Chapter Text
Izuku sat next to him as they began to move, Armin driving their carriage as they made distance between them and Wall Maria. Izuku shook his head shoulders deviously as he nudged Zeke’s stomach. “What’s your full name, Zeke?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know.” He hissed at him.
Because all the titan shifters weren’t deaf, Pieck hummed. “It’s Zeke Yeager.”
Izuku’s eyes widened a considerable amount but he didn’t look overly shocked as Zeke stared at him. “So… your Eren’s brother. How could’ve I not know; angry temper, fatherly issues, and titan powers. Seriously, it’s like the requirement to be a Yeager son.” Izuku snickered as Bertolt and Pieck smiled. Next to Zeke, Reiner looked like he was having a mental breakdown as he talked to the three. It would’ve been four but Reiner… he wasn’t in any mood to talk to anyone but himself.
“Anyway,” ignoring Reiner’s mutters about their secrets being revealed. “Your father seemed to be a bit of a dick truth be told, so I’m not going to refer to him as a great man. But, it’s still interesting to learn about him, Zekey boy. Would you mind me asking some questions about him?”
“What the hell do you want to know about my shit father?”
“I don’t know, how did your parents meet?”
“… they were,” he glances at Reiner and Bertolt. “I don’t know if I’m allowed to tell you.” Izuku rolled his eyes, leaning against the carriage’s back. He gave him a ‘are you serious’ look but Zeke did look perplexed about it so Izuku supposed he would let it go. He decided to ask him another question instead. Zeke was surprised by it. “What happened to my mother and father?”
Izuku raised his shoulders defensively. “I don’t know, bro. Your father turned up in Eldia and your mother hasn’t really been mentioned yet.” Zeke raises his eyebrows at that, gritting his teeth.
“What do you mean?”
Stupidly, he comes up with a bad excuse. “I don’t know, for the movement of the plot.”
“What the fuck?” He turns to Bertolt and Reiner. “This is the Izuku Midoriya that caused you all these problems.” Bertolt huffed and Reiner was muttering some cult-like mantras in his head. Zeke looked concerned at Reiner but ignored him. “So what the fuck?—Explain.”
He wasn’t directing that at him though, Bertolt answered. “He’s always been like this. Somewhat crazy and a bit smart to the point it’s concerning.”
“Like the way he took down our couple month plan? For fuck sakes.”
“To be honest though, I did catch you guys off guard.”
“Yeah,” Pieck softly smiled. “You ended up doing exactly that.”
“Don’t side with him, Pieck!” Zeke shouts at her.
Izuku crossed his arms, looking at Zeke offensively. “I’m sorry, but whose plan won. Yours or mine? Sorry but she has good judgement.” Pieck thanked him. Izuku continues on. “Besides, saying I’m a little crazy and a bit smart is quite the compliment. Honestly, it’s better than Esmeray's.” Bertolt huffed.
For the whole ride, Izuku was bothering the hell out of Zeke, hounding him for answers as Reiner continued to mutter things (like he was a part of some ridiculous cult), cry out, and yell—but besides those abnormal activities. He found out that Pieck was pretty cool, the coolest out of all of them. She was agreeing with him for the majority of things than her three comrades, Zeke and Bertolt finding that outrageous. Izuku thinks it’s got something to do with the fact he was talking about fairness and the quality he’s treating them with to back it up. He means, it’s pretty fair to tie them up and put blindfolds on them but he hasn’t tortured them… not yet at least. It’ll all depend, but for the moment, they’ll stay frenemies.
While he sat with them, Izuku took out the photograph Grisha had with his wife and son. He held it up to Zeke who tried to take it with his teeth. He pulled it back, tsking. The resemblance was uncanny which was why he had come to him first. Izuku hadn’t actually believed that the first person he questioned was Grisha’s son though. It was a bit cliche but in the end, it was information Izuku could use.
Then, as he looked at the photograph, he remembered the painting Shadis had of the Eldia Yeager Family, he made the similarities between the two pictures. It was as if Grisha was trying to recreate his family. He puffed, putting the photograph back into his breast pocket. Zeke gritted his teeth at him. “What was that?”
“A supposed photograph of you and your family in… what is the city you are from called.”
“I won’t tell you that!”
“Marley,” Pieck supplied.
“Thanks,” Izuku bobbed his head to her—turning back to Zeke. “It is a photograph of you as a baby with Grisha and your mother in Marley. He left it in one of the books we collected. Don’t worry, they weren’t anything major.” He lied. “Just enough to tell us that we were correct. That he wasn’t from Eldia and that everything we theorised aligned. Also, it means we can start anew. Recreate history and learn from our mistakes.” Zeke scoffs like that’s the funniest joke he’s ever said but Izuku couldn’t care. Humans need good and bad in them to grow. There is no growth from being perfect, and what is being perfect. You can’t live perfectly without their being an opposite, which means in itself, nobody can live perfectly. This world was as perfect as it could be so, to Izuku, he didn’t care. This was all a part of life. The shitty parts and the good parts. “Anyway, if you find that ridiculous. You should know that we’re still going to fight no matter what shit you throw at us.” Then, he pauses. “Figuratively or literally.”
Pieck laughs at that whilst Bertolt murmurs. “Why though?”
Izuku shrugs his shoulders, leaning back on the bumpy cart. “Why not. You’ve got to live for something.”
Nobody speaks after that and Izuku decides to break the silence, pulling out a piece of paper he wrote about what to expect once they get to Hermina. “When we get to Hermina, one of our Rose Districts. It’ll be a celebration because for the first time since the walls were built; we’ve won a battle against the titans.” The three sounded sullen at that whilst Reiner was going insane in the background, Izuku narrowing his eyes at him. He goes on, reading what he wrote. “You’ll be put into jail cells and be fed routinely. We’ve got to find something to do with you guys, so I’d imagine that Hange would be stalking you quite thoroughly.” Reiner and Bertolt shivers, Pieck hums and Zeke glares at him. “I’m sure you’ll be questioned and I’m sure some of your DNA will be taken up for investigation.” When they all paused at that, he grumbled. “Don’t worry—you’re not the only one who succumbed to that fate.”
Pieck was the first one to speak. “What do you mean by that?”
“Eren, especially, went through DNA testing to find out details about the titan shifters so I’m guessing that Hange is going to use his DNA as the basis and compare yours to his. It might be a little different considering you all have different titans but if things go smoothly, I’m sure she won’t subject you to torture.” Pieck wasn’t subtle when she relaxed at that but Bertolt and Reiner tensed. Zeke stared at him like he couldn’t care. Izuku snickered at his behaviour. He turned to Zeke, pointing at him. “You know, it won’t only be Hange who tortures you. I would be Levi too.” Then, Zeke shivers, still tense. “Those two are a dangerous combo and let’s say if that doesn’t break you, I will.”
Not that Levi would allow him to do that but he can always put up the threat.
“You said that ‘Eren, especially’ went through that DNA testing,” Pieck started. “But that means someone else went through the testing. Who was it?” They obviously hadn’t connected the dots. Eren went through it the most as his powers were revealed earlier on, but Izuku also had to get his DNA extracted and tested to find out if what he had was related to a titan’s power. It wasn’t. Which was why he was unique in this instance. Izuku rolled his eyes and Zeke picked it up. He lowered his head at him.
