...Preparing...
In the morning, the day before the Return to Shiganshina, you were called to Erwin's office.
The Scout stationed outside ducked his head in respect and opened the door. Inside, Levi was already lounging on an armchair, tea to his lips. Erwin glanced up from his papers. "Your Highness, please take a seat."
You wanted to roll your eyes all the way from Southern Wall Maria to Northern Wall Maria. "Ugh, not you, too," you muttered, dropping into the seat across from him. "What's up?"
"I want to talk to you regarding our mission of retaking Wall Maria tomorrow. I'm reconsidering if you should join or not."
"I'm going," you stated decisively. "There's no stopping it. I'll be there no matter what."
"I understand that. And the Scouts would greatly appreciate your joining us on the battlefield. But here I have a letter from Premier Zachary." He handed you an envelope. "He, and on behalf of the Council and the Military Police, wishes you not to be a part of this mission."
You spared it one brief glance and tossed it back on the desk. "What does Historia have to say?"
"Her Majesty has remained silent. Though, I presume neither the Premier nor the Council has confided in her about this letter."
"If it doesn't come from the Queen herself, then it doesn't mean shit to me," you said, shrugging. "We made an agreement. Let's stay with that. I don't care what anyone who has never even been outside the walls has to say. I am going. That's all."
Erwin nodded attentively. "What do you think about this situation, Levi?"
Levi shrugged, unconcerned. "Taking out a hundred fifty soldiers is a smarter choice than taking her out. That's what I think."
"See? Plus, everyone knows that one Ackerman is the equivalent of a hundred soldiers. Three Ackermans could be considered three hundred soldiers instead of two hundred. So why not use all the help you can get?"
"Very well," he finally agreed. "What do you suggest I respond to him with?"
You cleared your throat. "'Her Royal Highness has impolitely declined your wishes to cage her within these musty walls.' That's all," you said in a mocking tone. "And add a 'you can go fuck yourself' if you have space on the bottom."
He snorted. "I will have my assistants write that letter before the Premier visits tomorrow morning."
You glanced down at his missing right arm. He couldn't even write his own letters now.
"However, you will still need protection."
You groaned. "Erwin, come on-"
He held up a handâhis only hand. "I am well aware that you can protect yourself. We all are. But this agreement for you to stay as a soldier does come with its conditions. You may not be the ruler, but you are still a figurehead and, currently, the people's darling. Your life is more valuable than you think. So, starting tomorrow, you are promoted to Vice Captain of the Levi Squad."
"What?" you and Levi asked at the same time. He looked even more stunned than you. Seemed like Erwin didn't even run it past him.
"She's strong, skilled, and possesses great leadership. And you favor her, Levi, even before you found out you were cousins. Am I wrong in making this decision?"
"Tch. No, but I would've appreciated a little warning."
"Though you have earned this role in your own right, Y/n, I hope you understand that this is also so that Levi can come to your aid when needed. Not to mention, we have yet to solve the mysteries of your mixed-blood. So you will have to start being more cautious with yourself."
"Yeah, I get it. I'm irresponsible," you said, so over this. "But still, thanks for putting an irresponsible person in the VC position. I'm very grateful." And would be more if I earned it under different circumstances.
"Take it seriously, brat," said Levi. "You are responsible, but only for others. You just still have ways to go when it comes to yourself."
"Be more cautious and avoid preventable accidents," continued Erwin. "As of now, we have no more room to make mistakes."
. * . *
"This may be a special night, but we don't need the public to know about our plans! So behave like the disciplined soldiers you are!"
A steaming, delicious loaf of steak sat in a place within arm's reach. When was the last time you ever saw meat besides human and titan flesh? Years. More specifically, since the Battle of Trost. The last loaf of meat you've ever seen was the one Sasha was holding.
"Tonight's the night before we retake Wall Maria! So, eat and drink up! Cheers!"
After one blink, the entire loaf was in Sasha's mouth. "Don't get too greedy, Sasha!" You reached out, but she slapped your hand away so hard it stung a little. "Bitch!"
