Shingeki no Kyojin is owned by Hajime Isayama.
Major Manga Spoilers! Be warned.
Chapter 10: Interlude II
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"Sasha, what did you mean by that exactly?" Connie asked in regard to her remark moments earlier.
"Uh... just, girl talk, ya know? Ah heh heh ha!" she laughed nervously trying to play it off like a joke. She had been doing so well too! How was she to guess Connie would just up and ask what was going on? He was Connie, stuff went over his head easily and not just because he was on the shorter side. She just had to mention Mikasa and being alone with Eren and now here she was.
"Girl talk?" Connie repeated. "I guess." Yes! He believed it. "But how would you know about alone time and how it feels?" Crap! "And better yet, why even mention Eren's name like that? You know he's engaged right?"
"Well... I... maybe I met someone. Happy?" it was impossible for Sasha to say that without turning a bit red. She didn't want to come across as a needy squirrel looking for a nut, but if it shut Connie up and kept him from finding out... sacrifices had to be made.
"You met someone?" Connie asked looking confused. "How?"
Now she felt insulted. "What's that suppose to mean, huh?!"
"Nothing" Connie raised his hands in surrender. "It's just, do you even know any guys outside of us Survey Corps guys? I know for sure it isn't Jean, and it isn't me, and unless you met a master chef, I don't know who. And you've been around headquarters a lot so when would you have time to go out?"
Damn! Connie was on point. "What if it's someone here, huh? What's so wrong with that?"
"Me and Jean are like the only 2 guys you hang out with," Connie said.
"Well... who said it was a guy?" Sasha didn't even think when she said that, it just sort of slipped out.
"Wait," Connie seemed to know what that implied. "Does that mean that you're-?"
"Sh-shut up!" Sasha whined, her face turning red. This is why she was terrible at lying. Whenever she had to cover it up, things just ended up getting more convoluted.
"Whoa, I didn't mean anything by that," Connie told her. "It's just, I never would have guessed that is all. I thought you were in love with food for as long as I've known you."
"Well that too, duh," Sasha calmed down knowing she had thrown Connie off the trail.
Connie nodded. "Yeah, it all makes sense now. Well you and Mikasa have known each other long enough."
"Huh?" Sasha asked, confused at what Connie was implying.
"Mikasa, that's who it is, isn't it? You said you stopped her from doing something to Annie, right? And if Mikasa really only does feel protective over Eren, that means she was calm because you did whatever it is you did."
Was Connie for real right now? "Uh... yeah. Yes. You got it right, Connie." Am I for real right now?!
"Well, congrats Sasha," Connie gave her a pat on the arm. "Man, this is either going to give Jean new fantasies or make him more of a mope than before."
"Yeah... haha... how crazy would that be." Sasha hated lying to her best friend about something like this, but she wasn't about to be the one to spoil the secret before it was officially announced. And if that meant entering a fake relationship with Mikasa, so be it!
Although, they technically were in the same relationship with Eren and that sort of counted already, but whatever!
Oh man... she did all of this without consulting Mikasa about it. Now she would have to tell her about this. But how would she even react to finding out Sasha had involved her in her web of lies. She dreaded to think of how it would play out. Maybe something along the lines of:
Mikasa:"Sasha, what is this I hear about you including me in your lie?"
Sasha: I'm sorry ma'am! Connie was getting close to finding out about the others and you! I had to throw him off the trail somehow!
Mikasa: You should have tried better and not tarnish my name. We were to be harem sisters. I thought you could be trusted.
Sasha: Please O Merciful Mikasa, I pray for forgiveness!
"Well, don't you worry about a thing Sasha," Connie's voice snapped her back to reality. "I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to. Your secret is safe with me!"
"Connie, you're worse at keeping secrets than I am."
"I just haven't been applying myself," Connie defended. "Besides, even if I do end up spilling the beans, it'll just be to Jean and who knows, maybe this'll be what he needs to get over Mikasa."
"Uh... right."
"Yeah. See you later then Sasha," Connie continued back the way he came and once he had rounded a corner, Sasha let out a sigh of relief.
That had been way too close. Now all that was left to do was go and find Mikasa so she could cover her tracks before Connie ended up telling the whole headquarters.
"Hello, Sasha."
"Eep!"
Coming around right behind her was the very person she was seeking out.
"M-Mikasa, hey! I was, uh, just coming to look for you."
