Chapter 27: The Struggles of Downtime
(The next day)
It wasn't uncommon for Levi to have trouble sleeping, but the previous night was a doozy. In just one conversation with Annie, everything had changed. Humans weren't going extinct, the other humans out there were trying to kill them, the Armored and Colossal Titans were hiding within the Scout Regiment, and there was going to be an attack on Wall Rose in just a few days. All in all, a lot of things that kept him up at night.
Having anticipated that Annie had allies within their ranks, Erwin had ordered a group of Scouts, including several cadets from the 104th, to be stationed at a Scout Outpost in the southern region of Wall Rose in civilian garb and no weapons after the Expedition. Considering how dangerous the Shifters were, trying to catch them or kill them now would be far too risky. Annie's letter to her superior bought them some time, and it was time that needed to be well spent. It was better to prepare for the eventual attack and then take them down when they least expect it. Of course, they had this Beast Titan to worry about, a Titan Shifter even Annie admitted was stronger than her, but thanks to her letter to him, they had time to plan things out.
However, none of that was what made Levi lose so much sleep. Rather, it was the bombshell Annie delivered after all that.
(Yesterday)
Levi felt as though the air was stolen from his lungs. It couldn't be possible. She had to be making it up as some twisted joke. The urge to throttle the bitch until she came clean with something else was rising.
"Levi."
He felt a hand grip his shoulder, prompting him to glance over at Hanji. That look of concern on her face… he hadn't seen it directed towards him in a long time. He could only imagine what he looked like to her.
"So…" His throat felt dry as if he wandered through a desert for a couple of days. "Every Titan I've cut to pieces, every damn one I killed… they're human?"
"All of them," Annie confirmed with a nod.
Hanji visibly blanched. The Titans she had experimented on, Sonny and Bean, the ones she sliced up to test their regenerative abilities. They were human beings that were transformed into mindless, gigantic cannibals.
"So, how do humans become Titans, then?" Erwin asked.
"Some sort of serum," she explained. "The Marleyans wouldn't give us details on how it worked in case some moron decided to steal it. The Titans you've been killing? Punishment for any Eldians that step out of line."
"And yet, you are a Titan Shifter," the commander pointed out. "The first and only Female Titan we've ever come across. How is that possible?"
Annie shrugged. "Best way I can explain it is a modified version of the serum. Like I said, they wouldn't give us the details. Hell, I can't even remember what happened when I was injected."
"Some sort of side effect, perhaps," Hanji mused quietly, writing the information down.
Erwin simply nodded, satisfied with what was provided to them. "We shall reconvene at another time. For now, you will be escorted to your quarters until further notice. We'll have food and water brought up to you."
"Thank you." Annie's eyes drifted towards Levi. "For what it's worth, you're doing them a favor when you kill them. A life as a mindless Titan with only one basic instinct is hell."
"Get her out of my sight," Levi growled.
Annie stood as two Scouts approached her. She was immediately shackled as they led her out.
Levi massaged his temples as he fought back the headache that sought to overwhelm him. Not even muttering obscenities under his breath was making it easier.
"You know, it does make sense," Hanji said, flipping through the pages of her notes. "I mean, when you think about they do look human. Though, I wonder why they don't have-?"
"Shut up, Hanji." His voice had a hard edge to it that demanded no argument.
She paused, looking over at the captain. "Levi…"
Levi clenched his fist. "I thought I was done killing humans when I left the Underground."
Hanji let out a sigh, staying quiet. Nothing she could say would relieve any of what he was going through.
Shaking his head, Levi looked over at his commander and he nearly recoiled.
While more so than Levi, a smile was something rarely seen on Erwin's face. He usually kept a stoic expression, never letting a hint of emotion betray whatever he was thinking. So, seeing an open-mouthed grin on his commander's face was startling, to say the least.
"What the hell is wrong with your face?" Levi asked, visibly unnerved.
