Chapter 14: Reunions

The winds began to grow colder, signaling that autumn was coming to an end. The townsfolk began to prepare for the coming winter by storing extra food, gathering firewood, and dressing themselves in more layered clothing. But the changing weather did not deter the Scout Regiment in their continued training and activities, for the titans still roamed the land outside the Walls, and as long as they continued to do so, then the scouts had to be prepared both physically and mentally.

-oOo-

ODM Training Grounds, Wall Maria Woodlands

Maverick flew across the woodlands, letting the compress gas from his main ODM unit carry him along, before shooting his anchors at a nearby tree and propelling himself towards it. Following close behind him were his two companions Hange and Moblit. The three, alongside a number of other scouts were inside the woodland training grounds, either keeping their skills up to snuff or getting back on the saddle, as some of the scouts who were injured during the last expedition had returned to the fold and needed to retrain.

As they traversed across the woodlands, the section commander observed her large squad mate as he moved through the woods much differently than when he once started out. While it was clear that he had some previous experience it was obvious that said skills haven't been used in some time. As the days went on however, he seemed to improve, as he familiarized himself with his ODM gear.

'He's getting better and better.' Hange thought as she watched the goliath swing and maneuver his way at a much faster and controlled rate than his previous times. Her eyes soon widened as she watched the large scout detach himself mid-flight and start to jump from tree to tree in a zig-zag formation. As he sprung forward from a tree he spun mid-air, giving Hange a smirk as he moved his hips and shooting his anchors at yet another tree.

'Now you're just showing off Mav.' The three continued to traverse across the training ground, followed by surprise titan decoys appearing before them, only to be quickly dealt with by Maverick 's twin guillotine blades. It wasn't long before the scouts saw the exit to the woodland training course quickly approaching. Pressing down on his grip levers, Maverick speed off towards the exit, only to be nearly stopped by yet another titan decoy, to which he reacted by performing a quick mid-air spin maneuver, separating the decoys head from its body, before continuing on and reaching the finish line.

As he passed the finish line, he landed hard onto the ground with a thud, as both his feet dug into the soil, causing some nearby soldiers to stumble and nearly lose their footing. His other two companions landed close behind him, nearly stumbling over as well. Readjusting her goggles Hange turned to one of the scouts who was keeping track of Maverick's time.

"What his time?" The soldier in question looked at the stopwatch in his hand and wrote down Maverick's overall completion time in his notebook before presenting his notes to her. "Six minutes and thirty-two seconds!"

"A new record, impressive Maverick." Moblit said, congratulating his large comrade. Hange snickered as she patted Maverick's back.

"Ha! Keep this up and I think you might beat Levi's score." Hange added, causing the three to chuckle at the thought.

-oOo-

Somewhere inside the scout's headquarters, Levi was sitting in the mess hall, enjoying a cup of tea. Suddenly his grip on his teacup hardened, as he felt a disturbance. He raised his head, an annoyed glare forming on his face. It was a feeling he knew all too well, no doubt it involved a certain bespectacled scout and their newest giant-sized recruit. He continued to stir in his irritation, unaware or uncaring of the nervous looks from the other scouts who were trying to enjoy their meals.

-oOo-

"But seriously, your control and maneuverability have greatly improved." Moblit continued, just as Hange jabbed her elbow onto Maverick's arm.

"He's right, and if I were a betting woman, I'd say it's almost as if you're getting back on the saddle~." Hange gave Maverick a knowing smirk while moving her eyebrows up and down rapidly. Maverick could only let out an amused huff as he stretched his legs.

"I won't lie. It's been some time, but I've had experience with technology very similar to the ODM gear." Hange's eyes lit up immediately while Moblit and a few other scouts nearby stopped what they were doing and listened in. Looking at the attentive faces of his comrades Maverick readjust his belt as he continued.

"Sure, the design is different from what I'm used to, but my old trainings definitely helped." As he spoke memories from bygone lifetimes began to reemerge in his mind. Of learning how to use the gravity defying tech and of the multiple battles and campaigns he fought under. He continued to reminisce until the voice of his commander brought him out.

"So! What was this technology like?" Hange suddenly asked bringing Maverick back to reality.

"They were called jetpacks, they had different names sometimes, but their function was all the same. I'll tell the rest along the way." With that Maverick readjusted his belt yet again as he walked past the scouts, with his two squad mates following sit with perplexed faces.

