"There's one more thing we need to address" Armin said after the Stohess operation had been discussed.
"What would that be, Armin?" Commander Erwin asked the boy.
"When in training, Marcel would usually hang around two other trainees" the blonde in question explained "Reiner Braun and Bertholdt Hoover."
Eren widened his eyes at that. Armin couldn't possibly think that their two fellow scouts were a part of this, could he?
"They said that they all came from the same village" the blonde boy continued "if Marcel is an enemy, Reiner and Bertholdt must be his accomplices."
"Listen Reiner" Eren said as he laid a hand on his shoulder "you're tired. You're just spouting out some made up nonsense."
This was a hard situation for Eren. He didn't want to believe his colleagues were the ones responsible for all the atrocities that happened to him. Yet, as Dina told him many times, he couldn't make his decisions based solely on emotions. He had to take facts into account, and facts didn't favour Reiner and Bertholdt's innocence.
"Besides, you of all people should know what my answer would be" Eren exclaimed.
Reiner and Bertholdt were looking at him with shocked faces.
There was silence in the air. Suddenly, clouds covering the sun started to thin out. Rays of light were beaming through the humid air as if to signify an incoming disaster.
It seemed as if the duo had just noticed that the other scouts were standing in place, looking at them carefully.
"I see" Reiner finally said, "what was I thinking."
"I've probably been here for way too long… Three years surrounded by idiots… We were just kids… We didn't know anything…"
Everyone looked in shock as Reiner took off his bandage to reveal a steaming, rapidly healing arm.
"I'm not sure I know what's right even now... The only thing I know for real is that I have to face the consequences of my actions… I have to carry my duty to the very end…"
"Reiner!" Bertholdt cried out "are we doing it?! Right now?!"
"Yeah" Reiner replied as he started approaching Eren "we fight now! We decide this right here!"
Suddenly Mikasa jumped in between them and Eren. Her swords danced in the air as she slashed at the duo. When Bertholdt fell to the ground, Mikasa readied her sword to finish him off. She never managed to do so, because Reiner ran into her at full speed pushing her off the wall.
Before the other scouts could do anything, a wave of energy erupted from the two boys.
Eren felt something grab him and then, he opened his eyes. He saw that in place of people he would once call friends, were now two titans. The armoured titan jumped down to the other side of the wall, still holding Eren in his hand.
The brown-haired boy suddenly remembered all the time he spent with his current enemies. Three long years of training accounted for countless memories. He shed a single tear as he bit down on his hand, to fight the very people he once called brothers.
"YOU DAMN TRAITORS!"
He punched the armoured titan right in the face, the moment his arm finished forming. The impact was huge, but both of them were falling, so they smashed into the ground anyway.
Eren was the first one to stand up. He ran to the enemy titan at full speed and threw a powerful punch. That, however, didn't prove effective against the armour. With how quick Eren jumped into battle, he really didn't see the retaliation coming.
That mistake sent him flying in the air, as Reiner threw his own punch.
'That hurt' Eren thought as he tried to stand up 'Marcel was right. He's pretty damn strong.'
Marcel's betrayal hurt him the most. During training, Eren considered him to be one of his best friends. How was that possible? Why, of all people the ones who were closest to Eren betrayed him in such a way.
'It doesn't matter' he thought as he finally managed to stand up 'either way, it feels awful.'
ROAAAAR!
Eren launched himself forward.
Just when everyone thought he lost control or the remains of common sense, just when Reiner threw a counter punch, Eren sidestepped the armoured titan.
Suddenly, it was Reiner who was on the ground.
'I have no idea why you two are doing all this' Eren thought as he wrestled Reiner down 'but looking back on it, you made a lot of bad decisions.'
'And one of them…' he thought as he blocked one of his hands 'was teaching me how to fight like this!'
The armoured titan tried to get away from the blockade.
'You're not getting away so easy!' Eren thought as he sandwiched Reiner's arm between his legs.
With a powerful pull, he managed to tear the blockaded arm off.
"EREN!" He suddenly heard Armin call out "RUN FOR NOW! GET CLOSER TO THE WALL!"
"THEIR GOAL IS TO KIDNAP YOU! YOU HAVE TO KEEP THEM FROM DOING THAT!"
'Armin' Eren thought as he saw his opponent slowly stand up 'I'll trust your judgement.'
He retreated to the wall.
"That's right Eren!" Armin cried out again "you're making the right decision!"
This plan had one major disadvantage. Reiner wasn't going to just stand and wait. Giant footsteps could be heard as the armoured titan approached Eren.
"Eren!" he suddenly heard Hange, as the woman landed on his shoulder "you have to immobilize Reiner if you want to get away! Maybe try breaking one of his legs!"
'Right now, getting away means that I win' Eren thought as he nodded at the woman 'you're the ones who have been discovered'
'You're cornered… You have no…'
Before he could finish his train of thought, the armoured titan slammed into him with full force, tackling him down.
'Damn' Eren thought as he barely made it out 'that tackle is deadly and fast.'
Reiner, however, didn't seem to be stopping any time soon. He ran towards Eren at full speed again.
'If you're going to tackle me either way' the boy thought 'so, be it.'
He grabbed onto Reiner right when he was hit. He put the titan's head under his arm.
'Your neck is right in the open!' He thought as he was tackled down.
From this point onward, it was just a battle of strength. And to win a battle of strength against Reiner of all people, was a huge challenge.
Just when Eren thought that the armoured titan may get away, he heard someone swish through the air.
He looked up and saw that Mikasa slashed Reiner's knee-joints.
His opponent suddenly lost the previous strength. That was all Eren needed.
"GET HIM EREN!"
"PULL HIS WHOLE HEAD OFF!"
"YANK THE TRAITOR OUT OF THERE!"
Reiner's armour started to crack.
'I can win!' Eren thought as he pulled stronger.
Suddenly Reiner found his footing. Unable to stand up, he started dragging Eren across the ground. After a few pushes, he stopped.
ROAAAR!
Eren heard Reiner cry out. What was he trying to do?
'Cry all you want Reiner!' The boy thought as he continued to pull the titan's head off 'no one can hear you anyway…'
Unfortunately for Eren, this was not the case.
As the young boy suddenly heard a weird cracking noise, coming from the top of the wall, he raised his head to look up.
The colossal titan fell right onto him.
