Disclaimer: All characters in this story belong to Hajime Isayama. The only thing that is mine is the plot.
Chapter 1: Sina Laboratories
Spring washed across the landscape like a painting, its breeze whistling soft melodies and sweet nothings as it wound its way through the earth. Trees blossomed and bore fresh fruit, while the sun soared high in the sky, promising warmth for the new year.
Hange inhaled the fresh air.
Fields of flowers decorated her vision for miles and grass whipped at her legs. She outstretched her hands, basking in the warmth of the sun's golden glow. Delicately, her fingers brushed across flower petals and blades of grass, relishing in their bliss.
The countryside was a peaceful place. It was a place far from the city, far from the judgment and far from the scrutiny of others. The country was her escape from the conflicts of reality. It was her safe space.
Hange longed for a life in the country. She longed for its quiet serenity and longed to spread her wings. She wanted to be free-
Incessant rapping on the door interrupted her dream. "Hange! Wake up! We're going to be late!"
Hange's head shot up from her desk in a startled daze. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes with her palms, she squinted to adjust to the light flooding through the window.
She yawned. "What time is it?"
"It's after 7:30. You have a meeting with Mr Tybur and the rest of the board at 8-"
Hange nearly fell out of her chair as she scrambled to her feet, muttering a string of curses under her breath. Throwing the front door to her flat open, she grabbed her assistant by the shoulders and began throttling him. "Damnit Moblit! WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU WAKE ME SOONER?"
"I've been trying for the last half hour!" he whined. Hange ceased her assault.
"Oh."
Releasing Moblit, she rubbed the stress spot on her forehead where she could already feel a migraine building. She heaved a sigh. "Right, well. We better get moving if we're going to make it to the lab on time,"
She had already stepped out into the hallway and began walking determinedly to the stairwell when Moblit called out to her. "Hey Hange?"
"Yeah?"
"Don't you maybe want to get your papers and dress in a clean change of clothes?" He asked, hesitant.
She frowned. "What's wrong with the way I look?"
"Nothing, I-" Moblit stuttered, rubbing the back of his neck. He shifted his gaze down to his shoes. "It's just- I don't think you really want to meet the board without dressing in something that doesn't reek entirely of smoke and whisky. You want to impress them, remember?"
Hange looked down at her clothes. They were disheveled and stains sat in the most awkward of places. She took a sniff of her shirt. She nearly gagged at the stench. Moblit was right. Her clothes did reek of smoke and whisky.
Groaning in contempt, she stalked back to her apartment, throwing her arms up in defeat. "Ok, you're right. Just give me five minutes,"
Stepping back into the messy apartment, Hange made her way to her desk. Grabbing the papers she would need for her meeting, she stuffed them in their proper folder. Thrusting the folder into her assistant's arms, Hange then walked over to the couch and grabbed one of the many shirts hanging off its back. Smelling the piece of clothing to ensure it wasn't dirty, she pulled off the shirt she was wearing. She threw it behind her, the offending fabric nearly striking Moblit in the face.
Dodging the shirt thrown his way, Moblit turned his gaze to Hange. To his surprise, he found her in nothing but her bra and underwear. His face grew hot and he instantly averted his gaze. "Hange!"
Hange snickered, slipping on her shoes. "Relax Moblit. This isn't anything you haven't already seen before,"
Swallowing, Moblit's eyes remained glued to the wall. He stuttered. "S-still. This isn't exactly appropriate. O-or professional for that matter,"
She snorted. "Since when do we ever act professional?"
"You can turn around now. I'm dressed," Hange added as she worked at fixing her uncooperative hair.
Slowly Moblit turned back around, lifting his eyes to meet her gaze though only briefly. Pink still dusted his cheeks, and his flustered state made her grin. She tied her hair and patted his shoulder. "You make it too easy to embarrass you, you know that?"
He cleared his throat, changing the subject. "We- we should probably get going. We're already running late,"
"Right. Let's go,"
~TSO~
By the time Hange and Moblit arrived at Sina Laboratories, it was well past eight. Walking in quick steps down the long corridors to the elevator, Hange was determined to make it to the conference room before the clock struck nine.