Izuku shrugged. “Suppose I went through it as well to find out about my powers.”
“Really?” Pieck questioned. “She is thorough.”
He pauses. “Are you talking about Hange?”
“Yes?”
“Hange usually goes by they-them pronouns. It basically means the way you refer to someone. If you want to call them a she, you can, but Hange usually goes by them.” Pieck seems surprised at that as does Reiner but Bertolt and… Reiner, when he’s not out of it, knows that. He supposed they didn’t really tell them about them. “Regardless, yes. Hange is thorough. For about two months I underwent the extractions. It’s not too terrible, but that’s just my testing. As I can’t regrow limbs like you guys can, it was a lot less painful than Eren’s so I wish you luck.”
“She extracts our limbs?” Zeke questions.
“I mean, it’s what they’re doing right now isn’t it?”
“Yeah,” Pieck smiles. “It is.”
Izuku gives Pieck a suspicious look. “Pieck, what’s your full name?”
“Huh?” She tilted her head to the side.
“I just know everyone’s full names but yours so I was just wondering.”
“Pieck Finger.” Zeke grumbled. “What,” she gave him a look. “It’s payback.”
She didn’t say anything after that, Izuku logging the information into his head. Pieck Finger, Zeke Yeager, Bertolt Hoover, Reiner Braun, Annie Leonhart, Ymir… and Eren Yeager. But also Marcel. Who else were titan shifters? He decided to ask that as his next question. Zeke yelled at him, saying he wasn’t going to say anything and Pieck kept her mouth shut but Bertolt was the one to tell him about the amount of shifters. “There are nine shifters in general.” Nine? They only accounted for seven. That means there’s one missing. “However, the ninth shifter isn’t a part of the warriors.”
Izuku thought about how to approach the question of who that person was but Pieck gave them up. Or, give information about them. “None of us know their name but it’s one of the relatives in the Tybur Family. An honorary Marleyan like we are.” So titan shifters were Eldians, under the name of an honorary Marleyan. “Though, the War Hammer Titan hasn’t participated in any conflicts against Eldia since the Great Titan War.”
“Oh… do tell me about the Great Titan War.”
Bertolt didn’t say anything but Pieck continued. Zeke didn’t complain but Reiner did groan. “The Great Titan War was caused by the Eldian Empire once they didn’t have any more enemies to fight.” They fought each other, Izuku assumed. “The one hundred and forty fifth, king Karl Fritz had abandoned conflict—which was a reason why the tension arose between the shifters, and led to Marley—the oppressed, to stand up to the crumbling Eldian Empire. We took the seven out of the nine titans.”
“Let me guess, the Founding Titan was left alone and… one of yours guys?”
Pieck shook her head. “No, it was the Attack Titan.”
“The one Eren got?”
“Yes,” Zeke confirmed. “Besides the Founding Titan, Eren got the one that was missing.”
“Mhm…”
Izuku thought about how this could interconnect with the Humanity’s Saviour plotline as he thought about it. “King Fritz. He had the Founding Titan, I’m supposing, so it’s why he didn’t save the Eldians from the Marleyan Empire.” Pieck and Zeke paused. Bertolt didn’t seem to know as he turned his head to where Reiner had knocked himself out with stress. “Mhm, you guys don’t seem sure, so let me ask you another question. What do you know about Humanity’s Saviour?”
All of them stopped what they were doing. “Humanity’s Saviour?” Pieck questioned.
“How do you know about him?” Zeke backed up her question.
“Why wouldn’t I know about him… he’s the person who saved us from the titans, supposedly.”
“I don’t think you’ve got the right story about him,” Pieck began. “Humanity’s Saviour saved us from the titans.” They all looked at each other questioning, Pieck and Bertolt looking in the direction he was in. She continued. “Humanity’s Saviour was also called Helos. He was willing to face the Devil of All Earth as he went to Eldia to stop the war. Nobody wanted him to go because he was so beautiful as he legends say, but he returned with the seven titans.” Izuku bit his bottom lip.
“Huh…” his theory about Captain Jo being the secret queen to Eldia, Humanity’s Saviour covering for her, could be how this all interconnects. He’s thinking about the logistics of it. If Helos came over to Eldia at the same time the walls were built, that meant he could be Humanity’s Saviour. If he met Captain Jo over there, or the Queen of Eldia with the Founding Titan, whilst he had the Attack Titan (the single titan they didn’t claim back), they could’ve decided to preserve his life over there under the alias of King Fritz whilst it wasn’t actually true. It was Queen Fritz that was doing all the sideline work. On that assumption, he thought about it more. “King Fritz, you said he didn’t want to deal with conflict…” but the Great Titan War had to start somehow. “You think he was a titan shifter?”
“He had to be right?” Bertolt said. “With the Founding Titan.”
“What happens if he died before the Marleyans got there.”
“What are you saying?”
“What if,” he thinks—wording it out in his head. “He died and passed it on to one of his children before the Marleyans got there. Obviously, all the secrets would’ve been revealed about how titan shifters gain their powers, so what if it was a brother that took his place. Who took on his role in not recycling conflict.” Then, it could lead to the sister to go under the radar as everyone fought him. Not her. “Then, if we’re still thinking along those lines, the Great Titan War takes place.” They fight the failing Eldia Empire. “Whilst that happens, Helos goes over… actually, why did he go over?”
“… nobody knows.”
“Then, we can assume he had a titan power,” he left out the part where it was the Attack Titan, “and fought the titan shifters. As King Fritz’s son,” the brother must’ve taken over, “took over, under his name—he put up the walls and… the Great Titan War was over. And for some reason humanity was preserved. If we connect the dots, it leads to the fact that the brother was Humanity’s Saviour for us and Helos was your Humanity’s Saviour.” Izuku felt giddy, misleading them like this but it gave him an idea of the true story.
This was what happened in Izuku’s mind. Helos went over to Eldia with the Attack Titan, met the secret Queen of Eldia with the Founding Titan. Under the impression, on the Marleyan’s side, that King Fritz’s son was King Fritz, she went under the radar where Helos found her. They worked together and the walls went up. Izuku’s assuming they fell in love and had a kid to keep the race running, but… since Helos was supposed to be fighting the Eldians, had to leave after it was over to collect his glory. However, in the end, he kept his loved one alive with her child or children. It would’ve been tough but… necessary.
Humanity’s Saviour’s rumours didn’t stop there though and it was said that he built the literal Corps to fight against the titans. The pure titans. Jo Fritz (or was it Jo Reiss?) kept the Corps running as it was said she was Captain Jo, and that Humanity’s Saviour… built the foundations of Eldia. Built the architecture, built a lot of things that kept their society functioning. He bit his lip. That means, he would’ve had to do that after the war. After everything had cooled down and when Eldia was at its worst.
“You’re thinking, Izuku.” Bertolt said. “You’re too quiet.”
“What did the rumours say happened to Helos?”
“After he got back from the Great Titan War?” Pieck asked. Izuku hummed in response. “I don’t know. His life after that was pretty quiet. Perhaps he didn’t want people to know about him but the legends of him still are talked about today.” Then, anything could’ve happened, and with his titan abilities just as Grisha went from Marley to Eldia, Helos did it first. He could’ve restored Eldia with his Attack Titan and helped Jo, with her Founding Titan, to create a better society. But… they took away the memories of the people. It might’ve saved them the hassle of going up against Marley, until an outside source came to disrupt the separate worlds first. And that man was Grisha, and in raising Eren, got them to this point now.