Connie restrained her by her arms while Jean tried wrenching the meat out of her knife-like teeth. When he finally succeeded, she ended up digging her teeth into his hand instead, as if he were the meat itself. As he let out a screech, Marlo, that MP who helped you all out that day in the hills, got a punch straight in the nose.
"Connie, can you knock Sasha out already?" asked Mikasa, unimpressed.
"She's already knocked out! It's like a parasite's gone into her brain, controlling her like an animal! What the hell do I even do with that?!"
"Maybe actually restrain her?" suggested Armin. "Or politely remove her from the table? This is getting a little bit ridiculous."
"Do you want to try being polite with her?!" exclaimed Connie. "Can anyone be polite to someone whose entire eyeballs are exposed for the world to see?!"
"Wait, Armin's onto something," you said, an idea striking. "Eren, come on. Let's get the ropes."
"We're going to tie her up?" he asked, following you down the hall.
"It's either that or getting Levi."
The two of you entered to the storage room and got the ropes and a cloth. With the help of everyone at that table, except for Mikasa, who helped herself to the first piece of meat, you all successfully detained Sasha against a pole, the cloth tied around her mouth.
"To think she once offered to share meat with us," said Connie, shaking his head in disbelief.
"When was that?" asked Eren.
"On top of that wall that day, four months ago? When we were servicing the cannons?"
You whistled. "Goddamn, that was only four months ago? So we found out Eren's a titan, three traitors, and the truth of the walls in only four months? Felt more like four years."
"Don't forget you got crowned a princess," reminded Eren.
"Stop bringing it up, it's embarrassing!" You lightly shoved him, but he only smirked because he knew it was to you.
"On the bright side, we all got promoted to members of Squad Levi within the time frame," said Connie pridefully. "We must really be geniuses."
"Or he just ran out of Scouts."
"Shut up, Y/n. Not everyone's as special as you."
As Marlo chatted with Jean, you and Armin sat between him and Eren. "The ones who really suck are the brainsick, suicidal maniacs who think the only way to fight is to charge in blind," stated Jean loudly, very clearly averting his eyes to Eren. He accidentally nudged Armin, who accidentally nudged you.
"You talking about somebody in particular?" Eren leaned in a bit, pressing his shoulder against yours, which made your shoulder press against Armin's. Both of you sandwiched in between.
"Yeah, I'm looking right at him. Brainsick, suicidal maniac."
"Funny thing is I recently discovered that I'm actually a pretty ordinary person. So if that's how you really see me, then you definitely see yourself as something less. Am I right?"
You and Armin eyed each other, with you clearly more annoyed than the other. In the next second, the two of them were up on their feet, crashing elbows, squawking, and all that. Eren landed a hit, and Jean sent one right back. Once again, a "fight" broke out.
"If you didn't have titan powers, you'd be dead ten times over! Although, I guess Y/n would've swooped in every time to save your useless ass!"
"Please don't involve me in this," you called out to them.
"At least I have a girl to save me every time! A smart, powerful, and beautiful one at that! Where's your girl, huh?" He barged his shoulder up against him. "Huh?!"
Jean sent another hit at his face, and the fighting commenced.
"Should we stop them?" asked Armin.
Mikasa was peacefully eating her stake, completely unbothered. "Eh."
"Just enjoy the free show, Armin," you said. "Sit back and relax while you can until Levi comes barging in." The double doors opened. "Aaand, there he is. Always with the perfect timing."
Levi kicked Eren in the stomach and punched Jean to the ground. "Enough celebrating. Go to bed." Jean vomited up all the meat. "And clean that up." He glanced at you. "Moral Support."
You grumbled under your breath and got up. "Yeah, I'll fix Eren up-"
"This is your night off. No helping. Let him fix himself up."
"Oh." You sat back down. "Thanks."
In the end, Armin ended up helping him out. When you tried lending a hand, Mikasa stopped you and reminded you of Levi's words.
"Can't believe I'm saying this, but shouldn't you guys watch out for me more?" asked Eren grouchily.