"Where we going exactly?" Moblit asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Wanted to check in on one of the towns nearby, heard they got a blacksmith working there." The two scouts looked at one another before returning to their larger comrade.

"Oh? What for?" Hange questioned with an inquisitive stare, to which chuckled at her attempt to be serious.

"Nothing for you or the rest of the regiment to worry about, just wanted to see how much they charge for a new belt buckle, I can feel mine wearing out." Just as he finished his sentence his belt became loose again, to which he readjusted while grumbling. "I think all the twist and turns I've been doing have made it work overtime." His two companions laughed at his remark, while he gave a flat stare to the two.

"*Chuckles* Well, I'm sure the commander wouldn't mind, but let's check back with him first." With that Hange picked up her pace with the two men following in tow, only to slow down as Hange turned around and began to walk backwards, giving an inquisitorial like smirk as she looked into Maverick's glowing eyes.

"So, about that technology…."

-oOo-

Town of Eisengrad, Western area of Wall Maria

The town of Eisengrad, a vibrant community located in the western area of Wall Maria, home to many farmhands, workers, small business owners, extended families, and survivors from the Shiganshina Skirmish. Maverick had heard from some local gossip that Tobias, one of his "devotees", had managed to restart his smithing business in the town. He figured he could both get a new belt buckle and catch up with the man on how things were going. Maybe get a special discount too but that's neither here nor there.

As the three scouts made their way into the town they were occasionally greeted by the local townsfolk, especially the women. For you see, Maverick had not shaven his face in the last few months, which lead to him now sporting a dark colored five o'clock shadow, which caught the eye of many of the ladies of the town. They stared at his bearded face and whispered amongst themselves, going into giggling fits as he passed by. Maverick had noticed the looks, but did not act upon them, seeing as he was with company and was discussing a topic related to his past exploits.

"So, anyone could just buy one of these jetpacks?" Hange asked, curious of the availability of the technology her large comrade had spoken of for the last half hour.

"If you had the money sure, but most of the time you only saw them in either orbital construction or in the military." She scoffed at that, of course such advanced tools were restricted to the either the military or to those in high society. However, her upset look turned to intrigue at the mention of this "orbital" construction. She was about to inquire further until Moblit let out an obvious jest towards their comrade.

"And I'm guessing you were one such individual with access to them?" Maverick simply gave his friend a haughty look as he held his chin high.

"Of course, how else would I have aced the aptitude test on the first go?" He spoke in a slightly snooty tone, receiving some chuckles from his two companions.

As the three continued on their way, Maverick spotted the smithy that he had been looking for just up ahead. "Tobi's Smithworks" named after the owner himself. Walking inside they trio were greeted wholeheartedly by the man. They engaged in some small talk before Maverick spoke of his request for a new belt buckle, to which Tobias was more than eager to take.

With his order placed the three said their goodbyes and left the smithy, headed off back to headquarters. But on their way Maverick had spotted two certain figures in the town. A certain middle-aged woman and a blonde-haired young man looking through a shop window. Walking up to them Maverick spoke out in a sarcastic tone.

"Well, well, well. Look who's finally up and about." The two turned to face their heckler, revealing themselves to be Moses and his mother. Moses' hardened look turned to one of surprise as he faced the man who had saved his life so many months ago.

"O-Oh hey, it's you!" Moses was about to properly greet the large man, only for Hange to walk up and get in between the two.

"Moses! and mama Moses! Hello!" She gave the scout a hug which caused Moses to cringe while his mother gave the bespectacled woman a nervous wave.

"A-A pleasure to see you too, Squad Leader…" Moses spoke through strained breath only to be released, allowing him to breathe again.

"It's good to see you've recovered, Moses." Moblit said offering the man a pat on the back, a gesture which the young scout appreciated greatly compared to the near bone crushing hug from their superior.

"Thanks." He then turned to the large statured giant that towered over all of them, noticing he was now wearing the Survey Corps uniform. "So, how's the scout life?"

Maverick scratched the stubble on his chin as he responded. "Well enough. Met new people, smashed giant skulls, tamed a giant boar…" Moses chuckled at the mention of the boar while his mother's eyes widened in surprise.

"Hah…Yeah, one of my buddies came to visit me a while back, told me everything about it." While Moses had a jovial attitude about the affair, his mother was less than enthusiastic.