Izuku wanted to know all of the things about Helos because his real life sounded interesting but Zeke shook his head. “You know that Helos is just a legend. We don’t know if he’s true or not.”
“You don’t?” He questioned and Pieck hissed.
“Look Pieck,” Zeke started. “Nobody here is going to tell the higher-ups that I said that, but it’s true. I don’t believe that Helos is real or did any of those things. It’s sounds like propaganda to get Marleyans to be proud of their nation. To have pride in something.” Because at the end of the day, that’s what they all were—pawns. Objects to be used and disposed of. Izuku asked him if he could tell more about that. “I don’t know what to tell you but it sounds fake. No sane person would fight the Eldian Empire, titan shifter or not. There was eight of them there, and one of him, if we are assuming he was a titan shifter.”
“Think about it like this Zeke,” Izuku began. “He wouldn’t have been sane. If he was as the legends say to you guys, he would’ve done things that were exaggerated. He would’ve had help from the people. If we think about it, he would’ve had to do disgraceful things and become a monster. No sane person does that. Sane people die at the thought. He would’ve had to be censored to make the people love him. Please,” he gestures to the scouts and them. “Do you think we’re sane?”
“No,” Bertolt begins immediately.
“But we’re here and we’re monsters. So are you. When humans are pushed to their limits, this is what they become. Devils who can’t stop until they are to their bones. But even then, hunger doesn’t stop anyone from committing the most awful of acts.” Izuku sighs, turning his head to where Eren was in the crowd of people. “We’re all insane and it’s nobody’s fault but the world we live in. Helos wasn’t sane. Nor was King Fritz. Nor were the eight titan shifters. Nor were the Marleyans. Nor were the Eldians. We are all the same. People with natural survival instincts with some lower than the others; those would be called innocents.”
“Are you saying we stop with our differences and come together?”
“Until I die, perhaps, because conflict rotates.”
Racism is what this seems to be.
On top of nationalism, militarism, and imperialism.
And with the enviable possibility of this happening again, he’s sure in a couple of hundreds of years, one of their sides will take over the other. Or will commit despicable acts. War crimes. With the enviable Eldians siding with different nations, with the different titans. This is sure to happen again. Izuku takes a deep breath. He doesn’t want this cycle to happen again though. He wants this to be the end, once and for all, so… none of this wasn’t because of nothing. He doesn’t want anyone else to suffer because of the past…
However, he has one last question to ask of them. “Why did you guys come to Eldia in the first place?”
The four shifters stilled. Izuku rephrased his question. “Why was your mission for the Founding Titan?”
He waits for an answer but none comes, suddenly a cloud of tense nerves solidifying their shoulders. When a minute passes, he adds on to his question—searching for a response. “Does it have something to do with the titans in the walls?” Because, that’s his last unanswered question. Why were there Colossal Titans in the wall? As if that was the addition he needed, Reiner cracked.
“The Coordinate.”
Zeke hissed like he was stung. “Reiner!”
Izuku raised his brow. “What is the Coordinate?”
Pieck leaned back, waiting for one of them to explain for her. Zeke wasn’t going to, arms-crossed; Bertolt only sighing, ready to answer since the cat was already out of the bag. “The Coordinate is the Founding Titan’s power. It is the ability to control all pure titans, no matter their form.” He raised his brow, needing more information than that. Bertolt grumbled dismissively. “The Coordinate cannot control a shifter. Just the titan matter Ymir Fritz creates… and the reason why we were sent here was to retrieve the Founding Titan so we could prevent the Rumbling.”
Izuku gawks. “The what?”
“The Rumbling.” Bertolt points to the walls. “The destruction that would be caused by the command to release the pure Colossal Titans out into the world.” Izuku does not like the sound of that.
However, another question forms automatically… “how is it activated, then?”
Zeke gives Bertolt a wicked glare. Bertolt ignores it. “King Fritz is a direct descendant to Ymir. Therefore, any direct descendant of Ymir can activate the Rumbling.” Izuku blinks, remembering the Fritz family and Rod Reiss; the fade that was put over them to promote peace but limit freedom. Another activation of the King’s, or so they think. Could it be Jo’s doing since he had the Founding Titan? “However, since Eren doesn’t have royal blood; he would have to have skin-contact with a direct descendant to activate it.”
Again, Izuku blinks, thinking and considering this information.
Zeke growls. “He might tell Eren and they release the Rumbling this second, Bertolt!”
Bertolt stares at him. “Izuku won’t tell him.”
He doesn’t know what to do but, for a moment he needs to think in silence.
Deciding to leave the four titan shifters after he puts the blindfold back onto them to their dismay; it’s safe to say, he has a lot to think about.
Izuku knows he probably should tell someone about what he just learnt, but he keeps it to himself. He needs a moment where nothing happens to process it and think about what to do. He relaxes against Dove and lays his head down. He kisses her mane, thanking her for being such a dear companion and after this, if Dove and Kit wanted to have a family, he would accept as her father. Izuku’s being a bit ridiculous, but fuck it. After what he just learnt, he’s allowed to be.
The trip to Hermina was spent, ninety percent of the time, thinking of the possible outcomes of the Rumbling; what to do about it if it were to happen? The other ten percent of his time was made up sleeping in a carriage with Eren, Mikasa, and Armin, or eating on Dove—trying to forget that piece of information. He had a couple of all nighters thinking about how all these dynamics connected and how he was going to fix this this time.
He began to think of Helos and Jo more.
After a lot of consideration, he had one last question he wanted to ask the four titan shifters, but it would have to wait until after the celebrations. Izuku wondered what Helos did with his Attack Titan after his time was up. Did he give it to an Eldia, or a Marleyan? From the mixed answers he got from the shifters, they might know or might not; either way, there was a lot to yet uncover about their mystery.
… when they got closer to Hermina, a possibility bounced around his mind about Jo Fritz. She must’ve died after him if she gained the Founding Titan during the war. Izuku’s not sure how long the lifespans are of titan shifters… so another question to ask… but he wanted to know so he could connect the dots further. However, he does not know a clue what to use with this information though.
So, he held it in.
Like what he did with everything else.
They got to Hermina late the next afternoon, Izuku escorting Pieck, with Helena on Bertolt, Kenny on Reiner, and Levi on Zeke to the jail rooms they were going to spend their days in. Left alone after a while, Izuku went to Pieck first to ask her about Ymir. Historia would want to know as he wrote down notes about what happened to Ymir. It was… interesting to say the least. Apparently, when Bertolt and Reiner escaped their capture and when Izuku and Eren were released from their kidnapping, they took Ymir to Zeke. Not her. But then, once Zeke went back to the Marleyan Ports they had at Paradis Island as they call it, Pieck took her from Zeke. Then, they were waiting for her lifespan—titan shifters living for only thirteen years before they died, to erase Porco Galliard to take her titan, the Jaw Titan.
Pieck did a little bit of an overview on Porco saying that he was Marcel’s brother. Which began to shock him until she went into further detail about the two. Saying that Marcel lowered Porco’s reputation so he could save him from inheriting the Armoured Titan, allowing Reiner to take it. Izuku wondered how much trauma that kid had as he wrote it down. “Thanks, Pieck.”
