Okay we're gonna have a small bit of a time skip to when Reiner and the others reach Liberio. I know I skipped the train portion of chapter 93 but it would've been confusing to write with how Reiner comes off as wanting to save Gabi when in this he wants her to inherit his Titan so she can have his memories and make a difference. This chapter will not have the major flashbacks like most of the Marley arc was composed of, but still have references to them. Now no matter whether I go full Au after this with how I first envisioned Reiner and Eren meeting again like I wanted it to be or do it full manga style where I have to write in the Teibers festival, I will write him and Eren interacting in either fashion, it's too perfect of a scenario to ignore. Let me know what you all want, and also after this chapter we will return briefly to Eren and the rest for our favorite Eldians. But never fear it'll return right back to Reiner. Carefully read the ending of this one. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.
Mother Of The Armored Devil.
The doors of the train opened to shine sunlight into the cramped interior of the cars, and the first thing that came out was a girl leaping and throwing a kick through the air in excitement. "We're home!" She shouts out to her fellow Eldian soldiers and warriors, and the man who was both merely gave a false smile at her enthusiasm. He couldn't feel more depressed at the way the words were spoken, as if they were the best thing in the world.
But he wouldn't ruin it for her just yet, but it will be happening soon enough. Maybe not now but in the very near future.
Reiner marched and shuffled with the other Eldians through a city that borders Liberio, trying his hardest not to grimace or lash out at the bastards glaring at him and his kind as they head for their prison. That's right, prison, not camp. He's not going to delude himself with such false titles any longer, he's kept at it long enough for 4 years to just suddenly use the word because everyone else uses it if they don't wish to call it home without sounding rebellious
He held his head with determination while ignoring the looks of disgust he too even received, despite being claimed as the "most loyal warrior and Eldian to all of Marley", almost more so than warchief Zeke. It was almost hilarious, because he's had no loyalty to them whatsoever for the past 4 years, and possibly longer than that considering his behaviour on Paradise.
He could've sworn all he wanted back then to Annie when she questioned his plan to attack Trost by claiming many of his friends would die, that they meant nothing to him. But even then he was lying to himself though on a smaller scale. It was nowhere near as bad as how he'd been in the forest of giant trees, nor on the return boat to the mainland. He'd just been lying to himself that it was an act but the situation with Marco, the aftermath and death count all began to take their toll on his mental state. His time with Bert and the rest of the southern team made it worse, harder for him to distinguish and manage the two.
But enough of that, he was about to see his family as the guards began opening the gate.
On the other side of the chainlinked gates topped with barbed wire, Reiner saw a massive group of Eldians standing there. For a foolish moment Reiner fantasized about them being a massive riot that was overthrowing the guards as they opened the gates, but alas one could've only hoped. They stand waiting with anxious faces, families, some he remembers and some he does not. He sees Gabi go to his aunt and uncle, her parents with hugs and words of thanks. He so sees her beginning to tell of her accomplishments, just like he'd predicted she would.
He watches Zeke go to his grandparents, since his own father is dead and Eren is still on Paradise. And finally he sees her, he sees his poor deluded mother. How he wishes she wasn't so brainwashed, but he had the chance to escape that and took it.
"Reiner."
He approaches her with a soft smile on his face, and though he knows he's no longer loyal to Marley, her little warrior, he's still warmed a little to be able to see her again. "Mother..." She gives him a soft and proud smile, her weary eyes and face seeming to come to life at seeing her only son after 9 years. For most of the biggest changes of his life he hasn't even been on the same continent as her, so seeing her now despite their internal and ideological differences fills him with a sad but glad feeling of melancholy. "I bet that your exhausted. You should come home and take a rest." she tells him in the same tone she would when he was younger.
The one she would use when talking about his father, about why they weren't able to be a family because of the bloodlines. But Reiner didn't care much for his Marleyean father, the one who'd despised him. So he fought as a warrior on Paradise then on for his mother. But even then all that happened with Marcel, realizing that he wasn't good enough to be the Armored Titan, he still hadn't understood a damn thing.
And he wouldn't till many years later, he wouldn't see the true weight for his sins. He wouldn't realize that he's been lied to for his entire life, that he's been stick inside of walls no matter where he went because of lies. And yet here he was telling lies to appease the people of Marley, the Eldians who looked up to him including his own cousin and her friends, and soon too his mother. But through all that debating the only words Reiner can say to her with that confident but reassuring voice.