"To think a beast such as that was living inside the Walls. Ohhh, I don't even want to think about it." His mother shuddered, as just the mention of the giant feral hog had given her nightmares the previous nights.

"Not to worry ma'am, that beast is currently roaming out in giant country. Munching on things that aren't people." This brought some relief to the woman as she rubbed her hands together, trying to warm them up. Soon the conversation turned to a more serious subject, that being Moses' return to active duty.

"So can we expect you back in service anytime soon?" Moblit asked. Moses responded with an eager nod and a hardened expression.

"Soon hopefully, still felling the occasional aches though." He rubbed the left side of his stomach, which was still recovering from the titans squeezing grip.

"Moses dear, must you go back out there?" Moses sighed as he turned to his mother, as they had this conversation many times before while he was in recovery.

"You know I have to Ma, I can't let this one incident hold me down." The mention of the so-called incident only caused the woman to raise her voice as she grasped her sons left shoulder.

"An incident that nearly took you away from me!" Moses cringed as he tried to remove his mother's strong grip from his aching shoulder and tried to calm her down.

"I know that, but that's not going to happen again." The woman was not buying it as her expression turned to a more panicked look, similar to the day the scouts arrived from their last expedition.

"You don't know that!" Her voice echoed out, causing some of the locals to look in their direction. Moses' eyes darted around the silent street before turning back to his mother.

"Can we not do this please? Look where we are Ma." The woman looked around noticing the looks and stares that the townsfolk were giving her. She let go of her son and backed away a little, lifting her head she noticed the scouts stare back at her, to which she quickly looked back down.

"I….I-I apologize, I mean no disrespect, i-i-it just tha-" She was interrupted as Maverick placed a large comforting hand on the woman's shoulder. She looked back to see a calm and understanding expression on the man's face.

"You don't need to apologize for nothing ma'am, your simply worried for your boy. I'm sure he understands that." Moses noticed the large man narrow his eyes towards him with a stern expression on his face. A bead of sweat began to form on his forehead, as the look he was given by the glowing man reminded him of his late father.

"Y-Yeah…of course…" Somewhat satisfied Maverick eased up on the young man before turning to the mother.

"Well, it's been nice catching up, but my comrades and I should get going now. Gotta keep the giants at bay and all that. It was a pleasure Mrs.….uhh…" The woman let out a chuckle, before introducing herself properly.

"Braun, Julia Braun." She gave Maverick a short bow, before thanking the three scouts for their actions during the breach. Before departing Maverick spoke out to Moses.

"And I guess we'll see you later?" Moses responded by nodding his head with a smirk across his face.

"Oh you will. I still got to make up for my blunder!" With that the two groups said their farewells and went their separate ways. As the trio left the town Moblit let out a soft chuckle through his breath.

"Even after being in a titans grip, he's still got that spirit in him…" Maverick turned to his comrade with an intrigued look. "Has he always been so…"

"Headstrong? Yes, for as long as we've known him. He was always one of the first to go strike the first blow in every expedition." Maverick let out a groan as he pinched his nose. For he couldn't help but be reminded of certain other individuals he knew to be like that, himself included.

"Oh no, he's one of the cocky ones, isn't he?" His two companions snickered as Maverick was right on the money when it came to the brash young scout in question.

"*Giggle* That's certainly one way to describe him." Hange then quickly changed the topic of the conversation back to their previous discussion.

"But enough about him, I want to hear more about these jetpacks! Do you think you can make one with our technology here? You did say you were a weapon smith, so that should count as a weapon, or a tool?"

-oOo-

Meanwhile, near the entrance of the town…

A young Eren Yeager made his way into town with firewood secured in his pack, with his sister following close behind him with another back of firewood as well. Their mother had asked the two to secure some in preparation for the coming winter, a request he was more than willing to do, now that his mother was inconvenienced…

Said inconvenience being the fact that she could no longer walk on her own two legs. The attack on the southern district had unfortunately left Carla disabled, and she now required the use of a special wheeled chair in order to move around. Despite the initial struggles she had accepted her new reality, seeing her condition as a better alternative than being eaten by a titan.

That day had changed Eren as well. While he still showed an eagerness for the outside world, it had been somewhat subdued, for lack of a better words. Nearly seeing his mother seconds away from death at the hands of that grotesque titan still haunted his mind. Therefore, since that day he had stuck closer to his mother, making sure to help her in chores and making sure she was okay at all times whenever his father went out for work.