She was the most cooperative
Although, that was perhaps because she could see the incentive of less torture than the boys. Izuku made sure all her basic human right needs were met, despite her being a prisoner. Zeke, Bertolt, and Reiner on the other hand didn’t deserve his empathy, because whilst they were all “war criminals”—Pieck’s done the least to warrant his anger… and if what she said was true, that means Ymir’s likely still alive. Unlike the letter they received from Hange who got it from Reiner, written from Ymir, who made it clear she was going to die soon. Izuku took a deep breath… maybe, if they played their cards right, maybe Ymir could fulfil her wish and marry Historia before her time was up.
Since, they didn’t know how long she had left.
Walking through the halls of Historia’s palace in Mitras, he held Ymir’s letter in his hand, considering all the information he’s figured out so far. It didn’t sit well in his stomach that Eren only had seven years left to live; but on the flip side, that means they have seven years to try and figure out what to do; potentially reverse the curse. Ymir’s curse, they called it. Looking out the ginormous windows’ of the palace, the courtyards of the surrounds were filled with celebrations, for: defeating the titan shifters. Izuku’s gut churned, glad they could celebrate their hardship and victory, but disgusted by the hurt of knowing so much information: unable to celebrate blindsided to the possibilities of the future.
Historia was getting dressed up for the event, he knew, so he knocked on her door—ignoring the two MPB that were settled out the front of her bedroom. Through the walls, she called for him to enter, unsuprised by his visit. “I heard it was a success, Izuku.” She said smiling, but her eyes were sad. Izuku jotted his head, moving to sit by her when she flatted and patted the doona on her bed. She noticed the envelope in an instant, Izuku to handing it over immediately. Historia fiddled with the dirtied edges, looking it over. “What is this?” She glanced up without a smile.
“Read it,” was all he said as Historia opened the envelope.
Her eyes widened as she unfolded the paper.
The words would be written like so:
“To my dear Historia,
As I write this Reiner’s standing by my side, he knows this is a love letter but he’s still sneaking peeks. Honestly, it’s no wonder that the creep’s still single. That said, he did give me his word that he would deliver this letter to you. He says he owes me for the time I doubled back to save him. I'm sorry about that. I never would of imagined myself choosing those two over you...
I'm going to die soon, but I'll die without regrets. Or that's what I'd like to say. The truth is, I do have one.
It's that I never got to marry you.
With love, Ymir.”
By the time she reached the end of the letter, Historia’s eyes were tight, lips thinned, and nose scrunched up like she was about to cry. Her cheeks were hollow, lost without colour. Her fists clenched the letter, holding it so unyielding to her heart, Izuku was scared she was going to rip it. “How many people have read this?”
“Only Hange and I.”
She sniffled. “Let’s keep it that way…”
They sat in silence for awhile, the two of them bathing in what humanity they still had before the storm. Izuku decided it would be best to relay the information he discovered to her. “Historia. I thought you should be the first person to know about the information I know of our captives.” She hummed. “But, on a more important note. I collected information about Ymir.”
Her eyes widened, speaking for her. “What do you mean by that?”
He relaxed, leaning back into the bed; lying down. “She’s not dead yet. They’re waiting for her time to run out. We have no clue for sure when she’ll die, but she hasn’t yet… I was proposing we get her back so you guys could get married before then.” Historia seemed perplexed by this statement, but colour returned to her cheeks. Smiling and shaking her head, she was in disbelief.
“You know that could never happen.”
“Look Historia, she could be your wife if we think of something.”
“We are in a war against the people beyond the wall. She is leverage.”
“They are called Marleyans, to start off,” her eyes widening, “secondly, we have quite a lot more leverage, don’t you think?” He quirked his brow, smirking. “Five captured titan shifters. Two titans on our side in Eren… and me. They are lonesome, besides two at the moment. I think we could win if things went wrong.” Izuku wasn’t even about to mention the Rumbling, the relevation still hot on his tongue. Historia looked hopeful, which is what they want in their Queen. “Think peace can be an option for her.” His friend cracked a dimpled smile, one Izuku didn’t get to see very often.
She wrapped both her arms around him, laying atop of his chest. “Thank you,” she squeaks, chest constricted. Izuku gently massages the shells of her shoulders, bidding her acquiescence.
He told her the rest of the information he discovered from Pieck and the other titan shifters, drinking the sweet whiskey Historia poured for them, “pregaming” the celebrations. He included the visions he saw of Ymir Fritz, Historia understandably shocked. “You saw Ymir’s life?”
“Yes,” he chimed quickly. “Everything Bertolt said, I saw happen in real time. It was extremely irksome.”
She bit her teeth together, not knowing what else to say—now knowing her story. “I can imagine.”
Izuku breathes in and out. “I just don’t know what to do with this information. It’s not like Ymir told the others shifters. Just me, and I’m not even a shifter!” Historia shrugs her shoulders, drowning herself in her cup. She didn’t know either. Izuku grumbled, also drinking in.
Then, with liquid courage he decides to mention their mission.
Historia blinks. “The Coordinate?”
“Yes, and it would set off the Rumbling if Eren got in-contact with you or Zeke.” Izuku agrees with himself.
She opens her mouth and then closes it. “He could set the world into chaos if he wanted to?”
He licks his lips, biting down. “If he felt the need too.” He urges. “Which is why peace should come first.”
Historia nods her head before she laughs. “Yes, maybe that does take priority.”
Again, she does a double over of her thoughts. “Don’t get close to Eren for the meantime and don’t share this information…” her blue eyes meet his green ones. “I guess that works out well for me then. Try to get contact with the Marleyans, and the other Nations, and try to get Ymir back. Easy as titans.” From Historia’s lowered gaze to their rejoined look-over, they burst out laughing.
What a day full of laughs, breaks, and overall chaos.
“I can trust you to continue to build relations with the shifters?” Historia offers.
“‘Course,” his throat begins to itch from the alcohol.
“Good. You do well at it.”
They exchange glances again before Izuku looks over to the grandfather clock which was gifted to Historia. If that wasn’t the time… he gets up from her bed, dusting himself off. He places his glass onto the tiny lean glass table in front of them where Historia placed Ymir’s letter. “I’m going to head off now. For the celebrations and all.” He looks towards the letter again. “You still going to come after everything?”
She debates it. “Probably not at this stage.”
“Ok,” he bids, giving her a friendly kiss on the cheek. “See you if I have anymore information to give.”
Historia reflects a pleasant grin, and Izuku heads off.
.
.
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The estate Ophelia brought for him as a gift was substantial. Three stories high, forty feet wide, and in the middle of town; Izuku trotted up the gravelly driveway and went into his house. Unlocked, because all his friends were staying there instead of the shitty Garrison Quarters, he admired the artistry of the home. The wallpaper had charm, whilst the oak wood floor complimented Ophelia’s picked out furniture. Izuku graced the handrail of the staircase with his fingertips as he swooped upstairs. From the windows next to the stairwell, it was much more obvious how profound their garden was. Flowers, quite exotic Izuku would claim, dancing around their entrance. Ophelia hired a gardener to maintain it, the townspeople fond of the estate to view. The exquisite garden caught his friends’ attention as well when they first arrived, but Izuku had other things to attend to… and now it was time to get ready for the celebrations.
He entered his bedroom.
