Character ages: Levi - 34/35; Natalie - 29/30; Erwin - 39/40; Hange - 31/32; Eren & 104th - 18/19
So writing is going slow again, because of the scene I'm currently working on. Hopefully this won't turn into another "Liberio raid" that will take me a month to write. So keep your fingers crossed my darlings! Rant over.
As always my lovelies, go ahead and enjoy this chapter and don't forget to toss me a little review, to let me know what you think~ ;)
P.S. All Attack on Titan characters belong to Isayama Hajime. I only own my OCs.
37. Spokes on a wheel
~ 853 ~
"Are you sure you don't want to come?"
Looking up from her meal at Eren's inquiry, Natalie shook her head with a light smile.
"You'll do fine without me. I already know what most of the city looks like, thanks to Kasimir – especially the area around the internment zone. You don't need me there."
It had been almost a month since they had returned to the island, and Erwin had at last chosen the four teams – a total of thirty-two people, not counting the Commander himself – who would take turns traveling back to the mainland with Kiyomi's help, to survey the city in preparation for extracting Zeke.
"Listen..." he went on, taking advantage of the fact that they happened to be alone in the mess hall. "If this is about our meeting with Zeke, I promise I won't let him do what he wants. You and Historia are far too important for him to use you as he pleases."
"It's not that..."
"Don't lie. You know we're supposed to meet him again on this trip; that's why you don't want to come. Be honest with me – are you really considering his proposal? Is that why you don't want to see him?"
When she lowered her gaze and hesitated to give an answer, he reached out to cover her hand with his own and startled her in the process.
"Be honest with me... please." he insisted.
It was almost imperceptible when she nodded, and he would have likely missed it had he not been paying attention. His first reaction was to squeeze her hand and clench his jaw to hold back from saying anything before thinking it through. This couldn't be easy for her in any capacity, he was sure of it, and he didn't want to hurt her with rash words.
"Can you really not see any other way out of this?"
"Right now? No..." she whispered. "But it's more than that; it feels like more than that."
"...What does that mean?" Eren frowned in a mixture of confusion and wariness.
"It feels... like it did with Kiyomi. That day at the meeting, when I snapped at her; it was like... someone else wanted me to say those things. Someone powerful... someone terrifying... someone I couldn't refuse. This feels the same way."
The heavy silence that embraced them after her words left Eren staring silently at their joined hands with a heavy frown.
"I promised." he at last said, looking back into her widened eyes. "Do you remember what I promised to you? I won't let anyone control you, no matter how they try. Look... if you can't ever see any other way... I'll support you, whatever you decide."
"Why? I've made so many bad decisions before..."
"Because I believe in you; because I know that even if I can't understand your decision right now, you're only ever working for a better future for all of us. Because making decisions for the sake of so many people can't be an easy thing to do, especially not alone. I just want you to not rush into this... at least wait until we get Zeke here and we can all discuss it together."
"That's what I was planning to do." the redhead assured him with a soft smile. "This... isn't something I can decide on my own."
"The hardest decisions are always the ones you have to make on your own. As for this... I just want you to hear all options first and then make a choice. Back at Kiyomi's estate, after you left the room, I told the others I wouldn't allow you or Historia to do this. But I was wrong; if I did that, I wouldn't be any better than anyone else who's trying to manipulate you two."
"Are you saying you'd support me, even if I chose to break Levi like this?" she challenged him.
"Yes, I would." Eren replied, leaving her gawking at him. "Whether you decide to bear Zeke's child or not, no one can tell you otherwise... no one has the right to! Because no one understands what you have to do better than you can; no one can see what you can; no one can know what's coming like you can. It was your foresight that saved us, not anyone else's. You can give the Commander and Armin their credit, as do we all, but you are the reason why we're here today. You are the reason Zeke didn't get his way at Shiganshina; you are the reason we retook Wall Maria; you are the reason we managed to secure the island before the Marley ships arrived."
Again he squeezed her hand as if to not let her doubt the sincerity of his words.
"Whatever you need to do, you do it. Whatever you know that you have to do for our sake, you do it. Even if it makes you look like a monster; even if no one can understand why you're doing it; even if everyone turns their back on you, I'll support you."
Whatever she chose, he would use the utmost of his power to help her regardless of anything else.