"Well, you do heal pretty quickly, so we weren't that worried," said Armin.
"Some friends you are." He side-glanced at you. "And girlfriend."
"Don't complain about something you started."
"He started it at the same time too!"
You swatted his arm. "Don't yell at your girlfriend!"
He snapped his jaw shut, but you could feel his retorts boiling inside, threatening to spill out. You all sat down on the steps. It vaguely reminded you of graduation night, when Eren ran out, and you all chased after him.
"I know I shouldn't, but I just keep thinking about all the stuff I couldn't change," he said. "About what happened in the past few months and even before we were born. Did you feel this way after you found out about your past, Y/n?"
You hummed. "Yes and no. It was good to get it over with, learning my background, meeting Kenny, and finding out that Mikasa, Levi, and Historia are all my relatives. But the past is in the past. No point in worrying over something I couldn't change. It's not like you can alter it from the future, right?"
"I guess not," he said, finally making a smile. "I spent so much time pitying myself why I couldn't be as strong as Y/n, Mikasa, and Levi. Maybe I was even a little jealous. But even if you guys are strong, you can't do it all alone. That's why we're the most powerful when we're all joined together."
"Yeah, we got titan-power, brain-power, battle-power, and blood-power, or whatever the hell I can do now. The L/n Quartet's never been more powerful."
A man passed by below a couple of steps, and for a second, he looked like Hannes. "Wonder if Hannes in the afterlife knows Eren and I got together."
"Why does he need to know?" asked Eren.
"Apparently, he's been betting on us since we were kids."
"He also told us some stories that Mikasa and I didn't even know, like the time when a bully landed an actual hit on Y/n, you hit the bully, so the bully hit you back, and then she knocked him out," said Armin.
"He definitely knows in the afterlife," said Mikasa. "And he's probably toasting to you with all his fallen comrades."
"Glad that at least someone would be happy. I know damn well Grisha's rolling in his grave, knowing that he never got rid of me from Eren's life. Or, rolling in your stomach."
Eren immediately covered his stomach with his arms. "Will you stop that?"
"After we've retaken Wall Maria," started Mikasa, suddenly looking dispirited, "and defeated every last one of our enemies, can we go back to how things used to be? In Shiganshina? When every day was running around, eating Carla's treats, and picking up rocks for Y/n to throw at kids?"
"Some things will stay the same, but others have changed forever," said Eren. "But first, we'll make our enemies pay for what they've done."
"Damn right," you agreed. "Can't wait until the day we get to retaliate."
"Yeah, what was it you used to say? 'If someone takes something from you, take it back, thenâ'"
"Then take something of theirs, and destroy something else while you're at it. Those were 'Y/n L/n's Four Rules of Revenge.'" You shook your head, feeling a sprinkle of ridiculousness. "You still remember that?"
"What do you mean if I 'still remember'? I still follow those rules to this day," he said, locking an arm around you, pulling you close. It turned out, the confession to making it official was the only awkward phase. Physical touch was never an actual problem with the two of you, but now there was no need for excuses anymore.
"But there's also the sea, remember?" reminded Armin. "The land of water with so much salt that the merchants could never get all of it out in a lifetime? And the land of ice you want to visit, Mikasa. And the sea of fire you want to go to, Y/n. There's not just titans out there. There's much more! That's partly why I joined the Scouts with you guysâso we could see all those things someday."
"Oh right, that book," you remarked, remembering the days spent in the library, studying for tests that you couldn't even remember anymore. "Wonder if anyone else found it yet."
"Let's first start with the sea!" Armin stood up with his bright and hopeful smile. "I can tell you guys don't think it's real yet. So we'll start there, and then we'll go to the sea of fire, and then the land of ice!"
"No one said we didn't believe you, Armin," you reassured, also smiling. His curiosity was always the sweetest thing about him.
"Maybe not, but I can still feel it. And don't any of you deny it. So you all have to promise me we'll get to explore the outside world together." He held out a pinkie.