Mattresses were splayed across the floor, Eren and Armin unable to part without him. Mikasa also snuck in every night, not wanting to be far from them either. Skipping over the sheets and entering his bathroom, he stripped and showered—shrugging the grit and filth from his body. It doesn’t help the mildew from the underground latched onto his hair. Drying up, and searching for something appropriate to wear, it didn’t take long for him to be ready. However, with the sleepless nights catching up to him… his bed looked appealing, untouched…
When he opened his eyes again, the house was transformed into an echo chamber of commotion. Cringing at the music, sitting up, he slipped through his door to enter the hallway. As it turns out as he looked through the corridor window where he previously peered down at the garden, the party was across the street.
Stumbling down the stairwell, holding onto the handrails for dear life; he jumped up and down as he put his other pair of boots on. They were gifted for the Scouts as “presents for their bravery”. Then, he opened and locked the door, wearing the key as he headed towards the party. Hearing the song that was being played, he had to squint to see further in the distance. Jennifers, his mind clicked for him. They were the ones playing when he was in that club in the Underground.
Glancing around at the junction that was happening, he saw kids and adults singing ‘Moon Kiss Blown’ as his friends were drinking at the makeshift bar the townsmen had created. Still feeling the alcohol in his system from talking with Historia, he went over to them; his body like jelly.
“Who invited the Jennifers?”
Helena pointed to Mia whilst she drank another pint of beer. Her cheeks were flushed as she held up her sludge, smiling. “They’re my friends!”
Helena rolled her eyes, Izuku unable to bite back his grin. Historia perhaps should’ve joined them tonight, but… there is always tomorrow! From his observations, Helena seemed to be their designated sober guardian angel as the rest of them drank. Diana danced alongside Sasha and Jean. Connie was doing shots with Armin, who was gobsmacked, but apparently that didn’t deter him enough to encourage Eren to join in with them. Connie couldn’t stop laughing. Dune, Esmeray, and Mikasa were in the crowd before them, moving to the beat of the song.
Izuku took his drink and decided to join them as it got to the upbeat part of the song.
He took Mikasa’s hand, swinging around and enjoying themselves before he parted from her to do the same to Esmeray and Dune, the group going around in rotation. He couldn’t stop smiling and giggling along to the stupid words before Eren slammed into him, hammered. In the end, it seemed as if Connie and Armin convinced him to relax a bit, the two dancing slowly together.
As of recently, Eren’s nightmares have spiked in frequency, the two seeing each other up in the mere hours of the morning. Izuku’s been busy, but nightmares of Ymir Fritz have deterred him from attempting to sleep. Sometimes, if he was around, they would just hangout and hug—Armin fitting himself in between the two of them in their rounds. Hopefully, Eren will pass out at some stage and be able to sleep without the nightmares, the alcohol being a barrier for a night.
He held his hands as the crowd developed a swaying movement. Eren rested the side of his head against his cheek as he was taller than him. Izuku asked, “how are you tonight?”
“Better than” Eren hiccuped, cringing. He forgot what he was saying, eyes squinting. “What?”
“I asked how you are feeling.” He took a deep breath in.
“Good,” he grinned brightly, obvious that he was drunk. “Yeah, better.”
“I’m glad.”
Izuku takes the lead of their dance when the song picks up again… but eventually, they had to part because melody comes and goes. He goes up to Mikasa who grins at him with her perfect teeth. “How many drinks have you had, Izuku!” She seems sober, but every time they’ve drunk she always seems sober. Perhaps if Izuku looks close enough, he would be able to see her only tell. Her slowed pace and increased relaxedness.
He laughs at her comment, knowing however much she must’ve had must have been a lot more than Eren, who was already losing it. More than his own intake. They spun quick, and once they got too dizzy, Izuku went over to Esmeray who was as drunk as a skunk. Izuku didn’t even want to ask how many she had as she slurred on her words and tried to pretend to be sober as she stepped on his toes. He squeaked, Esmeray ringing out an apologetic “sorry!”
She released his hands and Dune picked them up for him. He gave her a glance over nod like it was ok, but Dune just resumed conversation. “You look frazzled,” and it was obvious he wasn’t talking about his toes getting stepped on. Izuku sighed, shrugging his shoulders.
“I’m just stressed.”
“You’ve been busy lately doing things for Historia.”
Caught out, he agrees. “Yeah, but there’s a lot to do.”
Dune didn’t disagree with him, and before long, he spun away.
The next couple of hours were spent drinking more of the bottles and sludge Mia stole for them, Izuku gaining the courage to get up on the stage with Mia and Diana to sing and dance around with Jennifers’ band. Overall, he had a lot of fun together with his friends… but in the back of his mind, he wonders how long this peace is going to last for. He absentmindedly planned to do this again the following night so Historia could join them, but for the time being… as morning mist began to rise, it was time to go to.
The whole group ended up in the living room of the estate, unable to walk back up stairs to their rooms as Izuku fell swoop onto his couch. Eren, not waiting a beat to follow, hopped right on top of him to which Izuku groaned at hte new found weight and slight pain. He nuzzled himself between the couch and Izuku. Right as he was about to crack his eyes shut, he watched as Sasha and Connie baked, drunk, in the kitchen… he winced slightly, wondering what nuclear waste was going to await them in the afternoon.
.
.
.
As the warm sun leaked through the windows of the estate, tanning them in light, did Izuku begrudgingly rise—already fulfilling his need to sleep from the long nap he had before the party. But knowing Eren, who was trying to hide from his nighttime demons behind him, he didn’t move. Izuku laid there, snug, with another gift, a quilted blanket hugging them. He noticed Mikasa and Armin lying close, sound asleep, on a mattress they must’ve moved to their feet while they were dead to the world. Sasha and Connie were slumped in the kitchen as Dune, Esmeray, Diana, and Jean spread out across the carpet.
In the end, what woke most of the estate was Mia breaking in with more drinks with Helena by her side, erupting the house into greater chaos. Eren groaned beside him, only trying to dig himself further into his skin to hide. Izuku lifted up the blanket for him and hid his face in it to hide the excess light and noise.
After awhile of accessing the commotion, Mia wanting breakfast—Helena making it for them; did the younger Scout and honorary Scout members arise. Knowing Eren needed the extra sleep, Izuku took him up to his bedroom, tucking him in.
Returning to the first floor, picking up some of the trash on the ground, did he move over to the kitchen to assist Helena. She gave him a glass of fresh water, Izuku suddenly in-amongst the desert, drinking it swiftly on the counter. Processing what he had to do today whilst he watched the pleasant buzz in the kitchen… it probably included talking to Historia some more about what to do of the titan shifters and Marley. After getting the first plate of bacon and eggs, a luxury in his books, did Helena greet “you’ll likely have to see Historia again, correct?”
He bobbled his head, poking his fork into the food. Two slices of bread and butter also made their way to his plate alongside a cup of black tea. Helena laughed. “Ok sounds like you’ll need the energy, then.”
Not one about to argue did he finish his fill in record time. His glass of water was refilled after he finished his tea. “Drink that,” Mia groans, handing him aspirin as well. “You’ll want that headache to go away if you want to get any thinking done, big brain.” Izuku just laughs.
Putting his plate down by the sink, he pointed upstairs. “Make sure he eats something when he wakes up.”