Some of the kids in town had joked about it, often calling Eren a "mamma's boy", which of course would lead to brawls and a few bloody noses, courtesy of Mikasa. If being a mamma's boy meant his mother could keep living, then that was fine by him.

The boy quickened his pace, eager to get home as fast as possible, only for his adopted sister to call out to him.

"Eren slow down, do you want to spill the firewood again?" Mikasa said, making the boy nearly trip over himself, as he was reminded of the incident from months past.

"Gugh! You don't have to remind me!" He exclaimed, pouting at his sister. He slowed down allowing the girl to catch up and walk beside him. As they made their way toward the market area the boy spotted a familiar blonde haired boy walking alongside an elderly gentleman.

"Hey Armin! Armin!" Eren called out to his friend while waving his arms around, who's eyes lit up and caused him to leave his grandfather's side, nearly dropping a bag of groceries he was holding for him.

"Eren, Mikasa!" The young Armin rushed to his friends and began to chat about his day, all the while his grandfather slowly caught up with the kids.

"H-Hello Mr. Arlert." Eren said nervously, worried that they may have upset the elder Arlert, only for the man to chuckle and pat his head.

"*Chuckles* Hello Eren, Mikasa. I see you two are getting ready for the coming winter." He said noticing the gathered bundles of sticks on their backs.

"Y-Yeah, just trying to help out mom…" Eren said while rubbing the back of his head. Mr. Arlert nodded in approval, glade to see the young Yeager helping out his family.

"That's good, better than arguing with her all hours of the day, eh?" He said with a smirk causing Armin and Mikasa to laugh at the Erens expense. However, their talk was suddenly interrupted by the sounds of shouting near the town entrance.

"Is it them again?" Armin asked, for this was not the only time the booming voice had made itself known to the town.

"Seems like it…" Replied his grandfather. Eren turned and followed the source of the loud voice with Mikasa following close behind him. As the two made their way back towards the gate entrance to the town they saw a surprising sight.

There was a large gathering of townsfolk that had amassed near the entrance to the town, surrounding a smaller group of hooded individuals with the one leading them standing atop a box. His face was nearly hidden by his hood, the bottom half of his face being the only assurance that the figure speaking before them was human. He was adorned with a chain necklace which held a small shield shaped pendant, made of wood mind you, which had the image of a spiked ball connected to a stick painted on.

They called themselves the Order of the Morningstar; A group who worshiped the Titan Slayer and preached of his greatness. They were made up almost exclusively from the survivors of Shiganshina, seeing as they were the ones to first witness the deeds and heroics of their "savior". And the one leading them was a man by the name of Cornelius, a local from the district who had started up the following a day after the breach.

Eren and Mikasa had approached the large group of townsfolk, just as the hooded leader began to speak once more.

"THOSE WHO WORSHIP THE WALLS SPEAK OF ITS DIVINITITY, OF HOW IT WILL PROTECT US FROM THE MAN-EATING BEASTS THAT HAVE CLAIMED THE WORLD…"

The leaders preaching began like so many other of his sermons, a bashing of the Wallist and of their radical beliefs…

"LET ME ASK YOU ALL! WHERE WAS THAT PROTECTION WHEN SHIGANSHINA'S OUTER WALL WAS DESTROYED? WHERE WAS OUR PROTECTION WHEN THE TITANS POURED THROUGH THE BREACH? WHERE WAS OUR PROTECTION WHEN OUR LOVED ONES WERE EATEN AND CRUSHED BEFORE OUR EYES?!"

The crowd listened attentively to the hooded crier, taking in his every word. Many, especially the survivors of that day, couldn't agree more with his words.

"HOW CAN A WALL BE DEVINE, WHEN IT CRUMBLES AT THE FIRST BLOW HMMM?! HOW CAN A MIGHTY WALL, A SO-CALLED GIFT FROM GOD, FAIL AND FORSAKE US IN OUR GREATEST TIME OF NEED?!"

The hooded leader paused leaving the gathered folk to murmur and talk amongst themselves, trying to answer his question. They continued for a few more minutes until he spoke again.

"BECAUSE MY FRIENDS, A WALL CANNOT PROTECT US ALONE! A WALL NEEDS WARRIORS TO KEEP WATCH, TO BE ALERT, TO FIGHT IN ITS DEFENSE!"

The group murmured in agreement, Eren included. A wall with no defenders could only do so much.

