Chapter 13

Kurt Jürgen was an average soldier. He joined the Scouts for a silly reason. He never truly hated the Titans so much that he would take up a sword against them, or at least, that was his philosophy during training.

Now? After so many comrades, so many friends, just being eaten alive. It changed one's views.

The reason he joined was so he could simply use the Vertical Maneuvering gear far more often. The Garrison barely used them and the MPs method of doing things had zero involvement with the gear.

So his only option to fulfill a silly wish was to join the Scouts. To, quite literally, fly on wings of freedom.

Granted he still fought Titans. He was a veteran, so he could hold his own. However, he was currently on guard duty for the two Titans that they brought in. Their name was Sawney and Bean and, while he never knew why such creatures needed names, he knew best not to go against the woman known as Hange Zoë.

Regardless, he was stuck with guarding them, why? He had no clue. Commander's orders.

He supposed they could break out, but as the squad leader Hange so brazenly put it, the beams that held the Titans were near impossible to escape.

The Titan flesh regenerated around it, thus making the beam more effective in crippling the beast. It was ironic that the creature's own regenerative ability would be used against them in such a way.

Hange was truly a mad woman.

Kurt was making his rounds, keeping a respectable distance from the Titans, when he heard the tale tell signs of vertical maneuvering gear being used.

It was out of pure instinct that he rolled away from the slice that would have gravely injured him. Dropping the fire lit lamp he carried, he drew his own sword.

The opponent… was small, barely making it to his chest. He pondered just what they were doing, cloaked and having both swords drawn towards him.

A radical that wanted the Titans dead? An MP wishing the Scouts not to gain more advantages? No…

He now understood why the Commander had them guard the Titans.

Kurt didn't bother with useless questions. If the assailant wanted to talk they wouldn't have tried to stab him in the back.

The cloaked person opted to dual wield while Kurt simply grasped one blade with both hands. Small stature, less likely to have much strength.

He would plow his way right through whoever this was.

Hip to shoulder. Vertical. Horizontal. Downward. Jab.

Kurt tried all maneuvers of sword fighting he had seen before however, with much irritation, the assailant seemed to parry or dodge all attacks he threw forward. The person seemed real skilled in combat, while Kurt was lacking.

The assailant seemed to gain somewhat of an advantage as they moved on the offensive. They didn't allow Kurt a time to rest as they threw slice after slice.

It was only through sheer adrenaline and instinct that Kurt was still in good condition, allowing him to dodge and parry the blows.

It was difficult to dodge them, as there were two avenues that could hurt him. Both swords were dangerous, however, they lacked strength. He could parry and block them all day.

However, he didn't want this to end in a stalemate. He knew that the more you corner an animal the dangerous it becomes.

He was tempted to call for help but knew that wasting any effort in distracting himself would be fatal. The person was pressing hard.

He knew he had to take them out. Restrain? No, an artificial wound will have to do.

The person before him was good, always keeping Kurt on the defensive. However, in the end, experience always wins out.

Fingering the trigger on the device of his hilt, he awaited the opportunity he was looking for.

An opening that the small figure presented.

There, on their right shoulder. Kurt squeezes the trigger, signaling the gear to do the command that was given. The hook launches out with a hiss of gas and embeds itself in the shoulder of the assailant.

Switching his finger to press in the trigger that reels the wire in, he propels himself forward, swinging his sword about to strike at the cloaked figure.

His blade meats flesh and he creates a clean cut.

The soft gasp that emitted from the assailant was feminine. So a female? That would explain the small stature.

Regardless, he made sure the cut wasn't lethal, just enough to stall her as he got the time to gain his bearing.

With Kurt a few paces away from her, he realized now would be the prime opportunity to call for help. However, his voice was caught in his throat as he witnessed what could only be explained as impossible.

He saw steam rise from the wound he had just created. The wound began to stitch itself together, rendering the work he put in null.