Jean, surprisingly, is the only one semi-functioning besides the two women. “Eye-eye captain.”
Izuku goes upstairs to change, taking a quick shower before putting on more sensible clothes. He grapples with his usual boots’ laces before grabbling his Scout’s cloak from his hanger. He heads out of the estate with farewells from his groggy friends, Sasha’s vomits reminding him not to over-drink the coming evening.
He entered Historia’s guarded room with little troubles, sitting down by her window which showed off Mitras were she drank and ate her own breakfast on her tiny movable stand. Her gown was made of satin, shimmering in the sunlight reflected from the downstairs’ pond. She looked up from her food, which was a bowl of fruit, oats, and yoghurt; double times the luxury of his bacon and eggs; and she had… strawberry milk blended together for her beverage. Historia swiped a stray hair from her mouth, finishing her bite. “It’s time to think of what to do next, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” he agrees, confident. “It is… time, but where to start.”
Historia scans the room’s roof for an answer, mind flickering behind her lashes. “I think the best place to start, right now, is to let your comrades in on what you’ve told me.” He gulps, but agrees regardless. “Then, we can all brainstorm together on what should be the best option. Peace or war.” Izuku gets to work, writing down a sparse letter detailing a time and place of where to meet later this afternoon to discuss Grisha’s life story, Zeke’s past, and the world of Marley and beyond.
Between the time Izuku sent the letters off to his comrades, Historia and Izuku were mulling over the idea of what to do next as they were the only ones who knew anything of everything. Or, the most who knew of society so far. Izuku thinks over what Historia just reconsidered of his idea again. “A truce… do you think they would allow a truce?” He gulped, but Historia looked hopeful.
“Perhaps, but it’s only a suggestion.”
His lip thin, but then he proposes. “What about a treaty?”
“That could happen,” she puts her bowl aside, pursing her hands together. “Let’s just see what the meeting allows.”
They set up shop in one of the palace’s many rooms, tables set-out for politicians to sit at, chairs for the Scouts, and a central table for where Historia and her royal court were to sit. When everyone began to arrive, there was one thing Izuku wasn’t going to talk about unless Historia deemed it the utmost importance: the Rumbling. It was too dangerous to share with the public, and would cause chaos if leaked. But, if Historia mentions it first, that would be Izuku’s cue to unravel their discovery. If not, that would be a private conversation to have with the three parties involved: Historia, Izuku, and Eren. Izuku slumped against his chair; Historia wearing her royalty gown, crown on the top of her head.
Erwin, Levi, and Hange arrived before the other Scouts… noticing Izuku almost immediately. Hange perked up. “Izuku,” they smiled, moving to sit behind him whilst Levi took the seat beside him. “How are you?”
“Tired,” he replied, blinking slow.
Levi rolled his eyes. “I wonder what you guys were doing last night.”
Izuku purses his lips and shrugs his shoulders cheekily, “I don’t know what we were doing.”
Erwin gave the pictures from the basement of the Yeagers to Historia, the picture frame laid out before them. Levi glanced towards the amount of seats that were behind him. Izuku waved his hand and explained before he could even ask. “Technically, all of the Scouts from the Retake of Wall Maria and Shiganshina should be here… but… only Levi Squad will come. This meeting is secretive for a reason. Metals of honour,” he mumbled, “will be rewarded at another time.”
The two of them mutely agreed, the lest of Levi Squad turning up as Erwin took the free seat next to Izuku. Eren, still groggy, came over and gave him a shoulder rub in greetings before moving to sit opposite of Levi. Said man just raised his brows at the action; Erwin concentrating on the contents of the meeting which yet had started. Armin sat next to Hange, behind Erwin. “Feeling better?” Izuku turned his head to him.
Armin pouted, “still managing the hangover.”
Hange only laughed, Izuku smug.
Mikasa sat behind Eren… the rest of them taking their seats. Then, the real meeting began.
Queen Historia started the meeting with various topics before they got to what they needed to talk about. It was very different from the meetings Izuku was used to, but then again this is governmental. Things were going to be incredibly different. Queen Historia prompted him to talk which didn’t surprise any of Levi Squad, aside from many Levi—but the other superiors of the military did not like this at all but Queen Historia shut them down with a single look. Scary. He stood up, just staring at her. “After talking to the four honorary-Marleyan titan shifters, I have conducted research into what they know about themselves…
“Amongst other varying questions like how many there are, there are nine in total but only eight alive. Two titans exist inside of Eren Yeager, therefore we have seven in our ranks. They are named as the followed. Eren has the Attack Titan and Founding Titan. Zeke Yeager has the Beast Titan. Pieck Finger has the Cart Titan. Bertolt Hoover has the Colossal Titan. Reiner Braun has the Armoured Titan. Lastly, in her crystalised shell is Annie Leonhart, whom has the Female Titan. The titan shifters we do not have are… Ymir, lacking a last-name due to upbringing who has the Jaw Titan… and there is a titan shifter we do not know of, or their abilities. However, whoever this titan shifter is clearly isn’t a threat at this moment, apart of Tybur Family in Marley; which is the only information the Warriors, honorary-Marleyans, know. If this titan shifter was… they would have come knocking on our door by now.”
Izuku finally turned to meet the eyes of the men around him, and Eren caught his attention from the corner of his eye. His mouth was to the floor and… Izuku realised, he forgot to tell Eren about his brother. “What do you mean he’s my brother?”
Before he could begin to explain in detail how that worked, another governor spoke up. “Please correct me if I am wrong, but did you just say that Zeke is a Yeager?” Which was only confirmed by Eren speaking up two seconds prior. He took a deep breathe, all the Scouts getting ready to defend Eren if need be about his family.
“Zeke Yeager is Eren Yeager’s half-brother through Grisha Yeager.” He has many mental notes of how to explain everything that needs to be explained… so he began. “This is how it started” and with the help of Erwin whose read all three books, and with his prior knowledge from reading the start of Grisha’s book, he brought them back to the moment where this all started. How Grisha was born in 806 to his father and mother, than Faye, his younger sister born in 809… Then how in 817 when Grisha was eleven and when Faye was eight, the two of them went beyond the Internment Zone where they were then noticed by two Marleyan Officers who one, bet up Grisha, and the other took Faye home—to which he later discovered she was mauled to death by their dogs. The reason why they went past the Internment Zone: which was the Zone to keep Eldians out of Marleyan land: was so that they could see the “blimp” which Grisha described as an airship of-sorts, but Izuku still has no clue what it truely is. However, if it’s how it sounds, then Grisha was just curious and being a kid… and neither deserved their fate.
Erwin picks up for him, reading quotes from one of his books. “They found her mutilated body near the riverbank and I couldn’t believe it. Small Faye, my tiny little sister was chomped on, attacked, mauled, and eaten to death… whilst I had just gone home after my beating, thinking she was just going to be there on my return. But, I didn’t find that out, until much later when I joined the Eldian Restorationists and received intel about the officer and what he did to my sister. Then, I knew what I had to do. Because my parents blamed me for her death even though the officers claimed it was ‘her own fault for leaving the zone in the first place’ and didn’t believe me when I said the officers were cause of it; my parents having to ‘reeducate’ me of the importance of never leaving the Zone.” Erwin holds the diary. “He explains it all here.”
Queen Historia nods her head, cheeks sullen, and Izuku is angry for him. She had no reason to die.
