Yo! I guess… uh, the only thing I have to say is thank you! I just read all available chapters of Attack on Titan, and wow...none of that has happened in my fanfic...I unknowingly avoided all of that..wow this is gonna be complicated... I've confused myself! ;-; I guess I'll have to alter some things.

Anyway, please enjoy! (This conversation was so fun to write! XD But I can't write Krista well. Or Annie, specifically her in this conversation -_-)

Krista passed Eren and then Levi a few moments later, shrinking to the side of the stairwell; both of them had stormy looks on their faces. Two soldiers followed her down; her guards. She found them extremely annoying, as did Ymir.

"Oh… did something happen?" Krista asked, reaching the bottom step. She held a water skin. "I just saw Eren and Levi… neither of them looked happy."

"It was nothing." Mikasa said flatly. "You want to see her?"

"Yes, if it's allowed; I know that others have been turned away," Krista said, walking over to the door.

"Good luck with that," Mikasa said, staring straight forward. Her thoughts were on Eren, as they usually were. Her guard duty ended in a few hours, and when it did, she would be speaking with him.

Krista passed Mikasa and stood up on her tiptoes to look through the window. "Hi, Annie…can we talk?"

Annie showed no sign that she could hear Krista, gazing at the wall uninterestedly. She had one leg crossed over the other, her head turned slightly away from the door.

"I wanna say some things to you," Krista said, her voice hesitate.

Still, no response from the blond sitting inside the room.

"Annie…" Krista's voice rose in volume.

She was ignored once more.

"At least say something!" Krista's frustrated voice suddenly turned sharp and demanding. "So you're just going to turn your head and ignore me after everything you've done? Stop sitting there uselessly, Annie. I know you can hear me, so stop pretending like you can't. You owe it to everyone to talk, so open your mouth and say something!"

There was a fierce look in her innocent, blue eyes, and her small hands were curled into tight fists. She looked shocked, as if she couldn't believe the harsh words that had come out of her mouth in the outburst.

Annie couldn't believe them either. Sweet, innocent Krista had never spoken with such a tone. She turned her head to look at the small blond, a smile creeping onto her face. A light, airy laugh escaped her lips, slightly mocking.

"As you wish, your majesty," she said, a cynical tone to her words. She stopped chuckling.

Krista stood there for a few minutes, mouth half open in surprise. Had that really just happened? It was, perhaps, the most unexpected thing.

"Don't just stand there, princess. You wanted to talk, right," Annie said, her face blank but voice smirking.

Krista nodded slowly, standing back so Mikasa could unlock the door. She walked in after a few moments, standing against the wall. "Annie, how are you?"

"Wonderful, princess. I hope you understand why I can't get up and curtsy."

Krista bristled, a pouty scowl twisting its way onto her features. "Would you stop it?"

"If that's a royal decree, then I suppose I have no choice," Annie said, her voice perfectly even. If Krista hadn't known better, she would have thought that the girl in front of her was perfectly serious. Not even her eyes glinted with amusement; they were dull.

"I never thought you'd be this infuriating," Krista sighed, crossing her arms. "And to think I was going to try and be nice."

"It Krista or Historia?" Annie asked, looking like her usual bored self, but in actuality, she was interested about how the sweet girl in front of her was royalty; it was the only reason she was even participating in this conversation.

"Does it really matter? Krista never existed?" And as she speaks those words, she remembers a conversation with Eren from only a few weeks ago.

They were waiting for their shift on guard duty to end; the sun was just setting and they would be relieved by a couple of veterans in a few minutes.

"Why don't you go by Historia," Eren asked suddenly, "if that's your real name?"

There was no answer but the soft wind ruffling their hair, carrying a warm, summer breeze, and Eren wondered if maybe that wasn't a question that he should've asked her, He opened his mouth to apologize, but Krista started to speak.

"Historia Reiss was a lonely little girl who knew nothing of love but what she read in the books. The same way you longed for the outside world after reading about it, the same way I longed for some kind kind of loving contact.