"ON THAT DAY, IN OUR DARKEST HOUR, WE WERE GRANTED SUCH A WARRIOR, A WARRIOR SENT FROM THE HEAVENS THEMSELVES! A WARRIOR WHO COULD MATCH THE STRENGTH OF OUR GREAT ENEMY AND BEAT THEM BACK AND SLAY THEM TO THE LAST!"

A couple of cheers and hollers erupted from the large group, the young Yaeger boy included. He was so enraptured by the preachers' words that he failed to notice Armin and his grandfather walking behind him.

"YOU ALL KNOW WHO I SPEAK OF, OF THE GLOWING WARRIOR, OF THE MAN FROM BEYOND THE WALLS, OF THE TITAN SLAYER!"

More cheers erupted from the crowd at the mention of the famed hero, just as more people began to join the gathering to hear what Cornelius had to say.

"HE IS OUR GUIDING SHEPARD IN THE DARKNESS! HE IS OUR BULWARK AGAINST THE RAVENOUS HORDES! HE SHALL BE THE ONE TO RECLAIM THE LANDS THAT HAVE BEEN LOST TO US FOR SO MANY YEARS!"

The gathered townsfolk began to chant, attracting the attention of many others, even some of the local Garrison stationed began to join in.

"PRAISE THE TITAN SLAYER! PRAISE THE SAVIOR OF SHIGANSHINA! PRAISE HUMANITIYS STRONGEST WARRIOR!"

The townsfolk began to cheer out as well, repeating the mantra. Eren too had joined in on the chanting, moved by the leader of the order. However, his cheering was interrupted by someone tugging on his sleeve, turning around he saw Mikasa who had a look of urgency on her face.

"Eren, come on. We have to get home." He immediately snapped out of his fervent behavior and began following his sister back to the residential area. "Come on Armin, I think we've heard enough for today." Mr. Arlert said motioning for his grandson to follow him.

The Yeager's and the Arlert's decided to all walk back to the residential area together, seeing as they lived close to one another. As they walked through the street they turned a corner, only to be met by a large familiar figure. Eren had nearly collided with him but immediately froze as he looked up to see the glowing visage of the man who had saved his mother's life. The boy stood silent as he stared at Maverick with awe, just to see a smile form on the large man's face.

"Well, hey there kiddos, long time no see." He said in a soft tone while crouching down, in an attempt to speak to the children at eye level and not have the kids strain their necks. Hange meanwhile took one look at their faces and was all over them in an instant.

"Oh my goodness! Well aren't you two just the cutest little things to have ever walked the earth!" She exclaimed while closing in on young Eren. The boy backed away from the scary woman, with Mikasa stepping in between the two, which Hange thought was absolutely adorable.

"Easy Hange, no need to spook the kids." Maverick said as he pulled his superior commander away from the spooked children. "Sorry about her, she's a little..." He spun his finger next to the side of his head, eliciting a chuckle from Moblit and a questionable look from Hange. Maverick then turned to the small blonde who stood behind the other two kids.

"And who's this, one of your friends?" Eren and Mikasa move to the side, revealing the young Arlert. Armin was completely frozen stiff, he had only heard stories from Eren and the other townsfolk regarding the illusive Titan Slayer, so to see him up close for the first time was both a breathtaking and terrifying experience. The young blonde simply stood with eyes widened like dinner plates, as he stared into the glowing orbs that were Maverick's eyes.

"It's alright cutie, he's not gonna hurt you." Came the voice of the bespectacled woman who tried to ease the feeling of worry inside him. Armin's only response was the quivering of his lips as he tried to say his name. Lucky for him his grandfather introduced him to the three scouts.

"H-His name is Armin, Armin Arlert." Said the elder as he placed a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder.

"This your son?" Maverick asked only to receive a chuckle from the elder as he removed his hat.

"O-Oh no, no, I'm his grandfather you see. John Arlert." The elder Arlert held out his hand to which Maverick reciprocated the gesture. "Maverick, a pleasure." As the two shook hands one couldn't help but notice the fact that Maverick hands completely engulfed the hand of Mr. Arlert, that, and the look the elder gave as their hands touched. The two men chuckled while the kids remained in awe in the presence of the near 7-foot-tall man.

"So have you all resettled in this town?" Said man asked.

