Ymir gave Historia a longing side glance, pondering her fate, as the two of them walked side by side towards the woman's barracks. Ymir was worried, since what Eren told her earlier rang deep in her mind, and no matter how she sliced it, she had to make a choice. One that affected more than just her.
Historia seemed to take notice of her looks, and decided to ask her girlfriend what was bothering her. "Is something wrong, Ymir?"
Ymir shook her head, instantly denying her words. "No, it's just weird is all. Eren really wasn't kidding when he said he'd handle it, the attack hardly started before he stopped it. He works fast, I'll give him that."
Historia frowned, prodding further. "That's not it though, at least not just that. What did Eren tell you, and don't you dare lie to me. If it involves me, then I have a right to know."
Ymir was surprised at the angel's sudden assertiveness, but smiled at the reminder of what Historia was really like. 'Krista Lenz' was nice, she could admit that much. Sickeningly sweet, polite, and had more sympathy in her pinky than most did in their whole bodies. But, she was also fake, insincere, and up in the mountains she showed her goal that could be summed up as 'go out in a blaze of glory'. It was sad really.
Historia though, she was someone Ymir loved. No calculated kindness, no need to try and please everyone, no damsel in distress act. By all rights, Historia Reiss was a regular girl. One who cared about herself. It was refreshing to see that, even if only when they were alone.
Ymir caved under her stare, but simply stated vaguely. "Eren says I'll need to make a decision soon. One that will affect me hugely, and I need to make it clear who's side I'm on in this war.
Historia sighed. "You really need to tell me what you're talking about, Ymir. I've told you my secrets, why don't you tell me yours?"
Ymir flinched, not liking the reminder that she was being a bit of a hypocrite, but she really didn't want Historia to find out about the outside world, how terrible it really was. Not any sooner than necessary.
She also didn't want Historia to know Eren's predecessor killed her whole family, except her bastard of a father, since that could cause a real strain in their alliance.
"You'll have to come out of hiding soon." Eren commented on the rooftop they were stationed on, a private place where they wouldn't be overheard, and in response all he got was a scoff.
"Why the hell would I need to do that? Far as I can see, you've got this handled on your own. Besides, why would I even want to help you? You said I wouldn't need to fight unless I chose to. Is it suddenly inconvenient for you if I decide to just hang back?" Her tone was sarcastic, but her grey eyes were sharp. They revealed her real thoughts, the idea of being used for her powers disgusted her, and Eren made sure to correct that idea.
"I'm not going to force you. I'm simply stating the fact that, soon enough, you won't be able to hide anymore. The Warriors won't stay quiet after this, not after they've found out I'm a Titan, and because of Historia's heritage they won't be able to leave her alone."
Ymir felt a tug at his words, wanting to know what he meant. "Oh yeah, and why's that?"
Eren seriously stated. "Because, Marley is after the Founding Titan, a power that can only be accessed with Eldian royal blood. Should Marley find out she's royalty, they won't leave her alone, they'll take her back to Marley and force her to have royal blooded babies for them to weaponize. Historia won't be ignored by them, even if I'm their main target, I'm not the only one they want."
Ymir had wide eyes, horrified at the thought, but swiftly concealed her thoughts on the matter and ran a hand through her hair. Ymir knew that he wasn't kidding, so trying to side with Marley to ensure her's and Historia's safety was basically off the table, since there wasn't any way in hell she was letting them lay so much as a finger on Historia.
Still though, what chances did Eren honestly have?
Ymir still questioned him, "What about the Warriors? Even if I did team up with you, it's just the two of us versus up to six of them. What chances do we have of beating them all?"
"We won't be alone. All these years I've been trying to find people willing to join the Survey Corps with me since they're the only military branch that would be willing to lend a hand. Plus, we don't need to fight all of them. They don't know my identity yet I, on the other hand, figured out who they are."
Ymir blanched, not able to stop herself from feeling another shock of surprise. "Wait you-"
The other Titan shifter just answered, not even letting her finish. "Annie, Reiner, and Bertolt. They might have their guards up now, since I stopped them, but they still don't know my identity. Even if they can transform into Titans, they are still human. They need to eat, they need to rest, they need to sleep. Stopping them will be easy, and even easier with your help."
Eren didn't give her a chance to respond, telling her bluntly. "Look. Marley aren't finished with you, you're the Jaw Titan for fucks sake, and one day they'll come for you. Hell they already are coming for you, and running won't solve your problems. Side with me, and you'll be safe. Historia too."
