Attack On Titan: Wings Of Crystal
Chapter 79: Pride
After escaping into a cold, wild river with the severely injured Levi, Hange made camp in the middle of the woods, tending to her comrade's wounds. The captain was in the worst shape of his career. When Zeke attempted to escape and turn his squad into Titans, he was forced to kill them all and commence his long-awaited rematch with the giant monkey.
He stuck a Thunder Spear into the side of his gut with the pin tied around his neck. The slightest movement from the former War Chief would set it off, killing him. He had gambled on the hope that Zeke wouldn't dare to do such a thing, only to end up suffering the outcome of his recklessness.
But as Hange would later point out, he was too stubborn to die. Too determined to carry out Erwin's final order. Had he not been born an Ackerman he would've died immediately. Knowing what he does about his heritage's connection to Michael's Titan, he wondered if it was partially the reason he'd survived.
Right now, all he could do was lay there and listen to the sounds of Hange gunning down her old comrades who pursued them.
Night fell as she stitched up the right side of his face. His whole body felt stiff and in constant pain. He couldn't even open his eyes fully. His left one was all foggy from looking directly at the Thunder Spear explosion, blinding him before the shockwave sent him flying out of the wagon.
Hange explains what happened to him after the incident. Telling him how she had to force him and herself into a cold river and let the current carry them away until they washed up on the bank where they are now.
There was nothing for the couple to do but sit around their campfire and wonder what they should do next. There's no way they can stop Zeke by themselves. Hange wondered if Eren would turn on Zeke and use the Founder's power for his own benefit. The Yeagerists have now obtained control of the island thanks to the spinal fluid wine. Even if Eren wins they'd still be on the run. Just what was it that Eren wanted?
Suddenly, in a flash, she and Levi were transported to The Paths. From an outsider's perspective, it happened in an instant. But for them, it went on for quite some time. They were there long enough to hear Eren's declaration for genocide of all life beyond Paradis.
Hange's eyes widen with horror. "He wouldn't!" She dismissed. "The whole world! How could he not see that-
Her thoughts were quickly interrupted by Levi's grunts as he fought through the aches in his bones to sit up straight.
"What happened… Where is that hairy sack of shit?!" His voice came out slightly muffled due to the bandages wrapped around his mouth.
Hange holds him in place to prevent him from getting up. He needed rest. Exhausting himself would only worsen his injuries. "No need to get up. Zeke's long gone. The Yeagerists found him after hearing the explosion. They took off for Shiganshina half a day ago… What happened? How did he break free?"
"It was my fault. I screwed up." He weakly replied. "Had him rigged to blow if he tried to break his restraints." He lifts his right hand to his face to get a good look at his bandaged hand. His middle and index fingers were missing. "I didn't think he'd do it. I was wrong and he got away."
"Worrying about it won't help us now. We can't do anything but-
"Run and hide?" He interrupted, predicting how that sentence was going to end. "If we do what'll that get us?"
"A fair question", Hange thought. He must have been listening to her talking to herself for a while. She felt a little embarrassed. She thought for sure he was passed out.
Levi glances to his right and notices the little project Hange is working on in his blind spot. While he was out, she was building him a cart to carry him around in. It looked like it was handmade by an amateur, but Hange had little to work with. The original cart Levi was carrying Zeke in had been blown to pieces. Only the metal wheels remained almost perfectly intact. It would have to do. As long as it's functional who cares what it looks like?
But where she'll be taking him remains unclear. Hange didn't exactly have a plan. After hearing Eren's speech she feels powerless to even think about trying to stop him. The Scouts' greatest fighter is critically wounded, and she doesn't have the numbers to lead an attack against him. She'd need reinforcements.
She'd imagine if Erwin was here he'd have a plan. He's always had one when their situation seemed dire. Plans that came with great risk and small rewards. But they always worked. They uncovered the Omega Warrior's identities, rescued Eren from them, and stopped them from taking him again during the Battle of Shiganshina. He was a great leader, far more than she could ever be.
She looks away from Levi and gazes at the warm, orange fire, releasing a deep, defeated sigh. "I wish Erwin was here." She glances back at him again. "… What do you think he'd say?"
Levi groans as he positions himself upwards again. He too wondered what Erwin would say if he saw him like this. Would he be disappointed in him for not following through on his final order to kill Zeke? Would he have come up with a better solution to all the problems they've faced since discovering the truth of their place in this world? Just thinking about it was giving him a headache.
"I think if he saw us like this, he'd say something like…"
"It wounds me to see you in this state, Levi… And Hange, you did an excellent job leading the Scouts in my absence."
Moments after their reunion in the Forest of Giant Trees, Erwin approached his two most trusted comrades and got a good look at them. They've both changed in the past four years. Hange lost an eye during the Battle of Shiganshina, something he was unaware of as he was preoccupied with leading his squad to their deaths against Zeke. The same individual who put Levi in his current state.
Levi and Hange were still frozen with disbelief. This just wasn't possible. He couldn't be here. Erwin died after the battle ended. Levi had a chance to save him with the Titan serum but gave it to Armin instead. Looking back on it he was glad he didn't choose Erwin now knowing what became of Armin.
Now that he was standing a few feet in front of them, neither could deny that this wasn't an illusion. Erwin Smith is alive, as evidenced by how he gently placed his hand on Hange's shoulder. His hand felt warm and had a firm grip. No ghost can feel like that.
"I- I don't believe it… Erwin… You're alive?" She stuttered still in disbelief.
A plethora of emotions was going through Levi's mind on how he should respond to Erwin's surprise return. His initial response was disbelief like Hange, but now he can't decide whether he should be happy to see him or furious to learn he is leading the military force that works with Lazarus. Even with his poor eyesight, he can see that he has switched allegiances. Erwin was the last person he'd suspect who would betray Paradis.