As if coming out of a daze, Erwin's face returned to its neutral position. "Oh, it's nothing. It's just… all this time, we've been wandering around blindly inside and outside the Walls hoping to find answers, catch a glimpse of the truth that has evaded us so long. Annie has given us what we've been needing for so long."
"If she's not bullshitting us," Levi said, crossing his arms. "We only have her word to go on, and I doubt she told us everything."
"Verifying all of her claims will take time," Erwin admitted. "However, there are some that can be proven. I'll send out a message to Section Commander Mike immediately so he can prepare for the Beast Titan's attack as well as contingencies for the Armored and Colossal Titans. Tomorrow, I'll be heading to the Interior to inform Zackley what we've discovered."
Levi snorted. "You really buy it, don't you?" It was less of a question and more of a statement.
Erwin gave him that damned stare he hated so much. It was like the man could read his soul. "You're hoping that she's wrong, Levi."
The captain just stared back, his face impassive. "Who wouldn't, sir?"
Levi let out a sigh as he wiped away the sleepiness out of his eyes. He couldn't dwell on these things anymore. He had to rescue Carolyn from a psychokinetic bitch, and it would take all his focus to kill her. Despite how furious he was at Matthew and Carolyn, it didn't change the fact that Carolyn worked so hard to save innocent people and put the corrupt pigs behind bars. She still had his respect, and that wasn't going away anytime soon.
Shaking his head, Levi stepped into the room where his squad was waiting. They were still wounded from their scuffle with Dillon, but their recovery was going as smooth as it could go.
Petra instantly took notice of how exhausted he looked. "Captain, are you all right? You don't look well."
"I'll manage," he responded gruffly, sitting down and taking a sip of tea. "It's not every day your entire world gets shaken up."
Erwin had permitted Levi Squad to be in the know on the revelations, but the information had to remain confidential until further notice. So far, only Erwin, Levi, Hanji, Levi Squad, Matthew, and Dillon all knew the truth, and they would keep it that way.
"Yeah," Eld agreed quietly before moving onto what was more important. "So, what's the plan?"
Levi snorted. "The plan is get Underground, kill the bitch, and save Carolyn."
"We were hoping you could give us details," Eld elaborated.
"Why would I? None of you are going."
"What?" Gunther asked, shocked.
"You heard me," Levi responded dryly, putting his cup down. "You three are staying here."
"Captain, if this is about our injuries—" Petra started but she was cut off.
"In the state you're in, ODM gear will damage your ribs further," he interrupted. "I won't waste time dealing with wounded soldiers. Not for this mission."
His squad was sufficiently silenced by those statements. Liabilities were the last thing he needed to deal with.
"What are your orders?" Eld asked.
"With Erwin briefing Zackley on our findings, I can't leave the Scouts here unattended," Levi explained. "I need you three to keep the peace until I get back. Eld, you'll be in charge."
'"Keep the peace?"' Gunther repeated, having an idea of what he really wanted them to do.
The captain sighed. Now was a good a time as any to address it. "Whether we like it or not, Annie Leonhart is part of our team. Her information and skills make her an asset. Therefore, she's under our protection."
"You think someone's gonna try and kill her?" Petra asked.
"Considering how many of our soldiers she killed, I'd be more surprised if no one tried to," he said. "The same goes for Amsdale. His actions in Stohess resulted in a mixed reception."
Gunther snorted. "That's an understatement."
He gave them all a look of warning. "Whatever you three feel about them, put it aside. You will not act out against Leonhart or Amsdale, or I will make you regret it. Is that clear?"
"Yes, sir!" they answered.
"Good. Keep an eye out for anyone who attempts something so stupid," he stated as he stood up.
"Captain," Petra interjected quietly. "Be careful."
"Take care of the brats while I'm gone," was all Levi said as he walked out.
"Think Leonhart's on the up and up?" Gunther asked, eyes narrowed.
"If she isn't, we'll take care of her," Eld swore.
"Agreed," Petra added.