You stood up promptly and hooked yours around his. "Alright, brain-power. I promise I'll believe in the sea and everywhere else in that book of yours, but only if you will always be the one to show us. Deal?"
"Deal!"
Eren got up and linked his pinky right above Armin's. "Count me in, too!"
You all turned to Mikasa. She sighed and connected her pinky to yours from under. "Deal."
* . * .
In the morning, you joined the Main Unit of the Scouts to bid farewell to the Council of the Walls.
"I hope you all a successful mission," said Zachary.
"Thank you, Premier," said Erwin.
"And I wish you return safe and sound, Your Highness," he said, turning to you. "Your new duties in the Walls will await you."
"Thank you, Premier," you said, expressionless. You would rather be anywhere else.
He and the Council saluted, and you and the Scouts returned it. Later, you made your way up to the walls to help out with loading the horses. You were back in your uniformâthe gear, the blades, and the green cape. It wasn't exaggerating to say you felt you could breathe better in the tight straps than in that frilly and itchy dress.
Somewhere along the line, a gathering crowd grouped in a massive send-off, cheering, throwing flowers, and waving flags.
"Go out there and take back Wall Maria for us!"
"The future of mankind is up to you!"
"Tch. Someone's got a big mouth," muttered Levi.
"The celebration did get a little rowdy," said Hange. "Starting with somebody's boyfriend..." Her eyes discreetly slid to you.
"Hey, I had the night off," you defended. "Whatever he was doing, those were his decisions."
"Y/n, look! They've even got a banner for you down there!" exclaimed Sasha, who was with Connie and Jean, cheering their heads off.
You peered down, spotting a banner held up by people you didn't know, written in bold letters that read, "GOOD LUCK, YOUR HIGHNESS!" You let out a sigh and smiled. "Maybe this new job isn't too bad after all."
Then Erwin started a war cry, and all the send-offers roared even louder. "The operation to retake Wall Maria begins now!"
Within no time, everyone was on their horses in Wall Maria. You were right behind Hange and Levi, as his new Vice Captain, with your friends right behind you.
"Scouts, move out!
Five years and four months. It took that long to finally be able to go back home.
. * . *
"Annie isn't getting tortured. Think logically about how, well, illogical it sounds."
"But Zeke, how can we know for sure?" asked Reiner. He, Bertholdt, and Zeke were on the wall, drinking tea. Right above Shiganshina.
Zeke once again reassured them about the unlikeliness because the Island Eldians needed Annie alive. He reminded them she was a true Warrior, strong and cold-blooded. She would be fine.
"Now, besides the Founding and Attack Titan, Eren," my supposed brother, "tell me about the other Island Eldians. Any potential threats?"
"There's Captain Levi," pointed out Bertholdt.
"And who is he?"
"Levi Ackerman, a Captain of the Scouts," said Reiner. "Rumors go that he's killed more than two hundred pure titans."
An Ackerman...so they still exist. "I see. Anybody else?"
"There's another Ackerman. Mikasa. She's strong, too."
"Two Ackermans?" With his simple knowledge from both the Eldian restorationists and Mr. Ksaver, two were already dangerous enough. But they could be dealt with.
"Yeah, just twoâ"
"Actually," Bertholdt interrupted, "there's a third one."
Zeke hummed. "Oh, so there's a third now?"
"What? No, there isn't, Bertholdt."
"Didn't you overhear it the other day? When Y/n was talking to Eren on the walls right before we caught him? She said she was half an Ackerman, but her other birthright is said to be the end of the world or something like that. And Eren mentioned how the people of the walls want her dead. You seriously didn't catch all that?"
"I was..." Reiner's hand subconsciously went to his arm. "Focusing on maintaining my injury."
Zeke entered a pensive state. An Ackerman with a second birthright, wanted dead by the Eldians? What could possibly... He dropped his cup, and the tea splattered onto the ground.
"What's the matter?" asked Reiner, alarmed.
"Y/n, you said her name was?" asked Zeke, pushing up his glasses. "Tell me, does she come in contact with Eren typically?"
