My mom is coming back. And I'm going to be the only one left, and she's probably not going to have any idea what happened," Connie said, fingers trembling as he held his hands together. "My dad, siblings, everyone in the village? I have to explain to her what happened to them. And everything else. And...god damn it, I don't know what we'll need to do after that."
Floch nodded absently. "I...fuck, I honestly feel bad for you Connie. I've had to tell families of my friends of how they died in that charge, but that is..."
"Yeah," Connie said, trying to smile wider in dark humor but it fell pretty fast.
No one else spoke against Connie's situation. Everyone knew it was the most complicated one among them, a depressing accomplishment on its own.
"What happens if we say no, to leaving the military and joining the Yeagerists?" Jean asked plainly.
"What do you expect me to do, brand you traitors and hang you from the gallows?" Floch asked with a snort. "We'll figure something out. I just felt obliged to let you all know the offer is on the table. Even to you, Connie, when your situation settles."
Connie nodded absently.
"I don't think the rest of us can give you an answer right now," Jean said with a sigh. "Not while we're trying to figure out this new Eren you already know so well."
"Fair enough," Floch granted with a sigh as he rose to leave.
"Floch," Armin addressed. "Do you want him to do it?"
Floch stopped at that.
"The Rumbling?" Armin clarified pointedly.
"I want him to do it the same way I'd want Captain Levi to kill a Titan," Floch answered curtly. "As in, if needed. Preferably before we all die, thank you."
With that, he left.
"You know, I understand Floch's point, but there is something about him still I want to punch sometimes," Connie stated idly.
Armin shook his head. "That is the one thing I really can't figure out. When did Eren and Floch become such close allies in all these years? I know he was pushing us away, but I feel like we would have noticed that."
"We were probably all too busy with trying and failing to find a way out of this mess with the outside world," Jean mused before glancing at Armin. "How is Mikasa doing?"
"...I'm not sure," Armin admitted. "We talked more with Eren. He'll...probably fill you both in if you ask. But he explained some things to us. And it...wasn't easy to take. Mikasa is happier and sadder all at once now, I think."
Jean just shook his head at that, unable to muster up the words.
"Hey, Armin? If you don't agree with using the Wall Titans, why did you help them plan it?" Connie asked in legitimate confusion.
"Because if they're going to do it, we want them to do it right. Because if they do it wrong, they might have to do it again. And more lives will be lost," Armin said softly, staring at the floor. "I always knew we might have to use them. I'm resigned to the fact that they probably won't be stopped entirely. But if nothing else, I'm hoping I can get Eren to reconsider this...retribution he'll level on Marley, only destroying the world fleet and the ports."
"That probably wouldn't be enough," Jean said with a sigh. "When we believed we were the last of humanity, all those losses were never enough to stop trying to venture back out beyond the walls. With how dead set the world is against us, bases and soldiers won't be enough to persuade them. They have a lot more lives to spend than we ever did."
"The fuck, Jean?" Connie asked in surprise.
"I've been trying to understand how the outside world works, dumbass. Marley thinks it's in the right, and brainwashed a lot of people to think the same. Why would they stop if we just gave them a bunch of martyrs?" Jean explained.
"Because everyone thinks we're the same Eldian Empire that terrorized the world for two thousand years," Armin countered.
"...If the king hadn't wiped out our memories, would we be?" Jean asked absently.
"..." Connie and Armin looked at him in confusion.
"Would we have all just been here, generations waiting and scheming for a century to retake our lost empire everyone keeps yammering about?" Jean asked with a frown. "Would we even still exist, if our ancestors hadn't forgotten everything?"
"That is...okay, that is way too much for me to think about," Connie said, shaking his head with wide eyes. "And how the hell does that help us, wondering about something like that?"
"Hell if I know," Jean admitted with a sigh.
"Jean? Are you going to retire to the Interior like you always wanted?" Armin asked, getting a scowl from his friend. "I wouldn't blame you, honest!" he said, holding his hands up. "I just...don't want to lose track of where everyone is going."