Ymir remained unconvinced, crossing her arms as she asked him critically. "And just how the hell are you gonna beat Marley. Your power is strong, but what is that next to the other Warriors? Even if you took all their Titans would that really be enough? What is that next to the rest of the world?"
Ymir didn't doubt the Attack Titan was strong- he'd already proven that during their fight in the mountains- but what could Eren honestly do if he tried to fight Marley?
Eren's lip curled into a knowing smile as he leaned in and whispered. "My power is enough to hold them off. Afterall, I've got more than just one Titan power in me. I'm the one Marley wants, more than anything else."
Ymir did a double take, instinctively backing away when she realised what he meant. "Eren, you don't mean-"
"That's right. The king of the Walls is dead. My father ate him and took his power. I possess the Founding Titan."
Ymir wanted to keep Historia safe. She didn't know everything, she knew most of the story in fact, but she didn't know everything. How deep it all really ran, and she didn't know about the Warriors so close to them.
Though, Ymir figured she could try to be honest with her girlfriend.
Ymir looked around, checking that they were alone, and made a decision to divulge something personal, if only to satisfy her need for an answer. "Alright, I'll tell you. But, you can't tell another soul about this. If they found out, my head would be on a stick."
It wasn't exactly the truth, just a possibility, but Ymir didn't want anyone else to know her secret.
Historia nodded in acceptance, and so Ymir told her quickly. "I'm a Titan. Just like Eren."
Ymir had to resist the urge to look away, wondering how the princess would look at her now, but was pleasantly surprised when Historia just gave an almost triumphant look.
"Yes, I knew I was right!" Historia grinned mildly, and Ymir had a surprised look on her face at the unexpected reaction.
Ymir sputtered out. "You knew?!"
Historia gave her a weird look, then nodded. "Of course I did. Well, I suspected it anyway, and since Eren can transform and all I figured it wasn't impossible for you too as well." She placed her hands on her hips, shaking her head though. "It's almost disappointing honestly. I was expecting something more surprising."
Ymir wasn't sure how to respond to that. After a moment she asked, in a rare moment of vulnerability. "You- you really don't care?" Ymir could hardly believe it, how easily Historia just accepted that she could turn into a giant- well her Titan isn't that big- monster.
Historia merely nodded. "Of course. I mean, Eren had proved that not all the Titans want us dead. Plus, I don't think I could ever be afraid of you, Ymi- mmph!"
Ymir couldn't help herself, pulling the smaller girl in for a hug, before separating a moment later and grinning with her tanned cheeks dyed a slight red. "And I thought that goddess thing was just an act. You really are something else, you know that? Caring about a stray like me."
Historia grinned back, her cheeks also flushed as she retorted. "Hey, I'm as much of a stray as you. Besides, you hardly need to be a goddess to care about someone like you. Even if you deny it, I know you're a good person. That's why, if you needed to, you'd fight to save our friends."
Ymir felt a little touched, but still crossed her arms and asked with a seemingly amused smile. "And how did you figure that out? How do you know that it's no just you and me I care? How do you know I'd care enough to do something like that?"
Historia immediately spoke. "It's like I said. You're a good person, Ymir. I know the real you, and she wouldn't just stand by and let the people she cares about die."
The sentiment was touching, and she could tell Historia was being sincere. Ymir once again wrapped her arms around the girl, the two would probably have made an awkward sight if anyone turned a corner.
Just two girl embracing each other wholeheartedly in a corridor.
It was night time in Trost, most of the city was asleep, but surprisingly a good crowd of people were still awake and trying to paw their way towards the crystal structure left behind by the rogue Titan.
Levi's feelings about this new Titan were... complicated to say the least. He could admit they'd make a good ally, assuming they even were on humanity's side, but optimism often got him disappointment in his life. So, when he heard that a Titan saved Trost, he tried not to get his hopes up.
Erwin had given him and Hange the order to examine the hardened Titan that sealed Trost, to make a note of anything unusual they might find, and Levi wouldn't normally complain about a task like that.
However, the Wallists, and regular civilians, were becoming a pain in his ass. Garrison soldiers were holding them back, but they were still yelling at them for trying to take a look at the thing, and they had way too hard of a time getting past them.
Levi had been finding them more and more detestable lately. They were around before Maria fell, but everyone just ignored them since they were a bunch of fanatic idiots. But, unfortunately, they'd somehow ended up gaining a lot of popularity in just five years to the point where they actually had a say in massive government decisions.
They also declared this new Titan a demon, one who defiled Wall Rose with it's actions.
