God of Hate

AN For the record, this opening part is the same scene that the last chapter ended on, but from Eren's point of view.

[[[[She looks like Krista.]]]]

That was the first thought Eren had about this "Frieda" person.

[[What is that?]]

[Hell if I know.]

[[[Maybe she's sick?]]]

The second thought, or thoughts rather, went towards the "glow" about her. Ever since the night he made Mikasa and the others realize who he was, he had taken the time to notice this strange...thing he could see around everyone. It was easier to notice at night, but now that he was aware of it, he could focus on it in daylight too.

Most people just had a "normal" glow about them. Some were brighter or dimmer, but all it did was outlined their bodies, like they were all tiny flames, with the lights muffled behind distorted glass.

Some were unique, however. Mikasa and Captain Levi, he noticed, had a "dark" glow about them. Whereas the normal glows were more distinct at night, he saw theirs more clearly during the day, giving them a cloaked look around them. Might that mean they were related? Might be something to have Krista mention.

Another strange set he noticed were Annie, Bertholdt, and Reiner. They all had an odd inverted feeling to their glow. It was peculiar, as if the light was being pulled inwards, towards themselves, instead radiating outwards. He had no idea what that meant. Could they all be related? They did say they were all from the same village, so them all being cousins to some extent made sense if the glows indicated a relationship. But why did only some look unique then? Everyone else certainly wasn't all that closely related, but he hadn't seen any other unique glows besides those two examples.

Until now; Frieda's was a new mystery to the equation. Her aura was...solid? Contained? It was hard to describe. More intense than any other he had seen, thicker in how it looked as it refused to radiate beyond her. As if her glow was restrained, held back somehow.

It was all so hard to process and think about, this extra sense that he had no context for. Did it mean anything at all? Was it just some quirk of this form that he was overanalyzing?

"Lady Frieda!"

Luckily, Hange made it so he didn't have to dwell on that any longer.

"May I introduce this beautiful, golden bastard that we affectionately call Trips. Trips, this is Frieda."

[[[Did she have to save beautiful?]]]

[[Would handsome really make it better?]]

[[[That wasn't my point!]]]

[Both of you, shut up and just nod!]

Luckily, they had all managed to keep their expressions neutral and greeted the noble with nods of the heads.

"It's a pleasure, "Trips." You've caused quite the stir in the walls."

[[[[Huh?]]]]

[[[I'm surprised Hange didn't say anything.]]]

[Baldy! Whose been saying what about us?!]

[[Do we even want to know?]]

"Oh, I suppose you didn't bother to tell him?" Frieda asked with amusement as they all looked to Hange and the commanders.

"We've been a bit distracted," Hange deflected with an awkward grin.

[[[[I've been distracted; you've been all over me…literally.]]]]

"I'm not surprised," Frieda mused as their three heads all looked at her once more. "Everyone is talking about the Golden Beast that slew the Titans and saved Trost."

[[[Well, that's good.]]]

"Some fear you, thinking you might be something even more dangerous and terrible than the Titans."

[Less good.]

[[They're not exactly wrong.]]

[Do you want more cannonballs to the head!?]

"But most people in Rose and Senna are treating you like some great miracle from the heavens, a savior to strike down the Titans."

[[[[In Senna?]]]]

[[That is surprising. I thought they'd be too complacent to care.]]

[[[Probably because we're not a Titan.]]]

[And now we have damn Titan-Shifters to worry about.]

"It's actually becoming a problem for the Church of the Walls."

Drei snorted at that.

[[[Good!]]]

"Yes, that's about how I feel," Frieda said playfully, acting as if she was whispering to him.

[Ha! I like this one!]

"People are desperate for something to believe in. And the Church, being them, is already trying to denounce you as something befouling the walls," Frieda explained.

[[[[...]]]]

[Yeah, we're going to get shot again, I know it.]

[[Note to self, watch all cannons from now on.]]