"Eren..." she sighed, freeing her hand only to place it atop his. "I'm really, really grateful for you. But be careful; this kind of loyalty is very dangerous. Yes, it can be incredibly useful... but it comes at the risk of leaving yourself open to manipulation. No matter how strongly you believe in someone, don't ever follow them blindly. Always think for yourself, always question their choices if they seem out of line. Devoting your heart to a cause is a noble thing, just make sure you don't lose yourself in the process. It wasn't a bad thing that you said you'd refuse to let me and Historia make this choice. That's the kind of devotion anyone should offer. You don't know how happy I am that you're on my side, but I'm still human; I still make mistakes and bad choices like anyone else. You want to support me? Then don't ever stop questioning my decisions, don't ever treat me like I can do no wrong."
Smiling when he nodded she reached out to push his hair behind his ear, her hand warming his cheek afterward.
"You're a good man, Eren... and a good friend. And I'm so glad I met you. You've come such a long way from that hotheaded little boy a few years ago. Your parents would be very proud of you."
His response was a half-smile in return before he took hold of her hand to place a fleeting kiss on her knuckles, his eyes sparking to life with the memory of his parents and the emotions her words had stirred in him.
"Are you sure I can't convince you to come with us?"
His humorous question drew a chuckle out of the young woman, as she shook her head.
"Maybe next time, if you behave..."
~ oOo ~
It was the first time in almost two months when Natalie was again able to share a meal with her squad. They had returned from the mainland that morning and Erwin had given everyone the day off, to rest and unwind after the almost constant stress of their stay at Kiyomi's estate. She hadn't realized how much she had missed all of them until she had walked into the mess hall that evening. to find the group gathered around their usual table.
"Look what the cat dragged in." Jean grinned upon seeing her, drawing everyone's attention to the redhead. "You didn't even come to greet us at the docks when we got back."
"Well someone has to keep working around here, while you guys are away on vacation." she retorted without missing a beat, taking up her chair near the head of the table where Levi was enjoying a cup of hot tea and turning her gaze upon the Captain. "What took you so long, anyway? You were supposed to be back two weeks ago."
"Complications." he said, setting down the tea and casting a fleeting glance at Connie and Sasha who shrank in their seats with guilty expressions.
"What happened?" Natalie sighed with a measure of resigned amusement.
"These two thought it would be a fun idea to start chatting with strangers and almost blow their covers, while they were out in town. Because of that, we had to lay low for a week before we went out again to finish the survey."
"At least everyone came back safe."
He was clearly still pissed about that and so she reached over to place a gentle hand on his arm, feeling him relax a bit. Offering him what she hoped was a reassuring smile, she then turned her gaze back to the others.
"So what did you guys think of the great outside world?" she inquired on a humorous note, trying to ease the atmosphere.
For the following few minutes, the hall was filled with Sasha and Connie's voices as they gushed about everything they had seen in the city. Their descriptions sounded fairly similar to what Kasimir had shown her of Liberio, so at least she had some peace of mind that their mission wouldn't fail miserably. And she made a mental note to thank Onyankopon the next time she saw him, for ensuring they had the time to just walk about town and enjoy the sights, in between working.
"Don't get too attached to those people." Floch at last spoke up from the table next to them where he was seated with his team. "We're going to be killing a lot of them soon enough."
"What is your problem, man?" Jean retorted with a furrowed brow. "You've been going on about this for the past week."
"Just saying... when we go get Zeke, we'll make sure to repay Marley for everything they did to us. Don't try to deny that you want to get at least some revenge for all the people they killed here. Right, Eren?"
"You think I'm a murderer?" Eren scowled over his shoulder.
Turning around in his seat when Floch did the same, they stared each other down in the utter silence which had coated the hall.
"Maybe you forgot, but they're the reason your parents are dead." Floch said. "They're the reason Armin's family is dead. They're the reason thousands of innocent people are dead. I want justice for those people, and we can give them that when we go there for Zeke."
"You're talking about killing other innocent people... our people!" Eren nearly cut him off. "I won't be a part of that!"
"They sided with Marley, they chose to hate us! I read the report about the speech forum... they didn't seem to care that we are their people! Why should we care about them?"
"What is going on?" Natalie inquired, looking to Levi who had been silently watching the exchange, only for the Captain's gesture to tell her that they would talk about it later.
"Eren... you're our nation's future! Whether you like it or not, you can't sit this out!" Floch insisted. "You're the one who will revive the Eldian Empire!"