She looked at Moblit over her shoulder as the elevator started to take them up. "Head up to the lab and start the morning rounds. Have Nifa and Keiji help you if you need it. I'll catch up with you after the meeting,"
His eyebrows knit together. "Are you sure you don't want me to go with you? You seem a little tense,"
Oh did she hate it when Moblit could see right through her. Swallowing, she passed him the biggest smile she could muster. "I'll be fine. Just a little nervous is all. It's not like my entire career is riding on this meeting or anything,"
Even though it was a joke, Moblit didn't seem to find it funny. "You're the smartest person I know Hange. Anyone who doesn't see that is a fool. You'll blow the board away with your presentation, I'm sure of it."
Her assistant's reassurance was enough to boost her confidence. "Thanks, Moblit. You're the best,"
The ding of the elevator as it came to a halt refocused her attention. Taking a deep breath, she watched as the steel doors slid open. A rush of cold air hit her skin, nearly making her shiver as she stepped into the hallway.
Sparing one final glance at Moblit, she gave a short wave. "Wish me luck,"
The doors to the elevator slid closed and silently, she made her way to the conference room. Standing in the hall alone just outside the door, the intrusive thoughts began to surface.
What if the board didn't like her presentation? What if they didn't like her research or the theories and experiments she had spent countless hours designing? What if they didn't like her methods or were disappointed by the outcome of her work? What if they chose to cull her projects or do worse and pull her funding altogether?
Worry coiled in her gut like a spring, ready to burst at the first sign of misfortune.
She had to impress them. Failure was not an option, not for her. She had spent too many years building this career for herself just to simply throw it all away. She was proud of her work and all of the things she had accomplished. She wasn't ready to let it go. If she didn't succeed, her disapproving father would never let her live it down. She needed to prove him wrong.
Biting back her nerves and shaking the intrusive thoughts from her head, Hange opened the door.
All eyes turned to her as she stepped in the room. Not making eye contact with anyone, she sat in the only empty seat at the table. Silently, she placed her folder of reports and paperwork on the table.
Despite her quiet entry, her boss leaned over. He whispered in her ear. "You're late,"
"I'm sorry, I overslept. Have I missed anything?"
"Just going over the budget reports," her boss replied, readjusting the round-rimmed glasses on his face.
Hange nodded silently, flipping her folder open to the budget sheet. She hadn't given much attention to the finances, too focused on her research to worry about it. She knew that a good portion of the money being invested into the lab was used to fund her experiments. However, she wasn't aware of just how much money was being directly funneled to her.
Staring at the fine print, her stomach twisted into knots.
Millions had been invested in her work- were still being invested in her work. She had spent countless hours working, pouring everything she had into her projects in the hopes that she would succeed. Yet, she couldn't help but feel like she was teetering on a tightrope under a spotlight that everyone could see. Her need to please became overwhelming and the pressure on her shoulders debilitating.
"Doctor Zoe, how nice of you to finally join us."
Dragged from her thoughts, Hange met the gaze of one of the richest men in Shiganshina.
Willy Tybur.
He was a tall and lean man, not much older than Hange herself with blonde hair that cascaded down his back and golden eyes that shone like the sun. The suit he was wearing only complemented his complexion. Cream-colored with white undertones, his suit was finished off with a deep, navy blue tie and polished dress shoes.
Though his appearance was far from intimidating, his political reach within the community gave him power that was far more disturbing than any smile he could offer her.
Realizing that she had been staring for far too long, Hange shifted her gaze. She cleared her throat. "Forgive me for my tardiness. I did not intend on arriving late,"
Tybur's expression softened and a small smile adorned his features. "It's quite alright. All of us wake up on the wrong side of the bed from time to time. We're only human after all,"
"May we skip past the pleasantries and move onto why we're actually here?" The man sitting two seats down from her grumbled, catching the politician's judging gaze.
"Have some patience Theo," Tybur chided, shifting his eyes back to Hange. "Can't you see that the poor girl is nervous?"
The two of them started bickering, while everyone else simply stared at her. God did Hange want to sink down in her chair and pretend that she was anywhere but there.
Normally she could bode well under pressure. In fact, she usually excelled at it. Today, however, the pressure was vastly different. These weren't ordinary people whose opinions she could simply ignore. These were the people funding the most important project of her scientific career. Their opinions mattered. Their approval mattered.