"I know what you're thinking, Levi. I am not siding with Marley. I'm only here for two purposes. To save my son and now the world. I assume you've heard what Eren told us?"
Hange desperately wanted to ask him many questions on why he'd been hiding in Marley all this time and hadn't thought to come back to Paradis the first chance he'd got. But bigger things were happening right now than her and Levi's need for answers. For now, she needed to remember the reason why she'd approached Magath and Pieck. Erwin can explain himself later.
"What is the meaning of this, Smith?!" The general demanded of him as he signalled the four remaining WOC soldiers to aim their guns at them.
Erwin stands in front of them and seriously stares into Magath's eyes. "Listen, General, we all share the same goal and that is to stop the Yeager brothers. You admitted yourself that you stand no chance at stopping The Rumbling alone. You need my forces, but the Scout Regiment comes as a package deal. Either we all put our differences aside and fight together, or we just kill each other for nothing. What's it gonna be?"
The four soldiers and Pieck all look at the general, awaiting his response. The four remaining WOC maintain a firm grip on their guns, keeping them pointed at the three Scout leaders.
Then to their surprise, Willy stepped in and ordered the WOC to lower their weapons and stare at the tired Levi.
"Levi Ackerman. The man who went toe to toe with the Crystal and Beast Titans all on his own and came out on top. From what Erwin's told me, you were this island's strongest fighter. The shape you're in now, you couldn't dodge a bullet from one of my men."
"I couldn't dodge a punch right now." His only eye shifts towards Erwin. "You've been telling him stuff about me?"
"Only the good things… Look, I know you both have a lot of questions, but I think it's best to explain everything after we've gathered our forces on both sides. Right Hange?"
It would seem she and Erwin may be on the same page here. She approached The Cart Titan in the hopes of allying with them. With the numbers they have now they stand no chance of stopping The Rumbling. They need the power of the Titans. And now that Erwin's back they can rely on his exceptional leadership skills to come up with a foolproof plan.
Willy appears to be supportive of Erwin's plan to unite everyone against Eren too, remembering what he said in his speech before The Attack Titan appeared. The WOC stand with him despite Magath's protests. But the head of the Tyburs reminded him that these Eldians were loyal to him first, not Marley.
Magath inevitably gives in and places his pistol back in its holster. Even he had to admit that joining forces was the most logical solution. He could always shoot them later if he felt the need to.
Happy to see everyone in agreement, Erwin explains to Hange and Levi what exactly happened in Shiganshina. "After Zeke turned everyone, Lazarus succeeded in eating Eren. But his head was blown off and landed in Zeke's hand, triggering The Founding Titan's power before he could devour him. Lazarus was in the centre of the blast zone when he transformed. It'll take a lot for him to come back from this one."
"He's the reason you're standing here, isn't he?" Levi guessed.
Erwin nodded. "He healed me with his tears, bringing me back from the brink of death." He looks at his raised right arm. "All my wounds faded as if they never existed, even my arm grew back."
"He didn't kidnap you and bring you to Marley? You left with him willingly." Hange added. Again, Erwin nodded in response. "You always said you wanted to know the truth about our place in this world. Bet it wasn't at all what you expected it to be."
"No. It's worse than what I was hoping for. Still, we cannot allow it to be destroyed. I've seen Eren's new Titan myself. It's bigger than anything we've ever faced before. So big that it seems like nothing would be able to slow it down. But we've gotta try." Erwin raises his fist to his shoulder. "Let's give ourselves the best possible chance."
"What do you suggest we do first?" Pieck asked.
"First, we locate Michael and the other Shifters. They should still be hidden somewhere in Shiganshina."
The loud thuds of the Wall Titans continued to rattle the island all through the night. Every Eldian still within Shiganshina who'd survived the battle found it impossible to get a wink of sleep. The intense vibrations of the Titan's footsteps shook the ground beneath their feet, knocking some of them out of their beds. And the noise was too much for the limitations of the human ear.
Since sleeping wasn't an option, Jean, Mikasa and the Warriors just sat there and watched the Titans walk by. The Rumbling began half an hour ago and there are still so many Titans. It's like there's no end to them.
Sasha was riding through the night on horseback desperate to catch up with Connie who abducted Falco with the agenda of feeding him to his Titan mother and changing her back. She was miles away from Shiganshina, so the sounds of The Rumbling weren't an issue. All she could hear was silence and the wind blowing against her.
As she rode onward, she finally took some time to think about the things that had been happening. Everything from the attack on Liberio to now went by so fast for her. She hadn't even gotten a proper chance to have a nice meal with her family thanks to Gabi's sudden appearance. She still can't believe the coincidence that the same girl who almost shot her is also Michael's chosen successor.
"HEY! YOU OVER THERE! WAIT UP!"
And when she thought there couldn't be any more surprises left in store for her, Gabi was riding her horse at a faster pace to catch up, calling out, asking her to slow down a bit. Why was she following her? Does she wish to finish what happened in the restaurant? She didn't appear to be armed though that didn't stop her before.
Sasha ignores her and directs her eyes in front. Gabi called out to her a second time, getting louder the closer she got. She pleaded with the potato girl to slow down and listen to what she had to say.
"You're going after your friend who took Falco, aren't you?" She assumed, triggering Sasha to pull on the reins to slow her horse enough for the candidate to pull up beside her.
"Don't try and stop me." She briefly shouts back before picking up speed again.
"I'm not trying to stop you. I wanna go with you!" Gabi clarified.
Hearing those words got Sasha to order her horse to come to a complete stop. Gabi does the same and has a proper face-to-face chat with Michael's supposed friend. The last time she saw her she was rage-driven, but now she is addressing her with a calm, clear mind and focussing on what is important here.
"Why would you help me? You attacked me last time we met."
