A/N: Hello, readers! Welcome to the first chapter of season three! Enjoy!

edited on november 23rd, 2021 @ 5:51pm

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𝓒𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝚃𝚆𝙴𝙽𝚃𝚈-𝙵𝙸𝚅𝙴,
𝓢𝙼𝙾𝙺𝙴 𝚂𝙸𝙶𝙽𝙰𝙻.

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EREN HAD TRANSFORMED INTO HIS Titan, but it was incomplete. Half of his body was hanging out of his nape, and his body lacked muscles. Eren's Titan then fell to the ground.

"What's wrong, Eren?! Get up!" Hange shouted. "The future of humanity is riding on you! Get up, dammit!"

"Hey, four-eyes. He's not quite the same this time. He's not even 10 meters, and some of his body doesn't have muscle. Plus, Eren's ass is hanging out." Levi informed.

"I can see that!" Hange yelled. "Eren! Can you still move?! Give us a signal or something!"

"Eren!" Mikasa exclaimed, jumping off her horse.

"Hey... That gloomy brat is acting on her own again. Time to think up a punishment?" Levi asked.

"No, there's no signal... We're done here!" Hange responded, using their gear to jump down with Moblit following them.

"Hot! Hot damn, you are hot!" Hange exclaimed.

"Hange-san, wait! Eren is bleeding!" Mikasa informed.

"Whoa! Check it out, Moblit! Eren's face! Hurry up and sketch it!" Hange said.

"Section Commander! Are you lacking in human compassion?!" Moblit asked.

Mikasa then cuts the flesh from the Titan that was stuck on Eren's face.

"Sorry, I got carried away..." Hange apologized.

"Looks like we've got a long road ahead... before we can use the Titan hardening ability to seal the wall." Levi pointed out.

"Yes... I knew we'd be grasping at straws from the start." Armin said.

"Strategically, it's not a bad plan." Julian spoke up as Levi hummed in agreement.

"Instead of lugging tons of supplies, all we need is to get Eren there. Whether or not we're grasping at straws... all depends on Eren." Levi said.

"Experiment's over! All troops, disperse at once!" Hange ordered.

"Roger! Make sure there's no witnesses!"

"Yes, sir!" Jean replied as he went on his way.

Historia was behind Levi and Julian and began walking away before Levi spoke up.

"You ride in the same wagon as Eren. I'm headed for Trost District with Hange and Jude's group." Levi informed.

"Okay." Historia simply answered.

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Julian was in Trost District with Levi as they were informing Erwin of what happened. "I see... Another failure, then. If the plan would have worked out, we could have plugged the hole in Shiganshina District in less than a day." Erwin said.

"It's because we lack information." Levi informed. "Might be a different story if there was a book about the hardening ability. But we have Christa. No, Historia Reiss... Maybe we learn about the wall through her?"

"I read the entire report about her upbringing. She's the illegitimate daughter of Lord Reiss, and it's by no means a happy story. But the real mystery here... is why a mere regional lord would know the secrets of the wall." Erwin responded.

Julian had gathered in the main room of the cabin along with his squad and Levi's, listening in to what Hange had to report.

"Huh? What was that?" Levi asked.

"He's dead... Pastor Nick." Hange repeated. "He was murdered. This morning, in the Trost District barracks."

"How was he murdered, Hange?" Julian asked.

"He wasn't murdered. His nails were ripped off of his fingers." Hange replied.

"Just as I suspected. It was the Military Police since Pastor Nick cooperated with the Scouts." Julian said.

"Correct. That's why I hid his identity and had him stay in the barracks, but... To think they would use soldiers to kill him... I was too careless. It's entirely my fault." Hange finished.

"The Military Police... Did they torture Pastor Nick just to find out what information he spilled to us?" Armin questioned.

"Most likely." Levi responded, placing down his cup.

"But it was the Interior Military Police, which means there's something more behind it." Julian added on before turning to Hange. "So, how many nails did Nick have ripped off?"

Hange seemed taken aback by his question. "You saw, right? How many?" Julian questioned.

"I only caught a glimpse of him, but all the nails that I could see." Hange responded.

"People that talk, talk after one. If they don't, peeling more won't make a difference." Julian stated.

"Pastor Nick... I thought he was an idiot, but... He didn't turn away from what he believed, all the way till the end." Levi continued. "In other words, they have no idea we've caught wind of the Reiss family. Though, someone in the government is up to no good, and their eyes are fixed on us."

The door suddenly opened as Nifa suddenly entered. "Captain Levi, Section Commander Julian. A message from Commander Erwin." She announced, handing him a letter. "I went to tell him about Pastor Nick, but he sent me off with this."

Julian leaned over and widened his eyes at what was written. "They found us, and are demanding that we hand over Historia and Eren to them." He thought.

"Everyone, out. We leave now." Levi ordered.

"Leave no trace we were here." Julian added on as the group looked at the two in confusion.

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The three squads left the house just before the Military Police arrived to inspect the house. They were all wearing coats and backpacks along with being armed with rifles as they watched the house from the cliff.

"That was close... If we hadn't left right then, what would've happened to us?" Connie questioned.

"But why? What would make Commander Erwin...?" Armin trailed off.

"New orders came from the government. There's been a freeze on all Scout Regiment activity outside the wall." Levi answered.

"They're telling us to hand over Eren and Historia. Damn, that pisses me off." Julian continued before looking over to Nifa. "Nifa, was that all Erwin said?"

"Right after he gave me the message... the Military Police came for him..." Nifa responded.

"That's treating him like some sort of criminal!" Hange exclaimed.

"Why the hell would they need to arrest him for?" Julian questioned.