Though she couldn't see his face, Natalie knew by the way Eren's shoulders squared that he was losing his temper.
"You're still going on about that shit?" Jean interjected. "No one wants that!"
"Then maybe you should talk to your fellow soldiers more."
As if Floch's retort had suddenly made them aware of it, he and Eren glanced over the redhead's shoulder to see the same determination in the eyes of the other teams.
"I won't have any part in that." Eren retorted stubbornly. "That's not the way to make a better future for our people."
"That's the only way! They started it... we're just finishing it. You want this just as much as we do, don't deny it!"
Without warning Eren's arm shot out to grab onto Floch's shirt, startling everyone at their table, and Natalie knew he had reached his limit.
"I'm not a fucking murderer!" he growled.
"What is the problem here?"
Erwin's deep tone reaching them as he approached compelled Eren to let go of Floch and turn back to his meal without a word.
"Some of us just got a little too hotheaded." Levi replied as calmly as if he was talking about a children's spat.
"That's because you're all content to just sit here and do nothing." Floch retorted, earning himself a warning glare from the Captain.
"What the hell does that mean?" Jean frowned, only for Erwin's raised hand to silence him.
"Wait, Kirschtein... I want to hear every point of view." the Commander said to appease the tension in the air.
For a moment Floch seemed to lose his nerve under the man's expectant stare, but he at last gathered his courage and stood.
"With all due respect, Commander... I'm not the only one who believes you're focusing way too much on the island, rather than the world out there who wants us eradicated. They won't wait until we're done playing house over here. We need to strike while we still have a chance to catch them unprepared. We need to take all the Titan powers from them, and then the rest of the world will destroy Marley on their own. Once we establish the day for extracting Zeke, we can use that to not only get the other Titans but also to do justice to all the innocent people they killed on this island. We can do a bombing raid on Liberio, to let them know they don't scare or control us; that they can no longer contain us here; that now we know what's out there and we're not afraid to fight for our right to live in this world."
"You're talking about starting a war that no one wants." Erwin replied after a long silence in which he had scrutinized Floch's gaze. "A war that would only bring further death to everyone, including our own."
"They started the war nine years ago when they broke down the wall and killed thousands of ours."
"And we won't be the ones who finish it. I understand your desire for vengeance, but that is not the way to peace. Violence only breeds more violence."
Turning away with the intention to walk back to his office, he was stopped in his tracks when Floch spoke again.
"You're a coward!" he spat out, prompting Erwin to turn back to face them.
"Watch your tongue!" Eren scowled.
"What happened to 'doing everything we need to do'? What happened to 'sacrificing whoever was necessary', so we could be free?" Floch went on, ignoring him. "What was it all for? Why did so many die at your orders, if not for this?"
"Everyone who died so far, died so that we could find out the truth." Erwin replied, after letting out a long breath that to Natalie sounded very much like a sigh. "We have learned the truth and the truth is that this cycle of violence and hatred has to be broken, if we want any chance at a better future. Compassion will lead us to that better future, not senseless killing."
When his eyes briefly went to Natalie as he said the final words, Floch too looked over to the young woman. And suddenly it was all clear to him. Erwin, Levi, Eren; everyone was so wrapped around her little finger that none of them could see the gruesome truth of their situation. He had always known she was an advocate for a peaceful resolution, but he'd never imagined just how deeply she had manipulated everyone, how thoroughly she had blinded them to what was happening. Well, arguing with them right now wouldn't get him anywhere... but he had to do something before it was too late. He had to make them all see reality, no matter the cost!
~ oOo ~
~ 854 ~
"Good morning!" Pieck smiled with a sleepy wave of the hand, as she and Galliard entered Zeke's room.
"Good morning, Pieck-san, Galliard-san." Colt smiled in return, while Reiner merely nodded in response.
"So we're all here?" Zeke inquired, picking up the last two cups of steaming tea and placing them on the table.
"It's not every day we meet in your room, War Chief." Galliard replied, making his way to the last empty chair while Pieck lied down on the sofa. "What about the Marleyan army?"
"They're not in this room... we're just enjoying a cup of tea together, that's all."
'Not in this room, huh?' Reiner mused, recalling that Zeke had already told him a while ago about the bug placed in his gramophone.
They would have to be careful of what they said, but this was just protocol. And it meant a large-scale operation was about to start, if the military felt the need to reassess their ideologies.