"And I have found you," Mikasa said. "Did it have anything to do with what you just told Connie just now?"
The color drained from her face. "You heard that?"
"All of it."
"Uh, I can explain!" Sasha quickly said.
"I'm sure you can," Mikasa said as she took a step closer to Sasha. "But before you do, I have something to say to you." Mikasa reached a hand out to her and Sasha thought it was the end.
"Huh?" Sasha felt Mikasa gently put her hand on her shoulder.
"That was quick thinking on your part. Thank you, Sasha."
"You're not mad?"
"You showed dedication to keeping all the other relationships secret for now, including your own. I'm not in the best of moods today due to some rotten luck, but this has turned my day around quite a bit."
"It has?"
Mikasa nodded. "My feelings for Eren, if they are true love or something else, I can't deny them. I want to be near him, see him happy and safe. I've always had this feeling when being around Eren, I can't really explain it, but it feels right. But as of late, I've had to accept that it isn't just me that Eren will have a connection with. I always use to scare off the other girls in training, thinking that they weren't worth Eren getting to know. Knowing what I do now about the 9, I may have done more harm than good. Whenever I did, I felt that I had to. I felt that only I should be the one to have Eren's trust, but... I am grateful that you should also be one who can be trusted."
"Wow, gee, thanks, Mikasa," Sasha scratched at the back of her head. "For a second there I thought you were going to throttle me for getting you involved in my lie."
"Under normal circumstances, maybe." Gee, way to make me feel at ease. "But you did so to protect Eren. For that, I will accept it. Come on."
Sasha felt Mikasa grab her hand and drag her along. "Wait! Where are we going?"
"To find Eren," Mikasa said. "I saw him come back and go to the stables with Armin."
"Er, right!" That had worked out better than expected. But... if Mikasa was really committed to playing in with the lie until further notice, just how far was she willing to take it?
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"Mmm-mhh-mhmm," Frieda hummed a tune to herself as prepared a mortar and pestle. Her sweet and angelic sister had stopped by once again today much to hers and the children's delight. This time she came with goodies. A few books, new clothes and shoes, wooden toys, the like.
But for Frieda, she had a certain blue flower in store. She knew what it could be used for, of course, but the kids all seemed to think nothing of it as they should. They were far too young to be concerned with such perverse adult matters.
She knew how to make the concoction from the flower due to some lingering memories from the previous version of herself as Founding Titan. It was simple really, nothing really too difficult and Historia had seen fit to grace her with a large quantity for not only Eren but for the additional girls as well.
Hm. She had still to meet the others. Supposedly only 2 other girls knew of her existence and had both agreed to keep quiet about it. She was then indebted to these girls and would very much like to properly meet them and give her thanks. Perhaps her sister would be willing to act as an intermediary of sorts, maybe set up a discreet meeting for just the girls.
She only knew of them from those memory flashes she had gotten when touching Eren, but to actually form her own opinion on them, she would have to meet them in person. Perhaps they could all meet out here one of these days. The other girls might enjoy the calm countryside, entertain some of the kids. Kids who might overhear whatever they might discuss... that might include some rather adult things.
On second thought, maybe it would be better if they could all meet in a different location.
Yes, that would be for the better. As nice as it would be for the other girls to get more experience around kids, she wouldn't want to risk them hearing anything a child shouldn't. If she didn't know any better, she would say she was already thinking like a mother herself. She supposed it wasn't too concerning a thought. She no longer had the burden of passing down the Founding Titan to the next of the line and having that child's life cut short. She could go about it as a normal woman could.
"Hm." She put a finger to her chin. She knew she was getting way ahead of herself with this, but, if that was the case, she wanted to have as many kids as possible... within reason, of course.
Turning her attention back to her task, Frieda was distracted yet again by a knock coming from the door of her room.
"Hm. Yes?" Frieda turned and opened the door.
"Um, excuse me Miss. Frieda," the voice of a young girl spoke.
"Oh, hello little one," Frieda smiled thinking of a younger Historia. "What can I do for you?"
"I had a question about something and I didn't really know who to ask," she admitted. "The others would just laugh if I asked any of them."
"Well, I'd be more than happy to keep it a secret if you want." It would be far from the first secret she ever had to keep. "What is it that's on your mind?"
"The other day I heard the Queen talking with Mr. Eren and..." her face turned a bit red. "I saw them kiss."
