Cursed to a Cruel World

by UnbredEel0

Percy broke a promise he made on the River of Styx and has a steep price to pay. Banished to a new world and thrown into another 'world ending' conflict, witness Percy struggle as he tries to make sense of what's happening, adapts to his new environment, and attempts to unravel the mysteries of yet another monster infested world. (Rated M because I don't want to limit myself)

6. Between Scylla and a Hard Place

Hello again,

Seriously y'all, thank you for your overwhelming support. Deleting my old chapters to post my revisions live was totally worth it. I'm happy so many of you felt the impact my rewrite has on the story. To my reviewers, thank you for taking the time out of your day to pass on your words of encouragement, enjoyment, excitement, and advice for my story.

"Bruh, if you deleted all these chapters just to make Percy into a simp like Armin, this shit is getting dropped." -This guest review made me laugh so hard.

I did get one flame, but I guess it's to be expected. What was most ironic about it was that it came from another fanfiction author who had ranted about guest flamers in their own story. Here's a lesson kids: either learn to cover your tracks or don't be a hypocrite.

Also, I don't own PJO, HOO, or AOT and I'm not profiting off anything.

777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777

Author's note

Narration

Thoughts and Internal Conversations

"Speaking, duh"

Last time

The day after Percy is interrogated in his newfound cell by the Scouts, he is brought to a military tribunal and put on trial as a prisoner of war. Unfortunately for our hero, his defense is passed over as if the result of the trial had been predetermined and just before Percy is sentenced to death, Hange steps in and pleads to the judge to allow Percy to retell his story. Undertaking a 2nd and more public interrogation, Percy once again tells the truth. To no avail, no one believes Percy's story. Frustrated, Percy insults the premier causing things to go… south. Surviving execution by firing squad, Percy takes the opportunity of the people's shock to show off Riptide, giving hard evidence that magic exists. Proclaiming once again that he is a son of a god, all the stunned Premier Zachary can do is order him to be escorted back to his cell...

Chapter 6: Between Scylla and a Hard Place

Year 850: Percy's 3rd Day in Prison

Percy's POV:

"I'm telling you, it's a dog! Just look at its adorable little face."

"For the last time. It's. A. RAT!" One of my cell guards yells back at me. I have decided to call this one 'Dumb' after he refused to tell me his name.

"Hey! Stop talking to him! You are only encouraging him." My other cell guard scolds his colleague. The name I coined for this guy is 'Dumber.' Together, Dumb and Dumber have been my sole source of entertainment trapped in this cramped cell, let with only my own thoughts this inner voice.

"Dumb, can't you see its soft fur, wagging tail, drooling tongue, and collar? It's so adorable! It looks like it wants a treat. You should go give it a treat."

"RAT! IT'S A FUCKING RAT! A RODENT! A MOUSE! A RAAAAT!"

He's not wrong, the little mammal sitting outside my cell in the hall is definitely not a dog. Once happily chewing on a scrap piece of moldy bread, the rat scampers off, frightened off by Dumb's screaming. But don't you worry, I don't need to get my eyes checked, I know it was a rat. What I was really trying to do was use the Mist against my guard.

"Another failed attempt. You disappoint me."

I'm trying my best!

"You're not trying hard enough! You have to sell it! The Mist is most effective if the lie itself is convincing and you, yourself, believe in the words you are trying to deceive them with!"

You see, demigods have a natural affinity with The Mist and can grasp its veils to cloud the eyes of mortals. While I was never really the best at it, I have been able to use The Mist a few times in the past. Such as the time I was able to convince a cop that the President of the United States was about to drive by and he needed to clear the streets. Only then could Grover and I deal with that rogue Chryseae Celedone Apollo had 'asked' us to retrieve while rudely interrupting Grover's birthday. (For those who don't know, that is from the 'Percy Jackson and the Singer of Apollo' mini book)

"You'll never be able to use it at this rate. Maybe Thalia or Hazel could manage its new chaotic nature but without Hecate, a normal demigod such as yourself won't accomplish a single thing without practice!"

The reason I'm in this whole mess isn't because The Mist failed to hide my powers, it's because I've never had to deal with mortals before. Back in my old world, one day I could be the FBI's most wanted for blowing up the St. Louis Arch, and the next, poof! They'll not even remember my name. I've always relied on The Mist and the gods to hide my existence and clean up my messes but now, I'm powerless.

"Then learn how to use it! Practice!"

The Mist isn't gone, I know it's there. I can feel its veil, disorganized and in disarray like the sea's waves in a raging storm. I had always thought The Mist was a godly thing, but it exists in this world as well as if it's simply a part of the natural order of things. Whatever the case, The Mist's veils bounce rampant throughout the air and without the Goddess of The Mist to pull in its reigns, an amateur Mist yielder like myself stands no chance at manipulating it.

"Hey! Are you ignoring me?!"

The realization of the magnitude Hecate's absence has on the natural order of things is just another painful reminder of how far away from home I really am. Whatever chance I still had of returning home… or seeing Annabeth again has just grown that much slimmer.

"Uncovering the truth about your position in this world doesn't decrease your chances at returning home, that prospect remains the same as it ever was. The only way to increase that probability is to strengthen your body and train your mind. You must learn how to use The Mist, so practice!"

No.

"What? Why the hell not?!"

Yelling 'practice' in my ear isn't helping! Look, Hazel and Thalia were trained how to use The Mist by experienced teachers. I never was! The few times I've used it, I had no idea what I was doing. There's nothing in my memories for me or you to go off of. It's a waste of time.

"Alright then, Einstein. Since you're the genius here, what do you suggest?"