He looked around, seeing how even though they didn’t know Grisha Yeager but only through the tales—with the exception of Eren, Mikasa, and Armin—were they empathetic. Speaking of Eren, the expression on his face was distant, and understably so—realising the information of his own kin in-front of everyone. Izuku continued Grisha’s story in the same voice, pitying.
“Grisha grew bitter, and in 824, joined the Restorationists. Said organisation, as he explains in this paragraph — mission was to restore Eldia to its former glory, and take down the Marleyan Empire. But as we know, this was his way of avenging his sister’s death.
“Then, he met Dina Fritz, who later became his… first wife and mother of Zeke. Eren’s half-brother.”
“How the Restorationists planned to destroy Marley,” he squinted at the diary, “was through the Founding Titan… and we can infer from the Warrior Titan’s confession and Grisha’s wording—they were planning on using Dina Fritz, Zeke’s mother to do this.”
“An Eldia Spry called ‘The Owl’,” Erwin picks up from him “relayed a plan to them about retrieving the Founding Titan from Paradis Island in order to revive the nation of Eldia. Receiving documents in an unreadable language, they concluded that Ymir Fritz, the first Founding Titan, had used the powers of the titans to build roads, cultivate lands, and bring wealth to mankind.”
Izuku held up a photograph of the three Yeagers together. “Then, Zeke was born in 825.”
Izuku thought more about how the documents aligned with everything.
“We could retrieve our prisoner for his retelling of his childhood, but Grisha describes it plainly here.” Erwin explains, flipping over to the next page. “Our plans between Dina and I changed when in 830, the Warrior Program started up. Even though originally, we were going to go to Eldia regardless to retrieve the Founding Titan for her, we began to think if we couldn’t and Zeke could inherit a titan instead, he could go if our cover was blown. The Owl also encouraged us to let the boy join as our double-agent.”
Izuku and Eren cringed, in close promixity to one another, Izuku looking back down to the young boy in the photograph. He looked sad, tired, and… almost like Eren in this moment, done with this shit. “But,” Erwin’s voice lowered, “in 832, Zeke turned us in to the Marleyan Public Security Personnel with the rest of the Restorationists where they were then sent to Paradis to be turned into titans.”
He balked. He hadn’t got that far into reading Grisha’s story.
“It’s the reason we have to fight titans,” Erwin holds the book up between his thumb. “ Eldian prisoners, forced to fight their own kind because only Eldians can turn into pure titans.”
This didn’t settle well with any of them.
Eren didn’t bother raising his hand to blurt out “I have something to say.”
Erwin bobbed his head, permission enough.
He rose besides him and Erwin. “Dina Fritz is a part of the bloodline that Queen Historia is from, right. Then, I’d like to mention an encounter I had with a titan when I was getting saved for the second time with Izuku.” Izuku thought on it, realising in-the-midst of his retelling which encounter he was talking about. “It was a woman, I think, and the titan’s smile was really creepy…” he took a deep breath in, lips curling up. “She was the titan who ate my mother. And, I think—she was Dina Fritz from the photograph.”
The two of them took a deep look at the photograph and their memories, their similarities despite the distortion titans had when they changed.
“Yes,” he agrees solemnly now, seeing what Eren was seeing. “That would be why you could control her that one time.”
“What about Rod Reiss?” Queen Historia’s voice was quaint but strong enough to break the silence in the room. Eren and Izuku turned to her. “He also had royal blood. Does that mean if you had touched him as well, you would’ve also been able to control him.” Perhaps, but his titan was an abnormal one, Izuku silently noted.
“In truth, yes, he would’ve been able to,” he replies short.
“Which means I’m unable to control the Founding Titan at will but need to touch a person or titan of royal blood to utilise the power.” The Coordinate, but they haven’t told Eren of its power yet. Historia and Izuku share a look, but continued on like nothing was out of order.
“I don’t think we’re going to get another titan of royal blood,” Izuku starts—still inferring. “Grisha explicitly said that Dina was the last from Marley, with the exception of Zeke.” Another short glance to Queen Historia before he fiddles with his badly healed index finger, they needed to change the subject. Only them, and Eren had the right to know of his powers. Not the rest of the irrevelant military officials.
“Continuing on with Grisha’s life story,” he looks down at Erwin’s notes. “Before Grisha turned into a mindless titan, a man by the name of Kruger met Grisha and saved him. Then, he gave him the Attack Titan. Within the same year, he arrived at Paradis.”
“Grisha’s insert goes as so everything had failed in my life up until this point. So with Eldia, I was going to change to make things right. Have a family, like Kruger told me to. Remarry. Start again. And take back the Founding Titan which should’ve belonged to my wife. So Carla and Eren came, and I was going to make sure even with the few years I had left, he could do what I couldn’t.”
“This leads us up to what we know now,” Izuku ends the conversation of his life. The story matches the one Izuku heard many years ago with Shadis as the man nods at him from the side pannel he was on. “From the attack on the formerly-Reiss-currently Fritz Family, to the passing of the Founding Titan and Attack Titan passed onto Eren, to the basement. Everything aligns.”
The man who sat besides Queen Historia asked a question. “What were you referring to before when you were disucssing the Fritz name?”
“I’d like to reform a part of our history for good, if I may.” Queen Historia pursed her fingers together at his interruption. He met her gaze as she bobbled her head for him to continue. The politician listened to his theory. “The Great Titan War took place around a hundred years ago. As you know, Humanity’s Saviour saved us. However, after having a discussion with the four warriors about the name, I found out soem information about the man—also something that backs my theory up about who he was.”
He tells the story, without notes, remembering it as clear as day. It was howling outside with the rain. “Helos, is a legend back in Marley, of a man who saved them during the Great Titan War. I theorise that this man is the Attack Titan and that he went over to Eldia while it was crumbling to both save humanity and end it.”
Eyes were raised at this. Nobody knew of this but Queen Historia.
“Helos, otherwise known to us as Humanity’s Saviour, was not the king of our land. He was not the Founding Titan, nor did he put up the walls during the Great Titan War. That was Jo Fritz’s brother, who we all know as King Fritz.” Izuku turns around to begin pacing.
“… but, the Founding Titan did not go to his heir but his sister, Jo. So whilst the war broke out because the walls were put up and the other titans grew restless over power—a spell was cast upon the Founding Titan users from her, to lace peace across the land in her brother’s name. It’s highly likely that King Fritz’s heir passed sometime during the peak of the war, like he did due to the thirteen year rule, but it served as a direction from her inheritence.”
He gave a quick description of what happened to the other shifters: that the seven others, aside from the Founding and Attack Titan, partnered up with the Marleyans to force the Eldians’ behind the walls… and of the Tybur Family who’s contributions let them win the war, which allowed them honorary-Marleyan citizenship—and also helped them gain a titan. Information granted thanks to Pieck.
“Anyway, back to Helos, Humanity’s Saviour. He was a funny man.” Izuku said without inflection.
“Funny, how so?” The man beside Queen Historia spoke up again.
“Funny by the way he acted. I’m presuming most of this—so take it with a grain of salt. He met Jo Fritz sometime during his visit to the island, and I’m also guessing it wasn’t long from after his return to Marley to claim victory over the Eldians; he decided to return back to Paradis to be with her. Why I assume this could’ve been the case is because the warriors when I asked of their figurehead was not mentioned again after his return to Marley which is strange because technically all titan users would be under strict surveillance so, I think he got out.” He shrugged his shoulders.
