"Superman has liberated the Eldian people." The Councilman said tonelessly. "The Eldians are now fully aware of the existence of the outside world."

It was a sad state of affairs among the councilmen. They had spent the past hundred years plotting the genocide of the Eldian people. They reveled in glee at the idea of wiping the people of Ymir from the face of the Earth.

But upon being faced with the reality that someone far more dangerous than Ymir… the Dreaded Superman. It suddenly didn't seem like so much fun anymore.

"We must devise a new weapon to destroy Superman." The councilman continued. "We came very near to destroying Ymir, a devil. It is not so farfetched to think that we can destroy a god."

"Do not refer to him as such." Another man snapped. "He is only a man. He will kneel to the power of the state."

He looked around the table.

"Was it not just one hundred years ago where we thought that Ymir and her followers were unstoppable?" He asked. "Did our forefathers not feel the same way we do know? That the titans would never be defeated, and the Eldians would never be purged from this world?"

There was a heavy silence.

"Superman must have a weakness." The man said. "And we will find and exploit it. Once he is dead, we will continue our extermination of the Eldian people."

The discussion continued well into the night.

Lois Lane lit a cigarette and placed it between her lips.

"You know Smallville I've never seen anyone type as fast as you do."

Clark Kent looked up from the typewriter.

"Oh, gee, thanks." He said. "I've been practicing since I was a kid…" He pressed his glasses up his nose.

"Make sure that you don't rush it." Lois advised. "You don't want to make any mistakes."

"I'll try not to." Clark promised her.

She nodded at him before moving back to her desk. She picked up her still warm cup of coffee and took a sip. She closed her eyes and thought about her story.

"Superman…" She murmured. "What are you…?" She perused the notes on her desk with a calculating eye. Every witness, every article, every photograph… she had seen it all, and had it all memorized.

Superman was real.

Superman was dangerous.

But…

He was just a man.

She combed her head thoughtfully as she stared at the photographs. He fancied himself some great hero… he believed that he would mend the rift behind ordinary folk and the Eldian devils. He was wrong. She knew that. But…

How could she convince him?

She sat down at the desk and worked absentmindedly on a less interesting story. Maybe… she could meet with him, somehow. Was there a way to get his attention? Was there a way to…

She stared at her typewriter. She could hardly believe her own words as they scrawled out onto the page.

"Perhaps the Eldians aren't so bad after all."

"What the hell is this?" Perry White demanded, as he slammed her work on the desk, face down. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

"I'm trying to get a meeting with Superman." She said. "If he thinks I'm sympathetic… If he thinks that I'm brave enough to publish something like this… he WILL confide in me." Her eyes flashed. "And that's what you need more than anything… isn't it?"

Perry White sat back down.

"I know it's risky." Lois said quietly. "I know it'll destroy the paper… in the short term. But think! We know nothing of Superman. Who he is or where he came from. If we break the story… if we show the public that he is not some invincible god… we can beat him."

She stared at him intently.

"We defeated Ymir too, you know." She said quietly.

Perry sighed.

"Ymir won't be beaten until every last one of those monsters is dead." He said tonelessly. "Look, Lane… I have tell the Military about this-"

"And risk the information leaking?" She asked sharply.

"I can't risk to lose YOU." White stressed. "Look. I have contacts that won't talk. I'll let you publish this… piece…." He gestured to the paper in front of him in disgust. "But you must never forget that this is the sort of thing that can get you killed."

"It'll be worth it." She said breathlessly. "If I can get Superman."

She stepped out of the office in high spirits. Clark was still working at his desk. She hummed to herself jovially as she poured herself a cup of coffee.

It was far worse than she could have anticipated.

The very day that the article was published angry crowds outside of the Daily Planet building. Everyone who would leave the building was shouted out to turn over Lois Lane. The staff, who had been told that the article in question was merely a social experiment, refused to comply, which angered the crowd further.

Lois was beginning to wonder how she would get home when Clark shot her a concerned glance.

"That was a really good article." He said. "It wasn't really a social experiment… was it?"

"Of course not." She said airily, her thoughts elsewhere.

"You really do care about the Eldian people, don't you?"

She gave him a shocked glance. "No- no of course not." She said. She suddenly felt a little bit ashamed, and embarrassed. She had thought it very obvious considering her pedigree that she hated Eldians. But if even her co-workers thought she was being serious…

No. Everything was going to plan. She would just have to grin and bear the next few days.

After she found her car destroyed, her apartment trashed, and her awards smashed on the pavement Lois received a call from Perry telling her to stay home. It wasn't long before crowds of people were marching outside her apartment building, screaming at her to be tossed down into the pavement. She was beginning to wonder just when she would be evicted when furious pounding came at her door.

