After the first trains arrived, a few days after came the trains with the sick and wounded.
Don't you feel lucky you'll never be like these ones? Look at them, no arms, no legs, missing eyes, maimed and twisted. They can't find solace even inside their own heads.
Can you fight wars without losing people?
You can, but you fight it on paper. You build up a narrative, fabricate lies. After the train arrived the builders. The internment zone was to be completely rebuilt, there had to be a stage, stands for people to sell their wares, ribbons and flowers to cover up the despair. For the first time in ages, possibly literally, the four warriors are all together in Liberio capable of meeting up with their families and spending some off duty time.
I'm telling you, we should invade the island demons as soon as possible!
What for? There are three very dangerous titans out there and we haven't managed to gather up our forces for an all out assault.
What do you mean what for Gabi? It's for Reiner. If he gets on the island and manages to eat one of the defenders then he's bound to gain the same power Pieck has! He would be able to live on a long life!
There would be no more warriors then!
Do you care so much about inheriting the titan's powers that you would sacrifice Reiner for it?
Gabi is right Falco! To be a warrior is an honour, one that has been granted to me, one which I accepted knowing full well the consequences.
But, but, wouldn't you rather live a long life?
To be fair Falco, I feel like I've lived ten lifetimes by now. They separate inside the internment zone, Gabi and Reiner going their way to hold a family dinner. Two days from there the internment zone was opened to the public. Food, music, spectacle, everything was crammed up in that small hole making it burst with people and entertainment.
A letter. It arrived late...
A letter from who?
Family, they are coming to visit for the announcement. Someone has been lazy at the postal office, this should have arrived two days ago!
Leave them be. What harm did it do? Look on the bright side, I'm going to meet your family.
Yeah, I bet you'd all get along perfectly. The two later headed out. Kirk was fighting an internal battle, something he couldn't win. It was too hard but he had to control himself, yet it was so close, his goal was so close but then again, it was so poisonous.
I'll eat one of everything there is here to eat! Not one voice said that but three! Three people thought out the very same thing and shouted it in three different corners of the city at the same time. There are a lot of colourful folk around, not necessarily talking about the ones wearing bright make-up. Kirk for one was making himself a fool by carrying around a mountain of everything there was to eat.
You're worst than a titan, devouring food without even chewing it.
Later I'll run lapses around the whole city, I swear, just let me have this today.
You won't get any dinner!
Now that's just cruel, I was going to ask my aunt to cook for me her special venison roast!
Then learn to control yourself or you won't get any. Can you even see in front of you behind that wall of food?
Frankly, I'm following the sound of your footsteps.
Can you really tell the sound of my steps in this crowd?
Of course I can, who else has the incline of walking on all fours. Even now I can feel your intent of walking on your hands.
Your hearing is scary, your eyesight is scary. You're just like the wolf in that fairy tail.
Yo Pieck! Out enjoying the festival? Porco says meeting the two on the street. They form a group and head out around the festival before searching for the rest of the Warriors. The whole days is spent eating exotic food, joking around and laughing. By sunset they would have to join the rest of the military as security so they enjoyed the time off they had. In the evening only Pieck and Porco were at their designated positions. Zeke was gone, Reiner nobody managed to see him and Kirk. Kirk just arrived and sat behind Pieck. He leant forward as if to rest his hands on his knees.
Don't move now but I've found proofs of enemy incursion. We need to move and act immediately to stop them.
What?
Keep calm. We might be watched. Look forward.
What do we do?
We go looking for them. You are titan shifters and I'm unarmed. I'll lead you to them then I'll head out and gear up.
Lead the way. Pieck and Porco get up and follow Kirk. A shadow through the night guides them, just as he said, something was wrong, someone was moving trying to be unseen. The shadow enters a building and the three of them follow.
Where did it go?
Just a little forwards! Kirk says. The trap door open. Pieck and Porco fall into the shaft.
This is for Ymir you fucker! Kirk says throwing a bottle of acid in Porco's face.
What the hell! Pieck shouts startled. A bloodied scalp and a children's book reveal the truth. "The ballad of Gustav the gallant knight and other fairy tales". Pieck looks at the top of the hole shocked.
Don't give me that look. Gustav says sitting on a nearby table.
No, not you.
Do you have the slightest idea how many times I've shouted that in my head? Do you feel sick to the stomach now? Imagine all I had to do, imagine how I felt. You've learnt the truth now, I've had that same reaction twice! Gustav rolls up his sleeves.
What kind of people did captain Levi used to know? It cost me a literal eye to get things done, the bastard who worked on me wanted to try titan flesh so I fed him my left eye. They could have even change my face, these scars, mere tattoos, complicated ones to be sure but mere illusions done by master tricksters. I had to have fake hair sown into my scalp to fool everyone, damn was that painful. The weight was the easiest, I don't know how you never realised I've been wearing some tucked up clothes around my waist in the beginning. Wishful thinking on your part perhaps, it's not even a bad joke, how did you lied to yourself into thinking someone was so into you to lose weight and get muscles in less than a month.