"Well... the situation is about as bad as it can be." Zeke sighed, at last sitting in the armchair at the head of the table. "Over the years, Marley has used the Power of the Titans to win all struggles over resources and to silence any foreign nation that opposed it. This, however, has led the world's hatred of Eldians to rise to unprecedented levels. The rest of the world calls louder and louder for the extermination of the Eldian people."
Heaving another sigh, he took a moment to look over the others before speaking again.
"We have served Marley as a way to show remorse for our past sins. And we were not wrong to do so. But... recent battles have made it all too clear that in the very near future conventional weaponry will surpass Titans. In other words, it won't be long before we Eldians outlive our strategic purpose. Once we do, Marley will no longer be able to maintain superiority as a nation. If Marley falls, the walls that separate us from the rest of the world will fall as well; and then our right to life will be in an even more precarious position. The world is saying there's no need to apply the concept of human rights to Eldians. This is a threat to the very existence of our race."
"...Is there no way for us to solve this?" Colt at last spoke up in the heavy silence, though he already could guess the answer would be negative.
"The only way... is to do as we've done before." Zeke replied after what seemed like a deep deliberation. "Marley must retake the Founding Titan as soon as possible. This will allow Marley to maintain its power, while also dealing with the worldwide threat that is Paradis Island."
"But... even if the plan to retake the Founder succeeds, I don't see how that would resolve the rest of the world's feelings towards us." Pieck pondered aloud. "It certainly wouldn't be enough to mend that."
"You're exactly right, Pieck! What's important is the story we tell! We need to write a script, leading up to us retaking the Founder. First, we'll need to let the world know just how much of a threat that island is to all of us. And every story needs a good narrator."
Reaching into his robe, he pulled out a photo and placed it on the table, earning everyone's undivided attention.
"The Tybur family will fill that role nicely."
"...The Tyburs?!" Colt blinked in surprise. "But they—"
"Have practiced a policy of noninterference so far, yes." Zeke nodded, finishing the young man's sentence. "But in the face of these fears regarding both Marley and Eldia's future, they have agreed to take action."
"True, they'll have clout with many other nations, as the noble family who first opposed King Fritz in the Great Titan War." Pieck agreed. "If we speak through them, the world will have to listen."
"You're exactly right, Pieck!" Zeke nodded, sounding pleased that she had guessed his intentions.
"But..." Galliard at last spoke up. "The Tybur family has never done their duty to protect our country. They lived lavish lives in big mansions, on big estates, while other Eldians were forced into internment. Isn't it... a bit too selfish of them to come out of the woodwork now and start acting like heroes?"
"I understand your worries, Galliard. But the Tyburs are concerned about our motherland of Marley as well."
"But—"
"If this saves our motherland of Marley, I welcome it!" Reiner cut him off, knowing Galliard was about to blab more than he should have, as usual. "The Warrior Unit should work with the Tyburs and aid in the restoration of the heroic nation of Marley."
"Yes, you're right Reiner." Zeke nodded. "A festival will be held soon in Liberio; in two months, to be exact. Important political figures and journalists from across the world will be present, and the Tybur family will make a declaration: Paradis will be under our control, within the year. The fate of both Eldians and Marley rides on this strategy... we absolutely cannot afford another failure!"
Taking up his cup of tea, he held it out while the others followed his lead.
"My Warriors... let us once again bring our minds and hearts together, for the future of Eldians and our motherland of Marley!" he concluded, at last taking a sip of the now lukewarm liquid.
'So I'm going to have to go back... to that island...' Reiner mused, sipping his tea while the others prepared to leave.
It was by sheer chance that he raised his eyes to find Zeke gesturing for him to stay, while the other three filed out of the room. Was there more that the War Chief hadn't said at the meeting? But if there was, he couldn't imagine it would've been something he wanted the military to hear. And as if Zeke had read his mind, he saw the other shifter reach into the pocket of his robe to take out a piece of paper.
Meet me at the usual place this evening. I need a walk.
Though he normally disliked doing anything that might have made him seem suspicious, something told Reiner that there was far more to Zeke's idea than he had let on. And so he nodded in agreement before taking another sip of tea and departing the room.
He had just entered the alleyway in the warm glow of the sunset when he spotted Zeke leaning against one of the buildings, puffing on a cigarette.
"Thank you for always indulging me like this, Reiner." the man smiled upon seeing him, reaching out to pat his shoulder. "How are you recovering from Fort Slava?"