"Thank you, I think I would like that very much mother."
The voice makes things harder to bear at the moment, his own mission feeling discomfort at the feeling of being reunited with his family. 'Focus Reiner. Your happy to see her, but things aren't the same anymore. You need to be careful, but don't destroy yourself over it. Remember your promise. Be the hero who saves these people.'
Reiner barely says his response to her before hearing Gabi shouting out in joy at seeing his mother as well. "Aunt Katrina!" She rushes up and Katrina Braun also holds her neice in a warm embrace, after all after Reiner she'd started to see the same spark in her eyes that her boy once had. So during his time abroad she had gotten closer to Gabi, wanting to make sure she were alright and strong. Before he knew it dinner plans are already being made for tonight to celebrate the return of the Braun clan's warriors.
Or warrior and soldier, he should but can't say.
Behind the Braun family the young warrior in train Falco notices men walking in a line outside one of the buildings a block away from the main gates. He notices that these men while Eldians are different, some are missing limbs as he sees one man with an eye patch and crutch moving along at a slower rate than most. Others he noticed were shaking in the bodies from small places like their hands to larger ones like their legs, some even were having full body ones. A few were talking to themselves under their breath and holding their sides, clearly not seeing the sake place he and everyone else was. He starting walking over and noticed the man leading them, Mr Koslo. He decided to ask about the odd scene.
"Mr. Koslo, are these men injured?" Falco asked though he could clearly see it on wuite a number of them. The dark haired man spared him a glance as if just noticing his presence. "Huh? Stay out of the way forehead kid. These are Eldians who got Ptsd out there, and they ain't got relatives to boot. So their gonna stay and be recieving help at the hospital here." Falco looks on at the men shuffling by with pity and even a small form of shock. He asked Koslo "Even here in this country?!" and the man replied with a shrug and somewhat lighter tone to his darker words.
"Mhm. It's apparently what happens when you have 'em digging trenches on the frontline for too long. Ya know, with the bombs and bullets whizzing past their heads like fwhooooom, BA-BANG!!" Koslo sudden shouts out and jumps at the men, causing them to freak out and fall down. Some gripped their heads as if bombs were falling, others were curled up in fetal position just waiting for death to claim them. The sight sickened Falco at the racious and disgusting humor of which Koslo did it before the man was scolded by a fellow officer for the stunt.
Falco saw his family looking his way but he decided to stay for a whole and help these men. He waved his parents who were carrying his brother Colt off, he was still feeling the hangover from last night's drunken antics. Falco tried helping one man cowering on the ground covering his head by helping sit him upright, and tried soothing him by talking calm and low to him. But the effort wasn't helping this man much, but still he kept at it "It's okay, are you alright? Your o-" but something catches Falco's eye as he looks around him for those who need his help more.
It's the man with the crutch and eye patch, he's fallen down and his stump of a left leg isn't much help in getting up. But that's not what caught the warriors eye, it's the Eldian armband is on the wrong arm. He knows the cost of such a mistake, and goes to help the man immediately. He tells the man his mistake in a low tone to not alert anyone elsebwhile fixing it. "Your armbands on bsckwards, but it's alright. Your safe, it'll get better soon. You don't have to fight anymore."
"Thanks kid. I owe you one." The man tells him, and up close Falco starts to take him in more. The man's got facial hair in the form of a dark haired but small beard, and a light mustache over his lips. His dark hair is long enough to easily reach his shoulder, but Falco is drawn to the one eye on the man he can see. While the left is covered with a white medical patch, the right eye can be clearly seen to be a bright green emerald. It's something unique to the boy, because he's never seen such a color on those in Liberio before, nor the dulled energy that's hidden within it. It's a interesting sight to say the least, and not wanting to be rude Falco responds to him "It's no problem, I'm just doing what's right. Otherwise it would've gotten harder for you mr-Uh..sorry, I don't know your name sir. I'm Falco Glaus."
The man looks into his eyes, as if searching for something but he gives no sign of whether he found anything distrustful in him. He looks the boy up and down and replies in a somewhat gruff voice "Krueger. You can call me Mr Krueger, Falco."