[[[I don't want people worshiping me, but...]]]

[[[[Better me than the walls, I guess.]]]]

"But enough about that," Frieda said with a dismissive wave. "I'll keep this simple, "Trips:" Do you want to help the people of the walls still, in reclaiming Wall Maria."

[[[Of course!]]]

[I'll rip every Titan apart that gets in our way.]

[[Nothing would please me more.]]

"Good," Frieda said with a nod of her own. "But you know, given that you exist at all, there are probably other things out there, more dangerous than Titans."

His mind drifted back to the voice from beyond the wall, a being that knew his name. Oh, he was certain that there were more out there. Not just things stronger than Titans, but intelligent too; Things that could speak. Much worse than a mindless giant, even an idiot would know that.

"We can barely hold up against the Titans. Do you think you'll be up to the task, of fighting off greater monsters like you?"

He sneered, all three heads snarling just a bit as they did something almost on instinct. In lieu of arms, they used one of their tails to crane around and lay it over his chest in the best imitation of a salute he could muster

[[[[I'll take them all on.]]]]

There was a brief silence.

"Good," Frieda said with a smile. "Then, I'm going to need a favor."

"A favor, Lady Frieda?" Erwin asked curiously, eyes focusing with a calculated look in his eyes.

[[[[Well, they certainly didn't script this meeting.]]]]

Eren watched on curiously, just wondering what this noble would bother to ask of him.

"Don't worry, Commander, it's related to why I'm here," Frieda assured over her shoulder. "As you know, we are here to make a decision not only of you but of the Shifter as well."

All three heads nodded, giving her curious looks, Zwei narrowing his eyes in thought.

"The soldiers here have plans for how to keep her restrained and...docile for the trial," Frieda started.

Eren blinked. They were going to let Ymir outside?

[[That might not be wise.]]

[Are they sure they can trust her not to run off?]

[[[Maybe that's what we're for?]]]

Frieda laughed a bit. "I can see you're a bit confused, so I'll cut to the chase. I was thinking that it would be a good show, for everyone if one of the guards to this trial...was you."

[!]

[[[?]]]

[[Hmmm.]]

"Um, Ma'am, may I ask what you mean?" Hange asked curiously.

"I have no doubt that my colleges will eventually come to the same decision as I regard this, how did you say? Beautiful bastard," Frieda answered playfully. "And thereupon, our eyes must turn to the Shifter. Trips has already proved her superior in battle as a Titan. While there are the other precautions you are all taking, it has a good look to it, our giant ally here looming over the shifter like an executioner should she try anything...treacherous," Frieda pointed out.

[[[[Well, they obviously haven't told me something about whatever's going on with Ymir.]]]]

[[I think Ymir is cooperating but they don't trust her.]]

[Can't blame them.]

[[[I'll trust Krista though.]]]

[[[[Agreed.]]]]

"So, how about it, Savior of Trost? You interested in keeping a Titan-Shifter in check for us?" Frieda asked directly.

Eren nodded. There was no other answer.

"Thank you. Now if you'll all pardon me, I need to rest before the rest of the officials arrive," Frieda said, nodding to her leg meaningfully.

"As you wish, My Lady," Pixis said, watching her pass before looking to Trips and giving him a smirk of approval, raising his flask briefly in praise before taking a drink.

[[[[ Its amazing that his liver is intact.]]]]

Meanwhile

"That went over rather well," Mikasa said idly from a rooftop as the noblewoman left.

"Yeah, it did," Armin said with a scowl as he saw and felt Eren turning around, every step shaking the ground a bit as he began to walk off to another part of Trost.

"Wait up, Trips!" Sasha exclaimed as she took off on her ODM gear.

"It's our turn to lizard-sit you!" Connie called out with a laugh as he followed after.

One of them hissed at him for the joke but ignored them otherwise.

"Something wrong?" Mikasa asked with a furrowed brow to Armin.