"What kind of question is that?" Jean asked, scratching the back of his head. "I can't leave when you both need help pounding stuff through Eren's head. My family is fine. I'm not saying that to be an asshole, Connie. Just that you have to be somewhere else, I don't."
"I get it," Connie assured. "No real way to say that without sounding like a dick, but I get it."
Armin smiled a bit at the exchange.
"Speaking of which," Jean said, kicking off from the wall. "I'll be back in a bit."
"Where's he going?" Connie asked, half to himself and half to Armin.
Armin, however, didn't have an answer…only a suspicion.
Meanwhile
A quick shower and change of clothes was an easy fix for his smell. His appetite was another matter.
"Um, Yeager? There's a visitor in the office?" a guard said uncertainly. "We weren't sure if we should let her in, but..."
"It's fine," Eren waved off, outwardly stoic even if he was minutely surprised.
He entered the door to find, low and behold, Mikasa was sitting there, with a plate of food on the table; a sausage with eggs and bread.
"Eren," she greeted, her eyes hinted with an uncertainty that almost hurt, even if he deserved it.
He frowned at her as he walked over to the desk. "Please tell me you at least ate before bringing this up."
Mikasa nodded. "Your guards are scared of me."
"Mikasa, everyone short of Captain Levi is scared of you, even if it's only respectfully," Eren reminded as he sat down. "Did you need something or were you just worried about me?"
"Do you want me to leave?" she asked simply.
"No," he answered honestly. "Just making sure."
Mikasa nodded, hands folded together in front of her. "You were right."
Eren raised an eyebrow, and suddenly the food was infinitely less important.
"The world is cruel and beautiful. And I...these past few years, I let myself try to ignore the cruel side and appreciate the beauty. I...," Mikasa took a breath. "You called yourself a selfish piece of shit last night."
Hearing Mikasa casually curse was almost foreign. Not that he disapproved, just that it was surprising to hear. "I did, I stand by it."
"Then we're the same," Mikasa said in a small voice.
Eren's eyes widen. "What...?"
"You did everything because you thought you had to. And I ignored how terrible the world was because that was the only way I thought I could treasure the time I had left," she admitted, looking up to meet his eyes. "The time we had left."
"Mikasa, that's not the same," Eren said with a frown. "I was willing to sacrifice the entire world-"
"And I was ready to stop caring about Paradis and everyone on it if I could just have a few happy years with you," Mikasa said pointedly. "You choose a million lives over billions. I choose one over a million. Between the two, do I really seem less selfish?"
Eren glared at her. "Are you just trying to make yourself seem worse to make me feel better?"
"No," Mikasa answered, closing her eyes. "I was just trying to figure out if you were right. If I forgot? And if I did, when and why? After all, I told everyone I didn't have much more room in me to care."
Eren sat back pensively.
"Eren? How does this end? I'm genuinely asking, what is your plan? You destroy the fleet, ports around the world, and part of Marley. What happens after that?" Mikasa asked softly. "You said you're not going anywhere. So please, tell me, where are we heading?"
Eren studied her for a moment before nodding. "The immediate part is reforming the government. Hell only knows what that'd look like. After that is done, we figure out who is still going to try and fight us and who is willing to back out. Then we just work from there."
"That's it?" Mikasa asked idly.
"I'm not like Erwin, who had a complicated plan and five backups. There is a path we have to walk and deal with the obstacles as they come," Eren summarized. "I'm still going to help the Anti-Marley Volunteers retake their homelands, but how depends on the circumstances of their homelands as much as it does us."
Mikasa hummed. "Eren? Can you promise me one thing?"
Eren didn't answer.
"Back at Trost? When it all started?" Mikasa began, her voice swelling with an emotional undercurrent. "I thought you were dead before you got out of your Titan. I thought you were gone. And I nearly gave up. No, I did. I led everyone in a suicide charge, let myself run out of gas, and was going to just sit there while I let a Titan eat me."
Eren stared at her in shock. Armin had mentioned something like that, but never in so much detail or emotion.
"The only thing that made me get up and fight...was the memory of you. I got up, determined to go on in memory of you, and if not? To go out fighting to my last breath," Mikasa paused to take a breath. "Then you showed up and saved me."