Levi stepped outside to greet two of the four soldiers that would be his temporary squad: Marlena Geissler and Mandel Schwarz. Both spent quite some time in the Underground before enlisting and their hand-to-hand combat skills were exceptional, essential for this op. Like him, they were garbed in civilian clothing to blend in. The other two soldiers would be MPs that Nile handpicked for the job, though Levi would be grilling them. He wasn't going to trust random soldiers with a mission like this, especially ones from that branch.
"Sir." the two exclaimed, saluting.
"At ease," Levi ordered. "We'll be meeting up with the Military Police at the underground entrance in the Capitol. It's likely that we'll be the only ones undertaking the mission. Are you two prepared for that?"
"Yes, sir," Marlena answered.
"Whatever it takes, sir," Mandel stated.
He nodded. "Good. Get ready to—"
"Captain Levi!"
His eyes narrowed slightly. "Get ready to leave. I'll be a moment." He turned around to see Matthew walking towards him. "About time you showed up."
The Psion had a sheathed sword attached to his back, making it clear he wasn't going to pull any punches. "MPs ransacked my home and the forge. They got nearly everything." His anger was quite apparent considering he lost nearly everything. Having to go back to his home and seeing it in such a state, it was a lot to take in. "Took a while to find a weapon good enough against Elise."
"And what's the stop her from cutting us all to ribbons with a blink of an eye?" Levi asked. "She could just hide and kill all of us without showing her face."
"If she tries, she'll fall into my trap," the older man assured. "When you levitate and object, it has an invisible connection. You can't see it, but Psions can sense it. At least, ones who are trained for that sort of thing."
Levi gave him the once-over before stepping closer. "Let's get one thing straight: I am in command of this operation, Amsdale. You will follow my orders, and you will not deviate from them. If I throw you at your childhood girlfriend to keep her occupied, then you damn well better do it."
"I don't care what happens to me," Matthew said in a low tone. "I only want to save my family."
"Then don't screw up." Levi turned to the two Scouts. "Let's go hunting."
If there was one word to describe the atmosphere at Scout Headquarters, it would be tense. With the Female Titan now conscripted into their ranks, nearly everyone was waiting for the moment where she could transform and slaughter them all. Some soldiers were even contemplating killing her before she could have a chance to stab them in back. However, with Annie under heavy guard, that opportunity would be practically nonexistent.
Knowing that was precisely why Eren took to the stables after grabbing a quick bite to eat. Cleaning the stables and tending to the horses wasn't a desirable task, but it sure as hell gave him the chance to vent his frustrations. When he was feeding the horses, he fantasized all the ways he'd love to kill Annie. When he was brushing their manes, he was ranting at the stupidity of Dillon. When he was shoveling manure, he was spatting out obscenities towards Annie and Dillon.
"I didn't think I'd find you here," a familiar voice said as Eren cleaned his hands.
The Shifter let out a snort, not turning around. "I wondered if cleaning horseshit would help clear my mind."
"Did it work?" Armin asked.
"No."
"Didn't think it would." The blonde boy gave him a sympathetic look. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Eren paused before turning to face his friend. "What's the point, Armin? Nothing will change. I have to deal with it."
"Except you aren't dealing with it," Armin pointed out, petting one of the nearby horses. "I know what you're trying to do, and it won't work for long."
"I know that," he said with a huff. "It's only temporary until… until… I don't know. It's only temporary."
"You can't hide from Annie forever."
Eren narrowed his eyes. "Who says I'm hiding?"
Armin didn't say anything, but he stood firm as he stared at his best friend.
Eren was the first the falter as he sighed. "I guess I'm a coward, aren't I?"
"If that was true, then we all are," he said sympathetically. "Everyone is afraid of what Annie could do if she wanted to, what she's already done."
"Well, I shouldn't be!" Eren shot back angrily. "I'm a Titan Shifter, Humanity's Last Hope. Why the hell should I be afraid of that bitch?"
"Because she beat you," Armin answered in a sad tone. "She got to you."