Historia, you've gotten a bit careless. But as your elder sister, allow me to fix this for you. "Yes, I suppose they did. They will be wed one day so it is only natural to show such affection from time to time. Do you feel that way about one of the other children here?" Frieda turned the tables.
"N-no!" she quickly denied to Frieda's amusement. "But, they also said something that made me curious and no one's ever given me an answer to it."
"Oh, and what is that?"
"How are babies made?"
"W-what?!" Frieda was very glad she wasn't holding anything as she would have dropped it. "Y-you mean where they come from?"
"I guess." How could this girl sound so calm?!
"Well, ahem, not even I know about that."
"Really?" she didn't seem to believe that.
"Oh, yes. That is beyond even my knowledge. Best keep your innocence as long as you can." Frieda muttered that last part.
"Huh?"
"Nothing!"
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"That actually happened then?" Eren asked as Mikasa and Sasha got done explaining what they suspected and the lie Sasha came up with on the spot.
"I panicked, ok?" Sasha clearly didn't think it was her proudest moment. "But Connie seemed to believe it."
"And you think other people will?" Eren liked Connie, but the shorter boy couldn't keep a secret to save his life.
"If they do or don't, it isn't really of any concern," Mikasa said. "As long as it keeps all the other relationships a secret until later, that's what matters. From what you also told us, there are bound to be people within the walls who could use something like this to their advantage. That won't bode well with the real threat that's out there beyond the sea."
Eren thought about the nation known as Marley. There hadn't been any signs of their ships returning to dump more Eldians to turn into titans so something must be taking the forefront instead of trying to get the Founding Titan from him. Maybe Reiner had even convinced them to hold off on another attack. But that was only if they would take the word of an Eldian Warrior or Reiner didn't feel like returning. But maybe that was giving too much credit to the other Shifter.
"Hey, uh, what's with that face?" Sasha asked.
"What face?"
"You were thinking about Marley, weren't you?" Mikasa seemed to know.
"Yeah, I guess."
"Whoa! How'd you know that?" Sasha sounded impressed with Mikasa's intuition.
"He makes that face when he has a solitary goal in mind. Like when he thought about titans."
"They haven't been back yet," Eren voiced his thought.
"Well, that's good, isn't it?" Sasha seemed to lighten the mood. "No point in having them back if they're planning on killing us all."
"Yeah, I guess not." But it was still something they would have to deal with sooner or later.
"Exactly," Mikasa agreed. "There's no point in picking a fight that isn't needed." Glad to see she still held that idea from when they were kids. "You should also relax your mind in times like this. Why don't Sasha and I help you one of these nights?"
While Mikasa had been present with 2 other girls before for a session, the concept seemed entirely foreign to Sasha. "Uh, you mean the both of us... at the same time?" Sasha asked, thinking she didn't hear correctly.
"Yes," Mikasa nodded. "We could do it in my room. If rumor spreads, they'll hear your moans, Sasha."
"M-my moans?" Sasha looked over to Eren. "What did you tell her?"
"Nothing, I swear."
"What about Armin?" Mikasa suddenly asked. "He was out here working with you, did you tell him about anything?"
"Captain Levi came by earlier and said Hanji wanted to find a spot wide enough to test out his new power and get him able to control it," Eren told her. "But no, I haven't told him much, but he was able to figure out some of what's going on."
"Of course," Mikasa understood. Armin had always been too smart for his own good and she knew he could at least keep a secret.
"Having a little group chat, are we?"
Sasha and Eren stiffened a bit at Levi's sudden entrance, but Mikasa kept her stone-walled face intact.
"Sasha and I finished with our tasks for the day and we wanted to offer Eren our aide."
"Your aide? Really?" Levi asked. "So if I go to the kitchen, all those dishes will be spotless?"
"Y-yes Sir!" Sasha saluted. "Not a single speck of food evaded my sights."
"Hm." Levi seemed to know that was true. "Alright then, Eren, go and clean your bunk, the girls will finish up here."
"Captain, I already cleaned up my room earlier." Eren knew Levi had cleared him for cleaning as he wouldn't wait this long to tell him.
"So go clean it again," Levi said. "Dust settles fast."
"Ah, right." It wouldn't be wise to get on Levi's bad side when it came to cleaning. "See you girls later then."
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Eren got back to his room with a duster in hand and was ready to clean whatever dust remained. He stepped inside and nearly jumped out of his skin by the voice that called his name from the side.
"Eren."
He jumped but the color came back to his face as he saw who was standing there. "Petra?"