I can train another power. One I've never really tried to use before. I shouldn't have to explain it since you should already know what I'm thinking, but what we should focus on trying to learn instead is—

"She's back!"

With the accompanying jolt of danger signals washing down my spine, I can tell who Annabelle is warning about. Annie, that monster girl.

"Move aside, I need to deliver the prisoner his meal," Annie says to my guards, announcing her presence somewhere outside my cell.

"Hey Annie, did you see that rat?" Dumb asks as Dumber unlocks my cell door. "Please, tell me you saw it!"

"There are rats everywhere down here."

"But you didn't see any dogs, right?"

"Of course not, now get out of my way."

"SEE! Take that you fucking lunatic!" Dumb yells, sticking his face into my cell.

I would have liked to shoot a jab back at Dumb but unfortunately, I'm preoccupied trying to maintain my cool in face of my sixth sense screaming at my body to prepare for combat.

Monster girl enters my cell, swiftly places the food tray at the base of my bed, and takes two steps back, leaning against the cell wall presumably waiting for me to finish so she can retrieve the tray. That or the opportune moment to strike.

My food's the same as yesterday, just a single lousy loaf of bread. Although visually unappealing, my mouth can't help but water at the thought of eating. I haven't eaten anything in a whole day. This piece of bread is all they are giving. It's both my lunch, my dinner, and my breakfast.

"It's not enough."

Not enough what?

"Nutrition. Calories. With the Curse of Achilles requiring more energy, it's nowhere close enough to keep you sustained. We mustn't lose your weight or strength, we will need to negotiate for better meals."

Negotiate with what?

"Information? Manual labor? Some type of service with your power? If they don't try to take your life again within the next 48 hours or so, then they must want something from you."

"Your performance in court the other day was entertaining," Annie speaks up, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Oh yeah? Which part did you enjoy the most? The spectacle of getting gunned down in court? Perhaps my magic trick with my sword? Or was it my pleas falling on deaf ears?"

"Hey!" Dumb shouts, peering into my cell with Dumber. "Don't answer that!"

"Conversing with the prisoner is off-limits. That's an order from Nile Dawk himself to all military police personnel." Dumber explains.

"Well, it's a good thing I'm not part of the military police then," Annie replies, gesturing to the crossed sword insignia on her jacket's breast pocket and with the slightest flash of amusement in her eyes.

"But you're still interning to join our ranks! We'll have no choice but to report this if you continue." Dumb threatens.

"You may be in the top 10 of your class but that doesn't ensure automatic admission," Dumber adds. "They'll put this into consideration, your application could be denied due to this mark."

"I'll take that risk."

"And give up the chance of a life within the interior?! Are you mad?!" Dumb yells.

"Put it to rest man. If this girl wants to throw her life away then so be it." Dumber says, putting a hand on his comrade's shoulder. "But once you join the garrison, don't come crying back to us when that Armored Titan is rushing towards your gate."

"The 104th class is fucking insane." Dumb mutters. "I guess that's what happens when you send rookies to the front lines before their balls have the chance to drop…"

"Oh, and one last thing," Dumber speaks up, narrowing his eyes at Annie. "Don't discuss the status of the prisoner's internment or anything else the prisoner shouldn't know. We will intervene."

Finally 'given permission' to speak, Annie turns her attention back to me. But she doesn't respond to my bantering questions nor asks ones of her own. She stands there, unmoving, her pupils subtly quivering as she analyzes my every movement. The cell room fills with an uncomfortable atmosphere sired by the girl's unsocial behavior and hard gaze. Or is it due to mine? I can't help but shiver as a new wave of danger signals washes over as I'm reminded what she truly is. A shiver Annie certainly noticed.

I should have mentioned this earlier but my oppressors have yet to discover the fine print behind Riptide's magical ability; that my sword will only return to my pockets, specifically. Leading the Military Police to believe my pen returns to my person no matter what, their solution was to put Riptide in my pants pocket and sew it shut. It's a haphazard solution, I can still rip the fabric or uncap Riptide while it's in there if given enough time, but it's smart. They created a new loophole to make sure I can't use Riptide; ensuring the pen is secured on my person with no way for me to get it. It's only a matter of time before their blacksmiths forge a more secure container for Riptide, one that I would be able to access my sword at all.

The chain connected to my shackles jingles ever so slightly as I tense my hands, reading myself to grab the iron links and defend myself the moment the monster girl reveals her true intentions. I won't have enough time to tear Riptide free from my sewn pockets, but these chains should be enough to block whatever claws, talons, teeth, or spikes the monster whips at me when she attacks.

Trying to decipher the cause of my uneasy fidgeting, Annie's calculating eyes shift at the sound of my clinking iron links, glances down at my chains, then dart over my goosebump-ridden arms as I try to inconspicuously move them into position to defend myself. Her pupils rise back up to mine, unyieldingly leering as if expecting an admission of guilt.

She saw.

"She's reading you like a book."

She knows.

"Then there's no sense in delaying this any longer."

"You're different from the others," I start, breaking the tense silence of the room. "I know what you are."

"It's true. You have me all figured out," she admits, closing her eyes, sighing, then putting a hand up to her heart. "I'm just a poor lowly girl trying to move up in this cruel, cruel world. I may have only started this internship a few days prior but I would've thought I had gained enough experience to mask my rookie status. But then those damn fools had to go to give me all away." Reopening her eyes, her pupils shrink with the added light much like a predator's. But as she gauges my reactions and waits for my next move, I catch a mischievous shine flash across her corneas.

"Stop playing around! Reveal yourself! Show me your true form!"