"It's not a problem, War Chief. And I'm doing well... everything grew back as it was supposed to."
So far most of their meetings had been simply Zeke's attempts to forge a bond with him, and Reiner knew he was still feeling terribly guilty about having to abandon Bertholdt. He didn't mind that the older shifter wanted to be his friend, perhaps in an attempt to atone for that, but something kept nagging at the back of his mind.
"Be honest with me, War Chief." he said as they trekked the silent backstreets of the internment zone. "Do you really think the Tyburs can be trusted with this?"
"Hmm? I didn't know you for such a suspicious man, Reiner." Zeke retorted in good humor, before giving a serious answer after taking a long drag of his cigarette. "They will do their part for the sake of all Eldians on the Continent. The head of the family thinks they have stayed out of the fray for far too long. That it's time they give something back to the nation of Marley, who has considered them its honorary citizens and allowed them to live in peace until now."
"But... is it right to turn the whole world against Paradis?" he murmured, as if unaware that Zeke was listening closely. "They didn't do anything to deserve this hatred. We're the ones who—"
All of a sudden realizing that Zeke was watching him intently, he abruptly silenced himself and gulped.
"I-I mean..."
"Calm down, Reiner. If I was going to snitch on you, I would've done it a long time ago. Why do you think we've been taking so many walks together?"
Stunned to his core by how directly he had addressed the issue out of the blue, Reiner was left at a loss for words. Was Zeke reading his mind? Or was he just that shit at masking his thoughts?
"I don't hold it against you. After you spent so much time among them, I would've been more surprised if you didn't bond with them. It would be impossible for us to keep seeing them as monsters, once we get to see that they're just... people."
"Is this why you didn't want to talk in your room?"
Falling silent and letting Reiner draw his own answer from that, Zeke took another puff of the cigarette and sighed out the smoke. Taking a moment to watch it disperse into the air against the twilit sky, he only then spoke again.
"I've been meeting with some interesting people recently, regarding our joint efforts with the Tyburs. You should come with me next time... I know they'd like to meet you."
"Who?"
"Important people." Zeke insisted, making it sound as though it was something top-secret. "We're meeting again in five days. I'll let you know the time and place when it's time. Until then, think it over Reiner... are you really in this wholeheartedly or not? Will you be my shield in this or not? You can't waver once you get into it; this is far too important to mess up."
His words and the knowing look in his eyes left Reiner's mind abuzz with thoughts. Was there something more to the plan with the Tyburs? Was it something the military wanted from them that the public couldn't know about? Was this just another sick test that the military was making them go through, to reassess their loyalty to Marley? No matter, he needed to keep them thinking that he was entirely loyal to them. His family's survival depended on that.
"I'm in." he nodded with renewed determination.
=0=0=
Nothing... nothing in the entirety of the world could have ever prepared him for that meeting. Over the course of those five days, he had thought of little else, trying to figure out just what Zeke's words truly meant. But not even his wildest imagination could have prepared him for the sight of Kiyomi walking into the warehouse that night, followed by a group of all too familiar faces.
"Steady, Reiner." Zeke whispered. "It'll all make sense soon."
For their part, as they approached and saw him standing there, the group too seemed taken aback. Instinctively Natalie reached to place a hand onto Eren's arm, hoping with all her being that he wouldn't cause a scene. But to her great astonishment and relief, he was completely relaxed.
"Eren..." he muttered as they stepped into the circle of light that the small fire cast around.
"It's been four years, Reiner..." the boy replied, eerily calm. "It's good to see you made it back home in one piece."
Did he still hate Reiner and think he deserved to die? Part of him at least did, however he wasn't about to destroy all of their efforts so far. And getting revenge on Reiner would not bring his mother back, nor any of the thousands of people killed in Shiganshina.
"Why... why are you here?" Reiner blurted out, before turning to Zeke. "War Chief...!"
"Calm down, Reiner." Zeke reassured him with a squeeze of the shoulder. "They're not here as our enemies."
"We've been doing our best to work towards peace." Natalie at last spoke up, drawing Reiner's gaze to her.
"You..." he gasped, taking in her dyed hair. "It was you that day, wasn't it? At the gates of Liberio..."
When she didn't answer, unsure whether to confirm that she had lied to Eren that day or not, he stepped forth until he towered over her. Reaching out to grab her by the arms, he left her staring into his face that told her he was on the verge of a breakdown.
