The Devil With A Human Heart
Chapter 3
It's been a year since Kruger joined the Warrior Program and a year since he became Annie's older brother. Despite her protests, he didn't care about any of that. He could tell she secretly enjoyed having him as an older brother. Zeke had teased Annie by saying she'll eventually fall in love with Kruger, but Zeke knew not to mess with the girl again after a swift kick to his shins. Zeke laughed it off, although Kruger knew he was internally crying from the pain.
Over the last year, Kruger managed to keep a steady pace with the other kids in the program; even the older ones seemed easy to keep up with despite being younger. Zeke was there with him, but they couldn't let their family bonds get in the way of their respective goals for the future.
Kruger knew Zeke was trying his hardest to obtain the Beast Titan, but Kruger knew better. Zeke took a lot of work to read. Zeke enjoyed playing catch with Tom. Kruger knew the reasons behind this.
Kruger won't lie and say Grisha was a good dad, he was terrible and only gave praise when Zeke did something for his benefit, but Kruger knew that it was probably because Grisha somehow learned the truth about everything at some point. Kruger also heard the story about how his mother managed to survive being mauled by a pack of dogs that officers sent after her. If Mister Eren weren't there, Kruger wouldn't have been born.
Kruger wondered what his father was like. His father was weird from his memories as if he kept secrets. He probably did, which explains why he left him and his mom behind wherever he went. He could've taken them with him anywhere but this hellhole.
Kruger sighed as he finished the day's training. He was walking back home with Zeke in tow. Zeke has gotten taller, he was thirteen, but he was tall. It might be a Yaeger trait because Kruger was taller. Zeke stood at about 5′5.
"So, how's Little Annie doing? I heard she snapped her ankle from training again," Zeke asked with a surprisingly worried tone.
Kruger sighed again, this time with a tint of anger flashing in his eyes. "She's recovering, thankfully. Mom decided to take her away from that old prune until she recovered."
"That's good. Annie needs to be around people that'll care for her, can't imagine the first thing I learn is to fight," Zeke said with some hidden animosity.
Having a relatively quiet venture home, Zeke and Kruger walked into the fair-sized house, and the aroma of freshly made pizza wafted through the entire house. Zeke and Kruger looked at each other with sparkles in their eyes before rushing to the kitchen. The first thing they saw was Annie stuffing her face.
"Annie, slow down before you choke!"
Faye, being the ever-loving mother she was, stopped Annie from eating her food too fast. Annie had a habit of doing so which might be due to her "father." The Yaeger family theorized.
Annie proceeded to savor her food with a quiet nod slowly. "Sorry."
"Ah! Good Evening Mom, we're back!"
"Great, my boys are back with little bruises on your faces. I'm assuming training went…as easy as it gets today?"
Annie was curious about the grueling program, as she was joining in two years herself. Her father is forcing her into it. As much as she wanted to stay with the Yaegers, she knew she couldn't. Annie could pass off as one of their own, especially with Zeke being blonde like her. Kruger could also pass as her cousin.
"It was…okay, someone got kicked out for failing the one hundred-lap running."
Faye palmed her forehead, her hazel-brown hair stuck to her hands due to the sweat she accumulated from cooking. She was currently wearing an apron over a simple black dress, giving her a constant motherly aura that everyone in the room could feel and relax.
"That's…torture, but I can't voice my opinions for obvious reasons," Faye spat with venom, getting the three kids to shiver. Faye could be very scary sometimes.
Zeke and Kruger sat down on the empty chairs, causing creaking to reverberate throughout the kitchen. Annie ate in silence. Since she was still shy about everything, she wasn't used to such homely people. She felt displaced, so she kept a somber expression.
"You've been here for a week. You're always welcome here."
Annie shook her head. "This is just…a new experience."
"It's fine. We're all we got in a world like this. It's better to have one friend than to have none," Kruger's tone was firm but unsteady as if he was having difficulty coming to terms with his own words.
Zeke patted Kruger's shoulder and nodded. "He's right. We all need someone. And thankfully for you, Annie, you have us."
Annie remained silent and ate her food quietly, not wanting to hear her voice as it may betray how she felt. She learned a lot over the last week that the Yaegers weren't perfect, but despite all that, they still stood solidly in the face of the cruelty of this world. She didn't know how they could. Annie found out that Zeke's parents were a part of the Eldian Restorationist group, and he was the one who outed them.
Annie didn't know whether she could trust Zeke as much as she did with Kruger. They seemed too different, not because of their appearances but of how they carried themselves and acted. Despite being driven by some grand goal she doesn't know about, Kruger still manages to be honest with her and everyone around. Zeke held in a lot of information and repressed feelings, his smile seemed like a facade, and his talking was almost scary. She knew that tone anywhere. It was like a master manipulator. However, she knew Zeke genuinely cared for his remaining family.