It was then that she suddenly felt afraid. She wouldn't get the chance to speak to Superman if she was killed here, in her apartment before she had had a chance to speak with Superman. She glanced behind her to the balcony and quickly made her way towards it. She glanced down, wondering how likely it was she would able to leap from this window in a pinch, when the door burst open.

She whirled around, stunned, as a horde of people converged into her apartment building. The man in the lead pointing a long finger at her, and a twinge of fear shot through her.

"No, stop, I-"

She felt a strong hand wrap around her neck and she gasped, as she was lifted off the balcony and into the air. Her first, bizarre thought that it was must have been a bird, or a plane. It was not until the man spoke to her that she realized that it was Superman.

"Are you alright, Ms. Lane?"

She pouted.

"I'm fine." She said shortly. She didn't much like the idea of being indebted to Superman of all people. "I had the situation completely under control."

"Of course you did." Superman said, sounding amused, and she scowled up at him.

He set her down in the middle of nowhere, but he did not leave right away. He stood tall, watching her as she tried to get her racing heart under control. He knows how nervous I am. She thought to herself wryly. But he's here. He's speaking to me. He thinks I'm an ally. I can make this work.

"I have a lot of things I want to ask you." Lois said. "I suppose the most important question is… who are you?"

Superman smiled.

"I'm Superman." He said, as if it were obvious.

"Yes." She repeated, trying to get the exasperation out of her voice. "I know. But who is Superman? How is it that… you can do the things you do? Why are you doing this?"

He looked at her intently. He seemed to be judging her.

"Everyone must do what they can for others."

She stared at him. She found herself surprised at how much she agreed with him. Anyone who had been given his powers would have run rampant with them, causing chaos and destruction just as he had. Just as the followers of Ymir had…

"I'm sure you know just how poorly the government is taking your appearance." Lois said. "A hundred years of peace without the Eldians, gone up in smoke because some man in tights stood up to them. Like some legendary hero."

"You're doing much the same, I'm told."

"That's different." Lois said. "I'm just a journalist. I'm no hero."

"What you did was very brave."

Lois found herself smiling. He had bought everything she had written hook, line, and sinker.

"Tell me, Lois." Superman said. "What do you know about the Eldian people? Why do you feel so strongly about them?"

"It's… difficult to put into words." Lois said slowly. She wasn't sure where the conversation was going. "But I've felt the way I do for as long as I remember."

Superman smiled at her.

"You were indoctrinated to hate them from birth, you mean."

Lois started. She stared up at him with wide eyes. Suddenly she felt very afraid.

"Tell me, Lois." Superman said. "Do you know where you are?"

Lois shook her head.

"You're on the Island of Paradis." Superman said.

"No." Lois said. "Impossible. "I would have seen-"

"You were watching me the entire time." Superman said. "You were afraid that I would let you fall."

Lois felt her heart sink in her chest. She was alone… on an island full of Eldians… with Superman. She was right to feel afraid.

"You have to take me back." She said. "If I go missing, I-"

"It will be seen as the government simply getting rid of an Eldian sympathizer." Superman said. "All of your coworkers will celebrate your death."

Lois tried to imagine it. Perry, Jimmy, even Clark Kent. All laughing about the stupid, stupid plan she had to expose the secrets of Superman to the world.

"What are you going to do to me…?" She asked quietly.

"You're a journalist, Lois, and a very well respected one. What I want you to do is live here, among the Eldian people, and report what you see to the mainland. You will continue to do so until I agree to take you back… or the Marleyan Empire succeeds in taking down these walls. Whichever comes first."

Lois knew perfectly well that the Marleyans had no weapon that could even scratch Superman. But the wheels were already turning in her head… if she could report on the current situation on Paradis to the outside, then perhaps they could discover a method of attack that even Superman couldn't unravel.

"I have your word that my work will be published?" She asked. "And that you'll protect me from these Eldian savages?"

"Of course."

"Very well." Lois said heavily. "I haven't a choice… but a deal is a deal, Superman."

She reached out her hand to shake his. She winced as he gripped her fingers.

"A pleasure to be working with you, Miss Lane." Superman said quietly. "Welcome… to their world."

"Mom! Mom!"

Carla Jaeger looked up to her son wildly flailing his arms around.

"I just saw Superman!"

"Did you!" Carla said, surprised. "Oh, you could have called for me. I would have liked to see him…"

"Armin and Mikasa saw him too!" Eren said, bouncing around energetically. "And… Armin's Grandfather too! He was flying right over us!"

Carla smiled.

"It's a good thing that Superman is looking out for us." She said. For the first time in a hundred years, the world behind the walls was filled with hope. Their savior had arrived. His name was Superman.