A/N: Hello, readers! Welcome to another chapter! Did y'all see that Crunchyroll added the OVA's? Also, here's another chapter with two episodes, because like I said, I can't plan for shit. Enjoy!

edited on january 2nd, 2022 @ 10:21am

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𝓒𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝚃𝙷𝙸𝚁𝚃𝚈-𝙾𝙽𝙴,
𝓑𝚈𝚂𝚃𝙰𝙽𝙳𝙴𝚁.

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AFTER THE WHOLE ROD REISS incident was finished, Levi had informed Julian that he was going back to the Reiss chapel to see if there were any Military Police officers who had survived Rod Reiss' transformation. Julian offered to go along but Levi insisted that it was fine.

The coronation was being set up as Julian heard footsteps walking towards him. He looked up to see Jean looking at him.

"How's your injury?" Jean questioned.

Julian snorted. "Both you and Hange seem to worry about me the most. But like I told them, I'm fine. Though, it's not everyday I get to experience what it's like being thrown to a crystal pillar." He responded.

"Only you can make jokes when you're injured, Nii-san." Jean commented.

"What can I do for you, Jean? You and I... we usually don't have brotherly talks like this." Julian pointed out.

"When I joined the Scouts, Lyon-san told me something. He told me I should spend more time with you, and mentioned his twin sister, who died on an expedition." Jean replied.

"Oh, Lydia?" Julian hummed. "I remember her. She was on Hange's squad. She died saving Moblit from a Titan, if I remember correctly. Her and Lyon had an argument the night before the expedition. He never apologized to her. Didn't know he still beat himself up for it."

"I'm not gonna die anytime soon, Jean." Julian finished. "You don't have to worry."

Julian ruffles his brothers hair, making the younger Kirstein groan in annoyance before continuing on his way. He had a coronation to get ready for.

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When Levi had returned, he had told Julian that his last name was Ackerman, making Julian chuckle and giving him a look that said, 'I told you so,' and he got a punch in the arm as a reply.

Julian watched as Historia got crowned. Once the crown touched her head, the civilians and soldiers cheered.

"That girl toppled the Titan bigger than the wall?!"

"Yeah! All the people of Orvud District witnessed it!"

"She saved us from that Titan with such a tiny body?!"

"Her father ruled as King from the shadows, but she ended his tyranny!"

"She's our true ruler of the walls!" Flegel Reeves shouted from his place next to Hange.

"Queen Historia!"

Julian noticed Erwin and the rest of the Commanders bowing to her.

Historia stepped forward in her red cape with the crown on top of her head. She gave a salute to the crowd, making them cheer more.

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After the ceremony was over, Julian had changed into a long green coat with the Wings of Freedom insignia located on the front pocket as well as the back.

Julian was with Levi near a window. "How's your injury holding up?" Levi questioned.

"Man... First Hange, then my brother, and now you." Julian sighed out. "How many times am I gonna have to answer with I'm fine?"

"I thought you died back in the crystal cavern. I could've lost you and not tell yo—" Levi stopped when Julian gently grabbed his arm as he heard footsteps approaching the two.

"Can we talk about that when we're in a more private setting, Levi?" Julian interjected, lowering his voice a bit.

"Yeah."

Levi stepped forward to face his squad with Julian at his side. Historia shook with nerves before she finally screamed and ran towards Levi, punching him in the arm and leaving the rest of Squad Levi in shock except for Mikasa who gave a proud smile.

"Did she just..." Julian gulped in thought. "punch Levi?"

Historia laughed. "How do you like that?! I'm the Queen! If you got a problem—" Historia's sentence was interrupted by Levi chuckling and then giving them a smile.

"N-No fucking way..." Julian mumbled.

"Thank you... all of you." Levi spoke up.

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It had been two months since Historia was crowned Queen. She had helped the children in the orphanages and the underground. Since Levi was from the underground, he supported her.

Hange was doing some more hardening experiments on Eren, causing him to be more drained.

Julian's injury seemed to be getting better, and he spent more time with Levi. The two still haven't talked about everything. But Julian wasn't too worried about that. There was a time and place for that, but not at the moment.

Due to the military purge, considerable talent was lost from humanity's forces, but... the discovery of glowing ore in the underground cavern was one of the many things gained. Also, with Eren's hardening ability, a certain anti-Titan weapon was born.

Julian was on top of the wall as he watched a Titan going into their weapon.

"That's it... Jam your head in here." A soldier from the ground said. The Titan then got closer.

"Now!"

The weapon flew down onto the Titan's head perfectly.

"Ooh! A direct hit on the nape! This could be it...!" Hange exclaimed as they watched with excitement before raising their fist in the air. "We did it! That's a 12-meter, crushed!"

