Toy Soldiers (2)
Fritz tried to stand up, but, Annie's blow to his leg had really done a number on him. He was forced to look upside down at Mina, who smiled as she approached. Behind her was a scowling Ymir, head turned as she appeared more interested in everything besides his dilemma. Really, she was just trying to stifle her laughter.
"Annie gets really upset whenever you're around. It's obviously not working in your favor!" Mina said with a chuckle.
She helped him to a sitting position at which point Ymir injected herself into the conversation.
"We were watching you two the whole time. You really are a stupid bastard, aren't you?"
Ignoring her comment, wherever Annie wandered off to, any other day he would've followed, but, after this, he really didn't want to upset her any further. He'd suffered enough pain for one day—for once. Instead, the sky overhead was crystal clear, no clouds to be seen...
He frowned. "Hey, Mina, can you help me…?"
"Ah! Of course!"
Mina putting herself underneath his shoulder to help him walk. She looked back at Ymir, asking her to help, but, the other girl waved her off.
"I'll pass."
"Ymir! You're really just…! Ah..." Whatever she was going to say, Ymir had left. Face contorted in disbelief, Mina shouted for her to come back, but Fritz told her it wasn't necessary.
"Let's just get to the infirmary."
"You're right! Sorry!"
He laughed. "It's okay..."
Mina shook her head. "Nhmm. No, it's not! Come on!" she said, starting there.
"T-thanks, Mina…" His frown disappeared.
It was then they heard someone scream loudly, and both of them looked for the source, seeing Eren clutching his knee and staggering forward. He was holding a wooden knife.
Fritz didn't even have to guess who his opponent was—he'd already annoyed her enough as it was—and winced when Annie proceeded to flip Eren over on his back, simultaneously stealing the knife from him and tossing it to Reiner, and it was all over a second later, when he was left in the same position as Eren. Though, instead of walking away, she started talking, using Reiner's behind as a seat, to Eren who'd yelled something at her. Fritz told Mina to take him closer. He strained to hear her words.
"... The only ones who take this seriously are either people like you who do whatever they're told, or real idiots."
Out the corner of his eye, Fritz caught a glimpse of Connie as the Chief Instructor lifted him by the sides of his face while Sasha shrunk away with her arms raised. His attention snapped back to Annie and Eren when he heard the other boy grunt in surprise. She'd taken the opportunity to twist his arm, the knife at his throat.
"For whatever reason, the better equipped you are to fight Titans, the farther away you're assigned from them. Where do you think this farce begins?" she said loud enough for Fritz to hear clearly as Eren tried freeing himself without success. "Isn't it because that's how humans really are?" Staring him dead on now, she got off Eren, holding the knife to her chest.
Fritz blinked, not sure if she was talking about himself or someone else. Her eyes narrowed eyes as she continued to talk to an angry and confused Eren, who'd since gotten up.
"Anyway, I'm not stupid enough to enjoy playing soldiers in this shitty world."
With that, she turned and walked in their direction, the knife at her side as Eren—and Reiner—stared after her before going back to discuss what just happened with one another. When she came closer, Fritz could feel something… different… about her as held out his hand in greeting, only for her to ignore him completely.
Mina spoke up. "You didn't actually mean any of that stuff you said. Right, Annie?"
Annie stopped. "... Does it matter?" she responded after a moment of silence.
Then, she was gone.
The doctor on duty lifted his leg. It was purple and swollen.
"You're going to be out for a while with an injury like this," he said. Gently setting it back down on the bed, he jotted something down on a clipboard. "What happened?"
"Oh. You know..."—he winced as the doctor began cleaning and sterilizing it from potential infection—"The usual. Have to if I want to get a good score."
The doctor simply shook his head. He finished dressing the injury, and told him to stay off it, that he would be back to check on him later in the day, leaving shortly thereafter, and once he was gone, Fritz looked down at his bandaged leg.
... What Annie had said about her father… Her father taught her… what exactly?
His own father had been a high ranking member of the Military Police, but, lost his position after disobeying orders and abandoning his post to help out in the turmoil immediately following Maria's fall. Slipping into depression, substituting his duty for drink, he wasted his last days as a tavern regular. Based upon her skill in martial arts, her father must have been a member of the military, too. His thoughts grew cold.
The doctor came back, clipboard in hand.
"It appears you'll be healed in time for you to stand at graduation. The only problem is… hmm… If you were thinking of being a part of the military anytime soon, you can kiss that dream goodbye. I'll let the Chief Instructor know," the doctor said, heading back out. "Get some rest." He shut the door behind him.
He sighed. Normally, he would've been devastated, but, thinking of how angry Annie had been, just repeatedly kicking him over and over and over again—enough times to break his leg in multiple places even—beneath that, hidden, he was relieved. He was relieved, because to be honest, he was scared of the Titans despite his bravado. And, he knew, too, that Annie... that beneath her own facade, was something there, too. Fear.
Treat the whole world as your enemy. Promise me.
"But of what…?" he whispered aloud to himself.