"Ha ha ha, oh my!" she laughs, running her hand across her body and toward her left arm, rubbing her elbow in a bashful manner. "You can't say that, we've only just met! Didn't your mother ever teach you any manners? Ask a girl out on a date first."

"Gahhh! That's not what I meant!" I flush.

"She's enjoying your misfortune."

"Y-you're a monster! I know you are…"

Annie frowns, instantly erasing any traces of pleasure from her face.

"What a hurtful thing to say."

A pang of guilt shoots through my heart at that response.

"It wasn't an attack on your character, I swear! I meant it in the physical sense! Like you are physically a monster!"

"Wow, you sure know how to sweep a girl off her feet." She replies, her lips curving downwards a tad further.

"No! I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that either. You're not ugly. I meant— What I was trying to say was— I—"

"Seriously Percy? Don't let her play you like a fool. Can't you see this is still a part of her act?"

Meet this girl for a minute and you'll learn she isn't a very expressive person. What little facial expressions and body posture Annie does give off would say she's hurt and sad. But I learned long ago that you can't rely on those. Hide it all she wants, a person's eyes are the gateways to their soul, and peering deep into hers, sure enough, her eyes display hidden emotions far different than the ones her body displays.

Fear, anxiety, guilt, distress, and... remorse? All brewing within her inner mind, all terrible emotions for a human to experience, but nothing that indicates any malicious intent towards myself. These aren't the feelings of a demigod-hungry monster that has just been outed by their target. Then what else is she? What is she thinking? Why did calling her a monster make her feel this way?

"Demigods have a sort of sixth sense, one that warns them of danger, points them in the right direction, and tells them if they are in the presence of something strong," I explain. "I said 'you're not like the others' because I can sense you have a strong energy. Frankly, it reminds me a lot about the monsters I've fought in the past. Like the Fury who disguised itself as my math teacher, like that Empousa who took the form of a cheerleader at my high school, and like that naked Giant that attacked me when I first arrived in this place. That probably didn't make much sense, did it…" I trail off, noticing Annie's previous emotions rapidly getting displaced by a look of confusion.

"Look, I've only been here for a little over a day. Your government imprisoned me for reasons I still don't really understand, put me on trial without telling me what I was being accused of, then ordered to have me killed. I'm starving, dehydrated, cold, and alone. I didn't mean to offend you but forgive me if I'm a little distrusting," I finish, growing heated over Annie's offended response.

Wait, why am I losing my cool? Anyone but a monster would be hurt at the things I just said. I should have expected it.

"I don't care what your monster form looks like or if you're a monster at all! You can be the beautiful Scylla or the hideous Charybdis, but I'm not going to be stuck in this awful limbo. If you intend on eating me, there's no sense in delaying it. Reveal your true form and come at me already."

Fuck, I should have just let things play out, shouldn't I?

"Maybe. You also used that idiom wrong."

"That was quite a bold accusation but no, I don't eat humans," Annie answers, removing herself from the wall. "There's no logical reason for a monster to put this much effort in a single morsel. If I were a Titan in disguise, I'd rather be having a buffet in Mitras right now." And without another word, she snatches my food tray, the stale piece of bread sliding off and bouncing on the floor in the process, and steps out of my cell.

She never planned on eating me?

"It's bigger than that! She doesn't value demigod flesh like Greek monsters do!"

"Next time we aren't going to let you two speak," Dumber says, closing the cell door after Annie with a loud bang. "Your internship status excuse was bullshit, we never should have let you talk. If you want to speak with him again, go see Commander Dawk. Although he'll probably seek you out first."

Dawk was that guy representing the Military Police at my trial, right?

"Yup."

Instead of responding to Dumber, Annie simply turns around and leaves without a word. Heading Apollo knows where, it only takes a few seconds for the sound of her footsteps to completely fade away.

"Never would have thought someone other than Commander Pixis would be into titan roleplay. That was some weird fucking flirting." Dumb remarks as soon as Annie is out of earshot.

With the recent commotion in the halls, the rats have yet to re-emerge from their hiding places. But even if they did, I don't have the desire nor energy to continue experimentation with The Mist.

"Let's go over what we know."

I'd rather not. We should try to get more sleep to pass the time.

"Pass time for what? We need a plan."

…

"I don't think she's a monster. Or at least a Greek one in the typical sense."

What do you mean?

"She wasn't using The Mist to disguise herself. That human body of her's is natural."

How do you know she wasn't using The Mist? It never crossed my mind to check.

"The Mist alters a mortal's perception of the world, clouding their mind and making them see what the caster wants them to see. Since I am your mind, I would have noticed something amiss. If The Mist was at play, I would have noticed sluggish thoughts or a spark of confusion as your mind struggles to audit what Annie looks like."

That doesn't explain why my demigod senses are warning me about her. They're saying she is a monster.

"Your demigod sense will warn you about any danger. They can warn you that you're being stalked by a Dracaena or alert you that you are about to be a victim of your mom's bone-crushing hugs. The threat doesn't have to be godly."

Did you have to bring my mom up? That's stings.

"Sorry."

*sigh* So where do we go from here? What's our next step?

"Evitata Charybdi in Scyllam incidi. -Erasmus, 1515 A.D."

(Having escaped Charybdis I fell into Scylla)

Hmm?

"As you recall, the monsters Scylla and Charybdis inhabit both sides of the Strait of Messina. The straight is too narrow for a sailor to avoid confrontation, if they try to pass through the middle of the strait they would risk inciting both of the monsters' wrath. Thus, the captain must decide which side of the strait he should stray towards. Odysseus made the right choice avoiding the Sicilian coast, Charybdis' whirlpools would have taken his ship and crew whole, but he still lost a good number of his crew to Scylla passing through the strait on the Calabrian side."

