Okay I'm back, and yeah I know last chapter was a little bit harsh or angsty, but then again AoT is no stranger to that. Sorry for the delay, just managing my other stories that seem to be kicking off or going quite nicely. Reiner chapters coming in but few more updates, maybe 2 or 3 from now. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.
Titanic plans
Annie was finally seeing the sunlight for the first time since she slept. To her it felt like only weeks ago, but in reality it was months. She was being led by Eren, Commander Hange and Captain Levi with a few other scouts to the tunnel leading to the surface. Though the situation was being treated with less seriousness than she expected due to the mad scientist eager need for experimentation, Annie knew everyone who had began to trust her again was still waiting to see if she would keep her word.
And keep it she would, she'd made that vow to destroy the Marley at a young age for what they did to the people she lived near in Liberio. She would take vengance for every death she'd been forced to create in order to retake the Founding Titan and crush the true devils of the world. And right now she would be strengthened that chance by helping to train Eren, as well as experiment with a few things of her own that she'd suggested to him and Hange. It would require not only trust of the highest degree on her part to them, but also her own nerve to shift at the same time as Eren.
She was still wary of facing him again after her only two encounters with him had shown that he was stronger. That he was more powerful, but still vulnerable if she played it right. And even that had nearly not been enough when her arms were healing, or when he was under a more rage filled state when they first faced off in Sina. But the reassurances from him, Armin and even Jean had made it easier to walk by him as they prepared to fight again.
Apparently her anxiety was as visible as she felt it to be, though she tried to hide it as best she could. But then again as Eren had said in her cell, he could tell when things were off with her. "You sure your ready for this? I'm not going to lose control again, I know your on our side. You don't need to be afraid of me." She shook her head at his sincere words, she needed to do this. Just like she did things years ago, she needed to focus.
"I'm fine, don't worry. From what you and everyone else said, you can keep it together long enough to do some real damage. I wonder which of our hardening abilities is stronger though, you cracked Reiners body, but I've always been able to do that." Eren raised an eyebrow at the question and tilted his head in thought as they neared the main tunnel. "When'd you test it out? Here or as kids?" He asked and Annie replied "Kids, though that was a long time ago from now. Skill wise I'll always be better, but he had strength even then. He actually got the drop on me the day we began the mission."
Eren looks surprised at that and asked "What caused that?". Hange's ears also perked up at hearing more about that day, though from a different viewpoint than those from Shinganshina. Annie told the pair who was actually interested while Levi walked without slowing down. Though the information was valuable, it wasn't what was on his mind. What was running through his head was whether Eren would be ready to fight her again with nearly the same lethality he'd seen in Stohess. If that berserk mode could be tamed, under control but with the same power behind it, not even the Beast Titan stood a chance against him.
"It was after Marcel had been killed, and we stopped running from Ymir's mindless form. Reiner had been the one to flee, so me and Bertoldt had gone after him still in shock. I suggested that we go back and retrieve the Jaws Titan power, but Reiner kept insisting that we attack the wall. I told him that if we did succeed that his family would've been used for bombardment, and he threatened me and Bertoldt that we would also be held accountable. We got into an argument as he started to get desperate, so I kicked him hard in the face and chest a few times.
When I was satisfied he was beaten enough, I let my emotions get the better of me over Marcel. I'd had hope that he would join me in my plan, he seemed to know when we were assigned to this that something was wrong. I wondered if he'd known the truth too, but I never got to know because of Ymir. While I was feeling sorry that he died Reiner got me in a chokehold from behind, insisting on starting the mission. I submitted, and a few hours later we...attacked wall Maria."
She flinches, waiting for an outburst from Eren but is surprised when he merely hardens his gaze for a moment. But he doesn't lash out, with anger or sadness. He just accepts the words and keeps walking, and she still uncomfortably follows. Maybe she shouldn't have said it, she'd heard he nearly killed Ackerman when she angered him before shifting again in Trost. She was barely keeping it together knowing she'll be facing possibly his berserk form again, which only stopped because he saw her crying face. She takes a deep breath to calm herself, and steels her nerves for if he does accidentally lose control.