The green-eyed teen couldn't help but face the ground in response. Slowly, he sat on an upside-down bucket. "I almost gave up, Armin. When she buried me… I wanted to die. Compared to her, what was I? A weakling. I've always been that to her. She thrived on my pain, my suffering."
Making sure that it was empty, Armin turned another pail upside-down and took a seat next to him. "It hurts when you don't know what to do. This past week has been confusing for all of us."
"I want to kill her," Eren said, clenching his fist and imagining Annie's crushed skull in it. "If Dillon didn't get in the way, I could've done it."
"Maybe," Armin admitted.
"What the hell is wrong with him?" he asked. "Annie slaughters his squad, breaks him, and almost kills him, yet he throws himself into the fire to save her?"
"He believed she was worth saving."
"He's wrong. She's a sadistic bitch that deserves to die. I only hope I get to be the one to do it."
Armin let out a sigh, knowing that nothing he said could make Eren feel better. However, he did ask, "Have you seen Mikasa?"
"Not since yesterday," Eren answered. "Why?"
"Odd. I thought she'd be with you."
"She's not."
Slowly, Armin glanced at Eren, a thought occurring to him. "You don't think…?"
The Shifter glanced back, his mind debating on the possibility. "No way Mikasa could reach Annie."
"What about Dillon?"
"No, she wouldn't go after him."
"You sure?"
The two sat on the buckets for a couple moments before abruptly standing up, making a beeline towards Headquarters.
Dillon had no idea how long he stayed in his room. He didn't come down to eat, drink, or interact with people. It was the only place he felt safe and secure. He could hide from his enemies, keep himself away from anyone that meant to hurt him. He didn't even register the door slowly opening.
Mikasa stood there awkwardly for a few seconds before she cleared her throat. "Dillon?"
He gasped, and his head turned sharply towards her with wide eyes. He didn't say anything and just stared at her, as if anticipating an attack.
Mikasa also flinched back at this, one hand flicking low for a second. Then she straightened up. "Are you okay?"
He audibly swallowed. "Are you here to kill me, Mikasa?"
She furrowed her brow. "What?"
"You probably have a knife stored on you, probably snuck it out of the mess hall, or it's one of your own. Silent kill. No noise if you strike in the right place."
"Dillon, I'm not going to hurt you," she assured cautiously.
"You could just be saying that," he said without missing a beat. "Lull me into a false sense of security, pretending you care, and then you strike. Clever plan."
Mikasa held up both of her hands. "I was checked for weapons before I came in here. Have you known me to ever be good at deception?" She lowered her hands slowly. "Or all that keen on it?"
He stood up suddenly, catching her off-guard. His breathing rate was increasing and getting deeper. "There are things about you I don't know, Mikasa. For all I know, the woman standing in front of me isn't the woman that really exists. A long con for a dark purpose. Hell, the same could be said for me. You don't know everything about me. I could be working with Annie to kill every single one of you, but perhaps unwillingly." He tapped his head repeatedly as he continued to ramble. "In here, a phrase that could bend me to the will of others. This life I live may not even be my life. A fabrication to hide the horrible truth that lurks within. And with my powers..." He stared at his hands, clenching them, his voice becoming ragged. "So much I could do. Break bones without a single touch, busting capillaries with a glance, carving out every single memory at my whim. Perhaps it is better for you to kill me. You'd be a hero."
Mikasa stared at him for a few seconds, her face unreadable. "I'm not Annie."
"You don't have to be Annie to be a lying, piece of shit!" His shout echoed in the room as he locked eyes with her, almost as if there was murder in them. It quickly faded as he sunk to a sitting position on the floor.
She looked down at him, trying to keep the grief she felt for him out of her face. "I've never lied to you, Dillon. And I'm not lying now."
He shook his head, his voice dropping to a whisper. "They pretended to care. They all did."
"All?" She took a step forward, then stopped herself from moving further.
"Annie, Kyler... my parents." He let out a chuckle as tears fell down his face. "It was all a lie."
"Kyler?" She looked uncomprehending. "What about your parents?"
