DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SHINGEKI NO KYOJIN.

Date Uploaded: January 31, 2017- Tuesday.

Note: Advanced apologies for the OOC's.

So we got some drama and lots more of that until here. After this is the Legion Arc okay? For now, bear with me! *chuckles* I may have prepared some of these for further character development and stuff, auright?

BEWARE OF EXTREME DRAMA AND VIOLENCE! I REPEAT! WARNING! BEWARE OF THE EXTREME DRAMA AND VIOLENCE!

I shouldn't note this but you guys already know that. Still.. anything that you say is odd or out of the canon-verse, please don't say it! I know! This fic is now being independent because anime season 1 ended already! And until I watch season 2 I guess I'll be making up stuff! Alright? Alright? Good! Let's start!

Read on!

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE: THE TRUTH THAT CAN'T COME OUT
"I understand your resolve to save this girl.. but don't you think there's also this possibility that her humanity has long ago left her?" Erwin says and Armin glanced at Annie, seeing that she was watching them, listening to them, regardless that she was being pinned down on the ground. "What do you still have to say for this?"

Annie.. I don't know what's on your mind right now but I trust you. Hear out what's in MY heart.

"If her humanity left her already, then she wouldn't let me live in the first place.. she wouldn't have agreed to come with me when I was baiting her to go to the tunnel, she wouldn't have listened to me when I told her to stop hitting Eren back then, she wouldn't have stopped at the walls when she already has the chance to escape AND SHE WOULDN'T HAVE SAVED ME FROM BEING KILLED!"

With that, Levi and the others remembered seeing a dead Survey guard inside the cell.

"She killed him?" Erwin asked.

"He killed himself." Armin replied. Erwin didn't react or anything.

"She risked endangering herself to save you, is that a sign that she haven't left her humanity yet? Perhaps. But it doesn't prove where her loyalty lies." Erwin said and turned to Annie, drawing out his sword and plunging it on the ground beside Annie's face as he crouched beside her. "Tell me, where do the titans come from?" all the answer that he got was a glare.

Annie.. why aren't you saying anything? You're giving yourself a death sentence!

"You seem to have misunderstand your situation, Ms. Leonhardt. You're a prisoner here. No one knows you're here but us. No one will hear of this conversation but us." he says, trying to persuade the small blonde to speak. "Every soldier in this room, excluding Arlert, treats you as an enemy. And unless you tell us something useful.. you. Will. Die."

It was no point to sugarcoat his words. He went straight to the point but still, the small blonde didn't falter nor did she tremble in fear. Her eyes remained locked on his gaze, not a hint of fear, remorse or anxiety.

Erwin sighed as he got back on his feet and turning back to Armin.

"A soldier with this response is no doubt loyal to who she works for." Erwin tells the blonde boy. "I believe she didn't abandon the side of her that you see, Armin. But it's her loyalty to those who sent her here is what's making her an enemy."

When Armin was informed about it, he was confused at Annie's response.

Isn't she afraid to die? What does she truly feel? Which Annie is the real one? He's seen sides of her but he couldn't tell which one is the mask and which one is the real one. Is it the Annie with the murderous intent? The Annie that has no feelings? Or the Annie that has feelings?

Right now, he couldn't understand. What was it that is pushing the small blonde to go this far for the people she works for? Do they perhaps hold someone dear to her a hostage? She's forced to do this? Is she driven under fear? Which one.. is it?

"Armin!" Erwin was getting impatient from Armin's lack of response to the case. "I think you see now who you're trying to save."

"Commander.. please.." even so.. Armin wouldn't give up as he clenched his fists and looked Erwin in the eyes. "..please give me a chance to talk to her. Please!" he begged as he lowered his head to plead.

Levi rolled his eyes at Armin's persistence but Erwin acknowledged it.

"If your way works, then we will give Annie a chance. If not, then we will do everything we can to squeeze information out of her. You understand?" Erwin says and Armin nodded. "You have the whole night to do that."

The moment Erwin and everyone else left the room, Armin hurried to Annie's side and helped her sit up.