"Yes, seeing as our children are all friends, we decided to stick close together. Thankfully this town welcomed us with open arms after the attack." The elder spoke true. Many of the refugees from Shiganshina were disheartened when they were informed that the southern district was declared uninhabitable, especially those who escaped with only the clothes on their backs. Luckily many nearby towns and villages welcomed the now homeless inhabitants with open arms, allowing many to restart their lives.

"Well that's good, you get to be with all your friends heh?" Maverick said to the young Arlert boy who meekly nodded as he looked down to his feet.

While the adults continued to speak about mundane things, Eren was having an internal struggle. For many nights he dreamed of meeting the man who saved his mother once more, and now here he was, a few feet away from him, and he couldn't say anything. There was so much he wanted to say to him, to ask him about. So why was he having so much trouble to speak, to let out all he wanted to say?

'Say something stupid, anything!'

With that in mind he began to stutter out two simple words, two important words that just had to be said.

"T-T-T-Thank you…"

There was a pause as the adults turned to the young Eren, who raised his head to face the marked man, eye to glowing eye. Maverick in turn simply stared at the boy with a curious gaze as he watched the youngling slightly fidget in place before finding the courage to speak again, just as the young girl next to him held his arm in support.

"Y-Y-You saved our mom….and o-o-our home….t-thank you." The black-haired girl next to him nodded as well, looking straight into the eyes of the glowing man as well. Maverick could only simply stare at the two children, before the glow in his eyes faded slightly and his features softened. He crouched down once more to be at somewhat eye level to the kids, before patting both their heads and giving them a fatherly smile.

"Your very welcome Eren, Mikasa…" The two children's eyes widened in surprise.

"H-H-How?" Eren asked with a stutter, completely baffled at how he knew their names, to which the large warrior simply chuckled as he rose back up.

"Ran into your friend Hannes sometime after the attack, told me that he got you three to safety." Eren's face scrunched at the mention of the Garrison soldier. He had not spoken to the man ever since he left his mother to die, even hiding in his room or sneaking out whenever he visited. Carla had attempted to alleviate Eren's contempt for the man, but in his eyes, he simply saw a coward who fled when he should have fought.

Sensing some displeasure from the boy, Maverick quickly changed the subject by introducing his two companions, which seemed to work as he saw the sense of excitement return to the boy's eyes. However just before he could speak to the scouts the boy heard a familiar voice ring out somewhere in the town.

"Eren? Mikasa? Where are you?!"

The children turned to one another, realizing that the voice was their mother, and that they had spent far too much time than what they were supposed to spend. Quickly turning around the two left without saying even a goodbye, leaving the scouts and the Arlerts in the dust.

-oOo-

"Eren, Mikasa?! *Sigh* Where could they have gone?" Carla said as she was wheeled across the main road, leading towards the market area of the town. Helping her along was her husband Grisha, who had returned from work a half hour ago.

Carla had sent the kids to gather firewood almost two hours ago and they had yet to return, making her worried. She had contemplated whether to go out and look for them on her own, only to see the sight of her husband coming through the front door. She had told him of the situation, while in a rather panicked state, and despite some initial reservations Grisha relented and soon the two were outside, with Carla screaming to the high heavens for her two children.

"I'm sure they did not go far dear, *cough* *cough*" It was bad enough that the children were missing, but her husband was now suffering from coughing fits, an early sign of a cold no doubt.

"*Hmph* Making us go outside in the cold air, while you have a cold. Those two are getting quite the earful." Grisha was about to tell her that going outside was her idea but thought it best to not stir the melting pot right now. As they continued in their search, they were surprised by the sight of both their missing children appearing from a street corner.

"Mom! Dad!" Their son shouted as he and his sister rushed towards them. While Grisha had a look of relief, Carla's face bored a not so happy expression.

"Where have you two been? We've been worried sick!" She spoke with a raised and irritated tone, causing the two children to freeze up on the spot.

"I-I'm sorry ma it's just tha-" The boy barely had spoken a few words, only for his mother to interrupt him as she turned to her adopted daughter.

"And you young lady! I thought you would be able to keep Eren in check." Mikasa simply covered herself into her scarf, trying to hide from Carla's disappointed look. Eren suddenly moved in front of Mikasa and spoke in her defense.

"No ma, it's my fault, not Mikasa's. We were just talking to someone." Both of the parents' eyes widened. If it was the Arlert boy or his grandfather, then that was understandable. But the way he said it, it sounded like someone they didn't know. Had the children been talking with a stranger? Had they not listened when she warned them about talking with strangers?