"Krista Lenz, however, was someone who could've been the heroine in any number of stories. I'd rather be her for a day than my other, empty self for a lifetime."

She took a step forward and grasped the edge of the stone wall with her small hands. "I renounce the surname Riess."

Eren was quiet for a few moments. He stepped to the edge of the tower along with her, staring out into the lengthening shadows.

"I kind of liked you as Historia, though," he said. "To be honest, I didn't like you much before. You were willing to do anything to keep the peace in between us as recruits, even if it was just ice-thin. It seemed forced, and from what you've told me, it looks to me like you're caught in between your two personas, trying to make yourself one or the other. If you like Krista so much, then make her how you want to be. Historia to me is a painfully honest person."

"Is everything so simple in your eyes," Krista sighs.

"I try to make it that way," Eren murmured, "but it never turns out that way."

"Historia reminds you of her, doesn't she," Krista said, turning her head to watch the sun set.

There was no need to ask who 'she' was.

"A little," Eren confessed, "but I'd rather you be you. Don't be having an identity crisis in the middle of this big mess."

"I'll try," Krista said, smiling softly to herself.

"Am I getting an answer," Annie asked, jerking Krista out of her memory.

"I would prefer Krista," she said stiffly. "I've become quite attached to my persona, and for good reason. It's much better than what I would have been."

"And what would have been," Annie asked.

"Someone much worse than you, I would think. I'll be happy to see my family off the throne," Krista said.

After that, the conversation stopped for a while, and Krista rekindled it with her usual kindness.

"I brought you some water, Annie."

"Not thirsty."

"Not hungry either, I see." Krista said, her voice growing tight.

"Didn't feel like eating. I'm interested in knowing how all of this happened. You, the child of the king," Annie said.

"I'll tell you if you drink some water," Krista said.

"And I'm supposed to be the frustrating one here? Stop being nice, that's infuriating," Annie said dryly. "But fine."

"See, that wasn't hard." Krista walked over to her beside, handing the water skin to Annie.

"You're breaking the rules," Annie said before taking a drink. "Not supposed to get this close."

"I'm the queen. I can break the rules," Krista said, her voice taking on a slightly mocking tone, though it was not directed at Annie.

"You're the queen only when it suits you, more like it," Annie said, handing the water skin back to Krista.

"True, and it works," Krista said, turning curtly and making her way back to the other end of the room. "My mother was a servant in the king's household, then she became his mistress, and then I became a mistake. Simple as that."

One would respect there to be resentment in her voice, in the way she said it, short and to the point, but there was none. Her words were empty, as was her eyes when she told the story.

"He wanted nothing to do with me, of course, and neither did my mother, and finally, he was actually going to accept me into the royal family, but questions were asked, I was to be killed. It was decided that I was to take a new name and die in the military instead.

"Krista Lenz is a fake person, but I like her far more than my hollow self. Maybe I can gain a new personality as queen."

"A short story would suffice. No need to go in depth about your feelings," Annie said, raising one eyebrow. This was more interesting than she had initially thought.

"It's much easier to tell a stranger your secrets," Krista said curtly.

"Ah, so I'm a stranger," Annie said, pondering the words. '

"None of us know you now," Krista reminded Annie.

"Maybe I can make myself a new person, like you, princess," Annie said, pretending to muse over the prospect.

"Stop calling me princess," Krista said rather forcefully.

"Sorry," Annie apologized slowly, letting the word roll of of her tongue. There was that cynical tone again. "Should it be queen, or perhaps I should address you as your majesty, with a nod of my head for a bow?"

"Maybe making yourself a new personality wouldn't hurt," Krista snapped, and then cut herself off quickly. Her voice softened. "Would you please stop calling me princess?"

"Only because I don't fancy it being 'off with my head' when all's said and one," Annie said. She was actually enjoying the conversation. Strange.