"Someone's not working from the shadows anymore.  They're moving for all eyes to see." Levi stated.

"To go that far to protect the wall's secrets... What's more, why do they want us to hand over Eren and Historia? Not to kill, but for them to obtain?" Hange placed a hand on their chin in thought.

"Who knows?" Levi responded. "Anyways, it's clear the enemy is after these two. Loitering around here is dangerous. We're moving her and Eren to Trost District."

"Why? That's the same place Pastor Nick was killed." Moblit asked.

"It's worse to head towards the interior. With Trost in a panic, it should be easier to slip in. And if somehow it comes down to it, we can use these in the city." Levi answered, revealing his ODM gear. "Plus, not knowing the enemy puts us in a tough spot. We need to find out who's behind this."

"Hange, lend me some of your squad."

"Of course." They replied. "All right, I'm going after Erwin. Moblit's with me. The rest of you will follow Levi and Julian."

"Roger!"

As Hange was at their horse, Eren suddenly called out to them. "Hange-san! Here..." He said, handing them a piece of paper. "I remembered a conversation with Ymir and Bertholdt. Didn't get time to tell you, but it's here."

"All right." Hange said, tucking the note in their pocket. "I'll take a look at it later."

Hange got on their horse before riding away with Moblit following right behind them, leaving the rest of Hange's squad with Levi and Julian's squad.

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It was now the next day as both Levi and Julian were in Trost District with their squads. "Try not to walk in a cluster. We'll stand out." Levi informed. "Eren and Historia, just walk normal."

"Why is the royal family's flag hanging everywhere?" Connie asked.

"Oh! Today must be the anniversary of the King's coronation. Once a year, they hand out a haul of rations." Sasha explained.

"Oh..." Connie mumbled.

"We'll begin handing out rations! King Fritz has heard of Trost District's hardship and will donate the royal family's reserves! There's enough for everyone! Line up orderly!"

"Thank goodness!"

"Long live King Fritz!"

"What a King! He sure is generous!" Sasha commented.

"He's got more than he knows what to do with. People are weak, especially when baited with food." Levi explained as the group walked away.

They were walking by the alleys again, passing by stalls until something grabbed Julian's attention.

"Watch out! Behind us!" Julian warned.

A cart ran past them and grabbed both Jean and Armin, who were disguised as Eren and Historia.

"Armi— I mean, Christa and Eren! They got snatched away again!" Sasha shouted.

The Scouts soon followed the wagon to see it lead to some warehouse. Mikasa and Julian stood in front of the window as they saw Armin and Jean tied to chairs, while Armin was being touched inappropriately by one of the kidnappers.

"Report back to Levi, I'll watch over them." Julian told her as Mikasa nodded and used her ODM gear to fly up.

"Disgusting pigs. I really fucking hate men sometimes." Julian muttered to himself as Mikasa flew down next to him.

"Captain Levi wanted me to inform you he wants you to help him find Eren." Mikasa informed.

"All right. Make sure Jean and Armin get out safely." Julian told her.

"Understood, sir." Mikasa responded as Julian used his ODM gear to follow after Levi.

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Julian landed next to Levi on a nearby roof as they watched the wagon that was holding Eren and Historia, they had just arrived while Nifa also stood on the roof.

"Captain? Section Commander?" Nifa questioned.

"Well?" Levi asked before placing Julian's hood back on as it had fallen off. Julian hummed in thanks.

"The road is crowded, but nothing unusual. It's not much farther to Commander Pyxis. How's the body double mission?" Nifa replied.

Julian huffed in irritation. "It was a success. But one of them placed his disgusting hands on Armin. Should've killed him where he stood." He stated.

"You're very scary, sir." Nifa commented. "Captain, you don't look that happy."

Julian glanced over at him and saw that he had a gloomy expression.

"No..." Levi mumbled as he looked like he was lost in thought.

"Captain." Nifa spoke up, getting Levi's attention. "The wagon's almost moving again."

"Nifa, Jude, have either of you heard about Kenny the Ripper?" Levi suddenly asked.

"The mass-murderer in the capital? The one that slit the throats of over 100 Military Police?" Julian questioned.

"That's just an urban legend from years ago, right?" Nifa added on.

"He is real, and the stories are true." Levi said.

"Huh?"

"I lived with him for a while when I was a kid." Levi explained.

"What? Why would you even say that?" Nifa asked nervously. "This isn't the time to be making jokes."

Nifa then looked forward. Julian let out a long sigh before leaning his head against the wall. He suddenly heard the sound of a gun clicking. In an instant, he looked back as Levi did the same.

"Nifa! Jude!" Levi called out to them both as Julian ducked down, pulling Levi down with him. He heard gunshots go off as a bullet went above their head while the other went straight into Nifa's face.

Levi's eyes widened as blood sputtered everywhere. Julian felt Levi pulling onto his cloak, dragging him back behind the wall of the chimney.

Julian stood up as Levi held out an arm in front of him as another shot was heard and then a scream.

"Yo, Levi." The man who had shot at them spoke up. Julian could've sworn he heard the grin on his face. "You grown any yet?"

"I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that's Kenny the Ripper." Julian whispered with Levi nodding in reply. He then heard the sounds of metal hitting the roof.

"We need to split up. I'll tell you when." Levi whispered to Julian.

Soon after, more people showed up and surrounded the two as Kenny went over the roof, aiming his guns at them.

"Oh? It don't look like you changed at all! And who's this male friend of yours? Didn't know you swung that way, Levi!" He said smugly.

Levi quickly pulled out his sword before facing him and shouting out.

"Kenny!"

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A/N: The first chapter of season three is done! Thanks for reading!

Word Count: 2142 words.