"Who?" She asked with a raised tone, causing her children to shrink under her gaze, Grisha was about to step in until the sound of heavy footsteps was heard from the street the two kids came out of. Seconds later a large figure stepped out, causing the two adults to freeze in shock.

"The children are not to blame Ma'am, the fault lies with me." His calm voice and glowing visage left the two parents wide eyed, for the one their child was speaking to was none other than the famed Titan Slayer.

"Ah…you..." Was all that Carla could say as she stared into the glowing visage of the man who had saved her from the grasps of that smiling monstrosity, as well as from her suffering a fatal fall. Last she could remember of him was his worried look staring down at her before she lost consciousness. Now he was here in the town, adorned with the uniform of the scouts.

"Hello again." His voice was calm and held a tone of familiarity which nearly sent her aflutter, for he clearly remembered her, that and his bearded face made his already handsome visage more alluring. While Carla tried her best to keep her blushing face from getting redder, her husband still kept his look of shock as he eyed the man's supernatural features.

'Glowing tattoos…glowing eyes…'

He had heard the tales from both his family and many townsfolk regarding the illusive warrior. But to see him with his very eyes was something else entirely. The townsfolk did not lie, he truly was a giant of a man, as he nearly had to crane his neck upwards in order to see him at eye level. His build was large and muscular, truly a "superhuman" as many had described him. As he continued to examine the man, two more figures appeared, adorned in the uniforms of the Survey Corps.

"You know these people Mav?" The bespectacled woman asked, while the other male offered the parents a greeting handwave.

"Helped them out during the breach…well, helped as much as I could." The marked man said, as he eyed the wheelchair that Carla was now restricted to. His slightly despondent look snapped her out of her thoughts as she tried to alleviate the large man.

"N-No, no. You…If it wasn't for you…I would not be….here…" She tried to speak further but she found the words were caught inside her throat, as the memories of that day came flooding back, flashes of that horrid grinning beast that had her in its grips, seconds away from leaving the world. Tears slowly began to form as she tried to hold it together.

Sensing her distress Grisha gave held her shoulders in comfort, which seemed to help as she soon calmed back down, with the few sniffles here and there.

"Easy dear, relax." Was all he said before turning back to the trio of scouts.

"And you must be…" Maverick spoke before the man finished his sentence as he took off his hat and approached him.

"Grisha Yeager, her husband. I've been hoping to actually meet you for quite some time, sir." To his credit Grisha spoke clearly and with a small hint of reverence as he stood a few feet away from the glowing goliath, before lowering his head to let out a few coughs.

"*Cough* *Cough* I-I was on business when the attack happened. When I heard that the survivors fled to southern district in Wall Rose I quickly rushed back, hoping, praying that they made it out…When I saw my children a felling of relief washed over me, but it quickly faded when I didn't see their mother…"

He took a pause before looking back up at the Maverick's glowing eyes and continuing.

"I feared the worst had happened, but then my son tells me that a man, the same man he said he saw follow the scouts back to the walls, saved my wife from the hands of a titan. Then I hear that the same man fought alongside the scouts and slew every titan inside the district. *Cough*"

He looked down again, as he felt tears beginning to form in his eyes. He took a few deep breathes before continuing once again.

"I-I'm sure that you've heard this so many times before, but I simply can't thank you enough. You saved my family. Had you not been here on that day…it would have been the last time I saw my Carla again…"

Grisha wanted to say more, but a sudden coughing fit overtook him. His coughs became rougher as if he were about to cough up a lung. His wife wheeled herself closer in an effort to pat his back, as his children surrounded him.

"Dad?" Eren asked with a worried look, only for his father to cease his coughing.

"A-A minor cold son, it'll pass." He reassured his boy, patting his shoulder. Eren still held a worried look however as he never heard such a violent cough come from him.

"Well I won't keep you, less it gets worse, it's been a pleasure." Maverick said as he turned towards the main street, only for Grisha's voice to stop him in his tracks.

"Wait, may I at least have the pleasure to shake the hand of the man who saved my family." He asked while holding out his hand. Maverick chuckled as he turned back to reciprocate the gesture. Now, the marked man had grown used to the fact that he had a certain effect when shaking the hands of the people here, so he was quite surprised by the smaller man's reaction.

"GAHHH!"