"No one's going to kill you unless you go back to being our enemy," Krista sighed. "As long as you're fighting with us-"

"I had the same conversation with Eren. I'm not on your side," Annie said. If the conversation was going to turn in this direction, she would grow bored with it.

"Fine. I'm not going to go on about the good inside of you, even though I know there is some," Krista said. "You might think you're just helping to survive, but I don't think that's the whole story."

"Anything else you want to say?" Annie asked.

"I have many questions, but I have a feeling I'm not going to get any answers to most of them," Krista said, "but I guess I want to know, truthfully, will I be able to trust you?"

"Depends on the situation," Annie said coolly. "If helping someone doesn't directly correspond with my usefulness to the Survey Corp, then I'll do nothing at all. Simple as that."

"Good to know…" Krista filed that information away for later. "I guess that's all, then." She turned to leave. See you, Annie," Krista sighed.

"This was fun," Annie said. "Let's do it again, sometime. I'll be right here."

Krista gave no response. "I'm done here, Mikasa.

Mikasa nodded and then unlocked the door. Krista walked out, shaking her head once.

That was stranger than I thought it would be, she sighed. And after that, you're even more of a mystery, Annie.

0~o~0

"Well, Armin?"

Several pairs of eyes peered intently at him. Their faces were so close to his, bodies leaning over meals to look closely.

"I don't know why you're asking me," Armin said, pushing back slightly. "I haven't even seen her yet."

"But you're the smart one," Sasha pointed out. "So, let's hear it."

"Wait, why not," Connie asked at the same time.

"My question first," Sasha said, digging her elbow into Connie's side. "It's the one we all want to know, so ask yours later."

"Hold up, I wanna know both," Ymir said.

"Same here," Krista added.

Reiner and Mikasa nodded.

"Alright fine. I'll answer your questions," Armin sighed. Honestly, it was just his speculation at this point in time, yet his fellow 104th graduates seemed to think that anything that came out of his mouth was a fact.

"First off, no, I don't think Annie's lying," he began, holding up a hand to quiet those who were about to object. "But neither do I think we should trust her. I'm glad she's going to help us, but there's no telling that she won't attempt to escape when she sees any opening, which is why we can't give her one.

"However, a dog isn't loyal to a master that prevents it from running away because he's scared of it. We need to show Annie that were willing to trust her, but only when she proves we can. Everyone has the potential to be a good need to play it safe."

Not missing a beat, Connie repeated his earlier question. "Why didn't you go to see her? Thought that would be something you would have done, and I bet you have a ton of questions."

"Most of which won't be answered," Armin finished. "She looked tired to me. So many people have already gone to see her. She's most likely wanting some space right now. I know I'd be a bit overwhelmed with this new information, and from the way your conversation went," Armin nodded at Krista, "she sounded pretty annoyed. None of us really know anything about her past intentions, but she seems to be pretty clear on what she wants."

It was at that moment Eren stormed into the mess hall, and from the look in his eyes, his friends knew immediately how unhappy he was. He threw himself down beside Mikasa, crossing his arms with a dark look.

"Woah, Eren, what's up with you. Ya look pissed off," Ymir asked, a hint of a smirk in her voice as usual.

"Was it Annie? Or Levi?" Krista asked, speaking over Ymir.

"Levi," Eren said darkly, grabbing a piece of bread off of Jean's plate and ignoring the angry shout of protest. He bit into it, tearing a piece off with his teeth with a sneer.

Armin lifted a hand to place it on his friend's shoulder, but then seemed to think against it. He hadn't seen Eren this angry in a few months; he was more mellow now that the world was smaller. Darker. Crueler.

Mikasa didn't sigh, but her change in demeanor did not go unnoticed by Armin. Her eyes closed just a fraction; her shoulders fell just a bit in a silent sigh.

She knows what's gotten into him, Armin thought. He leaned forward to look over at Eren. "So, Eren, if you don't mind me asking, what happened?"