She wasn't part of this family, but he said she was. Was that another lie? Annie couldn't read Zeke at all. He was the perfect definition of a persona. A blank slate when he needed to be. She wanted to ensure Kruger and Faye were safe and not harmed by whatever Zeke was planning.
She was…going to repay her debt.
Two years passed, and Kruger was eleven years old. His height didn't change, but he figured it would come again. Kruger and Annie's relationship turned into a little rivalry, mostly due to the fact Kruger's performance in hand-to-hand combat was way beyond what some had seen, which sparked Annie to become better, not out of fame but out of the sheer fact she wanted to be able to walk the same path as her adoptive older brother.
Kruger was waiting in the lobby of the Warrior Program's building, sitting on a cozy seat that seemed to relax his steel-coated nerves. Today was a new day when a new batch of kids came in, hoping to make their "families" proud and become honorary Marleyans. The very title made Kruger's stomach churn in disgust.
Why do his people need to do this to have some equality? Even then, they're still Eldians, just Eldians who'll receive less hate than others. Kruger specifically hated the Tybur family. They didn't need an armband and were safe from the constant sneering, rock pelting, and beatdowns.
Kruger wanted to learn what made them so different.
"Yaeger!"
Kruger quickly got out of his seat, and the chair he was sitting on flung to the wall instantly as he stood up and gave the proper respect to the source of the authoritative tone. Kruger looked over to see his trainer, Commander Magath, a cold-blooded individual, but he respected those who earned it. Kruger earned a bit as he is no longer called a "devil."
Magath was an older man, at least to Kruger, with light eyes, a thin beard, and a mustache. He has short black hair in a buzz-cut style. He is also beginning to grow wrinkles under his eyes, but he is still a fit man with a healthy build. He wore a light jacket and tall combat boots.
"Yes, Sir!"
Magath nodded and told Kruger to relax. Magath was harsh on the boy, only because of his Aunt and Uncle, but over time, that harshness seemed to craft Kruger into a fine young man. That was rather unfortunate because that meant he was no longer a child.
"As you are aware, we're getting a fresh batch. However, this time, it's only very few of them."
Kruger raised a curious eyebrow. If he didn't know any better, it would seem Magath was glad. Of course, Kruger needed to remain vigilant, something Eren taught him well.
"You got names. It seems like you want me to tutor them or something?"
Magath disregarded Kruger's cool tone and continued. "Yes, Reiner Braun, Bertholdt Hoover, Annie Leonhardt, Marcel Galliard, Porco Galliard and Pieck Finger."
"Only six? That's rare. I was expecting more."
"Agreed, but no point in complaining about something trivial. Could you show them around? Tomorrow will be hell for this group. They show promise."
"Understood," Kruger followed Magath out of the lobby and into a small field where the six recruits were. Zeke was there, sitting on a crate by a building with an apple in hand.
"Alright, you hellspawn's! You're lucky I'm in a generous mood today, so you'll be put through hell tomorrow. Yaeger here!" Magath said as he grabbed Kruger's shoulder. "Will run you through what to expect. As your veteran, he will make sure you're prepared."
Kruger grumbled silently and peered at everyone. He could feel the intense glare from Annie, most likely because he didn't walk her here. He'll have to make it up to her.
"Anyway, I'm off!" Magath wasted no time and left the kids behind.
"Did…you get taller again?"
The first to talk to Kruger was Marcel, who Kruger hadn't seen in a while. He smiled at the new kid.
"Just a bit."
"I heard that you're some hot shot now. I guess you don't need me and my brothers' help to get you out of situations anymore."
Kruger shook his head at Porco when his hand suddenly reached out and grabbed an Apple thrown toward his face. The speed and intensity sent the winds into a fury, and it could almost be seen from Kruger's hands to be steaming.
"Great reflexes as always," Zeke said as he watched his cousin eat the apple he had thrown.
"You don't need to do that every time," Kruger voiced with a frown. "Anyway, there isn't much for me to show you guys, all I can say is that this isn't a walk in the park. You'll most likely be put through the twenty-five lap test first, and then it'll gradually increase."
"Eh?"
Kruger looked at the tall child with a cold stare that immediately sent shivers down everyone's spine except for Zeke and Annie. They were used to seeing Kruger's mood flip from one second to another.
"If that's scaring you, then perhaps the mudslide carrying almost fifty pounds of materials in your backpack will be scarier. Like I said, you're going to be put through hell. There are eight titans to be distributed. However, Zeke is in line for the Beast Titan, and I'm in line for the Attack Titan. You'll all be fighting for the other five. The sixth one…is classified."
The one called Reiner raised his hand, which confused Kruger, but the veteran child gave a nod of clearance.
"How does one get picked for Titan?"
Kruger cupped his chin as the question was unexpected. Even Zeke was impressed by the question.
"That's a very good question. It might be based on your characteristics, strength, endurance, and some more. I believe Annie will inherit the Female Titan."