As for the civilians, well they just wanted to see the handiwork of their unlikely saviour. The rogue Titan did save them, so Levi could understand to a degree, but it was still foolish that the people of Trost were so readily declaring a Titan their hero.
"Whoa, is this thing really a hardened Titan, what is it even made of?!" Hange enthusiastically brought out a blade, but before she could slash a shard off, Levi roughly grabbed her arm and chided her.
"Don't be an idiot Hange. If we break it then I doubt that thing is just gonna show up and make us another. It's probably too touch to cut anyway." Hange pried her arm away, rubbing at it slightly as though it was bruised. Which, considering Levi's ridiculous strength, was a good possibility.
The section Commander pouted, but that turned into a serious frown when she gazed behind her and saw several Wallists, many holding tools that likely intended to damage the statue blocking off Trost.
Levi followed her gaze, and gave a snarky quip. "Ignore those Wall humping freaks and focus on your job. We shouldn't keep Erwin waiting."
Hange rolled her eyes, but didn't refute his words, then spoke with amazement as she admired the sight. "The Armoured and Colossal Titans already showed that they had some form of intelligence, but this is something else." She grazed her hand over it's surface, thoughtfully noting. "Whatever this Titan is, it definitely had to have come from somewhere. Then there was Pixis' words about it acting like a human, could it be..."
Levi wasn't listening to her rambling, instead he let his eyes drift, then sharpen when he noticed something by the side of the statue.
Moving around, Levi found what looked to be a cloak. Kneeling down, he picked it up, in the process he found a small hole in the statue's base. Big enough to maybe crawl through, if you weren't exceptionally big that is.
Levi waved to the other officer. "Hange, come and look at this."
Hange quit her gawking, walking over and her eyes widened in shock when she noticed the hole. "Why the hell is this here?"
Levi grunted, his eyes never left the hole. "I don't know, but... these things had to have come from somewhere. I doubt they're just coming and going out of thin air."
Hange's face turned grim, nodding in agreement. "So, it crossed your mind too."
Levi nodded, his nose crinkling in distaste as he clenched the cloak in his hand. "Yeah. Those pieces of shit are hiding among us."
They both stared up at the statue, Levi's eyes narrowed. Maybe this new Titan wasn't an ally, whoever they were, but he knew they had some answers for them. Ones they desperately needed.
Jean huffed in frustration as he struggled to sleep, itching like crazy to talk to Eren, to get that suicidal maniac to spill the details about just what the hell happened to his home town!
Not able to sleep, rolling with an uneasiness identical to when he found out about Eren's powers, Jean wasn't able to stop thinking about what he did next.
As much as he liked to fantasise about living in the interior, his mother away from trouble, Eren's constant talk about 'reclaiming the outside world' and 'driving out the Titans'... well he hated to admit it, but it wasn't all talk. Eren proved it by saving Trost using his powers.
Jean remembered that night years ago. When he found out Eren's secret.
Jean flew through the air, his head turning desperately to find Eren at the mountainside he'd fell down, and couldn't help but feel some annoyance for Eren's previous actions.
They were going through the cliffside as a mountain drill, with the task being quite simple in Jean's opinion. Circle around the mountain, a total of 30km, and they had three days to cover the entire length. His group was consisted of himself, Armin, Connie, Sasha, Marco, Ymir, Krista, and Eren.
They were making good progress, covering a huge amount of space in one night, but when they were travelling through a cliffside the place suddenly gave out. Jean, and Ymir were unlucky enough to be caught in the avalanche.
Jean was nearly caught, and honestly thought he'd end up dead, but Eren pushed him out of the way for some reason and fell instead, which confused Jean honestly. Him and Eren were always butting heads, arguing about this and that, but for some reason he'd decided to save Jean's life in place of his own.
Once safe, their group decided to search the mountainside and locate the group. They didn't know exactly where they'd ended up, and they were probably dead, so they'd spend a few hours search at least before giving up. Jean hoped Eren was alive, not wanting to live knowing it was his fault Eren was caught in the hazard to begin with.
But, two explosions of light in the forest caught his attention, and he had to cover his eyes as he landed on a tree to stabilise himself. For a moment, he was confused by what happened and even wondered if lightning had somehow struck during a summer night.
He was proven wrong, unfortunately, when an ear numbing roar pierced through the silent forest and Jean froze in terror at the sight of two Titans fighting.
In an instant, Jean completely understood why Eren was always emphasising how terrifying they truly were. He'd thought the other boy was being dramatic, but now, he couldn't help feel like the boy held back some.