"If you don't mind, Armin, I really don't feel like having this conversation," Eren began, leaving the sentence unfinished.

In front of everyone, Armin finished it in his head. He gave a small nod to Eren, and then turned his attention back to the others at the table. "So, Jean, what do you think?

All attention at the table turned to him. Jean let out a long breath, running one hand through his two-toned hair. "I'm going to keep my blades ready," he said after a few moments, "because I don't know what to think yet. I didn't know Annie then, and I certainly don't know her now. I saw that cruelty firsthand when she killed those soldiers, and I don't want her to have that chance again.

"So, I'm going to keep my blades ready," he repeated, finishing his thoughts.

Armin nodded. "Anyone else have an opinion to share?" At this point, I feel like some type of therapist, he realized. But there can't be any large disagreements to divide us at this point in time, when things are the way they are.

"My thoughts are in the same place as Jean's," Connie shrugged. "I can't be as angry at her as most of the other soldiers here; no one close to me died. I just want everything to turn out ok, and if Annie can help us do that, then we're going to work with her. It's simple as that."

"No, it's not that simple," Jean said, gritting his teeth. "She could turn on us and kill you in a second. Half of the Survey Corp's best soldiers couldn't fight her. What makes you think we'll last for more than a minute in a fight against the Female Titan? I wouldn't trust her at all."

Before Connie could reply, Armin cut in. "Guys, this is exactly what we need to avoid. We can;t be arguing with we're accepting someone this dangerous back into our ranks."

Reiner finally entered the conversation. "Listen, we've all fought and survived with each other; we know we can trust one another to the end. Nothing can change that." He looked at all of their faces, and nobody contradicted him.

"Reiner's right guys," Sasha interjected. "If there's danger, no one's going to be standing by the sidelines."

Almost everyone nodded in agreement.

0~o~0

She could feel a few sets of eyes on her, and made sure not to stir. Fake-sleeping was something she had easily perfected over the years, when nightmares left her wide awake and shaking. It was a different way of perfecting control over her mind and body, especially when her bunkmate's maternal concern was so tempting.

If Annie had to guess, it was night. The torches in the hallway, from what she could see, were burned down low, making a soft orange light creep into her room. It was both slightly comforting and unsettling, and even more so of the latter with the voices outside, low and threatening.

"Hey, titan, come on out here and fight me. C'mon, I'm sure a midget like you could land a few hits on my knees."

Whispers, chuckles, a low, dirty insult concerning how she was just tall enough the provide some pleasure.

A snicker and low mutterings. Then laughter. From what she could hear, there were four of them, one female and the rest male. It had started an hour ago, with cat calls and insults and loud voices.

The guard didn't object, even offering a degrading comment once in awhile. They were more annoying than offensive; she'd thought most of what they'd said, and understood why they were saying such things. It was so stupid: to them, she was sleeping and not hearing anything. There was no reaction. Couldn't they at least wait until day so she could infuriate them with dead eyes and cold ignorance? She was good at pretending people weren't there. The fact that this wasn't fun for them somehow made them even more annoying, somehow.

"All of you, out now."

The voice was soft and sharp. It was partnered with a gaze that was somehow uncaring but so judgmental.

"We're not doing anything that's not allowed," one of them said smugly. "No rule against it." The answer had obviously been prepared before hand, and was delivered confidently.

"Out," Mikasa repeated the order, punctuating it with a glare. She moved her hand to the hilt of her sword, unamused, walking to the door to assume her position. "I'm not going to ask you again."

The soldiers looked at one another, and then simultaneously hurried to the stairs. She watched them leave and then turned to look into the room. Two piercing eyes studied her.

"That was unnecessary."

"They were annoying."

"Unneeded."

"So, you enjoyed that?"

"Not particularly."

"Need a lullabye to get to sleep now?"

"Maybe."

There was a challenge in both of their voices, a tone that both of them enjoyed, and the conversation ceased soon after, leaving the hallway in a comfortable silence.