Her father's words rang in her head.
You'll run back here like a frightened pup with your tail tucked between your legs. You always do.
Hange swallowed, gaining a newfound confidence as her nerves evaded her. She slid her chair back slowly, allowing the legs to scrape against the floor obnoxiously. The shrill sound halted the board members' bickering and forced the limelight back on her.
She repositioned her glasses over her nose and took a deep breath. "Right, let's get on with it shall we? If I may speak?"
Tybur gave her a nod of approval. "Please, speak freely."
"Five years ago, you hired me here as a scientist- to spearhead a new project that was long in the making. You as the board, tasked me with accomplishing the impossible. You asked me to create a serum, one that would change the world and alter science for the better,"
She paused, gauging her audience. Her pause gave way to curiosity, and curiosity gave way to questions.
"And have you? Accomplished the impossible I mean?" The man sitting directly next to Tybur asked.
Shifting her gaze, brown eyes met hazel.
Karl Fritz.
Not shrinking away from his hard gaze, Hange swallowed. The corners of her mouth upturned slightly. "I have,"
No one said a word and so she continued. "I assure you, this task proved to be very challenging, vexing even. There were many failures and just as many scrapped ideas along the way. However, as complicated as this was, the results have been worth the effort."
Hange looked over her shoulder at Zeke. Wordlessly, he grabbed the remote from the table and switched on the projector hanging from the wall. The machine warmed up and finally kicked on, displaying a video thumbnail on the screen.
Picking up the tablet that sat in front of Zeke, Hange pressed play.
The video started, revealing a boy standing in a steel room with fists clenched at his sides. Breathing heavily with tight shoulders and a puffed out chest, his expression betrayed a semblance of anger. With only static feeding through the recording, no one in the room could decipher what the boy was yelling about.
Seconds ticked by without any result. Soon the scene changed and orange and yellow flashed across the screen. The boy's hands became encompassed in flames that licked up to his elbows. There was no pain, simply the anger he had worn when the video began and his eyes were as bright as the flames around his hands.
A collective gasp throughout the room broke the silence.
Hange paused the video. She addressed the board. "This is Eren Yaeger, the first of several successes produced by the serum I designed."
A quiet hum fell from Fritz's lips as he scratched his chin through his beard. His eyes shifted lazily over to Zeke, seemingly dissatisfied. "Yaeger, huh? You two must be related,"
Zeke adjusted his glasses, chuckling softly. "He's my half brother. His mother died three years ago in an accident and with our father MIA, he came into my care."
"How old?" Kiyomi Azumabito, one of the lab's outside contributors and the ambassador from Hizuru, asked.
"Seventeen."
"I see," Kiyomi hummed, taking a delicate sip of the tea she held between her fingers. She stared at Zeke from behind her cup. "Was your brother a willing participant in such an experiment? Or did you volunteer him yourself because he's a minor?"
Zeke's eyes narrowed. "And what is that supposed to mean?"
"Forgive me, I don't mean to offend," Kiyomi corrected, setting her cup down. "I'm simply asking because as a contributor to this project, I want to ensure the legality of my investment."
Before Zeke could respond, Hange spoke first. "Miss Azumabito, I can assure you, every test subject in this lab, minor or not, has signed documentation and given their consent to participate in such experimentation. No one is being forced against their will, I promise you."
"Now that that's been taken care of," Tybur trailed off, leaning back in his chair, crossing one leg over the other. He directed his golden gaze to Hange. "You mentioned other test subjects, Doctor Zoe. How many do you have in your charge?"
"Ten."
"And of those ten subjects, how many have reacted well with your serum?"
"All of them,"
Theo Magath, the man who had interrupted the meeting at its late start, took his turn to speak. "These so-called abilities that your serum produces. Are they the same as young Mr Yaeger's? Or different?"
"Different."
Hange tapped away on the tablet, switching over to the next subject. She played the clip. Then when it was over, she moved onto the next one. Then the next and the next, continuing all the way to the tenth and final test subject.
The board watched the clips with bated breath. No one said a word, any semblance of thought or sentence dying on their tongues in an instant. Their attentive eyes and open expressions exhibited fascination while simultaneously building inquiry. Hange had caught their attention and she had them right where she wanted them.
