A/N: Hello, readers! Another chapter is here! Enjoy!

edited on august 5th, 2022 @ 6:16am

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𝓒𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝙵𝙸𝙵𝚃𝚈-𝙾𝙽𝙴,
𝓢𝙰𝚅𝙰𝙶𝙴𝚁𝚈.

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THE SOUND OF THE CLOCK ticking in the room could be heard as Josiah, Mikasa, Armin, and Gabi all had their hands on the table. Gabi had a horrified look on her face as no one spoke a word.

"I want to have a nice, calm talk." Eren finally spoke up. "We don't need to fight to solve Eldia's problems. Don't worry about Hange and your friends. We're just moving them somewhere else, that's all."

"Eren, we're the ones who wanted to talk to you. Why did you decide to attack Marley on your own?" Armin questioned. "Did Zeke and Yelena really convince you to join them?"

"I am free." Eren simply replied, getting Armin, Mikasa, and Josiah's attention. "No matter what I do or how I do it, I'm acting of my own free will."

"Even what you did after you met Yelena? Was that your own free will?" Armin asked.

"Yeah."

"No, you're being manipulated. You'd never get innocents or children involved, even those from an enemy nation. And you care about us more than anything else! Am I wrong? Back when you saved me in that cabin in the mountains, when you wrapped this scarf around me, that was your kindness—" Mikasa moved her hand up to touch her scarf.

"I said keep your hands on the table." Eren interrupted.

Mikasa says nothing as she sits back down. "When I was in Liberio, I spoke with Zeke. Just as brothers. Zeke knows even more about Titans than Marley does. Armin, you're still going to see Annie, right? Are you doing that of your own free will?" Eren asked.

"What are you—" Armin began to protest, shocked that his secret was exposed.

"If memories make us who we are, then part of you has turned into Bertholdt. An enemy soldier who's in love with another one of our enemies. Armin, Bertholdt has taken over your brain. You're the one being manipulated by the enemy." Eren finished.

"Eren, you're—" Mikasa started to say.

"That goes for you too, Mikasa." Eren interrupted once more. "The Ackerman family was formed to protect the King of Eldia. That day, you obeyed my orders in a life-or-death situation. 'Fight.' Just then, your instincts were awakened. Your hallucinations in that moment made you think I was the one you needed to protect."

"You're wrong." Mikasa denied.

"I am? About what?" Eren challenged.

"It wasn't by chance." Mikasa remembered when Eren wrapped his scarf around her. "I became strong because it was you. It was because of you!"

"When an Ackerman's powers awaken, they supposedly experience sudden headaches. It's a product of the original identity resisting the compulsion to protect the host. Sound familiar?" Eren asked as Mikasa widened her eyes and clenched her fist.

"No."

"In other words..."

"You're wrong. I..."

"You're a family that lost its original identity and now exists only to follow orders. You're a slave." Eren said.

"Stop it, Eren!" Armin shouted.

"You're going too far!" Josiah exclaimed.

"You know what I hate the most in this world? People who aren't free. They're no more than cattle." Eren continued on.

"Eren!"

"Just looking at her used to piss me off like crazy. And now I finally know why. I couldn't stand looking at a slave who just faithfully obeyed orders without question. Ever since we were kids, I've always hated you, Mikasa."

Mikasa had tears in her eyes. "Eren!" Armin shouted, rushing forward to hit him. "How dare you—"

Mikasa sprang into action and pinned Armin down on the table. "Mikasa?" Armin questioned in shock.

"All your life, you've just been strung along by the whims of your Ackerman blood." Eren said.

"No..." Mikasa muttered, releasing Armin.

"That's all you are."

Tears fell down from Mikasa's face as Armin punched Eren in the face, making him fall back. Eren dodged Armin's incoming fist as they began fighting as a bunch of Yeagerists entered the room with guns.

"Mr. Yeager!"

"It's nothing." Eren told them as Armin got up weakly. "Hey, Armin, you know how we've never fought once despite knowing each other all our lives?"

Armin rushed forward to punch him. "You know why that is?" Eren asked as he repeatedly punched Armin. "Because the two of us could never have a fair fight!"

"Stop." Mikasa begged.

Armin soon collapses to the ground. "Just stop it." Mikasa muttered.

"All you have to do is tell me where Zeke is. Then we won't need to fight." Eren claimed as Mikasa kneeled down next to Armin.

"So shut up and come with me. Take them away." Eren ordered the two Yeagerists.

"Sir!"

"The kid who killed Sasha, too." Eren added on.

Both Josiah and Mikasa helped Armin up. "What did you really come here to say? That the freedom you yearned for just amounts to hurting Mikasa? You're the real slave, and your master's a piece of shit." Armin claimed.

"Who are you calling a slave?" Eren questioned.

Josiah released a breath. "Eren." He spoke, getting Eren's attention. "Let me join you— The Yeagerists, I mean."

"J-Josiah!" Mikasa exclaimed.

