The Awakening of a Titan

The dust began to settle, and Aiden's Titan stood tall in the clearing, its muscular form emanating raw power. 16 meters of pure strength, with short black hair and piercing green eyes, it was a sight that both stunned and alarmed Levi and his group.

Levi observed closely, his years of battle experience preparing him for this moment. Without hesitation, he leapt into action, using his ODM gear to swiftly cut through the nape of Aiden's Titan, freeing him from its grasp. The body of the Titan began to dissipate as steam rose, leaving Aiden unconscious in Levi's arms.

"He's alive," Levi confirmed after a quick check. He laid Aiden on the ground gently, his voice sharp as he turned to his comrades. "We need to look and see if there are any survivors."

Kyle and Elena nodded, knowing their orders. Levi was rarely wrong about these things, and if someone had survived, they had to find them. They quickly scattered, checking the perimeter for any signs of life.

Minutes later, Kyle returned, dragging a man who had rushed back after hearing the boom of the Thunderbolt. The man was in shock but alive, panting as he tried to explain what he had seen.

"Let's get back to the branch," Levi ordered, turning to Elena and Kyle. "We'll figure everything else out there. And once we arrive, we need to get my squad and Hange to the branch immediately."

---

The journey back took a few hours, the tension in the air only thickening as Aiden remained unconscious for most of it. Once they reached the branch, Levi wasted no time. After ensuring Aiden was being looked after, he instructed one of the officers to relay his orders.

"Send word to Jean, Connie, Sasha, Mikasa, Armin, and Hange. Tell them to come here as soon as possible."

The message was sent, and within days, the group had assembled. They stood in the briefing room, unsure of what to expect but already knowing something monumental had occurred.

Levi stood in front of them, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.

"Aiden transformed into a Titan," he stated bluntly. "He's a Titan Shifter."

The room went still. Jean blinked in disbelief, stepping forward as his eyes moved from Levi to Aiden, who was seated in the corner of the room, still recovering.

"How…?" Jean asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "How is that possible? How did this happen?"

Mikasa, standing closest to Aiden, took a deep breath. The weight of the truth hung heavy on her, but she couldn't keep it hidden anymore.

"I knew this could happen," she admitted, her voice steady yet filled with regret. "I didn't know when, but I knew."

The others stared at her, confused, trying to make sense of what she meant. She took a step closer to Aiden, her hand trembling slightly as she rested it on his shoulder.

"I didn't want to tell him that he ate his own father."

The air in the room grew thick with tension. Connie and Sasha exchanged uneasy glances, their faces filled with a mixture of shock and sorrow. Armin, ever the thinker, lowered his head as he processed the information.

Aiden, who had remained quiet since his awakening, looked up at Mikasa, his expression confused and strained.

"I… ate him?" he muttered, the horror of the truth dawning on him.

Mikasa nodded, her face pained.

"When you turned into a Pure Titan… you ate Eren," she said softly. "That's how you inherited his powers."

Aiden looked down at his hands, the weight of what he had done slowly sinking in. His mind flashed back to the transformation, but it wasn't just the memory of the Titan that lingered—it was something else.

"And there were other memories…" Aiden whispered, his voice shaking. "Someone else's memories… I saw things I don't understand."

Levi stepped forward, his gaze sharp.

"We'll figure that out later," he said firmly. "For now, we need to focus on what comes next. Aiden's transformation is just the beginning. We need to understand what this means for all of us."

Hange, who had been silent the entire time, finally spoke up, her eyes alight with curiosity despite the gravity of the situation.

"There's so much to study here," she said, almost to herself. "Aiden's transformation, the powers he's inherited, the memories… We need to get to the bottom of this. This could be something entirely new."

Jean, still processing everything, clenched his fists, but he didn't say anything more. Connie and Sasha looked at Aiden with a mix of pity and fear, while Armin's thoughts ran deeper, trying to piece together the implications of what Aiden's transformation might mean.

Mikasa stood quietly beside Aiden, her expression unreadable. She had carried the burden of this secret for too long, and now that it was out, she couldn't help but feel a mixture of relief and guilt. But no matter what, Aiden was her son, and she would protect him.

Levi, sensing the heavy emotions in the room, spoke again, this time with more urgency.

"Right now, no one other than his teammates know about Aiden's powers. We keep it that way until we understand what we're dealing with. The fewer people who know, the better."

The group nodded in agreement, though it was clear the weight of Aiden's transformation would be difficult to keep hidden for long. The reality of what they were facing had changed, and there was no going back.

Levi turned toward the door, signaling that the meeting was over.

"We'll reconvene tomorrow," he said. "Rest while you can. Things are only going to get more complicated from here."

With that, the group began to disperse, each person lost in their own thoughts. Aiden remained seated, his mind swirling with images he couldn't yet comprehend. As Mikasa placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, he felt a deep sadness settle over him. The future was uncertain, and the burden of his new powers weighed heavily on him.