Yeah, yeah. I know the legend. Get to the point.

"It's time for you to choose the lesser of two evils. The Military Police have made their intentions quite clear; they don't like you and want you dead. But despite their questionable judicial system and their treatment, the Military Police are the ones who hold the power. Life will be difficult if you try to leave this prison as their enemy. One option is to give them the benefit of the doubt that their actions have been a lapse of judgment—a moment of weakness in the wake of your unexpected arrival—and listen to their orders and comply with their demands to gain their trust and earn your freedom."

Something about the Military Police seems… wrong. I don't think I should trust them. What's my other option? The Scouts?

"The Scouts could very well be in league with the police and if they aren't, it's hard to tell if they'll even be around anymore. No, the other evil is Annie."

Annie?! Are you sure we can trust her?

"That's for you to decide. Worst case scenario is that it turns out she is a monster. But even then, there's still a chance she could be an ally. Mrs. O'Leary is a monster. Your brother Tyson is a monster. Maybe Annie has a third eye on the back of her head or perhaps she's just a human with abilities like you. Whatever the case, she has power. The power to both impede our escape or break us out of here. So will you try to appease the Military Police or take the plunge with Annie?"

All around me are unforgiving faces; those who want to stamp me out, those who want me for my information, and those who just look the other way. I'm surrounded. Alone. I don't know what to do, where to go, or who to choose.

"Well, I say give Annie a chance. Who knows, she may be more human than we think."

I'll sleep on it.

"Before you rest, make sure you eat your meal. You need your energy."

Peering over the side of my bed, I spot the piece of bread that had slipped off my food tray. Sitting on the floor of my rat-infested prison, I didn't think its stale and slightly moldy nature could get any less appetizing.

"Gross"

777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777

Annie's POV:

When I had first heard the rumors, I had first chalked them up as the Scouts using the boy as a scapegoat to explain the delay to their return to Trost. The ensuing witch hunt on his character by the Religion of the Walls and the public served strengthened my theory. Only backwards devils would default to such a smear campaign. But as the corpse of the dead from the Battle of Trost turned to ash and the people finally began putting the chaos into the back of our heads, Reiner and Bertolt suggested I should investigate this anomaly closer.

As if they hadn't put enough on my plate...

Following the results of Eren's trial, we had decided it would be best if I remained in the Military Police while the boys joined the Scouts. In the Scout Regiment, Reiner and Bertolt would be able to stay close to Eren, learn the Scout's tactics, and gather intel on the upcoming 57th Exterior Scouting Expedition. Having one of us stay in the Military Police would give that person the flexibility to intervene during the expedition and grab Eren. While can't confirm if he's the coordinate, at best he is the Attack Titan, the last uncounted Titan out of the Nine. Returning to Marley with Eren should be sufficient enough for us to avoid the reassignment of our Titans to the new warriors.

While I wait to retrieve intel on the Scouts from Reiner and Bertolt, my job was to blend within the interior police, further my investigation on the crown, and prepare for the day to ambush the Scouts. But things change, and in light of the 56th Scouting Mission's report being leaked to the public, it was decided I should spend my time investigating this new variable. I would be failing my duty as a warrior if I left this anomaly unchecked.

Perseus Jackson.

The name is not Eldian, Oriental, from any nationalities of the Mid-East Union, and it certainly isn't Marleyan. It's... unique. My current theory is that he hails from a previously uncontacted people from the new continents discovered in the far West, but it's possible I'm just mistaken and my own knowledge on other cultures is too limited to decipher which nation he came from. Regardless of his origins, War Chief Zeke never informed us Marley would send another operative to infiltrate Marley. That only leaves one possibility, that Perseus is an agent from another empire. It is my duty to find out which state dared to steal the coordinate and terminate their interference.

Entering the noisy mess hall, dropping off the prisoner's food tray in the dirty bin, and picking up my dish, I scan tables for my comrades, spotting Reiner and Bertolt sitting together in a private corner. Making my way over to the pair, I sit across from them, wordlessly tasting a spoonful of my vegetable soup ration before the hushed exchange of pleasantries begins.

"H-hey Annie, how are you doing?" Bertolt awkwardly stutters.

"Fine."

"What did you learn?" Reiner asks, getting straight to the point.

"It's legit. He's legit."

"Really?" Reiner asks.

"I haven't seen his rumored water powers first hand but I did witness another ability during his trial."

"The iron skin! You're talking about his iron skin, right?" Bertolt asks, dropping his spoon into his bowl and leaning forward across the table to hear me better. "People were saying the Military Police shot a cannon at him and the shell bounced right off his chest."

"No, he wasn't shot with a cannon, they were muskets. An execution squad was ordered to execute him on the spot. They shot him 6 times. He didn't flinch a muscle." Reiner, the only one of us still eating, puts his silverware down as well and leans forward joining Bertolt's posture.

"What is he?" Reiner asks.

"Zeke once said that the coordinate had the ability to change the Eldian race's anatomy at will," Bertolt replies. "Do you think he's one of the king's experiments?"

"No, the government wanted him dead. The Scouts found him outside Wall Rose, he might be an operative from another state."

"This isn't good," Reiner states. "We can't let the king of Paradi or another country produce more devils with abilities like his. Annie, you need to keep investigating. Find out where he came from, how he got his powers, and if he has any other abilities."

"There might be a problem with that."

"Why? What's wrong? Did something happen?" Bertolt asks, overtly concerned.