"Why Annie? How could you choose to live like this? I'm already helping you!"

"I trust you Armin.. that's why what I know stays with me." she replied.

"But that doesn't even make sense! If you trust me then why won't you tell me anything?! Would you rather that they torture you?!" he chided her. He was worried because of her stubbornness, she will be hurt. "Because I don't want that!"

"Even if you fail to persuade me to speak, you won't be punished if that's what you're afraid of." the small blonde replied simply. But..

You got it wrong, idiot!

"WHO ARE YOU TRYING TO FOOL?!" he yelled in anger. "I.. I did everything in my power to reach out to you so I can save you.. I didn't even expect to be given an ultimatum to choose between humanity and you.. and still you act as if all I'm after is the information you have!"

"Isn't that what you're trying to do?!"

"YOU TRUST ME DON'T YOU?! THEN WHY DO YOU THINK THAT WAY?!"

Please Annie.. LET ME help you...

Annie's fingers balled to a fist, tighter.. tighter.. until blood dripped from her palms. "No matter how hard I tell myself you're not like everyone else.. I'm too scared to take a step forward and trust you."

"You can start trusting me now." Armin says and placed his hands on Annie's hands to ease the anger inside her. Whatever was causing it. "No matter what, I will be on your side. Before and after you prove your innocence.. you can count on me, not to betray you! I promise!"

With those words he let go, the small blonde smiled shortly.

"Thank you. I guess I've decided what to do now."

What a relief.

With a smile now forming in the blonde boy's face, he later finds himself leaning closer to Annie, pressing his lips to hers. It was merely an ephemeral kiss since Armin realized what he's done and quickly retracted from the kiss.

"E- Erm, forgive me! I didn't know what came to me!"

But he didn't receive a slap or a kick. The girl was caught in surprise that all she did was touch her lips where she had physical contact with the boy. Blushing deeply because of it. Armin guessed that it was probably her first kiss and he stole it!

"AH! I'm really sorry!"

Meanwhile, Ymir just got back from making up with her missed spar with Sasha and was tired from the day. She entered her room and found Krysta already asleep while smiling. She smiled, knowing it's the first time Krysta smiled while sleeping. She was about to tire for the day but she can sense someone's presence inside the room.

Being attacked from behind, she was blindfolded and warned not to move or Krysta gets hurt. Ymir quickly assessed that there's two of them in the room.

"What do you want?" she asked, lessening the volume of her voice.

"Marcel. Does his name ring a bell?" the man pinning her on the ground asked. He had his knee pushing her back to the floor. "Answer!" he kept his voice also at a low volume.

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"I've never even heard of his name before!"

"But you killed him!"

"I didn't kill anyone!" The more she denied, the harder the man's knee pressed on her back. "Look, you must've mistaken me for someone." she tried a different angle to converse with the trespassers, After all, Krysta's life is at stake.

"It's you. I'm certain." the man said. "But are you really not sure?"

"I really don't remember killing anyone. So yes, I'm sure." when he still didn't let go, she probably should apologize for it. "If I killed someone in my sleep, I'm sorry. Okay?"

The weight has lifted and footsteps have gone. She quickly removed the blindfold in her eyes to see who they were but they were already gone. Her only clue was the guy's strength.

"Hey Bert, you okay?" Reiner asked as he entered their room. Bertholdt was sitting in his bed, deeply thinking about something.

"I'm worried about Annie." his friend says.

"Don't worry about her! No one can break through that tough shell of hers! She can pretty much handle herself better than we could." he tried to cheer his friend up but he can see that it's not working. He dropped his cheery face and sat beside Bertholdt. "Is it because of Armin?"

"They said Annie already reached the wall when she was escaping. All that's left for her is to run in the woods." Bertholdt tells him. "But.. at the very last second she just stopped moving and stared back at the city. Or maybe she was looking at him. And surrendered."

"Hey we don't know that for sure. Annie wouldn't give everything up because of him."

"But she cried in his arms!" Bertholdt exclaims with extreme jealousy. "She's never shown that side to us, did she?!"