"It was you, wasn't it?! It was you... wasn't it?!"
Though stunned into silence by his outburst, the sheer desperation in his voice made Natalie pity him as she had pitied him even back on the island. And she couldn't do anything but nod, despite Eren staring at them intently. Her confirmation seemed to calm him down at last, and she felt the pressure of his hands easing on her flesh which in turn allowed her to sense that he was trembling.
"Why are you here?" he said, barely louder than a whisper. "Why would you come here?"
"Because I had to see it with my own eyes." Eren replied in her place. "Because I had to understand what I never could, since that day... since you breached the Wall... since my mother was eaten in front of me. I never understood... why did so many innocent people have to be eaten alive? Why did that have to happen to them?"
"Eren..." Natalie tried scolding him; he still spoke calmly, but she didn't want him working himself up into a rage.
"So why, Reiner?" he went on, ignoring her. "Why was my mother eaten by a Titan that day?"
Having taken a step back in the face of the sudden blaze burning in Eren's eyes, Reiner lowered his eyes staring in horror at the ground.
"Well... because... we breached the Wall..." he stammered, sweat breaking out on his forehead.
"Why did you breach the Wall?"
Looking back to Erwin, Natalie's expression took a turn for concern when the Commander gestured for her to let Eren interrogate Reiner. She didn't deny it might have helped in the future, by allowing Eren to come to terms with some of his unresolved issues, but how much would it damage Reiner? She was surprised Zeke even allowed this to go on, but the other shifter seemed just as willing to let it happen.
"My mission... was to use the chaos to sneak inside the Walls... to see what the King would do next." he answered, clearly not intending to hide anything anymore. "Our goal... was to retake the Founding Titan... to save the world."
"To save the world..." Eren repeated, and the fire in his eyes dulled out. "Then... I guess you didn't have a choice."
More than his words, it was the way his expression softened and the sudden sympathy in his tone that startled both Natalie and Reiner.
"I remember what you said that day, Eren..." he replied, again looking on the verge of tears. "That you would make sure we died excruciating deaths for what we've done. That's why you're here, isn't it?!"
"Oh... did I say that? Well, let's forget about that." Eren sighed, running a hand awkwardly through his hair.
"...Huh? Wh-what...?"
"It's true, I did once see everything across the sea as my enemy." the boy admitted. "But then I came here... I saw the people living here, I talked to them, I walked among them. Reiner... we're not that different you and I. You didn't have a choice. You were taught that everyone inside the Walls was different from you, that we were devils. You and Annie and Bertholdt... you were all just ignorant children. And all that was beaten into you by ignorant adults. You were just a child; what could you have done to fight that brainwashing, that environment? Isn't that right, Reiner? You've suffered... haven't you?"
At that he turned his eyes back to the other shifter, reaching out a hand as if to shake his.
"I think now... I understand you, at last..." he concluded.
Having silently clenched his jaw until then in shock, Reiner glanced down at Eren's hand as though it was a loaded gun pointed at him. Sensing the shift in him by the subtle changes in his expression, Natalie had been about to speak when the shifter fell to his knees and grabbed his head, finally breaking down into sobs.
"No!" he shouted. "You're wrong, Eren! That day... when Marcel was eaten, Annie and Bertholdt wanted to abort the mission. They tried to turn back, but I forced them onwards! I made them keep going, because... I wanted to be a hero! That's why I always acted like a big brother to everyone! I wanted people to respect me! That wasn't my environment, or brainwashing... that was my fault! Eren... your mother was eaten by a Titan because of me!"
In the silence that followed, broken only by Reiner's soft sobs, Eren at last looked over to Natalie who nodded. She had to admit Eren had surprised her more than she had imagined he would, with that show of maturity. Maybe he and Reiner could repair their friendship and that would result in them gaining another ally.
"Stand, Reiner." the boy said, getting down on one knee in front of his former colleague.
"I can't... take this anymore..." Reiner shook his head, his small broken voice moving Natalie deeply. "Please... just kill me... I just want to vanish..."
Sighing at that, Eren reached out to grab Reiner's shoulder startling the shifter into looking up to find both him and Natalie watching him.
"Stand, Reiner." the young woman repeated, offering him a hand just as Eren had before. "Dying won't solve anything. We have to push forward until our actions are paid for."