"The prison guards weren't pleased that I ignored their warning and had a conversation with the prisoner. They said they would report it to Commander Dawk. I may get reassigned."

"Shit!" Reiner curses, covering half his face with one of his hands.

"We'll find a way to convince Dawk to allow you to keep your position," Bertolt reassures. "But first, tell us what you and Perseus talked about."

"Perseus was annoying his guards when I arrived. He doesn't seem to like the Scouts or the Military Police. Considering his situation, I don't blame him."

"For the sake of Marley, we may need to take Percy back with us as well," Reiner adds. "Convincing him to come with us peacefully would be easier if he detests the people of these Walls."

"What else did you notice? What did he say?" Bertolt asks.

"He called me a monster. Said I was different from the others, that he could sense it."

"W-what?" Reiner asks, his eyes widening and pupils shrinking at the thought that we've been exposed.

"He could just be making shit up but if by chance he isn't, we aren't in immediate danger. He doesn't know what he's sensing, he won't know unless he meets Eren, and even if does find out about our Titans, no one will believe him. They all think he is insane."

"Is he?" Bertolt asks.

"He's no less sane than you or I."

"But what about all that talk about him claiming to be the son of God?" Bertolt asks again.

"Just an excuse he made up on the spot. If I have the opportunity to talk to Perseus again, I'll dig deeper and push for more details. I'll ask him about his personal life. His friends, family, parents. Small talk like that will ease him off guard and expose the holes in his story. Then I can call him out on it."

"Sounds like a plan. He must have his family on his mind, being locked up and treated like that." Bertolt adds. "I can't imagine what he feels like, must be pretty lonely being in a small cell all day…"

"Hey, that gives me an idea!" Reiner pipes up. "If you seduce him I bet he'll tell us everything. Annie, have you been practicing your womanly charms?"

"No!" Bertolt shouts.

"No, I haven't," I reply, narrowing my eyes in anger. "I've been busy working on our mission."

"I'll give you some advice then," Reiner says, leaning back in his seat, crossing his arms, and closing his eyes like the smartass he is. "Laugh at a guy's jokes, rub his back, or give him a kiss he'll tell you everything."

"She can't!" Bertolt cries again.

"Why not? It's not a bad strategy." I ask to put Bertolt on the spot.

"Because you… You just can't!" Bertolt shouts, his face turning redder than the Garrison's flowery insignia.

I know his intentions, Bertolt has a crush on me. I had found out about it during our time training in Paradise but looking back to our warrior candidate days, it should have been painfully obvious. But there's no point for us warriors to dally with relationships, we all only have 7 years left to live. Our fates were signed the day we volunteered to become honorable Marleyans and we can't let feelings get in the way of our mission. Bertolt should know this.

"Hey Annie, are you going to eat that?"

Bertolt, Reiner, Marcel, one of them was bound to develop a crush on me. It was only natural, I'm quite literally the only female they could relate to. But even if we didn't have the Curse of Ymir or our duties as warriors, I wouldn't date him. Bertolt's lack of confidence is just not that appealing. I do wish he would ask me out alright so I can turn him down and we could all get this thing—

"Annie? Hello?! I was wondering if you were done with your soup…"

My heart stops, my fingers growing cold. Another person is at our table, sitting right beside me to my right.

Sasha Braus.

"Annie! Help me out! Reiner's acting crazy! Help me!"

"He heard our conversation. We can't let him live."

"A Titan! It's coming this way!"

"Annie! Take off Marco's ODM gear!"

"Have you become attached to these devils or something?"

"Prove it to me, if you and your father are any different than this filthy race, prove it to me right now!"

"Reiner! It's almost on top of us!"

"Annie!"

"AHHHHH! Stop it! Annie! Don't do this!"

"Why?! Why?! Why?! Why do this?! Annie!"

"This is what makes us warriors. You did well, Annie."

"Wait… Why? What are you in such a hurry for?"

"We haven't… even… had a chance to talk this through!"

"Why… is Marco… getting eaten?"

NO! Please… not again. I don't want to kill another person I've grown to know. I can't. I wouldn't be able to live with myself. After what I did to Marco… that terrible sin… I'm barely able to keep things together as it is. If we had to do it again, what would happen to me? Would I become like Reiner? How long has Potato Girl been sitting there? What did she hear?

"Sasha… What did… What did you hear?" Reiner asks, his trembling knuckles growing white as he grips the edge of the table.

"I dunno. Something about Annie kissing a dude or something. I wasn't really paying attention." A big glob separates from her chin, landing on her lap in a disgusting splash. Her hand inches closer towards my bowl, edging to grab it. "So.. uh... Can I?"

D-did she even hear anything at all? If she had, wouldn't she have already tried to flee like Marco? Is she's trying to deceive us, acting like her stereotypical food-obsessed self to save her own skin? Could the sight of my savory soup be able to overpower that superhuman hearing capability of her? Can we even think of taking that risk? The risk of assuming she never heard?

"That's right! We were just giving Annie advice on boys!" Bertolt nervously laughs, draping his arm over Reiner's shoulder. "Tell her Reiner!"

"Yes... Ahem, that's right!" Reiner quickly agrees. "And if none of those techniques work for you Annie, give him a handkerchief or a sweat rag to smell. Some guys dig that."

"Annie, for the love of all things good and holy, don't listen to Reiner's perverse advice. That creep's love advice is as good as the chances of Eren joining the Military Police," the girl who is always hanging around Christa, Ymir, interjects, stepping over to our table and putting a hand on Sasha's shoulder.

"Come on Potato Girl, you owe me a favor." Ymir continues, pulling Sasha's shoulder to turn her away from our meals.

"But… Food!" Sasha struggles.