"N- No."

"Then why?! Why to HIM?!"

Reiner can tell that he was indeed jealous. He wasn't sure what to say except that.. "Bert.. if it's gonna help make you feel better, I'll try to contact someone to find out how she's holding up in prison, okay? And you're going to be darned surprise to find out that she's still sleeping in that crystal of hers!"

"Y- You're probably right."

"Now get a goodnight's sleep."

"Thank you Reiner."

Like a big brother, Reiner made sure he tucked Bertholdt to sleep before looking up at the sky, thinking about their childhood friend.. Annie.. just what are you thinking? Even us, your childhood friends, don't know you anymore. Is it really because of Armin?

The following day, Armin wakes up and found himself sleeping alone in the cell where Annie once was.

Huh? Where's Annie?

He turned to the door left open ran outside, seeing guards walking around.

"Excuse me!" he ran after them. "Where did they take the prisoner here in this cell?" he asked. The two guards exchanged looks before replying.

"The torture chambers."

Tor.. ture.. cham.. bers?

WHY? Didn't Erwin and I agreed on something last night? Didn't we had a deal? Furthermore... didn't I persuade Annie already? To trust in me? Then why.. why is this still happening?! No way! It can't be!

Is this a dream?

Trying to calculate what was going on, Hanji happened to pass by and saw him.

"Oh Armin, good morning! Your friends are looking for you, you should eat breakfast with them. They are worried of-" before Hanji could finish, Armin ran towards her and grabbed her by her jacket, his teary eyes fixated on hers.

"HANJI-SAN! Please tell me where Annie is!"

Leading Armin to Annie's location.. Armin was instructed to stay outside of the grilled bars where they can only watch from above while below, the torture chamber, was covered in fresh blood from the small blonde who was being tortured by Levi and Erwin standing inside the chambers, watching the morbid torture.

Armin was in complete shock that he couldn't cope up with what was happening. Hanji saw it almost immediately.

"Commander Erwin came to visit a few hours ago to know the result of your persuasion. But upon entering, he saw Annie standing by the door, both hands behind her back, returning commander's intense glare."

Flashback:

"Ms. Leonhardt.. I see you had a good night with Arlert." Erwin said when he eyed Armin who was asleep behind Annie.

"He fell asleep there, nothing happened." the small blonde said with a shrug.

"Have you decided yet?" he asked but she didn't answer. "Let me ask again.. have you. Decided. Yet?"

"I decided to side with you but what I know remains nothing but a mystery." the kind of answer Erwin wanted which later led to the jurisdiction that she was indeed their enemy.

End

"From that morning until now.. she still haven't spoken a single word. Not a hint of what we want to know." Hanji finished her explanation. "I thought for sure you convinced her though."

Yeah.. I thought so as well..

He thought as he closed his eyes so he doesn't have to see anymore of what Annie was going through down at the chambers of torture. Her screams echoed in his head though. At the end of the day, she really didn't say a single word. Not a plead for mercy nor the answer they seek. Just her screams of pain and anguish.

When you said you've decided.. is this it? Do you really choose to be an enemy? Did humanity hurt you this much that you won't help them? Help us? That you'd risk the chance I gave you?

"That's enough!" Erwin says and Levi stopped.

Annie was panting and was relieved that the whipping had stopped. She had no fingers left since all were already cut down by the captain. Her right arm was already broken while the other one can still move. Barely. She was kneeling down, facing the wall and her back facing Levi, the whip breaking through the piece of cloth she has and blood dripping from her fresh wounds.

Not like it was a problem since she will be regenerating.

Erwin stepped forward and Levi stepped back. Grabbing Annie's bangs to force her to look up, to look him in the eyes. The resolve was still there.

"I have to admit.. these people that sent you here trained you well." he compliments. Or did he? "Which will really change my motive of being here. I can just torture you for fun and not ask you questions since it seems like you're not gonna break anytime soon, are you?"

The small blonde said nothing but her huffs and puffs of breath.

"I see."