"I think that went a bit too well," he answered honestly. "The government is very against changes. But she seemed perfectly agreeable, standing in front of Eren like that and talking to him."

"You think she's lying? That this is a trap?" Mikasa asked, stepping closer.

"No. Maybe, but-" Armin chewed his cheek for a moment in thought. "Did that seem like someone seeing something like Eren for the first time?"

Mikasa stopped and frowned as she looked to the gate. "Maybe she's just good at keeping her cool? The commanders never seemed that shocked."

"Yeah, but they've seen and fought Titans for years," Armin reasoned. "They're used to the feeling of facing down something that outmatches them in almost every way. This is a crippled noble from the interior."

Mikasa turned to Armin once more and conceded his point. "What do we do then?"

"I'm not sure there is anything we can or even should do," Armin answered. "She does appear to be on our side for now, but if so..."

"But if so?" Mikasa repeated.

"I think she knows more about what's going on than the rest of us," Armin answered in concern. "The problem is that this might all just be for show. We might not know what's going on, but the Commanders might and just aren't saying anything."

"Well, then they haven't told me either."

"S-section Commander!" Armin greeted with a nervous salute, Mikasa following suit as the woman approached them.

"Which is strange if true, Erwin gives me some warning of his crazy plans, usually," Hange continued in amusement. "At ease you two. And I agree, something was strange about that."

"You do, Ma'am?" Armin asked in surprise.

"Armin, I know I'm a bit different from the rest, but "NO ONE" has no reaction at all to seeing and talking to something like Trips for the first time," Hange said with a sigh. "Which implies it isn't her first time meeting a giant creature like him."

Mikasa and Armin shared a look. That had strange, possibly dangerous implications to it.

"But there isn't anything to do about it just yet," Hange said with a sigh. "I'm just going to have to let this play out a bit more and see what's going on."

Mikasa frowned while Armin nodded. "Ma'am? I've been meaning to ask...?"

"Hmm?" Hange looked to Armin with a raised eyebrow.

"Should I still put Krista into the rotation, for the groups taking shifts keeping an eye on him?" Armin inquired uncertainly.

"Oh, no, not yet," Hange answered. "The...trial, I suppose, will be going on soon, and we're going to need Krista for some...things regarding that," Hange answered vaguely.

Neither pressed her for details. It wasn't their place to ask and they'd probably know in time. Still, Mikasa was notably disappointed that more talks with Eren were delayed.

Meanwhile

"Are you sure the others will be willing to be so close to Trips?" Erwin asked respectfully as they passed through the gate.

"They'll have to," Frieda said with a smirk. "Imagine what it would sound like if a crippled woman was braver than them?"

Pixis chuckled. "Clever. They either go along with it or look like cowards for their caution."

"Still, is there a reason you wanted him there for this trial?" Erwin asked with a frown.

Frieda sighed deeply, walking over to the edge of the wall with a grimace.

"Ma'am, are you okay?" Anka asked in concern as she stepped forward.

"I'm fine, I just need a moment," Frieda answered. "As for why, our main concern is her escaping, right?"

"Among other things, yes," Erwin admitted.

"Well, by what I read of the battle, he can handle her Titan form easy enough if they fight. So it just seemed safer to put him immediately next to her. If she tries to escape, he might be able to grab her fast enough. If not, well, that's where your best come in, Commanders," Frieda explained.

Erwin raised his massive brows while glancing at his bald counterpart, who was stroking his chin. "It's not a bad plan."

"I know, surprising from a noble, eh?" Frieda asked with a smirk.

"I wouldn't know what you mean, Ma'am. I have only the utmost respect for the nobility," Pixis assured with a good-natured smile.

"Yes, there's a lord whose name I forget, always talking about how he beats the southern commander in chess all the time," Frieda remarked. "He seemed less fond of the game recently."

Pixis smiled just a bit wider at that but said nothing else.