"Do this one thing for me and I'll give you my share of today's rations. Now come on!"

Some say fear is the greatest motivator but for that girl, the word 'rations' or 'meat' could inspire her to jump right into the mouth of a titan. At the word of food, Sasha ceases her struggling and immediately leaves her seat. As Sasha is dragged away by Ymir and my beating heart finally begins to settle, I realize something…

Not once did that other girl look me in the eyes.

"Annie Leonhart!" A booming male voice yells, silencing all chatter in the mess hall. "Is Cadet Leonhart present?"

"Yes sir!" I respond, shooting out of my seat and a bit jolted by the sudden call for my name. "I am Annie Leonhart!" Turning to the sound of the man's voice, I find an MP officer in the entrance to the mess hall. In a flash, my right hand shoots to my chest, positioned as if I'm stabbing my own heart with a combat knife. This is the equivalent of a salute for the Devils of Paradi, something they call 'dedicating their hearts.'

"Commander Nile Dawk requests your presence. Come with me."

"Yes sir!"

"Before you go," Reiner says, grabbing my arm as I'm trying to stand. "You should get your ODM gear fixed up. Looked like some of its gears were beginning to rust."

The knowing look in his eyes tells me those words aren't what he meant. What Reiner is really asking me is to prepare Marco's gear for a little incursion he had planned. One intended to deny the devils from obtaining information about the titans.

"Once I'm done, it'll be as if my gear was hardly used," I reply, ripping my arm out of Reiner's grasp.

Seeing the commotion caused by the officer has been resolved, the clangor of conversations returns to the mess hall as soldiers all around pick up where they left off in their chatterings. As I make my way to the exit and the Military Police office, I take a glance back at Sasha, finding her happily feasting on Ymir's ration while Reiner and Bertolt's stalking eyes observe the pair from afar, still gauging if they should act or leave her be. Whatever they choose…

I'm glad I won't have to be the one to make that choice.

"This way."

Leading the way, the officer and I navigate the winding corridors of Mitra's Main Operating Base. But since the officer didn't lead me straight to the streets and into a carriage, that must mean Commander Dawk isn't at the Police Brigade HQ in Stohess…

Shit! That means Dawk is here, in this building! I don't have enough time to come up with a well-tuned excuse. If he asks why I disregarded the orders of Perseus' prison guards, what should I say?

"In here." Abruptly stopping at a door in the middle of a long hallway, the officer turns its handle leading me inside a modest-sized meeting room filled with higher ranking Military Police officers, the Commander himself, and even a few members of those elusive and pestilent Interior Police.

Nile Dawk, who was busy handing a member of the Interior Police some documents, puts a hand up to the man to pause their conversation once he notices me approaching.

"You are Annie Leonhart, yes?" he asks.

"Yes sir! Annie Leonhart, reporting for duty." I respond, giving him a salute and standing at attention.

"At ease."

Slipping my hand off my chest and loosening out of my salute, I wait as Dawk finishes his business with the Interior Police.

"Are you sure this is it? You haven't found anything else?" The man from the Interior Police asks, scanning the documents Commander Dawk handed with irritation.

"Yes, I'm telling you that's all we know so far. If he has any physical vulnerabilities, we are currently unaware of them at this time." Dawk replies as if the man had asked him a dozen times already. "If the Interior Police are so interested in him, why don't you take the prisoner off my hands and house him in your own facility?"

I'll answer that for him; because this has gotten too far out of their hands. The king can't tuck Perseus away and pretend he doesn't exist, he's the news of the whole island right now. All thanks to the morning paper and some Wall Cultist fanatic who couldn't keep their mouth shut…

The Interior Police… They are a pseudo-branch of the Military Police but exist almost entirely as an independent entity. Moving directly under the king's orders, I doubt even Commander Dawk is ever aware of their current operations. They've been a thorn in my side ever since I started my mission, always on the prowl defending the secrets of the crown my duty calls for me to unveil. They are dangerous, especially that man with that black trench coat and dark fedora hat. They are the true devils of Paradi.

"You are expected to choose the Military Police as your branch of service in tonight's selection ceremony, correct?" Dawk asks, pulling me out of my thoughts. I barely catch a glimpse of the Interior Policeman Dawk was talking to as the man briskly exits the room.

"Yes sir. Finishing in the top 10 of my class, I intend on accepting the open invitation to join the Military Police."

"I see… Well, it has come to my attention that you spoke to Perseus Jackson when you delivered him today's meal. Do you mind filling me in on what you discussed?"

"Sir, it was hardly a conversation. I was going to indulge myself and answer some of his questions—questions I could answer within my own parameters of course," I quickly add to eliminate any doubt I intended on supplying Perseus useful information. "Then maybe ask some questions of my own. But instead, he insulted me, ending whatever opportunity we had to talk."

"Why did you disregard the prison guards' orders? They told you the prisoner was under a strict no-contact order by my command, why did you feel the need to approach him, Ms. Leonhart?" he asks, giving me a hard, scrutinous look.

Is this it? Is he about to redact my invitation to the MPs and kill off my chance of finishing this hellish mission of mine?

"I was simply curious, sir."

"We have a saying in the Police Brigade, that curiosity killed the MP. Word of advice Ms. Leonhart; once you join the Military Police, don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong."

"So I can still join the MPs? I'm not getting kicked out?"

"If you think that's why I've brought you here today then you're mistaken. No, I requested your presence because I have a task for you, a task you'll begin the day you join my regiment."

An officer comes up to Dawk, interrupting our discussion and whispering something into his ear. Dawk relays something back to the officer in a hushed tone and the man quickly scurries off.