The commander threw her to the ground and started to kick her mercilessly. From her aching legs, to her stomach and her head. There was no limitation to where his big foot will reach. Armin couldn't handle it and grabbed Hanji by the jacket again. "HOW DO I GET IN THERE?!"

"A- Armin?"

"PLEASE!"

After breakfast, or well, Ymir skipped breakfast and gave Sasha her portion, saying that it's her reward for the spar last night but it was an excuse so she can be alone. Eren happened to pass by and see her.

"Hey." he greeted.

"Hey."

"You missed breakfast." He states. "So did Armin."

"Arlert is a big boy, he can handle himself." Ymir tried to hide her problems but Eren saw it earlier already.

"Something troubling you?" he asked but Ymir didn't answer. "You know when I have problems, I tell Mikasa or Armin. Usually one of them helps me out." he shared to her, hoping it helps.

"I don't want to tell Krysta about my problems." Ymir confessed hesitantly.

"Hmm? Why?"

"I just don't." refusing to talk about it, Eren thought it might be a sensitive topic to talk about. I wonder where Armin is.. he's better at this than I am.

"Okay. How about talking about it with me sounds?" he tried. "Or Mikasa?"

"Okay then. Have you ever felt like you've killed someone but don't remember you did? Like somehow.. it's just a dream but at the same time it isn't?" Ymir asked, her voice was serious. She's not arrogant or cheerful at the moment. She's serious. And Eren doesn't see this side of her that much. Or he doesn't see it at all. She didn't give Eren a chance to answer anyway. "Ah, that's crazy. Never mind."

"Honestly.. I've been asking myself the same thing." Eren confessed.

"What?"

"There are nights that I couldn't sleep because I've been having dreams about my father. I see him but later I don't. There's something in between that I don't remember or see in my dreams. But I know in the end my father dies." Eren says. "Of course the first thing that came to mind was that I killed him but how could I? So I thought.. maybe it's just a silly dream."

"But is it?" Ymir inquired.

Eren sighed. He haven't told anyone about it but.. "Between you and me.. it did feel like it was real. My memories about it is just messed up that it feels like it's a dream." Ymir said nothing while she tries to compare Eren's situation with hers. "Wait, why are you suddenly asking about it? Are you also having the same dreams?"

"N- No." she lied as she got back up. "Well, let's go look for your friend! See what he's up to!" she changed the topic. Eren took the change of subject as a sign that somehow, he helped Ymir.

Meanwhile Armin finally arrived at the torture chambers and hurried to use his own body as shield so Erwin's kicks and stomps would no longer hurt Annie.

"Arlert?" Erwin wondered where he came from. He turned behind him to see Hanji scratching the back of her head.

"PLEASE STOP!"

"We had a deal, Armin." Erwin reminded him.

"But this is unfair! THIS IS UNFAIR!" Armin was on the verge of tears. He couldn't understand. Why?

"Armin.." Annie calls to him and he freezes.

"Annie?"

"..I chose this." she tells him. But even so, he couldn't accept that.

"WHY?! WHY WOULD YOU?! HOW COULD YOU?! I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO TRUST ME!" losing his cool, he didn't care. Annie waited until her fingers have healed and slaps Armin in the face to stop his whining.

"Armin.." she locked her eyes to his and Armin felt as if they were talking to each other telepathically. Armin remembered that a Survey guard tried to kill him and right now the reason Annie wasn't saying anything was because they'd know. "..this is the truth that can't come out." she finishes after purposely missing out the middle details. But Armin already understood.

She does trust him but she couldn't risk him dying. They can guard him 24/7 but the fact that a traitor can pretend to be a Survey guard with no one even doubting him, then it's too dangerous. They don't know how many of them are out there. Right now he can only allow the torture to happen. So those people that Annie works for will believe that she is still on their side.

"Hey Armin where have you been?" Eren greeted as soon as he and Ymir found him walking to the warehouse.

"Oh uh, I lost track of time. I've been reading." he lied but Eren bought his fake smile.

"Well hurry up! Sasha got us a nice meaty meal!"

But Ymir can see through Armin's lie.