Yeah, she was actually here - she had a pair of crutches holding her up, but it was still her. "I didn't scare you, did I?"
"Would you be scared if you walked into a room and someone you weren't expecting was there?" he wasn't mad, just shocked.
She smiled softly. "I see your point there."
"What are you even doing here?" Eren asked. "Did you get cleared from the hospital?" he looked at the crutches.
"Yes and no," Petra said. "The doctors there said my legs healed from the most severe damage already and that home treatment and therapy. And by this point I was really just taking up a bed that someone else could have been using so I'm just going back for check-up's every now and again."
"So... are you back in the Scouts for good now?" Eren asked.
"Ha! I don't think Captain Levi would like me slowing things down, but that doesn't mean I won't be staying in my old room now until I'm off of these." She wiggled her crutches.
"Makes sense, I suppose." It also made sense as to why Levi sent him up here now.
There was a knock on his door before it opened and entered another girl who would be just as surprised as Eren had been
"Hey, Eren, I wasn't sure if Ackerman old you or not but-," Annie stopped herself short when she saw that they weren't alone. Her blue eyes took in the sight of Petra and the crutches that she leaned on for support. And for perhaps the first time, Eren saw an expression on Annie's face he had never seen before, uncertainty.
"Oh, hello," Petra greeted, not knowing who Annie was.
"...Hi." Annie's usual composure quickly came back when she realized her identity was still intact.
Seeing the nervous Annie, Eren spoke up. "Petra, this is Annie. She and I were in the same training corps and she transferred over from the MP's."
"Ah." Petra nodded. "I guess we would have gotten a lot of new faces in since I've been out. It's nice to have you then, Annie." Petra moved forward a bit to extend her hand out.
Annie's eyes darted down to her hand before giving a very quick shake like she was expecting her hand to burn on contact. "You too." While Annie's eyes were forward, Eren could see she was trying her hardest to look like she was staring at Petra while staring at a spot just to the side of her eyes.
"Well if you wanted to talk with Eren, I'm sorry if I got in the way," Petra said. "I really should be unpacking my things in my own room so I'll leave you both to catch up."
"Oh." As Petra began to leave, Annie said, "Did you... need someone to walk you down there?"
"No, I should be fine. I could use the exercise, but thank you for offering. And I look forward to working with you."
"In more ways than one," Eren heard Annie mutter under her breath.
As Petra moved along Eren finally asked Annie, "Still planning on telling her yourself?"
"I said that I would, didn't I?" Annie tried to sound annoyed but even that was a weak attempt.
"Was that why you offered to walk her?"
"No. That was just strategy. It's kind of hard to hate someone after a good memory of them."
"And you want her thinking of you as Annie and not the Female Titan." By Annie's lack of response, Eren knew he was right.
"I'm going to do it my way so don't worry," Annie told him. "I just... just have to think of something."
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"So these are some of your soldiers?"
The Marley dock was anchoring many ships, mostly warships, but a few smaller seafaring ones as well.
"Yes, Pieck," Zeke said as they walked the deck with the crew standing at attention. "These soldiers are mainly conscripts from other nations but serve Marley faithfully as you and I."
Pieck nodded as she caught sight of a rather tall blonde woman. She didn't move or say anything, but her eyes just held an untold story. Pieck found her pretty fascinating actually.
"So since this ship is mainly conscripted soldiers, they'll be on the forefront if the scouting mission to Paradis goes south?" Pieck guessed.
"You're exactly right, Pieck," Zeke praised. "The commanding officers are all Marleyians, of course, but everyone else is of differing status."
They toured the boat some more and Pieck made sure to stick close to Zeke to avoid any looks the Marleyian sailors sent her way. While she was a Warrior, she was still an Eldian and Eldians were the bottom of the food chain in Marley and could be disposed of and used as pleased. Times and looks like the ones she was getting made it really hard to call some of them comrades at times.
"Chief Zeke, while this ship is impressive, what does it benefit to bring me to come see it?" she as naturally perceptive, but even she was stumped on this. She was not going with them unless Commander Magarth somehow approved it.
"Simply to get you more acquainted with the conscripted soldiers faces," Zeke said. "Afterall, they stand a chance of locating Annie's whereabouts on the island. And they might be some you can think of as a comrade one day."
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So another interlude chapter. Next one will probably feature Mikasa and Sasha with Eren as this one kind of hinted at. Until next time.