"Starting tomorrow, you'll be assigned as Perseus Jackson's official interrogator." Dawk continues, turning his attention back towards me. "You will deliver his meal as normally scheduled but this time you'll be permitted to speak with the prison. A trained stenographer will accompany you in the cell and transcribe anything and everything you discuss."

"If you don't mind me asking sir, why me? Why not select a more experienced detective for this job?"

"All our best detectives declined. They don't feel comfortable being in such an enclosed place with such a potent individual. You, on the other hand, don't fear his presence. Your willingness to approach him and indulge your curiosity tells me you have the aptitude for the task. So what will it be? Will you accept?"

"For his royal majesty and the good of humanity, I accept. I'll extract him dry of information and reveal the true origins of the prisoner's powers and homeland."

"New recruits are such brown-nosers." An officer to the side quietly scoffs.

"You're one to talk, Jonas." An MP replies to the giggling officer. "You acted the same way when you were a cadet."

"Your blatant disregard of my orders today displeases me." Dawk states. "Don't disappoint me again, Cadet Leonhart. I expect to hear swift results from your reports."

Giving Dawk a nod of understanding, I take my leave. Despite the admonishment I had just received, as I exit the MP meeting room I can't help but find my lips creeping into a smirk.

That was way too easy.

777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777

No One's POV:

Dead in the night within the area of Wall Rose, the tranquil melody of chirping crickets is cut short by the clanging of a lone horse-drawn carriage, bumping rocks and shifting gravel as it chugs along the nightly road. Crawling to a stop in front of an imposing stone brick structure, two people step out of the carriage. Taking a moment to bask in the cool night air, the pair open the doors to the complex and step into the Old Scout Regiment's Headquarters.

"Captain! Your back!" Petra shouts, a bit started by the unannounced return of her squad leader.

Entering the HQ's dining room, Levi and Hange find Eren and the rest of Levi Squad enjoying a late-night snack with tea.

"How'd the trail go, captain?" Oluo asks, irresponsibly leaning back in his chair while sipping on some tea.

"We lost," Levi responds, moving towards the kitchen to prepare his own cup of black tea.

"What! Does that mean they are going to kill him?" Eren shouts, sympathizing with the boy. Internally, Eren growls at the Military Police, thinking how selfish they are to be willing to kill someone off out of fear rather than using their powers to beat back the titans. In times like this, for humanity to survive, everyone must come together as one.

"Well, they certainly tried to." Hange replies

"Huh? What do you mean by that?" Eren asks.

"Perseus has quite the rebellious side to him. He got a bit… snappy during his trial. In Zachary's ruling, he ordered the boy to be executed by fire squad, right on the spot."

"Like right there? In the courtroom?" Eld asks, judging the premier for losing his cool.

"What happened next? Who intervened?" Petra asks, pushing for more details.

"OoooOO, you should have seen it!" Hange squeals. "They shot him! The Military Police shot him 6 times!"

"What?!" Eren shouts, horrified by Hange's cheerful response at the mention of the wholesale slaughter of another human being.

"But Perseus was perfectly fine! Oh that glorious skin of his, it's tougher than Ultrahard Steel. Every bullet bounced straight off of him!"

"Yeah right!." Oulo scoffs.

"Stop pulling our strings, Hange," Eld responds.

"No, I'm serious. Lookie here!" Reaching into her jacket pocket, Hange reveals a small metal disk to the others. "I fished this out from under Perseus' shirt after he had been shot. It's a bullet! Fired from the rifle of an MP that flattened by the impact of striking Perseus' chest!"

"It can't be!" Oluo shouts, slamming his chair back on all four legs.

"That's…" Gunther trails off, lost for words.

"How is that possible?!" Petra asks in disbelief.

"Is he even human?" Eld asks.

"We are not sure but from what we can tell… he's human." Hange rationalizes.

"Can his ability be passed to others? If we can do that, casualty rates will—"

"No." Hange interrupts Eren's naive idea. "Perseus explained this power was due to bathing in some sort of 'poisonous water' but his excuse is knee-deep in that fanatic religious backstory he's going with. Right now we are assuming his powers are an inherited ability."

"Damn."

"If only we could find some way to replicate his adamantine skin. Or better yet, find a way to duplicate Eren's titan ability with others…" Hange mumbles to herself.

"So where are the Scouts holding him now?" Eren asks.

"Oh no, we don't have custody of Perseus," Hange responds, Eren's question ejecting her out of her thoughts. "The Military Police are holding him."

"Why do they have him?"

"It was never Erwin's or our intention to keep or gain possession of him."

"Why?" Eren demands, slamming his hands on the table. "He could do so much more if he joined the Scouts. His talent is just going to go to waste with those cowards! Why did you just hand him over?!"

"Listen up Jaeger." Levi scolds, gently placing his black tea down on the table.

"We had a choice to make; you, or the other shit head. Our goal has always been to uncover the mysteries of the titans and explore the outside world. Perseus's abilities would have been undoubtedly useful for our missions but we chose you. You, Eren, are the key to unlocking the secrets of the titans. Our key to freedom. And everyone here believes in that."

Looking around the room, Eren sees everyone nodding their heads, agreeing with Levi's words. Hange, Eld, Oluo, Petra, Gunther… Eren never realized just how much faith the others were putting into him.

"But why couldn't the Scouts have taken the both of us?" Eren asks.

"The pigs would have seen it as the government favoring our branch over the others, Premier Zachary can't allow the power between the Scouts, Military Police, or Garrison tip out of balance. As selfish as it is, people would rather fight to keep what they got than strive for a better future." Levi explains.