"We're finally here. Are you ready Annie?" Eren asks her, his voice confident once again, and she looks into his emerald eyes once again. She doesn't see anger there, or pain, she just sees that same fire he had when he talked to her in the crystal. The burning determination to fight for not only his or hers, but his races freedom. It makes her feel elated, inspired, and she gives him a firm nod. Eren smiles a little as he nods to Hange, who almost excitedly opens up the double set of locked doors.
Sunlight blares in her face and in all of theirs, and they all squint having been underground for so long. To Annie however blinding, it was beautiful. She never thought she'd ever see the sky again when she fell from Wall Sina, her face had actually shown the greatest feeling of defeat she ever knew. So seeing it again, as a ally, almost free did wonders for her mood. She rises from the steps with the others at level ground, and takes a look around to observe her surroundings.
About 2 dozen scouts mill about doing laborous tasks for preparation in expeditions, some tending to the horses and such. She also smells the cleaner air out here, meaning their certainly not inside Rose or Sina's territory, which leads her to believe she's somewhere near Wall Maria. To her left she can see the faint outline of it, and to her right are large plains and fields that have low lying hills and grasses. But she also spots the 3 dozen mixed in among them who watch her and Eren walking towards a more empty field in order to start the experiments. Soon enough Hange and the captain hold back and it's only Eren and Annie walking further out.
Eren starts to slow down and turn to her, which makes her stop as well. He calls out to her, about 20 meters away. "Ready Ann?" She gives a look to him and then to the scouts who've taken the time to watch her, including the Captain and Commander. She turns back to face Eren and nods, and he holds his hand to his teeth, ready to bite. Annie goes to bring out her ring, but almost forgot that she didn't have it.
It was one of the agreements when she first came out, as a sign of trust. But the commander did tell her she could have it back when they felt she had proved herself an ally aboveground. It almost was trivial, since she didn't need the ring to transform, any wound could do it. It was just that her father had given it to her as a precaution, knowing what she could face if she were caught by the island dwellers before they learned the truth, or by her fellow warriors if they discovered her true motives.
She shook her head to clear it and held up her hand, just like she had done in Stohess when confronted, but this time their would be no fight, no ill will or half insane smile in her face. There was only a fire burning as bright as the one she saw in the eyes of the boy across from her. The fire to win, for freedom. She called dout to him as she nodded "Let's do this!" and the pair simultaneously bit down on their hands.
The area lit up in a flash of double lightning strikes, and the scouts all watches with anticipation and anxiety as the Female Titan and the Attack Titan transformed in front of them. Annie felt her body fully form, but was surprised when she didn't hear Eren's signature roar. Both times she had heard or seen him transform she's heard him give a bloodcurdling roar, as if he'd put all his anger into it, but now she hears nothing. She looks over to him and he is staring at her intently, seeming to be just like how he was in human form. She can't say she isn't impressed, even knowing how far he's come as a person, she thought his Titan would still have some part in how he acted in it's form.
But he still exhibited the calm collevtive Dave though his eyes still held that permanent glare on his predatory features.
He began to walk over to her slowly, keeping his hands at the ready, but he knew in his head that there was no need. It was only for show to the rest of the scouts, he knew that she wouldn't betray them. Her reason to fight was as solid as his own, and she would do whatever it took to achieve it.
Annie began to close her eyes and listen to everything around her with her much larger ears, and feel the wind blowing on her steaming body, fresh from shifting. She could hear the breathes of the humans below her, the semi overexcited sqeaks Hange was trying to keep contained. And finally she could hear him, the rumbling coming from deep in his Titans chest and throat. Had she not been with him as allies or what they were to each other now, she would've found the sounds scary. It was hungry, animalistic, vengeful...but all she could detect was a warm feeling coming from it. Protective, fierce, and focused on giving off a sense of reassurance to her. She found comfort in it as he stood maybe 5 meters from her, holding out a hand for her acceptance of his Titan.
She looked at it and then at his blazing emerald pupils, and found him staring back at her. Not the rage or pain, just Eren. She smiled as she took it, hearing the small cheers from a handful of the scouts as well as the commander herself. As Eren let go and faces her again, taking his combat pose, Annie focused her mid once again. 'Its time to fight, time to destroy Marley, and free Eldia'.