"In either case, if you both believe it's a horrid idea to try, feel free to say so," Frieda said freely.

"You're very open and humble for a noblewoman, Ma'am. I will admit, it's refreshing," Erwin said with a small smile.

"I can see when someone is fishing, Commander," Frieda said with disapproval. "What do you want to ask?"

"Why were you chosen, if I might ask?" Erwin asked curiously.

"Because not many nobles are overly willing to leave their comfy homes to step near a Lizard-Titan, as some call him," Frieda answered with a shrug. "I'm fine now."

With that, they continued walking on, the party giving the noblewoman interesting looks.

As were others.

"Annie, does Frieda Reiss ring any bells?" Reiner asked quietly as they stood on top of the wall, watching the group heading away from the gate.

Annie's eyes grew distant for a moment as she recalled all her time sneaking off to the interior, trying to find information on who the real King of the Walls might be. "Riess was one of the names we didn't have a chance to investigate," Annie answered with a scowl.

"That means it could be her, or her family at least?" Bertholdt theorized uneasily, praying to Helios that this "noblewoman" didn't just happen to look up and stare at them.

"She'd have to commit really hard to keep herself from healing for so long," Reiner mused. "Assuming she's not just faking it of course."

"She knows something though," Annie muttered. "But if she is related to the Coordinates, is she here because of Eren or Ymir...?"

"Wouldn't it be both either way?" Bertholdt asked in confusion.

"I mean if she's here to deal with Ymir or does she know what is really going on with Eren?" Annie rephrased. "If she's not the Founder, we can still get information out of her."

"She's a noble and despite being a cripple, she's beautiful," Reiner commented. "If she goes missing in an area filled with soldiers, in the middle of the night, people would assume some angry asshole stole her away."

"That's sick, but you're not wrong. That would be the simple thing to assume," Annie muttered. "If she is the Founder, she's what we're after. If she's not, we'll get information."

"If she doesn't have that, though, we'll still have to kill her," Reiner reminded grimly.

"We'll have to figure out what to do tonight. It's going to be my last chance to snoop around and try to find where they hide Ymir," Annie remarked before stiffening at the familiar sound of ODM wires and gas. "Someone's coming."

"There you are- and you're the wrong brats," Levi remarked with a sigh as he landed on top of the wall.

"Captain Levi," they greeted with a salute.

"At ease. Have either of you seen a smaller, blonde cadet?" Levi asked

'Armin Arlert?" Annie guessed.

"No, the other one," Levi answered dismissively.

"We haven't seen Krista, Sir," Reiner answered respectfully. "But I was told she was brought into the group?"

"Far as I know," Levi answered idly. "But Hange wants to talk with her too. Something about her testimony on what the big bastard's tongue felt like."

"...Sir, that sounds rather..." Bertholdt started to point out but trailed off meaningfully.

"Trust me, it sounds worse when Hange says it," Levi remarked before scowling. "What are you three doing up here?"

"We were watching...whatever that was, Sir," Annie answered. "Just trying to figure out what's going on."

"Welcome to the fucking club," Levi said dryly.

Meanwhile

Ymir was surprised when she heard her cell door opening.

She was more surprised to see an angry Krista rushing inside.

"Krista?" Ymir said in confusion as the blond walked over to her and grabbed her by the shirt. "...Huh, I've had dreams like this; you angry, me in chains."

"Shut up, Ymir!" Krista yelled, slamming Ymir against the wall. Well, more like shoved her.

Still, Ymir didn't resist, letting her arms hand to the side in chains and just looking down at Krista with a concerned look. "Krista, what's going on? Why are you-?"

Krista shoved her against the wall again. "Shut. Up."

Ymir heeded the order.

"Do you know anything about Eren?" Krista asked pointedly.

Ymir raised an eyebrow.

"Ymir!" Krista snapped with gritted teeth.

"Well, can I talk now?" Ymir asked in annoyance.