"I did?" Eren asked in legitimate surprise.
It made Mikasa smile. "Yes, Eren, you did. I know you always hated...feeling like I was the one saving you all the time now, but you have...ALWAYS been the one saving me. Every day just being by your side has been a new reason to be happy to be alive."
Eren's voice grew mute in the face of that confession.
"So please, promise me, no matter what you do or don't see in the future?" Mikasa continued. "Don't give up. Don't...try to sacrifice yourself like the suicidal idiot Jean always said you were. Just..."
"If you don't fight, you can't win. If you win, you live," Eren murmured to himself, locking eyes with her. "I promise, Mikasa."
"Thank you," Mikasa whispered. "Just...don't break it like your last promise."
'Hmm?" Eren looked at her strangely.
"The scarf. You can't wrap it around me anymore," Mikasa reminded with a sad smile. "It's missing."
"Right," Eren muttered as he reached into a drawer to Mikasa's surprise, as he pulled out the neatly folded, all too familiar red scarf.
"...How? I thought it was missing?" Mikasa asked in disbelief
"A Yeagerist named Louise held onto it after I told her to get rid of it," Eren explained as he rose to circle the desk.
Mikasa frowned. "Why would you...?"
"I was resigned to the future I saw, but I still made petty attempts to change it," Eren explained quietly. "I healed her after the battle, and she returned the scarf to me. She was pretty sure you'd want it back."
Mikasa said nothing as he carefully and calmly wrapped the scarf around her. She trembled as he did, holding onto the scarf and pulling it up to her face as it all finally hit home. "This is real? You're not going to die from the curse?"
Eren nodded. "I'm not going anywhere, Mikasa."
She didn't hesitate, all but leaping up to wrap him in a hug. Eren froze, feeling a bit awkward after everything before returning it earnestly.
"Hey, Yeager, what did you-!?" The door was forced open by a kick, revealing Jean being pushed back by the two Yeagerists. "Oh."
The two separated before the Yeagerists noticed, but Jean certainly did, looking somehow both relieved and resigned all at once.
"Yeager, Sir! He just tried to force his way in and-" one of the guards tried to explain.
"He knows, you idiots! He can see," Jean snapped.
"It's fine, let him go," Eren waved off Jean and the guards separated. "Did you need something, or are you just here to yell?"
"Nothing you can give," Jean answered with a sigh and a quick glance at Mikasa and the familiar scarf wrapped around her. "Though, I did want to pass a question along, since the chain of command is shafted right now."
"Hmm?" Eren acknowledged.
"Are we still doing the flying boat thing? The Azumabito are probably wondering that at the port," Jean reminded.
"Right, we should head down there today," Eren agreed, looking to the guards. "Go find Floch and tell him to meet me as soon as possible."
"Sir!" they acknowledged, heading off to find the second in command.
"Now what?" Jean asked idly.
"I scarf down a cold breakfast, Horseface," Eren answered flatly, turning to grab the less-than-warm food.
"Bastard," Jean grumbled, giving a nod to Mikasa. He was disappointed in himself, but if nothing else, he was glad that Mikasa was happy.
Mikasa smiled behind her scarf. She had felt one of her headaches coming on at the start of her conversation with Eren, but now? Now it was fading away into nothingness. It was more relieving than normal as if some pressure on her head had finally been relieved.
Maybe it would stay away forever now.
Meanwhile
The prisons had grown quiet, almost peaceful as they each either drowned in their despair or shared in silent comradery of being the defeated in this situation.
Then, without sound or warning, Falco suddenly sat up in bed. Reiner wasn't facing their cell and Gabi hadn't noticed.
He looked around his cell with hawk-like vigilance before he stood up out of bed.
"Hmm?" Gabi grunted groggily, looking blindly in his direction, but put her head down against her curled-up knees when she didn't hear anything else.
Then, with sudden determination and grit, he launched himself against the cell door, rattling the bars.
"What the Hell?! Who's there!?" Gabi exclaimed as she jumped to her feet, trying not to look petrified and ready to attack anyone that so much as touched her.