The abilities the female displayed in front of him were akin to a Titan.

"Ah," The assailant spoke in a monotoned voice, revealing no emotion. "Why'd you have to go and do that? You should have just stayed still so I could have knocked you out. Now, you have to die."

Before Kurt could yell for help, she copied his earlier move, shooting out a hook that would have pierced his chest. However, he blocked it with his sword.

And that was his fatal mistake.

Perhaps if he had two swords, or even the oversight to realize what she was doing, then he could survive.

But nothing stopped the second wire hissing past his sword poised to block the first, coming to a stop as it pierced his neck.

He could do nothing as she, once again, copied his move and propelled herself forward, using the sword to bisect him in half.

As he laid on the ground, watching the girl quickly dispatch the two Titans, he could only think of what he had witnessed. He had to get a message out, but no words formed as the blood seeped into his throat, causing his speech to be nothing more than a gurgling mess.

So, with great desperation, Kurt tried to tell someone of the events that transpired.

However, his efforts were futile, and he was soon met with darkness.

"...and that sums up all I know about Titans!" Hange gave a gleeful smile that she directed to Eren. "But you probably already learned that in the training corps!"

"Yeah…" Eren regretted few things. But this, he definitely regretted asking Hange to tell him all she knew about the Titans. "You pretty much just went through three years worth of curriculum in one night… with your own speculations added in…"

After the trial/hearing, Eren was escorted by Levi and his squad to an abandoned castle that they would make into their temporary base for the Scouts. It was a vacant location that had a decent sized forest and a vast plain to allow the Scouts to train. It also served as a great way to experiment with his Titan power.

Eren spent his first few days cleaning the castle because Levi was apparently a germ freak that didn't like anything filthy. No wonder his boots were so clean that day. Besides cleaning, he socialised with Levi's personal Squad.

They were strong, and he knew it. He had read reports on them before, deciding if they ever had a place in his grand plan of things.

Eld Jinn, second in command of the squad. He had forty-six Titan kills, fourteen which were solo. He was responsible and a firm leader with a strong sense of duty. Eren could tell that he was a veteran even among those of the squad.

Oluo Bozado. He had an impressive kill count of forty-eight, thirty-nine of those being solo. He was very outspoken and enjoyed to boast about himself a lot. Eren wasn't too keen on his behavior, but his solo kills testified to how well he operated.

Petra Ral. The only female in the squad, she had a staggering fifty-eight Titan kills, ten of which were solo. Kind and caring was the only comment Eren would make about her. Although, she seemed to have some sort of affection for Levi. Well, they all did, but her's seemed more… Well, it was irrelevant.

Finally, Gunther Schultz. He had a kill count of forty-seven, seven of those being solo. He was intelligent, for the most part. Very stern in regards to when it came to a task. He was definitely the idea soldier, having the ability to think outside the box as well as have a dedicated heart to a certain cause.

Eren briefly wondered what use they could provide. Short term, they were his bodyguards. From what, Eren already had a clue. Regardless, Eren didn't care so much about little goals but rather what the bigger picture had to offer.

Would they be useful in the coming days, when they had to fight humans instead of Titans?

No, they wouldn't.

While they were no doubt skilled in slaying Titans and their teamwork was impeccable, the fact remained that their ideology wouldn't have them fight against humans.

Levi… He had the mindset to kill humans. He probably already has, but his squad? All they've done is kill Titans.

While they would probably go along with Levi, the fact remained was that they were a powerhouse that could become a threat to Eren and his plans.

Regardless, his current objective was to now find ways to exploit the Scouts to the fullest. While cruel, the fact remains that Eren's objectives were the top priority. He had already discerned that Levi cared only for slaying Titans. Smith wanted answers, answers Eren could provide, but will be withheld for future leverage.