Grisha back straightened out and let out a scream the moment he shook hands with Maverick, shocking everyone present. The moment they let go Grisha immediately crouched down and grasped his hand. His wife and children quickly surrounded him with worried looks. They could hear him taking deep breaths as he rubbed his hand. Eren crouched down to see if his father was okay, and the look he saw on his father's face surprised him.

Despite the handshake lasting roughly about 3 seconds, the look on Grisha's face made it seem that it lasted a lifetime. His eyes were opened wide, and his eyes were shaking, moving in different directions. He had a surprised look as he stared at his hand, as if the hand he shook withheld all the answers. His trance like state was interrupted as the concerned voice of the large man came through to him.

"Oh God, I'm sorry! I did not mean to shock you like that sir. It's happened to everyone I've shaken hands with, believe me!" Maverick exclaimed while slowly approaching the man, with his two companions following with both surprised and worried looks. The man held his hand outward as he continued to stare at the ground, his breathing calmed to a slow and steady pace as he spoke.

"I-I see….heh…well, I believe that enough excitement for one day." He slowly stood back up and dusted off the dirt from his coat and looked to the marked man once more before turning to his children.

"Come one you two, the cold will do us no good." He motioned for his children to follow him as he grabbed the handles to his wife's chair. The family held worried looks as they waved the scouts goodbye before turning around and heading towards the residential area, not before the young Yeager boy turned around one last time and waved his hand.

Maverick and his comrades stood in place, watching as the family disappeared into another street, just as a couple of townsfolk appeared, mostly likely drawn by the sound of Grisha's screaming.

"Well…that was…certainly a strong reaction." Moblit remarked at the scene that just transpired with Hange giving him a few chuckles in return.

"Preaching to the choir Moblit…" Maverick muttered as he unconsciously stretched his right fingers.

"Mav, everything alright?" Hange asked as she noticed her large comrade continued to look down the street the Yeager family had taken. He stood quite for a few moments before letting out air through his nose.

"Hmmmm…..the way he looked at me after…."

"Hm? What, did he give you a nasty look?" Hange asked again, only to receive silence from the man once again.

Maverick had seen that look before, even gave those looks to others himself. Despite the sweat on the man's brow and the dilated eyes there was something else in the father's expression. It was not a look of hostility or ill-intent, as Hange thought. No, it was more…determined look, a sense of finality if you will. There was more to that handshake beside the shock. Was it an omen of sorts? A sign of things to come?

"Nah…forget it…"

Maverick sighed as he turned around, his two comrades following close behind. He wanted to think that it was nothing, that the man was simply feeling the aftershock from their handshake. But he knew better, his experiences told him that that man was determined to do something, or perhaps he was finally pushed to act.

Whatever the case, he hoped whatever the man was going to do would be worth it in the end.

Maverick the Titan Slayer: A Study

The Touch: This phenomenon gets its name from when someone shakes the hand of the Titan Slayer. Many individuals, both civilian and military, have claimed to feel a shocking sensation run through their spines when they shake hands with the figure. There have also been numerous reports claiming that some feel a greater shock than others.

This feeling seems to happen only once as many report to not feel the sensation when they engage in handshakes once more. Many theorize that the cause of this phenomenon is due to the markings that are etched onto the Slayer's hands, as well as the rest of his body.

AN: Another chapter done. We see not only the return of Moses Braun to the story, but get to see how the Yeager and Arlert family have settled in their new home. As well as see the reappearance of Maverick's followers, now known officially as The Order of the Morningstar.

And I know that Moses' last name is just his first name in the manga, but that's how he's named on the wiki so I'm rolling with it, I got a plan trust me (doubt).

So anyways, this chapter is the second to last chapter before we finally move on to the year 846. Originally, I was going to release this chapter early on and have the last chapter be the sort of "Christmas episode", but college related issues took up a lot of my time, and I also got Game Pass as a gift, so I've been messing around with that. So, with that in mind this will the last chapter for the year, with many more to go in 2022.

I would also like to thank everyone who has read and kept up with my story. It's nice to know that there are 50 people on this earth who have enjoyed what I've written. Not a huge milestone, but a milestone none the less. I hope I can continue to provide and entertain you all in the years to come.

And I hate to sound desperate, but I would very much appreciate it I could get a couple more reviews. Whether it's a critique, a question, or a simple "good story keep it up" would suffice.

Anyways, Thanks for reading and I wish you all a Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays, a happy New Year. As well as a clean bill of health in these troubling times. Until the next chapter.