"That was before I realised who you were. I attacked the woman who shot down two friends of mine without remorse. I had no idea at the time you were the girl Michael was telling me about." Gabi explained, feeling guilty for how she acted before.
"Michael was… talking about me?" Sasha muttered, more surprised that he'd been telling his successor stories about his time on Paradis instead of forgetting it like it was all a bad memory. Jean said that he would after getting his memories back. She knew he was wrong. "What did he say?"
"I'll tell you on the way. Your friend and Falco still have a huge head start ahead of us. We have to catch up to them before something terrible happens." Gabi pointed out.
Sasha nods and the two brunettes ride on into the night. They pick up where they left off as they rode.
"He always said good things about you. Things like how you were the light-hearted one in your unit, always making others laugh even though it was directed at you most of the time." Gabi started slow, focusing on keeping the horse steady across the bumpy terrain.
She continued sharing with Sasha everything Michael said about her. Reminding her of the time he spent hunting with her during the 104th training. How she stole meat from the officer's pantry. The time he saved her and Kaya from a Titan, as well as what she'd learned from the orphan girl. But the last part she was about to get into was what caught the potato girl off guard.
"… But his biggest regret for leaving you guys was never getting the chance to see you again. He told me that if he could go back and change anything it would be to tell you how he felt sooner… The moments he'd spent with you on this island were some of the best of his life. He would never show it, but Lazarus and I can tell that he's been miserable since he returned to Marley. He loves you. I still don't get why, but he does."
Sasha's eyes widen with joy. Her cheeks blushed red and a smile formed on her face as her tears were on the cusp of dripping down her cheeks. She knew it. She knew deep down that he still cared about what they used to have. The others didn't believe her, but she kept holding on.
Except this was how he felt about her before the raid on Liberio, after the deception she pulled at the plaza. Confessing her feelings for him so he would lower his guard and allow Eren to get past him and unearth the Warhammer's host must've changed how he felt about her now. She betrayed his trust to secure Eren a victory for Paradis. As a soldier, she did her duty. But as a friend, she betrayed the one man who looked past her comedic mask and saw the fearless huntress underneath.
Her smile devolves into a frown and she lowers her head in shame. "Michael probably hates me now. I saw how he looked at me at the restaurant. His eyes were filled with resentment for what I'd done. He'll never forgive or trust me ever again."
"Is that why you're trying to get Falco back? To earn back Michael's favour?" Gabi asked.
"No. I thought if we brought him to Lazarus unharmed, we could use him to negotiate a truce and get him to join us."
Gabi starts to chuckle to herself, prompting a confused Sasha to wonder what was so funny. Did she say something stupid again, she thought?
"Lazarus' goal has always been to stop Eren from activating The Rumbling. I don't think he needs convincing to join you. If anything, he's most likely going to be coming up with a way to convince you Scouts to join him."
"I doubt there's anything he can do to convince the others he means well after what he, Reiner, Bertolt, and Annie did nine years ago." Sasha uttered under her breath."
"Do you hate Lazarus for what happened that day?" Gabi hesitantly asked.
Sasha paused, thinking what the most honest answer would be to give. Among the remaining members of the 104th, she has the biggest heart. She preferred seeing the good in others rather than focusing on the bad.
Her philosophy was a person who has committed a heinous, unforgivable crime should at least be given one chance to earn redemption but only if the individual shows honest signs of guilt for their atrocities and is willing to give anything to make things right. If the criminal shows no remorse, then they don't deserve a second chance. A good example is Ludwig Oppenheimer. He showed no concern for the lives his Atomic Bomb had claimed. And now he is travelling the globe with Eren, relishing in the destruction of everything under the feet of The Rumbling.
But the members of the Omega Unit who came to Paradis have shown guilt for their actions, not just the breaching of Wall Maria but also lying about who they were. Making them believe they were trusted, regular people they could depend on.
"It was never a lie! Do you understand? We're not who we said we were, but it wasn't an act! We genuinely thought of you as our friends! I'm not stupid. I know we have no right to ask for forgiveness. But everything I've ever said, or done, was out of love for all of you! Even if you'll never see us as friends again, you'll always be ours in our hearts."
She remembered what Lazarus said to them during their last proper interaction before being forced to flee to Shiganshina. He said that it had always been his goal to create a better world. A world without Titans. A world without betraying and killing your comrades. And that one day he would explain why they did what they did. But now they know. They've seen the world they come from and how it mistreated them. Marley can never be forgiven. But she believes maybe the Warriors can.
"… No. I don't hate him, or Reiner, or Bertolt, or even Annie." She finally answered. "Had I never met or gotten to know any of them I would have. But Lazarus is our only chance to stop Eren… I can never forgive him, but I can give him a chance to prove he wants to change for the better. I can't speak for Jean and Mikasa though, especially after what happened to Armin."
"Who's Armin?"
"He was Eren and Mikasa's closest friend. He was injured after a confrontation with Bertolt and could only be saved by getting turned into a Titan. We fed Lazarus to him, hoping he'd take The Winged Titan's powers. But… it didn't work."
"Oh". Gabi immediately understood where she was going with this. Lazarus killed him. Why else would he be so driven to revenge?
"How could any of us have known he was immortal and his powers couldn't be stolen?" Sasha rhetorically asked. "We couldn't have. Laz even tried to warn us about it, but we didn't listen. I can't say it was his fault we lost Armin… What about you then?" She turned to Gabi, changing the subject out of nowhere. "How did you and Michael get so close?"
"We weren't in the beginning. When I first saw him, I thought he was just another Island Devil like the rest of you. That's how I viewed everyone on Paradis back then…. Even when he told us he'd been born in Marley and lost his memories I still didn't trust him. I thought Lazarus was insane for bringing him back instead of Eren."