"They came from the same place Annie did. My mother is a war criminal, and my dad was an experiment."
Mikasa opened her palms wide and slowly approached Dillon. "What happened?"
Dillon couldn't face her. "They're all liars. They all pretended to stand for something. They made me believe in them, and it was all for nothing."
A soft hand grasped his shoulder.
He gasped, facing her with a tear-stained, broken expression.
Eyes that were often cold gazed at him with soft sympathy. "I'm here to listen."
"What am I supposed to say?" he asked.
"Sit with me. Start at the beginning." Mikasa helped him up and guided him over to the bed.
Slowly, and with difficulty, Dillon explained what Annie and his father told him. About the fact that humanity isn't extinct, an entire country wants the Eldians dead, Kyler being an imposter, Project Psion, his mother's involvement in it, his father being a prisoner, and their escape to Paradis.
To her credit, Mikasa tried to keep calm. She gritted her teeth and listened, knowing she had to be the rock at this moment. "This is... your week for betrayals," she said lamely, unable to find much to say.
Another mirthless laugh shook his body. "Funny, isn't it?"
"Stop that." She kept her hand on his shoulder, gripping it tighter. "Stop it."
"Stop what?"
She didn't know how to answer that.
"Who else, Mikasa? Who else is going to stab us in the back?"
"I don't know," she admitted. "It feels like it could be anybody now, doesn't it? I half expect even Sasha to turn out to be someone with a dark past."
He looked out the window. "Hanji is going to run tests on Annie... and she'll be there, too."
Mikasa's expression darkened. "I hope she cuts the bitch open."
"I won't let her," Dillon swore.
Mikasa sighed. "That's what I came to talk to you about. Dillon, she's bad for you. Especially now with all you've said. It's crazy to trust her. She's a liar, a murderer, and a traitor."
"She warned me," he protested. "She told me she was going to hurt me. And she... she trusted me."
She shook her head. "She used you to save her own skin. She would have gone down fighting or run back to people who probably don't reward failure very well. What options did she have? Don't mistake desperation for trust."
"Don't take this away from me, Mikasa," Dillon begged. "Please."
"I'm..." Mikasa grimaced. "I'm trying to protect you. You don't need any more betrayals. Any more disappointments."
Dillon didn't say anything as he continued to stare at the ground.
"Why did you try to save her when she...? Damn it, she left you for dead."
"Because it wasn't too late. Because the woman I loved was still there."
"Dillon, you loved who you thought she was. We saw what she did to those people, our people."
He closed his eyes. "I know. But what if it was Eren?"
Her expression hardened. "Eren never would do what she did. He never would have lied to us. He never would have destroyed thousands of innocent lives, not for any reason. Everything he's done, he's done to protect us. Everything she's done... would any excuse justify it? It would never be Eren."
"He killed innocent people, too."
Now, Mikasa's voice was clipped, an edge creeping in. "Because he was forced to do it to defend more from a traitor. She chose this. She chose to lie and kill every step of the way. Dillon, you're a good man, but the girl you loved never existed."
"She did it for her father. The Marleyans... they have him. If she didn't do her mission, they would kill him. She gave up her father to stay with me."
Mikasa gave him a look of disbelief, standing up. "All we have on that is the word of a known liar. Dillon, when will you stop falling for it?"
"Please, stop," Dillon begged once more.
"No!" Mikasa had enough as she grabbed him by the collar and flung him against the wall. His eyes widened in fear as she pinned him with her arm. The way her eyes were blazing, one could think she was a Psion, too. "Stop clinging onto her, Dillon. You owe her nothing!"
Dillon opened his mouth to talk, but he was swiftly cut off.
"Enough talking for once," Mikasa demanded, her tone getting a little bit shaky. "Just stop." She closed her eyes for a moment, taking a shuddered breath. "I saw you. When Levi brought you back. You… it was like you were dead. Blood all over you, eyes wide with terror, and I could barely hear you breathe, Dillon. I held you when we were in that cart. I stayed with you and Eren the entire time." She finally opened her eyes, full of the grief she tried to hide. "Annie abandoned you, but I… we never did."