One of them was massive, hulking, and muscular with a strange jaw that held no lips. It was angry, yet it's moves were terrifyingly precise, and it was obviously winning. The other Titan, whilst not as imposing, was still a scary sight with it's razor sharp teeth and nails that were scratching and tearing at the other monster like a wild animal.
His's immediate instinct was to run away, not wanting to be anywhere near a Titan, yet he remained still when the larger Titan grabbed the quadruped by the face and brutally slammed them down, holding them still as they struggled beneath him.
Jean involuntarily shuddered as the muscular Titan brought a heavy fist down on the tiny one's head, making it go still as it's head caved in, and then the larger Titan bit into it's nape. Seemingly killing it instantly.
Then, it turned it's head, and met his eyes. Jean felt his fear stop when the predator laid eyes on him, but it surprised the boy by kneeling down and opening it's mouth to drop a saliva covered girl out of it's mouth.
Steam started to leak off it's corpse, and a familiar face popped out that made Jean blanche.
Eren was... a Titan.
Jean groaned, not entirely sure what to do. It was meant to be so simple for him. Become an MP, live comfortably in Wall Sina, then see what comes next. But no, life could never be simple for him. There had to be people who could turn into Titans, the fact the Walls could fall at any time, and an actual hope that they could reclaim what they lost; or even go beyond that.
Plus... as much as they fought, him and Eren were friends. Whilst Jean couldn't deny that Mikasa's obsession with Eren was... difficult for him to deal with at times, Eren had saved his life. He'd saved Trost. He'd saved Wall Rose. He'd saved Jean's home.
Leaning back, Jean wondered if he was even important enough to be thinking so deeply about his decision. Sure, he could admit internally that Eren's words held more than a spec of truth, but did they really need him? Did the Survey Corps need him?
He wasn't important. He was talented but not powerful enough to make a difference, and he didn't have any special powers. So, why did he even need to think about becoming a Scout to begin with?
Jean thought about that for a moment, and began to feel better about his choice. He wasn't strong like Mikasa, he wasn't special like Eren, he wasn't a genius like Armin. He was just Jean.
He allowed himself to smile, consoled by the thought as he realised how tired he was, before he finally let himself begin to tire and drift off to sleep.
Jean fell asleep, content with his choice to join the Military Police, but a nagging feeling in the back of his head still bothered him as he drifted away.
The days passed, and news of what he'd done spread like wildfire. Eren knew what he did would get some attention, it wasn't surprising, but the rogue Titan was all the people of Trost seemed to talk about. Some called him a hero, some a monster that needed to be put down, and others had a more neutral opinion on him. But, as a whole, the people of Trost seemed to perceive what he did as a Titan in a good light. Whilst not a politician, he knew that people seeing him positively would make his life miles easier when they inevitably found out his identity. Maybe his reputation would even earn him some influence on the people.
Eren subtly glanced around the crowding cadets, wondering if any of the people he'd tried to convince would end up joining the Survey Corps.
The Commander of the Scouts was always allowed to speak first, since so few people joined the Survey Corps, and the cadets were forced to listen to him try and recruit them before they moved on. Eren could only resent them a little for it though, given their ignorance and lack of courage, an ordinary soldier didn't stand a chance against a Titan.
He'd noticed a blaring lack of patriotism in the Paradis military in the years he'd trained, and it was likely due to the fact that... they didn't really have anything to fight for.
With the world dying around them, so many suffering from lack of space and resources as the world gets tinier and tinier, it's just natural for people not to care about pride or bigger dreams. In their minds, the world outside was a death trap filled to the brim with Titans, a wasteland with no future. They don't have a country to tie themselves to, they don't have much of anything. All they could do was try feebly to protect what little they had.
Now that he thought about it, Eren could see why they were all so weak-willed.
After the Titans on Paradis were killed legions of soldiers had become Scouts wanting to fight on the frontlines, and this wasn't a coincidence. Because, with their past revealed to them, they finally had something worth fighting for. A country worth taking pride in.
So, he didn't expect many of them to join, but it wouldn't stay that way forever.
Eren's eyes met Mikasa's behind him, and he found himself smiling longingly at her, with her stoicism falling as she returned the gesture. He'd wanted to tell her how he felt for a while, but avoided to topic since his... situation complicated things. Now that they were together though, Eren knows he made the right choice. Even if he only has eight years left
The two of them didn't look away from each other for a minute, but their staring contest was broken when Erwin Smith started to speak, with Eren not even noticing he'd come out to talk.