And Kirk Dorn?
A well fabricated lie. Do you think I just sank the ships you've sent kept sending to Paradise island? All the ammunition and military supplies fetched me a handsome price on the black market. The rest was just me giving people money to keep their moths shut, or to speak up.
Why are you telling me all this?
I wanted to boast a little, the feeling of accomplishment I feel right now is absurd. Oh, how many times did I wanted to use that fish knife to stab you in the throat, the "massages" I used to give you, lies I've invented on the spot when I realised my hands were wandering around your neck wishing to strangle you. Oh, did I had a strong stomach, did I performed. Gustav stops for a second and looks at that expression of despair.
Nothing to say? No remark of me being a lying monster?
Why did you do all this? Wouldn't it have been easier to just not be seen?
I wanted to feel it, to have the same feeling Reiner had when he broke down the gates of the walls. I wanted to know how it felt to kill people you've lied to for years. My mission was simple though, the amount of informations I've sent to my allies, enough to win us the war. That's what your leader is about to do tonight, he's about to declare a world wide movement against Eldia. He's going to proclaim the beginning of a new war.
And you are planing to retaliate?
Silence cattle! You've attacked first, if you would have left the gates untouched, if you would have never allowed the titans to trample through the inner walls awakening the Cowled titan then me I would have never been here! No one would have had to die. You strike against your own people for what? For a feeling of being better, for a coloured armband saying "look at me, they accept me as one of them?" What is this hellish joke? Resentment over events two thousand years into the past? Why did people had to die?
Why do people have to die now?
Can you? Can you get out of that hole and promise me no one would die? Can you really tell me that if I don't do nothing your leaders will just stop all their actions and leave Paradise island alone? You want the founding titan, you want our land, you want our crystals, you want all but never want to give anything in return. Other nations came, they waved a white flag in our faces, rose their hands into the air and showed us they were opened. Other nations showed us they were willing to negotiate, technology, peaceful relationships, diplomacy, there were other nations that thought us that, not Marley. You just went ahead and killed Ymir. If I'm not one foot in the grave for letting you take her, I could have saved her but that would have blown out my cover... Oh, but I've been talking for too long. It's about time I enter the stage myself.
What are you going to do?
I'm going to rise my hands and show them they are opened. The rest is up to them.
Tell me, back then, when you asked me on which side would I be in a war between Marley and Eldia, would things have changed if I would have answered Eldia?
That's up to you Gustav says leaving the room. Outside everyone was quite listening to Willy Tybur making his speech.
And so, I stand here before you asking: Are you ready to...
Are you ready to offer peace? A voice from the crowd interrupts him.
Peace with the devils? Don't be ridiculous. If they'd have the chance they would swallow the whole world.
What if there was a way to remove the titans from the world, no more Marleyan titans, no more Eldian titans? Are you willing to make peace then? Willy does not answer. He knew too well that under the hypothesis of a world without titans Marley would lose their world primate.
You won't answer... "Then there's war!" Two voices echo through the sky. The building in behind the stage explodes with Eren's titan erupting out of it. On the other side, the Knight titan appears furious ready to bear down the whole wrath of Paradise island on Marley.
Look at you, locked up like cattle in this hole, in this pen fit only for pigs. Taught only to hate yourself, taught only to live and die as livestock for Marley to fuel their war machine. In this world, there is no one I want to kill more than all of you. A gunshot breaks through the silence of the night. That was the first counter attack against the island devils. It was not much but it was the first. Quickly it was silenced. From the night sky the devils arrived, riding upon the winds they swoop down on the marleyan soldiers killing them. The scouts were there to aid the two titans in their battle. After the first gunshot from the earth rose a now titan, the warhammer titan. It rose to face Gustav looking forward to put to the test the powers of the "imitator". Where were you looking warhammer titan? A punch from behind slams the warhammer into a nearby building with enough force to raze it to the ground. From underneath the warhammer rose a giant spike and it impaled Eren on it. A thunder lance hits the warhammer in the face and Mikasa swoops in to retrieve Eren just in the nick of time. Gustav takes the initiative and jumps towards the corps of the warhammer titan ripping off an arm and a leg in order to create two axes.
They are fighting outside! We need to find a way out of here! Pieck says as Porco finally finished healing from the acid Gustav threw in his face. He acid wasn't strong enough to kill but damn if it wasn't chosen as the most painful retaliation possible. Two soldiers arrive and lend them a hand getting out of the hole. They were guided there by a trail of blood. Why did Gustav left it behind was a mystery. The two run outside and Porco rushes turning into a titan then running towards the battlefield. Gustav sees Porco from behind the buildings and as he was about to jump and pounce on Eren the Knights slashes down one of the axes hitting Porco right in the face sending him flying backwards as if a bat hit a baseball ball. A cannon shot made the second axe fly out of Gustav's hand however. The defenders already managed to bring out their heavy weapons and started firing on the two titans. Eren return to his titan form and started fighting the warhammer titan managing to find it's weakness. When he tried biting into the crystal however it was useless. His mouth and jaws were too weak to break through. An explosive barrel explodes in the air hitting Gustav right in the shoulder, just in front of the nape. His instincts saved him.