Once again, the young blacksmith found himself at a loss for words. He didn't even know what to think.
Mikasa looked into his eyes. "Dillon, you need help."
He looked down at the ground, unable to stare back. "I don't think anyone can help me, Mikasa."
"That's not true. We can, but you have to let us in and stop pushing us away." Letting out a sigh, Mikasa headed for the door. She couldn't get through to him right now. However, she stopped as her hand landed on the doorknob. "When Jean asked you if you could trust Eren, you didn't answer. Ask yourself something: do you trust Eren or Annie more with the fate of humanity?" She didn't even wait for an answer as she walked out.
It had been fifteen minutes since Annie had been summoned to an open field a few miles away from Headquarters. She was surprised that there weren't any of those harpoon cannons, but then again, just because she couldn't see them didn't mean they weren't there. The Scouts were smart enough to have contingency plans in case something went wrong. Plan A was obviously the four guards that were keeping a keen eye on her while keeping their distance. They had learned their lesson about not getting too close to someone that could blow them all up with a transformation.
So, while she waited for Hanji to arrive, Annie passed the time by fiddling with her ring. When she flicked out the blade the first time, the guards immediately tensed up, ready to fight her in case she made an unauthorized transformation. All she did was smirk cruelly as she retracted the small blade. She continued to repeat the same motions, keeping the Scouts on edge in the process. She could tell they were afraid of her. Playing with their expectations and making them think she was going to shift any second was quite amusing.
At long last, the browned-haired, glasses-wearing demon arrived on the scene via horseback along with a brown-haired man.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," she said, hopping off. Her eyes were wide with excitement, the glasses magnifying that. "At last, it's happening."
Already, Annie was on edge, the woman's giggles not helping in the slightest. "Who's your friend?"
"Oh, this is my assistant and executive officer of Squad Four, Moblit Berner. Come introduce yourself, Moby."
Moblit cringed at the use of that stupid nickname. It was only used when Hanji was really excited about something. Getting to run experiments on the first Female Titan fit the bill. He barely hid his exasperation as he shook Annie's hand. "I apologize in advance for anything the Section Commander does. She, uh, really likes Titans."
"I can tell." Annie didn't know where to find it comical or unnerving. Perhaps a little of both.
Hanji clapped her hands together, bouncing on her toes. "So, let's get—wait a minute." Her eyes shot over towards the Scouts that were keeping Annie company. "You're supposed to be watching from a distance. Science demands privacy and close study." She waved them off. "Shoo, shoo!"
The Scouts glanced at each other, worried. "But, Section Commander—"
"That's an order."
Begrudgingly, the Scouts withdrew the area until she couldn't see them.
Satisfied, Hanji turned back to her newest victim. "Now, then, show me what you can do."
"If I'm going to transform, you should both step back," Annie warned.
Hanji took only a single step back.
"Further."
One more step.
Heaving an annoyed sigh, Moblit grabbed the back of Hanji's collar and began pulling her away.
"What's minimum safe distance?" Hanji shouted, heels digging into the ground.
She's like the unholy combination of a mad scientist and a bratty child. Annie thought as she waited about ten seconds before saying, "That's far enough. Cover your eyes in case I kick up debris."
Naturally, Hanji had a set of goggles that she put over her glasses. "I have to see this."
Moblit covered his eyes, muttering about getting a drink later.
Whipping out the blade, Annie slashed her fingers, and lightning descended on her. The rush of energy that coursed through her veins was nearly intoxicating. To have so much power at her fingertips was truly something to appreciate. She descended into the growing mass of flesh as it took form until the Female Titan stood tall and proud above everything else.
Instead of being intimidated, Hanji was squealing with delight. "Oh, my God, it's so amazing!" She darted for the dangerous Titan.
"Hanji, slow down," Moblit pleaded as he ran after her.