The thirteenth Commander of the Scouts was quite a sight, and Eren could tell the way he dressed and spoke was definitely intentional. Erwin's facial features were sharp, his blue eyes cold and piercing, his blonde hair perfectly combed, and his voice was deep. He looked every bit like the perfect soldier.
Eren could see why the man was so hailed, looking at him in person, he practically oozed with charisma and strength that made you offer him attention. When he spoke, Eren had no doubt everyone in the room had eyes only for him.
"Greeting, my name is Erwin Smith. I'm the Commander of the Survey Corps, also known as the Scouts, and I'm here to persuade you to join our branch of the military. I'm no liar, so I'll be incredibly blunt. We need new every man and woman we can get. We are the smallest regiment, and for good reason, over 60% of our forces have perished over that time frame. In addition, whilst the attack on Trost was a victory overall, we did end up losing access to the outer gate of Trost. Because of that, the route we've spent years establishing is gone. We'll need to path a new battalion route from Karanese. Many of you will likely die in the process."
Those facts got several cadets grimacing, including those who considered joining, but Erwin wasn't finished quite yet.
"These facts are dissuading, however the recent Titan attack has given us hope that things could change. This hope, ironically, comes from the rogue Titan who saved Trost. For years the Titans have been unknowns to us, and after Wall Maria fell the threat of the Armoured and Colossal Titans have been looming over our heads because, we had no way to prevent their inevitable next attack. However, this new Titan has shown us that not all of these strange Titans are our enemies. Perhaps it wanted to save us, or maybe it just wants to fight it's own kind. Either way, we share a common enemy, and if we could find this new Titan then we might even be able to fight with it and reclaim Wall Maria."
The words of the Commander racked several people, with Reiner, Bertolt and Annie being especially uncomfortable with the idea of fighting another shifter, however the idea of getting back so much lost land definitely raised a few eyebrows. Eren was simply smirking slightly at Erwin's words, no doubt in his mind that he could team up with the Scouts, and wondered how Erwin would react when he learned about his abilities.
Erwin concluded his speech. "We are doing work to track down this new Titan, and we need all the help we can get. However, you will likely die if you join the Survey Corps. Try to ask yourself if you can give everything to humanity, if not, then you're dismissed. Any of you who wish to leave, you can go and join another branch."
Seconds passed by, and it became plainly obvious what everyone was thinking as they left. They were definitely intrigued about the idea of getting a Titan on their side, but they all valued their lives more.
Eren looked around, his eyes going wide when he noticed that Reiner and Bertolt were both leaving. However, Annie Leonhart chose to remain.
No! That obviously meant that she was planning to do something, a plan that had something to do with his appearance, so what could she-
Then, it hit him. Eren's jaw tightened, feeling anger directed at the Marleyans. Annie's Titan, being the fastest of those three, made the best choice to run for the coast and retreat back to Marley. His appearance, the reveal of the mysterious Attack Titan, meant that the Warriors were scared to proceed on their own. They could be trying to get help from their comrades before they proceed further!
Eren quickly calmed himself, breathing in as he looked on the bright side. Annie was alone, and clueless about him if he was lucky, so if he teamed up with the Scouts and they isolated her then, even if she did transform, there wouldn't be a way for her to escape.
Other than her though, Eren also noticed Jean and Marco's absence. It surprised him, but it made some amount of sense that Jean would join the MP's. Since the battle of Trost never happened, and Marco didn't die, Jean probably never felt an obligation to join.
Eren was disappointed. Jean might have been a smartass, probably since Mikasa only had eyes for him, but he was a reliable soldier and a good friend. Then again, at least Jean would be safe in the interior.
A surprising number of cadets stayed, other than him, Armin, and Mikasa of course. Connie Springer, Sasha Braus, Ymir, Historia Reiss, Mina Caroline, Thomas Wagner, Mylius Zeremski, Nack Tierce, and Samuel Jackson.
They all decided to stay, surprising him with their resolve, and Erwin asked with that damned voice of his.
"If asked to die, would you do it?"
"Of course, sir!" Eren drew the eyes of everyone in the room when he proclaimed, dead serious, that he would die if asked to. Everyone looked shocked, but Mikasa flinched at the notion, something he'd need to apologise for later.
Erwin seemed to smile, probably taking his words as just that. Words. "Well, let's hope that you don't need to. All of you here have worked through your fears, each of you has my respect for that. This is a genuine salute, give your hearts soldiers!"
Eren placed his hand over his heart, eyes narrowing on the back of Annie's head, disgust rolling off him when she disgraced the notion by mimicking the other brave souls in the room. In time, she'd learn there was only one real choice she had in life. To take responsibility for her actions.
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