Annie turned her back to the group, not wanting to be the center of attention. She was going to kick Kruger for that.
"I say this because I've seen the current inheritor in action. It's fast, but not faster than the Jaw Titan, but it's a Titan that works well in hand-to-hand combat. It's a perfect match for Annie. Again, It's not my say. It's the higher-ups. You must prove that you're worth your salt, and then you'll be picked."
That seemed to satisfy Reiner's curiosity for now, but Kruger felt something wrong with the kid, like he was broken…then again, everyone here is broken somehow. Kruger looked to see that Pieck was talking with Annie. Surprisingly, the blonde seemed to reply to her.
Marcel and Porco were in their little world, talking about beating the other when it came down to getting a Titan. Reiner and Bertholdt seemed to be friends, so they were talking.
"They do show a bit of promise," Zeke said as he walked up while eating an apple.
Kruger nodded as he and Zeke sat by a tree, watching the new kids. Kruger's eyes seemed to lose light, even under the tree's shade. They were kids; they shouldn't be here fighting for a country that doesn't give a shit about them.
This was wrong.
"I know that look anywhere. Don't worry. We'll ensure they're strong enough to survive in this unforgiving world."
Kruger stalled on his reply and sighed. "I suppose so."
Kruger noticed that Annie and Pieck were walking up to them, and before Kruger could speak, he was kicked swiftly in the ankles, but not enough to trip. Kruger refrained from shouting. It hurt, but he's been through worse.
"Must you do that?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"You know why…."
"Are you okay?"
Kruger blinked at Pieck's tired tone and wondered why she looked so bored. She had slight bags under her eyes, as if she didn't sleep often. It made Kruger wonder what was with these kids. However, underneath that, Kruger could hear the worry in her voice. He didn't know why, but it made him forget he was kicked.
"I'm used to her doing that. No need to worry," Kruger shrugged while taking another bite of his apple; some of the liquid from it trailed down his chin.
Pieck's lips curved into a smile before she walked off with Annie.
Kruger and Zeke shared a look and chuckled.
"Should I add her to the list?" Zeke asked with a sly smirk creeping on his face.
Kruger groaned and threw the skinny apple into the trash can. He knew Zeke was joking around, but it still caused reactions from Kruger. Kruger didn't know what to think of this, it was probably a coping mechanism Zeke made for himself, or perhaps this was who Zeke was all along.
"I already told you the only girl for me is Frieda."
Zeke stared at his cousin briefly before his head tilted toward the sky. It was almost noon, the sun's light overlapping the little square the rookies found themselves in. The coolness of the shade kept Zeke and Kruger at a proper temperature. Zeke's deep blue eyes were set on each of the new rookies. These were most likely going to be his new teammates. Each of them had a different aura that Zeke found himself interested in, he looked at his Cousin one more time, and his eyes brightened for a split moment before turning dark again.
Zeke had a lot of planning to do.
END
This chapter was mainly focused on Zeke and how characters look at him, with Annie being extremely skeptical and paranoid and Kruger being confused.
Thanks to TheGreatGodzilla for helping me with a lot of stuff. I now have an alternative to just doing the rumbling toward the end (However, it will still be mentioned). We spent a lot of time discussing what to do with characters, the new titans I want to introduce, and overall the changes this story will bring that will heavily differentiate from canon.
The next chapter will be a bit longer as it will finally transition with Kruger heading to Paradis, but not in the way you think. I will try to make it as emotional as possible, as Kruger's departure will cause a major rift in many characters.
If you're wondering about the Harem (It's small), here's what it is-
Frieda Reiss
Mikasa Ackerman
Sasha Braus.
Sasha is in it for many reasons, but for one, it's so I can keep her alive when I reach my version of season 4.
Again, Ages are shifted to fit the story.
Before I forget, many of the characters in the series you're used to will likely be OOC; I'm saying this because I can't perfectly replicate an established character's personality, etc., as this is fanfiction. I can only improve on certain aspects. In this story in particular, Mikasa will still have her overprotective stoicism, but it will tone down as I progress, but not to the point of erasure. Sasha will have her goofy personality, but before she joined the Cadets, she was angry and cold at everyone looking at her (And her family?) as some savage. She will retain some of her anger in this story. Frieda will most likely be a challenge considering her limited appearance, but based on what I've seen, I can make this work, there will be a lot of moments where the Vow will cause arguments between her and Kruger since I don't want them to the perfect couple, but yeah it's going to be fun writing this.
The Curse Of Ymir will not exist either but won't be classed as false till later down the story. Some things about the Vow Renouncing War will be changed. In this story, I'm working to break it as Zeke did in the paths. (which took him, I believe, a couple of years.)
Also, yes, Kruger will get the Attack Titan next chapter. I know some of you are reading for action. Trust me, the next chapter onwards will have action.
With that said, I hope you all enjoyed it!