Before Sasha was about to ask what changed, Gabi continued, cutting her off. "But then I met his father. He became our new teacher and told us the true history of the island rather than the false facts they've been feeding us. I didn't believe him at first, but Michael showed me the research his grandfather left behind and told me his side of the story… Even then I still refused to accept it because of what I truly believed. But that information never left my thoughts. It clung to my brain like a tumour. Eventually, I started burning with questions and went to Michael for answers. He answered so honestly that I could tell he wasn't making it up. Lazarus and Reiner backed it up with their perspectives on their time here. They were just as sincere as he was."
Gabi pauses momentarily to take a deep breath. Her eyes lower, glaring at her hands clutching the reins. "… My cousin had become a different person compared to the Warrior Aunt Karina used to boast proudly about. This place changed him. It changed everyone in the Omega Unit. Some for the better. Others… for the worst." She slowly finished.
Sasha chose not to ask her for any further details on the topic. It wasn't any of her business. She was instead more curious about what Gabi said about Michael's father. She can't mean Erwin because he died at the end of the Battle of Shiganshina. She assumed she was talking about Michael's birth father. He remembered hearing from Erwin that the reason for Michael's betrayal was the promise to be reunited with his birth parents whom he'd forgotten when he lost his memories. His desire to be with his real family was stronger than his devotion to the Survey Corps. She would do the same if she were in a similar situation. Family should always come first.
All the more reason why she of all people can understand what Connie's going through. He'd lost all of his family to Zeke's spinal fluid apart from his mother. He has a chance to save her and make her human again. Of course he'd take it. But Falco was like family to Lazarus. Killing him may lose Paradis' one hope of utilising The Winged Titan's power.
It was daylight when Connie and Falco finally arrived at Ragako village. It was just how it was the last time he'd returned. Desolate, barren, and quiet aside from the wind blowing and the birds chirping. The houses were still in ruin from the previous victims of Zeke's spinal fluid.
On the way, Connie was carefully thinking about his plan to restore his mother. It couldn't have been as simple as dropping him into her mouth and waiting until she'd eaten him. He can't just force him into her mouth either. If he gets hurt in the process, he could turn Titan and figure out what happened. There were many ways this could backfire. He can't afford to mess it up.
Falco begins to stir in his sleep behind him atop the horse and starts waking up. He slept through all night and most of the morning. "He must've been truly exhausted", he thought. Connie started having second thoughts about what he was about to do. Falco was a good kid. He camped out in the woods with him without a single complaint. He had every reason to doubt a stranger like him, but he chose to trust him with his life.
The young boy lets loose a yawn as he begins to awaken from his peaceful sleep. Once adjusted to the sunlight he takes a look around the ruined village. He wasn't sure why he was brought here but he assumed it was for a good reason. Maybe it was a rest stop to look for supplies on their way to the hospital he promised to take him to, he thought.
"Sir, I thought you were taking me to a hospital. But this is an abandoned village."
"Right. There's just something interesting here. Thought you might like to see it before we get there." Connie assured him, acting as if everything was fine.
Their horse trotted down the road before turning left at the next crossroads. Up ahead was what appeared to be another ruined house covered up by a huge white tarp. This must be what Connie wanted to show him. It was the only thing in this village that stood out to him.
Falco climbs off the horse and approaches the tarp to get a good look at it while Connie ties the horse to an old fence post to keep it from running off.
Suddenly, realisation struck the new Jaw Titan. He didn't understand why it didn't click with him earlier. He may've been tricked.
"Is this… Ragako Village?" He hesitantly spoke up, sparking a reaction out of Connie.
"You've heard of it before? How'd you know?"
"Because you mentioned it. I accidentally heard you talking to yourself last night. And that name, Sasha. She was the one Gabi attacked at the restaurant… The whole time you've known exactly who I was, yet you acted like you didn't until you've gotten me out here. Why do all this? Why would you go to that much effort? Gabi killed two of your comrades. Are you using me for revenge?"
"Hardly. Soldiers get killed in the heat of battle; I know that." Connie brushed him off as he walked past him. He grabs onto the tarp and pulls it aside, unveiling what it had been hiding inside. His Titan-made mother. Falco gasped in shock and backed away out of fear of being eaten. But the Titan was still unable to move due to her tiny, deformed limbs.
Connie returns to his side carrying two broomsticks. "It's been lying here for years. Never even budged. It's not a threat to us."
"Wh- Why is it here? And why show me?" Falco gulps nervously as he slowly turns towards Connie. "What are you going to do with me now?"
Connie blankly stares back at him, giving off a sense that he is going to do something sinister with him that involves this Titan. His eyes narrow as he slowly raises the arms holding the brooms up to him. Then all of a sudden, his glare vanishes and is replaced by a friendly smile.
"Yeah, I guess I never mentioned that. Think you could help me brush its teeth? It's a pretty rare opportunity. Wouldn't wanna pass it up, hahaha."
Now there was an awkward silence filling in for the offset vibes Falco was picking up. He was unsure how to respond to that. Who in their right mind would want to brush a Titan's teeth? He never even questioned if Titans could get dirty teeth until now. Was he serious or was this all some kind of joke? Connie answered that by shoving one of the brooms into his arms. He was serious.
"But first we're gonna have to climb up onto that rafter for a better angle. The ladder is solid and I'm not gonna let you fall or anything. So, let's get to it." He faked cheerfully.
"… Sounds good," Falco responded awkwardly.
"FALCO! GET AWAY FROM HIM NOW!"
Sasha and Gabi finally managed to catch up with them, and just in time too by the looks of things. Falco instantly turned around in response, not at all expecting Gabi to show up there. And riding beside her was Sasha, the same girl he brought up earlier. Why were they together? More importantly, why does Gabi sound so worried about him?
"Gabi?"
