Eren’s face was tight and his fists were clenched on his lap. His superiors were speaking around the table next to him. Since the mission to capture the female titan failed, the military police were breathing down their necks again. He was going to be forced to go to the capital in Wall Sina and be trialed. It’s practically a death trap, there was no way he was going to have as lucky a break like the last time.

Armin and Mikasa were there as well. Jean too, but he doesn’t matter. Armin spoke up once in a while to contribute. The fact that Captain Levi broke his ankle and the unforeseeable variables that were going to present themselves, everything, right down to a single incompetent military police officer, were against them in the long run.

“Eeeeeh…” a crunch as teeth bit into an apple. “I see you all have been improving in your strategic skills while I was gone.”

Eren fell backwards off his seat and he looked flabbergasted. Charles was sitting right on top of the map of Stohess, feasting on a ripe apple.

“Charles heichou!” Eren exclaimed. “When did you—!”

“I came in before these 6,” Charles gestured to Erwin and his company.

“Huh?!” Eren said in disbelief.

“She did,” Levi said dully.

Erwin exhaled exhaustedly. “I’m still not used to that…”

He had jumped a bit when he realized Charles was sitting luxuriously on the wood table. She had her uniform on and one leg was bent and the other was stretched out in front of her. She took another big bite out of the apple and gazed dispassionately at the map she was half sitting on.

Jean, Mikasa, and Armin’s eyes were enlarged as they stared incredulously at their superior.

“Who’s this?” Armin breathed. “And was she always on the table…?”

Mikasa’s eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“This is Captain Charles,” Erwin introduced. “She just came home from a solo expedition from outside the walls. She’ll be assisting us in this operation.”

Charles ate the core of the apple and swallowed. The trainees of the 104 squad all had a grim look on their face.

A second Sasha…

Eren got off his butt and Charles jumped off the table. The heels and sole of her boot tapped on the wooden floorboards as she scrutinized the young trainees. Her eyes lingered on each one as she circled the table.

Jean looked uncomfortable but kept eye contact. Mikasa had an expression of distrust covering her face and her eyes never left Charles’. Armin had resolve but still looked unhinged at her “sudden” appearance. Charles’ eyes fell on the plan that her Commander had come up with.

“You have a plan B I assume,” Charles said, coming to a halt.

“Y-yes…” Armin stuttered. “Eren will engage the Female titan and—“

“And Hanji?” Charles ignored the blond.

Erwin’s look hardened.

“Surely she made a suggestion to be in the operation,” Charles reached into her pocket and pulled out a cigarette. “It won’t hurt to let her contribute.”

“Very well. I’ll find a way to fit her in,” Erwin said immediately.

Armin shifted in his spot. He watched Charles light the cigarette hanging from her mouth. Armin was surprised to see how quickly the Commander agreed to the Captain’s suggestion. The amount of trust that was held in the man’s eyes…

Charles inhaled the cigar and a plume of smoke escaped her mouth. She smiled.

“How I missed a good smoke!” she grinned brightly.

“Weed for brains,” Levi scowled.

 “And proud,” she smirked.

After inhaling again, Charles’ eyes fixated on Eren. He took a step back but couldn’t make himself look away. There was a long silence as Charles stared at the boy.

_ a few hours ago

“Hey, Charles,” Hanji entered the bedroom with a couple of reports in her hand. “We should probably get you up to speed quickly because a lot has happened…”

She was talking to an empty room.

Hanji sighed but had on a reminiscent smile. “Of course…”

_

Charles walked past a big group of unfamiliar faces. They looked a bit worn and stressed, whispering to each other about the recent expedition. She looked after the group with a curious look. Shrugging, she headed to the mess hall. Entering the kitchen, the cooks gave her no mind and danced around her to finish preparing the food.

Charles grabbed a couple of bowls of food and exited the bustling area. As the door closed, she heard someone demand where the food they had prepared went. Popping a piece of bread into her mouth, she went to refresh her memory of the Survey Corps headquarters.