"Even in death... even after death!" Eren nodded, squeezing his former comrade's shoulder. "Stand up! Fight!"
"Reiner... please... come home..."
It was so subtle that she would have missed it had she not been paying attention, but Natalie saw the realization lighting up Reiner's eyes at her words, when it dawned on him that they didn't hate him for what he had done. That they still wanted to be his friends; that they still wanted to help him; that they still valued his life.
'They... care about me!' he all at once realized.
They truly cared about him, more than anyone else in his life ever had. They didn't have any ulterior motives, they didn't want to use him, they didn't consider him trash or a sinner or something that needed to be eradicated. He was one of them... he always had been one of them, and they just wanted him to remember that. And that was enough for the moment to assuage his fears, letting him reach out to grasp Natalie's hand to allow her and Eren to pull him back to his feet.
"Reiner... are you really in this wholeheartedly or not? You can't waver once you get into it; this is far too important to mess up." his mind replayed for him, prompting him to glance over his shoulder at Zeke's knowing stare.
All of a sudden it all made perfect sense; all of Zeke's cryptic talking over the last couple of years, all of his attempts to create a bond between them. Just how long had he been attending these meetings? And what was their ultimate goal?
'No... it doesn't matter.' he berated himself, recalling that he had sworn to himself to take care of Gabi and the other kids. "I can't..."
Taking a step back he released Natalie's hand and pulled himself free of Eren's grasp.
"I'm sorry... I can't. I have family to think of; they'd all be killed without hesitation if I betray Marley. That girl... that girl looks up to me so much, she's so dedicated to her work; I can't take that away from her. I can't take away her life before it even started." he said, again looking back at Zeke. "I won't snitch on you, but I can't join you either."
"That girl... is your cousin, right?" Natalie inquired.
"Ho-how did...?"
"I told them." Zeke replied. "You have good friends on that island, Reiner... friends who want you back no matter what."
"We'll take her with us, so long as you come." Eren agreed.
"Whuh... no, you... you don't know what you're talking about!" Reiner gasped, knowing that Gabi would never be convinced to see them as anything other than devils.
"Stay and listen, for now, Reiner." Zeke interjected again. "And then decide what you want to do."
"Then have you decided on a day?" Erwin at last spoke up.
"A night actually, Commander. Within two months, the Tybur family will be hosting a theatre play in the Liberio internment zone. Politicians and journalists from across the world have been invited, along with all the brass of the Marley military. While it will be the greatest gathering of military forces ever seen here, it is also the one moment when we can act due to how focused everyone will be on the internment zone itself. My suggestion would be for you to acquire an airship... they make little noise, which will be easily covered by the sounds on stage, and under cover of night it would make for a perfect escape. The harbor will be a no-go, due to the Marley fleet having been called in to guard the city that night. I assume you can come up with some distraction on your own, and that your survey of the city streets has proven useful for your troops."
"War Chief... are you...?" Reiner stammered, looking over to him.
"I'm doing the right thing, Reiner. I'm doing what I should have done four years ago when I first arrived on that island. The way to help our people, the way to peace isn't by continuing to be Marley's dogs... it's to bring Eldians together for the first time in more than a century. Lady Kiyomi has tried her best, but diplomacy can only get us so far. If we want any kind of future for our race, we have to make it with our own hands."
"At least that far we see eye to eye, Zeke Jaeger..." Natalie nodded when the shifter looked over to her and Eren, before turning her attention back to Reiner. "You don't have to decide right now. Think it over and give us an answer the next time we meet. Do you want your cousin and her generation to live in a better world... or to continue spinning this wheel of hatred?"
"What exactly is your goal, Natalie?"
"Don't you know already?" she asked, looking over to Zeke who merely shrugged as if to tell her that he hadn't said anything. "What do you want me to tell you?"
"I want you to tell me why you're here; I want you to tell me how you knew what we would do before we even did it; I want you to tell me how you survived for so long! I want you to tell me if you can see the future. I want you to tell me what'll happen to everyone living here in Marley."
"Marley, Eldia, Hizuru... all nations are just spokes on a wheel." she replied after so long that Reiner had started believing she would never answer. "And the wheel turns and turns, over and over... crushing whoever is at the bottom. In the end, everyone gets a turn; everyone is crushed at the bottom! If we want a better future, it's not enough to try and stop this wheel. We have to break the wheel. We have to be the generation that ends this, so our children and their children won't have to live in this hell."