"And what makes you think I'll let you?" Eren asked.

"I'm not as intelligent as Armin, but I did rank 2nd in the top ten. I have good combat skills as well. I think I can be of use to you." Josiah replied.

"Very well." Eren accepted his offer. "Let's go."

"Where?" Mikasa asked.

"To where it all began. Shiganshina District."

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"As you know, after Premier Zachary was killed, the situation within the walls has become unstable. However, this doesn't concern you cadets. Which is why the 109th Cadet Corps will be training to defend Shiganshina from Titan attack!" Shadis then looked over at a cadet. "You hear me?!"

"Y-Yes, sir!"

"Why do we care how to cut a Titan's nape? Not like they'll attack again. Our enemies are people now."

"My old man thinks we should be training with firearms and form an Eldian army."

"The times have changed, yet Commander Shadis is stuck in the past."

"Eldia's only hope is for the Yeagerists to seize full control."

"Surma, he can hear you!"

"Isn't that what everyone's thinking? Everyone wants Eren Yeager to lead Eldia. We need a leader capable of making tough decisions." Surma announced as Shadis narrowed his eyes.

The doors soon opened as Hange entered with Floch, Josiah, and the other Yeagerists.

"Wha—?! Hange?!" Shadis said, turning around to face them.

"Long time no see, Commandant. Just so you know, this branch is under new management. We 'Yeagerists' are the ones in charge now." Floch announced as him, Josiah, and the other Yeagerists pointed their guns at him. "From now on, you take orders from us."

"The Yeagerists..." Surma muttered.

"Looks like you finally figured it out, Floch. Unless you point guns at people, nobody cares what your little gang of asswipes says, and that's a fact." Shadis said.

"Josiah." Floch simply said.

"On it." Josiah muttered as he shot at the ground, barely missing Shadis' foot.

"Josiah!" Hange exclaimed.

"It seems I missed." Josiah said.

"That's unfortunate. I thought shooting his foot might speed things up." Floch commented.

"Speed what up?" Shadis asked.

"No, it has nothing to do with you. We have little need for hard-headed geezers like you." Floch walked by Shadis and stood in front of the cadets. "From now on, this is your time, cadets! We Yeagerists have sworn to give our hearts to save Eldia from this crisis! Not for the sake of our obsolete military, but for the people of this island! By obeying the military's archaic mindset, you're allowing us to be trampled by enemies from outside! Therefore, I ask you: Who are you?! Someone who wants to live alongside our leader, Eren Yeager?! Or will you die here with Keith Shadis and his old ways?"

One by one, the cadets started stepping forward and saluted.

"We dedicate our hearts for the future of Eldia!"

"Excellent! Now show me your resolve!" Floch gestured over towards Shadis. "Beat Commandant Shadis until he can no longer stand!"

This shocked the cadets as Floch pounded his fist on Shadis' chest. "He embodies all of the old, evil ways that need to be culled! Purge him! Any who can't will be thrown into a cell!" Floch announced.

"Enough of this, Floch! This madness has gone on for too long!" Hange exclaimed as the Yeagerist who was behind them grabbed their shoulder.

"Hange." Shadis spoke, getting their attention. "No matter how many of these greenhorns come together, they're no match for me!"

All of the cadets clenched their fists. The next thing Josiah knew, the cadets fists were bloody and Shadis was knocked unconscious.

"Well done. Welcome to our ranks, all of you." Floch turned to look at Hange. "Now, why don't you take us to Zeke's meeting place?"

Floch turned around and left, noticing that he wasn't being followed.

"Commander Hange. Come on, let's go." Floch told them before turning towards Josiah. "Josiah, Eren requested for you. Not sure what for."

"Right." Josiah replied, separating himself from Floch and the other Yeagerists.

He had some people to meet up with first.

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Josiah had arrived at an alleyway, meeting up with two certain Titan shifters — one of them wore the Survey Corps uniform and the other wore the Garrison uniform.

"I'm not even going to ask how you two got those uniforms, but it'll help you blend in." Josiah spoke first. "Porco, Pieck, it's been a while. Didn't expect you to team up with a devil like me."

"Didn't really have much of a choice." Porco responded. "I hope you know this truce is temporary."

"Of course." Josiah said as the three began walking.

"I am actually curious, Josiah. Why did you decide to ally with us?" Pieck questioned.

"I joined the Yeagerists as a ruse to figure out what Eren's planning. So far, I got nothing. I've been with Floch. Geez, every time that guy speaks I want to gouge my eyeballs out." Josiah replied, causing Porco to snort in amusement.

"I also have to get my comrades out of their holding cell somehow." Josiah added on. "Since I'm the only one not locked up, I'm the only one who can get them out."

"I might have to meet up with Onyankopon later." Josiah said in his head.

"Let's go. I know where Gabi is being held."

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A/N: Another chapter is completed! Thanks for reading!

Word Count: 1770 words.