Eren couldn't help the little part of his mind that summed up his plans. Working and reworking parts that would add these new variables. While the plan as a whole didn't change, the execution could be altered. It all amounted to what was the easiest and most effective way of doing things. Taking into account the time table, plans had to be altered if everything was to go as planned.

Would they agree with his plans? His way of doing things? Only time will tell, but there is one thing he is sure…

He will take the most beneficial way out.

The door slamming open broke Eren of his thoughts and the babbling Hange that was being ignored.

It was Hange's assistant, Moblit, if Eren remember correctly.

"Sqaud leader!" the man shouted a little frantically. "We have a situation with the Titan specimens!"

The corpses were almost gone by the time Eren and the rest made it there. Hange, to Eren's surprise, rushed towards the corpses as she gave off a shrill scream of agony.

She… Really cared for them? Eren knew she was a different type of strange, but to have empathy for them?

Then again, one would cry over a dead pet, wouldn't they?

Eren, before coming to the scene, was ordered to pull his Scout's cape hood up, obscuring who he was. Looking at the scene before him, it was quite obvious as to why. An enemy of mankind had killed the Titans to make sure we didn't gain further knowledge of them.

Eren gave a frown at that. Sure, the news could spread that it was a fanatic soldier that believed that they were doing their duty to slay Titans, but Eren knew just what this entailed.

First off, it was blatantly stupid to reveal you had operators inside the wall that could access Vertical Maneuvering gear just to kill a few Titans, which probably wouldn't have revealed much in terms of scientific knowledge…

Could they?

No, Eren knew that there was nothing to gain from cutting them open. He didn't see why the enemy would kill them. It was illogical to reveal yourself, so why did they do it? He and those of the Rommel foundation had cut open his Titan. Besides trying to find his limits, there was really no use in trying to understand the biology of a Titan as a whole…

Unless… Eren's own knowledge was blinding him from what had truly happened. Eren quirked his eyebrow up in a moment of surprised shock. He had underestimated just how deluded he could become by just having more knowledge.

It wasn't the fact that he held the knowledge, rather that he hid it from his allies. In this case, the Scouts. Whether or not they would be useful in his plan remained to be seen, but he should consider them an ally, as he was already apart of them.

Because he viewed them as nothing much from the start, he didn't tell his secrets, resulting in him believe that the Scouts knew what he knew subconsciously.

The fact remained that they still know little of the Titans, the fact that capture two of them within a confined area like Trost was a boon to their research, as they didn't have to worry about transport.

It seems the enemy was capitalizing on this, believing that it would be in their best interest to slay the Titans before any more experiments are undergone.

Despite this, it obviously shows that the enemy made a slip-up.

By using the gear that takes three years to train with, they showed that not only are they within the very ranks within the walls but that they also have been there for some time.

Eren looked around, trying to discern if there were any clues that the perpetrator left behind, signaling who they were. He was met with nothing of interest, that is until his eyes landed on a darkened portion of the ground.

Blood, Eren realized the moment he saw it. It looked like the Titans weren't the only victims.

The pool of dried up blood indicated that whoever the poor victim was fatally harmed, to the point that the blood would pool up that much. However, it was near the edge that caught Eren's attention. Scrawls and squiggles that seem to desperately form a word, but fell short.

S T E.

That was all that was written, with the E ending abruptly.

Ste?

Eren thought about it, just what was this person trying to tell.

He thought over it, mulled it over, thought of possible outcomes.

He gave a sigh.

Steam.

The man was trying to write steam. After taking into account the variables, he came to this conclusion.

The man, or woman, was no doubt skilled. Skilled enough to fight off the assault of whoever came to slay the Titans. So skilled he harmed the assailant. And consequently saw steam arise from that person's wounds.

Eren didn't know how it all went down, but the outcome was obvious. Desperate to tell someone, anyone, the soul that was dying tried to write it down, but falling short.

Honestly, no one would be able to figure that out unless they know that the possible word is steam. And to figure out what steam means is entirely up in the air. Eren could tell you that the logical conclusion wouldn't pin the perpetrator as a person that could regenerate, hence the steam.

