#sighs..

THE TIMELINE

820 Hange Zoë is born to an Eldian Family in the Liberio Internment Zone as an only child. They don't particularly get along with their family, but the relationship is functional enough for them to have little complaints growing up.

827 Hange (7-years-old) becomes a volunteer for the Marleyan military, aiming to get past the second phase of selection and to secure a spot as a Warrior candidate. Unlike most in the unit, her motivations are rooted in self-interest— Hange wants that freedom that the Honorary Marleyans seems to have. They will get it.

830 Hange (10-years-old) fails to get into the second phase. Gives up entirely on becoming a Warrior by then. On the day they plan to give it all up for good, they meet a certain Tom Ksaver whilst having a breakdown in an alleyway. From here on out, a small bond of sorts between the two form. Ksaver ends up being the one to spark her interest in titans.

831 Hange (11-years-old) has established themselves as Ksaver's research protege at this point, working up to claim the title of his assistant. This same year, she meets Zeke Jeager (8-years-old) unexpectedly while looking for the older man. The two form an unlikely bond this way through their shared fondness for Ksaver amongst other things.

832 Grisha and Dina Jeager are arrested. Hange (12-years-old) doesn't get the full context of the situation until after the fact, but regardless is there to support Zeke (9-years-old) throughout it. Zeke himself is the one to give them the proper rundown of what happened.

840 Zeke (17-years-old) inherits the Beast Titan. Hange (20-years-old) replaces Ksaver's position in the Titan Research Society. Prior to any of this, Ksaver reveals to Zeke the one and only path he believes in— the euthanization plan. The plan is relayed to Hange after Ksaver is eaten, one they initially agree with wholeheartedly. The same year, Hange is approached with an offer, a mission they trust her to do considering her expertise and brilliance; go to Paradis, study the people there, have information ready for the future infiltrators who'll come, identify the coordinate in advance. They accept without further questions, treating this as a valuable opportunity to not let slip away. Hange leaves for Paradis shortly thereafter.

840-845 Hange begins slowly acquainting themselves with the island for the first few years. The moment they arrive, they delve deep into research, trying to learn more about society and how it's structured there. Their first point of interest, undoubtedly, becomes the military.. or more specifically, the Survey Corps. Titan Physiology had been their specialty back in Marley, and they were curious to see just how people so sheltered dealt with them. It started simple. They spent five years training to join the military, choosing the Scout Regiment without a hint of hesitation. Throughout those years, they'd began to understand how limited– how filtered, suppressed –the knowledge the Island Devils possessed. It was interesting, intriguing, and it made everyone on the island a perfect sample for her to test some theories on. The very same year Hange, at a whopping 25 years of age, had secured their spot in the regiment— the aforementioned infiltrators from years ago had finally arrived.

845-850 Hange meets up with the trio; Reiner, Annie, Bertholdt. They're not too hard to find in the chaos of the Fall of Wall Maria, not when the population in Paradis paled in comparison to Marley. There's planning, recuperating, and a lot of relaying of information before they all split their separate ways for now. There'd been no sign of the coordinate just yet, but Hange's sure something will show up soon. As the kids plan their next move, Hange themselves are moving to execute their own batch of experiments. It starts out simple, making themselves out to be some sort of hysterical maniac wasn't too hard. They began with spoon feeding ideas close to the truth of how titans were made, where they come from; could they be human? Were they capable of certain speech? It wasn't supposed to catch any attention, but it had. Particularly that of one newly appointed Commander Erwin Smith. It hadn't been long before Hange had been thrust into a new role they couldn't deny truly enjoying. Something about Paradis felt freeing, unironically enough. Their ability to persevere, to fight against odds that seemed stacked against them, to try and defy an enemy they barely understood— Hange admired it all. Maybe a bit too much, even. They couldn't helped but allow themselves to get sucked into the little world of the devils.

850 Hange (30-years-old) is trusted by the Corps, at this point, almost to an absurd degree. It's been ten years since they've come here, they hold the title of Section Commander now, though many preferred to call them a titan-freak of sorts. This year, the 104th cadets graduate, and they aren't expecting much to happen— until they hear about it. A titan. The Struggle for Trost. Eren Jeager. The stakes have changed. The coordinate is here, and Erwin knows of the possibilities of a traitor running afloat within their ranks. They hadn't had the time to warn any of the kids in advance, not without risking their own cover. Everything was threatening to crumble underneath them, so-to-say. It shouldn't be that way, but it is— Hange is going to go home soon. If they can just snatch Eren, it's all going to be over. Everything. They're subsequently brought home that very same year, one eye missing and a mountain of research to hand over to the higher-ups. The professor was never quite the same after that. Especially in the four years that followed.

okay.. so. i think. that was a lot. but we have a good general understanding of how this au works now right?? i did NOT mean to ramble so much but this idea has been with me for AWHILE NOW and i am writing a small one-shot on the events that happen during the retaking of shiganshina but regardless— BOY do i hope you enjoyed my intense yap session <33 will there be more one day? GEE I HOPE SO.. but do enjoy the rest of your day and thanks for listening to my ted talk!!