"...What?" Reiner said, having rolled instinctively up to his feet into a fighting position. He stared in confusion as Falco rammed the door again. "Falco! What are you doing?!"
"Hmm? He's the one causing the racket?" Zeke asked in mild surprise.
"He's probably panicking," Yelena mused.
"F-falco?" Gabi whispered, but Falco didn't answer as he kept ramming against the door. "Falco, stop! You're just going to hurt yourself again!"
He ignored her and continued, gritting his teeth through the pain.
"You should listen, Falco," Zeke cautioned, pausing at another impact ringing through the air. "At this rate, you will-"
There was an ominous snap. Not of metal, but of bone. Falco let out a muffled scream as he held his upper left arm. It was cracked and might break if he didn't stop.
So he used his right arm instead and continued slamming himself against the bars.
"Falco, what are you doing...?" Reiner asked, disturbed by the look on Falco's face. There was a look in his eyes that unsettled the Armored Titan.
At long last, a guard headed down the stairs with a hurried pace. "What is- By the Walls, what did she do to you, kid?" the guard asked in alarm as he looked at the bloodied boy with an arm that didn't look completely right.
"I wouldn't hurt Falco!" Gabi protested in bewilderment.
Falco panted even as his healing factor began to kick in. "I need...I need to talk to Eren Yeager. Now."
"Sure, I'll pass that long," the guard said disinterestedly. "Did you...do this to yourself?"
"It's important!" Falco insisted, wincing harshly.
"The only reason I'm still here, Kid? You went to the effort to break your bones, so I'll hear you out," the guard said with a frown.
Falco grunted, wincing through the pain. "I need to see Mr. Yeager. I have information for him. Information I want to trade."
"What?" Reiner said, shocked and confused.
"And how would you have any information worth sharing?"
"How much do you know about Shifters?" Falco asked pointedly, getting a confused look. "We sometimes get memories of the one we devoured to get our Titan. The previous Jaw Titan knew about more covert attacks on Paradise."
"And what, you think I'm going to let a Shifter out of his cell, just on that you MIGHT have information?" the guard asked incredulously.
"Eren Yeager has the power to stop me from shifting, so it shouldn't be a problem after you tell him I want to talk," Falco reasoned pointedly.
"Give me something just a little more specific to report back with, and I'll tell him right now that you want to see him," the guard said bluntly, still doubtful of this claim.
"Queen Historia's farm is in the southwest area within Wall Rose."
The guard suddenly froze, a long silence coming over the cells. "I'll be right back."
With that, he left, and Falco collapsed against the bars.
"Falco...?" Gabi called, touching blindly at the wall and floor as she crawled over to him.
"What the hell Falco?" Reiner asked. "What are you-"
"Reiner," Zeke spoke up suddenly. "Give the boy a moment."
Falco ignored them, watching as Gabi got closer. "Falco, are you...please say something, I-" Gabi's whole body tensed as Falco pulled her into a deep hug. "Falco...?"
"I'm right here," Falco whispered. "I'm so glad you're alright."
Gabi had so much she wanted to say or ask but found herself hugging him back and crying into his shirt. "Falco, he...he took my eyes. He-"
"I know, I know," Falco assured, shushing her gently.
Reiner frowned as he watched. He wasn't the smart one in any group, but...hadn't Falco been unconscious when Gabi lost her sight? And what covert attacks was he talking about? Reiner certainly didn't know where Historia's farm was.
Was Falco bluffing? If so, what could he even hope to accomplish?
He didn't ponder what Falco might be trying to trade for. It was obvious, just staring at the way he held and consoled Gabi.
End of Chapter
So...the Symbiote going by Eldia is self-aware, but has trouble communicating, even with its host. Baby steps, I suppose. Meanwhile, Floch has an interesting conversation with everyone, Mikasa does some inner reflecting, and Falco broke his damn bones to get a meeting withe Eren. Never doubt that kid and his drive when properly motivated.
Hope you all enjoyed this. I know AoT has probably lost a lot of popularity after the ending. Which is a shame- as much as I don't like the ending, its still a fasinating world to play with.
Early viewing of chapters 8-9 avaliable on my pat-reon:
p a treon . com (slash) akumakami64