"Each individual possesses a unique set of abilities as you've seen here. I believe that my serum has not only reacted with their physical bodies but has fused with their brains as well. I'm not sure how but I think that each subject's ability is dependent on their personality and the type of person they are,"
"How do you know that?" Fritz asked, garnering her attention.
"Well," Hange trailed off. She flipped back through the tablet, once again displaying the clip of Zeke's brother. "It's just a working theory but take young Eren here for example. You can see that he's angry. The flames around his arm seem brighter, more intense. On any other day, he's lucky if he can conjure a single flame with a snap of his fingers,"
"You believe that the serum connects with them on a deeper level. That the strength of their abilities is tied to their emotions instead of just to their physicality," Kiyomi concluded, eliciting a smile from Hange.
She nodded. "Humans are emotional beings by nature. It only makes sense that the strength of their abilities relies purely by their reactions to different events,"
Fritz hummed thoughtfully. "If your theory is correct, then how do you keep them under control?"
"With extreme precaution," Zeke answered. He folded his hands on the table. "As Hange here has shown you, all of these individuals have very different abilities. Their living quarters are specialized just for them so that if they lose control, the situation is contained,"
"Their rooms are even equipped with extra safety measures, as a backup plan in case the first option fails," Hange added.
"You not yet know their limitations?" Kiyomi asked, skeptical.
Hange shook her head. "No. Studying these kids for as long as I have, there's still a lot we don't know, about their abilities or the serum. It's unknown territory, one that I'm still trying to break through,"
"I see," Tybur responded, his voice quiet and his face impassive.
He met her gaze and for a moment, Hange thought that he was going to express his disapproval. Then, his face lit up and he smiled. He stood from his chair and buttoned his jacket. When he was finished, he outstretched his hand towards her. The amicable gesture took her by surprise.
Not wanting to stumble on her own words, she took his hand and shook it firmly. "I'm very impressed by all the work you've done here, Doctor Zoe. I knew it was a good idea to hire you on. Keep up the good work,"
Hange couldn't help the swell of pride that surged through her. "Thank you sir,"
Theo Magath was the next to shake her hand. "I have to confess, I was skeptical of this project of yours and the kind of result it would produce. But it seems you've proven me wrong. It takes a lot for me to admit when I'm wrong, so take this admission with pride,"
Hange didn't know how to respond. "Uh… Thanks, I guess?"
Next came the ambassador of Hizuru. "Remarkable research, Doctor Zoe. If only I had as brilliant a mind as yours in my country. Alas, it was not meant to be. In any case, I'm looking forward to seeing where this project of yours goes. Keep me updated, will you?"
Hange smiled. "I will certainly try my best,"
Last but not least came Karl Fritz.
He did not smile at her, nor did he extend the same courtesies that his fellow board members had. Instead, his expression was stoic and utterly unreadable. When he shook her hand, the same intimidating glare rested in his eyes.
"It seems our funding here was not a complete mistake after all. I do hope that your continued efforts do not disappoint, Doctor. It would be such a shame if all your hard work went to waste,"
The monotony in his voice and the cold disdain of which he addressed her sent a shiver down her spine. She muttered a simple 'thank you' as she released his hand. Fritz directed his attention to Zeke. "Willy and I would like a word with you in your office if you don't mind? There's a… private matter that we need to discuss,"
Zeke closed his eyes and bowed his head. "Of course. I will escort you there momentarily,"
Fitz's grunt of acknowledgement was quiet and just like the other board members before him, he exited the room.
Once the door latched shut, Zeke smiled warmly at her. He squeezed her shoulder. "Good job today, Hange. I think you really won them over,"
"I hope so. Though, I don't think Karl Fritz was too impressed with my presentation, or my research or that matter,"
Zeke waved that statement off. "Don't worry about Fritz. He's a difficult man to please and an even harder politician to impress. He's stubborn but he'll come around. Try not to take his words to heart,"
She mustered a smile as Zeke too departed from the conference room.
Frankly, it wasn't just Fritz's words she was trying not to take to heart.
Always such a disappointment. Why can't you do anything right?
She would prove him wrong. She would make sure of it.