Eren fell down to the ground. "Hell yeah! With this, we can kill Titans without a single soldier fighting! We'll hack down the Titans all day and night! Say hello to the executioner from hell!" Hange exclaimed. "We did it, Eren!"

They looked over and spotted that Eren was bleeding as Levi handed him a handkerchief. "Eren?" Hange questioned.

"He probably overused his Titan powers. All he's done is hardening experiments lately." Levi informed.

"Sorry, Eren..." Hange apologized.

"There's nothing to apologize for, Hange-san. Who gives a damn if I'm tired?" Eren pressed the handkerchief to his nose. "Let's hurry... make weapons, and get going... to Shiganshina."

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It was currently dark out as Julian was in the mess hall sitting with Levi and Erwin. The older Kirstein let out a long sigh before pushing his bowl away.

"I'm not saying I'm not grateful for the food we get, but eating the same thing everyday gets tiring." Julian complained. "Man, I really miss my mother's cooking."

Levi placed his tea cup down before giving Julian a side glance. "You should still eat something. We can't afford you passing out on the battlefield." He reminded him.

"Levi, you haven't met my mother, have you? Perhaps I'll introduce you to her one day. Then you can taste her cooking." Julian then thought for a moment. "On second thought, maybe that's a bad idea. She'll just nag me about when I'm getting married."

Before Levi could answer, Eren had slammed his hands on the table on the other side of the hall.

"Keith Shadis!" He suddenly shouted out.

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Levi's squad, minus Connie, Julian, and Hange rode out to the training grounds were Shadis was located. They were wearing the same green coat that they had worn during the ceremony.

"Before Erwin, he was the 12th commander of the Scout Regiment. It's been a long while since I've seen him." Hange spoke.

"The last time I saw him was when I visited the training corps. That guy used to scare the shit outta me when he was commander." Julian added on.

"Even more than Levi does?" Hange countered.

"No, Levi will always scare the shit outta me." Julian replied, causing a few of the Squad Levi members to laugh. "Oi, you wouldn't be laughing if you had to endure the hellish training I went through with him!"

The group finally arrived as they walked up to Shadis, who had his back turned to them.

"Commandant Shadis." Eren said firmly, making Shadis turn to look at him. Sasha was hiding behind Jean. Eren then saluted to Shadis.

They now sat in one of the cabins around the table, except for Sasha who stood awkwardly.

"What's wrong, Braus? Not sitting?" Shadis asked.

"No! I am quite fine standing here!" Sasha exclaimed quickly, avoiding eye contact. Julian only guessed that she felt intimated by him.

"If I recall... Back in the day, I always used to call you in here to chew you out. And it's only been a handful of months. I hardly recognize you all anymore." Shadis stated, scanning the room.

"Commander Shadis... Rather, Commandant..." Hange began. "With preparations to retake Wall Maria underway, perhaps you can guess what brings us here today." There was a pause as Shadis looked towards Eren.

"Eren. You resemble your mother so much." Shadis said, causing Eren and Mikasa's eyes to widen. "However, the fangs lurking deep in your eyes are surely your father's." Eren gritted his teeth before standing up.

"Tell me about him! Everything you know!" Eren declared as Shadis looked down.

"I know nothing... in the grand scheme of things. However, I can tell you a story utterly useless to humanity. The story of my past... as a mere bystander. Twenty years ago. Wall Maria. In front of the gates of Shiganshina, he was there."

(A/N: I'm not writing all of Shadis backstory, y'all are freaking insane for doing that).

"And then I carried your unconscious body back to the shelter. That is everything I know." Shadis concluded after telling his backstory.

"So that's... it?" Eren questioned.

Hange turned to face Shadis. "Now we know the real reason you resigned. Not to atone for the soldiers you killed, but because you realized you were never special. That's the childish reason you're here." They spoke.

"Quit it, Hange." Levi warned them. Hange's face turned into anger, ignoring Levi.

"Screw your inferiority complex. Don't run from reality. Isn't that what vowing to give our hearts was all about?!" Hange stood up from their seat.

"Please stop, Hange-san." Eren muttered, making Hange look over to him. "The commandant was right. I was never special or anything. But... I'm the son of a special man. That's all it is."

"Your mother..." Shadis started to say after a moment of silence. "Carla said this..."

"Is it wrong not to be special?" Carla asked, making Shadis eyes widen. "I don't think that way. When it comes to my child... it's fine if he's never great. He doesn't have to be better than anyone. After all, just look at him... He's so cute!" She rubbed her cheek against Eren's.

"He's already special. Because he was... born into this world."

"And you, just like your father wanted... chose to set ablaze your life... which will burn to ashes outside the walls. In the end, I couldn't... I couldn't change a single thing at all. I'm a mere bystander."

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

Word Count: 1847 words.