Regardless, this all just confirmed that whoever killed the Titans were definitely shifters like himself. Meaning he would have to fight them.

Sudden pressure on his shoulders caused Eren to look at the person exerting them. It didn't take long, really just a swivel of the neck, to see that Erwin was leaning over his shoulder, glaring at the now almost decayed corpses of the Titans.

"Tell me Eren…" Erwin started, his piercing gaze never leaving the Titans… No, the bloodspot. "What do you see?"

Eren rose an eyebrow at that. Was it a rhetorical question or was he actually seeking something? A part of Eren's mouth twitched upwards as he discerned just what the Commander was asking.

"Who knows." Eren drawled out. "After all, are there not ears everywhere?"

It was a confusing statement, but much like an inside joke, both boy and man seemed to understand each other.

"I see." Erwin drew back. "I'll have Levi escort you to my office later tonight. I have… some questions, if you don't mind."

Eren gave him a nod as his affirmative, however, there was one more thing that pressed his mind.

"Will it be okay?" It was said loosely, as to not be discerned by those close that could hear. However, Erwin seemed to pick up on the meaning, as he glanced at the pile of dried up blood.

"An orphan." Was all he said as he walked away.

How convenient. He had no family, so they didn't have to suffer the result of his death having to end at the hands of a fellow human. Eren supposed the Scouts were lucky in that regard. They can cover up whoever died easily.

Why did they want to do this? Just so the situation could blow over easier, most likely. They didn't want anyone to dwell on this if Eren had to guess. It wouldn't do well if people knew that there was someone who had access to vertical maneuver gear and could outmatch what was most likely a Scout veteran.

Levi was next to walk up to Eren. The two exchanged brief pleasantries and watched has Hange tried to collect herself from the mental grief of having the Titans slain. Time went by and everyone went their ways.

Eren, along with everyone else that accompanied him there, headed back to the old headquarters.

It was there that Eren would meet with Erwin. For what, he could only guess.

But he had a sneaking suspicion that it would have to do with this up and coming expedition.

It was nearing dusk when Levi decided that Eren could see the Commander. It was a short walk around the castle grounds, turning the corners and walking down hallways that Captian Levi had made him clean a while ago. The man… was special when it came to cleaning.

Regardless, Eren's focus was more on the upcoming meeting rather than what utilities to use to get out certain stains in the tile. It would be a lie to say that Eren wasn't excited about this meeting. He, as horrible as it may sound, was quite bored with the current circumstances of this world. While he was trying to better himself by trying less to act like his past self, he found it increasingly harder to rid himself of such a mindset.

Despite that, Eren had to adapt. While it wasn't a deteriorative mindset, it was a shameful one nonetheless.

Amongst his inner thoughts, Levi stopped. The sudden halt in motion caused Eren to break from his stupor, realizing they had arrived at their destination. It was a double door. Wide, with elegant wood carvings. Eren didn't take the Commander as one who desired vanity, but he realized this was an old castle, most likely housing some form of noble.

And this must have been their office.

A knock from Levi and an affirmative to open the door from Erwin had Eren standing before the Commander. He was sitting in a chair, seemingly going over paperwork. Only a short glance up from his paper showed that he had acknowledged Eren coming in.

"Thank you Levi." Erwin spoke up as he continued to look at the file. "You may go."

And so he did.

The soft click of the door behind Eren was the only indication that Levi had obeyed the orders, leaving him alone with the famed Commander of the Scouts.

"Tell me Eren." Erwin looked up from his paper, giving Eren his full attention. "How much do you know?"

Eren kept a straight face.

"I'm afraid I don't understand?" Was the shifter's go-to response.

"I mean," Erwin started. "How much are you hiding. You seem to have an understanding of what is going on… what is truly going on."

