Glad to see you guys like what I did for Ymir and Reiners moments together, I felt it was pretty personal in the matter between them. Sorry that this is late but I reread the Marley Arc again and am just trying to keep it in chatacter. Sorry if Zeke seems out of character, but I just hate him so goddamn much. Everything he's done, all he's killed, not even betraying Marley would redeem him my eyes. I'm for Reiner, Annie and Pieck all rebelling though, and hope to see that in the future. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.

Executioner

Reiner stood in the massive room designed to transfer the Titan powers to new warriors once the former's tenure came. Also present in the room was a Marleyean official, as well as Commander Zeke, and finally the one person he truly hates with a passion, Porko Galliard. Porko was Marcel's brother, the one who he claimed to have been trying to protect the night before he was killed.

Reiner hadn't understood what Marcel meant, until he explained about talking positive about Reiner while disregarding his own brother. All to have him be spared the fate of becoming the Armored Titan. It was then that Reiner had been so shaken by the revelation that he really wasn't good enough, that he hadn't noticed Ymir waking up and rising from out of the ground. When he had seen her mindless form, he'd been paralysed with fear, until Marcel shoved him out of the way only to be snatched up instead.

He watched as the boy who gave him his armor was devoured right in front of him, Bertoldt and Annie the morning they attacked the walls. It had been such a surreal thing to start the mission without him, wondering what his part would have been if he were still with them. Annie was ordered by him to call the Titans, Bertoldt broke the outer gate with his leg. Reiner smashed the inner gate, so Marcel didn't really have a roll to execute during the initial attack except maybe transport them afterwards. But he never got the chance to, and so Reiner, Bertoldt and Annie were forced to integrate with the Maria refugees from the beginning instead of much later. That was the first step to their downfall.

They were able to see first-hand the extent of their actions, how many they affected, how many families they tore apart. But at the time Reiner hadn't really given it much thought, after all these were the island devils who could lay waste to the world. But the more he saw of them, their ways of life, the more he got confused. They had no way to even defend themselves aside from the odd gear they flew through the air on, and they had no knowledge of the world outside their cage. It didn't make sense, 'They can't be this ignorant..can't they?' he asked himself as he heard of a suicide mission designed as a recovery mission in the retaking of the wall.

There wasn't a chance in hell of them even making a dent in repelling the Titans the trio had let in, and yet they all left to do it. Knowing they wouldn't be returning, and yet they still went. Just like the freckled girl being brought in and strung up on the chains before a ledge. The one who went willingly to her death with almost no regrets. He knew what that one regret was, and it was one of the reasons he swore to do the right thing when the time came.

Historia. The goddess he, or the soldier, had fallen in love with, even if it wasn't shown to be mutual. The warrior even had a hard time denying the kindness the girl radiated to everyone, even his traitorous hide. The blonde that Ymir felt was almost a mirror of herself in a way, and Reiner couldn't help but agree when she had told him the girls story of being the true queen. It actually broke his heart, the soldier was in pain, and the warrior felt shame. He will make it up to both of them one day, all he needs is a chance.

Seeing Porko now made his blood boil, though he didn't give any outward dissatisfaction. After all it's not like he could do anything, if he interferes or shows the slightest of distaste with Marley, his loyalty would be in question once more. His mom, Gabi and the rest of his family would suffer hardships, possible even the threat of bombardment.

A chill went up his spine as he remembers the greatest threat next to being sent to Paradise, the threat of your family being used as living bombs on Marley's enemies. It was a sickening thought, and one of the few things he knew even back then that were wrong. But he kept his mouth shut then as he absorbed all of his mothers and Marley's teachings about his kind. He shook his head to clear his mind of the past and returns to the present.

Ymir is fully chained up, her arms spread above her head while she sits on her knees. Her face is just as defeated as it was that night in her cell, and he sees her look at him one last time. She doesn't give any sign that could be seen by anyone else in the room, but he can see the emotion, the message in her eyes. "Don't let it be for nothing, do what you must to live for yourself. Live for the Truth" they tell him. and he gives a small but unnoticable nod to her as he take his place father back in the room, away from her and Porko.