"He brought you out here because he wants to feed you to that Titan!" She warned him as loud as she could.
"Please stop! Don't do it, Connie!"
Feeling cornered, Connie reaches for one of his blades and draws it from its slot. He then wraps his free arm around Falco's neck and holds the blade against his throat. "Get back! Don't come any closer!"
Gabi and Sasha pull on the reins and bring their horses to a sudden halt. "Why now did they have to show up?" Connie thought. "And why is Sasha with her? Did she come here to stop me?!"
"Connie…"
"Just shut up! I don't wanna hear it! Don't even bother talking to me, because there's no way I'll listen! You've made it clear where you stand! You're gonna say I should give up on saving my mom because his life is more important than hers! You might be right, but I'm way too much of an idiot to care!"
"Connie, you're not an idiot! And I never said your mom's life wasn't important!" Sasha attempted to reason with and help him see things from her point of view.
"Falco, you have to use the power of The Jaw Titan!" Gabi shouted.
"Use the power of the Jaw? What? But what about Mister Galliard?"
Connie maintains a firm hold on the boy as he climbs up the ladder. He can't afford to take things slow and carefully anymore. He needed to hurry up and drop him in the Titan's mouth before any of the girls got the chance to react or his conscience convinced him to stop. Gabi begs him to let him go. He was an innocent child; he didn't deserve to die like this.
Sasha grits her teeth and closes her eyes. She's not sure what else she can do. She tried reasoning with him, she tried understanding him, and God forbid she even tried putting herself in his position. But there was just no getting through to him.
Gabi attempted to put a stop to this, but Sasha grabbed her arm, holding her back. "Do you remember one of the lessons Michael taught you when faced with a situation like this?" She asked assumedly out of nowhere.
Gabi stops, glances back at her and thinks hard about it. The sooner she tells her the quicker she can save Falco. "… Sometimes actions speak louder than words."
"Exactly… Wait here. Please forgive Connie for what he's doing. He's not thinking straight. But I have one final idea to get him to listen." Sasha flies off the ground with her gas canisters and propels herself right onto the rafters just as Connie reaches the top of the ladder.
"Hey! Didn't you hear?! I told you to stay back!"
Sasha ignores him and positions herself directly above the Titan's wide-open mouth. Its eyes fixed on her. Her body trembled and a look of fear washed over her. But she has to do this. It was the only way she could snap her friend out of it.
"Sasha, what are you doing?"
"Connie, I get that you want to save your mom. She's all that's left of your family. I would've done the same had it happened to me… But you can't feed that kid to her, not when there's another way. But you wouldn't listen to me no matter how reasonable I was… Therefore, the only thing left for me to do is let your mom eat me instead."
Connie's eyes widen with complete and utter shock. "What?! Why?!"
"Because maybe then you'll see how it feels to see someone who did nothing wrong get sacrificed to a Titan for no good reason." She sternly replied. A single tear trickled down her left cheek. She starts inching herself closer to the edge of the rafter.
Connie's grip on Falco softens as he moves the blade away from his neck and points it at Sasha instead. "That's stupid! You don't have any Titan powers! You'd only end up killing yourself for nothing!"
"Don't you think I know that?!" She shouted back. "… You said it yourself. You and I are like two halves of the same person. We understand each other better than anyone else, something most real siblings wish they had. If you're an idiot then so am I. Only an idiot would come up with a stupid idea like this. But there are times when I have to let my actions speak for me."
Without any warning or provocation, Sasha lunges forward and begins falling towards the Titan's mouth. Panicked, Connie drops Falco and dashes towards her at full speed, pushing her just out of reach of the Titan's teeth snapping shut. That was way too close a call. Had he reacted any slower he could've lost the other half of him forever.
The two of them crash into the ground a few meters away from Connie's house. Connie allowed himself to take the fall and used his own body to cushion Sasha's. She was much heavier than he was expecting her to be, but he wasn't stupid enough to mention that to her.
Gabi quickly rushed to Falco's side and pulled him into a tight hug. Once he'd mentally recovered from the terrible experience, she told him what happened back in Shiganshina. Falco was devastated to learn that he'd eaten Porco Galliard while he was a Pure Titan and Colt was killed in the explosion. He started blaming himself for allowing this to happen. He fears he's letting Lazarus down and costing him his chance at securing victory.
Sasha and Connie watched the two Zeta Unit candidates weeping together in silence. Neither of them dared to look at the other and address what just transpired. It all happened so fast. Both of them weren't thinking straight or about the consequences that would follow. Connie wanted to save his mother, and Sasha wanted him to listen to reason. Both wondered which of them was brave enough to start this awkward conversation.
Connie wound up breaking first and asked her the first question that popped into his head. "Why'd you do that? Allow yourself to die for no reason like that? Feeding yourself would've brought nothing but grief and misery to the others, including Michael."
"I was just trying to get you to see things my way. And to remind you of the soldier your family wanted you to be." She looks to her right directly at him. "Your mom wanted you to be a great soldier, everyone's protector. If she found out that you fed a child to her to change her back, what do you think she'd say?"
Connie turns away from her. Now he felt ashamed. She was right, what was he thinking? Had his mom lived to see what her son was turning into. The kind of person who'd murder a child without question to save her, then she probably wouldn't view him as her son anymore. "God, I really am an idiot. Pathetic." He muttered to himself.
Sasha pats him on the back, hoping to cheer him up. All was not lost, there was still a chance they could both get what they wanted. Hopefully now he'll be able to listen.
"… Connie, there's another way to save your mom without killing anyone," Sasha answered, only to be interrupted by Connie.
"Let me guess, Lazarus."
Sasha nods. "He can turn people into Titans too, which means he can also change them back. We don't have to trust him, but we can use him. But he'll never help us if let anything bad happen to that boy."