“Zeke doesn’t believe he exists,” Izuku says quite frankly, “as a result of his sudden disappearance but I think he’s wrong and that he did. That as much as he was their Humanity’s Saviour, he was also ours.
“That he helped Jo in secret build the Corps to fight against the titans; built our architecture, built our roads, built our politics, and that it was not Ymir Fritz’s doing—how we’ve gotten so far but theirs as a team. However… something that you guys might already know is that Eldia’s memories, except a few families’, were removed. This was the spell I was talking about from earlier Jo put onto the citizens of Paradis. On her own family to protect the peace of the Founding Titan.
“That together, they did this to either potentially asve us or also kill us at the same time. Until now.
“Which leads me to believe their humanity wasn’t totally lost… as I think the Captain Jo who we all know officially started the Corps—is also the same person as Jo Fritz. A cover story.” From the faces of those around him, Izuku thinks they are taking merit in his theories. He feels like he is mimicking someone who he doesn’t remember. “That they were trying to fight back against the titans, but at the same time, live out the rest of their lives in peace.”
He gulps, scratching his neck. “At some point, they had kids, and at some point, Jo Fritz like her husband passed on. Passing the Founding Titan to one of her kids, and passing the Attack Titan to someone else. We don’t know who, but my opinion is that Kruger got the Attack Titan from some like Grisha. A Restorationist. Or perhaps someone who was looking for a way to find out what more they could do to preserve their humanity, or how to fight back. We don’t know, but their children took the title as Reiss and lived nobly afterwards with the roles of continuing the family bloodline and preserving the Founding Titan. That is until Grisha Yeager showed up.” He moved back to his seat, passing Eren who gave him an ‘are you kidding?’ me look.
“Again, theories, but I think they are possibly the most accurate we’ll get.” He crosses his arms, looking around the room to the lingering eyes on him. “I don’t think we know much of what happened to King Fritz but whatever it was, he died and passed his titan to his sister before his demise—and someone took over his reign for him in the Fritz Family. Which… leads us up to now.”
Hange stood up behind him, leaning over the table. “How accurate do you think your theories are? How did you find out so much information about them?”
He gazed over his shoulder, placing an arm on his wooden chair. “Mainly, I had theories over the years from simple stuff I’ve heard from people, but I also got the majority of the information from our four warriors.”
Levi, who sat beside Hange, touched their lower arm. “He discussed it with Helena, Kenny, and I.”
“And you didn’t tell me?”
“It didn’t seem relevant at the time.”
… Izuku is quiet about one thing, which is relevant right now, of the Rumbling—the Coordinate and the Founding Titan, but he keeps his mouth shut for Eren’s sake. If they found out… god forbid, his best friend get any peace. Except—it’s not necessarily a secret. Historia knows of it. He told her. Zeke knows of it. He told him. … it is only Eren who doesn’t know: and the rest of the whole aside from the Titan Shifters. His train of thought still goes there, however, to make it easier to understand Ymir Fritz, their situation.
The Rumbling. Izuku is dumbfounded, and doesn’t think it’s the time nor place to reveal such power. Imagine what damage it could do to Eren if that information got out. Imagine the restrictions and the scorn. Izuku’s face tightens in pain.
That, is what the Marleyans are so scared of.
Mass-destruction. Understandable, all things considering.
So—Izuku’s lips are shut about that but knows he has to say one last thing. Different to his train of thoughts. He’ll just have to talk to the other titan shifters later to confirm his theory. It helps Reiner and Bertolt saw Eren use the abilities of the Coordinate, or else they might’ve tried harder against them—and God knows how that might’ve gone. Compliancy is what the titan shifters are offering them right now. Almost a truce.
Izuku stands, Historia almost exasperated to hear from him after his little fit. “There is one last thing I’d like to say. Actually” he can hardly keep up with his thoughts as it is “no, there are two things I’d like to say.”
He continues after the lack-of rejection. “If I may, let me ask you this question:” he said, directly to Historia. “Would you like war or peace?”
A pause helps him for clarity but also helps them relish in their personal responses— but the rhetorical question remains unanswered for heresy. “This past century has been both at peace and war for both sides. Do you really think one lives without the other? I’d like to ask you another question: do you really think, without the titan shifters and serum, we could live without war and peace?” He turns his back on Queen Historia to address the other part of their audience. “Again, I’d say this, no… but—“
He holds a finger up “it would be difficult.
“Without titans or titan shifters, however, we could live without this cycle of war: we could live without the cycle of war. Potentially. Of course, there would be racist, nationalists, imperialists, or militarists, in the mix but… if contained, we could find a balance. So, let me say this.
“Without titans—we should rhetorically end this war we’ve all been fighting for good” he turns to Hange “but, it would not surprise me if the fallback of no titans leads to more war. Except if treaties, amongst other things are created to force peace. We might be able to gain our freedom.” Izuku cracks his head to the side in contemplation. “But, even to suggest this means we have to abolish titans of all kinds, and their powers which—we do not have…”
But Izuku thinks, there is a way… just. That reveal doesn’t need to happen yet.
He smiles to Hange. “This is where you come in.”
Hange is perplexed by the address as they stare him down with understandable questions. “I want you to find out some way we can get rid of the titans for good.” All hopes, but Izuku’s lying through his teeth in desparation to stray away from his personal train of thought. “I don’t know if it’s possible” the truth escapes him “but it’s something we should be questioning whenever you work with the four titan shifters, Eren, or even Annie.”
“If we can find someway to undo us being subjects to the titans and redo our biology so Eldian’s physically can’t become titans, then maybe… we can live with freedom. But until then, we can only try our best to find out those methodologies.” He is quiet about his knowledge that it is less about genetics and more to do with her curse… a bond.
Queen Historia’s words snap him out of his. “Izuku, you said you have two things you wanted to share.” Besides the obvious, remains unsaid. “What’s your second thing?”
He takes a deep gulp, smiling guilty.
No better time to reveal his actual identity… right?
If anything, his whole spiel will be mostly disregarded for this.
“Don’t get mad at me because I was just trying to survive, but…” Izuku knew with the uneasy start that Levi’s eyes were burning at the back of his head. “I’ve been lying to you all.
“I wasn’t from Shiganshina and my mother wasn’t a mad scientist and my father wasn’t a business informant. Actually,” a sad smile elopes the tired lines on his face. “I don’t know who my parents were, nor do I know if my actual name is Izuku Midoriya.”
“I don’t even know if I’m suppose to be alive or not, but when Hannes saved me from the attack in Shiganshina- it was my first ever memory.
“I can’t remember anything up until the moment he saved me—and I didn’t understand him at the time. I couldn’t. Everything he was saying to me felt like it was in another language, and that was because I spoke another language foreign to here. Now,” he puts his hands up, looking for some grace.
“I’m not saying I’m a titan shifter or anything because Hange confirmed I don’t have a titan within me, but I do have these weirdly ridiculous powers so… what I’ll tell you is… that I’m not meant to be here and I think, that this has been a really weird experience for me. Despite! It being the only thing I have ever known.”
The screams and shouts—he knew were coming—were an acceptable response to his declaration.
Because… he’s been doing that this whole time, trying to find out who he is.