"Dammit, just answer me! Did you know anything, anything at all!?" Krista demanded.

"No! I can honestly say, on that front, I have held nothing back. I thought he was the Beast Titan, I doubt it now, but I have no idea what he might be or how he turned into it!" Ymir answered earnestly, staying into Krista's frustrated eyes.

Krista grunted as she pushed herself off of Ymir, making a loud noise of frustration as she ran her hands through her hair.

"Hey. Hey! Krista, come on, talk to me," Ymir called out.

"Oh, that is rich coming from you!" Krista shot back with a bitter laugh.

Ymir scowled. "Okay, I deserve that, but come on Krista! What's going on? Cause, I'll admit, you look good pissed off, but I'd like to know why at least."

"No. No, you don't get to sweet talk me right now," Krista said angrily. "Walls, dammit it all, I am tired of this."

"Tired of what!?" Ymir asked, growing frustrated herself.

"The fact that my entire life seems to be one lie or secret after another!" Krista yelled, taking a deep breath.

"...What did you find out?" Ymir asked gravely.

Krista opened her mouth before snapping her head to Ymir. "What do you know?" Krista asked pointedly. "You said that like you know something I don't."

"Just...suspect. I swear, I have no proof or anything," Ymir explained.

Krista sighed deeply. "Can I tell her, or are you going to haul me out of here?" Krista called loudly.

Ymir blinked and looked to the door, finding they were indeed not alone.

"You may tell her," Erwin answered stoically.

Hange, leaning against the bars, smirking at Ymir's surprised look, "What, did you think Krista somehow stole the keys on her own, just to yell at you?"

"She looked mad enough to try it," Ymir remarked honestly.

Krista sighed deeply. "I can understand Trips."

"...I'm sorry, repeat that?" Ymir requested in bewilderment. "Understand him, like...?"

"Look, everyone else just hears growls and grunts, but I can hear his voice, plain as day," Krista answered in mental exhaustion. "I assumed everyone could at the time."

"What, you didn't think it was weird we couldn't hear him yelling anything back when we were fighting the Titans?" Ymir asked incredulously.

"I just guessed he figured out how to talk while I was unconscious!" Krista answered in exasperation. "So, you know nothing at all?"

"No! That...really doesn't make sense to me," Ymir answered with a frown. "Some of the Shifters can speak in Titan form, I can even do it a little bit, but...this is something else. I've never heard of something where only one or a few people understood a Titan while everyone else didn't. The Nine can't even understand each other like that.

"You can see why we thought it was a bit strange though," Erwin remarked calmly. "She knows you, has a mysterious past, and just happens to be the only one that can understand him."

Ymir frowned, looking at Krista's rigid frame and emotionally spent expression. "Krista, I'm sorry things have been going shit for you. And I admit I'm part of that. But there's nothing I have on this one, I swear. "

"Then how does-!" Krista bit her tongue in anger as she stopped herself, taking a deep breath. "I'm just...so tired of this. It's like I have secrets I don't even know about."

She didn't see Ymir frown at that, but Erwin did.

"If it makes you feel any better? I meant it, you make pissed look good," Ymir offered bluntly.

It was a testament to Krista's state of mind that she just exhaled, unable to return the remark in any way. "I need some time to myself."

Ymir opened her mouth but slowly closed it as Krista left the cell, Hange going with her, but the commander remained.

"Eyebrows," Ymir greeted in a defeated tone. "I'm guessing some of Shrimpy's dogs are out there too?"

"Just as a precaution," Erwin said before stepping into the cell.

Ymir tensed, watching the man warily as he stood a foot away from her bed, well away from where she could reach. "Something you want to talk about, or you just like staring at young cadets?" she asked flatly.

Erwin didn't even acknowledge the insult. "I don't suppose there is anything else you want to share, your trial being so soon?"