The Section Commander paid him no heed as she latched onto Annie's leg, hugging it tightly. "This is the best day of my life," she said, joyfully grinning.
Moblit just sighed before he began to sketch a picture of the Female Titan. Being Hanji's assistant for so long taught him what to expect.
Annie looked down with wide eyes at the small demon that was now attached to her leg. This was a far cry from the woman that swore to dissect her piece by piece in Stohess. Then again, Hanji treated her like an enemy at the time. Annie made a mental note to try and stay on her good side, even if that meant putting up with her… she wasn't she what to call Hanji's actions.
After a bit, Hanji let go, staring at her hands as if they contained so much information. "Her warmth is just the right temperature. It isn't scalding, and it feels so nice." Her manic chuckle did not help.
"Hanji, you need to ask first before you start touching her like that," Moblit said, intervening on her behalf.
Annie threw him a grateful look.
"Oh, right." Hanji then paused, realizing something. "Wait a minute. I thought you could talk. Why aren't you saying anything?"
The Female Titan tapped the side of head, hoping the Section Commander would get the message.
"Of course. Dillon." Hanji clapped her hands together, looking around. "Where is he?"
Annie let out a sigh, knowing what was going on. Dillon had been avoiding everyone even since yesterday. She couldn't blame him after everything he learned from his father. Still, she needed his help so she wouldn't have to play charades. "Dillon, if you can hear me, I need you to set up a link between myself, Hanji, and Moblit."
There wasn't a response from him.
However, Hanji said, "I feel something strange in my head."
"I feel it, too," Moblit added, confused.
"That would be Dillon setting up the telepathic links between us."
Hanji staggered back from the sudden voice of the Female Titan before quickly composing herself. "Incredible! He wasn't even here yet he could pull that off. How?"
"You'd have to ask him," she responded.
"Let's focus on one thing at a time," Moblit advised before Hanji could dart off to Headquarters to retrieve him.
"Right." Hanji looked Annie over. "Now, where to start? Where to start?" She snapped her fingers, getting an idea. "Your hardening ability. How does it work?"
"I use my high body temperature to change the structure of the carbon in my skin," she answered. "I assume you want me to demonstrate?"
She nodded, indicating a tree. "Let's see what you can do
"Stand back." Hardening her shin, Annie performed a spin kick at the base of the tree, cutting through it effortlessly.
Hanji was beside herself as the tree crashed to the ground, laughing excitedly. "Ooh, such power! Oh, we're going to have so much fun with you. Write that down!"
Rolling his eyes, Moblit jotted down the notes as fast as he could.
"Can I touch it? Please?" Hanji begged.
What are you? Five? The Female Titan knelt to her level and stretched out her hand, the crystal forming around it in the process.
The woman rubbed the massive hand, getting a feel for it. "It's so smooth. Beautiful, but deadly."
Moblit facepalmed, knowing what that sounded like.
"There's something I want to try." Hanji pulled out a small crystal from her jacket.
"Souvenir from Stohess?" Annie asked, raising her nonexistent eyebrow.
"In case you were sentenced to death, I'd at least have a piece of you to test," Hanji explained.
"How thoughtful," she deadpanned.
Hanji didn't respond to that as she dragged the tip of the shard across the crystallized palm. It had no effect on her hand. "Not even a scratch. Hmm." She put her fingers to her chin as she contemplated why. "The crystal loses its potency once it's not fused with you. Interesting. Moblit!"
"Already on it," her tired assistant replied, writing that down.
"So many questions," she giggled with excitement. "You are quite the specimen, Annie."
"Hanji, please calm down," Moblit pleaded, praying she wouldn't do something stupid.
"Oh, Moblit, can't you see what a big deal this is?" Hanji questioned, staring him down. "We have a Titan who can communicate with her mind, a plethora of information just waiting to be divulged, hardening abilities that could give us an edge on the Armored Titan, and she's the first Female Titan in existence. Just look at her." She pointed at the Titan in question. "She has breasts, for crying out loud! No other Titan has those."