So that's how it was. Eren couldn't help but think that the man before him was far beyond any human that would ever grace these walls. Besides himself, that is.

"If you desire my trust, what is it you will do to gain it?" Eren went on the defensive. Right now, it was a battle of words. Both men before them didn't trust each other. However, if one was willing, then perhaps a compromise could be achieved.

Eren wasn't for a compromise. He wanted it all, however, if the Scout's leader surprised him, he may just be opted to allow things to go Erwin's way.

"There are other shifters like you." Erwin started. It shouldn't have been a surprise, honestly, anyone with an inkling of a brain cell would put two and two together after Eren showed himself as a shifter.

"I've concluded the same." Eren wasn't giving any ground.

"I believe that these other shifters are outsiders… people beyond the wall…" Erwin revealed such information that would have been climatic if Eren already didn't know.

"Obviously." Eren seemed to surprise Erwin with his tone. "It is a logical conclusion to believe that there is, in fact, other people living beyond the walls."

"How…" For a moment, the Commander was stunned.

"Humans, by nature, our stubborn creatures. Do you really think that Titans could have eradicated us all? If so, then can't we also use the logic that since we survived, others could have in other fashions? It is actually my belief that we are the only human populace that is dealing with Titans. My opinions of course."

"Hypnosis." Erwin's sudden spout caused Eren to raise an eyebrow. "My father believed that the king had the power to hypnotize everyone, altering memories so that no one remember before the walls were erected.

"Eren, I have a dream. Your basement holds the information we need, but I believe you have other ideas for what is to come. I see it in your eyes, you have a plan for what to do after the Titans are defeated."

Suddenly it all clicked.

Eren had read up on Smith before. Curiously, he wanted to know the man's motives.

"You want to prove that your dad was right."

"He was killed because his foolish son spouted his theories to the world. An accident, unfortunate as it may be, I know the truth behind it."

"Alright, then tell me what you plan to do."

And so he did.

It was stupid of Eren to assume that the Commander of the Scouts would think on the same level as him.

Whereas Eren saw people as tools to be used and disposed of, Erwin believe that you should take care of those tools. Each one he lost was a great grievance.

However, it completely blindsided Eren. This philosophy, in a way, blinded Erwin's potential. He had tried but was failing to discard the common man's life. He was too kind.

The plan he conjured was stupid. It had too many risked and inconsistencies

However, Eren couldn't deny Erwin's deduction skills. He had already come to the conclusion that there were other shifters, like Eren. Not only that, but he concluded that they were within the military, or at least apart of the people of the walls.

Meaning, Eren and Erwin were both on the same page about their enemies.

However, their way of dealing with them differs greatly.

The fact still remained that Erwin didn't fully trust Eren. So with that, the plan amounted heavily upon the Scouts, completely disregarding Eren as a whole.

If it were Eren, he wouldn't care for something as frivolous as 'trust'. No, he would have used all the tools at his disposal. If he couldn't trust those tools, then all the better if they broke during their usage.

Still, Erwin's plan had the potential of working.

By giving false information, they could manipulate where a shifter may appear. They would then make their way to one of the large forests, where they would set up a trap to capture the shifter.

It worked, however, it left to many things to be considered. For one, how many troops would need to die? While he cared not for the tool's life, he did recognize that they shouldn't be thrown away so casually.

Really, it all had to do with the fact Erwin didn't trust him. With his strength, he could no doubt take down any Titan that came before him, barring the Colossal of course.

Despite the lousy plan, despite the insult to his pride, and despite the huge gamble of it, he would play along.

He had long decided that he would let Erwin play the lead role in this moment, but when the time came, Eren would sweep that position away.

So, he might as well start planting the seeds.

"Thank you, for your trust in telling me." Eren said as he gave a nod of acknowledgment. "I suppose I can impart some knowledge upon you as well."

Curious, Erwin rose is an eyebrow, prompting Eren to continue.

And so, He did.