"Our best chance at saving Perseus' life was to willingly hand him over to the MPs and make the court believe the abilities and information he possesses is too valuable for him to be killed." Hange continues. "We sorta achieved our mission… since the firing squad's shots were a dud and Zachary was left with no other choice but to listen to our case for the time being." Hange nervously laughs.

"I don't trust him. Even if we did gain possession of him, there's no telling if he would fight for humanity." Eld comments.

"The 'son of God?' Please. There's no way I would trust a lunatic like that to cover our backs." Gunther agrees.

"Coming from outside the walls, he probably doesn't give a shit about us," Olou adds.

"Wait, outside the walls?" Eren asks.

"Olou !" Petra scolds.

"I thought you found him outside Wall Rose. Are you saying... you think he's from beyond the walls?" Eren asks, eyes widening at the possibility of other humans existing beyond the Walls.

"That's right!" Hange excitedly admits. "From what Perseus told us, we have been led to believe that Percy could very well be from being from a civilization outside the walls!"

"Seriously! No way!" Eren replies.

"It's just a theory so don't get your hopes up," Levi says. "For all we know, Perseus was talking out of his ass to save his skin."

"Oh…" Eren

"For now, I think it's best we set aside Perseus' origins and return to that another day," Hange tells Eren.

Internally, however, Hange thinks back to Erwin's response to this theory. Despite having no hard evidence, the Commander was uncharacteristically optimistic about Perseus originating from beyond the walls. Although Erwin has an intuition unmatched by anyone Hange has ever met, every historical document states the chances of other humans surviving the great titan outbreak out the walls are zero to none. In fact, no scholar since the founding of the Walls 100 years ago has ever flirted with such a possibility.

So how could the Commander be so accepting of such a radical and groundbreaking idea?

A moment of silence passes as the occupants of the room silently reflect on the strange boy's circumstances. Then Eren breaks this silence, asking yet another question.

"So what is the Military Police going to do with him?"

"They're keeping him locked up for the time being," Hange replies. "They'll attempt to extract information out of him but I doubt they'll be successful. If he even talks at all, it'll be that absurd backstory of his."

"Damn… If only they'd let him join the Scouts. He could be so useful out here."

"I know right! I MUST conduct further tests on Perseus' skin!" Hange shrieks. "How durable is he? Although a sharp blade is unable to pierce his skin, could he still receive a contusion from a blunt force? Do his cells have similar properties to that of a titan's tough epidermis? And what about his water powers? The possibilities are endless!"

"You have enough toys to play with as it is," Levi replies with a grimace on his face.

"Levi…" Hange freezes, with a deadpan look on her face. "You're absolutely right! I have a titan right here!" Hange shoots over to Eren, sitting down in an empty chair next to him and scooching closer to the boy.

"Sorry for the wait, Eren. In addition to working on Perseus' trial, I've been tasked with conducting experiments on two titans we had trapped and captured in Trost. In fact, the whole reason I'm here today is to get permission for you to join me in my experiments tomorrow."

"Experiments? What kind of experiments?" Eren asks

"Why, the most exhilarating kinds of experiments of course!" Hange's face flushes, picturing all the tests she has had lined up since the passing of her other two 'babies.'

"U-umm, I'm not really in a position to give permission myself…"

"Levi! What are Eren's plans for tomorrow?" Hange quickly asks.

"I was going to have him continue cleaning the castle. He did a terrible job on those corridors the other day." Levi replies, rubbing his hand under the dining table and inspecting it for dust and dirt, judging if this room should be washed down as well.

"Great! Then, it's decided!" Hange declares, clasping her hands around Eren's and holding them up towards herself. "Eren! I'm looking forward to you joining me tomorrow!"

"Umm, ok. But what kind of Titan experiments are you talking about?"

"Hey, stop! Don't ask that" Eld says under his breath.

"Here we go again," Oluo mutters.

"Ah… I knew it…" Hange's lips creep into an almost sinister-looking grin. Shifting her head slightly, the light cast from the room's torches glares in the lenses of her glasses, hiding her eyes and true emotions from view. "I thought you might be curious enough to ask."

Without a word, Levi silently gets up, taking his tea with him, and heads out of the room. Petra, Oluo, Gunther, and Eld swiftly follow, giving no explanation for their sudden departures.

"Hey. Where are you guys going? Guys?" Eren nervously asks with a big sweatdrop forming on the side of his head.

"You want to know that badly, huh?" Hange asks as she walks towards the room's entrance. "Well, if you insist, then I guess I'd better tell you all about the little ones we recently caught."

Closing the dining room's door, its wooden barricade inadvertently falls into place, locking out any would-be-savers from coming to Eren's aid. Eren doesn't know it yet, but he's about to have the longest night of his life as the crazy scientist is about to rant for hours on end detailing every aspect of her experiments with her captured babies.

777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777

This chapter was 8.8k words long.

This 'rewritten' chapter is much different than the original version of Chapter 6. For older readers, can you imagine that by this time Percy had already talked to Annie about Annabeth, Tartarus, and other things? Goes to show how badly I rushed things in my first attempt.

The third segment of this chapter with the Scouts was a little unnecessary but I wanted to clean up loose ends and show you guys that their story will continue as normal for those guys. We won't be seeing the Scouts for a while now.

As of 8/23/21, I've finished the rough draft for the next chapter. Gotta run it over one more time then have my friend review it. Sorry for the delay b/w updates!

Till next time,

-Unbred

Stats for nerds: 22,107 views (rip), 555 follows, 436 favorites, 269 reviews

Original version published: 10/10/2020

Rewritten version published: 7/9/2021