He sees the Marleyean official pull out the syringe containing the mindless Titan serum, the same serum Ymir herself was given 60 years ago as punishment for just having her name. The serum he himself was given the same day Bertoldt, Annie, Marcel, and Pieck were given when they inherited their share of the 9. Marley only had 7 of the powers after the great Titan war, and they were fierce about protecting them at all costs. But that didn't stop them from flaunting they had the powers to their enemies, as he remembers destroying a small country when he first was given them.

He, Annie, Marcel, Bert, Pieck and even Zeke were placed at the border of a sea faring country. Pieck had snuck around from behind via the water while He and Annie led the main assualt, Marcel taking out the mortar cannons with his Jaw titan power. Bertoldt came later but still served two purposes, as their largest power to play..and the symbol of fear they would come to know.

It was actually funny in an odd way that Bertoldt only found that to be disturbing when he went to Paradise. Before that it hadn't really bothered him, but seeing his actions firsthand against actual innocent people must've shaken him inside. And yet he was still the most level headed out of them once Annie went to the Mps, though at times something about her seemed..off to him as well. He knew her for years, but she seemed different to those on Paradise, even if she was still cold and isolated.

He shook his head from the memories of all that, and watches as Porko is injected, before the Marley official backs away quickly to his side of the room. As Porko loses control and transforms, he takes sight of Ymir before him, and reaches hungrily for her chained form.

She doesn't flinch, doesn't give a yell or cry of fear. She just accepts it, facing the consequence to her choice with One regret.

She watches it come with dead eyes as Reiner watches the teeth close down on her. He flinches internally at it, the only outward change being the hardening of his eyes. 'Don't cry. You can't let them see you cry, otherwise her sacrifice is for nothing' Soldier tells him, his tone mournful. Warrior stays silent, and Reiner wonders if he's feeling the same thing or..if he's even there anymore. But he isn't acting like a soldier, unaware to the truth before him..so does that mean they're one in the same now?

'I'm the warrior in appearance, in knowledge, in the eyes of Marley..but am I the soldier at heart, in truth?' Both able to coexist in the same vessel, same mind.

'Could it be possible to be both? Or were they just different sides of the same coin?' He asks himself, as he ponders his mental state yet again inside his head. 'No matter, its too late now. It's time to face what I've done, and move on. I will live for myself, I'll be the hero who saves everyone, all I have to do is wait.' He declares to himself, as he sees Porko begin to collapse, steaming from his nape.

He sees the bastard who should've died in Marcel's place emerge as the beast who just killed a friend of his. A friend that he will avenge when the time comes, he's done breaking promises. But for now he has to keep his head low, and take the steps to make sure his family is safe. After all it's been 5 years since he's seen them all, his mother might even be gone for all he knew.

If she was gone, then he would focus all his attention to Gabi. She could be spared this fate, if he played his cards right. Since she was training to become a warrior like he was, is, then if she succeeded, she would gain his power. The worst or best thing for her would ultimately be his death, if she ate him she would get his memories. If she wasn't told beforehand what he knew, then the knowledge might overload her, and she would be split.

'No, I'm not letting her take my burden. She will keep her sanity, she will not have trouble deciding who's side she's on. She'll fight for Eldia, just like I know they will.' He thinks as he remembers Bert and Annie still being on the Island, although he doesn't know if they're even alive. Bert may or may not crack, and if he's honest with himself it would be the best thing if he did. Annie would be..harder to get through to, to convince. Though if he remembers correctly, she was already showing reluctance with..with Marco.

Reiner flinches as he remembers the incident, and closes his eyes as he thinks to himself again that their deaths won't be for nothing. Ymir, Marco, those he killed when he broke the wall..all the trapped Eldians here and on Paradise, they will all be free one day.

As Porko is carried out by the medics and Marleyean scientists, Reiner intends to keep a very close eye on him. The last thing he needs is for Porko to gain Ymir's memories, his problems would only multiple if he did. He would have to take action much faster if he does, either kill Porko or kidnap him and Gabi. He would only be able to save one if he has to leave before he's ready, if he even gets the chance to. But either way, things are going to change, and there gonna change soon.

'I will be the hero who saved the world, even if I had to start by destroying it first'.