Reiner shrugged. "Yeah, I mean, everyone thinks they're dating. They act like they are, even though they don't realize it themselves. No idea if they've worked it out right now or not."
"I kind of hope they have," mumbled Bertholdt. "I thought they were pretty perfect for each other."
"Dating?" This is worse than I thought. "Then do you know if Eren has ever had trouble using the power of his titan? Even simply shifting into one?"
Reiner arched an eyebrow. "I've definitely heard Sasha and Connie, two other Scouts, chatting something about it back in the castle. About how Eren sometimes had trouble going titan-mode during experiments. But I've never seen him struggle."
"That's not true," said Bertholdt. "The day when we found out the Coordinate was within him, he couldn't turn into a titan beforehand. But he still eventually managed to use the Coordinate."
"And was Eren with this Y/n?" asked Zeke.
"Yeah, he's almost always with her. He had her in his arms that day after, well, I stabbed her," he muttered, feeling a soft spike of guilt.
"Is she dead or alive?"
"Probably alive," said Reiner. "That girl is tough. Like a Warrior. Maybe even more than Annie. She was still conscious even after Eren used the power of the Coordinate."
"I see." Zeke glanced out into the vast mountains. "History has repeated itself once again."
"What does that mean? What does Y/n have to do with any of this?"
"Because, Reiner, Bertholdt, I suspect this Y/n to be a Fritz-Ackerman," he said. Even saying that title aloud, the nerves twisted in his body. He remembered hearing that name for the first time when Grisha and Dina read the books of Old Eldia to him as a bedtime story.
"What's that?" asked Bertholdt. "Fritz? Isn't that the Old King's name?"
"Indeed it is. I suspect her to be half royal, half Ackerman. That is the only way to explain why she is able to stop Eren from using his Founding Titan powers. Seems that she doesn't even know it herself."
"So, is she a threat? Should we kill her?" asked Reiner.
We should, shouldn't we? Zeke shook his head. "No, Reiner. Quite the opposite. Marley would kill to have her. Tell me, have any of you ever paid attention to your history classes on the subject of the Great Titan War?" Both of them ducked their heads. "Good, because there are some lies.
"Truth is that King Fritz had a half-brother, Prince Fritz-Ackerman. Known as the Traitor of Old Eldia. By using his own unknown powers, he could stop his brother from turning into a titan and from using any of the Founder's powers. Though Prince Fritz-Ackerman was known to be the reason Eldia retreated to the Island of Paradis, he gave the world peace for the first time in two thousand years. But he was killed before the mysteries of his powers could ever be solved."
"So what you're saying is that Y/n could potentially stop all of this?" asked Bertholdt, eyes wide. "She could save us all? Restore peace? But how? How can somebody have that much power, enough to stop the Founder?"
"I don't have a definitive answer for you, Bertholdt. Mr. Ksaver once shared his findings on the mysterious Ackerman Clan. They're the only Eldian bloodline that cannot transform into titans, but naturally have the strength of one. Somehow, that bloodline, mixed with the Fritz bloodline, mutated its host, creating a new type of power no one had deciphered yet. A power not only able to restore peace but also said to advance entire battles. With that knowledge, Marley would stop at nothing to get their hands on her and her blood."
"Then we'll need to capture her, too," said Reiner. "We need the Fritz-Ackerman to save the world again. To stop all this suffering and bring glory to our motherland. "
"Indeed we do. Our priority has been extended. Retrieve Eren Jaeger, Annie Leonhardt, and this 'Y/n Fritz-Ackerman,'" said Zeke, with a disapproving tone at the end. Because he was starting to grow wary.
Family was one thing. Love was another. It could be found anywhere but was often mistaken for obsession, infatuation, or comfort. But in its true, once-every-few-lifetimes existence, it could foolishly blind anyone and conquer anything in the world. Which meant it could save or it could ruin.
I do hope you don't love her, Eren, thought Zeke. And I hope you never do. Because not only would I have to rescue you from the clutches of our father, but now, from her too.
*
bro in law dont approve ð¤·ââï¸
anyway this might be u soon but who knows