The next strike you won't be able to dodge it. Zeke shows up armed with numerous explosive barrels ready to take back control of the fight.
Did you enjoyed yourself? Of course you did, rising your hands into the air, screaming as you were massacring the scouts. This is vengeance two years into the making. I'll boil you alive. Gustav rushes through the barrage of attacks towards the Beast titan seeking to put and end to him. As he passes beyond a tall building he is ambushed. The jaws titan jumped on his face scratching off his helmet. Gustav grabs the jaws by the head, grabs one of it's arms and rips it off, turns it into a dagger, stabs the titan through the chest then throws it into Eren's direction. Eren grabs the titan mid air and picks him by the head. He puts the warhammer's crystal in the Jaw's mouth and squashes. Unstoppable in his quest for revenge Gustav rushes forward and is stopped for a second time. First cannon fire allows Zeke to run away and put some distance between the two then smaller machine-gun fire stopped him. From a nearby rooftop Pieck was heading towards him.
Can't there be peace any more?
Enough already swine. I'll rip you out of your titan and make you pay for everything I had to endure! The lies I had to spin, the acts I had to do... Gustav looks at his hands, they were not covered in blood.
Who could ever fall for someone like you? You're not even human, you don't walk on two legs, your back is crocked and you're so terribly small! Are you even an adult? Gustav says. Behind him the Beast titan falls to the ground killed by Levi.
I'll take this rage out on the Beast. He whispers to himself yet somehow those words reached Gustav. Off in the distance a light covers the horizon. The whole navy was blown up! Armin as the colossal titan destroyed all those ships and now a flying one was coming their way. The scouts made the way for a flying ship to reach them. The anti armour guns were taken care of, most of the armed soldiers were eliminated and the dangerous titans were about to be dealt with. Pieck started running as Gustav gave chase. If he was to get his hands on her, he would grind her between his teeth.
Hurry up! We have to reinforce the soldiers! Gabi says as she rushed with a rifle into the internment zone. She had to avenge this attack, it was the perfect occasion, she would kill all of them, prove to the world that the eldians inside Marley were the good ones and redeem the eldian name once and for all. She stopped unable to move. On the ground there was a wounded and devastated Reiner who was blown to bits when Eren became a titan. Falco was running through the battlefield seeking a way out when he has Gabi and rushed towards her. Porco was beaten to hell and back by Eren and could barely stand any more. Zeke was being cut to pieces by Levi and Gustav was ripping off Pieck's back to pull her out of the Cart's body. A signal flare and the sound of engines stops everything. Their way home has arrive, Eldia's first flying balloon has come to take them home. The mission was completed, they had nothing more to stand around for. Eren gets out of his titan body wounded by the battle and takes for the ship. Gustav drops off Pieck on the ship and continues standing in his titan body to escort the ship outside the city. As scouts were retreating Gabi fires a shot killing one of them.
This is the time Falco! Gabi says grabbing onto the dead man's body OGD taking it all the way up to the flying balloon. Gustav didn't noticed them as they were hanging onto the side of the ship. When the balloon exited the city he run a little in front of the ship, straightened his arm and run along it to jump inside. Mid air he sees Gabi pointing the gun at the inside and jumps in front of her getting shot instead.
Enemies are on the ship! Jean shouts seeing Gustav on the ground all bloodied up.
Throw them off the board! Someone says.
Do that and I'll turn into a titan, I'll bite my own tongue and turn. Pieck says menacingly.
Good to know, we'll just muzzle you then.
I have a fake tooth, a sharp one, I've taken precautions! Even if you muzzle me it won't work!
Then I'll remove it myself! Jean says trying to check her mouth but she bites him instead.
She's bluffing. I know for a fact there's no such thing as a sharp tooth. I have direct experience.
I still feel sick to the stomach thinking! Pieck says lashing out at him.
You feel sick! I made a huge sacrifice!
Did you? Then you are the greatest actor in history, you should stop being a titan shifter and go work at a theatre because you didn't showed one sign of disgust or anger, might I say, you were completely satisfied!
What a lose woman you are! I could read you like a book!
Ehy! There are children here! Jean says stopping them from continuing their quarrel.
This conversation is not over. Gustav says pointing angrily at Pieck.
I won't destroy the ship until I have the chance to get my vengeance on you.
Hey Jean, what are those two talking about? Cony asks with Sasha behind him looking for some gossip. Their old pact still stands, Gustav still has to keep his promise, every nugget of gossip means new food for Sasha, even though she has a personal cook by now. Jean explains to them the situation and Sasha rushes to Gustav.
Damn it, it doesn't count if I'm the subject!