Ymir scowled. He must have noticed something, she realized. "Your food here tastes like actual horseshit," she commented, getting only a long, unyielding stare that prompted her to groan. "Fine. Is there something you want to ask or fish for?"

"Why are you here?"

Ymir blinked.

"You claim not to be with those that attacked us. But you're obviously not trying to oppose them," Erwin reasoned. "So why did you come here?"

Ymir remained silent for a moment before looking away. "There's nothing for me out there anymore."

"Anymore," Erwin pinpointed. "Meaning there once was."

"Let's just say the others of the Nine have reason to not be fond of me, okay?" Ymir tried to evade with a sigh.

"Ymir," Erwin said firmly. "I can tell you are between difficult positions. I won't claim to understand, you refuse to share enough for me to try and sympathize with your point of view," Erwin said factually. "But you claim to be willing to cooperate. If that is true, we need to understand your motives. Again, why did you come here?"

Ymir took a deep breath. "...You remember how I mentioned that the power of each of the Nine passes on to another?" Ymir asked rhetorically. "I'm sure you're wondering just how that works."

Erwin said nothing, letting her continue.

"There are two ways to do that. First is simple. If one of them dies, then a random one gets that Titan power," Ymir explained.

"...So even if we kill you, another will just inherit it," Erwin remarked.

"Yeah, I know I'm probably giving you the incentive to lock me up in a hole one day for the rest of my life," Ymir answered flatly. "Next up is method number two. If a normal Titan happens to kill and eat one of the Nine's human forms."

Erwin scowled but didn't look surprised.

"Did you somehow figure that out already...?" Ymir asked suspiciously.

"Not exactly, but I suspected it was involved, given the habits of normal Titans," Erwin remarked. "So, you happened to eat the previous Jaw titan."

"Yeah. He was with the other three," Ymir answered meaningfully. This time, she was rewarded with a furrowing of Erwin's large brows. "Yeah. Those three probably don't have any good plans for me."

"Why hide here then?" Erwin questioned.

"Hey, I had no idea what they were doing at the time. I was just enjoying the fact that I was...," Ymir trailed off with a sigh. "Didn't know what else to do but just live here as long as I could. Guess you think that I'm kind of a coward, eh?"

"You took on a superior foe to avenge a comrade; Foolish, reckless perhaps. But I'd be insulting many of my lost subordinates if I called you a coward," Erwin remarked. "The next time you meet him, see if you can't understand him as well."

Ymir didn't need to be told who "he" was, obviously that meant Trips. Still, that was an interesting request. "Implying that I'm not going to rot in a cell for the rest of my life," Ymir remarked with a raised eyebrow.

"That depends half on those sent to judge you, but also on your own behavior," Erwin warned.

"Just keep Krista safe," Ymir said with a frown. "I'm starting to think there was more to her than I thought, and I think you know that might be dangerous."

Erwin nodded sagely.

"...Why did you come in here, exactly? This some kind of power move?" Ymir asked idly.

"If that is what you wish to make of it," Erwin stated, turning before giving an unseen smirk of amusement as he left, Petra locking the cell door behind him.

"Cryptic bastard and his damn eyebrows," Ymir muttered to herself, rubbing her head and laying down. That was enough excitement for one day. Or night, or whatever it was.

End of Chapter

And the shit is now rapidly approaching the fan. Eren is gonig to be playing guard to Ymir's trial, and everyone is keenly aware that Frieda took meeting Eren far too well. Everyone suspects something and Krista is finally showing more of her Historia side.

Mainly because she's had a LOT more going on at this point than she did in canon: Near death, Ymir being a titan, trying to help the scouts convince Ymir, constantly worrying Ymir might get executed, finding out that she is the ONLY one that can understnad Eren, etc. Poor girl is stressed and tired of being in the dark.

Hope you all enjoyed this.

Early viewing of chapters 17-18 avaliable on my pat-reon:

p a treon . com (slash) akumakami64