Levi grabbed the green book and Hanji grabbed one of the cloths that lined between them. She held it up to her nose.

"It smells like peppermint oil and charcoal," she said, "Were these treated to keep moisture and bugs away?"

"We were looking for something... and these must be it," Levi said, placing the book down on the desk. Eren put his hand on the front cover.

"I wonder what it was my dad wanted to show me," he said.

"Looks like we're about to find out," you commented. Mikasa also placed her hand on the cover. After the two exchanged a look, they opened the book together. On the inside of the page, a picture was wedged. It was of a younger Grisha, another woman, and a young child.

"Call me stupid, but that doesn't look like Eren's family," you spoke dryly. Eren removed the picture from the book and looked at it.

"This is... a portrait?" He said questioningly.

"Let me see that," Hanji reached for it and Eren handed it off to her. She looked at it. "No, it's far too detailed for this to be drawn by a person." Mikasa pointed to the back of the photo.

"That's Dr. Jaeger's writing," she said. Hanji flipped it to read it.

"This is no illustration. Instead, this uses light reflected off a subject... and burns the image on a special paper. It's called a photograph. I come from a place outside the walls where humanity lives in elegance. Humanity has not perished. I pray the person who finds this book is a fellow patriot," she read. You put the pieces together.

"So what Grisha was saying..." You trailed off, "Is that there is another place outside the walls where humans reside."

~
Word of your return spread to the Walls. It was after sunrise when all of you made it to the top of Wall Rose. Almost everyone was out in the streets, cheering for all of you, pieces of paper thrown into the air as confetti. You, Levi, Hanji, Eren, and Mikasa stood nearer the edge of the wall.

"Welcome home, I guess," you said blandly, "Would anyone like tea?"

"Since when did you get a sense of humor?" Hanji asked with an uneasy smirk.

"Since being with you people."

~
Mikasa and Eren were sent to disciplinary for defying Hanji and Levi. Armin was there with them for a majority of the time. You believed they had twenty days, but it was cut short ten. Historia had visited Trost, and requested an audience. You, Levi, Hanji, and Armin went down to where Mikasa and Eren were being kept. The three of them wore their Survey Corps trench coats. You didn't wear one. Now that you thought about it, you weren't an official member of the Survey Corps.

When the four of you got to Eren's cell, he was spaced out, seemingly talking to himself and focusing on other things.

"What are you doing?" Hanji asked. She then leaned against the wall and did exactly what Eren did. "The Attack Titan.' Didn't you just do that?" Levi took a key out of his pocket and unlocked the giant padlock.

"No..." Eren quietly replied.

"Huh?! He did that, right? Didn't you three see it just now?"

"Yeah, but that was..." Armin trailed off.

"See?! What was that all about, Eren?"

"No, it's nothing."

"It's the name of your titan, isn't it? What are you doing talking to yourself?"

"Enough, Hanji. He's fifteen years old. Everyone goes through a phase," Levi said.

"Huh? What kind of phase are we talking about?" Hanji inquired.

"Hanji, I'll explain to you later. It's not right with him here," Armin said hurriedly.

"Huh? What do you mean by that?"

"What the hell did you come for?!" Eren finally snapped. Levi opened the cell door.

"Get out."
That seemed to surprise Eren back to a calm nature.

"I'm supposed to be disciplined for ten more days," Eren replied.

"Well it's over," you said from the other side. "Hanji was enough of a punishment now." You glared at her and she just awkwardly smiled back at you. Armin went to go unlock Mikasa's cell.

"We had a talk with Premier Zachary, so don't worry about it," Hanji added on, "If we jail the heroes who toppled the Armored and Colossal Titan, it kinda sends a bad message, you know?" Levi walked out of the cell and you followed him.

"Plus, you were defying us morons who let the Beast and Armored Titan get away."
You rolled your eyes. When Mikasa stepped out of her cell, she looked like a slightly malnourished ghost.

'Takes me back to the good old days.' You thought. You four walked past her.

"Let's go. Get dressed, quick," Levi ordered.

"Where are we going?" Eren asked from behind you.

"An audience," you replied, "Historia's come to Trost."

~
Hanji met up with Jean first. You were a little behind because of Eren and Mikasa. When you did get there, all five of you were welcomed into the room. You and Levi stayed behind a bit. Historia came up to greet you all. Eren, Mikasa, and Armin bowed to her.

"Your Majesty," they all said.

"St-stop it. It's not an official position yet," Historia said. The three of them straightened up. "So much has happened, hasn't it? But all I did was stare at the south sky from within the walls."

"It's an important duty of yours just to stay alive," Armin replied.

"Yeah, that's right," Eren concurred. Mikasa just hummed.

"I'm glad to see you're all acting like usual," Historia said. You quirked a brow from your place.

"Well that's... it just hasn't sunk in for us yet," Eren said quietly. Hanji and Jean rearranged papers on the table farther from all of you.

"Shall we get this going?" Hanji asked.

~
The audience had started. The Survey Corps, Military Police, and Garrison sat in front of Premier Zackley, Historia, and some other woman who you didn't know.

"The Early Life of Grisha Jaegar," Zackley began, "The Extent of Our Knowledge of Titans and Their History, Information About the World Beyond the Walls. The only people who know about the existence of these books are those here in this very room. These were gained by the efforts of ten living Scouts... and the 199 others who are not here today. Today, and in the Queen's presence, I would like to assess our situation... and establish an agreement in terms of our course of action."
You sat in the row with Hanji and Levi. Last time you were at an event like this was your trial.

"Scout Regiment Commander Hanji Zoe."

"Sir." Hanji stood up from her seat. "The Scouts have lost a great deal, including Erwin Smith. But in exchange for the many heroes that we lost, we have retaken Wall Maria and stolen the Colossal Titan's powers. However, humanity that lives within the walls remains in a precarious situation. It would be a relief were titans the only monsters we had for enemies. However, the true identity of the enemies we've been fighting are humans. A civilization. You could even say the world."
You tried your best to stay focused on her words, but stuff like this bored you quite easily. The stiff, but boring atmosphere wasn't interesting to you at all. But you supposed it was important, so you bore it.

"According to these, we're a special race called Subjects of Ymir who can turn into titans. There's also a belief that we may rule the world again. That's why the world wishes to eradicate us Subjects of Ymir for good.

"Mr. Jaeger later achieved his mission and entrusted the Founding Titan to his son Eren. In order to wield the Founding Titan's full power, it must be possessed by someone with royal blood. However, even if that person possesses the Founding Titan, they're enslaved by the King's ideals, which only leads them down the path to humanity's downfall. That is the vow renouncing war.

"However, Eren was able to control pure titans in the past to escape a dire situation. So it may be possible even without royal blood for Eren to wield that power as well." After Hanji spoke, there was a brief quietness.

"It can't be!" Eren shot out of his seat in shock, slamming his hands on the desk in front of him. The people around him jumped, except you. Hanji turned.

"You scared me. What was that about?" She asked.

"U-uh... I-I..." He trailed off, looking at Historia.

"Please continue, our titan," Zackley said.

"It's... nothing," Eren said, sitting back down. "Sorry for interrupting the meeting." Yet his face showed the opposite. You quirked a brow and sighed quietly.

"Oh? I see... right..." Hanji said before turning. "It would seem that he is having a phase of sorts. One where he acts up and randomly yells things."

"Ah, I see. That's unfortunate," Zackley said. You rolled your eyes. "He's at that age, I guess."

"Eren?" You heard Armin whisper to him. You glanced back at them, narrowing your eyes at Eren.

'What's going through his head?'

Ja ne!

{Ruby Red}