"Sasha, he is our enemy." He reminded her.
"And Eren used to be our friend. Right up until he caused that massacre in Liberio. He threw innocent people at Michael's face, and forced me to distract him long enough so he could eat The Warhammer Titan… He's become our enemy too. At least Lazarus wants to make things right with us again."
"We don't even know if he's even still alive. You saw what we all saw. He could be dead for real this time. And if not, we don't know where to find him." Connie pointed out.
"I know where the others are," Gabi spoke up, getting their attention. "Michael and Reiner are stashed in a house somewhere in that town you all fought in. Annie and Bertolt probably would've found them by now. If Lazarus is alive, he'll be searching for them too."
"Still alive? What do you mean by that?" Falco asked worriedly.
"He was… in the centre of the blast where Eren transformed. We searched for him but there was nothing left of him but ash. I'm sorry, Falco." Gabi hesitantly answered, expecting a devastating reaction from him.
But Falco wasn't giving into despair. As he wiped away his tears with his sleeve, a look of determination appeared on his face. He didn't believe for one second that his mentor was dead for real. Surely there had to have been at least a small part of him that survived so that he could completely regenerate his body.
"You never accepted the possibility of Michael dying so why should I do the same? Lazarus is alive, and I know we'll find him."
"Then let's stop wasting time hanging around here. Go get the horses, Gabi." Sasha ordered. Gabi nodded and rushed over to the horses with Falco. She was about to get up and do the same only to be stopped by Connie. He had more to say to her.
"Look, Sasha, I want to try and become the kind of soldier my mom would be proud of. So let's do it. There's a whole world of people that needs saving right now. Let's find the Warriors and persuade them to help us." Connie declared proudly.
Back in Shiganshina, the people were hard at work clearing all the debris from the walls and smashed building parts out of the streets now that things have quieted down again. The last of the Wall Titans have finally left the island to join the march of destruction. The people were divided on how they felt about the outside world getting trampled, but one thing everyone could agree on was that now they could finally get some peace and wouldn't have to listen to The Rumbling anymore.
Many soldiers had perished throughout the battle, and just as many were in the hospital. One of them was Luise, one of the Yeagerist recruits who admired Mikasa. During the Pure Titan attack, shrapnel from a Thunder Spear explosion got embedded in her stomach. The doctors can't get it out. She will inevitably die. But she would die happy to see her idol standing next to her bed, believing she was proud of how devoted she was to Eren's cause.
But Mikasa didn't come for her. She only came to take back her scarf. Luise decided to help herself to it when Mikasa decided not to wear it anymore. She'd hoped having it wrapped around her neck would bring her a bit closer to Mikasa. Instead, it only drew them further apart. Mikasa never approved of Eren's actions, nor will she exonerate anyone who supports The Rumbling. Though she made that bluntly clear with the deluded girl, she died without regrets.
Jean was standing beside Floch who was giving – what he considered – an inspiring speech to the surviving Yeagerists. He waited until all the Wall Titans had left so that they could hear his praise for Eren Yeager. He didn't show it, but he too was conflicted on how things were transpiring.
In the middle of the day the people of Paradis – those who supported Eren – were celebrating the start of The Rumbling with barrels of beer and shelves of pies. A feast to mark the beginning of true feasts. After The Rumbling ends, they'll have all the land needed to plant and harvest more food than this island ever had before.
And with Ludwig's knowledge, they can advance even further as a nation. If the second False Founder Project is a success, they can all become intelligent Titans with long lifespans. The new and improved human race will rule over a new, improved Earth.
Lazarus and Armin were hiding in the shadows of a faraway alleyway wearing black cloaks with their hoods up to hide their faces. They helped blend them in with the darkness of the alley. They were watching them cheerfully clink their tankards together, chanting "Our hearts and souls to the cause", praising Eren like he's a God. This sickened the albino Eldian. He could feel his blood boil in response to his built-up rage.
"People around the world are being crushed to death and they're celebrating?! Talking about Eren like he's a God! Their saviour!"
"He's a murderer!"
That was what Lazarus was about to think but somehow Armin said it before him. He was a little surprised he'd be in the same boat as him on this topic. He was supposed to be Eren's friend.
"Have the people changed that much in only four years?" He whispered to himself. "I've seen these people turn on him when they first discovered his Titan powers. They wanted to blow him up with cannonballs. The Military Police wanted to shoot him at his court hearing. The only reason they didn't was because Captain Levi intervened."
"I remember, I was there too," Lazarus stated. "The Eren you remember from back then is not the same Eren they're praising. The outcome of the battle, mostly your "death" had changed him. I can't say I blame him. Had the roles been reversed. Had Eren killed Michael, Annie, Reiner, or everyone else I cared about I'd want to make him suffer too."
"But killing the whole world?!" Armin glanced over his left shoulder to address him. "No action should justify that! Not even you breaching Wall Maria. It's wrong! He-
Armin's stomach started grumbling. He was still hungry. He wasn't alone. Lazarus' gut responded with an equally churning grumble. The bread they had at the bakery wasn't enough to satisfy them. Armin hadn't eaten much in four years and whatever Lazarus ate went into his muscle mass, restoring his body to its proper shape.
Lazarus' eyes scan the whole area for some easy grub. The tables were filled to the brim with pies and beer but were occupied by the people. Neither he nor Armin can just go up to the stalls and buy a pie either, their faces were too recognisable.
He was fortunate to even spot a table a few feet away from their location with a fresh apple pie just sitting unattended on a table. The men who were sitting there got drunk off their fourth tankard and were singing whilst locking arms. Most of the crowd was drawn to the three drunks and away from their table. Now's his chance to score some proper food.
After telling Armin to stay put and keep a lookout, Lazarus casually walked down the sidewalk, minding his own business. Then, when nobody was looking, he snatched the whole pie off the table and sped up his walking pace until he reached Armin.