"Yeah, Moblit. Just think of all the Titans I can seduce with my assets," Annie said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Hanji whirled around to face her, her curiosity peaked once more. "Can you? Wait, of course. That scream you let out in the Forest of Giant Trees. Was that a mating call?"
Annie stared at her for the longest time, stunned that Hanji would jump to that conclusion. "Those Titans ate my body, Section Commander."
Even Moblit stared at Hanji incredulously. "Why the hell would you even think that?"
"Every avenue has to be considered and explored, Moblit," she answered seriously. "No stone unturned."
A sigh exited out of the Female Titan's throat. It was better than being tortured for answers, but Hanji was starting to drive her towards taking up drinking. If the smell coming off Moblit was any indication, he already had a head start on that. "My scream summons Titans to me. As you saw, it made great cover for my escape, though I'm not fond of repeating that trick again. If a Titan gets lucky and bites my nape, I'm screwed."
"But in other cases, you can lure Titans to other humans," Hanji said, her expression turning stony.
She nodded slowly. "I'm the reason the Titans managed to get into Shiganshina so quickly."
The Section Commander nodded back. "Armin had a feeling that was the case."
A sad smile crossed Annie's features. "He was always the smartest of us… and the most cunning."
There was an awkward silence that passed between the trio. The grim reminder of Annie's sins reared its ugly head, and they wouldn't be going away anytime soon.
Surprisingly, Moblit asked, "Do you enjoy it? Being like this, I mean."
"I do. It's hard to describe the rush that I feel whenever I'm in this body. I feel so strong, almost like I'm invincible. Nothing can get in my way and all who try…" The Female Titan's voice trailed off a bit as her thoughts drifted to the Expedition, to every single soldier she killed, to the boy on his hands and knees weeping. "It feels good… and sometimes, I wish it didn't."
Hanji and Moblit exchanged glances briefly before the former cleared her throat. "Perhaps we'd better move on to something else."
Annie was more than happy to do so. Distractions usually helped in situations like these. It worked during the Cadet Corps, and it would work here. She noted, ironically, that the people she killed so many of were treating her better than the Marleyans did. She thought that the first chance they got, the Scouts would start amputating her limbs in order to get some form of payment for all the soldiers she slaughtered. Instead, the worse she had to deal with so far was the overenergetic demon known as Hanji. That being said, she wasn't blind to the reality. No matter who she was fighting with, she would remain what she had been since the day she was born: a tool.
Remastered Edits: Let's break it down!
First off, having Matthew go with Levi this time around makes more sense. Levi's going up against a person with telekinetic powers. What better way to fight back than with someone who has the same powers. In this situation, our favorite captain wants to get the job done by any means necessary. Also, I figured revealing the whole "Titans are humans" bit deserved its proper reveal in a flashback (starting to see why anime and manga like using those) instead of it being contained to one paragraph.
One of the things I felt like the show glossed over was the fallout from Stohess. I'm not talking about the casualty rate. I'm talking about Eren. He doesn't exactly change as a result of what he did, what he went through in Stohess (i.e. being betrayed by a close friend and killing innocent civilians in an effort to kill Annie), and that always bugged me. So, I decided to put in a bit more fallout.
Arguably, my biggest change was the Dillon and Mikasa scene. People who have been here since this fanfic's inception know that I handled Mikasa… not so well. With the new relationship established between them, there's a lot more potential for emotional conflict rather than physical. Once again, props to my ever-awesome cowriter for writing Mikasa's lines, though from the point of Mikasa throwing Dillon against the wall to the end was all me.
And finally, Annie dealing with Hanji on her own. As much as I loved the lightheartedness of the original, especially the chemistry between Dillon and Annie, it didn't realistically fit. Right now, they are both going through their own things and handling it in their own way. Still, I hope you all got a chuckle out of Hanji's antics and comments. Poor Moblit.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, I look forward to your reviews, and I'll see you all in the next one.