She chugged the steaming bowls of stew into her mouth and made a satisfied sound. Placing the bowls in the back of the kitchen, she put her hands behind her back and took irregular steps forward. Skipping occasionally, or climbing on a small wall and jumping down again. A bunch of soldiers passed her, heading to dinner.

They looked worse for wear. Shadows hovered over their faces and their eyes were sucked of all light. She glimpsed the Commander and was about to go and greet him, when he stopped a couple of kids. Charles blinked.

A blond boy who looked scrawny and held himself with what seemed like newfound confidence. A girl with rare features of the Asian race, who had experience and pain in her every movement. A boy who was tall and gangly, a long face and ash brown hair, he seemed to have been hit with realization a while back according to the way he was holding himself.

Charles watched Erwin lead them away and decided to follow them. Gradually, she got bored with the proceedings and went to go find Hanji.

When she was going down the hallway, a kid with brown hair and green eyes came around the corner. She paused in her step and turned as he passed her, looking through the woman. She smirked. She hadn’t done this in a while.

She tapped the boy on the shoulder and he spun around, looked directly at her but didn’t actually see her. He scratched his head and faced forward again. Charles went ahead of him and stuck out her foot in his path. He tripped over it and Charles laughed at the bewildered expression he had as he tried to find what his foot hit.

Charles leaned into his neck and blew softly. He recoiled, his hand flew to his neck, and stumbled backward. His eyes finally adjusted and Charles chuckled as he stuttered.

“Who… how… what?” he stammered out.

“Yo!” Charles tilted her head back, her cheeky grin still on. “How’s your day been going?”

His mouth was hanging open and Charles was waiting patiently for a reply. Hanji came around the corner and saw Eren gawking at empty space. It took her longer than usual to come to an awareness and when she did, Charles came into her line of vision.

“There you are!” Hanji said, clapping the small woman on the back. “Where the hell have you been?”

“Here and there,” Charles shrugged.

“I see you’ve met Eren Jaegar,” Hanji jerked her head at Eren.

“Yeah.”

Eren broke out of his reverie and looked between the two. “Do you know her Hanji heichou?”

Hanji nodded enthusiastically. “Meet Charles Schatten. Captain for no group in general.”

Eren’s jaw dropped again. “You’re that person!?”

“That person… this generation of soldiers have no respect,” Charles said, searching her pockets for something. “Damn… no cigarettes…”

“Don’t tell me you’re going to start that up again…” Hanji groaned.

“Are you kidding me?” Charles said, astounded at her words. “I haven’t had one for six years, can’t I get a reward for that hell?”

“Um,” Eren said just as Hanji was about to argue. “I have a couple of questions.”

“Like what?” Charles said, still going through her pockets.

“How did you…” Eren couldn’t explain it in words and his sentence trailed off.

“I just don’t have presence,” Charles said after giving up on her search. “No idea why. It’s been like that since I was a kid.”

“Right…” Eren mumbled. “And…”

Charles arched her eyebrow. “Do you want to ask about the outside world?”

Eren tensed up a bit.

Charles’ eyes softened. “Sorry. That’s classified information.”

Eren nodded, visibly discouraged.

Hanji cleared her throat. “There’s something you should know, Charles.”

“Hm? Nani?”

.

.

.

It was Charles’ turn to ogle the boy to the point that he became uncomfortable.

“You can turn into a titan!?” Charles’ eyes twinkled. “Does it feel weird not to have any reproductive parts?!”

Eren sweatdropped and Hanji busted out into laughter.

“Um… ano…” Eren stammered.

“You have to show me!” Charles said eagerly.

“Uh… we’re in a building…”

“That doesn’t matter!”

“It does matter!”

_ back to the present

Charles still looked unsatisfied as she gazed down at the plan laid out on the table. Sighing, she blew out another string of smoke. When her eyes landed on Eren, he was taken aback by the experience and the clear expertise that had darkened them. Her normally round eyes were half lidded and her mouth had creased into a frown. She plucked the cigarette from her mouth and held it between her fingers.

She made a move to the exit and everyone stared. She opened the door and hesitated, looking back at them.

“Don’t underestimate a human’s determination to live.”

With that, the door closed silently behind her.