[ What or who really is a great question. The figure is nothing like the spectral form of Robin Hood, and Maruki feels a much more personal connection to it than Akechi does. It feels more like a who than a what more often than not. ]

Thank you, I appreciate it. And, ah– Azathoth is its name. I know it's a bit of a mouthful...

[ He drops the hand resting on Azathoth's body to gesture vaguely as he speaks. It's fun, because he's still learning what the hell a persona is himself. Explaining it to someone else is probably good practice. ]

It's sort of like... A literal representation of my spirit. Or my will power, rather. I'm still very new to it – it only manifested physically to me right before I arrived here, and I just regained the ability right before– you know, before everything happened.

[ With one last look over at Azathoth, Maruki lifts his hand again, and it dissipates until nothing is left but that aurora – and then, nothing at all.

The Titan's carcass is still decaying behind Eren.

See? Things are much neater this way.

Maruki looks at Eren again and smiles bashfully, shrugs. ]

I didn't want to keep up the ruse around you any longer. You deserved to know the truth.