The two of them leave the square and take shelter in another abandoned building. Armin blocks the front door with a chair and follows Lazarus upstairs to the master bedroom of the house. Lazarus checked outside through the bedroom window as a precaution in case anyone was following them. Once they were assured it was safe, they dug into the pie.
Both boys groaned with pleasure feeling the sweet taste of the desert touch their tongues and the creamy texture of the pastry soften as they chewed it. Now this was proper food, unlike the hard old bread they were forced to eat before. This'll fill their bellies for certain.
"Mmm, God, this pie is soooo good! I bet this was something else the citizens of Wall Sina kept to themselves back in those days, huh?" Lazarus uttered whilst chewing his current mouthful.
Armin, however, appeared to be lost in his thoughts judging by the fact he was staring at the wooden floorboards whilst slowly savouring his current piece. Lazarus lightly taps him on the shoulder, snapping him back to reality.
"Hey, you alright? Are you full already? You've only had two slices. I'm on my fourth. There are still six pieces left. Four of them are yours."
"Huh? Oh, sorry. I just can't help but think how weird this is." He answered.
"What's weird?" Lazarus tilted his head slightly with curiosity.
"The last time I saw you, like properly saw you, I was tormenting you with thoughts of Annie being tortured. You tried to cut my head off with those strange blades of yours… And now here we are sitting together, eating pie. You asking me if I'm alright like you'd forgotten that… That was four years ago to you. But to me, it wasn't all that long ago… It feels like I'm still dreaming. That I'm in a perfect world where all of us are friends again. That Titans were our only enemy, and we could rely on each other." He sighs deeply. "...Where did those good times go?"
"Hehe, I've been asking myself that same question since the day you found out who I really am. I often wish we could go back to those simpler times too. But for me, and especially Reiner, it wasn't easy. Hiding who we were, pretending to be one of you guys. It was utter torment. Sometimes I wish it was someone else who'd broken the walls and the person I was in the 104th was the real me."
Lazarus finishes the last piece of his fourth slice and wipes the crumbs stuck to his mouth away with his cloak. He focuses his attention solely on Armin.
"Being a Scout was more meaningful to me than being The Winged Titan. And when I was forced to give it all up and come clean, I felt like the bad guy. Hell, to you lot, we were the bad guys. You just didn't know that we're simply the pawns of a much larger gathering of villains… Armin, those things you said about Annie. They weren't the reason behind my reaction. What you said stirred up old memories of my past in Marley. Specifically, Ludwig's experimentation on me. I heard his voice at that moment and saw his face in your place. That's who my anger was aimed at. My broken mind just pictured you as the one Marleyan I view as the worst of them all. So don't apologise for what you said. You only did what you could to retrieve Eren from us. I could never fault you for that.
Armin averts his eyes away from Lazarus and focuses on the piece of pie in his hand. He takes another bite and chews it slowly, savouring the flavour. After he swallows it, he asks him another question.
"How is Annie? You managed to save her in the end, right?"
"She's doing better, I hope. Can't imagine the stress she must be under barely escaping Ludwig's operation on top of being pregnant."
That last remark caused Armin to choke on his current mouthful. He starts coughing uncontrollably, spitting out some of the pie in the process. Lazarus quickly rushes to his side and pats his back a couple of times until his airway is clear.
"Annie is pregnant?! Wait, so you two are actually…" He started.
Lazarus nodded in response. "Yeah, we have been for a while. It became official the day before her capture in Stohess. We've been together ever since… Wait, you don't have a thing or Annie as well, do you?"
"What?! No no no! Not at all!" Armin quickly dismissed, blushing and shaking his head side to side while holding his hands up.
Lazarus just can't understand it. First Bertolt now Armin? Sure, Annie was a very attractive woman in his eyes, but he'd met other women in his time who were just as good looking like Mikasa, Sasha, Historia, and even Ymir he'd admit was a little easy on the eyes. Too bad she was only into girls.
He can't help but feel like the envy of Armin and Bertolt now for being the one to win her heart before either of them. He wonders if Armin is going to start holding a grudge against him because of it now. Best he tries and change the subject before things re-escalate.
"Well, it's not like she'd return any feelings you may or may not have now given the four-year age gap. She's eighteen now and you're still fifteen. She told me she prefers older guys."
Armin sighs and places his half-eaten pie back on his plate, stands up and walks over to the window. He gazes out past the town and over the horizon, watching the sun rise higher, its rays shining through the thin layer of clouds. Lazarus feared he may have upset him and was quick to rectify his mistake.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. I didn't mean to...
"No, it's okay… I'm just having a hard time coming to terms with the fact that everyone has aged four years ahead of me. They're all adults while I'm still a kid." He fiddles with his fingers as he gazes out to the hill where he, Eren, and Mikasa used to race when they were kids.
"I wonder how much they've changed over the years. Is Mikasa still wearing Eren's scarf? Is Jean still calling Eren a suicidal maniac? Is Sasha still stealing food? Is Connie still the shortest in our unit? Probably not anymore."
He turns away from the window to address the WOC co-founder. "And you went from being my friend to my enemy to being an ally again… Everything's different now. I can't help but wonder if I still have a place in it."
Lazarus frowns and grasps the farm boy's shoulders. "Now you listen to me. You DO have a place in this world, everyone does. You missing four years of your life doesn't change that. Deep down you're still you. You're the reason the Scouts have defeated us on many occasions. You talked the Garrison Regiment out of killing Eren. You were the one who discovered Annie's identity as The Female Titan. And it was you who figured out Bertolt's weakness as The Colossal Titan. Back then I feared your intelligence. You were brilliant, Armin. Too brilliant. That's what made you the biggest threat to us. The Marleyans have trained me to be a really good liar. Even though you didn't know who I was, you still suspected me when nobody else did."
This was getting weirder and weirder for Armin. Never in his lifetime would he have anticipated Lazarus to praise him for his intellect and how he was able to uncover the truth behind the Omega Unit. This is coming from The Winged Titan himself. Out of context, this would've been bizarre.
Armin smiles a little and returns to eating his pie without a doubt in his mind. Lazarus was right, why would his friends see him any differently just because of the age gap? The main thing is they'll be so happy to see him alive again. He wondered if they knew he was still alive as a Pure Titan at all. He makes a mental note to ask them when their reunion comes.
The day flew by faster for the people of Paradis. They've all had so much fun celebrating that time just flew by in a flash. It was now dusk and the sky was a bright orange due to the setting sun. The citizens all agreed to have an early sleep to make up for all the times they'd been kept awake by the Wall Titans marching.
The Yeagerists weren't ready to call it a day just yet. There was still one last thing they had to do before officially beginning their first day as the new Eldian Empire. Execute Yelena and Onyankopon.
The two of them were on their knees with Floch and Jean pointing pistols at the back of their heads. All the Yeagerists formed a circle around the prisoners and their executioners to prevent them from running away. But neither Yelena nor Onyankopon had the will to run or fight back. They've given up. What was the point? Eren is going to destroy their homelands so it's not like they have a home to go back to. And Yelena was betrayed by her uncle. And losing her beloved Zeke added to her torment.
"Comrades of the empire, thank you for joining me. We are gathered here for the execution of these two volunteers. They've both admitted to opposing the Eldian Empire and in removing these disloyal elements from our midst, we are taking our first step towards realising Eren's dream of world domination! By declaring Eldia's uncontested rule over Paradis" Floch proudly spoke out. The Yeagerists all cheered in response.
Jean cocks his pistol before pointing it back at the Courlander. And Floch does the same for the volunteers' leader.
"This criminal is Yelena. She took up arms and opposed Marley, she fought at our side, but she did not fight for us. Her loyalty was to Zeke and Zeke alone. She sought to turn the Founder's powers against us and wipe the Eldian people from the earth! Doctor Oppenheimer exposed her for the fraud she was and Eren rewarded him with a spectacular view of Marley's destruction!"
They all cheer again as well as direct hate-filled glances at the tall woman, calling her a filthy Marleyan. But Floch wasn't finished yet.
"Luckily Eren was able to defeat Zeke and put an end to his traitorous plot. Nonetheless, this criminal served as Zeke's puppet every second of the way!"
"Marleyan whore! Send her to hell!" One of the Yeagerists shouted aloud, discriminating against her.
"Well, Yelena, any last words you'd like to share?" Floch tauntingly asked as he pressed the barrel right against the back of her skull.
"Would you get it over with already?" She replied bluntly, not at all intimidated or thrown off by their name-calling. Annoyed by this, the Yeagerists all began to chant for her execution, saying "Shoot her!" on repeat.
But Floch decided it wasn't time yet much to their disappointment. He still needed to carry out the other prisoner's sentence.
"This criminal's Onyankopon. He used to be a steadfast ally of Eldia, and he had no knowledge of Zeke's Euthanisation Plan. That said, when offered the privilege of citizenship of the reborn Eldian Empire he claimed he would rather die" He briefly lowers his gun to give the Courlander one last chance to save himself. "…It's still not too late for you to reconsider."
But instead of a yes or a no, Onyankopon started laughing hysterically. He made it clear to them that he only joined up with the volunteers to liberate his homeland of Courland from Marleyan rule. He was glad to help the people of Paradis grow as a nation, and this is how they repay him. By allowing Eren to kill everyone he cared for while he lives alongside a bunch of xenophobic shitheads like them. He'd have to be crazy to accept that. No, he'd take death over that any day.
He turns to Jean in his hour of sorrow, desperate for him to talk some sense into the others. But Jean held his nerve and aimed his gun at the black man's eye. Onyankopon quickly turns away out of fear of being shot and lets out a scream in response to being startled by the loud bang of four gunshots.
He felt his heart leap into his throat out of fear. He thought he was going to die right then and there. But Jean missed him. He purposely aimed all four shots away from the prisoner's head and fired into the floor instead. Floch noticed this and started to suspect that he was stalling the execution.
Before he was about to ask him what that was, The Cart Titan appeared out of nowhere and charged full speed towards them, knocking any Yeagerists in her path into the air. Jean instinctively pushes Floch out of the way and allows himself to be eaten alongside Yelena and Onyankopon.
The Cart Titan immediately races off before anyone can react for a counterattack. What just happened, they all thought. This attack felt too random for Floch's liking. He wondered if this was part of some coordinated attack by the Wings of Crystal. He starts calling out for Mikasa in the hopes she could bring the Cart down for good, but she is nowhere to be seen.
Turns out Jean's random firing of four bullets was the signal she, Connie, Sasha, and the candidates needed to commandeer a pair of wagons full of food and munitions and race off before any of them would catch them. The Cart Titan's attack will keep them focused on the east side of the fort so that they can head west for Shiganshina.
The next phase of their plan was to find the Warriors and regroup with Hange and Levi. Neither of them – apart from the candidates – had any clue that Erwin was alive. All Pieck told them was where she and Hange would be hiding so they could meet up once they've gathered the Warriors.
Onyankopon wondered why Jean would throw away a chance at a life of luxury and help Marley. He did it because of Marco. He was the one who brought out his true potential as a leader. Had he taken the easy life in the interior like he initially intended nine years ago his memories of him would have haunted him forever.
The alliance against Eren was starting to come together. All that was missing was the Omega Warrior Unit and their new winged leader. Like it or not, he was their best shot at saving the world.
To Be Continued